bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Influences of the concentration and the molar ratio of mixed surfactants on the performance of vesicle pseudostationary phase
Authors: Jiang Lingling , Cao Yuhua , Ni Xinjiong , Zhang Min , Cao Guangqun 
Published: April 2018

AbstractIn our previous work, it was found that the vesicles were formed spontaneously by mixing octyltriethylammonium bromide (C8NE3Br) with sodium dodecyl benzene sulfonate (SDBS), and the vesicles have been developed as a pseudostationary phase (PSP) in EKC. In the present work, the effects of the concentration and the molar ratio of cationic to anionic surfactant on the vesicle properties and the performances of vesicle PSP in EKC have been investigated. The aggregates at all mixing ratio were negatively charged regardless of which surfactant surplus. As C8NE3Br proportion increased, the microviscosity of the vesicle became larger. With the increase in the total surfactant concentration, the migration time window broadened at the molar ratio of C8NE3Br to SDBS of 3:7. Unexpectedly, the window became narrowed at molar ratio of 5:5 and 6:4. However, the methylene selectivity of vesicle PSP at all above‐mentioned molar ratios enhanced as the total surfactant concentration increased, no matter whether the migration time window enlarged or narrowed. It implied that the vesicle PSP at molar ratio of 5:5 and 6:4 made it possible to obtain a better separation in a shorter time. When the total surfactant concentration was fixed at 20 mM, the methylene selectivity of the vesicle PSP of molar ratio of 5:5 was comparable to that of 3:7, but the migration time shortened by a half.
An aminoacylase activity from Streptomyces ambofaciens catalyzes the acylation of lysine on α‐position and peptides on N‐terminal position
Authors: Dettori Léna , Ferrari Florent , Framboisier Xavier , Paris Cédric , Guiavarc'h Yann , Hôtel Laurence , Aymes Arnaud , Leblond Pierre , Humeau Catherine , Kapel Romain , Chevalot Isabelle , Aigle Bertrand , Delaunay Stéphane 
Published: April 2018

AbstractThe presence of aminoacylase activities was investigated in a crude extract of Streptomyces ambofaciens ATCC23877. First activities catalyzing the hydrolysis of N‐α or ε‐acetyl‐L‐lysine were identified. Furthermore, the acylation of lysine and different peptides was studied and compared with results obtained with lipase B of Candida antarctica (CALB). Different regioselectivities were demonstrated for the two classes of enzymes. CALB was able to catalyze acylation only on the ε‐position whereas the crude extract from S. ambofaciens possessed the rare ability to catalyze the N‐acylation on the α‐position of the lysine or of the amino‐acid in N‐terminal position of peptides. Two genes, SAM23877_1485 and SAM23877_1734, were identified in the genome of Streptomyces ambofaciens ATCC23877 whose products show similarities with the previously identified aminoacylases from Streptomyces mobaraensis. The proteins encoded by these two genes were responsible for the major aminoacylase hydrolytic activities. Furthermore, we show that the hydrolysis of N‐α‐acetyl‐L‐lysine could be attributed to the product of SAM23877_1734 gene.
Uniform fragility spectra for the performance‐based seismic design of structures considering variabilities in structural properties
Authors: Niño Mauro , Ayala Gustavo , López Saúl 
Published: April 2018

SummaryThis paper presents a new methodology based on structural performance to determine uniform fragility design spectra, i.e., spectra with the same probability of exceedance of a performance level for a given seismic intensity. The design spectra calculated with this methodology provide directly the lateral strength, in terms of yield‐ pseudo‐accelerations, associated with the rate of exceedance of a specific ductility characterizing the performance level for which the structures will be designed. This procedure involves the assessment of the seismic hazard using a large enough number of seismic records of several magnitudes; these records are simulated with an improved empirical Green function method. The statistics of the performance of a single degree of freedom system are obtained using Monte Carlo simulation considering the seismic demand, the fundamental period, and the strength of the structure as uncertain variables. With these results, the conditional probability that a structure exceeds a specific performance level is obtained. The authors consider that the proposed procedure is a significant improvement to others considered in the literature and a useful research tool for the further development of uniform fragility spectra that can be used for the performance‐based seismic design and retrofit of structures.
Decision‐making impairment in anorexia nervosa: New insights into the role of age and decision‐making style
Authors: Giannunzio Valeria , Degortes Daniela , Tenconi Elena , Collantoni Enrico , Solmi Marco , Santonastaso Paolo , Favaro Angela 
Published: April 2018

AbstractObjectivePatients with anorexia nervosa (AN) often report difficulties in decision making, which may interfere with treatment. The aim of this study was to investigate decision making in a large sample of adolescent and adult patients with AN, by using the Iowa gambling task.MethodParticipants were 611 female individuals (310 patients and 301 controls) who underwent neuropsychological and clinical assessment.ResultsSignificantly poorer decision‐making performance was observed in adult patients, whereas no difference emerged between affected and nonaffected adolescents. Both adolescent and adult patients were characterized by trends for higher levels of attention to losses in comparison with healthy controls. Although healthy adult women exhibited better decision‐making performance than healthy adolescents, in AN, there was no improvement of decision making with age. A cluster analysis identified 2 different styles of decision making in both patients and controls: a conservative style and an impulsive style.DiscussionOur study provides evidence of dysfunctional decision making in adult patients with AN and reveals an association between poor decision making and excessive punishment sensitivity in AN. The clinical and scientific implications of these findings merit further exploration.
The variability in the morphological active width: Results from physical models of gravel‐bed braided rivers
Authors: Peirce Sarah , Ashmore Peter , Leduc Pauline 
Published: April 2018

AbstractThe morphological active width, defined as the lateral extent of bed material displacement over time, is a fundamental parameter in multi‐threaded gravel‐bed rivers, linking complex channel dynamics to bedload transport. Here, results are presented from five constant discharge experiments, and three event hydrographs, covering a range of flow strengths and channel configurations for which morphological change, bedload transport rates, and stream power were measured in a physical model. Changes in channel morphology were determined via differencing of photogrammetrically‐derived digital elevation models (DEMs) of the model surface generated at regular intervals over the course of ~115 h of experimental runs. Independent measures of total bedload output were made using downstream sediment baskets. Results indicate that the morphological active width increases with total and dimensionless stream power and is strongly and positively correlated with bulk change (total volume of bed material displaced over time) and active braiding intensity (ABI). Although there is considerable scatter due to the inherent variability in braided river morphodynamics, the active width is positively correlated with independent measurements of bedload transport rate. Active width, bulk change, and bedload transport rates were all negligible below a dimensionless stream power threshold value of ~ 0.09, above which all increase with flow strength. Therefore, the active width could be used as a general predictor of bulk change and bedload transport rates, which in turn could be approximated from total and dimensionless stream power or ABI in gravel‐bed braided rivers. Furthermore, results highlight the importance of the active width, rather than the morphological active depth, in predicting volumes of change and bedload transport rates. The results contribute to the larger goals of better understanding braided river morphodynamics, creating large high‐resolution datasets of channel change for model calibration and validation, and developing morphological methods for predicting bedload transport rates in braiding river systems. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simulating latrine conditions to assess perfume performance against malodour
Authors: Chappuis Charles Jean‐François , Huber Robin , Niclass Yvan , Starkenmann Christian 
Published: April 2018

AbstractTo evaluate perfume performance in toilets, we built model toilets in which critical factors such as background malodour, climate, and airflow were controlled. The models were equipped with an odour generator that injected hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, butyric acid, para‐cresol, and indole, allowing us to accurately and reliably reconstitute toilet malodour headspace. The malodorant concentrations matched the quantitative headspace analysis performed in African and Indian toilets. The toilet malodour headspace performance was validated by chemical and sensory analysis. Olfactory stimuli were presented to participants in different simulated climates to assess the effect of climate on the perception of odours. The sensory data show that increasing temperature and humidity decreased the intensity ratings of odours without altering their quality. Perfume can be delivered in these toilets by forced evaporation to control the headspace concentration, or by delivery systems such as cellulosic pads, liquids, and powders. Our experimental set‐up allowed us to establish dose–response curves to assess the performance of a perfume in reducing toilet malodour and increasing perceived pleasantness.
A test of the joint efficiency of macroeconomic forecasts using multivariate random forests
Authors: Behrens Christoph , Pierdzioch Christian , Risse Marian 
Published: April 2018

AbstractWe contribute to recent research on the joint evaluation of the properties of macroeconomic forecasts in a multivariate setting. The specific property of forecasts that we are interested in is their joint efficiency. We study the joint efficiency of forecasts by means of multivariate random forests, which we use to model the links between forecast errors and predictor variables in a forecaster's information set. We then use permutation tests to study whether the Mahalanobis distance between the predicted forecast errors for the growth and inflation forecasts of four leading German economic research institutes and actual forecast errors is significantly smaller than under the null hypothesis of forecast efficiency. We reject joint efficiency in several cases, but also document heterogeneity across research institutes with regard to the joint efficiency of their forecasts.
Generation of Eocene volcanic rocks from the Cordilleran arc of south‐central British Columbia (Canada) during subduction of the Farallon and Resurrection plates and Yellowstone oceanic plateau
Authors: Dostal Jaroslav , Keppie J. Duncan , Church B. Neil 
Published: April 2018

Eocene calc‐alkaline volcanic rocks (Challis–Kamloops belt) of south‐central British Columbia are part of a chain of 55–45 Ma igneous rocks running along the eastern side of the Coast Mountains Batholith that straddles the Canada–United States border. This chain has been interpreted as resulting from east‐vergent subduction of oceanic plates in the Pacific Ocean under the North American continent. The volcanic rocks are mainly mafic‐intermediate calc‐alkaline and subordinate alkaline rocks with trace element and Sr and Nd isotope characteristics typical of subduction‐related, distal continental arcs. The mafic rocks were sourced from heterogeneous, subduction‐modified, subcontinental lithospheric mantle at various depths by variable degrees of melting. The volcanic rocks are associated with the formation of block‐faulted basins in an extensional arc setting. Positive seismic P‐wave anomalies in the northern USA image a horizontal slab between two steeply dipping, approximately 500‐km‐long slabs representing the present Cascadia subduction zone in the west, and a fossil subduction zone beneath the Challis–Kamloops belt. The horizontal slab is interpreted as the Yellowstone oceanic plateau that eventually choked the trench leading to a westward trench jump. Underthrusting of the Yellowstone oceanic plateau is inferred to have led to subduction erosion beneath the leading edge of the Cordilleran arc followed by extrusion as the Central Gneiss Complex into the upper plate. The combination of trench jump and subduction of the Resurrection–Kula ridge terminated the Challis–Kamloops magmatism and further opening of the slab window leading to the northward motion of the Kula Plate relative to North America that produced oblique rifts and core complexes in British Columbia.
Gliovascular changes precede white matter damage and long‐term disorders in juvenile mild closed head injury
Authors: Rodriguez‐Grande Beatriz , Obenaus Andre , Ichkova Aleksandra , Aussudre Justine , Bessy Thomas , Barse Elodie , Hiba Bassem , Catheline Gwénaëlle , Barrière Grégory , Badaut Jerome 
Published: April 2018

AbstractTraumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of hospital visits in pediatric patients and often leads to long‐term disorders even in cases of mild severity. White matter (WM) alterations are commonly observed in patients months or years after the injury assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), but little is known about WM pathophysiology early after mild pediatric TBI. To evaluate the status of the gliovascular unit in this context, mild TBI was induced in postnatal‐day 17 mice using a closed head injury model with two grades of severity (G1, G2). G2 resulted in significant WM edema (increased T2‐signal) and BBB damage (IgG‐extravasation immunostaining) whereas decreased T2 and the increased levels of astrocytic water‐channel AQP4 were observed in G1 mice 1 day post‐injury. Both severities induced astrogliosis (GFAP immunolabeling). No changes in myelin and neurofilament were detected at this acute time point. One month after injury G2 mice exhibited diffusion tensor imaging MRI alterations (decreased fractional anisotropy) accompanied by decreased neurofilament staining in the WM. Both severities induced behavioral impairments at this time point. In conclusion, long‐term deficits and WM changes similar to those found after clinical TBI are preceded by distinct early gliovascular phenotype alterations after juvenile mild TBI, revealing AQP4 as a potential candidate for severity‐based treatments.
Does the earned income tax credit increase children's weight? The impact of policy‐driven income on childhood obesity
Authors: Jo Young 
Published: April 2018

AbstractI exploit substantial increases in the earned income tax credit to study how a policy‐driven change in family income affects childhood obesity. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979, my difference‐in‐differences estimates indicate that the probability of being obese increased by 3 percentage points among children whose families experienced a greater income shock. A further investigation suggests that a reduction in maternal time with children played a greater role in children's weight gain than income. The paper's finding shows that a program that is not designed for health purposes, such as earned income tax credit, can have unintended effects on health outcomes.
Did adolescents in Norway respond to the elimination of copayments for general practitioner services?
Authors: Olsen Camilla Beck , Melberg Hans Olav 
Published: April 2018

AbstractCopayments for primary care services may lead to decreased access to and underconsumption of necessary health care for vulnerable patient groups, such as adolescents. In Norway, in 2010, adolescents aged 12 to 15 years were exempted from copayments for general practitioner (GP) services, and the aim of this study is to estimate whether being exempted from copayments led to increases in GP visits.We apply the synthetic control method using the elastic net regression as a data‐driven approach to construct a relevant counterfactual from our pool of age groups not affected by the reform. Data on the number of GP consultations for males and females from 2006 to 2013 is obtained from the Norwegian Health Economics Administration.Our findings suggest that exempting adolescents from copayments increased the number of per person GP consultations by 22.1% among females and 13.8% among males. This indicates that adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15 were sensitive to copayments before the reform and females more so than males.
Adult neurogenesis affects motivation to obtain weak, but not strong, reward in operant tasks
Authors: Karlsson Rose‐Marie , Wang Alice S. , Sonti Anup N. , Cameron Heather A. 
Published: April 2018

AbstractDecreased motivation to seek rewards is a key feature of mood disorders that correlates with severity and treatment outcome. This anhedonia, or apathy, likely reflects impairment in reward circuitry, but the specific neuronal populations controlling motivation are unclear. Granule neurons generated in the adult hippocampus have been implicated in mood disorders, but are not generally considered as part of reward circuits. We investigated a possible role of these new neurons in motivation to work for food and sucrose rewards in operant conditioning tasks using GFAP‐TK pharmacogenetic ablation of adult neurogenesis in both rats and mice. Rats and mice lacking adult neurogenesis showed normal lever press responding during fixed ratio training, reward devaluation, and Pavlovian Instrumental Transfer, suggesting no impairment in learning. However, on an exponentially progressive ratio schedule, or when regular chow was freely available in the testing chamber, TK rats and mice showed less effort to gain sucrose tablets. When working for balanced food tablets, which rats and mice of both genotypes strongly preferred over sucrose, the genotype effects on behavior were lost. This decrease in effort under conditions of low reward suggests that loss of adult neurogenesis decreases motivation to seek reward in a manner that may model behavioral apathy.
Sex differences in hippocampal mineralocorticoid and glucocorticoid receptor mRNA expression in response to acute mate pair separation in zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata)
Authors: Madison Farrah N. , Kesner Andrew J. , Alward Beau A. , Ball Gregory F. 
Published: April 2018

AbstractMate separation has been shown to mediate changes in physiological and behavioral processes via activation of the hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis in both mammalian and avian species. To elucidate the neural mechanisms associated with changes in the HPA axis in response to social stress, we investigated the effects of mate pair separation on circulating corticosterone concentrations as well as gene expression levels of mineralocorticoid receptor (MR), glucocorticoid receptor (GR), and corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) in the hypothalamus and hippocampus of both male and female zebra finches, a species that forms strong pair bonds. Zebra finches (Taeniopygia guttata) were housed three to a cage (a mated pair plus a stimulus female), and were assigned to one of three new housing treatment groups: (1) male or female removed from their respective mate and placed in a cage with a new opposite sex conspecific and stimulus female (2) male or female that remained with their mate, but a new stimulus female was introduced, or (3) the subjects were handled but not separated from their mate or the stimulus female. After 48 hr in the new housing condition, we observed significant increases in plasma corticosterone concentrations in response to both mate pair and stimulus female separation. No significant differences in MR, GR, or CRH mRNA expression in the hypothalamus were observed in response to any treatment for both males and females. Females exhibited a significant up regulation in hippocampal MR, but not GR mRNA, whereas males exhibited a significant down regulation of both hippocampal MR and GR mRNA in response to mate pair separation. Thus, the hippocampus appears to play a key role in regulating sex specific responses to social stressors.
Synthesis and Characterization of Heteroleptic Ru(II) Complexes Based on 4,4′‐Bis((E)‐styryl)‐2,2′‐bipyridine as Ancillary Ligand and Application for Dye‐Sensitized Solar Cells
Authors: Lee Jihoon , Seo Jinhyung , Choi Yong Rack , Oh Hyunju , Huh Jun Nyeong , Park Byoungchoo , Tak Jungae , Kim Byeong Hyo 
Published: April 2018

Heteroleptic Ru(II) complexes were designed based on 4,4′‐bis((E)‐styryl)‐2,2′‐bipyridine (bsbpy) as an ancillary ligand for dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs), and those Ru(II) sensitizers, [Ru(L)(bsbpy)(NCS)2][TBA] (TBA; tetrabutylammonium), were synthesized according to a typical one‐pot reaction of [RuCl2(p‐cymene)]2 with the corresponding anchoring ligands (where L = 4,4′‐dicarboxy‐2,2′‐bipyridine (dcbpy), 4,4′‐bis((E)‐carboxyvinyl)‐2,2′‐bipyridine (dcvbpy), 4,7‐dicarboxy‐1,10‐phenanthroline (dcphen), or 4,7‐bis((E)‐carboxyvinyl)‐1,10‐phenanthroline (dcvphen)). The new Ru(II) dyes, [Ru(L)(bsbpy)(NCS)2][TBA] that incorporated vinyl spacer(s) into ancillary and/or anchoring ligand displayed red‐shifted bands over the overall UV/VIS region relative to the absorption spectra of N719. A combination of bsbpy ancillary and dcphen anchoring ligand showed the best result for the overall power conversion efficiency (η); i.e., a DSSC fabricated with [Ru(dcphen)(bsbpy)(NCS)2][TBA] exhibited a power conversion efficiency (η) of 2.98% (compare to N719, 4.82%).
Placental MAOA expression mediates prenatal stress effects on temperament in 12‐month‐olds
Authors: Pehme Patricia M. , Zhang Wei , Finik Jackie , Pritchett Alexandra , Buthmann Jessica , Dana Kathryn , Hao Ke , Nomura Yoko 
Published: April 2018

AbstractThe placenta adapts to maternal environment and its alterations may have a lasting impact on child's temperament development. Prenatal stress has been linked to both a downregulation of monoamine oxidase A (MAOA) gene expression in the placenta and to difficult temperament. Capitalizing on an ongoing longitudinal study, we analysed data from 95 mother–child dyads to investigate whether MAOA mediates the association between prenatal stress and infant temperament. Prenatal stress was defined as exposure to Superstorm Sandy (Sandy) during pregnancy. Infant temperament was measured by Infant Behaviour Questionnaire‐Revised. MAOA gene expression was quantified in placenta tissue. The Smiling and Laughter subscale score was independently associated with Sandy exposure and MAOA placental gene expression. Mediation analysis confirmed that MAOA expression partially mediated the relationship between Sandy and Smiling and Laughter subscale, suggesting that in utero exposure to Sandy could induce lower frequency of smiling and laughter via downregulation of placental MAOA gene expression. These effects could compromise optimal temperamental trajectory and contribute to risk for psychological problems. Placental epigenetic markers can contribute to a multidimensional model of early intervention for high‐risk children.Highlights

The study examined whether placental MAOA gene expression operates as a biological mediator in the relationship between prenatal stress and infant temperament.
Mediation analyses revealed a partial mediation between prenatal stress and Smiling and Laughter subscale.
Stress in utero could change MAOA gene expression epigenetically, which could shape temperament development. Such placental gene expressions may become useful biomarkers for screening and intervention.