bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An N-end rule pathway that recognizes proline and destroys gluconeogenic enzymes
Authors: Chen Shun-Jia , Wu Xia , Wadas Brandon , Oh Jang-Hyun , Varshavsky Alexander
Published: January 2017

How to remove unnecessary enzymes

The terminal amino acid of proteins can determine their longevity. Chen
et al.
now delineate a third N-end rule pathway that they discovered in yeast. This pathway, termed the Pro/N-end rule pathway, is involved in the turnover of gluconeogenic enzymes after they are no longer required. The authors identified Gid4 as the pathway's Pro/N-recognin and elucidated its specificity for a combination of the N-terminal Pro residue and adjacent sequence motifs in cellular proteins.

Science
, this issue p.
eaal3655
Polynitrogen chemistry enters the ring
Authors: Christe Karl O.
Published: January 2017

A
cyclo
-N
5
−
anion has been synthesized as a stable salt and characterized
When degradation spurs segregation
Authors: Zetka Monique
Published: January 2017

A proteasome controls chromosome pairing and recombination during gamete formation
Is Follow-Up Testing with the FilmArray Gastrointestinal Multiplex PCR Panel Necessary?
Authors: Park Sholhui , Hitchcock Matthew M. , Gomez Carlos A. , Banaei Niaz
Published: January 2017

The FilmArray gastrointestinal (GI) panel (BioFire Diagnostics, Salt Lake City, UT) is a simple, sample-to-answer, on-demand, multiplex, nucleic acid amplification test for syndromic diagnosis of infectious gastroenteritis. The aim of this study was to measure the yield of follow-up testing with FilmArray GI panel within 4 weeks of an initial test. Consecutive adult and pediatric patients tested at an academic institution between August 2015 and June 2016 were included in this study. Of 145 follow-up tests in 106 unique patients with an initial negative result, 134 (92.4%) tests and 98 (92.5%) patients remained negative upon follow-up testing. Excluding targets that are not reported at this institution (
Clostridium difficile
, enteroaggregative
Escherichia coli
, enteropathogenic
E. coli
, and enterotoxigenic
E. coli
), 137 (94.5%) follow-up tests and 101 (95.3%) patients remained negative. Weekly conversion rates were not significantly different across the 4-week follow-up interval. No epidemiological or clinical factors were significantly associated with a negative to positive conversion. Of 80 follow-up tests in patients with an initial positive result, 43 (53.8%) remained positive for the same target, 34 (42.5%) were negative, and 3 were positive for a different target (3.8%). Follow-up testing with FilmArray GI panel within 4 weeks of a negative result rarely changed the initial result, and the follow-up test reverted to negative less than half the time after an initial positive result. In the absence of clinical or epidemiological evidence for a new infection, follow-up testing should be limited and FilmArray GI panel should not be used as a test of cure.
Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 Facilitates Hepatitis B Virus Replication through Binding with Type I Interferon (IFN) Receptor 1 To Repress IFN/JAK/STAT Signaling
Authors: Chen Junbo , Xu Wei , Chen Yanni , Xie Xueping , Zhang Yecheng , Ma Chunqiang , Yang Qingyu , Han Yang , Zhu Chengliang , Xiong Ying , Wu Kailang , Liu Fang , Liu Yingle , Wu Jianguo
Published: January 2017

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection may cause acute hepatitis B, chronic hepatitis B (CHB), liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the mechanisms by which HBV evades host immunity and maintains chronic infection are largely unknown. Here, we revealed that matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) is activated in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of HBV-infected patients, and HBV stimulates MMP-9 expression in macrophages and PBMCs isolated from healthy individuals. MMP-9 plays important roles in the breakdown of the extracellular matrix and in the facilitation of tumor progression, invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis. MMP-9 also regulates respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) replication, but the mechanism underlying such regulation is unknown. We further demonstrated that MMP-9 facilitates HBV replication by repressing the interferon (IFN)/Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway, IFN action, STAT1/2 phosphorylation, and IFN-stimulated gene (ISG) expression. Moreover, MMP-9 binds to type I IFN receptor 1 (IFNAR1) and facilitates IFNAR1 phosphorylation, ubiquitination, subcellular distribution, and degradation to interfere with the binding of IFANR1 to IFN-α. Thus, we identified a novel positive-feedback regulation loop between HBV replication and MMP-9 production. On one hand, HBV activates MMP-9 in infected patients and leukocytes. On the other hand, MMP-9 facilitates HBV replication through repressing IFN/JAK/STAT signaling, IFNAR1 function, and IFN-α action. Therefore, HBV may take the advantage of MMP-9 function to establish or maintain chronic infection.

IMPORTANCE
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection may cause chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the mechanisms by which HBV maintains chronic infection are largely unknown. Matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) plays important roles in the facilitation of tumor progression, invasion, metastasis, and angiogenesis. However, the effects of MMP-9 on HBV replication and pathogenesis are not known. This study reveals that MMP-9 expression is activated in patients with CHB, and HBV stimulates MMP-9 production in PBMCs and macrophages. More interestingly, MMP-9 in turn promotes HBV replication through suppressing IFN-α action. Moreover, MMP-9 interacts with type I interferon receptor 1 (IFNAR1) to disturb the binding of IFN-α to IFNAR1 and facilitate the phosphorylation, ubiquitination, subcellular distribution, and degradation of IFNAR1. Therefore, these results discover a novel role of MMP-9 in viral replication and reveal a new mechanism by which HBV evades host immunity to maintain persistent infection.
Nucleic and Amino Acid Sequences Support Structure-Based Viral Classification
Authors: Sinclair Robert M. , Ravantti Janne J. , Bamford Dennis H.
Published: January 2017

Viral capsids ensure viral genome integrity by protecting the enclosed nucleic acids. Interactions between the genome and capsid and between individual capsid proteins (i.e., capsid architecture) are intimate and are expected to be characterized by strong evolutionary conservation. For this reason, a capsid structure-based viral classification has been proposed as a way to bring order to the viral universe. The seeming lack of sufficient sequence similarity to reproduce this classification has made it difficult to reject structural convergence as the basis for the classification. We reinvestigate whether the structure-based classification for viral coat proteins making icosahedral virus capsids is in fact supported by previously undetected sequence similarity. Since codon choices can influence nascent protein folding cotranslationally, we searched for both amino acid and nucleotide sequence similarity. To demonstrate the sensitivity of the approach, we identify a candidate gene for the pandoravirus capsid protein. We show that the structure-based classification is strongly supported by amino acid and also nucleotide sequence similarities, suggesting that the similarities are due to common descent. The correspondence between structure-based and sequence-based analyses of the same proteins shown here allow them to be used in future analyses of the relationship between linear sequence information and macromolecular function, as well as between linear sequence and protein folds.

IMPORTANCE
Viral capsids protect nucleic acid genomes, which in turn encode capsid proteins. This tight coupling of protein shell and nucleic acids, together with strong functional constraints on capsid protein folding and architecture, leads to the hypothesis that capsid protein-coding nucleotide sequences may retain signatures of ancient viral evolution. We have been able to show that this is indeed the case, using the major capsid proteins of viruses forming icosahedral capsids. Importantly, we detected similarity at the nucleotide level between capsid protein-coding regions from viruses infecting cells belonging to all three domains of life, reproducing a previously established structure-based classification of icosahedral viral capsids.
The Pseudorabies Virus Glycoprotein gE/gI Complex Suppresses Type I Interferon Production by Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells
Authors: Lamote Jochen A. S. , Kestens Manon , Van Waesberghe Cliff , Delva Jonas , De Pelsmaeker Steffi , Devriendt Bert , Favoreel Herman W.
Published: January 2017

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) play a central role in the antiviral immune response, both in the innate response and in shaping the adaptive response, mainly because of their ability to produce massive amounts of type I interferon (TI-IFN). Here, we report that cells infected with the live attenuated Bartha vaccine strain of porcine alphaherpesvirus pseudorabies virus (PRV) trigger a dramatically increased TI-IFN response by porcine primary pDC compared to cells infected with wild-type PRV strains (Becker and Kaplan). Since Bartha is one of the relatively few examples of a highly successful alphaherpesvirus vaccine, identification of factors that may contribute to its efficacy may provide insights for the rational design of other alphaherpesvirus vaccines. The Bartha vaccine genome displays several mutations compared to the genome of wild-type PRV strains, including a large deletion in the unique short (US) region, encompassing the glycoprotein E (gE), gI, US9, and US2 genes. Using recombinant PRV Becker strains harboring the entire Bartha US deletion or single mutations in the four affected US genes, we demonstrate that the absence of the viral gE/gI complex contributes to the observed increased IFN-α response. Furthermore, we show that the absence of gE leads to an enhanced extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation in pDC, which correlates with a higher TI-IFN production by pDC. In conclusion, the PRV Bartha vaccine strain triggers strongly increased TI-IFN production by porcine pDC. Our data further indicate that the gE/gI glycoprotein complex suppresses TI-IFN production by pDC, which represents the first alphaherpesvirus factor that suppresses pDC activity.

IMPORTANCESeveral alphaherpesviruses, including herpes simpex virus, still lack effective vaccines. However, the highly successful Bartha vaccine has contributed substantially to eradication of the porcine alphaherpesvirus pseudorabies virus (PRV) in several countries. The impact of Bartha on the immune response is still poorly understood. Type I interferon (TI-IFN)-producing plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDC) may play an important role in vaccine development. Here, we show that Bartha elicits a dramatically increased type I interferon (TI-IFN) response in primary porcine pDC compared to wild-type strains. In addition, we found that the gE/gI complex, which is absent in Bartha, inhibits the pDC TI-IFN response. This is the first description of an immune cell type that is differentially affected by Bartha versus wild-type PRV and is the first report describing an alphaherpesvirus protein that inhibits the TI-IFN response by pDC. These data may therefore contribute to the rational design of other alphaherpesvirus vaccines.
Impact of Type I Interferon on the Safety and Immunogenicity of an Experimental Live-Attenuated Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Vaccine in Mice
Authors: Royer Derek J. , Carr Meghan M. , Chucair-Elliott Ana J. , Halford William P. , Carr Daniel J. J.
Published: January 2017

Viral fitness dictates virulence and capacity to evade host immune defenses. Understanding the biological underpinnings of such features is essential for rational vaccine development. We have previously shown that the live-attenuated herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) mutant lacking the nuclear localization signal (NLS) on the ICP0 gene (0ΔNLS) is sensitive to inhibition by interferon beta (IFN-β)in vitroand functions as a highly efficacious experimental vaccine. Here, we characterize the host immune response andin vivopathogenesis of HSV-1 0ΔNLS relative to its fully virulent parental strain in C57BL/6 mice. Additionally, we explore the role of type 1 interferon (IFN-α/β) signaling on virulence and immunogenicity of HSV-1 0ΔNLS and uncover a probable sex bias in the induction of IFN-α/β in the cornea during HSV-1 infection. Our data show that HSV-1 0ΔNLS lacks neurovirulence even in highly immunocompromised mice lacking the IFN-α/β receptor. These studies support the translational viability of the HSV-1 0ΔNLS vaccine strain by demonstrating that, while it is comparable to a virulent parental strain in terms of immunogenicity, HSV-1 0ΔNLS does not induce significant tissue pathology.

IMPORTANCEHSV-1 is a common human pathogen associated with a variety of clinical presentations ranging in severity from periodic “cold sores” to lethal encephalitis. Despite the consistent failures of HSV subunit vaccines in clinical trials spanning the past 28 years, opposition to live-attenuated HSV vaccines predicated on unfounded safety concerns currently limits their widespread acceptance. Here, we demonstrate that a live-attenuated HSV-1 vaccine has great translational potential.
De Novo
Generation of a Unique Cervid Prion Strain Using Protein Misfolding Cyclic Amplification
Authors: Meyerett-Reid Crystal , Wyckoff A. Christy , Spraker Terry , Pulford Bruce , Bender Heather , Zabel Mark D.
Published: January 2017

CWD is the only known TSE that affects free-ranging wildlife, specifically cervids such as elk, deer, moose, caribou, and reindeer. CWD has become endemic in both free-ranging and captive herds in North America, South Korea, and, most recently, northern Europe. The prion research community continues to debate the origins of CWD. Original foci of CWD emergence in Colorado and Wyoming coincident with the sheep TSE scrapie suggest that scrapie prions may have adapted to cervids to cause CWD. However, emerging evidence supports the idea that cervid PrP
C
may be more prone to misfolding to the pathological isoform. Here we test the hypothesis that cervid PrP
C
can spontaneously misfold to create
de novo
prions. Whether CWD can arise spontaneously as a sporadic TSE or represents a new TSE caused by cervid-adapted scrapie prions profoundly impacts surveillance and mitigation strategies.
Determinants of weight change in patients on basal insulin treatment: an analysis of the DIVE registry
Authors: Bramlage Peter , Bluhmki Tobias , Fleischmann Holger , Kaltheuner Matthias , Beyersmann Jan , Holl Reinhard W , Danne Thomas
Published: January 2017

Objective

We aimed to describe patterns of weight change in insulin-naive patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) starting basal insulin (BI) treatment.

Research design and methods

Diabetes Versorgungs-Evaluation (DIVE) is an observational, multicenter, prospective registry in patients with T2DM. Patients were divided into those initiating BI therapy for the first time (with optional oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs)) and those initiating OADs only (OADo).

Results

521 patients were included in the analysis, 113 in the BI arm and 408 in the OADo arm. Relative to baseline, the BI group gained an average of 0.98±7.1 kg at 1 year, compared with a loss of 1.52±11.8 kg in the OADo group (p<0.001). This difference remained statistically significant when expressed as a proportional change from baseline (+0.014±0.08 vs −0.015±0.12, respectively (p<0.001)). Baseline weight (regression coefficient (RC) 0.89; 95% CI 0.81 to 0.97; p<0.001) and diabetes duration (RC 2.52; 95% CI 0.53 to 4.52; p=0.01) were the only factors identified as significant predictors of weight gain between baseline and 1 year follow-up in BI patients.

Conclusions

Though BI therapy leads to modest weight gain over the subsequent year, this may be limited by BI initiation at an early stage of the disease. As such, delaying the start of insulin therapy based on fears of weight gain appears counter-productive, and should be reconsidered.
Quality of recording of diabetes in the UK: how does the GP's method of coding clinical data affect incidence estimates? Cross-sectional study using the CPRD database
Authors: Tate A Rosemary , Dungey Sheena , Glew Simon , Beloff Natalia , Williams Rachael , Williams Tim
Published: January 2017

Objective

To assess the effect of coding quality on estimates of the incidence of diabetes in the UK between 1995 and 2014.

Design

A cross-sectional analysis examining diabetes coding from 1995 to 2014 and how the choice of codes (diagnosis codes vs codes which suggest diagnosis) and quality of coding affect estimated incidence.

Setting

Routine primary care data from 684 practices contributing to the UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink (data contributed from Vision (INPS) practices).

Main outcome measure

Incidence rates of diabetes and how they are affected by (1) GP coding and (2) excluding ‘poor’ quality practices with at least 10% incident patients inaccurately coded between 2004 and 2014.

Results

Incidence rates and accuracy of coding varied widely between practices and the trends differed according to selected category of code. If diagnosis codes were used, the incidence of type 2 increased sharply until 2004 (when the UK Quality Outcomes Framework was introduced), and then flattened off, until 2009, after which they decreased. If non-diagnosis codes were included, the numbers continued to increase until 2012. Although coding quality improved over time, 15% of the 666 practices that contributed data between 2004 and 2014 were labelled ‘poor’ quality. When these practices were dropped from the analyses, the downward trend in the incidence of type 2 after 2009 became less marked and incidence rates were higher.

Conclusions

In contrast to some previous reports, diabetes incidence (based on diagnostic codes) appears not to have increased since 2004 in the UK. Choice of codes can make a significant difference to incidence estimates, as can quality of recording. Codes and data quality should be checked when assessing incidence rates using GP data.
Republished: Stentriever thrombectomy with distal protection device for carotid free floating thrombus: a technical case report
Authors: Giragani Suresh , Balani Ankit , Agrawal Vikas
Published: January 2017

We report the clinical details, imaging findings and management of a 45-year-old man who presented with recurrent transient ischemic attacks due to carotid free floating thrombus. Free floating thrombus of the carotid artery is a very rare condition with a high risk of distal embolic shower. The optimal treatment options are debatable and include medical management, surgical thrombectomy and endovascular thrombectomy. We describe the use of a stentriever with filter protection in the management of carotid free floating thrombus as a novel treatment option.
Unusual urachal remnant disease in a six‐month‐old golden retriever
Authors: Sebastian Marcos Patricia , Andaluz Anna , Planellas Bachs Marta
Published: January 2017

A six‐month‐old male entire golden retriever was presented with an umbilical mass noted by the owners four days before. Clinical examination revealed fever (39.7°C) and an umbilical fistulised abscess. Abdominal palpation revealed a solid mass in the caudal abdomen. The ultrasonographic study confirmed the presence of an abdominal mass (7 cm in diameter) adhered to several abdominal organs, mild localised peritonitis and an umbilical defect. The mass was compatible with an abscess or a granuloma potentially associated with an urachal remnant. An exploratory laparotomy confirmed the suspicion. The mass was removed and the urachal remnant corrected. Histopathology revealed the presence of a granuloma with multiple necrotic areas and basophilic structures suggestive of bacterial infection. Few days after surgery, all clinical signs resolved completely. Urachal remnants are rarely reported in small animals. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report describing such a severe presentation with complete resolution.
Dietary fish oil delays hypoxic skeletal muscle fatigue and enhances caffeine-stimulated contractile recovery in the rat in vivo hindlimb
Authors: Peoples Gregory E. , McLennan Peter L.
Published: January 2017

Oxygen efficiency influences skeletal muscle contractile function during physiological hypoxia. Dietary fish oil, providing docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), reduces the oxygen cost of muscle contraction. This study used an autologous perfused rat hindlimb model to examine the effects of a fish oil diet on skeletal muscle fatigue during an acute hypoxic challenge. Male Wistar rats were fed a diet rich in saturated fat (SF), long-chain (LC) n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-6 PUFA), or LC n-3 PUFA DHA from fish oil (FO) (8 weeks). During anaesthetised and ventilated conditions (normoxia 21% O2 (SaO2–98%) and hypoxia 14% O2 (SaO2–89%)) the hindlimb was perfused at a constant flow and the gastrocnemius–plantaris–soleus muscle bundle was stimulated via sciatic nerve (2 Hz, 6–12V, 0.05 ms) to established fatigue. Caffeine (2.5, 5, 10 mM) was supplied to the contracting muscle bundle via the arterial cannula to assess force recovery. Hypoxia, independent of diet, attenuated maximal twitch tension (normoxia: 82 ± 8; hypoxia: 41 ± 2 g·g−1 tissue w.w.). However, rats fed FO sustained higher peak twitch tension compared with the SF and n-6 PUFA groups (P < 0.05), and the time to decline to 50% of maximum twitch tension was extended (SF: 546 ± 58; n-6 PUFA: 522 ± 58; FO: 792 ± 96 s; P < 0.05). In addition, caffeine-stimulated skeletal muscle contractile recovery was enhanced in the FO-fed animals (SF: 41 ± 3; n-6 PUFA: 40 ± 4; FO: 52 ± 7% recovery; P < 0.05). These results support a physiological role of DHA in skeletal muscle membranes when exposed to low-oxygen stress that is consistent with the attenuation of muscle fatigue under physiologically normoxic conditions.
The effect of caffeine on skeletal muscle anabolic signaling and hypertrophy
Authors: Moore Timothy M. , Mortensen Xavier M. , Ashby Conrad K. , Harris Alexander M. , Kump Karson J. , Laird David W. , Adams Aaron J. , Bray Jeremy K. , Chen Ting , Thomson David M.
Published: January 2017

Caffeine is a widely consumed stimulant with the potential to enhance physical performance through multiple mechanisms. However, recent in vitro findings have suggested that caffeine may block skeletal muscle anabolic signaling through AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)-mediated inhibition of mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. This could negatively affect protein synthesis and the capacity for muscle growth. The primary purpose of this study was to assess the effect of caffeine on in vivo AMPK and mTOR pathway signaling, protein synthesis, and muscle growth. In cultured C2C12 muscle cells, physiological levels of caffeine failed to impact mTOR activation or myoblast proliferation or differentiation. We found that caffeine administration to mice did not significantly enhance the phosphorylation of AMPK or inhibit signaling proteins downstream of mTOR (p70S6k, S6, or 4EBP1) or protein synthesis after a bout of electrically stimulated contractions. Skeletal muscle-specific knockout of LKB1, the primary AMPK activator in skeletal muscle, on the other hand, eliminated AMPK activation by contractions and enhanced S6k, S6, and 4EBP1 activation before and after contractions. In rats, the addition of caffeine did not affect plantaris hypertrophy induced by the tenotomy of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles. In conclusion, caffeine administration does not impair skeletal muscle load-induced mTOR signaling, protein synthesis, or muscle hypertrophy.
First observations of spawning nests in the pouched lamprey (Geotria australis)
Authors: Baker Cindy F. , Jellyman Don J. , Reeve Kathryn , Crow Shannan , Stewart Michael , Buchinger Tyler , Li Weiming
Published: January 2017

The pouched lamprey (Geotria australis), one of four Southern Hemisphere lamprey species, is New Zealand’s only freshwater representative of the agnathans. In contrast to that of Northern Hemisphere lampreys, the reproductive ecology of Southern Hemisphere lampreys is poorly understood, with no documented nesting sites or spawning behaviours. In the present study, we utilized passive integrated transponder tags to track migratory adult G. australis to locate spawning sites. Across 2 years, six cryptic nesting sites were discovered, each containing eggs and a single male and female lamprey. The postspawning pairs were all located underneath large boulders, with the eggs forming a coagulated cluster that adhered to the underside of the boulder. Both the male and female lamprey survived spawning for over 105 days. The observed spawning nests highlight a substantial divergence in the reproductive behaviour between Northern and Southern Hemisphere lampreys, as the present observations of G. australis are the first that support clustered cryptic egg deposition and an extended time to mortality postspawning. This study offers the first insights to the long-standing mystery of Southern Hemisphere lamprey reproduction.
Hot eats and cool creeks: juvenile Pacific salmonids use mainstem prey while in thermal refuges
Authors: Brewitt Kimberly S. , Danner Eric M. , Moore Jonathan W.
Published: January 2017

Thermal refuges form important habitat for cold-water fishes in the face of rising temperatures. As fish become concentrated in refuges, food resources may become depleted. In this study, we used invertebrate drift sampling and fish density surveys to quantify potential in-refuge food limitation, temperature-sensitive radio-tagging studies to quantify thermal habitat use, and isotopic analyses to determine diet sources for juvenile Pacific salmonids using thermal refuges in California’s Klamath River. Juvenile salmonids using refuges formed by tributary junctions with the mainstem river obtained the majority (range = 47%–97%) of their diet from mainstem prey sources. Mean steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) body temperatures were significantly cooler (∼3.5 °C) than diet-inferred foraging temperatures. Thus, while fish seek cooler habitat for physiological benefits, they rely primarily on mainstem prey. Moreover, consistently high densities of fish in refuges (mean = 3.5 fish·m−2) could lead to density-dependent food limitation. Thus, mobile consumers like fish can exploit existing heterogeneity associated with cold-water refuges by gaining thermal benefits from a food-limited cold-water habitat while deriving the majority of their prey from the warm mainstem river.
Research on cascading failure in multilayer network with different coupling preference
Authors: Zhang Yong , Jin Lei , Wang Xiao Juan
Published: January 2017

This paper is aimed at constructing robust multilayer networks against cascading failure. Considering link protection strategies in reality, we design a cascading failure model based on load distribution and extend it to multilayer. We use the cascading failure model to deduce the scale of the largest connected component after cascading failure, from which we can find that the performance of four kinds of load distribution strategies associates with the load ratio of the current edge to its adjacent edge. Coupling preference is a typical characteristic in multilayer networks which corresponds to the network robustness. The coupling preference of multilayer networks is divided into two forms: the coupling preference in layers and the coupling preference between layers. To analyze the relationship between the coupling preference and the multilayer network robustness, we design a construction algorithm to generate multilayer networks with different coupling preferences. Simulation results show that the load distribution based on the node betweenness performs the best. When the coupling coefficient in layers is zero, the scale-free network is the most robust. In the random network, the assortative coupling in layers is more robust than the disassortative coupling. For the coupling preference between layers, the assortative coupling between layers is more robust than the disassortative coupling both in the scale free network and the random network.
First-principles calculations of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy for spintronic applications
Authors: Ansarino Masoud , Ravan Bahram Abedi
Published: January 2017

A combination of density functional theory and non-equilibrium Green’s function methods are used to simulate spin-dependent electronic transport in monatomic Au-nanowires sandwiched between ferromagnetic electrodes. Electrodes of the junction are in turn composed of tetragonal FeCo, FePd and FePt alloys. Magnetic anisotropy energies of the electrodes are calculated for different values of the c/a ratios of the electrode lattice constants and it is shown that at c/a = 1.05, the FePt electrodes gain a relatively large amount of magnetic anisotropy energy (MAE). Hence, it is concluded that the ferromagnetic FePt alloy can be used as a suitable type of electrode for applications in perpendicular magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs). We observe that increasing the c/a ratio leads to notable improvements in the spin filtering of the FeCo and FePd MTJs while it only has a slight effect on the filtering of the FePt MTJ. Later, we show that by removing the interfacial Pt atoms of the FePt MTJ, we are able to enhance its filtering property.
Statistics of nano-objects characteristics on the surface of PbTe:Bi condensate deposited on ceramic
Authors: Saliy Yaroslav , Ruvinskiy Mark , Nykyruy Lyubomyr
Published: January 2017

The influence of technological factors for obtaining such as both time and temperature of evaporator and temperature of substrate on statistics of the objects on the surface of PbTe films doped by Bi and deposited from the vapor on ceramics substrate in vacuum has been investigated. The atomic force microscopy, the image processing techniques and testing of the statistical hypotheses were used. The influence of technological factors on statistics of the surface crystallite size and their correlation to each other was analyzed.
Fractional Bat and Multi-Kernel-Based Spherical SVM for Low Resolution Face Recognition
Authors: Thomas Renjith , Rangachar M. J. S.
Published: January 2017

Face recognition is an important aspect of the biometric surveillance system. Generally, face recognition is a type of biometric system that can identify a specific individual by analyzing and comparing patterns in the facial image. Face recognition has distinct advantage over other biometrics is noncontact process. It has a wide variety of applications in both the law enforcement and nonlaw enforcement. While using the low resolution face images, the resolution of the image gets degraded. In this paper, to enhance the performance rate for low resolution image, the fractional Bat algorithm and multi-kernel-based spherical SVM classifier is proposed. Initially, the low resolution image is converted into the high resolution images by the kernel regression method. The GWTM process is utilized for the feature extraction by the Gabor filter, wavelet transform and local binary pattern (texture descriptors). Then, the super resolution images are applied to the feature level fusion by using the fractional Bat algorithm which comprises of fractional theory and Bat algorithm. Finally, the multi-kernel-based spherical SVM classifier is introduced for the recognition of feature images. The experimental results and performance analysis evaluated by the comparison metrics are FAR, FRR and Accuracy with existing systems. Thus, the outcome of our proposed system achieves the highest accuracy of 95% based on the training data samples, stopping criterion and number of draw attempts.
Analysis of Crosstalk-Induced Effects in Multilayer Graphene Nanoribbon Interconnects
Authors: Sahoo Manodipan , Rahaman Hafizur
Published: January 2017

Crosstalk effects in multilayer graphene nanoribbon (GNR) interconnects for the future nanoscale integrated circuits are investigated with the help of ABCD parameter matrix approach for intermediate- and global-level interconnects at 11[Formula: see text]nm and 8[Formula: see text]nm technology nodes. The worst-case crosstalk-induced delay and peak crosstalk noise voltages are derived for both neutral and doped zigzag GNR interconnects and compared to those of conventional copper interconnects. The worst-case crosstalk delays for perfectly specular, doped multilayer GNR interconnects are less than 4% of that of copper interconnects for 1[Formula: see text]mm long intermediate interconnects and less than 7% of that of copper interconnects for 5[Formula: see text]mm long global interconnects at 8[Formula: see text]nm node. As far as the worst-case peak crosstalk noise voltage is concerned, neutral GNR interconnects are slightly better performing than their doped counterparts. But from the perspective of overall noise contribution, doped GNR interconnects outperform neutral ones for all the cases. Finally, our analysis shows that from the signal integrity perspective, perfectly specular, doped multilayer zigzag GNR interconnects are a suitable alternative to copper interconnects for the future-generation integrated circuit technology.
A Low Offset Dynamic Comparator with Offset Elimination Circuit
Authors: Huang Cheng , Lin Zhilun , Wu Jianhui , Chen Chao
Published: January 2017

A new dynamic comparator with offset elimination circuit is proposed. The offset elimination circuit decreases the influence of the offset voltage effectively and increases the resolution of the comparator. The simulation results show that, if the pre-set offset voltage is 10[Formula: see text]mV, the offset elimination circuit can decrease to the enough low value, which meets the requirements of the system. The standard deviation of the offset voltage decreases from 7.27[Formula: see text]mV to 1.15[Formula: see text]mV with the utilization of the offset elimination circuit in Monte Carlo simulation.
Hiding Yourself Behind Collaborative Users When Using Continuous Location-Based Services
Authors: Ma Chunguang , Zhang Lei , Yang Songtao , Zheng Xiaodong
Published: January 2017

The prosperity of location-based services (LBSs) makes more and more people pay close attention to personal privacy. In order to preserve users privacy, several schemes utilized a trusted third party (TTP) to obfuscate users, but these schemes were suspected as the TTP may become the single point of failure or service performance bottleneck. To alleviate the suspicion, schemes with collaborative users to achieve [Formula: see text]-anonymity were proposed. In these schemes, users equipped with short-range communication devices could communicate with adjacent users to establish an anonymous group. With this group, the user can obfuscate and hide herself behind at least [Formula: see text] other users. However, these schemes are usually more efficient in snapshot services than continuous ones. To cope with the inadequacy, with the help of caching in mobile devices, we propose a query information blocks random exchange and results caching scheme (short for CaQBE). In this scheme, a particular user is hidden behind collaborative users in snapshot service, and then the caches further preserve the privacy in continuous service. In case of the active adversary launching the query correlation attack and the passive adversary launching the impersonation attack, a random collaborative user selection and a random block exchange algorithm are also utilized. Then based on the feature of entropy, a metric to measure the privacy of the user against attacks from the active and passive adversaries is proposed. Finally, security analysis and experimental comparison with other similar schemes further verify the optimal of our scheme in effectiveness of preservation and efficiency of performance.
The Biot Model for Anisotropic Poro-Elastic Media: The Viscoelastic Fluid Case
Authors: Gilbert Robert P. , Shoushani Michael
Published: January 2017

We show that an existence theorem for the completely anisotropic, time-harmonic poro-elastic boundary value problem can be established for the linear anisotropic Biot equations. Using the existence of these solutions, we present a scheme for solving the quasi-linear system for a nonlinear fluid–fluid viscosity such as the Carreau type.
Hybrid Approximation Hierarchical Boundary Element Methods for Acoustic Problems
Authors: Liu Xiujuan , Wu Haijun , Jiang Weikang
Published: January 2017

A multipole expansion approximation boundary element method (MEA BEM) based on the hierarchical matrices (H-matrices) and the multipole expansion theory was proposed previously. Though the MEA BEM can obtain higher accuracy than the adaptive cross-approximation BEM (ACA BEM), it demands more CPU time and memory than the ACA BEM does. To alleviate this problem, in this paper, two hybrid BEMs are developed taking advantage of the high efficiency and low memory consumption property of the ACA BEM and the high accuracy advantage of the MEA BEM. Numerical examples are elaborately set up to compare the accuracy, efficiency and memory consumption of the ACA BEM, MEA BEM and hybrid methods. It is indicated that the hybrid BEMs can reach the same level of accuracy as the ACA BEM and MEA BEM. The efficiency of each hybrid BEM is higher than that of the MEA BEM but lower than that of the ACA BEM. The memory consumptions of the hybrid BEMs are larger than that of the ACA BEM but less than that of the MEA BEM. The algorithm used to approximate the far-field submatrices corresponding to the cells and their nearest interactional cells determines the accuracy, efficiency and memory consumption of the hybrid BEMs. The proposed hybrid BEMs have both operation and storage logarithmic-linear complexity. They are feasible.
Denoising Underwater Acoustic Signals for Applications in Acoustical Oceanography
Authors: Taroudakis Michael , Smaragdakis Costas , Ross Chapman N.
Published: January 2017

A method for denoising underwater acoustic signals used in applications of acoustical oceanography is presented. The method has been introduced for imaging denoising and has been modified to be applied with acoustic signals. The method keeps the energy significant part of the raw signal and reduces the effects of noise by comparing overlapping signal windows and keeping components which resemble true signal energy. It is shown by means of characteristic experiments in connection with a statistical signal characterization scheme based on wavelet transform, that using the statistical features of the wavelet sub-band coefficients of the denoised signal, tomography or geoacoustic inversions lead to a reliable estimation of the parameters of a marine environment.
A characterization of invertible algebras linear over a group by second-order formulas
Authors: Davidov Sergey
Published: January 2017

In this paper, the left (right) [Formula: see text]-nucleus of an invertible algebra is defined and its connection with regular permutations of the invertible algebra is investigated. Using the notions of the [Formula: see text]-nucleus, we have obtained the characterizations of linear invertible algebras and those for left (right) linear invertible algebras by the second-order formulas.
Genetic coalgebras and their cubic stochastic matrices
Authors: Paniello Irene
Published: January 2017

We study the structure of genetic coalgebras and prove the existence of a decomposition as the direct sum of indecomposable subcoalgebras with genetic realization. To obtain such a decomposition, we first define a new multiplication for their related cubic stochastic matrices of type (1,2) and then, considering these matrices as cubic non-negative, we show how this new multiplication induces an index classification which can be used to study the genetic coalgebra structure. Genetically, the given coalgebra decomposition can be understood as a genetic clustering of the different types for the genetic trait defining the genetic coalgebra, which allows us to identify isolated ancestral populations.
Infinite groups admitting a faithful irreducible representation
Authors: Szechtman Fernando , Tushev Anatolii
Published: January 2017

Necessary and sufficient conditions for a group to possess a faithful irreducible representation are investigated. We consider locally finite groups and groups whose socle is essential.
Rings in which elements are sums of nilpotents, idempotents and tripotents
Authors: Zhou Yiqiang
Published: January 2017

We completely determine the rings for which every element is a sum of a nilpotent, an idempotent and a tripotent that commute with one another, and the rings for which every element is a sum of a nilpotent and two tripotents that commute with one another.
Preparation and Optoelectrical Properties of p-CuO/n-Si Heterojunction by a Simple Sol–Gel Method
Authors: He Bo , Xu Jing , Ning HuanPo , Zhao Lei , Xing HuaiZhong , Chang Chien-Cheng , Qin YuMing , Zhang Lei
Published: January 2017

The Cuprous oxide (CuO) thin film was prepared on texturized Si wafer by a simple sol–gel method to fabricate p-CuO/n-Si heterojunction photoelectric device. The novel sol–gel method is very cheap and convenient. The structural, optical and electrical properties of the CuO film were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV–Vis spectrophotometer and Hall effect measurement. A good nonlinear rectifying behavior is obtained for the p-CuO/n-Si heterojunction. Under reverse bias, good photoelectric behavior is obtained.
Multi-step modeling of liquid crystals using ab initio molecular packing and hybrid quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics simulations
Authors: Hu Hang , Rey Alejandro D.
Published: January 2017

A density functional theory (DFT) based multi-step simulation method is used to characterize the detailed molecular structure and inter/intra- molecular interactions of two benchmark liquid crystals (LC) 5CB, 8CB and a novel tri-biphenyl ring bent core LC material. The method uses hybrid DFT at the B3LYP/6-31G* level to obtain molecular structure and Raman data. These results are fed to a crystal packing simulation to find possible crystal structures. A pico-second quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) simulation model is built for the selected structures with lower overall energy as well as optimal density. The stabilized crystal structures are then extended into a super cell, heated and simulated using a mixed force field and nano-second molecular dynamics (MD). The described simulation process sequence provides predictions of molecular Raman spectrum, LC density, isotropic depolarization ratio, ratio of differential polarizability, order parameters, molecular structures, and rotating Raman spectrum of the different mesophases. The Raman spectra, order parameters and depolarization ratios all agree well with existing experimental and previous simulation results. The study of the novel tri-biphenyl ring bent core LC system shows that the ratio of differential polarizability depends on intra-molecular interactions. The findings presented in this manuscript contribute to the on-going efforts to establish links between LC molecular structures and their properties, including optical behavior.
Prediction of the maximum nonseizure load of lubricant additives
Authors: Yu Xinliang , Zhan Rimeng , Deng Jiyong , Huang Xianwei
Published: January 2017

Lubricating additives can improve the lubricant performance of base oil in reducing friction and wear and minimizing loss of energy. It is of great significance to study the relationship between chemical structures and lubrication properties of lubricant additives. This paper reports a quantitative structure–property relationship (QSPR) model of the maximum nonseizure loads ([Formula: see text]) of 79 lubricant additives by applying artificial neural network (ANN) based on the algorithm of backward propagation of errors. Six molecular descriptors appearing in the multiple linear regression (MLR) model were used as vectors to develop the ANN model. The optimal condition of ANN with network structure of [6-4-1] was obtained by adjusting various parameters by trial-and-error. The root-mean-square (rms) errors from ANN model are [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text]) for the training set and [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text]) for the test set, which are superior to the MLR results of [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text]) for the training set and [Formula: see text] ([Formula: see text]) for the test set. Compared to the existing model for [Formula: see text], our model has better statistical quality. The results indicate that our ANN model can be applied to predict the [Formula: see text] values for lubricant additives.
A Literature Review on the Factors Influencing Patent Propensity
Authors: Emodi Nnaemeka Vincent , Murthy Girish Panchakshara , Emodi Chinenye Comfort , Emodi Adaeze Saratu Augusta
Published: January 2017

This literature review explores the factors influencing a firm’s decision to patent its innovation. From the review of the available literature, some factors were identified which are related to the degree of codification or simplicity of knowledge and characteristics of a company or firm. We discovered that patent propensity vary among firms, industry, and country. The influencing factors on a firm’s patent propensity were discovered to be both internal and external. The literature review will provide assistance to researchers in understanding the factors influencing patent propensity.
On generalized Kropina change of mth root Finsler metric
Authors: Tiwari Bankteshwar , Prajapati Ghanashyam Kr.
Published: January 2017

In the present paper, we consider generalized Kropina change of [Formula: see text]th root Finsler metric and prove that it is locally projectively flat if and only if it is locally Minkowskian. We also establish a necessary and sufficient condition under which the generalized Kropina change of [Formula: see text]th root metric is locally dually flat. Further it is proved that a generalized Kropina change of [Formula: see text]th root metric cannot be conformal to an [Formula: see text]th root Finsler metric.
Highly Nitrogen-Doped Porous Carbon Obtained Using Nicotinic Acid by a Template Carbonization Approach for Supercapacitors
Authors: Jiang Ying , Cui Jiewu , Liu Jiaqin , Wang Yan , Shu Xia , Zhang Yong , Wu Yucheng
Published: January 2017

Nitrogen-enriched porous carbon materials have been successfully synthesized via a template carbonization method, in which nicotinic acid acts as carbon/nitrogen sources, and Ca(OAc)[Formula: see text]H2O as a template. It reveals that the mass ratio of Ca(OAc)[Formula: see text]H2O-to-nicotinic acid and the carbonization temperature dominate the morphology of carbon materials as well as capacitive performances. The sample obtained with the ratio of Ca(OAc)[Formula: see text]H2O-to-nicotinic acid as 1.5 at 800[Formula: see text]C, namely the C-1.5-800 sample, displays the optimum capacitive behavior. It is amorphous with low-graphitization degree, possessing hierarchical porous structure, high nitrogen content (14.5%), large specific surface area (788[Formula: see text]m2g[Formula: see text]) and high total pore volume (3.56[Formula: see text]cm3g[Formula: see text]). As a result, the as-made C-1.5-800 electrode exhibits a maximum specific capacitance of 216[Formula: see text]F g[Formula: see text] at a current density of 1[Formula: see text]A g[Formula: see text] in 6[Formula: see text]M KOH aqueous solution. It also displays a maximum energy density of 45.9[Formula: see text]Wh kg[Formula: see text] at 2050[Formula: see text]W kg[Formula: see text] and a maximum power density of 20100[Formula: see text]W kg[Formula: see text] at 19.2[Formula: see text]Wh kg[Formula: see text] at operation temperature of 50[Formula: see text]C in [EMIm]BF4/AN organic electrolyte. More importantly, the C-1.5-800 electrode exhibits an excellent cycling stability within 5000 cycles at 5[Formula: see text]A g[Formula: see text]. This work may enrich and broaden the field of porous carbon and its potential application for supercapacitors under high temperature.