bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Aristotle Through Lenses from Bernard Williams
Authors: Broadie S. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractThis paper looks at a theme in ancient Greek ethics from perspectives developed by Bernard Williams.1 The ancient theme is the place of theoretical activity in human life, and I shall be referring to Aristotle. Williams is relevant through one strand in his scepticism about ‘morality, the peculiar institution’.2 His discussion suggests questions not merely about Aristotle but ones it would be interesting to put to Aristotle and see how he would or should respond to them.
What is the Matter with Matter, According to Plotinus?
Authors: Long A.A. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractModern science is not linguistically original in hypothesizing the existence of dark matter. For Plotinus, the matter that underlies all perceptible objects, is essentially obscure and describable only in the negative terms of what it lacks by way of inherent properties. In formulating this theory of absolute matter, Plotinus took himself to be interpreting both Plato and Aristotle, with the result that his own position emerges as a highly original and equivocal synthesis of this tradition. Plotinus did not claim that matter is nothing, but the puzzling status he attributes to it can be aptly compared to Berkeley's doctrine that material substance is a self-contradictory notion.
Descartes on the Errors of the Senses
Authors: Patterson Sarah 
Published: July 2016

AbstractDescartes first invokes the errors of the senses in the Meditations to generate doubt; he suggests that because the senses sometimes deceive, we have reason not to trust them. This use of sensory error to fuel a sceptical argument fits a traditional interpretation of the Meditations as a work concerned with finding a form of certainty that is proof against any sceptical doubt. If we focus instead on Descartes's aim of using the Meditations to lay foundations for his new science, his appeals to sensory error take on a different aspect. Descartes's new science is based on ideas innate in the intellect, ideas that are validated by the benevolence of our creator. Appeals to sensory error are useful to him in undermining our naïve faith in the senses and guiding us to an appreciation of innate ideas. However, the errors of the senses pose problems in the context of Descartes's appeals to God's goodness to validate innate ideas and natural propensities to belief. A natural tendency to sensory error is hard to reconcile with the benevolence of our creator. This paper explores Descartes's responses to the problems of theodicy posed by various forms of sensory error. It argues that natural judgements involved in our visual perception of distance, size and shape pose a problem of error that resists his usual solutions.
Chirality-dependent flutter of Typha blades in wind
Authors: Zhao Zi-Long , Liu Zong-Yuan , Feng Xi-Qiao 
Published: July 2016

AbstractCattail or Typha, an emergent aquatic macrophyte widely distributed in lakes and other shallow water areas, has slender blades with a chiral morphology. The wind-resilient Typha blades can produce distinct hydraulic resistance for ecosystem functions. However, their stem may rupture and dislodge in excessive wind drag. In this paper, we combine fluid dynamics simulations and experimental measurements to investigate the aeroelastic behavior of Typha blades in wind. It is found that the chirality-dependent flutter, including wind-induced rotation and torsion, is a crucial strategy for Typha blades to accommodate wind forces. Flow visualization demonstrates that the twisting morphology of blades provides advantages over the flat one in the context of two integrated functions: improving wind resistance and mitigating vortex-induced vibration. The unusual dynamic responses and superior mechanical properties of Typha blades are closely related to their biological/ecosystem functions and macro/micro structures. This work decodes the physical mechanisms of chirality-dependent flutter in Typha blades and holds potential applications in vortex-induced vibration suppression and the design of, e.g., bioinspired flight vehicles.
MINDEC-An Enhanced Negative Depletion Strategy for Circulating Tumour Cell Enrichment
Authors: Lapin Morten , Tjensvoll Kjersti , Oltedal Satu , Buhl Tove , Gilje Bjørnar , Smaaland Rune , Nordgård Oddmund 
Published: July 2016

AbstractMost current methods of circulating tumour cell (CTC) enrichment target the epithelial protein EpCAM, which is commonly expressed in adenocarcinoma cells. However, such methods will not recover the fraction of CTCs that have a non-epithelial phenotype due to epithelial–mesenchymal transition. For phenotype-independent CTC enrichment, we developed a new enhanced negative depletion strategy—termed MINDEC—that is based on multi-marker (CD45, CD16, CD19, CD163 and CD235a/GYPA) depletion of blood cells rather than targeted enrichment of CTCs. Here we validated the performance of MINDEC using epithelial and mesenchymal cancer cell lines, demonstrating a mean recovery of 82 ± 10%, high depletion (437 ± 350 residual white blood cells (WBCs)/mL peripheral blood), linearity between spiked and recovered cells (correlation coefficient: r = 0.995) and a low detection limit (≥1 cell recovered in all four replicates spiked with 3 cells). For clinical validation of this method, we enumerated CTCs in peripheral blood samples from patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer, detecting CTCs in 15 of 21 blood samples (71%) from 9 patients. The promising performance of the MINDEC enrichment strategy in our study encourages validation in larger clinical trials.
Benthic fluxes of dissolved organic carbon from gas hydrate sediments in the northern South China Sea
Authors: Hung Chia-Wei , Huang Kuo-Hao , Shih Yung-Yen , Lin Yu-Shih , Chen Hsin-Hung , Wang Chau-Chang , Ho Chuang-Yi , Hung Chin-Chang , Burdige David J. 
Published: July 2016

AbstractHydrocarbon vents have recently been reported to contribute considerable amounts of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) to the oceans. Many such hydrocarbon vents widely exist in the northern South China Sea (NSCS). To investigate if these hydrocarbon vent sites release DOC, we used a real-time video multiple-corer to collect bottom seawater and surface sediments at vent sites. We analyzed concentrations of DOC in these samples and estimated DOC fluxes. Elevated DOC concentrations in the porewaters were found at some sites suggesting that DOC may come from these hydrocarbon vents. Benthic fluxes of DOC from these sediments were 28 to 1264 μmol m−2d−1 (on average ~321 μmol m−2d−1) which are several times higher than most DOC fluxes in coastal and continental margin sediments. The results demonstrate that the real-time video multiple-corer can precisely collect samples at vent sites. The estimated benthic DOC flux from the methane venting sites (8.6 × 106mol y−1), is 24% of the DOC discharge from the Pearl River to the South China Sea, indicating that these sediments make an important contribution to the DOC in deep waters.
Interactive cost of Plasmodium infection and insecticide resistance in the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae
Authors: Alout Haoues , Dabiré Roch K. , Djogbénou Luc S. , Abate Luc , Corbel Vincent , Chandre Fabrice , Cohuet Anna 
Published: July 2016

AbstractInsecticide resistance raises concerns for the control of vector-borne diseases. However, its impact on parasite transmission could be diverse when considering the ecological interactions between vector and parasite. Thus we investigated the fitness cost associated with insecticide resistance and Plasmodium falciparum infection as well as their interactive cost on Anopheles gambiae survival and fecundity. In absence of infection, we observed a cost on fecundity associated with insecticide resistance. However, survival was higher for mosquito bearing the kdr mutation and equal for those with the ace-1R mutation compared to their insecticide susceptible counterparts. Interestingly, Plasmodium infection reduced survival only in the insecticide resistant strains but not in the susceptible one and infection was associated with an increase in fecundity independently of the strain considered. This study provides evidence for a survival cost associated with infection by Plasmodium parasite only in mosquito selected for insecticide resistance. This suggests that the selection of insecticide resistance mutation may have disturbed the interaction between parasites and vectors, resulting in increased cost of infection. Considering the fitness cost as well as other ecological aspects of this natural mosquito-parasite combination is important to predict the epidemiological impact of insecticide resistance.
Bile signalling promotes chronic respiratory infections and antibiotic tolerance
Authors: Reen F. Jerry , Flynn Stephanie , Woods David F. , Dunphy Niall , Chróinín Muireann Ní , Mullane David , Stick Stephen , Adams Claire , O’Gara Fergal 
Published: July 2016

AbstractDespite aggressive antimicrobial therapy, many respiratory pathogens persist in the lung, underpinning the chronic inflammation and eventual lung decline that are characteristic of respiratory disease. Recently, bile acid aspiration has emerged as a major comorbidity associated with a range of lung diseases, shaping the lung microbiome and promoting colonisation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patients. In order to uncover the molecular mechanism through which bile modulates the respiratory microbiome, a combination of global transcriptomic and phenotypic analyses of the P. aeruginosa response to bile was undertaken. Bile responsive pathways responsible for virulence, adaptive metabolism, and redox control were identified, with macrolide and polymyxin antibiotic tolerance increased significantly in the presence of bile. Bile acids, and chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) in particular, elicited chronic biofilm behaviour in P. aeruginosa, while induction of the pro-inflammatory cytokine Interleukin-6 (IL-6) in lung epithelial cells by CDCA was Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) dependent. Microbiome analysis of paediatric CF sputum samples demonstrated increased colonisation by P. aeruginosa and other Proteobacterial pathogens in bile aspirating compared to non-aspirating patients. Together, these data suggest that bile acid signalling is a leading trigger for the development of chronic phenotypes underlying the pathophysiology of chronic respiratory disease.
Rapid and efficient gene delivery into the adult mouse brain via focal electroporation
Authors: Nomura Tadashi , Nishimura Yusuke , Gotoh Hitoshi , Ono Katsuhiko 
Published: July 2016

AbstractIn vivo gene delivery is required for studying the cellular and molecular mechanisms of various biological events. Virus-mediated gene transfer or generation of transgenic animals is widely used; however, these methods are time-consuming and expensive. Here we show an improved electroporation technique for acute gene delivery into the adult mouse brain. Using a syringe-based microelectrode, local DNA injection and the application of electric current can be performed simultaneously; this allows rapid and efficient gene transduction of adult non-neuronal cells. Combining this technique with various expression vectors that carry specific promoters resulted in targeted gene expression in astrocytic cells. Our results constitute a powerful strategy for the genetic manipulation of adult brains in a spatio-temporally controlled manner.
Direct accumulation pathway of radioactive cesium to fruit-bodies of edible mushroom from contaminated wood logs
Authors: Ohnuki Toshihiko , Aiba Yukitoshi , Sakamoto Fuminori , Kozai Naofumi , Niizato Tadafumi , Sasaki Yoshito 
Published: July 2016

AbstractThis paper presents the accumulation process of radioactive Cs in edible mushrooms. We here first report the direct accumulation pathway of radioactive Cs from contaminated wood logs to the fruit-bodies of shiitake mushrooms through the basal portion of the stipe. In this pathway, radioactive Cs is not transported through the hyphae. This pathway results in a high accumulation of radioactive Cs in the fruit-body, more by the excess accumulation of radioactive Cs from the wood logs than that through the hyphae. We grew the fruit-bodies of Shiitake mushroom from radioactive-Cs-contaminated wood logs. The spatial distributions of radioactive Cs and Prussian blue as a tracer of interstitial water in the cross section of the wood log measured after the harvest of the fruit-body from the inoculated sawdust spawn area indicated that some fraction of the radioactive Cs and Prussian blue were transported directly to the basal portion of the stipe during the growth of the fruit-bodies.
Er3+-doped transparent glass ceramics containing micron-sized SrF2 crystals for 2.7 μm emissions
Authors: Jiang Yiguang , Fan Jintai , Jiang Benxue , Mao Xiaojian , Tang Junzhou , Xu Yinsheng , Dai Shixun , Zhang Long 
Published: July 2016

AbstractEr3+-doped transparent glass ceramics containing micron-sized SrF2 crystals were obtained by direct liquid-phase sintering of a mixture of SrF2 powders and precursor glass powders at 820 °C for 15 min. The appearance and microstructural evolution of the SrF2 crystals in the resulting glass ceramics were investigated using X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission microscopy. The SrF2 crystals are ~15 μm in size and are uniformly distributed throughout the fluorophosphate glass matrix. The glass ceramics achieve an average transmittance of 75% in the visible region and more than 85% in the near-IR region. The high transmittance of the glass ceramics results from matching the refractive index of the SrF2 with that of the precursor glass. Energy dispersive spectroscopy, photoluminescence spectra and photoluminescence lifetimes verified the incorporation of Er3+ into the micron-sized SrF2 crystals. Intense 2.7 μm emissions due to the 4I11/2 → 4I13/2 transition were observed upon excitation at 980 nm using a laser diode. The maximum value of the emission cross section of Er3+ around 2.7 μm is more than 1.2 × 10−20 cm2, which indicates the potential of using transparent glass ceramics containing micron-sized SrF2 crystals for efficient 2.7 μm lasers and amplifiers.
Dot-ring nanostructure: Rigorous analysis of many-electron effects
Authors: Biborski Andrzej , Kądzielawa Andrzej P. , Gorczyca-Goraj Anna , Zipper Elżbieta , Maśka Maciej M. , Spałek Józef 
Published: July 2016

AbstractWe discuss the quantum dot-ring nanostructure (DRN) as canonical example of a nanosystem, for which the interelectronic interactions can be evaluated exactly. The system has been selected due to its tunability, i.e., its electron wave functions can be modified much easier than in, e.g., quantum dots. We determine many-particle states for Ne = 2 and 3 electrons and calculate the 3- and 4-state interaction parameters and discuss their importance. For that purpose, we combine the first- and second-quantization schemes and hence are able to single out the component single-particle contributions to the resultant many-particle state. The method provides both the ground- and the first-excited-state energies, as the exact diagonalization of the many-particle Hamiltonian is carried out. DRN provides one of the few examples for which one can determine theoretically all interaction microscopic parameters to a high accuracy. Thus the evolution of the single-particle vs. many-particle contributions to each state and its energy can be determined and tested with the increasing system size. In this manner, we contribute to the wave-function engineering with the interactions included for those few-electron systems.
Temporal and spatial genetic differentiation in the crab Liocarcinus depurator across the Atlantic-Mediterranean transition
Authors: Pascual Marta , Palero Ferran , García-Merchán Víctor Hugo , Macpherson Enrique , Robainas-Barcia Aymée , Mestres Francesc , Roda Tania , Abelló Pere 
Published: July 2016

AbstractSpatial genetic studies often require sampling broadly separated areas, difficult to access simultaneously. Although comparing localities surveyed at different time periods might result in spurious genetic differentiation, there is a general believe on the stability of genetic structure through time, particularly if sampled localities are isolated or very distant. By analysing spatial and temporal genetic differentiation of the portunid crab Liocarcinus depurator we assessed the contribution of historical and contemporary processes on population connectivity patterns across three main oceanographic discontinuities along the Atlantic-Mediterranean transition: Gibraltar Strait, Almeria-Oran Front and Ibiza Channel. A partial fragment of the cytochrome oxidase I gene was sequenced in 366 individuals collected from localities at both sides of each discontinuity during three time periods. Although localities showed genetic fluctuations through time, a significant gradient was detected along the coast for all sampling periods. Significant inter-annual differences identified within the Alicante area, north of the Almeria-Oran Front, were associated with shifts in the relative contribution of Atlantic and Mediterranean water masses. The persistence of a clinal pattern in the Atlantic-Mediterranean transition area together with local fluctuations suggests a complex balance of dispersal and selection.
Adversity-induced relapse of fear: neural mechanisms and implications for relapse prevention from a study on experimentally induced return-of-fear following fear conditioning and extinction
Authors: Scharfenort R , Menz M , Lonsdorf T B 
Published: July 2016

AbstractThe efficacy of current treatments for anxiety disorders is limited by high relapse rates. Relapse of anxiety disorders and addiction can be triggered by exposure to life adversity, but the underlying mechanisms remain unexplored. Seventy-six healthy adults were a priori selected for the presence or absence of adverse experiences during childhood (CA) and recent past (RA; that is, past 12 months). Participants underwent fear conditioning (day 1) and fear extinction and experimental return-of-fear (ROF) induction through reinstatement (a model for adversity-induced relapse; day 2). Ratings, autonomic (skin conductance response) and neuronal activation measures (functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)) were acquired. Individuals exposed to RA showed a generalized (that is, not CS− specific) fear recall and ROF, whereas unexposed individuals showed differential (that is, CS+ specific) fear recall and ROF on an autonomic level despite no group differences during fear acquisition and extinction learning. These group differences in ROF were accompanied by corresponding activation differences in brain areas known to be involved in fear processing and differentiability/generalization of ROF (that is, hippocampus). In addition, dimensional measures of RA, CA and lifetime adversity were negatively correlated with differential skin conductance responses (SCRs) during ROF and hippocampal activation. As discriminating signals of danger and safety, as well as a tendency for overgeneralization, are core features in clinically anxious populations, these deficits may specifically contribute to relapse risk following exposure to adversity, in particular to recent adversity. Hence, our results may provide first and novel insights into the possible mechanisms mediating enhanced relapse risk following exposure to (recent) adversity, which may guide the development of effective pre- and intervention programs.
Automatic generation control of thermal power system under varying steam turbine dynamic model parameters based on generation schedules of the plants
Authors: Pathak Nikhil , Verma Ashu , Bhatti Terlochan Singh 
Published: July 2016

This paper investigates the automatic generation control (AGC) of thermal power system operating under different power generation levels/schedules of the plants. The power system load varies considerably over the period of 24 hours and accordingly thermal power plants are planned to operate at different generation schedules. It has been discovered that the steam turbine dynamic model parameters also changes along with generation schedules of the plant. Typical steam turbine model parameters are the turbine time constants and power fractions. The literature survey reveals that steam turbine dynamic model parameters are assumed to be constant in all preceding studies pertaining to AGC systems, irrespective of generation schedules of the plant. In this paper, steam turbine dynamic model parameters have been computed for an actual 500 MW thermal unit at different generation schedules. These steam turbine dynamic model parameters have been used to study the dynamic performance of AGC system. The paper also presents the general mathematical procedure to calculate steam turbine dynamic model parameters from an actual generating unit using the heat balance data of a thermal power plant. Results for two area thermal power system demonstrate the potential of the proposed approach.
Single and mechanically coupled capacitive silicon nanomechanical resonators
Authors: Van Toan Nguyen , Shimazaki Tsuyoshi , Ono Takahito 
Published: July 2016

The design, fabrication and evaluation of single and mechanically coupled capacitive silicon nanomechanical resonators is reported. The structure of resonators is fabricated on a silicon on insulator wafer and transferred to a Tempax glass substrate by anodic bonding. A finite element method simulation has been conducted to investigate the vibration modes of the resonators. Single beam resonator with a length of 21.3 μm, a width of 500 nm, a thickness of 5 μm and the capacitive gap size of about 300 nm shows a nonlinear response. The amplitude of frequency response increases as the frequency is swept upward, and then suddenly jumps to a lower value. The mechanically coupled capacitive silicon nanomechanical resonator with a number of 100 individual beams above is successfully fabricated. Some resonant peaks can be observed, which shows that most nanomechanical resonators are mechanically coupled and synchronised. A mechanical resonance at a high frequency of ∼7.2 MHz in flexural mode has been detected. A small motional resistance of 1.2 kΩ has been achieved by the mechanical coupling.
Synthesis and characterisation of ceramic core/shell nanofibres via single stage co‐axial electrospinning
Authors: Rafieipour Hojjat , Vaezi Mohammad Reza , Kazemzadeh Asghar 
Published: July 2016

SnO2/ZnO core–shell nanofibres were synthesised by single‐stage electrospinning technique. For synthesis of these nanofibres, the hydrophilic solutions of precursors were injected by two injectors through coaxial needles which were connected to separate syringes. The precursor's solutions were prepared by solving zinc acetate and tin chloride in polyvinyl alcohol solution, separately. The morphology and structure of nanofibres were observed by field emission scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction techniques, before and after calcination. The final core/shell structure of the nanofibres was established as SnO2/ZnO, after calcination. Average diameters of the as‐eletrospun and calcined core/shell nanofibres were about 190 and 97 nm, respectively.