bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antibiotic resistance genes as an emerging environmental contaminant
Authors: Sanderson Haley , Fricker Colin , Brown R. Stephen , Majury Anna , Liss Steven N.
Published: February 2016

Emerging contaminants, including pharmaceutical and personal care products, are receiving considerable attention owing to their potential to negatively impact the environment and to pose risks to human health. The widespread use of antibiotics and their fate and transport in the environment pose further risks with respect to public health and the development of antibiotic resistant organisms (AROs). While the occurrence of AROs is important, there is increasing interest in antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs). An urgent need exists to improve our understanding of the mechanisms associated with the spread and development of ARGs in both clinical and veterinary settings, the human body (gastrointestinal tract and microbiome) as well as in engineered (wastewater treatment plants) and natural (soil, sediments and water) environments. This review focuses on ARGs as an emerging environmental contaminant. The factors and mechanisms involved in ARG dissemination in a variety of environments are explored in detail. The unique challenges of ARGs with respect to policy-making and environmental monitoring are identified, and recommendations regarding how these challenges might be addressed are provided.
Hybrid textures of neutrino mass matrix under the lamppost of latest neutrino and cosmology data
Authors: Kalita Rupam , Borah Debasish
Published: February 2016

In this paper, we study all possible neutrino mass matrices with one zero element and two equal nonzero elements, known as hybrid texture neutrino mass matrices. In the diagonal charged lepton basis, we consider 39 such possible cases which are consistent with the latest neutrino data. Using the two constraints on neutrino mass matrix elements imposed by hybrid textures, we numerically evaluate the neutrino parameters like the lightest neutrino mass [Formula: see text], one Dirac CP phase [Formula: see text] and two Majorana CP phases [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] by using the global fit [Formula: see text] values of three mixing angles and two mass squared differences. We then constrain this parameter space by using the cosmological upper bound on the sum of absolute neutrino masses given by Planck experiment. We also calculate the effective neutrino mass [Formula: see text] for this region of parameter space which can have relevance in future neutrinoless double beta decay experiments. We finally discriminate between these hybrid texture mass matrices from the requirement of producing correct baryon asymmetry through type I seesaw leptogenesis. We also constrain the light neutrino parameter space as well as the lightest right-handed neutrino mass from the constraint on baryon asymmetry of the Universe from Planck experiment.
The Casimir effect for thick pistons
Authors: Fucci Guglielmo
Published: February 2016

In this work, we analyze the Casimir energy and force for a thick piston configuration. This study is performed by utilizing the spectral zeta function regularization method. The results we obtain for the Casimir energy and force depend explicitly on the parameters that describe the general self-adjoint boundary conditions imposed. Numerical results for the Casimir force are provided for specific types of boundary conditions and are also compared to the corresponding force on an infinitely thin piston.
String gravitational equations with Hermitian structure
Authors: Naderi F. , Rezaei-Aghdam A. , Darabi F.
Published: February 2016

We consider a string model at one-loop related to a [Formula: see text]-model whose antisymmetric tensor field is constructed as complex structure on the background manifold, especially on a manifold [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] is a complex manifold. As an example, we consider a homogeneous anisotropic [Formula: see text]-dimensional [Formula: see text]-model where space part of the background is a four-dimensional complex manifold. By solving the related one-loop [Formula: see text]-functions, we obtain a static solution so that by reduction of this solution to [Formula: see text]-dimension, we obtain a static solution of Einstein equation where the matter sector is effectively interpreted as an inhomogeneous, anisotropic and barotropic matter satisfying all the energy conditions. Finally, the [Formula: see text]-dual background of the solution is investigated and it is shown that the duality transformation and reduction processes commute with each other.
Restoration of four-dimensional diffeomorphism covariance in canonical general relativity: An intrinsic Hamilton–Jacobi approach
Authors: Salisbury Donald , Renn Jürgen , Sundermeyer Kurt
Published: February 2016

Classical background independence is reflected in Lagrangian general relativity through covariance under the full diffeomorphism group. We show how this independence can be maintained in a Hamilton–Jacobi approach that does not accord special privilege to any geometric structure. Intrinsic space–time curvature-based coordinates grant equal status to all geometric backgrounds. They play an essential role as a starting point for inequivalent semiclassical quantizations. The scheme calls into question Wheeler’s geometrodynamical approach and the associated Wheeler–DeWitt equation in which 3-metrics are featured geometrical objects. The formalism deals with variables that are manifestly invariant under the full diffeomorphism group. Yet, perhaps paradoxically, the liberty in selecting intrinsic coordinates is precisely as broad as is the original diffeomorphism freedom. We show how various ideas from the past five decades concerning the true degrees of freedom of general relativity can be interpreted in light of this new constrained Hamiltonian description. In particular, we show how the Kuchař multi-fingered time approach can be understood as a means of introducing full four-dimensional diffeomorphism invariants. Every choice of new phase space variables yields new Einstein–Hamilton–Jacobi constraining relations, and corresponding intrinsic Schrödinger equations. We show how to implement this freedom by canonical transformation of the intrinsic Hamiltonian. We also reinterpret and rectify significant work by Dittrich on the construction of “Dirac observables.”
Nonperturbative approach to the parton model
Authors: Simonov Yu. A.
Published: February 2016

In this paper, the nonperturbative parton distributions, obtained from the Lorentz contracted wave functions, are analyzed in the formalism of many-particle Fock components and their properties are compared to the standard perturbative distributions. We show that the collinear and IR divergencies specific for perturbative evolution treatment are absent in the nonperturbative version, however for large momenta [Formula: see text] (string tension), the bremsstrahlung kinematics is restored. A preliminary discussion of possible nonperturbative effects in DIS and high energy scattering is given, including in particular a possible role of multihybrid states in creating ridge-type effects.
New Approach of Features Extraction for Numeral Recognition
Authors: Benchaou Soukaina , Nasri M’Barek , El Melhaoui Ouafae
Published: February 2016

This paper proposes a new approach of features extraction based on structural and statistical techniques for handwritten, printed and isolated numeral recognition. The structural technique is inspired from the Freeman code, it consists first of contour detection and closing it by morphological operators. After that, the Freeman code was applied by extending its directions to 24-connectivity instead of 8-connectivity. Then, this technique is combined with the statistical method profile projection to determine the attribute vector of the particular numeral. Numeral recognition is carried out in this work through k-nearest neighbors and fuzzy min-max classification. The recognition rate obtained by the proposed system is improved indicating that the numeral extracted features contain more details.
Incorporating Trust Relation with PMF to Enhance Social Network Recommendation Performance
Authors: Li Hui , Ma Xiao-Ping , Shi Jun
Published: February 2016

In view of the exponential growth of information generated by social networks, social network analysis and recommendation have become important for many web applications. This paper examines the problem of social collaborative filtering to recommend items of interest to users in a social network setting. Many social networks capture the relationships among the nodes by using trust scores to label the edges. The bias of a node denotes its propensity to trust/mistrust its neighbors and is closely related to truthfulness. It is based on the idea that the recommendation of a highly biased node should be removed. In this paper, we propose a model-based approach for recommendation employing matrix factorization after removing the bias nodes from each link, which naturally fuses the users’ tastes and their trusted friends’ favors together. The empirical analysis on real large datasets demonstrate that our approaches outperform other state-of-the-art methods.
Forecasting of Underactuated Robotic Finger Contact Forces by Support Vector Regression Methodology
Authors: Jović Srđjan , Danesh Amir Seyed , Younesi Emran , Aničić Obrad , Petković Dalibor , Shamshirband Shahaboddin
Published: February 2016

Robotic manipulators have very strong nonlinearities. Analytical modeling of the robotic gripper is very challenging task. Therefore in this paper soft computing methods is applied in order to estimate contact forces of the robotic finger. Support vector regression (SVR) with radial and polynomial basis functions and the soft computing methods were used. The primary purpose of this study are in clarification of kinetostatic examining of a new finger mechanism utilizing pseudo-unbending body model. The results show the better prediction accuracy with SVR methodology with radial basis function (RBF).
Identities of the left-symmetric Witt algebras
Authors: Kozybaev Daniyar , Umirbaev Ualbai
Published: February 2016

Let [Formula: see text] be the polynomial algebra over a field [Formula: see text] of characteristic zero in the variables [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] be the left-symmetric Witt algebra of all derivations of [Formula: see text] [D. Burde, Left-symmetric algebras, or pre-Lie algebras in geometry and physics, Cent. Eur. J. Math. 4(3) (2006) 323–357]. We describe all right operator identities of [Formula: see text] and prove that the set of all algebras [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text], generates the variety of all left-symmetric algebras. We also describe a class of general (not only right operator) identities for [Formula: see text].
Minimal example of non-isocategorical groups that are categorically Morita equivalent
Authors: Naidu Deepak
Published: February 2016

We exhibit two groups of order 16 that are categorically Morita equivalent, but not Grothendieck equivalent, and therefore not isocategorical. These groups are the smallest such examples.
In silico investigation by conceptual DFT and molecular docking of antitrypanosomal compounds for understanding cruzain inhibition
Authors: Salah Toufik , Belaidi Salah , Melkemi Nadjib , Daoud Ismail , Boughdiri Salima
Published: February 2016

Current knowledge about Chagas disease, the potentially life-threatening illness caused by the protozoan parasite (Trypanosoma cruzi), has led to the development of new drugs and the understanding of their mode of action. The Conceptual Density-Functional Theory was applied to determine the active center sites of trypanocidal compounds, extended by the Molecular Docking analysis to identify the most favorable ligand conformation when bound to the active site of cruzain. Results such as CHELPG charges, Fukui function, MESP, and Molecular Docking analysis are reported and discussed in the present investigation. Whereas, a close agreement with experimental results was found to explain the possibility of studying the receptor-binding mode using these different axes.
PSRna: Prediction of small RNA secondary structures based on reverse complementary folding method
Authors: Li Jin , Xu Chengzhen , Wang Lei , Liang Hong , Feng Weixing , Cai Zhongxi , Wang Ying , Cong Wang , Liu Yunlong
Published: February 2016

Prediction of RNA secondary structures is an important problem in computational biology and bioinformatics, since RNA secondary structures are fundamental for functional analysis of RNA molecules. However, small RNA secondary structures are scarce and few algorithms have been specifically designed for predicting the secondary structures of small RNAs. Here we propose an algorithm named “PSRna” for predicting small-RNA secondary structures using reverse complementary folding and characteristic hairpin loops of small RNAs. Unlike traditional algorithms that usually generate multi-branch loops and 5[Formula: see text] end self-folding, PSRna first estimated the maximum number of base pairs of RNA secondary structures based on the dynamic programming algorithm and a path matrix is constructed at the same time. Second, the backtracking paths are extracted from the path matrix based on backtracking algorithm, and each backtracking path represents a secondary structure. To improve accuracy, the predicted RNA secondary structures are filtered based on their free energy, where only the secondary structure with the minimum free energy was identified as the candidate secondary structure. Our experiments on real data show that the proposed algorithm is superior to two popular methods, RNAfold and RNAstructure, in terms of sensitivity, specificity and Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC).
Inferring gene regulatory networks using a time-delayed mass action model
Authors: Zhao Yaou , Jiang Mingyan , Chen Yuehui
Published: February 2016

This paper demonstrates a new time-delayed mass action model which applies a set of delay differential equations (DDEs) to represent the dynamics of gene regulatory networks (GRNs). The mass action model is a classical model which is often used to describe the kinetics of biochemical processes, so it is fit for GRN modeling. The ability to incorporate time-delayed parameters in this model enables different time delays of interaction between genes. Moreover, an efficient learning method which employs population-based incremental learning (PBIL) algorithm and trigonometric differential evolution (TDE) algorithm TDE is proposed to automatically evolve the structure of the network and infer the optimal parameters from observed time-series gene expression data. Experiments on three well-known motifs of GRN and a real budding yeast cell cycle network show that the proposal can not only successfully infer the network structure and parameters but also has a strong anti-noise ability. Compared with other works, this method also has a great improvement in performances.
Application of ODE techniques to spherical gravitational collapse: Methods and results
Authors: Giambò Roberto , Giannoni Fabio , Magli Giulio
Published: February 2016

The final state of spherical gravitational collapse can be analyzed applying to the geodesic equations governing the behavior of light rays near the singularity relatively simple but powerful techniques of nonlinear ordinary differential equations. In this way, explicit use of exact solutions of Einstein’s field equations is not necessary, and results can be obtained for wide equations of state of the collapsing matter field.
Anisotropic open system cosmology
Authors: de Campos Miguel
Published: February 2016

In this work, we study a particle creation mechanism at the expense of the energy stored in an extra dimension with the respective process of compactification, and hence the emergence of 4D space. The spacetime resulting can be the Friedmann–Robertson–Walker (FRW) type, but also can be the cosmological term plus cold dark matter (ΛCDM) type, depending on the model’s parameters. Concurrent with the compactification process we have also the homogenization process, since initially the spacetime is anisotropic.
A parametrix for quantum gravity?
Authors: Esposito Giampiero
Published: February 2016

In the 60s, DeWitt discovered that the advanced and retarded Green functions of the wave operator on metric perturbations in the de Donder gauge make it possible to define classical Poisson brackets on the space of functionals that are invariant under the action of the full diffeomorphism group of spacetime. He therefore tried to exploit this property to define invariant commutators for the quantized gravitational field, but the operator counterpart of such classical Poisson brackets turned out to be a hard task. On the other hand, in the mathematical literature, it is by now clear that, rather than inverting exactly an hyperbolic (or elliptic) operator, it is more convenient to build a quasi-inverse, i.e. an inverse operator up to an operator of lower order which plays the role of regularizing operator. This approximate inverse, the parametrix, which is, strictly, a distribution, makes it possible to solve inhomogeneous hyperbolic (or elliptic) equations. We here suggest that such a construction might be exploited in canonical quantum gravity provided one understands what is the counterpart of classical smoothing operators in the quantization procedure. We begin with the simplest case, i.e. fundamental solution and parametrix for the linear, scalar wave operator; the next step are tensor wave equations, again for linear theory, e.g. Maxwell theory in curved spacetime. Last, the nonlinear Einstein equations are studied, relying upon the well-established Choquet-Bruhat construction, according to which the fifth derivatives of solutions of a nonlinear hyperbolic system solve a linear hyperbolic system. The latter is solved by means of Kirchhoff-type formulas, while the former fifth-order equations can be solved by means of well-established parametrix techniques for elliptic operators. But then the metric components that solve the vacuum Einstein equations can be obtained by convolution of such a parametrix with Kirchhoff-type formulas. Some basic functional equations for the parametrix are also obtained, that help in studying classical and quantum version of the Jacobi identity.
Hilbert–Huang Transform Approach to Lorenz Signal Separation
Authors: Clarke Gregori J. , Shen Samuel S. P.
Published: February 2016

This study uses the Hilbert–Huang transform (HHT), a signal analysis method for nonlinear and non-stationary processes, to separate signals of varying frequencies in a nonlinear system governed by the Lorenz equations. Similar to the Fourier series expansion, HHT decomposes a data time series into a sum of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) using empirical mode decomposition (EMD). Unlike an infinite number of Fourier series terms, the EMD always yields a finite number of IMFs, whose sum is equal to the original time series exactly. Using the HHT approach, the properties of the Lorenz attractor are interpreted in a time–frequency frame. This frame shows that: (i) the attractor is symmetric for [Formula: see text] (i.e. invariant for [Formula: see text]), even though the signs on [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are changed; (ii) the attractor is sensitive to initial conditions even by a small perturbation, measured by the divergence of the trajectories over time; (iii) the Lorenz system goes through “windows” of chaos and periodicity; and (iv) at times, a system can be both chaotic and periodic for a given [Formula: see text] value. IMFs are a finite collection of decomposed quasi-periodic signals, starting from the highest to lowest frequencies, providing detection of the lower frequency signals that may have otherwise been “hidden” by their higher frequency counterparts. EMD decomposes the original signal into a family of distinct IMF signals, the Hilbert spectra are a “family portrait” of time–frequency–amplitude interplay of all IMF members. Together with viewing the IMF energy, it is easy to discern where each IMF resides in the spectra in relation to one another. In this study, the majority of high amplitude signals appear at low frequencies, approximately 0.5–1.5. Although our numerical experiments are limited to only two specific cases, our HHT analyses of time–frequency, marginal spectra, and energy and quasi-periodicity of each IMF provide a novel approach to exploring the profound and phenomena-rich Lorenz system.
Remarks on uniformly symmetrically continuous functions
Authors: Khemaratchatakumthorn Tammatada , Pongsriiam Prapanpong
Published: February 2016

We give the definition of uniform symmetric continuity for functions defined on a nonempty subset of the real line. Then we investigate the properties of uniformly symmetrically continuous functions and compare them with those of symmetrically continuous functions and uniformly continuous functions. We obtain some characterizations of uniformly symmetrically continuous functions. Several examples are also given.
A new graph associated to a commutative ring
Authors: Alilou A. , Amjadi J. , Sheikholeslami S. M.
Published: February 2016

Let [Formula: see text] be a commutative ring with identity. In this paper, we consider a simple graph associated with [Formula: see text] denoted by [Formula: see text], whose vertex set is the set of all nonzero proper ideals of [Formula: see text] and two distinct vertices [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are adjacent whenever [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we initiate the study of the graph [Formula: see text] and we investigate its properties. In particular, we show that [Formula: see text] is a connected graph with [Formula: see text] unless [Formula: see text] is isomorphic to a direct product of two fields. Moreover, we characterize all commutative rings [Formula: see text] with at least two maximal ideals for which [Formula: see text] are planar.
Extended Exergy Analysis Based Comparison of Subcritical and Transcritical Refrigeration Systems
Authors: Sarkar Jahar , Joshi Dnyanesh
Published: February 2016

The main purpose of this study is to apply advanced exergy analysis to the transcritical CO2 vapor compression refrigeration system, and compare with the analysis of subcritical cycle using ammonia and R404a. Endogenous, exogenous, avoidable and unavoidable exergy destructions are determined for each component of these systems. For CO2 system, compressor contributes highest avoidable endogenous exergy destruction and gas cooler contributes highest avoidable exogenous exergy destruction. It is concluded that compressor is the first component for CO2 and R404a, and evaporator is the first component for NH3 to be improved. System improvement options to reduce the exergy destruction are discussed as well.
Angiotensin II-mediated hypertension impairs nitric oxide-induced NKCC2 inhibition in thick ascending limbs
Authors: Ramseyer Vanesa D. , Ortiz Pablo A. , Carretero Oscar A. , Garvin Jeffrey L.
Published: February 2016

In thick ascending limbs (THALs), nitric oxide (NO) decreases NaCl reabsorption via cGMP-mediated inhibition of Na-K-2Cl cotransporter (NKCC2). In angiotensin (ANG II)-induced hypertension, endothelin-1 (ET-1)-induced NO production by THALs is impaired. However, whether this alters NO's natriuretic effects and the mechanisms involved are unknown. In other cell types, ANG II augments phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5)-mediated cGMP degradation. We hypothesized that NO-mediated inhibition of NKCC2 activity and stimulation of cGMP synthesis are blunted via PDE5 in ANG II-induced hypertension. Sprague-Dawley rats were infused with vehicle or ANG II (200 ng·kg−1·min−1) for 5 days. ET-1 reduced NKCC2 activity by 38 ± 13% ( P < 0.05) in THALs from vehicle-treated rats but not from ANG II-hypertensive rats (Δ: −9 ± 13%). A NO donor yielded similar results as ET-1. In contrast, dibutyryl-cGMP significantly decreased NKCC2 activity in both vehicle-treated and ANG II-hypertensive rats (control: Δ−44 ± 15% vs. ANG II: Δ−41 ± 10%). NO increased cGMP by 2.08 ± 0.36 fmol/μg protein in THALs from vehicle-treated rats but only 1.06 ± 0.25 fmol/μg protein in ANG II-hypertensive rats ( P < 0.04). Vardenafil (25 nM), a PDE5 inhibitor, restored NO's ability to inhibit NKCC2 activity in THALs from ANG II-hypertensive rats (Δ: −60 ± 9%, P < 0.003). Similarly, NO's stimulation of cGMP was also restored by vardenafil (vehicle-treated: 1.89 ± 0.71 vs. ANG II-hypertensive: 2.02 ± 0.32 fmol/μg protein). PDE5 expression did not differ between vehicle-treated and ANG II-hypertensive rats. We conclude that NO-induced inhibition of NKCC2 and increases in cGMP are blunted in ANG II-hypertensive rats due to PDE5 activation. Defects in the response of THALs to NO may enhance NaCl retention in ANG II-induced hypertension.
A low-cost system to easily measure spontaneous physical activity in rodents
Authors: Chabert Clovis , Bottelin Pierre , Pison Christophe , Dubouchaud Hervé
Published: February 2016

Spontaneous physical activity (SPA) can be responsible for variations of a lot of physiological parameters at the molecular, cellular, tissue, and systemic levels. It is increasingly recognized that good understanding of a large part of experimental results requires weighting them by SPA in order to reduce variability and thus to decrease the number of animals necessary to conduct a study. However, because of the high cost of this equipment, only a few laboratories are equipped with such equipment to measure the SPA of their animals. Here we present an effective, adaptable, and affordable system to measure SPA in rodents based on video acquisition of the animal in its own environment. We compared results obtained with our system to those collected at the same time with a commercial system of actimetry recording, and we found a high degree of correlation between these two approaches ( r = 0.93; P < 0.001). We also were able to detect small variations of SPA induced by a special environment like chronic hypoxia exposure (25% less spontaneous activity compared with animals in normoxia, P < 0.05) or during the circadian cycle (107% more activity during the nocturnal phase compared with the diurnal phase, P < 0.05).
Saccades create similar mislocalizations in visual and auditory space
Authors: Krüger Hannah M. , Collins Thérèse , Englitz Bernhard , Cavanagh Patrick
Published: February 2016

Orienting our eyes to a light, a sound, or a touch occurs effortlessly, despite the fact that sound and touch have to be converted from head- and body-based coordinates to eye-based coordinates to do so. We asked whether the oculomotor representation is also used for localization of sounds even when there is no saccade to the sound source. To address this, we examined whether saccades introduced similar errors of localization judgments for both visual and auditory stimuli. Sixteen subjects indicated the direction of a visual or auditory apparent motion seen or heard between two targets presented either during fixation or straddling a saccade. Compared with the fixation baseline, saccades introduced errors in direction judgments for both visual and auditory stimuli: in both cases, apparent motion judgments were biased in direction of the saccade. These saccade-induced effects across modalities give rise to the possibility of shared, cross-modal location coding for perception and action.
Hypergravity within a critical period impacts on the maturation of somatosensory cortical maps and their potential for use-dependent plasticity in the adult
Authors: Zennou-Azogui Yoh'i , Catz Nicolas , Xerri Christian
Published: February 2016

We investigated experience-dependent plasticity of somatosensory maps in rat S1 cortex during early development. We analyzed both short- and long-term effects of exposure to 2 G hypergravity (HG) during the first 3 postnatal weeks on forepaw representations. We also examined the potential of adult somatosensory maps for experience-dependent plasticity after early HG rearing. At postnatal day 22, HG was found to induce an enlargement of cortical zones driven by nail displacements and a contraction of skin sectors of the forepaw map. In these remaining zones serving the skin, neurons displayed expanded glabrous skin receptive fields (RFs). HG also induced a bias in the directional sensitivity of neuronal responses to nail displacement. HG-induced map changes were still found after 16 wk of housing in normogravity (NG). However, the glabrous skin RFs recorded in HG rats decreased to values similar to that of NG rats, as early as the end of the first week of housing in NG. Moreover, the expansion of the glabrous skin area and decrease in RF size normally induced in adults by an enriched environment (EE) did not occur in the HG rats, even after 16 wk of EE housing in NG. Our findings reveal that early postnatal experience critically and durably shapes S1 forepaw maps and limits their potential to be modified by novel experience in adulthood.
A common control signal and a ballistic stage can explain the control of coordinated eye-hand movements
Authors: Gopal Atul , Murthy Aditya
Published: February 2016

Voluntary control has been extensively studied in the context of eye and hand movements made in isolation, yet little is known about the nature of control during eye-hand coordination. We probed this with a redirect task. Here subjects had to make reaching/pointing movements accompanied by coordinated eye movements but had to change their plans when the target occasionally changed its position during some trials. Using a race model framework, we found that separate effector-specific mechanisms may be recruited to control eye and hand movements when executed in isolation but when the same effectors are coordinated a unitary mechanism to control coordinated eye-hand movements is employed. Specifically, we found that performance curves were distinct for the eye and hand when these movements were executed in isolation but were comparable when they were executed together. Second, the time to switch motor plans, called the target step reaction time, was different in the eye-alone and hand-alone conditions but was similar in the coordinated condition under assumption of a ballistic stage of ∼40 ms, on average. Interestingly, the existence of this ballistic stage could predict the extent of eye-hand dissociations seen in individual subjects. Finally, when subjects were explicitly instructed to control specifically a single effector (eye or hand), redirecting one effector had a strong effect on the performance of the other effector. Taken together, these results suggest that a common control signal and a ballistic stage are recruited when coordinated eye-hand movement plans require alteration.
Physiology Of Drowning: A Review
Authors: Bierens Joost J. L. M. , Lunetta Philippe , Tipton Mike , Warner David S.
Published: February 2016

Drowning physiology relates to two different events: immersion (upper airway above water) and submersion (upper airway under water). Immersion involves integrated cardiorespiratory responses to skin and deep body temperature, including cold shock, physical incapacitation, and hypovolemia, as precursors of collapse and submersion. The physiology of submersion includes fear of drowning, diving response, autonomic conflict, upper airway reflexes, water aspiration and swallowing, emesis, and electrolyte disorders. Submersion outcome is determined by cardiac, pulmonary, and neurological injury. Knowledge of drowning physiology is scarce. Better understanding may identify methods to improve survival, particularly related to hot-water immersion, cold shock, cold-induced physical incapacitation, and fear of drowning.
Intrauterine Growth Restriction: Hungry for an Answer
Authors: Devaskar Sherin U. , Chu Alison
Published: February 2016

Intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) has been defined in several ways, but in general describes a condition in which the fetus exhibits poor growth in utero. This complication of pregnancy poses a significant public health burden as well as increased morbidity and mortality for the offspring. In human IUGR, alteration in fetal glucose and insulin homeostasis occurs in an effort to conserve energy and survive at the expense of fetal growth in an environment of inadequate nutrient provision. Several animal models of IUGR have been utilized to study the effects of IUGR on fetal glucose handling, as well as the postnatal reprogramming of energy metabolite handling, which may be unmasked in adulthood as a maladaptive propensity for cardiometabolic disease. This developmental programming may be mediated in part by epigenetic modification of essential regulators of glucose homeostasis. Several pharmacological therapies and nonpharmacological lifestyle modifications have shown early promise in mitigating the risk for or severity of adult metabolic phenotypes but still require further study of unanticipated and/or untoward side effects.
Neural Control of Walking in People with Parkinsonism
Authors: Peterson D. S. , Horak F. B.
Published: February 2016

People with Parkinson's disease exhibit debilitating gait impairments, including gait slowness, increased step variability, and poor postural control. A widespread supraspinal locomotor network including the cortex, cerebellum, basal ganglia, and brain stem contributes to the control of human locomotion, and altered activity of these structures underlies gait dysfunction due to Parkinson's disease.
Principles of Motor Unit Physiology Evolve With Advances in Technology
Authors: Farina Dario , Negro Francesco , Muceli Silvia , Enoka Roger M.
Published: February 2016

Movements are generated by the coordinated activation of motor units. Recent technological advances have made it possible to identify the concurrent activity of several tens of motor units, in contrast with much smaller samples available in classic studies. We discuss how these advances in technology have enabled the development of a population perspective of how the central nervous system controls motor unit activity and thereby the forces exerted by muscles.
Crack-Depth Prediction in Steel Based on Cooling Rate
Authors: Rodríguez-Martín M. , Lagüela S. , González-Aguilera D. , Rodríguez-Gonzálvez P.
Published: February 2016

One criterion for the evaluation of surface cracks in steel welds is to analyze the depth of the crack, because it is an effective indicator of its potential risk. This paper proposes a new methodology to obtain an accurate crack-depth prediction model based on the combination of infrared thermography and the 3D reconstruction procedure. In order to do this, a study of the cooling rate of the steel is implemented through active infrared thermography, allowing the study of the differential thermal behavior of the steel in the fissured zone with respect to the nonfissured zone. These cooling rate data are correlated with the real geometry of the crack, which is obtained with the 3D reconstruction of the welds through a macrophotogrammetric procedure. In this way, it is possible to analyze the correlation between cooling rate and depth through the different zones of the crack. The results of the study allow the establishment of an accurate predictive depth model which enables the study of the depth of the crack using only the cooling rate data. In this way, the remote measure of the depth of the surface steel crack based on thermography is possible.
The Stability of Interbank Market Network: A Perspective on Contagion and Risk Sharing
Authors: Xie Chi , Liu Yang , Wang Gang-Jin , Xu Yan
Published: February 2016

As an important part of the financial system, interbank market provides banks with liquidity and credit lending and also is the main channel for risk contagion. In this paper, we test the existence of systematic risk contagion within the Chinese interbank market. By building the networks of the Chinese interbank market for each year and using the measure of mutual information, we quantitatively detect the changes of interbank market networks and observe that the correlations between banks become increasingly tighter in recent years. With the bilateral risk exposure among Chinese listed commercial banks, we find that the possibility of systemic risk contagion in Chinese interbank market is fairly small. But of great concern on each individual bank, the matter is different. Our simulation shows that the failures of three special banks (i.e., Agricultural Bank of China and Bank of China and Industrial and Commercial Bank of China) most likely lead to systemic risk contagion. Furthermore, we test the antirisk ability of the Chinese interbank market from the perspective of risk sharing and discover that the interbank market is stable when the loss scale is lower than forty percent of banks’ total core capital.
Predictive Value of Plasma MicroRNA-216a/b in the Diagnosis of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Dong Shuling , Yin Huiqing , Dong Cuicui , Sun Kaiyan , Lv Pin , Meng Weiwei , Ming Liang , He Fucheng
Published: February 2016

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a common human malignancy with poor survival, which was usually diagnosed at an advanced stage. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), a class of single stranded noncoding RNAs with only 17–25 ribonucleotides, were demonstrated to play an important role in lots of cancers. In the recent years, increasing evidence revealed that circulating miRNAs exhibited great potential in the diagnosis of various types of cancers. The present study was designed to evaluate the diagnostic value of plasma miRNA-216a/b for ESCC. Our results showed that the expression level of plasma miRNA-216a/b was significantly lower in ESCC patients compared with that of healthy controls. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis yielded an area under the ROC curve (AUC) value of 0.877 [95% CI (confidence interval): 0.818–0.922] for miRNA-216a and 0.756 (95% CI: 0.685–0.819) for miRNA-216b. Clinical data indicated that plasma miRNA-216a/b were inversely correlated with lymph node metastasis and TNM stage. Additionally, the plasma miRNA-216b expression level was significantly upregulated in postoperative samples compared to preoperative samples. Our study, for the first time, demonstrated that plasma miRNA-216a/b might serve as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of ESCC and dysregulation of miRNA-216a/b might be involved in the progression of ESCC.
National Trends of Antiparkinsonism Treatment in Taiwan: 2004–2011
Authors: Liu Weng-Ming , Wu Ruey-Meei , Chang Chia-Hsuin , Lin Jou-Wei , Liu Ying-Chun , Lin Chin-Hsien
Published: February 2016

Background. Several guidelines for Parkinson’s disease (PD) management were recently updated. We examined temporal trends for antiparkinsonism drugs in Taiwan.Methods. Antiparkinsonism prescriptions, including levodopa, ergot/nonergot dopamine agonists (DAs), amantadine, selegiline, entacapone, and anticholinergics, were identified in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Database from 2004 to 2011. Time trend analyses were estimated assuming Poisson distribution.Results. A total of 19,302 PD patients in 2004 and 41,606 PD patients in 2011 were analyzed. Antiparkinsonism prescriptions increased significantly from 187,137 in 2004 to 414,587 in 2011. Levodopa monotherapy or combination therapy was the mainstay. Levodopa monotherapy comprised 37.4% of prescriptions in 2004 and 44.2% in 2011, with an annual increase rate of 18.14%. There was a substantially increasing trend of DA prescriptions, which were higher in younger-aged patients (<60 years) than in older-aged group (p=0.0006). Among combination therapy, DA combined with levodopa or other antiparkinsonism medications became the main combinations for younger-aged patients after 2009. After 2005, the proportion of ergot DA usage markedly decreased and PD patients using nonergot DA increased.Conclusions. Levodopa was the major treatment from 2004 to 2011. There was a steeply increased trend of DA use, especially in younger-aged patients. Nonergot agents comprised the major DA group after 2005.
A Grooming Nodes Optimal Allocation Method for Multicast in WDM Networks
Authors: Wei Chengying , Shen Qinren , Liu Huanlin , Chen Yong
Published: February 2016

The grooming node has the capability of grooming multicast traffic with the small granularity into established light at high cost of complexity and node architecture. In the paper, a grooming nodes optimal allocation (GNOA) method is proposed to optimize the allocation of the grooming nodes constraint by the blocking probability for multicast traffic in sparse WDM networks. In the proposed GNOA method, the location of each grooming node is determined by the SCLD strategy. The improved smallest cost largest degree (SCLD) strategy is designed to select the nongrooming nodes in the proposed GNOA method. The simulation results show that the proposed GNOA method can reduce the required number of grooming nodes and decrease the cost of constructing a network to guarantee a certain request blocking probability when the wavelengths per fiber and transmitter/receiver ports per node are sufficient for the optical multicast in WDM networks.
Direct Scaling Analysis of Fermionic Multiparticle Correlated Anderson Models with Infinite-Range Interaction
Authors: Chulaevsky Victor
Published: February 2016

We adapt the method of direct scaling analysis developed earlier for single-particle Anderson models, to the fermionic multiparticle models with finite or infinite interaction on graphs. Combined with a recent eigenvalue concentration bound for multiparticle systems, the new method leads to a simpler proof of the multiparticle dynamical localization with optimal decay bounds in a natural distance in the multiparticle configuration space, for a large class of strongly mixing random external potentials. Earlier results required the random potential to be IID.
Perceived versus Observed Patient Safety Measures in a Critical Care Unit from a Teaching Hospital in Southern Colombia
Authors: Montenegro Jorge Hernan , Romero Adriana Fernanda , Tejada Paola Andrea , Olaya Sandra Ximena , Rubiano Andres Mariano
Published: February 2016

Introduction. Patient safety is an important topic. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the perceived versus observed patient safety measures (PSM) in critically ill patients in a teaching hospital in Latin America.Materials and Methods. The level of perceived patient safety was evaluated with the patient safety hospital survey. Three months later, a qualitative study was conducted, including video recording of procedures, graded according to adherence to PSM. Levels of adherence were scored during patient mobilization (PM), placement of central catheters (PCC), other invasive procedures (OIP), infection control (IC), and endotracheal intubation (ETI).Results. The perceived adherence of PSM in the prestudy survey was considered fair by 89.1% of the ICU staff. After the survey, 829 ICU procedures were video-recorded. Mean observed adherence for fair patient safety measures was 20.8%. Perceived adherence was higher than the real patient safety protocol measures observed in the videos.Conclusion. Perception of PSM was higher than observed in the management of critically ill patients in a teaching hospital in southern Colombia.
Postinfarct Left Ventricular Remodelling: A Prevailing Cause of Heart Failure
Authors: Galli Alessio , Lombardi Federico
Published: February 2016

Heart failure is a chronic disease with high morbidity and mortality, which represents a growing challenge in medicine. A major risk factor for heart failure with reduced ejection fraction is a history of myocardial infarction. The expansion of a large infarct scar and subsequent regional ventricular dilatation can cause postinfarct remodelling, leading to significant enlargement of the left ventricular chamber. It has a negative prognostic value, because it precedes the clinical manifestations of heart failure. The characteristics of the infarcted myocardium predicting postinfarct remodelling can be studied with cardiac magnetic resonance and experimental imaging modalities such as diffusion tensor imaging can identify the changes in the architecture of myocardial fibers. This review discusses all the aspects related to postinfarct left ventricular remodelling: definition, pathogenesis, diagnosis, consequences, and available therapies, together with experimental interventions that show promising results against postinfarct remodelling and heart failure.
Choroid Melanoma Metastasis to Spine: A Rare Case Report
Authors: Mandaliya Hiren , Singh Nandini , George Sanila , George Mathew
Published: February 2016

Metastatic choroid melanoma is a highly malignant disease with a limited life expectancy. The liver is the most common site for metastasis of uveal melanoma followed by lung, bone, skin, and subcutaneous tissue. Metastasis from choroidal melanoma usually occurs within the first five years of treatment for primary tumours. Metastatic choroid melanoma to the spine/vertebrae is extremely rare. We report the first case of spinal metastasis from choroid melanoma in a 61-year-old man who had been treated for primary ocular melanoma three years earlier with radioactive plaque brachytherapy. Synchronously, at the time of metastasis, he was also diagnosed as having a new primary lung adenocarcinoma as well. The only other case reported on vertebral metastasis from malignant melanoma of choroid in literature in which primary choroid melanoma was enucleated.
An Experimental Study of Structural Identification of Bridges Using the Kinetic Energy Optimization Technique and the Direct Matrix Updating Method
Authors: Heo Gwanghee , Jeon Joonryong
Published: February 2016

This paper aims to develop an SI (structural identification) technique using the KEOT and the DMUM to decide on optimal location of sensors and to update FE model, respectively, which ultimately contributes to a composition of more effective SHM. Owing to the characteristic structural flexing behavior of cable bridges (e.g., cable-stayed bridges and suspension bridges), which makes them vulnerable to any vibration, systematic and continuous structural health monitoring (SHM) is pivotal for them. Since it is necessary to select optimal measurement locations with the fewest possible measurements and also to accurately assess the structural state of a bridge for the development of an effective SHM, an SI technique is as much important to accurately determine the modal parameters of the current structure based on the data optimally obtained. In this study, the kinetic energy optimization technique (KEOT) was utilized to determine the optimal measurement locations, while the direct matrix updating method (DMUM) was utilized for FE model updating. As a result of experiment, the required number of measurement locations derived from KEOT based on the target mode was reduced by approximately 80% compared to the initial number of measurement locations. Moreover, compared to the eigenvalue of the modal experiment, an improved FE model with a margin of error of less than 1% was derived from DMUM. Thus, the SI technique for cable-stayed bridges proposed in this study, which utilizes both KEOT and DMUM, is proven effective in minimizing the number of sensors while accurately determining the structural dynamic characteristics.