bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surround suppression and temporal processing of visual signals
Authors: Alitto Henry J. , Usrey W. Martin
Published: February 2015

Extraclassical surround suppression strongly modulates responses of neurons in the retina, lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN), and primary visual cortex. Although a great deal is known about the spatial properties of extraclassical suppression and the role it serves in stimulus size tuning, relatively little is known about how extraclassical suppression shapes visual processing in the temporal domain. We recorded the spiking activity of retinal ganglion cells and LGN neurons in the cat to test the hypothesis that extraclassical suppression influences temporal features of visual responses in the early visual system. Our results demonstrate that extraclassical suppression not only shifts the distribution of interspike intervals in a manner that decreases the efficacy of neuronal communication, it also decreases the reliability of neuronal responses to visual stimuli and it decreases the duration of visual responses, an effect that underlies a rightward shift in the temporal frequency tuning of LGN neurons. Taken together, these results reveal a dynamic relationship between extraclassical suppression and the temporal features of neuronal responses.
Impairment of saccade adaptation in a patient with a focal thalamic lesion
Authors: Zimmermann E. , Ostendorf F. , Ploner C. J. , Lappe M.
Published: February 2015

The frequent jumps of the eyeballs—called saccades—imply the need for a constant correction of motor errors. If systematic errors are detected in saccade landing, the saccade amplitude adapts to compensate for the error. In the laboratory, saccade adaptation can be studied by displacing the saccade target. Functional selectivity of adaptation for different saccade types suggests that adaptation occurs at multiple sites in the oculomotor system. Saccade motor learning might be the result of a comparison between a prediction of the saccade landing position and its actual postsaccadic location. To investigate whether a thalamic feedback pathway might carry such a prediction signal, we studied a patient with a lesion in the posterior ventrolateral thalamic nucleus. Saccade adaptation was tested for reactive saccades, which are performed to suddenly appearing targets, and for scanning saccades, which are performed to stationary targets. For reactive saccades, we found a clear impairment in adaptation retention ipsilateral to the lesioned side and a larger-than-normal adaptation on the contralesional side. For scanning saccades, adaptation was intact on both sides and not different from the control group. Our results provide the first lesion evidence that adaptation of reactive and scanning saccades relies on distinct feedback pathways from cerebellum to cortex. They further demonstrate that saccade adaptation in humans is not restricted to the cerebellum but also involves cortical areas. The paradoxically strong adaptation for outward target steps can be explained by stronger reliance on visual targeting errors when prediction error signaling is impaired.
Robust retention of individual sensorimotor skill after self-guided practice
Authors: Park Se-Woong , Sternad Dagmar
Published: February 2015

Long-term retention of a motor skill has received relatively little systematic study, even though lasting neuroplasticity is the holy grail of any clinical intervention. This study examined the acquisition and retention of a novel bimanual polyrhythmic skill, practiced with sparse explicit feedback mimicking real-life scenarios. Self-paced and metronome-paced practice conditions were compared in their effect on long-term retention. Two groups of subjects first underwent extensive practice of 20 practice sessions over 2 mo, then followed up with three retention sessions after 3 mo. Results showed that subjects developed robust spatiotemporal patterns, despite the lack of reward and little quantitative error feedback about their performance ( Hypothesis 1). These movement patterns were reproduced after a 3-mo interval, frequently even in the first trial, with no intermediate practice ( Hypothesis 2). Self-paced training of movement patterns led to slightly less variability in the retention test ( Hypothesis 3). These results document the specificity and stability of kinematic patterns and their underlying neuroplastic changes and underscore the effectiveness of self-guided practice. The findings are discussed in the context of current neuroimaging results and their clinical implications.
On a Conjecture regarding Fisher Information
Authors: Plastino Angelo , Bellomo Guido , Ricardo Plastino Angel
Published: February 2015

Fisher’s information measureIplays a very important role in diverse areas of theoretical physics. The associated measuresIxandIp, as functionals of quantum probability distributions defined in, respectively, coordinate and momentum spaces, are the protagonists of our present considerations. The productIxIphas been conjectured to exhibit a nontrivial lower bound in Hall (2000). More explicitly, this conjecture says that for any pure state of a particle in one dimensionIxIp≥4. We show here that such is not the case. This is illustrated, in particular, for pure states that are solutions to the free-particle Schrödinger equation. In fact, we construct a family of counterexamples to the conjecture, corresponding to time-dependent solutions of the free-particle Schrödinger equation. We also conjecture that any normalizable time-dependent solution of this equation verifiesIxIp→0fort→∞.
Epidemic Models with Immunization and Mutations on a Finite Population
Authors: Lebensztayn Elcio
Published: February 2015

We propose two variants of a stochastic epidemic model in which the disease is spread by mobile particles performing random walks on the complete graph. For the first model, we study the effect on the epidemic size of an immunization mechanism that depends on the activity of the disease. In the second model, the transmission agents can gain lives at random during their existences. We prove limit theorems for the final outcome of these processes. The epidemic model with mutations exhibits phase transition, meaning that if the mutation parameter is sufficiently large, then asymptotically all the individuals in the population are infected.
LED Lighting System Reliability Modeling and Inference via Random Effects Gamma Process and Copula Function
Authors: Hao Huibing , Su Chun , Li Chunping
Published: February 2015

Light emitting diode (LED) lamp has attracted increasing interest in the field of lighting systems due to its low energy and long lifetime. For different functions (i.e., illumination and color), it may have two or more performance characteristics. When the multiple performance characteristics are dependent, it creates a challenging problem to accurately analyze the system reliability. In this paper, we assume that the system has two performance characteristics, and each performance characteristic is governed by a random effects Gamma process where the random effects can capture the unit to unit differences. The dependency of performance characteristics is described by a Frank copula function. Via the copula function, the reliability assessment model is proposed. Considering the model is so complicated and analytically intractable, the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) method is used to estimate the unknown parameters. A numerical example about actual LED lamps data is given to demonstrate the usefulness and validity of the proposed model and method.
Power Geometry and Elliptic Expansions of Solutions to the Painlevé Equations
Authors: Bruno Alexander D.
Published: February 2015

We consider an ordinary differential equation (ODE) which can be written as a polynomial in variables and derivatives. Several types of asymptotic expansions of its solutions can be found by algorithms of 2D Power Geometry. They are power, power-logarithmic, exotic, and complicated expansions. Here we develop 3D Power Geometry and apply it for calculation power-elliptic expansions of solutions to an ODE. Among them we select regular power-elliptic expansions and give a survey of all such expansions in solutions of the Painlevé equationsP1,…,P6.
A Framework for Final Drive Simultaneous Failure Diagnosis Based on Fuzzy Entropy and Sparse Bayesian Extreme Learning Machine
Authors: Ye Qing , Pan Hao , Liu Changhua
Published: February 2015

This research proposes a novel framework of final drive simultaneous failure diagnosis containing feature extraction, training paired diagnostic models, generating decision threshold, and recognizing simultaneous failure modes. In feature extraction module, adopt wavelet package transform and fuzzy entropy to reduce noise interference and extract representative features of failure mode. Use single failure sample to construct probability classifiers based on paired sparse Bayesian extreme learning machine which is trained only by single failure modes and have high generalization and sparsity of sparse Bayesian learning approach. To generate optimal decision threshold which can convert probability output obtained from classifiers into final simultaneous failure modes, this research proposes using samples containing both single and simultaneous failure modes and Grid search method which is superior to traditional techniques in global optimization. Compared with other frequently used diagnostic approaches based on support vector machine and probability neural networks, experiment results based onF1-measure value verify that the diagnostic accuracy and efficiency of the proposed framework which are crucial for simultaneous failure diagnosis are superior to the existing approach.
Design and Synthesis of Novel Hybrid Molecules against Malaria
Authors: Lödige Melanie , Hiersch Luisa
Published: February 2015

The effective treatment of malaria can be very complex: Plasmodium parasites develop in multiple stages within a complex life cycle between mosquitoes as vectors and vertebrates as hosts. For the full and effective elimination of parasites, an effective drug should be active against the earliest stages of the Plasmodium infection: liver stages (reduce the progress of the infection), blood stages (cure the clinical symptoms), and gametocytes (inhibit the transmission cycle). Towards this goal, here we report the design, the synthetic methodology, and the characterization of novel hybrid agents with combined activity against Plasmodium liver stages and blood stages and gametocytes. The divergent synthetic approach allows the access to differently linked primaquine-chloroquine hybrid templates in up to eight steps.
Lipid Peroxidation‐Mediated Inflammation Promotes Cell Apoptosis through Activation of NF‐κB Pathway in Rheumatoid Arthritis Synovial Cells
Authors: Yin Geng , Wang Ying , Cen Xiao-min , Yang Min , Liang Yan , Xie Qi-bing
Published: February 2015

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation of multiple joints. The central pathogenesis of RA is the proliferation of synovial fibroblasts in response to inflammatory cytokines. However, some of the targeted therapies for inflammation reactions do not display significant clinical improvement after initiation of therapy. Thus, the relationship between inflammatory responses and RA therapy is still incompletely understood. In the present study, we proposed to determine whether enhanced inflammations may lead to cell apoptosis in rheumatoid arthritis synoviocytes. Our results indicated that products of lipid peroxidations, 4‐HNE, may induce synovial intrinsic inflammations by activating NF‐κB pathways and it may lead to cell apoptosis. Pharmacological inhibition of NF‐κB activation may reduce the 4‐HNE mediated inflammation responses and subsequent cell apoptosis. Our results may help to clarify the role of inflammations on RA development and imply that blocking NF‐κB activation may be partly beneficial for human RA therapy. These findings might provide a mechanism‐based rationale for developing new strategy to RA clinical therapy.
Altered Intra- and Interregional Synchronization in Resting-State Cerebral Networks Associated with Chronic Tinnitus
Authors: Chen Yu-Chen , Zhang Jian , Li Xiao-Wei , Xia Wenqing , Feng Xu , Qian Cheng , Yang Xiang-Yu , Lu Chun-Qiang , Wang Jian , Salvi Richard , Teng Gao-Jun
Published: February 2015

Objective. Subjective tinnitus is hypothesized to arise from aberrant neural activity; however, its neural bases are poorly understood. To identify aberrant neural networks involved in chronic tinnitus, we compared the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) patterns of tinnitus patients and healthy controls.Materials and Methods. Resting-state fMRI measurements were obtained from a group of chronic tinnitus patients (n=29) with normal hearing and well-matched healthy controls (n=30). Regional homogeneity (ReHo) analysis and functional connectivity analysis were used to identify abnormal brain activity; these abnormalities were compared to tinnitus distress.Results. Relative to healthy controls, tinnitus patients had significant greater ReHo values in several brain regions including the bilateral anterior insula (AI), left inferior frontal gyrus, and right supramarginal gyrus. Furthermore, the left AI showed enhanced functional connectivity with the left middle frontal gyrus (MFG), while the right AI had enhanced functional connectivity with the right MFG; these measures were positively correlated with Tinnitus Handicap Questionnaires (r=0.459,P=0.012andr=0.479,P=0.009, resp.).Conclusions. Chronic tinnitus patients showed abnormal intra- and interregional synchronization in several resting-state cerebral networks; these abnormalities were correlated with clinical tinnitus distress. These results suggest that tinnitus distress is exacerbated by attention networks that focus on internally generated phantom sounds.
Using Coronary Artery Calcification Combined with Pretest Clinical Risk Assessment as a Means of Determining Investigation and Treatment in Patients Presenting with Chest Pain in a Rural Setting
Authors: Sekar Baskar , Payne Mark , Hanna Azad , Azzu Abdul , Pike Martin , Rees Michael
Published: February 2015

462 patients presenting with chest pain to a rural district general hospital underwent calcium scoring and pretest clinical risk assessment in order to stratify subsequent investigations and treatment was retrospectively reviewed. The patients were followed up for two years and further investigations and outcomes recorded. Of the 206 patients with zero calcium score, 132 patients were immediately discharged from cardiac follow-up with no further investigation on the basis of their calcium score, low pretest risk of coronary artery disease, and no significant incidental findings. After further tests, 267 patients were discharged with no further cardiac therapy, 88 patients were discharged with additional medical therapy, and 19 patients underwent coronary artery by-pass grafting or percutaneous intervention. 164 patients with incidental findings on the chest CT (computed tomography) accompanying calcium scoring were reviewed, of which 88 patients underwent further tests and follow-up for noncardiac causes of chest pain. The correlations between all major risk factors and calcium scores were weak except for a combination of diabetes and hypertension in the male gender (P=0.012), The use of calcium scoring and pretest risk appeared to reduce the number of unnecessary cardiac investigations in our patients: however, the calcium scoring test produced a high number of incidental findings on the associated CT scans.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Branch Retinal Artery Occlusion in a 15-Year-Old Boy with Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase Mutation
Authors: Celebi Ali Riza Cenk , Kadayifcilar Sibel , Eldem Bora
Published: February 2015

Purpose.To report the efficacy of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy in a case of branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO) in a 15-year-old boy.Methods.We report a 15-year-old boy with sudden loss of vision due to BRAO. Examination included laboratory evaluation for systemic risk factors. Follow-up exams included visual acuity, fundus examination, fundus fluorescein angiography, and visual field testing. HBO therapy was employed for treatment.Results.Medical history was positive for isolated glucocorticoid deficiency. Laboratory evaluation disclosed hyperhomocysteinemia and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) mutation. The visual acuity 0.05 at presentation improved to 0.8 after 20 days of HBO therapy. There was no change on visual fields.Conclusion.In this pediatric case, HBO therapy was useful in the treatment of BRAO.
Influence of In Situ Oxide Dissolution on the Bottom Morphologies of Detached TiO2 Nanotube Films
Authors: Lin Jia , Liu Xiaolin , Zhu Shu , Liu Yongsheng , Chen Xianfeng
Published: February 2015

Free‐standing TiO2 nanotube (NT) films with through holes (i.e., open bottoms) are useful for various applications. In this paper, we report the significant influence of in situ chemical etching during the detachment process on the morphological variation of TiO2 NT bottoms. Under a high temperature detachment anodization, we noted a high detachment rate with controllable bottom morphologies. Influenced by anodization durations, the bottom opening size could be controlled with morphology transition changing from closed to partially open and then to fully open bottoms. The underlying formation mechanism of variable bottom conditions has been examined through the consideration of field‐assisted chemical dissolution of both the barrier layer and the sides of the tubes at the bottom. The production of well‐defined through‐hole tube membranes in a reliable and controllable way is essential for their practical applications.
Brand Name and Generic Proton Pump Inhibitor Prescriptions in the United States: Insights from the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (2006–2010)
Authors: Gawron Andrew J. , Feinglass Joseph , Pandolfino John E. , Tan Bruce K. , Bove Michiel J. , Shintani-Smith Stephanie
Published: February 2015

Introduction. Proton pump inhibitors (PPI) are one of the most commonly prescribed medication classes with similar efficacy between brand name and generic PPI formulations.Aims. We determined demographic, clinical, and practice characteristics associated with brand name PPI prescriptions at ambulatory care visits in the United States.Methods. Observational cross sectional analysis using the National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) of all adult (≥18 yrs of age) ambulatory care visits from 2006 to 2010. PPI prescriptions were identified by using the drug entry code as brand name only or generic available formulations. Descriptive statistics were reported in terms of unweighted patient visits and proportions of encounters with brand name PPI prescriptions. Global chi-square tests were used to compare visits with brand name PPI prescriptions versus generic PPI prescriptions for each measure. Poisson regression was used to determine the incidence rate ratio (IRR) for generic versus brand PPI prescribing.Results. A PPI was prescribed at 269.7 million adult ambulatory visits, based on 9,677 unweighted visits, of which 53% were brand name only prescriptions. In 2006, 76.0% of all PPI prescriptions had a brand name only formulation compared to 31.6% of PPI prescriptions in 2010. Visits by patients aged 25–44 years had the greatest proportion of brand name PPI formulations (57.9%). Academic medical centers and physician-owned practices had the greatest proportion of visits with brand name PPI prescriptions (58.9% and 55.6% of visits with a PPI prescription, resp.). There were no significant differences in terms of median income, patient insurance type, or metropolitan status when comparing the proportion of visits with brand name versus generic PPI prescriptions. Poisson regression results showed that practice ownership type was most strongly associated with the likelihood of receiving a brand name PPI over the entire study period. Compared to HMO visits, patient visits at academic medical centers (IRR 4.2, 95% CI 2.2–8.0), physician-owned practices (IRR 3.9, 95% CI 2.1–7.1), and community health centers (IRR 3.6, 95% CI 1.9–6.6) were all more likely to have brand name PPIs.Conclusion. PPI prescriptions with brand name only formulations are most strongly associated with physician practice type.
Predictors of Patient Satisfaction with Tertiary Hospitals in Korea
Authors: Ham Hye-Sook , Peck Eun Hee , Moon Hee Soo , Yeom Hye-A
Published: February 2015

This study examined the general and system-related predictors of outpatient satisfaction with tertiary health care institutions in Korea. A cross-sectional descriptive study design was employed. The subjects were 1,194 outpatients recruited from 29 outpatient clinics of a university medical center in Korea. Measurements included 5 outpatient service domains (i.e., doctor service, nurse service, technician service, convenience, and physical environment of facility) and patient satisfaction. Of the five domains, nurse service was the domain with the highest mean scoreM=4.21and convenience was the domain with the lowest mean scoreM=3.77. The most significant predictor of patient satisfaction was the constructs of convenienceβ=0.21. The results of this study suggest that the concept of patient satisfaction with health care institutions in modern hospitals reflects an integrative process that includes not only the concerned health care personnel but also improved convenience such as user-friendly reservation system and comfortable waiting areas.
A Structural Study ofEscherichia coliCells Using anIn SituLiquid Chamber TEM Technology
Authors: Wang Yibing , Chen Xin , Cao Hongliang , Deng Chao , Cao Xiaodan , Wang Ping
Published: February 2015

Studying cell microstructures and their behaviors under living conditions has been a challenging subject in microbiology. In this work,in situliquid chamber TEM was used to study structures ofEscherichia colicells in aqueous solutions at a nanometer-scale resolution. Most of the cells remained intact under electron beam irradiation, and nanoscale structures were observed during the TEM imaging. The analysis revealed structures of pili surrounding theE. colicells; the movements of the pili in the liquid were also observed during thein situtests. This technology also allowed the observation of features of the nucleoid in theE. colicells. Overall,in situTEM can be applied as a valuable tool to study real-time microscopic structures and processes in microbial cells residing in native aqueous solutions.
Multiple Congenital Granular Cell Epulis: Case Report and Immunohistochemical Profile with Emphasis on Vascularization
Authors: Bianchi Patricia Roccon , de Araujo Vera Cavalcanti , Ribeiro José Wagner Banterli , Passador-Santos Fabricio , Soares de Araujo Ney , Soares Andresa Borges
Published: February 2015

Congenital granular cell epulis is a rare benign soft tissue lesion arising from the alveolar ridge in neonates. A rare case of multiple congenital granular cell epulis is reported, alongside a description of its vascular immunohistochemical profile. A female newborn presented with two exophytic pedunculated red nodules located on the alveolar ridge between the future eruption sites of the incisors and canines of the mandible and maxilla. A conservative surgical excision was performed on the second day of life. Histology revealed proliferation of round granular cells containing an abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm with basophilic nuclei, ranging from round to oval in shape. Numerous blood vessels were also seen. Immunohistochemical analysis of the granular cells revealed positivity for CD68, D2-40, Ki67, VEGF, and FGF and negativity for S100, CD34, and CD105. Immunostaining for CD34, CD105, and D2-40 confirmed the presence of a large number of blood and lymphatic vessels. Although rare, an understanding of this lesion is paramount for correct diagnosis and appropriate treatment. In the present report, the immunohistochemical profile confirmed increased vascularization, proving that these lesions are composed of not only new and preexisting blood vessels, but also lymphatic vessels.
The Impact of Clone Size on the Prognostic Value of Chromosome Aberrations by Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization in Multiple Myeloma
Authors: An Gang , Li Zengjun , Tai Yu-Tzu , Acharya Chirag , Li Qian , Qin Xiaoqi , Yi Shuhua , Xu Yan , Feng Xiaoyan , Li Chengwen , Zhao Jiawei , Shi Lihui , Zang Meirong , Deng Shuhui , Sui Weiwei , Hao Mu , Zou Dehui , Zhao Yaozhong , Qi Junyuan , Cheng Tao , Ru Kun , Wang Jianxiang , Anderson Kenneth C , Qiu Lugui
Published: February 2015

Purpose: Accumulating evidence indicates that intratumor heterogeneity is prevalent in multiple myeloma and that a collection of multiple, genetically distinct subclones are present within the myeloma cell population. It is not clear whether the size of clonal myeloma populations harboring unique cytogenetic abnormalities carry any additional prognostic value.

Experimental Design: We analyzed the prognostic impact of cytogenetic aberrations by fluorescence in situ hybridization at different cutoff values in a cohort of 333 patients with newly diagnosed myeloma and 92 patients with relapsed myeloma.

Results: We found that nearly all IgH-related arrangements were observed in a large majority of the purified plasma cells; however, 13q deletion, 17p deletion, and 1q21 amplification appeared in different percentages within the malignant plasma cell population. Based on the size of subclones carrying these cytogenetic aberrations, the patients were divided into four groups: 0%–10%, 10.5%–20%, 20.5%–50%, and >50%. Receiver-operating characteristics analysis was applied to determine the optimal cutoff value with the greatest differential survival and showed that the most powerful clone sizes were 10% for 13q deletion, 50% for 17p deletion, and 20% for 1q21 gains, which provided the best possible cutoffs for predicting poor outcomes.

Conclusions: Our study indicated that the impact of clone size on prognostic value varies between specific genetic abnormalities. Prognostic value was observed for even a subgroup of plasma cells harboring the cytogenetic aberration of 13q deletion and 1q21 gains; however, 17p deletion displayed the most powerful cutoff for predicting survival only if the predominant clones harbored the abnormality. Clin Cancer Res; 21(9); 2148–56. ©2015 AACR.
Early Voice Therapy in Patients with Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis
Authors: El-Banna Manal , Youssef Gamal
Published: February 2015

Objective: The purpose of this work was to study the efficacy of early voice therapy in the management of patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis. Patients and Methods: Three groups of patients suffering from unilateral vocal fold paralysis were subjected to a protocol of voice evaluation including auditory-perceptual voice analysis, the Dysphonia Severity Index (DSI) and the 20-item Voice Problem Self-Assessment Scale (VPSS-20). Patients were also examined using video laryngostroboscopy. The early voice therapy group was enrolled in a voice therapy program for 16 sessions as soon as the patients were diagnosed; the second group of patients did not receive voice therapy during the course of their ailment. The late voice therapy group was enrolled in a voice therapy after a period of at least 6 months following the onset of vocal fold paralysis. All studied patients were reevaluated after a period of 2 months. Results: The early voice therapy group showed better outcomes regarding VPSS-20 scores, auditory-perceptual voice analysis as well as the DSI. Conclusion: Early onset of voice therapy may enhance the reduction in glottal gap and improvement of voice quality by hindering the development of faulty hyperfunctional compensatory behaviors; early voice therapy may therefore enhance the patient's quality of life.
Influence of the Width and Cross-Sectional Shape of Major Connectors of Maxillary Dentures on the Accuracy of Speech Production
Authors: Wada Junichiro , Hideshima Masayuki , Inukai Shusuke , Matsuura Hiroshi , Wakabayashi Noriyuki
Published: February 2015

Objective: To investigate the effects of the width and cross-sectional shape of the major connectors of maxillary dentures located in the middle area of the palate on the accuracy of phonetic output of consonants using an originally developed speech recognition system. Patients and Methods: Nine adults (4 males and 5 females, aged 24-26 years) with sound dentition were recruited. The following six sounds were considered: [∫i], [t∫i], [ɾi], [ni], [çi], and [ki]. The experimental connectors were fabricated to simulate bars (narrow, 8-mm width) and plates (wide, 20-mm width). Two types of cross-sectional shapes in the sagittal plane were specified: flat and plump edge. The appearance ratio of phonetic segment labels was calculated with the speech recognition system to indicate the accuracy of phonetic output. Statistical analysis was conducted using one-way ANOVA and Tukey's test. Results: The mean appearance ratio of correct labels (MARC) significantly decreased for [ni] with the plump edge (narrow connector) and for [ki] with both the flat and plump edge (wide connectors). For [çi], the MARCs tended to be lower with flat plates. There were no significant differences for the other consonants. Conclusion: The width and cross-sectional shape of the connectors had limited effects on the articulation of consonants at the palate.
HMGB1 Binds to Lipoteichoic Acid and Enhances TNF-a and IL-6 Production through HMGB1-Mediated Transfer of Lipoteichoic Acid to CD14 and TLR2
Authors: Kwak Man Sup , Lim Mihwa , Lee Yong Joon , Lee Hyun Sook , Kim Young Hun , Youn Ju Ho , Choi Ji Eun , Shin Jeon-Soo
Published: February 2015

Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) is a component of the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria and induces a toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2)-mediated inflammatory response upon initial binding to lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) and subsequent transfer to CD14. In this study, we identified a novel role for the nuclear protein high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in LTA-mediated inflammation. Results of ELISA, surface plasmon resonance and native PAGE electrophoretic mobility shift analyses indicated that HMGB1 binds to LTA in a concentration-dependent manner and that this binding is inhibited by LBP. Native PAGE, fluorescence-based transfer and confocal imaging analyses indicated that HMGB1 catalytically disaggregates LTA and transfers LTA to CD14. NF-κB p65 nuclear transmigration, degradation of IκBa and reporter assay results demonstrated that NF-κB activity in HEK293-hTLR2/6 cells is significantly upregulated by a mixture of LTA and soluble CD14 in the presence of HMGB1. Furthermore, the production of TNF-a and IL-6 in J774A.1 and RAW264.7 cells increased significantly following treatment with a mixture of LTA and HMGB1 compared with treatment with LTA or HMGB1 alone. Thus, we propose that HMGB1 plays an important role in LTA-mediated inflammation by binding to and transferring LTA to CD14, which is subsequently transferred to TLR2 to induce an inflammatory response.
Quality of Life in Acromegaly
Authors: Webb Susan M. , Badia Xavier
Published: February 2015

Available disease-specific questionnaires like the Acromegaly Quality of Life questionnaire have confirmed that quality of life (QoL) is impaired in acromegaly, especially in active disease. Successful therapy improves QoL, but it may not normalize completely even after endocrine cure; furthermore, there is not always a correlation between growth hormone (GH) and insulin-like growth factor 1 and subjective health perception of QoL. Appearance is the dimension most affected and has the highest impact on the patient's QoL. Worse QoL is associated with the presence of musculoskeletal pain, headache (if only medical therapy, not surgery, has been provided), having required treatment with radiotherapy, being older, of female gender, with a longer disease duration, coexisting diabetes mellitus, a higher BMI or becoming GH deficient after treatment for acromegaly.
Association of Left Atrial Function and Left Atrial Enhancement in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Habibi Mohammadali , Lima Joao A.C. , Khurram Irfan M. , Zimmerman Stefan L. , Zipunnikov Vadim , Fukumoto Kotaro , Spragg David , Ashikaga Hiroshi , Rickard John , Marine Joseph E. , Calkins Hugh , Nazarian Saman
Published: February 2015

Background—

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with left atrial (LA) structural and functional changes. Cardiac magnetic resonance late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and feature-tracking are capable of noninvasive quantification of LA fibrosis and myocardial motion, respectively. We sought to examine the association of phasic LA function with LA enhancement in patients with AF.

Methods and Results—

LA structure and function was measured in 90 patients with AF (age 61±10 years; 76% men) referred for ablation and 14 healthy volunteers. Peak global longitudinal LA strain, LA systolic strain rate, and early and late diastolic strain rates were measured using cine–cardiac magnetic resonance images acquired during sinus rhythm. The degree of LGE was quantified. Compared with patients with paroxysmal AF (60% of cohort), those with persistent AF had larger maximum LA volume index (56±17 versus 49±13 mL/m
2
;
P
=0.036), and increased LGE (27.1±11.7% versus 36.8±14.8%;
P
<0.001). Aside from LA active emptying fraction, all LA parameters (passive emptying fraction, peak global longitudinal LA strain, systolic strain rate, early diastolic strain rate, and late diastolic strain rate) were lower in patients with persistent AF (
P
<0.05 for all). Healthy volunteers had less LGE and higher LA functional parameters compared with patients with AF (
P
<0.05 for all). In multivariable analysis, increased LGE was associated with lower LA passive emptying fraction, peak global longitudinal LA strain, systolic strain rate, early diastolic strain rate, and late diastolic strain rate (
P
<0.05 for all).

Conclusions—

Increased LA enhancement is associated with decreased LA reservoir, conduit, and booster pump functions. Phasic measurement of LA function using feature-tracking cardiac magnetic resonance may add important information about the physiological importance of LA fibrosis.
Italy’s Growth and Decline, 1861–2011
Authors: Felice Emanuele , Vecchi Giovanni
Published: February 2015

The large body of new statistical data that became available after the 150th anniversary of Italy’s unification permits a re-examination of Italy’s economic growth. Up-to-date estimates and re-interpretations of Italy’s gdp from 1861 to 2011—at both the national and regional levels—in the light of institutional and technological changes within an international context find that Italy’s economic growth was substantial early in the twentieth century but slackened considerably since the 1990s, despite successes in long-term performance. Analysis suggests that the country is on the road to irreversible decline. Part of the problem lies in the failure of the southern regions to converge economically with the more highly developed central and northern regions.
Comparative Adjectives in Herodian
Authors: Barber Peter J.
Published: February 2015

This work examines how the grammarian Herodian (2nd Century) treated the so-called τρίτος τύπος of comparative adjectives. This class includes βράσσων, πάσσων, γλύσσων, βάσσων, µάσσων, ϑάσσων and ἐλάσσων, whose root vowels are δίχρονος, i.e. their length is not indicated in the orthography. Nor is their length ascertainable from metrical evidence. Herodianic doctrine regarding these vowel lengths is investigated and shown to conflict with modern etymologies in some instances. The question arises whether we should trust Herodian or the etymologies.

These contradictions are best resolved by reviving, in modified form, Wackernagel’s idea that Herodian reports specifically Attic root vowel lengths in exactly the instances where a suitable Attic form existed; Attic comparatives often differ from those in other dialects due to well-established vowel lengthening processes. But Herodian’s citation of forms with non-Attic -σσ- rather than -ττ- is unexpected and suggests a more fundamental explanation: Herodian’s account of these formations is probably based on the relevant Koine forms, where these existed. This conclusion may offer insights into the sources of Herodian’s linguistic judgements more generally.
Noch viel mehr Textkritisches zu Diodor
Authors: Radt Stefan
Published: February 2015

In this article it is shown that the Teubner edition of Diodorus Siculus by Vogel-Fischer urgently needs to be replaced by an adequate critical edition. The series of critical notes is intended to serve the needs of the future editor.
The Structure of International Cooperation in the Transfer of Suspects. Extradite or Abduct?
Authors: McDermott Helen
Published: February 2015

This article provides an overview of the formal systems of cooperation that have been created to facilitate the apprehension and transfer of international, transnational and domestic criminal suspects. Establishing how and why states cooperate in the transfer of suspects allows for the delineation of the factors that sometimes lead to the bypassing of formal procedures and identification of gaps and shortcomings in the existing framework that if addressed, could reduce the incentives for resort to extraterritorial abduction.
Is all Fair in Love and War Crimes Trials? Regulation 55 and the Katanga Case
Authors: Klinkner Melanie
Published: February 2015

The use of Regulation 55 and the recent Katanga judgment at the International Criminal Court have attracted criticism – not just from outside commentators but most notably from within the Chamber through the dissenting opinion of Judge Van den Wyngaert. This commentary reflects on the re-characterisation of charges in the Katanga case and the resultant judgment, in particular with reference to fair trial requirements. It argues that fundamental discrepancies between the judges’ interpretation of their fact-finding and truth-seeking remit exist and suggests that there is a need for coherent jurisprudence and clarification on the way the International Criminal Court tackles such essential disagreements.
The Negotiations of the United Nations Code of Conduct on Transnational Corporations: Experience and Lessons Learned
Authors: Sauvant Karl P.
Published: February 2015

Many of the issues that are today part of the discussions surrounding international investment agreements were first dealt with when governments sought to negotiate a United Nations Code of Conduct on Transnational Corporations (and various related instruments) almost 40 years ago. The Code was meant to establish a multilateral framework to define, in a balanced manner, the rights and responsibilities of transnational corporations and host country governments in their relations with each other. This article looks at the origins of these negotiations, the underlying interest situations of the participating country groups, the experience of related negotiations, the actual negotiations of the Code, the reasons for the failure of the negotiations, the current situation, and factors driving change. The article concludes with lessons learned from the Code and related negotiations. These lessons may be of interest to current efforts to improve the international investment law and policy regime.
Mounting Uncertainty and Power Shifting in Global Economic Governance: Addressing Multilateral Stability in the Context of Rising Regionalism
Authors: Simo Regis Y.
Published: February 2015

The book under review addresses trade agreements in the context of the current global economic crisis and the uncompleted Doha Round. The fact that Doha Round negotiations failed to deliver their promises, coupled with the recent surge of free trade agreements, have created both a time of uncertainty and a heightened focus of international economic law scholarship on the implications of the issues creating this uncertainty. This collection of eleven essays covers areas, where, despite the current period of confusion and economic change, there are new, continued or regained activities. The authors seek to adopt new approaches to old problems and to address new challenges in modern-day economic relations among countries. Trying times that we are currently experiencing, coupled by the conclusion of trade alliances (among which the now mega-regionals) that pose serious threats to modern-day multilateralism, raise debates around building a stable economic future.
The Mesoscale Predictability Experiment (MPEX)
Authors: Weisman Morris L. , Trapp Robert J. , Romine Glen S. , Davis Chris , Torn Ryan , Baldwin Michael , Bosart Lance , Brown John , Coniglio Michael , Dowell David , Evans A. Clark , Galarneau Thomas J. , Haggerty Julie , Hock Terry , Manning Kevin , Roebber Paul , Romashkin Pavel , Schumacher Russ , Schwartz Craig S. , Sobash Ryan , Stensrud David , Trier Stanley B.
Published: February 2015

The Mesoscale Predictability Experiment (MPEX) was conducted from 15 May to 15 June 2013 in the central United States. MPEX was motivated by the basic question of whether experimental, subsynoptic observations can extend convective-scale predictability and otherwise enhance skill in short-term regional numerical weather prediction.

Observational tools for MPEX included the National Science Foundation (NSF)–National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) Gulfstream V aircraft (GV), which featured the Airborne Vertical Atmospheric Profiling System mini-dropsonde system and a microwave temperature-profiling (MTP) system as well as several ground-based mobile upsonde systems. Basic operations involved two missions per day: an early morning mission with the GV, well upstream of anticipated convective storms, and an afternoon and early evening mission with the mobile sounding units to sample the initiation and upscale feedbacks of the convection.

A total of 18 intensive observing periods (IOPs) were completed during the field phase, representing a wide spectrum of synoptic regimes and convective events, including several major severe weather and/or tornado outbreak days. The novel observational strategy employed during MPEX is documented herein, as is the unique role of the ensemble modeling efforts—which included an ensemble sensitivity analysis—to both guide the observational strategies and help address the potential impacts of such enhanced observations on short-term convective forecasting. Preliminary results of retrospective data assimilation experiments are discussed, as are data analyses showing upscale convective feedbacks.
Global Radiative–Convective Equilibrium in the Community Atmosphere Model, Version 5
Authors: Reed Kevin A. , Medeiros Brian , Bacmeister Julio T. , Lauritzen Peter H.
Published: February 2015

In the continued effort to understand the climate system and improve its representation in atmospheric general circulation models (AGCMs), it is crucial to develop reduced-complexity frameworks to evaluate these models. This is especially true as the AGCM community advances toward high horizontal resolutions (i.e., grid spacing less than 50 km), which will require interpreting and improving the performance of many model components. A simplified global radiative–convective equilibrium (RCE) configuration is proposed to explore the implication of horizontal resolution on equilibrium climate. RCE is the statistical equilibrium in which the radiative cooling of the atmosphere is balanced by heating due to convection.

In this work, the Community Atmosphere Model, version 5 (CAM5), is configured in RCE to better understand tropical climate and extremes. The RCE setup consists of an ocean-covered Earth with diurnally varying, spatially uniform insolation and no rotation effects. CAM5 is run at two horizontal resolutions: a standard resolution of approximately 100-km grid spacing and a high resolution of approximately 25-km spacing. Surface temperature effects are considered by comparing simulations using fixed, uniform sea surface temperature with simulations using an interactive slab-ocean model. The various CAM5 configurations provide useful insights into the simulation of tropical climate as well as the model’s ability to simulate extreme precipitation events. In particular, the manner in which convection organizes is shown to be dependent on model resolution and the surface configuration (including surface temperature), as evident by differences in cloud structure, circulation, and precipitation intensity.
Two-Stage Filtering for Joint State-Parameter Estimation
Authors: Santitissadeekorn Naratip , Jones Christopher
Published: February 2015

This paper presents an approach for the simultaneous estimation of the state and unknown parameters in a sequential data assimilation framework. The state augmentation technique, in which the state vector is augmented by the model parameters, has been investigated in many previous studies and some success with this technique has been reported in the case where model parameters are additive. However, many geophysical or climate models contain nonadditive parameters such as those arising from physical parameterization of subgrid-scale processes, in which case the state augmentation technique may become ineffective. This is due to the fact that the inference of parameters from partially observed states based on the cross covariance between states and parameters is inadequate if states and parameters are not linearly correlated. In this paper, the authors propose a two-stage filtering technique that runs particle filtering (PF) to estimate parameters while updating the state estimate using an ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF). These two “subfilters” interact recursively based on the point estimates computed at each stage. The applicability of the proposed method is demonstrated using the Lorenz-96 system, where the forcing is parameterized and the amplitude and phase of the forcing are to be estimated jointly with the state. The proposed method is shown to be capable of estimating these model parameters with a high accuracy as well as reducing uncertainty while the state augmentation technique fails.
Detection of Bacterial Biofilms in Chronic Pharyngitis Resistant to Medical Treatment
Authors: Badran Hatem , Salah Mohamad , Fawzy Mohamed , Sayed Amal , Ghaith Doaa
Published: February 2015

Objective:

To evaluate the role played by adenoids as a reservoir for infection in children assigned for adenoidectomy.

Methodology:

The study included 35 children with adenoid hypertrophy. All patients underwent clinical examination and adenoidectomy, adenotonsillectomy, or myringotomy with insertion of aeration tube according to indications. Surgical specimens were processed for conventional bacterial culture examination and to assay for biofilm formation. The obtained adherence values using spectrophotometer at 595 nm (OD595) was used to classify isolates according to its biofilm forming capacity.

Results:

We did adenotonsillectomy and myringotomy with insertion of aeration tube in 5 patients having adenotonsillitis with otitis media with effusion. We did adenotonsillectomy in 12 patients having adenotonsillitis and adenoidectomy in 18 patients having adenoid hypertrophy. Thirty-one surgical specimens showed bacterial growth on conventional media, while 4 specimens failed to give growth. The predominant organism was H influenzae then Staph aureus and Strept pneumoniae. Thirty-two specimens showed biofilm forming capacity (BFC) of variable extent, while others showed no BFC.

Conclusion:

Adenoids act as a bacterial reservoir secondary to bacterial biofilm formation so could induce chronicity and initiate development of complications. Determination of BFC using the proposed protocol is feasible, inexpensive, and available and spares the need for sophisticated instruments or approaches.