bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimating uncertainty associated with the standardized precipitation index
Authors: Carbone Gregory J. , Lu Junyu , Brunetti Michele
Published: January 2018

We investigate methodological uncertainties associated with the standardized precipitation index (SPI) that result from limited record length, trends, and outliers. We use long, homogenous records from 14 Italian stations to investigate how specific features in the precipitation record affect construction of an underlying gamma probability function. We apply a resampling scheme to the long records in order to estimate confidence intervals associated with a range of precipitation characteristics. Stability in parameter estimation increases nonlinearly as record length increases. The resulting SPI estimates for 30‐year reference periods have considerably more uncertainty than those made from 60‐year records. In general, increasing record length beyond 60‐years has limited benefits and, in the presence of a trend, may increase uncertainty. Extreme events also have significant influence on SPI estimates, even for records exceeding 60 years. Despite using stations from different geographic regions, each with unique precipitation characteristics, we find consistent confidence interval estimates across stations. These confidence intervals can be applied to specific time series to identify how trends, changes in variability, and outliers during a particular reference period influence SPI values.
Proceedings: Beyond Ultrasound First Forum on Improving the Quality of Ultrasound Imaging in Obstetrics and Gynecology
Authors: Benacerraf Beryl R. , Minton Katherine K. , Benson Carol B. , Bromley Bryann S. , Coley Brian D. , Doubilet Peter M. , Lee Wesley , Maslak Samuel H. , Pellerito John S. , Perez James J. , Savitsky Eric , Scarborough Norman A. , Wax Joseph , Abuhamad Alfred Z.
Published: January 2018

The Beyond Ultrasound First Forum was conceived to increase awareness that the quality of obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound can be improved, and is inconsistent throughout the country, likely due to multiple factors, including the lack of a standardized curriculum and competency assessment in ultrasound teaching. The forum brought together representatives from many professional associations; the imaging community including radiology, obstetrics and gynecology, and emergency medicine among others; in addition to government agencies, insurers, industry, and others with common interest in obstetric and gynecologic ultrasound. This group worked together in focus sessions aimed at developing solutions on how to standardize and improve ultrasound training at the resident level and beyond. A new curriculum and competency assessment program for teaching residents (obstetrics and gynecology, radiology, and any other specialty doing obstetrics and gynecology ultrasound) was presented, and performance measures of ultrasound quality in clinical practice were discussed. The aim of this forum was to increase and unify the quality of ultrasound examinations in obstetrics and gynecology with the ultimate goal of improving patient safety and quality of clinical care. This report describes the proceedings of this conference including possible approaches to resident teaching and means to improve the inconsistent quality of ultrasound examinations performed today.
Behavior in oxidation at elevated temperature of {25Cr, 0.4C‐6Ta}‐containing Ni and Co‐based cast alloys versus their proportion in nickel and cobalt
Authors: Berthod Patrice , Himeur Zohra
Published: January 2018

A series of six alloys from Ni‐25Cr‐0.4C‐6Ta to Co‐25Cr‐0.4C‐6Ta with a progressive addition of Co in substitution to Ni were elaborated. They were tested for 24 h at 1237 °C in laboratory air. The corrosion products formed around the samples and the deterioration of the subsurface were analyzed to characterize the high temperature oxidation behavior of these alloys. Three of the studied alloys, the nickel‐richest ones, well behaved until 24 h at this temperature. Their external oxide scales were essentially composed of chromia. In contrast, locally, the three cobalt‐richest alloys were starting to oxidize catastrophically. The significant worsening of the oxidation behavior from the 27 wt% Co‐containing alloy to the 41 wt% Co‐containing one suggests that a critical Co content exists between these two values.
Current developments in homonuclear and heteronuclear J‐resolved NMR experiments
Authors: Parella Teodor
Published: January 2018

Two‐dimensional J‐resolved (Jres) NMR experiments offer a simple, user‐friendly spectral representation where the information of coupling constants and chemical shifts are separated into two orthogonal frequency axis. Since its initial proposal 40 years ago, Jres has been the focus of considerable interest both in improving the basic pulse sequence and in its successful application to a wide range of studies. Here, the latest developments in the design of novel Jres pulse schemes are reviewed, mainly focusing on obtaining pure absorption lineshapes, minimizing strong coupling artifacts, and also optimizing sensitivity and experimental measurements. A discussion of several Jres versions for the accurate measurement of a different number of homonuclear (JHH) and heteronuclear (JCH) coupling constants is presented, accompanied by some illustrative examples.
Nonrigid active shape model–based registration framework for motion correction of cardiac T1 mapping
Authors: El‐Rewaidy Hossam , Nezafat Maryam , Jang Jihye , Nakamori Shiro , Fahmy Ahmed S. , Nezafat Reza
Published: January 2018

Purpose

Accurate reconstruction of myocardial T1 maps from a series of T1‐weighted images consists of cardiac motions induced from breathing and diaphragmatic drifts. We propose and evaluate a new framework based on active shape models to correct for motion in myocardial T1 maps.

Methods

Multiple appearance models were built at different inversion time intervals to model the blood‐myocardium contrast and brightness changes during the longitudinal relaxation. Myocardial inner and outer borders were automatically segmented using the built models, and the extracted contours were used to register the T1‐weighted images. Data acquired from 210 patients using a free‐breathing acquisition protocol were used to train and evaluate the proposed framework. Two independent readers evaluated the quality of the T1 maps before and after correction using a four‐point score. The mean absolute distance and Dice index were used to validate the registration process.

Results

The testing data set from 180 patients at 5 short axial slices showed a significant decrease of mean absolute distance (from 3.3 ± 1.6 to 2.3 ± 0.8 mm, P < 0.001) and increase of Dice (from 0.89 ± 0.08 to 0.94 ± 0.4%, P < 0.001) before and after correction, respectively. The T1 map quality improved in 70 ± 0.3% of the motion‐affected maps after correction. Motion‐corrupted segments of the myocardium reduced from 21.8 to 8.5% (P < 0.001) after correction.

Conclusion

The proposed method for nonrigid registration of T1‐weighted images allows T1 measurements in more myocardial segments by reducing motion‐induced T1 estimation errors in myocardial segments. Magn Reson Med 80:780–791, 2018. © 2018 International Society for Magnetic Resonance in Medicine.
A framework to develop adapted treatment regimens to manage pediatric cancer in low‐ and middle‐income countries: The Pediatric Oncology in Developing Countries (PODC) Committee of the International Pediatric Oncology Society (SIOP)
Authors: Howard Scott C. , Davidson Alan , Luna‐Fineman Sandra , Israels Trijn , Chantada Guillermo , Lam Catherine G. , Hunger Stephen P. , Bailey Simon , Ribeiro Raul C. , Arora Ramandeep S. , Pedrosa Francisco , Harif Mhamed , Metzger Monika L.
Published: January 2018

Many children with cancer in low‐ and middle‐income countries are treated in hospitals lacking key infrastructure, including diagnostic capabilities, imaging modalities, treatment components, supportive care, and personnel. Childhood cancer treatment regimens adapted to local conditions provide an opportunity to cure as many children as possible with the available resources, while working to improve services and supportive care. This paper from the Adapted Treatment Regimens Working Group of the Pediatric Oncology in Developing Countries committee of the International Society of Pediatric Oncology outlines the design, development, implementation, and evaluation of adapted regimens and specifies levels of services needed to deliver them.
Performance of SCAN density functional for a set of ionic liquid ion pairs
Authors: Karu Karl , Mišin Maksim , Ers Heigo , Sun Jianwei , Ivaništšev Vladislav
Published: January 2018

Computational chemistry is a powerful tool for the discovery of novel materials. In particular, it is used to simulate ionic liquids in search of electrolytes for electrochemical applications. Herein, the choice of the computational method is not trivial, as it has to be both efficient and accurate. Density functional theory methods with appropriate corrections for the systematic weaknesses can give precision close to that of the post‐Hartree–Fock coupled cluster methods with a fraction of their cost. Thence, we have evaluated the performance of a recently developed nonempirical strongly constrained and appropriately normed (SCAN) density functional on electronic structure calculations of ionic liquid ion pairs. The performance of SCAN and other popular functionals (PBE, M06‐L, B2PLYP) among with Grimme's dispersion correction and Boys–Bernardi basis set superposition error correction was compared to DLPNO‐CCSD(T)/CBS. We show that SCAN reproduces coupled‐cluster results for describing the employed dataset of 48 ion pairs.
Solvent effects on differentiation of mouse brain tissue using laser microdissection ‘cut and drop’ sampling with direct mass spectral analysis
Authors: Cahill John F. , Kertesz Vilmos , Porta Tiffany , LeBlanc J.C. Yves , Heeren Ron M.A. , Van Berkel Gary J.
Published: January 2018

Rationale

Laser microdissection‐liquid vortex capture/electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LMD‐LVC/ESI‐MS) has potential for on‐line classification of tissue but an investigation into what analytical conditions provide best spectral differentiation has not been conducted. The effects of solvent, ionization polarity, and spectral acquisition parameters on differentiation of mouse brain tissue regions are described.

Methods

Individual 40 × 40 μm microdissections from cortex, white, grey, granular, and nucleus regions of mouse brain tissue were analyzed using different capture/ESI solvents, in positive and negative ion mode ESI, using time‐of‐flight (TOF)‐MS and sequential window acquisitions of all theoretical spectra (SWATH)‐MS (a permutation of tandem‐MS), and combinations thereof. Principal component analysis‐linear discriminant analysis (PCA‐LDA), applied to each mass spectral dataset, was used to determine the accuracy of differentiation of mouse brain tissue regions.

Results

Mass spectral differences associated with capture/ESI solvent composition manifested as altered relative distributions of ions rather than the presence or absence of unique ions. In negative ion mode ESI, 80/20 (v/v) methanol/water yielded spectra with low signal/noise ratios relative to other solvents. PCA‐LDA models acquired using 90/10 (v/v) methanol/chloroform differentiated tissue regions with 100% accuracy while data collected using methanol misclassified some samples. The combination of SWATH‐MS and TOF‐MS data improved differentiation accuracy.

Conclusions

Combined TOF‐MS and SWATH‐MS data differentiated white, grey, granular, and nucleus mouse tissue regions with greater accuracy than when solely using TOF‐MS data. Using 90/10 (v/v) methanol/chloroform, tissue regions were perfectly differentiated. These results will guide future studies looking to utilize the potential of LMD‐LVC/ESI‐MS for tissue and disease differentiation.
Synthesis of O‐Alkyl Alkylphosphonates via Hydrazine Mediated Partial Dealkylation of Phosphonate Diesters
Authors: Pardasani Deepak , Purohit Ajay , Kumar Ajeet , Tak Vijay , Goud D Raghavender , Gupta Arvind K. , Dubey Devendra K.
Published: January 2018

Simple and straightforward method for the partial dealkylation of phosphonate esters is reported for the preparation of alkyl alkylphosphonates. Hydrazine hydrate is used under solvent free conditions to generate nearly quantitative yields of the acids in reasonable time. The reactions are conducted under ambient conditions without any catalyst or specialized equipment.
Porous Biomaterials via Side Chain‐Side Chain Interactions of Tyrosine Analogue of Pyridine Carboxamides
Authors: Tiwari Priyanka , Biswas Soumava , Verma Ritu , Sharma Ankita , Dutt Konar Anita
Published: January 2018

Peptide based porous materials have attracted recent attention due to their environmentally benign nature. In an attempt to artificially imitate their importance, we have synthesized a set of three pseudopeptides comprising of a single pyridinedicarboxylic acid and a flexible dipeptidyl fragment H‐Xaa‐Yaa‐OMe (Xaa: L‐Ala, Yaa: mABA, pseudopeptide I ; Xaa: L‐Tyr, Yaa : mABA, pseudopeptide II; Xaa: L‐Ile, Yaa : Tyr, pseudopeptide III, mABA: meta amino benzoic acid ) using Boc chemistry. Our experimental analysis using X‐ray crystallography illustrates that pseudopeptide I–III displays supramolecular preference for double helices, characterestic of pyridine carboxamides, employing intermolecular H‐bonding and π‐π analogy. To date, literature documentation reveals that the reported double helical motifs have been modulated either by utilizing DNA conjugates or rigid templates, mainly governed by the concept of backbone‐backbone interaction. However, to the best of our knowledge these novel examples represent one of the very few reports of the architectural design solely nucleated by ecofriendly amino acids driven by sidechain ‐ sidechain correspondence, exhibiting significant difference in self‐assembling properties. Our UV/Visible, concentration dependant NMR experiment and Circular Dichroism measurement complies with the solid state conformational analysis. Interestingly, the double helical ensemble of pseudopeptide II (Tyr analogue bearing additional H‐bonding ability of phenolic OH) unveil fifteen times more N2 sorption (65 cc/g) than pseudopeptide I (Ala, devoid of additional H‐bonding ability) (4.5 cc/g), furthermore emphasizing the dominant role of side chain ‐ side chain interaction in porous biomaterial design. Besides our findings also spotlights the relevance of positional displacement of Tyr‐mABA fragment in controlling gas adsorption properties (pseudopeptide III; 5 cc/g). Our morphological analysis using FE‐SEM inaddition supports our experimental observation.
Morphology‐Driven Sensitivity Enhancement of MEH‐PPV Langmuir‐Blodgett Films on Plastic Substrates for NO2 Gas
Authors: Saxena Vibha , Chandran Sridevi , Choudhury Sipra , Singh Ajay , Ganapathi Kailasa , Kaur Manmeet , Tanvi  , Muthe Kunal P. , Gadkari Sanjay C.
Published: January 2018

3D ordered Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films of poly[2‐methoxy‐5‐ (2‐ethylhexyloxy)‐1, 4‐phenylenevinylene] (MEH‐PPV) were prepared via thermal annealing. Surface properties of MEH‐PPV prepared by using different solvents, through both LB and Spin Casting techniques, were examined at the air‐water interface by measuring surface pressure‐area isotherms and Brewster Angle Microscopy. Dramatically different surface morphologies were obtained for spin cast and LB films, both prepared by using different solvents. The annealed LB films showed enhanced NO2 gas sensing as compared to spin cast films. Spectroscopy and morphological analyses reveal that enhanced response of LB films toward NO2 gas is due to their 3D ordered morphology, preferred molecular orientation for in‐plane transport as well as higher surface area.
Morphology‐Controllable Preparation of CeO2 Materials for CO2 Adsorption
Authors: Zhao Bosheng , Sha Feng , Ma Liang , Du Hong , Qiao Xianshu , Zhang Jianbin
Published: January 2018

Three morphology controllable CeO2 crystals were successfully synthesized via the thermal decomposition of CeCO3OH precursors, which was newly prepared on the basis of a simple and template‐free hydrothermal reaction between CeCl3 solution and a CO2‐storage material (CO2SM). In the formation processes of three CeCO3OH precursors, the CO2SM could be newly used as raw material and structural director. Meanwhile, the results presented the wider pH values (5.24‐8.35) for isoelectric point of CeCO3OH precursors. After the CeCO3OH precursors were isolated, the filtrate could be recycled to absorb CO2 again and prepare CeCO3OH precursors with two special polymorphs. Three as‐prepared CeO2 crystals by annealing three CeCO3OH precursors at 500 °C for 4 h showed the maximum adsorption amounts of 23.5, 18.7 and 20.5 mg/g for 8% CO2/N2 mixture. As a result, this work provided the wider pH values for isoelectric point of CeCO3OH precursors and a simple method for the preparation of CeO2 crystals with a short time and CO2 adsorption properties.
Extended Guaranteed Cost Control of Diesel Engine via LMI Approach
Authors: Yu Ge , Ogai Harutoshi , Deng Haoyang
Published: January 2018

This paper presents a control design method for a nonlinear diesel engine system with strong couplings and actuator constraints. The performance goal is to track the reference of engine speed and reduce exhaust emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx) during transient process. Combustion uncertainties and nonlinear behavior of the system make the problem difficult to handle using classical control design methods. Instead, we propose the extended guaranteed cost control system. The models used for controller design are developed by the state‐space format with parameter uncertainties. Exponential stability for the systems is studied. The control laws and observer gains are given from feasible solution of the augmented linear matrix inequality (LMI) to ensure that the cost function value is not more than a specified upper bound for all admissible uncertainties. The proposed approach has low computation requirement and is suitable for implementation in the on board. engine control unit The application of this system in a continuous working process by using dSPACE MicroAutoBox verified its feasibility and effectiveness. © 2018 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Design principle of flexible protected controller for modular multilevel converter under unbalanced grid conditions
Authors: Zhu Minglin , Li Guojie
Published: January 2018

In the grid‐connected modular multilevel converter (MMC) system, AC grid faults not only cause current imbalance and distortion which may lead MMC shutdown but also bring imbalance issues to the circulating currents and the module capacitor voltages. In this paper, a flexible protected control method employed in the dual d–q coordinates is presented. A weighting factor is introduced in the AC current controller to flexibly adjust the positive‐ and negative‐sequence components. The mathematical models of the converter based on the Kirchhoff law and the energy balance equations are investigated. Considering the system requirements such as the allowed maximum AC current and the allowed maximum capacitor voltage ripple in phase unit, the design principle of the flexible controller is proposed. Finally, the simulation results from MATLAB/Simulink as well as experimental results from a scaled‐down MMC prototype are presented to verify the theoretical analysis. © 2018 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Space vector modulation‐included commutation method for voltage source‐type isolated three‐phase/single‐phase matrix converter
Authors: Haruna Junnosuke , Funato Hirohito , Ueda Hiroshi
Published: January 2018

This paper proposes a control strategy for voltage source‐type isolated AC/DC matrix converter. In this paper, differences of control strategy between a current source‐type and a voltage source‐type isolated AC/DC matrix converter are discussed by using instantaneous space vector diagrams. In addition, a commutation scheme of the voltage source‐type isolated matrix converter is proposed. The operation of proposed space vector modulation and commutation method is confirmed by the simulation results. © 2018 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Transcutaneous Laryngeal Ultrasonography for Laryngeal Immobility Diagnosis in Patients with Voice Disorders After Thyroid/Parathyroid Surgery
Authors: Lazard Diane S. , Bergeret‐Cassagne Héloïse , Lefort Muriel , Leenhardt Laurence , Russ Gilles , Frouin Frédérique , Trésallet Christophe
Published: January 2018

Background

Transcutaneous laryngeal ultrasonography (TLUS) was recently developed to assess recurrent nerve palsy after thyroid/parathyroid surgery, with variable rates of efficiency. The aim of the current study was to evaluate this technique using subjective estimation and post‐processing quantitative data.

Methods

Fifty subjects presenting with a recurrent nerve palsy and 50 “controls” presenting with voice, swallowing, or breathing disorders following thyroid/parathyroid surgery were prospectively included. All of them underwent a flexible laryngoscopy, considered the gold standard, and a ten‐second TLUS clip within the 10 days following surgery. In addition to the subjective interpretation of vocal fold motion, two quantitative criteria taking into account motion symmetry (symmetry index, SI) and amplitude (mobility index) of the two hemi‐larynges were defined on TLUS acquisitions in adduction and abduction.

Results

The subjective interpretation provided a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 96%, compared to the gold standard. The quantitative criteria provided a sensitivity and specificity of both 82%, when based on SI solely. When combining SI and mobility index, the sensitivity reached 94%, but the specificity fell to 66%.

Conclusions

Visual assessment of recurrent nerve palsy using TLUS after thyroid/parathyroid surgery appeared a high sensitive and specific test compared to flexible laryngoscopy. Quantitative criteria are promising and need to be refined to better describe the whole TLUS video clip.
Perceptions of French and Spanish Slave Law in Late Eighteenth-Century Britain
Authors: Wyman-McCarthy Matthew
Published: January 2018

This article examines British understandings of the laws and legal traditions that regulated slavery in French and Spanish colonies in the late eighteenth century, particularly between the American and French Revolutions. Based on reports from those with firsthand knowledge of different slave systems, many imperial commentators contended that enslaved persons under French and Spanish rule were treated more humanely—and consequently worked more efficiently—than those in British jurisdictions. Advocates of slavery reform therefore looked to the slave management strategies of competitors to help advance their cause. For some, appropriating foreign slave regulations became a central feature of programs designed to lessen the brutality of slavery and eventually bring about emancipation. For others, highlighting the comparatively benign treatment of enslaved workers in French and Spanish islands served as a way to pressure the British government to more proactively police slaveholding in its own colonies. By exploring calls to emulate the slave regulations of rival empires, this article provides a window onto shifting British attitudes toward both slavery and imperial governance during a period of major political and economic change in the Atlantic World.
Crime Scene Photography in England, 1895–1960
Authors: Bell Amy
Published: January 2018

This article discusses the development of techniques and practices of murder crime scene photography through four pairs of photographs taken in England between 1904 and 1958 and examines their “forensic aesthetic”: the visual combination of objective clues and of subjective aesthetic resonances. Crime scene photographs had legal status as evidence that had to be substantiated by a witness, and their purpose, as expressed in forensic textbooks and policing articles, was to provide a direct transfer of facts to the courtroom; yet their inferential visual nature made them allusive and evocative as well. Each of four pairs of photographs discussed reflects a significant period in the historical evolution of crime scene photography as well as an observable aesthetic influence: the earliest days of police photography and pictorialism; professionalization in the 1930s, documentary photography, and film noir; postwar photographic expansion to the suburban and middle class, advertising images of the family and home; and postwar elegiac landscape photography in the 1950s and compassion shown to infanticidal mothers. Crime scene photographs also demonstrate a remarkable shift in twentieth-century forensic technologies, and they reveal a collection of ordinary domestic and pastoral scenes at the moment when an act of violence made them extraordinary.
LABOUR PROVISIONS IN EU AND US MEGA-REGIONAL TRADE AGREEMENTS: RHETORIC AND REALITY
Authors: Melo Araujo Billy
Published: January 2018

The EU and the US have long called for the linking of trade and labour standards in trade agreements at both the multilateral and bilateral level. This article examines their practice of including labour provisions in trade agreements, with a particular focus on recent attempts to include such provisions on so-called ‘mega-regionals’, which were presented by their proponents as providing the benchmark for labour protection in future trade agreements. It discusses the rationale behind the inclusion of such provisions and their practical limitations, and examines the extent to which mega-regionals address these limitations. It is argued that whilst the EU and the US have been keen advocates for trade-labour linkages, there has also been an unwillingness to convert this rhetoric into practice, raising questions about the extent of their commitment to these values.
UNDERSTANDING AND OVERCOMING CHALLENGES IN ACCESSING THE AFRICAN COURT ON HUMAN AND PEOPLES’ RIGHTS
Authors: Viljoen Frans
Published: January 2018

This contribution examines access to the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights in the first decade of its operation. Compared with other regional human rights Courts over the corresponding period, the African Court has decided more contentious cases. Direct access accounts for this difference. Acceptance by States of optional direct access is a necessary but insufficient condition for actual access. The reasons for the Commission's reluctance to refer cases, which hampered indirect access to the Court, are investigated. Although the Court's advisory jurisdiction has found limited application, it has welcomed amici curiae and showed some acceptance of the role of original complainants before the Court.
JUDICIAL COOPERATION IN CIVIL AND COMMERCIAL MATTERS AFTER BREXIT: WHICH WAY FORWARD?
Authors: Rühl Giesela
Published: January 2018

Judicial cooperation in civil and commercial matters is generally perceived to be of a rather ‘specialist and technical nature’. However, for the many UK and EU citizens, families and businesses who work, live, travel and do business abroad, the current European framework for choice of law, jurisdiction and recognition and enforcement is of paramount importance. The article, therefore, explores how that framework might look like after Brexit and explores the merits and demerits of the various ways forward. It argues that the best option for both the UK and the EU would be to agree on the continued application of the existing EU instruments or to strive for conclusion of a new agreement that closely replicates these instruments. If no such agreement can be reached the UK should decide to apply the Rome I and Rome II Regulations unilaterally and sign the Lugano Convention of 2007 as well as the Hague Convention on Choice of Court Agreements of 2005.
From accuracy to accountability: subjecting global indicators to the rule of law
Authors: Frydman Benoit
Published: January 2018

This paper presents a double genealogy of indicators as instruments of governance. These have their roots both in the use of statistical tools for normative purposes by states and in the development of indicators within firms as preferred instruments of ‘new management’. The paper argues that social indicators not only convey information, but are genuine tools of global governance and that, for this reason, their legitimacy depends not only on their accuracy, but also on their accountability. If indicators are intended to produce or effectively produce regulatory effects, they should be subjected to the rule of law and to judicial review. The essay ends by formulating four main principles that these indicators should comply with.
When Is Task Conflict Translated Into Employee Creativity?
Authors: Li Yan , Yang Baiyin , Ma Lin
Published: January 2018

Abstract. The literature shows that task conflict plays an important role in the team operation process, but little is known about who exhibits greater creativity when in conflict, leading the team toward greater creativity. To enhance understanding of employee creativity, this study proposed that task conflict has a curvilinear relationship with employee creativity and that employees’ growth need strength moderates the relationship. A cross-level investigation of employee creativity within 59 groups of employees from multiple Chinese companies was conducted. The results showed that task conflict has an inverted U-shaped relationship with employee creativity. Growth need strength was found to have a moderating effect on the relation between task conflict and employee creativity. Theoretical and practical implications were discussed.
Oxidative stress preconditioning of mouse perivascular myogenic progenitors selects a subpopulation of cells with a distinct survival advantage in vitro and in vivo
Authors: Gargioli Cesare , Turturici Giuseppina , Barreca Maria M. , Spinello Walter , Fuoco Claudia , Testa Stefano , Feo Salvatore , Cannata Stefano M. , Cossu Giulio , Sconzo Gabriella , Geraci Fabiana
Published: January 2018

Cell engraftment, survival and integration during transplantation procedures represent the crux of cell-based therapies. Thus, there have been many studies focused on improving cell viability upon implantation. We used severe oxidative stress to select for a mouse mesoangioblast subpopulation in vitro and found that this subpopulation retained self-renewal and myogenic differentiation capacities while notably enhancing cell survival, proliferation and migration relative to unselected cells. Additionally, this subpopulation of cells presented different resistance and recovery properties upon oxidative stress treatment, demonstrating select advantages over parental mesoangioblasts in our experimental analysis. Specifically, the cells were resistant to oxidative environments, demonstrating survival, continuous self-renewal and improved migration capability. The primary outcome of the selected cells was determined in in vivo experiments in which immunocompromised dystrophic mice were injected intramuscularly in the tibialis anterior with selected or non-selected mesoangioblasts. Resistant mesoangioblasts exhibited markedly enhanced survival and integration into the host skeletal muscle, accounting for a more than 70% increase in engraftment compared with that of the unselected mesoangioblast cell population and leading to remarkable muscle recovery. Thus, the positive effects of sorting on mesoangioblast cell behaviour in vitro and in vivo suggest that a selection step involving oxidative stress preconditioning may provide a novel methodology to select for resistant cells for use in regenerative tissue applications to prevent high mortality rates upon transplantation.
Experimental noise cutoff boosts inferability of transcriptional networks in large-scale gene-deletion studies
Authors: Blum C. F. , Heramvand N. , Khonsari A. S. , Kollmann M.
Published: January 2018

Generating a comprehensive map of molecular interactions in living cells is difficult and great efforts are undertaken to infer molecular interactions from large-scale perturbation experiments. Here, we develop the analytical and numerical tools to quantify the fundamental limits for inferring transcriptional networks from gene knockout screens and introduce a network inference method that is unbiased with respect to measurement noise and scalable to large network sizes. We show that network asymmetry, knockout coverage and measurement noise are central determinants that limit prediction accuracy, whereas the knowledge about gene-specific variability among biological replicates can be used to eliminate noise-sensitive nodes and thereby boost the performance of network inference algorithms.
Biotransformation of polyunsaturated fatty acids to bioactive hepoxilins and trioxilins by microbial enzymes
Authors: An Jung-Ung , Song Yong-Seok , Kim Kyoung-Rok , Ko Yoon-Joo , Yoon Do-Young , Oh Deok-Kun
Published: January 2018

Hepoxilins (HXs) and trioxilins (TrXs) are involved in physiological processes such as inflammation, insulin secretion and pain perception in human. They are metabolites of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), including arachidonic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, formed by 12-lipoxygenase (LOX) and epoxide hydrolase (EH) expressed by mammalian cells. Here, we identify ten types of HXs and TrXs, produced by the prokaryote Myxococcus xanthus, of which six types are new, namely, HXB5, HXD3, HXE3, TrXB5, TrXD3 and TrXE3. We succeed in the biotransformation of PUFAs into eight types of HXs (>35% conversion) and TrXs (>10% conversion) by expressing M. xanthus 12-LOX or 11-LOX with or without EH in Escherichia coli. We determine 11-hydroxy-eicosatetraenoic acid, HXB3, HXB4, HXD3, TrXB3 and TrXD3 as potential peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ partial agonists. These findings may facilitate physiological studies and drug development based on lipid mediators.
Pushing nuclear magnetic resonance sensitivity limits with microfluidics and photo-chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization
Authors: Mompeán Miguel , Sánchez-Donoso Rosa M. , de la Hoz Antonio , Saggiomo Vittorio , Velders Aldrik H. , Gomez M. Victoria
Published: January 2018

Among the methods to enhance the sensitivity of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, small-diameter NMR coils (microcoils) are promising tools to tackle the study of mass-limited samples. Alternatively, hyperpolarization schemes based on dynamic nuclear polarization techniques provide strong signal enhancements of the NMR target samples. Here we present a method to effortlessly perform photo-chemically induced dynamic nuclear polarization in microcoil setups to boost NMR signal detection down to sub-picomole detection limits in a 9.4T system (400 MHz 1H Larmor frequency). This setup is unaffected by current major drawbacks such as the use of high-power light sources to attempt uniform irradiation of the sample, and accumulation of degraded photosensitizer in the detection region. The latter is overcome with flow conditions, which in turn open avenues for complex applications requiring rapid and efficient mixing that are not easily achievable on an NMR tube without resorting to complex hardware.
Microbiota derived short chain fatty acids promote histone crotonylation in the colon through histone deacetylases
Authors: Fellows Rachel , Denizot Jérémy , Stellato Claudia , Cuomo Alessandro , Jain Payal , Stoyanova Elena , Balázsi Szabina , Hajnády Zoltán , Liebert Anke , Kazakevych Juri , Blackburn Hector , Corrêa Renan Oliveira , Fachi José Luís , Sato Fabio Takeo , Ribeiro Willian R. , Ferreira Caroline Marcantonio , Perée Hélène , Spagnuolo Mariangela , Mattiuz Raphaël , Matolcsi Csaba , Guedes Joana , Clark Jonathan , Veldhoen Marc , Bonaldi Tiziana , Vinolo Marco Aurélio Ramirez , Varga-Weisz Patrick
Published: January 2018

The recently discovered histone post-translational modification crotonylation connects cellular metabolism to gene regulation. Its regulation and tissue-specific functions are poorly understood. We characterize histone crotonylation in intestinal epithelia and find that histone H3 crotonylation at lysine 18 is a surprisingly abundant modification in the small intestine crypt and colon, and is linked to gene regulation. We show that this modification is highly dynamic and regulated during the cell cycle. We identify class I histone deacetylases, HDAC1, HDAC2, and HDAC3, as major executors of histone decrotonylation. We show that known HDAC inhibitors, including the gut microbiota-derived butyrate, affect histone decrotonylation. Consistent with this, we find that depletion of the gut microbiota leads to a global change in histone crotonylation in the colon. Our results suggest that histone crotonylation connects chromatin to the gut microbiota, at least in part, via short-chain fatty acids and HDACs.
Response speed control of helicity inversion based on a “regulatory enzyme”-like strategy
Authors: Sairenji Shiho , Akine Shigehisa , Nabeshima Tatsuya
Published: January 2018

In biological systems, there are many signal transduction cascades in which a chemical signal is transferred as a series of chemical events. Such successive reaction systems are advantageous because the efficiency of the functions can be finely controlled by regulatory enzymes at an earlier stage. However, most of artificial responsive molecules developed so far rely on single-step conversion, whose response speeds have been difficult to be controlled by external stimuli. In this context, developing artificial conversion systems that have a regulation step similar to the regulatory enzymes has been anticipated. Here we report a novel artificial two-step structural conversion system in which the response speed can be controlled based on a regulatory enzyme-like strategy. In this system, addition of fluoride ion caused desilylation of the siloxycarboxylate ion attached to a helical complex, resulting in the subsequent helicity inversion. The response speeds of the helicity inversion depended on the reactivity of the siloxycarboxylate ions; when a less-reactive siloxycarboxylate ion was used, the helicity inversion rate was governed by the desilylation rate. This is the first artificial responsive molecule in which the overall response speed can be controlled at the regulation step separated from the function step.
Synchrony and Physiological Arousal Increase Cohesion and Cooperation in Large Naturalistic Groups
Authors: Jackson Joshua Conrad , Jong Jonathan , Bilkey David , Whitehouse Harvey , Zollmann Stefanie , McNaughton Craig , Halberstadt Jamin
Published: January 2018

Separate research streams have identified synchrony and arousal as two factors that might contribute to the effects of human rituals on social cohesion and cooperation. But no research has manipulated these variables in the field to investigate their causal – and potentially interactive – effects on prosocial behaviour. Across four experimental sessions involving large samples of strangers, we manipulated the synchronous and physiologically arousing affordances of a group marching task within a sports stadium. We observed participants’ subsequent movement, grouping, and cooperation via a camera hidden in the stadium’s roof. Synchrony and arousal both showed main effects, predicting larger groups, tighter clustering, and more cooperative behaviour in a free-rider dilemma. Synchrony and arousal also interacted on measures of clustering and cooperation such that synchrony only encouraged closer clustering—and encouraged greater cooperation—when paired with physiological arousal. The research helps us understand why synchrony and arousal often co-occur in rituals around the world. It also represents the first use of real-time spatial tracking as a precise and naturalistic method of simulating collective rituals.
Occlusal disharmony-induced stress causes osteopenia of the lumbar vertebrae and long bones in mice
Authors: Shimizu Yasuhiro , Khan Masud , Kato Genki , Aoki Kazuhiro , Ono Takashi
Published: January 2018

Excessive exposure to glucocorticoids causes osteoporosis in children and adults. Occlusal disharmony is known to induce an increase in serum corticosteroid levels in murine models, but the influence of occlusal disharmony-induced stress on the bone mass during the growth period has not yet been clarified. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether occlusal disharmony-induced stress decreases bone mass. Five-week-old C57BL/6J male mice were used. A 0.5-mm increase in the vertical height of occlusion was used to induce occlusal disharmony for a period of 7 days. Serum corticosterone levels were significantly higher on post-induction day 7, with radiological evidence of osteopenia of the third lumbar vertebra and long bones of the hind limbs. Osteopenia was associated with a reduction of the mechanical properties of the tibia and femur, with significant suppression of bone formation parameters and an increase in bone resorption parameters, as evaluated by bone histomorphometric analysis of the tibial/femur metaphysis. Our findings at the level of bones were supported by our assessment of serum markers of systemic metabolism. Therefore, occlusal disharmony-induced stress may lead to osteopenia and reduce the mechanical strength of bone through an increase in serum glucocorticoid levels in mice.
Isolation and Characterization of Key Genes that Promote Flavonoid Accumulation in Purple-leaf Tea (Camellia sinensis L.)
Authors: He Xiujuan , Zhao Xuecheng , Gao Liping , Shi Xingxing , Dai Xinlong , Liu Yajun , Xia Tao , Wang Yunsheng
Published: January 2018

There were several high concentrations of flavonoid components in tea leaves that present health benefits. A novel purple-leaf tea variety, ‘Mooma1’, was obtained from the natural hybrid population of Longjing 43 variety. The buds and young leaves of ‘Mooma1’ were displayed in bright red. HPLC and LC-MS analysis showed that anthocyanins and O-Glycosylated flavonols were remarkably accumulated in the leaves of ‘Mooma1’, while the total amount of catechins in purple-leaf leaves was slightly decreased compared with the control. A R2R3-MYB transcription factor (CsMYB6A) and a novel UGT gene (CsUGT72AM1), that were highly expressed in purple leaf were isolated and identified by transcriptome sequencing. The over-expression of transgenic tobacco confirmed that CsMYB6A can activate the expression of flavonoid-related structural genes, especially CHS and 3GT, controlling the accumulation of anthocyanins in the leaf of transgenic tobacco. Enzymatic assays in vitro confirmed that CsUGT72AM1 has catalytic activity as a flavonol 3-O-glucosyltransferase, and displayed broad substrate specificity. The results were useful for further elucidating the molecular mechanisms of the flavonoid metabolic fluxes in the tea plant.
Clinical Outcome of Eosinophilic Airway Inflammation in Chronic Airway Diseases Including Nonasthmatic Eosinophilic Bronchitis
Authors: Cho Jaeyoung , Choi Sun Mi , Lee Jinwoo , Park Young Sik , Lee Sang-Min , Yoo Chul-Gyu , Kim Young Whan , Han Sung Koo , Lee Chang-Hoon
Published: January 2018

We enrolled patients with confirmed sputum eosinophilia who had visited our tertiary referral hospital between 2012 and 2015. We evaluated the incidence and predictors of exacerbations in patients with nonasthmatic eosinophilic bronchitis (NAEB), and investigated predictors of improvement in eosinophilic inflammation in chronic airway diseases with or without persistent airflow limitation. In total, 398 patients with sputum eosinophilia were enrolled. Of these, 152 (38.2%) had NAEB. The incidence rate of exacerbations requiring treatment with antibiotics, systemic corticosteroids, or hospital admission was 0.13 per patient-year (95% CI, 0.06–0.19) in NAEB. Inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) did not affect the risk of exacerbations, even in an analysis of propensity score. One hundred seventy-six patients had chronic airway diseases; in 37 of these (21.0%), sputum eosinophilia had improved at the 1-year follow-up. Patients who had persistent airflow limitation were less likely to show an improvement in eosinophilic inflammation (aOR, 0.26; 95% CI, 0.09–0.77) when they were treated with ICSs for less than 75% of the follow-up days. Exacerbations requiring systemic corticosteroids, antibiotics, or hospitalization did occur, although infrequently, in NAEB patients. Among patients with chronic airway diseases, those with persistent airflow limitation were less likely to show an improvement in eosinophilic airway inflammation.
Flt3 ligand expands bona fide innate lymphoid cell precursors in vivo
Authors: Parigi Sara M. , Czarnewski Paulo , Das Srustidhar , Steeg Christiane , Brockmann Leonie , Fernandez-Gaitero Sara , Yman Victor , Forkel Marianne , Höög Charlotte , Mjösberg Jenny , Westerberg Lisa , Färnert Anna , Huber Samuel , Jacobs Thomas , Villablanca Eduardo J.
Published: January 2018

A common helper-like innate lymphoid precursor (CHILP) restricted to the innate lymphoid cells (ILC) lineage has been recently characterized. While specific requirements of transcription factors for CHILPs development has been partially described, their ability to sense cytokines and react to peripheral inflammation remains unaddressed. Here, we found that systemic increase in Flt3L levels correlated with the expansion of Lineage (Lin)negα4β7+ precursors in the adult murine bone marrow. Expanded Linnegα4β7+ precursors were bona fide CHILPs as seen by their ability to differentiate into all helper ILCs subsets but cNK in vivo. Interestingly, Flt3L-expanded CHILPs transferred into lymphopenic mice preferentially reconstituted the small intestine. While we did not observe changes in serum Flt3L during DSS-induced colitis in mice or plasma from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) patients, elevated Flt3L levels were detected in acute malaria patients. Interestingly, while CHILP numbers were stable during the course of DSS-induced colitis, they expanded following increased serum Flt3L levels in malaria-infected mice, hence suggesting a role of the Flt3L-ILC axis in malaria. Collectively, our results indicate that Flt3L expands CHILPs in the bone marrow, which might be associated with specific inflammatory conditions.
Hygroscopic Coating of Sulfuric Acid Shields Oxidant Attack on the Atmospheric Pollutant Benzo(a)pyrene Bound to Model Soot Particles
Authors: Ray Debajyoti , Bhattacharya Tara Shankar , Chatterjee Abhijit , Singha Achintya , Ghosh Sanjay K. , Raha Sibaji
Published: January 2018

Substantial impacts on climate have been documented for soot‒sulfuric acid (H2SO4) interactions in terms of optical and hygroscopic properties of soot aerosols. However, the influence of H2SO4 on heterogeneous chemistry on soot remains unexplored. Additionally, oxidation rate coefficients for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons intrinsic to the atmospheric particles evaluated in laboratory experiments seem to overestimate their degradation in ambient atmosphere, possibly due to matrix effects which are hitherto not mimicked in laboratory experiments. For the first time, our kinetics study reports significant influence of H2SO4 coating on heterogeneous ozonation of benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) deposited on model soot, representative to atmospheric particles. The approximate specific surface area of model soot (5 m2g−1) was estimated as a measure of the availability of surface molecules to a typical gaseous atmospheric oxidant. Heterogeneous bimolecular reaction kinetics and Raman spectroscopy studies suggested plausible reasons for decreased BaP ozonation rate in presence of H2SO4: 1. decreased partitioning of O3 on soot surface and 2. shielding of BaP molecules to gaseous O3 by acid-BaP reaction or O3 oxidation products.