bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Atomic-scale friction modulated by potential corrugation in multi-layered graphene materials
Authors: Zhuang Chunqiang , Liu Lei
Published: March 2015

Friction is an important issue that has to be carefully treated for the fabrication of graphene-based nano-scale devices. So far, the friction mechanism of graphene materials on the atomic scale has not yet been clearly presented. Here, first-principles calculations were employed to unveil the friction behaviors and their atomic-scale mechanism. We found that potential corrugations on sliding surfaces dominate the friction force and the friction anisotropy of graphene materials. Higher friction forces correspond to larger corrugations of potential energy, which are tuned by the number of graphene layers. The friction anisotropy is determined by the regular distributions of potential energy. The sliding along a fold-line path (hollow-atop-hollow) has a relatively small potential energy barrier. Thus, the linear sliding observed in macroscopic friction experiments may probably be attributed to the fold-line sliding mode on the atomic scale. These findings can also be extended to other layer-structure materials, such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) and graphene-like BN sheets.
Performance enhancement of uncooled infrared focal plane array by integrating metamaterial absorber
Authors: Ma Wei , Wen Yongzheng , Yu Xiaomei , Feng Yun , Zhao Yuejin
Published: March 2015

This letter presents an infrared (IR) focal plane array (FPA) with metamaterial absorber (MMA) integrated to enhance its performance. A glass substrate, on which arrays of bimaterial cantilevers are fabricated as the thermal-sensitive pixels by a polyimide surface sacrificial process, is employed to allow the optical readout from the back side of the substrate. Whereas the IR wave radiates onto the FPA from the front side, which consequently avoids the energy loss caused by the silicon substrate compared with the previous works. This structure also facilitates the integration of MMA by introducing a layer of periodic square resonators atop the SiNx structural layer to form a metal/dielectric/metal stack with the gold mirror functioning as the ground plane. A comparative experiment was carried out on the FPAs that use MMA and ordinary SiNx as the absorbers, respectively. The performance improvement was verified by the evaluation of the absorbers as well as the imaging results of both FPAs.
Tunability of acoustic phonon transmission and thermal conductance in three dimensional quasi-periodically stubbed waveguides
Authors: Xie Zhong-Xiang , Liu Jing-Zhong , Yu Xia , Wang Hai-Bin , Deng Yuan-Xiang , Li Ke-Min , Zhang Yong
Published: March 2015

We investigate acoustic phonon transmission and thermal conductance in three dimensional (3D) quasi-periodically stubbed waveguides according to the Fibonacci sequence. Results show that the transmission coefficient exhibits the periodic oscillation upon varying the length of stub/waveguide at low frequency, and the period of such oscillation is tunably decreased with increasing the Fibonacci number N. Interestingly, there also exist some anti-resonant dips that gradually develop into wide stop-frequency gaps with increasing N. As the temperature goes up, a transition of the thermal conductance from the decrease to the increase occurs in these systems. When N is increased, the thermal conductance is approximately decreased with a linear trend. Moreover, the decreasing degree sensitively depends on the variation of temperature. A brief analysis of these results is given.
Buffer layer structure for measuring the elastic properties of brittle thin films by nanoindentation with application on nanoporous low-k dielectrics
Authors: Li Han , Lin Kevin , Ege Canay
Published: March 2015

Nanoindentation technique is widely employed in the semiconductor industry to characterize the mechanical properties of thin film materials. Low dielectric constant (low-k) materials, commonly used as interlayer dielectrics of the on-chip interconnects, are structurally fragile and prone to fracture and delamination when subject to concentrated stresses during nanoindentation. Characterization of their mechanical properties by nanoindentation technique is complicated not only by the well-known substrate effect arising from the elastic mismatch between the low-k film and the substrate but also by the potential material damages. This paper demonstrates the use of a buffer layer structure augmented with a novel analysis procedure to overcome these challenges, allowing us to extend the nanoindentation technique to even thinner films and improve measurement accuracy. The demonstrated approach is not restricted to low-k dielectrics, but is expected to be generically useful for other material systems given proper choice of the buffer layer.
Zero-Valent Iron Nanoparticles (NZVI) Supported by Kaolinite for CuII and NiII Ion Removal by Adsorption: Kinetics, Thermodynamics, and Mechanism
Authors: Wang Jiao , Liu Guijian , Li Tanfu , Zhou Chuncai , Qi Cuicui
Published: March 2015

This research concerns the adsorption of CuII and NiII using zero-valent iron nanoparticles supported by kaolinite (nZVI-Kaolinite). The characterization studies indicated that the surface of kaolinite or the kaolinite fragments were filled with nZVI particles. The kinetics of CuII and NiII adsorption were evaluated for various contact times. The adsorption of CuII and NiII at different initial concentrations was examined by injecting 0.5 g of adsorbent to achieve equilibrium. The adsorption of CuII and NiII was a chemisorption process, which fitted well with the Freundlich and the Temkin isotherm models. The low value of activation energy suggests the occurrence of a redox process and both physical and chemical processes for CuII and NiII adsorption respectively. The negative values for the Gibbs free energy (ΔG0) and enthalpy of adsorption (ΔH0) revealed that the adsorption process was spontaneous and exothermic. Both surface diffusion and pore diffusion were involved in the rate-limiting step. The possible removal mechanisms involved redox, adsorption, precipitation, and co-precipitation, depending on the adsorption process studied (CuII or NiII adsorption).
Peroxisome extensions deliver the
Arabidopsis
SDP1 lipase to oil bodies
Authors: Thazar-Poulot Nelcy , Miquel Martine , Fobis-Loisy Isabelle , Gaude Thierry
Published: March 2015

Significance

Storage of lipids in oil bodies (OBs) and their subsequent degradation in response to developmental or environmental cues is a common behavior of eukaryotic cells. In
Arabidopsis
seeds, the major lipase implicated in OB degradation is Sugar-Dependent 1 (SDP1). We report that lipid storage and degradation are severely impaired in seeds of
Arabidopsis
mutants altered in the retromer function, a multiprotein complex involved in protein trafficking. We show that SDP1 is initially localized on peroxisomes and then migrates to the OB surface during the course of seedling growth. SDP1 translocation occurs through peroxisomal extensions, and a functional retromer allows timely transfer of SDP1 to OBs. Our work provides unanticipated evidence for the role of peroxisome dynamics in interorganelle communication and protein transport.
Imperial expansion, public investment, and the long path of history: China’s initial political unification and its aftermath
Authors: Fang Hui , Feinman Gary M. , Nicholas Linda M.
Published: March 2015

Significance

During the Bronze Age, the diverse cultural traditions of the earlier Chinese Neolithic were interconnected into more expansive political and economic networks that culminated in the establishment of the region’s first empires (Qin and Han). Drawing on documents and archaeology, we outline the processes associated with this political consolidation and steps that were taken during imperial governance at both the national and a specific local scale (coastal Shandong Province), where we have conducted two decades of archaeological settlement pattern research. Through the juxtaposition of macro- and microscale analysis, we document human impacts of infrastructural investments, interactive technologies, and ideological tenets that were implemented during the Qin–Han dynasties, which helped establish the rough spatial configuration of what has since been China.
Global dispersion and local diversification of the methane seep microbiome
Authors: Ruff S. Emil , Biddle Jennifer F. , Teske Andreas P. , Knittel Katrin , Boetius Antje , Ramette Alban
Published: March 2015

Significance

Methane seeps are natural gas leaks at the seafloor that emit methane to the hydrosphere. The emission rates are controlled by methane-oxidizing microorganisms, which shape the ecosystem by supplying energy sources to other microorganisms and animal symbioses. We provide evidence that methane seeps are island-like habitats, harboring distinct microbial communities that share few organisms with other seafloor ecosystems. The seep communities comprise bacteria and archaea that occur worldwide but are locally selected by the environment. These microorganisms show high relative sequence abundances, suggesting high population densities and global relevance for the control of methane emission from the seafloor. At individual seeps, the cosmopolitan microorganisms are associated with a substantial diversity of rare relatives, turning seeps into hotspots of microbial biodiversity.
Simulation of the isotropic EXAFS spectra for the S
2
and S
3
structures of the oxygen evolving complex in photosystem II
Authors: Li Xichen , Siegbahn Per E. M. , Ryde Ulf
Published: March 2015

Significance

A few years ago, spectroscopy confirmed almost every detail of the previous density functional theory (DFT)-suggested structure for the S
2
state of photosynthesis. Earlier this year, the 2-y-old DFT structure for the S
3
state was also confirmed in detail, which means that there is now an answer to what happens in the important S
2
–S
3
transition, and there is an opportunity to discuss and evaluate the predictions for this transition made by extended X-ray adsorption fine structure (EXAFS) over the past decades. The present analysis also shows that the EXAFS spectra are consistent with the suggested DFT structures within normal DFT errors. Importantly, there are no major structural changes in this transition.
Intercellular signaling via cyclic GMP diffusion through gap junctions restarts meiosis in mouse ovarian follicles
Authors: Shuhaibar Leia C. , Egbert Jeremy R. , Norris Rachael P. , Lampe Paul D. , Nikolaev Viacheslav O. , Thunemann Martin , Wen Lai , Feil Robert , Jaffe Laurinda A.
Published: March 2015

Significance

By imaging cyclic GMP (cGMP) in live ovarian follicles from mice, we show how luteinizing hormone signaling in the follicle periphery results in a rapid decrease in cGMP in the oocyte, thus reinitiating meiosis. Luteinizing hormone signaling lowers cGMP in the outer cells of the follicle, then cGMP in the oocyte decreases as a consequence of diffusion through gap junctions. These findings demonstrate directly that a physiological signal initiated by a stimulus in one region of an intact tissue can travel across many layers of cells via cyclic nucleotide diffusion through gap junctions.
Weak lasing in one-dimensional polariton superlattices
Authors: Zhang Long , Xie Wei , Wang Jian , Poddubny Alexander , Lu Jian , Wang Yinglei , Gu Jie , Liu Wenhui , Xu Dan , Shen Xuechu , Rubo Yuri G. , Altshuler Boris L. , Kavokin Alexey V. , Chen Zhanghai
Published: March 2015

Significance

Bose–Einstein condensation of polaritons in periodically modulated cavities is a very interesting fundamental effect of the physics of many-body systems. It is also promising for application in solid-state lighting and information communication technologies. By a simple microassembling method, we created periodically modulated polariton condensates at room temperature, and observed the stabilization of the coherent condensate due to the spontaneous symmetry-breaking transition. This manifests a previously unidentified type of phase transition, leading to a novel state of matter: the weak lasing state. The optical imaging in both direct and reciprocal space provides clear evidence for the weak lasing in the specific range of the pumping intensities.
The Islamic Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina and nation building by Muslims/Bosniaks in the Western Balkans
Authors: Larise Dunja
Published: March 2015

The disintegration of the former Yugoslavia posed challenges for the universal concept of the Yugoslav Muslim nation for which several development paths were imaginable under the new circumstances. The concept of Bosniakdom, which was initially developed to address the Muslims of Bosnia and Herzegovina, gradually grew to become a new and coherent national program to include all the Muslims of former Yugoslavia, primarily due to its new pan-Bosniak orientation. The present article traces the conceptual history of the national ideas of Muslimdom versus Bosniakdom within the former Yugoslav states, as well as the conceptual and institutional history of the pan-Bosniak idea and movement during the 1990s and 2000s. It does this by emphasizing the decisive role the Official Muslim Community in Bosnia and Herzegovina played in their development and divulgence. This article claims that, contrary to some expectations, the strategy of internationalization and universalization of the hitherto territorial concept of Bosniakdom toward Muslims in neighboring countries during the second half of 1990s and 2000s was closely linked to the idea of the construction of the Bosniak national state. It also proposes that the evolution of Bosniakdom into pan-Bosniakdom during that time primarily followed concerns related to that goal.
Inefficient clearance of myelin debris by microglia impairs remyelinating processes
Authors: Lampron Antoine , Larochelle Antoine , Laflamme Nathalie , Préfontaine Paul , Plante Marie-Michèle , Sánchez Maria Gabriela , Yong V. Wee , Stys Peter K. , Tremblay Marie-Ève , Rivest Serge
Published: March 2015

An imbalance between remyelinating and demyelinating rates underlies degenerative processes in demyelinating diseases such as multiple sclerosis. An optimal therapeutic strategy would be to stimulate remyelination while limiting demyelination. Although accumulation of myelin debris impairs remyelination, the mechanisms regulating the clearance of such debris by mononuclear phagocytic cells are poorly understood. We demonstrate that after cuprizone intoxication, CCR2-dependent infiltration of mouse bone marrow–derived cells is abundant in demyelinating areas, but that these cells do not impact demyelination. However, in CX3CR1-deficient mice, the clearance of myelin debris by microglia was blocked greatly, affecting the integrity of the axon and myelin sheaths and thus preventing proper remyelination. These results highlight the crucial role played by CX3CR1 in myelin removal and show that there can be no efficient remyelination after a primary demyelinating insult if myelin clearance by microglia is impaired.
Conditional knockout of TMEM16A/anoctamin1 abolishes the calcium-activated chloride current in mouse vomeronasal sensory neurons
Authors: Amjad Asma , Hernandez-Clavijo Andres , Pifferi Simone , Maurya Devendra Kumar , Boccaccio Anna , Franzot Jessica , Rock Jason , Menini Anna
Published: March 2015

Pheromones are substances released from animals that, when detected by the vomeronasal organ of other individuals of the same species, affect their physiology and behavior. Pheromone binding to receptors on microvilli on the dendritic knobs of vomeronasal sensory neurons activates a second messenger cascade to produce an increase in intracellular Ca2+ concentration. Here, we used whole-cell and inside-out patch-clamp analysis to provide a functional characterization of currents activated by Ca2+ in isolated mouse vomeronasal sensory neurons in the absence of intracellular K+. In whole-cell recordings, the average current in 1.5 µM Ca2+ and symmetrical Cl− was −382 pA at −100 mV. Ion substitution experiments and partial blockade by commonly used Cl− channel blockers indicated that Ca2+ activates mainly anionic currents in these neurons. Recordings from inside-out patches from dendritic knobs of mouse vomeronasal sensory neurons confirmed the presence of Ca2+-activated Cl− channels in the knobs and/or microvilli. We compared the electrophysiological properties of the native currents with those mediated by heterologously expressed TMEM16A/anoctamin1 or TMEM16B/anoctamin2 Ca2+-activated Cl− channels, which are coexpressed in microvilli of mouse vomeronasal sensory neurons, and found a closer resemblance to those of TMEM16A. We used the Cre–loxP system to selectively knock out TMEM16A in cells expressing the olfactory marker protein, which is found in mature vomeronasal sensory neurons. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the specific ablation of TMEM16A in vomeronasal neurons. Ca2+-activated currents were abolished in vomeronasal sensory neurons of TMEM16A conditional knockout mice, demonstrating that TMEM16A is an essential component of Ca2+-activated Cl− currents in mouse vomeronasal sensory neurons.
Variational Principle for a Schrödinger Equation with Non-Hermitian Hamiltonian and Position–Dependent Mass
Authors: Plastino A.R. , Vignat C. , Plastino A.
Published: March 2015

A classical field theory for a Schrödinger equation with a non-Hermitian Hamiltonian describing a particle with position-dependent mass has been recently advanced by Nobre and Rego–Monteiro (NR) [Phys. Rev. A 88 (2013) 032105]. This field theory is based on a variational principle involving the wavefunction Ψ(x,t) and an auxiliary field ϕ(x,t). It is here shown that the relation between the dynamics of the auxiliary field ϕ(x,i) and that of the original wavefunction Ψ(x,t) is deeper than suggested by the NR approach. Indeed, we formulate a variational principle for the aforementioned Schrödinger equation which is based solely on the wavefunction Ψ(x,t). A continuity equation for an appropriately defined probability density, and the concomitant preservation of the norm, follows from this variational principle via Noether's theorem. Moreover, the norm-conservation law obtained by NR is reinterpreted as the preservation of the inner product between pairs of solutions of the variable mass Schrödinger equation.
The Blood Flow of Prandtl Fluid Through a Tapered Stenosed Arteries in Permeable Walls with Magnetic Field
Authors: Ellahi R. , S.U. Rahman , Nadeem S. , K. Vafai
Published: March 2015

This Communication deals with the blood flow of Prandtl fluid through a tapered stenosed arteries having permeable walls. The governing equations of two-dimensional Prandtl fluid model are modelled in cylindrical coordinates. The highly nonlinear equations are simplified with the help of non-dimensional variables under the assumption of mild stenosis. The solution of reduced nonlinear equation subject to boundary condition of porous walls having the effects of Darcy's number and slip parameter are computed analytically with the help of perturbation method. Effects of emerging parameters such as impedance λ, slip parameter α, stenosis height δ, magnetic parameter and stress component Srz on velocity are illustrated graphically. The streamlines have also been presented to discuss the trapping bolus discipline.
Moment growth bounds on continuous time Markov processes on non-negative integer lattices
Authors: Rathinam Muruhan
Published: March 2015

We consider time homogeneous Markov processes in continuous time with state space

Z

+

N

\mathbb {Z}_{+}^{N}

and provide two sufficient conditions and one necessary condition for the existence of moments

E
(
‖
X
(
t
)

‖
r

)

E(\|X(t)\|^r)

of all orders

r
∈

N

r \in \mathbb {N}

for all

t
≥
0

t \geq 0

. The sufficient conditions also guarantee an exponential in time growth bound for the moments. The class of processes studied has finitely many state independent jumpsize vectors

ν
1

,
…
,

ν
M

\nu _1,\dots ,\nu _M

. This class of processes arises naturally in many applications such as stochastic models of chemical kinetics, population dynamics and epidemiology for example. We also provide a necessary and sufficient condition for stoichiometric boundedness of species in terms of

ν
j

\nu _j

.
Mathematical Underpinnings of Analytics
Authors: Grindrod Peter
Published: March 2015

This book presents analytics within a framework of mathematical theory and concepts, building upon firm theory and foundations of probability theory, graphs, and networks, random matrices, linear algebra, optimization, forecasting, discrete dynamical systems, and more. Following on from the theoretical considerations, applications are given to data from commercially relevant interests: supermarket baskets; loyalty cards; mobile phone call records; smart meters; ‘omic‘ data; sales promotions; social media; and microblogging. Each chapter tackles a topic in analytics: social networks and digital marketing; forecasting; clustering and segmentation; inverse problems; Markov models of behavioural changes; multiple hypothesis testing and decision-making; and so on. Chapters start with background mathematical theory explained with a strong narrative and then give way to practical considerations and then to exemplar applications.
An origin of arc structures deeply embedded in dense molecular cloud cores
Authors: Matsumoto Tomoaki , Onishi Toshikazu , Tokuda Kazuki , Inutsuka Shu-ichiro
Published: March 2015

We investigated the formation of arc-like structures in the infalling envelope around protostars, motivated by the recent Atacama Large Millimeter/Submillimeter Array (ALMA) observations of the high-density molecular cloud core, MC27/L1521F. We performed self-gravitational hydrodynamical numerical simulations with an adaptive mesh refinement code. A filamentary cloud with a 0.1 pc width fragments into cloud cores because of perturbations due to weak turbulence. The cloud core undergoes gravitational collapse to form multiple protostars, and gravitational torque from the orbiting protostars produces arc structures extending up to a 1000 au scale. As well as on a spatial extent, the velocity ranges of the arc structures, ∼0.5 km s−1, are in agreement with the ALMA observations. We also found that circumstellar discs are often misaligned in triple system. The misalignment is caused by the tidal interaction between the protostars when they undergo close encounters because of a highly eccentric orbit of the tight binary pair.
Safeguarding research integrity in China
Authors: Qiu Jane
Published: March 2015

China has an impressive record in the total number of scientific publications in the past decade. In 2012, it churned out 193 733 Science Index Citation papers—4.7 times the 2002 level and second only to the United States. Unfortunately, the standards of science integrity has not kept up with the pace of this development, and many cases of research misconduct have been reported. This prompts many to fear that the country is now facing a critical problem in the field of scientific ethics.

In a forum chaired by National Science Review's executive associate editor Mu-ming Poo, five panellists from diverse backgrounds discuss how serious the problem is, what the root causes are, and how to safeguard research integrity in China.

Gaoqing Max Lu

Provost and Senior Vice President of the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia

Renzong Qiu

Bioethicist at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences’ Institute of Philosophy in Beijing

Chunfa Wang

Executive Secretary of the Chinese Association of Science and Technology in Beijing

Wei Yang

Director of the National Natural Science Foundation of China in Beijing

Lu Ye

Managing Director and Editorial Director, Physical Science & Engineering of Springer China

Mu-ming Poo (Chair)

Neuroscientist and Director of Chinese Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Neuroscience in Shanghai
Effect of Coronal Scoliotic Curvature on Sagittal Spinal Shape
Authors: Hong Jae-Young , Kim Keon-Woo , Suh Seung-Woo , Park Si-Young , Yang Jae-Hyuk
Published: March 2015

Study Design:

A radiographic analysis with scoliosis patients.

Objectives:

To analyze correlations between sagittal spinal alignment and coronal scoliotic curvature.

Summary of Background Data:

Sagittal spinal alignment and scoliosis may have a significant relationship, and schematic analysis is needed.

Methods:

The study group was comprised of 163 patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Subjects underwent anteroposterior and lateral radiographs of the whole spine including hip joints. The radiographic parameters used were magnitude, location and direction of curve, thoracic kyphosis, thoracolumbar kyphosis, lumbar lordosis, sagittal balance, sacral slope, and pelvic angle. Subjects were classified into 4 groups according to the severity of coronal curvature: Cobb angle ≤20 degrees, Cobb angle 21–40 degrees, Cobb angle 41–60 degrees, and Cobb angle >60 degrees. In addition, subjects were divided into 4 subgroups according to Roussouly’s classification (types 1–4) of sagittal spinal shape. Schematic analysis was performed to determine the relationship between coronal and sagittal parameters.

Results:

Analysis of parameters with severity of coronal curvature, thoracic kyphosis, and sacral slope were significantly higher in high-grade scoliosis (P<0.05). However, the pelvic angle was higher in low-grade scoliosis, and sagittal balance showed a significantly higher positive value in low-grade scoliosis (P<0.05). In the analysis of sagittal spinal shapes, Roussouly groups 3 and 4 showed more severe scoliosis with higher lumbar lordosis and thoracic kyphosis (P<0.05). In addition, Roussouly group 1 demonstrated a significantly higher incidence of low-grade scoliosis, whereas groups 3 and 4 had a higher incidence of high-degree scoliosis by cross-relation analysis (P<0.05).

Conclusions:

A significant relationship exists between sagittal spinal shape and coronal curvature in scoliosis. Understanding the biplanar shapes of scoliosis may be helpful to the surgeons.
It Is Not Always the Pulmonary Embolism
Authors: Daheshpour Sepehr , Shenoy Sundeep
Published: March 2015

One of the leading reasons for emergency department visits happens to be chest pain and shortness of breath with estimated 6.3 million visits for chest pain and 3 million visits for shortness of breath. Over the years, there has been an upward trend in these demographics. The primary workup is usually toward cardio pulmonary causes. Paraesophageal hernia is a term to describe the herniation of gastroesophageal junction and the gastric fundus through the paraesophageal membrane. Paraesophageal hernias account for 5% of all the hiatal hernias, and patients are usually asymptomatic or have complaints of gastroesophageal reflux. However, on rare occasions, they are notorious to develop complications such as incarceration, gangrene, obstruction of intrathoracic stomach, collapse of the lung, and even death. We take this opportunity to present a 49-year-old man who presented with shortness of breath and chest pain. The initial workup revealed a pulmonary embolism on a computerized tomography scan. However, with better clinical judgment and more imaging, he was diagnosed with a paraesophageal hernia with gastric obstruction and early strangulation causing his symptoms.
Pilot Development of an Electronic Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease Quiz Game
Authors: Tung Jeanne , Grunow John E. , Jacobs Noel
Published: March 2015

Objectives:

Data suggest physicians poorly assess disease‐specific literacy and transition readiness in pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We piloted an electronic, interactive iPad quiz game that could be used in a clinical setting, with the aims of measuring IBD‐related knowledge, and concomitant mood and quality of life (QOL) in a pediatric population.

Methods:

Two pediatric IBD clinics developed and tested 2 versions of “Emma.” Patients between 10 and 18 years of age played Emma during an office visit. Each patient answered 12 randomly selected disease‐related questions and 4 mood‐related questions.

Results:

Sites 1 and 2 tested Emma v1 between May and August 2013. Emma v2 was tested from November 2013 to January 2014 and from September 2013 to January 2014. A total of 56 patients played Emma v1, whereas 60 played Emma v2. In Emma v2, 73.1% of questions were answered correctly. Patients recognized signs of IBD (88%), causes of diarrhea in addition to IBD (79.4%), and could define lactose intolerance (95.8%), but fewer patients understood serological testing used for disease monitoring (68%) or knew that magnetic resonance enterography did not involve radiation (22.9%). Patients tended to report good functioning in the areas of energy, mood, anxiety, and school‐related QOL. Patients with Crohn disease, however, reported higher stress levels compared with patients with ulcerative colitis; older patients reported lower energy levels, and postsurgical patients reported lower QOL.

Conclusions:

The Emma iPad game has the potential to evaluate gaps in IBD knowledge, assess emotional functioning, and increase patient engagement as a transition tool in the clinical setting.
Physical behaviour of anthropogenic light propagation into the nocturnal environment
Authors: Aubé Martin
Published: March 2015

Propagation of artificial light at night (ALAN) in the environment is now known to have non negligible consequences on fauna, flora and human health. These consequences depend on light levels and their spectral power distributions, which in turn rely on the efficiency of various physical processes involved in the radiative transfer of this light into the atmosphere and its interactions with the built and natural environment. ALAN can affect the living organisms by direct lighting and indirect lighting (scattered by the sky and clouds and/or reflected by local surfaces). This paper mainly focuses on the behaviour of the indirect light scattered under clear sky conditions. Various interaction processes between anthropogenic light sources and the natural environment are discussed. This work mostly relies on a sensitivity analysis conducted with the light pollution radiative transfer model, Illumina (Aubé
et al
. 2005 Light pollution modelling and detection in a heterogeneous environment: toward a night-time aerosol optical depth retrieval method. In Proc. SPIE 2005, vol. 5890, San Diego, California, USA). More specifically, the impact of (i) the molecular and aerosol scattering and absorption, (ii) the second order of scattering, (iii) the topography and obstacle blocking, (iv) the ground reflectance and (v) the spectrum of light devices and their angular emission functions are examined. This analysis considers different behaviour as a function of the distance from the city centre, along with different zenith viewing angles in the principal plane.
Does light pollution alter daylength? A test using light loggers on free-ranging European blackbirds (Turdus merula)
Authors: Dominoni Davide M. , Partecke Jesko
Published: March 2015

Artificial light at night is one of the most apparent environmental changes accompanying anthropogenic habitat change. The global increase in light pollution poses new challenges to wild species, but we still have limited understanding of the temporal and spatial pattern of exposure to light at night. In particular, it has been suggested by several studies that animals exposed to light pollution, such as songbirds, perceive a longer daylength compared with conspecifics living in natural darker areas, but direct tests of such a hypothesis are still lacking. Here, we use a combination of light loggers deployed on individual European blackbirds, as well as automated radio-telemetry, to examine whether urban birds are exposed to a longer daylength than forest counterparts. We first used activity data from forest birds to determine the level of light intensity which defines the onset and offset of daily activity in rural areas. We then used this value as threshold to calculate the subjective perceived daylength of both forest and urban blackbirds. In March, when reproductive growth occurs, urban birds were exposed on average to a 49-min longer subjective perceived daylength than forest ones, which corresponds to a 19-day difference in photoperiod at this time of the year. In the field, urban blackbirds reached reproductive maturity 19 day earlier than rural birds, suggesting that light pollution could be responsible of most of the variation in reproductive timing found between urban and rural dwellers. We conclude that light at night is the most relevant change in ambient light affecting biological rhythms in avian urban-dwellers, most likely via a modification of the perceived photoperiod.
Artificial light at night: melatonin as a mediator between the environment and epigenome
Authors: Haim Abraham , Zubidat Abed E.
Published: March 2015

The adverse effects of excessive use of artificial light at night (ALAN) are becoming increasingly evident and associated with several health problems including cancer. Results of epidemiological studies revealed that the increase in breast cancer incidents co-distribute with ALAN worldwide. There is compiling evidence that suggests that melatonin suppression is linked to ALAN-induced cancer risks, but the specific genetic mechanism linking environmental exposure and the development of disease is not well known. Here we propose a possible genetic link between environmental exposure and tumorigenesis processes. We discuss evidence related to the relationship between epigenetic remodelling and oncogene expression. In breast cancer, enhanced global hypomethylation is expected in oncogenes, whereas in tumour suppressor genes local hypermethylation is recognized in the promoter CpG chains. A putative mechanism of action involving epigenetic modifications mediated by pineal melatonin is discussed in relation to cancer prevalence. Taking into account that ALAN-induced epigenetic modifications are reversible, early detection of cancer development is of great significance in the treatment of the disease. Therefore, new biomarkers for circadian disruption need to be developed to prevent ALAN damage.
Experimental illumination of natural habitat—an experimental set-up to assess the direct and indirect ecological consequences of artificial light of different spectral composition
Authors: Spoelstra Kamiel , van Grunsven Roy H. A. , Donners Maurice , Gienapp Phillip , Huigens Martinus E. , Slaterus Roy , Berendse Frank , Visser Marcel E. , Veenendaal Elmar
Published: March 2015

Artificial night-time illumination of natural habitats has increased dramatically over the past few decades. Generally, studies that assess the impact of artificial light on various species in the wild make use of existing illumination and are therefore correlative. Moreover, studies mostly focus on short-term consequences at the individual level, rather than long-term consequences at the population and community level—thereby ignoring possible unknown cascading effects in ecosystems. The recent change to LED lighting has opened up the exciting possibility to use light with a custom spectral composition, thereby potentially reducing the negative impact of artificial light. We describe here a large-scale, ecosystem-wide study where we experimentally illuminate forest-edge habitat with different spectral composition, replicated eight times. Monitoring of species is being performed according to rigid protocols, in part using a citizen-science-based approach, and automated where possible. Simultaneously, we specifically look at alterations in behaviour, such as changes in activity, and daily and seasonal timing. In our set-up, we have so far observed that experimental lights facilitate foraging activity of pipistrelle bats, suppress activity of wood mice and have effects on birds at the community level, which vary with spectral composition. Thus far, we have not observed effects on moth populations, but these and many other effects may surface only after a longer period of time.
Simulation of population development in the predator-prey system under changing conditions of interaction
Authors: Tetearing Alexandr N.
Published: March 2015

The numerical models of populations behaviour, simulated under changing condition of populations interaction (the hungry or full-fed populations, the existence of persons in the personal areas or in the common territory), demonstrate the increase, reduction or damping of oscillations amplitude, that corresponds qualitatively to known experimental data, obtained for real population of bacteria.
The Class I HDAC inhibitor RGFP963 enhances consolidation of cued fear extinction
Authors: Bowers Mallory E. , Xia Bing , Carreiro Samantha , Ressler Kerry J.
Published: March 2015

Evidence indicates that broad, nonspecific histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibition enhances learning and memory, however, the contribution of the various HDACs to specific forms of learning is incompletely understood. Here, we show that the Class I HDAC inhibitor, RGFP963, enhances consolidation of cued fear extinction. However, RGFP966, a strong inhibitor of HDAC3, does not significantly enhance consolidation of cued fear extinction. These data extend previous evidence that demonstrate the Class I HDACs play a role in the consolidation of long-term memory, suggesting that HDAC1 and/or HDAC2, but less likely HDAC3, may function as negative regulators of extinction retention. The development of specific HDAC inhibitors, such as RGFP963, will further illuminate the role of specific HDACs in various types of learning and memory. Moreover, HDAC inhibitors that enhance cued fear extinction may show translational promise for the treatment of fear-related disorders, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
A one-dimensional zinc(II) coordination polymer based on mixed multidentateN- andO-donor ligands
Authors: Huang Qiu-Ying , Zhang Yu-Hong , Meng Xiang-Ru
Published: March 2015

In the title coordination polymer,catena-poly[[bis[{1-[(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl-κN3)methyl]-1H-tetrazole}zinc(II)]-bis(μ4-pentane-1,5-dioato-1:2:1′:2′κ4O1:O1′:O5:O5′)] methanol disolvate], {[Zn(C5H6O4)(C9H8N6)]·CH3OH}n, each ZnIIion is five-coordinated by four O atoms from four glutarate ligands and by one N atom from a 1-[(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)methyl]-1H-tetrazole (bimt) ligand, leading to a slightly distorted square-pyramidal coordination environment. Two ZnIIions are linked by four bridging glutarate carboxylate groups to generate a dinuclear [Zn2(CO2)4] paddle-wheel unit. The dinuclear units are further connected into a one-dimensional chainviathe glutarate ligands. The bimt ligands coordinate to the ZnIIions in a monodentate mode and are pendant on both sides of the main chain. In the crystal, the chains are linked by O—H...O and N—H...O hydrogen bonds into a two-dimensional layered structure. Adjacent layers are further packed into a three-dimensional network through van der Waals forces. A thermogravimetric analysis was carried out and the photoluminescent behaviour of the polymer was investigated.
Crystallization and preliminary X-ray diffraction analysis of an endo-1,4-β-D-glucanase fromAspergillus aculeatusF-50
Authors: Chen Yun , Huang Jian-Wen , Chen Chun-Chi , Lai Hui-Lin , Jin Jian , Guo Rey-Ting
Published: March 2015

Cellulose is the most abundant renewable biomass on earth, and its decomposition has proven to be very useful in a wide variety of industries. Endo-1,4-β-D-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.4; endoglucanase), which can catalyze the random hydrolysis of β-1,4-glycosidic bonds to cleave cellulose into smaller fragments, is a key cellulolytic enzyme. An endoglucanase isolated fromAspergillus aculeatusF-50 (FI-CMCase) that was classified into glycoside hydrolase family 12 has been found to be effectively expressed in the industrial strainPichia pastoris. Here, recombinant FI-CMCase was crystallized. Crystals belonging to the orthorhombic space groupC2221, with unit-cell parametersa= 74.2,b= 75.1,c= 188.4 Å, were obtained by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method and diffracted to 1.6 Å resolution. Initial phase determination by molecular replacement clearly shows that the crystal contains two protein molecules in the asymmetric unit. Further model building and structure refinement are in progress.
Crystallization and preliminary X-ray characterization of the eukaryotic replication terminator Reb1–Ter DNA complex
Authors: Jaiswal Rahul , Singh Samarendra K. , Bastia Deepak , Escalante Carlos R.
Published: March 2015

The Reb1 protein fromSchizosaccharomyces pombeis a member of a family of proteins that control programmed replication termination and/or transcription termination in eukaryotic cells. These events occur at naturally occurring replication fork barriers (RFBs), where Reb1 binds to termination (Ter) DNA sites and coordinates the polar arrest of replication forks and transcription approaching in opposite directions. The Reb1 DNA-binding and replication-termination domain was expressed inEscherichia coli, purified and crystallized in complex with a 26-mer DNA Ter site. Batch crystallization under oil was required to produce crystals of good quality for data collection. Crystals grew in space groupP21, with unit-cell parametersa= 68.9,b= 162.9,c= 71.1 Å, β = 94.7°. The crystals diffracted to a resolution of 3.0 Å. The crystals were mosaic and required two or three cycles of annealing. This study is the first to yield structural information about this important family of proteins and will provide insights into the mechanism of replication and transcription termination.
Purification, crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of the phosphatase domain (PA3346PD) of the response regulator PA3346 fromPseudomonas aeruginosaPAO1
Authors: Chen Li-Ying , Wu Pei-Hsun , Guan Hong-Hsiang , Fun Hoong-Kun , Chang Hwan-You , Chen Chun-Jung
Published: March 2015

The phosphatase domain (PA3346PD) of the response regulator PA3346 modulates the downstream anti-anti-σ factor PA3347 to regulate swarming motility inPseudomonas aeruginosaPAO1. PA3346PD, which comprises the protein phosphatase 2C domain (PP2C), is classified as a Ser/Thr phosphatase of the Mg2+- or Mn2+-dependent protein phosphatase (PPM) family. The recombinant PA3346PD, with molecular mass 26 kDa, was overexpressed inEscherichia coli, purified on an Ni2+–NTA agarose column and crystallized by the sitting-drop vapour-diffusion method. X-ray diffraction data were collected from PA3346PD crystals to a resolution of 2.58 Å and the crystals belonged to space groupI4132 orI4332, with unit-cell parametera= 157.61 Å. Preliminary analysis indicates the presence of a monomer of PA3346PD in the asymmetric unit with a solvent content of 58.4%.
Crystal structure of the co-crystalfac-triaquatris(thiocyanato-κN)iron(III)–2,3-dimethylpyrazine (1/3)
Authors: Kucheriv Olesia I. , Shylin Sergii I. , Ilina Tetiana A. , Dechert Sebastian , Gural'skiy Il'ya A.
Published: March 2015

In the crystal of the title compound, [Fe(NCS)3(H2O)3]·3C6H8N2, the FeIIIcation is located on a threefold rotation axis and is coordinated by three N atoms of the thiocyanate anions and three water molecules in afacarrangement, forming a slightly distorted N3O3octahedron. Stabilization within the crystal structure is provided by O—H...N hydrogen bonds; the H atoms from coordinating water molecules act as donors to the N atoms of guest 2,3-dimethylpyrazine molecules, leading to a three-dimensional supramolecular framework.
Crystal structure of 2-((1E)-{2-[bis(2-methylbenzylsulfanyl)methylidene]hydrazin-1-ylidene}methyl)-6-methoxyphenol
Authors: Yusof Enis Nadia Md , Ravoof Thahira Begum S. A. , Tahir Mohamed Ibrahim Mohamed , Tiekink Edward R. T.
Published: March 2015

In the title compound, C25H26N2O2S2, the central CN2S2atoms are almost coplanar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.0058 Å). One phenyl ring clearly lies to one side of the central plane, while the other is oriented in the plane but splayed. Despite the different relative orientations, the phenyl rings form similar dihedral angles of 64.90 (3) and 70.06 (3)° with the central plane, and 63.28 (4)° with each other. The benzene ring is twisted with respect to the central plane, forming a dihedral angle of 13.17 (7)°. The S2C=N, N—N and N—N=C bond lengths of 1.2919 (19), 1.4037 (17) and 1.2892 (19) Å, respectively, suggest limited conjugation over these atoms; the configuration about the N—N=C bond isE. An intramolecular O—H...N hydrogen bond is noted. In the crystal, phenyl–methoxy C—H...O and phenyl–phenyl C—H...π interactions lead to supramolecular double chains parallel to thebaxis. These are connected into a layerviamethyl–phenyl C—H...π interactions, and layers stack along theaaxis, being connected by weak π–π interactions between phenyl rings [inter-centroid distance = 3.9915 (9) Å] so that a three-dimensional architecture ensues.
Regulatory incentives as a moderator of determinants for the adoption of Malaysian food safety system
Authors: Fernando Yudi , Ng Hooi Huang , Walters Tim
Published: March 2015

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to investigate the contribution of regulatory incentives offered by regulators as a moderator variable enhancing adoption of Malaysian food safety system (MeSTI).

Design/methodology/approach

– Structural equation modelling (SEM) with partial least square (PLS) was used to examine the determinants of MeSTI adoption in food industry.

Findings

– Responses to a questionnaire were collected from 89 firms, and statistical results confirmed that organizational factors (top management support and perceived technical competent) and scheme factors (perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use) have significant influence upon MeSTI adoption. While environment factors (perceived industry pressure and perceived government pressure) and expected factors (expected social legitimacy and expected economic competitiveness) did not have significant impact on MeSTI adoption. Regulatory incentives the government offered had no moderating effect on the relationships of the determinants studied.

Practical implications

– Although many companies remain unfamiliar or have limited knowledge of MeSTI, the respondents surveyed herein, which were small and medium enterprises (SMEs), argued that MeSTI was very helpful in controlling food safety standards in Malaysia. Government or non-government regulatory agencies should promote and encourage food industry compliance with the Malaysian food safety certification. Governments also need to rethink and redesign current regulatory incentives offers to the food industry, which often have no direct impact on the companies’ business.

Originality/value

– Though many factors potentially could influence the industry to adopt a food safety scheme, the moderating effect of regulatory incentives is an interesting area to study in relationship to its potential effects to adopt food safety standards and practices. In some extent, this serves as a yardstick for measuring the impact of voluntary compliance and points to future directions for what should occur in the future.