bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In Search of Alternatives or Enhancements to Collective Bargaining in South Africa: are Workplace Forums a Viable Option?
Authors: Botha MM
Published: March 2016

Collective bargaining (coupled with the right to strike) has become a primary means to force employers through negotiation to achieve the improvement of standards and conditions of employment. The South African labour market has been plagued by unprotected strikes as well as violent and lawless behaviour during both protected and unprotected strikes. Some have said that the collective bargaining process is in trouble and has failed the objectives intended by the Labour Relations Act. The fact that collective bargaining in South Africa and elsewhere is quite adversarial puts these criticisms into the spotlight again. Calls to explore a participatory structure, where distributive and non-distributive issues are separated from each other, supplementary to collective bargaining have been made again. What immediately comes to mind is the system of workplace forums, which has been unsuccessful in South Africa thus far.
The Pursuit of Sustainable Development through Cultural Law and Governance Frameworks: A South African Perspective
Authors: Owosuyi IL
Published: March 2016

The idea of including a cultural dimension in development policies has become the focus of international scholarly and policy debates. Analysing and conceptualising the role of culture in the sustainable development context was brought into focus by the World Commission on Culture and Development (WCCD), with the publication of the report Our Creative Diversity: Report of the World Commission on Culture and Development in 1995. The Report highlighted the cultural dimensions of a humancentered development paradigm and proposed placing culture at the center stage of development thinking. This argument was taken further at the International Conference on Cultural Policies for Development held in Stockholm in 1998, where it was proposed that cultural policies become key components of development strategies. This article will examine the infiltration of culture into the contemporary understanding of sustainable development and the relevance of international law developments to domestic (South African) law and policy with regards to sustainable development and culture.
Uncertainty analysis of gross primary production partitioned from net ecosystem exchange measurements
Authors: Raj Rahul , Hamm Nicholas Alexander Samuel , Tol Christiaan van der , Stein Alfred
Published: March 2016

Abstract. Gross primary production (GPP) can be separated from flux tower measurements of net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of CO2. This is used increasingly to validate process-based simulators and remote-sensing-derived estimates of simulated GPP at various time steps. Proper validation includes the uncertainty associated with this separation. In this study, uncertainty assessment was done in a Bayesian framework. It was applied to data from the Speulderbos forest site, The Netherlands. We estimated the uncertainty in GPP at half-hourly time steps, using a non-rectangular hyperbola (NRH) model for its separation from the flux tower measurements. The NRH model provides a robust empirical relationship between radiation and GPP. It includes the degree of curvature of the light response curve, radiation and temperature. Parameters of the NRH model were fitted to the measured NEE data for every 10-day period during the growing season (April to October) in 2009. We defined the prior distribution of each NRH parameter and used Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation to estimate the uncertainty in the separated GPP from the posterior distribution at half-hourly time steps. This time series also allowed us to estimate the uncertainty at daily time steps. We compared the informative with the non-informative prior distributions of the NRH parameters and found that both choices produced similar posterior distributions of GPP. This will provide relevant and important information for the validation of process-based simulators in the future. Furthermore, the obtained posterior distributions of NEE and the NRH parameters are of interest for a range of applications.
C-IFS-CB05-BASCOE: Stratospheric Chemistry in the Integrated Forecasting System of ECMWF
Authors: Huijnen Vincent , Flemming Johannes , Chabrillat Simon , Errera Quentin , Christophe Yves , Blechschmidt Anne-Marlene , Richter Andreas , Eskes Henk
Published: March 2016

Abstract. We present a model description and benchmark evaluation of an extension of the tropospheric chemistry module in the Integrated Forecasting System (IFS) of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) with stratospheric chemistry, referred to as C-IFS-CB05-BASCOE (for brevity here referred to as C-IFS-TS). The stratospheric chemistry originates from the one used in the Belgian Assimilation System for Chemical ObsErvations (BASCOE), and is here combined with the modified CB05 chemistry module for the troposphere as currently used operationally in the Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS). In our approach either the tropospheric or stratospheric chemistry module is applied depending on the altitude of each individual grid box with respect to the tropopause. An evaluation of a 1.5 year long C-IFS-TS simulation indicates good performance of the system in terms of stratospheric ozone, nitrogen dioxide as well as other reactive tracers in comparison to various satellite retrieval products. This marks a first step towards a chemistry module within IFS that encompasses both tropospheric and stratospheric composition.
Towards developing product applications of thick origami using the offset panel technique
Authors: Morgan Michael R. , Lang Robert J. , Magleby Spencer P. , Howell Larry L.
Published: March 2016

Abstract. Several methods have been developed to accommodate for the use of thick materials in origami models which preserve either the model's full range of motion or its kinematics. The offset panel technique (OPT) preserves both the range of motion and the kinematics while allowing for a great deal of flexibility in design. This work explores new possibilities for origami-based product applications presented by the OPT. Examples are included to illustrate fundamental capabilities that can be realized with thick materials such as accommodation of various materials in a design and manipulation of panel geometry resulting in an increased stiffness and strength. These capabilities demonstrate the potential of techniques such as the OPT to further inspire origami-based solutions to engineering problems.
Brief Communication: Evidence of a developing Polynya off Commonwealth Bay, East Antarctica, triggered by grounding of iceberg
Authors: Fogwill Christopher J. , van Sebille Erik , Cougnon Eva A. , Turney Chris S. M. , Rintoul Steve R. , Clark Graeme  F. , Marzinelli E. M. , Rainsley Eleanor B. , Carter Lionel
Published: March 2016

Abstract. The dramatic calving of the Mertz Glacier Tongue in 2010, triggered by the impact of iceberg B09B, reshaped the oceanographic regime across the Mertz Polynya and Commonwealth Bay, regions where high salinity shelf water (HSSW) is formed, the precursor to Antarctic bottom water (AABW). Here we compare post-calving observations with high-resolution ocean modelling which suggest that this reconfiguration has led to the development of a new polynya off Commonwealth Bay, where HSSW production continues by the grounding of B09B. Our findings demonstrate how local changes in icescape can impact formation of AABW, with implications for large-scale ocean circulation and climate.
Beyond the Subject – towards the Object? Nancy K. Miller’s What They Saved: Pieces of a Jewish Past (2011) and the Materiality of Life Writing
Authors: Rueggemeier Anne
Published: March 2016

In contrast to a long scholarly tradition that “separated subject from object, mind from matter” (Hodder 2012, p. 15), current writers of autobiography do no longer ignore the fact that “the content of our so-called inner lives comes heavily freighted with material from outer sources” (Eakin 2009, p. 102). The focus on things runs counter to internal and essential concepts of selfhood as they are rooted in Western thinking and rather make visible the material world, the body and the environment as formative factors of selfhood. It thereby contrasts the Cartesian concept of self founded on thought and reflection with a concept of self based on materiality. Drawing on Nancy K. Miller’s autobiography What They Saved: Pieces of a Jewish Past (2011) this paper will demonstrate that autobiographical objects foster a relational concept of self that is situated in the in-betweenness of subject and object, ego and autre as well as between the biographical and the autobiographical. Thus, the integration of objects highlights the fact that existence is not an individual affair, but that an autobiographical self emerges through and as part of his/her entangledness. Connected to this is the observation that objects function as a form of resistance against the processes of mind based epistemology and make a plea for “situated knowledges” (Haraway 1988).Finally, the essay takes a glimpse at some contemporary autobiographies from Britain, Sweden and Germany to illustrate that object-based life writing and the specific epistemology connected to it are worthy of further investigation. This article was submitted to the European Journal of Life Writing on May 6th 2015 and published on March 5th 2016.
Why Do Chinese College Students Learn ESP: An Analysis of Language Learning Motivations within SDT Framework
Authors: Liu Liangxing
Published: March 2016

This study mainly investigates the motivational characteristics of Chinese college students learning English for Specific Purposes (ESP). By critically examining and comparing Gardner’s (1985) Integrative-Instrumental model and the Self-determination Theory (SDT) by Deci and Ryan(1985), the researcher finds out that the latter one is more comprehensive and applicable to the case of Chinese college ESP learners (the subjects). Thus the researcher develops a questionnaire within the SDT framework to analyze the subjects’ motivations. Drawing upon a follow-up statistical analysis, the research discovers the motivational propensities of the subjects. A discussion of corresponding motivational methods to help improve the subjects’ ESP learning is provided at the end of the article.
The Concerns about Choice Attributes and Behavior Intentions of Consumers toward Food Safety Restaurant
Authors: Lin Wei-Ling , Wu Chao-Chan
Published: March 2016

Consumers have grown increasingly aware about food safety over the last decade. However, various lifestyles have been shown to influence and predict consumer behavior. The main objective of this study is to investigate different consumers’ attribute and intentions toward food safety in restaurant. This study uses a food-related lifestyle approach and cluster analysis to identify three consumer segments: the conservative, the adventurous and the health-conscious consumer. Health-conscious consumers turned out to have more positive attitudes toward healthy and natural foods than the other two segments. This consumer segment also showed the highest likeliness to pay more for restaurants with higher food-safety standards. On the other end of the spectrum, adventurous consumers primarily seek novelty. This group values convenience over health concerns. Among the above, health-conscious consumers should be the primary target groups for restaurant that advertise food safety.
An Improved Framework for Predicting Socially Responsible Consumption Behavior: The Development of a Processual Approach
Authors: Ertz Myriam
Published: March 2016

This paper reviews the literature on Socially-Responsible Consumption Behavior (SRCB) measurement and develops a framework of SRCB, based on the Model of Goal-Directed Behavior (MGB). First, this theoretical paper provides a conceptualization of SRCB. Second, it discusses the measurement scales developed so far for measuring SRCB. Third, it provides an MGB-based integrative framework of SRCB aimed at narrowing the attitude-behavior and intention-behavior gaps, frequently encountered in the literature. The analysis highlights the bi-dimensional structure – social and environmental concern – of SRCB and acknowledges its modular and evolutionary nature, contingent on the contexts in which it is intended to be measured. It therefore offers tremendous research opportunities for academic researchers and useful guidelines for marketers aiming at the exploration of consumers’ SRCB.
Effect of benzyladenine (BA) on auxin-induced stem elongation and thickening in tulip (Tulipa gesneriana L.)
Authors: Saniewski Marian , Węgrzynowicz-Lesiak Elżbieta , Góraj-Koniarska Justyna , Gabryszewska Eleonora
Published: March 2016

It is well known that stem elongation in tulip is induced by the auxin produced in the leaves and gynoecium. Excision of the flower bud and all the leaves in an early stage of tulip growth resulted in almost total inhibition of stem growth, but the inhibition was completely recovered by the exogenous application of auxin to the place from which the flower bud had been removed. Hormonal control of stem thickening in tulip is much less known. Additional application of benzyladenine (BA) to the tulip stem by soaking a cotton wick wrapped around all the internodes only slightly inhibited stem growth induced by IAA at a concentration of 0.1 and 2.0%, but substantially stimulated the thickening of all the internodes. The treatment of the tulip stem with benzyladenine enabled direct contact of the cytokinin with the epidermis, which is an important factor in stem elongation. The experiment conducted in field conditions also showed that BA only slightly inhibited the elongation of the fourth internode induced by IAA, but stimulated the thickening of that internode. IAA applied at a concentration of 2.0% stimulated ethylene production to a much higher extent than IAA at a concentration of 0.1%, and BA affected the auxin-induced ethylene production only to a small extent. Metabolic significance of these findings is discussed.
The Romantic, the Gothic, and the Visual Three Narratives about Amalia von Krüdener and the Russian Poet Fedor Tiutchev
Authors: Bodin Per-Arne
Published: March 2016

One poem by the nineteenth-century Russian poet Fedor Tiutchev begins with the line ‘Я помню время золотое’ (or ‘Ia pomniu vremia zolotoe’) [I remember a golden time]. It is about the poet’s early youth, a meeting with a young woman, a spring outing to castle ruins on the Danube. The poem has led to many attempts to determine the exact time and place of this moment and the identity of the young woman. The aim of the article is to show the complex relationship that exists between fiction, reality, and the scholars’ or critics’ meta-level narrative about fiction and reality. I will attempt to demonstrate
how three distinct narratives (a romantic, a Gothic, and a visual) can originate in this poem, thereby illuminating and perhaps changing our aesthetic appreciation of the poem. The first two narratives have been established by literary historians. The third and last narrative emerges from a compilation of the paintings and photographs preserved by the woman presumed to be the subject of the poem.
L’apport des théories du design aux game studies : nouvelles perspectives en design de jeux vidéo
Authors: Chiapello Laureline
Published: March 2016

At a time when the video game industry is booming in Canada and game studies departments begin to emerge in universities, this article assesses the evolution of video game design theories. These can be considered as the combination of two worlds, design theories and video game studies, a union that seems largely under-examined. Using a theoretical model drawn from design theory, namely “the eclipse of the object,” this article reveals similarities between design and video game design theories. It argues that the parallels that can be drawn between these theories constitute the basis for a shared theoretical outlook. Building on this commonality, this paper concludes with some suggestions concerning research, pedagogy, and the video gaming industry that aim at unifying these two domains.
Intraneural stimulation elicits discrimination of textural features by artificial fingertip in intact and amputee humans
Authors: Oddo Calogero Maria , Raspopovic Stanisa , Artoni Fiorenzo , Mazzoni Alberto , Spigler Giacomo , Petrini Francesco , Giambattistelli Federica , Vecchio Fabrizio , Miraglia Francesca , Zollo Loredana , Di Pino Giovanni , Camboni Domenico , Carrozza Maria Chiara , Guglielmelli Eugenio , Rossini Paolo Maria , Faraguna Ugo , Micera Silvestro
Published: March 2016

Restoration of touch after hand amputation is a desirable feature of ideal prostheses. Here, we show that texture discrimination can be artificially provided in human subjects by implementing a neuromorphic real-time mechano-neuro-transduction (MNT), which emulates to some extent the firing dynamics of SA1 cutaneous afferents. The MNT process was used to modulate the temporal pattern of electrical spikes delivered to the human median nerve via percutaneous microstimulation in four intact subjects and via implanted intrafascicular stimulation in one transradial amputee. Both approaches allowed the subjects to reliably discriminate spatial coarseness of surfaces as confirmed also by a hybrid neural model of the median nerve. Moreover, MNT-evoked EEG activity showed physiologically plausible responses that were superimposable in time and topography to the ones elicited by a natural mechanical tactile stimulation. These findings can open up novel opportunities for sensory restoration in the next generation of neuro-prosthetic hands.
Neural signatures of perceptual inference
Authors: Sedley William , Gander Phillip E , Kumar Sukhbinder , Kovach Christopher K , Oya Hiroyuki , Kawasaki Hiroto , Howard Matthew A , Griffiths Timothy D
Published: March 2016

Generative models, such as predictive coding, posit that perception results from a combination of sensory input and prior prediction, each weighted by its precision (inverse variance), with incongruence between these termed prediction error (deviation from prediction) or surprise (negative log probability of the sensory input). However, direct evidence for such a system, and the physiological basis of its computations, is lacking. Using an auditory stimulus whose pitch value changed according to specific rules, we controlled and separated the three key computational variables underlying perception, and discovered, using direct recordings from human auditory cortex, that surprise due to prediction violations is encoded by local field potential oscillations in the gamma band (>30 Hz), changes to predictions in the beta band (12-30 Hz), and that the precision of predictions appears to quantitatively relate to alpha band oscillations (8-12 Hz). These results confirm oscillatory codes for critical aspects of generative models of perception.
Sleep-active neuron specification and sleep induction require FLP-11 neuropeptides to systemically induce sleep
Authors: Turek Michal , Besseling Judith , Spies Jan-Philipp , König Sabine , Bringmann Henrik
Published: March 2016

Sleep is an essential behavioral state. It is induced by conserved sleep-active neurons that express GABA. However, little is known about how sleep neuron function is determined and how sleep neurons change physiology and behavior systemically. Here, we investigated sleep in Caenorhabditis elegans, which is induced by the single sleep-active neuron RIS. We found that the transcription factor LIM-6, which specifies GABAergic function, in parallel determines sleep neuron function through the expression of APTF-1, which specifies the expression of FLP-11 neuropeptides. Surprisingly FLP-11, and not GABA, is the major component that determines the sleep-promoting function of RIS. FLP-11 is constantly expressed in RIS. At sleep onset RIS depolarizes and releases FLP-11 to induce a systemic sleep state.
Tracking interspecies transmission and long-term evolution of an ancient retrovirus using the genomes of modern mammals
Authors: Diehl William E , Patel Nirali , Halm Kate , Johnson Welkin E
Published: March 2016

Mammalian genomes typically contain hundreds of thousands of endogenous retroviruses (ERVs), derived from ancient retroviral infections. Using this molecular 'fossil' record, we reconstructed the natural history of a specific retrovirus lineage (ERV-Fc) that disseminated widely between ~33 and ~15 million years ago, corresponding to the Oligocene and early Miocene epochs. Intercontinental viral spread, numerous instances of interspecies transmission and emergence in hosts representing at least 11 mammalian orders, and a significant role for recombination in diversification of this viral lineage were also revealed. By reconstructing the canonical retroviral genes, we identified patterns of adaptation consistent with selection to maintain essential viral protein functions. Our results demonstrate the unique potential of the ERV fossil record for studying the processes of viral spread and emergence as they play out across macro-evolutionary timescales, such that looking back in time may prove insightful for predicting the long-term consequences of newly emerging viral infections.
Driving voltage properties sensitive to microscale liquid crystal orientation pattern in twisted nematic liquid crystal cells
Authors: Honma Michinori , Takahashi Koki , Yamaguchi Rumiko , Nose Toshiaki
Published: March 2016

We investigated the micropattern-sensitive driving voltage properties of twisted nematic liquid crystal (LC) cells and found that the threshold voltage for inducing the Fréedericksz transition strongly depends on the micropatterned LC molecular orientation state. We discuss the effects of various cell parameters such as the period of the micropattern Λ, the LC layer thickness d, and the twist angle Φ on the threshold voltage. By a computer simulation of the LC molecular orientation, we found that the threshold voltage V
th varies in response to the deformation factor Δ (= d
2/Λ2 + Φ2/π2) of the spatially distributed LC molecular orientation. We confirm that

is proportional to 1 − Δ from both theoretical and experimental standpoints.
Acceleration of stable interface structure searching using a kriging approach
Authors: Kiyohara Shin , Oda Hiromi , Tsuda Koji , Mizoguchi Teruyasu
Published: March 2016

Crystalline interfaces have a tremendous impact on the properties of materials. Determination of the atomic structure of the interface is crucial for a comprehensive understanding of the interface properties. Despite this importance, extensive calculation is necessary to determine even one interface structure. In this study, we apply a technique called kriging, borrowed from geostatistics, to accelerate the determination of the interface structure. The atomic structure of simplified coincidence-site lattice interfaces were determined using the kriging approach. Our approach successfully determined the most stable interface structure with an efficiency almost 2 orders of magnitude better than the traditional “brute force” approach.
Positive and negative dipole layer formation at high-k/SiO2 interfaces simulated by classical molecular dynamics
Authors: Shimura Kosuke , Kunugi Ryota , Ogura Atsushi , Satoh Shinichi , Fei Jiayang , Kita Koji , Watanabe Takanobu
Published: March 2016

We show the electric dipole layer formed at a high-k/SiO2 interface can be explained by the imbalance between the migration of oxygen ions and metal cations across the high-k/SiO2 interface. Classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are performed for Al2O3/SiO2, MgO/SiO2, and SrO/SiO2 interfaces. The simulations qualitatively reproduce the experimentally observed flatband voltage (V
FB) shifts of these systems. In the case of the Al2O3/SiO2 interface, a dipole layer is formed by the migration of oxygen ions from the Al2O3 side to the SiO2 side. By way of contrast, opposite dipole moments appear at the MgO/SiO2 and SrO/SiO2 interfaces, because of a preferential migration of metal cations from the high-k oxide toward the SiO2 layer in the course of the formation of a stable silicate phase. These results indicate that the migrations of both oxygen ions and metal cations are responsible for the formation of the dipole layer in high-k/SiO2 interfaces.
Trajectory‐based modeling of fluid transport in a medium with smoothly varying heterogeneity
Authors: Vasco D. W. , Pride Steven R. , Commer Michael
Published: March 2016

Using an asymptotic methodology, valid in the presence of smoothly varying heterogeneity and prescribed boundaries, we derive a trajectory‐based solution for tracer transport. The analysis produces a Hamilton‐Jacobi partial differential equation for the phase of the propagating tracer front. The trajectories follow from the characteristic equations that are equivalent to the Hamilton‐Jacobi equation. The paths are determined by the fluid velocity field, the total porosity, and the dispersion tensor. Due to their dependence upon the local hydrodynamic dispersion, they differ from conventional streamlines. This difference is borne out in numerical calculations for both uniform and dipole flow fields. In an application to the computational X‐ray imaging of a saline tracer test, we illustrate that the trajectories may serve as the basis for a form of tracer tomography. In particular, we use the onset time of a change in attenuation for each volume element of the X‐ray image as a measure of the arrival time of the saline tracer. The arrival times are used to image the spatial variation of the effective hydraulic conductivity within the laboratory sample.
Pore‐scale displacement mechanisms as a source of hysteresis for two‐phase flow in porous media
Authors: Schlüter S. , Berg S. , Rücker M. , Armstrong R. T. , Vogel H.‐J. , Hilfer R. , Wildenschild D.
Published: March 2016

The macroscopic description of the hysteretic behavior of two‐phase flow in porous media remains a challenge. It is not obvious how to represent the underlying pore‐scale processes at the Darcy‐scale in a consistent way. Darcy‐scale thermodynamic models do not completely eliminate hysteresis and our findings indicate that the shape of displacement fronts is an additional source of hysteresis that has not been considered before. This is a shortcoming because effective process behavior such as trapping efficiency of CO2 or oil production during water flooding are directly linked to pore‐scale displacement mechanisms with very different front shape such as capillary fingering, flat frontal displacement, or cluster growth. Here we introduce fluid topology, expressed by the Euler characteristic of the nonwetting phase (χn), as a shape measure of displacement fronts. Using two high‐quality data sets obtained by fast X‐ray tomography, we show that χn is hysteretic between drainage and imbibition and characteristic for the underlying displacement pattern. In a more physical sense, the Euler characteristic can be interpreted as a parameter describing local fluid connectedness. It may provide the closing link between a topological characterization and macroscopic formulations of two‐phase immiscible displacement in porous rock. Since fast X‐ray tomography is currently becoming a mature technique, we expect a significant growth in high‐quality data sets of real time fluid displacement processes in the future. The novel measures of fluid topology presented here have the potential to become standard metrics needed to fully explore them.
Reactivated afterslip induced by a large regional earthquake, Fiordland, New Zealand
Authors: Hamling I. J. , Hreinsdóttir S.
Published: March 2016

The evaluation of seismic hazard along active faults requires knowledge of the long term slip rate, the portions of the fault which are accumulating strain, and the magnitude, number, and location of past earthquakes. Aseismic slip will lower the long‐term seismic potential, but the distribution of seismic versus aseismic slip along faults is often poorly constrained. Changes to the local stress field may cause the distribution of slip to vary over time periods shorter than the seismic cycle, making it difficult to assess. Using interferometric synthetic aperture radar and GPS data, we present the coseismic and postseismic deformation associated with the 2007 Mw 6.8 George Sound (New Zealand) earthquake and the influence of the 2009 Mw 7.8 Dusky Sound earthquake on the postseismic deformation. Our results suggest that the stress change induced by the later magnitude 7.8 earthquake led to a period of reactivated aseismic slip along the Puysegur subduction interface which ruptured 2 years earlier.
Generation of multiband chorus by lower band cascade in the Earth's magnetosphere
Authors: Gao Xinliang , Lu Quanming , Bortnik Jacob , Li Wen , Chen Lunjin , Wang Shui
Published: March 2016

Chorus waves are intense electromagnetic whistler mode emissions in the magnetosphere, typically falling into two distinct frequency bands: a lower band (0.1–0.5fce) and an upper band (0.5–0.8fce) with a power gap at about 0.5fce. In this letter, with the Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms satellite, we observed two special chorus events, which are called as multiband chorus because upper band chorus is located at harmonics of lower band chorus. We propose a new potential generation mechanism for multiband chorus, which is called as lower band cascade. In this scenario, a density mode with a frequency equal to that of lower band chorus is generated by the ponderomotive effect (inhomogeneity of the electric amplitude) along the wave vector, and then upper band chorus with the frequency twice that of lower band chorus is generated through wave‐wave couplings between lower band chorus and the density mode. The mechanism provides a new insight into the evolution of whistler mode chorus in the Earth's magnetosphere.
Rhodium‐Catalyzed Direct C–H Phosphorylation of (Hetero)arenes Suitable for Late‐Stage Functionalization
Authors: Min Minsik , Kang Dahye , Jung Sungwoo , Hong Sungwoo
Published: March 2016

Efficient rhodium‐catalyzed direct C–H phosphorylation of (hetero)arenes was developed. Various directing groups and a wide range of substrates, including heterocycles, can be utilized in this C–H phosphorylation process, allowing for the rapid installation of the phosphonate group into medicinally and biologically important privileged scaffolds. The efficient and straightforward method could serve as a new tool to streamline late‐stage C–H functionalization for preparing aryl phosphonates, which are important structural motif in synthetic and medicinal chemistry.

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CAP Reform and Price Transmission in the Italian Pasta Chain
Authors: Cacchiarelli Luca , Lass Daniel , Sorrentino Alessandro
Published: March 2016

During the last several years, wheat‐pasta chains have been affected by Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reforms in the durum wheat sector that have progressively reduced government intervention in the market. Specifically, the mid‐term reform, implemented in 2005, represented a deep change in the tools applied in the CAP, with a change from coupled income support to a single decoupled aid where farmers’ incomes are directly supported and are no longer linked to levels or types of production. We hypothesize that price transmission along the wheat‐pasta supply chain has been affected by CAP reform and other events through greater price volatility for durum wheat and market power exerted by some firms along the supply chain. For the present study, we are particularly interested in examining whether and how CAP reform has altered price transmission in the Italian wheat‐pasta chain, from farmer to retailer, including the wholesale stage. We employ the Kinnucan and Forker model, which provides a convenient instrument for analyzing the impact of policy intervention, and adapted its structure to the characteristics and the composition of the pasta supply chain by introducing an intermediate level (wholesale price), represented by semolina producers. The results suggest that pricing behavior has changed after CAP Reform introduction. [EconLit citations: Q110; Q130; L110].
New insights into sodium alginate fouling of ceramic hollow fiber membranes by NMR imaging
Authors: Arndt F. , Roth U. , Nirschl H. , Schütz S. , Guthausen G.
Published: March 2016

Ceramic hollow fiber membranes are investigated with respect to the fouling behavior. Constant pressure dead‐end filtration experiments have been performed using alginate as model substance for extracellular polymeric substances. In addition to the evaluation of the filtration data using conventional cake filtration model, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to elucidate the influence of Ca2+on the fouling layer structure for alginate filtration within ceramic hollow fiber membranes. To visualize the alginate layers inside the opaque ceramic hollow fiber membranes by means of MRI, specific contrast agents were applied. Supplementary to multi slice multi echo imaging, flow velocity measurements were performed to gain more insight into the hydrodynamics in the fouled membranes. MRI reveals the structure of the alginate layers with the finding that the addition of Ca2+to the alginate feed solution promotes the formation of a dense alginate gel layer on the membrane's surface. © 2016 American Institute of Chemical EngineersAIChE J, 62: 2459–2467, 2016
In vivo imaging reveals rapid astrocyte depletion and axon damage in a model of neuromyelitis optica‐related pathology
Authors: Herwerth Marina , Kalluri Sudhakar Reddy , Srivastava Rajneesh , Kleele Tatjana , Kenet Selin , Illes Zsolt , Merkler Doron , Bennett Jeffrey L. , Misgeld Thomas , Hemmer Bernhard
Published: March 2016

Objective

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) is an autoimmune disease of the central nervous system, which resembles multiple sclerosis (MS). NMO differs from MS, however, in the distribution and histology of neuroinflammatory lesions and shows a more aggressive clinical course. Moreover, the majority of NMO patients carry immunoglobulin G autoantibodies against aquaporin‐4 (AQP4), an astrocytic water channel. Antibodies against AQP4 can damage astrocytes by complement, but NMO histopathology also shows demyelination, and — importantly—axon injury, which may determine permanent deficits following NMO relapses. The dynamics of astrocyte injury in NMO and the mechanisms by which toxicity spreads to axons are not understood.

Methods

Here, we establish in vivo imaging of the spinal cord, one of the main sites of NMO pathology, as a powerful tool to study the formation of experimental NMO‐related lesions caused by human AQP4 antibodies in mice.

Results

We found that human AQP4 antibodies caused acute astrocyte depletion with initial oligodendrocyte survival. Within 2 hours of antibody application, we observed secondary axon injury in the form of progressive swellings. Astrocyte toxicity and axon damage were dependent on AQP4 antibody titer and complement, specifically C1q.

Interpretation

In vivo imaging of the spinal cord reveals the swift development of NMO‐related acute axon injury after AQP4 antibody‐mediated astrocyte depletion. This approach will be useful in studying the mechanisms underlying the spread of NMO pathology beyond astrocytes, as well as in evaluating potential neuroprotective interventions. Ann Neurol 2016;79:794–805
β‐Ag3RuO4, a Ruthenate(V) Featuring Spin Tetramers on a Two‐Dimensional Trigonal Lattice
Authors: Prasad Beluvalli E. , Kazin Pavel , Komarek Alexander C. , Felser Claudia , Jansen Martin
Published: March 2016

Open‐shell solids exhibit a plethora of intriguing physical phenomena that arise from a complex interplay of charge, spin, orbital, and spin‐state degrees of freedom. Comprehending these phenomena is an indispensable prerequisite for developing improved functional materials. This type of understanding can be achieved, on the one hand, by experimental and theoretical investigations into known systems, or by synthesizing new solids displaying unprecedented structural and/or electronic features. β‐Ag3RuO4 may serve as such a model system because it possesses a remarkable anionic structure, consisting of tetrameric polyoxoanions (Ru4O16)12−, and is an embedded fragment of a 2D trigonal MO2 lattice. The notorious frustration of antiferromagnetic (AF) exchange couplings on such lattices is thus lifted, and instead strong AF occurs within the oligomeric anion, where only one exchange path remains frustrated among the relevant six. The strong magnetic anisotropy of the [Ru4O16]12− ion, and the effectively orbital nature of its net magnetic moment, implies that this anion may reveal the properties of a single‐molecule magnet if well‐diluted in a diamagnetic matrix.
Childhood cancer in children with congenital anomalies in Oklahoma, 1997 to 2009
Authors: Janitz Amanda E. , Neas Barbara R. , Campbell Janis E. , Pate Anne E. , Stoner Julie A. , Magzamen Sheryl L. , Peck Jennifer D.
Published: March 2016

Background

Data‐linkage studies have reported an association between congenital anomalies and childhood cancer. However, few studies have focused on the differences in the effect of congenital anomalies on cancer as a function of attained age. We aimed to examine associations between anomalies and childhood cancer as a function of attained age among children born in Oklahoma.

Methods

Data were obtained from the Oklahoma State Department of Health from 1997 to 2009 (n = 591,235). We linked Vital Statistics records for singleton deliveries to the Oklahoma Birth Defects Registry and the Oklahoma Central Cancer Registry using name and birth date. To assess the relation between anomalies and childhood cancer, we used Cox regression analysis allowing for a nonproportional hazards for anomalies as a function of age.

Results

There were 23,368 (4.0%) children with anomalies and 531 (0.1%) children with cancer. When considering 3‐year age intervals, we detected an increased hazard of any childhood cancer in children with anomalies compared with those without anomalies before 1 year of age (hazard ratio, 14.1; 95% confidence interval, 8.3–23.7) and at 3 years of age (hazard ratio, 2.3; 95% confidence interval, 1.6–3.2). The increased hazard declined with increasing time since birth, with the effect diminished by 6 years of age.

Conclusion

Our results were consistent with previous studies indicating an increased rate of childhood cancer among children with anomalies at younger ages. Furthermore, our study added a methodological refinement of assessing the effect of anomalies as a function of attained age. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 106:633–642, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
High expression of TRF2, SOX10, and CD10 in circulating tumor microemboli detected in metastatic melanoma patients. A potential impact for the assessment of disease aggressiveness
Authors: Long Elodie , Ilie Marius , Bence Coraline , Butori Catherine , Selva Eric , Lalvée Salomé , Bonnetaud Christelle , Poissonnet Gilles , Lacour Jean‐Philippe , Bahadoran Philippe , Brest Patrick , Gilson Eric , Ballotti Robert , Hofman Véronique , Hofman Paul
Published: March 2016

Circulating tumors cells (CTCs) can be detected in the blood of metastatic melanoma patients (MMPs) both as isolated circulating tumor cells (iCTCs) and circulating tumor microemboli (CTMs), but their clinical significance remains unknown. The aim of this work was to evaluate the prognostic impact in metastatic cutaneous melanoma of CTMs and iCTCs identified by a cytomorphological approach using the isolation by size of tumor cell (ISET) method. We characterized the phenotype of CTCs using anti‐PS100, anti‐SOX10, anti‐CD10, and anti‐TRF2 antibodies. 128 MMPs and 37 control healthy individuals with benign nevi were included in this study. Results were compared to the follow‐up of patients. 109/128 (85%) MMPs showed CTCs, 44/128 (34%) with 2 to 6 CTMs and 65/128 (51%) with 4 to 9 iCTCs. PS100 expression was homogeneous in iCTCs and heterogeneous in CTMs. SOX10, CD10, and TRF2 were mainly expressed in CTMs. None of the control subjects demonstrated circulating malignant tumor cells. Overall survival was significantly decreased in patients with CTMs, independently of the therapeutic strategies. In conclusion, the presence of CTMs is an independent predictor of shorter survival from the time of diagnosis of MMPs.
Inhibition of HIV‐1 Reverse Transcriptase Dimerization by Small Molecules
Authors: Tintori Cristina , Corona Angela , Esposito Francesca , Brai Annalaura , Grandi Nicole , Ceresola Elisa Rita , Clementi Massimo , Canducci Filippo , Tramontano Enzo , Botta Maurizio
Published: March 2016

Because HIV‐1 reverse transcriptase is an enzyme whose catalytic activity depends on its heterodimeric structure, this system could be a target for inhibitors that perturb the interactions between the protein subunits, p51 and p66. We previously demonstrated that the small molecule MAS0 reduced the association of the two RT subunits and simultaneously inhibited both the polymerase and ribonuclease H activities. In this study, some analogues of MAS0 were rationally selected by docking studies and evaluated in vitro for their ability to disrupt dimeric assembly. Two inhibitors were identified with improved activity compared to MAS0. This study lays the basis for the rational design of more potent inhibitors of RT dimerization.
The china patient‐centered evaluative assessment of cardiac events (PEACE) prospective study of percutaneous coronary intervention: Study design
Authors: Du Xue , Pi Yi , Dreyer Rachel P. , Li Jing , Li Xi , Downing Nicholas S. , Li Li , Feng Fang , Zhan Lijuan , Zhang Haibo , Guan Wenchi , Xu Xiao , Li Shu‐Xia , Lin Zhenqiu , Masoudi Frederick A. , Spertus John A. , Krumholz Harlan M. , Jiang Lixin ,   for the China PEACE Collaborative Group
Published: March 2016

Background

The number of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI) in China has increased more than 20‐fold over the last decade. Consequently, there is a need for national‐level information to characterize PCI indications and long‐term patient outcomes, including health status, to understand and improve evolving practice patterns. Objectives: This nationwide prospective study of patients receiving PCI is to: (1) measure long‐term clinical outcomes (including death, acute myocardial infarction [AMI], and/or revascularization), patient‐reported outcomes (PROs), cardiovascular risk factor control and adherence to medications for secondary prevention; (2) determine patient‐ and hospital‐level factors associated with care process and outcomes; and (3) assess the appropriateness of PCI procedures. Methods: The China Patient‐centered Evaluative Assessment of Cardiac Events (PEACE) Prospective Study of PCI has enrolled 5,000 consecutive patients during 2012–2014 from 34 diverse hospitals across China undergoing PCI for any indication. We abstracted details of patient's medical history, treatments, and in‐hospital outcomes from medical charts, and conducted baseline, 1‐, 6‐, and 12‐month interviews to characterize patient demographics, risk factors, clinical presentation, healthcare utilization, and health status using validated PRO measures. The primary outcome, a composite measure of death, AMI and/or revascularization, as well as PROs, medication adherence and cardiovascular risk factor control, was assessed throughout the 12‐month follow‐up. Blood and urine samples were collected at baseline and 12 months and stored for future analyses. To validate reports of coronary anatomy, 2,000 angiograms are randomly selected and read by two independent core laboratories. Hospital characteristics regarding their facilities, processes and organizational characteristics are assessed by site surveys. Conclusion: China PEACE Prospective Study of PCI will be the first study to generate novel, high‐quality, comprehensive national data on patients’ socio‐demographic, clinical, treatment, and metabolic/genetic factors, and importantly, their long‐term outcomes following PCI, including health status. This will build the foundation for PCI performance improvement efforts in China. © 2016 The Authors. Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Abnormal distortion of aortic corevalve bioprosthesis with suicide left ventricle, aortic insufficiency, and severe mitral regurgitation during transcatheter aortic valve replacement
Authors: Leya Ferdinand , Tuchek J. Michael , Coats Walter
Published: March 2016

We present a patient with critical degenerative aortic stenosis, mitral annular and aortomitral continuity calcification, and senile sigmoid septal hypertrophy who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement using the CoreValve bioprosthesis. Immediately after predilation of the aortic valve (18‐mm balloon), the patient developed severe hypotension and dynamic left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) obstruction with systolic anterior motion of the anterior mitral leaflet, causing severe mitral regurgitation. After deployment of a 26‐mm bioprosthesis, a transesophageal echocardiogram and left ventriculogram showed that the frame of the bioprosthesis appeared distorted and underexpanded. On the mitral side of the aorta (side of the aortomitral curtain between 12:00 and 3:00, echo short axis view), we found moderate periprosthetic aortic insufficiency with worse mitral regurgitation. The left ventricle was small and hyperdynamic (ejection fraction >85%). The patient soon developed complete heart block, atrial fibrillation, and ventricular tachycardia. She was resuscitated with aggressive intravenous fluids, vasopressors, and an emergently placed atrioventricular sequential pacemaker. We postdilated the 26‐mm bioprosthesis with a 22‐mm Z‐Med balloon and subsequently with a 25‐mm balloon. Each balloon was inflated to its nominal volume and pressure and conformed the nitinol frame of the valve to the net circular shape and expected diameter. However, as soon as each balloon was deflated, the surrounding aortic root anatomy visibly recoiled and the frame returned to its smaller diameter with a distorted shape. A second 26‐mm CoreValve bioprosthesis was then deployed in a “valve‐in‐valve” configuration. Soon after, the patient's hemodynamics improved, her clinical condition stabilized, and she completely recovered. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Efficacy and safety of transcatheter aortic valve replacement in intermediate surgical risk patients: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Khan Abdur Rahman , Khan Sobia , Riaz Haris , Luni Faraz Khan , Simo Herman , Bin Abdulhak Aref , Bavishi Chirag , Flaherty Michael
Published: March 2016

Background

The efficacy of transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in aortic stenosis patients at high surgical risk has been established. The data on patients with intermediate risk is not conclusive. We performed a meta‐analysis of studies which compared TAVR with surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) in patients at intermediate surgical risk.

Methods

Several databases searched from inception to February 2015 yielded 7 eligible studies with 2,173 participants. The measured outcome of efficacy was all‐cause mortality. Data on safety included stroke, permanent pacemaker implantation (PPI), aortic regurgitation (AR), vascular access complications, and major bleeding. Outcomes were pooled and relative risk (RR) was calculated with the Mantel–Haenszel method.

Results

There was no difference in either short‐term (RR, 1.02; 95% CI: 0.63–1.63; P = 0.94; I2 = 0%) or medium to long‐term all‐cause mortality (RR, 0.99; 95% CI: 0.81–1.21; P = 0.91; I2 = 0%). There was increased incidence of stroke (RR, 2.96; 95% CI: 0.87–10.09; P = 0.08; I2 = 0%), AR (RR, 3.59; 95% CI: 2.13–7.19; P < 0.00001; I2 = 2%), PPI (RR, 6.53; 95% CI: 1.91–22.32; P < 0.003; I2 = 0%) and vascular access complications (RR, 3.84; 95% CI: 0.65–22.76; P < 0.14; I2 = 48%) in patients with TAVR. There was a small, albeit increased risk of major or life threatening bleeding with SAVR as compared to TAVR (RR, 1.36; 95% CI: 1.04–1.80; P < 0.03; I2 = 0%).

Conclusions

In this meta‐analysis we found that TAVR may be an acceptable alternative to SAVR in patients with intermediate risk for surgery. However, we must await evidence from the current large randomized trials before widespread adoption of this procedure is undertaken. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.