bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards Family Entrepreneurial Orientation. The Construct, Dimensionality and Measurement
Authors: Tomski Piotr
Published: August 2015

The paper is an attempt to transfer the dimensions of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) onto the family ground. It constitutes an attempt to emerge the model of family entrepreneurial orientation (FEO) as the family background determining attitudes and entrepreneurial intentions. The research was conducted on a group of students who were asked to respond the questions concerning their families, and particularly, the ones formulated with reference to the existing concepts of entrepreneurial orientation referring to organizational entrepreneurship. There was conducted explanatory and confirmatory factor analysis. The reliability of the scale was analyzed using Cronbach’s alpha reliability estimate.
“Stepping Up” Activity Poststroke: Ankle-Positioned Accelerometer Can Accurately Record Steps During Slow Walking
Authors: Klassen Tara D. , Simpson Lisa A. , Lim Shannon B. , Louie Dennis R. , Parappilly Beena , Sakakibara Brodie M. , Zbogar Dominik , Eng Janice J.
Published: August 2015

Background

As physical activity in people poststroke is low, devices that monitor and provide feedback of walking activity provide motivation to engage in exercise and may assist rehabilitation professionals in auditing walking activity. However, most feedback devices are not accurate at slow walking speeds.

Objective

This study assessed the accuracy of one accelerometer to measure walking steps of community-dwelling individuals poststroke.

Design

This was a cross-sectional study.

Methods

Two accelerometers were positioned on the nonparetic waist and ankle of participants (N=43), and walking steps from these devices were recorded at 7 speeds (0.3–0.9 m/s) and compared with video recordings (gold standard).

Results

When positioned at the waist, the accelerometer had more than 10% error at all speeds, except 0.8 and 0.9 m/s, and numerous participants recorded zero steps at 0.3 to 0.5 m/s. The device had 10% or less error when positioned at the ankle for all speeds between 0.4 and 0.9 m/s.

Limitations

Some participants were unable to complete the faster walking speeds due to their walking impairments and inability to maintain the requested walking speed.

Conclusions

Although not recommended by the manufacturer, positioning the accelerometer at the ankle (compared with the waist) may fill a long-standing need for a readily available device that provides accurate feedback for the altered and slow walking patterns that occur with stroke.
Science Achievement Gaps by Gender and Race/Ethnicity in Elementary and Middle School
Authors: Quinn David M. , Cooc North
Published: August 2015

Research on science achievement disparities by gender and race/ethnicity often neglects the beginning of the pipeline in the early grades. We address this limitation using nationally representative data following students from Grades 3 to 8. We find that the Black–White science test score gap (–1.07 SD in Grade 3) remains stable over these years, the Hispanic–White gap narrows (–.85 to –.65 SD), and the Asian–White Grade 3 gap (–.31 SD) closes by Grade 8. The female–male Grade 3 gap (–.23 SD) may narrow slightly by eighth grade. Accounting for prior math and reading achievement, socioeconomic status, and classroom fixed effects, Grade 8 racial/ethnic gaps are not statistically significant. The Grade 8 science gender gap disappears after controlling for prior math achievement.
Evaluating innovation. Part 1: The concept of progressive scholarly acceptance
Authors: Schnurman Zane , Kondziolka Douglas
Published: August 2015

Understanding how the relevant medical community accepts new therapies is vital to patients, physicians, and society. Increasingly, focus is placed on how medical innovations are evaluated. But recognizing when a treatment has become accepted practice—essentially, acceptance by the scientific community—remains a challenge and a barrierto investigating treatment development. This report aims to demonstrate the theory, method, and limitations of a model for measuring a new metric that the authors term “progressive scholarly acceptance.”

A model was developed to identify when the scientific community has accepted an innovation, by observing when researchers have moved beyond the initial study of efficacy.

This model could enable further investigations into the methods and influences of treatment development.
Risk factors in retained fetal lung fluid syndrome
Authors: Ozalkaya E. , Topçuoğlu S. , Hafizoğlu T. , Karatekin G. , Ovali Fahri
Published: August 2015

OBJECTIVE: Antenatal, postnatal follow-ups and laboratory findings of the cases with retained fetal lung fluid syndrome were evaluated to detect prognostic factors.

STUDY DESIGN: This study was conducted at Zeynep Kamil Maternity and Children’s Training and Research Hospital including infants retained fetal lung fluid syndrome. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to duration of the clinical symptoms. Cases whose clinical findings resolving within first 24 hours constituted Group 1 ( n = 31), cases with clinical findings persisting between 24 and 72 hours constituted Group 2 ( n = 95) and cases with symptoms persisting >72 hours constituted Group 3 ( n = 10). Antenatal and postnatal clinical data and laboratory findings of the patients were evaluated retrospectively.

RESULT: Pneumothorax, pulmonary hypertension, antibiotic use frequency and hospitalization periods were found to be prolonged in the patients admitted due to retained fetal lung fluid syndrome who were delivered with elective caesarean section, with low birth weight and gestational age, requiring intubation and invasive ventilation within first 12 hours, having low hemoglobin and blood chloride levels.

CONCLUSIONS: Low blood chloride level can be a laboratory finding predicting whether malignant tachypnea develops or not in retained fetal lung fluid syndrome. Cut-off chloride value for malignant tachypnea can be determined with new studies which will be performed in the future.
Determining the prevalence of cytomegalovirus infection in a cohort of preterm infants
Authors: Pitlick Mitchell M. , Orr Kristin , Momany Allison M. , McDonald Erin L. , Murray Jeffrey C. , Ryckman Kelli K.
Published: August 2015

BACKGROUND: Preterm birth is a global public health problem that is a significant cause of infant morbidity and mortality. Congenital cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection has been proposed as a risk factor for preterm birth, but the rate of CMV in infants born preterm is unclear. CMV is the leading infectious cause of sensorineural hearing loss, which will affect 15% – 20% of congenitally infected infants later in their childhood. 90% of infected infants are asymptomatic at birth and are not recognized as at risk for CMV-associated deficits.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of CMV infection in a large cohort of preterm infants.

METHODS: DNA was extracted from cord blood, peripheral blood, saliva, and buccal swab samples collected from preterm infants. A total of 1200 unique DNA samples were tested for CMV using a nested PCR protocol. The proportions of preterm infants with CMV was compared by sample collection type, race, gender, and gestational age.

RESULTS: A total of 37 infants tested positive for CMV (3.08%). After excluding twins, siblings, and infants older than two weeks at the time of sample collection, two out of 589 infants were CMV positive (0.3%), which was lower than the proportion of CMV observed in the general population. All positive samples came from buccal swabs.

CONCLUSIONS: Our work suggests that while CMV infection may not be greater in preterm infants than in the general population, given the neurologic consequences of CMV in preterm infants, screening of this population may still be warranted. If so, our results suggest buccal swabs, collected at pregnancy or at birth, may be an ideal method for such a program.
Assessment of thymus size in healthy term neonates using sonography – A study from tertiary care hospital of Central India
Authors: Mehta S.
Published: August 2015

OBJECTIVE: A cross-sectional study was done to assess the size of thymus in term healthy infants using sonography and to assess its variation in size, shape, location, echogenicity and echotexture for both male and female reference population.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 250 term healthy neonates of either sex were subjected to thymic sonography. The shape, size in maximal anteroposterior, longitudinal, and transverse dimensions of both right and left lobes of thymus was evaluated. Their echotexture and echogenicity were determined and standards for reference population were calculated. The results were statistically evaluated.

RESULTS: According to the shape; the thymus was quadrilateral in 156 neonates (62%), round in 37 (15%), bilobate in 32 (13%), and crescent shaped in 25 (10%) in transverse scan. According to the echo texture, the thymus echogenicity was homogeneous and almost similar or slightly less to that of the liver and spleen in most cases 200 [80%] and was coarse in 50 (20%). In all subjects, the echogenicity of the thymus was less than that of the thyroid gland. Variations in location of the thymus were found in 70 (28%) neonates. The range of mean AP diameter was 0.39–2.36 cm (mean 1.43 ± 0.3), that of transverse 1.4 – 4.3 cm (mean 2.16 ± 0.54) and that of thymic index 1.2–5.1 cm2 (mean 2.98 ± 0.64).

CONCLUSIONS: A normative range was calculated for standard population, which can be used as a reference for comparing thymus size for both normal and diseased neonates for various immunological diseases.
Expression of cystathionine beta-synthase and histopathological observations in placentas of patients with Down syndrome
Authors: Pinilla J. Martínez , Ayala-Ramírez P. , García-Robles R. , Olaya-C M. , Bermúdez M.
Published: August 2015

Down syndrome is the most frequent aneuploidy in live births, with an overall frequency of 1/600-700 births. The overexpression of cystathionine β-synthase is thought to participate in the presentation of some phenotypes observed in Down syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the expression levels of cystathionine β-synthase and histopathological observations from placentas of infants with Down syndrome and healthy newborns.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six placentas of fetuses/infants with Down syndrome and sixteen placentas of healthy fetuses were studied. Cystathionine β-synthase mRNA and protein expression were performed by real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry, respectively.

RESULTS: We observed an increase in cystathionine β-synthase mRNA expression ( p = 0.0465) and protein levels ( p = 0.009) in placentas of fetus/infants with Down syndrome compared with controls. Significantly more circinate edges ( p = 0.0007) and trophoblast inclusions ( p = 0.0037) were observed in the group with Down syndrome compared with control group.

CONCLUSION: The results demonstrate overexpression of cystathionine β-synthase mRNA and protein in placentas of fetuses/infants with trisomy 21. Further histological abnormalities were found in placentas of patients with Down syndrome, suggesting an alteration in the development of placenta.
Do early postnatal body weight changes contribute to neonatal morbidities in the extremely low birth weight infants
Authors: Verma R. , Shibly S. , Fang H. , Pollack S.
Published: August 2015

BACKGROUND: The implications of early postnatal body weight changes (Δ bw) in the morbidities related to body fluid metabolism in sick preterm infants in not well investigated. The extremely low birth weight infants (ELBW, birth weight <1000 g) have the highest incidence of such morbidities among all neonates.

AIM: To determine the relationships between Δ bw and neonatal morbidities associated with body fluid metabolism in the ELBW infants.

METHODS: In an observational study, the associations between daily weight changes from birth weight (DΔ bw) and oxygen dependence on postnatal day 28 (BPD28), patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), intraventricular-periventricular hemorrhage (IVH), antenatal steroid (ANS) and gestational age (GA) were evaluated. Maximum weight loss (MΔ bw) was correlated with GA, BPD28 and BPD36 (oxygen dependence on postmenstrual 36 weeks). Pearson’s correlation co-efficient and multivariate logistic regressions were performed for analysis.

RESULTS: DΔ bw correlated inversely with GA on days 1–8 of life ( p <  0.01 for all, 0.06 for DOL 2). DΔ bw was associated with a lower risk of BPD28 on days 6 (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.76–1), 10 (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.76–0.98) and 11 (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.77–0.99); with PDA on days 8–11 (OR ranging between 0.89 to 0.92 for the 4 days, 95% CI 0.83 to 0.99) and with IVH on day 5 (OR 0.93, 95% CI 0.86–1) after controlling for GA. DΔ bw was not identified as risk factor for the tested morbidities. ANS decreased DΔ bw on days 4 (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.78–1) and 10 (OR 0.9, 95% CI 0.84–1). MΔ bw correlated directly with BPD28 ( r = 0.3, p = 0.004), which declined after controlling for GA ( r = 0.2, p = 0.2).

CONCLUSIONS: DΔ bw is protective for PDA, BPD28 and IVH, independent of gestational age, whereas, the effects of MΔ bw on BPD are governed by maturation in ELBW infants. ANS decreases DΔ bw, which correlates inversely with GA during the first week of life.
High glucose variability is associated with poor neurodevelopmental outcomes in neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy
Authors: Al Shafouri N. , Narvey M. , Srinivasan G. , Vallance J. , Hansen G.
Published: August 2015

BACKGROUND: In neonatal hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE), hypo- and hyperglycemia have been associated with poor outcomes. However, glucose variability has not been reported in this population.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between serum glucose variability within the first 24 hours and two-year neurodevelopmental outcomes in neonates cooled for HIE.

STUDY DESIGN: In this retrospective cohort study, glucose, clinical and demographic data were documented from 23 term newborns treated with whole body therapeutic hypothermia. Severe neurodevelopmental outcomes from planned two-year assessments were defined as the presence of any one of the following: Gross Motor Function Classification System levels 3 to 5, Bayley III Motor Standard Score <70, Bayley III Language Score <70 and Bayley III Cognitive Standard Score <70.

RESULTS: The neurodevelopmental outcomes from 8 of 23 patients were considered severe, and this group demonstrated a significant increase of mean absolute glucose (MAG) change (–0.28 to –0.03, 95% CI, p = 0.032). There were no significant differences between outcome groups with regards to number of patients with hyperglycemic means, one or multiple hypo- or hyperglycemic measurement(s). There were also no differences between both groups with mean glucose, although mean glucose standard deviation was approaching significance.

CONCLUSIONS: Poor neurodevelopmental outcomes in whole body cooled HIE neonates are significantly associated with MAG changes. This information may be relevant for prognostication and potential management strategies.
RETRACTED: The two-component system CpxR/A represses the expression of Salmonella virulence genes by affecting the stability of the transcriptional regulator HilD
Authors: De la Cruz Miguel A. , Pérez-Morales Deyanira , Palacios Irene J. , Fernández-Mora Marcos , Calva Edmundo , Bustamante Víctor H.
Published: August 2015

Salmonella enterica can cause intestinal or systemic infections in humans and animals mainly by the presence of pathogenicity islands SPI-1 and SPI-2, containing 39 and 44 genes, respectively. The AraC-like regulator HilD positively controls the expression of the SPI-1 genes, as well as many other Salmonella virulence genes including those located in SPI-2. A previous report indicates that the two-component system CpxR/A regulates the SPI-1 genes: the absence of the sensor kinase CpxA, but not the absence of its cognate response regulator CpxR, reduces their expression. The presence and absence of cell envelope stress activates kinase and phosphatase activities of CpxA, respectively, which in turn controls the level of phosphorylated CpxR (CpxR-P). In this work, we further define the mechanism for the CpxR/A-mediated regulation of SPI-1 genes. The negative effect exerted by the absence of CpxA on the expression of SPI-1 genes was counteracted by the absence of CpxR or by the absence of the two enzymes, AckA and Pta, which render acetyl-phosphate that phosphorylates CpxR. Furthermore, overexpression of the lipoprotein NlpE, which activates CpxA kinase activity on CpxR, or overexpression of CpxR, repressed the expression of SPI-1 genes. Thus, our results provide several lines of evidence strongly supporting that the absence of CpxA leads to the phosphorylation of CpxR via the AckA/Pta enzymes, which represses both the SPI-1 and SPI-2 genes. Additionally, we show that in the absence of the Lon protease, which degrades HilD, the CpxR-P-mediated repression of the SPI-1 genes is mostly lost; moreover, we demonstrate that CpxR-P negatively affects the stability of HilD and thus decreases the expression of HilD-target genes, such as hilD itself and hilA, located in SPI-1. Our data further expand the insight on the different regulatory pathways for gene expression involving CpxR/A and on the complex regulatory network governing virulence in Salmonella.
A Review on the Role of Color and Light in Affective Computing
Authors: Sokolova Marina , Fernández-Caballero Antonio
Published: August 2015

Light and color are ubiquitous environmental factors which have an influence on the human being. Hence, light and color issues have to be considered especially significant in human-computer interaction (HCI) and fundamental in affective computing. Affective computing is an interdisciplinary research field which aims to integrate issues dealing with emotions and computers. As a consequence, it seems important to provide an updated review on the significance of light and color in affective computing. With this purpose, the relationship between HCI/affective computing and the emotions affected by light and color are introduced in first place. So far, there is a considerable number of studies and experiments that offer empirical results on the topic. In addition, the color models generally used in affective computing are briefly described. The review on the usage of color and light in affective computing includes a detailed study of the characteristics of methods and the most recent research trends. The paper is complemented with the study of the importance of light and color from demographic, gender and cultural perspectives.
The Effect of Agile Workspace and Remote Working on Experiences of Privacy, Crowding and Satisfaction
Authors: Keeling Trevor , Clements-Croome Derek , Roesch Etienne
Published: August 2015

Occupant density is an important and basic metric of space use efficiency. It affects user experience of privacy, crowding and satisfaction. The effect of agile working has been two fold. Firstly, offices have an increasing range of workspace settings such as break out space, collaborative space and contemplative space in contrast to the traditional workspace settings of assigned desks and formal meeting rooms. Secondly, office workers have become increasingly mobile as they are able to work from a greater variety of locations both in and out of their main place of work. This study asks whether workers who occupy agile workspaces and those with greater mobility experience privacy differently from workers with more conventional offices and work patterns. The experience of privacy can be considered in terms of retreat from people, control of information flow and control of interactions. Our results show that agile workspaces improve the ability to control information compared with open plan offices. It was also found that highly mobile workers are more sensitive to the negative effects of interacting with people. From this a taxonomy of offices is defined in terms of the features that contribute to the experience of privacy.
Comparative Sorption of Methylene Blue onto Hydrophobic Clays
Authors: Sponza Alvaro , Fernandez Natalia , Yang David , Ortiz Karla , Navarro Abel
Published: August 2015

Chemical modifications of clay to remove methylene blue (MB) from aqueous solutions at room temperature were compared. Natural bentonite (NC) was modified by cation exchange with hexadecyltrimethylammonium chloride (HC), bencyltriethylammonium chloride (BC), and tetramethylammonium chloride (TC) to reverse the surface polarity of the hydrophilic bentonite. The adsorption of MB was studied and fitted by the adsorption theories of Langmuir, Freundlich, Dubinin-Radushkevich, and Temkin. Equilibrium parameters were calculated, indicating that chemical modification did not improve the adsorption, due to the electrostatic adsorption mechanism. Specific surface area was determined, reporting the following trend: NC > TC > BC > HC. Isotherms show that TC is the best modified clay for the adsorption of MB with a capacity of 217 mg/g. Adsorbents were characterized by SEM and the determination of their point zero charge, indicating a charge reversal at pH 9.5 and a heterogeneous surface that is optimum for the adsorption of molecules and ions onto their surfaces.
Social Media-Related Geographic Information in the Context of Strategic Environmental Assessment of Municipal Masterplans: A Case Study Concerning Sardinia (Italy)
Authors: Floris Roberta , Zoppi Corrado
Published: August 2015

This paper proposes a discussion concerning the use of social media-related geographic information in the context of the strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of Sardinian Municipal masterplans (MMPs). We show that this kind of information improves, substantially, the SEA process since it provides planners, evaluators, and the local communities with information retrieved from social media that would have not been available otherwise. This information integrates authoritative data collection, which comes from official sources, and enlightens tastes and preferences of the users of services and infrastructure, and their expectations concerning their spatial organization. A methodological approach related to the collection of social media-related geographic information is implemented and discussed with reference to the urban context of the city of Cagliari (Sardinia, Italy). The results are very effective in terms of provision of information, which may possibly increase the spatial knowledge available for planning policy definition and implementation. In this perspective, this kind of information discloses opportunities for building analytical scenarios related to urban and regional planning and it offers useful suggestions for sustainable development based on tourism strategies.
Melanoma in the Italian Population and Regional Environmental Influences: A National Retrospective Survey on 2001–2008 Hospitalization Records
Authors: Piscitelli Prisco , Neglia Cosimo , Falco Andrea , Rivezzi Matteo , Agnello Nadia , Argentiero Alberto , Chitano Giovanna , Distante Chiara , Rosa Giulia , Vinci Giorgia , De Donno Antonella , Distante Alessandro , Romanini Antonella
Published: August 2015

Objective: To assess the burden of regional environmental factors influencing the incidence of Melanoma in the Italian population and overcome the problem of partial population coverage by local cancer registries and thematic archives. Methods: We analyzed the Italian national hospitalization records from 2001 to 2008 provided by the Ministry of Health, excluding hospital re-admissions of the same patients, in order to assess the occurrence of Melanoma over a 8-year period. Data were presented by age groups (absolute number of cases from 20 to ≥80 years old) and per Region (rates per 100,000 inhabitants) for each year. Results: The overall number of new hospitalizations due to malignant Melanoma increased by 16.8% from 2001 (n = 4846) to 2008 (n = 5823), with the rate per 100,000 inhabitants passing from 10.5 to almost 12.0 at a national level. The majority of new diagnoses of malignant Melanoma was observed in two age groups: 61–70 years old (from 979 in 2001 up to 2109 in 2008, corresponding to 15.1 and 18.1 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants, respectively) and 71–80 years old (from 954 in 2001 up to 1141 in 2008, corresponding to 19.5 and 21.8 new cases per 100,000 inhabitants, respectively). The number of hospitalizations due to Melanoma increased in all age groups with the only exception of the youngest patients aged 20–30 years old. The highest increases over the 8-year period were observed in people aged ≥81 years old (+34%), 61–70 years old (+20%) and surprisingly in the age group 31–40 years old (+17%). Southern Regions showed lower hospitalization rates compared to Northern Italy and Region Lazio. The highest increases between 2001 and 2008 were observed in Trentino/Alto Adige, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Valla d’Aosta and Veneto Region. Conclusions: Hospitalizations due to malignant Melanoma in Italy seem to be influenced by environmental or population-related factors showing a decreasing incidence rate from the Northern to Southern Regions.
Relationship between Acute Phase of Chronic Periodontitis and Meteorological Factors in the Maintenance Phase of Periodontal Treatment: A Pilot Study
Authors: Takeuchi Noriko , Ekuni Daisuke , Tomofuji Takaaki , Morita Manabu
Published: August 2015

The acute phase of chronic periodontitis may occur even in patients during supportive periodontal therapy. However, the details are not fully understood. Since the natural environment, including meteorology affects human health, we hypothesized that weather conditions may affect occurrence of acute phase of chronic periodontitis. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between weather conditions and acute phase of chronic periodontitis in patients under supportive periodontal therapy. Patients who were diagnosed with acute phase of chronic periodontitis under supportive periodontal therapy during 2011–2013 were selected for this study. We performed oral examinations and collected questionnaires and meteorological data. Of 369 patients who experienced acute phase of chronic periodontitis, 153 had acute phase of chronic periodontitis without direct-triggered episodes. When using the autoregressive integrated moving average model of time-series analysis, the independent covariant of maximum hourly range of barometric pressure, maximum hourly range of temperature, and maximum daily wind speed were significantly associated with occurrence of acute phase of chronic periodontitis (p < 0.05), and 3.1% of the variations in these occurrence over the study period were explained by these factors. Meteorological variables may predict occurrence of acute phase of chronic periodontitis.
Additional Burden of Diseases Associated with Cadmium Exposure: A Case Study of Cadmium Contaminated Rice Fields in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand
Authors: Songprasert Nisarat , Sukaew Thitiporn , Kusreesakul Khanitta , Swaddiwudhipong Witaya , Padungtod Chantana , Bundhamcharoen Kanitta
Published: August 2015

The cadmium (Cd) contaminated rice fields in Mae Sot District, Tak Province, Thailand has been one of the major environmental problems in Thailand for the last 10 years. We used disability adjusted life years (DALYs) to estimate the burden of disease attributable to Cd in terms of additional DALYs of Mae Sot residents. Cd exposure data included Cd and β2–microglobulin (β2-MG) in urine (as an internal exposure dose) and estimated cadmium daily intake (as an external exposure dose). Compared to the general Thai population, Mae Sot residents gained 10%–86% DALYs from nephrosis/nephritis, heart diseases, osteoporosis and cancer depending on their Cd exposure type and exposure level. The results for urinary Cd and dietary Cd intake varied according to the studies used for risk estimation. The ceiling effect was observed in results using dietary Cd intake because of the high Cd content in rice grown in the Mae Sot area. The results from β2-MG were more robust with additional DALYs ranging from 36%–86% for heart failure, cerebral infraction, and nephrosis/nephritis. Additional DALYs is a useful approach for assessing the magnitude of environmental Cd exposure. The Mae Sot population lost more healthy life compared to populations living in a non- or less Cd polluted area. This method should be applicable to various types of environmental contamination problems if exposure assessment information is available.
GPS-Aided Video Tracking
Authors: Feuerhake Udo , Brenner Claus , Sester Monika
Published: August 2015

Tracking moving objects is both challenging and important for a large variety of applications. Different technologies based on the global positioning system (GPS) and video or radio data are used to obtain the trajectories of the observed objects. However, in some use cases, they fail to provide sufficiently accurate, complete and correct data at the same time. In this work we present an approach for fusing GPS- and video-based tracking in order to exploit their individual advantages. In this way we aim to combine the reliability of GPS tracking with the high geometric accuracy of camera detection. For the fusion of the movement data provided by the different devices we use a hidden Markov model (HMM) formulation and the Viterbi algorithm to extract the most probable trajectories. In three experiments, we show that our approach is able to deal with challenging situations like occlusions or objects which are temporarily outside the monitored area. The results show the desired increase in terms of accuracy, completeness and correctness.
Polymodal Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid (TRPV) Ion Channels in Chondrogenic Cells
Authors: Somogyi Csilla , Matta Csaba , Foldvari Zsofia , Juhász Tamás , Katona Éva , Takács Ádám , Hajdú Tibor , Dobrosi Nóra , Gergely Pál , Zákány Róza
Published: August 2015

Mature and developing chondrocytes exist in a microenvironment where mechanical load, changes of temperature, osmolarity and acidic pH may influence cellular metabolism. Polymodal Transient Receptor Potential Vanilloid (TRPV) receptors are environmental sensors mediating responses through activation of linked intracellular signalling pathways. In chondrogenic high density cultures established from limb buds of chicken and mouse embryos, we identified TRPV1, TRPV2, TRPV3, TRPV4 and TRPV6 mRNA expression with RT-PCR. In both cultures, a switch in the expression pattern of TRPVs was observed during cartilage formation. The inhibition of TRPVs with the non-selective calcium channel blocker ruthenium red diminished chondrogenesis and caused significant inhibition of proliferation. Incubating cell cultures at 41 °C elevated the expression of TRPV1, and increased cartilage matrix production. When chondrogenic cells were exposed to mechanical load at the time of their differentiation into matrix producing chondrocytes, we detected increased mRNA levels of TRPV3. Our results demonstrate that developing chondrocytes express a full palette of TRPV channels and the switch in the expression pattern suggests differentiation stage-dependent roles of TRPVs during cartilage formation. As TRPV1 and TRPV3 expression was altered by thermal and mechanical stimuli, respectively, these are candidate channels that contribute to the transduction of environmental stimuli in chondrogenic cells.
Identification of Hydroxyanthraquinones as Novel Inhibitors of Hepatitis C Virus NS3 Helicase
Authors: Furuta Atsushi , Tsubuki Masayoshi , Endoh Miduki , Miyamoto Tatsuki , Tanaka Junichi , Salam Kazi , Akimitsu Nobuyoshi , Tani Hidenori , Yamashita Atsuya , Moriishi Kohji , Nakakoshi Masamichi , Sekiguchi Yuji , Tsuneda Satoshi , Noda Naohiro
Published: August 2015

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an important etiological agent of severe liver diseases, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The HCV genome encodes nonstructural protein 3 (NS3) helicase, which is a potential anti-HCV drug target because its enzymatic activity is essential for viral replication. Some anthracyclines are known to be NS3 helicase inhibitors and have a hydroxyanthraquinone moiety in their structures; mitoxantrone, a hydroxyanthraquinone analogue, is also known to inhibit NS3 helicase. Therefore, we hypothesized that the hydroxyanthraquinone moiety alone could also inhibit NS3 helicase. Here, we performed a structure–activity relationship study on a series of hydroxyanthraquinones by using a fluorescence-based helicase assay. Hydroxyanthraquinones inhibited NS3 helicase with IC50 values in the micromolar range. The inhibitory activity varied depending on the number and position of the phenolic hydroxyl groups, and among different hydroxyanthraquinones examined, 1,4,5,8-tetrahydroxyanthraquinone strongly inhibited NS3 helicase with an IC50 value of 6 µM. Furthermore, hypericin and sennidin A, which both have two hydroxyanthraquinone-like moieties, were found to exert even stronger inhibition with IC50 values of 3 and 0.8 µM, respectively. These results indicate that the hydroxyanthraquinone moiety can inhibit NS3 helicase and suggest that several key chemical structures are important for the inhibition.
Grafts for Ridge Preservation
Authors: Jamjoom Amal , Cohen Robert
Published: August 2015

Alveolar ridge bone resorption is a biologic phenomenon that occurs following tooth extraction and cannot be prevented. This paper reviews the vertical and horizontal ridge dimensional changes that are associated with tooth extraction. It also provides an overview of the advantages of ridge preservation as well as grafting materials. A Medline search among English language papers was performed in March 2015 using alveolar ridge preservation, ridge augmentation, and various graft types as search terms. Additional papers were considered following the preliminary review of the initial search that were relevant to alveolar ridge preservation. The literature suggests that ridge preservation methods and augmentation techniques are available to minimize and restore available bone. Numerous grafting materials, such as autografts, allografts, xenografts, and alloplasts, currently are used for ridge preservation. Other materials, such as growth factors, also can be used to enhance biologic outcome.
Why Creativity Isn’t in IQ Tests, Why it Matters, and Why it Won’t Change Anytime Soon Probably
Authors: Kaufman James
Published: August 2015

Creativity is a part of most theories of intelligence—sometimes a small part and sometimes a large part. Yet even IQ tests that assess aspects of intelligence that supposedly reflect creative abilities do not actually measure creativity. Recent work has argued that intelligence and creativity are more conceptually related than we have thought. In addition, creativity offers a potential way to counter issues of test bias from several different angles. That said, inherent difficulties in measuring creativity and inherent sluggishness in the test industry mean the odds are small that creativity will find its way into IQ tests as currently defined. However, there remain other potential possibilities in related fields.
Long Wave Flow Interaction with a Single Square Structure on a Sloping Beach
Authors: Bremm Gian , Goseberg Nils , Schlurmann Torsten , Nistor Ioan
Published: August 2015

In the context of dam breaks, tsunami, and flash floods, it is paramount to quantify the time-history of forces by the rapidly transient flow to vertical structures and the characteristics of the induced flow patterns. To resemble on-land tsunami-induced flow, a free-surface-piercing structure is exposed to long leading depression waves in a tsunami flume where long waves run up and down a 1:40 smooth and impermeable sloping beach after its generation by a volume-driven wave maker. The structure and its surrounding were monitored with force transducers, pressure gauges and cameras. Preparatory steady-state experiments were accomplished to determine the drag force coefficient of the square cylinder at various water depths. The flow during wave run-up and draw-down acting on the structure resulted in distinct flow pattern which were characteristic for the type of flow-structure interaction. Besides bow wave propagating upstream, a standing or partially-standing wave was observed in front of the structure together with a wake formation downstream, while a von Kármán vortex street developed during the deceleration phase of the flow motion and during draw-down. Force measurements indicated a sudden increase in the stream-wise total force starting with the arrival of the flow front during initial run-up. Lateral velocities showed significant oscillations in correlation with the von Kármán vortex street development. A comparison of the total measured base force with the analytically-calculated share of the drag force revealed that forces were prevailingly drag-dominated.
Limitations of Current in Vivo Mouse Models for the Study of Chikungunya Virus Pathogenesis
Authors: Chan Yi-Hao , Lum Fok-Moon , Ng Lisa
Published: August 2015

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an arthropod-borne alphavirus that causes febrile chikungunya fever (CHIKF) in humans. This disease is debilitating and characterized by acute fever onset and chronic incapacitating polyarthralgia. CHIKF pathogenesis remains poorly defined with no approved vaccines and therapies. Recent outbreaks in the Caribbean islands have elevated concerns over the possibility of a global pandemic. Tremendous efforts have been made to develop relevant mouse models to enable the study of infection and immunity against this viral disease. Among them, the more common C57BL/6 mouse model demonstrated the ability to recapitulate the symptoms shown in infected humans, including self-limiting arthritis, myositis, and tenosynovitis. This has facilitated the unraveling of some key factors involved in disease pathogenesis of CHIKF. However, the stark differences in immune response between humans and mouse models necessitate the development of an animal model with an immune system that is more genetically similar to the human system for a better representation. In this paper, we aim to uncover the limitations of the C57BL/6 model and discuss alternative mouse models for CHIKV research.
A Computationally-Efficient Numerical Model to Characterize the Noise Behavior of Metal-Framed Walls
Authors: Arjunan Arun , Wang Chang , English Martin , Stanford Mark , Lister Paul
Published: August 2015

Architects, designers, and engineers are making great efforts to design acoustically-efficient metal-framed walls, minimizing acoustic bridging. Therefore, efficient simulation models to predict the acoustic insulation complying with ISO 10140 are needed at a design stage. In order to achieve this, a numerical model consisting of two fluid-filled reverberation chambers, partitioned using a metal-framed wall, is to be simulated at one-third-octaves. This produces a large simulation model consisting of several millions of nodes and elements. Therefore, efficient meshing procedures are necessary to obtain better solution times and to effectively utilise computational resources. Such models should also demonstrate effective Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI) along with acoustic-fluid coupling to simulate a realistic scenario. In this contribution, the development of a finite element frequency-dependent mesh model that can characterize the sound insulation of metal-framed walls is presented. Preliminary results on the application of the proposed model to study the geometric contribution of stud frames on the overall acoustic performance of metal-framed walls are also presented. It is considered that the presented numerical model can be used to effectively visualize the noise behaviour of advanced materials and multi-material structures.
Pyruvate: A key Nutrient in Hypersaline Environments?
Authors: Oren Aharon
Published: August 2015

Some of the most commonly occurring but difficult to isolate halophilic prokaryotes, Archaea as well as Bacteria, require or prefer pyruvate as carbon and energy source. The most efficient media for the enumeration and isolation of heterotrophic prokaryotes from natural environments, from freshwater to hypersaline, including the widely used R2A agar medium, contain pyruvate as a key ingredient. Examples of pyruvate-loving halophiles are the square, extremely halophilic archaeon Haloquadratum walsbyi and the halophilic gammaproteobacterium Spiribacter salinus. However, surprisingly little is known about the availability of pyruvate in natural environments and about the way it enters the cell. Some halophilic Archaea (Halorubrum saccharovorum, Haloarcula spp.) partially convert sugars and glycerol to pyruvate and other acids (acetate, lactate) which are excreted to the medium. Pyruvate formation from glycerol was also shown during a bloom of halophilic Archaea in the Dead Sea. However, no pyruvate transporters were yet identified in the genomes of halophilic Archaea, and altogether, our understanding of pyruvate transport in the prokaryote world is very limited. Therefore, the preference for pyruvate by fastidious and often elusive halophiles and the empirically proven enhanced colony recovery on agar media containing pyruvate are still poorly understood.
Live Yeast and Yeast Cell Wall Supplements Enhance Immune Function and Performance in Food-Producing Livestock: A Review †,‡
Authors: Broadway Paul , Carroll Jeffery , Sanchez Nicole
Published: August 2015

More livestock producers are seeking natural alternatives to antibiotics and antimicrobials, and searching for supplements to enhance growth performance, and general animal health and well-being. Some of the compounds currently being utilized and studied are live yeast and yeast-based products derived from the strain Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These products have been reported to have positive effects both directly and indirectly on the immune system and its subsequent biomarkers, thereby mitigating negative effects associated with stress and disease. These yeast-based products have also been reported to simultaneously enhance growth and performance by enhancing dry matter intake (DMI) and average daily gain (ADG) perhaps through the establishment of a healthy gastrointestinal tract. These products may be especially useful in times of potential stress such as during birth, weaning, early lactation, and during the receiving period at the feedlot. Overall, yeast supplements appear to possess the ability to improve animal health and metabolism while decreasing morbidity, thereby enhancing profitability of these animals.
Application of Multispectral Sensors Carried on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to Trophic State Mapping of Small Reservoirs: A Case Study of Tain-Pu Reservoir in Kinmen, Taiwan
Authors: Su Tung-Ching , Chou Hung-Ta
Published: August 2015

Multispectral, as well as multi-temporal, satellite images, coupled with measurements, in situ, have been widely applied to the water quality monitoring of reservoirs. However, the spatial resolutions of the current multispectral satellite imageries are inadequate for trophic state mapping of small reservoirs which merely cover several hectares. Moreover, the temporal gap between effective satellite imaging and measurements, in situ, is usually a few days or weeks; this time lag hampers the establishment of regression models between band ratios and water quality parameters. In this research, the RGB and NIR sensors carried on an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) were applied to the trophic state mapping of Tain-Pu reservoir, which is one of the small reservoirs in Kinmen, Taiwan. Due to the limited sampling points and the uncertainty of water fluidity, the average method and the matching pixel-by-pixel (MPP) method were employed to search for the optimal regression models. The experimental results indicate that the MPP method can lead to better regression models than the average method, and the trophic state maps show that the averages of Chl-a, TP, and SD are 179.7 μg·L−1, 108.4 μg·L−1, and 1.4 m, respectively.
Ultrasonic Technique for Density Measurement of Liquids in Extreme Conditions
Authors: Kazys Rymantas , Sliteris Reimondas , Rekuviene Regina , Zukauskas Egidijus , Mazeika Liudas
Published: August 2015

An ultrasonic technique, invariant to temperature changes, for a density measurement of different liquids under in situ extreme conditions is presented. The influence of geometry and material parameters of the measurement system (transducer, waveguide, matching layer) on measurement accuracy and reliability is analyzed theoretically along with experimental results. The proposed method is based on measurement of the amplitude of the ultrasonic wave, reflected from the interface of the solid/liquid medium under investigation. In order to enhance sensitivity, the use of a quarter wavelength acoustic matching layer is proposed. Therefore, the sensitivity of the measurement system increases significantly. Density measurements quite often must be performed in extreme conditions at high temperature (up to 220 °C) and high pressure. In this case, metal waveguides between piezoelectric transducer and the measured liquid are used in order to protect the conventional transducer from the influence of high temperature and to avoid depolarization. The presented ultrasonic density measurement technique is suitable for density measurement in different materials, including liquids and polymer melts in extreme conditions. A new calibration algorithm was proposed. The metrological evaluation of the measurement method was performed. The expanded measurement uncertainty Uρ = 7.4 × 10−3 g/cm3 (1%).
Electrochemical Characterization of Protein Adsorption onto YNGRT-Au and VLGXE-Au Surfaces
Authors: Trzeciakiewicz Hanna , Esteves-Villanueva Jose , Soudy Rania , Kaur Kamaljit , Martic-Milne Sanela
Published: August 2015

The adsorption of the proteins CD13, mucin and bovine serum albumin on VLGXE-Au and YNGRT-Au interfaces was monitored by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in the presence of [Fe(CN)6]3−/4−. The hydrophobicity of the Au surface was tailored using specific peptides, blocking agents and diluents. The combination of blocking agents (ethanolamine or n-butylamine) and diluents (hexanethiol or 2-mercaptoethanol) was used to prepare various peptide-modified Au surfaces. Protein adsorption onto the peptide-Au surfaces modified with the combination of n-butylamine and hexanethiol produced a dramatic decrease in the charge transfer resistance, Rct, for all three proteins. In contrast, polar peptide-surfaces induced a minimal change in Rct for all three proteins. Furthermore, an increase in Rct was observed with CD13 (an aminopeptidase overexpressed in certain cancers) in comparison to the other proteins when the VLGXE-Au surface was modified with n-butylamine as a blocking agent. The electrochemical data indicated that protein adsorption may be modulated by tailoring the peptide sequence on Au surfaces and that blocking agents and diluents play a key role in promoting or preventing protein adsorption. The peptide-Au platform may also be used for targeting cancer biomarkers with designer peptides.