bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preparation and characterization of polyhydroxybutyrate‐co‐hydroxyvalerate/silk fibroin nanofibrous scaffolds for skin tissue engineering
Authors: Lei Caihong , Zhu Hailin , Li Jingjing , Li Jiuming , Feng Xinxing , Chen Jianyong
Published: July 2014

Nanofibrous scaffolds were obtained by co‐electrospinning poly (3‐hydroxybuty‐rate‐co‐3‐hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) and fibroin regenerated from silk in different proportions using 1,1,1,3,3,3‐hexafluoro‐2‐isopropanol (HFIP) as solvent. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) investigation showed that the fiber diameters of the nanofibrous scaffolds ranged from 190 to 460 nm. X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis (FT‐IR) showed that the main structure of silk fibroin (SF) in the nanofibrous scaffold was β‐sheet. Compared to the PHBV nanofibrous scaffold, the surface hydrophilicity and water‐uptake capability of the PHBV/SF nanofibrous scaffold with 50/50 were improved. The results of cell adhesion experiment showed that the fibroblasts adhered more to the PHBV/SF nanofibrous scaffold with 50/50 than the pure PHBV nanofibrous scaffold. The proliferation of fibroblast on the PHBV/SF nanofibrous scaffold with 50/50 was higher than that on the pure PHBV nanofibrous scaffold. Our results indicated that the PHBV/SF nanofibrous scaffold with 50/50 may be a better candidate for biomedical applications such as skin tissue engineering and wound dressing. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:907–916, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Preparation and characterization of pH‐sensitive microparticles based on polyelectrolyte complexes for antibiotic delivery
Authors: Agüero L. , Zaldivar D. , Peña L. , Solís Y. , Ramón J.A. , Dias Marcos L.
Published: July 2014

pH‐sensitive microparticles formed by combination of a synthetic copolymer and sodium alginate in presence of calcium chloride were prepared in mild conditions for specific water‐soluble drug delivery. The copolymers of acryloxyethyl‐trimethylammonium chloride and N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone were synthesized by radical polymerization in aqueous solution at 60°C using sodium persulfate as initiator. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic characterization confirmed the structure of the copolymers and their compositions were determined by potentiometric method. Scanning Electron Microscopy study revealed that microparticles have a rough morphology with size ranging from 450 to 800 µm as measured by optical microcopy. Cefotaxime as a model drug was encapsulated in the microparticles to evaluate the in vitro release behavior under different pH conditions. At physiological temperature, the amount of drug released increased with increasing pH. The amount of drug release from microparticles after 24 h (84%) was more extensive in simulated intestinal fluid when compared with acidic pH environment (20%). These preliminary results suggest that the new microparticles can be used as good candidate for oral drug controlled release in the treatment to colon diseases. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:981–987, 2015. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Synthesis of clickable hydrogels and linear polymers by type II photoinitiation
Authors: Murtezi Eljesa , Ciftci Mustafa , Yagci Yusuf
Published: July 2014

A facile synthesis method for the preparation of clickable hydrogels and linear polymers is described. The strategy pertains to the photochemical generation of initiating radicals by hydrogen abstraction of excited camphorquinone from acetylenic alcohol followed by free radical polymerization. For hydrogels, poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methacrylate and poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate were used in the system as monomer and crosslinker, respectively. Fluorescent pyrene groups were anchored onto the hydrogels through copper‐catalyzed Huisgen 1,3‐dipolar azide/alkyne click reaction by using 2‐azidomethyl pyrene as evidenced by Fourier transform infrared and fluorescence spectroscopy. The applicability of the method for macromolecular synthesis is also demonstrated. For this purpose, poly(methyl methacrylate) with alkyne terminal groups was prepared by photoinitiated free radical polymerization of methyl methacrylate using camphorquinone and 3‐(trimethylsilyl)propargyl alcohol as sensitizer and hydrogen donor, respectively. After deprotection, the click reaction with azido polystyrene obtained by atom transfer radical polymerization followed by azidation resulted in the formation of polystyrene‐b‐poly(methyl methacrylate). The intermediates at various stages and the final block copolymer were characterized by spectral analysis and gel permeation chromatography. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry
Direct analytical sample quality assessment for biomarker investigation: Qualifying cerebrospinal fluid samples
Authors: Greco Viviana , Pieragostino Damiana , Piras Cristian , Aebersold Ruedi , Wiltfang Jens , Caltagirone Carlo , Bernardini Sergio , Urbani Andrea
Published: July 2014

Measurement of biochemical markers represents an important aid to clinicians in the early diagnosis and prognosis of neurological diseases. Many factors can contribute to increase the chances that a biomarker study becomes successful. In a cerebrospinal fluid analysis (CSF), more than 84% of laboratory errors can be attributed to several preanalytical variables that include CSF collection, storage, and freeze thawing cycles. In this concept paper, we focus on some critical issues arising from basic proteomics investigation in order to highlight some key elements of CSF quality control. Furthermore, we propose a direct assessment of sample quality (DASQ) by applying a fast MALDI‐TOF‐MS methodology to evaluate molecular features of sample degradation and oxidation. We propose DASQ as a fast and simple initial step to be included in large‐scale projects for neurological biomarker studies. In fact, such a procedure will improved the development of standardized protocols in order to have well‐characterized CSF biobanks.
Synthesis and Characterization of a Thermally and Hydrolytically Stable Energetic Material based on N‐Nitrourea
Authors: Cui Kejian , Xu Guangrui , Xu Zhibin , Wang Peng , Xue Min , Meng Zihui , Li Jiarong , Wang Bozhou , Ge Zhongxue , Qin Guangmin
Published: July 2014

The novel primary explosive tetranitrodiglycoluril (TNDGU) was synthesized from glycoluril dimer. It was fully characterized by using NMR (1H, 13C), IR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. X‐ray diffraction revealed that the crystals of TNDGU belong to triclinic system with space group P$\bar 1$. The thermal behavior of TNDGU was studied using DSC methods. TNDGU exhibited good thermal stability with a decomposition temperature of 284.8 °C. TNDGU was also more resistant to hydrolysis compared to other nitrourea analogues. Additionally, density, enthalpy of formation, detonation velocity (VOD), and detonation pressure of TNDGU were predicted and it was found that TNDGU is a potential powerful explosive with a calculated density of 1.93 g cm−3, a detonation velocity of 8305 m s−1 and low sensitivity to electric discharge.
Nano Cyclotetramethylene Tetranitramine Particles Prepared by a Green Recrystallization Process
Authors: An Chongwei , Li Hequn , Guo Wenjian , Geng Xiaoheng , Wang Jingyu
Published: July 2014

The solubility of cyclotetramethylene tetranitramine (HMX) in four ionic liquids (ILs): 1,3‐dimethylimidazolium dimethylphosphate ([Memim]DMP), 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium chloride ([Bmim]Cl), 1‐hexyl‐3‐methylimidazolium bromide ([Hmim]Br), and 1‐ethyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([Emim]BF4) was investigated. Nano‐HMX were produced particles by spraying [Hmim]Br solution into purified ice water. Finally, the particle size, morphology, crystal phase, impact sensitivity, and thermal decomposition properties of nano‐HMX particles were tested and analyzed. All four ILs could dissolve HMX to a greater or lesser extent in the temperature range from 20 °C to 80 °C. The solubility of HMX in [Hmim]Br at 80 °C is up to 0.7 g mL−1. Recrystallized HMX particles are of polyhedral or spherical shape and 40 to 130 nm in size. X‐ray diffraction indicated that nano‐HMX has a similar crystal structure as raw HMX (β‐form). Compared with raw HMX, the nano‐HMX particles have much lower impact sensitivity. However, they are easier to explode than raw HMX under thermal stimulus due to the lower peak temperature and activation energy.
Thermal Decomposition, Kinetics and Compatibility Studies of Poly(3‐difluoroaminomethyl‐3‐methyloxetane) (PDFAMO)
Authors: Li Huan , Pan Renming , Wang Wanjun , Zhang Luyao
Published: July 2014

The thermal decomposition of poly(3‐difluoroaminomethyl‐3‐methyloxetane) (PDFAMO) with an average molecular weight of about 6000 was investigated using thermogravimetric analysis (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The kinetics of thermolysis were studied by a model‐free method. The thermal decomposition of PDFAMO occurred in a two‐stage process. The first stage was mainly due to elimination of HF and had an activation energy of 110–120 kJ mol−1. The second stage was due to degradation of the polymer chain. The Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra of the degradation residues showed that the difluoroamino groups decomposed in a two‐step HF loss at different temperatures. The remaining monofluoroimino groups produced by the incomplete elimination of HF were responsible for the two‐stage thermolysis process. The compatibility of PDFAMO with some energetic components and inert materials used in polymer‐bonded explosives (PBXs) and solid propellants was studied by DSC. It was concluded that the binary systems of PDFAMO with cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX), 2,4,6‐trinitrotoluene (TNT), 2,4‐dinitroanisole (DNAN), pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), ammonium perchlorate (AP), aluminum powder (Al), aluminum oxide (Al2O3) and 1,3‐diethyl‐1,3‐diphenyl urea (C1) were compatible, whereas the systems of PDFAMO with lead carbonate (PbCO3) and 2‐nitrodiphenylamine (NDPA) were slightly sensitized. The systems with cyclotetramethylenetetranitroamine (HMX), hexanitrohexaazaisowurtzitane (CL‐20), 3‐nitro‐1,2,4‐triazol‐5‐one (NTO), ammonium nitrate (AN), magnesium powder (Mg), boron powder (B), carbon black (C. B.), diphenylamine (DPA), and p‐nitro‐N‐methylamine (PNMA) were incompatible. The results of compatibility studies fully supported the suggested thermal decomposition mechanism of PDFAMO.
Prospects for the control of apple leaf midge Dasineura mali (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) by mass trapping with pheromone lures
Authors: Lo Peter L , Walker James TS , Suckling D Max
Published: July 2014

BACKGROUND

Apple leaf midge, Dasineura mali (Kieffer), poses quarantine issues for some apple export markets because larvae occasionally pupate in the stem end and calyx of fruit. Pheromone‐baited oil‐filled containers were used in 1 ha orchard plots to trap adult male D. mali in order to test the potential for mass trapping to reduce populations.

RESULTS

Mass‐trapped plots had 97% fewer adult males in pheromone traps and 48% fewer larvae per shoot in the second D. mali generation compared with untreated areas. Oil traps caught on average 900 000 D. mali per plot over 11 weeks during the second and third generations. Catches averaged 9200 per trap at plot corners. By comparison, catches were 51% lower 10–25 m away along borders, 80% lower at the midpoint of borders and 95% lower >7 m from plot edges. Fruit infestation was low (four out of 8000 apples).

CONCLUSION

The attractiveness of the pheromone, monophagous habit and low mobility of D. mali enhance the prospects for successful mass trapping. Countering this are high populations, multivoltinism and aspects of mating behaviour. Mass trapping would probably have been more effective had it been in place season long and conducted over successive years. It needs refinements and more study before becoming a feasible control option for D. mali. © 2014 Society of Chemical Industry
Direct amination of boron‐doped diamond by plasma polymerized allylamine film
Authors: Bogdanowicz R. , Sawczak M. , Niedzialkowski P. , Zieba P. , Finke B. , Ryl J. , Ossowski T.
Published: July 2014

A novel microwave pulsed‐plasma based method for the modification of the hydrogen‐terminated polycrystalline boron‐doped diamond (BDD) with a thin film of polymerized allylamine (PPAAm) is reported. A modified BDD surface is resistant to hydrolysis and delamination and is characterized by a high density of positively charged amino groups. Pulsed microwave plasma was applied to improve the degree of cross‐linking and bonding of the plasma polymeric films to BDD. The primary amino groups of the amine‐modified Si/BDD surface were coupled with antraquinone derivatives as model electroactive compounds. Synthesized thin BDD‐PPAAm films were investigated with X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), laser induced fluorescence (LIF) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR). The FT‐IR studies confirm that the molecular structure of the deposited layer reproduces the monomer structure with a partial transformation of amino groups into amide and nitrile. XPS results show that PPAAm film on an Si/BDD electrode is electrochemically stable within the range of polarization potentials between −1.1 and +1.1 V. The fluorescence properties of the PPAAm modified BDD surface makes its promising for application in sensors with optical readout. At the same time, the PPAAm film's durability investigated over a wide potential range makes it ideal for electrochemical sensors.
Change of diamond film structure and morphology with N2 addition in MW PECVD apparatus with linear antenna delivery system
Authors: Krečmarová Marie Jakl , Petrák Václav , Taylor Andrew , Sankaran Kamatchi Jothiramalingam , Lin I‐Nan , Jäger Aleš , Gärtnerová Viera , Fekete Ladislav , Drahokoupil Jan , Laufek František , Vacík Jiří , Hubík Pavel , Mortet Vincent , Nesládek Miloš
Published: July 2014

Deposition of nano‐crystalline diamond (NCD) over large areas is of high interest for industrial applications. For instance NCD is an excellent substrate for cell growth but it is also interesting for photonic applications associated with nitrogen‐vacancy (NV) centres. There have been many studies on the effect of nitrogen addition on the growth of diamond using conventional resonance cavity microwave plasmas (both H and Ar based) but none using MW PECVD apparatus with linear antenna delivery system (MW‐LA‐PECVD). In this work, we show that an ultra nano‐crystalline diamond (UNCD) type of morphology can be prepared upon N2 addition to H2CO2CH4 plasmas at low pressures (0.3 mbar) and low temperature (520 °C); however, these films despite their UNCD character show sp3 dominated Raman spectra and highly isolating behavior. The crystalline structure and morphology of the films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, grazing angle X‐ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. Diamond films' composition was evaluated from thermal neutron depth profiling. Films were also characterized by photoluminescence spectroscopy to study the incorporation of luminescent NV centre. Addition of nitrogen increases deposition rate and dramatically changes surface morphology and crystalline structure from well faceted diamond crystals to UNCD like morphology.
Chiral and non‐chiral p‐wave superconducting states from correlated hopping interactions
Authors: Millán J. S. , Pérez L. A. , Wang C.
Published: July 2014

Understanding anisotropic superconductivity has been one of the major theoretical challenges in the solid state physics. In this paper, we report a comparative study of chiral and non‐chiral p‐wave superconducting states by means of a generalized Hubbard Hamiltonian within the BCS formalism. The single‐electron parameters were obtained by fitting ab initio band structure data supported by de Haas–van Alphen measurements in Sr2RuO4 and the electron correlation parameter was determined by the experimental critical temperature (Tc). This study was carried out by looking at Tc, superconducting gap, Helmholtz free energy, and electronic specific heat. The results show that both chiral and non‐chiral p‐wave superconducting states possess the same Tc but different superconducting energy gaps. Moreover, both states have almost the same Helmholtz free energy, which leads to their possible coexistence. Finally, the calculated electronic specific heats without adjustable parameters for both p‐wave superconducting states are compared with the experimental data obtained from Sr2RuO4, observing a better agreement for the non‐chiral case for temperatures much lower than Tc.
Simultaneous Univariate X_bar Charts to Control Bivariate Processes with Autocorrelated Data
Authors: Leoni Roberto Campos , Machado Marcela Aparecida Guerreiro , Costa Antonio Fernando Branco
Published: July 2014

In this article, we consider the simultaneous univariate X_bar charts (SU X_bar charts) for samples of n bivariate observation vectors that are not only cross‐correlated but also autocorrelated. The cross‐covariance matrix of the sample mean vectors was derived with the assumption that the observations are described by a first‐order vector autoregressive model. The combined effect of the cross‐correlation and autocorrelation on the performance of the SU X_bar charts is investigated. Depending on the autocorrelations and the nature of the disturbance, affecting only one or both variables, the SU _bar charts perform better with samples of size one than with samples of size two; in same cases even better than with samples of size four. When the two variables are affected by the assignable cause, the simultaneous charts tend to perform better than the T2 chart as the autocorrelation and cross‐correlation increase. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Graphene Field Effect Transistors with Mica as Gate Dielectric Layers
Authors: Low Chong Guan , Zhang Qing , Hao Yufeng , Ruoff Rodney S.
Published: July 2014

Chemical vapor deposited monolayer graphene is transferred onto atomically flat and ultra‐thin muscovite mica to study the transport characteristics of graphene with a test structure of mica‐based graphene field effect transistor (GFET). The transfer curve of the 24 nm mica‐based GFET shows an effective carrier mobility of 2748 cm2/Vs and a transconductance of 3.36 μS, a factor of 2 and 7 larger than those values obtained from 40 nm SiO2 based GFET, respectively. The results demonstrate that mica is an excellent gate dielectric material due to its high dielectric constant, high dielectric strength, and atomically flat surface.
Folic Acid Functionalized Surface Highlights 5‐Methylcytosine‐Genomic Content within Circulating Tumor Cells
Authors: Malara Natalia , Coluccio Maria Laura , Limongi Tania , Asande Monica , Trunzo Valentina , Cojoc Gheorghe , Raso Cinzia , Candeloro Patrizio , Perozziello Gerardo , Raimondo Raffaella , De Vitis Stefania , Roveda Laura , Renne Maria , Prati Ubaldo , Mollace Vincenzo , Di Fabrizio Enzo
Published: July 2014

Although the detection of methylated cell free DNA represents one of the most promising approaches for relapse risk assessment in cancer patients, the low concentration of cell‐free circulating DNA constitutes the biggest obstacle in the development of DNA methylation‐based biomarkers from blood. This paper describes a method for the measurement of genomic methylation content directly on circulating tumor cells (CTC), which could be used to deceive the aforementioned problem. Since CTC are disease related blood‐based biomarkers, they result essential to monitor tumor's stadiation, therapy, and early relapsing lesions. Within surface's bio‐functionalization and cell's isolation procedure standardization, the presented approach reveals a singular ability to detect high 5‐methylcytosine CTC‐subset content in the whole CTC compound, by choosing folic acid (FA) as transducer molecule. Sensitivity and specificity, calculated for FA functionalized surface (FA‐surface), result respectively on about 83% and 60%. FA‐surface, allowing the detection and characterization of early metastatic dissemination, provides a unique advance in the comprehension of tumors progression and dissemination confirming the presence of CTC and its association with high risk of relapse. This functionalized surface identifying and quantifying high 5‐methylcytosine CTC‐subset content into the patient's blood lead significant progress in cancer risk assessment, also providing a novel therapeutic strategy.
Surface Modification of Solid‐State Nanopores for Sticky‐Free Translocation of Single‐Stranded DNA
Authors: Tang Zhipeng , Lu Bo , Zhao Qing , Wang Jiajun , Luo Kaifu , Yu Dapeng
Published: July 2014

Nanopore technology is one of the most promising approaches for fast and low‐cost DNA sequencing application. Single‐stranded DNA detection is primary objective in such device, while solid‐state nanopores remain less explored than their biological counterparts due to bio‐molecule clogging issue caused by surface interaction between DNA and nanopore wall. By surface coating a layer of polyethylene glycol (PEG), solid‐state nanopore can achieve long lifetime for single‐stranded DNA sticky‐free translocation at pH 11.5. Associated with elimination of non‐specific binding of molecule, PEG coated nanopore presents new surface characteristic as less hydrophility, lower 1/f noise, and passivated surface charge responsiveness on pH. Meanwhile, conductance blockage of single‐stranded DNA is found to be deeper than double‐stranded DNA, which can be well described by a string of blobs model for a quasi‐equilibrium state polymer in constraint space.
Optimizing Steelmaking System for Quality Steel Mass Production for Sustainable Future of Steel Industry
Authors: Emi Toshihiko
Published: July 2014

Demands for the infrastructure and transportation in the world keep increasing with matching production of steels of higher strength and better ductility. They are produced largely with BF‐BOF/EAF‐LF/RH‐CC systems as the main stay. Optimization of the system is mandatory to stably maximize premium yield of steels at higher productivity, while keeping the CO2 emission, waste evolution, raw material/energy consumption, and production cost at their minimum. Problems inherent to the unit processes involved are addressed. Integration of the processes into an optimized system is discussed with emphasis placed on hot metal pretreatment, productivity, and process versus quality issues for the sustainable near future of steel industry.
Replicating Peer‐Led Team Learning in cyberspace: Research, opportunities, and challenges
Authors: Smith Joshua , Wilson Sarah Beth , Banks Julianna , Zhu Lin , Varma‐Nelson Pratibha
Published: July 2014

This quasi‐experimental, mixed methods study examined the transfer of a well‐established pedagogical strategy, Peer‐Led Team Learning (PLTL), to an online workshop environment (cPLTL) in a general chemistry course at a research university in the Midwest. The null hypothesis guiding the study was that no substantive differences would emerge between the two workshop settings. Students in the PLTL (n = 220) condition were more satisfied with their workshop and earned statistically significantly higher course grades, yet earned comparable standardized final exam scores. They also had lower incidence of students’ earning D or F course grades or withdrawing from the course (DFW rates) than students in the cPLTL setting (n = 175). Interviews with 10 peer leaders and 2 faculty members, as well as discourse analysis of workshop sessions, revealed more similarities than differences in the two conditions. The final exam scores and discourse analysis support the null hypothesis and use of both face‐to‐face and synchronous online peer‐led workshops in early science courses. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 51: 714–740, 2014
Nanoparticle approaches against bacterial infections
Authors: Gao Weiwei , Thamphiwatana Soracha , Angsantikul Pavimol , Zhang Liangfang
Published: July 2014

Despite the wide success of antibiotics, the treatment of bacterial infections still faces significant challenges, particularly the emergence of antibiotic resistance. As a result, nanoparticle drug delivery platforms including liposomes, polymeric nanoparticles, dendrimers, and various inorganic nanoparticles have been increasingly exploited to enhance the therapeutic effectiveness of existing antibiotics. This review focuses on areas where nanoparticle approaches hold significant potential to advance the treatment of bacterial infections. These areas include targeted antibiotic delivery, environmentally responsive antibiotic delivery, combinatorial antibiotic delivery, nanoparticle‐enabled antibacterial vaccination, and nanoparticle‐based bacterial detection. In each area we highlight the innovative antimicrobial nanoparticle platforms and review their progress made against bacterial infections. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2014, 6:532–547. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1282

This article is categorized under:

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Nanomedicine for Infectious Disease
Non‐linear fracture study of single cantilever beam specimen
Authors: Mladensky Angel , Rizov Victor
Published: July 2014

Non‐linear fracture of single cantilever beam (SCB) is studied theoretically using J‐integral. It is assumed that the beam is made of unidirectional fiber reinforced polymer composite which obeys the stress‐strain relation of an elastic‐perfectly plastic material. The lower crack arm is loaded by an external moment while the upper crack arm is stress free. Closed form analytical solutions of J‐integral are found for different magnitudes of the external load corresponding to the different distribution of stresses and strains in the beam cracked and un‐cracked portions. For this purpose, a mechanics of materials based model is used. The validity of the solution is proved by comparison with formula for strain energy release rate in the linear‐elastic stage of the work of the material. A numerical example is presented to illustrate the influence of the material non‐linearity on J‐integral. It is found that the material non‐linearity leads to the increase of J‐integral values. This is attributed to the strain energy dissipation due to the non‐linear deformation.
MiR‐204 promotes apoptosis in oxidative stress‐induced rat Schwann cells by suppressing neuritin expression
Authors: Gao Rui , Wang Liming , Sun Jun , Nie Kun , Jian Huiling , Gao Lei , Liao Xinhua , Zhang Haiyuan , Huang Jin , Gan Shangquan
Published: July 2014

Neuritin (Nrn1) is a neurotrophin that plays an important role in nervous system plasticity and repair following nerve injury. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a type of small non‐coding RNA that regulate nearly all aspects of nerve development and survival, including apoptosis. Here it was found that miR‐204 negatively regulates Nrn1 protein expression through direct interaction with Nrn1 transcript. Moreover, miR‐204 activates cleaved caspase‐3, enhancing the sensitivity of RSC96 Schwann cells to H2O2‐induced oxidative stress and apoptosis. Thus, miR‐204 expressed at a low level may create a microenvironment suitable for the repair of injured nerves by relieving the inhibition of Nrn1 transcription and stimulating the anti‐apoptotic function of Schwann cells. These results provide novel insights into the roles of miR‐204 in nerve injury and repair.
Late Pleistocene sedimentary history of multiple glacially dammed lake episodes along the Yarlung-Tsangpo river, southeast Tibet
Authors: Huang Shao-Yi , Chen Yue-Gau , Burr George S. , Jaiswal Manoj K. , Lin Yunung Nina , Yin Gongming , Liu Jingwei , Zhao Shujun , Cao Zhongquan
Published: July 2014

We present a reconstructed lithologic column compiled from a series of lacustrine outcrops along a tributary of the Nyang River, a major tributary of the Yarlung-Tsangpo in southeast Tibet. The deposits were preserved between terraces at altitudes of 2950–3100 m asl. The stratigraphic record features at least two sets of coarsening-upward sequences depicting episodic aggradation and progradation of a glacially dammed lake related delta. Recognized facies changes illustrate the evolution cycles of depositional environments from pro-delta, delta front, to delta plain. Radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence dates reveal an aging-downward trend in stratigraphic order and provide an approximate timeline for the formation of glacially dammed lakes in late Pleistocene. This result reflects that the Zelunglung Glacier had progressively advanced to block the Yarlung-Tsangpo river and the dam materials had stepwise stacked up to an altitude of 3095 m asl during Marine Oxygen Isotope Stages 4 to 2.
Automated statistical matching of multiple tephra records exemplified using five long maar sequences younger than 75 ka, Auckland, New Zealand
Authors: Green Rebecca M. , Bebbington Mark S. , Cronin Shane J. , Jones Geoff
Published: July 2014

Detailed tephrochronologies are built to underpin probabilistic volcanic hazard forecasting, and to understand the dynamics and history of diverse geomorphic, climatic, soil-forming and environmental processes. Complicating factors include highly variable tephra distribution over time; difficulty in correlating tephras from site to site based on physical and chemical properties; and uncertain age determinations. Multiple sites permit construction of more accurate composite tephra records, but correctly merging individual site records by recognizing common events and site-specific gaps is complex. We present an automated procedure for matching tephra sequences between multiple deposition sites using stochastic local optimization techniques. If individual tephra age determinations are not significantly different between sites, they are matched and a more precise age is assigned. Known stratigraphy and mineralogical or geochemical compositions are used to constrain tephra matches. We apply this method to match tephra records from five long sediment cores (≤ 75 cal ka BP) in Auckland, New Zealand. Sediments at these sites preserve basaltic tephras from local eruptions of the Auckland Volcanic Field as well as distal rhyolitic and andesitic tephras from Okataina, Taupo, Egmont, Tongariro, and Tuhua (Mayor Island) volcanic centers. The new correlated record compiled is statistically more likely than previously published arrangements from this area.
Ordinary Violence in Mussolini's Italy
Authors: Ebner Michael R.
Published: July 2014

Between 1926 and 1943, the Fascist regime arrested thousands of Italians and deported them to island internment colonies and small villages in southern Italy. Ordinary Violence in Mussolini's Italy analyses this system of political confinement and, more broadly, its effects on Italian society, revealing the centrality of political violence to Fascist rule. In doing so, the book shatters the widely accepted view that the Mussolini regime ruled without a system of mass repression. The Fascist state ruled Italy violently, projecting its coercive power deeply and diffusely into society through confinement, imprisonment, low-level physical assaults, economic deprivations, intimidation, discrimination and other quotidian forms of coercion. Moreover, by promoting denunciatory practices, the regime cemented the loyalties of 'upstanding' citizens while suppressing opponents, dissenters and social outsiders. Fascist repression was thus more intense and ideological than previously thought and even shared some important similarities with Nazi and Soviet terror.
Forecasting, Structural Time Series Models and the Kalman Filter
Authors: Harvey Andrew C.
Published: July 2014

In this book, Andrew Harvey sets out to provide a unified and comprehensive theory of structural time series models. Unlike the traditional ARIMA models, structural time series models consist explicitly of unobserved components, such as trends and seasonals, which have a direct interpretation. As a result the model selection methodology associated with structural models is much closer to econometric methodology. The link with econometrics is made even closer by the natural way in which the models can be extended to include explanatory variables and to cope with multivariate time series. From the technical point of view, state space models and the Kalman filter play a key role in the statistical treatment of structural time series models. The book includes a detailed treatment of the Kalman filter. This technique was originally developed in control engineering, but is becoming increasingly important in fields such as economics and operations research. This book is concerned primarily with modelling economic and social time series, and with addressing the special problems which the treatment of such series poses. The properties of the models and the methodological techniques used to select them are illustrated with various applications. These range from the modellling of trends and cycles in US macroeconomic time series to to an evaluation of the effects of seat belt legislation in the UK.
Ultrasonic Guided Waves in Solid Media
Authors: Rose Joseph L.
Published: July 2014

Ultrasonic guided waves in solid media have become a critically important subject in nondestructive testing and structural health monitoring, as new faster, more sensitive, and more economical ways of looking at materials and structures have become possible. This book will lead to fresh creative ideas for use in new inspection procedures. Although the mathematics is sometimes sophisticated, the book can also be read by managers without detailed understanding of the concepts as it can be read from a 'black box' point of view. Overall, the material presented on wave mechanics - in particular, guided wave mechanics - establishes a framework for the creative data collection and signal processing needed to solve many problems using ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation and structural health monitoring. The book can be used as a reference in ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation by professionals and as a textbook for seniors and graduate students. This work extends the coverage of Rose's earlier book Ultrasonic Waves in Solid Media.
Gauge/String Duality, Hot QCD and Heavy Ion Collisions
Authors: Casalderrey-Solana Jorge , Liu Hong , Mateos David , Rajagopal Krishna , Wiedemann Urs Achim
Published: July 2014

Heavy ion collision experiments recreating the quark-gluon plasma that filled the microseconds-old universe have established that it is a nearly perfect liquid that flows with such minimal dissipation that it cannot be seen as made of particles. String theory provides a powerful toolbox for studying matter with such properties. This book provides a comprehensive introduction to gauge/string duality and its applications to the study of the thermal and transport properties of quark-gluon plasma, the dynamics of how it forms, the hydrodynamics of how it flows, and its response to probes including jets and quarkonium mesons. Calculations are discussed in the context of data from RHIC and LHC and results from finite temperature lattice QCD. The book is an ideal reference for students and researchers in string theory, quantum field theory, quantum many-body physics, heavy ion physics and lattice QCD.
Nanotechnologies for Future Mobile Devices
Authors: Ryhänen Tapani , Uusitalo Mikko A. , Ikkala Olli , Kärkkäinen Asta
Published: July 2014

Explore the potential for nanotechnologies to transform future mobile and Internet communications. Based on a research collaboration between Nokia, Helsinki University of Technology, and the University of Cambridge, here leading researchers review the current state-of-the art and future prospects for:
• Novel multifunctional materials, dirt repellent, self-healing surface materials, and lightweight structural materials capable of adapting their shape
• Portable energy storage using supercapacitor-battery hybrids based on new materials including carbon nanohorns and porous electrodes, fuel cell technologies, energy harvesting and more efficient solar cells
• Electronics and computing advances reaching beyond IC scaling limits, new computing approaches and architectures, embedded intelligence and future memory technologies.
• Nanoscale transducers for mechanical, optical and chemical sensing, sensor signal processing, and nanoscale actuation
• Nanoelectronics to create ultrafast and adaptive electronics for future radio technologies
• Flat panel displays with greater robustness, improved resolution, brightness and contrast, and mechanical flexibility
• Manufacturing and innovation processes, plus commercialization of nanotechnologies.
Judging Civil Justice
Authors: Genn Hazel
Published: July 2014

The civil justice system supports social order and economic activity, but a number of factors over the last decade have created a situation in which the value of civil justice is being undermined and the civil courts are in a state of dilapidation. For the 2008 Hamlyn Lectures, Dame Hazel Genn discusses reforms to civil justice in England and around the world over the last decade in the context of escalating expenditure on criminal justice and vanishing civil trials. In critically assessing the claims and practice of mediation for civil disputes, she questions whether diverting cases out of the public courts and into private dispute resolution promotes access to justice, looks critically at the changed expectations of the judiciary in civil justice and points to the need for a better understanding of how judges 'do justice'.
Emotions in Finance
Authors: Pixley Jocelyn
Published: July 2014

Emotions in Finance, first published in 2005, is an analysis of global corporate oligopolies in the financial sector. During/after the dot com collapse, the book showed the dangerous corporate emotions in today's financial world, urging caution against the emerging property bubble of 2005. Aggressive competition leads, inevitably, to more collapses, which the worst credit crisis since 1929 proved, barely two years after the ink on the book was dry. Claims that 'a few' economists 'picked' the financial crisis are not true. The book contains interviews with famous central bankers and financiers in the City and Wall Street, who agreed that the book's fresh analysis showed inevitable future crashes, and much distress for many populations far removed from the oligarchs who unthinkingly run the financial sector for short-term profits and do not take the risks to lend for socially useful purposes.
Wave Forces on Offshore Structures
Authors: Sarpkaya Turgut 'Sarp'
Published: July 2014

A thorough understanding of the interaction of waves and currents with offshore structures has now become a vital factor in the safe and economical design of various offshore technologies. There has been a significant increase in the research efforts to meet this need. Although considerable progress has been made in the offshore industry and in the understanding of the interaction of waves, currents, and wind with ocean structures, most of the available books concentrate only on practical applications without a grounding in the physics. This text integrates an understanding of the physics of ocean-structure interactions with numerous applications. This more complete understanding will allow the engineer and designer to solve problems heretofore not encountered, and to design new and innovative structures. The intent of this book is to serve the needs of future generations of engineers designing more sophisticated structures at ever increasing depths.
The Two Cultures
Authors: Snow C. P. , Collini Stefan
Published: July 2014

The notion that our society, its education system and its intellectual life, is characterised by a split between two cultures – the arts or humanities on one hand and the sciences on the other – has a long history. But it was C. P. Snow's Rede lecture of 1959 that brought it to prominence and began a public debate that is still raging in the media today. This fiftieth anniversary printing of The Two Cultures and its successor piece, A Second Look (in which Snow responded to the controversy four years later) features an introduction by Stefan Collini, charting the history and context of the debate, its implications and its afterlife. The importance of science and technology in policy run largely by non-scientists, the future for education and research, and the problem of fragmentation threatening hopes for a common culture are just some of the subjects discussed.
History of the Afghans
Authors: Nimat Allah Haravi
Published: July 2014

History of the Afghans was compiled by Nimat Allah (fl.1613–30) at the court of the Mughal emperor Jahangir (1569–1627). Drawing on various manuscript sources, it contains both mythical and historical accounts of the Afghan people. The wide coverage includes discussion of the Pashtun and their origins, the prophet Yakub (Jacob), King Talut (Saul) and the Afghan migration to Ghor, the late medieval sultans Bahlul, Sikandar and Ibrahim of the Lodi dynasty, and the lives of saints. The work also features the genealogy of Afghan tribes as well as reports of miracles. The German orientalist Bernhard Dorn (1805–81) published this English translation from the original Persian between 1829 and 1836. This reissue incorporates the separately published parts in one volume. Dorn's respected translation of this important text remains of interest to scholars of Asiatic history and tradition.
Referendums and the European Union
Authors: Mendez Fernando , Mendez Mario , Triga Vasiliki
Published: July 2014

Why have referendums on European integration proliferated since the 1970s? How are referendums accommodated within member states' constitutional orders and with what impact on the European integration process? What is the likely institutional impact of referendums on the future of the European integration process? Drawing on an interdisciplinary approach, these are just some of the fundamental questions addressed in this book. The central thesis is that the EU is faced with a 'direct democratic dilemma', which is compounded by the EU's rigid constitutional structure and a growing politicisation of the referendum device on matters related to European integration. Referendums and the European Union discusses how this dilemma has emerged to impact on the course of integration and how it can be addressed.
Consumerism and the Emergence of the Middle Class in Colonial America
Authors: Hodge Christina J.
Published: July 2014

This interdisciplinary study presents compelling evidence for a revolutionary idea: that to understand the historical entrenchment of gentility in America, we must understand its creation among non-elite people: colonial middling sorts who laid the groundwork for the later American middle class. Focusing on the daily life of Widow Elizabeth Pratt, a shopkeeper from early eighteenth-century Newport, Rhode Island, Christina J. Hodge uses material remains as a means of reconstructing not only how Mrs Pratt lived, but also how these objects reflect shifting class and gender relationships in this period. Challenging the 'emulation thesis', a common assumption that wealthy elites led fashion and culture change while middling sorts only followed, Hodge shows how middling consumers were in fact discerning cultural leaders, adopting genteel material practices early and aggressively. By focusing on the rise and emergence of the middle class, this book brings new insights into the evolution of consumerism, class, and identity in colonial America.
Beyond Violence
Authors: Cichopek-Gajraj Anna
Published: July 2014

This book tells a story of Polish and Slovak Holocaust survivors returning to homes that no longer existed in the aftermath of the Second World War. It focuses on their daily efforts to rebuild their lives in the radically changed political and social landscape of post-war Eastern Europe. Such an analysis shifts the perspective from post-war violence and emigration to post-war reconstruction. Using a comparative approach, Anna Cichopek-Gajraj discusses survivors' journeys home, their struggles to retain citizenship and repossess property, their coping with antisemitism, and their efforts to return to 'normality'. She emphasizes the everyday communal and personal experiences of survivors in the context of their relationships with non-Jews. In essence, by focusing on the daily efforts of Polish and Slovak Jews to rebuild their lives, the author investigates the limits of belonging in Eastern Europe after the Holocaust.
The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah Equiano
Authors: Equiano Olaudah
Published: July 2014

Nigerian-born Olaudah Equiano (c.1745–97), also known as Gustavus Vassa, was sold into slavery as a child and endured the horrors of the transatlantic slave ships. He later worked on board Royal Navy vessels, receiving an education and converting to Christianity. Buying his freedom in 1766, he embarked on several voyages before settling in London, where he became involved in the causes of anti-slavery and the welfare of former slaves. Published in 1789, this successful two-volume autobiography boosted the abolitionist cause, providing a first-hand account of the experience of Africans on both sides of the Atlantic. An important document in the history of slavery and immigration, it remains a classic work of black writing. Volume 2 recounts how Equiano achieved his freedom, his conversion to Christianity, his experience of shipwreck in the West Indies, and his life in England.
Intrapartum Care for the MRCOG and Beyond
Authors: Baskett Thomas , Arulkumaran Sabaratnam
Published: July 2014

This book provides a comprehensive overview of clinical intrapartum care, with an emphasis on a pragmatic approach which promotes the necessary vigilant care while also supporting the wishes of the pregnant woman who wants minimal interference. This second edition has been thoroughly updated to reflect current practice and developments in the field since publication of the first edition, with six new chapters added on topics that are of increasing importance: improving intrapartum care, lower genital tract trauma, emergency obstetric hysterectomy, acute uterine inversion, disseminated intravascular coagulation and acute tocolysis. The book is primarily designed to provide a comprehensive summary for candidates preparing for the Part 2 MRCOG examination, and as such covers the RCOG curriculum for intrapartum care. It is also a valuable guide for all healthcare professionals working in the field, including trainees, consultants and midwives.
Reason and Emotion in International Ethics
Authors: Jeffery Renée
Published: July 2014

The study of international ethics is marked by an overwhelming bias towards reasoned reflection at the expense of emotionally driven moral deliberation. For rationalist cosmopolitans in particular, reason alone provides the means by which we can arrive at the truly impartial moral judgments a cosmopolitan ethic demands. However, are the emotions as irrational, selfish and partial as most rationalist cosmopolitans would have us believe? By re-examining the central claims of the eighteenth-century moral sentiment theorists in light of cutting-edge discoveries in the fields of neuroscience and psychology, Renée Jeffery argues that the dominance of rationalism and marginalisation of emotions from theories of global ethics cannot be justified. In its place she develops a sentimentalist cosmopolitan ethic that does not simply provide a framework for identifying injustices and prescribing how we ought to respond to them, but which actually motivates action in response to international injustices such as global poverty.