bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early and Middle Pleistocene pollen assemblages of deep core drillings in the northern Upper Rhine Graben, Germany
Authors: Knipping M.
Published: April 2016

Recent core drillings, carried out during water-economic exploration in the area of Mannheim/Ludwigshafen/Schifferstadt (Rhine-Neckar region, Germany), have produced a more differentiated stratigraphic division of the Pleistocene sediments of the northern Upper Rhine Graben. Pollen analytical investigations as well as malacological, heavy mineral, palaeomagnetic and lithological research have led to a stratigraphic reinterpretation of the gravel layers and intermediate horizons. Based on the results of the pollen analyses, the Mannheim interglacial period in the upper intermediate horizon (Oberer Zwischenhorizont, OZH) cannot be assigned to the Eemian as stated earlier. The occurrence ofFagus, CeltisandAzolla,along with the results of malacological analyses, indicate a Cromerian age for the Mannheim Interglacial. In addition, a pollen sequence from a different interglacial in the core sediments from Schifferstadt could also be assigned to the Cromerian. The Schifferstadt Interglacial is divided into a lower optimum phase with high values ofUlmus, QuercusandCoryluswhileCarpinusis completely absent, and an upper optimum phase with low values ofCarpinus.Fagusis absent in the whole sequence. The OZH comprises not only the two interglacial pollen sequences described above but also parts of at least four Middle Pleistocene Interglacials. In the lower part of the drillings in Schifferstadt and Ludwigshafen, which are assigned to the Early Pleistocene, pollen assemblages withFagusare likely to correlate with parts of the Tiglian A substage. There is a clear change to a Tertiary type of pollen flora at 91 m at Schifferstadt and at 186 m in Ludwigshafen.
Palaeoenvironmental changes and vegetation history of the northern Upper Rhine Graben (southwestern Germany) since the Lateglacial
Authors: Bos J.A.A. , Dambeck R. , Kalis A.J. , Schweizer A. , Thiemeyer H.
Published: April 2016

The vegetation of the northern Upper Rhine Graben (southwestern Germany) is reconstructed for the end of the Lateglacial and the Holocene by means of palynological analyses in combination with AMS14c dating. Analogous to adjacent lowland areas, the Younger Dryas climatic deterioration didnotresult in a complete deforestation of the area and open pine woodlands with locally birch stands and shrubs persisted. A subdivision of the Younger Dryas period, into a humid first phase, followed by a dry second phase was also reflected in our records. For the Holocene, the pollen diagrams show two regionally different vegetation developments, related to substrate and variations in annual precipitation: in the south the ‘classical’ succession of pine then hazel is followed by other deciduous trees, whereas in the northern part, pine kept its dominance far into the Subboreal.
A Revised Stratigraphy for the Pliocene and Lower Pleistocene Deposits of the Lower Rhine Embayment
Authors: Kemna H.A.
Published: April 2016

The Plio-Pleistocene succession in the Lower Rhine Embayment was subjected to a thorough revision of existing stratigraphic concepts. The deposits were studied at key sites in the type area near Venlo and in the large open-cast mine Hambach in the southern part of the Lower Rhine Embayment by means of sedimentological, petrographical, as well as palaeo- and rockmagnetic methods.

The work has yielded improved insights of the drainage pattern and the Late Pliocene and Early Pleistocene depositional history of the region. As a result, a new comprehensive lithostratigraphical framework has been established.

Study of the succession at Hambach showed the occurrence of deposits of the Rhine, Meuse and a local river in the Lower Pleistocene part of the succession. Paleo- and rockmagnetic studies of the deposits marking the transition from Pliocene to Pleistocene indicate that the Gauss-Matuyama magnetic reversal occurs several meters above the top of the Reuver Clay at Hambach.

The study of the Lower Pleistocene succession in the type area has confirmed the recently new established lithostratigraphic framework of the Netherlands. As a consequence, the previous Dutch lithostratigraphic system which forms the basis of the chronostratigraphic subdivision of the Pliocene and Early Pleistocene of NW Europe has been proven to be inappropriate and should be abandoned. This chronostratigraphic framework is based on the interpretation of palynological data and was first established in the Netherlands during the 1960s. The new lithostratigraphic concept has revealed numerous contradictions with the chronostratigraphic framework. Based on these results it is proposed to abandon the chronostratigraphic subdivision of the Early Pleistocene in northwestern Europe.
First description of a gastrotrich with four scale types, including feathered biancres, a novel find for Gastrotricha
Authors: Quintão Araújo Thiago , Hochberg Rick
Published: April 2016

A new species of Tetranchyroderma, T. garraffonii, is described from sublittoral sediments off the coast of Florida, USA. The new species possesses mixed scale types in the form of feathered biancres – a novel discovery for the genus – as well as feathered triancres and ordinary triancres. Biancres consist of a round scale base, a pair of ancre shafts that arise individually from a v-shaped cuticular ridge on the scale, and feathered ancres. Triancres are similar in appearance but have a different ridge pattern. Ordinary triancres occurred in two forms on the lateral sides of the body: a bowl-shaped ancre and a ‘pitchfork’ shaped ancre. Other distinguishing characteristics of the new species include the presence of cephalic tentacles, a papillated fringe to the oral hood, and a single pair of lateral and dorsolateral adhesive tubes at the posterior end. Confocal microscopy verified the presence of a muscular caudal organ and partly muscular vas deferens.
Occurrence and characterization of pearls from oysters of the genus Crassostrea
Authors: Batista Frederico M. , Grade Ana , Power Deborah M. , Ruano Francisco , Harper Elizabeth M.
Published: April 2016

The occurrence of pearls in the ‘true’ oysters, the Ostreioidea, is poorly documented despite being the most produced mollusc species in the world. Oysters of the Crassostrea genus were collected in two different sites in southern Portugal where both Crassostrea angulata and C. gigas are present, namely in: (1) the Ria Formosa lagoon where pearls were not observed (N = 446); and (2) the Guadiana estuary where pearls were found in 12 out of the 798 oysters analysed. The pearls were located mainly at the edge of the right mantle lobe in the inhalant chamber and their maximum length ranged from 0.9 to 5.5 mm. Almost all the pearls had a white-cream colouration with the exception of two pearls that had a black-brown colour. X-ray diffraction analysis of one pearl showed that it was entirely calcitic with no traces of either aragonite or vaterite. The pearls observed were therefore non-nacreous pearls. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed a diversity of microstructures including prismatic, foliae-like sheets and blocky textures, i.e. highly reminiscent of the host oyster shell microstructures. Parasites (e.g. parasitic copepods, Haplosporidium-like plasmodia) and signs of diseases (e.g. foot disease) were observed in some of the oysters analysed, but they were not associated with the occurrence of pearls. The present work is one of the few studies on the occurrence of natural pearls in ‘true’ oysters and to our knowledge the first description of their microstructure by SEM.
INFERENCE ON TWO-COMPONENT MIXTURES UNDER TAIL RESTRICTIONS
Authors: Jochmans Koen , Henry Marc , Salanié Bernard
Published: April 2016

Many econometric models can be analyzed as finite mixtures. We focus on two-component mixtures, and we show that they are nonparametrically point identified by a combination of an exclusion restriction and tail restrictions. Our identification analysis suggests simple closed-form estimators of the component distributions and mixing proportions, as well as a specification test. We derive their asymptotic properties using results on tail empirical processes and we present a simulation study that documents their finite-sample performance.
A taxonomy for user models in adaptive systems: special considerations for learning environments
Authors: Medina-Medina Nuria , García-Cabrera Lina
Published: April 2016

This paper outlines the educational advantages provided by adaptive systems and stresses the importance of the user model in the task of adaptation. The paper also establishes a general taxonomy of user models thereby enabling classification of any model according to various features related to its structure and management. This taxonomy allows an exhaustive description of all user models, facilitating analysis and design of the corresponding adaptive systems. Subsequently, the taxonomy is used to describe the user modeling process in a concrete adaptive hypermedia system and to analyze the model of a student appropriate for use in a general educational environment.
Call for papers: NJL Special Issue on Receptive Multilingualism: Multilingual Resources in the Service of Mutual Understanding
Authors: Riionheimo Helka , Kaivapalu Annekatrin
Published: April 2016

The second issue of Volume 40 (autumn 2017) of the Nordic Journal of Linguistics will be a special issue devoted to receptive multilingualism. The issue will be edited by Helka Riionheimo, Annekatrin Kaivapalu and Hanna-Ilona Härmävaara.
Simulating Surveillance Options for the Canadian North
Authors: Lapinski Anna-Liesa S. , Isenor Anthony W. , Webb Sean
Published: April 2016

As part of the overarching research goal to assess current and potential maritime information sources for use in maritime defence and security in the Canadian north, we examine whether wide-area surveillance data, as represented by Space-based Automatic Identification System (S-AIS) data, offers sufficient information for surveillance requirements in the Canadian north. If S-AIS data are not sufficient, we address how the additional information provided by Long-Range Identification and Tracking (LRIT) can be used to meet the surveillance requirements. A Systems Tool Kit (STK) simulation scenario is constructed that includes five exactEarth satellites collecting AIS data. Simulated AIS transmitters are positioned at 20 northern Canada ground locations. The results indicate that for each location, two thirds of the eight-day simulation is spent without a satellite within range, when using the five satellites. As the number of satellites decreases, intervals in the range of 80 to 105 minutes, during which there are no AIS messages received, increase in frequency. If the end-user requires vessel location information more often than S-AIS consistently provides, augmenting the S-AIS information with LRIT polling should achieve the desired vessel traffic awareness.
Methods for investigating the local spatial anisotropy and the preferred orientation of cones in adaptive optics retinal images
Authors: COOPER ROBERT F. , LOMBARDO MARCO , CARROLL JOSEPH , SLOAN KENNETH R. , LOMBARDO GIUSEPPE
Published: April 2016

The ability to noninvasively image the cone photoreceptor mosaic holds significant potential as a diagnostic for retinal disease. Central to the realization of this potential is the development of sensitive metrics for characterizing the organization of the mosaic. Here we evaluated previously-described and newly-developed (Fourier- and Radon-based) methods of measuring cone orientation in simulated and real images of the parafoveal cone mosaic. The proposed algorithms correlated well across both simulated and real mosaics, suggesting that each algorithm provides an accurate description of photoreceptor orientation. Despite high agreement between algorithms, each performed differently in response to image intensity variation and cone coordinate jitter. The integration property of the Fourier transform allowed the Fourier-based method to be resistant to cone coordinate jitter and perform the most robustly of all three algorithms. Conversely, when there is good image quality but unreliable cone identification, the Radon algorithm performed best. Finally, in cases where the cone coordinate reliability was excellent, the method previously described by Pum and colleagues performed best. These descriptors are complementary to conventional descriptive metrics of the cone mosaic, such as cell density and spacing, and have the potential to aid in the detection of photoreceptor pathology.
Does seed coat structure modulate gut-passage effects on seed germination? Examples from Miconieae DC. (Melastomataceae)
Authors: Ribeiro Rafaella C. , Figueiredo Maria Letícia N. , Picorelli Agnello , Oliveira Denise M.T. , Silveira Fernando A.O.
Published: April 2016

Fruits of Melastomataceae constitute a key resource for Neotropical frugivores. However, the mechanisms determining gut-passage effects on seed germination are poorly known. Here, we determine how bird gut-passage affects seed germination in three species of Miconieae by running germination experiments, examining changes in seed coat structure and determining germination inhibition by fruit extracts. Mature fruits ofClidemia urceolata, Leandra aureaandMiconia rubiginosawere sampled in south-eastern Brazil and seeds were submitted to treatments evaluating gut-passage effects and different concentrations of fruit extracts. Light and scanning electron microscopy were used to compare seed coat structure and thickness of control and gut-passed seeds. We found minor effects of gut passage on seed germination. However, changes in seed coat structure of gut-passed seeds ofL. aureamay have been related to a decrease in germination. Our data also support the idea that germination inhibitors in fruit pulp may contribute to the inhibition effect. Our study corroborates the idea that changes in the seed coat following gut passage modulate the complex fruit–frugivore interactions, especially between plants and generalist dispersers, and that seed cleaning is a key factor determining seedling establishment in Neotropical Melastomataceae.
Use of Medical Reserve Corps Volunteers in a Hospital-based Disaster Exercise
Authors: Gist Ramon , Daniel Pia , Grock Andrew , Lin Chou-jui , Bryant Clarence , Kohlhoff Stephan , Roblin Patricia , Arquilla Bonnie
Published: April 2016

Introduction

The Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) is a national network of community-based volunteer groups created in 2002 by the Office of the United States Surgeon General (Rockville, Maryland USA) to augment the nation’s ability to respond to medical and public health emergencies. However, there is little evidence-based literature available to guide hospitals on the optimal use of medical volunteers and hesitancy on the part of hospitals to use them.

Hypothesis/Problem

This study sought to determine how MRC volunteers can be used in hospital-based disasters through their participation in a full-scale exercise.

Methods

A full-scale exercise was designed as a “Disaster Olympics,” in which the Emergency Medicine residents were divided into teams tasked with completing one of the following five challenges: victim decontamination, mass casualty/decontamination tent assembly, patient triage and registration during a disaster, point of distribution (POD) site set-up and operation, and infection control management. A surge of patients potentially exposed to avian influenza was the scenario created for the latter three challenges. Some MRC volunteers were assigned clinical roles. These roles included serving as members of the suit support team for victim decontamination, distributing medications at the POD, and managing infection control. Other MRC volunteers functioned as “victim evaluators,” who portrayed the potential avian influenza victims while simultaneously evaluating various aspects of the disaster response. The MRC volunteers provided feedback on their experience and evaluators provided feedback on the performance of the MRC volunteers using evaluation tools.

Results

Twenty-eight (90%) MRC volunteers reported that they worked well with the residents and hospital staff, felt the exercise was useful, and were assigned clearly defined roles. However, only 21 (67%) reported that their qualifications were assessed prior to role assignment. For those MRC members who functioned as “victim evaluators,” nine identified errors in aspects of the care they received and the disaster response. Of those who evaluated the MRC, nine (90%) felt that the MRC worked well with the residents and hospital staff. Ten (100%) of these evaluators recommended that MRC volunteers participate in future disaster exercises.

Conclusion

Through use of a full-scale exercise, this study was able to identify roles for MRC volunteers in a hospital-based disaster. This study also found MRC volunteers to be uniquely qualified to serve as “victim evaluators” in a hospital-based disaster exercise.

GistR, DanielP, GrockA, LinC, BryantC, KohlhoffS, RoblinP, ArquillaB. Use of Medical Reserve Corps volunteers in a hospital-based disaster exercise. Prehosp Disaster Med. 2016;31(3):259–262.
The untouchables
Authors: PÉREZ-LEROUX ANA T.
Published: April 2016

Carroll's critique (Carroll) of the field of bilingualism yields strong directives. Let us not study specific groups of bilinguals, and make big claims about bilingual learning. Let us not study one domain, say vocabulary, and generalize to bilinguals’ language. These are all valid points. She also voices strong skepticism about how current literature deals with language experience:

“Much of the bilingual exposure literature making claims about quantity or quality of exposure is little more than speculation, built from a ‘logic’ about amounts of exposure that will not bear close scrutiny.” (8)
Determination of Dynamics of Plant Plasma Membrane Proteins with Fluorescence Recovery and Raster Image Correlation Spectroscopy
Authors: Laňková Martina , Humpolíčková Jana , Vosolsobě Stanislav , Cit Zdeněk , Lacek Jozef , Čovan Martin , Čovanová Milada , Hof Martin , Petrášek Jan
Published: April 2016

A number of fluorescence microscopy techniques are described to study dynamics of fluorescently labeled proteins, lipids, nucleic acids, and whole organelles. However, for studies of plant plasma membrane (PM) proteins, the number of these techniques is still limited because of the high complexity of processes that determine the dynamics of PM proteins and the existence of cell wall. Here, we report on the usage of raster image correlation spectroscopy (RICS) for studies of integral PM proteins in suspension-cultured tobacco cells and show its potential in comparison with the more widely used fluorescence recovery after photobleaching method. For RICS, a set of microscopy images is obtained by single-photon confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Fluorescence fluctuations are subsequently correlated between individual pixels and the information on protein mobility are extracted using a model that considers processes generating the fluctuations such as diffusion and chemical binding reactions. As we show here using an example of two integral PM transporters of the plant hormone auxin, RICS uncovered their distinct short-distance lateral mobility within the PM that is dependent on cytoskeleton and sterol composition of the PM. RICS, which is routinely accessible on modern CLSM instruments, thus represents a valuable approach for studies of dynamics of PM proteins in plants.
Enhancing conceptual knowledge: an approach to using Virtual Environment for Radiotherapy Training in the classroom
Authors: Montgomerie D. , Kane J. P. , Leong A. , Mudie B.
Published: April 2016

This report discusses the approach to teaching undergraduate radiation therapy students in New Zealand using the Virtual Environment for the Radiotherapy Training (VERT) system. In conjunction with VERT being used to teach clinical skills, integration of conceptual knowledge occurs across all 3 years of the programme; this report gives examples of how this is achieved in practice.
The Swedish National Diabetes Register in clinical practice and evaluation in primary health care
Authors: Hallgren Elfgren Ing-Marie , Grodzinsky Ewa , Törnvall Eva
Published: April 2016

Aim

The purpose of this project is to describe the use of the Swedish National Diabetes Register (NDR) in clinical practice in a Swedish county and to specifically monitor the diabetes care routines at two separate primary health-care centres (PHCC) with a special focus on older patients.

Background

According to Swedish law, all health-care units have to maintain a system for quality evaluation and improvement. As the NDR holds the most important quality indicators, implementation of the NDR in primary care was carried out by an implementation project in 2002–2005.

Methods

Initially, a digital questionnaire about NDR routines was sent to all PHCC. Statistics about hemoglobin adult 1c (HbA1c) and blood pressure (BP) was presented for the diabetes teams at two centres who were also interviewed. The responses became the basis for a focus group interview with both teams together, with data subject to content analysis.

Findings

The study showed that reporting to the NDR has become a compulsory routine in primary care. The diabetes nurse specialist was responsible for the practical management of the register and used the NDR for continuous monitoring of the patients. Most centres used the NDR’s statistics for evaluation and analyses annually. The diabetes nurse adapted the visits to the patient’s wishes and general condition. Only in terms of target values for HbA1c and BP did they accept slightly higher values for the older patients. Since the NDR was implemented, the registration rate has remained at 75% and has not increased. The reason given was that patients with diabetes living in nursing homes are checked up by the municipal nurse who does not use the NDR. However, the risk of omitting older patients in the NDR could be considerably decreased if data could be transferred from the electronic patient record.
Vaccination of calves against common respiratory viruses in the face of maternally derived antibodies(IFOMA)
Authors: Chamorro Manuel F. , Woolums Amelia , Walz Paul H.
Published: April 2016

Vaccination of calves in the face of maternal antibodies (IFOMA) often does not result in seroconversion as maternally derived immunity interferes with the activation of adequate antibody responses to vaccination; however, it can prime T and B cell memory responses that protect calves against clinical disease when maternal immunity has decayed. The activation of B and T cell memory responses in calves vaccinated IFOMA varies and is affected by several factors, including age, level of maternal immunity, type of vaccine, and route of administration. These factors influence the adequate priming of humoral and cell mediated immune responses and the outcome of vaccination. The failure to adequately prime immune memory after vaccination IFOMA could result in lack of clinical protection and increased risk of viremia and/or virus shedding.
Sulphur tales from the early Archean world
Authors: Montinaro A. , Strauss H.
Published: April 2016

Sedimentary and magmatic rocks and their distinct sulphur isotopic signatures indicate the sources and processes of sulphur cycling, in particular through the analysis of all four stable sulphur isotopes (32S,33S,34S and36S). Research over the past 15 years has substantially advanced our understanding of sulphur cycling on the early Earth, most notably through the discovery of mass-independently fractionated sulphur isotopic signatures. A strong atmospheric influence on the early Archean global sulphur cycle is apparent, much in contrast to the modern world. Diverse microbially driven sulphur cycling is clearly discernible, but its importance for Earth surface environments remains to be quantified.
Testing the preservation of biomarkers during experimental maturation of an immature kerogen
Authors: Mißbach H. , Duda J.-P. , Lünsdorf N.K. , Schmidt B.C. , Thiel V.
Published: April 2016

Lipid biomarkers have been extensively applied for tracing organisms and evolutionary processes through Earth's history. They have become especially important for the reconstruction of early life on Earth and, potentially, for the detection of life in the extraterrestrial realm. However, it is not always clear how exactly biomarkers reflect a paleoecosystem as their preservation may be influenced by increasing temperatures (T) and pressures (P) during burial. While a number of biomarker indices reflecting thermal maturity have been established, it is often less well constrained to which extent biomarker ratios used for paleoreconstruction are compromised by T and P processes. In this study we conducted hydrous pyrolysis of Green River Shale (GRS) kerogen in gold capsules for 2–2400 h at 300°C to assess the maturation behaviour of several compounds used as life tracers and for the reconstruction of paleoenvironments (n-alkanes, pristane, phytane, gammacerane, steranes, hopanes and cheilanthanes). Lignite samples were maturated in parallel with the GRS kerogen to obtain exact vitrinite reflectance data at every sampling point. Our experiment confirms the applicability of biomarker-based indices and ratios as maturity indicators (e.g. total cheilanthanes/hopanes ratio; sterane and hopane isomerization indices). However, several biomarker ratios that are commonly used for paleoreconstructions (e.g. pristane/phytane, pristane/n-C17, phytane/n-C18 and total steranes/hopanes) were considerably affected by differences in the thermal degradation behaviour of the respective compounds. Short-term experiments (48 h) performed at 400°C also revealed that biomarkers >C15 (especially steranes and hopanes) and ‘biological’ chain length preferences for n-alkanes are vanished at a vitrinite reflectance between 1.38 and 1.83% RO. Our data highlight that ‘thermal taphonomy’ effects have to be carefully considered in the interpretation of biomarkers in ancient rocks and, potentially, extraterrestrial materials.
A Gift to Goethe: The Aesthetics of the Intermediate Dominant in Schubert’s Music and Early Nineteenth-Century Theoretical Thought
Authors: Clark Suzannah
Published: April 2016

Schubert is famous for his remote modulations, especially his third relations. He therefore has a reputation for harbouring an aversion to the dominant, both in terms of its function as a harmonic preparation for new keys and as a structural pole to the tonic home key. I turn to the history of theory to reveal a more nuanced history of Schubert’s attitude towards the dominant. In a revision of ‘Geistes-Gruß’ (D. 142), a song he sent to Goethe in 1816, Schubert added a brief dominant-seventh chord to soften an abrupt modulation to a remote key. Such an insertion between remote keys was coined an ‘intermediate dominant’ by Schubert’s contemporary Anton Reicha and was understood to be a sufficient preparation for a new remote key. In four subsequent versions of ‘Geistes-Gruß’, Schubert strengthened, rather than weakened, this intermediate dominant – only to remove it altogether in the final published version. I scrutinize Schubert’s use of intermediate dominants that, together with other techniques such as the use of silence, act as a harmonic cushion between abrupt third relations in a range of early multi-sectional songs and in the medial caesura-fill in the Unfinished and Great Symphonies. I compare Schubert’s compositional strategies with the theories of modulation and harmonic juxtaposition by his contemporary music theorists Anton Reicha and Gottfried Weber, and I argue that they share a strikingly similar aesthetic of the power of the intermediate dominant.
REALIZABILITY SEMANTICS FOR QUANTIFIED MODAL LOGIC: GENERALIZING FLAGG’S 1985 CONSTRUCTION
Authors: RIN BENJAMIN G. , WALSH SEAN
Published: April 2016

A semantics for quantified modal logic is presented that is based on Kleene’s notion of realizability. This semantics generalizes Flagg’s 1985 construction of a model of a modal version of Church’s Thesis and first-order arithmetic. While the bulk of the paper is devoted to developing the details of the semantics, to illustrate the scope of this approach, we show that the construction produces (i) a model of a modal version of Church’s Thesis and a variant of a modal set theory due to Goodman and Scedrov, (ii) a model of a modal version of Troelstra’s generalized continuity principle together with a fragment of second-order arithmetic, and (iii) a model based on Scott’s graph model (for the untyped lambda calculus) which witnesses the failure of the stability of nonidentity.
Design of a compact wide band microstrip antenna with very low VSWR for WiMAX applications
Authors: Kundu Aparna , Chakraborty Ujjal , Bhattacharjee Anup Kumar
Published: April 2016

A single-layer coaxial-fed compact rectangular microstrip antenna with very low voltage standing wave ratio (VSWR) is presented in this paper. The simulated VSWR of the proposed antenna 1.00374 is obtained near the center frequency of the operating band (3.5 GHz). Simulation and measurement results indicate that the bandwidth (simulated: 3.36–3.715 GHz, and measured: 3.295–3.645 GHz) of the antenna exceeds 10% below VSWR 2, when the size reduction of the antenna is about 81.6%. The realized peak gain is obtained about 2.15 dBi at 3.5 GHz. For the verification of the computational results, two designs were fabricated and measured. Good agreements between simulated and measured results were found.
Kultursensible Pflege im Rahmen pflegerischer Interventionen
Authors: Zielke-Nadkarni Andrea
Published: April 2016

Zusammenfassung. Angesichts der zunehmenden Zahl traumatisierter Patienten unterschiedlicher Herkunft und kultureller Zugehörigkeit bietet dieser Beitrag eine Koppelung soziokultureller Aspekte der Pflege an ein Phasenschema zur Interventionsentwicklung, welches der Standardisierung des Krankheitsmanagements dient und zugleich einen individuellen Zugang zu Patient und Familie beinhaltet. Damit ermöglicht es einen pflegewissenschaftlichen wie pädagogischen Ansatzpunkt für verschiedene Ebenen der beruflichen Bildung.
Grüezi, Hamburger Masterstudierende in der Schweiz
Authors: Reinhardt Elke Maria
Published: April 2016

Zusammenfassung. Die Hamburger Hochschule für Angewandte Wissenschaften ist 2013 mit ihrem neuen Studiengang Master of Science (MSc) in Pflege an den Start gegangen. Elf Studierende des ersten Studiengangs waren im Rahmen des Moduls «Social and Health Care International» für ein zweiwöchiges Auslandspraktikum in Großbritannien, der Schweiz, Österreich oder Schweden. Bei ihrer Rückkehr aus dem Praktikum in der Schweizer Bundesstadt Bern, hatte Elke Maria Reinhardt spannende Erfahrungen im Gepäck.
Structuring Roles and Gender Identities Within Families Explaining Suicidal Behavior in South India
Authors: Lasrado Reena A. , Chantler Khatidja , Jasani Rubina , Young Alys
Published: April 2016

Abstract. Background: This paper examines the social structures, culture, gendered roles, and their implications for suicidal behavior in South India. Exploring the cultural process within the structures of family and society to understand suicide and attempted suicide from the perspectives of survivors, mental health professionals, and traditional healers has not been achieved in the existing suicide-related research studies conducted in India to date. Aims: This study aimed to explore the cultural implications of attempted suicide by examining the survivors' life stories, their perceptions, and service providers’ interpretations of problem situation. Method: A qualitative design was used drawing on constant comparison method and thematic analysis. The analysis was underpinned by the theoretical concepts of Bourdieu's work. In-depth interviews were conducted with 15 survivors of attempted suicide, eight mental health professionals, and eight traditional healers from Southern India. Results: The study found interactions among visible and invisible fields such as faith, power, control, culture, family, religion, and social systems to have strengthened the disparities in gender and role structures within families and societies and to have impacted survivors’ dispositions to situations. Conclusion: The role of culture in causing suicide and attempted suicide is explained by unraveling the negative impact of interacting cultural and structural mechanisms.
Strength and ductility with {10͞11} — {10͞12} double twinning in a magnesium alloy
Authors: Lentz M. , Risse M. , Schaefer N. , Reimers W. , Beyerlein I. J.
Published: April 2016

Based on their high specific strength and stiffness, magnesium alloys are attractive for lightweight applications in aerospace and transportation, where weight saving is crucial for the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions. Unfortunately, the ductility of magnesium alloys is usually limited. It is thought that one reason for the lack of ductility is that the development of "Equation missing"—"Equation missing" double twins (DTW) cause premature failure of magnesium alloys. Here we show with a magnesium alloy containing 4 wt% lithium, that the same impressively large compression failure strains can be achieved with DTWs as without. The DTWs form stably across the microstructure and continuously throughout straining, forming three-dimensional intra-granular networks, a potential strengthening mechanism. We rationalize that relatively easier  slip characteristic of this alloy plastically relaxed the localized stress concentrations that DTWs can generate. This result may provide key insight and an alternative perspective towards designing formable and strong magnesium alloys.
mTORC1 and CK2 coordinate ternary and eIF4F complex assembly
Authors: Gandin Valentina , Masvidal Laia , Cargnello Marie , Gyenis Laszlo , McLaughlan Shannon , Cai Yutian , Tenkerian Clara , Morita Masahiro , Balanathan Preetika , Jean-Jean Olivier , Stambolic Vuk , Trost Matthias , Furic Luc , Larose Louise , Koromilas Antonis E. , Asano Katsura , Litchfield David , Larsson Ola , Topisirovic Ivan
Published: April 2016

Ternary complex (TC) and eIF4F complex assembly are the two major rate-limiting steps in translation initiation regulated by eIF2α phosphorylation and the mTOR/4E-BP pathway, respectively. How TC and eIF4F assembly are coordinated, however, remains largely unknown. We show that mTOR suppresses translation of mRNAs activated under short-term stress wherein TC recycling is attenuated by eIF2α phosphorylation. During acute nutrient or growth factor stimulation, mTORC1 induces eIF2β phosphorylation and recruitment of NCK1 to eIF2, decreases eIF2α phosphorylation and bolsters TC recycling. Accordingly, eIF2β mediates the effect of mTORC1 on protein synthesis and proliferation. In addition, we demonstrate a formerly undocumented role for CK2 in regulation of translation initiation, whereby CK2 stimulates phosphorylation of eIF2β and simultaneously bolsters eIF4F complex assembly via the mTORC1/4E-BP pathway. These findings imply a previously unrecognized mode of translation regulation, whereby mTORC1 and CK2 coordinate TC and eIF4F complex assembly to stimulate cell proliferation.
Quantized conductance coincides with state instability and excess noise in tantalum oxide memristors
Authors: Yi Wei , Savel'ev Sergey E. , Medeiros-Ribeiro Gilberto , Miao Feng , Zhang M.-X. , Yang J. Joshua , Bratkovsky Alexander M. , Williams R. Stanley
Published: April 2016

Tantalum oxide memristors can switch continuously from a low-conductance semiconducting to a high-conductance metallic state. At the boundary between these two regimes are quantized conductance states, which indicate the formation of a point contact within the oxide characterized by multistable conductance fluctuations and enlarged electronic noise. Here, we observe diverse conductance-dependent noise spectra, including a transition from 1/f2 (activated transport) to 1/f (flicker noise) as a function of the frequency f, and a large peak in the noise amplitude at the conductance quantum GQ=2e2/h, in contrast to suppressed noise at the conductance quantum observed in other systems. We model the stochastic behaviour near the point contact regime using Molecular Dynamics–Langevin simulations and understand the observed frequency-dependent noise behaviour in terms of thermally activated atomic-scale fluctuations that make and break a quantum conductance channel. These results provide insights into switching mechanisms and guidance to device operating ranges for different applications.
Repression of GSK3 restores NK cell cytotoxicity in AML patients
Authors: Parameswaran Reshmi , Ramakrishnan Parameswaran , Moreton Stephen A. , Xia Zhiqiang , Hou Yongchun , Lee Dean A. , Gupta Kalpana , deLima Marcos , Beck Rose C. , Wald David N.
Published: April 2016

Natural killer cells from acute myeloid leukaemia patients (AML-NK) show a dramatic impairment in cytotoxic activity. The exact reasons for this dysfunction are not fully understood. Here we show that the glycogen synthase kinase beta (GSK3β) expression is elevated in AML-NK cells. Interestingly, GSK3 overexpression in normal NK cells impairs their ability to kill AML cells, while genetic or pharmacological GSK3 inactivation enhances their cytotoxic activity. Mechanistic studies reveal that the increased cytotoxic activity correlates with an increase in AML-NK cell conjugates. GSK3 inhibition promotes the conjugate formation by upregulating LFA expression on NK cells and by inducing ICAM-1 expression on AML cells. The latter is mediated by increased NF-κB activation in response to TNF-α production by NK cells. Finally, GSK3-inhibited NK cells show significant efficacy in human AML mouse models. Overall, our work provides mechanistic insights into the AML-NK dysfunction and a potential NK cell therapy strategy.
Fabrication of slender elastic shells by the coating of curved surfaces
Authors: Lee A. , Brun P. -T. , Marthelot J. , Balestra G. , Gallaire F. , Reis P. M.
Published: April 2016

Various manufacturing techniques exist to produce double-curvature shells, including injection, rotational and blow molding, as well as dip coating. However, these industrial processes are typically geared for mass production and are not directly applicable to laboratory research settings, where adaptable, inexpensive and predictable prototyping tools are desirable. Here, we study the rapid fabrication of hemispherical elastic shells by coating a curved surface with a polymer solution that yields a nearly uniform shell, upon polymerization of the resulting thin film. We experimentally characterize how the curing of the polymer affects its drainage dynamics and eventually selects the shell thickness. The coating process is then rationalized through a theoretical analysis that predicts the final thickness, in quantitative agreement with experiments and numerical simulations of the lubrication flow field. This robust fabrication framework should be invaluable for future studies on the mechanics of thin elastic shells and their intrinsic geometric nonlinearities.
Multi-terminal Josephson junctions as topological matter
Authors: Riwar Roman-Pascal , Houzet Manuel , Meyer Julia S. , Nazarov Yuli V.
Published: April 2016

Topological materials and their unusual transport properties are now at the focus of modern experimental and theoretical research. Their topological properties arise from the bandstructure determined by the atomic composition of a material and as such are difficult to tune and naturally restricted to ≤3 dimensions. Here we demonstrate that n-terminal Josephson junctions with conventional superconductors may provide novel realizations of topology in n−1 dimensions, which have similarities, but also marked differences with existing 2D or 3D topological materials. For n≥4, the Andreev subgap spectrum of the junction can accommodate Weyl singularities in the space of the n−1 independent superconducting phases, which play the role of bandstructure quasimomenta. The presence of these Weyl singularities enables topological transitions that are manifested experimentally as changes of the quantized transconductance between two voltage-biased leads, the quantization unit being 4e2/h, where e is the electric charge and h is the Planck constant.
A miR-192-EGR1-HOXB9 regulatory network controls the angiogenic switch in cancer
Authors: Wu Sherry Y. , Rupaimoole Rajesha , Shen Fangrong , Pradeep Sunila , Pecot Chad V. , Ivan Cristina , Nagaraja Archana S. , Gharpure Kshipra M. , Pham Elizabeth , Hatakeyama Hiroto , McGuire Michael H. , Haemmerle Monika , Vidal-Anaya Viviana , Olsen Courtney , Rodriguez-Aguayo Cristian , Filant Justyna , Ehsanipour Ehsan A. , Herbrich Shelley M. , Maiti Sourindra N. , Huang Li , Kim Ji Hoon , Zhang Xinna , Han Hee-Dong , Armaiz-Pena Guillermo N. , Seviour Elena G. , Tucker Sue , Zhang Min , Yang Da , Cooper Laurence J. N. , Ali-Fehmi Rouba , Bar-Eli Menashe , Lee Ju-Seog , Ram Prahlad T. , Baggerly Keith A. , Lopez-Berestein Gabriel , Hung Mien-Chie , Sood Anil K.
Published: April 2016

A deeper mechanistic understanding of tumour angiogenesis regulation is needed to improve current anti-angiogenic therapies. Here we present evidence from systems-based miRNA analyses of large-scale patient data sets along with in vitro and in vivo experiments that miR-192 is a key regulator of angiogenesis. The potent anti-angiogenic effect of miR-192 stems from its ability to globally downregulate angiogenic pathways in cancer cells through regulation of EGR1 and HOXB9. Low miR-192 expression in human tumours is predictive of poor clinical outcome in several cancer types. Using 1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine (DOPC) nanoliposomes, we show that miR-192 delivery leads to inhibition of tumour angiogenesis in multiple ovarian and renal tumour models, resulting in tumour regression and growth inhibition. This anti-angiogenic and anti-tumour effect is more robust than that observed with an anti-VEGF antibody. Collectively, these data identify miR-192 as a central node in tumour angiogenesis and support the use of miR-192 in an anti-angiogenesis therapy.
Signature of coexistence of superconductivity and ferromagnetism in two-dimensional NbSe2 triggered by surface molecular adsorption
Authors: Zhu Xiaojiao , Guo Yuqiao , Cheng Hao , Dai Jun , An Xingda , Zhao Jiyin , Tian Kangzhen , Wei Shiqiang , Cheng Zeng Xiao , Wu Changzheng , Xie Yi
Published: April 2016

Ferromagnetism is usually deemed incompatible with superconductivity. Consequently, the coexistence of superconductivity and ferromagnetism is usually observed only in elegantly designed multi-ingredient structures in which the two competing electronic states originate from separate structural components. Here we report the use of surface molecular adsorption to induce ferromagnetism in two-dimensional superconducting NbSe2, representing the freestanding case of the coexistence of superconductivity and ferromagnetism in one two-dimensional nanomaterial. Surface-structural modulation of the ultrathin superconducting NbSe2 by polar reductive hydrazine molecules triggers a slight elongation of the covalent Nb–Se bond, which weakens the covalent interaction and enhances the ionicity of the tetravalent Nb with unpaired electrons, yielding ferromagnetic ordering. The induced ferromagnetic momentum couples with conduction electrons generating unique correlated effects of intrinsic negative magnetoresistance and the Kondo effect. We anticipate that the surface molecular adsorption will be a powerful tool to regulate spin ordering in the two-dimensional paradigm.
Prediction of a native ferroelectric metal
Authors: Filippetti Alessio , Fiorentini Vincenzo , Ricci Francesco , Delugas Pietro , Íñiguez Jorge
Published: April 2016

Over 50 years ago, Anderson and Blount discussed symmetry-allowed polar distortions in metals, spawning the idea that a material might be simultaneously metallic and ferroelectric. While many studies have ever since considered such or similar situations, actual ferroelectricity—that is, the existence of a switchable intrinsic electric polarization—has not yet been attained in a metal, and is in fact generally deemed incompatible with the screening by mobile conduction charges. Here we refute this common wisdom and show, by means of first-principles simulations, that native metallicity and ferroelectricity coexist in the layered perovskite Bi5Ti5O17. We show that, despite being a metal, Bi5Ti5O17 can sustain a sizable potential drop along the polar direction, as needed to reverse its polarization by an external bias. We also reveal striking behaviours, as the self-screening mechanism at work in thin Bi5Ti5O17 layers, emerging from the interplay between polar distortions and carriers in this compound.
In situ microscopy of the self-assembly of branched nanocrystals in solution
Authors: Sutter Eli , Sutter Peter , Tkachenko Alexei V. , Krahne Roman , de Graaf Joost , Arciniegas Milena , Manna Liberato
Published: April 2016

Solution-phase self-assembly of nanocrystals into mesoscale structures is a promising strategy for constructing functional materials from nanoscale components. Liquid environments are key to self-assembly since they allow suspended nanocrystals to diffuse and interact freely, but they also complicate experiments. Real-time observations with single-particle resolution could have transformative impact on our understanding of nanocrystal self-assembly. Here we use real-time in situ imaging by liquid-cell electron microscopy to elucidate the nucleation and growth mechanism and properties of linear chains of octapod-shaped nanocrystals in their native solution environment. Statistical mechanics modelling based on these observations and using the measured chain-length distribution clarifies the relative importance of dipolar and entropic forces in the assembly process and gives direct access to the interparticle interaction. Our results suggest that monomer-resolved in situ imaging combined with modelling can provide unprecedented quantitative insight into the microscopic processes and interactions that govern nanocrystal self-assembly in solution.
Legacy effects of short-term intentional weight loss on total body and thigh composition in overweight and obese older adults
Authors: Chmelo E A , Beavers D P , Lyles M F , Marsh A P , Nicklas B J , Beavers K M
Published: April 2016

Objective:

Weight regain following intentional weight loss may negatively impact body composition, accelerating fat regain and increasing risk of physical disability. The purpose of this study was to compare long-term changes in whole body and thigh composition in obese older adults who intentionally lost and then partially regained weight to obese older adults who remained weight stable.

Subjects/Methods:

This pilot study analyzed total body (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA)) and thigh (computed tomography (CT)) composition data collected from 24 older (65–79 years) adults 18 months after completion of a 5-month randomized trial that compared resistance training alone (RT) with RT plus caloric restriction (RT+CR).

Results:

Mean loss of body mass in the RT+CR group (n=13) was 7.1±2.4 kg during the 5-month intervention (74% fat mass; 26% lean mass; all P<0.01), whereas RT (n=11) remained weight stable (+0.3±1.8 kg; P=0.64). Differential group effects were observed for all DXA and CT body composition measures at 5 months (all P⩽0.01); however, by 23 months, group differences persisted only for total body (RT+CR: 81.6±10.0 kg vs RT: 88.5±14.9 kg; P=0.03) and lean (RT+CR: 50.8±9.3 kg vs RT: 54.4±12.0 kg; P<0.01) mass. All RT+CR participants regained weight from 5 to 23 months (mean gain=+4.8±2.6 kg; P<0.01). Total fat mass and all thigh fat volumes increased, whereas thigh muscle volume decreased, during the postintervention follow-up in RT+CR (all P⩽0.01). In the RT group, body mass did not change from 5 to 23 months (−0.2±0.9 kg; P=0.87). Decreased total thigh volume, driven by the loss of thigh muscle volume, were the only postintervention body composition changes observed in the RT group (both P<0.04).

Conclusions:

Short-term body composition benefits of an RT+CR intervention may be lost within 18 months after completion of the intervention.