bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oestradiol Modulation of Cognition in Adult Female Marmosets (Callithrix jacchus)
Authors: Lacreuse A. , Chang J. , Metevier C. M. , LaClair M. , Meyer J. S. , Ferris C. M.
Published: March 2014

The common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus) provides many advantages over traditional rodent and macaque species as a model for human ageing and may be very useful for studying the effects of sex steroids on cognitive and brain ageing. We present the first study examining the effects of oestrogens on cognitive function in female marmosets. Adult monkeys (3–5 years of age) were trained to a specific learning criterion on a battery of cognitive tasks preoperatively (object discrimination, delayed response with increasing delays and detour reaching with opaque box) and were tested on different versions of these tasks (object reversals, delayed response with randomised delays and detour reaching with clear box) after ovariectomy and simultaneous implantation with 17β‐oestradiol (E2) (n = 6) or blank (n = 6) Silastic capsules. Acquisition of a delayed matching‐to‐position task with a 1‐s delay was also administered after completion of these tests. E2‐treated monkeys were significantly impaired on the second reversal and showed an increase in perseverative responding from reversals 1–3. Their performance also tended to be worse than that of control monkeys on the delayed response task. Performance acquisition on the delayed matching‐to‐position tended to be better in E2‐treated relative to control monkeys, although the group difference did not reach statistical significance. No effect of treatment was detected for detour reaching or affiliative behaviours. Overall, the findings indicate that E2 compromises performance on prefrontally‐mediated tasks. The suggestion that E2 may improve acquisition on tasks dependent on the hippocampus will require further validation. These results are discussed in the context of dopaminergic and serotonergic signalling. We conclude that the marmoset is a useful new primate model for examining the effects of oestrogens on cognitive function.
Examining the scope of public health nursing practice in sexually transmitted infection prevention and management: what do nurses do?
Authors: Bungay Vicky , Masaro Cindy L. , Gilbert Mark
Published: March 2014

Aims and objectives

To develop a more comprehensive understanding of the scope of public health nursing practice in the prevention and management of sexually transmitted infections and also to examine the public health nursing workforce in sexually transmitted infection care and the range of patient populations served.

Background

Sexually transmitted infections are increasing, widespread and remain a significant public health problem throughout the world. Although nurses are taking on expanded roles in sexually transmitted infection care, little is known about the scope of this practice.

Design

A cross‐sectional descriptive study took place over 18 months (2009–2010).

Methods

Three hundred and fourteen eligible nurses completed a 62‐item questionnaire.

Results

93·6% of participants were women; 77·5% were baccalaureate prepared and 87·9% underwent continuing education in sexually transmitted infection care. Most spent 50% of their time in direct patient care. Women were the main care recipients (72·9%). Sexually transmitted infection care was one aspect of nurses' multifaceted public health roles accounting for 28% of overall work activities. Not all nurses were working to the full scope of their practice; 77·9% undertook health history assessment, and 79% conducted testing.

Conclusion

This study is a comprehensive description of the scope of sexually transmitted infection nursing practice activities. It expands our understanding of sexually transmitted infection nursing practice among nurses working within an expanded scope and provides a baseline for future investigations. This description is situated within nursing competencies and best practices that may be used to develop, implement and evaluate models of sexually transmitted infection service delivery in other locales.

Clinical Practice Relevance

Sexually transmitted infection nursing practice needs to be understood and investigated beyond health education and testing practices. The scope of practice is comprehensive and incorporates a full spectrum of care. Public health nurses are a critical entry point into the healthcare system and provide primary and preventative care and healthcare referrals. Models of nursing care need to support nurses working to their full scope, and associated barriers warrant further investigation.
Reasons for middle‐aged women in Taiwan to choose hysterectomy: a qualitative study using the bounded rationality perspective
Authors: Wu Shu‐Mei , Lee Hui‐Ling , Yeh Mei‐Yu , Che Hui‐Lian
Published: March 2014

Aims and objectives

To explore women's perspectives on deciding to undergo hysterectomy for benign conditions based on physicians' recommendations and the women's own judgement.

Background

Hysterectomy is the second most common surgical procedure worldwide. Although most hysterectomies are elective, physicians may recommend treatment that involves a loss of sexuality or ovary removal, creating a difficult choice for women.

Design

Qualitative, in‐depth interview

Methods

A purposive sample of 17 women was recruited. The women had decided to undergo hysterectomy after the diagnosis of uterine fibroids. All these women had already decided not to have more children. Data were collected by in‐depth interviewing, and content analysis was used to analyse the data.

Results

Our study revealed five themes: release from stress, inescapable fate, positive support, hoping for peace of mind and sense of trust.

Conclusions

The participants felt that mental and physical health were the most important considerations, noting that when women no longer want children, a uterus is useless. The women believed that they retained their womanhood, even without a uterus, and were satisfied with the outcomes of their hysterectomy decisions.

Relevance to clinical practice

Our findings might serve as educational and counselling reference materials for healthcare providers, ensuring that women receive appropriate care quality and have their needs met. Healthcare providers can then maximise women's empowerment, deepen their awareness of body image and their concept of self‐care and help them to clearly perceive their own concerns and needs so that they can make suitable decisions.
Amyloid‐ß‐directed immunotherapy for Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Lannfelt L. , Relkin N. R. , Siemers E. R.
Published: March 2014

Current treatment options for Alzheimer's disease (AD) are limited to medications that reduce dementia symptoms. Given the rapidly ageing populations in most areas of the world, new therapeutic interventions for AD are urgently needed. In recent years, a number of drug candidates targeting the amyloid‐ß (Aß) peptide have advanced into clinical trials; however, most have failed because of safety issues or lack of efficacy. The Aß peptide is central to the pathogenesis, and immunotherapy against Aß has attracted considerable interest. It offers the possibility to reach the target with highly specific drugs. Active immunization and passive immunization have been the most widely studied approaches to immunotherapy of AD. A favourable aspect of active immunization is the capacity for a small number of vaccinations to generate a prolonged antibody response. A potential disadvantage is the variability in the antibody response across patients. The potential advantages of passive immunotherapy include the reproducible delivery of a known amount of therapeutic antibodies to the patient and rapid clearance of those antibodies if side effects develop. A disadvantage is the requirement for repeated infusions of antibodies over time. After more than a decade of research, anti‐amyloid immunotherapy remains one of the most promising emerging strategies for developing disease‐modifying treatments for AD. In this review, we examine the presently ongoing Aß‐directed immunotherapies that have passed clinical development Phase IIa.
Harmonized diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer's disease: recommendations
Authors: Morris J. C. , Blennow K. , Froelich L. , Nordberg A. , Soininen H. , Waldemar G. , Wahlund L.‐O. , Dubois B.
Published: March 2014

Background

Two major sets of criteria for the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) recently have been published, one from an International Working Group (IWG) and the other from working groups convened by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) and the Alzheimer's Association (AA) in the United States. These criteria both aim to support a clinical diagnosis with in vivo evidence of AD pathology, using imaging methods and detection of biofluid biomarkers, and emphasize an aetiological diagnosis even in the prodromal stages of the disorder. Nonetheless, there are substantial differences in these two sets of criteria.

Methods

An international group of investigators with experience in the clinical diagnosis of AD met at the Key Symposium in Stockholm, Sweden on 6 & 7 December 2012, to develop recommendations to harmonize these criteria. The group was led by individuals who were integral to the development of both the IWG and the NIA‐AA criteria. The similarities and differences between the two sets of criteria were identified and open discussion focused on ways to resolve the differences and thus yield a harmonized set of criteria.

Results

Based on both published evidence as well as the group's collective clinical experience, the group was tasked with achieving consensus, if not unanimity, as it developed recommendations for harmonized clinical diagnostic criteria for AD.

Conclusion

The recommendations are to: (i) define AD as a brain disorder, regardless of clinical status; (ii) refer to the clinically expressed disorder, including its prodromal stages, as symptomatic AD; (iii) after the successful completion of standardization efforts, consider incorporating biomarkers into diagnostic algorithms for AD; and (iv) allow nonamnestic, atypical presentations to be included as symptomatic AD, especially when there is supportive biomarker evidence.
Epigenetics, chromatin and genome organization: recent advances from the ENCODE project
Authors: Siggens L. , Ekwall K.
Published: March 2014

The organization of the genome into functional units, such as enhancers and active or repressed promoters, is associated with distinct patterns of DNA and histone modifications. The Encyclopedia of DNA Elements (ENCODE) project has advanced our understanding of the principles of genome, epigenome and chromatin organization, identifying hundreds of thousands of potential regulatory regions and transcription factor binding sites. Part of the ENCODE consortium, GENCODE, has annotated the human genome with novel transcripts including new noncoding RNAs and pseudogenes, highlighting transcriptional complexity. Many disease variants identified in genome‐wide association studies are located within putative enhancer regions defined by the ENCODE project. Understanding the principles of chromatin and epigenome organization will help to identify new disease mechanisms, biomarkers and drug targets, particularly as ongoing epigenome mapping projects generate data for primary human cell types that play important roles in disease.
Clinical presentation and treatment of orthopaedic implant‐associated infection
Authors: Zimmerli W.
Published: March 2014

Orthopaedic implants are highly susceptible to infection. The aims of treatment of infection associated with internal fixation devices are fracture consolidation and prevention of chronic osteomyelitis. Complete biofilm eradication is not the primary goal, as remaining adherent microorganisms can be removed with the device after fracture consolidation. By contrast, in periprosthetic joint infection (PJI), biofilm elimination is required. Surgical treatment of PJI includes debridement with retention, one‐ or two‐stage exchange and removal without reimplantation. In addition, prolonged antibiotic treatment, preferably with an agent that is effective against biofilm bacteria, is required. Rifampicin is an example of an antibiotic with these properties against staphylococci. However, to avoid the emergence of resistance, rifampicin must always be combined with another antimicrobial agent. With this novel treatment approach, orthopaedic implant‐associated infection is likely to be eradicated in up to 80–90% of patients. Because most antibiotics have a limited effect against biofilm infections, novel prophylactic and therapeutic options are needed. Surface coating with antimicrobial peptides that reduce bacterial attachment and biofilm formation can potentially prevent implant‐associated infection. In addition, quorum‐sensing inhibitors are a novel therapeutic option against biofilm infections.
Comparison of Three Instrumental Methods for Predicting Sensory Texture Attributes of Poultry Deli Meat
Authors: Luckett Curtis R. , Kuttappan Vivek A. , Johnson Lee G. , Owens Casey M. , Seo Han‐Seok
Published: March 2014

This study aimed to compare how Texture Profile Analysis (TPA), Blunt‐Meullenet‐Owens Razor Shear (BMORS) test and Allo‐Kramer Shear Press test predict sensory texture attributes of poultry deli meats. Descriptive analysis found that 15 different commercial poultry deli meats differed in the sensory attributes of springiness, hardness, cohesiveness of mass, fibrousness between teeth and rubberiness. Using partial least squares regression, the BMORS test proved to be an excellent predictor of the sensory attributes of hardness (R2 = 0.95) and fibrousness (R2 = 0.93), while TPA provided an excellent model for predicting springiness (R2 = 0.97). Cohesiveness of mass (R2 = 0.59) and rubberiness (R2 = 0.70) were not well predicted. In conclusion, this study characterized the textural attributes of poultry deli meats.

Practical Applications

Poultry deli meat texture can be affected by many factors related to product formulation (ingredients), starting raw materials and processing conditions. Nevertheless, little is known about the textural attributes of the poultry deli meats. Therefore, current study provides a better understanding for not only the texture characteristics of poultry deli meats using sensory and instrumental approaches, but also the relationships between two.
A review of pain measures for hospitalized children with cognitive impairment
Authors: Crosta Quinn R. , Ward Teresa M. , Walker Amy J. , Peters Lisa M.
Published: March 2014

Purpose

The aims of this review were to examine pain measures for hospitalized children with cognitive impairment who are unable to self‐report and to describe the best available evidence for their clinical utility in acute care settings.

Design and Methods

Electronic searches to identify published evidence were conducted and studies reviewed. Reported psychometrics and feasibility of the Non‐Communicating Child's Pain Checklist—Postoperative Version, Individualized Numeric Rating scale, Pediatric Pain Profile, and revised Face, Leg, Activity, Cry, and Consolability scale were examined.

Conclusions

These four measures have established validity and reliability. However, clinical utility findings varied.

Practice Implications

The revised Face, Leg, Activity, Cry, and Consolability scale has demonstrated feasibility in acute care settings related to ease of use, time requirements, and flexibility regarding caregiver input.
Pulse transit time as a surrogate measure of changes in systolic arterial pressure in children during sleep
Authors: Vlahandonis Anna , Biggs Sarah N. , Nixon Gillian M. , Davey Margot J. , Walter Lisa M. , Horne Rosemary S. C.
Published: March 2014

Pulse transit time has been proposed as a surrogate measure of systolic arterial pressure, as it is dependent upon arterial stiffness. Past research has shown that pulse transit time has a significant inverse relationship to systolic arterial pressure in adults; however, studies in children are limited. This study aimed to explore the relationship between systolic arterial pressure and pulse transit time in children during sleep. Twenty‐five children (13.1 ± 1.6 years, 48% male) underwent overnight polysomnography (PSG) with a simultaneous recording of continuous systolic arterial pressure and photoplethysmography. Pulse transit time was calculated as the time delay between the R‐wave peak of the electrocardiogram (ECG) to the 50% point of the upstroke of the corresponding photoplethysmography waveform; 500 beats of simultaneous systolic arterial pressure and pulse transit time were analysed in each sleep stage for each child. Pulse transit time was normalized to each subject's mean wake pulse transit time. The ability of pulse transit time to predict systolic arterial pressure change was determined by linear mixed‐effects modelling. Significant negative correlations between pulse transit time and systolic arterial pressure were found for individual children for each sleep stage [mean correlations for cohort: non‐rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep 1 and 2 r = −0.57, slow wave sleep (SWS) r = −0.76, REM r = −0.65, P < 0.01 for all]. Linear mixed‐model analysis demonstrated that changes in pulse transit time were a significant predictor of changes in systolic arterial pressure for each sleep stage (P < 0.001). The model of pulse transit time‐predicted systolic arterial pressure closely tracked actual systolic arterial pressure changes over time. This study demonstrated that pulse transit time was accurate in tracking systolic arterial pressure changes over time. Thus, the use of pulse transit time as a surrogate measure of changes in systolic arterial pressure in children is a valid, non‐invasive and inexpensive method with many potential applications.
Odd one out: social ostracism affects self‐reported needs in both sleep‐deprived and well‐rested persons
Authors: Liu Jean C. J. , Mulick Deepti , Chee Michael W. L.
Published: March 2014

Previous research suggests that sleep deprivation may heighten normal reactions to an aversive social encounter. In this study, we explored how 24 h of sleep deprivation may influence responses to ostracism. Ninety‐six healthy young adults were randomly allocated to either the sleep‐deprivation or well‐rested condition, wherein they engaged in two rounds of a ball‐tossing game (Cyberball) programmed so that they would be included or ostracized. As compared with being included, being ostracized reduced participants' fulfillment of four essential needs (to belong; to have control; to have self‐esteem; and to have a meaningful existence); participants also showed poorer mood and had poorer perceptions of their co‐players. These effects were not influenced by sleep deprivation. Taken together, our findings suggest that sleep deprivation does not influence immediate distress responses to ostracism.
Demographic history of a recent invasion of house mice on the isolated Island of Gough
Authors: Gray Melissa M. , Wegmann Daniel , Haasl Ryan J. , White Michael A. , Gabriel Sofia I. , Searle Jeremy B. , Cuthbert Richard J. , Ryan Peter G. , Payseur Bret A.
Published: March 2014

Island populations provide natural laboratories for studying key contributors to evolutionary change, including natural selection, population size and the colonization of new environments. The demographic histories of island populations can be reconstructed from patterns of genetic diversity. House mice (Mus musculus) inhabit islands throughout the globe, making them an attractive system for studying island colonization from a genetic perspective. Gough Island, in the central South Atlantic Ocean, is one of the remotest islands in the world. House mice were introduced to Gough Island by sealers during the 19th century and display unusual phenotypes, including exceptionally large body size and carnivorous feeding behaviour. We describe genetic variation in Gough Island mice using mitochondrial sequences, nuclear sequences and microsatellites. Phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial sequences suggested that Gough Island mice belong to Mus musculus domesticus, with the maternal lineage possibly originating in England or France. Cluster analyses of microsatellites revealed genetic membership for Gough Island mice in multiple coastal populations in Western Europe, suggesting admixed ancestry. Gough Island mice showed substantial reductions in mitochondrial and nuclear sequence variation and weak reductions in microsatellite diversity compared with Western European populations, consistent with a population bottleneck. Approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) estimated that mice recently colonized Gough Island (~100 years ago) and experienced a 98% reduction in population size followed by a rapid expansion. Our results indicate that the unusual phenotypes of Gough Island mice evolved rapidly, positioning these mice as useful models for understanding rapid phenotypic evolution.
Masked hypodiploidy in anaplastic meningiomas by duplication of the original clone found in atypical meningiomas: Illustration of the evolution of genetic alterations
Authors: Ely Erin E. , Guzman Miguel A. , Calvey Laura S. , Batanian Jacqueline R.
Published: March 2014

Meningiomas are common, usually benign neoplasms of the central nervous system. Atypical and anaplastic meningiomas can be aggressive, show more rapid growth, and a greater propensity to recur following resection. General consensus believes that genetic abnormalities leading to anaplastic transformation are present at initial tumor presentation; however, this has not been demonstrated by array‐comparative genome hybridization. We confirm the hypothesis by showing the evolution of genetic alterations in the transformation of an atypical meningioma to an anaplastic meningioma. Additionally, we provide potential genes responsible for malignant transformation of meningiomas, which, with further research, may provide diagnostic and therapeutic implications.
Arabidopsis HSP90 protein modulates RPP4‐mediated temperature‐dependent cell death and defense responses
Authors: Bao Fei , Huang Xiaozhen , Zhu Chipan , Zhang Xiaoyan , Li Xin , Yang Shuhua
Published: March 2014

Plant defense responses are regulated by temperature. In Arabidopsis, the chilling‐sensitive mutant chs2‐1 (rpp4‐1d) contains a gain‐of‐function mutation in the TIR‐NB‐LRR (Toll and interleukin 1 receptor‐nucleotide binding‐leucine‐rich repeat) gene, RPP4 (RECOGNITION OF PERONOSPORA PARASITICA 4), which leads to constitutive activation of the defense response at low temperatures.

Here, we identified and characterized two suppressors of rpp4‐1d from a genetic screen, hsp90.2 and hsp90.3, which carry point mutations in the cytosolic heat shock proteins HSP90.2 and HSP90.3, respectively.

The hsp90 mutants suppressed the chilling sensitivity of rpp4‐1d, including seedling lethality, activation of the defense responses and cell death under chilling stress. The hsp90 mutants exhibited compromised RPM1 (RESISTANCE TO PSEUDOMONAS MACULICOLA 1)‐, RPS4 (RESISTANCE TO P. SYRINGAE 4)‐ and RPP4‐mediated pathogen resistance. The wild‐type RPP4 and the mutated form rpp4 could interact with HSP90 to form a protein complex. Furthermore, RPP4 and rpp4 proteins accumulated in the cytoplasm and nucleus at normal temperatures, whereas the nuclear accumulation of the mutated rpp4 was decreased at low temperatures. Genetic analysis of the intragenic suppressors of rpp4‐1d revealed the important functions of the NB‐ARC and LRR domains of RPP4 in temperature‐dependent defense signaling. In addition, the rpp4‐1d‐induced chilling sensitivity was largely independent of the WRKY70 or MOS (modifier of snc1) genes. [Correction added after online publication 11 March 2013: the expansions of TIR‐NB‐LRR and RPS4 were amended]

This study reveals that Arabidopsis HSP90 regulates RPP4‐mediated temperature‐dependent cell death and defense responses.
The 5‐year prevalence of maxillofacial fibro‐osseous lesions in Uganda
Authors: Muwazi LM , Kamulegeya A
Published: March 2014

Background

Fibro‐osseous lesions of the jaws are a diagnostic challenge for the pathologist because histologically, they are not easily distinguishable. African data on the prevalence of these lesions are scarce. We present a 5‐year report of benign fibro‐osseous lesions at Mulago Hospital, Uganda, showing the frequency and distribution of these lesions.

Materials and Methods

Confirmed fibro‐osseous lesions reports at the pathology department (2007–2012) were retrieved. Patients' clinical data including age, gender, anatomic location, and diagnosis were recorded. Descriptive statistics and simple proportion tests were carried out.

Results

We retrieved 155 confirmed benign fibro‐osseous lesions over this period, 65% were females, 34% males, and the gender of one case was not specified. Fibrous dysplasia was the most prevalent lesion (n = 87, 56.1%) followed by ossifying fibroma (n = 50, 32.9%) and osseous dysplasia (n = 17, 10.9%). We neither found craniofacial nor polyostotic fibrous dysplasia. Fibrous dysplasia and ossifying fibroma peaked in the second decade at 40.2% and 40.0%, respectively. Florid osseous dysplasia was commonest in the fifth decade.

Conclusion

In this study, all the florid osseous dysplasia were seen among females. We need to carry out prospective studies to establish as to why and what kind of women get afflicted by this lesion.
Modulation of RTK by sEcad: a putative mechanism for oncogenicity in oropharyngeal SCCs
Authors: Teng X , Ma L , Kyrkanides S , Raja V , Trochesset D , Brouxhon SM
Published: March 2014

Objective

Heightened levels of sEcad are found in the serum of patients with cancer and correlate with an unfavorable prognosis and later‐stages of disease. In this study, we explored whether sEcad is elevated in human OPSCC specimens and FaDu cells. Additionally, we investigated sEcad‐EGFR and sEcad‐IGF‐1R interactions and performed a functional analysis of sEcad in OPSCC cancers.

Materials and Methods

sEcad, EGFR, and IGF‐1R levels were examined in human OPSCC specimens and cells by immunoblotting. sEcad‐EGFR and sEcad‐IGF‐1R interactions were examined by immunoprecipitation and immunoblot assays. Levels of sEcad on EGFR and IGF‐1R pathway components were evaluated by IB. The effects of sEcad on OPSCC proliferation, migration, and invasion were assessed using standard cellular assays.

Results

Statistical analysis demonstrated that sEcad levels were significantly higher in OPSCC primary tumors and cells compared with normal controls. IP studies indicated that sEcad associated with EGFR and IGF‐1R, and addition of sEcad resulted in a statistically significant increase in downstream signaling. Finally, cell‐based assays demonstrated enhanced sEcad‐induced proliferation, migration, and invasion, which was blocked by EGFR and IGF‐1R inhibitors.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that sEcad may play an important role in OPSCC oncogenicity via its interaction and activation of EGFR and IGF‐1R.
Oligomerization status influences subcellular deposition and glycosylation of recombinant butyrylcholinesterase in Nicotiana benthamiana
Authors: Schneider Jeannine D. , Marillonnet Sylvestre , Castilho Alexandra , Gruber Clemens , Werner Stefan , Mach Lukas , Klimyuk Victor , Mor Tsafrir S. , Steinkellner Herta
Published: March 2014

Plants have a proven track record for the expression of biopharmaceutically interesting proteins. Importantly, plants and mammals share a highly conserved secretory pathway that allows similar folding, assembly and posttranslational modifications of proteins. Human butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is a highly sialylated, tetrameric serum protein, investigated as a bioscavenger for organophosphorous nerve agents. Expression of recombinant BChE (rBChE) in Nicotiana benthamiana results in accumulation of both monomers as well as assembled oligomers. In particular, we show here that co‐expression of BChE with a novel gene‐stacking vector, carrying six mammalian genes necessary for in planta protein sialylation, resulted in the generation of rBChE decorated with sialylated N‐glycans. The N‐glycosylation profile of monomeric rBChE secreted to the apoplast largely resembles the plasma‐derived orthologue. In contrast, rBChE purified from total soluble protein extracts was decorated with a significant portion of ER‐typical oligomannosidic structures. Biochemical analyses and live‐cell imaging experiments indicated that impaired N‐glycan processing is due to aberrant deposition of rBChE oligomers in the endoplasmic reticulum or endoplasmic‐reticulum‐derived compartments. In summary, we show the assembly of rBChE multimers, however, also points to the need for in‐depth studies to explain the unexpected subcellular targeting of oligomeric BChE in plants.
Where numbers meet words: A common ventral network for semantic classification
Authors: Willmes Klaus , Moeller Korbinian , Klein Elise
Published: March 2014

Recent research has shown that both language and number processing are clear examples of distributed and connected processing in the human brain, emphasizing the importance of white matter connections between the associated cortex sites. Against this background we hypothesized joint cognitive processes and functions in a cross‐domain manner to be reflected by the involvement of specific white matter tracts. Therefore, we evaluated white matter connectivity for the specific cognitive process of semantic classification, which is an integral part of tasks commonly employed to investigate the neural correlates of language and number processing. In line with our expectations, fiber tracking results clearly indicated a common ventral network for semantic classification for the domains of language and number processing. Thereby, the present data are hard to reconcile with a localizationalist view on processing characteristics of the human brain, but strongly suggest that white matter connectivity should be considered when investigating the neural underpinnings of human cognition.
Genetic architecture of cognitive traits
Authors: Le Hellard Stephanie , Steen Vidar M
Published: March 2014

The last decade has seen the development of large‐scale genetics studies which have advanced our understanding of the genetic architecture of many complex heritable traits. In this review, we examine what progress has been made in understanding the genetics of cognitive traits. We cover the whole spectrum of distribution in cognitive abilities, from studies that have identified single genes implicated in intellectual disabilities, through studies investigating the missing and hidden heritability of cognitive abilities in the general population, and finally to studies looking at “high intelligence” samples.
The Relationship of Technology and Design Maturity to DoD Weapon System Cost Change and Schedule Change During Engineering and Manufacturing Development,
Authors: Katz Daniel R. , Sarkani Shahram , Mazzuchi Thomas , Conrow Edmund H.
Published: March 2014

Every year, the Department of Defense (DoD) invests billions of dollars on the development of major defense acquisition programs. In return, many of these weapon systems have been plagued with cost overruns and schedule delays during the Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) phase. Under conflicting guidance, DoD and the Government Accountability Office (GAO) suggest that weapon systems should contain subsystems with relatively mature technologies (based on the Technology Readiness Level of critical technologies) and design mature (based on the percentage of releasable design drawings) during system development. However, there has been no published research to date on the relationship between technology and design maturity guidance and the resulting cost change and schedule change of DoD weapon systems. The research presented in this paper confirms that the GAO guidance for design maturity can lead to a reduction of cost growth and schedule slippage of DoD weapon systems. In contrast, the research indicates that technology maturity guidance only impacts the schedule change of weapon systems, and not the potential cost change. With the quantitative results from the research, DoD and GAO officials can provide additional guidance to the planning and execution of the EMD phase, such as allocation of research and development funds to maturity achievement efforts.
ISWI proteins participate in the genome‐wide nucleosome distribution in Arabidopsis
Authors: Li Guang , Liu Shujing , Wang Jiawei , He Jianfeng , Huang Hai , Zhang Yijing , Xu Lin
Published: March 2014

Chromatin is a highly organized structure with repetitive nucleosome subunits. Nucleosome distribution patterns, which contain information on epigenetic controls, are dynamically affected by ATP‐dependent chromatin remodeling factors (remodelers). However, whether plants have specific nucleosome distribution patterns and how plant remodelers contribute to the pattern formation are not clear. In this study we used the micrococcal nuclease digestion followed by deep sequencing (MNase‐seq) assay to show the genome‐wide nucleosome pattern in Arabidopsis thaliana. We demonstrated that the nucleosome distribution patterns of Arabidopsis are associated with the gene expression level, and have several specific characteristics that are different from those of animals and yeast. In addition, we found that remodelers in the A. thaliana imitation switch (AtISWI) subfamily are important for the formation of the nucleosome distribution pattern. Double mutations in the AtISWI genes, CHROMATIN REMODELING 11 (CHR11) and CHR17, resulted in the loss of the evenly spaced nucleosome pattern in gene bodies, but did not affect nucleosome density, supporting a previous idea that the primary role of ISWI is to slide nucleosomes in gene bodies for pattern formation.
Transcript residency on ribosomes reveals a key role for the Arabidopsis thaliana bundle sheath in sulfur and glucosinolate metabolism
Authors: Aubry Sylvain , Smith‐Unna Richard D. , Boursnell Chris M. , Kopriva Stanislav , Hibberd Julian M.
Published: March 2014

Leaves of angiosperms are made up of multiple distinct cell types. While the function of mesophyll cells, guard cells, phloem companion cells and sieve elements are clearly described, this is not the case for the bundle sheath (BS). To provide insight into the role of the BS in the C3 species Arabidopsis thaliana, we labelled ribosomes in this cell type with a FLAG tag. We then used immunocapture to isolate these ribosomes, followed by sequencing of resident mRNAs. This showed that 5% of genes showed specific splice forms in the BS, and that 15% of genes were preferentially expressed in these cells. The BS translatome strongly implies that the BS plays specific roles in sulfur transport and metabolism, glucosinolate biosynthesis and trehalose metabolism. Much of the C4 cycle is differentially expressed between the C3 BS and the rest of the leaf. Furthermore, the global patterns of transcript residency on BS ribosomes overlap to a greater extent with cells of the root pericycle than any other cell type. This analysis provides the first insight into the molecular function of this cell type in C3 species, and also identifies characteristics of BS cells that are probably ancestral to both C3 and C4 plants.
Offshore Structure Response due to Ship Collision on Jacket Legs
Authors: Dwi Sumiwi Agustin , Afrizal Efi , Jaswar Jaswar , Handayanu Handayanu
Published: March 2014

This paper discusses graded and collision velocity supply vessel influence to local and global structure damage subject to collision. This case study for CONOCO BELANAK wellhead platform that approaching with of 2500 tonnes of supply vessel with tidal variation for each collision scenario. Deformation of the jacket leg occurs causes by material inability to proof against pressure. This paper uses 2 software are ANSYS LS-DYNA 9.0 to acquire local deformation and GT-STRUDL 27.0 version to acquire global deformation included dynamic transient analysis. Outside diameter of Jacket Leg is 1.651 m with wall thickness is 0.0381 m. Normal velocity in each sideway, stern; manoeuvring collision and extreme velocity is 0.28 m/s, 0.39 m/s and 0.74. Extreme velocity in each sideway and stern collision is and 10% exceedance velocity is 0.54 m/s, 0.73 m/s and 1.29 m/s. The result of this paper is dent of the landing platform for each normal and extreme is 0.2725 m, 0.2352 m, and 0. 3241 m/s it must be repaired or changed because of it is 30% larger than spacing frame. Maximum displacement x, y, z direction is 0.2423 m on 0.38 s, 0. 0559 m on 0.39 s, 0.7492 m on 0.41 s. The deformation in landing platform, jacket leg and jacket structure is smaller than research result indeed.
Review of Control Strategies Employing Neural Network for Main Steam Temperature Control in Thermal Power Plant
Authors: Mazalan N. A. , Malek A. A. , A. Wahid Mazlan , Mailah M.
Published: March 2014

Main steam temperature control in thermal power plant has been a popular research subject for the past 10 years. The complexity of main steam temperature behavior which depends on multiple variables makes it one of the most challenging variables to control in thermal power plant. Furthermore, the successful control of main steam temperature ensures stable plant operation. Several studies found that excessive main steam temperature resulted overheating of boiler tubes and low main steam temperature reduce the plant heat rate and causes disturbance in other parameters. Most of the studies agrees that main steam temperature should be controlled within ±5 Deg C. Major factors that influenced the main steam temperature are load demand, main steam flow and combustion air flow. Most of the proposed solution embedded to the existing cascade PID control in order not to disturb the plant control too much. Neural network controls remains to be one of the most popular algorithm used to control main steam temperature to replace ever reliable but not so intelligent conventional PID control. Self-learning nature of neural network mean the load on the control engineer re-tuning work will be reduced. However the challenges remain for the researchers to prove that the algorithm can be practically implemented in industrial boiler control.
A Low-Voltage and Label-Free Impedance-Based Miniaturized CMOS Biosensor for DNA Detection
Authors: Lam Siu Fan Vinny , How Hwan Wong , Yusof Yusmeeraz
Published: March 2014

This study designs a low-voltage, label-free and fully integrated impedance-based biosensor using standard complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology to compute both capacitance and resistance of the electrode-electrolyte interface. The proposed biosensor circuit is composed of a common-gate transimpedance amplifier (CG-TIA) with two quadrature phase Gilbert cell double-balanced mixers and finally integrated with microelectrode using 0.18 µm Silterra CMOS technology process. The output value of the readout circuit was used to estimate the magnitude and phase of the measured admittance. The developed CG-TIA can achieve a gain of 88.6 dB up to a frequency of 50 MHz. The overall dynamic range was approximately 116 dB.
Optimization of Supercritical Co2 Extraction of Swietenia Mahagoni Seed by Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Md Salleh Liza , Hartati Hartati , Che Yunus Mohd. Azizi , Abd. Aziz Azila
Published: March 2014

Three operating parameters were pressure, temperature and particle size of supercritical carbon dioxide extraction of oil from Swietenia mahagoni have been optimized by response surface methodology to obtain high yield of oil. Results showed that data were adequately fitted into the second-order polynomial model. The linear and quadratic terms of independent variables of temperature, pressure and particle size have significant effects on the oil yield. Optimum conditions for oil yield within the experimental range of the studied variables were 29.99 MPa, 55.29oC and 0.75 mm, and the oil yield was predicted to be 20.76%.
Testosterone potentiates the hypoxic ventilatory response of adult male rats subjected to neonatal stress
Authors: Fournier Sébastien , Gulemetova Roumiana , Joseph Vincent , Kinkead Richard
Published: March 2014

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

Does testosterone contribute to the enhancement of the hypoxic ventilatory response observed in stressed rats?

What is the main finding and its importance?

Castration reduces the hypoxic ventilatory response of stressed rats (but not control rats). Neonatal stress disrupts the gonadotrophic axis and its impact on respiratory control. These results bring new insight into the pathophysiology of sleep‐disordered breathing and the sex‐based difference in its prevalence.

Neonatal stress disrupts development of homeostatic systems. During adulthood, male rats subjected to neonatal maternal separation (NMS) are hypertensive and show a larger hypoxic ventilatory response (HVR), with greater respiratory instability during sleep. Neonatal stress also affects sex hormone secretion; hypoxia increases circulating testosterone of NMS (but not control) male rats. Given that these effects of NMS are not observed in females, we tested the hypothesis that testosterone elevation is necessary for the stress‐related increase of the HVR in adult male rats. Pups subjected to NMS were placed in an incubator for 3 h per day from postnatal day 3 to 12. Control pups remained undisturbed. Rats were reared until adulthood, and the HVR was measured by plethysmography (fractional inspired O2 = 0.12, for 20 min). We used gonadectomy to evaluate the effects of reducing testosterone on the HVR. Gonadectomy had no effect on the HVR of control animals but reduced that of NMS animals below control levels. Immunohistochemistry was used to quantify androgen receptors in brainstem areas involved in the HVR. Androgen receptor expression was generally greater in NMS rats than in control rats; the most significant increase was noted in the caudal region of the nucleus tractus solitarii. We conclude that the abnormal regulation of testosterone is important in stress‐related augmentation of the HVR. The greater number of androgen receptors within the brainstem may explain why NMS rats are more sensitive to testosterone withdrawal. Based on the similarities of the cardiorespiratory phenotype of NMS rats and patients suffering from sleep‐disordered breathing, these results provide new insight into its pathophysiology, especially sex‐based differences in its prevalence.
Polymethyl methacrylate/hydrogen silsesquioxane bilayer resist electron beam lithography process for etching 25 nm wide magnetic wires
Authors: Currivan Jean Anne , Siddiqui Saima , Ahn Sungmin , Tryputen Larysa , Beach Geoffrey S. D. , Baldo Marc A. , Ross Caroline A.
Published: March 2014

A method of patterning magnetic metallic thin films is presented using a bilayer polymethyl methacrylate and hydrogen silsesquioxane electron beam lithography resist mask combined with ion beam etching. The bilayer resist process allows for the combination of a high-resolution resist mask with easy postprocess removal of the mask without damage to the magnetic quality of the film. Co60Fe20B20 and Co/Ni multilayer films were patterned with electron beam lithography at 10–125 keV down to 25 nm wide features with 2 nm average root-mean square edge roughness. Both the in-plane and out-of-plane magnetic anisotropies of the respective film types were preserved after patterning.
A region‐appearance‐based adaptive variational model for 3D liver segmentation
Authors: Peng Jialin , Dong Fangfang , Chen Yunmei , Kong Dexing
Published: March 2014

Purpose:

Liver segmentation from computed tomography images is a challenging task owing to pixel intensity overlapping, ambiguous edges, and complex backgrounds. The authors address this problem with a novel active surface scheme, which minimizes an energy functional combining both edge‐ and region‐based information.

Methods:

In this semiautomatic method, the evolving surface is principally attracted to strong edges but is facilitated by the region‐based information where edge information is missing. As avoiding oversegmentation is the primary challenge, the authors take into account multiple features and appearance context information. Discriminative cues, such as multilayer consecutiveness and local organ deformation are also implicitly incorporated. Case‐specific intensity and appearance constraints are included to cope with the typically large appearance variations over multiple images. Spatially adaptive balancing weights are employed to handle the nonuniformity of image features.

Results:

Comparisons and validations on difficult cases showed that the authors’ model can effectively discriminate the liver from adhering background tissues. Boundaries weak in gradient or with no local evidence (e.g., small edge gaps or parts with similar intensity to the background) were delineated without additional user constraint. With an average surface distance of 0.9 mm and an average volume overlap of 93.9% on the MICCAI data set, the authors’ model outperformed most state‐of‐the‐art methods. Validations on eight volumes with different initial conditions had segmentation score variances mostly less than unity.

Conclusions:

The proposed model can efficiently delineate ambiguous liver edges from complex tissue backgrounds with reproducibility. Quantitative validations and comparative results demonstrate the accuracy and efficacy of the model.
Automatic registration of CT images to patient during the initial phase of bronchoscopy: A clinical pilot study
Authors: Hofstad Erlend Fagertun , Sorger Hanne , Leira Håkon Olav , Amundsen Tore , Langø Thomas
Published: March 2014

Purpose:

Electromagnetic based navigated bronchoscopy using preoperative CT images has reached the clinic during the last decade. One of the challenges is the “CT to patient anatomy alignment” of the CT images acquired days or even weeks ahead of bronchoscopy. An automatic registration method, without manual registration of anatomical landmarks, was developed, implemented, and evaluated in the current study.

Methods:

The registration method aligns automatically the preoperative CT images to the patientˈs anatomy during the initial part of the bronchoscopy. The algorithm is a modified version of an iterative closest point algorithm, which in addition to the positions also utilizes the orientation of the bronchoscope and the running direction of the CT centerline. The method was evaluated both by model‐based simulated bronchoscopies and by clinical data from six real bronchoscopies. In the clinical evaluation, an electromagnetic position sensor was placed temporarily in the working channel close to the tip of a conventional bronchoscope. Position data, which were acquired while the bronchoscope was moving inside the airways, were registered to the centerline extracted from the airways in the CT image.

Results:

A mean registration accuracy of 3.0 ± 1.4 mm was found when simulating bronchoscopies. In the clinical part of the study, the registration method was successfully applied to the data from all six patients. The positions of the bronchoscope tip aligned to the CT centerline with a mean distance range 4.7–6.5 mm.

Conclusions:

The authors have developed and evaluated an automatic registration algorithm for electromagnetic navigated bronchoscopy. It functioned to its purpose and did not affect the workflow for the bronchoscopic investigation of the six patients included in the study.
MeCP2 Reinforces STAT3 Signaling and the Generation of Effector CD4
+
T Cells by Promoting miR-124–Mediated Suppression of SOCS5
Authors: Jiang Shan , Li Chaoran , McRae Gabrielle , Lykken Erik , Sevilla Jose , Liu Si-Qi , Wan Ying , Li Qi-Jing
Published: March 2014

A transcriptional regulator implicated in a neurodevelopmental disorder is required for the generation of certain effector T cells.
Inhaling Your Food
Authors: Ferrarelli Leslie K.
Published: March 2014

Activation of cannabinoid receptors in the olfactory circuit stimulates food intake in fasting mice.