bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carbapenem Resistance in Elizabethkingia meningoseptica Is Mediated by Metallo-β-Lactamase BlaB
Authors: González Lisandro J. , Vila Alejandro J.
Published: January 2012

Elizabethkingia meningoseptica
, a Gram-negative rod widely distributed in the environment, is resistant to most β-lactam antibiotics. Three
bla
genes have been identified in
E. meningoseptica
, coding for the extended-spectrum serine-β-lactamase CME (class D) and two unrelated wide-spectrum metallo-β-lactamases, BlaB (subclass B1) and GOB (subclass B3).
E. meningoseptica
is singular in being the only reported microorganism possessing two chromosomally encoded MBL genes. Real-time PCR and biochemical analysis demonstrate that the three
bla
genes are actively expressed
in vivo
as functional β-lactamases. However, while CME elicits cephalosporin resistance, BlaB is the only β-lactamase responsible for
E. meningoseptica
resistance to imipenem, as GOB activity is masked by higher cellular levels of BlaB. On the other hand, we demonstrate that
bla
BlaB
expression is higher in the stationary phase or under conditions that mimic the nutrient-limiting cerebrospinal fluid colonized by
E. meningoseptica
in human meningitis.
IMP-29, a Novel IMP-Type Metallo-β-Lactamase in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Jeannot Katy , Poirel Laurent , Robert-Nicoud Marjorie , Cholley Pascal , Nordmann Patrice , Plésiat Patrick
Published: January 2012

Analysis of two clonally related multiresistant
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
isolates led to the identification of a novel IMP-type metallo-β-lactamase. IMP-29 was significantly different from the other IMP variants (the closest variant being IMP-5 with 93% amino acid identity). The
bla
IMP-29
gene cassette was carried by a class 1 integron in strain 10.298, while in strain 10.266 it was located in a rearranged DNA region on a 30-kb conjugative plasmid. Biochemical analysis confirmed that IMP-29 efficiently hydrolyzed carbapenems.
Comparative
In Vitro
Activities of LFF571 against Clostridium difficile and 630 Other Intestinal Strains of Aerobic and Anaerobic Bacteria
Authors: Citron Diane M. , Tyrrell Kerin L. , Merriam C. Vreni , Goldstein Ellie J. C.
Published: January 2012

The
in vitro
activities of LFF571, a novel analog of GE2270A that inhibits bacterial growth by binding with high affinity for protein synthesis elongation factor Tu, fidaxomicin, and 10 other antimicrobial agents were determined against 50 strains of
Clostridium difficile
and 630 other anaerobic and aerobic organisms of intestinal origin. LFF571 possesses potent activity against
C. difficile
and most other Gram-positive anaerobes (MIC
90
, ≤0.25 μg/ml), with the exception of bifidobacteria and lactobacilli. The MIC
90
s for aerobes, including enterococci,
Staphylococcus aureus
(as well as methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
[MRSA] isolates),
Streptococcus pyogenes
, and other streptococci were 0.06, 0.125, 2, and 8 μg/ml, respectively. Comparatively, fidaxomicin showed variable activity against Gram-positive organisms: MIC
90
s against
C. difficile
,
Clostridium perfringens
, and
Bifidobacterium
spp. were 0.5, ≤0.015, and 0.125 μg/ml, respectively, but >32 μg/ml against
Clostridium ramosum
and
Clostridium innocuum
. MIC
90
for
S. pyogenes
and other streptococci was 16 and >32 μg/ml, respectively. LFF571 and fidaxomicin were generally less active against Gram-negative anaerobes.
Small-Angle X-Ray Scattering Analysis of the Bifunctional Antibiotic Resistance Enzyme Aminoglycoside (6′) Acetyltransferase-Ie/Aminoglycoside (2″) Phosphotransferase-Ia Reveals a Rigid Solution Structure
Authors: Caldwell Shane J. , Berghuis Albert M.
Published: January 2012

Aminoglycoside (6′) acetyltransferase-Ie/aminoglycoside (2″) phosphotransferase-Ia [AAC(6′)-Ie/APH(2″)-Ia] is one of the most problematic aminoglycoside resistance factors in clinical pathogens, conferring resistance to almost every aminoglycoside antibiotic available to modern medicine. Despite 3 decades of research, our understanding of the structure of this bifunctional enzyme remains limited. We used small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) to model the structure of this bifunctional enzyme in solution and to study the impact of substrate binding on the enzyme. It was observed that the enzyme adopts a rigid conformation in solution, where the N-terminal AAC domain is fixed to the C-terminal APH domain and not loosely tethered. The addition of acetyl-coenzyme A, coenzyme A, GDP, guanosine 5′-[β,γ-imido]triphosphate (GMPPNP), and combinations thereof to the protein resulted in only modest changes to the radius of gyration (
R
G
) of the enzyme, which were not consistent with any large changes in enzyme structure upon binding. These results imply some selective advantage to the bifunctional enzyme beyond coexpression as a single polypeptide, likely linked to an improvement in enzymatic properties. We propose that the rigid structure contributes to improved electrostatic steering of aminoglycoside substrates toward the two active sites, which may provide such an advantage.
Meta-Analysis of the Clinical Effect of Ligustrazine on Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Wang Bin , Ni Qing , Wang Xun , Lin Lan
Published: January 2012

Ligustrazine, a bioactive component contained in Chuanxiong (Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort), is widely applied in the treatment of vascular diseases in China, e.g. myocardial and cerebral infarction. The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the clinical effect of Ligustrazine on diabetic nephropathy (DN). PUBMED, EMBASE, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), Chinese Biological Medicine Database (CBM), China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) Database, etc. were searched by computer and manual methods to identify RCTs that were used to evaluate the clinical effect of Ligustrazine on DN patients. Twenty five studies comprising 25 RCTs were involved including 1645 patients (858 in the treatment group and 787 in the control group). The meta-analysis suggests that compared with the control group, Ligustrazine injection has a significant therapeutic effect on improving renal function (blood urea nitrogen [BUN] and serum creatinine [SCr]) and reducing in urine protein (24 h urine protein, urine micro albumin and urinary albumin excretion rate [UAER]) in DN patients.
Herb-Drug Interaction of 50 Chinese Herbal Medicines on CYP3A4 Activityin Vitroandin Vivo
Authors: Pao Li-Heng , Hu Oliver Yoa-Pu , Fan Hsien-Yuan , Lin Chang-Ching , Liu Liang-Chun , Huang Pei-Wei
Published: January 2012

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of Chinese herbal medicines on the enzymatic activity of CYP3A4 and the possible metabolism-based herb-drug interactions in human liver microsomes and in rats. Fifty single-herbal preparations were screened for the activity of CYP3A4 using human liver microsomes for an in vitro probe reaction study. The enzymatic activity of CYP3A4 was estimated by determing the 6β-hydroxytestosterone metabolized from testosterone performed on a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Huang Qin (Scutellaria baicalensis Geprgi), Mu Dan Pi (Paeonia suffruticosa Andr.), Ji Shiee Terng (Spatholobus suberectus Dunn.) and Huang Qi (Astragalus membranaceus [Fisch] Bge) have been demonstrated to have remarkable inhibiting effects on the metabolism of CYP3A4, whereas Xi Yi Hua (Magnolia biondii Pamp.) exhibited a moderate inhibition. These five single herbs were further investigated in an animal study using midazolam. Mu Dan Pi, Ji Shiee Terng and Huang Qi were observed to have greatly increased in the Cmaxand AUC of midazolam. This study provides evidence of possible herb-drug interactions involved with certain single herbs.
Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of a Hypoglycemic Fraction fromCucurbita ficifoliaBouché in Streptozotocin-Induced Diabetes Mice
Authors: Roman-Ramos R. , Almanza-Perez J. C. , Fortis-Barrera A. , Angeles-Mejia S. , Banderas-Dorantes T. R. , Zamilpa-Alvarez A. , Diaz-Flores M. , Jasso I. , Blancas-Flores G. , Gomez J. , Alarcon-Aguilar F. J.
Published: January 2012

Type 2 diabetes is characterized by oxidative stress and a chronic low-grade inflammatory state, which also play roles in the pathogenesis of this disease and the accompanying vascular complications by increasing the production of free radicals and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Cucurbita ficifolia Bouché (C. ficifolia) is an edible Mexican plant whose hypoglycemic activity has been demonstrated in several experimental and clinical conditions. Recently, D-chiro-inositol has been proposed as the compound responsible for the hypoglycemic effects; however, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potential of this plant has not yet been explored. The aim of this research is to study the influence of a hypoglycemic, D-chiro-inositol-containing fraction from the C. ficifolia fruit (AP-Fraction) on biomarkers of oxidative stress, as well as on the inflammatory cytokines in streptozotocin-induced diabetes. The AP-Fraction obtained from the mature fruit of C. ficifolia contained 3.31 mg of D-chiro-inositol/g of AP-Fraction. The AP-Fraction was administrated daily by gavage to normal mice for 15 days as a preventive treatment. Then these animals were given streptozotocin, and the treatments were continued for an additional 33 days. Pioglitazone was used as a hypoglycemic drug for comparison. Administration of the AP-Fraction significantly increased glutathione (GSH) and decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) in the liver without significantly affecting the levels in other tissues. The AP-Fraction reduced TNF-α and increased IL-6 and IFN-γ in serum. Interestingly, the AP-Fraction also increased IL-10, an anti-inflammatory cytokine. These results suggest that C. ficifolia might be used as an alternative medication for the control of diabetes mellitus and that it has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties in addition to its hypoglycemic activity.
An Improved Acute Gouty Arthritis Rat Model and Therapeutic Effect of Rhizoma Dioscoreae Nipponicae on Acute Gouty Arthritis Based on the Protein-Chip Methods
Authors: Yao Li , Dong Wanru , Lu Fang , Liu Shumin
Published: January 2012

Rhizoma Dioscoreae Nipponicae (RDN) is an herbal medicine. In the theories of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), the function of RDN is to expel wind and remove dampness. Inflammatory mechanisms play an important role in the pathological process and prognosis of acute gouty arthritis (AGA). The aim of this study was to determine the specially expressed proteins through testing the proteins of the synovium in rats with AGA. The animal model of AGA was set up by Monosodium urate crystal (MSU) combined with hypoxanthine (HX), which was ameliorated in our previous experiment. Blood samples for measurement of serum uric acid were collected prior to sacrifice. Outcomes were assessed (two days after injection) by histological stain and protein quantitation. Three chips of RayBioⓇHuman Label-based Antibody Array I were applied to detect 90 proteins in the synovium tissue of AGA rats. 14 differently expressed proteins were found in the synovium of AGA rats, and nine of them were first found in this model. There were seven up-regulated and seven down-regulated proteins, both TRAIL and Neuropilin-2 could be identified as key contributors to the pathomechanism of AGA.
Cimicifuga foetida L. Inhibited Human Respiratory Syncytial Virus in HEp-2 and A549 Cell Lines
Authors: Wang Kuo Chih , Chang Jung San , Chiang Lien Chai , Lin Chun Ching
Published: January 2012

Human respiratory syncytial virus (HRSV) causes serious pediatric infection of the lower respiratory tract without effective therapeutic modality. Sheng-Ma-Ge-Gen-Tang (SMGGT; Shoma-kakkon-to) has been proven to be effective at inhibiting HRSV-induced plaque formation, and Cimicifuga foetida is the major constituent of SMGGT. We tested the hypothesis that C. foetida effectively inhibited the cytopathic effects of HRSV by a plaque reduction assay in both human upper (HEp2) and lower (A549) respiratory tract cell lines. Its ability to stimulate anti-viral cytokines was evaluated by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). C. foetida dose-dependently inhibited HRSV-induced plaque formation (p < 0.0001) before and after viral inoculation, especially in A549 cells (p < 0.0001). C. foetida dose-dependently inhibited viral attachment (p < 0.0001) and could increase heparins effect on viral attachment. In addition, C. foetida time-dependently and dose-dependently (p < 0.0001) inhibited HRSV internalization. C. foetida could stimulate epithelial cells to secrete IFN-β to counteract viral infection. However, C. foetida did not stimulate TNF-α secretion. Therefore, C. foetida could be useful in managing HRSV infection. This is the first evidence to support that C. foetida possesses antiviral activity.
Mulberry Leaf Extract Stimulates Glucose Uptake and GLUT4 Translocation in Rat Adipocytes
Authors: Naowaboot Jarinyaporn , Pannangpetch Patchareewan , Kukongviriyapan Veerapol , Prawan Auemduan , Kukongviriyapan Upa , Itharat Arunporn
Published: January 2012

Mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaf tea is promoted for its health benefits and the control of diabetes in Asian nations. The blood glucose lowering activity of mulberry leaf extract (MA) has been proven; however, the molecular basis underlying this effect remains unclear. The aim of the present work is to elucidate its mechanism of the antihyperglycemic action, by examining the effect of MA on glucose uptake and the translocation of glucose transporter 4 protein (GLUT4) to the plasma membrane of adipocytes isolated from diabetic rats. The incubation of adipocytes with 5–45 μg/ml MA resulted in 31–54% increase of glucose uptake in a dose-dependent manner. This glucose uptake enhancing effect was inhibited by the phosphoinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) inhibitor, wortmannin (100 nM). The GLUT4 protein on the plasma membrane fraction of adipocytes was markedly increased after treatment with 15 μg/ml MA extract. Interestingly, gallic acid, one of the phenolic compounds found in MA extract, increased glucose uptake and enhanced the translocation of GLUT4 at concentrations comparable to the amount of gallic acid in the effective concentration ranges of MA. Thus, it is likely that gallic acid contributes, at least in part, to its antihyperglycemic activity. The present results suggest that the antihyperglycemic action of MA is mediated by increasing glucose uptake via the activation of PI3-K signaling pathway and translocation of GLUT4 to the plasma membrane. These findings are the first molecular evidence supporting the mulberry tea as herbal medicine for diabetic patients.
Comparative Root Protein Profiles of Korean Ginseng (Panax ginseng) and Indian Ginseng (Withania somnifera)
Authors: Nagappan Arulkumar , Karunanithi Nithya , Sentrayaperumal Sundareswaran , Park Kwang-II , Park Hyeon-Soo , Lee Do Hoon , Kang Sang-Rim , Kim Jin-A , Senthil Kalaiselvi , Natesan Senthil , Muthurajan Raveendran , Kim Gon Sup
Published: January 2012

Ginsenosides and withanolides are the secondary metabolites from Panax ginseng and Withania somnifera, respectively. These compounds have similar biological properties. Two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE) analysis was utilized to reveal the protein profile in the roots of both plants, with the aim of clarifying similarly- and differentially-expressed proteins. Total proteins of Korea ginseng (P. ginseng) and Indian ginseng (W. somnifera) roots were separated by 2-DE using a pH 4–7 immobilized pH gradient strip in the first dimension and 12% sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis in the second dimension. The protein spots were visualized by silver staining. Twenty-one P. ginseng proteins and 35 W. somnifera proteins were chosen for identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry; of these, functions were ascribed to 14 and 22 of the P. ginseng and W. somnifera proteins, respectively. Functions mainly included general cell metabolism, defense and secondary metabolism. ATPase and alcohol dehydrogenase proteins were expressed in both plants. The results of this study, to our knowledge, are the first to provide a reference 2-DE map for the W. somnifera root proteome, and will aid in the understanding of the expression and functions of proteins in the roots of Korean ginseng and Indian ginseng.
BAND SURGERY ON KNOTS AND LINKS, II
Authors: KANENOBU TAIZO
Published: January 2012

An oriented 2-component link is called band-trivializable, if it can be unknotted by a single band surgery. We consider whether a given 2-component link is band-trivializable or not. Then we can completely determine the band-trivializability for the prime links with up to 9 crossings. We use the signature, the Jones and Q polynomials, and the Arf invariant. Since a band-trivializable link has 4-ball genus zero, we also give a table for the 4-ball genus of the prime links with up to 9 crossings. Furthermore, we give an additional answer to the problem of whether a (2n + 1)-crossing 2-bridge knot is related to a (2, 2n) torus link or not by a band surgery for n = 3, 4, which comes from the study of a DNA site-specific recombination.
THE EXPRESSIONS FOR THE SUPER-ALLOWED BETA-DECAY RATES IN THE CORIOLIS COUPLING MODEL: APPLICATION TO THE 1d5/2 SHELL NUCLEI
Authors: SULTAN PARVEZ M. , BARY MALIK F.
Published: January 2012

The expressions for super-allowed beta-decay transition rates have been derived within the context of the Coriolis coupling model. The derived expressions, valid for the beta-decay between any two mirror nuclei, have been applied to calculate super-allowed beta-decay transition rates of 21 Na , 23 Mg , 25 Al , and 27 Si . Without the use of any hindrance factor, the calculated rates agree well with the data and also with the calculations done using the shell model with configuration admixture.
SCAVENGER RECEPTOR-MEDIATED TARGETING OF MACROPHAGE FOAM CELLS IN ATHEROSCLEROTIC PLAQUE USING OLIGONUCLEOTIDE-FUNCTIONALIZED NANOPARTICLES
Authors: SHARMA GAURAV , SHE ZHI-GANG , VALENTA DAVID T. , STALLCUP WILLIAM B. , SMITH JEFFREY W.
Published: January 2012

Macrophage foam cells are key components of atherosclerotic plaque and play an important role in the progression of atherosclerosis leading to plaque rupture and thrombosis. Foam cells are emerging as attractive targets for therapeutic intervention and imaging the progression of disease. Therefore, designing nanoparticles (NPs) targeted to macrophage foam cells in plaque is of considerable therapeutic significance. Here we report the construction of an oligonucleotide-functionalized NP system with high affinity for foam cells. Nanoparticles functionalized with a 23-mer poly-Guanine (polyG) oligonucleotide are specifically recognized by the scavenger receptors on lipid-laden foam cells in vitro and ex vivo. The enhanced uptake of polyG-functionalized NPs by foam cells is inhibited in the presence of acetylated-LDL, a known ligand of scavenger receptors. Since polyG oligonucleotides are stable in serum and are unlikely to induce an immune response, they are a promising candidate for developing an NP platform for scavenger receptor-mediated targeting of macrophages that can be optimized for targeting foam cells in atherosclerotic lesions.
Optimization Algorithms for the Multiplierless Realization of Linear Transforms
Authors: Aksoy Levent , Costa Eduardo , Flores Paulo , Monteiro Jose
Published: January 2012

This article addresses the problem of finding the fewest numbers of addition and subtraction operations in the multiplication of a constant matrix with an input vector---a fundamental operation in many linear digital signal processing transforms. We first introduce an exact common subexpression elimination (CSE) algorithm that formalizes the minimization of the number of operations as a 0-1 integer linear programming problem. Since there are still instances that the proposed exact algorithm cannot handle due to the NP-completeness of the problem, we also introduce a CSE heuristic algorithm that iteratively finds the most common 2-term subexpressions with the minimum conflicts among the expressions. Furthermore, since the main drawback of CSE algorithms is their dependency on a particular number representation, we propose a hybrid algorithm that initially finds promising realizations of linear transforms using a numerical difference method, and then applies the proposed CSE algorithm to utilize the common subexpressions iteratively. The experimental results on a comprehensive set of instances indicate that the proposed approximate algorithms find competitive results with those of the exact CSE algorithm and obtain better solutions than the prominent, previously proposed, heuristics. It is also observed that our solutions yield significant area reductions in the design of linear transforms after circuit synthesis, compared to direct realizations of linear transforms.
Postplacement Voltage Island Generation
Authors: Leung Mario K. Y. , Chio Eric K. I. , Young Evangeline F. Y.
Published: January 2012

High power consumption will not only shorten the battery life of handheld devices, but also cause thermal and reliability problems. To lower power consumption, one way is to reduce the supply voltage as in multisupply voltage (MSV) designs. In region-based MSV, a circuit will be partitioned into “voltage islands” where each island occupies a contiguous physical space and operates at one supply voltage. In the work of Wu et al. [2005], this voltage supply problem is addressed, and the input placement is partitioned into a set of rectangular voltage islands by a slicing structure. However, the constraint of using a slicing structure prohibits better solutions in their approach. In the work of Ching et al. [2006], the constraint of obtaining rectangular shapes is relaxed; their method forms islands of very irregular shapes. In this article, we propose a method that focuses on forming rectangular voltage islands to minimize the power consumption, while at the same time favoring the power routing step. It is found that, even with this reduced flexibility on island shapes, we can still perform as well as, or in some cases, even better than the previous work of Ching et al. [2006] that does not control the shapes of the islands, in terms of power saving and island number.
Error Rate Estimation for Defective Circuits via Ones Counting
Authors: Pan Zhaoliang , Breuer Melvin A.
Published: January 2012

With VLSI circuit feature size scaling down, it is becoming more difficult and expensive to achieve a desired level of yield. Error-tolerance employs defective chips that occasionally produce erroneous yet acceptable results in targeted applications, and has been proposed as one way to increase effective yield. These chips are characterized by criteria set by specific applications. Error rate, an upper-bound on how frequent errors occur at an output, is one such criterion. In this article we focus on the following problem: given a combinational logic circuit that is defective, and hence occasionally produces an erroneous output, how can we determine the error rate of each output line by using ones counting? The results of this work can also be used for runtime error estimation in aging systems and in environments where soft-errors are produced.
Succinctness of the Complement and Intersection of Regular Expressions
Authors: Gelade Wouter , Neven Frank
Published: January 2012

We study the succinctness of the complement and intersection of regular expressions. In particular, we show that when constructing a regular expression defining the complement of a given regular expression, a double exponential size increase cannot be avoided. Similarly, when constructing a regular expression defining the intersection of a fixed and an arbitrary number of regular expressions, an exponential and double exponential size increase, respectively, cannot be avoided. All mentioned lower bounds improve the existing ones by one exponential and are tight in the sense that the target expression can be constructed in the corresponding time class, that is, exponential or double exponential time. As a by-product, we generalize a theorem by Ehrenfeucht and Zeiger stating that there is a class of DFAs which are exponentially more succinct than regular expressions, to a fixed alphabet. When the given regular expressions are one-unambiguous, as for instance required by the XML Schema specification, the complement can be computed in polynomial time whereas the bounds concerning intersection continue to hold. For the subclass of single-occurrence regular expressions, we prove a tight exponential lower bound for intersection.
The Complexity of Positive First-Order Logic without Equality
Authors: Madelaine Florent , Martin Barnaby
Published: January 2012

We study the complexity of evaluating positive equality-free sentences of first-order (FO) logic over a fixed, finite structure
B
. This may be seen as a natural generalisation of the nonuniform quantified constraint satisfaction problem QCSP(
B
). We introduce surjective hyper-endomorphisms and use them in proving a Galois connection that characterizes definability in positive equality-free FO. Through an algebraic method, we derive a complete complexity classification for our problems as
B
ranges over structures of size at most three. Specifically, each problem either is in L, is NP-complete, is co-NP-complete, or is Pspace-complete.
A Comparative Study of Palmprint Recognition Algorithms
Authors: Zhang David , Zuo Wangmeng , Yue Feng
Published: January 2012

Palmprint images contain rich unique features for reliable human identification, which makes it a very competitive topic in biometric research. A great many different low resolution palmprint recognition algorithms have been developed, which can be roughly grouped into three categories: holistic-based, feature-based, and hybrid methods. The purpose of this article is to provide an updated survey of palmprint recognition methods, and present a comparative study to evaluate the performance of the state-of-the-art palmprint recognition methods. Using the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HKPU) palmprint database (version 2), we compare the recognition performance of a number of holistic-based (Fisherpalms and DCT+LDA) and local feature-based (competitive code, ordinal code, robust line orientation code, derivative of Gaussian code, and wide line detector) methods, and then investigate the error correlation and score-level fusion performance of different algorithms. After discussing the achievements and limitations of current palmprint recognition algorithms, we conclude with providing several potential research directions for the future.
Towards an automatic music arrangement framework using score reduction
Authors: Huang Jiun-Long , Chiu Shih-Chuan , Shan Man-Kwan
Published: January 2012

Score reduction is a process that arranges music for a target instrument by reducing original music. In this study we present a music arrangement framework that uses score reduction to automatically arrange music for a target instrument. The original music is first analyzed to determine the type of arrangement element of each section, then the phrases are identified and each is assigned a utility according to its type of arrangement element. For a set of utility-assigned phrases, we transform the music arrangement into an optimization problem and propose a phrase selection algorithm. The music is arranged by selecting appropriate phrases satisfying the playability constraints of a target instrument. Using the proposed framework, we implement a music arrangement system for the piano. An approach similar to Turing test is used to evaluate the quality of the music arranged by our system. The experiment results show that our system is able to create viable music for the piano.
Context-aware services engineering
Authors: Abeywickrama Dhaminda B. , Ramakrishnan Sita
Published: January 2012

Context-aware Web services are identified as an important technology to support new applications on the future Internet. Context information has several qualities that make the development of these services challenging, compared to conventional, Web services. Therefore, sound software engineering practices are needed during their development and execution. This article discusses a novel software engineering-based approach, which leverages the benefits of model-driven architecture, aspect-oriented modeling, and formal model checking, for modeling and verifying context-aware services. The approach is explored using a real-world case study in intelligent transport. An evaluation framework is established to validate the main methods and tools employed.
An “Uncrimped” SMart Stapes Prosthesis: A Cause of Late Hearing Deterioration in Otosclerosis
Authors: Randhawa Premjit S. , Hamilton Nicholas , Narula Antony A.
Published: January 2012

Statement of Problem. Stapedotomy is the treatment of choice for otosclerosis. Numerous techniques and prosthesis are available to perform this procedure. Success rates of surgery vary from 17% to 80%, and revision surgery carries an increased risk of complications as well as poorer hearing outcomes.Method of Study. Case report.Results. We report the first case of uncrimping of a SMart stapes prosthesis with no lateral displacement as a cause of late failure despite successful crimping and improvement in audiological outcomes after initial surgery.Conclusion. The SMart stapes prosthesis is widely used and has been shown to be safe and provide good hearing outcomes. Displacement of a stapes prosthesis is the commonest cause of failure. Our case shows that deterioration of hearing thresholds can occur from uncrimping of the prosthesis with no displacement. It is important to improve our understanding of stapedotomy failure as revision procedures are associated with poorer outcomes.
Successful Conservative Treatment of a Cesarean Scar Pregnancy with Systemically Administered Methotrexate and Subsequent Dilatation and Curettage: A Case Report
Authors: Fadhlaoui Anis , Khrouf Mohamed , Khémiri Khaled , Nouira Kais , Chaker Anis , Zhioua Fethi
Published: January 2012

Cesarean scar pregnancy is a rare type of ectopic pregnancy associated with severe complications such as uterine rupture, uncontrollable bleeding which may lead to hysterectomy, and definitive infertility. Many therapeutic options are available such as Dilatation & Curetage, excision of trophoblastic tissues using either laparotomy or laparoscopy, systemically administered Methotrexate, and more recently uterine artery embolization. The use of Methotrexate sometimes required laparotomy later because of severe hemorrhage. Through this paper, we demonstrated that viable cesarean scar pregnancy can be managed safely by systemically delivered Methotrexate at the cost of a prolonged followup.
Hydatid Cyst Protoscolices Induce Cell Death in WEHI-164 Fibrosarcoma Cells and Inhibit the Proliferation of Baby Hamster Kidney FibroblastsIn Vitro
Authors: Yousofi Darani Hossein , Soozangar Narges , Khorami Soliman , Taji Fatomeh , Yousofi Mortaza , Shirzad Hedayatollah
Published: January 2012

Bothin vitroandin vivomodels have demonstrated that some parasites can interfere with tumor cell growth. The present study investigates the anticancer activity of hydatid cyst protoscolices on WEHI-164 fibrosarcoma cells and baby hamster kidney (BHK) fibroblast cellsin vitro. Those above two cell types were treated with live hydatid cyst protoscolices or left untreated for control groups. After 48 h, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and cell counts were assayed for both treated cells and control groups. Following treatment with hydatid cyst protoscolices, cell proliferation of both cell types was inhibited, and lysis of fibrosarcoma cells increased. Based on these results, it appears that hydatid cyst protoscolices have strong anticancer activity, and additional studies are needed to further clarify the mechanisms of this activity.
Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation on the PC-5 and PC-6 Points Alleviated Hypotension after Epidural Anaesthesia, Depending on the Stimulus Frequency
Authors: Arai Young-Chang P. , Ito Akihiro , Ohshima Kenji , Hibino Soki , Niwa Sinnosuke , Kawanishi Jun , Numanami Hiroki , Sakakima Yoshikazu , Mizuno Shouji , Tawada Yusuke , Maruyama Yuki , Sato Jun , Nishihara Makoto , Inoue Shinsuke , Ushida Takahiro
Published: January 2012

Neuraxial blockade causes arterial hypotension. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) at the Neiguan (PC-6) and Jianshi (PC-5) reduces the severity of hypotension after spinal anaesthesia, but did not clarify the optimal stimulus frequency. We hypothesized that the stimulus frequency of TENS at the PC-6 and PC-5 points would influence the severity of hypotension after epidural anaesthesia. 65 ASA I or II male patients presenting for inguinal hernia repair were randomized to five groups: the control group received no treatment; the 2 Hz, 10 Hz, 20 Hz, and 40 Hz groups received TENS at a frequency of 2 Hz, 10 Hz, 20 Hz, and 40 Hz, respectively. The lowest SBP was significantly higher in the 40 Hz group [the control, 84 (74–110) mmHg; the 2 Hz, 96 (62–116) mmHg; the 10 Hz, 100 (68–110) mmHg; the 20 Hz, 96 (64–115) mmHg; the 40 Hz, 104 (75–140) mmHg:P=0.004]. Significantly less patients experienced hypotension in the 40 Hz group [the control, 78%; the 2 Hz, 43%; the 10 Hz, 38%; the 20 Hz, 38%; the 40 Hz, 8%:P=0.008]. TENS on the PC-6 and PC-5 points reduced the severity and incidence of hypotension after epidural anaesthesia, depending on the stimulus frequency.
A Decomposition of the Dual Space of Some Banach Function Spaces
Authors: Capone Claudia , Formica Maria Rosaria
Published: January 2012

We give a decomposition for the dual space of some Banach Function Spaces as the Zygmund space of the exponential integrable functions, the Marcinkiewicz space , and the Grand Lebesgue Space .
Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging Findings in a Case with Biliary Microhamartomas
Authors: Dilli Alper , Ayaz Umit Yasar , Yüksel Ilhami , Damar Cagrı , Ayaz Sevin , Hekimoglu Baki
Published: January 2012

Biliary microhamartomas, also known as bile duct hamartomas and von Meyenburg complexes, are benign neoplasms containing cystic dilated bile ducts embedded in fibrous stroma. They develop in hepatobiliary system, do not generally give clinical outcomes, and are detected incidentally. However, they can rarely show malignant transformation. Our aim was to report the contribution of computed tomography, routine magnetic resonance imaging, and magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography in the diagnosis of biliary microhamartomas in a 61-year-old woman.
Inclusion and Exclusion in Nutrigenetics Clinical Research: Ethical and Scientific Challenges
Authors: Hurlimann T. , Stenne R. , Menuz V. , Godard B.
Published: January 2012

Background/Aims: There are compelling reasons to ensure the participation of ethnic minorities and populations of all ages worldwide in nutrigenetics clinical research. If findings in such research are valid for some individuals, groups, or communities, and not for others, then ethical questions of justice – and not only issues of methodology and external validity – arise. This paper aims to examine inclusion in nutrigenetics clinical research and its scientific and ethical challenges. Methods: In total, 173 publications were identified through a systematic review of clinical studies in nutrigenetics published between 1998 and 2007. Data such as participants’ demographics as well as eligibility criteria were extracted. Results: There is no consistency in the way participants’ origins (ancestry, ethnicity, or race) and ages are described in publications. A vast majority of the studies identified was conducted in North America and Europe and focused on ‘white’ participants. Our results show that pregnant women (and fetuses), minors, and the elderly (≧75 years old) remain underrepresented. Conclusion: Representativeness in nutrigenetics research is a challenging ethical and scientific issue. Yet, if nutrigenetics is to benefit whole populations and be used in public and global health agendas, fair representation as well as clear descriptions of participants in publications are crucial.
Shrinking Lung Syndrome Successfully Treated with Rituximab and Cyclophosphamide
Authors: Langenskiöld Elisabeth , Bonetti Alessandro , Fitting Jean William , Heinzer Raphaël , Dudler Jean , Spertini François , Lazor Romain
Published: January 2012

Shrinking lung syndrome (SLS) is an uncommon feature of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) characterized by dyspnea, pleuritic chest pain, diaphragmatic elevation, restrictive ventilatory defect and reduced respiratory muscle strength as measured by volitional tests. We report the case of a 28-year-old woman with overlapping features of SLE and Sjögren syndrome who developed severe SLS while receiving corticosteroids and azathioprine for severe polyarthritis. She was treated with a combination of rituximab and cyclophosphamide, which led to a dramatic improvement in her clinical condition and respiratory function tests. The increase in vital capacity was one of the highest among 35 published cases of SLS. Thus, restoring a near-normal lung function is an achievable goal in SLS, and the use of rituximab, with or without concomitant cyclophosphamide, certainly deserves further study in this setting.
Exhaled Breath Temperature Increases after Exercise in Asthmatics and Controls
Authors: Svensson Henning , Nilsson David , Bjermer Leif , Tufvesson Ellen
Published: January 2012

Background: Exhaled breath temperature (EBT) has been suggested as a marker of airway inflammation in asthma. Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate EBT in asthmatic subjects compared to healthy controls after an exercise challenge test, and in subjects with exercise-induced bronchoconstriction compared to subjects without, and to compare with body temperatures. Methods: A total of 21 healthy controls and 20 asthmatics were included. Forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), EBT and oral, axillary and auricular temperatures were measured before and after an exercise challenge test. Results: FEV1 % predicted (%p) was significantly lower in asthmatic subjects compared to healthy controls at all time points after exercise. The largest drop in FEV1%p correlated with EBT after 5 min. EBT increased markedly 5 min after exercise and remained high for at least 60 min. In asthmatics whose FEV1 dropped by >10%, EBT was higher after 60 min compared to the remaining asthmatics. EBT correlated with oral temperature at all time points after exercise, with axillary temperature only at 15, 30 and 60 min, and not at all with auricular temperature. Conclusions: EBT is increased after exercise, and elevated EBT correlated with a drop in FEV1%p. The immediate increase in EBT did not differ between asthmatics and controls but remained elevated in the asthmatics whose FEV1 dropped by >10%, indicating a different vascular response.
Effects of Exercise Training on Red Blood Cell Production: Implications for Anemia
Authors: Hu Min , Lin Wentao
Published: January 2012

Exercise training can increase total Hb and red cell mass, which enhances oxygen-carrying capacity. The possible underlying mechanisms are proposed to come mainly from bone marrow, including stimulated erythropoiesis with hyperplasia of the hematopoietic bone marrow, improvement of the hematopoietic microenvironment induced by exercise training, and hormone- and cytokine-accelerated erythropoiesis. Anemia is one of the most common medical conditions in chronic disease. The effects of exercise training on counteracting anemia have been explored and evaluated. The results of the research available to date are controversial, and it seems that significant methodological limitations exist. However, exercise training might be a promising, additional, safe and economical method to help improve anemia. There is a need for further investigation into the effects of and guidelines for exercise interventions (especially strength training) in this population of patients, particularly among cancer patients who are undergoing or have undergone chemotherapy or radiation treatments. As the available data are limited, additional research to uncover the underlying mechanisms associated with the effects of exercise training on anemia is clearly warranted.
Surface Water Vapor Pressure and Temperature Trends in North America during 1948–2010
Authors: Isaac V. , van Wijngaarden W. A.
Published: January 2012

Over one-quarter billion hourly values of temperature and relative humidity observed at 309 stations located across North America during 1948–2010 were studied. The water vapor pressure was determined and seasonal averages were computed. Data were first examined for inhomogeneities using a statistical test to determine whether the data were fit better to a straight line or a straight line plus an abrupt step, which may arise from changes in instruments and/or procedure. Trends were then found for data not having discontinuities. Statistically significant warming trends affecting the Midwestern United States, Canadian prairies, and the western Arctic are evident in winter and to a lesser extent in spring while statistically significant increases in water vapor pressure occur primarily in summer for some stations in the eastern half of the United States. The temperature (water vapor pressure) trends averaged over all stations were 0.30 (0.07), 0.24 (0.06), 0.13 (0.11), 0.11 (0.07) °C decade−1 (hPa decade−1) in the winter, spring, summer, and autumn seasons, respectively. The averages of these seasonal trends are 0.20°C decade−1 and 0.07 hPa decade−1, which correspond to a specific humidity increase of 0.04 g kg−1 decade−1 and a relative humidity reduction of 0.5% decade−1.
Interactive Crop Management in the Community Earth System Model (CESM1): Seasonal Influences on Land–Atmosphere Fluxes
Authors: Levis Samuel , Bonan Gordon B. , Kluzek Erik , Thornton Peter E. , Jones Andrew , Sacks William J. , Kucharik Christopher J.
Published: January 2012

The Community Earth System Model, version 1 (CESM1) is evaluated with two coupled atmosphere–land simulations. The CTRL (control) simulation represents crops as unmanaged grasses, while CROP represents a crop managed simulation that includes special algorithms for midlatitude corn, soybean, and cereal phenology and carbon allocation. CROP has a more realistic leaf area index (LAI) for crops than CTRL. CROP reduces winter LAI and represents the spring planting and fall harvest explicitly. At the peak of the growing season, CROP simulates higher crop LAI. These changes generally reduce the latent heat flux but not around peak LAI (late spring/early summer). In midwestern North America, where corn, soybean, and cereal abundance is high, simulated peak summer precipitation declines and agrees better with observations, particularly when crops emerge late as is found from a late planting sensitivity simulation (LateP). Differences between the CROP and LateP simulations underscore the importance of simulating crop planting and harvest dates correctly. On the biogeochemistry side, the annual cycle of net ecosystem exchange (NEE) also improves in CROP relative to Ameriflux site observations. For a global perspective, the authors diagnose annual cycles of CO2 from the simulated NEE (CO2 is not prognostic in these simulations) and compare against representative GLOBALVIEW monitoring stations. The authors find an increased (thus also improved) amplitude of the annual cycle in CROP. These regional and global-scale refinements from improvements in the simulated plant phenology have promising implications for the development of the CESM and particularly for simulations with prognostic atmospheric CO2.
A Minimum Threshold for Wind Profiler Signal-to-Noise Ratios
Authors: Riddle Anthony C. , Hartten Leslie M. , Carter David A. , Johnston Paul E. , Williams Christopher R.
Published: January 2012

One limiting factor in atmospheric radar observations is the inability to distinguish the often weak atmospheric signals from fluctuations of the noise. This study presents a minimum threshold of usability, SNRmin, for signal-to-noise ratios obtained from wind profiling radars. The basic form arises from theoretical considerations of radar noise; the final form includes empirical modifications based on radar observations. While SNRmin was originally developed using data from the 50-MHz profiler at Poker Flat, Alaska, it works well with data collected from a wide range of locations, frequencies, and parameter settings. It provides an objective criterion to accept or reject individual spectra, can be quickly applied to a large quantity of data, and has a false-alarm rate of approximately 0.1%. While this threshold’s form depends on the methods used to calculate SNR and spectral moments, variations of the threshold could be developed for use with data processed by other methods.
Rank Histograms of Stratified Monte Carlo Ensembles
Authors: Siegert Stefan , Bröcker Jochen , Kantz Holger
Published: January 2012

The application of forecast ensembles to probabilistic weather prediction has spurred considerable interest in their evaluation. Such ensembles are commonly interpreted as Monte Carlo ensembles meaning that the ensemble members are perceived as random draws from a distribution. Under this interpretation, a reasonable property to ask for is statistical consistency, which demands that the ensemble members and the verification behave like draws from the same distribution. A widely used technique to assess statistical consistency of a historical dataset is the rank histogram, which uses as a criterion the number of times that the verification falls between pairs of members of the ordered ensemble. Ensemble evaluation is rendered more specific by stratification, which means that ensembles that satisfy a certain condition (e.g., a certain meteorological regime) are evaluated separately. Fundamental relationships between Monte Carlo ensembles, their rank histograms, and random sampling from the probability simplex according to the Dirichlet distribution are pointed out. Furthermore, the possible benefits and complications of ensemble stratification are discussed. The main conclusion is that a stratified Monte Carlo ensemble might appear inconsistent with the verification even though the original (unstratified) ensemble is consistent. The apparent inconsistency is merely a result of stratification. Stratified rank histograms are thus not necessarily flat. This result is demonstrated by perfect ensemble simulations and supplemented by mathematical arguments. Possible methods to avoid or remove artifacts that stratification induces in the rank histogram are suggested.
Investigating the military field: Qualitative research strategy and interviewing in the defence networks
Authors: Deschaux-Beaume Delphine
Published: January 2012

This article focuses on the methodological problems encountered in the qualitative study of the defence field. It is based on research on the European Defence and Security Policy, and more specifically the role of French and German officers and diplomats in its design and implementation. The article first addresses the qualitative research strategy and the questions it raises regarding the specificity of military discourse. This goes on to the question of how to interview defence agents (mostly military officers and diplomats), and encourage them to talk without leading them to breach their duty of confidentiality. The second issue addressed is how to construct a comparative research design. The last issue discussed by this article is reflexivity, and more precisely the position of the researcher in his or her dialogue with military officers. What does reflexivity mean, and how does it affect the research being conducted? This issue of reflexivity is twofold. The first aspect is the position of the researcher as a civilian academic: this raises the problem of the specific languages used by the military and the academicians. The second aspect is the impact of the gender of the researcher in what is a predominantly masculine sphere.