bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Daily bread: a novel vehicle for dissemination and evaluation of psychological first aid for families exposed to armed conflict in Syria
Authors: El-Khani A. , Cartwright K. , Redmond A. , Calam R. 
Published: April 2016

Background.Risks to the mental health of children and families exposed to conflict in Syria are of such magnitude that research identifying how best to deliver psychological first aid is urgently required. This study tested the feasibility of a novel approach to large-scale distribution of information and data collection.Methods.Routine humanitarian deliveries of bread by a bakery run by a non-governmental organisation (NGO) were used to distribute parenting information leaflets and questionnaires to adults looking after children in conflict zones inside Syria. Study materials were emailed to a project worker in Turkey. Leaflets and questionnaires requesting feedback were transported alongside supplies to a bakery in Syria, and then packed with flatbreads. Three thousand bread-packs were distributed, from three distribution points to which questionnaires were returned, and then taken to Turkey and dispatched to the UK.Findings.Notwithstanding delays, 3000 leaflets and questionnaires were successfully distributed over 2 days. Questionnaire return yielded 1783 responses, a 59.5% return rate. Overall ratings of the usefulness of the leaflet were 1060 (59.5%) ‘quite a lot’ and 339 (19.0%) ‘a great deal’. Content analysis was used to code 400 respondent comments. Four themes emerged; positive comments about the leaflet, suggestions for modifications, descriptions of children's needs and the value respondents placed on faith.Interpretation.Findings indicate the willingness of NGO staff and volunteers to assist in research, the remarkable willingness of caregivers to respond and the value of brief advice. It demonstrates the scope for using existing humanitarian routes to distribute information and receive feedback even in high-risk settings.
Explaining varying lobbying styles across the Atlantic: an empirical test of the cultural and institutional explanations
Authors: Hanegraaff Marcel , Poletti Arlo , Beyers Jan 
Published: April 2016

AbstractThere is consensus in the literature that policymaking in the United States (US) and Europe generates different lobbying styles. Two explanations for these differences have been developed so far. The first posits that distinct lobbying styles reflect differentpolitical cultures. The second attributes distinct lobbying styles to variation in theinstitutionalcontext in which lobbyists operate. Studies that have analysed lobbying within the US and Europe and assessed the relative importance of these arguments are problematic because both explanations are consistent with observed differences in lobbying style. In this article, we circumvent problems of observational equivalence by focussing on European and American lobbyists who are active in a similar institutional venue – that is, international diplomatic conferences. Relying on evidence collected at World Trade Organization Ministerial Conferences and United Nation Climate Summits, we tested the relevance of alternative explanations for the variation in lobbying styles between European and American lobbyists. Our results give robust support to the institutional argument.
Escherichia coli type III secretion system 2 (ETT2) is widely distributed in avian pathogenic Escherichia coli isolates from Eastern China
Authors: WANG S. , LIU X. , XU X. , ZHAO Y. , YANG D. , HAN X. , TIAN M. , DING C. , PENG D. , YU S. 
Published: April 2016

SUMMARYPathogens utilize type III secretion systems to deliver effector proteins, which facilitate bacterial infections. The Escherichia coli type III secretion system 2 (ETT2) which plays a crucial role in bacterial virulence, is present in the majority of E. coli strains, although ETT2 has undergone widespread mutational attrition. We investigated the distribution and characteristics of ETT2 in avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) isolates and identified five different ETT2 isoforms, including intact ETT2, in 57·6% (141/245) of the isolates. The ETT2 locus was present in the predominant APEC serotypes O78, O2 and O1. All of the ETT2 loci in the serotype O78 isolates were degenerate, whereas an intact ETT2 locus was mostly present in O1 and O2 serotype strains, which belong to phylogenetic groups B2 and D, respectively. Interestingly, a putative second type III secretion-associated locus (eip locus) was present only in the isolates with an intact ETT2. Moreover, ETT2 was more widely distributed in APEC isolates and exhibited more isoforms compared to ETT2 in human extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli, suggesting that APEC might be a potential risk to human health. However, there was no distinct correlation between ETT2 and other virulence factors in APEC.
The Role of Self-Efficacy and Social Support in Improving Life	Satisfaction
Authors: Gayathri Nagarajan , Karthikeyan Parthasarathy 
Published: April 2016

Abstract. This paper analyzes the relationship between self-efficacy, work support, family support, and life satisfaction and it also explores the mediating role of work-to-family enrichment and family-to-work enrichment. The participants (n = 568) were from different occupational groups including high technology organizations, hospitals, schools, factories, and government. The correlation analyses and structural equation modeling were performed to explore the relationship existing between the variables. It is found that there exists a positive relationship between self-efficacy, social support, and life satisfaction. Work family enrichment partially mediates the relationship between the studied antecedents and consequences. The work indicates that organizations need to consider ways to not only reduce conflict, but also increase enrichment, which will drive the main outcome variable of overall life satisfaction of the employees.
UV/VUV switch-driven color-reversal effect for Tb-activated phosphors
Authors: Lin Chun Che , Chen Wei-Ting , Chu Cheng-I , Huang Kuan-Wei , Yeh Chiao-Wen , Cheng Bing-Ming , Liu Ru-Shi 
Published: April 2016

AbstractThe remarkable narrow-band emission of trivalent lanthanide-doped phosphors excited by the vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) radiation lines of Xe atoms/Xe2 molecules at 147/172 nm are extensively investigated in the development of plasma display panels and Hg-free fluorescent lamps, which are frequently used in our daily lives. Numerous solid materials, particularly Tb3+-doped oxides, such as silicates, phosphates and borates, are efficient green/blue sources with color-tunable properties. The excitation wavelength and rare earth concentration are usually varied to optimize efficiency and the luminescent properties. However, some underlying mechanisms for the shift in the emission colors remain unclear. The present study shows that a UV/VUV switch systematically controls the change in the phosphor (Ba3Si6O12N2:Tb) photoluminescence from green to blue, resulting in a green emission when the system is excited with UV radiation. However, a blue color is observed when the radiation wavelength shifts to the VUV region. Thus, a configurational coordinate model is proposed for the color-reversal effect. In this model, the dominant radiative decay results in a green emission under low-energy UV excitation from the 5D4 state of the f–f inner-shell transition in the Tb system. However, under high-energy VUV excitation, the state switches into the 5D3 state, which exhibits a blue emission. This mechanism is expected to be generally applicable to Tb-doped phosphors and useful in adjusting the optical properties against well-known cross-relaxation processes by varying the ratio of the green/blue contributions.
Solid–solid phase transitions via melting in metals
Authors: Pogatscher S. , Leutenegger D. , Schawe J. E. K. , Uggowitzer P. J. , Löffler J. F. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractObserving solid–solid phase transitions in-situ with sufficient temporal and spatial resolution is a great challenge, and is often only possible via computer simulations or in model systems. Recently, a study of polymeric colloidal particles, where the particles mimic atoms, revealed an intermediate liquid state in the transition from one solid to another. While not yet observed there, this finding suggests that such phenomena may also occur in metals and alloys. Here we present experimental evidence for a solid–solid transition via the formation of a metastable liquid in a ‘real’ atomic system. We observe this transition in a bulk glass-forming metallic system in-situ using fast differential scanning calorimetry. We investigate the corresponding transformation kinetics and discuss the underlying thermodynamics. The mechanism is likely to be a feature of many metallic glasses and metals in general, and may provide further insight into phase transition theory.
Scalable salt-templated synthesis of two-dimensional transition metal oxides
Authors: Xiao Xu , Song Huaibing , Lin Shizhe , Zhou Ying , Zhan Xiaojun , Hu Zhimi , Zhang Qi , Sun Jiyu , Yang Bo , Li Tianqi , Jiao Liying , Zhou Jun , Tang Jiang , Gogotsi Yury 
Published: April 2016

AbstractTwo-dimensional atomic crystals, such as two-dimensional oxides, have attracted much attention in energy storage because nearly all of the atoms can be exposed to the electrolyte and involved in redox reactions. However, current strategies are largely limited to intrinsically layered compounds. Here we report a general strategy that uses the surfaces of water-soluble salt crystals as growth templates and is applicable to not only layered compounds but also various transition metal oxides, such as hexagonal-MoO3, MoO2, MnO and hexagonal-WO3. The planar growth is hypothesized to occur via a match between the crystal lattices of the salt and the growing oxide. Restacked two-dimensional hexagonal-MoO3 exhibits high pseudocapacitive performances (for example, 300 F cm−3 in an Al2(SO4)3 electrolyte). The synthesis of various two-dimensional transition metal oxides and the demonstration of high capacitance are expected to enable fundamental studies of dimensionality effects on their properties and facilitate their use in energy storage and other applications.
Ion selectivity of graphene nanopores
Authors: Rollings Ryan C. , Kuan Aaron T. , Golovchenko Jene A. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractAs population growth continues to outpace development of water infrastructure in many countries, desalination (the removal of salts from seawater) at high energy efficiency will likely become a vital source of fresh water. Due to its atomic thinness combined with its mechanical strength, porous graphene may be particularly well-suited for electrodialysis desalination, in which ions are removed under an electric field via ion-selective pores. Here, we show that single graphene nanopores preferentially permit the passage of K+ cations over Cl− anions with selectivity ratios of over 100 and conduct monovalent cations up to 5 times more rapidly than divalent cations. Surprisingly, the observed K+/Cl− selectivity persists in pores even as large as about 20 nm in diameter, suggesting that high throughput, highly selective graphene electrodialysis membranes can be fabricated without the need for subnanometer control over pore size.
Neuroretinal hypoxic signaling in a new preclinical murine model for proliferative diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Wert Katherine J , Mahajan Vinit B , Zhang Lijuan , Yan Yuanqing , Li Yao , Tosi Joaquin , Wei Hsu Chun , Nagasaki Takayuki , Janisch Kerstin M , Grant Maria B , Mahajan MaryAnn , Bassuk Alexander G , Tsang Stephen H 
Published: April 2016

AbstractDiabetic retinopathy (DR) affects approximately one-third of diabetic patients and, if left untreated, progresses to proliferative DR (PDR) with associated vitreous hemorrhage, retinal detachment, iris neovascularization, glaucoma and irreversible blindness. In vitreous samples of human patients with PDR, we found elevated levels of hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF1α). HIFs are transcription factors that promote hypoxia adaptation and have important functional roles in a wide range of ischemic and inflammatory diseases. To recreate the human PDR phenotype for a preclinical animal model, we generated a mouse with neuroretinal-specific loss of the von Hippel Lindau tumor suppressor protein, a protein that targets HIF1α for ubiquitination. We found that the neuroretinal cells in these mice overexpressed HIF1α and developed severe, irreversible ischemic retinopathy that has features of human PDR. Rapid progression of retinopathy in these mutant mice should facilitate the evaluation of therapeutic agents for ischemic and inflammatory blinding disorders. In addition, this model system can be used to manipulate the modulation of the hypoxia signaling pathways, for the treatment of non-ocular ischemic and inflammatory disorders.
Exceptional points and asymmetric mode conversion in quasi-guided dual-mode optical waveguides
Authors: Ghosh S. N. , Chong Y. D. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractNon-Hermitian systems host unconventional physical effects that be used to design new optical devices. We study a non-Hermitian system consisting of 1D planar optical waveguides with suitable amount of simultaneous gain and loss. The parameter space contains an exceptional point, which can be accessed by varying the transverse gain and loss profile. When light propagates through the waveguide structure, the output mode is independent of the choice of input mode. This “asymmetric mode conversion” phenomenon can be explained by the swapping of mode identities in the vicinity of the exceptional point, together with the failure of adiabatic evolution in non-Hermitian systems.
Terahertz and mid-infrared reflectance of epitaxial graphene
Authors: Santos Cristiane N. , Joucken Frédéric , De Sousa Meneses Domingos , Echegut Patrick , Campos-Delgado Jessica , Louette Pierre , Raskin Jean-Pierre , Hackens Benoit 
Published: April 2016

AbstractGraphene has emerged as a promising material for infrared (IR) photodetectors and plasmonics. In this context, wafer scale epitaxial graphene on SiC is of great interest in a variety of applications in optics and nanoelectronics. Here we present IR reflectance spectroscopy of graphene grown epitaxially on the C-face of 6H-SiC over a broad optical range, from terahertz (THz) to mid-infrared (MIR). Contrary to the transmittance, reflectance measurements are not hampered by the transmission window of the substrate and in particular by the SiC Reststrahlen band in the MIR. This allows us to present IR reflectance data exhibiting a continuous evolution from the regime of intraband to interband charge carrier transitions. A consistent and simultaneous analysis of the contributions from both transitions to the optical response yields precise information on the carrier dynamics and the number of layers. The properties of the graphene layers derived from IR reflection spectroscopy are corroborated by other techniques (micro-Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies, transport measurements). Moreover, we also present MIR microscopy mapping, showing that spatially-resolved information can be gathered, giving indications on the sample homogeneity. Our work paves the way for a still scarcely explored field of epitaxial graphene-based THz and MIR optical devices.
Perceptual drifts of real and artificial limbs in the rubber hand illusion
Authors: Fuchs Xaver , Riemer Martin , Diers Martin , Flor Herta , Trojan Jörg 
Published: April 2016

AbstractIn the rubber hand illusion (RHI), transient embodiment of an artificial hand is induced. An often-used indicator for this effect is the “proprioceptive drift”, a localization bias of the real hand towards the artificial hand. This measure suggests that the real hand is attracted by the artificial hand. Principles of multisensory integration, however, rather suggest that conflicting sensory information is combined in a “compromise” fashion and that hands should rather be attracted towards each other. Here, we used a new variant of the RHI paradigm in which participants pointed at the artificial hand. Our results indicate that the perceived positions of the real and artificial hand converge towards each other: in addition to the well-known drift of the real hand towards the artificial hand, we also found an opposite drift of the artificial hand towards the real hand. Our results contradict the notion of perceptual substitution of the real hand by the artificial hand. Rather, they are in line with the view that vision and proprioception are fused into an intermediate percept. This is further evidence that the perception of our body is a flexible multisensory construction that is based on integration principles.
Effects of low dose estrogen therapy on the vaginal microbiomes of women with atrophic vaginitis
Authors: Shen Jian , Song Ning , Williams Christopher J. , Brown Celeste J. , Yan Zheng , Xu Chen , Forney Larry J. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractAtrophic vaginitis (AV) is common in postmenopausal women, but its causes are not well understood. The symptoms, which include vaginal itching, burning, dryness, irritation, and dyspareunia, can usually be alleviated by low doses of estrogen given orally or locally. Regrettably, the composition of vaginal bacterial communities in women with AV have not been fully characterized and little is known as to how these communities change over time in response to hormonal therapy. In the present intervention study we determined the response of vaginal bacterial communities in postmenopausal women with AV to low-dose estrogen therapy. The changes in community composition in response to hormonal therapy were rapid and typified by significant increases in the relative abundance of Lactobacillus spp. that were mirrored by a decreased relative abundance of Gardnerella. These changes were paralleled by a significant four-fold increase in serum estradiol levels and decreased vaginal pH, as well as nearly a two-fold increase in the Vaginal Maturation Index (VMI). The results suggest that after menopause a vaginal microbiota dominated by species of Lactobacillus may have a beneficial role in the maintenance of health and these findings that could lead to new strategies to protect postmenopausal women from AV.
Oxygen-enabled control of Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya Interaction in ultra-thin magnetic films
Authors: Belabbes Abderrezak , Bihlmayer Gustav , Blügel Stefan , Manchon Aurélien 
Published: April 2016

AbstractThe search for chiral magnetic textures in systems lacking spatial inversion symmetry has attracted a massive amount of interest in the recent years with the real space observation of novel exotic magnetic phases such as skyrmions lattices, but also domain walls and spin spirals with a defined chirality. The electrical control of these textures offers thrilling perspectives in terms of fast and robust ultrahigh density data manipulation. A powerful ingredient commonly used to stabilize chiral magnetic states is the so-called Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (DMI) arising from spin-orbit coupling in inversion asymmetric magnets. Such a large antisymmetric exchange has been obtained at interfaces between heavy metals and transition metal ferromagnets, resulting in spin spirals and nanoskyrmion lattices. Here, using relativistic first-principles calculations, we demonstrate that the magnitude and sign of DMI can be entirely controlled by tuning the oxygen coverage of the magnetic film, therefore enabling the smart design of chiral magnetism in ultra-thin films. We anticipate that these results extend to other electronegative ions and suggest the possibility of electrical tuning of exotic magnetic phases.
Laser-synthesized oxide-passivated bright Si quantum dots for bioimaging
Authors: Gongalsky M. B. , Osminkina L. A. , Pereira A. , Manankov A. A. , Fedorenko A. A. , Vasiliev A. N. , Solovyev V. V. , Kudryavtsev A. A. , Sentis M. , Kabashin A. V. , Timoshenko V. Yu. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractCrystalline silicon (Si) nanoparticles present an extremely promising object for bioimaging based on photoluminescence (PL) in the visible and near-infrared spectral regions, but their efficient PL emission in aqueous suspension is typically observed after wet chemistry procedures leading to residual toxicity issues. Here, we introduce ultrapure laser-synthesized Si-based quantum dots (QDs), which are water-dispersible and exhibit bright exciton PL in the window of relative tissue transparency near 800 nm. Based on the laser ablation of crystalline Si targets in gaseous helium, followed by ultrasound-assisted dispersion of the deposited films in physiological saline, the proposed method avoids any toxic by-products during the synthesis. We demonstrate efficient contrast of the Si QDs in living cells by following the exciton PL. We also show that the prepared QDs do not provoke any cytoxicity effects while penetrating into the cells and efficiently accumulating near the cell membrane and in the cytoplasm. Combined with the possibility of enabling parallel therapeutic channels, ultrapure laser-synthesized Si nanostructures present unique object for cancer theranostic applications.
Crystal Structures and Binding Dynamics of Odorant-Binding Protein 3 from two aphid species Megoura viciae and Nasonovia ribisnigri
Authors: Northey Tom , Venthur Herbert , De Biasio Filomena , Chauviac Francois-Xavier , Cole Ambrose , Ribeiro Karlos Antonio Lisboa , Grossi Gerarda , Falabella Patrizia , Field Linda M. , Keep Nicholas H. , Zhou Jing-Jiang 
Published: April 2016

AbstractAphids use chemical cues to locate hosts and find mates. The vetch aphidMegoura viciaefeeds exclusively on the Fabaceae, whereas the currant-lettuce aphidNasonovia ribisnigrialternates hosts between the Grossulariaceae and Asteraceae. Both species use alarm pheromones to warn of dangers. ForN. ribisnigrithis pheromone is a single component (E)-β-farnesene butM. viciaeuses a mixture of (E)-β-farnesene, (−)-α-pinene, β-pinene, and limonene. Odorant-binding proteins (OBP) are believed to capture and transport such semiochemicals to their receptors. Here, we report the first aphid OBP crystal structures and examine their molecular interactions with the alarm pheromone components. Our study reveals some unique structural features: 1) the lack of an internal ligand binding site; 2) a striking groove in the surface of the proteins as a putative binding site; 3) the N-terminus rather than the C-terminus occupies the site closing off the conventional OBP pocket. The results from fluorescent binding assays, molecular docking and dynamics demonstrate that OBP3 fromM. viciaecan bind to all four alarm pheromone components and the differential ligand binding between these very similar OBP3s from the two aphid species is determined mainly by the direct π-π interactions between ligands and the aromatic residues of OBP3s in the binding pocket.
Multispectral imaging using a single bucket detector
Authors: Bian Liheng , Suo Jinli , Situ Guohai , Li Ziwei , Fan Jingtao , Chen Feng , Dai Qionghai 
Published: April 2016

AbstractExisting multispectral imagers mostly use available array sensors to separately measure 2D data slices in a 3D spatial-spectral data cube. Thus they suffer from low photon efficiency, limited spectrum range and high cost. To address these issues, we propose to conduct multispectral imaging using a single bucket detector, to take full advantage of its high sensitivity, wide spectrum range, low cost, small size and light weight. Technically, utilizing the detector’s fast response, a scene’s 3D spatial-spectral information is multiplexed into a dense 1D measurement sequence and then demultiplexed computationally under the single pixel imaging scheme. A proof-of-concept setup is built to capture multispectral data of 64 pixels × 64 pixels × 10 wavelength bands ranging from 450 nm to 650 nm, with the acquisition time being 1 minute. The imaging scheme holds great potentials for various low light and airborne applications and can be easily manufactured as production-volume portable multispectral imagers.