bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
D‐optimal designs for a continuous predictor in longitudinal trials with discrete‐time survival endpoints
Authors: Safarkhani Maryam , Moerbeek Mirjam
Published: February 2016

In designing an experiment with one single, continuous predictor, the questions are composed of what is the optimal number of the predictor's values, what are these values, and how many subjects should be assigned to each of these values. In this study, locally D‐optimal designs for such experiments with discrete‐time event occurrence data are studied by using a sequential construction algorithm. Using the Weibull survival function for modeling the underlying time to event function, it is shown that the optimal designs for a linear effect of the predictor have two points that coincide with the design region's boundaries, but the design weights highly depend on the predictor effect size and its direction, the survival pattern, and the number of time points. For a quadratic effect of the predictor, three or four design points are needed.
Exploring Communication Challenges Between Nurses and Mechanically Ventilated Patients in the Intensive Care Unit: A Structured Review
Authors: Dithole Kefalotse , Sibanda Sambulelwe , Moleki Mary M. , Thupayagale‐Tshweneagae Gloria
Published: February 2016

Background

Mechanical ventilation is a necessary procedure for patients with a range of illnesses and conditions. Mechanical ventilation affects voice production, leaving patients unable to communicate their needs with nurses and family. The communication difficulty causes distress, frustration, and anger if not attended to.

Aims

This structured review sought to identify communication challenges which exist between nurses and mechanically ventilated patients in intensive care units (ICU) and hence explore possible solutions to improve these communication challenges.

Methods

A electronic search of MEDLINE, CINAHL, and PsycINFO was conducted to identify relevant literature on nurse–patient communication challenges in the ICU published between January 2005 and December 2014. Studies meeting the inclusion criteria were retrieved in full, reviewed, and study quality assessed.

Results

Six studies were identified for inclusion in the review. Analysis identified five core influences on communication in the ICU: patient's consciousness level, nature of nurse–patient interactions, communication methods, staff skills and perceptions, and the intensive care physical environment.

Linking Evidence to Action

An evidence‐based and multifactorial communication intervention encompassing staff skills development and training, development of relevant patient materials or devices and collaborations with relevant health professionals like speech and language therapists has the potential to improve nurse–patient communication in the ICU and hence improve patient outcomes.
The repair Schwann cell and its function in regenerating nerves
Authors: Jessen K. R. , Mirsky R.
Published: February 2016

Nerve injury triggers the conversion of myelin and non‐myelin (Remak) Schwann cells to a cell phenotype specialized to promote repair. Distal to damage, these repair Schwann cells provide the necessary signals and spatial cues for the survival of injured neurons, axonal regeneration and target reinnervation. The conversion to repair Schwann cells involves de‐differentiation together with alternative differentiation, or activation, a combination that is typical of cell type conversions often referred to as (direct or lineage) reprogramming. Thus, injury‐induced Schwann cell reprogramming involves down‐regulation of myelin genes combined with activation of a set of repair‐supportive features, including up‐regulation of trophic factors, elevation of cytokines as part of the innate immune response, myelin clearance by activation of myelin autophagy in Schwann cells and macrophage recruitment, and the formation of regeneration tracks, Bungner's bands, for directing axons to their targets. This repair programme is controlled transcriptionally by mechanisms involving the transcription factor c‐Jun, which is rapidly up‐regulated in Schwann cells after injury. In the absence of c‐Jun, damage results in the formation of a dysfunctional repair cell, neuronal death and failure of functional recovery. c‐Jun, although not required for Schwann cell development, is therefore central to the reprogramming of myelin and non‐myelin (Remak) Schwann cells to repair cells after injury. In future, the signalling that specifies this cell requires further analysis so that pharmacological tools that boost and maintain the repair Schwann cell phenotype can be developed.

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Comparing Three Aerodynamic Models for Predicting the Thrust and Power Characteristics of a Yawed Floating Wind Turbine Rotor
Authors: Sant Tonio , Cuschieri Kurt
Published: February 2016

This study compares the time-varying rotor thrust and shaft power characteristics of a yawed floating offshore wind turbine (FOWT) predicted by three different open-source aerodynamic models. These models involve the blade-element-momentum (BEM) and the general dynamic wake (GDW) methods implemented in the design code fast developed by NREL, and a higher fidelity free-wake vortex model (FWVM) that is capable of modeling the unsteady skewed helical wake development of the yawed rotor. The study is based on the NREL 5 MW baseline rotor installed on the MIT tension-leg platform (TLP) operating with different rotor yaw angles and under regular sea wave conditions. Both the undisturbed wind speed and rotor speed are maintained constant throughout the analysis, though different sea wave heights and periods are considered. Initially, the motions of the FOWT under both axial and yawed rotor conditions are estimated in a time domain using fast. These motions are then prescribed to winds, an open-source FWVM developed by the University of Massachusetts Amherst, to determine the aerodynamic rotor thrust and power as a function of time. Both TLP surge and pitch motions are noted to impact the rotor thrust and power characteristics considerably. The three models have consistently shown that the TLP motion exhibits a negligible impact on the time-averaged rotor shaft thrust and power of the yawed rotor. On the other hand, the cyclic component of rotor thrust and power are found to be significantly influenced by the wave state at all yaw angles. Significant discrepancies between the predictions for this cyclic component from the three models are observed, suggesting the need of further research through experimental validation to ensure more reliable aerodynamics models are developed for floating wind turbine design software packages.
Vaccine and Wild-Type Strains of Yellow Fever Virus Engage Distinct Entry Mechanisms and Differentially Stimulate Antiviral Immune Responses
Authors: Fernandez-Garcia Maria Dolores , Meertens Laurent , Chazal Maxime , Hafirassou Mohamed Lamine , Dejarnac Ophélie , Zamborlini Alessia , Despres Philippe , Sauvonnet Nathalie , Arenzana-Seisdedos Fernando , Jouvenet Nolwenn , Amara Ali
Published: February 2016

The live attenuated yellow fever virus (YFV) vaccine 17D stands as a “gold standard” for a successful vaccine. 17D was developed empirically by passaging the wild-type Asibi strain in mouse and chicken embryo tissues. Despite its immense success, the molecular determinants for virulence attenuation and immunogenicity of the 17D vaccine are poorly understood. 17D evolved several mutations in its genome, most of which lie within the envelope (E) protein. Given the major role played by the YFV E protein during virus entry, it has been hypothesized that the residues that diverge between the Asibi and 17D E proteins may be key determinants of attenuation. In this study, we define the process of YFV entry into target cells and investigate its implication in the activation of the antiviral cytokine response. We found that Asibi infects host cells exclusively via the classical clathrin-mediated endocytosis, while 17D exploits a clathrin-independent pathway for infectious entry. We demonstrate that the mutations in the 17D E protein acquired during the attenuation process are sufficient to explain the differential entry of Asibi versus 17D. Interestingly, we show that 17D binds to and infects host cells more efficiently than Asibi, which culminates in increased delivery of viral RNA into the cytosol and robust activation of the cytokine-mediated antiviral response. Overall, our study reveals that 17D vaccine and Asibi enter target cells through distinct mechanisms and highlights a link between 17D attenuation, virus entry, and immune activation.

IMPORTANCE
The yellow fever virus (YFV) vaccine 17D is one of the safest and most effective live virus vaccines ever developed. The molecular determinants for virulence attenuation and immunogenicity of 17D are poorly understood. 17D was generated by serially passaging the virulent Asibi strain in vertebrate tissues. Here we examined the entry mechanisms engaged by YFV Asibi and the 17D vaccine. We found the two viruses use different entry pathways. We show that the mutations differentiating the Asibi envelope (E) protein from the 17D E protein, which arose during attenuation, are key determinants for the use of these distinct entry routes. Finally, we demonstrate that 17D binds and enters host cells more efficiently than Asibi. This results in a higher uptake of viral RNA into the cytoplasm and consequently a greater cytokine-mediated antiviral response. Overall, our data provide new insights into the biology of YFV infection and the mechanisms of viral attenuation.
The Staphylococcus aureus Methicillin Resistance Factor FmtA Is a
d
-Amino Esterase That Acts on Teichoic Acids
Authors: Rahman Muhammad M. , Hunter Howard N. , Prova Shamina , Verma Vidhu , Qamar Aneela , Golemi-Kotra Dasantila
Published: February 2016

The methicillin resistance factor encoded by
fmtA
is a core member of the
Staphylococcus aureus
cell wall stimulon, but its function has remained elusive for the past two decades. First identified as a factor that affects methicillin resistance in
S. aureus
strains, FmtA was later shown to interact with teichoic acids and to localize to the cell division septum. We have made a breakthrough in understanding FmtA function. We show that FmtA hydrolyzes the ester bond between
d
-Ala and the backbone of teichoic acids, which are polyglycerol-phosphate or polyribitol-phosphate polymers found in the
S. aureus
cell envelope. FmtA contains two conserved motifs found in serine active-site penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) and β-lactamases. The conserved SXXK motif was found to be important for the
d
-amino esterase activity of FmtA. Moreover, we show that deletion of
fmtA
(Δ
fmtA
) led to higher levels of
d
-Ala in teichoic acids, and this effect was reversed by complementation of Δ
fmtA
with
fmtA
. The positive charge on
d
-Ala partially masks the negative charge of the polyol-phosphate backbone of teichoic acids; hence, a change in the
d
-Ala content will result in modulation of their charge. Cell division, biofilm formation, autolysis, and colonization are among the many processes in
S. aureus
affected by the
d
-Ala content and overall charge of the cell surface teichoic acids. The esterase activity of FmtA and the regulation of
fmtA
suggest that FmtA functions as a modulator of teichoic acid charge, thus FmtA may be involved in
S. aureus
cell division, biofilm formation, autolysis, and colonization.

IMPORTANCE
Teichoic acids are involved in cell division, cell wall synthesis, biofilm formation, attachment of bacteria to artificial surfaces, and colonization. However, the function of teichoic acids is not fully understood. Modification by glycosylation and/or
d
-alanylation of the polyol-phosphate backbone of teichoic acids is important in the above cell processes. The intrinsic negative charge of teichoic acid backbone plays a role in the charge and/or pH of the bacterial surface, and
d
-alanylation represents a means through which bacteria modulate the charge or the pH of their surfaces. We discovered that FmtA removes
d
-Ala from teichoic acids. We propose FmtA may provide a temporal and spatial regulation of the bacterial cell surface charge in two ways, by removing the
d
-Ala from LTA to make it available to wall teichoic acid (WTA) in response to certain conditions and by removing it from WTA to allow the cell to reset its surface charge to a previous condition.
Registered nurse, healthcare support worker, medical staffing levels and mortality in English hospital trusts: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Griffiths Peter , Ball Jane , Murrells Trevor , Jones Simon , Rafferty Anne Marie
Published: February 2016

Objectives

To examine associations between mortality and registered nurse (RN) staffing in English hospital trusts taking account of medical and healthcare support worker (HCSW) staffing.

Setting

Secondary care provided in acute hospital National Health Service (NHS) trusts in England.

Participants

Two data sets are examined: Administrative data from 137 NHS acute hospital trusts (staffing measured as beds per staff member). A cross-sectional survey of 2917 registered nurses in a subsample of 31 trusts (measured patients per ward nurse).

Outcome measure

Risk-adjusted mortality rates for adult patients (administrative data).

Results

For medical admissions, higher mortality was associated with more occupied beds per RN (RR 1.22, 95% CI 1.04 to 1.43, p=0.02) and per doctor (RR 1.10, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.15, p <0.01) employed by the trust whereas, lower HCSW staffing was associated with lower mortality (RR 0.95, 95% CI 0.91 to 1.00, p=0.04). In multivariable models the relationship was statistically significant for doctors (RR 1.08, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.15, p=0.02) and HCSWs (RR 0.93, 95% CI 0.89 to 0.98, p<01) but not RNs (RR 1.14, 95% CI 0.95 to 1.38, p=0.17). Trusts with an average of ≤6 patients per RN in medical wards had a 20% lower mortality rate compared to trusts with >10 patients per nurse (RR 0.80, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.85, p<0.01). The relationship remained significant in the multivariable model (RR 0.89, 95% CI 0.83 to 0.95, p<0.01). Results for surgical wards/admissions followed a similar pattern but with fewer significant results.

Conclusions

Ward-based RN staffing is significantly associated with reduced mortality for medical patients. There is little evidence for beneficial associations with HCSW staffing. Higher doctor staffing levels is associated with reduced mortality. The estimated association between RN staffing and mortality changes when medical and HCSW staffing is considered and depending on whether ward or trust wide staffing levels are considered.
Expectancy of ergogenicity from sodium bicarbonate ingestion increases high-intensity cycling capacity
Authors: Higgins Matthew F. , Shabir Akbar
Published: February 2016

This study examined whether expectancy of ergogenicity of a commonly used nutritional supplement (sodium bicarbonate; NaHCO3) influenced subsequent high-intensity cycling capacity. Eight recreationally active males (age, 21 ± 1 years; body mass, 75 ± 8 kg; height, 178 ± 4 cm; WPEAK = 205 ± 22 W) performed a graded incremental test to assess peak power output (WPEAK), one familiarisation trial and two experimental trials. Experimental trials consisted of cycling at 100% WPEAK to volitional exhaustion (TLIM) 60 min after ingesting either a placebo (PLA: 0.1 g·kg−1 sodium chloride (NaCl), 4 mL·kg−1 tap water, and 1 mL·kg−1 squash) or a sham placebo (SHAM: 0.1 g·kg−1 NaCl, 4 mL·kg−1 carbonated water, and 1 mL·kg−1 squash). SHAM aimed to replicate the previously reported symptoms of gut fullness (GF) and abdominal discomfort (AD) associated with NaHCO3 ingestion. Treatments were administered double blind and accompanied by written scripts designed to remain neutral (PLA) or induce expectancy of ergogenicity (SHAM). After SHAM mean TLIM increased by 9.5% compared to PLA (461 ± 148 s versus 421 ± 150 s; P = 0.048, d = 0.3). Ratings of GF and AD were mild but ∼1 unit higher post-ingestion for SHAM. After 3 min TLIM overall ratings of perceived exertion were 1.4 ± 1.3 units lower for SHAM compared to PLA (P = 0.020, d = 0.6). There were no differences between treatments for blood lactate, blood glucose, or heart rate. In summary, ergogenicity after NaHCO3 ingestion may be influenced by expectancy, which mediates perception of effort during subsequent exercise. The observed ergogenicity with SHAM did not affect our measures of cardiorespiratory physiology or metabolic flux.
Native prey distribution and migration mediates wolf (Canis lupus) predation on domestic livestock in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem
Authors: Nelson Abigail A. , Kauffman M.J. , Middleton A.D. , Jimenez M.D. , McWhirter D.E. , Gerow K.
Published: February 2016

Little research has evaluated how the migration and distribution of native prey influence patterns of livestock depredation by large carnivores. Previous research suggests that the presence of native prey can increase depredation rates by attracting predators (prey tracking hypothesis). Alternatively, the absence of native prey may facilitate predation on livestock (prey scarcity hypothesis). In this study, we evaluated support for these competing hypotheses through analysis of 4 years of cattle (Bos taurus L., 1758) depredation data (n = 39 kills), 2 years of summer and fall wolf (Canis lupus L., 1758) predation and tracking data (n = 4 wolves), and 3 years of elk (Cervus elaphus L., 1758) movement data (n = 70 elk). We used logistic regression to compare the relative influence of landscape features and elk distribution on the risk of livestock depredation in areas with migratory and resident elk. Cattle depredations occurred in habitats with increased encounter rates between wolves and livestock. In resident elk areas, depredation sites were associated with elk distribution and open roads. In migratory elk areas, depredation sites were associated with wolf dens, streams, and open habitat. Patterns of carnivore–livestock conflicts are complex, and using ungulate distribution data can predict and minimize such instances.
Control the drainage: the gospel accorded to sinkholes
Authors: Waltham Tony
Published: February 2016

Karst is a terrain distinguished by its underground drainage, natural cavities and sinkholes. New subsidence sinkholes (both dropout and suffosion) formed within the soil cover constitute the main karst geohazard. Nearly all are induced by increased drainage inputs or by water table decline, and control of the drainage is the primary means of reducing their hazard. Cave collapse and the development of collapse sinkholes in bedrock are less common, and the stability of a cave roof that is thicker than its width means that only those caves at shallow depth create any hazard. Predictions of the locations of caves or potential sinkhole sites are next to impossible, geophysical searches have severe limitations and borehole searches can incur significant costs. Consequently, controlling the drainage on construction projects is usually the most cost-effective means of minimizing the karst geohazard.
On Resilience of IoT Systems
Authors: Delic Kemal A.
Published: February 2016

At the very high level of abstraction, the Internet of Things (IoT) can be modeled as the hyper-scale, hyper-complex cyber-physical system. Study of resilience of IoT systems is the first step towards engineering of the future IoT eco-systems. Exploration of this domain is highly promising avenue for many aspiring Ph.D. and M.Sc. students.
Evaluating Animated Characters
Authors: Hyde Jennifer , Carter Elizabeth J. , Kiesler Sara , Hodgins Jessica K.
Published: February 2016

Animated characters are expected to fulfill a variety of social roles across different domains. To be successful and effective, these characters must display a wide range of personalities. Designers and animators create characters with appropriate personalities by using their intuition and artistic expertise. Our goal is to provide evidence-based principles for creating social characters. In this article, we describe the results of two experiments that show how exaggerated and damped facial motion magnitude influence impressions of cartoon and more realistic animated characters. In our first experiment, participants watched animated characters that varied in rendering style and facial motion magnitude. The participants then rated the different animated characters on extroversion, warmth, and competence, which are social traits that are relevant for characters used in entertainment, therapy, and education. We found that facial motion magnitude affected these social traits in cartoon and realistic characters differently. Facial motion magnitude affected ratings of cartoon characters’ extroversion and competence more than their warmth. In contrast, facial motion magnitude affected ratings of realistic characters’ extroversion but not their competence nor warmth. We ran a second experiment to extend the results of the first. In the second experiment, we added emotional valence as a variable. We also asked participants to rate the characters on more specific aspects of warmth, such as respectfulness, calmness, and attentiveness. Although the characters’ emotional valence did not affect ratings, we found that facial motion magnitude influenced ratings of the characters’ respectfulness and calmness but not attentiveness. These findings provide a basis for how animators can fine-tune facial motion to control perceptions of animated characters’ personalities.
Behavioral Study of Users When Interacting with Active Honeytokens
Authors: Shabtai Asaf , Bercovitch Maya , Rokach Lior , Gal Ya'akov (Kobi) , Elovici Yuval , Shmueli Erez
Published: February 2016

Active honeytokens are fake digital data objects planted among real data objects and used in an attempt to detect data misuse by insiders. In this article, we are interested in understanding how users (e.g., employees) behave when interacting with honeytokens, specifically addressing the following questions: Can users distinguish genuine data objects from honeytokens? And, how does the user's behavior and tendency to misuse data change when he or she is aware of the use of honeytokens? First, we present an automated and generic method for generating the honeytokens that are used in the subsequent behavioral studies. The results of the first study indicate that it is possible to automatically generate honeytokens that are difficult for users to distinguish from real tokens. The results of the second study unexpectedly show that users did not behave differently when informed in advance that honeytokens were planted in the database and that these honeytokens would be monitored to detect illegitimate behavior. These results can inform security system designers about the type of environmental variables that affect people's data misuse behavior and how to generate honeytokens that evade detection.
A Survey of Architectural Techniques for Managing Process Variation
Authors: Mittal Sparsh
Published: February 2016

Process variation—deviation in parameters from their nominal specifications—threatens to slow down and even pause technological scaling, and mitigation of it is the way to continue the benefits of chip miniaturization. In this article, we present a survey of architectural techniques for managing process variation (PV) in modern processors. We also classify these techniques based on several important parameters to bring out their similarities and differences. The aim of this article is to provide insights to researchers into the state of the art in PV management techniques and motivate them to further improve these techniques for designing PV-resilient processors of tomorrow.
Assessing and Improving the Identification of Computer-Generated Portraits
Authors: Holmes Olivia , Banks Martin S. , Farid Hany
Published: February 2016

Modern computer graphics are capable of generating highly photorealistic images. Although this can be considered a success for the computer graphics community, it has given rise to complex forensic and legal issues. A compelling example comes from the need to distinguish between computer-generated and photographic images as it pertains to the legality and prosecution of child pornography in the United States. We performed psychophysical experiments to determine the accuracy with which observers are capable of distinguishing computer-generated from photographic images. We find that observers have considerable difficulty performing this task—more difficulty than we observed 5 years ago when computer-generated imagery was not as photorealistic. We also find that observers are more likely to report that an image is photographic rather than computer generated, and that resolution has surprisingly little effect on performance. Finally, we find that a small amount of training greatly improves accuracy.
2-Methoxyestradiol, an endogenous 17β-estradiol metabolite, inhibits microglial proliferation and activation via an estrogen receptor-independent mechanism
Authors: Schaufelberger Sara A. , Rosselli Marinella , Barchiesi Federica , Gillespie Delbert G. , Jackson Edwin K. , Dubey Raghvendra K.
Published: February 2016

17β-Estradiol (estradiol) inhibits microglia proliferation. 2-Methoxyestradiol (2-ME) is an endogenous metabolite of estradiol with little affinity for estrogen receptors (ERs). We hypothesize that 2-ME inhibits microglial proliferation and activation and contributes to estradiol's inhibitory effects on microglia. We compared the effects of estradiol, 2-hydroxyestradiol [2-OE; estradiol metabolite produced by cytochrome P450 (CYP450)], and 2-ME [formed by catechol- O-methyltransferase (COMT) acting upon 2-OE] on microglial (BV2 cells) DNA synthesis, cell proliferation, activation, and phagocytosis. 2-ME and 2-OE were approximately three- and 10-fold, respectively, more potent than estradiol in inhibiting microglia DNA synthesis. The antimitogenic effects of estradiol were reduced by pharmacological inhibitors of CYP450 and COMT. Inhibition of COMT blocked the conversion of 2-OE to 2-ME and the antimitogenic effects of 2-OE but not 2-ME. Microglia expressed ERβ and GPR30 but not ERα. 2,3- Bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-propionitrile (ERβ agonist), but not 4,4′,4′′-(4-propyl-[1 H]-pyrazole-1,3,5-triyl) trisphenol (ERα agonist) or G1 (GPR30 agonist), inhibited microglial proliferation. The antiproliferative effects of estradiol, but not 2-OE or 2-ME, were partially reversed by ICI-182,780 (ERα/β antagonist) but not by 1,3- bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-4-methyl-5-[4-(2-piperidinylethoxy)phenol]-1 H-pyrazole (ERα antagonist) or G15 (GPR30 antagonist). Lipopolysaccharide increased microglia iNOS and COX-2 expression and phagocytosing activity of microglia; these effects were inhibited by 2-ME. We conclude that in microglia, 2-ME inhibits proliferation, proinflammatory responses, and phagocytosis. 2-ME partially mediates the effects of estradiol via ER-independent mechanisms involving sequential metabolism of estradiol to 2-OE and 2-ME. 2-ME could be of potential therapeutic use in postischemic stroke injuries. Interindividual differences in estradiol metabolism might affect the individual's ability to recover from stroke.
Assessment of myocardial metabolic flexibility and work efficiency in human type 2 diabetes using 16-[18F]fluoro-4-thiapalmitate, a novel PET fatty acid tracer
Authors: Mather K. J. , Hutchins G. D. , Perry K. , Territo W. , Chisholm R. , Acton A. , Glick-Wilson B. , Considine R. V. , Moberly S. , DeGrado T. R.
Published: February 2016

Altered myocardial fuel selection likely underlies cardiac disease risk in diabetes, affecting oxygen demand and myocardial metabolic flexibility. We investigated myocardial fuel selection and metabolic flexibility in human type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), using positron emission tomography to measure rates of myocardial fatty acid oxidation {16-[18F]fluoro-4-thia-palmitate (FTP)} and myocardial perfusion and total oxidation ([11C]acetate). Participants underwent paired studies under fasting conditions, comparing 3-h insulin + glucose euglycemic clamp conditions (120 mU·m−2·min−1) to 3-h saline infusion. Lean controls ( n = 10) were compared with glycemically controlled volunteers with T2DM ( n = 8). Insulin augmented heart rate, blood pressure, and stroke index in both groups (all P < 0.01) and significantly increased myocardial oxygen consumption ( P = 0.04) and perfusion ( P = 0.01) in both groups. Insulin suppressed available nonesterified fatty acids ( P < 0.0001), but fatty acid concentrations were higher in T2DM under both conditions ( P < 0.001). Insulin-induced suppression of fatty acid oxidation was seen in both groups ( P < 0.0001). However, fatty acid oxidation rates were higher under both conditions in T2DM ( P = 0.003). Myocardial work efficiency was lower in T2DM ( P = 0.006) and decreased in both groups with the insulin-induced increase in work and shift in fuel utilization ( P = 0.01). Augmented fatty acid oxidation is present under baseline and insulin-treated conditions in T2DM, with impaired insulin-induced shifts away from fatty acid oxidation. This is accompanied by reduced work efficiency, possibly due to greater oxygen consumption with fatty acid metabolism. These observations suggest that improved fatty acid suppression, or reductions in myocardial fatty acid uptake and retention, could be therapeutic targets to improve myocardial ischemia tolerance in T2DM.
Diabetic cardiomyopathy: role of the E3 ubiquitin ligase
Authors: Bai Tao , Wang Fan , Mellen Nicholas , Zheng Yang , Cai Lu
Published: February 2016

Diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM) is the leading cause of mortality in diabetes. As the number of cases of diabetes continues to rise, it is urgent to develop new strategies to protect against DCM, which is characterized by cardiac hypertrophy, increased apoptosis, fibrosis, and altered insulin metabolism. The E3 ubiquitin ligases (E3s), one component of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, play vital roles in all of the features of DCM listed above. They also modulate the activity of several transcription factors involved in the pathogenesis of DCM. In addition, the E3s degrade both insulin receptor and insulin receptor substrates and also regulate insulin gene transcription, leading to insulin resistance and insulin deficiency. Therefore, the E3s may be a driving force for DCM. This review summarizes currently available studies to analyze the roles of the E3s in DCM, enriches our knowledge of how DCM develops, and provides a novel strategy to protect heart from diabetes.
Ribosome biogenesis may augment resistance training-induced myofiber hypertrophy and is required for myotube growth in vitro
Authors: Stec Michael J. , Kelly Neil A. , Many Gina M. , Windham Samuel T. , Tuggle S. Craig , Bamman Marcas M.
Published: February 2016

Resistance exercise training (RT) is the most effective method for increasing skeletal muscle mass in older adults; however, the amount of RT-induced muscle growth is highly variable between individuals. Recent evidence from our laboratory and others suggests ribosome biogenesis may be an important factor regulating RT-induced hypertrophy, and we hypothesized that the extent of hypertrophy is at least partly regulated by the amount of RT-induced ribosome biogenesis. To examine this, 42 older adults underwent 4 wk of RT aimed at inducing hypertrophy of the knee extensors (e.g., 2 sets of squat, leg press, and knee extension, 10–12 repetition maximums, 3 days/wk), and vastus lateralis muscle biopsies were performed pre- and post-RT. Post hoc K-means cluster analysis revealed distinct differences in type II myofiber hypertrophy among subjects. The percent change in type II myofiber size in nonresponders (Non; n = 17) was −7%, moderate responders (Mod; n = 19) +22%, and extreme responders (Xtr; n = 6) +83%. Total muscle RNA increased only in Mod (+9%, P < 0.08) and Xtr (+26%, P < 0.01), and only Xtr increased rRNA content (+40%, P < 0.05) and myonuclei/type II fiber (+32%, P < 0.01). Additionally, Mod and Xtr had a greater increase in c-Myc protein levels compared with Non (e.g., approximately +350 and +250% vs. +50%, respectively, P < 0.05). In vitro studies showed that growth factor-induced human myotube hypertrophy is abolished when rRNA synthesis is knocked down using the Pol I-specific inhibitor CX-5461. Overall, these data implicate ribosome biogenesis as a key process regulating the extent of RT-induced myofiber hypertrophy in older adults.
Robust Adaptive Output Feedback Control Scheme for Chaos Synchronization with Input Nonlinearity
Authors: Li Xiaomeng , Zhao Zhanshan , Zhang Jing , Zhu Meixia
Published: February 2016

This paper proposes a robust adaptive output feedback control strategy which can automatically regulate control gain for chaos synchronization. Chaotic systems with input nonlinearities, delayed nonlinear coupling, and external disturbance can achieve synchronization by applying this strategy. Utilizing Lyapunov method and LMI technique, the conditions ensuring chaos synchronization are obtained. Finally, simulations are given to show the effectiveness of our control strategy.
Increased Autoreactivity of the Complement-Activating Molecule Mannan-Binding Lectin in a Type 1 Diabetes Model
Authors: Østergaard Jakob Appel , Ruseva Marieta Milkova , Malik Talat Habib , Hoffmann-Petersen Ingeborg Torp , Pickering Matthew Caleb , Thiel Steffen , Hansen Troels Krarup
Published: February 2016

Background. Diabetic kidney disease is the leading cause of end-stage renal failure despite intensive treatment of modifiable risk factors. Identification of new drug targets is therefore of paramount importance. The complement system is emerging as a potential new target. The lectin pathway of the complement system, initiated by the carbohydrate-recognition molecule mannan-binding lectin (MBL), is linked to poor kidney prognosis in diabetes. We hypothesized that MBL activates complement upon binding within the diabetic glomerulus.Methods. We investigated this by comparing complement deposition and activation in kidneys from streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice and healthy control mice.Results. After 20 weeks of diabetes, glomerular deposition of MBL was significantly increased. Diabetic animals had 2.0-fold higher (95% CI 1.6–2.5) immunofluorescence intensity from anti-MBL antibodies compared with controls (P<0.001). Diabetes and control groups did not differ in glomerular immunofluorescence intensity obtained by antibodies against complement factors C4, C3, and C9. However, the circulating complement activation product C3a was increased in diabetes as compared to control mice (P=0.04).Conclusion. 20 weeks of diabetes increased MBL autoreactivity in the kidney and circulating C3a concentration. Together with previous findings, these results indicate direct effects of MBL within the kidney in diabetes.
Density by Moduli and Statistical Boundedness
Authors: Bhardwaj Vinod K. , Dhawan Shweta , Gupta Sandeep
Published: February 2016

We have generalized the notion of statistical boundedness by introducing the concept off-statistical boundedness for scalar sequences wherefis an unbounded modulus. It is shown that bounded sequences are precisely those sequences which aref-statistically bounded for every unbounded modulusf. A decomposition theorem forf-statistical convergence for vector valued sequences and a structure theorem forf-statistical boundedness have also been established.
Synthesis of Nanocrystalline Cellulose Stabilized Copper Nanoparticles
Authors: Musa Aminu , Ahmad Mansor B. , Hussein Mohd Zobir , Mohd Izham Saiman , Shameli Kamyar , Abubakar Sani Hannatu
Published: February 2016

A chemical reduction method was employed for the synthesis of copper nanoparticles stabilized by nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) using different concentrations of copper salt in aqueous solution under atmospheric air. CuSO4·5H2O salt and hydrazine were used as metal ion precursor and reducing agent, respectively. Ascorbic acid and aqueous NaOH were also used as an antioxidant and a pH moderator, respectively. The number of CuNPs increased with increasing concentration of the precursor salt. The formation of copper nanoparticles stabilized by NCC (CuNPs@NCC) was investigated by UV-visible spectroscopy (UV-vis), where the surface absorption maximum was observed at 590 nm. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that the CuNPs@NCC are of a face-centered cubic structure. Moreover, the morphology of the CuNPs@NCC was investigated using transmission electron microscope (TEM) and field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), which showed well-dispersed CuNPs with an average particle size less than 4 nm and the shape of CuNPs was found to be spherical. Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDS) also confirmed the presence of CuNPs on the NCC. The results demonstrate that the stability of CuNPs decreases with an increasing concentration of the copper ions.
Road Perception Based Geographical Routing Protocol for Vehicular Ad Hoc Networks
Authors: Qureshi Kashif Naseer , Abdullah Abdul Hanan , Lloret Jaime
Published: February 2016

Vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) are going to be an emerging multihop communication exploit among vehicles to deliver data packets. The special characteristics of vehicular network make the communication link between vehicles unreliable. To handle high mobility and environmental obstacles, most of geographical routing protocols do not consider stable links during packet transmission which lead to higher delay and packet dropping in network. In this paper, we propose road perception based geographical routing protocol named RPGR for VANET. The proposed routing protocol incorporates relative distance, direction, and midrange forwarder node with traffic density to forward the data toward destination in order to improve geographical forwarding between and at the intersections. Simulation results show that the proposed routing protocol performs better as compared to existing solutions.
Synthesis, Crystal Structure, Spectroscopic Properties, and Interaction with Ct-DNA of Zn(II) with 2-Aminoethanethiol Hydrochloride Ligand
Authors: Shu Xu-gang , Wu Chun-li , Li Cui-jin , Zhang Min , Wan Ke , Wu Xin
Published: February 2016

The zinc(II) complex (C2H6NS)2Zn·ZnCl2was synthesized with 2-aminoethanethiol hydrochloride and zinc sulfate heptahydrate as the raw materials in aqueous solution. The composition and structure of the complex were characterized by elemental analysis, infrared spectra, single crystal X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetry. The crystal structure of the zinc(II) complex belongs to monoclinic system, space groupP  21/n, with cell parameters ofa= 0.84294(4),b= 0.83920(4),c= 1.65787(8) nm,Z=2, andD= 2.041 g/cm3. In this paper, the interaction of complex with Ct-DNA was investigated by UV-visible and viscosimetric techniques. Upon addition of the complex, important changes were observed in the characteristic UV-Vis bands (hyperchromism) of calf thymus DNA and some changes in specific viscosity. The experimental results showed that the complex is bound to DNA intercalative (intercalation binding).
Finite Element Analysis of Biot’s Consolidation with a Coupled Nonlinear Flow Model
Authors: Deng Yue-bao , Liu Gan-bin , Zheng Rong-yue , Xie Kang-he
Published: February 2016

A nonlinear flow relationship, which assumes that the fluid flow in the soil skeleton obeys the Hansbo non-Darcian flow and that the coefficient of permeability changes with void ratio, was incorporated into Biot’s general consolidation theory for a consolidation simulation of normally consolidated soft ground with or without vertical drains. The governing equations with the coupled nonlinear flow model were presented first for the force equilibrium condition and then for the continuity condition. Based on the weighted residual method, the finite element (FE) formulations were then derived, and an existing FE program was modified accordingly to take the nonlinear flow model into consideration. Comparative analyses using established theoretical solutions and numerical solutions were completed, and the results were satisfactory. On this basis, we investigated the effect of the coupled nonlinear flow on consolidation development.
Hydrogen Abstraction from Fluorinated Ethyl Methyl Ether Systems by OH Radicals
Authors: White Curtis W. , Martell Jaime M.
Published: February 2016

A systematic computational investigation of hydrogen abstraction by OH from the full series of fluorinated ethyl methyl ethers (EME) containing at least one H and one F, C2HnX5-nOCHmX3-m (n=0–5, m=0–3; and n=m=0 not allowed), including 147 reactants and 469 transition states, has been carried out, employing the MP2/6-31G(d) level of theory. Results for optimized geometries, including evidence of intramolecular hydrogen bonding in transition states, and barrier heights are presented. Trends pertaining to the number of fluorines substituted, key bond lengths, barrier heights, and key bond angles were found with good correlations and were investigated. An increase in the number of F increases the barrier height of the reaction. An increase in some parameters such as C–H length of TS, relative change in C–H from reactants to TS, ∠COC of reactants, ∠HOH in the TS, and relative change in ∠HOH between TS and free water bond angle also correlates with increased barrier height. An increase in other parameters like C–H length in the reactants and hydrogen bonding can decrease the barrier height.
Performance Investigation of 40 GB/s DWDM over Free Space Optical Communication System Using RZ Modulation Format
Authors: Parkash Sooraj , Sharma Anurag , Singh Harsukhpreet , Singh Harjit Pal
Published: February 2016

We successfully demonstrate 40 GB/s 8 channels’ Dense Wavelength Division Multiplexing (DWDM) over free space optical (FSO) communication system. Each channel is transmitting 5 GB/s data rate in downstream separated by 0.8 nm (100 GHz) channel spacing with 1.8 GHz filter bandwidth. DWDM over FSO communication system is very effective in providing high data rate transmission with very low bit error rate (BER). The maximum reach of designed system is 4000 m without any compensation scheme. The simulation work reports minimum BER for Return-to-Zero (RZ) modulation format at different channels 1, 4, and 8 are found to be 2.32e-17, 1.70e-16, and 9.51e-15 at 4000 m distance, respectively. Sharp increase in BER occurs if data rate and distance increase up to 10 GB/s and 5000 m.
Elastic-Plastic Endochronic Constitutive Model of 0Crl7Ni4Cu4Nb Stainless Steels
Authors: Guo Jinquan , Wu Lianping , Yang Xiaoxiang , Zhong Shuncong
Published: February 2016

We presented an elastic-plastic endochronic constitutive model of 0Crl7Ni4Cu4Nb stainless steel based on the plastic endochronic theory (which does not need the yield surface) and experimental stress-strain curves. The key feature of the model is that it can precisely describe the relation of stress and strain under various loading histories, including uniaxial tension, cyclic loading-unloading, cyclic asymmetric-stress axial tension and compression, and cyclic asymmetric-stress axial tension and compression. The effects of both mean stress and amplitude of stress on hysteresis loop based on the elastic-plastic endochronic constitutive model were investigated. Compared with the experimental and calculated results, it is demonstrated that there was a good agreement between the model and the experiments. Therefore, the elastic-plastic endochronic constitutive model provides a method for the accurate prediction of mechanical behaviors of 0Crl7Ni4Cu4Nb stainless steel subjected to various loadings.
Anti-Mullerian Hormone:Above and Beyond Conventional Ovarian Reserve Markers
Authors: Jamil Zehra , Fatima Syeda Sadia , Ahmed Khalid , Malik Rabia
Published: February 2016

Management of ovarian dysfunctions requires accurate estimation of ovarian reserve (OR). Therefore, reproductive hormones and antral follicle count (AFC) are assessed to indicate OR. Serum anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) is a unique biomarker that has a critical role in folliculogenesis as well as steroidogenesis within ovaries. Secretion from preantral and early antral follicles renders AMH as the earliest marker to show OR decline. In this review we discuss the dynamics of circulating AMH that remarkably vary with sex and age. As it emerges as a marker of gonadal development and reproductive disorders, here we summarize the role of AMH in female reproductive physiology and provide evidence of higher accuracy in predicting ovarian response to stimulation. Further, we attempt to compile potential clinical applications in children and adults. We propose that AMH evaluation has a potential role in effectively monitoring chemotherapy and pelvic radiation induced ovarian toxicity. Furthermore, AMH guided ovarian stimulation can lead to individualization of therapeutic strategies for infertility treatment. However future research on AMH levels within follicular fluid may pave the way to establish it as a marker of “quality” besides “quantity” of the growing follicles.
Synthesis and Characterization of Chitosan Nanoaggregates from Gladius ofUroteuthis duvauceli
Authors: Anusha J. R. , Fleming Albin T.
Published: February 2016

We report the synthesis, characterization, and biological properties of chitosan nanoaggregates from gladius of squid,Uroteuthis duvauceli.β-Chitin extracted from gladius was deacetylated to chitosan and further reduced to nanosize using ionic gelation process. The morphology and occurrence of chitosan nanoaggregates (CSNA) were observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The degree of deacetylation (DD%) calculated from Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum showed high value (~94 ± 1.25%) for chitosan. The CSNA depicts low molecular weight, stable positive zeta potential, and less ash and moisture content with high water and fat binding capacity. The antimicrobial activity was tested against pathogenic microorganisms, which depicted significant rate of inhibition againstStaphylococcus aureusandEscherichia colidue to high cellular uptake. The antioxidant analysis for CSNA demonstrated high reducing power and scavenging activity towards superoxide radicals compared with the commercially available chitosan. Furthermore, nanoaggregates exhibited low cytotoxic behavior in biologicalin vitrotests performed using cervical cancer cell line. These results indicate that chitosan nanoaggregates synthesized from waste gladius will be highly efficient and safe candidate for biological applications as food packing film, drug carrier, and tissue engineering.
Application of Bipolar Fuzzy Sets in Graph Structures
Authors: Akram Muhammad , Akmal Rabia
Published: February 2016

A graph structure is a useful tool in solving the combinatorial problems in different areas of computer science and computational intelligence systems. In this paper, we apply the concept of bipolar fuzzy sets to graph structures. We introduce certain notions, including bipolar fuzzy graph structure (BFGS), strong bipolar fuzzy graph structure, bipolar fuzzyNi-cycle, bipolar fuzzyNi-tree, bipolar fuzzyNi-cut vertex, and bipolar fuzzyNi-bridge, and illustrate these notions by several examples. We studyϕ-complement, self-complement, strong self-complement, and totally strong self-complement in bipolar fuzzy graph structures, and we investigate some of their interesting properties.
Sharp Estimates for Green’s Functions of Cone-Type Planar Domains
Authors: Ben Boubaker Mohamed Amine , Selmi Mohamed
Published: February 2016

We establish sharp estimates for Green’s functions of cone-type planar domains. Our work generalizes all estimates given by Zhao in 1988 and Selmi in 2000. Our principal idea is to use conformal mappings.