bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Feeding the Raven
Vikings
Life and Legend

Gareth Williams, Peter Pentz, and Matthias Wemhoff, curators

Organized by the British Museum, the National Museum of Denmark, and National Museums in Berlin. British Museum, London, 6 March to 22 June 2014; previously at National Museum of Denmark, Copenhagen; at Martin-Gropius-Bau, Berlin, 10 September 2014 to 4 January 2015.
Vikings
Life and Legend

Gareth Williams, Peter Pentz, and Matthias Wemhoff, Eds.

British Museum, London, 2014. 244 pp. Paper, £25. ISBN 9780714123370. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY. Paper, $35. ISBN 9780801479427.
Authors: Ash Caroline
Published: April 2014

An exhibition on Viking culture currently at the British Museum emphasizes the influences of its connections with Europe, Byzantium, and the Middle East.
The New Patrons of Research
Authors: McNutt Marcia
Published: April 2014

The news is not all bad on the science funding front. Despite the fact that many U.S. researchers face increasing competition in chasing after federal support that has not kept pace with inflation (see the News special section on p. 24), private support is on the rise. Of course, such investments are not a new phenomenon: Nobel, Carnegie, and many others attached their names to major gifts to science more than a century ago. Today, a growing number of billionaires are likewise investing in scientific research as their personal philanthropy, choosing areas that reflect their deeply held passions. These patrons of science bring a refreshing new perspective to the projects they support, because they are typically unafraid to take risks, abhor bureaucracy, and nimbly cross disciplinary boundaries. Many are directly involved in the foundations they support, putting their personal imprimatur on the direction and operation of the ventures that bear their names. With all of this good news, it is somewhat surprising that this influx of private money has been viewed with some skepticism.
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The Morning After, Inflation Result Causes Headaches
Authors: Cho Adrian
Published: April 2014

As evidence mounts for cosmic inflation, theorists must confront a bedeviling conceptual problem in the theory.
In New Report, IPCC Gets More Specific About Warming Risks
Authors: Kintisch Eli
Published: April 2014

In a new report, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has gotten much more specific on the impacts of climate change and how nations can adapt.
Chasing the Money
Authors: Couzin-Frankel Jennifer
Published: April 2014

As constraints take hold in biomedicine, scientists are forced to adapt.
The Veteran: Russ Hille
Authors: Marshall Eliot
Published: April 2014

After a long and successful career, a biochemist is shocked when his grants aren't renewed—and he seeks alternatives to stay in the game.
The Well-Heeled: Donald Bowden
Authors: Servick Kelly
Published: April 2014

A geneticist with nearly $3 million in grants considers what's behind his financial success.
The Crowd-Funder: Heidi Moretti
Authors: Malakoff David
Published: April 2014

Looking for new dollars, a nutritionist turns to crowd funding, and hopes she can raise what she needs by the deadline.
Anatomy of a Grant: Michael Imperiale
Authors: Bhattacharjee Yudhijit
Published: April 2014

A microbiologist opens his books to share his expenses and where his grant money goes.
Implications of Differential Age Distribution of Disease-Associated Meningococcal Lineages for Vaccine Development
Authors: Brehony Carina , Trotter Caroline L. , Ramsay Mary E. , Chandra Manosree , Jolley Keith A. , van der Ende Arie , Carion Françoise , Berthelsen Lene , Hoffmann Steen , Harðardóttir Hjördís , Vazquez Julio A. , Murphy Karen , Toropainen Maija , Caniça Manuela , Ferreira Eugenia , Diggle Mathew , Edwards Giles F. , Taha Muhamed-Kheir , Stefanelli Paola , Kriz Paula , Gray Steve J. , Fox Andrew J. , Jacobsson Susanne , Claus Heike , Vogel Ulrich , Tzanakaki Georgina , Heuberger Sigrid , Caugant Dominique A. , Frosch Matthias , Maiden Martin C. J.
Published: April 2014

New vaccines targeting meningococci expressing serogroup B polysaccharide have been developed, with some being licensed in Europe. Coverage depends on the distribution of disease-associated genotypes, which may vary by age. It is well established that a small number of hyperinvasive lineages account for most disease, and these lineages are associated with particular antigens, including vaccine candidates. A collection of 4,048 representative meningococcal disease isolates from 18 European countries, collected over a 3-year period, were characterized by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). Age data were available for 3,147 isolates. The proportions of hyperinvasive lineages, identified as particular clonal complexes (ccs) by MLST, differed among age groups. Subjects <1 year of age experienced lower risk of sequence type 11 (ST-11) cc, ST-32 cc, and ST-269 cc disease and higher risk of disease due to unassigned STs, 1- to 4-year-olds experienced lower risk of ST-11 cc and ST-32 cc disease, 5- to 14-year-olds were less likely to experience ST-11 cc and ST-269 cc disease, and ≥25-year-olds were more likely to experience disease due to less common ccs and unassigned STs. Younger and older subjects were vulnerable to a more diverse set of genotypes, indicating the more clonal nature of genotypes affecting adolescents and young adults. Knowledge of temporal and spatial diversity and the dynamics of meningococcal populations is essential for disease control by vaccines, as coverage is lineage specific. The nonrandom age distribution of hyperinvasive lineages has consequences for the design and implementation of vaccines, as different variants, or perhaps targets, may be required for different age groups.
Interleukin-28B Polymorphisms and Response of Chronic Hepatitis C Patients from Indonesia to Pegylated Interferon/Ribavirin Treatment
Authors: Juniastuti  , Wibowo Bogi P. , Wibawa I D. N. , Utsumi Takako , Mustika Syifa , Amin Mochamad , Wahyuni Rury M. , Kurniawan Hendra , Hendrayana Agus , Setiawan Poernomo B. , Yamani Laura N. , Soetjipto  , Yano Yoshihiko , Hotta Hak , Hayashi Yoshitake , Lusida Maria I.
Published: April 2014

This study demonstrated that Indonesian patients with chronic hepatitis C (mostly ethnic Java people) mostly were infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1; however, they carried mainly the major genotypes of interleukin 28B (IL-28B) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs12979860 CC, rs11881222 TT, rs8103142 AA, and rs8099917 TT), and they mostly achieved sustained virological responses to pegylated interferon/ribavirin treatment.
Site-Specific Association with Host and Viral Chromatin by Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus LANA and Its Reversal during Lytic Reactivation
Authors: Mercier Alexandre , Arias Carolina , Madrid Alexis S. , Holdorf Meghan M. , Ganem Don
Published: April 2014

Latency-associated nuclear antigen (LANA), a multifunctional protein expressed by the Kaposi sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) in latently infected cells, is required for stable maintenance of the viral episome. This is mediated by two interactions: LANA binds to specific sequences (LBS1 and LBS2) on viral DNA and also engages host histones, tethering the viral genome to host chromosomes in mitosis. LANA has also been suggested to affect host gene expression, but both the mechanism(s) and role of this dysregulation in KSHV biology remain unclear. Here, we have examined LANA interactions with host chromatin on a genome-wide scale using chromatin immunoprecipitation with high-throughput sequencing (ChIP-seq) and show that LANA predominantly targets human genes near their transcriptional start sites (TSSs). These host LANA-binding sites are generally found within transcriptionally active promoters and display striking overrepresentation of a consensus DNA sequence virtually identical to the LANA-binding site 1 (LBS1) motif in KSHV DNA. Comparison of the ChIP-seq profile with whole-transcriptome (high-throughput sequencing of RNA transcripts [RNA-seq]) data reveals that few of the genes that are differentially regulated in latent infection are occupied by LANA at their promoters. This suggests that direct LANA binding to promoters is not the prime determinant of altered host transcription in KSHV-infected cells. Most surprisingly, the association of LANA to both host and viral DNA is strongly disrupted during the lytic cycle of KSHV. This disruption can be prevented by the inhibition of viral DNA synthesis, suggesting the existence of novel and potent regulatory mechanisms linked to either viral DNA replication or late gene expression.

IMPORTANCE
Here, we employ complementary genome-wide analyses to evaluate the distribution of the highly abundant latency-associated nuclear antigen, LANA, on the host genome and its impact on host gene expression during KSHV latent infection. Combined, ChIP-seq and RNA-seq reveal that LANA accumulates at active gene promoters that harbor specific short DNA sequences that are highly reminiscent of its cognate binding sites in the virus genome. Unexpectedly, we found that such association does not lead to remodeling of global host transcription during latency. We also report for the first time that LANA's ability to bind host and viral chromatin is highly dynamic and is disrupted in cells undergoing an extensive lytic reactivation. This therefore suggests that the association of LANA to chromatin during a productive infection cycle is controlled by a new regulatory mechanism.
Primary Human Macrophages Serve as Vehicles for Vaccinia Virus Replication and Dissemination
Authors: Byrd Daniel , Shepherd Nicole , Lan Jie , Hu Ningjie , Amet Tohti , Yang Kai , Desai Mona , Yu Qigui
Published: April 2014

Human monocytic and professional antigen-presenting cells have been reported only to exhibit abortive infections with vaccinia virus (VACV). We found that monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMs), including granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF)-polarized M1 and macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF)-polarized M2, but not human AB serum-derived cells, were permissive to VACV replication. The titers of infectious virions in both cell-free supernatants and cellular lysates of infected M1 and M2 markedly increased in a time-dependent manner. The majority of virions produced in permissive MDMs were extracellular enveloped virions (EEV), a secreted form of VACV associated with long-range virus dissemination, and were mainly found in the culture supernatant. Infected MDMs formed VACV factories, actin tails, virion-associated branching structures, and cell linkages, indicating that MDMs are able to initiatede novosynthesis of viral DNA and promote virus release. VACV replication was sensitive to inhibitors against the Akt and Erk1/2 pathways that can be activated by VACV infection and M-CSF stimulation. Classical activation of MDMs by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) plus gamma interferon (IFN-γ) stimulation caused no effect on VACV replication, while alternative activation of MDMs by interleukin-10 (IL-10) or LPS-plus-IL-1β treatment significantly decreased VACV production. The IL-10-mediated suppression of VACV replication was largely due to Stat3 activation, as a Stat3 inhibitor restored virus production to levels observed without IL-10 stimulation. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that primary human macrophages are permissive to VACV replication. After infection, these cells produce EEV for long-range dissemination and also form structures associated with virions which may contribute to cell-cell spread.

IMPORTANCEOur results provide critical information to the burgeoning fields of cancer-killing (oncolytic) virus therapy with vaccinia virus (VACV). One type of macrophage (M2) is considered a common presence in tumors and is associated with poor prognosis. Our results demonstrate a preference for VACV replication in M2 macrophages and could assist in designing treatments and engineering poxviruses with special considerations for their effect on M2 macrophage-containing tumors. Additionally, this work highlights the importance of macrophages in the field of vaccine development using poxviruses as vectors. The understanding of the dynamics of poxvirus-infected foci is central in understanding the effectiveness of the immune response to poxvirus-mediated vaccine vectors. Monocytic cells have been found to be an important part of VACV skin lesions in mice in controlling the infection as well as mediating virus transport out of infected foci.
Animal hoarding ‐ recognition and possible interventions
Authors: Williams Bronwen
Published: April 2014

Animal hoarding can be considered to be the pathological keeping of large numbers of animals without recognising an inability to care for them. The consequences can be devastating for both animals and humans. It is thought that animal hoarding happens in most communities and so veterinarians are likely to come into contact with this behaviour at some point during their career. This article highlights the characteristics of animal hoarding and gives advice of what to do in situations of concern.
Tips for teaching in the clinical environment
Authors: Warman Sheena , Bell Catriona , Baillie Sarah
Published: April 2014

This article, the second in a series aimed at providing veterinary staff and students with tips and tools to enhance teaching and learning opportunities that arise in practice, discusses how to recognise those opportunities to maximise their effectiveness.
Giraffes' greater good?
Authors: Sayers Ian
Published: April 2014

THIS series gives readers the opportunity to consider and contribute to discussion of some of the ethical dilemmas that can arise in veterinary practice. Each month, a case scenario is presented, followed by discussion of some of the issues involved.

In addition, a possible way forward is suggested; however, there is rarely a cut‐and‐dried answer in such cases, and readers may wish to suggest an alternative approach. This month's dilemma, ‘Giraffes’ greater good?', was submitted and is discussed by Ian Sayers. Readers with comments to contribute are invited to send them as soon as possible, so that they can be considered for publication in the next issue. Discussion of the dilemma ‘Looking a store horse in the mouth’, which was published in the March issue of In Practice, appears on page 215.

The series is being coordinated by Siobhan Mullan, of the University of Bristol. It is hoped it will provide a framework that will help practices find solutions when facing similar dilemmas.
Management of the anorexic cat
Authors: Gajanayake Isuru
Published: April 2014

Anorexia in cats is often encountered in practice. In many cases, the underlying cause is not readily apparent. In this situation, the aetiology of the anorexia must be determined by a methodical step‐wise investigation. In addition, measures must be taken to address the anorexia to prevent detrimental metabolic consequences. This article explains how to approach the diagnosis and management of anorexia in cats.
Multigene profiling to identify alternative treatment options for glioblastoma: a pilot study
Authors: Tabone Tania , Abuhusain Hazem J , Nowak Anna K ,   Australian Genomics and Clinical Outcome of Glioma (AGOG) Network, Erber Wendy N , McDonald Kerrie L
Published: April 2014

Glioblastoma (GBM) is a highly aggressive malignancy and the most effective treatment regime has a high relapse rate. Increasingly, the development of therapies involves defining drug–diagnostic combinations where the presence of a molecular target or marker identifies patients who are most likely to respond to a specific therapy. Trials in other solid cancers have demonstrated clear utility in the incorporation of biomarkers to stratify patients to targeted treatment, however, there are no mutations that are currently used to inform treatment options for GBM.

Aims

We piloted the use of high-throughput next-generation sequencing technology to identify genetic mutations in 44 GBM specimens that may be amenable to current or future targeted therapeutic strategies.

Method

Somatic mutation profiling was performed using the AmpliSeq Cancer Hotspot Panel v2 and semiconductor sequencing technology.

Results

A total of 66 mutations were detected in 35/44 (80%) patients. The number of mutations per tumour ranged from 0 to 4 (average per tumour=1.5). The most frequent mutations were inTP53(n=12),PTEN(n=9),EGFR(n=8) andPIK3CA(n=5). Clinically actionable somatic mutations were detected in 24/35 (69%) patients.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that the use of an ‘off-the-shelf’ oncogene primer panel and benchtop next-generation sequencer can identify mutations and potentially actionable targets in the majority of GBM patients. Data from this pilot highlights the potential for targeted genetic resequencing to identify mutations that may inform treatment options and predict outcomes.
Art, antiquarianism and early anatomy
Authors: Guest Clare E L
Published: April 2014

Discussions of the early relationship between art and anatomy are shaped by Vasari's account of Florentine artists who dissected bodies in order to understand the causes of movement, and the end of movement in action. This account eclipses the role of the study of antiquities in Renaissance anatomical illustration. Beyond techniques of presentation, such as sectioning and analytic illustration, or a preoccupation with the mutilated fragment, antiquarianism offered a reflection on the variant and the role of temperament which could be adapted for anatomical purposes. With its play on ambiguities of life and death, idealisation and damage, antiquarianism also provided a way of negotiating the difficulties of content inherent in anatomical illustration. As such, it goes beyond exclusively historical interest to provoke reflection on the modes, possibilities and humane responsibilities of medical illustration.
On the number of representations of an integer by certain quadratic forms in sixteen variables
Authors: Ramakrishnan B. , Sahu Brundaban
Published: April 2014

We evaluate the convolution sums ∑l,m∈ℕ,l+2m=n σ3(l)σ3(m), ∑l,m∈ℕ,l+3m=n σ3(l) × σ3(m), ∑l,m∈ℕ,2l+3m=n σ3(l)σ3(m) and ∑l,m∈ℕ,l+6m=n σ3(l)σ3(m) for all n ∈ ℕ using the theory of modular forms and use these convolution sums to determine the number of representations of a positive integer n by the quadratic forms Q8 ⊕ Q8 and Q8 ⊕ 2Q8, where the quadratic form Q8 is given by [Formula: see text]
Pair correlation of hyperbolic lattice angles
Authors: Boca Florin P. , Popa Alexandru A. , Zaharescu Alexandru
Published: April 2014

Let ω be a point in the upper half plane, and let Γ be a discrete, finite covolume subgroup of PSL2(ℝ). We conjecture an explicit formula for the pair correlation of the angles between geodesic rays of the lattice Γω, intersected with increasingly large balls centered at ω. We prove this conjecture for Γ = PSL 2(ℤ) and ω an elliptic point.
Morse theory for the Hofer length functional
Authors: Savelyev Yasha
Published: April 2014

Following [16], we develop here a connection between Morse theory for the (positive) Hofer length functional L : Ω Ham (M, ω) → ℝ, with Gromov–Witten/Floer theory, for monotone symplectic manifolds (M, ω). This gives some immediate restrictions on the topology of the group of Hamiltonian symplectomorphisms (possibly relative to the Hofer length functional), and a criterion for non-existence of certain higher index geodesics for the Hofer length functional. The argument is based on a certain automatic transversality phenomenon which uses Hofer geometry to conclude transversality and may be useful in other contexts. Strangely the monotone assumption seems essential for this argument, as abstract perturbations necessary for the virtual moduli cycle, decouple us from underlying Hofer geometry, causing automatic transversality to break.
Sliding mode controller design based on reaching law for hypersonic flight vehicle
Authors: Wang Jianmin , Wu Yunjie , Liu Xiaodong
Published: April 2014

For a hypersonic flight vehicle with highly coupling nonlinear, a sliding mode controller based on reaching law is designed for its longitudinal motion model. Two proposals of reaching law are designed. One of which is a variable exponential reaching law, the other one is compound reaching law which consists of a conventional exponential reaching law and a power rate reaching law. The reaching law controller can speed up the system states arriving at the sliding mode condition, at the same time, it can guarantee better robustness. Simulation analysis is conducted for trimmed cruise condition of 110,000 ft and Mach 15, in which the responses of the vehicle to a step change of altitude and velocity respectively are analyzed. Simulation results show that the controller based on variable exponential reaching law enables the system to faster tracking speed than the conventional reaching law. Moreover the compound reaching law controller has shorter tracking time and strong robustness against parameters uncertainties.
Spontaneous and nicotine-induced Ca2+ oscillations mediated by Ca2+ influx in rat pinealocytes
Authors: Mizutani Hiroya , Yamamura Hisao , Muramatsu Makoto , Kiyota Keiko , Nishimura Kaori , Suzuki Yoshiaki , Ohya Susumu , Imaizumi Yuji
Published: April 2014

The pineal gland regulates circadian rhythm through the synthesis and secretion of melatonin. The rise of intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) following nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR) stimulation due to parasympathetic nerve activity downregulates melatonin production. Important characteristics and roles of Ca2+ mobilization due to nAChR stimulation remain to be clarified. We report here that spontaneous Ca2+ oscillations can be observed in ∼15% of the pinealocytes in slice preparations from rat pineal glands when this dissociation procedure is done within 6 h from a dark-to-light change. The frequency and half-life of [Ca2+]i rise were 0.86 min−1 and 19 s, respectively. Similar spontaneous Ca2+ oscillations were recorded in 17% of rat pinealocytes that were primary cultured for several days. Simultaneous measurement of [Ca2+]i and membrane potential revealed that spontaneous Ca2+ oscillations were triggered by periodic membrane depolarizations. Spontaneous Ca2+ oscillations in cultured pinealocytes were abolished by extracellular Ca2+ removal or application of nifedipine, a blocker of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channel (VDCC). In contrast, blockers of intracellular Ca2+-release channels, 2-aminoethoxydiphenylborate and ryanodine, have no effect. Our results also reveal that, in 23% quiescent pinealocytes, Ca2+ oscillations were observed following the withdrawal of nicotine. Norepinephrine-induced melatonin secretion from whole pineal glands was significantly decreased by the coapplication of acetylcholine (ACh). This inhibitory effect of ACh was attenuated by nifedipine. In conclusion, both spontaneous and evoked Ca2+ oscillations are due to membrane depolarization following activation of VDCCs. This consists of VDCC α1F subunit, and the associated Ca2+ influx can strongly regulate melatonin secretion in pineal glands.
Urinary extracellular vesicles and the kidney: biomarkers and beyond
Authors: Salih Mahdi , Zietse Robert , Hoorn Ewout J.
Published: April 2014

Extracellular vesicles have been isolated in various body fluids, including urine. The cargo of urinary extracellular vesicles (uEVs) is composed of proteins and nucleic acids reflecting the physiological and possibly pathophysiological state of cells lining the nephron. Because urine is a noninvasive and readily available biofluid, the discovery of uEVs has opened a new field of biomarker research. Their potential use as diagnostic, prognostic, or therapeutic biomarkers for various kidney diseases, including glomerulonephritis, acute kidney injury, tubular disorders, and polycystic kidney disease, is currently being explored. Some challenges, however, remain. These challenges include the need to standardize isolation methods, normalization between samples, and validation of candidate biomarkers. Also, the development of a high-throughput platform to isolate and analyze uEVs, for example, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, is desirable. Here, we review recent studies on uEVs dealing with kidney physiology and pathophysiology. Furthermore, we discuss new and exciting developments regarding vesicles, including their role in cell-to-cell communication and the possibility of using vesicles as a therapy for kidney disorders.
Malliavin Derivatives in Spaces with Variable Exponents
Authors: Xu Bochi , Fu Yongqiang , Tian Boping
Published: April 2014

Spaces with variable exponentsLpx(H,μ)andLpx(H,μ;H)are introduced. After discussing some approximation results ofLpx(H,μ), Sobolev spaces onHwith variable exponents are introduced. At last, we define Malliavin derivatives inLpx(H,μ)and discuss some properties of Malliavin derivatives inLpx(H,μ).
Association between Peripheral Oxidative Stress and White Matter Damage in Acute Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Lin Wei-Ming , Chen Meng-Hsiang , Wang Hung-Chen , Lu Cheng-Hsien , Chen Pei-Chin , Chen Hsiu-Ling , Tsai Nai-Wen , Su Yu-Jih , Li Shau-Hsuan , Kung Chia-Te , Chiu Tsui-Min , Weng Hsu-Huei , Lin Wei-Che
Published: April 2014

The oxidative stress is believed to be one of the mechanisms involved in the neuronal damage after acute traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, the disease severity correlation between oxidative stress biomarker level and deep brain microstructural changes in acute TBI remains unknown. In present study, twenty-four patients with acute TBI and 24 healthy volunteers underwent DTI. The peripheral blood oxidative biomarkers, like serum thiol and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) concentrations, were also obtained. The DTI metrics of the deep brain regions, as well as the fractional anisotropy (FA) and apparent diffusion coefficient, were measured and correlated with disease severity, serum thiol, and TBARS levels. We found that patients with TBI displayed lower FAs in deep brain regions with abundant WMs and further correlated with increased serum TBARS level. Our study has shown a level of anatomic detail to the relationship between white matter (WM) damage and increased systemic oxidative stress in TBI which suggests common inflammatory processes that covary in both the peripheral and central reactions after TBI.
Time Scale in Least Square Method
Authors: Yeniay Özgür , İşçi Öznur , Göktaş Atilla , Çankaya M. Niyazi
Published: April 2014

Study of dynamic equations in time scale is a new area in mathematics. Time scale tries to build a bridge between real numbers and integers. Two derivatives in time scale have been introduced and called as delta and nabla derivative. Delta derivative concept is defined as forward direction, and nabla derivative concept is defined as backward direction. Within the scope of this study, we consider the method of obtaining parameters of regression equation of integer values through time scale. Therefore, we implemented least squares method according to derivative definition of time scale and obtained coefficients related to the model. Here, there exist two coefficients originating from forward and backward jump operators relevant to the same model, which are different from each other. Occurrence of such a situation is equal to total number of values of vertical deviation between regression equations and observation values of forward and backward jump operators divided by two. We also estimated coefficients for the model using ordinary least squares method. As a result, we made an introduction to least squares method on time scale. We think that time scale theory would be a new vision in least square especially when assumptions of linear regression are violated.
Free Transverse Vibration of Orthotropic Thin Trapezoidal Plate of Parabolically Varying Thickness Subjected to Linear Temperature Distribution
Authors: Gupta Arun Kumar , Sharma Shanu
Published: April 2014

The present paper deals with the free transverse vibration of orthotropic thin trapezoidal plate of parabolically varying thickness inx-direction subjected to linear temperature distribution inx-direction through a numerical method. The deflection function is defined by the product of the equations of the prescribed continuous piecewise boundary shape. Rayleigh-Ritz method is used to evaluate the fundamental frequencies. The equations of motion, governing the free transverse vibrations of orthotropic thin trapezoidal plates, are derived with boundary condition CSCS. Frequency corresponding to the first two modes of vibration is calculated for the orthotropic thin trapezoidal plate having CSCS edges for different values of thermal gradient, taper constant, and aspect ratio. The proposed method is applied to solve orthotropic thin trapezoidal plate of variable thickness with C-S-C-S boundary conditions. Results are shown by figures for different values of thermal gradient, taper constant, and aspect ratio for the first two modes of vibrations.
Ytterbium Doped Gadolinium Oxide (Gd2O3:Yb3+) Phosphor: Topology, Morphology, and Luminescence Behaviour
Authors: Tamrakar Raunak Kumar , Bisen Durga Prasad , Robinson Chandra Shekher , Sahu Ishwar Prasad , Brahme Nameeta
Published: April 2014

Gd2O3:Yb3+ phosphor has been synthesized by the solid state reaction method with boric acid used as a flux. The resulting Gd2O3:Yb3+ phosphor was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique, Fourier transmission infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM), and photoluminescence and thermoluminescence. The results of the XRD show that obtained Gd2O3:Yb3+ phosphor has a cubic structure. The average crystallite sizes could be calculated as 42.9 nm, confirmed by the TEM results. The study suggested that Yb3+ doped phosphors are potential luminescence material for IR laser diode pumping.
Optimization Design and Performance Analysis of a Pit Turbine with Ultralow Head
Authors: Yang Chunxia , Zheng Yuan , Li Lingyu
Published: April 2014

A developed pit turbine with ultralow head was optimization designed under the design head of about 2 meters to achieve the goal of improving the turbine unit's efficiency. At the same time, the turbine's synthetic characteristic curve was drawn to predict the turbine's overall performance. Navier-Stokes equations and SIMPLEC algorithm were used for pit turbine's whole flow passage numerical simulation of the 3D, steady, incompressible, turbulent flow field. Through the CFD numerical simulation, the influence to ultralow head turbine's performance was analyzed by runner blade's different setting angles and guide vane's different axes. Considering the hydraulic performance of various methods, the best blade's setting angle and guide vane's axis were chosen. The results show that, the turbine unit has the best performance on efficiency, hydraulic loss, and so forth, with the blade's setting angle 23° and the angle 72° between the guide vane and the centerline of unit, meeting the power station's design requirements. The development pit turbine with ultralow head shows the highest efficiency of 87.6% under condition of design head of 2.1 meters and design discharge of 10 m3/s. The energy performance of pit turbine with ultralow head was researched by the model test of GD-WS-35 turbine. The model turbine's characteristic curve was drawn. The model turbine's high efficiency area is wide and the efficiency changes mildly. The numerical simulation results are essentially consistent with the model test results, while the former one is slightly higher than the latter one. The error range is ±3%.
Safety of Laparoscopic Colorectal Surgery in a Low-Volume Setting: Review of Early and Late Outcome
Authors: Gandy Robert C. , Berney Christophe R.
Published: April 2014

Background. There is increasing evidence suggesting that the laparoscopic technique is the treatment of choice for large bowel resection, including for malignancy. The purpose of the study was to assess whether general surgeons, with particular skills in advanced laparoscopy, can adequately provide safe laparoscopic colorectal resections in a low-volume setting.Methods. A retrospective review of prospectively collected case series of all laparoscopic colorectal resections performed under the care of a single general surgeon is presented. The primary endpoint was postoperative clinical outcome in terms of morbidity and mortality. Secondary endpoints were adequacy of surgical margins and number of lymph nodes harvested for colorectal cancer cases.Results. Seventy-three patients underwent 75 laparoscopic resections between March, 2003, and May, 2011. There was no elective mortality and the overall 30-day postoperative morbidity was 9.3%. Conversion and anastomotic leakage rates were both 1.3%, respectively. None of the malignant cases had positive margins and the median number of lymph nodes retrieved was 17.Conclusions. Our results support the view that general surgeons with advanced skills in minimally invasive surgery may safely perform laparoscopic colorectal resection in a low-volume setting in carefully selected patient cases.
Qualitative Inquiry into the Patients' Expectations regarding Nurses and Nursing Care
Authors: Najafi Kalyani Majid , Illon Kashkooli Raziyeh , Molazem Zahra , Jamshidi Nahid
Published: April 2014

Background and Objectives. Awareness about the patients’ needs and expectations is quite important in improving the quality of the services they are provided with. Since meeting the needs and expectations of the patients is one of the basic issues in patient care, the present study aimed to investigate the patients’ expectations from nurses and nursing care.Methods. In this qualitative study, 20 hospitalized patients were interviewed. The data were gathered through deep, semistructured interviews. Then, all the recorded interviews were transcribed, reviewed for several times, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis approach.Results. By analyzing of data, three main categories were extracted. The main categories of the patients’ expectations from nurses and nursing care were comprehensive care, ethical performance, and having proper individual characteristics.Discussion and Conclusion. The study results revealed that the patients expected comprehensive care from the nurses. In addition, the nurses were required to apply the ethical principles in what they do as their duties. The findings of the study can be helpful in improving the patient care.
Stability of Virus Infection Models with Antibodies and Chronically Infected Cells
Authors: Obaid Mustafa A. , Elaiw A. M.
Published: April 2014

Two virus infection models with antibody immune response and chronically infected cells are proposed and analyzed. Bilinear incidence rate is considered in the first model, while the incidence rate is given by a saturated functional response in the second one. One main feature of these models is that it includes both short-lived infected cells and chronically infected cells. The chronically infected cells produce much smaller amounts of virus than the short-lived infected cells and die at a much slower rate. Our mathematical analysis establishes that the global dynamics of the two models are determined by two threshold parametersR0andR1. By constructing Lyapunov functions and using LaSalle's invariance principle, we have established the global asymptotic stability of all steady states of the models. We have proven that, the uninfected steady state is globally asymptotically stable (GAS) ifR0<1, the infected steady state without antibody immune response exists and it is GAS ifR1<11. We check our theorems with numerical simulation in the end.
An Alternate Proof of the De Branges Theorem on Canonical Systems
Authors: Acharya Keshav Raj
Published: April 2014

The aim of this paper is to show that, in the limit circle case, the defect index of a symmetric relation induced by canonical systems, is constant on ℂ. This provides an alternative proof of the De Branges theorem that the canonical systems with tr H1 imply the limit point case. To this end, we discuss the spectral theory of a linear relation induced by a canonical system.
Application of the Characteristic Basis Function Method Using CUDA
Authors: Pérez Juan Ignacio , García Eliseo , de Frutos José A. , Cátedra Felipe
Published: April 2014

The characteristic basis function method (CBFM) is a popular technique for efficiently solving the method of moments (MoM) matrix equations. In this work, we address the adaptation of this method to a relatively new computing infrastructure provided by NVIDIA, the Compute Unified Device Architecture (CUDA), and take into account some of the limitations which appear when the geometry under analysis becomes too big to fit into the Graphics Processing Unit’s (GPU’s) memory.
Latest Study on the Relationship between Pathological Process of Inflammatory Injury and the Syndrome of Spleen Deficiency and Fluid Retention in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Yu Beibei , Zhou Chunxiang , Zhang Jiangyuan , Ling Yun , Hu Qianfeng , Wang Yi , Bai Kangkang
Published: April 2014

Inflammation exists throughout the incidence and progression of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) differentiates the pathogenesis of AD as kidney essence deficiency and qi and blood deficiency as well as blood stasis in syndromes, whose action mechanisms are all associated with the intervention in its inflammatory process. Our preliminary studies both in clinic and in vitro have demonstrated that the syndrome of spleen deficiency and fluid retention has also been an important pathogenesis for the incidence and development of AD. Hence, the paper aims to further illustrate the correlation between inflammatory process in AD and the syndrome of spleen deficiency and fluid retention, laying solid foundation for the application of invigorating the spleen and eliminating the dampness in clinic, and enriching the theoretical connotation for AD prevention and treatment in TCM.
Current Vaccine Trials in Glioblastoma: A Review
Authors: Xu Linda W. , Chow Kevin K. H. , Lim Michael , Li Gordon
Published: April 2014

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumor, and despite aggressive therapy with surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy, average survival remains at about 1.5 years. The highly infiltrative and invasive nature of GBM requires that alternative treatments for this disease be widespread and targeted to tumor cells. Immunotherapy in the form of tumor vaccines has the potential to meet this need. Vaccines against GBM hold the promise of triggering specific and systemic antitumor immune responses that may be the key to eradicating this unrelenting cancer. In this review, we will discuss past and present clinical trials of various GBM vaccines and their potential impact on the future care of GBM patients. There have been many promising phase I and phase II GBM vaccine studies that have led to ongoing and upcoming phase III trials. If the results of these randomized trials show a survival benefit, immunotherapy will become a standard part of the treatment of this devastating disease.
Identification of Industrial Furnace Temperature for Sintering Process in Nuclear Fuel Fabrication Using NARX Neural Networks
Authors: Sutarya Dede , Kusumoputro Benyamin
Published: April 2014

Nonlinear system identification is becoming an important tool which can be used to improve control performance and achieve robust fault-tolerant behavior. Among the different nonlinear identification techniques, methods based on neural network model are gradually becoming established not only in the academia, but also in industrial application. An identification scheme of nonlinear systems for sintering furnace temperature in nuclear fuel fabrication using neural network autoregressive with exogenous inputs (NNARX) model investigated in this paper. The main contribution of this paper is to identify the appropriate model and structure to be applied in control temperature in the sintering process in nuclear fuel fabrication, that is, a nonlinear dynamical system. Satisfactory agreement between identified and experimental data is found with normalized sum square error 1.9e-03for heating step and6.3859e-08for soaking step. That result shows the model successfully predict the evolution of the temperature in the furnace.
Electrophoretic Analysis of Indian Isolates ofMycoplasma agalactiaeandMycoplasma bovisby SDS-PAGE and Immunoblotting
Authors: Kumar Amit , Srivastava N. C. , Singh V. P. , Sunder Jai
Published: April 2014

Mycoplasma agalactiaeandMycoplasma bovisboth are responsible for respiratory conditions in sheep and goats.M. agalactiaeis a major pathogen of sheep and goats and accounts for almost 90% of outbreaks of contagious agalactia syndrome in goats and almost 100% in sheep. On the basis of clinical signs and cultural, morphological, and biochemical characterization it is almost impossible to differentiate between both the species. Moreover, due to presence of genomic and proteomic similarity most of the time routine diagnostic tests fail to differentiate between them. Hence the present study was conducted to find out the protein profile of isolates of both the species by SDS-PAGE and to find out the cross-reacting as well as differentiating immunogenic proteins by Immunoblotting, which can be of immunoprophylactic as well as diagnostic values. The study revealed 6-7 major immunogenic cross-reactive proteins with the presence of two important non-cross-reacting species specific polypeptides particularly 25.50 and 24.54 kDa inM. agalactiaeandM. bovis, respectively, that might be of diagnostic values.
Explicit Deconvolution of Well Test Data Dominated by Wellbore Storage
Authors: Razminia K. , Hashemi A. , Razminia A. , Baleanu D.
Published: April 2014

This paper addresses some methods for interpretation of oil and gas well test data distorted by wellbore storage effects. Using these techniques, we can deconvolve pressure and rate data from drawdown and buildup tests dominated by wellbore storage. Some of these methods have the advantage of deconvolving the pressure data without rate measurement. The two important methods that are applied in this study are an explicit deconvolution method and a modification of material balance deconvolution method. In cases with no rate measurements, we use a blind deconvolution method to restore the pressure response free of wellbore storage effects. Our techniques detect the afterflow/unloading rate function with explicit deconvolution of the observed pressure data. The presented techniques can unveil the early time behavior of a reservoir system masked by wellbore storage effects and thus provide powerful tools to improve pressure transient test interpretation. Each method has been validated using both synthetic data and field cases and each method should be considered valid for practical applications.
FOXO Transcription Factors: Their Clinical Significance and Regulation
Authors: Wang Yu , Zhou Yanmin , Graves Dana T.
Published: April 2014

Members of the class O of forkhead box transcription factors (FOXO) have important roles in metabolism, cellular proliferation, stress resistance, and apoptosis. The activity of FOXOs is tightly regulated by posttranslational modification, including phosphorylation, acetylation, and ubiquitylation. Activation of cell survival pathways such as phosphoinositide-3-kinase/AKT/IKK or RAS/mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylates FOXOs at different sites which regulate FOXOs nuclear localization or degradation. FOXO transcription factors are upregulated in a number of cell types including hepatocytes, fibroblasts, osteoblasts, keratinocytes, endothelial cells, pericytes, and cardiac myocytes. They are involved in a number of pathologic and physiologic processes that include proliferation, apoptosis, autophagy, metabolism, inflammation, cytokine expression, immunity, differentiation, and resistance to oxidative stress. These processes impact a number of clinical conditions such as carcinogenesis, diabetes, diabetic complications, cardiovascular disease, host response, and wound healing. In this paper, we focus on the potential role of FOXOs in different disease models and the regulation of FOXOs by various stimuli.
Skin Staples: A Safe Technique for Securing Mesh in Lichtensteins Hernioplasty as Compared to Suture
Authors: Munghate Anand , Mittal Sushil , Singh Harnam , Singh Gurpreet , Yadav Manish
Published: April 2014

Background.Lichtenstein tension free repair is the most commonly used technique due to cost effectiveness, low recurrence rate, and better patient satisfaction. This study was done to compare the duration of surgery and postoperative outcome of securing mesh with skin staples versus polypropylene sutures in Lichtenstein hernia repair.Materials and Methods.A total of 96 patients with inguinal hernia undergoing Lichtenstein mesh repair were randomly assigned into two groups. The mesh was secured either by using skin staples (group I) or polypropylene sutures (group II).Results.The operation time was significantly reduced from mesh insertion to completion of skin closure in group I (mean 20.7 min) as compared to group II (mean 32.7 min) with significantPvalue(P<0.0001)and less complication rate in group I as compared to group II.Conclusion.Mesh fixation with skin staples is as effective as conventional sutures with added advantage of significant reduction in the operating time and complications or recurrence. The staples can be applied much more quickly than sutures for fixing the mesh, thus saving the operating time. Infection rate is significantly decreased with staples.
Video-Assisted Thoracic Surgery for Tubercular Spondylitis
Authors: Singh Roop , Gogna Paritosh , Parshad Sanjeev , Karwasra Rajender Kumar , Karwasra Parmod Kumar , Kaur Kiranpreet
Published: April 2014

The present study evaluated the outcome of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) in 9 patients (males = 6, females = 3) with clinico-radiological diagnosis of tubercular spondylitis of the dorsal spine. The mean duration of surgery was 140.88 ± 20.09 minutes, mean blood was 417.77 ± 190.90 mL, and mean duration of postoperative hospital stay was 5.77 ± 0.97 days, Seven patients had a preoperative Grade A neurological involvement, while at the time of final followup the only deficit was Grade D power in 2 patients. In patients without bone graft placement (n= 6), average increase in Kyphosis angle was 16°, while in patients with bone graft placement (n= 3) the deformity remained stationary. At the time of final follow up, fusion was achieved in all patients, the VAS score for back pain improved from a pretreatment score of 8.3 to 2, and the function assessment yielded excellent (n= 4) to good (n= 5) results. In two patients minithoracotomy had to be resorted due to extensive pleural adhesions (n= 1) or difficulty in placement of graft (n= 1). Videoassisted thoracoscopic surgery provides a safe and effective approach in the management of spinal tuberculosis. It has the advantages of decreased blood loss and post operative morbidity with minimal complications.
A Soluble Form of CD80 Enhances Antitumor Immunity by Neutralizing Programmed Death Ligand-1 and Simultaneously Providing Costimulation
Authors: Haile Samuel T. , Horn Lucas A. , Ostrand-Rosenberg Suzanne
Published: April 2014

Tumor cells use various methods of immunosuppression to overcome antitumor immunity. One such method is that of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1 or B7-H1), which upon binding its receptor PD-1 on T cells triggers apoptotic death of the activated T cells. Overexpression of the costimulatory molecule CD80 on PD-L1+ tumor cells, or inclusion of a soluble form of CD80 (CD80-Fc), maintains the activation of PD-1+–activated T cells. Using T cells from CD28-deficient mice and antibodies to block CD28 on human T cells, we now report that a soluble form of CD80 mediates this effect by simultaneously neutralizing PD-1–PD-L1-mediated immunosuppression and by providing CD80–CD28 costimulation, and is more effective than antibodies to PD-L1 or PD-1 in maintaining IFNγ production by PD-1+ activated T cells. Therefore, soluble CD80 may be a more effective therapeutic than these checkpoint antibodies for facilitating the development and maintenance of antitumor immunity because it has the dual functions of preventing PD-L1–mediated immunosuppression and simultaneously delivering the second signal for T-cell activation. Cancer Immunol Res; 2(7); 610–5. ©2014 AACR.