bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unstressed Vowels in German Learner English: An Instrumental Study
Authors: Soenning Lukas
Published: June 2014

This study investigates the production of vowels in unstressed syllables by advanced German learners of English in comparison with native speakers of Standard Southern British English. Two acoustic properties were measured: duration and formant structure. The results indicate that duration of unstressed vowels is similar in the two groups, though there is some variation depending on the phonetic context. In terms of formant structure, learners produce slightly higher F1 and considerably lower F2, the difference in F2 being statistically significant for each learner. Formant values varied as a function of context and orthographic representation of the vowel.
The Bold and the Beautiful: How Aspects of Personality Affect Foreign Language Pronunciation
Authors: Hinton Martin
Published: June 2014

This paper reports on a study into the inter-relationships amongst foreign language pronunciation, mimicry ability and a range of personality and attitudinal factors. It will begin with a brief review of studies into affective influences on pronunciation ability (Arnold 1999, Hu & Reiterer 2009) and research into the importance of mimicry talent (Jilka 2009; Piske, MacKay & Flege 2001). This will be followed by a short description of a pilot study carried out prior to the main experiment. In the main study, a group of Polish learners of English completed a number of mimicry tasks in three languages: Italian, Dutch and Chinese, as well as a narration task in English. Mimicry performance and English pronunciation were then assessed by native speakers and compared. Participants also completed a questionnaire concerning their feelings about the languages they were to mimic and a second questionnaire designed to detect affective factors such as language learning anxiety, as well as attitudes towards the pronunciation of Polish and English. The pilot study suggested that the perceived attractiveness of the foreign language to be mimicked did not affect the performance of most participants, and that mimicry skill was fairly constant across languages. However, those who were particularly concerned about their personal appearance showed greater fluctuation in their ability to mimic and their performance appeared to be influenced by their attitude towards the language. This is referred to by the author as the Cecily effect. That study also confirmed the results of my previous experimental work showing that mimicry skill is correlated to some degree with English language pronunciation and that both pronunciation and mimicry are negatively affected by high levels of anxiety. The main study sets out to investigate whether or not these conclusions hold true for a larger sample population and also seeks to determine the effect of confidence and willingness to take risks on scores for both foreign language pronunciation and mimicry exercises.
Stop Release in Polish English — Implications for Prosodic Constituency
Authors: Schwartz Geoffrey , Balas Anna , Rojczyk Arkadiusz
Published: June 2014

Although there is little consensus on the relevance of non-contrastive allophonic processes in L2 speech acquisition, EFL pronunciation textbooks cover the suppression of stop release in coda position. The tendency for held stops in English is in stark opposition to a number of other languages, including Polish, in which plosive release is obligatory. This paper presents phonetic data on the acquisition of English unreleased stops by Polish learners. Results show that in addition to showing a tendency for the target language pattern of unreleased plosives, advanced learners may acquire more native-like VC formant transitions. From the functional perspective, languages with unreleased stops may be expected to have robust formant patterns on the final portion of the preceding vowel, which allow listeners to identify the final consonant when it lacks an audible release burst (see e.g. Wright 2004). From the perspective of syllabic positions, it may be said that ‘coda’ stops are obligatorily released in Polish, yet may be unreleased in English. Thus, the traditional term ‘coda’ is insufficient to describe the prosodic properties of post-vocalic stops in Polish and English. These differences may be captured in the Onset Prominence framework (Schwartz 2013). In languages with unreleased stops, the mechanism of submersion places post-vocalic stops at the bottom of the representational hierarchy where they may be subject to weakening. Submersion produces larger prosodic constituents and thus has phonological consequences beyond 'coda' behavior.
Assimilation of Voicing in Czech Speakers of English: The Effect of the Degree of Accentedness
Authors: Skarnitzl Radek , Šturm Pavel
Published: June 2014

Czech and English are languages which differ with respect to the implementation of voicing. Unlike in English, there is a considerable agreement between phonological (systemic) and phonetic (actual) voicing in Czech, and, more importantly, the two languages have different strategies for the assimilation of voicing across the word boundary. The present study investigates the voicing in word-final obstruents in Czech speakers of English with the specific aim of ascertaining whether the degree of the speakers’ foreign accent correlates with the way they treat English obstruents in assimilatory contexts. L2 speakers, divided into three groups of varying accentedness, were examined employing categorization and a voicing profile method for establishing the presence/absence of voicing. The results suggest that speakers with a different degree of Czech accent do differ in their realization of voicing in the way predicted by a negative transfer of assimilatory habits from Czech.
Acoustic Correlates of Word Stress as a Cue to Accent Strength
Authors: Volín Jan , Weingartová Lenka
Published: June 2014

Due to the clear interference of their mother tongue prosody, many Czech learners produce their English with a conspicuous foreign accent. The goal of the present study is to investigate the acoustic cues that differentiate stressed and unstressed syllabic nuclei and identify individual details concerning their contribution to the specific sound of Czech English. Speech production of sixteen female non-professional Czech and British speakers was analysed with the sounds segmented on a word and phone level and with both canonical and actual stress positions manually marked. Prior to analyses the strength of the foreign accent was assessed in a perception test. Subsequently, stressed and unstressed vowels were measured with respect to their duration, amplitude, fundamental frequency and spectral slope. Our results show that, in general, Czech speakers use much less acoustic marking of stress than the British subjects. The difference is most prominent in the domains of fundamental frequency and amplitude. The Czech speakers also deviate from the canonical placement of stress, shifting it frequently to the first syllable. On the other hand, they seem to approximate the needed durational difference quite successfully. These outcomes support the concept of language interference since they correspond with the existing linguistic knowledge about Czech and English word stress. The study adds specific details concerning the extent of this interference in four acoustic dimensions.
The Influence of Attention to Language Form on the Production of Weak Forms by Polish Learners of English
Authors: Barańska Agata , Zając Magdalena
Published: June 2014

The paper discusses a study whose aim was to examine the impact of attention to language form and task type on the realisation of English function words by Polish learners of English. An additional goal was to investigate whether style-induced pronunciation shifts may depend on the degree of foreign accent. A large part of the paper concentrates on the issue of defining ‘weakness’ in English weak forms and considers priorities in English pronunciation teaching as far as the realisation of function words is concerned. The participants in the study were 12 advanced Polish learners of English, who were divided into two groups: 6 who were judged to speak with a slight degree of foreign accent and 6 who were judged to speak with a high degree of foreign accent. The subjects’ pronunciation was analysed in three situations in which we assume their attention was increasingly paid to speech form (spontaneous speech, prepared speech, reading). The results of the study suggest that increased attention to language form caused the participants to realise more function words as unstressed, although the effect was small. It was also found that one of the characteristics of English weak forms, the lack of stress, was realised correctly by the participants in the majority of cases. Finally, the results of the study imply that, in the case under investigation, the effect of attention to language form is weakly or not at all related to the degree of foreign accent.
Covert channels in TCP/IP protocol stack - extended version-
Authors: Mileva Aleksandra , Panajotov Boris
Published: June 2014

We give a survey of different techniques for hiding data in several protocols from the TCP/IP protocol stack. Techniques are organized according to affected layer and protocol. For most of the covert channels its data bandwidth is given.
Hybrid neural network for classification problem solving
Authors: Kotliarov Eugene , Petrushina Tatyana
Published: June 2014

In this article we investigate some approaches to the artificial neural networks training with use of hybrid algorithms. Algorithms which are based on the back propagation algorithm and the ant colony algorithm are considered in detail. The article describes the application of the artificial neural network with the authors’ hybrid training algorithm. The preliminary studies have shown that the algorithm improves the efficiency of the problems on standard test databases. The application of the algorithm for practical problems solution in the field of medicine, namely the definition of danger level determination of tuberculosis carriers is described. It was shown that the accuracy of the hybrid algorithm is up to 22% higher than of the classical one.
Reclaiming Saline-Sodic Soils Using Electrochemical Processes: A Case Study From Sahl El-Tina Plain, Egypt
Authors: Abdel-Fattah Mohamed K.
Published: June 2014

A leaching experiment was conducted using column techniques assessing efficiency of electrochemical process to reclaim saline-sodic soils. Soil material was collected from Sahl El-Tina plain, which located in North West coast of Sinai, Egypt. The experiment was designed as factorial randomized complete block and all treatments were replicated three times. Two 2.5 cm diameterx30 cm height mild stainless steel tubes were inserted into the soil matrix to serve as electrodes (i.e. cathode and anode). Distance between cathode and anode was 10 cm. Electrodes were supplied by a direct current (DC) power supply; Volt ages of 0.3 or 9 Volt. Leaching was done using the intermittent method so as to add portions to the already saturated soil columns, and obtain leachates equal to the added portions. Pore volume 0.1 PV was used in the leaching processes which are equal 498.4 cm3, i.e. PV being volume of pores per column, thus 1 PV equals volume of pores (cm3) expressed as water quantity. Electric remediation increased ionic mobility and separated salts from soil. All treatments decreased soil EC and soil sodicity expressed as SAR and ESP. Results showed that 9 Volt treatment was more effective in decreasing the soil EC and soil sodicity than the other treatments. Efficiency of treatments were 9-Volt > 3-Volt > leaching alone (non-DC treatment). This study suggests that leaching using direct current (DC) led to improvement of the chemical properties of saline sodic soils and required a short time to reclaim saline-sodic soils compared with leaching alone.
Prediction Performance of Blackout and Plasma Attenuation in Atmospheric Reentry Demonstrator Mission
Authors: Takahashi Yusuke , Yamada Kazuhiko , Abe Takashi
Published: June 2014

A numerical simulation model that combines the plasma flows and electromagnetic waves around a reentry vehicle during atmospheric reentry was developed to evaluate the radio frequency blackout and plasma attenuation. The physical properties of the plasma flow in the shock layer and wake region were obtained using a computational fluid dynamics technique. The electromagnetic waves were expressed using a frequency-dependent finite difference time domain method with the plasma properties. Combined simulations were performed for the atmospheric reentry demonstrator of the ESA at various altitudes based on reentry orbit data. The electromagnetic wave behaviors around the vehicle during atmospheric reentry were investigated in detail. Moreover, a parametric analysis with different ionization reaction models was performed. It was confirmed that the vehicle is surrounded by the plasma and the propagation of the electromagnetic waves is prevented at high altitude. Then, the plasma is dissipated and the propagation recovers at low altitude. Validation of the simulation model was performed based on the plasma attenuation history of the experimental flight data. A comparison of the measured and predicted results showed good agreement. It was concluded that the combined simulation model could be an effective tool for investigating the radio frequency blackout and the plasma attenuation of radio wave communication.
Applying Knowledge Translation Theory to Physical Therapy Research and Practice in Balance and Gait Assessment: Case Report
Authors: Sibley Kathryn M. , Salbach Nancy M.
Published: June 2014

Background and Purpose

Knowledge translation (KT) is an emerging discipline with a focus on implementing health evidence in decision making and clinical practice. Knowledge translation theories provide conceptual frameworks that can direct research focused on optimizing best practice. The objective of this case report is to describe one prominent KT theory—the knowledge-to-action (KTA) framework—and how it was applied to research on balance and gait assessment in physical therapist practice.

Case Description

Valid and reliable assessment tools are recommended to evaluate balance and gait function, but gaps in physical therapy practices are known. The KTA framework's 2-pronged approach (knowledge creation phase and action cycle) guided research questions exploring current practices in balance and gait assessment and factors influencing practice in Ontario, Canada, with the goal of developing and evaluating targeted KT interventions.

Outcomes

Results showed the rate at which therapists use standardized balance and gait tools was less than optimal and identified both knowledge-to-practice gaps and individual and organizational barriers to implementing best assessment practices. These findings highlighted the need for synthesis of evidence to address those gaps prior to the development of potential intervention strategies.

Discussion

The comprehensive KTA framework was useful in guiding the direction of these ongoing research programs. In both cases, the sequence of the individual KTA steps was modified to improve the efficiency of intervention development, there was a need to go back and forth between the 2 phases of the KTA framework, and additional behavior change and barrier assessment theories were consulted. Continued research is needed to explicitly evaluate the efficacy of applying KT theory to best practice in health care.
Seroepidemiology of Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) coronavirus in Saudi Arabia (1993) and Australia (2014) and characterisation of assay specificity
Authors: Hemida M G , Perera R A , Al Jassim R A , Kayali G , Siu L Y , Wang P , Chu K W , Perlman S , Ali M A , Alnaeem A , Guan Y , Poon L L , Saif L , Peiris M
Published: June 2014

The pseudoparticle virus neutralisation test (ppNT) and a conventional microneutralisation (MN) assay are specific for detecting antibodies to Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) when used in seroepidemiological studies in animals. Genetically diverse MERS-CoV appear antigenically similar in MN tests. We confirm that MERS-CoV was circulating in dromedaries in Saudi Arabia in 1993. Preliminary data suggest that feral Australian dromedaries may be free of MERS-CoV but larger confirmatory studies are needed.
Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) RNA and neutralising antibodies in milk collected according to local customs from dromedary camels, Qatar, April 2014
Authors: Reusken C B , Farag E A , Jonges M , Godeke G J , El-Sayed A M , Pas S D , Raj V S , Mohran K A , Moussa H A , Ghobashy H , Alhajri F , Ibrahim A K , Bosch B J , Pasha S K , Al-Romaihi H E , Al-Thani M , Al-Marri S A , AlHajri M M , Haagmans B L , Koopmans M P
Published: June 2014

Antibodies to Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) were detected in serum and milk collected according to local customs from 33 camels in Qatar, April 2014. At one location, evidence for active virus shedding in nasal secretions and/or faeces was observed for 7/12 camels; viral RNA was detected in milk of five of these seven camels. The presence of MERS-CoV RNA in milk of camels actively shedding the virus warrants measures to prevent putative food-borne transmission of MERS-CoV.
The ethics of sharing preliminary research findings during public health emergencies: a case study from the 2009 influenza pandemic
Authors: Crowcroft N S , Rosella L C , Pakes B N
Published: June 2014

During the 2009 A(H1N1) influenza pandemic, a suite of studies conducted in Canada showed an unexpected finding, that patients with medically attended laboratory-confirmed pandemic influenza were more likely to have received seasonal influenza vaccination than test-negative control patients. Different bodies, including scientific journals and government scientific advisory committees, reviewed the evidence simultaneously to determine its scientific validity and implications. Decision-making was complicated when the findings made their way into the media. The normal trajectory of non-urgent research includes peer-review publication after which decision-makers can process the information taking into account other evidence and logistic considerations. In the situation that arose, however, the congruence of an unexpected finding and the simultaneous review of the evidence both within and outside the traditional peer-review sphere raised several interesting issues about how to deal with emerging evidence during a public health emergency. These events are used in this article to aid discussion of the complex interrelationship between researchers, public health decision-makers and scientific journals, the trade-offs between sharing information early and maintaining the peer-review quality assurance process, and to emphasise the need for critical reflection on the practical and ethical norms that govern the way in which research is evaluated, published and communicated in public health emergencies.
Recent outbreaks of infectious syphilis, United Kingdom, January 2012 to April 2014
Authors: Simms I , Wallace L , Thomas D R , Emmett L , Shankar A G , Vinson M , Padfield S , Andrady U , Whiteside C , Williams C  J , Midgley C , Johnman C , McLellan A , Currie A , Logan J , Leslie G , Licence K , Hughes G
Published: June 2014

Six outbreaks of infectious syphilis in the United Kingdom, ongoing since 2012, have been investigated among men who have sex with men (MSM) and heterosexual men and women aged under 25 years. Interventions included case finding and raising awareness among healthcare professionals and the public. Targeting at-risk populations was complicated as many sexual encounters involved anonymous partners. Outbreaks among MSM were influenced by the use of geospatial real-time networking applications that allow users to locate other MSM within close proximity.
Association of the NOS3 intron-4 VNTR polymorphism with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage
Authors: Staalsø Jonatan Myrup , Edsen Troels , Kotinis Alexandros , Romner Bertil , Springborg Jacob Bertram , Olsen Niels Vidiendal
Published: June 2014

Object

The nitric oxide system has been linked to the pathogenesis of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). The authors performed a case-control study to investigate the association between SAH and common genetic variants within the endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene (NOS3).

Methods

Three hundred thirty-three Caucasian SAH patients and 498 controls were genotyped for the –922A > G (rs 1800779), –786T > C (rs2070744), and 894G > T (rs1799983) single nucleotide polymorphisms and the intron-4 27-bp variable number of tandem repeats polymorphism (27-bp-VNTR).

Results

The b/b (5 repeats) genotype of the 27-bp-VNTR was overrepresented in cases (77%) versus controls (69%) (p = 0.02). In male patients the b/b genotype was found in 85% compared with 67% in male controls, whereas in women, the frequencies were 73% and 72%, respectively. This corresponds to an odds ratio of 2.8 (95% CI 1.5–5.6, p = 0.0005) for SAH in men with the b/b genotype versus men with a/b or a/a. In women, no such association was found (OR 1.1, 95% CI 0.7–1.6, p = 0.76). Stepwise logistic regression including arterial hypertension, smoking, sex, and age with interactions yielded similar effect estimates of the 27-bp-VNTR. Haplotype analysis revealed that no single haplotype containing the b-allele was responsible for the observed genotype effect.

Conclusions

The authors' results suggest that the NOS3 27-bp-VNTR b/b genotype independent of other risk factors act in concert with male sex to substantially increase risk of SAH. This effect is not mediated by any single NOS3 haplotype.
Issues with implementing a high‐quality lung cancer screening program
Authors: Mulshine James L. , D'Amico Thomas A.
Published: June 2014

Answer questions and earn CME/CNE

After a comprehensive review of the evidence, the United States Preventive Services Task Force recently endorsed screening with low‐dose computed tomography as an early detection approach that has the potential to significantly reduce deaths due to lung cancer. Prudent implementation of lung cancer screening as a high‐quality preventive health service is a complex challenge. The clinical evaluation and management of high‐risk cohorts in the absence of symptoms mandates an approach that differs significantly from that of symptom‐detected lung cancer. As with other cancer screenings, it is essential to provide to informed at‐risk individuals a safe, high‐quality, cost‐effective, and accessible service. In this review, the components of a successful screening program are discussed as we begin to disseminate lung cancer screening as a national resource to improve outcomes with this lethal cancer. This information about lung cancer screening will assist clinicians with communications about the potential benefits and harms of this service for high‐risk individuals considering participation in the screening process. CA Cancer J Clin 2014;64:351–363. © 2014 American Cancer Society.
Androgen Receptor Expression in Early Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Clinical Significance and Prognostic Associations
Authors: Pistelli Mirco , Caramanti Miriam , Biscotti Tommasina , Santinelli Alfredo , Pagliacci Alessandra , De Lisa Mariagrazia , Ballatore Zelmira , Ridolfi Francesca , Maccaroni Elena , Bracci Raffaella , Berardi Rossana , Battelli Nicola , Cascinu Stefano
Published: June 2014

Background: Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBC) are characterized by aggressive tumour biology resulting in a poor prognosis. Androgen receptor (AR) is one of newly emerging biomarker in TNBC. In recent years, ARs have been demonstrated to play an important role in the genesis and in the development of breast cancer, although their prognostic role is still debated. In the present study, we explored the correlation of AR expression with clinical, pathological and molecular features and its impact on prognosis in early TNBC. Patients and Methods: ARs were considered positive in case of tumors with >10% nuclear-stained. Survival distribution was estimated by the Kaplan Meier method. The univariate and multivariate analyses were performed. The difference among variables were calculated by chi-square test. Results: 81 TNBC patients diagnosed between January 2006 and December 2011 were included in the analysis. Slides were stained immunohistochemically for estrogen and progesterone receptors, HER-2, Ki-67, ALDH1, e-cadherin and AR. Of the 81 TNBC samples, 18.8% showed positive immunostaining for AR, 23.5% and 44.4% of patients were negative for e-cadherin and ALDH1, respectively. Positive AR immunostaining was inversely correlated with a higher Ki-67 (p < 0.0001) and a lympho-vascular invasion (p = 0.01), but no other variables. Univariate survival analysis revealed that AR expression was not associated with disease-free survival (p = 0.72) or overall survival (p = 0.93). Conclusions: The expression of AR is associated with some biological features of TNBC, such as Ki-67 and lympho-vascular invasion; nevertheless the prognostic significance of AR was not documented in our analysis. However, since ARs are expressed in a significant number of TNBC, prospective studies in order to determine the biological mechanisms and their potential role as novel treatment target.
Murderous Ritual versus Devotional Custom: The Rhetoric and Ritual of Sati and Women’s Subjectivity in Amitav Ghosh’s Sea of Poppies
Authors: Sarkar Barnali
Published: June 2014

The representation of the practice of sati, the immolation of widows on their husbands’ funeral pyre, has garnered interest for long from postcolonial and feminist discourses among others. While advocates of Western modernity perceive sati as a murderous ritual, the proponents of orthodox Hinduism, on the contrary, claim sati to be a courageous cult of “wifely devotion”. In both bigoted beliefs, as poststructuralists observe, women largely appear as “mute objects”. Amitav Ghosh’s Sea of Poppies (2008) brilliantly sidelines the conundrum of polarizing representation of sati along the East-West axis and reflects instead the subjective experience of women as sati. The article examines how the rhetoric and ritual of sati in the novel enable marginalized women to acquire consciousness of their subjectivity in a colonized society. To this end, the paper analyzes deconstructive readings of sati, such as by Gayatri Spivak, and explores the way the novel uses religion as a ploy, which, instead of perpetrating violence, confers a subjective entity on the sati that can even subvert the constrictive norms of a colonized society.
The Risk of Mercury Exposure to the People Consuming Fish from Lake Phewa, Nepal
Authors: Thapa Devna , Sharma Chhatra , Kang Shichang , Sillanpää Mika
Published: June 2014

The risk of mercury exposure through consumption of fish from Lake Phewa, Nepal was investigated. A total of 170 people were surveyed to know their fish consumption levels. The weekly mercury (Hg) intake in the form of methylmercury (MeHg) through fish was calculated by using the data on average MeHg concentrations in fish, the average consumption of fish per week, and an average body weight of the people. Hotel owners were consuming significantly high amounts of fish, followed by fishermen, in comparison to the government staff, army/police, locals and others (visitors). Some individuals exceeded the Provisional Tolerable Weekly Intake (PTWI) of 1.6 µg per kg body weight of MeHg (FAO/WHO). The minimum intake of MeHg (0.05 µg/kg/week) was found in the visitors (others) category, whereas the hotel owners had the maximum intake (3.71 µg/kg/week). In general, it was found that a person of 60 kg can consume at least 2 kg of fish per week without exceeding PTWI such that it does not pose any health risk associated with Hg poisoning at the present contamination level. Hg based PTWI values for Nepal has not been proposed yet in fishery resources so as to reduce health risk of the people.
Exposure to AT1 Receptor Autoantibodies during Pregnancy Increases Susceptibility of the Maternal Heart to Postpartum Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Rats
Authors: Wang Hui-Ping , Zhang Wen-Hui , Wang Xiao-Fang , Zhu Jin , Zheng Yan-Qian , Xia Qin , Zhi Jian-Ming
Published: June 2014

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that women with a history of preeclampsia have a two-fold increased risk of developing cardiovascular diseases in later life. It is not known whether or not this risk is associated with angiotensin II receptor type 1 autoantibody (AT1-AA), an agonist acting via activation of AT1 receptor (AT1R), which is believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. The objective of the present study was to confirm the hypothesis that AT1-AA exposure during pregnancy may change the maternal cardiac structure and increase the susceptibility of the postpartum heart to ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI). In the present study, we first established a preeclampsia rat model by intravenous injection of AT1-AA extracted from the plasma of rats immunized with AT1R, observed the susceptibility of the postpartum maternal heart to IRI at 16 weeks postpartum using the Langendorff preparation, and examined the cardiac structure using light and transmission electron microscopy. The modeled animals presented with symptoms very similar to the clinical symptoms of human preeclampsia during pregnancy, including hypertension and proteinuria. The left ventricular weight (LVW) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) in AT1-AA treatment group were significantly increased as compared with those of the control group (p < 0.01), although there was no significant difference in final weight between the two groups. AT1-AA acting on AT1R not only induced myocardial cell hypertrophy, mitochondrial swelling, cristae disorganization and collagen accumulation in the interstitium but affected the left ventricular (LV) function and delayed recovery from IRI. In contrast, co-treatment with AT1-AA + losartan completely blocked AT1-AA-induced changes in cardiac structure and function. These data indicate that the presence of AT1-AA during pregnancy was strongly associated with the markers of LV geometry changes and remodeling, and increased the cardiac susceptibility to IRI in later life of postpartum maternal rats.
Up-Regulated FASN Expression Promotes Transcoelomic Metastasis of Ovarian Cancer Cell through Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
Authors: Jiang Li , Wang Hong , Li Jiarui , Fang Xuhong , Pan Hong , Yuan Xiangliang , Zhang Ping
Published: June 2014

Fatty acid synthase (FASN), responsible for the de novo synthesis of fatty acids, has been shown to act as an oncogene in various human cancers. However, the mechanisms by which FASN favors the progression of ovarian carcinoma remain unknown. In this study, we evaluated FASN expression in ovarian cancer and investigated how FASN regulates the aggressiveness of ovarian cancer cells. Our results show that increased FASN is associated with the peritoneal metastasis of ovarian cancers. Over-expression of FASN results in a significant increase of tumor burden in peritoneal dissemination, accompanied by augment in cellular colony formation and metastatic ability. Correspondingly, FASN knockdown using RNA interference in ovarian cancer cells inhibits the migration in vitro and experimental peritoneal dissemination in vivo. Mechanistic studies reveal that FASN promotes Epithelial-mesenchymal Transition (EMT) via a transcriptional regulation of E-cadherin and N-cadherin, which is also confirmed by luciferase promoter activity analysis. Taken together, our work demonstrates that FASN promotes the peritoneal dissemination of ovarian cancer cells, at least in part through the induction of EMT. These findings suggest that FASN plays a critical role in the peritoneal metastasis of ovarian cancer. Targeting de novo lipogenesis may have a therapeutic potential for advanced ovarian cancer.
Two Diterpenoids and a Cyclopenta[c]pyridine Derivative from Roots of Salvia digitaloids
Authors: Wu Shwu-Jen , Huang Chieh-Hung , Chan Yu-Yi , Liao Yu-Ren , Hwang Tsong-Long , Wu Tian-Shung
Published: June 2014

Two new glucosides, salviadigitoside A (1) and salviatalin A-19-O-β-glucoside (2), belonging to the salviatalin type diterpenoids, and a new cyclopenta[c]pyridine, salviadiginine A (3), were isolated from the roots of Salvia digitaloids. Structures of these compounds were determined on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. In addition, compounds 1–3 were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activity, but the results showed a weak anti-inflammatory activity.
Flexibilide Obtained from Cultured Soft Coral Has Anti-Neuroinflammatory and Analgesic Effects through the Upregulation of Spinal Transforming Growth Factor-β1 in Neuropathic Rats
Authors: Chen Nan-Fu , Huang Shi-Ying , Lu Ching-Hsiang , Chen Chun-Lin , Feng Chien-Wei , Chen Chun-Hong , Hung Han-Chun , Lin Yen-You , Sung Ping-Jyun , Sung Chun-Sung , Yang San-Nan , Wang Hui-Min , Chang Yu-Chia , Sheu Jyh-Horng , Chen Wu-Fu , Wen Zhi-Hong
Published: June 2014

Chronic neuroinflammation plays an important role in the development and maintenance of neuropathic pain. The compound flexibilide, which can be obtained from cultured soft coral, possesses anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects in the rat carrageenan peripheral inflammation model. In the present study, we investigated the antinociceptive properties of flexibilide in the rat chronic constriction injury (CCI) model of neuropathic pain. First, we found that a single intrathecal (i.t.) administration of flexibilide significantly attenuated CCI-induced thermal hyperalgesia at 14 days after surgery. Second, i.t. administration of 10-μg flexibilide twice daily was able to prevent the development of thermal hyperalgesia and weight-bearing deficits in CCI rats. Third, i.t. flexibilide significantly inhibited CCI-induced activation of microglia and astrocytes, as well as the upregulated proinflammatory enzyme, inducible nitric oxide synthase, in the ipsilateral spinal dorsal horn. Furthermore, flexibilide attenuated the CCI-induced downregulation of spinal transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) at 14 days after surgery. Finally, i.t. SB431542, a selective inhibitor of TGF-β type I receptor, blocked the analgesic effects of flexibilide in CCI rats. Our results suggest that flexibilide may serve as a therapeutic agent for neuropathic pain. In addition, spinal TGF-β1 may be involved in the anti-neuroinflammatory and analgesic effects of flexibilide.
Lamellarin O, a Pyrrole Alkaloid from an Australian Marine Sponge, Ianthella sp., Reverses BCRP Mediated Drug Resistance in Cancer Cells
Authors: Huang Xiao-Cong , Xiao Xue , Zhang Yun-Kai , Talele Tanaji , Salim Angela , Chen Zhe-Sheng , Capon Robert
Published: June 2014

ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporters, such as P-gp, BCRP and MRP1, can increase efflux of clinical chemotherapeutic agents and lead to multi-drug resistance (MDR) in cancer cells. While the discovery and development of clinically useful inhibitors has proved elusive to date, this molecular target nevertheless remains a promising strategy for addressing and potentially overcoming MDR. In a search for new classes of inhibitor, we used fluorescent accumulation and efflux assays supported by cell flow cytometry and MDR reversal assays, against a panel of sensitive and MDR human cancer cell lines, to evaluate the marine sponge co-metabolites 1–12 as inhibitors of P-gp, BCRP or MRP1 initiated MDR. These studies identified and characterized lamellarin O (11) as a selective inhibitor of BCRP mediated drug efflux. A structure–activity relationship analysis inclusive of the natural products 1–12 and the synthetic analogues 13–19, supported by in silico docking studies, revealed key structural requirements for the lamellarin O (11) BCRP inhibitory pharmacophore.
Flavonoids with M1 Muscarinic Acetylcholine Receptor Binding Activity
Authors: Swaminathan Meyyammai , Chee Chin , Chin Sek , Buckle Michael , Rahman Noorsaadah , Doughty Stephen , Chung Lip
Published: June 2014

Muscarinic acetylcholine receptor-active compounds have potential for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. In this study, a series of natural and synthetic flavones and flavonols was assayed in vitro for their ability to inhibit radioligand binding at human cloned M1 muscarinic receptors. Several compounds were found to possess competitive binding affinity (Ki = 40–110 µM), comparable to that of acetylcholine (Ki = 59 µM). Despite the fact that these compounds lack a positively-charged ammonium group under physiological conditions, molecular modelling studies suggested that they bind to the orthosteric site of the receptor, mainly through non-polar interactions.
Accumulation and Toxicity of Copper Oxide Engineered Nanoparticles in a Marine Mussel
Authors: Hanna Shannon , Miller Robert , Lenihan Hunter
Published: June 2014

Cu is an essential trace element but can be highly toxic to aquatic organisms at elevated concentrations. Greater use of CuO engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) may lead to increased concentrations of CuO ENPs in aquatic environments causing potential ecological injury. We examined the toxicity of CuO ENPs to marine mussels and the influence of mussels on the fate and transport of CuO ENPs. We exposed marine mussels to 1, 2, or 3 mg L−1 CuO ENPs for four weeks, and measured clearance rate, rejection, excretion and accumulation of Cu, and mussel shell growth. Mussel clearance rate was 48% less, and growth was 68% less, in mussels exposed to 3 mg L−1 than in control animals. Previous studies show 100% mortality at 1 mg Cu L−1, suggesting that CuO ENPs are much less toxic than ionic Cu, probably due to the slow dissolution rate of the ENPs. Mussels rejected and excreted CuO ENPs in biodeposits containing as much as 110 mg Cu g−1, suggesting the potential for magnification in sediments. Mussels exposed to 3 mg L−1 CuO ENPs accumulated 79.14 ± 12.46 µg Cu g−1 dry weight, which was 60 times more Cu than in control animals. Our results suggest that mussels have the potential to influence the fate and transport of CuO ENPs and potentially cause magnification of CuO ENPs in mussel bed communities, creating a significant source of Cu to marine benthos.
Stimuli-Responsive Polyelectrolyte Brushes As a Matrix for the Attachment of Gold Nanoparticles: The Effect of Brush Thickness on Particle Distribution
Authors: Christau Stephanie , Thurandt Stefan , Yenice Zuleyha , Von Klitzing Regine
Published: June 2014

The effect of brush thickness on the loading of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) within stimuli-responsive poly-(N,N-(dimethylamino ethyl) methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) polyelectrolyte brushes is reported. Atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) was used to grow polymer brushes via a “grafting from” approach. The brush thickness was tuned by varying the polymerization time. Using a new type of sealed reactor, thick brushes were synthesized. A systematic study was performed by varying a single parameter (brush thickness), while keeping all other parameters constant. AuNPs of 13 nm in diameter were attached by incubation. X-ray reflectivity, electron scanning microscopy and ellipsometry were used to study the particle loading, particle distribution and interpenetration of the particles within the brush matrix. A model for the structure of the brush/particle hybrids was derived. The particle number densities of attached AuNPs depend on the brush thickness, as do the optical properties of the hybrids. An increasing particle number density was found for increasing brush thickness, due to an increased surface roughness.
Potential of X-Band Images from High-Resolution Satellite SAR Sensors to Assess Growth and Yield in Paddy Rice
Authors: Inoue Yoshio , Sakaiya Eiji , Wang Cuizhen
Published: June 2014

The comprehensive relationship of backscattering coefficient (σ0) values from two current X-band SAR sensors (COSMO-SkyMed and TerraSAR-X) with canopy biophysical variables were investigated using the SAR images acquired at VV polarization and shallow incidence angles. The difference and consistency of the two sensors were also examined. The chrono-sequential change of σ0 in rice paddies during the transplanting season revealed that σ0 reached the value of nearby water surfaces a day before transplanting, and increased significantly just after transplanting event (3 dB). Despite a clear systematic shift (6.6 dB) between the two sensors, the differences in σ0 between target surfaces and water surfaces in each image were comparable in both sensors. Accordingly, an image-based approach using the “water-point” was proposed. It would be useful especially when absolute σ0 values are not consistent between sensors and/or images. Among the various canopy variables, the panicle biomass was found to be best correlated with X-band σ0. X-band SAR would be promising for direct assessments of rice grain yields at regional scales from space, whereas it would have limited capability to assess the whole-canopy variables only during the very early growth stages. The results provide a clear insight on the potential capability of X-band SAR sensors for rice monitoring.
Long-Term Record of Sampled Disturbances in Northern Eurasian Boreal Forest from Pre-2000 Landsat Data
Authors: Chen Dong , Loboda Tatiana , Channan Saurabh , Hoffman-Hall Amanda
Published: June 2014

Stand age distribution is an important descriptor of boreal forest structure, which is directly linked to many ecosystem processes including the carbon cycle, the land–atmosphere interaction and ecosystem services, among others. Almost half of the global boreal biome is located in Russia. The vast extent, remote location, and limited accessibility of Russian boreal forests make remote sensing the only feasible approach to characterize these forests to their full extent. A wide variety of satellite observations are currently available to monitor forest change and infer its structure; however, the period of observations is mostly limited to the 2000s era. Reconstruction of wall-to-wall maps of stand age distribution requires merging longer-term site observations of forest cover change available at the Landsat scale at a subset of locations in Russia with the wall-to-wall coverage available from coarse resolution satellites since 2000. This paper presents a dataset consisting of a suite of multi-year forest disturbance samples and samples of undisturbed forests across Russia derived from Landsat Thematic Mapper and Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus images from 1985 to 2000. These samples provide crucial information regarding disturbance history in selected regions across the Russian boreal forest and are designed to serve as a training and/or validation dataset for coarse resolution data products. The overall accuracy and Kappa coefficient for the entire sample collection was found to be 83.98% and 0.83%, respectively. It is hoped that the presented dataset will benefit subsequent studies on a variety of aspects of the Russian boreal forest, especially in relation to the carbon budget and climate.
A Parallel Computing Paradigm for Pan-Sharpening Algorithms of Remotely Sensed Images on a Multi-Core Computer
Authors: Yang Jinghui , Zhang Jixian , Huang Guoman
Published: June 2014

Pan-sharpening algorithms are data-and computation-intensive, and the processing performance can be poor if common serial processing techniques are adopted. This paper presents a parallel computing paradigm for pan-sharpening algorithms based on a generalized fusion model and parallel computing techniques. The developed modules, including eight typical pan-sharpening algorithms, show that the framework can be applied to implement most algorithms. The experiments demonstrate that if parallel strategies are adopted, in the best cases the fastest times required to finish the entire fusion operation (including disk input/output (I/O) and computation) are close to the time required to directly read and write the images without any computation. The parallel processing implemented on a workstation with two CPUs is able to perform these operations up to 13.9 times faster than serial execution. An algorithm in the framework is 32.6 times faster than the corresponding version in the ERDAS IMAGINE software. Additionally, no obvious differences in the fusion effects are observed between the fusion results of different implemented versions.
Mangrove Species Identification: Comparing WorldView-2 with Aerial Photographs
Authors: Heenkenda Muditha , Joyce Karen , Maier Stefan , Bartolo Renee
Published: June 2014

Remote sensing plays a critical role in mapping and monitoring mangroves. Aerial photographs and visual image interpretation techniques have historically been known to be the most common approach for mapping mangroves and species discrimination. However, with the availability of increased spectral resolution satellite imagery, and advances in digital image classification algorithms, there is now a potential to digitally classify mangroves to the species level. This study compares the accuracy of mangrove species maps derived from two different layer combinations of WorldView-2 images with those generated using high resolution aerial photographs captured by an UltraCamD camera over Rapid Creek coastal mangrove forest, Darwin, Australia. Mangrove and non-mangrove areas were discriminated using object-based image classification. Mangrove areas were then further classified into species using a support vector machine algorithm with best-fit parameters. Overall classification accuracy for the WorldView-2 data within the visible range was 89%. Kappa statistics provided a strong correlation between the classification and validation data. In contrast to this accuracy, the error matrix for the automated classification of aerial photographs indicated less promising results. In summary, it can be concluded that mangrove species mapping using a support vector machine algorithm is more successful with WorldView-2 data than with aerial photographs.
An Analysis of Electrical Impedance Measurements Applied for Plant N Status Estimation in Lettuce (Lactuca sativa)
Authors: Muñoz-Huerta Rafael , Ortiz-Melendez Antonio , Guevara-Gonzalez Ramon , Torres-Pacheco Irineo , Herrera-Ruiz Gilberto , Contreras-Medina Luis , Prado-Olivarez Juan , Ocampo-Velazquez Rosalia
Published: June 2014

Nitrogen plays a key role in crop yields. Hence, farmers may apply excessive N fertilizers to crop fields, inducing environmental pollution. Crop N monitoring methods have been developed to improve N fertilizer management, most of them based on leaf or canopy optical-property measurements. However, sensitivity to environmental interference remains an important drawback. Electrical impedance has been applied to determine the physiological and nutritional status of plant tissue, but no studies related to plant-N contents are reported. The objective of this article is to analyze how the electrical impedance response of plants is affected by their N status. Four sets of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) with a different N-source concentrations per set were used. Total nitrogen and electrical impedance spectra (in a 1 to 100 kHz frequency range) were measured five times per set, three times every other day. Minimum phase angles of impedance spectra were detected and analyzed, together with the frequency value in which they occurred, and their magnitude at that frequency. High and positive correlation was observed between plant N content and frequency values at minimum phase angle with no significant variations detected between days of measurement. These results suggest that electrical impedance can be sensitive to plant N status.
Symmetry Adapted Assur Decompositions
Authors: Nixon Anthony , Schulze Bernd , Sljoka Adnan , Whiteley Walter
Published: June 2014

Assur graphs are a tool originally developed by mechanical engineers to decompose mechanisms for simpler analysis and synthesis. Recent work has connected these graphs to strongly directed graphs and decompositions of the pinned rigidity matrix. Many mechanisms have initial configurations, which are symmetric, and other recent work has exploited the orbit matrix as a symmetry adapted form of the rigidity matrix. This paper explores how the decomposition and analysis of symmetric frameworks and their symmetric motions can be supported by the new symmetry adapted tools.