bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel phase diagram behavior and materials design in heterostructural semiconductor alloys
Authors: Holder Aaron M. , Siol Sebastian , Ndione Paul F. , Peng Haowei , Deml Ann M. , Matthews Bethany E. , Schelhas Laura T. , Toney Michael F. , Gordon Roy G. , Tumas William , Perkins John D. , Ginley David S. , Gorman Brian P. , Tate Janet , Zakutayev Andriy , Lany Stephan
Published: June 2017

Theoretically predicted metastable phases are realized in thin-film synthesis of Mn

1−
x

Zn

x

O and Sn

1−
x

Ca

x

S alloys.
Global increase in replication fork speed during a p57
KIP2
-regulated erythroid cell fate switch
Authors: Hwang Yung , Futran Melinda , Hidalgo Daniel , Pop Ramona , Iyer Divya Ramalingam , Scully Ralph , Rhind Nicholas , Socolovsky Merav
Published: June 2017

The switch from self-renewal to differentiation coincides with a shorter S phase in which replication forks are faster.
Differential intron retention in
Jumonji
chromatin modifier genes is implicated in reptile temperature-dependent sex determination
Authors: Deveson Ira W. , Holleley Clare E. , Blackburn James , Marshall Graves Jennifer A. , Mattick John S. , Waters Paul D. , Georges Arthur
Published: June 2017

Alternative splicing in chromatin-modifying genes is associated with temperature-dependent sex in divergent reptile lineages.
Bismuthene on a SiC substrate: A candidate for a high-temperature quantum spin Hall material
Authors: Reis F. , Li G. , Dudy L. , Bauernfeind M. , Glass S. , Hanke W. , Thomale R. , Schäfer J. , Claessen R.
Published: June 2017

Making a large-gap topological insulator

Although of interest to basic research, topological insulators (TIs) have not yet lived up to their technological potential. This is partly because their protected surface-edge state usually lives within a narrow energy gap, with its exotic transport properties overwhelmed by the ordinary bulk material. Reis
et al.
show that a judicious choice of materials can make the gap wide enough for the topological properties to be apparent at room temperature. Numerical calculations indicate that a monolayer of Bismuth grown on SiC(0001) is a two-dimensional TI with a large energy gap. The researchers fabricated such a heterostructure and characterized it using scanning tunneling spectroscopy. The size of the experimentally measured gap was consistent with the calculations.

Science
, this issue p.
287
Draft Genome Sequence of a Multidrug-Resistant Serratia marcescens Strain, Isolated from a Patient with Peritoneal Cancer in South Africa
Authors: Singh-Moodley Ashika , Perovic Olga , Mtshali Senzo , Ismail Arshad , Allam Mushal
Published: June 2017

We report here the draft genome sequence of
Serratia marcescens
ML2637, isolated from a South African pediatric patient in the intensive care unit with peritoneal cancer. The genome comprised 5,718,350 bp, with a 59.1% G+C content. There were 5,594 predicted genes, including 5,301 protein-coding genes, 199 pseudogenes, and 94 RNA genes.
Congenital neonatal scalp arteriovenous malformation: a very rare entity
Authors: Hussain Ali Shabbir , Ahmed Shah Ali , Ali Syed Rehan , Ahmad Khalil
Published: June 2017

Congenital arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) of scalp are rare congenital vascular malformations. They are usually not symptomatic at birth and are often misdiagnosed as haemangiomas. To date, only two cases of symptomatic neonatal scalp AVM have been reported in literature. Pathophysiology of congenital AVM is not completely understood but genetic and acquired causes are implicated. Diagnosis and management are often difficult and require multidisciplinary approach. We report a rare case of symptomatic congenital scalp AVM in a 10-day-old neonate who was successfully managed at our unit.
Isolated cardiac sarcoidosis masquerading as right ventricular outflow tract ventricular tachycardia
Authors: Atreya Auras R , Patel Mitkumar , Sivalingam Senthil K , Stoenescu Mathias L
Published: June 2017

A 67-year-old man with coronary artery disease (CAD) and left anterior descending artery (LAD) stent presented with symptomatic monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) at a rate of 190 bpm requiring cardioversion. ECG showed left bundle branch block pattern and inferior axis, suggestive of a right ventricular outflow tract (RVOT) focus rather than left ventricular scar due to LAD territory myocardial infarction (MI). Echocardiography showed normal wall motion. Angiography revealed a patent mid-LAD stent. Cardiac MRI with delayed postcontrast sequence revealed several regions of hyperenhancement abnormality within the basal portion of the interventricular septum. Increased metabolic activity on positron emission tomography confirmed active inflammatory sarcoidosis.

Although VTs in patients with prior CAD are likely to be related to either scar or ischaemia, alternative diagnoses (eg, infiltrative disorders, RVOT-VT, arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy) should be considered in patients with an apparent right ventricular focus on ECG.
A video analysis of head injuries satisfying the criteria for a head injury assessment in professional Rugby Union: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Tucker Ross , Raftery Martin , Fuller Gordon Ward , Hester Ben , Kemp Simon , Cross Matthew J
Published: June 2017

Objectives

Concussion is the most common match injury in professional Rugby Union, accounting for 25% of match injuries. The primary prevention of head injuries requires that the injury mechanism be known so that interventions can be targeted to specifically overall incidence by focusing on characteristics with the greatest propensity to cause a head injury.

Methods

611 head injury assessment (HIA) events in professional Rugby Union over a 3-year period were analysed, with specific reference to match events, position, time and nature of head contact.

Results

464 (76%) of HIA events occur during tackles, with the tackler experiencing a significantly greater propensity for an HIA than the ball carrier (1.40 HIAs/1000 tackles for the tackler vs 0.54 HIAs/1000 tackles for the ball carrier, incidence rate ratio (IRR) 2.59). Propensity was significantly greater for backline players than forwards (IRR 1.54, 95% CI 1.28 to 1.84), but did not increase over the course of the match. Head to head contact accounted for the most tackler HIAs, with the greatest propensity.

Conclusions

By virtue of its high propensity and frequency, the tackle should be the focus for interventions that may include law change and technique education. A specific investigation of the characteristics of the tackle is warranted to refine the approach to preventative strategies.
A positive SeHCAT test results in fewer subsequent investigations in patients with chronic diarrhoea
Authors: Turner James M , Pattni Sanjeev S , Appleby Richard N , Walters Julian RF
Published: June 2017

Chronic diarrhoea is a common condition, resulting from a number of different disorders. Bile acid diarrhoea, occurring in about a third of these patients, is often undiagnosed. We hypothesised that a positive diagnosis of bile acid diarrhoea would reduce the need for subsequent investigations for alternative diagnoses.

Methods

Patients previously recruited to a study of chronic diarrhoea who had selenium homocholic acid taurine (SeHCAT) testing and subsequent follow-up at our institution were identified. In a retrospective analysis, the numbers of defined investigations undertaken from the first 3 months after SeHCAT in the following 5 years were compared.

Results

90 patients were identified with primary bile acid diarrhoea (SeHCAT retention <15%, n=36) or idiopathic diarrhoea (SeHCAT retention >15%, n=54). Follow-up had been performed on 29 and 39 subjects, respectively, with no differences in previous investigations or the last contact date. In the follow-up period, the proportions of these patients who had undergone endoscopic procedures (gastroscopy, colonoscopy and sigmoidoscopy) were the same. However, there was a higher proportion of patients in the SeHCAT-negative group who had other investigations, including imaging, physiological tests and blood tests (p=0.037). The use of cross-sectional imaging was significantly higher in this group (p=0.015) with greater proportions having CT (0.44 vs 0.10) and MRI (0.26 vs 0.07). Ultrasound use and the number of blood tests were higher in the SeHCAT-negative group whereas the SeHCAT-positive group attended more clinic appointments (p=0.013).

Conclusion

A positive diagnosis of bile acid diarrhoea, made by a SeHCAT test, resulted in reduced use of diagnostic investigations over the subsequent 5 years.
Public knowledge of cardiovascular disease and response to acute cardiac events in three cities in China and India
Authors: Duber Herbert C , McNellan Claire R , Wollum Alexandra , Phillips Bryan , Allen Kate , Brown Jonathan C , Bryant Miranda , Guptam R B , Li Yichong , Majumdar Piyusha , Roth Gregory A , Thomson Blake , Wilson Shelley , Woldeab Alexander , Zhou Maigeng , Ng Marie
Published: June 2017

Objective

To inform interventions targeted towards reducing mortality from acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and sudden cardiac arrest in three megacities in China and India, a baseline assessment of public knowledge, attitudes and practices was performed.

Methods

A household survey, supplemented by focus group and individual interviews, was used to assess public understanding of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, AMI symptoms, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and automated external defibrillators (AEDs). Additionally, information was collected on emergency service utilisation and associated barriers to care.

Results

5456 household surveys were completed. Hypertension was most commonly recognised among CVD risk factors in Beijing and Shanghai (68% and 67%, respectively), while behavioural risk factors were most commonly identified in Bangalore (smoking 91%; excessive alcohol consumption 64%). Chest pain/discomfort was reported by at least 60% of respondents in all cities as a symptom of AMI, but 21% of individuals in Bangalore could not name a single symptom. In Beijing, Shanghai and Bangalore, 26%, 15% and 3% of respondents were trained in CPR, respectively. Less than one-quarter of participants in all cities recognised an AED. Finally, emergency service utilisation rates were low, and many individuals expressed concern about the quality of prehospital care.

Conclusions

Overall, we found low to modest knowledge of CVD risk factors and AMI symptoms, infrequent CPR training and little understanding of AEDs. Interventions will need to focus on basic principles of CVD and its complications in order for patients to receive timely and appropriate care for acute cardiac events.
Long QT syndrome and sudden unexpected infant death
Authors: Van Niekerk Chantal , Van Deventer Barbara Ströh , du Toit-Prinsloo Lorraine
Published: June 2017

Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is an inheritable primary electric disease of the heart characterised by abnormally long QT intervals and a propensity to develop atrial and ventricular tachyarrhythmias. It is caused by an inherited channelopathy responsible for sudden cardiac death in individuals with structurally normal hearts. Long QT syndrome can present early in life, and some studies suggest that it may be associated with up to 20% of sudden unexplained infant death (SUID), particularly when associated with external stressors such as asphyxia, which is commonly seen in many infant death scenes. With an understanding of the genetic defects, it has now been possible to retrospectively analyse samples from infants who have presented to forensic pathology services with a history of unexplained sudden death, which may, in turn, enable the implementation of preventative treatment for siblings previously not known to have pathogenic genetic variations. In this viewpoint article, we will discuss SUID, LQTS and postmortem genetic analysis.
Flares assessed weekly in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or axial spondyloarthritis and relationship with physical activity measured using a connected activity tracker: a 3-month study
Authors: Jacquemin Charlotte , Molto Anna , Servy Hervé , Sellam Jérémie , Foltz Violaine , Gandjbakhch Frédérique , Hudry Christophe , Mitrovic Stéphane , Granger Benjamin , Fautrel Bruno , Gossec Laure
Published: June 2017

Background

The evolution of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is marked by flares, although their frequency is unclear. Flares may impact physical activity. Activity can be assessed objectively using activity trackers. The objective was to assess longitudinally the frequency of flares and the association between flares and objective physical activity.

Methods

This prospective observational study (ActConnect) included patients with definite clinician-confirmed RA or axSpA, owning a smartphone. During 3 months, physical activity was assessed continuously by number of steps/day, using an activity tracker, and disease flares were self-assessed weekly using a specific flare question and, if relevant, the duration of the flare. The relationship between flares and physical activity for each week (time point) was assessed by linear mixed models.

Results

In all, 170/178 patients (91 patients with RA and 79 patients with axSpA; 1553 time points) were analysed: mean age was 45.5±12.4 years, mean disease duration was 10.3±8.7 years, 60 (35.3%) were men and 90 (52.9%) received biologics. The disease was well-controlled (mean Disease Activity Score 28: 2.3±1.2; mean Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index score: 3.3±2.1). Patients self-reported flares in 28.2%±28.1% of the weekly assessments. Most flares (78.9%±31.4%) lasted ≤3 days. Persistent flares lasting more than 3 days were independently associated with less weekly physical activity (p=0.03), leading to a relative decrease of 12%–21% and an absolute decrease ranging from 836 to 1462 steps/day.

Conclusion

Flares were frequent but usually of short duration in these stable patients with RA and axSpA. Persistent flares were related to a moderate decrease in physical activity, confirming objectively the functional impact of patient-reported flares.
Experimental and Numerical Study on the Dynamic Stability of Vortex-Induced Vibration of Bridge Decks
Authors: Xu Kun , Ge Yaojun , Zhao Lin , Du Xiuli
Published: June 2017

The dynamic stability of vortex-induced vibration (VIV) of circular cylinders has been well investigated. However, there have been few studies on this topic for bridge decks. To fill this gap, this study focuses on the dynamic stability of a VIV system for bridge decks. Some recently developed techniques for nonlinear dynamics are adopted, for example, the state space reconstruction and Poincare mapping techniques. The dynamic stability of the VIV system is assessed by combining analytical and experimental approaches, and a typical bridge deck is analyzed as a case study. Results indicate that the experimentally observed hysteresis phenomenon corresponds to the occurrence of saddle-node bifurcation of the VIV system. Through the method proposed in this study, the evolution of dynamic stability of the VIV system versus wind velocity is established. The dynamic characteristics of the system are further clarified, which offers a useful clue to understanding the VIV system for bridge decks, while providing valuable information for mathematical modeling.
Ideological and Political Education in China’s Higher Education
Authors: LU Jie
Published: June 2017

After decades of continuous investment and efforts, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has established a multi-tiered system, including co-option, surveillance and monitoring, and ideological and political education, to ensure its domination of Chinese college students, For the foreseeable future, Chinese college students, as a group, are unlikely to actively mount significant challenges (like those of the 1989 incident) against the CCP that could undermine its political survival.
SWIFTNoC
Authors: Chittamuru Sai Vineel Reddy , Desai Srinivas , Pasricha Sudeep
Published: June 2017

On-chip communication is widely considered to be one of the major performance bottlenecks in contemporary chip multiprocessors (CMPs). With recent advances in silicon nanophotonics, photonics-based network-on-chip (NoC) architectures are being considered as a viable solution to support communication in future CMPs as they can enable higher bandwidth and lower power dissipation compared to traditional electrical NoCs. In this article, we present
SwiftNoC
, a novel reconfigurable silicon-photonic NoC architecture that features improved multicast-enabled channel sharing, as well as dynamic re-prioritization and exchange of bandwidth between clusters of cores running multiple applications, to increase channel utilization and system performance. Experimental results show that
SwiftNoC
improves throughput by up to 25.4× while reducing latency by up to 72.4% and energy-per-bit by up to 95% over state-of-the-art solutions.
GPU Virtualization and Scheduling Methods
Authors: Hong Cheol-Ho , Spence Ivor , Nikolopoulos Dimitrios S.
Published: June 2017

The integration of graphics processing units (GPUs) on high-end compute nodes has established a new accelerator-based heterogeneous computing model, which now permeates high-performance computing. The same paradigm nevertheless has limited adoption in cloud computing or other large-scale distributed computing paradigms. Heterogeneous computing with GPUs can benefit the Cloud by reducing operational costs and improving resource and energy efficiency. However, such a paradigm shift would require effective methods for virtualizing GPUs, as well as other accelerators. In this survey article, we present an extensive and in-depth survey of GPU virtualization techniques and their scheduling methods. We review a wide range of virtualization techniques implemented at the GPU library, driver, and hardware levels. Furthermore, we review GPU scheduling methods that address performance and fairness issues between multiple virtual machines sharing GPUs. We believe that our survey delivers a perspective on the challenges and opportunities for virtualization of heterogeneous computing environments.
Data Science
Authors: Cao Longbing
Published: June 2017

The 21st century has ushered in the age of big data and data economy, in which
data DNA
, which carries important knowledge, insights, and potential, has become an intrinsic constituent of all data-based organisms. An appropriate understanding of data DNA and its organisms relies on the new field of
data science
and its keystone,
analytics
. Although it is widely debated whether big data is only hype and buzz, and data science is still in a very early phase, significant challenges and opportunities are emerging or have been inspired by the research, innovation, business, profession, and education of data science. This article provides a comprehensive survey and tutorial of the fundamental aspects of data science: the evolution from data analysis to data science, the data science concepts, a big picture of the era of data science, the major challenges and directions in data innovation, the nature of data analytics, new industrialization and service opportunities in the data economy, the profession and competency of data education, and the future of data science. This article is the first in the field to draw a comprehensive big picture, in addition to offering rich observations, lessons, and thinking about data science and analytics.
A Large-Scale, Long-Term Analysis of Mobile Device Usage Characteristics
Authors: Hintze Daniel , Hintze Philipp , Findling Rainhard D. , Mayrhofer René
Published: June 2017

Today, mobile devices like smartphones and tablets have become an indispensable part of people's lives, posing many new questions e.g., in terms of interaction methods, but also security. In this paper, we conduct a large scale, long term analysis of mobile device usage characteristics like session length, interaction frequency, and daily usage in locked and unlocked state with respect to location context and diurnal pattern. Based on detailed logs from 29,279 mobile phones and tablets representing a total of 5,811 years of usage time, we identify and analyze 52.2 million usage sessions with some participants providing data for more than four years.

Our results show that context has a highly significant effect on both frequency and extent of mobile device usage, with mobile phones being used twice as much at home compared to in the office. Interestingly, devices are unlocked for only 46 % of the interactions. We found that with an average of 60 interactions per day, smartphones are used almost thrice as often as tablet devices (23), while usage sessions on tablets are three times longer, hence are used almost for an equal amount of time throughout the day. We conclude that usage session characteristics differ considerably between tablets and smartphones. These results inform future approaches to mobile interaction as well as security.
SCAN
Authors: Maag Balz , Zhou Zimu , Saukh Olga , Thiele Lothar
Published: June 2017

Urban air pollution monitoring with mobile, portable, low-cost sensors has attracted increasing research interest for their wide spatial coverage and affordable expenses to the general public. However, low-cost air quality sensors not only drift over time but also suffer from cross-sensitivities and dependency on meteorological effects. Therefore calibration of measurements from low-cost sensors is indispensable to guarantee data accuracy and consistency to be fit for quantitative studies on air pollution. In this work we propose sensor array network calibration (SCAN), a multi-hop calibration technique for dependent low-cost sensors. SCAN is applicable to sets of co-located, heterogeneous sensors, known as sensor arrays, to compensate for cross-sensitivities and dependencies on meteorological influences. SCAN minimizes error accumulation over multiple hops of sensor arrays, which is unattainable with existing multi-hop calibration techniques. We formulate SCAN as a novel constrained least-squares regression and provide a closed-form expression of its regression parameters. We theoretically prove that SCAN is free from regression dilution even in presence of measurement noise. In-depth simulations demonstrate that SCAN outperforms various calibration techniques. Evaluations on two real-world low-cost air pollution sensor datasets comprising 66 million samples collected over three years show that SCAN yields 16% to 60% lower error than state-of-the-art calibration techniques.
Deep Learning for Mobile Multimedia
Authors: Ota Kaoru , Dao Minh Son , Mezaris Vasileios , Natale Francesco G. B. De
Published: June 2017

Deep Learning (DL) has become a crucial technology for multimedia computing. It offers a powerful instrument to automatically produce high-level abstractions of complex multimedia data, which can be exploited in a number of applications, including object detection and recognition, speech-to- text, media retrieval, multimodal data analysis, and so on. The availability of affordable large-scale parallel processing architectures, and the sharing of effective open-source codes implementing the basic learning algorithms, caused a rapid diffusion of DL methodologies, bringing a number of new technologies and applications that outperform, in most cases, traditional machine learning technologies. In recent years, the possibility of implementing DL technologies on mobile devices has attracted significant attention. Thanks to this technology, portable devices may become smart objects capable of learning and acting. The path toward these exciting future scenarios, however, entangles a number of important research challenges. DL architectures and algorithms are hardly adapted to the storage and computation resources of a mobile device. Therefore, there is a need for new generations of mobile processors and chipsets, small footprint learning and inference algorithms, new models of collaborative and distributed processing, and a number of other fundamental building blocks. This survey reports the state of the art in this exciting research area, looking back to the evolution of neural networks, and arriving to the most recent results in terms of methodologies, technologies, and applications for mobile environments.
Supporting Responsive Cohabitation Between Virtual Interfaces and Physical Objects on Everyday Surfaces
Authors: Xiao Robert , Hudson Scott , Harrison Chris
Published: June 2017

Systems for providing mixed physical-virtual interaction on desktop surfaces have been proposed for decades, though no such systems have achieved widespread use. One major factor contributing to this lack of acceptance may be that these systems are not designed for the variety and complexity of actual work surfaces, which are often in flux and cluttered with physical objects. In this paper, we use an elicitation study and interviews to synthesize a list of ten interactive behaviors that desk-bound, digital interfaces should implement to support responsive cohabitation with physical objects. As a proof of concept, we implemented these interactive behaviors in a working augmented desk system, demonstrating their imminent feasibility.
Polymodal Menus
Authors: Bouzit Sara , Calvary Gaëlle , Chêne Denis , Vanderdonckt Jean
Published: June 2017

This paper presents a model-based approach for designing Polymodal Menus, a new type of multimodal adaptive menu for small screen graphical user interfaces where item selection and adaptivity are responsive to more than one interaction modality: a menu item can be selected graphically, tactilely, vocally, gesturally, or any combination of them. The prediction window containing the most predicted menu items by assignment, equivalence, or redundancy is made equally adaptive. For this purpose, an adaptive menu model maintains the most predictable menu items according to various prediction methods. This model is exploited throughout various steps defined on a new Adaptivity Design Space based on a Perception-Decision-Action cycle com-ing from cognitive psychology. A user experiment compares four conditions of Polymodal Menus (graphical, vocal, gestural, and mixed) in terms of menu selection time, error rate, user subjective satisfaction and user preference, when item prediction has a low or high level of accuracy. Polymodal Menus offer alternative input/output modalities to select menu items in various contexts of use, especially when graphical modality is constrained.
Hearts lacking plasma membrane KATP channels display changes in basal aerobic metabolic substrate preference and AMPK activity
Authors: Youssef Nermeen , Campbell Scott , Barr Amy , Gandhi Manoj , Hunter Beth , Dolinsky Vernon , Dyck Jason R. B. , Clanachan Alexander S. , Light Peter E.
Published: June 2017

Cardiac ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels couple changes in cellular metabolism to membrane excitability and are activated during metabolic stress, although under basal aerobic conditions, KATP channels are thought to be predominately closed. Despite intense research into the roles of KATP channels during metabolic stress, their contribution to aerobic basal cardiac metabolism has not been previously investigated. Hearts from Kir6.2+/+ and Kir6.2−/− mice were perfused in working mode, and rates of glycolysis, fatty acid oxidation, and glucose oxidation were measured. Changes in activation/expression of proteins regulating metabolism were probed by Western blot analysis. Despite cardiac mechanical function and metabolic efficiency being similar in both groups, hearts from Kir6.2−/− mice displayed an approximately twofold increase in fatty acid oxidation and a 0.45-fold reduction in glycolytic rates but similar glucose oxidation rates compared with hearts from Kir6.2+/+ mice. Kir6.2−/− hearts also possessed elevated levels of activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), higher glycogen content, and reduced mitochondrial density. Moreover, activation of AMPK by isoproterenol or diazoxide was significantly blunted in Kir6.2−/− hearts. These data indicate that KATP channel ablation alters aerobic basal cardiac metabolism. The observed increase in fatty acid oxidation and decreased glycolysis before any metabolic insult may contribute to the poor recovery observed in Kir6.2−/− hearts in response to exercise or ischemia-reperfusion injury. Therefore, KATP channels may play an important role in the regulation of cardiac metabolism through AMPK signaling.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY In this study, we show that genetic ablation of plasma membrane ATP-sensitive K+ channels results in pronounced changes in cardiac metabolic substrate preference and AMP-activated protein kinase activity. These results suggest that ATP-sensitive K+ channels may play a novel role in regulating metabolism in addition to their well-documented effects on ionic homeostasis during periods of stress.
CORP: The assessment of total hemoglobin mass by carbon monoxide rebreathing
Authors: Siebenmann Christoph , Keiser Stefanie , Robach Paul , Lundby Carsten
Published: June 2017

In this Cores of Reproducibility in Physiology (CORP) article, we present the theory and practical aspects of the carbon monoxide (CO) rebreathing method for the determination of total hemoglobin mass in humans. With CO rebreathing, a small quantity of CO is diluted in O2and rebreathed for a specified time period, during which most of the CO is absorbed and bound to circulating hemoglobin. The dilution principle then allows calculation of the total number of circulating hemoglobin molecules based on the number of absorbed CO molecules and the resulting changes in the fraction of carboxyhemoglobin in blood. Total hemoglobin mass is derived by multiplication with the molar weight of hemoglobin. CO rebreathing has been used for >100 yr and has undergone steady improvement so that today excellent values in terms of accuracy and precision can be achieved if the methodological precautions are carefully followed.
Sexually dimorphic skeletal muscle and cardiac dysfunction in a mouse model of limb girdle muscular dystrophy 2i
Authors: Maricelli Joseph W. , Kagel Denali R. , Bishaw Yemeserach M. , Nelson O. Lynne , Lin David C. , Rodgers Buel D.
Published: June 2017

The fukutin-related protein P448L mutant mouse replicates many pathologies common to limb girdle muscular dystrophy 2i (LGMD2i) and is a potentially strong candidate for relevant drug screening studies. Because striated muscle function remains relatively uncharacterized in this mouse, we sought to identify metabolic, functional and histological metrics of exercise and cardiac performance. This was accomplished by quantifying voluntary exercise on running wheels, forced exercise on respiratory treadmills and cardiac output with echocardiography and isoproterenol stress tests. Voluntary exercise revealed few differences between wild-type and P448L mice. By contrast, peak oxygen consumption (VO2peak) was either lower in P448L mice or reduced with repeated low intensity treadmill exercise while it increased in wild-type mice. P448L mice fatigued quicker and ran shorter distances while expending 2-fold more calories/meter. They also received over 6-fold more motivational shocks with repeated exercise. Differences in VO2peak and resting metabolic rate were consistent with left ventricle dysfunction, which often develops in human LGMD2i patients and was more evident in female P448L mice, as indicated by lower fractional shortening and ejection fraction values and higher left ventricle systolic volumes. Several traditional markers of dystrophinopathies were expressed in P448L mice and were exacerbated by exercise, some in a muscle-dependent manner. These include elevated serum creatine kinase and muscle central nucleation, smaller muscle fiber cross-sectional area and more striated muscle fibrosis. These studies together identified several markers of disease pathology that are shared between P448L mice and human subjects with LGMD2i. They also identified novel metrics of exercise and cardiac performance that could prove invaluable in preclinical drug trials.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Limb-girdle muscular dystrophy 2i is a rare dystroglycanopathy that until recently lacked an appropriate animal model. Studies with the FKRP P448L mutant mouse began assessing muscle structure and function as well as running gait. Our studies further characterize systemic muscle function using exercise and cardiac performance. They identified many markers of respiratory, cardiac and skeletal muscle function that could prove invaluable to better understanding the disease and more importantly, to preclinical drug trials.
Sodium nitrate ingestion increases skeletal muscle nitrate content in humans
Authors: Nyakayiru Jean , Kouw Imre W. K. , Cermak Naomi M. , Senden Joan M. , van Loon Luc J. C. , Verdijk Lex B.
Published: June 2017

Nitrate ([Formula: see text]) ingestion has been shown to have vasoactive and ergogenic effects that have been attributed to increased nitric oxide (NO) production. Recent observations in rodents suggest that skeletal muscle tissue serves as an endogenous [Formula: see text] “reservoir.” The present study determined [Formula: see text] contents in human skeletal muscle tissue in a postabsorptive state and following ingestion of a sodium nitrate bolus (NaNO3). Seventeen male, type 2 diabetes patients (age 72 ± 1 yr; body mass index 26.5 ± 0.5 kg/m2; means ± SE) were randomized to ingest a dose of NaNO3 (NIT; 9.3 mg [Formula: see text]/kg body wt) or placebo (PLA; 8.8 mg NaCl/kg body wt). Blood and muscle biopsy samples were taken before and up to 7 h following [Formula: see text] or placebo ingestion to assess [Formula: see text] [and plasma nitrite ([Formula: see text])] concentrations. Additionally, basal plasma and muscle [Formula: see text] concentrations were assessed in 10 healthy young (CON-Y; age 21 ± 1 yr) and 10 healthy older (CON-O; age 75 ± 1 yr) control subjects. In all groups, baseline [Formula: see text] concentrations were higher in muscle (NIT, 57 ± 7; PLA, 61 ± 7; CON-Y, 80 ± 10; CON-O, 54 ± 6 µmol/l) than in plasma (NIT, 35 ± 3; PLA, 32 ± 3; CON-Y, 38 ± 3; CON-O, 33 ± 3 µmol/l; P ≤ 0.011). Ingestion of NaNO3 resulted in a sustained increase in plasma [Formula: see text], plasma [Formula: see text], and muscle [Formula: see text] concentrations (up to 185 ± 25 µmol/l) in the NIT group (time effect P < 0.001) compared with PLA (treatment effect P < 0.05). In conclusion, basal [Formula: see text] concentrations are substantially higher in human skeletal muscle tissue compared with plasma. Ingestion of a bolus of dietary [Formula: see text] increases both plasma and muscle [Formula: see text] contents in humans.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Literature of the pharmacokinetics following dietary nitrate ingestion is usually limited to the changes observed in plasma nitrate and nitrite concentrations. The present investigation assessed the skeletal muscle nitrate content in humans during the postabsorptive state, as well as following dietary nitrate ingestion. We show that basal nitrate content is higher in skeletal muscle tissue than in plasma and that ingestion of a dietary nitrate bolus strongly increases both plasma and muscle nitrate concentrations.
Limited Role of Random Skin Biopsy in the Diagnosis of Intravascular Lymphoma in Adult Patients with Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis
Authors: Cho Hyunje G. , Sheu Sarah L. , Kuo Karen Y. , Ally Mina S. , Bailey Elizabeth E. , Kim Jinah , Kwong Bernice Y.
Published: June 2017

Background/Aims: This study examined the role of random normal skin biopsy in the diagnosis of intravascular lymphoma (IVL) in adult Western patients with clinically diagnosed hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). Methods: In a retrospective chart review study, we analyzed a total of 59 skin biopsies that were performed to diagnose IVL in 21 adult patients with HLH seen at Stanford Hospital between 2004 and 2016. Results: Out of the 59 skin biopsies, 42 were taken from clinically normal-appearing skin and 17 from clinically abnormal-appearing skin. None of the 59 biopsies revealed a diagnosis of primary or metastatic malignancy, regardless of the malignancy history, clinical presentation, and biopsy and histopathologic characteristics. A review of 8 positive IVL cases at Stanford Hospital including 1 case associated with HLH showed 1 positive diagnosis by a targeted skin biopsy and other positive diagnoses by bone marrow (n = 4), lung (n = 2), brain (n = 2), muscle (n = 1), and nerve (n = 1). Conclusion: Random skin biopsies have a limited role in diagnosing IVL in adult patients with HLH, in the setting of a single academic institution in the USA. A review of the literature emphasizes the role of a full body skin exam with a selective skin biopsy in these patients.
IgA Enhances IGF-1 Mitogenic Activity Via Receptor Modulation in Glomerular Mesangial Cells: Implications for IgA-Induced Nephropathy
Authors: Al-Eisa Amal , Dhaunsi Gursev S.
Published: June 2017

Background/Aim: Glomerulonephritis due to mesangial proliferation is responsible for renal dysfunction in IgA nephropathy (IgAN), however molecular mechanisms of pathogenesis are not well known. We examined the effect of IgA on Insulin-like Growth Factor-1 (IGF-1) activity, a potent mitogen with vital role in growth and development of children, and IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) in cultures of glomerular mesangial cells (GMC). Methods: GMC were isolated from rat kidneys using sieving and enzymatic digestion of tissue homogenates, and cultured in RPMI 1640 medium. GMC cultures were treated with IgA (0-10 µg/ml) in the presence or absence of IGF-1 and fetal bovine serum (FBS), and BrdU incorporation was measured. IGF-1 levels were assayed along with real-time PCR quantification of IGF-1R mRNA. Results: Treatment of GMC with IgA (5 -10 µg/ml) significantly (p < 0.01) increased the BrdU incorporation in the presence or absence of FBS or IGF-1. IgA-mediated effects were more pronounced in IGF-1 treated cells that were significantly (p < 0.01) blocked by pretreatment of cells with IGF-1 receptor antibody or genistein. IgA significantly increased the levels of IGF-1 in culture supernatants and GMC homogenates. IGF-1R mRNA was significantly (p < 0.01) increased in IgA treated cells particularly by co-treatment with IGF-1. Conclusion: These findings show that IgA enhances the IGF-1 activity in GMC via stimulation of IGF-1R gene transcription and suggest a role for IGF-1 in pathogenesis of IgAN.
Dois ladrões: A reconfiguração de enredo no conto “Um ladrão” e em Memórias do Cárcere, ambos de Graciliano Ramos
Authors: Santos Cicera Jessiane Lins
Published: June 2017

In this paper, we seek to discuss the diversity of perspectives used in the execution of a plot used in two works by Graciliano Ramos: "Um ladrão", a tale belonging to the volume Insônia, and one of the excerpts from Memórias do Cárcere. For this, a comparative perspective is adopted, linked to the sociological critique, in order to perceive the possible relations of the plot with the historical and literary conjuncture at that time.
Tensões do sensível: Reflexões sobre o filme “A excêntrica família de Antonia” à luz de Jacques Rancière
Authors: Machado Bruna Farias
Published: June 2017

The present paper focuses on the film ‘Antonia’s Line’ from the perspective of Jacques Rancière. The heterogeneity with which the philosopher addresses issues related to cinema provides an aesthetic appreciation free of the dogmas rooted in a policed regime of sensitivity, since he erases the distances of aesthetic appreciation bequeathed to us by the ‘experts’, thus providing a new approach and a new reception.
Policy Infusion Through Capacity Building and Project Interaction: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Trading in China
Authors: Biedenkopf Katja , Van Eynde Sarah , Walker Hayley
Published: June 2017

Capacity-building projects can be a vehicle for fostering policy diffusion. They should not, however, be considered as exclusively externally driven; the receiving jurisdiction’s receptiveness and leverage to steer the design of those projects can be crucial factors, shaping the process of infusing different external policy expertise and experiences into domestic policy design and implementation. This article shows that the Chinese National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) has played a key role in steering the capacity-building efforts of external financiers in the case of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions trading. The focus here is twofold: analyzing, on the one hand, the interaction among capacity-building projects financed by different external financiers, and on the other, the role that central actors and brokers can play in the complex structure of interacting projects.
The discovery of a new species of Brunellia (Brunelliaceae) with ephemeral petals from Llanganates National Park, Ecuador
Authors: OROZCO CLARA INÉS , PÉREZ ÁLVARO J. , ROMOLEROUX KATYA , ALDANA JOSÉ MURILLO
Published: June 2017

Brunellia ephemeropetala, a new species discovered in Llanganates National Park, Ecuador is described and illustrated. This species belongs to a group of species that have unifoliate leaves, large fruits and navicular endocarp, in which B. ephemeropetala is distinguished by large and thin stipules, leafy inflorescence and the presence of a petal whorl. For the first time, the presence of petals is recorded in Brunellia, a genus previously considered apetalous.
Zorotypus asymmetricus sp. nov. from Brunei Darussalam, Borneo (Insecta: Zoraptera)
Authors: KOČÁREK PETR , WAHAB RODZAY ABDUL , KAHAR SITI RAFHIAH ABDUL
Published: June 2017

A new species of Zoraptera from Borneo is described and figured. Zorotypus asymmetricus sp. nov. was discovered in lowland mixed dipterocarp forest in Ulu Temburong, Brunei Darussalam. The species represents the third known species occurring on Borneo and it can be easily distinguished from others by the asymmetrical cerci: the right cercus is strongly enlarged and curved.
Myths and facts about the absence of socii in the male genitalia of Larentiinae (Lepidoptera: Geometridae)
Authors: SCHMIDT OLGA
Published: June 2017

The definition of the term ‘socius’ is evaluated. Considering several recent publications, in which it was assumed that the socii were generally lacking in the male genitalia of the larentiine moths of the family Geometridae, the male genitalic characters of a number of larentiine species representing all the European tribes have been re-examined. The study reveals that the socii are widely present in the European Larentiinae. The presence of the socii in Larentiinae is reviewed. Illustrations of the uncus and socii in the male genitalia of selected species are provided.
Model Selection: Using Information Measures from Ordinal Symbolic Analysis to Select Model Subgrid-Scale Parameterizations
Authors: Pulido Manuel , Rosso Osvaldo A.
Published: June 2017

The use of information measures for model selection in geophysical models with subgrid parameterizations is examined. Although the resolved dynamical equations of atmospheric or oceanic global numerical models are well established, the development and evaluation of parameterizations that represent subgrid-scale effects pose a big challenge. For climate studies, the parameters or parameterizations are usually selected according to a root-mean-square error criterion that measures the differences between the model-state evolution and observations along the trajectory. However, inaccurate initial conditions and systematic model errors contaminate root-mean-square error measures. In this work, information theory quantifiers, in particular Shannon entropy, statistical complexity, and Jensen–Shannon divergence, are evaluated as measures of the model dynamics. An ordinal analysis is conducted using the Bandt–Pompe symbolic data reduction in the signals. The proposed ordinal information measures are examined in the two-scale Lorenz-96 system. By comparing the two-scale Lorenz-96 system signals with a one-scale Lorenz-96 system with deterministic and stochastic parameterizations, the study shows that information measures are able to select the correct model and to distinguish the parameterizations, including the degree of stochasticity that results in the closest model dynamics to the two-scale Lorenz-96 system.
The Optimal-Pessimal Paradox
Authors: Bradley James V.
Published: June 2017

For a certain common type of experimental situation, the better the subject's performance — i.e., the more skilled he is, or the easier his task (perhaps due to good human-engineering design) — the more markedly skewed his distribution of scores tends to be and the more nonrobust parametric tests tend to be. So when performance conditions are optimal, test conditions tend to be pessimal and vice versa.
Pacing, Product Complexity, and Task Perception in Simulated Inspection
Authors: Mcfarling Leslie H. , Heimstra Norman W.
Published: June 2017

This investigation examined potential performance or motivational differences between self-paced and machine-paced inspection tasks, and measured subject perceptions of inspection tasks. Twenty women served as inspectors in the investigation. Subjects in both self-paced and machine-paced conditions inspected simulated printed circuits varying in circuit complexity. Performance measures of defect detection rate, false alarm rate, and time required for decision were recorded. Self-paced subjects performed better, but both groups suffered performance decrements on the more complex circuits. Both groups found the task basically dull and uninteresting.
An Analysis of the Labor Market for Uber’s Driver-Partners in the United States
Authors: Hall Jonathan V. , Krueger Alan B.
Published: June 2017

Uber, the ride-sharing company launched in 2010, has grown at an exponential rate. Using both survey and administrative data, the authors provide the first comprehensive analysis of the labor market for Uber’s driver-partners. Drivers appear to be attracted to the Uber platform largely because of the flexibility it offers, the level of compensation, and the fact that earnings per hour do not vary much based on the number of hours worked. Uber’s driver-partners are more similar in terms of their age and education to the general workforce than to taxi drivers and chauffeurs. Most of Uber’s driver-partners had full- or part-time employment before joining Uber, and many continue in those positions after starting to drive with the Uber platform, which makes the flexibility to set their own hours especially valuable. Drivers often cite the desire to smooth fluctuations in their income as one of their reasons for partnering with Uber.
A Game Theoretic Analysis of Olson's Game of Collective Action
Authors: Schofield Norman
Published: June 2017

Olson has argued that rational, self-interested individuals will not act to achieve their common goal or to satisfy their collective interests. Hardin interpreted the argument in terms of the classical prisoner's dilemma and offered a solution whereby the majority choice of the group would rationally be the joint cooperative strategy. The present paper considers the characteristic function of such a game and demonstrates that, within the terms of reference of game theory, there exists a solution in the sense that any coalition beyond a certain size must unanimously and rationally grow until it becomes the grand coalition. In other words the solution supposes that subgroups form within the primary group and considers the consequent, rational dynamics of the situation.
Components of Pacifism
Authors: Elliott Gregory C.
Published: June 2017

From the philosophical and social science literature on pacifism, four components were derived as characterizing the pacifist: physical nonviolence, psychological non-violence, active value orientation, and internal locus of control. Scales to measure attitudes toward these components were developed and validated. Each scale evinced a strong level of internal consistency. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that the four components are distinct but related and that each scale is a satisfactory indicator of its intended component. The usefulness of the scales in future research on pacifism is discussed.