bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perforin- and Granzyme-Mediated Cytotoxic Effector Functions Are Essential for Protection against Francisella tularensis following Vaccination by the Defined F. tularensis subsp. novicida ΔfopCVaccine Strain
Authors: Sanapala Shilpa , Yu Jieh-Juen , Murthy Ashlesh K. , Li Weidang , Guentzel M. Neal , Chambers James P. , Klose Karl E. , Arulanandam Bernard P.
Published: April 2012

A licensed vaccine againstFrancisella tularensisis currently not available. TwoFrancisella tularensissubsp.novicida(herein referred to by its earlier name,Francisella novicida) attenuated strains, the ΔiglBand ΔfopCstrains, have previously been evaluated as potential vaccine candidates against pneumonic tularemia in experimental animals.F. novicidaΔiglB, aFrancisellapathogenicity island (FPI) mutant, is deficient in phagosomal escape and intracellular growth, whereasF. novicidaΔfopC, lacking the outer membrane lipoprotein FopC, which is required for evasion of gamma interferon (IFN-γ)-mediated signaling, is able to escape and replicate in the cytosol. To dissect the difference in protective immune mechanisms conferred by these two vaccine strains, we examined the efficacy of theF. novicidaΔiglBand ΔfopCmutants against pulmonary live-vaccine-strain (LVS) challenge and found that both strains provided comparable protection in wild-type, major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC I) knockout, and MHC II knockout mice. However,F. novicidaΔfopC-vaccinated but notF. novicidaΔiglB-vaccinated perforin-deficient mice were more susceptible and exhibited greater bacterial burdens than similarly vaccinated wild-type mice. Moreover, perforin produced by natural killer (NK) cells and release of granzyme contributed to inhibition of LVS replication within macrophages. This NK cell-mediated LVS inhibition was enhanced with anti-F. novicidaΔfopCimmune serum, suggesting antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) inF. novicidaΔfopC-mediated protection. Overall, this study provides additional immunological insight into the basis for protection conferred by live attenuatedF. novicidastrains with different phenotypes and supports further investigation of this organism as a vaccine platform for tularemia.
Alterations in the Porcine Colon Microbiota Induced by the Gastrointestinal Nematode Trichuris suis
Authors: Li Robert W. , Wu Sitao , Li Weizhong , Navarro Karl , Couch Robin D. , Hill Dolores , Urban Joseph F.
Published: April 2012

Helminth parasites ensure their survival by regulating host immunity through mechanisms that dampen inflammation. These properties have recently been exploited therapeutically to treat human diseases. The biocomplexity of the intestinal lumen suggests that interactions between the parasite and the intestinal microbiota would also influence inflammation. In this study, we characterized the microbiota in the porcine proximal colon in response to
Trichuris suis
(whipworm) infection using 16S rRNA gene-based and whole-genome shotgun (WGS) sequencing. A 21-day
T. suis
infection in four pigs induced a significant change in the composition of the proximal colon microbiota compared to that of three parasite-naive pigs. Among the 15 phyla identified, the abundances of
Proteobacteria
and
Deferribacteres
were changed in infected pigs. The abundances of approximately 13% of genera were significantly altered by infection. Changes in relative abundances of
Succinivibrio
and
Mucispirillum
, for example, may relate to alterations in carbohydrate metabolism and niche disruptions in mucosal interfaces induced by parasitic infection, respectively. Of note, infection by
T. suis
led to a significant shift in the metabolic potential of the proximal colon microbiota, where 26% of all metabolic pathways identified were affected. Besides carbohydrate metabolism, lysine biosynthesis was repressed as well. A metabolomic analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the luminal contents showed a relative absence in infected pigs of cofactors for carbohydrate and lysine biosynthesis, as well as an accumulation of oleic acid, suggesting altered fatty acid absorption contributing to local inflammation. Our findings should facilitate development of strategies for parasitic control in pigs and humans.
Complete Genome Sequence of Enterococcal Bacteriophage SAP6
Authors: Lee Young-Duck , Park Jong-Hyun
Published: April 2012

Enterococcus faecalis
is an important bacterium for use as a probiotic and is an opportunistic pathogen in human beings. The antibiotic resistance acquired by
E. faecalis
is restricted to antibiotics used in the clinical setting. While screening for alternative antibiotics for use against multidrug-resistant
E. faecalis
, we isolated a virulent enterococcal bacteriophage, SAP6, belonging to the family
Siphoviridae
. To our knowledge, this study is the first to report the complete genome sequence of bacteriophage SAP6, which might be used as a therapeutic agent in combination with alternative antibiotics for multidrug-resistant
E. faecalis
.
Association of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3and D2with academic performance in childhood: findings from a prospective birth cohort
Authors: Tolppanen Anna-Maija , Sayers Adrian , Fraser William D , Lawlor Debbie A
Published: April 2012

Background

Higher total serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations have been associated with better cognitive function mainly in cross-sectional studies in adults. It is unknown if the associations of different forms of 25(OH)D (25(OH)D3and 25(OH)D2) are similar.

Methods

Prospective cohort study (n=3171) with serum 25(OH)D3and 25(OH)D2concentrations measured at mean age of 9.8 years and academic performance at age 13–14 years (total scores in English, mathematics and science) and 15–16 years (performance in General Certificates of Education examinations).

Results

Serum 25(OH)D3concentrations were not associated with any educational outcomes. Higher 25(OH)D2concentrations were associated with worse performance in English at age 13–14 years (adjusted SD change per doubling in 25(OH)D2(95% CI) −0.05 (−0.08 to −0.01)) and with worse academic performance at age 15–16 years (adjusted OR for obtaining ≥5 A*–C grades (95% CI) 0.91 (0.82 to 1.00)).

Conclusion

The null findings with 25(OH)D3are in line with two previous cross-sectional studies in children. It is possible that the positive association of 25(OH)D with cognitive function seen in adults does not emerge until later in life or that the results from previous cross-sectional adult studies are due to reverse causality. The unexpected inverse association of 25(OH)D2with academic performance requires replication in further studies. Taken together, our findings do not support suggestions that children should have controlled exposure to sunlight, or vitamin D supplements, in order to increase academic performance.
LATTICE QCD GLUON PROPAGATORS NEAR TRANSITION TEMPERATURE
Authors: BORNYAKOV V. G. , MITRJUSHKIN V. K.
Published: April 2012

Landau gauge gluon propagators are studied numerically in the SU (3) gluodynamics as well as in the full QCD with the number of flavors nF = 2 using efficient gauge fixing technique. We compare these propagators at temperatures very close to the transition point in two phases: confinement and deconfinement. The electric mass mE has been determined from the momentum space longitudinal gluon propagator. Gribov copy effects are found to be rather strong in the gluodynamics, while in the full QCD case they are weak ("Gribov noise"). Also we analyze finite volume dependence of the transverse and longitudinal propagators.
LAGRANGIAN FORMULATION FOR NONCOMMUTATIVE NONLINEAR SYSTEMS
Authors: ABREU E. M. C. , ANANIAS NETO J. , MENDES A. C. R. , NEVES C. , OLIVEIRA W. , MARCIAL M. V.
Published: April 2012

In this work we study Lagrangian formulations for the noncommutative versions of the SU(2) Skyrme model and O(3) nonlinear sigma model. These formulations will be obtained using the Faddeev–Jackiw symplectic formalism. Other noncommutative Lagrangian formulations can be proposed and different noncommutative versions for these nonlinear systems can be obtained.
A MICROSCOPIC PERSPECTIVE ON STRUCTURE OF YRAST BANDS IN 100-112Ru ISOTOPES
Authors: BHAT ARVIND , BHARTI ARUN , KHOSA S. K.
Published: April 2012

The projected shell model (PSM) study of 100 - 112 Ru nuclei is carried out. The reliability of the ground state wave functions is checked by reproducing yrast spectra and electromagnetic properties. The results of calculations indicate that the observed deformation systematics in 100 - 112 Ru isotopes depends on the increase of occupation probability of (1h11/2)ν orbit and the deformation producing tendency of n–p interaction operating between spin orbit partner (SOP) orbits (d5/2)π-(d3/2)ν and (g9/2)π-(g7/2)ν. Besides this, the results on band diagrams show that the yrast spectra in Ru isotopes do not arise from a single intrinsic state only but also from multi-quasiparticle states.
TOWARDS A UNIFIED PRINCIPLE FOR REASONING ABOUT HETEROGENEOUS DATA: A FUZZY LOGIC FRAMEWORK
Authors: HEDJAZI LYAMINE , AGUILAR-MARTIN JOSEPH , LE LANN MARIE-VERONIQUE , KEMPOWSKY TATIANA
Published: April 2012

Human knowledge about monitoring process variables is usually incomplete. To deal with this partial knowledge many types of representation other than the quantitative one are used to describe process variables (qualitative, symbolic interval). Thus, the development of automatic reasoning mechanisms about the process is faced with this problem of multiple data representations. In this paper, a unified principle for reasoning about heterogeneous data is introduced. This principle is based on a simultaneous mapping of data from initially heterogeneous spaces into only one homogeneous space based on a relative measure using appropriate characteristic functions. Once the heterogeneous data are represented in a unified space, a single processing for various analysis purposes can be performed using simple reasoning mechanisms. An application of this principle within a fuzzy logic framework is performed here to demonstrate its effectiveness. We show that simple fuzzy reasoning mechanisms can be used to reason in a unified way about heterogeneous data in three well known machine learning problems.
ON λ-STATISTICAL CONVERGENCE OF ORDER β OF SEQUENCES OF FUZZY NUMBERS
Authors: ALTINOK HIFSI
Published: April 2012

In this article we introduce the concepts of λ-statistical convergence of order β and strong λp-summability of order β for sequences of fuzzy numbers. Also, we establish some relations between the λ-statistical convergence of order β and strong λp-summability of order β and present some interesting examples to show strictness of some inclusion relations.
A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF FILTER-BASED AND WRAPPER-BASED FEATURE RANKING TECHNIQUES FOR SOFTWARE QUALITY MODELING
Authors: KHOSHGOFTAAR TAGHI M. , GAO KEHAN , BULLARD LOFTON A.
Published: April 2012

Data mining techniques have been effectively used for software defect prediction in the last decade. The general process is that a classifier is first trained on historical software data (software metrics and fault data) collected during the software development process and then the classifier is used to predict new program modules (waiting for testing) as either fault-prone or not-fault-prone. The performance of the classifier is influenced by two factors: the software metrics in the training dataset and the proportions of the fault-prone and not-fault-prone modules in that dataset. When a dataset contains too many software metrics and/or very skewed proportions of the two types of modules, several problems may arise including extensive computation and a decline in predictive performance. In this paper, we use feature ranking and data sampling to deal with these problems. We investigate two types of feature ranking techniques (wrapper-based and filter-based), and compare their performances through two case studies on two groups of software measurement datasets. The empirical results demonstrate that filter-based ranking techniques not only show better classification performance but also have a lower computational cost.
A MAP OF THE BRAZILIAN STOCK MARKET
Authors: SANDOVAL LEONIDAS
Published: April 2012

The correlation matrix of stocks returns is used in order to create maps of the São Paulo Stock Exchange (BM&F-Bovespa), Brazil's main stock exchange. The data refer to the year 2010, and the correlations between stock returns lead to the construction of a minimum spanning tree and of asset graphs with a variety of threshold values. The results are analyzed using techniques of network theory. Also, using data from 2007 to 2010, a study is made on the dynamics of the network formed by stocks from that same stock exchange.
AN EVOLUTIONARY GAME THEORY APPROACH TO MARKET COMPETITION AND COOPERATION
Authors: VASILE ADRIAN , COSTEA CARMEN EUGENIA , VICIU TANIA GEORGIA
Published: April 2012

Evolutionary game theory can be attested as a practical apparatus in providing additional information on the workings of the open market and on the blueprint for dynamics in economic phenomena. Through an interdisciplinary approach to different game scenarios, the dependencies among market forces are observed, thus, being capable of offering insight on the incentives for adopting different behaviors. This paper takes use of the different factors that form the payoff of certain strategies which can be adopted by companies, and determines the prerequisites for cooperation or competition while all together constructing settings and predictions on the evolution of the phenomena. Determining the evolutionary stable strategy for different scenarios and looking at the way in which the probability of encountering a certain behavior is constructed, provide the possibility to determine the outcome of an ongoing evolutionary process. By studying the monotony of the probability function in respect to each of the factors that contribute to the payoffs, the study indicates that there is a positive relation between the percentage of population playing competitive strategies and market potential, costs, and risks of penalty for cooperation and a negative relation between this percentage and the disputed market share and supplementary winnings from arrangements.
DYNAMICAL TRAPS CAUSED BY FUZZY RATIONALITY AS A NEW EMERGENCE MECHANISM
Authors: LUBASHEVSKY IHOR
Published: April 2012

A new emergence mechanism related to the human fuzzy rationality is considered. It assumes that individuals (operators) governing the dynamics of a certain system try to follow an optimal strategy in controlling its motion but fail to do this perfectly because similar strategies are indistinguishable for them. The main attention is focused on the systems where the optimal dynamics implies the stability of a certain equilibrium point in the corresponding phase space. In such systems the fuzzy rationality gives rise to some neighborhood of the equilibrium point, the region of dynamical traps, wherein each point is regarded as an equilibrium one by the operators. So, when the system enters this region and while it is located in it, maybe for a long time, the operator control is suspended. To elucidate a question as to whether the dynamical traps on their own can cause emergent phenomena, the stochastic factors are eliminated from consideration. In this case the system can leave the dynamical trap region only because of the mismatch between actions of different operators. By way of example, a chain of oscillators with dynamical traps is analyzed numerically. As demonstrated, the dynamical traps do induce instability and complex behavior of such systems.
DISCRETE MODEL OF IDEOLOGICAL STRUGGLE ACCOUNTING FOR MIGRATION
Authors: VITANOV NIKOLAY K. , AUSLOOS MARCEL , ROTUNDO GIULIA
Published: April 2012

A discrete in time model of ideological competition is formulated taking into account population migration. The model is based on interactions between global populations of non-believers and followers of different ideologies. The complex dynamics of the attracting manifolds is investigated. Conversion from one ideology to another by means of (i) mass media influence and (ii) interpersonal relations is considered. Moreover a different birth rate is assumed for different ideologies, the rate being assumed to be positive for the reference population, made of initially non-believers. Ideological competition can happen in one or several regions in space. In the latter case, migration of non-believers and adepts is allowed; this leads to an enrichment of the ideological dynamics. Finally, the current ideological situation in the Arab countries and China is commented upon from the point of view of the presently developed mathematical model. The massive forced conversion by Ottoman Turks in the Balkans is briefly discussed.
SIZE DEPENDENCE OF SOLVATION STRUCTURE AND DYNAMICS OF IONS IN LIQUID N-METHYLACETAMIDE: A MOLECULAR DYNAMICS SIMULATION STUDY
Authors: PATTANAYAK SUBRAT KUMAR , CHOWDHURI SNEHASIS
Published: April 2012

The solvation structure and dynamics of alkali metal (Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+, Cs+) and halide (F-, Cl-, Br-, I-) ions in liquid N -methylacetamide (NMA) are calculated at two different temperatures T = 313 K and 453 K, by using classical molecular dynamics simulations. We have also considered [Formula: see text] and some larger cations such as I +, Me 4 N +, and Et4N+ in this study to investigate the size dependence solvation structure and dynamics of ions in liquid NMA. With the increase of ion size, the self-diffusion coefficients of cations are found to increase and the maximum is observed at Me4N+ , whereas for halide ions the increase of diffusion coefficient with ion size continues up to I- and no maximum is observed. However, the relative increase of the diffusion coefficients of larger ion compared to those of Li+ and F+ are found to be significantly higher at low temperature. Results are very good in agreement with experimental observation.
QUANTIZATION OF CHEMICAL REACTION: THE DYNAMIC CORRELATION DIAGRAM METHOD FREE FROM NONCROSSING RULE
Authors: NOHIRA HIROYUKI , NOHIRA TOSHIYUKI
Published: April 2012

Both Fukui's frontier orbital (FO) theory and Woodward–Hoffmann's orbital symmetry conservation (W–H) theory are based on the molecular orbital theory. However, there are some obvious inconsistencies between the two theories in explaining the electron movement. The process of chemical reactions has been explained by the potential surface analysis based on the time-independent Schrödinger equation. However, this approach is not always appropriate for describing unsteady states, because the variable of reaction coordinate should be time t by its very nature. When considering the time-scale of chemical reactions for molecules, there is inherent uncertainty in the energy levels for the midway state of chemical reactions owing to the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. The states which can be accurately described by quantum mechanics exist discontinuously in chemical reactions. Such quantization of chemical reactions solves all noncrossing problems. We also show that such an essential fact leads to new concepts and theories in chemical reactions such as stable molecule, elementary reaction and minimum deformation of orbital phases. Finally, taking the regularity in organic reactions as an example, we demonstrate that FO theory and W–H theory can be unified consistently by the universally applicable "dynamic correlation diagram method."
A THEORETICAL STUDY ON THE ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTY OF GALLIC ACID AND ITS DERIVATIVES
Authors: KALITA DIPIKA , KAR RAHUL , HANDIQUE JYOTIREKHA G.
Published: April 2012

We analyze the antioxidant property of four phenolic compounds i.e., gallic acid, methyl gallate, ethyl gallate, and 4, 5-dihydroxy 3-methoxy benzoic acid through the determination of bond dissociation enthalpy (BDE), vertical ionization potential ( IPv) in gas phase as well as in six different solvent medium. The theoretical trends of these phenolic compounds, based on BDE and IP, is compared with the scavenging activity towards HOCl . In addition, we compute and analyze the values of the density-based reactivity descriptors such as chemical potential, hardness, electrophilicity, and local softness.
TIME-DEPENDENT DENSITY FUNCTIONAL THEORY STUDY ON DYNAMICS OF HYDROGEN BONDING IN EXCITED STATES OF TRANS-ACETANILIDE IN METHANOL SOLVENT
Authors: ZHANG XIAOYU , ZHANG WEIPING , MENG FANKAI
Published: April 2012

The hydrogen-bonding dynamics in both singlet and triplet excited states of the trans-acetanilide ( AA ) in methanol ( MeOH ) solvent was investigated using the time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) method. Geometric optimizations of the hydrogen-bonded AA–MeOH complexes considered here as well as the isolated AA and MeOH molecules were performed using density functional theory (DFT) method. At the same time, the TDDFT method was performed to calculate the electronic transition energies and corresponding oscillation strengths of all the compounds in the low-lying electronically excited states. In this study, only the intermolecular hydrogen bonds C=O⋯H–O and N–H⋯O–H can be formed. A theoretical forecast that changes of hydrogen bonds in the low-lying electronic excited states was proposed. We discussed not only ground-state geometric structures and electronic excitation energies but also frontier molecular orbitals and electron density transition. The intermolecular hydrogen bonds between AA and MeOH molecules play an important role in the geometric structures and electronic excitation energies. Zhao et al. have put forward the relationship between the electronic spectra and hydrogen bonding dynamics for the first time. According to Zhao's rule, a redshift of the relevant electronic spectra will appear if hydrogen bond is strengthened, while the hydrogen bond weakening can make an electronic spectra shift to blue.
THEORETICAL CALCULATION OF pKb VALUES FOR ANILINES AND SULFONAMIDE DRUGS IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION
Authors: GHALAMI-CHOOBAR BAHRAM , GHIAMI-SHOMAMI ALI , NIKPARSA PARIA
Published: April 2012

In this work, calculations of p K b values have been performed for aniline and its substituted derivatives and sulfonamide drugs by using Gaussian 98 software package. Gas-phase energies were calculated with HF /6-31 G ** and B3LYP /6-31 G ** levels of theory. Free energies of solvation have been computed using the polarizable continuum model (PCM), conductor-like polarizable continuum model (CPCM) and the integral equation formalism-polarizable continuum model (IEFPCM) at the same levels which have been used for geometry determination in the gas-phase. The results show that the calculated p K b values using the B3LYP /6-31 G ** are better than those using the corresponding HF /6-31 G **. At first, the correlation equation was found to determine the p K b values of the investigated anilines. Then, this correlation equation was used to calculate the p K b values of the sulfonamide drugs. The results obtained indicate that the PCM model is a suitable solvation model for calculating p K b values in comparison to the other solvation models. For the investigated compounds a good agreement between the experimental and the calculated p K b values was also observed.
SECURE QUANTUM CARRIERS FOR QUANTUM STATE SHARING
Authors: KARIMIPOUR VAHID , MARVIAN MILAD
Published: April 2012

We develop the concept of quantum carrier and show that messages can be uploaded and downloaded from this carrier and while in transit, these messages are hidden from external agents. We explain in detail the working of the quantum carrier for different communication tasks, including quantum key distribution, classical secret and quantum state sharing among a set of n players according to general threshold schemes. The security of the protocol is discussed and it is shown that only the legitimate subsets can retrieve the secret messages, the collaboration of all the parties is needed for the continuous running of the protocol and maintaining the carrier.
THE TOPOLOGICAL BASIS REALIZATION OF FOUR-QUBIT XXZ SPIN CHAIN
Authors: DU GUIJIAO , XUE KANG , SUN CHUNFANG , WANG GANGCHENG , ZHOU CHENGCHENG
Published: April 2012

In this paper, a set of topological basis realization is presented. By acting on the different subspaces, we obtain the new nontrivial six-dimensional (6D) and four-dimensional Temperley–Lieb matrix representations. Then it is shown that XXZ model can be constructed from the Temperley–Lieb algebra (TLA) generators. The eigenstates of XXZ model can be denoted by combinating the set of topological bases. It is interesting that the ground state is closely related to parameter Δ.
CONTROLLED DENSE CODING WITH CLUSTER STATE
Authors: HUANG GUO-QIANG , LUO CUI-LAN
Published: April 2012

Two schemes for controlled dense coding with a one-dimensional four-particle cluster state are investigated. In this protocol, the supervisor (Cliff) can control the channel and the average amount of information transmitted from the sender (Alice) to the receiver (Bob) by adjusting the local measurement angle θ. It is shown that the results for the average amounts of information are unique from the different two schemes.
QUANTUM CORRELATIONS AT FINITE TEMPERATURE
Authors: QIU LIANG
Published: April 2012

We show that, under the influence of finite temperature reservoirs, for a board class of states, Bell nonlocality always endures sudden death. Furthermore, for two states evolved from two different maximally entangled states, the larger the concurrence and quantum discord, the better the resource for dense coding. However, the more usefulness of a state for teleportation could not be owed to the larger negativity and geometric measure of discord.
HUMORAL ARTIFICIAL IMMUNE SYSTEM (HAIS) FOR SUPERVISED LEARNING
Authors: AHMAD WASEEM , NARAYANAN AJIT
Published: April 2012

Nature over millions of years has found innovative, robust and effective methods through evolution for helping organisms deal with the challenges they face when attempting to survive in hostile and uncertain environments. Two critical natural mechanisms in this evolutionary process are variation and selection, which form the basis of "evolutionary computing" (EC). EC has proved successful when dealing with complex problems, such as classification, clustering and optimization. In recent years, as our knowledge of microbiology has deepened, researchers have turned to micro-level biology for inspiration to help solve complex problems. This paper describes a novel supervised learning algorithm inspired by the humoral mediated response triggered by the adaptive immune system. The proposed algorithm uses core immune system concepts such as memory cells, plasma cells and B-cells as well as parameters and processes inspired by our knowledge of the microbiology of immune systems, such as negative clonal selection and affinity thresholds. In particular, we show how local and global similarity based measures based on affinity threshold can help to avoid over-fitting data. The novelty of the proposed algorithm is discussed in the context of existing immune system-based supervised learning algorithms. The performance of the proposed algorithm is tested on well-known benchmarked real world datasets and the results indicate performance not worse than existing techniques in most cases and improvement over previously reported results in some. The role of memory cells is highlighted as a key feature in AIS-based supervised learning that deserves further exploration and evaluation.
IDENTIFYING JUSTIFICATIONS IN WRITTEN DIALOGS BY CLASSIFYING TEXT AS ARGUMENTATIVE
Authors: BIRAN OR , RAMBOW OWEN
Published: April 2012

In written dialog, discourse participants need to justify claims they make, to convince the reader the claim is true and/or relevant to the discourse. This paper presents a new task (with an associated corpus), namely detecting such justifications. We investigate the nature of such justifications, and observe that the justifications themselves often contain discourse structure. We therefore develop a method to detect the existence of certain types of discourse relations, which helps us classify whether a segment is a justification or not. Our task is novel, and our work is novel in that it uses a large set of connectives (which we call indicators), and in that it uses a large set of discourse relations, without choosing among them.
EARTHQUAKE VIBRATION CONTROL USING SLOSHING LIQUID DAMPERS IN BUILDING STRUCTURES
Authors: SAMANTA AVIK , BANERJI PRADIPTA
Published: April 2012

Sloshing liquid dampers (SLDs), popularly known as tuned liquid dampers, are used as passive control devices for reducing structural vibrations resulting from wind and earthquake excitations in tall buildings and high-rise structures. Available research studies on these dampers mostly deal with single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) structures although tall buildings and high-rise structures are generally multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) structures. In the present investigation, effectiveness of these SLDs has been studied for MDOF building structures. Five-storied shear buildings have been considered as representative of MDOF structures. It is shown that the liquid sloshing is the most important design parameter, rather than tuning of the fundamental sloshing frequency to the structure frequency, for the liquid damper to be effective. Furthermore, the liquid damper design for multistory buildings is different from that for SDOF structures, where not only the optimal tuning ratio of the liquid damper is different, but multiple dampers located at critical locations are required for effective control of floor accelerations. Finally, it is illustrated that SLDs, if appropriately designed, can be very effective in reducing overall force, floor acceleration, and deformation responses of MDOF building structures for broad-band earthquake type base excitations.
QUICK EVALUATION OF RUNUP HEIGHT AND INUNDATION AREA FOR EARLY WARNING OF TSUNAMI
Authors: CHEN GUAN-YU , LIN CHIA-HAO , LIU CHIN-CHU
Published: April 2012

A methodology combining the offshore tsunami calculated by using numerical reciprocal Green's function (RGF) and the runup flow field calculated by using an analytical Green's function (AGF) is proposed to quickly estimate a tsunami hazard.

For a vulnerable city, the RGF is computed previously via linear shallow water equations over real bathymetry and the offshore tsunami can be obtained promptly once the initial rupture is known. A transformation from time to space is then applied to obtain an equivalent waveform. With an integral with the AGF, derived by Carrier et al. [2003] based on 1D fully nonlinear shallow water equations over a uniform constant slope, the runup flow field is calculated. Thus, besides saving computation time and reducing the memory requirement, the desired initial condition for the AGF can also be generate by RGF. In this approach, the max wave height and the inundation distance are estimated very quickly and can be applied to broadcast an early warning of tsunami.

To verify the method, data obtained during the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami from Sri Lanka and Phuket, Thailand is applied. The offshore condition is first verified by comparing with the record at Maldives. The accuracy of RGF is also tested. Then, by taking the nearshore shelf slope as the constant bottom slope for the analytical solution, the max tsunami height agrees reasonably well with the in-situ measurement. Therefore, this method is a useful tool for tsunami early warning by quickly estimating if the max wave height is higher than the seawall or the breakwater. The max inundation distance calculated by the analytic integral solution also has reasonable agreement with the field survey, but the value from the in-situ investigation scatters widely, which suggests that the detailed local topography plays an important role. A different method for the determination of the bottom slope is also tested and the result shows that the slope should be based on the bathymetry nearshore.
BOUNDED SEARCH TREE ALGORITHMS FOR PARAMETRIZED COGRAPH DELETION: EFFICIENT BRANCHING RULES BY EXPLOITING STRUCTURES OF SPECIAL GRAPH CLASSES
Authors: NASTOS JAMES , GAO YONG
Published: April 2012

Many fixed-parameter tractable algorithms using a bounded search tree have been repeatedly improved, often by describing a larger number of branching rules involving an increasingly complex case analysis. We introduce a novel and general search strategy that branches on the forbidden subgraphs of a graph class relaxation. By using the class of P4-sparse graphs as the relaxed graph class, we obtain efficient bounded search tree algorithms for several parametrized deletion problems. We give the first non-trivial bounded search tree algorithms for the cograph edge-deletion problem and the trivially perfect edge-deletion problems. For the cograph vertex deletion problem, a refined analysis of the runtime of our simple bounded search algorithm gives a faster exponential factor than those algorithms designed with the help of complicated case distinctions and non-trivial running time analysis [R. Niedermeier and P. Rossmanith, An efficient fixed-parameter algorithm for 3-hitting set, J. Discrete Algorithms1(1) (2003) 89–102] and computer-aided branching rules [J. Gramm, J. Guo, F. Hüffner and R. Niedermeier, Automated generation of search tree algorithms for hard graph modification problems, Algorithmica39(4) (2004) 321–347].
Space efficient non-constant time multi-method dispatch in object oriented systems
Authors: Harikrishnan S. , Kumar Rajeev
Published: April 2012

Multi-method dispatch in object oriented programs provides additional expressibility, readability and elegance over single dispatch languages. Optimizing multi-method dispatch is a central issue in compilers that support multi-methods. Existing constant time dispatch techniques for multi-methods keep either a lookup table or a lookup tree after compressing the same, the size of which can still be large if compression is not effective. In this paper, we propose a space efficient non-constant time technique (each method address should be computed - rather than being looked up) for multi-method dispatch with single inheritance type hierarchies. The method table containing all the multi-method signatures is the only data structure kept at run time. The table is arranged by sorting on argument position to expedite method search during dispatch. Heuristics is used during method search such that those methods which are not potential candidates are not included in the search. The proposed technique saves space significantly while the dispatch time grew higher compared to existing techniques. When multi-method counts were within practical bounds, the proposed technique was found to offer dispatch time similar to existing techniques.
Mechanisms for collaboration
Authors: Yuill Nicola , Rogers Yvonne
Published: April 2012

Multi-user interfaces are said to provide “natural” interaction in supporting collaboration, compared to individual and noncolocated technologies. We identify three mechanisms accounting for the success of such interfaces: high
awareness
of others' actions and intentions, high
control
over the interface, and high
availability of background information
. We challenge the idea that interaction over such interfaces is necessarily “natural” and argue that everyday interaction involves constraints on awareness, control, and availability. These constraints help people interact more smoothly. We draw from social developmental psychology to characterize the design of multi-user interfaces in terms of how constraints on these mechanisms can be best used to promote collaboration. We use this framework of mechanisms and constraints to explain the successes and failures of existing designs, then apply it to three case studies of design, and finally derive from them a set of questions to consider when designing and analysing multi-user interfaces for collaboration.
Conceptualizing and advancing research networking systems
Authors: Schleyer Titus , Butler Brian S. , Song Mei , Spallek Heiko
Published: April 2012

Science in general, and biomedical research in particular, is becoming more collaborative. As a result, collaboration with the right individuals, teams, and institutions is increasingly crucial for scientific progress. We propose Research Networking Systems (RNS) as a new type of system designed to help scientists identify and choose collaborators, and suggest a corresponding research agenda. The research agenda covers four areas:foundations, presentation, architecture, andevaluation. Foundations includes project-, institution- and discipline-specific motivational factors; the role of social networks; and impression formation based on information beyond expertise and interests. Presentation addresses representing expertise in a comprehensive and up-to-date manner; the role of controlled vocabularies and folksonomies; the tension between seekers' need for comprehensive information and potential collaborators' desire to control how they are seen by others; and the need to support serendipitous discovery of collaborative opportunities. Architecture considers aggregation and synthesis of information from multiple sources, social system interoperability, and integration with the user's primary work context. Lastly, evaluation focuses on assessment of collaboration decisions, measurement of user-specific costs and benefits, and how the large-scale impact of RNS could be evaluated with longitudinal and naturalistic methods. We hope that this article stimulates the human-computer interaction, computer-supported cooperative work, and related communities to pursue a broad and comprehensive agenda for developing research networking systems.
Immersive Learning for Teacher Professional Development
Authors: Burns Mary
Published: April 2012

Immersive environments, such as Multi-User Virtual Environments and virtual worlds, are increasingly being prototyped, explored and assessed as tools to help students master content, domain-specific thinking skills, and general problem-solving ad decision making skills. This article suggests that immersive environments may hold the same learning potential for teachers as for students.This article explores a few of these programs while outlining strengths and weaknesses of immersive environments as professional development mechanisms. It argues for more comprehensive examinations of immersive environments for teachers' professional learning.
CPU DB: Recording Microprocessor History
Authors: Danowitz Andrew , Kelley Kyle , Mao James , Stevenson John P. , Horowitz Mark
Published: April 2012

In November 1971, Intel introduced the world’s first single-chip microprocessor, the Intel 4004. It had 2,300 transistors, ran at a clock speed of up to 740 KHz, and delivered
60,000
instructions per second while dissipating 0.5 watts. The following four decades witnessed exponential growth in compute power, a trend that has enabled applications as diverse as climate modeling, protein folding, and computing real-time ballistic trajectories of angry birds. Today’s microprocessor chips employ billions of transistors, include multiple processor cores on a single silicon die, run at clock speeds measured in gigahertz, and deliver more than 4 million times the performance of the original 4004.
Small Molecules Greatly Improve Conversion of Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells to the Neuronal Lineage
Authors: Mak Sally K. , Huang Y. Anne , Iranmanesh Shifteh , Vangipuram Malini , Sundararajan Ramya , Nguyen Loan , Langston J. William , Schüle Birgitt
Published: April 2012

Efficientin vitrodifferentiation into specific cell types is more important than ever after the breakthrough in nuclear reprogramming of somatic cells and its potential for disease modeling and drug screening. Key success factors for neuronal differentiation are the yield of desired neuronal marker expression, reproducibility, length, and cost. Three main neuronal differentiation approaches are stromal-induced neuronal differentiation, embryoid body (EB) differentiation, and direct neuronal differentiation. Here, we describe our neurodifferentiation protocol using small molecules that very efficiently promote neural induction in a 5-stage EB protocol from six induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) lines from patients with Parkinson’s disease and controls. This protocol generates neural precursors using Dorsomorphin and SB431542 and further maturation into dopaminergic neurons by replacing sonic hedgehog with purmorphamine or smoothened agonist. The advantage of this approach is that all patient-specific iPSC lines tested in this study were successfully and consistently coaxed into the neural lineage.
Selective Autophagy inDrosophila
Authors: Nezis Ioannis P.
Published: April 2012

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved process of cellular self-eating and is a major pathway for degradation of cytoplasmic material by the lysosomal machinery. Autophagy functions as a cellular response in nutrient starvation, but it is also associated with the removal of protein aggregates and damaged organelles and therefore plays an important role in the quality control of proteins and organelles. Although it was initially believed that autophagy occurs randomly in the cell, during the last years, there is growing evidence that sequestration and degradation of cytoplasmic material by autophagy can be selective. Given the important role of autophagy and selective autophagy in several disease-related processes such as neurodegeneration, infections, and tumorigenesis, it is important to understand the molecular mechanisms of selective autophagy, especially at the organismal level.Drosophilais an excellent genetically modifiable model organism exhibiting high conservation in the autophagic machinery. However, the regulation and mechanisms of selective autophagy inDrosophilahave been largely unexplored. In this paper, I will present an overview of the current knowledge about selective autophagy inDrosophila.
RASSF1A Signaling in the Heart: Novel Functions beyond Tumor Suppression
Authors: Del Re Dominic P. , Sadoshima Junichi
Published: April 2012

The RASSF proteins are a family of polypeptides, each containing a conserved Ras association domain, suggesting that these scaffold proteins may be effectors of activated Ras or Ras-related small GTPases. RASSF proteins are characterized by their ability to inhibit cell growth and proliferation while promoting cell death. RASSF1 isoform A is an established tumor suppressor and is frequently silenced in a variety of tumors and human cancer cell lines. However, our understanding of its function in terminally differentiated cell types, such as cardiac myocytes, is relatively nascent. Herein, we review the role of RASSF1A in cardiac physiology and disease and highlight signaling pathways that mediate its function.
Development and Validation of Selective High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic Method Using Photodiode Array Detection for Estimation of Aconitine in Polyherbal Ayurvedic Taila Preparations
Authors: Dubey Nitin , Dubey Nidhi , Mehta Rajendra
Published: April 2012

A simple, sensitive, and selective high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method has been developed and validated for the analysis of aconitine in marketed ayurvedic taila (oil) formulations containing roots of Aconitum chasmanthum. Chromatography of methanolic extracts of these formulations was performed on C18 (5 μm × 25 cm × 4.6 mm i.d.) column using isocratic mobile phase consisting of (65 : 35% v/v) acetonitrile and buffer solution (aqueous 0.01 M ammonium bicarbonate buffer, adjusted to pH 9.6 using 30% ammonia solution) at a flow rate of 1 mL/min and SPD-10 AVP photodiode array (PDA) UV-Visible detector. The analytical reference, aconitine, was quantified at 238 nm. The retention time of aconitine was about 42.54 min. The linear regression analysis data for the calibration plot showed a good linear relationship with correlation coefficient of 0.9989 in the concentration range of 15 to 90 μg/mL for aconitine with respect to peak area. The limit of detection and limit of quantitation values were found to be 0.03 μg/mL and 0.1 μg/mL respectively. Repeatability of the method was found to be 0.551–1.689 RSD. Recovery values from 97.75 to 99.91% indicate excellent accuracy of the method. The developed HPLC method is accurate and precise and it can be successfully applied for the determination of aconitine in marketed ayurvedic oil formulations containing Aconitum chasmanthum.
Nuclear Localization of COX-2 in relation to the Expression of Stemness Markers in Urinary Bladder Cancer
Authors: Thanan Raynoo , Murata Mariko , Ma Ning , Hammam Olfat , Wishahi Mohamed , El Leithy Tarek , Hiraku Yusuke , Oikawa Shinji , Kawanishi Shosuke
Published: April 2012

Inflammation may activate stem cells via prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) production mediated by cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression. We performed an immunohistochemical analysis of the expression of stemness markers (Oct3/4 and CD44v6) and COX-2 in urinary bladder tissues obtained from cystitis and cancer patients with and withoutSchistosoma haematobiuminfections. Immunoreactivity to Oct3/4 was significantly higher inS. haematobium-associated cystitis and cancer tissues than in normal tissues. CD44v6 expression was significantly higher in bladder cancer withoutS. haematobiumthan in normal tissues. COX-2 was located in the cytoplasmic membrane, cytoplasm, and nucleus of the cancer cells. Interestingly, the nuclear localization of COX-2, which was reported to function as a transcription factor, was significantly associated with the upregulation of Oct3/4 and CD44v6 in bladder cancer tissues with and withoutS. haematobiuminfection, respectively. COX-2 activation may be involved in inflammation-mediated stem cell proliferation/differentiation in urinary bladder carcinogenesis.
Convergence of an Iterative Algorithm for Common Solutions for Zeros of Maximal Accretive Operator with Applications
Authors: Witthayarat Uamporn , Cho Yeol Je , Kumam Poom
Published: April 2012

The aim of this paper is to introduce an iterative algorithm for finding a common solution of the sets (0) and (0), where M is a maximal accretive operator in a Banach space and, by using the proposed algorithm, to establish some strong convergence theorems for common solutions of the two sets above in a uniformly convex and 2‐uniformly smooth Banach space. The results obtained in this paper extend and improve the corresponding results of Qin et al. 2011 from Hilbert spaces to Banach spaces and Petrot et al. 2011. Moreover, we also apply our results to some applications for solving convex feasibility problems.
Association of Climatic Factors on Population Dynamics of Leaf Roller,Diaphania pulverulentalisHampson (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in Mulberry Plantations of Sericulture Seed Farm
Authors: Rahmathulla V. K. , Kumar C. M. Kishor , Angadi B. S. , Sivaprasad V.
Published: April 2012

The production of quality mulberry leaf and subsequent production of quality silk is hampered due to the incidence of various insect pests. The present study analyses the population dynamics ofDiaphania pulverulentalis(leaf roller), a serious pest of mulberry in a sericulture seed farm. The results indicated that maximum population buildup of the pest was recorded during rainy season. High humidity coinciding with low temperature because of southwest and northeast monsoon was conducive for breeding and multiplication of the pest. Correlation studies revealed that there was a significant negative correlation between increase in temperature and pest infestation. All other weather factors recorded from the study location have a positive correlation with incidence of the pest. The regression model developed also supported the relationship between the pest population buildup and weather factors.