bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of DCL4 missense alleles provides insights into its ability to process distinct classes of dsRNA substrates
Authors: Montavon Thomas , Kwon Yerim , Zimmermann Aude , Hammann Philippe , Vincent Timothée , Cognat Valérie , Bergdoll Marc , Michel Fabrice , Dunoyer Patrice
Published: April 2018

In the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, four Dicer‐like proteins (DCL1–4) mediate the production of various classes of small RNAs (sRNAs). Among these four proteins, DCL4 is by far the most versatile RNaseIII‐like enzyme, and previously identified dcl4 missense alleles were shown to uncouple the production of the various classes of DCL4‐dependent sRNAs. Yet little is known about the molecular mechanism behind this uncoupling. Here, by studying the subcellular localization, interactome and binding to the sRNA precursors of three distinct dcl4 missense alleles, we simultaneously highlight the absolute requirement of a specific residue in the helicase domain for the efficient production of all DCL4‐dependent sRNAs, and identify, within the PAZ domain, an important determinant of DCL4 versatility that is mandatory for the efficient processing of intramolecular fold‐back double‐stranded RNA (dsRNA) precursors, but that is dispensable for the production of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) from RDR‐dependent dsRNA susbtrates. This study not only provides insights into the DCL4 mode of action, but also delineates interesting tools to further study the complexity of RNA silencing pathways in plants, and possibly other organisms.
Ugandan Literature: the Questions of Identity, Voice and Context
Authors: Evain Christine , Twongyeirwe Hilda , Ntangaare Mercy Mirembe , Hawkridge Spencer
Published: April 2018

In this article, the authors attempt to describe the character of the Ugandan book focusing especially on the ways the literature is impacted and or impacts the country’s identity, voice, and future. Sometimes, common themes that appear in the literature have come to crystalize national identity in spite of the complex issues generated by years of colonialism and neo-colonialism. Today more than before more Ugandans are able to read. The challenge, however, is that this readership seems to have conspired with the book publishing industry who thrive as business enterprises at the expense of building a national identity and voice, literary health, or cultural heritage. Where then and how can the critical voices grow or multiply? What contexts will grow the Ugandan book? How insoluble are the indigenous publishers? On the other hand, the book chain has been boosted by efforts some of them international like the literary awards and prizes, residences and book fairs. Hitherto ignored constituents like the women and indigenous publishers are also now on board. It is hoped these budding efforts will continue to grow, flourish, and consolidate the Ugandan book character.
The Effects of Differential Learning and Traditional Learning Trainings on Technical Development of Football Players
Authors: Bozkurt Sinan
Published: April 2018

There are several different methods of learning motor skills, like traditional (linear) and differential (nonlinear) learning training. The traditional motor learning approach proposes that learners improve a skill just by repeating it. According to the teaching principles, exercises are selected along continua from easy to hard and from simple to complex.  The differential learning approach is mainly characterized by taking advantage, for the purpose of learning, of fluctuations that occur, without movement repetitions and without corrections during the skill acquisition process. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of differential and traditional training on technical development of 15-year-old football players who have been continuing football education. Twelve (12) football players who were 15 years old from the youth football team (Under 15) of Istanbul Kavacik Club were tested voluntarily in this study. In this study, the Mor-Christian soccer passing test, German Football Association agility/dribbling test, and feet-juggling test were applied on the football field with synthetic grass of the Istanbul Kavacik Sports Club in 2016. The Mann-Whitney U test for paired comparison of the groups and the Wilcoxon test for the comparison of pre- and post-tests of the groups were used for statistical analyses. In conclusion, the findings suggest that the results of the technique tests for groups offer no clear evidence for the superiority of the differential learning approach in comparison to the classical training approach. However, participants of the Differential Group (DG) were able to improve their performance in all tests and techniques compared to those of the Classical Group (CG). These findings may be useful for trainers and physical education teachers in the selection process of players and in preparing football training programs.
Underwater acoustic source localization using generalized regression neural network
Authors: Wang Yun , Peng Hua
Published: April 2018

In this paper, machine learning is introduced to source localization in underwater ocean waveguides. Source localization is regarded as a supervised learning regression problem and is solved by generalized regression neural network (GRNN). As a feed-forward network, GRNN is built using training data with fixed structure and configuration. The normalized sample covariance matrix (SCM) formed over a number of snapshots, and the corresponding source position are used as the input and output for GRNN. The source position can be estimated directly from the normalized SCM with GRNN; the proposed approach is thus in theory data driven. In addition, there is only one parameter, the spread factor, to be learned for GRNN. The optimal spread factor is determined using cross-validation. The regression method of GRNN is compared with the classification method of feed-forward neural network (FNN), as well as the classical method of matched field processing (MFP) for vertical array data from the SWellEx-96 experiment. The results show that GRNN achieves a satisfactory localization performance that outperforms both FNN and MFP. The proposed approach provides an alternative way for underwater source localization, especially in the absence of a priori environmental information or an appropriate propagation model.
Community Development betweenPorphyromonas gingivalisandCandida albicansMediated by InlJ and Als3
Authors: Sztukowska Maryta N. , Dutton Lindsay C. , Delaney Christopher , Ramsdale Mark , Ramage Gordon , Jenkinson Howard F. , Nobbs Angela H. , Lamont Richard J.
Published: April 2018

The pleiomorphic yeastCandida albicansis a significant pathogen in immunocompromised individuals. In the oral cavity,C. albicansis an inhabitant of polymicrobial communities, and interspecies interactions promote hyphal formation and biofilm formation.C. albicanscolonizes the subgingival area, and the frequency of colonization increases in periodontal disease. In this study, we investigated the interactions betweenC. albicansand the periodontal pathogenPorphyromonas gingivalis.C. albicansandP. gingivaliswere found to coadhere in both the planktonic and sessile phases. Loss of the internalin-family protein InlJ abrogated adhesion ofP. gingivalistoC. albicans, and recombinant InlJ protein competitively inhibited interspecies binding. A mutant ofC. albicansdeficient in expression of major hyphal protein Als3 showed diminished binding toP. gingivalis, and InlJ interacted with Als3 heterologously expressed inSaccharomyces cerevisiae. Transcriptional profiling by RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) established that 57 genes were uniquely upregulated in an InlJ-dependent manner inP. gingivalis-C. albicanscommunities, with overrepresentation of those corresponding to 31 gene ontology terms, including those associated with growth and division. Of potential relevance to the disease process,C. albicansinduced upregulation of components of the type IX secretion apparatus. Collectively, these findings indicate that InlJ-Als3-dependent binding facilitates interdomain community development betweenC. albicansandP. gingivalisand thatP. gingivalishas the potential for increased virulence within such communities.

IMPORTANCEMany diseases involve the concerted actions of microorganisms assembled in polymicrobial communities. Inflammatory periodontal diseases are among the most common infections of humans and result in destruction of gum tissue and, ultimately, in loss of teeth. In periodontal disease, pathogenic communities can include the fungusCandida albicans; however, the contribution ofC. albicansto the synergistic virulence of the community is poorly understood. Here we characterize the interactions betweenC. albicansand the keystone bacterial pathogenPorphyromonas gingivalisand show that coadhesion mediated by specific proteins results in major changes in gene expression byP. gingivalis, which could serve to increase pathogenic potential. The work provides significant insights into interdomain interactions that can enhance our understanding of diseases involving a multiplicity of microbial pathogens.
Novel Insights into Staphylococcus aureus Deep Bone Infections: the Involvement of Osteocytes
Authors: Yang Dongqing , Wijenayaka Asiri R. , Solomon Lucian B. , Pederson Stephen M. , Findlay David M. , Kidd Stephen P. , Atkins Gerald J.
Published: April 2018

Periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is a potentially devastating complication of orthopedic joint replacement surgery. PJI with associated osteomyelitis is particularly problematic and difficult to cure. Whether viable osteocytes, the predominant cell type in mineralized bone tissue, have a role in these infections is not clear, although their involvement might contribute to the difficulty in detecting and clearing PJI. Here, usingStaphylococcus aureus, the most common pathogen in PJI, we demonstrate intracellular infection of human-osteocyte-like cellsin vitroandS. aureusadaptation by forming quasi-dormant small-colony variants (SCVs). Consistent patterns of host gene expression were observed betweenin vitro-infected osteocyte-like cultures, anex vivohuman bone infection model, and bone samples obtained from PJI patients. Finally, we confirmS. aureusinfection of osteocytes in clinical cases of PJI. Our findings are consistent with osteocyte infection being a feature of human PJI and suggest that this cell type may provide a reservoir for silent or persistent infection. We suggest that elucidating the molecular/cellular mechanism(s) of osteocyte-bacterium interactions will contribute to better understanding of PJI and osteomyelitis, improved pathogen detection, and treatment.

IMPORTANCEPeriprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) are increasing and are recognized as one of the most common modes of failure of joint replacements. Osteomyelitis arising from PJI is challenging to treat and difficult to cure and increases patient mortality 5-fold.Staphylococcus aureusis the most common pathogen causing PJI. PJI can have subtle symptoms and lie dormant or go undiagnosed for many years, suggesting persistent bacterial infection. Osteocytes, the major bone cell type, reside in bony caves and tunnels, the lacuno-canalicular system. We report here thatS. aureuscan infect and reside in human osteocytes without causing cell death both experimentally and in bone samples from patients with PJI. We demonstrate that osteocytes respond to infection by the differential regulation of a large number of genes.S. aureusadapts during intracellular infection of osteocytes by adopting the quasi-dormant small-colony variant (SCV) lifestyle, which might contribute to persistent or silent infection. Our findings shed new light on the etiology of PJI and osteomyelitis in general.
A Viral Suppressor Modulates the Plant Immune Response Early in Infection by Regulating MicroRNA Activity
Authors: Pertermann Robert , Tamilarasan Selvaraj , Gursinsky Torsten , Gambino Giorgio , Schuck Jana , Weinholdt Claus , Lilie Hauke , Grosse Ivo , Golbik Ralph Peter , Pantaleo Vitantonio , Behrens Sven-Erik
Published: April 2018

Many viral suppressors (VSRs) counteract antiviral RNA silencing, a central component of the plant’s immune response by sequestration of virus-derived antiviral small interfering RNAs (siRNAs). Here, we addressed how VSRs affect the activities of cellular microRNAs (miRNAs) during a viral infection by characterizing the interactions of two unrelated VSRs, the
Tombusvirus
p19 and the
Cucumovirus
2b, with miRNA 162 (miR162), miR168, and miR403. These miRNAs regulate the expression of the important silencing factors Dicer-like protein 1 (DCL1) and Argonaute proteins 1 and 2 (AGO1 and AGO2), respectively. Interestingly, while the two VSRs showed similar binding profiles, the miRNAs were bound with significantly different affinities, for example, with the affinity of miR162 greatly exceeding that of miR168.
In vitro
silencing experiments revealed that p19 and 2b affect miRNA-mediated silencing of the
DCL1
,
AGO1
, and
AGO2
mRNAs in strict accordance with the VSR’s miRNA-binding profiles. In
Tombusvirus
-infected plants, the miRNA-binding behavior of p19 closely corresponded to that
in vitro
. Most importantly, in contrast to controls with a Δp19 virus, infections with wild-type (wt) virus led to changes of the levels of the miRNA-targeted mRNAs, and these changes correlated with the miRNA-binding preferences of p19. This was observed exclusively in the early stage of infection when viral genomes are proposed to be susceptible to silencing and viral siRNA (vsiRNA) concentrations are low. Accordingly, our study suggests that differential binding of miRNAs by VSRs is a widespread viral mechanism to coordinately modulate cellular gene expression and the antiviral immune response during infection initiation.

IMPORTANCE
Plant viruses manipulate their hosts in various ways. Viral suppressor proteins (VSRs) interfere with the plant’s immune response by sequestering small, antivirally acting vsiRNAs, which are processed from viral RNAs during the plant’s RNA-silencing response. Here, we examined the effects of VSRs on cellular microRNAs (miRNAs), which show a high degree of similarity with vsiRNAs. Binding experiments with two unrelated VSRs and three important regulatory miRNAs revealed that the proteins exhibit similar miRNA-binding profiles but bind different miRNAs at considerably different affinities. Most interestingly, experiments in plants showed that in the early infection phase, the
Tombusvirus
VSR p19 modulates the activity of these miRNAs on their target mRNAs very differently and that this differential regulation strictly correlates with the binding affinities of p19 for the respective miRNAs. Our data suggest that VSRs may specifically control plant gene expression and the early immune response by differential sequestration of miRNAs.
Outbreak of Invasive Wound Mucormycosis in a Burn Unit Due to Multiple Strains of Mucor circinelloides f. circinelloides Resolved by Whole-Genome Sequencing
Authors: Garcia-Hermoso Dea , Criscuolo Alexis , Lee Soo Chan , Legrand Matthieu , Chaouat Marc , Denis Blandine , Lafaurie Matthieu , Rouveau Martine , Soler Charles , Schaal Jean-Vivien , Mimoun Maurice , Mebazaa Alexandre , Heitman Joseph , Dromer Françoise , Brisse Sylvain , Bretagne Stéphane , Alanio Alexandre
Published: April 2018

Mucorales are ubiquitous environmental molds responsible for mucormycosis in diabetic, immunocompromised, and severely burned patients. Small outbreaks of invasive wound mucormycosis (IWM) have already been reported in burn units without extensive microbiological investigations. We faced an outbreak of IWM in our center and investigated the clinical isolates with whole-genome sequencing (WGS) analysis. We analyzed
M. circinelloides
isolates from patients in our burn unit (BU1, Hôpital Saint-Louis, Paris, France) together with nonoutbreak isolates from Burn Unit 2 (BU2, Paris area) and from France over a 2-year period (2013 to 2015). A total of 21 isolates, including 14 isolates from six BU1 patients, were analyzed by whole-genome sequencing (WGS). Phylogenetic classification based on
de novo
assembly and assembly free approaches showed that the clinical isolates clustered in four highly divergent clades. Clade 1 contained at least one of the strains from the six epidemiologically linked BU1 patients. The clinical isolates were specific to each patient. Two patients were infected with more than two strains from different clades, suggesting that an environmental reservoir of clonally unrelated isolates was the source of contamination. Only two patients from BU1 shared one strain, which could correspond to direct transmission or contamination with the same environmental source. In conclusion, WGS of several isolates per patients coupled with precise epidemiological data revealed a complex situation combining potential cross-transmission between patients and multiple contaminations with a heterogeneous pool of strains from a cryptic environmental reservoir.

IMPORTANCE
Invasive wound mucormycosis (IWM) is a severe infection due to environmental molds belonging to the order Mucorales. Severely burned patients are particularly at risk for IWM. Here, we used whole-genome sequencing (WGS) analysis to resolve an outbreak of IWM due to
Mucor circinelloides
that occurred in our hospital (BU1). We sequenced 21 clinical isolates, including 14 from BU1 and 7 unrelated isolates, and compared them to the reference genome (1006PhL). This analysis revealed that the outbreak was mainly due to multiple strains that seemed patient specific, suggesting that the patients were more likely infected from a pool of diverse strains from the environment rather than from direct transmission among them. This study revealed the complexity of a Mucorales outbreak in the settings of IWM in burn patients, which has been highlighted based on WGS combined with careful sampling.
Maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy and childhood growth and overweight: results from a large Norwegian prospective observational cohort study
Authors: Papadopoulou Eleni , Botton Jérémie , Brantsæter Anne-Lise , Haugen Margaretha , Alexander Jan , Meltzer Helle Margrete , Bacelis Jonas , Elfvin Anders , Jacobsson Bo , Sengpiel Verena
Published: April 2018

Objectives

To study the association between maternal caffeine intake during pregnancy and the child’s weight gain and overweight risk up to 8 years.

Design

Prospective nationwide pregnancy cohort.

Setting

The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study.

Participants

A total of 50 943 mothers recruited from 2002 to 2008 and their children, after singleton pregnancies, with information about average caffeine intake assessed at mid-pregnancy.

Outcome measure

Child’s body size information at 11 age points from 6 weeks to 8 years. We defined excess growth in infancy as a WHO weight gain z-score of >0.67 from birth to age 1 year, and overweight according to the International Obesity Task Force. We used a growth model to assess individual growth trajectories.

Results

Compared with pregnant women with low caffeine intake (<50 mg/day, 46%), women with average (50–199 mg/day, 44%), high (≥200–299 mg/day, 7%) and very high (≥300 mg/day, 3%) caffeine intakes had an increased risk of their child experiencing excess growth in infancy, after adjustment for confounders (OR=1.15, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.22, OR=1.30, 95% CI 1.16 to 1.45, OR=1.66, 95% CI 1.42 to 1.93, respectively). In utero exposure to any caffeine was associated with higher risk of overweight at age 3 years and 5 years, while the association persisted at 8 years, only for very high exposures. Any caffeine intake was associated with increased body mass index from infancy to childhood. Children prenatally exposed to caffeine intake >200 mg/day had consistently higher weight. Very high caffeine exposures were associated with higher weight gain velocity from infancy to age 8 years.

Conclusion

Any caffeine consumption during pregnancy is associated with a higher risk of excess infant growth and of childhood overweight, mainly at preschool ages. Maternal caffeine intake may modify the overall weight growth trajectory of the child from birth to 8 years. This study adds supporting evidence for the current advice to reduce caffeine intake during pregnancy.
Fano compactifications of contractible affine 3-folds with trivial log canonical divisors
Authors: Nagaoka Masaru
Published: April 2018

Kishimoto raised the problem to classify all compactifications of contractible affine [Formula: see text]-folds into smooth Fano [Formula: see text]-folds with second Betti number two and classified such compactifications whose log canonical divisors are not nef. In this paper, we show that there are [Formula: see text] deformation equivalence classes of smooth Fano [Formula: see text]-folds which can admit structures of such compactifications whose log canonical divisors are trivial. We also construct an example of such compactifications with trivial log canonical divisors for each of all the 14 classes.
Personalized query suggestion based on user behavior
Authors: Chen Wanyu , Hao Zepeng , Shao Taihua , Chen Honghui
Published: April 2018

Query suggestions help users refine their queries after they input an initial query. Previous work mainly concentrated on similarity-based and context-based query suggestion approaches. However, models that focus on adapting to a specific user (personalization) can help to improve the probability of the user being satisfied. In this paper, we propose a personalized query suggestion model based on users’ search behavior (UB model), where we inject relevance between queries and users’ search behavior into a basic probabilistic model. For the relevance between queries, we consider their semantical similarity and co-occurrence which indicates the behavior information from other users in web search. Regarding the current user’s preference to a query, we combine the user’s short-term and long-term search behavior in a linear fashion and deal with the data sparse problem with Bayesian probabilistic matrix factorization (BPMF). In particular, we also investigate the impact of different personalization strategies (the combination of the user’s short-term and long-term search behavior) on the performance of query suggestion reranking. We quantify the improvement of our proposed UB model against a state-of-the-art baseline using the public AOL query logs and show that it beats the baseline in terms of metrics used in query suggestion reranking. The experimental results show that: (i) for personalized ranking, users’ behavioral information helps to improve query suggestion effectiveness; and (ii) given a query, merging information inferred from the short-term and long-term search behavior of a particular user can result in a better performance than both plain approaches.
Steady-state dynamics of an inhomogeneous two-channel TASEP with Langmuir kinetics
Authors: Dhiman Isha , Gupta Arvind Kumar
Published: April 2018

The steady-state dynamics of a two-channel TASEP coupled with Langmuir kinetics in the presence of a localized bottleneck are investigated under a fully asymmetric lane-changing rule. A hybrid mean-field approach is adopted to generate the density profiles as well as phase diagrams. The effect of lane-changing rate and strength of bottleneck on the stationary dynamics of the system has also been investigated. It is observed that an increase in lane-changing rate weakens the effect of bottleneck. As a part of studying the shock dynamics, we have identified and analyzed turning effect in the movement of shock with respect to lane-changing rate. Our theoretical arguments are in good agreement with extensively performed Monte-Carlo simulations.
A FRAMEWORK FOR ANALYZING THE IMPACT OF FISCAL DECENTRALIZATION ON MACROECONOMIC PERFORMANCE, GOVERNANCE AND ECONOMIC GROWTH
Authors: ARIF UMAIMA , AHMAD EATZAZ
Published: April 2018

This study analyzes the direct impact of fiscal decentralization on economic growth and broadens the scope of assessment by examining the indirect impact of fiscal decentralization on economic growth via its impact on macroeconomic performance and quality of governance institutions. The study uses a panel data set of 53 developed and developing countries over the period of 1996–2014. The empirical findings show that the indirect impact, rather than the direct impact of fiscal decentralization on growth, that is, the effect of decentralization on economic growth through its effect on macroeconomic performance and quality of governance institutions significantly matters for growth. Further, the results show that fiscal decentralization is growth enhancing when supported by stable macroeconomic performance in terms of stability in prices, budget deficit and exchange rate. The effect of fiscal decentralization on per capita gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate is positive when it is complemented by sound institutional structure in terms of rule of law, low corruption in government institutions, high-bureaucratic quality and democratic accountability. All these conclusions hold for developed as well as for developing countries.
Distortion for abelian subgroups of Out(Fn)
Authors: Wigglesworth Derrick
Published: April 2018

We prove that abelian subgroups of the outer automorphism group of a free group are quasi-isometrically embedded. Our proof uses recent developments in the theory of train track maps by Feighn–Handel. As an application, we prove the rank conjecture for [Formula: see text].
Population III microquasars
Authors: Romero Gustavo E. , Checa P. Sotomayor
Published: April 2018

We present the first results obtained in the elaboration of a complete model of a microquasar where the donor star is from Population III. These stars do not produce stellar winds so we consider that the mass loss is due exclusively to matter overflowing the Roche lobe towards the compact object, a maximally rotating black hole. The rate of accretion is extremely super-Eddington, with an intense mass loss from the system in the form of winds and jets. We calculate the relativistic particle content of the jet and the corresponding spectral energy distribution (SED) considering a lepto-hadronic model. Prospects for the cosmological implications of these objects are briefly discussed.
Structured objects in quantum gravity. The external field approximation
Authors: Papini Giorgio
Published: April 2018

The external field approximation (EFA) provides a mechanism whereby classical gravity and inertia emerge from a quantum background. The two-point vector, that in EFA represents gravity, is the byproduct of symmetry breaking and is accompanied by classical, vortical structures. Its interaction range is, in general, that of the metric tensor, but, in the context of a simple symmetry-breaking model, the range can be made finite by the presence of massive scalar particles. Vortices that conceal matter can then be produced, making it effectively “dark”. In EFA, fermion relativistic vortices can be induced, in particular, by rotation.
Measuring Understandability of Organizational Policies: A Metric Based Approach
Authors: Prakash Deepika , Parimala N.
Published: April 2018

In order to ensure policy compliance, it is important for all stakeholders to understand the policy. One of the ways in which policies are represented in an organization is first-order logic. We propose a metric-based approach to measure understandability by measuring the structural complexity of the first-order representation of a policy. In this regard, we define a two-step approach that first calculates the complexity of an individual policy and then computes the complexity of a set of policies or a policy set. A running example of a policy set of six policies taken from the health domain is used. Finally, we evaluate the metrics using theoretical framework of Zuse. The relationship between structural complexity of a policy set and understandability is established by performing empirical validations. This was done by formulating policy sets from 23 domains.
Combining enhanced sampling with experiment-directed simulation of the GYG peptide
Authors: Amirkulova Dilnoza B. , White Andrew D.
Published: April 2018

Experiment-directed simulation (EDS) is a technique to minimally bias molecular dynamics simulations to match experimentally observed results. The method improves accuracy but does not address the sampling problem of molecular dynamics simulations of large systems. This work combines EDS with both the parallel-tempering or parallel-tempering well-tempered ensemble replica-exchange methods to enhance sampling. These methods are demonstrated on the GYG tripeptide in explicit water. The collective variables biased by EDS are chemical shifts, where the set-points are determined by NMR experiments. The results show that it is possible to enhance sampling with either parallel-tempering and parallel-tempering well-tempered ensemble in the EDS method. This combination of methods provides a novel approach for both accurately and exhaustively simulating biological systems.
A combined Weisfeiler–Lehman graph kernel for structured data
Authors: Xu Lixiang , Tang Yuanyan , Luo Bin , Cui Lixin , Chen Xiu , Xiao Jin
Published: April 2018

Different graph kernels may correspond to using different notions of similarity or may be using information coming from multiple sources. In this paper, we develop a common method to construct combined graph kernel (CGK) which is based on a family of graph kernels. We define three kinds of CGK. The first one is called the weighted combined graph kernel and is a parametric CGK. The second one is called the accuracy ratio weighted combined graph kernel and is a non-parametric CGK. The third one is called the product combined graph kernel and also belongs to non-parametric CGK. The three kinds of definition of CGK can be applied for constructing CGK based on a family of graph kernels. This family of kernels is demonstrated based on the Weisfeiler–Lehman (WL) sequence of graphs in this paper, including a highly efficient subtree kernel, edge kernel, and shortest path kernel. Experiments demonstrate that our CGK based on WL graph kernels outperforms the corresponding single WL graph kernel on several classification benchmark data sets.
A Three-Dimensional Discontinuous Deformation Analysis Method for Investigating the Effect of Slope Geometrical Characteristics on Rockfall Behaviors
Authors: Liu Guoyang , Li Junjie
Published: April 2018

In the present study, a three-dimensional discontinuous deformation analysis (3D DDA) method was developed and used to investigate the effect of slope geometrical characteristics on rockfall behaviors. The slope geometrical characteristics of rockfall, such as the slope height, slope angle and slope shape, were summarized, and the corresponding calculation models were proposed. The algebraic computation and contact mechanics of the three-dimensional (3D) global contact theory were illustrated and implemented into the 3D DDA method. The accuracy of the developed 3D DDA method was verified through the four basic movement forms of rockfall: freefalling (oblique projectile), sliding, rolling and bouncing. Numerical examples were performed to study rockfall behaviors under different slope geometrical characteristics by analyzing the kinetic energy or velocity conversion, motion trajectories, and damage degree and range of moving blocks. The results demonstrate that the 3D DDA method can accurately simulate rockfall movement, which is significantly affected by slope geometrical characteristics. Furthermore, some suggestions for slope excavation and protection were put forward.
REASONING IN THE FUZZY FRONT END OF INNOVATION: FRAMING THE PRODUCT DNA
Authors: HAASE LOUISE MØLLER , LAURSEN LINDA NHU
Published: April 2018

Designing a remarkable product innovation is a difficult challenge, which businesses today are continuously striving to tackle. This challenge is particularly present in the fuzzy front end of innovation, where the main product concept, the DNA of the innovation, is determined. A main challenge in the fuzzy front end is the reasoning process: innovation teams are faced with open-ended, ill-defined problems, where they need to make decisions about an unknown future but have only incomplete, ambiguous and contradicting insights available. We study the reasoning of experts, how they frame to make sense of all the insights and create a basis for decision-making in relation to a new project. Based on case studies of five innovative products from various industries, we propose a Product DNA model for understanding the reasoning in the fuzzy front end of innovation. The Product DNA Model explains how experts reason and what direct their reasoning.
Preparation of chitosan-Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate nanoparticles and their inhibitory effect on the growth of breast cancer cells
Authors: Liu Yingyi , Hu Siyi , Feng Yueshu , Zou Peng , Wang Yue , Qin Pei , Yue Jie , Liang Yaotian , Wang Hui , Liu Liwei
Published: April 2018

In this paper, we prepared the nanoparticle drug carrier system between nanoparticles — chitosan and Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) for breast cancer cell inhibiting application. For this drug carrier system, chitosan acts as a carrier and EGCG as a drug. Which were systematically characterized and thoroughly evaluated in terms of their inhibition rate and biocompatibility. We also did a cell scratch test and the result indicated that the chitosan-EGCG nanoparticles have inhibitory effect on the growth of breast cancer cells. The inhibition rate could reach up to 21.91%. This work revealed that the modification of nanoparticles paved a way for specific biomedical applications.
In vivo percutaneous reflectance spectroscopy of fatty liver development in rats suggests that the elevation of the scattering power is an early indicator of hepatic steatosis
Authors: Piao Daqing , Ritchey Jerry W. , Holyoak G. Reed , Wall Corey R. , Sultana Nigar , Murray Jill K. , Bartels Kenneth E.
Published: April 2018

This study assessed whether there was a scattering spectral marker quantifiable by reflectance measurements that could indicate early development of hepatic steatosis in rats for potential applications to pre-procurement organ evaluation. Sixteen rats were fed a methionine-choline-deficient (MCD) diet and eight rats were fed a normal diet. Direct assessment of the liver parenchyma of rats in vivo was performed by percutaneous reflectance spectroscopy using a single fiber probe at the beginning of diet-intake and arbitrary post-diet-intake times up to 11 weeks to render longitudinal comparison. Histological sampling of the liver over the duration of diet administration was performed on two MCD-diet treated rats and one control rat euthanized after reflectance spectroscopy measurement. The images of hematoxylin/eosin-stained liver specimens were analyzed morphometrically to evaluate the lipid size changes associated with the level of steatosis. The MCD-diet-treated group ([Formula: see text]) had mild steatosis in seven rats, moderate in three rats, severe in six rats, and no other significant pathology. No control rats ([Formula: see text]) developed hepatic steatosis. Among the parameters retrieved from per-SfS, only the scattering power (can be either positive or negative) appeared to be statistically different between MCD-treated and control livers. The scattering power for the 16 MCD-diet-treated livers at the time of euthanasia and presenting various levels of steatosis was [Formula: see text], in comparison to [Formula: see text] of the eight control livers [Formula: see text]. When evaluated at days 12 and 13 combined, the scattering power of the 16 MCD-diet-treated livers was [Formula: see text], in comparison to [Formula: see text] of the eight control livers ([Formula: see text]). All of four MCD-treated livers harvested at days 12 and 13 presented mild steatosis with sub-micron size lipid droplets, even though none of the MCD-treated livers were sonographically remarkable for fatty changes. The elevation of the scattering power may be a valuable marker indicating early hepatic steatosis before the steatosis is sonographically detectable.
Graph variety generated by linear terms
Authors: Manyuen C. , Jampachon P. , Poomsa-ard T.
Published: April 2018

Graph algebras establish a connection between directed graphs without multiple edges and special universal algebras of type [Formula: see text]. We say that a graph [Formula: see text] satisfies a term equation [Formula: see text] if the corresponding graph algebra [Formula: see text] satisfies [Formula: see text]. The set of all term equations [Formula: see text], which the graph [Formula: see text] satisfies, is denoted by [Formula: see text]. The class of all graph algebras satisfy all term equations in [Formula: see text] is called the graph variety generated by [Formula: see text] denoted by [Formula: see text]. A term is called a linear term if each variable which occurs in the term, occurs only once. A term equation [Formula: see text] is called a linear term equation if [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are linear terms. This paper is devoted to a thorough investigation of graph varieties defined by linear term equations. In particular, we give a complete description of rooted graphs generating a graph variety described by linear term equations.
Iota energy of bicyclic signed digraphs
Authors: Farooq Rashid , Chand Sarah , Khan Mehtab
Published: April 2018

Iota energy of signed digraphs is defined as sum of absolute values of imaginary parts of its eigenvalues. Extremal energy and iota energy of unicyclic signed digraphs is known. In this paper, we address the problem of finding signed digraphs with extremal iota energy among vertex-disjoint bicyclic signed digraphs of fixed order.
Electrochemical construction and sodium storage performance of three-dimensional porous self-supported MoS2 electrodes
Authors: Fan Xiao-Yong , Liu Pan , Wang Shan , Han Jiaxing , Ni Kefan , Gou Lei , Xu Lei , Li Donglin , Lin Chunfu , Li Renjie
Published: April 2018

Three-dimensional (3D) porous self-supported MoS2 electrodes are constructed by electrodepositing coupled with high-temperature heat treatment using 3D porous Cu prepared via electroless plating as the substrate, and directly used as anode of sodium-ion battery. The 3D porous structure can accommodate the volumetric expansion/shrinkage and alleviate the stress caused from the large volumetric changes of MoS2 electrodes during electrochemical cycling. Meanwhile, large surface area of this unique configuration enables sufficient electrode/electrolyte interaction and fast electron transportation. Besides, the influence of heat treatment temperatures on the sodium storage performance of MoS2 electrode is also investigated. The electrochemical test result shows that the 3D porous self-supported MoS2 electrode heat treated at 350[Formula: see text]C has the best electrochemical performance. It demonstrates a high first reversible capacity of 714.1[Formula: see text]mAh g[Formula: see text] at 50[Formula: see text]mA g[Formula: see text] with a high first Coulombic efficiency of 84%, and a good capacity retention of 306.8[Formula: see text]mAh g[Formula: see text] after 100 cycles at 2[Formula: see text]A g[Formula: see text]. The reversible capacity at 3.2[Formula: see text]A g[Formula: see text] shows high value of 241[Formula: see text]mAh g[Formula: see text], which is 37% of that at 0.05[Formula: see text]A g[Formula: see text].
Natural dyes as sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells
Authors: Qin Chu , Yang Dingyu , Gu Peng , Zhu Xinghua , Sun Hui
Published: April 2018

The dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been fabricated by using a series of natural dyes extracted from euonymus japonicus and purple plants. The optical characteristics and chemical structure of dyes were investigated by UV-visible spectroscopy and Fourier infrared spectroscopy. It is found that the absorption of sunlight and bonding performance to TiO2electrode of dyes had significantly effects on the conversion efficiency of solar cells. The results show the cells using blueberry as sensitizer achieved best conversion efficiency of 0.218%, attributed to its strong absorption and excellent bonding to the TiO2electrode, correspondingly, the short-circuit photocurrent density ([Formula: see text] and open-circuit voltage ([Formula: see text] were 1.3[Formula: see text]mA/cm2and 430[Formula: see text]mV, respectively.
Loops in SL(2, ℂ) and root subgroup factorization
Authors: Basor Estelle , Pickrell Doug
Published: April 2018

In previous work, we proved that for a [Formula: see text]-valued loop having the critical degree of smoothness (one half of a derivative in the [Formula: see text] Sobolev sense), the following are equivalent: (1) the Toeplitz and shifted Toeplitz operators associated to the loop are invertible, (2) the loop has a unique triangular factorization, and (3) the loop has a unique root subgroup factorization. For a loop [Formula: see text] satisfying these conditions, the Toeplitz determinant [Formula: see text] and shifted Toeplitz determinant [Formula: see text] factor as products in root subgroup coordinates. In this paper, we observe that, at least in broad outline, there is a relatively simple generalization to loops having values in [Formula: see text]. The main novel features are that (1) root subgroup coordinates are now rational functions, i.e. there is an exceptional set and associated uniqueness issues, and (2) the noncompactness of [Formula: see text] entails that loops are no longer automatically bounded, and this (together with the exceptional set) complicates the analysis at the critical exponent.
Do Sleeping Disorders Impair Sexual Function in Married Iranian Women of Reproductive Age? Results from a Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Afsahri Poorandokht , Salehnejad Zahra , Hekmat Khadijeh , Abedi Parvin , Fakhri Ahmad , Haghighizadeh Mohammadhossein
Published: April 2018

Purpose. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between sleep quality and sexual function among Iranian women. Methods. This study was conducted on 277 married women of reproductive age. The inclusion criteria were as follows: married women aged 18–45 years, with at least basic literacy, and women married monogamously for at least one year. The following tools were used for gathering data: a demographic questionnaire; Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI); Insomnia Severity Index (ISI); Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS); and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI). Pearson correlation coefficients, independent t-tests, chi-square tests, and linear regression analyses were used to analyze the data. Results. There was a significant inverse relation between poor sleep quality (r=-0.13, P=0.02), daytime sleepiness (r=-0.39, P<0.001), insomnia (r=-0.35, P<0.001), and sexual function. Sexual desire was significantly related to sleep quality and insomnia (P<0.001). Sexual arousal (r=-0.18, r=-0.29, P<0.001), lubrication (r=-0.21, r=-0.3, −0.12, P<0.001), orgasms (r=0.17, r=-0.15, P<0.001), and sexual satisfaction (r=-0.02, -r=0.3, r=-0.15, P<0.001) were significantly related to all types of sleep disorders (poor sleep quality, insomnia, and sleepiness). Pain during intercourse was significantly associated with poor sleep quality and insomnia. With each unit decrease in sleep quality, sexual function decreased by 0.49 (P<0.001), and with each unit increase in the delay of sleep onset, sexual function decreased by 1.58 (P=0.04). Conclusion. Results of this study showed that there was a significant relationship between sleep quality and sexual function in Iranian women of reproductive age. The quality of sleep among reproductive-aged women merits the attention of health care providers and policy makers.
SNP Analysis of Caries and Initial Caries in Finnish Adolescents
Authors: Raivisto Teija , Heikkinen AnnaMaria , Kovanen Leena , Ruokonen Hellevi , Kettunen Kaisa , Tervahartiala Taina , Haukka Jari , Sorsa Timo
Published: April 2018

Background. Dental caries is the most common infection in the world and is influenced by genetic and environmental factors. Environmental factors are largely known, but the role of genetic factors is quite unknown. The aim was to investigate the genetic background of caries in Finnish adolescents.Materials and Methods. This study was carried out at the Kotka Health Center in Eastern Finland. 94 participants aged 15–17 years gave approval for the saliva and DNA analyses. However, one was excluded in DNA analysis; thus, the overall number of participants in analysis was 93. Caries status was recorded clinically and from bite-wing X-rays to all 94 participants. Genomic DNA was extracted by genomic QIAamp® DNA Blood Mini Kit and genotyped for polymorphisms. The results were analyzed using additive and logistic regression models.Results. No significant associations between caries and the genes studied were found. However, SNPs inDDX39BandMPOshowed association tendencies but were not statistically significant after false discovery rate (FDR) analysis. SNPs inVDR,LTA, andMMP3were not statistically significant with initial caries lesions after FDR analysis.Conclusion. The present study could not demonstrate statistically significant associations between caries and the genes studied. Further studies with larger populations are needed.
Blood Groups Distribution and Gene Diversity of the ABO and Rh (D)Lociin the Mexican Population
Authors: Canizalez-Román Adrián , Campos-Romero Abraham , Castro-Sánchez José A. , López-Martínez Mario A. , Andrade-Muñoz Francisco J. , Cruz-Zamudio Cinthia K. , Ortíz-Espinoza Tania G. , León-Sicairos Nidia , Gaudrón Llanos Alma M. , Velázquez-Román Jorge , Flores-Villaseñor Héctor , Muro-Amador Secundino , Martínez-García Jesús J. , Alcántar-Fernández Jonathan
Published: April 2018

Objective. To determine the frequency and distribution of ABO and Rh (D) antigens and, additionally, investigate gene diversity and the structure of Mexican populations.Materials and Methods. Blood groups were tested in 271,164 subjects from 2014 to 2016. The ABO blood group was determined by agglutination using the antibodies anti-A, Anti-B, and Anti-D for the Rh factor, respectively.Results. The overall distribution of ABO and Rh (D) groups in the population studied was as follows: O: 61.82%; A: 27.44%; B: 8.93%; and AB: 1.81%. For the Rh group, 95.58% of people were Rh (D), and 4.42% were Rh (d). Different distributions of blood groups across regions were found; additionally, genetic analysis revealed that theIOandIDallele showed an increasing trend from the north to the center, while theIAandIdallele tended to increase from the center to the north. Also, we found more gene diversity in bothlociin the north compared with the center, suggesting population structure in Mexico.Conclusion. This work could help health institutions to identify where they can obtain blood products necessary for medical interventions. Moreover, this piece of information contributes to the knowledge of the genetic structure of the Mexican populations which could have significant implications in different fields of biomedicine.