bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Overexpression of CD39 protects in a mouse model of preeclampsia
Authors: McRae Jennifer L , Russell Prudence A , Chia Joanne SJ , Dwyer Karen M
Published: April 2013

CD39 (NTPDase1), a critical immune and vascular ecto‐nucleotidase, hydrolyses pro‐inflammatory and pro‐thrombotic nucleotides (adenosine‐5′‐triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine diphosphate) to adenosine. In humans, CD39 is the dominant ecto‐nucleotidase in placental trophoblastic tissues and modulates ATP‐dependent trophoblastic functions. CD39 is an integral component of regulatory T cells (Treg), which are central to immunological tolerance and maintenance of normal pregnancy. We examined the impact of CD39 overexpression in a mouse model of preeclampsia. Matings were performed between virginal BALB/c female (wild‐type (WT) or CD39 transgenic (CD39TG)) and C57BL/6 male mice. On days 10 and 12 of pregnancy BALB/c Th1‐polarized cells were injected. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) was measured throughout pregnancy. Mice were sacrificed at day 15 of pregnancy. Following transfer of Th1‐polarized cells, SBP of pregnant WT mice increased (118 ± 3 mmHg to 142 ± 5 mmHg). Although ultrastructural changes were evident in the kidney this was not accompanied by significant proteinuria. SBP remained unchanged (115 ± 2 mmHg to 114 ± 3 mmHg) in pregnant CD39TG mice without evidence of renal lesions. We conclude that gestational hypertension can be induced in mice following transfer of maternally derived Th1‐polarized cells and that overexpression of CD39 is protective in this model.
The Movement for Rule of Law in China
Authors: LI CHENG
Published: April 2013

Though not much noticed in the West, a great debate is raging across China today, from the law faculties of its major universities to the Central Party School to the dissident community, over “constitutionalism” and the establishment of rule of law.

In the wake of major corruption scandals, there are great expectations that the new leadership under Xi Jinping will respond to social pressure and pursue political reforms that have stalled over the last decade.

A leading China scholar, Cheng Li, and the now famous blind civil rights advocate Chen Guangcheng, who dramatically escaped house arrest and fled to the US Embassy in Beijing last year, comment on where this debate is headed and what it might—or might not—produce.
China Has Good Laws, But They Should Apply to the Party
Authors: GUANGCHENG CHEN
Published: April 2013

Though not much noticed in the West, a great debate is raging across China today, from the law faculties of its major universities to the Central Party School to the dissident community, over “constitutionalism” and the establishment of rule of law.

In the wake of major corruption scandals, there are great expectations that the new leadership under Xi Jinping will respond to social pressure and pursue political reforms that have stalled over the last decade.

A leading China scholar, Cheng Li, and the now famous blind civil rights advocate Chen Guangcheng, who dramatically escaped house arrest and fled to the US Embassy in Beijing last year, comment on where this debate is headed and what it might—or might not—produce.
Empirical evidence does not support an association between less ambitious pre‐treatment goals and better treatment outcomes: a meta‐analysis
Authors: Durant N. H. , Joseph R. P. , Affuso O. H. , Dutton G. R. , Robertson H. T. , Allison D. B.
Published: April 2013

Setting realistic weight loss goals may play a role in weight loss. We abstracted data from randomized controlled trials and observational studies conducted between 1998 and 2012 concerning the association of weight loss goals with weight loss. Studies included those that (i) were conducted in humans; (ii) delivered a weight loss intervention; (iii) lasted ≥6 weeks; (iv) assessed baseline weight loss goals; (vi) assessed pre‐ and post‐weight either in the form of body mass index or some other measure that could be converted to weight loss based on information included in the original study or later provided by the author(s); and (vii) assessed the correlation between weight loss goals and final weight loss or provided data to calculate the correlation. Studies that included interventions to modify weight loss goals were excluded. Eleven studies met inclusion criteria. The overall correlation between goal weight and weight at intervention completion was small and statistically insignificant (; P = 0.20). The current evidence does not demonstrate that setting realistic goals leads to more favourable weight loss outcomes. Thus, our field may wish to reconsider the value of setting realistic goals in successful weight loss.
On the Existence of Duties to the Self (and Their Significance for Moral Philosophy)
Authors: Schofield Paul
Published: April 2013

Contemporary philosophers generally ignore the topic of duties to the self. I contend that they are mistaken to do so. The question of whether there are such duties, I argue, is of genuine significance when constructing theories of practical reasoning and moral psychology. In this essay, I show that much of the potential importance of duties to the self stems from what has been called the “second‐personal” character of moral duties—the fact that the performance of a duty is “owed to” someone. But this is problematic, as there is reason to doubt whether a person can genuinely owe to herself the performance of an action. Responding to this worry, I show that temporal divisions within an agent's life enable her to relate to herself second‐personally, in the way required by morality. The upshots, I argue, are that we need an intra‐personal theory of justice that specifies the extent of a person's authority over herself, and that we need to rethink our theories of moral emotions in order to specify how an individual ought to respond to attacks on her interests and autonomy that she herself perpetrates.
Mycobacterium aviumsubsp.paratuberculosisDetected in the Reproductive Tract of Cows from an Infected Herd
Authors: Pribylova R , Slana I , Cech S , Kralova A , Pavlik I
Published: April 2013

Contents

Mycobacterium aviumsubspeciesparatuberculosis(MAP), the causal agent of paratuberculosis, was detected by quantitative real‐time IS900PCR in the follicular fluid from the reproductive tracts of cows originating from one infected herd. As well as being detected in follicular fluid of cows shedding bacteria in their faeces, MAP was also detected in the follicular fluid of one apparently healthy, non‐shedding individual cow. The finding of MAP in follicular fluid is unexpected and could contribute to the lower viability of embryos and resultant lower pregnancy rate. In addition to finding contaminated follicular fluid, vaginal and uterine flush fluids were determined to be positive for the presence of MAP in 75% and 56.3% of the time of the cattle currently shedding MAP in their faeces, respectively. The presence of MAP in different parts of the reproductive tract was seen in clinically as well as subclinically infected cows. These findings extend our currently scant and contradictory knowledge about the dissemination of MAP in the reproductive tract of female cattle.
To enforce or not to enforce? Judicialization, venue shopping, and global regulatory harmonization
Authors: De Bièvre Dirk , Poletti Arlo , Thomann Lars
Published: April 2013

The regulation of intellectual property rights takes place in a range of international venues. This proliferation of international venues greatly enhances the potential for venue shopping. We argue that different levels of domestic regulation and differing degrees of judicialization account for actors' preferences over institutional venues. We take into consideration two scenarios. Conceiving of judicialization as the delegation of adjudication to an independent third party and the enforcement through multilaterally authorized sanctions, we show that: (i) upward regulatory harmonization leads actors preferring weak regulatory intellectual property rights standards to strive for venues with low degrees of judicialization, whereas those favoring stringent intellectual property rights protection prefer highly judicialized venues; and (ii) downward harmonization leads to the opposite constellation of institutional preferences. We show how these expectations hold by way of in‐depth case studies of two instances of global intellectual property rights regulation: the regulation of plant genetic resources and intellectual property rights for medicines.
Significant association between asthma risk and the GSTM1 and GSTT1 deletion polymorphisms: An updated meta‐analysis of case–control studies
Authors: Liang Siqiao , Wei Xuan , Gong Chen , Wei Jinmei , Chen Zhangrong , Chen Xiaoli , Wang Zhibo , Deng Jingmin
Published: April 2013

Polymorphisms in GSTM1 and GSTT1 may be associated with asthma risk, yet several studies and meta‐analyses have reported inconclusive results. Therefore, an updated meta‐analysis was conducted. Literature searches were performed using the Pubmed, Embase and Web of Science databases until October 2012. Variant ‘null’ genotype was compared with wild‐type ‘present’ in the pooled data. All statistical analyses were performed using STATA 11.0. A total of 26 case–control studies were suitable for inclusion in the meta‐analysis. In the overall population, a significant association was found for both the GSTM1 (odds ratio (OR) = 1.452; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.192–1.770) and GSTT1 polymorphism (OR = 1.792; 95% CI:1.293–2.483). For subgroup analysis by age, GSTM1 significantly increased risk for both children (OR = 1.368; 95% CI: 1.051–1.781) and adults (OR = 1.859; 95% CI: 1.183–2.921). For GSTT1, a significant association was only found in the adult population (OR = 2.312; 95%CI: 1.204–4.439). Based on subgroup analysis by ethnicity, a significant association for GSTM1 was found in Europe (OR = 1.303; 95% CI: 1.018–1.667), Africa (OR = 2.175; 95%CI: 1.560–3.031) and Latin America (OR = 2.265; 95%CI: 1.375–3.729). For GSTT1, significantly increased risk was found only for Asian (OR = 2.105; 95% CI: 1.101–4.025) and Russian (OR = 2.747; 95% CI: 1.071–7.046) populations. This meta‐analysis provides evidence that GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms may be risk factors for asthma.
Titration effectiveness of two autoadjustable continuous positive airway pressure devices driven by different algorithms in patients with obstructive sleep apnoea
Authors: Damiani Mario Francesco , Quaranta Vitaliano Nicola , Tedeschi Ersilia , Drigo Riccardo , Ranieri Teresa , Carratù Pierluigi , Resta Onofrio
Published: April 2013

Background and objective

Nocturnal application of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the standard treatment for patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). Determination of the therapeutic pressure (CPAP titration) is usually performed by a technician in the sleep laboratory during attended polysomnography. One possible alternative to manual titration is automated titration. Indeed, during the last 15 years, devices have been developed that deliver autoadjustable CPAP (A‐CPAP). The aim of the present study was to compare the titration effectiveness of two A‐CPAP devices using different flow‐based algorithms in patients with OSA.

Methods

This is a randomized study; 79 subjects underwent two consecutive unattended home A‐CPAP titration nights with two different devices (Autoset Resmed; Remstar Auto Respironics); during the third and the fourth night, patients underwent portable monitoring in the sleep laboratory during fixed CPAP at the A‐CPAP recommended pressure.

Results

Bland Altman plots showed good agreement between the recommended median and maximal pressure levels obtained with the two devices. A significant improvement was observed in all the sleep parameters by both A‐CPAP machines to a similar degree.

Conclusions

It was observed that the two A‐CPAP devices using different algorithms are equally effective in initial titration of CPAP.
Structural Change, Urban Congestion, and the End of Growth
Authors: Grossmann Volker
Published: April 2013

This paper develops a two‐sector R&D‐based growth model with congestion effects from increasing urban population density. We show that endogenous technological progress causes structural change if there are positive productivity spillovers from the modern to the traditional sector and Engel's law holds. In turn, urban congestion effects cause a productivity slowdown in the modern sector. Eventually, economic growth may cease in the long‐run. We also show that land dilution by a larger workforce may give rise to negative scale effects on (GDP) per capita.
Globalization, Skill Accumulation and the Skill Premium
Authors: Borissov Kirill , Hellier Joël
Published: April 2013

We analyze the impact of globalization upon the skill premium (inequality) in advanced countries from a two‐goods North–South model with skill accumulation. Globalization consists of an increase in the size of the South. Its impact on inequality depends on its intensity and on the pre‐globalization proportion of skilled workers. The post‐globalization inequality is a non‐monotonic function of the pre‐globalization proportion of skilled workers and of the globalization intensity. The impact is different for the generation in work and for the following generations. There is a threshold value of the skill endowment under (above) which inequality is lower (higher) after than before globalization.
A Cross‐country Causal Panorama of Human Development and Sustainability
Authors: Mayer‐Foulkes David
Published: April 2013

This paper conducts a multivariate causal analysis for: human development, demographic transition, urbanization, technology, sustainability, democracy/autocracy, good administration, and economic integration. A 15 × 18 causal coefficient matrix is estimated using a cross‐country panel for the 1985–2010 quinquennia. Each matrix entry is estimated using three types of instrumented regressions: (a) levels regressions; (b) growth regressions; (c) growth regressions also containing the contemporary growth of independent variables. The instruments are the 1970–1980 values of the variables. It is found that from 1980 to 2005 income and human development reacted relatively quickly and positively to globalization. However, institutions changed slowly, and the fundamental long‐term causes of divergence, namely demographic transition, urbanization, and technology, were weakly and even negatively affected by integration. The results also suggest human development and sustainability are complementary. Hence technology transfer to the poor and poor regions may provide a sustainable policy tool for development, promoting demographic transition, human development, and convergence.
The Rise of the Maquiladoras: A Mixed Blessing
Authors: Heid Benedikt , Larch Mario , Riaño Alejandro
Published: April 2013

Mexico experienced a tremendous expansion of its export‐processing maquila sector during the 1990s. Since one of the main objectives of the maquiladora program was to promote formal employment, we study how the rapid increase in maquiladora activity has affected labor market outcomes and welfare in Mexico. We develop a heterogeneous‐firm model with imperfect labor markets that captures salient features of the Mexican economy such as the differences between maquila and non‐maquila manufacturing plants and the existence of an informal sector. We calibrate the model's parameters to match key cross‐sectional moments characterizing the Mexican economy. We find that the expansion of the maquila sector during the 1990s was a mixed blessing for Mexico. Our quantitative model indicates that the skill premium decreased by 2.7%, informality increased by 0.9%, and overall welfare decreased by 3.7%.
Product Quality, Informality, and Child Labor
Authors: Fotoniata Eugenia , Moutos Thomas
Published: April 2013

This paper studies how the interactions between the structure of product demand and relative wages affect the incidence of child labor. One sector (the agrarian) produces a homogeneous good, and the other (the modern) produces a vertically differentiated product. The modern sector is segmented according to quality: high‐quality varieties are produced by formal firms which employ only adult labor, whereas low‐quality varieties are produced by informal firms which employ child labor as well. Differences in tastes and incomes across households generate demand for both high‐quality and low‐quality varieties. Stricter enforcement of child‐labor regulations and increases in minimum wages can have beneficial effects regarding the incidence of child labor and the size of the formal sector. However, since these policies have undesirable welfare effects among segments of wage‐earning households, they may not garner the necessary political support.
Offshoring and Trade Balance in Developed and Emerging Economies
Authors: Kumar Sanjeev
Published: April 2013

This paper analyzes the effects of off‐shore outsourcing for international trade, especially for the emerging and poor economies, in a two‐sector specific factor model, with a nontraded good being one of the sectors. The phenomenon of offshoring is modeled by incorporating the reduced use of domestic labor in the production function. This is regarded as a characteristic feature of offshoring in the literature. We find that increased offshoring leads to an increase in the relative price of the nontraded good. Given that this relative price can be interpreted as the real exchange rate, increased offshoring leads to exchange rate appreciation. This suggests that offshoring actually makes the goods and services from the emerging economies more competitive in the world market, and thus can be a contributory factor in the positive trade balance experienced by many emerging economies since early 2000s.
Randomized algorithms for statistical image analysis and site percolation on square lattices
Authors: Langovoy Mikhail , Wittich Olaf
Published: April 2013

We propose a novel probabilistic method for detection of objects in noisy images. The method uses results from percolation and random graph theories. We present an algorithm that allows to detect objects of unknown shapes in the presence of random noise. The noise density is assumed to be unknown and can be very irregular. The algorithm has linear complexity and exponential accuracy, and is appropriate for real‐time systems. We prove results on consistency and algorithmic complexity of our procedure. © 2013 The Authors. Statistica Neerlandica © 2013 VVS.
Short Communication: Prevalence of antibodies against Coxiella burnetii (Q fever) in children in The Gambia, West Africa
Authors: van der Hoek Wim , Sarge‐Njie Ramu , Herremans Tineke , Chisnall Thomas , Okebe Joseph , Oriero Eniyou , Versteeg Bart , Goossens Bart , van der Sande Marianne , Kampmann Beate , Nwakanma Davis
Published: April 2013

Objective

To estimate the prevalence of antibodies against Coxiella burnetii (Q fever) among children in eight villages in The Gambia, West Africa.

Methods

Sera of 796 children aged 1–15 years were tested for presence of antibodies against phase II of C. burnetii by ELISA.

Results

IgG and/or IgM phase II antibodies against C. burnetii were detectable in 8.3% (66/796) of all serum samples analysed with significant differences in seroprevalence between villages. Highest prevalence was found in the age group 1–4 years.

Conclusions

Exposure to C. burnetii is considerable in the early years of life in The Gambia, and further studies are warranted to estimate the role of Q fever in acute febrile illness in The Gambia and elsewhere in Africa.
The BSUG national database: concept, design, implementation and beyond
Authors: Moran Paul , Foon Richard , Assassa Philip
Published: April 2013

Key content

The British Society of Urogynaecology allows members to enter and access pre‐, intra‐ and postoperative data relating to any anti‐incontinence and/or prolapse procedure onto the database.

Treatment of patient identifiable data within the database fulfils the Caldicott Guardian principles.

The database allows users to create reports based on their own outcomes and complications following surgery.

The database is a useful tool for audit, clinical governance, personal development and appraisal.

Learning objectives

To understand how to access the database.

To understand the benefits of the database.

To appreciate that the benefits of the database depends on the quality of data entered.

Ethical issues

The issues of data protection and patient consent.

Who should have access to publish various outcomes using the data from the database?
Sickle cell disease and β‐thalassaemia major in pregnancy
Authors: Eissa Asma A , Tuck Susan M
Published: April 2013

Key content

Pregnancy in women with sickle cell disease continues to show high rates of maternal and fetal mortality and morbidity. This applies to all forms of sickle cell disease.

The place of blood transfusions in helping women with sickle cell disease in pregnancy continues to be controversial.

Genetic counselling for women with haemoglobinopathies should be provided as part of the UK national Antenatal Haemoglobinopathy Screening Programme, which was introduced in 2001.

There is an increased incidence of venous thromboembolism in individuals with sickle cell disease, transfusion‐dependent β‐thalassaemia and sickle cell trait.

Individuals with β‐thalassaemia major who are able to survive childhood by virtue of the availability of regular and frequent blood transfusions frequently acquire the organ damage caused by haemosiderosis. Among the organs involved are the pituitary, the thyroid, the islet cells of the pancreas, the heart and the liver.

The main concern for women with β‐thalassaemia major contemplating pregnancy is the possibility of cardiac dysfunction, resulting from myocardial haemosiderosis, causing both ventricular pump failure and arrythmias.

Learning objectives

To understand the key care requirements of women with sickle cell disease and β‐thalassaemia major, prior to pregnancy, during pregnancy and in the postnatal period.

To appreciate the importance of knowledgeable care for this relatively uncommon group of patients, and to be able to work collaboratively with haematologists and others who have such experience and expertise.

To understand the principles relevant to antenatal screening for haemoglobinopathies, and to be able to give appropriate advice to couples.

Ethical issues

Suboptimal care is sometimes given when patients are cared for in hospitals with little experience of the condition, and outcomes can be improved by arranging care in centres with specialist expertise.

Should pregnancy be encouraged, and fertility treatment given for women with a reduced life expectancy? How should this be balanced with respect for patient autonomy?
The systematic position of Ergasticus (Decapoda, Brachyura) and allied genera, a molecular and morphological approach
Authors: Marco‐Herrero Elena , Torres Asvin P. , Cuesta José A. , Guerao Guillermo , Palero Ferran , Abelló Pere
Published: April 2013

The complete larval series (zoea I, zoea II and megalopa) of the crab Ergasticus clouei is described and illustrated based on plankton samples from Mediterranean waters. The zoea II and megalopal stages, previously unknown, are described here for the first time. Nucleotide sequence analysis of two gene regions (16S rDNA and Cox1 genes) confirmed the assignment of these larvae to Ergasticus clouei. The molecular analyses and the morphology of the larval stages revealed large differences between Ergasticus and Inachus, the type genus of the family Inachidae. In fact, E. clouei larvae presented a series of morphological characters, such as antennal shape and mouthparts setation pattern that placed them closer to the family Oregoniidae. The phylogenetic analyses also showed significant support for the monophyly of the Oregoniidae + Ergasticus group. The data argue for removal of Ergasticus and the related genera (Bothromaia, Pleisticanthoides, Parapleisticantha and Pleistacantha) from the Inachidae and their placement within the Oregoniidae as a separate subfamily, Pleistacanthinae Števčić, 2005. Our results demonstrate that larval stages provide reliable morphological traits, independent from those of adults, to help resolving relationships among Majoidea genera.
A simple approach to measure computed tomography (CT) modulation transfer function (MTF) and noise‐power spectrum (NPS) using the American College of Radiology (ACR) accreditation phantom
Authors: Friedman Saul N. , Fung George S. K. , Siewerdsen Jeffrey H. , Tsui Benjamin M. W.
Published: April 2013

Purpose:

To develop an easily‐implemented technique with free publicly‐available analysis software to measure the modulation transfer function (MTF) and noise‐power spectrum (NPS) of a clinical computed tomography (CT) system from images acquired using a widely‐available and standardized American College of Radiology (ACR) CT accreditation phantom.

Methods:

Images of the ACR phantom were acquired on a Siemens SOMATOM Definition Flash system using a standard adult head protocol: 120 kVp, 300 mAs, and reconstructed voxel size of 0.49 mm × 0.49 mm × 4.67 mm. The radial (axial) MTF was measured using an edge method where the boundary of the third module of the ACR phantom, originally designed to measure uniformity and noise, was used as a circular edge. The 3D NPS was measured using images from this same module and using a previously‐described methodology that quantifies noise magnitude and 3D noise correlation.

Results:

The axial MTF was radially symmetrical and had a value of 0.1 at 0.62 mm−1. The 3D NPS shape was consistent with the filter‐ramp function of filtered‐backprojection reconstruction algorithms and previously reported values. The radial NPS peak value was ∼115 HU2mm3 at ∼0.25 mm−1 and dropped to 0 HU2mm3 by 0.8 mm−1.

Conclusions:

The authors have developed an easily‐implementable technique to measure the axial MTF and 3D NPS of clinical CT systems using an ACR phantom. The widespread availability of the phantom along with the free software the authors have provided will enable many different institutions to immediately measure MTF and NPS values for comparison of protocols and systems.
Engineering Coherence Among Excited States in Synthetic Heterodimer Systems
Authors: Hayes Dugan , Griffin Graham B. , Engel Gregory S.
Published: April 2013

Coherence in Photosynthesis

It is unclear how energy absorbed by pigments in antenna proteins is transferred to the central site of chemical catalysis during photosynthesis.

Hildner
et al.

(p.
1448
) observed coherence—prolonged persistence of a quantum mechanical phase relationship—at the single-molecule level in light-harvesting complexes from purple bacteria. The results bolster conclusions from past ensemble measurements that coherence plays a pivotal role in photosynthetic energy transfer.

Hayes
et al.

(p.
1431
, published online 18 April) examined a series of small molecules comprised of bridged chromophores that also manifest prolonged coherence.
Tracking Individuals Shows Spatial Fidelity Is a Key Regulator of Ant Social Organization
Authors: Mersch Danielle P. , Crespi Alessandro , Keller Laurent
Published: April 2013

It's an Ant's Life

Eusocial insects live in highly organized societies where groups of individuals carry out specific tasks; for example, caring for the eggs, cleaning the nest, or foraging, which might suggest the presence of an advanced form of organization, similar to what might be expected from more cognitively advanced species.

Mersch
et al.

(p.
1090
, published online 18 April) tracked individual ant movements and interactions to show that their precise social organization results from temporal changes in the spatial location of workers. As they aged, ants largely progressed from being nurses located near the queen, to nest cleaners who move throughout the colony, and finally to foragers moving in and out at the colony edges.
Complete Genome Sequence of an
Acinetobacter
Strain Harboring the NDM-1 Gene
Authors: Sun Yang , Song Yang , Song Hongbin , Liu Jun , Wang Pengzhi , Qiu Shaofu , Chen Shuo , Zhu Lingwei , Ji Xue , Wang Zhongqiang , Liu Nan , Xia Liliang , Chen Weijun , Feng Shuzhang
Published: April 2013

The NDM-1 gene is a significant public health concern.
Acinetobacter
is one of the most prevalent opportunistic pathogens causing recent nosocomial infections with NDM-1, and drug-resistant strains pose serious threats to public health worldwide. Herein, we present the genomic sequence of
Acinetobacter calcoaceticus
subsp.
anitratus
XM1570, a multidrug-resistant isolate that carries the
bla
NDM-1
gene.
Genome Sequence of the Pathogenic Bacterium Vibrio vulnificus Biotype 3
Authors: Danin-Poleg Yael , Elgavish Sharona , Raz Nili , Efimov Vera , Kashi Yechezkel
Published: April 2013

We report the first genome sequence of the pathogenic
Vibrio vulnificus
biotype 3. This draft genome sequence of the environmental strain VVyb1(BT3), isolated in Israel, provides a representation of this newly emerged clonal group, which reveals higher similarity to the clinical strains of biotype 1 than to the environmental ones.
Genome Sequence of Thalassolituus oleivorans MIL-1 (DSM 14913
T
)
Authors: Golyshin Peter N. , Werner Johannes , Chernikova Tatyana N. , Tran Hai , Ferrer Manuel , Yakimov Michail M. , Teeling Hanno , Golyshina Olga V. ,   MAMBA Scientific Consortium
Published: April 2013

Thalassolituus oleivorans
is one of the most prevalent marine gammaproteobacteria in microbial communities, emerging after oil spills in coastal, estuarine, and surface seawaters. Here, we present the assembled genome of strain
T. oleivorans
MIL-1 (DSM 14913
T
), which is 3,920,328 bp with a G+C content of 46.6%.
Complete Genome Sequences of Classical Swine Fever Virus Strains Isolated from Wild Boars in South Korea
Authors: Jeoung Hye-Young , Lim Ji-Ae , Lim Seong-in , Kim Jae-Jo , Song Jae-Young , Hyun Bang-Hun , Kim Yong Kwan , An Dong-Jun
Published: April 2013

Classical swine fever is a disease that is devastating the pig industry worldwide. Here, we report the complete genome sequences of two classical swine virus strains (YC11WB and PC11WB), isolated from Korean wild boars in 2011. Both strains belong to subgenotype 2.1b. The complete genome sequences of PC11WB and YC11WB are more similar to that of strain ZJ0801 (isolated in China) than to that of the SW03 strain isolated from domestic pigs in South Korea.
Draft Genome Sequence of Streptomyces gancidicus Strain BKS 13-15
Authors: Kumar Shailesh , Kaur Navjot , Singh Nitin Kumar , Raghava Gajendra Pal Singh , Mayilraj Shanmugam
Published: April 2013

We report the 7.3-Mbp genome sequence of
Streptomyces gancidicus
strain BKS 13-15, isolated from mangrove sediment samples collected from the Bhitar Kanika Mangrove Reserve Forest, Odissha, India. The draft genome of strain
Streptomyces gancidicus
strain BKS 13-15 consists of 7,300,479 bp with 72.6% G+C content, 6,631 protein-coding genes, and 71 RNAs.
Draft Genome Sequence of Ochrobactrum pseudogrignonense Strain CDB2, a Highly Efficient Arsenate-Resistant Soil Bacterium from Arsenic-Contaminated Cattle Dip Sites
Authors: Yang Yiren , Yu Xuefei , Zhang Ren
Published: April 2013

We report the 4.97-Mb draft genome sequence of a highly efficient arsenate-resistant bacterium,
Ochrobactrum
sp. strain CDB2. It contains a novel arsenic resistance (
ars
) operon (
arsR
-
arsC1
-
ACR3
-
arsC2
-
arsH
-
mfs
) and two non-operon-associated
ars
genes,
arsC3
and
arsB
. The genome information will aid in the understanding of the arsenic resistance mechanism of this and other bacterial species.
Pleural infection: a case where clinical improvement was misleading
Authors: Gould Justin
Published: April 2013

A 28-year-old Gurkha soldier presented with signs of severe chest sepsis and respiratory distress. High-flow oxygen, broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotics and intravenous fluids were started immediately. Bedside thoracic ultrasound demonstrated a moderate right pleural effusion suggestive of an empyema. A pleural aspirate was borderline for pleural infection, therefore, a chest drain was inserted and the patient was transferred to high dependency. Within 48 h the patient clinically improved. Three weeks later, a persistently raised C reactive protein and indeterminate right lower lobe radiographic changes was observed. Video-assisted thorascopic surgery was subsequently performed. Although technically difficult, a large amount of pus was drained from the pleural cavity. The patient was discharged, returning to normal army duties 8 weeks later. Follow-up chest radiographs showed complete resolution of the empyema and no evidence of scarring. The CRP normalised to <1.
Complete denture with pharyngeal bulb prosthesis
Authors: Naveen YG , Jagadeesh MS , Prajapati Paranjay , Mallikarjuna Rachappa
Published: April 2013

Velopharyngeal dysfunction is the inability of the soft palate to affect complete seal with the posterior or lateral pharyngeal walls. Rehabilitation of these patients with palatal defects is challenging for both surgical and prosthetic fields of dentistry. The development of sophisticated surgical techniques and procedures has greatly enhanced the rehabilitation of congenital or acquired palatal defects. However, some of these patients may present oral or systemic factors contraindicating surgical intervention. In addition, since total elimination of these defects surgically has not yet become a reality, there exists a patient population for whom non-surgical rehabilitation must be approached with the help of prosthesis and such prosthesis must restore the basic functions of mastication, deglutition and speech production. Here a non-surgical approach of rehabilitation of such defect is presented in the form of a case report of pharyngeal bulb prosthesis given for a patient with a soft palate defect.
Stable expressions of nine genes within human oocytes and live birth by in vitro fertilisation
Authors: Moriguchi Hisashi , Madson Joren
Published: April 2013

Retracted due to duplicate publication.
Modified intracanal post for severely mutilated primary anterior teeth
Authors: Rallan Mandeep , Rallan Neelakshi Singh , Navit Pragati , Malhotra Garima
Published: April 2013

Early childhood caries leads to early damage, discolouration and gross destruction of the maxillary anterior teeth. This leads to difficulty in speech, decreased masticatory efficiency, development of abnormal tongue thrust and subsequent malocclusion, psychological problems and problem with self-esteem, if aesthetics are compromised. Thus, restoration of severely mutilated primary anterior teeth is often considered as a special challenge, especially in an emotionally immature child. This case documents the restoration of severely mutilated incisors in a patient with early childhood caries.
Anaplastic large T-cell lymphoma presenting as an isolated osseous involvement: a case report and review of the literature
Authors: Nayak Hemanta K , Nishant Raizada , Sinha Nitin K , Daga Mradul Kumar
Published: April 2013

This case describes a 50-year-old man with multiple lytic bone lesions involving the skull, pelvis and ribs and associated features of anaemia, hypercalcaemia, azotaemia and subsequently found to be non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of anaplastic large T cell type (ALCL) on biopsy taken from a soft tissue mass in the anterior chest wall as an aetiology. We report this case with an aim to expand our knowledge of isolated osseous involvement in case of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This case was unique in the sense of an isolated osseous involvement in ALCL without any organomegaly and lymphadenopathy with a normal bone marrow biopsy finding. So in rare instances, T-cell lymphoma can present with a multiple lytic lesion, anaemia, hypercalcaemia. Although B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma can present with the above manifestation, it is extremely rare for T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
Subhepatic appendicitis: a diagnostic dilemma
Authors: Ball William Robert , Privitera Antonio
Published: April 2013

A middle-aged woman was admitted with recurrent episodes of ill-defined right-sided abdominal pain, more prominent in the right upper quadrant. Surgical history revealed a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, 1 month prior, for gallstones that were thought to be the cause of her symptoms. However, she continued to experience similar pain with exacerbation leading to readmission. Blood tests revealed increased inflammatory markers and an ultrasound scan showed a tubular hypoechoic structure between her right kidney and liver corresponding to the area of maximal tenderness. A diagnostic laparoscopy was performed and a subhepatic inflammatory mass of appendicular origin was found. This required mobilisation of the right colon and appendicectomy. The patient made an uneventful recovery after being readmitted for an ileus treated conservatively. Histology revealed acute appendicitis with mucosal ulceration.
Recovery from injury: the UK Burden of Injury Multicentre Longitudinal Study
Authors: Kendrick Denise , Vinogradova Yana , Coupland Carol , Mulvaney Caroline A , Christie Nicola , Lyons Ronan A , Towner Elizabeth L ,   on behalf of the UK Burden of Injuries Study Group
Published: April 2013

Objectives

To estimate the likelihood of recovery at 1, 4 and 12 months post injury and investigate predictors of recovery in injured people attending an emergency department (ED) or admitted to hospital in the UK.

Methods

Participants completed questionnaires at recruitment and 1, 4 and 12 months post injury or until recovered. Data were collected on injury details, sociodemographic characteristics, general health prior to injury and recovery. We compared three age groups: 5–17, 18–64 and 65 years and above. Modified Poisson regression estimated the relative risk of recovery. Multivariable models were built using backward stepwise regression. Sensitivity analyses assessed the effect of missing data.

Results

We recruited 1517 participants, 55% (n=836) ED attenders and 44% (n=661) hospital admissions. By 1 month after injury, 28% (285/968) had fully recovered, 54% (440/820) at 4 months and 71% (523/738) at 12 months. Recovery was independently associated with gender, admission status, injury severity, body region injured and place of injury for 5–17 year olds and 18–64 year olds and with gender, admission status, injury severity and long-term illness for those aged 65+. Injury severity and hospital admission were associated with recovery across all age groups, but not at every time point in each age group. Other factors varied between age groups or time points. Results were generally robust to imputing missing data.

Conclusions

A range of factors was found to predict recovery among injured people. These could be used to identify those at risk of delayed recovery and to inform the design of interventions to maximise recovery.
The determination of maturity stages in male elasmobranchs (Chondrichthyes) using a segmented regression of clasper length on total length
Authors: Segura A.M. , Milessi A.C. , Vögler R. , Galván-Magaña F. , Muggeo V.
Published: April 2013

A novel statistical method for estimating the stages of maturity in male sharks and skates based on a segmented regression (SRM) is proposed. We hypothesize that this method is able to find the transition points in the three-phase relationship between total length (TL) and clasper length (CL). We applied an SRM to TL–CL data of nine species, from large pelagic sharks (e.g., Carcharhinus falciformis) to small coastal skates (e.g., Rioraja agassizi), captured in the southwestern Atlantic and northeastern Pacific. As expected, SRM detected two breakpoints, defining three maturity stages (immature, maturing, and mature), in six out of nine species. For three species, it was not possible to find two breakpoints because of incomplete sampling of TL. This novel method is noninvasive, it is applicable to previously collected data, is easy to use, and provides a reliable tool for increasing our understanding of elasmobranch reproductive strategies.
CUNTZ–KRIEGER ALGEBRAS AND A GENERALIZATION OF CATALAN NUMBERS
Authors: MATSUMOTO KENGO
Published: April 2013

For a directed graph G, we generalize the Catalan numbers by using the canonical generating partial isometries of the Cuntz–Krieger algebra [Formula: see text] for the transition matrix AGof the directed edges of G. The generalized Catalan numbers [Formula: see text] enumerate the number of Dyck paths for the graph G. Its generating functions will be studied.
BOUNDED CONFIDENCE MODEL IN COMPLEX NETWORKS
Authors: FELIJAKOWSKI K. , KOSINSKI R.
Published: April 2013

This paper presents a study of the bounded confidence model applied to the complex networks. Two different cases were examined: opinion formation process in the Barabási–Albert network and corruption spreading in a hierarchical network. For both cases, the value of the bounded confidence parameter ε was assumed as a constant, or its value was dependent on the degree of a node in the network. To measure the opinion formation and corruption spreading processes, we introduced the order parameter related to the number of interfaces in the system. As a results of numerical simulations, the influence of the values of ε on the final opinions in the population, as well as, the influence of an initial source of corruption in the company structure on the corruption spreading process, were obtained and discussed.
GEM APPLICATIONS OUTSIDE HIGH ENERGY PHYSICS
Authors: PINTO SERGE DUARTE
Published: April 2013

From its invention in 1997, the Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) has been applied in nuclear and high energy physics experiments. Over time however, other applications have also exploited the favorable properties of GEMs. The use of GEMs in these applications will be explained in principle and practice.

This paper reviews applications in research, beam instrumentation and homeland security. The detectors described measure neutral radiations such as photons, x-rays, gamma rays and neutrons, as well as all kinds of charged radiation. This paper provides an overview of the still expanding range of possibilities of this versatile detector concept.
HADRONIC FORM FACTORS IN THE γp→K+Λ PROCESS
Authors: MART T. , SARI A. K.
Published: April 2013

We have investigated the effects of different hadronic form factors on the performance of an isobaric model developed for kaon photo-production off the proton. We found that there is no ideal form factor in this case. The dipole and generalized dipole form factors can help to nicely reproduce the differential cross-section and hyperon polarization data. However, in the case of double polarization data Cx and Cz the Gaussian form factor is found to be superior.
EMBEDDING OF GRAPHS WITH DISCRETE ATTRIBUTES VIA LABEL FREQUENCIES
Authors: GIBERT JAUME , VALVENY ERNEST , BUNKE HORST
Published: April 2013

Graph-based representations of patterns are very flexible and powerful, but they are not easily processed due to the lack of learning algorithms in the domain of graphs. Embedding a graph into a vector space solves this problem since graphs are turned into feature vectors and thus all the statistical learning machinery becomes available for graph input patterns. In this work we present a new way of embedding discrete attributed graphs into vector spaces using node and edge label frequencies. The methodology is experimentally tested on graph classification problems, using patterns of different nature, and it is shown to be competitive to state-of-the-art classification algorithms for graphs, while being computationally much more efficient.
COMBINING MULTIPLE SENSOR FEATURES FOR STRESS DETECTION USING COMBINATORIAL FUSION
Authors: DENG YONG , HSU D. FRANK , WU ZHONGHAI , CHU CHAO-HSIEN
Published: April 2013

Physiological sensors have been used to detect different stress levels in order to improve human health and well-being. When analyzing these sensor data, sensor features are generated in the experiment and a subset of the features are selected and then combined using a host of informatics techniques (machine learning, data mining, or information fusion). Our previous work studied feature selection using correlation and diversity as well as feature combination using five methods C4.5, Naïve Bayes, Linear Discriminant Function, Support Vector Machine, and k-Nearest Neighbors. In this paper, we use combinatorial fusion, based on performance criterion (CF-P) and cognitive diversity (CF-CD), to combine those multiple sensor features. Our results showed that: (a) sensor feature combination method is distinctly much better than CF-CD and other algorithms, and (b) CF-CD is as good as other five feature combination methods, and is better in most of the cases.
BIG DATA PROCESSING: BIG CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Authors: JI CHANGQING , LI YU , QIU WENMING , JIN YINGWEI , XU YUJIE , AWADA UCHECHUKWU , LI KEQIU , QU WENYU
Published: April 2013

With the rapid growth of emerging applications like social network, semantic web, sensor networks and LBS (Location Based Service) applications, a variety of data to be processed continues to witness a quick increase. Effective management and processing of large-scale data poses an interesting but critical challenge. Recently, big data has attracted a lot of attention from academia, industry as well as government. This paper introduces several big data processing techniques from system and application aspects. First, from the view of cloud data management and big data processing mechanisms, we present the key issues of big data processing, including definition of big data, big data management platform, big data service models, distributed file system, data storage, data virtualization platform and distributed applications. Following the MapReduce parallel processing framework, we introduce some MapReduce optimization strategies reported in the literature. Finally, we discuss the open issues and challenges, and deeply explore the research directions in the future on big data processing in cloud computing environments.
IN-NETWORK DATA AGGREGATION VIA ANT-COLONY OPTIMIZATION IN WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORKS
Authors: XIE MENG , SHI HONGCHI
Published: April 2013

Energy efficiency is an important issue of wireless sensor networks. In-network data aggregation is a data collection technique that improves energy efficiency and alleviates congestive routing traffic by reducing data forwarding in wireless sensor networks. Ant-colony aggregation is a distributed algorithm that provides an intrinsic way of exploring the search space to optimize settings for optimal data aggregation. This paper aims to refine the heuristic function and the aggregation node selection method to maximize energy efficiency and to extend network lifetime. Two proposed algorithms are shown to yield longer maximum lifetime than the conventional algorithm with the same hop-count delay. One of the proposed algorithms is shown to have improved scalability than the conventional algorithm.