bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contributions of both ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter and Cyp51A Proteins Are Essential for Azole Resistance in Aspergillus fumigatus
Authors: Paul Sanjoy , Diekema Daniel , Moye-Rowley W. Scott
Published: March 2017

While azole drugs targeting the biosynthesis of ergosterol are effective antifungal agents, their extensive use has led to the development of resistant organisms. Infections involving azole-resistant forms of the filamentous fungus
Aspergillus fumigatus
are often associated with genetic changes in the
cyp51A
gene encoding the lanosterol α14 demethylase target enzyme. Both a sequence duplication in the
cyp51A
promoter (TR34) and a substitution mutation in the coding sequence (L98H) are required for the full expression of azole resistance. A mechanism commonly observed in pathogenic yeast such as
Candida albicans
involves gain-of-function mutations in transcriptional regulatory proteins that induce expression of genes encoding ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters. We and others have found that an ABC transporter protein called Cdr1B (here referred to as AbcG1) is required for wild-type azole resistance in
A. fumigatus
. Here, we test the genetic relationship between the TR34 L98H allele of
cyp51A
and an
abcG1
null mutation. Loss of AbcG1 from a TR34 L98H
cyp51A
-containing strain caused a large decrease in the azole resistance of the resulting double-mutant strain. We also generated antibodies that enabled the detection of both the wild-type and L98H forms of the Cyp51A protein. The introduction of the L98H lesion into the
cyp51A
gene led to a decreased production of immunoreactive enzyme, suggesting that this mutant protein is unstable. Our data confirm the importance of AbcG1 function during azole resistance even in a strongly drug-resistant background.
Differences in the Importance of Mast Cells, Basophils, IgE, and IgG versus That of CD4+T Cells and ILC2 Cells in Primary and Secondary Immunity to Strongyloides venezuelensis
Authors: Mukai Kaori , Karasuyama Hajime , Kabashima Kenji , Kubo Masato , Galli Stephen J.
Published: March 2017

There is evidence that mast cells, basophils, and IgE can contribute to immune responses to parasites; however, the relative levels of importance of these effector elements in parasite immunity are not fully understood. Previous work inIl3-deficient and c-kitmutantKitW/W-vmice indicated that interleukin-3 and c-Kit contribute to expulsion of the intestinal nematodeStrongyloides venezuelensisduring primary infection. Our findings in mast cell-deficientKitW-sh/W-shmice and two types of mast cell-deficient mice that have normal c-kit(“HelloKitty” and MasTRECK mice) confirmed prior work inKitW/W-vmice that suggested that mast cells play an important role inS. venezuelensisegg clearance in primary infections. We also assessed a possible contribution of basophils in immune responses toS. venezuelensis. By immunohistochemistry, we found that numbers of basophils and mast cells were markedly increased in the jejunal mucosa during primary infections withS. venezuelensis. Studies in basophil-deficientMcpt8DTRmice revealed a small but significant contribution of basophils toS. venezuelensisegg clearance in primary infections. Studies in mice deficient in various components of immune responses showed that CD4+T cells and ILC2 cells, IgG, FcRγ, and, to a lesser extent, IgE and FcεRI contribute to effective immunity in primaryS. venezuelensisinfections. These findings support the conclusion that the hierarchy of importance of immune effector mechanisms in primaryS. venezuelensisinfection is as follows: CD4+T cells/ILC2 cells, IgG, and FcRγ>mast cells>IgE and FcεRI>basophils. In contrast, in secondaryS. venezuelensisinfection, our evidence indicates that the presence of CD4+T cells is of critical importance but mast cells, antibodies, and basophils have few or no nonredundant roles.
Inactivation ofNMB0419, Encoding a Sel1-Like Repeat (SLR) Protein, in Neisseria meningitidis Is Associated with Differential Expression of Genes Belonging to the Fur Regulon and Reduced Intraepithelial Replication
Authors: Li Ming-Shi , Langford Paul R. , Kroll J. Simon
Published: March 2017

Neisseria meningitidisis a commensal microbe that colonizes the human nasopharynx but occasionally invades the bloodstream to cause life-threatening infection.N. meningitidisMC58NMB0419encodes a Sel1-like repeat (SLR)-containing protein, previously implicated in invasion of epithelial cells. A gene-regulatory function was revealed inEscherichia coliexpressing plasmid-borneNMB0419and showing significantly increased epithelial adherence compared to the wild type, due to increased expression of mannose-sensitive type 1 pili. While a meningococcalNMB0419mutant did not have altered epithelial adherence, in a transcriptome-wide comparison of the wild type and anNMB0419mutant, a large proportion of genes differentially regulated in the mutant were involved in iron acquisition and metabolism. Fifty-one percent and 38% of genes, respectively, up- and downregulated in theNMB0419mutant had previously been identified as being induced and repressed by meningococcal Fur. Anin vitrogrowth defect of theNMB0419mutant under iron restriction was consistent with the downregulation oftbpABandhmbR, while an intraepithelial replication defect was consistent with the downregulation oftonB,exbB, andexbD, based on a known phenotype of a meningococcaltonBmutant. Disruption of the N-terminal NMB0419 signal peptide, predicted to export the protein beyond the cytoplasmic membrane, resulted in loss of functional traits inN. meningitidisandE. coli. Our study indicates that the expression ofNMB0419is associated with transcriptional changes counterbalancing the regulatory function of Fur, offering a new perspective on regulatory mechanisms involved in meningococcal interaction with epithelial cells, and suggests new insights into the roles of SLR-containing genes in other bacteria.
Going Outside the TonB Box: Identification of Novel FepA-TonB Interactions
In Vivo
Authors: Gresock Michael G. , Postle Kathleen
Published: March 2017

In Gram-negative bacteria, the cytoplasmic membrane protein TonB transmits energy derived from proton motive force to energize transport of important nutrients through TonB-dependent transporters in the outer membrane. Each transporter consists of a beta barrel domain and a lumen-occluding cork domain containing an essential sequence called the TonB box. To date, the only identified site of transporter-TonB interaction is between the TonB box and residues ∼158 to 162 of TonB. While the mechanism of ligand transport is a mystery, a current model based on site-directed spin labeling and molecular dynamics simulations is that, following ligand binding, the otherwise-sequestered TonB box extends into the periplasm for recognition by TonB, which mediates transport by pulling or twisting the cork. In this study, we tested that hypothesis with the outer membrane transporter FepA using
in vivo
photo-cross-linking to explore interactions of its TonB box and determine whether additional FepA-TonB interaction sites exist. We found numerous specific sites of FepA interaction with TonB on the periplasmic face of the FepA cork in addition to the TonB box. Two residues, T32 and A33, might constitute a ligand-sensitive conformational switch. The facts that some interactions were enhanced in the absence of ligand and that other interactions did not require the TonB box argued against the current model and suggested that the transport process is more complex than originally conceived, with subtleties that might provide a mechanism for discrimination among ligand-loaded transporters. These results constitute the first study on the dynamics of TonB-gated transporter interaction with TonB
in vivo
.

IMPORTANCE
The TonB system of Gram-negative bacteria has a noncanonical active transport mechanism involving signal transduction and proteins integral to both membranes. To achieve transport, the cytoplasmic membrane protein TonB physically contacts outer membrane transporters such as FepA. Only one contact between TonB and outer membrane transporters has been identified to date: the TonB box at the transporter amino terminus. The TonB box has low information content, raising the question of how TonB can discriminate among multiple different TonB-dependent transporters present in the bacterium if it is the only means of contact. Here we identified several additional sites through which FepA contacts TonB
in vivo
, including two neighboring residues that may explain how FepA signals to TonB that ligand has bound.
Pulmonary vein mass with extension to the left atrium diagnosed by echocardiography
Authors: Taquiso Jezreel Labrador , Aherrera Jaime Alfonso Manalo , Magno Jose Donato , Sison Eric Oliver
Published: March 2017

We report a case of a man aged 65 years presenting with chronic cough, haemoptysis and intermittent atrial tachyarrhythmias on ECG. On 2D transthoracic echocardiography, an incidental left atrial mass was seen, initially thought to be a thrombus predisposed by intermittent atrial fibrillation. Transoesophageal echocardiography confirmed that this left atrial mass originated from a fixed, non-homogenous, right superior pulmonary vein mass with an extracardiac extension. Because of this finding, a thorough search for a primary focus lead to the discovery of a contiguous posterior mediastinal mass, which was a round cell neoplasm on histology. Management was deemed palliative. Although rare, left-sided cardiac masses should prompt the physician to search for a malignancy in the lung in high-risk patients, as haematogenous spread via the pulmonary vein is a potential mechanism for spread.
Tuberculous periprosthetic infection precipitated by infliximab therapy
Authors: Malhotra Rajesh , Gautam Deepak , Wahal Naman
Published: March 2017

Biological therapy with TNF-α inhibitors have been increasingly used in the treatment of inflammatory arthritis. Systemic tuberculosis infections are often known to occur following treatment with these biological agents. However, no case of periprosthetic tuberculous infection of the hip following this therapy has been reported. We report a case of a 45-year-old man who developed periprosthetic tuberculous infection soon after infliximab injection. We also discuss the need of pretreatment awareness, high index of suspicion, early diagnosis and management of such case.
Changing trends in reproductive/lifestyle factors in UK women: descriptive study within the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS)
Authors: Gentry-Maharaj Aleksandra , Glazer Clara , Burnell Matthew , Ryan Andy , Berry Hannah , Kalsi Jatinderpal , Woolas Robert , Skates Steve J , Campbell Stuart , Parmar Mahesh , Jacobs Ian , Menon Usha
Published: March 2017

Objective

There has been considerable interest in the impact of reproductive factors on health but there are little data on how these have varied over time. We explore trends in reproductive/lifestyle factors of postmenopausal British women by analysing self-reported data from participants of the UK Collaborative Trial of Ovarian Cancer Screening (UKCTOCS).

Design

Prospective birth cohort analysis.

Setting

Population cohort invited between 2001 and 2005 from age-sex registers of 27 Primary Care Trusts in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and recruited through 13 National Health Service Trusts.

Participants

202 638 postmenopausal women aged 50–74 years at randomisation to UKCTOCS between April 2001 and October 2005.

Interventions

Women were stratified into the following six birth cohorts (1925–1929, 1930–1934, 1935–1939, 1940–1944, 1945–1949, 1950–1955) based on year of birth. Self-reported data on reproductive factors provided at recruitment were explored using tabular and graphical summaries to examine for differences between the birth cohorts.

Outcome measures

Trends in mean age at menarche and menopause, use of oral contraceptives, change in family size, infertility treatments, tubal ligation and hysterectomy rates.

Results

Women born between 1935 and 1955 made up 86% of the cohort. Median age at menarche decreased from 13.4 for women born between 1925 and 1929 to 12.8 for women born between 1950 and 1955. Increased use of the oral contraceptives, infertility treatments and smaller family size was observed in the younger birth cohorts. Tubal ligation rates increased for those born between 1925 and 1945, but this increase did not persist in subsequent cohorts. Hysterectomy rates (17–20%) did not change over time.

Conclusions

The trends seen in this large cohort are likely to reflect the reproductive history of the UK female postmenopausal population of similar age. Since these are risk factors for hormone-related cancers, these trends are important in understanding the changing incidence of these cancers.

Trial registration number

International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial Number: 22488978.
Computer-determined dosage of insulin in the management of neonatal hyperglycaemia (HINT2): protocol of a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Alsweiler Jane , Williamson Kathryn , Bloomfield Frank , Chase Geoffrey , Harding Jane
Published: March 2017

Introduction

Neonatal hyperglycaemia is frequently treated with insulin, which may increase the risk of hypoglycaemia. Computer-determined dosage of insulin (CDD) with the STAR-GRYPHON program uses a computer model to predict an effective dose of insulin to treat hyperglycaemia while minimising the risk of hypoglycaemia. However, CDD models can require more frequent blood glucose testing than common clinical protocols. The aim of this trial is to determine if CDD using STAR-GRYPHON reduces hypoglycaemia in hyperglycaemic preterm babies treated with insulin independent of the frequency of blood glucose testing.

Methods and analysis

Design: Multicentre, non-blinded, randomised controlled trial. Setting: Neonatal intensive care units in New Zealand and Australia. Participants: 138 preterm babies ≤30 weeks' gestation or ≤1500 g at birth who develop hyperglycaemia (two consecutive blood glucose concentrations ≥10 mmol/L, at least 4 hours apart) will be randomised to one of three groups: (1) CDD using the STAR-GRYPHON model-based decision support system: insulin dose and frequency of blood glucose testing advised by STAR-GRYPHON, with a maximum testing interval of 4 hours; (2) bedside titration: insulin dose determined by medical staff, maximum blood glucose testing interval of 4 hours; (3) standard care: insulin dose and frequency of blood glucose testing determined by medical staff. The target range for blood glucose concentrations is 5–8 mmol/L in all groups. A subset of babies will have masked continuous glucose monitoring. Primary outcome: is the number of babies with one or more episodes of hypoglycaemia (blood glucose concentration <2.6 mmol/L), during treatment with insulin.

Ethics and dissemination

This protocol has been approved by New Zealand's Health and Disability Ethics Committee: 14/STH/26. A data safety monitoring committee has been appointed to oversee the trial. Findings will be disseminated to participants and carers, peer-reviewed journals, guideline developers and the public.

Trial registration number

12614000492651
Diagnosing malignant melanoma in ambulatory care: a systematic review of clinical prediction rules
Authors: Harrington Emma , Clyne Barbara , Wesseling Nieneke , Sandhu Harkiran , Armstrong Laura , Bennett Holly , Fahey Tom
Published: March 2017

Objectives

Malignant melanoma has high morbidity and mortality rates. Early diagnosis improves prognosis. Clinical prediction rules (CPRs) can be used to stratify patients with symptoms of suspected malignant melanoma to improve early diagnosis. We conducted a systematic review of CPRs for melanoma diagnosis in ambulatory care.

Design

Systematic review.

Data sources

A comprehensive search of PubMed, EMBASE, PROSPERO, CINAHL, the Cochrane Library and SCOPUS was conducted in May 2015, using combinations of keywords and medical subject headings (MeSH) terms.

Study selection and data extraction

Studies deriving and validating, validating or assessing the impact of a CPR for predicting melanoma diagnosis in ambulatory care were included. Data extraction and methodological quality assessment were guided by the CHARMS checklist.

Results

From 16 334 studies reviewed, 51 were included, validating the performance of 24 unique CPRs. Three impact analysis studies were identified. Five studies were set in primary care. The most commonly evaluated CPRs were the ABCD, more than one or uneven distribution of Colour, or a large (greater than 6 mm) Diameter (ABCD) dermoscopy rule (at a cut-point of >4.75; 8 studies; pooled sensitivity 0.85, 95% CI 0.73 to 0.93, specificity 0.72, 95% CI 0.65 to 0.78) and the 7-point dermoscopy checklist (at a cut-point of ≥1 recommending ruling in melanoma; 11 studies; pooled sensitivity 0.77, 95% CI 0.61 to 0.88, specificity 0.80, 95% CI 0.59 to 0.92). The methodological quality of studies varied.

Conclusions

At their recommended cut-points, the ABCD dermoscopy rule is more useful for ruling out melanoma than the 7-point dermoscopy checklist. A focus on impact analysis will help translate melanoma risk prediction rules into useful tools for clinical practice.
Management of pregnancy and obstetric complications in prehospital trauma care: faculty of prehospital care consensus guidelines
Authors: Battaloglu E , Porter K
Published: March 2017

This consensus statement seeks to provide clear guidance for the management of pregnant trauma patients in the prehospital setting. Pregnant patients sustaining trauma injuries have certain clinical management priorities beyond that of the non-pregnant trauma patients and that if overlooked may be detrimental to maternal and fetal outcomes.
KCNQ1 p.L353L affects splicing and modifies the phenotype in a founder population with long QT syndrome type 1
Authors: Kapplinger Jamie D , Erickson Anders , Asuri Sirisha , Tester David J , McIntosh Sarah , Kerr Charles R , Morrison Julie , Tang Anthony , Sanatani Shubhayan , Arbour Laura , Ackerman Michael J
Published: March 2017

Background

Variable expressivity and incomplete penetrance between individuals with identical long QT syndrome (LQTS) causative mutations largely remain unexplained. Founder populations provide a unique opportunity to explore modifying genetic effects. We examined the role of a novel synonymousKCNQ1p.L353L variant on the splicing of exon 8 and on heart rate corrected QT interval (QTc) in a population known to have a pathogenic LQTS type 1 (LQTS1) causative mutation, p.V205M, inKCNQ1-encoded Kv7.1.

Methods

419 adults were genotyped for p.V205M, p.L353L and a previously described QTc modifier (KCNH2-p.K897T). Adjusted linear regression determined the effect of each variant on QTc, alone and in combination. In addition, peripheral blood RNA was extracted from three controls and three p.L353L-positive individuals. The mutant transcript levels were assessed via qPCR and normalised to overallKCNQ1transcript levels to assess the effect on splicing.

Results

For women and men, respectively, p.L353L alone conferred a 10.0 (p=0.064) ms and 14.0 (p=0.014) ms increase in QTc and in men only a significant interaction effect in combination with the p.V205M (34.6 ms, p=0.003) resulting in a QTc of ∼500 ms. The mechanism of p.L353L's effect was attributed to approximately threefold increase in exon 8 exclusion resulting in ∼25% mutant transcripts of the totalKCNQ1transcript levels.

Conclusions

Our results provide the first evidence that synonymous variants outside the canonical splice sites inKCNQ1can alter splicing and clinically impact phenotype. Through this mechanism, we identified that p.L353L can precipitate QT prolongation by itself and produce a clinically relevant interactive effect in conjunction with other LQTS variants.
Venous collateral drainage patterns predict clinical worsening in dural venous sinus thrombosis
Authors: Sheth Sunil A , Trieu Harry , Liebeskind David S , Saver Jeffrey L , Szeder Viktor , Jahan Reza , Tateshima Satoshi , Duckwiler Gary
Published: March 2017

Background

Dural venous sinus thrombosis (DVST) is an increasingly recognized cause of a wide array of neurological symptoms, with outcomes that range from complete recovery to death. The condition of approximately 23% of patients with DVST will worsen after initial presentation, as a result of restricted venous outflow and venous hypertension, but early identification of this subset is challenging. A venous collateral scale (VCS) that grades alternative drainage routes may improve prediction of clinical deterioration.

Objective

To examine the ability of the VCS system to accurately identify patients with DVST who will experience clinical worsening, based on their imaging at presentation.

Methods

From our institutional database, we identified patients with DVST on dedicated venous imaging between January 2010 and July 2016. A VCS was created and calculated from venous imaging at presentation by two reviewers blinded to subsequent data.

Results

The 27 patients who met the inclusion criteria for this study had a median age of 42 years and 14 (52%) were female. Initial symptoms included headache without hemorrhage in 30% and focal deficit in 30%. Transverse sinus occlusion was present in 70% and superior sagittal sinus occlusion in 41%. VCS was 0 in 11%, 1 in 37%, and 2 in 52%. A lower VCS was significantly associated with clinical worsening both from time of initial symptom onset (77% vs 29%, VCS 0–1 vs 2, p<0.05) and during hospitalization (62% vs 0%, VCS 0–1 vs 2, p<0.01). In multivariate analysis, VCS but no other presenting features was significantly associated with in-hospital worsening (OR=2, p<0.01).

Conclusions

The type and quality of venous collaterals influence outcome in DVST. VCS helps to identify patients whose condition is likely to deteriorate and may need additional aggressive interventions.
Laboratory investigation on hydraulic anisotropy behavior of unsaturated soil
Authors: Priono  , Rahardjo Harianto , Chatterjea Kalyani , Leong Eng-Choon
Published: March 2017

Hydraulic anisotropy behavior of unsaturated soil has not been fully investigated. Direct laboratory measurement and indirect determination of hydraulic anisotropy under a drying condition were carried out on statically compacted specimens having different initial conditions. Direct measurement of permeability was carried out using an unsaturated triaxial permeameter whereas indirect determination of permeability was performed through statistical estimation via a measured drying soil–water characteristic curve (SWCC). In this research, two orientations — specifically horizontal-layering (HL) and vertical-layering (VL) orientations — were prepared for a given specimen from statically compacted homogeneous sand–kaolin. The results from both direct measurement and indirect determination of hydraulic anisotropy were in good agreement. Hydraulic anisotropy under an unsaturated condition was found to be similar with that in a saturated condition. Moreover, hydraulic anisotropy was reflected in the ratio of transient time during the direct measurements of HL and VL specimens at high matric suctions. In contrast, in the indirect method, hydraulic anisotropy was reflected in the ratio of equalization time during SWCC tests at matric suctions higher than the air-entry value of the soil.
Computational insights into novel dicobalt polynitrogen: structure, stability, intermolecular interaction, and application
Authors: Zhu Tingting , Ning Ping , Peng Jinhui , Zhang Xiuying , Tang Lihong
Published: March 2017

Previous studies have suggested that polynitrogen species are significant as potential candidates for superior energetic material. In this paper, the polynitrogen species of Co2(N5)4 were reasonably designed and studied by the density functional theory (DFT), and five isomers of Co2(N5)4 were selected. These species were explored in detail, including structure, stability, intermolecular interaction, and application. The five isomers, each with its own special structure feature, were stable enough based on the analysis of bond energy, chemical hardness, and aromaticity. Furthermore, the intermolecular interactions suggested the presence of a covalent interaction in the Co–Co and N–N bonds, the electronic delocalization in cyclo-N5, and the ionic feature in the Co–N bond. In addition, all of the title species held high-energy content. Compared with the known high energy density materials of HB(N5)3Be2(N5)3BH, energetic material of nitromethane, and famous nitramine explosive HMX (1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocane), Co2(N5)4 holds a stronger advantage. The five Co2(N5)4 species were located at 27.8–35.8 kcal/mol per N2 unit, their energy densities were about 2.73 × 104 MJ/kg, and their mass densities were in the range of 2.60–2.74 g/cm3. Significantly, the 4-1 was the most stable, and its density was also the greatest among the five species. Thus, it has the most potential as a high energy density material.
My journey in physics
Authors: Maqsood Asghari
Published: March 2017

I am Professor Asghari Maqsood, Ph.D., one of the leading women physicists of Pakistan. In Pakistan a very small fraction of physicists are women and I have worked very hard to be recognized in a field dominated by men. I have been associated with the field of research and teaching in physics for the last 43 years. My field of specialization is materials science and solid state physics. This is my journey from a school girl in Abbottabad to becoming a leader and mentor in physics in Pakistan.
Ring subsets that be center-like subsets
Authors: Nabiel H.
Published: March 2017

The aim of this paper is to show that certain subsets, which are defined by commutativity conditions involving derivations, generalized derivations and epimorphisms, coincide with the center in prime or semiprime rings.
Radio k-chromatic number of cycles for large k
Authors: Karst Nathaniel , Langowitz Joshua , Oehrlein Jessica , Troxell Denise Sakai
Published: March 2017

For a positive integer [Formula: see text], a radio k-labeling of a graph [Formula: see text] is a function [Formula: see text] from its vertex set to the non-negative integers such that for all pairs of distinct vertices [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], we have [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] is the distance between the vertices [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] in [Formula: see text]. The minimum span over all radio [Formula: see text]-labelings of [Formula: see text] is called the radio k-chromatic number and denoted by [Formula: see text]. The most extensively studied cases are the classic vertex colorings ([Formula: see text]), [Formula: see text](2,1)-labelings ([Formula: see text]), radio labelings ([Formula: see text], the diameter of [Formula: see text]), and radio antipodal labelings ([Formula: see text]. Determining exact values or tight bounds for [Formula: see text] is often non-trivial even within simple families of graphs. We provide general lower bounds for [Formula: see text] for all cycles [Formula: see text] when [Formula: see text] and show that these bounds are exact values when [Formula: see text].
Advances in DNA Nanostructure-Based Smart Drug Delivery Systems
Authors: Hu Xingjie , Wang Zejun , Fan Chunhai , Song Haiyun
Published: March 2017

Highly specific deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) base-pairing not only carries genetic information, but also provides the basis for self-assembly of novel nanostructures with programmable shapes and sizes. Unlike single-stranded and double-stranded DNA, DNA nanostructures exhibit good cellular permeability. They also have characteristics of uniform size, easy functionalization, precise addressability, excellent water solubility and high biocompatibility. Due to their unique properties, these tailored molecular devices are ideal nanoscale systems for targeting cells and triggering cellular responses. Recent progress in the field of DNA nanotechnology has demonstrated effectiveness and advantages of DNA nanostructures as smart and targeted drug delivery systems or imaging agents within living organisms. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in structure design, cargo loading and cellular delivery of DNA nanocarriers, and discuss their potential in therapeutic applications.
Scalable and Efficient Flow-Based Community Detection for Large-Scale Graph Analysis
Authors: Bae Seung-Hee , Halperin Daniel , West Jevin D. , Rosvall Martin , Howe Bill
Published: March 2017

Community detection is an increasingly popular approach to uncover important structures in large networks. Flow-based community detection methods rely on communication patterns of the network rather than structural properties to determine communities. The Infomap algorithm in particular optimizes a novel objective function called the map equation and has been shown to outperform other approaches in third-party benchmarks. However, Infomap and its variants are inherently sequential, limiting their use for large-scale graphs.

In this article, we propose a novel algorithm to optimize the map equation called RelaxMap. RelaxMap provides two important improvements over Infomap: parallelization, so that the map equation can be optimized over much larger graphs, and prioritization, so that the most important work occurs first, iterations take less time, and the algorithm converges faster. We implement these techniques using OpenMP on shared-memory multicore systems, and evaluate our approach on a variety of graphs from standard graph clustering benchmarks as well as real graph datasets. Our evaluation shows that both techniques are effective: RelaxMap achieves 70% parallel efficiency on eight cores, and prioritization improves algorithm performance by an additional 20--50% on average, depending on the graph properties. Additionally, RelaxMap converges in the similar number of iterations and provides solutions of equivalent quality as the serial Infomap implementation.
Limitations of Partial Compaction
Authors: Cohen Nachshon , Petrank Erez
Published: March 2017

Compaction of a managed heap is a costly operation to be avoided as much as possible in commercial runtimes. Instead, partial compaction is often used to defragment parts of the heap and avoid space blowup. Previous study of compaction limitation provided some initial asymptotic bounds but no implications for practical systems. In this work, we extend the theory to obtain better bounds and make them strong enough to become meaningful for modern systems.
Evaluation of Knowledge Gaps in Mathematical Applications of Thermal Image Processing Techniques for Fire Prevention
Authors: Nath Sayantan , Agarwal Sonali , Pandey G. N.
Published: March 2017

In this article, we present literature reviews on fire prevention methods, especially in mining industries, using thermal image processing techniques. Fire protection systems are crucial because of the increased loss of human lives due to coal fires and fatal explosions in coal mines across the world in the past few decades. And with the growth in the demand for energy and the mining of coal expected up to the year 2050, determining conditions leading up to a breakout of fire is paramount. To detect uncertain fire breakout conditions, thermal imaging is considered the most significant among several early warning methods to recognize spontaneous combustion of coal piles (e.g., temperature recordings by sensors, compaction testing of ore seam, gas tests). The evolution of thermographic imaging applied in various industrial sectors (e.g., coal furnaces, oil tankers, building inspections, security) with numerous applications of mathematical models will be presented in the light of safety dimensions in the mining industry. The missing links or unattended areas of mathematics in the application of thermal image processing in mining, especially in the coal industry, will be evolved as the gap in knowledge suggested in our concluding statements.
Modeling Buying Motives for Personalized Product Bundle Recommendation
Authors: Liu Guannan , Fu Yanjie , Chen Guoqing , Xiong Hui , Chen Can
Published: March 2017

Product bundling is a marketing strategy that offers several products/items for sale as one bundle. While the bundling strategy has been widely used, less efforts have been made to understand how items should be bundled with respect to consumers’ preferences and buying motives for product bundles. This article investigates the relationships between the items that are bought together within a product bundle. To that end, each purchased product bundle is formulated as a bundle graph with items as nodes and the associations between pairs of items in the bundle as edges. The relationships between items can be analyzed by the formation of edges in bundle graphs, which can be attributed to the associations of feature aspects. Then, a probabilistic model BPM (Bundle Purchases with Motives) is proposed to capture the composition of each bundle graph, with two latent factors
node-type
and
edge-type
introduced to describe the feature aspects and relationships respectively. Furthermore, based on the preferences inferred from the model, an approach for recommending items to form product bundles is developed by estimating the probability that a consumer would buy an associative item together with the item already bought in the shopping cart. Finally, experimental results on real-world transaction data collected from well-known shopping sites show the effectiveness advantages of the proposed approach over other baseline methods. Moreover, the experiments also show that the proposed model can explain consumers’ buying motives for product bundles in terms of different
node-types
and
edge-types
.
Main Memory in HPC
Authors: Zivanovic Darko , Pavlovic Milan , Radulovic Milan , Shin Hyunsung , Son Jongpil , Mckee Sally A. , Carpenter Paul M. , Radojković Petar , Ayguadé Eduard
Published: March 2017

An important aspect of High-Performance Computing (HPC) system design is the choice of main memory capacity. This choice becomes increasingly important now that 3D-stacked memories are entering the market. Compared with conventional Dual In-line Memory Modules (DIMMs), 3D memory chiplets provide better performance and energy efficiency but lower memory capacities. Therefore, the adoption of 3D-stacked memories in the HPC domain depends on whether we can find use cases that require much less memory than is available now.

This study analyzes the memory capacity requirements of important HPC benchmarks and applications. We find that the High-Performance Conjugate Gradients (HPCG) benchmark could be an important success story for 3D-stacked memories in HPC, but High-Performance Linpack (HPL) is likely to be constrained by 3D memory capacity. The study also emphasizes that the analysis of memory footprints of production HPC applications is complex and that it requires an understanding of application scalability and target category, i.e., whether the users target capability or capacity computing. The results show that most of the HPC applications under study have per-core memory footprints in the range of hundreds of megabytes, but we also detect applications and use cases that require gigabytes per core. Overall, the study identifies the HPC applications and use cases with memory footprints that could be provided by 3D-stacked memory chiplets, making a first step toward adoption of this novel technology in the HPC domain.
Multichannel-Kernel Canonical Correlation Analysis for Cross-View Person Reidentification
Authors: Lisanti Giuseppe , Karaman Svebor , Masi Iacopo
Published: March 2017

In this article, we introduce a method to overcome one of the main challenges of person reidentification in multicamera networks, namely cross-view appearance changes. The proposed solution addresses the extreme variability of person appearance in different camera views by exploiting multiple feature representations. For each feature, kernel canonical correlation analysis with different kernels is employed to learn several projection spaces in which the appearance correlation between samples of the same person observed from different cameras is maximized. An iterative logistic regression is finally used to select and weight the contributions of each projection and perform the matching between the two views. Experimental evaluation shows that the proposed solution obtains comparable performance on the VIPeR and PRID 450s datasets and improves on the PRID and CUHK01 datasets with respect to the state of the art.
Hypervideos and Interactive Multimedia Presentations
Authors: Meixner Britta
Published: March 2017

Hypervideos and interactive multimedia presentations allow the creation of fully interactive and enriched video. It is possible to organize video scenes in a nonlinear way. Additional information can be added to the video ranging from short descriptions to images and more videos. Hypervideos are video-based but also provide navigation between video scenes and additional multimedia elements. Interactive multimedia presentations consist of different media with a temporal and spatial synchronization that can be navigated via hyperlinks. Their creation and description requires description formats, multimedia models, and standards—as well as players. Specialized authoring tools with advanced editing functions allow authors to manage all media files, link and arrange them to an overall presentation, and keep an overview during the whole process. They considerably simplify the creation process compared to writing and editing description documents in simple text editors. Data formats need features that describe interactivity and nonlinear navigation while maintaining temporal and spatial synchronization. Players should be easy to use with extended feature sets keeping elements synchronized. In this article, we analyzed more than 400 papers for relevant work in this field. From the findings we discovered a set of trends and unsolved problems, and propose directions for future research.
A Molecular Dynamics Study on Wrinkles in Graphene with Simply Supported Boundary under In-Plane Shear
Authors: Huang Jianzhang , Han Qiang
Published: March 2017

The formation and evolution mechanisms of wrinkling in a rectangular single layer graphene sheet (SLGS) with simply supported boundary subjected to in-plane shear displacements are investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. Through investigating the out-of-plane displacements of the key point atom, we clarify the wrinkling growth and propagation process. Our results show that the boundary condition plays important roles in the wrinkling deformation. And the dependence of wrinkling parameters on the applied shear displacements is captured. Based on the elasticity theory, the formation mechanism of graphene wrinkling is revealed from the viewpoint of elastic energy. The effects of aspect ratio of graphene, temperature, and loading velocity on graphene wrinkling parameters and patterns are also investigated.
Self-Assembly of 3D Fennel-Like Co3O4 with Thirty-Six Surfaces for High Performance Supercapacitor
Authors: Li Yanfang , Hai Zhenyin , Hou Xiaojuan , Xu Hongyan , Zhang Zengxing , Cui Danfeng , Xue Chenyang , Zhang Binzhen
Published: March 2017

Three-dimensional (3D) fennel-like cobalt oxide (II, III) (Co3O4) particles with thirty-six surfaces on nickel foams were prepared via a simple hydrothermal synthesis method and its growth process was also researched. The crystalline structure and morphology were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Raman spectroscopy. The Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis revealed that 3D fennel-like Co3O4 particles have high specific surface area. Therefore, the special structure with thirty-six surfaces indicates the good electrochemical performance of the micron-nanometer material as electrode material for supercapacitors. The cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were conducted to evaluate the electrochemical performances. Compared with other morphological materials of the similar sizes, the Co3O4 particles on nickel foam exhibit a high specific capacitance of 384.375 F·g−1 at the current density of 3 A·g−1 and excellent cycling stability of a capacitance retention of 96.54% after 1500 galvanostatic charge-discharge cycles in 6 M potassium hydroxide (KOH) electrolyte.
Pure Testicular Seminoma Relapsing Late with Somatic Type Malignancy
Authors: Dieckmann Klaus-Peter , Anheuser Petra , Gehrckens Ralf , Wilczak Waldemar , Sauter Guido , Höflmayer Doris
Published: March 2017

Background. Somatic type malignancy (STM) occurs in 2% of all germ cell tumours (GCTs). The prognosis is unfavourable and the origin is poorly understood. Pathogenetic hypotheses involve direct transformation of teratoma, origin from totipotent cancer cells, or derivation from yolk sac tumour elements. Case Presentation. A 31-year-old patient was cured from testicular seminoma clinical stage IIc by orchiectomy and cisplatin-based chemotherapy. Nine years later, he experienced a late relapse with a mass sized 5×6 cm located at the former metastatic site. As no remission occurred after chemotherapy with three cycles of cisplatin, ifosfamide and etoposide, the mass was surgically resected. Histologically, the specimen consisted of neurofibroma with areas of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour and spots with mature bone formation. FISH analysis disclosed isochromosome 12p in the majority of evaluated cells suggesting somatic type malignancy (STM) of GCT. The patient is well 1 year after surgery. Conclusion. The pathogenesis of this STM remains enigmatic. The origin from GCT was evidenced by documentation of isochromosome 12p. Unrecognized teratomatous elements in the primary and totipotent cancer cells surviving the first chemotherapy could be hypothesized to represent the origin. STM developing from seminoma cells would be another novel hypothesis.
Analysis of Early Neurovascular Complications of Pediatric Supracondylar Humerus Fractures: A Long-Term Observation
Authors: Tomaszewski Ryszard , Wozowicz Artur , Wysocka-Wojakiewicz Paulina
Published: March 2017

Purpose. Analysis of early vascular and nerve complications of supracondylar humerus fractures in children. Material and Methods. 220 children hospitalized in the Pediatric Trauma-Orthopedic Department in the years 2004–2014. The group consisted of 143 males and 77 females. Results. Acute neurovascular complications occurred in 16.81% of patients with displaced supracondylar fracture (37 children). Nerve damage was found in 10% of patients with displaced fracture (22 children). The most injured nerve was median nerve; this complication occurred in 15 patients (68.18%). The total nerve function returned after average of 122 days (0–220 days after surgery). Symptoms of vascular injury occurred in 7.7% children with displaced fracture (17 children). Conclusions. (1) In children with supracondylar fracture the most often injured nerve is median nerve. (2) The incidence of vascular and nerve complications positively correlates with the progression of fracture according to Gartland classification.
Neutrophil Extracellular Traps and Microcrystals
Authors: Rada Balázs
Published: March 2017

Neutrophil extracellular traps represent a fascinating mechanism by which PMNs entrap extracellular microbes. The primary purpose of this innate immune mechanism is thought to localize the infection at an early stage. Interestingly, the ability of different microcrystals to induce NET formation has been recently described. Microcrystals are insoluble crystals with a size of 1–100 micrometers that have different composition and shape. Microcrystals have it in common that they irritate phagocytes including PMNs and typically trigger an inflammatory response. This review is the first to summarize observations with regard to PMN activation and NET release induced by microcrystals. Gout-causing monosodium urate crystals, pseudogout-causing calcium pyrophosphate dehydrate crystals, cholesterol crystals associated with atherosclerosis, silicosis-causing silica crystals, and adjuvant alum crystals are discussed.
Estimation of Container Traffic at Seaports by Using Several Soft Computing Methods: A Case of Turkish Seaports
Authors: Gökkuş Ümit , Yıldırım Mehmet Sinan , Aydin Metin Mutlu
Published: March 2017

Container traffic forecasting is important for the operations and the design steps of a seaport facility. In this study, performances of the novel soft computing models were compared for the container traffic forecasting of principal Turkish seaports (Istanbul, Izmir, and Mersin seaports) with excessive container traffic. Four forecasting models were implemented based on Artificial Neural Network with Artificial Bee Colony and Levenberg-Marquardt Algorithms (ANN-ABC and ANN-LM), Multiple Nonlinear Regression with Genetic Algorithm (MNR-GA), and Least Square Support Vector Machine (LSSVM). Forecasts were carried out by using the past records of the gross domestic product, exports, and population of the Turkey as indicators of socioeconomic and demographic status. Performances of the forecasting models were evaluated with several performance metrics. Considering the testing period, the LSSVM, ANN-ABC, and ANN-LM models performed better than the MNR-GA model considering overall fitting and prediction performances of the extreme values in the testing data. The LSSVM model was found to be more reliable compared to the ANN models. Forecasting part of the study suggested that container traffic of the seaports will be increased up to 60%, 67%, and 95% at the 2023 for the Izmir, Mersin, and Istanbul seaports considering official growth scenarios of Turkey.
Bronchopleural Fistula Resolution with Endobronchial Valve Placement and Liberation from Mechanical Ventilation in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Case Series
Authors: Kalatoudis Haris , Nikhil Meena , Zeid Fuad , Shweihat Yousef
Published: March 2017

Patients who have acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with persistent air leaks have worse outcomes. Endobronchial valves (EBV) are frequently deployed after pulmonary resection in noncritically ill patients to reduce and eliminate bronchopleural fistulas (BPFs) with persistent air leak (PAL). Information regarding EBV placement in mechanically ventilated patients with ARDS and high volume persistent air leaks is rare and limited to case reports. We describe three cases where EBV placement facilitated endotracheal extubation in patients with severe respiratory failure on prolonged mechanical ventilation with BPFs. In each case, EBV placement led to immediate resolution of PAL. We believe endobronchial valve placement is a safe method treating persistent air leak with severe respiratory failure and may reduce days on mechanical ventilation.
Personalized Service Recommendation Based on Trust Relationship
Authors: Tian Hao , Liang Peifeng
Published: March 2017

With the rapid development and extensive application of Web services, various approaches for Web service recommendation have been proposed in the past. However, the traditional methods only utilize the information of the user-service rating matrix but ignore the trust relations between users, so their recommendation precision is often unsatisfactory, and, furthermore, most of these methods lack the ability to distinguish the credibility of recommendation. To address the problems, we proposed a personalized service recommendation based on trust relationship. In particular, our approach takes into account user experience, interest background, recommendation effect, and evaluation tendency in the formalization of trust relationship, and moreover it can filter out useless or suspected services by exploiting trust relationships between users. To verify the proposed approach, we conducted experiments by using a real-world Web services set. The experimental results show that our proposed approach leads to a substantial increase in the precision and the credibility of service recommendations.