bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Presenilin-1 regulates the constitutive turnover of the fibronectin matrix in endothelial cells
Authors: De Gasperi Rita , Gama Sosa Miguel A , Elder Gregory A
Published: December 2012

Background

Presenilin-1 (PS1) is a transmembrane protein first discovered because of its association with familial Alzheimer’s disease. Mice with null mutations in PS1 die shortly after birth exhibiting multiple CNS and non-CNS abnormalities. One of the most prominent features in the brains of PS1−/− embryos is a vascular dysgenesis that leads to multiple intracerebral hemorrhages. The molecular and cellular basis for the vascular dysgenesis in PS1−/− mice remains incompletely understood. Because the extracellular matrix plays key roles in vascular development we hypothesized that an abnormal extracellular matrix might be present in endothelial cells lacking PS1 and examined whether the lack of PS1 affects expression of fibronectin a component of the extracellular matrix known to be essential for vascular development.

Results

We report that primary as well as continuously passaged PS1−/− endothelial cells contain more fibronectin than wild type cells and that the excess fibronectin in PS1−/− endothelial cells is incorporated into a fibrillar network. Supporting the in vivo relevance of this observation fibronectin expression was increased in microvascular preparations isolated from E14.5 to E18.5 PS1−/− embryonic brain. Reintroduction of PS1 into PS1−/− endothelial cells led to a progressive decrease in fibronectin levels showing that the increased fibronectin in PS1−/− endothelial cells was due to loss of PS1. Increases in fibronectin protein in PS1−/− endothelial cells could not be explained by increased levels of fibronectin RNA nor based on metabolic labeling studies by increased protein synthesis. Rather we show based on the rate of turnover of exogenously added biotinylated fibronectin that increased fibronectin in PS1−/− endothelial cells results from a slower degradation of the fibronectin fibrillar matrix on the cell surface.

Conclusions

These studies show that PS1 regulates the constitutive turnover of the fibronectin matrix in endothelial cells. These studies provide molecular clues that may help to explain the origin of the vascular dysgenesis that develops in PS1−/− embryonic mice.
Genetic diversity and molecular typing of Listeria monocytogenes in China
Authors: Wang Yan , Zhao Ailan , Zhu Renfa , Lan Ruiting , Jin Dong , Cui Zhigang , Wang Yonglu , Li Zhenchuan , Wang Yiting , Xu Jianguo , Ye Changyun
Published: December 2012

Background

Listeria monocytogenes can cause invasive diseases in humans and farm animals and is frequently isolated from dairy products and poultry. Listeriosis is uncommon in China but L. monocytogenes has been isolated from foods and food processing environments in China. However little is known of genetic diversity of Chinese L. monocytogenes isolates and their relationships with global isolates.

Results

Two hundred and twelve isolates of L. monocytogenes from food sources from 12 provinces/cities in China were analysed by serotyping, Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis (PFGE) and Multi-locus Sequence Typing (MLST). The predominant serotypes are 1/2a, 1/2b and 1/2c accounting for 90.1% of the isolates. PFGE divided the isolates into 61 pulse types (PTs). Twenty nine PTs were represented by more than one isolates with PT GX6A16.0004 containing the most number of isolates. MLST differentiated the isolates into 36 STs, among which 15 were novel. The 3 most common STs were ST9 (29.1%), ST8 (10.7%) and ST87 (9.2%), accounting for 49.0% of the isolates.

Conclusions

STs prevalent in other parts of the world are also prevalent in China including 7 STs (ST1-ST3, ST5, ST6, ST8, ST9) which caused maternal fetal infections or outbreaks, suggesting that these STs potentially can also cause severe human infections or outbreaks in China. Surveillance of these STs will provide important information for prevention of listeriosis. This study also enhances our understanding of genetic diversity of L. monocytogenes in China.
Genome-wide association Scan of dental caries in the permanent dentition
Authors: Wang Xiaojing , Shaffer John R , Zeng Zhen , Begum Ferdouse , Vieira Alexandre R , Noel Jacqueline , Anjomshoaa Ida , Cuenco Karen T , Lee Myoung-Keun , Beck James , Boerwinkle Eric , Cornelis Marilyn C , Hu Frank B , Crosslin David R , Laurie Cathy C , Nelson Sarah C , Doheny Kimberly F , Pugh Elizabeth W , Polk Deborah E , Weyant Robert J , Crout Richard , McNeil Daniel W , Weeks Daniel E , Feingold Eleanor , Marazita Mary L
Published: December 2012

Background

Over 90% of adults aged 20 years or older with permanent teeth have suffered from dental caries leading to pain, infection, or even tooth loss. Although caries prevalence has decreased over the past decade, there are still about 23% of dentate adults who have untreated carious lesions in the US. Dental caries is a complex disorder affected by both individual susceptibility and environmental factors. Approximately 35-55% of caries phenotypic variation in the permanent dentition is attributable to genes, though few specific caries genes have been identified. Therefore, we conducted the first genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify genes affecting susceptibility to caries in adults.

Methods

Five independent cohorts were included in this study, totaling more than 7000 participants. For each participant, dental caries was assessed and genetic markers (single nucleotide polymorphisms, SNPs) were genotyped or imputed across the entire genome. Due to the heterogeneity among the five cohorts regarding age, genotyping platform, quality of dental caries assessment, and study design, we first conducted genome-wide association (GWA) analyses on each of the five independent cohorts separately. We then performed three meta-analyses to combine results for: (i) the comparatively younger, Appalachian cohorts (N = 1483) with well-assessed caries phenotype, (ii) the comparatively older, non-Appalachian cohorts (N = 5960) with inferior caries phenotypes, and (iii) all five cohorts (N = 7443). Top ranking genetic loci within and across meta-analyses were scrutinized for biologically plausible roles on caries.

Results

Different sets of genes were nominated across the three meta-analyses, especially between the younger and older age cohorts. In general, we identified several suggestive loci (P-value ≤ 10E-05) within or near genes with plausible biological roles for dental caries, including RPS6KA2 and PTK2B, involved in p38-depenedent MAPK signaling, and RHOU and FZD1, involved in the Wnt signaling cascade. Both of these pathways have been implicated in dental caries. ADMTS3 and ISL1 are involved in tooth development, and TLR2 is involved in immune response to oral pathogens.

Conclusions

As the first GWAS for dental caries in adults, this study nominated several novel caries genes for future study, which may lead to better understanding of cariogenesis, and ultimately, to improved disease predictions, prevention, and/or treatment.
Simultaneous determination of phagocytosis of Plasmodium falciparum-parasitized and non-parasitized red blood cells by flow cytometry
Authors: Gallo Valentina , Skorokhod Oleksii A , Schwarzer Evelin , Arese Paolo
Published: December 2012

Background

Severe falciparum malaria anaemia (SMA) is a frequent cause of mortality in children and pregnant women. The most important determinant of SMA appears to be the loss of non-parasitized red blood cells (np-RBCs) in excess of loss of parasitized (p-) RBCs at schizogony. Based on data from acute SMA where excretion of haemoglobin in urine and increased plasma haemoglobin represented respectively less than 1% and 0.5% of total Hb loss, phagocytosis appears to be the predominant mechanism of removal of np- and p-RBC.

Estimates indicate that np-RBCs are cleared in approximately 10-fold excess compared to p-RBCs. An even larger removal of np-RBCs has been described in vivax malaria anaemia. Estimates were based on two single studies both performed on neurosyphilitic patients who underwent malaria therapy. As the share of np-RBC removal is likely to vary between wide limits, it is important to assess the contribution of both np- and p-RBC populations to overall RBC loss, and disclose the mechanism of such variability. As available methods do not discriminate between the removal of np- vs p-RBCs, the purpose of this study was to set up a system allowing the simultaneous determination of phagocytosis of p- and np-RBC in the same sample.

Methods and Results

Phagocytosis of p- and np-RBCs was quantified in the same sample using double-labelled target cells and the human phagocytic cell-line THP-1, pre-activated by TNF and IFNγ to enhance their phagocytic activity. Target RBCs were double-labelled with fluorescent carboxyfluorescein-succinimidyl ester (CF-SE) and the DNA label ethidium bromide (EB). EB, a DNA label, allowed to discriminate p-RBCs that contain parasitic DNA from the np-RBCs devoid of DNA. FACS analysis of THP-1 cells fed with double-labelled RBCs showed that p- and np-RBCs were phagocytosed in different proportions in relation to parasitaemia.

Conclusions

The assay allowed the analysis of phagocytosis rapidly and with low subjective error, and the differentiation between phagocytosed p- and np-RBCs in the same sample. The presented method may help to analyse the factors or conditions that modulate the share of np-RBC removal in vitro and in vivo and lead to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of SMA.
Existence and multiplicity of solutions for some second-order systems on time scales with impulsive effects
Authors: Zhou Jianwen , Wang Yanning , Li Yongkun
Published: December 2012

In this paper, we present a recent approach via variational methods and critical point theory to obtain the existence of solutions for the nonautonomous second-order system on time scales with impulsive effects

{uΔ2(t)+A(σ(t))u(σ(t))+∇F(σ(t),u(σ(t)))=0,Δ-a.e. t∈[0,T]Tκ;u(0)−u(T)=uΔ(0)−uΔ(T)=0,(ui)Δ(tj+)−(ui)Δ(tj−)=Iij(ui(tj)),i=1,2,…,N,j=1,2,…,p,

wheret0=0<t1<t2<⋯<tp<tp+1=T,tj∈[0,T]T(j=0,1,2,…,p+1),u(t)=(u1(t),u2(t),…,uN(t))∈RN,A(t)=[dlm(t)]is a symmetricN×Nmatrix-valued function defined on[0,T]Twithdlm∈L∞([0,T]T,R)for alll,m=1,2,…,N,Iij:R→R(i=1,2,…,N,j=1,2,…,p) are continuous andF:[0,T]T×RN→R. Finally, two examples are presented to illustrate the feasibility and effectiveness of our results.

MSC:34B37, 34N05.
Determination of stanozolol and 3′-hydroxystanozolol in rat hair, urine and serum using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Deshmukh Nawed IK , Zachar Gergely , Petróczi Andrea , Székely Andrea D , Barker James , Naughton Declan P
Published: December 2012

Background

Anabolic androgenic steroids, such as stanozolol, are typically misused by athletes during preparation for competition. Out-of-competition testing presents a unique challenge in the current anti-doping detection system owing to logistic reasons. Analysing hair for the presence of a prohibited drug offers a feasible solution for covering the wider window in out-of-competition testing. To assist in vivo studies aiming to establish a relationship between drug levels detected in hair, urine and blood, sensitive methods for the determination of stanozolol and its major metabolite 3′-hydroxystanozolol were developed in pigmented hair, urine and serum, using brown Norway rats as a model system and liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

Results

For method development, spiked drug free rat hair, blood and urine samples were used. The newly developed method was then applied to hair, urine and serum samples from five brown Norway rats after treatment (intraperitoneal) with stanozolol for six consecutive days at 5.0 mg/kg/day. The assay for each matrix was linear within the quantification range with determination coefficient (r2) values above 0.995. The respective assay was capable of detecting 0.125 pg/mg stanozolol and 0.25 pg/mg 3′-hydroxystanozolol with 50 mg hair; 0.063 ng/mL stanozolol and 0.125 ng/mL 3′-hydroxystanozolol with 100 μL of urine or serum. The accuracy, precision and extraction recoveries of the assays were satisfactory for the detection of both compounds in all three matrices. The average concentrations of stanozolol and 3′-hydroxystanozolol, were as follows: hair = 70.18 ± 22.32 pg/mg and 13.01 ± 3.43 pg/mg; urine = 4.34 ± 6.54 ng/mL and 9.39 ± 7.42 ng/mL; serum = 7.75 ± 3.58 ng/mL and 7.16 ± 1.97 ng/mL, respectively.

Conclusions

The developed methods are sensitive, specific and reproducible for the determination of stanozolol and 3′-hydroxystanozolol in rat hair, urine and serum. These methods can be used for in vivo studies further investigating stanozolol metabolism, but also could be extended for doping testing. Owing to the complementary nature of these tests, with urine and serum giving information on recent drug use and hair providing retrospective information on habitual use, it is suggested that blood or urine tests could accompany hair analysis and thus avoid false doping results.
The association between depression, socio-economic factors and dietary intake in mothers having primary school children living in Rey, South of Tehran, Iran
Authors: Payab Moloud , Motlagh Ahmad-reza Dorosty , Eshraghian Mohammadreza , Rostami Reza , Siassi Fereydoun , Abbasi Behnood , Ahmadi Mehrnaz , Karimi Tina , Mahjouri Mohammad Yoosef , Seifirad Soroush
Published: December 2012

Background

According to the WHO report released in 2000, about 121 million people worldwide suffer from depression. The present study aimed to explore factors influencing depression in mothers from Rey, South of Tehran, Iran; who had elementary school children.

Methods

The cross-sectional survey was conducted in spring 2010. Four hundred thirty mothers, who had elementary school children, were selected through a two stage cluster sampling. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was used to assess depression in the mothers and a 24-hour food recall was used to collect information regarding their dietary intake. General information regarding economic condition and socio-economic status were also gathered using a questionnaire. The data was analyzed using chi-square, one-way analysis of variance and simple regression tests.

Results

In our study, 51.4% of the mothers suffered from depression. There was an inverse correlation between the educational level of the mothers and the heads of household, their occupational status, their marital status, their socio-economic condition and depression. Conversely, any increase in the family size worsened the depression. The daily intake of different macronutrients, except for fat, was lower in individuals of depressed group.

Conclusion

The present study emphasized the fact that more attention should be paid to the educational level and economic condition of the family in order to reduce maternal depression. Family size also plays an important role in this regard.
Ghrelin and adipokines as circulating markers of disease activity in patients with Takayasu arteritis
Authors: Yilmaz Hatice , Gerdan Vedat , Kozaci Didem , Solmaz Dilek , Akar Servet , Can Gercek , Gulcu Aytac , Goktay Yigit , Sari Ismail , Birlik Merih , Akkoc Nurullah , Onen Fatos
Published: December 2012

Introduction

The current markers of disease activity in Takayasu arteritis (TA) are insufficient for proper assessment. We investigated circulating levels of unacylated and acylated ghrelin, leptin and adiponectin and their relationships with disease activity in patients with TA.

Methods

This study included 31 patients with TA and 32 sex-, age- and body mass index-matched healthy controls. Disease activity was assessed in TA patients using various tools, including Kerr's criteria, disease extent index-Takayasu, physician's global assessment, radiological parameters, and laboratory markers. Plasma unacylated and acylated ghrelin, and serum leptin and adiponectin levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Unacylated and acylated ghrelin levels were found to be significantly lower in TA patients than that in healthy controls. Patients with active disease had lower unacylated ghrelin levels than those with inactive disease and had lower acylated ghrelin levels than healthy controls. Ghrelin levels were negatively correlated with various parameters of disease activity. The leptin/ghrelin ratio was significantly higher in TA patients than controls. It was positively correlated with disease activity. There was a positive correlation between unacylated and acylated ghrelin and a negative correlation between leptin and ghrelin. There was no statistical difference in adiponectin levels between TA patients and controls. The radiological activity markers were positively correlated with other parameters of disease activity.

Conclusions

This study suggests that plasma unacylated and acylated ghrelin levels may be useful in monitoring disease activity and planning treatment strategies for patients with TA. The serum leptin level and leptin/ghrelin ratio may also be used to help assess the disease activity.
Microevolutionary analysis of Clostridium difficile genomes to investigate transmission
Authors: Didelot Xavier , Eyre David W , Cule Madeleine , Ip Camilla LC , Ansari M Azim , Griffiths David , Vaughan Alison , O'Connor Lily , Golubchik Tanya , Batty Elizabeth M , Piazza Paolo , Wilson Daniel J , Bowden Rory , Donnelly Peter J , Dingle Kate E , Wilcox Mark , Walker A Sarah , Crook Derrick W , A Peto Tim E , Harding Rosalind M
Published: December 2012

Background

The control of Clostridium difficile infection is a major international healthcare priority, hindered by a limited understanding of transmission epidemiology for these bacteria. However, transmission studies of bacterial pathogens are rapidly being transformed by the advent of next generation sequencing.

Results

Here we sequence whole C. difficile genomes from 486 cases arising over four years in Oxfordshire. We show that we can estimate the times back to common ancestors of bacterial lineages with sufficient resolution to distinguish whether direct transmission is plausible or not. Time depths were inferred using a within-host evolutionary rate that we estimated at 1.4 mutations per genome per year based on serially isolated genomes. The subset of plausible transmissions was found to be highly associated with pairs of patients sharing time and space in hospital. Conversely, the large majority of pairs of genomes matched by conventional typing and isolated from patients within a month of each other were too distantly related to be direct transmissions.

Conclusions

Our results confirm that nosocomial transmission between symptomatic C. difficile cases contributes far less to current rates of infection than has been widely assumed, which clarifies the importance of future research into other transmission routes, such as from asymptomatic carriers. With the costs of DNA sequencing rapidly falling and its use becoming more and more widespread, genomics will revolutionize our understanding of the transmission of bacterial pathogens.
Mutation spectrum of Drosophila CNVs revealed by breakpoint sequencing
Authors: Cardoso-Moreira Margarida , Arguello J Roman , Clark Andrew G
Published: December 2012

Background

The detailed study of breakpoints associated with copy number variants (CNVs) can elucidate the mutational mechanisms that generate them and the comparison of breakpoints across species can highlight differences in genomic architecture that may lead to lineage-specific differences in patterns of CNVs. Here, we provide a detailed analysis of Drosophila CNV breakpoints and contrast it with similar analyses recently carried out for the human genome.

Results

By applying split-read methods to a total of 10x coverage of 454 shotgun sequence across nine lines of D. melanogaster and by re-examining a previously published dataset of CNVs detected using tiling arrays, we identified the precise breakpoints of more than 600 insertions, deletions, and duplications. Contrasting these CNVs with those found in humans showed that in both taxa CNV breakpoints fall into three classes: blunt breakpoints; simple breakpoints associated with microhomology; and breakpoints with additional nucleotides inserted/deleted and no microhomology. In both taxa CNV breakpoints are enriched with non-B DNA sequence structures, which may impair DNA replication and/or repair. However, in contrast to human genomes, non-allelic homologous-recombination (NAHR) plays a negligible role in CNV formation in Drosophila. In flies, non-homologous repair mechanisms are responsible for simple, recurrent, and complex CNVs, including insertions of de novo sequence as large as 60 bp.

Conclusions

Humans and Drosophila differ considerably in the importance of homology-based mechanisms for the formation of CNVs, likely as a consequence of the differences in the abundance and distribution of both segmental duplications and transposable elements between the two genomes.
Ray Meta: scalable de novo metagenome assembly and profiling
Authors: Boisvert Sébastien , Raymond Frédéric , Godzaridis Élénie , Laviolette François , Corbeil Jacques
Published: December 2012

Abstracta

Voluminous parallel sequencing datasets, especially metagenomic experiments, require distributed computing for de novo assembly and taxonomic profiling. Ray Meta is a massively distributed metagenome assembler that is coupled with Ray Communities, which profiles microbiomes based on uniquely-colored k-mers. It can accurately assemble and profile a three billion read metagenomic experiment representing 1,000 bacterial genomes of uneven proportions in 15 hours with 1,024 processor cores, using only 1.5 GB per core. The software will facilitate the processing of large and complex datasets, and will help in generating biological insights for specific environments. Ray Meta is open source and available at http://denovoassembler.sf.net.
Notch Suppresses Nuclear Factor of Activated T Cells (Nfat) Transactivation and Nfatc1 Expression in Chondrocytes
Authors: Zanotti Stefano , Canalis Ernesto
Published: December 2012

Notch1 to Notch4 transmembrane receptors determine cell fate, and release of the Notch intracellular domain (NICD) in the cytoplasm induces gene expression. Notch regulates endochondral ossification, but it is not clear whether Notch interacts with signals controlling chondrocyte differentiation. Nuclear factor of activated T cells (Nfatc) transcription factors regulate chondrogenesis, and we asked whether Notch modifies Nfat signaling in chondrocytes. Notch was induced in teratocarcinoma ATDC5 chondrogenic cells infected with a retroviral vector, where the cytomegalovirus (CMV) promoter directs NICD expression. NICD suppressed chondrocyte differentiation and inhibited Nfat transactivation and Nfatc1 expression. Notch was activated in chondrocytes from RosaNotch mice, where the Rosa26 promoter is upstream of a loxP-flanked STOP cassette and NICD. To excise the STOP cassette and express NICD, RosaNotch chondrocytes were infected with an adenoviral vector where the CMV promoter directs Cre expression (Ad-CMV-Cre). Notch1 and Notch2 mediate the effects of Notch in skeletal cells, and to inhibit Notch signaling, chondrocytes from mice homozygous for Notch1 and Notch2 alleles targeted with loxP sites were infected with Ad-CMV-Cre. NICD suppressed chondrogenic nodules formation and expression of selected chondrocyte gene markers, induced Col10a1 and Mmp13, and suppressed Nfat transactivation and Nfatc1 expression, whereas inactivation of Notch1 and Notch2 did not affect chondrocyte differentiation. To investigate Nfatc1 function in chondrocytes, Nfatc1 was induced in RosaNotch chondrocytes overexpressing NICD or controls. Nfatc1 suppressed chondrocyte differentiation and opposed Col10a1 induction by Notch. In conclusion, Notch suppresses Nfat transactivation in chondrocytes and Notch and Nfatc1 regulate chondrocyte differentiation.
“Our Own Limited Role in Policing Those Boundaries”: Taking Small Steps on Health Care
Authors: Whittington Keith E.
Published: December 2012

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ignited a political firestorm and raised intriguing new questions of constitutional law. Cutting a path between the liberals and conservatives on the US Supreme Court, Chief Justice John Roberts made small adjustments in established constitutional law to uphold key features of the act. In doing so, he not only upheld the statute but also left the landscape of constitutional law much as he had found it. He did, however, suggest that the federal courts should take a more active role in monitoring how Congress uses its constitutional powers and should not shy away from making specific determinations of whether Congress had abused its power in particular cases.
Arrests of and Forced Interventions on Pregnant Women in the United States, 1973–2005: Implications for Women's Legal Status and Public Health
Authors: Paltrow Lynn M. , Flavin Jeanne
Published: December 2012

In November 2011, the citizens of Mississippi voted down Proposition 26, a “personhood” measure that sought to establish separate constitutional rights for fertilized eggs, embryos, and fetuses. This proposition raised the question of whether such measures could be used as the basis for depriving pregnant women of their liberty through arrests or forced medical interventions. Over the past four decades, descriptions of selected subsets of arrests and forced interventions on pregnant women have been published. Such cases, however, have never been systematically identified and documented, nor has the basis for the deprivations of liberty been comprehensively examined. In this article we report on 413 cases from 1973 to 2005 in which a woman's pregnancy was a necessary factor leading to attempted and actual deprivations of a woman's physical liberty. First, we describe key characteristics of the cases and the women, including socioeconomic status and race. Second, we investigate the legal claims made to justify the arrests, detentions, and forced interventions. Third, we explore the role played by health care providers. We conclude by discussing the implications of our findings and the likely impact of personhood measures on pregnant women's liberty and on maternal, fetal, and child health.
Improvement in Thermal Stability of Anion-exchange Membranes for Fuel Cell Applications by Controlling Water State
Authors: Jung Hyangmi , Ohashi Hidenori , Tamaki Takanori , Yamaguchi Takeo
Published: December 2012

In this study, hydroxide ion mobility is reduced by controlling water movement in the membrane to improve its stability. The water movement was decreased by structuring the water with pore-filling membranes synthesized by confining an anion-exchange polymer in nanopores of a porous substrate. Compared with bare films of the same polymer, the pore-filling membranes showed higher stability subsequent to immersion in water at 100 °C.
Near-infrared-absorbing π-Extended Squarylium-based Dyes with Dicyanovinylene Substitution for Dye-sensitized Solar Cell Applications
Authors: Nakao Hidekazu , Maeda Takeshi , Nakazumi Hiroyuki
Published: December 2012

Novel π-extended squarylium dyes with dicyanovinylene substitution were synthesized through the Stille-type Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of a precursory iodinated squarylium dye with tributylstannyl squarate. Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) based on the squarylium dyes displayed remarkable performances in a wide wavelength range from the visible to the near-infrared region around 800 nm. The power conversion efficiencies of the DSSCs based on In-CN-In-S-OH and In-CN-In-S-In-COOH reached 3.5% and 2.1%, respectively.
Flexural Analysis of Full-Scale RC Beam Strengthened with Steel Rods
Authors: Shin Kyung-Jae , Lee Swoo-Heon
Published: December 2012

This paper presents an analytical method of evaluating the flexural behavior of RC beams externally strengthened with unbonded high-tension steel rod. A simple summation method proposed in this paper basically assumes that the total strength of RC beams strengthened with rod is equal to the sum of the strength of RC beam and the strength of rod. The strengthening steel rods connected to beam with U and V shape profile are considered as a truss system for the analysis. This analytical method also includes the effect of compressive force applied to RC beam due to the tension of rod as well as the effect of effective prestress in steel rod. A comparison of the analytical and experimental results leads to the conclusion that the simple summation method can simulate the flexural behavior of RC beam strengthened with rod with a good level of accuracy.
Strengthening of Steel I-Beams Using CFRP Strips: An Investigation on CFRP Bond Length
Authors: Narmashiri Kambiz , Jumaat Mohd Zamin , Sulong N. H. Ramli
Published: December 2012

This research investigates the effects of applying different bond lengths for Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) strips used in flexural strengthening of steel I-beams. Wide range of the structural parameters i.e. load bearing capacity, failure mode, strain on CFRP, strain on adhesive, strain on steel beam, lateral deformation, and vertical deflection were investigated. Both numerical and experimental studies were employed. To simulate the specimens, ANSYS software in three dimensional (3D) modelling case and non-linear analysis method was utilized. In the experimental test, four-point bending method with static gradual loading was applied. Results indicate that using shorter CFRP bond lengths caused brittle behaviour, and applying longer CFRP bond lengths resulted in more flexible behaviour. Using different CFRP bond lengths affected the whole structural behaviours of the strengthened beams.
A Whole Process Optimal Design Method for Prestressed Steel Structures considering the Influence of Different Pretension Schemes
Authors: Zhou Zhen , Meng Shao-Ping , Wu Jing
Published: December 2012

In this paper, a concept of optimal design considering pretension process for prestressed steel structures is discussed, and the optimization model of ‘whole process optimal design’ (WPOD) is constructed for such structures, in which the constraint condition concerns not only different load cases but also all the pretension stages. From the perspective of member initial deformation, a method to solve the constraint condition is investigated. When solving the WPOD model, design variables are divided into several levels to construct the three-level optimization method. A cable-stayed arch-truss structure and prestressed reticulated shell structure are taken as numerical examples. Results show the high efficiency and strong robustness of the three-level optimization method. If given the tensioning order of various prestressing stages, an optimal tensioning control force scheme could be obtained at the same time when the optimal structural scheme is worked out.
Are Transformational Leaders a Double-Edged Sword? Impact of Transformational Leadership on Sport Employee Commitment and Job Satisfaction
Authors: Kim Seungmo , Magnusen Marshall , Andrew Damon , Stoll Jennifer
Published: December 2012

Few areas have received more frequent scholarly attention in the business literature than leadership. However, insufficient attention had been paid to the study of leadership in a sport context. Therefore, this study examined the direct effects of transformational leadership on sport employee job satisfaction and levels of commitment (to the athletic department and athletic director). Also examined were the mediated effects of both commitment foci on the relationship between transformational leadership and job satisfaction. Participants included 325 athletic department employees in a NCAA BCS football conference. Through CFA and SEM, the direct and mediated effects of transformational leadership on sport employee commitment and job satisfaction were explored. Limited support was found for a direct effect of transformational leadership on job satisfaction. However, the results indicated support for transformational leadership directly influencing organizational- and individual-level commitment. Commitment to the athletic department also mediated the transformational leadership-job satisfaction relationship.
Improving Passing Actions in Team Sports by Developing Interpersonal Interactions between Players
Authors: Travassos Bruno , Araújo Duarte , Davids Keith , Esteves Pedro T. , Fernandes Orlando
Published: December 2012

We investigated how interpersonal coordination tendencies of players in Futsal constrained performance of passing actions. To achieve this aim, we digitized 24 digital video film clips of attacking phases in competitive Futsal games. Values of interpersonal distance between players were recorded from the moment at which a teammate performed the pass to the ball carrier, to the moment of pass initiation by the ball carrier. Our results revealed that performance of passing actions was constrained by a convergence in interpersonal distance values between players. Pass efficacy seemed to be constrained by changes in interpersonal distance values between the ball carrier and the 2nd defender without a correspondent adaptation in ball velocity. Based on our results, we suggest three training phases for developing passing performance in Futsal by manipulating key constraints in the performance environment relative to the interpersonal distance values between players.
Temperature-Sensitive Paint Visualization of the Transitional Separation Bubble over Wings at Reynolds Numbers of Several Ten Thousand
Authors: Elimelech Yossef
Published: December 2012

Flow fields characterized by chord-based Reynolds numbers of several ten thousand over wings of conventional cross sections are analyzed below. Utilizing temperature-sensitive paint visualization and constant-temperature anemometry the results depict a laminar-to-turbulent transition process that develops over the wings. The visualizations were utilized in order to obtain the proper length scales which characterized the transition process and to allow effective use of the constant-temperature anemometry. Not only did the constant-temperature anemometry yielded a quantitative velocity measurement in the volume over the wings, it also complemented the low spectral resolution which characterized the visualization technique. Both experimental techniques depicted the evolution of stationary cellular flow structures over the wings along the transition process. These cellular flow structures were reported in recent publications and are associated with closed separation bubbles which are subjected to flow disturbances of finite amplitude. The volumetric time-accurate velocity measurements showed that the number of cellular flow structures was function of the wing aspect ratio; moreover, it allowed proper interpretation of the temperature-sensitive paint visualizations in regions of high velocity standard deviation.
Supply Chain Innovation is a Key to Superior Firm Performance an Insight from Indian Cement Manufacturing
Authors: Dubey Rameshwar , Singh Tripti , Tiwari Saurabh
Published: December 2012

The following statistical study shows the results of an investigation of supply chain innovation practices of Indian Cement Manufacturers, which are a significantly large and quickly advancing industry in India. Aside from being a study of adoption of supply chain innovation practices (SCIP) in an emerging super power (India) the benefits of supply chain innovation (SCI) are discussed including the major advances in supply chain management. The statistical study compared innovation supply chain practices (like JIT, WMS, CPFR, and others) in 125 large cement firms to their financial performance measures (ROI, market share, EBIDTA, customer satisfaction, productivity). The resulting correlations showed very high levels of reliability and adequacy, and were uses to make conclusions on which supply chain innovation practices had a positive impact on company financial performance. The conclusions are somewhat astounding with the interesting finding that some innovation practices do not support firm performance and maybe should be avoided; while others ICS practices are shown to support firm performance to a high degree.
Volunteering for Service: Digital Co-Curation and the First World War
Authors: Wilson Ross
Published: December 2012

This paper examines the role of digital co-curation in the representation of the First World War in Britain within the heritage and academic sector. By examining the conflict as a historical trauma which is felt and experienced in the present, the utility of digital co-curation in addressing this continuing sense of pain and shock is assessed. Through an analytical perspective, developed from ‘Critical Discourse Analysis’, the online exhibitions, archives and websites that draw upon public assistance as part of co-curation initiatives will be examined. This assessment will demonstrate how digital co-curation operates beyond the traditional format of historical texts, museum exhibitions or archive displays, by engaging directly with how the war is experienced and felt in the present. Through the validation and valuing of these public perspectives, digital co-curation projects have provided a highly suitable format for addressing the historical trauma of the First World War in Britain as a present phenomenon rather than a ‘closed-off’ past.
Curating the Scottish Built Heritage Record: Canmore as an Open Digital Archive
Authors: Clari Michela
Published: December 2012

In recent times heritage institutions have been re-assessing their relationship with members of the public both in terms of their use of digital collections and their potential contribution to increasingly rich digital resource environments (Terras, 2011). This paper reports on a study which applied virtual ethnographic methods to the investigation of Canmore, the digital archive of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), opened to public contribution in 2009. The study examined the nature of the online environment, users' contributions and participation dynamics, which were found to mirror traditional patterns, with mostly expert users contributing high-quality data to the record. Less evidence emerged of collaborative engagement and dialogical exchanges more typical of online sociality. The paper considers the merits of, and possible reasons for, such an outcome, also touching on more recent initiatives which show RCAHMS embracing new opportunities for innovative co-curation practices.
Networked Co-Curation in Virtual Museums: Digital Humanities, History, and Social Media in the Toledo's Attic Project
Authors: Sabharwal Arjun
Published: December 2012

Networked co-curation is an innovative outreach practice in archives and museums using social media with other Web 2.0 technologies in order to curate digital heritage collections. It relies on crowd-sourced curation, which results in richer discourse through globally dispersed public participation and intersubjective perspectives. The theoretical framework for networked co-curation consists of three dimensions: digital history, digital humanities, and social network theory. Historical representation, intertextuality, and remediation play a vital role in networked co-curation, forming a bridge between digital content and a transforming virtual audience. Networked co-curation present three significant concerns for archives, libraries, and museums: provenance verification, knowledge representation, and staffing. Toledo's Attic has been a co-curation initiative involving multi-type organizations and their respective audiences. It has used various types of software and platforms and is now being migrated to Joomla, which has been the most robust solution thus far. The networked co-curation and outreach program for Toledo's Attic has utilized the following networks: Facebook, Flickr, Twitter, Delicious, BlogSpot, Pinterest, HistoryPin, and YouTube with the Website occupying a central location for each reach to it virtual audience. Data gathered from Google Analytics and Facebook point to relationship between co-curation activities across these domains but continuous data collection is necessary for informed management of this content.
The Researcher as Curator in the Digital Age: Personal Collections and User Needs in Art History
Authors: Kamposiori Christina
Published: December 2012

Collecting information for research and teaching purposes is a practice followed by scholars across a variety of disciplines. In art history, more specifically, the gathering of research material and the building of personal collections has been a habitual activity that follows the seeking and discovery of information. However, there have been few studies so far examining the collecting behaviour of scholars; thus, there is little information available on how researchers collect and use the gathered material afterwards. Therefore, the aim of the present paper is to focus on the needs art historians have when they create, use and curate their personal research collections. Understanding the key role this standard activity plays in research, as well as the criteria upon which scholars' personal collections are built and managed can bring useful results for the facilitation of the research process in terms of customised digital tools and services for scholars. Finally, this paper is based on research for my current PhD Thesis “Personal Research Collections: examining research practices and user needs in art historical research” conducted at the UCL Centre for Digital Humanities, under the supervision of Prof. Claire Warwick & Mr Simon Mahony.
Static and Dynamic Charging of Thin Films at the Solid-vacuum Interface: Behavior as Nano-capacitor and Its Role in Photo and Electron Induced Reactivity
Authors: Horowitz Yonatan , Toker Gil , Asscher Micha
Published: December 2012

Charging of amorphous solid water (ASW) films has been characterized using high resolution, low energy positive ions (Ar+) and electrons at 1-50 eV energy range. This system responds to charging as a nano-capacitor and has been studied for its static electric field effect on electron-induced-desorption from top layers and internally trapped molecules within ASW film. In addition we have investigated the role of electron energy on chemical reactivity of trapped methyl chloride molecules as model for outer space surface chemistry.

Dynamic charging at inner pores of porous silicon (PSi) has been studied as the origin of highly efficient photo-induced desorption (PID) of adsorbates such as Xe, CO and N2O. Wavelength and laser power dependence suggest that cross sections for PID, 3 orders of magnitude larger than on non-porous surfaces, originate from dynamic charging of nanometer scale tips at inner pores. These have lead to transient negatively charged species that undergo an Antoniewitz-like PID mechanism.
Briefing: Growth of wind power in Sweden – a look at the drivers
Authors: Kenrick Victoria
Published: December 2012

Sweden's wind resources, low population density and availability of balancing sources of energy provide great growth potential for further advancement of the wind sector. The growth and profitability of Swedish wind power drives an increasingly active market, attracting energy producers, developers, utilities and financial stakeholders, which as a result leads to an increase of job opportunities within Sweden and the wider Nordic region. This paper explores the reasons for this surge in potential, looking at electricity prices, turbine prices and the investment market before concluding by taking a look at the job opportunities being created.
The Influence of HIV-1 Subtype in the Response to Therapeutic Dendritic Cell Vaccine
Authors: Ferreira Valéria , Moura Patrícia , Crovella Sergio , Sobhie Diaz Ricardo , Castelo Filho Adauto , Ximenes Ricardo , Arraes Luiz Cláudio
Published: December 2012

In the present study, we investigated the influence of HIV-1 subtype in the response to the dendritic cell (DC) therapeutic vaccine for HIV. HIV-1 viral load and TCD8+/TCD4+ cell counts for up to 48 weeks after vaccination. Out of 19 immunized subjects, 13 were infected by subtype B, 5 by subtype F, and 1 by subtype D. Overall, 42.1% (8/19) achieved a viral load decline of ≥ 1 log10sustained up to 48 weeks after immunization. Such magnitude of viral load drop was seen in 80% (4/5) of subtype F infected patients, and in 23.0% (3/13) of the subtype B infected ones (p=0.08). Moreover, mean viral load decline was 1.32 log10, for subtype F infected individuals compared to 0.5 log10among subtype B infected patients (p=0.01). The variation in TCD4+ cell count was not related to HIV-1 subtype. Larger studies are necessary to confirm the efficacy of this immunotherapy and the differential response according to the background genetic diversity of HIV-1.
Predictors of Death and Dialysis in Severe AKI
Authors: Wilson Francis Perry , Yang Wei , Feldman Harold I.
Published: December 2012

Background and objectives

AKI carries a substantial risk of mortality, even after adjustment for comorbidities. Effective risk stratification may lead to more effective therapeutic interventions for high-risk subgroups.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

This study identified adults who suffered severe in-hospital AKI from January 1, 2004 to August 31, 2010 at three hospitals in the University of Pennsylvania Health System (UPHS). Patients were included if baseline creatinine was ≤1.4 mg/dl for men or ≤1.2 mg/dl for women, and serum creatinine doubled during the hospital admission. Cox proportional hazards models predicting death, dialysis, or a combined endpoint of death or dialysis were fit using data from patients admitted to the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (n=4263), and validated at the two other UPHS facilities (n=758, n=1098).

Results

In adjusted analyses, strong predictors of the combined endpoint included intensive care unit location (versus floor), medical service, liver disease, higher creatinine, greater rate of change in creatinine, and greater number of pressor medications. Higher absolute creatinine concentration was associated with greater use of dialysis, but lower overall mortality in adjusted analyses. Harrell’s c-index (95% confidence interval) for the model predicting the combined endpoint was 0.85 (0.84–0.86) in the derivation cohort, and 0.83 (0.80–0.86) and 0.84 (0.82–0.86) in the validation cohorts.

Conclusions

A small group of easily measured clinical factors has good ability to predict mortality and dialysis in severe AKI.