bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fast and Reproducible Wettability Switching on Functionalized PVDF/PMMA Surface Controlled by External Electric Field
Authors: Guselnikova Olga , Svanda Jan , Postnikov Pavel , Kalachyova Yevgeniya , Svorcik Vaclav , Lyutakov Oleksiy
Published: December 2016

In this paper, the novel material with controllable wettability switching triggered by external electric field is developed. The material is based on the piezopolymer blend of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF), grafted with various hydrophobic and hydrophilic molecules to alter the initial wettability of polymer films. Organic functional groups are grafted on the blend surface via formation of covalent bonds between PMMA and arenediazonium tosylates. The surface chemical structure and morphology of prepared samples are studied by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy, UV–vis, and attenuated total reflection infra red (ATR‐IR) spectroscopies, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and confocal microscopy. Attachment of gold nanoparticles to grafted thiol chemical groups is additionally used to confirm the modification procedure. Application of external stimuli in the form of the electric field leads to dramatic changes in water contact angle. Wettability switching is found to be extremely fast and completely repeatable without the destructions of the polymer film. Mechanism of switching is attributed to the morphological smoothening of piezoelectric responsible composite PVDF–PMMA under the application of external stimuli.
Insulated Molecular Wires: Sheathing Semiconducting Polymers with Organic Nanotubes through Heterogeneous Nucleation
Authors: Raj Gijo , Boulaoued Athmane , Lacava Johann , Biniek Laure , Mésini Philippe J. , Brinkmann Martin , Faure‐Vincent Jérôme , Guenet Jean‐Michel
Published: December 2016

Insulated molecular wires formed from organic molecules may have promising applications in organic and flexible electronic devices. Here, the authors provide compelling evidence of the formation of insulated molecular wires by sheathing conducting regioregular poly(3‐butylthiophene‐2,5‐diyl) (P3BT) fibrils with insulating nanotubes from 3,5‐bis‐(5‐hexylcarbamoylpentyloxy)‐benzoic acid decyl ester molecules through a nucleation and growth process. For dilute systems, conducting atomic force microscopy together with force–distance curves and current–voltage spectroscopy are concomitantly performed to sense current from the topmost surface to the core of the composite fibrils at controlled tip indentation depths. Results show that current is sensed only when the core of the nanocomposite fibrils is reached which indicates the presence of an insulating layer around the semiconducting P3BT fibrils. The existence of this molecular nanocomposite is further supported by neutron scattering experiments carried out on more concentrated systems at different temperatures.
APOEgene and neuropsychiatric disorders and endophenotypes: A comprehensive review
Authors: Forero Diego A. , López‐León Sandra , González‐Giraldo Yeimy , Dries Daniel R. , Pereira‐Morales Angela J. , Jiménez Karen M. , Franco‐Restrepo Juan E.
Published: December 2016

The Apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene is one of the main candidates in neuropsychiatric genetics, with hundreds of studies carried out in order to explore the possible role of polymorphisms in theAPOEgene in a large number of neurological diseases, psychiatric disorders, and related endophenotypes. In the current article, we provide a comprehensive review of the structural and functional aspects of theAPOEgene and its relationship with brain disorders. Evidence from genome‐wide association studies and meta‐analyses shows that theAPOEgene has been significantly associated with several neurodegenerative disorders. Cellular and animal models show growing evidence of the key role of APOE in mechanisms of brain plasticity and behavior. Future analyses of theAPOEgene might find a possible role in other neurological diseases and psychiatric disorders and related endophenotypes. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Synthetische Biologie – die Synthese der Biologie
Authors: Ausländer Simon , Ausländer David , Fussenegger Martin
Published: December 2016

Die synthetische Biologie befasst sich mit der gezielten Konstruktion von lebenden Biomaschinen aus standardisierten Komponenten, die vordefinierte Aufgaben in einer (selbst‐)kontrollierten Weise ausführen können. Unterschiedliche Forschungsstrategien und interdisziplinäre Ansätze werden verfolgt, um technische Prinzipien in die Biologie zu implementieren. Die “top‐down”‐Strategie greift auf die enorme Diversität der Natur zurück, um natürliche Komponenten künstlich in genetischen, metabolischen oder signalweiterleitenden Netzwerken mit vorhersehbaren und kontrollierbaren Eigenschaften zusammenzuführen. Dieser hauptsächlich von der Anwendung her gedachte Ansatz bringt lebende Fabriken hervor, die Wirkstoffe, Treibstoffe, Biomaterialien und Feinchemikalien produzieren. Man bekommt lebende Pillen an die Hand, bestehend aus konstruierten Zellen mit der Fähigkeit, Krankheiten in vivo autonom zu entdecken und zu behandeln. Im Gegensatz dazu versucht man in der “bottom‐up”‐Strategie, sich von bestehenden lebenden Systemen unabhängig zu machen und biologische Systeme von Grund auf neu zu entwerfen. So sollen künstliche biologische Gebilde synthetisiert werden, die es in der Natur nicht gibt. Dieser eher wissensgetriebene Ansatz untersucht die Rekonstruktion minimaler biologischer Systeme, die grundlegende biologische Phänomene wie Selbstorganisation, Selbstreplikation und Selbsterhaltung hervorbringen können. Die Synthese künstlicher biologischer Einheiten wie synthetischer Nucleotide oder Aminosäuren und ihr Einbau in Polymere im Inneren lebender Zellen stellt gegenwärtig die Grenze zwischen natürlichen und künstlichen biologischen Systemen dar. Insbesondere Entwurf und Synthese ganzer Genome in vitro und ihre Übertragung in Wirtzellen sowie die Anwendung effizienter genomweiter Manipulationstechniken deuten auf die Zukunft der synthetischen Biologie: die Erschaffung lebender Designerzellen mit maßgeschneiderten erwünschten Eigenschaften für Biomedizin und Biotechnologie.
Synthetic Biology—The Synthesis of Biology
Authors: Ausländer Simon , Ausländer David , Fussenegger Martin
Published: December 2016

Synthetic biology concerns the engineering of man‐made living biomachines from standardized components that can perform predefined functions in a (self‐)controlled manner. Different research strategies and interdisciplinary efforts are pursued to implement engineering principles to biology. The “top‐down” strategy exploits nature's incredible diversity of existing, natural parts to construct synthetic compositions of genetic, metabolic, or signaling networks with predictable and controllable properties. This mainly application‐driven approach results in living factories that produce drugs, biofuels, biomaterials, and fine chemicals, and results in living pills that are based on engineered cells with the capacity to autonomously detect and treat disease states in vivo. In contrast, the “bottom‐up” strategy seeks to be independent of existing living systems by designing biological systems from scratch and synthesizing artificial biological entities not found in nature. This more knowledge‐driven approach investigates the reconstruction of minimal biological systems that are capable of performing basic biological phenomena, such as self‐organization, self‐replication, and self‐sustainability. Moreover, the syntheses of artificial biological units, such as synthetic nucleotides or amino acids, and their implementation into polymers inside living cells currently set the boundaries between natural and artificial biological systems. In particular, the in vitro design, synthesis, and transfer of complete genomes into host cells point to the future of synthetic biology: the creation of designer cells with tailored desirable properties for biomedicine and biotechnology.
Integrated Genome and Protein Editing Swaps α‐2,6 Sialylation for α‐2,3 Sialic Acid on Recombinant Antibodies from CHO
Authors: Chung Cheng‐yu , Wang Qiong , Yang Shuang , Yin Bojiao , Zhang Hui , Betenbaugh Michael
Published: December 2016

Immunoglobin G with α‐2,6 sialylation has been reported to have an impact on antibody‐dependent cellular cytotoxicity and anti‐inflammatory efficacy. However, production of antibodies with α‐2,6 sialylation from Chinese hamster ovary cells is challenging due to the inaccessibility of sialyltransferases for the heavy chain N‐glycan site and the presence of exclusively α‐2,3 sialyltransferases. In this study, combining mutations on the Fc regions to allow sialyltransferase accessibility with overexpression of α‐2,6 sialyltransferase produced IgG with significant levels of both α‐2,6 and α‐2,3 sialylation. Therefore, ST3GAL4 and ST3GAL6 genes were disrupted by CRISPR/Cas9 to minimize the α‐2,3 sialylation. Sialidase treatment and SNA lectin blot indicated greatly increased α‐2,6 sialylation level relative to α‐2,3 sialylation for the α‐2,3 sialyltransferase knockouts when combined with α‐2,6 sialyltransferase overexpression. Indeed, α‐2,3 linked sialic acids were not detected on IgG produced from the α‐2,3 sialyltransferase knockout‐α‐2,6 sialyltransferase overexpression pools. Finally, glycoprofiling of IgG with four amino acid substitutions expressed from an α‐2,3 sialyltransferase knockout‐α‐2,6 sialyltransferase stable clone resulted in more than 77% sialylated glycans and more than 62% biantennary disialylated glycans as indicated by both MALDI‐TOF and LC‐ESI‐MS. Engineered antibodies from these modified Chinese hamster ovary cell lines will provide biotechnologists with IgGs containing N‐glycans with different structural variations for examining the role of glycosylation on protein performance.
Metabolic engineering of fatty alcohol production in transgenic hairy roots of Crambe abyssinica
Authors: Miklaszewska Magdalena , Banaś Antoni , Królicka Aleksandra
Published: December 2016

Biotechnological production of fatty alcohols, important raw materials in the chemical industry, has been receiving considerable attention in recent years. Fatty alcohols are formed by the reduction of fatty acyl‐CoAs or fatty acyl‐ACPs catalyzed by a fatty acyl reductase (FAR). In this study, we introduced genes encoding FARs from Arabidopsis thaliana (AtFAR5) and Simmondsia chinensis (ScFAR) into Crambe abyssinica hairy roots via Agrobacterium rhizogenes‐mediated transformation. The efficiency of the transformation ranged between 30 and 45%. The fatty alcohols were only detected in the transgenic hairy root lines expressing ScFAR gene. In all tested lines stearyl alcohol (18:0‐OH), arachidyl alcohol (20:0‐OH), and behenyl alcohol (22:0‐OH) were produced. The content of 18:0‐OH varied from 1 to 3% of total fatty acids and fatty alcohols, while the amount of either 20:0‐OH and 22:0‐OH did not exceed 2%. The transgenic hairy root lines produced from 0.98 to 2.59 nmol of fatty alcohols per mg of dry weight. Very low activity of ScFAR was detected in the microsomal fractions isolated from the selected hairy root lines. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the fatty alcohol production in the hairy root cultures. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 1275–1282. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Enhancing functional expression of codon‐optimized heterologous enzymes in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3) by selective introduction of synonymous rare codons
Authors: Zhong Chao , Wei Ping , Zhang Yi‐Heng Percival
Published: December 2016

Rare codon in a heterologous gene may cause premature termination of protein synthesis, misincorporation of amino acids, and/or slow translation of mRNA, decreasing the heterologous protein expression. However, its hypothetical function pertaining to functional protein folding has been barely reported. Here, we investigated the effects of selective introduction of synonymous rare codons (SRCs) to two codon‐optimized (i.e., rare codon‐free) genes sucrose phosphorylase (SP) gene from Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum and amidohydrolase gene from Streptomyces caatingaensis on their expression levels in Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). We investigated the introduction of a single SRC to the coding regions of alpha‐helix, beta‐strand, or linker in the first half of rare codon‐free sp and ah gene. The introduction of a single SRC in the beginning of the coding regions of beta‐strand greatly enhanced their soluble expression levels as compared to the other regions. Also, we applied directed evolution to test multi‐SRC‐containing sp gene mutants for enhanced soluble SP expression levels. To easily identify the soluble SP expression level of colonies growing on Petri dishes, mCherry fluorescent protein was used as a SP‐folding reporter when it was fused to the 3′ end of the sp gene mutant libraries. After three rounds of screening, the best sp gene mutant containing nine SRCs exhibited an approximately six‐fold enhancement in soluble protein expression level as compared to the wild‐type and rare codon‐free sp control. This study suggests that the selective introduction of SRCs can attenuate translation at specific points and such discontinuous attenuation can temporally separate the translation of segments of the peptide chains and actively coordinates their co‐translational folding, resulting in enhanced functional protein expression. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2017;114: 1054–1064. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Reverse Biosynthesis: Generating Combinatorial Pools of Drug Leads from Enzyme‐Mediated Fragmentation of Natural Products
Authors: Richardson‐Sanchez Tomas , Tieu William , Codd Rachel
Published: December 2016

A combinatorial pool of hydroxamic acid fragments as potential metalloprotein drug leads was generated from the enzymatic hydrolysis of the natural product desferrioxamine B (DFOB). DFOB is a metabolite produced by Streptomyces pilosus for iron acquisition, and can be selectively catabolised by Niveispirillum irakense to access carbon for growth. The supernatant of a DFOB‐supplemented culture of N. irakense was analysed by LC‐MS at intervals over 168 h. This identified a mixture of endo‐hydroxamic acid fragments that contained reactive terminal groups. The supernatants from two cultures (at 48 h and 168 h) were reacted with 1,8‐naphthalic anhydride in a microwave synthesiser to generate pools of scriptaid analogues, which were screened against ZnII‐containing histone deacetylases (HDACs) and FeIII‐containing 5‐lipoxygenase (5‐LO). Compound S2 showed relative potency against 5‐LO (IC50=59 μm; BWA4C, 17 μm); it was 28‐fold more selective towards 5‐LO than HDAC1. Compound S1 inhibited HDAC1 but not 5‐LO. Enzyme‐mediated reverse biosynthesis could yield new benefits from structurally complex natural products in drug design.
Utilizing Improvisation to Teach Empathy Skills in Counselor Education
Authors: Bayne Hannah B. , Jangha Awa
Published: December 2016

Empathy development is foundational to counselor training, yet there is scant research on techniques for teaching empathy aside from traditional microskills models. The authors discuss empathy as a skill set, highlight how improvisation (improv) can be used to enhance training, and describe how to incorporate improv activities within the classroom.
Perylene Bisimide Cyclophanes with High Binding Affinity for Large Planar Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons: Host–Guest Complexation versus Self‐Encapsulation of Side Arms
Authors: Spenst Peter , Sieblist Andreas , Würthner Frank
Published: December 2016

Binding of guest molecules with high affinity and selectivity requires well‐designed hosts to provide optimized interactions in the host–guest complexes. Herein we report the design and synthesis of new cyclophanes 2PBI(2,6‐iPr)2 and 2PBI(2,6‐Ph)2 based on core‐disubstituted perylene bisimide (PBI) chromophores bearing two phenoxy bay‐substituents that evoke almost planar PBI scaffolds. This strategy afforded the new cyclophanes with conformationally rigid cavities to ensure strong binding to stiff planar polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Our detailed host–guest binding studies with different PAHs by UV/Vis and fluorescence titration experiments revealed record binding strengths for PAHs with binding constants of up to 1.6×106 m−1 in chloroform at room temperature. One‐ and two‐dimensional NMR experiments and solvent‐dependent titration studies revealed self‐encapsulation of the side arms of PBI bay‐substituents into the cavities that attained high fluorescence quantum yields of these cyclophanes close to unity by preventing the interaction of PBI subunits in the excited states. The binding constants and Gibbs free energies of host–guest complexations disclosed significant effects of PBI bay‐substituents and core twist on the binding affinity of the cyclophanes.
Free‐Radical Carbo‐Alkenylation of Olefins: Scope, Limitations and Mechanistic Insights
Authors: Beniazza Redouane , Liautard Virginie , Poittevin Clément , Ovadia Benjamin , Mohammed Shireen , Robert Frédéric , Landais Yannick
Published: December 2016

The three‐component free‐radical carbo‐alkenylation of electron‐rich olefins has been studied, varying the substitution pattern in the alkene, in the radical precursor and in the final acceptor. New vinylsulfones were also prepared and their reactivity investigated. The scope and limitations of the process was established, and the reaction mechanism clarified using selected dienes as radical clocks. It was thus recognised that the reversible addition onto the olefin of the released sulfonyl group is an important event, which should not be overlooked when using such multicomponent carbo‐alkenylation reactions.
Synchronized Chiral Induction between [5]Helicene–Spermine Ligand and B–Z DNA Transition
Authors: Kawara Kensuke , Tsuji Genichiro , Taniguchi Yosuke , Sasaki Shigeki
Published: December 2016

The 2,13‐dimethoxy[5]helicene–spermine ligand 8 b possesses an axial chirality. The racemic 8 b was bound to B‐DNA by the accompanying induction of its (P)‐chirality together with the B‐to‐Z helicity change of the duplex DNA, [(dC‐dG)3]2. The (P)‐chirality of the bound 8 b, in turn, transitioned to the (M)‐chirality according to the Z‐helicity of the DNA. These results illustrate the chirality synchronization between the DNA and the ligand.
Thermal Methane Activation by the Metal‐Free Cluster Cation [Si2O4].+
Authors: Sun Xiaoyan , Zhou Shaodong , Schlangen Maria , Schwarz Helmut
Published: December 2016

The thermal reaction of methane with the metal‐free cluster cation [Si2O4].+ has been examined by using Fourier transform‐ion cyclotron resonance (FT‐ICR) mass spectrometry. In addition to generating a methyl radical via hydrogen‐atom abstraction, [Si2O4].+ can selectively oxidize methane to formaldehyde. The mechanisms of these rather efficient reactions have been elucidated by high‐level quantum‐chemical calculations.
Experimental characterization of new wire gauze with high capacity structured packing
Authors: Amini Younes , Karimi‐Sabet Javad , Nasr Esfahany Mohsen
Published: December 2016

In this paper, experimental studies are conducted to introduce a new high capacity structured packing (PACK‐2100) for the separation of mixtures with low separation factor. To improve the performance of this packing, extensive consideration is given to the construction of a new wire gauze structure packing through various hydrodynamic and mass transfer analyses. The surface area and porosity of new structured packing (PACK‐2100) are increased to enhance the pressure drop and the separation efficiency. In addition, comprehensive parametric studies are performed to evaluate the dry/wet pressure drop and mass transfer efficiency in different operating conditions of the presented packing. Our findings show that this new structured packing reduces dry and wet pressure drops more than 25 % compared to the traditional packing that is used for difficult separations such as Dixon 1/8, with the same specific surface area. In addition, the achieved Height Equivalent Theoretical Plate (HETP) of PACK‐2100 is significantly lower (about 20 %) than other conventional packings. Thus, the PACK‐2100 is highly recommended for the separation of stable isotopes such as 18O and 13C in the distillation process.
Bubble size and bubble velocity distribution in bubble columns under industrial conditions
Authors: Bothe Melanie , Christlieb Marc‐Andreas , Hoffmann Marko , Tedjasukmana Osmond , Michaux Frank , Rollbusch Philipp , Becker Marc , Schlüter Michael
Published: December 2016

Bubble column reactors are widely used in many industrial applications due to their simplicity and safety of operation. Despite these advantages, the design and scale‐up of bubble column reactors is still challenging especially for industrial conditions at elevated pressure and temperature. One reason is the uncertainties concerning the specific interfacial area which is directly dependent on the bubble size distribution, bubble velocity, and gas hold‐up. All these parameters are difficult to measure under industrial conditions due to the opaqueness of the bubbly flow and the safety risks of using organic solvents at elevated pressures and temperatures. This article introduces endoscopic bubble image velocimetry, a new measuring method that enables the detection of bubble sizes and bubble velocities in organic solvents at elevated pressure and temperature (pmax = 1.85 MPa and Tmax = 70 °C) for maximal gas hold‐ups of 16 %. For this system it becomes evident that the bubble size distribution for low superficial gas velocities is almost unaffected by pressure and temperature, whereas the bubble velocity decreases slightly.
Mechanistic Insights into the Unique Role of Copper in CO2 Electroreduction Reactions
Authors: Liu Shan Ping , Zhao Ming , Gao Wang , Jiang Qing
Published: December 2016

Cu demonstrates a unique capability towards CO2 electroreduction that can close the anthropogenic carbon cycle; however, its reaction mechanism remains elusive, owing to the obscurity of the solid–liquid interface on Cu surfaces where electrochemical reactions occur. Using a genetic algorithm method in addition to density functional theory, we explicitly identify the configuration of a water bilayer on Cu(2 1 1) and build electrochemical models. These enable us to reveal a mechanistic picture for CO2 electroreduction, finding the key intermediates CCO* for the C2H4 pathway and CH* for the CH4 pathway, which rationalize a series of experimental observations. Furthermore, we find that the interplay between the Cu surfaces, carbon monomers, and water network (but not the binding of CO*) essentially determine the unique capability of Cu towards CO2 electroreduction, proposing a new and effective descriptor for exploiting optimal catalysts.
Controlling Heat Release from a Close‐Packed Bisazobenzene–Reduced‐Graphene‐Oxide Assembly Film for High‐Energy Solid‐State Photothermal Fuels
Authors: Zhao Xiaoze , Feng Yiyu , Qin Chengqun , Yang Weixiang , Si Qianyu , Feng Wei
Published: December 2016

A closed‐cycle system for light‐harvesting, storage, and heat release is important for utilizing and managing renewable energy. However, combining a high‐energy, stable photochromic material with a controllable trigger for solid‐state heat release remains a great challenge for developing photothermal fuels (PTFs). This paper presents a uniform PTF film fabricated by the assembly of close‐packed bisazobenzene (bisAzo) grafted onto reduced graphene oxide (rGO). The assembled rGO–bisAzo template exhibited a high energy density of 131 Wh kg−1 and a long half‐life of 37 days owing to inter‐ or intramolecular H‐bonding and steric hindrance. The rGO–bisAzo PTF film released and accumulated heat to realize a maximum temperature difference (DT) of 15 °C and a DT of over 10 °C for 30 min when the temperature difference of the environment was greater than100 °C. Controlling heat release in the solid‐state assembly paves the way to develop highly efficient and high‐energy PTFs for a multitude of applications.
Evaluation of nicotine in tobacco‐free‐nicotine commercial products
Authors: Hellinghausen Garrett , Lee Jauh T. , Weatherly Choyce A. , Lopez Diego A. , Armstrong Daniel W.
Published: December 2016

Recently, a variety of new tobacco‐free‐nicotine, TFN, products have been commercialized as e‐liquids. Tobacco‐derived nicotine contains predominantly (S)‐(−)‐nicotine, whereas TFN products may not. The TFN products are said to be cleaner, purer substances, devoid of toxic components that come from the tobacco extraction process. A variety of commercial tobacco and TFN products were analyzed to identify the presence and composition of each nicotine enantiomer. A rapid and effective enantiomeric separation of nicotine has been developed using a modified macrocyclic glycopeptide bonded to superficially porous particles. The enantiomeric assay can be completed in <2 min with high resolution and accuracy using high performance liquid chromatography with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. The results of this study suggest the need for pharmacological studies of (R)‐(+)‐nicotine, which is present in much greater quantities in commercial TFN products compared to commercial tobacco‐derived products. Such studies are required by the FDA for new enantiomeric pharmacological products. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Legacy or colonization? Posteruption establishment of peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) on a volcanically active subarctic island
Authors: Sonsthagen Sarah A. , Williams Jeffrey C. , Drew Gary S. , White Clayton M. , Sage George K. , Talbot Sandra L.
Published: December 2016

How populations and communities reassemble following disturbances are affected by a number of factors, with the arrival order of founding populations often having a profound influence on later populations and community structure. Kasatochi Island is a small volcano located in the central Aleutian archipelago that erupted violently August 8, 2008, sterilizing the island of avian biodiversity. Prior to the eruption, Kasatochi was the center of abundance for breeding seabirds in the central Aleutian Islands and supported several breeding pairs of peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus). We examined the reestablishment of peregrine falcons on Kasatochi by evaluating the genetic relatedness among legacy samples collected in 2006 to those collected posteruption and to other falcons breeding along the archipelago. No genotypes found in posteruption samples were identical to genotypes collected from pre‐eruption samples. However, genetic analyses suggest that individuals closely related to peregrine falcons occupying pre‐eruption Kasatochi returned following the eruption and successfully fledged young; thus, a genetic legacy of pre‐eruption falcons was present on posteruption Kasatochi Island. We hypothesize that the rapid reestablishment of peregrine falcons on Kasatochi was likely facilitated by behavioral characteristics of peregrine falcons breeding in the Aleutian Islands, such as year‐round residency and breeding site fidelity, the presence of an abundant food source (seabirds), and limited vegetation requirements by seabirds and falcons.
Decisions at Street Level: Assessing and explaining the implementation of the European water framework directive in Sweden
Authors: Sevä Mikael , Sandström Annica
Published: December 2016

This study addresses the role of street‐level bureaucrats in water management and examines what factors influence the implementation of the programme of measures that are part of the European Water Framework Directive. The impact of two factors – the bureaucrats' policy understandings and their implementation resources – on implementation is examined through a qualitative case study at sub‐national level in Sweden. The results verify the critical role of these bureaucrats as only one‐third make decisions, or take action, based on the programme of measures. The results further suggest that the bureaucrats’ understandings of how coherent the policies are, and whom they consult in cases of uncertainty, are important. The implementing bureaucrats perceive policy as coherent and have rich networks of advice, including responsible government authorities, while the non‐implementing bureaucrats experience significant policy incoherencies and have sparse advice networks. Thus, policy‐makers can support implementation by adjusting policy and by improving existing, and organizing new, resources to provide these bureaucrats with guidance. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Contemporary Challenges in Environmental Governance: Technology, governance and the social licence
Authors: Cullen‐Knox Coco , Eccleston Richard , Haward Marcus , Lester Elizabeth , Vince Joanna
Published: December 2016

The process through which societal actors can exert direct influence on the behaviour of organizations has gained increasing attention over the past two decades and is increasingly referred to as ‘social licence’ or ‘social licence to operate’. This paper documents the rise of social licence and analyses the relationship between information and communication technology (ICT), governance and the social licence. We argue that contemporary social licence and the increasingly prominent role societal actors have in private governance has been facilitated by technological innovation in the fields of media and communications, allowing interest groups to have a far greater reach, and direct interaction and engagement with the public, other interest groups and the industries concerned. Now, a larger population can rapidly contest traditional practices regardless of national borders, the issue concerned or the actors involved. The unpredictable, dynamic and subjective nature of social licence has prompted concerns regarding legitimacy of stakeholders, the information they disseminate and outcomes they promote. Subsequently, in an attempt to maintain political and corporate legitimacy, business interests are demanding more adaptable regulatory regimes. These political dynamics are resulting in the proliferation of network style governance that can adapt and cope with changing information, attitudes, values and beliefs. As a result a new era of experimentation and trialling alternative governance regimes has been born. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment
Systematic assessment of the performance of Illumina's MiSeq FGx™ forensic genomics system
Authors: Almalki Nouran , Chow Hoi Yan , Sharma Vishakha , Hart Katie , Siegel Donald , Wurmbach Elisa
Published: December 2016

This study assesses the performance of Illumina's MiSeq FGx System for forensic genomics by systematically analyzing single source samples, evaluating concordance, sensitivity and repeatability, as well as describing the quality of the reported outcomes. DNA from 16 individuals (9 males/7 females) in nine separate runs showed consistent STR profiles at DNA input ≥400 pg, and two full profiles were obtained with 50 pg DNA input. However, this study revealed that the outcome of a single sample does not merely depend on its DNA input but is also influenced by the total amount of DNA loaded onto the flow cell from all samples. Stutter and sequence or amplification errors can make the identification of true alleles difficult, particularly for heterozygous loci that show allele imbalance. Sequencing of 16 individuals’ STRs revealed genetic variations at 14 loci at frequencies suggesting improvement of mixture deconvolution. The STR loci D1S1656 and DXS10103 were most susceptible to drop outs, and D22S1045 and DYS385a‐b showed heterozygote imbalance.  Most stutters were typed at TH01 and DYS385a‐b, while amplification or sequencing errors were observed mostly at D7S820 and D19S433. Overall, Illumina's MiSeq FGx System produced reliable and repeatable results.  aSTRs showed fewer drop outs than the Y‐ and X‐STRs.
Fire safety assessment of Open Wide Gangway underground trains in tunnels using coupled fire and evacuation simulation
Authors: Galea E.R. , Wang Z. , Jia F. , Lawrence P.J. , Ewer J.
Published: December 2016

A new type of train configuration, known as Open Wide Gangway (OWG) is becoming popular, particularly in underground environments. Previous fire modelling analysis demonstrated that the OWG configuration was considered safe as or safer than conventional configurations as it reduced the likelihood of flashover. However, these studies have ignored the impact on evacuation of the spread of fire effluent to non‐fire cars. Here we explore the fire safety offered by conventional and OWG configurations using coupled fire and evacuation modelling techniques. Two tunnel train situations are considered: one in which the car side doors are available for evacuation (train in a wide tunnel) and the other in which only the end cab doors are available (train in a narrow tunnel). Two population configurations are considered, fully and half loaded. Two ignition sources are also considered, one representing an accidental fire and the other an arson fire. The analysis demonstrates that while the OWG configuration may produce improved fire performance in the car of fire origin compared to the conventional configuration, if the interaction of the fire effluent with the evacuating passengers is considered, the OWG configuration results in a significantly greater number of casualties in virtually all the scenarios considered. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An international survey and full‐scale evacuation trial demonstrating the effectiveness of the active dynamic signage system concept
Authors: Galea E.R. , Xie H. , Deere S. , Cooney D. , Filippidis L.
Published: December 2016

Rapid evacuation from large buildings is challenging because of their complex layout making wayfinding difficult. While emergency signage is widely used to aid wayfinding, recent research demonstrates that only 38% of people perceive conventional exit signs. Furthermore, conventional signage only conveys single and passive information and so cannot adapt to changing conditions. The EU FP7 GETAWAY project addresses this problem through the development of a unique and innovative Intelligent Active Dynamic Signage System (IADSS), which routes occupants to their optimal exits during an evolving incident. This paper presents two key steps in the development of the IADSS concept. First, a novel negated signage concept identifying that an exit route is no longer viable was devised and tested using an international survey. The results demonstrate that the negation concept can be clearly understood by over 90% of the sample. The second step involved two full‐scale evacuation trials in a rail station that demonstrated that it was possible to direct over 60% of the participants to the targeted exit through the use of the Active Dynamic Signage System (ADSS). The ADSS makes use of the negated signage concept and a development involving a green flashing arrow within the standard emergency exit sign. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessing the reaction to fire of cables by a new bench‐scale method
Authors: Gallo E. , Stöcklein W. , Klack P. , Schartel B.
Published: December 2016

The recently approved EU Construction Products Regulation (CPR) applies to cables as construction products. The difficulty of predicting the fire performance of cables with respect to propagation of flame and contribution to fire hazards is well known. The new standard EN 50399 describes a full‐scale test method for the classification of vertically mounted bunched cables according to CPR. Consideration of the material, time, and thus cost requires an alternative bench‐scale fire test, which finds strong demand for screening and development purposes. The development of such a bench‐scale fire test to assess the fire performance of multiple vertically mounted cables is described. A practical module for the cone calorimeter is proposed, simulating the fire scenario of the EN 50399 on the bench scale. The efficacy of this module in predicting full‐scale CPR test results is shown for a set of 20 different optical cables. Key properties such as peak heat release rate (PHRR), fire growth rate (FIGRA), and flame spread are linked to each other by factors of around 5. In a case study, the bench‐scale test designed was used to investigate the influence of the main components on the fire behaviour of a complex optical cable. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
War and wildlife: linking armed conflict to conservation
Authors: Gaynor Kaitlyn M , Fiorella Kathryn J , Gregory Gillian H , Kurz David J , Seto Katherine L , Withey Lauren S , Brashares Justin S
Published: December 2016

Armed conflict throughout the world's biodiversity hotspots poses a critical threat to conservation efforts. To date, research and policy have focused more on the ultimate outcomes of conflict for wildlife rather than on the ecological, social, and economic processes that create those outcomes. Yet the militarization that accompanies armed conflict, as well as consequent changes in governance, economies, and human settlement, has diverse influences on wildlife populations and habitats. To better understand these complex dynamics, we summarized 144 case studies from around the world and identified 24 distinct pathways linking armed conflict to wildlife outcomes. The most commonly cited pathways reflect changes to institutional and socioeconomic factors, rather than tactical aspects of conflict. Marked differences in the most salient pathways emerge across geographic regions and wildlife taxa. Our review demonstrates that mitigating the negative effects of conflict on biodiversity conservation requires a nuanced understanding of the ways in which conflict affects wildlife populations and communities.
Avoiding ecosystem collapse in managed forest ecosystems
Authors: Lindenmayer David , Messier Christian , Sato Chloe
Published: December 2016

Many forest ecosystems are thought to be at risk of ecological collapse, which is broadly defined as an abrupt, long‐lasting, and widespread change in ecosystem state and dynamics that has major negative impacts on biodiversity and key ecosystem services. However, there is currently a limited ability to accurately predict the risk of collapse for a given forest ecosystem. Moreover, how ecosystem collapse manifests itself will be ecosystem specific, as will be the associated mitigation strategies. In light of these challenges, we present a checklist of 11 practical principles to help managers reduce the risk of ecosystem collapse. These principles include developing a robust definition of collapse that is appropriate for a given ecosystem, managing for multiple ecosystem stressors under increasing uncertainty, adopting conservative approaches to management that account for potential losses of timber resources and limit the risk of overharvesting, and conducting long‐term monitoring to gather data on key ecosystem attributes sensitive to ecological change.
Prenatal exposure to selenium may protect against wheezing in children by the age of 3
Authors: Baïz Nour , Chastang Julie , Ibanez Gladys , Annesi‐Maesano Isabella
Published: December 2016

Introduction

It has been suggested that human in utero exposure to heavy metals such as selenium can reduce the prevalence of childhood asthma and allergic diseases. However, data on this topic are scarce. The objective of the present study was to assess the putative associations between maternal selenium level during pregnancy and the risk of asthma, wheezing, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis in children from the EDEN birth cohort by the age of 1 and 3 years.

Methods

Plasma selenium concentrations were measured in maternal blood during mid‐pregnancy (24–28 weeks of gestation) in 861 mothers. Cohort children were followed up from birth to 3 years using health questionnaires filled out by the parents for asthma, wheezing, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis. Maternal plasma selenium was related to the childhood outcomes by the age of 1 and 3 years.

Results

Our results showed a significant negative association between a high maternal plasma selenium level during pregnancy and the risk of wheezing in the child by the age of 1 and 3 years. However, maternal plasma selenium during pregnancy was not associated with the prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis or atopic dermatitis.

Conclusions

The results of this study suggest that the level of fetal exposure to maternal selenium could have an influence on the risk of wheezing in infancy and potentially on the risk of developing asthma later in life.
Motivational profiles in high school students: Differences in behavioural and emotional homework engagement and academic achievement
Authors: Regueiro Bibiana , Núñez José C. , Valle Antonio , Piñeiro Isabel , Rodríguez Susana , Rosário Pedro
Published: December 2016

This work examined whether combinations of academic and non‐academic goals generated different motivational profiles in high school students. Besides, differences in homework behavioural engagement (i.e. amount of homework, time spent in homework, homework time management), homework emotional engagement (i.e. homework anxiety) and academic achievement were analysed. Participants were 714 high school students (43.4% boys and 56.6% girls). The study of potential motivational profiles was conducted by latent profile analysis, and the differences between the motivational profiles regarding homework variables and academic achievement were analysed using multivariate analysis. The results indicate the existence of five groups of motivational profiles: a group of students with multiple goals, a group of unmotivated students, two groups of students with a predominance of learning goals and, finally, a group comprising students with a high fear of failure. Both the group with multiple goals and the learning goals‐oriented groups reported to do more homework, spending more time on homework, making better use of that time and having a higher academic achievement than counterparts. The avoidance‐failure group and the group with multiple goals showed higher levels of homework anxiety. Globally, these results provide support for a person‐centred approach.
Tratado de Ginecologia
Authors: Mateo J.M. Roncales
Published: December 2016

Tratado de Ginecologia, by J. Botella‐Llusia, published by Editorial Cientifico Médica, Barcelona, Madrid, 1965.
The Vescico‐Vaginal Fistula
Authors: Ciaramella S.
Published: December 2016

The Vescico‐Vaginal Fistula, by J. C. Moir, Baillere Tindal and Cox Ed., 1961.
Hormonology in Human Pregnancy (Hormonologie de la grossesse humaine)
Authors: Hubinont P.O.
Published: December 2016

Hormonology in Human Pregnancy (Hormonologie de la grossesse humaine), by Prof. Max F. Jayle, Laboratory of Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Paris, Ed. Gauthier‐Villars, Paris, 1965.
The World of a Gynaecologist
Authors: Martella Enzo
Published: December 2016

The World of a Gynaecologist, by C. Scott Russell. Oliver & Boyd Ltd., Tweeddale Court 14 High Street, Edinburgh 1, England, 104 pages.
Hormontherapie in der Frauenheilkunde
Authors: Wenner R.
Published: December 2016

Hormontherapie in der Frauenheilkunde (Hormone Therapy in Gynaecology, by Joachim Ufer, Walter de Gruyter & Co., Berlin, 1966.
Noise‐Corrected Principal Component Analysis of fluorescence lifetime imaging data
Authors: Le Marois Alix , Labouesse Simon , Suhling Klaus , Heintzmann Rainer
Published: December 2016

Fluorescence Lifetime Imaging (FLIM) is an attractive microscopy method in the life sciences, yielding information on the sample otherwise unavailable through intensity‐based techniques. A novel Noise‐Corrected Principal Component Analysis (NC‐PCA) method for time‐domain FLIM data is presented here. The presence and distribution of distinct microenvironments are identified at lower photon counts than previously reported, without requiring prior knowledge of their number or of the dye's decay kinetics. A noise correction based on the Poisson statistics inherent to Time‐Correlated Single Photon Counting is incorporated. The approach is validated using simulated data, and further applied to experimental FLIM data of HeLa cells stained with membrane dye di‐4‐ANEPPDHQ. Two distinct lipid phases were resolved in the cell membranes, and the modification of the order parameters of the plasma membrane during cholesterol depletion was also detected.

Noise‐corrected Principal Component Analysis of FLIM data resolves distinct microenvironments in cell membranes of live HeLa cells.

magnified image

Noise‐corrected Principal Component Analysis of FLIM data resolves distinct microenvironments in cell membranes of live HeLa cells.
The Association Between Protein Intake by Source and Osteoporotic Fracture in Older Men: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Langsetmo Lisa , Shikany James M , Cawthon Peggy M , Cauley Jane A , Taylor Brent C , Vo Tien N , Bauer Douglas C , Orwoll Eric S , Schousboe John T , Ensrud Kristine E ,   for the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Research Group
Published: December 2016

Dietary protein is a potentially modifiable risk factor for fracture. Our objectives were to assess the association of protein intake with incident fracture among older men and whether these associations varied by protein source or by skeletal site. We studied a longitudinal cohort of 5875 men (mean age 73.6 ± 5.9 years) in the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) study. At baseline, protein intake was assessed as percent of total energy intake (TEI) with mean intake from all sources = 16.1%TEI. Incident clinical fractures were confirmed by physician review of medical records. There were 612 major osteoporotic fractures, 806 low-trauma fractures, 270 hip fractures, 193 spine fractures, and 919 non-hip non-spine fractures during 15 years of follow-up. We used Cox proportional hazards models with age, race, height, clinical site, TEI, physical activity, marital status, osteoporosis, gastrointestinal surgery, smoking, oral corticosteroids use, alcohol consumption, and calcium and vitamin D supplements as covariates to compute hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), all expressed per unit (SD = 2.9%TEI) increase. Higher protein intake was associated with a decreased risk of major osteoporotic fracture (HR = 0.92; 95% CI, 0.84 to 1.00) with a similar association found for low-trauma fracture. The association between protein and fracture varied by protein source; eg, increased dairy protein and non-dairy animal protein were associated with a decreased risk of hip fracture (HR = 0.80 [95% CI, 0.65 to 0.98] and HR = 0.84 [95% CI, 0.72 to 0.97], respectively), whereas plant-source protein was not (HR = 0.99 [95% CI, 0.78 to 1.24]). The association between protein and fracture varied by fracture site; total protein was associated with a decreased risk of hip fracture (HR = 0.84 [95% CI, 0.73 to 0.95]), but not clinical spine fracture (HR = 1.06 [95% CI, 0.92 to 1.22]). In conclusion, those with high protein intake (particularly high animal protein intake) as a percentage of TEI have a lower risk of major osteoporotic fracture. © 2016 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Investigation and comparison of the binding between tolvaptan and pepsin and trypsin: Multi‐spectroscopic approaches and molecular docking
Authors: Ma Xiangling , He Jiawei , Huang Yanmei , Xiao Ying , Wang Qing , Li Hui
Published: December 2016

Tolvaptan (TF), a selective arginine vasopressin V2 receptor antagonist, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2009. This study mainly investigated the differences between the binding of TF with pepsin and trypsin by using a series of spectroscopy and molecular modeling methods. Thermodynamic parameters and molecular docking results suggested that the binding of TF to pepsin and trypsin were both spontaneous but driven by different forces. For pepsin, the binding was driven by hydrogen bonds and van der Waals forces; but for trypsin, it was driven by electrostatic forces and hydrophobic forces. The quenching mechanism between TF and pepsin and trypsin was investigated by fluorescence experiments and time‐resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. Synchronous fluorescence and 3‐dimensional fluorescence were used to investigate the micro‐environmental and conformational changes of pepsin and trypsin after the insertion of TF. In addition, activity‐measurement results showed that both the pepsin and trypsin activities increased with increasing TF concentration, which may help to understand the possible effect of TF on the digestion and absorption of nutrients in vivo.