bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pericardial effusion after pediatric hematopoietic cell transplant
Authors: Aldoss Osamah , Gruenstein Daniel H. , Bass John L. , Steinberger Julia , Zhang Yan , DeFor Todd E. , Tolar Jakub , Verneris Michael R. , Orchard Paul J.
Published: March 2013

PEcan occur followingHCT. However, the incidence, etiology, risk factors, and treatment remain unclear. We performed a retrospective study evaluating 355 pediatric recipients ofHCTtreated at a single institution between January 2005 and August 2010. No cases ofPEwere identified in the autologousHCT(auto‐HCT) recipients (0/43), while 19% (57/296) of allogeneicHCT(allo‐HCT) developedPE. Among the 57PEpatients, 40 (70%) were males; the median age at transplantation was 6.6 yr (0.1–17.3 yr). Thirty‐six patients (63%) had significantPEwith 23 patients (40%) treated by pericardiocentesis, and 19 (33%) experiencing recurrentPE.OSrates for patients who developedPEwere 84% at 100 days and 65% at three yr afterHCT. Risk factors associated withPEon multivariate analysis included myeloablative conditioning (p = 0.01), delayed neutrophil engraftment (p < 0.01), andCMV + serostatus of the recipient (p = 0.03). Recipients with non‐malignant diseases were significantly less likely to die after development ofPE(p = 0.02 and 0.004 when comparing with standard and high‐risk diseases, respectively). In summary,PEis a common and significant complication of pediatric allo‐HCT. Prospective studies are needed to better determine the etiology and optimal method ofPEtreatment afterHCT.
Successful autologous cord blood transplantation in a child with acquired severe aplastic anemia
Authors: Buchbinder David , Hsieh Loah , Puthenveetil Geetha , Soni Amit , Stites Jill , Huynh Van , Kirov Ivan , Neudorf Steve , Rubin Elyssa , Sender Leonard , Torno Lilibeth , Margolis David , Childs Richard , Moore Theodore , Nugent Diane
Published: March 2013

Over 400 cases of pediatric SAA occur annually in the United States. A growing number of children with SAA may have had their stem cells harvested through cord blood collection. We describe a nine‐yr‐old male with SAA treated successfully with an autologous cord blood transplant following immunoablative chemotherapy. With the increasing number of people cryopreserving autologous cord blood, the use of autologous cord blood in the treatment of SAA might be considered as initial therapy. This case serves to discuss approaches to preparative therapy as well as the potential complications in this growing cohort of patients.
A dual role for plant quinone reductases in host–fungus interaction
Authors: Heyno Eiri , Alkan Noam , Fluhr Robert
Published: March 2013

Quinone reductases (QR, EC 1.5.6.2) are flavoproteins that protect organisms from oxidative stress. The function of plant QRs has not as yet been addressed in vivo despite biochemical evidence for their involvement in redox reactions. Here, using knock‐out (KO) and overexpressing lines, we studied the protective role of two groups of Arabidopsis thaliana cytosolic QRs, Nqr (NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase) and Fqr (flavodoxin‐like quinone reductase), in response to infection by necrotrophic fungi. The KO lines nqr− and fqr1− displayed significantly slower development of lesions of Botrytis cinerea and Sclerotinia sclerotium in comparison to the wild type (WT). Consistent with this observation, the overexpressing line FQR1+ was hypersensitive to the pathogens. Both the nqr− and fqr1− displayed increased fluorescence of 2′,7′‐dichlorofluorescein,‬ a reporter for reactive oxygen species in response to B. cinerea. Infection by B. cinerea was accompanied with increased Nqr and Fqr1 protein levels in the WT as revealed by western blotting. In addition, a marked stimulation of salicylic acid‐sensitive transcripts and suppression of jasmonate‐sensitive transcripts was observed in moderately wounded QR KO mutant leaves, a condition mimicking the early stage of infection. In contrast to the above observations, germination of conidia was accelerated on leaves of QR KO mutants in comparison with the WT and FQR1+. The same effect was observed in water‐soluble leaf surface extracts. It is proposed that the altered interaction between B. cinerea and the QR mutants is a consequence of subtly altered redox state of the host, which perturbs host gene expression in response to environmental stress such as fungal growth.‬‬‬‬‬‬
Behavior guidance techniques in Pediatric Dentistry: attitudes of parents of children with disabilities and without disabilities
Authors: de Castro Alessandra Maia , de Oliveira Fabiana Sodré , de Paiva Novaes Myrian Stella , Araújo Ferreira Danielly Cunha
Published: March 2013

This study compared the parental acceptance of pediatric behavior guidance techniques (BGT). Forty parents of children without disabilities (Group A) and another 40 parents of children with disabilities (Group B) were selected. Each BGT was explained by a single examiner and it was presented together with a photograph album. After that parents evaluated the acceptance in: totally unacceptable, somewhat acceptable, acceptable, and totally acceptable. Results indicated that in Group A, the BGT based on communicative guidance was accepted by most participants. In Group B, just one mother considered totally unacceptable the voice control method and other two, tell‐show‐do. For both groups, the general anesthesia was the less accepted BGT. There was statistically significant difference in acceptance for protective stabilization with a restrictive device in Group B. Children's parents with and without disabilities accepted behavioral guidance techniques, but basic techniques showed higher rates of acceptance than advanced techniques.
A Different Kind of Whiteness: Marking and Unmarking of Social Boundaries in the Construction of Hegemonic Ethnicity
Authors: Sasson‐Levy Orna
Published: March 2013

This article proposes a new theoretical approach to the analysis of hegemonic ethnicity through an examination of the construction of white ethnicity among Ashkenazim (Jews of European origin) in Israel. Contrary to the theory of symbolic ethnicity, I argue that “Ashkenaziness” in Israel is not an optional, voluntary identity; rather, it is constituted by employing narratives that continually establish cultural, color‐based, and ethnic boundaries between Ashkenazim and Mizrahi Jews. In certain social and ideological circumstances, however, boundary marking is not enough to maintain a privileged status. From the narratives of Ashkenazi Jews—the Israeli version of whites—it emerges that not only do they demarcate social boundaries between themselves and other groups, thereby preserving the ethnic hierarchy, but they are constantly engaged in blurring or erasing these same boundaries, allowing Ashkenazim to remain a transparent, unmarked social category. This dual practice of marking and unmarking is a result of the tension between the Jewish‐Zionist and Western‐secular images of the state. While Israel's Jewish discourse supposedly negates intra‐Jewish ethnic conflicts, the Western ideal identifies Ashkenazim with the state, thus solidifying their power and preserving their privileged status.
With God on One's Side: The Social Geometry of Death Row Apologies
Authors: Cooney Mark , Phillips Scott
Published: March 2013

Apology is an increasingly prominent form of conflict management in many areas of social life. Yet there are few systematic studies of apology as a dependent variable. Analyzing the last statements of Texas death row prisoners, we find that the best predictor of apology is affiliation with God. Under traditional Western conceptions, God is an actor endowed with extraordinarily high status. Drawing on the theoretical paradigm known as pure sociology, we argue that death row prisoners who invoke God as a third party in their conflict thereby elevate their own status. Greater vertical closeness to the victim's side generates more social assertiveness and a greater willingness to apologize publicly. In addition, affiliation increases prisoners' relational closeness to God, enhancing their probability of adopting God's modern message of reconciliation. God's status has, however, declined somewhat over the past several centuries—a trend that helps to explain the modern religious emphasis on reconciliation over punishment, apology over defiance.
Molecular and serological markers of Leishmania donovani infection in healthy individuals from endemic areas of Bihar, India
Authors: Srivastava Pankaj , Gidwani Kamlesh , Picado Albert , Van der Auwera Gert , Tiwary Puja , Ostyn Bart , Dujardin Jean‐Claude , Boelaert Marleen , Sundar Shyam
Published: March 2013

Objectives

Recent epidemiological reports indicate that asymptomatic human infections with Leishmania donovani, the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis or Kala‐azar (KA), occur frequently in India. We explored markers of infection.

Methods

Blood samples were collected from 286 healthy subjects from 16 villages in the Muzaffarpur district of Bihar. These individuals were classified into three groups: (i) persons with no history of KA and living in a house where no KA cases were previously reported, (ii) persons with no history of KA but living in a house where KA cases were diagnosed at the time of sampling or in the past, and (iii) successfully treated KA patients. Each sample was tested using a Leishmania‐specific PCR to detect Leishmania DNA, and two serological tests to demonstrate anti‐Leishmania antibodies: the Direct Agglutination Test and rK39 ELISA.

Results

PCR positivity was similar among the three groups (20–25%). In contrast, among treated patients, the percentage of serologically positive individuals was roughly five times that of healthy individuals with no KA history, as measured with either test. Living in a house where KA had been reported did not affect seropositivity.

Conclusion

A significant proportion of asymptomatic infections of Leishmania exist in endemic regions. Using a combination of molecular and serological tests increases the capacity to detect infections at different stages. Further work is required to understand the kinetics of the markers.
Bayesian modelling to estimate the test characteristics of coprology, coproantigen ELISA and a novel real‐time PCR for the diagnosis of taeniasis
Authors: Praet Nicolas , Verweij Jaco J. , Mwape Kabemba E. , Phiri Isaac K. , Muma John B. , Zulu Gideon , van Lieshout Lisette , Rodriguez‐Hidalgo Richar , Benitez‐Ortiz Washington , Dorny Pierre , Gabriël Sarah
Published: March 2013

Objective

To estimate and compare the performances of coprology, copro‐Ag ELISA and real‐time polymerase chain reaction assay (copro‐PCR) for detection of Taenia solium tapeworm carriers.

Methods

The three diagnostic tests were applied on 817 stool samples collected in two Zambian communities where taeniasis is endemic. A Bayesian approach was used to allow estimation of the test characteristics. Two (0.2%; 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 0–0.8), 67 (8.2%; 95% CI: 6.4–10.3) and 10 (1.2%; 95% CI: 0.5–2.2) samples were positive using coprology, copro‐Ag ELISA and copro‐PCR, respectively.

Results

Specificities of 99.9%, 92.0% and 99.0% were determined for coprology, copro‐Ag ELISA and copro‐PCR, respectively. Sensitivities of 52.5%, 84.5% and 82.7% were determined for coprology, copro‐Ag ELISA and copro‐PCR, respectively.

Conclusions

We urge for additional studies exploring possible cross‐reactions of the copro‐Ag ELISA and for the use of more sensitive tests, such as copro‐PCR, for the detection of tapeworm carriers, which is a key factor in controlling the parasite in endemic areas.
Trs20 is Required for TRAPP II Assembly
Authors: Taussig David , Lipatova Zhanna , Kim Jane J. , Zhang XuiQi , Segev Nava
Published: March 2013

The modular TRAPP complexes act as nucleotide exchangers to activate the Golgi Ypt/Rab GTPases, Ypt1 and Ypt31/Ypt32. In yeast, TRAPP I acts at the cis‐Golgi and its assembly and structure are well characterized. In contrast, TRAPP II acts at the trans‐Golgi and is poorly understood. Especially puzzling is the role of Trs20, an essential TRAPP I/II subunit required neither for the assembly of TRAPP I nor for its Ypt1‐exchange activity. Mutations in Sedlin, the human functional ortholog of Trs20, cause the cartilage‐specific disorder SEDT. Here we show that Trs20 interacts with the TRAPP II‐specific subunit Trs120. Furthermore, the Trs20‐Trs120 interaction is required for assembly of TRAPP II and for its Ypt32‐exchange activity. Finally, Trs20‐D46Y, with a single‐residue substitution equivalent to a SEDT‐causing mutation in Sedlin, interacts with TRAPP I, but the resulting TRAPP complex cannot interact with Trs120 and TRAPP II cannot be assembled. These results indicate that Trs20 is crucial for assembly of TRAPP II, and the defective assembly caused by a SEDT‐linked mutation suggests that this role is conserved.
Reference values for the production of the aqueous fraction of the tear film measured by the standardized endodontic absorbent paper point test in different exotic and laboratory animal species
Authors: Lange Rogério R. , Lima Leandro , Przydzimirski Andreise C. , Montiani‐Ferreira Fabiano
Published: March 2013

The aqueous fraction of the tear film and the horizontal palpebral fissure length (HPFL) were measured in exotic and laboratory animals, specifically saffron finches (Sicalis flaveola), chestnut‐bellied seed‐finches (Sporophila angolensis), red‐eared sliders (Trachemys scripta elegans), rats (Rattus norvegicus) and mice (Mus musculus). These species possess small eyes making it difficult to perform the typical Schirmer tear test. Measurement of the aqueous fraction of the tear was performed using the standardized endodontic absorbent paper point tear test (PPTT), accomplished with manual restraint by a single operator. The following results were obtained: saffron finches (n = 42)—HPFL (4.46 ± 0.09 mm) and PPTT (5.10 ± 0.26 mm); chestnut‐bellied seed‐finches (n = 38)—HPFL (4.77 ± 0.05 mm) and PPTT (4.11 ± 0.34 mm); red‐eared sliders (n = 56)—HPFL (8.59 ± 0.08 mm) and PPTT (8.79 ± 0.38 mm); rats (n = 60)—HPFL (6.45 ± 0.09 mm) and PTT (6.18 ± 2.06 mm); and mice (n = 22)—HPFL (3.59 ± 0.27 mm) and PPTT (4.39 ± 1.45 mm).
The effects of mapping CT images to Monte Carlo materials on GEANT4 proton simulation accuracy
Authors: Barnes Samuel , McAuley Grant , Slater James , Wroe Andrew
Published: March 2013

Purpose

: Monte Carlo simulations of radiation therapy require conversion from Hounsfield units (HU) in CT images to an exact tissue composition and density. The number of discrete densities (or density bins) used in this mapping affects the simulation accuracy, execution time, and memory usage in GEANT4 and other Monte Carlo code. The relationship between the number of density bins and CT noise was examined in general for all simulations that use HU conversion to density. Additionally, the effect of this on simulation accuracy was examined for proton radiation.

Methods

: Relative uncertainty from CT noise was compared with uncertainty from density binning to determine an upper limit on the number of density bins required in the presence of CT noise. Error propagation analysis was also performed on continuously slowing down approximation range calculations to determine the proton range uncertainty caused by density binning. These results were verified with Monte Carlo simulations.

Results

: In the presence of even modest CT noise (5 HU or 0.5%) 450 density bins were found to only cause a 5% increase in the density uncertainty (i.e., 95% of density uncertainty from CT noise, 5% from binning). Larger numbers of density bins are not required as CT noise will prevent increased density accuracy; this applies across all types of Monte Carlo simulations. Examining uncertainty in proton range, only 127 density bins are required for a proton range error of <0.1 mm in most tissue and <0.5 mm in low density tissue (e.g., lung).

Conclusions

: By considering CT noise and actual range uncertainty, the number of required density bins can be restricted to a very modest 127 depending on the application. Reducing the number of density bins provides large memory and execution time savings in GEANT4 and other Monte Carlo packages.
Fin whale tracks recorded by a seismic network on the Juan de Fuca Ridge, Northeast Pacific Ocean
Authors: Soule Dax C. , Wilcock William S. D.
Published: March 2013

Fin whale calls recorded from 2003 to 2004 by a seafloor seismic network on the Endeavour segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge were analyzed to determine tracks and calling patterns. Over 150 tracks were obtained with a total duration of ∼800 h and swimming speeds from 1 to 12 km/h. The dominant inter-pulse interval (IPI) is 24 s and the IPI patterns define 4 categories: a 25 s single IPI and 24/30 s dual IPI produced by single calling whales, a 24/13 s dual IPI interpreted as two calling whales, and an irregular IPI interpreted as groups of calling whales. There are also tracks in which the IPI switches between categories. Call rates vary seasonally with all the tracks between August and April. From August to October tracks are dominated by the irregular IPI and are predominantly headed to the northwest, suggesting that a portion of the fin whale population does not migrate south in the fall. The other IPI categories occur primarily from November to March. These tracks have slower swimming speeds, tend to meander, and are predominantly to the south. The distribution of fin whales around the network is non-random with more calls near the network and to the east and north.
Noise source identification with the lattice Boltzmann method
Authors: Vergnault Etienne , Malaspinas Orestis , Sagaut Pierre
Published: March 2013

In this paper the sound source identification problem is addressed with the use of the lattice Boltzmann method. To this aim, a time-reversed problem coupled to a complex differentiation method is used. In order to circumvent the inherent instability of the time-reversed lattice Boltzmann scheme, a method based on a split of the lattice Boltzmann equation into a mean and a perturbation component is used. Lattice Boltzmann method formulation around an arbitrary base flow is recalled and specific applications to acoustics are presented. The implementation of the noise source detection method for two-dimensional weakly compressible (low Mach number) flows is discussed, and the applicability of the method is demonstrated.
Exploring super-gaussianity toward robust information-theoretical time delay estimation
Authors: Petsatodis Theodoros , Talantzis Fotios , Boukis Christos , Tan Zheng-Hua , Prasad Ramjee
Published: March 2013

Time delay estimation (TDE) is a fundamental component of speaker localization and tracking algorithms. Most of the existing systems are based on the generalized cross-correlation method assuming gaussianity of the source. It has been shown that the distribution of speech, captured with far-field microphones, is highly varying, depending on the noise and reverberation conditions. Thus the performance of TDE is expected to fluctuate depending on the underlying assumption for the speech distribution, being also subject to multi-path reflections and competitive background noise. This paper investigates the effect upon TDE when modeling the source signal with different speech-based distributions. An information theoretical TDE method indirectly encapsulating higher order statistics (HOS) formed the basis of this work. The underlying assumption of Gaussian distributed source has been replaced by that of generalized Gaussian distribution that allows evaluating the problem under a larger set of speech-shaped distributions, ranging from Gaussian to Laplacian and Gamma. Closed forms of the univariate and multivariate entropy expressions of the generalized Gaussian distribution are derived to evaluate the TDE. The results indicate that TDE based on the specific criterion is independent of the underlying assumption for the distribution of the source, for the same covariance matrix.
Diffraction assisted rough ground effect: Models and data
Authors: Bashir Imran , Taherzadeh Shahram , Attenborough Keith
Published: March 2013

The destructive interferences observed in Excess Attenuation (EA) spectra over periodically and randomly spaced roughness elements with different cross-sectional profiles (semicylindrical, rectangular and wedge-shaped strips) have been investigated. If the roughness is spaced periodically, then two or three destructive interference maxima are observed in the same frequency range as the one or two observed with randomly distributed roughness. Roughness-induced surface waves are investigated also. Their amplitudes and the frequencies at which they occur are found to depend on the roughness height, mean center-to-center spacing and the extent to which the roughness is periodic. A semianalytical Multiple Scattering Theory and a numerical method (the Boundary Element Method) have been used to make predictions of the EA spectra which are compared with measurements. In addition it is found that the effective surface impedance spectra deduced from complex EA measurements over rough surfaces exhibit resonances similar to those observed for a hard-backed porous layer. On this basis a heuristic effective impedance model for rough hard surfaces is developed and the corresponding predictions of EA spectra are compared with data.
Effects of fatiguing tone frequency on temporary threshold shift in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus)
Authors: Finneran James J. , Schlundt Carolyn E.
Published: March 2013

Temporary threshold shift (TTS) was measured in two bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) after exposure to 16-s tones between 3 and 80 kHz to examine the effects of exposure frequency on the onset, growth, and recovery of TTS. Hearing thresholds were measured approximately one-half octave above the exposure frequency using a behavioral response paradigm featuring an adaptive staircase procedure. Results show frequency-specific differences in TTS onset and growth, and suggest increased susceptibility to auditory fatigue for frequencies between approximately 10 and 30 kHz. Between 3 and 56 kHz, the relationship between exposure frequency and the exposure level required to induce 6 dB of TTS, measured 4 min post-exposure, agrees closely with an auditory weighting function for bottlenose dolphins developed from equal loudness contours [Finneran and Schlundt. (2011). J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 130, 3124–3136].
Scattering from suspended sediments having different and mixed mineralogical compositions: Comparison of laboratory measurements and theoretical predictions
Authors: Moate Benjamin D. , Thorne Peter D.
Published: March 2013

Laboratory measurements of the acoustic scattering properties of aqueous suspensions of non-cohesive sands having different and mixed mineralogical compositions are presented. Four different types of sand are examined: quartz, crushed shell, magnetite, and muscovite mica. The experimental data obtained for each type of sand are compared with theoretical scattering predictions for spheres having the same physical properties. The results show that for each type of sand, scattering is enhanced in the geometric regime relative to the sphere predictions, and for mica, scattering in the Rayleigh regime is reduced. To provide a theoretical framework for the observations, the applicability of two different modified sphere scattering models previously reported in the literature is evaluated. Measurements of the ensemble scattering properties obtained from mixtures of the different sands are also presented and compared with theoretical predictions. The results show that to accurately predict the scattering properties of compositionally diverse mixed sediment suspensions, it is necessary to know the relative proportions of each mineral present at each size within the size distribution; however, the scattering properties can be approximated for the suspensions studied by considering only the dominant mineral by mass.
Dolphin “packet” use during long-range echolocation tasks
Authors: Finneran James J.
Published: March 2013

When echolocating, dolphins typically emit a single broadband “click,” then wait to receive the echo before emitting another click. However, previous studies have shown that during long-range echolocation tasks, they may instead emit a burst, or “packet,” of several clicks, then wait for the packet of echoes to return before emitting another packet of clicks. The reasons for the use of packets are unknown. In this study, packet use was examined by having trained bottlenose dolphins perform long-range echolocation tasks. The tasks featured “phantom” echoes produced by capturing the dolphin's outgoing echolocation clicks, convolving the clicks with an impulse response to create an echo waveform, and then broadcasting the delayed, scaled echo to the dolphin. Dolphins were trained to report the presence of phantom echoes or a change in phantom echoes. Target range varied from 25 to 800 m. At ranges below 75 m, the dolphins rarely used packets. As the range increased beyond 75 m, two of the three dolphins increasingly produced packets, while the third dolphin instead utilized very high click repetition rates. The use of click packets appeared to be governed more by echo delay (target range) than echo amplitude.
Large endolymphatic potentials from low-frequency and infrasonic tones in the guinea pig
Authors: Salt Alec N. , Lichtenhan Jeffery T. , Gill Ruth M. , Hartsock Jared J.
Published: March 2013

Responses of the ear to low-frequency and infrasonic sounds have not been extensively studied. Understanding how the ear responds to low frequencies is increasingly important as environmental infrasounds are becoming more pervasive from sources such as wind turbines. This study shows endolymphatic potentials in the third cochlear turn from acoustic infrasound (5 Hz) are larger than from tones in the audible range (e.g., 50 and 500 Hz), in some cases with peak-to-peak amplitude greater than 20 mV. These large potentials were suppressed by higher-frequency tones and were rapidly abolished by perilymphatic injection of KCl at the cochlear apex, demonstrating their third-turn origins. Endolymphatic iso-potentials from 5 to 500 Hz were enhanced relative to perilymphatic potentials as frequency was lowered. Probe and infrasonic bias tones were used to study the origin of the enhanced potentials. Potentials were best explained as a saturating response summed with a sinusoidal voltage (Vo), that was phase delayed by an average of 60° relative to the biasing effects of the infrasound. Vo is thought to arise indirectly from hair cell activity, such as from strial potential changes caused by sustained current changes through the hair cells in each half cycle of the infrasound.
Enhanced acoustic mode coupling resulting from an internal solitary wave approaching the shelfbreak in the South China Sea
Authors: Chiu Linus Y. S. , Reeder D. Benjamin , Chang Yuan-Ying , Chen Chi-Fang , Chiu Ching-Sang , Lynch James F.
Published: March 2013

Internal waves and bathymetric variation create time- and space-dependent alterations in the ocean acoustic waveguide, and cause subsequent coupling of acoustic energy between propagating normal modes. In this paper, the criterion for adiabatic invariance is extended to the case of an internal solitary wave (ISW) encountering a sloping bathymetry (i.e., continental shelfbreak). Predictions based on the extended criterion for adiabatic invariance are compared to experimental observations from the Asian Seas International Acoustics Experiment. Using a mode 1 starter field, results demonstrate time-dependent coupling of mode 1 energy to higher adjacent modes, followed by abrupt coupling of mode 5–7 energy to nonadjacent modes 8–20, produces enhanced mode coupling and higher received levels downrange of the oceanographic and bathymetric features. Numerical simulations demonstrate that increasing ISW amplitude and seafloor slope enhance the coupling of energy to adjacent and nonadjacent modes. This enhanced coupling is the direct result of the simultaneous influence of the ISW and its proximity to the shelfbreak, and, compared to the individual effect of the ISW or shelfbreak, has the capacity to scatter 2–4 times the amount of acoustic energy from below the thermocline into the upper water column beyond the shelfbreak in realistic environments.
Pulsed focused ultrasound exposures enhance locally administered gene therapy in a murine solid tumor model
Authors: Ziadloo Ali , Xie Jianwu , Frenkel Victor
Published: March 2013

Gene therapy by intratumoral injection is a promising approach for treating solid tumors. However, this approach has limited success due to insufficient distribution of gene vectors used for gene delivery. Previous studies have shown that pulsed-focused ultrasound (pFUS) can enhance both systemic and local delivery of therapeutic agents in solid tumors and other disease models. Here, murine squamous cell carcinoma flank tumors were treated with single intratumoral injection of naked tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) plasmid, either with or without a preceding pFUS exposure. The exposures were given at 1 MHz, at a spatial average, temporal peak intensity of 2660 W cm–2, using 50 ms pulses, given at a pulse repetition frequency of 1 Hz. One hundred pulses were given at individual raster points, spaced evenly over the projected surface of the tumor at a distance of 2 mm. Exposures alone had no effect on tumor growth. Significant growth inhibition was observed with injection of TNF-α plasmid, and tumor growth was further inhibited with pFUS. Improved results with pFUS correlated with larger necrotic regions in histological sections and improved distribution and penetration of fluorescent surrogate nanoparticles. Electron microscopy demonstrated enlarged gaps between cells in exposed tissue, and remote acoustic palpation showed decreases in tissue stiffness after pFUS. Combined, these results suggest pFUS effects may be reducing barriers for tissue transport and additionally lowering interstitial fluid pressure to further improve delivery and distribution of injected plasmid for greater therapeutic effects. This suggests that pFUS could potentially be beneficial for improving local gene therapy treatment of human malignancies.
Blind binary masking for reverberation suppression in cochlear implants
Authors: Hazrati Oldooz , Lee Jaewook , Loizou Philipos C.
Published: March 2013

A monaural binary time-frequency (T-F) masking technique is proposed for suppressing reverberation. The mask is estimated for each T-F unit by extracting a variance-based feature from the reverberant signal and comparing it against an adaptive threshold. Performance of the estimated binary mask is evaluated in three moderate to relatively high reverberant conditions (T60 = 0.3, 0.6, and 0.8 s) using intelligibility listening tests with cochlear implant users. Results indicate that the proposed T-F masking technique yields significant improvements in intelligibility of reverberant speech even in relatively high reverberant conditions (T60 = 0.8 s). The improvement is hypothesized to result from the recovery of the vowel/consonant boundaries, which are severely smeared in reverberation.
Auditory masking patterns in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) with natural, anthropogenic, and synthesized noise
Authors: Branstetter Brian K. , Trickey Jennifer S. , Bakhtiari Kimberly , Black Amy , Aihara Hitomi , Finneran James J.
Published: March 2013

Auditory masking occurs when one sound (usually called noise) interferes with the detection, discrimination, or recognition of another sound (usually called the signal). This interference can lead to detriments in a listener's ability to communicate, forage, and navigate. Most studies of auditory masking in marine mammals have been limited to detection thresholds of pure tones in Gaussian noise. Environmental noise marine mammals encounter is often more complex. In the current study, detection thresholds were estimated for bottlenose dolphins with a 10 kHz signal masked by natural, anthropogenic, and synthesized noise. Using a band-widening paradigm, detection thresholds exhibited a pattern where signal thresholds increased proportionally to bandwidth for narrow band noise. However, when noise bandwidth was greater than a critical band, masking patterns diverged. Subsequent experiments demonstrated that the auditory mechanisms responsible for the divergent masking patterns were related to across-channel comparison and within-valley listening.
Rate and onset cues can improve cochlear implant synthetic vowel recognition in noise
Authors: Mc Laughlin Myles , Reilly Richard B. , Zeng Fan-Gang
Published: March 2013

Understanding speech-in-noise is difficult for most cochlear implant (CI) users. Speech-in-noise segregation cues are well understood for acoustic hearing but not for electric hearing. This study investigated the effects of stimulation rate and onset delay on synthetic vowel-in-noise recognition in CI subjects. In experiment I, synthetic vowels were presented at 50, 145, or 795 pulse/s and noise at the same three rates, yielding nine combinations. Recognition improved significantly if the noise had a lower rate than the vowel, suggesting that listeners can use temporal gaps in the noise to detect a synthetic vowel. This hypothesis is supported by accurate prediction of synthetic vowel recognition using a temporal integration window model. Using lower rates a similar trend was observed in normal hearing subjects. Experiment II found that for CI subjects, a vowel onset delay improved performance if the noise had a lower or higher rate than the synthetic vowel. These results show that differing rates or onset times can improve synthetic vowel-in-noise recognition, indicating a need to develop speech processing strategies that encode or emphasize these cues.
Temporal stability and change in the social call repertoire of migrating humpback whales
Authors: Rekdahl Melinda L. , Dunlop Rebecca A. , Noad Michael J. , Goldizen Anne W.
Published: March 2013

Quantifying the stability of a species vocal repertoire is fundamental for further investigations into repertoire function and geographic variation. Changes to the repertoire of sounds used in the song displays of male humpback whales have been well studied. In contrast, little is known about the stability of this species' non-song vocal calls. The stability of the social call repertoire of east Australian humpback whales was investigated from 1997, 2003–2004, and 2008. Out of 46 qualitatively defined call types, 19 were classified as “song-unit calls” that tended to change with the song, and 15 were “inconsistent” and only found in one or two years. Twelve call types were “stable” and present in all years and were commonly produced (64.2% of calls). Stable calls tended to vary in some of the measured call parameters but there was no clear trend between years. This result could indicate that minor changes to calls are not permanent, but reflect individual differences in call production or the graded nature of calls within different social environments. This research has clearly identified stable calls in the call repertoire of humpback whales and while their function is not well understood, their stability suggests an important role in social interactions.
Tracking of time-evolving sound speed profiles in shallow water using an ensemble Kalman-particle filter
Authors: Li Jianlong , Zhou Hui
Published: March 2013

This paper presents a tracking technique for performing sequential geoacoustic inversion monitoring range-independent environmental parameters in shallow water. The inverse problem is formulated in a state-space model with a state equation for the time-evolving sound speed profile (SSP) and a measurement equation that incorporates acoustic measurements via a hydrophone array. The particle filter (PF) is an ideal algorithm to perform tracking of environmental parameters for nonlinear systems with non-Gaussian probability densities. However, it has the problem of the mismatch between the proposal distribution and the a posterior probability distribution (PPD). The ensemble Kalman filter (EnKF) can obtain the PPD based on the Bayes theorem. A tracking algorithm improves the performance of the PF by employing the PPD of the EnKF as the proposal distribution of the PF. Tracking capabilities of this filter, the EnKF and the PF are compared with synthetic acoustic pressure data and experimental SSP data. Simulation results show the proposed method enables the continuous tracking of the range-independent SSP and outperforms the PF and the EnKF. Moreover, the complexity analysis is performed, and the computational complexity of the proposed method is greatly increased because of the combination of the PF and the EnKF.
A Transforming Metal Nanocomposite with Large Elastic Strain, Low Modulus, and High Strength
Authors: Hao Shijie , Cui Lishan , Jiang Daqiang , Han Xiaodong , Ren Yang , Jiang Jiang , Liu Yinong , Liu Zhenyang , Mao Shengcheng , Wang Yandong , Li Yan , Ren Xiaobing , Ding Xiangdong , Wang Shan , Yu Cun , Shi Xiaobin , Du Minshu , Yang Feng , Zheng Yanjun , Zhang Ze , Li Xiaodong , Brown Dennis E. , Li Ju
Published: March 2013

S-T-R-E-T-C-H Me

Most metals show elastic strain limits well below 1%, beyond which permanent plastic deformation occurs. Metal nanowires can be elastically stretched to much higher strains, on the order of 4 to 7%. However, when placed inside a metal matrix to form a composite, these nanowires can no longer be stretched to the same extent, even when the nanowires are well distributed and show good bonding with the matrix.

Hao
et al.

(p.
1191
; see the Perspective by
Zhou
) used a shape memory alloy as the matrix material to produce a much better (more elastic) composite.
Emergence of a Measurement Basis in Atom-Photon Scattering
Authors: Glickman Yinnon , Kotler Shlomi , Akerman Nitzan , Ozeri Roee
Published: March 2013

Characterizing Quantum Measurement

In the classical world, the result of measurement is often viewed as independent of the experimental apparatus. In the quantum world, however, the act of measurement has an effect through processes such as back-action, entanglement, and decoherence. Looking at the scattering of single electrons from a single ion and the evolution of the spin state of that ion,

Glickman
et al.

(p.
1187
) probed how these processes are intertwined and characterize how the result of quantum measurement emerges from the system's interaction with its environment.
Evidence for a Common Mechanism of SIRT1 Regulation by Allosteric Activators
Authors: Hubbard Basil P. , Gomes Ana P. , Dai Han , Li Jun , Case April W. , Considine Thomas , Riera Thomas V. , Lee Jessica E. , E Sook Yen , Lamming Dudley W. , Pentelute Bradley L. , Schuman Eli R. , Stevens Linda A. , Ling Alvin J. Y. , Armour Sean M. , Michan Shaday , Zhao Huizhen , Jiang Yong , Sweitzer Sharon M. , Blum Charles A. , Disch Jeremy S. , Ng Pui Yee , Howitz Konrad T. , Rolo Anabela P. , Hamuro Yoshitomo , Moss Joel , Perni Robert B. , Ellis James L. , Vlasuk George P. , Sinclair David A.
Published: March 2013

It's a SIRT

Intense attention has focused on the SIRT1 deacetylase as a possible target for anti-aging drugs. But unexpected complications in assays of SIRT1 activity have made it unclear whether compounds thought to be sirtuin-activating compounds (STACs) are really direct regulators of the enzyme. Further exploration of these effects by

Hubbard
et al.

(p.
1216
; see the Perspective by
Yuan and Marmorstein
) revealed that interaction of SIRT1 with certain substrates allows activation of SIRT1 by STACs and identified critical amino acids in SIRT1 required for these effects. Mouse myoblasts reconstituted with SIRT1 mutated at this amino acid lost their responsiveness to STACs.
Scaling the Ion Trap Quantum Processor
Authors: Monroe C. , Kim J.
Published: March 2013

Trapped atomic ions are standards for quantum information processing, serving as quantum memories, hosts of quantum gates in quantum computers and simulators, and nodes of quantum communication networks. Quantum bits based on trapped ions enjoy a rare combination of attributes: They have exquisite coherence properties, they can be prepared and measured with nearly 100% efficiency, and they are readily entangled with each other through the Coulomb interaction or remote photonic interconnects. The outstanding challenge is the scaling of trapped ions to hundreds or thousands of qubits and beyond, at which scale quantum processors can outperform their classical counterparts in certain applications. We review the latest progress and prospects in that effort, with the promise of advanced architectures and new technologies, such as microfabricated ion traps and integrated photonics.
Superconducting Circuits for Quantum Information: An Outlook
Authors: Devoret M. H. , Schoelkopf R. J.
Published: March 2013

The performance of superconducting qubits has improved by several orders of magnitude in the past decade. These circuits benefit from the robustness of superconductivity and the Josephson effect, and at present they have not encountered any hard physical limits. However, building an error-corrected information processor with many such qubits will require solving specific architecture problems that constitute a new field of research. For the first time, physicists will have to master quantum error correction to design and operate complex active systems that are dissipative in nature, yet remain coherent indefinitely. We offer a view on some directions for the field and speculate on its future.
Getting the Jump on Explosive Percolation
Authors: Ziff Robert M.
Published: March 2013

An analytical approach to explosive dynamical percolation yields general conditions for the transition to be a continuous or discontinuous process.

[Also see Report by

Cho
et al.

]
Hepatitis C Virus (HCV)-Related Cryoglobulinemia: Cryoglobulin Type and Anti-HCV Profile
Authors: Minopetrou Martha , Hadziyannis Emilia , Deutsch Melanie , Tampaki Maria , Georgiadou Asimina , Dimopoulou Eleni , Vassilopoulos Dimitrios , Koskinas John
Published: March 2013

Cryoglobulin characteristics in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) might be of importance for knowing more about the pathogenesis and treatment of the disease. We aimed to investigate the relationship between cryoglobulin types and their specificity against hepatitis C virus (HCV) antigenic epitopes in CHC patients. We analyzed samples from 43 patients with HCV-associated cryoglobulinemia, of whom 4 had concomitant lymphoma. Cryoglobulins were measured, purified, typed by immunofixation electrophoresis, and tested for IgG and IgM anti-HCV antibodies by immunoblot analysis and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Clinical and other laboratory data were recorded. The median cryocrit level of the tested samples was 6%. Type I cryoglobulins were detected in 9.3% (4/43) of the cryoprecipitates, and type II cryoglobulins were detected in 48.8% (21/43) of the cryoprecipitates. IgM monoclonal protein, mainly IgM(κ), was found in 92% (23/25) of type I and II cryoprecipitates. Type III cryoglobulins were identified in 41.9% (18/43) of the patients and were associated with high blood serum IgG levels. In 81.3% (13/16) of type II and 92.3% (12/13) of type III cryoglobulins, there was IgG reactivity against the viral core region. Ninety-two percent and 32% of IgG anti-HCV core-positive cryoprecipitates had additional specificities against the NS3 and NS4 regions, respectively. Also, IgM anti-HCV antibodies were detected in 31% of the cryoprecipitates. In conclusion, all types of cryoglobulins were found in patients with HCV-associated cryoglobulinemia, with type II being the most frequently identified. Type III cryoglobulins were common and were associated with high serum IgG levels. HCV-related cryoglobulins demonstrated IgM, and particularly IgG, anti-HCV specificities, mainly against the core and NS3 epitopes.
Development of Immunochromatography-Based Methods for Detection of Leptospiral Lipopolysaccharide Antigen in Urine
Authors: Widiyanti Dian , Koizumi Nobuo , Fukui Takashi , Muslich Lisa T. , Segawa Takaya , Villanueva Sharon Y. A. M. , Saito Mitsumasa , Masuzawa Toshiyuki , Gloriani Nina G. , Yoshida Shin-ichi
Published: March 2013

Leptospirosis is an infectious disease caused by the spirochete bacteriaLeptospiraspp. and is commonly found throughout the world. Diagnosis of leptospirosis performed by culture and microscopic agglutination tests is laborious and time-consuming. Therefore, we aimed to develop a novel immunochromatography (ICG)-based method for detectingLeptospiraantigen in the urine of patients and animals. We used the 1H6 monoclonal antibody (MAb), which is specific to the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) that is common amongLeptospiraspp. The MAb was coupled to 40-nm-diameter colloidal gold, and the amounts of labeled antibody and immobilized antibody were 23 μg and 2 μg per test, respectively. Several strains ofLeptospiraand other bacterial species were used to evaluate the sensitivities and specificities of the assays we developed. The detection limit of the assays was 106cells/ml when disrupted whole bacterial cells were used. The assays wereLeptospiraspecific since they did not cross-react with non-Leptospirabacteria used in the study. Application of diagnostic assays was done on the urine samples of 46Leptospira-infected hamsters, 44 patients with suspected leptospirosis, and 14 healthy individuals. Pretreatment of the urine samples by boiling and centrifugation (for ultrafiltration and concentration) eliminated nonspecific reactions that occurred in the assay. The sensitivity and specificity of the ICG-based lateral flow assay (LFA) were 89% and 87%, respectively, which were higher than those of the dipstick assay, which were 80% and 74%, respectively. In summary, this ICG-based LFA can be used as an alternative diagnostic assay for leptospirosis. Further development is still necessary to improve the assay.
Development and Evaluation of a Trivalent Riemerella anatipestifer-Inactivated Vaccine
Authors: Liu Haiwen , Wang Xiaolan , Ding Chan , Han Xiangan , Cheng Anchun , Wang Shaohui , Yu Shengqing
Published: March 2013

Riemerella anatipestiferinfections cause major economic losses in the duck industry. In this study, a trivalent inactivated vaccine ofR. anatipestifer, including strains CH3 (serotype 1), NJ3 (serotype 2), and HXb2 (serotype 10), was developed. Animal experiments showed that the ducks that received two immunizations with the vaccine were 100% protected from challenge with strains from any of the three serotypes (1, 2, or 10). No death or clinical signs of diarrhea, tremors, or limb swelling were shown in the protected ducks. Also, noR. anatipestiferbacteria were isolated from the livers or brains of the protected ducks. Furthermore, no histopathological changes were observed in the liver, spleen, or brain samples from the protected ducks during histological examination. The ducks that received two immunizations with the vaccine generated high antibody titers of 1:3,200 to 1:6,400 against the three serotypes of strains. The vaccine significantly enhanced the production of gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and interleukin 2 (IL-2) after one immunization and enhanced the production of IL-4 and IL-10 after two immunizations. In addition, real-time PCR indicated that the expression of major histocompatibility complex I (MHC-I), as well as that of CD40 and CD154 molecules, was significantly increased after one immunization, and the expressions of both MHC-I and MHC-II molecules were increased after two immunizations. Our study indicates that the vaccine can induce both humoral and cellular immunities in ducks and offer effective protection againstR. anatipestiferinfection.
Rothia mucilaginosa Prosthetic Device Infections: a Case of Prosthetic Valve Endocarditis
Authors: Bruminhent Jackrapong , Tokarczyk Mindy J. , Jungkind Donald , DeSimone Joseph A.
Published: March 2013

Rothia mucilaginosa
is increasingly recognized as an emerging opportunistic pathogen associated with prosthetic device infections. Infective endocarditis is one of the most common clinical presentations. We report a case of
R. mucilaginosa
prosthetic valve endocarditis and review the literature of prosthetic device infections caused by this organism.