bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect Of Adhesive Application Protocols On Bond Strength Of Ceramic Veneer Thickness
Authors: Albirais Dr. Reem Aghiad , Fattah Dr. Ghada Abdel
Published: October 2024

Aim: The aim of this study is to evaluate Shear Bond Strength of lithium disilicate ceramic veneers usingthree adhesive application protocols (pre-curing, co-curing and no adhesive application) using two resin cements (light cure total etch and dual cure self-etch). Material and Methods: By using CAD/CAM milling machine, 42 ceramic disc samples of dimensions 4X 4 mm in diameter and 0.5mm in thickness from Lithium disilicate ceramic material (Up-cad blocks). Buccal surface of 42 premolar teeth were flattened and etched then divided into 3 groups first group(P) received bonding agent then curing, second group (C) received bonding agent with no curing, third group(N)did not receive any bonding agent. Then each group is further subdivided into two subgroups according type of cement: light-cured luting cement total etch and a dual-cured self-adhesive resin cement.. All specimen underwent thermocycling aging and then shear bond strength test was carried out. A stereo microscope wasused to measure mode of failure of each specimen. Results: Regardless of type of cement co-curing application protocol had highest bond strength, followed by Noadhesive application protocol, while pre-curing application protocol had the lowest bond strength. Regardless of adhesive application protocol Self-etch dual-cured cement had a higher bond strength than the total-etch light-cured cement. While for mode of failure statistical analysis, there was no significant difference in adhesive application protocol and cement types. Conclusions: To Increase adhesive protocol the Co-curing is better than other methods. With regards toCement types, self-etch dual cure cement gave a more reliable bond than the total etch light cure cement
Assessment Of Awareness And Knowledge Of Maxillofacial Prosthesis Among Dental Practitioners And Postgraduates: A Questionnaire Study
Authors: Sushma Dr. Munde , Babita Dr. Yeshwante , Shubha Dr. Chiniwar , Meghana Dr. Nelanuthala Keerthi
Published: October 2024

Maxillofacial prosthetics is a specialized branch of prosthodontics that involves the rehabilitation of patients with defects or disabilities due to disease, trauma, or congenital conditions affecting the head and neck region. The primary goal is to restore the form and function of affected areas, improving the patient's quality of life. Aim: To assess the knowledge and awareness of maxillofacial prosthesis among dental practitioners and dental postgraduate students. Materials and Methods: cross-sectional questionnaire based online survey was undertaken at C.S.M.S.S. Dental College and Hospital, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra, India between March 2024 and September 2024 amongst dental postgraduate students and dental practitioners across India. The questionnaire consisted of 14 questions which evaluated their awareness towards maxillofacial prosthetic dentistry. The Chisquare test was used for statistical analysis. Results: A total 102 responses were obtained in this study, out of which 64 (62.7%) were dental postgraduates students, 9(8.8%) dental practictioners and 20 (19.6%) were dental practitioners and teaching faculty 12% were undergraduate student.92(91.1%) participants were know about maxillofacial prosthesis. 92(91.1%) were aware about maxillofacial prosthesis. 9(8.9%) were unaware about maxillofacial prosthesis. (Fig.2) 85(83.3%) responded both (extraoral and intraoral prosthesis ) are there. 4(3.9%) responded only intraoral prosthesis are there.11(10.8%) responded only extraoral prosthesis are there. While 6(5.9%) are not aware about the maxillofacial prosthesis. (Fig.3) 73%(73.7) responded silicone is commonly used for maxillofacial prosthesis. 27% responded acrylic resin is commonly used while 6% responded polyurethane is used. 8% responded other materials are used.(Fig. 4).92% responded they vare using the new technologies(CAD CAM ) while remaining 8% responded they are not using any recent technology. Conclusion: The majority of the participants were aware of digital technology, which yields good results.Overall, while the current level of awareness and knowledge among dental postgraduate students is commendable, there is a clear need for enhancements in training, resources, and curriculum to fully prepare future dental professionals in the field of maxillofacial prosthetics
Efficacy Of Retrograde Intra-Renal Surgery For The Treatment Of Large Renal Stone Burdens: A SingleCenter Experience
Authors: Danduri Nagarjuna Reddy , Tiyadath Balagopal Nair , Nath Sandeep R , BK Tharun , Palavalasa Swetana
Published: October 2024

Background: Retrograde intra-renal surgery (RIRS) has gained popularity as a result of technological advances. Although widely used, the literature on its feasibility for the treatment of large renal stone burdens is limited. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of RIRS for the treatment of large renal stone burdens.. Materials and Methods: Fifty-five patients with stone burdens ≥21 mm and treated with RIRS between November 2019 and October 2021 were evaluated for patient demographics, stone characteristics, and stonefree rates (SFR). Patients were divided into three groups according to stone burdens (21–30 mm, 31–40 mm, and >40 mm). A standard protocol for surgery and chemoprophylaxis was followed. The SFR was determined if there were no residual stones or fragments on follow-up images. All these patients were followed up on for a minimum of 3 months. Results: The mean age of patients was 54.11 ± 11.75 years. The mean stone burden and mean stone density were 32.36 ± 10.20 mm and 966 ± 337 HU, respectively. The mean cumulative endoscopy time was 142.0 ± 74.7 minutes per case. Endoscopy time was longer for stone densities >1000 HU. The overall SFR was 78.2%, with an average of 1.58 sessions of RIRS. SFRs for 21–30 mm, 31–40 mm, and >40 mm groups were 92.9%, 68.8%, and 54.5%, respectively. Conclusion: RIRS is an effective therapeutic option for treating stone burdens of 21–30 mm with overall SFR of 92.9%. When the stone burden exceeds 30 mm, RIRS should only be offered to individuals who are not candidates for other therapeutic options. To better counsel the patient for a staged approach, stone hardness (HU-Hounsfield units) should be considered in surgery planning
A Rare Presentation Of Osteoma Of External Auditory Canal
Authors: K R Avishek , V Srinivas , V Prashanth
Published: October 2024

Osteoma of external auditory canal is a rare, slow growing benign tumor with an estimated incidence of 0.05%. Osteoma in external auditory canal is usually asymptomatic but can cause symptoms such as conductive hearing loss, aural fullness in large osteoma occluding the external auditory canal. Osteoma is diagnosed by clinical presentation, radiological and histological investigations. We present a case report of 28year old female with left external auditory canal osteoma with dehiscent facial ridge and complete tympanic membrane and malleus erosion
The Magnitude and Origin of Groundwater Discharge to Eastern U.S. and Gulf of Mexico Coastal Waters
Authors: Befus Kevin M. , Kroeger Kevin D. , Smith Christopher G. , Swarzenski Peter W.
Published: October 2017

Fresh groundwater discharge to coastal environments contributes to the physical and chemical conditions of coastal waters, but the role of coastal groundwater at regional to continental scales remains poorly defined due to diverse hydrologic conditions and the difficulty of tracking coastal groundwater flow paths through heterogeneous subsurface materials. We use three‐dimensional groundwater flow models for the first time to calculate the magnitude and source areas of groundwater discharge from unconfined aquifers to coastal waterbodies along the entire eastern U.S. We find that 27.1 km3/yr (22.8–30.5 km3/yr) of groundwater directly enters eastern U.S. and Gulf of Mexico coastal waters. The contributing recharge areas comprised ~175,000 km2 of U.S. land area, extending several kilometers inland. This result provides new information on the land area that can supply natural and anthropogenic constituents to coastal waters via groundwater discharge, thereby defining the subterranean domain potentially affecting coastal chemical budgets and ecosystem processes.
The Prevalence of Oceanic Surface Modes
Authors: LaCasce J. H.
Published: October 2017

Satellite observations have revolutionized oceanography, capturing diverse phenomena over much of the globe. However, it remains to understand how surface fields, like sea surface height, reflect the motion occurring at depth. The vertical structure of ocean eddies is often expressed in terms of “baroclinic modes,” which are basis functions derived assuming a flat ocean bottom. Bathymetry alters the modes though, weakening the bottom velocities. Using analytical solutions, we demonstrate that with realistic bathymetry and/or bottom friction, the bottom velocities are nearly zero. The resulting “surface modes” should be ubiquitous in the ocean. This would explain the dominant mode of variability obtained from globally distributed current meter data and is consistent with energy spectra derived from sea surface height data. The results yield a simple way to infer subsurface velocities from satellite data and suggest that ocean analyses should be made in terms of surface modes and topographic waves.
First Reprocessing of Southern Hemisphere Additional Ozonesondes (SHADOZ) Ozone Profiles (1998–2016): 2. Comparisons With Satellites and Ground‐Based Instruments
Authors: Thompson Anne M. , Witte Jacquelyn C. , Sterling Chance , Jordan Allen , Johnson Bryan J. , Oltmans Samuel J. , Fujiwara Masatomo , Vömel Holger , Allaart Marc , Piters Ankie , Coetzee Gert J. R. , Posny Françoise , Corrales Ernesto , Diaz Jorge Andres , Félix Christian , Komala Ninong , Lai Nga , Ahn Nguyen H. T. , Maata Matakite , Mani Francis , Zainal Zamuna , Ogino Shin‐ya , Paredes Francisco , Penha Tercio Luiz Bezerra , da Silva Francisco Raimundo , Sallons‐Mitro Sukarni , Selkirk Henry B. , Schmidlin F. J. , Stübi Rene , Thiongo Kennedy
Published: October 2017

The Southern Hemisphere ADditional OZonesonde (SHADOZ) network was assembled to validate a new generation of ozone‐monitoring satellites and to better characterize the vertical structure of tropical ozone in the troposphere and stratosphere. Beginning with nine stations in 1998, more than 7,000 ozone and P‐T‐U profiles are available from 14 SHADOZ sites that have operated continuously for at least a decade. We analyze ozone profiles from the recently reprocessed SHADOZ data set that is based on adjustments for inconsistencies caused by varying ozonesonde instruments and operating techniques. First, sonde‐derived total ozone column amounts are compared to the overpasses from the Earth Probe/Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer, Ozone Monitoring Instrument, and Ozone Mapping and Profiler Suite satellites that cover 1998–2016. Second, characteristics of the stratospheric and tropospheric columns are examined along with ozone structure in the tropical tropopause layer (TTL). We find that (1) relative to our earlier evaluations of SHADOZ data, in 2003, 2007, and 2012, sonde‐satellite total ozone column offsets at 12 stations are 2% or less, a significant improvement; (2) as in prior studies, the 10 tropical SHADOZ stations, defined as within ±19° latitude, display statistically uniform stratospheric column ozone, 229 ± 3.9 DU (Dobson units), and a tropospheric zonal wave‐one pattern with a 14 DU mean amplitude; (3) the TTL ozone column, which is also zonally uniform, masks complex vertical structure, and this argues against using satellites for lower stratospheric ozone trends; and (4) reprocessing has led to more uniform stratospheric column amounts across sites and reduced bias in stratospheric profiles. As a consequence, the uncertainty in total column ozone now averages 5%.
Location Accuracy Evaluation of ToA‐Based Lightning Location Systems Over Mountainous Terrain
Authors: Li Dongshuai , Rubinstein Marcos , Rachidi Farhad , Diendorfer Gerhard , Schulz Wolfgang , Lu Gaopeng
Published: October 2017

In this paper, we analyze the location error of time of arrival (ToA)‐based lightning location systems (LLSs) caused by propagation effects over mountainous terrain around the Säntis tower located in the Swiss Alps. The study is based on a full‐wave three‐dimensional (3‐D) finite difference time domain approach using the topographic map including the Säntis tower and the nearby sensors belonging to LLSs. It is found that the vertical electric fields are strongly affected by the presence of the mountainous terrain and the finite ground conductivity and that the location error associated with the ToA technique depends strongly on the used onset time estimation technique. The evaluated location errors associated with amplitude thresholds of 10% and 20% and the time of the linear extrapolation of the tangent at maximum field derivative are found to be smallest (about 300 m or less). Finally, we assess the accuracy of two simplified methods (terrain envelope method and tight‐terrain‐fit method) to account for the location error due to propagation over mountainous terrain. These two methods might represent an efficient alternative to estimate the additional time delay due to propagation over a nonflat terrain by using available topographic data. In addition, a possible real‐time location error compensation algorithm using the elongated propagation path method to improve the location error of the LLSs in mountainous regions is presented and discussed.
ParaExp Using Leapfrog as Integrator for High‐Frequency Electromagnetic Simulations
Authors: Merkel M. , Niyonzima I. , Schöps S.
Published: October 2017

Recently, ParaExp was proposed for the time integration of linear hyperbolic problems. It splits the time interval of interest into subintervals and computes the solution on each subinterval in parallel. The overall solution is decomposed into a particular solution defined on each subinterval with zero initial conditions and a homogeneous solution propagated by the matrix exponential applied to the initial conditions. The efficiency of the method depends on fast approximations of this matrix exponential based on recent results from numerical linear algebra. This paper deals with the application of ParaExp in combination with Leapfrog to electromagnetic wave problems in time domain. Numerical tests are carried out for a simple toy problem and a realistic spiral inductor model discretized by the Finite Integration Technique.
Connecting Biology to Electronics: Molecular Communication via Redox Modality
Authors: Liu Yi , Li Jinyang , Tschirhart Tanya , Terrell Jessica L. , Kim Eunkyoung , Tsao Chen‐Yu , Kelly Deanna L. , Bentley William E. , Payne Gregory F.
Published: October 2017

Biology and electronics are both expert at for accessing, analyzing, and responding to information. Biology uses ions, small molecules, and macromolecules to receive, analyze, store, and transmit information, whereas electronic devices receive input in the form of electromagnetic radiation, process the information using electrons, and then transmit output as electromagnetic waves. Generating the capabilities to connect biology–electronic modalities offers exciting opportunities to shape the future of biosensors, point‐of‐care medicine, and wearable/implantable devices. Redox reactions offer unique opportunities for bio‐device communication that spans the molecular modalities of biology and electrical modality of devices. Here, an approach to search for redox information through an interactive electrochemical probing that is analogous to sonar is adopted. The capabilities of this approach to access global chemical information as well as information of specific redox‐active chemical entities are illustrated using recent examples. An example of the use of synthetic biology to recognize external molecular information, process this information through intracellular signal transduction pathways, and generate output responses that can be detected by electrical modalities is also provided. Finally, exciting results in the use of redox reactions to actuate biology are provided to illustrate that synthetic biology offers the potential to guide biological response through electrical cues.
High Susceptibility of Histidine to Charge Solvation Revealed by Cold Ion Spectroscopy
Authors: Pereverzev Aleksandr Y. , Kopysov Vladimir , Boyarkin Oleg V.
Published: October 2017

Histidine remained the last aromatic amino acid for which the intrinsic spectroscopic properties and structures were obscure. We measured the UV and IR spectra of protonated histidine, isolated in the gas phase, using photofragmentation cold ion spectroscopy. Unexpectedly, the UV absorption appears strongly redshifted relative to that of the cation in aqueous solutions. In investigating this phenomenon, we solved the geometries of all abundant conformers using IR conformer‐selective spectroscopy and ab initio quantum chemical calculations. In all of the structures, the proton resides on the imidazole ring. The measured UV spectra of protonated methylimidazole, histamine and histidine, together with calculations of the electronic spectra for the latter, suggest that, in comparison with other aromatic amino acids, such location of proton makes UV absorption of histidine highly sensitive to the local environment of its side chain.
A three‐dimensional CFD and experimental study to optimize naturally air‐cooled electronic equipment enclosure: Effects of inlet height, heat source position, and buoyancy on mean rise in temperature
Authors: Riaz Ali , Basit Abdul , Ibrahim Adnan , Shah Ajmal , Basit Muhammad Abdul
Published: October 2017

The major reason behind failure of electronic components is the rise in temperature. To optimize design of naturally cooled electronic equipment enclosure, a detailed experimental study and a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis were performed. Commercially available software, ANSYS Fluent, was used for CFD analysis. The three‐dimensional form of Navier–Stokes equations was used to solve the problem computationally. Aluminium enclosure having dimensions of 40 cm × 40 cm × 21 cm and thermal conductivity of 210 W/m·K were manufactured for experimentation in this research study. Electronic components were modelled as constant heat flux body during experimentation and CFD analysis. Effect of heat source vertical and horizontal position, inlet height, and buoyancy effect on mean rise in temperature inside the aluminium enclosure was studied. Mean temperature inside the casing was increased by increasing either heat source height or inlet height. At the end, computational results were compared with experimental results in order to check the validity of results. Computational results were highly in accordance with experimental results, because maximum percentage difference between experimental and CFD results was less than 6%. On the basis of results obtained from experiments and simulations, the best configuration of heat source and inlet was proposed, which will provide optimum thermal performance. Numerical results of velocity and temperature inside the enclosure were plotted in the form of streamlines and isotherms. This study can be used as a fundamental step prior to designing electronic equipment enclosure.
Synthetic Klebsiella pneumoniae‐Shewanella oneidensis Consortium Enables Glycerol‐Fed High‐Performance Microbial Fuel Cells
Authors: Li Feng , Yin Changji , Sun Liming , Li Yuanxiu , Guo Xuewu , Song Hao
Published: October 2017

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is an eco‐friendly bio‐electrochemical sys­tem that uses microorganism as biocatalyst to convert biomass into electricity. Glycerol, as a waste in the biodiesel refinery processes, is an appealing substrate for MFC. Nevertheless, glycerol cannot be utilized as carbon source by well‐known exoelectrogens such as Shewanella oneidensis. Herein, to generate electricity by rapidly harnessing glycerol, the authors rationally constructed a Klebsiella pneumoniae‐Shewanella oneidensis microbial consortium to efficiently harvest electricity from glyc­erol, in which K. pneumoniae converted glycerol into lactate, fed to S. oneidensis as carbon source and electron donor. To improve electricity output, the authors systematically engineered the consortium in terms of carbon flux distribution and efficiency of extracellular electron transfer (EET). To direct more carbon flux to lactate biosynthesis in K. pneumoniae, the authors eliminated the ethanol pathway by knocking out the alcohol dehydrogenase gene (adhE), and enhanced lactate biosynthesis by heterologously expressing a lactate dehydrogen­ase gene (ldhD) from Lactobacillus bulgaricus and a lactate transporter gene (lldP) from Escherichia coli. To facilitate EET between S. oneidensis and anode surfaces, a biosynthetic flavins pathway from Bacillus subtilis is introduced into S. oneidensis. The author further optimized the glycerol concentration, thus S. oneidensis could be continuously fed with lactate synthesized from K. pneumoniae at a constant rate. Our glycerol‐fed MFC generated a maximum power density of 19.9 mW/m2, significantly higher than that of the wild‐type consor­tium. This work suggested that engineering microbial consortia is an effi­cient strategy to expand the spectrum of usable carbon sources and promote electricity power production in MFCs.
Humane Organoide
Authors: Layer Paul Gottlob
Published: October 2017

Die Entwicklung von medizinisch hoch relevanten Organoiden aus Stammzellen beruht auf zwei zellbiologischen Forschungslinien: Erstens auf der mehr als ein Jahrhundert zurückliegenden Erkenntnis, dass sich vereinzelte Zellen aus einem embryonalen Gewebeverband durch selbstorganisatorische Prozesse in der Zellkulturschale wieder zu histotypischem Gewebe entwickeln. Am Beispiel der Retina von Wirbeltieren (Huhn, Maus) führte dies unter geeigneten Bedingungen zu kugelförmigen Gewebestrukturen (retinale Sphäroide), die der dreifach geschichteten normalen Retina sehr ähnlich waren und gleichzeitig das erste Beispiel von einem neuronalen Organoid darstellten. Damit war die prinzipielle Möglichkeit der künstlichen Herstellung von Gewebe aus geeigneten Stammzellen aufgezeigt, was nun – zweitens – mit der Erfindung von induzierten pluripotenten Stammzellen (iPSCs) aus ausdifferenziertem menschlichen Gewebe tatsächlich verwirklicht wurde.
Das Archaeon Nitrososphaera viennensis
Authors: Schleper Christa
Published: October 2017

Ammoniak oxidierende Archaea sind überall in der Umwelt zu finden, wurden aber dennoch erst vor gut zehn Jahren entdeckt. Heute werden sie als eine der häufigsten mikrobiellen Gruppen angesehen, insbesondere, da sie bis zu 30% des Picoplanktons im Meer darstellen und auch in Böden hohe Dichten erreichen. Der globale Stickstoffkreislauf ist durch die intensivierte Landwirtschaft enorm belastet. Wichtige Schritte darin, wie die Nitrifikation, werden ausschließlich von Mikroorganismen durchgeführt. Daher ist es umso wichtiger geworden, Ammoniak oxidierende Archaea, die an diesem Schritt beteiligt sind, zu erforschen. Da diese Archaea schwer kultivierbar sind, wurden ihre Verbreitung und Bedeutung erst vor kurzem mit molekularen Methoden aufgedeckt. Nun gibt es erste Isolate, wie den Typstamm Nitrososphaera viennensis, der aus einem Garten in Wien kultiviert wurde. Seine Erforschung könnte längerfristig dazu beitragen, Maßnahmen zur Reduzierung von Stickstoff‐ und Treibhausgasemissionen zu finden und anzuwenden.
Isolation und Hybridisierung beim Europäischen und Amerikanischen Aal
Authors: Reckordt Melanie , Kronberg Inge
Published: October 2017

Europäische und Amerikanische Aale sehen sich äußerlich zum Verwechseln ähnlich. So kann es bei dem beliebten Speisefisch zum Fehlbesatz in Binnengewässern kommen und die günstigeren amerikanischen Satzaale landen in europäischen Gewässern. Untereinander scheinen die beiden Aalarten aber durch prä‐ und postzygotische Barrieren weitgehend voneinander getrennt zu sein. Obwohl beide in der Sargassosee laichen, kommt es nur ausnahmsweise zur Hybridisierung.
Bärtierchen – das Geheimnis der Kryptobiose
Authors: Tetsch Larissa
Published: October 2017

Bärtierchen können eine nahezu komplette Austrocknung überstehen und sind im ausgetrockneten Zustand außerdem oft widerstandsfähig gegenüber extremen Temperaturen und Drücken, organischen Lösungsmitteln sowie energiereicher Strahlung. Nun wurde eine Gruppe von Proteinen beschrieben, die bei Wasserentzug eine glasartige Matrix bildet und dadurch Biomoleküle stabilisiert. Ein weiteres neues Protein schützt vor strahlungsinduzierten Doppelstrangbrüchen, indem es die DNA bindet und vor der Strahlung abschirmt.
Profiteure der sommerlichen Regenmassen: Urzeitkrebse in der Döberitzer Heide
Authors: Petrischak Hannes
Published: October 2017

Die außergewöhnlich ergiebigen Regenfälle, die im Juni und Juli 2017 über Berlin und Brandenburg niedergingen und mehrfach für ansonsten unerfreuliche Ausnahmezustände sorgten, schufen ideale Bedingungen für die Entwicklung der „Urzeitkrebse“ im Naturschutzgebiet Döberitzer Heide: Auf dem ehemaligen Truppenübungsplatz westlich von Berlin blieben durch Fahrzeuge geschaffene Vertiefungen auf den Wegen viele Wochen lang mit Wasser gefüllt, so dass es in ihnen bald von Feen‐ und Schildkrebsen wimmelte.
E. coli – Kompetenz fürs Labor
Authors: Klein Carlo
Published: October 2017

Sie lieben 37 °C, sind oft kompetent und sozusagen die „Arbeitstiere“ im Labor, außerdem gibt es kaum eine Klonierung, die sie nicht über sich ergehen lassen. Die Rede ist hier nicht von Doktoranden, sondern von Escherichia coli, das zu den berühmtesten Bakterien weltweit zählt. Aber was verbirgt sich hinter Abkürzungen wie K‐12 und BL21 und was können DH5α & Co? Zeit, sich mal etwas genauer mit dieser prokaryotischen Grundaustattung zu beschäftigen.
Coffea – für viele müde Menschen die erste Pflanze des Tages
Authors: Rösemann Ulrich
Published: October 2017

Der Naturforscher Linné benannte im 18. Jahrhundert bereits 90 Arten der Gattung Coffea (heute sind über 120 Arten bekannt), deren Heimat das tropische Afrika einschließlich der Maskarenen (Mauritius, Rodrigues, Réunion) sein soll. Kaffeebohnen werden aus den Steinfrüchten verschiedener Pflanzenarten aus der Familie der Rubiaceae gewonnen. Kaffee aus Coffea arabica macht heute circa 90 % aller Kaffeekulturen aus.
NS‐Pten knockout mice show sex‐ and age‐specific differences in ultrasonic vocalizations
Authors: Binder Matthew S. , Lugo Joaquin N.
Published: October 2017

Objective

The goal of this study was to identify changes in quantitative and qualitative aspects of neonatal ultrasonic vocalizations USVs in neuron‐subset specific (NS‐Pten) knockout males and females when compared with wild‐type male and female mice.

Background

One signaling cascade that plays a crucial role in the development of an autistic‐like phenotype is the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway. Mouse models that illustrate this connection include Fmr1, Tsc1, and NS‐Pten‐deficient mice. While numerous studies have investigated ultrasonic vocalizations in Fmr1 knockout and Tsc1 heterogenous mice, none have investigated USVs in NS‐Pten knockout mice using a full spectrum recording system.

Methods

We recorded ultrasonic vocalizations from NS‐Pten wild‐type and knockout male and female mice on postnatal days 8 and 11. On these days, we measured the number and quality of calls emitted from pups when they were removed from their mothers.

Results

We found that knockout pups emitted fewer vocalizations for both sexes (p < .05). Knockout males had calls of a shorter duration and lower peak amplitude on day 8, while showing a shorter duration, lower peak amplitude, and higher peak and fundamental frequency on day 11 (p < .001). Knockout females vocalized at a lower peak amplitude and fundamental frequency, and a higher peak frequency on day 8, while showing a shorter duration and a higher peak and fundamental frequency on day 11 (p < .001). Spectrographic analyses also revealed significant differences in call type for both genotypes and sexes (p < .05).

Conclusions

These findings demonstrate that deletion of NS‐Pten results in significant decreases in vocalizations across both sexes. Additionally, our findings indicate that the aberrant vocalizations and increased call duration seen in other mTOR models are also present in NS‐Pten knockout mice. Our study provides evidence of a connection between hyperactive mTOR signaling and neonatal ultrasonic vocalizations.
Restoration of Degraded Nickel‐Rich Cathode Materials for Long‐Life Lithium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Wu Naiteng , Wu Hao , Kim Jang‐Kyo , Liu Xianming , Zhang Yun
Published: October 2017

The sensitive surface of nickel‐rich layered oxides often suffers from the erosion of CO2 and H2O in air. The results of erosion, including formation of impurities such as Li2CO3 and LiOH, degradation of layered structures and disproportionation of trivalent nickel, would cause cation mixing and structural instability. In order to overcome these inherent drawbacks, we present a targeted solvothermal followed by re‐oxidation approach to restore the structural stability and electrochemical performances of degraded Ni‐rich layered cathode materials. Owing to this unique approach, the resultant LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2 (NCA) demonstrate improved layered structure, a stable nanoscale coating shell and enhanced surface stability. The revived NCA enables higher reversible capacity and longer cycle life than that of degraded NCA. Specifically, the restored NCA can retain 82 % initial capacity after 200 cycles under 1 C at room temperature, and 87 % and 55 % initial capacity after 100 and 500 cycles under 1 C at 55 °C, respectively. This approach could be applied to improve the structural stability and electrochemical properties of degraded Ni‐rich layered oxides and suggests great potential in industrial applications.
Evaluation of system performance by adding a fourth dimension to turbo code
Authors: Banerjee Subhabrata , Chattopadhyay Sudipta
Published: October 2017

Different forms of turbo codes (TCs) have already been used in the contemporary message transferring system for transmission of the protected information because of their astonishing bit error rate (BER) behavior. However, it suffers from poor “flattening effect” performance. To overcome this limitation, component encoders having higher memory elements or more number of component encoders may be considered. At the initial segment of this article, the proposal of binary 4‐dimensional turbo code (4D‐TC) with appropriate “generator polynomial” combination and suitable interleaver arrangement has been abridged in Third‐Generation Partnership Project standard. This is an amended form of 3‐dimensional turbo code where some part of the “parity bits” is re‐encoded by the third encoder, and rest part is re‐encoded by the fourth encoder consisting of single memory component. Afterwards, performance of the proposed structure has been assessed by varying block length, number of component encoders, puncturing rate, and channel condition. At the consequent segment, “constricted upper bound” on the BER performances of the 4D‐TC has been assessed by adopting an approach called simplified augmented state diagram. Moreover, an exhaustive analysis has been performed on the novel simplified augmented state diagram approach–based 4D‐TC by fluctuating several internal parameters of the code structure like generator polynomial combination, block length, puncturing rate, interleaver combination, and permeability rate. In this regard, the existing augmented state diagram approach has been considered for comparative analysis as well.
Leaf‐IT: An Android application for measuring leaf area
Authors: Schrader Julian , Pillar Giso , Kreft Holger
Published: October 2017

The use of plant functional traits has become increasingly popular in ecological studies because plant functional traits help to understand key ecological processes in plant species and communities. This also includes changes in diversity, inter‐ and intraspecific interactions, and relationships of species at different spatiotemporal scales. Leaf traits are among the most important traits as they describe key dimensions of a plant's life history strategy. Further, leaf area is a key parameter with relevance for other traits such as specific leaf area, which in turn correlates with leaf chemical composition, photosynthetic rate, leaf longevity, and carbon investment. Measuring leaf area usually involves the use of scanners and commercial software and can be difficult under field conditions. We present Leaf‐IT, a new smartphone application for measuring leaf area and other trait‐related areas. Leaf‐IT is free, designed for scientific purposes, and runs on Android 4 or higher. We tested the precision and accuracy using objects with standardized area and compared the area measurements of real leaves with the well‐established, commercial software WinFOLIA using the Altman–Bland method. Area measurements of standardized objects show that Leaf‐IT measures area with high accuracy and precision. Area measurements with Leaf‐IT of real leaves are comparable to those of WinFOLIA. Leaf‐IT is an easy‐to‐use application running on a wide range of smartphones. That increases the portability and use of Leaf‐IT and makes it possible to measure leaf area under field conditions typical for remote locations. Its high accuracy and precision are similar to WinFOLIA. Currently, its main limitation is margin detection of damaged leaves or complex leaf morphologies.
Adaptive Forest Governance in Northwestern Mato Grosso, Brazil: Pilot project outcomes across agrarian reform landscapes
Authors: Davenport Robert Brooks , Vivan Jorge Luiz , May Peter Herman , Nunes Paulo César , de Vargas Lucila Nunes , Costa William Leles Souza , Oliveira Amanda Ribeiro , Rajão Raoni Lucas
Published: October 2017

Recent research on deforestation in the Brazilian Amazon has rarely included empirical observation of how land managers perceive and respond to forest governance rules. In this case study, we consider how two decades of pilot projects for integrated conservation and sustainable development (ICDPs) variously influenced forest governance across three agrarian reform settlements in northwestern Mato Grosso state. The analysis combines: i) remote sensing of deforestation from 1997–2015; ii) land use and economic data for individual settler farms and cooperatives; iii) settlers' perceptions regarding legitimacy and relevance of state policies, including land use regulations under the Brazilian Forest Code. Deforestation across settlements varied in association with synergies – or lack thereof – between policy instruments and socially embedded rules organizing economic alternatives to the dominant regional pattern of cattle ranching. In two of the settlements deforestation surpassed or was approaching 80% of their total area. In the third settlement deforestation stabilized at 45%, corresponding with the initiation of ICDP support for a pilot project focused on Brazil nut extractivism to consolidate community management of the settlement's collective forest reserve. The latter process involved a ‘policy mix’ or sequence of overlapping components: technical assistance, cooperative organization, environmental licensing, infrastructure, equitable contracts with surrounding indigenous communities and market development. Comparing with the two counterfactual cases, we suggest a framework for analysis of systemic socio‐ecological change in settlements in the Brazilian Amazon, and reconsider the role of ICDPs in landscape approaches to environmental governance in tropical forests. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Alkane Carbon‐Hydrogen Bond Functionalization as a Tool Toward a Steric Parameter for Hydrotris(pyrazolyl)borate (Tpx) Ligands
Authors: Caballero Ana , Pérez Pedro J.
Published: October 2017

The effect of a series of hydrotris(pyrazolyl)borate ligands (Tpx) in the regioselectivity of the catalytic functionalization of the secondary carbon‐hydrogen bonds of hexane with ethyl diazoacetate and TpxCuL as the catalysts has led to the definition of the relative steric parameter SPR. The validity of the parameter has been assessed upon its correlation with the regioselectivity observed in several transformations (olefin cyclopropanation, C−H functionalization, C−H amidation), in all cases a good degree of fitting being observed.
Debt spikes, blind spots, and financial stress
Authors: Jaramillo Laura , Mulas‐Granados Carlos , Jalles Joao Tovar
Published: October 2017

Are blind spots of public debt spikes sizable? And how do they affect financial stress indicators? This paper tackles these questions empirically, using information from 179 episodes of public debt spikes between 1945 and 2014. We find that large public debt spikes are neither driven by high primary deficits nor by output declines but instead by stock‐flow adjustments. These blind spots in debt dynamics are sizable in both advanced economies and emerging markets and could amount to more than 20% of gross domestic product in the median episode. These public debt spikes increase financial stress indicators significantly, in particular when a large share of public debt is held by domestic commercial banks. Enhanced transparency and better debt forecasting tools could help address financial market tensions resulting from blind spots in debt dynamics.
Tracking the Progression of Osteolytic and Osteosclerotic Lesions in Mice Using Serial In Vivo μCT: Applications to the Assessment of Bisphosphonate Treatment Efficacy
Authors: Campbell Graeme M , Tower Robert J , Damm Timo , Kneissl Philipp , Rambow Anna C , Schem Christian , Tiwari Sanjay , Glüer Claus C
Published: October 2017

The metastasis of tumor cells to bone can lead to osteolytic and osteosclerotic lesions, which cause severe, highly-localized bone destruction and abnormal bone apposition, respectively. Accurate quantification of lesion progression is critical to understand underlying mechanisms and assess treatment efficacy; however, standard structural parameters may be insensitive to local changes. We developed methods to quantify osteolytic and osteosclerotic lesions using micro–computed tomography (μCT) within in vivo mouse datasets. Two Balb/c nude datasets were used: (i) bone-homing MDA-MB-231 (osteolytic) cells injected into the left ventricle, treatment with alendronate or vehicle, and weekly μCT (proximal tibia) for 4 weeks, and (ii) MCF7 (osteosclerotic) cells injected into the right tibia and weekly μCT over 12 weeks. After registering images to baseline, osteolytic lesion volume was determined by summing all baseline bone voxels at distances greater than a threshold (150 μm) from the nearest follow-up. Osteosclerotic lesions were determined by measuring the distance from each follow-up surface voxel to the nearest baseline surface and calculating the standard deviation of distance values (SDDT) of the surrounding voxels. Bone mineral density (BMD), bone volume density (BV/TV), and separation (Sp) were determined for comparison. Osteolytic lesions were observed 1 week after tumor cell injection; however, no corresponding BV/TV losses or Sp increases were observed, indicating that standard parameters were unable to detect early metastatic changes. Lesion volume was smaller in the alendronate versus control group (15.0%, p = 0.004 and 18.6%, p = 0.002 of control lesion volume at weeks 3 and 4, respectively). In the osteosclerotic dataset, increased SDDT was observed following injection, providing a potential new measure of osteosclerotic bone apposition. These data show that quantification of local structural change with serial μCT may overcome the limitations of standard mineral and microstructural parameters, and successfully separates metastatic and normal bone turnover. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Symposium Introduction: Achieving Ethical Leadership
Authors: Nunn Sandra G. , Avella John T.
Published: October 2017

One of the biggest dilemmas facing modern society consists of the emerging trend concerning a lack of ethical leadership in companies, governmental organizations, and other entities as indicated by the increase in unethical leadership practices. Against the backdrop of revealing statistics and literature to help focus on the topic, the introduction to the Symposium “Achieving Ethical Leadership,” provides a brief overview regarding the need for ethical leadership in today’s dynamic global environment. This overview then introduces the work of 10 contributors and their articles that provide different perspectives on this complex and important issue for the benefit of researchers, scholars, and leaders seeking ways to achieve ethical leadership within modern organizations.
Ethical Leadership Style and Its Impact on Decision‐Making
Authors: Chikeleze Michael C. , Baehrend Walter R.
Published: October 2017

The ethical failures of organizational leaders have led to the development of instruments seeking to measure ethical leadership. These instruments have primarily focused on followers’ evaluation of ethical leadership attributes of their leaders. Often leaders find themselves faced with making challenging ethical decisions. In the current article, we present a validated leadership self‐assessment tool that measures leader’s preferred ethical leadership style. The current article concludes that, when faced with making a decision addressing an ethical dilemma, leaders prefer a particular ethical leadership style. Knowledge of ethical leadership style is beneficial for leaders to understand the process they utilize when faced with difficult choices. This tool may be useful in developing and educating leaders, teams, and organizations to make better decisions, thereby reducing incidents of poor ethical choices.
Legal Yes, Ethical No
Authors: Jones Wayne A.
Published: October 2017

Two well‐known politicians, a male and a female, a republican and a democrat made decisions that were thought to be illegal. The careers and public perception of both persons suffered as a result of these actions. Their decisions would later be determined to be unethical, but not illegal. The problem was created in the conflict that leaders often have in having to make an ethical decision, which can lead to improper rationalizations. Does the leader follow their personal or professional ethics? There is a difference between personal and professional ethics, but they impact each other in the process of decision‐making. Leaders need to be aware of the relationship of personal versus professional ethics, especially when contemplating ethical decisions.
Writing and Enacting Ethical Dilemmas: Using Drama to Foster Responsible Leadership Behavior
Authors: Aponte‐Moreno Marco
Published: October 2017

The current article explores how the writing of scenes based on complex ethical dilemmas, together with the repetition that is involved in the rehearsal and performance of those scenes, allow students to internalize their characters, understand their characters’ motivations, and truly experience their dilemmas. This is similar to the process that a playwright or an actor goes through when writing or performing for the theater. Their understanding of plots and characters is rooted in their capacity to imagine that they are facing those circumstances themselves.
Welcome to Leadership Perspectives
Authors: Ludorf Mark , Bean Erik
Published: October 2017

The Journal of Leadership Studies has enjoyed sharing quality scholarship with our readership for 11 years now. Throughout its history, the journal has published high quality and peer‐reviewed manuscripts in the Feature section, the Symposium, and the Media Review. However, over the years the journal has received numerous quality manuscripts that did not quite fit in the sections mentioned above. Last year the journal’s leadership team met to discuss the addition of a new section to the journal. Thus, it is with great excitement that we introduce the new section entitled, Leadership Perspectives, and the editor of the section, Dr. Erik Bean.

—Mark Ludorf
Large‐scale soil organic carbon mapping based on multivariate modelling: The case of grasslands on the Loess Plateau
Authors: Wang Yinyin , Deng Lei , Wu Gaolin , Wang Kaibo , Shangguan Zhouping
Published: October 2017

The Loess Plateau is considered one of the world's regions with severe soil erosion. Grasslands are widely distributed on the Loess Plateau, accounting for approximately 40% of the total area. Soil organic carbon (SOC) plays an important role in the terrestrial carbon cycle in this region. We compiled more than 1,000 measurements of plant biomass and SOC content derived from 223 field studies of grasslands on the Loess Plateau. Combined with meteorological factors (precipitation and air temperature) and the photosynthetically active radiation factor, the topsoil SOC contents of grasslands were predicted using the random forest (RF) regression algorithm. Predicted grassland SOC content (1.70–40.34 g kg−1) decreased from the southeast to the northwest of the Loess Plateau, with approximately 1/5 of the grassland exhibiting values lower than 4 g kg−1. Observed SOC content was positively correlated with observed plant biomass, and for predicted values, this correlation was strong in the desert steppe and the steppe desert of rocky mountains. Air temperature was the most important factor affecting SOC contents in the RF model. Moreover, the residual error of observations and predictions increased as the grazing intensity varied from none to very severe in the temperate desert steppe, and this RF model may not perform well in plains. The use of the RF model for SOC prediction in Loess Plateau grasslands provides a reference for C storage studies in arid and semi‐arid regions, and aboveground biomass and temperature should receive more attention due to increasing C sequestration.
Making fair comparisons in pregnancy medication safety studies: An overview of advanced methods for confounding control
Authors: Wood Mollie E. , Lapane Kate L. , van Gelder Marleen M.H.J. , Rai Dheeraj , Nordeng Hedvig M.E.
Published: October 2017

Understanding the safety of medication use during pregnancy relies on observational studies: However, confounding in observational studies poses a threat to the validity of estimates obtained from observational data. Newer methods, such as marginal structural models and propensity calibration, have emerged to deal with complex confounding problems, but these methods have seen limited uptake in the pregnancy medication literature. In this article, we provide an overview of newer advanced methods for confounding control and show how these methods are relevant for pregnancy medication safety studies.
Hunting for smectic C in calamitic azobenzene ionic liquid crystals with different cationic head groups
Authors: Kapernaum Nadia , Wuckert Eugen , Frey Wolfgang , Marino Sebastian , Wahl Manuel , Giesselmann Frank , Laschat Sabine
Published: October 2017

The tilted smectic C phase is a rather uncommon phase in ionic liquid crystals (ILCs), whereas the orthogonal smectic A phase is the most common phase in ILCs. We now present 2 new groups of mesogens with an azobenzene core that exhibit smectic C as well as smectic A phases. Their phase sequences and tilt angles were studied by polarizing microscopy, and their temperature‐dependent layer spacings and orientational order parameters were investigated by X‐ray diffraction. We present 1 new amidinium azobenzene mesogen that forms enantiotropic smectic C and A phases and another amidinium as well as 2 new guanidinium azobenzene mesogens that exhibit monotropic smectic C and enantiotropic smectic A phases. With this study, we show that azobenzene is indeed an SmC‐promoting group in ILCs. Comparing these results with our earlier results on azobenzenes with an N‐methylimidazolium head group (N Kapernaum et al, ChemPhysChem 2016, 17, 4116‐4123), we show that the aromaticity of the imidazolium head group plays an important role in the formation of smectic C phases.