bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chlamydial Lytic Exit from Host Cells Is Plasmid Regulated
Authors: Yang Chunfu , Starr Tregei , Song Lihua , Carlson John H. , Sturdevant Gail L. , Beare Paul A. , Whitmire William M. , Caldwell Harlan D.
Published: November 2015

Chlamydia trachomatis
is an obligate intracellular bacterium that is a globally important human pathogen. The chlamydial plasmid is an attenuating virulence factor, but the molecular basis for attenuation is not understood. Chlamydiae replicate within a membrane-bound vacuole termed an inclusion, where they undergo a biphasic developmental growth cycle and differentiate from noninfectious into infectious organisms. Late in the developmental cycle, the fragile chlamydia-laden inclusion retains its integrity by surrounding itself with scaffolds of host cytoskeletal proteins. The ability of chlamydiae to developmentally free themselves from this cytoskeleton network is a fundamental virulence trait of the pathogen. Here, we show that plasmidless chlamydiae are incapable of disrupting their cytoskeletal entrapment and remain intracellular as stable mature inclusions that support high numbers of infectious organisms. By using deletion mutants of the eight plasmid-carried genes (Δ
pgp1
to Δ
pgp8
), we show that Pgp4, a transcriptional regulator of multiple chromosomal genes, is required for exit. Exit of chlamydiae is dependent on protein synthesis and is inhibited by the compound C1, an inhibitor of the type III secretion system (T3S). Exit of plasmid-free and Δ
pgp4
organisms, which failed to lyse infected cells, was rescued by latrunculin B, an inhibitor of actin polymerization. Our findings describe a genetic mechanism of chlamydial exit from host cells that is dependent on an unknown
pgp4
-regulated chromosomal T3S effector gene.

IMPORTANCE
Chlamydia's obligate intracellular life style requires both entry into and exit from host cells. Virulence factors that function in exiting are unknown. The chlamydial inclusion is stabilized late in the infection cycle by F-actin. A prerequisite of chlamydial exit is its ability to disassemble actin from the inclusion. We show that chlamydial plasmid-free organisms, and also a plasmid gene protein 4 (
pgp4
) null mutant, do not disassociate actin from the inclusion and fail to exit cells. We further provide evidence that Pgp4-regulated exit is dependent on the chlamydial type III secretion system. This study is the first to define a genetic mechanism that functions in chlamydial lytic exit from host cells. The findings also have practical implications for understanding why plasmid-free chlamydiae are highly attenuated and have the ability to elicit robust protective immune responses.
Riboflavin Provisioning Underlies
Wolbachia
's Fitness Contribution to Its Insect Host
Authors: Moriyama Minoru , Nikoh Naruo , Hosokawa Takahiro , Fukatsu Takema
Published: November 2015

Endosymbiotic bacteria of the genus
Wolbachia
represent the most successful symbiotic bacteria in the terrestrial ecosystem. The success of
Wolbachia
has been ascribed to its remarkable phenotypic effects on host reproduction, such as cytoplasmic incompatibility, whereby maternally inherited bacteria can spread in their host populations at the expense of their host's fitness. Meanwhile, recent theoretical as well as empirical studies have unveiled that weak and/or conditional positive fitness effects may significantly facilitate invasion and spread of
Wolbachia
infections in host populations. Here, we report a previously unrecognized nutritional aspect, the provision of riboflavin (vitamin B
2
), that potentially underpins the
Wolbachia
-mediated fitness benefit to insect hosts. A comparative genomic survey for synthetic capability of B vitamins revealed that only the synthesis pathway for riboflavin is highly conserved among diverse insect-associated
Wolbachia
strains, while the synthesis pathways for other B vitamins were either incomplete or absent. Molecular phylogenetic and genomic analyses of riboflavin synthesis genes from diverse
Wolbachia
strains revealed that, in general, their phylogenetic relationships are concordant with
Wolbachia
's genomic phylogeny, suggesting that the riboflavin synthesis genes have been stably maintained in the course of
Wolbachia
evolution. In rearing experiments with bedbugs (
Cimex lectularius
) on blood meals in which B vitamin contents were manipulated, we demonstrated that
Wolbachia
's riboflavin provisioning significantly contributes to growth, survival, and reproduction of the insect host. These results provide a physiological basis upon which
Wolbachia
-mediated positive fitness consequences are manifested and shed new light on the ecological and evolutionary relevance of
Wolbachia
infections.

IMPORTANCE
Conventionally,
Wolbachia
has been regarded as a parasitic bacterial endosymbiont that manipulates the host insect's reproduction in a selfish manner, which tends to affect a host's fitness negatively. Meanwhile, some theories predict that, at the same time,
Wolbachia
can directly affect the host's fitness positively, which may potentially reconcile the negative effect and facilitate spread and stability of the symbiotic association. Here we demonstrate, by using comparative genomic and experimental approaches, that among synthetic pathways for B vitamins, the synthetic pathway for riboflavin (vitamin B
2
) is exceptionally conserved among diverse insect-associated
Wolbachia
strains, and
Wolbachia
's riboflavin provisioning certainly contributes to growth, survival, and reproduction in an insect. These findings uncover a nutritional mechanism of a
Wolbachia
-mediated fitness benefit, which provides empirical evidence highlighting a “Jekyll and Hyde” aspect of
Wolbachia
infection.
Probing the Viromic Frontiers
Authors: Rasmussen Angela L.
Published: November 2015

Modern molecular technology, and particularly high-throughput sequencing (HTS), has revolutionized virus discovery and expanded the depth and breadth of the virome. Recent HTS was used to identify and discover a previously undescribed member of the family
Flaviviridae
that has genomic features characteristic of both hepaciviruses and pegiviruses. This virus, designated human hepegivirus-1 (HHpgV-1), may represent a previously undescribed new genus in the
Flaviviridae
family with implications for public health and blood supply safety. Detecting uncharacterized viruses such as HHpgV-1 in clinical samples requires an unbiased screening method that is as sensitive as PCR, while simultaneously detecting multiple rare viral sequences. The virome-capture-sequencing platform for vertebrate viruses (VirCapSeq-VERT) uses positive-selection oligonucleotide capture to sensitively detect sequences from every known vertebrate virus, even in high-background specimens with low-abundance viruses. VirCapSeq-VERT can also detect uncharacterized viruses with sequence homology to known viruses, enabling a new paradigm for virus detection.
Chiari malformation, syringomyelia and bulbar palsy in X linked hypophosphataemia
Authors: Watts Laura , Wordsworth Paul
Published: November 2015

X linked hypophosphataemia (XLH) is a rare condition with numerous musculoskeletal complications. It may mimic other more familiar conditions, such as vitamin D deficiency, ankylosing spondylitis or diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. We describe two cases with Chiari type 1 malformations and syringomyelia, neither of which is well recognised in XLH. The first presented late with the additional complications of spinal cord compression, pseudofracture, renal stones and gross femoroacetabular impingement requiring hip replacement. The second also had bulbar palsy; the first case to be described in this condition, to the best of our knowledge. We wish to raise awareness of the important neurological complications of syringomyelia, Chiari malformation, spinal cord compression and bulbar palsy when treating these patients. We also wish to draw attention to the utility of family history and genetic testing when making the diagnosis of this rare but potentially treatable condition.
An insidious case of hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm secondary to acalculus cholecystitis
Authors: Teoh Z H , Surya A , Mathialahan T , Khan H
Published: November 2015

A 68-year-old man with expressive dysphasia presented with upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage, jaundice and abdominal pain. He was unable to tolerate ultrasound tranducer pressure. His oesophagogastroduodenoscopy (OGD) showed large blood clots in the stomach with blood trickling from the ampulla. An urgent CT angiogram demonstrated a 32 mm pseudoaneurysm within the gallbladder fossa. The patient subsequently underwent an endovascular embolisation of the pseudoaneurysm performed by the interventional radiology team.
Rotator cuff tears in luxatio erecta: an arthroscopic perspective of two cases
Authors: Pandey Vivek , Madi Sandesh , Tapashetti Sandeep , Acharya Kiran
Published: November 2015

Luxatio erecta accounts for only 0.5% of all shoulder dislocations. More than 150 cases have been described in the literature, focusing mainly on the method of reduction and/or associated complications. Some of the well-described complications include injuries to the humeral head, glenoid, clavicle, rotator cuff, capsules and ligaments, brachial plexus and axillary artery/vein. Among these, rotator cuff injuries are reported to occur in about 80% of cases. However, in the majority of instances, cuff injuries have been managed conservatively and have been reported to apparently provide optimal functional outcomes. We report our experience with two cases of luxatio erecta associated with massive rotator cuff injuries, which were evaluated and further managed by arthroscopic repair. The emphasis in these cases is to define cuff injuries and proceed based on patients’ age, demands and characteristics of the cuff tears. Arthroscopic evaluation and cuff repairs should be contemplated in these patients, to improve shoulder functions.
A check-up for the statistical Parton model
Authors: Buccella Franco , Sohaily Sozha
Published: November 2015

We compare the Parton distributions deduced in the framework of a quantum statistical approach for both the longitudinal and transverse degrees of freedom with the unpolarized distributions measured at HERA and with the polarized ones proposed in a previous paper, which have been shown to be in very good agreement also with the results of experiments performed after that proposal. The agreement with HERA data in correspondence to very similar values for the “temperature” and the “potentials” found in the previous work gives a robust confirm of the statistical model. The unpolarized distributions are compared also with the result of NNPDF. The free parameters are fixed mainly by data in the range (0.1, 0.5) for the x variable, where the valence Partons dominate, and in the small x region for the diffractive contribution. This feature makes the parametrization proposed here very attractive.
Energetic behavior of excitons in hybrid organic–inorganic parabolic quantum dots and its electric field dependence
Authors: Ridene Rym , Mastrour Nouha , Gamra Dhouha , Bouchriha Habib
Published: November 2015

In this paper, dispersion energies of Wannier–Mott, Frenkel and mixed exciton formation at the interface in nanocomposite organic–inorganic parabolic quantum dots are investigated theoretically taking account of the interaction between the two excitonic states and electric field effect. Illustration is given for three nanocomposites highly studied experimentally, such as organic P3HT combined respectively with inorganic (CdSe, ZnSe, ZnO) parabolic quantum dots. It is shown that the parameter governing the interaction between the individual exciton states depends on the inorganic quantum dot and can be controlled by the electric field. The results are consistent with the available experimental data.
Global optical model potential for alpha projectile
Authors: Su Xin-Wu , Han Yin-Lu
Published: November 2015

A new set of global phenomenological optical model potential (OMP) parameters for alpha projectile is obtained by simultaneously fitting the experimental data of reaction cross-sections and elastic scattering angular distributions in the mass range of target nuclei [Formula: see text] at incident energies below 386[Formula: see text]MeV. The total reaction cross-sections and elastic scattering angular distributions are calculated and compared with experimental data for different targets. A satisfactory agreement is presented between them.
Reconnaissance thermochronology of southern Zealandia
Authors: Mortimer Nick , Kohn Barry , Seward Diane , Spell Terry , Tulloch Andy
Published: November 2015

We report new fission-track, (U–Th)/He and
40
Ar/
39
Ar ages for minerals in surface, dredge and borehole cuttings samples from the southern South Island, Campbell Plateau and Chatham Rise regions of the Zealandia continent. Our results indicate that much of southern Zealandia underwent rapid cooling in the interval 105–80 Ma, probably during widespread intracontinental rifting before Zealandia split from Gondwana. The 108 ± 11 Ma rapid exhumation of a zircon He retention zone in the Chatham Schist, however, may record cessation of long-lived subduction at the Gondwana margin owing to Hikurangi Plateau collision and/or the onset of the extensional rifting episode. Locally, basement rocks have been appreciably heated, and thermochronological systems reset, in response to deepening of the Great South Basin and by local Miocene intraplate volcanism. An apatite fission-track age of 179 ± 17 Ma from a dredge sample of Precambrian granite at the southern tip of the Campbell Plateau indicates that it is probably ice-rafted, thus
in situ
Precambrian crust in Zealandia is still unconfirmed. In contrast, a zircon (U–Th)/He age of 99 ± 9 Ma from a Precambrian metarhyolite from Iselin Bank at the conjugate Antarctic continental margin plausibly indicates an
in situ
position.

Supplementary material:

Detailed analytical methods and raw data are available at:
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18886
.
Frontier exploration and the North Atlantic Igneous Province: new insights from a 2.6 km offshore volcanic sequence in the NE Faroe–Shetland Basin
Authors: Millett J. M. , Hole M. J. , Jolley D. W. , Schofield N. , Campbell E.
Published: November 2015

The Lagavulin exploration well 217/15-1Z penetrated a
c
. 2.6 km thick volcanic sequence dominated by extrusive basaltic rocks spanning the Paleocene–Eocene boundary in the NE Faroe–Shetland Basin. The well comprises one of the thickest drilled sequences through the North Atlantic Igneous Province. Integrated analysis of drill cuttings and wireline-log data reveals key volcanic lithofacies: (1) tabular lava flows; (2) compound lava flows; (3) hyaloclastite; (4) volcaniclastic rocks. The volcanic facies reveal two major sub-aqueous to subaerial sequences consistent with lava delta progradation. These sequences are separated by a volcanic hiatus represented by extensive reddened soils, which preceded the re-submergence of the area. Emergence followed by submergence of the first lava delta is interpreted to record an intra-T40 transient uplift event near the Paleocene–Eocene boundary. Basalts from the lower
c
. 1.3 km have low TiO
2
(<1.5 wt%) and low Zr/Y (2–3), with olivine-phyric picrites towards the base (Mg# 70–82; olivine Fo
85–91
). The hiatus correlates precisely with a change to high-TiO
2
(2.5–3.2 wt%), high-Zr/Y (>4) compositions, which dominate the upper sequence. The associated change in lava geochemistry, transient uplift and volcanic hiatus appears consistent with a transient pulse of hot buoyant plume material passing beneath the area.

Supplementary material:

All raw geochemical data and supplementary analyses are available at
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18888
.
Anomalous terrain at Dove Crags ‘cirqueform’ and Gasgale Gill asymmetric valley, English Lake District, attributed to large-scale rock slope failure of pre-LGM origins
Authors: Jarman David , Wilson Peter
Published: November 2015

An unusually bold, cirque-like cavity, above a small, apparently fluvial side valley rich in landscape anomalies, is evaluated as a large-scale (
c
. 1 km
2
) rock slope failure (RSF) with possible pre-Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) origins. Although the failed mass is much subdued, field evidence includes dry gullies and a tarnless hollow; a sharp flank scarp and a high cutbank toe suggest reactivation. Indirect support is provided by a pioneering (in Britain) schematic reconstruction of a whole-valley pre-RSF landscape, employing a ‘clone-stamping’ procedure, which resolves the main terrain anomalies. The RSF interpretation is satisfactorily tested by: (1) compatible proxy cavity and slipmass volumes of 35 and 25 million m
3
respectively, with the deficit attributed to trimming by an LGM valley glacier; (2) comparisons with other RSFs by area, cavity parameters, and a total extant volume (derived from an inferred balanced long section) of
c
. 50 million m
3
; and (3) a proposed ‘zone of crush’ model that allows a large failed mass,
c
. 100–200 m thick, to descend incrementally by
c
. 300 m without disintegrating. A landscape paradox is identified whereby the valley now has an asymmetric, quasi-fluvial profile, with till covering the slope below the cirqueform cavity, yet is inferred to have had a pre-RSF glacial form and an LGM glacier. This is resolved by envisaging: (a) that a pre-LGM RSF created a cavity that was exploited by cirque glaciers on at least two occasions; (b) that the RSF was pared back by an LGM valley glacier; and (c) that it subsequently re-descended to the valley floor after the LGM. A pre-LGM origin for the RSF would account for the till-covered slipmass. It also allows time for excavation of the present cirque headwall by 50–100 m, and for the opposite valleyside to erode back by
c
. 50 m in response to a progressively displacing river and valley glacier. If this proposition is correct, Dove Crags would be one of the first substantial pre-LGM RSFs to be recognized in the glaciated mountains of Britain and Ireland, implying that others ought to be present.

Supplementary material:

A PDF illustrating Dove Crags and comparator sites, with additional discussion of regional context and cirque seeding by RSF. References in the text are given as (SI-42) etc. It is organised by theme, to view as a presentation, not in order of citation in the text and is available at
http://www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18892
Biodiversity of Mississippian (Lower Carboniferous) crinoids from Bradford Dale, Derbyshire, UK
Authors: Bouman R.W. , Donovan S.K.
Published: November 2015

Crinoid diversity and abundance was higher during the Early Carboniferous (Mississippian) than at any other time. Due to the systematic focus on more complete specimens of crinoids, some areas, like the White Peak of Derbyshire and Staffordshire, UK, have erroneously been considered poor in fossil crinoids. Indeed, cups and crowns have only rarely been found in this area, but many limestones and cherts from the White Peak are rich in disarticulated crinoid remains. Screwstones (=fossiliferous cherts) collected in Bradford Dale, Derbyshire, yielded the disarticulated stem fragments, preserved as natural moulds, of seven crinoid morphotaxa, which is more than half of the known species richness of the whole White Peak. Considering that the material studied herein came from one locality, it is thus probable that the diversity of Mississippian crinoids in the White Peak is somewhat higher than previously recognized. This study shows that disarticulated stem fragments can be used as a proxy to test the crinoid diversity of an area, and that with further study of not only cups and crowns, some areas preserve a diversity of crinoids that is more than previously known.
The MAFB transcription factor impacts islet α-cell function in rodents and represents a unique signature of primate islet β-cells
Authors: Conrad Elizabeth , Dai Chunhua , Spaeth Jason , Guo Min , Cyphert Holly A. , Scoville David , Carroll Julie , Yu Wei-Ming , Goodrich Lisa V. , Harlan David M. , Grove Kevin L. , Roberts Charles T. , Powers Alvin C. , Gu Guoqiang , Stein Roland
Published: November 2015

Analysis of MafB−/−mice has suggested that the MAFB transcription factor was essential to islet α- and β-cell formation during development, although the postnatal physiological impact could not be studied here because these mutants died due to problems in neural development. Pancreas-wide mutant mice were generated to compare the postnatal significance of MafB ( MafBΔpanc) and MafA/B ( MafABΔpanc) with deficiencies associated with the related β-cell-enriched MafA mutant (MafAΔpanc). Insulin+cell production and β-cell activity were merely delayed in MafBΔpancislets until MafA was comprehensively expressed in this cell population. We propose that MafA compensates for the absence of MafB in MafBΔpancmice, which is supported by the death of MafABΔpancmice soon after birth from hyperglycemia. However, glucose-induced glucagon secretion was compromised in adult MafBΔpancislet α-cells. Based upon these results, we conclude that MafB is only essential to islet α-cell activity and not β-cell. Interestingly, a notable difference between mice and humans is that MAFB is coexpressed with MAFA in adult human islet β-cells. Here, we show that nonhuman primate (NHP) islet α- and β-cells also produce MAFB, implying that MAFB represents a unique signature and likely important regulator of the primate islet β-cell.
Hemodynamic and neurochemical determinates of renal function in chronic heart failure
Authors: Gilbert Cameron , Cherney David Z. I. , Parker Andrea B. , Mak Susanna , Floras John S. , Al-Hesayen Abdul , Parker John D.
Published: November 2015

Abnormal renal function is common in acute and chronic congestive heart failure (CHF) and is related to the severity of congestion. However, treatment of congestion often leads to worsening renal function. Our objective was to explore basal determinants of renal function and their response to hemodynamic interventions. Thirty-seven patients without CHF and 59 patients with chronic CHF (ejection fraction; 23 ± 8%) underwent right heart catheterization, measurements of glomerular filtration rate (GFR; inulin) and renal plasma flow (RPF; para-aminohippurate), and radiotracer estimates of renal sympathetic activity. A subset (26 without, 36 with CHF) underwent acute pharmacological intervention with dobutamine or nitroprusside. We explored the relationship between baseline and drug-induced hemodynamic changes and changes in renal function. In CHF, there was an inverse relationship among right atrial mean pressure (RAM) pressure, RPF, and GFR. By contrast, mean arterial pressure (MAP), cardiac index (CI), and measures of renal sympathetic activity were not significant predictors. In those with CHF there was also an inverse relationship among the drug-induced changes in RAM as well as pulmonary artery mean pressure and the change in GFR. Changes in MAP and CI did not predict the change in GFR in those with CHF. Baseline values and changes in RAM pressure did not correlate with GFR in those without CHF. In the CHF group there was a positive correlation between RAM pressure and renal sympathetic activity. There was also an inverse relationship among RAM pressure, GFR, and RPF in patients with chronic CHF. The observation that acute reductions in RAM pressure is associated with an increase in GFR in patients with CHF has important clinical implications.
Coherent and intermittent ensemble oscillations emerge from networks of irregular spiking neurons
Authors: Hoseini Mahmood S. , Wessel Ralf
Published: November 2015

Local field potential (LFP) recordings from spatially distant cortical circuits reveal episodes of coherent gamma oscillations that are intermittent, and of variable peak frequency and duration. Concurrently, single neuron spiking remains largely irregular and of low rate. The underlying potential mechanisms of this emergent network activity have long been debated. Here we reproduce such intermittent ensemble oscillations in a model network, consisting of excitatory and inhibitory model neurons with the characteristics of regular-spiking (RS) pyramidal neurons, and fast-spiking (FS) and low-threshold spiking (LTS) interneurons. We find that fluctuations in the external inputs trigger reciprocally connected and irregularly spiking RS and FS neurons in episodes of ensemble oscillations, which are terminated by the recruitment of the LTS population with concurrent accumulation of inhibitory conductance in both RS and FS neurons. The model qualitatively reproduces experimentally observed phase drift, oscillation episode duration distributions, variation in the peak frequency, and the concurrent irregular single-neuron spiking at low rate. Furthermore, consistent with previous experimental studies using optogenetic manipulation, periodic activation of FS, but not RS, model neurons causes enhancement of gamma oscillations. In addition, increasing the coupling between two model networks from low to high reveals a transition from independent intermittent oscillations to coherent intermittent oscillations. In conclusion, the model network suggests biologically plausible mechanisms for the generation of episodes of coherent intermittent ensemble oscillations with irregular spiking neurons in cortical circuits.
Chronic imaging of movement-related Purkinje cell calcium activity in awake behaving mice
Authors: Gaffield Michael A. , Amat Samantha B. , Bito Haruhiko , Christie Jason M.
Published: November 2015

Purkinje cells (PCs) are a major site of information integration and plasticity in the cerebellum, a brain region involved in motor task refinement. Thus PCs provide an ideal location for studying the mechanisms necessary for cerebellum-dependent motor learning. Increasingly, sophisticated behavior tasks, used in combination with genetic reporters and effectors of activity, have opened up the possibility of studying cerebellar circuits during voluntary movement at an unprecedented level of quantitation. However, current methods used to monitor PC activity do not take full advantage of these advances. For example, single-unit or multiunit electrode recordings, which provide excellent temporal information regarding electrical activity, only monitor a small population of cells and can be quite invasive. Bolus loading of cell-permeant calcium (Ca2+) indicators is short-lived, requiring same-day imaging immediately after surgery and/or indicator injection. Genetically encoded Ca2+ indicators (GECIs) overcome many of these limits and have garnered considerable use in many neuron types but only limited use in PCs. Here we employed these indicators to monitor Ca2+ activity in PCs over several weeks. We could repeatedly image from the same cerebellar regions across multiple days and observed stable activity. We used chronic imaging to monitor PC activity in crus II, an area previously linked to licking behavior, and identified a region of increased activity at the onset of licking. We then monitored this same region after training tasks to initiate voluntary licking behavior in response to different sensory stimuli. In all cases, PC Ca2+ activity increased at the onset of rhythmic licking.
3D Nanoprinting Technologies for Tissue Engineering Applications
Authors: Lee Jin Woo
Published: November 2015

Tissue engineering recovers an original function of tissue by replacing the damaged part with a new tissue or organ regenerated using various engineering technologies. This technology uses a scaffold to support three‐dimensional (3D) tissue formation. Conventional scaffold fabrication methods do not control the architecture, pore shape, porosity, or interconnectivity of the scaffold, so it has limited ability to stimulate cell growth and to generate new tissue. 3D printing technologies may overcome these disadvantages of traditional fabrication methods. These technologies use computers to assist in design and fabrication, so the 3D scaffolds can be fabricated as designed and standardized. Particularly, because nanofabrication technology based on two‐photon absorption (2PA) and on controlled electrospinning can generate structures with submicron resolution, these methods have been evaluated in various areas of tissue engineering. Recent combinations of 3D nanoprinting technologies with methods from molecular biology and cell dynamics have suggested new possibilities for improved tissue regeneration. If the interaction between cells and scaffold system with biomolecules can be understood and controlled and if an optimal 3D environment for tissue regeneration can be realized, 3D nanoprinting will become an important tool in tissue engineering.
Agent Based Modeling on Organizational Dynamics of Terrorist Network
Authors: Li Bo , Sun Duoyong , Zhu Renqi , Li Ze
Published: November 2015

Modeling organizational dynamics of terrorist network is a critical issue in computational analysis of terrorism research. The first step for effective counterterrorism and strategic intervention is to investigate how the terrorists operate with the relational network and what affects the performance. In this paper, we investigate the organizational dynamics by employing a computational experimentation methodology. The hierarchical cellular network model and the organizational dynamics model are developed for modeling the hybrid relational structure and complex operational processes, respectively. To intuitively elucidate this method, the agent based modeling is used to simulate the terrorist network and test the performance in diverse scenarios. Based on the experimental results, we show how the changes of operational environments affect the development of terrorist organization in terms of its recovery and capacity to perform future tasks. The potential strategies are also discussed, which can be used to restrain the activities of terrorists.
Inhibition of HIF-1αAffects Autophagy Mediated Glycosylation in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells
Authors: Li Yi-Ning , Hu Ji-An , Wang Hui-Ming
Published: November 2015

Purpose. To validate the function of autophagy with the regulation of hypoxia inhibitor-induced glycosylation in oral squamous cell carcinoma cell.Methods. Human Tca8113 cell line was used to detect autophagy and glycosylation related protein expression by western blotting and immunofluorescence with HIF-1αinhibitor. Short interfering RNA (siRNA) transfection blocked human ATG12 and ATG1.Results. HIF-1αinhibitor PX-478 reduced the amount of LC3-II and LC3-I in Tca8113 cells. PX-478 decreased the expression of O-GlcNAc and OGT and increased OGA expression. The tendency of O-GlcNAc showed a similar pattern to OGT. PX-478 gradually decreased OGT expression in Tca8113 cells. Protein level of O-GlcNAc and OGT increased in ATG12 and ATG1 depletion. The expression of OGT decreased at first and then rose slowly with the treatment of Atg12 and Atg1 siRNA and PX-478 fluctuant. Autophagy affected the stability of OGT when HIF-1αsignaling was blocked.Conclusions. Autophagy reduced by hypoxic stress inhibited. HIF-1αinhibitor decreased glycosylation. OGT became unstable in the absence of autophagy when HIF-1αsignaling was blocked.
Overcoming the Underutilisation of Peritoneal Dialysis
Authors: Pajek Jernej
Published: November 2015

Peritoneal dialysis is troubled with declining utilisation as a form of renal replacement therapy in developed countries. We review key aspects of therapy evidenced to have a potential to increase its utilisation. The best evidence to repopulate PD programmes is provided for the positive impact of timely referral and systematic and motivational predialysis education: average odds ratio for instituting peritoneal dialysis versus haemodialysis was 2.6 across several retrospective studies on the impact of predialysis education. Utilisation of PD for unplanned acute dialysis starts facilitated by implantation of peritoneal catheters by interventional nephrologists may diminish the vast predominance of haemodialysis done by central venous catheters for unplanned dialysis start. Assisted peritoneal dialysis can improve accessibility of home based dialysis to elderly, frail, and dependant patients, whose quality of life on replacement therapy may benefit most from dialysis performed at home. Peritoneal dialysis providers should perform close monitoring, preventing measures, and timely prophylactic therapy in patients judged to be prone to EPS development. Each peritoneal dialysis programme should regularly monitor, report, and act on key quality indicators to manifest its ability of constant quality improvement and elevate the confidence of interested patients and financing bodies in the programme.
Stereotactic Ablative Radiotherapy for the Treatment of Clinically Localized Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Campbell Scott P. , Song Daniel Y. , Pierorazio Phillip M. , Allaf Mohamad E. , Gorin Michael A.
Published: November 2015

Thermal ablation is currently the most studied treatment option for medically inoperable patients with clinically localized renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Recent evidence suggests that stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) may offer an effective noninvasive alternative for these patients. In this review, we explore the current literature on SABR for the primary treatment of RCC and make recommendations for future studies so that an accurate comparison between SABR and other ablative therapies may be conducted.
Sequential Multidimensional Scaling with Kalman Filtering for Location Tracking
Authors: Trinh Lan Anh , Thang Nguyen Duc , Hung Dang Viet , Hung Tran Cong
Published: November 2015

Localization always plays a critical role in wireless sensor networks for a wide range of applications including military, healthcare, and robotics. Although the classical multidimensional scaling (MDS) is a conventionally effective model for positioning, the accuracy of this method is affected by noises from the environment. In this paper, we propose a solution to attenuate noise effects to MDS by combining MDS with a Kalman filter. A model is built to predict the noise distribution with regard to additive noises to the distance measurements following the Gaussian distribution. From that, a linear tracking system is developed. The characteristics of the algorithm are examined through simulated experiments and the results reveal the advantages of our method over conventional works in dealing with the above challenges. Besides, the method is simplified with a linear filter; therefore it suits small and embedded sensors equipped with limited power, memory, and computational capacities well.
Interface Shear Actions and Mechanical Properties of Nanostructured Dissimilar Al Alloy Laminated Metal Composites
Authors: Chen Zejun , Chen Quanzhong
Published: November 2015

The laminated metal composites (LMCs) of dissimilar metals (aluminium alloys: AA1100/AA7075) were fabricated using the accumulative roll bonding technique in conjunction with cold rolling. The LMCs of ultrafine grained AA1100 and nanostructured precipitates of AA7075 achieved metallurgical bonding. The microstructure of the bonding interfaces and constituent metals was investigated using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy for the LMCs with different layers. The deformation incompatibility and shear actions were analyzed using the microanalysis of dissimilar bonding interfaces. The mechanism of grain refinement of LMCs was investigated and described based on the microstructure characterization. The mechanical properties, strengthening mechanism, and fracture mechanism of LMCs were also investigated. The research results showed that the strengthening mechanism of LMCs is the recombination action of grain refinement, dislocation, and laminated interfacial strengthening. The coordinated deformation of dissimilar metals and the layer thickness are important in improving the mechanical properties of LMCs consisting of dissimilar metals.
Perceived and Ideal Body Image in Young Women in South Western Saudi Arabia
Authors: Khalaf Atika , Westergren Albert , Berggren Vanja , Ekblom Örjan , Al-Hazzaa Hazzaa M.
Published: November 2015

Objectives. The aim of this study was to investigate perceived and ideal body image (BI) and associated factors among female university students in Saudi Arabia.Methods. This cross-sectional study included 663 university female students. Anthropometric measurements including weight, height, BMI, and BI perception (the 9-figure silhouette) were obtained. Descriptive and logistic regression analysis were conducted.Results. An agreement between actual, perceived, and ideal BI was found in 23% of the participants. Behavioral (activity levels), social (presence of obese parents and fathers’ level of education), and economic factors (households’ monthly income, number of cars in the household, and kind of residence) were positively and significantly associated with the desire to be thinner. Similarly, socioeconomic associations (number of sisters and number of cars in the household) correlated positively and significantly with the desire to be heavier.Conclusions. The whole family should rather be considered in interventions related to appearance concerns and BI discrepancies. Furthermore, campaigns targeting improvement of adolescents’ physical self-image should be a major priority of the public health sector.
Symmetric Kullback-Leibler Metric Based Tracking Behaviors for Bioinspired Robotic Eyes
Authors: Liu Hengli , Luo Jun , Wu Peng , Xie Shaorong , Li Hengyu
Published: November 2015

A symmetric Kullback-Leibler metric based tracking system, capable of tracking moving targets, is presented for a bionic spherical parallel mechanism to minimize a tracking error function to simulate smooth pursuit of human eyes. More specifically, we propose a real-time moving target tracking algorithm which utilizesspatial histogramstaking into account symmetric Kullback-Leibler metric. In the proposed algorithm, the key spatial histograms are extracted and taken into particle filtering framework. Once the target is identified, an image-based control scheme is implemented to drive bionic spherical parallel mechanism such that the identified target is to be tracked at the center of the captured images. Meanwhile, the robot motion information is fed forward to develop an adaptive smooth tracking controller inspired by theVestibuloocular Reflexmechanism. The proposed tracking system is designed to make the robot track dynamic objects when the robot travels through transmittable terrains, especially bumpy environment. To performbumpy-resist capabilityunder the condition of violent attitude variation when the robot works in the bumpy environment mentioned, experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of our bioinspired tracking system using bionic spherical parallel mechanism inspired by head-eye coordination.
Statistical Tests for the Reciprocal of a Normal Mean with a Known Coefficient of Variation
Authors: Panichkitkosolkul Wararit
Published: November 2015

An asymptotic test and an approximate test for the reciprocal of a normal mean with a known coefficient of variation were proposed in this paper. The asymptotic test was based on the expectation and variance of the estimator of the reciprocal of a normal mean. The approximate test used the approximate expectation and variance of the estimator by Taylor series expansion. A Monte Carlo simulation study was conducted to compare the performance of the two statistical tests. Simulation results showed that the two proposed tests performed well in terms of empirical type I errors and power. Nevertheless, the approximate test was easier to compute than the asymptotic test.
An Improved Diffusion Based Placement Algorithm for Reducing Interconnect Demand in Congested Regions of FPGAs
Authors: Asghar Ali , Parvez Husain
Published: November 2015

An FPGA has a finite routing capacity due to which a fair number of highly dense circuits fail to map on slightly underresourced architecture. The high-interconnect demand in the congested regions is not met by the available resources as a result of which the circuit becomes unroutable for that particular architecture. In this paper, we present a new placement approach which is based on a natural process called diffusion. Our placer attempts to minimize the routing congestion by evenly disseminating the interconnect demand across an FPGA chip. For the 20 MCNC benchmark circuits, our algorithm reduced the channel width for 15 circuits. The results showed on average ~33% reduction in standard deviation of interconnect usage at an expense of an average ~13% penalty on critical path delay. Maximum channel width gain of ~33% was also observed.
Structural Characteristics and Magnetic Properties of Al2O3 Matrix-Based Co-Cermet Nanogranular Films
Authors: Van Cuong Giap , Anh Tuan Nguyen , Tuan Anh Nguyen , Van Tuong Dinh , Anh Tue Nguyen , Tuyet Nga Nguyen , Phuong Lien Do
Published: November 2015

Magnetic micro- and nanogranular materials prepared by different methods have been used widely in studies of magnetooptical response. However, among them there seems to be nothing about magnetic nanogranular thin films prepared by a rf cosputtering technique for both metals and insulators till now. This paper presented and discussed preparation, structural characteristics, and magnetic properties of alumina (Al2O3) matrix-based granular Co-cermet thin films deposited by means of the cosputtering technique for both Co and Al2O3. By varying the ferromagnetic (Co) atomic fraction, x, from 0.04 to 0.63, several dominant features of deposition for these thin films were shown. Structural characteristics by X-ray diffraction confirmed a cermet-type structure for these films. Furthermore, magnetic behaviours presented a transition from paramagnetic- to superparamagnetic- and then to ferromagnetic-like properties, indicating agglomeration and growth following Co components of Co clusters or nanoparticles. These results show a typical granular Co-cermet feature for the Co-Al2O3 thin films prepared, in which Co magnetic nanogranules are dispersed in a ceramic matrix. Such nanomaterials can be applied suitably for our investigations in future on the magnetooptical responses of spinplasmonics.
Mitigating On-Off Attacks in the Internet of Things Using a Distributed Trust Management Scheme
Authors: Mendoza Carolina V. L. , Kleinschmidt João H.
Published: November 2015

In the Internet of Things (IoT), physical objects are able to provide or require determined services. The purpose of this work is to identify malicious behavior of nodes and prevent possible On-Off attacks to a multiservice IoT. The proposed trust management model uses direct information generated from direct communication with the nodes to evaluate trust between nodes. This distributed approach allows nodes to be completely autonomous in making decisions about the behavior of other nodes. We perform network simulations using Contiki-OS to analyze the performance of the proposed trust model. Simulation results show effectiveness against On-Off attacks and also a good performance to recognize malicious nodes in the network.
Stability Constraints for Robust Model Predictive Control
Authors: Ottoni Amanda G. S. , Takahashi Ricardo H. C. , Raffo Guilherme V.
Published: November 2015

This paper proposes an approach for the robust stabilization of systems controlled by MPC strategies. Uncertain SISO linear systems with box-bounded parametric uncertainties are considered. The proposed approach delivers some constraints on the control inputs which impose sufficient conditions for the convergence of the system output. These stability constraints can be included in the set of constraints dealt with by existing MPC design strategies, in this way leading to the “robustification” of the MPC.
Distributed Coordination Control of First- and Second-Order Multiagent Systems with External Disturbances
Authors: Mo Lipo , Pan Tingting , Guo Shaoyan , Niu Yuguang
Published: November 2015

This paper is devoted to the coordination control problem of heterogeneous first- and second-order multiagent systems with external disturbances. First, by applying the theory of eigenvalue and the method of model transformation, the consensus state of heterogeneous multiagent systems is obtained. Then, based on the consensus state, the control output is defined, and sufficient conditions are derived to make all agents reach consensus withH∞performance. Finally, simulation results are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented results.
Phytochemical Constituents, Antioxidant and Antiproliferative Properties of a Liverwort,Lepidozia borneensisStephani from Mount Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
Authors: Abu Bakar Mohd Fadzelly , Abdul Karim Fifilyana , Suleiman Monica , Isha Azizul , Rahmat Asmah
Published: November 2015

The study aimed to investigate the phytochemical contents, antioxidant and antiproliferative activity of 80% methanol extract ofLepidozia borneensis. The total phenolic and total flavonoid contents were analysed using Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminium chloride colorimetric methods. Antioxidant properties were evaluated by using FRAP, ABTS, and DPPH assays while the effects ofL. borneensison the proliferation of MCF-7 cell line were evaluated by using MTT assay. The results showed that the total phenolic and flavonoid contents were 12.42 ± 0.47 mg GAE/g and 9.36 ± 1.29 mg CE/g, respectively. The GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of at least 35 compounds. The extract was found to induce cytotoxicity against MCF-7 cell line with IC50value of 47.33 ± 7.37 µg/mL. Cell cycle analysis showed that the extract induced significant arrest at G0/G1at 24 hours of treatment. After 72 hours of treatment, the proportion of cells in G0/G1and G2-M phases had decreased significantly as compared to their control. Apoptosis occurred during the first 24 hours and significantly increased to 30.8% after 72 hours of treatment. No activation of caspase 3 was observed. These findings suggest thatL. borneensisextract has the potential as natural antioxidant and anticancer agents.
A New Methodology for Spectral-Spatial Classification of Hyperspectral Images
Authors: Miao Zelang , Shi Wenzhong
Published: November 2015

Recent developments in hyperspectral images have heightened the need for advanced classification methods. To reach this goal, this paper proposed an improved spectral-spatial method for hyperspectral image classification. The proposed method mainly consists of three steps. First, four band selection strategies are proposed to utilize the statistical region merging (SRM) method to segment the hyperspectral image. The segmentation map is subsequently integrated with the pixel-wise classification method to classify the hyperspectral image. Finally, the final classification result is obtained using the decision fusion rule. Validation tests are performed to evaluate the performance of the proposed approach, and the results indicate that the new proposed approach outperforms the state-of-the-art methods.