bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of Dihydrostreptomycin Binding to
Mycobacterium smegmatis
by Monovalent and Divalent Cation Salts
Authors: Beggs William H. , Andrews Fred A.
Published: June 2012

To better understand salt antagonism of dihydrostreptomycin (DSM) action on
Mycobacterium smegmatis,
the effects of monovalent and divalent cation salts on drug uptake were studied in relation to the lethal activity of DSM. In Sauton liquid medium NaCl, MgCl
2
, and SrCl
2
inhibited the initial instantaneous binding of [
3
H]DSM to the organism and suppressed secondary uptake. These data correlated well with the capacity of each salt to prevent the lethal activity of DSM. It was concluded that monovalent and divalent cation salt antagonism of DSM action on
M. smegmatis
involves nonspecific interference with drug uptake.
Emergence of Gentamicin- and Carbenicillin-Resistant
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
in a Hospital Environment
Authors: Gaman W. , Cates C. , Snelling C. F. T. , Lank B. , Ronald A. R.
Published: June 2012

Strains of
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
resistant to either gentamicin or carbenicillin have been noted since their introduction into clinical use. During a 6-month period, twice-weekly cultures were obtained from all patients treated with either gentamicin or carbenicillin and from all patients with a positive culture for
P. aeruginosa
. Susceptibility testing to gentamicin and carbenicillin and pyocine typing were performed on all isolates. Organisms with a minimal inhibitory concentration greater than 12.5 μg of gentamicin per ml or greater than 100 μg of carbenicillin per ml were defined as resistant.
P. aeruginosa
was cultured from 238 patients. One patient was initially infected with a gentamicin-resistant isolate. In 11 other patients, serial cultures revealed the emergence of resistance to gentamicin. All but one of these resistant isolates occurred in patients treated with gentamicin. In eight instances the pyocine and/or serological types before and after the change in sensitivity pattern were the same. Gentamicin-resistant
P. aeruginosa
emerged significantly more often in patients treated with gentamicin than in those who did not receive gentamicin. Carbenicillin-resistant
P. aeruginosa
emerged in four of 14 patients treated with carbenicillin. Seventeen of the 238 patients were infected de novo with carbenicillin-resistant
P. aeruginosa
. Carbenicillin-resistant
P. aeruginosa
emerged significantly more often in patients treated with carbenicillin than in those who did not receive carbenicillin. No evidence was found for in-hospital spread of resistant
P. aeruginosa
.
In Vitro Susceptibility of Varicella Zoster Virus to Adenine Arabinoside and Hypoxanthine Arabinoside
Authors: Bryson Yvonne J. , Connor James D.
Published: June 2012

The in vitro susceptibility of varicella zoster (VZ) isolates to adenine arabinoside (ara-A) and hypoxanthine arabinoside (ara-Hx) was determined in human skin fibroblasts. Using a system in which deamination was inhibited, and using a modified plaque reduction method, the antiviral activities of ara-A and ara-Hx were separated. The plaque inhibitory concentration of ara-A for all VZ isolates tested was 1 to 2 μg/ml and 80 to 100 μg/ml for ara-Hx. A comparison of antiviral activity based upon total plaque suppression gave a rate of 40 to 50:1, in favor of ara-A.
Bactericidal Efficacy of Sch 20569 and Amikacin Against Gentamicin-Sensitive and -Resistant Organisms
Authors: Rahal James J. , Simberkoff Michael S. , Kagan Kathy , Moldover Nancy H.
Published: June 2012

Sch 20569 is a semisynthetic derivative of gentamicin with activity against many gentamicin-resistant gram-negative bacilli. We compared its bactericidal action with that of gentamicin and amikacin against 171 clinical isolates of
Enterobacteriaceae, Staphylococcus aureus
, and
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
. Sch 20569 and amikacin showed markedly greater activity than gentamicin against
Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Enterobacter, Citrobacter
, and indole-positive
Proteus
, primarily by virtue of their lethal effect on gentamicin-resistant strains (minimal bactericidal concentration ≥ 12.5 μg/ml). Indole-negative
Proteus
isolates were uniformly sensitive to Sch 20569, whereas several were resistant to both gentamicin and amikacin. Amikacin was most active against
Providencia
, as was gentamicin against
Serratia
. All three agents exhibited similar activity against
Pseudomonas. Staphylococcus aureus
was more sensitive to gentamicin and Sch 20569 than to amikacin.
Sensitization of Colicin K-Treated Bacteria By Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate: Presence of Free Colicin in Colicin K-Treated Cultures of
Escherichia coli
Authors: Cavard Danièle
Published: June 2012

A method of assaying colicin K is described. It makes use of two properties of sodium dodecyl sulfate to protect bacteria against colicin action and to dissolve those bacteria on which colicin K had started its action. By this method, the kinetics of bacterial killing by colicin K have been measured directly in the treated culture without intervening dilution. The kinetics are exponential with time and are a function of the colicin multiplicity, as described previously, but do not reach a final plateau. At any time during colicin treatment, free colicin is found in the medium. Procedures that eliminate or destroy this free colicin, such as centrifugation and resuspension of the treated bacteria in a fresh medium, or addition of trypsin or sodium dodecyl sulfate to the treated culture stop bacterial killing.
Salinomycin Effects on Mitochondrial Ion Translocation and Respiration
Authors: Mitani Mitsuaki , Yamanishi Tadashi , Miyazaki Yukio , Ōtake Noboru
Published: June 2012

The effects of salinomycin on alkali cation transport and membrane functions in rat liver mitochondria have been investigated. After potassium uptake, stimulated by valinomycin or monazomycin in the presence of adenosine 5′-triphosphate, salinomycin caused rapid release of K
+
from mitochondria. Salinomycin reversed valinomycin- or monazomycin-induced oscillatory swelling of mitochondria preloaded with K
+
, Rb
+
, and Na
+
but was without effect on Li
+
or Cs
+
preloaded mitochondria. Salinomycin blocked the retention of K
+
more effectively than the retention of Rb
+
or Na
+
. Salinomycin inhibited both coupled and uncoupled respiration with strict substrate specificity in medium of low but not in high K
+
concentration. The oxidation of glutamate, α-ketoglutarate, and malate plus pyruvate was inhibited by salinomycin, but that of β-hydroxybutyrate or succinate was not significantly affected. Salinomycin inhibited adenosine triphosphatase activity of mitochondria induced by valinomycin or monazomycin in K
+
and Rb
+
medium without significantly affecting adenosine triphosphatase activity in Li
+
, Na
+
, or Cs
+
medium. Oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria was inhibited by salinomycin but the inhibitory effect of salinomycin lacked the substrate specificity observed for respiration. It is proposed that salinomycin perturbs mitochondrial functions by acting as a mobile carrier for alkali cations through membranes.
Binding of Thiostrepton to Ribosomes from Thiostrepton-Sensitive and -Resistant
Bacillus subtilis
Strains
Authors: Vince Robert , Weiss David , Gordon Julian , Howard Guy , Smith Issar , Pestka Sidney
Published: June 2012

Binding of [
35
S]thiostrepton to ribosomes from thiostrepton-sensitive and -resistant strains of
Bacillus subtilis
was studied. Ribosomes from thiostrepton-resistant strains bound relatively little thiostrepton compared with ribosomes from thiostrepton-sensitive
B. subtilis
. In addition, ribosomes from revertant strains that were obtained as thiostrepton-sensitive revertants from thiostrepton-resistant strains bound [
35
S]thiostrepton similarly to ribosomes from the sensitive parental strain.
Uptake of Metronidazole and Its Effect on Viability in Trichomonads and
Entamoeba invadens
Under Anaerobic and Aerobic Conditions
Authors: MÜller MiklÓs , Lindmark Donald G.
Published: June 2012

[
14
C]metronidazole used at the chemotherapeutic concentration of 10 μg/ml is taken up rapidly by the anaerobic protozoa
Tritrichomonas foetus, Trichomonas vaginalis
, and
Entamoeba invadens
kept under anaerobic conditions. It can be calculated that within 30 to 60 min the intracellular concentration of the label is 50 to 100 times higher than in the medium. The presence of air markedly suppresses the uptake in the trichomonads and abolishes it in
E. invadens
. The suppression disappears after anaerobic conditions are established. The rate of uptake in
T. foetus
is dependent on the concentration of the drug in the range studied (1 to 200 μg/ml). Analysis of double reciprocal plots suggests that the drug enters the cells predominantly or exclusively by diffusion. The major factor driving the uptake is most likely the intracellular biotransformation of the compound. If less than 3 μg of drug per mg of protein is taken up by
T. foetus
no decrease in viability is observed. Above this level the cytotoxic activity corresponds roughly to the amount accumulated in the cell, irrespective of whether the conditions are anaerobic or aerobic.
Identification and Antimicrobial Susceptibility of 250
Bacteroides fragilis
Subspecies Tested by Broth Microdilution Methods
Authors: Jones Ronald N. , Fuchs Peter C.
Published: June 2012

Broth dilution antimicrobial susceptibility tests and biochemical identification of
Bacteroides fragilis
subspecies were performed by micromethods, yielding results within 48 to 72 h of isolation. The subspecies had similar minimal inhibitory concentration end points.
Beta-Lactamase Activity in
Shigella sonnei
Authors: Prince Alice , Neu Harold C.
Published: June 2012

The basis of ampicillin resistance in
Shigella sonnei
was analyzed for a number of isolates. Most isolates that were resistant to ampicillin and cephalothin failed to transfer resistance. Isolates resistant to cephalothin and ampicillin were inhibited by mecillinam, cefamandole, and cefoxitin. Six strains were selected for study. These differed on the basis of inhibition by 10 β-lactam antibiotics and on differences in β-lactamase activity. There was no correlation between the inhibitory concentration of antibiotic and the amount of antibiotic hydrolyzed. Use of sodium chloride and cloxacillin inhibition and acrylamide electrophoresis demonstrated that ampicillin resistance in
Shigella
is mediated by a number of different β-lactamases. Organisms can contain more than one type of β-lactamase.
Concentrations of Gentamicin and Amikacin in Human Kidneys
Authors: Edwards Corwin Q. , Smith Craig R. , Baughman Kenneth L. , Rogers John F. , Lietman Paul S.
Published: June 2012

High kidney concentrations of gentamicin or amikacin, measured by an enzymological assay, were found in 9 of 10 patients who died during therapy with these aminoglycosides. Renal cortical concentrations of gentamicin ranged from 140 to 540 μg/g of tissue, with medullary levels of 128 to 230 μg/g. Concentrations of amikacin ranged from 365 to 1,030 μg/g in the cortex and from 270 to 718 μg/g in the medulla. The only patient with low kidney concentrations was an infant who received a single dose of gentamicin. Tissue levels were high in patients with both normal and abnormal renal function. Our results indicate that gentamicin and amikacin are concentrated in renal cortical and medullary tissue.
Enzymatic Modification of Aminoglycoside Antibiotics: a New 6′-
N
-Acetylating Enzyme from a
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Isolate
Authors: Haas M. , Biddlecome S. , Davies J. , Luce C. E. , Daniels P. J. L.
Published: June 2012

We describe an aminoglycoside 6′-
N
-acetyltransferase, isolated from
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
, that exhibits a novel substrate profile characterized by markedly reduced activity towards butirosin and amikacin.
Enzymatic Modification of Aminoglycoside Antibiotics: a New 3-
N
-Acetylating Enzyme from a
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Isolate
Authors: Biddlecome S. , Haas M. , Davies J. , Miller G. H. , Rane D. F. , Daniels P. J. L.
Published: June 2012

A new 3-
N
-aminoglycoside acetyltransferase is described, which possesses a wider substrate range than any such enzyme so far discovered in clinical isolates of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
Cephalosporin-Aminoglycoside Synergism in Experimental Enterococcal Endocarditis
Authors: Weinstein Allan J. , Lentnek Arnold L.
Published: June 2012

Despite in vitro demonstrations of synergism against enterococci, combinations of cephalosporin and aminoglycoside antibodies have been ineffective in the therapy of enterococcal endocarditis. Penicillin-gentamicin, cephalothin-gentamicin, and cefazolin-gentamicin were used to treat enterococcal endocarditis in rabbits. A direct relation was observed between the rate of cure and the degree by which the peak serum concentration of penicillin and the cephalosporins exceeded the minimal inhibitory concentration of the enterococcus. Thus, cephalosporin doses which produce serum concentrations which exceed the minimal inhibitory concentration of the enterococcus by several orders of magnitude may, in combination with aminoglycosides, be effective in treating human enterococcal endocarditis.
Genome Analysis of Bovine-Mastitis-Associated Escherichia coli O32:H37 Strain P4
Authors: Blum Shlomo , Sela Noa , Heller Elimelech D. , Sela Shlomo , Leitner Gabriel
Published: June 2012

Escherichia coli
is a major pathogen of bovine intramammary infections. Here we report the first draft of the genome sequence of the
E. coli
O32:H37 P4 strain, which is widely used in experimental bovine mastitis studies.
Genome Sequence of Pseudoalteromonas flavipulchra JG1, a Marine Antagonistic Bacterium with Abundant Antimicrobial Metabolites
Authors: Yu Min , Tang Kaihao , Shi Xiaochong , Zhang Xiao-Hua
Published: June 2012

The marine bacterium
Pseudoalteromonas flavipulchra
JG1 can synthesize various antibacterial metabolites, including protein and small molecules. The draft genome of JG1 is about 5.36 Mb and harbors approximate 4,913 genes, which will provide further insight into the synthesis of antimicrobial agents and antagonistic mechanisms of
P. flavipulchra
against pathogens.
Genomic Analysis of the Emergence of Vancomycin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Kobayashi Scott D. , Musser James M. , DeLeo Frank R.
Published: June 2012

Staphylococcus aureus
is a human commensal bacterium and a prominent cause of infections globally. The high incidence of
S. aureus
infections is compounded by the ability of the microbe to readily acquire resistance to antibiotics. In the United States, methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
(
MRSA
)
is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality by a single infectious agent. Therapeutic options for severe MRSA infections are limited to a few antibiotics to which the organism is typically susceptible, including vancomycin. Acquisition of high-level vancomycin resistance by MRSA is a major concern, but to date, there have been only 12 vancomycin-resistant
S. aureus
(
VRSA
)
isolates reported in the United States and all belong to a phylogenetic lineage known as clonal complex 5. To gain enhanced understanding of the genetic characteristics conducive to the acquisition of vancomycin resistance by
S. aureus
, V. N. Kos et al. performed whole-genome sequencing of all 12 VRSA isolates and compared the DNA sequences to the genomes of other
S. aureus
strains. The findings provide new information about the evolutionary history of VRSA and identify genetic features that may bear on the relationship between
S. aureus
clonal complex 5 strains and the acquisition of vancomycin resistance genes from enterococci
.
‘Serpent in the spine’: a case of giant spinal ependymoma of cervicothoracic spine
Authors: Arrifin Arlizan , Kaliaperumal Chandrasekaran , Keohane Catherine , O'Sullivan Michael
Published: June 2012

We describe a case of giant spinal ependymoma of cervicothoracic spine in a 30-year-old lady who presented with progressive spastic paraparesis and significant combined upper and lower motor neuron signs in her lower limbs over a 1-year period. She also had upper limb small muscle wasting with absent reflexes and diminished sensation. She was wheel chair bound with involvement of sphincters. Neuroimaging revealed a uniformly enhancing intramedullary lesion from C2–T3 level with associated syringomyelia. She underwent a complete excision of this World Health Organisation (WHO) II cellular ependymoma, resulting in significant clinical outcome and improvement in bladder and bowel function.
Dose-dependency of massage-like compressive loading on recovery of active muscle properties following eccentric exercise: rabbit study with clinical relevance
Authors: Haas Caroline , Butterfield Timothy A , Zhao Yi , Zhang Xiaoli , Jarjoura David , Best Thomas M
Published: June 2012

Background

Optimal strategies for massage and its use in athletes have not been conclusively demonstrated.

Purpose/study design

Effects of varying duration, frequency and magnitude of massage-like compressive loading (MLL) on recovery of skeletal muscle active properties (torque angle (T-Θ) relationship) following exercise-induced muscle injury were studied.

Methods

Twenty-four New Zealand White rabbits were surgically instrumented with bilateral peroneal nerve cuffs for stimulation of hindlimb tibialis anterior muscles. Following a bout of eccentric exercise (EEX), rabbits were randomly assigned to a MLL protocol of 0.25 or 0.5 Hz at 5 or 10 N for 15 or 30 min. T-Θ was obtained for 21 tibiotarsal joint angles pre- and post-EEX and post 4 consecutive days of MLL. Muscle wet weight and H&E sections were obtained following final treatments.

Results

EEX produced an average 61.8%±2.1 decrease in peak isometric torque output. Differences in torque recovery were found between magnitudes (5 and 10 N; p=0.004, n=12) and frequencies (0.25 and 0.5 Hz; p=0.012, n=12), but no difference for durations (15 and 30 min) with the 0.5 Hz, 10 N, 15 min protocol showing greatest recovery 4 days post-EEX. MLL muscle (n=12) wet weight was 3.22±0.18 g, while no MLL tissue (n=9) weighed 3.74±0.22 g (p=0.029). Histological analysis showed a difference in torn fibres between low-parameter and high-parameter MLL (6.5±1.04 vs 0.5±0.29 per 0.59 mm2, p=0.005).

Conclusions

Results showed a dose-response effect for magnitude and frequency of MLL on recovery of active muscle properties following EEX. Future studies will investigate underlying biological mechanisms for this enhanced recovery of muscle function.
Patient visits to the emergency department at a Norwegian university hospital: variations in patient gender and age, timing of visits, and patient acuity
Authors: Bjørnsen Lars Petter , Uleberg Oddvar , Dale Jostein
Published: June 2012

Background

The patient visits to Norwegian emergency departments (EDs) have increased significantly over the last few years. A national evaluation revealed a lack of systematic activity control, resource management and quality improvement. This paper describes some variables in patient visits to an urban Norwegian university hospital.

Methods

The retrospective data were collected from a database (Akuttdatabasen) and included all patients admitted to the main ED at the St. Olav's University Hospital between 1 December 2010 and 1 December 2011.

Results

ED visits have increased by 44% over the last decade and show considerable timely variations. Almost 50% of the patients are older than 65 years of age. The rate of patients triaged with the highest acuity level was 11%, but only 1.3% of the patients were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The total admission rate was 89%.

Conclusions

The increase in ED visits to the St. Olav's Hospital in recent years follows the same trend as in other countries. The authors see a slightly higher percentage of high level acuity patients compared with international studies due the general practitioner's intended ‘gatekeeper’ function. The authors also found a high total admission rate and a low ICU admission rate compared with other countries. These differences cannot be explained solely by differences in the healthcare system in Norway. The cultural and traditional organisation of the Norwegian Health Care System needs to change and this creates an excellent opportunity to improve the competence by establishing emergency medicine as a specialty in Norway.
Microbiological community analysis of vermicompost tea and its influence on the growth of vegetables and cereals
Authors: Fritz J.I. , Franke-Whittle I.H. , Haindl S. , Insam H. , Braun R.
Published: June 2012

Vermicompost, the digestion product of organic material by earthworms, has been widely reported to have a more positive effect on plant growth and plant health than conventional compost. A study was conducted to investigate the effects of different vermicompost elutriates (aerated compost teas) on soils and plant growth. The teas were analyzed by chemical, microbiological, and molecular methods accompanied by plant growth tests at laboratory and field scale. The number of microorganisms in the teas increased during the extraction process and was affected by substrate addition. The vermicompost tea found to increase plant growth best under laboratory tests was applied to cereals (wheat and barley) and vegetables ( Raphanus sativus , Rucola selvatica , and Pisum sativum ) in a field study. The results revealed no effects of tea application on plant yield; however, sensoric tests indicated an improvement in crop quality. The soils from laboratory and field studies were investigated to detect possible microbial or chemical changes. The results indicated that minor changes to the soil microbial community occurred following tea application by foliar spray in both the laboratory-scale and field-scale experiments.
Comparative proteomic analysis of chestnut blight fungus,Cryphonectria parasitica, under tannic-acid-inducing and hypovirus-regulating conditions
Authors: Kim Jung-Mi , Park Jin-Ah , Kim Dae-Hyuk
Published: June 2012

Chestnut blight fungus, Cryphonectria parasitica , and its hypovirus present a useful model system for investigating the mechanisms of hypoviral infection. To identify gene products associated with fungal pathogenicity and hypoviral regulation, we attempted a proteomic analysis of the virus-free EP155/2 strain and its isogenic virus-infected UEP1 strain in response to tannic acid (TA), which is abundant in the bark of chestnut trees. In this study, pretreatment of mycelia grown on TA-supplemented media was developed for proteomic analysis. Approximately 704 proteins from the mycelia of the EP155/2 strain were reproducibly present in 3 independent extractions. Among these, 111 and 79 spots were found to be responsive to hypovirus infection and TA supplementation, respectively. The TA-grown UEP1 strain yielded 28 spots showing an expression pattern different from that of untreated UEP1. Thirty protein spots showing considerable differences in spot density were selected for further analysis. Hybrid tandem LC-MS/MS spectrometry of the 30 selected protein spots revealed that 29 were identified while 1 was unidentified. Among the identified 29 proteins, 15 were metabolic enzymes; 5 were stress-related, of which 4 were heat-shock proteins and 1 was glutathione S-transferase; 5 were signaling and cellular process-related proteins; 2 were structural proteins; and 2 matched proteins of hypothetical genes.
Polymerase chain reaction detection of potentially pathogenic free-living amoebae in dental units
Authors: Leduc Annie , Gravel Sabrina , Abikhzer Jérémie , Roy Stéphane , Barbeau Jean
Published: June 2012

Several genera of amoebae can be found in water from dental units and on the inner surface of waterlines. The presence of bacterial biofilms on these surfaces is thought to favor the proliferation of amoebae. Potentially pathogenic Acanthamoeba and Naegleria spp. may be an infection risk for patients through contact with open surgical sites or aerosolization. A polymerase chain reaction of DNA extracted from pelleted samples showed that Acanthamoeba spp. and Naegleria spp. were present in water from dental units, suction lines, and suction filters at the dental clinic of the Université de Montréal. Acanthamoeba spp. were detected in 24.2% of 66 samples and Naegleria spp. in 3.0%. We discuss the infection risk associated with these results.
UNSUPERVISED MARKERLESS 3-DOF MOTION TRACKING IN REAL TIME USING A SINGLE LOW-BUDGET CAMERA
Authors: QUESADA LUIS , LEÓN ALEJANDRO J.
Published: June 2012

Motion tracking is a critical task in many computer vision applications. Existing motion tracking techniques require either a great amount of knowledge on the target object or specific hardware. These requirements discourage the wide spread of commercial applications based on motion tracking. In this paper, we present a novel three degrees of freedom motion tracking system that needs no knowledge on the target object and that only requires a single low-budget camera that can be found installed in most computers and smartphones. Our system estimates, in real time, the three-dimensional position of a nonmodeled unmarked object that may be nonrigid, nonconvex, partially occluded, self-occluded, or motion blurred, given that it is opaque, evenly colored, enough contrasting with the background in each frame, and that it does not rotate. Our system is also able to determine the most relevant object to track in the screen. Our proposal does not impose additional constraints, therefore it allows a market-wide implementation of applications that require the estimation of the three position degrees of freedom of an object.
CHERN–SIMONS MECHANICS IN NONCOMMUTATIVE PHASE SPACE
Authors: JIANG TAO , YUAN ZI-GANG , WANG QING , LONG ZHENG-WEN , JING JIAN
Published: June 2012

Chern–Simons mechanics in noncommutative phase space is studied from both classical and quantum aspects in this paper. We find that there are two parameters in the full theory which lead to two different reduced theories when they take certain values. We analyze these two reduced models also from two aspects and find that the classical aspect of the full theory has a continuous limit when both of these parameters take their certain values. However, the quantum aspect of the full theory does not have the similar limit. The spectra of the full theory will be infinite when these parameters take these values. We propose artificial regularization schemes to get rid of these infinity and resort to Dirac's theories to verify our scheme.
Lp-THEORY FOR VECTOR POTENTIALS AND SOBOLEV'S INEQUALITIES FOR VECTOR FIELDS: APPLICATION TO THE STOKES EQUATIONS WITH PRESSURE BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
Authors: AMROUCHE CHÉRIF , SELOULA NOUR EL HOUDA
Published: June 2012

In a three-dimensional bounded possibly multiply connected domain, we give gradient and higher-order estimates of vector fields via div and curl in Lp-theory. Then, we prove the existence and uniqueness of vector potentials, associated with a divergence-free function and satisfying some boundary conditions. We also present some results concerning scalar potentials and weak vector potentials. Furthermore, we consider the stationary Stokes equations with non-standard boundary conditions of the form u × n = g × n and π = π0 on the boundary Γ. We prove the existence and uniqueness of weak, strong and very weak solutions. Our proofs are based on obtaining Inf–Sup conditions that play a fundamental role. We give a variant of the Stokes system with these boundary conditions, in the case where the compatibility condition is not verified. Finally, we give two Helmholtz decompositions that consist of two kinds of boundary conditions such as u⋅n and u × n on Γ.
A REDUCED-ORDER ODE–PDE MODEL FOR THE ACTIVATED SLUDGE PROCESS IN WASTEWATER TREATMENT: CLASSIFICATION AND STABILITY OF STEADY STATES
Authors: DIEHL STEFAN , FARÅS SEBASTIAN
Published: June 2012

Most wastewater treatment plants contain an activated sludge process, which consists of a biological reactor and a sedimentation tank. The purpose is to reduce the incoming organic material and dissolved nutrients (the substrate). This is done in the biological reactor where micro-organisms (the biomass) decompose the substrate. The biomass is then separated from the water in the sedimentation tank under continuous in- and outflows. One of the outflows is recirculated to the reactor. The governing mathematical model describes the concentration of substrate and biomass as functions of time for the biological reactor, and as functions of time and depth for the sedimentation tank. This gives rise to a system of two ODEs for the reactor coupled with two spatially one-dimensional PDEs for the sedimentation tank. The main mathematical difficulty lies in the nonlinear PDE modeling the continuous sedimentation of the biomass. Previous analyses of models of the activated sludge process have included excessively simplifying assumptions on the sedimentation process. In this paper, results for nonlinear hyperbolic conservation laws with spatially discontinuous flux function are used to obtain a classification of the steady states for the coupled system. Their stability to disturbances are investigated and some phenomena are demonstrated by a numerical simulation.
EDITORIAL
Authors: CUI ZHIHUA , SHI ZHONGZHI , ALEX RAJAN
Published: June 2012

Swarm intelligence is an umbrella for amount optimization algorithms. This discipline deals with natural and artificial systems composed of many individuals that coordinate their activities using decentralized control and self-organization. In general, multi-agent systems that use some swarm intelligence are said to be swarm intelligent systems. They are mostly used as search engines and optimization tools. The goal of this special issue has been to offer a wide spectrum of sample works throughout the world about innovative methodologies of swarm intelligence. The issue should be useful both for beginners and experienced researchers in the field of computational intelligence.
MODELING AND SIMULATION OF ANT COLONY'S LABOR DIVISION WITH CONSTRAINTS FOR TASK ALLOCATION OF RESILIENT SUPPLY CHAINS
Authors: XIAO RENBIN , YU TONGYANG , GONG XIAOGUANG
Published: June 2012

Emergency incidents increase the uncertainty of supply chain environment, and also make the supply chain vulnerability expose. Creating resilient supply chain is an effective way to overcome the supply chain vulnerability. The supply chain characteristics of self-adaptation and self-coordination are consistent with the self-organization feature of ant colony's labor division. In this paper, a generalized ant colony's labor division model with constraints is provided, which is used to construct the ant colony's labor division model with constraints of resilient supply chain to solve task allocation of resilient supply chains. The simulation principle and algorithm of resilient supply chain are provided based on the proposed model and task allocation of the supply chain is analyzed from the five aspects, that is, task allocation status, supply chain coordination, emergency incidents' impact to task allocation, task allocation rate and the influence of different incidents for task allocation. The simulation results show that, with the proposed model, it is effective to allocate resilient supply chain tasks and has excellent performance, such as faster response and robustness.
Board Structure, Intra-Industry Competition, and the R&D Announcement Effect
Authors: Yeh Yin-Hua , Shu Pei-Gi , Ho Fu-Sheng , Su Yu-Hui
Published: June 2012

The main purpose of this paper is to investigate how investors perceive and respond to a firm's R&D announcement. We propose that board structure and intra-industry competition jointly dictate the announcement return. In addition, we assume that investors prefer carefully scrutinized R&D investments to mitigate asymmetric-information risks. Finally, we assume that investors prefer a sustainable R&D investment to prevent intense intra-industry competition and to ensure profit potential.

We use a sample of 229 announcements made by 116 Taiwanese listed firms to verify our postulation. Our postulation is the abnormal returns are positively correlated with board independence while negatively correlated with board size. We construct two variables to capture intra-industry competition: (i) the number of days that have elapsed since a competitor's prior announcement and (ii) the ordinal number of announcements in the same industry. Our results show that the announcement effect is negatively correlated with industry R&D intensity. The negative effect is partially ameliorated when the lapse since a prior competitor's announcement is long. Moreover, the announcement effect is also lower when the announcing firm has a high-level of R&D intensity and has experienced numerous prior R&D announcements in the same industry.
ABSOLUTE CONTINUITY THEOREM FOR RANDOM DYNAMICAL SYSTEMS ON Rd
Authors: BISKAMP MORITZ
Published: June 2012

In this paper we provide a proof of the so-called absolute continuity theorem for random dynamical systems on Rd which have an invariant probability measure. First we present the construction of local stable manifolds in this case. Then the absolute continuity theorem basically states that for any two transversal manifolds to the family of local stable manifolds, the induced Lebesgue measures on these transversal manifolds are absolutely continuous under the map that transports every point on the first manifold along the local stable manifold to the second manifold, the so-called Poincaré map or holonomy map. In contrast to known results, we have to deal with the non-compactness of the state space and the randomness of the random dynamical system.
SHAPE MATTERS: EFFECT OF POINT MUTATIONS ON RNA SECONDARY STRUCTURE
Authors: MANRUBIA SUSANNA C. , SANJUÁN RAFAEL
Published: June 2012

A suitable model to dive into the properties of genotype-phenotype landscapes is the relationship between RNA sequences and their corresponding minimum free energy secondary structures. Relevant issues related to molecular evolvability and robustness to mutations have been studied in this framework. Here, we analyze the one-mutant neighborhood of the predicted secondary structure of 46 different RNAs, including tRNAs, viroids, larger molecules such as Hepatitis-δ virus, and several random sequences. The probability distribution of the effect of point mutations in linear structural motifs of the secondary structure is well fit by Pareto or Lognormal probability distributions functions, independent of the origin of the RNA molecule. This extends previous results to the case of natural sequences of diverse origins. We introduce a new indicator of robustness, the average weighted length of linear motifs (AwL) and demonstrate that it correlates with the average effect of point mutations in RNA secondary structures. Structures with a high AwL value display the highest structural robustness and cluster in particular regions of sequence space.
DISLOCATION OF FACE-SLABS OF ZIPINGPU CONCRETE FACE ROCKFILL DAM DURING WENCHUAN EARTHQUAKE
Authors: ZOU DEGAO , ZHOU YANG , LING HOE I. , KONG XIANJING , XU BIN
Published: June 2012

Zipingpu concrete face rockfill dam (CFRD) is one of the tallest dams that have ever been subjected to strong earthquake shaking and recorded damages. In this paper, finite element method and limit equilibrium method are used to determine the most critical failure surface for Zipingpu CFRD during the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in China. The dislocation damage of the face-slab joint was then obtained from the sliding block analysis. The major factors affecting dislocation displacement of face-slabs were analyzed. The results showed that the rigid sliding block method is relevant for analyzing the damage of face-slabs of CFRD during earthquake. The peak ground acceleration had a significant influence on the dislocation. As the acceleration of the dam increases with the height while the strength of face-slab joints reduces, the dislocation could easily occur when the upstream slope of the dam started to slide. The water elevation had considerable impact on the dislocation of face-slabs during strong shaking. There might be no dislocation of face-slabs at full reservoir, and the water elevation just above construction joints would induce larger damage.
TRIAL OF AN EVALUATION METHOD OF THE BUILDING DAMAGE BY TSUNAMI
Authors: CHARUSROJTHANADECH NUNTHAWATH , YAMAMOTO YOSHIMICHI , CA VU THANH
Published: June 2012

In order to develop a rational methodology to evaluate building damage caused by tsunamis, first, disaster data collected in Thailand, Sri Lanka, and Japan are introduced as verification data. Next, the applicability of an empirical method of predicting inundation depth ( = the inundation height from ground level) based on analysis of those data and a numerical simulation method of tsunami flood is examined by comparing calculation values with the verification data. Then, the validity of a convenient method of evaluating building strength against the tsunami using the gate-type Rahmen Building Model is checked by comparing calculation results with actual damage and diagrams to get pillar widths or wall thicknesses at the breaking threshold for common sizes of buildings are proposed.
[Retracted] A Simple, Sensitive Spectrophotometric Determination of Mosapride in Pharmaceutical Preparations Using Novel Reagent
Authors: Naidu G. Krishnamurthy , Suvardhan K. , Jyothi M. V. , Sastry B. S. , Chiranjeevi P.
Published: June 2012

A rapid, selective and sensitive spectrophotometric method for the determination of mosarpide in either pure form or in its formulations in pharmaceutical preparations is described. The method is based on the diazotization coupling reaction of mosapride with 1‐naphthol in acidic medium to give red azo dye product with the λmax of 500 nm and is stable for more than 12 hours at optimum condition, Beer′s law is obeyed at concentration of 0.2 to 12 μg mL-1 at the wavelength of maximum absorbance. Common excipients used as additives in pharmaceutical preparations do not interfere in the proposed method. The developed method is highly reproducible and applied to wide variety of pharmaceutical formulation and the results were compared favourably with the reported method.
A Hierarchy of Patient-Reported Outcomes for Meta-Analysis of Knee Osteoarthritis Trials: Empirical Evidence from a Survey of High Impact Journals
Authors: Juhl Carsten , Lund Hans , Roos Ewa M. , Zhang Weiya , Christensen Robin
Published: June 2012

Objectives. To develop a prioritised list based on responsiveness for extracting patient-reported outcomes (PROs) measuring pain and disability for performing meta-analyses in knee osteoarthritis (OA). Methods. A systematic search was conducted in 20 highest impact factor general and rheumatology journals chosen a priori. Eligible studies were randomised controlled trials, using two or more PROs measuring pain and/or disability. Results. A literature search identified 402 publications and 38 trials were included, resulting in 54 randomised comparisons. Thirty-five trials had sufficient data on pain and 15 trials on disability. The WOMAC “pain” and “function” subscales were the most responsive composite scores. The following list was developed. Pain: (1) WOMAC “pain” subscale, (2) pain during activity (VAS), (3) pain during walking (VAS), (4) general knee pain (VAS), (5) pain at rest (VAS), (6) other composite pain scales, and (7) other single item measures. Disability: (1) WOMAC “function” subscale, (2) SF-36 “physical function” subscale, (3) SF-36 (Physical composite score), and (4) Other composite disability scores. Conclusions. As choosing the PRO most favourable for the intervention from individual trials can lead to biased estimates, using a prioritised list as developed in this study is recommended to reduce risk of biased selection of PROs in meta-analyses.
The Optimal First-Line Therapy ofHelicobacter pyloriInfection in Year 2012
Authors: Kuo Chao-Hung , Kuo Fu-Chen , Hu Huang-Ming , Liu Chung-Jung , Wang Sophie S. W. , Chen Yen-Hsu , Hsieh Ming-Chia , Hou Ming-Feng , Wu Deng-Chyang
Published: June 2012

This paper reviews the literature about first-line therapies forH. pyloriinfection in recent years. First-line therapies are facing a challenge because of increasing treatment failure due to elevated antibiotics resistance. Several new treatment strategies that recently emerged to overcome antibiotic resistance have been surveyed. Alternative first-line therapies include bismuth-containing quadruple therapy, sequential therapy, concomitant therapy, and hybrid therapy. Levofloxacin-based therapy shows impressive efficacy but might be employed as rescue treatment due to rapidly raising resistance. Rifabutin-based therapy is also regarded as a rescue therapy. Several factors including antibiotics resistance, patient compliance, and CYP 2C19 genotypes could influence the outcome. Clinicians should use antibiotics according to local reports. It is recommended that triple therapy should not be used in areas with high clarithromycin resistance or dual clarithromycin and metronidazole resistance.
The Impact of HIV Genetic Polymorphisms and Subtype Differences on the Occurrence of Resistance to Antiretroviral Drugs
Authors: Wainberg Mark A. , Brenner Bluma G.
Published: June 2012

The vast majority of reports on drug resistance deal with subtype B infections in developed countries, and this is largely due to historical delays in access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) on a worldwide basis. This notwithstanding the concept that naturally occurring polymorphisms among different non-B subtypes can affect HIV-1 susceptibility to antiretroviral drugs (ARVs) is supported by both enzymatic and virological data. These findings suggest that such polymorphisms can affect both the magnitude of resistance conferred by some major mutations as well as the propensity to acquire certain resistance mutations, even though such differences are sometimes difficult to demonstrate in phenotypic assays. It is mandatory that tools are optimized to assure accurate measurements of drug susceptibility in non-B subtypes and to recognize that each subtype may have a distinct resistance profile and that differences in resistance pathways may also impact on cross-resistance and the choice of regimens to be used in second-line therapy. Although responsiveness to first-line therapy should not theoretically be affected by considerations of viral subtype and drug resistance, well-designed long-term longitudinal studies involving patients infected by viruses of different subtypes should be carried out.
An iterative Algorithm for Hemicontractive Mappings in Banach Spaces
Authors: Yu Youli , Wu Zhitao , Yang Pei-Xia
Published: June 2012

We First introduce a three‐step iterative algorithm for approximating the fixed points of the hemicontractive mappings in Banach spaces. Consequently, we prove the strong convergence of the proposed algorithm under some assumptions. Since three‐step iterations include Ishikawa iterations as special cases, our result continue to hold for these problems. Our main results can be viewed as an important refinement of the previously known results.
The Number of Students Needed for Undecided Programs at a College from the Supply‐Chain Viewpoint
Authors: Lin Jin-Ling , Lin Jy-Hsin , Hwang Kao-Shing
Published: June 2012

The objective of this study is to determine how to do forward‐looking analysis to determine the future need for various professionals, so that educational institutes can produce an appropriate labor force for national development. The concept of component part commonality, which derives from research on effective inventory management using material resource planning (MRP), can also be applied to human resource planning and educational resource management in higher education systems. Therefore, this paper proposed a systematic method to analyze student recruitment numbers for future needs, based on the concept of MRP. The research studied the relationship between a curricular structure tree and the associated commonalities. It explored the relationship between the commonality of students and the aggregated level of student replenishment. Based on that, systematic guidelines for curriculum design can be established for undeclared programs at collages. Two simple examples were used to illustrate the implementation of MRP in analysis of the replenishment levels (necessary safety stock levels) in an education system such as an engineering college.
A Combinatorial Note for Harmonic Tensors
Authors: Xiao Zhankui
Published: June 2012

We give another characterization of the annihilator of the space of (dual) harmonic tensors in the group algebra of symmetric group.
Macronutrient Intake Influences the Effect of 25-Hydroxy-Vitamin D Status on Metabolic Syndrome Outcomes in African American Girls
Authors: Newton Anna L. , Hanks Lynae J. , Ashraf Ambika P. , Williams Elizabeth , Davis Michelle , Casazza Krista
Published: June 2012

The objectives were to determine the effect of macronutrient modification on vitamin D status and if change in 25-hydroxy-vitamin D concentration influences components of metabolic syndrome in obese African American girls. Methods. Five-week intervention using reduced CHO (43% carbohydrate; 27% fat: SPEC) versus standard CHO (55% carbohydrate; 40% fat: STAN) eucaloric diet. Subjects were 28 obese African American females, aged 9–14 years. Dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and meal test were performed at baseline and five weeks. Results. Approximately 30% of girls had metabolic syndrome. Serum 25OHD increased in both groups at five weeks [STAN: 20.3 ± 1.1 to 22.4 ± 1.1 (P<0.05) versus SPEC: 16.1±1.0 to 16.8±1.0 (P=0.05)]. The STAN group, increased 25OHD concentration over five weeks (P<0.05), which was positively related to triglycerides (P<0.001) and inversely associated with total cholesterol (P<0.001) and LDL (P<0.001). The SPEC group, had increase in 25OHD (P=0.05), which was positively related to fasting insulin (P<0.001) and insulin sensitivity while inversely associated with fasting glucose (P<0.05). The contribution of vitamin D status to metabolic syndrome parameters differs according to macronutrient intake. Improvement in 25OHD may improve fasting glucose, insulin sensitivity, and LDL; however, macronutrient intake warrants consideration.
miR-21 Is a Promising Novel Biomarker for Lymph Node Metastasis in Patients with Gastric Cancer
Authors: Xu Yuejuan , Sun Jue , Xu Jianhua , Li Qi , Guo Yuewu , Zhang Qiang
Published: June 2012

Background. Gastric cancer (GC) is an important malignant disease around the world. Abnormalities of microRNAs (miRNAs) have been implicated in carcinogenesis of various cancers. In the present study, we examined miR-21 expression in human gastric cancer with lymph node metastasis and attempted to uncover its relationship with clinicopathologic data, especially with lymph node metastasis.Materials and Methods. The expression levels of miR-21 in the tumor specimens of GC patients were quantified by RT-PCR. The correlation between miR-21 level and multiple clinicopathological factors was then examined by Mann-Whitney test, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, and operating characteristic (ROC) analysis.Results. The expression level of miR-21 was higher in GC patients with lymph node metastasis than in those without lymph node metastasis (P<0.05). Expression level of miR-21 was significantly correlated with histologic type, T stage, lymph node metastasis and pTNM stage. The overall survival rates in GC patients with low upregulated miR-21 expression were significantly higher than those with high upregulated miR-21 (P<0.05).Conclusion. A close association is implicated between the elevated miR-21and lymph node metastasis, which could potentially be exploited as a practical biomarker for lymph node metastasis in patients with GC.