bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The ShaRInK framework: a holistic perspective on key categories of influences shaping individual perceptions of knowledge sharing
Authors: Schauer Alexander , Vasconcelos Ana Cristina , Sen Barbara
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to present a holistic framework, termed ShaRInK (Sharer, Relations, Institution, Knowledge), that depicts key categories of influences that shape individual perceptions of knowledge sharing within an organisational setting.

Design/methodology/approach

– An exploratory and qualitative case study strategy in which empirical data were gathered from 24 interviewees that were based in four different branches (i.e. China, The Netherlands, the UK and the USA) of a single information technology services organisation.

Findings

– The findings led to a holistic framework that depicts four key categories of influences that shape knowledge sharing from an individual perspective: attitudes and characteristics of the sharers, relations between the sharers, institutions which act as a united entity on sharer perceptions and knowledge itself. Furthermore, the four key influences not only shape knowledge sharing independently but are intertwined and have a synergistic effect. The ShaRInK framework is formed by combining these.

Originality/value

– The findings indicate that knowledge sharing from an individual-level perspective is a more complex phenomenon than currently portrayed in the literature. All four key influences, each being fundamentally different in nature, and their relationships should be taken into account. Equally, the ShaRInK framework can be applied by organisations when developing a knowledge-sharing strategy or auditing existing strategies.
Developing end-user innovation from circuits of learning
Authors: Fosstenløkken Siw M.
Published: June 2015

Purpose

– This paper aims to raise the question of how end-user product innovation is developed by exploring the underlying learning mechanisms that drive such idea realization in practice. A trialogical learning perspective from educational science is applied as an analytical approach to enlighten the black box of learning dynamics in user innovation (UI).

Design/methodology/approach

– The field study of organizational ethnography is based on in situ observations of the testing and development phase of an adapted aid, an electro-mechanical device for completely hands-free dressing/undressing for people with no arm function.

Findings

– The results suggest that UI materializes through what this researcher conceptualized as “circuits of learning” around shared objects that are collaboratively mediated and shaped in interplay between three forces identified as “user requirements”, “interdisciplinary co-creation” and “object transformation”.

Research limitations/implications

– This in-depth study of UI realization has only started to open the research area of such practices. Further advancement is needed on users as inventors and learners. Cross-fertilization with other fields, such as pedagogy, and particularly branches of theory derived from a socio-material stance, seems fruitful.

Practical implications

– To cultivate UI through “circuits of learning”, “users as learners” should pay attention to their shifting roles as teachers, co-learners and co-creators in interdisciplinary collaborative practices to enhance efficient work processes.

Originality/value

– This study shows the relevance of bringing in learning as a crucial underpinning that contributes to enhancing our understanding of how user innovators create new products. The paper contributes to the UI literature by elaborating on the concept of “circuits of learning” as a novel framework of learning mechanisms within UI.
Nanoscale Nutrient Delivery Systems for Food Applications: Improving Bioactive Dispersibility, Stability, and Bioavailability
Authors: McClements David Julian
Published: June 2015

There has been a surge of interest in the development of nanoscale systems for the encapsulation, protection, and delivery of lipophilic nutrients, vitamins, and nutraceuticals. This review article highlights the challenges associated with incorporating these lipophilic bioactive components into foods, and then discusses potential nanoscale delivery systems that can be used to overcome these challenges. In particular, the desirable characteristics required for any nanoscale delivery system are presented, as well as methods of fabricating them and of characterizing them. An overview of different delivery systems is given, such as microemulsions, nanoemulsions, emulsions, microgels, and biopolymer nanoparticles, and their potential applications are discussed. Nanoscale delivery systems have considerable potential within the food industry, but they must be carefully formulated to ensure that they are safe, economically viable, and effective.
Individualism, Uncertainty Avoidance, and Earnings Momentum in International Markets
Authors: Dou Paul , Truong Cameron , Veeraraghavan Madhu
Published: June 2015

This study examines whether cultural dimensions such as individualism and uncertainty avoidance can explain the variation in the profitability of the earnings momentum strategies in international markets. Using the time‐varying cultural indices of Tang and Koveos (2008) for 30,383 firms from 41 countries over the period 1995–2008, we show that the level of individualism in a country is positively associated and the level of uncertainty avoidance is negatively associated with earnings momentum profits. Our findings are robust to the inclusion of a comprehensive set of control variables and alternative cultural metrics. The central message is that we emphasize the necessity to go beyond the assumption of perfect rationality and to account for innate differences among international investors to explain how accounting information is incorporated into stock prices. We recommend that cultural dimensions be included in cross‐country research to account for innate differences among international investors.
Doing Well or Just Doing Time? A Qualitative Study of Patterns of Psychological Adjustment in Prison
Authors: VAN GINNEKEN ESTHER F.J.C.
Published: June 2015

The rich body of prison literature suggests that imprisonment is a painful experience, even though imprisonment does not appear to uniformly cause psychological deterioration. However, psychological adjustment and its variations remain poorly defined in the literature. The aim of this study is to provide a framework for understanding psychological adjustment and describe patterns of adjustment of prisoners who are close to their release. Thirty semi‐structured interviews were conducted with male and female prisoners. Even in the same prison environment, prisoners showed a wide variety of patterns of psychological adjustment, characterised by differences in coping ability and functioning, mental health, subjective well‐being and outlook on the future.
Extended omega ratio optimization for risk‐averse investors
Authors: Sharma Amita , Mehra Aparna
Published: June 2015

The omega ratio, a performance measure, is the ratio of the expected upside deviation of return to the expected downside deviation of return from a predetermined threshold described by an investor. It has been exhibited that the omega ratio optimization is equivalent to a linear program under a mild condition and thus easily tractable. But the omega ratio optimization fails to hedge against many other risks involved in portfolio return that may adversely affect the interests of a risk‐averse investor. On the other hand, there are widely accepted mean‐risk models for portfolio selection that seek to maximize mean return and minimize the associated risk but in general fail to maximize the relative performance ratio around the threshold return. In this paper, we aim to propose a model called ‘extended omega ratio optimization’ that combines the features of the omega ratio optimization model and mean‐risk models. The proposed model introduces constraint on a general risk function in the omega ratio optimization model in such a way that the resultant model remains linear and thus tractable. Our empirical experience with real data from S&P BSE sensex index shows that the optimal portfolios from the extended omega ratio optimization model(s) improved over the optimal portfolios from the omega ratio optimization in having less associated risk and over the optimal portfolios from the corresponding mean‐risk model(s) in having a high value omega ratio.
Significantly Enhanced Infrared Emissivity of LaAlO3 by Co‐Doping with Ca2+ and Cr3+ for Energy‐Saving Applications
Authors: Han Zhao , Li Xiaowei , Ye Jianke , Kang Lei , Chen Yixiang , Li Jiangtao , Lin Zheshuai
Published: June 2015

In this study, Ca2+–Cr3+ co‐doped LaAlO3, a novel energy‐saving material with significantly enhanced infrared emissivity, was synthesized by solid‐state reaction. The experimental results demonstrated that 20 mol% Ca2+ and 10 mol% Cr3+‐doped LaAlO3, namely La0.8Ca0.2Al0.9Cr0.1O3, had an infrared emissivity as high as 0.92 in the spectral region of 1–5 μm, which was 12 times higher than that of pure LaAlO3. The first‐principles electronic structure calculations revealed that the Ca2+–Cr3+ co‐doping results in the occurrence of impurity energy levels in the forbidden band of LaAlO3, which were mainly composed of the Cr 3d orbitals. Electrons partly occupied these impurity donor states and significantly reduced the energy bandgap, thus the infrared radiation property of LaAlO3 was enhanced. This novel material with high infrared emissivity shows promising applications for energy‐saving in the field of thermal process equipment.
Leaf hydraulic conductance varies with vein anatomy across Arabidopsis thaliana wild‐type and leaf vein mutants
Authors: Caringella Marissa A. , Bongers Franca J. , Sack Lawren
Published: June 2015

Leaf venation is diverse across plant species and has practical applications from paleobotany to modern agriculture. However, the impact of vein traits on plant performance has not yet been tested in a model system such as Arabidopsis thaliana. Previous studies analysed cotyledons of A. thaliana vein mutants and identified visible differences in their vein systems from the wild type (WT). We measured leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf), vein traits, and xylem and mesophyll anatomy for A. thaliana WT (Col‐0) and four vein mutants (dot3‐111 and dot3‐134, and cvp1‐3 and cvp2‐1). Mutant true leaves did not possess the qualitative venation anomalies previously shown in the cotyledons, but varied quantitatively in vein traits and leaf anatomy across genotypes. The WT had significantly higher mean Kleaf. Across all genotypes, there was a strong correlation of Kleaf with traits related to hydraulic conductance across the bundle sheath, as influenced by the number and radial diameter of bundle sheath cells and vein length per area. These findings support the hypothesis that vein traits influence Kleaf, indicating the usefulness of this mutant system for testing theory that was primarily established comparatively across species, and supports a strong role for the bundle sheath in influencing Kleaf.
Doubly ReactiveINS‐IGF2 Autoantibodies in Children with Newly Diagnosed Autoimmune (type 1) Diabetes
Authors: Kanatsuna N. , Delli A. , Andersson C. , Nilsson A.‐L. , Vaziri‐Sani F. , Larsson K. , Carlsson A. , Cedervall E. , Jönsson B. , Neiderud J. , Elding Larsson H. , Ivarsson S.‐A. , Törn C. , Fex M. , Lernmark Å.
Published: June 2015

The splice variantINS‐IGF2entails the preproinsulin signal peptide, the insulin B‐chain, eight amino acids of the C‐peptide and 138 unique amino acids from anORFin theIGF2gene. The aim of this study was to determine whether levels of specificINS‐IGF2 autoantibodies (INS‐IGF2A) were related to age at diagnosis, islet autoantibodies,HLA‐DQor both, in patients and controls with newly diagnosed type 1 diabetes. Patients (n = 676), 0–18 years of age, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 1996–2005 and controls (n = 363) were analysed for specificINS‐IGF2A after displacement with both cold insulin andINS‐IGF2 to correct for non‐specific binding and identify double reactive sera.GADA,IA‐2A,IAA,ICA, ZnT8RA, ZnT8WA, ZnT8QAandHLA‐DQgenotypes were also determined. The median level of specificINS‐IGF2A was higher in patients than in controls (P < 0.001). Irrespective of age at diagnosis, 19% (126/676) of the patients hadINS‐IGF2A when the cut‐off was the 95th percentile of the controls (P < 0.001). The risk ofINS‐IGF2A was increased amongHLA‐DQ2/8 (OR = 1.509; 95thCI1.011, 2.252;P = 0.045) but not in 2/2, 2/X, 8/8, 8/X or X/X (X is neither 2 nor 8) patients. The association withHLA‐DQ2/8 suggests that this autoantigen may be presented onHLA‐DQtrans‐heterodimers, rather than cis‐heterodimers. Autoantibodies reactive with both insulin andINS‐IGF2A at diagnosis support the notion thatINS‐IGF2 autoimmunity contributes to type 1 diabetes.
A Spatial Stochastic Frontier Model with Spillovers: Evidence for Italian Regions
Authors: Tsionas Efthymios G. , Michaelides Panayotis G.
Published: June 2015

Efficiency measurement using stochastic frontier models is well established in applied econometrics. However, no published work seems to be available on efficiency analysis using spatial data dealing with possible spatial dependence between regions. This article considers a stochastic frontier model with decomposition of inefficiency into an idiosyncratic and a spatial, spillover component. Exact posterior distributions of parameters are derived, and computational schemes based on Gibbs sampling with data augmentation are proposed to conduct simulation‐based inference and efficiency measurement. The new method is illustrated using production data for Italian regions (1970–1993). Clearly, further theoretical and empirical research on the subject would be of great interest.
Irradiation Capabilities at the Halden Reactor and Testing Possibilities Under Supercritical Water Conditions
Authors: Van Nieuwenhove Rudi
Published: June 2015

Different types of instruments have been developed both for in-pile fuel and materials studies at the Halden Reactor Project. In recent years, several of the standard instruments have been upgraded to be able to tolerate much higher temperatures. In particular, several instruments are now able to operate up to 650°C and 25 MPa, thus in the range suitable for supercritical water (SCW) studies. In addition, a feasibility study for an in-pile SCW loop has been carried out that shows that such a loop can be realized in the Halden reactor, allowing for all the instrumentation possibilities that are presently carried out in pressurized water reactor (PWR) and boiling water reactor (BWR) conditions. Another, and cheaper, alternative is to perform corrosion experiments inside a small capsule in which SCW is maintained by means of gamma heating and external pressure lines. The conceptual designs of the SCW loop and SCW capsule will be highlighted.
Numerical Study of High-Temperature and High-Velocity Gaseous Hydrogen Flow in a Cooling Channel of a Nuclear Thermal Rocket Core
Authors: Akyuzlu Kazim M.
Published: June 2015

Two mathematical models (a one-dimensional (1D) and a two-dimensional (2D)) were adopted to study, numerically, the thermal-hydrodynamic characteristics of flow inside the cooling channels of a nuclear thermal rocket (NTR) engine. In the present study, only one of the cooling channels of the reactor core is simulated. The 1D model adopted here assumes the flow in this cooling channel to be unsteady, compressible, turbulent, and subsonic. The governing equations of the compressible flow in the cooling channel are discretized using a second-order accurate (MacCormack) finite-difference scheme. The steady-state results of the proposed model were compared to the predictions by a commercial CFD code. The 2D CFD solution was obtained in two domains: the coolant (gaseous hydrogen) and the ZrC fuel cladding. The wall heat flux which varied along the channel length (as described by the nuclear variation in the nuclear power generation) was given as an input. Numerical experiments were carried out using both codes to simulate the thermal and hydrodynamic characteristics of the flow inside a single-cooling channel of the reactor for a typical Nuclear Engine for Rocket Vehicle Application (NERVA)-type NTR engine. It is concluded that both models predict successfully the steady-state axial distributions of temperature, pressure, density, and velocity of gaseous hydrogen flow in the NTR cooling channel.
Determining the in vivo elastic properties of dermis layer of human skin using the supersonic shear imaging technique and inverse analysis
Authors: Luo Cheng‐Cheng , Qian Lin‐Xue , Li Guo‐Yang , Jiang Yi , Liang Si , Cao Yanping
Published: June 2015

Purpose:

Human skin consists of several layers including epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. The determination of the in vivo mechanical properties of an individual skin layer represents a great challenge to date. In this study, the authors explore the use of the supersonic shear imaging (SSI) technique and inverse analysis to determine the in vivo elastic properties of the dermis layer of human skin.

Methods:

The measurements are conducted on the volar forearms and dorsal forearms of 18 healthy volunteers (nine females and nine males) using the SSI technique that gives the velocities of the shear wave generated by the acoustic force. Finite element analysis is carried out to simulate the propagation of the shear wave in the multilayer soft media and the results are used to interpret the experimental data and deduce the shear modulus of the dermis layer.

Results:

The shear moduli of the skin dermis layer obtained for the 18 healthy volunteers exhibit significant anisotropy. A standard statistical analysis demonstrates the differences between sexes.

Conclusions:

This study demonstrates that the SSI technique together with the inverse analysis represents a useful tool to characterize the in vivo elastic properties of human skin.
Blowing magnetic skyrmion bubbles
Authors: Jiang Wanjun , Upadhyaya Pramey , Zhang Wei , Yu Guoqiang , Jungfleisch M. Benjamin , Fradin Frank Y. , Pearson John E. , Tserkovnyak Yaroslav , Wang Kang L. , Heinonen Olle , te Velthuis Suzanne G. E. , Hoffmann Axel
Published: June 2015

Skyrmions emerge in trilayers

Skyrmions are tiny whirlpools of magnetic spin with potential to act as carriers of information in future devices. Skyrmions have been observed in multiple materials but usually at impractically low temperatures. Jiang
et al.
used a constriction in a trilayer system to create skyrmions at room temperature (see the Perspective by von Bergmann). The authors pushed elongated magnetic domains through the constriction using an in-plane current, causing individual skyrmion bubbles to form.

Science
, this issue p.
283
; see also p.
234
Beyond Agar: Gel Substrates with Improved Optical Clarity and Drug Efficiency and Reduced Autofluorescence for Microbial Growth Experiments
Authors: Jaeger Philipp A. , McElfresh Cameron , Wong Lily R. , Ideker Trey
Published: June 2015

Agar, a seaweed extract, has been the standard support matrix for microbial experiments for over a century. Recent developments in high-throughput genetic screens have created a need to reevaluate the suitability of agar for use as colony support, as modern robotic printing systems now routinely spot thousands of colonies within the area of a single microtiter plate. Identifying optimal biophysical, biochemical, and biological properties of the gel support matrix in these extreme experimental conditions is instrumental to achieving the best possible reproducibility and sensitivity. Here we systematically evaluate a range of gelling agents by using the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiaeas a model microbe. We find that carrageenan and Phytagel have superior optical clarity and reduced autofluorescence, crucial for high-resolution imaging and fluorescent reporter screens. Nutrient choice and use of refined Noble agar or pure agarose reduce the effective dose of numerous selective drugs by >50%, potentially enabling large cost savings in genetic screens. Using thousands of mutant yeast strains to compare colony growth between substrates, we found no evidence of significant growth or nutrient biases between gel substrates, indicating that researchers could freely pick and choose the optimal gel for their respective application and experimental condition.
Draft Genome Sequence of
Paenibacillus
sp. Strain DMB20, Isolated from Alang Ship-Breaking Yard, Which Harbors Genes for Xenobiotic Degradation
Authors: Shah Binal , Jain Kunal , Patel Namrata , Pandit Ramesh , Patel Anand , Joshi Chaitanya G. , Madamwar Datta
Published: June 2015

Paenibacillus
sp. strain DMB20, in cometabolism with other
Proteobacteria
and
Firmicutes
, exhibits azoreduction of textile dyes. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of this bacterium, consisting of 6,647,181 bp with 7,668 coding sequences (CDSs). The data presented highlight multiple sets of functional genes associated with xenobiotic compound degradation.
Draft Genome Sequences of Clinical Daptomycin-Nonsusceptible Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Strain APS211 and Its Daptomycin-Susceptible Progenitor APS210
Authors: Cameron David R. , Jiang Jhih-Hang , Abbott Iain J. , Spelman Denis W. , Peleg Anton Y.
Published: June 2015

To assess the genetic factors contributing to daptomycin resistance in
Staphylococcus aureus
, the draft genome of a clinically derived daptomycin-nonsusceptible isolate APS211 was generated and compared to the draft sequence of its susceptible progenitor strain APS210. Four genetic differences were identified including a previously described mutation within the
mprF
gene.
Complete Genome Sequence of Pseudoxanthomonas suwonensis Strain J1, a Cellulose-Degrading Bacterium Isolated from Leaf- and Wood-Enriched Soil
Authors: Hou Liyuan , Jiang Jingwei , Xu Zhihui , Zhou Yun , Leung Frederick Chi-Ching
Published: June 2015

We report here the complete genome sequence of the cellulose-degrading bacterium
Pseudoxanthomonas suwonensis
strain J1, isolated from soil enriched with rotten leaves and wood from the Zhong Mountain Scenic Area in Nanjing, China. This complete genome may contribute to further investigation of plant biomass degradation.
Complete Genome Sequence of Listeria monocytogenes Strain DPC6895, a Serotype 1/2b Isolate from Bovine Raw Milk
Authors: Casey Aidan , McAuliffe Olivia , Coffey Aidan , Hunt Karen , Fanning Seamus , Fox Edward , Jordan Kieran
Published: June 2015

Listeria monocytogenes
is a foodborne pathogen and is the causative agent of listeriosis among humans and animals. The draft genome sequence of
L. monocytogenes
DPC6895, a serotype 1/2b strain isolated from the raw milk of a cow with subclinical bovine mastitis, is reported.
Making sense of the shadows: priorities for creating a learning healthcare system based on routinely collected data
Authors: Deeny Sarah R , Steventon Adam
Published: June 2015

Socrates described a group of people chained up inside a cave, who mistook shadows of objects on a wall for reality. This allegory comes to mind when considering ‘routinely collected data’—the massive data sets, generated as part of the routine operation of the modern healthcare service. There is keen interest in routine data and the seemingly comprehensive view of healthcare they offer, and we outline a number of examples in which they were used successfully, including the Birmingham OwnHealth study, in which routine data were used with matched control groups to assess the effect of telephone health coaching on hospital utilisation.

Routine data differ from data collected primarily for the purposes of research, and this means that analysts cannot assume that they provide the full or accurate clinical picture, let alone a full description of the health of the population. We show that major methodological challenges in using routine data arise from the difficulty of understanding the gap between patient and their ‘data shadow’. Strategies to overcome this challenge include more extensive data linkage, developing analytical methods and collecting more data on a routine basis, including from the patient while away from the clinic. In addition, creating a learning health system will require greater alignment between the analysis and the decisions that will be taken; between analysts and people interested in quality improvement; and between the analysis undertaken and public attitudes regarding appropriate use of data.
Comments on the dilemma in the May issue: ‘Immediate dispatch?’
Authors: Richards Iain
Published: June 2015

The dilemma in the May issue considered the fate of a fox that had been run down on a country lane and the vet had been called out by the passengers of the car. Despite the vet suspecting from preliminary observations that the most reasonable course of action would be euthanasia and a passing farmer offering to shoot the fox, the three people in the car that hit the fox put forward £300 for a thorough examination and insisted that, if the fox needed to be put to sleep, it should be done only by a vet while the fox was unconscious (IP, May 2015, vol 37, pp 262–263). Richard Brown emphasised that it was important for the vet to trust in the clinical judgement that came from years of training and experience, and not to feel pressured by others or the prospect of payment. If the vet was convinced on clinical grounds that the case was hopeless, the fox would need to be euthanased in the quickest way possible. He added that it was important to take detailed notes after the situation in case of any complaints and that it would probably be best for the vet to take the carcase away for disposal.
Short-term beat-to-beat variability of the QT interval is increased and correlates with parameters of left ventricular hypertrophy in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Orosz Andrea , Baczkó István , Nagy Viktória , Gavallér Henriette , Csanády Miklós , Forster Tamás , Papp Julius Gy. , Varró András , Lengyel Csaba , Sepp Róbert
Published: June 2015

Stratification models for the prediction of sudden cardiac death (SCD) are inappropriate in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). We investigated conventional electrocardiogram (ECG) repolarization parameters and the beat-to-beat short-term QT interval variability (QT-STV), a new parameter of proarrhythmic risk, in 37 patients with HCM (21 males, average age 48 ± 15 years). Resting ECGs were recorded for 5 min and the frequency corrected QT interval (QTc), QT dispersion (QTd), beat-to-beat short-term variability of QT interval (QT-STV), and the duration of terminal part of T waves (Tpeak–Tend) were calculated. While all repolarization parameters were significantly increased in patients with HCM compared with the controls (QTc, 488 ± 61 vs. 434 ± 23 ms, p < 0.0001; QT-STV, 4.5 ± 2 vs. 3.2 ± 1 ms, p = 0.0002; Tpeak–Tend duration, 107 ± 27 vs. 91 ± 10 ms, p = 0.0015; QTd, 47 ± 17 vs. 34 ± 9 ms, p = 0.0002), QT-STV had the highest relative increase (+41%). QT-STV also showed the best correlation with indices of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy, i.e., maximal LV wall thickness normalized for body surface area (BSA; r = 0.461, p = 0.004) or LV mass (determined by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging) normalized for BSA (r = 0.455, p = 0.015). In summary, beat-to-beat QT-STV showed the most marked increase in patients with HCM and may represent a novel marker that merits further testing for increased SCD risk in HCM.
Fluctuation limits of a locally regulated population and generalized Langevin equations
Authors: Savov Mladen , Wang Shi-Dong
Published: June 2015

We consider a locally regulated spatial population model introduced by Bolker and Pacala. Based on the deterministic approximation studied by Fournier and Méléard, we prove that the fluctuation theorem holds under some mild moment conditions. The limiting process is shown to be an infinite-dimensional Gaussian process solving a generalized Langevin equation. In particular, we further consider its properties in one dimension case, which is characterized as a time-inhomogeneous Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process.
Critical and subcritical fractional problems with vanishing potentials
Authors: do Ó João Marcos , Miyagaki Olímpio H. , Squassina Marco
Published: June 2015

We investigate a class of nonlinear nonautonomous scalar field equations with fractional diffusion, critical power nonlinearity and a subcritical term. The involved potentials are allowed for vanishing behavior at infinity. The problem is set on the whole space and compactness issues have to be tackled.
Heuristic Initialization for Active Contour Models in CT/MRI Image Processing
Authors: Liu Hao , Qian Hongbo , Dai Ning , Zhao Jianning
Published: June 2015

It is an important segmentation approach of CT/MRI images to automatically extract contours in every slice using active contour models. The key point of the segmentation approach is to automatically construct initial contours for active contour models because any active contour model is sensitive to its initial contour. This paper presents an algorithm to construct such initial contours using a heuristic method. Assume that the contour in previous slice (previous contour) is accurate. The contour in the current slice (current contour) is constructed according to the previous contour using the way: Recognition and link of edge points of tissues according to the previous contour. The contour linking edge points is used as the initial contour of the distance regularized level set evolution (DRLSE) method and then an accurate contour can be extracted in the current slice.
K2
Authors: Lin Felix Xiaozhu , Wang Zhen , Zhong Lin
Published: June 2015

Mobile System-on-Chips (SoC) that incorporate heterogeneous coherence domains promise high energy efficiency to a wide range of mobile applications, yet are difficult to program. To exploit the architecture, a desirable, yet missing capability is to replicate operating system (OS) services over multiple coherence domains with minimum inter-domain communication. In designing such an OS, we set three goals: to ease application development, to simplify OS engineering, and to preserve the current OS performance. To this end, we identify a shared-most OS model for multiple coherence domains: creating per-domain instances of core OS services with no shared state, while enabling other extended OS services to share state across domains. To test the model, we build K2, a prototype OS on the TI OMAP4 SoC, by reusing most of the Linux 3.4 source. K2 presents a single system image to applications with its two kernels running on top of the two coherence domains of OMAP4. The two kernels have independent instances of core OS services, such as page allocation and interrupt management, as coordinated by K2; the two kernels share most extended OS services, such as device drivers, whose state is kept coherent transparently by K2. Despite platform constraints and unoptimized code, K2 improves energy efficiency for light OS workloads by 8x-10x, while incurring less than 9% performance overhead for two device drivers shared between kernels. Our experiences with K2 show that the shared-most model is promising.
Hickory Dickory Doc
Authors: Neville-Neil George
Published: June 2015

Dear KV, While reviewing some encryption code in our product, I came across an option that allowed for null encryption. This means the encryption could be turned on, but the data would never be encrypted or decrypted. It would always be stored "in the clear." I removed the option from our latest source tree because I figured we didn’t want an unsuspecting user to turn on encryption but still have data stored in the clear. One of the other programmers on my team reviewed the potential change and blocked me from committing it, saying that the null code could be used for testing. I disagreed with her, since I think that the risk of accidentally using the code is more important than a simple test. Which of us is right?
Carbohydrates on Proteins: Site-Specific Glycosylation Analysis by Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Zhu Zhikai , Desaire Heather
Published: June 2015

Glycosylation on proteins adds complexity and versatility to these biologically vital macromolecules. To unveil the structure-function relationship of glycoproteins, glycopeptide-centric analysis using mass spectrometry (MS) has become a method of choice because the glycan is preserved on the glycosylation site and site-specific glycosylation profiles of proteins can be readily determined. However, glycopeptide analysis is still challenging given that glycopeptides are usually low in abundance and relatively difficult to detect and the resulting data require expertise to analyze. Viewing the urgent need to address these challenges, emerging methods and techniques are being developed with the goal of analyzing glycopeptides in a sensitive, comprehensive, and high-throughput manner. In this review, we discuss recent advances in glycoprotein and glycopeptide analysis, with topics covering sample preparation, analytical separation, MS and tandem MS techniques, as well as data interpretation and automation.
Selective enrichment of commensal gut bacteria protects againstCitrobacter rodentium-induced colitis
Authors: Vong Linda , Pinnell Lee J. , Määttänen Pekka , Yeung C. William , Lurz Eberhard , Sherman Philip M.
Published: June 2015

The intestinal microbiota plays a key role in shaping the host immune system. Perturbation of gut microbial composition, termed dysbiosis, is associated with an increased susceptibility to intestinal pathogens and is a hallmark of a number of inflammatory, metabolic, and infectious diseases. The prospect of mining the commensal gut microbiota for bacterial strains that can impact immune function represents an attractive strategy to counteract dysbiosis and resulting disease. In this study, we show that selective enrichment of commensal gut lactobacilli protects against the murine pathogen Citrobacter rodentium, a well-characterized model of enteropathogenic and enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli infection. The lactobacilli-enriched bacterial culture prevented the expansion of Gammaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria and was associated with improved indexes of epithelial barrier function (dextran flux), transmissible crypt hyperplasia, and tissue inflammatory cytokine levels. Moreover, cultivation of gut bacteria from Citrobacter rodentium-infected mice reveals the differential capacity of bacterial subsets to mobilize neutrophil oxidative burst and initiate the formation of weblike neutrophil extracellular traps. Our findings highlight the beneficial effects of a lactobacilli -enriched commensal gut microenvironment and, in the context of an intestinal barrier breach, the ability of neutrophils to immobilize both commensal and pathogenic bacteria.
Perturbed mechanotransduction by endothelial surface glycocalyx modification greatly impairs the arteriogenic process
Authors: Potter Daniel R. , van Teeffelen Jurgen , Vink Hans , van den Berg Bernard M.
Published: June 2015

The mechanisms that trigger initiation of arteriogenesis in response to pathogenic obstruction of arterial flow are not fully understood. Our objective is to determine whether glycocalyx mediated mechanotransduction of fluid shear stress to the endothelial layer is an essential first step in inducing arteriogenesis. Mice were implanted with an osmotic minipump containing saline or hyaluronan synthase inhibitor 4-methylesculetin (4ME) 2 wk before femoral artery ligation. 4ME was effective in modifying the endothelial glycocalyx as measured by dextran exclusion and perfused boundary region changes. Glycocalyx modification resulted in a 52% ( P = 0.002) reduction in perfusion restoration through the 21-day follow-up [area under the curve, 4.9 ± 1.1 ( n = 11) vs. 10.2 ± 3.2 ( n = 10), 4ME vs. control (Ctrl)]. Upon femoral artery ligation, no change in collateral vessel diameter in 4ME treated mice (49.8 ± 26.3 vs. 47.1 ± 14.0 μm, ligated vs unligated) was observed (Ctrl, 88.5 ± 18.8 vs. 35.1 ± 3.0 μm, ligated vs unligated, P < 0.05). This impaired arteriogenic process was accompanied by lack of local induction of both endothelial and smooth muscle cell activation (Ki67, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, and ICAM-1), as well as a failure to recruit CD11b-positive cells in 4ME-treated collateral vessels (0.012 ± 0.003 vs. 0.010 ± 0.003 cells/μm vessel perimeter, ligated vs. unligated), whereas in Ctrls, the number of CD11b cells was increased (0.024 ± 0.002 vs. 0.010 ± 0.004 cells/μm vessel perimeter, P < 0.05). Modification of the glycocalyx by inhibition of hyaluronan synthesis renders the endothelium unresponsive to altered hemodynamic conditions resulting from femoral artery ligation, which results in a hampered restoration of distal perfusion.
Activation of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor during development enhances the pulmonary CD4+ T-cell response to viral infection
Authors: Boule Lisbeth A. , Winans Bethany , Lambert Kris , Vorderstrasse Beth A. , Topham David J. , Pavelka Martin S. , Lawrence B. Paige
Published: June 2015

Respiratory infections are a threat to health and economies worldwide, yet the basis for striking variation in the severity of infection is not completely understood. Environmental exposures during development are associated with increased severity and incidence of respiratory infection later in life. Many of these exposures include ligands of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR), a transcription factor expressed by immune and nonimmune cells. In adult animals, AHR activation alters CD4+ T cells and changes immunopathology. Developmental AHR activation impacts CD4+ T-cell responses in lymphoid tissues, but whether skewed responses are also present in the infected lung is unknown. To determine whether pulmonary CD4+ T-cell responses are modified by developmental AHR activation, mice were exposed to the prototypical AHR ligand 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo- p-dioxin during development and infected with influenza virus as adults. Lungs of exposed offspring had greater bronchopulmonary inflammation compared with controls, and activated, virus-specific CD4+ T cells contributed to the infiltrating leukocytes. These effects were CD4+ T cell subset specific, with increases in T helper type 1 and regulatory T cells, but no change in the frequency of T helper type 17 cells in the infected lung. This is in direct contrast to prior reports of suppressed conventional CD4+ T-cell responses in the lymph node. Using adoptive transfers and manipulating the pathogen properties, we determined that developmental exposure influenced factors intrinsic and extrinsic to CD4+ T cells and may involve developmentally induced changes in signals from infected lung epithelial cells. Thus developmental exposures lead to context-dependent changes in pulmonary CD4+ T-cell subsets, which may contribute to differential responses to respiratory infection.
Microcirculatory and mitochondrial hypoxia in sepsis, shock, and resuscitation
Authors: Ince Can , Mik Egbert G.
Published: June 2015

After shock, persistent oxygen extraction deficit despite the apparent adequate recovery of systemic hemodynamic and oxygen-derived variables has been a source of uncertainty and controversy. Dysfunction of oxygen transport pathways during intensive care underlies the sequelae that lead to organ failure, and the limitations of techniques used to measure tissue oxygenation in vivo have contributed to the lack of progress in this area. Novel techniques have provided detailed quantitative insight into the determinants of microcirculatory and mitochondrial oxygenation. These techniques, which are based on the oxygen-dependent quenching of phosphorescence or delayed luminescence are briefly reviewed. The application of these techniques to animal models of shock and resuscitation revealed the heterogeneous nature of oxygen distributions and the alterations in oxygen distribution in the microcirculation and in mitochondria. These studies identified functional shunting in the microcirculation as an underlying cause of oxygen extraction deficit observed in states of shock and resuscitation. The translation of these concepts to the bedside has been enabled by our development and clinical introduction of hand-held microscopy. This tool facilitates the direct observation of the microcirculation and its alterations at the bedside under the conditions of shock and resuscitation. Studies identified loss of coherence between the macrocirculation and the microcirculation, in which resuscitation successfully restored systemic circulation but did not alleviate microcirculatory perfusion alterations. Various mechanisms responsible for these alterations underlie the loss of hemodynamic coherence during unsuccessful resuscitation procedures. Therapeutic resolution of persistent heterogeneous microcirculatory alterations is expected to improve outcomes in critically ill patients.
Changes in respiratory elastance after deep inspirations reflect surface film functionality in mice with acute lung injury
Authors: Takahashi Ayuko , Bartolák-Suki Erzsébet , Majumdar Arnab , Suki Béla
Published: June 2015

Pulmonary surfactant reduces surface tension in the lung and prevents alveolar collapse. Following a deep inspiration (DI), respiratory elastance first drops then gradually increases due to surface film and tissue viscoelasticity. In acute lung injury (ALI), this increase is faster and governed by alveolar collapse due to increased surface tension. We hypothesized that the rate of increase in elastance reflects the deficiency of surfactant in the lung. To test this, mice were ventilated before (baseline) and after saline lavage obtained by injecting 0.8 ml and withdrawing 0.7 ml fluid (severe ALI) or injecting 0.1 ml (mild ALI). After two DIs, elastance was tracked for 10 min followed by a full lavage to assess surfactant proteins B (SP-B) and C (SP-C) content. Following 2 DIs, the increases in elastance during 10 min ventilation (Δ H) were 3.60 ± 0.61, 5.35 ± 1.04, and 8.33 ± 0.84 cmH2O/ml in baseline mice and mice with mild and severe ALI, respectively ( P < 0.0001). SP-B and SP-C in the lavage fluid dropped by 32.4% and 24.9% in the mild and 50.4% and 39.6% in the severe ALI, respectively. Furthermore, Δ H showed a strong negative correlation with both SP-B ( r2= 0.801) and SP-C ( r2= 0.810) content. The Δ H was, however, much smaller when the lavage fluid also contained exogeneous SP-B and SP-C. Thus Δ H can be interpreted as an organ level measure of surface film functionality in lavage-induced ALI in mice. This method could prove useful in clinical situations such as diagnosing surfactant problems, monitoring recovery from lung injury or the effectiveness of surfactant therapy.
Ocular Complications in Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus: A Systematic Review with a Meta-Analysis of Reported Cases
Authors: Arrico L. , Abbouda A. , Abicca I. , Malagola R.
Published: June 2015

Ocular complications associated with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) are less studied compared with those ones associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The main ocular sites involved in patients affected by discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) are eyelids followed by orbit and periorbit, the least being cornea. The most common complications are blepharitis usually affecting the lower lid and associated with some type of lid lesion such as plaque or erythematosus patches and madarosis. Few cases with LE profundus (LEP) and ocular complications are reported, but they are associated with orbital inflammatory syndrome and severe complications. The main treatment prescribed is hydroxychloroquine with a dose of 200 mg twice a day for 6 to 8 weeks. Corticosteroids are also used. Intervals between the correct diagnosis and the beginning of the ocular symptoms are commonly delayed. Ophthalmologist should be aware of the ocular manifestation of this autoimmune disease.
An Investigation on Tribological Properties and Lubrication Mechanism of Graphite Nanoparticles as Vegetable Based Oil Additive
Authors: Su Yu , Gong Le , Chen Dandan
Published: June 2015

This paper used graphite nanoparticles with the diameter of 35 and 80 nm and LB2000 vegetable based oil to prepare graphite oil‐based nanofluids with different volume fractions by two‐step method. The tribological properties of graphite nanoparticles as LB2000 vegetable based oil additive were investigated with a pin‐on‐disk friction and wear tester. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FE‐SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) were used to examine the morphology and the content of some typical elements of wear scar, respectively. Further, the lubrication mechanism of graphite nanoparticles was explored. It was found that graphite nanoparticles as vegetable based oil additive could remarkably improve friction‐reducing and antiwear properties of pure oil. With the increase of volume fraction of graphite nanoparticles, the friction coefficient and the wear volume of disk decreased. At the same volume fraction, the smaller particles, the lower friction coefficient and wear volume. The main reason for the improvement in friction‐reducing and antiwear properties of vegetable based oil using graphite nanoparticles was that graphite nanoparticles could form a physical deposition film on the friction surfaces.
Some Properties of Complex Fuzzy Integral
Authors: You Cuilian , Wang Weiqing
Published: June 2015

In order to simplify the calculations of complex fuzzy integral (complex Liu integral), this paper aims to discuss the properties of this kind of complex fuzzy integral. Firstly, some properties of one-dimensional complex fuzzy integral are given. Then the properties above are extended to the case of multidimensional complex fuzzy integral.
Partial Thickness Rotator Cuff Tears: Current Concepts
Authors: Matthewson Graeme , Beach Cara J. , Nelson Atiba A. , Woodmass Jarret M. , Ono Yohei , Boorman Richard S. , Lo Ian K. Y. , Thornton Gail M.
Published: June 2015

Partial thickness rotator cuff tears are a common cause of pain in the adult shoulder. Despite their high prevalence, the diagnosis and treatment of partial thickness rotator cuff tears remains controversial. While recent studies have helped to elucidate the anatomy and natural history of disease progression, the optimal treatment, both nonoperative and operative, is unclear. Although the advent of arthroscopy has improved the accuracy of the diagnosis of partial thickness rotator cuff tears, the number of surgical techniques used to repair these tears has also increased. While multiple repair techniques have been described, there is currently no significant clinical evidence supporting more complex surgical techniques over standard rotator cuff repair. Further research is required to determine the clinical indications for surgical and nonsurgical management, when formal rotator cuff repair is specifically indicated and when biologic adjunctive therapy may be utilized.
Study on the Antinociceptive Effects of Herba Epimedium in Mice
Authors: Sun Jiang-hong , Ruan Xin-jie , Wang Li-na , Liang Shuang , Li Xin-ping
Published: June 2015

The present study was conducted to investigate the antinociceptive action of relationship between Herba Epimedium (HE) and5-HT1Areceptor, between Herba Epimedium (HE) and5-HT2Areceptor. We used the hot-plate method and the writhing assay in mice by the intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) injection and observed the analgesic effect of HE. Furthermore, through the i.c.v. injection,5-HT1Areceptor partial agonist Buspirone, antagonist Propranolol, the adrenalineβ1-receptor selective blocking agent Metoprolol, and5-HT2Areceptor agonist hydrochloride DOI and antagonist Ketanserin were used, and, 5 min later, HE was used to investigate the impacts of drugs on the analgesic effect in the same way. Results showed that HE had fast and significant antinociception in nervous system, and the effects can persist for a long time. Buspirone and Hydrochloride DOI can remarkably increase the antinociception of HE in nervous system. Ketanserin leads to a significant decrease in its antinociception in nervous system; Metoprolol also has antinociceptive action in nervous system, but it can inhibit the antinociceptive effect of Herba Epimediumin peripheral region. These results suggest that HE has significant antinociception effect and its mechanism is related with5-HT1Areceptor,5-HT2Areceptor, and adrenalineβ1-receptor.