bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mauritius since the last glacial: environmental and climatic reconstruction of the last 38 000 years from Kanaka Crater
Authors: Van Der Plas Geert W. , De Boer Erik J. , Hooghiemstra Henry , Vincent Florens F. B. , Baider Claudia , Van Der Plicht Johannes
Published: February 2012

A 10 m long peat core from the Kanaka Crater (20° 25′ S, 57° 31′ E), located at 560 m elevation in Mauritius, was analyzed for microfossils. Eight radiocarbon ages show the pollen record reflects environmental and climatic change of the last ca. 38 cal ka BP. The record shows that the island was continuously covered by forest with Erica heath (Philippia) in the uplands. Cyperaceous reedswamp with Pandanus trees was abundant in the coastal lowlands as well as locally in the waterlogged crater. The record shows changes in climatic humidity (wet from 38.0 to 22.7 cal ka BP, drier from 22.7 to 10.6 cal ka BP, and wetter again from 10.6 cal ka BP to recent) as the main response to climate change. A high turnover in montane forest species is evidenced at 22.7 cal ka BP and at the start of the Holocene. The limited altitudinal ranges in the mountains of Mauritius (maximum altitude 828 m), and changing humidity being more important than changing temperature, suggests that in response to climate change a reassortment in taxonomic composition of montane forests might be equally important as displacement of forest types to new altitudinal intervals. We found weak impact of the latitudinal migration of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and data suggest that the Indian Ocean Dipole is a more important driver for climatic change in the southwest Indian Ocean. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fe(0) Powder/CuBr2‐Mediated “Living”/Controlled Radical Polymerization of Methyl Methacrylate and Styrene at Ambient Temperature
Authors: Zhou Lili , Zhang Zhengbiao , Cheng Zhenping , Zhou Nianchen , Zhu Jian , Zhang Wei , Zhu Xiulin
Published: February 2012

The combination of zero‐valent iron (Fe(0) powder) and copper(II) bromide was used to mediate the polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) or styrene (St) at 25 ° C. The results demonstrated that the solvent played an important role on the polymerization rate and molecular‐weight control. The polymerization in toluene displayed a poorly controlled process with remarkably low polymerization rate. With dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as solvent, the polymerization proceeded in a relatively high rate, and the number‐average molecular weights were controlled especially at higher conversion. High conversions (80%) of St could be achieved with narrow molecular weight distributions in DMSO at 25 °C. It was supposed that Fe(0) played a dual role, the activator for the generation of active radical and the reducing agent for CuBr2.
Effect of Reinforcement Orientation on the Mechanical Properties of Microfibrillar PP/PET and PET Single‐Polymer Composites
Authors: McCardle Ryan , Bhattacharyya Debes , Fakirov Stoyko
Published: February 2012

In situ PET microfibrils are created by drawing melt‐blended PP and PET. The drawn blend is used to prepare polymer/polymer MFCs, and isolated PET microfibrils are used for the manufacturing of MF‐SPCs. Samples are prepared with different fibril orientations to determine the effect of orientation on the mechanical properties of the two types of composites. The resulting composites show improvements in stiffness of 77% for uniaxial MFCs, and 125% for uniaxial MF‐SPCs, with the highest recorded modulus of 8.57 GPa for a uniaxial MF‐SPC sample. SEM observations confirm that the fibrillar structure and excellent alignment is maintained. The changes in the reinforcement effect with orientation are very similar to those predicted by the rule of mixtures for the crossply.

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Reproducing properties of differentiable Mercer‐like kernels
Authors: Ferreira José C. , Menegatto Valdir A.
Published: February 2012

Let X be an open subset of \documentclass{article}\usepackage{amssymb}\begin{document}\pagestyle{empty}$\mathbb {R}^d$\end{document} and ν the restriction of the usual Lebesgue measure of \documentclass{article}\usepackage{amssymb}\begin{document}\pagestyle{empty}$\mathbb {R}^d$\end{document} to X. In this paper, we investigate properties of the range of positive integral operators on L2(X, ν), in connection with the reproducing kernel Hilbert space of the generating kernel. Assuming differentiability assumptions on the kernel, we deduce smoothness properties for the functions in the range of the operator and also properties of the so‐called inclusion map. The results are deduced when the assumptions are defined via both, weak and partial derivatives. Further, assuming the generating kernel has a Mercer‐like expansion based on sufficiently smooth functions, we deduce results on the term‐by‐term differentiability of the series and reproducing properties for the derivatives of the functions in the reproducing kernel Hilbert space.
Three dimensional homogeneous Finsler manifolds
Authors: Hu Zhiguang , Deng Shaoqiang
Published: February 2012

In this paper we study three dimensional homogeneous Finsler manifolds. We first obtain a complete list of the three‐dimensional homogeneous manifolds which admit invariant Finsler metrics. Then we consider invariant Randers metrics and present the classification of three dimensional homogeneous Randers spaces under isometrics.
A uniqueness result for one‐dimensional inverse scattering
Authors: Bennewitz C. , Brown B. M. , Weikard R.
Published: February 2012

We consider the whole‐line inverse scattering problem for Sturm‐Liouville equations which have constant coefficients on a half‐line. Since in this case the reflection coefficient determines a Weyl‐Titchmarsh m‐function, it determines the coefficients up to some simple Liouville transformations. Given inverse spectral theory, proofs are fairly simple but provide extensions of known results as we require less smoothness and less decay than is customary.
Transcriptomic alterations in human prostate cancer cell LNCaP tumor xenograft modulated by dietary phenethyl isothiocyanate
Authors: Li Robert W. , Li CongJun , Wang Thomas T.Y.
Published: February 2012

Temporal growth of tumor xenografts in mice on a control diet was compared to mice supplemented daily with 3 µmol/g of the cancer preventive compound phenethyl isothiocyanate. Phenethyl isothiocyanate decreased the rate of tumor growth. The effects of phenethyl isothiocyanate on tumor growth were examined by RNAseq to elucidate molecular changes that may contribute to tumor growth suppression. Bio‐informatic analysis of differentially expressed genes identified changes in inflammation and extracellular matrix pathways that were modulated by treatment with phenethyl isothiocyanate. Specific gene expression changes in these pathways included up‐regulation of insulin‐like growth factor binding protein 3, fibronectin, thyroxine degradation enzyme, and down regulation of integrin beta 6. In addition, feeding phenethyl isothiocyanate induced alternative splicing of gene variants. This study represents the first use of RNAseq to analyze tumors from animals consuming dietary phenethyl isothiocyanate and to identify potential molecular signatures that may explain the cancer protective effect of this compound. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Histone deacetylase inhibition in colorectal cancer cells reveals competing roles for members of the oncogenic miR‐17‐92 cluster
Authors: Humphreys Karen J. , Cobiac Lynne , Le Leu Richard K. , Van der Hoek Mark B. , Michael Michael Z.
Published: February 2012

Diet‐derived butyrate, a histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDI), decreases proliferation and increases apoptosis in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells via epigenetic changes in gene expression. Other HDIs such as suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA) and trichostatin A (TSA) have similar effects. This study examined the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in mediating the chemo‐protective effects of HDIs, and explored functions of the oncogenic miR‐17‐92 cluster. The dysregulated miRNA expression observed in HT29 and HCT116 CRC cells could be epigenetically altered by butyrate, SAHA and TSA. These HDIs decreased expression of miR‐17‐92 cluster miRNAs (P < 0.05), with a corresponding increase in miR‐17‐92 target genes, including PTEN, BCL2L11, and CDKN1A (P < 0.05). The decrease in miR‐17‐92 expression may be partly responsible for the anti‐proliferative effects of HDIs, with introduction of miR‐17‐92 cluster miRNA mimics reversing this effect and decreasing levels of PTEN, BCL2L11, and CDKN1A (P < 0.05). The growth effects of HDIs may be mediated by changes in miRNA activity, with down‐regulation of the miR‐17‐92 cluster a plausible mechanism to explain some of the chemo‐protective effects of HDIs. Of the miR‐17‐92 cluster miRNAs, miR‐19a and miR‐19b were primarily responsible for promoting proliferation, while miR‐18a acted in opposition to other cluster members to decrease growth. NEDD9 and CDK19 were identified as novel miR‐18a targets and were shown to be pro‐proliferative genes, with RNA interference of their transcripts decreasing proliferation in CRC cells. This is the first study to identify competing roles for miR‐17‐92 cluster members, in the context of HDI‐induced changes in CRC cells. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Pseudo‐heterozygous rearrangement mutation of parkin
Authors: Funayama Manabu , Yoshino Hiroyo , Li Yuanzhe , Kusaka Hiromichi , Tomiyama Hiroyuki , Hattori Nobutaka
Published: February 2012

Background:

Mutations in parkin are the most frequent cause of autosomal recessive parkinsonism. Quantitative PCR is used to detect parkin rearrangements. However, the method has an inherent problem—deletion and duplication in the same allelic exon could be determined as normal. To present this misidentification, we report a family with compound heterozygous rearrangements in parkin.

Methods:

A patient with early‐onset parkinsonism and the parents were investigated by quantitative PCR, haplotype analysis, reverse‐transcription PCR, and direct sequencing.

Results:

A single heterozygous duplication (duplication of exons 6–7) was identified in the patient by quantitative PCR. Detailed analysis of the family revealed the patient carried compound heterozygous of combined deletion (deletion of exons 3–5) and duplication (duplication of exons 3–7).

Conclusions:

For correct determination of rearrangement mutation, mutation analysis of the patient as well as other family members and/or break‐point analysis of genomic DNA and at the transcript level should be conducted. © 2012 Movement Disorder Society
Increased medial orbitofrontal [18F]fluorodopa uptake in Parkinsonian impulse control disorders
Authors: Joutsa Juho , Martikainen Kirsti , Niemelä Solja , Johansson Jarkko , Forsback Sarita , Rinne Juha O. , Kaasinen Valtteri
Published: February 2012

Background:

Impulse control disorders (ICDs) occur frequently in PD patients.

Methods:

To investigate the possible involvement of the mesostriatal and mesolimbic monoaminergic function in ICDs associated with PD, we examined patients with (n = 10) and without (n = 10) ICDs using the brain [18F]fluorodopa PET.

Results:

Patients with ICDs (e.g., pathological gambling, hypersexuality, and compulsive eating) showed up to 35% higher [18F]fluorodopa uptake in the medial orbitofrontal cortex, compared to control patients, but no differences in the striatum. The results remained significant also after excluding subjects with comorbid psychiatric disorders.

Conclusions:

Increased monoaminergic activity in the medial orbitofrontal cortex might be associated with increased sensitivity for ICDs under dopamine‐replacement therapy in PD. © 2012 Movement Disorder Society
A new fourth‐order numerical algorithm for a class of three‐dimensional nonlinear evolution equations
Authors: Deng Dingwen , Zhang Chengjian
Published: February 2012

In this article, a new compact alternating direction implicit finite difference scheme is derived for solving a class of 3‐D nonlinear evolution equations. By the discrete energy method, it is shown that the new difference scheme has good stability and can attain second‐order accuracy in time and fourth‐order accuracy in space with respect to the discrete H1 ‐norm. A Richardson extrapolation algorithm is applied to achieve fourth‐order accuracy in temporal dimension. Numerical experiments illustrate the accuracy and efficiency of the extrapolation algorithm. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2013
The peritoneal tumour microenvironment of high‐grade serous ovarian cancer
Authors: Leinster D Andrew , Kulbe Hagen , Everitt Gemma , Thompson Richard , Perretti Mauro , Gavins Felicity N. E , Cooper Dianne , Gould David , Ennis Darren P , Lockley Michelle , McNeish Iain A , Nourshargh Sussan , Balkwill Frances R
Published: February 2012

High‐grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) disseminates early and extensively throughout the peritoneal space, causing multiple lesions that are a major clinical problem. The aim of this study was to investigate the cellular composition of peritoneal tumour deposits in patient biopsies and their evolution in mouse models using immunohistochemistry, intravital microscopy, confocal microscopy, and 3D modelling. Tumour deposits from the omentum of HGSC patients contained a prominent leukocyte infiltrate of CD3+ T cells and CD68+ macrophages, with occasional neutrophils. Alpha‐smooth muscle actin+ (α‐SMA+) pericytes and/or fibroblasts surrounded these well‐vascularized tumour deposits. Using the murine bowel mesentery as an accessible mouse peritoneal tissue that could be easily imaged, and two different transplantable models, we found multiple microscopic tumour deposits after i.p. injection of malignant cells. Attachment to the peritoneal surface was rapid (6–48 h) with an extensive CD45+ leukocyte infiltrate visible by 48 h. This infiltrate persisted until end point and in the syngeneic murine ID8 model, it primarily consisted of CD3+ T lymphocytes and CD68+ macrophages with α‐SMA+ cells also involved from the earliest stages. A majority of tumour deposits developed above existing mesenteric blood vessels, but in avascular spaces new blood vessels tracked towards the tumour deposits by 2–3 weeks in the IGROV‐1 xenografts and 6 weeks in the ID8 syngeneic model; a vigorous convoluted blood supply was established by end point. Inhibition of tumour cell cytokine production by stable expression of shRNA to CXCR4 in IGROV‐1 cells did not influence the attachment of cells to the mesentery but delayed neovascularization and reduced tumour deposit size. We conclude that the multiple peritoneal tumour deposits found in HGSC patients can be modelled in the mouse. The techniques described here may be useful for assessing treatments that target the disseminated stage of this disease. Copyright © 2012 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fabrication of a‐plane InN nanostructures on patterned a‐plane GaN template by ECR‐MBE
Authors: Araki Tsutomu , Yamashita Shuhei , Yamaguchi Tomohiro , Yoon Euijoon , Nanishi Yasushi
Published: February 2012

a‐plane InN nanostructures were fabricated on a hole‐patterned a‐plane GaN template by electron‐cyclotron‐resonance plasma‐excited molecular beam epitaxy (ECR‐MBE). The growth temperature should be optimized to realize precise nucleation at the patterned holes with sufficient In desorption and a sufficiently long In migration length. Polarity determination clearly revealed that a‐plane InN crystals have an anisotropic growth morphology. The InN growth rate in the N‐polar [000–1] direction is higher than those in the In‐polar [0001] and [1–100] directions. a‐plane InN nanowalls were fabricated by exploiting the different the growth rates in the 〈0001〉 and 〈1–100〉 directions.

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SEM image of position‐controlled a‐plane InN nanostructures grown by ECR‐MBE on a hole‐patterned a‐plane GaN template.
Packing hamilton cycles in random and pseudo‐random hypergraphs
Authors: Frieze Alan , Krivelevich Michael
Published: February 2012

We say that a k ‐uniform hypergraph C is a Hamilton cycle of type ℓ, for some 1 ≤ ℓ ≤ k, if there exists a cyclic ordering of the vertices of C such that every edge consists of k consecutive vertices and for every pair of consecutive edges Ei‐1,Ei in C (in the natural ordering of the edges) we have |Ei‐1 / Ei| = ℓ. We prove that for k/2 < ℓ ≤ k, with high probability almost all edges of the random k ‐uniform hypergraph H(n,p,k) with p(n) ≫ log 2n/n can be decomposed into edge‐disjoint type ℓ Hamilton cycles. A slightly weaker result is given for ℓ = k/2. We also provide sufficient conditions for decomposing almost all edges of a pseudo‐random k ‐uniform hypergraph into type ℓ Hamilton cycles, for k/2 ≤ ℓ ≤ k. For the case ℓ = k these results show that almost all edges of corresponding random and pseudo‐random hypergraphs can be packed with disjoint perfect matchings. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2012
The 2D‐directed spanning forest is almost surely a tree
Authors: Coupier David , Tran Viet Chi
Published: February 2012

We consider the Directed Spanning Forest (DSF) constructed as follows: given a Poisson point process N on the plane, the ancestor of each point is the nearest vertex of N having a strictly larger abscissa. We prove that the DSF is actually a tree. Contrary to other directed forests of the literature, no Markovian process can be introduced to study the paths in our DSF. Our proof is based on a comparison argument between surface and perimeter from percolation theory. We then show that this result still holds when the points of N belonging to an auxiliary Boolean model are removed. Using these results, we prove that there is no bi‐infinite paths in the DSF. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2012
Tight Hamilton cycles in random uniform hypergraphs
Authors: Dudek Andrzej , Frieze Alan
Published: February 2012

In this paper we show that e/n is the sharp threshold for the existence of tight Hamilton cycles in random k ‐uniform hypergraphs, for all k ≥ 4. When k = 3 we show that 1/n is an asymptotic threshold. We also determine thresholds for the existence of other types of Hamilton cycles. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2013
Significant motifs in time series
Authors: Castro Nuno C. , Azevedo Paulo J.
Published: February 2012

Time series motif discovery is the task of extracting previously unknown recurrent patterns from time series data. It is an important problem within applications that range from finance to health. Many algorithms have been proposed for the task of efficiently finding motifs. Surprisingly, most of these proposals do not focus on how to evaluate the discovered motifs. They are typically evaluated by human experts. This is unfeasible even for moderately sized datasets, since the number of discovered motifs tends to be prohibitively large. Statistical significance tests are widely used in the data mining communities to evaluate extracted patterns. In this work we present an approach to calculate time series motifs statistical significance. Our proposal leverages work from the bioinformatics community by using a symbolic definition of time series motifs to derive each motif's p‐value. We estimate the expected frequency of a motif by using Markov Chain models. The p‐value is then assessed by comparing the actual frequency to the estimated one using statistical hypothesis tests. Our contribution gives means to the application of a powerful technique—statistical tests—to a time series setting. This provides researchers and practitioners with an important tool to evaluate automatically the degree of relevance of each extracted motif. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Statistical Analysis and Data Mining 5: 35–53, 2012
Activity matters: Understanding student interest in school science
Authors: Swarat Su , Ortony Andrew , Revelle William
Published: February 2012

A genuine interest in science is an important part of scientific literacy, and thus a critical goal for science education. Recent studies, however, have found that school science has not been effective in meeting this goal, an important reason for which is the lack of knowledge about what makes science interesting (or not) to the students. Using instructional episodes as the unit of analysis, this study investigated the effects of learning environment elements (content topic, activity, and learning goal) on student interest in science. The findings indicated that when judging the interestingness of an instructional episode, students focused primarily on the form of activity rather than content topic and learning goal. Activities that were “hands‐on” in nature and allowed for engagement with technology elicited higher interest. This study highlights the need to place more emphasis on the role of activity in constructing interesting learning environments, and in the mean time, suggests that student science interest could be improved by making changes to relatively easy‐to‐manipulate aspects of learning environments, such as those examined in the study. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 49: 515–537, 2012
Processability of PVC plastisols containing a polyhydroxybutyrate‐polyhydroxyvalerate copolymer
Authors: Garcia‐Quesada Juan Carlos , Pelaez Ivan , Akin Okan , Kocabas Irmak
Published: February 2012

Plastisols based on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) can be processed by different techniques; their processability markedly depends on their flow properties and gelation/fusion processes. Classically, PVC has been the only polymer present in plastisol formulations. The present work explored the possibility of adding polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs), a type of biopolymer that, according to previous work, exhibits a good miscibility with PVC processed by other techniques (internal mixer and compression molding). The influence of PHA particles on flow properties, gelation‐fusion processes, tensile strength, hardness, and processability by rotomolding was evaluated. Although the biopolymer markedly increased the viscosity of PVC plastisols and caused a decrease in tensile strength in processed specimens, formulations including 20% by weight of biopolymer presented a good thickness distribution in rotomolded items, an elongation at break of around 300%, and an ultimate tensile strength of around 6–7 MPa. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL.,, 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers
Measurement of proton beam fluence by PIXE analysis of residual gas
Authors: Voltr Josef , Nejedlý Zdeněk
Published: February 2012

Knowledge of beam fluence has a crucial role in quantitative particle‐induced X‐ray emission analysis. In some situations, a direct measurement of the beam charge on the target is either impossible or impractical. In such cases, indirect determination of the beam fluence can utilise the characteristic X‐ray of argon or other gases, which was being kept at a stable low partial pressure in the vicinity of the analysed sample. As the X‐ray signal of argon depends on the total charge, it can be used to quantify the charge. This paper describes the experimental design, the hardware and software modules that we created, the validation of the method, the application of the method during elemental analyses of fragile philatelic samples with overprints, and the lessons learned. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Production of chiral alcohols from prochiral ketones by microalgal photo-biocatalytic asymmetric reduction reaction
Authors: Yang Zhong-Hua , Luo Li , Chang Xu , Zhou Wei , Chen Geng-Hua , Zhao Yan , Wang Ya-Jun
Published: February 2012

Microalgal photo-biocatalysis is a green technique for asymmetric synthesis. Asymmetric reduction of nonnatural prochiral ketones to produce chiral alcohols by microalgal photo-biocatalysis was studied in this work. Acetophenone (ACP) and ethyl acetoacetate (EAA) were chosen as model substrates for aromatic ketones and β-ketoesters, respectively. Two prokaryotic cyanophyta and two eukaryotic chlorophyta were selected as photo-biocatalysts. The results proved that nonnatural prochiral ketones can be reduced by microalgal photo-biocatalysis with high enantioselectivity. Illumination is indispensable to the photo-biocatalysis. For aromatic ketone, cyanophyta are eligible biocatalysts. For ACP asymmetric reduction reaction, about 45% yield and 97% e.e. can be achieved by the photo-biocatalysis reaction with Spirulina platensis as biocatalyst. On the contrary, chlorophyta are efficient biocatalysts for β-ketoester asymmetric reduction reaction among the four tested algae. For EAA asymmetric reduction reaction, about 70% yield and 90% e.e. can be achieved with Scenedesmus obliquus as biocatalyst. The microalgae used in this study outperformed other characterized biocatalysts such as microbial and plant cells.
Monolith formation and ring-stain suppression in low-pressure evaporation of poly(ethylene oxide) droplets
Authors: Baldwin Kyle A. , Roest Samuel , Fairhurst David J. , Sefiane Khellil , Shanahan Martin E. R.
Published: February 2012

When droplets of dilute suspensions are left to evaporate the final dry residue is typically the familiar coffee-ring stain, with nearly all material deposited at the initial triple line (Deegan et al., Nature, vol. 389, 1997, pp. 827–829). However, aqueous poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) droplets only form coffee-ring stains for a very narrow range of the experimental parameters molecular weight, concentration and drying rate. Instead, over a wide range of values they form either a flat disk or a very distinctive tall central monolith via a four-stage deposition process which includes a remarkable bootstrap-building step. To predict which deposit will form, we present a quantitative model comparing the effects of advective build-up at the triple line to diffusive flux and use this to calculate a dimensionless number $\chi $. By experimentally varying concentration and flux (using a low-pressure drying chamber), the prediction is tested over nearly two orders of magnitude in both variables and shown to be in good agreement with the boundary between disks and monoliths at $\chi \approx 1. 6$.
Vitamin D3 and the risk of CVD in overweight and obese women: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Salehpour Amin , Shidfar Farzad , Hosseinpanah Farhad , Vafa Mohammadreza , Razaghi Maryam , Hoshiarrad Anahita , Gohari Mahmoodreza
Published: February 2012

Evidence indicates that vitamin D deficiency contributes to CVD. We investigated the effect of vitamin D3 supplementation on cardiovascular risk factors in women. Healthy premenopausal overweight and obese women (n 77; mean age 38 (sd 8·1) years) were randomly allocated to the vitamin D (25 μg/d as cholecalciferol) or the placebo group in a double-blind manner for 12 weeks. Blood pressure, serum lipoproteins, apolipoproteins and anthropometric parameters were recorded. Dietary intake was recorded using 24 h food recall and FFQ. Physical activity was assessed by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Mean total cholesterol concentrations increased in the vitamin D group (0·08 (sd 0·56) mmol/l) but declined in the placebo group (0·47 (sd 0·58) mmol/l), and a significant effect was observed (P ≤ 0·001). In the vitamin D group, mean HDL-cholesterol concentration increased, whereas it decreased in the placebo group (0·07 (sd 0·2) v. − 0·03 (sd 0·2) mmol/l; P = 0·037). Mean apoA-I concentration increased in the vitamin D group, although it decreased in the placebo group (0·04 (sd 0·39) v. − 0·25 (sd 0·2) g/l; P ≤ 0·001). Mean LDL-cholesterol:apoB-100 ratio augmented in the vitamin D group, while this ratio declined in the placebo group (0·11 (sd 0·6) v. − 0·19 (sd 0·3); P = 0·014). Body fat mass was significantly decreased in the vitamin D group more than the placebo group ( − 2·7 (sd 2) v. − 0·4 (sd 2) kg; P ≤ 0·001). The findings showed that supplementation with vitamin D3 can significantly improve HDL-cholesterol, apoA-I concentrations and LDL-cholesterol:apoB-100 ratio, which remained significant in the multivariate model including anthropometric, dietary and physical activity measures.
Réfutations de Spinoza divin dans les premières réfutations de Spinoza
Authors: Malinowski-Charles Syliane
Published: February 2012

Résumé : Ce texte s’interroge sur la stratégie de défense mise en place par les philosophes chrétiens contre l’invasion des idées spinozistes entre les années 1680 et 1720. L’analyse des réfutations proposée ici révèle une évolution significative dans le cours de leur développement. Nous désirons montrer que l’argument de choix qui a finalement été retenu comme stratégie défensive contre Spinoza est l’argument de la finalité ou du dessein divin. Ce texte tente de comprendre ce choix ainsi que les raisons pour lesquelles il a fallu attendre presque vingt ans après la mort de Spinoza pour que l’Église catholique s’organise et se décide à le réfuter directement.
The mossBryum argenteumvar.muticumBrid. is well adapted to cope with high light in continental Antarctica
Authors: Schroeter B. , Green T.G.A. , Kulle Daniel , Pannewitz S. , Schlensog M. , Sancho L.G.
Published: February 2012

The net photosynthetic rate (NP), chlorophyll fluorescence, carotenoid content and chlorophyll content of the cosmopolitan mossBryum argenteumwere measured in the field at Botany Bay, southern Victoria Land, continental Antarctica (77°S). Comparisons were made between sun- and shade-adapted forms, and changes were followed as the moss emerged from under the snow and during exposure of shade and sun forms to ambient light. Shade forms had lower light compensation and saturation values for NP but little difference in maximal NP rates. Shade forms exposed to ambient light changed rapidly (within five days) towards the performance of the sun forms. Surprisingly, this change was not by acclimation of shoots but by the production of new shoots. Chlorophyll and carotenoid levels measured on a molar chlorophyll basis showed no difference between sun and shade forms and also little change during emergence. The constant molar relationship between carotenoids and chlorophyll plus the high levels of the xanthophyll cycle pigments suggest that protection of the chlorophyll antenna was constitutive. This is an adaptation to the very high light levels that occur when the plants are active in continental Antarctica and contrasts to the situation in more temperate areas where high light is normally avoided by desiccation.
Plato
Authors: Annas Julia
Published: February 2012

Plato (c. 427-347 BC) was born into a wealthy and aristocratic Athenian family. He cherished the ambition of entering politics when he came of age, but was disillusioned first by the injustices of the oligarchic government in which his relatives Charmides and Critias were involved, and later by the action of the democracy which succeeded it, particularly the trial and execution of Socrates in 399 BC. In his best-known dialogue, The Republic, he sought to provide a theoretical foundation for a government which would embody the justice he had found to be lacking in the actual governments of his day. His only active intervention in politics, in the intended role of adviser, was an unsuccessful one in Syracuse, Sicily. Details of it are given in his Seventh Letter. Some time before his second visit to Sicily, in 367 BC, he founded the school known as ‘the Academy’. His career as a writer of dialogues may have begun before this. In his early dialogues, he memorialized Socrates and his method of philosophizing by making him chief participant and questioner. His teaching in the Academy was interrupted for a third visit to Sicily in 361-360 BC, when he was nearly seventy. He survived an illness caused by the hardships of the journey, and died aged about eighty-one.
Aristotle,Nicomachean Ethics
Authors: Hursthouse Rosalind
Published: February 2012

Our understanding of the moral philosophy of Aristotle is hampered by a number of modern assumptions we make about the subject. For a start, we are accustomed to thinking about ethics or moral philosophy as being concerned with theoretical questions about actions—what makes an action right or wrong? Modern moral philosophy gives two different sorts of answers to this question. One is in terms of a substantial ethical theory—what makes an action right or wrong is whether it promotes the greatest happiness, or whether it is in accordance with or violates a moral rule, or whether it promotes or violates a moral right. The other sort gives a meta-ethical answer—rightness and wrongness are not really properties of actions, but in describing actions as right or wrong we commend or object to them, express our approval or disapproval or our emotions concerning them. But the ancient Greeks start with a totally different question. Ethics is supposed to answer, for each one of us, the question ‘How am I to live well?’ What this question means calls for some discussion.
Descartes', Sixth Meditation: The External World, ‘Nature’ and Human Experience
Authors: Cottingham John
Published: February 2012

The Sixth Meditation deals, as its title proclaims, with ‘the existence of material things, and the real distinction between the mind and body of man’. In this paper, I want to start by examining Descartes' argument for the existence of material things—for the existence of an ‘external’, physical world around us. Next, in section two, I shall use this argument concerning the external world to bring out an important general point about the ‘dialectical’ way in which Descartes presents his reasoning in the Meditations. This will lead me on to the third section of the paper, which will analyse the concept of ‘nature’ and the role it plays in Descartes' reasoning, particularly in the Sixth Meditation. And this in turn will bring me to the fourth and final part of the paper, which will focus on what is by general consensus the most fascinating part of the Sixth Meditation—Descartes' account of the relation between mind and body. What I shall try to do in this final section is to highlight a curious tension between Descartes' recognition of the facts of human experience on the one hand, and on the other hand his doctrine that we are essentially incorporeal or non-physical substances.
A qualitative study exploring experiences of discrimination associated with mental-health problems in Ireland
Authors: Lakeman R. , McGowan P. , MacGabhann L. , Parkinson M. , Redmond M. , Sibitz I. , Stevenson C. , Walsh J.
Published: February 2012

Aims.

Stigma and discrimination related to mental-health problems impacts negatively on people's quality of life, help seeking behaviour and recovery trajectories. To date, the experience of discrimination by people with mental-health problems has not been systematically explored in the Republic of Ireland. This study aimed to explore the experience impact of discrimination as a consequence of being identified with a mental-health problem.

Methods.

Transcripts of semi-structured interviews with 30 people about their experience of discrimination were subject to thematic analysis and presented in summary form.

Results.

People volunteered accounts of discrimination which clustered around employment, personal relationships, business and finance, and health care. Common experiences included being discounted or discredited, being mocked or shunned and being inhibited or constrained by oneself and others.

Conclusions.

Qualitative research of this type may serve to illustrate the complexity of discrimination and the processes whereby stigma is internalised and may shape behaviour. Such an understanding may assist health practitioners reduce stigma, and identify and remediate the impact of discrimination.
RCM‐E simulation of the 13 March 2009 steady magnetospheric convection event
Authors: Yang J. , Toffoletto F. R. , Xing X. , Angelopoulos V.
Published: February 2012

We investigate the role of depleted flux tubes in both large‐scale configurations and transient reconfigurations during the 13 March 2009 steady magnetospheric convection (SMC) event. A series of numerical simulations with different plasma boundary conditions were carried out using the Rice Convection Model with an equilibrated magnetic field model (RCM‐E) in order to examine what kind of local‐time‐dependent entropy distribution could best reproduce the observed overall configurations during this SMC event. The results are summarized as follows: (1) the simulation with data‐driven boundary conditions (called D run) produces a depleted plasma sheet over all the local times and yields the best overall agreement with multipoint observations of THEMIS and GOES spacecraft in the plasma sheet and the inner magnetosphere. (2) The simulation with empirical model boundary conditions (called E run) predicts an overstretched magnetic field and larger plasma pressure than observations. (3) The simulations with a persistent low‐entropy flow channel around the midnight sector during the entire SMC interval result in plasma pressure distribution as large as the E run in the inner edge of the plasma sheet. Our simulation indicates that at least for this event, the pressure‐balance inconsistency is avoided during a strong earthward convection interval only when the entire plasma sheet earthward of 20 RE is supplied with low‐entropy plasma. Further simulations show that the earthward transport of plasma sheet bubbles in the background of D run, which mimics the overall configuration best, tends to cause smaller magnetic field dipolarization and produce smaller magnitudes of flows than bubble injections in the background of E run. The results are consistent with the fact that although there are transient flow bursts during SMCs, none of them are accompanied by significant large‐scale reconfigurations in the near‐Earth plasma sheet.
The Atlantic and summer Pacific waters variability in the Arctic Ocean from 1997 to 2008
Authors: Bourgain Pascaline , Gascard Jean Claude
Published: February 2012

As a main source of heat for the Arctic Ocean, the Atlantic and Summer Pacific waters and their spatiotemporal variability require serious attention especially in the context of a drastic summer sea ice extent decrease. We propose to examine the recent evolution of these two water masses at a larger spatial scale than what was done so far. For that purpose, we introduced indices that proved to be efficient tools for quantifying water masses influence. Based on these indices and thanks to a very large data set collected throughout the Arctic deep basin from 1997 to 2008, we investigated the interannual variability of the Atlantic and Summer Pacific waters distribution and characteristics. Observations confirmed the existence of warm pulses of the Atlantic water mass propagating into the Arctic basin. However, no warming trend of the Atlantic water in the Eurasian basin was identified over the 1997–2008 time period. In contrast, the Summer Pacific water was getting warmer during the same period. The Summer Pacific water of the Canadian basin, being closer to the surface than the Atlantic water mass and exhibiting a warming trend, appears to be a serious candidate for contributing partly to the drastic summer sea ice extent and thickness decrease observed recently in the Arctic and in the Canadian basin in particular.
Toxic prefibrillar α-synuclein amyloid oligomers adopt a distinctive antiparallel β-sheet structure
Authors: Celej María Soledad , Sarroukh Rabia , Goormaghtigh Erik , Fidelio Gerardo D. , Ruysschaert Jean-Marie , Raussens Vincent
Published: February 2012

Parkinson's disease is an age-related movement disorder characterized by the presence in the mid-brain of amyloid deposits of the 140-amino-acid protein AS (α-synuclein). AS fibrillation follows a nucleation polymerization pathway involving diverse transient prefibrillar species varying in size and morphology. Similar to other neurodegenerative diseases, cytotoxicity is currently attributed to these prefibrillar species rather than to the insoluble aggregates. Nevertheless, the underlying molecular mechanisms responsible for cytotoxicity remain elusive and structural studies may contribute to the understanding of both the amyloid aggregation mechanism and oligomer-induced toxicity. It is already recognized that soluble oligomeric AS species adopt β-sheet structures that differ from those characterizing the fibrillar structure. In the present study we used ATR (attenuated total reflection)–FTIR (Fourier-transform infrared) spectroscopy, a technique especially sensitive to β-sheet structure, to get a deeper insight into the β-sheet organization within oligomers and fibrils. Careful spectral analysis revealed that AS oligomers adopt an antiparallel β-sheet structure, whereas fibrils adopt a parallel arrangement. The results are discussed in terms of regions of the protein involved in the early β-sheet interactions and the implications of such conformational arrangement for the pathogenicity associated with AS oligomers.
Effects of electrode geometry on the ion beam extraction of closed drift type anode layer linear ion source
Authors: Lee Seunghun , Kim Jong-Kuk , Kim Do-Geun
Published: February 2012

Closed drift type anode layer linear ion source was investigated with focusing on the electrode geometry effects on ion beam emission and anode layer formation. In the electrode geometry, the discharge gap between anode and cathode plays an important role to control anode layer formation as well as electron generation. When the discharge gap is increased from 2 to 3 mm, the ion current density was enhanced from 0.9 to 1.35 mA/cm2. Computational simulation by using an object oriented particle in cell showed that the discharge volume was extended due to enhanced electron generation and the electric field at the anode layer was enhanced from 1.32 to 1.52 MV/cm.
Low energy beam transport for facility for rare isotope beams driver linear particle accelerator
Authors: Sun L. T. , Leitner D. , Machicoane G. , Pozdeyev E. , Smirnov V. , Vorozhtsov S. B. , Winklehner D. , Zhao Q.
Published: February 2012

The driver linac for the facility for rare isotope beams (FRIB) will provide a wide range of primary ion beams for nuclear physics research. The linac will be capable of accelerating a uranium beam to an energy of up to 200 Mev/u and delivering it to a fragmentation target with a maximum power of 400 kW. Stable ion beams will be produced by a high performance electron cyclotron resonance ion source operating at 28 GHz. The ion source will be located on a high voltage platform to reach an initial beam energy of 12 keV/u. After extraction, the ion beam will be transported vertically down to the linac tunnel in a low energy beam transport (LEBT) system and injected into a radio frequency quadrupole (RFQ) operating at a frequency of 80.5 MHz. To meet the beam power requirements, simultaneous acceleration of two-charge states will be used for heavier ions (≥Xe). This paper presents the layout of the FRIB LEBT and the beam dynamics in the LEBT. In particular, simulation and design of the beam line section before charge state selection will be detailed. The need to use an achromatic design for the charge state selection system and the advantage of an ion beam collimation system to limit the emittance of the beam injected into the RFQ will be discussed in this paper.
Condition of the ratchet effect of a magnetic domain wall motion under an asymmetric potential energy
Authors: Piao Hong-Guang , Zhang Xiaozhong , Choi Hyeok-Cheol , Kim Dong-Hyun , You Chun-Yeol
Published: February 2012

We have investigated the ratchet effect of magnetic domain wall (DW) motion in a straight ferromagnetic nanowire under ac magnetic field by means of micromagnetic simulation. A structure-stable DW ratchet effect along the ferromagnetic nanowire is observed utilizing an asymmetric potential produced by a nonuniform magnetostatic stray field from an array of a periodic non-contact trapezoidal stubs. A diode-like consecutive operation process for a transverse DW motion is examined with variation of the ac field frequency and amplitude, where the necessary conditions for the DW ratchet effect are systematically examined. We have also obtained the empirical relation between a DW velocity of the ratchet effect and the ac field frequency and amplitude.
Non-collinear magnetic profile in (Rh/Fe1−xCox)2/Rh(001) bilayer probed by polarized soft x-ray resonant magnetic reflectivity
Authors: Przybylski M. , Tonnerre J.-M. , Yildiz F. , Tolentino H. C. N. , Kirschner J.
Published: February 2012

Magnetization configuration in Fe/Rh/Fe0.5Co0.5/Rh(001) can be non-orthogonal due to competition between the anisotropy and the exchange coupling. Soft x-ray resonant magnetic reflectivity allows us to probe the magnetic profile along the growth axis with in-plane and perpendicular magnetization components. By using different modes of acquisition, we show that it is possible to determine separately the magnetic profile of both magnetization components. Measurements at the Co L3-edge enable us to investigate the magnetism of the alloy layer independently from the layer of Fe.
Effect of intrinsic tensile stress on (001) orientation in L1 FePt thin films on glass substrates
Authors: Hsiao S. N. , Liu S. H. , Chen S. K. , Yuan F. T. , Lee H. Y.
Published: February 2012

Single-layered FePt thin films were deposited on glass substrates and subsequently annealed at 800 °C for various times in a rapid thermal annealing (RTA) furnace. Near-fully-L10-ordered FePt films were obtained after RTA. The accumulation of the intrinsic tensile stress is mainly contributed by the densification reaction, which leads to the development of (001) preferred orientation. The relief of the tensile stress predominantly stems from the microstructural variation (from continuous to interconnected network state), resulting in a reduction of (001) texture. Enhanced perpendicular magnetic and crystalline anisotropy was obtained for the films annealed for 900 s, confirmed by a high Lotgering orientation factor of 0.99 and differential squareness of 0.5. The results provide direct evidence that intrinsic tensile stress prompts the (001) preferred orientation through suggested strain-induced grain growth.
Magnetic behaviour of Ni0.4Zn0.6Co0.1Fe1.9O4 spinel nano-ferrite
Authors: Thakur Atul , Thakur Preeti , Hsu Jen-Hwa
Published: February 2012

Nanoparticles of the spinel ferrite Ni0.4Zn0.6Co0.1Fe1.9O4, have been synthesized by a co-precipitation method. The x-ray diffraction patterns of the particles confirmed the formation of single-phase cubic spinel structure. The Langevin function fitting on M-H data at 300 K gives a log-normal particle size distribution with median diameter of 59.6 nm and standard deviation of 0.6. The isothermal dc magnetization studies have been performed using the superconducting quantum interface device and vibrating sample magnetometer in the temperature range of 5-300 K. These measurements show that the sample is superparamagnetic above the blocking temperature TB ∼ 253 K when an external magnetic field of 20 Oe is applied. The reduction in saturation magnetization in case of nanoparticles may be attributed to the fact that magnetic moments in the surface layers outside the core are in the state of frozen disorder. A doublet observed in the Mössbauer study also confirms the superparamagnetic behavior and nanocrystalline formation.
Reduction of hysteresis loss and large magnetocaloric effect in the C- and H-doped La(Fe, Si)13 compounds around room temperature
Authors: Zhang H. , Shen B. G. , Xu Z. Y. , Zheng X. Q. , Shen J. , Hu F. X. , Sun J. R. , Long Y.
Published: February 2012

The effects of the interstitial C and H atoms on the phase formation, the hysteresis loss, and magnetocaloric effects of the NaZn13-type La(Fe, Si)13 compounds are investigated. It is found that the annealing time to obtain a 1:13 structure is significantly reduced from 40 days for LaFe11.7Si1.3 to a week for LaFe11.7Si1.3C0.2. The introduction of C and H atoms can adjust Curie temperature to around room temperature and leads to the decrease in magnetic entropy change (ΔSM) and magnetic hysteresis loss due to the weakening of itinerant-electron metamagnetic transition. Large −ΔSM of 19.0 J/kg K at room temperature without hysteresis loss for LaFe11.7Si1.3C0.2H1.7 is obtained for a field change of 5 T.