bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Global discovery of protein kinases and other nucleotide‐binding proteins by mass spectrometry
Authors: Xiao Yongsheng , Wang Yinsheng
Published: November 2014

Nucleotide‐binding proteins, such as protein kinases, ATPases and GTP‐binding proteins, are among the most important families of proteins that are involved in a number of pivotal cellular processes. However, global study of the structure, function, and expression level of nucleotide‐binding proteins as well as protein–nucleotide interactions can hardly be achieved with the use of conventional approaches owing to enormous diversity of the nucleotide‐binding protein family. Recent advances in mass spectrometry (MS) instrumentation, coupled with a variety of nucleotide‐binding protein enrichment methods, rendered MS‐based proteomics a powerful tool for the comprehensive characterizations of the nucleotide‐binding proteome, especially the kinome. Here, we review the recent developments in the use of mass spectrometry, together with general and widely used affinity enrichment approaches, for the proteome‐wide capture, identification and quantification of nucleotide‐binding proteins, including protein kinases, ATPases, GTPases, and other nucleotide‐binding proteins. The working principles, advantages, and limitations of each enrichment platform in identifying nucleotide‐binding proteins as well as profiling protein–nucleotide interactions are summarized. The perspectives in developing novel MS‐based nucleotide‐binding protein detection platform are also discussed. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Mass Spec Rev 35:601–619, 2016
TGF‐β regulates the proliferation of lung adenocarcinoma cells by inhibiting PIK3R3 expression
Authors: Wang Guihua , Yang Xi , Jin Yuan , Deng Yu , Luo Xuelai , Hu Junbo , Wang Jing
Published: November 2014

PIK3R3, an isoform of class IA phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K), specifically interacts with cell proliferation regulators, such as retinoblastoma and proliferation cell nuclear antigen, to promote cell proliferation. However, the mechanisms behind the upstream signaling pathway of PIK3R3 remain unclear to date. This study showed that PIK3R3 expression was regulated by transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) signaling and that PIK3R3 mediated the TGF‐β‐induced inhibition of lung adenocarcinoma cell proliferation. TGF‐β down‐regulated PIK3R3 expression in lung adenocarcinoma cells. However, this TGF‐β‐induced inhibition of cell proliferation can be attenuated by PIK3R3 overexpression. In addition, TGF‐β can attenuate the transcriptional activity of NKX2.1, a transcription factor that binds to the promoter of PIK3R3. This result indicated that TGF‐β regulated PIK3R3 expression by targeting NKX2.1. We confirmed the correlation between NKX2.1 and PIK3R3 in clinical samples. Therefore, the TGF‐β/NKX2.1/PIK3R3 axis is crucial in the TGF‐β‐induced inhibition of cell proliferation, and the NKX2.1/PIK3R3 axis might become a target in TGF‐β receptor‐repressed lung adenocarcinoma. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Clinical spectrum of impulse control disorders in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Weintraub Daniel , David Anthony S. , Evans Andrew H. , Grant Jon E. , Stacy Mark
Published: November 2014

Impulse control disorders (ICDs), including compulsive gambling, buying, sexual behavior, and eating, are a serious and increasingly recognized psychiatric complication in Parkinson's disease (PD). Other impulsive‐compulsive behaviors (ICBs) have been described in PD, including punding (stereotyped, repetitive, purposeless behaviors) and dopamine dysregulation syndrome (DDS; compulsive PD medication overuse). ICDs have been most closely related to the use of dopamine agonists (DAs), perhaps more so at higher doses; in contrast, DDS is primarily associated with shorter‐acting, higher‐potency dopaminergic medications, such as apomorphine and levodopa. Possible risk factors for ICDs include male sex, younger age and younger age at PD onset, a pre‐PD history of ICDs, and a personal or family history of substance abuse, bipolar disorder, or gambling problems. Given the paucity of treatment options and potentially serious consequences, it is critical for PD patients to be monitored closely for development of ICDs as part of routine clinical care. © 2014 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
The phenotypic spectrum of progressive supranuclear palsy: A retrospective multicenter study of 100 definite cases
Authors: Respondek Gesine , Stamelou Maria , Kurz Carolin , Ferguson Leslie W. , Rajput Alexander , Chiu Wan Zheng , van Swieten John C. , Troakes Claire , al Sarraj Safa , Gelpi Ellen , Gaig Carles , Tolosa Eduardo , Oertel Wolfgang H. , Giese Armin , Roeber Sigrun , Arzberger Thomas , Wagenpfeil Stefan , Höglinger Günter U. ,   for the Movement Disorder Society—endorsed PSP Study Group
Published: November 2014

The phenotypic variability of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) may account for its frequent misdiagnosis, in particular in early stages of the disease. However, large multicenter studies to define the frequency and natural history of PSP phenotypes are missing. In a cohort of 100 autopsy‐confirmed patients we studied the phenotypic spectrum of PSP by retrospective chart review. Patients were derived from five brain banks with expertise in neurodegenerative disorders with referrals from multiple academic hospitals. The clinical characteristics of the 100 cases showed remarkable heterogeneity. Most strikingly, only 24% of cases presented as Richardson's Syndrome (RS), and more than half of the cases either showed overlapping features of several predescribed phenotypes, or features not fitting proposed classification criteria for PSP phenotypes. Classification of patients according to predominant clinical features in the first 2 years of the disease course allowed a more comprehensive description of the phenotypic spectrum. These predominance types differed significantly with regard to survival time and frequency of cognitive deficits. In summary, the phenotypic spectrum of PSP may be broader and more variable than previously described in single‐center studies. Thus, too strict clinical criteria defining distinct phenotypes may not reflect this variability. A more pragmatic clinical approach using predominance types could potentially be more helpful in the early recognition of and for making prognostic predictions for these patients. Given the limitations arising from the retrospective nature of this analysis, a systematic validation in a prospective cohort study is imperative. © 2014 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Connecting Classical QSAR and LERE Analyses Using Modern Molecular Calculations, LERE‐QSAR (VI): Hydrolysis of Substituted Hippuric Acid Phenyl Esters by Trypsin
Authors: Mashima Akira , Kurahashi Masahiro , Sasahara Katsunori , Yoshida Tatsusada , Chuman Hiroshi
Published: November 2014

The reaction mechanism of trypsin was studied by applying DFT and ab initio molecular orbital (MO) calculations to complexes of trypsin with a congeneric series of eight para‐substituted hippuric acid phenyl esters, for which a previous quantitative structureactivity relationship (QSAR) study revealed nice linearity of Hammett substitution constant σ− with logarithmic values of the MichaelisMenten and catalytic rate constants. Based on the LERE procedure, we performed QSAR analyses on each elementary reaction step during the acylation process. The present calculations showed that the rate‐determining step during the acylation process is the transition state (TS) between the enzymesubstrate complex (ES) and tetrahedral intermediate (TET), and that the proton transfer occurs from Ser195 to His57, not between His57 and Asp102. The LERE‐QSAR analysis statistically suggested that the variation of overall free‐energy changes leading to formation of TS is governed mostly by that of activation energies required to form TS from ES. In spite of a very limited number of congeneric ligands in the current work, it is critically essential to clarify and verify physicochemical meanings of a typical QSAR/Chemoinformatics parameter, Hammett σ− based on quantum chemical calculations on the proteinligand kinetics; how Hammett σ− behaves in terms of proteinligand interaction energies.
Adaptive h‐refinement for reduced‐order models
Authors: Carlberg Kevin
Published: November 2014

This work presents a method to adaptively refine reduced‐order models a posteriori without requiring additional full‐order‐model solves. The technique is analogous to mesh‐adaptive h‐refinement: it enriches the reduced‐basis space online by ‘splitting’ a given basis vector into several vectors with disjoint support. The splitting scheme is defined by a tree structure constructed offline via recursive k‐means clustering of the state variables using snapshot data. The method identifies the vectors to split online using a dual‐weighted‐residual approach that aims to reduce error in an output quantity of interest. The resulting method generates a hierarchy of subspaces online without requiring large‐scale operations or full‐order‐model solves. Further, it enables the reduced‐order model to satisfy any prescribed error tolerance regardless of its original fidelity, as a completely refined reduced‐order model is mathematically equivalent to the original full‐order model. Experiments on a parameterized inviscid Burgers equation highlight the ability of the method to capture phenomena (e.g., moving shocks) not contained in the span of the original reduced basis. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Age Estimation by Tympanic Bone Development in Foetal and Infant Skeletons
Authors: García‐Mancuso R. , Inda A. M. , Salceda S. A.
Published: November 2014

This article analyses age‐related changes in the development of the temporal bone in a sample of foetal and infant skeletons to contribute to the estimation of age by means of this skeletal element in bioarchaeological and forensic contexts. The sample was selected from a contemporary documented skeletal collection and is constituted by the temporal bones of individuals of both sexes (n = 37) with ages from 23 weeks of gestation up to 11 postnatal months. Different states of fusion of the tympanic ring and development of the tympanic plate were scored separately, and intra‐observer consistency was evaluated. Both documented chronological age and skeletal estimated age were examined in relation to successive stages of fusion and development in the pre‐ and postnatal periods. It was found that the state of fusion of the tympanic ring is especially useful in the discrimination of foetal and postnatal individuals, whereas the development of the tympanic plate is helpful in the differentiation of individuals from and below 3 postnatal months. Even though a certain degree of overlap between successive stages was observed, the fusion of the tympanic ring and the development of the tympanic plate constitute good indicators of age in foetal and infant skeletons. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preparation and properties of wood plastic composite reinforced by ultralong cellulose nanofibers
Authors: Li Jingjing , Li Dagang , Song Zhanqian , Shang Shibin , Guo Yong
Published: November 2014

Wood plastic composites (WPCs) were reinforced by ultralong cellulose nanofibers (CNF), which were extracted from poplar flour. To solve the aggregate problem of CNF in nonpolar high density polyethylene (HDPE), a new method, which was corresponding to preblending the mixture of wood flour and HDPE powder in the CNF suspension with continuously stirring at 80°C for 2 h was used before the extrusion process. The capillary rheological tests showed CNF could increase the apparent viscosity of WPCs obviously. From the SEM images, abundant CNF were distributed on the fracture surface of WPCs uniformly and compactly like “spider web.” Compared with WPC without CNF, the bending strength, bending modulus, and impact strength of WPCs with 20 wt% CNF increased by 93.01, 153.64, and 116.55%, respectively. The thermal expansion coefficient of WPCs with 20 wt% CNF decreased by 61.30%. The storage modulus of WPCs was greatly improved with the addition of CNF. POLYM. COMPOS., 37:1206–1215, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Diffusion of organic volatile molecules in LDPE/Halloysite nanocomposites
Authors: Reyes‐Alva Luis , Gonzalez‐Montiel Alfonzo , de Jesus Aguilar‐Vega Manuel
Published: November 2014

Diffusion behavior of d‐limonene and menthol propylene glycol carbonate were determined in halloysite/Low density polyethylene (LDPE), nanocomposites by a desorption method under nonisothermal conditions. Nanocomposites were prepared by melt mixing and diffusion coefficients of the organic molecules were determined in LDPE without halloysite, in the presence of halloysite, and with halloysite previously impregnated with each molecule. In general, the diffusion coefficient decrease for the molecules studied through the polymeric matrix with the amount of nanoclay loaded. Physical barriers due to halloysite nanoclay dispersed in the matrix give rise to an increase in activation energy for diffusion lowering the diffusion coefficients and desorption rate of the organic molecule through the LDPE matrix. No significant changes in crystallinity that affect the diffusion coefficients were found in the LDPE matrix by the addition of halloysite. The minimum release rate or maximum resistance for molecules to diffusion toward the surface in the halloysite/LDPE nanocomposite was found when the organic molecules were previously impregnated in the halloysite. An indication that impregnation of halloysite with the organic molecule will help to slow, and properly used, to dose their release rate. POLYM. COMPOS. 37:1267–1273, 2016. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers
Myocardial performance index in fetal anemia
Authors: de Assunção Renata Almeida , Liao Adolfo Wenjaw , de Lourdes Brizot Maria , Francisco Rossana Pulcineli Vieira , Zugaib Marcelo
Published: November 2014

Objective

The objective of the study was to examine the correlation between fetal myocardial performance index (MPI) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels.

Methods

It is a prospective study involving singleton pregnancies at risk of fetal anemia as a result of maternal anti‐D alloimmune disease. Right and left ventricle (LV) MPIs were evaluated by ultrasound up to 72 h before cordocentesis. Zeta‐score values for fetal MPI and Hb levels were calculated, and correlation was examined with linear regression analysis. Significance level was set as 0.05.

Results

Fourteen singleton pregnancies underwent 31 cordocentesis procedures at a mean gestation of 28.2 ± 4.1 weeks. Zeta‐score values for LV MPI, isovolumetric relaxation time (IRT), and ejection time (ET) correlated significantly with fetal Hb zeta‐score (LV MPI zeta = 3.816 + 0.336 × Hb zeta, r = 0.59, p < 0.001; LV IRT zeta = 2.643 + 0.218 × Hb zeta, r = 0.45, p = 0.01; LV ET zeta = −2.474 − 0.271 × Hb zeta, r = −0.42, p = 0.02). LV isovolumetric contraction time (ICT) zeta‐score and right ventricle (RV) MPI did not show significant correlation (LV ICT zeta, r = 0.35, p = 0.054; RV MPI, r = 0.12, p = 0.53).

Conclusion

LV myocardial performance not only remains preserved but also is actually enhanced in cases of moderate/severe fetal anemia. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Changes in muscle proteomics in the course of the Caudwell Research Expedition to Mt. Everest
Authors: Levett Denny Z. H. , Viganò Agnese , Capitanio Daniele , Vasso Michele , De Palma Sara , Moriggi Manuela , Martin Daniel S. , Murray Andrew J. , Cerretelli Paolo , Grocott Mike P. W. , Gelfi Cecilia
Published: November 2014

This study employed differential proteomic and immunoassay techniques to elucidate the biochemical mechanisms utilized by human muscle (vastus lateralis) in response to high altitude hypoxia exposure. Two groups of subjects, participating in a medical research expedition (A, n = 5, 19d at 5300 m altitude; B, n = 6, 66d up to 8848 m) underwent a ≈ 30% drop of muscular creatine kinase and of glycolytic enzymes abundance. Protein abundance of most enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle and oxidative phosphorylation was reduced both in A and, particularly, in B. Restriction of α‐ketoglutarate toward succinyl‐CoA resulted in increased prolyl hydroxylase 2 and glutamine synthetase. Both A and B were characterized by a reduction of elongation factor 2alpha, controlling protein translation, and by an increase of heat shock cognate 71 kDa protein involved in chaperone‐mediated autophagy. Increased protein levels of catalase and biliverdin reductase occurred in A alongside a decrement of voltage‐dependent anion channels 1 and 2 and of myosin‐binding protein C, suggesting damage to the sarcomeric structures. This study suggests that during acclimatization to hypobaric hypoxia the muscle behaves as a producer of substrates activating a metabolic reprogramming able to support anaplerotically the tricarboxylic acid cycle, to control protein translation, to prevent energy expenditure and to activate chaperone‐mediated autophagy.
Intermolecular disulfide bond formation promotes immunoglobulin aggregation: Investigation by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy
Authors: Nag Moupriya , Bera Kallol , Basak Soumen
Published: November 2014

Protein aggregation generally results from association between hydrophobic regions of individual monomers. However, additional mechanisms arising from specific interactions, such as intermolecular disulfide bond formation, may also contribute to the process. The latter is proposed to be the initiating pathway for aggregation of immunoglobulin (IgG), which is essential for triggering its immune response. To test the veracity of this hypothesis, we have employed fluorescence correlation spectroscopy to measure the kinetics of aggregation of IgG in separate experiments either allowing or inhibiting disulfide formation. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy measurements yielded a diffusion time (τD) of ∼200 µsec for Rhodamine‐labeled IgG, corresponding to a hydrodynamic radius (RH) of 56 Å for the IgG monomer. The aggregation kinetics of the protein was followed by monitoring the time evolution of τD under conditions in which its cysteine residues were either free or blocked. In both cases, the progress curves confirmed that aggregation proceeded via the nucleation‐dependent polymerization pathway. However, for aggregation in the presence of free cysteines, the lag times were shorter, and the aggregate sizes bigger, than their respective counterparts for aggregation in the presence of blocked cysteines. This result clearly demonstrates that formation of intermolecular disulfide bonds represents a preferred pathway in the aggregation process of IgG. Fluorescence spectroscopy showed that aggregates formed in experiments where disulfide formation was prevented denatured at lower concentration of guanidine hydrochloride than those obtained in experiments where the disulfides were free to form, indicating that intermolecular disulfide bridging is a valid pathway for IgG aggregation. Proteins 2015; 83:169–177. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Non‐Alternant Non‐Benzenoid Aromatic Compounds: Past, Present, and Future
Authors: Tobe Yoshito
Published: November 2014

The development of the chemistry of non‐alternant non‐benzenoid hydrocarbons is reviewed in connection with the International Symposium on Novel Aromatic Compounds (ISNA) and the author's personal anecdotes. Past molecules include the classics of this class of compounds, pentalene, azulene, and heptalene, and the structurally integrated congeners such as indacenes formed by benzannelation and benzinterposition, which were extensively studied during the last century. Indenofluorene isomers constructed by benzannelation to indacenes represent present molecules, which have attracted much interest in recent years in view of their potential in optoelectronic applications. The unusual properties of the most exotic isomer, indeno[2,1‐b]fluorene, are specifically described to demonstrate that the benzannelation is not simply a modification for stabilization. Finally, as future molecules, those consisting of linear and cyclic arrays of indenofluorene motifs formed by further extension are proposed.

graphic
Bayesian models for functional magnetic resonance imaging data analysis
Authors: Zhang Linlin , Guindani Michele , Vannucci Marina
Published: November 2014

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a noninvasive neuroimaging method that provides an indirect measure of neuronal activity by detecting blood flow changes, has experienced an explosive growth in the past years. Statistical methods play a crucial role in understanding and analyzing fMRI data. Bayesian approaches, in particular, have shown great promise in applications. A remarkable feature of fully Bayesian approaches is that they allow a flexible modeling of spatial and temporal correlations in the data. This article provides a review of the most relevant models developed in recent years. We divide methods according to the objective of the analysis. We start from spatiotemporal models for fMRI data that detect task‐related activation patterns. We then address the very important problem of estimating brain connectivity. We also touch upon methods that focus on making predictions of an individual's brain activity or a clinical or behavioral response. We conclude with a discussion of recent integrative models that aim at combining fMRI data with other imaging modalities, such as electroencephalography/magnetoencephalography (EEG/MEG) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data, measured on the same subjects. We also briefly discuss the emerging field of imaging genetics. WIREs Comput Stat 2015, 7:21–41. doi: 10.1002/wics.1339

This article is categorized under:

Statistical and Graphical Methods of Data Analysis > Bayesian Methods and Theory
Proof-based verification approaches for dynamic properties: application to the information system domain
Authors: Mammar Amel , Frappier Marc
Published: November 2014

This paper proposes a formal approach for generating necessary and sufficient proof obligations to demonstrate a set of dynamic properties using the B method. In particular, we consider reachability, non-interference and absence properties. Also, we show that these properties permit a wide range of property patterns introduced by Dwyer to be expressed. An overview of a tool supporting these approaches is also provided.
CD44 variant, but not standard CD44 isoforms, mediate disassembly of endothelial VE‐cadherin junction on metastatic melanoma cells
Authors: Zhang Pu , Fu Changliang , Bai Huiyuan , Song Erqun , Song Yang
Published: November 2014

Loss of endothelial adherens junctions is involved in tumor metastasis. Here, we demonstrate that, in the metastatic Lu1205 melanoma cells, expression of the CD44 variant CD44v8‐v10 induced junction disassembly and vascular endothelial (VE)‐cadherin phosphorylation at Y658 and Y731. Short interfering RNA (siRNA)‐mediated CD44 knockdown or sialic acid cleavage reversed these effects. Moreover, microspheres coated with recombinant CD44v8‐v10 promoted endothelial junction disruption. Overexpression of CD44v8‐v10 but not of standard CD44 (CD44s) promoted gap formation in the non‐metastatic WM35 melanoma cells, whereas CD44 knockdown or neuraminidase treatment dramatically diminished melanoma transendothelial migration. Endothelial cells transfected with the phosphomimetic VE‐cadherin mutant Y658E supported transmigration of CD44‐silenced Lu1205 cells. Our findings imply that CD44 variant isoform (CD44v) but not CD44s regulates endothelial junction loss, promoting melanoma extravasation.
Nimodipine enhances neurite outgrowth in dopaminergic brain slice co‐cultures
Authors: Sygnecka Katja , Heine Claudia , Scherf Nico , Fasold Mario , Binder Hans , Scheller Christian , Franke Heike
Published: November 2014

Calcium ions (Ca2+) play important roles in neuroplasticity and the regeneration of nerves. Intracellular Ca2+concentrations are regulated by Ca2+channels, among them L‐type voltage‐gated Ca2+channels, which are inhibited by dihydropyridines like nimodipine. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of nimodipine on neurite growth during development and regeneration. As an appropriate model to study neurite growth, we chose organotypic brain slice co‐cultures of the mesocortical dopaminergic projection system, consisting of the ventral tegmental area/substantia nigra and the prefrontal cortex from neonatal rat brains. Quantification of the density of the newly built neurites in the border region (region between the two cultivated slices) of the co‐cultures revealed a growth promoting effect of nimodipine at concentrations of 0.1 μM and 1 μM that was even more pronounced than the effect of the growth factor NGF.

This beneficial effect was absent when 10 μM nimodipine were applied. Toxicological tests revealed that the application of nimodipine at this higher concentration slightly induced caspase 3 activation in the cortical part of the co‐cultures, but did neither affect the amount of lactate dehydrogenase release or propidium iodide uptake nor the ratio of bax/bcl‐2. Furthermore, the expression levels of different genes were quantified after nimodipine treatment. The expression of Ca2+binding proteins, immediate early genes, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and myelin components did not change significantly after treatment, indicating that the regulation of their expression is not primarily involved in the observed nimodipine mediated neurite growth. In summary, this study revealed for the first time a neurite growth promoting effect of nimodipine in the mesocortical dopaminergic projection system that is highly dependent on the applied concentrations.
A DNA methylation‐based definition of biologically distinct breast cancer subtypes
Authors: Stefansson Olafur A. , Moran Sebastian , Gomez Antonio , Sayols Sergi , Arribas-Jorba Carlos , Sandoval Juan , Hilmarsdottir Holmfridur , Olafsdottir Elinborg , Tryggvadottir Laufey , Jonasson Jon G. , Eyfjord Jorunn , Esteller Manel
Published: November 2014

In cancer, epigenetic states are deregulated and thought to be of significance in cancer development and progression. We explored DNA methylation‐based signatures in association with breast cancer subtypes to assess their impact on clinical presentation and patient prognosis. DNA methylation was analyzed using Infinium 450K arrays in 40 tumors and 17 normal breast samples, together with DNA copy number changes and subtype‐specific markers by tissue microarrays. The identified methylation signatures were validated against a cohort of 212 tumors annotated for breast cancer subtypes by the PAM50 method (The Cancer Genome Atlas). Selected markers were pyrosequenced in an independent validation cohort of 310 tumors and analyzed with respect to survival, clinical stage and grade. The results demonstrate that DNA methylation patterns linked to the luminal‐B subtype are characterized by CpG island promoter methylation events. In contrast, a large fraction of basal‐like tumors are characterized by hypomethylation events occurring within the gene body. Based on these hallmark signatures, we defined two DNA methylation‐based subtypes, Epi‐LumB and Epi‐Basal, and show that they are associated with unfavorable clinical parameters and reduced survival. Our data show that distinct mechanisms leading to changes in CpG methylation states are operative in different breast cancer subtypes. Importantly, we show that a few selected proxy markers can be used to detect the distinct DNA methylation‐based subtypes thereby providing valuable information on disease prognosis.
Linear and nonlinear evolution of a localized disturbance in polymeric channel flow
Authors: Agarwal Akshat , Brandt Luca , Zaki Tamer A.
Published: November 2014

The evolution of an initially localized disturbance in polymeric channel flow is investigated, with the FENE-P model used to characterize the viscoelastic behaviour of the flow. In the linear growth regime, the flow response is stabilized by viscoelasticity, and the maximum attainable disturbance-energy amplification is reduced with increasing polymer concentration. The reduction in the energy growth rate is attributed to the polymer work, which plays a dual role. First, a spanwise polymer-work term develops, and is explained by the tilting action of the wall-normal vorticity on the mean streamwise conformation tensor. This resistive term weakens the spanwise velocity perturbation thus reducing the energy of the localized disturbance. The second action of the polymer is analogous, with a wall-normal polymer work term that weakens the vertical velocity perturbation. Its indirect effect on energy growth is substantial since it reduces the production of Reynolds shear stress and in turn of the streamwise velocity perturbation, or streaks. During the early stages of nonlinear growth, the dominant effect of the polymer is to suppress the large-scale streaky structures which are strongly amplified in Newtonian flows. As a result, the process of transition to turbulence is prolonged and, after transition, a drag-reduced turbulent state is attained.
WATER RELATIONS AND IRRIGATION REQUIREMENTS OF ONION (ALLIUM CEPA L.): A REVIEW OF YIELD AND QUALITY IMPACTS
Authors: PÉREZ ORTOLÁ M. , KNOX J. W.
Published: November 2014

The results of international research on the water relations and irrigation needs of onions have been synthesised in an attempt to link fundamental studies on crop physiology to irrigation practices, and consequent impacts on crop yield, quality and storage. Following a brief introduction on its origins and centres of production, a synthesis of research on crop development including plant water relations, crop water requirements, yield response to water, irrigation systems and scheduling are presented. Most of the evidence stems from research conducted in arid and semi-arid regions, notably the USA, India, Spain and Turkey. The findings confirm that onion seasonal water requirements are highly variable depending on agroclimate, location and season, as are the crop coefficients (Kc) which range from 0.4 to 0.7 (initial stage), 0.85 to 1.05 (middle development) and 0.6 to 0.75 (final stage). Seasonal irrigation needs are reported to vary from 225 to 1040 mm to produce between 10 and 77 t ha−1. The most sensitive stages for water stress are at emergence, transplanting and bulb formation. Final crop quality can also be affected by water excess. Water stress at specific stages can negatively impact on quality leading to reduced size and multi-centred bulbs. In recent years, pressure on water resources, retailer demands for quality assurance and rising production costs have meant that onion irrigation has switched from traditional low efficiency (furrow) methods to more efficient advanced (sprinkler and drip) technologies. For scheduling, optimal soil water potential thresholds for triggering irrigation were found to be between −17 and −27 kPa for drip and furrow irrigation. Research is underway to maximise water use efficiency in onions, but the deficit irrigation regimes being tested under experimental conditions have yet to be adopted commercially.
“Prospector and Jeweler”: Ayn Rand on the Relationship between Politics and Literature
Authors: BRÜHWILER CLAUDIA FRANZISKA
Published: November 2014

The novels by Russian immigrant writer Ayn Rand (1905–82) still attract a large readership, not least thanks to a recent renaissance of libertarian ideas in the US. Was it Rand's intention, when writing her novels, to construct political tracts, as many insinuate, or was she indeed trying to imitate her literary idols, as she herself claimed? The answer is complicated due to Rand's own contradictory statements on fiction's impact. Although Rand suggested that it was the reader who gave text meaning, she also believed her books to have an unambiguous message that should have a distinct effect on the reader.
Molecular dynamics of Yukawa liquids in gravitation: Equilibrium, Instability and Transport
Authors: Charan Harish , Ganesh Rajaraman , Joy Ashwin
Published: November 2014

Using 2D molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, the equilibrium and dynamical properties of a gravitationally equilibrated Yukawa liquid are investigated. We observe that due to asymmetry introduced in one direction by gravity, several interesting features arise. For example, for a given value of coupling parameter Γ, screening parameter κ and according to a chosen value of gravitational force g (say in y-direction), the system is seen to exhibit super-, sub- or normal diffusion. Interestingly, x-averaged density profiles, unlike a barotropic fluid, acquire sharp, free surface with scale free linear y-dependence. As can be expected for a system with macroscopic gradients, self-diffusion calculated from Green–Kubo's (GK) formalism does not agree with that obtained from Einstein–Smoluchowski (ES) diffusion. A 2D-angular radial pair correlation function g(r, θ) clearly indicates asymmetric features induced by gravity. We observe that due to compression in y-direction, though in liquid state for all values of gravity considered, the transverse mode is found to be predominant as compared to the longitudinal mode, leading to a novel Anisotropic Solid-like Yukawa liquid (ASYL). In in-homogenous Yukawa liquids studied here, Mach cones are found to be asymmetric. When density gradient direction is set in the direction opposite to gravity, the equilibrium is shown to be unstable to Rayleigh–Taylor (RT) instabilities resulting in transport.
LET’S GET LADE: ROBUST ESTIMATION OF SEMIPARAMETRIC MULTIPLICATIVE VOLATILITY MODELS
Authors: Koo Bonsoo , Linton Oliver
Published: November 2014

We investigate a model in which we connect slowly time varying unconditional long-run volatility with short-run conditional volatility whose representation is given as a semi-strong GARCH(1,1) process with heavy tailed errors. We focus on robust estimation of both long-run and short-run volatilities. Our estimation is semiparametric since the long-run volatility is totally unspecified whereas the short-run conditional volatility is a parametric semi-strong GARCH(1,1) process. We propose different robust estimation methods for nonstationary and strictly stationary GARCH parameters with nonparametric long-run volatility function. Our estimation is based on a two-step LAD procedure. We establish the relevant asymptotic theory of the proposed estimators. Numerical results lend support to our theoretical results.
Character sums for primitive root densities
Authors: LENSTRA H. W. , STEVENHAGEN P. , MOREE P.
Published: November 2014

It follows from the work of Artin and Hooley that, under assumption of the generalised Riemann hypothesis, the density of the set of primes q for which a given non-zero rational number r is a primitive root modulo q can be written as an infinite product ∏p δp of local factors δp reflecting the degree of the splitting field of Xp - r at the primes p, multiplied by a somewhat complicated factor that corrects for the ‘entanglement’ of these splitting fields.

We show how the correction factors arising in Artin's original primitive root problem and several of its generalisations can be interpreted as character sums describing the nature of the entanglement. The resulting description in terms of local contributions is so transparent that it greatly facilitates explicit computations, and naturally leads to non-vanishing criteria for the correction factors.

The method not only applies in the setting of Galois representations of the multiplicative group underlying Artin's conjecture, but also in the GL2-setting arising for elliptic curves. As an application, we compute the density of the set of primes of cyclic reduction for Serre curves.
Unscented Kalman Filtering for Relative Spacecraft Attitude and Position Estimation
Authors: Zhang Lijun , Li Tong , Yang Huabo , Zhang Shifeng , Cai Hong , Qian Shan
Published: November 2014

A novel relative spacecraft attitude and position estimation approach based on an Unscented Kalman Filter (UKF) is derived. The integrated sensor suite comprises the gyro sensors on each spacecraft and a vision-based navigation system on the slave spacecraft. In the traditional algorithm, an assumption that the master's body frame coincides with its Local Vertical Local Horizontal (LVLH) frame is made to construct the line-of-sight observations for convenience. To solve this problem, two relative quaternions that map the master's LVLH frame to the slave and master body frames are involved. The general relative equations of motion for eccentric orbits are used to describe the positional dynamics. The implementation equations for the UKF are derived. A modified version of the UKF is presented based on the averaging-quaternion algorithm. Simulation results indicate that the proposed filters provide more accurate estimates of relative attitude and position than the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF).
A Mediterranean insular port-city in transition: economic transformations, spatial antagonism and the metamorphosis of landscape in nineteenth-century Hermoupolis on the island of Syros
Authors: DELIS APOSTOLOS
Published: November 2014

Port-cities provide excellent examples of the socio-economic transformations that occurred during the transition from merchant to industrial capitalism in the second half of the nineteenth century. Hermoupolis on the island of Syros was a major economic centre in Greece and a hub of international trade during the nineteenth century. However, economic transformations that commenced in the 1860s affected long-established port-based activities such as wooden shipbuilding and its related industries due to the decline of sailing ships and the expansion of factories. This factor led to an increase in tension and antagonism between manufacturers and shipbuilders over the use of land and altered the physical and the socio-economic landscape of the port-city. However, new types of economic activities flourished, like the tramp steamship business and factories, which enabled Hermoupolis to maintain its economic importance until World War II.
A novel variation ofGDF3in Chinese Han children with a broad phenotypic spectrum of non-syndromic CHDs
Authors: Xiao Jianmin , Kang Guanyang , Wang Jing , Li Tengyan , Chen Jiuhao , Wang Jieyin , Li Wei , Wang Binbin
Published: November 2014

Background

TheGDF3gene plays a fundamental role in embryonic morphogenesis. Recent studies have indicated thatGDF3plays a previously unrecognised role in cardiovascular system development. Non-syndromic CHDs might be a clinically isolated manifestation ofGDF3mutations. The purpose of the present study was to identify potential pathological mutations in theGDF3gene in Chinese children with non-syndromic CHDs, and to gain insight into the aetiology of non-syndromic CHDs.

Methods

A total of 200 non-syndromic CHDs patients and 202 normal control patients were sampled. There were two exons of the humanGDF3gene amplified using polymerase chain reaction. The polymerase chain reaction products were purified and directly sequenced.

Results

One missense mutation (c.C635T, p.Ser212 Leu, phenotype: isolated muscular ventricular septal defect) was found that has not been reported previously.

Conclusions

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the role of theGDF3gene in non-syndromic CHDs. Our results expand the spectrum of mutations associated with CHDs and first suggest the potentially disease-relatedGDF3gene variant in the pathogenesis of CHDs.
Convenient Preparation of High-Quality Specimens for Annealing Experiments in the Transmission Electron Microscope
Authors: Duchamp Martial , Xu Qiang , Dunin-Borkowski Rafal E
Published: November 2014

A procedure based on focused ion beam milling and in situ lift-out is introduced for the preparation of high-quality specimens for in situ annealing experiments in the transmission electron microscope. The procedure allows an electron-transparent lamella to be cleaned directly on a heating chip using a low ion energy and back-side milling in order to minimize redeposition and damage. The approach is illustrated through the preparation of an Al–Mn–Fe complex metallic alloy specimen.
Psoriasis today: experiences of healthcare and impact on quality of life in a major UK cohort
Authors: Nash Avril S. , McAteer Helen , Schofield Julia , Penzer R. , Gilbert Annie K.
Published: November 2014

Aim

To establish how people with psoriasis in the United Kingdom today experience living with their condition including diagnosis, treatment, healthcare provision and impact on daily life.

Background

Psoriasis is a debilitating long-term inflammatory skin disease which can result in severe itching, discomfort and soreness, and may be associated with problems beyond the specific symptoms related to the skin. For many it is accompanied by difficult-to-manage treatment regimes, emotional distress and a negative impact on their quality of life and psychosocial functioning. To date there is little published information about the health experiences of people in the United Kingdom with psoriasis.

Methods

A postal self-administered questionnaire was completed by members of the Psoriasis Association and the responses analysed (n=1564).

Findings

The findings suggest some similarities to surveys in other nations, but specifically highlighted that patients feel under-informed and are dissatisfied with current treatment regimes. Responses provided an insight into aspects of the condition that treatments should be targeting. Specific areas of negative impact on psychosocial functioning were identified, including the lack of available support for those experiencing emotional distress. The research provides important information about how the care of patients with psoriasis can be improved, especially at primary care level. This includes: improved training in psoriasis knowledge and awareness at general practitioner level and greater use of dermatology specialist nurses in primary care settings; more effective and manageable treatment regimes that target visible areas and general well-being; greater support for emotional distress and psychosocial functioning.
Toward an Integrated Theory of Emotions/Passions, Values and Rights in International Politics
Authors: COICAUD JEAN-MARC
Published: November 2014

This article focuses on the relationship between emotions and passions, on the one hand, and values, needs and rights, on the other. This relationship is indeed central to the social dimension of international politics. In this perspective, the article examines how emotions and passions can be at the same time effects and causes of the extent to which actors feel that their needs and rights are fulfilled or not. In the process, the article also explores the negative and positive features of emotions and passions, and their impact on the nature and dynamics of change in international affairs. Beyond this general approach to emotions and passions in connection with the social dimension of international politics and the questions of values, needs, and rights of actors and change, it concludes with the idea that there is also a contextual dimension to the generic argument developed in the article. This will have to be factored in for future research on case studies.
The Ambivalent Relationship of Japan's Soft Power Diplomacy andPrincess Mononoke: Tosaka Jun's philosophy of culture as moral reflection
Authors: SHIMIZU KOSUKE
Published: November 2014

Culture is a demanding word, particularly when it is used in the context of the contemporary academic discipline of international relations (IR). It is often employed in order to distinguish one identity from another, allegedly illuminating idiosyncrasies embedded in a particular society or group of people. The essentialized understanding of culture is also detectable in the case of the current debate on the non-Western international relations theories (IRT). Non-Western politicians and scholars often employ the term culture in order to distinguish their values from alleged Western values. However, culture has another important function mainly advanced by a left-wing Kyoto School philosopher Tosaka Jun, that is, culture as a mirror for critical reflection for morality (Tosaka, 1966). This article is based on Tosaka's argument that culture has an important function for moral reflection beyond that of a mere means to identify one's distinctiveness from the West, and it criticizes Japan's soft power diplomacy or the total absence of it from that point of view. It also argues that this absence is the result of the soft power discourse's over-simplified interpretation of culture that results in confrontation between the West and the rest, particularly when it is employed in non-Western IRT discourses. Towards the end, I examine Miyazaki Hayao's films,Princes Mononokein particular, as examples of cultural works facilitating a moment of critical reflection, and I extract embedded messages of relevance to critical reflection on contemporary IR literature, particularly non-Western literature.
Wideband, High-Efficiency Quasi-Planar Antenna Array For Ku-Band DBS Reception Systems
Authors: Murat Bilgiç Mustafa , Yeğin Korkut
Published: November 2014

We propose a compact, high-efficiency antenna configuration, which is 18 cm in diameter and has average gain of 24.1 dBi for automotive applications of satellite TV systems operating at Ku band. To achieve high aperture efficiency, hybrid microstrip, and waveguide feed network with low-loss microstrip-to-waveguide transition is designed and validated. The array antenna is wideband and covers entire downlink Ku-band frequencies (10.8–12.75 GHz) for simultaneous reception from multiple transponders. Vertical polarization panel is built and tested for reception quality. Carrier-to-noise ratio of 6.2 dB was observed the target transponder (42°E) at 11.9 GHz using intermediate frequency loop-out of the receiver. The antenna can be used on small vehicles or automobiles for satellite TV reception.
Regulation of Brain Blood Flow and Oxygen Delivery in Elite Breath-Hold Divers
Authors: Willie Christopher K , Ainslie Philip N , Drvis Ivan , MacLeod David B , Bain Anthony R , Madden Dennis , Maslov Petra Zubin , Dujic Zeljko
Published: November 2014

The roles of involuntary breathing movements (IBMs) and cerebral oxygen delivery in the tolerance to extreme hypoxemia displayed by elite breath-hold divers are unknown. Cerebral blood flow (CBF), arterial blood gases (ABGs), and cardiorespiratory metrics were measured during maximum dry apneas in elite breath-hold divers ( n=17). To isolate the effects of apnea and IBM from the concurrent changes on ABG, end-tidal forcing (‘clamp’) was then used to replicate an identical temporal pattern of decreasing arterial PO2 (PaO2) and increasing arterial PCO2 (PaCO2) while breathing. End-apnea PaO2 ranged from 23  to 37 mm Hg (30±7 mm Hg). Elevation in mean arterial pressure was greater during apnea than during clamp reaching +54±24% versus 34±26%, respectively; however, CBF increased similarly between apnea and clamp (93.6±28% and 83.4±38%, respectively). This latter observation indicates that during the overall apnea period IBM per se do not augment CBF and that the brain remains sufficiently protected against hypertension. Termination of apnea was not determined by reduced cerebral oxygen delivery; despite 40% to 50% reductions in arterial oxygen content, oxygen delivery was maintained by commensurately increased CBF.