bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ELABELA deficiency promotes preeclampsia and cardiovascular malformations in mice
Authors: Ho Lena , van Dijk Marie , Chye Sam Tan Jian , Messerschmidt Daniel M. , Chng Serene C. , Ong Sheena , Yi Ling Ka , Boussata Souad , Goh Grace Hui-Yi , Afink Gijs B. , Lim Chin Yan , Dunn N. Ray , Solter Davor , Knowles Barbara B. , Reversade Bruno
Published: June 2017

Modeling a pregnancy disorder

Preeclampsia, a dangerous pregnancy disorder marked by high blood pressure, can lead to premature birth and be life-threatening to the mother and baby. Research leading to effective treatments has been hampered by a lack of informative animal models. Ho
et al.
identified ELABELA as a hormone produced by the placenta whose levels are lower in preeclampsia (see the Perspective by Wirka and Quertermous). ELABELA-deficient pregnant mice showed clinical signs of preeclampsia, including high blood pressure and elevated urine protein. A proportion of embryos lacking ELABELA displayed defective heart development, and full-term pups had low birth weights.

Science
, this issue p.
707
; see also p.
643
Draft Genome Sequences of Alloscardovia macacae UMA81211 and UMA81212, Isolated from the Feces of a Rhesus Macaque (Macaca mulatta)
Authors: Albert Korin , Sela David A.
Published: June 2017

Here, we provide the draft genome sequences of two isolates identified as
Alloscardovia macacae
. These bacteria originated from the feces of a rhesus macaque. The draft genomes of both
Alloscardovia macacae
isolates are ~1.8 Mb in length, with a G+C content of 56.1%.
An elusive ciliopathy: Joubert syndrome
Authors: Canepa Carlo , Burton Ben , Muhith Abdul
Published: June 2017

The police brought a 65-year-old female patient to the EADU after being found ‘roaming the streets’ in an apparent state of confusion. This was her third admission under the same circumstances during the last 3 years. Neurological examination revealed (1) cognitive impairment, (2) oculomotor apraxia, (3) abnormal cancellation of vestibular ocular reflex, (4) mild ataxia and (5) mild hypotonia. Renal function was abnormal and liver function was normal. No retinal disturbance was found. The head CT on admission was normal for stroke and the lumbar puncture was negative for encephalitis. Her brain MRI showed ‘molar tooth sign’, suggestive of Joubert syndrome, which was confirmed by genetic testing showing anomalousNPHP1gene
Kinetics of Corneal Antigen Presenting Cells in Experimental Dry Eye Disease
Authors: Lee Hyun Soo , Amouzegar Afsaneh , Dana Reza
Published: June 2017

Objective

To evaluate dry eye disease (DED)-induced alterations in subsets of corneal antigen presenting cells (APCs) in a mouse model of experimental DED.

Methods and Analysis

Seven to 8-week-old female C57BL/6 mice were housed in a controlled environment chamber and were treated with subcutaneous scopolamine to induce DED. Normal mice were used as controls. The frequencies of different subsets of dendritic cells (DCs) and macrophages in the cornea were evaluated using immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry at days 2, 7 and 14 after DED induction. Real-time PCR was used to assess the functional phenotype of macrophages in the cornea of DED mice.

Results

Our results demonstrated significant corneal infiltration of CD11b+and CD11c+cells on days 7 and 14. Further analysis of different DC subsets revealed non-significant changes in the frequencies of total CD11b+CD11c+cells at different time points. However, frequencies of CD11c+CD11b-DCs, CD11c+Langerin (CD207)+DCs and macrophages were significantly increased on both days 7 and 14 after DED induction. Real-time PCR data demonstrated increased expression of M1 macrophage markers, iNOS and TNF-α, and reduced expression of M2 macrophage markers, Arg1 and IL-10, by corneal F4/80+macrophages at day 7.

Conclusion

Although the frequencies of total CD11b+CD11c+cells do not significantly change in the course of DED, CD11c+CD11b-DCs and Langerin+DCs do show a significant increase. Interestingly, macrophages exhibit a predominant inflammatory M1 phenotype and suppressed anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype early after induction of DED, which are restored to near baseline levels in later stages of the disease.
Challenging current views on bile acid diarrhoea and malabsorption
Authors: Kurien Matthew , Thurgar Elizabeth , Davies Ashley , Akehurst Ron , Andreyev Jervoise
Published: June 2017

Background

In 2012, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) assessed guidance (DG7) on the use of tauroselcholic (75selenium) acid (also known as SeHCAT) for the investigation of diarrhoea due to bile acid malabsorption (BAM) in patients with IBS-D and in patients with Crohn’s disease who have not had an ileal resection. NICE concluded that tauroselcholic (75selenium) acid was recommended for use in research only. NICE will be reviewing the decision to update the guidance for tauroselcholic (75selenium) acid, for these populations, in March 2017.

Aim

Our aim is to summarise advances in BAM, also known as bile acid diarrhoea (BAD), and encourage clinicians to re-evaluate their understanding of this disorder.

Approach

We review the prevalence, diagnosis and treatment of BAD/BAM. We describe the new evidence available since the original NICE review in 2012, and discuss the economic issues associated with failure to diagnose or to treat BAD/BAM accurately.

Evidence update

There is new and compelling evidence available since DG7, which shows that tauroselcholic (75selenium) acid scanning is a powerful tool in the diagnosis of BAD/BAM. We summarise published prevalence data (approximately 1% prevalence in the UK, as suggested by clinical practice diagnosis rates), and highlight that the true prevalence of BAD/BAM could be far greater than this.

Conclusion

We present evidence that challenges current opinion about this disorder, and we commend both clinicians and health technology assessment (HTA) agencies for being open to arguments and new evidence in any future HTAs.
Gene of the month:PRPF31
Authors: Rose Anna M , Luo Rong , Radia Utsav K , Bhattacharya Shomi S
Published: June 2017

Pre-mRNA splicing is an essential process in eukaryotic cells where the transcribed intronic sequences are removed, prior to translation into protein. PRPF31 is a ubiquitously expressed splicing factor, which aids in the assembly of the macromolecular spliceosome. Mutations inPRPF31cause autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP), a form of retinal degeneration that causes progressive visual impairment. Interestingly, mutations inPRPF31are non-penetrant, with some mutation carriers being phenotypically unaffected. In this review, the gene organisation, protein structure and biological function of PRPF31 are discussed, and the mechanisms of non-penetrance inPRPF31-associated adRP are discussed.
A high value care curriculum for interns: a description of curricular design, implementation and housestaff feedback
Authors: Hom Jason , Kumar Andre , Evans Kambria H , Svec David , Richman Ilana , Fang Daniel , Smeraglio Andrea , Holubar Marisa , Johnson Tyler , Shah Neil , Renault Cybele , Ahuja Neera , Witteles Ronald , Harman Stephanie , Shieh Lisa
Published: June 2017

Purpose

Most residency programmes do not have a formal high value care curriculum. Our goal was to design and implement a multidisciplinary high value care curriculum specifically targeted at interns.

Design

Our curriculum was designed with multidisciplinary input from attendings, fellows and residents at Stanford. Curricular topics were inspired by the American Board of Internal Medicine’s Choosing Wisely campaign, Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine, American College of Physicians and Society of Hospital Medicine. Our topics were as follows: introduction to value-based care; telemetry utilisation; lab ordering; optimal approach to thrombophilia work-ups and fresh frozen plasma use; optimal approach to palliative care referrals; antibiotic stewardship; and optimal approach to imaging for low back pain. Our curriculum was implemented at the Stanford Internal Medicine residency programme over the course of two academic years (2014 and 2015), during which 100 interns participated in our high value care curriculum. After each high value care session, interns were offered the opportunity to complete surveys regarding feedback on the curriculum, self-reported improvements in knowledge, skills and attitudinal module objectives, and quiz-based knowledge assessments.

Results

The overall survey response rate was 67.1%. Overall, the material was rated as highly useful on a 5-point Likert scale (mean 4.4, SD 0.6). On average, interns reported a significant improvement in their self-rated knowledge, skills and attitudes after the six seminars (mean improvement 1.6 points, SD 0.4 (95% CI 1.5 to 1.7), p<0.001).

Conclusions

We successfully implemented a novel high value care curriculum that specifically targets intern physicians.
Think Tank Management System in China
Authors: ZHU Xufeng
Published: June 2017

Since 2013, the establishment of “New-Type of Think Tanks with Chinese Characteristics” (NTTTCC) has been highly promoted by the Xi Jinping administration. “The Opinions on Strengthening the Construction of NTTTCC” was approved by the Central Leading Group for Comprehensively Deepening Reforms in 2014, while the “National Top Think Tank Pilot Programme” was approved by the Central Leading Group in 2015. With these efforts, the comprehensive management architecture for think tanks has been established in China.
The Rise of Localist Young Activists in Hong Kong
Authors: Lincey QI , LIM Tai Wei
Published: June 2017

Six pro-independence/pro-autonomy individuals who ran for the Hong Kong elections were successfully elected to Hong Kong’s legislature in 2016, reflecting some public sentiments about the current state of affairs between Beijing and Hong Kong. As they are still young, they may stay on in power until the ‘one country, two systems’ ends. Since the Occupy Central movement, a series of social movements and standoffs such as the “Fishball Revolution” and other political events had taken place.
Dykes as physical buffers to metamorphic overprinting: an example from the Archaean–Palaeoproterozoic Lewisian Gneiss Complex of NW Scotland
Authors: MacDonald J. M. , Magee C. , Goodenough K. M.
Published: June 2017

The early history of polymetamorphic basement gneiss complexes is often difficult to decipher due to overprinting by later deformation and metamorphic events. In this paper we integrate field, petrographic and mineral chemistry data from an Archaean tonalitic gneiss xenolith, hosted within a Palaeoproterozoic mafic dyke in the Lewisian Gneiss Complex of NW Scotland to show how xenoliths in dykes may preserve signatures of early tectonothermal events. The Archaean tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite (TTG) gneisses of the Lewisian Gneiss Complex are cut by a suite of Palaeoproterozoic (
c
. 2400 Ma) mafic dykes, the Scourie Dyke Swarm, and both are deformed by later shear zones developed during the upper greenschist- to lower amphibolite-facies Laxfordian event (1740 – 1670 Ma). Detailed field mapping, petrographic analysis and mineral chemistry reveal that a xenolith of TTG gneiss entrained within a Scourie dyke has been protected from amphibolite-facies recrystallization in a Laxfordian shear zone. Whereas the surrounding TTG gneiss displays pervasive amphibolite-facies retrogression, the xenolith retains a pre-Scourie dyke, clinopyroxene-bearing metamorphic assemblage and gneissic layering. We suggest that retrogressive reaction softening and pre-existing planes of weakness, such as the
c
. 2490 Ma Inverian fabric and gneiss–dyke contacts, localized strain around but not within the xenolith. Such strain localization could generate preferential flow pathways for fluids, principally along the shear zone, bypassing the xenolith and protecting it from amphibolite-facies retrogression. In basement gneiss complexes where early metamorphic assemblages and fabrics have been fully overprinted by tectonothermal events, our results suggest that country rock xenoliths in mafic dykes could preserve windows into the early evolution of these complex polymetamorphic areas.

Supplementary material:
Electron microprobe analyses and analytical spot locations are available at:
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3809545
Arabic Online Handwriting Recognition (AOHR)
Authors: Al-Helali Baligh M. , Mahmoud Sabri A.
Published: June 2017

This article comprehensively surveys Arabic Online Handwriting Recognition (AOHR). We address the challenges posed by online handwriting recognition, including ligatures, dots and diacritic problems, online/offline touching of text, and geometric variations. Then we present a general model of an AOHR system that incorporates the different phases of an AOHR system. We summarize the main AOHR databases and identify their uses and limitations. Preprocessing techniques that are used in AOHR, viz. normalization, smoothing, de-hooking, baseline identification, and delayed stroke processing, are presented with illustrative examples. We discuss different techniques for Arabic online handwriting segmentation at the character and morpheme levels and identify their limitations. Feature extraction techniques that are used in AOHR are discussed and their challenges identified. We address the classification techniques of non-cursive (characters and digits) and cursive Arabic online handwriting and analyze their applications. We discuss different classification techniques, viz. structural approaches, Support Vector Machine (SVM), Fuzzy SVM, Neural Networks, Hidden Markov Model, Genetic algorithms, decision trees, and rule-based systems, and analyze their performance. Post-processing techniques are also discussed. Several tables that summarize the surveyed publications are provided for ease of reference and comparison. We summarize the current limitations and difficulties of AOHR and future directions of research.
A New Classification Framework to Evaluate the Entity Profiling on the Web
Authors: Barforoush Ahmad , Shirazi Hossein , Emami Hojjat
Published: June 2017

Recently, we have witnessed entity profiling (EP) becoming increasingly one of the most important topics in information extraction, personalized applications, and web data analysis. EP aims to identify, extract, and represent a compact summary of valuable information about an entity based on the data related to it. To determine how EP systems have developed, during the last few years, this article reviews EP systems through a survey of the literature, from 2000 to 2015. To fulfill this aim, we introduce a comparison framework to compare and classify EP systems. Our comparison framework is composed of thirteen criteria that include: profiling source, the entity being modeled, the information that constitutes the profile, representation schema, profile construction technique, scale, scope/target domain, language, updating mechanism, enrichment technique, dynamicity, evaluation method, and application among others. Then, using the comparison framework, we discuss the recent development of the field and list some of the open problems and main trends that have emerged in EP to provide a proper guideline for researchers to develop or use robust profiling systems with suitable features according to their needs.
A Survey on Reinforcement Learning Models and Algorithms for Traffic Signal Control
Authors: Yau Kok-Lim Alvin , Qadir Junaid , Khoo Hooi Ling , Ling Mee Hong , Komisarczuk Peter
Published: June 2017

Traffic congestion has become a vexing and complex issue in many urban areas. Of particular interest are the intersections where traffic bottlenecks are known to occur despite being traditionally signalized. Reinforcement learning (RL), which is an artificial intelligence approach, has been adopted in traffic signal control for monitoring and ameliorating traffic congestion. RL enables autonomous decision makers (e.g., traffic signal controllers) to observe, learn, and select the optimal action (e.g., determining the appropriate traffic phase and its timing) to manage traffic such that system performance is improved. This article reviews various RL models and algorithms applied to traffic signal control in the aspects of the representations of the RL model (i.e., state, action, and reward), performance measures, and complexity to establish a foundation for further investigation in this research field. Open issues are presented toward the end of this article to discover new research areas with the objective to spark new interest in this research field.
Secure Cloud-Based Image Tampering Detection and Localization Using POB Number System
Authors: Singh Priyanka , Raman Balasubramanian , Agarwal Nishant , Atrey Pradeep K.
Published: June 2017

The benefits of high-end computation infrastructure facilities provided by cloud-based multimedia systems are attracting people all around the globe. However, such cloud-based systems possess security issues as third party servers become involved in them. Rendering data in an unreadable form so that no information is revealed to the cloud data centers will serve as the best solution to these security issues. One such image encryption scheme based on a Permutation Ordered Binary Number System has been proposed in this work. It distributes the image information in totally random shares, which can be stored at the cloud data centers. Further, the proposed scheme authenticates the shares at the pixel level. If any tampering is done at the cloud servers, the scheme can accurately identify the altered pixels via authentication bits and localizes the tampered area. The tampered portion is also reflected back in the reconstructed image that is obtained at the authentic user end. The experimental results validate the efficacy of the proposed scheme against various kinds of possible attacks, tested with a variety of images. The tamper detection accuracy has been computed on a pixel basis and found to be satisfactorily high for most of the tampering scenarios.
BFO, A Trainable Derivative-free Brute Force Optimizer for Nonlinear Bound-constrained Optimization and Equilibrium Computations with Continuous and Discrete Variables
Authors: Porcelli Margherita , Toint Philippe L.
Published: June 2017

A direct-search derivative-free Matlab optimizer for bound-constrained problems is described, whose remarkable features are its ability to handle a mix of continuous and discrete variables, a versatile interface as well as a novel self-training option. Its performance compares favorably with that of NOMAD (Nonsmooth Optimization by Mesh Adaptive Direct Search), a well-known derivative-free optimization package. It is also applicable to multilevel equilibrium- or constrained-type problems. Its easy-to-use interface provides a number of user-oriented features, such as checkpointing and restart, variable scaling, and early termination tools.
Detecting Drinking Episodes in Young Adults Using Smartphone-based Sensors
Authors: Bae Sangwon , Ferreira Denzil , Suffoletto Brian , Puyana Juan C. , Kurtz Ryan , Chung Tammy , Dey Anind K.
Published: June 2017

Alcohol use in young adults is common, with high rates of morbidity and mortality largely due to periodic, heavy drinking episodes (HDEs). Behavioral interventions delivered through electronic communication modalities (e.g., text messaging) can reduce the frequency of HDEs in young adults, but effects are small. One way to amplify these effects is to deliver support materials proximal to drinking occasions, but this requires knowledge of when they will occur. Mobile phones have built-in sensors that can potentially be useful in monitoring behavioral patterns associated with the initiation of drinking occasions. The objective of our work is to explore the detection of daily-life behavioral markers using mobile phone sensors and their utility in identifying drinking occasions. We utilized data from 30 young adults aged 21-28 with past hazardous drinking and collected mobile phone sensor data and daily Experience Sampling Method (ESM) of drinking for 28 consecutive days. We built a machine learning-based model that is 96.6% accurate at identifying non-drinking, drinking and heavy drinking episodes. We highlight the most important features for detecting drinking episodes and identify the amount of historical data needed for accurate detection. Our results suggest that mobile phone sensors can be used for automated, continuous monitoring of at-risk populations to detect drinking episodes and support the delivery of timely interventions.
Beautiful…but at What Cost?
Authors: Johnson I. , Henderson J. , Perry C. , Schöning J. , Hecht B.
Published: June 2017

Millions of people use platforms such as Google Maps to search for routes to their desired destinations. Recently, researchers and mapping platforms have shown growing interest in optimizing routes for criteria other than travel time, e.g. simplicity, safety, and beauty. However, despite the ubiquity of algorithmic routing and its potential to define how millions of people move around the world, very little is known about the externalities that arise when adopting these new optimization criteria, e.g. potential redistribution of traffic to certain neighborhoods and increased route complexity (with its associated risks). In this paper, we undertake the first controlled examination of these externalities, doing so across multiple mapping platforms, alternative optimizations, and cities. We find, for example, that scenic routing (i.e. “beauty”-optimized routing) would remove vehicles from highways, greatly increase traffic around parks, and, in certain cases, do the same for high-income areas. Our results also highlight that the interaction between routing criteria and urban structure is complex and effects vary from city to city, an important consideration for the growing literature on alternative routing strategies. Finally, to address the lack of open implementations of alternative routing algorithms and controlled routing evaluation frameworks, we are releasing our alternative routing and evaluation platform with this paper.
UbiEar
Authors: Sicong Liu , Zimu Zhou , Junzhao Du , Longfei Shangguan , Han Jun , Wang Xin
Published: June 2017

Non-speech sound-awareness is important to improve the quality of life for the deaf and hard-of-hearing (DHH) people. DHH people, especially the young, are not always satisfied with their hearing aids. According to the interviews with 60 young hard-of-hearing students, a ubiquitous sound-awareness tool for emergency and social events that works in diverse environments is desired. In this paper, we design UbiEar, a smartphone-based acoustic event sensing and notification system. Core techniques in UbiEar are a light-weight deep convolution neural network to enable location-independent acoustic event recognition on commodity smartphons, and a set of mechanisms for prompt and energy-efficient acoustic sensing. We conducted both controlled experiments and user studies with 86 DHH students and showed that UbiEar can assist the young DHH students in awareness of important acoustic events in their daily life.
BlindType
Authors: Lu Yiqin , Yu Chun , Yi Xin , Shi Yuanchun , Zhao Shengdong
Published: June 2017

Eyes-free input is desirable for ubiquitous computing, since interacting with mobile and wearable devices often competes for visual attention with other devices and tasks. In this paper, we explore eyes-free typing on a touchpad using one thumb, wherein a user taps on an imaginary QWERTY keyboard while receiving text feedback on a separate screen. Our hypothesis is that users can transfer their typing ability obtained from visible keyboards to eyes-free use. We propose two statistical decoding algorithms to infer users’ eyes-free input: the absolute algorithm and the relative algorithm. The absolute algorithm infers user input based on the absolute position of touch endpoints, while the relative algorithm infers based on the vectors between successive touch endpoints. Evaluation results showed users could achieve satisfying performance with both algorithms. Text entry rate was 17-23 WPM (words per minute) depending on the algorithm used. In comparison, a baseline cursor-based text entry method yielded only 7.66 WPM. In conclusion, our research demonstrates for the first time the feasibility of thumb-based eyes-free typing, which provides a new possibility for text entry on ubiquitous computing platforms such as smart TVs and HMDs.
Can Less be More?
Authors: Niforatos Evangelos , Cinel Caterina , Mack Cathleen Cortis , Langheinrich Marc , Ward Geoff
Published: June 2017

Today's abundance1 of cheap digital storage in the form of tiny memory cards put literally no bounds on the number of images one can capture with one's digital camera or smartphone during an event. However, prior work has shown that taking many pictures may actually make us remember less of a particular event. Does automated picture taking (lifelogging) help avoid this, yet still offer to capture meaningful pictures? In this work, we investigate the effect of capture modality (i.e., limited, unlimited, automatic, and no capture) on people's ability to recall a past event – with and without the support of the pictures captured through these modalities. Our results from a field experiment with 83 participants show that capturing fewer pictures does not necessarily lead to the capture of more relevant pictures. However, when controlling for number of pictures taken, our results show that having a limited number of pictures to capture may lead to pictures with increased memory value. At the same time, automated capture failed to produce pictures that would help remember the past experience better.
Gain Without Pain
Authors: Wu Chenshu , Xu Jingao , Yang Zheng , Lane Nicholas D. , Yin Zuwei
Published: June 2017

Among numerous indoor localization systems proposed during the past decades, WiFi fingerprint-based localization has been one of the most attractive solutions, which is known to be free of extra infrastructure and specialized hardware. However, current WiFi fingerprinting suffers from a pivotal problem of RSS fluctuations caused by unpredictable environmental dynamics. The RSS variations lead to severe spatial ambiguity and temporal instability in RSS fingerprinting, both impairing the location accuracy. To overcome such drawbacks, we propose fingerprint spatial gradient (FSG), a more stable and distinctive form than RSS fingerprints, which exploits the spatial relationships among the RSS fingerprints of multiple neighbouring locations. As a spatially relative form, FSG is more resistant to RSS uncertainties. Based on the concept of FSG, we design novel algorithms to construct FSG on top of a general RSS fingerprint database and then propose effective FSG matching methods for location estimation. Unlike previous works, the resulting system, named ViVi, yields performance gain without the pains of introducing extra information or additional service restrictions or assuming impractical RSS models. Extensive experiments in different buildings demonstrate that ViVi achieves great performance, outperforming the best among four comparative start-of-the-art approaches by 29% in mean accuracy and 19% in 95th percentile accuracy and outweighing the worst one by 39% and 24% respectively. We envision FSG as a promising supplement and alternative to existing RSS fingerprinting for future WiFi localization.
Mediated Atmospheres
Authors: Zhao Nan , Azaria Asaph , Paradiso Joseph A.
Published: June 2017

Atmosphere - the sensorial qualities of a space, shaped by the composition of light, sound, objects, people, etc. - has remarkable influence on our experiences and behavior. Manipulating it has been shown to be powerful, affecting cognitive performance, mood and even physiology, our work envisions and implements a smart office prototype, capable of digitally transforming its atmosphere - creating what we call Mediated Atmospheres (MA) - using computationally controlled lighting, video projection and sound. Additionally, we equipped this space with a modular real-time data collection infrastructure, integrating a set of biosignal sensors. Through a user study (N=29) we demonstrate MA's effects on occupants’ ability to focus and to recover from a stressful situation. Our evaluation is based on subjective measurements of perception, as well as objective measurements, extracted from recordings of heart rate variability and facial features. We compare multiple signal processing approaches for quantifying changes in occupant physiological state. Our findings show that MA significantly (p<0.05) affect occupants’ perception as well as physiological response, which encouragingly correlate with occupants’ perception. Our findings is a first step towards personalized control of the ambient atmosphere to support wellbeing and productivity.
Extended Features of Task Models for Specifying Cooperative Activities
Authors: Buchholz Gregor , Forbrig Peter
Published: June 2017

In this paper, an extended version of task models is discussed that allows detailed specifications of cooperative activities. Within the presented specification CoTaL (Cooperative Task Language), there exist two complementary types of task models called role model and team model. One or more instances of each role model describe the specific activities of actors. The team model represents joined activities and reflects progression in cooperation between role instances. For each scenario there exists one instance of the team model. Preconditions and events can be assigned to tasks and refer to one or all running instances of a role model. An event can be a starting or finishing trigger and is activated as result of task executions. Additionally, variables can be defined. They are bound within the specified context during runtime and get the value of the identifier of a certain role instance. In this way, communication and collaboration between different actors can be specified. Tasks of a team model cannot be performed directly but present the result of the execution of other (role) models only. However, a team model can restrict the execution of role model instances.

It is shown how such models can be used to specify the activities in a smart meeting room. Snapshots of their simulation in CoTaSE (Cooperative Task Specification Environment) are presented. Additionally to the local implementation there exists an implementation in a cloud. It allows real cooperative executions of tasks.
Membrane Remodelling and Vesicle Formation During Ageing of Human Red Blood Cells
Authors: Ciana Annarita , Achilli Cesare , Gaur Anjali , Minetti Giampaolo
Published: June 2017

Background/Aims: A high surface-to-volume ratio and a spectrin membrane-skeleton (MS) confer to the mammalian red blood cells (RBCs) their characteristic deformability, mechanical strength and structural stability. During their 120 days of circulatory life in humans, RBCs decrease in size, while remaining biconcave disks, owing to a coordinated decrease in membrane surface area and cell water. It is generally believed that part of the membrane is lost with the shedding of spectrin-free vesicles of the same type that can be obtained in vitro by different treatments. If this were true, an excess of MS would arise in old RBCs, with respect to the lipid bilayer. Aim of this paper was to investigate this aspect. Methods: Quantification of spectrin by electrophoretic methods was carried out in RBCs of different age. Results: Spectrin decreases, on a per cell basis, with RBC ageing. On the other hand, the membrane raft protein marker flotillin-2, while decreasing in the membrane of old cells, was found to be strongly depleted in the membrane of in vitro-induced vesicles. Conclusion: Part of the membrane-skeleton is probably lost together with part of the lipid bilayer in a balanced way. These findings point to a mechanism for the in vivo release of membrane that is different from that which is known to occur in vitro.
Spectrin and Other Membrane-Skeletal Components in Human Red Blood Cells of Different Age
Authors: Ciana Annarita , Achilli Cesare , Minetti Giampaolo
Published: June 2017

Background: Old human red blood cells (RBCs) have a reduced surface area with respect to young RBCs. If this decrease occurred through the release of vesicles similar to the spectrin-free vesicles that are shed in vitro under different experimental conditions or during storage, there would be no decrease of membrane-skeleton, but only of lipid bilayer surface area, during RBC ageing in vivo. However, we observed a decrease in spectrin and other membrane-skeletal proteins in old RBCs. Because RBCs contain components of the ubiquitin-proteasome system and other hydrolytic systems for protein degradation, we asked whether increased membrane-skeleton fragments could be detected in older RBCs. Methods: Four different anti-spectrin antibodies and an antibody anti-ubiquitin conjugates were used to analyse, by Western blotting, fragments of spectrin and other proteins in RBCs of different age separated in density gradients and characterized for their protein 4.1a/4.1b ratio as a cell age parameter. Results: spectrin fragments do exist in RBCs of all ages, they represent a minute fraction of all spectrin, are membrane-bound and not cytoplasmic and do not increase with cell age. Besides spectrin, other membrane-skeletal components decrease with cell age. Conclusion: Observed results challenge the commonly accepted view that decrease in cell membrane throughout RBC life in vivo occurs via the release of spectrin-free vesicles.
Magnesium Counteracts Vascular Calcification
Authors: ter Braake Anique D. , Shanahan Catherine M. , de Baaij Jeroen H.F.
Published: June 2017

Over the last decade, an increasing number of studies report a close relationship between serum magnesium concentration and cardiovascular disease risk in the general population. In end-stage renal disease, an association was found between serum magnesium and survival. Hypomagnesemia was identified as a strong predictor for cardiovascular disease in these patients. A substantial body of in vitro and in vivo studies has identified a protective role for magnesium in vascular calcification. However, the precise mechanisms and its contribution to cardiovascular protection remain unclear. There are currently 2 leading hypotheses: first, magnesium may bind phosphate and delay calcium phosphate crystal growth in the circulation, thereby passively interfering with calcium phosphate deposition in the vessel wall. Second, magnesium may regulate vascular smooth muscle cell transdifferentiation toward an osteogenic phenotype by active cellular modulation of factors associated with calcification. Here, the data supporting these major hypotheses are reviewed. The literature supports both a passive inorganic phosphate–buffering role reducing hydroxyapatite formation and an active cell-mediated role, directly targeting vascular smooth muscle transdifferentiation. However, current evidence relies on basic experimental designs that are often insufficient to delineate the underlying mechanisms. The field requires more advanced experimental design, including determination of intracellular magnesium concentrations and the identification of the molecular players that regulate magnesium concentrations in vascular smooth muscle cells.
Glucose Transporter 3 Potentiates Degranulation and Is Required for Platelet Activation
Authors: Fidler Trevor P. , Middleton Elizabeth A. , Rowley Jesse W. , Boudreau Luc H. , Campbell Robert A. , Souvenir Rhonda , Funari Trevor , Tessandier Nicolas , Boilard Eric , Weyrich Andrew S. , Abel E. Dale
Published: June 2017

Objective—

On activation, platelets increase glucose uptake, glycolysis, and glucose oxidation and consume stored glycogen. This correlation between glucose metabolism and platelet function is not well understood and even less is known about the role of glucose metabolism on platelet function in vivo. For glucose to enter a cell, it must be transported through glucose transporters. Here we evaluate the contribution of GLUT3 (glucose transporter 3) to platelet function to better understand glucose metabolism in platelets.

Approach and Results—

Platelet-specific knockout of GLUT3 was generated by crossing mice harboring GLUT3 floxed allele to a PF4 (platelet factor 4)-driven Cre recombinase. In platelets, GLUT3 is localized primarily on α-granule membranes and under basal conditions facilitates glucose uptake into α-granules to be used for glycolysis. After activation, platelets degranulate and GLUT3 translocates to the plasma membrane, which is responsible for activation-mediated increased glucose uptake. In vivo, loss of GLUT3 in platelets increased survival in a collagen/epinephrine model of pulmonary embolism, and in a K/BxN model of autoimmune inflammatory disease, platelet-specific GLUT3 knockout mice display decreased disease progression. Mechanistically, loss of GLUT3 decreased platelet degranulation, spreading, and clot retraction. Decreased α-granule degranulation is due in part to an impaired ability of GLUT3 to potentiate exocytosis.

Conclusions—

GLUT3-mediated glucose utilization and glycogenolysis in platelets promotes α-granule release, platelet activation, and postactivation functions.
Grasping and Pointing — Visual Conflict and Interference
Authors: Shi Xia , Shen Xunbing , Qian Xiuying
Published: June 2017

There have been many debates of the two-visual-systems (whatvs. how or perceptionvs. action) hypothesis that was proposed by Goodale and his colleagues. Many researchers have provided a variety of evidence for or against the hypothesis. For instance, a study performed by Agliotiet al. offered good evidence for the two-visual-systems theory using the Ebbinghaus illusion, but some researchers who used other visual illusions failed to find consistent results. Therefore, we used a perceptual task of conflict or interference to test this hypothesis. If the conflict or interference in perception had an influence on the processing of perception alone and did not affect the processing of action, we could infer that the two visual systems are separated, and vice versa. In the current study, we carried out two experiments which employed the Stroop, Garner and SNARC paradigms and used graspable 3-D Arabic numerals. We aimed to find if the effects resulting from perceptual conflicts or interferences would affect participants’ grasping and pointing. The results showed that the interaction between Stroop and numeral order (ascending or descending, or SNARC) was significant, and the SNARC effect significantly affected action, but the main effects of Stroop and Garner interference were not significant. The results indicated that, to some degree, perceptual conflict affects action processing. The results did not provide evidence for two separate visual systems.
Numerical Study of Nocturnal Low-Level Jets over Gently Sloping Terrain
Authors: Fedorovich Evgeni , Gibbs Jeremy A. , Shapiro Alan
Published: June 2017

Nocturnal low-level jets (LLJs) over gently sloping terrain typical of the U.S. Great Plains are investigated by means of direct numerical simulation. Such LLJs develop in a tilted atmospheric boundary layer as a result of inertia–gravity oscillations initiated by a change of the surface thermal forcing during the evening transition. External parameters are the free-atmospheric geostrophic wind, ambient atmospheric stratification, surface buoyancy forcing, and slope angle. The governing momentum and buoyancy balance equations are written in slope-following coordinates, and solved numerically in the Boussinesq approximation. The surface forcing is prescribed in a form of surface buoyancy or buoyancy flux, both of which are slope-uniform but change in time. LLJs over slopes are contrasted with LLJs over flat terrain.

Slope-induced effects essentially modify the entire structure of nocturnal LLJs. The shape of the LLJ wind profile over a slope is characterized by a sharper and larger-magnitude maximum. The presence of the slope causes the along-slope advection of environmental potential temperature during the night. This advection can reignite static instability in the LLJ flow developing after the evening transition. The resulting turbulence leads to a complete or partial remix of the boundary layer flow and drastically changes the appearance of the LLJ in terms of its shape and vertical position. A pronounced nighttime jet can also develop from the daytime convective boundary layer in the absence of any free-atmospheric geostrophic forcing. The daytime flow preconditioning, an important precursor of the nocturnal LLJ development, plays an especially important role in LLJs over a slope.
Preconditioning of the Weddell Sea Polynya by the Ocean Mesoscale and Dense Water Overflows
Authors: Dufour Carolina O. , Morrison Adele K. , Griffies Stephen M. , Frenger Ivy , Zanowski Hannah , Winton Michael
Published: June 2017

The Weddell Sea polynya is a large opening in the open-ocean sea ice cover associated with intense deep convection in the ocean. A necessary condition to form and maintain a polynya is the presence of a strong subsurface heat reservoir. This study investigates the processes that control the stratification and hence the buildup of the subsurface heat reservoir in the Weddell Sea. To do so, a climate model run for 200 years under preindustrial forcing with two eddying resolutions in the ocean (0.25° CM2.5 and 0.10° CM2.6) is investigated. Over the course of the simulation, CM2.6 develops two polynyas in the Weddell Sea, while CM2.5 exhibits quasi-continuous deep convection but no polynyas, exemplifying that deep convection is not a sufficient condition for a polynya to occur. CM2.5 features a weaker subsurface heat reservoir than CM2.6 owing to weak stratification associated with episodes of gravitational instability and enhanced vertical mixing of heat, resulting in an erosion of the reservoir. In contrast, in CM2.6, the water column is more stably stratified, allowing the subsurface heat reservoir to build up. The enhanced stratification in CM2.6 arises from its refined horizontal grid spacing and resolution of topography, which allows, in particular, a better representation of the restratifying effect by transient mesoscale eddies and of the overflows of dense waters along the continental slope.
Insights from a New High-Resolution Drought Atlas for the Caribbean Spanning 1950–2016
Authors: Herrera Dimitris , Ault Toby
Published: June 2017

Climate change is expected to increase the severity and frequency of drought in the Caribbean. Understanding drought variability and its trends is therefore critical for improving resiliency and adaptation capacity of this region, as well as for assessing the dynamics and predictability of regional hydroclimate across spatial and temporal scales. This work introduces a first of its kind high-resolution drought dataset for the Caribbean region from 1950 to 2016, using monthly estimates of the “self calibrating” Palmer drought severity index (scPDSI), with the physically based Penman–Monteith approximation for the potential evapotranspiration. Statistically downscaled data products, including reanalysis, are employed to establish an historical baseline for characterizing drought from 1950 to the near present. Since 1950, the Caribbean has been affected by severe droughts in 1974–77, 1997/98, 2009/10, and 2013–16. Results indicate that the 2013–16 drought is the most severe event during the time interval analyzed in this work, which agrees with qualitative reports of many meteorological institutions across the Caribbean. Linear trends in the scPDSI show a significant drying in the study area, averaging an scPDSI change of −0.09 decade−1 (p < 0.05). However, this trend is not homogenous, and significant trends toward wetter conditions in portions of the study area were observed. Results further indicate a strong influence of both tropical Pacific and North Atlantic oceans in modulating drought variability across the study domain. Finally, this effort is the first step in building high-resolution drought products for the Caribbean to be updated regularly, with the purpose of drought monitoring and eventually seasonal drought prediction.
Sensitivities of Land Cover–Precipitation Feedback to Convective Triggering
Authors: Chen Liang , Dirmeyer Paul A. , Tawfik Ahmed , Lawrence David M.
Published: June 2017

The land surface state can be an important factor in the triggering of precipitation, whose depiction in Earth system models (ESMs) crucially relies on the representation of convective initiation. However, the sensitivity of land-cover change–precipitation feedbacks to different parameterized triggering criteria in ESMs has not been examined. In this study, a new triggering mechanism based on the heated condensation framework (HCF) is implemented in the Community Earth System Model (CESM). A set of land-cover change experiments with different convective triggering conditions are performed to evaluate the influence of convective triggering on land–atmosphere coupling strength and the response of summer afternoon precipitation to land-cover change over North America. Compared with the default parameterization, which depends on a CAPE threshold, the HCF trigger shows an improvement in the diurnal timing of summer precipitation but larger dry biases over much of the study area. With the HCF trigger, CESM exhibits weakened coupling strength between soil moisture and surface turbulent fluxes over the Great Plains. The surface temperature deficit, as an additional triggering criterion in HCF, is not significantly coupled with surface fluxes over the central Great Plains despite strong latent heat–CAPE coupling. In contrast to the CAPE-trigger simulations, which indicate increased precipitation over the Great Plains after agricultural expansion, the HCF-trigger simulations show significantly increased afternoon precipitation only over the northern plains, which is mainly associated with more frequent deep convection. The discrepancies suggest caveats when investigating the impacts of land-cover change on precipitation, because the magnitude and spatial patterns of precipitation change can be greatly affected by the treatment of convection in ESMs.
Moving Away from High-Level Theories: A Market-Driven Analysis of FRAND
Authors: Geradin Damien
Published: June 2017

The mobile communication sector is often used as an example to support claims that the FRAND regime is broken because of the risk of hold-up and royalty stacking. Based on an analysis of market-related data, this article argues that the allegations that hold-up and royalty stacking have been pervasive in the mobile communication sector are implausible. The analyzed data reveal no adverse consequences of hold-up and royalty stacking in terms of harm to the standard-setting process, reductions in the rate of innovation, or levels of R&D investment: It is alleged that those seeking to justify the significant reforms to the FRAND regime on the basis of hold-up and royalty stacking have not met the burden of proof that these reforms are necessary or even desirable.
War and Domestic Political Violence
Authors: Stohl Michael
Published: June 2017

This paper is concerned with the indirect systemic linkages whereby conflict at one level (in this case war involvement) generates systemic changes at the domestic level, which in turn alter the character of conflict at that level. To evaluate these linkages, I examine the changes in the magnitude and intensity of economic, social, and political violence in the domestic system that occur before, during, and after war involvement. Data have been collected on 2,861 violent events during this period. The impact of war on the pattern of these events is evaluated through the use of an interrupted time series, quasi-experimental design. The analysis indicates that war did have a significant, although different, impact on the pattern of domestic violence for each of the five wars.