bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Circularly Searching Core Nodes Based Label Propagation Algorithm for Community Detection
Authors: Shang Ronghua , Zhang Weitong , Jiao Licheng
Published: March 2016

With the application of community detection in complex networks becoming more and more extensive, the application of more and more algorithms for community detection are proposed and improved. Among these algorithms, the label propagation algorithm is simple, easy to perform and its time complexity is linear, but it has a strong randomness. Small communities in the label propagation process are easy to be swallowed. Therefore, this paper proposes a method to improve the partition results of label propagation algorithm based on the pre-partition by circularly searching core nodes and assigning label for nodes according to similarity of nodes. First, the degree of each node of the network is calculated. We go through the whole network to find the nodes with the maximal degrees in the neighbors as the core nodes. Next, we assign the core nodes’ labels to their neighbors according to the similarity between them, which can reduce the randomness of the label propagation algorithm. Then, we arrange the nodes whose labels had not been changed as the new network and find the new core nodes. After that, we update the labels of neighbor nodes according to the similarity between them again until the end of the iteration, to complete the pre-partition. The approach of circularly searching for core nodes increases the diversity of the network partition and prevents the smaller potential communities being swallowed in the process of partition. Then, we implement the label propagation algorithm on the whole network after the pre-partition. Finally, we adopt a modified method based on the degree of membership determined by the bidirectional attraction of nodes and their neighbor communities. This method can reduce the possibility of the error in partition of few nodes. Experiments on artificial and real networks show that the proposed algorithm can accurately divide the network and get higher degree of modularity compared with five existing algorithms.
Application of Slow Intelligence Framework for Smart Pet Care System Design
Authors: Chang Shi-Kuo , Chen Wen-Hui , Lin Wen-Chyi , Thomas Christopher Lee
Published: March 2016

This article presents the design of a smart pet care system based on the slow intelligence framework for providing pets with suitable living conditions that closely mirror their natural habitat. By integrating heterogeneous information from various sensing data, the smart environment-aware pet care system can adaptively adjust the setting of temperature and humidity that best fits the pet through iterative slow intelligence computation. Simulations of two case studies were provided to illustrate the application of the proposed system for pets such as snakes and dogs. The simulation results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed approach to the design of smart pet care systems.
User Scenarios Through User Interaction Diagrams
Authors: Longo Douglas Hiura , Vilain Patricia
Published: March 2016

This paper investigates the applicability of User Interaction Diagrams (UIDs) as user scenarios for the specification of software requirements by non-technical customers. Two methods for building user scenarios using UIDs were proposed: the progressive and the regressive methods. These two methods were applied in an experiment where the results demonstrated that the regressive method requires significantly less effort as compared to the progressive method. Furthermore, there was a significant difference in the quality of diagrams obtained from each of the two methods. In our experiment, the regressive method resulted in better quality factors.
COMPARATIVE DYNAMICS OF MONOVALENT AND BIVALENT VACCINATION FOR IMMUNOLOGICALLY UNRELATED PATHOGENS
Authors: KNIPL DIÁNA , MOGHADAS SEYED M.
Published: March 2016

Multivalent vaccines are designed to immunize against two or more pathogens in a single dose vaccination. A challenge for wide spread use of these vaccines is their lower protection efficacy compared to monovalent vaccines that immunize individuals against a single pathogen. We sought, for the first time, to evaluate the outcomes of bivalent and monovalent vaccines in terms of the reduction in the number of infections over time. For this evaluation, we developed epidemiological models governing the transmission dynamics of two immunologically unrelated pathogens, where immunity conferred by vaccination or natural infection of one pathogen does not provide any cross-protection against the other pathogen. We assumed that a monovalent vaccine provides full, but temporary, protection against a particular pathogen. While protecting against both pathogens requires two pathogen-specific monovalent vaccines, a single dose of the bivalent vaccine provides partial protection against both pathogens. We analyzed the two models to investigate the impact of vaccination. In addition to examining global behaviors and disease persistence of the models, we performed simulations to show the existence of a biologically feasible region for the bivalent vaccine to outperform monovalent vaccines for prevention of disease transmission using a lower number of vaccines.
A RECOMBINING TREE METHOD FOR OPTION PRICING WITH STATE-DEPENDENT SWITCHING RATES
Authors: JIANG J. X. , LIU R. H. , NGUYEN D.
Published: March 2016

This paper develops simple and efficient tree approaches for option pricing in switching jump diffusion models where the rates of switching are assumed to depend on the underlying asset price process. The models generalize many existing models in the literature and in particular, the Markovian regime-switching models with jumps. The proposed trees grow linearly as the number of tree steps increases. Conditions on the choices of key parameters for the tree design are provided that guarantee the positivity of branch probabilities. Numerical results are provided and compared with results reported in the literature for the Markovian regime-switching cases. The reported numerical results for the state-dependent switching models are new and can be used for comparison in the future.
Financial Orientation, Product Innovation and Firm Performance — An Empirical Study in the Japanese SMEs
Authors: Tajeddini Kayhan
Published: March 2016

Research into product innovation and financial orientation in the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) is burgeoning, yet our understanding of the finance product innovation and performance remains unclear. Given the lack of empirical research on the role of financial orientation on innovation performance in the SMEs, especially in an Asian context, the current study addresses the relationships between financial orientation, product innovation and business performance in the Japanese SMEs, because it has a long established record on product innovation. Data were generated from 189 Japanese businesses and the results were analyzed using multiple regression. Results confirm the study hypotheses. Implications for management are discussed, along with suggestions for further research.
Test Elements, Generic Elements and Almost Primitivity in Free Products
Authors: Engel Ann-Kristin , Fine Benjamin , Rosenberger Gerhard
Published: March 2016

In [5, 6] the relationships between test words, generic elements, almost primitivity and tame almost primitivity were examined in free groups. In this paper we extend the concepts and connections to general free products and in particular to free products of cyclic groups.
Algebraic Properties of Universal Squarefree Lexsegment Ideals
Authors: Crupi Marilena , La Barbiera Monica
Published: March 2016

Let K be a field and let A=K[X1,…,Xn] be the polynomial ring in X1,…,Xn with coefficients in K. In this paper we study the universal squarefree lexsegment ideals, and put our attention on their combinatorics computing some invariants. Moreover, we study the link between such a special class of squarefree lexsegment ideals and the so-called s-sequences.
On Radicals of Skew Inverse Laurent Series Rings
Authors: Moussavi A.
Published: March 2016

Let R be a ring and α an automorphism of R. Amitsur proved that the Jacobson radical J(R[x]) of the polynomial ring R[x] is the polynomial ring over the nil ideal J(R[x]) ∩ R. Following Amitsur, it is shown that when R is an Armendariz ring of skew inverse Laurent series type and S is any one of the ring extensions R[x;α], R[x,x-1;α], R[[x-1;α]] and R((x-1;α)), then ℜ𝔞𝔡(S) = ℜ𝔞𝔡(R)S = Nil (S), ℜ𝔞𝔡(S) ∩ R = Nil (R), where ℜ𝔞𝔡 is a radical in a class of radicals which includes the Wedderburn, lower nil, Levitzky and upper nil radicals.
Seismic Performance Evaluation and Strengthening of RC Frames with Substandard Beam-Column Joint: Lessons Learned from the 2013 Bohol Earthquake
Authors: Li Yuebing , Sanada Yasushi , Takahashi Susumu , Maekawa Koki , Choi Ho , Matsukawa Kazuto
Published: March 2016

On October 15, 2013, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake severely damaged buildings on Bohol Island, the Philippines. This paper briefly reports on the typical damage to reinforced concrete (RC) buildings observed in the authors’ post-earthquake investigation. The current study focuses on the seismic performance of an earthquake-damaged building with exterior beam-column joint failure. Cyclic loading tests were conducted to propose a practical seismic strengthening method by installing RC wing walls for substandard moment-resisting frames with brittle beam-column joints. A scaled model representing the earthquake-damaged frame reproduced the damage to the exterior beam-column joint, which could not be evaluated using Japanese seismic evaluation methods because of an overestimation of the joint performance. Another specimen strengthened by the proposed method was successfully upgraded, forming a ductile beam yielding mechanism. The ultimate strength of the upgraded specimen estimated by the Japanese methods agreed well with the experimental results. The strengthening mechanism by wing walls was elucidated, knowledge of which will be useful for future applications to substandard buildings in developing countries.
Bounds for the dichromatic number of a generalized lexicographic product of digraphs
Authors: Pleanmani Nopparat , Panma Sayan
Published: March 2016

A subset [Formula: see text] is acyclic if it induces an acyclic subdigraph of a digraph [Formula: see text] and the dichromatic number [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] is defined to be the minimum integer [Formula: see text] such that [Formula: see text] can be partitioned into [Formula: see text] acyclic subsets. In this paper, we obtain lower and upper bounds for the dichromatic number of a generalized lexicographic product and the dichromatic number of a generalized corona of digraphs in terms of dichromatic numbers of those digraphs.
Central Bank Currency Swaps and Their Implications to the International Financial Reform
Authors: Mingqi Xu
Published: March 2016

Since the outbreak of the global financial crisis, a series of currency swap arrangements among central banks have been reached, and many short-term ad hoc mechanisms have been later transformed into permanent institutions, with the decentralized role of the USD and increasing significance of other currencies. It is important to note, however, that currency swaps by Western countries are generally not intended to reform but to maintain stability of the U.S.-dominated international financial system and the USD hegemony. The comprehensive currency swap arrangements made among six major developed economies since the financial crisis exemplify their resistance to the international financial reform. Meanwhile, developing countries have also laid out their own blueprints, highlighted by China’s currency swap arrangements with 33 foreign central banks and the accelerating RMB internationalization. The currency swaps promoted by the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) between the RMB and other currencies would inject supplementary liquidity to a turbulent market and offset impact from the selective currency swaps of the U.S. Federal Reserve, thus proving beneficial to developing countries. While such currency swaps are far from replacing the IMF’s role in stabilizing the global financial market, they are posing both challenges and new opportunities to the reform of the international financial system.
Personalized intelligent prosthesis for tremor suppression
Authors: Cottrell Peter , Kurniawan Sri , Teodorescu Mircea
Published: March 2016

While the prevalence of the Essential Tremor is highly volatile as a result of a conglomeration of factors, it is sometimes reported as almost 20 times more prevalent than Parkinson's disease. A large problem with nailing down the exact proportion is that a tremor could be caused by a menagerie of complicated issues and could present symptoms for an hour or for a full day before dissipating. This makes it frustrating for both patient and doctor to pin down exactly what the origin of the tremor is and how they can function normally throughout an episode. We propose a system that could help stabilize users' tremors so that it is possible to not only quantify the tremor but also intelligently nullify the unintentional movement created by the tremor.
Downregulation of LRRC8A protects human ovarian and alveolar carcinoma cells against Cisplatin-induced expression of p53, MDM2, p21Waf1/Cip1, and Caspase-9/-3 activation
Authors: Sørensen Belinda Halling , Nielsen Dorthe , Thorsteinsdottir Unnur Arna , Hoffmann Else Kay , Lambert Ian Henry
Published: March 2016

The leucine-rich repeat containing 8A (LRRC8A) protein is an essential component of the volume-sensitive organic anion channel (VSOAC), and using pharmacological anion channel inhibitors (NS3728, DIDS) and LRRC8A siRNA we have investigated its role in development of Cisplatin resistance in human ovarian (A2780) and alveolar (A549) carcinoma cells. In Cisplatin-sensitive cells Cisplatin treatment increases p53-protein level as well as downstream signaling, e.g., expression of p21Waf1/Cip1, Bax, Noxa, MDM2, and activation of Caspase-9/-3. In contrast, Cisplatin-resistant cells do not enter apoptosis, i.e., their p53 and downstream signaling are reduced and caspase activity unaltered following Cisplatin exposure. Reduced LRRC8A expression and VSOAC activity are previously shown to correlate with Cisplatin resistance, and here we demonstrate that pharmacological inhibition and transient knockdown of LRRC8A reduce the protein level of p53, MDM2, and p21Waf1/Cip1 as well as Caspase-9/-3 activation in Cisplatin-sensitive cells. Cisplatin resistance is accompanied by reduction in total LRRC8A expression (A2780) or LRRC8A expression in the plasma membrane (A549). Activation of Caspase-3 dependent apoptosis by TNFα-exposure or hyperosmotic cell shrinkage is almost unaffected by pharmacological anion channel inhibition. Our data indicate 1) that expression/activity of LRRC8A is essential for Cisplatin-induced increase in p53 protein level and its downstream signaling, i.e., Caspase-9/-3 activation, expression of p21Waf1/Cip1 and MDM2; and 2) that downregulation of LRRC8A-dependent osmolyte transporters contributes to acquirement of Cisplatin resistance in ovarian and lung carcinoma cells. Activation of LRRC8A-containing channels is upstream to apoptotic volume decrease as hypertonic cell shrinkage induces apoptosis independent of the presence of LRRC8A.
Decreased excitability and voltage-gated sodium currents in aortic baroreceptor neurons contribute to the impairment of arterial baroreflex in cirrhotic rats
Authors: Lee Choong-Ku , Park Kwang-Hwa , Baik Soon-Koo , Jeong Seong-Woo
Published: March 2016

Cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction, which is manifested by an impairment of the arterial baroreflex, is prevalent irrespective of etiology and contributes to the increased morbidity and mortality in cirrhotic patients. However, the cellular mechanisms that underlie the cirrhosis-impaired arterial baroreflex remain unknown. In the present study, we examined whether the cirrhosis-impaired arterial baroreflex is attributable to the dysfunction of aortic baroreceptor (AB) neurons. Biliary and nonbiliary cirrhotic rats were generated via common bile duct ligation (CBDL) and intraperitoneal injections of thioacetamide (TAA), respectively. Histological and molecular biological examinations confirmed the development of fibrosis in the livers of both cirrhotic rat models. The heart rate changes during phenylephrine-induced baroreceptor activation indicated that baroreflex sensitivity was blunted in the CBDL and TAA rats. Under the current-clamp mode of the patch-clamp technique, cell excitability was recorded in DiI-labeled AB neurons. The number of action potential discharges in the A- and C-type AB neurons was significantly decreased because of the increased rheobase and threshold potential in the CBDL and TAA rats compared with sham-operated rats. Real-time PCR and Western blotting indicated that the NaV1.7, NaV1.8, and NaV1.9 transcripts and proteins were significantly downregulated in the nodose ganglion neurons from the CBDL and TAA rats compared with the sham-operated rats. Consistent with these molecular data, the tetrodotoxin-sensitive NaV currents and the tetrodotoxin-resistant NaV currents were significantly decreased in A- and C-type AB neurons, respectively, from the CBDL and TAA rats compared with the sham-operated rats. Taken together, these findings implicate a key cellular mechanism in the cirrhosis-impaired arterial baroreflex.
Application of Temperature Modulation-SDP on MOS Gas Sensors: Capturing Soil Gaseous Profile for Discrimination of Soil under Different Nutrient Addition
Authors: Sudarmaji Arief , Kitagawa Akio
Published: March 2016

A technique of temperature modulation-SDP (specified detection point) on MOS gas sensors was designed and tested on their sensing performance to such complex mixture, soil gaseous compound. And a self-made e-nose was built to capture and analyze the gaseous profile from sampling headspace of two soils (sandy loam and sand) with the addition of nutrient at different dose (without, normal, and high addition). It comprises (a) 6 MOS gas sensors which were driven wirelessly on a certain modulation through (b) a PSoC CY8C28445-24PVXI-based interface and (c) the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and neural network (NN) as pattern recognition tools. The gaseous compounds are accumulated in a static headspace with thermostatting and stirring under controlled condition to optimize equilibration and gases concentration as well. The patterns are trained by backpropagation algorithm which employs a log-sigmoid function and updates the weights using search-then-converge schedule. PCA results indicate that the sensor array used is able to differentiate the soil type clearly and may provide a discrimination as a response to presence/level of the nutrients addition in soil. Additionally, the PCA enhances the classification performance of NN to discriminate among the predescribed nutrient additions.
Promotion Effect of CaO Modification on Mesoporous Al2O3-Supported Ni Catalysts for CO2Methanation
Authors: Yang Wen , Feng Yanyan , Chu Wei
Published: March 2016

The catalysts Ni/Al2O3and CaO modified Ni/Al2O3were prepared by impregnation method and applied for methanation of CO2. The catalysts were characterized by N2adsorption/desorption, temperature-programmed reduction of H2(H2-TPR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and temperature-programmed desorption of CO2and H2(CO2-TPD and H2-TPD) techniques, respectively. TPR and XRD results indicated that CaO can effectively restrain the growth of NiO nanoparticles, improve the dispersion of NiO, and weaken the interaction between NiO and Al2O3. CO2-TPD and H2-TPD results suggested that CaO can change the environment surrounding of CO2and H2adsorption and thus the reactants on the Ni atoms can be activated more easily. The modified Ni/Al2O3showed better catalytic activity than pure Ni/Al2O3. Ni/CaO-Al2O3showed high CO2conversion especially at low temperatures compared to Ni/Al2O3, and the selectivity to CH4was very close to 1. The high CO2conversion over Ni/CaO-Al2O3was mainly caused by the surface coverage by CO2-derived species on CaO-Al2O3surface.
Structural Characterizations of Palladium Clusters Prepared by Polyol Reduction of [PdCl4]2−Ions
Authors: Schiavo Loredana , Aversa Lucrezia , Tatti Roberta , Verucchi Roberto , Carotenuto Gianfranco
Published: March 2016

Palladium nanoparticles are of great interest in many industrial fields, ranging from catalysis and hydrogen technology to microelectronics, thanks to their unique physical and chemical properties. In this work, palladium clusters have been prepared by reduction of [PdCl4]2−ions with ethylene glycol, in the presence of poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) as stabilizer. The stabilizer performs the important role of nucleating agent for the Pd atoms with a fast phase separation, since palladium atoms coordinated to the polymer side-groups are forced at short distances during nucleation. Quasispherical palladium clusters with a diameter of ca. 2.6 nm were obtained by reaction in air at 90°C for 2 hours. An extensive materials characterization by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and other characterizations (TGA, SEM, EDS-SEM, and UV-Vis) has been performed in order to evaluate the structure and oxidation state of nanopalladium.
Induction of Therapeutic Senescence in Vemurafenib-Resistant Melanoma by Extended Inhibition of CDK4/6
Authors: Yoshida Akihiro , Lee Eric K. , Diehl J. Alan
Published: March 2016

Dysregulation of the p16–cyclin D1–CDK4/6–Rb pathway occurs frequently in melanoma; however, the therapeutic efficacy of CDK4/6 inhibition remains to be critically evaluated. We demonstrate that CDK4/6 inhibition inhibits melanoma progression through induction of senescence. Palbociclib, a specific CDK4/6 inhibitor, rapidly induces cell cycle arrest within 24 hours and continued exposure for 8 days or longer induces senescence. The induction of senescence correlates with inhibition of mTOR and more specifically mTORC1 signaling. Vemurafenib, a specific BRAFV600E inhibitor, has significant clinical efficacy in BRAFV600E-positive melanomas, but its impact is hampered by a rapid acquisition of resistance. Strikingly, we found that vemurafenib-resistant tumors remain sensitive to palbociclib, suggesting that initial treatment with vemurafenib followed by palbociclib with or without mTOR inhibitors might provide an avenue to overcome recurrence of vemurafenib-resistant metastatic disease. Taken together, these results support palbociclib as a promising therapeutic for treatment of melanoma. Cancer Res; 76(10); 2990–3002. ©2016 AACR.
FBW7 (F-box and WD Repeat Domain-Containing 7) Negatively Regulates Glucose Metabolism by Targeting the c-Myc/TXNIP (Thioredoxin-Binding Protein) Axis in Pancreatic Cancer
Authors: Ji Shunrong , Qin Yi , Liang Chen , Huang Run , Shi Si , Liu Jiang , Jin Kaizhou , Liang Dingkong , Xu Wenyan , Zhang Bo , Liu Liang , Liu Chen , Xu Jin , Ni Quanxing , Chiao Paul J. , Li Min , Yu Xianjun
Published: March 2016

Purpose: FBW7 functions as a tumor suppressor by targeting oncoproteins for destruction. We previously reported that the oncogenic mutation of KRAS inhibits the tumor suppressor FBW7 via the Ras–Raf–MEK–ERK pathway, which facilitates the proliferation and survival of pancreatic cancer cells. However, the underlying mechanism by which FBW7 suppresses pancreatic cancer remains unexplored. Here, we sought to elucidate the function of FBW7 in pancreatic cancer glucose metabolism and malignancy.

Experimental Design: Combining maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), which was obtained preoperatively via a PET/CT scan, with immunohistochemistry staining, we analyzed the correlation between SUVmax and FBW7 expression in pancreatic cancer tissues. The impact of FBW7 on glucose metabolism was further validated in vitro and in vivo. Finally, gene expression profiling was performed to identify core signaling pathways.

Results: The expression level of FBW7 was negatively associated with SUVmax in pancreatic cancer patients. FBW7 significantly suppressed glucose metabolism in pancreatic cancer cells in vitro. Using a xenograft model, MicroPET/CT imaging results indicated that FBW7 substantially decreased 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) uptake in xenograft tumors. Gene expression profiling data revealed that TXNIP, a negative regulator of metabolic transformation, was a downstream target of FBW7. Mechanistically, we demonstrated that TXNIP was a c-Myc target gene and that FBW7 regulated TXNIP expression in a c-Myc–dependent manner.

Conclusions: Our results thus reveal that FBW7 serves as a negative regulator of glucose metabolism through regulation of the c-Myc/TXNIP axis in pancreatic cancer. Clin Cancer Res; 22(15); 3950–60. ©2016 AACR.
Reduced Proteolytic Shedding of Receptor Tyrosine Kinases Is a Post-Translational Mechanism of Kinase Inhibitor Resistance
Authors: Miller Miles A. , Oudin Madeleine J. , Sullivan Ryan J. , Wang Stephanie J. , Meyer Aaron S. , Im Hyungsoon , Frederick Dennie T. , Tadros Jenny , Griffith Linda G. , Lee Hakho , Weissleder Ralph , Flaherty Keith T. , Gertler Frank B. , Lauffenburger Douglas A.
Published: March 2016

Kinase inhibitor resistance often involves upregulation of poorly understood “bypass” signaling pathways. Here, we show that extracellular proteomic adaptation is one path to bypass signaling and drug resistance. Proteolytic shedding of surface receptors, which can provide negative feedback on signaling activity, is blocked by kinase inhibitor treatment and enhances bypass signaling. In particular, MEK inhibition broadly decreases shedding of multiple receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK), including HER4, MET, and most prominently AXL, an ADAM10 and ADAM17 substrate, thus increasing surface RTK levels and mitogenic signaling. Progression-free survival of patients with melanoma treated with clinical BRAF/MEK inhibitors inversely correlates with RTK shedding reduction following treatment, as measured noninvasively in blood plasma. Disrupting protease inhibition by neutralizing TIMP1 improves MAPK inhibitor efficacy, and combined MAPK/AXL inhibition synergistically reduces tumor growth and metastasis in xenograft models. Altogether, extracellular proteomic rewiring through reduced RTK shedding represents a surprising mechanism for bypass signaling in cancer drug resistance.

Significance: Genetic, epigenetic, and gene expression alterations often fail to explain adaptive drug resistance in cancer. This work presents a novel post-translational mechanism of such resistance: Kinase inhibitors, particularly targeting MAPK signaling, increase tumor cell surface receptor levels due to widely reduced proteolysis, allowing tumor signaling to circumvent intended drug action. Cancer Discov; 6(4); 382–99. ©2016 AACR.

This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 331
Evaluation of iNOS Expression in Esophageal Cancer Patients
Authors: Barani Romina , Motalleb Gholamreza , Maghsoudi Hossein
Published: March 2016

Background: Esophageal cancer is a public health concern around the world; this cancer is the sixth leading cause of death of cancer in the world with about 386,000 deaths per year. Its risk factors include environmental factors such as tobacco smoke, gastroesophageal reflux and genetic changes. iNOS is stated by the effect of various inflammatory factors and is thus called inducible NOS. Investigating iNOS expression is a powerful tool for understanding effective molecular parameters at tissue and cellular responses to external factors. In this research work, iNOS expression in patients with esophageal cancer was studied in Iran. Materials and Methods: 15 formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded (FFPE) esophageal cancer tissue samples and 15 normal FFPE samples were collected from various medical centers (Zabol, Zahedan, Kashan) to measure iNOS expression by real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR). All PCR reactions were conducted by three replicates for iNOS and internal control (β-actin) by 2-ΔΔCT (Livak) method. Differences were measured in target gene expression in patients and control group using the t test. All statistical analyses were done using the SPSS software. Results: The results showed that there was no significant difference between iNOS expression in the case and control groups (p > 0.05); however, there was an increase in iNOS expression in the case group. On the other hand, there was a significant difference between iNOS expression in males and females in the two groups of healthy subjects and patients, and it was higher in women than in men. Conclusion: Further studies need to be conducted with larger sample sizes and in other populations to validate these findings.
Influence of Antenatal Glucocorticosteroid Exposure on Osteoprotegerin and Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor κB Ligand Levels in Newborn Infants
Authors: Karatza Ageliki A. , Fouzas Sotirios , Giannakopoulos Ioannis , Kritikou Dimitra , Chrysis Dionisios
Published: March 2016

Background/Aims: The physiologic relevance of osteoprotegerin (OPG) and the receptor activator of nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) in the preterm neonate is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of prematurity on OPG and RANKL concentrations at birth and to investigate in particular whether antenatal corticosteroid (ACS) exposure affects serum OPG and RANKL levels in premature neonates. Methods: Quantitative determination (enzyme immunoassay) of serum OPG and RANKL at 24 postnatal hours was performed in 47 healthy term neonates, 43 preterm newborns not exposed to ACS, and 55 preterm infants exposed to ACS. Results: OPG in the ACS-exposed preterm group (median 5.13 pmol/l, range 1.62-15.12) was significantly higher compared to preterm neonates not exposed to ACS (median 4.52 pmol/l, range 0.86-8.98, p < 0.05) and to unexposed term neonates (median 4.47 pmol/l, range 2.70-10.72, p < 0.05). Conversely, there was no difference in RANKL levels between the study groups. OPG and RANKL values were also similar between term and preterm neonates not exposed to ACS. Conclusions: Preterm neonates exposed to ACS have higher serum levels of OPG, while premature neonates not exposed to ACS have serum OPG and RANKL levels similar to those measured in healthy term neonates.
Total carotenoids of the copepod Acartia clausi Giesbrecht, 1889 from the Caspian Sea at different growth stages fed different microalgal diets
Authors: Nobakht Maryam , Khalesi Mohammadkazem , Esmaeili Fereidouni Abolghasem , Khalili Khosrow Jani
Published: March 2016

In the Caspian Sea, the calanoid copepod Acartia clausi, a potential food for fish fry, obtains its carotenoids from plant sources. To determine the effects of microalgal diets containing Isochrysis galbana and Chaetoceros calcitrans on total carotenoids of nauplii, copepodites and adults of A. clausi, they were cultured under three microalgal treatments: I. galbana, C. calcitrans, and a mixture of these microalgae (5000, 15 000 and 30 000 cells/ml). Total carotenoids were measured separately using methanol and ethanol. The highest level of total carotenoids was observed in the copepodites fed 30 000 cells/ml of both C. calcitrans and the microalgal mixture, which were different from nauplii and adults fed 5000 and 15 000 cells/ml (). The nauplii fed I. galbana showed higher total carotenoids than copepodites and adults (). Ethanol and methanol worked differently for carotenoid extraction from A. clausi fed C. calcitrans compared with the other treatments (). These solvents showed dissimilarities with 5000 cells/ml of C. calcitrans and I. galbana, as well as with 30 000 cells/ml of I. galbana and mixed microalgal diets. A mixed microalgal diet of 30 000 cells/ml is recommended for mass production of this species. The use of methanol is suitable for optimized extraction of total carotenoids.
Morphometric differentiation among populations of Leptodius exaratus (H. Milne Edwards, 1834) (Brachyura, Xanthidae) from the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman
Authors: Afkhami Mehrnaz , Schubart Christoph D. , Naderloo Reza
Published: March 2016

The marine environment of the Persian Gulf is characterized by extreme biophysical factors, like high salinities. This gulf is a semi-enclosed basin and is connected to the Gulf of Oman via the narrow Strait of Hormuz that may act as a barrier to gene flow between the two gulfs. Consequently, animal populations living in the Persian Gulf are hypothesized to be isolated and thus to evolve independently from neighbouring populations. We tested this hypothesis with the xanthid crab,Leptodius exaratus(H. Milne Edwards, 1834), which is one of the most common intertidal crabs occurring in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Four-hundred-and-fifty specimens were collected from eight sampling sites, i.e., four sites each in the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. Fifteen morphometric characters were measured. Males and females were analysed separately to avoid bias as a consequence of sexual dimorphism. Due to the lack of normal distribution in males, two different approaches were carried out in this paper. Female specimens were included in parametric analyses, while males were tested with permutational multivariate analyses of variance. In female morphometric characters,t-test analyses showed significant differences between the two sets of populations, and the discriminant analysis showed divergence between the two groups (with 83% correct groupings). In the males, the applied analyses showed a significant difference () between the two gulfs. These divergences can be interpreted as a consequence of regional adaptations and a low rate of larval migration between the two gulfs.
Hoplotylus femina s’Jacob, 1960 (Nematoda: Pratylenchidae) from Spain with molecular phylogenetic relationships inferred by D2-D3 expansion fragments of 28S and the partial 18S rRNA gene sequences
Authors: Palomares-Rius Juan E. , Cantalapiedra-Navarrete Carolina , Archidona-Yuste Antonio , Castillo Pablo
Published: March 2016

This is the first report of Hoplotylus femina in Spain. It was collected from the rhizosphere and roots of common alder (Alnus glutinosa) in La Alberca, Salamanca Province, in Spain. The morphology and morphometrics of the Spanish population of H. femina agree closely with the original description of the species and other descriptions from The Netherlands, USA, New Zealand, Poland, Japan and Mexico. Only small differences in some morphological characters were found probably due to geographical intraspecific variability and/or different methods of fixing nematodes. This study provides new molecular markers for species identification (D2-D3 expansion regions of 28S and ITS-rRNA genes) and a new phylogenetic position for the D2-D3 region marker. Maximum likelihood analysis using the Shimodaira-Hasegawa test did not support the inclusion of Radopholus and Hoplotylus in the Pratylenchidae and both genera were more related phylogenetically to Hoplolaimidae.
Voluntary Departure of Irregular Migrants and the Exception of Public Order: The Case of Z. Zh. & I.O. v Staatssecretaris voor Veiligheid en Justitie, Case C-554/13, 11 June 2015
Authors: Terlouw Ashley
Published: March 2016

Third country nationals are equally protected against exceptions based on a threat to public policy as Union citizens. Exceptions based on a threat to public policy should be interpreted strictly and similarly in eu law.
H. Paul Grice’s Lecture Notes on Charles S. Peirce’s Theory of Signs
Authors: Pietarinen Ahti-Veikko , Bellucci Francesco
Published: March 2016

This document provides a transcription of a significant unpublished manuscript by Paul Grice on Charles Peirce’s Theory of Signs, deposited in the H. Paul Grice Papers, BANC MSS 90/135, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley. Grice’s notes concern the theory of signs, semeiotic, of the American logician, scientist and philosopher Charles Sanders Peirce (1839–1914). The material was probably intended as the text for lectures. The MS consists of 46 non-numbered sheets. The editors have prepared the transcription from a copy of the original manuscript located in the Bancroft Library.
What Kind of Associative and Inferential Processes?
Authors: Mazzone Marco
Published: March 2016

Rubio-Fernández (2013) is a noteworthy instance of the recent efforts of grounding speculative pragmatic models into empirical research. However, it also shows that between pragmatic theories and the relevant psycholinguist research there are still conceptual gaps. Specifically, Rubio-Fernández reports two studies concerning emergent properties, that is, properties that are not associatively activated by related concepts but need to be inferred thanks to contextual information. These studies seem to show that emergent properties are activated by an early integration of associative and inferential processes and this is taken as evidence in favour of one-stage over two-stage models of pragmatic processing. I analyse the relevant notions of associative and inferential process in terms of, respectively, automatic activation of directly accessible information and consciously sustained activation of indirectly accessible information. These are not, however, the notions adopted in the pragmatic models considered by Rubio-Fernández. At a closer analysis, therefore, none of these models is fully compatible with her evidence. My line of argument is based on a crucial, but too often ignored, distinction between two meanings of “associative”: as a behavioural description of cognitive processes and as a model for their implementation. I also illustrate some consequences of neglecting this distinction.
Descriptions of little-known and unknown morphs of Periphyllus acerihabitans Zhang (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Chaitophorinae)
Authors: WIECZOREK KARINA , QIAO GE-XIA , SANO MASAKAZU , YOSHITOMI HIROYUKI , KANTURSKI MARIUSZ
Published: March 2016

Periphyllus acerihabitans Zhang, 1982, associated with Acer buergerianum, is known only from the original description from China. Based on the type series and specimens collected in Japan, we re-describe apterous and alate viviparous females of P. acerihabitans and describe dimorph (aestivating nymph) and oviparous female in detail with illustrations. This is the first record of this species from Japan. The differences between P. acerihabitans and a related species P. viridis (Matsumura, 1919) are discussed. Keys to similar species: P. acerihabitans, P. viridis and P. californiensis (Shinji, 1917), associated with A. buergerianum or A. pictum subsp. mono, are provided.
Engaging parents with sex and relationship education: A UK primary school case study
Authors: Alldred Pam , Fox Nick , Kulpa Robert
Published: March 2016

Objective:

To assess an intervention to familiarise parents with children’s books for use in primary (5–11 years) sex and relationship education (SRE) classes.

Method:

Case study of a 7-week programme in one London primary school, using ethnographic observation, semi-structured interviews and focus groups with parents ( n = 7) and key stakeholders ( n = 4), and pre- and post-programme self-completion questionnaires ( n = 9).

Results:

Parents reported increased understanding of the SRE curriculum and awareness of relevant children’s books, enhanced interactions with their children on SRE topics and some positive effects on partners and attitudes towards the school. There was increased confidence in addressing issues in the SRE curriculum for parents of 8- to 10-year-olds, although reduced confidence for one mother.

Conclusions:

Familiarising parents with materials has the potential to enhance SRE, by improving coherence between educators’ and parents’ messages to children about sex and relationships, increased discussion of SRE topics in parent–child conversations and reduced parental anxiety about topics such as sexual orientation. Future challenges of involving fathers, scalability and sustainability highlight the dilemma of how best to enable parental choice or make equalities interventions.
Citing Reprinted Material
Authors: Azar Ofer H.
Published: March 2016

Journal articles are sometimes later reprinted as chapters of edited books. The question whether citations of this material should mention the book or the journal has significant implications. I describe several advantages of citing the journal: it allows the readers to locate the material more easily and to handle it more conveniently (when it is available electronically); it gives a better signal about how important and updated the material is; and it gives the journal proper credit, which is important because journals are ranked based on citations. Finally, several reasons for citing the book are also discussed.
Controlling Dicopper Protein Functions
Authors: Fujieda Nobutaka , Itoh Shinobu
Published: March 2016

Maturation processes of dinuclear copper proteins such as tyrosinase, catechol oxidase, and hemocyanin have been a long-standing mystery in copper protein chemistry. Until now, several crystal structures have revealed that these copper proteins share a similar dinuclear copper active site, where each copper ion is ligated by three histidine imidazoles, and binds molecular oxygen in a side-on fashion to form a (µ-η2:η2-peroxido)dicopper(II) species not only as the dioxygen-adduct in oxy-hemocyanins but also as the key reactive intermediate for the hydroxylation of phenols to catechols (phenolase reaction) and the oxidation of catechols to o-quinones (catecholase reaction) in tyrosinases and catechol oxidases. Recently, we have succeeded in determining the high-resolution crystal structures of the recombinant pro-form of yellow koji mold tyrosinase to find the existence of a distinct C-terminal domain containing a –CXXC– unit, that is the common sequence motif of the copper chaperons. Thus, the C-terminal domain apparently acts as a copper chaperon, helping construction of the dinuclear copper active site of tyrosinase. Furthermore, we have found that the proteolytic cleavage of the C-terminal domain from the pro-form (inactive-form) of tyrosinase greatly enhances the tyrosinase activity, thus suggesting that the C-terminal domain also acts as a shielding domain to regulate the enzymatic activity. In fact, overall structure of the pro-form resembles the structure of one of the functional units of octopus hemocyanin (oxygen carrier protein), which also has a similar C-terminal domain prohibiting the monooxygenase activity. On the basis of these results together with the detailed kinetic and spectroscopic analyses, the maturation process of the dinuclear copper proteins is discussed to provide new insights into the regulation mechanism of the dicopper protein functions; dioxygen binding and activation. We have also succeeded in evolving phenolase activity from molluscan and arthropod hemocyanins by treating them with a hydrolytic enzyme or an acid, and demonstrated that the reaction mechanism of their phenolase activity is the same to that of tyrosinase itself, that is the electrophilic aromatic substitution mechanism. Furthermore, we have developed an artificial dicopper protein exhibiting catecholase activity using metallo-β-lactamase, a dinuclear zinc enzyme, as a metal binding platform.
Immunological Functions of the Membrane Proximal Region of MHC Class II Molecules
Authors: Harton Jonathan , Jin Lei , Hahn Amy , Drake James
Published: March 2016

Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules present exogenously derived antigen peptides to CD4 T cells, driving activation of naïve T cells and supporting CD4-driven immune functions. However, MHC class II molecules are not inert protein pedestals that simply bind and present peptides. These molecules also serve as multi-functional signaling molecules delivering activation, differentiation, or death signals (or a combination of these) to B cells, macrophages, as well as MHC class II-expressing T cells and tumor cells. Although multiple proteins are known to associate with MHC class II, interaction with STING (stimulator of interferon genes) and CD79 is essential for signaling. In addition, alternative transmembrane domain pairing between class II α and β chains influences association with membrane lipid sub-domains, impacting both signaling and antigen presentation. In contrast to the membrane-distal region of the class II molecule responsible for peptide binding and T-cell receptor engagement, the membrane-proximal region (composed of the connecting peptide, transmembrane domain, and cytoplasmic tail) mediates these “non-traditional” class II functions. Here, we review the literature on the function of the membrane-proximal region of the MHC class II molecule and discuss the impact of this aspect of class II immunobiology on immune regulation and human disease.
Newly qualified health visitor: Containment and reciprocity
Authors: Williams Emma
Published: March 2016

Emma Williams explains how being introduced to the Solihull Approach as part of her Trust's training programme was a lightbulb moment in her work with families.
Why do so many breastfeeding mothers stop before they want to?
Authors: Spiro Alison
Published: March 2016

In January 2016, The Lancet published a series of articles analysing breastfeeding trends around the world. Alison Spiro reflects on the findings and investigates why the numbers in the UK are so low when the benefits speak for themselves.
Minor injuries and ailments. 3: Burns and scalds
Authors: Tinsley Elizabeth
Published: March 2016

Around 95% of all childhood burns and scalds happen at home and most occur during day-to-day situations that many parents do not anticipate, such as children reaching for hot coffee or stepping on hair straighteners ( Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT), 2016 ). This article will focus on managing and treating burns and scalds in children at home; when parents should be advised to attend A&E; and when to call an ambulance.
Hands on for learning
Authors: McKendrick Gill , Holmes Fiona , Dorling Steph
Published: March 2016

Find out how one nursery turned Pancake Day into a fantastic learning opportunity, and how another has developed boys' involvement in expressive arts and design with an experiment involving paint bags.
Quest for the spoken word
Authors: McKeown Sal
Published: March 2016

Sal McKeown finds out about a speech and language app which can help practitioners to identify problems and plan for interventions. It is also a user-friendly tool which parents can use with their children at home.
Like lightning
Authors: Williams Brenda
Published: March 2016

Some children find thunder storms a little scary while others will relish the thrill of it all. Use these activities to familiarise children with storms and explore creative ideas linked to sound and patterns.
A problem solved
Authors: Hewson Claire
Published: March 2016

Problem solving opportunities need to be age and stage appropriate in order to assist mathematical development. Claire Hewson suggests ways to build on learning and encourage critical thinking.
Sit, eat and chat
Authors: Doyle Phoebe
Published: March 2016

Fussy eating may often just be a phase, but that doesn't stop mealtimes from being stressful. Pheobe Doyle suggests some practical strategies to calm things down, and encourage healthy eating.