bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Supramolecular Columnar Liquid Crystals with Tapered‐Shape Simple Pyrazoles Obtained by Efficient Henry/Michael Reactions
Authors: Blanco Hugo , Iguarbe Verónica , Barberá Joaquín , Serrano José Luis , Elduque Anabel , Giménez Raquel 
Published: February 2016

AbstractA straightforward synthesis of mesogenic pyrazoles starting from benzaldehydes by a combination of efficient Henry and Michael reactions led to novel supramolecular liquid crystals. The mesogens are fluorescent 3,5‐dimethyl‐4‐(di or trialkoxyphenyl)pyrazoles and, in spite of the tapered shape of these molecules and their structural simplicity (only one phenyl ring), columnar liquid‐crystal phases were formed that are stable at room temperature. The self‐assembled structure was studied by XRD and the columnar cross section contains two molecules on average with an antiparallel arrangement of pyrazoles interacting through hydrogen bonds. In contrast, the single‐crystal structure of a trimethoxy analog did not show hydrogen‐bonded pyrazoles but chains of head‐to‐tail arranged molecules.
Multitarget Drugs: an Epigenetic Epiphany
Authors: Ganesan A. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractEpigenetics refers to changes in a biological phenotype that are not due to an underlying change in genotype. In eukaryotes, epigenetics involves a set of chemical modifications of the DNA and the histone proteins in nucleosomes. These dynamic changes are carried out by enzymes and modulate protein–protein and protein–nucleic acid interactions to determine whether specific genes are expressed or silenced. Both the epigenetic enzymes and recognition domains are currently important drug discovery targets, particularly for the treatment of cancer. This review summarizes the progress of epigenetic targets that have reached a clinical stage: DNA methyltransferases, histone deacetylases, lysine methyltransferases, lysine demethylases, and bromodomains; this is followed by a comprehensive survey of multitarget drugs that have included an epigenetic target as one of their mechanisms of action.
Scaling the consequences of interactions between invaders from the individual to the population level
Authors: Griffen Blaine D. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThe impact of human‐induced stressors, such as invasive species, is often measured at the organismal level, but is much less commonly scaled up to the population level. Interactions with invasive species represent an increasingly common source of stressor in many habitats. However, due to the increasing abundance of invasive species around the globe, invasive species now commonly cause stresses not only for native species in invaded areas, but also for other invasive species. I examine the European green crab Carcinus maenas, an invasive species along the northeast coast of North America, which is known to be negatively impacted in this invaded region by interactions with the invasive Asian shore crab Hemigrapsus sanguineus. Asian shore crabs are known to negatively impact green crabs via two mechanisms: by directly preying on green crab juveniles and by indirectly reducing green crab fecundity via interference (and potentially exploitative) competition that alters green crab diets. I used life‐table analyses to scale these two mechanistic stressors up to the population level in order to examine their relative impacts on green crab populations. I demonstrate that lost fecundity has larger impacts on per capita population growth rates, but that both predation and lost fecundity are capable of reducing population growth sufficiently to produce the declines in green crab populations that have been observed in areas where these two species overlap. By scaling up the impacts of one invader on a second invader, I have demonstrated that multiple documented interactions between these species are capable of having population‐level impacts and that both may be contributing to the decline of European green crabs in their invaded range on the east coast of North America.
Synthesis and application of a sulfur‐containing phosphoric amide flame retardant for nylon fabric
Authors: Chen Yingchun , Sun Bing , Zhang Haixi , Zhou Xiangdong 
Published: February 2016

SummaryA sulfur‐containing flame retardant (SFR) was synthesized from polyphosphoric acid, epoxy chloropropane, and thiourea. Using a water‐soluble isocyanate‐terminated (WIT) cross‐linker, the flame retardant was applied as a flame‐retardant finishing on nylon fabric. WIT is a compound that not only cross‐links SFR and nylon cellulose but also contains no formaldehyde. Comparisons of the main performances of SFR with those of N‐methyloldimethylphosphonopropionamide (known as ‘Pyrovatex CP’) and a bicyclic phosphonite (known as ‘Antiblaze 19T’) indicate that the presence of sulfur in SFR plays a crucial role in decreasing the flammability of the nylon fabric. The limiting oxygen index value and damaged carbon length of the finished nylon fabric were 29.4% and 5.7 cm, respectively, when the concentrations of SFR and WIT were 200 and 40 g/L, respectively, and the baking temperature and time were 150 °C and 3 min, respectively. After 10 laundry cycles, the fabric still retains some flame retardancy. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cognitive impairment and mortality among the oldest‐old Chinese
Authors: An Ruopeng , Liu Gordon G. 
Published: February 2016

ObjectiveThis study examined the relationship between cognitive impairment status and all‐cause mortality among the oldest‐old Chinese.MethodsA total of 7474 survey participants 80 years of age and above came from the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey 1998–2012 waves. Baseline cognitive impairment status was assessed using the Chinese version of the mini‐mental state examination (MMSE), with total score ranging from 0 to 30. Cox proportional hazards regressions were performed to examine the relationship between baseline cognitive impairment status in 1998 and subsequent all‐cause mortality during 1998–2012, adjusting for various individual characteristics at baseline.ResultsCompared with those with no or mild cognitive impairment (18 ≤ MMSE score ≤ 30) at baseline, participants with moderate‐to‐severe cognitive impairment (0 ≤ MMSE score ≤ 17) were 28% (95% confidence interval = 20%, 37%) more likely to die during the follow‐up period from 1998 to 2012. A dose–response relationship between baseline severity level of cognitive impairment and mortality was evident. Compared with those without cognitive impairment (25 ≤ MMSE score ≤ 30) at baseline, those having mild cognitive impairment (18 ≤ MMSE score ≤ 24), moderate cognitive impairment (10 ≤ MMSE score ≤ 17), and severe cognitive impairment (0 ≤ MMSE score ≤ 9), were 20% (13%, 28%), 38% (27%, 51%), and 47% (33%, 62%) more likely to die during the follow‐up period. No statistically significant gender differences in the relationship between cognitive impairment status and mortality were found.ConclusionBaseline cognitive impairment was inversely associated with longevity among the oldest‐old Chinese. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The contribution of caregiver psychosocial factors to distress associated with behavioural and psychological symptoms in dementia
Authors: Feast Alexandra , Orrell Martin , Russell Ian , Charlesworth Georgina , Moniz‐Cook Esme 
Published: February 2016

ObjectiveThe objective of the study is to examine caregiver factors as predictors of BPSD‐related distress and their potential mechanisms.MethodInformal caregivers of people with dementia (n = 157) recruited from 28 community mental health teams in six NHS Trusts across England completed questionnaires regarding psychosocial factors (relationship quality, competence, guilt, health‐related quality of life in the caregiver and person with dementia, reactivity to behavioural and psychological symptoms in dementia [BPSD] and burden) and frequency of BPSD. Analyses of BPSD‐related distress include hierarchical multiple regression, mediation, moderation and path analysis.ResultsCaregiver psychosocial factors explained 56% of the variance in BPSD‐related distress. After controlling for these factors, frequency of BPSD was not a significant predictor of BPSD‐related distress. Caregiver reactivity to BPSD, burden, competence and relationship quality directly influenced BPSD‐related distress. Guilt influenced distress indirectly via competence, burden and reactivity to BPSD. The final model accounted for 41% of the variance in BPSD‐related distress and achieved a good fit to the data (χ2 = 23.920, df = 19, p = 0.199).ConclusionsCaregiver psychosocial factors including sense of competence, guilt, burden and reactivity to BPSD contribute to BPSD‐related distress. Tailored interventions for managing behaviour problems in family settings could focus on these factors associated with BPSD‐related distress to minimise distress in families. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Detection of Treponema pallidum Sp. Pallidum DNA in Cerebrospinal Fluid (CSF) by Two PCR Techniques
Authors: Castro Rita , Águas Maria João , Batista Teresa , Araújo Carlos , Mansinho Kamal , Pereira Filomena da Luz Martins 
Published: February 2016

BackgroundLaboratory diagnosis of neurosyphilis is complicated especially when it is asymptomatic, no single laboratory test result being appropriate to diagnose central nervous system infectivity caused by Treponema pallidum. Our objective was to evaluate two polymerase chain reaction (PCR) techniques for the detection of T. pallidum DNA in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with syphilis.MethodsOne hundred twenty‐four CSF samples from patients with reactive blood tests for syphilis were obtained. Two PCR techniques (47‐PCR, polA‐PCR) were used to detect T. pallidum DNA. The laboratory criteria used for the diagnosis of neurosyphilis to which the PCR techniques were compared were those recommended by the IUSTI: 2008 European guidelines on the management of syphilis.ResultsTreponema pallidum DNA was detected amplified in 37 of 124 (29.8%) and 30 of 124 (24.2%) samples with the 47‐PCR and polA‐PCR, respectively. Sensitivities were 75.8% and 69.7% and specificities 86.8% and 92.3%, respectively, for 47‐PCR and polA‐PCR techniques, respectively. The three CSF samples of patients with primary syphilis did not fulfill the criteria of neurosyphilis and DNA was only detected in one by the 47‐PCR. In samples from secondary syphilis and neurosyphilis, three of nine and nine of nine respectively, results were coincident for the two PCR techniques and neurosyphilis criteria. Major discrepancies between the two PCR techniques and neurosyphilis diagnostic criteria were observed in latent syphilis.ConclusionBeyond some limitations of the study, which are discussed here, both PCR techniques seem to be useful for the diagnosis of neurosyphilis, although 47‐PCR presents a higher sensitivity and polA‐PCR a higher specificity.
Dressings Loaded with Cyclodextrin–Hamamelitannin Complexes Increase Staphylococcus aureus Susceptibility Toward Antibiotics Both in Single as well as in Mixed Biofilm Communities
Authors: Brackman Gilles , Garcia‐Fernandez Maria José , Lenoir Joke , De Meyer Laurens , Remon Jean‐Paul , De Beer Thomas , Concheiro Angel , Alvarez‐Lorenzo Carmen , Coenye Tom 
Published: February 2016

Bacteria reside within biofilms at the infection site, making them extremely difficult to eradicate with conventional wound care products. Bacteria use quorum sensing (QS) systems to regulate biofilm formation, and QS inhibitors (QSIs) have been proposed as promising antibiofilm agents. Despite this, few antimicrobial therapies that interfere with QS exist. Nontoxic hydroxypropyl‐β‐cyclodextrin‐functionalized cellulose gauzes releasing a burst of the antibiotic vancomycin and the QSI hamamelitannin are developed, followed by a sustained release of both. The gauzes affect QS and biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus in an in vitro model of chronic wound infection and can be considered as candidates to be used to prevent wound infection as well as treat infected wounds.
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Size Impact of Ordered P3HT Nanofibers on Optical Anisotropy
Authors: Lobov Gleb S. , Zhao Yichen , Marinins Aleksandrs , Yan Min , Li Jiantong , Sugunan Abhilash , Thylén Lars , Wosinski Lech , Östling Mikael , Toprak Muhammet S. , Popov Sergei 
Published: February 2016

Poly‐3‐hexylthiophene (P3HT) nanofibers are 1D crystalline structures with semiconductor properties. When P3HT nanofibers are dispersed in nonconducting solvent, they react to external alternate electric field by aligning along the field lines. This can be used to create layers of ordered nanofibers and is referred to as alternating current poling method. P3HT nanofibers with three different size distributions are fabricated, using self‐assembly mechanism in marginal solvents, and used for the alignment studies. Anisotropic absorption of oriented 2 μm long nanofibers exponentially increases with the magnitude of applied field to a certain asymptotic limit at 0.8 V μm−1, while 100–500 nm long nanofibers respond to electric field negligibly. Effective optical birefringence of oriented 2 μm long nanofibers is calculated, based on the phase shift at 633 nm and the average layer thickness, to be 0.41. These results combined with further studies on real‐time control over orientation of P3HT nanofibers in liquid solution or host system are promising in terms of exploiting them in electroabsorptive and electrorefractive applications.
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Partial evaluation of string obfuscations for Java malware detection
Authors: Chawdhary Aziem , Singh Ranjeet , King Andy 
Published: February 2016

Abstract
The fact that Java is platform independent gives hackers the opportunity to write exploits that can target users on any platform, which has a JVM implementation. Metasploit is a well-known source of Java exploits and to circumvent detection by anti virus (AV) software, obfuscation techniques are routinely applied to make an exploit more difficult to recognise. Popular obfuscation techniques for Java include string obfuscation and applying reflection to hide method calls; two techniques that can either be used together or independently. This paper shows how to apply partial evaluation to remove these obfuscations and thereby improve AV matching. The paper presents a partial evaluator for Jimple, which is an intermediate language for JVM bytecode designed for optimisation and program analysis, and demonstrates how partially evaluated Jimple code, when transformed back into Java, improves the detection rates of a number of commercial AV products.
Adhesions and endometriosis: challenges in subfertility management
Authors: De Wilde R. L. , Alvarez J. , Brölmann H. , Campo R. , Cheong Y. , Lundorff P. , Pawelczyk L. , Roman H. , di Spiezio Sardo A. , Wallwiener M. 
Published: February 2016

Abstract
There is molecular evidence that endometriosis has a negative impact on the ovaries, although the exact pathophysiology concerning endometriosis-associated subfertility is not known. The negative impact on the tubo-ovarian unit can be directly by distorting the anatomy, indirectly by invoking inflammation or by oxidative damage with poorer-quality oocytes. Endometriosis even seems to have a negative effect on pregnancy outcome after in vitro fertilization.
Numerical optimization of flow uniformity inside an under body- oval substrate to improve emissions of IC engines
Authors: Om Ariara Guhan C.P. , Arthanareeswaran G. , Varadarajan K.N. , Krishnan S. 
Published: February 2016

Abstract
Oval substrates are widely used in automobiles to reduce the exhaust emissions in Diesel oxidation Catalyst of CI engine. Because of constraints in space and packaging Oval substrate is preferred rather than round substrate. Obtaining the flow uniformity is very challenging in oval substrate comparing with round substrate. In this present work attempts are made to optimize the inlet cone design to achieve the optimal flow uniformity with the help of CATIA V5 which is 3D design tool and CFX which is 3D CFD tool. Initially length of inlet cone and mass flow rate of exhaust stream are analysed to understand the effects of flow uniformity and pressure drop. Then short straight cones and angled cones are designed. Angled cones have been designed by two methodologies. First methodology is rotating flow inlet plane along the substrate in shorter or longer axis. Second method is shifting the flow inlet plane along the longer axis. Large improvement in flow uniformity is observed when the flow inlet plane is shifted along the direction of longer axis by 10, 20 and 30 mm away from geometrical centre. When the inlet plane is rotated again based on 30 mm shifted geometry, significant improvement at rotation angle of 20° is observed. The flow uniformity is optimum when second shift is performed based on second rotation. This present work shows that for an oval substrate flow, uniformity index can be optimized when inlet cone is angled by rotation of flow inlet plane along axis of substrate.
Highlights Optimize the inlet cone design to achieve the optimal flow uniformity. Angled cones have been designed with rotating flow inlet plane along the substrate in shorter or longer axis. Large improvement in flow uniformity is observed along the direction of 10, 20 and 30 mm away from geometrical centre. Flow uniformity is optimum when second shift is performed based on second rotation.
Public Policy Induced Changes in Employment: Valuation Issues for Benefit-Cost Analysis
Authors: Haveman Robert H. , Weimer David L. 
Published: February 2016

We explore the economic welfare effects of direct and indirect government-induced changes in employment under varying market conditions. We begin with a discussion of those policy-induced employment changes that seamlessly reshuffle workers among jobs in an efficient (i.e., full-employment, full-information) economy; generally such changes create few, if any, net changes in economic welfare not captured in changes in wage bills. We then turn to the effects of policy-induced employment changes in economies with two market distortions: (1) inflexible wages set by law or custom that result in involuntary unemployment during periods of deficient aggregate demand, and (2) illiquidity resulting from imperfect capital markets that prevent people from borrowing against future earnings. Induced employment changes in these circumstances impose real net social costs or generate real net social benefits beyond changes in the wage bill. We also assess the likely magnitude of the social opportunity cost of labor in the case of involuntary unemployment and imperfect liquidity, and address how the welfare effects of such employment changes should be valued. Based on currently available empirical research, we develop estimates of the opportunity costs of hiring or releasing an employee during periods of high unemployment with and without other market distortions. In contrast to conventional benefit-cost analysis practice, which treats releasing workers as having a negative opportunity cost, we estimate an opportunity cost for firing that is positive and equal to about 73% of pre-firing compensation, primarily because of the “scarring effect” of unemployment. Also in contrast to conventional practice, we estimate an opportunity cost for hiring an unemployed worker that is less than the worker’s opportunity cost of time.
An S-shaped pattern in the perceived passage of time: how social interaction governs temporal experience
Authors: FLAHERTY MICHAEL G. 
Published: February 2016

abstractVariation in the passage of time is perceived against the backdrop of standard temporal units. Under certain conditions, we perceive time to be passing slowly. In other settings, our subjective temporal experience is roughly synchronized with the objective time of clocks or calendars. And given different circumstances, we perceive time to have passed quickly. Drawing from 740 narratives that depict distortion in the perceived passage of time, I formulate a theory that accounts for the full range of variation in temporal experience. This theory can be represented by an S-shaped figure. According to this theory, variation in the perceived passage of time reflects variation in the density of experience per standard temporal unit. In turn, the density of experience per standard temporal unit is conditioned by the dynamics of social interaction. In its original form, however, this theory assumes that one’s circumstances shape one’s temporal experience in deterministic fashion. Consequently, based upon interviews with 406 disparate people, I conceptualize time work (or temporal agency) as one’s efforts to control, manipulate, or customize one’s own temporal experience or that of others. I conclude with some directions for future research.
Adaptive credible intervals on stratigraphic ranges when recovery potential is unknown
Authors: Wang Steve C. , Everson Philip J. , Zhou Heather Jianan , Park Dasol , Chudzicki David J. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractNumerous methods exist for estimating the true stratigraphic range of a fossil taxon based on the stratigraphic positions of its fossil occurrences. Many of these methods require the assumption of uniform fossil recovery potential—that fossils are equally likely to be found at any point within the taxon's true range. This assumption is unrealistic, because factors such as stratigraphic architecture, sampling effort, and the taxon's abundance and geographic range affect recovery potential. Other methods do not make this assumption, but they instead require a priori quantitative knowledge of recovery potential that may be difficult to obtain. We present a new Bayesian method, the Adaptive Beta method, for estimating the true stratigraphic range of a taxon that works for both uniform and non-uniform recovery potential. In contrast to existing methods, we explicitly estimate recovery potential from the positions of the occurrences themselves, so that a priori knowledge of recovery potential is not required. Using simulated datasets, we compare the performance of our method with existing methods. We show that the Adaptive Beta method performs well in that it achieves or nearly achieves nominal coverage probabilities and provides reasonable point estimates of the true extinction in a variety of situations. We demonstrate the method using a dataset of the Cambrian molluscAnabarella.
Epitope mapping ofBrugia malayiALT-2 and the development of a multi-epitope vaccine for lymphatic filariasis
Authors: Madhumathi J. , Prince P.R. , Rao D.N. , Karande A.A. , Reddy M.V.R. , Kaliraj P. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractHuman lymphatic filariasis is a neglected tropical disease, causing permanent and long-term disability with severe immunopathology. Abundant larval transcript (ALT) plays a crucial role in parasite establishment in the host, due to its multi-faceted ability in host immune regulation. Although ALT protein is a key filarial target, its exact function is yet to be explored. Here, we report epitope mapping and a structural model ofBrugia malayiALT-2, leading to development of a multi-epitope vaccine. Structural analysis revealed that ALT represents unique parasitic defence proteins belonging to a toxin family that carries a ‘knottin’ fold. ALT-2 has been a favourite vaccine antigen and was protective in filarial models. Due to the immunological significance of ALT-2, we mapped B-cell epitopes systematically and identified two epitope clusters, 1–30 and 89–128. To explore the prophylactic potential of epitope clusters, a recombinant multi-epitopic gene comprising the epitopic domains was engineered and the protective efficacy of recombinant ALT epitope protein (AEP) was tested in the permissive model,Mastomys coucha. AEP elicited potent antibody responses with predominant IgG1 isotype and conferred significantly high protection (74.59%) compared to ALT-2 (61.95%). This proved that these epitopic domains are responsible for the protective efficacy of ALT-2 and engineering protective epitopes as a multi-epitope protein may be a novel vaccine strategy for complex parasitic infections.