bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ZrxFe3−xO4 (0.01 ≤ x ≤ 1.0) nanoparticles: a possible magnetic in vivo switch
Authors: Prasad N. K. , Srivastava M. , Alla S. K. , Danda J. R. , Aditya D. , Mandal R. K.
Published: April 2016

AC field controlled temperature during magnetic hyperthermia for ZrxFe3−xO4 (0.01 ≤ x ≤ 1.0) based ferrofluids. The unexpected behavior observed despite their high magnetization (~50 Am2 kg−1) and Curie temperature (TC > 300 °C).
Cationic xylan–METAC copolymer as a flocculant for clay suspensions
Authors: Wang Shoujuan , Konduri Mohan K. R. , Hou Qingxi , Fatehi Pedram
Published: April 2016

The work presented herein focused on the flocculation of kaolin and bentonite clay suspensions using cationic copolymerized xylan under controlled conditions.
A one pot, metal-free, three-component domino sequence for the synthesis of furans: an efficient C–O and C–N bond formation approach
Authors: Guo Pengfeng , Wang Changcheng , Chen Ya , Ou Caijun , Jiang Hangqi , Chen Weifeng , Chen Weixin , Cao Hua
Published: April 2016

A novel one pot, metal-free, three-component domino reaction for the formation of furan derivatives has been developed from 3-phenylpropiolaldehyde, 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds and aromatic amine or aliphatic acid.
An efficient route to asymmetrically diconjugated tris(heteroleptic) complexes of Ru(ii)
Authors: Burke Christopher S. , Keyes Tia E.
Published: April 2016

A highly efficient and versatile route to the preparation of tris(heteroleptic) Ru(ii) polypyridyl complexes is described which permits access to two or more independently conjugatable termini in the final structure.
Highly efficient synthesis of primary amides via aldoximes rearrangement in water under air atmosphere catalyzed by an ionic ruthenium pincer complex
Authors: Yang Fa-Liu , Zhu Xinju , Rao Dun-Kang , Cao Xiao-Niu , Li Ke , Xu Yan , Hao Xin-Qi , Song Mao-Ping
Published: April 2016

An ionic Ru pincer complex was demonstrated to be highly efficient catalyst for conversion of aldoximes and aldehydes into corresponding primary amides with environmental benignity, operational convenience and catalytic loading as low as 0.5 mol%.
Hydrolytic behaviour of mono- and dithiolato-bridged dinuclear arene ruthenium complexes and their interactions with biological ligands
Authors: Stíbal David , Geiser Lennart , Süss-Fink Georg , Furrer Julien
Published: April 2016

Compared to the inert and highly cytotoxic dinuclearp-cymene ruthenium trithiolato complexes, the less cytotoxic mono- and dithiolato complexes readily hydrolyse in aqueous solution and form adducts with cysteine, but do not interact with DNA.
A conditioning-free magnesium chloride complex electrolyte for rechargeable magnesium batteries
Authors: Ha Jung Hoon , Adams Brian , Cho Jae-Hyun , Duffort Victor , Kim Jong Hak , Chung Kyung Yoon , Cho Byung Won , Nazar Linda F. , Oh Si Hyoung
Published: April 2016

Catalytic dissolution of Mg metal in THF leads to a highly stable electrolyte for rechargeable magnesium batteries which share many common features with MACC, but does not require an onerous conditioning process. The high Mg to Al ratio in the electrolyte promotes 100% coulombic efficiency for Mg in the first cycle.
An analytical model for the power consumption of Dual‐Mode EEE
Authors: Mostowfi M. , Shafie K.
Published: April 2016

An analytical model is developed for the recently proposed Dual‐Mode Energy Efficient Ethernet – an extension to EEE with two modes of low‐power operation. The model can be used for predicting energy savings for different loads and other traffic parameters. The results from the analytical model closely match the results obtained by simulation for synthetic and real traffic.
Smart phone‐based peak expiratory flow meter
Authors: Natarajan S. , Castner J. , Titus A.H.
Published: April 2016

The design and performance of a smart‐phone‐based device, called AudioFlow, that measures and records peak expiratory flow (PEF) is presented. PEF is a measure used by asthma sufferers to monitor their asthma conditions. The device is comprised of a custom 3D printed airtube and a minimal number of electronic components that communicate with a smartphone via a custom app. A pressure‐dependent frequency signal generated when the user blows into the tube is sent to a smartphone app via the headphone jack. The custom designed app reads the signal and converts the frequency to a flow rate, which is displayed for the user to see and logged for condition tracking. The device has been validated with a commercial gas flow meter and is ready for human subject testing.
Finite‐length extrinsic information transfer analysis and design of protograph low‐density parity‐check codes for ultra‐high‐density magnetic recording channels
Authors: Fang Yi , Han Guojun , Guan Yong Liang , Bi Guoan , Lau Francis C.M. , Kong Lingjun
Published: April 2016

The authors study the performance of protograph low‐density parity‐check (LDPC) codes over two‐dimensional (2D) intersymbol interference (ISI) channels in this study. To begin with, the authors propose a modified version of finite‐length (FL) extrinsic information transfer (EXIT) algorithm so as to facilitate the convergence analysis of protograph codes. Exploiting the FL‐EXIT analyses, the authors observe that the protograph codes optimised for 1D ISI channels, e.g. the 1D‐ISI protograph code, cannot maintain their advantages in the 2D‐ISI scenarios. To address this problem, the authors develop a simple design scheme for constructing a family of rate‐compatible improved protograph (RCIP) codes particularly for 2D‐ISI channels, which not only outperform the 1D‐ISI protograph code, but also are superior to the regular column‐weight‐3 code and optimised irregular LDPC codes in terms of the convergence speed and error performance. More importantly, such RCIP codes benefit from relatively lower error‐floor as well as linear encoding and fast decoding. Thanks to these advantages, the proposed RCIP codes stand out as better alternatives in comparison with other error‐correction codes for ultra‐high‐density data storage systems.
Hybrid high‐voltage direct current topology with line commutated converter and modular multilevel converter in series connection suitable for bulk power overhead line transmission
Authors: Xu Zheng , Wang Shijia , Xiao Huangqing
Published: April 2016

In this study, a hybrid high‐voltage direct current (HVDC) topology with line commutated converter (LCC) and modular multilevel converter (MMC) in series‐connection is proposed, which is suitable for bulk power overhead line transmission. This topology is of operational flexibility in terms of active and reactive power controls, and is able to withstand ac and dc faults by the cooperative control of LCC and MMC. First, the operation principle and mathematical model are presented. Then, the control strategies for ac faults at rectifier and inverter side are discussed, which can prevent current cut‐off under ac fault at rectifier side as well as maintain part of active power if commutation failure of LCC occurs under ac fault at inverter side. In addition, the feasibility on dealing with dc fault is theoretically demonstrated by analysing the characteristic of MMC under blocking state. A detailed control strategy for dc fault is further proposed combined with a test system. Finally, the effectiveness of the control strategy for ac and dc faults is verified and further compared with LCC‐based HVDC topology through time‐domain simulation.
Measuring and reconstruction algorithm based on improved second‐order generalised integrator configured as a quadrature signal generator and phase locked loop for the three‐phase AC signals of independent power generation systems
Authors: Ke Chen , Wu Ai , Bing Chen , Yi Liu
Published: April 2016

In an independent power generation system, the amplitude and frequency of the power generation voltage are easily affected by the fluctuation of the external load and harmonic pollution. The power quality may also be reduced by relatively imprecise measurements. In this regard, a measuring and reconstruction algorithm based on an improved second‐order generalised integrator configured as a quadrature signal generator (SOGI‐QSG) and phase locked loop (PLL) for three‐phase alternating current signals has been proposed in this study. The amplitudes and direct current components of the measured signals are obtained from three SOGI‐QSGs. The inverse function of sine is introduced to optimise the phase error that has been used to quickly acquire fundamental frequency and phase of the measured signals. Moreover, the phase sequence of the measured signals is determined by the sign function. Compared with a traditional dual second order generalised integrator PLL, quick responses and reconstruction performances of the proposed algorithm are validated by experiments.
Folate‐intercalated layered double hydroxide as a vehicle for cyclophosphamide, a non‐ionic anti‐cancer drug
Authors: Carbajal Arízaga Gregorio Guadalupe , Sánchez Jiménez Cecilia , Parra Saavedra Karina J. , Macías Lamas Adriana M. , Puebla Pérez Ana M.
Published: April 2016

Layered double hydroxides (LDH) are matrices with interlayer anions that can be exchanged with several types of organic or inorganic anions. Due to the anion‐exchange capability, hundreds of new materials have been prepared in the past two decades. Conversely, attempts to intercalate neutral molecules (and increase the range of applications) have been achieved by expanding the interlayer space with long‐chain surfactants, thus allowing to exclusively retain highly hydrophobic molecules. This work describes a folate‐intercalated LDH structure, where folate pillars are capable of forming both hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions with neutral molecules. Infrared spectroscopy and X‐ray diffraction data indicated that imidazole, urea and cyclophosphamide were successfully intercalated. This evidence increases the opportunity to prepare more novel materials with neutral molecules in LDH. The cyclophosphamide‐LDH product here obtained represents a remarkable example of an LDH‐based vehicle for a non‐ionic anti‐cancer drug used in current chemotherapies.
Die Zahlungsbereitschaft von Studierenden der Wirtschaftswissenschaften für prädiktive onkologische Gentests – eine empirische Analyse
Authors: Siol V. , Lange A. , Prenzler A. , Neubauer S. , Frank M.
Published: April 2016

Zielsetzung: Ziel der vorliegenden Studie ist es, das Interesse junger Erwachsener an einem prädiktiven onkologischen Gentest und ihre Zahlungsbereitschaft für dessen Inanspruchnahme zu untersuchen. Darüber hinaus wird analysiert, welche soziodemografischen Faktoren, Einstellungen und Einschätzungen die beiden Zielgrößen determinieren.

Methodik: Im Juli 2013 haben 348 Studierende der Wirtschaftswissenschaftlichen Fakultät an der Leibniz Universität Hannover an einer direkten Befragung per Fragebogen teilgenommen. Im Fokus der Erhebung standen das Interesse und die Zahlungsbereitschaft der Befragten hinsichtlich Informationen über das Vorliegen einer Krebsdisposition in ihrem Erbgut. Einleitend ist die Stichprobe mithilfe deskriptiver Statistik analysiert worden. Anschließend sind ordinale Probit-Regressionen durchgeführt und die erwarteten marginalen Effekte berechnet worden.

Ergebnisse: Rund die Hälfte der Studierenden ist an der Inanspruchnahme eines prädiktiven onkologischen Tests interessiert und bereit, für die Durchführung des Gentests zu bezahlen. Zudem messen die zahlungsbereiten Probanden den Informationen aus dem genetischen Testverfahren – teils beachtliche – monetäre Werte bei. Weiterhin zeigt die Untersuchung, dass das Interesse und die Zahlungsbereitschaft bei dieser Studienpopulation primär von persönlichen Einstellungen und eigenen Einschätzungen beeinflusst werden.

Schlussfolgerungen: Junge Erwachsene sind an einem prädiktiven onkologischen Gentest interessiert. Die vorliegende Studie belegt, dass diese dem Wissen ihres zukünftigen Erkrankungsrisikos einen bedeutenden Nutzen beimessen.
Auf Tuchfühlung mit den „Big Shots“
Authors: Dorner Carola
Published: April 2016

Aus einer anfänglich kleinen Veranstaltung hat sich der Hauptstadtkongress längst zum wichtigsten Gesundheitskongress in Deutschland gemausert. kma sprach mit Ulf Fink über die besonderen Schwerpunkte in diesem Jahr, die wichtigsten Highlights und darüber, warum sich für ihn auch beim 19. Kongress keine routinierte Langeweile einstellt.
Vorsicht beim Delegieren
Authors: Rybak Christian
Published: April 2016

Wer als Arzt mit Patienten Wahlleistungen vereinbart, muss diese regelmäßig auch selbst erbringen. Delegieren gilt sonst schnell als Betrug.
Die Klinikmanagerin als Bühnenstoff
Authors: Handwerk Michael
Published: April 2016

An TV-Krankenhaus-Serien haben wir uns gewöhnt. Aber ein Theaterstück über Hospital und Kostendruck, in dem eine Klinikmanagerin auftritt? Ja, auch das gibt es: „Das Summen der Montagswürmer“ erzählt von Konflikten in einem Kreuzberger Klinikum.
Meister der lautlosen Übernahme
Authors: Schmidt Hartmut
Published: April 2016

Private Träger gelten als Klinikakquisiteure par excellence. Das hat zum Teil mit ihrer ausgebufften PR zu tun. Doch wer genau schaut, erkennt: Bei den eher zurückhaltenden Konfessionellen gibt es eine Fusionswelle, die zurzeit höher schlägt als die der Privaten.
Die Orchestrierung des OP-Betriebs
Authors: Kucera Martin
Published: April 2016

Zeit ist Geld, das gilt auch für den Operationssaal – schließlich kostet eine durchschnittliche OP-Minute 25 Euro. Trotzdem läuft dort in vielen Kliniken nicht alles rund. kma hat mit Christian Heitmann, Leiter des Bereichs Healthcare der Managementberatung ZEB, über Prozessoptimierung, ungenutzte Potentiale und die Zukunft der Digitalisierung im OP gesprochen.
Elektronische Dirigenten für den OP
Authors: Kucera Martin
Published: April 2016

Die IT ist aus dem Operationssaal nicht mehr wegzudenken. Sie orchestriert die Arbeitsabläufe des OP-Personals, sorgt für eine optimale Vernetzung der Geräte und für die bessere Auslastung der Operationssäle. Das Surgical Process Institute aus Leipzig bietet sogar ein System, das die Chirurgen aktiv durch den Operationsprozess führt.
Wir benötigen hochqualifizierte Therapeuten mit akademischer Ausbildung
Authors: Ekkernkamp Axel
Published: April 2016

Krankenhausgeschäftsführer mischen sich sinnvollerweise nur selten in berufsgruppeninterne Diskussionen der Leistungserbringer ein. Doch wie schnell und spürbar Berufspolitik im Krankenhausalltag ankommen kann, wurde etwa in der bestreikten Charité deutlich, als die Funktionäre aus dem Bereich der Gesundheits- und Krankenpflege einen Mindestpersonalbedarf definieren oder die 1996 ausgesetzte PPR reaktivieren wollten. Es lohnt sich für Klinikmanager also doch, Entwicklungen im Blick zu behalten.
Vitreous Hemorrhage after Aneurismal Rupture: Terson Syndrome
Authors: Souza Rodrigo , Aguiar Guilherme , Weber Sarah , Flores Juan , Conti Mario , Veiga José
Published: April 2016

Introduction Terson syndrome is described as an intraocular hemorrhage consequent to a spontaneous subarachnoid hemorrhage (SSAH). In the present article, we describe cases of patients who underwent neurosurgical treatment of ruptured cerebral aneurysm at our institution over a period of one year, and who were diagnosed with Terson syndrome.

Methods The present study included patients with a diagnosis of SSAH by rupture of a cerebral aneurysm who underwent treatment in our neurosurgical service from December 2009 to December 2010. The patients were followed-up for a minimum of 20 months. We have also performed a literature review and compared the data with those available in the current literature.

Results The present study included 34 patients, 18 (53%) of which underwent endovascular treatment, and 16 (47%) who underwent microsurgical clipping. In the sample, the mortality was 14.7% (5 patients), the same percentage of patients who were diagnosed with Terson Syndrome, which is an incidence of 14.7%. Regarding the ophthalmologic evaluation, all patients had vitreous hemorrhage detected by an ultrasound examination, which was unilateral in only two patients. Visual acuity improved in all patients, being incomplete in only one of them.

Conclusion Terson syndrome is relatively common and is associated with higher mortality. With the existence of an effective treatment, it should be investigated in all patients with SSAH.
Chemical detection demonstrated using an evanescent wave graphene optical sensor
Authors: Maliakal Ashok , Reith Leslie , Cabot Steve
Published: April 2016

Graphene devices have been constructed on silicon mirrors, and the graphene is optically probed through an evanescent wave interaction in an attenuated total reflectance configuration using an infrared spectrometer. The graphene is electrically biased in order to tune its optical properties. Exposure of the device to the chemicals iodine and ammonia causes observable and reversible changes to graphene's optical absorption spectra in the mid to near infrared range which can be utilized for the purpose of sensing. Electrical current measurements through the graphene are made simultaneously with optical measurements allowing for simultaneous sensing using two separate detection modalities. Our current results reveal sub-ppm detection limits for iodine and approximately 100 ppm detection limits for ammonia. We have also demonstrated that this approach will work at 1.55 μm, which opens up the possibility for graphene optical sensors that leverage commercial telecom light sources.
Theoretical investigation of the formation of basal plane stacking faults in heavily nitrogen-doped 4H-SiC crystals
Authors: Taniguchi Chisato , Ichimura Aiko , Ohtani Noboru , Katsuno Masakazu , Fujimoto Tatsuo , Sato Shinya , Tsuge Hiroshi , Yano Takayuki
Published: April 2016

The formation of basal plane stacking faults in heavily nitrogen-doped 4H-SiC crystals was theoretically investigated. A novel theoretical model based on the so-called quantum well action mechanism was proposed; the model considers several factors, which were overlooked in a previously proposed model, and provides a detailed explanation of the annealing-induced formation of double layer Shockley-type stacking faults in heavily nitrogen-doped 4H-SiC crystals. We further revised the model to consider the carrier distribution in the depletion regions adjacent to the stacking fault and successfully explained the shrinkage of stacking faults during annealing at even higher temperatures. The model also succeeded in accounting for the aluminum co-doping effect in heavily nitrogen-doped 4H-SiC crystals, in that the stacking fault formation is suppressed when aluminum acceptors are co-doped in the crystals.
Magnetic properties of lithium zinc ferrites synthesized by microwave sintered method
Authors: Yang Qinghui , Zhang Huaiwu , Wen Qiye , Liu Yingli , Yang Xuwen
Published: April 2016

In this paper, a series of polycrystalline ferrite samples were prepared with the composition of Zn0.1Li0.525-xTi0.15MgxFe2.225-0.5xO4 (LiZn) (x=0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15 and 0.20) using both microwave sintering (MS) and conventional sintering (CS) technologies, respectively. The sintering time and temperature were 22 hours and 1000°C for the CS process, and 2 hours and 880°C for the MS process. Experiments showed that the MS treated LiZn ferrites exhibited more excellent magnetic properties and denser, more uniform micro-structures comparing with the ones treated by CS method. For the LiZn ferrite (x=0.1) sintered at 880°C using MS, the saturation magnetic induction (Bs) is 242.3 mT, the coercive force (Hc) is 135 A/m, the square ratio (Br/Bs) is 0.87 and the ferromagnetic resonance line-width (Δ H) is 143.2 Oe. These results represented very good properties for an X-band phase shifter material and indicated that the MS method is a potentially important technique for fabricating low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC).
Nitrogen management to optimise canola production in Australia
Authors: Norton R. M.
Published: April 2016

The expansion of canola production in Australia coincided with an increase in cropping intensity and a reduction in pastures and tillage. These changes mean that nitrogen (N) is often recognised as the most limiting nutrient in canola production, and is the largest single input cost for many growers. Canola responds to added N by producing larger plants that results in a longer leaf area duration, building a larger photosynthetic canopy for seed filling. Although the crop can compensate for poor early growth, a larger canopy is able to compete more effectively against weeds and helps reserve water for crop transpiration rather than soil evaporation. Nitrogen uptake is most rapid during stem elongation, and the N acquired can be remobilised to developing pods and then to seeds. Unlike wheat, N uptake can continue until drought or high temperatures prevent further assimilate supply to the reproductive apex. Data from Australian experiments that measured N uptake over the whole growth period showed that each tonne of seed required ~80 kg N to be taken up, and this forms the basis of a budgeting approach for determining N supply. Typically, added N reduces seed oil concentration at a rate of between –0.03 and –0.13%/kg N. Despite this decline due to added N, oil yield usually increases and the overall value of the crop also increases. Nitrogen has little impact on oil quality or seed glucosinate concentration. The efficiency and effectiveness of N management depends first on selecting a rate appropriate to the water-limited yield potential. Most growers estimate the N rate required using an N budget based on supplying 80 kg N/t less indigenous N supply. The budgeted N can be split over two, three or even more applications with little loss in agronomic efficiency. Splitting application enables growers to make decisions about N when there is more certainty about seasonal conditions. Urea is the most common N source used, and unless there are particular loss processes that are likely to occur, it is cheap and effective. Suggested areas for future N research on canola are to develop tools that can assess in-crop N status, an evaluation of late season N product rate and timing particularly on seed oil concentration, N management for grazed canola, and the development of guidelines to identify, and then address, particular N loss pathways using enhanced efficiency fertilisers.
Phosphatidic acid synthesis, octadecanoic pathway and fatty acids content as lipid markers of exogeneous salicylic acid-induced elicitation in wheat
Authors: Tayeh Christine , Randoux Béatrice , Laruelle Frédéric , Bourdon Natacha , Reignault Philippe
Published: April 2016

Activators of plant defence responses against pathogens are a potential alternative to fungicides, and the well-known resistance inducer salicylic acid (SA) protects wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) against powdery mildew. The aim of our work was to investigate through biochemical and molecular approaches whether lipid metabolism alteration could be considered as a characteristic feature of induced resistance in wheat upon SA infiltration. Expression levels of lox, PI-PLC2 and ltp genes encoding for a lipoxygenase (LOX), a phospholipase C2 and a lipid-transfer protein, respectively, were investigated. Increase of phosphatidic acid (PA) content 48 h after SA infiltration in wheat leaves, upregulation of PI-PLC2 gene expression and increased diacylglycerol content were recorded, indicating the involvement of the PLC pathway in the PA synthesis. The wheat octadecanoid pathway was shown to be highly responsive to SA infiltration through simultaneous increases in lox gene expression and LOX activity, as well as a reduction in the content of linolenic acid. Changes in several FA contents and increases of the ltp gene expression were also recorded during the latest hours after SA infiltration. The status of lipid metabolism, as well as the connections between its components as markers of SA-induced resistance in wheat, are discussed.
Revealing catastrophic failure of leaf networks under stress
Authors: Brodribb Timothy J. , Bienaimé Diane , Marmottant Philippe
Published: April 2016

Significance

Water sustains photosynthesis and growth of land plants, but it must be transported from the soil to leaves under high tension. Drying soil leads to an increase in water tension, exposing plants to the problem of breakage of the water column, causing embolisms that cut off water supply, leading to tissue death during drought. The ability of leaves to resist embolism formation is a key adaptive axis in plant evolution, and yet the process itself has never been visualized in the leaf venation. We describe a new optical method that allows the evolution and spread of embolism in the entire leaf network to be mapped, thus revealing general rules in the sequence of leaf vein transport failure.
Detecting affiliation in colaughter across 24 societies
Authors: Bryant Gregory A. , Fessler Daniel M. T. , Fusaroli Riccardo , Clint Edward , Aarøe Lene , Apicella Coren L. , Petersen Michael Bang , Bickham Shaneikiah T. , Bolyanatz Alexander , Chavez Brenda , De Smet Delphine , Díaz Cinthya , Fančovičová Jana , Fux Michal , Giraldo-Perez Paulina , Hu Anning , Kamble Shanmukh V. , Kameda Tatsuya , Li Norman P. , Luberti Francesca R. , Prokop Pavol , Quintelier Katinka , Scelza Brooke A. , Shin Hyun Jung , Soler Montserrat , Stieger Stefan , Toyokawa Wataru , van den Hende Ellis A. , Viciana-Asensio Hugo , Yildizhan Saliha Elif , Yong Jose C. , Yuditha Tessa , Zhou Yi
Published: April 2016

Significance

Human cooperation requires reliable communication about social intentions and alliances. Although laughter is a phylogenetically conserved vocalization linked to affiliative behavior in nonhuman primates, its functions in modern humans are not well understood. We show that judges all around the world, hearing only brief instances of colaughter produced by pairs of American English speakers in real conversations, are able to reliably identify friends and strangers. Participants’ judgments of friendship status were linked to acoustic features of laughs known to be associated with spontaneous production and high arousal. These findings strongly suggest that colaughter is universally perceivable as a reliable indicator of relationship quality, and contribute to our understanding of how nonverbal communicative behavior might have facilitated the evolution of cooperation.
Dysregulation of a family of short noncoding RNAs, tsRNAs, in human cancer
Authors: Pekarsky Yuri , Balatti Veronica , Palamarchuk Alexey , Rizzotto Lara , Veneziano Dario , Nigita Giovanni , Rassenti Laura Z. , Pass Harvey I. , Kipps Thomas J. , Liu Chang-gong , Croce Carlo M.
Published: April 2016

Significance

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is the most common human leukemia. We identified two members of the tRNA-derived small RNA (tsRNA) family,ts-3676andts-4521, both inactivated in CLL and lung cancer. We further analyzed expression of 120 tsRNAs and found that tsRNAs are dysregulated in CLL and lung cancer. Thus this study uncovers the involvement of this recently identified class of small, non-coding RNAs in hematopoietic malignancies and solid tumors.
Variable final back vowels in urban Asturian Spanish
Authors: Barnes Sonia
Published: April 2016

The contact between Asturian and Spanish in the region of Asturias (Spain) has led to the variable incorporation of linguistic features of Asturian into the Spanish of Asturian speakers. Among these features is the use of the masculine singular morpheme /-u/, as opposed to Spanish /-o/. In this study I provide a quantitative analysis of the linguistic and extra-linguistic factors that govern the alternation between the Spanish and the Asturian morphemes, analyzing production data from 24 speakers from Gijón. The results of the mixed logistic regression analysis show that the selection of one vowel over the other is constrained by the adjacent phonological context and the variant used in the previous form. The use of /-u/ is also correlated with certain socio-demographic groups, such as male speakers, speakers whose occupations have low prestige and those who have a first order social tie with their interlocutor.
Sustaining GHz oscillation of carbon nanotube based oscillators via a MHz frequency excitation
Authors: Motevalli Benyamin , Taherifar Neda , Liu Jefferson Zhe
Published: April 2016

There have been intensive studies to investigate the properties of gigahertz nano-oscillators based on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Many of these studies, however, revealed that the unique telescopic translational oscillations in such devices would damp quickly due to various energy dissipation mechanisms. This challenge remains the primary obstacle against its practical applications. Herein, we propose a design concept in which a GHz oscillation could be re-excited by a MHz mechanical motion. This design involves a triple-walled CNT, in which sliding of the longer inner tube at a MHz frequency can re-excite and sustain a GHz oscillation of the shorter middle tube. Our molecular dynamics (MD) simulations prove this design concept at ∼10 nm scale. A mathematical model is developed to explore the feasibility at a larger size scale. As an example, in an oscillatory system with the CNT’s length above 100 nm, the high oscillatory frequency range of 1.8–3.3 GHz could be excited by moving the inner tube at a much lower frequency of 53.4 MHz. This design concept together with the mechanical model could energize the development of GHz nano-oscillators in miniaturized electro-mechanical devices.
Prediabetes and Diabetes Are Associated With Arterial Stiffness in Older Adults: The ARIC Study
Authors: Loehr Laura R. , Meyer Michelle L. , Poon Anna K. , Selvin Elizabeth , Palta Priya , Tanaka Hirofumi , Pankow James S. , Wright Jacqueline D. , Griswold Michael E. , Wagenknecht Lynne E. , Heiss Gerardo
Published: April 2016

BACKGROUND

To determine whether prediabetes and diabetes in older adults are associated with arterial stiffness measured in central and peripheral arteries and to examine characteristics that modify these associations.

METHODS

Cohort members attending the 5th exam (2011–2013) of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study had pulse wave velocity (PWV) measures performed at the carotid-femoral (cfPWV), brachial-ankle (baPWV), and femoral-ankle (faPWV) segments. Fasting glucose ≥126mg/dl, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ≥6.5%, or currently taking diabetes medication defined diabetes. Fasting glucose 100–125mg/dl or HbA1c 5.7%–6.4% among those without diabetes defined prediabetes. Cross-sectional associations were modeled using multivariable linear regression.

RESULTS

Among 4,279 eligible participants with cfPWV measures (mean age 75 years), 22% were African–American, 25.5% had diabetes, and 54.7% had prediabetes. Compared to those with normal glucose, cfPWV was 95.8cm/s higher (stiffer) on average for those with diabetes (for reference: being 1 year older was associated with 14.4cm/s higher cfPWV). Similar findings were seen for diabetes and baPWV, although attenuated. Interestingly, faPWV was 17.6cm/s lower for those with diabetes compared to normal glucose. There was a significant positive association between baPWV and prediabetes. Among those with diabetes, cfPWV was higher for those with albuminuria, reduced kidney function, duration of diabetes ≥10 years, and elevated HbA1c (HbA1c ≥7).

CONCLUSION

Among older adults, diabetes is associated with higher central arterial stiffness and lower peripheral arterial stiffness, and prediabetes is associated with higher baPWV. Cross-sectionally, the magnitude of the effect of diabetes on central stiffness is equivalent to 6 years of arterial aging.
flowAI: automatic and interactive anomaly discerning tools for flow cytometry data
Authors: Monaco Gianni , Chen Hao , Poidinger Michael , Chen Jinmiao , de Magalhães João Pedro , Larbi Anis
Published: April 2016

Motivation: Flow cytometry (FCM) is widely used in both clinical and basic research to characterize cell phenotypes and functions. The latest FCM instruments analyze up to 20 markers of individual cells, producing high-dimensional data. This requires the use of the latest clustering and dimensionality reduction techniques to automatically segregate cell sub-populations in an unbiased manner. However, automated analyses may lead to false discoveries due to inter-sample differences in quality and properties.

Results: We present an R package, flowAI, containing two methods to clean FCM files from unwanted events: (i) an automatic method that adopts algorithms for the detection of anomalies and (ii) an interactive method with a graphical user interface implemented into an R shiny application. The general approach behind the two methods consists of three key steps to check and remove suspected anomalies that derive from (i) abrupt changes in the flow rate, (ii) instability of signal acquisition and (iii) outliers in the lower limit and margin events in the upper limit of the dynamic range. For each file analyzed our software generates a summary of the quality assessment from the aforementioned steps. The software presented is an intuitive solution seeking to improve the results not only of manual but also and in particular of automatic analysis on FCM data.

Availability and implementation: R source code available through Bioconductor: http://bioconductor.org/packages/flowAI/

Contacts:  mongianni1@gmail.com or Anis_Larbi@immunol.a-star.edu.sg

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
INPS-MD: a web server to predict stability of protein variants from sequence and structure
Authors: Savojardo Castrense , Fariselli Piero , Martelli Pier Luigi , Casadio Rita
Published: April 2016

Motivation: Protein function depends on its structural stability. The effects of single point variations on protein stability can elucidate the molecular mechanisms of human diseases and help in developing new drugs. Recently, we introduced INPS, a method suited to predict the effect of variations on protein stability from protein sequence and whose performance is competitive with the available state-of-the-art tools.

Results: In this article, we describe INPS-MD (Impact of Non synonymous variations on Protein Stability-Multi-Dimension), a web server for the prediction of protein stability changes upon single point variation from protein sequence and/or structure. Here, we complement INPS with a new predictor (INPS3D) that exploits features derived from protein 3D structure. INPS3D scores with Pearson’s correlation to experimental ΔΔG values of 0.58 in cross validation and of 0.72 on a blind test set. The sequence-based INPS scores slightly lower than the structure-based INPS3D and both on the same blind test sets well compare with the state-of-the-art methods.

Availability and Implementation: INPS and INPS3D are available at the same web server: http://inpsmd.biocomp.unibo.it.

Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.

Contact:  gigi@biocomp.unibo.it
Real-time prediction of inpatient length of stay for discharge prioritization
Authors: Barnes Sean , Hamrock Eric , Toerper Matthew , Siddiqui Sauleh , Levin Scott
Published: April 2016

Objective Hospitals are challenged to provide timely patient care while maintaining high resource utilization. This has prompted hospital initiatives to increase patient flow and minimize nonvalue added care time. Real-time demand capacity management (RTDC) is one such initiative whereby clinicians convene each morning to predict patients able to leave the same day and prioritize their remaining tasks for early discharge. Our objective is to automate and improve these discharge predictions by applying supervised machine learning methods to readily available health information.

Materials and Methods The authors use supervised machine learning methods to predict patients’ likelihood of discharge by 2 p.m. and by midnight each day for an inpatient medical unit. Using data collected over 8000 patient stays and 20 000 patient days, the predictive performance of the model is compared to clinicians using sensitivity, specificity, Youden’s Index (i.e., sensitivity + specificity – 1), and aggregate accuracy measures.

Results The model compared to clinician predictions demonstrated significantly higher sensitivity ( P  < .01), lower specificity ( P  < .01), and a comparable Youden Index ( P  > .10). Early discharges were less predictable than midnight discharges. The model was more accurate than clinicians in predicting the total number of daily discharges and capable of ranking patients closest to future discharge.

Conclusions There is potential to use readily available health information to predict daily patient discharges with accuracies comparable to clinician predictions. This approach may be used to automate and support daily RTDC predictions aimed at improving patient flow.
Spatial and Temporal Sensitivity of Alternaria Species Associated With Potato Foliar Diseases to Demethylation Inhibiting and Anilino-Pyrimidine Fungicides
Authors: Fonseka D. L. , Gudmestad N. C.
Published: April 2016

Early blight and brown spot, caused by Alternaria solani and Alternaria alternata, respectively, are important foliar diseases of potato, affecting both tuber yield and quality. Most of the commercial cultivars lack resistance; therefore, the application of foliar fungicides remains a primary disease management strategy. Baseline sensitivities of A. solani to difenoconazole and metconazole (demethylation inhibitors) using mycelial growth assay exhibited similar intrinsic activity against the pathogen with mean EC50 (the effective concentration at which the fungal growth is inhibited by 50%) values of 0.09 μg/ml. However, the sensitivity of individual baseline A. solani isolates to each fungicide varied substantially, resulting in very low and nonsignificant correlation coefficients among fungicides. Mean EC50 values for baseline A. alternata isolates in response to difenoconazole and metconazole were 0.14 and 0.26 μg/ml, respectively. The sensitivity of the majority of A. solani and A. alternata isolates collected from 2010 to 2014 from various potato production states was consistent with baseline isolates, therefore, these potato pathogens remain sensitive to the two demethylation inhibitor chemistries used to manage it. Baseline sensitivity assays of pyrimethanil (anilino-pyrimidine) also indicated great intrinsic activity against both foliar pathogens with mean EC50 values of 0.44 and 0.35 μg/ml for A. solani and A. alternata, respectively. Although A. alternata remains largely sensitive to pyrimethanil, 6 out of 245 A. solani isolates collected from 2010 to 2014 exhibited reduced-sensitivity to the fungicide in in vitro assays. Reduced-sensitive isolates were not controlled at most pyrimethanil doses except at 100 μg/ml in greenhouse in vivo efficacy tests. These chemistries remain valuable options for fungicide rotation programs in areas of high disease pressure.
Scab Susceptibility of a Provenance Collection of Pecan in Three Different Seasons in the Southeastern United States
Authors: Bock Clive H. , Grauke Larry J. , Conner Patrick , Burrell Susan L. , Hotchkiss Michael W. , Boykin Debbie , Wood Bruce W.
Published: April 2016

Pecan scab (caused by Fusicladium effusum) is the most economically destructive disease of pecan in the Southeast United States. Wet, humid conditions typical of the Southeast are known to provide conditions conducive to epidemics. A provenance collection of pecan from 19 locations representing the native range of the tree is located in Byron, Georgia, and was assessed for pecan scab severity in 1998, 2013, and 2014. There were significant differences among the 19 provenances (F = 5.6 to 62.5, P < 0.0001). Provenances from wetter locations (generally north of Texas) had the greatest proportion of scab resistant trees, while provenances from the drier southern areas (Texas and Mexico) tended to be the most susceptible to scab. The association with rainfall was borne out by correlation analysis (r = –0.625 to –0.823 [P < 0.0001 to 0.004]). Other factors consistently associated with scab severity included leaflet tilt and droop angle (r = –0.533 to –0.883 [P < 0.0001 to 0.02]). Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that leaflet droop angle was a particularly good predictor of provenance susceptibility. Leaflet characteristics vary with provenance location, and whether there is a direct relationship between scab severity and leaflet characteristics is not established. Estimates of heritability were not entirely consistent among years, but different methods were used to assess scab severity in 1998 (a 1 to 5 category scale) compared with 2013 and 2014 (the percent ratio scale). Despite using different methods, there was generally good agreement among years in regard to severity of disease on individual trees. In conclusion, trees from more northern populations (in areas with greater annual rainfall) are most likely to provide valuable and diverse sources of resistance to scab. The provenance collection contains a range of scab-resistant genotypes from diverse locations that can contribute to genetic improvement regarding scab resistance.
Molecular Characterization of the sdhB Gene and Baseline Sensitivity to Penthiopyrad, Fluopyram, and Benzovindiflupyr in Venturia inaequalis
Authors: Villani Sara M. , Ayer Katrin , Cox Kerik D.
Published: April 2016

The succinate dehydrogenase inhibiting (SDHI) fungicides are a class of single-site fungicides that are increasingly important in the management of Venturia inaequalis. In this study, the baseline sensitivity of V. inaequalis to penthiopyrad, fluopyram, and benzovindiflupyr was investigated. In all, 35 to 70 isolates with no prior exposure to single-site fungicides were used to determine the effective concentration at which growth was inhibited by 50% (EC50). Mean EC50 values for the conidial germ tube growth stage for penthiopyrad, fluopyram, and benzovindiflupyr were 0.086, 0.176, and 0.0016 μg ml−1, respectively. Linear correlation analysis revealed a significant and positive correlation between fluopyram and penthiopyrad (P ≤ 0.0001, r = 0.66) and fluopyram and benzovindiflupyr (P = 0.0014, r = 0.52). Baseline sensitivities of V. inaequalis during the mycelial growth stage were also determined for fluopyram and benzovindiflupyr. EC50 values were higher for fluopyram and benzovindiflupyr during this stage compared with the conidial germ tube growth stage, with means of 0.043 and 2.02 μg ml−1, respectively. In addition, the sdhB gene was characterized for three isolates of V. inaequalis collected from a research, baseline, and commercial orchard population. No common mutation sites associated with SDHI resistance in other phytopathogenic fungi were discovered in these isolates or isolates that were recovered following field applications of SDHI fungicides. The results of this study suggest that SDHI fungicides have a high level of activity during the conidial germ tube elongation stage in V. inaequalis and provide a basis for phenotypic and genotypic monitoring of shifts toward resistance of V. inaequalis populations to the SDHI fungicide class.
First case of mixed infection with Cryptococcus deuterogattii and Cryptococcus neoformans VNI in an Ivorian HIV-positive patient
Authors: Kassi Fulgence K. , Bellet Virginie , Doumbia Adama , Krasteva Donika , Drakulovski Pascal , Kouakou Gisèle A. , Gatchitch François , Delaporte Eric , Reynes Jacques , Mallié Michèle , Menan Hervé I. E. , Bertout Sébastien
Published: April 2016

Introduction:

Cryptococcal meningitis (CM) may be caused by several species of Cryptococcus.

Case presentation:

We describe a fatal case of CM in a HIV-positive patient from Ivory Coast infected by Cryptococcus neoformans VNI and Cryptococcus
deuterogattii. Isolates were recovered from cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) prior to systemic antifungal treatment. Six isolates were studied (the entire culture plus five isolated colonies from it). Serotyping was performed via LAC 1 and CAP 64 gene amplification. Genotyping was performed using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the URA5 gene, (GACA)4, (GTG)5 and M13 PCR fingerprinting. URA5-RFLP analysis identified the original culture with two different molecular type combinations. However, URA5-RFLP profiles of the five colonies isolated from the original sample revealed two different species. Four colonies were identified as C.
deuterogattii and the last isolate as C.
neoformans VNI. The in vitro susceptibility profile was determined using the standard method according to the CLSI M27-A3 protocol. The isolates were susceptible to the tested antifungals (fluconazole, flucytosine and amphotericin B). Treatment with fluconazole (1200  mg day−1) was initiated; however, the patient died 17 days after the onset of antifungal therapy.

Conclusion:

This is the first reported case of mixed infection with C. neoformans and C.
deuterogattii in a HIV-positive patient.
Unconscious integration of multisensory bodily inputs in the peripersonal space shapes bodily self-consciousness
Authors: Salomon Roy , Noel Jean-Paul , Łukowska Marta , Faivre Nathan , Metzinger Thomas , Serino Andrea , Blanke Olaf
Published: April 2016

Recent studies have highlighted the role of multisensory integration as a key mechanism of self-consciousness. In particular, integration of bodily signals within the peripersonal space (PPS) underlies the experience of the self in a body we own (self-identification) and that is experienced as occupying a specific location in space (self-location), two main components of bodily self-consciousness (BSC). Experiments investigating the effects of multisensory integration on BSC have typically employed supra-threshold sensory stimuli, neglecting the role of unconscious sensory signals in BSC, as tested in other consciousness research. Here, we used psychophysical techniques to test whether multisensory integration of bodily stimuli underlying BSC may also occur for multisensory inputs presented below the threshold of conscious perception. Our results indicate that visual stimuli rendered invisible (through continuous flash suppression) boost processing of tactile stimuli on the body (Exp. 1), and enhance the perception of near-threshold tactile stimuli (Exp. 2), only once they entered peripersonal space. We then employed unconscious multisensory mechanisms to manipulate BSC. Participants were presented with tactile stimulation on their body and with visual stimuli on a virtual body, seen at a distance, which were either visible or rendered invisible. We report that if visuo-tactile stimulation was synchronized, participants self-identified with the virtual body (Exp. 3), and shifted their self-location toward the virtual body (Exp.4), even if visual stimuli were fully invisible. Our results indicate that multisensory inputs, even outside of awareness, are integrated and affect the phenomenological content of self-consciousness, grounding BSC firmly in the field of psychophysical consciousness studies.
Reconstructing phylogenies of metastatic cancers
Authors: Reiter Johannes G. , Makohon-Moore Alvin P. , Gerold Jeffrey M. , Bozic Ivana , Chatterjee Krishnendu , Iacobuzio-Donahue Christine A. , Vogelstein Bert , Nowak Martin A.
Published: April 2016

Reconstructing the evolutionary history of metastases is critical for understanding their basic biological principles and has profound clinical implications1–3. Genome-wide sequencing data has enabled modern phylogenomic methods to accurately dissect subclones and their phylogenies from noisy and impure bulk tumor samples at unprecedented depth4–7. However, existing methods are not designed to infer metastatic seeding patterns. We have developed a tool, called Treeomics, that utilizes Bayesian inference and Integer Linear Programming to reconstruct the phylogeny of metastases.Treeomicsallowed us to infer comprehensive seeding patterns for pancreatic8, ovarian9, and prostate cancers10,11. Moreover, Treeomics correctly disambiguated true seeding patterns from sequencing artifacts; 7% of variants were misclassified by conventional statistical methods. These artifacts can skew phylogenies by creating illusory tumor heterogeneity among distinct samples. Last, we performedin silicobenchmarking on simulated tumor phylogenies across a wide range of sample purities (30-90%) and sequencing depths (50-800x) to demonstrate the high accuracy of Treeomics compared to existing methods.