bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A meta‐analysis reveals a positive correlation between genetic diversity metrics and environmental status in the long‐lived seagrassPosidonia oceanica
Authors: Jahnke Marlene , Olsen Jeanine L. , Procaccini Gabriele
Published: March 2015

The seagrassPosidonia oceanicais a key engineering species structuring coastal marine systems throughout much of theMediterranean basin. Its decline is of concern, leading to the search for short‐ and long‐term indicators of seagrass health. UsingArcGISmaps from a recent, high‐resolution (1–4 km) modelling study of 18 disturbance factors affecting coastal marine systems across theMediterranean (Micheliet al. 2013,http://globalmarine.nceas.ucsb.edu/mediterranean/), we tested for correlations with genetic diversity metrics (allelic diversity, genotypic/clonal diversity and heterozygosity) in a meta‐analysis of 56 meadows. Contrary to initial predictions, weak but significantlypositivecorrelations were found for commercial shipping, organic pollution (pesticides) and cumulative impact. This counterintuitive finding suggests greater resistance and resilience of individuals with higher genetic and genotypic diversity under disturbance (at least for a time) and/or increased sexual reproduction under an intermediate disturbance model. We interpret the absence of low and medium levels of genetic variation at impacted locations as probable local extinctions of individuals that already exceeded their resistance capacity. Alternatively, high diversity at high‐impact sites is likely a temporal artefact, reflecting the mismatch with pre‐environmental impact conditions, especially because flowering and sexual recruitment are seldom observed. While genetic diversity metrics are a valuable tool for restoration and mitigation, caution must be exercised in the interpretation of correlative patterns as found in this study, because the exceptional longevity of individuals creates a temporal mismatch that may falsely suggest good meadow health status, while gradual deterioration of allelic diversity might go unnoticed.
Pulmonary Cryptococcosis in HIV‐ sero‐negative patients: case series from India
Authors: Chopra Shimpi , Capoor Malini R. , Mallik Rupali , Gupta Sonal , Ray Animesh , Khanna Geetika , Suri J. C. , Bhattacharya D. , Raghavan Samudrala
Published: March 2015

Pulmonary cryptococcosis is likely to be misdiagnosed due to relatively non‐specific clinical and radiological features. It is more frequently associated with immuno‐suppressed conditions especially acquired immuno‐deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). Four cases of pulmonary cryptococcosis were diagnosed over a period of eleven years. All patients in this case series were human immune‐deficiency virus (HIV)‐negative. The predisposing factors in these patients were diabetes mellitus (DM), acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), post‐partum and pregnancy in one each of the patients. Relapse was seen in two cases. All the patients survived due to strict follow‐up. Pulmonary cryptococcosis is common in non‐AIDS patients and it warrants rapid diagnosis, treatment and follow‐up to prevent relapse.
Monitoring what and how: psychological implications of electronic performance monitoring
Authors: Jeske Debora , Santuzzi Alecia M.
Published: March 2015

Implementing electronic performance monitoring in the workplace might improve the efficiency and quality of employee data that are collected. These intended benefits might be discounted or even eliminated if employees have a negative reaction to the monitoring process. The goal of this exploratory study was therefore to investigate which electronic performance monitoring techniques and monitoring characteristics are associated with negative employee reactions using survey responses from 190 student workers. Results showed that close performance monitoring (via cameras, data entry, chat and phone recording) had significant negative effects on job attitudes such as job satisfaction and affective commitment. Similar effects were observed for employee self‐efficacy and perceived control. Attitudes were furthermore negatively impacted when the monitoring was focused on individuals and unpredictable, which also reduced organisational citizenship behaviour while continuous monitoring reduced self‐efficacy. These findings suggest that the benefits of close monitoring may be overshadowed by negative employee reactions.
Disrupted work: home‐based teleworking (HbTW) in the aftermath of a natural disaster
Authors: Donnelly Noelle , Proctor‐Thomson Sarah B.
Published: March 2015

Natural disasters disrupt the nature of work, promoting an urgent review of where work is performed. Home‐based telework (HbTW), a common form of telework, is increasingly promoted as a means to ensure continuity of operations in an emergency situation. While widely advocated, little is known of the challenges and outcomes of HbTW when employed in disaster situations. This article explores the organisational and employee experiences of HbTW in the aftermath of a disaster, drawing on data from over 240 public sector workers and their managers who worked from home following a series of earthquakes in Christchurch, New Zealand. Findings point to critical factors shaping the experiences and outcomes of HbTW in disaster situations. Significant variation in the experiences and perceptions of HbTW for team leaders highlights their pivotal role and heightened pressures to maintain control in complex disaster situations.
Carbon stable‐isotope tracking in breath for comparative studies of fuel use
Authors: Welch Kenneth C. , Péronnet François , Hatch Kent A. , Voigt Christian C. , McCue Marshall D.
Published: March 2015

Almost half a century ago, researchers demonstrated that the ratio of stable carbon isotopes in exhaled breath of rats and humans could reveal the oxidation of labeled substrates in vivo, opening a new chapter in the study of fuel use, the fate of ingested substrates, and aerobic metabolism. Until recently, the combined use of respirometry and stable‐isotope tracer techniques had not been broadly employed to study fuel use in other animal groups. In this review, we summarize the history of this approach in human and animal research and define best practices that maximize its utility. We also summarize several case studies that use stable‐isotope measurements of breath to explore the limits of aerobic metabolism and substrate turnover among several species and various physiological states. We highlight the importance of a comparative approach in revealing the profound effects that phylogeny, ecology, and behavior can have in shaping aerobic metabolism and energetics as well as the fundamental biological principles that underlie fuel use and metabolic function across taxa. New analytical equipment and refinement of methodology make the combined use of respirometry and stable‐isotope tracer techniques simpler to perform, less costly, and more field ready than ever before.
Fetal growth trajectory and risk for eczema in a Saudi population
Authors: AlMakoshi Amel , Ellahi Awaiss , Sallout Bala , Devereux Graham , Turner Steve
Published: March 2015

Background

Recent studies in Western cohorts have identified associations between increasing fetal abdominal circumference (AC) during mid‐pregnancy and increased risk for eczema and atopy. We sought to replicate these findings in a Saudi population where antenatal environmental exposures are different compared with Western countries.

Methods

A Saudi birth cohort was recruited to relate maternal dietary intake and fetal growth to wheeze, eczema, and rhinitis in the first 2 yrs. Fetal size was determined from routine ultrasound scan measurements in the second and third trimesters and birthweight was noted. Parent‐reported outcomes during the first 2 yrs were acquired by telephone‐administered questionnaire.

Results

There were 1076 mothers recruited. AC was determined in 562 for the second, in 632 for the third, and in 281 for both second and third trimesters. A history of eczema was determined in 814 children at 2 yrs of age. There was an inverse relationship between change in abdominal circumference between the second and third trimesters for eczema (OR 0.66 per z score increase in AC [95% CI 0.49, 0.89]), and the quartile with the greatest faltering growth were at increased risk compared with other groups (p ≤ 0.045). Change in fetal size between the third trimester and birth was not associated with altered eczema risk. There were no associations between fetal growth and wheeze at the age of 2 yrs.

Conclusions

Our findings contrast observations made in Western populations but nonetheless suggest that factors associated with changing fetal growth trajectory in the second half of pregnancy are also relevant to atopy development on the global setting.
Effect of suppression of arabinoxylan synthetic genes in wheat endosperm on chain length of arabinoxylan and extract viscosity
Authors: Freeman Jackie , Lovegrove Alison , Wilkinson Mark David , Saulnier Luc , Shewry Peter Robert , Mitchell Rowan Andrew Craig
Published: March 2015

Arabinoxylan (AX) is the dominant component within wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) endosperm cell walls, accounting for 70% of the polysaccharide. The viscosity of aqueous extracts from wheat grain is a key trait influencing the processing for various end uses, and this is largely determined by the properties of endosperm AX. We have previously shown dramatic effects on endosperm AX in transgenic wheat by down‐regulating either TaGT43_2 or TaGT47_2 genes (orthologues to IRX9 and IRX10 in Arabidopsis, respectively) implicated in AX chain extension and the TaXAT1 gene responsible for monosubstitution by 3‐linked arabinose. Here, we use these transgenic lines to investigate the relationship between amounts of AX in soluble and insoluble fractions, the chain‐length distribution of these measured by intrinsic viscosity and the overall effect on extract viscosity. In transgenic lines expressing either the TaGT43_2 or TaGT47_2 RNAi transgenes, the intrinsic viscosities of water‐extractable (WE‐AX) and of a water‐insoluble alkaline‐extracted fraction (AE‐AX) were decreased by between 10% and 50% compared to control lines. In TaXAT1 RNAi lines, there was a 15% decrease in intrinsic viscosity of WE‐AX but no consistent effect on that of AE‐AX. All transgenic lines showed decreases in extract viscosity with larger effects in TaGT43_2 and TaGT47_2 RNAi lines (by up to sixfold) than in TaXAT1 RNAi lines (by twofold). These effects were explained by the decreases in amount and chain length of WE‐AX, with decreases in amount having the greater influence. Extract viscosity from wheat grain can therefore be greatly decreased by suppression of single gene targets.
1H‐NMR screening for the high‐throughput determination of genotype and environmental effects on the content of asparagine in wheat grain
Authors: Corol Delia I. , Ravel Catherine , Rakszegi Marianna , Charmet Gilles , Bedo Zoltan , Beale Michael H. , Shewry Peter R. , Ward Jane L.
Published: March 2015

Free asparagine in cereals is known to be the precursor of acrylamide, a neurotoxic and carcinogenic product formed during cooking processes. Thus, the development of crops with lower asparagine is of considerable interest to growers and the food industry. In this study, we describe the development and application of a rapid 1H‐NMR‐based analysis of cereal flour, that is, suitable for quantifying asparagine levels, and hence acrylamide‐forming potential, across large numbers of samples. The screen was applied to flour samples from 150 bread wheats grown at a single site in 2005, providing the largest sample set to date. Additionally, screening of 26 selected cultivars grown for two further years in the same location and in three additional European locations in the third year (2007) provided six widely different environments to allow estimation of the environmental (E) and G x E effects on asparagine levels. Asparagine concentrations in the 150 genotypes ranged from 0.32 to 1.56 mg/g dry matter in wholemeal wheat flours. Asparagine levels were correlated with plant height and therefore, due to recent breeding activities to produce semi‐dwarf varieties, a negative relationship with the year of registration of the cultivar was also observed. The multisite study indicated that only 13% of the observed variation in asparagine levels was heritable, whilst the environmental contribution was 36% and the GxE component was 43%. Thus, compared to some other phenotypic traits, breeding for low asparagine wheats presents a difficult challenge.
Issue Variation and Rivalry Duration: A Comparative Analysis
Authors: Dreyer David R.
Published: March 2015

Territorial issues tend to be salient due to tangible factors such as resources and intangible factors such as cultural or historical connections. Yet regime disputes (in which a state is seeking the overthrow of another state's regime) also tend to be salient due to political leaders' desire to retain power. Do rivalries rooted in regime issues consequently tend to be as intractable as rivalries rooted in territorial issues? In this study, I argue that territorial rivalries tend to be enduring due to broad domestic bases of political support for continuing to pursue territorial claims, which reduces the likelihood that territorial rivalries will terminate upon leadership change. Regime rivalries, on the other hand, tend to be relatively short lived due to narrower bases of political support for continuing to engage in rivalry and close associations between regime issues and particular political leaders, increasing the likelihood that leadership turnover will lead to rivalry termination. Expectations concerning the mechanisms that sustain territorial rivalry and facilitate the termination of regime rivalry are supported through a comparative analysis of the Ethiopia–Somalia and Mozambique–Rhodesia rivalries.
Solving the Nation's Ills Through War: Italy, the Great War, and Nation Building
Authors: Ialongo Ernest
Published: March 2015

This study surveys the widely held view in the years leading up to the First World War that Italy required a war to complete its unification process. Intellectuals and activists from across the political spectrum came to accept the view that Italian territorial unity had mostly been achieved by 1870, but that an Italian national consciousness, that bound together north and south, urban and rural, bourgeois and proletariat, had yet to be achieved. Many of these individuals also came to believe that war would create this national consciousness as Italy strove to expand its colonial empire and conquer the Italian lands held by the Austrian‐Hungarian Empire. Such commitment to war as the solution to the nation's various ills was instrumental in pushing Italy from its initial neutrality in 1914 to its declaration of war against its former allies in 1915.
The War Is for the Brave Ones: Brazilian Women Preparing for the Great War
Authors: Rocha Elaine P.
Published: March 2015

This article discusses the views of Brazilian women on the country's participation in the First World War. Brazil joined the Allied side in 1917; however, the debate about Brazilian participation in the war occurred at the same time as several political and social disturbances, including struggle for women's rights and for female suffrage—of which Leolinda Daltro was an active leader in Rio de Janeiro. The debate on the war presented for Daltro another opportunity to defend publicly her ideas about gender equality and Brazilian external politics.
Collective Security and the Italo‐Ethiopian Dispute Before the League of Nations
Authors: Wemlinger Cherri
Published: March 2015

This article examines unofficial correspondence sent to the League of Nations during the Italo‐Ethiopian Dispute (1934–1938), which was one of a number of events in the interwar period that contributed to public concerns about collective security. The official record concerning the Italo‐Ethiopian Dispute provides a sterile picture that belies the evidence in the documents considered in this article, which reveal the concern it generated around the globe. The examination of these archival documents shows that the concern for peace transcended ideological differences and changes the story of the interwar years, League historiography, and the Dispute by revealing how ordinary people understood the events. Much of League historiography has focused on its ultimate failure to maintain world peace. Exploration of world opinion as it related to the Dispute exposes how seriously global citizens took the event as a threat to international security and supplements existing historiography.
A case of sporadic medullary cystic kidney disease type 1 (MCKD1) with kidney enlargement complicated by IgA nephropathy
Authors: Suzuki Taihei , Iyoda Masayuki , Yamaguchi Yutaka , Shibata Takanori
Published: March 2015

Medullary cystic kidney disease (MCKD) is a progressive tubulointerstitial nephropathy, and it leads to end‐stage kidney disease (ESKD). It is an autosomal dominant inherited disease, and is categorized into two types according to the localizing chromosome and timing of ESKD onset. Its pathogenesis has not been revealed clearly, thus accumulation of the cases is very valuable. We report here the first reported case of MCKD with kidney enlargement complicated by IgA nephropathy. A 70‐year‐old male was admitted to our hospital because of renal dysfunction and bilateral kidney enlargement. He was diagnosed as having MCKD complicated by IgA nephropathy (IgA‐N) by renal biopsy. We speculated that he had MCKD type 1 on the basis of the late onset of renal failure and no significant evidence of mutation in the UMOD gene that is associated with MCKD type 2. Thereafter, his kidney function decreased progressively and he started to receive hemodialysis. This is an interesting case of MCKD1 in terms of its sporadic nature, kidney enlargement, and complication of IgA‐N.
Effect of an intense period of competition on race performance and self‐reported illness in elite cross‐country skiers
Authors: Svendsen I. S. , Gleeson M. , Haugen T. A. , Tønnessen E.
Published: March 2015

The aim of this study was to determine whether participating in a cross‐country skiing stage race (Tour deSki;TDS) affects subsequent illness incidence, training, and race performance. Self‐reported training and illness data from 44 male and female elite cross‐country skiers were included. In total, 127 years of data were collected (2–3 seasons per athlete). Illness incidence, training load, and performance in international competitions were calculated for athletes who did and did not participate inTDS. Forty‐eight percent of athletes reported becoming ill during or in the days immediately after taking part inTDSvs 16% of athletes who did not participate. In both groups, illness incidence was somewhat lower for female athletes. For male athletes, race performance was significantly worse for 6 weeks followingTDSvs 6 weeks beforeTDS. Furthermore, while female athletes who participated inTDSperformed relatively better than controls inOlympics/WorldChampionships, male athletes who participated inTDStypically performed worse in subsequent major championships. Participating inTDSappears to result in ∼ 3‐fold increase in risk of illness in this period. Male athletes appear more prone to illness and also see a drop in race performance followingTDS, possibly linked to differences in training load before and after the event.
Mucosal leishmaniasis mimicking squamous cell carcinoma in a liver transplant recipient
Authors: Ramos A. , Múñez E. , García‐Domínguez J. , Martinez‐Ruiz R. , Chicharro C. , Baños I. , Suarez‐Massa D. , Cuervas‐Mons V.
Published: March 2015

Organ transplant recipients living in endemic regions are at increased risk of Leishmania infections. Visceral leishmaniasis is the most common kind of presentation in the Mediterranean basin. Rarely, Leishmania infantum may cause localized mucosal disease. We present the first case, to our knowledge, of a liver transplant recipient with localized mucosal leishmaniasis. Twenty‐two years after transplantation, a painless, very slow growing ulcer appeared on the inner side of the patient's upper lip. A biopsy performed in the community hospital showed non‐specific chronic inflammation without neoplastic signs. Because of a high suspicion of malignancy, the patient was transferred to the referral hospital to consider complete excision. The excisional biopsy revealed a granulomatous inflammatory reaction together with intracellular Leishmania amastigotes within macrophages. Leishmaniasis was confirmed by the nested polymerase chain reaction assay. The clinical and laboratory findings did not suggest visceral involvement. The patient received meglumine antimoniate for 21 days without relevant adverse effects.
Comparison of two classification systems in predicting the outcome of diabetic foot ulcers: the Wagner grade and the Saint Elian Wound score systems
Authors: Huang Yao , Xie Ting , Cao Yemin , Wu MinJie , Yu LeiLei , Lu ShuLiang , Xu Gang , Hu Jiale , Ruan Hong
Published: March 2015

The aim of the study was to compare two systems of classification in a consecutive population with diabetic foot ulcers: the Wagner grade and the Saint Elian Wound Score System (SEWSS). Sociodemographic information, patient‐related and ulcer‐related data at first presentation was recorded, and the patients were followed up until wound healing or accepting major amputation or for 24 weeks. One hundred eighty‐six patients were included in the study, of which 172 patients were completely followed up. Among the remaining 172 patients, 53.5% (n = 92) were healed without minor amputation, 32% (n = 55) were healed with minor amputation, 9.3% (n = 16) were not healed at study termination, 3.5% (n = 6) died and 1.7% (n = 3) underwent major amputation. The median healing time for Wagner 1, Wagner 2, Wagner 3, and Wagner 4 were 23, 50, 54, 119 days, respectively. The log‐rank test showed significant differences in healing time for Wagner 1, Wagner 2, Wagner 3, and Wagner 4; The median healing time for SEWSS I, SEWSS II and SEWSS III were 12, 51, and 150 days, respectively. The log‐rank test showed significant differences in healing time for SEWSS I, SEWSS II and SEWSS III. Cox regression analysis showed a decreasing probability of healing with or without minor amputation with a higher SEWSS value, an increase in the SEWSS by one score reduced the probability for healing by 24%. ROC analysis showed Wagner 3 and a cut‐point 17 of SEWSS had the highest Youden's index. Both the Wagner grade and SEWSS system were associated with the ulcer healing time for the patients with active DFUs. The SEWSS score makes it a better prediction tool of DFU outcome synthetically.
The Effect of Health Education on Taiwanese Hypertensive Patients’ Knowledge and Cognition of Stroke
Authors: Tang Yu‐Hsuan , Hung Chich‐Hsiu , Chen Hsing‐Mei , Lin Tsung‐Hsien , Liu Yi
Published: March 2015

Background

Hypertension is a risk factor for stroke. Increasing patient knowledge and cognition about stroke among hypertensive patients is essential.

Aims

To explore the effect of a health education intervention on the knowledge and cognition of stroke in hypertensive patients.

Methods

A quasi‐experimental design was used with 103 patients with hypertension. The sample was recruited from a cardiologist's outpatient office at a medical center in Kaohsiung city, southern Taiwan. Half the patients (experimental group, n = 52) received health education, whereas the others received only conventional general outpatient care (control group, n = 51). All patients underwent a pretest followed by posttests at 4 and 8 weeks after the intervention. A stroke knowledge scale and stroke cognition scale were used for data collection.

Results

The experimental group scored significantly higher than the control group in level of knowledge and cognition of stroke.

Discussion

This study supports that a health education CD‐ROM and printed information provided in the outpatient clinical improves knowledge of and cognition of stroke among hypertensive patients.

Implications for Practice

In outpatient clinical practice, nurses can help improve patients’ knowledge and cognition of the risks of stroke by playing the health education CD‐ROM and providing printed information during the patients’ wait time before appointments.

Conclusions

Further studies with a longer follow‐up (6 months or 1 year) are needed to evaluate the long‐term effects of health education on stroke knowledge and cognition among patients with hypertension.

Linking Evidence to Action

An outpatient health education program using a CD‐ROM and printed information for hypertensive patients can improve the patients’ knowledge and cognition of stroke.
Uniform Flow Over a Bi-axial Stretching Surface
Authors: Wang C. Y.
Published: March 2015

The uniform flow over a bi-axial stretching surface is studied by similarity transform of the Navier–Stokes equations and an efficient numerical integration of the resulting ordinary differential equations. The uniform flow induces a net shear stress (and drag), which is increased by lateral stretching. Heat transfer from the surface is also determined.
Investigating Fuel Condensation Processes in Low Temperature Combustion Engines
Authors: Qiu Lu , Reitz Rolf D.
Published: March 2015

Condensation of gaseous fuel is investigated in a low temperature combustion (LTC) engine fueled with double direct-injected diesel and premixed gasoline at two load conditions. Possible condensation is examined by considering real gas effects with the Peng–Robinson (PR) equation of state (EOS) and assuming thermodynamic equilibrium of the two fuels. The simulations show that three representative condensation events are observed. The first two condensations are found in the spray some time after the two direct injections (DI), when the evaporative cooling reduces the local temperature until phase separation occurs. The third condensation event occurs during the late stages of the expansion stroke, during which the continuous expansion sends the local fluid into the two-phase region again. Condensation was not found to greatly affect global parameters, such as the average cylinder pressure and temperature mainly because, before the main combustion event, the condensed phase was converted back to the vapor phase due to compression and/or first stage heat release. However, condensed fuel is shown to affect the emission predictions, including engine-out particulate matter (PM) and unburned hydrocarbons (UHCs). Specifically, it was shown that the condensed fuel comprised more than 95% of the PM in the low load condition, while its contribution was significantly reduced at the high load condition due to higher temperature and pressure conditions.
Exploitation of Acoustic Effects in Film Cooling
Authors: Collins Matthew , Povey Thomas
Published: March 2015

There have been numerous studies of the behavior of shaped film cooling holes for turbine applications. It is known that the introduction of coolant is an unsteady process, and a handful of studies have described and characterized the unsteadiness. To the best of our knowledge, there are no studies in which unsteady acoustic effects have been actively exploited such that they have led to novel designs with improved cooling performance. This paper discusses the fundamental mechanism of pressure wave propagation through cooling holes and describes systems in which holes which have been acoustically shaped have led to a direct improvement in film cooling hole performance. The mechanism relies on sequential pressure wave reflection within an acoustically shaped hole and is therefore applicable in regions where the external surface is subject to large pressure wave fluctuations at high frequency. The principle is developed analytically, and then demonstrated with a number of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. We demonstrate that a desired temporal mass flow rate profile can be achieved by appropriate acoustic shaping of the cooling hole. The purpose of this paper is to describe the fundamental design considerations relevant to acoustic shaping. The discussion is developed with reference to a film cooling system for the over-tip region of an unshrouded rotor. The performance benefit of the system in terms of modulation of unsteady mass flux and ingestion characteristics is quantified. It is believed that this is the first time this significant effect has been exploited in film cooling design.
Waste Heat Recovery Potential of Advanced Internal Combustion Engine Technologies
Authors: Jacobs Timothy J.
Published: March 2015

Coupling waste heat recovery with internal combustion engines creates opportunities to improve overall system efficiency and power output. The internal combustion engine has multiple pathways for dissipating thermal energy; the engine's exhaust is one that is conveniently accessible for converting to useful work via waste heat recovery. Coincident with increased waste heat recovery efforts, however, is increased engine efficiency improvement efforts. Anecdotally, an increase in engine efficiency will typically result in a decrease in exhaust exergy, thus decreasing the power capability of a waste heat recovery system. Further, other developments are taking place with internal combustion engines, such as the use of alternative fuels and combustion modes designed to decrease engine emissions, which may affect engine exergy. This article explores the relationships that may exist, both fundamentally and in practical application, between engine parameters and the corresponding effect on the maximum waste heat recovery potential (i.e., exergy) of the engine's exhaust. Specifically, the objectives of this study are to quantify (1) the effects of typical trends in internal combustion engine technology (i.e., increased compression ratio, decreased fuel–air equivalence ratio, and increased exhaust gas recirculation level) on waste heat recovery potential, (2) the role certain alternative fuels, particularly biodiesel, may have on waste recovery, and (3) the influence of and opportunities created by certain advanced modes of combustion, particularly low temperature combustion (LTC), on waste heat recovery potential. The study finds that fundamental engine parameters that typically result in increases in engine efficiency (i.e., increased compression ratio, decreased fuel–air equivalence ratio, and increased exhaust gas recirculation level) result in decreased exhaust exergy that decreases both efficiency and maximum power capability of a waste heat recovery system. Practical application of alternative fuels, such as biodiesel, seems to have small to no effect on the waste heat recovery. Application of novel modes of combustion, such as LTC, may result in decreases in waste heat recovery due to decreased exhaust mass flow rates typical of such combustion modes. Waste heat recovery may, however, create an opportunity to increase efficiency of LTC by exploiting chemical-to-thermal exothermic generation associated with the typically observed high concentrations of unburned fuel in the exhaust.
Deciphering the Influence of Product Shape on Consumer Judgments Through Geometric Abstraction
Authors: Orbay Gunay , Fu Luoting , Kara Levent Burak
Published: March 2015

Understanding and tailoring the visual elements of a developing product to evoke desired perceived qualities and a positive response from the consumer is a key challenge in industrial design. To date, computational approaches to assist this process have either relied on stiff geometric representations, or focused on superficial features that exclude often elusive shape characteristics. In this work, we aim to study the relationship between product geometry and consumers' qualitative judgments through a visual decomposition and abstraction of existing products. At the heart of our investigation is a shape analysis method that produces a spectrum of abstractions for a given three-dimensional (3D) computer model. Our approach produces a hierarchical simplification of an end product, whereby consumer response to geometric elements can be statistically studied across different products, as well as across the different abstractions of one particular product. The results of our case study show that consumer judgments formed by coarse product “impressions” are strongly correlated with those evoked by the final production models. This outcome highlights the importance of early geometric explorations and assessments before committing to detailed design efforts.
Intrinsic Localized Modes of Principal Parametric Resonances in Pendulum Arrays Subjected to Vertical Excitation
Authors: Ikeda Takashi , Harata Yuji , Shi Chongyue , Nishimura Keisuke
Published: March 2015

Intrinsic localized modes (ILMs) are investigated in an N-pendulum array subjected to vertical harmonic excitation. The pendula behave nonlinearly and are coupled with each other because they are connected by torsional, weak, linear springs. In the theoretical analysis, van der Pol's method is employed to determine the expressions for frequency response curves for the principal parametric resonance, considering the nonlinear restoring moment of the pendula. In the numerical results, frequency response curves for N = 2 and 3 are shown to examine the patterns of ILMs, and demonstrate the influences of the connecting spring constants and the imperfections of the pendula. Bifurcation sets are also calculated to show the excitation frequency range and the conditions for the occurrence of ILMs. Increasing the connecting spring constants results in the appearance of Hopf bifurcations. The numerical simulations reveal the occurrence of ILMs with amplitude modulated motions (AMMs), including chaotic motions. ILMs were observed in experiments, and the experimental data were compared with the theoretical results. The validity of the theoretical analysis was confirmed by the experimental data.
Fixing the Shadows While Moving the Gnomon
Authors: Gangui Alejandro
Published: March 2015

It is a common practice to fix a vertical gnomon and study the moving shadow cast by it. This shows our local solar time and gives us a hint regarding the season in which we perform the observation. The moving shadow can also tell us our latitude with high precision. In this paper we propose to exchange the roles and while keeping the shadows fixed on the ground we will move the gnomon. This lets us understand in a simple way the relevance of the tropical lines of latitude and the behavior of shadows in different locations. We then put these ideas into practice using sticks and threads during a solstice on two sites located on opposite sides of the Tropic of Capricorn.
The Maiden Voyage of a Kinematics Robot
Authors: Greenwolfe Matthew L.
Published: March 2015

In a Montessori preschool classroom, students work independently on tasks that absorb their attention in part because the apparatus are carefully designed to make mistakes directly observable and limit exploration to one aspect or dimension. Control of error inheres in the apparatus itself, so that teacher intervention can be minimal.1 Inspired by this example, I created a robotic kinematics apparatus that also shapes the inquiry experience. Students program the robot by drawing kinematic graphs on a computer and then observe its motion. Exploration is at once limited to constant velocity and constant acceleration motion, yet open to complex multi-segment examples difficult to achieve in the lab in other ways. The robot precisely and reliably produces the motion described by the students' graphs, so that the apparatus itself provides immediate visual feedback about whether their understanding is correct as they are free to explore within the hard-coded limits. In particular, the kinematic robot enables hands-on study of multi-segment constant velocity situations, which lays a far stronger foundation for the study of accelerated motion. When correction is anonymous—just between one group of lab partners and their robot—students using the kinematic robot tend to flow right back to work because they view the correction as an integral part of the inquiry learning process. By contrast, when correction occurs by the teacher and/or in public (e.g., returning a graded assignment or pointing out student misconceptions during class), students all too often treat the event as the endpoint to inquiry. Furthermore, quantitative evidence shows a large gain from pre-test to post-test scores using the Test of Understanding Graphs in Kinematics (TUG-K).
Relating Time-Dependent Acceleration and Height Using an Elevator
Authors: Kinser Jason M.
Published: March 2015

A simple experiment in relating a time-dependent linear acceleration function to height is explored through the use of a smartphone and an elevator. Given acceleration as a function of time1, a(t), the velocity function and position functions are determined through integration as in v(t)=∫ a(t) dt(1) and x(t)=∫ v(t) dt. Mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets have accelerometers that capture slowly evolving acceleration with respect to time and can deliver those measurements as a CSV file. A recent example measured the oscillations of the elevator as it starts its motion.2 In the application presented here the mobile device is used to estimate the height of the elevator ride. By estimating the functional form of the acceleration of an elevator ride, it is possible to estimate the height of the ride through Eqs. (1) and (2).
Negative Work Done by a Person
Authors: Mungan Carl E.
Published: March 2015

If I slowly raise a heavy book one meter up in the air, I do positive work. This work corresponds to an energy transfer. I lose chemical food energy that is consumed by my muscles to lift the book upward. Energy is gained by the book-Earth system in the form of gravitational potential energy that is stored in the gravitational field.1 But what happens if I slowly lower the book back down by one meter to its original location? The book-Earth system loses all the energy it gained and returns to its starting configuration. I have done negative work this time. But my muscles do not regain their original chemical energy! Where did the lost energy go?
Signal Frequency Spectra with Audacity®
Authors: Gailey Alycia
Published: March 2015

The primary objective of the activity presented here is to allow students to explore the frequency components of various simple signals, with the ultimate goal of teaching them how to remove unwanted noise from a voice signal. Analysis of the frequency components of a signal allows students to design filters that remove unwanted components of a signal while conserving the shape and magnitude of the relevant portion of a signal. For example, signal noise is often contained in higher frequency (fast-changing) components whereas signal drift is contained in lower frequency (slow-changing) components of the signal. A low-pass filter allows lower frequency components below a cutoff frequency to pass through, whereas a high-pass filter allows higher frequency components above a cutoff frequency to pass through. With activities such as the one presented here, students are introduced to real-world problem-solving applications of physics concepts that go beyond simple theory and equations.
Co-infections determine patterns of mortality in a population exposed to parasite infection
Authors: Woolhouse Mark E. J. , Thumbi Samuel M. , Jennings Amy , Chase-Topping Margo , Callaby Rebecca , Kiara Henry , Oosthuizen Marinda C. , Mbole-Kariuki Mary N. , Conradie Ilana , Handel Ian G. , Poole E. Jane , Njiiri Evalyne , Collins Nicola E. , Murray Gemma , Tapio Miika , Auguet Olga Tosas , Weir Willie , Morrison W. Ivan , Kruuk Loeske E. B. , Bronsvoort B. Mark de C. , Hanotte Olivier , Coetzer Koos , Toye Philip G.
Published: March 2015

Highly protective effect of co-infections on mortality due to East Coast fever and consequences for disease epidemiology and control.
Fermentation and Cost-Effective
13
C/
15
N Labeling of the Nonribosomal Peptide Gramicidin S for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Structure Analysis
Authors: Berditsch Marina , Afonin Sergii , Steineker Anna , Orel Nataliia , Jakovkin Igor , Weber Christian , Ulrich Anne S.
Published: March 2015

Gramicidin S (GS) is a nonribosomally synthesized decapeptide from
Aneurinibacillus migulanus
. Its pronounced antibiotic activity is attributed to amphiphilic structure and enables GS interaction with bacterial membranes. Despite its medical use for over 70 years, the peptide-lipid interactions of GS and its molecular mechanism of action are still not fully understood. Therefore, a comprehensive structural analysis of isotope-labeled GS needs to be performed in its biologically relevant membrane-bound state, using advanced solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Here, we describe an efficient method for producing the uniformly
13
C/
15
N-labeled peptide in a minimal medium supplemented by selected amino acids. As GS is an intracellular product of
A. migulanus
, we characterized the producer strain DSM 5759 (rough-convex phenotype) and examined its biosynthetic activity in terms of absolute and biomass-dependent peptide accumulation. We found that the addition of either arginine or ornithine increases the yield only at very high supplementing concentrations (1% and 0.4%, respectively) of these expensive
13
C/
15
N-labeled amino acids. The most cost-effective production of
13
C/
15
N-GS, giving up to 90 mg per gram of dry cell weight, was achieved in a minimal medium containing 1%
13
C-glycerol and 0.5%
15
N-ammonium sulfate, supplemented with only 0.025% of
13
C/
15
N-phenylalanine. The 100% efficiency of labeling is corroborated by mass spectrometry and preliminary solid-state NMR structure analysis of the labeled peptide in the membrane-bound state.
Heterologous Production of Hyaluronic Acid in an ε-Poly-
l
-Lysine Producer, Streptomyces albulus
Authors: Yoshimura Tomohiro , Shibata Nobuyuki , Hamano Yoshimitsu , Yamanaka Kazuya
Published: March 2015

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is used in a wide range of medical applications, where its performance and therapeutic efficacy are highly dependent on its molecular weight. In the microbial production of HA, it has been suggested that a high level of intracellular ATP enhances the productivity and molecular weight of HA. Here, we report on heterologous HA production in an ε-poly-
l
-lysine producer,
Streptomyces albulus
, which has the potential to generate ATP at high level. The
hasA
gene from
Streptococcus zooepidemicus
, which encodes HA synthase, was refactored and expressed under the control of a late-log growth phase-operating promoter. The expression of the refactored
hasA
gene, along with genes coding for UDP-glucose dehydrogenase, UDP-
N
-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase, and UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, which are involved in HA precursor sugar biosynthesis, resulted in efficient production of HA in the 2.0 MDa range, which is greater than typical bacterial HA, demonstrating that a sufficient amount of ATP was provided to support the biosynthesis of the precursor sugars, which in turn promoted HA production. In addition, unlike in the case of streptococcal HA,
S. albulus
-derived HA was not cell associated. Based on these findings, our heterologous production system appears to have several advantages for practical HA production. We propose that the present system could be applicable to the heterologous production of a wide variety of molecules other than HA in the case their biosynthesis pathways require ATP
in vivo
.
Glucosylceramide Contained in Koji Mold-Cultured Cereal Confers Membrane and Flavor Modification and Stress Tolerance to Saccharomyces cerevisiae during Coculture Fermentation
Authors: Sawada Kazutaka , Sato Tomoya , Hamajima Hiroshi , Jayakody Lahiru Niroshan , Hirata Miyo , Yamashiro Mikako , Tajima Marie , Mitsutake Susumu , Nagao Koji , Tsuge Keisuke , Abe Fumiyoshi , Hanada Kentaro , Kitagaki Hiroshi
Published: March 2015

In nature, different microorganisms create communities through their physiochemical and metabolic interactions. Many fermenting microbes, such as yeasts, lactic acid bacteria, and acetic acid bacteria, secrete acidic substances and grow faster at acidic pH values. However, on the surface of cereals, the pH is neutral to alkaline. Therefore, in order to grow on cereals, microbes must adapt to the alkaline environment at the initial stage of colonization; such adaptations are also crucial for industrial fermentation. Here, we show that the yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
, which is incapable of synthesizing glucosylceramide (GlcCer), adapted to alkaline conditions after exposure to GlcCer from koji cereal cultured with
Aspergillus kawachii
. We also show that various species of GlcCer derived from different plants and fungi similarly conferred alkali tolerance to yeast. Although exogenous ceramide also enhanced the alkali tolerance of yeast, no discernible degradation of GlcCer to ceramide was observed in the yeast culture, suggesting that exogenous GlcCer itself exerted the activity. Exogenous GlcCer also increased ethanol tolerance and modified the flavor profile of the yeast cells by altering the membrane properties. These results indicate that GlcCer from
A. kawachii
modifies the physiology of the yeast
S. cerevisiae
and demonstrate a new mechanism for cooperation between microbes in food fermentation.
Akkermansia muciniphila Adheres to Enterocytes and Strengthens the Integrity of the Epithelial Cell Layer
Authors: Reunanen Justus , Kainulainen Veera , Huuskonen Laura , Ottman Noora , Belzer Clara , Huhtinen Heikki , de Vos Willem M. , Satokari Reetta
Published: March 2015

Akkermansia muciniphila
is a Gram-negative mucin-degrading bacterium that resides in the gastrointestinal tracts of humans and animals.
A. muciniphila
has been linked with intestinal health and improved metabolic status in obese and type 2 diabetic subjects. Specifically,
A. muciniphila
has been shown to reduce high-fat-diet-induced endotoxemia, which develops as a result of an impaired gut barrier. Despite the accumulating evidence of the health-promoting effects of
A. muciniphila
, the mechanisms of interaction of the bacterium with the host have received little attention. In this study, we used several
in vitro
models to investigate the adhesion of
A. muciniphila
to the intestinal epithelium and its interaction with the host mucosa. We found that
A. muciniphila
adheres strongly to the Caco-2 and HT-29 human colonic cell lines but not to human colonic mucus. In addition,
A. muciniphila
showed binding to the extracellular matrix protein laminin but not to collagen I or IV, fibronectin, or fetuin. Importantly,
A. muciniphila
improved enterocyte monolayer integrity, as shown by a significant increase in the transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) of cocultures of Caco-2 cells with the bacterium. Further,
A. muciniphila
induced interleukin 8 (IL-8) production by enterocytes at cell concentrations 100-fold higher than those for
Escherichia coli
, suggesting a very low level of proinflammatory activity in the epithelium. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that
A. muciniphila
adheres to the intestinal epithelium and strengthens enterocyte monolayer integrity
in vitro
, suggesting an ability to fortify an impaired gut barrier. These results support earlier associative
in vivo
studies and provide insights into the interaction of
A. muciniphila
with the host.