bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Brain–Speech Alignment Enhances Auditory Cortical Responses and Speech Perception
Authors: Saoud Houda , Josse Goulven , Bertasi Eric , Truy Eric , Chait Maria , Giraud Anne-Lise
Published: January 2012

Asymmetry in auditory cortical oscillations could play a role in speech perception by fostering hemispheric triage of information across the two hemispheres. Due to this asymmetry, fast speech temporal modulations relevant for phonemic analysis could be best perceived by the left auditory cortex, while slower modulations conveying vocal and paralinguistic information would be better captured by the right one. It is unclear, however, whether and how early oscillation-based selection influences speech perception. Using a dichotic listening paradigm in human participants, where we provided different parts of the speech envelope to each ear, we show that word recognition is facilitated when the temporal properties of speech match the rhythmic properties of auditory cortices. We further show that the interaction between speech envelope and auditory cortices rhythms translates in their level of neural activity (as measured with fMRI). In the left auditory cortex, the neural activity level related to stimulus–brain rhythm interaction predicts speech perception facilitation. These data demonstrate that speech interacts with auditory cortical rhythms differently in right and left auditory cortex, and that in the latter, the interaction directly impacts speech perception performance.
Bone Marrow Transplantation Confers Modest Benefits in Mouse Models of Huntington's Disease
Authors: Kwan Wanda , Magnusson Anna , Chou Austin , Adame Anthony , Carson Monica J. , Kohsaka Shinichi , Masliah Eliezer , Möller Thomas , Ransohoff Richard , Tabrizi Sarah J. , Björkqvist Maria , Muchowski Paul J.
Published: January 2012

Huntington's disease (HD) is caused by an expanded polyglutamine tract in the protein huntingtin (htt). Although HD has historically been viewed as a brain-specific disease, htt is expressed ubiquitously, and recent studies indicate that mutant htt might cause changes to the immune system that could contribute to pathogenesis. Monocytes from HD patients and mouse models are hyperactive in response to stimulation, and increased levels of inflammatory cytokines and chemokines are found in pre-manifest patients that correlate with pathogenesis. In this study, wild-type (WT) bone marrow cells were transplanted into two lethally irradiated transgenic mouse models of HD that ubiquitously express full-length htt (YAC128 and BACHD mice). Bone marrow transplantation partially attenuated hypokinetic and motor deficits in HD mice. Increased levels of synapses in the cortex were found in HD mice that received bone marrow transplants. Importantly, serum levels of interleukin-6, interleukin-10, CXC chemokine ligand 1, and interferon-γ were significantly higher in HD than WT mice but were normalized in mice that received a bone marrow transplant. These results suggest that immune cell dysfunction might be an important modifier of pathogenesis in HD.
RCT of Montelukast as Prophylaxis for Upper Respiratory Tract Infections in Children
Authors: Kozer Eran , Lotem Zachi , Elgarushe Mahmud , Torgovicky Rafael , Cohen Raanan , Cohen Herman A. , Berkovitch Matitiahu
Published: January 2012

BACKGROUND:

Infections with viruses causing upper respiratory tract infection (URI) are associated with increased leukotriene levels in the upper airways. Montelukast, a selective leukotriene-receptor antagonist, is an effective treatment of asthma and allergic rhinitis.

OBJECTIVE:

To determine whether prophylactic treatment with montelukast reduces the incidence and severity of URI in children.

METHODS:

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was performed in 3 primary care pediatric ambulatory clinics in Israel. Healthy children aged 1 to 5 years were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive 12-week treatment with 4 mg oral montelukast or look-alike placebo. Patients were excluded if they had a previous history of reactive airway disease. A study coordinator contacted the parents by phone once a week to obtain information regarding the occurrence of acute respiratory episodes. The parents received a diary card to record any acute symptoms of URI. The primary outcome measure was the number of URI episodes.

RESULTS:

Three hundred children were recruited and randomly assigned into montelukast (n = 153) or placebo (n = 147) groups. One hundred thirty-one (85.6%) of the children treated with montelukast and 129 (87.7%) of the children treated with placebo completed 12 weeks of treatment. The number of weeks in which URI was reported was 30.4% in children treated with montelukast and 30.7% in children treated with placebo. There was no significant difference in any of the secondary variables between the groups.

CONCLUSIONS:

In preschool-aged children, 12-week treatment with montelukast, compared with placebo, did not reduce the incidence of URI.
Sonographers' Complex Communication during the Obstetric Sonogram Exam: An Interview Study
Authors: Brasseur Lee
Published: January 2012

A study of the oral communication experiences and training of obstetric sonographers can provide insight into the complex expectations these medical professionals face as they complete their technical tasks and communicate with patients. Unlike other diagnostic medical professionals, obstetric sonographers are expected to provide detailed information to patients during the exam, a practice not typically found in the work of other types of medical diagnostic professionals. This study presents the results of interviews with 23 obstetric sonographers who described their communication experiences and their views on sonographer training in communication. Results suggest that sonographers experience complex communication challenges in the workplace that are not typically addressed in their education, nor are they officially recognized in the official discourse of their profession.
The Helminths of Wild Predatory Mammals of Ukraine. Cestodes
Authors: Kornyushin V. , (Varodi) E. , Malega A.
Published: January 2012

The Helminths of Wild Predatory Mammals of Ukraine. Cestodes

Data related to cestodes (totally 17 species), registered in predatory mammals in Ukraine are given and summarized. The richest cestode fauna was found in the Polissya region (Zhitomir, Kiev, Chernigov, Sumy Oblasts), Carpathian region and Transcarpathia. A wide host range characterizes the majority of cestodes occurring in predatory mammals of Ukraine. They are registered in both canines (Canidae) and felines (Felidae). Cestodes of the fox (9 species) and wolf (11 species) were studied more comprehensively. Other species of predatory mammals were infected with 1 to 3 species of cestodes.
Cancers with increasing incidence trends in the United States: 1999 through 2008
Authors: Simard Edgar P. , Ward Elizabeth M. , Siegel Rebecca , Jemal Ahmedin
Published: January 2012

Despite declines in incidence rates for the most common cancers, the incidence of several cancers has increased in the past decade, including cancers of the pancreas, liver, thyroid, and kidney and melanoma of the skin, as well as esophageal adenocarcinoma and certain subsites of oropharyngeal cancer associated with human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Population‐based incidence data compiled by the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries were used to examine trends in incidence rates from 1999 through 2008 for the 7 cancers listed by sex, age group, race/ethnicity, and stage at diagnosis. Joinpoint regression was used to calculate average annual percent changes in incidence rates (1999‐2008). Rates for HPV‐related oropharyngeal cancer, esophageal adenocarcinoma, cancer of the pancreas, and melanoma of the skin increased only in whites, except for esophageal adenocarcinoma, which also increased in Hispanic men. Liver cancer rates increased in white, black, and Hispanic men and in black women only. In contrast, incidence rates for thyroid and kidney cancers increased in all racial/ethnic groups, except American Indian/Alaska Native men. Increases in incidence rates by age were steepest for liver and HPV‐related oropharyngeal cancers among those aged 54 to 64 years and for melanoma of the skin in those aged 65 years and older. Notably, for HPV‐related oropharyngeal cancer in men and thyroid cancer in women, incidence rates were higher in those aged 55 to 64 years than in those aged 65 years and older. Rates increased for both local and advanced stage diseases for most cancer sites. The reasons for these increasing trends are not entirely known. Part of the increase (for esophageal adenocarcinoma and cancers of the pancreas, liver, and kidney) may be linked to the increasing prevalence of obesity as well as increases in early detection practices for some cancers. These rising trends will exacerbate the growing cancer burden associated with population expansion and aging. Additional research is needed to determine the underlying reasons for these increasing trends. CA Cancer J Clin 2012. © 2012 American Cancer Society.
Acute Interstitial Nephritis, a Rare Complication of Giardiasis
Authors: De Pascalis Antonio , Buongiorno Erasmo
Published: January 2012

Acute interstitial nephritis is a relevant cause of acute renal failure. Drugs are the predominant cause, followed by infections and idiopathic lesions. Acute interstitial nephritis as a form of hypersensitivity reaction is an uncommon manifestation in the setting of human parasitic infections. We present a case of acute interstitial nephritis in association with Giardia infection in a 54-year-old woman who developed an impairment of renal function after a prolonged period of slight fever and diarrhea. After an attempt to recover renal impairment by vigorous rehydratation, because of the unclear origin of the persisting renal failure, a percutaneous renal biopsy was performed and a diagnosis of severe acute interstitial nephritis was made. Steroid therapy was started and after six weeks, renal function had completely recovered. In cases of unexplained renal failure in patients affected by parasitic infections, interstitial nephritis should be considered and it is our opinion that a renal biopsy should be always performed.
Optimal Regularity for One-Dimensional Porous Medium Flow
Authors: Aronson D. G. , Caffarelli Luis A.
Published: January 2012

We give a new proof of the Lipschitz continuity with respect to

t

of the pressure in a one dimensional porous medium flow. As is shown by the Barenblatt solution, this is the optimal

t

-regularity for the pressure. Our proof is based on the existence and properties of a certain selfsimilar solution.
Forms Equivalent to Curvatures
Authors: Porta Horacio , Recht Lázaro
Published: January 2012

The 2-forms,

\Omega

and

\Omega '

on a manifold

M

with values in vector bundles

\xi \rightarrow M

and

\xi ' \rightarrow M

are

equivalent

if there exist smooth fibered-linear maps

U: \xi \rightarrow \xi '

and

W: \xi ' \rightarrow \xi

with

\Omega ' = U\Omega

and

\Omega = W\Omega '

. It is shown that an ordinary 2-form equivalent to the curvature of a linear connection has locally a non-vanishing integrating factor at each point in the interior of the set rank

(\omega) = 2

or in the set rank

(\omega) > 2

. Under favorable conditions the same holds at points where the rank of

\omega

changes from =2 to >2. Global versions are also considered.
Trend of herbicide loads in the river Rhine and its tributaries
Authors: Bach Martin , Frede Hans-Georg
Published: January 2012

Many policies have been established and actions have been taken to reduce pesticide pollution of surface waters. However, the effectiveness of these initiatives was rarely tested on an empirical basis. This study suggests that evidence on the policy effects can be evaluated by analyzing the temporal changes in the loads rather than the concentrations of active ingredients in rivers. It is shown that the long-term change of pesticide emissions into surface waters can be tested statistically by the number of upward versus downward trends in river load. To evaluate the situation in Germany, 57 concentration time series of 14 herbicide substances at 7 river monitoring stations with a minimum of 24 analyses per year were assembled and annual substance river loads were calculated. The longest time course was 17 years (1990–2006). The significance of trends of data rows was analyzed by an univariate Mann–Kendall test that evaluates 27 (47.4%) of the 57 time series as statistically significant downward trended. It took a period of 10 years and longer before the high annual atrazine and simazine loads measured in the years 1990–1991 had been diminished to a drastically lowered level after ban of the herbicides. Data are available on the yearly consumption of 8 substances used in German agriculture. A total of 36 time series for this subset were tested with a partial Mann–Kendall test with the consumption as covariance factor, which reduces the number of significant trends in river load noticeably. Based on this test, only 7 (19.4% of 36) declining time series remain. As a result, the intended effect of measures to reduce surface water contamination by the use of pesticides seems to be only partially successful, however, the database to justify this statement is small. For the water monitoring strategies in Germany, it is recommend to enhance the sampling frequency at river stations. A minimum of a semimonthly sampling interval would facilitate the calculation of valuable annual river loads and would therefore allow a pronounced validation of the long-term change of pesticide emission into rivers. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2012; 8: 543–552. © 2012 SETAC
Data and literature gathering in chemical cancer risk assessment
Authors: Silins Ilona , Korhonen Anna , Högberg Johan , Stenius Ulla
Published: January 2012

In recent years, chemical cancer risk assessment has faced major challenges: the demand for cancer risk assessment has grown considerably with strict legislation regarding chemical safety, whereas cancer hazard identification has turned increasingly complex due to the rapid development and high publication rate in biomedical sciences. Thus, much of the scientific evidence required for hazard identification is hidden in large collections of biomedical literature. Extensive guidelines have been produced to support cancer risk assessment under these circumstances. We evaluated whether these guidelines support the first, critical step of this task—data and literature gathering—and found that the guidance is vague. We propose ways to improve data and literature gathering for cancer risk assessment and suggest developing a computational literature search and analysis tool dedicated to the task. We describe the first prototype tool we have developed and discuss how it could help to improve the quality, consistency, and effectiveness of cancer risk assessment when developed further. Fully reliable automatic data and literature gathering may not be realistic; the retrieved articles will always need to be examined further by risk assessors. However, our proposal offers a starting point for improved data and literature gathering that can benefit the whole cancer risk assessment process. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2012; 8: 412–417. © 2012 SETAC
ANN‐BASED MODEL FOR PLANNING OF GROUNDWATER DEVELOPMENT FOR AGRICULTURAL USAGE
Authors: Ghosh Susmita , Kashyap Deepak
Published: January 2012

A computationally inexpensive linked ANN‐optimization model for planning of groundwater development for agricultural usage is presented and illustrated on a canal command area in India. The planning ensures optimization of zonal crop areas subject to the constraints on maximum groundwater table depth and stream–aquifer interflow under dynamic equilibrium. The data required for developing the ANN models of the envisaged state variables comprise an array of zonal crop areas and the corresponding state variables. These data are generated invoking a pre‐calibrated simulation model of groundwater flow. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of ethnicity and socioeconomic status on survival and severity of fibrosis in liver transplant recipients with hepatitis C virus#
Authors: Verna Elizabeth C. , Valadao Rosa , Farrand Erica , Pichardo Elsa M. , Lai Jennifer C. , Terrault Norah A. , Brown Robert S.
Published: January 2012

The ethnicity and socioeconomic status of the host may affect the progression of hepatitis C virus (HCV). We aimed to compare survival and fibrosis progression in Hispanic white (HW) and non-Hispanic white (NHW) recipients of liver transplantation (LT) with HCV. All HW and NHW patients with HCV who underwent transplantation between January 2000 and December 2007 at 2 centers were retrospectively assessed. The primary outcomes were the time to death, death or graft loss due to HCV, and significant fibrosis [at least stage 2 of 4]. Five hundred eleven patients were studied (159 HW patients and 352 NHW patients), and the baseline demographics were similar for the 2 groups. NHW patients were more likely to be male, to have attended college, and to have private insurance, and they had a higher median household income (MHI). The unadjusted rates of survival (log-rank P = 0.93), death or graft loss due to HCV (P = 0.89), and significant fibrosis (P = 0.95) were similar between groups. In a multivariate analysis controlling for center, age [hazard ratio (HR) per 10 years = 1.43, P = 0.01], donor age (HR per 10 years = 1.25, P < 0.001), and rejection (HR = 1.47, P = 0.048) predicted death, whereas HW ethnicity (HR = 1.06, P = 0.77) was not significant. Independent predictors of significant fibrosis were HW ethnicity (HR = 2.42, P = 0.046), MHI (HR per $10,000 = 1.11, P = 0.01), donor age (HR per 10 years = 1.13, P = 0.02), cold ischemia time (HR = 1.06, P = 0.03), and the interaction between ethnicity and MHI (HR = 0.82, P = 0.03). In conclusion, there is no difference in post-LT survival or graft loss due to HCV between HW patients and NHW patients. Socioeconomic factors may influence disease severity; this is suggested by our findings of more significant fibrosis in HW patients with a low MHI. Liver Transpl 18:461–467, 2012. © 2012 AASLD.
Azithromycin maintenance therapy in patients with cystic fibrosis: A dose advice based on a review of pharmacokinetics, efficacy, and side effects
Authors: Wilms Erik B. , Touw Daniel J. , Heijerman Harry G.M. , van der Ent Cornelis K.
Published: January 2012

Azithromycin maintenance therapy results in improvement of respiratory function in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). In azithromycin maintenance therapy, several dosing schemes are applied. In this review, we combine current knowledge about azithromycin pharmacokinetics with the dosing schedules used in clinical trials in order to come to a dosing advise which could be generally applicable. We used data from a recently updated Cochrane meta analysis (2011), the reports of clinical trials and pharmacokinetic studies. Based on these data, it was concluded that a dose level of 22–30 mg/kg/week is the lowest dose level with proven efficacy. Due to the extended half‐life in patients with CF, the weekly dose of azithromycin can be divided in one to seven dosing moments, depending on patient preference and gastro‐intestinal tolerance. No important side effects or interactions with other CF‐related drugs have been documented so far. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2012; 47:658–665. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Posterior representation with a multi‐modal likelihood using the gaussian sum filter for localization in a known map
Authors: Schoenberg Jonathan R. , Campbell Mark , Miller Isaac
Published: January 2012

A Gaussian sum filter (GSF) with component extended Kalman filters (EKF) is proposed as an approach to localizing an autonomous vehicle in an urban environment with limited GPS availability. The GSF uses vehicle‐relative vision‐based measurements of known map features coupled with inertial navigation solutions to accomplish localization in the absence of GPS. The vision‐based measurements have multimodal measurement likelihood functions that are well represented as weighted sums of Gaussian densities. The GSF is used because of its ability to represent the posterior distribution of the vehicle pose with better efficiency (fewer terms, less computational complexity) than a corresponding bootstrap particle filter with various numbers of particles because of the interaction with measurement hypothesis tests. The expectation‐maximization algorithm is used off line to determine the representational efficiency of the particle filter in terms of an effective number of Gaussian densities. In comparison, the GSF, which uses an iterative condensation procedure after each iteration of the filter to maintain real‐time capabilities, is shown through a series of in‐depth empirical studies to more accurately maintain a representation of the posterior distribution than the particle filter using 37 min of recorded data from Cornell University's autonomous vehicle driven in an urban environment, including a 32 min GPS blackout. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Rottlerin and Cancer: Novel Evidence and Mechanisms
Authors: Maioli E. , Torricelli C. , Valacchi G.
Published: January 2012

Because cancers are caused by deregulation of hundreds of genes, an ideal anticancer agent should target multiple gene products or signaling pathways simultaneously. Recently, extensive research has addressed the chemotherapeutic potential of plant-derived compounds. Among the ever-increasing list of naturally occurring anticancer agents, Rottlerin appears to have great potentiality for being used in chemotherapy because it affects several cell machineries involved in survival, apoptosis, autophagy, and invasion. The underlying mechanisms that have been described are diverse, and the final, cell-specific, Rottlerin outcome appears to result from a combination of signaling pathways at multiple levels. This paper seeks to summarize the multifocal signal modulatory properties of Rottlerin, which merit to be further exploited for successful prevention and treatment of cancer.
Rapid and High Seed Germination and Large Soil Seed Bank ofSenecio aquaticusin Managed Grassland
Authors: Suter Matthias , Lüscher Andreas
Published: January 2012

Senecio aquaticus, regionally a Red List species in Europe, has become increasingly abundant in agricultural grassland of medium to high management intensity in Switzerland, Southern Germany, and Austria in recent years, where it is a threat for animal and human health due to its toxicity. In this study, we investigated the seed ecology ofS. aquaticusto help protection of the species in relic populations while improving its control when abundant in managed grassland. Germination percentages of fresh ripe seeds ofS. aquaticuswere on average 68% in 2008, but only 45% in 2010, indicating yearly variation. Germination was generally fast: ten days after the onset of the tests, often more than 45% of all seeds had germinated. When covered with a soil layer of 5 mm, germination was only 16% compared to 63% in full light. Seeds buried in the soil for one and two years showed a germination of 78%, significantly higher than that of fresh ripe seeds, thus suggesting a stimulating effect of cold-wet stratification on germination and long seed survival in the soil. In grasslands with established populations ofS. aquaticus, the number of germinable seeds of the species ranged from 361 to 1875 m-2in topsoil (0–10 cm) with an average of 1139 m-2. The large seed bank and the rapid and high germination ofS. aquaticussuggest that allowing seed formation is important for its preservation in relic populations. With respect to agricultural grassland, strategies to control the species should initially target hindering seed production and dispersal.
Hope, older adults, and chronic illness: a metasynthesis of qualitative research
Authors: Duggleby Wendy , Hicks Deborah , Nekolaichuk Cheryl , Holtslander Lorraine , Williams Allison , Chambers Thane , Eby Jeannette
Published: January 2012

duggleby w., hicks d., nekolaichuk c., holtslander l., williams a., chambers t. & eby j. (2012) Hope, older adults, and chronic illness: a metasynthesis of qualitative research. Journal of Advanced Nursing68(6), 1211–1223.

Aim.  To report a metasynthesis review of qualitative research studies exploring the hope experience of older persons with chronic illness.

Background.  Hope is a psychosocial resource used by persons to deal with their chronic illness experience.

Data sources.  A comprehensive search of multiple databases for studies of the hope experience (published 1980–2010) was completed. Inclusion criteria were included qualitative studies of the hope experience of persons (all genders; mean age 60 years and older), with chronic illnesses, and publications in any language and country.

Review methods.  The metasynthesis followed four procedural steps: (a) comprehensive search, (b) quality appraisal, (c) classification of studies, and (d) synthesis of findings.

Results.  Twenty studies were included in the metasynthesis representing research from a variety of different countries and populations with differing medical diagnoses. The characteristics of hope included: (a) dynamic or situational nature, (b) multiple co‐existing types, (c) objects that were desirable realistic possibilities, (d) future‐focused, and (e) involvement of choice/will. Hope as ‘transcending possibilities’ represented the integration of two processes of transcendence and positive reappraisal. Reaching inwardly and outwardly and finding meaning and purpose were sub‐processes of transcendence, whereas re‐evaluating hope in light of illness and finding positive possibilities were sub‐processes of positive reappraisal.

Conclusions.  The concept of hope may differ for older adults vs. younger adults in its interaction with suffering. Resources for hope are both internal and external. Finding meaning and positive reappraisal are important strategies to help older adults with chronic illness maintain their hope.
Resurrecting an extinct salmon evolutionarily significant unit: archived scales, historical DNA and implications for restoration
Authors: IWAMOTO ERIC M. , MYERS JAMES M. , GUSTAFSON RICHARD G.
Published: January 2012

Archival scales from 603 sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), sampled from May to July 1924 in the lower Columbia River, were analysed for genetic variability at 12 microsatellite loci and compared to 17 present‐day O. nerka populations—exhibiting either anadromous (sockeye salmon) or nonanadromous (kokanee) life histories—from throughout the Columbia River Basin, including areas upstream of impassable dams built subsequent to 1924. Statistical analyses identified four major genetic assemblages of sockeye salmon in the 1924 samples. Two of these putative historical groupings were found to be genetically similar to extant evolutionarily significant units (ESUs) in the Okanogan and Wenatchee Rivers (pairwise FST = 0.004 and 0.002, respectively), and assignment tests were able to allocate 77% of the fish in these two historical groupings to the contemporary Okanogan River and Lake Wenatchee ESUs. A third historical genetic grouping was most closely aligned with contemporary sockeye salmon in Redfish Lake, Idaho, although the association was less robust (pairwise FST = 0.060). However, a fourth genetic grouping did not appear to be related to any contemporary sockeye salmon or kokanee population, assigned poorly to the O. nerka baseline, and had distinctive early return migration timing, suggesting that this group represents a historical ESU originating in headwater lakes in British Columbia that was probably extirpated sometime after 1924. The lack of a contemporary O. nerka population possessing the genetic legacy of this extinct ESU indicates that efforts to reestablish early‐migrating sockeye salmon to the headwater lakes region of the Columbia River will be difficult.
Elevated levels of IFNγ and LIGHT in the spinal cord of patients with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Aebischer J. , Moumen A. , Sazdovitch V. , Seilhean D. , Meininger V. , Raoul C.
Published: January 2012

Background:  Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a paralytic and fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by the gradual loss of both upper and lower motoneurons. There is compelling evidence from ALS experimental models that neuroinflammation actively contributes to motoneuron damage. We recently proposed that interferon gamma (IFNγ), a potent proinflammatory cytokine, induces motoneuron death by eliciting the activation of the lymphotoxin beta receptor (LT‐βR) through its ligand LIGHT. Here, we explore the pertinence of this non‐cell‐autonomous mechanism in human ALS.

Methods:  The levels and expression pattern of IFNγ, LIGHT, and LT‐βR were investigated by Western blot and immunohistochemical analysis in spinal cord of patients with sporadic ALS.

Results:  We observed significant increased levels of IFNγ in human ALS spinal cords compared to control cases. We found that large ventral horn neurons as well as glial cells were immunoreactive for IFNγ in sporadic ALS spinal cord. We further observed that LIGHT and LT‐βR were expressed mainly by motoneurons in both ALS and control cases, and while LT‐βR levels remained constant between ALS and control cases, LIGHT levels were increased in human ALS spinal cords.

Conclusion:  These findings in sporadic ALS cases, which are consistent with the observation made in ALS experimental models, propose that the IFNγ‐triggered LIGHT/LT‐βR‐mediated death pathway may contribute to human ALS pathogenesis.
High anti‐EBNA‐1 IgG levels are associated with early‐onset myasthenia gravis
Authors: Csuka D. , Banati M. , Rozsa C. , Füst G. , Illes Z.
Published: January 2012

Background:  Myasthenia gravis (MG) is an autoimmune disorder mediated by antibodies against the acethylcholine receptor (AchR) of the neuromuscular junction in the majority of patients.

Methods:  Here, we examined IgG antibodies against the type 1 nuclear antigen of Epstein‐Barr virus (EBNA‐1) in the sera of 158 patients with MG compared to 184 healthy controls.

Results:  Although serum concentration in the sera was not different, high anti‐EBNA‐1 IgG titers (above 90th percentile of the normal values) were more common in the patients (26.6 vs. 16.3%, P = 0.024). In addition, high EBNA‐1 IgG levels occurred more frequently amongst the 94 patients with early‐onset myasthenia gravis (EOMG, 30.8%) as compared to the 64 patients with late‐onset disease (LOMG, 14.1%) (P = 0.021). Using multiple logistic regression, high serum concentration of the anti‐EBNA‐1 IgG antibodies was significantly associated with EOMG (OR: 3.17, P = 0.027), even after adjustment for sex, presence/absence of anti‐AchR antibodies and presence/absence of anti‐Titin antibodies. Out of 39 patients with EOMG, who underwent thymectomy, 18 patients (46%) had thymoma, 6 had thymic hyperplasia (15%), and 15 patients had thymic atrophy (39%); there was no difference comparing EBNA‐1 antibody titers in the sera. As no correlation was found between the titers of anti‐AchR, anti‐Titin, and EBNA‐1 antibodies, a dysregulated heterogeneous B‐cell response was unlikely to be responsible for the elevated levels of EBV‐associated antibody in patients.

Conclusions:  In summary, our data suggest that high levels of EBNA‐1 antibodies are more common in MG compared to healthy controls and are especially associated with EOMG.
A Co-Evolutionary Approach for Design Optimization via Ensembles of Surrogates With Application to Vehicle Crashworthiness
Authors: Hamza Karim , Saitou Kazuhiro
Published: January 2012

In many engineering application, where accurate models require lengthy numerical computations, it is a common design practice to perform design of experiments (DOE) and construct surrogate models that provide computationally-inexpensive approximations. Main challenges to that approach are (i) construction of high-fidelity surrogates and (ii) discovery of high performance designs despite the fidelity limitations. An ensemble of surrogates (EOS) is a collection of different surrogates approximating the same process (typically with some form of weighted averaging to get an overall approximation) and has been demonstrated in the literature to often exhibit better performance than any of the individual surrogates. This paper presents a Multi-Scenario Co-evolutionary Genetic Algorithm (MSCGA) for design optimization via EOS. MSCGA simultaneously evolves multiple populations in a multi-objective sense via the predicted performance by the different surrogates within the ensemble. The outputs of the algorithm are solution sets including several designs that are spread over Pareto-optimal space of best-predictions by the surrogates within EOS, as well as best designs as predicted by individual surrogates and the weighted average of the EOS. Studies using analytical test functions show MSCGA to be more likely to discover better performing designs than an individual surrogate or a weighted ensemble. The primary application for MSCGA presented in this paper is that of vehicle structural crashworthiness since it is a typical design application that requires massive computational resources for accurate modeling. Two studies, which include simplified and detailed vehicle models, MSCGA successfully discovers new high performance designs.
Efficient Propagation of Error Through System Models for Functions Common in Engineering
Authors: Anderson Travis V. , Mattson Christopher A. , Larson Brad J. , Fullwood David T.
Published: January 2012

System modeling can help designers make and verify design decisions early in the design process if the model’s accuracy can be determined. The formula typically used to analytically propagate error is based on a first-order Taylor series expansion. Consequently, this formula can be wrong by one or more orders of magnitude for nonlinear systems. Clearly, adding higher-order terms increases the accuracy of the approximation but it also requires higher computational cost. This paper shows that truncation error can be reduced and accuracy increased without additional computational cost by applying a predictable correction factor to lower-order approximations. The efficiency of this method is demonstrated in the kinematic model of a flapping wing. While Taylor series error propagation is typically applicable only to closed-form equations, the procedure followed in this paper may be used with other types of models, provided that model outputs can be determined from model inputs, derivatives can be calculated, and truncation error is predictable.
MoDiSo: A TOOL FOR BUILDING CONTRACT DISPUTE RESOLUTION SYSTEMS
Authors: HUNG NGUYEN DUY , THANG PHAN MINH , DUNG PHAN MINH
Published: January 2012

Real-world dispute resolution should be guided by laws, even if such disputes may be resolved by bodies other than the court of laws. Hence in order to build contract dispute resolution systems we need a tool capable of representing, reasoning and programming with contract laws. In this paper we present such a tool called MoDiSo (MOdular Argumentation for DIspute ReSOlution ) which combines the strengths of state-of-the-art argumentation-based techniques for different aspects of law, to propose: first, a modular architecture for contract dispute resolution systems with an edit-compile-dispute loop facilitating incremental system developments; and second, a methodology to represent and reason with legal doctrines in contract laws in the formal language of assumption-based argumentation. We demonstrate the tool with several legal doctrines for performance relief in common law of contracts. As a by-product, we obtain a dispute resolution system capable of explaining legal outcomes by automatically generating relevant arguments.
The Impact of Assimilating Atmospheric Infrared Sounder Observation on the Forecast of Typhoon Tracks
Authors: Chou Chien-Ben , Huang Huei-Ping
Published: January 2012

This work assesses the effects of assimilating atmospheric infrared sounder (AIRS) observations on typhoon prediction using the three-dimensional variational data assimilation (3DVAR) and forecasting system of the weather research and forecasting (WRF) model. Two major parameters in the data assimilation scheme, the spatial decorrelation scale and the magnitude of the covariance matrix of the background error, are varied in forecast experiments for the track of typhoon Sinlaku over the Western Pacific. The results show that within a wide parameter range, the inclusion of the AIRS observation improves the prediction. Outside this range, notably when the decorrelation scale of the background error is set to a large value, forcing the assimilation of AIRS data leads to degradation of the forecast. This illustrates how the impact of satellite data on the forecast depends on the adjustable parameters for data assimilation. The parameter-sweeping framework is potentially useful for improving operational typhoon prediction.
The Phonetics of Talk in Interaction – Introduction to the Special Issue
Authors: Ogden Richard
Published: January 2012

This overview paper provides an introduction to work on naturally-occurring speech data, combining techniques of conversation analysis with techniques and methods from phonetics. The paper describes the development of the field, highlighting current challenges and progress in interdisciplinary work. It considers the role of quantification and its relationship to a qualitative methodology. It presents the conversation analytic notion of sequence as a version of context, and argues that sequences of talk constrain relevant phonetic design, and so provide one account for variability in naturally occurring speech. The paper also describes the manipulation of speech and language on many levels simultaneously. All of these themes occur and are explored in more detail in the papers contained in this special issue.
Adverbial and Relative to-Infinitives
Authors: Simonin Olivier
Published: January 2012

The purpose of this article is to provide a new analysis of an ill-understood type of infinitival clause, which has been previously labeled purpose clauses or elliptical infinitive clauses and is called weak purposive clauses (WPCs) here. It starts with a puzzle: some infinitives can be parsed as either adverbial or relative, as is evidenced in the ICE-GB corpus, which has been used for illustrative purposes. In The spider monkey picks leaves or fruit to eat, the infinitive to eat is potentially parsed as adverbial (‘in order to eat them’) or relative (‘which it can then eat’). The author demonstrates that those infinitives, for which the distinction is neutralized, pertain to the WPC class and need to be distinguished from typical relative infinitives and infinitival rationale clauses (traditional adverbial clauses of purpose). The semantic and syntactic properties of the class are described in full detail (e.g., meaning, control properties), including several properties that have gone unnoticed (the variety of gap functions, the potential absence of gaps, double relativization) or failed to be adequately explained (these infinitives’ assertoric force). It appears that for most WPCs, a continuative (relative) clause interpretation is superimposed on an adverbial one, leading to syntactic ambiguity.
Peaceful Spaces? “Walking” through the New Liminal Spaces of Peacebuilding and Development in North Belfast
Authors: Mitchell Audra , Kelly Liam
Published: January 2012

Strategies of international peacebuilding depend on the creation of secure, manageable spaces that embody the norms of intervening actors. This article examines attempts by governmental and international donors to create pockets of “peaceful space” in Belfast’s city center, and their effects on the surrounding neighborhoods of north Belfast. Using the technique of an ethnographic walk, we examine several key sites that reflect how the creation of “peaceful spaces” has also generated distinctive “outsides” shaped by interfaces, enclaves, and complex patterns of conflict. By reframing these spaces as a result rather than solely a precondition of peacebuilding activities, this article challenges the assumption that conflict degrades the spaces in the outside areas of “peaceful space” and that peacebuilding strategies ameliorate them. Instead, we argue that development and peacebuilding strategies have generated deterritorialized spaces whose status and ownership is indeterminate, in which the right of access and use is unclear, and in which the conditions created by constant and always incomplete transformation are used to justify intensive securitization and modes of control.
Assessing Latina/o Undergraduates’ Depressive Symptomatology
Authors: Gloria Alberta M. , Castellanos Jeanett , Kanagui-Muñoz Marlen , Rico Melissa A.
Published: January 2012

The use of depression scales as screening tools at university and college centers is increasing and thus, the question of whether scales are culturally valid for different student groups is increasingly more relevant with increased severity of depression for students and changing student demographics. As such, this study examined the reliability and validity of three commonly used depression scales with 203 Latina/o undergraduates. The scales varied in item response, assessment, reliability, convergent and construct validity, and detection of sex and class standing differences for the study’s sample. The strengths and limitations of implementing the scales with Latina/o undergraduates are addressed for research and within practice settings.
Bargaining and the effectiveness of international criminal regimes
Authors: Ritter Emily Hencken , Wolford Scott
Published: January 2012

International institutions lack the independent ability to punish non-compliance, but states sustain cooperation because they can target one another for punishment. In contrast, international criminal courts and tribunals (ICTs) can enforce rulings once suspects are in custody, but they lack the independent power of capture, leaving them unable to punish alleged criminals and therefore deter crime. We analyze a game between an ICT and a suspect to assess the potential of pre-arrest bargaining as a solution to the problem of capture. We show that ICTs that bargain with fugitives will be able to secure their surrender and administer justice, although this comes at the cost of incentivizing some crime. Further, those courts least able to secure their suspects’ capture will, surprisingly, be the most willing to issue warrants. International institutions may thus be able to achieve compliance even when faced with uncooperative member states.
Why does the majority party bother to have minority party members on committees?
Authors: Park Hong Min
Published: January 2012

Why would a generic parliament have committees with minority party members? If the majority party considers minority party committee members a burden, then it could choose to exclude minority party members entirely from the committee system. This, however, has rarely happened in history. In this paper, I provide an informational rationale for the bipartisan committee system through a simple signaling model. I show that, in equilibrium, the majority party on the floor can extract better information and, therefore, enact more preferred policy outcomes by forming committees with members of both parties.
Experimental investigation of the brake system’s efficiency for commercial vehicles equipped with disc brakes
Authors: Tretsiak Dzmitry
Published: January 2012

The development of a technique for carrying out road and bench tests on the brake system components of vehicles and their simulation with the use of a modern computer environment and software are actual scientific problems. This paper describes different ways for carrying out road and bench tests on the brake systems of vehicles with the help of the hardware-in-the-loop technique. It covers the following issues: substantiation of positive feedback introduction into disc brakes to provide a self-boosting effect; the concept of disc brake design with self-boosting which has minimal hysteresis and a very rapid rate and can be used for different types of vehicle brake system; estimation of the dependence of the brake system’s efficiency for a medium-duty truck on the hysteresis value of the disc brakes with the help of bench tests (the analytical dependences of the braking distance on the relative change in the hysteresis will be obtained and can be used for definition of the brake system’s efficiency in accordance with the hysteresis value of the disc brakes); analysis of the self-boosting influence of the disc brakes on the brake system’s efficiency of a truck tractor on the basis of road test results. To a first approximation it will be substantiated that the efficiency of the vehicle’s brake system can be enhanced using the proposed disc brake with self-boosting.
Braking torque control using recurrent neural networks
Authors: Ćirović Velimir , Aleksendrić Dragan , Mladenović Dušan
Published: January 2012

The basic problem in the operation of automotive brakes is the unpredictable nature of the tribological processes that occur at the contact of the friction pair. The stochastic nature of the tribological contact of the disc brake is affected differently by the complex interaction between the brake disc and the friction material under different conditions because of the influences of the applied pressure, the speed and the brake interface temperature. Owing to the highly dynamic non-linear change in the braking torque induced by the complex situation at the contact of the disc brake, the braking torque could not be modelled, predicted and controlled using classical mathematical methods. This is related, in particular, to the dynamic change in the braking torque in a braking cycle. Dynamic modelling and prediction of the braking torque is very important for further improvement in the performance of the brakes of motor vehicles through more precise control of their performance with respect to the driver demands and the change in the adhesion between the tyre and the road. Recurrent dynamic neural networks were employed in this paper for modelling, prediction and control of the dynamic change in the braking torque during a braking cycle. The dynamic functional relationship between the changes in the applied pressure, the sliding speed, the brake interface temperature and the braking torque of the disc brake was established. The dynamic model developed was used to predict and control the braking torque during a braking cycle under different disc brake operation conditions.
Characterization of an injection-moulded car audio chassis made of polycarbonate–(acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene)-based composite using metal-coated carbon fibre
Authors: Jeon Seong Ho , Chung Chin Hun , Kim Heon Mo , Han Won Hee , Jung Il-Eui , Choi Byoung-Ho
Published: January 2012

Engineering plastics are widely used as a substitute for stainless steel in the automobile industry to reduce weight and to improve fuel efficiency. In this paper, a polycarbonate–(acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene)-based composite with nickel-coated carbon fibre was developed, and the application of the composite to a lightweight car audio chassis was examined. The mechanical and electrical properties of the composite were evaluated through various physical tests, i.e. tensile, impact, flexural and electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness tests. In addition, the characteristics of this material were compared with those of a material previously developed by the present authors, i.e. a polycarbonate–(acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene)-based composite with metal fibre and glass fibre. Finally, the actual car audio chassis was made by injection moulding under various moulding conditions pertaining to the injection speed and the tool temperature to find the optimum injection-moulding conditions. Two required key tests, i.e. a full-scale electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness test and vibration analysis, were conducted to confirm the applicability of the polycarbonate–(acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene)-based composite with nickel-coated carbon fibre as a material for a car audio chassis.