bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
‘The localmwananchihas lost trust’: design, transition and legitimacy in Kenyan election management
Authors: Erlich Aaron , Kerr Nicholas 
Published: November 2016

ABSTRACTAcross African democracies, maintaining popular trust in electoral management bodies (EMBs) is vital to enhancing election integrity and, ultimately, regime legitimacy. However, scholars have largely sidestepped any systematic analysis of how citizens formulate their attitudes towards EMBs and how these attitudes vary over time. To address these gaps in the literature, we focus on Kenyan EMBs, which have experienced fluctuating popular support since the ruinous 2007 elections and subsequent institutional reforms. Using primary election reports and original survey and focus group data, we analyse the sources of Kenyans' trust in EMBs from 1992 onward and probe the 2013 election period deeply. Across time, we find that confidence in EMBs usually collapses after polarised elections, due to perceived problems with the EMB's autonomy and capacity. Following the 2013 elections, Kenyans were also more likely to lose confidence in the EMB if they were affiliated with losing presidential candidates or if they were critical of EMB performance.
Making an impact from the margins? Civil society groups in Zimbabwe's interim power-sharing process
Authors: Aeby Michael 
Published: November 2016

ABSTRACTThe paper examines the role of civil society organisations (CSOs) in Zimbabwe's interim power-sharing process. It identifies CSOs’ organisational capacity, nature of engagement in the political process and relations with the power-sharing parties as the principal issues affecting CSOs’ ability to promote peace-making and democratisation in the context of a transitional executive power-sharing process. Based on these analytical themes, the case analysis argues that CSOs’ sway on the transition was particularly constrained by organisational fragmentation and disunity, divergent strategies vis-à-vis the interregnum, diminishing access to political elites, the latter's refusal to permit greater civic involvement, and continued repression.
Linear lambda terms as invariants of rooted trivalent maps
Authors: ZEILBERGER NOAM 
Published: November 2016

AbstractThe main aim of the paper is to give a simple and conceptual account for the correspondence (originally described by Bodini, Gardy, and Jacquot) between α-equivalence classes of closed linear lambda terms and isomorphism classes of rooted trivalent maps on compact-oriented surfaces without boundary, as an instance of a more general correspondence between linear lambda terms with a context of free variables and rooted trivalent maps with a boundary of free edges. We begin by recalling a familiar diagrammatic representation for linear lambda terms, while at the same time explaining how such diagrams may be read formally as a notation for endomorphisms of a reflexive object in a symmetric monoidal closed (bi)category. From there, the “easy” direction of the correspondence is a simple forgetful operation which erases annotations on the diagram of a linear lambda term to produce a rooted trivalent map. The other direction views linear lambda terms as complete invariants of their underlying rooted trivalent maps, reconstructing the missing information through a Tutte-style topological recurrence on maps with free edges. As an application in combinatorics, we use this analysis to enumerate bridgeless rooted trivalent maps as linear lambda terms containing no closed proper subterms, and conclude by giving a natural reformulation of the Four Color Theorem as a statement about typing in lambda calculus.
A Mathematical Model for Determining Carbon Coating Thickness and Its Application in Electron Probe Microanalysis
Authors: Zhang Ruo-Xi , Yang Shui-Yuan 
Published: November 2016

AbstractIn electron probe microanalysis where materials are coated with a thin conductive carbon coat before analysis, the X-ray intensity detected from a specimen may be affected to various degrees by the thickness of the carbon coating. Differences in the carbon film thickness between specimens and standards may lead to errors in analytical results, particular for lower energy X-rays. In this study, we demonstrate that the location and the distance of the specimen relative to the carbon tip in the coating chamber can affect the thickness of the carbon film produced on the specimen surface during carbon coating. The closer the specimen is to the carbon tip contacting point, the thicker is the carbon film deposited. A mathematical model to calculate the carbon film thickness at different locations on the coater plate is established, based on the assumption that carbon atoms evaporate from the carbon tip equally in all directions during the coating process. In order to reduce the differences in the carbon coating thickness, we suggest moving the carbon rod to a higher position, moving the thinner samples to the center and thicker samples to the edge of the coater plate, and using a rotating circular coater plate during coating.
Potent and selective chemical probe of hypoxic signalling downstream of HIF-α hydroxylation via VHL inhibition
Authors: Frost Julianty , Galdeano Carles , Soares Pedro , Gadd Morgan S. , Grzes Katarzyna M. , Ellis Lucy , Epemolu Ola , Shimamura Satoko , Bantscheff Marcus , Grandi Paola , Read Kevin D. , Cantrell Doreen A. , Rocha Sonia , Ciulli Alessio 
Published: November 2016

AbstractChemical strategies to using small molecules to stimulate hypoxia inducible factors (HIFs) activity and trigger a hypoxic response under normoxic conditions, such as iron chelators and inhibitors of prolyl hydroxylase domain (PHD) enzymes, have broad-spectrum activities and off-target effects. Here we disclose VH298, a potent VHL inhibitor that stabilizes HIF-α and elicits a hypoxic response via a different mechanism, that is the blockade of the VHL:HIF-α protein–protein interaction downstream of HIF-α hydroxylation by PHD enzymes. We show that VH298 engages with high affinity and specificity with VHL as its only major cellular target, leading to selective on-target accumulation of hydroxylated HIF-α in a concentration- and time-dependent fashion in different cell lines, with subsequent upregulation of HIF-target genes at both mRNA and protein levels. VH298 represents a high-quality chemical probe of the HIF signalling cascade and an attractive starting point to the development of potential new therapeutics targeting hypoxia signalling.
Genomic Variants Associated with Resistance to High Fat Diet Induced Obesity in a Primate Model
Authors: Harris R. Alan , Alcott Callison E. , Sullivan Elinor L. , Takahashi Diana , McCurdy Carrie E. , Comstock Sarah , Baquero Karalee , Blundell Peter , Frias Antonio E. , Kahr Maike , Suter Melissa , Wesolowski Stephanie , Friedman Jacob E. , Grove Kevin L. , Aagaard Kjersti M. 
Published: November 2016

AbstractMaternal obesity contributes to an increased risk of lifelong morbidity and mortality for both the mother and her offspring. In order to better understand the molecular mechanisms underlying these risks, we previously established and extensively characterized a primate model in Macaca fuscata (Japanese macaque). In prior studies we have demonstrated that a high fat, caloric dense maternal diet structures the offspring’s epigenome, metabolome, and intestinal microbiome. During the course of this work we have consistently observed that a 36% fat diet leads to obesity in the majority, but not all, of exposed dams. In the current study, we sought to identify the genomic loci rendering resistance to obesity despite chronic consumption of a high fat diet in macaque dams. Through extensive phenotyping together with exon capture array and targeted resequencing, we identified three novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), two in apolipoprotein B (APOB) and one in phospholipase A2 (PLA2G4A) that significantly associated with persistent weight stability and insulin sensitivity in lean macaques. By application of explicit orthogonal modeling (NOIA), we estimated the polygenic and interactive nature of these loci against multiple metabolic traits and their measures (i.e., serum LDL levels) which collectively render an obesity resistant phenotype in our adult female dams.
Elevated homocysteine levels in type 2 diabetes induce constitutive neutrophil extracellular traps
Authors: Joshi Manjunath B , Baipadithaya Guruprasad , Balakrishnan Aswath , Hegde Mangala , Vohra Manik , Ahamed Rayees , Nagri Shivashankara K , Ramachandra Lingadakai , Satyamoorthy Kapaettu 
Published: November 2016

AbstractConstitutively active neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and elevated plasma homocysteine are independent risk factors for Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) associated vascular diseases. Here, we show robust NETosis due to elevated plasma homocysteine levels in T2D subjects and increased components of NETs such as neutrophil elastase and cell free DNA. Cooperative NETs formation was observed in neutrophils exposed to homocysteine, IL-6 and high glucose suggesting acute temporal changes tightly regulate constitutive NETosis. Homocysteine induced NETs by NADPH oxidase dependent and independent mechanisms. Constitutively higher levels of calcium and mitochondrial superoxides under hyperglycemic conditions were further elevated in response to homocysteine leading to accelerated NETosis. Homocysteine showed robust interaction between neutrophils and platelets by inducing platelet aggregation and NETosis in an interdependent manner. Our data demonstrates that homocysteine can alter innate immune function by promoting NETs formation and disturbs homeostasis between platelets and neutrophils which may lead to T2D associated vascular diseases.
A combination of genome-wide association and transcriptome analysis reveals candidate genes controlling harvest index-related traits in Brassica napus
Authors: Lu Kun , Xiao Zhongchun , Jian Hongju , Peng Liu , Qu Cunmin , Fu Minglian , He Bin , Tie Linmei , Liang Ying , Xu Xingfu , Li Jiana 
Published: November 2016

AbstractHarvest index (HI), the ratio of seed mass to total biomass of the aboveground plant parts, is an important trait for harvestable yield of crops. Unfortunately, HI of Brassica napus is lower than that of other economically important crops. To identify candidate genes associated with high HI, a genome-wide association study of HI and four HI-related traits was conducted with 520 B. napus accessions cultivated in both Yunnan and Chongqing. We detected 294 single nucleotide polymorphisms significantly associated with the abovementioned traits, including 79 SNPs that affected two or more traits. Differentially expressed genes between extremely high- and low-HI accessions were identified in 8 tissues at two cultivated regions. Combination of linkage disequilibrium and transcriptome analyses revealed 33 functional candidate genes located within the confidence intervals of significant SNPs associated with more than one trait, such as SHOOT GRAVITROPISM 5 (Bna.SGR5), ATP-CITRATE LYASE A-3 (Bna.ACLA-3) and CAROTENOID CLEAVAGE DIOXYGENASE 1 (Bna.CCD1), their orthologs in the Arabidopsis thaliana have been shown to play key roles in photosynthesis, inflorescence, and silique development. Our results provide insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying establishment of high-HI B. napus and lay a foundation for characterization of candidate genes aimed at developing high-HI B. napus varieties.
Insights into the Ecotoxicity of Silver Nanoparticles Transferred from Escherichia coli to Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Luo Xun , Xu Shengmin , Yang Yaning , Li Luzhi , Chen Shaopeng , Xu An , Wu Lijun 
Published: November 2016

AbstractPrevious studies have indicated that engineered nanomaterials can be transferred through the food chain. However, their potential ecotoxicity to the environment is not fully understood. Here, we systematically evaluated the physiological behavior and toxicity of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-coated silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) using a food chain model from Escherichia coli (E. coli) to Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). Our results demonstrated that AgNPs accumulated in E. coli could be transferred to the C. elegans, and AgNPs were clearly distributed in the gut lumen, subcutaneous tissue and gonad. After being transferred to C. elegans through the food chain, the accumulated AgNPs caused serious toxicity to the higher trophic level (C. elegans), including effects on germ cell death, reproductive integrity and life span. Relative to larger particles (75 nm), small AgNPs (25 nm) more easily accumulated in the food chain and exhibited a stronger toxicity to the higher trophic level. More importantly, both the AgNPs that had accumulated in C. elegans through the food chain and the resulting impairment of germ cells could be transferred to the next generation, indicating that AgNP can cause genetic damage across generations. Our findings highlight that nanomaterials pose potential ecotoxicity to ecosystems via transport through the food chain.
On-chip, multisite extracellular and intracellular recordings from primary cultured skeletal myotubes
Authors: Rabieh Noha , Ojovan Silviya M. , Shmoel Nava , Erez Hadas , Maydan Eilon , Spira Micha E. 
Published: November 2016

AbstractIn contrast to the extensive use of microelectrode array (MEA) technology in electrophysiological studies of cultured neurons and cardiac muscles, the vast field of skeletal muscle research has yet to adopt the technology. Here we demonstrate an empowering MEA technology for high quality, multisite, long-term electrophysiological recordings from cultured skeletal myotubes. Individual rat skeletal myotubes cultured on micrometer sized gold mushroom-shaped microelectrode (gMμE) based MEA tightly engulf the gMμEs, forming a high seal resistance between the myotubes and the gMμEs. As a consequence, spontaneous action potentials generated by the contracting myotubes are recorded as extracellular field potentials with amplitudes of up to 10 mV for over 14 days. Application of a 10 ms, 0.5–0.9 V voltage pulse through the gMμEs electroporated the myotube membrane, and transiently converted the extracellular to intracellular recording mode for 10–30 min. In a fraction of the cultures stable attenuated intracellular recordings were spontaneously produced. In these cases or after electroporation, subthreshold spontaneous potentials were also recorded. The introduction of the gMμE-MEA as a simple-to-use, high-quality electrophysiological tool together with the progress made in the use of cultured human myotubes opens up new venues for basic and clinical skeletal muscle research, preclinical drug screening, and personalized medicine.
Engineering of band gap states of amorphous SiZnSnO semiconductor as a function of Si doping concentration
Authors: Choi Jun Young , Heo Keun , Cho Kyung-Sang , Hwang Sung Woo , Kim Sangsig , Lee Sang Yeol 
Published: November 2016

AbstractWe investigated the band gap of SiZnSnO (SZTO) with different Si contents. Band gap engineering of SZTO is explained by the evolution of the electronic structure, such as changes in the band edge states and band gap. Using ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), it was verified that Si atoms can modify the band gap of SZTO thin films. Carrier generation originating from oxygen vacancies can modify the band-gap states of oxide films with the addition of Si. Since it is not easy to directly derive changes in the band gap states of amorphous oxide semiconductors, no reports of the relationship between the Fermi energy level of oxide semiconductor and the device stability of oxide thin film transistors (TFTs) have been presented. The addition of Si can reduce the total density of trap states and change the band-gap properties. When 0.5 wt% Si was used to fabricate SZTO TFTs, they showed superior stability under negative bias temperature stress. We derived the band gap and Fermi energy level directly using data from UPS, Kelvin probe, and high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy analyses.
Cytological basis of sterility in male and female hybrids between sibling species of grey voles Microtus arvalis and M. levis
Authors: Torgasheva Anna A. , Borodin Pavel M. 
Published: November 2016

AbstractTo make insight into the cytological basis of reproductive isolation, we examined chromosome synapsis and recombination in sterile male and female hybrids between Microtus arvalis and M. levis. These sibling species differ by a series of chromosomal rearrangements (fusions, inversions, centromere shifts and heterochromatin insertions). We found that meiosis in male hybrids was arrested at leptotene with complete failure of chromosome pairing and DNA double-strand breaks repair. In the female hybrids meiosis proceeded to pachytene; however, the oocytes varied in the degree of pairing errors. Some of them demonstrated almost correct chromosome pairing, while most of them contained a varying number of univalents and multivalents with extensive regions of asynapsis and non-homologous synapsis. Variation between oocytes was probably caused by stochasticity in the ratio of homologous to non-homologous pairing initiations. We suggest that substantial chromosomal and genetic divergence between the parental species affects preliminary alignment of homologues, homology search and elimination of ectopic interhomologue interactions that are required for correct homologous pairing. Apparently, pairing failure in male and aberrant synapsis in female vole hybrids followed by meiotic silencing of unsynapsed chromatin cause apoptosis of gametocytes and sterility.
Predicting Subtype Selectivity for Adenosine Receptor Ligands with Three-Dimensional Biologically Relevant Spectrum (BRS-3D)
Authors: He Song-Bing , Ben Hu  , Kuang Zheng-Kun , Wang Dong , Kong De-Xin 
Published: November 2016

AbstractAdenosine receptors (ARs) are potential therapeutic targets for Parkinson’s disease, diabetes, pain, stroke and cancers. Prediction of subtype selectivity is therefore important from both therapeutic and mechanistic perspectives. In this paper, we introduced a shape similarity profile as molecular descriptor, namely three-dimensional biologically relevant spectrum (BRS-3D), for AR selectivity prediction. Pairwise regression and discrimination models were built with the support vector machine methods. The average determination coefficient (r2) of the regression models was 0.664 (for test sets). The 2B-3 (A2Bvs A3) model performed best with q2 = 0.769 for training sets (10-fold cross-validation), and r2 = 0.766, RMSE = 0.828 for test sets. The models’ robustness and stability were validated with 100 times resampling and 500 times Y-randomization. We compared the performance of BRS-3D with 3D descriptors calculated by MOE. BRS-3D performed as good as, or better than, MOE 3D descriptors. The performances of the discrimination models were also encouraging, with average accuracy (ACC) 0.912 and MCC 0.792 (test set). The 2A-3 (A2Avs A3) selectivity discrimination model (ACC = 0.882 and MCC = 0.715 for test set) outperformed an earlier reported one (ACC = 0.784). These results demonstrated that, through multiple conformation encoding, BRS-3D can be used as an effective molecular descriptor for AR subtype selectivity prediction.
Influence of tillage practices and straw incorporation on soil aggregates, organic carbon, and crop yields in a rice-wheat rotation system
Authors: Song Ke , Yang Jianjun , Xue Yong , Lv Weiguang , Zheng Xianqing , Pan Jianjun 
Published: November 2016

AbstractIn this study, a fixed-site field experiment was conducted to study the influence of different combinations of tillage and straw incorporation management on carbon storage in different-sized soil aggregates and on crop yield after three years of rice-wheat rotation. Compared to conventional tillage, the percentages of >2 mm macroaggregates and water-stable macroaggregates in rice-wheat double-conservation tillage (zero-tillage and straw incorporation) were increased 17.22% and 36.38% in the 0–15 cm soil layer and 28.93% and 66.34% in the 15–30 cm soil layer, respectively. Zero tillage and straw incorporation also increased the mean weight diameter and stability of the soil aggregates. In surface soil (0–15 cm), the maximum proportion of total aggregated carbon was retained with 0.25–0.106 mm aggregates, and rice-wheat double-conservation tillage had the greatest ability to hold the organic carbon (33.64 g kg−1). However, different forms occurred at higher levels in the 15–30 cm soil layer under the conventional tillage. In terms of crop yield, the rice grown under conventional tillage and the wheat under zero tillage showed improved equivalent rice yields of 8.77% and 6.17% compared to rice-wheat double-cropping under zero tillage or conventional tillage, respectively.
Surface‐modified barium titanate by MEEAA for high‐energy storage application of polymer composites
Authors: Shen Yanbin , Luo Suibin , Yu Shuhui , Sun Rong , Wong Ching‐Ping 
Published: November 2016

In this study, 2‐[2‐(2‐methoxyethoxy)ethoxy]acetic acid (MEEAA) was used to modify the surface of barium titanate nanoparticles (BT NPs) to enhance the compatibility and dispersion of the BT ceramic fillers in polymer matrix. A uniform coating layer with a thickness about 2 nm was formed on the surface of BT after modification. The poly(vinylidene fluoride)‐hexafluoropropene [P(VDF‐HFP)] composites filled with MEEAA‐modified BT NPs achieved higher permittivity(∼13 at 3.0 vol% filler) and discharged energy density than that of the untreated BT filled composite. The maximum discharge energy density of 7.8 J/cm3 was obtained in the nanocomposites with 3 vol% MEEAA‐modified BT NPs at electric field of 425 kV/mm, which is 77% higher than that of 4.4 J/cm3 of pure P(VDF‐HFP) film at electric field of 420 kV/mm.
Influence of partial substitution for CB with MWNTs on performance of CB‐filled NR composites
Authors: Zhang Huan , Wei Yintao , Kang Zhenran , Zhao Guizhe , Liu Yaqing 
Published: November 2016

The effects of substituting carbon black (CB) with multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) on the structure and properties of natural rubber (NR)/CB composites is explored. Compared with NR/CB composites, NR/MWNTs/CB presents better filler dispersity and dynamic properties of the MWNT up to a certain concentration, as confirmed by scanning electron microscope, dynamic mechanical analyser and rubber processing analyser. Sample with 1 phr MWNTs shows obviously the highest tensile strength, 28.60 MPa, and almost the lowest heat build‐up, only 9.6°C, and it is attributed to that not only large cross‐link density and better filler dispersity but also high effective elasticity and large filler–rubber interaction. However, when the concentration is much higher, MWNTs tend to aggregate and lead to the poor efficiency to enhance the dynamic properties of rubber composites or even deteriorate the properties.
Synthesis of transferable nanoporous PtFe/Au film with enhanced electrocatalytic activity
Authors: Yin Yingying , Zhao Jianwei , Qin Lirong , Yang Yu , He Lizhong 
Published: November 2016

An ordered nanoporous PtFe/Au film is synthesised via a simple two‐step strategy based on sputtering and electrochemical deposition onto anodic aluminium oxide template. The morphology image of PtFe/Au film is characterised. The results reveal that the prepared porous film consists of ordered hexagonal array of nanoholes with a pore diameter of 40 nm and a periodic distance of 120 nm. PtFe/Au film after dissolving the template can maintain its integrality and is transferable. The PtFe/Au nanoporous film based electrode shows high catalytic activity for oxidation of methanol in alkaline ambiance which making it more attractive for fuel cell operations.