bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exosomes: novel regulators of bone remodelling and potential therapeutic agents for orthodontics
Authors: Holliday L. S. , McHugh K. P. , Zuo J. , Aguirre J. I. , Neubert J. K. , Rody W. J.
Published: June 2017

Recent studies suggest that exosomes are involved in intercellular communication required for the maintenance of healthy bone. Exosomes are small (30–150 nm in diameter) extracellular vesicles that are formed in multivesicular bodies and are released from cells as the multivesicular bodies fuse with the plasma membrane. Regulatory exosomes have the capacity to exert profound control over target cells. They can stimulate plasma membrane receptors and are also internalized by the target cell delivering proteins, lipids, small molecules and functional RNAs from the cell of origin. We and others have recently reported on regulatory exosomes from osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Key candidate molecules identified in exosome‐based regulation of bone remodelling include receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B (RANK), RANK‐ligand (RANKL), ephrinA2, semaphorin 4D, microRNA‐146a and microRNA‐ 214–3p. Exosomes will likely prove to be crucial elements in the communication networks integrating bone cells (osteoclasts, osteoblasts, osteocytes) and linking bone to other tissue. Exosomes collected from bone cells grown in culture may prove useful to augment bone remodelling associated with orthodontic force application or required for the repair of craniofacial bone. Various technologies allow exosomes to be engineered to improve their targeting and efficacy for therapeutic purposes. In summary, exosomes have emerged as important elements of the machinery for intercellular communication between bone cells. They hold great promise as therapeutic targets, biomarkers and therapeutic agents for orthodontists.
Clinical effectiveness of late maxillary protraction in cleft lip and palate: A methods paper
Authors: Lee M. K. , Lane C. , Azeredo F. , Landsberger M. , Kapadia H. , Sheller B. , Yen S. L.
Published: June 2017

Structured Abstract

Objectives

A prospective parallel cohort trial was conducted to compare outcomes of patients treated with maxillary protraction vs LeFort 1 maxillary advancement surgery.

Setting and Sample Population

The primary site for the clinical trial is Children's Hospital Los Angeles; the satellite test site is Seattle Children's Hospital. All patients have isolated cleft lip and palate and a skeletal Class III malocclusion.

Material and Methods

A total of 50 patients, ages 11‐14, will be recruited for the maxillary protraction cohort. The maxillary surgery cohort consists of 50 patients, ages 16‐21, who will undergo LeFort 1 maxillary advancement surgery. Patients with additional medical or cognitive handicaps were excluded from the study.

Results

Current recruitment of patients is on track to complete the study within the proposed recruitment period.

Conclusion

This observational trial is collecting information that will examine dental, skeletal, financial and quality‐of‐life issues from both research cohorts.
Clinical and genetic analysis of patients with cherubism
Authors: Machado RA , Pontes HAR , Pires FR , Silveira HM , Bufalino A , Carlos R , Tuji FM , Alves DBM , Santos‐Silva AR , Lopes MA , Capistrano HM , Coletta RD , Fonseca FP
Published: June 2017

Objective

To describe the clinical and genetic features of patients with cherubism.

Material and Methods

A descriptive analysis of 14 cases from nine different families was carried out. Clinicopathological, imaging, and follow‐up data were retrieved from patients’ medical files and correlated with the genetic profile of each patient. Genomic DNA isolated from buccal mucosa cells was subjected to direct sequencing analysis of the SH3BP2 gene.

Results

Females were more affected than males (8:6), and the mean age at diagnosis was 8.6 years (range 3–30 years). Eleven patients exhibited simultaneous bilateral involvement of the maxilla and mandible. Two patients did not have a familial history of cherubism. Progressive growth pattern was found in six patients and stable lesions were observed in other seven patients, whereas in one patient, complete spontaneous remission was documented during the follow‐up (31 years). Mutations were found in 13 cases and included the typical heterozygous missense mutations R415Q, P418T, and P418H at exon 9 of SH3BP2. No correlation between the mutations and the clinical manifestations was observed.

Conclusion

Three different point mutations in the SH3BP2 gene were detected with variable clinical involvement. Genotype–phenotype association studies in larger population with cherubism are necessary to provide important knowledge about molecular mechanisms related to the disease.
Selective Arterial Embolization for the Treatment of Sacral and Pelvic Giant Cell Tumor: A Systematic Review
Authors: He Shao‐hui , Xu Wei , Sun Zheng‐wang , Liu Wei‐bo , Liu Yu‐jie , Wei Hai‐feng , Xiao Jian‐ru
Published: June 2017

Giant cell tumor of the bone (GCTB) is a locally aggressive tumor with a certain distant metastatic rate. For sacral GCT (SGCT) and pelvic GCT (PGCT), surgery has its limitations, especially for unresectable or recurrent tumors. Selective arterial embolization (SAE) is reported to be an option for treatment in several cases, but there are few systematic reviews on the effects of SAE on SGCT and/or PGCT. Medline and Embase databases were searched for eligible English articles. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were conducted before searching. All the clinical factors were measured by SPSS software, with P‐values ≤0.05 considered statistically significant. A total of 9 articles were retrieved, including 44 patients receiving SAE ranging from 1 to 10 times. During the mean follow‐up period of 85.8 months, the radiographic response rate was 81.8%, with a local control and overall survival rate of 75% and 81.8%, respectively. No bowel, bladder, or sexual dysfunction was observed. Three patients developed distant metastases and finally died. Patients with primary tumors tended to have better prognosis than those with recurrence (P = 0.039). The favorable outcomes of SAE suggest that it may be an alternative treatment for SGCT and PGCT patients for whom surgery is not appropriate.
Role of surgery in delayed local treatment for INSS 4 neuroblastoma
Authors: Uehara Shuichiro , Yoneda Akihiro , Oue Takaharu , Nakahata Kengo , Zenitani Masahiro , Miyamura Takako , Hashii Yoshiko , Fukuzawa Masahiro , Okuyama Hiroomi
Published: June 2017

Background

The aim of the present study was to compare the efficacy, complications and outcomes of the following two surgical strategies for delayed local treatment for International Neuroblastoma Staging System (INSS) 4 neuroblastoma (NB): complete resection (CR; period A); and gross total resection/subtotal resection (GTR/STR) with local irradiation (period B).

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 17 patients with INSS 4 NB who received delayed local treatment (period A, n = 11; period B, n = 6).

Results

Eleven patients in period A received CR. Two patients underwent GTR and four patients underwent STR in period B. The amount of blood loss in period A was significantly greater than that in period B. Postoperative complications were observed in eight patients in period A (73%), but in only one patient in period B (17%; P < 0.01). Recurrence was observed in five patients in period A and in one patient in period B (45.4% vs 16.6%; P = n.s.). Distant metastasis at recurrence was observed in four patients in period A and in one patient in period B.

Conclusions

Gross total resection/subtotal resection with local irradiation may be a safe and effective delayed local treatment for INSS 4 NB.
The conservation significance of natural hybridisation in Mediterranean plants: from a case study onCyclamen(Primulaceae) to a general perspective
Authors: Thompson J. D. , Gauthier P. , Papuga G. , Pons V. , Debussche M. , Farris E.
Published: June 2017

Hybridisation plays a prominent role in plant evolution due to its influence on genetic diversity, fitness and adaptive potential. We identify a case of on‐going hybrid evolution of floral phenotypes in disjunct populations ofCyclamen balearicumandC. repandumsubsp.repandumon Corsica and Sardinia.

Hybrid populations on the two islands contain similar patterns of variation in flower colour and size but are probably at different stages in the evolutionary process of hybridisation, and differences in the frequency of floral types and flower size suggest hybrid vigour that may contribute to the dynamics and maintenance of hybrid forms.

In a review of cases of hybridisation in Mediterranean plants we found an equivalent number of cases for the contemporary occurrence of mixed hybrid populations, as there are cases of homoploid hybrid species differentiation.

We argue for the development of a conservation strategy for Mediterranean plants that integrates the need to protect not just pure endemic species (some of hybrid origin) but also mixed populations where adaptive variation and new species are evolving due to contemporary hybridisation.
Size‐dependence of tree growth response to drought for Norway spruce and European beech individuals in monospecific and mixed‐species stands
Authors: Ding H. , Pretzsch H. , Schütze G. , Rötzer T.
Published: June 2017

Climate anomalies have resulted in changing forest productivity, increasing tree mortality in Central and Southern Europe. This has resulted in more severe and frequent ecological disturbances to forest stands. This study analysed the size‐dependence of growth response to drought years based on 384 tree individuals of Norway spruce [Picea abies(L.) Karst.] and European beech [Fagus sylvatica([L.)] in Bavaria, Germany.

Samples were collected in both monospecific and mixed‐species stands. To quantify the growth response to drought stress, indices for basal area increment, resistance, recovery and resilience were calculated from tree ring measurements of increment cores. Linear mixed models were developed to estimate the influence of drought periods.

The results show that ageing‐related growth decline is significant in drought years. Drought resilience and resistance decrease significantly with growth size among Norway spruce individuals. Evidence is also provided for robustness in the resilience capacity of European beech during drought stress. Spruce benefits from species mixing with deciduous beech, with over‐yielding spruce in pure stands.

The importance of the influence of size‐dependence within tree growth studies during disturbances is highlighted and should be considered in future studies of disturbances, including drought.
Non‐parametric Bayesian Intensity Model: Exploring Time‐to‐Event Data on Two Time Scales
Authors: Härkänen Tommi , But Anna , Haukka Jari
Published: June 2017

Time‐to‐event data have been extensively studied in many areas. Although multiple time scales are often observed, commonly used methods are based on a single time scale. Analysing time‐to‐event data on two time scales can offer a more extensive insight into the phenomenon. We introduce a non‐parametric Bayesian intensity model to analyse two‐dimensional point process on Lexis diagrams. After a simple discretization of the two‐dimensional process, we model the intensity by a one‐dimensional piecewise constant hazard functions parametrized by the change points and corresponding hazard levels. Our prior distribution incorporates a built‐in smoothing feature in two dimensions. We implement posterior simulation using the reversible jump Metropolis–Hastings algorithm and demonstrate the applicability of the method using both simulated and empirical survival data. Our approach outperforms commonly applied models by borrowing strength in two dimensions.
The Cost(s) of Geospatial Open Data
Authors: Johnson Peter A. , Sieber Renee , Scassa Teresa , Stephens Monica , Robinson Pamela
Published: June 2017

The provision of open data by governments at all levels has rapidly increased over recent years. Given that one of the dominant motivations for the provision of open data is to generate ‘value’, both economic and civic, there are valid concerns over the costs incurred in this pursuit. Typically, costs of open data are framed as internal to the data providing government. Building on the strong history of GIScience research on data provision via spatial data infrastructures, this article considers both the direct and indirect costs of open data provision, framing four main areas of indirect costs: citizen participation challenges, uneven provision across geography and user types, subsidy of private sector activities, and the creation of inroads for corporate influence on government. These areas of indirect cost lead to the development of critical questions, including constituency, purpose, enablement, protection, and priorities. These questions are posed as a guide to governments that provide open data in addressing the indirect costs of open data.
Transfusion‐transmitted CMV infection – current knowledge and future perspectives
Authors: Ziemann M. , Thiele T.
Published: June 2017

Transmission of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) via transfusion (TT‐CMV) may still occur and remains a challenge in the treatment of immunocompromised CMV‐seronegative patients, e.g. after stem cell transplantation, and for low birthweight infants. Measures to reduce the risk of TT‐CMV have been evaluated in clinical studies, including leucocyte depletion of cellular blood products and/or the selection of CMV‐IgG‐negative donations. Studies in large blood donor cohorts indicate that donations from newly CMV‐IgG‐positive donors should bear the highest risk for transmitting CMV infections because they contain the highest levels of CMV‐DNA, and early CMV antibodies cannot neutralise CMV. Based on this knowledge, rational strategies to reduce the residual risk of TT‐CMV using leucoreduced blood products could be designed. However, there is a lack of evidence that CMV is still transmitted by transfusion of leucoreduced units. In low birthweight infants, most (if not all) CMV infections are caused by breast milk feeding or congenital transmission rather than by transfusion of leucoreduced blood products. For other patients at risk, no definitive data exist about the relative importance of alternative transmission routes of CMV compared to blood transfusion. As a result, only the conduction of well‐designed studies addressing strategies to prevent TT‐CMV and the thorough examination of presumed cases of TT‐CMV will achieve guidance for the best transfusion regimen in patients at risk.
Risks and trends of red blood cell transfusion in obstetric patients: a retrospective study of 45,213 deliveries using administrative data
Authors: Shehata Nadine , Chassé Michaël , Colas Jo Ann , Murphy Malia , Forster Alan J. , Malinowski Ann K. , Ducharme Robin , Fergusson Dean A. , Tinmouth Alan , Wilson Kumanan
Published: June 2017

BACKGROUND

Transfusion data for obstetric patients are scarce. Identifying characteristics associated with red blood cell transfusion (RBCT) is of importance to better identify patients who would benefit from blood conservation strategies as the risk of alloimmunization from RBCT has the potential to affect the fetus and newborn.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

We conducted a retrospective cohort study using hospital administrative data to identify trends and risk factors of RBCT in obstetric patients. Data were analyzed according to the mode of delivery.

RESULTS

A total of 45,213 deliveries were captured between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2013. A higher proportion of patients undergoing cesarean sections (C/Ss) received an RBCT (2.3%) compared to other modes of delivery (0.7% for spontaneous vaginal delivery, 1.5% for instrumental delivery; p < 0.001). In addition, the risk of RBCT increased over the 7‐year period for those patients undergoing C/S (relative risk [RR], 1.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.14‐2.15). An unavailable hemoglobin (Hb) level (RR, 12.94; 95% CI, 7.39‐22.66) and Hb level of 70 to 80 g/L (RR, 7.78; 95% CI = 5.21‐11.60) were strongly associated with RBCT among women undergoing C/S. Earlier gestational age at induction increased the risk of RBCT across all modes of delivery.

CONCLUSIONS

The higher frequency of RBCT for unknown and low Hb supports the need for predelivery patient blood management at the time of delivery. The additional risk factors associated with RBCT identified may be used to develop risk stratification tools by mode of delivery to assist in the identification of patients at the highest risk of requiring RBCT.
Frameless stereotactic radiotherapy alone and combined with temozolomide for presumed canine gliomas
Authors: Dolera M. , Malfassi L. , Bianchi C. , Carrara N. , Finesso S. , Marcarini S. , Mazza G. , Pavesi S. , Sala M. , Urso G.
Published: June 2017

We evaluated stereotactic volume modulated arc radiotherapy (VMAT) for canine gliomas, alone (radiotherapy [RT]) and in combination with temozolomide (RT + TMZ), compared with palliation. Overall and disease‐specific survival times were estimated. Thirty dogs were palliated, 22 dogs were treated with RT and 20 with RT + TMZ. Complete and partial responses were observed in 63.2% and 90.9% of patients in the RT and RT + TMZ arms, respectively, that were alive at 1 year. Median survival in the palliation arm was 94 days (95% conformity index [CI] 87÷101). Median survivals of the RT arm (383 days, 95% CI 276÷490) and RT+TMZ arm (420 days, 95% CI 280÷560) were not significantly different (P= .61). Positive correlation with survival was found both for the ratio between target and brain (relative) volume of the tumour of <5% (P= .013) and for a clinical presentation with normal mentation (P= .032). VMAT is feasible and effective for canine brain gliomas. Combining this therapy with TMZ did not elicit any additional improvement in survival time.
Trans‐endoscopic diode laser fenestration of equine conchae via contralateral nostril approach
Authors: Kološ Filip , Bodeček Štěpán , Žert Zdeněk
Published: June 2017

Objective

To describe and report preliminary outcomes of a contralateral trans‐nasal endoscopic laser fenestration of the conchae for endoscopic examination and treatment of paranasal sinuses in horses.

Study design

Cadaveric experimental and prospective clinical study.

Animals

Normal cadaveric equine heads (n = 7) and equine patients (horses n = 7, donkey n = 1) diagnosed with sinusitis.

Methods

Ex vivo: a video‐endoscope containing a diode laser fiber in the working canal was passed through the nostril and retroflexed in the nasopharynx toward the contralateral conchae. Ventral or dorsal conchae were fenestrated. Duration of surgery, laser energy, visualization quality, and feasibility of sinoscopy through the fenestrations were recorded. In vivo: sinus drainage, sinoscopy 24 hours postoperatively, stoma persistence, and clinical results after 3 months were evaluated in 8 patients.

Results

Fenestrations were performed in 8 dorsal conchae (6 cadavers, 2 patients), 10 ventral conchae (5 cadavers, 5 patients), and 1 dorsal conchal bulla (1 patient). Visualization was good in 6 patients and affected by bleeding in 2 patients. Drainage through the fenestrations was observed in all patients. Trans‐nasal sinoscopy was possible in all cadavers and in 6 out of 8 patients. Masses inside the sinuses precluded sinoscopy in 2 patients. Stomata persisted until discharge of the patients (mean of 14 days). Clinical signs improved in 6/8 patients.

Conclusion

The endoscopic approach reported here provides good visualization during the trans‐endoscopic laser fenestration of the conchae. The fenestrations may allow a trans‐nasal sinoscopic examination and treatment in selected cases of sinusitis in horses.
Long short-term memory for speaker generalization in supervised speech separation
Authors: Chen Jitong , Wang DeLiang
Published: June 2017

Speech separation can be formulated as learning to estimate a time-frequency mask from acoustic features extracted from noisy speech. For supervised speech separation, generalization to unseen noises and unseen speakers is a critical issue. Although deep neural networks (DNNs) have been successful in noise-independent speech separation, DNNs are limited in modeling a large number of speakers. To improve speaker generalization, a separation model based on long short-term memory (LSTM) is proposed, which naturally accounts for temporal dynamics of speech. Systematic evaluation shows that the proposed model substantially outperforms a DNN-based model on unseen speakers and unseen noises in terms of objective speech intelligibility. Analyzing LSTM internal representations reveals that LSTM captures long-term speech contexts. It is also found that the LSTM model is more advantageous for low-latency speech separation and it, without future frames, performs better than the DNN model with future frames. The proposed model represents an effective approach for speaker- and noise-independent speech separation.
Medical Image Enhancement Method Based on the Fractional Order Derivative and the Directional Derivative
Authors: Guan Jinlan , Ou Jiequan , Lai Zhihui , Lai Yuting
Published: June 2017

In recent years, the fractional order derivative has been introduced for image enhancement. It was proved that the medical image enhancement method based on the fractional order derivative has better effect than the method based on the integral order calculus. However, a priori information such as texture surrounding a pixel is normally ignored by the traditional fractional differential operators with the same value in the eight directions. To address the above problem, this paper presents a new medical image enhancement method by taking the merits of fractional differential and directional derivative. The proposed method considers the surrounding information (such as the image edge, clarity and texture information) and structural features of different pixels, as well as the directional derivative of each pixel in constructing the masks. By proposing this method, it can not only improve the high frequency information, but also improve the low frequency information of the image. Ultimately, it enhances the texture information of the image. Extensive experiments on four kinds of medical image demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is in favor of preserving more texture details and superior to the existing fractional differential algorithms on medical image enhancement.
1∕f Noise in the Simple Genetic Algorithm Applied to a Traveling Salesman Problem
Authors: Yamada Mitsuhiro
Published: June 2017

Complex dynamical systems are observed in physics, biology, and even economics. Such systems in balance are considered to be in a critical state, and [Formula: see text] noise is considered to be a footprint. Complex dynamical systems have also been investigated in the field of evolutionary algorithms inspired by biological evolution. The genetic algorithm (GA) is a well-known evolutionary algorithm in which many individuals interact, and the simplest GA is referred to as the simple GA (SGA). However, the GA has not been examined from the viewpoint of the emergence of [Formula: see text] noise. In the present paper, the SGA is applied to a traveling salesman problem in order to investigate the SGA from such a viewpoint. The timecourses of the fitness of the candidate solution were examined. As a result, when the mutation and crossover probabilities were optimal, the system evolved toward a critical state in which the average maximum fitness over all trial runs was maximum. In this situation, the fluctuation of the fitness of the candidate solution resulted in the [Formula: see text] power spectrum, and the dynamics of the system had no intrinsic time or length scale.
The aggregation of amphiphilic (L)-proline-porphyrin derivatives in ethanol-water mixtures promoted by chiral anionic surfactants
Authors: Stefanelli Manuela , Coticone Roberta , Sbardella Paola , Ceccacci Francesca , Mancini Giovanna , Mandoj Federica , Paolesse Roberto , Venanzi Mariano , Monti Donato
Published: June 2017

The use of chiral surfactants results in a powerful tool to form chiral assemblies of (L)proline-functionalized porphyrin derivatives in EtOH/H[Formula: see text]O exploiting hydrophobic effect. The formation of chiral heteroaggregated species strictly depends both on the configuration of the chiral center of the surfactant and on its concentration, opening the possibility to tune the supramolecular asymmetry of the final structures.
Discotic liquid crystals of transition metal complexes, 53†: synthesis and mesomorphism of phthalocyanines substituted by m-alkoxyphenylthio groups
Authors: Chino Yoshiaki , Ohta Kazuchika , Kimura Mutsumi , Yasutake Mikio
Published: June 2017

We have successfully synthesized a series of novel octakis([Formula: see text]-alkoxyphenylthio)phthalocyaninato copper(II) complexes, ([Formula: see text]-C[Formula: see text]OPhS)[Formula: see text]PcCu ([Formula: see text] = 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16: 1b~1i), by our developed method to reveal their mesomorphism. The phase transition behavior and mesophase structures have been established by using a polarizing optical microscope, a differential scanning calorimeter, and a temperature-dependent small angle X-ray diffractometer. Interestingly, the very short chain-substituted derivatives, ([Formula: see text]-C[Formula: see text]OPhS)[Formula: see text]PcCu (1a) and ([Formula: see text]-C[Formula: see text]OPhS)[Formula: see text]PCu (1b), show a hexagonal ordered columnar (Col[Formula: see text] mesophase, whereas each of the other longer-chain-substituted derivatives, ([Formula: see text]-C[Formula: see text]OPhS)[Formula: see text]PcCu ([Formula: see text] = 4~16: 1c~1i), shows only rectangular ordered columnar (Col[Formula: see text] mesophase(s). In contrast to the present longer-chain-substituted phenylthio derivatives, each of the previous longer-chain-substituted phenoxy derivatives, ([Formula: see text]-C[Formula: see text]OPhO)[Formula: see text]PcCu ([Formula: see text] = 10–20), shows a different columnar mesophase of Col[Formula: see text]. We discuss this difference of mesomorphism from the viewpoint of the different steric hindrance originated by the peripheral substituents, PhO and PhS groups. Moreover, we could estimate the optical band gaps of ([Formula: see text]-C[Formula: see text]OPhO)[Formula: see text]PcCu and ([Formula: see text]-C[Formula: see text]OPhS)[Formula: see text]PcCu (1f) from absorption edge of the Q-bands to be 1.79 eV and 1.70 eV, respectively. Therefore, the phenylthio-substituted derivative gave a narrower band gap byca. 0.1 eV in comparison with the phenoxy-substituted derivative.
Values of Gaussian hypergeometric series and their connections to algebraic curves
Authors: Kalita Gautam
Published: June 2017

In this paper, we explicitly evaluate certain special values of [Formula: see text] hypergeometric series. These evaluations are based on some summation transformation formulas of Gaussian hypergeometric series. We find expressions of the number of points on certain algebraic curves over [Formula: see text] in terms of Gaussian hypergeometric series, which play the vital role in deducing the transformation results.
On the dual nature theory of bilateral series associated to mock theta functions
Authors: Chen Bin
Published: June 2017

In recent work, Hickerson and Mortenson introduced a dual notion between Appell–Lerch sums and partial theta functions. In this sense, Appell–Lerch sums and partial theta functions appear to be dual to each other. In this paper, by making the substitution [Formula: see text] in the tail of the associated bilateral series of mock theta functions and universal mock theta functions, we demonstrate how to obtain duals of the second type in terms of Appell–Lerch sums defined by Mortenson for such functions. Then by using the substitution [Formula: see text] in duals of the second type of each bilateral series, we present how to translate between identities expressing [Formula: see text]-hypergeometric series in terms of Appell–Lerch sums and identities expressing [Formula: see text]-hypergeometric series in terms of partial theta functions. Indeed, we obtain only four duals in terms of partial theta functions of duals of the second type in terms of Appell–Lerch sums of bilateral series associated to mock theta functions. As an application, we construct Ramanujan radial limits by using these bilateral series with mock modular behavior in terms of Appell–Lerch sums for some order mock theta functions. This method is well-suited for the other order mock theta functions.
A binary additive problem with fractional powers
Authors: Zhu Wenbin
Published: June 2017

Let [Formula: see text] be a real number with [Formula: see text]. We study the representations of a large integer [Formula: see text] in the form [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] is an integer and [Formula: see text] is a friable number with [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text]. We prove that when [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], all sufficiently large integers are thus representable.
Dynamics of Molecular Processes and the Sustainable Development of Humanity
Authors: Lee Yuan Tseh
Published: June 2017

Yuan Tseh Lee was instrumental in the development and construction of an apparatus that utilized crossed molecular beams, presenting a break-through technique that allowed for the understanding of the dynamics of elementary chemical reactions. This was done by following the trajectories of reactants and reaction products in single collision events, allowing the visualization of the dynamics of how chemical reactions take place. This article also highlights Prof. Lee’s belief in the severity of the consequences of global warming and his concerns relating to the need to substantially reduce carbon emissions.
Metabolism and acetylation contribute to leucine-mediated inhibition of cardiac glucose uptake
Authors: Renguet Edith , Ginion Audrey , Gélinas Roselle , Bultot Laurent , Auquier Julien , Robillard Frayne Isabelle , Daneault Caroline , Vanoverschelde Jean-Louis , Des Rosiers Christine , Hue Louis , Horman Sandrine , Beauloye Christophe , Bertrand Luc
Published: June 2017

High plasma leucine levels strongly correlate with type 2 diabetes. Studies of muscle cells have suggested that leucine alters the insulin response for glucose transport by activating an insulin-negative feedback loop driven by the mammalian target of rapamycin/p70 ribosomal S6 kinase (mTOR/p70S6K) pathway. Here, we examined the molecular mechanism involved in leucine’s action on cardiac glucose uptake. Leucine was indeed able to curb glucose uptake after insulin stimulation in both cultured cardiomyocytes and perfused hearts. Although leucine activated mTOR/p70S6K, the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin did not prevent leucine’s inhibitory action on glucose uptake, ruling out the contribution of the insulin-negative feedback loop. α-Ketoisocaproate, the first metabolite of leucine catabolism, mimicked leucine’s effect on glucose uptake. Incubation of cardiomyocytes with [13C]leucine ascertained its metabolism to ketone bodies (KBs), which had a similar negative impact on insulin-stimulated glucose transport. Both leucine and KBs reduced glucose uptake by affecting translocation of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) to the plasma membrane. Finally, we found that leucine elevated the global protein acetylation level. Pharmacological inhibition of lysine acetyltransferases counteracted this increase in protein acetylation and prevented leucine’s inhibitory action on both glucose uptake and GLUT4 translocation. Taken together, these results indicate that leucine metabolism into KBs contributes to inhibition of cardiac glucose uptake by hampering the translocation of GLUT4-containing vesicles via acetylation. They offer new insights into the establishment of insulin resistance in the heart.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Catabolism of the branched-chain amino acid leucine into ketone bodies efficiently inhibits cardiac glucose uptake through decreased translocation of glucose transporter 4 to the plasma membrane. Leucine increases protein acetylation. Pharmacological inhibition of acetylation reverses leucine’s action, suggesting acetylation involvement in this phenomenon.

Listen to this article’s corresponding podcast at http://ajpheart.podbean.com/e/leucine-metabolism-inhibits-cardiac-glucose-uptake/ .
Random squat/stand maneuvers: a novel approach for assessment of dynamic cerebral autoregulation?
Authors: Barnes Sam C. , Ball Naomi , Panerai Ronney B. , Robinson Thompson G. , Haunton Victoria J.
Published: June 2017

Squat/stand maneuvers (SSM) have been used to assess dynamic cerebral autoregulation (dCA), but always at a fixed frequency (FF). This study aimed to assess the use of random-frequency (RF) SSMs as a stimulus for measuring dCA and determine the reproducibility of FF and RFSSMs. Twenty-nine healthy volunteers [19 male, mean age 23.0 (4.9) yr] completed the study; 11 returned for a repeat visit (median 45 days). Heart rate, beat-to-beat blood pressure, middle cerebral artery (MCA) blood flow velocity, end-tidal CO2, and angle of the squat movement were measured. Subjects underwent four recordings: 5 min sitting, 5 min standing, FFSSMs (0.05Hz), and RFSSMs. Subjects were asked to rate the degree of exertion experienced while performing these maneuvers. Twenty-nine subjects completed the protocol; nine data sets were deemed unsuitable for further analysis. Mean ARI of 6.21 (1.04) while standing was significantly greater than during the SSMs ( P < 0.01), with mean (SD) ARI during the FF and RFSSMs being 5.16 (1.43) and 5.37 (1.21), respectively. However, no significant difference was found between the ARI estimates from the two SSMs ( P = 0.856) or for each of the four recordings between the two visits ( P = 0.645). RFSSMs were found to be significantly less tiring than FFSSMs ( P < 0.01). In conclusion, RFSSMs are an effective and noninvasive method of assessing dCA. There is no difference in the ARI estimates in comparison with FFSSMs. Although FFSSMs have been well tolerated previously, RFSSMs are preferred by healthy subjects and thus may be better tolerated by a patient population in a clinical setting.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY RFSSMs provided comparable estimates of autoregulatory indices to FFSSMs. Instead of point estimates at the driven frequency, RFSSMs generate a broader power spectrum of changes in arterial blood pressure and cerebral blood flow velocity, allowing direct comparison with spontaneous fluctuations through transfer function analysis. Moreover, random-frequency SSMs are preferred by participants. They are a novel tool by which larger blood pressure oscillations can be elicited for the reliable measurement of dynamic cerebral autoregulation.
Outcome and Treatment of Antenatally Diagnosed Nonimmune Hydrops Fetalis
Authors: Nassr Ahmed A. , Ness Amen , Hosseinzadeh Pardis , Salmanian Bahram , Espinoza Jimmy , Berger Victoria , Werner Eleonore , Erfani Hadi , Welty Stephen , Bateni Zhoobin H. , Shamshirsaz Amir A. , Popek Edwina , Ruano Rodrigo , Davis Alexis S. , Lee Timothy C. , Keswani Sundeep , Cass Darrell L. , Olutoye Oluyinka O. , Belfort Michael A. , Shamshirsaz Alireza A.
Published: June 2017

Introduction: The objectives of this study were to evaluate the outcome of nonimmune hydrops fetalis in an attempt to identify independent predictors of perinatal mortality. Material and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted including all cases of nonimmune hydrops from two tertiary care centers. Perinatal outcome was evaluated after classifying nonimmune hydrops into ten etiological groups. We examined the effect of etiology, site of fluid accumulation, and gestational age at delivery on postnatal survival. Neonatal mortality and hospital discharge survival were compared between the expectant management and fetal intervention groups among those with idiopathic etiology. Results: A total of 142 subjects were available for analysis. Generally, nonimmune hydrops carried 37% risk of neonatal mortality and 50% chance of survival to discharge, which varies markedly based on the underlying etiology. Ascites was an independent predictor of perinatal mortality (p value = 0.003). There was nonsignificant difference in neonatal mortality and hospital discharge survival among idiopathic cases that were managed expectantly versus those in whom fetal intervention was carried out. Discussion: The outcome of nonimmune hydrops varies largely according to the underlying etiology and the presence of ascites is an independent risk factor for perinatal mortality. In our series, fetal intervention did not offer survival advantage among fetuses with idiopathic nonimmune hydrops.
New contributions to the knowledge of Chinese flea beetle fauna (I): Gansuapteris new genus and Primulavorus new genus (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Galerucinae)
Authors: RUAN YONG-YING , KONSTANTINOV ALEXANDER S. , PRATHAPAN K. D. , YANG XING-KE
Published: June 2017

Two new genera and species of flea beetles (Gansuapteris gen. nov., Primulavorus gen. nov., Gansuapteris fulvus sp. nov. and Primulavorus maculata sp. nov.) from south-west China are described and illustrated. Distinguishing features of the new genera and their allies are discussed.
An Inclusive Psychoanalyst: Sidney Blatt’s Contribution In Perspective
Authors: Berman Emanuel
Published: June 2017

Sidney Blatt personified in many ways the striving toward an inclusive, broad-minded, nonsectarian, and nondogmatic psychoanalysis. Intrigued and inspired by many trends in psychoanalytic thought and neighboring disciplines, he believed deeply in the coexistence and mutual contributions of a psychoanalytic clinical practice and of systematic empirical research on development and its disruptions, evolving personality traits, and the ways psychoanalytic treatment becomes effective. Carl Rogers, David Rapaport, and John Bowlby were among the figures who played a significant role in the development of his rich and complex thinking and productive work.
Book Review: Bidyut Chakrabarty and Prakash Chand, Public Administration in a Globalizing World
Authors: Dutta Alokka
Published: June 2017

Bidyut Chakrabarty and Prakash Chand, Public Administration in a Globalizing World. Delhi: SAGE Publications, 2013, 546 pp., ₹525.
Book Review: A. R. Nanda, Bureaucrazy—The Razor’s Edge
Authors: Nath Madhu Bala
Published: June 2017

A. R. Nanda, Bureaucrazy—The Razor’s Edge. New Delhi: Manas Publications, 2016, 245 pp., ₹695.
How Personal Transformation Occurs Following a Single Peak Experience in Nature: A Phenomenological Account
Authors: Naor Lia , Mayseless Ofra
Published: June 2017

This study focuses on a particular form of positive transformation taking place in the wilderness, defined here as peak transformative experience. A large number of studies have been conducted on the negative transformative effect of a single traumatic event, while very little research has focused on positive transformational events. We addressed this lacuna by studying a unique case of quick positive transformation, taking place in nature. This study goes beyond the common description and outcome of the peak experience by focusing specifically on the process of personal transformation. Applying a phenomenological approach, 15 participants aged 28 to 70 years, who identified as having had such an experience, were interviewed. Analysis of these interviews revealed the “essence” of the peak experience in nature which led to the rapid transformation. This essence involved the recognition of formerly unknown aspects of self, projected onto nature and experienced in an embodied way, evoking an insight into a meaningful personal issue. Choosing to own these newly discovered aspects and integrate them resulted in rapid personal transformation. The findings are discussed, underscoring the centrality of nature in this process, the importance of free choice, and the potential for harnessing positive transformative peak experiences in nature for human development.
Modelling and performance evaluation of energy harvesting linear magnetorheological (MR) damper
Authors: Ahamed Raju , Rashid MM , Ferdaus MM , Yusuf Hazlina B
Published: June 2017

In this study, an magnetorheological (MR) damper has been designed based on its energy harvesting capability which combines the key benefits of energy generation (reusing lost energy) and magnetorheological damping (controllable damping force). The energy harvesting part has a magnet and coil arrangement to generate energy. A two-dimensional axisymmetric model of the proposed magnetorheological damper is developed in COMSOL Multiphysics where different magnetic field properties are analysed generally by finite element method. Finally, the energy harvesting capability of the proposed magnetorheological damper model is tested by a universal testing machine and observed through an oscilloscope. The maximum induced output voltage was around 0.7 V.
Additive manufacturing for minimizing vibration damages in the water-stop tray of washing machines
Authors: Berardi Umberto , Iannace Gino
Published: June 2017

The present work aims to study the water-stop tray, a front-loading component of a washing machine. As most of the components of washing machines, the water-stop tray suffers significant vibrations especially when the spin speed increases. A vibrational analysis of the current typical design was realized. Then, four modified trays were investigated and a hammer impulse response was recorded using 13 accelerometers in order to measure the frequency response of each tray. The results allow to identify the key parameters that affect the vibrational response of a water-stop tray. Finally, the comparative analysis among the different designs allows to select the tray with the lowest vibration amplitude.
Deep tracking in the wild: End-to-end tracking using recurrent neural networks
Authors: Dequaire Julie , Ondrúška Peter , Rao Dushyant , Wang Dominic , Posner Ingmar
Published: June 2017

This paper presents a novel approach for tracking static and dynamic objects for an autonomous vehicle operating in complex urban environments. Whereas traditional approaches for tracking often feature numerous hand-engineered stages, this method is learned end-to-end and can directly predict a fully unoccluded occupancy grid from raw laser input. We employ a recurrent neural network to capture the state and evolution of the environment, and train the model in an entirely unsupervised manner. In doing so, our use case compares to model-free, multi-object tracking although we do not explicitly perform the underlying data-association process. Further, we demonstrate that the underlying representation learned for the tracking task can be leveraged via inductive transfer to train an object detector in a data efficient manner. We motivate a number of architectural features and show the positive contribution of dilated convolutions, dynamic and static memory units to the task of tracking and classifying complex dynamic scenes through full occlusion. Our experimental results illustrate the ability of the model to track cars, buses, pedestrians, and cyclists from both moving and stationary platforms. Further, we compare and contrast the approach with a more traditional model-free multi-object tracking pipeline, demonstrating that it can more accurately predict future states of objects from current inputs.
Deterministic sampling-based motion planning: Optimality, complexity, and performance
Authors: Janson Lucas , Ichter Brian , Pavone Marco
Published: June 2017

Probabilistic sampling-based algorithms, such as the probabilistic roadmap (PRM) and the rapidly exploring random tree (RRT) algorithms, represent one of the most successful approaches to robotic motion planning, due to their strong theoretical properties (in terms of probabilistic completeness or even asymptotic optimality) and remarkable practical performance. Such algorithms are probabilistic in that they compute a path by connecting independently and identically distributed (i.i.d.) random points in the configuration space. Their randomization aspect, however, makes several tasks challenging, including certification for safety-critical applications and use of offline computation to improve real-time execution. Hence, an important open question is whether similar (or better) theoretical guarantees and practical performance could be obtained by considering deterministic, as opposed to random, sampling sequences. The objective of this paper is to provide a rigorous answer to this question. Specifically, we first show that PRM, for a certain selection of tuning parameters and deterministic low-dispersion sampling sequences, is deterministically asymptotically optimal, in other words, it returns a path whose cost converges deterministically to the optimal one as the number of points goes to infinity. Second, we characterize the convergence rate, and we find that the factor of sub-optimality can be very explicitly upper-bounded in terms of the[Formula: see text] -dispersion of the sampling sequence and the connection radius of PRM. Third, we show that an asymptotically optimal version of PRM exists with computational and space complexity arbitrarily close to [Formula: see text] (the theoretical lower bound), where n is the number of points in the sequence. This is in contrast to the [Formula: see text] complexity results for existing asymptotically optimal probabilistic planners. Fourth, we discuss extending our theoretical results and insights to other batch-processing algorithms such as FMT*, to non-uniform sampling strategies, to k-nearest-neighbor implementations, and to differentially constrained problems. Importantly, our main theoretical tool is the [Formula: see text]-dispersion, an interesting consequence of which is that all our theoretical results also hold for low-[Formula: see text]-dispersion random sampling (which i.i.d. sampling does not satisfy). In other words, achieving deterministic guarantees is really a matter of i.i.d. sampling versus non-i.i.d. low-dispersion sampling (with deterministic sampling as a prominent case), as opposed to random versus deterministic. Finally, through numerical experiments, we show that planning with deterministic (or random) low-dispersion sampling generally provides superior performance in terms of path cost and success rate.
Stemming the tide: What have European Union countries done to support low-wage workers in an era of downward wage pressures?
Authors: Marchal Sarah , Marx Ive
Published: June 2017

Governments across the European Union (EU) have been striving to get more people into work while at the same time acknowledging that more needs to be done to ‘make work pay’. Yet this drive comes at a time when structural economic shifts are putting pressure on wages, especially of less skilled workers. This article focuses on trends in minimum wages, income taxes and work-related benefits within a selection of 15 EU countries, for the period 2001–2012, with three US states included as reference cases. We find evidence for eroding relative minimum wages in various EU countries, yet combined with catch-up growth in the new member states. We also find that governments counteracted eroding minimum wages through direct income support measures, especially for lone parents. Most prevalent among these were substantial declines in income tax liabilities.