bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Plasmonic near-field transducer for heat-assisted magnetic recording
Authors: Zhou Nan , Xu Xianfan , Hammack Aaron T. , Stipe Barry C. , Gao Kaizhong , Scholz Werner , Gage Edward C.
Published: May 2014

Plasmonic devices, made of apertures or antennas, have played significant roles in advancing the fields of optics and opto-electronics by offering subwavelength manipulation of light in the visible and near infrared frequencies. The development of heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) opens up a new application of plasmonic nanostructures, where they act as near field transducers (NFTs) to locally and temporally heat a sub-diffraction-limited region in the recording medium above its Curie temperature to reduce the magnetic coercivity. This allows use of very small grain volume in the medium while still maintaining data thermal stability, and increasing storage density in the next generation hard disk drives (HDDs). In this paper, we review different plasmonic NFT designs that are promising to be applied in HAMR. We focus on the mechanisms contributing to the coupling and confinement of optical energy. We also illustrate the self-heating issue in NFT materials associated with the generation of a confined optical spot, which could result in degradation of performance and failure of components. The possibility of using alternative plasmonic materials will be discussed.
Surface-functionalized silica gel adsorbents for efficient remediation of cationic dyes
Authors: Farrukh Aleeza , Akram Attia , Ghaffar Abdul , Tuncel Eylül , Oluz Zehra , Duran Hatice , Rehman Habib ur , Yameen Basit
Published: May 2014

The toxic and non-biodegradable nature of organic dyes necessitates the design and synthesis of novel adsorbents for their effective removal from the environment. This study reports an effective remediation behavior of surface-functionalized silica gel against water-soluble cationic dyes (up to 98 % removal). Thiol groups were functionalized at the surface of silica gel (SiO2–SH). The surface-tethered –SH groups were further oxidized to sulfonic acid groups to generate the negatively charged moieties at the surface of silica gel (SiO2–SO3 H). The morphology of the developed adsorbents and the surface modifications were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Uptake study of three cationic dyes, namely, rhodamine B (Rh B), rhodamine 6G (Rh 6G), and crystal violet (CV) with SiO2–SH and SiO2–SO3 H adsorbents was performed by varying the adsorbent amount, contact time, pH of solution, and temperature. The presence of negatively charged species at the surface of SiO2–SO3 H results in an increased electrostatic interaction with the cationic dyes, which leads to better remediation characteristics for SiO2–SO3 H as compared to SiO2–SH. The reusability of the developed adsorbents was also assessed by investigating adsorption/desorption of dyes. The simple fabrication process provides a facile avenue to the adsorbents with efficient remediation towards cationic dyes.
Conflict persistence and the role of third-party interventions
Authors: Chang Yang-Ming , Sanders Shane , Walia Bhavneet
Published: May 2014

This article discusses the contributions and limitations of the contest approach to theoretical conflict research. Specific topics of discussion include the persistence of war and the motivation and effect of third-party intervention in altering the outcome and persistence of conflict. The persistence of intrastate conflict and the political economy of third-party interventions are central issues in international politics. Conflict persists when neither party to the fighting is sufficiently differentiated to "borrow upon" future ruling rents and optimally deter its opponent. Third-party intervention aimed at breaking a persistent conflict should focus upon creating cross-party differences in factors such as the value of political dominance, effectiveness of military arms, and cost of military arming. The article also discusses the effect of outside intervention upon conflict persistence and outcome. Of particular interest is work that not only identifies a peaceful equilibrium but discusses the degree to which a particular peaceful equilibrium is valued. Considering the value of a peaceful equilibrium may be a first step toward understanding the stability of peace.
On forgetful goldfish and failed mnemonics: Transforming political economies of conflict using voluntarism, regulation, and supervision
Authors: Cooper Neil
Published: May 2014

This article examines three types of initiatives that have been deployed in the effort to transform the political economies of civil conflict: Voluntary ethical trading initiatives, formal regulation to promote ethical trading or good resource governance, and economic supervision schemes. The article draws on brief case studies of the United Nations Global Compact, the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, and the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme as well as discussing economic supervision schemes such as those imposed on Chad and Liberia. The article argues that the current representation of these initiatives obscures that they represent a retreat from the more ambitious programs of reform articulated in the 1970s.
Natural resources and civil conflict: An overview of controversies, consensus, and channels
Authors: Rigterink Anouk S.
Published: May 2014

This article reviews the literature on the relationship between natural resource abundance and civil conflict, focusing on cross-country, quantitative research. It concludes that results on natural resources (as a single category) as a cause of conflict onset are quite unstable. A more robust relationship is found looking at specific resources, notably oil and diamonds. Resource abundance potentially increases conflict risk by providing revenue to warring parties, decreasing the cost of rebellion, increasing the 'value' of winning the government or decreasing government quality and economic growth. However, there is little consensus on which (combination of) mechanism(s) is most important, even though this is the most interesting question for policy makers.
How markets can end persistent intra-organizational conflict
Authors: Zetland David
Published: May 2014

The literature has described the origin and cost of intra-organizational conflict within the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California (MET). This article explores how this conflict has persisted and suggest ways to resolve it. The key action requires that institutions designed with the assumption of abundant water be reformed to manage scarce water. Without modification to MET's legal and operational structures, an internal auction market can efficiently and transparently allocate water among MET's member agencies. A careful allocation of rights to water and revenues from that market make it possible to address issues of fairness (access to water for individuals) and to repay past member agency contributions that thus far have subsidized MET's operations.
Revision of the South American wasp genus Alophophion Cushman, 1947 (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae: Ophioninae)
Authors: Alvarado Mabel
Published: May 2014

The species of the strictly Neotropical ophionine wasp genus Alophophion Cushman, 1947 are revised. New descriptions of all previously named species are provided, except Alophophion holosericeus (Taschenberg, 1875) for which the type series is lost and the name is herein considered a nomen dubium. The female of A. flavorufus (Brullé, 1846) is described for the first time. Four informal species groups are proposed based on the morphology of the mandibles, development of the malar space, and general proportions of the head (i.e., development of the face and gena). Whereas the genus previously included only seven named species, it is here expanded to include 49 species (not including the aforementioned nomen dubium), 43 of which are newly discovered and described and thereby increasing the diversity by over eight times. A key to the four species groups and their included taxa is provided. Alophophion is confined to cold and/or dry areas of subequatorial South America, with the exception of A. mancocapaci new species and A. pedroi new species which occur incloud forests around Cuzco, Peru. The genus is newly recorded from Bolivia and Ecuador, and more extensive and accurate distributions are summarized for A. chilensis, A. flavorufus, and A. politus. Alophophion flavorufus is newly recorded from Argentina.Traduce
Estado del zorro gris Lycalopex griseus (Gray, 1837) (Mammalia: Canidae) en el Perú
Authors: Vivar Elena , Pacheco Víctor
Published: May 2014

Se sustenta la presencia del zorro gris Lycalopex griseus (Gray, 1837) en la costa sur del Perú en base a información morfológica externa y craneal. Esta especie es de similar tamaño a L. sechurae (Thomas, 1900) pero diferenciable en una mayor longitud del hocico y menor amplitud del cráneo; esta diferencia es respaldada en un Análisis de Componentes Principales. Se sugiere que la población del zorro gris en el Perú podría constituir una subespecie nueva de L. griseus por encontrarse más al norte de su distribución tradicionalmente conocida y separada de otras subespecies por el Desierto de Atacama en el norte de Chile, notable barrera biogeográfica.
Caracterización molecular de la región determinante de resistencia a quinolonas (QRDR) de la topoisomerasa IV de Bartonella bacilliformis en aislados clínicos
Authors: Espinoza-Culupú Abraham , Quispe-Gaspar Ruth , Jaramillo Michael , Icho Melisa , Eca Anika , Ramírez Pablo , Alvarado Débora , Guerrero Juan Carlos , Vargas-Vásquez Franklin , Córdova Ofelia , García-de-la-Guarda Ruth
Published: May 2014

Bartonella bacilliformis es el agente etiológico de la Enfermedad de Carrión, endémica del Perú. Pocas investigaciones han sido realizadas acerca de los genes asociados a la resistencia antimicrobiana en aislados clínicos de este patógeno. Estos genes no están caracterizados molecularmente, ni se conoce la región asociada a dicha resistencia. Por ello, el objetivo del este trabajo fue caracterizar molecularmente la región determinante de la resistencia a las quinolonas (QRDR) en la topoisomerasa IV, que está codificada por los genes parC y parE, así como también desarrollar una prueba de susceptibilidad antimicrobiana para B. bacilliformis. Las muestras sanguíneas de 65 pacientes procedentes de La Libertad, Cusco, Ancash y Piura, se sembraron en placas de agar sangre e incubaron a 30 °C con 5% CO2. Luego se procedió a: (1) determinar la susceptibilidad antimicrobiana y (2) extraer el DNA genómico, amplificar los genes mencionados, secuenciarlos y analizarlos mediante herramientas bioinformáticas. Se obtuvieron 6 cultivos positivos. Los aislados fueron sensibles a la ciprofloxacina (excepto uno procedente de Quillabamba-Cusco, que presentó susceptibilidad disminuida) y resistentes al ácido nalidíxico. Del análisis de las secuencias aminoacídicas de ParC y ParE de B. bacilliformis se concluye que presentan diferencias aminoacídicas en comparación con las secuencias de las proteínas respectivas de E. coli K12 MG1655, que probablemente confieran resistencia al ácido nalidíxico pero no a la ciprofloxacina. Se determinó que las QRDR de las proteínas ParC y ParE de B. bacilliformis están comprendidas entre los aminoácidos 67 al 118 y 473 al 530, respectivamente. El antibiograma y la concentración mínima inhibitoria se evalúan mejor usando inóculos a escala 1 de McFarland y a los 6 días de incubación.
Nueva especie de Hesperiidae (Lepidoptera) para Perú: Dalla granites (Mabille, 1898)
Authors: Cerdeña José Alfredo , Huamaní Erick , Delgado Rómulo , Lamas Gerardo
Published: May 2014

Se registra por primera vez para Perú al raro hespérido Dalla granites (Mabille, 1898) (Lepidoptera: Hesperiidae), previamente citado de Ecuador y Bolivia.
Two new butterfly records for Peru: Orophila cardases cardases and Pedaliodes garlaczi (Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae)
Authors: Cerdeña José Alfredo , Huamaní Erick
Published: May 2014

We report to Peru, for the first time, two butterfly species, Orophila cardases cardases (Hewitson, 1869) and Pedaliodes garlaczi Pyrcz & Cerdeña, 2013, based on specimens collected in the Tabaconas-Namballe National Sanctuary and neighboring areas.
Sirolimus Improves Pain in NF1 Patients With Severe Plexiform Neurofibromas
Authors: Hua Camille , Zehou Ouidad , Ducassou Stéphane , Minard-Colin Véronique , Hamel-Teillac Dominique , Wolkenstein Pierre , Valeyrie-Allanore Laurence
Published: May 2014

Plexiform neurofibromas (PNs) are common and potentially debilitating complications of neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1). These benign nerve-sheath tumors are associated with significant pain and morbidity because they compress vital structures. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is a major mediator involved in tumor growth in NF1. We present 3 cases of patients with NF1, aged 8, 16, and 17 years, followed for inoperable and symptomatic PNs; patients received sirolimus for life-threatening and painful neurofibromas after multidisciplinary consultation. Epidemiologic, clinical, and radiologic data were retrospectively collected. The volume of PNs did not differ between baseline and 12-month follow-up and pain was alleviated, with withdrawal of analgesics in 2 cases at 6 months, and significantly decreased for the third case. Sirolimus for inoperable symptomatic PNs in patients with NF1 permitted stabilization of mass and produced unpredictable and important alleviation of pain in all cases with good tolerance. This treatment was proposed in extreme cases, in absence of therapeutic alternatives, after multidisciplinary consensus. The mTOR pathway may be both a major mediator of NF1 tumor growth and regulator of nociceptor sensitivity. mTOR inhibitors clinically used as anticancer and immunosuppressant drugs could be a potential treatment of chronic pain.
The Relationship Between Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Maintenance Processes, Emotional Distress, and Positive Psychotic Symptoms: Evidence That CBT Is “Not a Quasi-Neuroleptic”
Authors: Brockman Robert , Kiernan Michael , Brakoulias Vlasios , Murrell Elizabeth
Published: May 2014

Cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp) has enjoyed a steep rise in popularity over the past 15 years; however, recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses have concluded that CBTp has only modest effects on psychotic syndrome outcomes and that empirical evidence of its superiority over other psychosocial treatments is poor. And although it has been argued by some prominent authors that CBTp is not designed to alleviate the “psychotic syndrome,” there is little empirical evidence linking CBTp change mechanisms with syndrome versus single-symptom outcome measures. This study investigated the relationship between CBTp change processes, beliefs about voices, and thought control strategies, with a range of outcome measures including global positive psychotic symptoms in a sample of 40 voice hearers with established diagnosis of psychotic disorder. Consistent with the assertions of Birchwood and Trower (2006), global positive symptoms were found to be generally poorly related to CBTp change processes. Conversely, these CBTp change processes were found to be generally strongly related to measures of emotional distress and some measures of single psychotic symptoms. The implications for past and future CBTp treatment outcome studies are discussed.
Obsessions and Time of Day: A Self-Monitoring Study in Individuals With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Authors: Nota Jacob A. , Gibb Brandon E. , Coles Meredith E.
Published: May 2014

Deepening our understanding of the basic mechanisms underlying obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) often leads to advances in clinical practice. And, as noted by Kazdin (2008), clinical experiences are an important resource for identifying novel targets for empirical study. One potential target for furthering our understanding of OCD is to investigate clinical reports of within-day symptom fluctuations. Self-monitoring data from 17 adults with OCD were used to test for a diurnal pattern in obsessions. Results from generalized estimating equations revealed that obsessions were most common during midday and that the midday exacerbation was briefer in males. In combination with prior findings of similar diurnal patterns for other anxious symptoms (e.g., panic), these findings suggest that daily social rhythms and/or circadian influences may influence levels of obsessions. Furthermore, treatment may be improved by attending to these heightened symptom periods and integrating this information into therapy (e.g., when developing the exposure hierarchy).
Parental and Child Attitudes Towards Pediculosis are a Major Cause Of Reinfection
Authors: Canyon Deon V. , Canyon Chauncey , Milani Sami
Published: May 2014

Pediculosis can elicit considerable emotional distress in the infected and their carers, but the role of attitude in
head lice reinfection has not been explored. Failure of head lice control is often attributed to insecticide resistance because
human aspects of reinfestation are unknown. This study collected data from 128 teenagers with a history of pediculosis to
retrospectively explore attitudes towards head lice. One third of female and two thirds of male teenagers were
unconcerned about having head lice. One fifth of parents did nothing about their child’s head lice infections, while a few
male students did not inform their parents when they had pediculosis. This is the first study on the prevalence of human
lice carriers who are a primary cause of head lice reinfection. Medical and public health professions need to understand
the social reasons for the failure of insecticide-based head lice control.
Strategy for Radiocarbon Chronological Assessment of Ceramic Styles: An Example from Prehispanic Northwestern Argentina
Authors: Greco Catriel , Palamarczuk Valeria
Published: May 2014

This study argues that to properly set the duration of a particular pottery style using radiocarbon it is necessary to have a long series of data, but also to critically evaluate its reliability. This study presents a methodological strategy to establish the temporal position of the Famabalasto Negro Grabado (Famabalasto Black Incised) pottery style, which has a problematic chronological allocation in northwest Argentine archaeology. This article considers as a starting point the different hypotheses referring to the chronology of this ceramic style. All available14C dates and the information of the archaeological contexts were used to evaluate the different degrees of certainty in thesample-event associationand differentiate the association degrees among the dated events and the set of recovered ceramics. For this, a quadripartite scale ofdate-pottery associationis proposed. This treatment of the information allows to rank the more reliable data. Anomalous data are detected and discussed, and as a result, the period of production of this style at a regional level can be dated to the early 14th century and mid-16th/carly 17th century. This analysis presents a methodology that can be applied to different archaeological situations.
A Numerical Examination of 14CO2 Chamber Methodologies for Sampling at the Soil Surface
Authors: Egan Jocelyn , Nickerson Nick , Phillips Claire , Risk Dave
Published: May 2014

Radiocarbon is an exceptionally useful tool for studying soil-respired CO2, providing information about soil carbon turnover rates, depths of production, and the biological sources of production through partitioning. Unfortunately, little work has been done to thoroughly investigate the possibility of inherent biases present in current measurement techniques, like those present in δ13CO2 methodologies, caused by disturbances to the soil's natural diffusive regime. This study investigates the degree of bias present in four 14C sampling chamber methods using a three-dimensional numerical soil-atmosphere CO2 diffusion model. The four chambers were tested in an idealized, surrogate reality by assessing measurement bias with varying Δ14C and δ13C signatures of production, collar lengths, soil biological productivity rates, and soil diffusivities. The static and Iso-FD chambers showed almost no isotopic measurement bias, significantly outperforming dynamic chambers, which demonstrated biases up to 200‰ in some modeled scenarios. The study also showed that 13C and 14C diffusive fractionation are not a constant multiple of one another, but that the δ13C correction still works in diffusive scenarios because the change in fractionation is not large enough to impact measured Δ14C values during chamber equilibration.
The Copper Age Mound Necropolis in Salve, Lecce, Italy: Radiocarbon Dating Results on Charcoals, Bones, Cremated Bones, and Pottery
Authors: Quarta Gianluca , Tiberi Ida , Rossi Marco , Aprile Giorgia , Braione Eugenia , D'Elia Marisa , Ingravallo Elettra , Calcagnile Lucio
Published: May 2014

Archaeological surface surveys carried out near Salve in southern Italy led to the identification of about 90 stone mounds spread over an area of about 100 ha. Systematic archaeological investigations allowed to identify the mounds as funeral structures with some having megalithic features. In the necropolis, both the inhumation and cremation rituals are evident, in some cases within the same mound. This article presents the results of an accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dating campaign carried out on different kinds of samples recovered from several structures: unburned and cremated bones, charcoals, and organic residues extracted from pottery sherds. The results allowed to assess the chronology of the site and to shed new light on the different funeral practices in Copper Age southern Italy.
Radiocarbon Dates of Late Quaternary Megafauna and Botanical Remains from Central Alberta, Canada
Authors: Jass Christopher N , Beaudoin Alwynne B
Published: May 2014

The chronologic record of late Quaternary biota from central Alberta has broad implications for understanding the archaeological, geological, paleontological, and paleoenvironmental record of western North America. Radiocarbon dates on remains of Pleistocene megafauna were previously used as proxies for the advance and retreat of ice sheets across Alberta (e.g. Young et al. 1994; Dyke 2005), and are important for understanding landscape changes that likely influenced the timing of human dispersal into North America (Burns 1996).14C records of Holocene age continue to refine our understanding of landscape change leading up to modern environmental conditions (Beaudoin 2003). Here, we report 1514C dates from new and previously recorded sites in central Alberta, and one from just across the border within Saskatchewan (Figure 1).
Passing of the Last of the Three Who Established14C Dating: A Historical Footnote
Authors: Taylor R E
Published: May 2014

Ernest Anderson, the last of the three scientists responsible for the initial research establishing the validity of the radiocarbon dating method at the University of Chicago in the late 1940s, has died. From early 1947 to the end of 1949, Anderson and James Arnold joined with Willard Libby to undertake three critical experiments, employing what one of them called a “procedure developed in hell” (solid carbon decay counting). They laid the foundation of what has developed over more than 6 decades into the “gold standard” for the chronometric dating of the most recent phases of the technological and cultural evolution of anatomically modern human societies, the geology of the terminal Pleistocene and Holocene, critical events in the history of the Earth's climate over the last 50,000 yr, and a range of other scientific and historical applications.
Comparison of cardiac output determined by an ultrasound velocity dilution cardiac output method and by the lithium dilution cardiac output method in juvenile horses with experimentally induced hypovolemia
Authors: Shih Andre C. , Queiroz Patricia , Vigani Alessio , Da Cunha Anderson , Pariaut Romain , Ricco Carolina , Bornkamp Jennifer , Garcia-Pereira Fernando , Bandt Carsten
Published: May 2014

Objective—To assess the accuracy of an ultrasound velocity dilution cardiac output (UDCO) method, compared with that of the lithium dilution cardiac output (LiDCO) method, for determination of cardiac output (CO) in juvenile horses with experimentally induced hypovolemia.

Animals—12 anesthetized 2- to 6-month-old horses.

Procedures—For each anesthetized horse, CO was determined by the LiDCO and UDCO methods prior to any intervention (baseline state), after withdrawal of approximately 40% of the horse's blood volume (low CO state), after maintenance of hypovolemia and infusion of norepinephrine until mean arterial blood pressure was equal to baseline value (high CO state), and after further infusion of norepinephrine and back-transfusion of withdrawn blood (posttransfusion state). For each of the 4 hemodynamic situations, CO and calculated cardiac index (CI) values were obtained by each method in duplicate (8 pairs of measurements/horse); mean values for each horse and overall mean values across all horses were calculated. Agreement between CI determined by each method (96 paired values) was assessed by Bland-Altman analysis.

Results—For the UDCO method–derived CI measurements among the 12 horses, mean ± SD bias was −4 ± 11.3 mL/kg/min (95% limits of agreement, −26.1 to 18.2 mL/kg/min) and mean relative bias was −10.4 ± 21.5% (95% limits of agreement, −52.6% to 31.8%).

Conclusions and Clinical Relevance—Results indicated that, compared with the LiDCO method, the UDCO method has acceptable clinical usefulness for determination of CO in foals.
Design of Ultrathin Composite Self-Deployable Booms
Authors: Mallikarachchi H. M. Y. C. , Pellegrino S.
Published: May 2014

Recently developed analysis techniques for thin shells that can be folded elastically and are able to self-deploy are used to develop an iterative design approach for this type of structure. The proposed approach considers a series of potential designs and then evaluates, for each trial design, key performance parameters through a complete simulation of its folding and deployment behavior. This design approach is applied to a boom concept consisting of a thin-walled tube in which two tape-spring hinges are made by cutting diametrically opposite slots; the geometry of the slots is fully defined by the length, width, and end diameter of the cuts. A design for a two-hinge, 1-m-long, lightweight self-deployable boom that can be wrapped around a small spacecraft is developed; the hinge geometry is chosen such that there is no damage during folding/deployment of the boom, and also the boom becomes latched at the first attempt. The chosen boom design is successfully validated experimentally.
Gender determination from fingerprints
Authors: Karki RK , Singh PK
Published: May 2014

INTRODUCTION: Fingerprints are one of the most mature biometric technologies and are considered legitimate proofs of evidence in courts of law for human identification all over the world. There is relatively less research has been done for its use in this field of gender identification. Hence, the present study was done to look the correlation between fingertip patterns with the gender of an individual. METHODS: Study was carried out over a period of one month among 200 medical students (100 male & 100 female) belonging to the age group 18-25 years of Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences, Dhulikhel, Kavre. RESULTS: Each finger print is unique; loops are the most commonly occurring fingerprint pattern while arches are the least common. Males have a higher incidence of whorls and females have a higher incidence of loops. CONCLUSION: We can conclude that there is an association between distribution of fingerprint patterns and gender and thus prediction of gender of a person is possible based on his fingerprint pattern. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/jucms.v2i1.10484 Journal of Universal College of Medical Sciences (2014) Vol.2(1): 12-15
Hopping Down the Main Street: Eastern Grey Kangaroos at Home in an Urban Matrix
Authors: Coulson Graeme , Cripps Jemma , Wilson Michelle
Published: May 2014

Most urban mammals are small. However, one of the largest marsupials, the Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus, occurs in some urban areas. In 2007, we embarked on a longitudinal study of this species in the seaside town of Anglesea in southern Victoria, Australia. We have captured and tagged 360 individuals to date, fitting each adult with a collar displaying its name. We have monitored survival, reproduction and movements by resighting, recapture and radio-tracking, augmented by citizen science reports of collared individuals. Kangaroos occurred throughout the town, but the golf course formed the nucleus of this urban population. The course supported a high density of kangaroos (2–5/ha), and approximately half of them were tagged. Total counts of kangaroos on the golf course were highest in summer, at the peak of the mating season, and lowest in winter, when many males but not females left the course. Almost all tagged adult females were sedentary, using only part of the golf course and adjacent native vegetation and residential blocks. In contrast, during the non-mating season (autumn and winter), many tagged adult males ranged widely across the town in a mix of native vegetation remnants, recreation reserves, vacant blocks, commercial properties and residential gardens. Annual fecundity of tagged females was generally high (≥70%), but survival of tagged juveniles was low (54%). We could not determine the cause of death of most juveniles. Vehicles were the major (47%) cause of mortality of tagged adults. Road-kills were concentrated (74%) in autumn and winter, and were heavily male biased: half of all tagged males died on roads compared with only 20% of tagged females. We predict that this novel and potent mortality factor will have profound, long-term impacts on the demography and behavior of the urban kangaroo population at Anglesea.
Efficient Expression of Antibody Fragments with the Brevibacillus Expression System
Authors: Hanagata Hiroshi , Mizukami Makoto , Miyauchi Akira
Published: May 2014

Antibodies, owing to their capability to bind specifically to a target molecule, have been and will continue to be applied in various areas, including research, diagnosis and therapy. In particular, antibody fragments, which are size-reduced antibodies comprising functional variable domains, are suited for production in bacteria. They also are useful in applications requiring intracellular delivery and for further engineering toward molecules possessing multiple custom functions. An expression system based on Brevibacillus is characterized by high efficiency and simple genetic recombination for secretory production. The Brevibacillus expression system has been successfully utilized for the efficient production of antibody fragments, e.g., scFvs (single-chain antibody fragments) comprising heavy-chain and light-chain variable domains, linked by a spacer sequence. Expression in fusion with a Halobacterium-derived secretory protein was shown to confer enhanced productivity. In the case of Fabs, productivity as high as 100 mg/L was accomplished in a simple system, i.e., shake flask cultures. The Brevibacillus expression system offers several advantages, shared by other bacterial systems, such as E. coli, in particular, for the ease in genetic engineering and culture production.
Classical Probability and Quantum Outcomes
Authors: Malley James
Published: May 2014

There is a contact problem between classical probability and quantum outcomes. Thus, a standard result from classical probability on the existence of joint distributions ultimately implies that all quantum observables must commute. An essential task here is a closer identification of this conflict based on deriving commutativity from the weakest possible assumptions, and showing that stronger assumptions in some of the existing no-go proofs are unnecessary. An example of an unnecessary assumption in such proofs is an entangled system involving nonlocal observables. Another example involves the Kochen-Specker hidden variable model, features of which are also not needed to derive commutativity. A diagram is provided by which user-selected projectors can be easily assembled into many new, graphical no-go proofs.
Information Geometric Complexity of a Trivariate Gaussian Statistical Model
Authors: Felice Domenico , Cafaro Carlo , Mancini Stefano
Published: May 2014

We evaluate the information geometric complexity of entropic motion on low-dimensional Gaussian statistical manifolds in order to quantify how difficult it is to make macroscopic predictions about systems in the presence of limited information. Specifically, we observe that the complexity of such entropic inferences not only depends on the amount of available pieces of information but also on the manner in which such pieces are correlated. Finally, we uncover that, for certain correlational structures, the impossibility of reaching the most favorable configuration from an entropic inference viewpoint seems to lead to an information geometric analog of the well-known frustration effect that occurs in statistical physics.
Constraints of Compound Systems: Prerequisites for Thermodynamic Modeling Based on Shannon Entropy
Authors: Pfleger Martin , Wallek Thomas , Pfennig Andreas
Published: May 2014

Thermodynamic modeling of extensive systems usually implicitly assumes the additivity of entropy. Furthermore, if this modeling is based on the concept of Shannon entropy, additivity of the latter function must also be guaranteed. In this case, the constituents of a thermodynamic system are treated as subsystems of a compound system, and the Shannon entropy of the compound system must be subjected to constrained maximization. The scope of this paper is to clarify prerequisites for applying the concept of Shannon entropy and the maximum entropy principle to thermodynamic modeling of extensive systems. This is accomplished by investigating how the constraints of the compound system have to depend on mean values of the subsystems in order to ensure additivity. Two examples illustrate the basic ideas behind this approach, comprising the ideal gas model and condensed phase lattice systems as limiting cases of fluid phases. The paper is the first step towards developing a new approach for modeling interacting systems using the concept of Shannon entropy.
The Use of Personal Value Estimations to Select Images for Preservation in Public Library Digital Community Collections
Authors: Copeland Andrea
Published: May 2014

A considerable amount of information, particularly in image form, is shared on the web through social networking sites. If any of this content is worthy of preservation, who decides what is to be preserved and based on what criteria. This paper explores the potential for public libraries to assume this role of community digital repositories through the creation of digital collections. Thirty public library users and thirty librarians were solicited from the Indianapolis metropolitan area to evaluate five images selected from Flickr in terms of their value to public library digital collections and their worthiness of long-term preservation. Using a seven-point Likert scale, participants assigned a value to each image in terms of its importance to self, family and society. Participants were then asked to explain the reasoning behind their valuations. Public library users and librarians had similar value estimations of the images in the study. This is perhaps the most significant finding of the study, given the importance of collaboration and forming partnerships for building and sustaining community collections and archives.
Oxidative Stress of Office Workers Relevant to Tobacco Smoking and Inner Air Quality
Authors: Lu Chung-Yen , Ma Yee-Chung , Chen Pei-Chun , Wu Chin-Ching , Chen Yi-Chun
Published: May 2014

Studies have used 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) as a biomarker to detect systemic oxidative DNA damage associated with oxidative stress. However, studies on the association between exposure to tobacco smoking and urinary 8-OHdgG give inconsistent results. Limited studies have estimated the oxidative stress among office workers. This study assessed the association between urinary 8-OHdG and cotinine for office workers. Workers (389) including smokers, ex-smokers and non-smokers from 87 offices at high-rise buildings in Taipei participated in this study with informed consent. Each participant completed a questionnaire and provided a spot urine specimen at the end of work day for measuring urinary 8-OHdG and cotinine. The carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in workers’ offices were also measured. The questionnaire reported socio-demographic characteristics, life styles and allergic history. The urinary 8-OHdG level increased with the cotinine level among participants (Spearmans’ rho = 0.543, p < 0.001). The mean of urinary 8-OHdG and cotinine was 5.81 ± 3.53 μg/g creatinine and 3.76 ± 4.06 μg/g creatinine, respectively. Comparing with non-smokers, the adjusted odds ratio (OR) of having urinary 8-OHdG greater than the median level of 4.99 μg/g creatinine was 5.30 (95% confidence intervals (CI) = 1.30–21.5) for current smokers and 0.91 (95% CI = 0.34–2.43) for former smokers. We also found workers exposed to 1,000 ppm of CO2 at offices had an adjusted OR of 4.28 (95% CI = 1.12–16.4) to have urinary 8-OHdG greater than 4.99 μg/g creatinine, compared to those exposed to indoor CO2 under 600 ppm. In conclusion, urinary 8-OHdG could represent a suitable marker for measuring smoking and CO2 exposure for office workers.
Prevention of Adolescent Depression in the Spanish-Speaking World
Authors: Horn Andrea , Cañizares Catalina , Gómez Yvonne
Published: May 2014

This paper aims at presenting programs targeted at the prevention of adolescent depression applied with Spanish-speaking populations that have been developed in Spanish-speaking countries and are mostly published in Spanish. These programs have been developed under different cultural contexts in Spain and Latin-America. The main goal of this paper is to make the studies and movements of the Spanish-speaking literature in this field accessible to the non-Spanish-speaking part of the research community. Therefore, after an introduction referring to possible cultural differences regarding depression in general and epidemiological basics, several programs are introduced. In total 11 programs will be shortly presented and discussed. After revising the programs it can be concluded that in the Spanish-speaking world many programs have been developed and conducted following current state of the art-approaches for adolescent depression prevention. Further research is needed especially targeting possible cultural and contextual aspects of prevention measures and their efficacy and efficiency.
Modeling Properties of Influenza-Like Illness Peak Events with Crossing Theory
Authors: Wang Ying , Waylen Peter , Mao Liang
Published: May 2014

The concept of “peak event” has been used extensively to characterize influenza epidemics. Current definitions, however, could not maximize the amount of pertinent information about the probabilities of peak events that could be extracted from the generally limited available records. This study proposes a new method of defining peak events and statistically characterizing their properties, including: annual event density, their timing, the magnitude over prescribed thresholds and duration. These properties of peak events are analyzed in five counties of Florida using records from the Influenza-Like Illness Surveillance Network (ILINet). Further, the identified properties of peak events are compared between counties to reveal the geographic variability of influenza peak activity. The results of this study illustrate the proposed methodology’s capacity to aid public health professionals in supporting influenza surveillance and implementing timely effective intervention strategies.
Proteome Analysis of Subsarcolemmal Cardiomyocyte Mitochondria: A Comparison of Different Analytical Platforms
Authors: Giorgianni Francesco , Koirala Diwa , Weber Karl , Beranova-Giorgianni Sarka
Published: May 2014

Mitochondria are complex organelles that play critical roles in diverse aspects of cellular function. Heart disease and a number of other pathologies are associated with perturbations in the molecular machinery of the mitochondria. Therefore, comprehensive, unbiased examination of the mitochondrial proteome represents a powerful approach toward system-level insights into disease mechanisms. A crucial aspect in proteomics studies is design of bioanalytical strategies that maximize coverage of the complex repertoire of mitochondrial proteins. In this study, we evaluated the performance of gel-based and gel-free multidimensional platforms for profiling of the proteome in subsarcolemmal mitochondria harvested from rat heart. We compared three different multidimensional proteome fractionation platforms: polymeric reversed-phase liquid chromatography at high pH (PLRP), sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE), and isoelectric focusing (IEF) separations combined with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS), and bioinformatics for protein identification. Across all three platforms, a total of 1043 proteins were identified. Among the three bioanalytical strategies, SDS-PAGE followed by LC-MS/MS provided the best coverage of the mitochondrial proteome. With this platform, 890 proteins with diverse physicochemical characteristics were identified; the mitochondrial protein panel encompassed proteins with various functional roles including bioenergetics, protein import, and mitochondrial fusion. Taken together, results of this study provide a large-scale view of the proteome in subsarcolemmal mitochondria from the rat heart, and aid in the selection of optimal bioanalytical platforms for differential protein expression profiling of mitochondria in health and disease.
Adipose-Derived Stem Cells: A Review of Signaling Networks Governing Cell Fate and Regenerative Potential in the Context of Craniofacial and Long Bone Skeletal Repair
Authors: Senarath-Yapa Kshemendra , McArdle Adrian , Renda Andrea , Longaker Michael , Quarto Natalina
Published: May 2014

Improvements in medical care, nutrition and social care are resulting in a commendable change in world population demographics with an ever increasing skew towards an aging population. As the proportion of the world’s population that is considered elderly increases, so does the incidence of osteodegenerative disease and the resultant burden on healthcare. The increasing demand coupled with the limitations of contemporary approaches, have provided the impetus to develop novel tissue regeneration therapies. The use of stem cells, with their potential for self-renewal and differentiation, is one potential solution. Adipose-derived stem cells (ASCs), which are relatively easy to harvest and readily available have emerged as an ideal candidate. In this review, we explore the potential for ASCs to provide tangible therapies for craniofacial and long bone skeletal defects, outline key signaling pathways that direct these cells and describe how the developmental signaling program may provide clues on how to guide these cells in vivo. This review also provides an overview of the importance of establishing an osteogenic microniche using appropriately customized scaffolds and delineates some of the key challenges that still need to be overcome for adult stem cell skeletal regenerative therapy to become a clinical reality.
A View of Pre-mRNA Splicing from RNase R Resistant RNAs
Authors: Suzuki Hitoshi , Tsukahara Toshifumi
Published: May 2014

During pre-mRNA splicing, exons in the primary transcript are precisely connected to generate an mRNA. Intron lariat RNAs are formed as by-products of this process. In addition, some exonic circular RNAs (circRNAs) may also result from exon skipping as by-products. Lariat RNAs and circRNAs are both RNase R resistant RNAs. RNase R is a strong 3' to 5' exoribonuclease, which efficiently degrades linear RNAs, such as mRNAs and rRNAs; therefore, the circular parts of lariat RNAs and the circRNAs can be segregated from eukaryotic total RNAs by their RNase R resistance. Thus, RNase R resistant RNAs could provide unexplored splicing information not available from mRNAs. Analyses of these RNAs identified repeating splicing phenomena, such as re-splicing of mature mRNAs and nested splicing. Moreover, circRNA might function as microRNA sponges. There is an enormous variety of endogenous circRNAs, which are generally synthesized in cells and tissues.
Nimbolide B and Nimbic Acid B, Phytotoxic Substances in Neem Leaves with Allelopathic Activity
Authors: Kato-Noguchi Hisashi , Salam Md , Ohno Osamu , Suenaga Kiyotake
Published: May 2014

Neem (Azadirachta indica) has been widely used as a traditional medicine and several bioactive compounds have been isolated from this species, but to date no potent allelopathic active substance has been reported. Therefore, we investigated possible allelopathic property and phytotoxic substances with allelopathic activity in neem. An aqueous methanol extract of neem leaves inhibited the growth of roots and shoots of cress, lettuce, alfalfa, timothy, crabgrass, ryegrass, barnyard grass and jungle rice. The extracts were then purified by several chromatographic runs while monitoring the inhibitory activity and two phytotoxic substances were isolated. The chemical structures of the two substances were determined by spectral data to correspond to novel compounds, nimbolide B (1) and nimbic acid B (2). Nimbolide B inhibited the growth of cress and barnyard grass at concentrations greater than 0.1‒3.0 μM. Nimbic acid B inhibited the growth of cress and barnyard grass at concentrations greater than 0.3–1.0 μM. These results suggest that nimbolide B and nimbic acid B may contribute to the allelopathic effects caused by neem leaves.
A Bombesin-Shepherdin Radioconjugate Designed for Combined Extra- and Intracellular Targeting
Authors: Fischer Christiane , Vomstein Sandra , Mindt Thomas
Published: May 2014

Radiolabeled peptides which target tumor-specific membrane structures of cancer cells represent a promising class of targeted radiopharmaceuticals for the diagnosis and therapy of cancer. A potential drawback of a number of reported radiopeptides is the rapid washout of a substantial fraction of the initially delivered radioactivity from cancer cells and tumors. This renders the initial targeting effort in part futile and results in a lower imaging quality and efficacy of the radiotracer than achievable. We are investigating the combination of internalizing radiopeptides with molecular entities specific for an intracellular target. By enabling intracellular interactions of the radioconjugate, we aim at reducing/decelerating the externalization of radioactivity from cancer cells. Using the “click-to-chelate” approach, the 99mTc-tricarbonyl core as a reporter probe for single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was combined with the binding sequence of bombesin for extracellular targeting of the gastrin-releasing peptide receptor (GRP-r) and peptidic inhibitors of the cytosolic heat shock 90 protein (Hsp90) for intracellular targeting. Receptor-specific uptake of the multifunctional radioconjugate could be confirmed, however, the cellular washout of radioactivity was not improved. We assume that either endosomal trapping or lysosomal degradation of the radioconjugate is accountable for these observations.