bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Francophonie in Russia under Catherine II: General Reflections and Individual Cases
Authors: BERELOWITCH WLADIMIR
Published: January 2015

The author begins by situating the question of francophonie in Russia in the European context, which was multicultural and multilingual. As far as Russia under Catherine II is concerned, historians do not have at their disposal tools that would enable them to assess the importance of francophonie. In order to understand this phenomenon we therefore need to resort to indirect means, especially: (i) the teaching of French in educational establishments and in the domestic setting; (ii) the amount of French books in bookshops and libraries; (iii) the influence of French on Russian (Gallicisms); (iv) the presence of French in private correspondence. Each of these means is discussed, with what it can contribute and its limitations, and with the help of examples. The discussion of the question of Gallicisms and private correspondence rests to a large extent on the Golitsyn archives. The conclusion is that the Russian secular elites of this time, like elites elsewhere in Europe, were familiar with a multilingual situation, within which the position of French was indeed very strong but not necessarily dominant and in any case variable depending on the different social and cultural contexts.
Class Dismissed? New Elites and Old Enemies among the “Best” Socialist Youth in the Komsomol, 1934–41
Authors: BERNSTEIN SETH
Published: January 2015

This article focuses on important facets of recent literature in Russian and Eurasian studies–the impact of Stalinism on Soviet socialism, the role of class in the USSR, and youth. The immediate topic of the paper is membership policy in the Young Communist League (Komsomol) in the early period of Soviet socialism. It argues that the introduction of meritocratic, supposedly class‐blind membership policies in 1935–36 created significant tensions in Soviet political culture about the role of class and reinforced the power of class categories to distinguish elements of the population. The advent of socialism in 1934 was supposed to herald the gradual disappearance of class differences. Instead of a league of young proletarians, youth leaders claimed the Komsomol would become an organization of the “best” Soviet youth of all classes. However, the uncertain definition of the “best” youth reflected and facilitated the creation of a new social hierarchy in the Soviet Union. As young professionals and students joined the Soviet elite, they displaced proletarians as the ideal young subject. At the same time, Komsomol admissions reified old divides, in particular the marginal place of special settler youth in Soviet society. The article asserts that the Komsomol's membership policies in the 1930s reflected the broader nature of Stalinism, combining idealistic belief in progress with pragmatic, reactive and historically contingent practices.
The Scientific Revolution—The Kidney and Nephrology in and about the Seventeenth Century (Part 1)
Authors: Eknoyan Garabed
Published: January 2015

In the history of the evolution of the medical sciences, it is in the 17th century that the conscious, deliberate, and systematic study of the workings of the human body began. It was a product of the radical changing attitudes of this insurgent century when mathematical reasoning and mechanistic philosophy replaced the teleological outlook of earlier times. It was then that meticulous observation, reproducible quantification, experimental validation, and mathematical exactitude in the quest for truths launched the Scientific Revolution. The effect on medicine was a transformative change from a descriptive to an explanatory body of knowledge during the course of which rigorous anatomical dissections were used for the mechanical explanation of organ function, when morbid changes observed at postmortem began to be related to clinical features of disease, and when the secretive analytical methods of alchemy began to be refined for the study of chemical changes in living matter. Essentially what began with meticulous observations of anatomical features begat physiology and laid the foundations of pathology and chemistry. As a result, studies of organ structure, function, and changes in disease in general, and of the kidney in particular, were clarified and progressed at a rate never achieved theretofore.
Gender‐typing of leadership: Evaluations of real and ideal managers
Authors: Cuadrado Isabel , García‐Ael Cristina , Molero Fernando
Published: January 2015

This research focuses on female underrepresentation in managerial positions. Specifically, two studies examine gender‐typing for managerial roles in Spain using ratings for real and ideal managers. In addition, we analyse the existence of same‐gender bias on evaluations of the behavior of actual leaders. In the first study, 195 Spanish workers evaluate the extent to which gender‐stereotypical traits are important for becoming a successful middle manager in three conditions (female managers, male managers, and managers in general). In the second study, we explore the degree to which the behavior of real Spanish managers is gender‐typed and the existence of same‐gender bias on leadership styles – transformational, transactional and avoidant/passive – and on leadership outcomes – effectiveness, extra effort and satisfaction – from the perspective of subordinates (N = 605). Overall, the results demonstrate that masculine characteristics were rated as more important than feminine characteristics for managerial positions, and they were more often assigned to male managers than to female managers. Unexpectedly, this manager‐male association is stronger among female participants than among male participants. Our findings also demonstrate that women subordinates evaluate their same‐sex supervisors more favorably in transformational leadership, effectiveness, and extra effort. The negative consequences derived from gender‐typing managerial positions are highlighted according to the role congruity theory of prejudice toward female leaders. The positive effects of in‐group female bias on behavior ratings are also noted. The mixed implications of these results for women's advancement to leadership positions are discussed.
The role of antimicrobials in the treatment of sepsis and critical illness‐related bacterial infections: Examination of the evidence
Authors: Keir Iain , Dickinson Amy E.
Published: January 2015

Objective

To appraise the evidence behind the Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines on antimicrobial therapy in sepsis and evaluate relevant literature in small animal veterinary critical care.

Data Source

Electronic searches using MEDLINE and EMBASE databases.

Human Data Synthesis

Current recommendations are to administer appropriate antimicrobials within 1 hour of a diagnosis of severe sepsis or septic shock. Evidence is supportive of this recommendation in septic shock but the evidence is less compelling in milder forms of critical illness‐related infections. It is unclear when the administration of appropriate antimicrobials is most beneficial and when it should be considered essential. Evidence supports shorter courses of antimicrobial therapy for many infections seen in the critical care unit with the biomarkers procalcitonin and C‐reactive protein helpful in guiding the duration of therapy.

Veterinary Data Synthesis

Current evidence is lacking to support the use of early and aggressive use of antimicrobials in all patients with critical illness‐related bacterial infections. Two studies failed to demonstrate improved survival in patients with pulmonary or abdominal infections administered appropriate vs inappropriate empirical antimicrobials. One study failed to show an improved survival when dogs with abdominal infections were administered antimicrobials within 1 hour vs 6 hours of diagnosis of infection. Information regarding ideal duration of antimicrobial therapy and use of biomarkers to guide therapy is currently lacking.

Conclusion

Clinicians should aim to administer early and appropriate antimicrobials; however, the impact this will have on patient outcome remains uncertain. The ability to administer early and appropriate antimicrobials may be considered a measure of the quality of medical practice rather than a prognostic indicator.
Viable chemical approach for patterning nanoscale magnetoresistive random access memory
Authors: Kim Taeseung , Kim Younghee , Chen Jack Kun-Chieh , Chang Jane P.
Published: January 2015

A reactive ion etching process with alternating Cl2 and H2 exposures has been shown to chemically etch CoFe film that is an integral component in magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM). Starting with systematic thermodynamic calculations assessing various chemistries and reaction pathways leading to the highest possible vapor pressure of the etch products reactions, the potential chemical combinations were verified by etch rate investigation and surface chemistry analysis in plasma treated CoFe films. An ∼20% enhancement in etch rate was observed with the alternating use of Cl2 and H2 plasmas, in comparison with the use of only Cl2 plasma. This chemical combination was effective in removing metal chloride layers, thus maintaining the desired magnetic properties of the CoFe films. Scanning electron microscopy equipped with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy showed visually and spectroscopically that the metal chloride layers generated by Cl2 plasma were eliminated with H2 plasma to yield a clean etch profile. This work suggests that the selected chemistries can be used to etch magnetic metal alloys with a smooth etch profile and this general strategy can be applied to design chemically based etch processes to enable the fabrication of highly integrated nanoscale MRAM devices.
Self-Report Versus Direct Measurement for Assessment of Fluid Intake During a 70.3-Mile Triathlon
Authors: Wilson Patrick B. , Rhodes Gregory S. , Ingraham Stacy J.
Published: January 2015

Purpose:

Self-report (SR) has been the primary method used to assess fluid intake during endurance events, but unfortunately, little is known about the validity of SR. The purpose of this study was to compare SR fluid intake with direct measurement (DM) during a 70.3-mile triathlon.

Methods:

Fifty-three (42 men, 11 women) individuals competing in a 70.3-mile triathlon participated in the study. On the 13.1-mile-run section of the triathlon, 11 research stations provided fluid in bottles filled with 163 mL of water or carbohydrate-electrolyte beverage (CEB). Participants submitted bottles 25 m past aid stations to be reweighed postrace. Participants also answered questions regarding fluid intake postrace. Bland-Altman plots and 95% limits of agreement were used to assess precision of the measures, while least-squares regression assessed linear agreement.

Results:

SR intakes during the run ranged from 0–1793, 0–1837, and 0–2628 mL for water, CEB, and total fluid, with corresponding DM intakes of 0–1599, 0–1642, and 0–2250 mL. DM and SR showed strong linear agreement for water, CEB, and total fluid (R2 = .71, .80, and .80). Mean differences between the measures on the Bland-Altman plots were small (13–41 mL), but relatively large differences (±500 mL) between the measures were apparent for some participants.

Conclusions:

SR is the predominant methodology used in field studies assessing hydration, despite little to no data confirming its validity. The results herein suggest that fluid-intake-assessment methodology should be chosen on a case-by-case basis and that caution should be used when interpreting data based on SR.
Reliability and Validity of a Wireless Accelerometer for the Assessment of Postural Sway
Authors: Saunders Nathan W. , Koutakis Panagiotis , Kloos Anne D. , Kegelmeyer Deborah A. , Dicke Jessica D. , Devor Steven T.
Published: January 2015

Clinicians are in need of valid and objective measures of postural sway. Accelerometers have been shown to be suitable alternatives to expensive and stationary force plates. We evaluated the test-retest reliability and balance task discrimination capability of a new wireless triaxial accelerometer (YEI 3-Space Sensor). Four testing conditions (eyes open or closed, while on a firm or compliant surface) were used to progressively challenge the static balance of 20 healthy male (n = 8) and female (n = 12) older adults (mean age 81 ± 4.3 y). Subjects completed 2 blocks of three 30-second trials per condition. The accelerometer was positioned on the lower back to acquire mediolateral (M-L) and anterior-posterior (A-P) accelerations. Intraclass correlation coefficients were all good to excellent, with values ranging from .736 to .972 for trial-to-trial and from .760 to .954 for block-to-block. A significant stepwise increase in center of mass acceleration root mean square values was found across the 4 balance conditions (F[1.49, 28.26] = 39.54, P < .001). The new accelerometer exhibited good to excellent trial-to-trial and block-to-block reliability and was sensitive to differences in visual and surface conditions and acceleration axes.
Comparison of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation and Cryotherapy for Increasing Quadriceps Activation in Patients With Knee Pathologies
Authors: Gabler Conrad M. , Lepley Adam S. , Uhl Tim L. , Mattacola Carl G.
Published: January 2015

Clinical Scenario:

Proper neuromuscular activation of the quadriceps muscle is essential for maintaining quadriceps (quad) strength and lower-extremity function. Quad activation (QA) failure is a common characteristic observed in patients with knee pathologies, defined as an inability to voluntarily activate the entire alpha-motor-neuron pool innervating the quad. One of the more popular techniques used to assess QA is the superimposed burst (SIB) technique, a force-based technique that uses a supramaximal, percutaneous electrical stimulation to activate all of the motor units in the quad during a maximal, voluntary isometric contraction. Central activation ratio (CAR) is the formula used to calculate QA level (CAR = voluntary force/SIB force) with the SIB technique. People who can voluntarily activate 95% or more (CAR = 0.95–1.0) of their motor units are defined as being fully activated. Therapeutic exercises aimed at improving quad strength in patients with knee pathologies are limited in their effectiveness due to a failure to fully activate the muscle. Within the past decade, several disinhibitory interventions have been introduced to treat QA failure in patients with knee pathologies. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and cryotherapy are sensory-targeted modalities traditionally used to treat pain, but they have been shown to be 2 of the most successful treatments for increasing QA levels in patients with QA failure. Both modalities are hypothesized to positively affect voluntary QA by disinhibiting the motor-neuron pool of the quad. In essence, these modalities provide excitatory afferent stimuli to the spinal cord, which thereby overrides the inhibitory afferent signaling that arises from the involved joint. However, it remains unknown whether 1 is more effective than the other for restoring QA levels in patients with knee pathologies. By knowing the capabilities of each disinhibitory modality, clinicians can tailor treatments based on the rehabilitation goals of their patients.

Focused Clinical Question:

Is TENS or cryotherapy the more effective disinhibitory modality for treating QA failure (quantified via CAR) in patients with knee pathologies?
Dermal adipocytes protect against invasive
Staphylococcus aureus
skin infection
Authors: Zhang Ling-juan , Guerrero-Juarez Christian F. , Hata Tissa , Bapat Sagar P. , Ramos Raul , Plikus Maksim V. , Gallo Richard L.
Published: January 2015

Skin infection triggers fat responses

Obesity is associated with chronic inflammation, but does fat tissue offer protection during infection? Zhang
et al.
noticed that the fat layers in the skin of mice thickened after inoculation with the pathogenic bacterium
Staphylococcus aureus
(see the Perspective by Alcorn and Kolls). Mutant mice incapable of forming new fat cells were more susceptible to infection. The differentiating fat cells secreted a small-molecule peptide called cathelicidin, specifically in response to the infection. By contrast, mature fat cells produce less cathelicidin, and are thus less protective.

Science
, this issue p.
67
; see also p.
26
Inching toward the 3D genome
Authors: Pennisi Elizabeth
Published: January 2015

Maps of DNA's loops and folds advance—but may disagree.
The bad luck of cancer
Authors: Couzin-Frankel Jennifer
Published: January 2015

Analysis suggests most cases can't be prevented.
Inflammation's stop signals
Authors: Leslie Mitch
Published: January 2015

Inflammation doesn't just peter out. The body actively shuts it down, using signals that researchers hope to transform into therapies.
On top of the world
Lines in the Ice Seeking the Northwest Passage
Philip Hatfield and Tom Harper, Curators
British Library, London. 14 November 2014 to 29 March 2015. www.bl.uk/events/lines-in-the-ice-seeking-the-northwest-passage
Authors: Fahrenkamp-Uppenbrink Julia
Published: January 2015

Ingenuity and Inuit knowledge led to an Arctic passage, finds Julia Fahrenkamp-Uppenbrink
Development of a Mouse-Adapted Live Attenuated Influenza Virus That PermitsIn VivoAnalysis of Enhancements to the Safety of Live Attenuated Influenza Virus Vaccine
Authors: Cox Andrew , Baker Steven F. , Nogales Aitor , Martínez-Sobrido Luis , Dewhurst Stephen
Published: January 2015

The live attenuated influenza virus vaccine (LAIV) is preferentially recommended for use in persons 2 through 49 years of age but has not been approved for children under 2 or asthmatics due to safety concerns. Therefore, increasing safety is desirable. Here we describe a murine LAIV with reduced pathogenicity that retains lethality at high doses and further demonstrate that we can enhance safetyin vivothrough mutations within NS1. This model may permit preliminary safety analysis of improved LAIVs.
Serine Phosphorylation of the Hepatitis C Virus NS5A Protein Controls the Establishment of Replication Complexes
Authors: Ross-Thriepland Douglas , Mankouri Jamel , Harris Mark
Published: January 2015

The hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural 5A (NS5A) protein is highly phosphorylated and involved in both virus genome replication and virion assembly. We and others have identified serine 225 in NS5A to be a phosphorylation site, but the function of this posttranslational modification in the virus life cycle remains obscure. Here we describe the phenotype of mutants with mutations at serine 225; this residue was mutated to either alanine (S225A; phosphoablatant) or aspartic acid (S225D; phosphomimetic) in the context of both the JFH-1 cell culture infectious virus and a corresponding subgenomic replicon. The S225A mutant exhibited a 10-fold reduction in genome replication, whereas the S225D mutant replicated like the wild type. By confocal microscopy, we show that, in the case of the S225A mutant, the replication phenotype correlated with an altered subcellular distribution of NS5A. This phenotype was shared by viruses with other mutations in the low-complexity sequence I (LCS I), namely, S229D, S232A, and S235D, but not by viruses with mutations that caused a comparable replication defect that mapped to domain II of NS5A (P315A, L321A). Together with other components of the genome replication complex (NS3, double-stranded RNA, and cellular lipids, including phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate), the mutation in NS5A was restricted to a perinuclear region. This phenotype was not due to cell confluence or another environmental factor and could be partially transcomplemented by wild-type NS5A. We propose that serine phosphorylation within LCS I may regulate the assembly of an active genome replication complex.

IMPORTANCE
The mechanisms by which hepatitis C virus replicates its RNA genome remain poorly characterized. We show here that phosphorylation of the viral nonstructural protein NS5A at serine residues is important for the efficient assembly of a complex that is able to replicate the viral genome. This research implicates cellular protein kinases in the control of virus replication and highlights the need to further understand the interplay between the virus and the host cell in order to develop potential avenues for future antiviral therapy.
Heterosubtypic Antibodies to Influenza A Virus Have Limited Activity against Cell-Bound Virus but Are Not Impaired by Strain-Specific Serum Antibodies
Authors: Wyrzucki Arkadiusz , Bianchi Matteo , Kohler Ines , Steck Marco , Hangartner Lars
Published: January 2015

The majority of influenza virus-specific antibodies elicited by vaccination or natural infection are effective only against the eliciting or closely related viruses. Rare stem-specific heterosubtypic monoclonal antibodies (hMAbs) can neutralize multiple strains and subtypes by preventing hemagglutinin (HA)-mediated fusion of the viral membrane with the endosomal membrane. The epitopes recognized by these hMAbs are therefore considered promising targets for the development of pan-influenza virus vaccines. Here, we report the isolation of a novel human HA stem-reactive monoclonal antibody, hMAb 1.12, with exceptionally broad neutralizing activity encompassing viruses from 15 distinct HA subtypes. Using MAb 1.12 and two other monoclonal antibodies, we demonstrate that neutralization by hMAbs is virtually irreversible but becomes severely impaired following virus attachment to cells. In contrast, no interference by human anti-influenza virus serum antibodies was found, indicating that apically binding antibodies do not impair access to the membrane-proximal heterosubtypic epitopes. Our findings therefore encourage development of new vaccine concepts aiming at the induction of stem-specific heterosubtypic antibodies, as we provide support for their effectiveness in individuals previously exposed to influenza virus.

IMPORTANCE
The influenza A virus hemagglutinin (HA) can easily accommodate changes in its antigenic structures to escape preexisting immunity. This variability restricts the breadth and long-term efficacy of influenza vaccines. Only a few heterosubtypic antibodies (hMAbs), i.e., antibodies that can neutralize more than one subtype of influenza A virus, have been identified. The molecular interactions between these heterosubtypic antibodies and hemagglutinin are well characterized, yet little is known about the functional properties of these antibodies. Using a new, extraordinarily broad hMAb, we show that virus neutralization by hMAbs is virtually irreversible and that efficient neutralization is possible only if stem-specific hMAbs bind to HA before the virus attaches to the cell surface. No interference between strain-specific human serum immunoglobulin and hMAbs was found, indicating that preexisting humoral immunity to influenza virus does not limit the efficacy of stem-reactive heterosubtypic antibodies. This knowledge supports the development of a pan-influenza virus vaccine.
Efficient Virus Assembly, but Not Infectivity, Determines the Magnitude of Hepatitis C Virus-Induced Interferon Alpha Responses of Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells
Authors: Grabski Elena , Wappler Ilka , Pfaender Stephanie , Steinmann Eike , Haid Sibylle , Dzionek Andrzej , Pietschmann Thomas , Kalinke Ulrich
Published: January 2015

Worldwide, approximately 160 million people are chronically infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), seven distinct genotypes of which are discriminated. The hallmarks of HCV are its genetic variability and the divergent courses of hepatitis C progression in patients. We assessed whether intragenotypic HCV variations would differentially trigger host innate immunity. To this end, we stimulated human primary plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) with crude preparations of different cell culture-derived genotype 2a HCV variants. Parental Japanese fulminant hepatitis C virus (JFH1) did not induce interferon alpha (IFN-α), whereas the intragenotypic chimera Jc1 triggered massive IFN-α responses. Purified Jc1 retained full infectivity but no longer induced IFN-α. Coculture of pDC with HCV-infected hepatoma cells retrieved the capacity to induce IFN-α, whereas Jc1-infected cells triggered stronger responses than JFH1-infected cells. Since the infectivity of virus particles did not seem to affect pDC activation, we next tested Jc1 mutants that were arrested at different stages of particle assembly. These experiments revealed that efficient assembly and core protein envelopment were critically needed to trigger IFN-α. Of note, sequences within domain 2 of the core that vitally affect virus assembly also crucially influenced the IFN-α responses of pDC. These data showed that viral determinants shaped host innate IFN-α responses to HCV.

IMPORTANCE
Although pegylated IFN-α plus ribavirin currently is the standard of care for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection, not much is known about the relevance of early interferon responses in the pathogenesis of hepatitis C virus infection. Here, we addressed whether intragenotypic variations of hepatitis C virus would account for differential induction of type I interferon responses mounted by primary blood-derived plasmacytoid dendritic cells. Surprisingly, a chimeric genotype 2a virus carrying the nonstructural genes of Japanese fulminant hepatitis C virus (JFH1) induced massive type I interferon responses, whereas the original genotype 2a JFH1 strain did not. Our detailed analyses revealed that, not the virus infectivity, but rather, the efficiency of virus assembly and core protein envelopment critically determined the magnitude of interferon responses. To our knowledge, this is the first example of hepatitis C virus-associated genetic variations that determine the magnitude of innate host responses.
Heat Shock Protein 70 Regulates Degradation of the Mumps Virus Phosphoprotein via the Ubiquitin-Proteasome Pathway
Authors: Katoh Hiroshi , Kubota Toru , Kita Shunsuke , Nakatsu Yuichiro , Aoki Natsuko , Mori Yoshio , Maenaka Katsumi , Takeda Makoto , Kidokoro Minoru
Published: January 2015

Mumps virus (MuV) infection induces formation of cytoplasmic inclusion bodies (IBs). Growing evidence indicates that IBs are the sites where RNA viruses synthesize their viral RNA. However, in the case of MuV infection, little is known about the viral and cellular compositions and biological functions of the IBs. In this study, pulldown purification and N-terminal amino acid sequencing revealed that stress-inducible heat shock protein 70 (Hsp72) was a binding partner of MuV phosphoprotein (P protein), which was an essential component of the IB formation. Immunofluorescence and immunoblotting analyses revealed that Hsp72 was colocalized with the P protein in the IBs, and its expression was increased during MuV infection. Knockdown of Hsp72 using small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) had little, if any, effect on viral propagation in cultured cells. Knockdown of Hsp72 caused accumulation of ubiquitinated P protein and delayed P protein degradation. These results show that Hsp72 is recruited to IBs and regulates the degradation of MuV P protein through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway.

IMPORTANCE
Formation of cytoplasmic inclusion bodies (IBs) is a common characteristic feature in mononegavirus infections. IBs are considered to be the sites of viral RNA replication and transcription. However, there have been few studies focused on host factors recruited to the IBs and their biological functions. Here, we identified stress-inducible heat shock protein 70 (Hsp72) as the first cellular partner of mumps virus (MuV) phosphoprotein (P protein), which is an essential component of the IBs and is involved in viral RNA replication/transcription. We found that the Hsp72 mobilized to the IBs promoted degradation of the MuV P protein through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Our data provide new insight into the role played by IBs in mononegavirus infection.
The Z Proteins of Pathogenic but Not Nonpathogenic Arenaviruses Inhibit RIG-i-Like Receptor-Dependent Interferon Production
Authors: Xing Junji , Ly Hinh , Liang Yuying
Published: January 2015

Arenavirus pathogens cause a wide spectrum of diseases in humans ranging from central nervous system disease to lethal hemorrhagic fevers with few treatment options. The reason why some arenaviruses can cause severe human diseases while others cannot is unknown. We find that the Z proteins of all known pathogenic arenaviruses, lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) and Lassa, Junin, Machupo, Sabia, Guanarito, Chapare, Dandenong, and Lujo viruses, can inhibit retinoic acid-inducible gene 1 (RIG-i) and Melanoma Differentiation-Associated protein 5 (MDA5), in sharp contrast to those of 14 other nonpathogenic arenaviruses. Inhibition of the RIG-i-like receptors (RLRs) by pathogenic Z proteins is mediated by the protein-protein interactions of Z and RLRs, which lead to the disruption of the interactions between RLRs and mitochondrial antiviral signaling (MAVS). The Z-RLR interactive interfaces are located within the N-terminal domain (NTD) of the Z protein and the N-terminal CARD domains of RLRs. Swapping of the LCMV Z NTD into the nonpathogenic Pichinde virus (PICV) genome does not affect virus growth in Vero cells but significantly inhibits the type I interferon (IFN) responses and increases viral replication in human primary macrophages. In summary, our results show for the first time an innate immune-system-suppressive mechanism shared by the diverse pathogenic arenaviruses and thus shed important light on the pathogenic mechanism of human arenavirus pathogens.

IMPORTANCE
We show that all known human-pathogenic arenaviruses share an innate immune suppression mechanism that is based on viral Z protein-mediated RLR inhibition. Our report offers important insights into the potential mechanism of arenavirus pathogenesis, provides a convenient way to evaluate the pathogenic potential of known and/or emerging arenaviruses, and reveals a novel target for the development of broad-spectrum therapies to treat this group of diverse pathogens. More broadly, our report provides a better understanding of the mechanisms of viral immune suppression and host-pathogen interactions.
Parainfluenza Virus 5 Expressing the G Protein of Rabies Virus Protects Mice after Rabies Virus Infection
Authors: Huang Ying , Chen Zhenhai , Huang Junhua , Fu ZhenFang , He Biao
Published: January 2015

Rabies remains a major public health threat around the world. Once symptoms appear, there is no effective treatment to prevent death. In this work, we tested a recombinant parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5) strain expressing the glycoprotein (G) of rabies (PIV5-G) as a therapy for rabies virus infection: we have found that PIV5-G protected mice as late as 6 days after rabies virus infection. PIV5-G is a promising vaccine for prevention and treatment of rabies virus infection.
The epidemiology of competence: protocol for a scoping review
Authors: Glover Takahashi Susan , Herold Jodi , Nayer Marla , Bance Sheena
Published: January 2015

Introduction

Factors that are important to the competence of healthcare providers have important consequences for quality of healthcare. Although some previous research has discussed risks or supports to the competence of clinicians, a thorough exploration is currently lacking. The purpose of this review is to examine the literature examining risks and supports to clinical competence of healthcare practitioners and trainees engaged in field-based education. In this study, field-based education refers to teaching or training in a real-world/work-based setting.

Methods and analysis

We will employ an established scoping review methodology. Eligible studies will include those that mention (1) a healthcare professional, (2) competence from field-based education throughout the lifespan/career and (3) a risk or support to competence. Four authors will independently apply the inclusion criteria to all studies, regardless of study design. Our data extraction will include information on study design, location and type of study and we will develop a comprehensive list of risks and supports that are discussed in the literature.

Ethics and dissemination

Since this is a review of the literature, ethics approval is not indicated. We will disseminate the findings from this study in publications in peer-reviewed journals as well as presentations at relevant national and international conferences.
Predicting Time Series from Short-Term High-Dimensional Data
Authors: Ma Huanfei , Zhou Tianshou , Aihara Kazuyuki , Chen Luonan
Published: January 2015

The prediction of future values of time series is a challenging task in many fields. In particular, making prediction based on short-term data is believed to be difficult. Here, we propose a method to predict systems' low-dimensional dynamics from high-dimensional but short-term data. Intuitively, it can be considered as a transformation from the inter-variable information of the observed high-dimensional data into the corresponding low-dimensional but long-term data, thereby equivalent to prediction of time series data. Technically, this method can be viewed as an inverse implementation of delayed embedding reconstruction. Both methods and algorithms are developed. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the theoretical result, benchmark examples and real-world problems from various fields are studied.
Global Phase Portraits of Memristor Oscillators
Authors: Chen Hebai , Li Xuefang
Published: January 2015

In this paper, the global dynamics of memristor oscillators are investigated. For the sake of analysis, we first reformulate the original system into a simple form, which has only three parameters, and analyze its dynamics according to the variation of the parameters. By discussing the qualitative properties of equilibria (including equilibria at infinity) and exploring the sufficiently and necessarily condition for existence of limit cycles and heteroclinic loops, we finally exhibit 36 different global phase portraits on the Poincaré disc for memristor oscillators.
Existence of Chaotic Invariant Set in a Class of 4-Dimensional Piecewise Linear Dynamical Systems
Authors: Huan Song-Mei , Yang Xiao-Song
Published: January 2015

For a class of 4-dim piecewise linear dynamical systems, some sufficient conditions for the existence of homoclinic orbit and chaotic invariant set are provided. Especially, the existence of chaotic invariant set is proved in terms of the constructed Poincaré map with a topological horseshoe. A numerical example with chaotic attractor is provided to illustrate our main result.
Variform Exact One-Peakon Solutions for Some Singular Nonlinear Traveling Wave Equations of the First Kind
Authors: Li Jibin
Published: January 2015

In this paper, we consider variform exact peakon solutions for four nonlinear wave equations. We show that under different parameter conditions, one nonlinear wave equation can have different exact one-peakon solutions and different nonlinear wave equations can have different explicit exact one-peakon solutions. Namely, there are various explicit exact one-peakon solutions, which are different from the one-peakon solution pe-α|x-ct|. In fact, when a traveling system has a singular straight line and a curve triangle surrounding a periodic annulus of a center under some parameter conditions, there exists peaked solitary wave solution (peakon).
Invariant Measures for the n-Dimensional Border Collision Normal Form
Authors: Glendinning Paul
Published: January 2015

The border collision normal form is a continuous piecewise affine map of ℝn with applications in piecewise smooth bifurcation theory. We show that these maps have absolutely continuous invariant measures for an open set of parameter space and hence the attractors have Hausdorff (fractal) dimension n. If n = 2 the attractors have topological dimension two, i.e. they contain open sets, and if n > 2 then they have topological dimension n generically.
DOES SELF-EMPLOYMENT ENHANCE REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Authors: BASHIR SAIMA , GEBREMEDHIN TESFA , CHAWDHRY MUHAMMAD ARSHAD
Published: January 2015

Creative and qualified self-employed individuals contribute to economic growth by inventing new products, production processes, distribution methods and employing other people. Researchers are interested in self-employment if it can provide jobs to the unemployed population and also for those who face job discrimination. However, increase in self-employment is uncertain because entrepreneurial skills are assumed to be risky and self-employed workers can learn their skills gradually after starting their businesses. Economists pay special attention to finding the conceptual relationship between entrepreneurship as self-employment and economic development. Furthermore, studies show that the process of entrepreneurship has significant spatial autocorrelation and affects neighboring counties. Thus, the objective of this study is to identify and estimate the spatial impacts of self-employment in the economic development of the northeastern United States. The study expects to provide policy makers with vital information for policy measures designed for economic development. The study uses the Spatial Durbin Model (SDM) to estimate the relationship of employment, population and per capita income against self-employment. The results indicate that employment and population are positively linked to self-employment. Also, results highlight the positive contribution of self-employment on rural economic development.
Location- and Query-Aware Modeling of Browsing and Click Behavior in Sponsored Search
Authors: Ashkan Azin , Clarke Charles L. A.
Published: January 2015

An online advertisement’s clickthrough rate provides a fundamental measure of its quality, which is widely used in ad selection strategies. Unfortunately, ads placed in contexts where they are rarely viewed—or where users are unlikely to be interested in commercial results—may receive few clicks regardless of their quality. In this article, we model the variability of a user’s browsing behavior for the purpose of click analysis and prediction in sponsored search. Our model incorporates several important contextual factors that influence ad clickthrough rates, including the user’s query and ad placement on search engine result pages. We formally model these factors with respect to the list of ads displayed on a result page, the probability that the user will initiate browsing of this list, and the persistence of the user in browsing the list. We incorporate these factors into existing click models by augmenting them with appropriate query and location biases. Using expectation maximization, we learn the parameters of these augmented models from click signals recorded in the logs of a commercial search engine.

To evaluate the performance of the models and to compare them with state-of-the-art performance, we apply standard evaluation metrics, including log-likelihood and perplexity. Our evaluation results indicate that, through the incorporation of query and location biases, significant improvements can be achieved in predicting browsing and click behavior in sponsored search. In addition, we explore the extent to which these biases actually reflect varying behavioral patterns. Our observations confirm that correlations exist between the biases and user search behavior.
Choosing a Candidate Using Efficient Allocation of Biased Information
Authors: Reches Shulamit , Kalech Meir
Published: January 2015

This article deals with a decision-making problem concerning an agent who wants to choose a partner from multiple candidates for long-term collaboration. To choose the best partner, the agent can rely on prior information he knows about the candidates. However, to improve his decision, he can request additional information from information sources. Nonetheless, acquiring information from external information sources about candidates may be biased due to different personalities of the agent searching for a partner and the information source. In addition, information may be costly. Considering the bias and the cost of the information sources, the optimization problem addressed in this article is threefold: (1) determining the necessary amount of additional information, (2) selecting information sources from which to request the information, and (3) choosing the candidates on whom to request the additional information. We propose a heuristic to solve this optimization problem. The results of experiments on simulated and real-world domains demonstrate the efficiency of our algorithm.
Improved Approaches with Calibrated Neighboring Joint Density to Steganalysis and Seam-Carved Forgery Detection in JPEG Images
Authors: Liu Qingzhong , Chen Zhongxue
Published: January 2015

Steganalysis and forgery detection in image forensics are generally investigated separately. We have designed a method targeting the detection of both steganography and seam-carved forgery in JPEG images. We analyze the neighboring joint density of the DCT coefficients and reveal the difference between the untouched image and the modified version. In realistic detection, the untouched image and the modified version may not be obtained at the same time, and different JPEG images may have different neighboring joint density features. By exploring the self-calibration under different shift recompressions, we propose calibrated neighboring joint density-based approaches with a simple feature set to distinguish steganograms and tampered images from untouched ones. Our study shows that this approach has multiple promising applications in image forensics. Compared to the state-of-the-art steganalysis detectors, our approach delivers better or comparable detection performances with a much smaller feature set while detecting several JPEG-based steganographic systems including DCT-embedding-based adaptive steganography and Yet Another Steganographic Scheme (YASS). Our approach is also effective in detecting seam-carved forgery in JPEG images. By integrating calibrated neighboring density with spatial domain rich models that were originally designed for steganalysis, the hybrid approach obtains the best detection accuracy to discriminate seam-carved forgery from an untouched image. Our study also offers a promising manner to explore steganalysis and forgery detection together.
Exploring the Evolution of Mobile Augmented Reality for Future Entertainment Systems
Authors: Pucihar Klen Čopič , Coulton Paul
Published: January 2015

Despite considerable progress in mobile augmented reality (AR) over recent years, there are few commercial entertainment systems utilizing this exciting technology. To help understand why, we shall review the state of the art in mobile AR solutions, in particular sensor-based, marker-based, and markerless solutions through a design lens of existing and future entertainment services. The majority of mobile AR that users are currently likely to encounter principally utilize sensor-based or marker-based solutions. In sensor-based systems, the poor accuracy of the sensor measurements results in relatively crude augmentation, whereas in marker-based systems, the requirement to physically augment our environment with fiducial markers limits the opportunity for wide-scale deployment. While the alternative online markerless systems overcome these limitations, they are sensitive to environmental conditions (i.e. light conditions), are computationally more expensive, and present greater complexity of implementation, particularly in terms of their system-initialization requirements. To simplify the operation of online markerless systems, a novel, fully autonomous map initialization method based on accelerometer data is also presented; when compared with alternative move-matching techniques, it is simpler to implement, more robust, faster, and less computationally expensive. Finally, we highlight that while there are many technical challenges remaining to make mobile AR development easier, we also acknowledge that because of the nature of AR, it is often difficult to assess the experience that mobile AR will provide to users without resorting to complex system implementations. We address this by presenting a method of creating low-fidelity prototypes for mobile AR entertainment systems.
Playful Interactions for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Authors: Wyeth Peta , Summerville Jennifer , Adkins Barbara
Published: January 2015

For people with intellectual disabilities, there are significant barriers to inclusion in socially cooperative endeavors. This paper investigates the effectiveness of Stomp, a tangible user interface (TUI) designed to provide new participatory experiences for people with intellectual disability. Results from an observational study reveal the extent to which the Stomp system supports social and physical interaction. The tangible, spatial, and embodied qualities of Stomp result in an experience that does not rely on the acquisition of specific competencies before interaction and engagement can occur.
Neural acceleration for general-purpose approximate programs
Authors: Esmaeilzadeh Hadi , Sampson Adrian , Ceze Luis , Burger Doug
Published: January 2015

As improvements in per-transistor speed and energy efficiency diminish, radical departures from conventional approaches are needed to continue improvements in the performance and energy efficiency of general-purpose processors. One such departure is approximate computing, where error in computation is acceptable and the traditional robust digital abstraction of near-perfect accuracy is relaxed. Conventional techniques in energy-efficient computing navigate a design space defined by the two dimensions of performance and energy, and traditionally trade one for the other. General-purpose approximate computing explores a third dimension---error---and trades the accuracy of computation for gains in both energy and performance. Techniques to harvest large savings from small errors have proven elusive. This paper describes a new approach that uses machine learning-based transformations to accelerate approximation-tolerant programs. The core idea is to train a learning model how an approximable
region
of code---code that can produce imprecise but acceptable results---behaves and replace the original code region with an efficient computation of the learned model. We use neural networks to learn
code
behavior and approximate it. We describe the
Parrot algorithmic transformation
, which leverages a simple programmer annotation ("approximable") to transform a code region from a von Neumann model to a neural model. After the learning phase, the compiler replaces the original code with an invocation of a low-power accelerator called a
neural processing unit
(NPU). The NPU is tightly coupled to the processor pipeline to permit profitable acceleration even when small regions of code are transformed. Offloading approximable code regions to NPUs is faster and more energy efficient than executing the original code. For a set of diverse applications, NPU acceleration provides whole-application speedup of 2.3× and energy savings of 3.0× on average with average quality loss of at most 9.6%. NPUs form a new class of accelerators and show that significant gains in both performance and efficiency are achievable when the traditional abstraction of near-perfect accuracy is relaxed in general-purpose computing.