bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ehrlichia chaffeensis Exploits Canonical and Noncanonical Host Wnt Signaling Pathways To Stimulate Phagocytosis and Promote Intracellular Survival
Authors: Luo Tian , Dunphy Paige S. , Lina Taslima T. , McBride Jere W.
Published: December 2015

Ehrlichia chaffeensis
invades and survives in phagocytes by modulating host cell processes and evading innate defenses, but the mechanisms are not fully defined. Recently we have determined that
E. chaffeensis
tandem repeat proteins (TRPs) are type 1 secreted effectors involved in functionally diverse interactions with host targets, including components of the evolutionarily conserved Wnt signaling pathways. In this study, we demonstrated that induction of host canonical and noncanonical Wnt pathways by
E. chaffeensis
TRP effectors stimulates phagocytosis and promotes intracellular survival. After
E. chaffeensis
infection, canonical and noncanonical Wnt signalings were significantly stimulated during early stages of infection (1 to 3 h) which coincided with dephosphorylation and nuclear translocation of β-catenin, a major canonical Wnt signal transducer, and NFATC1, a noncanonical Wnt transcription factor. In total, the expression of ∼44% of Wnt signaling target genes was altered during infection. Knockdown of TRP120-interacting Wnt pathway components/regulators and other critical components, such as Wnt5a ligand, Frizzled 5 receptor, β-catenin, nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT), and major signaling molecules, resulted in significant reductions in the ehrlichial load. Moreover, small-molecule inhibitors specific for components of canonical and noncanonical (Ca
2+
and planar cell polarity [PCP]) Wnt pathways, including IWP-2, which blocks Wnt secretion, significantly decreased ehrlichial infection. TRPs directly activated Wnt signaling, as TRP-coated microspheres triggered phagocytosis which was blocked by Wnt pathway inhibitors, demonstrating a key role of TRP activation of Wnt pathways to induce ehrlichial phagocytosis. These novel findings reveal that
E. chaffeensis
exploits canonical and noncanonical Wnt pathways through TRP effectors to facilitate host cell entry and promote intracellular survival.
Analysis of Endothelial Adherence of Bartonella henselae and Acinetobacter baumannii Using a Dynamic Human
Ex Vivo
Infection Model
Authors: Weidensdorfer Marko , Chae Ju Ik , Makobe Celestine , Stahl Julia , Averhoff Beate , Müller Volker , Schürmann Christoph , Brandes Ralf P. , Wilharm Gottfried , Ballhorn Wibke , Christ Sara , Linke Dirk , Fischer Doris , Göttig Stephan , Kempf Volkhard A. J.
Published: December 2015

Bacterial adherence determines the virulence of many human-pathogenic bacteria. Experimental approaches elucidating this early infection event in greater detail have been performed using mainly methods of cellular microbiology. However,
in vitro
infections of cell monolayers reflect the
in vivo
situation only partially, and animal infection models are not available for many human-pathogenic bacteria. Therefore,
ex vivo
infection of human organs might represent an attractive method to overcome these limitations. We infected whole human umbilical cords
ex vivo
with
Bartonella henselae
or
Acinetobacter baumannii
under dynamic flow conditions mimicking the
in vivo
infection situation of human endothelium. For this purpose, methods for quantifying endothelium-adherent wild-type and trimeric autotransporter adhesin (TAA)-deficient bacteria were set up. Data revealed that (i)
A. baumannii
binds in a TAA-dependent manner to endothelial cells, (ii) this organ infection model led to highly reproducible adherence rates, and furthermore, (iii) this model allowed to dissect the biological function of TAAs in the natural course of human infections. These findings indicate that infection models using
ex vivo
human tissue samples (“organ microbiology”) might be a valuable tool in analyzing bacterial pathogenicity with the capacity to replace animal infection models at least partially.
ISC, a Novel Group of Bacterial and Archaeal DNA Transposons That Encode Cas9 Homologs
Authors: Kapitonov Vladimir V. , Makarova Kira S. , Koonin Eugene V.
Published: December 2015

Bacterial genomes encode numerous homologs of Cas9, the effector protein of the type II CRISPR-Cas systems. The homology region includes the arginine-rich helix and the HNH nuclease domain that is inserted into the RuvC-like nuclease domain. These genes, however, are not linked to
cas
genes or CRISPR. Here, we show that Cas9 homologs represent a distinct group of nonautonomous transposons, which we denote ISC (
i
nsertion
s
equences
C
as9-like). We identify many diverse families of full-length ISC transposons and demonstrate that their terminal sequences (particularly 3′ termini) are similar to those of IS
605
superfamily transposons that are mobilized by the Y1 tyrosine transposase encoded by the TnpA gene and often also encode the TnpB protein containing the RuvC-like endonuclease domain. The terminal regions of the ISC and IS
605
transposons contain palindromic structures that are likely recognized by the Y1 transposase. The transposons from these two groups are inserted either exactly in the middle or upstream of specific 4-bp target sites, without target site duplication. We also identify autonomous ISC transposons that encode TnpA-like Y1 transposases. Thus, the nonautonomous ISC transposons could be mobilized in
trans
either by Y1 transposases of other, autonomous ISC transposons or by Y1 transposases of the more abundant IS
605
transposons. These findings imply an evolutionary scenario in which the ISC transposons evolved from IS
605
family transposons, possibly via insertion of a mobile group II intron encoding the HNH domain, and Cas9 subsequently evolved via immobilization of an ISC transposon.

IMPORTANCE
Cas9 endonucleases, the effectors of type II CRISPR-Cas systems, represent the new generation of genome-engineering tools. Here, we describe in detail a novel family of transposable elements that encode the likely ancestors of Cas9 and outline the evolutionary scenario connecting different varieties of these transposons and Cas9.
BfpI, BfpJ, and BfpK Minor Pilins Are Important for the Function and Biogenesis of Bundle-Forming Pili Expressed by Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli
Authors: Martinez de la Peña Claudia F. , De Masi Leon , Nisa Shahista , Mulvey George , Tong Jesse , Donnenberg Michael S. , Armstrong Glen D.
Published: December 2015

Enteropathogenic
Escherichia coli
(EPEC) remains a significant cause of infant diarrheal illness and associated morbidity and mortality in developing countries. EPEC strains are characterized by their ability to colonize the small intestines of their hosts by a multistep program involving initial loose attachment to intestinal epithelial cells followed by an intimate adhesion phase. The initial loose interaction of typical EPEC with host intestinal cells is mediated by bundle-forming pili (BFP). BFP are type 4b pili (T4bP) based on structural and functional properties shared with T4bP expressed by other bacteria. The major structural subunit of BFP is called bundlin, a T4b pilin expressed from the
bfpA
gene in the BFP operon, which contains three additional genes that encode the pilin-like proteins BfpI, BfpJ, and BfpK. In this study, we show that, in the absence of the BFP retraction ATPase (BfpF), BfpI, BfpJ, and BfpK are dispensable for BFP biogenesis. We also demonstrate that these three minor pilins are incorporated along with bundlin into the BFP filament and contribute to its structural integrity and host cell adhesive properties. The results confirm that previous findings in T4aP systems can be extended to a model T4bP such as BFP.

IMPORTANCE
Bundle-forming pili contribute to the host colonization strategy of enteropathogenic
Escherichia coli
. The studies described here investigate the role for three minor pilin subunits in the structure and function of BFP in EPEC. The studies also suggest that these subunits could be antigens for vaccine development.
Pathogenic Acinetobacter: from the Cell Surface to Infinity and Beyond
Authors: Weber Brent S. , Harding Christian M. , Feldman Mario F.
Published: December 2015

The genus
Acinetobacter
encompasses multiple nosocomial opportunistic pathogens that are of increasing worldwide relevance because of their ability to survive exposure to various antimicrobial and sterilization agents. Among these,
Acinetobacter baumannii
,
Acinetobacter nosocomialis
, and
Acinetobacter pittii
are the most frequently isolated in hospitals around the world. Despite the growing incidence of multidrug-resistant
Acinetobacter
spp., little is known about the factors that contribute to pathogenesis. New strategies for treating and managing infections caused by multidrug-resistant
Acinetobacter
strains are urgently needed, and this requires a detailed understanding of the pathobiology of these organisms. In recent years, some virulence factors important for
Acinetobacter
colonization have started to emerge. In this review, we focus on several recently described virulence factors that act at the bacterial surface level, such as the capsule,
O
-linked protein glycosylation, and adhesins. Furthermore, we describe the current knowledge regarding the type II and type VI secretion systems present in these strains.
Iron Acquisition in Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis
Authors: Wang Joyce , Moolji Jalal , Dufort Alex , Staffa Alfredo , Domenech Pilar , Reed Michael B. , Behr Marcel A.
Published: December 2015

Mycobacterium avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
is a host-adapted pathogen that evolved from the environmental bacterium
M. avium
subsp.
hominissuis
through gene loss and gene acquisition. Growth of
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
in the laboratory is enhanced by supplementation of the media with the iron-binding siderophore mycobactin J. Here we examined the production of mycobactins by related organisms and searched for an alternative iron uptake system in
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
. Through thin-layer chromatography and radiolabeled iron-uptake studies, we showed that
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
is impaired for both mycobactin synthesis and iron acquisition. Consistent with these observations, we identified several mutations, including deletions, in
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
genes coding for mycobactin synthesis. Using a transposon-mediated mutagenesis screen conditional on growth without myobactin, we identified a potential mycobactin-independent iron uptake system on a
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
-specific genomic island, LSP
P
15. We obtained a transposon (Tn) mutant with a disruption in the LSP
P
15 gene
MAP3776c
for targeted study. The mutant manifests increased iron uptake as well as intracellular iron content, with genes downstream of the transposon insertion (
MAP3775c
to
MAP3772c
[
MAP3775-2c
]) upregulated as the result of a polar effect. As an independent confirmation, we observed the same iron uptake phenotypes by overexpressing
MAP3775-2c
in wild-type
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
. These data indicate that the horizontally acquired LSP
P
15 genes contribute to iron acquisition by
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
, potentially allowing the subsequent loss of siderophore production by this pathogen.

IMPORTANCE
Many microbes are able to scavenge iron from their surroundings by producing iron-chelating siderophores. One exception is
Mycobacterium avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
, a fastidious, slow-growing animal pathogen whose growth needs to be supported by exogenous mycobacterial siderophore (mycobactin) in the laboratory. Data presented here demonstrate that, compared to other closely related
M. avium
subspecies, mycobactin production and iron uptake are different in
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
, and these phenotypes may be caused by numerous deletions in its mycobactin biosynthesis pathway. Using a genomic approach, supplemented by targeted genetic and biochemical studies, we identified that LSP
P
15, a horizontally acquired genomic island, may encode an alternative iron uptake system. These findings shed light on the potential physiological consequence of horizontal gene transfer in
M. avium
subsp.
paratuberculosis
evolution.
The radical-pair mechanism as a paradigm for the emerging science of quantum biology
Authors: Kominis Iannis K.
Published: December 2015

The radical-pair mechanism (RPM) was introduced in the 1960s to explain anomalously large EPR and NMR signals in chemical reactions of organic molecules. It has evolved to the cornerstone of spin chemistry, the study of the effect electron and nuclear spins have on chemical reactions, with the avian magnetic compass mechanism and the photosynthetic reaction center dynamics being prominent biophysical manifestations of such effects. In recent years the RPM was shown to be an ideal biological system where the conceptual tools of quantum-information science can be fruitfully applied. We will here review recent work making the case that RPM is indeed a major driving force of the emerging field of quantum biology.
Study of structural and magnetic properties of melt spun Nd2Fe13.6Zr0.4B ingot and ribbon
Authors: Amin Muhammad , Siddiqi Saadat A. , Ashfaq Ahmad , Saleem Murtaza , Ramay Shahid M. , Mahmood Asif , Al-Zaghayer Yousef S.
Published: December 2015

Nd2Fe[Formula: see text]Zr[Formula: see text]B hard magnetic material were prepared using arc-melting technique on a water-cooled copper hearth kept under argon gas atmosphere. The prepared samples, Nd2Fe[Formula: see text]Zr[Formula: see text]B ingot and ribbon are characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for crystal structure determination and morphological studies, respectively. The magnetic properties of the samples have been explored using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM).

The lattice constants slightly increased due to the difference in the ionic radii of Fe and that of Zr. The bulk density decreased due to smaller molar weight and low density of Zr as compared to that of Fe. Ingot sample shows almost single crystalline phase with larger crystallite sizes whereas ribbon sample shows a mixture of amorphous and crystalline phases with smaller crystallite sizes. The crystallinity of the material was highly affected with high thermal treatments. Magnetic measurements show noticeable variation in magnetic behavior with the change in crystallite size. The sample prepared in ingot type shows soft while ribbon shows hard magnetic behavior.
Soliton propagation in a magnetic-semiconducting medium
Authors: Ali Rashid , Shah H. A.
Published: December 2015

The soliton solution for the nonlinear waves has been investigated in a composite magnetic-semiconducting medium. By using a hydrodynamic model of an infinite medium magnetized along the direction of propagation, a set of coupled nonlinear Zakharov equations has been derived. In the absence of carriers or magnetization, two extreme cases for the two independent decoupled nonlinear modes have been discussed. The propagation regions have also been numerically analyzed for the soliton solutions.
Modulation instability and two types of non-autonomous rogue waves for the variable-coefficient AB system in fluid mechanics and nonlinear optics
Authors: Wang Lei , Qi Feng-Hua , Tang Bing , Shi Yu-Ying
Published: December 2015

Under investigation in this paper is a variable-coefficient AB (vcAB) system, which describes marginally unstable baroclinic wave packets in geophysical fluids and ultra-short pulses in nonlinear optics. The modulation instability analysis of solutions with variable coefficients in the presence of a small perturbation is studied. The modified Darboux transformation (mDT) of the vcAB system is constructed via a gauge transformation. The first-order non-autonomous rogue wave solutions of the vcAB system are presented based on the mDT. It is found that the wave amplitude of [Formula: see text] exhibits two types of structures, i.e. the double-peak structure appears if the plane-wave solution parameter [Formula: see text] is equal to zero, while selecting [Formula: see text] yields a single-peak one. Effects of the variable coefficients on the rogue waves are graphically discussed in detail. The periodic rogue wave and composite rogue wave are obtained with different inhomogeneous parameters. Additionally, the nonlinear tunneling of the rogue waves through a conventional hyperbolic nonlinear well and barrier are investigated.
China and the World Order
Authors: ZHENG Yongnian , LIM Wenxin
Published: December 2015

In 2013, the Chinese leadership announced the One Belt, One Road initiative as a strategic construct of Chinese peripheral influence and regional integration. As a growing major power, China needs to take the initiative to go beyond its responsibility as a “developing nation”. While China and the United States share many common interests and are highly interdependent, a new world order is viable only with the cooperation of China and the United States.
China and Neighbouring Countries in the South China Sea Dispute: An Update
Authors: TSENG Katherine Hui-Yi
Published: December 2015

ASEAN claimants are enmeshed in a round of defence diplomacy and hedging balance strategy. The Jokowi administration has adopted a pragmatic attitude towards Sino-Indonesian relations, but remains steadfast against perceived Chinese encroachment in the South China Sea (SCS). Despite improvement in bilateral relations, Vietnam has utilised the SCS dispute as a hedging tactic to balance its engagements with China and the United States. For China, it is fine-tuning its posture in the SCS.
Market-Supporting Strategies: A Turning Point in China’s Housing Governance?
Authors: ZHOU Zhihua
Published: December 2015

The paper investigates the performance of China’s housing market and the reasons for its housing problems. Beyond market mechanical deficiencies of the infant housing development, local government’s housing-led economic development model and central government’s economic-prioritised housing policy strategy are the roots of its housing problems. The Xi-Li leadership is seemingly taking a step towards market-supporting strategies; this could be the turning point in housing governance since the 1998 housing reform.
Poverty Reduction in East Asia: A Continuing Development Challenge
Authors: WONG John
Published: December 2015

In recent years, income distribution has worsened virtually in all market economies. For East Asia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore have successfully done away with absolute poverty, with their current focus on relative poverty. China, Malaysia and Thailand have resolved their absolute poverty problem, targeting policies now on certain regions or certain groups. For Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, the main thrust is still on reducing their absolute poverty.
Japan’s Human Security Policy: New Pressures, New Responses
Authors: TANA Maria Thaemar Camanag
Published: December 2015

This paper explores the impact of Japan’s new security posture on its human security policy. By looking at external and internal factors and by examining the interaction among different actors at different levels, the paper argues that despite the changes in Japan’s foreign aid and security policies, Japan will continue to pursue human security as a pillar in its foreign policy.
ASSET PRICING WITH NON-GEOMETRIC TYPE OF DIVIDENDS
Authors: YAMAZAKI AKIRA
Published: December 2015

This paper examines the behavior of the market equilibrium in an endowment economy in continuous time setting, in which a representative investor with exponential utility consumes the dividends generated by multiple risky assets. The dividends of the assets are assumed to be mutually independent and belong to a class of non-negative stochastic processes including square root processes and increasing Lévy processes. We then characterize expected returns and volatilities on the assets as well as interest rates which is defined by risk-free assets. Based on these quantities, we construct the capital asset pricing model in an infinitesimal time period and investigate the impacts of dividend fluctuations and the risk aversion of the investor to the market equilibrium. Numerical examples show that even if the dividends are independent, the asset returns may have strong positive correlations. Moreover, heterogeneous dividend processes generate Jensen’s alpha that can be viewed as the small cap premium.
Future Security Architecture in Asia
Authors: Li Kaisheng
Published: December 2015

The current security architecture in Asia is facing serious challenges including more offensive alliances and less defensive collective security mechanisms, the co-existence of redundancy and deficit of security regimes, and the absence of effective management of Sino-American structural contradictions. Given the diversification and complexity of these security challenges, the priority on the Asian security agenda should be to pursue effective coordination among various security regimes, rather than try to build an integrated architecture. This article argues that a new security framework can be created from three levels of security regimes. On the first level, forums led by smaller Asian countries with participation from China and the U.S. can boost more dialogues and mutual trust. On the second level, regional regimes can deal with regional security issues by harmonizing regional powers with the collective security mechanism. On the third level, Sino-American security regimes can help manage the conflicts between two great powers. Ultimately, the concert of regimes depends on the benign and effective interactions between China and the United States.
Bile acids induce uncoupling protein 1-dependent thermogenesis and stimulate energy expenditure at thermoneutrality in mice
Authors: Zietak Marika , Kozak Leslie P.
Published: December 2015

It has been proposed that diet-induced obesity at thermoneutrality (TN; 29°C) is reduced by a UCP1-dependent thermogenesis; however, it has not been shown how UCP1-dependent thermogenesis can be activated in the absence of sympathetic activity. A recent study provides such a mechanism by showing that dietary bile acids (BAs) suppress obesity in mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) by a mechanism dependent on type 2 deiodinase (DIO2); however, neither a role for UCP1 nor the influence of sympathetic activity was properly assessed. To test whether the effects of BAs on adiposity are independent of Ucp1 and cold-activated thermogenesis, obesity phenotypes were determined in C57BL6/J.+/+ (WT) and C57BL6/J. Ucp1.−/− mice ( Ucp1-KO) housed at TN and fed a HFD with or without 0.5% (wt/wt) cholic acid (CA) for 9 wk. CA in a HFD reduced adiposity and hepatic lipogenesis and improved glucose tolerance in WT but not in Ucp1-KO mice and was accompanied by increases in food intake and energy expenditure (EE). In iBAT, CA increased Ucp1 mRNA and protein levels 1.5- and twofold, respectively, and increased DIO2 and TGR5 protein levels in WT mice. Despite enhanced Dio2 expression in Ucp1-KO and Ucp1-KO-CA treated mice, this did not enhance the ability of BAs to reduce obesity. By comparing the effects of BAs on WT and Ucp1-KO mice at TN, our study showed that BAs suppress diet-induced obesity by increasing EE through a mechanism dependent on Ucp1 expression, which is likely independent of adrenergic signaling.
Mathematical Verification for Transmission Performance of Centralized Lightwave WDM-RoF-PON with Quintuple Services Integrated in Each Wavelength Channel
Authors: Chen Shuai , Nai Wei , Zhang Fangqi , Wang Shaoyin , Dong Decun , Yu Yi
Published: December 2015

Wavelength-division-multiplexing passive-optical-network (WDM-PON) has been recognized as a promising solution of the “last mile” access as well as multibroadband data services access for end users, and WDM-RoF-PON, which employs radio-over-fiber (RoF) technique in WDM-PON, is even a more attractive approach for future broadband fiber and wireless access for its strong availability of centralized multiservices transmission operation and its transparency for bandwidth and signal modulation formats. As for multiservices development in WDM-RoF-PON, various system designs have been reported and verified via simulation or experiment till now, and the scheme with multiservices transmitted in each single wavelength channel is believed as the one that has the highest bandwidth efficiency; however, the corresponding mathematical verification is still hard to be found in state-of-the-art literature. In this paper, system design and data transmission performance of a quintuple services integrated WDM-RoF-PON which jointly employs carrier multiplexing and orthogonal modulation techniques, have been theoretically analyzed and verified in detail; moreover, the system design has been duplicated and verified experimentally and the theory system of such WDM-RoF-PON scheme has thus been formed.
Adaptive CGFs Based on Grammatical Evolution
Authors: Yao Jian , Huang Qiwang , Wang Weiping
Published: December 2015

Computer generated forces (CGFs) play blue or red units in military simulations for personnel training and weapon systems evaluation. Traditionally, CGFs are controlled through rule-based scripts, despite the doctrine-driven behavior of CGFs being rigid and predictable. Furthermore, CGFs are often tricked by trainees or fail to adapt to new situations (e.g., changes in battle field or update in weapon systems), and, in most cases, the subject matter experts (SMEs) review and redesign a large amount of CGF scripts for new scenarios or training tasks, which is both challenging and time-consuming. In an effort to overcome these limitations and move toward more true-to-life scenarios, a study using grammatical evolution (GE) to generate adaptive CGFs for air combat simulations has been conducted. Expert knowledge is encoded with modular behavior trees (BTs) for compatibility with the operators in genetic algorithm (GA). GE maps CGFs, represented with BTs to binary strings, and uses GA to evolve CGFs with performance feedback from the simulation. Beyond-visual-range air combat experiments between adaptive CGFs and nonadaptive baseline CGFs have been conducted to observe and study this evolutionary process. The experimental results show that the GE is an efficient framework to generate CGFs in BTs formalism and evolve CGFs via GA.
Target Detection with Distributed Terahertz Sensors
Authors: Yu Yang , Li Jin , Yang Xiaobo
Published: December 2015

The distributed target detection system with multiple Terahertz sensors is presented. With the different fusion rules of fusion center, the performance of the system is analyzed. The distribution of THz radar system noise is measured and investigated to confirm the applicability of the detection algorithm in THz band. Experiments with multiple THz sensors are performed to detect single and multiple point-like targets, respectively. The results show that the system proposed is able to detect target while giving the precise coordinates of the target in the observation area.
Management of Fetal Growth Arrest in One of Dichorionic Twins: Three Cases and a Literature Review
Authors: Kaku Shoji , Kimura Fuminori , Murakami Takashi
Published: December 2015

Progressive fetal growth restriction (FGR) is often an indication for delivery. In dichorionic diamniotic (DD) twin pregnancy with growth restriction only affecting one fetus (selective fetal growth restriction: sFGR), the normal twin is also delivered prematurely. There is still not enough evidence about the optimal timing of delivery for DD twins with sFGR in relation to discordance and gestational age. We report three sets of DD twins with sFGR (almost complete growth arrest affecting one fetus for ≥2 weeks) before 30 weeks of gestation. The interval from growth arrest to delivery was 21–24 days and the discordance was 33.7–49.8%. A large-scale study showed no difference of overall mortality or the long-term outcome between immediate and delayed delivery for FGR, while many studies have identified a risk of developmental delay following delivery of the normal growth fetus before 32 weeks. Therefore, delivery of DD twins with sFGR should be delayed if the condition of the sFGR fetus permits in order to increase the gestational age of the normal growth fetus.
Permanence and Periodic Solutions for a Two-Patch Impulsive Migration PeriodicN-Species Lotka-Volterra Competitive System
Authors: Liu Zijian , Yang Chenxue
Published: December 2015

We study a two-patch impulsive migration periodicN-species Lotka-Volterra competitive system. Based on analysis method, inequality estimation, and Lyapunov function method, sufficient conditions for the permanence and existence of a unique globally stable positive periodic solution of the system are established. Some numerical examples are shown to verify our results and discuss the model further.
Painlevé Integrability and New Exact Solutions of the (4 + 1)-Dimensional Fokas Equation
Authors: Zhang Sheng , Chen Meitong
Published: December 2015

The Painlevé integrability of the(4+1)-dimensional Fokas equation is verified by the WTC method of Painlevé analysis combined with a new and more general transformation. By virtue of the truncated Painlevé expansion, two new exact solutions with arbitrary differentiable functions are obtained. Thanks to the arbitrariness of the included functions, the obtained exact solutions not only possess rich spatial structures but also help to bring about two-wave solutions and three-wave solutions. It is shown that the transformation adopted in this work plays a key role in testing the Painlevé integrability and constructing the exact solutions of the Fokas equation.
Gene Expression Profiling of IL‐17A‐Treated Synovial Fibroblasts from the Human Temporomandibular Joint
Authors: Hattori Toshio , Ogura Naomi , Akutsu Miwa , Kawashima Mutsumi , Watanabe Suguru , Ito Ko , Kondoh Toshirou
Published: December 2015

Synovial fibroblasts contribute to the inflammatory temporomandibular joint under pathogenic stimuli. Synovial fibroblasts and T cells participate in the perpetuation of joint inflammation in a mutual activation feedback, via secretion of cytokines and chemokines that stimulate each other. IL‐17 is an inflammatory cytokine produced primarily by Th17 cells which plays critical role in the pathogenesis of numerous autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. Here, we investigated the roles of IL‐17A in temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) using genome‐wide analysis of synovial fibroblasts isolated from patients with TMD. IL‐17 receptors were expressed in synovial fibroblasts as assessed using real‐time PCR. Microarray analysis indicated that IL‐17A treatment of synovial fibroblasts upregulated the expression of IL‐6 and chemokines. Real‐time PCR analysis showed that the gene expression of IL‐6, CXCL1, IL‐8, and CCL20 was significantly higher in IL‐17A‐treated synovial fibroblasts compared to nontreated controls. IL‐6 protein production was increased by IL‐17A in a time‐ and a dose‐dependent manner. Additionally, IL‐17A simulated IL‐6 protein production in synovial fibroblasts samples isolated from three patients. Furthermore, signal inhibitor experiments indicated that IL‐17‐mediated induction of IL‐6 was transduced via activation of NFκB and phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase/Akt. These results suggest that IL‐17A is associated with the inflammatory progression of TMD.
Krüppel-Like Factor 4 Inhibits the Transforming Growth Factor-β1-Promoted Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition via Downregulating Plasminogen Activator Inhibitor-1 in Lung Epithelial Cells
Authors: Sun Fang , Hu Ke
Published: December 2015

Transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β) signaling and TGF-β-promoted epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) have been postulated to be the common pathway causing pulmonary fibrosis. However, the up- or downstreaming markers of TGF-β-induced EMT still need to be further recognized. In the present study, we investigated the regulation on Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF-4) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) by TGF-βin the murine lung epithelial LA-4 cells and then examined the regulation of both markers in the TGF-β-induced EMT by the PAI-1 knockdown or the KLF-4 overexpression. Our study indicated that TGF-βinduced EMT in mouse LA-4 lung epithelial cells via reducing E-cadherin, while promoting Collagen I andα-SMA. And PAI-1 was upregulated, whereas KLF-4 was downregulated in the TGF-β-induced EMT model in LA-4 cells. Moreover, the siRNA-mediated PAI-1 knockdown inhibited the TGF-β-induced EMT, whereas the adenovirus-medicated KLF-4 overexpression markedly reduced the PAI-1 expression and inhibited the TGF-β-induced EMT in LA-4 cells. In conclusion, our study confirmed the downregulation of KLF-4 in the TGF-β-induced EMT in LA-4 cells. And the KLF-4 overexpression significantly reduced the TGF-β-induced PAI-1 and thus inhibited the TGF-β-induced EMT in mouse lung epithelial LA-4 cells. It implies that KLF-4 might be a promising target for effective control of the pulmonary fibrosis.
Onq-Bleimann, Butzer, and Hahn-Type Operators
Authors: Söylemez Dilek
Published: December 2015

Sequence ofq-Bleimann, Butzer, and Hahn operators which is based on a continuously differentiable functionτonR+, withτ0=0,inf⁡τ'x≥1, has been considered. Uniform approximation by such a sequence has been studied and degree of approximation by the operators has been obtained. Moreover, shape preserving properties of the sequence of operators have been investigated.
A Comparative Study between Via-Hole and Via-Free Grounded Coplanar Waveguide to Microstrip Transitions on Thin Polymer Substrate
Authors: El Gibari Mohammed , Li HongWu
Published: December 2015

A comparative study between via-holed and via-free back-to-back GCPW-MS-GCPW (Grounded Coplanar Waveguide-Microstrip lines) transitions is reported in this paper. According to simulation results, both via-holed and via-free transitions on commercial benzocyclobutene polymer 20 µm film show a bandwidth over 57 GHz. Bandwidth of optimized via-holed transitions increases with the via-hole diameter, up to 75 GHz with 300 μm via-hole diameter. The via-hole free transition achieves experimentally an ultrabroadband from 2 GHz to 78 GHz with an insertion loss of only 0.5 dB thanks to the copper metallization thickness of 2 μm. In addition, these measurement results are in perfect agreement with the simulation results. These via-free and via-holes transitions are very useful and requested in component packaging, on-wafer measurements of microstrip based microwave integrated circuits, and also the interconnections in hybrid circuits including both microstrip and coplanar structures.
Genetic Scheduling and Reinforcement Learning in Multirobot Systems for Intelligent Warehouses
Authors: Dou Jiajia , Chen Chunlin , Yang Pei
Published: December 2015

A new hybrid solution is presented to improve the efficiency of intelligent warehouses with multirobot systems, where the genetic algorithm (GA) based task scheduling is combined with reinforcement learning (RL) based path planning for mobile robots. Reinforcement learning is an effective approach to search for a collision-free path in unknown dynamic environments. Genetic algorithm is a simple but splendid evolutionary search method that provides very good solutions for task allocation. In order to achieve higher efficiency of the intelligent warehouse system, we design a new solution by combining these two techniques and provide an effective and alternative way compared with other state-of-the-art methods. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach regarding the optimization of travel time and overall efficiency of the intelligent warehouse system.
Physical, Mechanical, and Thermal Analysis of Polylactic Acid/Fumed Silica/Clay (1.28E) Nanocomposites
Authors: Lai Josephine Chang Hui , Rahman Md. Rezaur , Hamdan Sinin
Published: December 2015

Polylactic acid/fumed silica/clay (PLA/FS/clay) (1.28E) nanocomposites have been successfully prepared by solution-intercalation film-casting technique. The resultant nanocomposites were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), tensile test, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and moisture absorption test. The FT-IR spectrum indicated that PLA/FS/clay with 2 wt% had much broader peak compared to 5 wt%, 10 wt%, and 15 wt% nanocomposites. Incorporation of clay (1.28E) with 2 wt% showed the best compatibility with PLA/FS matrix. PLA/FS/clay (1.28E) nanocomposite with 2 wt% of clay loading had higher tensile strength and modulus compared to other nanocomposites. The thermal stability and activation energy of 2 wt% of PLA/FS/clay (1.28E) nanocomposite are the highest among all the nanocomposites. The moisture absorbed into PLA/FS/clay (1.28E) nanocomposite was significantly reduced with clay loading of 2 wt%.
Acceptance and Utilisation of Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine and Insecticide-Treated Nets among Pregnant Women in Oyo State, Nigeria
Authors: Adeola Aderonke A. , Okwilagwe Eugenia A.
Published: December 2015

The study is an investigation of the acceptance and utilisation of Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine (Fansidar), the drug of choice for Intermittent Preventive Treatment in pregnancy, and Insecticide-Treated Nets among pregnant women who access different health facilities in Oyo State, Nigeria. Pregnant women (582) attending government primary healthcare antenatal clinics and 50 attending faith clinics purposively selected responded to structured instruments that were analysed using percentages, t-test correlation, and multiple regression. Acceptance and utilisation of RBM tools were higher in government clinics than faith clinics and in rural areas. Pregnant women in government clinics, 60.8% and 66.8%, and faith clinics, 18% and 38.0%, utilised Roll Back Malaria tools, significant at t(630)=5.81, p≤0.05, and t(630)=3.99, p≤0.05, respectively. Pregnant women in rural locations who accessed government clinics utilised Roll Back Malaria tools more than those in urban areas, t(580)=-641, p≤0.05. Number of pregnancies, educational qualification of the pregnant women, and marital status significantly and consistently influenced acceptance and utilisation of these tools. To ensure that set targets are met, the utilization of RBM tools among the two categories of pregnant women can be improved by increasing the supply of the tools and ensuring that treatment is free.
Global Asymptotic Stability of Switched Neural Networks with Delays
Authors: Lu Zhenyu , Li Kai , Li Yan
Published: December 2015

This paper investigates the global asymptotic stability of a class of switched neural networks with delays. Several new criteria ensuring global asymptotic stability in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) are obtained via Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional. And here, we adopt the quadratic convex approach, which is different from the linear and reciprocal convex combinations that are extensively used in recent literature. In addition, the proposed results here are very easy to be verified and complemented. Finally, a numerical example is provided to illustrate the effectiveness of the results.
Automatic Curve Fitting Based on Radial Basis Functions and a Hierarchical Genetic Algorithm
Authors: Trejo-Caballero G. , Rostro-Gonzalez H. , Garcia-Capulin C. H. , Ibarra-Manzano O. G. , Avina-Cervantes J. G. , Torres-Huitzil C.
Published: December 2015

Curve fitting is a very challenging problem that arises in a wide variety of scientific and engineering applications. Given a set of data points, possibly noisy, the goal is to build a compact representation of the curve that corresponds to the best estimate of the unknown underlying relationship between two variables. Despite the large number of methods available to tackle this problem, it remains challenging and elusive. In this paper, a new method to tackle such problem using strictly a linear combination of radial basis functions (RBFs) is proposed. To be more specific, we divide the parameter search space into linear and nonlinear parameter subspaces. We use a hierarchical genetic algorithm (HGA) to minimize a model selection criterion, which allows us to automatically and simultaneously determine the nonlinear parameters and then, by the least-squares method through Singular Value Decomposition method, to compute the linear parameters. The method is fully automatic and does not require subjective parameters, for example, smooth factor or centre locations, to perform the solution. In order to validate the efficacy of our approach, we perform an experimental study with several tests on benchmarks smooth functions. A comparative analysis with two successful methods based on RBF networks has been included.
Intractable Posterior Epistaxis due to a Spontaneous Low-Flow Carotid-Cavernous Sinus Fistula: A Case Report and a Review of the Literature
Authors: Giotakis A. , Kral F. , Riechelmann H. , Freund M.
Published: December 2015

We report a case of a 90-year-old patient with intractable posterior epistaxis presenting as the only symptom of a nontraumatic low-flow carotid-cavernous sinus fistula. Purpose of this case report is to introduce low-flow carotid-cavernous sinus fistula in the differential diagnosis of intractable posterior epistaxis. We provide a literature review for the sequence of actions for the confrontation of posterior epistaxis. We also emphasize the significance of the radiological diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in the management of posterior epistaxis due to pathology of the cavernous sinus. The gold-standard diagnostic procedure of carotid-cavernous sinus fistula is digital subtraction angiography (DSA). DSA with coils is also the state-of-the-art therapy. By failure of DSA, neurosurgery or stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) may be used as alternatives. SRS may also be used as enhancement procedure of the DSA. Considering the prognosis of a successfully closed carotid-cavernous sinus fistula, recanalization occurs only in a minority of patients. Close follow-up is advised.
Loading and Light Degradation Characteristics of Bt Toxin on Nanogoethite: A Potential Material for Controlling the Environmental Risk of Bt Toxin
Authors: Zhou Xueyong , She Chongmei , Liu Huifen
Published: December 2015

Transgenic Bt‐modified crops release toxins into soil through root exudates and upon decomposition of residues. The fate of these toxins in soil has not been yet clearly elucidated. Nanogoethite was found to have a different influence on the lifetime and insecticidal activity of Bt toxin. The aim of this study was to elucidate the adsorption characteristics of Bt toxin on nanogoethite and its activity changes before and after adsorption. The adsorption of toxin on nanogoethite reached equilibrium within 5 h, and the adsorption isotherm of Bt toxin on nanogoethite conformed to the Langmuir equation (R2 > 0.9690). In the range of pH from 6.0 to 8.0, larger adsorption occurred at lower pH value. The toxin adsorption decreased with the temperature between 10 and 50°C. The results of FTIR, XRD, and SEM indicated that toxin did not influence the structure of nanogoethite and the adsorption of toxin only on the surface of nanogoethite. The LC50 value for bound toxin was higher than that of free toxin, and the nanogoethite greatly accelerated the degradation of toxin by ultraviolet irradiation. The above results suggested that nanogoethite is a potential material for controlling the environmental risk of toxin released by Bt transgenic plants.
Tanshinone IIA Attenuates Renal Fibrosis after Acute Kidney Injury in a Mouse Model through Inhibition of Fibrocytes Recruitment
Authors: Jiang Chunming , Shao Qiuyuan , Jin Bo , Gong Rujun , Zhang Miao , Xu Biao
Published: December 2015

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is associated with an increased risk of developing advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). Yet, effective interventions to prevent this conversion are unavailable for clinical practice. In this study, we examined the beneficial effects of Tanshinone IIA on renal fibrosis in a mouse model of folic acid induced AKI. We found that Tanshinone IIA treatment significantly attenuated the folic acid elicited kidney dysfunction on days 3, 14, and 28. This effect was concomitant with a much lessened accumulation of fibronectin and collagen in tubulointerstitium 28 days after folic acid injury, denoting an ameliorated renal fibrosis. The kidney protective and antifibrotic effect of Tanshinone IIA was likely attributable to an early inhibition of renal recruitment of fibrocytes positive for both CD45 and collagen I. Mechanistically, Tanshinone IIA treatment not only markedly diminished renal expression of chemoattractants for fibrocytes such as TGFβ1 and MCP-1, but also significantly reduced circulating fibrocytes at the acute phase of kidney injury. These data suggested that Tanshinone IIA might be a novel therapy for preventing progression of CKD after AKI.
Tissue Factor in Dermatitis Herpetiformis and Bullous Pemphigoid: Link between Immune and Coagulation System in Subepidermal Autoimmune Bullous Diseases
Authors: Zebrowska Agnieszka , Wagrowska-Danilewicz Malgorzata , Danilewicz Marian , Wieczfinska Joanna , Pniewska Ewa , Zebrowski Michal , Waszczykowska Elzbieta , Wozniacka Anna , Eusebio Makandjou-Ola , Pietruczuk Miroslawa , Pawliczak Rafal
Published: December 2015

Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) and bullous pemphigoid (BP) are skin diseases associated with eosinophilic and neutrophilic infiltrations. Although chemokines are critical for the selective accumulation and activation of various leukocyte subsets in the inflammatory process, there are few findings concerning inflammatory cells and production of coagulation factors in blistering diseases. Skin biopsies were taken from 14 patients with DH, 27 with BP, and 20 control subjects. The localization and expression of tissue factor (TF) in skin lesions and perilesional skin were studied by immunohistochemistry and confirmed by Western Blot. Moreover the plasma concentrations of TF were measured by immunoassays. D dimers, fibrinogen, and selected coagulation parameters were measured by routine methods. Expression of TF in the epidermis and in inflammatory influxed cells in dermis was detected in skin biopsies from BP patients. Examined TF expression was detected in perilesional skin of all BP patients too. The expression of TF was not observed in biopsies from healthy people and DH patients. The findings of the study show an increased expression of tissue factor in the lesional and perilesional skin of patients with bullous pemphigoid. The difference in chemokine pattern expression and variations in the cellular infiltration in BP and DH cause variable expression of TF.
Optimization and Design of Wideband Antenna Based onQFactor
Authors: Liu Han , Yin Chengyou , Gao Weidong , Sun Yulong
Published: December 2015

A wideband antenna is designed based onQfactor in this paper. Firstly, the volume-surface integral equations (VSIEs) and self-adaptive differential evolution algorithm (DEA) are introduced as the basic theories to optimize antennas. Secondly, we study the computation ofQof arbitrary shaped structures, aiming at designing an antenna with maximum bandwidth by minimizing theQof the antenna. This method is much more efficient for onlyQvalues at specific frequency points that are computed, which avoids optimizing bandwidth directly. Thirdly, an integrated method combining the above method with VSIEs and self-adaptive DEA is employed to optimize the wideband antenna, extending its bandwidth from 11.5~16.5 GHz to 7~20 GHz. Lastly, the optimized antenna is fabricated and measured. The measured results are consistent with the simulated results, demonstrating the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method.