bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the Linear Control of Underactuated Nonlinear Systems Via Tangent Flatness and Active Disturbance Rejection Control: The Case of the Ball and Beam System
Authors: Ramírez-Neria Mario , Sira-Ramírez Hebertt , Garrido-Moctezuma Rubén , Luviano-Juárez Alberto
Published: April 2016

In this paper, a systematic procedure for controller design is proposed for a class of nonlinear underactuated systems (UAS), which are non-feedback linearizable but exhibit a controllable (flat) tangent linearization around an equilibrium point. Linear extended state observer (LESO)-based active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) is shown to allow for trajectory tracking tasks involving significantly far excursions from the equilibrium point. This is due to local approximate estimation and compensation of the nonlinearities neglected by the linearization process. The approach is typically robust with respect to other endogenous and exogenous uncertainties and disturbances. The flatness of the tangent model provides a unique structural property that results in an advantageous low-order cascade decomposition of the LESO design, vastly improving the attenuation of noisy and peaking components found in the traditional full order, high gain, observer design. The popular ball and beam system (BBS) is taken as an application example. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the proposed approach in stabilization, as well as in perturbed trajectory tracking tasks.
Design and Experimental Investigation of Rotational Angle-Based Tracking Control
Authors: Yang Meng , Song Xingyong , Sun Zongxuan
Published: April 2016

This paper investigates tracking control in the rotational angle domain based on the time-varying internal model principle. The objective is to enable precise, reliable, and computationally efficient output tracking of signals that are dependent on angular displacement. To achieve desired performance, existing approaches based on internal model principle require a large number of samples per revolution, which significantly increases the controller order and also poses challenges for the transient performance. To address those issues, a varying sampling interval approach is proposed, where the angular sampling locations are not fixed but optimized based on tracking errors between sampling points so that desired performance can be achieved without increasing the number of samples. Meanwhile, to improve the convergence rate of the tracking error, additional linear matrix inequalities (LMI) constraints are added to the existing stabilizer synthesis. Through experimental study on a camless engine valve actuation system, the effectiveness of the proposed approaches is demonstrated. It is shown that, compared with the fixed interval sampling, the varying sampling approach can reduce the tracking error by over 50%.
Physical Activity Frequency on the 10-Year Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) Prognosis; The Interaction With Cardiovascular Disease History and Diabetes Mellitus: The GREECS Observational Study
Authors: Papataxiarchis Evangelos , Panagiotakos Demosthenes B. , Notara Venetia , Kouvari Matina , Kogias Yannis , Stravopodis Petros , Papanagnou George , Zombolos Spyros , Mantas Yannis , Pitsavos Christos , _ _
Published: April 2016

The association between physical activity, diabetes mellitus (DM), and long-term acute coronary syndrome (ACS) prognosis was evaluated. The GREECS study included 2,172 consecutive ACS patients from six Greek hospitals (2003–2004). In 2013–2014, a 10-year follow up was performed with 1,918 patients. Physical activity was categorized in never, rarely (monthly basis), 1–2 and ≥ 3 times/week. Multi-adjusted analysis revealed that 1–2 and ≥ 3 times/week vs. no physical activity had a protective effect on ACS incidence (OR = 0.63 95% CI 0.38, 1.05) and (OR = 0.63 95% CI 0.40, 0.99) respectively, only in patients without prior baseline CVD event. In a subgroup analysis, with DM as strata in these patients, engagement in physical activity (i.e., 1–2 times/week) had a significant protective effect among patients with diabetes (OR = 0.51, 95% CI 0.27, 0.96, p = .037). These findings revealed the beneficial role of exercise in secondary ACS prevention, even in DM patients. Public health-oriented policies should incorporate regular physical activity as a key protective factor in disease prognosis.
Yellow fever outbreak triggers vaccine alarm
Authors: Kupferschmidt Kai
Published: April 2016

A major resurgence of the virus in Angola leaves the world empty-handed.
Tallying the losses in Palmyra
Authors: Zorich Zach
Published: April 2016

After Islamic State retreats from city, talk of restoration.
3D printers vulnerable to spying
Authors: Hvistendahl Mara
Published: April 2016

Design information can be pilfered from the sounds a printer makes.
Global tensions rile experimental university
Authors: Stone Richard
Published: April 2016

Joint project with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology struggles to retain non-Russian faculty, meet expectations.
Ribose and related sugars from ultraviolet irradiation of interstellar ice analogs
Authors: Meinert Cornelia , Myrgorodska Iuliia , de Marcellus Pierre , Buhse Thomas , Nahon Laurent , Hoffmann Søren V. , d’Hendecourt Louis Le Sergeant , Meierhenrich Uwe J.
Published: April 2016

Making ribose in interstellar ices

Astrobiologists have long speculated on the origin of prebiotic molecules such as amino acids and sugars. Meinert
et al.
demonstrated that numerous prebiotic molecules can be formed in an interstellar-analog sample containing a mixture of simple ices of water, methanol, and ammonia. They irradiated the sample with ultraviolet light under conditions similar to those expected during the formation of the solar system. This yielded a wide variety of sugars, including ribose—a major constituent of ribonucleic acid (RNA).

Science
, this issue p.
208
Smart start
Research to Revenue A Practical Guide to University Start-Ups
Don Rose and Cam Patterson
UNC Press, 2016. 352 pp.
Authors: Hochberg Yael V.
Published: April 2016

Practical advice abounds in a faculty-focused guide to commercializing research
Involvement of the Eukaryote-Like Kinase-Phosphatase System and a Protein That Interacts with Penicillin-Binding Protein 5 in Emergence of Cephalosporin Resistance in Cephalosporin-Sensitive Class A Penicillin-Binding Protein Mutants in Enterococcus faecium
Authors: Desbonnet Charlene , Tait-Kamradt Amelia , Garcia-Solache Monica , Dunman Paul , Coleman Jeffrey , Arthur Michel , Rice Louis B.
Published: April 2016

The intrinsic resistance of
Enterococcus faecium
to ceftriaxone and cefepime (here referred to as “cephalosporins”) is reliant on the presence of class A penicillin-binding proteins (Pbps) PbpF and PonA. Mutants lacking these Pbps exhibit cephalosporin susceptibility that is reversible by exposure to penicillin and by selection on cephalosporin-containing medium. We selected two cephalosporin-resistant mutants (Cro1 and Cro2) of class A Pbp-deficient
E. faecium
CV598. Genome analysis revealed changes in the serine-threonine kinase Stk in Cro1 and a truncation in the associated phosphatase StpA in Cro2 whose respective involvements in resistance were confirmed in separate complementation experiments. In an additional effort to identify proteins linked to cephalosporin resistance, we performed tandem affinity purification using Pbp5 as bait in penicillin-exposed
E. faecium
; these experiments yielded a protein designated Pbp5-associated protein (P
5
AP). Transcription of the P
5
AP gene was increased after exposure to penicillin in wild-type strains and in Cro2 and suppressed in Cro2 complemented with the wild-type
stpA
. Transformation of class A Pbp-deficient strains with the plasmid-carried P
5
AP gene conferred cephalosporin resistance. These data suggest that Pbp5-associated cephalosporin resistance in
E. faecium
devoid of typical class A Pbps is related to the presence of P
5
AP, whose expression is influenced by the activity of the serine-threonine phosphatase/kinase system.

IMPORTANCE
β-Lactam antibiotics remain our most effective therapies against susceptible Gram-positive bacteria. The intrinsic resistance of
Enterococcus faecium
to β-lactams, particularly to cephalosporins, therefore represents a major limitation of therapy. Although the primary mechanism of resistance to β-lactams in
E. faecium
is the presence of low-affinity monofunctional transpeptidase (class B) penicillin-binding protein Pbp5, the interaction of Pbp5 with other proteins is fundamental to maintain a resistant phenotype. The present work identifies a novel, previously uncharacterized, protein that interacts with Pbp5, whose expression increases in conjunction with stimuli that increase resistance to cephalosporins, and that confers increased resistance to cephalosporins when overexpressed. P
5
AP may represent a promising new target, inhibition of which could restore cephalosporin susceptibility to
E. faecium
.
Zika Virus Focuses the Gain-of-Function Debate
Authors: Imperiale Michael J. , Casadevall Arturo
Published: April 2016

This year, the National Science Advisory Board for Biosecurity (NSABB) will be making recommendations to the U.S. Government regarding the ongoing saga of gain-of-function (GOF) experiments with highly infectious respiratory pathogens, such as influenza virus, severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) coronavirus, and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus.
Searching for the mechanisms of change: a protocol for a realist review of batterer treatment programmes
Authors: Velonis Alisa J , Cheff Rebecca , Finn Debbie , Davloor Whitney , O'Campo Patricia
Published: April 2016

Introduction

Conflicting results reported by evaluations of typical batterer intervention programmes leave many judicial officials and policymakers uncertain about the best way to respond to domestic violence, and whether to recommend and fund these programmes. Traditional evaluations and systematic reviews tend to focus predominantly on whether the programmes ‘worked’ (eg, reduced recidivism) often at the exclusion of understanding for whom they may or may not have worked, under what circumstances, and why.

Methods and analysis

We are undertaking a realist review of the batterer treatment programme literature with the aim of addressing this gap. Keeping with the goals of realist review, our primary aims are to identify the theory that underlies these programmes, highlight the mechanisms that trigger changes in participant behaviour and finally explain why these programmes help some individuals reduce their use of violence and under what conditions they are effective or not effective. We begin by describing the process of perpetrator treatment, and by proposing an initial theoretical model of behaviour change that will be tested by our review. We then describe the criteria for inclusion of an evaluation into the review, the search strategy we will use to identify the studies, and the plan for data extraction and analysis.

Ethics and dissemination

The results of this review will be written up using the RAMESES Guidelines for Realist Synthesis, and disseminated through peer-reviewed publications aimed at the practitioner community as well as presented at community forums, and at violence against women conferences. Ethics approval was not needed.
Impact of socioeconomic and risk factors on cardiovascular disease and type II diabetes in Australia: comparison of results from longitudinal and cross-sectional designs
Authors: Li Jinjing , Kinfu Yohannes
Published: April 2016

Objective

Existing large-scale studies do not take into account comorbidity or control for selection and endogeneity biases. This study addresses these shortcomings.

Participants

We use information on individuals aged between 35 and 70 years from a nationally representative longitudinal survey conducted in Australia between 2001 and 2013. Participants were approached annually, and updates on their characteristics, including health status, were ascertained through self-reporting.

Method

We develop three different analytical designs. The first model is a cross-sectional analysis against which our improved models are compared. In the second model, we follow the same approach but control for prior health conditions. The last preferred model additionally adjusts for characteristics and risk profile of respondents prior to onset of conditions. It also allows for comorbidity and controls for selection bias.

Results

Once comorbidity and changes over time in the participant's characteristics are controlled for, body mass index (BMI), alcohol consumption and physical activity exhibit a stronger impact than in the models without these controls. A unit increase in BMI increases the risk of developing a cardiovascular disease (CVD) condition within 2 years by 1.3 percentage points (β=0.11, 95% CI 0.05 to 0.16) and regular alcohol intake increases the risk of CVD by 3.0 percentage points (β=0.24, 95% CI 0.09 to 0.39). Both factors lose significance without proper control for endogenous behavioural change. We also note that frequent physical activity reduces the risk of developing diabetes by 0.9 percentage point (β=−0.40, 95% CI −0.72 to −0.07).

Conclusions

Our result shows a greater importance of certain lifestyle and risk factors than was previously suggested.
Effect of vitamin D supplementation on inflammation: protocol for a systematic review
Authors: Mousa Aya , Misso Marie , Teede Helena , Scragg Robert , de Courten Barbora
Published: April 2016

Introduction

The extraskeletal role of vitamin D is being increasingly recognised. This has important clinical implications, as vitamin D deficiency has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. Vitamin D has proposed anti-inflammatory properties, yet the role of vitamin D supplementation in reducing inflammation remains largely unknown. The purpose of this review is to investigate the impact of vitamin D supplementation on inflammation, and to identify relevant knowledge gaps in the field.

Methods and analysis

Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE and All EBM will be systematically searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews of RCTs, comparing vitamin D supplementation with placebo, usual care or other pharmacological or non-pharmacological interventions. One reviewer will assess articles for eligibility according to prespecified selection criteria, after which 2 independent reviewers will perform data extraction and quality appraisal. Meta-analyses will be conducted where appropriate.

Ethics and dissemination

Formal ethical approval is not required as no primary data is collected. This systematic review will identify potential clinical implications of vitamin D deficiency and supplementation, and will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication and at conference meetings, to inform future research on the efficacy of vitamin D supplementation for inflammation and inflammatory diseases.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42016037104.
Reducing inappropriate ESR testing with computerized clinical decision support
Authors: Gottheil Stephanie , Khemani Ekta , Copley Katherine , Keeney Michael , Kinney Jeff , Chin-Yee Ian , Gob Alan
Published: April 2016

Laboratory test overutilization increases health care costs, leads to unwarranted investigations, and may have a negative impact on health outcomes. The American Society of Clinical Pathology, in its Choosing Wisely Campaign, advocates that inflammation be investigated with C-reactive protein (CRP) instead of Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR). London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC), a tertiary care hospital organization in Ontario, Canada, set a goal to reduce inappropriate ESR orders by 50%. After developing appropriateness criteria for ESR, we used a series of PDSA cycles to reduce inappropriate ESR ordering and analyzed our results with an interrupted time series design. Our intervention began with an educational bulletin and moved to city-wide implementation of computerized Clinical Decision Support (CDS). After implementation, ESR orders decreased by 40% from 386 orders per week to 241 orders per week. Our results are supported by previous literature on the effectiveness of CDS in reducing overutilization and suggest that provider habit is a significant contributor to inappropriate ordering.
Small RNA sequencing reveals a comprehensive miRNA signature ofBRCA1-associated high-grade serous ovarian cancer
Authors: Brouwer Jan , Kluiver Joost , de Almeida Rodrigo C , Modderman Rutger , Terpstra Miente Martijn , Kok Klaas , Withoff Sebo , Hollema Harry , Reitsma Welmoed , de Bock Geertruida H , Mourits Marian J E , van den Berg Anke
Published: April 2016

Aims

BRCA1mutation carriers are at increased risk of developing high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSOC), a malignancy that originates from fallopian tube epithelium. We aimed to identify differentially expressed known and novel miRNAs inBRCA1-associated HGSOC.

Methods

Small RNA sequencing was performed on eight normal tubal and five HGSOC samples ofBRCA1carriers. Differential expression of a subset of known and novel miRNAs was validated by qRT-PCR on the samples used for small RNA sequencing and a second sample cohort comprising normal and HGSOC tissue of matchedBRCA1and non-BRCAcarriers. Data from The Cancer Genome Atlas were used to determine the clinical relevance of the validated differentially expressed miRNAs.

Results

59 known and 20 novel miRNAs showed a significant >fourfold expression difference between normal tubal tissue and HGSOC. qRT-PCR validation confirmed a significant difference in expression levels for 10 out of 11 known miRNAs.Upregulation of two novel miRNAs could not be confirmed. Interestingly, for seven miRNAs a significant increase in expression was observed when comparing normal tubal tissue of postmenopausal women with premenopausal women. Expression levels of miR-145-5p significantly increased with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage, while the expression levels of the other nine validated miRNAs were not associated with clinical characteristics.

Conclusions

We report a comprehensive expression signature including both known and novel miRNAs ofBRCA1-associated HGSOC. Comparison with previous profiling studies showed a good overlap and a large number of miRNAs not reported to be differentially expressed in HGSOC before underscoring the importance of this study.
Streamlining door to recanalization processes in endovascular stroke therapy
Authors: Aghaebrahim Amin , Streib Christopher , Rangaraju Srikant , Kenmuir Cynthia L , Giurgiutiu Dan-Victor , Horev Anat , Saeed Yumna , Callaway Clifton W , Guyette Francis X , Martin-Gill Chris , Pacella Charissa , Ducruet Andrew F , Jankowitz Brian T , Jovin Tudor G , Jadhav Ashutosh P
Published: April 2016

Background

In acute stroke due to large vessel occlusion, faster reperfusion leads to better outcomes. We analyzed the effect of optimization steps aimed to reduce treatment delays at our center.

Methods

Consecutive patients with ischemic stroke treated with endovascular therapy were prospectively analyzed. We divided the patients into pre-optimization (20 April 2012 to 8 October 2013) and post-optimization (9 October 2013 to 29 July 2014) periods. The main interventions included: (1) continuous feedback; (2) standardized immediate emergency department attending to stroke attending communication with interventional team activation for all potential interventions; (3) pre-notification by the emergency medical service; (4) minimizing additional diagnostic testing; (5) direct transport to the CT scanner; (6) transport directly from the CT scanner to the angiography suite. The main metric used to measure improvement was door to groin puncture time (D2P).

Results

We included a total of 286 patients (178 pre-optimization, 108 post-optimization). There were no significant differences between major baseline characteristics between the groups with the exception of higher median CT Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score in the pre-optimization group (p=0.01). Median D2P improved from 105 min pre-optimization to 67 min post-optimization (p=0.0002). Rates of good clinical outcomes (modified Rankin Scale 0–2 at 3 months) were similar in both groups, with a trend toward a better outcome in the post-optimization group in a subgroup analysis of patients with anterior circulation occlusion who received intravenous tissue plasminogen activator.

Conclusions

This pilot study demonstrates that D2P times can be significantly reduced with a standardized multidisciplinary approach. There was no significant difference in the rate of 3-month good outcome, which is most likely due to the small sample size and confounding baseline patient characteristics.
Adult food-induced anaphylaxis hospital presentations in New Zealand
Authors: Kool Bridget , Chandra Devika , Fitzharris Penny
Published: April 2016

Background

Food allergy including anaphylaxis is an increasing clinical problem in many countries. Little information is available regarding prevalence, causative foods and time trends in the New Zealand adult population.

Objective

This cross-sectional study investigated the incidence of hospital presentation with food-induced anaphylaxis in New Zealand among adults and adolescents over a 10-year period.

Methods

Ministry of Health hospital discharge data from 2002 to 2011 were analysed using food allergy and anaphylaxis-related International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes to identify acute hospital presentations.

Results

There was an average annualised rate of hospital food-induced anaphylaxis presentations of 4.8 per 100 000 adults (aged ≥15 years) for the period reviewed. Subgroup analyses revealed significant differences by gender, age group and ethnicity, notably higher rates in females, younger adults (15–34 years) and Pacific Island populations. Seafood was the most common food allergen group, followed by nuts. Time trend analysis revealed a 1.7-fold increase in the 10-year period, mainly attributable to an increase in rates in the Pacific Island population.

Conclusions

These data confirm food-induced anaphylaxis as an increasing problem in New Zealand and show significant differences in incidence of hospital presentation in different ethnic populations. Future research will be required to understand and address disparities in the incidence of these conditions.
Measurement of serum 7α‐hydroxy‐4‐cholesten‐3‐one as a marker of bile acid malabsorption in dogs with chronic diarrhoea: a pilot study
Authors: Kent A. C. C. , Cross G. , Taylor D. R. , Sherwood R. A. , Watson P. J.
Published: April 2016

Bile acid malabsorption is a common cause of chronic diarrhoea in people, however it has never previously been investigated in dogs, despite clinical suspicion of its existence. The goal of this study was to assess the feasibility of measuring serum 7α‐hydroxy‐4‐cholesten‐3‐one (C4) in dogs, as a potential marker of bile acid malabsorption, and to see whether this is related to clinical disease severity or the presence of hypocobalaminaemia. Serum C4 concentration was measured in 20 clinically healthy control dogs and 17 dogs with chronic diarrhoea. Three of the 17 affected dogs (17.6 per cent) had a C4 concentration significantly above the range of clinically healthy dogs; these dogs were all poorly responsive to conventional therapy. These results suggest that bile acid malabsorption may be a clinically relevant disorder in dogs with chronic diarrhoea and serum C4 may be a useful tool to investigate this further.
Small animal disease surveillance: respiratory disease
Authors: Sánchez‐Vizcaíno Fernando , Daly Janet M. , Jones Philip H. , Dawson Susan , Gaskell Rosalind , Menacere Tarek , Heayns Bethaney , Wardeh Maya , Newman Jenny , Everitt Sally , Day Michael J. , McConnell Katie , Noble Peter J. M. , Radford Alan D.
Published: April 2016

Presentation for respiratory disease comprised 1.7 per cent, 2.3 per cent and 2.5 per cent of canine, feline and rabbit consultations, respectively, between January 2014 and December 2015

Coughing was the most frequent respiratory sign reported in dogs (71.1 per cent of consultations); in cats it was sneezing (42.6 per cent)

Mean percentage of samples testing positive for feline calicivirus (FCV) was 30.1 per cent in 2014 and 27.9 per cent in 2015

January was the month with the highest percentage of FCV‐positive samples in both 2014 and 2015
Professional registration and ‘Brexit’
Authors: Viner Bradley
Published: April 2016

Bradley Viner, President of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, considers some of the professional issues that could arise from a possible British exit from the EU
Pollen gene flow and molecular identification of full-sib families in small and isolated population fragments ofGleditsia triacanthosL.
Authors: Owusu Sandra A. , Schlarbaum Scott E. , Carlson John E. , Gailing Oliver
Published: April 2016

To analyze the utility of isolated remnant populations for full-sibling (full-sib) identification among open-pollinated single-tree progeny in the outcrossing and insect-pollinated tree Gleditsia triacanthos L. (honey locust), we performed paternity analyses in forest fragments from two geographic regions using nuclear microsatellites. The first plot (Butternut Valley population) comprised only 7 trees, and 552 seedlings from a single seed parent were characterized at nuclear microsatellites. A large number of putative pollen donors (59) were identified in kinship analyses, but their individual contributions to the progeny were highly variable. Kinship and paternity analyses identified 149 putative full-sibs for genetic mapping sired by an external (unsampled) pollen parent. To better assess the frequency of long-distance pollen dispersal, a total of 180 seeds were collected from 6 seed parents in another fragmented population. In both plots, contemporary pollen dispersal occurred generally from outside the plots (99.38% and 87.50%–100% at the Butternut Valley and Ames Plantation sites, respectively) and thus over very long distances (>12 000 m in the Ames Plantation) suggesting that in highly fragmented landscapes, insect pollinators of honey locust are likely very effective long-distance dispersers.
Pre-string theory
Authors: Frampton Paul H.
Published: April 2016

In this note, I recollect a two-week period in September 1968 when I factorized the Veneziano model using string variables in Chicago. Professor Yoichiro Nambu went on to calculate the N-particle dual resonance model and then to factorize it on an exponential degeneracy of states. That was in 1968 and the following year 1969 he discovered the string action. I also include some other reminiscences of Nambu who passed away on July 5, 2015.
Topological quantum scattering under the influence of a nontrivial boundary condition
Authors: Mota Herondy
Published: April 2016

We consider the quantum scattering problem of a relativistic particle in (2 + 1)-dimensional cosmic string spacetime under the influence of a nontrivial boundary condition imposed on the solution of the Klein–Gordon equation. The solution is then shifted as consequence of the nontrivial boundary condition and the role of the phase shift is to produce an Aharonov–Bohm-like effect. We examine the connection between this phase shift and the electromagnetic and gravitational analogous of the Aharonov–Bohm effect and compare the present results with previous ones obtained in the literature, also considering non-relativistic cases.
On the alternative formulation of the three-dimensional noncommutative superspace
Authors: Gama F. S. , Nascimento J. R. , Yu. Petrov A.
Published: April 2016

In this paper, we propose a new version for the noncommutative superspace in 3D. This version is shown to be convenient for performing quantum calculations. In the paper, we use the theory of the chiral superfield as a prototype for possible generalizations, calculating the one-loop two-point function of a chiral superfield and the one-loop low-energy effective action in this theory.
Electron correlation effects beyond the random phase approximation
Authors: Fan J. D. , Malozovsky Y. M.
Published: April 2016

The methods that have been used to deal with a many-particle system can be basically sorted into three types: Hamiltonian, field theory and phenomenological method. The first two methods are more popular. Traditionally, the Hamiltonian method has been widely adopted in the conventional electronic theory for metals, alloys and semiconductors. Basically, the mean-field approximation (MFA) that has been working well for a weakly coupled system like a metal is employed to simplify a Hamiltonian corresponding to a particular electron system. However, for a strongly coupled many-particle system like a cuprate superconductor MFA should in principle not apply. Therefore, the field theory on the basis of Green’s function and the Feynman diagrams must be invoked. In this method, one is however more familiar with the random phase approximation (RPA) that gives rise to the same results as MFA because of being short of the information for higher-order terms of interaction.

For a strongly coupled electron system, it is obvious that one has to deal with higher-order terms of a pair interaction to get a correct solution. Any ignorance of the higher-order terms implies that the more sophisticated information contained in those terms is discarded. However, to date one has not reached a consensus on how to deal with the higher-order terms beyond RPA.

We preset here a method that is termed the diagrammatic iteration approach (DIA) and able to derive higher-order terms of the interaction from the information of lower-order ones on the basis of Feynman diagram, with which one is able to go beyond RPA step by step. It is in principle possible that all of higher-order terms can be obtained, and then sorted to groups of diagrams. It turns out that each of the groups can be replaced by an equivalent one, forming a diagrammatic Dyson-equation-like relation. The diagrammatic solution is eventually “translated” to a four-dimensional integral equation. The method can be applied to a layered 2D system that is a model system of cuprate superconductors and others such as atomic, nuclear, heavy-fermion systems, etc.
Free idempotent generated semigroups over bands and biordered sets with trivial products
Authors: Dandan Yang , Gould Victoria
Published: April 2016

For any biordered set of idempotents [Formula: see text] there is an initial object [Formula: see text], the free idempotent generated semigroup over[Formula: see text], in the category of semigroups generated by a set of idempotents biorder-isomorphic to [Formula: see text]. Recent research on [Formula: see text] has focused on the behavior of the maximal subgroups. Inspired by an example of Brittenham, Margolis and Meakin, several proofs have been offered that any group occurs as a maximal subgroup of some [Formula: see text], the latest being that of Dolinka and Ruškuc, who show that [Formula: see text] can be taken to be a band. From a result of Easdown, Sapir and Volkov, periodic elements of any [Formula: see text] lie in subgroups. However, little else is known of the “global” properties of [Formula: see text], other than that it need not be regular, even where [Formula: see text] is a semilattice. The aim of this paper is to deepen our understanding of the overall structure of [Formula: see text] in the case where [Formula: see text] is a biordered set with trivial products (for example, the biordered set of a poset) or where [Formula: see text] is the biordered set of a band [Formula: see text].

Since its introduction by Fountain in the late 1970s, the study of abundant and related semigroups has given rise to a deep and fruitful research area. The class of abundant semigroups extends that of regular semigroups in a natural way and itself is contained in the class of weakly abundant semigroups. Our main results show that (1) if [Formula: see text] is a biordered set with trivial products then [Formula: see text] is abundant and (if [Formula: see text] is finite) has solvable word problem, and (2) for any band [Formula: see text], the semigroup [Formula: see text] is weakly abundant and moreover satisfies a natural condition called the congruence condition. Further, [Formula: see text] is abundant for a normal band [Formula: see text] for which [Formula: see text] satisfies a given technical condition, and we give examples of such [Formula: see text]. On the other hand, we give an example of a normal band [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] is not abundant.
Composition of irreducible morphisms in quasi-tubes
Authors: Chaio Claudia , Malicki Piotr
Published: April 2016

We study the composition of irreducible morphisms between indecomposable modules lying in quasi-tubes of the Auslander–Reiten quivers of artin algebras in relation with the powers of the radical of their module category.
BODIPY–steroid conjugates: Syntheses and biological applications
Authors: Osati Samira , Ali Hasrat , van Lier Johan E.
Published: April 2016

BODIPY and aza-BODIPY fluorophores linked to steroids are being developed as multimodal-imaging agents to monitor the mechanism of action of biologically active components in living systems.
Note on an analogue of Fermat's two squares theorem for primes p ≡ 3(mod8)
Authors: Skałba M.
Published: April 2016

It is proved among other things that every prime [Formula: see text] of the form [Formula: see text] can be represented as [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] are positive integers satisfying [Formula: see text] and the number of such representations is odd.
Comparative Investigation of Polymeric and Nanoparticle Vehicles for Transgene Delivery
Authors: Ramos James , Rege Kaushal
Published: April 2016

Effective design of nanoparticle systems can have a significant impact on therapeutic delivery. Physicochemical factors including size, shape and surface chemistry of nanoparticles can play a significant role in determining the efficacy of drug and gene delivery to cells. Polymeric as well as inorganic nanoparticle systems have been investigated as vehicles for nonviral gene delivery of transgenes. However, a head-to-head comparison of these different systems is largely lacking. In this study, we compare three related delivery systems, polymer, polymer-templated gold nanospheres and polymer-coated gold nanorods, for their respective in vitro transgene expression efficacies. Significant differences were seen in the hydrodynamic diameter and zeta potential for each of these different vehicles. Nevertheless, transgene (luciferase) expression efficacies and cytotoxicities were found to be similar for these three vehicles under different conditions. Our results indicate that polymeric systems can be used for synthesis or modification of nanoparticle systems with negligible variations in their transgene expression efficacies. This can have significant implications for generating polymer-nanoparticle theranostic systems that maintain therapeutic (e.g., nucleic acid) delivery efficacies, while also possessing additional functionalities, including
Water Productivity in Agriculture: Looking for Water in the Agricultural Productivity and Efficiency Literature
Authors: Scheierling Susanne , Treguer David O. , Booker James F.
Published: April 2016

Expectations are that the agricultural sector will have to expand the use of water for irrigation to meet rising food demand, while at the same time the competition for water resources is growing in many regions. Increasing water productivity in agriculture is widely seen as a critical response to help address this challenge. Yet much of the public debate is vague on the meaning of agricultural water productivity — often emphasizing “more crop per drop” as if water were the only input that mattered —, and approaches for assessing and increasing water productivity are seldom addressed systematically. This paper discusses conceptual issues that should be kept in mind when assessing agricultural water productivity, and presents findings from what may be the first survey of the agricultural productivity and efficiency literature with regard to the explicit inclusion of water aspects in productivity and efficiency measurements. The survey comprises studies applying single-factor productivity (SFP) measures, total factor productivity (TFP) indices and frontier models. Studies using deductive methods are also included. A key finding is that the studies tend to either incorporate field- and basin-level aspects but focus only on a single input (water), or they apply multi-factor approaches but do not tackle the basin-level aspects. It seems that no study has yet presented an approach that accounts for multiple inputs and basin-level issues. Deductive methods may provide the flexibility to overcome some of the limitations of the other methods.
Building a toolkit for fabricating interactive objects
Authors: Spielberg Andrew , Sample Alanson , Hudson Scott E. , Mankoff Jennifer , McCann James
Published: April 2016

Despite the recent proliferation of easy-to-use personal fabrication devices, designing custom objects that are useful remains challenging. RFID technology can allow designers to easily embed rich and robust interaction in custom creations at low cost.
3-D printing interactive objects
Authors: Savage Valkyrie
Published: April 2016

Today's 3-D printing hobbyists churn out kilos of static trinkets. These existing machines can further help them create functional objects, if new perspectives and designs are employed.
Island three revisited: O'Neill cylinders and digital materials
Authors: Cellucci Daniel , Cheung Kenneth C.
Published: April 2016

Huge, habitable structures in space are a staple of science fiction, but digital materials could make them a reality.
Functional diversification of sea urchin ABCC1 (MRP1) by alternative splicing
Authors: Gökirmak Tufan , Campanale Joseph P. , Reitzel Adam M. , Shipp Lauren E. , Moy Gary W. , Hamdoun Amro
Published: April 2016

The multidrug resistance protein (MRP) family encodes a diverse repertoire of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters with multiple roles in development, disease, and homeostasis. Understanding MRP evolution is central to unraveling their roles in these diverse processes. Sea urchins occupy an important phylogenetic position for understanding the evolution of vertebrate proteins and have been an important invertebrate model system for study of ABC transporters. We used phylogenetic analyses to examine the evolution of MRP transporters and functional approaches to identify functional forms of sea urchin MRP1 (also known as SpABCC1). SpABCC1, the only MRP homolog in sea urchins, is co-orthologous to human MRP1, MRP3, and MRP6 (ABCC1, ABCC3, and ABCC6) transporters. However, efflux assays revealed that alternative splicing of exon 22, a region critical for substrate interactions, could diversify functions of sea urchin MRP1. Phylogenetic comparisons also indicate that while MRP1, MRP3, and MRP6 transporters potentially arose from a single transporter in basal deuterostomes, alternative splicing appears to have been the major mode of functional diversification in invertebrates, while duplication may have served a more important role in vertebrates. These results provide a deeper understanding of the evolutionary origins of MRP transporters and the potential mechanisms used to diversify their functions in different groups of animals.
Plastic Change along the Intact Crossed Pathway in Acute Phase of Cerebral Ischemia Revealed by Optical Intrinsic Signal Imaging
Authors: Guo Xiaoli , He Yongzhi , Lu Hongyang , Li Yao , Su Xin , Jiang Ying , Tong Shanbao
Published: April 2016

The intact crossed pathway via which the contralesional hemisphere responds to the ipsilesional somatosensory input has shown to be affected by unilateral stroke. The aim of this study was to investigate the plasticity of the intact crossed pathway in response to different intensities of stimulation in a rodent photothrombotic stroke model. Using optical intrinsic signal imaging, an overall increase of the contralesional cortical response was observed in the acute phase (≤48 hours) after stroke. In particular, the contralesional hyperactivation is more prominent under weak stimulations, while a strong stimulation would even elicit a depressed response. The results suggest a distinct stimulation-response pattern along the intact crossed pathway after stroke. We speculate that the contralesional hyperactivation under weak stimulations was due to the reorganization for compensatory response to the weak ipsilateral somatosensory input.
Challenges of Identifying Clinically Actionable Genetic Variants for Precision Medicine
Authors: Carter Tonia C. , He Max M.
Published: April 2016

Advances in genomic medicine have the potential to change the way we treat human disease, but translating these advances into reality for improving healthcare outcomes depends essentially on our ability to discover disease- and/or drug-associated clinically actionable genetic mutations. Integration and manipulation of diverse genomic data and comprehensive electronic health records (EHRs) on a big data infrastructure can provide an efficient and effective way to identify clinically actionable genetic variants for personalized treatments and reduce healthcare costs. We review bioinformatics processing of next-generation sequencing (NGS) data, bioinformatics infrastructures for implementing precision medicine, and bioinformatics approaches for identifying clinically actionable genetic variants using high-throughput NGS data and EHRs.
A Rational Theory of Tire-Pavement Friction
Authors: Smith Robert H. , Uddin Waheed
Published: April 2016

The present study involves field testing of a tire-loading-based theory of pavement traction in place of the traditional coefficient of friction. An associated hypothesis concerns the indicated existence of a fourth rubber force, surface deformation hysteresis, which is theorized to be independent of tire loading during tire sliding.
Altered Body Weight Regulation in CK1ε Null and tau Mutant Mice on Regular Chow and High Fat Diets
Authors: Zhou Lili , Summa Keith C. , Olker Christopher , Vitaterna Martha H. , Turek Fred W.
Published: April 2016

Disruption of circadian rhythms results in metabolic dysfunction. Casein kinase 1 epsilon (CK1ε) is a canonical circadian clock gene. Null and tau mutations in CK1ε show distinct effects on circadian period. To investigate the role of CK1ε in body weight regulation under both regular chow (RC) and high fat (HF) diet conditions, we examined body weight on both RC and HF diets in CK1ε-/- and CK1εtau/tau mice on a standard 24 hr light-dark (LD) cycle. Given the abnormal entrainment of CK1εtau/tau mice on a 24 hr LD cycle, a separate set of CK1εtau/tau mice were tested under both diet conditions on a 20 hr LD cycle, which more closely matches their endogenous period length. On the RC diet, both CK1ε-/- and CK1εtau/tau mutants on a 24 hr LD cycle and CK1εtau/tau mice on a 20 hr LD cycle exhibited significantly lower body weights, despite similar overall food intake and activity levels. On the HF diet, CK1εtau/tau mice on a 20 hr LD cycle were protected against the development of HF diet-induced excess weight gain. These results provide additional evidence supporting a link between circadian rhythms and energy regulation at the genetic level, particularly highlighting CK1ε involved in the integration of circadian biology and metabolic physiology.
The Performance of Direct Disk Diffusion for Community Acquired Bacteremia due to Gram-Negative Bacilli and Its Impact on Physician Treatment Decisions
Authors: Daley Peter , Comerford Adam , Umali Jurgienne , Penney Carla
Published: April 2016

Background.Direct disk diffusion susceptibility testing provides faster results than standard microtitre susceptibility. The direct result may impact patient outcome in sepsis if it is accurate and if physicians use the information to promptly and appropriately change antibiotic treatment.Objective.To compare the performance of direct disk diffusion with standard susceptibility and to consider physician decisions in response to these early results, for community acquired bacteremia with Gram-negative Bacilli.Methods.Retrospective observational study of all positive blood cultures with Gram-negative Bacilli, collected over one year. Physician antibiotic treatment decisions were assessed by an infectious diseases physician based on information available to the physician at the time of the decision.Results.89 bottles growing Gram-negative Bacilli were included in the analysis. Direct disk diffusion agreement with standard susceptibility varied widely. In 47 cases (52.8%), the physician should have changed to a narrower spectrum but did not, in 18 cases (20.2%), the physician correctly narrowed from appropriate broad coverage, and in 8 cases (9.0%), the empiric therapy was correct.Discussion.Because inoculum is not standardized, direct susceptibility results do not agree with standard susceptibility results for all drugs. Physicians do not act on direct susceptibility results.Conclusion.Direct susceptibility should be discontinued in clinical microbiology laboratories.
Simulation of the Ill-Posed Problem of Reinforced Concrete Corrosion Detection Using Boundary Element Method
Authors: Fonna Syarizal , Ibrahim Israr M. , Ridha M. , Huzni Syifaul , Ariffin A. K.
Published: April 2016

Many studies have suggested that the corrosion detection of reinforced concrete (RC) based on electrical potential on concrete surface was an ill-posed problem, and thus it may present an inaccurate interpretation of corrosion. However, it is difficult to prove the ill-posed problem of the RC corrosion detection by experiment. One promising technique is using a numerical method. The objective of this study is to simulate the ill-posed problem of RC corrosion detection based on electrical potential on a concrete surface using the Boundary Element Method (BEM). BEM simulates electrical potential within a concrete domain. In order to simulate the electrical potential, the domain is assumed to be governed by Laplace’s equation. The boundary conditions for the corrosion area and the noncorrosion area of rebar were selected from its polarization curve. A rectangular reinforced concrete model with a single rebar was chosen to be simulated using BEM. The numerical simulation results using BEM showed that the same electrical potential distribution on the concrete surface could be generated from different combinations of parameters. Corresponding to such a phenomenon, this problem can be categorized as an ill-posed problem since it has many solutions. Therefore, BEM successfully simulates the ill-posed problem of reinforced concrete corrosion detection.
Accelerating the SCE-UA Global Optimization Method Based on Multi-Core CPU and Many-Core GPU
Authors: Kan Guangyuan , Liang Ke , Li Jiren , Ding Liuqian , He Xiaoyan , Hu Youbing , Amo-Boateng Mark
Published: April 2016

The famous global optimization SCE-UA method, which has been widely used in the field of environmental model parameter calibration, is an effective and robust method. However, the SCE-UA method has a high computational load which prohibits the application of SCE-UA to high dimensional and complex problems. In recent years, the hardware of computer, such as multi-core CPUs and many-core GPUs, improves significantly. These much more powerful new hardware and their software ecosystems provide an opportunity to accelerate the SCE-UA method. In this paper, we proposed two parallel SCE-UA methods and implemented them on Intel multi-core CPU and NVIDIA many-core GPU by OpenMP and CUDA Fortran, respectively. The Griewank benchmark function was adopted in this paper to test and compare the performances of the serial and parallel SCE-UA methods. According to the results of the comparison, some useful advises were given to direct how to properly use the parallel SCE-UA methods.