bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perceptual Temporal Asymmetry Associated with Distinct ON and OFF Responses to Time-Varying Sounds with Rising versus Falling Intensity: A Magnetoencephalography Study
Authors: Zhang Yang , Cheng Bing , Koerner Tess , Schlauch Robert , Tanaka Keita , Kawakatsu Masaki , Nemoto Iku , Imada Toshiaki
Published: August 2016

This magnetoencephalography (MEG) study investigated evoked ON and OFF responses to ramped and damped sounds in normal-hearing human adults. Two pairs of stimuli that differed in spectral complexity were used in a passive listening task; each pair contained identical acoustical properties except for the intensity envelope. Behavioral duration judgment was conducted in separate sessions, which replicated the perceptual bias in favour of the ramped sounds and the effect of spectral complexity on perceived duration asymmetry. MEG results showed similar cortical sites for the ON and OFF responses. There was a dominant ON response with stronger phase-locking factor (PLF) in the alpha (8–14 Hz) and theta (4–8 Hz) bands for the damped sounds. In contrast, the OFF response for sounds with rising intensity was associated with stronger PLF in the gamma band (30–70 Hz). Exploratory correlation analysis showed that the OFF response in the left auditory cortex was a good predictor of the perceived temporal asymmetry for the spectrally simpler pair. The results indicate distinct asymmetry in ON and OFF responses and neural oscillation patterns associated with the dynamic intensity changes, which provides important preliminary data for future studies to examine how the auditory system develops such an asymmetry as a function of age and learning experience and whether the absence of asymmetry or abnormal ON and OFF responses can be taken as a biomarker for certain neurological conditions associated with auditory processing deficits.
Hysteresis Characteristic in the Hump Region of a Pump-Turbine Model
Authors: Li Deyou , Wang Hongjie , Chen Jinxia , Nielsen Torbjørn , Qin Daqing , Wei Xianzhu
Published: August 2016

The hump feature is one of the major instabilities in pump-turbines. When pump-turbines operate in the hump region, strong noise and serious fluctuations can be observed, which are harmful to their safe and stable operation and can even destroy the whole unit as well as water conveyance system. In this paper, a low specific speed (nq = 36.1 min−1) pump-turbine model was experimentally investigated. Firstly, the hump characteristic was obtained under 19 mm guide vane opening conditions. More interestingly, when the hump characteristic was measured in two directions (increasing and decreasing the discharge), characteristic hysteresis was found in the hump region. The analysis of performance characteristics reveals that the hump instability is the result of Euler momentum and hydraulic losses, and different Euler momentum and hydraulic losses in the two development processes lead to the hysteresis phenomenon. Then, 12 pressure sensors were mounted in the different parts of the pump-turbine model to obtain the time and frequency characteristics. The analysis of the corresponding fast Fourier transform confirms that the hump characteristic is related to low-frequency (0.04–0.15 times rotational frequency) vortices. The occurrence and cessation of vortices depend on the operating condition and measurement direction, which contribute to the hysteresis feature. Finally, the type of the low-frequency vortices was analyzed through the cross power spectrum.
Unveiling Hidden Dynamics of Hippo Signalling: A Systems Analysis
Authors: Shin Sung-Young , Nguyen Lan
Published: August 2016

The Hippo signalling pathway has recently emerged as an important regulator of cell apoptosis and proliferation with significant implications in human diseases. In mammals, the pathway contains the core kinases MST1/2, which phosphorylate and activate LATS1/2 kinases. The pro-apoptotic function of the MST/LATS signalling axis was previously linked to the Akt and ERK MAPK pathways, demonstrating that the Hippo pathway does not act alone but crosstalks with other signalling pathways to coordinate network dynamics and cellular outcomes. These crosstalks were characterised by a multitude of complex regulatory mechanisms involving competitive protein-protein interactions and phosphorylation mediated feedback loops. However, how these different mechanisms interplay in different cellular contexts to drive the context-specific network dynamics of Hippo-ERK signalling remains elusive. Using mathematical modelling and computational analysis, we uncovered that the Hippo-ERK network can generate highly diverse dynamical profiles that can be clustered into distinct dose-response patterns. For each pattern, we offered mechanistic explanation that defines when and how the observed phenomenon can arise. We demonstrated that Akt displays opposing, dose-dependent functions towards ERK, which are mediated by the balance between the Raf-1/MST2 protein interaction module and the LATS1 mediated feedback regulation. Moreover, Ras displays a multi-functional role and drives biphasic responses of both MST2 and ERK activities; which are critically governed by the competitive protein interaction between MST2 and Raf-1. Our study represents the first in-depth and systematic analysis of the Hippo-ERK network dynamics and provides a concrete foundation for future studies.
Psychosocial Determinants of Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in a Japanese Population
Authors: Wang Da-Hong , Kogashiwa Michiko , Mori Naoko , Yamashita Shikibu , Fujii Wakako , Ueda Nobuo , Homma Hiroto , Suzuki Hisao , Masuoka Noriyoshi
Published: August 2016

There is limited evidence in Japan regarding the psychosocial determinants of fruit/vegetable intake. We performed a cross-sectional study of people aged 18 years or older in four regions of Japan; 2308 (men: 1012, women: 1296) individuals who completed the questionnaires were included. We found that 24.8% of people were aware of the current recommendations for vegetables and 13.2% for fruit and that “ability to design meals” and “availability when eating outside of the home” were the most important factors related to self-efficacy and barriers to fruit and vegetable intake, respectively. People with high self-efficacy (OR: 3.16; 95% CI: 2.17, 4.60 for fruit; OR: 4.52; 95% CI: 3.08, 6.64 for vegetables) were more likely to consume more fruit and vegetables. People with high scores on attitude (OR: 1.54; 95% CI: 1.06, 2.24) and social support (OR: 1.59; 95% CI: 1.11, 2.27) were more likely to consume more fruit. People with high perceived barriers (OR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.48, 0.98) were less likely to consume fruit. This study suggests a need to increase the general population’s awareness of the fruit and vegetable intake recommendations; facilitating positive attitudes, self-efficacy, and social support for individuals and strengthening the ability of individuals to design meals with more vegetables and fruit might be useful intervention programs.
Integrating High-Resolution Datasets to Target Mitigation Efforts for Improving Air Quality and Public Health in Urban Neighborhoods
Authors: Shandas Vivek , Voelkel Jackson , Rao Meenakshi , George Linda
Published: August 2016

Reducing exposure to degraded air quality is essential for building healthy cities. Although air quality and population vary at fine spatial scales, current regulatory and public health frameworks assess human exposures using county- or city-scales. We build on a spatial analysis technique, dasymetric mapping, for allocating urban populations that, together with emerging fine-scale measurements of air pollution, addresses three objectives: (1) evaluate the role of spatial scale in estimating exposure; (2) identify urban communities that are disproportionately burdened by poor air quality; and (3) estimate reduction in mobile sources of pollutants due to local tree-planting efforts using nitrogen dioxide. Our results show a maximum value of 197% difference between cadastrally-informed dasymetric system (CIDS) and standard estimations of population exposure to degraded air quality for small spatial extent analyses, and a lack of substantial difference for large spatial extent analyses. These results provide the foundation for improving policies for managing air quality, and targeting mitigation efforts to address challenges of environmental justice.
Twenty Four-Hour Exposure to a 0.12 THz Electromagnetic Field Does Not Affect the Genotoxicity, Morphological Changes, or Expression of Heat Shock Protein in HCE-T Cells
Authors: Koyama Shin , Narita Eijiro , Shimizu Yoko , Shiina Takeo , Taki Masao , Shinohara Naoki , Miyakoshi Junji
Published: August 2016

To investigate the cellular effects of terahertz (THz) exposure, human corneal epithelial (HCE-T) cells derived from human eye were exposed to 0.12 THz radiation at 5 mW/cm2 for 24 h, then the genotoxicity, morphological changes, and heat shock protein (Hsp) expression of the cells were examined. There was no statistically significant increase in the micronucleus (MN) frequency of cells exposed to 0.12 THz radiation compared with sham-exposed controls and incubator controls, whereas the MN frequency of cells treated with bleomycin for 1 h (positive control) did increase significantly. Similarly, there were no significant morphological changes in cells exposed to 0.12 THz radiation compared to sham-exposed controls and incubator controls, and Hsp expression (Hsp27, Hsp70, and Hsp90α) was also not significantly different between the three treatments. These results indicate that exposure to 0.12 THz radiation using the present conditions appears to have no or very little effect on MN formation, morphological changes, and Hsp expression in cells derived from human eye.
GeoWeb Crawler: An Extensible and Scalable Web Crawling Framework for Discovering Geospatial Web Resources
Authors: Huang Chih-Yuan , Chang Hao
Published: August 2016

With the advance of the World-Wide Web (WWW) technology, people can easily share content on the Web, including geospatial data and web services. Thus, the “big geospatial data management” issues start attracting attention. Among the big geospatial data issues, this research focuses on discovering distributed geospatial resources. As resources are scattered on the WWW, users cannot find resources of their interests efficiently. While the WWW has Web search engines addressing web resource discovery issues, we envision that the geospatial Web (i.e., GeoWeb) also requires GeoWeb search engines. To realize a GeoWeb search engine, one of the first steps is to proactively discover GeoWeb resources on the WWW. Hence, in this study, we propose the GeoWeb Crawler, an extensible Web crawling framework that can find various types of GeoWeb resources, such as Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) web services, Keyhole Markup Language (KML) and Environmental Systems Research Institute, Inc (ESRI) Shapefiles. In addition, we apply the distributed computing concept to promote the performance of the GeoWeb Crawler. The result shows that for 10 targeted resources types, the GeoWeb Crawler discovered 7351 geospatial services and 194,003 datasets. As a result, the proposed GeoWeb Crawler framework is proven to be extensible and scalable to provide a comprehensive index of GeoWeb.
The FKBP5 Gene Affects Alcohol Drinking in Knockout Mice and Is Implicated in Alcohol Drinking in Humans
Authors: Qiu Bin , Luczak Susan , Wall Tamara , Kirchhoff Aaron , Xu Yuxue , Eng Mimy , Stewart Robert , Shou Weinian , Boehm Stephen , Chester Julia , Yong Weidong , Liang Tiebing
Published: August 2016

FKBP5 encodes FK506-binding protein 5, a glucocorticoid receptor (GR)-binding protein implicated in various psychiatric disorders and alcohol withdrawal severity. The purpose of this study is to characterize alcohol preference and related phenotypes in Fkbp5 knockout (KO) mice and to examine the role of FKBP5 in human alcohol consumption. The following experiments were performed to characterize Fkpb5 KO mice. (1) Fkbp5 KO and wild-type (WT) EtOH consumption was tested using a two-bottle choice paradigm; (2) The EtOH elimination rate was measured after intraperitoneal (IP) injection of 2.0 g/kg EtOH; (3) Blood alcohol concentration (BAC) was measured after 3 h limited access of alcohol; (4) Brain region expression of Fkbp5 was identified using LacZ staining; (5) Baseline corticosterone (CORT) was assessed. Additionally, two SNPs, rs1360780 (C/T) and rs3800373 (T/G), were selected to study the association of FKBP5 with alcohol consumption in humans. Participants were college students (n = 1162) from 21–26 years of age with Chinese, Korean or Caucasian ethnicity. The results, compared to WT mice, for KO mice exhibited an increase in alcohol consumption that was not due to differences in taste sensitivity or alcohol metabolism. Higher BAC was found in KO mice after 3 h of EtOH access. Fkbp5 was highly expressed in brain regions involved in the regulation of the stress response, such as the hippocampus, amygdala, dorsal raphe and locus coeruleus. Both genotypes exhibited similar basal levels of plasma corticosterone (CORT). Finally, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in FKBP5 were found to be associated with alcohol drinking in humans. These results suggest that the association between FKBP5 and alcohol consumption is conserved in both mice and humans.
Gene Set−Based Integrative Analysis Revealing Two Distinct Functional Regulation Patterns in Four Common Subtypes of Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Chang Chia-Ming , Chuang Chi-Mu , Wang Mong-Lien , Yang Yi-Ping , Chuang Jen-Hua , Yang Ming-Jie , Yen Ming-Shyen , Chiou Shih-Hwa , Chang Cheng-Chang
Published: August 2016

Clear cell (CCC), endometrioid (EC), mucinous (MC) and high-grade serous carcinoma (SC) are the four most common subtypes of epithelial ovarian carcinoma (EOC). The widely accepted dualistic model of ovarian carcinogenesis divided EOCs into type I and II categories based on the molecular features. However, this hypothesis has not been experimentally demonstrated. We carried out a gene set-based analysis by integrating the microarray gene expression profiles downloaded from the publicly available databases. These quantified biological functions of EOCs were defined by 1454 Gene Ontology (GO) term and 674 Reactome pathway gene sets. The pathogenesis of the four EOC subtypes was investigated by hierarchical clustering and exploratory factor analysis. The patterns of functional regulation among the four subtypes containing 1316 cases could be accurately classified by machine learning. The results revealed that the ERBB and PI3K-related pathways played important roles in the carcinogenesis of CCC, EC and MC; while deregulation of cell cycle was more predominant in SC. The study revealed that two different functional regulation patterns exist among the four EOC subtypes, which were compatible with the type I and II classifications proposed by the dualistic model of ovarian carcinogenesis.
Coadjuvants in the Diabetic Complications: Nutraceuticals and Drugs with Pleiotropic Effects
Authors: Pereira Thiago , Pimenta Fabio , Porto Marcella , Baldo Marcelo , Campagnaro Bianca , Gava Agata , Meyrelles Silvana , Vasquez Elisardo
Published: August 2016

Because diabetes mellitus (DM) is a multifactorial metabolic disease, its prevention and treatment has been a constant challenge for basic and clinical investigators focused on translating their discoveries into clinical treatment of this complex disorder. In this review, we highlight recent experimental and clinical evidences of potential coadjuvants in the management of DM, such as polyphenols (quercetin, resveratrol and silymarin), cultured probiotic microorganisms and drugs acting through direct/indirect or pleiotropic effects on glycemic control in DM. Among several options, we highlight new promising therapeutic coadjuvants, including chemical scavengers, the probiotic kefir and the phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors, which besides the reduction of hyperglycemia and ameliorate insulin resistance, they reduce oxidative stress and improve endothelial dysfunction in the systemic vascular circulation. In the near future, experimental studies are expected to clear the intracellular pathways involving coadjuvants. The design of clinical trials may also contribute to new strategies with coadjuvants against the harmful effects of diabetic complications.
Environmental Microbial Community Proteomics: Status, Challenges and Perspectives
Authors: Wang Da-Zhi , Kong Ling-Fen , Li Yuan-Yuan , Xie Zhang-Xian
Published: August 2016

Microbial community proteomics, also termed metaproteomics, is an emerging field within the area of microbiology, which studies the entire protein complement recovered directly from a complex environmental microbial community at a given point in time. Although it is still in its infancy, microbial community proteomics has shown its powerful potential in exploring microbial diversity, metabolic potential, ecological function and microbe-environment interactions. In this paper, we review recent advances achieved in microbial community proteomics conducted in diverse environments, such as marine and freshwater, sediment and soil, activated sludge, acid mine drainage biofilms and symbiotic communities. The challenges facing microbial community proteomics are also discussed, and we believe that microbial community proteomics will greatly enhance our understanding of the microbial world and its interactions with the environment.
New Natural Pigment Fraction Isolated from Saw Palmetto: Potential for Adjuvant Therapy of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Tan Hor-Yue , Wang Ning , Takahashi Masao , Feng Yigang , Li Hongyun , Feng Yibin
Published: August 2016

For the first time, we discovered a small proportion of aqueous fraction from Saw Palmetto apart from the fatty acid-rich fraction exhibited pharmacological activity. Therefore, this study aims to explore the anti-tumor potential of red pigmented aqueous fraction of Saw Palmetto, NYG on human hepatocellular carcinoma and its possible targets. Subcutaneous xenograft and orthotopic implantation models of HCC were used to evaluate the tumor inhibitory effect of NYG. Human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) were used as in vitro model. The mRNA expression was conducted by qPCR. Protein expression was monitored by immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry. Cell migration and blood vessel formation were determined by chamber assay and tube formation assay, respectively. Significant tumor inhibition of NYG in dose-dependent manner was observed on subcutaneous xenograft and orthotopic HCC model. NYG has no direct action on cell viability or VEGF secretion of HCC cells. However, NYG reduced in vitro migration and vessel formation activities of HUVEC cells, as well as in vivo intratumoral neovascularization. NYG attenuated extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK) activation in endothelial cells, which may be associated with the suppression of migration and tube formation of HUVEC. NYG suppressed tumor expansion of HCC via inhibiting neovascularization, and may be potential adjuvant treatment for HCC.
The Ribonuclease A Superfamily in Humans: Canonical RNases as the Buttress of Innate Immunity
Authors: Koczera Patrick , Martin Lukas , Marx Gernot , Schuerholz Tobias
Published: August 2016

In humans, the ribonuclease A (RNase A) superfamily contains eight different members that have RNase activities, and all of these members are encoded on chromosome 14. The proteins are secreted by a large variety of different tissues and cells; however, a comprehensive understanding of these proteins’ physiological roles is lacking. Different biological effects can be attributed to each protein, including antiviral, antibacterial and antifungal activities as well as cytotoxic effects against host cells and parasites. Different immunomodulatory effects have also been demonstrated. This review summarizes the available data on the human RNase A superfamily and illustrates the significant role of the eight canonical RNases in inflammation and the host defence system against infections.
Transcriptomic Insights into the Response of Placenta and Decidua Basalis to the CpG Oligodeoxynucleotide Stimulation in Non-Obese Diabetic Mice and Wild-Type Controls
Authors: Liu Xiao-Rui , Guo Yu-Na , Qin Chuan-Mei , Qin Xiao-Li , Tao Fei , Su Fei , Tian Fu-Ju , Zhang Yan , Lin Yi
Published: August 2016

Intrauterine infection is one of the most frequent causes of miscarriage. CpG oligodeoxynucleotide (CpG ODN) can mimic intrauterine infection. CpG ODN-induced embryo-resorption was observed consistently in the NK-cell deficient non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice but not in the wild-type (WT) mice. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of differential pregnancy outcomes, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the placenta and decidua basalis was revealed by RNA-Seq with CpG ODN or control ODN treatment. Common DEGs in the WT and NOD mice were enriched in antimicrobial/antibacterial humoral responses that may be activated as a primary response to bacterial infection. The susceptibility to CpG ODN-induced embryo-resorption in the NOD mice might mainly be attributed to M1 macrophage polarization and the immunodeficient status, such as the down-regulation in antigen processing and presentation, allograft rejection, and natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity. In contrast, the WT mice with normal immune systems could activate multiple immune responses and be resistant to CpG ODN-induced embryo-resorption, such as M2 macrophage differentiation and activation regulated by complement component C1q and peroxisome proliferation-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathways. Collectively, this study suggests that the immunodeficient status of NOD mice and the macrophage polarization regulated by C1q and PPAR signaling might be the basis for differential pregnancy outcomes between the NOD and WT mice.
ISNS 9th International Symposium, The Hague, The Netherlands, September 11–14, 2016
Authors: Loeber Gerard
Published: August 2016

The International Society for Neonatal Screening (ISNS) was established almost 30 years ago by a small group of international pioneers in the newborn screening ﬁeld.[...]
Morphology Formation in PC/ABS Blends during Thermal Processing and the Effect of the Viscosity Ratio of Blend Partners
Authors: Bärwinkel Stefanie , Seidel Andreas , Hobeika Sven , Hufen Ralf , Mörl Michaela , Altstädt Volker
Published: August 2016

Morphology formation during compounding, as well as injection molding of blends containing 60 wt % polycarbonate (PC) and 40 wt % polybutadiene rubber-modified styrene-acrylonitrile copolymers (ABS), has been investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Profiles of the blend morphology have been recorded in injection-molded specimens and significant morphology gradients observed between their skin and core. A <10 µm thick surface layer with strongly dispersed and elongated nano-scale (streak-like) styrene acrylonitrile (SAN) phases and well-dispersed, isolated SAN-grafted polybutadiene rubber particles is followed by a 50–150 µm thick skin layer in which polymer morphology is characterized by lamellar SAN/ABS phases. Thickness of these lamellae increases with the distance from the specimen’s surface. In the core of the specimens the SAN-grafted polybutadiene rubber particles are exclusively present within the SAN phases, which exhibit a much coarser and less oriented, dispersed morphology compared to the skin. The effects of the viscosity of the SAN in the PC/ABS blends on phase morphologies and correlations with fracture mechanics in tensile and impact tests were investigated, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM) assessment of the fracture surfaces. A model explaining the mechanisms of morphology formation during injection molding of PC/ABS blends is discussed.
Finite Element Simulation for Analysing the Design and Testing of an Energy Absorption System
Authors: Segade Abraham , López-Campos José , Fernández José , Casarejos Enrique , Vilán José
Published: August 2016

It is not uncommon to use profiles to act as energy absorption parts in vehicle safety systems. This work analyses an impact attenuator based on a simple design and discusses the use of a thermoplastic material. We present the design of the impact attenuator and a mechanical test for the prototype. We develop a simulation model using the finite element method and explicit dynamics, and we evaluate the most appropriate mesh size and integration for describing the test results. Finally, we consider the performance of different materials, metallic ones (steel AISI 4310, Aluminium 5083-O) and a thermoplastic foam (IMPAXX500™). This reflects the car industry’s interest in using new materials to make high-performance, low-mass energy absorbers. We show the strength of the models when it comes to providing reliable results for large deformations and strong non-linearities, and how they are highly correlated with respect to the test results both in value and behaviour.
The Algal Meroterpene 11-Hydroxy-1′-O-Methylamentadione Ameloriates Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis in Mice
Authors: Zbakh Hanaa , Talero Elena , Avila Javier , Alcaide Antonio , De los Reyes Carolina , Zubía Eva , Motilva Virginia
Published: August 2016

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a complex class of immune disorders. Unfortunately, a treatment for total remission has not yet been found, while the use of natural product-based therapies has emerged as a promising intervention. The present study was aimed to investigate the anti-inflammatory effects of the algal meroterpene 11-hydroxy-1′-O-methylamentadione (AMT-E) in a murine model of dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced colitis. AMT-E was orally administered daily (1, 10, and 20 mg/kg animal) to DSS treated mice (3% w/v) for 7 days. AMT-E prevented body weight loss and colon shortening and effectively attenuated the extent of the colonic damage. Similarly, AMT-E increased mucus production and reduced myeloperoxidase activity (marker for anti-inflammatory activity). Moreover, the algal meroterpene decreased the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-10 levels, and caused a significant reduction of the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Our results demonstrate the protective effects of AMT-E on experimental colitis, provide an insight of the underlying mechanisms of this compound, and suggest that this class of marine natural products might be an interesting candidate for further studies on the prevention/treatment of IBD.
Why We Need Minimum Basic Requirements in Science for Acupuncture Education
Authors: Robinson Narda
Published: August 2016

As enthusiasm for alternatives to pharmaceuticals and surgery grows, healthcare consumers are turning increasingly to physical medicine modalities such as acupuncture. However, they may encounter obstacles in accessing acupuncture due to several reasons, such as the inability to locate a suitable practitioner, insufficient reimbursement for treatment, or difficulty gaining a referral due to perceived lack of evidence or scientific rigor by specialists. Claims made about a range of treatment paradigms outstrip evidence and students in acupuncture courses are thus led to believe that the approaches they learn are effective and clinically meaningful. Critical inquiry and critical analysis of techniques taught are often omitted, leading to unquestioning acceptance, adoption, and implementation into practice of approaches that may or may not be rational and effective. Acupuncture education for both licensed physicians (DOs and MDs) and non-physicians needs to include science (i.e., explanation of its effects based on contemporary explanations of biological processes), evidence, and critical thinking. Erroneous notions concerning its mechanisms such as moving “stuck Qi (Chi)” or “energy” with needles and that this energy stagnates at specific, tiny locations on the body called acupuncture points lead to mistakes in methodologic design. For example, researchers may select sham and verum point locations that overlap considerably in their neural connections, leading to nonsignificant differences between the two interventions. Furthermore, attributing the effects of acupuncture to metaphorical and arcane views of physiology limits both acceptance and validation of acupuncture in both research and clinical settings. Finally, the content and quality of education and clinical exposure across acupuncture programs varies widely, with currently no minimum basic educational requirements in a scientific methodology. Considering the pressures mounting on clinicians to practice in an evidence-based and scientific manner that also demonstrates cost-effectiveness, acupuncture schools and continuing medical education (CME) courses need to provide their students a strong foundation in rational approaches supported by research.
A Modified Lattice Configuration Design for Compact Wideband Bulk Acoustic Wave Filter Applications
Authors: Yang Qingrui , Pang Wei , Zhang Daihua , Zhang Hao
Published: August 2016

High-performance bulk acoustic wave (BAW) filters have been widely applied in the advanced radio frequency (RF) wireless communication systems in the past decade. However, the demand for filters with large bandwidth, up to 10%, still puts a significant stress on the typical aluminum nitride (AlN)-based BAW filters. In this work, a modified lattice configuration is proposed to achieve a wideband filter response using AlN-based BAW resonators. The single stage of this novel topology comprises two auxiliary inductors paralleled in the balanced input and output of the conventional lattice topology. In multi-stage configuration, adjacent two auxiliary inductors can be combined into one; thus, the number of auxiliary inductors decreases exponentially, enabling the compact integration of filter chips. The circuit analysis is performed to reveal the working principle of this configuration. The systematic design methodology is developed ranging from the schematic design to the electromagnetic (EM) simulation. For proof-of-concept validation purposes, a prototype film bulk acoustic wave filter in this configuration is designed and fabricated. The measured 3-dB bandwidth is 400 MHz at the central frequency of 3.25 GHz (12.3% relative bandwidth), which demonstrates a huge superiority in contrast with the conventional ladder and lattice topologies.
Diagnostic Procedures to Detect Chlamydia trachomatis Infections
Authors: Meyer Thomas
Published: August 2016

The intracellular life style of chlamydia and the ability to cause persistent infections with low-grade replication requires tests with high analytical sensitivity to directly detect C. trachomatis (CT) in medical samples. Nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) are the most sensitive assays with a specificity similar to cell culture and are considered the method of choice for CT detection. In addition, NAATs can be performed on various clinical specimens that do not depend on specific transport and storage conditions, since NAATs do not require infectious bacteria. In the case of lower genital tract infections, first void urine and vaginal swabs are the recommended specimens for testing males and females, respectively. Infections of anorectal, oropharyngeal and ocular epithelia should also be tested by NAAT analysis of corresponding mucosal swabs. In particular, anorectal infections of men who have sex with men (MSM) should include evaluation of lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV) by identification of genotypes L1, L2 or L3. Detection of CT antigens by enzyme immunoassay (EIAs) or rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are unsuitable due to insufficient sensitivity and specificity. Recent PCR-based RDTs, however, are non-inferior to standard NAATs, and might be used at the point-of-care. Serology finds application in the diagnostic work-up of suspected chronic CT infection but is inappropriate to diagnose acute infections.
Optimization and Biodistribution of [11C]-TKF, An Analog of Tau Protein Imaging Agent [18F]-THK523
Authors: Kong Yanyan , Guan Yihui , Hua Fengchun , Zhang Zhengwei , Lu Xiuhong , Zhu Tengfang , Zhao Bizeng , Zhu Jianhua , Li Cong , Chen Jian
Published: August 2016

The quantification of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) using specific PET tracers can facilitate the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and allow monitoring of disease progression and treatment efficacy. [18F]-THK523 has shown high affinity and selectivity for tau pathology. However, its high retention in white matter, which makes simple visual inspection difficult, may limit its use in research or clinical settings. In this paper, we optimized the automated radiosynthesis of [11C]-TKF and evaluated its biodistribution and toxicity in C57 mice. [11C]-TKF can be made by reaction precursor with [11C]MeOTf or 11CH3I, but [11C]MeOTf will give us higher labeling yields and specific activity. [11C]-TKF presented better brain uptake in normal mouse than [18F]-THK523 (3.23% ± 1.25% ID·g−1 vs. 2.62% ± 0.39% ID·g−1 at 2 min post-injection). The acute toxicity studies of [11C]-TKF were unremarkable.
X-ray Single Crystal Structure, DFT Calculations and Biological Activity of 2-(3-Methyl-5-(pyridin-2’-yl)-1H-pyrazol-1-yl) Ethanol
Authors: Radi Smaail , Attayibat Ahmed , El-Massaoudi Mohamed , Salhi Amin , Eddike Driss , Tillard Monique , Mabkhot Yahia
Published: August 2016

A pyridylpyrazole bearing a hydroxyethyl substituent group has been synthesized by condensation of (Z)-4-hydroxy-4-(pyridin-2-yl)but-3-en-2-one with 2-hydroxyethylhydrazine. The compound was well characterized and its structure confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Density functional calculations have been performed using DFT method with 6-31G* basis set. The HOMO-LUMO energy gap, binding energies and electron deformation densities are calculated at the DFT (BLYP, PW91, PWC) level. The electrophilic f(−) and nucleophilic f(+) Fukui functions and also the electrophilic and nucleophilic Parr functions are well adapted to find the electrophile and nucleophile centers in the molecule. The title compound has been tested for its DPPH radical scavenging activity which is involved in aging processes, anti-inflammatory, anticancer and wound healing activity. Compound is also found with a significant antioxidant activity, probably due to the ability to donate a hydrogen atom to the DPPH radical.
Silicon Nanowire Photocathodes for Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production
Authors: Chandrasekaran Soundarrajan , Nann Thomas , Voelcker Nicolas
Published: August 2016

The performance of silicon for water oxidation and hydrogen production can be improved by exploiting the antireflective properties of nanostructured silicon substrates. In this work, silicon nanowires were fabricated by metal-assisted electroless etching of silicon. An enhanced photocurrent density of −17 mA/cm2 was observed for the silicon nanowires coated with an iron sulphur carbonyl catalyst when compared to bare silicon nanowires (−5 mA/cm2). A substantial amount of 315 µmol/h hydrogen gas was produced at low bias potentials for the silicon nanowires coated with an iron sulphur carbonyl catalyst.
Genomic Recombination Leading to Decreased Virulence of Group B Streptococcus in a Mouse Model of Adult Invasive Disease
Authors: Teatero Sarah , Lemire Paul , Dewar Ken , Wasserscheid Jessica , Calzas Cynthia , Mallo Gustavo , Li Aimin , Athey Taryn , Segura Mariela , Fittipaldi Nahuel
Published: August 2016

Adult invasive disease caused by Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is increasing worldwide. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) now permits rapid identification of recombination events, a phenomenon that occurs frequently in GBS. Using WGS, we described that strain NGBS375, a capsular serotype V GBS isolate of sequence type (ST)297, has an ST1 genomic background but has acquired approximately 300 kbp of genetic material likely from an ST17 strain. Here, we examined the virulence of this strain in an in vivo model of GBS adult invasive infection. The mosaic ST297 strain showed intermediate virulence, causing significantly less systemic infection and reduced mortality than a more virulent, serotype V ST1 isolate. Bacteremia induced by the ST297 strain was similar to that induced by a serotype III ST17 strain, which was the least virulent under the conditions tested. Yet, under normalized bacteremia levels, the in vivo intrinsic capacity to induce the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines was similar between the ST297 strain and the virulent ST1 strain. Thus, the diminished virulence of the mosaic strain may be due to reduced capacity to disseminate or multiply in blood during a systemic infection which could be mediated by regulatory factors contained in the recombined region.
Optimal Insurance with Heterogeneous Beliefs and Disagreement about Zero-Probability Events
Authors: Ghossoub Mario
Published: August 2016

In problems of optimal insurance design, Arrow’s classical result on the optimality of the deductible indemnity schedule holds in a situation where the insurer is a risk-neutral Expected-Utility (EU) maximizer, the insured is a risk-averse EU-maximizer, and the two parties share the same probabilistic beliefs about the realizations of the underlying insurable loss. Recently, Ghossoub re-examined Arrow’s problem in a setting where the two parties have different subjective beliefs about the realizations of the insurable random loss, and he showed that if these beliefs satisfy a certain compatibility condition that is weaker than the Monotone Likelihood Ratio (MLR) condition, then optimal indemnity schedules exist and are nondecreasing in the loss. However, Ghossoub only gave a characterization of these optimal indemnity schedules in the special case of an MLR. In this paper, we consider the general case, allowing for disagreement about zero-probability events. We fully characterize the class of all optimal indemnity schedules that are nondecreasing in the loss, in terms of their distribution under the insured’s probability measure, and we obtain Arrow’s classical result, as well as one of the results of Ghossoub as corollaries. Finally, we formalize Marshall’s argument that, in a setting of belief heterogeneity, an optimal indemnity schedule may take “any”shape.
Alpine Forest Drought Monitoring in South Tyrol: PCA Based Synergy between scPDSI Data and MODIS Derived NDVI and NDII7 Time Series
Authors: Lewińska Katarzyna , Ivits Eva , Schardt Mathias , Zebisch Marc
Published: August 2016

Observed alternation of global and local meteorological patterns governs increasing drought impact, which puts at risk ecological balance and biodiversity of the alpine forest. Despite considerable attention, drought impact on forest ecosystems is still not entirely understood, and comprehensive forest drought monitoring has not been implemented. In this study, we proposed to bridge this gap exploiting a time-domain synergetic use of medium resolution MODSI NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) and NDII7 (Normalized Difference Infrared Index band 7) time series as well as on-station temperature and precipitation measures combined in the scPDSI (self-calibrated Palmer Drought Severity Index) datasets. Analysis employed the S-mode Principal Component Analysis (PCA) examined under multiple method settings and data setups. The investigation performed for South Tyrol (2001–2012) indicated prolonged meteorological drought condition between 2003 and 2007, as well as general drying tendencies. Corresponding temporal variability was identified for local mountain forest. The former response was fostered more often by NDII7, which is related to foliage water content, whereas NDVI was more prone to report on an overall downturn and implied drop in forest photosynthetic activity. Among tested approaches, the covariance-matrix based S-mode PCA of z-score normalized vegetation season NDVI and NDII7 time series ensured the most prominent identification of drought impact. Consistency in recognized temporal patterns confirms integrity of the approach and aptness of used remote-sensed datasets, suggesting great potential for drought oriented environmental analyses.
Passive Mixing Capabilities of Micro- and Nanofibres When Used in Microfluidic Systems
Authors: Matlock-Colangelo Lauren , Colangelo Nicholas , Fenzl Christoph , Frey Margaret , Baeumner Antje
Published: August 2016

Nanofibres are increasingly being used in the field of bioanalytics due to their large surface-area-to-volume ratios and easy-to-functionalize surfaces. To date, nanofibres have been studied as effective filters, concentrators, and immobilization matrices within microfluidic devices. In addition, they are frequently used as optical and electrochemical transduction materials. In this work, we demonstrate that electrospun nanofibre mats cause appreciable passive mixing and therefore provide dual functionality when incorporated within microfluidic systems. Specifically, electrospun nanofibre mats were integrated into Y-shaped poly(methyl methacrylate) microchannels and the degree of mixing was quantified using fluorescence microscopy and ImageJ analysis. The degree of mixing afforded in relationship to fibre diameter, mat height, and mat length was studied. We observed that the most mixing was caused by small diameter PVA nanofibres (450–550 nm in diameter), producing up to 71% mixing at the microchannel outlet, compared to up to 51% with polystyrene microfibres (0.8–2.7 μm in diameter) and 29% mixing in control channels containing no fibres. The mixing afforded by the PVA nanofibres is caused by significant inhomogeneity in pore size and distribution leading to percolation. As expected, within all the studies, fluid mixing increased with fibre mat height, which corresponds to the vertical space of the microchannel occupied by the fibre mats. Doubling the height of the fibre mat led to an average increase in mixing of 14% for the PVA nanofibres and 8% for the PS microfibres. Overall, mixing was independent of the length of the fibre mat used (3–10 mm), suggesting that most mixing occurs as fluid enters and exits the fibre mat. The mixing effects observed within the fibre mats were comparable to or better than many passive mixers reported in literature. Since the nanofibre mats can be further functionalized to couple analyte concentration, immobilization, and detection with enhanced fluid mixing, they are a promising nanomaterial providing dual-functionality within lab-on-a-chip devices.
Rigorous Performance Evaluation of Smartphone GNSS/IMU Sensors for ITS Applications
Authors: Gikas Vassilis , Perakis Harris
Published: August 2016

With the rapid growth in smartphone technologies and improvement in their navigation sensors, an increasing amount of location information is now available, opening the road to the provision of new Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) services. Current smartphone devices embody miniaturized Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and other sensors capable of providing user position, velocity and attitude. However, it is hard to characterize their actual positioning and navigation performance capabilities due to the disparate sensor and software technologies adopted among manufacturers and the high influence of environmental conditions, and therefore, a unified certification process is missing. This paper presents the analysis results obtained from the assessment of two modern smartphones regarding their positioning accuracy (i.e., precision and trueness) capabilities (i.e., potential and limitations) based on a practical but rigorous methodological approach. Our investigation relies on the results of several vehicle tracking (i.e., cruising and maneuvering) tests realized through comparing smartphone obtained trajectories and kinematic parameters to those derived using a high-end GNSS/IMU system and advanced filtering techniques. Performance testing is undertaken for the HTC One S (Android) and iPhone 5s (iOS). Our findings indicate that the deviation of the smartphone locations from ground truth (trueness) deteriorates by a factor of two in obscured environments compared to those derived in open sky conditions. Moreover, it appears that iPhone 5s produces relatively smaller and less dispersed error values compared to those computed for HTC One S. Also, the navigation solution of the HTC One S appears to adapt faster to changes in environmental conditions, suggesting a somewhat different data filtering approach for the iPhone 5s. Testing the accuracy of the accelerometer and gyroscope sensors for a number of maneuvering (speeding, turning, etc.,) events reveals high consistency between smartphones, whereas the small deviations from ground truth verify their high potential even for critical ITS safety applications.
Air Quality and Hospital Outcomes in Emergency Medical Admissions with Respiratory Disease
Authors: Cournane Seán , Conway Richard , Byrne Declan , O’Riordan Deirdre , Silke Bernard
Published: August 2016

Background: The impact of very low levels of air pollutants, particulate matter (PM10) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) concentrations, on human health is not well characterized. We examined the outcomes (30-day in-hospital mortality) of emergency hospitalizations of respiratory patients and the level of local pollutants on the day of admission. Methods: All emergency admissions (82,421 episodes in 44,660 patients) were recorded over 13 years (2002–2014) and mortality assessed. The median interquartile ranges (IQR) age was 64.5 (43.9, 78.5) years with the proportion of males at 48.5%. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression was used to examine relationships between pollutant concentration (PM10 and SO2) and odds ratio (OR) for 30-day in hospital death, after adjustment for acuity. Results: Mortality related to each pollutant variable assessed (as quintiles of increasing atmospheric concentration). For PM10 mortality, the highest two quintiles concentrations were significantly increased (p < 0.001) with univariate ORs of 1.30. For SO2, the ORs were 1.32, 1.39, and 1.46, for the top three quintiles. There was also a strong relationship between the underlying respiratory function; with forced expiratory volume (FEV1) in 1 second (FEV1) ≥ 2.0L at the lowest PM10 quintile, mortality was 6.5% (95% CI: 6.1, 6.9) increasing to 9.5% (95% CI: 9.0, 10.0) at the highest PM10 quintile. For patients with FEV1 < 2.0L, the mortality at the lowest PM10 quintile was 9.9% (95% CI: 8.8, 10.9) increasing to 14.2% (95% CI: 12.8, 15.6) at the highest quintile. Conclusion: Despite air quality improvement, there was a clear relationship between pollutant concentration and outcomes for respiratory emergency admissions; additionally, the underlying level of pulmonary function was predictive of in-hospital mortality.
Deep Tunnel for Regulating Combined Sewer Overflow Pollution and Flood Disaster: A Case Study in Guangzhou City, China
Authors: Wu Haichun , Huang Guoru , Meng Qingqiang , Zhang Mingzhu , Li Licheng
Published: August 2016

The DongHaoChong (DHC) basin is located in the central city zone of Guangzhou City, China. Owing to the high density of buildings and low quality of the drainage pipe network in the city, diversion of rain and sewage is difficult. Waterlogging occurs frequently and combined sewer overflow (CSO) pollution is a serious problem during the rainy season. Therefore, a deep tunnel for the DongHaoChong basin has been planned and its construction is currently underway. An urban rainstorm model for the DongHaoChong basin was developed on the basis of the Storm Water Management Model (SWMM), and both the interception effect of CSO pollution and the degree of mitigation of flood were analyzed. Reasonable scenarios for the deep tunnel in terms of rainstorms with different design recurrence periods were evaluated. From the viewpoints of preventing rainstorm waterlogging disasters and protecting water quality in the region downstream of DongHaoChong River, the river flood control and drainage capacities of the region were improved to a 2-year rainstorm design recurrence period by the construction of the deep tunnel. Furthermore, the main pollutant load of the CSO is expected to be reduced by about 30%–40%.