bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Maturity‐dependent chilling tolerance regulated by the antioxidative capacity in postharvest cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) fruits
Authors: Qian Chunlu , He Zhiping , Zhao Yuying , Mi Hongbo , Chen Xiaohong , Mao Linchun
Published: August 2012

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to reveal the effect of fruit maturity on the chilling tolerance of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) fruit and the oxidative and antioxidative mechanisms involved. Chinese mini‐cucumber (cv. Hangcui‐1) fruits were harvested at four developmental stages: Immature (3–8 days after anthesis (DAA)), Mature (9–16 DAA), Breaker (17–22 DAA) and Yellow (35–40 DAA). All fruits were stored at 2 °C for 9 days and rewarmed at 20 °C for 2 days.

RESULTS: The chilling injury index declined with advancing fruit maturity. High superoxide anion radical production rate and hydrogen peroxide content were observed in Immature fruits after cold storage and rewarming. Under chilling stress, superoxide dismutase showed an early response. Fruits at earlier maturity stages exhibited higher catalase, ascorbate peroxidase and monodehydroascorbate reductase activities and glutathione content as well as its redox state, and lower peroxidase, dehydroascorbate reductase and glutathione reductase activities and ascorbate content as well as its redox state.

CONCLUSION: Fruits at the earlier developmental stage are more susceptible to chilling injury, which is related to increased oxidative stress. High peroxidase activity and ascorbate content and maintenance of the latter's redox state appear critical to the chilling tolerance of cucumber fruits at later developmental stages. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Mycotoxicogenic fungal inhibition by innovative cheese cover with aromatic plants
Authors: Moro Armando , Librán Celia M , Berruga M Isabel , Zalacain Amaya , Carmona Manuel
Published: August 2012

BACKGROUND: The use of aromatic plants and their extracts with antimicrobial properties may be compromised in the case of cheese, as some type of fungal starter is needed during its production. Penicillium verrucosum is considered a common cheese spoiler. The aim of this study was to evaluate the innovative use of certain aromatic plants as natural cheese covers in order to prevent mycotoxicogenic fungal growth (P. verrucosum). A collection of 12 essential oils (EOs) was obtained from various aromatic plants by solvent‐free microwave extraction technology, and volatile characterisation of the EOs was carried out by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

RESULTS: The most effective EOs against P. verrucosum were obtained from Anethum graveolens, Hyssopus officinalis and Chamaemelum nobile, yielding 50% inhibition of fungal growth at concentration values lower than 0.02 µL mL−1. All EOs showed high volatile heterogeneity, with α‐phellandrene, pinocamphone, isopinocamphone, α‐pinene, camphene, 1,8‐cineole, carvacrol and trans‐anethole being found to be statistically significant in the antifungal model.

CONCLUSION: The use of these aromatic plants as natural covers on cheese can satisfactorily inhibit the growth of some mycotoxicogenic fungal spoilers. Among the volatile compounds present, α‐ and β‐phellandrene were confirmed as the most relevant in the inhibition. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Effects of saline stress on mineral composition, phenolic acids and flavonoids in leaves of artichoke and cardoon genotypes grown in floating system
Authors: Colla Giuseppe , Rouphael Youssef , Cardarelli Mariateresa , Svecova Eva , Rea Elvira , Lucini Luigi
Published: August 2012

BACKGROUND: Cynara cardunculus is a species native to the Mediterranean basin. It includes globe artichoke and cultivated cardoon as well as their progenitor wild cardoon. The species is a source of biophenols, and its leaf extracts have been widely used in herbal medicine as hepatoprotectors and choleretics since ancient times. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of increasing the level of salinity in the nutrient solution (1 or 30 mmol L−1 NaCl) on biomass production, mineral composition, radical‐scavenging activity, caffeoylquinic acids and flavonoids in three artichoke (‘Romolo’, ‘Violetto di Provenza’ and ‘Violetto di Romagna’) and three cultivated cardoon (‘Bianco Avorio’, ‘Bianco Gigante Inerme’ and ‘Gigante di Romagna’) cultivars grown in a floating system.

RESULTS: Increased salinity in the nutrient solution decreased the leaf dry biomass and leaf number of artichoke and cultivated cardoon cultivars. Salinity reduced macro‐ and microelement accumulation in leaves (e.g. N, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn and B) but improved their antioxidant activity, total polyphenols, chlorogenic acid, cynarin and luteolin. The cultivated cardoons, especially ‘Bianco Avorio’ and ‘Gigante di Romagna’, showed higher biomass and leaf number than those observed in artichoke genotypes. ‘Violetto di Provenza’ exhibited the highest content of chlorogenic acid, closely followed by ‘Violetto di Romagna’, whereas for cynarin content the highest values were recorded in ‘Violetto di Provenza’, ‘Bianco Avorio’ and ‘Gigante di Romagna’. The highest content of luteolin was recorded in ‘Gigante di Romagna’ and ‘Bianco Avorio’, while the highest content of apigenin was observed in ‘Gigante di Romagna’.

CONCLUSION: The results showed that the floating system could be considered an effective tool to improve quality aspects through proper management of the salt concentration in the nutrient solution. They also suggest that specific cultivars should be selected to obtain the desired profile of bioactive compounds. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Determination of fumonisins B1 and B2 in Chinese rice wine by HPLC using AQC precolumn derivatisation
Authors: Ma Liyan , Xu Wentao , He Xiaoyun , Huang Kunlun , Wang Yan , Luo Yunbo
Published: August 2012

BACKGROUND: Fumonisins are a group of naturally occurring mycotoxins produced by various Fusarium species that commonly infect maize and other cereals, including sorghum and rice. In this study a sensitive and selective method was developed for the determination of fumonisins B1 and B2 (FB1 and FB2) in Chinese rice wine. The method is based on high‐performance liquid chromatography and fluorescence detection following precolumn derivatisation with 6‐aminoquinolyl‐N‐hydroxysuccinimidyl carbamate (AQC).

RESULTS: FB1 and FB2 in Chinese rice wine were extracted and purified using strong anion exchange cartridges and derivatised with AQC at room temperature. The AQC derivatives were stable for 5 days. Optimal fluorescence was obtained at an excitation wavelength of 246 nm and an emission wavelength of 390 nm. Chromatography was performed using a C18 column and gradient elution at 1 mL min−1 with methanol and 0.05 mol L−1 phosphate buffer at pH 4. The limit of detection was 6 µg L−1 for both FB1 and FB2. The method was successfully applied to the determination of FB1 and FB2 in Chinese rice wine, with recoveries of 87.5–94.5% being obtained.

CONCLUSION: The established method was stable and sensitive for the determination of FB1 and FB2 in Chinese rice wine. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Maintaining quality and bioactive compounds of broccoli by combined treatment with 1‐methylcyclopropene and 6‐benzylaminopurine
Authors: Xu Feng , Chen Xuehong , Yang Zhenfeng , Jin Peng , Wang Kaituo , Shang Haitao , Wang Xiaoli , Zheng Yonghua
Published: August 2012

BACKGOUND: Broccoli deteriorates very quickly after harvest at ambient temperature due to the loss of green colour and the consequent yellowing of florets. To search for an effective method to control quality deterioration, the effect of 1‐methylcyclopropene (1‐MCP) combined with 6‐benzylaminopurine (6‐BA) treatment on visual quality, antioxidant enzymes and bioactive compounds in broccoli florets were investigated.

RESULTS: A combined treatment of 2.5 µL L−1 1‐MCP and 200 mg L−1 6‐BA significantly reduced the increase of lightness (L*) value, and retained a high level for the hue value (H) and chlorophyll content. Superoxide dismutase, ascobate peroxidase and catalase activities increased while the activity of peroxidase decreased during storage in treated samples in comparison with the controls. The combined treatment enhanced the biosynthesis of glucosinolate and the formation of the anticarcinogen sulforaphane, which improved the health benefit of broccoli.

CONCLUSION: These results indicate that a combined treatment of 1‐MCP and 6‐BA could be a good candidate for maintaining the visual quality and enhancing the nutritional value in broccoli during storage at 15 °C. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Buildup of image quality in view‐shared time‐resolved 3D CE‐MRA
Authors: Johnson Casey P. , Polley Thomas W. , Glockner James F. , Young Phillip M. , Riederer Stephen J.
Published: August 2012

Time‐resolved three‐dimensional contrast‐enhanced MR angiography often relies on view sharing of peripheral k‐space data to enable acquisition of angiograms with both high spatial resolution and a rapid frame rate. It is typically assumed that k‐space will be fully sampled during passage of the contrast bolus arterial phase. However, this is not the case when view sharing is incomplete, for example, at the leading edge of an enhancing vessel or if acquisition time is limited as in fluoroscopic tracking for multistation bolus chase MR angiography. Incomplete view sharing will degrade image quality, for example, by reducing vessel signal and sharpness and increasing undersampling artifacts. In this work, the evolution of angiogram quality with view sharing is quantitatively assessed in phantom experiments and in vivo contrast‐enhanced MR angiography calf studies. It is demonstrated that there are multiple sets of sequence parameters that can yield a target image update time, but the choice of parameters can profoundly affect how image quality evolves with view sharing. A fundamental tradeoff between vessel signal and sharpness and its relationship to the sequence temporal footprint is investigated and discussed. Magn Reson Med 70:348–357, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Representativeness of diabetes patients participating in a web‐based adverse drug reaction monitoring system
Authors: Härmark Linda , Alberts Susanne , van Puijenbroek Eugène , Denig Petra , van Grootheest Kees
Published: August 2012

Purpose

Lareb Intensive Monitoring, LIM, is a non‐interventional observational cohort method which follows first‐time users of certain drugs during a certain period of time and collects information about adverse drug reactions, ADRs. In order for LIM to be a useful pharmacovigilance tool, it is important to know whether the LIM population is comparable to the whole population using the drug.

The aim of this study is to compare the LIM diabetes population with an external diabetes reference population on characteristics that may influence the patient's susceptibility for ADRs.

Methods

In this study, a LIM diabetes population was compared to a reference diabetes population derived from The Groningen Initiative to ANalyse Type 2 diabetes Treatment project. Comparisons were made regarding age, gender, body mass index and polypharmacy, as well as diabetes medication used and disease/treatment duration.

Results

LIM patients were more often men (58.5% vs 50.8%) and in general younger (59.1 vs 64.7 years) and healthier, by that meaning they had a higher percentage of de novo treated patients (55.5% vs 53.2%), a shorter diabetes treatment duration (3.7 vs 5.5 years) and used less co‐medication than patients in the reference population.

Conclusions

This study shows that diabetes patients participating in a web‐based intensive monitoring system differ from a reference population. The observed differences might lead to an underestimation of ADRs, but it is not clear whether this would also influence the type or time‐course of the reported ADRs. When interpreting results from LIM studies, one should take these differences into account. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Different filler effect of carbon nanotube and graphene nanoplatelet in the poly(arylene ether nitrile) matrix
Authors: Yang Xulin , Wang Zicheng , Zhan Yingqing , Yang Jian , Zou Yanke , Zhao Rui , Liu Xiaobo
Published: August 2012

The different filler effects of identical nitrile‐functionalized carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNs) in a poly(arylene ether nitrile) (PEEN) matrix were investigated. PEEN/CNT and PEEN/GN composites were prepared by a facile solution‐casting method and systematically investigated for their differences in morphological, thermal and rheological properties. In the PEEN matrix GNs contact one another in a plane‐to‐plane manner, while CNTs are separated. Compared with PEEN/CNT composites, PEEN/GN composites below 2 wt% filler content exhibited higher thermal stability. Rheological properties of the resulting composites indicated that PEEN/GN composites were more sensitive to strain and exhibited higher η*, G′ and G″ than PEEN/CNT composites. The rheological percolation for CNTs is over 2 wt%, higher than that for GNs (around 1 wt%). All these differences originate from the different dimensions and structures of CNTs and GNs: GNs with a flake‐like structure and larger surface area can have stronger physical and interfacial interactions with the polymer matrix. This work gives a comparative view of the different filler effects that functionalized CNTs and GNs can have in the polymer host. With identical processing technology, GNs can show a stronger filler effect than CNTs. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Preparation of polystyrene/poly[2‐methoxy‐5‐(2′‐ethylhexyloxy)‐p‐phenylenevinylene] fluorescent microspheres by miniemulsion polymerization
Authors: Zhang Jianjun , Gao Ge , Liu Fengqi , Foster Neil R , Chen Jianfeng
Published: August 2012

Fluorescent microspheres have great potential for use as probes in biological diagnostics. In this context, poly[2‐methoxy‐5‐(2′‐ethylhexyloxy)‐p‐phenylenevinylene] (MEH‐PPV), a conjugated polymer which has high quantum yield, controllable emitting wavelength and facile processing in manufacture, was used as a fluorescent material for the preparation of polystyrene (PS)/MEH‐PPV fluorescent microspheres via miniemulsion polymerization. We demonstrate that the emitting wavelength of the PS/MEH‐PPV fluorescent microspheres can be regulated by changing the amount of azobisisobutyronitrile initiator in the polymerization process. Using acrylic acid comonomer, poly[styrene‐co‐(acrylic acid)]/MEH‐PPV fluorescent microspheres with functional carboxyl groups were also prepared. All the microspheres were characterized using transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence spectrophotometry. The functional carboxyl groups were characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. This work provides a novel platform for the preparation of conjugated polymer fluorescent microspheres for biological applications. © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Deformation and orientation in filled rubbers on the nano‐ and microscale studied by X‐ray scattering
Authors: Brüning Karsten , Schneider Konrad , Heinrich Gert
Published: August 2012

The orientation and deformation mechanisms in the filler and in the matrix of filled natural rubber were studied by ultra small‐angle X‐ray scattering (USAXS) and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (WAXD) performed on rubber samples stretched in situ. Using model fillers that give a signal in the wide and in the small‐angle region allowed us to correlate the models developed to interpret the USAXS data with the information obtained from the WAXD data. Due to the simple geometries of aragonite and nano‐sized aluminum oxide, which served as model fillers, an analytical description using form factors can well represent the experimental two‐dimensional USAXS data of oriented stretched samples. Besides the study of the filler structure, an attempt was made to resolve the local strain in the matrix. We took advantage of the peculiar property of natural rubber, that is, strain‐induced crystallization, to unravel the matrix strain by measuring the degree of crystallinity. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2012
The Regional Dimension of Intergenerational Proximity in the Netherlands
Authors: van der Pers Marieke , Mulder Clara H.
Published: August 2012

Previous research has shown the impact of individual characteristics on intergenerational proximity but has largely ignored the regional dimension of such proximity. In this paper, we examine the regional variation in intergenerational proximity in the Netherlands. We address this issue by incorporating indicators of urbanisation and regional culture in an analysis of the likelihood that adult children live within daily reach (within a distance of 5 or 20 km) of their older parents. We also depict the spatial variation in intergenerational proximity in maps. Employing logistic regression on nearly 5 million parent–child dyads extracted from register data, we find that the degree of urbanisation of the residential municipality of the two generations shows contrasting effects: a positive association for the degree of urbanisation of the parents' municipality, a negative association for the children's. Older parents living in areas in which more conservative and collectivist attitudes prevail are more likely to have their adult children living close to them. After accounting for the municipality dummies, the explanatory power of the model improves considerably. However, substantial spatial variation in intergenerational proximity remains largely unexplained after controlling for the regional characteristics. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessment of Long‐Term Storage on Antimicrobial and Cyclooxygenase‐Inhibitory Properties of South African Medicinal Plants
Authors: Amoo Stephen O. , Aremu Adeyemi O. , Moyo Mack , Staden Johannes Van
Published: August 2012

In traditional medicine, plant materials are often stored by traditional healers, plant gatherers and traders before they are eventually consumed or sold. The critical point is whether stored medicinal plants are as active as freshly harvested dried material. We evaluated the effects of long‐term storage (12 or 16 years) on the antimicrobial (microplate dilution method) and anti‐inflammatory (COX‐1 and COX‐2 inhibition) potencies of 21 extensively used traditional medicinal plants in treating pain and infection‐related ailments. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values obtained against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in the stored plant materials were generally either lower or roughly the same as in the fresh material. Most of the stored plant material had comparable minimum microbicidal concentration (MMC) values as the fresh material against S. aureus and P. aeruignosa. Similarly, the majority (71%) of the stored plant material had similar MIC and/or MMC values as fresh material against the fungus Candida albicans. The percentage inhibition of COX‐1 by the majority (88%) of the stored material was not significantly different when compared to those freshly collected. Stored material of Clausena anisata, Ekebergia capensis and Trichilia dregeana showed a significantly higher COX‐1 inhibition than the fresh material. The therapeutic and conservation implications of the results are discussed. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Electronic energy functionals: Levy–Lieb principle within the ground state path integral quantum Monte Carlo
Authors: Delle Site Luigi , Ghiringhelli Luca M. , Ceperley David M.
Published: August 2012

We propose a theoretical/computational protocol based on the use of the Ground State Path Integral Quantum Monte Carlo for the calculation of the kinetic and Coulomb energy density for a system of N interacting electrons in an external potential. The idea is based on the derivation of the energy densities via the (N − 1)‐conditional probability density within the framework of the Levy–Lieb constrained search principle. The consequences for the development of energy functionals within the context of density functional theory are discussed. We propose also the possibility of going beyond the energy densities and extend this idea to a computational procedure where the (N − 1)‐conditional probability is an implicit functional of the electron density, independently from the external potential. In principle, such a procedure paves the way for an on‐the‐fly determination of the energy functional for any system. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Combining expert knowledge with automatic feature extraction for reliable web attack detection
Authors: Torrano‐Gimenez Carmen , Nguyen Hai Thanh , Alvarez Gonzalo , Franke Katrin
Published: August 2012

In the detection of web attacks, it is necessary that Web Application Firewalls (WAFs) are effective, at the same time than efficient. In this paper, we propose a new methodology for web attack detection that enhances these two aspects of WAFs. It involves both feature construction and feature selection. For the feature construction phase, many professionals rely on their expert knowledge to define a set of important features, what normally leads to high and reliable attack detection rates. Nevertheless, it is a manual process and not quickly adaptive to the changing network environments. Alternatively, automatic feature construction methods (such as n‐grams) overcome this drawback, but they provide unreliable results. Therefore, in this paper, we propose to combine expert knowledge with n‐gram feature construction method for reliable and efficient web attack detection. However, the number of n‐grams grows exponentially with n, which usually leads to high dimensionality problems. Hence, we propose to apply feature selection to reduce the number of redundant and irrelevant features. In particular, we study the recently proposed Generic Feature Selection (GeFS) measure, which has been successfully tested in intrusion detection systems. Additionally, we use several decision tree algorithms as classifiers of WAFs. The experiments are conducted on the publicly available ECML/PKDD 2007 dataset. The results show that the combination of expert knowledge and n‐grams outperforms each separate technique and that the GeFS measure can greatly reduce the number of features, thus enhancing both the effectiveness and efficiency of WAFs. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
New construction of affiliation‐hiding authenticated group key agreement
Authors: Xu Chang , Guo Hua , Li Zhoujun , Mu Yi
Published: August 2012

In CT‐RSA 2007, Jarecki, Kim, and Tsudik introduced the notion of affiliation‐hiding authenticated group key agreement (AH‐AGKA) protocols and presented two concrete AH‐AGKA protocols. In this paper, we will show that these protocols have some drawbacks. We will also introduce the notion of affiliation‐hiding authenticated asymmetric group key agreement (AH‐AAGKA) and present an AH‐AAGKA protocol. AH‐AAGKA protocols allow the participants of a group to establish a common encryption key associated with several decryption keys; each of which can only be computed by the corresponding legitimate participant. Meanwhile, any party is assured that its affiliation is revealed to the participants that belong to the same group only. Compared with previous AH‐AGKA protocols, if invalid players participate in our protocol, legitimate participants can identify these invalid players. In contrast to existing AH‐AGKA protocols, our protocol holds perfect forward secrecy, which is proven in a novel security model we proposed. Additionally, we present a new privacy model to prove that our protocol achieves linkable affiliation‐hiding property. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Integrating inspection and test processes based on context‐specific assumptions
Authors: Elberzhager Frank , Münch Jürgen , Rombach Dieter , Freimut Bernd
Published: August 2012

Inspections and testing are two of the most commonly performed software quality assurance processes today. Typically, these processes are applied in isolation, which, however, fails to exploit the benefits of systematically combining and integrating them. In consequence, tests are not focused on the basis of early defect detection data. Expected benefits of such process integration include higher defect detection rates or reduced quality assurance effort. Moreover, when conducting testing without any prior information regarding the system's quality, it is often unclear how to focus testing. A systematic integration of inspection and testing processes requires context‐specific knowledge about the relationships between inspections and testing. This knowledge is typically not available and needs to be empirically identified and validated. Often, context‐specific assumptions can be seen as a starting point for generating such knowledge. On the basis of the integrated inspection and testing approach, In2Test, which uses inspection data to focus testing, we present in this article how knowledge about the relationship between inspections and testing can be gained, documented, and evolved in an analytical or empirical manner. In addition, this article gives an overview of related work and highlights future research directions. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Predicting Students' Progression in Higher Education by Using the Random Forest Algorithm
Authors: Hardman Julie , Paucar‐Caceres Alberto , Fielding Alan
Published: August 2012

This paper proposes the use of data available at Manchester Metropolitan University to assess the variables that can best predict student progression. We combine virtual learning environment (VLE) and management information systems student records datasets and apply the Random Forest (RF) algorithm to ascertain which variables can best predict students' progression. RF was deemed useful in this case because of the large amount of data available for analysis. The paper reports on the initial findings for data available in the period 2007–2008. Results seem to indicate that variables such as students' time of day usage, the last time students access the VLE and the number of document hits by staff are the best predictors of student progression. The paper contributes to VLE evaluation and highlights the usefulness of RF, a technique initially developed in the field of biology, in evaluating an educational and learning environment. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Study on seismic performance of a super‐tall steel–concrete hybrid structure
Authors: Jiang Huanjun , Fu Bo , Liu Laoer , Yin Xiaowei
Published: August 2012

Many steel–concrete hybrid buildings have been built in China. The seismic performance of such hybrid system is much more complicated than that of steel structure or reinforced concrete (RC) structure. A steel–concrete hybrid frame‐tube super‐tall building structure with new type of shear walls to be built in a district of seismic intensity 8 in China was studied for its structural complexity and irregularity. Both model test and numerical simulation were applied to obtain the detailed knowledge of seismic performance for this structure. First, a 1/30 scaled model structure was tested on the shaking table under different levels of earthquakes. The failure process and mechanism of the model structure are presented here. Nonlinear time‐history analysis of the prototype structure was then conducted by using the software PERFORM‐3D. The dynamic characteristics, inter‐story drift ratios and energy dissipation conditions are introduced. On the basis of the comparison between the deformation demand and capacity of main structural components at individual performance level under different earthquake level, the seismic performance at the member level was also evaluated. Despite the structural complexity and code‐exceeding height, both experimental and analytical results indicate that the overall seismic performance of the structure meet the requirements of the Chinese design code. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
[(Te2)3{Mn(CO)3}2{Mn(CO)4}3]– – A Novel Tellurium‐­Manganese Carbonyl with Ufosane‐like Structure
Authors: Wolf Silke , Feldmann Claus
Published: August 2012

By reacting Mn2(CO)10 and TeI4 in the ionic liquid[BMIm][OTf] (1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium trifluromethanesulfonate), brick‐red crystals of [BMIm][(Te2)3{Mn(CO)3}2{Mn(CO)4}3]are obtained. The title compound contains the carbonyl anion[(Te2)3{Mn(CO)3}2{Mn(CO)4}3]–. Herein, three formal Te22– units and two formal Mn(CO)3+ fragments establish a distorted heterocubane‐like Te6Mn2 structure. Three edges of this heterocubane are furthermore capped by Mn(CO)4+ fragments. The resulting Te6Mn5 building unit, moreover, looks very similar to the P113– anion – the so‐called ufosane. The mean distances Te–Te and Te–Mn are observed with 277.6 and 264.7 pm, respectively. In addition to single‐crystal structure analysis, the title compound is characterized by infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), thermogravimetry (TG) and energy‐dispersive X‐ray (EDX) analysis.
High‐Pressure Syntheses of Lanthanide Polysulfides and Polyselenides LnX1.9 (Ln = Gd–Tm, X = S, Se)
Authors: Müller Carola J. , Schwarz Ulrich , Doert Thomas
Published: August 2012

The polysulfides LnS1.9 and polyselenides LnSe1.9 of the lanthanide metals from gadolinium to thulium were prepared by high‐pressure high‐temperature synthesis. The compounds adopt the tetragonal CeSe1.9 structure type in space group P42/n (No. 86) with lattice parameters of 8.531 Å ≤ a ≤ 8.654 Å and 15.563 Å ≤ c ≤ 15.763 Å for the sulfides and 8.869 Å ≤ a ≤ 9.076 Å and 16.367 Å ≤ c ≤ 16.611 Å for the selenides. The atomic pattern consists of puckered double slabs [LnX]+ and planar chalcogenide layers with ten possible chalcogen positions, of which eight are occupied by chalcogen atoms forming dinuclear X22– dianions, one by a single X2– ion and one remaining vacant. This resembles a √5×√5 × 2 superstructure of the ZrSSi aristotype. Structural relationships to the aristotype and the related lanthanide polychalcogenides LnX2–δ (Ln = La–Tm, X = S–Te, δ = 0 – 0.3) are discussed. The samples synthesized under high‐pressure conditions (p > 1 GPa) decompose slowly under release of sulfur or selenium at ambient conditions. The crystal structure of a partially degraded thulium‐polysulfide sample can be described as an incommensurate variant of the original TmS1.9 motif. Additionally, the isostructural ternary compound Gd(S1–xSex)1.9 was synthesized and characterized by powder X‐ray diffraction.
Assessment of Parental Disclosure of a 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome Diagnosis and Implications for Clinicians
Authors: Faux Dana , Schoch Kelly , Eubanks Sonja , Hooper Stephen R. , Shashi Vandana
Published: August 2012

Most children with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) have an IQ in the range that may allow them to be capable of understanding a genetic diagnosis despite mild intellectual disabilities. However, there are no publications that relate to the disclosure of a 22q11DS diagnosis to the affected child, or the factors that influence parents’ disclosure to the child. A pilot study was conducted including eight semi‐structured interviews with caregivers of children with 22q11DS, 10 to 17 years of age, to investigate the factors that influence how parents inform their children of the diagnosis. Six of eight participants had disclosed the diagnosis to the child, and most of these parents felt they could have benefited from additional advice from professionals to increase their confidence and success, as well as the child's comprehension of the information. Those who had not informed the child were uncertain about the words to use, how to initiate the conversation, or were concerned about the child's level of understanding. Our results demonstrate that genetics professionals should help prepare caregivers for conversations with their children about the diagnosis of 22q11DS, monitor the understanding of the diagnosis over time, and provide ongoing support.
The Infinitesimal Jackknife with Exploratory Factor Analysis
Authors: Zhang Guangjian , Preacher Kristopher J. , Jennrich Robert I.
Published: August 2012

The infinitesimal jackknife, a nonparametric method for estimating standard errors, has been used to obtain standard error estimates in covariance structure analysis. In this article, we adapt it for obtaining standard errors for rotated factor loadings and factor correlations in exploratory factor analysis with sample correlation matrices. Both maximum likelihood estimation and ordinary least squares estimation are considered.
Direct reprogramming of terminally differentiated B cells into erythroid lineage
Authors: Sadahira Ken , Fukuchi Yumi , Kunimono Hiroyoshi , Sakurai Masatoshi , Ikeda Yasuo , Okamoto Shinichiro , Nakajima Hideaki
Published: August 2012

Hematopoietic progenitors have been shown to retain plasticity and switch lineages by appropriate stimuli. However, mature blood cells hardly showed such differentiation plasticity. In this paper, we tried to reprogram mature B cells into erythroid lineage by expressing various hematopoietic transcription factors. Among various factors, GATA‐1, SCL together with CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP) α turned out to be a minimal set of factors that efficiently reprogrammed terminally differentiated mature B cells into erythroid lineage, as evidenced by colony forming assays and erythroid‐specific gene expressions. This study sets an avenue to generate autologous erythrocytes from peripheral B cells.
Using Blogs to Solicit Consumer Feedback: The Role of Directive Questioning versus no Questioning
Authors: Balagué Christine , de Valck Kristine
Published: August 2012

Despite increasing adoption of social media for market research, the effect of the design of Web 2.0 platforms on the quantity and quality of market insights obtained is unclear. With a field experiment, this article addresses the effect of participant interaction and the role of questioning on the performance of blog platforms that aim to solicit online consumer feedback. We show that the role of questioning is a key determinant of the protocol design decision process. In contrast with the industry standard of directive questioning and the intuitive appeal of a collective protocol in a social media setting, this study shows that no questioning, combined with an individual protocol, results in the best feedback quality. The analyses also highlight the value of an individual, no questioning protocol for performance over time and insights in consumers’ experiential consumption and personal backgrounds. In terms of feedback quantity, protocols that combine directive questioning with a collective setting are best. These actionable recommendations indicate how market researchers can design online blog platforms to improve consumer feedback quantity and quality.
NOTES ON -TOPOLOGICAL GROUPS AND HOMEOMORPHISMS OF TOPOLOGICAL GROUPS
Authors: WANG HANFENG , HE WEI
Published: August 2012

In this paper, it is shown that there exists a connected topological group which is not homeomorphic to any $\omega $-narrow topological group, and also that there exists a zero-dimensional topological group $G$ with neutral element $e$ such that the subspace $X = G\setminus \{e\}$ is not homeomorphic to any topological group. These two results give negative answers to two open problems in Arhangel’skii and Tkachenko [Topological Groups and Related Structures (Atlantis Press, Amsterdam, 2008)]. We show that if a compact topological group is a $K$-space, then it is metrisable. This result gives an affirmative answer to a question posed by Malykhin and Tironi [‘Weakly Fréchet–Urysohn and Pytkeev spaces’, Topology Appl. 104 (2000), 181–190] in the category of topological groups. We also prove that a regular $K$-space $X$ is a weakly Fréchet–Urysohn space if and only if $X$has countable tightness.
Folic acid facilitates in vitro maturation of mouse and Xenopus laevis oocytes
Authors: Huang Xiaoli , Gao Shu , Xia Wei , Hou Shaoying , Wu Kun
Published: August 2012

The water-soluble B vitamins, folate and folic acid, play an important role in reproductive health, but little is known about the effects of folic acid on infertility. The present study tested the hypothesis that folic acid affects oocyte maturation, a possible cause of female infertility. We have studied the in vitro maturation of mouse and Xenopus oocytes. Hypoxanthine (Hx) was used as an inhibitor of mouse oocyte maturation to mimic in vivo conditions by maintaining high levels of cyclic-AMP. The frequency of first polar body (PB1) formation and germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) in mouse oocytes was decreased by Hx. This effect was counteracted by folic acid added to the medium. PB1 extrusion and GVBD percentages rose to 27·7 and 40·0 % from 12·8 and 19·9 %, respectively, by exposure to 500 μm-folic acid. Folic acid also restored the spindle configuration, which had been elongated by Hx, as well as normalising the distribution of cortical granules (CG). In folic acid-treated Xenopus eggs, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 was phosphorylated, cyclin B2 and Mos were up-regulated and the frequency of GVBD was accelerated. Taken together, the findings suggest that folic acid facilitates oocyte maturation by altering the expression and phosphorylation of proteins involved in M-phase-promoting factor and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways, as well as causing changes in spindle configuration and CG migration.
Finite p-solvable groups with three p-regular conjugacy class sizes
Authors: Akhlaghi Zeinab , Beltrán Antonio , Felipe María José , Khatami Maryam
Published: August 2012

Let G be a finite p-solvable group. We describe the structure of the p-complements of G when the set of p-regular conjugacy classes has exactly three class sizes. For instance, when the set of p-regular class sizes of G is {1, pa, pam} or {1, m, pam} with (m, p) = 1, then we show that m = qb for some prime q and the structure of the p-complements of G is determined.
The “Bargain” of Collaboration: African Intermediaries, Indirect Recruitment, and Indigenous Institutions in the Ghanaian Gold Mining Industry, 1900–1906
Authors: Mark-Thiesen Cassandra
Published: August 2012

This article argues that during the formative years of the colonial state in Ghana, European employers established new collaborative mechanisms with African intermediaries for the purpose of expanding the modern mining sector. They were forced to do so on account of severe labour-market limitations, resulting primarily from the slow death of slavery and debt bondage. These intermediaries, or “headmen”, were engaged because of their apparent affluence and authority in their home villages, from which they recruited mineworkers. However, allegiances between them and managers in the Tarkwa gold mines considerably slowed the pace towards free labour. Indeed, a system in which managers reinforced economic coercion and repressive relationships of social dependency between Africans, allocating African labour contractors fixed positions of power, resulted from the institutionalization of purportedly traditional processes of labour recruitment into the modern market.
Patterns of a novel association between the scyphomedusaChrysaora plocamiaand the parasitic anemonePeachia chilensis
Authors: Riascos Jose M. , Villegas Viviana , Cáceres Ignacio , Gonzalez Jorge E. , Pacheco Aldo S.
Published: August 2012

Jellyfish display strong population variability. Competitive interactions between fish and jellyfish have been depicted as a major mechanism controlling this variability. Biological associations involving jellyfish are, however, more diverse than predation–prey interactions and remain poorly understood. Parasitic associations in particular may have relevant effects on jellyfish host populations. We studied basic patterns (temporal patterns of parasite intensity–biomass and the distribution pattern of parasites among hosts) of the association between the parasitic anemonePeachia chilensisand its scyphozoan host,Chrysaora plocamia. The mean number of parasites per host (MI) was high (average = 465) and showed significant differences during the pelagic life phase of the medusa. The mean biomass of parasites per host was also significantly different among months but showed a different temporal pattern to that of MI, which may reflect recruitment pulses of parasitic larvae. The mean biomass ofP. chilensisper host averaged 56.3 mg ash-free dry mass, which represents a trophic flow of energy probably linking pelagic and benthic food webs. The distribution of parasites among hosts was best fitted to the negative binomial distribution model, as typical for host–parasite systems. We concluded that the parasite-induced host mortality and reduction of fecundity, represented by parasitic castration, is restricted to a few hosts and is therefore under the expected levels that characterize the dynamic equilibrium of host–parasite systems.
Self-critical perfectionism and its relationship to fatigue and pain in the daily flow of life in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome
Authors: Kempke S. , Luyten P. , Claes S. , Goossens L. , Bekaert P. , Van Wambeke P. , Van Houdenhove B.
Published: August 2012

Background

Research suggests that the personality factor of self-critical or maladaptive perfectionism may be implicated in chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). However, it is not clear whether self-critical perfectionism (SCP) also predicts daily symptoms in CFS.

Method

In the present study we investigated whether SCP predicted fatigue and pain over a 14-day period in a sample of 90 CFS patients using a diary method approach. After completing the Depressive Experiences Questionnaire (DEQ) as a measure of SCP, patients were asked each day for 14 days to complete Visual Analogue Scales (VAS) of fatigue, pain and severity of depression. Data were analysed using multilevel analysis.

Results

The results from unconditional models revealed considerable fluctuations in fatigue over the 14 days, suggesting strong temporal variability in fatigue. By contrast, pain was relatively stable over time but showed significant inter-individual differences. Congruent with expectations, fixed-effect models showed that SCP was prospectively associated with higher daily fatigue and pain levels over the 14-day period, even after controlling for levels of depression.

Conclusions

This is the first study to show that SCP predicts both fatigue and pain symptoms in CFS in the daily course of life. Hence, therapeutic interventions aimed at targeting SCP should be considered in the treatment of CFS patients with such features.
Longitudinal course of depressive symptoms in adulthood: linear stochastic differential equation modeling
Authors: Rosenström T. , Jokela M. , Hintsanen M. , Pulkki-Råback L. , Hutri-Kähönen N. , Keltikangas-Järvinen L.
Published: August 2012

Background

Although many studies have addressed the topic of stabilityversuschange in depressive symptoms, few have further decomposed the change to continuous accumulationversusnon-systematic state fluctuations or measurement errors. This further step requires a longitudinal follow-up and an appropriate stochastic model; it would, for example, evaluate the hypothesis that women accumulate more susceptibility events than men.

Method

A linear stochastic differential equation model was estimated for a 16-year longitudinal course of depressive symptoms in the Young Finns community sample of 3596 participants (1832 women, 1764 men). This model enabled us to decompose the variance in depression symptoms into a stable trait, cumulative effects and state/error fluctuations.

Results

Women showed higher mean levels and higher variance of depressive symptoms than men. In men, the stable trait accounted for the majority [61%, 90% confidence interval (CI) 48.9–69.2] of the total variance, followed by cumulative effects (23%, 90% CI 9.9–41.7) and state/error fluctuations (16%, 90% CI 5.6–23.2). In women, the cumulative sources were more important than among men and accounted for 44% (90% CI 23.6–58.9) of the variance, followed by stable individual differences (32%, 90% CI 18.5–54.2) and state fluctuations (24%, 90% CI 19.1–27.3).

Conclusions

The results are consistent with previous observations that women suffer more depression than men, and have more variance in depressive symptoms. We also found that continuously accumulating effects are a significant contributor to between-individual differences in depression, especially for women. Although the accumulating effects are often confounded with non-systematic state fluctuations, the latter are unlikely to exceed 27% of the total variance of depressive symptoms.
Neurological soft signs in obsessive-compulsive disorder: two empirical studies and meta-analysis
Authors: Jaafari N. , de la Cruz L. Fernández , Grau M. , Knowles E. , Radua J. , Wooderson S. , Segalas C. , Alonso P. , Phillips M. L. , Menchón J. M. , Mataix-Cols D.
Published: August 2012

Background

Neurological soft signs (NSS) have been inconsistently reported in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) but may make an impact on treatment response.

Method

The current study examined the presence of NSS in two independent European samples of OCD patients (combined 85 patients and 88 matched healthy controls) using a standardized instrument and conducted a meta-analysis of all published studies identified in the literature with the aim to provide a more definitive answer to the question of whether OCD patients are characterized by increased NSS.

Results

Both empirical studies found elevated NSS scores in patients compared with matched controls. The results of the meta-analysis, which included 15 studies (combined 498 patients and 520 controls) showed large effect sizes (Hedges'g=1.27, 95% confidence interval 0.80–1.75), indicating that OCD patients have significantly higher rates of NSS than matched controls on both sides of the body and in multiple domains (motor coordination, sensory integration and primitive reflexes). The results were robust and remained largely unchanged in our reliability analyses, which controlled for possible outliers. Meta-regression was employed to examine the role of potential variables of interest including sociodemographic variables, symptom severity, medication effects and the use of different instruments, but none of these variables was clearly associated with NSS.

Conclusions

As a group, OCD patients are characterized by increased rates of NSS, compared with healthy controls. However, their origins and potential clinical importance remain to be clarified. Future directions for research are discussed.
A characterization of biholomorphic automorphisms of Teichmüller space
Authors: MINEYAMA RYOSUKE , MIYACHI HIDEKI
Published: August 2012

In this paper, we give an alternative approach to Royden–Earle–Kra–Markovic's characterization of biholomorphic automorphisms of Teichmüller space of Riemann surface of analytically finite type.
HOW CHILD COSTS AND SURVIVAL SHAPED THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND THE DEMOGRAPHIC TRANSITION
Authors: Strulik Holger , Weisdorf Jacob
Published: August 2012

This study provides a unified growth theory to correctly predict the initially negative and subsequently positive relationship between child mortality and net reproduction observed in industrialized countries over the course of their demographic transitions. The model captures the intricate interplay between technological progress, mortality, fertility, and economic growth in the transition from Malthusian stagnation to modern growth. It not only provides an explanation for the demographic observation that fertility rates response with a delay to lower child mortality, but also identifies a number of turning points over the course of development, suggesting a high degree of complexity in the relationships between various economic and demographic variables.