bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carbon isotopic evidence for organic matter oxidation in soils of the Old Red Sandstone (Silurian to Devonian, South Wales, UK)
Authors: Brasier A. T. , Morris J. L. , Hillier R. D.
Published: July 2014

Petrographic and calcrete carbon isotope data from seasonally waterlogged Upper Silurian (Přídolí) to Lower Devonian (Pragian) palaeo-Vertisols of the Old Red Sandstone, South Wales, UK, are presented. The δ
13
C values mostly range from −9 to −12‰ (VPDB), suggesting that the soils were inhabited by abundant vegetation that when oxidized (perhaps with microbial assistance) resulted in CO
2
-rich soils. Such soils would favour calcrete precipitation through equilibration of soil zone CO
2
with the relatively lower atmospheric
p
CO
2
. However, reliably estimating palaeoatmospheric
p
CO
2
using these carbon isotope data is a challenge.

Supplementary material:

Detailed information on stable isotope measurement methods, descriptions of the samples, and carbon and oxygen isotope data are available at
www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18754
.
School Subject Informatics (Computer Science) in Russia
Authors: Khenner Evgeniy , Semakin Igor
Published: July 2014

This article deals with some aspects of studying Informatics in Russian schools. Those aspects are part of the ‘third dimension’ of the Darmstadt model (they are also projected on the other two dimensions of this model) and include evolution of the subject, regulatory norms conforming to the Federal Educational Standards, the learning objectives, the required learning outcomes, and the Unified National Examination in Informatics, which is required for admission to a number of university programs. It is interesting to note that correspondence between requirements for the outcomes of learning Informatics in Russian school and the requirements of K-12 Computer Science Standards (USA) is quite satisfactory. It is noteworthy that the relatively high level of school education in Informatics in Russia is determined by the well-established methodological system with a 30-year history, the subject’s being on the list of core disciplines at school, as well as the existence of a state-sponsored system of education teachers of Informatics.
The nesC language
Authors: Gay David , Levis Philip , von Behren Robert , Welsh Matt , Brewer Eric , Culler David
Published: July 2014

We present nesC, a programming language for networked embedded systems that represent a new design space for application developers. An example of a networked embedded system is a sensor network, which consists of (potentially) thousands of tiny, lowpower "motes," each of which execute concurrent, reactive programs that must operate with severe memory and power constraints. nesC's contribution is to support the special needs of this domain by exposing a programming model that incorporates event-driven execution, a flexible concurrency model, and component-oriented application design. Restrictions on the programming model allow the nesC compiler to perform whole-program analyses, including data-race detection (which improves reliability) and aggressive function inlining (which reduces resource consumption). nesC has been used to implement TinyOS, a small operating system for sensor networks, as well as several significant sensor applications. nesC and TinyOS have been adopted by a large number of sensor network research groups, and our experience and evaluation of the language shows that it is effective at supporting the complex, concurrent programming style demanded by this new class of deeply networked systems.
Valuing Morbidity in Environmental Benefit-Cost Analysis
Authors: Cameron Trudy Ann
Published: July 2014

For benefit-cost analysis of policies with respect to environmental and natural resources, economic researchers often require monetized values of households’ willingness to pay for reductions in risks to human life and health. I briefly recap some of the main issues in the related task of valuing reductions in the risk of death. These issues also account for our considerably smaller literature on valuing reductions in morbidity risks. An important distinction is the issue of valuation in the space of illnesses versus valuation in the space of illness attributes. I compare the requirements for environmental benefit-cost analysis with the limitations of the standard approaches taken in cost-effectiveness analysis in health economics, and I highlight some areas that are ripe for further research.
Effect of Low Power Laser Irradiation on the Ability of Cell Growth and Myogenic Differentiation of Myoblasts CulturedIn Vitro
Authors: Zhang Cui-Ping , Li Shao-Dan , Wang Xiao-Ying , Chen Peng , Wang Chang-Zhen , Fu Xiao-Bing , Kang Hong-Xiang , Shen Ben-Jian , Liang Jie
Published: July 2014

As a therapeutic modality, low power laser irradiation (LPLI) has been used clinically in the treatment of skeletal muscle injuries and other myopathic conditions, but the cellular and molecular mechanisms attributed to this therapy were still unclear. Myoblasts are a type of myogenic stem cells quiescence in mature skeletal muscle fibers and are considered as the source cells during the regenerating process. The purpose of this paper was to investigate the effects of LPLI on the proliferation and myogenic differentiation of the cultured myoblasts and to find out the major candidates responsible for LPLI-induced muscle regenerationin vivo. In this study, primary rat myoblasts were exposed to helium-neon (He-Ne) laser. Cell proliferation, differentiation, and the cellular responses to LPLI were monitored by using morphological observation and molecular biological methods. It was found that LPLI at a certain fluence could increase the cell growth potential for myoblasts and further induce more cells entering into S phase of the mitotic cycle as indicated by high levels of bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation, while at the same time inhibiting theirin vitrodifferentiation and decreasing the expression of myogenic regulatory genes to a certain extent. Taken together, these results provide experimental evidence for the clinical applications of LPLI in regenerating skeletal muscle.
A Fault Diagnosis Method for Rotating Machinery Based on PCA and Morlet Kernel SVM
Authors: Dong Shaojiang , Sun Dihua , Tang Baoping , Gao Zhenyuan , Yu Wentao , Xia Ming
Published: July 2014

A novel method to solve the rotating machinery fault diagnosis problem is proposed, which is based on principal components analysis (PCA) to extract the characteristic features and the Morlet kernel support vector machine (MSVM) to achieve the fault classification. Firstly, the gathered vibration signals were decomposed by the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) to obtain the corresponding intrinsic mode function (IMF). The EMD energy entropy that includes dominant fault information is defined as the characteristic features. However, the extracted features remained high‐dimensional, and excessive redundant information still existed. So, the PCA is introduced to extract the characteristic features and reduce the dimension. The characteristic features are input into the MSVM to train and construct the running state identification model; the rotating machinery running state identification is realized. The running states of a bearing normal inner race and several inner races with different degree of fault were recognized; the results validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Riemann Boundary Value Problem for Triharmonic Equation in Higher Space
Authors: Gu Longfei
Published: July 2014

We mainly deal with the boundary value problem for triharmonic function with value in a universal Clifford algebra:Δ3[u](x)=0,x∈Rn∖∂Ω,u+(x)=u-(x)G(x)+g(x),x∈∂Ω,(Dju)+(x)=(Dju)-(x)Aj+fj(x),x∈∂Ω,u(∞)=0, where(j=1,…,5)  ∂Ωis a Lyapunov surface inRn,D=∑k=1nek(∂/∂xk)is the Dirac operator, andu(x)=∑AeAuA(x)are unknown functions with values in a universal Clifford algebraCl(Vn,n).Under some hypotheses, it is proved that the boundary value problem has a unique solution.
Combining Digital Watermarking and Fingerprinting Techniques to Identify Copyrights for Color Images
Authors: Hsieh Shang-Lin , Chen Chun-Che , Shen Wen-Shan
Published: July 2014

This paper presents a copyright identification scheme for color images that takes advantage of the complementary nature of watermarking and fingerprinting. It utilizes an authentication logo and the extracted features of the host image to generate a fingerprint, which is then stored in a database and also embedded in the host image to produce a watermarked image. When a dispute over the copyright of a suspect image occurs, the image is first processed by watermarking. If the watermark can be retrieved from the suspect image, the copyright can then be confirmed; otherwise, the watermark then serves as the fingerprint and is processed by fingerprinting. If a match in the fingerprint database is found, then the suspect image will be considered a duplicated one. Because the proposed scheme utilizes both watermarking and fingerprinting, it is more robust than those that only adopt watermarking, and it can also obtain the preliminary result more quickly than those that only utilize fingerprinting. The experimental results show that when the watermarked image suffers slight attacks, watermarking alone is enough to identify the copyright. The results also show that when the watermarked image suffers heavy attacks that render watermarking incompetent, fingerprinting can successfully identify the copyright, hence demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Photocatalytic Degradation of Anthracene in Closed System Reactor
Authors: Karam Faiq F. , Hussein Falah H. , Baqir Sadiq J. , Halbus Ahmed F. , Dillert Ralf , Bahnemann Detelf
Published: July 2014

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) represent a large class of persistent organic pollutants in an environment of special concern because they have carcinogenic and mutagenic activity. In this paper, we focus on and discuss the effect of different parameters, for instance, initial concentration of Anthracene, temperature, and light intensity, on the degradation rate. These parameters were adjusted at pH 6.8 in the presence of the semiconductor materials (TiO2) as photocatalysts over UV light. The main product of Anthracene photodegradation is 9,10-Anthraquinone which isidentified and compared with the standard compound by GC-MS. Our results indicate that the optimum conditions for the best rate of degradation are 25 ppm concentration of Anthracene, regulating the reaction vessel at 308.15 K and 2.5 mW/cm2of light intensity at 175 mg/100 mL of titanium dioxide (P25).
Phylogenetic andIn SilicoFunctional Analyses of Thermostable-Direct Hemolysin andtdh-Related Encoding Genes inVibrio parahaemolyticusand Other Gram-Negative Bacteria
Authors: Bhowmik Sushanta K. , Pazhani Gururaja P. , Ramamurthy Thandavarayan
Published: July 2014

Emergence and spread of pandemic strains ofVibrio parahaemolyticushave drawn attention to make detailed study on their genomes. The pathogenicity ofV. parahaemolyticushas been associated with thermostable-direct hemolysin (TDH) and/or TDH-related hemolysin (TRH). The present study evaluated characteristics oftdhandtrhgenes, considering the phylogenetic andin silicofunctional features ofV. parahaemolyticusand other bacteria. Fifty-twotdhandtrhgenes submitted to the GenBank were analyzed for sequence similarity. The promoter sequences of these genes were also analyzed from transcription start point to −35 regions and correlated with amino acid substitution within the coding regions. The phylogenetic analysis revealed thattdhandtrhare highly distinct and also differ within theV. parahaemolyticusstrains that were isolated from different geographical regions. Promoter sequence analysis revealed nucleotide substitutions and deletions at −18 and −19 positions among the pandemic, prepandemic, and nonpandemictdhsequences. Many amino acid substitutions were also found within the signal peptide and also in the matured protein region of several TDH proteins as compared to TDH-S protein of pandemicV. parahaemolyticus. Experimental evidences are needed to recognize the importance of substitutions and deletions in thetdhandtrhgenes.
Recent Progress in TiO2-Mediated Solar Photocatalysis for Industrial Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Zhang Tong , Wang Xiaoguang , Zhang Xiwang
Published: July 2014

The current paper reviews the application of TiO2-mediated solar photocatalysis for industrial wastewater treatment, starting with a brief introduction on the background of industrial wastewater and the development of wastewater treatment processes, especially advanced oxidation processes (AOPs). We, then, discuss the application of solar TiO2photocatalysis in treating different kinds of industrial wastewater, such as paper mill wastewater, textile wastewater, and olive mill wastewater. In the end, we compare solar TiO2photocatalysis with other AOPs in terms of effectiveness, energy, and chemical consumption. Personal perspectives are also given, which may provide new insights to the future development of TiO2photocatalysis for industrial wastewater.
Reversion of Hormone Treatment Resistance with the Addition of an mTOR Inhibitor in Endometrial Stromal Sarcoma
Authors: Martin-Liberal J. , Benson C. , Messiou C. , Fisher C. , Judson I.
Published: July 2014

Background. Endometrial stromal sarcomas (ESS) are a subtype of gynaecological sarcomas characterized by the overexpression of hormone receptors. Hormone treatment is widely used in ESS but primary or acquired resistance is common. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway has been suggested to play a key role in the mechanisms of hormone resistance. Recent studies in breast and prostate cancer demonstrate that this resistance can be reversed with the addition of an mTOR inhibitor. This phenomenon has never been reported in ESS.Methods. We report the outcome of one patient with pretreated, progressing low grade metastatic ESS treated with medroxyprogesterone acetate in combination with the mTOR inhibitor sirolimus.Results. Partial response was achieved following the addition of sirolimus to the hormone treatment. Response has been maintained for more than 2 years with minimal toxicity and treatment is ongoing.Conclusion. This case suggests that the resistance to the hormone manipulation in ESS can be reversed by the addition of an mTOR pathway inhibitor. This observation is highly encouraging and deserves further investigation.
Rapamycin Attenuated Cardiac Hypertrophy Induced by Isoproterenol and Maintained Energy Homeostasis via Inhibiting NF-κB Activation
Authors: Chen Xi , Zeng Siyu , Zou Jian , Chen Yanfang , Yue Zhongbao , Gao Ying , Zhang Luankun , Cao Weiwei , Liu Peiqing
Published: July 2014

Rapamycin, also known as sirolimus, is an immunosuppressant drug used to prevent rejection organ (especially kidney) transplantation. However, little is known about the role of Rapa in cardiac hypertrophy induced by isoproterenol and its underlying mechanism. In this study, Rapa was administrated intraperitoneally for one week after the rat model of cardiac hypertrophy induced by isoproterenol established. Rapa was demonstrated to attenuate isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy, maintain the structure integrity and functional performance of mitochondria, and upregulate genes related to fatty acid metabolism in hypertrophied hearts. To further study the implication of NF-κB in the protective role of Rapa, cardiomyocytes were pretreated with TNF-αor transfected with siRNA against NF-κB/p65 subunit. It was revealed that the upregulation of extracellular circulating proinflammatory cytokines induced by isoproterenol was able to be reversed by Rapa, which was dependent on NF-κB pathway. Furthermore, the regression of cardiac hypertrophy and maintaining energy homeostasis by Rapa in cardiomyocytes may be attributed to the inactivation of NF-κB. Our results shed new light on mechanisms underlying the protective role of Rapa against cardiac hypertrophy induced by isoproterenol, suggesting that blocking proinflammatory response by Rapa might contribute to the maintenance of energy homeostasis during the progression of cardiac hypertrophy.
Perinatal Nitric Oxide Therapy Prevents Adverse Effects of Perinatal Hypoxia on the Adult Pulmonary Circulation
Authors: Peyter Anne-Christine , Delhaes Flavien , Diaceri Giacomo , Menétrey Steeve , Tolsa Jean-François
Published: July 2014

Adverse events in utero are associated with the occurrence of chronic diseases in adulthood. We previously demonstrated in mice that perinatal hypoxia resulted in altered pulmonary circulation in adulthood, with a decreased endothelium-dependent relaxation of pulmonary arteries, associated with long-term alterations in the nitric oxide (NO)/cyclic GMP pathway. The present study investigated whether inhaled NO (iNO) administered simultaneously to perinatal hypoxia could have potential beneficial effects on the adult pulmonary circulation. Indeed, iNO is the therapy of choice in humans presenting neonatal pulmonary hypertension. Long-term effects of neonatal iNO therapy on adult pulmonary circulation have not yet been investigated. Pregnant mice were placed in hypoxia (13% O2) with simultaneous administration of iNO 5 days before delivery until 5 days after birth. Pups were then raised in normoxia until adulthood. Perinatal iNO administration completely restored acetylcholine-induced relaxation, as well as endothelial nitric oxide synthase protein content, in isolated pulmonary arteries of adult mice born in hypoxia. Right ventricular hypertrophy observed in old mice born in hypoxia compared to controls was also prevented by perinatal iNO treatment. Therefore, simultaneous administration of iNO during perinatal hypoxic exposure seems able to prevent adverse effects of perinatal hypoxia on the adult pulmonary circulation.
Involvement of Proteasome and Macrophages M2 in the Protection Afforded by Telmisartan against the Acute Myocardial Infarction in Zucker Diabetic Fatty Rats with Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Di Filippo C. , Rossi C. , Ferraro B. , Maisto R. , De Angelis A. , Ferraraccio F. , Rotondo A. , D’Amico M.
Published: July 2014

This study investigated the involvement of proteasome and macrophages M2 in the protection afforded by telmisartan against the acute myocardial infarction in Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats with metabolic syndrome. ZDF rats were treated for three weeks with telmisartan at doses of 7 and 12 mg/kg/day. After treatment, rats were subjected to a 25 min occlusion of the left descending coronary artery followed by 2 h reperfusion (I/R). At the end of the I/R period, biochemical, immunohistochemical, and echocardiographic evaluations were done. Telmisartan treatment (7 mg/kg and 12 mg/kg) reduced the myocardial infarct size, the expression of proteasome subunits 20S and 26S, and the protein ubiquitin within the heart. The compound has led to an increased M2 macrophage phenotype within the cardiac specimens and a modification of the cardiac cytokine and chemokine profile. This was functionally translated in improved cardiac performance as evidenced by echography after 2 h reperfusion. 7 mg/kg/day telmisartan was sufficient to improve the left ventricular ejection fraction LVEF of the rat heart recorded after I/R (e.g., vehicle 38 ± 2.2%; telmisartan 54 ± 2.7%) and was sufficient to improve the diastolic function and the myocardial performance index up to values of 0.6 ± 0.01 measured after I/R.
A Novel Deletion in the Thyrotropin Beta-Subunit Gene Identified by Array Comparative Genomic Hybridization Analysis Causes Central Congenital Hypothyroidism in a Boy Originating from Turkey
Authors: Hermanns Pia , Couch Robert , Leonard Norma , Klotz Cherise , Pohlenz Joachim
Published: July 2014

Background: Isolated central congenital hypothyroidism (ICCH) is rare but important. Most ICCH patients are diagnosed later, which results in severe growth failure and intellectual disability. Objective: We describe a boy with ICCH due to a large homozygous TSHβ gene deletion. Results: A 51-day-old male Turkish infant, whose parents were first cousins, was admitted for evaluation of prolonged jaundice. His clinical appearance was compatible with hypothyroidism. Venous thyrotropin (TSH) was undetectably low, with a subsequent low free T4 and a low free T3, suggestive of central hypothyroidism. Using different PCR protocols, we could not amplify both coding exons of the boy's TSHβ gene, which suggested a deletion. An array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) using specific probes around the TSHβ gene locus showed him to be homozygous for a 6-kb deletion spanning all exons and parts of the 5′ untranslated region of the gene. Conclusions: Infants who are clinically suspected of having hypothyroidism should be evaluated thoroughly, even if their TSH-based screening result is normal. In cases with ICCH and undetectably low TSH serum concentrations, a TSHβ gene deletion should be considered; aCGH should be performed when gene deletions are suspected. In such cases, PCR-based sequencing techniques give negative results.
Dose-Dependent Arterial Destiffening and Inward Remodeling After Olmesartan in Hypertensives With Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Laurent Stephane , Boutouyrie Pierre
Published: July 2014

Whether angiotensin receptor blockers can dose-dependently remodel the arterial wall during long-term treatment has been largely debated. In this phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study, 133 subjects with hypertension and metabolic syndrome were assigned to olmesartan, either 20 mg (n=44), 40 mg (n=42), or 80 mg (n=47) once a day, according to a force titration design during a 1-year period. Office blood pressure, 24-hour blood pressure, aortic stiffness (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity), and carotid parameters were measured at baseline, 24 weeks, and 52 weeks. Pulse wave velocity significantly decreased (
P
<0.001) with time in each group, with no significant time–dose interaction, despite a tendency (
P
=0.0685) for a smaller effect of 20 mg, compared with 40 and 80 mg at week 52. When the 40 and 80 mg doses were combined (40/80 mg versus 20 mg), a significant blood pressure–independent reduction in pulse wave velocity (−0.61 m/s) was observed at week 52 (
P
=0.0066), whereas the nonadjusted reduction was −1.31 m/s (
P
<0.0001). By contrast, after 20 mg, the blood pressure–independent reduction in pulse wave velocity was not significant. Patients receiving the highest dose of olmesartan (40 and 80 mg) had an inward carotid remodeling and were shifted toward a lower elastic modulus at a given circumferential wall stress, indicating an improvement in the intrinsic elastic properties of the carotid artery wall material. These data suggest that 40 and 80 mg olmesartan were able to significantly remodel and destiffen the arterial wall material during long-term treatment, partly independently of blood pressure, compared with 20 mg.
The Tragedy of Radical Subjectivity: From Radical Software to Proprietary Subjects
Authors: Kane Carolyn L.
Published: July 2014

Considering the aestheticization of post-World War II research in cybernetics as part of a cultural shift in art practices and human and machine subjectivities, the author brings these spheres together by analyzing encounters between the experimental artists and researchers who wrote for and edited Radical Software in the early 1970s, including Harry A. Wilmer, Gregory Bateson and Paul Ryan. She then connects their experimental uses of video feedback (a central tenet of cybernetics) to new and increasingly pervasive human-machine subjectivities.
Conservatism in Russia and Sovereignty in Human Rights
Authors: Antonov Mikhail
Published: July 2014

This article examines the correlation between the concepts of sovereignty, human rights, and democracy in Russian legal and political debate, analyzing this correlation in the context of Russian philosophical discourse. It argues that sovereignty often is used as a powerful argument which allows the setting aside of international humanitarian standards and the formal constitutional guarantees of human rights. This conflict between sovereignty and human rights also recurs in other countries, and many legal scholars are demanding the revision or even abandonment of the concept of sovereignty. In Russia, this conflict is aggravated by some characteristic features of the traditional mentality frequently favoring statism and collective interests over individual ones, and by the state building a ‘power vertical’ subordinating regional and other particularistic interests to the central power. These features and policies are studied in the context of the Slavophile-Westernizer philosophical divide. This divide reveals the pros and contras put forward by the Russian supporters of the isolationist (conservative) policy throughout contemporary history—especially in the sovereignty debates in recent years. The 1993 Russian Constitution contains many declaratory statements about human rights and democracy, but their formulations are vague and, thus far, have had little concrete effect in court battles where the application of international humanitarian law from time to time has been counterbalanced by the concerns of the protection of sovereignty. These concerns coincide with isolationist and authoritarian policies, which in 2006 led to their amalgamation in the concept of ‘sovereign democracy’. This concept is considered in this article to be a recurrence of the Russian conservative tradition. Even though the concept in its literal meaning has been abandoned by its author and supporters, most of its ideas remain on the cusp of the official political discourse which reproduces the pivotal axes of Russian political philosophy of the XIX century.
Impacts of Dem Uncertainty on Estimated Surface Solar Radiation and Extracted River Network
Authors: Wang Laigang , Wang Kaicun
Published: July 2014

Digital elevation models (DEMs) have important meteorological, hydrological, and climatological applications. This research studies the uncertainties of six widely accepted global DEM datasets over China and their derivative parameters, including slope and aspect, in calculating the surface-received solar radiation and extracting the river networks. The authors’ results indicate that, although the absolute height values of the six DEM data are nearly identical, substantial and significant differences are introduced when estimating the surface-received solar radiation. The extracted drainage streamflows of the Pearl River basin in South China are close to the actual river networks in general but are quite different in some details that cannot be ignored. Results herein highlight that the uncertainties of DEM themselves as well as their derived parameters must be considered in analogous study.
Backshoring, Local Sweatshop Regimes and CSR in India
Authors: Mezzadri Alessandra
Published: July 2014

Deploying an approach to chain analysis concerned with regional differentiation and backshoring, this article investigates the regional complexities of the garment commodity chain in India and its multiple local sweatshop regimes to illustrate the limitations of corporate social responsibility (CSR) norms. First, the article shows that India's distinctively regional organization of production and product specialization, arising from different local historical legacies of production, reproduces labour outcomes that prevent the effectiveness of CSR. Second, it shows that the backshoring practices used by a powerful group of Pan-Indian buyer-exporters, who increasingly behave like global buyers, further reproduce the logic of the local sweatshop, hence reinforcing the limitations of corporate approaches to labour standards.
Genesis of Late Miocene-Pliocene lacustrine palygorskite and calcretes from Kırşehir, central Anatolia, Turkey
Authors: Kadİr S. , Eren M. , Külah T. , Önalgİl N. , Cesur M. , Gürel A.
Published: July 2014

This paper addresses the mineralogy, geochemistry, and genesis of palygorskite and associated calcretes in the Kırşehir region. In this area, the Quaternary calcretes are present within and/or on lacustrine mudstones of the Kızılırmak Formation (Late Miocene-Pliocene). The calcretes occur in the form of nodules, tubes, fracture-infills, and hard laminated crusts (hardpans). Calcrete samples are predominantly composed of calcite associated with smectite, quartz, feldspar, and minor palygorskite. The lacustrine mudstone samples consist mainly of smectite and palygorskite with minor calcite, quartz, feldspar, illite, kaolinite and amorphous material. Petrographic studies revealed that the calcrete samples are predominantly micrites that were partially converted to microsparites by recrystallization. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy images indicate that palygorskite fibres formed authigenically on and between calcite rhombs in the calcrete samples and at the edges of smectite flakes of host rocks adjacent to the calcretes. The oxygen and hydrogen stable isotope values of the calcite suggest that it precipitated from meteoric water under arid or seasonally arid climatic conditions. Calcite precipitation occurred in the vadose zone, as evidenced by desiccation cracks and vadose pisolites. The enrichment of Rb+Ba±Sr and Light Rare Earth Elements (LREE) relative to Heavy Rare Earth Elements (HREE)with a distinct negative Eu anomaly are responses to the fractionation of volcanogenic feldspar and hornblende under the influence of meteoric water. The palygorskite associated with calcretes was precipitated from alkaline water rich in Si, Al and Fe and low in Mg. The palygorskite precipitation occurred at increased temperatures, characterising the advanced stage of calcrete formation which lowers the Ca content in the soil water. The required chemical elements for palygorskite and calcite were most likely derived from the dissolution of smectitic clays, ignimbrites and carbonate minerals.
The antiviral immune response in human conventional dendritic cells is controlled by the mammalian target of rapamycin
Authors: Fekete Tünde , Pazmandi Kitti , Szabo Attila , Bacsi Attila , Koncz Gabor , Rajnavölgyi Eva
Published: July 2014

Type I and III IFNs are crucial, soluble components of potent antiviral responses. It has been explored recently that mTOR is involved in the regulation of IFN-α/β production by pDCs, albeit its role in the induction of IFN responses in cDCs remained unrevealed. In this study, we demonstrate that the PI3K/mTOR pathway is indispensable for eliciting intact type I and III IFN responses in moDCs stimulated with polyI:C. The inhibition of mTOR functionality by rapamycin impairs the pIRF3 and also a few members of the MAPK family, suggesting that mTOR contributes to the activation of multiple signaling pathways in the presence of viral antigens. Furthermore, rapamycin-treated moDCs show decreased capacity to prime IFN-γ secretion by naive CD8+ T-lymphocytes. As in moDCs, mTOR-mediated regulation is also essential for the production of type I and III IFNs in circulating CD1c+ DCs. To our best knowledge, these results demonstrate for the first time that mTOR has an impact on the functional activities of cDCs via modulating the outcome of IFN secretion.
Elevated postinjury thrombospondin 1–CD47 triggering aids differentiation of patients' defective inflammatory CD1a+dendritic cells
Authors: Bandyopadhyay Gautam , Bandyopadhyay Sanjukta , Bankey Paul E , Miller-Graziano Carol L
Published: July 2014

A subset of Pts develops dysfunctional MO to inflammatory DC differentiation and immunosuppression. MDDC, a newly described DC subset, is pivotal in initiating antibacterial responses. Endogenous proteins are known to alter MO to MDDC differentiation. In particular, trauma-elevated TSP-1, a protein that is known to affect MO functions, could trigger MDDC differentiation defects. We hypothesized that TSP-1-deranged differentiation of inflammatory CD1a+MDDC would negatively alter activation of immune functions, thereby increasing the risk of postinjury infections. Post-trauma increased TSP-1 levels in patients' plasma and MO correlated with two distinct MDDC differentiation dysfunctions: the previously described decreased CD1a+DC yields but also, development of an immunoincompetent CD1a+MDDC. The Pts' development of Dysf DC correlated to increased infectious complications. TSP-1 triggered its inhibitory receptor, CD47, activating an inhibitory phosphatase, SHP-1. Increased pSHP-1, decreased antigen processing, and depressed T cell stimulation characterized Pt Dysf DC. TSP-1 mimics added during Cnt MDDC differentiation depressed CD1a+DC yields but more importantly, also induced defective CD1a+MDDC, reproducing Pts' MDDC differentiation dysfunctions. CD47 triggering during Cnt MDDC differentiation increased SHP-1 activation, inhibiting IL-4-induced STAT-6 activation (critical for CD1a+MDDC differentiation). SHP-1 inhibition during MDDC differentiation in the presence of TSP-1 mimics restored pSTAT-6 levels and CD1a+MDDC immunogenicity. Thus, postinjury-elevated TSP-1 can decrease CD1a+DC yields but more critically, also induces SHP-1 hyperactivity, deviating MDDC differentiation to defective CD1a+ inflammatory MDDCs by inhibiting STAT-6.
Postoperative Chemoradiotherapy and Cetuximab for High-Risk Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck: Radiation Therapy Oncology Group RTOG-0234
Authors: Harari Paul M. , Harris Jonathan , Kies Merrill S. , Myers Jeffrey N. , Jordan Richard C. , Gillison Maura L. , Foote Robert L. , Machtay Mitchell , Rotman Marvin , Khuntia Deepak , Straube William , Zhang Qiang , Ang Kian
Published: July 2014

Purpose

To report results of a randomized phase II trial (Radiation Therapy Oncology Group RTOG-0234) examining concurrent chemoradiotherapy and cetuximab in the postoperative treatment of patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) with high-risk pathologic features.

Patients and Methods

Eligibility required pathologic stage III to IV SCCHN with gross total resection showing positive margins and/or extracapsular nodal extension and/or two or more nodal metastases. Patients were randomly assigned to 60 Gy radiation with cetuximab once per week plus either cisplatin 30 mg/m2or docetaxel 15 mg/m2once per week.

Results

Between April 2004 and December 2006, 238 patients were enrolled. With a median follow-up of 4.4 years, 2-year overall survival (OS) was 69% for the cisplatin arm and 79% for the docetaxel arm; 2-year disease-free survival (DFS) was 57% and 66%, respectively. Patients with p16-positive oropharynx tumors showed markedly improved survival outcome relative to patients with p16-negative oropharynx tumors. Grade 3 to 4 myelosuppression was observed in 28% of patients in the cisplatin arm and 14% in the docetaxel arm; mucositis was observed in 56% and 54%, respectively. DFS in this study was compared with that in the chemoradiotherapy arm of the RTOG-9501 trial (Phase III Intergroup Trial of Surgery Followed by Radiotherapy Versus Radiochemotherapy for Resectable High Risk Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck), which had a hazard ratio of 0.76 for the cisplatin arm versus control (P = .05) and 0.69 for the docetaxel arm versus control (P = .01), reflecting absolute improvement in 2-year DFS of 2.5% and 11.1%, respectively.

Conclusion

The delivery of postoperative chemoradiotherapy and cetuximab to patients with SCCHN is feasible and tolerated with predictable toxicity. The docetaxel regimen shows favorable outcome with improved DFS and OS relative to historical controls and has commenced formal testing in a phase II/III trial.
Harnessing developmental processes for vascular engineering and regeneration
Authors: Park Kyung Min , Gerecht Sharon
Published: July 2014

The formation of vasculature is essential for tissue maintenance and regeneration. During development, the vasculature forms via the dual processes of vasculogenesis and angiogenesis, and is regulated at multiple levels: from transcriptional hierarchies and protein interactions to inputs from the extracellular environment. Understanding how vascular formation is coordinated in vivo can offer valuable insights into engineering approaches for therapeutic vascularization and angiogenesis, whether by creating new vasculature in vitro or by stimulating neovascularization in vivo. In this Review, we will discuss how the process of vascular development can be used to guide approaches to engineering vasculature. Specifically, we will focus on some of the recently reported approaches to stimulate therapeutic angiogenesis by recreating the embryonic vascular microenvironment using biomaterials for vascular engineering and regeneration.
Advanced driver assistance systems with computer vision methods
Authors: Σιόγκας Γεώργιος
Published: July 2014

Τα αυτοκινητιστικά δυστυχήματα αποτελούν μια από τις κυριότερες αιτίες θανάτουπαγκοσμίως. Ο αυξανόμενος αριθμός τους οδήγησε στην συνειδητοποίηση ότι ηχρήση προηγμένης τεχνολογίας για την κατασκευή ασφαλέστερων οχημάτων είναιαπαραίτητη για την μείωση των ατυχημάτων και κατά συνέπεια των θανάτων πουοφείλονται σε αυτά. Από τη στιγμή που οι τεχνολογικές εξελίξεις επέτρεψαν τηνενσωμάτωση φθηνών, χαμηλής κατανάλωσης συστημάτων με μεγάλη επεξεργαστικήταχύτητα σε οχήματα, κατέστη προφανές ότι περίπλοκες τεχνικές υπολογιστικήςόρασης μπορούσαν πλέον να χρησιμοποιηθούν για την υποβοήθηση της οδήγησης. Σεαυτή την κατεύθυνση, η παρούσα διατριβή εστιάζει στην ανάπτυξη καινοτόμωνλύσεων για διαφορετικά κομμάτια που εμπλέκονται στα προηγμένα συστήματαυποβοήθησης του οδηγού. Πιο συγκεκριμένα, σε αυτή την διατριβή προτείνονταικαινοτόμα υποσυστήματα για την αναγνώριση σημάτων οδικής κυκλοφορίας, τηναναγνώριση φωτεινών σηματοδοτών, τον εντοπισμό προπορευόμενου οχήματος καιτον εντοπισμό δρόμου. Οι τεχνικές που χρησιμοποιήθηκαν για την ανάπτυξη τωνπροτεινόμενων λύσεων βασίζονται στην χρωματική επεξεργασία εικόνας με έμφασηστην ανεξαρτησία από την φωτεινότητα της σκηνής, στην χρήση πληροφορίαςσυμμετρίας για τον εντοπισμό χαρακτηριστικών αντικειμένων (όπως σήματα οδικήςκυκλοφορίας, φωτεινοί σηματοδότες και οχήματα), στην χωροχρονικήπαρακολούθηση των εντοπισμένων αντικειμένων και στην αυτόματη κατάτμησηεικόνας για τον εντοπισμό δρόμου. Τα προτεινόμενα συστήματα αναπτύχθηκαν μεστόχο την ανθεκτικότητα σε αλλαγές της φωτεινότητας ή τις καιρικές συνθήκες,καθώς και στην οδήγηση σε απαιτητικά περιβάλλοντα. Επίσης, έχει δοθεί ιδιαίτερηέμφαση στην προοπτική υλοποίησης συστημάτων πραγματικού χρόνου. Τααποτελέσματα που παρουσιάζονται σε αυτή την διατριβή αποδεικνύουν τηνανωτερότητα των προτεινόμενων μεθόδων έναντι αντίστοιχων της σχετικήςβιβλιογραφίας, ειδικά στις περιπτώσεις του εντοπισμού προπορευόμενου οχήματοςκαι του εντοπισμού δρόμου. Ελπίζουμε ότι μέρη της έρευνας αυτής θα εμπνεύσουννέες προσεγγίσεις για τις μελλοντικές υλοποιήσεις αντίστοιχων συστημάτων.
Συγκριτική αξιολόγηση της φλεγμονώδους απάντησης μετά από καρδιακή ανακοπή σε ασθενείς που έλαβαν βαζοπρεσίνη- αδρεναλίνη-μεθυλοπρεδνιζολόνη και αδρεναλίνη-placebo-placebo κατά τη καρδιοπνευμονική αναζωογόνηση
Authors: Γκιζιώτη Σωτηρία
Published: July 2014

Δίχως άλλο, ο συνδυασμός αδρεναλίνης-βαζοπρεσίνης- μεθυλοπρεδνιζολόνης, χορηγούμενα κατά και μετά την ΚΑΡΠΑ, σύμφωνα με το πρωτόκολλο της παρούσας μελέτης, προκαλεί σημαντικά μικρότερη κινητοποίηση της συστηματικής φλεγμονώδους απάντησης κατά την περίοδο της ανάνηψης. Στα πλαίσια της αξιολόγησης του “συνδρόμου μετά την καρδιακή ανακοπή” έγιναν μετρήσεις κυτοκινών. Όπως ήταν αναμενόμενο, τα επίπεδα τους βρέθηκαν σημαντικά μειωμένα στην ομάδα μελέτης, τόσο αμέσως μετά την ανακοπή, όσο και κατά το πρώτο 7ήμερο μετά, υποδηλώνοντας ηπιότερη μορφή του συνδρόμου. Το γεγονός αυτό φαίνεται να είναι αποτέλεσμα της μικρότερης διάρκειας ισχαιμικού επεισοδίου και των καλύτερων αρτηριακών πιέσεων που παρατηρήθηκαν στους ασθενείς της ομάδας μελέτης, τα οποία σχετίζονται με τις επιμέρους φαρμακολογικές ιδιότητες των χορηγούμενων φαρμάκων και την ξεχωριστή συμμετοχή τους στους μηχανισμούς του αγγειοπαραλυτικού σοκ. Τα παραπάνω δικαιώνουν τη βασική υπόθεση της παρούσας εργασίας, η οποία υπενθυμίζω είναι “...ότι στις περιπτώσεις ανθεκτικής ενδονοσοκομειακής καρδιακής ανακοπής η συνδυασμένη χορήγηση αδρεναλίνης-βαζοπρεσίνης κατά την ΚΑΡΠΑ, και κορτικοειδών κατά και μετά την ΚΑΡΠΑ κινητοποιεί τη συστηματική φλεγμονώδη απάντηση κατά την μετανανηπτική περίοδο σημαντικά λιγότερο από την χορήγηση αδρεναλίνης μόνο.”
METHODS FOR EVALUATING THE ACCURACY OF FISSION PRODUCT CONCENTRATION MEASUREMENTS IN NUCLEAR REACTOR PRIMARY HEAT TRANSPORT SYSTEMS
Authors: Livingstone Steve
Published: July 2014

Fission product concentration in reactor primary heat transport systems is a common diagnostic indicator for assessing reactor core condition and determining the presence, size, power, location, residence time, burnup, etc., of defected fuel. Typically, diagnostic assessment assumes a priori that measured data (activity concentration measurements and reactor parameters) are accurate; however, this is not always a valid assumption. A set of novel methods has been developed for detecting minor discrepancies in fission product concentration measurements and reactor parameters (such as issues with transit times, purification, and spectral analysis). A variety of techniques are discussed and applied to a variety of reactor types (mainly commercial power plant designs); these techniques and concepts can be modified and applied for research and (or) commercial applications.
THE DEEP RIVER SCIENCE ACADEMY: A UNIQUE AND INNOVATIVE PROGRAM FOR ENGAGING STUDENTS IN SCIENCE
Authors: Turner Carl W. , Didsbury Rick , Ingram Margo
Published: July 2014

For 28 years, the Deep River Science Academy (DRSA) has been offering high school students the opportunity to engage in the excitement and challenge of professional scientific research to help nurture their passion for science and to provide them with the experience and the knowledge to make informed decisions regarding possible future careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The venue for the DRSA program has been a six-week summer science camp where students, working in pairs under the guidance of a university undergraduate tutor, contribute directly to an on-going research program under the supervision of a professional scientist or engineer. This concept has been expanded in recent years to reach students in classrooms year round by engaging students via the internet over a 12-week term in a series of interactive teaching sessions based on an on-going research project. Although the research projects for the summer program are offered primarily from the laboratories of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited at its Chalk River Laboratories site, projects for the year-round program can be based, in principle, in laboratories at universities and other research institutes located anywhere in Canada.

This paper will describe the program in more detail using examples illustrating how the students become engaged in the research and the sorts of contributions they have been able to make over the years. The impact of the program on the students and the degree to which the DRSA has been able to meet its objective of encouraging students to choose careers in the fields of STEM and equipping them with the skills and experience to be successful will be assessed based on feedback from the students themselves. Finally, we will examine the program in the context of how well it helps to address the challenges faced by educators today in meeting the demands of students in a world where the internet provides instant access to information.
The effect of a ceramide-containing dressing in preventing pressure ulcers
Authors: Park K.H.
Published: July 2014

Objective:

To evaluate the effect of a ceramide-containing dressing (Remois Pad®) on preventing pressure ulcers.

Method:

A total of 32 patients (64 samples) with a Braden Scale score of 16 or less in intensive care units were enrolled to have the dressing applied for an experimental bilateral comparison study. The dressing was randomly applied to the right or left greater trochanter for 7 days. Incidence of nonblanching erythema and the water-holding capacity of the skin were measured on the third day and seventh day after intervention.

Results:

On the third day after intervention, nonblanching erythema was not apparent in either the experimental or the control groups. On the seventh day, one (3.3%) and four (13.3%) cases of nonblanching erythema were observed in the experimental group and the control group, respectively; however, the difference was not statistically significant. The water-retaining capacity of the skin on the third and seventh days after the intervention was significantly higher than that of the control group.

Conclusion:

The data collected from this study gave no evidence that a ceramide-containing dressing had an effect on preventing pressure ulcers in the greater trochanter area.

Declaration of interest:

There were no external sources of funding for this study. The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.
The use of a dermal substitute for simultaneous flap delay and donor site coverage in two cases
Authors: Behar Brittany J , Abdollahi Hamid , Ranganath Bharat , Ashraf Azra , Glat Paul M
Published: July 2014

Objective:

Lower extremity traumatic wounds can be difficult to treat owing to limb ischaemia and large zones of injury. Often, muscle or fasciocutaneous flaps are used in the presence of severe open orthopaedic injuries with soft tissue defects. Sometimes local flaps may be the preferred or only option, but may not tolerate being rotated or advanced owing to resulting flap ischaemia. One well-studied technique that can increase the survival of various flaps involves the delay phenomenon.

Method:

In these case reports, Integra Dermal Regeneration template was used to simultaneously create delayed flaps and to cover the wound and flap donor site so that the donor site could be skin grafted at the time of flap inset.

Results:

These cases demonstrate that use of Integra can enhance the delay phenomenon while simultaneously providing coverage of soft tissue defects in preparation for ultimately insetting delayed flaps and better covering donor areas.

Conclusion:

This technique may be applicable to many different flaps in many different anatomic locations and should be considered an option when reconstructing complicated wounds.

Declaration of interest:

none
An Assessment of the Potential of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) for the Analysis of Cesium in Liquid Samples of Biological Origin
Authors: Metzinger Anikó , Kovács-Széles Éva , Almási István , Galbács Gábor
Published: July 2014

The present study describes the development of an analytical method for the determination of cesium in biological fluid samples (human urine and blood samples) by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). The developed method is based on sample presentation by liquid-to-solid conversion, enhancing the emission signal by drying the liquid into small “pockets” created in a metal support (zinc plate), and allows the analysis to be carried out on as little as 1 μL of sample volume, in a closed sample cell. Absolute detection limits on the Cs I 852.1 nm spectral line were calculated by the IUPAC 3σ method to be 6 ng in the urine sample and 27 ng in the blood serum sample. It is estimated that LIBS may be used to detect highly elevated concentration levels of Cs in fluid samples taken from people potentially exposed to surges of Cs from non-natural sources.
Sensitive Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Detection of Nitroaromatic Pollutants in Water
Authors: Wang Menghan , De Vivo Benedetto , Lu Wanjun , Muniz-Miranda Maurizio
Published: July 2014

The increasing and urgent demand for clean water requires new approaches for identifying possible contaminants. In the present study, polymer substrates with embedded silver nanoparticles are employed to reveal the presence of traces of nitroaromatic compounds in water on the basis of the surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effect. These platforms provide an easy and sensitive method of detecting of low concentrations of these organic pollutants in contaminated water.