bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of high‐field MR in studies of localized prostate cancer
Authors: Lagemaat Miriam W. , Scheenen Tom W. J.
Published: May 2013

Magnetic resonance imaging is attracting increasing attention from the uroradiological community as a modality to guide the management of prostate cancer. With the high incidence of prostate cancer it might come as a surprise that for a very long time (and in many places even at present) treatment decisions were being made without the use of detailed anatomical and functional imaging of the prostate gland at hand. Although T2‐weighted MRI can provide great anatomical detail, by itself it is not specific enough to discriminate cancer from benign disease, so other functional MRI techniques have been explored to aid in detection, localization, staging and risk assessment of prostate cancer. With the current evolution of clinical MR systems from 1.5 to 3 T it is important to understand the advantages and the challenges of the higher magnetic field strength for the different functional MR techniques most used in the prostate: T2‐weighted MRI, diffusion‐weighted MRI, MR spectroscopic imaging and dynamic contrast‐enhanced imaging. In addition to this, the use of the endorectal coil at different field strengths is discussed in this review, together with an outlook of the possibilities of ultra‐high‐field MR for the prostate. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improved conversion efficiency of a‐Si:H/µc‐Si:H thin‐film solar cells by using annealed Al‐doped zinc oxide as front electrode material
Authors: Neubert Sebastian , Wimmer Mark , Ruske Florian , Calnan Sonya , Gabriel Onno , Stannowski Bernd , Schlatmann Rutger , Rech Bernd
Published: May 2013

In recent years, zinc oxide has been investigated as a front electrode material in hydrogenated amorphous silicon/hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon (a‐Si:H/µc‐Si:H) tandem solar cells. Such as for other transparent conducting oxide materials and applications, a proper balancing of transparency and conductivity is necessary. The latter is directly related to the density and the mobility of charge carriers. A high density of charge carriers increases conductivity but leads to a higher absorption of light in the near‐infrared part of the spectrum due to increased free‐carrier absorption. Hence, the only way to achieve high conductivity while keeping the transparency as high as possible relies on an increase of carrier mobility. The carrier density and the mobility of sputtered Al‐doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al) can be tailored by a sequence of different annealing steps. In this work, we implemented such annealed ZnO:Al films as a front electrode in a‐Si:H/µc‐Si:H tandem solar cells and compared the results with those of reference cells grown on as‐deposited ZnO:Al. We observed an improvement of short‐circuit current density as well as open‐circuit voltage and fill factor. The gain in current density could be attributed to a reduction of both sub‐band‐gap absorption and free‐carrier absorption in the ZnO:Al. The higher open‐circuit voltage and fill factor are indicators of a better device quality of the silicon for cells grown on annealed ZnO:Al. Altogether, the annealing led to an improved initial conversion efficiency of 12.1%, which was a gain of +0.7% in absolute terms. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
DOES THE HANDWRITING STYLE LEARNED IN FIRST GRADE DETERMINE THE STYLE USED IN THE FOURTH AND FIFTH GRADES AND INFLUENCE HANDWRITING SPEED AND QUALITY? A COMPARISON BETWEEN FRENCH AND QUEBEC CHILDREN
Authors: Bara Florence , Morin Marie‐France
Published: May 2013

An important issue relating to the teaching of handwriting concerns the style that should be learned at school (manuscript or cursive). Whereas some countries choose to teach both styles (e.g., Canada), other countries choose to teach only one (e.g., France). Our research had three main underlying goals, namely (1) to observe and describe the handwriting styles spontaneously used by fourth and fifth graders according to the first style learned at school; (2) to describe the evolution of handwriting between the fourth and fifth grades; and (3) to examine the relationship between speed, legibility, and handwriting style. The results revealed that the effects of country, grade level, handwriting style, and handwriting instruction were significant. Quebec children wrote faster than French children did, but their handwriting was less legible. Cursive handwriting was the slower style, whereas mixed handwriting seemed to be more efficient. Handwriting speed and legibility improved from fourth to fifth grade.
Emotion dysregulation and impulsivity additively predict borderline personality disorder features in Italian nonclinical adolescents
Authors: Fossati Andrea , Gratz Kim L. , Maffei Cesare , Borroni Serena
Published: May 2013

The present study aimed to test if measures of emotion dysregulation and impulsivity additively predicted dimensional scores of borderline personality disorder assessed using the Borderline Personality Disorder Scale of the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire‐4+ in two independent samples of Italian nonclinical adolescents. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that three dimensions of emotion dysregulation (difficulties controlling impulsive behaviours when distressed, limited access to effective emotional regulation strategies and lack of emotional clarity) were significantly associated with BPD features in both samples. Further, impulsivity scores accounted for a significant amount of additional variance in BPD features above and beyond emotion dysregulation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Are current sensitivity products suﬃciently informative in targeting campaigns? A DTS‐MEDEX‐2009 case study
Authors: Garcies L. , Homar V.
Published: May 2013

The DTS‐MEDEX‐2009 campaign was a ﬁeld experiment in which extra observations were adaptively deployed to improve the short‐range forecast of Mediterranean high‐impact weather (HIW) during autumn 2009. For the DTS‐MEDEX‐2009 cases, ﬁve diﬀerent sensitivity analysis techniques were carried out to provide targeting guidance: singular vectors (SV) from the ECMWF; ensemble transform Kalman ﬁlter (ETKF) and Kalman ﬁlter sensitivity (KFS) from Météo France; and ensemble and adjoint sensitivities from the University of the Balearic Islands. However, the value of the targeting guidance provided by such a variety of sensitivity products has never been assessed for a Mediterranean HIW event. Since radiosonde and AMDAR proﬁles were the only observational means available during the DTS‐MEDEX targeting campaign, this study tests the ability of each sensitivity product in identifying the region where a plausible sounding leads to a greater impact on the forecast of a potential high‐impact cyclone over southern Italy on 5 December 2009. All targetable radio‐sounding sites are also tested and a severe‐weather meteorologist is used as a confronting reference. The veriﬁcation testbed comprehends single sounding experiments and multiple sounding strategies by using the WRF Data Assimilation system. Single sounding tests reveal that sensitivity products fail to recognize the best location for a single observation since most of the soundings added over operational radio‐sounding stations have a larger inﬂuence on intense cyclone forecast than the points highlighted by the objective sensitivity calculation methods. Additionally, it is shown that human‐based decisions, after evaluating available sensitivity information, are not optimal, either in single or in multiple sounding strategies.
Characteristics of cold pools observed in narrow valleys and dependence on external conditions
Authors: Sheridan P. F. , Vosper S. B. , Brown A. R.
Published: May 2013

Observations from the recent COLd‐air Pooling EXperiment (COLPEX) field campaign are used to relate the intensity of cold pools within two small valleys (O(100 m) depth and O(1 km) width) to flow conditions within the airmass passing over the valley. The temperature structure of the cold pools is examined using transects of ground‐based sensors through the valleys and radiosonde releases from within the valley, in order to evaluate simple two‐dimensional concepts of cold‐pool formation due to sheltering. The cold‐pool spatial and temporal structure is found to be consistent between different nights when strong cold pools occurred. Initially a sharp surface inversion occurs similarly at all points within the valley, with isentropes roughly terrain‐parallel. The inversion layer at the bottom of the valley then grows deeper, spreading over the bottom portion of the valley, and cross‐valley isentropes eventually become horizontal. By defining appropriate measures of the relative temperature drop within the cold pool, and non‐dimensional valley depth diagnosed with respect to the speed and stability of the approaching flow, the measurements are shown to be consistent with previous relationships determined for simple two‐dimensional valleys.
Intramolecular CH/π interactions in alkylaromatics: Monomer conformations for poly(3‐alkylthiophene) atomistic models
Authors: Baggioli Alberto , V. Meille Stefano , Raos Guido , Po Riccardo , Brinkmann Martin , Famulari Antonino
Published: May 2013

In existing poly(3‐alkylthiophenes) atomistic models, an extended conformation of the side chain is usually assumed. We report a first principle study of the side‐chain energetics of 3‐hexylthiophene, with the constraint of compatibility with crystal packing requirements. The first two torsion angles of the side chain closest to the ring were considered. Electron correlation is shown to be of great relevance in the assessment of the relative stability of folded conformers against extended ones. The roles of local charge‐transfer, rehybridization, steric repulsion, and basis set superposition error, were all considered in the rationalization of our results. We extend our analysis to the thiophene/methane complex in order to elucidate the main differences between intermolecular and intramolecular CH/π phenomena. While in the noncovalent complex a single C—H bond mediates the interaction, folded arrangements of 3‐alkylthiophenes require the collective effort of several aliphatic bonds. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Stable isotope probing of amino sugars – a promising tool to assess microbial interactions in soils
Authors: Bodé Samuel , Fancy Rubeca , Boeckx Pascal
Published: May 2013

RATIONALE

Bacteria and fungi are key protagonists of litter degradation in soils. Often they have to share common substrates, which has led to special interactions between both microbial groups. Due to the historical classification of bacteriology and mycology as two separate fields of microbial research, the understanding of their interactions in soils is scares, while it is crucial for a better understanding of nutrient recycling and carbon sequestration in soils. Therefore, a new approach to investigate fungal‐bacterial interactions is proposed using stable isotope probing of their amino sugar biomarkers.

METHODS

An agricultural soil, under different microbial inhibition treatments, was incubated for 21 days with 13C‐labeled plant residues. Residue respiration was determined by measuring the isotopic composition and concentration of the produced CO2, using an isotope ratio mass spectrometer coupled to a trace gas preparation unit. At several time points, amino sugars were extracted, after hydrolysis, from the incubated microcosms. Subsequently, 13C‐isotopic composition and concentration of the individual amino sugars was determined using liquid chromatography/isotope ratio mass spectrometry.

RESULTS

When the bacterial community was inhibited, fungi showed an increased capacity to metabolize added plant residues indicating an antagonistic effect of bacteria towards fungi. Furthermore, the fungal community was able to take benefit of a larger portion of the residue, which indicates that this antagonism was at least partially due to interference competition. On the other hand, the inhibition of the fungal community appeared to have a very negative effect on the capacity of bacteria to metabolize added plant residues. Therefore, the bacterial community could be considered as playing a parasitic type role towards fungi during litter degradation.

CONCLUSIONS

This newly developed methodology proved to be very useful for elucidating microbial interactions during plant residue degradation. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Using matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry for the characterization of functionalized carbon nanotubes
Authors: Carroccio S. C. , Curcuruto G. , Tz. Dintcheva N. , Gambarotti C. , Coiai S. , Filippone G.
Published: May 2013

RATIONALE

Functionalization of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) generates complex systems that require the development of suitable characterization protocols. New techniques have been explored, and existing analytical and spectroscopic methods to characterize functionalized CNTs have been adapted. Presently, chemical characterization of functionalized CNTs (f‐CNTs) remains a difficult task.

METHODS

Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) analysis is performed on f‐MWCNT samples prepared via grafting or absorption of anti‐oxidant (AO) molecules on both MWCNT‐COOH and MWCNT‐OH. Covalently functionalized MWCNTs were subjected to thermal degradation and/or hydrolysis reaction before analysis, whereas MWCNTs with a physical adsorption of the functionalizing molecules were directly spotted in the target sample. Noteworthy, in our approach f‐MWCNTs constitute at the same time analyte and MALDI matrix.

RESULTS

The identification of functionalizing AO molecules is ascertained after degradation or hydrolysis reactions in both MWCNT‐COOH and MWCNT‐OH grafted samples. Absorbed AO molecules, as well as organic impurities derived from grafting reactions, are also revealed by MALDI MS without any preliminary cleavage reaction.

CONCLUSIONS

A simple MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry method permits to obtain the unambiguous discrimination between grafted or adsorbed functionalized molecules onto the surface of MWCNTs. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Selective Combination of Visual and Thermal Imaging for Resilient Localization in Adverse Conditions: Day and Night, Smoke and Fire
Authors: Brunner Christopher , Peynot Thierry , Vidal‐Calleja Teresa , Underwood James
Published: May 2013

Long‐term autonomy in robotics requires perception systems that are resilient to unusual but realistic conditions that will eventually occur during extended missions. For example, unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) need to be capable of operating safely in adverse and low‐visibility conditions, such as at night or in the presence of smoke. The key to a resilient UGV perception system lies in the use of multiple sensor modalities, e.g., operating at different frequencies of the electromagnetic spectrum, to compensate for the limitations of a single sensor type. In this paper, visual and infrared imaging are combined in a Visual‐SLAM algorithm to achieve localization. We propose to evaluate the quality of data provided by each sensor modality prior to data combination. This evaluation is used to discard low‐quality data, i.e., data most likely to induce large localization errors. In this way, perceptual failures are anticipated and mitigated. An extensive experimental evaluation is conducted on data sets collected with a UGV in a range of environments and adverse conditions, including the presence of smoke (obstructing the visual camera), fire, extreme heat (saturating the infrared camera), low‐light conditions (dusk), and at night with sudden variations of artificial light. A total of 240 trajectory estimates are obtained using five different variations of data sources and data combination strategies in the localization method. In particular, the proposed approach for selective data combination is compared to methods using a single sensor type or combining both modalities without preselection. We show that the proposed framework allows for camera‐based localization resilient to a large range of low‐visibility conditions.
Cyclic redundancy check‐based detection algorithms for automatic identification system signals received by satellite
Authors: Prévost Raoul , Coulon Martial , Bonacci David , LeMaitre Julia , Millerioux Jean‐Pierre , Tourneret Jean‐Yves
Published: May 2013

This paper addresses the problem of demodulating signals transmitted in the automatic identification system. The main characteristics of such signals consist of two points: (i) they are modulated using a trellis‐coded modulation, more precisely a Gaussian minimum shift keying modulation; and (ii) they are submitted to a bit stuffing procedure, which makes more difficult the detection of the transmitted information bits. This paper presents several demodulation algorithms developed in different contexts: mono‐user and multi‐user transmissions, and known/unknown phase shift. The proposed receiver uses the cyclic redundancy check (CRC) present in the automatic identification system signals for error correction and not for error detection only. By using this CRC, a particular Viterbi algorithm, on the basis of a so‐called extended trellis, is developed. This trellis is defined by extended states composed of a trellis code state and a CRC state. Moreover, specific conditional transitions are defined to take into account the possible presence of stuffing bits. The algorithms proposed in the multi‐user scenario present a small increase of computation complexity with respect to the mono‐user algorithms. Some performance results are presented for several scenarios in the context of the automatic identification system and compared with those of existing techniques developed in similar scenarios. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Efficient public key encryption with revocable keyword search
Authors: Yu Yong , Ni Jianbing , Yang Haomiao , Mu Yi , Susilo Willy
Published: May 2013

Public key encryption with keyword search is a novel cryptographic primitive enabling one to search on the encrypted data directly. In the known schemes, once getting a trapdoor, the server can search associated data without any restrictions. However, in reality, it is sometimes essential to prevent the server from searching the data all the time because the server is not fully trusted. In this paper, we propose the notion of public key encryption with revocable keyword search to address the issue. We also develop a concrete construction by dividing the whole life of the system into distinct times to achieve our goals. The proposed scheme achieves the properties of the indistinguishability of ciphertexts against an adaptive chosen keywords attack security under the co‐decisional bilinear Diffie–Hellman assumption in our security model. Compared with two somewhat schemes, ours offers much better performance in terms of computational cost. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Secure and efficient data collection in wireless image sensor network based on ellipse batch dispersive routing
Authors: Su Sheng , Yu Haijie
Published: May 2013

Wireless image sensor network generates a large number of images from the distributed camera sensors. The image data need to be delivered securely and efficiently to the sink in many circumstances. The current node‐disjoint multipath and dispersive routings cannot provide enough security and efficiency for the image data collection and transportation. In this paper, we propose an ellipse batch dispersive routing (EBDR) algorithm to address the secure and efficient data collection issue in wireless image sensor network. Images are broken into many shares using (K, N) threshold secret sharing. A multi‐hop path is built for each share. All hop nodes are constrained in an ellipse. The routing chooses a relay node for each share of an image in each hop selection step. Relay nodes are dispersed in the whole ellipse area. We analyze the interception probability of shares and delivery delay of EBDR compared with multicast tree‐assisted random propagation. Simulation experiments show that EBDR can obtain better security and efficiency for the routing of image data than multicast tree‐assisted random propagation routing protocol. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Functional and Spatial System Model for City Infrastructure Systems: A City.Net IES Case Study
Authors: Adepetu Adedamola , Grogan Paul , Alfaris Anas , Svetinovic Davor , de Weck Olivier L.
Published: May 2013

City infrastructure systems have distinct functions but are not isolated from one another, with interactions existing between these systems. Modeling these systems requires a focus on the system functions and interdependencies. Most models focus on system failures rather than the unexpected effects of design decisions in these systems. This paper presents a functional and spatial modeling framework suited for the representation of city infrastructure systems. This framework comprises a systematic process for breaking down the system into fundamental components and defining the relations between the system components. In addition, the spatial feature of the framework facilitates the synthesis, analysis, and evaluation of infrastructures based on their geographical locations and spatial orientations. This system modeling approach is used to design an Integrated Energy System (IES) model in order to exhibit the features of this framework. The IES consists of standard energy system estimation techniques and tools such as MATPOWER for load flow analysis, and is also used to execute a city case study. As a result, the advantages of the functional and spatial framework for modeling city infrastructures are presented.
Multi‐target localization in wireless sensor networks: a compressive sampling‐based approach
Authors: Xin Kefei , Cheng Peng , Chen Jiming
Published: May 2013

This paper considers the problem of localizing a group of targets whose number is unknown by wireless sensor networks. At each time slot, to save energy and bandwidth resources, only part of sensor nodes are scheduled to activate to remain continuous monitoring of all the targets. The localization problem is formulated as a sparse vector recovery problem by utilizing the spatial sparsity of targets’ location. Specifically, each activated sensor records the RSS values of the signals received from the targets and sends the measurements to the sink node where a compressive sampling‐based localization algorithm is conducted to recover the number and locations of targets. We decompose the problem into two sub‐problems, namely, which sensor nodes to activate, and how to utilize the measurements. For the first subproblem, to reduce the effect of measurement noise, we propose an iterative activation algorithm to re‐assign the activation probability of each sensor by exploiting the previous estimate. For the second subproblem, to further improve the localization accuracy, a sequential recovery algorithm is proposed, which conducts compressive sampling on the least squares residual of the previous estimate such that all the previous estimate can be utilized. Under some mild assumptions, we provide the analytical performance bound of our algorithm, and the running time of proposed algorithm is given subsequently. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of our algorithms.Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Electron contribution to photon transport in coupled photon‐electron problems: inner‐shell impact ionization correction to XRF
Authors: Fernandez Jorge E. , Scot Viviana , Verardi Luca , Salvat Francesc
Published: May 2013

The Monte Carlo code PENELOPE (coupled electron‐photon Monte Carlo) has been used to compute the effect of the secondary electrons on the X‐ray fluorescence characteristic lines. The mechanism that produces this contribution is the inner‐shell impact ionization. The ad hoc code KERNEL (which calls the PENELOPE library) has been used to simulate a forced first collision at the origin of coordinates. The electron correction (produced by the secondary electrons and their multiple scattering) has been studied in terms of angle, space and energy. The energy dependence has been quantified in the interval 1–150 keV, for all the emission lines (K, L and M) of the elements with atomic numbers Z = 11–92. For each characteristic line, the energy dependence is described by simple parametric expressions corresponding to the five energy regions delimited by the K, L1, L2 and L3 absorption edges. It has been introduced a new photon kernel comprising the correction due to inner‐shell impact ionization. The new kernel is suitable to be adopted in photon transport codes (either deterministic or Monte Carlo) with a minimal effort. Finally, the new kernel has been studied for different elements and lines to trace a general behavior. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Stable and Metastable Self‐Assembled Rings based on trans‐chelated PdII
Authors: Pereira Fernanda A. , Fallows Thomas , Frank Marina , Chen Anqi , Clever Guido H.
Published: May 2013

In contrast to the large number of self‐assembled ring and cage structures based on cis‐chelated square‐planar metal complexes as connecting nodes, the use of trans‐chelated square‐planar building blocks is vastly underrepresented in supramolecular coordination chemistry. We here report of a strategy for the formation of self‐assembled ring structures based on the trans‐chelating ligand 1, 2‐bis(2‐pyridylethinyl)‐benzene coordinated to PdII in a 1:1 fashion and bis‐monodentate pyridyl bridging ligands. Depending on the angle between the two N‐donor functionalities of the bridging ligands, three‐ or two‐membered rings are quantitatively formed in solution. Whereas the former species show a high thermodynamic stability, the latter rings are of only kinetic stability if the bridging ligand is also able to form a coordination cage as an alternative product. The assembly and transformation of the supramolecular structures was characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy and high‐resolution FTICR‐ESI mass spectrometry, augmented by semiempiric PM6 geometry optimizations.
Extended supersymmetry and BPS solutions in baby Skyrme models
Authors: Adam C. , Queiruga J. M. , Sanchez-Guillen J. , Wereszczynski A.
Published: May 2013

Abstract

We continue the investigation of supersymmetric extensions of baby Skyrme models in d = 2 + 1 dimensions. In a first step, we show that the CP(1) form of the baby Skyrme model allows for the same N = 1 SUSY extension as its O(3) formulation. Then we construct the N = 1 SUSY extension of the gauged baby Skyrme model, i.e., the baby Skyrme model coupled to Maxwell electrodynamics. In a next step, we investigate the issue of N = 2 SUSY extensions of baby Skyrme models. We find that all gauged and ungauged submodels of the baby Skyrme model which support BPS soliton solutions allow for an N = 2 extension such that the BPS solutions are one-half BPS states (i.e., annihilated by one-half of the SUSY charges). In the course of our investigation, we also derive the general BPS equations for completely general N = 2 supersymmetric field theories of (both gauged and ungauged) chiral superfields, and apply them to the gauged nonlinear sigma model as a further, concrete example.
Taming the zoo of supersymmetric quantum mechanical models
Authors: Smilga A.V.
Published: May 2013

Abstract

We show that in many cases nontrivial and complicated supersymmetric quantum mechanical (SQM) models can be obtained from the simple model describing free dynamics in flat complex space by two operations: (i) Hamiltonian reduction and (ii) similarity transformation of the complex supercharges. We conjecture that it is true for any SQM model.
α‐Tocopherol does not Accelerate Depletion of γ‐Tocopherol and Tocotrienol or Excretion of their Metabolites in Rats
Authors: Uchida Tomono , Nomura Saki , Sakuma Eri , Hanzawa Fumiaki , Ikeda Saiko
Published: May 2013

From an enzyme kinetic study using rat liver microsomes, α‐tocopherol has been suggested to accelerate the other vitamin E catabolism by stimulating vitamin E ω‐hydroxylation, the late limiting reaction of the vitamin E catabolic pathway. To test the effect of α‐tocopherol on catabolism of the other vitamin E isoforms in vivo, we determined whether α‐tocopherol accelerates depletion of γ‐tocopherol and tocotrienol and excretion of their metabolites in rats. Male Wistar rats were fed a γ‐tocopherol‐rich diet for 6 weeks followed by a γ‐tocopherol‐free diet with or without α‐tocopherol for 7 days. Intake of γ‐tocopherol‐free diets lowered γ‐tocopherol concentrations in serum, liver, adrenal gland, small intestine, and heart, but there was no effect of dietary α‐tocopherol on γ‐tocopherol concentrations. The level of urinary excretion of γ‐tocopherol metabolite was not affected by dietary α‐tocopherol. Next, the effect of α‐tocopherol on tocotrienol depletion was examined using rats fed a tocotrienol‐rich diet for 6 weeks. Subsequent intake of a tocotrienol‐free diet with or without α‐tocopherol for 7 days depleted concentrations of α‐ and γ‐tocotrienol in serum and tissues, which was accompanied by a decrease in the excretion of γ‐tocotrienol metabolite. However, neither the tocotrienol concentration nor γ‐tocotrienol metabolite excretion was affected by dietary α‐tocopherol. These data showed that dietary α‐tocopherol did not accelerate the depletion of γ‐tocopherol and tocotrienol and their metabolite excretions, suggesting that the positive effect of α‐tocopherol on vitamin E ω‐hydroxylase is not sufficient to affect the other isoform concentrations in tissues.
Acetate Reduces PGE2 Release and Modulates Phospholipase and Cyclooxygenase Levels in Neuroglia Stimulated with Lipopolysaccharide
Authors: Soliman Mahmoud L. , Ohm Joyce E. , Rosenberger Thad A.
Published: May 2013

Acetate supplementation attenuates neuroglial activation, increases histone and non‐histone protein acetylation, reduces pro‐inflammatory cytokine expression, and increases IL‐4 transcription in rat models of neuroinflammation and Lyme's neuroborreliosis. Because eicosanoid signaling is involved in neuroinflammation, we measured the effect acetate treatment had on phospholipase, cyclooxygenase, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels in BV‐2 microglia and primary astrocytes stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In BV‐2 microglia, we found that LPS increased the phosphorylation‐state of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2), reduced the levels of phospholipase C (PLC) β1, and increased the levels of cyclooxygenase (Cox)‐1 and ‐2. Acetate treatment returned PLCβ1 and Cox‐1 levels to normal, attenuated the increase in Cox‐2, but had no effect on cPLA2 phosphorylation. In primary astrocytes, LPS increased the phosphorylation of cPLA2 and increased the levels of Cox‐1 and Cox‐2. Acetate treatment in these cells reduced secretory PLA2 IIA and PLCβ1 levels as compared to LPS‐treatment groups, reversed the increase in cPLA2 phosphorylation, and returned Cox‐1 levels to normal. Acetate treatment reduced PGE2 release in astrocytes stimulated with LPS to control levels, but did not alter PGE2 levels in BV‐2 microglia. The amount of acetylated H3K9 bound to the promoter regions of Cox‐1, Cox‐2, IL‐1β and NF‐κB p65 genes, but not IL‐4 in were increased in BV‐2 microglia treated with acetate. These data suggest that acetate treatment can disrupt eicosanoid signaling in neuroglia that may, in part, be the result of altering gene expression due chromatin remodeling as a result of increasing H3K9 acetylation.
Brewer's Yeast as a New Source of Palmitoleic Acid—Analysis of Triacylglycerols by LC–MS
Authors: Řezanka Tomáš , Matoulková Dagmar , Kolouchová Irena , Masák Jan , Sigler Karel
Published: May 2013

We identified both fatty acids and TAG in waste yeast from seven breweries employing both top and bottom fermentation. Brewer′s yeast was found to contain FA exhibiting a broad range of acyl chain lengths, with a high proportion of the nutritionally and biotechnologically important palmitoleic acid. Analysis of FA by GC–MS and of TAG by LC–MS with APCI provided information on the type of brewer′s yeast and technology of fermentation. The composition of TAG containing major FA such as palmitic, palmitoleic and oleic acid was found to depend not only on the type of yeast strain, i.e. Saccharomycespastorianus or S. cerevisiae, but also on brewing fermentation process, i.e. top versus bottom fermentation. Top and bottom yeast can readily be distinguished by the ratios of some regioisomers of TAG since, e.g., the ratio of regioisomers PoOPo and PoPoO is always >1 in top fermenting yeast and <1 in bottom yeast. The ratios can thus be used as markers for determining the yeast type and beer‐producing technology in a given brewery.
Flexible interwoven termini determine the thermal stability of thermosomes
Authors: Zhang Kai , Wang Li , Liu Yanxin , Chan Kwok-Yan , Pang Xiaoyun , Schulten Klaus , Dong Zhiyang , Sun Fei
Published: May 2013

Group II chaperonins, which assemble as double-ring complexes, assist in the refolding of nascent peptides or denatured proteins in an ATP-dependent manner. The molecular mechanism of group II chaperonin assembly and thermal stability is yet to be elucidated. Here, we selected the group II chaperonins (cpn-α and cpn-β), also called thermosomes, from Acidianus tengchongensis and investigated their assembly and thermal stability. We found that the binding of ATP or its analogs contributed to the successful assembly of thermosomes and enhanced their thermal stabilities. Cpn-β is more thermally stable than cpn-α, while the thermal stability of the hetero thermosome cpn-αβ is intermediate. Cryo-electron microscopy reconstructions of cpn-α and cpn-β revealed the interwoven densities of their non-conserved flexible N/C-termini around the equatorial planes. The deletion or swapping of their termini and pH-dependent thermal stability assays revealed the key role of the termini electrostatic interactions in the assembly and thermal stability of the thermosomes.
B‐regulatory cells in autoimmunity and immune mediated inflammation
Authors: Vadasz Zahava , Haj Tharwat , Kessel Aharon , Toubi Elias
Published: May 2013

B cells are a source of inhibitory cytokines such as IL‐10 and TGF‐β. The ability of being B‐regulatory cells (B‐regs) was shown to be driven by many stimulatory factors such as toll‐like receptors, CD40‐ligand and others. However, the characterization of B‐regs is still underway. B‐regs express high levels of CD25, CD86, IL‐10 and TGF‐β. In addition, we propose that semaphorin3A is a regulatory molecule and therefore can serve as one of the additional markers for B‐regs. This subset of B cells was able to suppress Th1 proliferation, thus contributing to the maintenance of self‐tolerance. Finally, the potentiation of B‐reg function should become the aim of many immunomodulatory drugs, contributing to a better control of autoimmune diseases.
Scavenger receptor B1 post‐translational modifications in Rett syndrome
Authors: Sticozzi Claudia , Belmonte Giuseppe , Pecorelli Alessandra , Cervellati Franco , Leoncini Silvia , Signorini Cinzia , Ciccoli Lucia , De Felice Claudio , Hayek Joussef , Valacchi Giuseppe
Published: May 2013

The modulation of the HDL receptor scavenger receptor B1 (SRB1) was evaluated in skin fibroblasts isolated from patients with Rett syndrome (RTT), a genetic form of infantile autism. Patients showed an altered plasma lipid profile, while their skin fibroblasts showed a dramatic reduction in SRB1 (immunogold, Western blot and immunohistochemistry). The decreased SRB1 levels were demonstrated to be the consequence of its binding with 4‐hydroxy‐2‐nonenal (4HNE), a product of lipid peroxidation, and its increased ubiquitination. Our findings show for the first time a loss of SRB1 in RTT cells and its relationship with a chronic oxidative stress status.
Compensatory knowledge signaling in consumer word‐of‐mouth
Authors: Packard Grant , Wooten David B.
Published: May 2013

This paper extends prior research on consumer knowledge beliefs and word‐of‐mouth transmission. Findings from four studies suggest that people compensate for unfavorable discrepancies between their actual and ideal consumer knowledge with heightened efforts to signal knowledgeability through the content and volume of their word‐of‐mouth transmissions. This compensatory knowledge signaling effect is moderated by the self‐concept relevance (psychological closeness) of the word‐of‐mouth target and lay beliefs in the self‐enhancement benefits of transmitting product knowledge. Content analysis of participants' product communications further supports our knowledge signaling account. The relationship between actual:ideal knowledge discrepancies and heightened word‐of‐mouth intentions is mediated by the specific negative emotion associated with actual:ideal self‐discrepancies. Overall, the findings suggest that the relationship between consumer knowledge and word‐of‐mouth transmission depends not only on what you think you know, but also on what you wish you knew.
Variable phenotype expression with a frameshift mutation of the cardiac sodium channel gene SCN5A
Authors: Kawakami Hiroshi , Aiba Takeshi , Yamada Tadakatsu , Okayama Hideki , Kazatani Yukio , Konishi Kyoko , Nakajima Ikutaro , Miyamoto Koji , Yamada Yuko , Okamura Hideo , Noda Takashi , Satomi Kazuhiro , Kamakura Shiro , Makita Naomasa , Shimizu Wataru
Published: May 2013

Loss‐of‐function mutations in the cardiac sodium channel α‐subunit gene SCN5A result in multiple inherited arrhythmic syndromes. This case report describes 2 unrelated probands carrying an identical SCN5A frameshift mutation, V1764fsX1786, who exhibited distinct clinical manifestations: progressive cardiac conduction defect (PCCD)/Brugada syndrome (patient #1) and idiopathic ventricular fibrillation (IVF) (patient #2). Using a whole‐cell patch clamp technique, cells expressing V1764fsX1786 showed no observable Na+ current. Therefore, a significant phenotypic overlap was found between IVF and PCCD/Brugada syndrome in the 2 probands with the V1764fsX1786, loss‐of‐function frameshift mutation of the cardiac sodium channel gene SCN5A.
Prevalence of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo in the Young Adult Population
Authors: Kerrigan Mary A. , Costigan Marguerite F. , Blatt Kathryn J. , Mathiason Michelle A. , Domroese Mark E.
Published: May 2013

Objective

To evaluate the prevalence of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), defined as positionally induced nystagmus (PIN) with associated symptoms on provocative testing, in the young healthy adult population.

Design

A prospective, cohort, screening study.

Setting

A community‐based hospital located in a small midwestern city with a greater metropolitan population of approximately 125,000.

Participants

One hundred ninety‐eight young adults (99 men and 99 women), ages 18‐34 years and not being treated for dizziness or balance problems, were recruited from November 2009 to April 2010.

Methods

The participants completed questionnaires that detailed demographics, medical and surgical history, sports and/or activity participation history, and baseline symptoms commonly associated with BPPV. The participants were screened for inclusion with an ocular motor assessment in room light, followed by a vestibular positional assessment for BPPV with infrared camera–equipped goggles recorded on digital video disk.

Main Outcome Measurement

The prevalence of BPPV, defined as PIN, along with symptoms in study participants.

Results

The prevalence of BPPV was 9% in this young adult population. Symptoms during testing were reported in 14% of all subjects (22% of women, 5% of men). Of 22 women who reported symptoms, 12 had PIN (P = .519), whereas the 5 men who reported symptoms all had PIN (P = .001). PIN, characteristic of that seen in BPPV (with or without associated symptoms), was identified in 53% of subjects, with 43% of subjects having posterior canal involvement, 10% having anterior canal involvement, and 8% having horizontal canal involvement. Eleven percent of subjects had bilateral semicircular canal involvement.

Conclusion

Nine percent of our young adult subjects were diagnosed with previously unrecognized BPPV, with provoked symptoms of dizziness, headache, nausea, or imbalance, symptoms that may cause significant physical and psychosocial limitations if left untreated. This is an important finding because BPPV is an often‐overlooked diagnosis that has a known, very effective treatment.
PRIVACY AND LACK OF KNOWLEDGE
Authors: Fallis Don
Published: May 2013

Two sorts of connections between privacy and knowledge (or lack thereof) have been suggested in the philosophical literature. First, Alvin Goldman has suggested that protecting privacy typically leads to less knowledge being acquired. Second, several other philosophers (e.g. Parent, Matheson, Blaauw and Peels) have claimed that lack of knowledge is definitive of having privacy. In other words, someone not knowing something is necessary and sufficient for someone else having privacy about that thing. Or equivalently, someone knowing something is necessary and sufficient for someone else losing privacy about that thing. In this paper, I argue that both of these suggestions are incorrect. I begin by arguing, contra Goldman, that protecting privacy often leads to more knowledge being acquired. I argue in the remainder of the paper, contra the defenders of the knowledge account of privacy, that someone knowing something is not necessary for someone else losing privacy about that thing.
TESTIMONIAL ENTITLEMENT, NORMS OF ASSERTION AND PRIVACY
Authors: Nickel Philip J.
Published: May 2013

According to assurance views of testimonial justification, in virtue of the act of testifying a speaker provides an assurance of the truth of what she asserts to the addressee. This assurance provides a special justificatory force and a distinctive normative status to the addressee. It is thought to explain certain asymmetries between addressees and other unintended hearers (bystanders and eavesdroppers), such as the phenomenon that the addressee has a right to blame the speaker for conveying a falsehood but unintended hearers do not, and the phenomenon that the addressee may deflect challenges to his testimonial belief to the speaker but unintended hearers may not. Here I argue that we can do a better job explaining the normative statuses associated with testimony by reference to epistemic norms of assertion and privacy norms. Following Sanford Goldberg, I argue that epistemic norms of assertion, according to which sincere assertion is appropriate only when the asserter possesses certain epistemic goods, can be ‘put to work’ to explain the normative statuses associated with testimony. When these norms are violated, they give hearers the right to blame the speaker, and they also explain why the speaker takes responsibility for the justification of the statement asserted. Norms of privacy, on the other hand, directly exclude eavesdroppers and bystanders from an informational exchange, implying that they have no standing to do many of the things, such as issue challenges or questions to the speaker, that would be normal for conversational participants. This explains asymmetries of normative status associated with testimony in a way logically independent of speaker assurance.
A health screening and promotion clinic to improve metabolic monitoring for patients prescribed antipsychotic medication
Authors: Gallagher D. , Buckley M. , Kenny C. , Onwudiwe C. , Young C. , Rutledge J. , Grenham I. , Kilduff M.
Published: May 2013

Objectives

We sought to determine whether the introduction of a health screening and promotion clinic might serve as a useful addition to existing services for patients prescribed antipsychotic medication. In particular, we wished to assess whether such a clinic might improve adherence to best practice guidelines. We also wished to determine the level of patient interest in such a clinic and how readily this service might be provided within the constraints of existing clinical resources.

Methods

We conducted an audit of outpatient records before and following the introduction of a health screening and promotion clinic.

Results

Of the eligible patients, 73% attended the clinic. The proportion of patients who had fasting blood tests within the previous 12 months increased from 45% at baseline to 85% at follow-up (χ2 = 14.1, p < 0.001). The proportion of patients with appropriate physical observations completed increased from 5% at baseline to 80% at follow-up (χ2 = 46.0, p < 0.001).

Conclusions

We found that the introduction of a health screening and promotion clinic improved adherence to best practice guidelines. This service was well received and readily provided within the constraints of existing resources. Ultimately, the structure of services to screen and advise patients prescribed antipsychotic medication will be determined by local resource considerations and configuration of services.
Numerical Investigation on the Effect of the Size and Number of Stages on the Tesla Microvalve Efficiency
Authors: Mohammadzadeh K. , Kolahdouz E. M. , Shirani E. , Shafii M. B.
Published: May 2013

In the present study, the effect of the number of stages of Tesla Micro-Valve (TMV), as well as the dependency of Reynolds number, Re, on the valve performance has been analyzed. For this purpose, different layouts include one to four-stage with different sizes are investigated numerically. The main criterion for evaluation of valves performance is diodicity, Di. Unsteady and steady flow in valve have been simulated and compared. It is shown that although there are some difference but the trend is similar for both responses. Finally, 2-D and steady state computations of the fluid flow have been utilized that reveal a strong dependence of Di on Re and pressure drop, ΔP. The results showed that the maximum Di of the two-stage microvalve is approximately 1.45 times of that of one-stage. Additional stages increase the complexity, and they do not change Di appreciably. It is concluded that two-stage layout of Tesla type valve is the best option. Also, the two-stage valve performance for three different sizes is compared with Nozzle-Diffuser type Micro-Valve (NDMV). Comparisons, which are performed based on calculation Di in applicable range of Re, showed that Di as a function of Re is independent of the valve size. Also, the superiority of the Tesla type valve at higher Re and its weakness at lower Re is observed.
Tectonothermal evolution of a major thrust system: the Esla–Valsurbio unit (Cantabrian Zone, NW Spain)
Authors: GARCÍA-LÓPEZ SUSANA , BASTIDA FERNANDO , ALLER JESÚS , SANZ-LÓPEZ JAVIER , MARÍN JOSÉ A. , BLANCO-FERRERA SILVIA
Published: May 2013

The tectonothermal evolution of a unit in the foreland fold-and-thrust belt of the Iberian massif is established using the conodont colour alteration index (CAI). The unit consists of two parts with different tectonothermal histories – the Esla nappe region and the Valsurbio region – separated by a synorogenic Carboniferous basin (Guardo–Valderrueda basin). The Esla nappe region evolved in diacaizonal conditions (corresponding to the diagenetic conditions of the pelites) whose palaeotemperatures were controlled by rock burial. Maximum values were reached before the emplacement of the thrust nappes, so tectonic superimposition is not registered by the CAI. Overburial due to the emplacement of the thrust units was prevented by simultaneous intense erosion. The geothermal gradient obtained for burial wasc. 35 °C km−1and the temperature reached by the older Cambrian rocks wasc. 210–230 °C. The Valsurbio region was affected by an extensional tectonothermal post-orogenic event that gave rise to metamorphism with ancaizonal or epicaizonal conditions (corresponding to anchizone or epizone of the pelites). The most common maximum palaeotemperatures reached in this event fall within the range 305–415 °C, although higher palaeotemperatures could be reached locally as a consequence of contact metamorphism. This event gave rise to subhorizontal cleavage that cuts the main Variscan folds. Coal rank data indicate an increase in maximum palaeotemperatures eastwards from the Esla nappe region to the Valsurbio region through the Guardo–Valderrueda basin.