bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Consecutive Multicomponent Reactions: Synthesis of 3-Acyl-4-alkynyl-Substituted 1,3-Thiazolidines
Authors: Martens Jürgen , Schlüter Torben , Frerichs Nils , Schmidtmann Marc
Published: January 2018

This work describes the synthesis of compounds containing thiazolidine and propargylamidic motifs. Their preparation follows a synthetic route containing two multicomponent reactions. First, the Asinger four-component reaction is used to prepare 3-thiazolines and 3-oxazolines. Secondly, these heterocyclic imines are converted into propargylamides by a copper-catalyzed three-component reaction using acyl chlorides and terminal alkynes. The synthetic route is characterized by mild conditions and many functional groups are tolerated. The formation of an unexpected α-alkynoxyamide is also presented.
Metástases cranianas — Considerações sobre 21 casos
Authors: Pereira Carlos Umberto , Melo Mirela Secundo
Published: January 2018

Contexto: Metástases cranianas são raras, podem derivar de todas as neoplasias epiteliais e acometem principalmente os idosos. Objetivo: Analisar pacientes com metástases cranianas, atendidos em nosso serviço. Método: Estudo prospectivo e descritivo. Foram estudados 21 pacientes de ambos os gêneros admitidos no Serviço de Neurocirurgia do Hospital João Alves Filho (Aracaju, SE), durante o período de janeiro de 1999 a março de 2009, com o diagnóstico de metástase craniana, colhendo dados de exame físico, quadro clínico, foco primário, exames de imagens, histopatológicos, tratamento e prognóstico. Resultados: Houve predomínio do sexo feminino (12:9). As idades variaram entre 1 e 74 anos, com uma média de 51,1 anos. A queixa principal foi cefaleia, seguida de tumoração local. A distribuição do tumor primário foi: mama (5), pulmão (3), fígado (2), próstata (2), tireoide (2), mieloma múltiplo (2), neuroblastoma (2), carcinoma epidermoide (1) e desconhecido (2). A localização das lesões foi única em 13 casos e múltipla em 8, com predomínio no osso parietal. Radiografia simples de crânio, tomografia computadorizada (TC) e ressonância magnética (RM) foram relevantes no diagnóstico, mas a confirmação diagnóstica foi por meio da histopatologia. Comprometimento intracraniano esteve presente em nove casos. Biópsia foi realizada em dez casos, exérese completa da lesão em cinco, parcial em três e tratamento conservador em 3. Radioterapia complementar foi realizada em 16 casos e quimioterapia em 9. Ocorreram 14 óbitos. Conclusão: Metástases cranianas geralmente acometem pessoas idosas com neoplasia primária conhecida. Seu tratamento tem base no estado geral do paciente, na localização e apresenta um prognóstico péssimo.
Uso de morfina peridural em pacientes com disautonomia após traumatismo craniencefálico
Authors: Mathias Junior Luis Roberto , Paiva Wellingson Silva , de Andrade Almir Ferreira , Oliveira Amorim Robson Luis , Fonoff Erich Talamoni , Teixeira Manoel Jacobsen
Published: January 2018

Introdução: A disautonomia ou hiperatividade simpática paroxística (HSP) pode ocorrer em até um terço dos pacientes vítimas de trauma de crânio grave, entretanto ainda é uma entidade sem tratamento estabelecido. O uso de morfina intravenosa é descrito para o tratamento da HSP, sendo observada melhora principalmente na diminuição das frequências respiratória e cardíaca. Partindo desses preceitos, este estudo analisa os efeitos da morfina peridural nos pacientes com HSP. Pacientes e métodos: Foram avaliados três pacientes (dois masculino e um feminino), com idade média de 20,6 anos, vítimas de trauma de crânio grave, que apresentaram durante a evolução quadro clínico sugestivo de disautonomia. Os dados coletados incluíram detalhes do trauma, parâmetros fisiológicos, medicações utilizadas e evolução dos sintomas. Nesses pacientes, foi realizada infusão de morfina 4-6 mg/d no espaço peridural, em nível torácico, com média de 25,6 dias. Resultados: Dois pacientes tinham sinais radiológicos de lesão axonal difusa e um paciente tinha um volumoso hematoma extradural que foi operado. Os principais sintomas encontrados nos três pacientes foram sudorese, taquicardia, hipertermia e posturas distônicas. Em dois pacientes a hipertonia era global e em um paciente a postura distônica predominava no hemicorpo esquerdo. Após a passagem do cateter epidural com infusão de morfina, foi observada, já na primeira semana, melhora dos sintomas da hiperatividade simpática e da hipertonia nos grupos musculares envolvidos. Conclusão: O uso de morfina peridural pode ser uma alternativa de tratamento nos pacientes com HSP refratários ao tratamento clínico.
Síndrome confusional aguda pós-neurocirurgia: etiologia, diagnóstico e tratamento
Authors: Matos Queiroz João Welberthon , Figueiredo Eberval Gadelha , Seyfert Carlos Eduardo , Teixeira Manoel Jacobsen
Published: January 2018

A síndrome confusional aguda (SCA) ou delirium é uma complicação comum em pacientes submetidos à cirurgia, em especial as cardíacas e neurológicas, sendo uma alteração cognitiva. Se não abordada imediata e corretamente, pode provocar sequelas irreversíveis. É uma situação clínica ainda pouco estudada quando tratada conjuntamente com a neurocirurgia, necessitando de estudos prospectivos mais adequados. Esta revisão tem como propósito elucidar questões referentes a uma complicação neurocirúrgica subdiagnosticada, que em muitos casos não recebem o tratamento mais indicado pela literatura. Além de abordar a etiologia, o diagnóstico e o tratamento dessa complicação, o presente trabalho enaltece a necessidade de mais estudos acerca da SCA e suas derivações, tendo, assim, o propósito de promover a melhor abordagem pós-operatória de uma das complicações mais complexas da neurocirurgia.
Hematoma iatrogênico simulando lesão tumoral intradural lombar
Authors: Monteiro Alves José Luís , Cristovão Duarte José Nubélio , Bento Soares José Gustavo , Tavares Rocha Armando Manuel
Published: January 2018

Em um quadro clínico de lombociatalgia, o diagnóstico diferencial engloba uma variedade de possíveis etiologias. Descreve-se um caso de um doente do sexo feminino, com história de lombociatalgia incapacitante relacionada com hematoma intradural, consequência de punção lombar e drenado após laminectomia lombar. São revistas as várias séries descritas na literatura, assim como são discutidos os diferentes fatores de risco, quadros clínicos e estratégias de prevenção e tratamento.
Escalas para avaliação do nível de consciência em trauma cranioencefálico e sua relevância para a prática de enfermagem em neurocirurgia
Authors: Oliveira Débora Moura da Paixão , Pereira Carlos Umberto , Freitas Záira Moura da Paixão
Published: January 2018

A eficácia da equipe da emergência reduziu a taxa de morbimortalidade de pacientes com traumatismo cranioencefálico, todavia estabelecer intervenções padronizadas exige conhecimento e preparo específico. O objetivo do trabalho foi realizar uma revisão da literatura sobre escalas para avaliação do nível de consciência em pacientes com trauma cranioencefálico, chamando a atenção para a sua importância na prática de enfermagem em neurocirurgia. Foi realizada busca de artigos científicos nas bases dados Elservier, Lilacs, PubMed Medline, SciELO, ScienceDirect e Scirus, com as palavras-chave “escalas de coma” e “traumatismos craniocerebrais”, além de ser feita pesquisa adicional em bancos de dados de dissertações, teses e livros texto. A literatura consultada revela que, apesar de vários estudos destacarem a importância do tema, a avaliação neurológica com a utilização de outras escalas não é prática rotineira nas unidades de trauma.
Minimally invasive carpal tunnel surgery in leprosy
Authors: Pondé José Marcos , Ramos Clarissa , Santos Lazaro , Magalhaes João Pedro , Cavalcanti Ana Flavia
Published: January 2018

Objective: Evaluate carpal tunnel release in leprosy. Methods: The authors operated upon 60 patients with median nerve involvement by leprosy between February 2008 and February 2012. The outpatients were under local anesthesia submitted to carpal tunnel release. Results: All the patients showed post-operative improvement in pain and sensation. Conclusion: The surgical approach is a cost effectiveness procedure adequate to developing countries.
O custo da neurocirurgia no Sistema Único de Saúde no Hospital de Base de São José do Rio Preto
Authors: Sampaio Gustavo Botelho , Freitas de Moraes Dionei , Meguins Lucas Crociati , Rocha da Cruz Adry Rodrigo Antônio , Campos Sampaio Pabula Verusca
Published: January 2018

Objetivo: Estudar a gestão financeira da neurocirurgia no Sistema Único de Saúde (SUS) brasileiro no Hospital de Base de São José do Rio Preto. Métodos: Foram avaliados 246 AIH (Autorizações de Internações Hospitalares) dos pacientes internados no Hospital de base no período de dezembro de 2012 a junho de 2013, sendo catalogados o gasto total do paciente durante a internação, idade, dias de internação, local de origem, nome completo e registro hospitalar, e comparados os valores com os valores pagos pelo SUS de acordo com a legislação em atividade. Resultados: O total de gasto do hospital nas cirurgias eletivas foi de R$ 718.036,70, e o valor pago pelo SUS foi de R$ 321.607,45, evidenciando um déficit de R$ 395.329,17. Em contrapartida, o gasto pelo hospital nas cirurgias de urgência foi de R$ 707.698,28 e o valor pago pelo SUS, de R$ 199.599,94, evidenciando um déficit de R$ 508.098,34. Conclusão: A tabela de distribuição financeira de acordo com os procedimentos do SUS encontra-se desatualizada, principalmente nas subespecialidades que utilizam materiais, por exemplo, a neurocirurgia vascular e de coluna. Além disso, o valor pago pelo SUS nas cirurgias de trauma encontra-se, sobremaneira, inferior ao valor gasto pela instituição, necessitando, assim, de revisão dos gastos e reestudo dos valores pagos pelos procedimentos.
Intramedullary non-dysraphic cervical spine lipoma – Case report
Authors: Ferreira da Cruz Halisson Yoshinari , Bastos Dhiego , Joaquim Andrei Fernandes , Ghizoni Enrico , Tedeschi Helder
Published: January 2018

Intramedullary lipomas correspond to about 1% of the intramedullary tumors. These lesions are commonly associated with spinal dysraphisms and midline defects. Non-dysraphic lipomas are quite rare lesions, potentially located at any site of the spinal cord. Here we present the case history of an intramedullary non-dysraphic cervical spine lipoma.
Silibinin from Silybum marianum Stimulates Embryonic Stem Cell Vascular Differentiation via the STAT3/PI3-K/AKT Axis and Nitric Oxide
Authors: Ali Enas , Sharifpanah Fatemeh , Wartenberg Maria , Sauer Heinrich
Published: January 2018

Silibinin, the bioactive compound of milk thistle (Silybum marianum), exerts tissue protective and regenerative effects that may include stem cell differentiation toward vascular cells. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether silibinin stimulates blood vessel formation from mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells and to unravel the underlying signaling cascade. Vascular branching points were assessed by confocal laser scanning microscopy and computer-assisted image analysis of CD31-positive cell structures. Protein expression of vascular markers and activation of protein kinases were determined by western blot. Nitric oxide (NO) generation was investigated by use of the fluorescent dye 4-amino-5-methylamino-2′,7′-difluorofluorescein diacetate. Silibinin dose-dependently increased CD31-positive vascular branching points in embryoid bodies cultivated from ES cells. This was paralleled by increase of protein expression levels for the endothelial-specific markers vascular endothelial cadherin (VE-cadherin), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α. Moreover, silibinin increased activation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), which boosted generation of NO in embryoid bodies and enhanced phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) as well as phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-K) and AKT. Vasculogenesis, VE-cadherin expression, STAT3 and AKT phosphorylation, NO generation, and eNOS phosphorylation were inhibited by the small molecule STAT3 inhibitor Stattic, AKT inhibitor VIII, the PI3-K inhibitor LY294002, or the NOS inhibitor Nω-Nitro-L-arginine methyl ester hydrochloride. In conclusion, our findings indicate that silibinin induces vasculogenesis of ES cells via activation of STAT3, PI3-K, and AKT, which regulate NO generation by eNOS.
Bias temperature stress induced hydrogen depassivation from Al2O3/InGaAs interface defects
Authors: Tang Kechao , Droopad Ravi , McIntyre Paul C.
Published: January 2018

We study the reliability of Al2O3/InGaAs metal-oxide-semiconductor gate stacks by investigating the effect of bias temperature stress on the charge trap density at the Al2O3/InGaAs interface and in the bulk oxide. Under extended negative biasing at 100 °C, the gate stacks display a notable increase in the interface trap density (Dit), but little change in the border trap density. This phenomenon is more prominent for samples exposed to a H2/N2 forming gas anneal (FGA) than for the as-deposited samples. Negative gate bias applied during 100 °C thermal stress negates the FGA-induced passivation of interface states and causes convergence of the Dit of the post-FGA and as-deposited gate stacks with increasing biasing time. This appears to be caused by hydrogen depassivation of interface traps under bias temperature stress, which is further supported by an observed hydrogen isotope effect when comparing the rate of Dit increase after annealing in hydrogenated versus deuterated forming gas. A N2 anneal control experiment also indicates that the stability of the interface trap density of post-FGA Al2O3/InGaAs gate stacks is more strongly influenced by the behavior of hydrogen at the interface than by the thermal treatment effect of the anneal.
Multi-objective particle swarm optimization of component size and long-term operation of hybrid energy systems under multiple uncertainties
Authors: Abdoos M. , Ghazvini M.
Published: January 2018

In real-world operation conditions, Hybrid Energy Systems (HESs) are exposed to a wide variety of uncertainties, which cause an unexpected operation and performance in the case of neglecting the effects of uncertainties in design and operation processes. This paper presents a multi-objective optimization of the component size and long-term operation of the HES in the presence of multiple uncertainties, considering the Net Present Cost and Energy Not Served as the objective functions. Uncertainties related to load forecasting, wind speed, and components' outage are probabilistically modeled and incorporated into the Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization approach using the Monte Carlo Simulation (MCS) method. MCS generates samples (future scenarios) of uncertain variables based on the probabilistic models of the uncertainties. The optimization algorithm determines the optimal values of component's size as well as the operation parameters to efficiently optimize the HES operation. The applicability and effectiveness of the proposed method are investigated through some numerical analyses. The proposed method can be a useful stochastic optimization tool to consider important uncertainties in the practical design and operation of the HES.
Weakly strained highly mismatched BxIn1-xBVyAs1-y (BV = Sb, Bi) alloys
Authors: Elyukhin Vyacheslav A.
Published: January 2018

Thermodynamically favorable 4B10BV (BV = Sb, Bi) clustering, reducing the internal strain energy, is presented in highly mismatched InAs-rich BxIn1-xBVyAs1-y alloys. The cluster formation decreases the sum of the internal energies of the constituent compounds and internal strain energy. The cohesive energies, enthalpies of formation, bond stretching, and bond bending elastic constants of zinc blende BBi and InBi are calculated. The clustering conditions are estimated up to 800 °C within the compositions 5 × 10−5 ≤ x ≤ 0.01 and x ≤ y ≤ 100x. The internal strain energies of BxIn1-xSbyAs1-y and BxIn1-xBiyAs1-y (y ≥ 2.5x) in which 99.99% boron atoms are in the clusters are more than three and seven times, respectively, less than in alloys without clusters. The formation conditions for such weakly strained highly mismatched alloys have been obtained. Almost all boron atoms should be in 4B10Sb and 4B10Bi clusters at 800 °C in BxIn1-xSbyAs1-y with x ≥ 4.2 × 10−4 and y ≥ 10x and in BxIn1-xBiyAs1-y with x ≥ 6.6 × 10−5 and y ≥ 10x.
Study on atmospheric pressure glow discharge based on AC-DC coupled electric field
Authors: Liu Wenzheng , Niu Jiangqi , Zhao Shuai , Chai Maolin
Published: January 2018

Based on the idea of increasing the number of initial electrons by changing the structures of the cathode, a method of generating the glow discharge plasma in the DC electric field by using the three-potential electrode structure is proposed. When the cathode takes the form of a spiral-contact electrode, a coupled electrode structure is designed. With this structure, the pre-discharge spiral-contact electrode provides a moderate number of seed electrons for the DC electric field. Moreover, the special electric field distribution of the coupled electrode structure can effectively suppress the occurrence of filamentary discharge and make possible the 8 mm-wide DC glow discharge under atmospheric pressure. The plasma generated in the DC field shows a feature of directional motion, promising great perspective in its application in surface treatment and other fields.
A novel concept of fault current limiter based on saturable core in high voltage DC transmission system
Authors: Yuan Jiaxin , Zhou Hang , Gan Pengcheng , Zhong Yongheng , Gao Yanhui , Muramatsu Kazuhiro , Du Zhiye , Chen Baichao
Published: January 2018

To develop mechanical circuit breaker in high voltage direct current (HVDC) system, a fault current limiter is required. Traditional method to limit DC fault current is to use superconducting technology or power electronic devices, which is quite difficult to be brought to practical use under high voltage circumstances. In this paper, a novel concept of high voltage DC transmission system fault current limiter (DCSFCL) based on saturable core was proposed. In the DCSFCL, the permanent magnets (PM) are added on both up and down side of the core to generate reverse magnetic flux that offset the magnetic flux generated by DC current and make the DC winding present a variable inductance to the DC system. In normal state, DCSFCL works as a smoothing reactor and its inductance is within the scope of the design requirements. When a fault occurs, the inductance of DCSFCL rises immediately and limits the steepness of the fault current. Magnetic field simulations were carried out, showing that compared with conventional smoothing reactor, DCSFCL can decrease the high steepness of DC fault current by 17% in less than 10ms, which verifies the feasibility and effectiveness of this method.
Flexocaloric response of epitaxial ferroelectric films
Authors: Khassaf H. , Patel T. , Hebert R. J. , Alpay S. P.
Published: January 2018

The flexoelectric effect in dielectric materials generates an electric polarization as a result of strain gradient. Here, we show that the flexoelectric response also produces a flexocaloric adiabatic temperature variation in heteroepitaxial ferroelectric films that are either partially or completely relaxed. The flexocaloric temperature change of (001) BaTiO3 films on (001) SrTiO3 substrates is computed as a function of film thickness and temperature. Our calculations predict that a built-in flexocaloric temperature change of 0.61 °C can be realized in 20 nm thick epitaxial BaTiO3 films when compared with the intrinsic electrocaloric response of 0.75 °C for bulk, single-crystal BaTiO3 at 25 °C and applied electric field of 200 kV/cm. This demonstrates that the flexocaloric response can supplement electrocaloric temperature changes in thin film ferroelectrics and may play an important role in potential applications in on-chip solid-state cooling.
“Star” morphologies of charged nanodrops comprised of conformational isomers
Authors: In Oh Myong , Paliy Maxim , Consta Styliani
Published: January 2018

We study the spatial distribution of conformational isomers surrounding a central macroion in a charged droplet with linear dimensions in the nanometer range. Dimethyl carbonate and formic acid are selected as typical solvents that undergo isomerization and a charged buckyball (C60) is selected as a representative example of a macroion. The study is performed by atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. We find that when the charge of the buckyball is above a threshold value, it induces the formation of concentric shells of different conformational isomers surrounding the macroion. The presence of layers with different dielectric properties necessitates the use of different state equations for the solvent polarization in each layer. We find that at a high charge state of the buckyball, the nearest layer to the macroion comprises the conformers with the highest dipole moment. The interface of the outer layers of conformers is characterized by “ray”-forming structures of the higher dielectric constant isomers penetrating into the layer of the lowest dielectric constant isomers. For high values of the solvent dielectric constant, the charged droplet acquires a “star”-like global shape. We demonstrate that these distinct droplet structures are a manifestation of charge-induced instability. We describe this simulation-based phenomenology by an analytical theory that supports this conclusion. The findings suggest new experimental research venues that may explore the reactivity and assembly of molecules within regions of different dielectric properties in droplets.
Measurement of shape and deformation of insect wing
Authors: Yin Duo , Wei Zhen , Wang Zeyu , Zhou Changqiu
Published: January 2018

To measure the shape and deformation of an insect wing, a scanning setup adopting laser triangulation and image matching was developed. Only one industry camera with two light sources was employed to scan the transparent insect wings. 3D shape and point to point full field deformation of the wings could be obtained even when the wingspan is less than 3 mm. The venation and corrugation could be significantly identified from the results. The deformation of the wing under pin loading could be seen clearly from the results as well. Calibration shows that the shape and deformation measurement accuracies are no lower than 0.01 mm. Laser triangulation and image matching were combined dexterously to adapt wings’ complex shape, size, and transparency. It is suitable for insect flight research or flapping wing micro-air vehicle development.
Temporal and spatial heterogeneity of drought impact on vegetation growth on the Inner Mongolian Plateau
Authors: Bailing Miao , Zhiyong Li , Cunzhu Liang , Lixin Wang , Chengzhen Jia , Fuxiang Bao , Chao Jiang
Published: January 2018

Drought frequency and intensity have increased in recent decades, with consequences for the structure and function of ecosystems of the Inner Mongolian Plateau. In this study, the Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) was chosen to assess the extent and severity of drought between 1982 and 2011. The normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) was used to analyse the responses of five different vegetation types (forest, meadow steppe, typical steppe, desert steppe and desert) to drought. Our results show that during the last 30 years, the frequency and intensity of droughts have increased significantly, especially in summer and autumn. The greatest decline in NDVI in response to drought was observed in typical steppe and desert steppe vegetation types. Compared with other seasons, maximum decline in NDVI was observed in summer. In addition, we found that NDVI in the five vegetation types showed a lag time of 1–2 months from drought in the spring and summer. Ancillary soil moisture conditions influenced the drought response, with desert steppe showing a stronger lag effect to spring and summer drought than the other vegetation types. Our results show that drought explains a high proportion of changes in NDVI, and suggest that recent climate change has been an important factor affecting vegetation productivity in the area.
Traces of old and new center-periphery dynamics in language-in-education policy and practice
Authors: Da Costa Cabral Ildegrada , Martin-Jones Marilyn
Published: January 2018

This article reveals how center-periphery relations have unfolded, over time, in language policy processes in one nation – Timor-Leste – on the global periphery. We take alongue duréeperspective on the language policy processes at work in this historical context, showing how different regimes of language were imposed, in the past, by colonisers from distant centers – in Portugal and then in Java, Indonesia. Then, turning to the post-independence period, we show how a new order of indexicality, forged within the Resistance to the Indonesian occupation, formed the basis for current language policy in Timor-Leste, with Portuguese and Tetum as co-official languages. We also demonstrate that this agentive policy move, from the global periphery, oriented Timor-Leste to new and more complex center-periphery relations, to a ‘lusophone’ world, with Portugal and Brazil as key players. Our account of contemporary policy discourses in Timor-Leste, and of the consequences for language policy implementation, on different scales (national and local), draws on recent research of an ethnographic and multi-scalar nature conducted in Timor-Leste (Da Costa Cabral, 2015).
On Sinitic influence on Macanese
Authors: Arcodia Giorgio Francesco
Published: January 2018

Macanese, the near-extinct Portuguese creole of Macao, is an understudied contact language with strong Malayo-Portuguese features. It is also characterised by Sinitic influence, which however has sometimes been downplayed in the literature (seeAnsaldo and Matthews 2004). In this paper, I argue that a distinctive element of Macanesevis-à-visother Asian Portuguese Creoles is the stronger role of Sinitic in its “typological matrix” (Ansaldo 2004,2009). Sinitic influence on Macanese has already been invoked to account e.g. for reduplication (Ansaldo and Matthews 2004); however, little research on multi-verb constructions has been conducted so far. The main object of my study comprise constructions expressing indirect causation, and I focus on thechomá[call]-NP-VP pattern. I argue that, whereas in other Asian Portuguese Creoles the syntax of indirect causatives appears to be modelled mainly on Malay or on Indian substrate languages, for Macanese the model is clearly Sinitic.
Stabilization of mesophilic Allochromatium vinosum cytochrome c′ through specific mutations modeled by a thermophilic homologue
Authors: Yamane-Koshizawa Daisuke , Fujii Sotaro , Maruno Takahiro , Kobayashi Yuji , Yamanaka Masaru , Wakai Satoshi , Sambongi Yoshihiro
Published: January 2018

AVCP cytochrome c′ from mesophilic Allochromatium vinosum exhibits lower stability than a thermophilic counterpart, Hydrogenophilus thermoluteolus cytochrome c′ (PHCP), in which the six specific amino acid residues that are not conserved in AVCP are responsible for its stability. Here we measured the stability of AVCP variants carrying these specific residues instead of the original AVCP ones. Among the six single AVCP variants, all of which formed a dimeric structure similar to that of the wild-type, three were successfully stabilized compared with the wild-type, while one showed lower stability than the wild-type. In addition, the most stabilized and destabilized AVCP variants could bind CO, similar to the wild-type. These results indicated that mesophilic AVCP could be stabilized through specific three mutations modeled by the thermophilic counterpart, PHCP, without changing the CO binding ability.
A new application for the quantification of apoplastic redox radicals of plant roots using pre-fluorescent probe
Authors: Ito Yosuke , Yazawa Masamichi , Kikuchi Syunsuke , Abo Mitsuru
Published: January 2018

New application of fluorescence probe to detect apoplastic redox radicals from plant roots were sought. This probe can detect radicals selectively. Calibration curve for radicals was obtained using nitrogen monoxide as radical standard produced by NOC7. Apoplastic radicals released constitutively were quantified and the release rate was 60 μmol L−1 h−1. Oxidative burst triggered by chitin was distinguished from constitutive radical release.
Physiological responses to taste signals of functional food components
Authors: Narukawa Masataka
Published: January 2018

The functions of food have three categories: nutrition, palatability, and bioregulation. As the onset of lifestyle-related diseases has increased, many people have shown interest in functional foods that are beneficial to bioregulation. We believe that functional foods should be highly palatable for increased acceptance from consumers. In order to design functional foods with a high palatability, we have investigated about the palatability, especially in relation to the taste of food. In this review, we discuss (1) the identification of taste receptors that respond to functional food components; (2) an analysis of the peripheral taste transduction system; and (3) the investigation of the relationship between physiological functions and taste signals.
NAD+/NADH homeostasis affects metabolic adaptation to hypoxia and secondary metabolite production in filamentous fungi*
Authors: Shimizu Motoyuki
Published: January 2018

Filamentous fungi are used to produce fermented foods, organic acids, beneficial secondary metabolites and various enzymes. During such processes, these fungi balance cellular NAD+:NADH ratios to adapt to environmental redox stimuli. Cellular NAD(H) status in fungal cells is a trigger of changes in metabolic pathways including those of glycolysis, fermentation, and the production of organic acids, amino acids and secondary metabolites. Under hypoxic conditions, high NADH:NAD+ ratios lead to the inactivation of various dehydrogenases, and the metabolic flow involving NAD+ is down-regulated compared with normoxic conditions. This review provides an overview of the metabolic mechanisms of filamentous fungi under hypoxic conditions that alter the cellular NADH:NAD+ balance. We also discuss the relationship between the intracellular redox balance (NAD/NADH ratio) and the production of beneficial secondary metabolites that arise from repressing the HDAC activity of sirtuin A via Nudix hydrolase A (NdxA)-dependent NAD+ degradation.
Finding Nemo: hybrid assembly with Oxford Nanopore and Illumina reads greatly improves the clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) genome assembly
Authors: Tan Mun Hua , Austin Christopher M , Hammer Michael P , Lee Yin Peng , Croft Laurence J , Gan Han Ming
Published: January 2018

Background

Some of the most widely recognized coral reef fishes are clownfish or anemonefish, members of the family Pomacentridae (subfamily: Amphiprioninae). They are popular aquarium species due to their bright colours, adaptability to captivity, and fascinating behavior. Their breeding biology (sequential hermaphrodites) and symbiotic mutualism with sea anemones have attracted much scientific interest. Moreover, there are some curious geographic-based phenotypes that warrant investigation. Leveraging on the advancement in Nanopore long read technology, we report the first hybrid assembly of the clown anemonefish (Amphiprion ocellaris) genome utilizing Illumina and Nanopore reads, further demonstrating the substantial impact of modest long read sequencing data sets on improving genome assembly statistics.

Results

We generated 43 Gb of short Illumina reads and 9 Gb of long Nanopore reads, representing approximate genome coverage of 54× and 11×, respectively, based on the range of estimated k-mer-predicted genome sizes of between 791 and 967 Mbp. The final assembled genome is contained in 6404 scaffolds with an accumulated length of 880 Mb (96.3% BUSCO-calculated genome completeness). Compared with the Illumina-only assembly, the hybrid approach generated 94% fewer scaffolds with an 18-fold increase in N50 length (401 kb) and increased the genome completeness by an additional 16%. A total of 27 240 high-quality protein-coding genes were predicted from the clown anemonefish, 26 211 (96%) of which were annotated functionally with information from either sequence homology or protein signature searches.

Conclusions

We present the first genome of any anemonefish and demonstrate the value of low coverage (~11×) long Nanopore read sequencing in improving both genome assembly contiguity and completeness. The near-complete assembly of the A. ocellaris genome will be an invaluable molecular resource for supporting a range of genetic, genomic, and phylogenetic studies specifically for clownfish and more generally for other related fish species of the family Pomacentridae.
Accurate effective temperatures of the metal-poor benchmark stars HD 140283, HD 122563, and HD 103095 from CHARA interferometry
Authors: Karovicova I , White T R , Nordlander T , Lind K , Casagrande L , Ireland M J , Huber D , Creevey O , Mourard D , Schaefer G H , Gilmore G , Chiavassa A , Wittkowski M , Jofré P , Heiter U , Thévenin F , Asplund M
Published: January 2018

Large stellar surveys of the Milky Way require validation with reference to a set of ‘benchmark’ stars whose fundamental properties are well determined. For metal-poor benchmark stars, disagreement between spectroscopic and interferometric effective temperatures has called the reliability of the temperature scale into question. We present new interferometric measurements of three metal-poor benchmark stars, HD 140283, HD 122563, and HD 103095, from which we determine their effective temperatures. The angular sizes of all the stars were determined from observations with the PAVO beam combiner at visible wavelengths at the CHARA array, with additional observations of HD 103095 made with the VEGA instrument, also at the CHARA array. Together with photometrically derived bolometric fluxes, the angular diameters give a direct measurement of the effective temperature. For HD 140283, we find θLD = 0.324 ± 0.005 mas, Teff = 5787 ± 48 K; for HD 122563, θLD = 0.926 ± 0.011 mas, Teff = 4636 ± 37 K; and for HD 103095, θLD = 0.595 ± 0.007 mas, Teff = 5140 ± 49 K. Our temperatures for HD 140283 and HD 103095 are hotter than the previous interferometric measurements by 253 and 322 K, respectively. We find good agreement between our temperatures and recent spectroscopic and photometric estimates. We conclude some previous interferometric measurements have been affected by systematic uncertainties larger than their quoted errors.
Levinas and Film
Authors: Davis Colin
Published: January 2018

Levinas expressed distrust of art in general and showed little interest in film. Nevertheless, critics have attempted to use his thought in ethical approaches to film, to the point that there may even have been what has been called a “Levinasian turn” in film scholarship. Sometimes, this has entailed taking a Levinasian term (“the face,” “the encounter,” “the feminine”) and showing how it is explored in particular films; often, it has entailed “correcting” Levinas by showing how film may in fact be a key medium for exploring his ethical concerns. This chapter discusses the risks, shortcomings, and gains of Levinasian film studies and points to some of the ways in which this line of scholarship might fruitfully be developed.
Levinas on Psychology, Identity, and Caring for Others
Authors: Goodman David M. , Severson Eric R.
Published: January 2018

This essay takes up the critical importance of Levinas’s work for mental health care and explores the timeliness and relevance of Levinas’s concerns in relationship to the contemporary shape of the clinical disciplines. The authors provide a critical assessment of the existing literature on Levinas and psychology by chronicling and examining the realms of clinical scholarship and theory to which Levinas’s work has been applied. After arguing for the substantial value of this intersectional literature and addressing the current impediments involved in applying Levinas to psychotherapeutic contexts, the authors define several areas in the research that are ripe for future exploration, expansion, and consolidation.
Levinas, Politics, and the Third Party
Authors: Simmons J. Aaron
Published: January 2018

This chapter contends that Levinas’s authorship can and should be more consistently engaged with contemporary mainstream political philosophy. To facilitate such engagement, the first section considers what our expectations of any Levinasian political philosophy should be such that we do not demand of his thought more than it is able to provide. Second, his texts are analyzed to trace the development of the key idea of “the third party” across his work. In the effort to suggest a couple of areas in which Levinasian contributions to political philosophy are likely to be especially productive, his notions of “liberalism” and “the liberal state” are considered and also the important rethinking of epistemology as an ethico-political task that can occur in light of his thought.
Dewey and Public Philosophy
Authors: McAfee Noëlle
Published: January 2018

Of late many philosophers have taken up the mantle of public philosophy, but, unlike Dewey, many think that the goal is to perform philosophy in public, to broadcast widely their arguments, or become renowned as public intellectuals. Many aim to improve the public, to help people think more rationally and critically, argue more deliberatively and logically, and perhaps see the light about philosophical matters. But Dewey shows that none of such work is democratic, for it usurps the role of a public to identify problems and their sources and skips over any need for public deliberation on what should be done. From a Deweyan perspective, the key for public philosophy is to remember that public problems are best fathomed by the public itself, which may enlist experts or governments to fix the problems but alone is the best judge of what needs to be addressed and whether the remedy is successful.
Fertility Policy in Developed Countries
Authors: Lopoo Leonard M. , Raissian Kerri M.
Published: January 2018

This article examines how direct and indirect pronatalist policies implemented in many developed countries to promote childbearing affect fertility. More specifically, it reviews the extant empirical literature on direct subsidies, family leave, child care, publically provided health insurance, and tax policy. Before evaluating the evidence in these five areas, the article first considers the theoretical association between pronatalist policies and fertility, as well as the common empirical methods utilized in this literature. It then summarizes some of the major findings on child subsidies, family leave policies, child care cost and availability, public health insurance, and tax incentives. Finally, it highlights several gaps that need to be addressed in future research.
Maternal Socioeconomic Status and the Well-Being of the Next Generation(s)
Authors: Buckles Kasey S.
Published: January 2018

A rich literature in economics and the other social sciences has shown that improvements in women’s socioeconomic status (SES) can also improve the well-being of their children. This chapter identifies several channels for this effect, drawing on both theoretical and empirical work in economics. Empirical evidence on the effects of maternal SES on child outcomes like health, education, and labor market success is presented, with a focus on recent work using new datasets and methodological innovations that allow for credible identification. The chapter also discusses emerging evidence that shocks to maternal well-being can affect not only a woman’s own children but also future generations. Finally, the chapter highlights several fertile areas for future work.
Women’s Homelessness
Authors: Johnson Guy , Ribar David C. , Zhu Anna
Published: January 2018

This chapter reviews international evidence regarding women’s homelessness. It discusses different definitions of homelessness and how women are frequently part of the “hidden homeless” population and less a part of the unsheltered homeless population. It also considers the data that are used to enumerate and study homeless people. The structural, personal, and random causes of homelessness are discussed, with evidence pointing to highly gendered patterns. The chapter also describes the consequences of women’s homelessness, including the consequences for children, and the material and psychological coping strategies that homeless people employ. It considers policies to reduce homelessness and ameliorate its problems.
Earthquake Risk Assessment
Authors: Wyss Max
Published: January 2018

This article discusses the importance of assessing and estimating the risk of earthquakes. It begins with an overview of earthquake prediction and relevant terms, namely: earthquake hazard, maximum credible earthquake magnitude, exposure time, earthquake risk, and return time. It then considers data sources for estimating seismic hazard, including catalogs of historic earthquakes, measurements of crustal deformation, and world population data. It also examines ways of estimating seismic risk, such as the use of probabilistic estimates, deterministic estimates, and the concepts of characteristic earthquake, seismic gap, and maximum rupture length. A loss scenario for a possible future earthquake is presented, and the notion of imminent seismic risk is explained. Finally, the chapter addresses errors in seismic risk estimates and how to reduce seismic risk, ethical and moral aspects of seismic risk assessment, and the outlook concerning seismic risk assessment.
Urban Climate and Risk
Authors: Georgiadis Teodoro
Published: January 2018

This work reports on the main physical processes that arise in the environment of the megacity from the “urban metabolism”—the complex interactions of the climate with the activities performed in the city and its built structure and texture—as well as on associated large-scale processes that generate hazards for the megacity’s inhabitants. It is estimated that in a few decades most of the world’s population will live in urban centers. Both the growth of megacities and climate change will increase the vulnerability of huge sectors of the population to climatic consequences of the urban metabolism. These include urban heat islands, pollution, and extreme weather events such as heat waves and floods. Developing policies to mitigate these threats will require integrating scientific knowledge with management skills, communication among cities about effective approaches, and taking into account residents’ needs for health and the capacity to live safely.
Physical Mechanisms Responsible for Track Changes and Rainfall Distributions Associated with Tropical Cyclone Landfall
Authors: Chan Johnny C.L.
Published: January 2018

As a tropical cyclone approaches land, its interaction with the characteristics of the land (surface roughness, topography, moisture availability, etc.) will lead to changes in its track as well as the rainfall and wind distributions near its landfall location. Accurate predictions of such changes are important in issuing warnings and disaster preparedness. In this chapter, the basic physical mechanisms that cause changes in the track and rainfall distributions when a tropical cyclone is about to make landfall are presented. These mechanisms are derived based on studies from both observations and idealized simulations. While the latter are relatively simple, they can isolate the fundamental and underlying physical processes that are inherent when an interaction between the land and the tropical cyclone circulation takes place. These processes are important in assessing the performance of the forecast models, and hence could help improve the model predictions and subsequently disaster preparedness.
Assessing Volcanic Hazard
Authors: Martí Molist Joan
Published: January 2018

Volcanoes represent complex geological systems capable of generating many dangerous phenomena. To evaluate and manage volcanic risk, we need first to assess volcanic hazard (i.e., identify past volcanic system behavior to infer future behavior. This requires acquisition of all relevant geological and geophysical information, such as stratigraphic studies, geological mapping, sedimentological studies, petrologic studies, and structural studies. All this information is then used to elaborate eruption scenarios and hazard maps. Stratigraphic studies represent the main tool for the reconstruction of past activity of volcanoes over time periods exceeding their historical record. This review presents a systematic approach to volcanic hazard assessment, paying special attention to reconstruction of past eruptive history. It reviews concepts and methods most commonly used in long- and short-term hazard assessment and analyzes how they help address the various serious consequences derived from the occurrence (and nonoccurrence in some crisis alerts) of volcanic eruptions and related phenomena.
Eastern Europe in the Global History of Decolonization
Authors: Mark James , Slobodian Quinn
Published: January 2018

This chapter places Eastern Europe into a broader history of decolonization. It shows how the region’s own experience of the end of Empire after the World War I led its new states to consider their relationships with both European colonialism and those were struggling for their future liberation outside their continent. Following World War II, as Communist regimes took power in Eastern Europe, and overseas European Empires dissolved in Africa and Asia, newly powerful relationships developed. Analogies between the end of empire in Eastern Europe and the Global South, though sometimes tortured and riddled with their own blind spots, were nonetheless potent rhetorical idioms, enabling imagined solidarities and facilitating material connections in the era of the Cold War and non-alignment. After the demise of the so-called “evil empire” of the Soviet Union, analogies between the postcolonial and the postcommunist condition allowed for further novel equivalencies between these regions to develop.
The Open Ends of the Dutch Empire and the Indonesian Past
Authors: Bloembergen Marieke
Published: January 2018

Focusing on the practices of knowledge exchange within Dutch colonial heritage politics, and the related transnational scholarly networks, in the years immediately before, during and after decolonization, this chapter re-examines the impact of the ends of empire on Indonesia and elsewhere, including their cultural resonances in the post-colonial period. Starting from sites in the Netherlands Indies/ Indonesia, this chapter links up with transnational approaches to imperial and Asian history thriving in the past two decades, often with a focus on the ‘connecting’ Indian Ocean. It engages with the related scholarly queries to look for ways of studying the region beyond empire- and state-centred approaches and beyond the artificial boundaries between South Asian and Southeast Asian studies. It discusses why and how people identify with worlds of ideas, beliefs, and related histories that differ from or compete with official, state-centred histories. Finally, it warns against pitfalls of the new transnational approaches that focus on cultural flows. These run the risk of exaggerating the region’s cultural unity, of constructing idealized and elitist worlds of unified cosmopolitans, and of obfuscating mechanism of inclusion and exclusion at work at state and transnational levels.