bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The periciliary ring in polarized epithelial cells is a hot spot for delivery of the apical protein gp135
Authors: Stoops Emily H. , Hull Michael , Olesen Christina , Mistry Kavita , Harder Jennifer L. , Rivera-Molina Felix , Toomre Derek , Caplan Michael J.
Published: October 2015

In polarized epithelial cells, newly synthesized cell surface proteins travel in carrier vesicles from the trans Golgi network to the apical or basolateral plasma membrane. Despite extensive research on polarized trafficking, the sites of protein delivery are not fully characterized. Here we use the SNAP tag system to examine the site of delivery of the apical glycoprotein gp135. We show that a cohort of gp135 is delivered to a ring surrounding the base of the primary cilium, followed by microtubule-dependent radial movement away from the cilium. Delivery to the periciliary ring was specific to newly synthesized and not recycling protein. A subset of this newly delivered protein traverses the basolateral membrane en route to the apical membrane. Crumbs3a, another apical protein, was not delivered to the periciliary region, instead making its initial apical appearance in a pattern that resembled its steady-state distribution. Our results demonstrate a surprising “hot spot” for gp135 protein delivery at the base of the primary cilium and suggest the existence of a novel microtubule-based directed movement of a subset of apical surface proteins.
A conserved family of proteins facilitates nascent lipid droplet budding from the ER
Authors: Choudhary Vineet , Ojha Namrata , Golden Andy , Prinz William A.
Published: October 2015

Lipid droplets (LDs) are found in all cells and play critical roles in lipid metabolism. De novo LD biogenesis occurs in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) but is not well understood. We imaged early stages of LD biogenesis using electron microscopy and found that nascent LDs form lens-like structures that are in the ER membrane, raising the question of how these nascent LDs bud from the ER as they grow. We found that a conserved family of proteins, fat storage-inducing transmembrane (FIT) proteins, is required for proper budding of LDs from the ER. Elimination or reduction of FIT proteins in yeast and higher eukaryotes causes LDs to remain in the ER membrane. Deletion of the single FIT protein in Caenorhabditis elegans is lethal, suggesting that LD budding is an essential process in this organism. Our findings indicated that FIT proteins are necessary to promote budding of nascent LDs from the ER.
Microtubule plus end–associated CLIP-170 initiates HSV-1 retrograde transport in primary human cells
Authors: Jovasevic Vladimir , Naghavi Mojgan H. , Walsh Derek
Published: October 2015

Dynamic microtubules (MTs) continuously explore the intracellular environment and, through specialized plus end–tracking proteins (+TIPs), engage a variety of targets. However, the nature of cargoes that require +TIP-mediated capture for their movement on MTs remains poorly understood. Using RNA interference and dominant-negative approaches, combined with live cell imaging, we show that herpes simplex virus particles that have entered primary human cells exploit a +TIP complex comprising end-binding protein 1 (EB1), cytoplasmic linker protein 170 (CLIP-170), and dynactin-1 (DCTN1) to initiate retrograde transport. Depletion of these +TIPs completely blocked post-entry long-range transport of virus particles and suppressed infection ∼5,000-fold, whereas transferrin uptake, early endosome organization, and dynein-dependent movement of lysosomes and mitochondria remained unaffected. These findings provide the first insights into the earliest stages of viral engagement of MTs through specific +TIPs, akin to receptors, with therapeutic implications, and identify herpesvirus particles as one of a very limited number of cargoes absolutely dependent on CLIP-170–mediated capture to initiate transport in primary human cells.
Tissue patterning and cellular mechanics
Authors: Heller Evan , Fuchs Elaine
Published: October 2015

In development, cells organize into biological tissues through cell growth, migration, and differentiation. Globally, this process is dictated by a genetically encoded program in which secreted morphogens and cell–cell interactions prompt the adoption of unique cell fates. Yet, at its lowest level, development is achieved through the modification of cell–cell adhesion and actomyosin-based contractility, which set the level of tension within cells and dictate how they pack together into tissues. The regulation of tension within individual cells and across large groups of cells is a major driving force of tissue organization and the basis of all cell shape change and cell movement in development.
Francesca Peri: Micromanaging the lives of microglia
Authors: Powell Kendall
Published: October 2015

Peri tracks the machinations of these guardians of healthy brains.
Bimodal regulation of an Elk subfamily K+ channel by phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate
Authors: Li Xiaofan , Anishkin Andriy , Liu Hansi , van Rossum Damian B. , Chintapalli Sree V. , Sassic Jessica K. , Gallegos David , Pivaroff-Ward Kendra , Jegla Timothy
Published: October 2015

Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) regulates Shaker K+ channels and voltage-gated Ca2+ channels in a bimodal fashion by inhibiting voltage activation while stabilizing open channels. Bimodal regulation is conserved in hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide–gated (HCN) channels, but voltage activation is enhanced while the open channel state is destabilized. The proposed sites of PIP2 regulation in these channels include the voltage-sensor domain (VSD) and conserved regions of the proximal cytoplasmic C terminus. Relatively little is known about PIP2 regulation of Ether-á-go-go (EAG) channels, a metazoan-specific family of K+ channels that includes three gene subfamilies, Eag (Kv10), Erg (Kv11), and Elk (Kv12). We examined PIP2 regulation of the Elk subfamily potassium channel human Elk1 to determine whether bimodal regulation is conserved within the EAG K+ channel family. Open-state stabilization by PIP2 has been observed in human Erg1, but the proposed site of regulation in the distal C terminus is not conserved among EAG family channels. We show that PIP2 strongly inhibits voltage activation of Elk1 but also stabilizes the open state. This stabilization produces slow deactivation and a mode shift in voltage gating after activation. However, removal of PIP2 has the net effect of enhancing Elk1 activation. R347 in the linker between the VSD and pore (S4–S5 linker) and R479 near the S6 activation gate are required for PIP2 to inhibit voltage activation. The ability of PIP2 to stabilize the open state also requires these residues, suggesting an overlap in sites central to the opposing effects of PIP2 on channel gating. Open-state stabilization in Elk1 requires the N-terminal eag domain (PAS domain + Cap), and PIP2-dependent stabilization is enhanced by a conserved basic residue (K5) in the Cap. Our data shows that PIP2 can bimodally regulate voltage gating in EAG family channels, as has been proposed for Shaker and HCN channels. PIP2 regulation appears fundamentally different for Elk and KCNQ channels, suggesting that, although both channel types can regulate action potential threshold in neurons, they are not functionally redundant.
Successful Treatment of Aortic Root Abscess in a Patient with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Agarwal Amitesh , Kollar Andras , Duarte Alexander G.
Published: October 2015

Continuous prostanoid infusion is an established treatment for pulmonary arterial hypertension that has led to improvements in symptoms, exercise tolerance, and survival. Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) who develop sepsis frequently experience clinical and hemodynamic deterioration associated with poor outcomes. Successful management of sepsis involves identification of the source of infection, early antimicrobial administration, judicious fluid resuscitation, and continuation of specific PAH therapies. We describe successful management of a patient with idiopathic PAH receiving chronic intravenous prostacyclin therapy who developed an aortic root abscess due to Clostridium perfringens requiring emergent aortic root repair. Management involved imaging studies, removal of potential sources with administration of intravenous antibiotics, and cautious fluid administration with hemodynamic monitoring. A multidisciplinary group led by a PAH specialist worked cohesively before, during, and after surgical intervention and achieved a successful outcome.
Nest architecture shapes the collective behaviour of harvester ants
Authors: Pinter-Wollman Noa
Published: October 2015

Structures influence how individuals interact and, therefore, shape the collective behaviours that emerge from these interactions. Here I show that the structure of a nest influences the collective behaviour of harvester ant colonies. Using network analysis, I quantify nest architecture and find that as chamber connectivity and redundancy of connections among chambers increase, so does a colony's speed of recruitment to food. Interestingly, the volume of the chambers did not influence speed of recruitment, suggesting that the spatial organization of a nest has a greater impact on collective behaviour than the number of workers it can hold. Thus, by changing spatial constraints on social interactions organisms can modify their behaviour and impact their fitness.
The morphological state space revisited: what do phylogenetic patterns in homoplasy tell us about the number of possible character states?
Authors: Hoyal Cuthill Jennifer F.
Published: October 2015

Biological variety and major evolutionary transitions suggest that the space of possible morphologies may have varied among lineages and through time. However, most models of phylogenetic character evolution assume that the potential state space is finite. Here, I explore what the morphological state space might be like, by analysing trends in homoplasy (repeated derivation of the same character state). Analyses of ten published character matrices are compared against computer simulations with different state space models: infinite states, finite states, ordered states and an ‘inertial' model, simulating phylogenetic constraints. Of these, only the infinite states model results in evolution without homoplasy, a prediction which is not generally met by real phylogenies. Many authors have interpreted the ubiquity of homoplasy as evidence that the number of evolutionary alternatives is finite. However, homoplasy is also predicted by phylogenetic constraints on the morphological distance that can be traversed between ancestor and descendent. Phylogenetic rarefaction (sub-sampling) shows that finite and inertial state spaces do produce contrasting trends in the distribution of homoplasy. Two clades show trends characteristic of phylogenetic inertia, with decreasing homoplasy (increasing consistency index) as we sub-sample more distantly related taxa. One clade shows increasing homoplasy, suggesting exhaustion of finite states. Different clades may, therefore, show different patterns of character evolution. However, when parsimony uninformative characters are excluded (which may occur without documentation in cladistic studies), it may no longer be possible to distinguish inertial and finite state spaces. Interestingly, inertial models predict that homoplasy should be clustered among comparatively close relatives (parallel evolution), whereas finite state models do not. If morphological evolution is often inertial in nature, then homoplasy (false homology) may primarily occur between close relatives, perhaps being replaced by functional analogy at higher taxonomic scales.
Peroxidase-catalysed interfacial adhesion of aquatic caddisworm silk
Authors: Wang Ching-Shuen , Pan Huaizhong , Weerasekare G. Mahika , Stewart Russell J.
Published: October 2015

Casemaker caddisfly (Hesperophylax occidentalis) larvae use adhesive silk fibres to construct protective shelters under water. The silk comprises a distinct peripheral coating on a viscoelastic fibre core. Caddisworm silk peroxinectin (csPxt), a haem-peroxidase, was shown to be glycosylated by lectin affinity chromatography and tandem mass spectrometry. Using high-resolution H2O2and peroxidase-dependent silver ion reduction and nanoparticle deposition, imaged by electron microscopy, csPxt activity was shown to be localized in the peripheral layer of drawn silk fibres. CsPxt catalyses dityrosine cross-linking within the adhesive peripheral layer post-draw, initiated perhaps by H2O2generated by a silk gland-specific superoxide dismutase 3 (csSOD3) from environmental reactive oxygen species present in natural water. CsSOD3 was also shown to be a glycoprotein and is likely localized in the peripheral layer. Using a synthetic fluorescent phenolic copolymer and confocal microscopy, it was shown that csPxt catalyses oxidative cross-linking to external polyphenolic compounds capable of diffusive interpenetration into the fuzzy peripheral coating, including humic acid, a natural surface-active polyphenol. The results provide evidence of enzyme-mediated covalent cross-linking of a natural bioadhesive to polyphenol conditioned interfaces as a mechanism of permanent adhesion underwater.
Local cost minimization in ant transport networks: from small-scale data to large-scale trade-offs
Authors: Bottinelli A. , van Wilgenburg E. , Sumpter D. J. T. , Latty T.
Published: October 2015

Transport networks distribute resources and information in many human and biological systems. Their construction requires optimization and balance of conflicting criteria such as robustness against disruptions, transport efficiency and building cost. The colonies of the polydomous Australian meat antIridomyrmex purpureusare a striking example of such a decentralized network, consisting of trails that connect spatially separated nests. Here we study the rules that underlie network construction in these ants. We find that a simple model of network growth, which we call the minimum linking model (MLM), is sufficient to explain the growth of real ant colonies. For larger networks, the MLM shows a qualitative similarity with a Euclidean minimum spanning tree, prioritizing cost and efficiency over robustness. We introduce a variant of our model to show that a balance between cost, efficiency and robustness can be also reproduced at larger scales than ant colonies. Remarkably, such a balance is influenced by a parameter reflecting the specific features of the modelled transport system. The extended MLM could thus be a suitable source of inspiration for the construction of cheap and efficient transport networks with non-zero robustness, suggesting possible applications in the design of human-made networks.
Modelling mass and heat transfer in nano-based cancer hyperthermia
Authors: Nabil M. , Decuzzi P. , Zunino P.
Published: October 2015

We derive a sophisticated mathematical model for coupled heat and mass transport in the tumour microenvironment and we apply it to study nanoparticle delivery and hyperthermic treatment of cancer. The model has the unique ability of combining the following features: (i) realistic vasculature; (ii) coupled capillary and interstitial flow; (iii) coupled capillary and interstitial mass transfer applied to nanoparticles; and (iv) coupled capillary and interstitial heat transfer, which are the fundamental mechanisms governing nano-based hyperthermic treatment. This is an improvement with respect to previous modelling approaches, where the effect of blood perfusion on heat transfer is modelled in a spatially averaged form. We analyse the time evolution and the spatial distribution of particles and temperature in a tumour mass treated with superparamagnetic nanoparticles excited by an alternating magnetic field. By means of numerical experiments, we synthesize scaling laws that illustrate how nano-based hyperthermia depends on tumour size and vascularity. In particular, we identify two distinct mechanisms that regulate the distribution of particle and temperature, which are characterized by perfusion and diffusion, respectively.
Reduced entomopathogen abundance in
Myrmica
ant nests—testing a possible immunological benefit of myrmecophily using
Galleria mellonella
as a model
Authors: Schär Sämi , Larsen Louise L. M. , Meyling Nicolai V. , Nash David R.
Published: October 2015

Social insects such as ants have evolved collective rather than individual immune defence strategies against diseases and parasites at the level of their societies (colonies), known as social immunity. Ants frequently host other arthropods, so-called myrmecophiles, in their nests. Here, we tested the hypothesis that myrmecophily may partly arise from selection for exploiting the ants’ social immunity. We used larvae of the wax moth
Galleria mellonella
as ‘model myrmecophiles’ (baits) to test this hypothesis. We found significantly reduced abundance of entomopathogens in ant nests compared with the surrounding environment. Specific entomopathogen groups (
Isaria fumosorosea
and nematodes) were also found to be significantly less abundant inside than outside ant nests, whereas one entomopathogen (
Beauveria brongniartii
) was significantly more abundant inside nests. We therefore hypothesize that immunological benefits of entering ant nests may provide us a new explanation of why natural selection acts in favour of such a life-history strategy.
Assessing Beijing's PM
2.5
pollution: severity, weather impact, APEC and winter heating
Authors: Liang Xuan , Zou Tao , Guo Bin , Li Shuo , Zhang Haozhe , Zhang Shuyi , Huang Hui , Chen Song Xi
Published: October 2015

By learning the PM
2.5
readings and meteorological records from 2010–2015, the severity of PM
2.5
pollution in Beijing is quantified with a set of statistical measures. As PM
2.5
concentration is highly influenced by meteorological conditions, we propose a statistical approach to adjust PM
2.5
concentration with respect to meteorological conditions, which can be used to monitor PM
2.5
pollution in a location. The adjusted monthly averages and percentiles are employed to test if the PM
2.5
levels in Beijing have been lowered since China's State Council set up a pollution reduction target. The results of the testing reveal significant increases, rather than decreases, in the PM
2.5
concentrations in the years 2013 and 2014 as compared with those in year 2012. We conduct analyses on two quasi-experiments—the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in November 2014 and the annual winter heating—to gain insight into the impacts of emissions on PM
2.5
. The analyses lead to a conclusion that a fundamental shift from mainly coal-based energy consumption to much greener alternatives in Beijing and the surrounding North China Plain is the key to solving the PM
2.5
problem in Beijing.
Computational analysis of morphologies and phase transitions of cross-linked, semi-flexible polymer networks
Authors: Müller Kei W. , Cyron Christian J. , Wall Wolfgang A.
Published: October 2015

The eukaryotic cytoskeleton is a protein fibre network mainly consisting of the semi-flexible biopolymer F-actin, microtubules and intermediate filaments. It is well known to exhibit a pronounced structural polymorphism, which enables intracellular processes such as cell adhesion, cell motility and cell division. We present a computational study on cross-linked networks of semi-flexible polymers, which offers a detailed analysis of the network structure and phase transitions from one morphology to another. We elaborate the morphological differences, their mechanical implications and the order of the observed phase transitions. Finally, we present a perspective on how the information gained in our simulations can be exploited in order to build both flexible and accurate, microstructurally informed, homogenized constitutive models of the cytoskeleton.
Classical homogenization to analyse the dispersion relations of spoof plasmons with geometrical and compositional effects
Authors: Mercier J.-F. , Cordero M. L. , Félix S. , Ourir A. , Maurel A.
Published: October 2015

We show that the classical homogenization is able to describe the dispersion relation of spoof plasmons in structured thick interfaces with periodic unit cell being at the subwavelength scale. This is because the interface in the real problem is replaced by a slab of an homogeneous birefringent medium, with an effective mass density tensor and an effective bulk modulus. Thus, explicit dispersion relation can be derived, corresponding to guided waves in the homogenized problem. Contrary to previous effective medium theories or retrieval methods, the homogenization gives effective parameters depending only on the properties of the material and on the geometry of the microstructure. Although resonances in the unit cell cannot be accounted for within this low-frequency homogenization, it is able to account for resonances occurring because of the thickness of the interface and thus, to capture the behaviour of the spoof plasmons. Beyond the case of simple grooves in a hard material, we inspect the influence of tilting the grooves and the influence of the material properties.
Stability analysis of Couette flows of spatially inhomogeneous complex fluids
Authors: Varsakelis C. , Papalexandris M. V.
Published: October 2015

In this paper, the stability of unidirectional Couette flows of a spatially inhomogeneous complex fluid is investigated via a linear stability analysis. The employment of a classical normal-mode analysis results in a fourth-order polynomial eigenvalue problem that is solved numerically via a Chebyshev polynomial method. The results of this study suggest that the flow of interest is unconditionally unstable but nevertheless the growth rates remain small so that the observability of the instability requires a very large time window. The observed instability manifests itself through the formation of concentration waves that, due to their location at the bottom of the channel, closely resemble a series of superposed, high-concentration piles.
A conserved class of queen pheromones? Re-evaluating the evidence in bumblebees (
Bombus impatiens
)
Authors: Amsalem Etya , Orlova Margarita , Grozinger Christina M.
Published: October 2015

The regulation of reproductive division of labour is a key component in the evolution of social insects. Chemical signals are important mechanisms to regulate worker reproduction, either as queen-produced pheromones that coercively inhibit worker reproduction or as queen signals that honestly advertise her fecundity. A recent study suggested that a conserved class of hydrocarbons serve as queen pheromones across three independent origins of eusociality. In bumblebees (
Bombus terrestris
), pentacosane (
C
25) was suggested to serve as a queen pheromone. Here, we repeat these studies using a different species of bumblebee (
Bombus impatiens
) with a more controlled experimental design. Instead of dequeened colonies, we used same-aged, three-worker queenless groups comprising either experienced or naive workers (with/without adult exposure to queen pheromone). We quantified three hydrocarbons (
C
23,
C
25 and
C
27) on the cuticular surfaces of females and tested their effects on the two worker types. Our results indicate differences in responses of naive and experienced workers, genetic effects on worker reproduction, and general effects of hydrocarbons and duration of egg laying on ovary resorption rates. However, we found no evidence to support the theory that a conserved class of hydrocarbons serve as queen pheromones or queen signals in
Bombus impatiens
.
Continental faunal exchange and the asymmetrical radiation of carnivores
Authors: Pires Mathias M. , Silvestro Daniele , Quental Tiago B.
Published: October 2015

Lineages arriving on islands may undergo explosive evolutionary radiations owing to the wealth of ecological opportunities. Although studies on insular taxa have improved our understanding of macroevolutionary phenomena, we know little about the macroevolutionary dynamics of continental exchanges. Here we study the evolution of eight Carnivora families that have migrated across the Northern Hemisphere to investigate if continental invasions also result in explosive diversification dynamics. We used a Bayesian approach to estimate speciation and extinction rates from a substantial dataset of fossil occurrences while accounting for the incompleteness of the fossil record. Our analyses revealed a strongly asymmetrical pattern in which North American lineages invading Eurasia underwent explosive radiations, whereas lineages invading North America maintained uniform diversification dynamics. These invasions into Eurasia were characterized by high rates of speciation and extinction. The radiation of the arriving lineages in Eurasia coincide with the decline of established lineages or phases of climate change, suggesting differences in the ecological settings between the continents may be responsible for the disparity in diversification dynamics. These results reveal long-term outcomes of biological invasions and show that the importance of explosive radiations in shaping diversity extends beyond insular systems and have significant impact at continental scales.
Deformable complex network for refining low-resolution X-ray structures
Authors: Zhang Chong , Wang Qinghua , Ma Jianpeng
Published: October 2015

In macromolecular X-ray crystallography, building more accurate atomic models based on lower resolution experimental diffraction data remains a great challenge. Previous studies have used a deformable elastic network (DEN) model to aid in low-resolution structural refinement. In this study, the development of a new refinement algorithm called the deformable complex network (DCN) is reported that combines a novel angular network-based restraint with the DEN model in the target function. Testing of DCN on a wide range of low-resolution structures demonstrated that it constantly leads to significantly improved structural models as judged by multiple refinement criteria, thus representing a new effective refinement tool for low-resolution structural determination.
Structures of yeast peroxisomal Δ3,Δ2-enoyl-CoA isomerase complexed with acyl-CoA substrate analogues: the importance of hydrogen-bond networks for the reactivity of the catalytic base and the oxyanion hole
Authors: Onwukwe Goodluck U. , Koski M. Kristian , Pihko Petri , Schmitz Werner , Wierenga Rik K.
Published: October 2015

Δ3,Δ2-Enoyl-CoA isomerases (ECIs) catalyze the shift of a double bond from 3Z- or 3E-enoyl-CoA to 2E-enoyl-CoA. ECIs are members of the crotonase superfamily. The crotonase framework is used by many enzymes to catalyze a wide range of reactions on acyl-CoA thioesters. The thioester O atom is bound in a conserved oxyanion hole. Here, the mode of binding of acyl-CoA substrate analogues to peroxisomalSaccharomyces cerevisiaeECI (ScECI2) is described. The best defined part of the bound acyl-CoA molecules is the 3′,5′-diphosphate-adenosine moiety, which interacts with residues of loop 1 and loop 2, whereas the pantetheine part is the least well defined. The catalytic base, Glu158, is hydrogen-bonded to the Asn101 side chain and is further hydrogen-bonded to the side chain of Arg100 in the apo structure. Arg100 is completely buried in the apo structure and a conformational change of the Arg100 side chain appears to be important for substrate binding and catalysis. The oxyanion hole is formed by the NH groups of Ala70 (loop 2) and Leu126 (helix 3). The O atoms of the corresponding peptide units, Gly69 O and Gly125 O, are both part of extensive hydrogen-bond networks. These hydrogen-bond networks are a conserved feature of the crotonase oxyanion hole and their importance for catalysis is discussed.
Crystal structures of the pyrazinamide–p-aminobenzoic acid (1/1) cocrystal and the transamidation reaction product 4-(pyrazine-2-carboxamido)benzoic acid in the molten state
Authors: Thorat Shridhar H. , Sahu Sanjay Kumar , Gonnade Rajesh G.
Published: October 2015

The synthesis of pharmaceutical cocrystals is a strategy to enhance the performance of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) without affecting their therapeutic efficiency. The 1:1 pharmaceutical cocrystal of the antituberculosis drug pyrazinamide (PZA) and the cocrystal formerp-aminobenzoic acid (p-ABA), C7H7NO2·C5H5N3O, (1), was synthesized successfully and characterized by relevant solid-state characterization methods. The cocrystal crystallizes in the monoclinic space groupP21/ncontaining one molecule of each component. Both molecules associateviaintermolecular O—H...O and N—H...O hydrogen bonds [O...O = 2.6102 (15) Å and O—H...O = 168.3 (19)°; N...O = 2.9259 (18) Å and N—H...O = 167.7 (16)°] to generate a dimeric acid–amide synthon. Neighbouring dimers are linked centrosymmetrically through N—H...O interactions [N...O = 3.1201 (18) Å and N—H...O = 136.9 (14)°] to form a tetrameric assembly supplemented by C—H...N interactions [C...N = 3.5277 (19) Å and C—H...N = 147°]. Linking of these tetrameric assemblies through N—H...O [N...O = 3.3026 (19) Å and N—H...O = 143.1 (17)°], N—H...N [N...N = 3.221 (2) Å and N—H...N = 177.9 (17)°] and C—H...O [C...O = 3.5354 (18) Å and C—H...O = 152°] interactions creates the two-dimensional packing. Recrystallization of the cocrystals from the molten state revealed the formation of 4-(pyrazine-2-carboxamido)benzoic acid, C12H9N3O3, (2), through a transamidation reaction between PZA andp-ABA. Carboxamide (2) crystallizes in the triclinic space groupP-1 with one molecule in the asymmetric unit. Molecules of (2) form a centrosymmetric dimeric homosynthon through an acid–acid O—H...O hydrogen bond [O...O = 2.666 (3) Å and O—H...O = 178 (4)°]. Neighbouring assemblies are connected centrosymmetricallyviaa C—H...N interaction [C...N = 3.365 (3) Å and C—H...N = 142°] engaging the pyrazine groups to generate a linear chain. Adjacent chains are connected looselyviaC—H...O interactions [C...O = 3.212 (3) Å and C—H...O = 149°] to generate a two-dimensional sheet structure. Closely associated two-dimensional sheets in both compounds are stackedviaaromatic π-stacking interactions engaging the pyrazine and benzene rings to create a three-dimensional multi-stack structure.
Local cathodic protection design based on numerical simulation
Authors: Cui Gan , Li Zili , Zhao Lingyu , Wei Xu
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this investigation was to study these problems and design regional cathodic protection, using numerical simulation. Regional cathodic protection technology is immature at home and abroad. This is reflected in the fact that in gas stations, there are many underground pipelines, which can lead to serious interference and shielding phenomena, and there are many grounding networks that can cause substantial loss of the cathodic protection current.

Design/methodology/approach

– Based on the above, in this article, first of all, the mathematical model of the buried pipeline cathodic protection potential distribution was established and the control equations solved using the boundary element method. Second, the cathodic shielding effect in pipeline concentration areas, the effect of instrument equipment grounding systems on cathodic protection and the influence of DC stray current on the interference of pipeline corrosion were studied separately using BEASY software. Finally, the BEASY software was used for a regional cathodic protection design for a real gas station.

Findings

– It was concluded that impressed current used in combination with sacrificial anodes for regional cathodic protection design is often the most economic and effective approach. However, the output current of the auxiliary anode is large with high energy consumption. In consequence, it may be recommended that the station pipelines should be laid on the ground, rather than under it.

Originality/value

– It is considered that the results can guide regional cathodic protection design for real-life installations very well.
Correlation between AC magnetic susceptibility and pitting behaviour of sigma-phase containing duplex stainless steel
Authors: Lo Kin Ho , Kwok Chi Tat , Kuan Hong Cheng , Chan Weng Kin , Ai Wenji
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to characterize the pitting behaviour of sigma-phase-containing duplex stainless steel and investigate the correlation between magnetic susceptibility and pitting potentials.

Design/methodology/approach

– Use an alternating current (AC) magnetic susceptometer to trace the change in magnetic susceptibility associated with sigma phase formation and systematic study of the effects of sigma precipitation on pitting parameters as obtained using the anodic potentiodynamic polarization test.

Findings

– The precipitation of sigma phase impairs the general and pitting corrosion resistance of duplex stainless steel. The pitting potential, the corrosion potential and the AC magnetic susceptibility have good correlations. Unlike the pitting potential and the corrosion potential, the passive current and the corrosion current do not seem to possess any trend with annealing time.

Originality/value

– The correlation between AC magnetic susceptibility and pitting parameters has not been reported in the literature before.
Does supported living work for people with severe intellectual disabilities?
Authors: Marlow Elizabeth , Walker Nina
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to look at whether a move to a supported living model of care from traditional residential group homes could improve the quality of life for those with a severe intellectual disability and other challenging needs.

Design/methodology/approach

– Six men with severe intellectual disabilities moved from two residential homes into new-build individual flats. Their quality of life was measured using a battery of assessments looking at; environment, relationships, community participation, interactions, mood interest and pleasure, activities, physical health and challenging behaviour. These measures were taken before the move, immediately after and six months after the move. The views of staff and family carers were also assessed at each stage.

Findings

– The move had a positive effect on the tenants in that it caused an improvement in their mood and a decrease in their challenging behaviours. Further improvements could be made in the tenant’s quality of life by introducing more activities. The initial concerns of family members about the move decreased over time. However staff found the changes to their working practices stressful.

Research limitations/implications

– The study was a small scale one because of the small number of tenants. The tenants were unable to express their own views because of their limited communication abilities so a combination of direct observation and indirect measures were used.

Practical implications

– In the light of the Winterbourne view report by Stephen Bubb this study looks at the impact on quality of life of a move to supported living for a group of people with complex and challenging needs who might otherwise be placed in an out of borough placement similar to Winterbourne view.

Social implications

– The study also looks at the impact of such a move on the family members of the individuals and on the staff who had to change their working practices to adapt to both a new working environment and model of care.

Originality/value

– This study also looks at the impact of a model of supported living for people with severe intellectual disabilities and complex needs rather than those with mild intellectual disabilities. This is particularly important in the post Winterbourne view climate when the authors need to look carefully at positive alternative models of care for these individuals.
Predictors of challenging behaviour in adults with intellectual disability
Authors: Koritsas Stella , Iacono Teresa
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to determine the extent to which mental health, physical health, communication, learned function of the behaviour(s), severity of disability, living arrangement, age, and gender, alone or in combination, predicted challenging behaviours in adults with intellectual disability.

Design/methodology/approach

– In total, 74 adults with intellectual disability and their paid carers were recruited into the study from adult disability services in Victoria, Australia. Paid carers provided information about participants with intellectual disability on a range of measures targeting each variable of interest.

Findings

– Based on principle components analyses of three challenging behaviour measures, two topographies of challenging behaviour emerged: contact and non-contact behaviours. Multiple regression analysis revealed that contact behaviours were predicted by anxiety scores and severity of disability. In addition to severity of disability and anxiety scores, non-contact behaviours were also predicted by sensory scores.

Practical implications

– The results of the current study indicate that contact and non-contact behaviours were determined by multiple factors. Clinicians and others who work with people who display challenging behaviour may, therefore, find it helpful to utilise the biopsychosocial model in their formulations of possible reasons that motivate a person to engage in challenging behaviour.

Originality/value

– These results contribute to the evidence base available to clinicians and researchers to guide future assessment for challenging behaviour. Expansion of functional assessment methods to explore factors not traditionally included, such as mental health and severity of intellectual disability, as causes of challenging behaviour, may prove helpful.
Educational data mining for improving learning outcomes in teaching accounting within higher education
Authors: Chamizo-Gonzalez Julian , Cano-Montero Elisa Isabel , Urquia-Grande Elena , Muñoz-Colomina Clara Isabel
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper are twofold. First, to disclose whether accounting students who participate more in online activities proposed by the teacher achieve better learning outcomes. Second, to identify which virtual learning activities achieve improved outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

– Data mining is a computer-based tool devoted to analyzing massive data sources, generating information and discovering deeper knowledge and links among variables.

Findings

– There were differences between universities and subjects in the association of level of activity and learning outcomes. These findings will help teachers adjust their teaching guide, schedule and explanations.

Research limitations/implications

– Further developments should include the level of online compromise of the lecturers, and the correspondence of the online activity with the designed activities in the teaching guide. In order to identify the value-added activities performed by the students to achieve better deep learning outcomes.

Practical implications

– Higher Education should provide students with cognitive and transversal skills for successful incorporation into the labor market. In this sense, teaching methodology combined with online tools facilitates the process of teaching and learning with the implementation of different multimedia resources.

Originality/value

– Recently, the impact of virtual platform usage on students’ learning outcomes has started to be analyzed using “data mining” techniques. Educational data mining is a new focus to disclose existing links among students, lecturers and its activity.
Stricter microprudential supervision versus macroprudential supervision
Authors: Wall Larry D
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to develop an explicitly macroprudential supervisory framework designed to identify threats to financial stability use existing mechanisms to reduce the risk of these threats and to provide information to the authorities to more efficiently mitigate any instability that does arise.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper begins with an analysis of the limitations of microprudential regulation. It then develops a macroprudential surveillance framework focused on those financial markets that have the potential to undermine financial stability. It concludes with a discussion of how the surveillance results may be used to enhance financial stability.

Findings

– The current supervisory focus on microprudential supervision of systemically important institutions is insufficient; an explicitly macroprudential focus is required.

Research limitations/implications

– Although this paper’s conceptual framework is applicable to all advanced financial systems the discussion of specific regulatory structures focuses on the USA.

Practical implications

– An explicit supervisory focus on the threats posed by major financial markets is feasible and desirable.

Social implications

– The probability of a financial crisis and the economic damage caused by a crisis can be significantly reduced by redirecting some regulatory efforts toward in-depth analysis of major financial markets.

Originality/value

– The paper emphasizes that macroprudential supervision must include both quantitative and detailed analysis of the qualitative aspects of key markets.
Strengthening credit rating integrity
Authors: Adelson Mark , Jacob David
Published: October 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of the article is to explain the significance of key features of the SEC’s new rules for credit rating agencies. Those rules include three key items: they prohibit the influence of sales or marketing considerations on criteria development; they include guidance that preserves the ability of ratings to serve as relative rather than absolute measures of credit risk; and they require cross-sector consistency of rating symbols. When they were released the significance of the rules was under-appreciated because of other simultaneous regulatory announcements.

Design/methodology/approach

– The approach is to consider how effectively the rules address their target issues. In doing so the article explores how the final rules evolved from their original proposed form and from the statutory specifications in the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act.

Findings

– The new rules should promote the integrity of credit ratings in the future. They should be effective in reducing the influence of sales and marketing considerations on the development of rating criteria. In addition they should enhance rating integrity through superior cross-sector consistency in the meanings of rating symbols while allowing rating agencies to maintain their traditional emphasis on relative risk.

Originality/value

– The authors are not aware of any similar work assessing the selected provisions of the new SEC rules for credit rating agencies.
Myopericytoma proliferating in an unusual anastomosing multinodular fashion
Authors: Inoue Takuya , Misago Noriyuki , Asami Akihiko , Tokunaga Osamu , Narisawa Yutaka
Published: October 2015

We herein describe a case of myopericytoma that proliferated in an unusual fashion. Myopericytoma is described as a group of rare, benign, dermal or subcutaneous tumors that are characterized histologically by a striking, concentric, perivascular proliferation of spindle cells and showing apparent differentiation towards perivascular myoid cells. Myopericytoma forms a morphological continuum with myofibroma/myofibromatosis, glomus tumor and angioleiomyoma. The patient was a 64‐year‐old woman who demonstrated a recurrent ulcer on an atrophic plaque on her left shin. A histopathological examination of the plaque demonstrated that tumor cells proliferated in an anastomosing multinodular fashion along the vessels in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue. In those nodules, there were numerous, small, concentric proliferations of myoid‐appearing spindle cells around small vascular lumina. The present case is an unusual example of myopericytoma, manifesting in a characteristic anastomosing, multinodular, infiltrating fashion.
Offset‐variable density improves acoustic full‐waveform inversion: a shallow marine case study
Authors: Silverton Akela , Warner Michael , Morgan Joanna , Umpleby Adrian
Published: October 2015

We have previously applied three‐dimensional acoustic, anisotropic, full‐waveform inversion to a shallow‐water, wide‐angle, ocean‐bottom‐cable dataset to obtain a high‐resolution velocity model. This velocity model produced an improved match between synthetic and field data, better flattening of common‐image gathers, a closer fit to well logs, and an improvement in the pre‐stack depth‐migrated image. Nevertheless, close examination reveals that there is a systematic mismatch between the observed and predicted data from this full‐waveform inversion model, with the predicted data being consistently delayed in time. We demonstrate that this mismatch cannot be produced by systematic errors in the starting model, by errors in the assumed source wavelet, by incomplete convergence, or by the use of an insufficiently fine finite‐difference mesh. Throughout these tests, the mismatch is remarkably robust with the significant exception that we do not see an analogous mismatch when inverting synthetic acoustic data. We suspect therefore that the mismatch arises because of inadequacies in the physics that are used during inversion. For ocean‐bottom‐cable data in shallow water at low frequency, apparent observed arrival times, in wide‐angle turning‐ray data, result from the characteristics of the detailed interference pattern between primary refractions, surface ghosts, and a large suite of wide‐angle multiple reflected and/or multiple refracted arrivals. In these circumstances, the dynamics of individual arrivals can strongly influence the apparent arrival times of the resultant compound waveforms. In acoustic full‐waveform inversion, we do not normally know the density of the seabed, and we do not properly account for finite shear velocity, finite attenuation, and fine‐scale anisotropy variation, all of which can influence the relative amplitudes of different interfering arrivals, which in their turn influence the apparent kinematics. Here, we demonstrate that the introduction of a non‐physical offset‐variable water density during acoustic full‐waveform inversion of this ocean‐bottom‐cable field dataset can compensate efficiently and heuristically for these inaccuracies. This approach improves the travel‐time match and consequently increases both the accuracy and resolution of the final velocity model that is obtained using purely acoustic full‐waveform inversion at minimal additional cost.
Foetal trauma, body memory and early infant communication: a case illustration
Authors: Merchant John
Published: October 2015

This paper presents the complex case of a male patient who started life as an unwanted pregnancy and adoptee in an era of socio‐cultural shame and blame. When able to contact his birth mother later in life, he experienced a number of confronting synchronicities as well as visions which he felt were related to failed abortion attempts and to other pre‐ and post‐natal events.

The case material lends weight not only to Freud's, Ehrenwald's and FitzHerbert's assertions that the earliest form of mother‐infant communications is telepathic in nature but that this mode of communication can be retained if emotional trauma inhibits normal developmental processes. Contemporary neuroscience research is presented supporting the hypothesis that emotional memory can become imbedded in the psyche/soma of the foetus. Such memory traces can later emerge into imagery and/or words if the traumatic impingement has been substantial enough and if other defensive strategies are in place.

Clinical implications are then suggested regarding analysts’ attention to the emotional conditions underpinning their patients’ conceptions and foetal development; the connection to projective identification components of the countertransference as being aspects of the earliest telepathic mother/infant communication channel and the need for reductive analyses in analyst training programmes.