bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rapid Multiple Immunoenzyme Assay of Mycotoxins
Authors: Urusov Alexandr , Zherdev Anatoly , Petrakova Alina , Sadykhov Elchin , Koroleva Olga , Dzantiev Boris
Published: January 2015

Mycotoxins are low molecular weight fungal metabolites that pose a threat as toxic contaminants of food products, thereby necessitating their effective monitoring and control. Microplate ELISA can be used for this purpose, but this method is characteristically time consuming, with a duration extending to several hours. This report proposes a variant of the ELISA method for the detection and quantification of three mycotoxins, ochratoxin A, aflatoxin B1 and zearalenone, in the kinetic regime. The main requirement for the proposed kinetic protocol was to provide a rapid method that combined sensitivity and accuracy. The use of biotin with an extended spacer together with a streptavidin–polyperoxidase conjugate provided high signal levels, despite these interactions occurring under non-equilibrium conditions. Duration of the individual mycotoxin assays was 20 min, whereas the analysis of all three mycotoxins in parallel reached a maximum duration of 25 min. Recovery of at least 95% mycotoxins in water-organic extracts was shown. The developed assays were successfully validated using poultry processing products and corn samples spiked with known quantities of mycotoxins. The detection limits for aflatoxin B1, ochratoxin A and zearalenone in these substances were 0.24, 1.2 and 3 ng/g, respectively.
Comparative evaluation of the impact on endothelial cells induced by different nanoparticle structures and functionalization
Authors: Landgraf Lisa , Müller Ines , Ernst Peter , Schäfer Miriam , Rosman Christina , Schick Isabel , Köhler Oskar , Oehring Hartmut , Breus Vladimir V , Basché Thomas , Sönnichsen Carsten , Tremel Wolfgang , Hilger Ingrid
Published: January 2015

In the research field of nanoparticles, many studies demonstrated a high impact of the shape, size and surface charge, which is determined by the functionalization, of nanoparticles on cell viability and internalization into cells. This work focused on the comparison of three different nanoparticle types to give a better insight into general rules determining the biocompatibility of gold, Janus and semiconductor (quantum dot) nanoparticles. Endothelial cells were subject of this study, since blood is the first barrier after intravenous nanoparticle application. In particular, stronger effects on the viability of endothelial cells were found for nanoparticles with an elongated shape in comparison to spherical ones. Furthermore, a positively charged nanoparticle surface (NH2, CyA) leads to the strongest reduction in cell viability, whereas neutral and negatively charged nanoparticles are highly biocompatible to endothelial cells. These findings are attributed to a rapid internalization of the NH2-functionalized nanoparticles in combination with the damage of intracellular membranes. Interestingly, the endocytotic pathway seems to be a size-dependent process whereas nanoparticles with a size of 20 nm are internalized by caveolae-mediated endocytosis and nanoparticles with a size of 40 nm are taken up by clathrin-mediated internalization and macropinocytosis. Our results can be summarized to formulate five general rules, which are further specified in the text and which determine the biocompatibility of nanoparticles on endothelial cells. Our findings will help to design new nanoparticles with optimized properties concerning biocompatibility and uptake behavior with respect to the respective intended application.
Enhancing the reactivity of 1,2-diphospholes in cycloaddition reactions
Authors: Zagidullin Almaz , Miluykov Vasili , Oshchepkova Elena , Tufatullin Artem , Kataeva Olga , Sinyashin Oleg
Published: January 2015

Two different approaches have been employed to enhance the reactivity of 1-alkyl-1,2-diphospholes – the introduction of electron-withdrawing groups either at the phosphorus atoms or in the para-position of the arene ring. The alkylation of sodium 1,2-diphospha-3,4,5-triphenylcyclopentadienide with alkyl halides Hal-CH2-R (R = CN, COOEt, OMe, CH2OEt) results in corresponding 1-alkyl-3,4,5-triphenyl-1,2-diphospholes (alkyl = CH2CN (1a), CH2COOEt (1b), CH2OMe (1c), and (CH2)2OEt (1d)), which spontaneously undergo the intermolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition reactions at room temperature to form the mixture of the cycloadducts, 2a–c, respectively. However the alkylation of sodium 1,2-diphospha-3,4,5-tri(p-fluorophenyl)cyclopentadienide with ethyl iodide leads to stable 1-ethyl-3,4,5-tris(p-fluorophenyl)-1,2-diphosphole (1e), which forms the [4 + 2] cycloadduct 2,3,4,4a,5,6-hexa(p-fluorophenyl)-1-ethyl-1,7,7a-triphospha-4,7-(ethylphosphinidene)indene (2e) only upon heating up to 60 °C. With further heating to 120 °C with N-phenylmaleimide, the cycloadducts 2a–c and 2e undergo the retro-Diels–Alder reaction and form only one product of the [4 + 2] cycloaddition reaction 3a–с, 3e with good yields up to 65%.
Les relations entre tourisme et sport autour des Jeux olympiques de 1924
Authors: Schut Pierre-Olaf , Levet-Labry Éric
Published: January 2015

Le Touring-Club de France (TCF) est une importante association de tourisme créée à la fin du XIX e  siècle. Il se distingue pour avoir accompagné de nombreuses initiatives en faveur du développement touristique en France. Parmi celles-ci, certaines activités sportives ont bénéficié de son soutien. En 1921, la France se prépare à accueillir les Jeux olympiques qui doivent attirer un grand nombre de spectateurs. L’objet de cet article est d’analyser les relations entre le TCF et le comité exécutif chargé de l’organisation des épreuves pour comprendre dans quelle mesure le TCF a soutenu cet événement sportif. Pour réaliser ce travail, les sources utilisées sont essentiellement issues des archives du CNOSF, du CIO et du TCF. Les résultats qui révèlent un degré de collaboration limité nous amènent à nous questionner sur l’intérêt du spectacle sportif pour le tourisme dans les années 1920.
Wild harvesting declines as pesticides and imports rise: the collection and consumption of insects in contemporary rural Japan
Authors: Payne C.L.R.
Published: January 2015

Entomophagy is a traditional element of the Japanese diet. This is also the case in other Asian countries, where there is an increase in demand for edible insects. However, in Westernised countries in a similar economic position to contemporary Japan, cultural prejudices against traditional entomophagy remain strong. This article offers an overview of the current situation regarding entomophagy in rural Japan, a country with a high gross domestic product per capita that has undergone a degree of Westernisation in recent decades. Data collected during 12 months of fieldwork in rural central Japan shows that traditional entomophagy is still present, but the diversity of species consumed has seen a marked decrease when compared to studies undertaken in the 1980s. Grasshoppers (Oxya spp.) and wasp larvae (Vespula spp.) are the main insects consumed in Japan today. Insects hold some negative connotations, especially among younger Japanese. Elderly people are more likely to have consumed edible insects, and contend that the availability of wild insects, particularly grasshoppers, has declined considerably since their childhood. Sellers of edible insects also report a decrease in availability within Japan, and now turn to imported insects to meet domestic demand, which is increasing. Both sellers and consumers attribute this trend to the use of pesticides in the final quarter of the twentieth century. Further research is required to evaluate the potential of domestic insects to meet the rising demand for edible insects in contemporary Japan.
Documentos sobre el papel de los árabes hilālíes en el al-Andalus almohade: traducción y análisis
Authors: Ramírez del Río José
Published: January 2015

La llegada de los árabes hilālíes al territorio del actual Marruecos, llamados por los califas almohades, ha generado una gran polémica entre historiadores; su aportación al ejército almohade también es conocida desde hace décadas. Sin embargo, la actuación de estas poblaciones en al-Andalus y su difícil coexistencia con la población local no ha sido objeto de trabajo alguno hasta la fecha. Las noticias aparecidas en una serie de cartas de cancillería nos permiten ofrecer un acercamiento a la presencia de estas poblaciones en el sur de al-Andalus, que resultó de gran importancia en el declive de los almohades y en el desmoronamiento de su poder en la península Ibérica.
Algunas observaciónes sobre la traducción de los nombres propios en las traducciónes latinas del Corán de Marcos de Toledo y Robert de Ketton
Authors: Cecini Ulisse
Published: January 2015

En este artículo se presentan las traducciones latinas que Robert de Ketton (1143) y Marcos de Toledo (1210) hicieron de los nombres propios que aparecen en el Corán. Los nombres propios son un grupo particular de palabras que ponen a prueba al traductor en su tarea como mediador entre dos culturas. En efecto, los nombres propios son naturalmente vinculados a la persona o la entidad a las que pertenecen y no pueden ser traducidos sin perder su característica de ser «propios». En el artículo los nombres se dividen en diferentes categorías y se exponen de forma detallada los diferentes métodos que cada traductor utiliza para expresar los nombres en Latín. En las observaciones finales se formulan algunas hipótesis para explicar las diferentes soluciones que cada traductor ha elegido en el contexto de su propia traducción del Corán.
Introducción. El Corán a comienzos de la Edad Moderna ibérica y más allá
Authors: Tommasino Pier Mattia
Published: January 2015

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A Mobile Device Based Serious Gaming Approach for Teaching and Learning Java Programming
Authors: Jordine Tobias , Liang Ying , Ihler Edmund
Published: January 2015

Most first year computer science students find that learning object-oriented programming is hard. Serious games have ever been used as one approach to handle this problem. But most of them cannot be played with mobile devices. This obviously does not suit the era of mobile computing that intends to allow students to learn programming skills in anytime anywhere. To enhance mobile teaching and learning, a research project started over a year ago and aims to create a mobile device based serious gaming approach along with a serious game for enhancing mobile teaching and learning for Java programming. So far the project has completed a literature review for understanding existing work and identifying problems in this area, conducted a survey for eliciting students’ requirements for mobile gaming approach, and then established a mobile-device based serious gaming approach with a developed prototype of the game. This paper introduces the project in details, and in particularly presents and discusses its current results. It is expected that the presented project will be helpful and useful to bring more efficient approaches with new mobile games into teaching object-oriented programming and to enhance students’ learning experiences.
POWER CONSUMPTION COMPARISON OF FIVE BUILDING ENVELOPES IN THE NORTHERN PRAIRIE CLIMATE OF MANITOBA
Authors: Dick Kris J. , Safavian Hossein , Rayner Grant
Published: January 2015

The energy efficiency of a building depends on building envelope performance. The results presented in this paper are the first of a long-term building envelope research project at the Alternative Village at the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. Five test buildings were constructed using the following systems: two wood frames with fiberglass batt insulation and dense pack cellulose, one polyurethane structural insulated panels (PUR SIP), and two with the Stay in place PVC concrete form building system using 102mm and 204mm of concrete externally insulated with 102mm of expanded polystyrene foam. All of the buildings had a common foundation and roof system with a footprint of 23.8 m2. Blower door tests were conducted to determine air tightness. Each structure was heated with an electrical resistance heater and maintained at a constant internal temperature. The thermal gradient through the wall and power consumption were monitored. The study period discussed in this report represents the main heating season from October 2011 to April 2012 consisting of 209 days. Based on the power consumption, the PUR SIP consumed the least at 2498 kWh, while the 204 mm Stay in place PVC concrete form building used the most at 2898 kWh for the same time period. The thermal gradient through the cross section of the wood frame structures was compared through the cavity insulation and at the stud. It was found that the cellulose building provided better thermal resistance along the stud when compared to the fiberglass batt insulation.
E-Literary Text and New Media Paratexts
Authors: Strehovec Janez
Published: January 2015

This chapter aims to explore the role of the hybrid reader-viewer-listener as the user of electronic literary projects that demand more complex interactions, including sophisticated ways to navigate. Rather than taking into account just the reader's role in decoding meaning and linguistic comprehension, the new-media-shaped literary text stimulates even more sophisticated reader response, addressing both software recognition and bodily activity. For such an approach, the use of new-media-shaped paratexts as the devices and practices that enable and facilitate one's orientation and navigation within new media contents is also essential. Interfaces, instructions, menus, statements, reviews, blog posts, and documentation belong to the new generation of paratexts, which broaden Genette's original concept relating to print-based literature.
Get Out of My Sandbox
Authors: Bordalejo Barbara
Published: January 2015

This chapter considers how one may use Genette's concepts of paratext and hypertext within transmedia narratives and born-digital texts and explores how Web publication problematizes standard ideas of authorship and copyright. This challenges our concepts of originality and our understanding of what constitutes the text and what stands outside it. This chapter explores Nick Montfort's “Taroko Gorge,” a born-digital poem, and Jasper Fforde's “The Eyre Affair,” analyzed as a transmedia narrative, within the framework of Genette's theories of “paratext” and “hypertext.” This chapter highlights the difficulty of reconciling the intellectual and political necessity of a world in which data is freely shared with the practical concern of how the producers of creative work can make a living.
Bridging The Unknown
Authors: Desrochers Nadine , Tomaszek Patricia
Published: January 2015

This chapter presents a dual perspective on the paratextual apparatus of a work of electronic literature, The Unknown: The Original Great American Hypertext Novel by William Gillespie, Scott Rettberg, Dirk Stratton, and Frank Marquardt. Approaches from literature studies and information science are combined to offer qualitative content analyses and close readings of the table of contents, titular apparatus, comments hidden in the source code, and other paratextual elements, in relation to the narrative. Findings indicate that the work's paratextual content presents inconsistencies and contradictions, both in terms of the use of the paratextual structure and of the information conveyed. The paratextual elements are analyzed through the lens of Gérard Genette's theory, as outlined in Paratexts: Thresholds of Interpretation, in order to gauge their role and efficiency as identifiers, organizational components, and information providers, as well as their literary effect. The value of the theory as an interdisciplinary tool is also discussed.
A Random Utility Model for Shareholders Capturing the Disposition Effect
Authors: Chun Ma Alfred Ka , Cheung Justina Yuen Ki
Published: January 2015

This work proposes a random utility model for individual trading decision in the spirit of prospect theory. This model differs from those in the literature in that empirical data of stock price and volume can be incorporated. The paper tests the model with historical data from the NYSE TAQ database. This model provides one more alternative to link prospect theory and the disposition effect. Simulation results show that this model consistently predicts the disposition effect under all circumstances.
On Design and Development of QLIFEX
Authors: Atanasova Irena
Published: January 2015

This article presents an architectural framework of an expert system in the social area domain, and describes the design and the process of development of the expert system. The designed system is intended for the evaluation of quality of life (QL). The development of expert system for quality of life evaluation is a new information technology derived from artificial intelligence research. The new expert system will contain knowledge about sets of factors and indicators, which may be used for quality of life measure, as followings: equal protection by the law; freedom from discrimination; right to be treated equally without regard to gender, race, language, religion, political beliefs, etc. Details of the expert system for quality of life evaluation, its basic modules, design and some implementation details are also explained. The system uses the vast database and the knowledge acquired from social experts. The system is being developed in C Language Integrated Production System CLIPS. The expert system, described in this paper, is called QLIFEX, and it has already been designed so it uses the same knowledge for the following function: to provide expert evaluation for quality of life in the social area. The knowledge for the expert system will be acquired from domain experts, texts and other related sources.
Updating the Built Prelarge Fast Updated Sequential Pattern Trees with Sequence Modification
Authors: Lin Jerry Chun-Wei , Gan Wensheng , Hong Tzung-Pei , Zhang Jingliang
Published: January 2015

Mining useful information or knowledge from a very large database to aid managers or decision makers to make appropriate decisions is a critical issue in recent years. Sequential patterns can be used to discover the purchased behaviors of customers or the usage behaviors of users from Web log data. Most approaches process a static database to discover sequential patterns in a batch way. In real-world applications, transactions or sequences in databases are frequently changed. In the past, a fast updated sequential pattern (FUSP)-tree was proposed to handle dynamic databases whether for sequence insertion, deletion or modification based on FUP concepts. Original database is required to be re-scanned if it is necessary to maintain the small sequences which was not kept in the FUSP tree. In this paper, the prelarge concept was adopted to maintain and update the built prelarge FUSP tree for sequence modification. A prelarge FUSP tree is modified from FUSP tree for preserving not only the frequent 1-sequences but also the prelarge 1-sequences in the tree structure. The PRELARGE-FUSP-TREE-MOD maintenance algorithm is proposed to reduce the rescans of the original database due to the pruning properties of prelarge concept. When the number of modified sequences is smaller than the safety bound of the prelarge concept, better results can be obtained by the proposed PRELARGE-FUSP-TREE-MOD maintenance algorithm for sequence modification in dynamic databases.
Parallel Real-Time OLAP on Multi-Core Processors
Authors: Dehne Frank , Zaboli Hamidreza
Published: January 2015

One of the most powerful and prominent technologies for knowledge discovery in decision support systems is online analytical processing (OLAP). Most of the traditional OLAP research, and most of the commercial systems, follow the static data cube approach proposed by Gray et.al. and materialize all or a subset of the cuboids of the data cube in order to ensure adequate query performance. Practitioners have called for some time for a real-time OLAP approach where the OLAP system gets updated instantaneously as new data arrives and always provides an up-to-date data warehouse for the decision support process. However, a major problem for real-time OLAP is the significant performance issues with large scale data warehouses. The aim of our research is to address these problems through the use of efficient parallel computing methods. In this paper, we present a parallel real-time OLAP system for multi-core processors. To our knowledge, this is the first real-time OLAP system that has been parallelized and optimized for contemporary multi-core architectures. Our system allows for multiple insert and multiple query transactions to be executed in parallel and in real-time. We evaluated our method for a multitude of scenarios (different ratios of insert and query transactions, query transactions with different amounts of data aggregation, different database sizes, etc.), using the TPCDS “Decision Support” benchmark data set. As multi-core test platforms, we used an Intel Sandy Bridge processor with 4 cores (8 hardware supported threads) and an Intel Xeon Westmere processor with 20 cores (40 hardware supported threads). The tests demonstrate that, with increasing number of processor cores, our parallel system achieves close to linear speedup in transaction response time and transaction throughput. On the 20 core architecture we achieved, for a 100 GB database, a better than 0.25 second query response time for real-time OLAP queries that aggregate 25% of the database. Since hardware performance improvements are currently, and in the foreseeable future, achieved not by faster processors but by increasing the number of processor cores, our new parallel real-time OLAP method has the potential to enable OLAP systems that operate in real-time on large databases.
Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase Receptor Type γ Is a JAK Phosphatase and Negatively Regulates Leukocyte Integrin Activation
Authors: Mirenda Michela , Toffali Lara , Montresor Alessio , Scardoni Giovanni , Sorio Claudio , Laudanna Carlo
Published: January 2015

Regulation of signal transduction networks depends on protein kinase and phosphatase activities. Protein tyrosine kinases of the JAK family have been shown to regulate integrin affinity modulation by chemokines and mediated homing to secondary lymphoid organs of human T lymphocytes. However, the role of protein tyrosine phosphatases in leukocyte recruitment is still elusive. In this study, we address this issue by focusing on protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type γ (PTPRG), a tyrosine phosphatase highly expressed in human primary monocytes. We developed a novel methodology to study the signaling role of receptor type tyrosine phosphatases and found that activated PTPRG blocks chemoattractant-induced β2 integrin activation. Specifically, triggering of LFA-1 to high-affinity state is prevented by PTPRG activation. High-throughput phosphoproteomics and computational analyses show that PTPRG activation affects the phosphorylation state of at least 31 signaling proteins. Deeper examination shows that JAKs are critically involved in integrin-mediated monocyte adhesion and that PTPRG activation leads to JAK2 dephosphorylation on the critical 1007–1008 phosphotyrosine residues, implying JAK2 inhibition and thus explaining the antiadhesive role of PTPRG. Overall, the data validate a new approach to study receptor tyrosine phosphatases and show that, by targeting JAKs, PTPRG downmodulates the rapid activation of integrin affinity in human monocytes, thus emerging as a potential novel critical regulator of leukocyte trafficking.
GATA2 Germline Mutations Impair GATA2 Transcription, Causing Haploinsufficiency: Functional Analysis of the p.Arg396Gln Mutation
Authors: Cortés-Lavaud Xabier , Landecho Manuel F. , Maicas Miren , Urquiza Leire , Merino Juana , Moreno-Miralles Isabel , Odero María D.
Published: January 2015

Germline GATA2 mutations have been identified as the cause of familial syndromes with immunodeficiency and predisposition to myeloid malignancies. GATA2 mutations appear to cause loss of function of the mutated allele leading to haploinsufficiency; however, this postulate has not been experimentally validated as the basis of these syndromes. We hypothesized that mutations that are translated into abnormal proteins could affect the transcription of GATA2, triggering GATA2 deficiency. Chromatin immunoprecipitation and luciferase assays showed that the human GATA2 protein activates its own transcription through a specific region located at −2.4 kb, whereas the p.Thr354Met, p.Thr355del, and p.Arg396Gln germline mutations impair GATA2 promoter activation. Accordingly, GATA2 expression was decreased to ∼58% in a patient with p.Arg396Gln, compared with controls. p.Arg396Gln is the second most common mutation in these syndromes, and no previous functional analyses have been performed. We therefore analyzed p.Arg396Gln. Our data show that p.Arg396Gln is a loss-of-function mutation affecting DNA-binding ability and, as a consequence, it fails to maintain the immature characteristics of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells, which could result in defects in this cell compartment. In conclusion, we show that human GATA2 binds to its own promoter, activating its transcription, and that the aforementioned mutations impair the transcription of GATA2. Our results indicate that they can affect other GATA2 target genes, which could partially explain the variability of symptoms in these diseases. Moreover, we show that p.Arg396Gln is a loss-of-function mutation, which is unable to retain the progenitor phenotype in cells where it is expressed.
Cutting Edge: CD69 Interference with Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Receptor Function Regulates Peripheral T Cell Retention
Authors: Mackay Laura K. , Braun Asolina , Macleod Bethany L. , Collins Nicholas , Tebartz Christina , Bedoui Sammy , Carbone Francis R. , Gebhardt Thomas
Published: January 2015

Tissue-resident memory T cells provide local immune protection in barrier tissues, such as skin and mucosa. However, the molecular mechanisms controlling effector T cell retention and subsequent memory formation in those locations are not fully understood. In this study, we analyzed the role of CD69, an early leukocyte activation marker, in regulating effector T cell egress from peripheral tissues. We provide evidence that CD69 surface expression by skin-infiltrating CD8 T cells can be regulated at multiple levels, including local Ag stimulation and signaling through type I IFNRs, and it coincides with the transcriptional downregulation of the sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor S1P1. Importantly, we demonstrate that expression of CD69, by interfering with sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor function, is a critical determinant of prolonged T cell retention and local memory formation. Our results define an important step in the generation of long-lived adaptive immune memory at body surfaces.
Friends Not Foes: CTLA-4 Blockade and mTOR Inhibition Cooperate during CD8+ T Cell Priming To Promote Memory Formation and Metabolic Readiness
Authors: Pedicord Virginia A. , Cross Justin R. , Montalvo-Ortiz Welby , Miller Martin L. , Allison James P.
Published: January 2015

During primary Ag encounter, T cells receive numerous positive and negative signals that control their proliferation, function, and differentiation, but how these signals are integrated to modulate T cell memory has not been fully characterized. In these studies, we demonstrate that combining seemingly opposite signals, CTLA-4 blockade and rapamycin-mediated mammalian target of rapamycin inhibition, during in vivo T cell priming leads to both an increase in the frequency of memory CD8+ T cells and improved memory responses to tumors and bacterial challenges. This enhanced efficacy corresponds to increased early expansion and memory precursor differentiation of CD8+ T cells and increased mitochondrial biogenesis and spare respiratory capacity in memory CD8+ T cells in mice treated with anti–CTLA-4 and rapamycin during immunization. Collectively, these results reveal that mammalian target of rapamycin inhibition cooperates with rather than antagonizes blockade of CTLA-4, promoting unrestrained effector function and proliferation, and an optimal metabolic program for CD8+ T cell memory.
Mitochondrial Variations in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) Survival
Authors: Wang Zhaoxi , Choi Sojung , Lee Jinseon , Huang Yen-Tsung , Chen Feng , Zhao Yang , Lin Xihong , Neuberg Donna , Kim Jhingook , Christiani David C.
Published: January 2015

Mutations in the mtDNA genome have long been suspected to play an important role in cancer. Although most cancer cells harbor mtDNA mutations, the question of whether such mutations are associated with clinical prognosis of lung cancer remains unclear. We resequenced the entire mitochondrial genomes of tumor tissue from a population of 250 Korean patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Our analysis revealed that the haplogroup (D/D4) was associated with worse overall survival (OS) of early-stage NSCLC [adjusted hazard ratio (AHR), 1.95; 95% CI, 1.14–3.33; Ptrend = 0.03]. By comparing the mtDNA variations between NSCLC tissues and matched blood samples, we found that haplogroups M/N and/or D/D4 were hotspots for somatic mutations, suggesting a more complicated mechanism of mtDNA somatic mutations other than the commonly accepted mechanism of sequential accumulation of mtDNA mutations.
Hidden Markov Model-Based CNV Detection Algorithms for Illumina Genotyping Microarrays
Authors: Seiser Eric L. , Innocenti Federico
Published: January 2015

Somatic alterations in DNA copy number have been well studied in numerous malignancies, yet the role of germline DNA copy number variation in cancer is still emerging. Genotyping microarrays generate allele-specific signal intensities to determine genotype, but may also be used to infer DNA copy number using additional computational approaches. Numerous tools have been developed to analyze Illumina genotype microarray data for copy number variant (CNV) discovery, although commonly utilized algorithms freely available to the public employ approaches based upon the use of hidden Markov models (HMMs). QuantiSNP, PennCNV, and GenoCN utilize HMMs with six copy number states but vary in how transition and emission probabilities are calculated. Performance of these CNV detection algorithms has been shown to be variable between both genotyping platforms and data sets, although HMM approaches generally outperform other current methods. Low sensitivity is prevalent with HMM-based algorithms, suggesting the need for continued improvement in CNV detection methodologies.
Glycosaminoglycans in the Human Cornea: Age-Related Changes
Authors: Pacella Elena , Pacella Fernanda , De Paolis Giulio , Parisella Francesca Romana , Turchetti Paolo , Anello Giulia , Cavallotti Carlo
Published: January 2015

Aim

To investigate possible age-related changes in glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) in the human cornea. The substances today called GAGs were previously referred to as mucopolysaccharides.

Methods

Samples of human cornea were taken from 12 younger (age 21 ± 1.2) and 12 older (age 72 ± 1.6) male subjects. Samples were weighed, homogenized, and used for biochemical and molecular analyses. All the quantitative results were statistically analyzed.

Results

The human cornea appears to undergo age-related changes, as evidenced by our biochemical and molecular results. The total GAG and hyaluronic acid counts were significantly higher in the younger subjects than in the older subjects. The sulfated heavy GAGs, such as chondroitin, dermatan, keratan, and heparan sulfate, were lower in the younger subjects than in the older subjects.

Discussion

GAGs of the human cornea undergo numerous age-related changes. Their quantity is significantly altered in the elderly in comparison with younger subjects. GAGs play an important role in age-related diseases of the human cornea.
The Phase Transition Model for Heat-Shrinkable Thermo-Sensitive Hydrogels Based on Interaction Energy
Authors: Peng Qiujin , Zhang Hui , Zhang Zhengru
Published: January 2015

A biphase mixture continuum mechanics model is derived for neutral heat-shrinkable thermo-sensitive hydrogels in this paper. The mixing free energy of the special mixture is recalculated based on the partition function of Bose system, and it evaluates the contribution of the hydrophilic, hydrophobic interaction and hydrogen bonding to the volume phase transition behaviors. The ideas of the Flory lattice theory and the UNIFAC group contribution method are employed to get the expression of the mixing free energy. Then we deduce a particular model by combining this mixing free energy with the conservation laws equations and constitutive relations of both phases to predict the volume transition behaviors of these special hydrogels.
Computationally Efficient Fluid-Particle Dynamics Simulations of Arterial Systems
Authors: Umbarkar Tejas S. , Kleinstreuer Clement
Published: January 2015

Realistic and accurate computer simulations of the particle-hemodynamics in arterial systems can be a valuable tool for numerous biomedical applications. Examples include optimal by-pass grafting and optimal drug-delivery, as well as best medical management concerning the cardio-vascular system. However, such numerical analyses require large computer resources which may become prohibitive for extended sets of arterial bifurcations. A remedy is to develop a hybrid model where the first few generations of the bifurcating arteries of interest are simulated in full 3-D, while a 1-D model is then coupled for subsequent bifurcations. Alternatively, a 1-D computer model can be directly employed to simulate fluid-particle transport in complex bifurcating networks.

Relying on a representative axial velocity profile, a physiological 1-D model has been developed and validated, which is capable of predicting with reasonable accuracy arterial flow, pressure field and elastic wall interaction as well as particle transport. The usefulness of the novel 1-D simulation approach is demonstrated via a comparison to 3-D blood flow and microsphere transport in a hepatic artery system, featuring as outlets one major branch and four small daughter vessels. Compared to the 3-D simulation, the 1-D analysis requires only about 1% of computational time. The hybrid modeling approach would be also applicable to the human respiratory tract to evaluate the fate of inhaled aerosols.

A simple and cost-effective way to simulate particle-hemodynamics is using a 1-D model for simulating arterial pressures and flow rates as well as microsphere transport, based on assumptions involving the use of a simple algebraic pressure-area relation, an exponential elasticity model for the vessels, and considering only unidirectional flow with a representative skewed velocity profile. In summary, the novel contributions are:

• Particle tracking in arteries via 1-D fluid modeling and selection of an averaged, skewed velocity profile based on 3-D simulation results to provide more realistic friction and inertia term values for modeling a flow system with bifurcations.

• The 1-D model can be coupled to a 3-D model so that simulations can be run for larger regions of vascular or lung-airway systems.
Three-Point Combined Compact Alternating Direction Implicit Difference Schemes for Two-Dimensional Time-Fractional Advection-Diffusion Equations
Authors: Gao Guang-Hua , Sun Hai-Wei
Published: January 2015

This paper is devoted to the discussion of numerical methods for solving two-dimensional time-fractional advection-diffusion equations. Two different three-point combined compact alternating direction implicit (CC-ADI) schemes are proposed and then, the original schemes for solving the two-dimensional problems are divided into two separate one-dimensional cases. Local truncation errors are analyzed and the unconditional stabilities of the obtained schemes are investigated by Fourier analysis method. Numerical experiments show the effectiveness and the spatial higher-order accuracy of the proposed methods.
Локализация собственных значений и оценка размаха комплексных матриц
Authors: Wu Junliang , Wang Dafei , Zhao Jianguo
Published: January 2015

Предложены новые методы локализации собственных значений и новые оценки сверху размаха комплексных матриц. Эти методы и оценки точнее, чем известные ранее.
Библиография: 18 наименований.
Об одном новом типе $\ell$-адического регулятора для полей алгебраических чисел ($\ell$-адический регулятор без логарифмов)
Authors: Kuz'min Leonid Viktorovich
Published: January 2015

Для поля алгебраических чисел $K$, в котором вполне распадается простое $\ell$, определяется регулятор
$\mathfrak R_\ell(K)\in\mathbb Z_\ell$, характеризующий подгруппу универсальных норм из кругового $\mathbb Z_\ell$-расширения поля $K$ в пополненной группе $S$-единиц поля $K$, где $S$ состоит из всех простых
делителей $\ell$. Доказано, что условие $\mathfrak R_\ell(K)\ne0$ следует из $\ell$-адической гипотезы Шенуэла и справедливо для некоторых абелевых расширений мнимых квадратичных полей. Изучается связь
регулятора $\mathfrak R_\ell(K)$ со слабой гипотезой об $\ell$-адическом регуляторе. Определяются аналоги регулятора Гросса.
Библиография: 9 наименований.
Усиление теоремы переноса Малера
Authors: German Oleg Nikolaevich , Evdokimov Konstantin Georgievich
Published: January 2015

Получены новые теоремы переноса, усиливающие некоторые классические теоремы, принадлежащие Малеру. Теоремы сформулированы в терминах последовательных минимумов псевдоприсоединенных параллелепипедов.
Библиография: 11 наименований.
Задача Дирихле на двумерных стратифицированных множествах
Authors: Kovaleva Lidiya Aleksandrovna , Soldatov Alexandr Pavlovich
Published: January 2015

Рассматривается задача Дирихле для гармонических функций на двумерных стратифицированных множествах, которые для простоты предполагаются комплексами. Показано, что при определенных условиях эта задача
фредгольмова в классе Гeльдера, а также в весовых классах Гeльдера функций, удовлетворяющих условию Гeльдера вне любой окрестности вершин комплекса и допускающих особенности степенного характера. Изучена также степенно-логарифмическая асимптотика решения рассматриваемой задачи в этих вершинах.
Библиография: 12 наименований.
О стандартной гипотезе и существовании разложения Чжоу-Лефшеца для комплексных проективных многообразий
Authors: Tankeev Sergey Gennadievich
Published: January 2015

Доказано, что стандартная гипотеза Гротендика $B(X)$ типа Лефшеца об алгебраичности операторов $*$ и $\Lambda$ теории Ходжа верна для гладкого комплексного проективного многообразия $X$, если выполнено хотя бы одно из следующих условий: $X$ - компактификация минимальной модели Нерона абелевой
схемы относительной размерности $3$ над аффинной кривой и общий схемный слой абелевой схемы обладает редукциями мультипликативного типа во всех бесконечно удаленных точках; $X$ - неприводимое голоморфное
симплектическое (гиперкэлерово) $4$-мерное многообразие, совпадающее с компактификацией Альтмана-Клеймана относительного якобиана семейства $\mathcal C\to\mathbb P^2$ гиперэллиптических кривых рода $2$ со слабыми вырождениями, причем каноническая проекция $X\to\mathbb P^2$ является лагранжевым слоением. Разложение Чжоу-Лефшеца существует для гладкого проективного 3-мерного многообразия $X$ при условии, что $X$ имеет структуру 1-параметрического неизотривиального семейства K3-поверхностей
(с вырождениями) или семейства регулярных поверхностей произвольной размерности Кодаиры $\varkappa$ с сильными вырождениями.
Библиография: 51 наименование.
Accuracy of Two Malaria Rapid Diagnostic Tests (RDTS) for Initial Diagnosis and Treatment Monitoring in a High Transmission Setting in Uganda
Authors: Mbabazi Phoebe , Hopkins Heidi , Osilo Emmanuel , Kalungu Michael , Byakika-Kibwika Pauline , Kamya Moses R.
Published: January 2015

Malaria rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) may improve fever management in areas without microscopy. We compared the accuracy of histidine-rich protein 2 (HRP2) and Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH)-based RDTs, using expert microscopy as a gold standard, for initial diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and diagnosis of recurrent malaria in a cohort of children followed longitudinally in a high-transmission area in Uganda. For 305 initial fever episodes, sensitivity was 98% for HRP2 and 87% for pLDH, whereas specificity was 55% and 96%, respectively. The HRP2 gave 51% false-positive results on Day 28, whereas pLDH gave no false positives after Day 7. For 59 recurrent fever episodes during follow-up, sensitivity was 100% for HRP2 and 91% for pLDH, whereas specificity was 33% and 100%, respectively. The HRP2-based RDTs are useful for initial diagnosis of malaria caused by superior sensitivity; however, as a result of superior specificity, pLDH-based RDTs are more appropriate to monitor treatment and diagnose recurrent malaria.
Endothelial Glycocalyx Damage is Associated with Leptospirosis Acute Kidney Injury
Authors: Libório Alexandre Braga , Braz Marcelo Boecker Munoz , Seguro Antonio Carlos , Meneses Gdayllon C. , Neves Fernanda Macedo de Oliveira , Pedrosa Danielle Carvalho , Cavalcanti Luciano Pamplona de Góes , Martins Alice Maria Costa , Daher Elizabeth de Francesco
Published: January 2015

Leptospirosis is a common disease in tropical countries, and the kidney is one of the main target organs. Membrane proteins of Leptospira are capable of causing endothelial damage in vitro, but there have been no studies in humans evaluating endothelial glycocalyx damage and its correlation with acute kidney injury (AKI). We performed a cohort study in an outbreak of leptospirosis among military personnel. AKI was diagnosed in 14 of 46 (30.4%) patients. Leptospirosis was associated with higher levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1; 483.1 ± 31.7 versus 234.9 ± 24.4 mg/L, P < 0.001) and syndecan-1 (73.7 ± 15.9 versus 21.2 ± 7.9 ng/mL, P < 0.001) compared with exposed controls. Patients with leptospirosis-associated AKI had increased level of syndecan-1 (112.1 ± 45.4 versus 41.5 ± 11.7 ng/mL, P = 0.021) and ICAM-1 (576.9 ± 70.4 versus 434.9 ± 35.3, P = 0.034) compared with leptospirosis patients with no AKI. Association was verified between syndecan-1 and ICAM-1 with serum creatinine elevation and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) levels. This association remained even after multivariate analysis including other AKI-associated characteristics. Endothelial injury biomarkers are associated with leptospirosis-associated renal damage.
Rapid HIV Progression During Acute HIV-1 Subtype C Infection in a Mozambican Patient with Atypical Seroconversion
Authors: Velasco Cesar , Parker Erica , Pastor Lucia , Nhama Abel , Macuacua Salesio , Mandomando Inácio , Blanco Julià , Naniche Denise
Published: January 2015

Acute human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection (AHI) refers to the period between viral transmission and development of an adaptive immune response to HIV antigens (seroconversion) usually lasting 6–8 weeks. Rare cases have been described in which HIV-infected patients fail to seroconvert and instead, develop rapid HIV-mediated clinical decline. We report the case of a Mozambican woman with AHI and malaria coinfection who showed atypical seroconversion and experienced rapid deterioration and death within 14 weeks of diagnosis with AHI. Atypical seroconversion may be associated with rapid progression. Fourth generation rapid tests could lead to earlier identification and intervention for this vulnerable subgroup.
First Reported Australian Case of Cladophilophora arxii: Features Consistent with Possible Primary Pulmonary Chromoblastomycosis
Authors: Brischetto Anna , Kidd Sarah , Baird Rob
Published: January 2015

We describe the first case of possible pulmonary chromoblastomycosis in the absence of any identified cutaneous lesions in a relatively immunosuppressed man. The causative organism was Cladophialophora arxii, which is a rare pathogen that has only been described as causing human disease two times previously.
Reading Sŏktok Kugyŏl materials based on Ŏnhae materials
Authors: JOHO Satoshi
Published: January 2015

In this paper, we discussed some advantages of and points of attempt to research how to read Hancha (漢字) with Kugyŏl (口訣) markings based on the premise, that the tradition of Hanmun Hundok (漢文訓讀) in Sŏktok Kugyŏl (釋讀口訣) materials has been succeeded to Ŏnhae (諺解) materials since the mid-15th century, the promulgation of Hunmin Chyŏngŭm (訓民正音), and based on Ŏnhae (諺解) system in these Ŏnhae (諺解) materials. As a result, Hundok (訓讀) systems of Sŏktok Kugyŏl (釋讀口訣) materials had much resemblance to the Non-Buddhist (Confucian) Ŏnhae (諺解) materials since the end of 15th century. Therefore, Non-Buddhist (Confucian) Ŏnhae (諺解) materials occupy an important position to consider the reading methods of Sŏktok Kugyŏl (釋讀口訣) materials.
Univerza za tretje življenjsko obdobje 30 let pozneje
Authors: Šantej Alijana
Published: January 2015

Društvo za izobraževanje za tretje življenjsko obdobje je nacionalna nevladna organizacija, v praksi poznana pod imenom Univerza za tretje življenjsko obdobje. S poimenovanjem te ustanove in določanjem njene jasne strukture smo imeli kar nekaj težav, tipičnih za organizacijo, ki hitro raste in se mora na svoji poti večkrat preoblikovati, če želi obstati. V 30 letih je bilo veliko pomembnih odločitev in vse so bile in so še nenehen vir učenja za vse, ki smo vpeti v razvoj področja in oblikovanje organizacije.
Albert in Leonida Mrgole: Izštekani najstniki in starši, ki štekajo (Vezal, 2014)
Authors: Ličen Nives
Published: January 2015

Priročnik Izštekani najstniki in starši, ki štekajo je že po naslovu nekoliko poseben, saj uporablja slengovske besede, katerih pomen pa takoj razumemo. Avtorja v uvodu in tudi na spletni strani (http://najstniki.weebly.com/) pojasnita, da je naslov takšen, ker se je »prijel« in nagovoril potencialne bralce. To je tudi namen priročnika, da se približa bralcu in bralki in jima sporoči (spo)znanja, ki izhajajo iz osebnih izkušenj avtorja in avtorice, ki sta starša štirih otrok. Spoznanja izhajajo tudi iz njunih raznolikih izobraževalnih, svetovalnih in terapevtskih izkušenj z delom s starši in mladostniki ter iz strokovne in znanstvene literature. Starši bodo v priročniku našli odgovore na vprašanja, kako ravnati v konkretnih situacijah. Priročnik je doživel zelo dober sprejem, pripravlja se druga dopolnjena izdaja in prevod v angleški jezik, ki bo izšel prihodnje leto.
Andautonia. An Example of Local Self-Government in Pannonia
Authors: Karlović Tomislav , Milotić Ivan , Petrak Marko
Published: January 2015

This paper discusses the structure of local self-government in the Flavian municipium of Andautonia. In the first part, the general concept of municipia is explained. After that, different aspects are discussed, especially the strategic position of Andautonia within the Roman network of roads and river ports, as well as its supposed establishment in the 70’s AD, during the reign of Flavian emperors. With respect to the question of granting municipal status under the Flavians, the paper elaborates on various sources which are also applicable to Andautonia. The central part of the paper presents the organization and competences of local self-government bodies. On the basis of analysis of municipal organization, the paper concludes about a double function of local self-government: giving local population a possibility of self-government which ensured peace in the provinces and transpositioning of Roman governmental structure which facilitated Romanization and integration of local community.
History of Local Self-government and Public Administration in the Lands of the Bohemian Crown in Relation to Waste Management
Authors: Soukopová Jana , Hřebíček Jiří , Horsák Zdeněk
Published: January 2015

This article investigates the history of local self-government and public administration in relation to waste management to answer a question: Is there any relationship between the development of local self-government in towns and public administration in the Lands of the Bohemian Crown and the current state of development? Findings regarding the development of local self-administration are divided into the following eras: the period before the arrival of Slavs, early and developed feudalism, and the beginnings of the industrial revolution, ending with the foundation of the Czechoslovak Republic in 1918. Particular attention will be paid to municipal self-government in the city of Brno.