bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Physicochemical controls on biogeographic variation of benthic foraminiferal test size and shape
Authors: Keating-Bitonti Caitlin R. , Payne Jonathan L. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractThe sizes and shapes of marine organisms often vary systematically across latitude and water depth, but the environmental factors that mediate these gradients in morphology remain incompletely understood. A key challenge is isolating the individual contributions of many, often correlated, environmental variables of potential biological significance. Benthic foraminifera, a diverse group of rhizarian protists that inhabit nearly all marine environments, provide an unparalleled opportunity to test statistically among the various potential controls on size and volume–to–surface area ratio. Here, we use 7035 occurrences of 541 species of Rotallid foraminifera across 946 localities spanning more than 60 degrees of latitude and 1600 m of water depth around the North American continental margin to assess the relative influences of temperature, oxygen availability, carbonate saturation, and particulate organic carbon flux on their test volume and volume–to–surface area ratio. For the North American data set as a whole, the best model includes temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration as predictors. This model also applies to data from the Pacific continental margin in isolation, but only temperature is included in the best model for the Atlantic. Because these findings are consistent with predictions from the first principles of cell physiology, we interpret these statistical associations as the expressions of physiological selective pressures on test size and shape from the physical environment. Regarding existing records of temporal variation in foraminiferal test size across geological time in light of these findings suggests that the importance of temperature variation on the evolution of test volume and volume–to–surface area ratio may be underappreciated. In particular, warming may have played as important a role as reduced oxygen availability in causing test size reduction during past episodes of environmental crisis and is expected to inflict metabolic stress on benthic foraminifera over the next century due to anthropogenic climate change.
Making music on the march: sledging songs of the ‘heroic age’ of Antarctic exploration
Authors: Philpott Carolyn , Leane Elizabeth 
Published: April 2016

ABSTRACTDuring the so-called ‘heroic age’ of Antarctic exploration (c.1897–1922), various parties of men invented songs to aid the act of sledging and to provide a mental diversion from the monotony of the task and the physical demands it made on the human body. Songs composed in this uniquely polar musical genre typically included rhyming lyrics that were highly motivational and expressed a united identity. The lyrics were usually set to the melodies of popular songs of the day. When voiced in unison by men out ‘on the march,’ sledging songs could help to promote team synchronisation and cohesion, and give the act of sledging (as well as the expeditions as a whole) a stronger sense of purpose and meaning. The singing of such songs, therefore, contributed in a very practical way to the overall success of many Antarctic expeditions of the ‘heroic age’. This article examines three sledging songs dating from this period of Antarctic exploration and investigates the historical context in which they were created and performed. It also considers what these songs reveal about the experiences of the men who participated in the sledging journeys and their earliest perceptions of the Antarctic environment.
Older male and female drivers in car-dependent settings: how much do they use other modes, and do they compensate for reduced driving to maintain mobility?
Authors: KING MARK J. , SCOTT-PARKER BRIDIE J. 
Published: April 2016

ABSTRACTAmong the societal and health challenges of population ageing is the continued transport mobility of older people who retain their driving licence, especially in highly car-dependent societies. While issues surrounding loss of a driving licence have been researched, less attention has been paid to variations in physical travel by mode among the growing proportion of older people who retain their driving licence. It is unclear how much they reduce their driving with age, the degree to which they replace driving with other modes of transport, and how this varies by age and gender. This paper reports research conducted in the state of Queensland, Australia, with a sample of 295 older drivers (>60 years). Time spent driving is considerably greater than time spent as a passenger or walking across age groups and genders. A decline in travel time as a driver with increasing age is not redressed by increases in travel as a passenger or pedestrian. The patterns differ by gender, most likely reflecting demographic and social factors. Given the expected considerable increase in the number of older women in particular, and their reported preference not to drive alone, there are implications for policies and programmes that are relevant to other car-dependent settings. There are also implications for the health of older drivers, since levels of walking are comparatively low.
Mamluk authorities and Anatolian realities: Jānibak al-Ṣūfī, sultan al-Ashraf Barsbāy, and the story of a social network in the Mamluk/Anatolian frontier zone, 1435–1438
Authors: ADRIAENSSENS VEERLE , VAN STEENBERGEN JO 
Published: April 2016

AbstractThis article engages with the 838–841/1435–1437 Anatolian adventures of the Mamluk amir Jānibak al-Ṣūfī. It demonstrates how Jānibak's narrative is a remarkable story full of meanings, which enable a more nuanced understanding of Mamluk engagements with southern and eastern Anatolia during the reign of sultan al-Ashraf Barsbāy (825–41/1422–38). First Jānibak's whereabouts in Anatolia are reconstructed on the one hand as they appear from contemporary source material and as they have been analysed in a handful of modern studies on the other. Against this historiographical background, a more comprehensive understanding of Jānibak's role and significance is then developed, combining local, Syro-Egyptian and Anatolian readings of Jānibak's story into one integrated social network approach. This reconstruction of Jānibak's social network in the Anatolian frontier zone finally leads to a number of conclusions on the complexity of political life in the 1430s in eastern Anatolia, on the nature of Barsbāy's state, and on the shared realities of 15th-century political cultures in the Nile-to-Black-Sea area.
Mīrkhwānd and Persian Historiography
Authors: ANSARI ALI M. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractPre-modern historians of the Persianate world have primarily been used by modern historians as sources of factual information and rarely to gain insight into the means, methods and world-views of the historians themselves. The 15thC Persian historian Mīrkhwānd is a case in point despite the fact that his extensive discussion on the utility of history lends itself well to an historiographical assessment. While his understanding of the purpose of history may differ in some aspects for the modern discipline, his concerns and application were not as distinctive as we might like to think.
Weight status, fatness and body image perception of North African immigrant women in Italy
Authors: Gualdi-Russo Emanuela , Rinaldo Natascia , Khyatti Meriem , Lakhoua Chérifa , Toselli Stefania 
Published: April 2016

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the nutritional status of North African (NA) immigrant women in Italy, analysing their body size, adiposity and body image perception in comparison to Italian natives and NA residents.DesignThe study utilized a cross-sectional design. Anthropometric traits were directly measured and a few indices were computed as proxy measures of nutritional status and adiposity. Body image perception was assessed using silhouette drawings. ANCOVA, adjusted for age, was used to compare anthropometric traits among different groups of women and the χ2 test to analyse differences in the prevalence of nutritional status.SettingItaly and North Africa (Tunisia, Morocco).SubjectsA sample of 433 women aged 18–60 years old: NA immigrants (n 105); Italians (n 100); Tunisians (n 104); Moroccans (n 124).ResultsOverweight/obesity prevalence was very high in immigrants (79·8 %). Immigrants had the highest BMI value, the greatest hip circumference and mid upper-arm circumference. Their triceps skinfold thickness was significantly higher than that of Italians, but lower than that of NA residents.ConclusionsNA immigrant women in Italy showed a higher incidence of overweight compared with Italians and NA residents. All groups showed a preference for a thinner body in comparison to their actual bodies and the immigrants are the most dissatisfied. Immigrants remain a high-risk group for obesity. Assessment of their body composition and health risk profile should be improved by using specific anthropometric measures that are easy to collect even in the case of large migration flows.
Stunting coexisting with overweight in 2·0–4·9-year-old Indonesian children: prevalence, trends and associated risk factors from repeated cross-sectional surveys
Authors: Rachmi Cut Novianti , Agho Kingsley Emwinyore , Li Mu , Baur Louise Alison 
Published: April 2016

AbstractObjectiveThe persistence of undernutrition, along with overweight and obesity, constitute the double burden of malnutrition. The present study aimed to: (i) describe the prevalence and trends of concurrent stunting and overweight in Indonesian children; (ii) identify potentially associated risk factors; and (iii) determine whether stunted children are at greater risk of overweight compared with those of healthy height.DesignA secondary data analysis of children aged 2·0–4·9 years in four cross-sectional studies of the Indonesian Family Life Survey. Children’s height and BMI Z-scores were calculated based on the WHO Child Growth Standards (2006). We defined ‘concurrent stunting and overweight’ as height-for-age Z-score <−2 and BMI Z-score >+1. Multivariate generalised linear latent and mixed models were used to determine associated risk factors.SettingThirteen out of twenty-seven provinces in Indonesia.SubjectsChildren (n 4101) from four waves of the Indonesian Family Life Survey (1993–2007).ResultsThere were inconsistent trends in the prevalence of concurrent stunting and overweight from waves 1 to 4. Children were more likely to be stunted and overweight when they were in the youngest age group (2·0–2·9 years), were weaned after the age of 6 months, had short-statured mothers or lived in rural areas. Stunted children were significantly more likely to be overweight than healthy-height children (OR>1) but did not differ significantly different across each wave (OR=1·34–2·01).ConclusionsConcurrent stunting and overweight occurs in Indonesian children aged 2·0–4·9 years. Current policies and programmes need to be tailored for the management of this phenomenon.
Non-Precluded Measures Provisions in Bilateral Investment Treaties of South Asian Countries
Authors: SINHA Amit Kumar 
Published: April 2016

AbstractThis paper provides a first-ever detailed study of NPM provisions in all stand-alone BITs which are in force in South Asian countries. It studies 147 BITs of South Asian countries in order to map the NPM provisions in them. It makes an in-depth analysis of the NPM provisions found in these BITs, and then makes an analysis of the consequences of not having NPM provisions in BITs. This follows the dissection of the NPM provisions found, so as to study each and every permissible objective and nexus requirement link in these provisions. This is followed by suggestions and conclusions, where the paper holds that NPM provisions are not sufficiently used in the BITs of these countries and these countries should incorporate this provision more frequently in order to ensure some much-needed regulatory latitude to these countries.
CD95 maintains stem cell-like and non-classical EMT programs in primary human glioblastoma cells
Authors: Drachsler M , Kleber S , Mateos A , Volk K , Mohr N , Chen S , Cirovic B , Tüttenberg J , Gieffers C , Sykora J , Wirtz C R , Mueller W , Synowitz M , Martin-Villalba A 
Published: April 2016

AbstractGlioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most aggressive types of cancer with limited therapeutic options and unfavorable prognosis. Stemness and non-classical epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (ncEMT) features underlie the switch from normal to neoplastic states as well as resistance of tumor clones to current therapies. Therefore, identification of ligand/receptor systems maintaining this privileged state is needed to devise efficient cancer therapies. In this study, we show that the expression of CD95 associates with stemness and EMT features in GBM tumors and cells and serves as a prognostic biomarker. CD95 expression increases in tumors and with tumor relapse as compared with non-tumor tissue. Recruitment of the activating PI3K subunit, p85, to CD95 death domain is required for maintenance of EMT-related transcripts. A combination of the current GBM therapy, temozolomide, with a CD95 inhibitor dramatically abrogates tumor sphere formation. This study molecularly dissects the role of CD95 in GBM cells and contributes the rational for CD95 inhibition as a GBM therapy.
Molecular hydrogen stimulates the gene expression of transcriptional coactivator PGC-1α to enhance fatty acid metabolism
Authors: Kamimura Naomi , Ichimiya Harumi , Iuchi Katsuya , Ohta Shigeo 
Published: April 2016

AbstractWe previously reported that molecular hydrogen (H2) acts as a novel antioxidant to exhibit multiple functions. Moreover, long-term drinking of H2-water (water infused with H2) enhanced energy expenditure to improve obesity and diabetes in db/db mice accompanied by the increased expression of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) by an unknown mechanism. H2 was ingested by drinking of H2-water or by oral administration of an H2-producing material, MgH2. The comprehensive gene expression profile in the liver of db/db mice was analyzed by DNA microarray. The molecular mechanisms underlying the gene expression profile was investigated using cultured HepG2 cells. Moreover, the effects on lifespan of drinking H2-water were examined using wild-type mice that were fed a fatty diet. Pathway analyses based on comprehensive gene expression revealed the increased expression of various genes involved in fatty acid and steroid metabolism. As a transcription pathway, the PPARα signaling pathway was identified to upregulate their genes by ingesting H2. As an early event, the gene expression of PGC-1α was transiently increased, followed by increased expression of FGF21. The expression of PGC-1α might be regulated indirectly through sequential regulation by H2, 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal, and Akt/FoxO1 signaling, as suggested in cultured cell experiments. In wild-type mice fed the fatty diet, H2-water improved the level of plasma triglycerides and extended their average of lifespan. H2 induces expression of the PGC-1α gene, followed by stimulation of the PPARα pathway that regulates FGF21, and the fatty acid and steroid metabolism.
Screening and identification of DNA aptamers toward Schistosoma japonicum eggs via SELEX
Authors: Long Yuqian , Qin Zhiqiang , Duan Minlan , Li Shizhu , Wu Xiaoqiu , Lin Wei , Li Jianglin , Zhao Zilong , Liu Jing , Xiong Dehui , Huang Yi , Hu Xiaoxiao , Yang Chao , Ye Mao , Tan Weihong 
Published: April 2016

AbstractSchistosomiasis is a major parasitic disease caused by blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma. Several million people all over the world are estimated to suffer from severe morbidity as a consequence of schistosomiasis. The worm’s eggs, which cause the symptoms of schistosomiasis, are generally used to diagnose the disease. In this study, we employed egg-based systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (egg-SELEX) and identified a panel of ssDNA aptamers specifically binding to eggs derived from S. japonicum. Among these, two aptamers LC6 and LC15 exhibited strong binding to and specific recognition of S. japonicum eggs, but not eggs from Fasciolopsis buski, Enterobius, Ascaris or Clonorchis sinensis. Furthermore, tissue imaging results revealed that LC15 could recognize S. japonicum eggs laid in liver tissues with a detection ratio of 80.5%. Collectively, therefore, we obtained useful aptamers specifically recognizing S. japonicum eggs, which will facilitate the development of an effective tool for both schistosomiasis diagnosis and drug delivery.
Unravelling and controlling hidden imprint fields in ferroelectric capacitors
Authors: Liu Fanmao , Fina Ignasi , Bertacco Riccardo , Fontcuberta Josep 
Published: April 2016

AbstractFerroelectric materials have a spontaneous polarization that can point along energetically equivalent, opposite directions. However, when ferroelectric layers are sandwiched between different metallic electrodes, asymmetric electrostatic boundary conditions may induce the appearance of an electric field (imprint field, Eimp) that breaks the degeneracy of the polarization directions, favouring one of them. This has dramatic consequences on functionality of ferroelectric-based devices such as ferroelectric memories or photodetectors. Therefore, to cancel out the Eimp, ferroelectric components are commonly built using symmetric contact configuration. Indeed, in this symmetric contact configuration, when measurements are done under time-varying electric fields of relatively low frequency, an archetypical symmetric single-step switching process is observed, indicating Eimp ≈ 0. However, we report here on the discovery that when measurements are performed at high frequency, a well-defined double-step switching is observed, indicating the presence of Eimp. We argue that this frequency dependence originates from short-living head-to-head or tail-to-tail ferroelectric capacitors in the device. We demonstrate that we can modulate Eimp and the life-time of head-to-head or tail-to-tail polarization configurations by adjusting the polarization screening charges by suitable illumination. These findings are of relevance to understand the effects of internal electric fields on pivotal ferroelectric properties, such as memory retention and photoresponse.
The early history and emergence of molecular functions and modular scale-free network behavior
Authors: Aziz M. Fayez , Caetano-Anollés Kelsey , Caetano-Anollés Gustavo 
Published: April 2016

AbstractThe formation of protein structural domains requires that biochemical functions, defined by conserved amino acid sequence motifs, be embedded into a structural scaffold. Here we trace domain history onto a bipartite network of elementary functional loop sequences and domain structures defined at the fold superfamily level of SCOP classification. The resulting ‘elementary functionome’ network and its loop motif and structural domain graph projections create evolutionary ‘waterfalls’ describing the emergence of primordial functions. Waterfalls reveal how ancient loops are shared by domain structures in two initial waves of functional innovation that involve founder ‘p-loop’ and ‘winged helix’ domain structures. They also uncover a dynamics of modular motif embedding in domain structures that is ongoing, which transfers ‘preferential’ cooption properties of ancient loops to emerging domains. Remarkably, we find that the emergence of molecular functions induces hierarchical modularity and power law behavior in network evolution as the network of motifs and structures expand metabolic pathways and translation.
Glass-on-Glass Fabrication of Bottle-Shaped Tunable Microlasers and their Applications
Authors: Ward Jonathan M. , Yang Yong , Nic Chormaic Síle 
Published: April 2016

AbstractWe describe a novel method for making microbottle-shaped lasers by using a CO2 laser to melt Er:Yb glass onto silica microcapillaries or fibres. This is realised by the fact that the two glasses have different melting points. The CO2 laser power is controlled to flow the doped glass around the silica cylinder. In the case of a capillary, the resulting geometry is a hollow, microbottle-shaped resonator. This is a simple method for fabricating a number of glass whispering gallery mode (WGM) lasers with a wide range of sizes on a single, micron-scale structure. The Er:Yb doped glass outer layer is pumped at 980 nm via a tapered optical fibre and WGM lasing is recorded around 1535 nm. This structure facilitates a new way to thermo-optically tune the microlaser modes by passing gas through the capillary. The cooling effect of the gas flow shifts the WGMs towards shorter wavelengths and thermal tuning of the lasing modes over 70 GHz is achieved. Results are fitted using the theory of hot wire anemometry, allowing the flow rate to be calibrated with a flow sensitivity as high as 72 GHz/sccm. Strain tuning of the microlaser modes by up to 60 GHz is also demonstrated.
Experimental evidence of coherent transport
Authors: Flores-Olmedo E. , Martínez-Argüello A. M. , Martínez-Mares M. , Báez G. , Franco-Villafañe J. A. , Méndez-Sánchez R. A. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractCoherent transport phenomena are difficult to observe due to several sources of decoherence. For instance, in the electronic transport through quantum devices the thermal smearing and dephasing, the latter induced by inelastic scattering by phonons or impurities, destroy phase coherence. In other wave systems, the temperature and dephasing may not destroy the coherence and can then be used to observe the underlying wave behaviour of the coherent phenomena. Here, we observe coherent transmission of mechanical waves through a two-dimensional elastic Sinai billiard with two waveguides. The flexural-wave transmission, performed by non-contact means, shows the quantization when a new mode becomes open. These measurements agree with the theoretical predictions of the simplest model highlighting the universal character of the transmission fluctuations.
Cancer stem cells are underestimated by standard experimental methods in clear cell renal cell carcinoma
Authors: Gedye Craig , Sirskyj Danylo , Lobo Nazleen C. , Meens Jalna , Hyatt Elzbieta , Robinette Michael , Fleshner Neil , Hamilton Robert J , Kulkarni Girish , Zlotta Alexandre , Evans Andrew , Finelli Antonio , Jewett Michael A. S. , Ailles Laurie E. 
Published: April 2016

AbstractRare cancer stem cells (CSC) are proposed to be responsible for tumour propagation and re-initiation and are functionally defined by identifying tumour-initiating cells (TICs) using the xenotransplantation limiting dilution assay (LDA). While TICs in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) appeared rare in NOD/SCID/IL2Rγ−/− (NSG) mice, xenografts formed more efficiently from small tumour fragments, indicating the LDA underestimated ccRCC TIC frequency. Mechanistic interrogation of the LDA identified multiple steps that influence ccRCC TIC quantitation. For example, tissue disaggregation destroys most ccRCC cells, common assays significantly overestimate tumour cell viability and microenvironmental supplementation with human extracellular factors or pharmacological inhibition of anoikis increase clonogenicity and tumourigenicity of ccRCC cell lines and primary tumour cells. Identification of these previously uncharacterized concerns that cumulatively lead to substantial underestimation of TICs in ccRCC provides a framework for development of more accurate TIC assays in the future, both for this disease and for other cancers.