bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
International Olympic Committee consensus statement on youth athletic development
Authors: Bergeron Michael F , Mountjoy Margo , Armstrong Neil , Chia Michael , Côté Jean , Emery Carolyn A , Faigenbaum Avery , Hall Gary , Kriemler Susi , Léglise Michel , Malina Robert M , Pensgaard Anne Marte , Sanchez Alex , Soligard Torbjørn , Sundgot-Borgen Jorunn , van Mechelen Willem , Weissensteiner Juanita R , Engebretsen Lars
Published: June 2015

The health, fitness and other advantages of youth sports participation are well recognised. However, there are considerable challenges for all stakeholders involved—especially youth athletes—in trying to maintain inclusive, sustainable and enjoyable participation and success for all levels of individual athletic achievement. In an effort to advance a more unified, evidence-informed approach to youth athlete development, the IOC critically evaluated the current state of science and practice of youth athlete development and presented recommendations for developing healthy, resilient and capable youth athletes, while providing opportunities for all levels of sport participation and success. The IOC further challenges all youth and other sport governing bodies to embrace and implement these recommended guiding principles.
Patient and family engagement: a survey of US hospital practices
Authors: Herrin Jeph , Harris Kathleen G , Kenward Kevin , Hines Stephen , Joshi Maulik S , Frosch Dominick L
Published: June 2015

Background

Patient and family engagement (PFE) in healthcare is an important element of the transforming healthcare system; however, the prevalence of various PFE practices in the USA is not known.

Objective

We report on a survey of hospitals in the USA regarding their PFE practices during 2013–2014.

Results

The response rate was 42%, with 1457 acute care hospitals completing the survey. We constructed 25 items to summarise the responses regarding key practices, which fell into three broad categories: (1) organisational practices, (2) bedside practices and (3) access to information and shared decision-making. We found a wide range of scores across hospitals. Selected findings include: 86% of hospitals had a policy for unrestricted visitor access in at least some units; 68% encouraged patients/families to participate in shift-change reports; 67% had formal policies for disclosing and apologising for errors; and 38% had a patient and family advisory council. The most commonly reported barrier to increased PFE was ‘competing organisational priorities’.

Our findings indicate that there is a large variation in hospital implementation of PFE practices, with competing organisational priorities being the most commonly identified barrier to adoption.
Grading lymph node metastasis: a feasible approach for prognostication of patients with stage III colorectal cancer
Authors: Resch Annika , Harbaum Lars , Pollheimer Marion J , Kornprat Peter , Lindtner Richard A , Langner Cord
Published: June 2015

This study aimed to assess the clinicopathological significance of tumour differentiation of metastatic lymph node tissue in patients with American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC)/Union for International Cancer Control (UICC) stage III colorectal cancer. In a cohort of 145 patients, lymph node grades were G1 in 77 (53.1%), G2 in 41 (28.3%) and G3 in 27 (18.6%) cases, respectively. Despite differences in 77 (53.1%) cases, primary tumour and lymph node grade correlated significantly (Somer's D=0.639; p<0.001). Lymph node grade was significantly associated with N classification (p=0.009), tumour size (p=0.024) and lymphovascular invasion (p=0.004). Patients with lymph node grade G1 had better progression-free survival (p=0.031) and cancer-specific survival (p=0.008). Multivariable analysis identified lymph node grade as independent predictor of cancer-specific survival in this cohort. In conclusion, lymph node grade emerged as a promising novel prognostic variable for patients with AJCC/UICC stage III disease. Additional studies are warranted to validate this new finding.
Chronic neutrophilic leukaemia
Authors: Uppal Guldeep , Gong Jerald
Published: June 2015

Chronic neutrophilic leukaemia (CNL) is a rare type of myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) characterised by sustained leucocytosis (≥25×109/L) with neoplastic proliferation of neutrophilic granulocytes in blood and bone marrow. In contrast to chronic myeloid leukaemia, the disease primarily involves neutrophilic lineage with persistent proliferation of mature forms of neutrophils. No consistent cytogenetic changes have been reported. Known recurrent genetic changes in other MPNs such asJAK2, MPL, CALR, BCR-ABL1, PDGFRA, PDGFRBandFGFR1are mostly absent. Recently, mutations in colony stimulating factor 3 receptor (CSF3R) have been reported in high frequency in CNL. This discovery has provided more insight into its pathogenesis and opened up possible treatment options. In this article, we review the clinical findings, morphology, pathobiology and differential diagnosis of CNL and treatment implications ofCSF3Rmutations.
The origin and genetic divergence of “black” kokanee, a novel reproductive ecotype ofOncorhynchus nerka
Authors: Moreira Amanda L. , Taylor Eric B.
Published: June 2015

Kokanee and sockeye salmon are the freshwater-resident and anadromous forms, respectively, of Oncorhynchus nerka. Unique populations of “black” kokanee are found in Lake Saiko, Japan, and in Anderson and Seton lakes in the southwestern interior of British Columbia. They are distinct from other populations of O. nerka in that black kokanee display black nuptial colouration and they spawn between 20 to 70 m below the surface of lakes in the winter or early spring. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA and nine microsatellite loci supported the hypothesis that black kokanee in Lake Saiko and in Anderson and Seton lakes have had a diphyletic origin resulting from at least two episodes of divergence in the North Pacific basin. Further, black kokanee in the Anderson and Seton lakes system were genetically distinct from sympatric populations of sockeye salmon in Gates and Portage creeks (inlets to Anderson and Seton lakes, respectively) and were distinct from one another. Anderson and Seton lake black kokanee differed dramatically from one another in standard length at maturity, but no differences were found between the two populations in size-adjusted maximum body depth or in gill raker numbers. Independent origins of black kokanee represent novel diversity within O. nerka, are consistent with the importance of parallel evolution in the origin of biodiversity, and suggest that independent management regimes are required for the persistence of black kokanee biodiversity within a physically interconnected lake system.
Vulnerability of timber supply to projected changes in fire regime in Canada’s managed forests
Authors: Gauthier S. , Bernier P.Y. , Boulanger Y. , Guo J. , Guindon L. , Beaudoin A. , Boucher D.
Published: June 2015

The frequency of forest fires is predicted to increase in Canada, which may affect the availability of timber for industrial purposes. We therefore carried out an evaluation of the timber supply vulnerability to current and future fire risk through simplified calculations involving historical forest growth and harvest rates and current and projected forest burn rates. Calculations were performed at the level of forest management areas (FMAs) across the boreal and montane ecozones of Canada. For some FMAs, the vulnerability of timber supply to fire was estimated to be high to extreme by the middle of the century. For those FMAs, the increases in tree growth necessary to negate these risks were generally unrealistic. A modest simulated decrease in tree growth over time, however, was sufficient to raise the vulnerability of many other FMAs from low to moderate. Known biases in the analysis suggest that our assessment might underestimate the level of vulnerability in all FMAs. Other natural disturbances are not included in the analysis but their impact on timber supply may be additive to that of fire. Some adaptation measures to face these increasing risks are discussed.
Inhibition of islet amyloid polypeptide aggregation and associated cytotoxicity by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
Authors: Fortin Jessica S. , Benoit-Biancamano Marie-Odile
Published: June 2015

Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) constitute an important pharmacotherapeutic class that, over the past decade, have expanded in application to a panoply of medical conditions. They have been tested for neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s to reduce inflammation and also in the attempt to abrogate amyloid deposition. However, the use of NSAIDs as aggregation inhibitors has not been extensively studied in pancreatic amyloid deposition. Pancreatic amyloidosis involves the misfolding of islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) and contributes to the progression of type-2 diabetes in humans and felines. To ascertain their antiamyloidogenic activity, several NSAIDs were tested using fluorometric thioflavin-T assays, circular dichroism, photo-induced cross-linking assays, and cell culture. Celecoxib, diclofenac, indomethacin, meloxicam, niflumic acid, nimesulide, phenylbutazone, piroxicam, sulindac, and tenoxicam reduced fibrillization at a molar ratio of 1:10. The circular dichroism spectra of diclofenac, piroxicam, and sulindac showed characteristic spectral signatures found in predominantly α-helical structures. The oligomerization of human IAPP was abrogated with diclofenac and sulindac at a molar ratio of 1:5. The cytotoxic effects of pre-incubated human IAPP on cultured INS-1 cells were noticeably reduced in the presence of diclofenac, meloxicam, phenylbutazone, sulindac, and tenoxicam at a molar ratio of 1:10. Our results demonstrate that NSAIDs can provide chemical scaffolds to generate new and promising antiamyloidogenic agents that can be used alone or as a coadjuvant therapy.
Neuron Model with Simplified Memristive Ionic Channels
Authors: Hegab Almoatazbellah M. , Salem Noha M. , Radwan Ahmed G. , Chua Leon
Published: June 2015

A simplified neuron model is introduced to mimic the action potential generated by the famous Hodgkin–Huxley equations by using the genetic optimization algorithm. Comparison with different neuron models is investigated, and it is confirmed that the sodium and potassium channels in our simplified neuron model are made out of memristors. In addition, the channel equations in the simplified model may be adjusted to introduce a simplified memristor model that is in accordance with the theoretical conditions of the memristive systems.
Limit Cycle Bifurcations by Perturbing a Hamiltonian System with a Cuspidal Loop of Order m
Authors: Xiong Yanqing
Published: June 2015

This paper is concerned with the expansion of the first-order Melnikov function for general Hamiltonian systems with a cuspidal loop having order m. Some criteria and formulas are derived, which can be used to obtain first-order coefficients in the expansion. In particular, we deduce the first-order coefficients for the case m = 3 and give the corresponding conditions of existing several limit cycles. As an application, we study a Liénard system of type (n, 9) and prove that it can have 14 limit cycles near a cuspidal loop of order 3 for n = 8.
Equilibrium and Disequilibrium Dynamics in Cobweb Models with Time Delays
Authors: Gori Luca , Guerrini Luca , Sodini Mauro
Published: June 2015

This paper aims to study price dynamics in two different continuous time cobweb models with delays close to [Hommes, 1994]. In both cases, the stationary equilibrium may be not representative of the long-term dynamics of the model, since it is possible to observe endogenous and persistent fluctuations (supercritical Hopf bifurcations) even if a deterministic context without external shocks is considered. In the model in which markets are in equilibrium every time, we show that the existence of time delays in the expectations formation mechanism may cause chaotic dynamics similar to those obtained in [Hommes, 1994] in a discrete time context. From a mathematical point of view, we apply the Poincaré–Lindstedt perturbation method to study the local dynamic properties of the models. In addition, several numerical experiments are used to investigate global properties of the systems.
Bifurcation Analysis in an n-Dimensional Diffusive Competitive Lotka–Volterra System with Time Delay
Authors: Chang Xiaoyuan , Wei Junjie
Published: June 2015

In this paper, we investigate the stability and Hopf bifurcation of an n-dimensional competitive Lotka–Volterra diffusion system with time delay and homogeneous Dirichlet boundary condition. We first show that there exists a positive nonconstant steady state solution satisfying the given asymptotic expressions and establish the stability of the positive nonconstant steady state solution. Regarding the time delay as a bifurcation parameter, we explore the system that undergoes a Hopf bifurcation near the positive nonconstant steady state solution and derive a calculation method for determining the direction of the Hopf bifurcation. Finally, we cite the stability of a three-dimensional competitive Lotka–Volterra diffusion system with time delay to illustrate our conclusions.
New Discontinuity-Induced Bifurcations in Chua's Circuit
Authors: Fu Shihui , Lu Qishao , Meng Xiangying
Published: June 2015

Chua's circuit, an archetypal example of nonsmooth dynamical systems, exhibits mostly discontinuous bifurcations. More complex dynamical phenomena of Chua's circuit are presented here due to discontinuity-induced bifurcations. Some new kinds of classical bifurcations are revealed and analyzed, including the coexistence of two classical bifurcations and bifurcations of equilibrium manifolds. The local dynamical behavior of the boundary equilibrium points located on switch boundaries is found to be determined jointly by the Jacobian matrices evaluated before and after switching. Some new discontinuous bifurcations are also observed, such as the coexistence of two discontinuous and one classical bifurcation.
Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) records synsedimentary deformation kinematics at Pico del Aguila anticline, Pyrenees, Spain
Authors: Anastasio David , Parés Josep M. , Kodama Kenneth P. , Troy Joanna , Pueyo Emilio L.
Published: June 2015

Pico del Aguila anticline is a transverse décollement fold located at the Pyrenean thrust front. The anticline is a synsedimentary structure buried during growth by delta front mudstones and sands of the Eocene Arguis and Belsué-Atares formations. Both the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility measured at 77 K and 294 K and the anisotropy of anhysteretic remanence show that susceptibility is dominated by paramagnetic clay minerals and can be used as a proxy for depositional and tectonic fabric orientations. In general, the maximum and intermediate principal susceptibilities (
k
1
and
k
2
) of the AMS lie in bedding and the minimum principal susceptibility (
k
3
) is oriented nearly normal to bedding. Layer-parallel shortening (LPS) produced a
c.
 north–south-trending magnetic intersection lineation in bedding on anticline limbs and in the adjacent Belsué and Arguis synclines by deforming the depositional and diagenetic compaction fabric. The degree of magnetic anisotropy is higher along axial surfaces than on limbs. At the anticline hinge, oblate magnetic ellipsoids with an east–west-aligned lineation and a bedding-parallel magnetic foliation demonstrate the overprinting of the LPS magnetic fabric during the emplacement of the underlying thrust sheet. AMS data record fold kinematics characterized by constant-length limb rotation about pinned hinges and are compatible with kinematics recorded by growth strata geometries. This study emphasizes that AMS is a very sensitive measure of depositional, compaction and tectonic fabrics in marine clastic rocks in the diagenetic realm.

Supplementary material:

Data tables including specimen locations, orientation, and AMS matrix elements for new samples and AMS data from Pueyo
et al.
(1997). Bulk susceptibility at 77 K and 294 K for representative specimens is available at
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18842
Reliable and Resilient Trust Management in Distributed Service Provision Networks
Authors: Su Zhiyuan , Liu Ling , Li Mingchu , Fan Xinxin , Zhou Yang
Published: June 2015

Distributed service networks are popular platforms for service providers to offer services to consumers and for service consumers to acquire services from unknown parties. eBay and Amazon are two well-known examples of enabling and hosting such service networks to connect service providers to service consumers. Trust management is a critical component for scaling such distributed service networks to a large and growing number of participants. In this article, we present ServiceTrust
++
, a feedback quality--sensitive and attack resilient trust management scheme for empowering distributed service networks with effective trust management capability. Compared with existing trust models, ServiceTrust
++
has several novel features. First, we present six attack models to capture both independent and colluding attacks with malicious cliques, malicious spies, and malicious camouflages. Second, we aggregate the feedback ratings based on the variances of participants’ feedback behaviors and incorporate feedback similarity as weight into the local trust algorithm. Third, we compute the global trust of a participant by employing conditional trust propagation based on the feedback similarity threshold. This allows ServiceTrust
++
to control and prevent malicious spies and malicious camouflage peers from boosting their global trust scores by manipulating the feedback ratings of good peers and by taking advantage of the uniform trust propagation. Finally, we systematically combine a trust-decaying strategy with a threshold value--based conditional trust propagation to further strengthen the robustness of our global trust computation against sophisticated malicious feedback. Experimental evaluation with both simulation-based networks and real network dataset Epinion show that ServiceTrust
++
is highly resilient against all six attack models and highly effective compared to EigenTrust, the most popular and representative trust propagation model to date.
Personalized presentation builder for persuasive communication
Authors: Khataei Amirsam , Arya Ali
Published: June 2015

Presentations are effective ways of communicating information, especially in the field of education, but they might not be equally or fully beneficial and persuasive to all users. Each member of the audience might be interested in a particular topic, come from a different background and profession, and have his or her own personality traits.

In this conceptual paper, we first describe our persuasive personalization model; the Individualization Pyramid based on Yale Attitude Change Approach. The model consists of the following main sections: selecting contents by applying segmentation, adjusting comprehensibility of the text, tailoring the language of the text to fit with user's personality and recommending content that is associated with user's personal history within the related subjects. We then propose an enhanced version of our previously published presentation builder, which uses users' digital traces such as those on social media to personalize presentation content. Finally, we highlight the available tools and algorithms to assist us with developing the system.
Ying Zhang
Authors: Zimmermann Roger , Kankanhalli Mohan , Brown Michael , Tsang Ooi Wei , Zhang Ying
Published: June 2015

In recent years, we have witnessed an overwhelming number of user-generated videos being captured on a daily basis. An essential reason is the rapid development in camera technology and hence videos are easily recorded on multiple portable devices, especially mobile smartphones. Such flexibility encourages the modern videos to be tagged with additional various sensor properties. In this thesis, we are interested in geo-referenced videos whose metadata is closely tied to geographic identifications. These videos have great appeal for prospective travelers and visitors who are unfamiliar with a region, an area or a city. For example, before someone visits a place, a georeferenced video search engine can quickly retrieve a list of videos that are captured in this place so the visitors could obtain an overall visual impression, conveniently and quickly. However, users face the prospect of an ever increasing viewing burden if the size of these video repositories keeps increasing and as a result more videos are relevant to a search query. To manage these video retrievals and provide viewers with an efficient way to browse, we introduce a novel solution to automatically generate a summarization from multiple user generated videos and present their salience to viewers in an enjoyable manner.

In this thesis, we investigate how to formulate, display and improve a multi-video summarization with the following contributions. The first three works propose solutions to detect video salience among multiple videos according to their geographic properties and convert the summarization to a graph-analysis problem with a dynamic programming-based solution to achieve the optimized informativeness, quality and coherency. The fourth work proposes an interactive and dynamic video exploration system where people can conduct personalized summary queries through direct map-based manipulations. Lastly, we investigate whether external crowdsourcing databases contribute to improving the summary quality by recommending a list of photography spots which are of potential to capture appealing photos for a landmark.
Simulated diabetic ketoacidosis therapy in vitro elicits brain cell swelling via sodium-hydrogen exchange and anion transport
Authors: Rose Keeley L. , Watson Andrew J. , Drysdale Thomas A. , Cepinskas Gediminas , Chan Melissa , Rupar C. Anthony , Fraser Douglas D.
Published: June 2015

A common complication of type 1 diabetes mellitus is diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), a state of severe insulin deficiency. A potentially harmful consequence of DKA therapy in children is cerebral edema (DKA-CE); however, the mechanisms of therapy-induced DKA-CE are unknown. Our aims were to identify the DKA treatment factors and membrane mechanisms that might contribute specifically to brain cell swelling. To this end, DKA was induced in juvenile mice with the administration of the pancreatic toxins streptozocin and alloxan. Brain slices were prepared and exposed to DKA-like conditions in vitro. Cell volume changes were imaged in response to simulated DKA therapy. Our experiments showed that cell swelling was elicited with isolated DKA treatment components, including alkalinization, insulin/alkalinization, and rapid reductions in osmolality. Methyl-isobutyl-amiloride, a nonselective inhibitor of sodium-hydrogen exchangers (NHEs), reduced cell swelling in brain slices elicited with simulated DKA therapy (in vitro) and decreased brain water content in juvenile DKA mice administered insulin and rehydration therapy (in vivo). Specific pharmacological inhibition of the NHE1 isoform with cariporide also inhibited cell swelling, but only in the presence of the anion transport (AT) inhibitor 4,4′-diisothiocyanatostilbene-2,2′-disulphonic acid. DKA did not alter brain NHE1 isoform expression, suggesting that the cell swelling attributed to the NHE1 was activity dependent. In conclusion, our data raise the possibility that brain cell swelling can be elicited by DKA treatment factors and that it is mediated by NHEs and/or coactivation of NHE1 and AT.
Fidelity of frequency and phase entrainment of circuit-level spike activity during DBS
Authors: Agnesi Filippo , Muralidharan Abirami , Baker Kenneth B. , Vitek Jerrold L. , Johnson Matthew D.
Published: June 2015

High-frequency stimulation is known to entrain spike activity downstream and upstream of several clinical deep brain stimulation (DBS) targets, including the cerebellar-receiving area of thalamus (VPLo), subthalamic nucleus (STN), and globus pallidus (GP). Less understood are the fidelity of entrainment to each stimulus pulse, whether entrainment patterns are stationary over time, and how responses differ among DBS targets. In this study, three rhesus macaques were implanted with a single DBS lead in VPLo, STN, or GP. Single-unit spike activity was recorded in the resting state in motor cortex during VPLo DBS, in GP during STN DBS, and in STN and pallidal-receiving area of motor thalamus (VLo) during GP DBS. VPLo DBS induced time-locked spike activity in 25% ( n = 15/61) of motor cortex cells, with entrained cells following 7.5 ± 7.4% of delivered pulses. STN DBS entrained spike activity in 26% ( n = 8/27) of GP cells, which yielded time-locked spike activity for 8.7 ± 8.4% of stimulus pulses. GP DBS entrained 67% ( n = 14/21) of STN cells and 32% ( n = 19/59) of VLo cells, which showed a higher fraction of pulses effectively inhibiting spike activity (82.0 ± 9.6% and 86.1 ± 16.6%, respectively). Latency of phase-locked spike activity increased over time in motor cortex (58%, VPLo DBS) and to a lesser extent in GP (25%, STN DBS). In contrast, the initial inhibitory phase observed in VLo and STN during GP DBS remained stable following stimulation onset. Together, these data suggest that circuit-level entrainment is low-pass filtered during high-frequency stimulation, most notably for glutamatergic pathways. Moreover, phase entrainment is not stationary or consistent at the circuit level for all DBS targets.
Responses of primate frontal cortex neurons during natural vocal communication
Authors: Miller Cory T. , Thomas A. Wren , Nummela Samuel U. , de la Mothe Lisa A.
Published: June 2015

The role of primate frontal cortex in vocal communication and its significance in language evolution have a controversial history. While evidence indicates that vocalization processing occurs in ventrolateral prefrontal cortex neurons, vocal-motor activity has been conjectured to be primarily subcortical and suggestive of a distinctly different neural architecture from humans. Direct evidence of neural activity during natural vocal communication is limited, as previous studies were performed in chair-restrained animals. Here we recorded the activity of single neurons across multiple regions of prefrontal and premotor cortex while freely moving marmosets engaged in a natural vocal behavior known as antiphonal calling. Our aim was to test whether neurons in marmoset frontal cortex exhibited responses during vocal-signal processing and/or vocal-motor production in the context of active, natural communication. We observed motor-related changes in single neuron activity during vocal production, but relatively weak sensory responses for vocalization processing during this natural behavior. Vocal-motor responses occurred both prior to and during call production and were typically coupled to the timing of each vocalization pulse. Despite the relatively weak sensory responses a population classifier was able to distinguish between neural activity that occurred during presentations of vocalization stimuli that elicited an antiphonal response and those that did not. These findings are suggestive of the role that nonhuman primate frontal cortex neurons play in natural communication and provide an important foundation for more explicit tests of the functional contributions of these neocortical areas during vocal behaviors.
Effects of Deep Electroacupuncture Stimulation at “Huantiao” (GB 30) on Expression of Apoptosis-Related Factors in Rats with Acute Sciatic Nerve Injury
Authors: Dai Lili , Han Yanjing , Ma Tieming , Liu Yuli , Ren Lu , Bai Zenghua , Li Ye
Published: June 2015

SD rats were randomly divided into normal control, model, deep EA, and shallow EA groups. The model was established by mechanical clamping of the sciatic nerve stem. For deep and shallow EA, the needles were inserted into “Huantiao” (GB 30) by about 16 mm and 7 mm, respectively, once daily for 14 days. The results showed that, compared with the normal control group, the nerve-muscle excitability of rat’s hip muscle decreased and the nerve conduction velocity of sciatic nerve slowed down in the model group; meanwhile, the number of apoptotic cells and the expression level of Bax protein in the injured nerve increased significantly, and the expression level of Bcl-2 protein and the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax decreased considerably. Compared with the model group, the indices mentioned above were reversed in the two treatment groups, and the changes in the deep EA group were more significant than those in the shallow EA group. These results indicate that EA stimulation at GB 30 can improve the function of injured sciatic nerve, which is closely associated with its effects in upregulating the expression of apoptosis inhibitive factor Bcl-2 and downregulating apoptosis promotive factor Bax. Deep EA is relatively better.
Complete Controllability of Linear Fractional Differential Systems with Singularity
Authors: Huang Qun , Wu Qiuyue , Zhou Xian-Feng , Wen Yanhua , Wei Jiang
Published: June 2015

This paper is concerned with the controllability of a class of linear fractional differential systems with singularity. The method which is used to deal with the fast subsystemN·cD0,tαx2(t)=x2(t)+B2u(t)andy2(t)=C2x2(t)is an improvement of the known ones. Based on the movement orbit of the state equation, we obtain several controllability criteria which are sufficient and necessary.
Neuromorphic Sensor Network Platform: A Bioinspired Tool to Grow Applications in Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Wilby Mark Richard , Rodríguez González Ana Belén , Vinagre Díaz Juan José , Requena Carrión Jesús
Published: June 2015

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) must face the challenge of producing a vast plethora of applications from the least possible number of distributed sensors. In this paper we describe the Neuromorphic Sensor Network (NSN) platform, which implements a bioinspired approach to the development of growing applications in WSNs. NSNs follow an analogy with the neurophysiology of vertebrates, compressing the information coming from sets of sensors in wireless nodes and processing it by means of a set of processing units (PUs) that perform individual general purpose functions. Applications are then constructed through specific connections of these PUs, generating application pathways that allow the reuse of the same distributed NSN to give response to any desired output, thus achieving an application scalability. We illustrate the detailed process of growing applications using the NSN platform through an object tracking tool that mimics the behavior of the vertebrates visual system to detect and track objects. Finally, we describe a real implementation of the NSN platform in a road traffic monitoring and information system currently in operation in the cities of Madrid and Seville (Spain).
Treatment of Hepatic Epithelioid Hemangioendothelioma: Finding Uses for Thalidomide in a New Era of Medicine
Authors: Soape Matthew P. , Verma Rashmi , Payne J. Drew , Wachtel Mitchell , Hardwicke Fred , Cobos Everardo
Published: June 2015

Hepatic epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (HEH) is extremely rare, occurring in 1 to 2 per 100,000, with chemotherapy options not well defined. Our case involved a 49-year-old female who had hepatic masses and metastasis to the lungs with a liver biopsy revealing HEH. After developing a rash from sorafenib, thalidomide was started with the progression of disease stabilized. Resection is only an option in 10% of the cases; therefore, chemotherapy is the only line of treatment. Newer chemotherapy alternatives are targeting angiogenesis via the vascular endothelial growth factor. Thalidomide was first used as an antiemetic, but, sadly, soon linked to phocomelia birth defects. Given the mechanism of action against angiogenesis, thalidomide has a valid role in vascular tumors. In conclusion, the use of thalidomide as chemotherapy is novel and promising, especially in the setting of a rare vascular liver tumor such as HEH.
Reversed Effects of Intermittent Theta Burst Stimulation following Motor Training That Vary as a Function of Training-Induced Changes in Corticospinal Excitability
Authors: Stöckel Tino , Summers Jeffery J. , Hinder Mark R.
Published: June 2015

Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) has the potential to enhance corticospinal excitability (CSE) and subsequent motor learning. However, the effects of iTBS following motor learning are unknown. The purpose of the present study was to explore the effect of iTBS on CSE and performance following motor learning. Therefore twenty-four healthy participants practiced a ballistic motor task for a total of 150 movements. iTBS was subsequently applied to the trained motor cortex (STIM group) or the vertex (SHAM group). Performance and CSE were assessed before motor learning and before and after iTBS. Training significantly increased performance and CSE in both groups. In STIM group participants, subsequent iTBS significantly reduced motor performance with smaller reductions in CSE. CSE changes as a result of motor learning were negatively correlated with both the CSE changes and performance changes as a result of iTBS. No significant effects of iTBS were found for SHAM group participants. We conclude that iTBS has the potential to degrade prior motor learning as a function of training-induced CSE changes. That means the expected LTP-like effects of iTBS are reversed following motor learning.
Method for Studying the Multisoliton Solutions of the Korteweg-de Vries Type Equations
Authors: Turbal Yuriy , Bomba Andriy , Turbal Mariana
Published: June 2015

We present a new approach to find travelling wave solutions for the Korteweg-de Vries type equations, which allows extending the class of known soliton solutions. Also we propose method for studying the multisoliton solutions of the Korteweg-de Vries type equations.
Probiotic Potential of Lactobacillus Strains with Antifungal Activity Isolated from Animal Manure
Authors: Ilavenil Soundharrajan , Park Hyung Soo , Vijayakumar Mayakrishnan , Valan Arasu Mariadhas , Kim Da Hye , Ravikumar Sivanesan , Choi Ki Choon
Published: June 2015

The aim of the study was to isolate and characterize the lactic acid bacteria (LAB) from animal manure. Among the thirty LAB strains, four strains, namely, KCC‐25, KCC‐26, KCC‐27, and KCC‐28, showed good cell growth and antifungal activity and were selected for further characterization. Biochemical and physiology properties of strains confirmed that the strains are related to the Lactobacillus sp.; further, the 16S rRNA sequencing confirmed 99.99% sequence similarity towards Lactobacillus plantarum. The strains exhibited susceptibility against commonly used antibiotics with negative hemolytic property. Strains KCC‐25, KCC‐26, KCC‐27, and KCC‐28 showed strong antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium chrysogenum, Penicillium roqueforti, Botrytis elliptica, and Fusarium oxysporum, respectively. Fermentation studies noted that the strains were able to produce significant amount of lactic, acetic, and succinic acids. Further, the production of extracellular proteolytic and glycolytic enzymes, survival under low pH, bile salts, and gastric juice together with positive bile salt hydrolase (Bsh) activity, cholesterol lowering, cell surface hydrophobicity, and aggregation properties were the strains advantages. Thus, KCC‐25, KCC‐26, KCC‐27, and KCC‐28 could have the survival ability in the harsh condition of the digestive system in the gastrointestinal tract. In conclusion, novel L. plantarum KCC‐25, KCC‐26, KCC‐27, and KCC‐28 could be considered as potential antimicrobial probiotic strains.
Impact of Video Laryngoscopy on Advanced Airway Management by Critical Care Transport Paramedics and Nurses Using the CMAC Pocket Monitor
Authors: Boehringer Bradley , Choate Michael , Hurwitz Shelley , Tilney Peter V. R. , Judge Thomas
Published: June 2015

Accurate endotracheal intubation for patients in extremis or at risk of physiologic decompensation is the gold standard for emergency medicine. Field intubation is a complex process and time to intubation, number of attempts, and hypoxia have all been shown to correlate with increases in morbidity and mortality. Expanding laryngoscope technology which incorporates active video, in addition to direct laryngoscopy, offers providers improved and varied tools to employ in management of the advanced airway. Over a nine-year period a helicopter emergency medical services team, comprised of a flight paramedic and flight nurse, intended to intubate 790 patients. Comparative data analysis was performed and demonstrated that the introduction of the CMAC video laryngoscope improved nearly every measure of success in airway management. Overall intubation success increased from 94.9% to 99.0%, first pass success rates increased from 75.4% to 94.9%, combined first and second pass success rates increased from 89.2% to 97.4%, and mean number of intubation attempts decreased from 1.33 to 1.08.
Damping Estimation from Free Decay Responses of Cables with MR Dampers
Authors: Weber Felix , Distl Hans
Published: June 2015

This paper discusses the damping measurements on cables with real‐time controlled MR dampers that were performed on a laboratory scale single strand cable and on cables of the Sutong Bridge, China. The control approach aims at producing amplitude and frequency independent cable damping which is confirmed by the tests. The experimentally obtained cable damping in comparison to the theoretical value due to optimal linear viscous damping reveals that support conditions of the cable anchors, force tracking errors in the actual MR damper force, energy spillover to higher modes, and excitation and sensor cables hanging on the stay cable must be taken into consideration for the interpretation of the identified cable damping values.
Impact of Cross‐Tie Properties on the Modal Behavior of Cable Networks on Cable‐Stayed Bridges
Authors: Ahmad Javaid , Cheng Shaohong , Ghrib Faouzi
Published: June 2015

Dynamic behaviour of cable networks is highly dependent on the installation location, stiffness, and damping of cross‐ties. Thus, these are the important design parameters for a cable network. While the effects of the former two on the network response have been investigated to some extent in the past, the impact of cross‐tie damping has rarely been addressed. To comprehend our knowledge of mechanics associated with cable networks, in the current study, an analytical model of a cable network will be proposed by taking into account both cross‐tie stiffness and damping. In addition, the damping property of main cables in the network will also be considered in the formulation. This would allow exploring not only the effectiveness of a cross‐tie design on enhancing the in‐plane stiffness of a constituted cable network, but also its energy dissipation capacity. The proposed analytical model will be applied to networks with different configurations. The influence of cross‐tie stiffness and damping on the modal response of various types of networks will be investigated by using the corresponding undamped rigid cross‐tie network as a reference base. Results will provide valuable information on the selection of cross‐tie properties to achieve more effective cable vibration control.
Modulation of Glucocorticoid Resistance in Pediatric T-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia by Increasing BIM Expression with the PI3K/mTOR Inhibitor BEZ235
Authors: Hall Connor P. , Reynolds C. Patrick , Kang Min H.
Published: June 2015

Purpose: The aim of our study is to evaluate the preclinical therapeutic activity and mechanism of action of BEZ235, a dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor, in combination with dexamethasone in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

Experimental Design: The cytotoxic effects of BEZ235 and dexamethasone as single agents and in combination were assessed in a panel of ALL cell lines and xenograft models. The underlying mechanism of BEZ235 and dexamethasone was evaluated using immunoblotting, TaqMan RT-PCR, siRNA, immunohistochemistry, and immunoprecipitation.

Results: Inhibition of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway with the dual PI3K/mTOR inhibitor BEZ235 enhanced dexamethasone-induced anti-leukemic activity in in vitro (continuous cell lines and primary ALL cultures) and systemic in vivo models of T-ALL (including a patient-derived xenograft). Through inhibition of AKT1, BEZ235 was able to alleviate AKT1-mediated suppression of dexamethasone-induced apoptotic pathways leading to increased expression of the proapoptotic BCL-2 protein BIM. Downregulation of MCL-1 by BEZ235 further contributed to the modulation of dexamethasone resistance by increasing the amount of BIM available to induce apoptosis, especially in PTEN-null T-ALL where inhibition of AKT only partially overcame AKT-induced BIM suppression.

Conclusions: Our data support the further investigation of agents targeting the PI3K/mTOR pathway to modulate glucocorticoid resistance in T-ALL. Clin Cancer Res; 22(3); 621–32. ©2015 AACR.
Synthetic Lethal Approaches Exploiting DNA Damage in Aggressive Myeloma
Authors: Cottini Francesca , Hideshima Teru , Suzuki Rikio , Tai Yu-Tzu , Bianchini Giampaolo , Richardson Paul G. , Anderson Kenneth C. , Tonon Giovanni
Published: June 2015

Ongoing DNA damage is a common feature of epithelial cancers. Here, we show that tumor cells derived from multiple myeloma, a disease of clonal plasma cells, demonstrate DNA-replicative stress, leading to DNA damage. We identified a poor-prognosis subset of multiple myeloma with extensive chromosomal instability and replicative stress, which rely on ATR to compensate for DNA-replicative stress; conversely, silencing of ATR or treatment with a specific ATR inhibitor triggers multiple myeloma cell apoptosis. We show that oncogenes, such as MYC, induce DNA damage in multiple myeloma cells not only by increased replicative stress, but also via increased oxidative stress, and that reactive oxygen species–inducer piperlongumine triggers further DNA damage and apoptosis. Importantly, ATR inhibition combined with piperlongumine triggers synergistic multiple myeloma cytotoxicity. This synthetic lethal approach, enhancing oxidative stress while concomitantly blocking replicative stress response, provides a novel combination targeted therapy to address an unmet medical need in this subset of multiple myeloma.

Significance: Multiple myeloma remains an incurable disease. We have identified a subset of multiple myeloma patients with poor prognosis, whose tumors present chromosomal instability, replicative and oxidative stress, and DNA damage. We define a synthetic lethal approach enhancing oxidative stress while targeting replicative stress response, inducing tumor cell apoptosis in this patient subset. Cancer Discov; 5(9); 972–87. ©2015 AACR.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 893
Nephrotic Syndrome Complicated with Deep Venous Thrombosis in the Upper Extremities
Authors: Onishi Akira , Inoue Makoto , Imai Toshimi , Takeda Shin-ichi , Kondo Mariko , Shimada Kazuyuki , Nagata Daisuke
Published: June 2015

Deep venous thrombosis (DVT) in the upper extremities is a rare but important clinical illness, which leads to severe complications such as pulmonary embolism. Unlike DVT in the lower extremities, which is mainly induced by a hypercoagulable state, DVT in the upper extremities is usually caused by mechanical obstruction or anatomical stenosis in the venous system. We herein report a case in which DVT developed in the left upper limb during treatment of nephrotic syndrome. This is the first case report of upper-extremity DVT in association with nephrotic syndrome in the literature. Our patient was a 56-year-old male with nephrotic syndrome due to idiopathic membranous nephropathy who was treated with 40 mg/day of prednisolone. During corticosteroid therapy, he developed a swelling of the left upper limb. Computed tomography revealed thrombi in the left internal jugular vein and the left subclavian vein without anatomical abnormalities in his venous system. Thus, he was diagnosed with DVT of the upper extremities. After the initiation of warfarin treatment and subsequent regression of nephrotic syndrome, the swelling disappeared and the thrombi significantly diminished. DVT should be considered when upper-extremity edema is observed in patients with nephrotic syndrome.
Effects of Cerebellothalamic Tractotomy on Cognitive and Emotional Functioning in Essential Tremor: A Preliminary Study in 5 Essential Tremor Patients
Authors: Ledermann Katharina , Jeanmonod Daniel , McAleese Salome , Aufenberg Christoph , Opwis Klaus , Martin-Soelch Chantal
Published: June 2015

Background: Subthalamic stereotactic interventions have recently caught renewed interest as a treatment for essential tremor (ET). However, it is not clear whether these interventions are associated with neurocognitive, mood or personality changes. Objective: To investigate neurocognition, neuropsychiatric functions and personality variables in patients with ET and to explore the neurocognitive and neuropsychiatric effects of cerebellothalamic tractotomy (CTT), a form of subthalamotomy. Methods: In our study, we investigated cognitive functions, frontal functions, mood and personality variables in 5 patients with intractable ET. Patients were tested before and 3 months after surgery using neuropsychological tests, clinical scales for depression, anxiety, anger regulation and a personality test. Results: Before surgery, ET patients showed normal neurocognitive function, a slightly elevated frontal lobe score in the dimensions mental control and memory, without being indicative of a frontal lesion, and no elevated depression or anxiety scores compared to norm values. After surgery, there was no change in neurocognitive function and no increase in depression or anxiety scores. Conclusion: In this exploratory study on 5 ET patients, CTT was not associated with alterations of mood or neurocognitive functions.
Selecting Appropriate Dose Regimens for AM-101 in the Intratympanic Treatment of Acute Inner Ear Tinnitus
Authors: Staecker Hinrich , Maxwell Kenneth S. , Morris John R. , van de Heyning Paul , Morawski Krzysztof , Reintjes Frank , Meyer Thomas
Published: June 2015

Inhibition of cochlear N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors with AM-101, a small molecule antagonist delivered by intratympanic injection, represents a novel approach to treat acute tinnitus triggered by glutamate excitotoxicity. An earlier double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled phase II clinical trial (TACTT0) had demonstrated a significant and dose-dependent improvement in tinnitus triggered by acute acoustic trauma or otitis media from baseline to day 90. A second phase II trial (TACTT1) now sought to evaluate the most appropriate dose regimen for this treatment. Outcomes from the TACTT1 trial showed no significant difference in tinnitus improvement between a single-dose treatment and a dose regimen comprising three doses over 2 weeks. Taken together, three injections over 3 consecutive days showed the best results in the two phase II trials, suggesting that repeated and concentrated inhibition of cochlear NMDA receptors provides best treatment effects, while keeping the procedural impact on patients short.