bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Main results and perspectives on other rare processes with DAMA experiments
Authors: Bernabei R. , Belli P. , Incicchitti A. , Cappella F. , Cerulli R. , Dai C. J. , He H. L. , Kuang H. H. , Ma X. H. , Sheng X. D. , Wang R. G. , Ye Z. P. , Boiko R. S. , Danevich F. A. , Kobychev V. V. , Poda D. V. , Polischuk O. G. , Tretyak V. I.
Published: October 2016

Development of low radioactive technique allows to investigate many other rare nuclear and subnuclear processes: double [Formula: see text] decay, rare [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] decays, and to search for hypothetical particles and processes like axions, charge nonconserving decays, the nucleon, di-nucleon and tri-nucleon decays into invisible channels, to test the Pauli principle. Here, we present results of the rare processes searches and development of instrumentation for low counting experiments.
The luminescent carbon nanoparticles with controllable oxygen-related functional groups prepared by pulsed laser ablation in water
Authors: Zhang Jun , Gan Zhixing , Hu Guang , Tang Yalu , Zhou Lei , Jiang Qingsong , Cui Yu
Published: October 2016

Fluorescent carbon nanoparticles (CNPs) are obtained via pulsed laser ablation (PLA) of a carbon target immersed in deionized water. By tuning the laser power for PLA, the density of oxygen-related functional groups at the surfaces is controllable. While the crystallinities, sizes, morphologies and defects are nearly retained, the prepared CNPs show blue fluorescence under UV exposure and the photoluminescence (PL) intensities of the C-dots are dependent on the oxygen contents. Accordingly, the PL is attributed to the transition of electronic states caused by oxygen-related functional groups. This work sheds new light on the PL mechanism of CNPs and proposes an efficient way to prepare CNPs with controllable oxygen-related functional groups.
When Does Improved Targeting Increase Revenue?
Authors: Hummel Patrick , Mcafee R. Preston
Published: October 2016

In second-price auctions, we find that improved targeting via enhanced information disclosure decreases revenue when there are two bidders and increases revenue if there are at least four symmetric bidders with values drawn from a distribution with a monotone hazard rate. With asymmetries, improved targeting increases revenue if the most frequent winner wins less than 30.4% of the time under a model in which shares are well defined, but can decrease revenue otherwise. We derive analogous results for position auctions. Finally, we show that revenue can vary nonmonotonically with the number of bidders who are able to take advantage of improved targeting.
Close-Range Photogrammetric Tools for Epigraphic Surveys
Authors: Samaan Mariam , Deseilligny Marc Pierrot , Heno Raphaële , Vaissière Etienne De La , Roger Jacques
Published: October 2016

In this article, we present a method to carry out a computerized epigraphic survey of historic stones and their engraved epigraphy. In fact, the preservation of archaeological objects has always been an issue of concern for the research community. On the one hand, the fragility of the objects limits their study. On the other hand, such objects are housed in museums, libraries, and institutions worldwide, locations that significantly limit their accessibility. Different survey methods have been carried out in these attempts to overcome the aforementioned limitations. Among them, the MicMac open source software was used in this work to survey and process the dense correlation of the hieroglyphics inscriptions engraved on archaeological stones. Relatively standard workflows have led to depth maps, which can be represented either as 3D point clouds or shaded relief images. This article shows the application of this method in two epigraphic survey case studies.
2-Edge Connectivity in Directed Graphs
Authors: Georgiadis Loukas , Italiano Giuseppe F. , Laura Luigi , Parotsidis Nikos
Published: October 2016

Edge and vertex connectivity are fundamental concepts in graph theory. While they have been thoroughly studied in the case of undirected graphs, surprisingly, not much has been investigated for directed graphs. In this article, we study 2-edge connectivity problems in directed graphs and, in particular, we consider the computation of the following natural relation: We say that two vertices
v
and
w
are 2-
edge-connected
if there are two edge-disjoint paths from
v
to
w
and two edge-disjoint paths from
w
to
v
. This relation partitions the vertices into blocks such that all vertices in the same block are 2-edge-connected. Differently from the undirected case, those blocks do not correspond to the 2-edge-connected components of the graph. The main result of this article is an algorithm for computing the 2-edge-connected blocks of a directed graph in linear time. Besides being asymptotically optimal, our algorithm improves significantly over previous bounds. Once the 2-edge-connected blocks are available, we can test in constant time if two vertices are 2-edge-connected. Additionally, when two query vertices
v
and
w
are not 2-edge-connected, we can produce in constant time a “witness” of this property by exhibiting an edge that is contained in all paths from
v
to
w
or in all paths from
w
to
v
. We are also able to compute in linear time a sparse certificate for this relation, i.e., a subgraph of the input graph that has
O
(
n
) edges and maintains the same 2-edge-connected blocks as the input graph, where
n
is the number of vertices.
Bearing an Open “Pandora's Box”
Authors: Clear Adrian K. , O’neill Kirstie , Friday Adrian , Hazas Mike
Published: October 2016

The sustainability of food is a significant global concern with a drastic change required to mitigate complex social, environmental, and economic issues like climate change and food security for an ever increasing population. In this article, we set out to understand the place of food in people's lives, their mundane yet surprisingly complex ways of sourcing their food, and the processes of transition, past and ongoing, that shape these choices. Our goal is to understand the potential role for digital interactions in supporting the various ways that food consumption can be made more sustainable. To inform this exercise, we specifically set out to contrast the journeys of committed sustainable “food pioneers” with more conventional mainstream consumers recruited in branches of a UK supermarket. This contrast highlights for both groups the various values, and “meaningfulness” attached to foods and meals in people's lives, and suggests ways in which food choice and pro-sustainable practices can be supported at least in part by new digital technologies.
Prevalence of HIV Antiretroviral Drug Resistance and Its Impacts on HIV-1 Virological Failures in Jiangsu, China: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Zhou Ying , Lu Jing , Wang Jinge , Yan Hongjing , Li Jianjun , Xu Xiaoqin , Zhang Zhi , Qiu Tao , Ding Ping , Fu Gengfeng , Huan Xiping , Hu Haiyang
Published: October 2016

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has been shown to improve survival of patients with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection and to reduce HIV-1 transmission. Therefore, the Chinese central government initiated a national program to provide ART free of charge to HIV-1 patients. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in Jiangsu province to determine the level of drug resistance (DR) in HIV-1 infected patients and the correlates of DR in virological failures in 2012. Approximately 10.4% of the HIV-1 patients in the study experienced virological failure after one year of ART and were divided into drug sensitive and drug resistant groups based on genotype determination. The viral loads (VLs) in the drug resistant group were significantly lower than the drug sensitive group. There were two independent predictors of virological failure: male gender and increasing duration of treatment. The primary mutations observed in the study were against nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) which were M184V (79.45%) and K103N (33.70%) in nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs). The overall rate of DR in Jiangsu province is still relatively low among treated patients. However, close monitoring of drug resistance in male patients in the early stages of treatment is vital to maintaining and increasing the benefits of HIV ART achieved to date.
WSN-Based Height Estimation of Moving Object in Surveillance Systems
Authors: Shim Jaeseok , Lim Yujin
Published: October 2016

In the WSN- (wireless sensor network-) based surveillance system to detect undesired intrusion, all detected objects are not intruders. In order to reduce false alarms, human detection mechanism needs to determine if the detected object is a human. For human detection, physical characteristics of human are usually used. In this paper, we use the physical height to differentiate an intruder from detected objects. Using the measured information from sensors, we estimate the height of the detected object. Based on the height, if the detected object is decided as an intruder, an alarm is given to a control center. The experimental results indicate that our mechanism correctly and fast estimates the height of the object without complex computation.
Maximizing Sustainability of Concrete through the Control of Moisture Rise and Drying Shrinkage Using Calcined Clay Pozzolan
Authors: Ankrah John Solomon , Bediako Mark , Twumasi-Ampofo Kwadwo , Offei-Nyako Kofi , Adobor Charles Dela , Amankwah Eric Opoku
Published: October 2016

The Ghanaian concrete industry is really a booming industry due to many infrastructural developments and the surge in residential development. However, many developmental projects that utilize concrete do suffer from the negative impact of moisture rise including paint peeling-off, bacterial and fungi growth, and microcracks as well as unpleasant looks on buildings. Such negative outlook resulting from the effects of moisture rise affects the longevity of concrete and hence makes concrete less sustainable. This study seeks to develop materials that could minimize the rise of moisture or ions through concrete medium. The experimental works performed in this study included pozzolanic strength activity index, water sorptivity, and shrinkage test. Calcined clay produced from clay was used as pozzolan to replace Portland cement at 20%. The strength activity test showed that the cement containing the calcined material attained higher strength activity indices than the control. The thermal gravimetric analysis showed that the pozzolan behaved partly as a filler material and partly as a pozzolanic material. The sorptivity results also showed that the blended mix resulted in lower sorptivity values than the control mortar. The study recommends that calcined clay and Portland cement mixtures could be used to produce durable concrete to maximize sustainability.
Aqueous Synthesis of ZnSe/ZnS-2-R-Benzothiazole Nanocrystals with White Emission
Authors: Liu Ying-Fan , Zhang Yan-Hui , Wang Guo-Qing , Mao Kai-Ming , Fang Shao-Ming , Li Zhang-Di , Tang Hong-Duo
Published: October 2016

We prepared water-soluble white light-emitting ZnSe/ZnS-2-R-benzothiazole nanocrystals (NCs), R = 2-hydroxy-5-(2,5-dimethyl-thienyl)-phenyl. The penicillamine (Pen) capped ZnSe/ZnS NCs were firstly prepared with high photoluminescence quantum yields (PL QY) of 40%. Then they bond to 2-R-benzothiazole molecules, resulting in white light-emitting ZnSe/ZnS-2-R-benzothiazole NCs with QY of 75% over a 375 to 650 nm range of emission, which can be applied to white light-emitting diodes. The ZnSe/ZnS-2-R-benzothiazole NCs with two emission bands at around 451 and 557 nm were discussed and the possible mechanism of the interaction of ZnSe/ZnS NCs with 2-R-benzothiazole was also proposed.
Experimental Characterization of the Twin-Eye Laser Mouse Sensor
Authors: Moreno Javier , Clotet Eduard , Martínez Dani , Tresanchez Marcel , Pallejà Tomàs , Palacín Jordi
Published: October 2016

This paper proposes the experimental characterization of a laser mouse sensor used in some optical mouse devices. The sensor characterized is called twin-eye laser mouse sensor and uses the Doppler effect to measure displacement as an alternative to optical flow-based mouse sensors. The experimental characterization showed similar measurement performances to optical flow sensors except in the sensitivity to height changes and when measuring nonlinear displacements, where the twin-eye sensor offered better performance. The measurement principle of this optical sensor can be applied to the development of alternative inexpensive applications that require planar displacement measurement and poor sensitivity toz-axis changes such as mobile robotics.
Lifespan Extension and Sustained Expression of Stem Cell Phenotype of Human Breast Epithelial Stem Cells in a Medium with Antioxidants
Authors: Wang Kai-Hung , Kao An-Pei , Chang Chia-Cheng , Lin Ta-Chin , Kuo Tsung-Cheng
Published: October 2016

We have previously reported the isolation and culture of a human breast epithelial cell type with stem cell characteristics (Type I HBEC) from reduction mammoplasty using the MSU‐1 medium. Subsequently, we have developed several different normal human adult stem cell types from different tissues using the K‐NAC medium. In this study, we determined whether this low calcium K‐NAC medium with antioxidants (N‐acetyl‐L‐cysteine and L‐ascorbic acid‐2‐phosphate) is a better medium to grow human breast epithelial cells. The results clearly show that the K‐NAC medium is a superior medium for prolonged growth (cumulative population doubling levels ranged from 30 to 40) of normal breast epithelial cells that expressed stem cell phenotypes. The characteristics of these mammary stem cells include deficiency in gap junctional intercellular communication, expression of Oct‐4, and the ability to differentiate into basal epithelial cells and to form organoid showing mammary ductal and terminal end bud‐like structures. Thus, this new method of growing Type I HBECs will be very useful in future studies of mammary development, breast carcinogenesis, chemoprevention, and cancer therapy.
One-Pot Fabrication and Characterization of Silver Nanoparticles Using Solanum lycopersicum: An Eco-Friendly and Potent Control Tool against Rose Aphid, Macrosiphum rosae
Authors: Bhattacharyya Atanu , Prasad Ram , Buhroo Abdul A. , Duraisamy Prabha , Yousuf Insha , Umadevi M. , Bindhu M. R. , Govindarajan Marimuthu , Khanday Abdul L.
Published: October 2016

The espousal of nanotechnology is a current come-up of the present revolution. As we know that the rose aphid, Macrosiphum rosae (Hemiptera: Aphididae), is a key pest on rose plant in Kashmir Valley, India, it exhibits a worldwide distribution. In the present study, we have synthesized biologically silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) from Solanum lycopersicum and characterized them by UV-vis spectroscopy, TEM, and X-RD analysis. The experiment was performed by leaf dip method. Insecticidal solutions of different Ag NPs concentrations, namely, 200, 300, 400, and 500 ppm, were tested on M. rosae. For assessment purposes, leaves were treated with distilled water (used as control). Aphid mortality data revealed that the Ag NPs were effective at 500 ppm concentration. As the concentration and day’s treatment increased, the aphid mortality rate also increased. There were statistically significant differences in M. rosae mortality between concentrations by LSD at 5%. In wrapping up, the use of Ag NPs in pest control processes will be the most novel eco-friendly approach in the Kashmir Valley, India, in future.
Bacteremia with an Unusual Pathogen:Mycobacterium neoaurum
Authors: Awadh Hesham , Mansour Munthir , Shorman Mahmoud
Published: October 2016

Mycobacterium neoaurum (M. neoaurum)is an infrequently encountered cause of infection in humans. It is a member of the rapidly growing mycobacteria family. It predominately afflicts those with a compromised immune status and a chronically indwelling vascular access. Isolation of this organism is challenging yet the advent of 16s ribosomal sequencing paved the way for more sensitive detection. No treatment guidelines are available and treatment largely depends on the experience of the treating physician and nature of the isolate. We report a case ofM. neoaurumbacteremia in an immune competent host, with a chronically placed peripherally inserted central catheter (PICC line).
Essential Oils from Ugandan Medicinal Plants: In Vitro Cytotoxicity and Effects on IL‐1β‐Induced Proinflammatory Mediators by Human Gingival Fibroblasts
Authors: Ocheng Francis , Bwanga Freddie , Almer Boström Elisabeth , Joloba Moses , Borg-Karlson Anna-Karin , Yucel-Lindberg Tülay , Obua Celestino , Gustafsson Anders
Published: October 2016

The study investigated cytotoxicity of essential oils from four medicinal plants (Bidens pilosa, Ocimum gratissimum, Cymbopogon nardus, and Zanthoxylum chalybeum) on human gingival fibroblasts and their effects on proinflammatory mediators’ secretion. Cytotoxicity of essential oils was investigated using 3‐(4, 5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyl‐tetrazolium bromide assay. Effects of essential oils at subcytotoxicity concentrations on interleukin‐ (IL‐) 6, IL‐8, and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) secretions by gingival fibroblasts treated with IL‐1β (300 pg/mL) were evaluated by ELISA and EIA. IC50 values of the essential oils ranged from 26 μg/mL to 50 μg/mL. Baseline and IL‐1β‐induced secretion of PGE2 was inhibited by treatment with essential oil from O. gratissimum. Essential oils from B. pilosa and C. nardus had synergistic effects with IL‐1β on PGE2 seceretion. In conclusion, the study suggests that essential oil from O. gratissimum decreases gingival fibroblasts secretion of PGE2, while essential oils from B. pilosa and C. nardus increase PGE2 secretion. Essential oil from Z. chalybeum was the most cytotoxic, while oil from C. nardus was the least cytotoxic. Although the clinical significance of these findings remains to be determined, it may be suggested that essential oil from O. gratissimum, applied at subcytotoxicity concentrations, could reduce the participation of gingival fibroblasts in the gingival inflammation and tissue destruction associated with periodontitis.
A Simple Free Energy for the Isotropic-Nematic Phase Transition of Rods
Authors: Tuinier Remco
Published: October 2016

A free energy expression is proposed that describes the isotropic-nematic binodal concentrations of hard rods. A simple analytical form for this free energy was yet only available using a Gaussian trial function for the orientation distribution function (ODF), leading, however, to a significant deviation of the predicted binodals. The new free energy proposed here is based upon a rationalized correction to the orientational and packing entropies when using the Gaussian ODF. In combination with Parsons-Lee theory or scaled particle theory, it enables describing the isotropic-nematic phase coexistence concentrations of rods accurately using the simple Gaussian ODF for a wide range of aspect ratios.
The Prevalence of Fragility Fractures in a Population of a Region of Southern Italy Affected by Thyroid Disorders
Authors: Maccagnano Giuseppe , Notarnicola Angela , Pesce Vito , Mudoni Simona , Tafuri Silvio , Moretti Biagio
Published: October 2016

In the literature there is no clear evidence of a relationship between thyropathies and fragility fractures. The aim of our study is to define the prevalence of thyroid disease in a study sample made up of subjects with fragility fractures and from the same geographical area. We retrospectively studied the “hospital discharge records” (HDR) in the Apulian Database for the period 2008–2013 in order to identify all those patients with fragility fractures that required hospitalization. After detecting the prevalent population, we identified the patients affected by thyroid disease. We observed that, between 2008 and 2013 in Apulia, 16,636 patients were affected by hyperthyroidism. In the same period there were 92,341 subjects with hypothyroidism. The incidence of fragility fractures was 4.5% in the population with hyperthyroidism. As regards the population with hypothyroidism, the incidence of fragility fractures was 3.7%. Furthermore, we assessed the statistical connection between thyroid disease and fragility fractures revealing a higher incidence in patients with hyperthyroidism and clinical hypothyroidism.
A Sizable Aortic Root Paravalvular Mycotic Pseudoaneurysm
Authors: Azhar Ahmad Saeed , Abu-Ouf Noran M.
Published: October 2016

Mycotic aneurysm is an established condition first identified in 1885 by Sir William Osler. It is linked to malignant endocarditis. With prevalence of 0.7–2.6% of all cases of aortic aneurysms, it is associated with a significant rate of mortality and morbidity. Physicians should be highly cautious, as diagnosis and effective treatment for this condition are difficult. The following is a case report of a 13-year-old pediatric patient diagnosed with mycotic aneurysm. Before an adequate treatment plan could be developed and implemented, patient’s status worsened swiftly and was ultimately terminal. This case is the sole instance of this condition evidenced in the last ten years in Saudi Arabia.
Endoscopic Management of Foreign Bodies in the Gastrointestinal Tract: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Bekkerman Mikhael , Sachdev Amit H. , Andrade Javier , Twersky Yitzhak , Iqbal Shahzad
Published: October 2016

Foreign body ingestion is a common diagnosis that presents in emergency departments throughout the world. Distinct foreign bodies predispose to particular locations of impaction in the gastrointestinal tract, commonly meat boluses in the esophagus above a preexisting esophageal stricture or ring in adults and coins in children. Several other groups are at high risk of foreign body impaction, mentally handicapped individuals or those with psychiatric illness, abusers of drugs or alcohol, and the geriatric population. Patients with foreign body ingestion typically present with odynophagia, dysphagia, sensation of having an object stuck, chest pain, and nausea/vomiting. The majority of foreign bodies pass through the digestive system spontaneously without causing any harm, symptoms, or necessitating any further intervention. A well-documented clinical history and thorough physical exam is critical in making the diagnosis, if additional modalities are needed, a CT scan and diagnostic endoscopy are generally the preferred modalities. Various tools can be used to remove foreign bodies, and endoscopic treatment is safe and effective if performed by a skilled endoscopist.
Single-Trial Sparse Representation-Based Approach for VEP Extraction
Authors: Yu Nannan , Hu Funian , Zou Dexuan , Ding Qisheng , Lu Hanbing
Published: October 2016

Sparse representation is a powerful tool in signal denoising, and visual evoked potentials (VEPs) have been proven to have strong sparsity over an appropriate dictionary. Inspired by this idea, we present in this paper a novel sparse representation-based approach to solving the VEP extraction problem. The extraction process is performed in three stages. First, instead of using the mixed signals containing the electroencephalogram (EEG) and VEPs, we utilise an EEG from a previous trial, which did not contain VEPs, to identify the parameters of the EEG autoregressive (AR) model. Second, instead of the moving average (MA) model, sparse representation is used to model the VEPs in the autoregressive-moving average (ARMA) model. Finally, we calculate the sparse coefficients and derive VEPs by using the AR model. Next, we tested the performance of the proposed algorithm with synthetic and real data, after which we compared the results with that of an AR model with exogenous input modelling and a mixed overcomplete dictionary-based sparse component decomposition method. Utilising the synthetic data, the algorithms are then employed to estimate the latencies of P100 of the VEPs corrupted by added simulated EEG at different signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values. The validations demonstrate that our method can well preserve the details of the VEPs for latency estimation, even in low SNR environments.
Tumor Associated Macrophages in Kidney Cancer
Authors: Kovaleva Olga V. , Samoilova Daria V. , Shitova Maria S. , Gratchev Alexei
Published: October 2016

Tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) are an important element of tumor stroma. They originate from blood monocytes attracted by chemokines and cytokines produced by tumor cells and, being instructed by tumor microenvironment, develop into potent tumor-supporting cell population. TAMs were demonstrated to directly stimulate tumor cell proliferation and to promote angiogenesis. Further TAMs provide for efficient immune escape by producing immunosuppressive cytokines and facilitate tumor dissemination by producing extracellular matrix remodeling enzymes. In renal cell carcinoma (RCC), numerous studies were performed for elucidation of the role of TAM in tumor progression. Using pan-macrophages marker CD68 and type 2 macrophage (M2) markers CD163 and CD206, it was demonstrated that increased density of TAMs is associated with poor survival of patients. Although most of the studies are focused on M2 population in RCC, several markers rather typical for type 1 macrophages (M1) were also characterized. Macrophages isolated from RCC tumors were shown to produce proinflammatory cytokines TNFα, IL-1β, IL-6, and CCL2. It can be concluded that RCC is an excellent example of a tumor with hybrid phenotype of TAMs that share both M1 and M2 properties. Moreover, TAMs seem to be an attractive therapeutic target as well. Further investigations are needed for identification of RCC-specific TAM markers with high predictive capacity and/or suitable for therapeutic targeting.
Could Mean Platelet Volume Be a Reliable Indicator for Acute Mesenteric Ischemia Diagnosis? A Case-Control Study
Authors: Degerli Vermi , Ergin Isil , Duran Fulya Yilmaz , Ustuner Mehmet Akif , Duran Ozgur
Published: October 2016

Objective. Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) is a disease, usually seen in elderly people and accompanied by comorbid diseases. Mean platelet volume (MPV), the significant indicator of platelet activation and function, is associated with AMI. In this study, we considered that we can use MPV as a reliable indicator in the diagnosis of AMI.Methods. This study was conducted among AMI patients with two control groups. Age, gender, MPV, platelet count, concomitant diseases, abdominal computed tomography, and patient outcomes were recorded for evaluation. Control group I contained 41 healthy patients whose ages-genders were matched. Control group II contained 41 patients with no AMI, whose ages-genders-concomitant diseases were matched.Results. Of the total 41 AMI patients, 22 were female and 19 were male. The average age of them was72.12±13.2(44–91) years. MPV was significantly increased in the AMI (p=0.001) and control group II (p<0.001) in comparison with healthy control groups. In the comparison of the AMI patients with their matched controls for concomitant diseases, no statistical difference was found in the MPV values.Conclusion. MPV may be used as an indicator of AMI only if the patient has no concomitant diseases. The existence of a concomitant disease brings into question the reliability of high MPV values as a suitable indicator.
Genetic Polymorphisms in the Long Noncoding RNA MIR2052HG Offer a Pharmacogenomic Basis for the Response of Breast Cancer Patients to Aromatase Inhibitor Therapy
Authors: Ingle James N. , Xie Fang , Ellis Matthew J. , Goss Paul E. , Shepherd Lois E. , Chapman Judith-Anne W. , Chen Bingshu E. , Kubo Michiaki , Furukawa Yoichi , Momozawa Yukihide , Stearns Vered , Pritchard Kathleen I. , Barman Poulami , Carlson Erin E. , Goetz Matthew P. , Weinshilboum Richard M. , Kalari Krishna R. , Wang Liewei
Published: October 2016

Genetic risks in breast cancer remain only partly understood. Here, we report the results of a genome-wide association study of germline DNA from 4,658 women, including 252 women experiencing a breast cancer recurrence, who were entered on the MA.27 adjuvant trial comparing the aromatase inhibitors (AI) anastrozole and exemestane. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) of top significance were identified in the gene encoding MIR2052HG, a long noncoding RNA of unknown function. Heterozygous or homozygous individuals for variant alleles exhibited a ∼40% or ∼63% decrease, respectively, in the hazard of breast cancer recurrence relative to homozygous wild-type individuals. Functional genomic studies in lymphoblastoid cell lines and ERα-positive breast cancer cell lines showed that expression from MIR2052HG and the ESR1 gene encoding estrogen receptor-α (ERα) was induced by estrogen and AI in a SNP-dependent manner. Variant SNP genotypes exhibited increased ERα binding to estrogen response elements, relative to wild-type genotypes, a pattern that was reversed by AI treatment. Further, variant SNPs were associated with lower expression of MIR2052HG and ERα. RNAi-mediated silencing of MIR2052HG in breast cancer cell lines decreased ERα expression, cell proliferation, and anchorage-independent colony formation. Mechanistic investigations revealed that MIR2052HG sustained ERα levels both by promoting AKT/FOXO3-mediated ESR1 transcription and by limiting ubiquitin-mediated, proteasome-dependent degradation of ERα. Taken together, our results define MIR2052HS as a functionally polymorphic gene that affects risks of breast cancer recurrence in women treated with AI. More broadly, our results offer a pharmacogenomic basis to understand differences in the response of breast cancer patients to AI therapy. Cancer Res; 76(23); 7012–23. ©2016 AACR.
Destabilization of Fatty Acid Synthase by Acetylation Inhibits De Novo Lipogenesis and Tumor Cell Growth
Authors: Lin Huai-Peng , Cheng Zhou-Li , He Ruo-Yu , Song Lei , Tian Meng-Xin , Zhou Li-Sha , Groh Beezly S. , Liu Wei-Ren , Ji Min-Biao , Ding Chen , Shi Ying-Hong , Guan Kun-Liang , Ye Dan , Xiong Yue
Published: October 2016

Fatty acid synthase (FASN) is the terminal enzyme in de novo lipogenesis and plays a key role in cell proliferation. Pharmacologic inhibitors of FASN are being evaluated in clinical trials for treatment of cancer, obesity, and other diseases. Here, we report a previously unknown mechanism of FASN regulation involving its acetylation by KAT8 and its deacetylation by HDAC3. FASN acetylation promoted its degradation via the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway. FASN acetylation enhanced its association with the E3 ubiquitin ligase TRIM21. Acetylation destabilized FASN and resulted in decreased de novo lipogenesis and tumor cell growth. FASN acetylation was frequently reduced in human hepatocellular carcinoma samples, which correlated with increased HDAC3 expression and FASN protein levels. Our results suggest opportunities to target FASN acetylation as an anticancer strategy. Cancer Res; 76(23); 6924–36. ©2016 AACR.
Early Life Residence, Fish Consumption, and Risk of Breast Cancer
Authors: Haraldsdottir Alfheidur , Steingrimsdottir Laufey , Valdimarsdottir Unnur A. , Aspelund Thor , Tryggvadottir Laufey , Harris Tamara B. , Launer Lenore J. , Mucci Lorelei A. , Giovannucci Edward L. , Adami Hans-Olov , Gudnason Vilmundur , Torfadottir Johanna E.
Published: October 2016

Background: Little is known about fish intake throughout the life course and the risk of breast cancer.

Methods: We used data on the first residence of 9,340 women born 1908 to 1935 in the Reykjavik Study as well as food frequency data for different periods of life from a subgroup of the cohort entering the Age, Gene/Environment Susceptibility (AGES)-Reykjavik Study (n = 2,882).

Results: During a mean follow-up of 27.3 years, 744 women were diagnosed with breast cancer in the Reykjavik Study. An inverse association of breast cancer was observed among women who lived through the puberty period in coastal villages, compared with women residing in the capital area [HR, 0.78; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.61–0.99]. In the subgroup analysis of this Icelandic population, generally characterized by high fish intake, we found an indication of lower risk of breast cancer among women with high fish consumption (more than 4 portions per week) in adolescence (HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.44–1.13) and midlife (HR, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.22–0.97), compared with low consumers (2 portions per week or less). No association was found for fish liver oil consumption in any time period, which could be due to lack of a reference group with low omega-3 fatty acids intake in the study group.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that very high fish consumption in early to midlife may be associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer.

Impact: Very high fish consumption in early adulthood to midlife may be associated with decreased risk of breast cancer. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 26(3); 346–54. ©2016 AACR.
A First-in-Human Phase I Study of a Bivalent MET Antibody, Emibetuzumab (LY2875358), as Monotherapy and in Combination with Erlotinib in Advanced Cancer
Authors: Rosen Lee S. , Goldman Jonathan W. , Algazi Alain P. , Turner P. Kellie , Moser Brian , Hu Tianle , Wang Xuejing Aimee , Tuttle Jay , Wacheck Volker , Wooldridge James E. , Banck Michaela
Published: October 2016

Purpose: The MET/HGF pathway regulates cell proliferation and survival and is dysregulated in multiple tumors. Emibetuzumab (LY2875358) is a bivalent antibody that inhibits HGF-dependent and HGF-independent MET signaling. Here, we report dose escalation results from the first-in-human phase I trial of emibetuzumab.

Experimental Design: The study comprised a 3+3 dose escalation for emibetuzumab monotherapy (Part A) and in combination with erlotinib (Part A2). Emibetuzumab was administered i.v. every 2 weeks (Q2W) using a flat dosing scheme. The primary objective was to determine a recommended phase II dose (RPTD) range; secondary endpoints included tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), and antitumor activity.

Results: Twenty-three patients with solid tumors received emibetuzumab monotherapy at 20, 70, 210, 700, 1,400, and 2,000 mg and 14 non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients at 700, 1,400, and 2,000 mg in combination with erlotinib 150 mg daily. No dose-limiting toxicities and related serious or ≥ grade 3 adverse events were observed. The most common emibetuzumab-related adverse events included mild diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, and mild to moderate fatigue, anorexia, and hypocalcemia in combination with erlotinib. Emibetuzumab showed linear PK at doses >210 mg. Three durable partial responses were observed, one for emibetuzumab (700 mg) and two for emibetuzumab + erlotinib (700 mg and 2,000 mg). Both of the responders to emibetuzumab + erlotinib had progressed to prior erlotinib and were positive for MET protein tumor expression.

Conclusions: Based on tolerability, PK/PD analysis, and preliminary clinical activity, the RPTD range for emibetuzumab single agent and in combination with erlotinib is 700 to 2,000 mg i.v. Q2W. Clin Cancer Res; 23(8); 1910–9. ©2016 AACR.
Hypothalamic Lipids: Key Regulators of Whole Body Energy Balance
Authors: González-García Ismael , Fernø Johan , Diéguez Carlos , Nogueiras Rubén , López Miguel
Published: October 2016

Hypothalamic lipid metabolism plays a major role in the physiological regulation of energy balance. Modulation of several enzymatic activities that control lipid biosynthesis, such as fatty acid synthase and AMP-activated protein kinase, impacts both feeding and energy expenditure. However, lipids can also cause pathological alterations in the hypothalamus. Lipotoxicity is promoted by excess lipids in tissues not suitable for their storage. A large amount of evidence has demonstrated that lipotoxicity is a pathophysiological mechanism leading to metabolic diseases such as insulin resistance, cardiomyopathy, atherosclerosis, and steatohepatitis. Current data have reported that, similar to what is observed in peripheral tissues, complex lipids such as ceramides and sphingolipids act as lipotoxic species at the hypothalamic level to impact metabolism. Here, we will review what is currently known about hypothalamic lipid metabolism and the modulation of energy homeostasis.
Hippocampal Volumetry as a Biomarker for Dementia in People with Low Education
Authors: Mondragón Jaime D. , Celada-Borja César , Barinagarrementeria-Aldatz Fernando , Burgos-Jaramillo Martín , Barragán-Campos Héctor Manuel
Published: October 2016

Background/Aims: To evaluate the relationship between hippocampal volume and cognitive decline in patients with dementia due to probable Alzheimer's disease (AD), amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and education, and the possible relationship between cognitive reserve and education in this population. Methods: From February 2013 to October 2015, 76 patients (25 men, 51 women) were classified according to the NIA-AA diagnostic criteria. We used two 3.0-tesla MRI scanners and performed manual hippocampal volumetry. Results: Twenty-six patients were found to have AD, 20 aMCI and 30 had normal aging (NA). The mean normalized hippocampal volume in age-, sex- and education (years)-matched subjects was 2.38 ± 0.51 cm3 in AD (p < 0.001), 2.91 ± 0.78 cm3 in aMCI (p = 0.019) and 3.07 ± 0.76 cm3 in NA. Conclusion: Psychometric test (MMSE and MoCA) scores had a good to strong positive correlation with statistically significant differences in the entire population and healthy subjects but not among dementia patients and lower educational level groups. The patients with low education had greater hippocampal volumes, which is in line with the cognitive reserve theory; lower-educated individuals can tolerate less neuropathology and will thus show less atrophy at a similar level of cognitive performance than higher-educated subjects.
Successful Restoration of Visual Acuity with an Extended Range of Vision Intraocular Lens after Multifocal Laser Ablation
Authors: Black Sondra
Published: October 2016

As our baby boomer population is aging and developing cataracts, so are our post-LASIK patients. These patients underwent LASIK surgery as they wished to be spectacle-free and are hoping to remain so after intraocular lens (IOL) surgery. Unfortunately, very little information is available regarding the suitability of presbyopia correcting IOLs for post-LASIK patients. This case represents successful implantation of an extended range of vision IOL in a 59-year-old patient who underwent multifocal ablation excimer laser surgery 12 years before. Emmetropia was targeted for the dominant eye and –0.5 D for the fellow eye. The 13 month follow-up after bilateral implantation of the TECNIS Symfony IOL revealed an uncorrected visual acuity of 20/25 for distance, 20/20 for intermediate and 20/16 for near. The patient is very happy and did not report any visual symptoms when asked. This successful case should encourage surgeons to consider implanting an extended range of vision IOLs in post-LASIK patients.
Ultra-Early Combination Antiplatelet Therapy with Cilostazol for the Prevention of Branch Atheromatous Disease: A Multicenter Prospective Study
Authors: Kimura Teruo , Tucker Adam , Sugimura Toshihide , Seki Toshitaka , Fukuda Shin , Takeuchi Satoru , Miyata Shiro , Fujita Tsutomu , Hashizume Akira , Izumi Naoto , Kawasaki Kazutsune , Katsuno Makoto , Hashimoto Masaaki , Sako Kazuhiro
Published: October 2016

Background and Purpose: The optimal use of antiplatelet therapy for intracranial branch atheromatous disease (BAD) is not known. Methods: We conducted a prospective multicenter, single-group trial of 144 consecutive patients diagnosed with probable BAD. All patients were treated within 12 h of symptom onset to prevent clinical progression using dual antiplatelet therapy with cilostazol plus one oral antiplatelet drug (aspirin or clopidogrel). Endpoints of progressive BAD in the dual therapy group at 2 weeks were compared with a matched historical control group of 142 patients treated with single oral antiplatelet therapy using either cilostazol, aspirin, or clopidogrel. Results: Progressive motor paresis occurred in 14 patients (9.7%) in the aggressive antiplatelet group, compared with 48 (33.8%) in the matched single antiplatelet group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed the following variables to be associated with a better prognosis for BAD: baseline modified Rankin Scale score, dual oral antiplatelet therapy with cilostazol, and dyslipidemia (odds ratios of 0.616, 0.445, and 0.297, respectively). Hypertension was associated with a worse prognosis for BAD (odds ratio of 1.955). Conclusions: Our trial showed that clinical progression of BAD was significantly reduced with the administration of ultra-early aggressive combination therapy using cilostazol compared to treatment with antiplatelet monotherapy.
A Generic Review on Effective Intrusion Detection in Ad hoc Networks
Authors: Gopichand G. , Saravanaguru RA.K.
Published: October 2016

Ad hoc network is specifically designed for the establishment of a network anywhere and anytime, which does not have any fixed infrastructure in order to support the mobility of the users in the network. The network is established without using any access points or base stations for communication implemented in multi hop schemes. Hence we call an Ad hoc network as a collection of nodes which are mobile in nature with a dynamic network infrastructure and forms a temporary network. Because of dynamic topological changes, these networks are vulnerable at the physical link, and they can easily be manipulated. An intruder can easily attack the Ad hoc network by loading the network resources which are available, such as wireless links and energy (battery) levels of other users, and then starts disturbing all the users. This paper provides a comparative survey on the various existing intrusion detection systems for Ad hoc networks based on the various approaches applied in the intrusion detection systems for providing security to the Ad hoc network.
Implementation of Fuzzy Based Simulation for Clone Detection in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: C Manjunatha R , R Rekha K , R Nataraj K
Published: October 2016

Wireless sensor networks are usually left unattended and serve hostile environment, therefore can easily be compromised. With compromised nodes an attacker can conduct several inside and outside attacks. Node replication attack is one of them which can cause severe damage to wireless sensor network if left undetected. This paper presents fuzzy based simulation framework for detection and revocation of compromised nodes in wireless sensor network. Our proposed scheme uses PDR statistics and neighbor reports to determine the probability of a cluster being compromised. Nodes in compromised cluster are then revoked and software attestation is performed.Simulation is carried out on MATLAB 2010a and performance of proposed scheme is compared with conventional algorithms on the basis of communication and storage overhead. Simulation results show that proposed scheme require less communication and storage overhead than conventional algorithms.
How Reliable is the Cuprates System to Recent Technology?
Authors: M.E. Emetere , O.B. Awojoyogbe , U.E. Uno , K.U. Isah , E.S. Sanni , M.L. Akinyemi
Published: October 2016

The emergence of cuprates as a high Tc superconductor gave high hopes in the discovery of a room temperature superconductor. It is almost three decades and the highest critical temperature attained on the cuprates is about 135K. A brief overview was conducted on the progress made so far on the cuprates. A mathematical approach was used to design a formula which could determine the experimental results of critical temperature of versed cuprates superconductors. The result of our findings shows that the possibility of attaining the experimental room temperature cuprates superconductor seems very narrow. The study recommended an elaborate approach on the hybridization of cuprates for future research. Hence, there is possibility of having cuprates with wide engineering application.
Application of a controlled outside cold airflow by a PID controller to improve the performance of a household refrigerator
Authors: Aridhi Emna , Abbes Mehdi , Mami Abdelkader
Published: October 2016

The present paper aims to prove the efficiency of using the cold to improve the performance of a household refrigerator. It is produced naturally in countries that are characterized by a severe wintry climate. The cold airflow is spread out inside a cavity covering the side wall of the appliance, which is connected to the inlet and outlet ducts. For that purpose, a Simulink model is proposed to model this installation. The internal air temperature is computed according to the evaporator temperature and the outside cold airflow that is also computed according to the outside temperature and controlled by a PID controller. The simulation results show that when the internal air temperature is higher than the desired one and the outside temperature is low enough, the controlled cold airflow used as a second cooling source allowed to speed-up the cooling inside the refrigerator compartment of about 36.21% and to reach an energy saving of about 36.23% compared with the classical thermostatic control.
Design and Fabrication of Rectifying Antenna Circuit for Wireless Power Transmission System Operating At ISM Band
Authors: Doan Chuc Huu , Bach Duong Gia
Published: October 2016

This paper introduces an overview of a rectifying antenna (rectenna) circuit topology for microwave power transmission system. Specially, a rectenna based on a microstrip patch antenna and a microwave double voltage rectifier at 2.45GHz were designed and fabricated.  The antenna’s return loss is achieved of -15 dB at 2.45GHz. The microwave to DC conversion efficiency of the rectenna was measured as 71.5% with 22 dBm input power and 810 Ohm load. The design  and simulated results  were  carried out  by  the  microwave engineering professional  design software,  known as ADS2009 package. All design and simulation results will be reported.
RGB Medical Video Compression Using Geometric Wavelet
Authors: Habchi Yassine , Mohammed Beladgham , Abdelmalik Taleb Ahmed
Published: October 2016

The video compression is used in a wide of applications from medical domain especially in telemedicine. Compared to the classical transforms, wavelet transform has significantly better performance in horizontal, vertical and diagonal directions. Therefore, this transform introduces high discontinuities in complex geometrics. However, to detect complex geometrics is one key challenge for the high efficient compression. In order to capture anisotropic regularity along various curves a new efficient and precise transform termed by bandelet basis, based on DWT, quadtree decomposition and optical flow is proposed in this paper. To encode significant coefficients we use efficient coder SPIHT. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm DBT-SPIHT for low bit rate (0.3Mbps) is able to reduce up to 37.19% and 28.20% of the complex geometrics detection compared to the DWT-SPIHT and DCuT-SPIHT algorithm.
Analysis of Brute Force Attacks with Ylmf-pc Signature
Authors: Arzhakov Anton Valeryevich , Silnov Dmitry Sergeevich
Published: October 2016

Brute force techniques used in many fields of authentication process. Ftp servers, web servers and mail servers very often got threatened by attackers. Old technique for mail service brute force still working and it can be easily detected by special signature.