bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fiscal sustainability and the State Oil Fund in Azerbaijan
Authors: Aslanli Kenan
Published: April 2015

Azerbaijan, like many resource-rich countries, decided to set up a sovereign wealth fund in order to avoid income volatility, to achieve intergenerational equity and to transform resource wealth into more productive assets. Azerbaijan established the State Oil Fund of the Azerbaijan Republic (SOFAZ) in late 1999 to accumulate income from hydrocarbon exports. SOFAZ has gradually become the leading part of the country's public finance system. Azerbaijan was the first country to fulfill all requirements of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), an international agreement to implement global standards of transparency in the resource extracting sectors. However, SOFAZ's contribution to an effective resource revenue management and long-run economic development is still questionable: transparency applies only to the income side of Azerbaijan's oil fund while the expenditure side remains opaque. Unlimited and unconditional transfers from SOFAZ to the state budget have threatened fiscal sustainability and the overall macroeconomic equilibrium.
Truncation of the A,A∗,A′ helices segment impairs the actin bundling activity of mammalian eEF1A1
Authors: Vlasenko Dmytro O. , Novosylna Oleksandra V. , Negrutskii Boris S. , El'skaya Anna V.
Published: April 2015

Translation elongation factor eEF1A is a G‐protein which has a crucial role in the ribosomal polypeptide elongation and possesses a number of non‐translational functions. Here, we show that the A,A∗,A′ helices segment of mammalian eEF1A is dispensable for the eEF1A * eEF1Bα complex formation. The A,A∗,A′ helices region did not interact with actin; however, its removal eliminates the actin bundling activity of eEF1A, probably due to the destruction of a dimeric structure of eEF1A. The translation function of monomers and the actin‐bundling function of dimers of mammalian eEF1A is suggested.
Diacylglycerol kinase η1 is a high affinity isozyme for diacylglycerol
Authors: Komenoi Suguru , Takemura Fumika , Sakai Hiromichi , Sakane Fumio
Published: April 2015

Diacylglycerol kinase (DGK) η plays important roles in various patho‐physiological events such as oncogenesis. In this study, we performed an enzymological characterization of DGKη splice variant 1 (DGKη1). The K
m value for diacylglycerol was 0.14 mol%. Intriguingly, the K
m value of DGKη1 for diacylglycerol was at least 9‐fold lower than those of other DGK isozymes including DGKα, indicating that DGKη1 is a high affinity isozyme for diacylglycerol. Therefore, DGKη1 is a unique DGK isozyme, which may function at particular membrane sites where only low concentrations of diacylglycerol are supplied.
Safety and Regulatory Issues Regarding Stem Cell Therapies: One Clinic's Perspective
Authors: Centeno Christopher J. , Bashir Jamil
Published: April 2015

Stem cells therapies have been in preclinical development for the past 2 decades. A rapidly evolving regulatory landscape has restrained many of these technologies from advancing from the bench to the bedside. Although the large‐scale clinical safety of stem cell therapies remains to be fully tested, the total number of patients who have safely received these therapies is large and growing. Prima facie evidence would dictate that certain types of cell therapy are likely safer than others. Understanding the current regulation regarding stem cells involves a discussion of their safety profile, as the 2 issues are closely intertwined.
Stem Cell Therapies for Treatment of Cartilage and Bone Disorders: Osteoarthritis, Avascular Necrosis, and Non‐union Fractures
Authors: Sampson Steven , Botto‐van Bemden Angie , Aufiero Danielle
Published: April 2015

The general ease of availability and strong fundamental science of autologous mesenchymal stem cells has prompted increasing application of such biologic therapies to address inherent orthopedic challenges of limited vascularity and ability to self‐repair. This article provides a concise review of emerging mesenchymal stem cell applications for bone‐related pathologies including cartilage, avascular necrosis, and fractures.
STRATEGIC TRADE ANALYSIS OF U.S. AND CHINESE APPLE JUICE MARKET
Authors: LUCKSTEAD JEFF , DEVADOSS STEPHEN , DHAMODHARAN MAHALINGAM
Published: April 2015

Because of high competition from Chinese apple juice processors, the United States imposed an antidumping duty on apple juice imports from China to protect the domestic processors. This trade policy benefited U.S. processors but negatively impacted Chinese processors as well as consumers in the United States. Because of the economic reforms, foreign direct investment, and technological spillover, Chinese apple processors have increased their productivity. Under oligopolistic competition with endogenous firm entry and exit, this article analyzes how the changes in U.S. tariff policy and Chinese productivity impact the market structure in the United States and China, as well as prices, quantities, and U.S. and Chinese welfare. Trade liberalization and an increase in Chinese productivity help U.S. consumers and Chinese processors. However, U.S. tariff removal adversely affects U.S. apple juice processors.
Radiation Dose from 3D Rotational vs. Conventional 2D Digital Subtraction Angiography in Intracranial Aneurysm Coiling
Authors: Tonkopi Elena , Al-Habsi Ahmed H. , Shankar Jai J. S.
Published: April 2015

Purpose: To compare patient effective dose resulting from two alternative imaging protocols for pre-coiling assessment of intracranial aneurysms: a series of 2D Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA) projections, and a 3D rotational angiography (RA) acquisition. Methods: In a retrospective analysis, we investigated 44 patients who underwent endovascular coiling in our institution. Images were acquired on a biplane Image Intensifier system not equipped with dose-area product (DAP) meter. Conventional 2D DSA images were simulated with an anthropomorphic skull phantom. Entrance skin dose was measured with a 60 cc ion chamber, and the PCXMC Monte Carlo based software was used to calculate patient effective dose. For the RA protocol, a 16 cm computed tomography (CT) dosimetry phantom and a 100 mm pencil ion chamber were employed to measure the CT dose index. Patient effective dose was calculated with the ImPACT calculator. An unpaired two-tailed t-test was used to determine the significance of differences between patient doses in each group. Results: Sixteen patients underwent the 2D DSA protocol with multiple projections; their mean number of cine runs was 5.1; the mean effective dose was 2.11 millisievert (mSv) (range 1.69–3.43 mSv). Twenty eight patients were assessed using the 3D RA protocol with the effective dose of 1.29 mSv. The difference between the means of two dose distributions was statistically significant (p=0.00028). Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that the patient effective dose was significantly lower from the 3D RA protocol than that from the 2D DSA protocol used in the planning of coiling of intracranial aneurysm.
Contamination of the Hospital Environment From Potential Clostridium difficile Excretors Without Active Infection
Authors: Biswas Jason S. , Patel Amita , Otter Jonathan A. , van Kleef Esther , Goldenberg Simon D.
Published: April 2015

Clostridium difficile was recovered from 33 (34%) of 98 rooms of patients who were excretors compared with 36 (49%) of 73 rooms of patients with active infection. Not all laboratory algorithms can distinguish between these 2 groups, yet both may be a significant source for ongoing transmission.

Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2015;36(8): 975–977
Assessment of School-Aged Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Paynter Jessica M.
Published: April 2015

An increasing number of school children are diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). These children may be referred for assessments for a variety of reasons, including to assess for intellectual impairments, eligibility for support, or to monitor progress. Characteristics of ASD, such as social communication difficulties, as well as common comorbid conditions and behaviours, may make such assessments more challenging than for assessments with children without ASD. The present article overviews characteristics of ASD, challenges with assessment, and strategies to choose, prepare for, and complete a standardised assessment to provide information to assist psychologists and other professionals to complete a valid assessment of a child with ASD. Resources and recommendations for further reading are provided.
The Effect of Mechanical Stress on Electromigration Behavior
Authors: Chang H.-H. , Su Y.-F. , Liang Steven Y. , Chiang K.-N.
Published: April 2015

Three-dimensional integrated circuit packages with through-silicon vias (TSVs) provide a good solution to the integration of different chips and help achieve high performance. The signals are transmitted to different layers directly through the vias, thereby enabling the high performance of the chips. Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor-deposited SiO2, polyimide, and benzo-cyclo-butene are commonly used as the passivation layer for three-dimensional packages. In the 3D stacked chips, mismatch of the coefficient of thermal expansion between the passivation material and silicon will generate thermal/mechanical stress in the metal trace and the stress affects the behavior of electromigration. However, few studies have examined the relationship among the external mechanical stress and critical product of electromigration. In the present study, external stress is applied to the aluminum thin film by a four-point bending equipment. In order to apply higher external stress in the aluminum thin film, the fracture strength of the silicon substrate should be improved. Reduces the edge chipping of the test sample is a key factor for improving the fracture strength of the silicon substrate and a special cutting approach is employed to obtain higher silicon strength. A two-step cutting method is applied to reduce front side chipping and also a dicing before grinding approachis adopted to reduce backside chipping, the above-mentioned technology can enable more than 275MPa of external stress on the aluminum thin film and can make the critical length effect more visible. The residual stress of the aluminum thin film is at stress-free state after annealing at 300°C for 10h. The critical product is found to be reduced from 1,294A/cm to 1,281A/cm when 120MPa of mechanical tensile stress is applied. It increased to 1,315A/cm under 120MPa of mechanical compressive stress. Clearly, electromigration behavior is enhanced by tensile stress and decreased by compressive stress. In the current research, a modified equation for Blech condition is proposed with a stress-dependent effective charge number, the effective charge number increased when tensile stress was applied and decreased when compressive stress was applied.
Inference of posterior inclusion probability of QTLs in Bayesian shrinkage analysis
Authors: YANG DEGUANG , HAN SHANSHAN , JIANG DAN , YANG RUNQING , FANG MING
Published: April 2015

Bayesian shrinkage analysis estimates all QTLs effects simultaneously, which shrinks the effect of “insignificant” QTLs close to zero so that it does not need special model selection. Bayesian shrinkage estimation usually has an excellent performance on multiple QTLs mapping, but it could not give a probabilistic explanation of how often a QTLs is included in the model, also called posterior inclusion probability, which is important to assess the importance of a QTL. In this research, two methods, FitMix and SimMix, are proposed to approximate the posterior probabilities. Under the assumption of mixture distribution of the estimated QTL effect, FitMix and SimMix mathematically and intuitively fit mixture distribution, respectively. The simulation results showed that both methods gave very reasonable estimates for posterior probabilities. We also applied the two methods to map QTLs for the North American Barley Genome Mapping Project data.
Famennian rhynchonellides (Brachiopoda) from deep-water facies of the Ougarta Basin (Saoura Valley, Algeria)
Authors: MOTTEQUIN BERNARD , MALTI FATIMA ZOHRA , BENYOUCEF MADANI , CRÔNIER CATHERINE , SAMAR LOUISA , RANDON CARINE , BRICE DENISE
Published: April 2015

In the Saoura Valley (Ougarta Basin, Saharan Algeria), the lower–upper Famennian part of the essentially shally Marhouma Formation is characterized by deep-water facies and includes horizons rich in ammonoids (goniatites and clymeniids) and blind to eye-reduced phacopide trilobites. They are also rich in small-sized and smooth rhynchonellide brachiopods, investigated here for the first time in order to detail their post-Kellwasser recovery. Rhynchonellides clearly predominate in the brachiopod assemblages (representing 90% of the whole assemblage, with 10 species) composed otherwise of athyridides, orthides and spiriferides. Rhynchonellides are mostly represented by relatively flat leiorhynchids and rozmanariids consistent with poor oxygenation on the sea floor. One new species is described (Evanidisinurostrum saouraensesp. nov.); four genera, previously known only from the south-eastern margin of Laurussia, are reported for the first time from the northern margin of Gondwana: the leiorhynchidSphaeridiorhynchusand the rozmanariidsLeptoterorhynchus, PugnariaandNovaplatirostrum.
Production of bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance byBifidobacterium lactisin skim milk supplemented with additives
Authors: Martinez Fabio Andres Castillo , Domínguez José Manuel , Converti Attilio , de Souza Oliveira Ricardo Pinheiro
Published: April 2015

Bacteriocins are natural compounds used as food biopreservatives instead of chemical preservatives.Bifidobacterium animalissubsp.lactis(Bifid. lactis) was shown to produce a bacteriocin-like inhibitory substance (BLIS) able to inhibit the growth ofListeria monocytogenesselected as an indicator microorganism. To enhance this production by the strainBifid. lactisBL 04, skim milk (SM) was used as a fermentation medium either in the presence or in the absence of yeast extract, Tween 80 or inulin as stimulating additives, and the results in terms of bacterial growth and BLIS production were compared with those obtained in a traditional high cost complex medium such as Man, Rogosa and Sharpe (MRS). To this purpose, all the cultivations were carried out in flasks at 200 rpm under anaerobic conditions ensured by a nitrogen flowrate of 1·0 L/min for 48 h, and BLIS production was quantified by means of a modified agar diffusion assay at low values of both temperature and concentration ofList. monocytogenes. Although all these ingredients were shown to exert positive influence on BLIS production in both media, yeast extract and SM were by far the best ingredient and the best medium, respectively, allowing for a BLIS production at the late exponential phase of 2000 AU/ml.
Characterization and application of hard x-ray betatron radiation generated by relativistic electrons from a laser-wakefield accelerator
Authors: Schnell Michael , Sävert Alexander , Uschmann Ingo , Jansen Oliver , Kaluza Malte Christoph , Spielmann Christian
Published: April 2015

The necessity for compact table-top x-ray sources with higher brightness, shorter wavelength and shorter pulse duration has led to the development of complementary sources based on laser-plasma accelerators, in contrast to conventional accelerators. Relativistic interaction of short-pulse lasers with underdense plasmas results in acceleration of electrons and in consequence in the emission of spatially coherent radiation, which is known in the literature as betatron radiation. In this article, we report on our recent results in the rapidly developing field of secondary x-ray radiation generated by high-energy electron pulses. The betatron radiation is characterized with a novel setup allowing to measure the energy, the spatial energy distribution in the far-field of the beam and the source size in a single laser shot. Furthermore, the polarization state is measured for each laser shot. In this way, the emitted betatron x-rays can be used as a non-invasive diagnostic tool to retrieve very subtle information of the electron dynamics within the plasma wave. Parallel to the experimental work, 3D particle-in-cell simulations were performed, proved to be in good agreement with the experimental results.
Niche structure of marine sponges from temperate hard-bottom habitats within Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary
Authors: Freeman Christopher J. , Easson Cole G. , Baker David M.
Published: April 2015

Many species of marine sponges on tropical reefs host abundant and diverse symbiont communities capable of varied metabolic pathways. While such communities may confer a nutritional benefit to some hosts (termed High Microbial Abundance (HMA) sponges), other sympatric species host only sparse symbiont communities (termed Low Microbial Abundance (LMA) sponges) and obtain a majority of their C and N from local sources. Sponge communities are widespread across large latitudinal gradients, however, and recent evidence suggests that these symbioses may also extend beyond the tropics. We investigated the role that symbionts play in the ecology of sponges from the temperate, hard-bottom reefs of Gray's Reef National Marine Sanctuary by calculating the niche size (as standard ellipse area (SEAc)) and assessing the relative placement of five HMA and four LMA sponge species within bivariate (δ13C and δ15N) isotopic space. Although photosymbiont abundance was low across most of these species, sponges were widespread across isotopic niche space, implying that microbial metabolism confers an ecological benefit to temperate sponges by expanding host metabolic capability. To examine how these associations vary across a latitudinal gradient, we also compared the relative placement of temperate and tropical conspecifics within isotopic space. Surprisingly, shifts in sponge δ13C and δ15N values between these regions suggest a reduced reliance on symbiont-derived nutrients in temperate sponges compared with their tropical conspecifics. Despite this, symbiotic sponges in temperate systems likely have a competitive advantage, allowing them to grow and compete for space within these habitats.
Broad-scale patterns of sex ratios inPatellaspp.: a comparison of range edge and central range populations in the British Isles and Portugal
Authors: Borges C.D.G. , Doncaster C.P. , Maclean M.A. , Hawkins S.J.
Published: April 2015

Sex change, or sequential hermaphroditism, occurs in the plant and animal kingdoms and often determines a predominance of the first sex. Our aim was to explore changes in sex ratios within the range of the species studied:Patella vulgataandPatella depressa. The broad-scale survey of sex with size of limpets covered a range of latitudes from Zambujeira do Mar (southern Portugal) to the English Channel. Indirect evidence was found for the occurrence of protandry inP. vulgatapopulations from the south of England, with females predominating in larger size-classes; cumulative frequency distributions of males and females were different; sex ratios were biased towards males and smallest sizes of males were smaller than the smallest sizes of females. In contrast in Portugal females were found in most size-classes ofP. vulgata. InP. depressapopulations from the south coast of England and Portugal females were interspersed across most size-classes; size distributions of males and females and size at first maturity of males and females did not differ.P. depressadid, however, show some indications of the possibility of slight protandry occurring in Portugal. The test of sex ratio variation with latitude indicated thatP. vulgatasex ratios might be involved in determining the species range limit, particularly at the equatorward limit since the likelihood of being male decreased from the south coast of England to southern Portugal. Thus at the southern range limit, sperm could be in short supply due to scarcity of males contributing to an Allee effect.
TUNDRA-TAIGA BIOLOGY: HUMAN, PLANT, AND ANIMAL SURVIVAL IN THE ARCTIC. Robert M.M. Crawford. 2013. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 270 p, softcover, illustrated. ISBN 978-0-19-955940-4. £75.00 – ERRATUM
Authors: Turunen Minna T.
Published: April 2015

The price and ISBN in the book review (Turunen, 2014) refer to the hardcover of the book. The price of the softcover is £37.50 with the ISBN 978-0-19-955941-1. We apologise for this mistake.
Internet-based remote health self-checker symptom data as an adjuvant to a national syndromic surveillance system
Authors: ELLIOT A. J. , KARA E. O. , LOVERIDGE P. , BAWA Z. , MORBEY R. A. , MOTH M. , LARGE S. , SMITH G. E.
Published: April 2015

Syndromic surveillance is an innovative surveillance tool used to support national surveillance programmes. Recent advances in the use of internet-based health data have demonstrated the potential usefulness of these health data; however, there have been limited studies comparing these innovative health data to existing established syndromic surveillance systems. We conducted a retrospective observational study to assess the usefulness of a national internet-based ‘symptom checker’ service for use as a syndromic surveillance system. NHS Direct online data were extracted for 1 August 2012 to 1 July 2013; a time-series analysis on the symptom categories self-reported by online users was undertaken and compared to existing telehealth syndromic data. There were 3·37 million online users of the internet-based self-checker compared to 1·43 million callers to the telephone triage health service. There was a good correlation between the online and telephone triage data for a number of syndromic indicators including cold/flu, difficulty breathing and eye problems; however, online data appeared to provide additional early warning over telephone triage health data. This assessment has illustrated some potential benefit of using internet-based symptom-checker data and provides the basis for further investigating how these data can be incorporated into national syndromic surveillance programmes.
Secular Judges and Christian Law
Authors: Hale Baroness
Published: April 2015

Norman Doe's bookChristian Lawcompares and contrasts the internal regulations of churches and seeks to identify principles common to churches across the denominational spectrum. This response to Doe's work reviews the religious questions that have come before the House of Lords and Supreme Court since 2004 and seeks to identify the principles governing the secular courts' approach to religious questions. The relationship between those principles and the principles outlined inChristian Lawis far from clear. While an understanding of the rules of particular religious bodies is sometimes necessary for secular judges deciding civil rights in a religious context, in most cases the courts are not concerned with the conformity of religious beliefs with religious laws, but simply with protecting the freedom to hold and manifest those beliefs.
Parliamentary Report
Authors: Cranmer Frank
Published: April 2015

As noted in the report for June–September 2014, in the wake of the ‘No’ vote in the Scottish independence referendum the Prime Minister appointed Lord Smith of Kelvin to lead a commission to put together an agreed package for further devolution. In October the Westminster Government issuedThe parties' published proposals on further devolution for Scotland(Cm 8946) and in January followed this with the necessary draft legislation:Scotland in the United Kingdom: An enduring settlement. Perhaps the most important outcome for the Churches of the inter-party settlement is that the Equality Act 2010 will remain a matter reserved to Westminster.
Stability and bifurcation analysis of a free boundary problem modelling multi-layer tumours with Gibbs–Thomson relation
Authors: ZHOU FUJUN , WU JUNDE
Published: April 2015

Of concern is the stability and bifurcation analysis of a free boundary problem modelling the growth of multi-layer tumours. A remarkable feature of this problem lies in that the free boundary is imposed with nonlinear boundary conditions, where a Gibbs–Thomson relation is taken into account. By employing a functional approach, analytic semigroup theory and bifurcation theory, we prove that there exists a positive threshold value γ* of surface tension coefficient γ such that if γ > γ* then the unique flat stationary solution is asymptotically stable under non-flat perturbations, while for γ < γ* this unique flat stationary solution is unstable and there exists a series of non-flat stationary solutions bifurcating from it. The result indicates a significant phenomenon that a smaller value of surface tension coefficient γ may make tumours more aggressive.
Neural deficits in auditory phonological processing in Chinese children with English reading impairment
Authors: MENG XIANGZHI , YOU HANLIN , SONG MEIXIA , DESROCHES AMY S. , WANG ZHENGKE , WEI NA , TIAN MENGYU , GAAB NADINE , DING GUOSHENG
Published: April 2015

Auditory phonological processing skills are critical for successful reading development in English not only in native (L1) speakers but also in second language (L2) learners. However, the neural deficits of auditory phonological processing remain unknown in English-as-the-second-language (ESL) learners with reading difficulties. Here we investigated neural responses during spoken word rhyme judgments in typical and impaired ESL readers in China. The impaired readers showed comparable activation in the left superior temporal gyrus (LSTG), but reduced activation in the left inferior frontal gyrus (LIFG) and left fusiform and reduced connectivity between the LSTG and left fusiform when compared to typical readers. These findings suggest that impaired ESL readers have relative intact representations but impaired manipulation of phonology and reduced or absent automatic access to orthographic representations. This is consistent with previous findings in native English speakers and suggests a common neural mechanism underlying English impairment across the L1 and L2 learners.
WHAT'S IN A NAME? TWENTIETH-CENTURY REALISM IN KENNETH BURKE'S AESTHETICS
Authors: BURG EVELYN
Published: April 2015

Admired throughout the twentieth century by literary and sociological theorists but long neglected by philosophers, readers have overlooked Kenneth Burke's theoretical dependence on American philosophic realism, thus missing consistent patterns of his insight. By tracing Burke's own realism back to his year at Columbia University and his time atThe Dialmagazine, we see how Burke's earliest aesthetic theories conformed to aspects of the new realist movement. During the Depression, in his bookPermanence and Change, he followed earlier new realists in arguing for a reconstructed modern teleology of “purpose” and incorporated realism within his pleas for a suppler Communist Party rhetoric than that sanctioned by the party leadership. Burke's apparently inconsistent positions can be understood as a continuous philosophical argument for realism within changing intellectual contexts, explaining his long-lived cross-disciplinary appeal and influence. Burke maintained central realistic tenets: (1) the independent existence and intelligibility of an external world and (2) the substantive meaning of universals, particularly a common human nature. Examining these connections informs our readings of Burke while illuminating one reverberation of the philosophical “new realists” in American intellectual culture. Burke expressed realist principles in his presentation of symbolic action and dramatism inThe Philosophy of Literary FormandA Grammar of Motives, both published in the 1940s. His sophisticated aesthetic–linguistic realism appeared in his arguments against logical empiricists and New Critics, which displayed an arc of transformation in the philosophical and critical culture before World War II from a still-contested mixture to an emphatically nominalistic, antirealist one. It was from this philosophical position that Burke offered his lively, penetrating analyses of and challenges to many of the major movements in twentieth-century philosophy: realism, pragmatism, positivism, and post-structuralism.
Local Group Proper Motion Dynamics
Authors: van der Marel Roeland P.
Published: April 2015

Our knowledge of the dynamics and masses of galaxies in the Local Group has long been limited by the fact that only line-of-sight velocities were observationally accessible. This introduces significant degeneracies in dynamical models, which can only be resolved by measuring also the velocity components perpendicular to the line of sight. However, beyond the solar neighborhood, the corresponding proper motions have generally been too small to measure. This has changed dramatically over the past decade, especially due to the angular resolution and stability available on the Hubble Space Telescope. Proper motions can now be reliably measured throughout the Local Group, as illustrated by, e.g., the work of the HSTPROMO collaboration. In this review, I summarize the importance of proper motions for Local Group science, and I describe the current and future observational approaches and facilities available to measure proper motions. I highlight recent results on various Milky Way populations (globular clusters, the bulge, the metal-poor halo, hypervelocity stars, and tidal streams), dwarf satellite galaxies, the Magellanic Clouds and the Andromeda System.
Late stages of stellar evolution in population models
Authors: Maraston Claudia
Published: April 2015

My contribution to Roger's celebration symposium focuses on the treatment of late stellar evolutionary phases in stellar population models, reviewing the state of art and discussing some very recent developments, ranging from local stellar clusters up to distant galaxies at high redshift. I shall focus in particular on the Thermally Pulsating Asymptotic Giant Branch, about which a vivid discussion has been ongoing since a few years. I shall present renewed evidence in favour of a sizable contribution from this phase for matching the observed spectral energy distribution of distant massive galaxies. I shall also discuss the possible reasons why such a conclusion has been controversial in the recent literature. Stellar population models are the magic tool to shape the physics of galaxies out of their observed light, and enter virtually all papers presented at this symposium. In a collective effort to properly treat all relevant aspects of the modelling, we split the discussion into six contributions given by experts in the field, as our present to Roger and his outstanding career.
Element abundance ratios in stellar population modelling
Authors: Thomas Daniel
Published: April 2015

I review the implementation of the effects from varying chemical element abundance ratios in stellar population modelling, focusing on α- and Fe-peak elements. A brief overview of the development of such models over the past 30 years is provided, starting with early work on the identification of relevant absorption features in the spectra of early-type galaxies in the 1980s leading to the most recent developments of the past years. Recent highlights include the adoption of new flux calibrated libraries, the inclusion of a wide range of chemical elements, the calculation of error estimates on the model, and the consideration of element variation effects on full spectra. The calibration of such models with globular clusters and some key results on the element ratios measured in early-type galaxies are presented.
MaNGA: Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory
Authors: Bundy Kevin
Published: April 2015

I describe a new integral field spectroscopic survey called MaNGA (Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory). One of three core programs in the 6-year SDSS-IV project† that began on July 1st, 2014, MaNGA will deploy 17 fiber-bundle IFUs across the Sloan 2.5m Telescope's 3 degree field-of-view, targeting a mass-selected sample with a median redshift of 0.03, typical spatial resolution of 1-2 kpc, and a per-fiber signal-to-noise ratio of 4-8 in the outskirts of target galaxies. For each galaxy in the sample, MaNGA will provide maps and measured gradients of the composition and dynamics of both stars and gas. I discuss early results that highlight MaNGA's potential to shed light on the ionization and chemical enrichment of gas in galaxies, spatial patterns in their star formation histories, and the internal makeup of stellar populations. MaNGA's unprecedented data set will not only provide powerful new insight on galaxy formation and evolution but will serve as a valuable benchmark for future high-z observations from large telescopes and space-based facilities.
First record of three Bivalvia species: Thyasira succisa, Lyonsia norwegica and Poromya granulata in the Adriatic Sea (Central Mediterranean)
Authors: Strafella Pierluigi , Montagnini Luca , Punzo Elisa , Santelli Angela , Cuicchi Clara , Salvalaggio Vera , Fabi Gianna
Published: April 2015

Three species of bivalves,Thyasira succisa,Lyonsia norwegicaandPoromya granulate, were recorded for the first time in the Adriatic Sea during surveys conducted from 2010 to 2012 on offshore relict sand bottoms at a depth range of 45–80 m.
Investigation of a circular TE11-TE01-mode converter in stepped waveguide technique
Authors: Schulz Christian , Baer Christoph , Musch Thomas , Rolfes Ilona , Will Bianca
Published: April 2015

A compact and broadband TE11-TE01-mode converter, suitable for various industrial applications like bypass level measurements, is presented in this contribution. Based on stepped waveguide technique, the main advantages of the recommended converter design and the specific field distribution of the TE01-mode are discussed in detail. The converter is presented exemplary for a frequency range from 23 to 28 GHz, which corresponds to a bandwidth of approximately 20 % of the center frequency. Numerous three-dimensional electromagnetic field simulations are performed to optimize the converter and to investigate its reflection and transmission behavior. Realized by six different single elements and 11 parts in total, fast and effective simulations can be performed with CST Microwave Studio. Considering realistic production process parameters, like fillets or tolerances, a good return loss better 17 dB, an insertion loss of 0.1 dB, and an excellent mode purity are achieved. Compared with back-to-back, realistic disturber scenario, and far-field measurements with a first prototype, the expected excellent converter behavior can be validated without limitations. Hence, the suitability of the presented converter design is proven and the feasibility is demonstrated.
Can Microbes Survive Multiple Trips into the Stratosphere?
Authors: Wendel JoAnna
Published: April 2015

Searching for life on Mars starts at home, with a balloon launch.
Genetic and epigenetic profiling of CLL disease progression reveals limited somatic evolution and suggests a relationship to memory-cell development
Authors: Smith E N , Ghia E M , DeBoever C M , Rassenti L Z , Jepsen K , Yoon K-A , Matsui H , Rozenzhak S , Alakus H , Shepard P J , Dai Y , Khosroheidari M , Bina M , Gunderson K L , Messer K , Muthuswamy L , Hudson T J , Harismendy O , Barrett C L , Jamieson C H M , Carson D A , Kipps T J , Frazer K A
Published: April 2015

We examined genetic and epigenetic changes that occur during disease progression from indolent to aggressive forms of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) using serial samples from 27 patients. Analysis of DNA mutations grouped the leukemia cases into three categories: evolving (26%), expanding (26%) and static (47%). Thus, approximately three-quarters of the CLL cases had little to no genetic subclonal evolution. However, we identified significant recurrent DNA methylation changes during progression at 4752 CpGs enriched for regions near Polycomb 2 repressive complex (PRC2) targets. Progression-associated CpGs near the PRC2 targets undergo methylation changes in the same direction during disease progression as during normal development from naive to memory B cells. Our study shows that CLL progression does not typically occur via subclonal evolution, but that certain CpG sites undergo recurrent methylation changes. Our results suggest CLL progression may involve developmental processes shared in common with the generation of normal memory B cells.
Mesenchymal stromal cells derived from acute myeloid leukemia bone marrow exhibit aberrant cytogenetics and cytokine elaboration
Authors: Huang J C , Basu S K , Zhao X , Chien S , Fang M , Oehler V G , Appelbaum F R , Becker P S
Published: April 2015

Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) play a fundamental role in the BM microenvironment (BME) and abnormalities of these cells may contribute to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) pathogenesis. The aim of the study was to characterize the cytokine and gene expression profile, immunophenotype and cytogenetics of BM-MSCs from AML patients compared to normal BM-MSCs from healthy donors. AML BM-MSCs showed decreased monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 levels compared to normal BM-MSCs. AML BM-MSCs expressed similar β1 integrin, CD44, CD73, CD90 and E-cadherin compared to normal BM-MSCs. Cytogenetic analysis revealed chromosomal aberrations in AML BM-MSCs, some overlapping with and others distinct from their corresponding AML blasts. No significant difference in gene expression was detected between AML BM-MSCs compared to normal BM-MSCs; however, comparing the differences between AML and MSCs from AML patients with the differences between normal hematopoietic cells and normal MSCs by Ingenuity pathway analysis showed key distinctions of the AML setting: (1) upstream gene regulation by transforming growth factor beta 1, tumor necrosis factor, tissue transglutaminase 2, CCAAT/enhancer binding protein alpha and SWItch/Sucrose NonFermentable related, matrix associated, actin dependent regulator of chromatin, subfamily a, member 4; (2) integrin and interleukin 8 signaling as overrepresented canonical pathways; and (3) upregulation of transcription factors FBJ murine osteosarcoma viral oncogene homolog and v-myb avian myeloblastosis viral oncogene homolog. Thus, phenotypic abnormalities of AML BM-MSCs highlight a dysfunctional BME that may impact AML survival and proliferation.
Arabidopsis uses two gluconeogenic gateways for organic acids to fuel seedling establishment
Authors: Eastmond Peter J. , Astley Holly M. , Parsley Kate , Aubry Sylvain , Williams Ben P. , Menard Guillaume N. , Craddock Christian P. , Nunes-Nesi Adriano , Fernie Alisdair R. , Hibberd Julian M.
Published: April 2015

Gluconeogenesis is a fundamental metabolic process that allows organisms to make sugars from non-carbohydrate stores such as lipids and protein. In eukaryotes only one gluconeogenic route has been described from organic acid intermediates and this relies on the enzyme phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK). Here we show that two routes exist in Arabidopsis, and that the second uses pyruvate, orthophosphate dikinase (PPDK). Gluconeogenesis is critical to fuel the transition from seed to seedling. Arabidopsis pck1 and ppdk mutants are compromised in seed-storage reserve mobilization and seedling establishment. Radiolabelling studies show that PCK predominantly allows sugars to be made from dicarboxylic acids, which are products of lipid breakdown. However, PPDK also allows sugars to be made from pyruvate, which is a major product of protein breakdown. We propose that both routes have been evolutionarily conserved in plants because, while PCK expends less energy, PPDK is twice as efficient at recovering carbon from pyruvate.
Controlled induction of DNA double-strand breaks in the mouse liver induces features of tissue ageing
Authors: White Ryan R. , Milholland Brandon , de Bruin Alain , Curran Samuel , Laberge Remi-Martin , van Steeg Harry , Campisi Judith , Maslov Alexander Y. , Vijg Jan
Published: April 2015

DNA damage has been implicated in ageing, but direct evidence for a causal relationship is lacking, owing to the difficulty of inducing defined DNA lesions in cells and tissues without simultaneously damaging other biomolecules and cellular structures. Here we directly test whether highly toxic DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) alone can drive an ageing phenotype using an adenovirus-based system based on tetracycline-controlled expression of the SacI restriction enzyme. We deliver the adenovirus to mice and compare molecular and cellular end points in the liver with normally aged animals. Treated, 3-month-old mice display many, but not all signs of normal liver ageing as early as 1 month after treatment, including ageing pathologies, markers of senescence, fused mitochondria and alterations in gene expression profiles. These results, showing that DSBs alone can cause distinct ageing phenotypes in mouse liver, provide new insights in the role of DNA damage as a driver of tissue ageing.
Chemical Analysis of the Chinese Liquor Luzhoulaojiao by Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography/Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Yao Feng , Yi Bin , Shen Caihong , Tao Fei , Liu Yumin , Lin Zhixin , Xu Ping
Published: April 2015

Luzhoulaojiao liquor is a type of Chinese liquor that dates back hundreds of years, but whose precise chemical composition remains unknown. This paper describes the screening of the liquor and the identification of its compounds using comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC × GC/TOF-MS). Samples were prepared by both liquid-liquid extraction and solid-phase microextraction, which facilitated the detection of thousands of compounds in the liquor, thus demonstrating the superior performance of the proposed method over those reported in previous studies. A total of 320 compounds were common to all 18 types of Luzhoulaojiao liquor studied here and 13 abundant and potentially bioactive compounds were further quantified. The results indicated that the high-performance method presented here is well suited for the detection and identification of compounds in liquors. This study also contributes to enriching our knowledge of the contents of Chinese liquors.
Assessment of radiocesium contamination in frogs 18 months after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster
Authors: Matsushima Noe , Ihara Sadao , Takase Minoru , Horiguchi Toshihiro
Published: April 2015

We investigated the accumulation of radionuclides in frogs inhabiting radioactively contaminated areas around Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) to search for possible adverse effects due to radionuclides. We collected 5 frog species and soil samples in areas within and outside a 20-km radius from FDNPP in August and September 2012 and determined their radiocesium concentrations (134Cs and 137Cs). There was a positive correlation between radiocesium concentrations in the soil samples and frogs and the highest concentration in frogs was 47,278.53 Bq/kg-wet. Although we conducted a histological examination of frog ovaries and testes by light microscopy to detect possible effects of radionuclides on the morphology of germ cells, there were no clear abnormalities in the gonadal tissues of frogs collected from sites with different contamination levels.
Physisorption of benzene derivatives on graphene: critical roles of steric and stereoelectronic effects of the substituent
Authors: Zhou Pan-Pan , Zhang Rui-Qin
Published: April 2015

The adsorption of benzene derivatives on the graphene surface is strongly dependent upon the substituent because of the critical roles of their steric and stereoelectronic effects.
Rational material design for ultrafast rechargeable lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Tang Yuxin , Zhang Yanyan , Li Wenlong , Ma Bing , Chen Xiaodong
Published: April 2015

This tutorial review provides fundamental electrochemistry and presents state-of-the-art developments in ultrafast charging lithium-ion batteries by the rational design of materials.
Conducting polymers and their inorganic composites for advanced Li-ion batteries: a review
Authors: Sengodu Prakash , Deshmukh Abhay D.
Published: April 2015

Conducting polymers are promising materials for organic–inorganic composites in lithium-ion batteries due to electrical conductivity and high coulombic efficiency, and are able to be cycled hundreds or thousands of times with only small degradation.
A two-dimensional molecular beacon for mRNA-activated intelligent cancer theranostics
Authors: Wu Dan , Song Guofen , Li Zhi , Zhang Tao , Wei Wei , Chen Muzi , He Xuewen , Ma Nan
Published: April 2015

A two-dimensional quantum dot molecular beacon with interconnected imaging and therapy modalities is developed for intelligent cancer theranostics.
Triazine-phosphine oxide electron transporter for ultralow-voltage-driven sky blue PHOLEDs
Authors: Jia Jilin , Zhu Liping , Wei Ying , Wu Zhongbin , Xu Hui , Ding Dongxue , Chen Runfeng , Ma Dongge , Huang Wei
Published: April 2015

Triazine and triphenylphosphine oxide hybridsxTPOTZwere constructed as electron-transporting materials with triplet energy beyond 2.95 eV and high electron mobility for highly efficient blue phosphorescent light-emitting diodes.
Colorimetric detection of influenza A virus using antibody-functionalized gold nanoparticles
Authors: Liu Yuanjian , Zhang Linqun , Wei Wei , Zhao Hongyu , Zhou Zhenxian , Zhang Yuanjian , Liu Songqin
Published: April 2015

A colorimetric immunosensor for IAV based on AuNPs modified with mAb is developed. This assay depends on an ordered AuNPs structure covering the virus surface and can be applied to any viral pathogen by incorporating the appropriate pathogen-specific antibody, giving the proposed method a broad prospect in clinical diagnosis applications.
A sensitive cytosensor for sialic acid assay based on dual signal amplification by functionalized carbon nanospheres and enzymatically produced polyaniline
Authors: Liu Kai , Sun Qianqian , Zhu Linling , Feng Chongchong , Zhang Junying , Wang Ya , Zhang Fan , Xu Zhiai , Zhang Wen
Published: April 2015

A new strategy for cell surface sialic acid assay and electrochemical cytosensing integrating specific carbohydrate identification and enzymatic catalysis.
Age-related changes in functional connectivity between young adulthood and late adulthood
Authors: Xu Xin , Kuang Qifan , Zhang Yongqing , Wang Huijun , Wen Zhining , Li Menglong
Published: April 2015

The functional brain network in late adulthood has been found to show a significant difference from that in young adulthood using a variety of network metrics.
Ultrasensitive electrochemical immunoassay of proteins based on in situ duple amplification of gold nanoparticle biolabel signals
Authors: Qin Xiaoli , Xu Aigui , Liu Ling , Deng Wenfang , Chen Chao , Tan Yueming , Fu Yingchun , Xie Qingji , Yao Shouzhuo
Published: April 2015

An electrochemical sandwich immunoassay method that can be sensitive to a few protein molecules (human immunoglobulin G or human prostate-specific antigen) is reported based on in situ duple amplification of gold nanoparticle biolabel signals.
Design of β-CD–surfactant complex-coated liquid crystal droplets for the detection of cholic acid via competitive host–guest recognition
Authors: Deng Jinan , Lu Xiaoyan , Constant Colin , Dogariu Aristide , Fang Jiyu
Published: April 2015

We report the use of β-CD–C14TAB complex-coated 5CB droplets for the selective detection of cholic acid, in which the β-CD–C14TAB complex at the surface of the 5CB droplets is used as a selective barricade and the configuration transition of the 5CB inside the droplets serves as an optical probe.
Polyhomologation based on in situ generated boron-thexyl-silaboracyclic initiating sites: a novel strategy towards the synthesis of polyethylene-based complex architectures
Authors: Zhang Zhen , Zhang Hefeng , Gnanou Yves , Hadjichristidis Nikos
Published: April 2015

Polyhomologation of dimethylsulfoxonium methylide using the in situ generated boron-thexyl-silaboracyclic initiating sites allows the synthesis of polyethylene-based complex macromolecular architectures.