bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Myocardial performance index in fetal anemia
Authors: de Assunção Renata Almeida , Liao Adolfo Wenjaw , de Lourdes Brizot Maria , Francisco Rossana Pulcineli Vieira , Zugaib Marcelo 
Published: November 2014

AbstractObjectiveThe objective of the study was to examine the correlation between fetal myocardial performance index (MPI) and hemoglobin (Hb) levels.MethodsIt is a prospective study involving singleton pregnancies at risk of fetal anemia as a result of maternal anti‐D alloimmune disease. Right and left ventricle (LV) MPIs were evaluated by ultrasound up to 72 h before cordocentesis. Zeta‐score values for fetal MPI and Hb levels were calculated, and correlation was examined with linear regression analysis. Significance level was set as 0.05.ResultsFourteen singleton pregnancies underwent 31 cordocentesis procedures at a mean gestation of 28.2 ± 4.1 weeks. Zeta‐score values for LV MPI, isovolumetric relaxation time (IRT), and ejection time (ET) correlated significantly with fetal Hb zeta‐score (LV MPI zeta = 3.816 + 0.336 × Hb zeta, r = 0.59, p < 0.001; LV IRT zeta = 2.643 + 0.218 × Hb zeta, r = 0.45, p = 0.01; LV ET zeta = −2.474 − 0.271 × Hb zeta, r = −0.42, p = 0.02). LV isovolumetric contraction time (ICT) zeta‐score and right ventricle (RV) MPI did not show significant correlation (LV ICT zeta, r = 0.35, p = 0.054; RV MPI, r = 0.12, p = 0.53).ConclusionLV myocardial performance not only remains preserved but also is actually enhanced in cases of moderate/severe fetal anemia. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Intermolecular disulfide bond formation promotes immunoglobulin aggregation: Investigation by fluorescence correlation spectroscopy
Authors: Nag Moupriya , Bera Kallol , Basak Soumen 
Published: November 2014

ABSTRACTProtein aggregation generally results from association between hydrophobic regions of individual monomers. However, additional mechanisms arising from specific interactions, such as intermolecular disulfide bond formation, may also contribute to the process. The latter is proposed to be the initiating pathway for aggregation of immunoglobulin (IgG), which is essential for triggering its immune response. To test the veracity of this hypothesis, we have employed fluorescence correlation spectroscopy to measure the kinetics of aggregation of IgG in separate experiments either allowing or inhibiting disulfide formation. Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy measurements yielded a diffusion time (τD) of ∼200 µsec for Rhodamine‐labeled IgG, corresponding to a hydrodynamic radius (RH) of 56 Å for the IgG monomer. The aggregation kinetics of the protein was followed by monitoring the time evolution of τD under conditions in which its cysteine residues were either free or blocked. In both cases, the progress curves confirmed that aggregation proceeded via the nucleation‐dependent polymerization pathway. However, for aggregation in the presence of free cysteines, the lag times were shorter, and the aggregate sizes bigger, than their respective counterparts for aggregation in the presence of blocked cysteines. This result clearly demonstrates that formation of intermolecular disulfide bonds represents a preferred pathway in the aggregation process of IgG. Fluorescence spectroscopy showed that aggregates formed in experiments where disulfide formation was prevented denatured at lower concentration of guanidine hydrochloride than those obtained in experiments where the disulfides were free to form, indicating that intermolecular disulfide bridging is a valid pathway for IgG aggregation. Proteins 2015; 83:169–177. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Non‐Alternant Non‐Benzenoid Aromatic Compounds: Past, Present, and Future
Authors: Tobe Yoshito 
Published: November 2014

AbstractThe development of the chemistry of non‐alternant non‐benzenoid hydrocarbons is reviewed in connection with the International Symposium on Novel Aromatic Compounds (ISNA) and the author's personal anecdotes. Past molecules include the classics of this class of compounds, pentalene, azulene, and heptalene, and the structurally integrated congeners such as indacenes formed by benzannelation and benzinterposition, which were extensively studied during the last century. Indenofluorene isomers constructed by benzannelation to indacenes represent present molecules, which have attracted much interest in recent years in view of their potential in optoelectronic applications. The unusual properties of the most exotic isomer, indeno[2,1‐b]fluorene, are specifically described to demonstrate that the benzannelation is not simply a modification for stabilization. Finally, as future molecules, those consisting of linear and cyclic arrays of indenofluorene motifs formed by further extension are proposed.
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Bayesian models for functional magnetic resonance imaging data analysis
Authors: Zhang Linlin , Guindani Michele , Vannucci Marina 
Published: November 2014

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), a noninvasive neuroimaging method that provides an indirect measure of neuronal activity by detecting blood flow changes, has experienced an explosive growth in the past years. Statistical methods play a crucial role in understanding and analyzing fMRI data. Bayesian approaches, in particular, have shown great promise in applications. A remarkable feature of fully Bayesian approaches is that they allow a flexible modeling of spatial and temporal correlations in the data. This article provides a review of the most relevant models developed in recent years. We divide methods according to the objective of the analysis. We start from spatiotemporal models for fMRI data that detect task‐related activation patterns. We then address the very important problem of estimating brain connectivity. We also touch upon methods that focus on making predictions of an individual's brain activity or a clinical or behavioral response. We conclude with a discussion of recent integrative models that aim at combining fMRI data with other imaging modalities, such as electroencephalography/magnetoencephalography (EEG/MEG) and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data, measured on the same subjects. We also briefly discuss the emerging field of imaging genetics. WIREs Comput Stat 2015, 7:21–41. doi: 10.1002/wics.1339This article is categorized under:

Statistical and Graphical Methods of Data Analysis > Bayesian Methods and Theory
Proof-based verification approaches for dynamic properties: application to the information system domain
Authors: Mammar Amel , Frappier Marc 
Published: November 2014

Abstract
This paper proposes a formal approach for generating necessary and sufficient proof obligations to demonstrate a set of dynamic properties using the B method. In particular, we consider reachability, non-interference and absence properties. Also, we show that these properties permit a wide range of property patterns introduced by Dwyer to be expressed. An overview of a tool supporting these approaches is also provided.
Nimodipine enhances neurite outgrowth in dopaminergic brain slice co‐cultures
Authors: Sygnecka Katja , Heine Claudia , Scherf Nico , Fasold Mario , Binder Hans , Scheller Christian , Franke Heike 
Published: November 2014

AbstractCalcium ions (Ca2+) play important roles in neuroplasticity and the regeneration of nerves. Intracellular Ca2+concentrations are regulated by Ca2+channels, among them L‐type voltage‐gated Ca2+channels, which are inhibited by dihydropyridines like nimodipine. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of nimodipine on neurite growth during development and regeneration. As an appropriate model to study neurite growth, we chose organotypic brain slice co‐cultures of the mesocortical dopaminergic projection system, consisting of the ventral tegmental area/substantia nigra and the prefrontal cortex from neonatal rat brains. Quantification of the density of the newly built neurites in the border region (region between the two cultivated slices) of the co‐cultures revealed a growth promoting effect of nimodipine at concentrations of 0.1 μM and 1 μM that was even more pronounced than the effect of the growth factor NGF.This beneficial effect was absent when 10 μM nimodipine were applied. Toxicological tests revealed that the application of nimodipine at this higher concentration slightly induced caspase 3 activation in the cortical part of the co‐cultures, but did neither affect the amount of lactate dehydrogenase release or propidium iodide uptake nor the ratio of bax/bcl‐2. Furthermore, the expression levels of different genes were quantified after nimodipine treatment. The expression of Ca2+binding proteins, immediate early genes, glial fibrillary acidic protein, and myelin components did not change significantly after treatment, indicating that the regulation of their expression is not primarily involved in the observed nimodipine mediated neurite growth. In summary, this study revealed for the first time a neurite growth promoting effect of nimodipine in the mesocortical dopaminergic projection system that is highly dependent on the applied concentrations.
Linear and nonlinear evolution of a localized disturbance in polymeric channel flow
Authors: Agarwal Akshat , Brandt Luca , Zaki Tamer A. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractThe evolution of an initially localized disturbance in polymeric channel flow is investigated, with the FENE-P model used to characterize the viscoelastic behaviour of the flow. In the linear growth regime, the flow response is stabilized by viscoelasticity, and the maximum attainable disturbance-energy amplification is reduced with increasing polymer concentration. The reduction in the energy growth rate is attributed to the polymer work, which plays a dual role. First, a spanwise polymer-work term develops, and is explained by the tilting action of the wall-normal vorticity on the mean streamwise conformation tensor. This resistive term weakens the spanwise velocity perturbation thus reducing the energy of the localized disturbance. The second action of the polymer is analogous, with a wall-normal polymer work term that weakens the vertical velocity perturbation. Its indirect effect on energy growth is substantial since it reduces the production of Reynolds shear stress and in turn of the streamwise velocity perturbation, or streaks. During the early stages of nonlinear growth, the dominant effect of the polymer is to suppress the large-scale streaky structures which are strongly amplified in Newtonian flows. As a result, the process of transition to turbulence is prolonged and, after transition, a drag-reduced turbulent state is attained.
WATER RELATIONS AND IRRIGATION REQUIREMENTS OF ONION (ALLIUM CEPA L.): A REVIEW OF YIELD AND QUALITY IMPACTS
Authors: PÉREZ ORTOLÁ M. , KNOX J. W. 
Published: November 2014

SUMMARYThe results of international research on the water relations and irrigation needs of onions have been synthesised in an attempt to link fundamental studies on crop physiology to irrigation practices, and consequent impacts on crop yield, quality and storage. Following a brief introduction on its origins and centres of production, a synthesis of research on crop development including plant water relations, crop water requirements, yield response to water, irrigation systems and scheduling are presented. Most of the evidence stems from research conducted in arid and semi-arid regions, notably the USA, India, Spain and Turkey. The findings confirm that onion seasonal water requirements are highly variable depending on agroclimate, location and season, as are the crop coefficients (Kc) which range from 0.4 to 0.7 (initial stage), 0.85 to 1.05 (middle development) and 0.6 to 0.75 (final stage). Seasonal irrigation needs are reported to vary from 225 to 1040 mm to produce between 10 and 77 t ha−1. The most sensitive stages for water stress are at emergence, transplanting and bulb formation. Final crop quality can also be affected by water excess. Water stress at specific stages can negatively impact on quality leading to reduced size and multi-centred bulbs. In recent years, pressure on water resources, retailer demands for quality assurance and rising production costs have meant that onion irrigation has switched from traditional low efficiency (furrow) methods to more efficient advanced (sprinkler and drip) technologies. For scheduling, optimal soil water potential thresholds for triggering irrigation were found to be between −17 and −27 kPa for drip and furrow irrigation. Research is underway to maximise water use efficiency in onions, but the deficit irrigation regimes being tested under experimental conditions have yet to be adopted commercially.
Character sums for primitive root densities
Authors: LENSTRA H. W. , STEVENHAGEN P. , MOREE P. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractIt follows from the work of Artin and Hooley that, under assumption of the generalised Riemann hypothesis, the density of the set of primes q for which a given non-zero rational number r is a primitive root modulo q can be written as an infinite product ∏p δp of local factors δp reflecting the degree of the splitting field of Xp - r at the primes p, multiplied by a somewhat complicated factor that corrects for the ‘entanglement’ of these splitting fields.We show how the correction factors arising in Artin's original primitive root problem and several of its generalisations can be interpreted as character sums describing the nature of the entanglement. The resulting description in terms of local contributions is so transparent that it greatly facilitates explicit computations, and naturally leads to non-vanishing criteria for the correction factors.The method not only applies in the setting of Galois representations of the multiplicative group underlying Artin's conjecture, but also in the GL2-setting arising for elliptic curves. As an application, we compute the density of the set of primes of cyclic reduction for Serre curves.
A Mediterranean insular port-city in transition: economic transformations, spatial antagonism and the metamorphosis of landscape in nineteenth-century Hermoupolis on the island of Syros
Authors: DELIS APOSTOLOS 
Published: November 2014

ABSTRACT:Port-cities provide excellent examples of the socio-economic transformations that occurred during the transition from merchant to industrial capitalism in the second half of the nineteenth century. Hermoupolis on the island of Syros was a major economic centre in Greece and a hub of international trade during the nineteenth century. However, economic transformations that commenced in the 1860s affected long-established port-based activities such as wooden shipbuilding and its related industries due to the decline of sailing ships and the expansion of factories. This factor led to an increase in tension and antagonism between manufacturers and shipbuilders over the use of land and altered the physical and the socio-economic landscape of the port-city. However, new types of economic activities flourished, like the tramp steamship business and factories, which enabled Hermoupolis to maintain its economic importance until World War II.
A novel variation ofGDF3in Chinese Han children with a broad phenotypic spectrum of non-syndromic CHDs
Authors: Xiao Jianmin , Kang Guanyang , Wang Jing , Li Tengyan , Chen Jiuhao , Wang Jieyin , Li Wei , Wang Binbin 
Published: November 2014

AbstractBackgroundTheGDF3gene plays a fundamental role in embryonic morphogenesis. Recent studies have indicated thatGDF3plays a previously unrecognised role in cardiovascular system development. Non-syndromic CHDs might be a clinically isolated manifestation ofGDF3mutations. The purpose of the present study was to identify potential pathological mutations in theGDF3gene in Chinese children with non-syndromic CHDs, and to gain insight into the aetiology of non-syndromic CHDs.MethodsA total of 200 non-syndromic CHDs patients and 202 normal control patients were sampled. There were two exons of the humanGDF3gene amplified using polymerase chain reaction. The polymerase chain reaction products were purified and directly sequenced.ResultsOne missense mutation (c.C635T, p.Ser212 Leu, phenotype: isolated muscular ventricular septal defect) was found that has not been reported previously.ConclusionsTo the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the role of theGDF3gene in non-syndromic CHDs. Our results expand the spectrum of mutations associated with CHDs and first suggest the potentially disease-relatedGDF3gene variant in the pathogenesis of CHDs.
Convenient Preparation of High-Quality Specimens for Annealing Experiments in the Transmission Electron Microscope
Authors: Duchamp Martial , Xu Qiang , Dunin-Borkowski Rafal E 
Published: November 2014

AbstractA procedure based on focused ion beam milling and in situ lift-out is introduced for the preparation of high-quality specimens for in situ annealing experiments in the transmission electron microscope. The procedure allows an electron-transparent lamella to be cleaned directly on a heating chip using a low ion energy and back-side milling in order to minimize redeposition and damage. The approach is illustrated through the preparation of an Al–Mn–Fe complex metallic alloy specimen.
Psoriasis today: experiences of healthcare and impact on quality of life in a major UK cohort
Authors: Nash Avril S. , McAteer Helen , Schofield Julia , Penzer R. , Gilbert Annie K. 
Published: November 2014

AimTo establish how people with psoriasis in the United Kingdom today experience living with their condition including diagnosis, treatment, healthcare provision and impact on daily life.BackgroundPsoriasis is a debilitating long-term inflammatory skin disease which can result in severe itching, discomfort and soreness, and may be associated with problems beyond the specific symptoms related to the skin. For many it is accompanied by difficult-to-manage treatment regimes, emotional distress and a negative impact on their quality of life and psychosocial functioning. To date there is little published information about the health experiences of people in the United Kingdom with psoriasis.MethodsA postal self-administered questionnaire was completed by members of the Psoriasis Association and the responses analysed (n=1564).FindingsThe findings suggest some similarities to surveys in other nations, but specifically highlighted that patients feel under-informed and are dissatisfied with current treatment regimes. Responses provided an insight into aspects of the condition that treatments should be targeting. Specific areas of negative impact on psychosocial functioning were identified, including the lack of available support for those experiencing emotional distress. The research provides important information about how the care of patients with psoriasis can be improved, especially at primary care level. This includes: improved training in psoriasis knowledge and awareness at general practitioner level and greater use of dermatology specialist nurses in primary care settings; more effective and manageable treatment regimes that target visible areas and general well-being; greater support for emotional distress and psychosocial functioning.
Toward an Integrated Theory of Emotions/Passions, Values and Rights in International Politics
Authors: COICAUD JEAN-MARC 
Published: November 2014

AbstractThis article focuses on the relationship between emotions and passions, on the one hand, and values, needs and rights, on the other. This relationship is indeed central to the social dimension of international politics. In this perspective, the article examines how emotions and passions can be at the same time effects and causes of the extent to which actors feel that their needs and rights are fulfilled or not. In the process, the article also explores the negative and positive features of emotions and passions, and their impact on the nature and dynamics of change in international affairs. Beyond this general approach to emotions and passions in connection with the social dimension of international politics and the questions of values, needs, and rights of actors and change, it concludes with the idea that there is also a contextual dimension to the generic argument developed in the article. This will have to be factored in for future research on case studies.
The Ambivalent Relationship of Japan's Soft Power Diplomacy andPrincess Mononoke: Tosaka Jun's philosophy of culture as moral reflection
Authors: SHIMIZU KOSUKE 
Published: November 2014

AbstractCulture is a demanding word, particularly when it is used in the context of the contemporary academic discipline of international relations (IR). It is often employed in order to distinguish one identity from another, allegedly illuminating idiosyncrasies embedded in a particular society or group of people. The essentialized understanding of culture is also detectable in the case of the current debate on the non-Western international relations theories (IRT). Non-Western politicians and scholars often employ the term culture in order to distinguish their values from alleged Western values. However, culture has another important function mainly advanced by a left-wing Kyoto School philosopher Tosaka Jun, that is, culture as a mirror for critical reflection for morality (Tosaka, 1966). This article is based on Tosaka's argument that culture has an important function for moral reflection beyond that of a mere means to identify one's distinctiveness from the West, and it criticizes Japan's soft power diplomacy or the total absence of it from that point of view. It also argues that this absence is the result of the soft power discourse's over-simplified interpretation of culture that results in confrontation between the West and the rest, particularly when it is employed in non-Western IRT discourses. Towards the end, I examine Miyazaki Hayao's films,Princes Mononokein particular, as examples of cultural works facilitating a moment of critical reflection, and I extract embedded messages of relevance to critical reflection on contemporary IR literature, particularly non-Western literature.
Wideband, High-Efficiency Quasi-Planar Antenna Array For Ku-Band DBS Reception Systems
Authors: Murat Bilgiç Mustafa , Yeğin Korkut 
Published: November 2014

We propose a compact, high-efficiency antenna configuration, which is 18 cm in diameter and has average gain of 24.1 dBi for automotive applications of satellite TV systems operating at Ku band. To achieve high aperture efficiency, hybrid microstrip, and waveguide feed network with low-loss microstrip-to-waveguide transition is designed and validated. The array antenna is wideband and covers entire downlink Ku-band frequencies (10.8–12.75 GHz) for simultaneous reception from multiple transponders. Vertical polarization panel is built and tested for reception quality. Carrier-to-noise ratio of 6.2 dB was observed the target transponder (42°E) at 11.9 GHz using intermediate frequency loop-out of the receiver. The antenna can be used on small vehicles or automobiles for satellite TV reception.
Cotton cytochrome P450 CYP82D regulates systemic cell death by modulating the octadecanoid pathway
Authors: Sun Longqing , Zhu Longfu , Xu Li , Yuan Daojun , Min Ling , Zhang Xianlong 
Published: November 2014

AbstractPlant oxylipins are derived from unsaturated fatty acids and play roles in plant growth and development as well as defence. Although recent studies have revealed that fatty acid metabolism is involved in systemic acquired resistance, the precise function of oxylipins in plant defence remains unknown. Here we report a cotton P450 gene SILENCE-INDUCED STEM NECROSIS (SSN), RNAi suppression of which causes a lesion mimic phenotype. SSN is also involved in jasmonate metabolism and the response to wounding. Fatty acid and oxylipin metabolite analysis showed that SSN overexpression causes hyperaccumulation of hydroxide and ketodiene fatty acids and reduced levels of 18:2 fatty acids, whereas silencing causes an imbalance in LOX (lipoxygenase) expression and excessive hydroperoxide fatty acid accumulation. We also show that an unknown oxylipin-derived factor is a putative mobile signal required for systemic cell death and hypothesize that SSN acts as a valve to regulate HR on pathogen infection.