bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The interactive contributions of Na+/K+‐ATPase and nitric oxide synthase to sweating and cutaneous vasodilatation during exercise in the heat
Authors: Louie Jeffrey C. , Fujii Naoto , Meade Robert D. , Kenny Glen P.
Published: February 2016

Key points

Nitric oxide synthase (NOS) contributes to sweating and cutaneous vasodilatation during exercise in the heat.

Similarly, reports show that Na+/K+‐ATPase activation can modulate sweating and microvascular circulation. In light of the fact that NO can activate Na+/K+‐ATPase, we evaluated whether there is an interaction between Na+/K+‐ATPase and NOS in the regulation of heat loss responses during an exercise‐induced heat stress.

We demonstrate that Na+/K+‐ATPase and NOS do not synergistically influence local forearm sweating during moderate intensity (fixed rate of metabolic heat production of 500 W) exercise in the heat (35°C). Conversely, we show an interactive role between NOS and Na+/K+‐ATPase in the modulation of cutaneous vasodilatation.

These findings provide novel insight regarding the mechanisms underpinning the control of sweating and cutaneous vasodilatation during exercise in the heat. Given that ouabain may be prescribed as a cardiac glycoside in clinical settings, potential heat loss impairments with ouabain administration should be explored.

Nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS) contributes to the heat loss responses of sweating and cutaneous vasodilatation. Given that NO can activate Na+/K+‐ATPase, which also contributes to sweating and microvasculature regulation, we evaluated the separate and combined influence of Na+/K+‐ATPase and NOS on sweating and cutaneous vasodilatation. Thirteen young (23±3 years) males performed two 30 min semi‐recumbent cycling bouts in the heat (35°C) at a fixed rate of metabolic heat production (500 W) followed by 20 and 40 min recoveries, respectively. Local sweat rate (LSR) and cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) were measured at four forearm skin sites continuously perfused via intradermal microdialysis with either: (1) lactated Ringer solution (Control); (2) 6 mᴍ ouabain (Ouabain), a Na+/K+‐ATPase inhibitor; (3) 10 mᴍ l‐NG‐nitroarginine methyl ester (l‐NAME), a NOS inhibitor; or (4) 6 mᴍ ouabain and 10 mᴍ l‐NAME (Ouabain+l‐NAME). At the end of both exercise bouts relative to Control, LSR was attenuated with Ouabain (54–60%), l‐NAME (12–13%) and Ouabain+l‐NAME (68–74%; all P < 0.05). Moreover, the sum of attenuations from Control induced by independent administration of Ouabain and l‐NAME was similar to the combined infusion of Ouabain+l‐NAME (both P ≥ 0.74). Compared to Control, CVC at the end of both exercise bouts was similar with Ouabain (both P ≥ 0.30), but attenuated with l‐NAME (%CVCmax reduction from Control, 24–25%). Furthermore, CVC at the Ouabain+l‐NAME site (38–39%; all P < 0.01) was attenuated compared to Control and did not differ from baseline resting values (both P ≥ 0.81). We show that Na+/K+‐ATPase and NOS do not synergistically mediate sweating, whereas they influence cutaneous blood flow in an interactive manner during exercise in the heat.
Stagnation Region Heat Transfer Augmentation at Very High Turbulence Levels
Authors: Kingery J. E. , Ames F. E.
Published: February 2016

Current land-based gas turbines are growing in size producing higher approach flow Reynolds numbers at the leading edge of turbine nozzles. These vanes are subjected to high intensity large scale turbulence. This present paper reports on the research which significantly expands the parameter range for stagnation region heat transfer augmentation due to high intensity turbulence. Heat transfer measurements were acquired over two constant heat flux test surfaces with large diameter leading edges (10.16 cm and 40.64 cm). The test surfaces were placed downstream from a new high intensity (17.4%) mock combustor and tested over an eight to one range in approach flow Reynolds number for each test surface. Stagnation region heat transfer augmentation for the smaller (ReD = 15,625–125,000) and larger (ReD = 62,500–500,000) leading edge regions ranged from 45% to 81% and 80% to 136%, respectively. These data also include heat transfer distributions over the full test surface compared with the earlier data acquired at six additional inlet turbulence conditions. These surfaces exhibit continued but more moderate acceleration downstream from the stagnation regions and these data are expected to be useful in testing bypass transition predictive approaches. This database will be useful to gas turbine heat transfer design engineers.
Markov Nonlinear System Estimation for Engine Performance Tracking
Authors: Wang Peng , Gao Robert X.
Published: February 2016

This paper presents a joint state and parameter estimation method for aircraft engine performance degradation tracking. Contrast to previously reported techniques on state estimation that view parameters in the state evolution model as constants, the method presented in this paper treats parameters as time-varying variables to account for varying degradation rates at different stages of engine operation. Transition of degradation stages and estimation of parameters are performed by particle filtering (PF) under the Bayesian inference framework. To address the sample impoverishment problem due to discrete resampling, which is inherent to PF, a continuous resampling strategy has been proposed, with the goal to improve estimation accuracy of PF. The algorithm has shown to be able to detect abrupt fault inception based on the residuals between the estimated results from the state evolution model and actual measurements. The developed technique is evaluated using data generated from a turbofan engine model. Simulation of engine output parameters over a series of flights with both nominal degradation and abrupt fault types has been conducted, and error within 1% for performance tracking and degradation prediction has been shown. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the developed technique in fault detection and degradation tracking in aircraft engines.
Growth, intermixing, and surface phase formation for zinc tin oxide nanolaminates produced by atomic layer deposition
Authors: Hägglund Carl , Grehl Thomas , Tanskanen Jukka T. , Yee Ye Sheng , Mullings Marja N. , Mackus Adriaan J. M. , MacIsaac Callisto , Clemens Bruce M. , Brongersma Hidde H. , Bent Stacey F.
Published: February 2016

A broad and expanding range of materials can be produced by atomic layer deposition at relatively low temperatures, including both oxides and metals. For many applications of interest, however, it is desirable to grow more tailored and complex materials such as semiconductors with a certain doping, mixed oxides, and metallic alloys. How well such mixed materials can be accomplished with atomic layer deposition requires knowledge of the conditions under which the resulting films will be mixed, solid solutions, or laminated. The growth and lamination of zinc oxide and tin oxide is studied here by means of the extremely surface sensitive technique of low energy ion scattering, combined with bulk composition and thickness determination, and x-ray diffraction. At the low temperatures used for deposition (150 °C), there is little evidence for atomic scale mixing even with the smallest possible bilayer period, and instead a morphology with small ZnO inclusions in a SnOx matrix is deduced. Postannealing of such laminates above 400 °C however produces a stable surface phase with a 30% increased density. From the surface stoichiometry, this is likely the inverted spinel of zinc stannate, Zn2SnO4. Annealing to 800 °C results in films containing crystalline Zn2SnO4, or multilayered films of crystalline ZnO, Zn2SnO4, and SnO2 phases, depending on the bilayer period.
Development of ambient SIMS using mega-electron-volt-energy ion probe
Authors: Kusakari Masakazu , Fujii Makiko , Seki Toshio , Aoki Takaaki , Matsuo Jiro
Published: February 2016

A new secondary ion mass spectrometry device using an ion probe in the heavy mega-electron-volt (MeV) energy range was developed for detecting large intact molecules with high sensitivity under ambient conditions. The instrument is based on the characteristics induced by the MeV-energy heavy ions, namely, electronic excitation induced in the near-surface region and the high transmission capability under ambient conditions. The secondary ions were transported to the mass analyzer effectively by an electric field and atmospheric gas flow, whereas the chemical impurities from the gas were cleared by using an electric field. In addition, this new ambient analysis approach enables evaluation not only of solid samples, but also of liquid samples that were evaporated under advanced vacuum. In this study, liquid water and samples of a benzoic acid solution were measured under ambient conditions.
Motion‐robust intensity‐modulated proton therapy for distal esophageal cancer
Authors: Yu Jen , Zhang Xiaodong , Liao Li , Li Heng , Zhu Ronald , Park Peter C. , Sahoo Narayan , Gillin Michael , Li Yupeng , Chang Joe Y. , Komaki Ritsuko , Lin Steven H.
Published: February 2016

Purpose:

To develop methods for evaluation and mitigation of dosimetric impact due to respiratory and diaphragmatic motion during free breathing in treatment of distal esophageal cancers using intensity‐modulated proton therapy (IMPT).

Methods:

This was a retrospective study on 11 patients with distal esophageal cancer. For each patient, four‐dimensional computed tomography (4D CT) data were acquired, and a nominal dose was calculated on the average phase of the 4D CT. The changes of water equivalent thickness (ΔWET) to cover the treatment volume from the peak of inspiration to the valley of expiration were calculated for a full range of beam angle rotation. Two IMPT plans were calculated: one at beam angles corresponding to small ΔWET and one at beam angles corresponding to large ΔWET. Four patients were selected for the calculation of 4D‐robustness‐optimized IMPT plans due to large motion‐induced dose errors generated in conventional IMPT. To quantitatively evaluate motion‐induced dose deviation, the authors calculated the lowest dose received by 95% (D95) of the internal clinical target volume for the nominal dose, the D95 calculated on the maximum inhale and exhale phases of 4D CT , the 4D composite dose, and the 4D dynamic dose for a single fraction.

Results:

The dose deviation increased with the average ΔWET of the implemented beams, ΔWETave. When ΔWETave was less than 5 mm, the dose error was less than 1 cobalt gray equivalent based on and . The dose deviation determined on the basis of and was proportionally larger than that determined on the basis of the 4D composite dose. The 4D‐robustness‐optimized IMPT plans notably reduced the overall dose deviation of multiple fractions and the dose deviation caused by the interplay effect in a single fraction.

Conclusions:

In IMPT for distal esophageal cancer, ΔWET analysis can be used to select the beam angles that are least affected by respiratory and diaphragmatic motion. To further reduce dose deviation, the 4D‐robustness optimization can be implemented for IMPT planning. Calculation of and is a conservative method to estimate the motion‐induced dose errors.
A spectroscopic study of the chromatic properties of GafChromic™EBT3 films
Authors: Callens M. , Crijns W. , Simons V. , De Wolf I. , Depuydt T. , Maes F. , Haustermans K. , D'hooge J. , D'Agostino E. , Wevers M. , Pfeiffer H. , Van Den Abeele K.
Published: February 2016

Purpose:

This work provides an interpretation of the chromatic properties of GafChromic™EBT3 films based on the chemical nature of the polydiacetylene (PDA) molecules formed upon interaction with ionizing radiation. The EBT3 films become optically less transparent with increasing radiation dose as a result of the radiation‐induced polymerization of diacetylene monomers. In contrast to empirical quantification of the chromatic properties, less attention has been given to the underlying molecular mechanism that induces the strong decrease in transparency.

Methods:

Unlaminated GafChromic™EBT3 films were irradiated with a 6 MV photon beam to dose levels up to 20 Gy. The optical absorption properties of the films were investigated using visible (vis) spectroscopy. The presence of PDA molecules in the active layer of the EBT3 films was investigated using Raman spectroscopy, which probes the vibrational modes of the molecules in the layer. The vibrational modes assigned to PDA's were used in a theoretical vis‐absorption model to fit our experimental vis‐absorption spectra. From the fit parameters, one can assess the relative contribution of different PDA conformations and the length distribution of PDA's in the film.

Results:

Vis‐spectroscopy shows that the optical density increases with dose in the full region of the visible spectrum. The Raman spectrum is dominated by two vibrational modes, most notably by the ν(C≡C) and the ν(C=C) stretching modes of the PDA backbone. By fitting the vis‐absorption model to experimental spectra, it is found that the active layer contains two distinct PDA conformations with different absorption properties and reaction kinetics. Furthermore, the mean PDA conjugation length is found to be 2–3 orders of magnitude smaller than the crystals PDA's are embedded in.

Conclusions:

Vis‐ and Raman spectroscopy provided more insight into the molecular nature of the radiochromic properties of EBT3 films through the identification of the excited states of PDA and the presence of two PDA conformations. The improved knowledge on the molecular composition of EBT3's active layer provides a framework for future fundamental modeling of the dose–response.
A simple method for determining the coagulation threshold temperature of transparent tissue‐mimicking thermal therapy gel phantoms: Validated by magnetic resonance imaging thermometry
Authors: Brodin N. Patrik , Partanen Ari , Asp Patrik , Branch Craig A. , Guha Chandan , Tomé Wolfgang A.
Published: February 2016

Purpose:

Tissue‐mimicking thermal therapy phantoms that coagulate at specific temperatures are valuable tools for developing and evaluating treatment strategies related to thermal therapy. Here, the authors propose a simple and efficient method for determining the coagulation threshold temperature of transparent thermal therapy gel phantoms.

Methods:

The authors used a previously published gel phantom recipe with 2% (w/v) of bovine serum albumin as the temperature‐sensitive protein. Using the programmable heating settings of a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) machine, the authors heated 50 μl gel samples to various temperatures for 3 min and then imaged them using the BioRad Gel Doc system to determine the coagulation temperature using an opacity quantification method. The estimated coagulation temperatures were then validated for gel phantoms prepared with different pH levels using high‐intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) heating and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) thermometry methods on a clinical MR‐HIFU system.

Results:

The PCR heating method produced consistent and reproducible coagulation of gel samples in precise correlation with the set incubation temperatures. The resulting coagulation threshold temperatures for gel phantoms of varying pH levels were found to be 44.1 ± 0.1, 53.4 ± 0.9, and 60.3 ± 0.9 °C for pH levels of 4.25, 4.50, and 4.75, respectively. This corresponded well with the coagulation threshold temperatures determined by MR‐thermometry, with coagulation defined as a 95% decrease in T2 relaxation time, which were estimated at 53.6 ± 1.9 and 62.9 ± 2.4 °C for a pH of 4.50 and 4.75, respectively.

Conclusions:

The opacity quantification method provides a fast and reproducible estimate of the coagulation threshold temperature of transparent temperature‐sensitive gel phantoms. The temperatures determined using this method were well within the range of temperatures estimated using MR‐thermometry. Due to the specific heating capabilities of the PCR machine, and the robust determination of coagulation threshold temperatures based on the statistically significant increase in the opacity of gel samples, coagulation temperatures can be determined more precisely and with less variability compared to MRI‐based methods.
Upper Llandovery (Telychian) graptolites of the Oktavites spiralis Biozone from the Long Dai Formation, at Lam Thuy village, Quang Binh Province, central Vietnam
Authors: Williams Mark , Komatsu Toshifumi , Tanaka Gengo , Hung Nguyen Huu , Zalasiewicz Jan , Vandenbroucke Thijs R.A. , Wallis Simon , Perrier Vincent
Published: February 2016

A numerically small graptolite assemblage from the Long Dai Formation at Lam Thuy village, southwestern Le Thuy district, Quang Binh Province, central Vietnam, includes Oktavites spiralis (Geinitz). The relative abundance of this species in the assemblage, coupled to its occurrence with Oktavites bodentoerlensis Loydell, identifies the lower Silurian (Llandovery Series, Telychian Stage) spiralis graptolite Biozone. Identification of the new locality at Lam Thuy enhances the dataset of Silurian graptolite-bearing localities in central Vietnam and advertises the wide utility of graptolite assemblages for biostratigraphical correlation of lower Palaeozoic strata in northern and central Vietnam.
Cumulative effects assessment: theoretical underpinnings and big problems
Authors: Jones F. Chris
Published: February 2016

Cumulative effects assessment (CEA) is a sub-discipline of environmental impact assessment that is concerned with appraising the collective effects of human activities and natural processes on the environment. Aspirations for CEA have been expressed by many authors since 1969, when the foundation of environmental appraisal was laid by the US National Environmental Policy Act. This paper’s purposes are (i) to review aspirations for CEA, relative to current practice; and (ii) to fully explain and critique the logic that connects CEA’s operational steps and underlying philosophies. A literature review supports the following statements: Some conceptualizations emphasize the delivery of information to support decision making as the key purpose of CEA; others deem collaboration, debate, and learning as most important. Consensus on CEA’s operational steps has been reached, but each step requires practitioners to make analytical decisions (e.g., about the scope of issues to include or the time horizon to consider) and objective rules for how to approach those decisions are lacking. Numerical methods for assessing cumulative effects are largely available, meaning that CEA’s biggest problems are not scientific. CEA cannot succeed without substantive public engagement, monitoring, and adaptive management. CEA is best undertaken regionally, rather than project-by-project. CEA and planning are complementary, and should be merged. In its most enlightened form, CEA is a useful tool for ensuring that human undertakings ultimately conform to Earth’s finite biosphere, but current practice falls short of the ideal, and CEA’s logical derivation is not entirely sound. As regards CEA’s big problems, sustainability has not been defined clearly enough to make criteria for judging the significance of cumulative effects indisputable; legal, regulatory, and institutional frameworks are poorly aligned for CEA; and objective criteria for judging the adequacy of CEA’s scope, scale, and thresholds do not exist, which makes the question of how to provide general guidance to practitioners intractable. Recommendations call for sustainability goals to be clearly expressed as measurable targets. Furthermore, precaution in human enterprise should be exercised by avoiding, minimizing, restoring, and offsetting negative cumulative effects. CEA can assist by quantifying and optimizing trade-offs.
Approximation Algorithms and Hardness of the
k
-Route Cut Problem
Authors: Chuzhoy Julia , Makarychev Yury , Vijayaraghavan Aravindan , Zhou Yuan
Published: February 2016

We study the
k
-route cut problem: given an undirected edge-weighted graph
G
= (
V
,
E
), a collection {(
s
1
,
t
1
), (
s
2
,
t
2
), …, (

s
r

,

t
r

)} of source-sink pairs, and an integer connectivity requirement
k
, the goal is to find a minimum-weight subset
E
′ of edges to remove, such that the connectivity of every pair (

s
i

,

t
i

) falls below
k
. Specifically, in the edge-connectivity version, EC-kRC, the requirement is that there are at most (
k
− 1) edge-disjoint paths connecting

s
i

to

t
i

in
G
∖
E
′, while in the vertex-connectivity version, VC-kRC, the same requirement is for vertex-disjoint paths. Prior to our work, poly-logarithmic approximation algorithms have been known for the special case where
k
⩽ 3, but no non-trivial approximation algorithms were known for any value
k
> 3, except in the single-source setting. We show an
O
(
k
log
3/2
r
)-approximation algorithm for EC-kRC with uniform edge weights, and several polylogarithmic bi-criteria approximation algorithms for EC-kRC and VC-kRC, where the connectivity requirement
k
is violated by a constant factor. We complement these upper bounds by proving that VC-kRC is hard to approximate to within a factor of
k
ϵ
for some fixed ϵ > 0. We then turn to study a simpler version of VC-kRC, where only one source-sink pair is present. We give a simple bi-criteria approximation algorithm for this case, and show evidence that even this restricted version of the problem may be hard to approximate. For example, we prove that the single source-sink pair version of VC-kRC has no constant-factor approximation, assuming Feige’s Random κ-AND assumption.
Improved Approximation Algorithms for Relay Placement
Authors: Efrat Alon , Fekete Sándor P. , Mitchell Joseph S. B. , Polishchuk Valentin , Suomela Jukka
Published: February 2016

In the relay placement problem, the input is a set of sensors and a number
r
⩾ 1, the communication range of a relay. In the
one-tier
version of the problem, the objective is to place a minimum number of relays so that between every pair of sensors there is a path
through sensors and/or relays
such that the consecutive vertices of the path are within distance
r
if both vertices are relays and within distance 1 otherwise. The
two-tier
version adds the restrictions that the path must go
through relays, and not through sensors
. We present a 3.11-approximation algorithm for the one-tier version and a polynomial-time approximation scheme (PTAS) for the two-tier version. We also show that the one-tier version admits no PTAS, assuming P ≠ NP.
Influence Estimation and Maximization in Continuous-Time Diffusion Networks
Authors: Gomez-Rodriguez Manuel , Song Le , Du Nan , Zha Hongyuan , Schölkopf Bernhard
Published: February 2016

If a piece of information is released from a set of media sites, can it spread, in 1 month, to a million web pages? Can we efficiently find a small set of media sites among millions that can maximize the spread of the information, in 1 month? The two problems are called influence estimation and maximization problems respectively, which are very challenging since both the time-sensitive nature of the problems and the issue of scalability need to be addressed simultaneously. In this article, we propose two algorithms for influence estimation in continuous-time diffusion networks. The first one uses continuous-time Markov chains to estimate influence
exactly
on networks with exponential, or, more generally, phase-type transmission functions, but does not scale to large-scale networks, and the second one is a highly efficient randomized algorithm, which estimates the influence of every node in a network with general transmission functions, |ν| nodes and |ε| edges to an accuracy of ϵ using
n
=
O
(1/ϵ
2
) randomizations and up to logarithmic factors
O
(
n
|ε|+
n
|ν| computations. We then show that finding the set of most influential source nodes in a continuous time diffusion network is an NP-hard problem and develop an efficient greedy algorithm with provable near-optimal performance. When used as subroutines in the influence maximization algorithm, the exact influence estimation algorithm is guaranteed to find a set of
C
nodes with an influence of at least (1 − 1/
e
)OPT and the randomized algorithm is guaranteed to find a set with an influence of at least 1 − 1/
e
)OPT − 2
C
ε, where OPT is the optimal value. Experiments on both synthetic and real-world data show that the proposed algorithms significantly improve over previous state-of-the-art methods in terms of the accuracy of the estimated influence and the quality of the selected nodes to maximize the influence, and the randomized algorithm can easily scale up to networks of millions of nodes.
A Survey of Security and Privacy Issues in ePassport Protocols
Authors: Avoine Gildas , Beaujeant Antonin , Hernandez-Castro Julio , Demay Louis , Teuwen Philippe
Published: February 2016

This article examines in great detail the most relevant security and privacy issues affecting the protocols used by contactless chips integrated in ePassports, and presents all relevant literature together with some new attacks and insights that could help in improving future standards and the next generations of ePassports.
W-tree
Authors: Ávila Bruno T. , Lins Rafael D.
Published: February 2016

World Wide Web applications need to use, constantly update, and maintain large webgraphs for executing several tasks, such as calculating the web impact factor, finding hubs and authorities, performing link analysis by webometrics tools, and ranking webpages by web search engines. Such webgraphs need to use a large amount of main memory, and, frequently, they do not completely fit in, even if compressed. Therefore, applications require the use of external memory. This article presents a new compact representation for webgraphs, called
w-tree
, which is designed specifically for external memory. It supports the execution of basic queries (e.g., full read, random read, and batch random read), set-oriented queries (e.g., superset, subset, equality, overlap, range, inlink, and co-inlink), and some advanced queries, such as edge reciprocal and hub and authority. Furthermore, a new layout tree designed specifically for webgraphs is also proposed, reducing the overall storage cost and allowing the random read query to be performed with an asymptotically faster runtime in the worst case. To validate the advantages of the w-tree, a series of experiments are performed to assess an implementation of the w-tree comparing it to a compact main memory representation. The results obtained show that w-tree is competitive in compression time and rate and in query time, which may execute several orders of magnitude faster for set-oriented queries than its competitors. The results provide empirical evidence that it is feasible to use a compact external memory representation for webgraphs in real applications, contradicting the previous assumptions made by several researchers.
Flexible Construction of Executable Service Compositions from Reusable Semantic Knowledge
Authors: Eshuis Rik , Lécué Freddy , Mehandjiev Nikolay
Published: February 2016

Most service composition approaches rely on top-down decomposition of a problem and AI-style planning to assemble service components into a meaningful whole, impeding reuse and flexibility. In this article, we propose an approach that starts from declarative knowledge about the semantics of individual service components and algorithmically constructs a full-blown service orchestration process that supports sequence, choice, and parallelism. The output of our algorithm can be mapped directly into a number of service orchestration languages such as OWL-S and BPEL. The approach consists of two steps. First, semantic links specifying data dependencies among the services are derived and organized in a flexible network. Second, based on a user request indicating the desired outcomes from the composition, an executable composition is constructed from the network that satisfies the dependencies. The approach is unique in producing complex compositions out of semantic links between services in a flexible way. It also allows reusing knowledge about semantic dependencies in the network to generate new compositions through new requests and modification of services at runtime. The approach has been implemented in a prototype that outperforms related composition prototypes in experiments.
Evolution of Attacks, Threat Models, and Solutions for Virtualized Systems
Authors: Sgandurra Daniele , Lupu Emil
Published: February 2016

Virtualization technology enables Cloud providers to efficiently use their computing services and resources. Even if the benefits in terms of performance, maintenance, and cost are evident, however, virtualization has also been exploited by attackers to devise new ways to compromise a system. To address these problems, research security solutions have evolved considerably over the years to cope with new attacks and threat models. In this work, we review the protection strategies proposed in the literature and show how some of the solutions have been invalidated by new attacks, or threat models, that were previously not considered. The goal is to show the evolution of the threats, and of the related security and trust assumptions, in virtualized systems that have given rise to complex threat models and the corresponding sophistication of protection strategies to deal with such attacks. We also categorize threat models, security and trust assumptions, and attacks against a virtualized system at the different layers—in particular, hardware, virtualization, OS, and application.
To Seek or Not to Seek: Is That the Only Question? Recent Developments in Feedback-Seeking Literature
Authors: Ashford Susan J. , De Stobbeleir Katleen , Nujella Mrudula
Published: February 2016

In 1983, our understanding of feedback in organizations shifted from a focus on feedback from supervisors through the annual performance review to consider also the feedback information proactively sought by individuals as part of their everyday interactions within organizations ( Ashford & Cummings 1983 ). This article updates our understanding of the field of feedback-seeking behavior (FSB) since this literature was last reviewed in 2003, analyzes its current state, and suggests future research ideas. We begin by positioning feedback seeking within a broader theoretical context by relating it to proactivity, impression management, and individual adjustment. We then review what we currently know about who is more likely to seek feedback, as well as the contexts that stimulate such seeking. We then review the benefits and potential costs that might accompany feedback seeking, with regard to the person who is seeking it as well as the group. We conclude this review by identifying potentially fruitful avenues for further research and some key practical implications.
Properties of Matrix Variate Confluent Hypergeometric Function Distribution
Authors: Gupta Arjun K. , Nagar Daya K. , Sánchez Luz Estela
Published: February 2016

We study matrix variate confluent hypergeometric function kind 1 distribution which is a generalization of the matrix variate gamma distribution. We give several properties of this distribution. We also derive density functions ofX2-1/2X1X2-1/2,(X1+X2)-1/2X1(X1+X2)-1/2, andX1+X2, wherem×mindependent random matricesX1andX2follow confluent hypergeometric function kind 1 and gamma distributions, respectively.
A Comparative Analysis of the Endocannabinoid System in the Retina of Mice, Tree Shrews, and Monkeys
Authors: Bouskila Joseph , Javadi Pasha , Elkrief Laurent , Casanova Christian , Bouchard Jean-François , Ptito Maurice
Published: February 2016

The endocannabinoid (eCB) system is widely expressed in various parts of the central nervous system, including the retina. The localization of the key eCB receptors, particularly CB1R and CB2R, has been recently reported in rodent and primate retinas with striking interspecies differences. Little is known about the distribution of the enzymes involved in the synthesis and degradation of these eCBs. We therefore examined the expression and localization of the main components of the eCB system in the retina of mice, tree shrews, and monkeys. We found that CB1R and FAAH distributions are well-preserved among these species. However, expression of NAPE-PLD is circumscribed to the photoreceptor layer only in monkeys. In contrast, CB2R expression is variable across these species; in mice, CB2R is found in retinal neurons but not in glial cells; in tree shrews, CB2R is expressed in Müller cell processes of the outer retina and in retinal neurons of the inner retina; in monkeys, CB2R is restricted to Müller cells. Finally, the expression patterns of MAGL and DAGLαare differently expressed across species. Overall, these results provide evidence that the eCB system is differently expressed in the retina of these mammals and suggest a distinctive role of eCBs in visual processing.
Analgesic and Antipyretic Activities of Methanol Extract and Its Fraction from the Root of Schoenoplectus grossus
Authors: Subedi Nirmal Kumar , Rahman S. M. Abdur , Akbar Mohammad Ahsanul
Published: February 2016

The study aims to evaluate analgesic and antipyretic activities of the methanol extract and its different fractions from root of Schoenoplectus grossus using acetic acid induced writhing and radiant heat tail flick method of pain models in mice and yeast induced pyrexia in rats at the doses of 400 and 200 mg/kg. In acetic acid writhing test, the methanol extract, petroleum ether, and carbon tetrachloride fractions produced significant (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05) inhibition of writhing responses in dose dependent manner. The methanol extract at 400 and 200 mg/kg being more protective with 54% and 45.45% of inhibition compared to diclofenac sodium of 56% followed by petroleum ether fractions of 49.69% and 39.39% at the same doses. The extracts did not produce any significant antinociceptive activity in tail flick test except standard morphine. When studied on yeast induced pyrexia, methanol and petroleum ether fractions significantly lowered the rectal temperature time dependently in a manner similar to standard drug paracetamol and distinctly more significant (P < 0.001) after second hour. These findings suggest that the root extracts of S. grossus possess significant peripherally acting analgesic potential and antipyretic property. The phytochemical screening showed the presence of flavonoids, alkaloids, and tannins.
Production and Characterization of Highly Thermostableβ-Glucosidase during the Biodegradation of Methyl Cellulose byFusarium oxysporum
Authors: Olajuyigbe Folasade M. , Nlekerem Chidinma M. , Ogunyewo Olusola A.
Published: February 2016

Production ofβ-glucosidase fromFusarium oxysporumwas investigated during degradation of some cellulosic substrates (Avicel,α-cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and methylcellulose). Optimized production ofβ-glucosidase using the cellulosic substrate that supported highest yield of enzyme was examined over 192 h fermentation period and varied pH of 3.0–11.0. Theβ-glucosidase produced was characterized for its suitability for industrial application. Methyl cellulose supported the highest yield ofβ-glucosidase (177.5 U/mg) at pH 6.0 and 30°C at 96 h of fermentation with liberation of 2.121 μmol/mL glucose. The crude enzyme had optimum activity at pH 5.0 and 70°C. The enzyme was stable over broad pH range of 4.0–7.0 with relative residual activity above 60% after 180 min of incubation.β-glucosidase demonstrated high thermostability with 83% of its original activity retained at 70°C after 180 min of incubation. The activity ofβ-glucosidase was enhanced by Mn2+and Fe2+with relative activities of 167.67% and 205.56%, respectively, at 5 mM and 360% and 315%, respectively, at 10 mM. The properties shown byβ-glucosidase suggest suitability of the enzyme for industrial applications in the improvement of hydrolysis of cellulosic compounds into fermentable sugars that can be used in energy generation and biofuel production.
Comorbidity Factors and Brain Mechanisms Linking Chronic Stress and Systemic Illness
Authors: Duric Vanja , Clayton Sarah , Leong Mai Lan , Yuan Li-Lian
Published: February 2016

Neuropsychiatric symptoms and mental illness are commonly present in patients with chronic systemic diseases. Mood disorders, such as depression, are present in up to 50% of these patients, resulting in impaired physical recovery and more intricate treatment regimen. Stress associated with both physical and emotional aspects of systemic illness is thought to elicit detrimental effects to initiate comorbid mental disorders. However, clinical reports also indicate that the relationship between systemic and psychiatric illnesses is bidirectional, further increasing the complexity of the underlying pathophysiological processes. In this review, we discuss the recent evidence linking chronic stress and systemic illness, such as activation of the immune response system and release of common proinflammatory mediators. Altogether, discovery of new targets is needed for development of better treatments for stress-related psychiatric illnesses as well as improvement of mental health aspects of different systemic diseases.
SpecificD-Admissibility and Design Issues for Uncertain Descriptor Systems with Parametric Uncertainty in the Derivative Matrix
Authors: Huang Chih-Peng
Published: February 2016

Stability analysis issues and controller synthesis for descriptor systems with parametric uncertainty in the derivative matrix are discussed in this paper. The proposed descriptor system can extend the system’s modeling extent of physical and engineering systems from the traditional state-space model. First, based on the extendedD-stability definitions for the descriptor model, necessary and sufficient admissibility andD-admissibility conditions for the unforced nominal descriptor system are derived and formulated by compact forms with strict linear matrix inequality (LMI) manner. In contrast, existing results need to involve nonstrict LMIs, which cannot be evaluated by current LMI solvers and need some extra treatments. Deducing from the obtained distinct results, the roust admissibility andD-admissibility of the descriptor system with uncertainties in both the derivative matrix and the system’s matrices thus can be coped. Furthermore, by involving a proportional and derivative state feedback (PDSF) control law, we further address the controller design for the resulting closed-loop systems. Since all the proposed criteria are explicitly expressed in terms of the strict LMIs, we can use applicable LMI solvers for evaluating the feasible solutions. Finally, the efficiency and practicability of the proposed approach are demonstrated by two illustrative examples.
Analysis of Dental Enamel Surface Submitted to Fruit Juice Plus Soymilk by Micro X-Ray Fluorescence:In VitroStudy
Authors: Salmos Brito Janaína , Santos Neto Alexandrino , Silva Luciano , Menezes Rebeca , Araújo Natália , Carneiro Vanda , Moreno Lara Magalhães , Miranda Jéssica , Álvares Pâmella , Nevares Giselle , Xavier Felipe , Arruda José Alcides , Bessa-Nogueira Ricardo , Santos Natanael , Queiroz Gabriela , Sobral Ana Paula , Silveira Márcia , Albuquerque Diana , Gerbi Marleny
Published: February 2016

Objective. This paper aimed to analyze thein vitroindustrialized fruit juices effect plus soy to establish the erosive potential of these solutions.Materials and Methods. Seventy bovine incisors were selected after being evaluated under stereomicroscope. Their crowns were prepared and randomly divided into 7 groups, using microhardness with allocation criteria. The crowns were submitted to the fruit juice plus soy during 15 days, twice a day. The pH values, acid titration, and Knoop microhardness were recorded and the specimens were evaluated using X-ray microfluorescence (µXRF).Results. The pH average for all juices and after 3 days was significantly below the critical value for dental erosion. In average, the pH value decreases 14% comparing initial time and pH after 3 days. Comparing before and after, there was a 49% microhardness decrease measured in groups (p<0.05). Groups G1, G2, G5, and G6 are above this average. The analysis byμXRF showed a decrease of approximately 7% Ca and 4% P on bovine crowns surface. Florida (FL) statistical analysis showed a statistically significant 1 difference between groups. Thus, a tooth chance to suffer demineralization due to industrialized fruit juices plus soy is real.
The Alternative Faces of Macrophage Generate Osteoclasts
Authors: Lampiasi N. , Russo R. , Zito F.
Published: February 2016

The understanding of how osteoclasts are generated and whether they can be altered by inflammatory stimuli is a topic of particular interest for osteoclastogenesis. It is known that the monocyte/macrophage lineage gives rise to osteoclasts (OCs) by the action of macrophage colony stimulating factor (M-CSF) and receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB ligand (RANKL), which induce cell differentiation through their receptors, c-fms and RANK, respectively. The multinucleated giant cells (MGCs) generated by the engagement of RANK/RANKL are typical OCs. Nevertheless, very few studies have addressed the question of which subset of macrophages generates OCs. Indeed, two main subsets of macrophages are postulated, the inflammatory or classically activated type (M1) and the anti-inflammatory or alternatively activated type (M2). It has been proposed that macrophages can be polarizedin vitrotowards a predominantly M1 or M2 phenotype with the addition of granulocyte macrophage- (GM-) CSF or M-CSF, respectively. Various inflammatory stimuli known to induce macrophage polarization, such as LPS or TNF-α, can alter the type of MGC obtained from RANKL-induced differentiation. This review aims to highlight the role of immune-related stimuli and factors in inducing macrophages towards the osteoclastogenesis choice.
Disorder Improves Light Absorption in Thin Film Silicon Solar Cells with Hybrid Light Trapping Structure
Authors: Shi Yanpeng , Wang Xiaodong , Yang Fuhua
Published: February 2016

We present a systematic simulation study on the impact of disorder in thin film silicon solar cells with hybrid light trapping structure. For the periodical structures introducing certain randomness in some parameters, the nanophotonic light trapping effect is demonstrated to be superior to their periodic counterparts. The nanophotonic light trapping effect can be associated with the increased modes induced by the structural disorders. Our study is a systematic proof that certain disorder is conceptually an advantage for nanophotonic light trapping concepts in thin film solar cells. The result is relevant to the large field of research on nanophotonic light trapping which currently investigates and prototypes a number of new concepts including disordered periodic and quasiperiodic textures. The random effect on the shape of the pattern (position, height, and radius) investigated in this paper could be a good approach to estimate the influence of experimental inaccuracies for periodic or quasi-periodic structures.
Orthopedic Manifestations of Mobius Syndrome: Case Series and Survey Study
Authors: McClure Philip , Booy David , Katarincic Julia , Eberson Craig
Published: February 2016

Background. Mobius Syndrome is a rare disease defined by bilateral congenital 7th nerve palsy. We focus on reporting the prevalence of orthopedic disease in this population.Methods. Twenty-three individuals with Mobius Syndrome underwent orthopedic physical examination, and additional 96 patients filled out a survey for self-reported orthopedic diagnoses.Results. Clubfoot was present in 60% of individuals in the physical exam series and 42% of those in the survey. Scoliosis was present in 26% and 28%, respectively. Poland’s Syndrome was present in 17% and 30%. In addition to these findings, 27% of patients reported having difficulty with anesthesia, including difficulty in intubation and airway problems.Conclusion. An increased prevalence of scoliosis, clubfoot, transverse limb deficiencies, and Poland’s Syndrome is identified in the setting of Mobius Syndrome. In the setting of several deformities often requiring surgical correction, a high incidence of anesthetic difficulty is noted and should be discussed with patients and other providers during surgical planning.
Simple Simulated Propagation Modeling and Experimentation within and around Buildings at 2700 MHz
Authors: Bhatt Tanay , Bredow Jonathan
Published: February 2016

There is a growing interest in understanding wave behavior in urban and suburban environment for 5th generation broadband applications. With the advent of using broadband technologies in buildings, office space and vehicle have become a necessity on a large scale. Models, predictions, and calculations for in-building, within a vehicle or near a reflective object with microscale details, are becoming highly classified in a competitive telecom environment. This paper provides an improved understanding of signal strength behavior within suburban residences with predictions prequalified using a vehicular scanner. Supporting predictions are provided by a ray tracing algorithm developed for dissertation. Results indicate signal strength variation of more than 50 dB from “strong signal” locations such as room centers and far corners to “weak signal” locations where shadowing and tunneling effects are evident. Based on this unique classification a scheme is proposed which indicates that specular scattering provides the major signal energy at more than 70% of the locations within the residences. Finally, an observed rake stabilizing effect is attributed to the proximity of strong scatterers.
Functional Results of Laparoscopic Pyeloplasty in Children: Single Institute Experience in Long Term
Authors: Ciftci Halil , Akin Yigit , Savas Murat , Yeni Ercan
Published: February 2016

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term functional outcomes of laparoscopic pyeloplasty (LP) in children for consecutive cases of single institute. Materials and Methods: Our laparoscopy database was investigated for children in terms of LP between June 2008 and April 2015. All the patients had ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) and LP was performed. Demographic data including age, gender, side of UPJO, operation time, estimated blood loss (EBL), hospital stay and complications according to Clavien classifications were recorded. Renal ultrasonography and diethylenetriamine penta-acetate (DTPA) scintigraphies were respectively performed 3, 12 and 24 months after surgery. Statistical analyses were performed and p value was accepted as significant at <0.05. Result: Mean follow-up was 34 ± 4.7 months. The mean age was 13 (6-72) months. A total of 153 (110 boys and 43 girls) LP patients enrolled. Of that, 93 (60.78%) LP were in left side and 60 (39.21%) were in right side. Three cases needed open conversation according to difficulties in anastomosis. Aberrant crossing vessel was observed in 12 (7.84%) patients. The mean operation time was 155 ± 21 min and the mean EBL was 22 ± 11.1 ml. The mean hospital stay was 3.4 days. Anastomotic leakage was the common complication (in 13 patients) that was successfully managed conservatively (Clavien 1). Eight patients experienced unsuccessful LP and underwent open pyeloplasty (Clavien 3b). The mean split renal function significantly increased in DTPA scintigraphy in follow-up. The overall success was 91%. Conclusions: The LP procedure can be an effective and safe surgical method for childhood UPJO, specifically in the experienced hands of pioneer centers.