bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Production of hydroxycinnamoyl-shikimates and chlorogenic acid in Escherichia coli: production of hydroxycinnamic acid conjugates
Authors: Kim Bong-Gyu , Jung Woo Dam , Mok Hyejung , Ahn Joong-Hoon
Published: February 2013

Background

Hydroxycinnamates (HCs) are mainly produced in plants. Caffeic acid (CA), p-coumaric acid (PA), ferulic acid (FA) and sinapic acid (SA) are members of the HC family. The consumption of HC by human might prevent cardiovascular disease and some types of cancer. The solubility of HCs is increased through thioester conjugation to various compounds such as quinic acid, shikimic acid, malic acid, anthranilic acid, and glycerol. Although hydroxycinnamate conjugates can be obtained from diverse plant sources such as coffee, tomato, potato, apple, and sweet potato, some parts of the world have limited availability to these compounds. Thus, there is growing interest in producing HC conjugates as nutraceutical supplements.

Results

Hydroxycinnamoyl transferases (HCTs) including hydroxycinnamate-CoA shikimate transferase (HST) and hydroxycinnamate-CoA quinate transferase (HQT) were co-expressed with 4-coumarateCoA:ligase (4CL) in Escherichia coli cultured in media supplemented with HCs. Two hydroxycinnamoyl conjugates, p-coumaroyl shikimates and chlorogenic acid, were thereby synthesized. Total 29.1 mg/L of four different p-coumaroyl shikimates (3-p-coumaroyl shikimate, 4-p-coumaroyl shikimate, 3,4-di-p-coumaroyl shikimate, 3,5-di-p-coumaroyl shikimate, and 4,5-di-p-coumaroyl shikimate) was obtained and 16 mg/L of chlorogenic acid was synthesized in the wild type E. coli strain. To increase the concentration of endogenous acceptor substrates such as shikimate and quinate, the shikimate pathway in E. coli was engineered. A E. coli aroL and aroK gene were mutated and the resulting mutants were used for the production of p-coumaroyl shikimate. An E. coli aroD mutant was used for the production of chlorogenic acid. We also optimized the vector and cell concentration optimization.

Conclusions

To produce p-coumaroyl-shikimates and chlorogenic acid in E. coli, several E. coli mutants (an aroD mutant for chlorogenic acid production; an aroL, aroK, and aroKL mutant for p-coumaroyl-shikimates production) were made and each mutant was tested using an optimized construct. Using this strategy, we produced 235 mg/L of p-coumaroyl-shikimates and 450 mg/L of chlorogenic acid.
Depression pathogenesis and treatment: what can we learn from blood mRNA expression?
Authors: Hepgul Nilay , Cattaneo Annamaria , Zunszain Patricia A , Pariante Carmine M
Published: February 2013

Alterations in several biological systems, including the neuroendocrine and immune systems, have been consistently demonstrated in patients with major depressive disorder. These alterations have been predominantly studied using easily accessible systems such as blood and saliva. In recent years there has been an increasing body of evidence supporting the use of peripheral blood gene expression to investigate the pathogenesis of depression, and to identify relevant biomarkers. In this paper we review the current literature on gene expression alterations in depression, focusing in particular on three important and interlinked biological domains: inflammation, glucocorticoid receptor functionality and neuroplasticity. We also briefly review the few existing transcriptomics studies. Our review summarizes data showing that patients with major depressive disorder exhibit an altered pattern of expression in several genes belonging to these three biological domains when compared with healthy controls. In particular, we show evidence for a pattern of 'state-related' gene expression changes that are normalized either by remission or by antidepressant treatment. Taken together, these findings highlight the use of peripheral blood gene expression as a clinically relevant biomarker approach.
Pneumococcal ClpP modulates the maturation and activation of human dendritic cells: implications for pneumococcal infections
Authors: Cao Ju , Gong Yi , Dong ShanShan , Zhang Liping , Lai Xaiofei , Zhang Xuemei , Yin Yibing
Published: February 2013

Pneumococcal ClpP regulates DCs by acting as a novel TLR4 ligand during pneumococcal infections.

DCs are essential for host immune response to pathogens. Pneumococcal diseases still remain to be a major global-health issue, and HSP100/ClpP is a ubiquitously present virulence determinant for Streptococcus pneumoniae. Here, we show that ClpP expression facilitates the uptake and phagocytosis of pneumococci by human DCs, and it could increase apoptosis of DCs infected with pneumococci. Furthermore, pneumococcal ClpP is required for optimal production of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines and an efficient activation of adaptive immune response in DCs. Complementary, purified rClpP protein recognizes TLR4 and functionally activates human DCs by augmenting the expression of surface molecules and the production of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines dependent on MAPKs and NF-κB signaling pathways. Besides, ClpP-treated DCs induce T cell proliferation and contribute to Th1 immune response. This study describes a novel role of ClpP in the interaction of DCs with pneumococci that could provide new insight for the progression of pneumococcal diseases and has important implications for designing pneumococcal protein vaccines.
Solving 3D anisotropic elastic wave equations on parallel GPU devices
Authors: Weiss Robin M. , Shragge Jeffrey
Published: February 2013

Efficiently modeling seismic data sets in complex 3D anisotropic media by solving the 3D elastic wave equation is an important challenge in computational geophysics. Using a stress-stiffness formulation on a regular grid, we tested a 3D finite-difference time-domain solver using a second-order temporal and eighth-order spatial accuracy stencil that leverages the massively parallel architecture of graphics processing units (GPUs) to accelerate the computation of key kernels. The relatively small memory of an individual GPU limits the model domain sizes that can be computed on a single device. To circumvent this constraint and move toward modeling industry-sized 3D anisotropic elastic data sets, we parallelized computation across multiple GPU devices by using domain decomposition and, for each time step, employing an interdevice communication protocol to exchange data values falling within interior boundaries of each subdomain. For two or more GPU devices within a single compute node, we use direct peer-to-peer (i.e., GPU-to-GPU) communication, whereas for networked nodes we employed message-passing interface directives to route data over the network. Our 2D GPU-based anisotropic elastic modeling tests achieved a [Formula: see text] speedup relative to an OpenMP CPU implementation run on an eight-core machine, whereas our 3D tests using dual-GPU devices produced up to a [Formula: see text] speedup. The performance boost afforded by the GPU architecture allowed us to model seismic data for 3D anisotropic elastic models at lower hardware cost and in less time than has been previously possible.
A fast interpretation of self-potential data using the depth from extreme points method
Authors: Fedi Maurizio , Abbas Mahmoud Ahmed
Published: February 2013

We used a fast method to interpret self-potential data: the depth from extreme points (DEXP) method. This is an imaging method transforming self-potential data, or their derivatives, into a quantity proportional to the source distribution. It is based on upward continuing of the field to a number of altitudes and then multiplying the continued data with a scaling law of those altitudes. The scaling law is in the form of a power law of the altitudes, with an exponent equal to half of the structural index, a source parameter related to the type of source. The method is autoconsistent because the structural index is basically determined by analyzing the scaling function, which is defined as the derivative of the logarithm of the self-potential (or of its [Formula: see text]th derivative) with respect to the logarithm of the altitudes. So, the DEXP method does not need a priori information on the self-potential sources and yields effective information about their depth and shape/typology. Important features of the DEXP method are its high-resolution power and stability, resulting from the combined effect of a stable operator (upward continuation) and a high-order differentiation operator. We tested how to estimate the depth to the source in two ways: (1) at the positions of the extreme points in the DEXP transformed map and (2) at the intersection of the lines of the absolute values of the potential or of its derivative (geometrical method). The method was demonstrated using synthetic data of isolated sources and using a multisource model. The method is particularly suited to handle noisy data, because it is stable even using high-order derivatives of the self-potential. We discussed some real data sets: Malachite Mine, Colorado (USA), the Sariyer area (Turkey), and the Bender area (India). The estimated depths and structural indices agree well with the known information.
Reconstruction of depocenter evolution through time using relative stratigraphic thickness
Authors: Wolak Jeannette , Hemstra Nanne , Ochoa Jesus , Pelissier Michael
Published: February 2013

In this article, we describe a new approach to seismic stratigraphic interpretation. We build on the concept of the relative geologic time attribute introduced by Stark (2004) to define a relative stratigraphic thickness attribute, which can then be interpreted to reconstruct depocenter migration from seismic data. The principles of seismic stratigraphy were established in the classic AAPG Memoir 26. At this time (1977), manual interpretation of 2D seismic was still typical in the E&P industry. Simple truncation geometries such as onlap, downlap, and toplap were used to characterize sequence boundaries and flooding surfaces. Recent work continues to emphasize these 2D concepts, for example, using them in introductory sequence stratigraphic exercises. The routine use of 3D seismic emerged in the 1980s and, with it, computer-assisted interpretation. The main focus of the industry was on large structural traps. Highly effective 3D structural interpretation workflows developed in the 1980s still form the core of current interpretation workflows. Given the time-consuming nature of seismic interpretation, most geoscientists are forced to limit their mapping to major unconformities and flooding surfaces. These correspond to first- and second-order sequences boundaries and occupy only a small fraction of the typical seismic volume. It was common then, and now, to infer stratigraphy by averaging attributes such as seismic amplitudes between structural picks.
Structural curvature versus amplitude curvature
Authors: Chopra Satinder , Marfurt Kurt J.
Published: February 2013

Because they are second-order derivatives, seismic curvature attributes can enhance subtle information that may be difficult to see using first-order derivatives such as the dip magnitude and the dip-azimuth attributes. As a result, these attributes form an integral part of most seismic interpretation projects. This conventional computation of curvature may be termed as structural curvature, as lateral second-order derivatives of the structural component of seismic time or depth of reflection events are used to generate them. In this study, we explore the case of applying lateral second-order derivatives on the amplitudes of seismic data along the reflectors. We refer to such computation as amplitude curvature. For volumetric structural curvature we compute first derivatives in the inline and crossline components of structural dip. For amplitude curvature, we apply a similar computation to the inline and crossline components of the energy-weighted amplitude gradients, which represent the directional measures of amplitude variability. Because of limits to lateral resolution, application of amplitude curvature computation to real seismic data results in greater lateral resolution than structural curvature. The images are mathematically independent of each other and thus highlight different features in the subsurface, but are often correlated through the underlying geology.
Investigating ancient dams in Petra's northern hinterland with ground-penetrating radar
Authors: Urban Thomas M. , Bocancea Emanuela , Vella Clive , Herringer Susan N. , Alcock Susan E. , Tuttle Christopher A.
Published: February 2013

The ancient city of Petra (in Jordan) has captured the imagination for nearly a century in popular media, as witnessed by Agatha Christie's 1938 novel Appointment with Death, and films such as Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989) and, most recently, Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009) (Figure 1 and Figure 2). A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1985, Petra was also elected in 2007 as one of the “New Seven Wonders of the World.” As this famed archaeological site celebrates the 200th anniversary of its western re-identification by Swiss explorer Johann Ludwig Burckhardt in 1812, a variety of research is underway to gain fresh insight into how this ancient trading hub successfully sustained a population of more than 20,000 residents in an arid, desert environment, some 2000 years ago.
Clinicopathologic Findings Predictive of Relapse in Children With Stage III Favorable-Histology Wilms Tumor
Authors: Ehrlich Peter F. , Anderson James R. , Ritchey Michael L. , Dome Jeffrey S. , Green Daniel M. , Grundy Paul E. , Perlman Elizabeth J. , Kalapurakal John A. , Breslow Norman E. , Shamberger Robert C.
Published: February 2013

Purpose

Stage III designation in NWTS-5 (National Wilms Tumor Study–5) was determined by four pathologic criteria: positive lymph nodes (LNs), peritoneal implants, residual disease, and tumor rupture. The objective of this study was to determine the prognostic significance of each of the stage III criteria.

Patients and Methods

Children with stage III Wilms tumor (WT) treated in NWTS-5 were assessed for event-free (EFS) and overall survival (OS). Sites of relapse and molecular status of tumors are reported. EFS and OS are reported 8 years after diagnosis.

Results

There were 569 patients with local stage III favorable-histology (FH) WT in this analysis, of whom 109 had overall stage IV disease. LN involvement alone was the most frequent criterion for stage III designation (38%), followed by microscopic residual disease alone (20%), microscopic residual disease and LN involvement (14%), and spill or soilage alone (9%). The 8-year EFS and OS estimates for all patients with local stage III FHWT were 82% and 91%, respectively. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that both LN involvement (relative risk, 1.89; P = .005) and microscopic residual disease (relative risk, 1.87; P = .007) were predictive of EFS, and OS results were similar. There was no apparent difference in pattern of relapse according to stage III subtype. The rate of loss of heterozygosity was higher (6%) for those with positive LNs than for those without (2%; P = .05).

Conclusion

LN involvement and microscopic residual are the stage III criteria highly predictive of EFS and OS for patients with stage III FHWT. It is possible that in future studies, patients with different stage III criteria may receive different therapies.
Identification of a 24-Gene Prognostic Signature That Improves the European LeukemiaNet Risk Classification of Acute Myeloid Leukemia: An International Collaborative Study
Authors: Li Zejuan , Herold Tobias , He Chunjiang , Valk Peter J.M. , Chen Ping , Jurinovic Vindi , Mansmann Ulrich , Radmacher Michael D. , Maharry Kati S. , Sun Miao , Yang Xinan , Huang Hao , Jiang Xi , Sauerland Maria-Cristina , Büchner Thomas , Hiddemann Wolfgang , Elkahloun Abdel , Neilly Mary Beth , Zhang Yanming , Larson Richard A. , Le Beau Michelle M. , Caligiuri Michael A. , Döhner Konstanze , Bullinger Lars , Liu Paul P. , Delwel Ruud , Marcucci Guido , Lowenberg Bob , Bloomfield Clara D. , Rowley Janet D. , Bohlander Stefan K. , Chen Jianjun
Published: February 2013

Purpose

To identify a robust prognostic gene expression signature as an independent predictor of survival of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and use it to improve established risk classification.

Patients and Methods

Four independent sets totaling 499 patients with AML carrying various cytogenetic and molecular abnormalities were used as training sets. Two independent patient sets composed of 825 patients were used as validation sets. Notably, patients from different sets were treated with different protocols, and their gene expression profiles were derived using different microarray platforms. Cox regression and Kaplan-Meier methods were used for survival analyses.

Results

A prognostic signature composed of 24 genes was derived from a meta-analysis of Cox regression values of each gene across the four training sets. In multivariable models, a higher sum value of the 24-gene signature was an independent predictor of shorter overall (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) in both training and validation sets (P < .01). Moreover, this signature could substantially improve the European LeukemiaNet (ELN) risk classification of AML, and patients in three new risk groups classified by the integrated risk classification showed significantly (P < .001) distinct OS and EFS.

Conclusion

Despite different treatment protocols applied to patients and use of different microarray platforms for expression profiling, a common prognostic gene signature was identified as an independent predictor of survival of patients with AML. The integrated risk classification incorporating this gene signature provides a better framework for risk stratification and outcome prediction than the ELN classification.
Phase II Randomized Study of Trastuzumab Emtansine Versus Trastuzumab Plus Docetaxel in Patients With Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2–Positive Metastatic Breast Cancer
Authors: Hurvitz Sara A. , Dirix Luc , Kocsis Judit , Bianchi Giulia V. , Lu Janice , Vinholes Jeferson , Guardino Ellie , Song Chunyan , Tong Barbara , Ng Vivian , Chu Yu-Waye , Perez Edith A.
Published: February 2013

Purpose

Trastuzumab emtansine (T-DM1), an antibody-drug conjugate composed of the cytotoxic agent DM1 conjugated to trastuzumab via a stable thioether linker, has shown clinical activity in single-arm studies enrolling patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) –positive metastatic breast cancer (MBC) whose disease had progressed on HER2-targeted therapy in the metastatic setting.

Patients and Methods

Patients (N = 137) with HER2-positive MBC or recurrent locally advanced breast cancer were randomly assigned to trastuzumab plus docetaxel (HT; n = 70) or T-DM1 (n = 67) as first-line treatment until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Primary end points were investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS) and safety. Key secondary end points included overall survival (OS), objective response rate (ORR), duration of objective response, clinical benefit rate, and quality of life.

Results

Median PFS was 9.2 months with HT and 14.2 months with T-DM1 (hazard ratio, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.36 to 0.97); median follow-up was approximately 14 months in both arms. ORR was 58.0% (95% CI, 45.5% to 69.2%) with HT and 64.2% (95% CI, 51.8% to 74.8%) with T-DM1. T-DM1 had a favorable safety profile versus HT, with fewer grade ≥ 3 adverse events (AEs; 46.4% v 90.9%), AEs leading to treatment discontinuations (7.2% v 40.9%), and serious AEs (20.3% v 25.8%). Preliminary OS results were similar between treatment arms; median follow-up was approximately 23 months in both arms.

Conclusion

In this randomized phase II study, first-line treatment with T-DM1 for patients with HER2-positive MBC provided a significant improvement in PFS, with a favorable safety profile, versus HT.
Solvent-Free Diels–Alder Reaction in a Closed Batch System
Authors: Sun Daolai , Sato Fumiya , Yamada Yasuhiro , Sato Satoshi
Published: February 2013

Solvent-free Diels–Alder reactions were carried out by heating a mixture of a volatile diene, such as 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, or 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene, and a dienophile, such as methyl vinyl ketone, methyl acrylate, or maleic anhydride, in a closed batch reactor. High yields of Diels–Alder products were obtained without using solvents and catalysts within a short reaction time in most of the reactions. In particular, several reactions of dienophiles with 1,3-butadiene, which is known as a diene with low reactivity because of its gaseous form, also proceeded with high yields of Diels–Alder products in the closed batch reactor under conditions pressured by the reactant vapor. Solvent-free reactions provided high yields compared to reactions in solvent since the reaction heat directly resulted in increasing the reaction temperature and pressure. Energy in the exothermic reaction was used effectively in the closed batch system under solvent-free conditions.
Kinetic and Thermodynamic Studies on the Adsorption of Reactive Red 239 by Carra Sawdust Treated with Formaldehyde
Authors: Sanchez Nedher , Benedetti Tânia M. , Vazquez Mario , de Torresi Susana I. Córdoba , Torresi Roberto M.
Published: February 2013

In this study, carra sawdust pre-treated with formaldehyde was used to adsorb reactive red 239 (RR239). The effects of several experimental conditions, including the concentration of dye, sorbent dosage, temperature, ionic strength, stirring speed and solution pH, on the kinetics of the adsorption process have been studied, and the experimental data were fitted to pseudo-second-order model. A study of the intra-particle diffusion model indicates that the mechanism of dye adsorption using carra sawdust is rather complex and is most likely a combination of external mass transfer and intra-particle diffusion. The experimental data obtained at equilibrium were analyzed using the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherm models, and the results indicated that at this concentration range, both models can be applied for obtaining the equilibrium parameters. The maximum dye uptake obtained at 298 K was found to be 15.1 mg g−1. In contrast to the usual systems, the reactive dye studied in the present work is strongly attached to the sawdust even after several washes with water, allowing it to be discarded as a solid waste.
Study on the Noise Assessment and Control at a Petrochemical Company
Authors: Dehghan Somayeh Fahang , Nassiri Parvin , Monazzam Mohammad Reza , Aghaei Habib Allah , Moradirad Rohadin , Kafash Zohreh Haghighi , Asghari Mehdi
Published: February 2013

This study aimed to describe the noise pollution, and to identify the main noise source for providing sound abatement measures in a petrochemical company. In this context, environmental noise was measured and also the main sound sources were identified. Then, a formula has been proposed as an index of noise control priority to select one part of the company as the first priority for controlling noise. The main sound source of the part selected was found by referring to noise maps and contours. The sound source acoustic properties were analyzed and noise control measure suitable for the situation were adopted. The Company was divided into three sections depending on their noise levels including safe area (16.7%), caution area (74.5%) and danger area (8.8%). Compression part of Air plant was found to be the first priority for the adoption of noise abatement measures and Dryer machines were discovered to be the main sound source.
Supersonic Jet Noise Reduction by Microjet Injection
Authors: Zaman K.B.M.Q.
Published: February 2013

The effect of microjet (μjet) injection on the noise from supersonic jets is investigated. One convergent and three convergent-divergent (C–D) nozzles, covering design Mach numbers ( MD) 1.0 to 2.2, are used in the study; all nozzles have the same exit diameter ( D). The μjets are injected perpendicular to the primary jet at the nozzle lip from six equally-spaced ports; each port has a diameter of 0.0054 D. Effects in the over-expanded and under-expanded regimes as well as one case of fully expanded condition are explored. Relative to the effect on subsonic jets, larger reduction in the overall sound pressure level (OASPL) is achieved in most supersonic conditions. While the injection readily eliminates screech tones with the convergent nozzle it becomes increasingly ineffective in screech reduction with nozzles of higher MD. With all nozzles, the injection is often found to amplify the broadband shock-associated noise; the overall noise reduction occurs due to a suppression of broadband levels especially at lower frequencies. With the shock still within the divergent section of the C–D nozzles, there is ‘excess broadband noise’ and sometimes there are ‘transonic tones’; the injection is found to affect the tones very little but reduce the broadband noise component significantly. For shock-free, fully expanded condition, the OASPL reduction in the peak noise radiation direction is comparable to that in a subsonic case; the same correlation, found earlier for subsonic cases, applies.
Some General Linear Methods for the Numerical Solution of Non-Stiff IVPs in ODEs
Authors: Okuonghae R. I. , Ikhile M. N. O. , Ogunleye S. O.
Published: February 2013

In this paper, we consider the construction of explicit General Linear Methods (GLM) for the numerical solution of non-stiff initial value problems (IVPs) in ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The discrete coefficients of the methods are obtained from the continuous coefficients of the continuous schemes which are derived using collocation and interpolation approach. One of the new method's stability matrix M( z) has a single nonzero eigenvalue similar to that of the third order Runge Kutta method (RKM), while other eigenvalues being zero, such general linear method is referred to as GLM with Runge Kutta stability. Numerical results are provided to illustrate the application of the new schemes. The new schemes are found to have competitive accuracy with the existing Almost Runge Kutta Methods (ARKM) discussed in Butcher [9].
Teaching Note—Implementing Line Balancing Heuristics in Spreadsheets
Authors: Weiss Howard J.
Published: February 2013

Two previous papers in INFORMS Transactions on Education demonstrated an innovative Excel array formula approach that can be used for the handling of precedences in project management and assembly line balancing models. In this paper I combine the array formula approach with a clever but simple precedence coding system to present an efficient spreadsheet for performing assembly line balancing using the heuristic method that is common in operations management textbooks. In addition, I demonstrate to students a perturbation method to handle ties in algorithms in Excel and also demonstrate the application of Excel's Scenario Manager to line balancing.
Preanalytical Aspects and Sample Quality Assessment in Metabolomics Studies of Human Blood
Authors: Yin Peiyuan , Peter Andreas , Franken Holger , Zhao Xinjie , Neukamm Sabine S , Rosenbaum Lars , Lucio Marianna , Zell Andreas , Häring Hans-Ulrich , Xu Guowang , Lehmann Rainer
Published: February 2013

BACKGROUND

Metabolomics is a powerful tool that is increasingly used in clinical research. Although excellent sample quality is essential, it can easily be compromised by undetected preanalytical errors. We set out to identify critical preanalytical steps and biomarkers that reflect preanalytical inaccuracies.

METHODS

We systematically investigated the effects of preanalytical variables (blood collection tubes, hemolysis, temperature and time before further processing, and number of freeze–thaw cycles) on metabolomics studies of clinical blood and plasma samples using a nontargeted LC-MS approach.

RESULTS

Serum and heparinate blood collection tubes led to chemical noise in the mass spectra. Distinct, significant changes of 64 features in the EDTA-plasma metabolome were detected when blood was exposed to room temperature for 2, 4, 8, and 24 h. The resulting pattern was characterized by increases in hypoxanthine and sphingosine 1-phosphate (800% and 380%, respectively, at 2 h). In contrast, the plasma metabolome was stable for up to 4 h when EDTA blood samples were immediately placed in iced water. Hemolysis also caused numerous changes in the metabolic profile. Unexpectedly, up to 4 freeze–thaw cycles only slightly changed the EDTA-plasma metabolome, but increased the individual variability.

CONCLUSIONS

Nontargeted metabolomics investigations led to the following recommendations for the preanalytical phase: test the blood collection tubes, avoid hemolysis, place whole blood immediately in ice water, use EDTA plasma, and preferably use nonrefrozen biobank samples. To exclude outliers due to preanalytical errors, inspect the biomarker signal intensities reflecting systematic as well as accidental and preanalytical inaccuracies before processing the bioinformatics data.
A comparison of Paley–Wiener theorems for real reductive Lie groups
Authors: van den Ban Erik P. , Souaifi Sofiane
Published: February 2013

In this paper we make a detailed comparison between the Paley–Wiener theorems of
J. Arthur and P. Delorme for a real reductive Lie group G. We prove that these theorems are equivalent from an a priori point of view.
We also give an alternative formulation of the theorems in terms of the Hecke algebra
of bi-K-finite distributions supported on K, a maximal compact subgroup of G. Our techniques
involve derivatives of holomorphic families of continuous representations and Harish-Chandra modules.
The formate/nitrite transporter family of anion channels
Authors: Lü Wei , Du Juan , Schwarzer Nikola J. , Wacker Tobias , Andrade Susana L.A. , Einsle Oliver
Published: February 2013

The formate/nitrite transporter (FNT) family of integral membrane proteins comprises pentameric channels for monovalent anions that exhibit a broad specificity for small anions such as chloride, the physiological cargo molecules formate, nitrite, and hydrosulfide, and also larger organic acids. Three-dimensional structures are available for the three known subtypes, FocA, NirC, and HSC, which reveal remarkable evolutionary optimizations for the respective physiological context of the channels. FNT channels share a conserved translocation pathway in each protomer, with a central hydrophobic cavity that is separated from both sides of the membrane by a narrow constriction. A single protonable residue, a histidine, plays a key role by transiently protonating the transported anion to allow an uncharged species to pass the hydrophobic barrier. Further selectivity is reached through variations in the electrostatic surface potential of the proteins, priming the formate channel FocA for anion export, whereas NirC and HSC should work bidirectionally. Electrophysiological studies have shown that a broad variety of monovalent anions can be transported, and in the case of FocA, these match exactly the products of mixed-acid fermentation, the predominant metabolic pathway for most enterobacterial species.
Automorphism groups of Beauville surfaces
Authors: Jones Gareth A.
Published: February 2013

A Beauville surface of unmixed type is a complex algebraic surface which is the quotient of the product of two curves of genus at least 2 by a finite group
Variational inequalities and higher order convergence rates for Tikhonov regularisation on Banach spaces
Authors: Grasmair Markus
Published: February 2013

In this paper we derive higher order convergence rates in terms of the Bregman distance
for Tikhonov like convex regularisation for linear operator equations
on Banach spaces. The approach is based on the idea of variational inequalities,
which are, however, not imposed on the original Tikhonov functional,
but rather on a dual functional. Because of that, the approach is not limited to convergence
rates of lower order, but yields the same range of rates
that is well known for quadratic regularisation on Hilbert spaces.
TGV for diffusion tensors: A comparison of fidelity functions
Authors: Valkonen Tuomo , Bredies Kristian , Knoll Florian
Published: February 2013

We study the total generalised variation regularisation
of symmetric tensor fields from medical applications,
namely diffusion tensor regularisation. We study the effect
of the pointwise positivity constraint on the tensor field,
as well as the difference between direct denoising of the
tensor field first solved from the Stejskal–Tanner equation,
as was done in our earlier work, and of incorporating this
equation into the fidelity function. Our results indicate
that the latter novel approach provides improved computational
results.
An H1
-Kaczmarz reconstructor for atmospheric tomography
Authors: Eslitzbichler Markus , Pechstein Clemens , Ramlau Ronny
Published: February 2013

Atmospheric tomography is a prerequisite step before wavefront perturbations can
be corrected in Multi Conjucate Adaptive Optics (MCAO) systems. Recently, the
use of a Landweber–Kaczmarz iteration has been proposed to solve the tomography
problem. However, due to the geometric partitioning of the update steps in this
method, discontinuities in the solution appear that are physically implausible. We investigate augmenting the Landweber–Kaczmarz iteration with a smoothing step
based on solving an elliptic partial differential equation to alleviate these
discontinuities.
Calibration of Seal Coat Application Rate Design
Authors: Lee Jusang , Ahn Hyung Jun , Shields Todd , Harris Dwayne , Li Shuo
Published: February 2013

This paper presents seal coat performance evaluations of various emulsion and aggregate application rates using three different evaluation methods: International Roughness Index (IRI), friction test, and visual evaluation. Then, considering the seal coat failure criteria, correction factors for seal coat application equipment are introduced. This study confirms the lack of relevance between seal coat application and IRI values because of the thickness of a seal coat. In addition, friction improvements caused by seal coat applications were confirmed within the range of seal coat rates applied. Overall, IRI, friction, and visual inspection did not reveal distinct differences in seal coat performance in terms of application rates in the testing range. Accordingly, seal coats with rates based on the McLeod method showed acceptable performance. The aggregate application rate should be high enough to protect the seal coat from immediate failure during construction but low enough to avoid unacceptable levels of accumulated fines content. Furthermore, immediate failure occurring locally during construction because of incorrect application rate (e.g., insufficient aggregate rate) can cause total failure of a seal coat road because of a chain reaction. However, discrepancies between designed rates and applied rates were observed in the study even after the seal coat equipment was calibrated prior to operation. The equipment factor for aggregate can compensate for rate discrepancies between the target and actual application rates. It was found that the designed emulsion application rate does not need to be corrected for the emulsion distributor because the emulsion rate discrepancy has an insignificant impact on a seal coat’s performance.
Thermal Cracking Potential of High RAP-WMA Evaluated With Bending Beam Rheometer Mixture Beam Test
Authors: Doyle Jesse D. , Howard Isaac L.
Published: February 2013

In recent years, increasing cost of the raw materials for asphalt paving has generated interest in using greater quantities of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). During the same period, development of warm-mix asphalt (WMA) technology has allowed use of lower production temperatures that can reduce the amount of short-term aging of the virgin binder. The reduction in short-term aging can be beneficial in reducing problems associated with increased binder stiffness that are normally encountered when using high percentages of RAP in a mixture. This paper presents the results of an investigation that compared the low-temperature performance of WMA with a high RAP content to the performance of mixtures produced in accordance with current practice, which limits the content of RAP in the mixture to 15 % or less. Comparisons were made through a combination of mixture testing with the bending beam rheometer (BBR) and thermal cracking analysis of the BBR data. Emphasis was placed on mixture performance when the mixture is used on the surface of highway pavements. Test results from over 1000 beam specimens tested in the BBR are presented, and the results indicate that low-temperature performance of WMA containing 25 % RAP is likely to be comparable to performance of surface mixtures produced in accordance with current practice. The test results also indicate WMA containing 50 % RAP may be more susceptible to thermal cracking than surface course mixtures produced by the current practice.
Assessment of the Mean-Stress Sensitivity Factor Method in Stress-Life Fatigue Predictions
Authors: Burger Robert , Lee Yung-Li
Published: February 2013

The mean-stress sensitivity factor model developed by Schütz in 1967 is considered the most comprehensive method to account for the mean-stress effect on high-cycle fatigue life and strength, which is applicable to various materials (such as steels, steel castings, ductile irons, malleable cast irons, grey cast iron, wrought aluminum alloys, and cast aluminum alloys) and to a broad mean-stress or stress-ratio range. Even though the mean-stress sensitivity factor method has been frequently used in European-based fatigue commercial software and engineering design codes, such as the Rechnerischer Festigkeitsnachweis für Maschinenbauteile (FKM) Guideline, it has not received a great deal of attention worldwide. Although the FKM Guideline provides extensive experimental test validation, very little evidence from independent sources have illustrated the validity of this method. Thus, it is the objective of this paper to examine the Schütz mean-stress sensitivity factor model by comparing the Walker mean-stress correction equation to the best fitting parameters published for steels, aluminum alloys, and titanium alloy. It was concluded that the Schütz mean-stress sensitivity factor model exhibits a reasonable degree of agreement with the Walker equation over a wide variety of materials.
Evaluation of Asphalt Blended With Low Percentage of Carbon Micro-Fiber and Nanoclay
Authors: Yao Hui , You Zhanping , Li Liang , Goh Shu Wei , Mills-Beale Julian , Shi Xianming , Wingard David
Published: February 2013

The objectives of this study are to investigate the applicability of carbon micro-fiber and nanoclay in asphalt binders and to evaluate the performance of micro- and nano-modified asphalt (NMA) binders in terms of rheological properties. Due to their unique characteristics, micro- and nanomaterials were hypothesized to play a critical role in enhancing the performance behavior of asphalt binders. In light of existing research, carbon micro-fiber (MCF) and Nanomer I.44P (NI.44P) were selected as the micro- and nanomaterials for this research. Then, these materials were added into the PG 58-34 control asphalt binder at the concentrations of 2 % and 4 % by weight. Superpave™ binder tests—rotational viscosity (RV), dynamic shear rheometer (DSR), and bending beam rheometer (BBR)—were then conducted for evaluating the performance of each modified asphalt binder. Also, the characterization tests were run on the aged samples prepared using the rolling thin film oven (RTFO) and pressure aging vessel (PAV) to simulate the short-term and long-term aging. Subsequently, the viscosity, dynamic shear modulus (|G*|) and phase angle (δ) of asphalt binders were analyzed, and the dissipated energy per load cycle was introduced to estimate the asphalt binders’ rutting and fatigue cracking resistance. It was found that the dynamic shear modulus of asphalt binders can be improved by the selected micro- and nanomaterials. Furthermore, the NI.44P modified asphalt showed better properties relative to the other modified asphalt binders or the control (PG 58-34) binder.
A Paradigm Shift to Balance Safety and Quality in Pediatric Pain Management
Authors: Avansino Jeffrey R. , Peters Lisa M. , Stockfish Shellie L. , Walco Gary A.
Published: February 2013

OBJECTIVE:

Undertreating pain and inappropriate use of opioids are potentially harmful to patients. We created a reliable process to discuss the pain plan preoperatively, hypothesizing that it will enhance the safety of opioid administration while improving the quality of pain management.

METHODS:

A multidisciplinary group was convened for a 3-day workshop where a reliable method for preoperative discussion of the pain plan was created for patients having ambulatory hernia repair. Four targets were defined: (1) pain management is discussed by the provider; (2) a pain plan is accurately documented in the electronic medical record; (3) parents perceive that pain is adequately discussed; and (4) behavioral indicators demonstrate the pain plan is effective. The goal was 100% compliance with targets at 60 days. A standard pain regimen was created. Data collection included chart review and a postoperative phone call. Patients were separated into 30-day postimplementation cohorts for evaluation of their hernia. Analysis was descriptive.

RESULTS:

A total of 235 patients had hernia repair. Discussion and documentation of pain occurred in 73% at 240 days (n = 15). Providers entered orders for postoperative pain in 80% at 240 days after implementation. Parents reported that pain was adequately discussed and treated between 87% and 100% of the time.

CONCLUSIONS:

Balancing the potential harm from undertreating pain and inappropriate use of opioids requires an evidence-based, multidisciplinary family-centered approach. The development and implementation of a reliable method for the management and treatment of pain reduces variability allowing for delivery of safe and quality care.
Bi-functional oxygen electrocatalysts based on Palladium oxide-Ruthenium oxide composites
Authors: Sunarso Jaka , Torriero Angel A.J. , Howlett Patrick C. , MacFarlane Douglas R. , Forsyth Maria
Published: February 2013

Bi-functional oxygen electrodes are an enabling component for rechargeable metal-air batteries and regenerative fuel cells, both of which are regarded as the next-generation energy devices with zero emission. Nonetheless, at the present, no single metal oxide component can catalyze both oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with high performance which leads to large overpotential between ORR and OER. This work strives to address this limitation by studying the bi-functional electrocatalytic activity of the composite of a good ORR catalyst compound (e.g. palladium oxide, PdO) and a good OER catalyst compound (e.g. ruthenium oxide, RuO2) in alkaline solution (0.1M KOH) utilizing a thin-film rotating disk electrode technique. The studied compositions include PdO, RuO2, PdO/RuO2 (25wt.%/75wt.%), PdO/RuO2 (50wt.%/50wt.%) and PdO/RuO2 (75wt.%/25wt.%). The lowest overpotential (e.g. E (2 mA cm−2) - E (-2 mA cm−2)) of 0.82 V is obtained for PdO/RuO2 (25wt.%/75wt.%) (versus Ag|AgCl (3M NaCl) reference electrode).
The Effect of Annealing Treatments on Close Spaced Sublimated Cadmium Telluride Thin Film Solar Cells
Authors: Walls J.M. , Abbas A. , West G. D. , Bowers J.W. , Isherwood P.J.M. , Kaminski P. M. , Maniscalco B. , Sampath W.S. , Barth K. L.
Published: February 2013

It is well known that the cadmium chloride annealing treatment is an essential step in the manufacture of efficient thin film cadmium telluride solar cells. It has been recognized that the combination of annealing at ∼4000C together with the addition of cadmium chloride at the surface induces re-crystallisation of the cadmium telluride layer and also affects the n-type cadmium sulfide. We have applied advanced micro-structural characterization techniques to distinguish the effect of the annealing and the cadmium chloride treatments on the properties of the cadmium telluride deposited via close space sublimation (CSS) and relate these observations to device performance. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) has shown a variation in stacking fault density with annealing temperature and annealing time. Stacking faults observed within the cadmium telluride grains in TEM were partially removed post annealing; these findings show that temperature alone has a role in the reduction of stacking faults. However, since we have previously observed almost complete removal of stacking faults with annealing in combination with cadmium chloride, the cadmium chloride is essential to defect removal and high efficiency cells.
Laser Induced Oxidation Effects in Bismuth Thin Films
Authors: Zepeda Marco A. , Picquart Michel , Haro-Poniatowski Emmanuel
Published: February 2013

The Laser induced oxidation process of bismuth was investigated using Raman spectroscopy. Upon laser irradiation (λ = 532 nm) pure Bismuth was transformed gradually into Bi2O3. Raman spectra of the samples showed the characteristics peaks for pure Bi located at 71 cm-1 and 96 cm-1. The oxidation process was monitored by Raman spectra with four additional bands located at about 127 cm-1, 241 cm-1, 313 cm-1 and 455 cm-1. Maintaining constant the exposure time of irradiation, the intensity of these bands depended on laser irradiation power. The presence of Bi2O3 in the sample was confirmed through by energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS).
Validação de álbum seriado para promoção do aleitamento materno
Authors: Dodt Regina Cláudia Melo , Ximenes Lorena Barbosa , Oriá Mônica Oliveira Batista
Published: February 2013

OBJETIVO: Validar um álbum seriado a respeito da autoeficácia em aleitamento materno quanto ao conteúdo e à aparência. MÉTODOS: Com base na versão traduzida da Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale - Short Form foram elaboradas sete ilustrações e suas respectivas fichas-roteiro. Realizou-se a validade aparente (clareza/compreensão) e a validade de conteúdo (relevância) com base na avaliação de dez juízes. RESULTADOS: As considerações dos juízes foram acatadas em relação à clareza/compreensão. O Índice de Validade de Conteúdo foi 0,92 quanto às figuras e 0,97, quanto às fichas-roteiro, caracterizando o álbum seriado como uma estratégia válida. CONCLUSÕES: O álbum seriado pode ser utilizado nos diversos campos de atuação da enfermagem, inclusive no alojamento conjunto.