bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Customizing virtual networks with partial FPGA reconfiguration
Authors: Yin Dong , Unnikrishnan Deepak , Liao Yong , Gao Lixin , Tessier Russell
Published: January 2011

Recent FPGA-based implementations of network virtualization represent a significant step forward in network performance and scalability. Although these systems have been shown to provide orders of magnitude higher performance than solutions using software-based routers, straightforward reconfiguration of hardware-based virtual networks over time is a challenge. In this paper, we present the implementation of a reconfigurable network virtualization substrate that combines several partially-reconfigurable hardware virtual routers with software virtual routers. The update of hardware-based virtual networks in our system is supported via real-time partial FPGA reconfiguration. Hardware virtual networks can be dynamically reconfigured in a fraction of a second without affecting other virtual networks operating in the same FPGA. A heuristic has been developed to allocate virtual networks with diverse bandwidth requirements and network characteristics on this heterogeneous virtualization substrate. Experimental results show that the reconfigurable virtual routers can forward packets at line rate. Partial reconfiguration allows for 20x faster hardware reconfiguration than a previous approach which migrated hardware virtual networks to software.
Accelerating SSL with GPUs
Authors: Jang Keon , Han Sangjin , Han Seungyeop , Moon Sue , Park KyoungSoo
Published: January 2011

SSL/TLS is a standard protocol for secure Internet communication. Despite its great success, today's SSL deployment is largely limited to security-critical domains. The low adoption rate of SSL is mainly due to high computation overhead on the server side.

In this paper, we propose Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) as a new source of computing power to reduce the server-side overhead. We have designed and implemented an SSL proxy that opportunistically offloads cryptographic operations to GPUs. The evaluation results show that our GPU implementation of cryptographic operations, RSA, AES, and HMAC-SHA1, achieves high throughput while keeping the latency low. The SSL proxy significantly boosts the throughput of SSL transactions, handling 21.5K SSL transactions per second, and has comparable response time even when overloaded.
Efficient reconfigurable design for pricing asian options
Authors: Tse Anson H.T. , Thomas David B. , Tsoi K. H. , Luk Wayne
Published: January 2011

Arithmetic Asian options are financial derivatives which have the feature of path-dependency: they depend on the entire price path of the underlying asset, rather than just the instantaneous price. This path-dependency makes them difficult to price, as only computationally intensive Monte-Carlo methods can provide accurate prices. This paper proposes an FPGA-accelerated Asian option pricing solution, using a highly-optimised parallel Monte-Carlo architecture. The proposed pipelined design is described parametrically, facilitating its re-use for different technologies. An implementation of this architecture in a Virtex-5 xc5vlx330t FPGA at 200MHz is 313 times faster than a multi-threaded software implementation running on a Intel Xeon E5420 quad-core CPU at 2.5GHz; it is also 2.2 times faster than the Tesla C1060 GPU at 1.3 GHz.
Implementation of a programming environment with a multithread model for reconfigurable systems
Authors: Dohi Keisuke , Shibata Yuichiro , Hamada Tsuyoshi , Masada Tomonari , Oguri Kiyoshi , Buell Duncan A.
Published: January 2011

Reconfigurable systems are known to be able to achieve higher performance than traditional microprocessor architecture for many application fields. However, in order to extract a full potential of the reconfigurable systems, programmers often have to design and describe the best suited code for their target architecture with specialized knowledge. The aim of this paper is to assist the users of reconfigurable systems by implementing a translator with a multithread model. The experimental results show our translator automatically generates efficient performance-aware code segments including DMA transfer and shift registers for memory access optimization.
Runtime multitasking support on polymorphic platforms
Authors: Sabeghi Mojtaba , Mushtaq Hamid , Bertels Koen
Published: January 2011

General purpose computers are moving towards employing reconfigurable fabrics in order to achieve higher performance. In such systems, serving several applications at runtime is a challenging problem in which the reconfigurable fabric has to be shared among competing tasks. Because of the inherent complexity of mapping the computation intensive tasks into the FPGA, a comprehensive runtime system is required to address all the conflicting issues between competing applications' demands and to keep the system performance at the required level. In this paper, we present a runtime environment wherein a number of components introduced to handle the task assignment problem in a very low overhead manner. This runtime system completely virtualizes the underlying hardware and thus relieve the program developers from the difficulties of hardware design issues. More specifically, we discuss the design and implementation of the scheduler as the fundamental component as well as the profiler and the runtime binding mechanism in our runtime system.
An efficient CELL library for lattice quantum chromodynamics
Authors: Tadonki Claude , Grodidier Gilbert , Pene Olivier
Published: January 2011

Quantum chromodynamics (QCD) is the theory of subnuclear physics, aiming at modeling the strong nuclear force, which is responsible for the interactions of nuclear particles. Numerical QCD studies are performed through a discrete formalism called LQCD (Lattice Quantum Chromodynamics). Typical simulations involve very large volume of data and numerically sensitive entities, thus the crucial need of high performance computing systems. We propose a set of CELL-accelerated routines for basic LQCD calculations. Our framework is provided as a unified library and is particularly optimized for an iterative use. Each routine is parallelized among the SPUs, and each SPU achieves it task by looping on small chunk of arrays from the main memory. Our SPU implementation is vectorized with double precision data, and the cooperation with the PPU shows a good overlap between data transfers and computations. Moreover, we permanently keep the SPU context and use mailboxes to synchronize between consecutive calls. We validate our library by using it to derive a CELL version of an existing LQCD package (tmLQCD). Experimental results on individual routines show a significant speedup compare to standard processor, 11 times better than a 2.83 GHz INTEL processor for instance (without SSE). This ratio is around 9 (with QS22 blade) when consider a more cooperative context like solving a linear system of equations (usually referred as Wislon-Dirac inversion). Our results clearly demonstrate that the CELL is a very promising way for high-scale LQCD simulations.
Prototype implementation of array-processor extensible over multiple FPGAs for scalable stencil computation
Authors: Sano Kentaro , Wang Luzhou , Yamamoto Satoru
Published: January 2011

This paper demonstrates and evaluates the performance and the scalability of the systolic computational-memory array (SCMA) for stencil computation, which is a typical computing kernel of scientific simulation. We describe the basic architecture of th SCMA, and show the requirements and the design of SCMAs to scalably operate over multiple devices. We implement a prototype of the SCMA with three ALTERA Stratix III FPGAs, which form a 1--3 FPGA array by conecting three DE3 boards with different clock sources. The prototype SCMA demonstrates that the difference in operating clock frequency hardly influences the total execution cycles while it slightly causes stall cycles to sub-SCMAs on different FPGAs. With three banchmark programs of typical computing kernels based on the finite difference method, we show that the increased FPGAs provide higher performance proportional to the number of devices, resulting in almost linear speedup.
Privacy enhanced search
Authors: Gerber Benjamin
Published: January 2011

What does Google know about you? A new invention by IBM may hold the key to keeping your thoughts to yourself.
Leveraging open source software and design based research principles for development of a 3D virtual learning environment
Authors: Schmidt Matthew , Galyen Krista , Laffey James , Ding Nan , Wang Xianhui
Published: January 2011

Design based research (DBR) has been acknowledged as a productive approach for advancing educational technology. Coincidentally, open source software has been found to be a good fit for implementing design based research. This report presents a case study of a software project using a design-based research approach and free/open source software. The project, iSocial, is developing a 3D virtual environment for youth with autism spectrum disorders to develop social competence. The study illustrates how the flexibility and community features of FOSS fit with the iterative nature of design-based research to benefit the development of iSocial, and the report also discusses challenges of implementing FOSS and DBR.
Privacy rights in the age of Street View
Authors: Lopez Ben
Published: January 2011

Recently, Street View has come under public scrutiny due to its apparent disregard for personal privacy. Indeed, individuals should have the right to censor personal information -- prior to its public disclosure - and Street View-like services do seem to call this fundamental right into question. As the issue stands, Street View technology provides a useful service that allows for quick and easy access to most places within the vicinity of a main public road. In response to the public outcry against Street View, which is deemed by some an invasion of privacy, Google has made attempts to improve its privacy policy regarding Street View. Google's aim is to provide "valuable services... that reflect strong privacy standards and practices" (Google.com). So far, it has fallen short of its objective, experiencing dramatic failures that threaten the privacy of its customers. Fortunately, it has attempted to respond to public opinion. Thus, although Street View's current violations are relatively minor, such infringements demand an adequate response, or else the predicament will inevitably worsen. Certain violations must be appropriately redressed and reforms made to prevent both future privacy violations and an escalation of the risk inherent in the services provided by Google. If not, dangerous precedents may be set that will ultimately prove detrimental to individuals' privacy rights. Nevertheless, while limits must be placed on these new services, these services cannot be restricted to the extent that they are in effect rejected. To do so would impede progress. Therefore, the ultimate goal should be to ensure the creation of a service that is compatible with the privacy requirements of the general public. No individual's complaints can be ignored; the violation of one person's rights endangers the rights of all. Moreover, to allow the incorporation of new technology without any limitations would be sheer folly. Advances in technology make greater social responsibility an absolute necessity. Society must strive to ensure that new services promote the welfare of all by setting adequate regulations and actively upholding an individual's fundamental right to privacy. Thus, although there is no denying the benefits that these new services provide, a careful balance must be struck between convenience and privacy.
Alternative Macrophage Activation and Metabolism
Authors: Odegaard Justin I. , Chawla Ajay
Published: January 2011

Obesity and its attendant metabolic disorders represent the great public health challenge of our time. Recent evidence suggests that onset of inflammation in metabolic tissues pathogenically links obesity to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. In this review, we briefly summarize the extant literature, paying special attention to the central role of the tissue-associated macrophage in the initiation of metabolic inflammation. We argue that rather than representing simple inflammatory disease, obesity and metabolic syndrome represent derangements in macrophage activation with concomitant loss of metabolic coordination. As such, the sequelae of obesity are as much products of the loss of positive macrophage influences as they are of the presence of deleterious inflammation. The therapeutic implications of this conclusion are profound because they suggest that pharmacologic targeting of macrophage activation, rather than simply inflammation, might be efficacious in treating this global epidemic.
The Pathobiology of Arrhythmogenic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: Saffitz Jeffrey E.
Published: January 2011

This review highlights current knowledge about arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy and considers clinical, pathological, genetic, biomechanical, and pathophysiological aspects of disease pathogenesis. Although relatively uncommon, arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy is of particular interest as a model system for study. It is caused in at least half of all cases by single-gene mutations that provide direct entry points into studies designed to elucidate mechanisms of disease. These mutations involve proteins that form desmosomes, directly implicating altered cellular biomechanical properties in disease pathogenesis and providing opportunities to investigate more broadly the ways in which abnormal cell and tissue biomechanics induce cardiac myocyte injury and alter cell biology. The highly arrhythmogenic phenotype is a cardinal feature of the disease. A more complete understanding of the pathogenesis of this aspect of arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy may shed light onto the basic mechanisms underlying lethal ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death in more common forms of heart disease.
Disorders of Bone Remodeling
Authors: Feng Xu , McDonald Jay M.
Published: January 2011

The skeleton provides mechanical support for stature and locomotion, protects vital organs, and controls mineral homeostasis. A healthy skeleton must be maintained by constant bone modeling to carry out these crucial functions throughout life. Bone remodeling involves the removal of old or damaged bone by osteoclasts (bone resorption) and the subsequent replacement of new bone formed by osteoblasts (bone formation). Normal bone remodeling requires a tight coupling of bone resorption to bone formation to guarantee no alteration in bone mass or quality after each remodeling cycle. However, this important physiological process can be derailed by a variety of factors, including menopause-associated hormonal changes, age-related factors, changes in physical activity, drugs, and secondary diseases, which lead to the development of various bone disorders in both women and men. We review the major diseases of bone remodeling, emphasizing our current understanding of the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms.
Mesenchymal Stem Cells: Mechanisms of Inflammation
Authors: Singer Nora G. , Caplan Arnold I.
Published: January 2011

In adults, human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) are found in vivo at low frequency and are defined by their capacity to differentiate into bone, cartilage, and adipose tissue, depending on the stimuli and culture conditions under which they are expanded. Although MSCs were initially hypothesized to be the panacea for regenerating tissues, MSCs appear to be more important in therapeutics to regulate the immune response invoked in settings such as tissue injury, transplantation, and autoimmunity. MSCs have been used therapeutically in clinical trials and subsequently in practice to treat graft-versus-host disease following bone marrow transplantation. Reports of successful immune modulation suggest efficacy in a wide range of autoimmune conditions, such as demyelinating neurological disease (multiple sclerosis), systemic lupus erythematosus, and Crohn's disease, among others. This review provides background information about hMSCs and also describes their putative mechanisms of action in inflammation. We provide a summary of ongoing clinical trials to allow (a) full comprehension of the range of diseases in which hMSC therapy may be beneficial and (b) identification of gaps in our knowledge about the mechanisms of action of therapeutic MSCs in disease.
Parkinson's Disease: Genetics and Pathogenesis
Authors: Shulman Joshua M. , De Jager Philip L. , Feany Mel B.
Published: January 2011

Recent investigation into the mechanisms of Parkinson's disease (PD) has generated remarkable insight while simultaneously challenging traditional conceptual frameworks. Although the disease remains defined clinically by its cardinal motor manifestations and pathologically by midbrain dopaminergic cell loss in association with Lewy bodies, it is now recognized that PD has substantially more widespread impact, causing a host of nonmotor symptoms and associated pathology in multiple regions throughout the nervous system. Further, the discovery and validation of PD-susceptibility genes contradict the historical view that environmental factors predominate, and blur distinctions between familial and sporadic disease. Genetic advances have also promoted the development of improved animal models, highlighted responsible molecular pathways, and revealed mechanistic overlap with other neurodegenerative disorders. In this review, we synthesize emerging lessons on PD pathogenesis from clinical, pathological, and genetic studies toward a unified concept of the disorder that may accelerate the design and testing of the next generation of PD therapies.
Pathogenesis of Liver Fibrosis
Authors: Hernandez-Gea Virginia , Friedman Scott L.
Published: January 2011

Liver fibrosis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide due to chronic viral hepatitis and, more recently, from fatty liver disease associated with obesity. Hepatic stellate cell activation represents a critical event in fibrosis because these cells become the primary source of extracellular matrix in liver upon injury. Use of cell-culture and animal models has expanded our understanding of the mechanisms underlying stellate cell activation and has shed new light on genetic regulation, the contribution of immune signaling, and the potential reversibility of the disease. As pathways of fibrogenesis are increasingly clarified, the key challenge will be translating new advances into the development of antifibrotic therapies for patients with chronic liver disease.
Pathogenesis of Myeloma
Authors: Anderson Kenneth C. , Carrasco Ruben D.
Published: January 2011

Multiple myeloma (MM) is a neoplasm of post–germinal center, terminally differentiated B cells. It is characterized by a multifocal proliferation of clonal, long-lived plasma cells within the bone marrow (BM) and associated skeletal destruction, serum monoclonal gammopathy, immune suppression, and end-organ sequelae. MM is preceded by an age-progressive premalignant condition termed monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. Unlike the genomes of most hematological malignancies, and similar to those of solid-tissue neoplasms, MM genomes are typified by numerous structural and numerical chromosomal aberrations as well as mutations in a number of oncogenes and tumor-suppressor genes, some of which have been linked to disease pathogenesis and clinical behavior. Recent studies have also defined the importance of interactions between the MM cells and their BM microenvironment, dysregulation in signaling pathways and in a specialized subpopulation of cells within the tumor (termed myeloma cancer stem cells) for tumor cell growth and survival, and the development of resistance to therapy.
Pathogenic Mechanisms of HIV Disease
Authors: Moir Susan , Chun Tae-Wook , Fauci Anthony S.
Published: January 2011

Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is generally characterized by inefficient viral transmission; an acute phase of intense viral replication and dissemination to lymphoid tissues; a chronic, often asymptomatic phase of sustained immune activation and viral replication; and an advanced phase of marked depletion of CD4+ T cells that leads to acquired immune deficiency syndrome. Major insight into HIV transmission and each phase of infection has been gained from studies on blood and tissue specimens obtained from HIV-infected individuals, as well as from animal and ex vivo models. Not only has the introduction of effective antiretroviral therapy greatly diminished the morbidity and mortality associated with HIV disease progression, it has also provided new avenues of research toward delineating the mechanisms of HIV-induced pathogenesis. Further advances in therapeutics and informative technologies, combined with a better understanding of the immunologic and virologic components of HIV disease, hold promise for new preventative and even curative strategies.
Retinoids, Retinoic Acid Receptors, and Cancer
Authors: Tang Xiao-Han , Gudas Lorraine J.
Published: January 2011

Retinoids (i.e., vitamin A, all-trans retinoic acid, and related signaling molecules) induce the differentiation of various types of stem cells. Nuclear retinoic acid receptors mediate most but not all of the effects of retinoids. Retinoid signaling is often compromised early in carcinogenesis, which suggests that a reduction in retinoid signaling may be required for tumor development. Retinoids interact with other signaling pathways, including estrogen signaling in breast cancer. Retinoids are used to treat cancer, in part because of their ability to induce differentiation and arrest proliferation. Delivery of retinoids to patients is challenging because of the rapid metabolism of some retinoids and because epigenetic changes can render cells retinoid resistant. Successful cancer therapy with retinoids is likely to require combination therapy with drugs that regulate the epigenome, such as DNA methyltransferase and histone deacetylase inhibitors, as well as classical chemotherapeutic agents. Thus, retinoid research benefits both cancer prevention and cancer treatment.
The Pathogenesis of Systemic Sclerosis
Authors: Katsumoto Tamiko R. , Whitfield Michael L. , Connolly M. Kari
Published: January 2011

Systemic sclerosis (SSc), also known as scleroderma, is a rare connective tissue disease characterized by vascular and immune dysfunction, leading to fibrosis that can damage multiple organs. Its pathogenesis is complex and poorly understood. Two major clinical subtypes are the limited and diffuse forms. Research into SSc has been hampered by its rarity, its clinical heterogeneity, and the lack of mouse models that accurately recapitulate the disease. Clinical and basic studies have yielded some mechanistic clues regarding pathogenesis. Recent insights gained through the use of microarrays have revealed distinctive subsets of SSc within and beyond the limited and diffuse subsets. In this review, we discuss potential mechanisms underlying the vascular, autoimmune, and fibrotic points of dysregulation. Proper categorization of SSc patients for research studies by use of microarrays or other biomarkers is critical, as disease heterogeneity may explain some of the inconsistencies of prior studies.
The HIF Pathway and Erythrocytosis
Authors: Lee Frank S. , Percy Melanie J.
Published: January 2011

Because of the central role that red blood cells play in the delivery of oxygen to tissues of the body, red blood cell mass must be controlled at precise levels. The glycoprotein hormone erythropoietin (EPO) regulates red blood cell mass. EPO transcription, in turn, is regulated by a distinctive oxygen-sensing mechanism. In this pathway, prolyl hydroxylase domain protein (PHD) site-specifically hydroxylates the α-subunit of the transcription factor hypoxia-inducible factor α (HIF-α), thereby targeting the latter for degradation by the von Hippel–Lindau tumor-suppressor protein (VHL). Under hypoxic conditions, this posttranslational modification of HIF-α is inhibited, which stabilizes it and promotes the transcriptional activation of genes, including that for EPO. Rare patients with erythrocytosis have mutations in the genes encoding for PHD2, HIF-2α, and VHL, which implicates these proteins as critical to the proper control of red blood cell mass in humans.
The Pathogenesis of Sepsis
Authors: Stearns-Kurosawa Deborah J. , Osuchowski Marcin F. , Valentine Catherine , Kurosawa Shinichiro , Remick Daniel G.
Published: January 2011

Sepsis is a serious clinical condition that represents a patient's response to a severe infection and has a very high mortality rate. Normal immune and physiologic responses eradicate pathogens, and the pathophysiology of sepsis is due to the inappropriate regulation of these normal reactions. In an ideal scenario, the first pathogen contact with the inflammatory system should eliminate the microbe and quickly return the host to homeostasis. The septic response may accelerate due to continued activation of neutrophils and macrophages/monocytes. Upregulation of lymphocyte costimulatory molecules and rapid lymphocyte apoptosis, delayed apoptosis of neutrophils, and enhanced necrosis of cells/tissues also contribute to the pathogenesis of sepsis. The coagulation system is closely tied to the inflammatory response, with cross talk between the two systems driving the dysregulated response. Biomarkers may be used to help diagnose patients with sepsis, and they may also help to identify patients who would benefit from immunomodulatory therapies.
Mouse Models of Cancer
Authors: Cheon Dong-Joo , Orsulic Sandra
Published: January 2011

Genetically engineered mouse models have significantly contributed to our understanding of cancer biology. They have proven to be useful in validating gene functions, identifying novel cancer genes and tumor biomarkers, gaining insight into the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying tumor initiation and multistage processes of tumorigenesis, and providing better clinical models in which to test novel therapeutic strategies. However, mice still have significant limitations in modeling human cancer, including species-specific differences and inaccurate recapitulation of de novo human tumor development. Future challenges in mouse modeling include the generation of clinically relevant mouse models that recapitulate the molecular, cellular, and genomic events of human cancers and clinical response as well as the development of technologies that allow for efficient in vivo imaging and high-throughput screening in mice.
The Design of QFT Robust Compensators with Magnitude and Phase Specifications
Authors: Moreno José Carlos , Baños Alfonso , Berenguel Manuel
Published: January 2011

The frequency response is an important tool for practical and efficient design of control systems. Control techniques based on frequency response are of special interest to dealing with important subjects such as the bandwidth and the cost of feedback. Furthermore, these techniques are easily adapted to deal with the uncertainty of the process to control. Quantitative feedback theory (QFT) is an engineering design technique of uncertain feedback systems that uses frequency domain specifications. This paper analyzes the phase specifications problem in frequency domain using QFT. This type of specification is not commonly taken into account due to the fundamental limitations of the linear control given by Bode′s integral. An algorithm is proposed aimed at achieving prespecified closed‐loop transfer function phase and magnitude variations, taking into account the plant uncertainty. A two‐degrees‐of‐freedom feedback control structure is used and a new type of boundary is defined to satisfy these objectives. As the control effort heavily depends on a good estimation of these boundaries, the proposed algorithm allows avoiding overdesign.
Cancer Stem Cells and Epithelial Ovarian Cancer
Authors: Dyall Sheetal , Gayther Simon A. , Dafou Dimitra
Published: January 2011

The cancer stem cell hypothesis is becoming more widely accepted as a model for carcinogenesis. Tumours are heterogeneous both at the molecular and cellular level, containing a small population of cells that possess highly tumourigenic “stem-cell” properties. Cancer stem cells (CSCs), or tumour-initiating cells, have the ability to self-renew, generate xenografts reminiscent of the primary tumour that they were derived from, and are chemoresistant. The characterisation of the CSC population within a tumour that drives its growth could provide novel target therapeutics against these cells specifically, eradicating the cancer completely. There have been several reports describing the isolation of putative cancer stem cell populations in several cancers; however, no defined set of markers has been identified that conclusively characterises “stem-like” cancer cells. This paper highlights the current experimental approaches that have been used in the field and discusses their limitations, with specific emphasis on the identification and characterisation of the CSC population in epithelial ovarian cancer.
q‐Bernstein Polynomials Associated with q‐Stirling Numbers and Carlitz′s q‐Bernoulli Numbers
Authors: Kim T. , Choi J. , Kim Y. H.
Published: January 2011

Recently, Kim (2011) introduced q‐Bernstein polynomials which are
different q‐Bernstein polynomials of Phillips (1997). In this paper, we give a p‐adic
q‐integral representation for q‐Bernstein type polynomials and investigate some
interesting identities of q‐Bernstein type polynomials associated with q‐extensions
of the binomial distribution, q‐Stirling numbers, and Carlitz′s q‐Bernoulli numbers.
Preservation of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata(L.) Walp)Grainsagainst Cowpea Bruchids (Callosobruchus maculatus) Using Neem and Moringa Seed Oils
Authors: Ilesanmi Joana O. , Gungula Daniel T.
Published: January 2011

This study was conducted to determine the effects of neem (Azadirachta indicaA. Juss) and moringa (Moringa oleifera) seed oils on the storability of cowpea grain. Cowpea samples were treated with various concentrations (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mL/200 g cowpea) of pure neem and moringa oils and their mixtures in ratios of 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3. The treated cowpea samples were stored for 180 days. Data were collected every 30 days on number of eggs laid, total weevil population, and percentage of uninfested grains and analysed statistically. Significantly different means were compared using LSD at . Increasing oil concentration resulted in better cowpea protection, for example, in oviposition where the control had 6513 eggs, only 8 eggs were recorded in pure neem oil-treated sample at 0.5 mL/200 g. Generally, better results were obtained with higher oil concentrations either in their pure forms or mixtures. The control had a total weevil population of 4988, while most treated samples had none. The control samples had 0% uninfested grains, while 73–94% of uninfested grains were observed in treated samples after 6 months of storage. Therefore, mixture of the oils at 1.5 mL/200 g can be effectively used to store cowpea.
Application of the Total Least Square ESPRIT Method to Estimation of Angular Coordinates of Moving Objects
Authors: Rosloniec Wojciech
Published: January 2011

The TLS ESPRIT method is investigated in application to estimation of angular coordinates (angles of arrival) of two moving objects at the presence of an external, relatively strong uncorrelated signal. As a radar antenna system, the 32-element uniform linear array (ULA) is used. Various computer simulations have been carried out in order to demonstrate good accuracy and high spatial resolution of the TLS ESPRIT method in the scenario outlined above. It is also shown that accuracy and angle resolution can be significantly increased by using the proposed preprocessing (beamforming). The most of simulation results, presented in a graphical form, have been compared to the corresponding equivalent results obtained by using the ESPRIT method and conventional amplitude monopulse method aided by the coherent Doppler filtration.
A New Iterative Scheme for Countable Families of Weak RelativelyNonexpansive Mappings and System of Generalized Mixed EquilibriumProblems
Authors: Shehu Yekini
Published: January 2011

We construct a new iterative scheme by hybrid methods and prove strong convergence
theorem for approximation of a common fixed point of two countable families of weak relatively nonexpansive
mappings which is also a solution to a system of generalized mixed equilibrium problems in a uniformly convex
real Banach space which is also uniformly smooth using the properties of generalized f‐projection operator.
Using this result, we discuss strong convergence theorem concerning general H‐monotone mappings and system
of generalized mixed equilibrium problems in Banach spaces. Our results extend many known recent results in
the literature.
Optimizing Liposomal Cisplatin Efficacy through Membrane Composition Manipulations
Authors: Zisman Natalia , Dos Santos Nancy , Johnstone Sharon , Tsang Alan , Bermudes David , Mayer Lawrence , Tardi Paul
Published: January 2011

The first liposomal formulation of cisplatin to be evaluated clinically was SPI-077. Although the formulation demonstrated enhanced cisplatin tumor accumulation in preclinical models it did not enhance clinical efficacy, possibly due to limited cisplatin release from the formulation localized within the tumor. We have examined a series of liposomal formulations to address the in vivo relationship between cisplatin release rate and formulation efficacy in the P388 murine leukemia model. The base formulation of phosphatidylcholine: phosphatidylglycerol: cholesterol was altered in the C18 and C16 phospholipid content to influence membrane fluidity and thereby impacting drug circulation lifetime and drug retention. Phase transition temperatures (Tm) ranged from 42–55°C. The high Tm formulations demonstrated enhanced drug retention properties accompanied by low antitumor activity while the lowest Tm formulations released the drug too rapidly in the plasma, limiting drug delivery to the tumor which also resulted in low antitumor activity. A formulation composed of DSPC : DPPC : DSPG : Chol; (35 : 35 : 20 : 10) with an intermediate drug release rate and a cisplatin plasma half-life of 8.3 hours showed the greatest antitumor activity. This manuscript highlights the critical role that drug release rates play in the design of an optimized drug delivery vehicle.
Immunotherapy for Lung Cancers
Authors: Ho Ming-Yi , Tang Shye-Jye , Sun Kuang-Hui , Yang Winnie
Published: January 2011

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer‐related deaths worldwide. Although treatment methods in surgery, irradiation, and chemotherapy have improved, prognosis remains unsatisfactory and developing new therapeutic strategies is still an urgent demand. Immunotherapy is a novel therapeutic approach wherein activated immune cells can specifically kill tumor cells by recognition of tumor‐associated antigens without damage to normal cells. Several lung cancer vaccines have demonstrated prolonged survival time in phase II and phase III trials, and several clinical trials are under investigation. However, many clinical trials involving cancer vaccination with defined tumor antigens work in only a small number of patients. Cancer immunotherapy is not completely effective in eradicating tumor cells because tumor cells escape from host immune scrutiny. Understanding of the mechanism of immune evasion regulated by tumor cells is required for the development of more effective immunotherapeutic approaches against lung cancer. This paper discusses the identification of tumor antigens in lung cancer, tumor immune escape mechanisms, and clinical vaccine trials in lung cancer.
Consumption of Hydrogen Water Reduces Paraquat‐Induced Acute Lung Injury in Rats
Authors: Liu Shulin , Liu Kan , Sun Qiang , Liu Wenwu , Xu Weigang , Denoble Petar , Tao Hengyi , Sun Xuejun
Published: January 2011

Exposure to paraquat leads to acute lung injury and oxidative stress is widely accepted as a contributor to paraquat‐induced acute lung injury. Recent studies have reported that consumption of water with dissolved molecular hydrogen to a saturated level (hydrogen water) prevents oxidative stress‐induced diseases. Here, we investigated whether consumption of saturated hydrogen saline protects rats against paraquat‐induced acute lung injury. Adult male Sprague‐Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups: Control group; hydrogen water‐only group (HW group); paraquat‐only group (PQ group); paraquat and hydrogen water group (PQ  +  HW group). The rats in control group and HW group drank pure water or hydrogen water; the rats in PQ group and PQ  +  HW group were intraperitonealy injected with paraquat (35 mg/kg) and then provided pure water or hydrogen water. Both biochemical and histological lung alterations were measured. The results showed that hydrogen water ameliorated these alterations, demonstrating that hydrogen water alleviated paraquat‐induced acute lung injury possibly by inhibition of oxidative damage.
Assessment of Bacterial Antibiotic Resistance Transfer in the Gut
Authors: Schjørring Susanne , Krogfelt Karen A.
Published: January 2011

We assessed horizontal gene transfer between bacteria in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. During the last decades, the emergence of antibiotic resistant strains and treatment failures of bacterial infections have increased the public awareness of antibiotic usage. The use of broad spectrum antibiotics creates a selective pressure on the bacterial flora, thus increasing the emergence of multiresistant bacteria, which results in a vicious circle of treatments and emergence of new antibiotic resistant bacteria. The human gastrointestinal tract is a massive reservoir of bacteria with a potential for both receiving and transferring antibiotic resistance genes. The increased use of fermented food products and probiotics, as food supplements and health promoting products containing massive amounts of bacteria acting as either donors and/or recipients of antibiotic resistance genes in the human GI tract, also contributes to the emergence of antibiotic resistant strains. This paper deals with the assessment of antibiotic resistance gene transfer occurring in the gut.
Aberrantly Glycosylated IgA1 as a Factor in the Pathogenesis of IgA Nephropathy
Authors: Tanaka Mototsugu , Seki George , Someya Tomonosuke , Nagata Michio , Fujita Toshiro
Published: January 2011

Predominant or codominant immunoglobulin (Ig) A deposition in the glomerular mesangium characterizes IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Accumulated glomerular IgA is limited to the IgA1 subclass and usually galactose-deficient. This underglycosylated IgA may play an important role in the pathogenesis of IgAN. Recently, antibodies against galactose-deficient IgA1 were found to be well associated with the development of IgAN. Several therapeutic strategies based on corticosteroids or other immunosuppressive agents have been shown to at least partially suppress the progression of IgAN. On the other hand, several case reports of kidney transplantation or acquired IgA deficiency uncovered a remarkable ability of human kidney to remove mesangial IgA deposition, resulting in the long-term stabilization of kidney function. Continuous exposure to circulating immune complexes containing aberrantly glycosylated IgA1 and sequential immune response seems to be essential in the disease progression of IgAN. Removal of mesangial IgA deposition may be a challenging, but fundamental approach in the treatment of IgAN.
On the Solution of Distributional Abel Integral Equation by Distributional Sumudu Transform
Authors: Loonker Deshna , Banerji P. K.
Published: January 2011

Solution of the Abel integral equation is obtained using the Sumudu transform and further, distributional Sumudu transform, and, distributional Abel equation are established.
Serum Leptin Concentration Positively Correlates with Body Weight and Total Fat Mass in Postmenopausal Japanese Women with Osteoarthritis of the Knee
Authors: Iwamoto Jun , Takeda Tsuyoshi , Sato Yoshihiro , Matsumoto Hideo
Published: January 2011

The objective of the present study was to identify factors correlated with the serum leptin concentration in women with knee OA. Fifty postmenopausal Japanese women with knee OA (age: 50–88 years) were recruited in our outpatient clinic. Plain radiographs of the knee were taken, and urine and blood samples were collected. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanning was performed for the whole body and lumbar spine, and factors correlated with the serum leptin concentration were identified. A simple linear regression analysis showed that body weight, body mass index, whole-body bone mineral density (BMD), total fat mass, and total fat percentage, but not age, height, lumbar spine BMD, lean body mass, serum and urinary bone turnover markers, or the radiographic grade of knee OA, were significantly correlated with the serum leptin concentration. A multiple regression analysis showed that among these factors, only body weight and total fat mass exhibited a significant positive correlation with the serum leptin concentration. These results suggest that the serum leptin concentration might be related to increases in body weight and total fat mass, but not to BMD or bone turnover markers, in postmenopausal women with OA.
Endovascular Treatment of Thoracic Aortic Floating Thrombus in Patients Presenting with Acute Lower Limb Ischemia
Authors: Giovanni Nano , Daniela Mazzaccaro , Giovanni Malacrida , Maria Teresa Occhiuto , Silvia Stegher , Davide Foresti , Domenico Giuseppe Tealdi
Published: January 2011

We report two cases of descending thoracic aorta floating thrombus treated with Bolton Relay thoracic free-flow stent graft. The patients had symptoms of lower limb ischemia; they underwent preoperative angiography and CTscan, then we proceeded with endovascular exclusion of the thrombus from the systemic circulation. At 12 months, the graft was still patent in both patients, without any signs of endoleak.
Abnormalities of the TITF-1 Lineage-Specific Oncogene in NSCLC: Implications in Lung Cancer Pathogenesis and Prognosis
Authors: Tang Ximing , Kadara Humam , Behrens Carmen , Liu Diane D , Xiao Yun , Rice David , Gazdar Adi F. , Fujimoto Junya , Moran Cesar , Varella-Garcia Marileila , Lee J Jack , Hong Waun Ki , Wistuba Ignacio I.
Published: January 2011

Purpose: Emerging evidence suggests that aberrant expression of oncogenes contributes to development of lung malignancy. The thyroid transcription factor 1 (TITF-1) gene functions as a lineage survival gene abnormally expressed in a significant fraction of non–small cell lung cancers (NSCLC), in particular lung adenocarcinomas.

Experimental Design: To better characterize TITF-1 abnormality patterns in NSCLC, we studied TITF-1's gene copy number using FISH and quantitative PCR, as well as its protein expression by immunohistochemistry analysis in a tissue microarray comprising surgically resected NSCLC (N = 321) including 204 adenocarcinomas and 117 squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). TITF-1 copy number and protein expression were correlated with patients' clinicopathologic characteristics, and in a subset of adenocarcinomas with EGFR and KRAS mutation status.

Results: We found that increased TITF-1 protein expression was prevalent in lung adenocarcinomas only and was significantly associated with female gender (P < 0.001), never-smokers (P = 0.004), presence of EGFR mutations (P = 0.05), and better overall survival (all stages, P = 0.0478; stages I and II, P = 0.002). TITF-1 copy number gain(CNG) was detected by FISH analysis in both adenocarcinomas (18.9%; high CNG, 8.3%) and SCCs (20.1%; high CNG, 3.0%), and correlated significantly with the protein product (P = 0.004) and presence of KRAS mutations (P = 0.008) in lung adenocarcinomas. Moreover, multivariate analysis revealed that TITF-1 copy number gain was an independent predictor of poor survival of NSCLC (P = 0.039).

Conclusions: Our integrative study demonstrates that the protein versus genomic patterns of TITF-1 have opposing roles in lung cancer prognosis and may occur preferentially in different subsets of NSCLC patients with distinct oncogene mutations. Clin Cancer Res; 17(8); 2434–43. ©2011 AACR.
Sex and the Frontal Cortex: A Developmental CT Study in the Spotted Hyena
Authors: Arsznov Bradley M. , Lundrigan Barbara L. , Holekamp Kay E. , Sakai Sharleen T.
Published: January 2011

The purpose of this study was to examine developmental and individual variation in total endocranial volume and regional brain volumes, including the anterior cerebrum, posterior cerebrum and cerebellum/brain stem, in the spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta). The spotted hyena is a highly gregarious animal noted for living in large, hierarchically organized groups. The social lives of male and female spotted hyenas do not differ until after puberty, when males disperse from the natal group, while females remain philopatric. Here we sought to determine whether the divergent life histories of male and female spotted hyenas are linked to differences in brain size or organization. Three-dimensional virtual endocasts were created using computed tomography from 46 spotted hyenas skulls (23 females, 22 males, 1 unknown sex) ranging in age from 1 day to 18 years. Brain volume and skull length were highly correlated (r = 0.91), and both reached asymptotic values by 34 months of age. Analyses of total endocranial volume (relative to skull length) and cerebellum/brain stem volume (relative to total endocranial volume) revealed no sex differences. However, relative anterior cerebrum volume, comprised mainly of frontal cortex, was significantly greater in adult males than adult females, and relative posterior cerebrum volume was greater in adult females than adult males. We hypothesize that the demands of neural processing underlying enhanced social cognition required for successful male transfer between matriarchical social groups at dispersal may be greater than cognitive demands on philopatric females.
Immunohistochemical Localization of Calbindin-D28k and Calretinin in the Spinal Cord of Lungfishes
Authors: Morona Ruth , Northcutt R. Glenn , González Agustín
Published: January 2011

A common pattern of distribution of neurons and fibers containing the calcium-binding proteins calbindin-D28k (CB) and calretinin (CR) in the spinal cord of terrestrial vertebrates has been recently demonstrated. Lungfishes are considered the closest living relatives of tetrapods, but practically no experimental data exist on the organization of their spinal cord. By means of immunohistochemical techniques, the localization of CB and CR was investigated in the spinal cord of the African (Protopterus dolloi) and Australian (Neoceratodus forsteri) lungfishes. Abundant cell bodies and fibers immunoreactive for either CB or CR were widely distributed throughout the spinal cord. A large population of immunoreactive cells was found in the dorsal column of the gray matter in both species, and abundant cells were distributed in the lateral and ventral columns. Ventrolateral motoneurons and multipolar cells were only intensely CB and CR immunoreactive in Neoceratodus. For the most part, separate cell populations contained either CB or CR, but a small subset of dorsally located neurons contained both in the two lungfishes. Colocalization was found in motoneurons and in ventrolaterally located cells only in Neoceratodus. Fiber labeling showed a predominance of CR-containing axons in the lateral and ventral funiculi of presumed supraspinal origin. These results show that lung-fishes and tetrapods have many features in common, suggesting that primitive anatomical, and likely functional, organization of the spinal cord of tetrapods is present in lungfishes.