bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Millipede assassins and allies (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Ectrichodiinae, Tribelocephalinae): total evidence phylogeny, revised classification and evolution of sexual dimorphism
Authors: FORTHMAN MICHAEL , WEIRAUCH CHRISTIANE
Published: June 2017

Evolution of sexual dimorphism in animals has long been of interest to scientists, but relatively few studies have reconstructed evolutionary patterns of extreme sexual dimorphism at a phylogenetic scale, especially in insects. Millipede assassin bugs (Heteroptera: Reduviidae: Ectrichodiinae; 736 spp.) and their sister taxon, Tribelocephalinae (150 spp.), exhibit sexual dimorphism that ranges from limited to extreme, a phenomenon apparently modulated by female morphology. Here, we reconstruct the first phylogeny for the subfamilies Ectrichodiinae and Tribelocephalinae with comprehensive generic representation (152 taxa in 72 genera) using morphological and molecular data (six gene regions). The combined phylogenetic results indicate that Tribelocephalinae are paraphyletic with respect to Ectrichodiinae, and that Ectrichodiinae themselves are polyphyletic. Based on these results, we synonymize Tribelocephalinae with Ectrichodiinae syn.n., describe three new tribes (Ectrichodiini trib.n., Tribelocodiini trib.n., and Abelocephalini trib.n.) and two new subtribes (Opistoplatyina subtrib.n. and Tribelocephalina subtrib.n.), and revise Tribelocephalini sensu n. Ancestral state reconstruction of sexual dimorphism reconstructed limited sexual dimorphism in the ancestor of Ectrichodiinae sensu n. with at least seven evolutionary transitions to extreme sexual dimorphism within the clade.

This published work has been registered in ZooBank,
http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:C810E20F‐D66A‐461F‐A0E6‐AB1073EA3E3C.
Seasonal variations of carbohydrates in Pueraria lobata related to growth and phenology
Authors: Rashid MD H. , Uddin MD N. , Asaeda Takashi , Robinson Randall W.
Published: June 2017

The seasonal changes of non‐structural carbohydrates (NSCs), water‐soluble carbohydrates (WSCs) and starch concentrations were examined in Pueraria lobata throughout its life cycle in order to elucidate the potential points in the seasonal growth and phenological cycles for its improved control. The study was carried out at two different habitat zones with distinct soil conditions in the riparian zone of the Tama River, Tokyo, Japan. One zone, with sandy soil, had lower levels of available nitrogen and phosphorous, while the second zone contained high levels of organic matter and nutrients. The highest and lowest concentrations of the NSC pools in the roots of P. lobata were observed in December and August, respectively, at both study sites. The lowest NSC reserves were attained at the end of the vegetative stage, with the highest NSC reserves found at the end of the reproductive stage. The WSCs gradually decreased from April to August in the roots and then increased until February. The starch concentrations of all the plant organs followed the same pattern as for the WSCs. The stems and leaves did not show the same pattern as did the roots. The total carbohydrate concentrations and pools did not show significant variation between the two sites, suggesting that the soil conditions had very little effect on carbohydrate production in the different organs of the plant. The study suggests that to control P. lobata effectively, the above‐ground biomass should be removed at any date between the end of August and early September.
Climate change impacts on streamflow and non‐point source pollutant loads in the 3S Rivers of the Mekong Basin
Authors: Khoi Dao Nguyen , Thang Le Viet
Published: June 2017

Changes in non‐point source (NPS) pollutants are of particular concern in developing countries. This study investigated the responses of streamflow and NPS pollutant loads to climate change in the 3S River Basin, a trans‐boundary basin of the Mekong River, using Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). Firstly, the SWAT model in simulations of streamflow and NPS pollutant loads was calibrated and validated against observed data to prove the reliability of the simulation results. Then, the calibrated SWAT model was used to simulate changes in streamflow and NPS pollutants under the impact of climate change. The simulation results indicated that the streamflow and NPS pollutant loads are predicted to increase in the future. Moreover, water shortage in the dry season and soil degradation in the wet season are emphasized to occur in the future.
Removal of selected risk elements from wastewater in a horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland
Authors: Šíma Jan , Svoboda Lubomír , Šeda Martin , Krejsa Jiří , Jahodová Jana
Published: June 2017

Removal of Pb, Cd, Cr, Mo, V, Be and Ba from municipal wastewater using a horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetland was studied. The removal efficiencies attained for these elements were 50, 86, 71, 59, −53, 37 and 40%, respectively. The average inflow and outflow Pb concentrations were 1.5 and 0.7 µg/L. Similarly, the inflow and outflow concentrations of 0.14 and 0.02 µg/L were obtained for Cd. Cr inflow and outflow concentrations were 3.7 and 1.1 µg/L, respectively. Concentrations of 0.78 and 0.32 µg/L were measured for Mo. V was washed out from the system. Its average inflow and outflow concentrations were 4.8 and 7.4 µg/L, respectively. Be inflow and outflow concentrations were rather low (1.03 and 0.65 µg/L), however, the concentrations of Ba were significantly higher (189 and 113 µg/L). The main perspective of the constructed wetland is the removal of toxic elements forming insoluble compounds (e.g. CdS) depositing in the wetland bed.
Effects of oestrogen and Cimicifuga racemosa on the cardiac noradrenaline pathway of ovariectomized rats
Authors: Liu Yao , Zhang Jing , Liu Shuya , Wang Wenjuan , Chen Xing , Jiang Hai , Li Junlei , Wang Ke , Bai Wenpei , Zhang Haicheng , Qin Lihua
Published: June 2017

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

We investigated the effects of oestrogen and Cimicifuga racemosa on the stellate ganglion, cardiac noradrenaline pathway and Ca2+–calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II in ovariectomized rats.

What is the main finding and its importance?

The right stellate ganglion, but not the left, may be associated with decreased left ventricular noradrenaline content in ovariectomized rats. Oestrogen can reverse all changes caused by ovariectomy. Cimicifuga racemosa did not affect left ventricular noradrenaline, but decreased protein expression of β1‐adrenergic receptor and Ca2+–calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II. The results might explain potential effects of C. racemosa on the cardiovascular system and provide new insights into cardiovascular protection.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of oestrogen and Cimicifuga racemosa on the stellate ganglion, cardiac noradrenaline (NA) pathway and Ca2+–calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CaMK II). Forty adult female Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly divided into the following four groups: sham operated (SHAM); ovariectomized (OVX); ovariectomized with oestrogen treatment (E2); and ovariectomized with C. racemosa treatment (iCR). After 4 weeks of treatment, the NA content was determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography, and dopamine β‐hydroxylase (DBH) and noradrenaline transporter (NET) expression were detected by immunohistochemistry. Western blotting was used to determine NET, β1‐adrenergic receptor (β1‐AR) and CaMK II expression. Compared with the SHAM group, body weights, DBH and NET expression in the right stellate ganglia, and NET, β1‐AR and CaMK II expression in the left ventricles of the OVX group were increased, whereas left ventricular NA content was decreased; DBH and NET expression in the left stellate ganglion was not significantly different. The indexes of the E2 group were similar to those of the SHAM group. Moreover, in the iCR group, DBH, NET, β1‐AR and CaMK II expression was decreased; NET expression and NA content of the left ventricle remained unchanged. Our conclusions are as follows. First, the right stellate ganglion, but not the left, may be associated with decreased left ventricular NA content in OVX rats. Second, oestrogen increases the left ventricular NA content and adjusts the expression of DBH and NET in the right stellate ganglion and restores β1‐AR and CaMK II protein expression to normal levels. Third, C. racemosa does not affect left ventricular NA, but decreases the protein expression of β1‐AR and CaMK II.
Effects of tempo, swing density, and listener's drumming experience, on swing detection thresholds for drum rhythms
Authors: Frane Andrew V. , Shams Ladan
Published: June 2017

Swing, a popular technique in music performance, has been said to enhance the “groove” of the rhythm. Swing works by delaying the onsets of even-numbered subdivisions of each beat (e.g., 16th-note swing delays the onsets of the second and fourth 16th-note subdivisions of each quarter-note beat). The “swing magnitude” (loosely speaking, the amount of delay) is often quite small. And there has been little investigation, using musical stimuli, into what swing magnitudes listeners can detect. To that end, this study presented continually-looped electronic drum rhythms, with 16th-note swing in the hi-hat on every other bar, to drummers and non-drummers. Swing magnitude was adjusted using a staircase procedure, to determine the magnitude where the difference between swinging and not-swinging bars was just-noticeable. Different tempi (60 to 140 quarter-notes per minute) and swing densities (how often notes occurred at even-numbered subdivisions) were used. Results showed that all subjects could detect smaller swing magnitudes when swing density was higher, thus confirming a previous speculation that the perceptual salience of swing increases with swing density. The just-noticeable magnitudes of swing for drummers differed from those of non-drummers, in terms of both overall magnitude and sensitivity to tempo, thus prompting questions for further exploration.
Oxidative Stress and Antioxidants in Athletes Undertaking Regular Exercise Training
Authors: Watson Trent A. , MacDonald-Wicks Lesley K. , Garg Manohar L.
Published: June 2017

Exercise has been shown to increase the production of reactive oxygen species to a point that can exceed antioxidant defenses to cause oxidative stress. Dietary intake of antioxidants, physical activity levels, various antioxidants and oxidative stress markers were examined in 20 exercise-trained “athletes” and 20 age- and sex-matched sedentary “controls.” Plasma F2-isoprostanes, antioxidant enzyme activities, and uric acid levels were similar in athletes and sedentary controls. Plasma α-tocopherol and β-carotene were higher in athletes compared with sedentary controls. Total antioxidant capacity tended to be lower in athletes, with a significant difference between male athletes and male controls. Dietary intakes of antioxidants were also similar between groups and well above recommended dietary intakes for Australians. These findings suggest that athletes who consume a diet rich in antioxidants have elevated plasma α-tocopherol and β-carotene that were likely to be brought about by adaptive processes resulting from regular exercise.
Novel Chromosome Organization Pattern in
Actinomycetales
—Overlapping Replication Cycles Combined with Diploidy
Authors: Böhm Kati , Meyer Fabian , Rhomberg Agata , Kalinowski Jörn , Donovan Catriona , Bramkamp Marc
Published: June 2017

Bacteria regulate chromosome replication and segregation tightly with cell division to ensure faithful segregation of DNA to daughter generations. The underlying mechanisms have been addressed in several model species. It became apparent that bacteria have evolved quite different strategies to regulate DNA segregation and chromosomal organization. We have investigated here how the actinobacterium
Corynebacterium glutamicum
organizes chromosome segregation and DNA replication. Unexpectedly, we found that
C. glutamicum
cells are at least diploid under all of the conditions tested and that these organisms have overlapping C periods during replication, with both origins initiating replication simultaneously. On the basis of experimental data, we propose growth rate-dependent cell cycle models for
C. glutamicum
.

IMPORTANCE
Bacterial cell cycles are known for few model organisms and can vary significantly between species. Here, we studied the cell cycle of
Corynebacterium glutamicum
, an emerging cell biological model organism for mycolic acid-containing bacteria, including mycobacteria. Our data suggest that
C. glutamicum
carries two pole-attached chromosomes that replicate with overlapping C periods, thus initiating a new round of DNA replication before the previous one is terminated. The newly replicated origins segregate to midcell positions, where cell division occurs between the two new origins. Even after long starvation or under extremely slow-growth conditions,
C. glutamicum
cells are at least diploid, likely as an adaptation to environmental stress that may cause DNA damage. The cell cycle of
C. glutamicum
combines features of slow-growing organisms, such as polar origin localization, and fast-growing organisms, such as overlapping C periods.
The Rcs-Regulated Colanic Acid Capsule Maintains Membrane Potential in
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium
Authors: Pando Jasmine M. , Karlinsey Joyce E. , Lara Jimmie C. , Libby Stephen J. , Fang Ferric C.
Published: June 2017

The Rcs phosphorelay and Psp (phage shock protein) systems are envelope stress responses that are highly conserved in gammaproteobacteria. The Rcs regulon was found to be strongly induced during metal deprivation of
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium lacking the Psp response. Nineteen genes activated by the RcsA-RcsB response regulator make up an operon responsible for the production of colanic acid capsular polysaccharide, which promotes biofilm development. Despite more than half a century of research, the physiological function of colanic acid has remained elusive. Here we show that Rcs-dependent colanic acid production maintains the transmembrane electrical potential and proton motive force in cooperation with the Psp response. Production of negatively charged exopolysaccharide covalently bound to the outer membrane may enhance the surface potential by increasing the local proton concentration. This provides a unifying mechanism to account for diverse Rcs/colanic acid-related phenotypes, including susceptibility to membrane-damaging agents and biofilm formation.

IMPORTANCE
Colanic acid is a negatively charged polysaccharide capsule produced by
Escherichia coli
,
Salmonella
, and other gammaproteobacteria. Research conducted over the 50 years since the discovery of colanic acid suggests that this exopolysaccharide plays an important role for bacteria living in biofilms. However, a precise physiological role for colanic acid has not been defined. In this study, we provide evidence that colanic acid maintains the transmembrane potential and proton motive force during envelope stress. This work provides a new and fundamental insight into bacterial physiology.
A register-based 13-year to 43-year follow-up of 70 patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder treated with capsulotomy
Authors: Rück Christian , Larsson Johan K , Mataix-Cols David , Ljung Rickard
Published: June 2017

Objectives

Little is known about the long-term medical status of patients with severe obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) undergoing capsulotomy, a neurosurgical last-resort treatment. The present study used national registers to identify all operated patients with OCD in Sweden and evaluated their long-term medical status, including mortality, hospital admissions and psychotropic medication after capsulotomy for OCD.

Design

Register-based long-term follow-up cohort study.

Participants

We used the procedural and diagnostic codes in the Swedish National Patient Register to define the study population between 1970 and March 2013. Verification by manual review of medical records of the indication for surgery in those identified by the register yielded the final study cohort of 70 patients, followed 13–43 years after surgery. The sensitivity of the case selection method was 86%.

Outcome measures

We studied hospitalisation 5 years before and after surgery. Mortality data were derived from the Causes of Death Register. The Prescribed Drug Register was used to study psychotropic drug utilisation.

Results

By March 2013, 29 of the 70 patients were deceased. Their mean age at the time of death was 68 years (SD=14). Two patients had committed suicide and one had died of suspected suicide. Seventy per cent had been admitted to a psychiatric ward in the 5 years preceding surgery, and 84% in the first five postoperative years. Seventy-five per cent of those alive in 2012 were prescribed at least two psychotropic medications, often at high doses, the most common being antidepressants.

Conclusions

Malignant OCD has a poor long-term prognosis. Patients who are candidates for surgery should be informed that, while OCD symptoms may be ameliorated with surgery, they should not expect long-term freedom from medication and psychiatric care.
Dietary determinants of serum total cholesterol among middle-aged and older adults: a population-based cross-sectional study in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
Authors: Kakarmath Sujay S , Zack Rachel M , Leyna Germana H , Fahimi Saman , Liu Enju , Fawzi Wafaie W , Lukmanji Zohra , Killewo Japhet , Sacks Frank , Danaei Goodarz
Published: June 2017

Objective

To assess the dietary determinants of serum total cholesterol.

Design

Cross-sectional population-based study.

Setting

Peri-urban region of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.

Participants

347 adults aged 40 years and older from the Dar es Salaam Urban Cohort Hypertension Study.

Main outcome measure

Serum total cholesterol measured using a point-of-care device.

Results

Mean serum total cholesterol level was 204 mg/dL (IQR 169–236 mg/dL) in women and 185 mg/dL (IQR 152–216 mg/dL) in men. After adjusting for demographic, socioeconomic, lifestyle and dietary factors, participants who reported using palm oil as the major cooking oil had serum total cholesterol higher by 15 mg/dL (95% CI 1 to 29 mg/dL) compared with those who reported using sunflower oil. Consumption of one or more servings of meat per day (p for trend=0.017) and less than five servings of fruits and vegetables per day (p for trend=0.024) were also associated with higher serum total cholesterol. A combination of using palm oil for cooking, eating more than one serving of meat per day and fewer than five servings of fruits and vegetables per day, was associated with 46 mg/dL (95% CI 16 to 76 mg/dL) higher serum total cholesterol.

Conclusions

Using palm oil for cooking was associated with higher serum total cholesterol levels in this peri-urban population in Dar es Salaam. Reduction of saturated fat content of edible oil may be considered as a population-based strategy for primary prevention of cardiovascular diseases.
Fungal dysbiosis in cirrhosis
Authors: Bajaj Jasmohan S , Liu Eric J , Kheradman Raffi , Fagan Andrew , Heuman Douglas M , White Melanie , Gavis Edith A , Hylemon Phillip , Sikaroodi Masoumeh , Gillevet Patrick M
Published: June 2017

Objective

Cirrhotics have a high rate of infections, which are increasingly fungal or culture-negative in nature. While infected cirrhotics have bacterial dysbiosis, the role of fungi is unclear. We aimed to evaluate gut bacterial and fungal dysbiosis in cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses of outpatient and inpatient cirrhotics and prediction of hospitalisations.

Methods

Cross-sectional: Age-matched controls, outpatients (with/without antibiotics) and hospitalised uninfected, culture-negative and culture-positive cirrhotics were included and followed for 90 days. Longitudinal: Three studies were conducted: (1) cirrhotics followed over 6 months, (2) outpatient cirrhotics administered antibiotics per standard of care for 5 days and (3) cirrhotics and controls administered omeprazole over 14 days. In all studies, stool bacterial/fungal profiles were analysed.

Results

Cross-sectional: In 143 cirrhotics and 26 controls, bacterial and fungal diversities were significantly linked. Outpatients on antibiotics and patients with culture-positive infections had the lowest diversities. Bacterial and fungal correlations were complex in uninfected, outpatient and control groups but were markedly skewed in infected patients. 21% were admitted on 90-day follow-up. A lower Bacteroidetes/Ascomycota ratio was associated with lower hospitalisations. Longitudinal: Fungal and bacterial profiles were stable on follow-up (5 days and 6 months). After antibiotics, a significantly reduced bacterial and fungal diversity, higher Candida and lower autochthonous bacterial relative abundance were seen. After omeprazole, changes in bacterial diversity and composition were seen but fungal metrics remained stable.

Conclusion

There is a significant fungal dysbiosis in cirrhosis, which changes differentially with antibiotics and proton pump inhibitor use, but is otherwise stable over time. A combined bacterial–fungal dysbiosis metric, Bacteroidetes/Ascomycota ratio, can independently predict 90-day hospitalisations in patients with cirrhosis.

Clinical trial number

NCT01458990.
The Chinese Stroke Association scientific statement: intravenous thrombolysis in acute ischaemic stroke
Authors: Dong Qiang , Dong Yi , Liu Liping , Xu Anding , Zhang Yusheng , Zheng Huaguang , Wang Yongjun
Published: June 2017

The most effective medical treatment for acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) is to offer intravenous thrombolysis during the ultra-early period of time after the onset. Even based on the Consensus of Chinese Experts on Intravenous Thrombolysis for AIS in 2012 and 2014 Chinese Guidelines on the Diagnosis and Treatment of AIS, the rate of thrombolysis for AIS in China remained around 2.4%, and the rate of intravenous tissue plasminogen activator usage was only about 1.6% in real world. The indication of thrombolysis for AIS has been expanded, and contraindications have been reduced with recently published studies. In order to facilitate the standardisation of treating AIS, improve the rate of thrombolysis and benefit patients who had a stroke, Chinese Stroke Association has organised and developed this scientific statement.
Influences of habitat and arthropod density on parasitism in two co-occurring host taxa
Authors: Koprivnikar J. , Urichuk T.M.Y. , Szuroczki D.
Published: June 2017

Habitat attributes are known to influence infectious diseases such as those caused by parasites, but most studies have only considered single host and (or) parasite taxa, making it difficult to assess which features may be of general importance and to predict how alterations could affect disease dynamics. We examined infection with trematode (flatworm) parasites in two commonly co-occurring host taxa (larval amphibians and larval odonates (dragonflies and damselflies)) to investigate links with landscape-level features, including agricultural activity. We also assessed pond community composition with respect to the abundance and richness of aquatic arthropods known to prey upon tadpoles and (or) free-swimming trematode infectious stages. Larval amphibians from agricultural sites were most likely to be parasitized but had lower infection intensities, and infected hosts were positively associated with increasing distance to the nearest forest habitat, but negatively with road distance. The opposite was observed for larval odonate infection status; however, probability and intensity of parasitism in both host taxa was negatively associated with greater predatory arthropod abundance, consistent with the “dilution effect” of biodiversity on infectious diseases. Our approach demonstrates the importance of considering multiple host taxa when studying habitat links to diseases, and future studies incorporating even greater diversity will be needed.
Non-commutative stochastic independence and cumulants
Authors: Manzel Sarah , Schürmann Michael
Published: June 2017

In a fundamental lemma we characterize “generating functions” of certain functors on the category of algebraic non-commutative probability spaces. Special families of such generating functions correspond to “unital, associative universal products” on this category, which again define a notion of non-commutative stochastic independence. Using the fundamental lemma, we prove the existence of cumulants and of “cumulant Lie algebras” for all independences coming from a unital, associative universal product. These include the five independences (tensor, free, Boolean, monotone, anti-monotone) appearing in Muraki’s classification, c-free independence of Bożejko and Speicher, the indented product of Hasebe and the bi-free independence of Voiculescu. We show how the non-commutative independence can be reconstructed from its cumulants and cumulant Lie algebras.
Sum uncertainty relations for mixed states
Authors: He Kan , Wei Dahong , Wang Li
Published: June 2017

In this paper, we extend existing variance-based sum uncertainty relations for pure states to those for mixed states by a mathematical approach. Furthermore, we show that the monotonicity of the standard deviation of observables induces a variance-based sum uncertainty relation. Finally, the multiobservable case is also discussed.
ON THE WORK VALUES OF ENTREPRENEURS AND NON-ENTREPRENEURS: A EUROPEAN LONGITUDINAL STUDY
Authors: ALMEIDA ANA ISABEL SILVA , TEIXEIRA AURORA A. C.
Published: June 2017

Entrepreneurs are critical for countries’ industrial dynamics and economic growth. Although there are several studies focusing on the attitudes, cognitions and traits of entrepreneurs, only a few have explored the link between entrepreneurship and the job features entrepreneurs most value in the work setting. Taking a longitudinal perspective, over two periods of time, 1990–1993 and 2008–2010, the present study resorted to the European Value Study dataset, encompassing 27 European countries and more than 100 thousand individuals. Based on logistic estimates, we found that, compared with non-entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs consider work more important than other life dimensions (except family). Moreover, some work values associated with entrepreneurship (e.g., use initiative, achieving something, responsible job, meeting abilities, have a say, and learning new skills) are indeed mentioned the most by entrepreneurs and emerged significantly related with entrepreneurial propensity. Finally, some work values (e.g., have a say) are associated with entrepreneurship propensity regardless of country’s culture, whereas others (e.g., interesting job) are strongly influenced by culture.
Re-Finding Behaviour in Vertical Domains
Authors: Sadeghi Seyedeh Sargol , Blanco Roi , Mika Peter , Sanderson Mark , Scholer Falk , Vallet David
Published: June 2017

Re-finding is the process of searching for information that a user has previously encountered and is a common activity carried out with information retrieval systems. In this work, we investigate re-finding in the context of vertical search, differentiating and modeling user re-finding behavior within different media and topic domains, including images, news, reference material, and movies. We distinguish the re-finding behavior in vertical domains from re-finding in a general search context and engineer features that are effective in differentiating re-finding across the domains. The features are then used to build machine-learned models, achieving an accuracy of re-finding detection in verticals of 85.7% on average. Our results demonstrate that detecting re-finding in specific verticals is more difficult than examining re-finding for general search tasks. We then investigate the effectiveness of differentiating re-finding behavior in two restricted contexts: We consider the case where the history of a searcher’s interactions with the search system is not available. In this scenario, our features and models achieve an average accuracy of 77.5% across the domains. We then examine the detection of re-finding during the early part of a search session. Both of these restrictions represent potential real-world search scenarios, where a system is attempting to learn about a user but may have limited information available. Finally, we investigate in which types of domains re-finding is most difficult. Here, it would appear that re-finding images is particularly challenging for users. This research has implications for search engine design, in terms of adapting search results by predicting the type of user tasks and potentially enabling the presentation of vertical-specific results when re-finding is identified. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work to investigate the issue of vertical re-finding.
Comparing the Archival Rate of Arabic, English, Danish, and Korean Language Web Pages
Authors: Alkwai Lulwah M. , Nelson Michael L. , Weigle Michele C.
Published: June 2017

It has long been suspected that web archives and search engines favor Western and English language webpages. In this article, we quantitatively explore how well indexed and archived Arabic language webpages are as compared to those from other languages. We began by sampling 15,092 unique URIs from three different website directories: DMOZ (multilingual), Raddadi, and Star28 (the last two primarily Arabic language). Using language identification tools, we eliminated pages not in the Arabic language (e.g., English-language versions of Aljazeera pages) and culled the collection to 7,976 Arabic language webpages. We then used these 7,976 pages and crawled the live web and web archives to produce a collection of 300,646 Arabic language pages. We compared the analysis of Arabic language pages with that of English, Danish, and Korean language pages. First, for each language, we sampled unique URIs from DMOZ; then, using language identification tools, we kept only pages in the desired language. Finally, we crawled the archived and live web to collect a larger sample of pages in English, Danish, or Korean. In total for the four languages, we analyzed over 500,000 webpages. We discovered: (1) English has a higher archiving rate than Arabic, with 72.04% archived. However, Arabic has a higher archiving rate than Danish and Korean, with 53.36% of Arabic URIs archived, followed by Danish and Korean with 35.89% and 32.81% archived, respectively. (2) Most Arabic and English language pages are located in the United States; only 14.84% of the Arabic URIs had an Arabic country code top-level domain (e.g., sa) and only 10.53% had a GeoIP in an Arabic country. Most Danish-language pages were located in Denmark, and most Korean-language pages were located in South Korea. (3) The presence of a webpage in a directory positively impacts indexing and presence in the DMOZ directory, specifically, positively impacts archiving in all four languages. In this work, we show that web archives and search engines favor English pages. However, it is not universally true for all Western-language webpages because, in this work, we show that Arabic webpages have a higher archival rate than Danish language webpages.
GVoS
Authors: Jiang Jiawei , Tong Yunhai , Lu Hua , Cui Bin , Lei Kai , Yu Lele
Published: June 2017

The exponential increase of online videos greatly enriches the life of users but also brings huge numbers of near-duplicate videos (NDVs) that seriously challenge the video websites. The video websites entail NDV-related applications such as detection of copyright violation, video monitoring, video re-ranking, and video recommendation. Since these applications adopt different features and different processing procedures due to diverse scenarios, constructing separate and special-purpose systems for them incurs considerable costs on design, implementation, and maintenance. In this article, we propose a general NDV system on Storm (GVoS)—a popular distributed real-time stream processing platform—to simultaneously support a wide variety of video applications. The generality of GVoS is achieved in two aspects. First, we extract the reusable components from various applications. Second, we conduct the communication between components via a mechanism called Stream Shared Message (SSM) that contains the video-related data. Furthermore, we present an algorithm to reduce the size of SSM in order to avoid the data explosion and decrease the network latency. The experimental results demonstrate that GVoS can achieve performance almost the same as the customized systems. Meanwhile, GVoS accomplishes remarkably higher systematic versatility and efficiently facilitates the development of various NDV-related applications.
Improving the Quality of Recommendations for Users and Items in the Tail of Distribution
Authors: Hu Liang , Cao Longbing , Cao Jian , Gu Zhiping , Xu Guandong , Wang Jie
Published: June 2017

Short-head and long-tail distributed data are widely observed in the real world. The same is true of recommender systems (RSs), where a small number of popular items dominate the choices and feedback data while the rest only account for a small amount of feedback. As a result, most RS methods tend to learn user preferences from popular items since they account for most data. However, recent research in e-commerce and marketing has shown that future businesses will obtain greater profit from long-tail selling. Yet, although the number of long-tail items and users is much larger than that of short-head items and users, in reality, the amount of data associated with long-tail items and users is much less. As a result, user preferences tend to be popularity-biased. Furthermore, insufficient data makes long-tail items and users more vulnerable to shilling attack. To improve the quality of recommendations for items and users in the tail of distribution, we propose a coupled regularization approach that consists of two latent factor models: C-HMF, for enhancing credibility, and S-HMF, for emphasizing specialty on user choices. Specifically, the estimates learned from C-HMF and S-HMF recurrently serve as the empirical priors to regularize one another. Such coupled regularization leads to the comprehensive effects of final estimates, which produce more qualitative predictions for both tail users and tail items. To assess the effectiveness of our model, we conduct empirical evaluations on large real-world datasets with various metrics. The results prove that our approach significantly outperforms the compared methods.
Dynamics of human subthalamic neuron phase-locking to motor and sensory cortical oscillations during movement
Authors: Lipski Witold J. , Wozny Thomas A. , Alhourani Ahmad , Kondylis Efstathios D. , Turner Robert S. , Crammond Donald J. , Richardson Robert Mark
Published: June 2017

Coupled oscillatory activity recorded between sensorimotor regions of the basal ganglia-thalamocortical loop is thought to reflect information transfer relevant to movement. A neuronal firing-rate model of basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuitry, however, has dominated thinking about basal ganglia function for the past three decades, without knowledge of the relationship between basal ganglia single neuron firing and cortical population activity during movement itself. We recorded activity from 34 subthalamic nucleus (STN) neurons, simultaneously with cortical local field potentials and motor output, in 11 subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD) undergoing awake deep brain stimulator lead placement. STN firing demonstrated phase synchronization to both low- and high-beta-frequency cortical oscillations, and to the amplitude envelope of gamma oscillations, in motor cortex. We found that during movement, the magnitude of this synchronization was dynamically modulated in a phase-frequency-specific manner. Importantly, we found that phase synchronization was not correlated with changes in neuronal firing rate. Furthermore, we found that these relationships were not exclusive to motor cortex, because STN firing also demonstrated phase synchronization to both premotor and sensory cortex. The data indicate that models of basal ganglia function ultimately will need to account for the activity of populations of STN neurons that are bound in distinct functional networks with both motor and sensory cortices and code for movement parameters independent of changes in firing rate.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Current models of basal ganglia-thalamocortical networks do not adequately explain simple motor functions, let alone dysfunction in movement disorders. Our findings provide data that inform models of human basal ganglia function by demonstrating how movement is encoded by networks of subthalamic nucleus (STN) neurons via dynamic phase synchronization with cortex. The data also demonstrate, for the first time in humans, a mechanism through which the premotor and sensory cortices are functionally connected to the STN.
Intraocular Pressure, Axial Length, and Refractive Changes after Phacoemulsification and Trabeculectomy for Open-Angle Glaucoma
Authors: Popa-Cherecheanu Alina , Iancu Raluca Claudia , Schmetterer Leopold , Pirvulescu Ruxandra , Coviltir Valeria
Published: June 2017

Purpose. To compare changes in intraocular pressure (IOP), axial eye length (AEL), and refractive outcome in primary open-angle glaucoma patients undergoing cataract surgery and trabeculectomy in dependence of the sequence of surgeries. Materials and Methods. We retrospectively analysed 48 eyes. The changes in refraction, intraocular pressure, and axial eye length were analysed after surgery. In group A (21 subjects), phacoemulsification was performed before trabeculectomy, and in group B (27 subjects), trabeculectomy was performed before phacoemulsification with a minimum time span between interventions of 6 months. Results. The reduction in IOP and the decrease in AEL after trabeculectomy were significant after 6 and 12 months postsurgery (p<0.001 each). The decrease in AEL was 0.42 ± 0.11% at 6 months after surgery and 0.40 ± 0.13% after 12 months from surgery; this decrease in AEL was comparable between the groups. The refractive outcome was significantly different between the groups (group A: 0.35 ± 0.75 dpt, group B: −0.05 ± 0.36 dpt, p=0.018); in group A, trabeculectomy caused a hyperopic shift of 0.34 ± 0.44 dpt (p=0.002) at 12 months postsurgery. Conclusion. IOP reduction after trabeculectomy causes AEL shortening. The effect on refractive outcome depends on the sequence of surgeries. Better refractive outcome is achieved if phacoemulsification is performed after trabeculectomy.
Mechanism of Chlorination Process: From Propanoic Acid to α-Chloropropanoic Acid and Byproducts Using Propanoic Anhydride as Catalyst
Authors: Xue Da , Li Yuna , Liu Jisheng , Gao Chuan , Xue Jianwei , Li Fuxiang , Lv Zhiping
Published: June 2017

This article reports on findings regarding the mechanism of chlorination process. In this experiment, propanoic acid was chlorinated to α-chloropropanoic acid in a lab-scale glass tube reactor operating at 130°C. Propanoic anhydride and concentrated sulfuric acid were, respectively, used as the catalyst and the promoter. This experiment adopted the DFT method to calculate the activation energy of routes for the synthesis α-chloropropanoic acid, β-chloropropanoic acid, α,α-dichloropropanoic acid, and α,β-dichloropropanoic acid. The results showed that the main route of α-chloropropanoic acid was formed through an ionic mechanism when propanoic anhydride was used as the catalytic agent. Activation energy of 1-propen-1-ol,1-chloro, which was formed from 1-prop-anol,1-chloro-, was the highest in the process of ionic mechanism. In addition, α,α-dichloropropanoic acid was formed via a consecutive ionic chlorination path from α-chloropropanoic acid. β-Chloropropanoic acid was produced from propanoic acid through a chlorination radical mechanism. α,β-Dichloropropanoic acid was formed via a consecutive radical chlorination path.
Size and Topology Optimization for Trusses with Discrete Design Variables by Improved Firefly Algorithm
Authors: Wu Yue , Li Qingpeng , Hu Qingjie , Borgart Andrew
Published: June 2017

Firefly Algorithm (FA, for short) is inspired by the social behavior of fireflies and their phenomenon of bioluminescent communication. Based on the fundamentals of FA, two improved strategies are proposed to conduct size and topology optimization for trusses with discrete design variables. Firstly, development of structural topology optimization method and the basic principle of standard FA are introduced in detail. Then, in order to apply the algorithm to optimization problems with discrete variables, the initial positions of fireflies and the position updating formula are discretized. By embedding the random‐weight and enhancing the attractiveness, the performance of this algorithm is improved, and thus an Improved Firefly Algorithm (IFA, for short) is proposed. Furthermore, using size variables which are capable of including topology variables and size and topology optimization for trusses with discrete variables is formulated based on the Ground Structure Approach. The essential techniques of variable elastic modulus technology and geometric construction analysis are applied in the structural analysis process. Subsequently, an optimization method for the size and topological design of trusses based on the IFA is introduced. Finally, two numerical examples are shown to verify the feasibility and efficiency of the proposed method by comparing with different deterministic methods.
IL-34 Upregulated Th17 Production through Increased IL-6 Expression by Rheumatoid Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes
Authors: Wang Bing , Ma Zijian , Wang Miaomiao , Sun Xiaotong , Tang Yawei , Li Ming , Zhang Yan , Li Fang , Li Xia
Published: June 2017

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease which is characterized by synovial inflammation and cartilage damage for which causes articular dysfunction. Activation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) is a critical step that promotes disease progression. In this study, we aimed to explore the effect of interleukin-34 (IL-34) on RA FLS as a proinflammatory factor and IL-34-stimulated FLS on the production of Th17. We found that serum IL-34 levels were increased compared to those of the healthy controls and had positive correlations with C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF), and anticyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody accordingly. CSF-1R was also highly expressed on RA FLS. The interaction of IL-34 and CSF-1R promoted a dramatic production of IL-6 by FLS through JNK/P38/NF-κB signaling pathway. Further, the IL-34-stimulated IL-6 secretion by RA FLS was found to upregulate the number of Th17. The treatment of IL-6R antagonist could attenuate the production of Th17 mediated by IL-34-stimulated RA FLS. Our results suggest that the increased IL-34 levels were closely related to the disease activity of RA. Additionally, the overexpression of IL-6 in the IL-34-stimulated FLS promoted the generation of Th17. Therefore, IL-34 was supposed to be involved in the pathogenesis of RA. The inhibition of IL-34 might provide a novel target for therapies of RA.
Facial Mobility after Maxilla-Mandibular Advancement in Patients with Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome: A Three-Dimensional Study
Authors: Verzé Laura , Bianchi Francesca Antonella , Barla Niccolò , Curti Serena Maria , Gerbino Giovanni , Ramieri Guglielmo Amedeo
Published: June 2017

Introduction. The functional results of surgery in terms of facial mobility are key elements in the treatment of patients. Little is actually known about changes in facial mobility following surgical treatment with maxillomandibular advancement (MMA). Objectives. The three-dimensional (3D) methods study of basic facial movements in typical OSAS patients treated with MMA was the topic of the present research. Materials and Methods. Ten patients affected by severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) were engaged for the study. Their facial surface data was acquired using a 3D laser scanner one week before (T1) and 12 months after (T2) orthognathic surgery. The facial movements were frowning, grimace, smiling, and lip purse. They were described in terms of surface and landmark displacements (mm). The mean landmark displacement was calculated for right and left sides of the face, at T1 and at T2. Results. One year after surgery, facial movements were similar to presurgical registrations. No modifications of symmetry were present. Conclusions. Despite the skeletal maxilla-mandible expansion, orthognathic surgical treatment (MMA) of OSAS patients does not seem to modify facial mobility. Only an enhancement of amplitude in smiling and knitting brows was observed. These results could have reliable medical and surgical applications.
Chlamydia muridarumInfection of Macrophages Stimulates IL-1βSecretion and Cell Death via Activation of Caspase-1 in an RIP3-Independent Manner
Authors: Chen Lixiang , Liu Xue , Yu Xin , Ren Rongrong , Wang Chao , Zhao Rui , Meng Guangxun , Li Shun , Zhou Xiaohui
Published: June 2017

Chlamydiae are Gram-negative bacteria, which replicate exclusively in the infected host cells. Infection of the host cells by Chlamydiae stimulates the innate immune system leading to an inflammatory response, which is manifested not only by secretion of proinflammatory cytokines such as IL-1βfrom monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells, but also possibly by cell death mediated by Caspase-1 pyroptosis. RIP3 is a molecular switch that determines the development of necrosis or inflammation. However, the involvement of RIP3 in inflammasome activation byChlamydia muridaruminfection has not been clarified. Here, we assessed the role of RIP3 in synergy with Caspase-1 in the induction of IL-1βproduction in BMDM after either LPS/ATP orChlamydia muridarumstimulation. The possibility of pyroptosis and necroptosis interplays and the role of RIP3 in IL-1βproduction duringChlamydia muridaruminfection in BMDM was investigated as well. The data indicated that RIP3 is involved in NLRP3 inflammasome activation in LPS/ATP-stimulated BMDMs but not inChlamydia muridaruminfection. Pyroptosis occurred in BMDM after LPS/ATP stimulation orChlamydia muridaruminfection. Moreover, the results also illuminated the important role of the Caspase-1-mediated pyroptosis process which does not involve RIP3. Taken together, these observations may help shed new light on details in inflammatory signaling pathways activated byChlamydia muridaruminfection.
Esophageal Cancer Metastases to Unexpected Sites: A Systematic Review
Authors: Shaheen Osama , Ghibour Abdulaziz , Alsaid Bayan
Published: June 2017

The most common pattern of esophageal cancer metastases (ECM) is to the lymph nodes, lung, liver, bones, adrenal glands, and brain. On the other hand, unexpected metastasis (UM) spread to uncommon sites has increasingly reported and consequently affected the pathway of diagnosis, staging, and management. Using the PubMed database, a systematic search of the following headings “Esophageal” and “Metastasis” or “Metastases” was performed, 10049 articles were identified, and the articles were included if they demonstrated unexpected ECM. 84% of cases were men with an average age of 60.7 years. EC was located in the lower third in 65%. Two-thirds of the UM originated from the lower esophagus, and the two major histological types were adenocarcinoma 40% and squamous cell carcinoma 60%. Metastases were disseminated toward five main anatomical sites: the head and neck (42%), thoracic (17%), abdomen and pelvis (25%), extremities (9%), and multiple skin and muscle metastases (7%). The EC metastases were found to be synchronous 42% and metachronous 58%, isolated in 53.5% and multiple in 46.5%. The overall survival rate was 10.2 months. Since distant metastases are responsible for most EC-related deaths, understanding of ECM dissemination patterns needs more extensive studies. These critical data are the cornerstone of optimal cancer approach and treatment.