bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Discriminant factors of flood insurance demand for flood‐hit residential properties: a case for Malaysia
Authors: Aliagha G.U. , Mar Iman A.H. , Ali H.M. , Kamaruddin N. , Ali K.N.
Published: August 2013

Securing flood insurance for real estate properties in flood‐hit areas is rather uncertain under the Malaysian scenario. This study attempts to identify the demand‐side factors of flood insurance in coastal residential areas, and to examine how these factors differentiate between two groups of respondents, namely flood insurance purchasers and non‐purchasers, using discriminant analysis. Tests using Wilks' lambda, eigenvalues, canonical correlation, functions at group centroids, and classification accuracy have provided strong evidence of significant differences between the two groups based on physical exposure/susceptibility to flood, resilience/adaptive capacity to flood, and overall perception of vulnerability. The most important variables accounting for group differences were low‐elevation house site, flood depth entering house, perception about high‐priced flood insurance, and level of income. The likelihood of purchasing flood insurance increased with higher physical exposure/susceptibility and overall perception of vulnerability. Resilience/adaptive capacity to flood event also increased with higher levels of income and education.
Ranking sources of uncertainty in flood damage modelling: a case study on the cost‐benefit analysis of a flood mitigation project in the Orb Delta, France
Authors: Saint‐Geours N. , Grelot F. , Bailly J.‐S. , Lavergne C.
Published: August 2013

Cost‐benefit analyses (CBA) of flood management plans usually require estimating expected annual flood damages on a study area and rely on a complex modelling chain, including hydrological, hydraulic and economic modelling, as well as geographic information system‐based spatial analysis. As most model‐based assessments, these CBA are fraught with uncertainty. In this paper, we consider as a case study the CBA of a set of flood control structural measures on the Orb Delta, France. We demonstrate the use of variance‐based global sensitivity analysis to (i) propagate uncertainty sources through the modelling chain and assess their overall impact on the outcomes of the CBA, and (ii) rank uncertainty sources according to their contribution to the variance of the CBA outcomes. All uncertainty sources prove to explain a significant share of the overall output variance. Results show that the ranking of uncertainty sources depends not only on the economic sector considered (private housing, agricultural land, other economic activities), but also on a number of averaging‐out effects controlled by the number and surface area of the assets considered, the number of land use types or the number of damage functions.
Integrating a multivariate extreme value method within a system flood risk analysis model
Authors: Wyncoll D. , Gouldby B.
Published: August 2013

Effective management of flooding requires models that are capable of quantifying flood risk. Quantification of flood risk involves both the quantification of probabilities of flooding and the associated consequences. Modern flood risk models account for the probabilities of extreme hydraulic loading events and also include a probabilistic representation of the performance of flood defence infrastructure and its associated reliability. The spatial and temporal variability of flood events makes probabilistic representation of the hydraulic loading conditions on the flood defences complex. In the system method used widely withinEngland and Wales, simplifying assumptions relating to the spatial dependence of flood events are made. Recent research has shown the benefits of using improved multivariate extreme value methods to define the hydraulic loading conditions for flood risk analysis models. This paper describes the development of an improved modelling system that enhances the systems‐based risk analysis model currently applied in practice, through the incorporation of a multivariate extreme value model. The improved system has been presented on a case study site in theNorthWest ofEngland.
The structure of pedicle and hard antler bone in the European roe deer (Capreolus capreolus): a light microscope and backscattered electron imaging study
Authors: Kierdorf Uwe , Flohr Stefan , Gomez Santiago , Landete‐Castillejos Tomas , Kierdorf Horst
Published: August 2013

Deer antlers are deciduous bony structures that develop from permanent frontal outgrowths, the pedicles. While growth and bone architecture of antlers have been studied in greater detail, information on pedicle formation and structure is scarce. The present study provides information on the structure of pedicle and hard antler bone in the European roe deer. A pronounced seasonal variation in pedicle architecture was observed, with high porosity around antler casting and a very compact bone structure during the hard antler stage. These observations suggest a corresponding marked variation also in the biomechanical properties of the pedicles. The seasonally alternating extensive resorption and formation processes make the pedicles of older deer heavily remodeled structures. Pedicles increase in thickness by apposition of primary bone that subsequently becomes replaced by secondary osteons. The antler cortex of roe deer is largely composed of a tubular framework of woven bone trabeculae with some remnants of mineralized cartilage, and primary osteons that have filled in the intertrabecular spaces. Secondary osteons are scarce, denoting little remodeling in antlers, which can be related to their short lifespan. The occurrence of cement lines around primary osteons indicates resorption on the trabecular scaffold prior to infilling of the intertrabecular spaces. The outer cortex showed a higher autofluorescence and a more immature structure than the main cortex, suggesting that it was secondarily formed by periosteal activity. Pedicles and antlers constitute a functional entity, and future histological and/or biomechanical studies should therefore consider both components of the cranial appendages.
Analysis of duodenojejunal flexure formation in mice: implications for understanding the genetic basis for gastrointestinal morphology in mammals
Authors: Onouchi Sawa , Ichii Osamu , Otsuka Saori , Hashimoto Yoshiharu , Kon Yasuhiro
Published: August 2013

The mammalian gut undergoes morphological changes during development. We studied the developing mouse duodenojejunal flexure (DJF) to elucidate the mechanism of formation. During embryonic days 10.75–13.75, DJF formation was morphologically classified into three stages: the expansion stage, flexure formation stage, and flexure elongation stage. From the expansion to the flexure formation stages, the DJF wall showed asymmetric morphology and proliferation along the left‐right intestinal axis. From the flexure formation to the flexure elongation stage, the DJF started to bend dorsally with counterclockwise rotation along the antero‐caudal intestinal axis, indicating that the original right side of the duodenum was rotated towards the dorsal body wall during development of the DJF. The direction of attachment of the dorsal mesentery to the DJF did not correspond to the bending direction of the DJF during flexure formation, and this finding indicated that the dorsal mesentery contributed very little to DJF formation. During DJF formation, Aldh1a2 and hedgehog mRNAs were detected at the DJF, and their expression levels differed along the bending axis. In conclusion, DJF formation might be triggered by asymmetric morphology and proliferation along the left‐right intestinal axis under the control of retinoic acid and hedgehog signaling.
Long‐Term Follow‐Up of Coronary Venous Bypass Graft Lesions Treated with a New Generation Drug‐Eluting Stent with Bioabsorbable Polymer
Authors: WESSELY RAINER , MARZOCCHI ANTONIO , SCHWACKE HARALD , BERTEL OSMUND , LAANMETS PEEP , PERISIC ZORAN , TOELG RALPH , JAGIC NIKOLA , ELSÄSSER ALBRECHT , DANZI GIAN BATTISTA
Published: August 2013

Background

To date, no published data are available regarding long‐term follow‐up of new generation DES implanted in coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) lesions.

Objectives

To assess the long‐term clinical outcome of patients receiving the new generation Biolimus A9‐coated drug‐eluting stent (DES) with biodegradable polymer in saphenous vein grafts (SVG).

Methods

Three thousand sixty‐seven patients were included in the NOBORI 2 registry: 71 patients with a total of 117 lesions received at least 1 biolimus A9 DES in SVG lesions and 2,959 patients received percutaneous coronary intervention in other lesions. Clinical follow‐up was performed at 1, 6, and 12 months, and annually up to 3 years.

Results

Compared to the non‐CABG group, patients with CABG lesions were older (P < 0.001), had a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (P = 0.004), and presented more often with acute coronary syndrome (P = 0.02). At 3‐year follow‐up, cardiac death occurred in 9.7% versus 2.1% (P < 0.001), myocardial infarction (MI) in 8.3% versus 3.0% (P = 0.02), target lesion failure in 13.9% versus 6.4% (P = 0.03), and major adverse cardiac event in 18.1% versus 8.6% (P = 0.01). No differences were observed in TV‐MI and TLR, nor stent thrombosis (ST) which was generally low in both groups (1.4% vs 0.8%, P = NS).

Conclusion

Albeit 3‐year outcomes were less favorable in the CABG group, the higher cardiac mortality was apparently not driven by ST, target vessel MI, or TLR, but is likely due to advanced disease and age as well as comorbidity. The low TLR rate as well as the absence of late and very late ST suggest that BES are safe and effective for the treatment of CABG lesions. (J Interven Cardiol 2013;26:425‐433)
Mycobacterium bovis BCG killed by extended freeze‐drying induces an immunoregulatory profile and protects against atherosclerosis
Authors: Ovchinnikova O. A. , Berge N. , Kang C. , Urien C. , Ketelhuth D. F. J. , Pottier J. , Drouet L. , Hansson G. K. , Marchal G. , Bäck M. , Schwartz‐Cornil I. , Lagranderie M.
Published: August 2013

Objectives

Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease of the arterial wall that leads to myocardial infarction and stroke. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) and IL‐10 exert significant anti‐atherogenic effects in experimental models of atherosclerosis by modulating vascular inflammation. We have previously shown that Mycobacterium bovis BCG killed by extended freeze‐drying (EFD BCG) decreases lung and colon inflammation by recruiting IL‐10‐producing Tregs. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of EFD BCG on the development of atherosclerosis.

Design

We used two strains of atherosclerosis‐prone mice: Ldlr−/− (four or six EFD BCG injections) and Apoe−/− (six injections).

Results

In both models, EFD BCG significantly reduced the size of atherosclerotic lesions, increased IL‐10 production and reduced the serum levels of pro‐inflammatory cytokines (IL‐6, IL‐13, KC and tumour necrosis factor‐α). Shortly after treatment with EFD BCG, the number of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) and Foxp3+ Tregs in the draining lymph nodes increased. EFD BCG also led to accumulation of Tregs, but not of pDCs in the spleen, and reduced activity of NF‐κB and increased activity of PPAR‐γ in both the spleen and vascular tissue of treated mice.

Conclusion

EFD BCG has atheroprotective effects through IL‐10 production and Treg expansion. These findings support a novel approach to the prevention and treatment of atherosclerosis.
Optimal Incentives with State‐Dependent Preferences
Authors: HWANG SUNG‐HA , BOWLES SAMUEL
Published: August 2013

In both experimental and natural settings, incentives sometimes underperform, generating smaller effects on the targeted behaviors than would be predicted for entirely self‐regarding agents. A parsimonious explanation is that incentives that appeal to self‐regarding economic motives may crowd out noneconomic motives such as altruism, reciprocity, intrinsic motivation, ethical values, and other social preferences, leading to disappointing and sometimes even counterproductive incentive effects. We present evidence from behavioral experiments that crowding may take two forms: categorical (the effect on preferences depends only on the presence or absence of the incentive) or marginal (the effect depends on the extent of the incentive). We extend an earlier contribution (Bowles and Hwang, ) to include categorical crowding, thus providing a more general framework for the study of optimal incentives and as a result, an expanded range of situations for which the sophisticated planner will (surprisingly) make greater use of incentives when incentives crowd out social preferences than when motivational crowding is absent.
Evaluation for effect of hypothermia on the disposition of 4-nitrophenol in rats by in-vitro metabolism study and rat liver perfusion system
Authors: Miyamoto Hirotaka , Matsueda Satoshi , Komori Kotaro , Fumoto Shintaro , Nakashima Mikiro , Yoshikawa Naoki , Hirata Haruna , Shimokawa Kenta , Ohwaki Yuichi , Nishida Koyo
Published: August 2013

Objectives

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of hypothermia on the in-vivo pharmacokinetics of 4-nitrophenol (4NP) using rat liver homogenate and rat liver perfusion system.

Methods

Rat liver homogenate was incubated with 4NP, which is mainly metabolized by cytochrome P450 2E1, at 37, 34, 32 or 28°C. The Michaelis constant (Km) and maximum elimination velocity (Vmax) of 4NP were calculated by a Hanes–Woolf plot. The hepatic extraction ratio (Eh) of 4NP was evaluated in a rat liver perfusion study at 37, 34, 32 or 28°C. Moreover, the plasma concentration profiles of 4NP after its intravenous (i.v.) administration to rats were analysed by the moment theory and were compared with in-vitro parameters.

Key findings

While the Km of 4NP was not changed, the Vmax and Eh were reduced at low temperatures. The plasma concentrations of 4NP after its i.v. administration to rats were significantly increased at 28°C.

Conclusion

Changes in the pharmacokinetics of 4NP under hypothermic conditions were caused by alterations in Vmax and Eh. We may be able to predict the disposition of a drug by in-vitro studies.
Substantial compositional turnover of fungal communities in an alpine ridge‐to‐snowbed gradient
Authors: Yao Fang , Vik Unni , Brysting Anne K. , Carlsen Tor , Halvorsen Rune , Kauserud Håvard
Published: August 2013

The main gradient in vascular plant, bryophyte and lichen species composition in alpine areas, structured by the topographic gradient from wind‐exposed ridges to snowbeds, has been extensively studied. Tolerance to environmental stress, resulting from wind abrasion and desiccation towards windswept ridges or reduced growing season due to prolonged snow cover towards snowbeds, is an important ecological mechanism in this gradient. The extent to which belowground fungal communities are structured by the same topographic gradient and the eventual mechanisms involved are less well known. In this study, we analysed variation in fungal diversity and community composition associated with roots of the ectomycorrhizal plant Bistorta vivipara along the ridge‐to‐snowbed gradient. We collected root samples from fifty B. vivipara plants in ten plots in an alpine area in central Norway. The fungal communities were analysed using 454 pyrosequencing analyses of tag‐encoded ITS1 amplicons. A distinct gradient in the fungal community composition was found that coincided with variation from ridge to snowbeds. This gradient was paralleled by change in soil content of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus. A large proportion (66%) of the detected 801 nonsingleton operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were ascomycetes, while basidiomycetes dominated quantitatively (i.e. with respect to number of reads). Numerous fungal OTUs, many with taxonomic affinity to Sebacinales, Cortinarius and Meliniomyces, showed distinct affinities either to ridge or to snowbed plots, indicating habitat specialization. The compositional turnover of fungal communities along the gradient was not paralleled by a gradient in species richness.
Multilocus genetic diversity and historical biogeography of the endemic wall lizard from Ibiza and Formentera, Podarcis pityusensis (Squamata: Lacertidae)
Authors: Rodríguez V. , Brown R. P. , Terrasa B. , Pérez‐Mellado V. , Castro J. A. , Picornell A. , Ramon M. M.
Published: August 2013

Two monophyletic sister species of wall lizards inhabit the two main groups of Balearic Islands: Podarcis lilfordi from islets and small islands around Mallorca and Menorca and Podarcis pityusensis from Ibiza, Formentera and associated islets. Genetic diversity within the endangered P. lilfordi has been well characterized, but P. pityusensis has not been studied in depth. Here, 2430 bp of mtDNA and 15 microsatellite loci were analysed from P. pityusensis populations from across its natural range. Two main genetic groupings were identified, although geographical structuring differed slightly between the mtDNA and the nuclear loci. In general, individuals from islets/islands adjacent to the main island of Ibiza were genetically distinct from those from Formentera and the associated Freus islands for both mtDNA and the nuclear loci. However, most individuals from the island of Ibiza were grouped with neighbouring islets/islands for nuclear loci, but with Formentera and Freus islands for the mitochondrial locus. A time‐calibrated Bayesian tree was constructed for the principal mitochondrial lineages within the Balearics, using the multispecies coalescent model, and provided statistical support for divergence of the two main P. pityusensis lineages 0.111–0.295 Ma. This suggests a mid‐late Pleistocene intraspecific divergence, compared with an early Pleistocene divergence in P. lilfordi, and postdates some major increases in sea level between 0.4 and 0.6 Ma, which may have flooded Formentera. The program IMa2 provided a posterior divergence time of 0.089–0.221 Ma, which was similar to the multispecies coalescent tree estimate. More significantly, it indicated low but asymmetric effective gene copy migration rates, with higher migration from Formentera to Ibiza populations. Our findings suggest that much of the present‐day diversity may have originated from a late Pleistocene colonization of one island group from the other, followed by allopatric divergence of these populations. Subsequent gene flow between these insular groups seems likely to be explained by recent human introductions. Two evolutionary significant units can be defined for P. pityusensis but these units would need to exclude the populations that have been the subjects of recent admixture.
The Schizosaccharomyces pombe fusion gene hal3 encodes three distinct activities
Authors: Molero Cristina , Petrényi Katalin , González Asier , Carmona Mercè , Gelis Samuel , Abrie J. Albert , Strauss Erick , Ramos José , Dombradi Viktor , Hidalgo Elena , Ariño Joaquín
Published: August 2013

Saccharomyces cerevisiae Hal3 and Vhs3 are moonlighting proteins, forming an atypical heterotrimeric decarboxylase (PPCDC) required for CoA biosynthesis, and regulating cation homeostasis by inhibition of the Ppz1 phosphatase. The Schizosaccharomyces pombe ORF SPAC15E1.04 (renamed as Sp hal3) encodes a protein whose amino‐terminal half is similar to Sc Hal3 whereas its carboxyl‐terminal half is related to thymidylate synthase (TS). We show that Sp Hal3 and/or its N‐terminal domain retain the ability to bind to and modestly inhibit in vitro S. cerevisiae Ppz1 as well as its S. pombe homolog Pzh1, and also exhibit PPCDC activity in vitro and provide PPCDC function in vivo, indicating that Sp Hal3 is a monogenic PPCDC in fission yeast. Whereas the Sp Hal3 N‐terminal domain partially mimics Sc Hal3 functions, the entire protein and its carboxyl‐terminal domain rescue the S. cerevisiae cdc21 mutant, thus proving TS function. Additionally, we show that the 70 kDa Sp Hal3 protein is not proteolytically processed under diverse forms of stress and that, as predicted, Sp hal3 is an essential gene. Therefore, Sp hal3 represents a fusion event that joined three different functional activities in the same gene. The possible advantage derived from this surprising combination of essential proteins is discussed.
A new link between stress response and nucleolar function during pollen development in Arabidopsis mediated by AtREN1 protein
Authors: REŇÁK DAVID , GIBALOVÁ ANTÓNIA , ŠOLCOVÁ KATARZYNA , HONYS DAVID
Published: August 2013

Heat shock transcription factors (Hsfs) are involved in multiple aspects of stress response and plant growth. However, their role during male gametophyte development is largely unknown, although the generative phase is the most sensitive and critical period in the plant life cycle. Based on a wide screen of T‐DNA mutant lines, we identified the atren1 mutation (restricted to nucleolus1) in early male gametophytic gene At1g77570, which has the closest homology to HSFA5 gene, the member of a heat shock transcription factor (HSF) gene family. The mutation causes multiple defects in male gametophyte development in both structure and function. Because the mutation disrupts an early acting (AtREN1) gene, these pollen phenotype abnormalities appear from bicellular pollen stage to pollen maturation. Moreover, the consequent progamic phase is compromised as well as documented by pollen germination defects and limited transmission via male gametophyte. In addition, atren1/− plants are defective in heat stress (HS) response and produce notably higher proportion of aberrant pollen grains. AtREN1 protein is targeted specifically to the nucleolus that, together with the increased size of the nucleolus in atren1 pollen, suggests that it is likely to be involved in ribosomal RNA biogenesis or other nucleolar functions.
The metabolic acclimation of Arabidopsis thaliana to arsenate is sensitized by the loss of mitochondrial LIPOAMIDE DEHYDROGENASE2, a key enzyme in oxidative metabolism
Authors: CHEN WEIHUA , TAYLOR NICOLAS L. , CHI YINGJUN , MILLAR A. HARVEY , LAMBERS HANS , FINNEGAN PATRICK M.
Published: August 2013

Mitochondrial lipoamide dehydrogenase is essential for the activity of four mitochondrial enzyme complexes central to oxidative metabolism. The reduction in protein amount and enzyme activity caused by disruption of mitochondrial LIPOAMIDE DEHYDROGENASE2 enhanced the arsenic sensitivity of Arabidopsis thaliana. Both arsenate and arsenite inhibited root elongation, decreased seedling size and increased anthocyanin production more profoundly in knockout mutants than in wild‐type seedlings. Arsenate also stimulated lateral root formation in the mutants. The activity of lipoamide dehydrogenase in isolated mitochondria was sensitive to arsenite, but not arsenate, indicating that arsenite could be the mediator of the observed phenotypes. Steady‐state metabolite abundances were only mildly affected by mutation of mitochondrial LIPOAMIDE DEHYDROGENASE2. In contrast, arsenate induced the remodelling of metabolite pools associated with oxidative metabolism in wild‐type seedlings, an effect that was enhanced in the mutant, especially around the enzyme complexes containing mitochondrial lipoamide dehydrogenase. These results indicate that mitochondrial lipoamide dehydrogenase is an important protein for determining the sensitivity of oxidative metabolism to arsenate in Arabidopsis.
An autoimmune disease refractory to immunosuppressive regimens: Celiac disease diagnosed long after liver transplantation
Authors: Ecevit Çiğdem , Karakoyun Miray , Ünal Fatih , Yüksekkaya Hasan A. , Doğanavşargil Başak , Yağcı Raşit V. , Aydoğdu Sema
Published: August 2013

CD is defined as T‐lymphocyte‐mediated gluten sensitivity. Although CD is known to affect the small intestine, it is nonetheless a multisystem disorder. Liver involvement in CD may vary from isolated hypertransaminasemia to cirrhosis. Because CD is an inappropriate immune response to gluten proteins, strict gluten‐free diet is the principal therapy, along with management of liver dysfunction. In patients who fail to respond to a gluten‐free diet, immunosuppressive drugs may improve intestinal inflammatory activity in untreated CD. The present case report is of a 25‐yr‐old woman with diarrhea lasting several weeks. The patient had received a liver transplant 13 yr earlier, and presented with cryptogenic cirrhosis diagnosed as CD. This appears to be the first case of its kind in which a pediatric long‐term liver transplant patient presents with diarrhea eventually diagnosed as CD whose diet included gluten, and who was treated by an immunosuppressive drug regimen. Because of the normalization of CD‐related antibodies in the post‐transplantation period without gluten restriction, CD should be part of a list of diagnostic possibilities in liver transplant patients presenting with diarrhea of unknown etiology.
Maturation Environment and Impact on Subsequent Developmental Competence of Bovine Oocytes
Authors: Wrenzycki C , Stinshoff H
Published: August 2013

Contents

In vitro production (IVP) of bovine embryos has been improved immensely throughout the last decades. Nevertheless, embryos generated in vitro still differ from their in vivo‐produced counterparts. It is possible to achieve blastocyst rates of up to 70% if in vivo‐matured oocytes are used. In contrast, if oocytes are matured in vitro, blastocyst rates are only half that of those matured in vivo. This rather limited success may be attributed to the heterogeneous population of oocytes which are normally retrieved from follicles of 3–8 mm rather than from preovulatory follicles. In contrast to the in vivo‐ovulated oocyte, these oocytes lack development up to the preovulatory stage and are matured in vitro. Therefore, much effort has been devoted to the establishment of non‐invasive and non‐perturbing means for selecting the most competent oocytes, for example the extensiveness and compactness of the cumulus–corona investment and the granulation of the ooplasm. In vitro culture (IVC) conditions have been enhanced in the last few years, mainly by adjustment of media formulations, whereas the in vitro maturation (IVM) protocols stay invariable. Consequently, maintaining or mimicking the in vivo situation in vitro will aid to improve the quality and developmental competence of the resulting matured oocyte. The scope of this review is to give an overview of the current situation of in vitro maturation of mammalian oocytes with emphasis on the bovine species. Special attention has been paid to the in vivo situation in the follicle and how a better understanding of these intrafollicular factors will aid to improve the in vitro maturation conditions.
Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Methanol on an Pd/Pyy/Niad-atoms Electrode
Authors: Ibrahim Mohamed Abdelfattah , Hanfy Taha , Al-Ghamdi A. A. , El-Tantawy Farid , Rageb Hossam S.
Published: August 2013

In this paper we study the effect of Niad-atoms on the activity of a Pd/Pyy nanocomposite anode, we find that the catalytic activity of an anode towards methanol oxidation increased by threefold in the presence of Niad-atoms.
Effect of Nitric Acid on Modified Mesoporous Carbon as Catalyst Support of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell
Authors: Li Qiao-xia , Mao Hong-min , Li Jin-guang , Xu Qun-jie
Published: August 2013

Nitric acid modified Mesoporous carbon (CMK-3) supported Pt particles have been prepared by chemical reduction with NaBH4 as a reducing agent. Energy dispersive spectrometer shows that the catalysts have some oxygenic functional groups. The activity of the composite catalysts for methanol electro-oxidation was investigated by using cyclic votammogram and chronoamperometry in acid media. The results indicated that modified mesoporous carbon can improve the catalytic ability of Pt catalyst for methanol electro-oxidation and antipoison capability for CO. The composite electrode modified by 0.23 g nitric acid has the highest electrochemical ability.
Parameter Estimation in Modeling of Photovoltaic Panels Based on Datasheet Values
Authors: Can Hayrettin , Ickilli Damla
Published: August 2013

The increasing demand for renewable energy sources in recent years has triggered technological advancements in photovoltaic (PV) panels. Widespread use of large-scale PV units has revealed the sensitivity in PV panel modeling needed to estimate the amount of energy produced in different environmental conditions. For the formation of a PV panel model, parameters should be obtained by numerically solving characteristic equations of a transcendental nature. This study preferred using the Newton Raphson (NR) method owing to the suitability of equation structure. It is crucial that numerical solution starts with proper initial values. This study proposes a new approach to identifying initial values in order to decrease calculation time and increase the speed of numerical convergence. The proposed method was used in parameter estimation for different panel models. And, it was observed that owing to this method, the system converged with less iteration and the problem of failing to solve the system because of inappropriate initial values were eliminated. Convergence was obtained and the solution needed less iteration in all models.
Filtering Procedures for Reliable Outdoor Temperature Coefficients in Different Photovoltaic Technologies
Authors: Moser David , Pichler Markus , Nikolaeva-Dimitrova Miglena
Published: August 2013

Power temperature coefficients δ (TCo) measured indoor at standard test conditions (STC) (as given on products datasheet) always present a negative sign; an increase in temperature leads to a reduced power output. Interestingly, the magnitude of the TCo is not always confirmed outdoor with significant differences between technologies with even change in signs in some cases (e.g., a-Si). It is important to investigate if the reported outdoor behavior is a true effect or if it is the result of a choice of nonhomogeneous sets of data (e.g., either irradiance sensor or modules shaded). In this work, the importance of filtering procedures is discussed in order to work with a reliable set of data and to establish a method that allows comparison with indoor data.
Application of a Statistical Methodology for Gas Turbine Degradation Prognostics to Alstom Field Data
Authors: Venturini Mauro , Therkorn Dirk
Published: August 2013

In this paper, a prognostic methodology is applied to gas turbine field data to assess its capability as a predictive tool for degradation effects. On the basis of the recordings of past behavior, the methodology provides a prediction of future performance, i.e., the probability that degradation effects are at an acceptable level in future operations. The analyses carried out in this paper consider two different parameters (power output and compressor efficiency) of three different Alstom gas turbine power plants (gas turbine type GT13E2, GT24, and GT26). To apply the prognostic methodology, site specific degradation threshold values were defined, to identify the time periods with acceptable degradation (i.e., higher-than-threshold operation) and the time periods where maintenance activities are recommended (i.e., lower-than-threshold operation). This paper compares the actual distribution of the time points until the degradation limit is reached (discrete by nature) to the continuously varying distribution of the time points simulated by the probability density functions obtained through the prognostic methodology. Moreover, the reliability of the methodology prediction is assessed for all the available field data of the three gas turbines and for two values of the threshold. For this analysis, the prognostic methodology is applied by considering different numbers of degradation periods for methodology calibration and the accuracy of the next forecasted trends is compared to the real data. Finally, this paper compares the prognostic methodology prediction to a “purely deterministic” prediction chosen to be the average of the past time points of higher-than-threshold operations. The results show that, in almost all cases, the prognostic methodology allows a better prediction than the “purely deterministic” approach for both power and compressor efficiency degradation. Therefore, the prognostic methodology seems to be a robust and reliable tool to predict gas turbine power plant “probabilistic” degradation.
Design and Kinematics Modeling of a Novel 3-DOF Monolithic Manipulator Featuring Improved Scott-Russell Mechanisms
Authors: Qin Yanding , Shirinzadeh Bijan , Zhang Dawei , Tian Yanling
Published: August 2013

This paper proposes the design of a novel 3-DOF monolithic manipulator. This manipulator is capable of performing planar manipulations with three kinematically coupled DOFs, i.e., the translations in the X and Y axes and the rotation about the Z axis. An improved Scott-Russell (ISR) mechanism is utilized to magnify the displacement of the piezoelectric actuator (PEA). Unlike the SR mechanism, a set of leaf parallelograms is incorporated into the drive point of the ISR mechanism as a prismatic joint. As a result, the linearity of motion and stability are improved. With circular flexure hinges being treated as revolute joints, the forward kinematics and inverse kinematics of the 3-DOF manipulator are analytically derived. Computational analyses are performed to validate the established kinematics models. Due to the unwanted compliance of the flexure hinges, the actual displacement amplification ratio of the ISR mechanism is smaller than its theoretical value. This is the main cause of the discrepancies between the analytical and computational results. The reachable workspace and the static/dynamic characteristics of the 3-DOF manipulator are also analyzed.
Estimation of Bending Fatigue Life of Hypoid Gears Using a Multiaxial Fatigue Criterion
Authors: Hotait M. A. , Kahraman A.
Published: August 2013

In this study, a crack initiation life prediction methodology for the tooth bending fatigue of hypoid gears is proposed. This methodology employs a previously developed finite-element based hypoid gear root stress model (Hotait et al. 2011, “An Investigation of Root Stresses of Hypoid Gears with Misalignments,” ASME J. Mech. Des., 133, p. 071006) of face-milled and face-hobbed hypoid gears to establish the multiaxial stress time histories within the root fillet regions. These stress time histories are combined with a multiaxial crack initiation fatigue criterion to predict life distributions along roots of the pinion and the gear. The predictions of the multiaxial fatigue model are compared to those from a conventional uniaxial fatigue model to establish the necessity for a multiaxial approach. The model is exercised with an example face-milled hypoid gear set from an automotive application to demonstrate the impact of various misalignments well as the key cutting tool parameters on the resultant tooth bending lives.
Electrochemical and Exergetic Modeling of a Combined Heat and Power System Using Tubular Solid Oxide Fuel Cell and Mini Gas Turbine
Authors: Abdollahzadeh Jamalabadi M. Y.
Published: August 2013

In this article, a combined heat and power (CHP) system using a solid oxide fuel cell and mini gas turbine is introduced. Since a fuel cell is the main power generating source in hybrid systems, in this investigation, complete electrochemical and thermal calculations in the fuel cell are carried out in order to obtain more accurate results. An examination of the hybrid system performance indicates that increasing of the working pressure and rate of air flow into the system, cause the cell temperature to reduce, the efficiency and the power generated by the system to diminish, and the entropy generation rate and exergy destruction rate to increase. On the other hand, increasing the flow rate of the incoming fuel, the rise in cell temperature causes the efficiency, generated power, and exergy destruction rate of the system to increase.
Ensemble segmentation for GBM brain tumors on MR images using confidence‐based averaging
Authors: Huo Jing , Okada Kazunori , van Rikxoort Eva M. , Kim Hyun J. , Alger Jeffry R. , Pope Whitney B. , Goldin Jonathan G. , Brown Matthew S.
Published: August 2013

Purpose:

Ensemble segmentation methods combine the segmentation results of individual methods into a final one, with the goal of achieving greater robustness and accuracy. The goal of this study was to develop an ensemble segmentation framework for glioblastoma multiforme tumors on single‐channel T1w postcontrast magnetic resonance images.

Methods:

Three base methods were evaluated in the framework: fuzzy connectedness, GrowCut, and voxel classification using support vector machine. A confidence map averaging (CMA) method was used as the ensemble rule.

Results:

The performance is evaluated on a comprehensive dataset of 46 cases including different tumor appearances. The accuracy of the segmentation result was evaluated using theF1‐measure between the semiautomated segmentation result and the ground truth.

Conclusions:

The results showed that the CMA ensemble result statistically approximates the best segmentation result of all the base methods for each case.
Potential Pathological and Functional Links Between Long Noncoding RNAs and Hematopoiesis
Authors: Han Bo-Wei , Chen Yue-Qin
Published: August 2013

More investigation into the role of lncRNAs in blood cell development and blood cell cancers is warranted.
Conserved Regulators of Nucleolar Size Revealed by Global Phenotypic Analyses
Authors: Neumüller Ralph A. , Gross Thomas , Samsonova Anastasia A. , Vinayagam Arunachalam , Buckner Michael , Founk Karen , Hu Yanhui , Sharifpoor Sara , Rosebrock Adam P. , Andrews Brenda , Winston Fred , Perrimon Norbert
Published: August 2013

Loss-of-function analyses in yeast and flies identify molecular complexes that regulate ribosomal DNA transcription.
Gα
i
-GDP Points the Way
Authors: VanHook Annalisa M.
Published: August 2013

The GDP-bound form of a G protein α subunit recruits a polarity complex important for neutrophil migration.
Genetic Ablation of Epidermal EGFR Reveals the Dynamic Origin of Adverse Effects of Anti-EGFR Therapy
Authors: Mascia Francesca , Lam Gary , Keith Christopher , Garber Caroline , Steinberg Seth M. , Kohn Elise , Yuspa Stuart H.
Published: August 2013

Epidermal EGFR ablation causes a localized cutaneous rash and a systemic inflammatory syndrome.
Transcriptional Profiling of Staphylococcus aureus During Growth in 2 M NaCl Leads to Clarification of Physiological Roles for Kdp and Ktr K
+
Uptake Systems
Authors: Price-Whelan Alexa , Poon Chun Kit , Benson Meredith A. , Eidem Tess T. , Roux Christelle M. , Boyd Jeffrey M. , Dunman Paul M. , Torres Victor J. , Krulwich Terry A.
Published: August 2013

Staphylococcus aureus
exhibits an unusually high level of osmotolerance and Na
+
tolerance, properties that support survival in various host niches and in preserved foods. The genetic basis of these traits is not well understood. We compared the transcriptional profiles of
S. aureus
grown in complex medium with and without 2 M NaCl. The stimulon for growth in high-osmolality media and Na
+
included genes involved in uptake of K
+
, other compatible solutes, sialic acid, and sugars; capsule biosynthesis; and amino acid and central metabolism. Quantitative PCR analysis revealed that the loci responded differently from each other to high osmolality imposed by elevated NaCl versus sucrose. High-affinity K
+
uptake (
kdp
) genes and capsule biosynthesis (
cap5
) genes required the two-component system KdpDE for full induction by osmotic stress, with
kdpA
induced more by NaCl and
cap5B
induced more by sucrose. Focusing on K
+
importers, we identified three
S. aureus g
enes belonging to the lower-affinity Trk/Ktr family that encode two membrane proteins (KtrB and KtrD) and one accessory protein (KtrC). In the absence of osmotic stress, the
ktr
gene transcripts were much more abundant than the
kdpA
transcript. Disruption of
S. aureus kdpA
caused a growth defect under low-K
+
conditions, disruption of
ktrC
resulted in a significant defect in 2 M NaCl, and a Δ
ktrC
Δ
kdpA
double mutant exhibited both phenotypes. Protective effects of
S. aureus
Ktr transporters at elevated NaCl are consistent with previous indications that both Na
+
and osmolality challenges are mitigated by the maintenance of a high cytoplasmic K
+
concentration.

IMPORTANCE
There is general agreement that the osmotolerance and Na
+
tolerance of
Staphylococcus aureus
are unusually high for a nonhalophile and support its capacity for human colonization, pathogenesis, and growth in food. Nonetheless, the molecular basis for these properties is not well defined. The genome-wide response of
S. aureus
to a high concentration, 2 M, of NaCl revealed the upregulation of expected genes, such as those for transporters of compatible solutes that are widely implicated in supporting osmotolerance. A high-affinity potassium uptake system, KdpFABC, was upregulated, although it generally plays a physiological role under very low K
+
conditions. At higher K
+
concentrations, a lower-affinity and more highly expressed type of K
+
transporter system, Ktr transporters, was shown to play a significant role in high Na
+
tolerance. This study illustrates the importance of the K
+
status of the cell for tolerance of Na
+
by
S. aureus
and underscores the importance of monovalent cation cycles in this pathogen.
Emergence of Epidemic Multidrug-Resistant Enterococcus faecium from Animal and Commensal Strains
Authors: Lebreton François , van Schaik Willem , Manson McGuire Abigail , Godfrey Paul , Griggs Allison , Mazumdar Varun , Corander Jukka , Cheng Lu , Saif Sakina , Young Sarah , Zeng Qiandong , Wortman Jennifer , Birren Bruce , Willems Rob J. L. , Earl Ashlee M. , Gilmore Michael S.
Published: August 2013

Enterococcus faecium
, natively a gut commensal organism, emerged as a leading cause of multidrug-resistant hospital-acquired infection in the 1980s. As the living record of its adaptation to changes in habitat, we sequenced the genomes of 51 strains, isolated from various ecological environments, to understand how
E. faecium
emerged as a leading hospital pathogen. Because of the scale and diversity of the sampled strains, we were able to resolve the lineage responsible for epidemic, multidrug-resistant human infection from other strains and to measure the evolutionary distances between groups. We found that the epidemic hospital-adapted lineage is rapidly evolving and emerged approximately 75 years ago, concomitant with the introduction of antibiotics, from a population that included the majority of animal strains, and not from human commensal lines. We further found that the lineage that included most strains of animal origin diverged from the main human commensal line approximately 3,000 years ago, a time that corresponds to increasing urbanization of humans, development of hygienic practices, and domestication of animals, which we speculate contributed to their ecological separation. Each bifurcation was accompanied by the acquisition of new metabolic capabilities and colonization traits on mobile elements and the loss of function and genome remodeling associated with mobile element insertion and movement. As a result, diversity within the species, in terms of sequence divergence as well as gene content, spans a range usually associated with speciation.

IMPORTANCE
Enterococci, in particular vancomycin-resistant
Enterococcus faecium
, recently emerged as a leading cause of hospital-acquired infection worldwide. In this study, we examined genome sequence data to understand the bacterial adaptations that accompanied this transformation from microbes that existed for eons as members of host microbiota. We observed changes in the genomes that paralleled changes in human behavior. An initial bifurcation within the species appears to have occurred at a time that corresponds to the urbanization of humans and domestication of animals, and a more recent bifurcation parallels the introduction of antibiotics in medicine and agriculture. In response to the opportunity to fill niches associated with changes in human activity, a rapidly evolving lineage emerged, a lineage responsible for the vast majority of multidrug-resistant
E. faecium
infections.
Load-Dependent Assembly of the Bacterial Flagellar Motor
Authors: Tipping Murray J. , Delalez Nicolas J. , Lim Ren , Berry Richard M. , Armitage Judith P.
Published: August 2013

It is becoming clear that the bacterial flagellar motor output is important not only for bacterial locomotion but also for mediating the transition from liquid to surface living. The output of the flagellar motor changes with the mechanical load placed on it by the external environment: at a higher load, the motor runs more slowly and produces higher torque. Here we show that the number of torque-generating units bound to the flagellar motor also depends on the external mechanical load, with fewer stators at lower loads. Stalled motors contained at least as many stators as rotating motors at high load, indicating that rotation is unnecessary for stator binding. Mutant stators incapable of generating torque could not be detected around the motor. We speculate that a component of the bacterial flagellar motor senses external load and mediates the strength of stator binding to the rest of the motor.

IMPORTANCE
The transition between liquid living and surface living is important in the life cycles of many bacteria. In this paper, we describe how the flagellar motor, used by bacteria for locomotion through liquid media and across solid surfaces, is capable of adjusting the number of bound stator units to better suit the external load conditions. By stalling motors using external magnetic fields, we also show that rotation is not required for maintenance of stators around the motor; instead, torque production is the essential factor for motor stability. These new results, in addition to previous data, lead us to hypothesize that the motor stators function as mechanosensors as well as functioning as torque-generating units.