bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self‐Efficacy About Sexual Risk/Protective Behaviors: Intervention Impact Trajectories Among American Indian Youth
Authors: Mitchell Christina M. , Kaufman Carol E. , Whitesell Nancy Rumbaugh , Beals Janette , Keane Ellen M.
Published: March 2017

For adolescents, normative development encompasses learning to negotiate challenges of sexual situations; of special importance are skills to prevent early pregnancy, HIV, and other sexually transmitted diseases. Disparities in sexual risk among American Indian youth point to the importance of intervening to attenuate this risk. This study explored the impact of Circle of Life (COL), an HIV prevention intervention based on social cognitive theory, on trajectories of self‐efficacy (refusing sex, avoiding sexual situations) among 635 students from 13 middle schools on one American Indian reservation. COL countered a normative decline of refusal self‐efficacy among girls receiving the intervention by age 13, while girls participating at age 14 or older, girls in the comparison group, and all boys showed continuing declines.
Comparative genomic analyses of transport proteins encoded within the red algae Chondrus crispus, Galdieria sulphuraria, and Cyanidioschyzon merolae11
Authors: Lee Justin , Ghosh Shounak , Saier Milton H.
Published: March 2017

Galdieria sulphuraria and Cyanidioschyzon merolae are thermo‐acidophilic unicellular red algal cousins capable of living in volcanic environments, although the former can additionally thrive in the presence of toxic heavy metals. Bioinformatic analyses of transport systems were carried out on their genomes, as well as that of the mesophilic multicellular red alga Chondrus crispus (Irish moss). We identified transport proteins related to the metabolic capabilities, physiological properties, and environmental adaptations of these organisms. Of note is the vast array of transporters encoded in G. sulphuraria capable of importing a variety of carbon sources, particularly sugars and amino acids, while C. merolae and C. crispus have relatively few such proteins. Chondrus crispus may prefer short chain acids to sugars and amino acids. In addition, the number of encoded proteins pertaining to heavy metal ion transport is highest in G. sulphuraria and lowest in C. crispus. All three organisms preferentially utilize secondary carriers over primary active transporters, suggesting that their primary source of energy derives from electron flow rather than substrate‐level phosphorylation. Surprisingly, the percentage of inorganic ion transporters encoded in C. merolae more closely resembles that of C. crispus than G. sulphuraria, but only C. crispus appears to signal via voltage‐gated cation channels and possess a Na+/K+‐ATPase and a Na+ exporting pyrophosphatase. The results presented in this report further our understanding of the metabolic potential and toxic compound resistances of these three organisms.
Estimation of Heritability for Growth‐related Traits in Paralichthys olivaceus Using a Microsatellite‐based Pedigree
Authors: Liu Yongxin , Yang Runqing , Liu Yi , Sun Zhaohui
Published: March 2017

This study estimated the heritabilities of growth‐related traits in Paralichthys olivaceus using a microsatellite‐based pedigree. A set of 48 microsatellite markers located at different regions of each linkage group were selected from the published genetic map. The flounders used here originated from the Bohai Sea and the broodstock was mated to produce 10 full‐sib families. The resulting fish were assayed to obtain the probabilities of exclusion (Excl 1 and Excl 2) for each marker. Sixteen markers showed low Excl 1 and Excl 2 values, eight had high probability values, and the remainder showed intermediate probability values. A marker‐based pedigree of four full‐factorial crosses (FFCs) was constructed using the eight markers with high Excl 1 and Excl 2 probabilities. Body measurements (such as body weight and total length) were determined in 752–943 individuals from the FFCs at 200, 400, and 500 d of age. An animal model was used for single‐trait analyses and estimated moderate heritabilities, ranging from 0.23 to 0.48. These results demonstrate that markers with high exclusion probabilities provide an efficient tool for parentage assignments and genetic analyses in Japanese flounder. Marker‐assisted estimation of heritability is an efficient approach to genetically improve growth traits in this species.
Identification Based on Difference‐in‐Differences Approaches with Multiple Treatments
Authors: Fricke Hans
Published: March 2017

This paper discusses identification based on difference‐in‐differences (DiD) approaches with multiple treatments. It shows that an appropriate adaptation of the common trend assumption underlying the DiD strategy for the comparison of two treatments restricts the possibility of effect heterogeneity for at least one of the treatments. The required assumption of effect homogeneity is likely to be violated because of non‐random assignment to treatment based on both observables and unobservables. However, this paper shows that, under certain conditions, the DiD estimate comparing two treatments identifies a lower bound in absolute values on the average treatment effect on the treated compared to the unobserved non‐treatment state, even if effect homogeneity is violated. This is possible if the treatments have ordered treatment effects, that is, in expectation, the effects of both treatments compared to no treatment have the same sign, and one treatment has a stronger effect than the other treatment on the respective recipients. Such assumptions are plausible if treatments are ordered or vary in intensity.
Naproxen Inhibits UVB‐induced Basal Cell and Squamous Cell Carcinoma Development in Ptch1+/−/SKH‐1 Hairless Mice
Authors: Chaudhary Sandeep C. , Waseem Mohammad , Rana Mehtab , Xu Hui , Kopelovich Levy , Elmets Craig A. , Athar Mohammad
Published: March 2017

Naproxen possesses anti‐proliferative and pro‐apoptotic effects besides its known anti‐inflammatory functions. Here, we demonstrate the anticancer effects of naproxen against UVB‐induced basal cell carcinoma (BCCs) and squamous cell carcinoma (SCCs) in a highly susceptible murine model of UVB carcinogenesis. Naproxen significantly inhibited UVB‐induced BCCs and SCCs in this model. Tumor number and volume were significantly decreased (P < 0.005 and P < 0.05, respectively). Inhibition in UVB‐induced SCCs and BCCs was 77% and 86%, respectively, which was associated with reduced PCNA and cyclin D1 and increased apoptosis. As expected, inflammation‐related iNOS, COX‐2 and nuclear NFκBp65 were also diminished by naproxen treatment. Residual tumors excised from naproxen‐treated animal were less invasive and showed reduced expression of epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers N‐cadherin, Vimentin, Snail and Twist with increased expression of E‐cadherin. In BCC and SCC cells, naproxen‐induced apoptosis and activated unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling with increased expression of ATF4, p‐eIF2α and CHOP. Employing iRNA‐based approaches, we found that naproxen‐induced apoptosis was regulated by CHOP as sensitivity of these cutaneous neoplastic cells for apoptosis was significantly diminished by ablating CHOP. In summary, these data show that naproxen is a potent inhibitor of UVB‐induced skin carcinogenesis. ER stress pathway protein CHOP may play an important role in inducing apoptosis in cancer cells.
Reproductive performance of postpartum ewes treated with insulin or progesterone hormones in association with ram effect
Authors: Ferreira‐Silva JC , Basto SRL , Tenório Filho F , Moura MT , Silva Filho ML , Oliveira MAL
Published: March 2017

Contents

The reproductive performance of postpartum Santa Inês (SI) and Morada Nova (MN) ewes treated with insulin or progesterone hormones in association with ram effect was evaluated. Ewes from SI (n = 69) and MN (n = 69) breeds were randomly allocated to three groups of each breed (T1—ram effect only; T2—ram effect + insulin; T3—ram effect + progesterone). Progesterone concentrations (ηg/ml; mean ± SD) before and after introduction of rams (n = 6) were 0.51 ± 0.22 and 3.78 ± 0.68 (T1), 0.65 ± 0.21 and 3.77 ± 0.78 (T2) and 0.52 ± 0.21 and 3.84 ± 0.84 (T3) in SI ewes and 0.74 ± 0.19 and 3.71 ± 0.56 (T1), 0.70 ± 0.21 and 3.79 ± 0.75 (T2) and 0.81 ± 0.14 and 3.87 ± 0.80 (T3) in MN ewes, respectively. Thus, lower progesterone concentrations were found before the introduction of rams (p < .05). After the introduction of rams, preovulatory peaks of LH (ηg/ml) occurred at 28 (T1), 44 (T2) and 48 (T3) hr in SI ewes and at 64 (T1), 40 (T2) and 44 (T3) hr in MN ewes. The mean number of ovulations was similar between groups (p > .05), was 1.3 ± 0.51 (T1), 1.5 ± 0.54 (T2) and 1.6 ± 0.51 (T3) in SI ewes and 1.3 ± 0.51 (T1), 1.6 ± 0.51 (T2) and 1.6 ± 0.51 (T3) in MN ewes. In conclusion, the ram effect alone is effective at inducing and synchronizing oestrus in sheep under postpartum anoestrus, irrespective of hormone treatments.
Co‐morbidities in severe asthma: Clinical impact and management
Authors: Porsbjerg Celeste , Menzies‐Gow Andrew
Published: March 2017

ABSTRACT

Patients with severe asthma represent a minority of the total asthma population, but carry a majority of the morbidity and healthcare costs. Achieving better asthma control in this group of patients is therefore of key importance. Systematic assessment of patients with possible severe asthma to identify treatment barriers and triggers of asthma symptoms, including co‐morbidities, improves asthma control and reduces healthcare costs and is recommended by international guidelines on management of severe asthma.

This review provides the clinician with an overview of the prevalence and clinical impact of the most common co‐morbidities in severe asthma, including chronic rhinosinusitis, nasal polyposis, allergic rhinitis, dysfunctional breathing, vocal cord dysfunction, anxiety and depression, obesity, obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), bronchiectasis, allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) and eosinophilic granulomatous with polyangiitis (EGPA). Furthermore, the review offers a summary of recommended diagnostic and management approaches for each co‐morbidity. Finally, the review links co‐morbid conditions to specific phenotypes of severe asthma, in order to guide the clinician on which co‐morbidities to look for in specific patients.
Why Sketching May Aid Learning From Science Texts: Contrasting Sketching With Written Explanations
Authors: Scheiter Katharina , Schleinschok Katrin , Ainsworth Shaaron
Published: March 2017

The goal of this study was to explore two accounts for why sketching during learning from text is helpful: (1) sketching acts like other constructive strategies such as self‐explanation because it helps learners to identify relevant information and generate inferences; or (2) that in addition to these general effects, sketching has more specific benefits due to the pictorial representation that is constructed. Seventy‐three seventh‐graders (32 girls, M = 12.82 years) were first taught how to either create sketches or self‐explain while studying science texts. During a subsequent learning phase, all students were asked to read an expository text about the greenhouse effect. Finally, they were asked to write down everything they remembered and then answer transfer questions. Strategy quality during learning was assessed as the number of key concepts that had either been sketched or mentioned in the self‐explanations. The results showed that at an overall performance level there were only marginal group differences. However, a more in‐depth analysis revealed that whereas no group differences emerged for students implementing either strategy poorly, the sketching group clearly outperformed the self‐explanation group for students who applied the strategies with higher quality. Furthermore, higher sketching quality was strongly related to better learning outcomes. Thus, the study's results are more in line with the second account: Sketching can have a beneficial effect on learning above and beyond generating written explanations; at least, if well deployed.
Seroprevalence of Bartonella species, Coxiella burnetii and Toxoplasma gondii among patients with hematological malignancies: A pilot study in Romania
Authors: Messinger C. J. , Gurzau E. S. , Breitschwerdt E. B. , Tomuleasa C. I. , Trufan S. J. , Flonta M. M. , Maggi R. G. , Berindan‐Neagoe I. , Rabinowitz P. M.
Published: March 2017

Patients receiving immunosuppressive cancer treatments in settings where there is a high degree of human–animal interaction may be at increased risk for opportunistic zoonotic infections or reactivation of latent infections. We sought to determine the seroprevalence of selected zoonotic pathogens among patients diagnosed with haematologic malignancies and undergoing chemotherapeutic treatments in Romania, where much of the general population lives and/or works in contact with livestock. A convenience sample of 51 patients with haematologic cancer undergoing chemotherapy at a referral clinic in Cluj‐Napoca, Romania, was surveyed regarding animal exposures. Blood samples were obtained and tested for evidence of infection with Bartonella species, Coxiella burnetii and Toxoplasma gondii, which are important opportunistic zoonotic agents in immunocompromised individuals. 58.8% of participants reported living or working on a farm, and living or working on a farm was associated with contact with livestock and other animals. 37.5% of participants were IgG seroreactive against one or more of five Bartonella antigens, and seroreactivity was statistically associated with living on farms. Farm dwellers were 3.6 times more likely to test IgG seroreactive to Bartonella antibodies than non‐farm dwellers. 47.1% of the participants tested T. gondii IgG positive and 13.7% tested C. burnetii IgG positive, indicating past or latent infection. C. burnetii IgM antibodies were detected in four participants (7.8%), indicating possible recent infection. These results indicate that a large proportion of patients with haematologic cancer in Romania may be at risk for zoonotic infections or for reactivation of latent zoonotic infections, particularly with respect to Bartonella species. Special attention should be paid to cancer patients' exposure to livestock and companion animals in areas where much of the population lives in rural settings.
Technology Acceptance Model for Zimbabwe: The Case of the Retail Industry in Zimbabwe
Authors: Dube Cinderella , Gumbo Victor
Published: March 2017

The retail industry in Zimbabwe has embraced the use of a variety of technologies in order to survive in this ever changing technological era. However, little research has been done on the adoption and use of these technologies and no model has been developed to date. The aim of this paper was to develop a model best suited to the Zimbabwean retail industry in order to enhance the successful adoption and use of online transaction platforms. The online transaction platforms used to develop the model were Internet banking, Automated Teller Machines, Mobile banking and Point of Sale. A three-sample dataset comprising of 268 bank and supermarket customers, 56 bank managers and 31 supermarket managers was used. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to determine the relationship between the given factors influencing adoption and use of online transaction platforms and the constructs perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness. The resultant TAMZIM model borrowed ideas from the Technology Acceptance Models proposed by Fred Davis in the mid-80s.
The eyes and vision of butterflies
Authors: Arikawa Kentaro
Published: March 2017

Butterflies use colour vision when searching for flowers. Unlike the trichromatic retinas of humans (blue, green and red cones; plus rods) and honeybees (ultraviolet, blue and green photoreceptors), butterfly retinas typically have six or more photoreceptor classes with distinct spectral sensitivities. The eyes of the Japanese yellow swallowtail (Papilio xuthus) contain ultraviolet, violet, blue, green, red and broad‐band receptors, with each ommatidium housing nine photoreceptor cells in one of three fixed combinations. The Papilio eye is thus a random patchwork of three types of spectrally heterogeneous ommatidia. To determine whether Papilio use all of their receptors to see colours, we measured their ability to discriminate monochromatic lights of slightly different wavelengths. We found that Papilio can detect differences as small as 1–2 nm in three wavelength regions, rivalling human performance. We then used mathematical modelling to infer which photoreceptors are involved in wavelength discrimination. Our simulation indicated that the Papilio vision is tetrachromatic, employing the ultraviolet, blue, green and red receptors. The random array of three ommatidial types is a common feature in butterflies. To address the question of how the spectrally complex eyes of butterflies evolved, we studied their developmental process. We have found that the development of butterfly eyes shares its molecular logic with that of Drosophila: the three‐way stochastic expression pattern of the transcription factor Spineless determines the fate of ommatidia, creating the random array in Papilio.

image
Both standing and postural threat decrease Achilles’ tendon reflex inhibition from tendon electrical stimulation
Authors: Horslen Brian C. , Inglis J. Timothy , Blouin Jean‐Sébastien , Carpenter Mark G.
Published: March 2017

Key points

Golgi tendon organs (GTOs) and associated Ib reflexes contribute to standing balance, but the potential impacts of threats to standing balance on Ib reflexes are unknown.

Tendon electrical stimulation to the Achilles’ tendon was used to probe changes in Ib inhibition in medial gastrocnemius with postural orientation (lying prone vs. upright standing; experiment 1) and height‐induced postural threat (standing at low and high surface heights; experiment 2).

Ib inhibition was reduced while participants stood upright, compared to lying prone (42.2%); and further reduced when standing in the high, compared to low, threat condition (32.4%).

These experiments will impact future research because they demonstrate that tendon electrical stimulation can be used to probe Ib reflexes in muscles engaged in standing balance.

These results provide novel evidence that human short‐latency GTO‐Ib reflexes are dependent upon both task, as evidenced by changes with postural orientation, and context, such as height‐induced postural threat during standing.

Golgi tendon organ Ib reflexes are thought to contribute to standing balance control, but it is unknown if they are modulated when people are exposed to a postural threat. We used a novel application of tendon electrical stimulation (TStim) to elicit Ib inhibitory reflexes in the medial gastrocnemius, while actively engaged in upright standing balance, to examine (a) how Ib reflexes to TStim are influenced by upright stance, and (b) the effects of height‐induced postural threat on Ib reflexes during standing. TStim evoked short‐latency (<47 ms) inhibition apparent in trigger‐averaged rectified EMG, which was quantified in terms of area, duration and mean amplitude of inhibition. In order to validate the use of TStim in a standing model, TStim‐Ib inhibition was compared from conditions where participants were lying prone vs. standing upright. TStim evoked Ib inhibition in both conditions; however, significant reductions in Ib inhibition area (42.2%) and duration (32.9%) were observed during stance. Postural threat, manipulated by having participants stand at LOW (0.8 m high, 0.6 m from edge) and HIGH (3.2 m, at edge) elevated surfaces, significantly reduced Ib inhibition area (32.4%), duration (16.4%) and amplitude (24.8%) in the HIGH, compared to LOW, threat condition. These results demonstrate TStim is a viable technique for investigating Ib reflexes in standing, and confirm Ib reflexes are modulated with postural orientation. The novel observation of reduced Ib inhibition with elevated postural threat reveals that human Ib reflexes are context dependent, and the human Ib reflex pathways are modulated by threat or emotional processing centres of the CNS.
Seeing closing gesture of articulators affects speech perception of geminate consonants
Authors: Arai Takayuki , Iwagami Eri , Yanagisawa Emi
Published: March 2017

This study tests the perception of geminate consonants for native speakers of Japanese using audio and visual information. A previous study showed that formant transitions associated with the closing gesture of articulators at the end of a preceding vowel are crucial for perception of stop geminate consonants in Japanese. In addition, this study further focuses on visual cues, to test if seeing the closing gesture affects perception of geminate consonants. Based on a perceptual experiment, it is observed that visual information can compensate for a deficiency in geminate consonant auditory information, such as formant transitions.
Spherical coordinate descriptions of cylindrical and spherical Bessel beams
Authors: Poletti M. A.
Published: March 2017

This paper derives a generalized spherical harmonic description of Bessel beams. The spherical harmonic description of the well-known cylindrical Bessel beams is reviewed and a family of spherical Bessel beams are introduced which can provide a number of azimuthal phase variations for a single beam radial amplitude. The results are verified by numerical simulations.
Female brain size affects the assessment of male attractiveness during mate choice
Authors: Corral-López Alberto , Bloch Natasha I. , Kotrschal Alexander , van der Bijl Wouter , Buechel Severine D. , Mank Judith E. , Kolm Niclas
Published: March 2017

Variation in brain size and cognitive ability affects mate quality assessment and underlies variation in mate choice.
UK science, post-Brexit
Authors: Wilsdon James
Published: March 2017

Nine months since the British vote to exit the European Union (“Brexit”), the UK science community's initial dismay has given way to hard-boiled determination to limit the damage it will do to universities and research. On 29 March, Prime Minister Theresa May is expected to give formal notification of the UK's intention to withdraw under Article 50 of the Lisbon Treaty, the constitutional basis of the EU. This will set in motion a 2-year period of intense negotiation on the terms of the UK's divorce, and any future agreements with the EU—with research just one line item on a long list of issues to be resolved.
Interferon-Inducible Oligoadenylate Synthetase-Like Protein Acts as an Antiviral Effector against Classical Swine Fever Virus via the MDA5-Mediated Type I Interferon-Signaling Pathway
Authors: Li Lian-Feng , Yu Jiahui , Zhang Yuexiu , Yang Qian , Li Yongfeng , Zhang Lingkai , Wang Jinghan , Li Su , Luo Yuzi , Sun Yuan , Qiu Hua-Ji
Published: March 2017

Classical swine fever virus (CSFV) is the causative agent of classical swine fever (CSF), which poses a serious threat to the global pig industry. Interferons (IFNs) and IFN-stimulated genes (ISGs) play a key role in host antiviral defense. We have previously screened the porcine 2′-5′-oligoadenylate synthetase-like protein (pOASL) as a potential anti-CSFV ISG using a reporter CSFV. This study aimed to clarify the underlying antiviral mechanism of pOASL against CSFV. We confirmed that CSFV replication was significantly suppressed in lentivirus-delivered, pOASL-overexpressing PK-15 cells, whereas silencing the expression of endogenous pOASL by small interfering RNAs markedly enhanced CSFV growth. In addition, the transcriptional level of pOASL was upregulated both
in vitro
and
in vivo
upon CSFV infection. Interestingly, the anti-CSFV effects of pOASL are independent of the canonical RNase L pathway but depend on the activation of the type I IFN response. Glutathione
S
-transferase pulldown and coimmunoprecipitation assays revealed that pOASL interacts with MDA5, a double-stranded RNA sensor, and further enhances MDA5-mediated type I IFN signaling. Moreover, we showed that pOASL exerts anti-CSFV effects in an MDA5-dependent manner. In conclusion, pOASL suppresses CSFV replication via the MDA5-mediated type I IFN-signaling pathway.

IMPORTANCE
The host innate immune response plays an important role in mounting the initial resistance to viral infection. Here, we identify the porcine 2′-5′-oligoadenylate synthetase-like protein (pOASL) as an interferon (IFN)-stimulated gene (ISG) against classical swine fever virus (CSFV). We demonstrate that the anti-CSFV effects of pOASL depend on the activation of type I IFN response. In addition, we show that pOASL, as an MDA5-interacting protein, is a coactivator of MDA5-mediated IFN induction to exert anti-CSFV actions. This work will be beneficial to the development of novel anti-CSFV strategies by targeting pOASL.
Nectin-4 Interactions Govern Measles Virus Virulence in a New Model of Pathogenesis, the Squirrel Monkey (Saimiri sciureus)
Authors: Delpeut Sébastien , Sawatsky Bevan , Wong Xiao-Xiang , Frenzke Marie , Cattaneo Roberto , von Messling Veronika
Published: March 2017

In addition to humans, only certain nonhuman primates are naturally susceptible to measles virus (MeV) infection. Disease severity is species dependent, ranging from mild to moderate for macaques to severe and even lethal for certain New World monkey species. To investigate if squirrel monkeys (
Saimiri sciureus
), which are reported to develop a course of disease similar to humans, may be better suited than macaques for the identification of virulence determinants or the evaluation of therapeutics, we infected them with a green fluorescent protein-expressing MeV. Compared to cynomolgus macaques (
Macaca fascicularis
) infected with the same virus, the squirrel monkeys developed more-severe immunosuppression, higher viral load, and a broader range of clinical signs typical for measles. In contrast, infection with an MeV unable to interact with the epithelial receptor nectin-4, while causing immunosuppression, resulted in only a mild and transient rash and a short-lived elevation of the body temperature. Similar titers of the wild-type and nectin-4-blind MeV were detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells and lymph node homogenates, but only the wild-type virus was found in tracheal lavage fluids and urine. Thus, our study demonstrates the importance of MeV interactions with nectin-4 for clinical disease in the new and better-performing
S. sciureus
model of measles pathogenesis.

IMPORTANCE
The characterization of mechanisms underlying measles virus clinical disease has been hampered by the lack of an animal model that reproduces the course of disease seen in human patients. Here, we report that infection of squirrel monkeys (
Saimiri sciureus
) fulfills these requirements. Comparative infection with wild-type and epithelial cell receptor-blind viruses demonstrated the importance of epithelial cell infection for clinical disease, highlighting the spread to epithelia as an attractive target for therapeutic strategies.
Next-Generation Sequencing Combined with Specific PCR Assays To Determine the Bacterial 16S rRNA Gene Profiles of Middle Ear Fluid Collected from Children with Acute Otitis Media
Authors: Sillanpää Saara , Kramna Lenka , Oikarinen Sami , Sipilä Markku , Rautiainen Markus , Aittoniemi Janne , Laranne Jussi , Hyöty Heikki , Cinek Ondrej
Published: March 2017

Although
S. pneumoniae
,
H. influenzae
, and
M. catarrhalis
have been long established as the most important pathogens in acute otitis media using culture and specific PCR assays, the knowledge of their mutual quantitative relations and possible roles of other bacteria is incomplete. The advent of unbiased bacteriome 16S rRNA gene profiling has allowed the detection of nearly all bacteria present in the sample, and it helps in depicting their mutual quantitative ratios. Due to the difficulties in performing mass sequencing in low-volume samples, only a few bacteriome-profiling studies of otitis media have been published, all limited to cases of chronic otitis media. Here, we present a study on samples obtained from young children with acute otitis media, successfully using a strategy of nested PCR coupled with mass sequencing, and demonstrate that the method can confer quantitative information hardly obtainable by other methods.
Evaluation of defective sewer pipe–induced internal erosion and associated ground deformation using laboratory model test
Authors: Indiketiya Samanthi , Jegatheesan Piratheepan , Rajeev Pathmanathan
Published: March 2017

Sinkholes induced by long-term internal erosion around defective sewer pipes have been widely reported. There is a need for an efficient method to understand the influence of pipe defects on internal erosion and ground settlement. This paper presents an approach to the investigation of erosion-induced ground settlement and the susceptibility of pipe bedding materials to internal erosion. A new and efficient erosion test apparatus is introduced, aided by controlling most of the key influencing parameters. The corresponding ground displacement is tracked by image correlation based on particle image velocimetry (PIV). The basic parameters investigated are (i) the process of cavity initiation and evolution, (ii) the rate of soil loss, (iii) the gradation of eroded soil, and (iv) the corresponding ground displacement. The results indicate that particles less than 0.3 mm are highly vulnerable to erosion through 5 mm openings of embedment material with a maximum particle size of 4.75 mm. The proposed method is beneficial, as it allows measurement of the deformation at any time and at any location throughout the test and facilitates checking the resistance to erosion of pipe embedment materials.
Comparison and correlation between chemical profiles of cephalic salivary glands and cuticle surface of workers ofApis mellifera(Hymenoptera, Apidae)
Authors: Poiani Silvana B. , Cruz-Landim Carminda da
Published: March 2017

The cuticle surface of insects displays functions in communication, such as recognition. It is known that oenocytes are responsible for the origin of the compounds found in the epicuticle. Secretion of exocrine glands might be added to the original composition during the insect’s life. The aims of the present study were (i) to quantify and to qualify the chemical compounds in cephalic salivary glands (CSG) and cuticle surface of workers of Apis mellifera L., 1758; (ii) to compare chemical profiles of both gland and cuticle; (iii) to verify if the epicuticular and CSG profile compositions allow separation of the workers into phase-related groups. Glands and wings of newly emerged workers, nurses, and foragers were analyzed by gas chromatography – mass spectrometry. The results have shown that the main compounds in both were hydrocarbons. The Mantel correspondence analysis showed that there was relatively strong correspondence between CSG and cuticular surface in all groups, mainly nurses and foragers. From a total of 37 detected compounds, 29 were the same in both compartments. The results indicated that the gland secretion might be used to replenish the cuticular compounds. In conclusion, glands and cuticle profiles were phase-related and the CSG may be a potential auxiliary source of cuticular hydrocarbon replenishment in the studied species.
Hybridization of domestic mink with wild American mink (Neovison vison) in eastern Canada
Authors: Bowman Jeff , Beauclerc Kaela , Farid A. Hossain , Fenton Heather , Klütsch Cornelya F.C. , Schulte-Hostedde Albrecht I.
Published: March 2017

Farmed American mink (Neovison vison (Schreber, 1777)) pose a risk to biodiversity owing to escape and release from farms. Feral mink may affect native species in locations where American mink are not endemic, such as Europe. In contrast, escaping domestic mink may hybridize with wild mink in North America, leading to introgression of domestic traits via hybrid-mediated gene flow. We tested this idea in eastern Canada, which has a history of mink farming. We sampled known domestic and free-ranging mink, and profiled 508 individuals at 15 microsatellite loci. We found that 33% of free-ranging mink were either escaped domestic individuals, domestic–wild hybrids, or were introgressed to domestic or wild parental groups. The greatest prevalence of free-ranging domestic, hybrid, or introgressed mink (59%) occurred in Nova Scotia, which also had the most mink farms. Historic (1980s or earlier) mink sampled from museums had higher allelic richness and private allelic richness than contemporary wild mink. Domestic mink are artificially selected for traits desired by farmers, and as such, introgression with wild mink may lead to a loss of local adaptation. Our findings demonstrate that continued escape and release of mink could pose risks to the maintenance of genetic integrity in wild mink.
Robust-mode analysis of hydrodynamic flows
Authors: Roy Sukesh , Gord James R. , Hua Jia-Chen , Gunaratne Gemunu H.
Published: March 2017

The emergence of techniques to extract high-frequency high-resolution data introduces a new avenue for modal decomposition to assess the underlying dynamics, especially of complex flows. However, this task requires the differentiation of robust, repeatable flow constituents from noise and other irregular features of a flow. Traditional approaches involving low-pass filtering and principle components analysis have shortcomings. The approach outlined here, referred to as robust-mode analysis, is based on Koopman decomposition. Three applications to (a) a counter-rotating cellular flame state, (b) variations in financial markets, and (c) turbulent injector flows are provided.
Pulse propagation in granular chains: The binary collision approximation
Authors: Rosas Alexandre , Lindenberg Katja
Published: March 2017

The binary collision approximation has been successfully applied to the study of pulse propagation in several types of granular chains. Here we present the theory in a generalized and comprehensive way and discuss and review a number of results found in the literature.
DFT study of elastic, half-metallic and optical properties of Co2V(Al, Ge, Ga and Si) compounds
Authors: Khosravi Heidar , Boochani Arash , Rasolian Golnaz , Solaymani Shahram , Naderi Sirvan
Published: March 2017

First-principles study of elastic, electronic and optical properties of full-Heusler Co2V(Al, Ge, Ga and Si) compounds are calculated through density functional theory (DFT) to obtain and compare the mentioned properties. Equilibrium lattice constants of these compounds are in good agreement with other works. Electronic calculations are shown full spin polarization at Fermi level for all compounds, so in the down spin, indirect bandgap is calculated as 0.33, 0.6, 0.2 and 0.8 eV for Co2V(Al, Ge, Ga and Si), respectively. The integer amounts of the magnetic moments are compatible with Slater–Pauling role. The optical treatment of Co2VGa is different from three other compounds. All mentioned compounds have metallic behavior by 22 eV plasmonic frequency. The imaginary part of the dielectric function for the up spin indicates that the main optical transitions occurred in this spin mode. Moreover, the elastic results show that the Co2VGa does not have elastic stability, but the other three compounds have fully elastic stability and the Co2V(Al, Ge and Si) belong to the hardness of materials.
Inducing the magnetic character in reduced graphene oxide through incorporation of Fe2O3nanoparticles
Authors: Rauf Abdur , Shah Syed Sohail Ahmad , Rakha Sobia Allah , Gul Munazza , Ahmad Ishaq , Ullah Zaka , Shah Ishfaq Ahmad , Naseem Shahzad
Published: March 2017

A chemical two-step approach based on solvothermal technique has been adopted to synthesize the reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/Fe2O3hybrid materials. The rGO was prepurified by acidic treatment, followed by sensitization to attach the desired functional groups. The structural, compositional, morphological and magnetic analyzes of the prepared samples were carried out using various characterization techniques. The fabricated rGO/Fe2O3heterostructures were confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Raman spectroscopy evidenced the fabrication of multilayer graphene and scanning electron microscopy was carried out to study the morphology of the prepared samples. The average particle size of Fe2O3nanoparticles (NPs) loaded on rGO was found to be [Formula: see text]20 nm, as was observed during transmission electron microscopy. Thermogravimetric analysis of rGO/Fe2O3hybrid structures was performed to investigate their thermal behaviors. It was evidenced that the incorporation of Fe2O3NPs into rGO enhanced its thermal stability. Vibrating sample magnetometry showed that ferromagnetic character was induced in rGO due to involvement of Fe2O3NPs. The rGO/Fe2O3hybrid structures can be considered as a competent material for fabrication of various magnetic devices.
Satellites testing general relativity: Residuals versus perturbations
Authors: Gurzadyan V. G. , Ciufolini I. , Paolozzi A. , Kashin A. L. , Khachatryan H. G. , Mirzoyan S. , Sindoni G.
Published: March 2017

Laser ranging satellites have proved their efficiency for high precision testing of the effect of frame-dragging, one of the remarkable predictions of General Relativity. The analysis of the randomness properties of the residuals of LAGEOS and LAGEOS 2 satellites reveals the role of the thermal thrust — Yarkovsky effect — on the satellite which was in the orbit for longer period (LAGEOS). We also compute Earth’s tidal modes affecting the satellite LARES. The recently obtained 5% accuracy limit reached for the frame dragging effect based on the 3.5 year data of LARES analyzed together with those of LAGEOS satellites and using the Earth gravity model of GRACE satellite, is also represented.
SEVERAL FUNDAMENTAL PROPERTIES OF DCCA CROSS-CORRELATION COEFFICIENT
Authors: ZHAO XIAOJUN , SHANG PENGJIAN , HUANG JINGJING
Published: March 2017

The (detrended cross-correlation analysis) DCCA cross-correlation coefficient was proposed to measure the level of long-range cross-correlations between two non-stationary time series on multiple time scales. It has been applied to diverse areas of interest, although many properties of this method are not clear. In this paper, we theoretically study several fundamental properties of the DCCA cross-correlation coefficient, which contributes to acquiring more statistical characteristics of this measure. We resort to a synthetic time series that is followed by the integration and the detrending procedures of the DCCA cross-correlation coefficient, which divide the steps to estimate the coefficient into two portions. The former portion, including the integration and the detrending, is proved to be a linear transformation. The second portion is devoted to measuring Pearson’s [Formula: see text] between two synthetic time series. We confirm that the DCCA cross-correlation coefficient is also a linear measure by definition. The simulations including the ARFIMA processes and the multifractal binomial measures are numerically analyzed, which confirm the theoretical analysis.
Model-based documentation
Authors: Farazi Feroz , Chapman Craig , Raju Pathmeswaran , Byrne William
Published: March 2017

Knowledge acquisition is becoming an integral part of the manufacturing industries, which rely on domain experts in various phases of product life cycle including design, analysis, manufacturing, operation and maintenance. It has the potential to enable knowledge reuse, however, poorly managed knowledge can cause information loss and inefficiency. If technical documentation is managed well in the manufacturing industries, intended piece of knowledge can easily be located, used and reused for purpose and as a result, the corresponding industry can be benefited. Some examples of technical documentation are design specification, operating manual and maintenance manual. Model-based Documentation (MBD) is a documentation approach that uses model to provide structure to the data of the documents. MBD can be thought of as a way to better organize knowledge thereby knowledge identification and retrieval become easier, faster and efficient. In this paper, we propose MBD and its extension as a potential solution to overcome the issues involved in the typical technical documentation approaches.
Actionable intelligence and online learning for semantic computing
Authors: Tekin Cem , van der Schaar Mihaela
Published: March 2017

As the world becomes more connected and instrumented, high dimensional, heterogeneous and time-varying data streams are collected and need to be analyzed on the fly to extract the actionable intelligence from the data streams and make timely decisions based on this knowledge. This requires that appropriate classifiers are invoked to process the incoming streams and find the relevant knowledge. Thus, a key challenge becomes choosing online, at run-time, which classifier should be deployed to make the best possible predictions on the incoming streams. In this paper, we survey a class of methods capable to perform online learning in stream-based semantic computing tasks: multi-armed bandits (MABs). Adopting MABs for stream mining poses, numerous new challenges requires many new innovations. Most importantly, the MABs will need to explicitly consider and track online the time-varying characteristics of the data streams and to learn fast what is the relevant information out of the vast, heterogeneous and possibly highly dimensional data streams. In this paper, we discuss contextual MAB methods, which use similarities in context (meta-data) information to make decisions, and discuss their advantages when applied to stream mining for semantic computing. These methods can be adapted to discover in real-time the relevant contexts guiding the stream mining decisions, and tract the best classifier in presence of concept drift. Moreover, we also discuss how stream mining of multiple data sources can be performed by deploying cooperative MAB solutions and ensemble learning. We conclude the paper by discussing the numerous other advantages of MABs that will benefit semantic computing applications.
Earliest Cretaceous cocoons or plant seed structures from the Wealden Group, Hastings, UK
Authors: Brasier A. T. , Cotton L. J. , Garwood R. J. , Baker-Brian J. , Howlett E. , Brasier M. D.
Published: March 2017

Complete metamorphosis evolved in insects towards the end of the Palaeozoic Era. A wide range of pupation strategies existed and numerous biosedimentary structures associated with these have been described. The fossil record of endogenous materials associated with pupation, e.g. cocoons, is more limited. Here we report six amber-coloured specimens from the earliest Cretaceous of southern England that were tentatively identified on collection as insect cocoons. These were analysed by Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, stereomicroscopy and X-ray microtomography to elucidate their origin. The interpretation of the Fourier transform infrared spectrometry data was inconclusive because the spectra showed some differences from those of amber. A seed pod origin seems likely for at least two of the objects based on their size, shape and the lineations on their surfaces. Three specimens are more cocoon-like based on their overall morphology and a fibrous surface texture. Although plant megaspore membranes have features analogous with these specimens and cannot be ruled out, the similarity to and variability found within insect cocoons, coupled with the range of potential insect architects present at the time of origin, make an insect origin more likely. We review a number of hymenopteran clades whose extant members construct comparable cocoons. The possible cocoons may have been resin-coated to protect the larva inside from predation, or they may have passively come into contact with resin prior to burial.

Supplementary material:
All TIFF computed tomography slices from the scan, the computed tomography log file, a surface model of the specimen and digital visualizations of both the whole specimen and the perforations are available at
https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.3704794
Unmixing-Based Soft Color Segmentation for Image Manipulation
Authors: Aksoy Yağiz , Aydin Tunç Ozan , Smolić Aljoša , Pollefeys Marc
Published: March 2017

We present a new method for decomposing an image into a set of soft color segments that are analogous to color layers with alpha channels that have been commonly utilized in modern image manipulation software. We show that the resulting decomposition serves as an effective intermediate image representation, which can be utilized for performing various, seemingly unrelated, image manipulation tasks. We identify a set of requirements that soft color segmentation methods have to fulfill, and present an in-depth theoretical analysis of prior work. We propose an energy formulation for producing compact layers of homogeneous colors and a color refinement procedure, as well as a method for automatically estimating a statistical color model from an image. This results in a novel framework for automatic and high-quality soft color segmentation that is efficient, parallelizable, and scalable. We show that our technique is superior in quality compared to previous methods through quantitative analysis as well as visually through an extensive set of examples. We demonstrate that our soft color segments can easily be exported to familiar image manipulation software packages and used to produce compelling results for numerous image manipulation applications without forcing the user to learn new tools and workflows.
Detecting Influencers in Multiple Online Genres
Authors: Rosenthal Sara , Mckeown Kathleen
Published: March 2017

Social media has become very popular and mainstream, leading to an abundance of content. This wealth of content contains many interactions and conversations that can be analyzed for a variety of information. One such type of information is analyzing the roles people take in a conversation. Detecting influencers, one such role, can be useful for political campaigning, successful advertisement strategies, and detecting terrorist leaders. We explore influence in discussion forums, weblogs, and micro-blogs through the development of learned language analysis components to recognize known indicators of influence. Our components are author traits, agreement, claims, argumentation, persuasion, credibility, and certain dialog patterns. Each of these components is motivated by social science through Robert Cialdini’s “Weapons of Influence” [Cialdini 2007]. We classify influencers across five online genres and analyze which features are most indicative of influencers in each genre. First, we describe a rich suite of features that were generated using each of the system components. Then, we describe our experiments and results, including using domain adaptation to exploit the data from multiple online genres.
Automatic Scalable Atomicity via Semantic Locking
Authors: Golan-Gueta Guy , Ramalingam G. , Sagiv Mooly , Yahav Eran
Published: March 2017

In this article, we consider concurrent programs in which the shared state consists of instances of linearizable abstract data types (ADTs). We present an automated approach to concurrency control that addresses a common need: the need to
atomically
execute a code fragment, which may contain multiple ADT operations on multiple ADT instances. We present a synthesis algorithm that automatically enforces atomicity of given code fragments (in a client program) by inserting pessimistic synchronization that guarantees atomicity and deadlock-freedom (without using any rollback mechanism). Our algorithm takes a
commutativity specification
as an extra input. This specification indicates for every pair of ADT operations the conditions under which the operations commute. Our algorithm enables greater parallelism by permitting commuting operations to execute concurrently. We have implemented the synthesis algorithm in a Java compiler and applied it to several Java programs. Our results show that our approach produces efficient and scalable synchronization.