bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methods to study toxic transgenes inC. elegans: an analysis of protease-dead separase in theC. elegansembryo
Authors: Mitchell Diana M. , Uehlein Lindsey R. , Bembenek Joshua N.
Published: February 2014

We investigated whether the protease activity of separase, which is required for chromosome segregation, is also required for its other roles during anaphase inC. elegansgiven that non-proteolytic functions of separase have been identified in other organisms. We find that expression of protease-dead separase is dominant-negative inC. elegansembryos. TheC. elegansembryo is an ideal system to study developmental processes in a genetically tractable system. However, a major limitation is the lack of an inducible gene expression system for the embryo. The most common method for embryonic expression involves generation of integrated transgenes under the control of thepie-1promoter, usingunc-119as a selection marker. However expression of dominant-negative proteins kills the strain preventing analysis of mutants. We have developed two methods that allow for the propagation of lines carrying dominant-negative transgenes in order to study protease-dead separase in embryos. The first involves feedinggfpRNAi to eliminate transgene expression and allows propagation of transgenic lines indefinitely. Animals removed fromgfpRNAi for several generations recover transgene expression and associated phenotypes. The second involves propagation of the transgene with the female specificpie-1promoter via the male germline and analysis of phenotypes in embryos from F1 heterozygous hermaphrodites that express the protein. Using these methods, we show that protease-dead separase causes chromosome nondisjunction and cytokinesis failures. These methods are immediately applicable for studies of dominant-negative transgenes and should open new lines of investigation in theC. elegansembryo.
Dichloridodimethylbis(thiourea-κS)tin(IV)
Authors: Sow Yaya , Diop Libasse , Fernandes Manuel A. , Stoeckli-Evans Helen
Published: February 2014

The title compound, [Sn(CH3)2Cl2(CH4N2S)2], crystallizes with two half-molecules in the asymmetric unit. Both molecules are completed by inversion symmetry with the two SnIVatoms located on inversion centers. The metal atoms have distorted octahedral coordination environments defined by two Cl atoms, two C atoms of methyl groups and two thiourea S atoms. In the crystal, molecules are linkedviaN—H...Cl and N—H...S hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional structure.
2,3-Diphenylmaleimide 1-methylpyrrolidin-2-one monosolvate
Authors: Bulatov Evgeny , Boyarskaya Dina , Chulkova Tatiana , Haukka Matti
Published: February 2014

In the title compound, C16H11NO2·C5H9NO, the dihedral angles between the maleimide and phenyl rings are 34.7 (2) and 64.8 (2)°. In the crystal, the 2,3-diphenylmaleimide and 1-methylpyrrolidin-2-one molecules form centrosymmetrical dimersviapairs of strong N—H...O hydrogen bonds and π–π stacking interactions between the two neighboring maleimide rings [centroid–centroid distance = 3.495 (2) Å]. The dimers are further linked by weak C—H...O and C—H...π hydrogen bonds into a three-dimensional framework.
3-Amino-5,5-diphenylimidazolidine-2,4-dione
Authors: Mague Joel T. , Abdel-Aziz Alaa A.-M. , El-Azab Adel S.
Published: February 2014

The title compound, C15H13N3O2, crystallizes with two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit, which differ considerably in the dihedral angles made between the phenyl groups and the five-membered rings [47.19 (8) and 61.16 (9)° in one molecule and 55.04 (10) and 55.00 (8)° in the other]. In the crystal, N—H...O hydrogen bonds generate columnar units having approximate fourfold rotational symmetry about axes parallel tob.
4-(Thiophen-2-yl)-2-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-2,3-dihydro-1,5-benzothiazepine
Authors: Manjunath B. C. , Manjula M. , Raghavendra K. R. , Ajay Kumar K. , Lokanath N. K.
Published: February 2014

In the title compound, C20H14F3NS2, the seven-membered thiazepine ring adopts a slightly distorted twist–boat conformation. The mean plane of the five-membered thiophene ring fused to the thiazepine ring is twisted by 32.3 (3) and 55.6 (4)° from the benzene and phenyl rings, respectively. In the crystal, inversion dimers linked by pairs of weak C—H...N interactions are observed.
Bis(2,6-dimethylanilinium) diaquabis(dihydrogen diphosphato-κ2O,O′)cobaltate(II)
Authors: Saad Ahlem Ben , Selmi Ahmed , Rzaigui Mohamed , Akriche Samah Toumi
Published: February 2014

In the title compound, (C8H12N)2[Co(H2P2O7)2(H2O)2], the Co2+ion lies on a crystallographic inversion centre and adopts a slightly distorted octahedral CoO6coordination geometry arising from two chelating diphosphate [H2P2O7]2−ligands and twotranswater molecules. In the crystal, the components are linked by O—H...O, N—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds and weak aromatic π–π stacking [shortest centroid–centroid separation = 3.778 (2) Å] interactions. (001) layers of alternating organic cations and complex inorganic anions are apparent.
Bis(η5-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)aluminium tetrabromidoaluminate
Authors: Purdy Andrew P. , Dugger Cherrelle , Butcher Ray J.
Published: February 2014

The title compound, [Al(C10H15)2][AlBr4], was formed during the reduction of a mixture of Cp*AlBr2and AlBr3. The AlIIIatoms of the two crystallographically independent cations each lie on an inversion center, and the [AlBr4]−anions are on general positions. At 123 K, the structure exhibits disorder in two of the Br atoms of the [AlBr4]−ion, with a ratio occupancy of 0.733 (6): 0.267 (3). In the crystal, there is possible weak hydrogen bonding between some methyl groups and Br atoms. The interactions link the moieties in a three-dimensional array.
Redetermination of 1,3,6,8-tetraazatricyclo[4.4.1.13,8]dodecane
Authors: Rivera Augusto , Ríos-Motta Jaime , Bolte Michael
Published: February 2014

The structure of the title compound, C8H16N4, which consists of four fused seven-membered rings, has been redetermined at 173 K. This redetermination corrects the orientation of two H atoms, which were located at unrealistic positions in the original room-temperature study [Murray-Rust (1974).J. Chem. Soc. Perkin Trans. 2, pp. 1136–1141]. The complete molecule is generated by -42msymmetry, with one quarter of a molecule [one N atom (site symmetrym), two C atoms (one with site symmetrymand the other with site symmetry 2) and two H atoms] in the asymmetric unit. No directional interactions beyond van der Waals contacts are apparent in the crystal structure.
4-Formyl-2-nitrophenyl benzoate
Authors: Moreno-Fuquen Rodolfo , Hernandez Geraldine , Kennedy Alan R.
Published: February 2014

In the title nitroaryl benzoate derivative, C14H9NO5, the aromatic rings form a dihedral angle of 46.37 (8)°. The central ester moiety, —C—(C=O)—O—, is essentially planar (r.m.s. deviation for all non-H atoms = 0.0283 Å) and forms a dihedral angle of 54.06 (9)° with the 4-formyl-2-nitrophenyl ring and 7.99 (19)° with the benzoate ring. In the crystal, molecules are intertwined by weak C—H...O interactions, forming helical chains along [100].
Antimicrobial Activity against Beneficial Microorganisms and Chemical Composition of Essential Oil of Mentha suaveolens ssp. insularis Grown in Sardinia
Authors: Petretto Giacomo Luigi , Fancello Francesco , Zara Severino , Foddai Marzia , Mangia Nicoletta P. , Sanna Maria Lina , Omer Elasyed A. , Menghini Luigi , Chessa Mario , Pintore Giorgio
Published: February 2014

The aim of this work was to determine the chemical constituents and in vitro antimicrobial activity of the essential oil (EO) of the aerial parts of Mentha sueveolens spp. insularis grown in Sardinia (Italy) against probiotic and starter microorganisms. The gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) analysis allowed to identified 34 compounds, most of oxygenated monoterpene compounds (82.5%) and among them, pulegone was found as major compound (46.5%). The agar diffusion test carried out employing the EO of Mentha suaveolens spp. insularis showed a low antibacterial activity, in particular no action was noticed for probiotic bacteria belonging to lactic acid bacteria groups, whereas almost all yeasts strains tested were inhibited. The automated microtitter dilution assay showed a clear effect at increasing concentration of EO on the specific growth rate (μ) and extension of the lag phase (λ) only for S. xylosus SA23 among bacteria and for Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Tetrapisispora phaffii CBS 4417, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, and Candida zemplinina among yeasts. Results obtained in this work allow us to broaden the knowledge on the effect of EOs on probiotic and food‐related microorganisms.

Practical Application

Mentha suaveolens spp. insularis may be used in combination with probiotic bacteria into the food matrix or encapsulated in coating and edible films for food preservation.
Prognostic factors for patients with advanced non‐small cell lung cancer treated with gemcitabine‐platinum as first‐line therapy in an observational setting in China
Authors: Ye Wenyu , Yang Yicheng , Wang Jin , Kadziola Zbigniew , Rajan Narayan , Qin Shukui
Published: February 2014

Background

This study examined the prognostic factors associated with survival in advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving gemcitabine‐platinum regimens as first‐line therapy in real‐world clinical settings in China.

Methods

Data was analyzed from a multinational, prospective, non‐interventional, observational study of individuals receiving gemcitabine‐platinum regimens as first‐line therapy for NSCLC, focusing on 300 patients from mainland China. A Cox regression model was used to determine the association of 38 prognostic factors, including patient smoking characteristics, with overall survival.

Results

In these 300 patients, the mean age was 58.9 (±10.8) years, with males comprising 71% of the population. Thirty percent of patients had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (PS) of 0 and 70% had a PS of 1. The majority of patients had NSCLC of adenocarcinoma origin (57%). Multivariate Cox regression analyses adjusted for baseline factors revealed that gender, tumor (T) staging, metastasis (M) staging, liver metastases, serum albumin, and superior vena cava obstruction were significant prognostic factors. Smoking during therapy was not significantly associated with survival, although numbers were small for this variable (n = 16). Weight loss of >10% was a significant prognostic factor for adverse events.

Conclusions

Gender, T staging, M staging, liver metastases, superior vena cava obstruction, and serum albumin are prognostic factors affecting overall survival in mainland Chinese patients receiving first‐line gemcitabine‐platinum regimens for advanced NSCLC. These negative prognostic factors may warrant further investigation in clinical trials.
Cardio‐metabolic consequences of glucocorticoid replacement: relevance of ultradian signalling
Authors: Henley David E. , Lightman Stafford L.
Published: February 2014

Chronic exposure to elevated glucocorticoid levels is associated with obesity, insulin resistance, impaired glucose tolerance, hypertension and dyslipidaemia, manifest classically in Cushing's syndrome and with high‐dose glucocorticoid therapy. However, cardiovascular events are also reportedly higher in patients with primary and secondary hypoadrenalism receiving ‘replacement’ glucocorticoid doses. This has been attributed to an inability to mimic accurately the diurnal rhythm of cortisol with current oral replacement therapy and subsequent glucocorticoid excess. Although development of delayed release oral preparations has sought to overcome this problem, there has been little attention on the ultradian rhythm of glucocorticoids and its relevance for replacement therapy and associated cardio‐metabolic comorbidity. Endogenous glucocorticoids are released in a pulsatile manner, and this ultradian rhythm is important in maintaining homeostatic control through glucocorticoid‐receptor (GR)‐dependent transcription regulation that rapidly responds to circulating hormone levels. Constant glucocorticoid exposure can result in continuous transcription, aberrant mRNA accumulation and abnormal protein levels. GR regulation of transcription programmes is highly cell and tissue specific, binding to distinct genomic loci in different cellular contexts. GR also interacts with a large cohort of DNA‐binding factors with cell‐specific interactions. The relevance of kinetic patterns of GR‐dependent gene expression in vivo is not yet fully elucidated. However, given that GR gene variants are associated with cardiovascular disease, it is possible that ultradian delivery of glucocorticoid replacement may become important, at least in selected patients.
Phylogeny of the family Sialidae (Insecta: Megaloptera) inferred from morphological data, with implications for generic classification and historical biogeography
Authors: Liu Xingyue , Hayashi Fumio , Yang Ding
Published: February 2014

Sialidae (alderflies) is a family of the holometabolous insect order Megaloptera, with ca. 75 extant species in eight genera distributed worldwide. Alderflies are a group of “living fossils” with a long evolutionary history. The oldest fossil attributed to Sialidae dates back to the Early Jurassic period. Further, the global distribution of modern‐day species shows a remarkably disjunctive pattern. However, due to the rareness of most species and scarcity of comprehensive taxonomic revisions, the phylogeny of Sialidae remains largely unexplored, and the present classification system is in great need of renewal. Here we reconstruct the first phylogeny for Sialidae worldwide based on the most comprehensive sampling and broadest morphological data ever presented for this group of insects. All Cenozoic alderflies belong to a monophyletic clade, which may also include the Early Jurassic genus †Dobbertinia, and the Late Jurassic genus †Sharasialis is their putative sister taxon. Two subfamilies of Sialidae are proposed, namely †Sharasialinae subfam. nov. and Sialidinae. Austrosialis is the sister of all other extant genera, an assemblage which comprises three monophyletic lineages: the Stenosialis lineage, the Ilyobius lineage, and the Sialis lineage. The revised classification of Sialidae is composed of 12 valid genera and 87 valid species. Ilyobius and Protosialis are recognized as valid generic names, while Nipponosialis is treated as a synonym of Sialis. Reconstruction of the ancestral area proposes a global distribution of alderflies in Pangaea before their diversification. The generic diversification of alderflies might have occurred before the breakup of Pangaea, but the divergence of some lineages or genera was probably promoted by the splitting of this supercontinent.
Management of large bowel obstruction with self‐expanding metal stents. A multicentre retrospective study of factors determining outcome
Authors: Geraghty J. , Sarkar S. , Cox T. , Lal S. , Willert R. , Ramesh J. , Bodger K. , Carlson G. L.
Published: February 2014

Aim

UK cancer guidelines recommend patients with colonic obstruction due to suspected malignancy be considered for stenting with a self‐expanding metal stent (SEMS). Considerable variation in practice exists due to a lack of expertise, technical difficulties and other, as yet ill‐defined features. This retrospective multi‐centre study aims to determine the outcome following colonic stenting for large bowel obstruction and identify factors associated with successful intervention.

Method

A regional programme of colonic stenting for large bowel obstruction, in five UK centres from 2005 to 2010 was evaluated for outcome including technical and clinical success, survival, complications and reoperation.

Results

A SEMS was inserted in 334 patients, including 264 (79.0%) for palliation and 52 (15.6%) as a bridge to surgery. Technical success was achieved in 292 (87.4%) patients, with 46 (13.8%) experiencing a complication or technical failure. Reoperation was required in 39 (14.8%) patients stented for palliation of colorectal cancer of whom 16 (6.1%) subsequently required a colostomy. A one‐stage primary anastomosis was achieved in 35 (67.3%) of the 52 patients undergoing stenting as a bridge to resection. Technical success did not vary by indication or site of obstruction (P = 0.60) but was higher for operators who had performed more than 10 procedures (OR 3.34, P = 0.001). ASA grade ≥3 predicted a worse clinical outcome (OR 0.43, P = 0.04). The through‐the‐scope (TTS) endoscopy technique was more successful than radiological placement alone (90.3% vs 74.8%, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Experienced operators using a TTS technique achieved a better outcome for the emergency management of large bowel obstruction. Older, sicker patients and those with extracolonic and benign strictures fared less well.
Impression cytology diagnosis of ulcerative eyelid malignancy
Authors: Sen S. , Lyngdoh A. D. , Pushker N. , Meel R. , Bajaj M. S. , Chawla B.
Published: February 2014

Objective

The utility of impression cytology in ocular diseases has predominantly been restricted to the diagnosis of dry eye, limbal stem cell deficiency and conjunctival neoplasias. Its role in malignant eyelid lesions remains largely unexplored. Although scrape cytology is more popular for cutaneous lesions, impression cytology, being non‐traumatic, has an advantage in small and delicate areas such as the eyelid. The present study has been designed to evaluate its role in the diagnosis and management of malignant eyelid lesions.

Methods

Thirty‐two histopathologically proven malignant eyelid lesions diagnosed over a 2‐year period, including 13 basal cell carcinomas, 11 sebaceous carcinomas, four squamous cell carcinomas, two malignant melanomas and two poorly differentiated carcinomas, formed the study group.

Results

The results of impression cytology were compared with those of histopathology in the study group and with an age‐ and sex‐matched group of benign cases as controls. The sensitivity of impression cytology was 84% (27/32) for the diagnosis of malignancy and 28% (9/32) for categorization of the type of malignancy.

Conclusions

Impression cytology is a simple, useful, non‐invasive technique for the detection of malignant ulcerative eyelid lesions. It is especially useful as a follow‐up technique for the detection of recurrences.
The effect of inbreeding rate on fitness, inbreeding depression and heterosis over a range of inbreeding coefficients
Authors: Pekkala Nina , Knott K. Emily , Kotiaho Janne S. , Nissinen Kari , Puurtinen Mikael
Published: February 2014

Understanding the effects of inbreeding and genetic drift within populations and hybridization between genetically differentiated populations is important for many basic and applied questions in ecology and evolutionary biology. The magnitudes and even the directions of these effects can be influenced by various factors, especially by the current and historical population size (i.e. inbreeding rate). UsingDrosophila littoralisas a model species, we studied the effect of inbreeding rate over a range of inbreeding levels on (i) mean fitness of a population (relative to that of an outbred control population), (ii) within‐population inbreeding depression (reduction in fitness of offspring from inbred versus random mating within a population) and (iii) heterosis (increase in fitness of offspring from interpopulation versus within‐population random mating). Inbreeding rate was manipulated by using three population sizes (2, 10 and 40), and fitness was measured as offspring survival and fecundity. Fast inbreeding (smaller effective population size) resulted in greater reduction in population mean fitness than slow inbreeding, when populations were compared over similar inbreeding coefficients. Correspondingly, populations with faster inbreeding expressed more heterosis upon interpopulation hybridization. Inbreeding depression within the populations did not have a clear relationship with either the rate or the level of inbreeding.
A novel pathogenic peptide of thyroglobulin (2208–2227) induces autoreactive T‐cell and B‐cell responses in both high and low responder mouse strains
Authors: Kanistras Ioannis , Hatzioannou Aikaterini , Lymberi Peggy
Published: February 2014

Experimental autoimmune thyroiditis (EAT) is commonly induced by thyroglobulin (Tg) or Tg peptides in mice genetically susceptible to thyroiditis. In the present study, we investigated the immunogenic and pathogenic potential of a novel 20mer human Tg peptide, p2208 (amino acids 2208–2227), in mouse strains classified as low (LR) or high (HR) responders in EAT. The peptide was selected for its content in overlapping binding motifs for MHC class II products, associated with either resistance (Ab), or susceptibility (As, Ek) to EAT. We therefore immunized LR BALB/c (H‐2d) and C57BL/6 (H‐2b) strains, as well as HR CBA/J (H‐2k) and SJL/J (H‐2s) mice with 100 nmol of p2208 in adjuvant and collected their sera, lymph nodes and thyroid glands for further analysis. The p2208 peptide was found to contain B‐cell and cryptic T‐cell epitope(s) in two of the four strains examined, one LR and one HR. Specifically, it elicited direct EAT in C57BL/6 mice (two of seven mice, infiltration index 1–3), as well as in SJL/J mice (two of six mice, infiltration index 1–2). Such an EAT model could provide insights into the immunoregulatory cascades taking place in resistant hosts.
Is Competitive Advantage a Necessary Condition for the Emergence of the Multinational Enterprise?
Authors: Hashai Niron , Buckley Peter J.
Published: February 2014

This article challenges the view that competitive advantage is a necessary condition for the emergence of the multinational enterprise. It formally derives the conditions under which multinational enterprises may emerge without possessing a competitive advantage vis‐a‐vis their rivals. This counterintuitive argument is based on three insights: (1) the ability of a larger number of disadvantaged home country entrepreneurs to enroll workers in the host country more efficiently than a smaller number of advantaged host country entrepreneurs; (2) asymmetric liability of foreignness for home and host country entrepreneurs; and (3) the ability of location and internalization advantages to substitute for ownership advantage.
Influence of intra‐pocket anesthesia gel on treatment outcome in periodontal patients: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Derman Sonja H. M. , Lowden Claudia E. , Hellmich Martin , Noack Michael J.
Published: February 2014

Aim

Compare the treatment outcome after scaling and root‐planing using local anesthesia gel or injected local anesthesia.

Material and method

Thirty‐eight patients with periodontitis and good general health were included in a randomized, single‐blind, split‐mouth clinical trial. Probing depths and clinical attachment levels were recorded at baseline and 6 weeks after treatment. Performed treatment procedures were scaling and root planing using two types of local anesthesia for separate treatment appointments. Anesthetics used were intra‐pocket lidocaine and prilocaine gel (2.5% each) and injected articaine (1:100,000 adrenaline). Type of anesthesia for first appointment was randomized and switched for second appointment. Patients′ pain perception and anesthesia acceptance were recorded on questionnaires.

Results

No influence of applied type of anesthesia could be detected for change of probing pocket depths and clinical attachment level (p > 0.05). These findings are valid even for deeper pockets. Gel‐group had significant higher intra‐operative pain perception. In retrospect 69% of patients favored gel.

Conclusion

Treatment outcome is not compromised by use of anesthesia gel in comparison to injected anesthesia. The same beneficial results for probing pocket depths and clinical attachment gain could be detected. The majority of patients prefer local anesthesia gel despite a slightly greater procedural discomfort.
CONTRACTS, ENTREPRENEURS, MARKET CREATION AND JUDGEMENT: THE CONTEMPORARY MAINSTREAM THEORY OF THE FIRM IN PERSPECTIVE
Authors: Walker Paul
Published: February 2014

This survey gives an overview of the theory of the firm as it is formulated within the contemporary ‘mainstream’ of economics. Two groupings of theories are briefly discussed: principal–agent and incomplete contract models. Next, three of the most recent contributions regarding firms are considered. The reference point approach is looked at first followed by a discussion of Spulber's bookThe Theory of the Firm. Last, we consider the entrepreneurial judgement perspective.
Paraparesis as initial manifestation of a Prototheca zopfii infection in a dog
Authors: Font C. , Mascort J. , Márquez M. , Esteban C. , Sánchez D. , Durall N. , Pumarola M. , Luján A.
Published: February 2014

A case of protothecosis causing non‐ambulatory paraparesis in a dog without clinical evidence of disseminated infection is described. A five‐year‐old female Labrador retriever was referred with a 10‐day history of progressive non‐ambulatory paraparesis and lumbar pain as the only physical and neurological abnormalities. Lumbar myelography revealed severe extradural spinal cord compression extending from L4 to L7 vertebrae, and a right hemilaminectomy was performed. Surgical findings included an adherent whitish hard ill‐defined mass. Cytology and biopsy results disclosed the presence of algae enclosed in a matrix of chronic inflammatory infiltrate. Culture confirmed the presence of Prototheca species. Neurological improvement occurred within a month, and the dog received antifungal treatment without evidence of clinical disseminated disease for 6 months, but died after a generalised tonic–clonic seizure. Post‐mortem examination revealed multiple foci of inflammatory granulomatous infiltrate and algae‐like structures in the brain, lumbar intumescence and cauda equina. Prototheca zopfii was identified using molecular biology methods.
Effects of cumulative trauma load on perceptions of health, blood pressure, and resting heart rate in urban African American youth
Authors: Conner‐Warren Rhonda
Published: February 2014

Purpose

This study examined relationships between cumulative trauma (CT) and urban African American (AA) adolescents' blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and perceptions of health.

Design and Method

A correlational design using secondary data analysis studied effects of CT, health outcomes, and perceptions of health. Participants were 175 urban AA youth (11–16 years) who completed structured surveys and physiological measures of HR and BP before and after exercise.

Results

AA youth were experiencing high levels of CT. Negative correlations were obtained between AA females' perceptions of their health and systolic BP with levels of trauma. No gender differences were found in HR or BP.

Practice Implications

AA females with high CT may perceive themselves as less healthy and can be at risk for health problems.
Capsicum annuum S (CaS) promotes reproductive transition and is required for flower formation in pepper (Capsicum annuum)
Authors: Cohen Oded , Borovsky Yelena , David‐Schwartz Rakefet , Paran Ilan
Published: February 2014

The genetic control of the transition to flowering has mainly been studied in model species, while few data are available in crop species such as pepper (Capsicum spp.). To elucidate the genetic control of the transition to flowering in pepper, mutants that lack flowers were isolated and characterized.

Genetic mapping and sequencing allowed the identification of the gene disrupted in the mutants. Double mutants and expression analyses were used to characterize the relationships between the mutated gene and other genes controlling the transition to flowering and flower differentiation.

The mutants were characterized by a delay in the initiation of sympodial growth, a delay in the termination of sympodial meristems and complete inhibition of flower formation. Capsicum annuum S (CaS), the pepper (Capsicum annuum) ortholog of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) COMPOUND INFLORESCENCE and petunia (Petunia hybrida) EVERGREEN, was found to govern the mutant phenotype. CaS is required for the activity of the flower meristem identity gene Ca‐ANANTHA and does not affect the expression of CaLEAFY. CaS is epistatic over other genes controlling the transition to flowering with respect to flower formation.

Comparative homologous mutants in the Solanaceae indicate that CaS has uniquely evolved to have a critical role in flower formation, while its role in meristem maturation is conserved in pepper, tomato and petunia.
Orbital forcing in turbidite accumulation during the Eocene greenhouse interval
Authors: Payros Aitor , Martínez‐Braceras Naroa
Published: February 2014

The influence of astronomically driven short‐term climate change (Milankovitch cycles) on deep‐marine turbidite systems is not well‐known, particularly in the case of long‐term greenhouse intervals with no significant glacio‐eustatic sea‐level fluctuations. This study, carried out at the Gorrondatxe section (Global Stratotype Section and Point for the base of the Lutetian Stage in the western Pyrenees), demonstrates that the characteristics of lower–middle Eocene fan‐fringe/basin‐plain turbiditic and pelagic deposits varied in line with orbitally forced fluctuations in seasonal rainfall, runoff and terrigenous input to the sea. Reduced turbiditic activity during the formation of pelagic limy precessional hemicouplets indicates subdued seasonality and low terrigenous input. Conversely, turbidity currents were more frequent, had greater energy and were more voluminous during the formation of pelagic marly hemicouplets, suggesting precessional hemicycles with strong seasonality and heavy summer rainfall. These differences at precessional time scales were enhanced at maximum eccentricity because turbiditic activity was most intense when boreal summer occurred at perihelion (i.e. maximum seasonality) but declined when it occurred at aphelion. At minimum eccentricity, with relatively weak seasonality throughout one (or more than one) precessional cycle (>21 kyr), turbiditic activity remained relatively low. The pattern observed at the Gorrondatxe fan‐fringe/basin‐plain succession implies that the orbitally forced environmental changes must also have affected the inner and middle parts of the submarine fan. The astronomical influence on terrigenous sediment input also determined the changing characteristics of the pelagic sedimentation. Thus, terrigenous sediment contribution to pelagic sedimentation fluctuated by a factor of five during opposite precessional situations at maximum eccentricity, whereas there was almost no fluctuation at minimum eccentricity.
A restorer‐of‐fertility like pentatricopeptide repeat gene directs ribonucleolytic processing within the coding sequence of rps3‐rpl16 and orf240a mitochondrial transcripts in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Arnal Nadège , Quadrado Martine , Simon Matthieu , Mireau Hakim
Published: February 2014

The pentatricopeptide repeat (PPR) proteins represent a large family of RNA‐binding proteins that have many roles in post‐transcriptional RNA processes within plant organelles. Among the PPR proteins that target plant mitochondria, the restorer‐of‐fertility (Rf) proteins are characterized by their inhibitory action on mitochondrion‐localized cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) genes in various crop species. Close homologs to known Rfs from radish, petunia, and rice can be identified in most higher plant species and these proteins define the recognized subgroup of Rf‐like (RFL) PPR proteins. In this paper we describe the function of the RFL9 gene from Arabidopsis thaliana, and show that it is associated with ribonucleolytic cleavages within the coding sequences of rps3‐rpl16 and orf240a mitochondrial transcripts in the Col‐0 accession. RFL9 therefore represents an Rf‐like PPR gene that has the potential to compromise the function of an essential mitochondrial gene and whose function is also associated with a mitochondrial orf sharing significant homology with a proven CMS‐causing orf. We observe that RFL9 is active in only a few Arabidopsis accessions genetically close to Col‐0, which supports the idea that the genetic fixation of this gene represents a regional event in the recent evolution of Arabidopsis. Additionally, RFL9 counts among the RFL genes that are probably controlled by short regulatory RNAs, and our results provides a potential explanation for such control, which in the case of RFL9 might have evolved to limit its detrimental effect on rps3 expression.
Neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy combined with anatomical resection of feline injection‐site sarcoma: results in 21 cats
Authors: Bray J. , Polton G.
Published: February 2014

This study assesses the outcome of two combined treatment strategies for the treatment of feline injection‐site sarcoma (FISS). Twenty‐one cats with primary or recurrentFISSreceived 3 cycles of neoadjuvant chemotherapy with epirubicin (25 mg m−2), then an anatomical resection of the entire muscle compartment containing the tumour was performed based on the findings of co‐axial imaging. Cats then received a further 3 cycles of adjuvant chemotherapy. Follow‐up was performed by telephone contact with a median follow‐up time of 1072 days. Three cats (14%) developed local tumour recurrence at days 264, 664 and 1573 after surgery. A median survival time could not be calculated as over 80% of the study population remained alive or were censored due to death from other causes. When compared to historical controls, the results of this study demonstrate superior rates of tumour‐free survival and disease‐free interval.
Transient Study on Sodium Heat Pipe in Passive Heat Removal System of Molten Salt Reactor
Authors: Wang Chenglong , Qiu Suizheng , Tian Wenxi , Wu Yingwei , Su Guanghui
Published: February 2014

High temperature heat pipes are effective devices for heat transfer, which are characterized by remarkable advantages in conductivity, isothermality and passivity. It is of significance to apply heat pipes on new concept passive residual heat removal system (PRHRS) of molten salt reactor (MSR). In this paper, the transient performance of high temperature sodium heat pipe is simulated with numerical method in the case of MSR accident. The model of the heat pipe is composed of three conjugate heat transfers, i.e. the vapor space, wick structure and wall. Based on finite element method, the governing equations and boundary conditions are solved by using FORTRAN code to acquire the profiles of the temperature, velocity and pressure for the heat pipe transient operation. The results indicated that high temperature sodium heat pipe had a good operating characteristic and removed the residual heat of fuel salt rapidly under the accident of MSR.
Preliminary Research on the Elimination of OBE in the Seismic Design of NPP
Authors: Li Qiang , Zhang Jian
Published: February 2014

Two levels of seismic, i.e. OBE and SSE, are conventionally considered in the seismic design of nuclear power plants. OBE is formerly set to equal to one half of SSE. In Advanced Light Water Reacter User Requirements Documents (ALWR-URD), US EPRI recommented to decrease OBE to one third of SSE. In the standard design of third generation of nuclear power plants, such as AP1000 of Westinghouse and EPR of AREVA, OBE was eliminated and substituted by lower level earthquake. In AP1000 standard design, OBE was decreased to one third of SSE and explicit analysis on OBE in the seimic design analyses is not required. Literatures and reports related to the regulatory requirements of seismic design are reviewed to study the reasons and means to be taken to address the issue of elimination of OBE from the design analyses of NPP. It will provide guidelines on the issue of elimination of OBE from seimic analysis of NPP design in China.
Codes Comparison and Analysis of Weld Cladding Ultrasonic Testing in Nuclear Power Plants
Authors: Zhong Zhimin , Min Jian , Li Kai
Published: February 2014

This paper briefly introduces the weld cladding structure, its common defects during the manufacture and operation stage and its application in pressurized water reactor nuclear power plants. Some ultrasonic testing codes or standards for nuclear power plant pressure vessel or piping, such as ASME BPVC volume V & III & XI, Germany KTA 3201.3 and 3201.4 code, France RCC-M and RSE-M code, and Russia code of light water nuclear power plants were discussed.

The difference of those codes and some feed backs have been analyzed and discussed. Furthermore, these works really benefit the compiling of NB/T 20003.2-2010, Non-destructive Testing for Mechanical Components in Nuclear Island of Nuclear Power Plants-Part 2: Ultrasonic Testing, as China building more and more nuclear power plants.

It was concluded that we shall pay more attention to the inspection of cladding, not only at manufacture stage but in operation outage stage. One of important work is periodically updating the inspection standard revision. It was believed that improving the cladding defects inspection reliability and effectiveness is very important to the safety of nuclear power plants operation in China and in the world.
Study for Application of Safety Soft Control and Information System in Highly-Integrated Control Rooms of CPR1000 NPP
Authors: Zhang Xuegang , Liu Wei , Chang Hai , Wen Jianbo , Wu Yiqian , Wu Guanyin
Published: February 2014

For most of the newly built nuclear power plants, the computerized main control rooms (MCR) are adopted. The soft control, the typical feature of computerized Human-Interface System (HIS) in the computerized main control room and mediated by software rather than by direct physical connections, is comprised of safety and non-safety control interface which provides the operators with manual control for component-level, and allows both continuous control of plant process and discrete control of components in nuclear power plant. The safety soft control and information system (SSCIS) is used to give the safety commands to and check the immediate response of the safety process. This paper describes the application of the system design basis, functionality, communication, operation faceplate and system modes for SSCIS which is firstly introduced in CPR1000 nuclear power plant. The design criteria and basic design features of SSCIS is developed to be as the design basis of the design implementation. The ISG-04 ‘Highly-Integrated Control Rooms-Communications issues (HICRc)’ provides acceptable methods for addressing SSCIS communications in digital I&C system design. The NUREG0700 ‘Human-System Interface Design Review Guidelines’ is applied as reference for human factor engineering requirement in the SSCIS design. And the SSCIS design has also fully considered the possible customer usual practice.
Sub-Channel Analysis of SCWR Assembly With Double-Row Rods
Authors: Wang Fei , Yang Jue , Fu Xiangang , Li Hongbo , Zhang Yong , Zhang Jianmin , Shan Jianqiang , Gou Junli , Zhang Bo , Chen Chao
Published: February 2014

According to the calculated axial and radial power distribution of reactor core, a numerical analysis of thermal-hydraulic behavior of coolant in supercritical water-cooled reactor of CGNPC (CGN-SCWR) was performed by using sub-channel analysis software ATHAS. The coolant flow in CGN-SCWR reactor core were in two path mode. In order to ensure the maximum cladding temperature (MCT for short) reached the requirements throughout the entire life cycle, the sub-channel analysis of the MCT in the BOC, MOC and EOC had been carried out. The temperature and density properties of coolant and moderator in the fuel assembly along the axial and radial direction were investigated. The MCT of the fuel assembly was obtained, and the selected typical sub-channels were analyzed in detail. The results show that the MCT, coolant outlet temperature and other parameters in CGN-SCWR reactor core meet the thermal-hydraulic design requirements through the whole life time.
Coupled Neutron Dynamic and Thermal Hydraulic Models of the HTR Simulator
Authors: Sui Zhe , Sun Jun , Wei Chunlin , Ma Yuanle , Shan Wenzhi
Published: February 2014

Along with the design and construction of the high temperature reactor pebble bed module (HTR-PM), the engineering simulator system (ESS) has been accomplished to deal with the key techniques of the HTR simulator. In our previous papers, the three dimensional space-time neutron dynamics and the thermal hydraulic modeling of the HTR reactor core were introduced. In this paper, we concentrated on the detailed coupling techniques of the neutron dynamic and thermal hydraulic models, which was one of the most important assurances to the dynamic simulations of the HTR-PM. The mechanism of minus temperature feedback effect of the HTR was introduced by the materials participated in the coupling calculations, as well as those parameters being transferred. In parallel calculations, the neutron dynamics and thermal hydraulics were coupled by exchanging the power density and the temperature in fuels, moderates, reflectors and so on. With complete reactor core model, the coupling calculations of the neutron dynamics and thermal hydraulics were tested in many static and dynamic cases to show good performances. Based on that model ability, the ESS can simulate the start-up, shut-down and several accidents for the whole nuclear power plant.
Investigation on the Frequency-Dependent Response of Neutron Noise in 2-D MSR
Authors: Wang Jiangmeng , Cao Xinrong
Published: February 2014

This paper mainly studies the frequency-dependent response of neutron noise to perturbation in general case in a full-sized cavity type Molten Salt Reactor (MSR). The previous works mainly discussed the situation in one dimension, for its simplexes to be calculated and can give some qualitative analysis, but it’s not enough to analysis the real situation in the MSR. Hence a 2-D cylindrical coordination is utilized in this paper. We also considered the influence of different fluid velocity and different height-diameter ratio on the static and dynamic condition. For simplification, here we use diffusion equations with one-group 2-D neutron flux and precursor, and the perturbation is generated in the axial line along the flow direction, the fluid materials set as homogeneous. In a full-sized system, since the coupling is tighter, closed-form results can’t be found, we can only give out the theoretical expression or numerical results.
The Analysis of AP1000 Beyond Design Basis DEDVI Accident
Authors: Zhu Sheng
Published: February 2014

Double ended break of direct vessel injection line (DEDVI) is the most typical small-break lost of coolant accident (LOCA) in AP 1000 nuclear power plant. This study simulated the DEDVI (without actuation of automatic depressurization system 1–3 stage valves, accumulators and passive residual heat removal heat exchanger) beyond design basis accident (BDBA) to validate the safety capability of AP1000 under such conditions. The results show that the core will be uncovered for about 863 seconds and then recovered by water after gravity injection from IRWST into the pressure vessel. The peak cladding temperature (PCT) goes up to 838.08°C, much lower than the limiting value 1204°C. This study confirms that in the DEDVI beyond design basis accident, the passive core cooling system (PXS) can effectually cool the core and preserve it integrate, and ensure the safety of AP 1000 nuclear power plant.
Temperature Measuring System in High Temperature Carbon Reducing Environment
Authors: Li Cong-Xin , Ren Cheng , Yang Xing-Tuan , Liu Zhi-Yong , Jiang Sheng-Yao
Published: February 2014

An essential material testing facility (EMTF) used for pebble bed effective conductivity measuring experiment of high temperature gas-cooled reactor was developed. As required, temperature measuring points were arranged in EMTF to monitor the temperature field. The maximum test temperature in EMTF would be 1600°C. The main part of EMTF was made of graphite and carbon felt, hence the measuring points were in strong carbon reducing environment, of which some were embedded in the carbon felt. The material choice and structure design of the thermal couples were introduced. In the high temperature region, our specially designed tungsten-rhenium thermocouple was used. For the comparison, some imported tungsten-rhenium thermocouples were also used. The distributive data acquisition system was made of IMP form Solartron in England, which with industrial computer constructs a data acquisition and control system. The software was programmed with configuration software of Sunwayland Forcecontrol. Finally, the measuring results in each part of EMTF were given, such as the heater, testing zone, thermal insulating layers. The experimental result showed that the designed temperature measuring system worked stably and reliably, which could finish the temperature acquisition task in 1600°C high temperature carbon reducing condition. After the experiment, the thermal couples experiencing high temperature in carbon reducing condition were removed out to analyze the structural change and study the damaged condition.
Pyroprocess Facility Design for a Nuclear Fuel Cycle
Authors: You G. S. , Choung W. M. , Ku J. H. , Moon S. I. , Kim H. D.
Published: February 2014

The Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI) has been developing pyroprocess for the dry conditioning of PWR spent nuclear fuels since 1997. The ACPF (Advanced spent fuel Conditioning Process Facility) was developed for volume reduction research on spent PWR fuel. Several years later, the PRIDE (PyRoprocess Integrated inactive Demonstration) facility was also developed for SFR fuel utilization research by pyroprocessing. An integrated full pyroprocess was used in the PRIDE facility. Presently another pyroprocess facility, ESPF (Engineering Scale Pyroprocess Demonstration Facility), is being conceptually designed for the future demonstration of an engineering-scale pyroprocess.
Analysis of MHD Pressure Drop in Packed Pebble Bed-Based Blanket for FDS
Authors: Wang Hongyan , Tang Chan
Published: February 2014

The Fusion-Driven Sub-critical System as a multifunctional hybrid reactor has been investigated in ASIPP. The liquid metal LiPb flow through a packed pebble bed-based blanket is considered to be one of the blanket candidates. In this contribution, the Magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) pressure drop of liquid metal flow through the packed pebble bed has been calculated and analyzed under various conditions including (a) the size of the packed pebbles; (b) the ratio of occupied room by the packed pebbles to that of liquid metal; and (c) whether the pebbles surface is insulated or not. Furthermore, asymptotic techniques to analyze large Hartmann parameter flow and interaction parameter flow are employed and an analytical model has been developed for the calculations of MHD pressure drop of liquid metal flow in a packed pebble bed. The appropriate method for calculating the MHD effects on the pressure drop through the packed pebble bed-based blanket for the FDS has been presented.