bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Knee Angle Analysis Using a Wearable Motion Analysis System for Detection and Rehabilitation of Mild Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Martori Amanda L. , Carey Stephanie L. , Lura Derek J. , Dubey Rajiv V.
Published: January 2014

Mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) are common in soldiers and athletes, and can affect many areas of a person’s daily life including gait [1]. Current methods of measuring gait parameters involve expensive optical motion capture systems, time intensive setup, wires, complicated filtering techniques, and a laboratory setting. A wearable and wireless motion analysis system would allow gait analysis to be performed outside of a laboratory setting during activities of daily living, in a clinical setting or on a football field. The purpose of this study was to develop and verify an algorithm to calculate knee flexion during slow gait, particularly during terminal stance and pre-swing phases, using wireless wearable sensors.
Engineered Fibrillar Microenvironments With Controllable Architecture and Mechanics for Studying Cellular Stiffness Sensing
Authors: Baker Brendon M. , Trappmann Britta , Kim Iris L. , Burdick Jason A. , Chen Christopher S.
Published: January 2014

The mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM) have emerged as fundamental players in numerous basic cellular functions such as spreading, migration, proliferation and differentiation, thus impacting many biological processes including embryonic development, adult tissue homeostasis, and disease pathogenesis such as fibrosis and cancer [1,2,3]. Synthetic matrices have been crucial to studying the effect of mechanics on cell behavior, as they allow for precise control of mechanical properties over a wide stiffness range, unachievable in vivo or in many naturally derived material systems. Seminal work employing polyacrylamide hydrogels of varying stiffness to direct the differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells concluded that the bulk modulus, a measure of the material’s resistance to uniform deformation, is a defining parameter influencing cell function [4]. While much current effort aims to shed light on the molecular mechanisms governing stiffness sensing, existing knowledge is limited by the dissimilarity between the simple hydrogel surfaces employed in these studies and the topographically and mechanically more complex ECM cells routinely reside within in vivo. In contrast to the flat expanse of cell adhesive ligand and linear elastic, continuum behavior of typical gel systems, within the body, cell-scale mechanics and ligand availability are entwined, as both are defined by the presence and organization of the proteins that compose the surrounding ECM. The structure of native ECMs vary but largely are fibrillar, given that collagen comprises approximately 25% of the human body by mass. Thus, there remains a significant need for engineered fibrillar materials that afford precise and independent control of architectural features and resulting mechanical properties for application in cell biology. In this work, we establish a novel material system towards this end.
An Anchoring Mechanism Used to Implant a Biosensor in the Small Intestine
Authors: Yang Xiaojian , Terry Benjamin S.
Published: January 2014

Capsule Endoscopy (CE) has been used in last 10 years in medical diagnosis of intestine disease such as obscure gastrointestinal bleeding(OGIB)[1]. An estimated 19 million Americans[2] suffer from these kinds of small intestine disease. The major limitation of this method is that the incomplete examination found in one research is about 20% of 2300 examinations. Also it results in a small risk of obstructive symptoms. When retention happens, high-cost, quick surgical intervention is required.
Relation of Cerebrospinal Fluid Flow Impedance and Cerebellar Herniation in Type I Chiari Malformation
Authors: Shaffer Nicholas , Martin Bryn , Rocque Brandon , Madura Casey , Iskandar Bermans , Wieben Oliver , Dombrowski Stephen , Luciano Mark , Oshinski John , Loth Francis
Published: January 2014

This study investigates the use of longitudinal impedance (LI) as a means to quantify the severity of Type I Chiari Malformation (CMI). LI was analyzed in image-based models of the cervical spinal subarachnoid space of 22 CMI patients and 10 healthy volunteers. LI was then compared with the cerebellar tonsil herniation (CTH) measured by two neurosurgeons. Results showed that both LI and CTH differentiated CMI patients from healthy volunteers, but lacked the specificity to differentiate symptomatic and asymptomatic patients.
Parameter Estimation in Models of Cell Survival Using Scaled Time
Authors: Wright Neil T.
Published: January 2014

Many individual samples are needed to measure cell survival following heating at multiple temperatures and multiple heating durations. For example, if eight time points are considered for each of seven treatment temperatures with three replicates at each condition, then 168 separate samples are needed. In addition, physical considerations may limit the number of points that can be measured, especially as treatment temperature increases and the heating duration decreases. For a reasonable sample size, there may be a limit to the treatment temperature as the time required to heat the culture to the target temperature becomes comparable to the treatment time. Then, using an isothermal analysis of the data introduces error and the temperature must be considered time varying, requiring estimates of the very parameters being sought. Conversely, for long treatment times, it may be difficult to insure that the temperature remains constant and that the temperature is the only modified experimental condition in the culture medium. These challenges typically lead to relatively small data sets. Furthermore, treating each temperature as a separate experiment leads to challenging statistical analysis of the data, as the few data points lead to difficulty in finding the confidence intervals of the parameters in a given model.
Effect of Flow Pulsatility and Wall Compliance on the Energy Loss in the Total Cavopulmonary Connection
Authors: Khiabani Reza H. , Phonekeo Sulisay , Srinimukesh Harish , Tang Elaine , Fogel Mark , Yoganathan Ajit P.
Published: January 2014

Single Ventricle Heart Defects (SVHD) are present in 2 per 1000 live births in the US. SVHD are characterized by cyanotic mixing between the de-oxygenated blood from the systemic circulation return and the oxygenated blood from the pulmonary arteries. In the current practice, surgical interventions on SVHD patients commonly result in the total cavopulmonary connection (TCPC) [1]. In this configuration the systemic venous returns (inferior vena cava, IVC, and superior vena cava, SVC) are directly routed to the right and left pulmonary arteries (RPA and LPA), bypassing the right heart. The resulting anatomy has complex and unsteady hemodynamics characterized by flow mixing and flow separation. Pulsation of the inlet venous flow during a cardiac cycle and wall motion may result in complex and unsteady flow patterns in the TCPC. Although vessel wall motion and different degrees of pulsatility have been observed in vivo, non-pulsatile (time-averaged) flow boundary conditions and rigid walls have traditionally been assumed in estimating the TCPC hemodynamic parameters (such as energy loss). Recent studies have shown that these assumptions may result in significant inaccuracies in modeling TCPC hemodynamics [2, 3].
Comparison of Flow Diverter Deployment Strategies for Cerebral Aneurysm Treatment: Evaluation of Hemodynamic Modifications
Authors: Damiano Robert , Martensen Chris , Ma Ding , Xiang Jianping , Siddiqui Adnan , Meng Hui
Published: January 2014

Flow diversion with the Pipeline Embolization Device (PED, Covidien, Irvine, CA) represents the most recent advancement in endovascular treatment of cerebral aneurysms. Despite great success at treating previously untreatable aneurysms, complications such as delayed rupture after PED treatment raise concerns that clinical outcome is not always predictable. This is due to the lack of knowledge about the flow modifications by different configurations of PED placement in patient-specific geometry and how these affect thrombosis. To shed light on mechanisms behind these issues, this study investigated the hemodynamic modifications induced by different treatment scenarios, including (1) a single PED vs. 2 overlapping PEDs and (2) uniform vs. dense packing of a single PED. Besides flow reduction and wall shear stress (WSS) modification, we also conducted a preliminary investigation of the potential for platelet activation from high blood shear induced by PED struts.
Platelet Activity State in Human, Bovine, and Ovine Species Under Constant Shear Stress: A Comparative Study
Authors: Tran Phat L. , Merkle Valerie M. , DeCook Tracy , Hutchinson Marcus , Sheriff Jawaad , Bluestein Danny , Slepian Marvin J.
Published: January 2014

Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices, such as the total artificial heart and ventricular assist devices, are employed as bridge-to-transplant or destination therapies for advanced heart failure.[1] Recipients of these life-saving MCS devices have to endure life-long antiplatelet regimens to counteract thromboembolic events resulting from exposure of platelets to high shear stress. Often, large animal models, i.e. bovine and ovine, have been utilized to evaluate the performance and blood compatibility of these cardiovascular devices. Therefore, understanding and correlating the interspecies differences of platelet reactivity is crucial in optimizing the design of MCS devices.
E-Tetra Kayak: Adaptive Sport Kayak for Recreational Therapy for Persons With Spinal Cord Injuries
Authors: Myers Michael , Evans Zak , Cintron Orlando , Cornwell Raleigh , Perkins Timothy , Cosman Chris , Bloswick Don , Merryweather Andrew
Published: January 2014

A person with tetraplegia has lost the ability to willfully control his/her arms and legs, usually due to a severe spinal cord injury. Existing technologies using head motion or puffs of breath to control device movement promise increased mobility and the possibility of expanding recreational activities in a variety of forms to this population. Lack of access to rehabilitative services and engaging recreational activity fosters inactivity. This often creates an environment that causes individuals with physical disabilities to experience reduced function and mobility beyond the cause of their disability, and further disengages them from society 1. Adaptive sports are increasing in popularity and provide many benefits to participants.
AAA Rupture Risk Assessment in the Clinic: Wall Stress or Geometric Characterization?
Authors: Finol Ender A. , Raut Samarth S. , Lee Kibaek , Shum Judy , Muluk Satish C. , Eskandari Mark K. , Chandra Ankur
Published: January 2014

The current clinical management of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) disease is based to a great extent on measuring the aneurysm maximum diameter to decide when timely intervention is required. Decades of clinical evidence show that aneurysm diameter is positively associated with the risk of rupture, but other parameters may also play a role in causing or predisposing the AAA to rupture. Geometric factors such as vessel tortuosity, intraluminal thrombus volume, and wall surface area are implicated in the differentiation of ruptured and unruptured AAAs. Biomechanical factors identified by means of computational modeling techniques, such as peak wall stress, have been positively correlated with rupture risk with a higher accuracy and sensitivity than maximum diameter alone. In the present work, we performed a controlled study targeted at evaluating the effect of uncertainty of the constitutive material model used for the vascular wall in the ensuing peak wall stress. Based on the outcome of this study, a second analysis was conducted based on the geometric characterization of surface curvature in two groups of aneurysm geometries, to discern which curvature metric can adequately discriminate ruptured from electively repaired AAA. The outcome of this work provides preliminary evidence on the importance of quantitative geometry characterization for AAA rupture risk assessment in the clinic.
Distributed Live Muscle Actuators Controlled by Optical Stimuli
Authors: Neal Devin , Sakar Mahmut Selman , Asada H. Harry
Published: January 2014

A multi degree of freedom skeletal muscle system stimulated via optical control is presented. These millimeter-scale, optically excitable 3D skeletal muscle bio-actuators are created by culturing genetically modified precursory muscle cells that are activated with light: optogenetics. These muscle bio-actuators are networked together to create a distributed muscle system. Muscle systems can manipulate loads having no fixed joint. These types of loads include shoulders, the mouth, and the jaw.
Intramuscular Therapeutic Vaccination Targeting HPV16 Induces T Cell Responses That Localize in Mucosal Lesions
Authors: Maldonado Leonel , Teague Jessica E. , Morrow Matthew P. , Jotova Iveta , Wu T. C. , Wang Chenguang , Desmarais Cindy , Boyer Jean D. , Tycko Benjamin , Robins Harlan S. , Clark Rachael A. , Trimble Cornelia L.
Published: January 2014

T helper 1 (T
H
1) immune responses are detectable in target lesions after therapeutic vaccination.
Right Answers, Wrong Questions in Clinical Research
Authors: Horwitz Ralph I. , Abell Jill E. , Christian Jennifer B. , Wivel Ashley E.
Published: January 2014

To ensure that clinical research arrives at the “right” answers to the right questions for patients, studies should be designed to more closely approximate real-world use of therapeutics and devices.
Antioxidants Accelerate Lung Cancer Progression in Mice
Authors: Sayin Volkan I. , Ibrahim Mohamed X. , Larsson Erik , Nilsson Jonas A. , Lindahl Per , Bergo Martin O.
Published: January 2014

The antioxidants acetylcysteine and vitamin E accelerate tumor progression and reduce survival in mouse models of lung cancer by disrupting the ROS-p53 axis.
A Simple Solution for a Big Problem
Authors: Mahfuz Mustafa
Published: January 2014

A randomized controlled trial shows improved gut villous morphology in patients with environmentally induced enteropathy given high-dose micronutrient supplements.
Moving from Unknown Unknown to Known Unknown
Authors: Margolin Adam A.
Published: January 2014

Genomic analysis of nearly 5000 tumors demonstrates that we are far from finding all the cancer genes.
Regenerative Medicine Gets Vocal
Authors: Balcells Mercedes
Published: January 2014

An acellular scaffold derived from urinary bladder extracellular matrix is able to regenerate a functional larynx.
CRISPR-Cas Functional Module Exchange in Escherichia coli
Authors: Almendros Cristóbal , Mojica Francisco J. M. , Díez-Villaseñor César , Guzmán Noemí M. , García-Martínez Jesús
Published: January 2014

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and CRISPR-associated (
cas
) genes constitute the CRISPR-Cas systems found in the
Bacteria
and
Archaea
domains. At least in some strains they provide an efficient barrier against transmissible genetic elements such as plasmids and viruses. Two CRISPR-Cas systems have been identified in
Escherichia coli
, pertaining to subtypes I-E (
cas
-E genes) and I-F (
cas
-F genes), respectively. In order to unveil the evolutionary dynamics of such systems, we analyzed the sequence variations in the CRISPR-Cas loci of a collection of 131
E. coli
strains. Our results show that the strain grouping inferred from these CRISPR data slightly differs from the phylogeny of the species, suggesting the occurrence of recombinational events between CRISPR arrays. Moreover, we determined that the primary
cas
-E genes of
E. coli
were altogether replaced with a substantially different variant in a minor group of strains that include K-12. Insertion elements play an important role in this variability. This result underlines the interchange capacity of CRISPR-Cas constituents and hints that at least some functional aspects documented for the K-12 system may not apply to the vast majority of
E. coli
strains.

IMPORTANCE
Escherichia coli
is a model microorganism for the study of diverse aspects such as microbial evolution and is a component of the human gut flora that may have a direct impact in everyday life. This work was undertaken with the purpose of elucidating the evolutionary pathways that have led to the present situation of its significantly different CRISPR-Cas subtypes (I-E and I-F) in several strains of
E. coli
. In doing so, this information offers a novel and wider understanding of the variety and relevance of these regions within the species. Therefore, this knowledge may provide clues helping researchers better understand these systems for typing purposes and make predictions of their behavior in strains that, depending on their particular genetic dotation, would result in different levels of immunity to foreign genetic elements.
Metabolite Changes Signal Genetic Regulatory Mechanisms for Robust Cell Behavior
Authors: Lee Sang Jun , Trostel Andrei , Adhya Sankar
Published: January 2014

Exploiting mechanisms of utilizing the sugar
d
-galactose in
Escherichia coli
as a model system, we explored the consequences of accumulation of critical intermediates of the
d
-galactose metabolic pathways by monitoring cell growth, metabolites, and transcript profiles. These studies revealed both metabolic network changes far from the
d
-galactose pathway and changes in the global gene regulatory network. The concentration change of a critical intermediate disturbs the equilibrium state, generating a ripple effect through several metabolic pathways that ends up signaling up- or downregulation of specific sets of genes in a programmed manner to cope with the imbalance. Such long-range effects on metabolites and genetic regulatory mechanisms not only may be a common feature in bacteria but very likely operate during cellular development and differentiation in higher organisms as well as in disease cells, like cancer cells.

IMPORTANCE
Metabolite accumulation can create adverse intracellular conditions that are relieved by compensatory immediate changes of metabolite pools and later changes of transcript levels. It has been known that gene expression is normally regulated by added catabolic substrates (induction) or anabolic end products (repression). It is becoming apparent now that change in the concentration of metabolic intermediates also plays a critical role in genetic regulatory networks for metabolic homeostasis. Our study provides new insight into how metabolite pool changes transduce signals to global gene regulatory networks.
Microbial Sulfur Cycle in Two Hydrothermal Chimneys on the Southwest Indian Ridge
Authors: Cao Huiluo , Wang Yong , Lee On On , Zeng Xiang , Shao Zongze , Qian Pei-Yuan
Published: January 2014

Sulfur is an important element in sustaining microbial communities present in hydrothermal vents. Sulfur oxidation has been extensively studied due to its importance in chemosynthetic pathways in hydrothermal fields; however, less is known about sulfate reduction. Here, the metagenomes of hydrothermal chimneys located on the ultraslow-spreading Southwest Indian Ridge (SWIR) were pyrosequenced to elucidate the associated microbial sulfur cycle. A taxonomic summary of known genes revealed a few dominant bacteria that participated in the microbial sulfur cycle, particularly sulfate-reducing
Deltaproteobacteria
. The metagenomes studied contained highly abundant genes related to sulfur oxidation and reduction. Several carbon metabolic pathways, in particular the Calvin-Benson-Bassham pathway and the reductive tricarboxylic acid cycles for CO
2
fixation, were identified in sulfur-oxidizing autotrophic bacteria. In contrast, highly abundant genes related to the oxidation of short-chain alkanes were grouped with sulfate-reducing bacteria, suggesting an important role for short-chain alkanes in the sulfur cycle. Furthermore, sulfur-oxidizing bacteria were associated with enrichment for genes involved in the denitrification pathway, while sulfate-reducing bacteria displayed enrichment for genes responsible for hydrogen utilization. In conclusion, this study provides insights regarding major microbial metabolic activities that are driven by the sulfur cycle in low-temperature hydrothermal chimneys present on an ultraslow midocean ridge.

IMPORTANCE
There have been limited studies on chimney sulfides located at ultraslow-spreading ridges. The analysis of metagenomes of hydrothermal chimneys on the ultraslow-spreading Southwest Indian Ridge suggests the presence of a microbial sulfur cycle. The sulfur cycle should be centralized within a microbial community that displays enrichment for sulfur metabolism-related genes. The present study elucidated a significant role of the microbial sulfur cycle in sustaining an entire microbial community in low-temperature hydrothermal chimneys on an ultraslow spreading midocean ridge, which has characteristics distinct from those of other types of hydrothermal fields.
Identification of a Membrane-Bound Transcriptional Regulator That Links Chitin and Natural Competence in Vibrio cholerae
Authors: Dalia Ankur B. , Lazinski David W. , Camilli Andrew
Published: January 2014

Vibrio cholerae
is naturally competent when grown on chitin. It is known that expression of the major regulator of competence, TfoX, is controlled by chitin; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying this requirement for chitin have remained unclear. In the present study, we identify and characterize a membrane-bound transcriptional regulator that positively regulates the small RNA (sRNA) TfoR, which posttranscriptionally enhances
tfoX
translation. We show that this regulation of the
tfoR
promoter is direct by performing electrophoretic mobility shift assays and by heterologous expression of this system in
Escherichia coli
. This transcriptional regulator was recently identified independently and was named “TfoS” (S. Yamamoto et al., Mol. Microbiol., in press, doi:10.1111/mmi.12462). Using a constitutively active form of TfoS, we demonstrate that the activity of this regulator is sufficient to promote competence in
V. cholerae
in the absence of chitin. Also, TfoS contains a large periplasmic domain, which we hypothesized interacts with chitin to regulate TfoS activity. In the heterologous host
E. coli
, we demonstrate that chitin oligosaccharides are sufficient to activate TfoS activity at the
tfoR
promoter. Collectively, these data characterize TfoS as a novel chitin-sensing transcriptional regulator that represents the direct link between chitin and natural competence in
V. cholerae
.

IMPORTANCE
Naturally competent bacteria can take up exogenous DNA from the environment and integrate it into their genome by homologous recombination. This ability to take up exogenous DNA is shared by diverse bacterial species and serves as a mechanism to acquire new genes to enhance the fitness of the organism. Several members of the family
Vibrionaceae
become naturally competent when grown on chitin; however, a molecular understanding of how chitin activates competence is lacking. Here, we identify a novel membrane-bound transcriptional regulator that is required for natural transformation in the human pathogen
Vibrio cholerae
. We demonstrate that this regulator senses chitin oligosaccharides to activate the competence cascade, thus, uncovering the molecular link between chitin and natural competence in this
Vibrio
species.
Virtual histology assessment of coronary atheroma influences treatment strategy in the young acute coronary syndrome patient
Authors: Ormerod Julian , Johnston Tom , Ramcharitar Steve
Published: January 2014

A 43-year-old woman having significant risk factors for ischaemic heart disease was admitted with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Coronary angiography revealed a non-flow limiting lesion in her right coronary artery with the rest of her arteries unremarkable. Risk stratification of the culprit lesion in the right coronary artery through intravascular ultrasound virtual histology demonstrated that the rupture plaque had less than 5% necrotic core with low vulnerability indices. This important finding suggested that the re-rupture risk was low so aggressive pharmacological treatment that can influence the plaque characteristics was instigated in preference to mechanical plaque sealing with a coronary stent. At a year of follow-up the patient was well and had no further events.
Frequent users of US emergency departments: characteristics and opportunities for intervention
Authors: Vinton Deborah T , Capp Roberta , Rooks Sean P , Abbott Jean T , Ginde Adit A
Published: January 2014

Objective

To compare the characteristics of US adults by frequency of emergency department (ED) utilisation, specifically the prevalence of chronic diseases and outpatient primary care and mental health utilisation.

Methods

We analysed 157 818 adult participants of the 2004–2009 US National Health Interview Survey, an annual nationally representative sample. We defined ED utilisation during the past 12 months as non-users (0 ED visits), infrequent users (1–3 visits), frequent users (4–9 visits) and super-frequent users (≥10 visits). We compared demographic data, socioeconomic status, chronic diseases and access to care between these ED utilisation groups using multivariable logistic regression.

Results

Overall, super-frequent use was reported by 0.4% of US adults, frequent use by 2% and infrequent ED use by 19%. Patients reporting ≥4 ED visits were more likely to have Medicaid insurance (OR 1.57; 95% CI 1.34 to 1.85 vs private); fair or poor self-reported health (OR 2.98; 95% CI 2.57 to 3.46 vs excellent–very good); and chronic diseases such as coronary artery disease (OR 1.61; 95% CI 1.40 to 1.86), stroke (OR 1.58; 95% CI 1.36 to 1.83) or asthma (OR 1.64; 95% CI 1.46 to 1.85). While patients reporting the ED as their usual source of sick care were more likely to have ≥4 ED visits (OR 7.09; 95% CI 5.61 to 8.95 vs outpatient clinic as source), ≥10 outpatient visits in the past 12 months was also associated with frequent ED use (OR 11.4; 95% CI 9.09 to 14.2 vs no outpatient visits).

Conclusions

Frequent ED users had a large burden of chronic diseases that also required high outpatient resources. Interventions designed to divert frequent ED users should focus on chronic disease management and access to outpatient services, particularly for Medicaid beneficiaries and other high risk subpopulations.
Paramedic rapid sequence intubation in patients with non-traumatic coma
Authors: Bernard S A , Smith K , Porter R , Jones C , Gailey A , Cresswell B , Cudini D , Hill S , Moore B , St Clair T
Published: January 2014

Introduction

Pre-hospital intubation by paramedics is widely used in comatose patients prior to transportation to hospital, but the optimal technique for intubation is uncertain. One approach is paramedic rapid sequence intubation (RSI), which may improve outcomes in adult patients with traumatic brain injury. However, many patients present to emergency medical services with coma of non-traumatic cause and the role of paramedic RSI in these patients remains uncertain.

Methods

The electronic Victorian Ambulance Clinical Information System was searched for the term ‘suxamethonium’ between 2008 and 2011. We reviewed the patient care records and included patients with suspected non-traumatic coma who were treated and transported by road-based paramedics. Demographics, intubation conditions, vital signs (before and after drug administration) and complications were recorded. Younger patients (<60 years) were compared with older patients.

Results

There were 1152 paramedic RSI attempts of which 551 were for non-traumatic coma. The success rate for intubation was 97.5%. There was a significant drop in blood pressure in younger patients (<60 years) with the mean systolic blood pressure decreasing by 16 mm Hg (95% CI 11 to 21). In older patients, the systolic blood pressure also decreased significantly by 20 mm Hg (95% CI 17 to 24). Four patients suffered brief cardiac arrest during pre-hospital care, all of whom were successfully resuscitated and transported to hospital.

Conclusions

Paramedic RSI in patients with non-traumatic coma has a high procedural success rate. Further studies are required to determine whether this procedure improves outcomes.
Proposed cytotoxic mechanisms of the saffron carotenoids crocin and crocetin on cancer cell lines
Authors: Kim Se Hyeuk , Lee Jung Min , Kim Sun Chang , Park Chan Bae , Lee Pyung Cheon
Published: January 2014

We investigated the cytotoxic activities of crocin and crocetin, 2 major carotenoids isolated from the stigma of Crocus sativus (saffron), on 5 human cancer cell lines and proposed their possible anticancer mechanisms. Crocetin, a glycosylated carotenoid, showed approximately 5- to 18-fold higher cytotoxicity than crocin, a carboxylic carotenoid (IC50of 0.16–0.61 mmol/L for crocetin vs. 2.0–5.5 mmol/L for crocin). This suggests that structural differences account for the different efficacies between them. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis showed that crocetin induced a significant level of cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) in HeLa cells, whereas crocin did not. This ROS induction supported the cytotoxicity of crocetin, but not of crocin. A significant activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) was observed in both HeLa cells treated with crocin and crocetin: a 3.0-fold increase by 1 mmol/L crocetin and a 1.6-fold increase by 0.8 mmol/L crocin compared to the control. Furthermore, both crocetin and crocin reduced the protein expression of lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), one of the targets for chemoprevention in cancer cells, by 34.2% and 10.5%, respectively, compared to the control in HeLa cells. These findings suggest that crocetin and crocin have different mechanisms for their observed cytotoxicity in cancer cell lines.
Ruthenium(III) complexes containing bi- and tridentate phosphorus−nitrogen ligands
Authors: Mudalige Dona C. , Ma Erin S.F. , Rettig Steven J. , Patrick Brian O. , James Brian R.
Published: January 2014

Air-stable RuIIIcomplexes containing a bidentate aminophosphine ligand (PN) of the type mer-RuCl3(PN)(PR3) are made from the precursors RuCl3(PR3)2(DMA)·DMA (PN = o-diphenylphosphino-N,N′-dimethylaniline (P−N) and (R)-N,N′-dimethyl-1-[o-diphenylphosphinophenyl]ethylamine ((R)-AMPHOS); R = Ph, p-tolyl; DMA = N,N′-dimethylacetamide). With the tridentate bis[o-(N,N′-dimethylamino)phenyl]phenylphosphine (BNP), the product is mer-RuCl3(BNP) (3), while tris[o-(N,N′-dimethylaminophenyl)phosphine (TNP) is unreactive toward the precursor. Crystal structures of mer-RuCl3(PN)(PPh3), where PN is P−N (2a), (R)-AMPHOS (4a), and 3·CHCl3are reported as well as those of (R)-AMPHOS, BNP, and TNP. The RuIII−aminophosphine complexes are the first monomeric RuIIIspecies to be formed via the useful, easily synthesized, air-stable RuIIIprecursors RuCl3(PR3)2(DMA)·DMA (1a and 1b); complex 2a is formed also via reaction of HCl with trans-RuCl2(P−N)(PPh3). A crystal structure of mer,cis-RuCl3(DMA)2(PPh3)·DMA (1c), a side-product from the synthesis of the RuIIIprecursor, is also presented and is the first-reported complex of DMA with RuIII. Preliminary data show that the RuIII−aminophosphine complexes in DMA (a proton-accepting solvent) are reduced by H2to RuIIspecies that can react further to form an η2-H2adduct and then a RuII-hydridochloro species.
Ab initio study of the structural and optoelectronic properties of the half-Heusler CoCrZ (Z = Al, Ga)
Authors: Missoum A. , Seddik T. , Murtaza G. , Khenata R. , Bouhemadou A. , Al-Douri Y. , Abdiche A. , Meradji H. , Baltache H.
Published: January 2014

To study the structural, electronic, and optical properties of the half-Heusler CoCrZ (Z = Al, Ga), we have performed ab initio calculations using the full-potential with the mixed basis (APW + lo) method within the generalized gradient approximation. The structural properties as well as the band structures, and total and atomic projected densities of states are computed. From electronic band structures we have found that both compounds have a semimetallic nature. We also studied the evolution of electronic structure of CoCrAl under external hydrostatic pressure. It is found that the pseudo gap around the Fermi level increases continuously with increasing pressure, while the electronic density of states at the Fermi level does not change significantly. Furthermore, the optical properties, such as the dielectric function and refractive index were evaluated and discussed under pressure up to 20 GPa, and the electrical conductivity and electron energy loss were calculated for radiation up to 30 eV. The same way, we have studied the magnetic properties of CoCrAl for lattice expansion up to a = 1.1a0 where a transition from the paramagnetic phase to the half-metallic phase is expected.
Oscillator strengths and transition probabilities for singly ionized terbium
Authors: Ateş Şule , Gökçe Yasin , Çelik Gültekin , Yıldız Murat
Published: January 2014

Electric dipole transition probabilities and oscillator strengths for singly ionized terbium (Tb II) have been calculated with the weakest bound electron potential model (WBEPM) theory using experimental energy levels and theoretical expectation values of orbital radii corresponding to those energy levels under the assumption of the Jj coupling scheme. The transition probabilities and the oscillator strengths calculated have been compared with available data in the literature. A good agreement has been obtained. In this work, the WBEPM theory has been applied to heavy atoms, such as Tb II, for the first time.
ESTABLISHMENT OF ERYTHROCYTE SAMPLES FOR IN-AIR MICRO-PIXE ANALYSIS AND ITS APPLICATION TO ERYTHROCYTES IN HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS
Authors: NAGAMINE TAKEAKI , TOKITA YOSHIHARU , KIKUCHI HIROKI , AKUTSU TAITO , TOMIOKA SATORU , KAMIYA TOMIHIRO , SATOH TAKAHIRO , KOHKA MASASHI
Published: January 2014

The present study aims to analyze the elemental distribution in erythrocytes from five hemodialysis patients treated with erythropoietin in comparison to four healthy controls. Using in-air micro-PIXE we determined that iron dots were distributed in the peripheral region of control erythrocytes, which were made up of two to four compartments. Iron dots tend to aggregate partially in hemodialysis patients. Calcium was rendered to form small dense nodules in erythrocytes of controls, and small dense nodules became marked in some hemodialysis patients. Nodular formation of phosphorous was weakened in both control and hemodialysis patients. Potassium aggregated focally and formed small dense granules in erythrocytes of healthy controls. On the other hand, hemodialysis patients showed enrichment of potassium, with diffuse spreading partially to all over erythrocytes. These findings indicate that in-air micro-PIXE is a useful tool for analyzing the elemental distributions in erythrocytes of hemodialysis patients.
ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS OF GROUND WATER USING PIXE AND PIGE TECHNIQUES
Authors: KAUR RAJBIR , KUMAR A. , MOHANTY B. P. , OSWAL MUMTAZ , KAUR NAVNEET , SINGH K. P. , BEHERA B. R. , SINGH GULZAR , KUMAR SANJIV , RAO PRITTY , VIKRAMKUMAR S.
Published: January 2014

Water is the most important source of minerals for both human beings and animals. But at the same time, water is also a source of disease due to the contamination of various elements. Therefore, knowledge of the elemental content of water is important. In this work, water samples were collected from areas around Chandigarh and Bathinda district, Panjab, India. Proton-induced X-ray emission (PIXE) and proton-induced gamma-ray emission (PIGE) techniques were used for the determination of heavy and light trace elements, respectively, in wide varieties of water samples. A large number of elements, namely F, Na, S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, As, Pb , and U were detected in the samples and results are discussed.
HEALTH RISK ASSESSMENT OF ARSENIC AND OTHER HEAVY METALS FROM VEGETABLES GROWN IN BANGLISH VILLAGE, BANGLADESH
Authors: KHANDAKAR JEBUNNAHAR , ISLAM MD. SHAFIQUL , NAKAMURA TSUYOSHI , SERA KOICHIRO , TAKATSUJI TOSHIHIRO , KITAMURA YOSHIE
Published: January 2014

Intake of heavy metals from contaminated agricultural products represents a significant pathway for human exposure. Banglish village in the Comilla district is one of the most devastated arsenic (As) contaminated areas in Bangladesh. This study focus whether As is solely responsible for causing arsenicosis or whether some other heavy metals have a synergistic effect on the toxicity of As . The study sampled various leafy and non-leafy vegetables and groundwaters were analyzed by using the Proton Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) method. The results revealed that both the vegetables and the groundwater were highly contaminated with As and lead (Pb) , although the contents in the vegetables and the groundwater varied depending on species and tube wells. As and Pb concentrations in the edible part of all tested vegetables and in groundwater exceeded the permissible intake levels of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The findings inferred that the inhabitants of the study area are experiencing health risks resulting from the intake of As and Pb , and that Pb might have a synergistic role with As by aggravating the arsenicosis. The potential health risks due to Pb is being reported for the first time in Bangladesh.
ELEMENTAL ANALYSIS OF RAINWATER BY PIXE TECHNIQUE
Authors: AL-BEDRI M. B. H. , ABDUL GHANI I. J.
Published: January 2014

Analysis of trace and toxic metals in untreated rainwater has been carried out using nondestructive proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) in combination with pre-concentration technique. The pre-concentration technique used for this purpose was carried out by evaporation of the rainwater samples at 50°C under atmospheric pressure. Untreated rainwater samples were collected from 10 different locations across Baghdad city, Iraq. The mean concentration values of the elements ( Al, Ca, Co, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn, Br, Rb and Sr ) in rainwater samples were determined simultaneously at the parts per billion (ppb) levels. The rainwater samples and certified reference materials (CRMs) were irradiated with 2.0 MeV proton beam from Van de Graaff accelerator. The accuracy of the results was proved by using certified reference materials (GSP-2). The results were compared with the published data, Iraqi standards (IRQ), European standards (EU), and World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for drinking water quality. The purpose of this work was to obtain the total elemental compositions of rainwater in Iraq.
PERMUTATION-TWISTED MODULES FOR EVEN ORDER CYCLES ACTING ON TENSOR PRODUCT VERTEX OPERATOR SUPERALGEBRAS
Authors: BARRON KATRINA , VANDER WERF NATHAN
Published: January 2014

We construct and classify (1 2 ⋯ k)-twisted V⊗k-modules for k even and V a vertex operator superalgebra. In particular, we show that the category of weak (1 2 ⋯ k)-twisted V⊗k-modules for k even is isomorphic to the category of weak parity-twisted V-modules. This result shows that in the case of a cyclic permutation of even order, the construction and classification of permutation-twisted modules for tensor product vertex operator superalgebras are fundamentally different than in the case of a cyclic permutation of odd order, as previously constructed and classified by the first author. In particular, in the even order case it is the parity-twisted V-modules that play the significant role in place of the untwisted V-modules that play the significant role in the odd order case.
Supersymmetric rigidity of asymptotically locally hyperbolic manifolds
Authors: Hijazi Oussama , Montiel Sebastián
Published: January 2014

Let (M, g) be an Asymptotically Locally Hyperbolic (ALH) manifold which is the interior of a conformally compact manifold and (∂M, [γ]) its conformal infinity. Suppose that the Ricci tensor of (M, g) dominates that of the hyperbolic space and that its scalar curvature satisfies a certain decay condition at infinity. If the Yamabe invariant of (∂M, [γ]) is non-negative, we prove that there exists a conformal metric on M with non-negative scalar curvature and whose boundary ∂M has either positive or zero constant inner mean curvature. In the spin case, we make use of a previous estimate obtained by X. Zhang and the authors for the Dirac operator of the induced metric on ∂M. As a consequence, we generalize and simplify the proof of the result by Andersson and Dahl in [Scalar curvature rigidity for asymptotically locally hyperbolic manifolds, Ann. Global Anal. Geom.16 (1998) 1–27] about the rigidity of the hyperbolic space when the prescribed conformal infinity ∂M is a round sphere. We also provide non-existence results for conformally compact ALH spin metrics when ∂M is conformal to a Riemannian manifold with special holonomy.
Monte Carlo simulations of Landau–Ginzburg model for membranes
Authors: Koibuchi Hiroshi , Shobukhov Andrey
Published: January 2014

The Landau–Ginzburg (LG) model for membranes is numerically studied on triangulated spheres in R3. The LG model is in sharp contrast to the model of Helfrich–Polyakov (HP). The reason for this difference is that the curvature energy of the LG (HP) Hamiltonian is defined by means of the tangential (normal) vector of the surface. For this reason, the curvature energy of the LG model includes the in-plane bending or shear energy component, which is not included in the curvature energy of the HP model. From the simulation data, we find that the LG model undergoes a first-order collapse transition. The results of the LG model in the higher-dimensional spaces Rd(d > 3) and on the self-avoiding (SA) surfaces in R3 are presented and discussed. We also study the David–Guitter (DG) model, which is a variant of the LG model, and find that the DG model undergoes a first-order transition. It is also found that the transition can be observed only on the homogeneous surfaces, which are composed of almost uniform triangles according to the condition that the induced metric ∂ar ⋅ ∂br is close to δab.
An investigation of non-planar austenite–martensite interfaces
Authors: Ball J. M. , Koumatos K.
Published: January 2014

Motivated by experimental observations on CuAlNi single crystals, we present a theoretical investigation of non-planar austenite–martensite interfaces. Our analysis is based on the nonlinear elasticity model for martensitic transformations and we show that, under suitable assumptions on the lattice parameters, non-planar interfaces are possible, in particular for transitions with cubic austenite.
CONTROL STRATEGIES FOR PLAYERS IN PURSUIT-EVASION GAMES BASED ON THEIR PREFERENCES
Authors: STIPANOVIĆ DUŠAN M. , VALICKA CHRISTOPHER , ABBAS ALI E.
Published: January 2014

In this paper, a design of strategies for players in pursuit-evasion games, is provided. The design incorporates players' preferences captured in their goal functions which are constructed using particular functional forms that include multiattribute copulas. The approach provides closed-form strategies for the players governed by nonlinear models affine in control. A number of sufficient conditions based on differential inequalities for either evasion or capture is formulated. Finally, to demonstrate effectiveness of the proposed design, some illustrative simulations with players modeled as nonlinear and nonholonomic unicycles, are provided.
GAME THEORY APPLICATIONS TO GUARANTEE OPTIMIZATION IN DYNAMICAL SYSTEMS WITH CONTROL DELAYS
Authors: GOMOYUNOV MIKHAIL , KORNEV DMITRI , LUKOYANOV NIKOLAI
Published: January 2014

In this paper, a linear dynamical system controlled under the conditions of disturbances and with control delays is considered. The Euclidean norm of a set of the system motion deviations at given instants of time from given targets is minimized. Within the game-theoretical approach the problem of calculating the value of the optimal guaranteed result and constructing a positional (closed-loop) control law that ensures this result is posed. For this problem, a solution procedure based on the recurrent construction of upper convex hulls of auxiliary program functions is elaborated. Results of numerical simulations are given.
INVARIANCE PROPERTY WITH APPLICATION TO SOLVING CONTROL PROBLEMS
Authors: USHAKOV V. N. , BRYKALOV S. A. , MATVIYCHUK A. R. , USHAKOV A. V.
Published: January 2014

We consider controlled systems and differential inclusions on a bounded time interval. The investigated problem brings the controlled system to a fixed compact target set in the phase space at a finite time moment. It is known that integral funnels of controlled systems and differential inclusions satisfy the invariance property. We discuss application of the invariance property to constructing approximations to integral funnels. Examples of nonlinear controlled systems are considered in which the proposed algorithm is realized.
MEASURED ENERGY CONSUMPTION ANALYSIS OF A DISTRICT HEATING SYSTEM UNDER DIFFERENT TEMPERATURE CONTROL STRATEGIES
Authors: CHO SUNG-HWAN , HONG SEONG-KI , CHOI SANG-HO , ZAHEERUDDIN M.
Published: January 2014

In this study, the secondary side measured energy consumption of a district heating system (DHS) with different hot water supply temperature control methods was compared. Two control methods were evaluated: an outdoor temperature reset control (OTRC) and an outdoor temperature predictive control (OTPC). While the OTRC strategy has been widely used for energy savings in DHS, the results show that the OTPC strategy resulted in higher energy savings. In general, the OTPC strategy maintained lower supply water temperature, and thereby reduced standby losses and increased overall heat transfer rate to the heated spaces due to higher water mass flow rate to the spaces. During the actual energy consumption monitoring, the OTPC strategy saved about 6.6% more energy compared to that of OTRC strategy. Also, it was found that under partial load conditions, such as during the daytime, the fluctuations in hot water supply temperature with OTRC were more severe than OTPC strategy. Overall, the results showed that the OTPC strategy gave better control and was more stable under full load and partial load conditions.
Molecular Control of Grass Inflorescence Development
Authors: Zhang Dabing , Yuan Zheng
Published: January 2014

The grass family is one of the largest families in angiosperms and has evolved a characteristic inflorescence morphology, with complex branches and specialized spikelets. The origin and development of the highly divergent inflorescence architecture in grasses have recently received much attention. Increasing evidence has revealed that numerous factors, such as transcription factors and plant hormones, play key roles in determining reproductive meristem fate and inflorescence patterning in grasses. Moreover, some molecular switches that have been implicated in specifying inflorescence shapes contribute significantly to grain yields in cereals. Here, we review key genetic and molecular switches recently identified from two model grass species, rice (Oryza sativa) and maize (Zea mays), that regulate inflorescence morphology specification, including meristem identity, meristem size and maintenance, initiation and outgrowth of axillary meristems, and organogenesis. Furthermore, we summarize emerging networks of genes and pathways in grass inflorescence morphogenesis and emphasize their evolutionary divergence in comparison with the model eudicot Arabidopsis thaliana. We also discuss the agricultural application of genes controlling grass inflorescence development.