bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cavernous sinus syndrome in a holstein bull
Authors: Jacob Sarah I. , Drees Randi , Pinkerton Marie E. , Bentley Ellison M. , Peek Simon F.
Published: November 2013

A 13‐month‐old Holstein bull was presented for right‐sided exophthalmos. Ophthalmologic examination noted that the animal was visual in both eyes, but that the right pupil was persistently dilated and very sluggish to constrict when stimulated with a bright light and that normal ocular motility was absent. Fundic examination of the right eye was normal as was a complete ophthalmologic examination of the left eye. Radiographs at presentation did not reveal the presence of sinusitis or other skull abnormalities. Initial treatment comprised intravenous antibiotics and anti‐inflammatories for orbital inflammation over a 14‐day period. There was no perceptible change in the appearance or neuro‐ophthalmologic examination of the right eye during hospitalization. The animal was discharged to the owner's care, but 3 weeks later was found recumbent with unilateral strabismus of the left eye and a fixed right pupil. Due to the inability to rise and rapid deterioration, humane euthanasia was performed, and a full postmortem examination, preceded by a MRI, was performed that identified abscesses extending bilaterally through the round foramina obliterating the cavernous sinus region, as well as abscessation of the right mandible, right trigeminal neuritis, right‐sided sinusitis, and right‐sided otitis media. Cavernous sinus syndrome should be considered in cattle with a combination of exophthalmos and neuro‐ophthalmologic abnormalities involving cranial nerves III, IV, V, and VI, whose branches are located within the cavernous sinus.
EMBODIMENT AND REBIRTH IN THE BUDDHIST AND HINDU TRADITIONS
Authors: Gosling David L.
Published: November 2013

The belief that humans are more than their bodies is to a large extent represented in the Hindu and Buddhist traditions by the notion of rebirth, the main difference being that the former envisages a more corporeal continuing entity than the latter. The author has studied the manner in which exposure to science at a postgraduate level impinges on belief in rebirth at universities and institutes in India and Thailand. Many Hindu and Buddhist scientists tend to believe less in a reincarnating entity because of their scientific work, but Buddhists can point to their empty self doctrine, which has resonances with models of an extended self, rejecting the notion of a core self (anattā) and replacing it with a system of interdependent parts (paṭicca samuppāda), which governs previous and future lives.
THE EXPLORATORY AND REFLECTIVE DOMAIN OF METAPHOR IN THE COMPARISON OF RELIGIONS
Authors: Martin Paul C.
Published: November 2013

There has been a longstanding interest in discovering or uncovering resemblances among what are ostensibly diverse religious schemas by employing a range of methodological approaches and tools. However, it is generally considered a problematic undertaking. Jonathan Z. Smith has produced a large body of work aimed at explicating this and has tacitly based his model of comparison on metaphor, which is traditionally understood to connote similarity between two or more things, as based on a linguistic or pragmatic assessment. However, another possible approach is cognitive. George Lakoff and Mark Johnson have championed the view of “conceptual metaphor,” which regards metaphor as being pervasive not only in language, but also in thought and action. Indeed, according to them, it basically structures our conceptual operations and hence views of the world through partially mapping knowledge across ontological domains, generally from the concrete to the abstract. I shall argue that a similar mechanism can fruitfully be applied to comparing religious schemas, as based on the postulated relationship between the domains of human and divine, physical and abstract, and as realized through expressions of journeying and reflection.
Pumping Flow in a Channel With a Peristaltic Wall
Authors: Tsui Yeng-Yung , Guo Da-Ching , Chen Shin-Hung , Lin Shi-Wen
Published: November 2013

Simplified models were widely used for analysis of peristaltic transport caused by contraction and expansion of an extensible tube. Each of these models has its own assumptions, and therefore, weakness. To get rid of the limitations imposed by the assumptions, a numerical procedure is employed to simulate this pumping flow in the present study. In earlier studies, the frame of reference adopted moves with the peristaltic speed of the vibrating wall so that the flow becomes steady. The flow characteristics in a wavelength were the main concern. In our calculations, a channel of finite length with a flexible wall is considered. Pressures are prescribed at the inlet and outlet boundaries. The computational grid is allowed to move according to the oscillation of the wall. Another state-of-the-art technique employed is to construct the grid in an unstructured manner to deal with the variable geometry of the duct. The effects of dimensionless parameters, such as amplitude ratio, wave number, Reynolds number, and back pressure on the pumping performance are examined. Details of the peristaltic flow structure are revealed. Also conducted is the comparison of numerical results with the theoretical predictions obtained from the lubrication model to determine the suitability of this theory.
An Experimental Hydrodynamic Thrust Bearing Device and Its Application to the Study of a Tapered-Land Thrust Bearing
Authors: Henry Y. , Bouyer J. , Fillon M.
Published: November 2013

An experimental study is presented with the main objective of understanding the hydrodynamic behavior of a tapered-land thrust bearing with fixed geometry. The experimental results were obtained using an original test rig designed at the “Institut Pprime.” Extensive instrumentation applied to the thrust bearing allows a precise evaluation of various characteristics such as the temperature, the film thickness and the friction torque. The results are in good agreement with the findings of other surveys in the literature. However, large differences between the measured parameters were observed from one pad to another. The authors demonstrate that this is due to the imperfections on the active surface, produced during machining. For a better understanding of the influence of irregularities in the flatness, the test was repeated with a thrust bearing manufactured using a high-precision surface polishing process. Experimental results with respect to the real geometry of the bearings were presented with both processes being compared. Interesting features, such as hot spots and a pressure peak, were identified on the pad at different supply temperatures and inlet pressures. This experimental study significantly advances the comprehension of the hydrodynamic behavior of tapered-land thrust bearings.
Defects in nonpolar (134¯) ZnO epitaxial film grown on (114) LaAlO3 substrate
Authors: Yen Tzu-Chun , Wang Wei-Lin , Peng Chun-Yen , Tian Jr-Sheng , Ho Yen-Teng , Chang Li
Published: November 2013

The defects in (134¯0)ZnO epitaxial film grown on (114)LaAlO3 (LAO) have been systematically investigated by using transmission electron microscopy. At the ZnO/LAO interface, the Burgers vectors of misfit dislocations are identified to be 1/3[1¯21¯0] and 1/2[0001]. Threading dislocations with the Burgers vectors of 1/3⟨112¯0⟩ and ⟨0001⟩ are distributed on the basal plane. In (134¯0)ZnO film, the predominant planar defects are basal stacking faults (BSFs) with 1/6⟨202¯3⟩ displacement vectors. The densities of dislocations and BSFs are about 3.8 × 1010 cm−2 and 3.1 × 105 cm−1, respectively.
Physiologically guided approach to characterizing respiratory motion
Authors: White Benjamin M. , Zhao Tianyu , Lamb James M. , Bradley Jeffrey D. , Low Daniel A.
Published: November 2013

Purpose:

To characterize radiation therapy patient breathing patterns based on measured external surrogate information.

Methods:

Breathing surrogate data were collected during 4DCT from a cohort of 50 patients including 28 patients with lung cancer and 22 patients without lung cancer. A spirometer and an abdominal pneumatic bellows were used as the surrogates. The relationship between these measurements was assumed to be linear within a small phase difference. The signals were correlated and drift corrected using a previously published method to convert the signal into tidal volume. The airflow was calculated with a first order time derivative of the tidal volume using a window centered on the point of interest and with a window length equal to the CT gantry rotation period. The airflow was compared against the tidal volume to create ellipsoidal patterns that were binned into 25 ml × 25 ml/s bins to determine the relative amount of time spent in each bin. To calculate the variability of the maximum inhalation tidal volume within a free‐breathing scan timeframe, a metric based on percentile volume ratios was defined. The free breathing variability metric (κ) was defined as the ratio between extreme inhalation tidal volumes (defined as >93 tidal volume percentile of the measured tidal volume) and normal inhalation tidal volume (defined as >80 tidal volume percentile of the measured tidal volume).

Results:

There were three observed types of volume‐flow curves, labeled Types 1, 2, and 3. Type 1 patients spent a greater duration of time during exhalation withκ = 1.37 ± 0.11. Type 2 patients had equal time duration spent during inhalation and exhalation with κ = 1.28 ± 0.09. The differences between the mean peak exhalation to peak inhalation tidal volume, breathing period, and the 85th tidal volume percentile for Type 1 and Type 2 patients were statistically significant at the 2% significance level. The difference between κ and the 98th tidal volume percentile for Type 1 and Type 2 patients was found to be statistically significant at the 1% significance level. Three patients did not display a breathing stability curve that could be classified as Type 1 or Type 2 due to chaotic breathing patterns. These patients were classified as Type 3 patients.

Conclusions:

Based on an observed volume‐flow curve pattern, the cohort of 50 patients was divided into three categories called Type 1, Type 2, and Type 3. There were statistically significant differences in breathing characteristics between Type 1 and Type 2 patients. The use of volume‐flow curves to classify patients has been demonstrated as a physiological characterization metric that has the potential to optimize gating windows in radiation therapy.
Resistance calculation of the face-centered cubic lattice: Theory and experiment
Authors: Owaidat M. Q.
Published: November 2013

The effective resistance between two arbitrary lattice points in an infinite, face-centered cubic lattice network of identical resistors is calculated using the lattice Green's function method. Theoretical results have been verified experimentally by constructing actual finite networks of resistors. This problem could be useful in undergraduate courses (e.g., advanced mathematical methods course) and would provide a good example for introducing the concept of Green's function.
Commensal Bacteria Control Cancer Response to Therapy by Modulating the Tumor Microenvironment
Authors: Iida Noriho , Dzutsev Amiran , Stewart C. Andrew , Smith Loretta , Bouladoux Nicolas , Weingarten Rebecca A. , Molina Daniel A. , Salcedo Rosalba , Back Timothy , Cramer Sarah , Dai Ren-Ming , Kiu Hiu , Cardone Marco , Naik Shruti , Patri Anil K. , Wang Ena , Marincola Francesco M. , Frank Karen M. , Belkaid Yasmine , Trinchieri Giorgio , Goldszmid Romina S.
Published: November 2013

The Microbiota Makes for Good Therapy

The gut microbiota has been implicated in the development of some cancers, such as colorectal cancer, but—given the important role our intestinal habitants play in metabolism—they may also modulate the efficacy of certain cancer therapeutics.

Iida
et al.

(p.
967
) evaluated the impact of the microbiota on the efficacy of an immunotherapy [CpG (the cytosine, guanosine, phosphodiester link) oligonucleotides] and oxaliplatin, a platinum compound used as a chemotherapeutic. Both therapies were reduced in efficacy in tumor-bearing mice that lacked microbiota, with the microbiota important for activating the innate immune response against the tumors.

Viaud
et al.

(p.
971
) found a similar effect of the microbiota on tumor-bearing mice treated with cyclophosphamide, but in this case it appeared that the microbiota promoted an adaptive immune response against the tumors.
Substitutions Near the Receptor Binding Site Determine Major Antigenic Change During Influenza Virus Evolution
Authors: Koel Björn F. , Burke David F. , Bestebroer Theo M. , van der Vliet Stefan , Zondag Gerben C. M. , Vervaet Gaby , Skepner Eugene , Lewis Nicola S. , Spronken Monique I. J. , Russell Colin A. , Eropkin Mikhail Y. , Hurt Aeron C. , Barr Ian G. , de Jong Jan C. , Rimmelzwaan Guus F. , Osterhaus Albert D. M. E. , Fouchier Ron A. M. , Smith Derek J.
Published: November 2013

Flu Drift Limited

Five antigenic sites in the virus surface hemagglutinin protein, which together comprise 131 amino acid positions, are thought to determine the full scope of antigenic drift of influenza A virus.

Koel
et al.

(p.
976
) show that major antigenic change can be caused by single amino acid substitutions. These single substitutions substantially skew the way the immune system “sees” the virus. All substitutions of importance are located next to the receptor-binding site in the hemagglutinin. Because there are few positions of importance for antigenic drift, there are strict biophysical limitations to the substitutions at these positions, which restricts the number of new antigenic drift variants at any point in time. Thus, the evolution of influenza virus may be more predictable than previously thought.
Not an Oxidase, But a Peroxidase
Authors: Raushel Frank M.
Published: November 2013

A key step in the biosynthesis of the antibiotic fosfomycin requires hydrogen peroxide, rather than molecular oxygen as previously assumed.

[Also see Report by

Wang
et al.

]
New Tools Light Up the Intricacies of the Brain
Authors: Underwood Emily
Published: November 2013

Technologies that can help map the brain and its activity at many different levels took center stage at the Society for Neuroscience conference in San Diego, California, last week.
Missing the Mark
Authors: Marshall Eliot
Published: November 2013

The U.S. intercontinental missile defense system faces a crisis as Congress presses for an expansion, interceptors malfunction, and a basic targeting problem remains unsolved.
Missile Defense Made Practical
Authors: Marshall Eliot
Published: November 2013

When it comes to hitting targets, smaller missile defense systems appear to be far more reliable than the national system.
Subtractive Phage Display Selection from Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis Identifies Novel Epitopes That Mimic Leishmania infantum Antigens with Potential Serodiagnosis Applications
Authors: Costa Lourena E. , Lima Mayara I. S. , Chávez-Fumagalli Miguel A. , Menezes-Souza Daniel , Martins Vivian T. , Duarte Mariana C. , Lage Paula S. , Lopes Eliane G. P. , Lage Daniela P. , Ribeiro Tatiana G. , Andrade Pedro H. R. , de Magalhães-Soares Danielle F. , Soto Manuel , Tavares Carlos A. P. , Goulart Luiz R. , Coelho Eduardo A. F.
Published: November 2013

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a zoonotic disease that is endemic to Brazil, where dogs are the main domestic parasite reservoirs, and the percentages of infected dogs living in regions where canine VL (CVL) is endemic have ranged from 10% to 62%. Despite technological advances, some problems have been reported with CVL serodiagnosis. The present study describes a sequential subtractive selection through phage display technology from polyclonal antibodies of negative and positive sera that resulted in the identification of potential bacteriophage-fused peptides that were highly sensitive and specific to antibodies of CVL. A negative selection was performed in which phage clones were adhered to purified IgGs from healthy andTrypanosoma cruzi-infected dogs to eliminate cross-reactive phages. The remaining supernatant nonadhered phages were submitted to positive selection against IgG from the blood serum of dogs that were infected withLeishmania infantum. Phage clones that adhered to purified IgGs from the CVL-infected serum samples were selected. Eighteen clones were identified and their reactivities tested by a phage enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (phage-ELISA) against the serum samples from infected dogs (n= 31) compared to those from vaccinated dogs (n= 21), experimentally infected dogs with cross-reactive parasites (n= 23), and healthy controls (n= 17). Eight clones presented sensitivity, specificity, and positive and negative predictive values of 100%, and they showed no cross-reactivity withT. cruzi- orEhrlichia canis-infected dogs or with dogs vaccinated with two different commercial CVL vaccines in Brazil. Our study identified eight mimotopes ofL. infantumantigens with 100% accuracy for CVL serodiagnosis. The use of these mimotopes by phage-ELISA proved to be an excellent assay that was reproducible, simple, fast, and inexpensive, and it can be applied in CVL-monitoring programs.
Illustration of the Difficulty of Identifying Streptococcus equi Strains at the Subspecies Level through a Case of Endocarditis in an Immunocompetent Man
Authors: Daubié Anne Sophie , Defrance Carine , Renvoisé Aurélie , Barreda Eleodoro , D'Alessandro Cosimo , Brossier Florence , Jarlier Vincent , Aubry Alexandra
Published: November 2013

We report a case of endocarditis caused by
Streptococcus equi
in an immunocompetent patient who was subsequently cured after appropriate antibiotherapy and cardiac surgery. However, it was challenging to identify the strain to the subspecies level, which highlights the necessity of developing reliable molecular tools to discriminate between the subspecies.
Direct, Interferon-Independent Activation of the CXCL10 Promoter by NF-κB and Interferon Regulatory Factor 3 during Hepatitis C Virus Infection
Authors: Brownell Jessica , Bruckner Jacob , Wagoner Jessica , Thomas Emmanuel , Loo Yueh-Ming , Gale Michael , Liang T. Jake , Polyak Stephen J.
Published: November 2013

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection of hepatocytes leads to transcriptional induction of the chemokine CXCL10, which is considered an interferon (IFN)-stimulated gene. However, we have recently shown that IFNs are not required for CXCL10 induction in hepatocytes during acute HCV infection. Since the CXCL10 promoter contains binding sites for several proinflammatory transcription factors, we investigated the contribution of these factors to CXCL10 transcriptional induction during HCV infection
in vitro
. Wild-type and mutant CXCL10 promoter-luciferase reporter constructs were used to identify critical sites of transcriptional regulation. The proximal IFN-stimulated response element (ISRE) and NF-κB binding sites positively regulated CXCL10 transcription during HCV infection as well as following exposure to poly(I·C) (a Toll-like receptor 3 [TLR3] stimulus) and 5′ poly(U) HCV RNA (a retinoic acid-inducible gene I [RIG-I] stimulus) from two viral genotypes. Conversely, binding sites for AP-1 and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBP-β) negatively regulated CXCL10 induction in response to TLR3 and RIG-I stimuli, while only C/EBP-β negatively regulated CXCL10 during HCV infection. We also demonstrated that interferon-regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) is transiently recruited to the proximal ISRE during HCV infection and localizes to the nucleus in HCV-infected primary human hepatocytes. Furthermore, IRF3 activated the CXCL10 promoter independently of type I or type III IFN signaling. The data indicate that sensing of HCV infection by RIG-I and TLR3 leads to direct recruitment of NF-κB and IRF3 to the CXCL10 promoter. Our study expands upon current knowledge regarding the mechanisms of CXCL10 induction in hepatocytes and lays the foundation for additional mechanistic studies that further elucidate the combinatorial and synergistic aspects of immune signaling pathways.
Liposome-Antigen-Nucleic Acid Complexes Protect Mice from Lethal Challenge with Western and Eastern Equine Encephalitis Viruses
Authors: Phillips Aaron T. , Schountz Tony , Toth Ann M. , Rico Amber B. , Jarvis Donald L. , Powers Ann M. , Olson Ken E.
Published: November 2013

Alphaviruses are mosquito-borne viruses that cause significant disease in animals and humans. Western equine encephalitis virus (WEEV) and eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV), two New World alphaviruses, can cause fatal encephalitis, and EEEV is a select agent of concern in biodefense. However, we have no antiviral therapies against alphaviral disease, and current vaccine strategies target only a single alphavirus species. In an effort to develop new tools for a broader response to outbreaks, we designed and tested a novel alphavirus vaccine comprised of cationic lipid nucleic acid complexes (CLNCs) and the ectodomain of WEEV E1 protein (E1ecto). Interestingly, we found that the CLNC component, alone, had therapeutic efficacy, as it increased survival of CD-1 mice following lethal WEEV infection. Immunization with the CLNC-WEEV E1ecto mixture (lipid-antigen-nucleic acid complexes [LANACs]) using a prime-boost regimen provided 100% protection in mice challenged with WEEV subcutaneously, intranasally, or via mosquito. Mice immunized with LANACs mounted a strong humoral immune response but did not produce neutralizing antibodies. Passive transfer of serum from LANAC E1ecto-immunized mice to nonimmune CD-1 mice conferred protection against WEEV challenge, indicating that antibody is sufficient for protection. In addition, the LANAC E1ecto immunization protocol significantly increased survival of mice following intranasal or subcutaneous challenge with EEEV. In summary, our LANAC formulation has therapeutic potential and is an effective vaccine strategy that offers protection against two distinct species of alphavirus irrespective of the route of infection. We discuss plausible mechanisms as well the potential utility of our LANAC formulation as a pan-alphavirus vaccine.
ISG15 Is Counteracted by Vaccinia Virus E3 Protein and Controls the Proinflammatory Response against Viral Infection
Authors: Eduardo-Correia Benedito , Martínez-Romero Carles , García-Sastre Adolfo , Guerra Susana
Published: November 2013

Conjugation of ISG15 inhibits replication of several viruses. Here, using an expression system for assaying human and mouse ISG15 conjugations (ISGylations), we have demonstrated that vaccinia virus E3 protein binds and antagonizes human and mouse ISG15 modification. To study ISGylation importance in poxvirus infection, we used a mouse model that expresses deconjugating proteases. Our results indicate that ISGylation restricts
in vitro
replication of the vaccinia virus VVΔE3L mutant but unconjugated ISG15 is crucial to counteract the inflammatory response produced after VVΔE3L infection.
Accuracy in self-reported health literacy screening: a difference between men and women in Taiwan
Authors: Lee Shoou-Yih Daniel , Tsai Tzu-I , Tsai Yi-Wen
Published: November 2013

Objective

Self-reported screening questions are considered as an effective way to identify patients with limited health literacy. Yet research has shown that individuals tend to over-report their reading level. Moreover, the likelihood of over-reporting may differ between gender groups. This study examined if systematic differences exist between men and women in their response to self-reported screening questions.

Design

A national survey in Taiwan with participants selected using a multistage stratified, probability-proportional-to-size sampling strategy.

Participants

A total of 5682 Taiwanese adults aged 18 and older were sampled and recruited. Of those adults, 3491 participated in the survey, resulting in a 62.1% response rate. Both gender groups were equally represented in the final study sample.

Main measures

Self-reported health literacy was assessed using two sets of questions that asked how difficult it was for the respondent to understand written health materials and how often the participant needed assistance from others to understand written health materials. The objective level of health literacy was measured using the Mandarin Health Literacy Scale (MHLS).

Results

A significant gender difference was observed among participants who had inadequate health literacy: while women's self-report was in line with the MHLS test result, men had a significant tendency to over-report their comprehension of health information.

Conclusions

In Taiwan, screening questions are prone to socially desirable response and may underidentify male patients with inadequate health literacy. Development of a brief and easy-to-use health literacy test may be a more effective approach to health literacy screening in clinical settings. Alternatively, clinicians can verify patient comprehension of health information via the ‘teach back’ or ‘show me’ technique in order to improve communication and patient care. Research is needed to examine if gender differences in self-report of health literacy exist in other countries.
Weight classification does not influence the short-term endocrine or metabolic effects of high-fructose corn syrup-sweetened beverages
Authors: Heden Timothy D. , Liu Ying , Kearney Monica L. , Kanaley Jill A.
Published: November 2013

Obesity and high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS)-sweetened beverages are associated with an increased risk of chronic disease, but it is not clear whether obese (Ob) individuals are more susceptible to the detrimental effects of HFCS-sweetened beverages. The purpose of this study was to examine the endocrine and metabolic effects of consuming HFCS-sweetened beverages, and whether weight classification (normal weight (NW) vs. Ob) influences these effects. Ten NW and 10 Ob men and women who habitually consumed ≤355 mL per day of sugar-sweetened beverages were included in this study. Initially, the participants underwent a 4-h mixed-meal test after a 12-h overnight fast to assess insulin sensitivity, pancreatic and gut endocrine responses, insulin secretion and clearance, and glucose, triacylglycerol, and cholesterol responses. Next, the participants consumed their normal diet ad libitum, with 1065 mL per day (117 g·day–1) of HFCS-sweetened beverages added for 2 weeks. After the intervention, the participants repeated the mixed-meal test. HFCS-sweetened beverages did not significantly alter body weight, insulin sensitivity, insulin secretion or clearance, or endocrine, glucose, lipid, or cholesterol responses in either NW or Ob individuals. Regardless of previous diet, Ob individuals, compared with NW individuals, had ∼28% lower physical activity levels, 6%–9% lower insulin sensitivity, 12%–16% lower fasting high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, 84%–144% greater postprandial triacylglycerol concentrations, and 46%–79% greater postprandial insulin concentrations. Greater insulin responses were associated with reduced insulin clearance, and there were no differences in insulin secretion. These findings suggest that weight classification does not influence the short-term endocrine and metabolic effects of HFCS-sweetened beverages.
The unusual lichens and allied fungi of Sandbanks Provincial Park, Ontario
Authors: McMullin Richard Troy , Lewis Christopher J.
Published: November 2013

Sandbanks Provincial Park contains one of the world’s largest freshwater bay mouth sandbar and dune systems. To better understand the lichen biota of this provincially rare ecosystem, we inventoried the species at Sandbanks and its surrounding area. We found 128 species of lichens and allied fungi in 58 genera. Two species are new to Canada, Hyperphyscia syncolla (Tuck. ex Nyl.) Kalb and Minutoexcipula mariana V. Atienza. One additional species is new to Ontario, Physcia biziana (A. Massal.) Zahlbr. Sixteen species are provincially ranked as S1 (critically imperiled), S2 (imperiled), or S3 (vulnerable) by the Natural Heritage Information Centre: Acrocordia cavata (Ach.) R.C. Harris, Anaptychia crinalis (Schaer.) Vězda, Arthrosporum populorum A. Massal., Bacidia rubella (Hoffm.) A. Massal., Cresponea chloroconia (Tuck.) Egea & Torrente, Diploschistes muscorum (Scop.) R. Sant. ssp. muscorum, Flavopunctelia soredica (Nyl.) Hale, Heterodermia obscurata (Nyl.) Trevis., Lecanora carlottiana Lewis & Śliwa, Leptogium tenuissimum (Dicks.) Körb., Phaeophyscia hirsuta (Mereschk.) Essl., Physconia enteroxantha (Nyl.) Poelt, Ramalina pollinaria (Westr.) Ach., Staurothele drummondii (Tuck.) Tuck., Teloschistes chrysophthalmus (L.) Th. Fr., and Trypethelium virens Tuck. ex Michener. Unranked species collected for the second time in Ontario are Arthonia diffusa Nyl., Cladonia norvegica Tønsberg & Holien, and Lecanora juniperina Śliwa. Other provincially rare and unranked species are Caloplaca pollinii (A. Massal.) Jatta and Xanthomendoza weberi (S. Kondr. & Kärnefelt) L. Lindblom. Of these rare and unranked species, the following are reported (published) for the first time in the province: A. diffusa, C. pollinii, and L. juniperina. Some lichens require specific ecological conditions for colonization, and the rare ecosystem at Sandbanks appears to be the reason for the large number of rare species. We recommend a lichen education program for park visitors to make them more aware of these unusually rare and sensitive lichens in the park.
SYNTHETIC GAUGE FIELDS WITH PHOTONS
Authors: HAFEZI M.
Published: November 2013

In this article, we review the recent progress in the implementation of synthetic gauge fields for photons and the investigation of new photonic phenomena, such as non-equilibrium quantum Hall physics. In the first part, we discuss the implementation of magnetic-like Hamiltonians in coupled resonator systems and provide a pedagogical connection between the transfer matrix approach and the couple mode theory to evaluate the system Hamiltonian. In the second part, we discuss the investigation of nonequilibrium fractional quantum Hall physics in photonic systems. In particular, we show that driven strongly interacting photons exhibit interesting many-body behaviors which can be probed using the conventional optical measurement techniques.
INFLUENCE OF INTRINSIC PINNING ON THE RESISTIVE PROPERTIES OF YBa2Cu3O7-δ SINGLE CRYSTALS
Authors: VOVK R. V. , SAMOILOV A. V. , GOULATIS I. L. , CHRONEOS A.
Published: November 2013

The dynamics of vortex matter in YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ single crystal with unidirectional twin boundaries is studied experimentally in a wide range of velocities of the magnetic flux in a tilted magnetic field. It is determined that with the orientation of the magnetic field vector in the locality of the ab-plane, the dynamics of the magnetic flux near the melting temperature of the vortex lattice can be described by the Kim–Anderson model and as the temperature is lowered, by the theory of collective pinning on small-scale defects or by the vortex glass model. The intrinsic pinning caused by the layered crystal structure of the material has an impact on the dynamics of magnetic flux and this effect increases with the decreasing of the temperature.
DESYNCHRONIZATION OF TWO COUPLED LIMIT-CYCLE OSCILLATORS USING AN ASTROCYTE-INSPIRED CONTROLLER
Authors: MONTASERI GHAZAL , YAZDANPANAH MOHAMMAD JAVAD
Published: November 2013

Astrocytes have potential to break synchrony between neurons. Authors' recent researches reveal that astrocytes vary the synchronization threshold and provide an appropriate feedback control in stabilizing neural activities. In this study, we propose an astrocyte-inspired controller for desynchronization of two coupled limit-cycle oscillators as a minimal network model. The design procedure consists of two parts. First, based on the astrocyte model, the structure of the dynamic controller is suggested. Then, to have an efficient controller, parameters of controller are tuned through an optimization algorithm. The proposed bio-inspired controller takes advantages of three important properties: (1) the controller desynchronizes the oscillators without any undesirable effects (e.g. stopping, annihilating or starting divergent oscillations); (2) it consumes little effort to preserve the desirable desynchronized state; and (3) the controller is robust with respect to parameters' variations. Simulation results reveal the ability of the proposed controller.
Bone marrow mononuclear cell angiogenic competency is suppressed by a high-salt diet
Authors: Karcher Jamie R. , Greene Andrew S.
Published: November 2013

Autologous bone marrow-derived mononuclear cell (BM-MNC) transplantation is a potential therapy for inducing revascularization in ischemic tissues providing the underlying disease process had not negatively affected BM-MNC function. Previously, we have shown that skeletal muscle angiogenesis induced by electrical stimulation is impaired by a high-salt diet (HSD; 4% NaCl) in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. In this study we tested the hypothesis that BM-MNC angiogenic function is impaired by an elevated dietary sodium intake. Following 1 wk on HSD, either vehicle or BM-MNCs derived from SD donor rats on HSD or normal salt diet (NSD; 0.4% NaCl) were injected into male SD rats undergoing hindlimb stimulation. Administration of BM-MNCs (intramuscular or intravenous) from NSD donors, but not HSD donors, restored the angiogenic response in HSD recipients. Angiotensin II (3 ng·kg−1·min−1) infusion of HSD donor rats restored angiogenic capacity of BM-MNCs, and treatment of NSD donor rats with losartan, an angiotensin II receptor-1 antagonist, inhibited BM-MNC angiogenic competency. HSD BM-MNCs and NSD losartan BM-MNCs exhibited increased apoptosis in vitro following an acute 6-h hypoxic stimulus. HSD BM-MNCs also had increased apoptosis following injection into skeletal muscle. This study suggests that BM-MNC transplantation can restore skeletal muscle angiogenesis and that HSD impairs the angiogenic competency of BM-MNCs due to suppression of the renin-angiotensin system causing increased apoptosis.
ALX/FPR2 receptor for RvD1 is expressed and functional in salivary glands
Authors: Nelson Joel W. , Leigh Noel J. , Mellas Rachel E. , McCall Andrew D. , Aguirre Alfredo , Baker Olga J.
Published: November 2013

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by chronic inflammation and destruction of salivary and lacrimal glands, leading to dry mouth, dry eyes, and the presence of anti-nuclear antibodies. Despite modern advances, the current therapies for SS have no permanent benefit. A potential treatment could involve the use of resolvins, which are highly potent endogenous lipid mediators that are synthesized during the resolution of inflammation to restore tissue homeostasis. Our previous studies indicate that ALX/FPR2, the receptor for RvD1, is expressed and active in the rat parotid cell line Par-C10. Specifically, activation of ALX/FPR2 with RvD1 blocked inflammatory signals caused by TNF-α and enhanced salivary epithelial integrity. The goal of this study was to investigate RvD1 receptor expression and signaling pathways in primary salivary cells. Additionally, we determined the role of the aspirin-triggered 17 R analog (AT-RvD1, a more chemically stable RvD1 epimeric form) in prevention of TNF-α-mediated salivary inflammation in mouse submandibular glands (mSMG). Our results indicate that ALX/FPR2 is expressed in mSMG and is able to elicit intracellular Ca2+ responses and phosphorylation of Erk1/2, as well as Akt. Given that these signaling pathways are linked to cell survival, we investigated whether AT-RvD1 was able to prevent programmed cell death in mSMG. Specifically, we determined that AT-RvD1 prevented TNF-α-mediated caspase-3 activation. Finally, we show that ALX/FPR2 is expressed in human minor salivary glands with and without SS, indicating the potential therapeutic use of AT-RvD1 for this condition.
Role of the Digestive Gland in Ink Production in Four Species of Sea Hares: An Ultrastructural Comparison
Authors: Prince Jeffrey S. , Johnson Paul Micah
Published: November 2013

The ultrastructure of the digestive gland of several sea hare species that produce different colored ink (Aplysia californicaproduces purple ink,A. julianawhite ink,A. parvulaboth white and purple ink, whileDolabrifera dolabriferaproduces no ink at all) was compared to determine the digestive gland’s role in the diet-derived ink production process. Rhodoplast digestive cells and their digestive vacuoles, the site of digestion of red algal chloroplast (i.e., rhodoplast) inA. californica, were present and had a similar ultrastructure in all four species. Rhodoplast digestive cell vacuoles either contained a whole rhodoplast or fragments of one or were empty. These results suggest that the inability to produce colored ink in some sea hare species is not due to either an absence of appropriate digestive machinery, that is, rhodoplast digestive cells, or an apparent failure of rhodoplast digestive cells to function. These results also propose that the digestive gland structure described herein occurred early in sea hare evolution, at least in the common ancestor to the generaAplysiaandDolabrifera. Our data, however, do not support the hypothesis that the loss of purple inking is a synapomorphy of the white-ink-producing subgenusAplysia.
Structural Attack to Anonymous Graph of Social Networks
Authors: Zhu Tieying , Wang Shanshan , Li Xiangtao , Zhou Zhiguo , Zhang Riming
Published: November 2013

With the rapid development of social networks and its applications, the demand of publishing and sharing social network data for the purpose of commercial or research is increasing. However, the disclosure risks of sensitive information of social network users are also arising. The paper proposes an effective structural attack to deanonymize social graph data. The attack uses the cumulative degree ofn-hop neighbors of a node as the regional feature and combines it with the simulated annealing-based graph matching method to explore the nodes reidentification in anonymous social graphs. The simulation results on two social network datasets show that the attack is feasible in the nodes reidentification in anonymous graphs including the simply anonymous graph, randomized graph andk-isomorphism graph.
Numerical Study of Vortex-Induced Vibrations of Three Circular Cylinders in Equilateral-Triangle Arrangement
Authors: Wang Huakun , Yu Guoliang , Yang Wenyu
Published: November 2013

Vortex-induced vibrations (VIV) of three circular cylinders in equilateral-triangle arrangement are numerically investigated. The Reynolds number based on the free stream velocity D is 150. The gap spacing between the cylinders is set as 4 D and all cylinders are free to vibrate in both transverse and in-line directions. The incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in two dimensions are solved by a four-step fractional finite element method. Simulations are carried out for three typical flow incidence angles (i.e., α = 0°, 30°, and 60°) and a wide range of reduced velocities (3 ≤ Ur r ≤ 12). Numerical results show that the responses of these cylinders, including the vortex shedding frequencies, the vibration amplitudes, and the motion trajectories, are significantly affected by the flow incidence angle and the reduced velocity. Some typical vorticity fields are also shown to investigate the flow interference between the cylinders.
Multicamera Fusion-Based Leather Defects Marking System
Authors: Ho Chao-Ching , Li Jheng-Ciao , Kuo Tzu Hsin , Peng Chun-Chi
Published: November 2013

Real-time acquisition of ultra-high wide view video images is essential in leather defects marking systems because this enables either the leather manufacturing process or an inspector to identify leather defects. The major challenge in this work is blending and stitching the multiple camera views to form a single fusion image map. In the fusion video image, the viewer is quite sensitive to incorrect stitching and blending when the marking pen is passing through the border between views. Hence, a set of geometric and photometric corrections have to be applied to each camera view in addition to careful blending of the image borders. In this paper, we present a real-time image capturing system that uses four cameras at 30 fps and stitches their views together to create a panoramic video with a resolution of 1280 × 960 px. The real-time fusion video image can be observed on a large screen next to the leather defects marking system and no manual alignment is necessary, resulting in savings in both labor and time.
Poly (ADP-Ribose) Polymerase Mediates Diabetes-Induced Retinal Neuropathy
Authors: Mohammad Ghulam , Siddiquei Mohammad Mairaj , Abu El-Asrar Ahmed M.
Published: November 2013

Retinal neuropathy is an early event in the development of diabetic retinopathy. One of the potential enzymes that are activated by oxidative stress in the diabetic retina is poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP). We investigated the effect of the PARP inhibitor 1,5-isoquinolinediol on the expression of the neurodegeneration mediators and markers in the retinas of diabetic rats. After two weeks of streptozotocin-induced diabetes, rats were treated with 1,5-isoquinolinediol (3 mg/kg/day). After 4 weeks of diabetes, the retinas were harvested and the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were determined fluorometrically and the expressions of PARP, phosporylated-ERK1/2, BDNF, synaptophysin, glutamine synthetase (GS), and caspase-3 were determined by Western blot analysis. Retinal levels of ROS, PARP-1/2, phosphorylated ERK1/2, and cleaved caspase-3 were significantly increased, whereas the expressions of BDNF synaptophysin and GS were significantly decreased in the retinas of diabetic rats, compared to nondiabetic rats. Administration of 1,5-isoquinolinediol did not affect the metabolic status of the diabetic rats, but it significantly attenuated diabetes-induced upregulation of PARP, ROS, ERK1/2phosphorylation, and cleaved caspase-3 and downregulation of BDNF, synaptophysin, and GS. These findings suggest a beneficial effect of the PARP inhibitor in increasing neurotrophic support and ameliorating early retinal neuropathy induced by diabetes.
An Inventory Controlled Supply Chain Model Based on Improved BP Neural Network
Authors: He Wei
Published: November 2013

Inventory control is a key factor for reducing supply chain cost and increasing customer satisfaction. However, prediction of inventory level is a challenging task for managers. As one of the widely used techniques for inventory control, standard BP neural network has such problems as low convergence rate and poor prediction accuracy. Aiming at these problems, a new fast convergent BP neural network model for predicting inventory level is developed in this paper. By adding an error offset, this paper deduces the new chain propagation rule and the new weight formula. This paper also applies the improved BP neural network model to predict the inventory level of an automotive parts company. The results show that the improved algorithm not only significantly exceeds the standard algorithm but also outperforms some other improved BP algorithms both on convergence rate and prediction accuracy.
Charge-Trapping Devices Using Multilayered Dielectrics for Nonvolatile Memory Applications
Authors: Shih Wen-Chieh , Cheng Chih-Hao , Lee Joseph Ya-min , Chiu Fu-Chien
Published: November 2013

Charge-trapping devices using multilayered dielectrics were studied for nonvolatile memory applications. The device structure is Al/Y2O3/Ta2O5/SiO2/Si (MYTOS). The MYTOS field effect transistors were fabricated using Ta2O5as the charge storage layer and Y2O3as the blocking layer. The electrical characteristics of memory window, program/erase characteristics, and data retention were examined. The memory window is about 1.6 V. Using a pulse voltage of 6 V, a threshold voltage shift of ~1 V can be achieved within 10 ns. The MYTOS transistors can retain a memory window of 0.81 V for 10 years.
Phase Transition and Optical Properties for Ultrathin KNbO3Nanowires
Authors: Yang Shulin , Hu Yongming , Wang Shengfu , Gu Haoshuang , Wang Yu
Published: November 2013

Fascicular KNbO3nanowires with tetragonal perovskite structures and ultrasmall diameters are synthesized by hydrothermal route at about 150°C for 24 hours. The concentrations of medium alkalinity have influenced phase structures and the final morphologies of the products significantly by modifying the conditions in process. The as-prepared KNbO3nanowires exhibit three phase transitions at about 343, 454.7, and 623 K as the temperature increases from 250 to 700 K. The band gap is about 3.78 eV for KNbO3nanowires. Photoluminescence study at room temperature reveals two visible light emission bands peaking at ~551 and 597 nm, respectively, which may be due to the oxygen vacancies, site niobium (occupy the location of Nb), and antisite niobium (occupy the location of K) in KNbO3nanowires.
Entropy-Based and Weighted Selective SIFT Clustering as an Energy Aware Framework for Supervised Visual Recognition of Man-Made Structures
Authors: El Mobacher Ayman , Mitri Nicholas , Awad Mariette
Published: November 2013

Using local invariant features has been proven by published literature to be powerful for image processing and pattern recognition tasks. However, in energy aware environments, these invariant features would not scale easily because of their computational requirements. Motivated to find an efficient building recognition algorithm based on scale invariant feature transform (SIFT) keypoints, we present in this paper uSee, a supervised learning framework which exploits the symmetrical and repetitive structural patterns in buildings to identify subsets of relevant clusters formed by these keypoints. Once an image is captured by a smart phone, uSee preprocesses it using variations in gradient angle- and entropy-based measures before extracting the building signature and comparing its representative SIFT keypoints against a repository of building images. Experimental results on 2 different databases confirm the effectiveness of uSee in delivering, at a greatly reduced computational cost, the high matching scores for building recognition that local descriptors can achieve. With only 14.3% of image SIFT keypoints, uSee exceeded prior literature results by achieving an accuracy of 99.1% on the Zurich Building Database with no manual rotation; thus saving significantly on the computational requirements of the task at hand.
Effect of Clay Addition on Mechanical Properties of Unsaturated Polyester/Glass Fiber Composites
Authors: Kusmono  , Arifin Mohd Ishak Zainal
Published: November 2013

Unsaturated polyester (UP)/glass fiber/clay composites were prepared by hand layup method. The effect of clay loading on the morphological and mechanical properties of UP/glass fiber composites was investigated in this study. X-ray diffraction (XRD) was used to characterize the structure of the composites. The mechanical properties of the composites were determined by tensile, flexural, unnotched Charpy impact and fracture toughness tests. XRD results indicated that the exfoliated structure was found in the composite containing 2 wt% of clay while the intercalated structure was obtained in the composite with 6 wt% of clay. The tensile strength, flexural strength, and flexural modulus of the composites were increased in the presence of clay. The optimum loading of clay in the UP/glass fiber composites was attained at 2 wt%, where the improvement in in tensile strength, flexural strength, and flexural modulus was approximately 13, 21, and 11%, respectively. On the other hand, the highest values in impact toughness and fracture toughness were observed in the composites with 4 wt% of clay.