bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
USP7 deubiquitinase controls HIV-1 production by stabilizing Tat protein
Authors: Ali Amjad , Raja Rameez , Farooqui Sabihur Rahman , Ahmad Shaista , Banerjea Akhil C.
Published: March 2017

Deubiquitinases (DUBs) are key regulators of complex cellular processes. HIV-1 Tat is synthesized early after infection and is mainly responsible for enhancing viral production. Here, we report that one of the DUBs, USP7, stabilized the HIV-1 Tat protein through its deubiquitination. Treatment with either a general DUB inhibitor (PR-619) or USP7-specific inhibitor (P5091) resulted in Tat protein degradation. The USP7-specific inhibitor reduced virus production in a latently infected T-lymphocytic cell line J1.1, which produces large amounts of HIV-1 upon stimulation. A potent increase in Tat-mediated HIV-1 production was observed with USP7 in a dose-dependent manner. As expected, deletion of the USP7 gene using the CRISPR-Cas9 method reduced the Tat protein and supported less virus production. Interestingly, the levels of endogenous USP7 increased after HIV-1 infection in human T-cells (MOLT-3) and in mammalian cells transfected with HIV-1 proviral DNA. Thus, HIV-1 Tat is stabilized by the host cell deubiquitinase USP7, leading to enhanced viral production, and HIV-1 in turn up-regulates the USP7 protein level.
The Effect of Tinnitus on Listening Effort in Normal-Hearing Young Adults: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Degeest Sofie , Keppler Hannah , Corthals Paul
Published: March 2017

Purpose

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of chronic tinnitus on listening effort.

Method

Thirteen normal-hearing young adults with chronic tinnitus were matched with a control group for age, gender, hearing thresholds, and educational level. A dual-task paradigm was used to evaluate listening effort in different listening conditions. A primary speech-recognition task and a secondary memory task were performed both separately and simultaneously. Furthermore, subjective listening effort was questioned for various listening situations. The Tinnitus Handicap Inventory was used to control for tinnitus handicap.

Results

Listening effort significantly increased in the tinnitus group across listening conditions. There was no significant difference in listening effort between listening conditions, nor was there an interaction between groups and listening conditions. Subjective listening effort did not significantly differ between both groups.

Conclusions

This study is a first exploration of listening effort in normal-hearing participants with chronic tinnitus showing that listening effort is increased as compared with a control group. There is a need to further investigate the cognitive functions important for speech understanding and their possible relation with the presence of tinnitus and listening effort.
Delayed Early Vocabulary Development in Children at Family Risk of Dyslexia
Authors: van Viersen Sietske , de Bree Elise H. , Verdam Mathilde , Krikhaar Evelien , Maassen Ben , van der Leij Aryan , de Jong Peter F.
Published: March 2017

Purpose

This study aimed to gain more insight into the relation between vocabulary and reading acquisition by examining early growth trajectories in the vocabulary of children at family risk (FR) of dyslexia longitudinally.

Method

The sample included 212 children from the Dutch Dyslexia Program with and without an FR. Parents reported on their children's receptive and expressive vocabulary size at ages 17, 23, 29, and 35 months using the Dutch MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories. Dyslexia status at the end of Grade 2 (8 years) rendered 3 groups: FR-dyslexic (
n
= 51), FR-nondyslexic (
n
= 92), and typically developing–nondyslexic (TD) children (
n
= 69).

Results

Repeated measures analyses showed that FR-dyslexic children had lower receptive vocabulary scores from 23 months onward and lower expressive scores from 17 months onward than FR-nondyslexic children. Latent growth curve modeling showed lower initial growth rates in FR-dyslexic children, followed by partial recovery, indicating a delayed increase in receptive and expressive vocabulary. FR-nondyslexic and TD children did not differ.

Conclusions

Early deficits in receptive and expressive vocabulary are associated with later reading. Early vocabulary growth of FR-dyslexic children is characterized by a delay but not deviance of growth. Vocabulary can be considered an additional risk factor for dyslexia.
The SINFONI survey of powerful radio galaxies at z ~ 2: Jet-driven AGN feedback during the Quasar Era
Authors: Nesvadba N. P. H. , De Breuck C. , Lehnert M. D. , Best P. N. , Collet C.
Published: March 2017

We present VLT/SINFONI imaging spectroscopy of the rest-frame optical emission lines of warm ionized gas in 33 powerful radio galaxies at redshifts z ≳ 2, which are excellent sites to study the interplay of rapidly accreting active galactic nuclei and the interstellar medium of the host galaxy in the very late formation stages of massive galaxies. Our targets span two orders of magnitude in radio size (2−400 kpc) and kinetic jet energy (a few 1046– almost 1048 erg s-1). All sources have complex gas kinematics with broad line widths up to ~1300 km s-1. About half have bipolar velocity fields with offsets up to 1500 km s-1 and are consistent with global back-to-back outflows. The others have complex velocity distributions, often with multiple abrupt velocity jumps far from the nucleus of the galaxy, and are not associated with a major merger in any obvious way. We present several empirical constraints that show why gas kinematics and radio jets seem to be physically related in all galaxies of the sample. The kinetic energy in the gas from large scale bulk and local outflow or turbulent motion corresponds to a few 10-3 to 10-2 of the kinetic energy output of the radio jet. In galaxies with radio jet power ≳ 1047 erg s-1, the kinetic energy in global back-to-back outflows dominates the total energy budget of the gas, suggesting that bulk motion of outflowing gas encompasses the global interstellar medium. This might be facilitated by the strong gas turbulence, as suggested by recent analytical work. We compare our findings with recent hydrodynamic simulations, and discuss the potential consequences for the subsequent evolution of massive galaxies at high redshift. Compared with recent models of metal enrichment in high-z AGN hosts, we find that the gas-phase metallicities in our galaxies are lower than in most low-z AGN, but nonetheless solar or even super-solar, suggesting that the ISM we see in these galaxies is very similar to the gas from which massive low-redshift galaxies formed most of their stars. This further highlights that we are seeing these galaxies near the end of their active formation phase.
A semi-Lagrangian algorithm in policy space for hybrid optimal control problems
Authors: Ferretti Roberto , Sassi Achille
Published: March 2017

The mathematical framework of hybrid system is a recent and general tool to treat control systems involving control action of heterogeneous nature. In this paper, we construct and test a semi-Lagrangian numerical scheme for solving the Dynamic Programming equation of an infinite horizon optimal control problem for hybrid systems. In order to speed up convergence, we also propose and analyze an acceleration technique based on policy iteration. Finally, we validate the approach via some numerical tests in low dimension.
Synthesis of Novel Five- and Six-Membered Ferrocene-Containing Heterocycles and Heteroaromatics via Cyclocondensation of 1-Ferro­cenyl-3,3-bis(methylthio)prop-2-en-1-one with Various Bifunctional Nucleophiles
Authors: Singh Prabal , Yugandar S. , Kumar S. , Ila H. , Junjappa H.
Published: March 2017

Synthesis and reactions of 1-ferrocenyl-3,3-bis(methylthio)prop-2-en-1-one as a versatile 1,3-bielectrophilic synthon leading to a range of novel ferrocene-containing five- and six-membered heterocycles and heteroaromatics has been reported. Thus its cyclocondensation with various bifunctional heteronucleophiles, such as hydrazine­, phenylhydrazine, hydroxylamine, guanidine, and amidine, affords­ a range of ferrocene-substituted pyrazoles, oxazoles, and pyrimidines in highly regioselective manner. Synthesis of few ferrocenyl-substituted pyridines and thiophenes has also been described. Similarly cycloaromatization of this ferrocene-substituted α-oxoketene dithioacetal with anions generated from (het)arylacetonitriles provides a facile entry to ferrocene-substituted heteroaromatics in good yields. Synthesis of a few 2-ferrocenylvinyl-substituted heterocycles, such as pyrazoles, isoxazoles, and pyrimidines, via cyclocondensation of a novel 5-ferrocenyl-1,1-bis(methylthio)penta-1,4-dien-3-one with phenylhydrazine, hydroxylamine, and guanidine has also been reported.
Clinical Results of Cardiac Surgery in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C and Their Role in Risk Models: A Case-Control Study
Authors: Cakici Mehmet , Ozcinar Evren , Durdu Serkan , Inan Bahadir , Sirlak Mustafa , Akar Ruchan , Baran Cagdas
Published: March 2017

Background To evaluate the results of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) following cardiac surgery in the TurcoSCORE (TrS) database.

Methods Sixty patients with HCV who underwent cardiac surgery between 2005 and 2016 in our clinic out of a total 8,018 patients from the TrS database were included in the study. The perioperative morbidity and mortality rates in these patients were compared with a matched cohort.

Results The mean follow-up time was 96.6 ± 12.3 months. Hospital mortality rates (HCV group 5% vs. control group 1.7%, p = 0.61) were similar between the groups. No significant difference was found in the duration of cardiopulmonary bypass (HCV 79.1 ± 12.3 vs. control 82.6 ± 11.8, p = 0.88) and cross clamps (HCV 33.4 ± 6.9 vs control 33.8 ± 7.2 p = 0.76) between the two groups. The rate of patients who were revised due to postoperative hemorrhage was significantly higher in the HCV arm compared with the matched cohort (HCV 13.3% vs. control 1.7%, p < 0.05). Although the measured prothrombin time (PT) and international normalized ratio (INR) in the postoperative 24th hour were in normal ranges in both arms, they were significantly higher in the HCV arm (HCV 11.2 ± 1.2 vs. control 10.5 ± 0.8, p < 0.05; HCV 0.99 ± 0.06, vs. control 0.92 ± 0.03, p < 0.0001).

Conclusion The presence of HCV can be an important prognostic factor for morbidity in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. It can also play an important role in the risk models generated for cardiac surgery.
Left Ventricular Myxoma with Embolization Causes Acute Infrarenal Aortic Occlusion
Authors: Vashakmadze Nikoloz , Jaiani Sulkhan , Kovziridze Davit , Kurashvili Gela , Keshelava Grigol
Published: March 2017

Atrial myxoma is the most common benign tumor of the heart; moreover, atrial myxoma embolization to the peripheral vessels is rare. We present an unusual case of total acute infrarenal aortic occlusion resulting from embolic implantation from a left ventricular myxoma. A 37-year-old man with acute lower limbs ischemia, spinal cord ischemia, and acute renal insufficiency was urgently operated and discharged after surgery.
Five-Strand versus Four-Strand Hamstring Tendon Graft Technique for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Biomechanical Comparison
Authors: Vaillant Eric , Parks Brent , Camire Lyn , Hinton Richard
Published: March 2017

The aim of this article is to compare diameter and stiffness, displacement, and strain in a five-strand versus four-strand hamstring graft for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Eight matched pairs of lower extremities underwent four-strand or five-strand hamstring graft reconstruction. Diameter was significantly higher in the five-strand versus the four-strand construct (p = 0.002). No significant difference was found between the groups in construct displacement or stiffness. Significantly higher strain was observed in the inner limb versus the outer limb in the four-strand construct (p = 0.001) and in the inner limb versus the fifth limb in the 5-strand construct (p = 0.004). A fifth limb added to a four-strand hamstring graft significantly increased graft diameter but did not significantly change stiffness or displacement, suggesting that attachment of additional graft material via suture did not provide for full incorporation of the added limb into the graft at time zero. The inner limb in both constructs absorbed significantly greater load than did other limbs. The use of suture to attach additional material to a four-strand hamstring graft may not contribute to improved biomechanical qualities of the graft at time zero.
Patellar Height Measurements on Radiograph and Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patellar Instability and Control Patients
Authors: Yue R. , Arendt Elizabeth , Tompkins Marc
Published: March 2017

Insall–Salvati (IS) ratio, modified IS ratio (mIS), Caton–Deschamps (CD) index, and Blackburne–Peel (BP) index are patellar height measurements commonly made on lateral radiographs (XRs) in patients with patellofemoral instability. More recently, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been used as an additional imaging modality to measure patellar height. However, different imaging modalities have not been previously compared for all of these measurements. First, to compare the patellar height measurements of IS, mIS, CD, and BP on XR and MRI in first-time lateral patellar dislocation (LPD) patients and a control population and, second, to evaluate for the effect of sex and skeletal maturity. All first-time LPD patients with both MRI and XR of the knee within 6 weeks of injury from 2008 to 2012 were included in the LPD group (n = 112). Patients without patellofemoral instability who underwent both MRI and XR of the knee served as controls (n = 129). Two independent observers measured patellar height. Mean values were compared among the radiographic modalities, sex, and skeletal maturity status. Interobserver reliability was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Patellar height in the LPD group measured greater on MRI than on XR for all four patellar height ratios (IS: 0.11; mIS: 0.07; CD: 0.18; BP: 0.08). In controls, MRI also demonstrated higher readings than XR on two indices (CD: 0.17; BP: 0.16). Skeletally immature patients measured higher than skeletally mature patients in the majority of the measurements by 0.12 to 0.20 on MRI and XR; the majority of the measurements showed no sex differences. ICC was excellent for IS on both MRI (ICC = 0.830) and XR (ICC = 0.849) and for CD on XR (ICC = 0.786). Patellar height measured greater on MRI than XR by approximately 0.10 across four patellar height measurement indices. Skeletally immature patients measured higher than skeletally mature on both MRI and XR, but sex did not have an effect. This is a retrospective cohort study and its level of evidence is 3.
Comparison of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Graft Isometry between Paired Femoral and Tibial Tunnels
Authors: Cain E. , Biggers Marcus , Emblom Benton , Dugas Jeffrey , Beason David
Published: March 2017

Accurate tunnel placement is important for a successful anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. Controversy exists concerning the preferred method of femoral tunnel preparation, with proponents of both medial portal and transtibial drilling techniques. Current ACL literature suggests that placement of the femoral ACL attachment site posterior or “low” in the ACL footprint leads to more anatomically correct ACL mechanics and better rotational control. There is limited literature focusing on ACL graft displacement through knee range of motion based on specific paired placement of femoral and tibial tunnels. Our purpose was to assess ACL isometry between multiple combinations of femoral and tibial tunnels. We hypothesized that placement of the graft at the posterior aspect of the ACL footprint on the femur would be significantly less isometric and lead to more graft displacement as compared with central or anterior placement. The ACL of matched pairs of cadaveric knees was arthroscopically debrided while leaving the soft tissue footprint on the femur and tibia intact. One knee from each pair underwent notchplasty. In all knees, three femoral and three tibial tunnels were created at the anterior, central, and posterior aspects of the ACL footprint. A suture was passed through each tunnel combination (nine potential pairs), and the change in isometry was measured throughout full knee range of motion. Placement of the femoral tunnel along the posterior aspect of the ACL footprint was less isometric compared with a central or anterior position in the femoral footprint. Placement of a posterior tibial tunnel also led to decreased isometry, but tibial tunnel placement affected isometry to a lesser extent than femoral tunnel placement. The combination of a posterior femoral and posterior tibial tunnel resulted in greater than 1 cm of graft excursion from full flexion to extension. Placement of ACL tunnels at anisometric sites may adversely affect the mechanical properties and behavior of the ACL graft, resulting in either graft laxity in flexion or overconstraint and loss of extension.
A noise-resistant ADSA-PH algorithm for superhydrophobic surface’s static contact angle evaluation
Authors: Xu Z. N.
Published: March 2017

The blur around the contact points significantly decreases the evaluated static contact angle for superhydrophobic surface which is clearly presented in the paper. To improve the accuracy in the evaluated static contact angle for superhydrophobic surface, an accurate static contact angle algorithm, namely ADSA-PH (axisymmetric drop shape analysis-profile and height), is proposed. It discards the extracted drop edge points close to the contact points and makes use of the residual points and the drop height to determine the static contact angle. The contact angle errors caused by the blur close to the contact points are significantly reduced. The classical ADSA-P algorithm, the modified selected-plane method and the proposed algorithm are used to evaluate static contact angle. The results validate the proposed algorithm. The accuracy in the evaluated contact angle increases with increasing image resolution. To reduce the error caused by a limitation of image resolution, the minimum allowable image resolutions are presented.
Conductivity of graphene affected by metal adatoms
Authors: Zhang Peng , Li Jing-Tian , Meng Jian-Wei , Jiang An-Quan , Zhuang Jun , Ning Xi-Jing
Published: March 2017

It has been a mystery how metal atoms adsorbed on perfect graphene impact the conductivity. We deposited Al, Cu, or Ag atoms onto graphene sheet on SiO2 substrate at room temperature or 573 K by pulsed laser ablation and measured the zero-gate resistance in-situ, showing that the resistance increased suddenly just after each of the deposition pulse and then decayed slowly to an elevated plateau, forming a sequential jagged peaks. Based on the fact that most areas of the graphene sheet are of perfect lattice structure, our calculations via first principles suggest that the resistance peaks result directly from the contribution of metal atoms landed on the perfect regions, and decaying of the peaks corresponds to the clustering process of the metal atoms.
Energy harvesting from structural vibrations of magnetic shape memory alloys
Authors: Farsangi Mohammad Amin Askari , Cottone Francesco , Sayyaadi Hassan , Zakerzadeh Mohammad Reza , Orfei Francesco , Gammaitoni Luca
Published: March 2017

This letter presents the idea of scavenging energy from vibrating structures through magnetic shape memory alloy (MSMA). To this end, a MSMA specimen made of Ni50Mn28Ga22 is coupled to a cantilever beam through a step. Two permanent magnets installed at the top and bottom of the beam create a bias field perpendicular to the magnetization axis of the specimen. When vibrating the device, a longitudinal axial load applies on the MSMA, which in turn changes the magnetization, due to the martensitic variant reorientation mechanism. A pick-up coil wounded around the MSMA converts this variation into voltage according to the Faraday's law. Experimental test confirms the possibility of generating voltage in a vibrating MSMA. In particular, 15 μW power is harvested for acceleration of 0.3 g RMS at a frequency of 19.1 Hz, which is comparable with piezoelectric energy harvesters. It is also found that the optimum bias magnetic field for maximum voltage is lower than the starting field of pseudo elastic behavior.
Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of time-dependent global attractor and application
Authors: Meng Fengjuan , Liu Cuncai
Published: March 2017

In this paper, we are concerned with infinite dimensional dynamical systems in time-dependent space. First, we characterize some necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of the time-dependent global attractor by using a measure of noncompactness. Then, we give a new method to verify the sufficient condition. As a simple application, we prove the existence of the time-dependent global attractor for the damped equation in strong topological space.
Complex spin glass behavior in Ga2−xFexO3
Authors: Mahana Sudipta , Topwal D.
Published: March 2017

We report the results of the dc magnetization and ac susceptibility measurements on solid solutions of Ga2−xFexO3 (with x = 0.75, 1.0, and 1.25). Magnetic behavior in this series of compounds could broadly be explained by the molecular-field-approximation of a three-sublattice ferrimagnetic model considering three inequivalent octahedral sites. Analysis of frequency dispersion of ac susceptibility reveals a transition from the cluster-glass-like phase to the spin-glass-like phase with decreasing temperature for the x = 0.75 composition. Mentioned glassy behavior is found to gradually evolve with the composition (x) from the Ising type character to Heisenberg type behavior to unconventional glassy behavior for the x = 1.25 composition. Ga2−xFexO3 can hence serve as an ideal system for modeling complex spin glasses.
Microfluidics for genome-wide studies involving next generation sequencing
Authors: Ma Sai , Murphy Travis W. , Lu Chang
Published: March 2017

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) has revolutionized how molecular biology studies are conducted. Its decreasing cost and increasing throughput permit profiling of genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic features for a wide range of applications. Microfluidics has been proven to be highly complementary to NGS technology with its unique capabilities for handling small volumes of samples and providing platforms for automation, integration, and multiplexing. In this article, we review recent progress on applying microfluidics to facilitate genome-wide studies. We emphasize on several technical aspects of NGS and how they benefit from coupling with microfluidic technology. We also summarize recent efforts on developing microfluidic technology for genomic, transcriptomic, and epigenomic studies, with emphasis on single cell analysis. We envision rapid growth in these directions, driven by the needs for testing scarce primary cell samples from patients in the context of precision medicine.
Controlling the canted state in antiferromagnetically coupled magnetic bilayers close to the spin reorientation transition
Authors: Ummelen F. C. , Fernández-Pacheco A. , Mansell R. , Petit D. , Swagten H. J. M. , Cowburn R. P.
Published: March 2017

Canted magnetization is obtained in ultrathin, antiferromagnetically coupled magnetic bilayers with thicknesses around the spin reorientation transition. The canting angle is controlled by both the magnetic layer thickness and interlayer coupling strength, which are tuned independently. Hysteresis loops are obtained, where magnetization components parallel and transverse to the applied field are measured, and analyzed by comparison to micromagnetic simulations. This enables the canting angle to be extracted and the behavior of the individual layers to be distinguished. Two types of canted systems are obtained with either single-layer reversal or complex, coupled two-layer reversal, under moderate external magnetic fields. Controlling the magnetization canting and reversal behavior of ultra-thin layers is relevant for the development of magnetoresistive random-access memory and spin-torque oscillator devices.
Effect of metal shielding on a wireless power transfer system
Authors: Li Jiacheng , Huang Xueliang , Chen Chen , Tan Linlin , Wang Wei , Guo Jinpeng
Published: March 2017

In this paper, the effect of non-ferromagnetic metal shielding (NFMS) material on the resonator of wireless power transfer (WPT) is studied by modeling, simulation and experimental analysis. And, the effect of NFMS material on the power transfer efficiency (PTE) of WPT systems is investigated by circuit model. Meanwhile, the effect of ferromagnetic metal shielding material on the PTE of WPT systems is analyzed through simulation. A double layer metal shield structure is designed. Experimental results demonstrate that by applying the novel double layer metal shielding method, the system PTE increases significantly while the electromagnetic field of WPT systems declines dramatically.
Tunneling magnetoresistance sensor with pT level 1/f magnetic noise
Authors: Deak James G. , Zhou Zhimin , Shen Weifeng
Published: March 2017

Magnetoresistive devices are important components in a large number of commercial electronic products in a wide range of applications including industrial position sensors, automotive sensors, hard disk read heads, cell phone compasses, and solid state memories. These devices are commonly based on anisotropic magnetoresistance (AMR) and giant magnetoresistance (GMR), but over the past few years tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) has been emerging in more applications. Here we focus on recent work that has enabled the development of TMR magnetic field sensors with 1/f noise of less than 100 pT/rtHz at 1 Hz. Of the commercially available sensors, the lowest noise devices have typically been AMR, but they generally have the largest die size. Based on this observation and modeling of experimental data size and geometry dependence, we find that there is an optimal design rule that produces minimum 1/f noise. This design rule requires maximizing the areal coverage of an on-chip flux concentrator, providing it with a minimum possible total gap width, and tightly packing the gaps with MTJ elements, which increases the effective volume and decreases the saturation field of the MTJ freelayers. When properly optimized using this rule, these sensors have noise below 60 pT/rtHz, and could possibly replace fluxgate magnetometers in some applications.
A new dual stator linear permanent-magnet vernier machine with reduced copper loss
Authors: Bian Fangfang , Zhao Wenxiang
Published: March 2017

In this paper, a new dual stator linear permanent-magnet (PM) vernier (LPMV) machine with toroidal winding is proposed and analyzed. The proposed machine enjoys the advantages of less copper usage and copper loss without sacrificing the thrust force performance. For a fair comparison, the proposed machine is designed with the same geometrical parameters based on the conventional dual stator LPMV machine with concentrated winding. Finally, the electromagnetic performances of the proposed machine and the conventional one are compared and analyzed by using finite element method, verifying that the proposed machine with the low copper loss can obtain high force density.
Sensitivity of sensor-based nitrogen rates to selection of within-field calibration strips in winter wheat
Authors: Samborski Stanisław M. , Gozdowski Dariusz , Walsh Olga S. , Kyveryga Peter , Stłpieł Michał
Published: March 2017

Active optical sensors (AOSs) are used for in-season variable-rate application of nitrogen (N). The sensors measure crop reflectance expressed as vegetative indices (VIs). These are transformed into N recommendations during on-site calibration of AOSs—‘familiarising’ the sensors with the crop N status of the representative part of a field. The ‘drive-first’ method is often used by growers to calibrate AOSs. Due to large spatial variation of crop N status within fields, it is difficult to identify the most representative sample strip for AOS calibration. Seven site-years were used to evaluate the sensitivity of sensor-based N prescriptions for winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to selection of sample strips for AOS calibration that fall into extreme, very low or very high values of 95th percentiles of amber normalised difference VI (NDVI) values. A Crop Circle ACS-210 sensor was used to collect canopy reflectance values, expressed as amber NDVI, at the beginning of wheat stem elongation. Our study showed that the sample-strip selection significantly affected sensor-based N prescriptions. The drive-first method may result in under- or over-applications of N and in lower N-use efficiency. One way to overcome this problem is to collect whole field NDVI values during pesticide application before sensor-based N application. The NDVI values from the entire field then can be used to choose the most representative sample strips for AOS calibration.
Presence of invasive Gambusia alters ecological communities and the functions they perform in lentic ecosystems
Authors: Hinchliffe Charles , Atwood Trisha , Ollivier Quinn , Hammill Edd
Published: March 2017

By acting as novel competitors and predators, a single invasive species can detrimentally affect multiple native species in different trophic levels. Although quantifying invasive effects through single-species interactions is important, understanding their effect on ecosystems as a whole is vital to enable effective protection and management. This is particularly true in freshwater ecosystems, where invasive species constitute the single greatest threat to biodiversity. Poeciliid fishes of the genus Gambusia are among the most widespread invasive species on earth. In the present study of lentic ecosystems (i.e. lakes), we first showed that Gambusia alter zooplankton community composition and size distribution, likely through size-selective predation. Second, we demonstrate that benthic macroinvertebrate communities significantly differ between sites with and without invasive Gambusia. The presence of Gambusia appears to reduce leaf-litter decomposition rates, which is likely an indirect effect of reductions in detritivore abundances. Reductions in decomposition rates found in the present study suggest that through trophic cascades, invasive Gambusia is able to indirectly alter ecosystem functions. The study has highlighted that the widespread effects of invasive aquatic species are able to permeate through entire ecosystems, being more pervasive than previously recognised.
Tailoring porosity and rotational dynamics in a series of octacarboxylate metal-organic frameworks
Authors: Moreau Florian , Kolokolov Daniil I. , Stepanov Alexander G. , Easun Timothy L. , Dailly Anne , Lewis William , Blake Alexander J. , Nowell Harriott , Lennox Matthew J. , Besley Elena , Yang Sihai , Schröder Martin
Published: March 2017

Significance

A family of stable porous materials incorporating organic linkers and Cu(II) cations is reported. Their pores can be altered systematically by elongation of the ligands allowing a strategy of selective pore extension along one dimension. These materials show remarkable gas adsorption properties with high working capacities for CH
4
(0.24 g g
−1
, 163 cm
3
cm
−3
at 298 K, 5–65 bar) for the most porous system. The mechanism of rotation of the organic groups in the solid state has been analyzed by NMR spectroscopy and rotational rates and transition temperatures analyzed. Significantly, we show that framework dynamics can be controlled by ligand design only, and this paves the way to understanding the role of molecular rotors within these materials.
Topological knots and links in proteins
Authors: Dabrowski-Tumanski Pawel , Sulkowska Joanna I.
Published: March 2017

Significance

Twenty years after a discovery of knotted proteins, we found that some single-protein chains can form links, which have even more complex structures than knots. We derive conditions that proteins need to meet to form links. We search through the entire Protein Data Bank and identify several chains that form a Hopf link and a Solomon link. The link motif has not been recognized before; however, it is clearly of important functional significance in proteins. In this article, we relate topological properties of proteins with links to their function and stability and show that the link topology is characteristic of eukaryotes only.
Steady-state EB cap size fluctuations are determined by stochastic microtubule growth and maturation
Authors: Rickman Jamie , Duellberg Christian , Cade Nicholas I. , Griffin Lewis D. , Surrey Thomas
Published: March 2017

Significance

Essential to microtubules’ function is their property of switching between phases of growth and shrinkage, called dynamic instability. Growing microtubules are protected by the presence of a GTP cap that is thought to fluctuate in size, causing stability fluctuations that eventually result in a switch to depolymerization. Despite their importance these fluctuations had not been quantitatively characterized until now, and hence their properties were previously unknown. Here we measure these cap size fluctuations and develop a theory that explains their properties based on the kinetic network of cap formation. This study provides a quantitative description of the fundamental process of microtubule cap size fluctuations. Their properties indicate that microtubules are far from instability for most of the time during growth.
Chapter 9. Giving a nod to social cognition
Authors: Fusaro Maria , Vallotton Claire D.
Published: March 2017

Developmental researchers recognize that multiple component skills and social processes underlie children’s communication. Infants’ gestures have catalyzed consideration of non-verbal behaviors as markers of early communicative and social competence. The current study examines infant sign and conventional gesture production to inform debate on developmental and contextual constraints on communicative competence. Based on observations over eight months, we describe the emergence timing of gestures and signs in ten infants’ spontaneous behavior. We test whether two features of gestures and signs, relative frequency of caregiver use and motoric complexity, explain variation in emergence timing. We find that while these features may constrain whether infants produce particular gestures or signs, additional explanatory mechanisms must account for the late emergence of some conventional gestures.
Chapter 12. Is there an iconic gesture spurt at 26 months?
Authors: Özçalışkan Şeyda , Goldin-Meadow Susan
Published: March 2017

Previous research has shown that children understand the iconicity of a gesture at 26 months. Here we ask when children begin to display an appreciation of iconicity in the gestures they produce. We observed spontaneous gesture in 40 children interacting with their parents from 14 to 34 months of age, and found that children increased their production of iconic gestures over time. At 26 months, they not only produced significantly more iconic gestures (tokens) than at any previous time point, but they also conveyed significantly more different meanings with those iconic gestures (types). We found similar increases in the iconic gestures that the children’s parents produced, suggesting that parents either were sensitive to changes in their children’s iconic gestures or perhaps were responsible for those changes. Overall, the results suggest that the 26-month age period is a turning point for children’s grasp of the iconicity of a symbol.
Chapter 19. How gesture use enables intersubjectivity in the classroom
Authors: Nathan Mitchell J. , Alibali Martha W.
Published: March 2017

In communication it is essential for speaker and listener to establish intersubjectivity, or “common ground.” This is especially true in instructional settings where learning depends on successful communication. One way teachers enable intersubjectivity is through the use of gestures. We consider two circumstances in which gestures establish intersubjectivity: (a) making conversational repair, and (b) explicitly relating the novel (target) representation to a familiar (source) representation. We also identify two main ways gesture is used in establishing intersubjectivity. Linking gestures are sets of attention-guiding gestures (often deictic gestures) that delineate correspondences between familiar and new representations. Catchments use recurrent hand shapes or movements to convey similarity and highlight conceptual connections across seemingly different entities.
Chapter 22. Speakers’ use of ‘action’ and ‘entity’ gestures with definite and indefinite references
Authors: Wilkin Katie , Holler Judith
Published: March 2017

Common ground is an essential prerequisite for coordination in social interaction, including language use. When referring back to a referent in discourse, this referent is ‘given information’ and therefore in the interactants’ common ground. When a referent is being referred to for the first time, a speaker introduces ‘new information’. The analyses reported here are on gestures that accompany such references when they include definite and indefinite grammatical determiners. The main finding from these analyses is that referents referred to by definite and indefinite articles were equally often accompanied by gesture, but speakers tended to accompany definite references with gestures focusing on action information and indefinite references with gestures focusing on entity information. The findings suggest that speakers use speech and gesture together to design utterances appropriate for speakers with whom they share common ground.
Chapter 23. “Voices” and bodies
Authors: Maury-Rouan Claire
Published: March 2017

According to interactional and dialogic linguistics, utterances may be seen as complex constructions in which alternate “voices”, more or less identifiable in reported speech, or less transparent as in polyphony may be heard. As vocal changes had been established in reported speech, it was hypothesized that shifts in facial expressions, gesture or posture paralleling shifts of footing might also be found. The analysis of videotaped data showed that two distinct formats: reported speech and polyphony in perspective shifts co-occurred with relevant nonverbal cues. Based on the degree of variation of accompanying vocal and visual parameters, three relevant types (‘underplayed’, ‘animated’ and ‘lively’) were found in reported speech. Perspective shifts were found to start with a pause, a shift in the speaker’s posture (head tilt) and pitch range variation. Two distinct cases of perspective shifts were found, whether the speaker became (–gaze) or remained (+gaze), possibly indicating quite different mental forms of perspective shifts.
Chapter 26. Handjabber
Authors: Campana Ellen , Mumford Jessica , Martínez Cristóbal , Rajko Stjepan , Ingalls Todd , Tolentino Lisa , Thornburg Harvey
Published: March 2017

We describe an immersive art installation, Handjabber, which is inspired by research in gesture and nonverbal communication. It explores how people use their bodies to communicate and collaborate, specifically via metaphoric gesture, interpersonal space, and orientation. In the piece, participants’ individual and collective actions give rise to immediate changes in their perceptual environment. These changes are designed to highlight communicative aspects of experience that often go unnoticed in everyday life, allowing both participants and observers to gain a deeper understanding of how they naturally use their bodies to communicate. We describe artistic motivations, theoretical inspirations and technical details. We also discuss how people have experienced the piece.
A Call to Promote Healthcare Justice: A Summary of Integrated Outpatient Clinics Exemplifying Principles of Catholic Social Teaching
Authors: Waters Nicole P. , Schmale Trenton , Goetz Allison , Eberl Jason T. , Wells Jessica H.
Published: March 2017

There is an urgent need to promote healthcare justice for patients as well as members of the healthcare team including physicians. In this article, we explain how principles of Catholic social teaching (i.e., dignity of the individual, common good, destination of goods, solidarity, and subsidiarity) are applied to health care, by featuring various types of outpatient clinics including free, charitable–direct primary care, hybrid, federally qualified health center, and rural health clinic. We describe how attempts have been made to improve the quality and access of health care by creating new medical schools (i.e., Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine) and training programs as well as allocating government funding to alleviate the cost of training new healthcare providers through the National Health Service Corps. Finally, we suggest a few approaches (i.e., adopting new clinic models to include volunteer healthcare professionals and cross-training members of the healthcare team) to fill in current gaps in health care.

There is a need to promote justice in healthcare. In this article, we explain how principles of Catholic social teaching are applied to health care. To illustrate this, we feature various types of outpatient clinics. We also describe how attempts have been made to improve the quality and access of health care. Finally, we suggest further ways to improve healthcare reform based upon Catholic social teaching.
The Principles of Catholic Social Teaching: A Guide for Decision Making from Daily Clinical Encounters to National Policy-Making
Authors: Wright Karen Shields
Published: March 2017

Catholic social teaching (CST), a branch of moral theology, addresses contemporary issues within the political, economic, and cultural structures of society. The threefold cornerstone of CST contains the principles of human dignity, solidarity, and subsidiarity. It is the foundation on which to form our conscience in order to evaluate the framework of society and is the Catholic criteria for prudential judgment and direction in developing current policy-making. With knowledge of these social principles, in combination with our faith, we will be more armed and informed as to articulate the Catholic vision of reality, the truthful nature of the human person and society, to apply and integrate the social teachings in our everyday administrative and clinical encounters, and through the virtue of charity take action within the social, political, and economic spheres in which we have influence.

The Church's social encyclicals are a reflection upon the issues of the day using the light of faith and reason. They offer commentary on the ways to evaluate and address particular social problems—also using natural law principles—in the areas of politics, economics, and culture. Quotes were selected from the encyclicals that define and expand upon the primary principles for the purpose of representing them for study, reflection, and use in everyday personal and business encounters and decision making for healthcare professionals.
The Sisters of Mercy in the Crimean War: Lessons for Catholic Health Care
Authors: Paradis Mary Raphael , Hart Edith Mary , O'Brien Mary Judith
Published: March 2017

In 1856, an appeal went out to nurses in both England and Ireland, and especially to religious nurses, to care for the troops fighting in the Crimean War. The Sisters of Mercy, founded in 1831 by Venerable Catherine McAuley, answered that call. This article describes the enormous challenges the Sisters faced in that mission, which was a test of their nursing skills, flexibility, organizational ability, and their spirit of mercy. The challenges they faced professionally and as religious Sisters, the manner in which they faced those challenges, and their spiritual lives as religious women shaped their ability to give comprehensive care. Some applications are made to the challenges which religious communities and organizations working in health care face in our country at this time.

This article describes the challenges faced by a group of Sisters of Mercy from England and Ireland who volunteered to serve as nurses in the Crimean War from 1856 to 1858. Applications are made to challenges which are faced by religious communities and organizations in the current secular healthcare environment.
Will Catholic Hospitals Survive without Government Reimbursements?
Authors: Archer David L.
Published: March 2017

This brief essay will begin to address the feasibility of operating a Catholic healthcare system without reimbursement from government healthcare programs such as Medicare and Medicaid. This question stems from the recent ACA/HHS “Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities” final rule.

The average hospital in the United States receives 40-50 percent of its net revenues from governmental sources. Participation in Medicare is contingent upon the hospital having a Medicare provider agreement. Participation in other governmental programs (Medicaid) as well as most commercial insurance is also contingent upon that agreement. Hospitals, including “Catholic” hospitals, cannot survive without a Medicare provider agreement. That agreement may be terminated for non-compliance with Medicare and other governmental regulations such as the recent ACA/HHS “Nondiscrimination in Health Programs and Activities” final rule, which could require “Catholic” hospitals to provide services which violate moral principals of the Church.
Practice-Based Evidence: Therapist as Researcher, Using Outcome Measures
Authors: Miller Caroline
Published: March 2017

This article examines the nature of evidence in the arts therapies, and the benefits to clients and therapists of taking a practice-based evidence (PBE) approach to our work. PBE keeps the client at the centre of the work. It involves using assessment and outcome processes which are person-centred, and which can be designed around the client. It challenges the privileging of evidence-based practice (EBP) as providing the only standards for determining which treatments/therapies should be used with clients. It provides ways of gathering data which, cumulatively and singly, demonstrate the effectiveness of the arts therapies.
Taking Dramatherapy into the outside Space ‒ the Benefits and Obstacles When Working with Children with SEMH Issues
Authors: Bassingthwaighte Laura
Published: March 2017

This article explores the benefits and obstacles of using the outside environment for dramatherapy practice with particular reference to children with social emotional mental health (SEMH) issues. I explore the benefits and challenges that the outside environment can provide for children with SEMH issues and other client groups. Through the literature available at present, dramatherapists Steve Mitchell and Martin Cope have practised in this area, but most publications can be found in eco-psychology. The methodology for the study uses qualitative research methods, coding two interviews with dramatherapists who use the outside environment for practice and supported by the author's own casework with children with SEMH issues. In the discussion, obstacles and benefits of outdoor dramatherapy for children with SEMH issues are considered.