bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of conductive TiN buffer layer on the growth of stoichiometric VO2 films and the out-of-plane insulator–metal transition properties
Authors: Mian Md. Suruz , Okimura Kunio
Published: May 2014

A TiN buffer film is used with a conductive interfacial layer for stoichiometric vanadium dioxide (VO2) film growth, creating a layered device with a VO2 insulator–metal transition. Low-temperature growth (<250 °C) of the VO2 film on a Ti layer on a Si substrate is achieved using inductively coupled plasma-assisted sputtering. It is found that Ti diffusion and oxidation degrades the VO2 film quality at higher temperatures, but the introduction of a TiN buffer layer suppresses the degradation and enables growth of a stoichiometric VO2 film even at 400 °C. The high resistance of the VO2 film grown on the TiN layer suggests the benefit of using the intrinsic insulator–metal transition of VO2. The voltage-triggered switching properties of the layered devices are examined, and the cause of the high out-of-plane resistance in this layered structure is discussed based upon the dependence of the initial resistance as a function the electrode area.
Does Building a Greenway Promote Physical Activity Among Proximate Residents?
Authors: West Stephanie T. , Shores Kindal A.
Published: May 2014

Background:

Previous research has observed a positive correlation between having greenways or trails proximate to homes and the physical activity behaviors among residents. Few studies using a pre–post research design have been conducted, and each has pointed to the need for more rigorous studies which incorporate an appropriate control group.

Methods:

Residents from households living within 1 mile of a proposed greenway and those from a control neighborhood located between 2 and 3 miles of the proposed greenway were randomly selected to participate in the study. Participants were mailed a survey before the onset of construction and again 1 year after the trail was opened. Outcomes were the number of days during the previous week that respondents reported participating in walking, moderate activity, and vigorous activity.

Results:

Repeated measures analyses of variance indicated no significant differences between the experimental and control groups in days of walking, moderate activity, or vigorous activity before and after the greenway was constructed.

Conclusions:

Findings suggest that building a greenway did not affect the physical activity behaviors of proximate residents. Other studies should consider different trail types from a variety of settings to determine whether physical activity behavior changes may be context specific.
Gibberellin Acts Positively Then Negatively to Control Onset of Flower Formation inArabidopsis
Authors: Yamaguchi Nobutoshi , Winter Cara M. , Wu Miin-Feng , Kanno Yuri , Yamaguchi Ayako , Seo Mitsunori , Wagner Doris
Published: May 2014

One Hormone, Two Phases

The switch from vegetative growth to flowering in the plantArabidopsisinvolves two phases—inflorescence branching and flowering.Yamaguchiet al.(p.638) examined how the phytohormone gibberellin regulates each phase differently. First, gibberellin levels increase and stimulate production of key flowering factors, one of which degrades gibberellin. As gibberellin levels then fall, the next phase of flowering factors is released from gibberellin repression. By regulating inflorescence branching separately from flowering, this system determines overall seed yield.
An Internal Cure for Damaged Polymers
Authors: Zhao Zhouzhou , Arruda Ellen M.
Published: May 2014

A vascular system of microchannels delivers polymer-forming reagents that seal and repair large damaged regions.

[Also see Report by

White
et al.

]
A SWELL Channel Indeed
Authors: Mindell Joseph A.
Published: May 2014

A constituent of an elusive anion channel that maintains cellular water balance is identified.

[Also see Report by

Voss
et al.

]
Fresh Misconduct Charges Hit Dutch Social Psychology
Authors: van Kolfschooten Frank
Published: May 2014

Data in the research of Jens Förster were manipulated, a Dutch national scientific integrity panel concludes.
T Cell Costimulation Molecules CD80/86 Inhibit Osteoclast Differentiation by Inducing the IDO/Tryptophan Pathway
Authors: Bozec Aline , Zaiss Mario M. , Kagwiria Rosebeth , Voll Reinhard , Rauh Manfred , Chen Zhu , Mueller-Schmucker Sandra , Kroczek Richard A. , Heinzerling Lucie , Moser Muriel , Mellor Andrew L. , David Jean-Pierre , Schett Georg
Published: May 2014

Costimulatory molecules CD80/CD86 suppress osteoclast differentiation by inducing indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase.
Neutralizing the MERS Coronavirus Threat
Authors: Haagmans Bart L. , M. E. Osterhaus Albert D.
Published: May 2014

Human neutralizing monoclonal antibodies are candidates for prophylactic and therapeutic interventions against Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection.
Obesity Paves the Highway for Colon Cancer
Authors: Beaven Simon W.
Published: May 2014

Obesity “resets” enhancers of gene expression in the colon epithelium, affecting signaling pathways that initiate and promote colon cancer.
How to Build a Better Bone Tumor
Authors: Spiller Kara L.
Published: May 2014

Cancer cells behave more like native tumors when they are cultured in a tissue-engineered construct designed to recapitulate important aspects of the tumor microenvironment.
Pertussis Toxin Improves Immune Responses to a Combined Pneumococcal Antigen and Leads to Enhanced Protection against Streptococcus pneumoniae
Authors: Salcedo-Rivillas Carolina , Debrie Anne-Sophie , Miyaji Eliane Namie , Ferreira Jorge M. C. , Raw Isaías , Locht Camille , Ho Paulo L. , Mielcarek Nathalie , Oliveira Maria Leonor S.
Published: May 2014

Pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) is a candidate antigen for the composition of protein-based vaccines againstStreptococcus pneumoniae. While searching for efficient adjuvants for PspA-based vaccines, our group has described the potential of combining PspA with the whole-cell pertussis vaccine (wP). When given to mice through the nasal route, a formulation composed of PspA from clade 5 (PspA5) and wP (PspA5-wP) induced high levels of antibodies and protection against challenges with different pneumococcal strains. PspA5-wP also induced the secretion of interleukin 17 (IL-17) by splenocytes and the infiltration of leukocytes in the lungs after challenge. Here, we show that protection against a pneumococcal invasive challenge was completely abrogated in μMT−/−mice, which are deficient in the maturation of B cells, illustrating the importance of antibodies in the survival elicited by the PspA5-wP vaccine. Moreover, passive immunization showed that IgG purified from the sera of mice immunized with PspA5-wP conferred significant protection to naive mice, whereas the respective F(ab′)2did not. Additionally,in vivodepletion of complement abolished protection against the pneumococcal challenge. The combination of PspA5 with wild-type or mutantBordetella pertussisstrains or with purified components showed that the pertussis toxin (PT)-containing formulations induced the highest levels of antibodies and protection. This suggests that the adjuvant activity of wP in the PspA5 model is mediated at least in part by PT. The sera from mice immunized with such formulations displayed high IgG binding and induction of complement deposition on the pneumococcal surfacein vitro, which is consistent with thein vivoresults.
Mapping of Epitopes Recognized by Antibodies Induced by Immunization of Mice with PspA and PspC
Authors: Vadesilho Cintia F. M. , Ferreira Daniela M. , Gordon Stephen B. , Briles David E. , Moreno Adriana T. , Oliveira Maria Leonor S. , Ho Paulo L. , Miyaji Eliane N.
Published: May 2014

Pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) and pneumococcal surface protein C (PspC) are important candidates for an alternative vaccine against pneumococcal infections. Since these antigens show variability, the use of variants that do not afford broad protection may lead to the selection of vaccine escape bacteria. Epitopes capable of inducing antibodies with broad cross-reactivities should thus be the preferred antigens. In this work, experiments using peptide arrays show that most linear epitopes recognized by antibodies induced in mice against different PspAs were located at the initial 44 amino acids of the mature protein and that antibodies against these linear epitopes did not confer protection against a lethal challenge. Conversely, linear epitopes recognized by antibodies to PspC included the consensus sequences involved in the interaction with human factor H and secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA). Since linear epitopes of PspA were not protective, larger overlapping fragments containing 100 amino acids of PspA of strain Rx1 were constructed (fragments 1 to 7, numbered from the N terminus) to permit the mapping of antibodies with conformational epitopes not represented in the peptide arrays. Antibodies from mice immunized with fragments 1, 2, 4, and 5 were capable of binding onto the surface of pneumococci and mediating protection against a lethal challenge. The fact that immunization of mice with 100-amino-acid fragments located at the more conserved N-terminal region of PspA (fragments 1 and 2) induced protection against a pneumococcal challenge indicates that the induction of antibodies against conformational epitopes present at this region may be important in strategies for inducing broad protection against pneumococci.
Prospective Cross-Sectional Evaluation of the Small Membrane Filtration Method for Diagnosis of Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Authors: Jones-López Edward , Manabe Yukari C. , Palaci Moises , Kayiza Carol , Armstrong Derek , Nakiyingi Lydia , Ssengooba Willy , Gaeddert Mary , Kubiak Rachel , Almeida Júnior Pedro , Alland David , Dietze Reynaldo , Joloba Moses , Ellner Jerrold J. , Dorman Susan E.
Published: May 2014

Smear microscopy has suboptimal sensitivity, and there is a need to improve its performance since it is commonly used to diagnose tuberculosis (TB). We prospectively evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of the
s
mall
m
embrane
f
iltration (SMF) method, an approach that uses a vacuum manifold and is designed to concentrate bacilli onto a filter that can be examined microscopically. We enrolled hospitalized adults suspected to have pulmonary TB in Kampala, Uganda. We obtained a clinical history and three spontaneously expectorated sputum specimens for smear microscopy (direct, concentrated, and SMF), MGIT (mycobacterial growth indicator tube) 960 and Lowenstein-Jensen (LJ) cultures, and Xpert MTB/RIF testing. We performed per-specimen (primary) and per-patient analyses. From October 2012 to June 2013, we enrolled 212 patients (579 sputum specimens). The participants were mostly female (63.2%), and 81.6% were HIV infected; their median CD4 cell count was 47 cells/μl. Overall, 19.0%, 20.4%, 27.1%, 25.2%, and 25.9% of specimens tested positive by direct smear, concentrated smear, MGIT culture, LJ culture, and Xpert test, respectively. In the per-specimen analysis, the sensitivity of the SMF method (48.5%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 37.4 to 59.6) was lower than those of direct smear (60.9%; 51.4 to 70.5 [
P
= 0.0001]) and concentrated smear (63.3%; 53.6 to 73.1 [
P
< 0.0001]). Subgroup analyses showed that SMF performed poorly in specimens having a low volume or low bacterial load. The SMF method performed poorly compared to standard smear techniques and was sensitive to sample preparation techniques. The optimal laboratory SMF protocol may require striking a fine balance between sample dilution and filtration failure rate.
African Green Monkeys Recapitulate the Clinical Experience with Replication of Live Attenuated Pandemic Influenza Virus Vaccine Candidates
Authors: Matsuoka Yumiko , Suguitan Amorsolo , Orandle Marlene , Paskel Myeisha , Boonnak Kobporn , Gardner Donald J. , Feldmann Friederike , Feldmann Heinz , Marino Michael , Jin Hong , Kemble George , Subbarao Kanta
Published: May 2014

Live attenuated cold-adapted (
ca
) H5N1, H7N3, H6N1, and H9N2 influenza vaccine viruses replicated in the respiratory tract of mice and ferrets, and 2 doses of vaccines were immunogenic and protected these animals from challenge infection with homologous and heterologous wild-type (
wt
) viruses of the corresponding subtypes. However, when these vaccine candidates were evaluated in phase I clinical trials, there were inconsistencies between the observations in animal models and in humans. The vaccine viruses did not replicate well and immune responses were variable in humans, even though the study subjects were seronegative with respect to the vaccine viruses before vaccination. Therefore, we sought a model that would better reflect the findings in humans and evaluated African green monkeys (AGMs) as a nonhuman primate model. The distribution of sialic acid (SA) receptors in the respiratory tract of AGMs was similar to that in humans. We evaluated the replication of
wt
and
ca
viruses of avian influenza (AI) virus subtypes H5N1, H6N1, H7N3, and H9N2 in the respiratory tract of AGMs. All of the
wt
viruses replicated efficiently, while replication of the
ca
vaccine viruses was restricted to the upper respiratory tract. Interestingly, the patterns and sites of virus replication differed among the different subtypes. We also evaluated the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of H5N1, H6N1, H7N3, and H9N2
ca
vaccines. Protection from
wt
virus challenge correlated well with the level of serum neutralizing antibodies. Immune responses were slightly better when vaccine was delivered by both intranasal and intratracheal delivery than when it was delivered intranasally by sprayer. We conclude that live attenuated pandemic influenza virus vaccines replicate similarly in AGMs and human subjects and that AGMs may be a useful model to evaluate the replication of
ca
vaccine candidates.

IMPORTANCE
Ferrets and mice are commonly used for preclinical evaluation of influenza vaccines. However, we observed significant inconsistencies between observations in humans and in these animal models. We used African green monkeys (AGMs) as a nonhuman primate (NHP) model for a comprehensive and comparative evaluation of pairs of wild-type and pandemic live attenuated influenza virus vaccines (pLAIV) representing four subtypes of avian influenza viruses and found that pLAIVs replicate similarly in AGMs and humans and that AGMs can be useful for evaluation of the protective efficacy of pLAIV.
Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Protein Kinase US3 Hyperphosphorylates p65/RelA and Dampens NF-κB Activation
Authors: Wang Kezhen , Ni Liwen , Wang Shuai , Zheng Chunfu
Published: May 2014

Nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) plays important roles in innate immune responses by regulating the expression of a large number of target genes involved in the immune and inflammatory response, apoptosis, cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. To survive in the host cells, viruses have evolved multiple strategies to evade and subvert the host immune response. Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) bears a large DNA genome, with the capacity to encode many different viral proteins to counteract the host immune responses. In the present study, we demonstrated that HSV-1 protein kinase US3 significantly inhibited NF-κB activation and decreased the expression of inflammatory chemokine interleukin-8 (IL-8). US3 was also shown to hyperphosphorylate p65 at serine 75 and block its nuclear translocation. Two US3 mutants, K220M and D305A, still interacted with p65; however, they could not hyperphosphorylate p65, indicating that the kinase activity of US3 was indispensable for the function. The attenuation of NF-κB activation by HSV-1 US3 protein kinase may represent a critical adaptation to enable virus persistence within the host.

IMPORTANCE
This study demonstrated that HSV-1 protein kinase US3 significantly inhibited NF-κB activation and decreased the expression of inflammatory chemokine interleukin-8 (IL-8). US3 hyperphosphorylated p65 at serine 75 to inhibit NF-κB activation. The kinase activity of US3 was indispensable for its hyperphosphorylation of p65 and abrogation of the nuclear translocation of p65. The present study elaborated a novel mechanism of HSV-1 US3 to evade the host innate immunity.
Within-Host Evolution of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Reveals Adaptation toward Iron Acquisition from Hemoglobin
Authors: Marvig Rasmus Lykke , Damkiær Søren , Khademi S. M. Hossein , Markussen Trine M. , Molin Søren , Jelsbak Lars
Published: May 2014

Pseudomonas aeruginosa
airway infections are a major cause of mortality and morbidity of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. In order to persist,
P. aeruginosa
depends on acquiring iron from its host, and multiple different iron acquisition systems may be active during infection. This includes the pyoverdine siderophore and the
Pseudomonas
heme utilization (
phu
) system. While the regulation and mechanisms of several iron-scavenging systems are well described, it is not clear whether such systems are targets for selection during adaptation of
P. aeruginosa
to the host environment. Here we investigated the within-host evolution of the transmissible
P. aeruginosa
DK2 lineage. We found positive selection for promoter mutations leading to increased expression of the
phu
system. By mimicking conditions of the CF airways
in vitro
, we experimentally demonstrate that increased expression of
phuR
confers a growth advantage in the presence of hemoglobin, thus suggesting that
P. aeruginosa
evolves toward iron acquisition from hemoglobin. To rule out that this adaptive trait is specific to the DK2 lineage, we inspected the genomes of additional
P. aeruginosa
lineages isolated from CF airways and found similar adaptive evolution in two distinct lineages (DK1 and PA clone C). Furthermore, in all three lineages,
phuR
promoter mutations coincided with the loss of pyoverdine production, suggesting that within-host adaptation toward heme utilization is triggered by the loss of pyoverdine production. Targeting heme utilization might therefore be a promising strategy for the treatment of
P. aeruginosa
infections in CF patients.

IMPORTANCE
Most bacterial pathogens depend on scavenging iron within their hosts, which makes the battle for iron between pathogens and hosts a hallmark of infection. Accordingly, the ability of the opportunistic pathogen
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
to cause chronic infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients also depends on iron-scavenging systems. While the regulation and mechanisms of several such iron-scavenging systems have been well described, not much is known about how the within-host selection pressures act on the pathogens’ ability to acquire iron. Here, we investigated the within-host evolution of
P. aeruginosa
, and we found evidence that
P. aeruginosa
during long-term infections evolves toward iron acquisition from hemoglobin. This adaptive strategy might be due to a selective loss of other iron-scavenging mechanisms and/or an increase in the availability of hemoglobin at the site of infection. This information is relevant to the design of novel CF therapeutics and the development of models of chronic CF infections.
Simulation-based training improves ITU staff knowledge in the management of head injuries.
Authors: Smith Matthew , jankowski stefan
Published: May 2014

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) in the polytrauma situation is a phenomenon often seen at UK hospitals. Without immediate access to dedicated neurocritical care facilities, the potential for under-treatment of the underlying brain injury and serious neurological sequalae is high, especially if staff on the general intensive care units on which these patients are treated lack confidence in this area of practice, a reality confirmed by our baseline study.

We found that by engaging staff by implementing a regular simulation-based team training programme, we were able to boost the skills, knowledge, and ultimately confidence levels in treating TBI amongst these groups of staff. "Buy-in" by those concerned was high, and we found that self-reported scores for the attributes described above were improved considerably and consistently by our intervention. This quality improvement project has been rolled out through several iterations to become sustainable, has significant cost-saving potential, and will hopefully lead to proven improved clinical outcomes for this group of patients.
Bounce universe induced by an inhomogeneous dark fluid coupled with dark matter
Authors: Brevik I. , Obukhov V. V. , Timoshkin A. V.
Published: May 2014

We investigate cosmological models with a linear inhomogeneous time-dependent equation-of-state (EoS) for the dark energy, coupled with dark matter, leading to a bounce cosmology. Equivalent descriptions in terms of the EoS parameters for an exponential, a power-law, or a double exponential form of the scale factor a is obtained. The stability of the solutions is explored, by considering small perturbations around the critical points for the bounce in the early and in the late-time universe.
On Schwinger's formula for pair production
Authors: Dittrich W.
Published: May 2014

We present some comments on Schwingers's calculation of electron–positron production in a prescribed constant electric field. The range of validity of 2 Im ℒ(1)(E) is discussed thoroughly and limiting cases are provided.
Neutrino mixing with nonzero θ13 in Zee–Babu model
Authors: Long Hoang Ngoc , Vien Vo Van
Published: May 2014

The exact solution for the neutrino mass matrix of the Zee–Babu model is derived. Tribimaximal mixing imposes conditions on the Yukawa couplings, from which the normal mass hierarchy is preferred. The derived conditions give a possibility of Majorana maximal CP violation in the neutrino sector. We have shown that nonzero θ13 is generated if Yukawa couplings between leptons almost equal to each other. The model gives some regions of the parameters where neutrino mixing angles and the normal neutrino mass hierarchy obtained are consistent with the recent experimental data.
A proposal for the origin of the anomalous magnetic moment
Authors: Novello M. , Bittencourt E.
Published: May 2014

We investigate a new form of contribution for the anomalous magnetic moment of all particles. This common origin is displayed in the framework of a recent treatment of electrodynamics that is based on the introduction of an electromagnetic metric which has no gravitational character. This effective metric constitutes a universal pure electromagnetic process perceived by all bodies, charged or not charged. As a consequence, it yields a complementary explanation for the existence of anomalous magnetic moment for charged particles and even for noncharged ones like neutrinos.
ANALYSIS OF MULTI-STAGE AND MULTI-RATE IIR SC DECIMATORS USING ISCMRATE
Authors: CHEONG NGAI
Published: May 2014

This paper describes an analysis of multi-stage and multi-rate IIR switched capacitor (SC) decimators using an interactive switched capacitor multi-rate compiler (ISCMRATE). Motivated by the experimental observations, the purpose of this paper is to explore a portion of characteristics for the multi-stage IIR SC decimators, with their implications in the context of a complete IIR SC filter.

To overcome the limitations of conventional multi-stage IIR SC decimators, a novel solution has been introduced for the implementation of a multi-stage IIR SC circuit. Based on the statistical approach of the compiler, we provide the comparative analysis for different IIR SC decimators, including total capacitor area, capacitance spread and arbitrary anti-aliasing amplitude responses with a decimating factor in single and multi-stage building blocks. Examples are given to illustrate the practical feasibility of this compiler.
Generation of sub-Poissonian non-Gaussian states from multimode twin beams by photon-number-resolving detectors
Authors: Lamperti Marco , Allevi Alessia , Bondani Maria , Machulka Radek , Michálek Václav , Haderka Ondřej , Peřina Jan
Published: May 2014

We generate sub-Poissonian non-Gaussian conditional states from pulsed multimode twin beams (TWBs) by measuring with photon-number-resolving detectors. Links among twin-beam non-classicality and the properties of the conditional states are discussed.
Dark matter annihilation in the universe
Authors: Salati Pierre
Published: May 2014

The astronomical dark matter is an essential component of the Universe and yet its nature is still unresolved. It could be made of neutral and massive elementary particles which are their own antimatter partners. These dark matter species undergo mutual annihilations whose effects are briefly reviewed in this article. Dark matter annihilation plays a key role at early times as it sets the relic abundance of the particles once they have decoupled from the primordial plasma. A weak annihilation cross section naturally leads to a cosmological abundance in agreement with observations. Dark matter species subsequently annihilate — or decay — during Big Bang nucleosynthesis and could play havoc with the light element abundances unless they offer a possible solution to the 7 Li problem. They could also reionize the intergalactic medium after recombination and leave visible imprints in the cosmic microwave background. But one of the most exciting aspects of the question lies in the possibility to indirectly detect the dark matter species through the rare antimatter particles — antiprotons, positrons and antideuterons — which they produce as they currently annihilate inside the galactic halo. Finally, the effects of dark matter annihilation on stars is discussed.
Safety and Liveness, Weakness and Strength, and the Underlying Topological Relations
Authors: Eisner Cindy , Fisman Dana , Havlicek John
Published: May 2014

We present a characterization that shows what it means for a formula to be a weak or strong version of another formula. We show that the weak version of a formula is not the same as Alpern and Schneider's safety component, but can be achieved by taking the closure in the Cantor topology over an augmented alphabet in which every formula is satisfiable. The resulting characterization allows us to show that the set of semantically weak formulas is exactly the set of nonpathological safety formulas. Furthermore, we use the characterization to show that the original versions of the
ieee
standard temporal logics
psl
and
sva
are broken, and we show that the source of the problem lies in the semantics of the
sere
intersection and fusion operators. Finally, we use the topological characterization to show the internal consistency of the alternative semantics adopted by the latest version of the
psl
standard.
Confidence Intervals for Quantiles Using Sectioning When Applying Variance-Reduction Techniques
Authors: Nakayama Marvin K.
Published: May 2014

We develop confidence intervals (CIs) for quantiles when applying variance-reduction techniques (VRTs) and sectioning. Similar to batching, sectioning partitions the independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) outputs into nonoverlapping batches and computes a quantile estimator from each batch. But rather than centering the CI at the average of the quantile estimators across the batches, as in batching, sectioning centers the CI at the overall quantile estimator based on all the outputs. A similar modification is made to the sample variance, which is used to determine the width of the CI. We establish the asymptotic validity of the sectioning CI for importance sampling and control variates, and the proofs rely on first showing that the corresponding quantile estimators satisfy a Bahadur representation, which we have done in prior work. Here, we present some numerical results.
Symbolic Bisimulation for Quantum Processes
Authors: Feng Yuan , Deng Yuxin , Ying Mingsheng
Published: May 2014

With the previous notions of bisimulation presented in the literature, to check if two quantum processes are bisimilar, we have to instantiate their free quantum variables with arbitrary quantum states, and verify the bisimilarity of the resulting configurations. This makes checking bisimilarity infeasible from an algorithmic point of view, because quantum states constitute a continuum. In this article, we introduce a
symbolic
operational semantics for quantum processes directly at the quantum operation level, which allows us to describe the bisimulation between quantum processes without resorting to quantum states. We show that the symbolic bisimulation defined here is equivalent to the open bisimulation for quantum processes in previous work, when strong bisimulations are considered. An algorithm for checking symbolic ground bisimilarity is presented. We also give a modal characterisation for quantum bisimilarity based on an extension of Hennessy-Milner logic to quantum processes.
Mitochondria: a possible nexus for the regulation of energy homeostasis by the endocannabinoid system?
Authors: Lipina Christopher , Irving Andrew J. , Hundal Harinder S.
Published: May 2014

The endocannabinoid system (ECS) regulates numerous cellular and physiological processes through the activation of receptors targeted by endogenously produced ligands called endocannabinoids. Importantly, this signaling system is known to play an important role in modulating energy balance and glucose homeostasis. For example, current evidence indicates that the ECS becomes overactive during obesity whereby its central and peripheral stimulation drives metabolic processes that mimic the metabolic syndrome. Herein, we examine the role of the ECS in modulating the function of mitochondria, which play a pivotal role in maintaining cellular and systemic energy homeostasis, in large part due to their ability to tightly coordinate glucose and lipid utilization. Because of this, mitochondrial dysfunction is often associated with peripheral insulin resistance and glucose intolerance as well as the manifestation of excess lipid accumulation in the obese state. This review aims to highlight the different ways through which the ECS may impact upon mitochondrial abundance and/or oxidative capacity and, where possible, relate these findings to obesity-induced perturbations in metabolic function. Furthermore, we explore the potential implications of these findings in terms of the pathogenesis of metabolic disorders and how these may be used to strategically develop therapies targeting the ECS.
Dysfunction of the PGC-1α-mitochondria axis confers adriamycin-induced podocyte injury
Authors: Zhu Chunhua , Xuan Xiaoyan , Che Ruochen , Ding Guixia , Zhao Min , Bai Mi , Jia Zhanjun , Huang Songming , Zhang Aihua
Published: May 2014

Adriamycin (ADR)-induced nephropathy in animals is an experimental analog of human focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, which presents as severe podocyte injury and massive proteinuria and has a poorly understood mechanism. The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator (PGC)-1α-mitochondria axis is involved in ADR-induced podocyte injury. Using MPC5 immortalized mouse podocytes, ADR dose dependently induced downregulation of nephrin and podocin, cell apoptosis, and mitochondrial dysfunction based on the increase in mitochondrial ROS production, decrease in mitochondrial DNA copy number, and reduction of mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP content. Moreover, ADR treatment also remarkably reduced the expression of PGC-1α, an important regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis and function, in podocytes. Strikingly, PGC-1α overexpression markedly attenuated mitochondrial dysfunction, the reduction of nephrin and podocin, and the apoptotic response in podocytes after ADR treatment. Moreover, downregulation of PGC-1α and mitochondria disruption in podocytes were also observed in rat kidneys with ADR administration, suggesting that the PGC-1α-mitochondria axis is relevant to in vivo ADR-induced podocyte damage. Taken together, these novel findings suggest that dysfunction of the PGC-1α-mitochondria axis is highly involved in ADR-induced podocyte injury. Targeting PGC-1α may be a novel strategy for the treatment of ADR nephropathy and human focal segmental glomerulosclerosis.
Advanced methods for the analysis of chromatin-associated proteins
Authors: Guillen-Ahlers Hector , Shortreed Michael R. , Smith Lloyd M. , Olivier Michael
Published: May 2014

DNA-protein interactions are central to gene expression and chromatin regulation and have become one of the main focus areas of the ENCODE consortium. Advances in mass spectrometry and associated technologies have facilitated studies of these interactions, revealing many novel DNA-interacting proteins and histone posttranslational modifications. Proteins interacting at a single locus or at multiple loci have been targeted in these recent studies, each requiring a separate analytical strategy for isolation and analysis of DNA-protein interactions. The enrichment of target chromatin fractions occurs via a number of methods including immunoprecipitation, affinity purification, and hybridization, with the shared goal of using proteomics approaches as the final readout. The result of this is a number of exciting new tools, with distinct strengths and limitations that can enable highly robust and novel chromatin studies when applied appropriately. The present review compares and contrasts these methods to help the reader distinguish the advantages of each approach.
Exponential Stabilization of Impulsive Switched Systems with Time Delays Using Guaranteed Cost Control
Authors: Xie Xiang , Xu Honglei , Zhang Rong
Published: May 2014

This paper investigates the stabilization problem for impulsive switched systems with time delays. First, exponential stability criteria of the delayed impulsive switched systems are established by use of the Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional method. Based on these results, sufficient conditions for the existence of a guaranteed cost control are also given. Subject to these sufficient conditions, the closed-loop impulsive switched system under the guaranteed cost control law will be exponentially stable with a guaranteed cost value.
Hydrothermal Synthesis, Characterization, and Visible Light‐Driven Photocatalytic Properties of Bi2WO6 Nanoplates
Authors: Phuruangrat Anukorn , Dumrongrojthanath Phattranit , Ekthammathat Nuengruethai , Thongtem Somchai , Thongtem Titipun
Published: May 2014

In this research, the effects on reaction temperature and length of time on Bi2WO6 nanoplates by hydrothermal synthesis on morphologies and photocatalytic properties were studied. The products obtained at different reaction temperature and reaction time were characterized by XRD, Raman, FTIR, SEM, and TEM techniques. The photocatalytic properties of the samples were measured by decomposing the rhodamine‐B organic dye. XRD pattern was specified as pure orthorhombic well‐crystallized Bi2WO6 phase for the 180°C and 20 h synthesis. Its FTIR spectrum shows main absorption bands at 400–1000 cm−1, assigned to Bi–O stretching, W–O stretching, and W–O–W bridging stretching modes. SEM and TEM analyses show that the product was composed of nanoplates. Photocatalytic activity of Bi2WO6 nanoplates shows the 98.24% degradation of rhodamine‐B under the Xe light irradiation within 100 min.
Two Faces of TGF-Beta1 in Breast Cancer
Authors: Zarzynska Joanna Magdalena
Published: May 2014

Breast cancer (BC) is potentially life-threatening malignancy that still causes high mortality among women. Scientific research in this field is focused on deeper understanding of pathogenesis and progressing of BC, in order to develop relevant diagnosis and improve therapeutic treatment. Multifunctional cytokine TGF-β1 is one of many factors that have a direct influence on BC pathophysiology. Expression of TGF-β1, induction of canonical and noncanonical signaling pathways, and mutations in genes encoding TGF-β1 and its receptors are correlated with oncogenic activity of this cytokine. In early stages of BC this cytokine inhibits epithelial cell cycle progression and promotes apoptosis, showing tumor suppressive effects. However, in late stages, TGF-β1 is linked with increased tumor progression, higher cell motility, cancer invasiveness, and metastasis. It is also involved in cancer microenvironment modification and promotion of epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). This review summarizes the current knowledge on the phenomenon called “TGF-β1 paradox”, showing that better understanding of TGF-β1 functions can be a step towards development of new therapeutic approaches. According to current knowledge several drugs against TGF-β1 have been developed and are either in nonclinical or in early stages of clinical investigation.
Effects of ADC Nonlinearity on the Spurious Dynamic Range Performance of Compressed Sensing
Authors: Kang Rongzong , Tian Pengwu , Yu Hongyi
Published: May 2014

Analog-to-information converter (AIC) plays an important role in the compressed sensing system; it has the potential to significantly extend the capabilities of conventional analog-to-digital converter. This paper evaluates the impact of AIC nonlinearity on the dynamic performance in practical compressed sensing system, which included the nonlinearity introduced by quantization as well as the circuit non-ideality. It presents intuitive yet quantitative insights into the harmonics of quantization output of AIC, and the effect of other AIC nonlinearity on the spurious dynamic range (SFDR) performance is also analyzed. The analysis and simulation results demonstrated that, compared with conventional ADC-based system, the measurement process decorrelates the input signal and the quantization error and alleviate the effect of other decorrelates of AIC, which results in a dramatic increase in spurious free dynamic range (SFDR).
High-Density Polyethylene Composites Filled with Nanosilica Containing Immobilized Nanosilver or Nanocopper: Thermal, Mechanical, and Bactericidal Properties and Morphology and Interphase Characterization
Authors: Jeziórska Regina , Zielecka Maria , Gutarowska Beata , Żakowska Zofia
Published: May 2014

Silica containing immobilized nanosilver (Ag-SiO2) or nanocopper (Cu-SiO2) was used as a filler for high-density polyethylene (HDPE). The HDPE/Ag-SiO2and HDPE/Cu-SiO2composites were prepared by melt blending and injection molding. The microstructure of the composites was examined using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The crystallization behavior and thermal properties were studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TGA). The mechanical properties were characterized by tensile, flexural, and impact tests as well as dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA). The ability of silica to give antimicrobial activity to HDPE was also investigated and discussed. The TEM images indicate that Ag-SiO2show lower degree of agglomeration than Cu-SiO2nanoparticles. The crystallization temperature increased, whereas crystallinity decreased in the composites. The thermal stability of the composites was significantly better compared to HDPE. Improved stiffness indicating very good interfacial adhesion was observed. Excellent activity against different kinds of bacteria was found.
Research Progress and Perspectives of Nitrogen Fixing Bacterium,Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus, in Monocot Plants
Authors: Eskin N. , Vessey K. , Tian L.
Published: May 2014

Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicusis a nitrogen fixing bacterium originally found in monocotyledon sugarcane plants in which the bacterium actively fixes atmosphere nitrogen and provides significant amounts of nitrogen to plants. This bacterium mainly colonizes intercellular spaces within the roots and stems of plants and does not require the formation of the complex root organ like nodule. The bacterium is less plant/crop specific and indeedG. diazotrophicushas been found in a number of unrelated plant species. Importantly, as the bacterium was of monocot plant origin, there exists a possibility that the nitrogen fixation feature of the bacterium may be used in many other monocot crops. This paper reviews and updates the research progress ofG. diazotrophicusfor the past 25 years but focuses on the recent research development.
A Transformation Method for Solving Conservative Nonlinear Two‐Degree‐of‐Freedom Systems
Authors: Elías-Zúñiga Alex , Olvera Trejo Daniel , Ferrer Real Inés , Martínez-Romero Oscar
Published: May 2014

A nonlinear transformation approach based on a cubication method is developed to obtain the equivalent representation form of conservative two‐degree‐of‐freedom nonlinear oscillators. It is shown that this procedure leads to equivalent nonlinear equations that describe well
the numerical integration solutions of the original equations of motion.
Association ofHelicobacter pyloriInfection with Glycemic Control in Patients with Diabetes: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Horikawa Chika , Kodama Satoru , Fujihara Kazuya , Yachi Yoko , Tanaka Shiro , Suzuki Akiko , Hanyu Osamu , Shimano Hitoshi , Sone Hirohito
Published: May 2014

Objective. To assess the association betweenHelicobacter pylori(HP) infection and glycemic control in patients with diabetes through a meta-analytic approach.Research Design and Methods. Electronic literature searches were conducted for cross-sectional studies that examined the hemoglobin A1c (A1C) level by whether patients with diabetes were or were not carriers of HP. Mean differences in A1C between groups with and without HP infection were pooled with a random-effects model.Results. Thirteen eligible studies were included in this meta-analysis. Overall, the HP carriers did not have significantly higher A1C levels compared with HP noncarriers (mean difference (95% CI), 0.19% (−0.18 to 0.46),P = 0.16). When the analysis was limited to studies targeting patients with type 1 diabetes, there was also no significant difference in A1C (0.69% (−0.31 to 1.68),P = 0.18).Conclusions. There was insufficient evidence that HP infection worsened glycemic control in patients with diabetes.
Fenugreek Prevents the Development of STZ‐Induced Diabetic Nephropathy in a Rat Model of Diabetes
Authors: Jin Yingli , Shi Yan , Zou Yinggang , Miao Chunsheng , Sun Bo , Li Cai
Published: May 2014

The present study aims to examine the protective effect of fenugreek and the underlying mechanism against the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN) in streptozotocin‐ (STZ‐) induced diabetic rats. A rat model of diabetes was successfully established by direct injection of STZ and then the rats were administered an interventional treatment of fenugreek. Parameters of renal function, including blood glucose, albuminuria, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), dimethyl formamide (DMF), blood urine nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (Scr), and kidney index (KI), were detected in the three groups (Con, DN, and DF). Oxidative stress was determined by the activity of antioxidase. Extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation and other morphological alterations were evaluated by means of immunohistochemistry and electron microscope. Quantitive (q)PCR was employed to detect the mRNA expression of transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1) and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) and protein expression was determined with western blot analysis. DN rats in the present study demonstrated a significant renal dysfunction, ECM accumulation, pathological alteration, and oxidative stress, while the symptoms were
evidently reduced by fenugreek treatment. Furthermore, the upregulation of TGF‐β1 and CTGF at a transcriptional and translational level in DN rats was distinctly inhibited by fenugreek. Consequently, fenugreek prevents DN development in a STZ‐induced diabetic rat model.
Intuitionistic Fuzzy Soft Rough Set and Its Application in Decision Making
Authors: Zhang Haidong , Shu Lan , Liao Shilong
Published: May 2014

The soft set theory, originally proposed by Molodtsov, can be used as a general mathematical tool for dealing with uncertainty. In this paper, we present concepts of soft rough intuitionistic fuzzy sets and intuitionistic fuzzy soft rough sets, and investigate some properties of soft rough intuitionistic fuzzy sets and intuitionistic fuzzy soft rough sets in detail. Furthermore, classical representations of intuitionistic fuzzy soft rough approximation operators are presented. Finally, we develop an approach to intuitionistic fuzzy soft rough sets based on decision making and a numerical example is provided to illustrate the developed approach.
The Lattice‐Valued Turing Machines and the Lattice‐Valued Type 0 Grammars
Authors: Tang Juan , Fang Yong , Tang Jian-Gang
Published: May 2014

Purpose. The purpose of this paper is to study a class of the natural languages called the lattice‐valued phrase structure languages, which can be generated by the lattice‐valued type 0 grammars and recognized by the lattice‐valued Turing machines. Design/Methodology/Approach. From the characteristic of natural language, this paper puts forward a new concept of the l‐valued Turing machine. It can be used to characterize recognition, natural language processing, and dynamic characteristics. Findings. The mechanisms of both the generation of grammars for the lattice‐valued type 0 grammar and the dynamic transformation of the lattice‐valued Turing machines were given. Originality/Value. This paper gives a new approach to study a class of natural languages by using lattice‐valued logic theory.
State Estimation for Wireless Network Control System with Stochastic Uncertainty and Time Delay Based on Sliding Mode Observer
Authors: Guo Pengfei , Zhang Jie , Karimi Hamid Reza , Liu Yurong , Lyu Ming , Bo Yuming
Published: May 2014

State estimation problem is considered for a kind of wireless network control system with stochastic uncertainty and time delay. A sliding mode observer is designed for the system under the situation that no missing measurement occurs and system uncertainty happens in a stochastic way. The observer designed for the system can guarantee the system states will be driven onto the sliding surface under control law, and the sliding motion of system states on sliding surface will be stable. By constructing proper Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional, sufficient conditions are acquired via linear matrix inequality. Finally, simulation result is employed to show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Spectroscopic Characterization of Stability and Interaction of Pd-Ag Complexes
Authors: Lande Sharad V. , Sharma Nagesh , Kumar Ajay , Jasra Raksh Vir
Published: May 2014

Colloidal metal nanoparticles are of great interest because of their use as catalysts, photocatalysts, adsorbents, and sensors as well as their application in optical, electronic, and magnetic devices. Supported bimetallic systems represent a large part of heterogeneous catalysts which have been used in various reactions important in the chemical, petrochemical, and oil industry. Pd-Ag bimetallic nanocatalysts have become vitally important in some of the petrochemical industry’s processes like hydrogenation of C2–C5 olefins. A heat-treatment method for the preparation of well-stable Pd-Ag complexes is demonstrated using water, concentrated HCl and concentrated nitric acid as media. The stability and interaction of Pd-Ag complexes were characterized by UV-vis absorption spectroscopy. Pd-Ag bimetallic nanoparticles of spherical cubic and octahedral shape in the range of average particle size of 20–60 nm have been prepared and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM).
Stability Conditions of Second Order Integrodifferential Equations with Variable Delay
Authors: Pi Dingheng
Published: May 2014

We investigate integrodifferential functional differential equationsẍ+f(t,x,ẋ)ẋ+∫t-r(t)t‍a(t,s)g(x(s))ds=0with variable delay. By using the fixed point theory, we obtain conditions which ensure that the zero solution of this equation is stable under an exponentially weighted metric. Then we establish necessary and sufficient conditions ensuring that the zero solution is asymptotically stable. We will give an example to apply our results.