bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Effect of Freestream Turbulence on Deposition for Nozzle Guide Vanes
Authors: Whitaker Steven M. , Prenter Robin , Bons Jeffrey P.
Published: August 2015

An evaluation of the effect of freestream turbulence intensity on the rate of deposit accumulation for nozzle guide vanes (NGVs) was performed using the turbine reacting flow rig (TuRFR) accelerated deposition facility. The TuRFR allowed flows up to 1350 K at inlet Mach numbers of 0.1 to be seeded with coal fly ash particulate in order to rapidly evaluate deposit formation on CFM56 NGVs. Hot film and particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements were taken to assess the freestream turbulence with and without the presence of a grid upstream of the NGVs. It was determined that baseline turbulence levels were approximately half that of the flow exiting typical gas turbine combustors and were reduced by approximately 30% with the grid installed. Deposition tests indicated that the rate of deposition increases as the freestream turbulence is increased, and that this increase depends upon the particle size distribution. For ash with a mass median diameter of 4.63 μm, the increase in capture efficiency was approximately a factor of 1.77, while for ash with a larger median diameter of 6.48 μm, the capture efficiency increased by a factor of 1.84. The increase in capture efficiency is due to the increased diffusion of particles to the vane surface via turbulent diffusion. Based on these results, smaller particles appear to be less susceptible to this mechanism of particle delivery. Overall, the experiments indicate that the reduction of turbulence intensity upstream of NGVs may lead to reduced deposit accumulation, and consequently, increased service life. A computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis was performed at turbulence levels equivalent to the experiments to assess the ability of built-in particle tracking models to capture the physics of turbulent diffusion. Impact efficiencies were shown to increase from 21% to 73% as the freestream turbulence was increased from 5.8% to 8.4%. An analysis incorporating the mass of the particles into the impact efficiency resulted in an increase of the mass-based impact efficiency from 17% to 27% with increasing turbulence. Relating these impact efficiencies directly to capture efficiencies, the predicted increase in capture efficiency with higher turbulence is less than that observed in the experiments. In addition, the variation in the impact efficiencies between the two ash sizes was smaller than the capture efficiency difference from experiments. This indicates that the particle tracking models are not capturing all of the relevant physics associated with turbulent diffusion of airborne particles.
Optimization of annealing temperature for high-κ-based gate oxides using differential scanning calorimetry
Authors: Biswas Debaleen , Sinha Anil Kumar , Chakraborty Supratic
Published: August 2015

This study investigates the crystallization process for thin high-κ dielectric films and optimal annealing temperature range in the field of high-κ dielectric-based metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) technology. A differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) technique is employed to understand the thermal behavior of thin high-κ dielectric HfO2 films deposited on Si by radio frequency sputtering. The exothermic trends of the DSC signal and grazing incidence x-ray diffraction data indicate an amorphous-to-crystalline transition in the high-κ films at higher temperatures. The enthalpy-temperature variation indicates a glass temperature (Tg) at ∼590 °C, beyond which an amorphous to m-HfO2 crystalline transition takes place. Further, the Hf-silicate formation, observed in DSC measurements and corroborated by Fourier transformed infrared spectroscopy studies, indicates that the process of Hf-silicate formation begins at ∼717 °C. High-frequency capacitance–voltage (C–V) and current density–voltage (J–V) characteristics establish that film crystallization is not the root cause of electrical degradation in the high-κ-based MOS devices. Rather, the devices degrade due to formation of interfacial Hf-silicate.
Low Cardiorespiratory Fitness Is Partially Linked to Ventilatory Factors in Obese Adolescents
Authors: Mendelson Monique , Michallet Anne-Sophie , Tonini Julia , Favre-Juvin Anne , Guinot Michel , Wuyam Bernard , Flore Patrice
Published: August 2015

Aim:

To examine the role of ventilatory constraint on cardiorespiratory fitness in obese adolescents.

Methods:

Thirty obese adolescents performed a maximal incremental cycling exercise and were divided into 2 groups based on maximal oxygen uptake (VO2peak): those presenting low (L; n = 15; VO2peak: 72.9 ± 8.6% predicted) or normal (N; n = 15; VO2peak: 113.6 ± 19.2% predicted) cardiorespiratory fitness. Both were compared with a group of healthy controls (C; n = 20; VO2peak: 103.1 ± 11.2% predicted). Ventilatory responses were explored using the flow volume loop method.

Results:

Cardiorespiratory fitness (VO2peak, in % predicted) was lower in L compared with C and N and was moderately associated with the percent predicted forced vital capacity (FVC) (r = .52; p < .05) in L. At peak exercise, end inspiratory point was lower in L compared with N and C (77.4 ± 8.1, 86.4 ± 7.7, and 89.9 ± 7.6% FVC in L, N, and C, respectively; p < .05), suggesting an increased risk of ventilatory constraint in L, although at peak exercise this difference could be attributed to the lower maximal ventilation in L.

Conclusion:

Forced vital capacity and ventilatory strategy to incremental exercise slightly differed between N and L. These results suggest a modest participation of ventilatory factors to exercise intolerance.
Wnt to YAP pathway
Authors: Gough Nancy R.
Published: August 2015

Wnt signals through G proteins to activate the transcriptional coregulators YAP and TAZ.
Membrane potential regulates growth
Authors: Ray L. Bryan
Published: August 2015

Changing the voltage across the plasma membrane causes clustering of a small guanosine triphosphatase.
Sensititre MycoTB Plate Compared to Bactec MGIT 960 for First- and Second-Line Antituberculosis Drug Susceptibility Testing in Tanzania: a Call To Operationalize MICs
Authors: Heysell Scott K. , Pholwat Suporn , Mpagama Stellah G. , Pazia Saumu J. , Kumburu Happy , Ndusilo Norah , Gratz Jean , Houpt Eric R. , Kibiki Gibson S.
Published: August 2015

MIC testing for
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
is now commercially available. Drug susceptibility testing by the MycoTB MIC plate has not been directly compared to that by the Bactec MGIT 960. We describe a case of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) in Tanzania where initial MIC testing may have prevented acquired resistance. From testing on archived isolates, the accuracy with the MycoTB plate was >90% for important first- and second-line drugs compared to that with the MGIT 960, and clinically useful quantitative interpretation was also provided.
Mutation of
Rv2887
, a
marR
-Like Gene, Confers Mycobacterium tuberculosis Resistance to an Imidazopyridine-Based Agent
Authors: Winglee Kathryn , Lun Shichun , Pieroni Marco , Kozikowski Alan , Bishai William
Published: August 2015

Drug resistance is a major problem in
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
control, and it is critical to identify novel drug targets and new antimycobacterial compounds. We have previously identified an imidazo[1,2-
a
]pyridine-4-carbonitrile-based agent, MP-III-71, with strong activity against
M. tuberculosis
. In this study, we evaluated mechanisms of resistance to MP-III-71. We derived three independent
M. tuberculosis
mutants resistant to MP-III-71 and conducted whole-genome sequencing of these mutants. Loss-of-function mutations in
Rv2887
were common to all three MP-III-71-resistant mutants, and we confirmed the role of
Rv2887
as a gene required for MP-III-71 susceptibility using complementation. The Rv2887 protein was previously unannotated, but domain and homology analyses suggested it to be a transcriptional regulator in the MarR (multiple antibiotic resistance repressor) family, a group of proteins first identified in
Escherichia coli
to negatively regulate efflux pumps and other mechanisms of multidrug resistance. We found that two efflux pump inhibitors, verapamil and chlorpromazine, potentiate the action of MP-III-71 and that mutation of
Rv2887
abrogates their activity. We also used transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) to identify genes which are differentially expressed in the presence and absence of a functional Rv2887 protein. We found that genes involved in benzoquinone and menaquinone biosynthesis were repressed by functional Rv2887. Thus, inactivating mutations of
Rv2887
, encoding a putative MarR-like transcriptional regulator, confer resistance to MP-III-71, an effective antimycobacterial compound that shows no cross-resistance to existing antituberculosis drugs. The mechanism of resistance of
M. tuberculosis
Rv2887
mutants may involve efflux pump upregulation and also drug methylation.
Antibiofilm and Membrane-Damaging Potential of Cuprous Oxide Nanoparticles against Staphylococcus aureus with Reduced Susceptibility to Vancomycin
Authors: Singh Avinash , Ahmed Asar , Prasad Kashi N. , Khanduja Sonali , Singh Satyendra K. , Srivastava Janmejai K. , Gajbhiye Namdeo S.
Published: August 2015

The antimicrobial effects of copper ions and salts are well known, but the effects of cuprous oxide nanoparticles (Cu
2
O-NPs) on staphylococcal biofilms have not yet been clearly revealed. The present study evaluated Cu
2
O-NPs for their antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against heterogeneous vancomycin-intermediate
Staphylococcus aureus
(hVISA) and vancomycin-intermediate
S. aureus
(VISA). Nanoscaled Cu
2
O, generated by solution phase technology, contained Cu
2
O octahedral nanoparticles. Field emission electron microscopy demonstrated particles with sizes ranging from 100 to 150 nm. Cu
2
O-NPs inhibited the growth of
S. aureus
and showed antibiofilm activity. The MICs and minimum biofilm inhibitory concentrations ranged from 625 μg/ml to 5,000 μg/ml and from 2,500 μg/ml to 10,000 μg/ml, respectively. Exposure of
S. aureus
to Cu
2
O-NPs caused leakage of the cellular constituents and increased uptake of ethidium bromide and propidium iodide. Exposure also caused a significant reduction in the overall vancomycin-BODIPY (dipyrromethene boron difluoride [4,4-difluoro-4-bora-3
a
,4
a
-diaza-
s
-indacene] fluorescent dye) binding and a decrease in the viable cell count in the presence of 7.5% sodium chloride. Cu
2
O-NP toxicity assessment by hemolysis assay showed no cytotoxicity at 625 to 10,000 μg/ml concentrations. The results suggest that Cu
2
O-NPs exert their action by disruption of the bacterial cell membrane and can be used as effective antistaphylococcal and antibiofilm agents in diverse medical devices.
In Vitro
Interactions of Antifungal Agents and Tacrolimus against Aspergillus Biofilms
Authors: Gao Lujuan , Sun Yi
Published: August 2015

Aspergillus
biofilms were prepared from
Aspergillus fumigatus
,
Aspergillus flavus
, and
Aspergillus terreus
via a 96-well plate-based method, and the combined antifungal activity of tacrolimus with azoles or amphotericin B against
Aspergillus
biofilms was investigated via a broth microdilution checkerboard technique system. Our results suggest that combinations of tacrolimus with voriconazole or amphotericin B have synergistic inhibitory activity against
Aspergillus
biofilms. However, combinations of tacrolimus with itraconazole or posaconazole exhibit no synergistic or antagonistic effects.
Dissemination of Carbapenemase-Producing Enterobacteriaceae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Romania
Authors: Dortet Laurent , Flonta Mirela , Boudehen Yves-Marie , Creton Elodie , Bernabeu Sandrine , Vogel Anaïs , Naas Thierry
Published: August 2015

Fifteen carbapenemase-producing
Enterobacteriaceae
isolates and 12 carbapenemase-producing
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
isolates were recovered from patients hospitalized between August 2011 and March 2013 at the Hospital of Infectious Disease, Cluj-Napoca, Romania. One KPC-, nine NDM-1-, four OXA-48-, and one VIM-4-producing
Enterobacteriaceae
isolates along with 11 VIM-2-producing and one IMP-13-producing
P. aeruginosa
isolates were recovered from clinical samples. All carbapenemase genes were located on self-conjugative plasmids and were associated with other resistance determinants, including extended-spectrum β-lactamases and RmtC methylases.
Novel Insights into the Molecular Events Linking to Cell Death Induced by Tetracycline in the Amitochondriate Protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis
Authors: Huang Kuo-Yang , Ku Fu-Man , Cheng Wei-Hung , Lee Chi-Ching , Huang Po-Jung , Chu Lichieh Julie , Cheng Chih-Chieh , Fang Yi-Kai , Wu Hsueh-Hsia , Tang Petrus
Published: August 2015

Trichomonas vaginalis
colonizes the human urogenital tract and causes trichomoniasis, the most common nonviral sexually transmitted disease. Currently, 5-nitroimidazoles are the only recommended drugs for treating trichomoniasis. However, increased resistance of the parasite to 5-nitroimidazoles has emerged as a highly problematic public health issue. Hence, it is essential to identify alternative chemotherapeutic agents against refractory trichomoniasis. Tetracycline (TET) is a broad-spectrum antibiotic with activity against several protozoan parasites, but the mode of action of TET in parasites remains poorly understood. The
in vitro
effect of TET on the growth of
T. vaginalis
was examined, and the mode of cell death was verified by various apoptosis-related assays. Next-generation sequencing-based RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was employed to elucidate the transcriptome of
T. vaginalis
in response to TET. We show that TET has a cytotoxic effect on both metronidazole (MTZ)-sensitive and -resistant
T. vaginalis
isolates, inducing some features resembling apoptosis. RNA-seq data reveal that TET significantly alters the transcriptome via activation of specific pathways, such as aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases and carbohydrate metabolism. Functional analyses demonstrate that TET disrupts the hydrogenosomal membrane potential and antioxidant system, which concomitantly elicits a metabolic shift toward glycolysis, suggesting that the hydrogenosomal function is impaired and triggers cell death. Collectively, we provide
in vitro
evidence that TET is a potential alternative therapeutic choice for treating MTZ-resistant
T. vaginalis
. The in-depth transcriptomic signatures in
T. vaginalis
upon TET treatment presented here will shed light on the signaling pathways linking to cell death in amitochondriate organisms.
In Vivo
Formation of the Protein Disulfide Bond That Enhances the Thermostability of Diphosphomevalonate Decarboxylase, an Intracellular Enzyme from the Hyperthermophilic Archaeon Sulfolobus solfataricus
Authors: Hattori Ai , Unno Hideaki , Goda Shuichiro , Motoyama Kento , Yoshimura Tohru , Hemmi Hisashi
Published: August 2015

In the present study, the crystal structure of recombinant diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase from the hyperthermophilic archaeon
Sulfolobus solfataricus
was solved as the first example of an archaeal and thermophile-derived diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase. The enzyme forms a homodimer, as expected for most eukaryotic and bacterial orthologs. Interestingly, the subunits of the homodimer are connected via an intersubunit disulfide bond, which presumably formed during the purification process of the recombinant enzyme expressed in
Escherichia coli
. When mutagenesis replaced the disulfide-forming cysteine residue with serine, however, the thermostability of the enzyme was significantly lowered. In the presence of β-mercaptoethanol at a concentration where the disulfide bond was completely reduced, the wild-type enzyme was less stable to heat. Moreover, Western blot analysis combined with nonreducing SDS-PAGE of the whole cells of
S. solfataricus
proved that the disulfide bond was predominantly formed in the cells. These results suggest that the disulfide bond is required for the cytosolic enzyme to acquire further thermostability and to exert activity at the growth temperature of
S. solfataricus
.

IMPORTANCE
This study is the first report to describe the crystal structures of archaeal diphosphomevalonate decarboxylase, an enzyme involved in the classical mevalonate pathway. A stability-conferring intersubunit disulfide bond is a remarkable feature that is not found in eukaryotic and bacterial orthologs. The evidence that the disulfide bond also is formed in
S. solfataricus
cells suggests its physiological importance.
Minimal Peptidoglycan (PG) Turnover in Wild-Type and PG Hydrolase and Cell Division Mutants of Streptococcus pneumoniae D39 Growing Planktonically and in Host-Relevant Biofilms
Authors: Boersma Michael J. , Kuru Erkin , Rittichier Jonathan T. , VanNieuwenhze Michael S. , Brun Yves V. , Winkler Malcolm E.
Published: August 2015

We determined whether there is turnover of the peptidoglycan (PG) cell wall of the ovococcus bacterial pathogen
Streptococcus pneumoniae
(pneumococcus). Pulse-chase experiments on serotype 2 strain D39 radiolabeled with
N
-acetylglucosamine revealed little turnover and release of PG breakdown products during growth compared to published reports of PG turnover in
Bacillus subtilis
. PG dynamics were visualized directly by long-pulse–chase–new-labeling experiments using two colors of
f
luorescent

d

-
a
mino
a
cid (FDAA) probes to microscopically detect regions of new PG synthesis. Consistent with minimal PG turnover, hemispherical regions of stable “old” PG persisted in D39 and TIGR4 (serotype 4) cells grown in rich brain heart infusion broth, in D39 cells grown in chemically defined medium containing glucose or galactose as the carbon source, and in D39 cells grown as biofilms on a layer of fixed human epithelial cells. In contrast,
B. subtilis
exhibited rapid sidewall PG turnover in similar FDAA-labeling experiments. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of biochemically released peptides from
S. pneumoniae
PG validated that FDAAs incorporated at low levels into pentamer PG peptides and did not change the overall composition of PG peptides. PG dynamics were also visualized in mutants lacking PG hydrolases that mediate PG remodeling, cell separation, or autolysis and in cells lacking the MapZ and DivIVA division regulators. In all cases, hemispheres of stable old PG were maintained. In PG hydrolase mutants exhibiting aberrant division plane placement, FDAA labeling revealed patches of inert PG at turns and bulge points. We conclude that growing
S. pneumoniae
cells exhibit minimal PG turnover compared to the PG turnover in rod-shaped cells.

IMPORTANCE
PG cell walls are unique to eubacteria, and many bacterial species turn over and recycle their PG during growth, stress, colonization, and virulence. Consequently, PG breakdown products serve as signals for bacteria to induce antibiotic resistance and as activators of innate immune responses.
S. pneumoniae
is a commensal bacterium that colonizes the human nasopharynx and opportunistically causes serious respiratory and invasive diseases. The results presented here demonstrate a distinct demarcation between regions of old PG and regions of new PG synthesis and minimal turnover of PG in
S. pneumoniae
cells growing in culture or in host-relevant biofilms. These findings suggest that
S. pneumoniae
minimizes the release of PG breakdown products by turnover, which may contribute to evasion of the innate immune system.
Sequential argon-YAG laser membranotomy of extensive persistent pupillary membrane with visual loss
Authors: Mansour Ahmad M , Hamade Issam , Antonios Rafic S
Published: August 2015

A 20-year-old woman, a registered nurse, presented with best-corrected visual acuity of 6/15 (20/50) due to bilateral extensive persistent pupillary membrane. Sequential argon laser photocoagulation of the iris strands at the pupillary membrane iris collarette followed by neodymium:YAG laser lysis resulted in partial clearing of the central visual axis without bleeding. Best-corrected visual acuity improved to 6/9 (20/30) bilaterally without complications noted 1 year after combined laser therapy.
An atypical case of vasospastic angina: demonstrating the usefulness of Holter monitoring
Authors: Ganiga Sanjeeva Naveen Chandra , Shetty Ranjan K , Agarwal Sumit
Published: August 2015

Prinzmetal variant angina or vasospastic angina is a clinical syndrome characterised by episodic chest pain and transient reversible ST segment changes in ECG. The aetiology and treatment of the condition are quite different compared to those of conventional coronary artery disease. The crux of the problem in variant angina patients remains the diagnosis, especially if coexisting coronary artery disease is present. Timely diagnosis not only helps relieve symptoms, it also prevents complications such as ventricular tachycardia. Conventional provocative tests are used for diagnosis of such conditions; they have varied sensitively and specificity, and are cumbersome to perform. We present a case of an elderly man who presented with recurrent episodes of breathlessness and chest pain, where Holter monitoring proved to be a better mode for diagnosing variant angina than more invasive provocative tests. In this report, we reemphasis the role of this simple non-invasive diagnostic mode for diagnosis of variant angina.
Seizure induced polytrauma; not just posterior dislocation of the shoulder
Authors: Gill James Ritchie , Murphy Colin G , Quansah Benjamin , Carrothers Andrew D
Published: August 2015

A 61-year-old woman sustained multiple fractures secondary to the tonic clonic muscular contractions of a seizure. Her injuries included: bilateral proximal humerus posterior fracture dislocations, manubrium fracture, unstable sixth thoracic vertebrae crush fracture, bilateral acetabular fractures and a left femoral neck fracture. Seizures are a rare but recognised cause of fracture. Patients with osteoporosis are more susceptible to more serious fractures to long bones, spine and pelvis. The lack of history of high-energy trauma can lead to a delay in diagnosis. Rarely, the combination and magnitude of these injuries can be life-threatening.
Masculine discrepancy stress, substance use, assault and injury in a survey of US men
Authors: Reidy Dennis E , Berke Danielle S , Gentile Brittany , Zeichner Amos
Published: August 2015

To understand and ultimately prevent injury and behavioural health outcomes associated with masculinity, we assessed the influence of masculine discrepancy stress (stress that occurs when men perceive themselves as falling short of the traditional gender norms) on the propensity to engage in stereotypically masculine behaviours (eg, substance use, risk taking and violence) as a means of demonstrating masculinity. Six-hundred men from the USA were recruited via Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) online data collection site to complete surveys assessing self-perceptions of gender role discrepancy and consequent discrepancy stress, substance use/abuse, driving while intoxicated (DWI) and violent assaults. Negative binomial regression analyses indicated significant interactive effects wherein men high on gender role discrepancy and attendant discrepancy stress reported significantly more assaults with a weapon (B=1.01; SE=0.63; IRR=2.74; p=0.05) and assaults causing injury (B=1.01; SE=0.51; IRR=2.74; p<0.05). There was no association of discrepancy stress to substance abuse, but there was a protective effect of gender role discrepancy for DWI among men low on discrepancy stress (B=−1.19, SE=0.48; IRR=0.30; p=0.01). These findings suggest that gender role discrepancy and associated discrepancy stress, in particular, represent important injury risk factors and that prevention of discrepancy stress may prevent acts of violence with the greatest consequences and costs to the victim, offender and society.
Performance evaluation of fog seals on chip seals and verification of fog seal field tests
Authors: Im Jeong Hyuk , Kim Y. Richard
Published: August 2015

With an increasing emphasis on pavement preservation treatments due to economic concerns over the high costs of paving materials, one of the most cost-effective pavement preservation treatments, chip seals, now constitutes a significant proportion of the pavement preservation treatments used in the North Carolina highway network. To mitigate a major problem with chip seals, i.e., the loose aggregate particles, fog seals, which are composed of an emulsified product placed on top of the chip seal, can be used to help control the loose aggregate. For this study, fog seals were applied on top of newly fabricated chip. The surface texture of the fog-sealed chip seals was analyzed using the British pendulum test and a three-dimensional laser. Also, fog seal field test methods that were developed to suggest appropriate traffic opening times after fog seal construction were verified. The main findings presented in this paper are that: (i) the use of polymer-modified emulsions improves fog seal performance in terms of better aggregate retention and bleeding resistance; (ii) the skid resistance problems are not evident once the fog seal is applied on the recommended chip seal type; (iii) the relationship between skid number and mean profile depth can be determined based on three trends that are dependent on traffic loadings, and (iv) although the fog seal field tests were unable to be completed due to safety concerns, it can nonetheless be recommended that approximately 60 min after fog seal construction is an appropriate traffic opening time.
On the dominator coloring in proper interval graphs and block graphs
Authors: Panda B. S. , Pandey Arti
Published: August 2015

In a graph [Formula: see text], a vertex [Formula: see text] dominates a vertex [Formula: see text] if either [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text] is adjacent to [Formula: see text]. A subset of vertex set [Formula: see text] that dominates all the vertices of [Formula: see text] is called a dominating set of graph [Formula: see text]. The minimum cardinality of a dominating set of [Formula: see text] is called the domination number of [Formula: see text] and is denoted by [Formula: see text]. A proper coloring of a graph [Formula: see text] is an assignment of colors to the vertices of [Formula: see text] such that any two adjacent vertices get different colors. The minimum number of colors required for a proper coloring of [Formula: see text] is called the chromatic number of [Formula: see text] and is denoted by [Formula: see text]. A dominator coloring of a graph [Formula: see text] is a proper coloring of the vertices of [Formula: see text] such that every vertex dominates all the vertices of at least one color class. The minimum number of colors required for a dominator coloring of [Formula: see text] is called the dominator chromatic number of [Formula: see text] and is denoted by [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we study the dominator chromatic number for the proper interval graphs and block graphs. We show that every proper interval graph [Formula: see text] satisfies [Formula: see text], and these bounds are sharp. For a block graph [Formula: see text], where one of the end block is of maximum size, we show that [Formula: see text]. We also characterize the block graphs with an end block of maximum size and attaining the lower bound.
Secure Bootstrapping and Rebootstrapping for Resource-Constrained Thing in Internet of Things
Authors: Jung Seung Wook , Jung Souhwan
Published: August 2015

In Internet of Things, secure key establishment and building trust relationship between the thing and the home gateway (or the controller) in home network or Body Area Network are extremely important. Without the guarantee of establishment of key and trust relationship, the traffic over the Internet of Things network cannot be presumed secure. Also, when the home gateway, which knows the shared secret key, is out of order and the new gateway should be installed, the secure key establishment and building trust relationship are also very important because this scenario is likely to happen in real world. In addition, the thing is resource-constrained device, so it is difficult when secure key establishment and building trust relationship involve Public Key Infrastructure. To address these problems, this paper presents user-friendly bootstrapping and rebootstrapping schemes in the context of Internet of Thing using the human memorable password. The proposed schemes do not require a special hardware module on the thing or special equipment for bootstrapping and rebootstrapping. All these properties make the proposed scheme cost-effective and easy to use.
Estimation of the Basic Reproductive Ratio for Dengue Fever at the Take-Off Period of Dengue Infection
Authors: Jafaruddin  , Indratno Sapto W. , Nuraini Nuning , Supriatna Asep K. , Soewono Edy
Published: August 2015

Estimating the basic reproductive ratioR0of dengue fever has continued to be an ever-increasing challenge among epidemiologists. In this paper we propose two different constructions to estimateR0which is derived from a dynamical system of host-vector dengue transmission model. The construction is based on the original assumption that in the early states of an epidemic the infected human compartment increases exponentially at the same rate as the infected mosquito compartment (previous work). In the first proposed construction, we modify previous works by assuming that the rates of infection for mosquito and human compartments might be different. In the second construction, we add an improvement by including more realistic conditions in which the dynamics of an infected human compartments are intervened by the dynamics of an infected mosquito compartment, and vice versa. We apply our construction to the real dengue epidemic data from SB Hospital, Bandung, Indonesia, during the period of outbreak Nov. 25, 2008–Dec. 2012. We also propose two scenarios to determine the take-off rate of infection at the beginning of a dengue epidemic for construction of the estimates ofR0: scenario I from equation of new cases of dengue with respect to time (daily) and scenario II from equation of new cases of dengue with respect to cumulative number of new cases of dengue. The results show that our first construction ofR0accommodates the take-off rate differences between mosquitoes and humans. Our second construction of theR0estimation takes into account the presence of infective mosquitoes in the early growth rate of infective humans and vice versa. We conclude that the second approach is more realistic, compared with our first approach and the previous work.
Packet Loss Compensation for Control Systems over Industrial Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Nguyen Vu-Anh-Quang , Yoo Myungsik
Published: August 2015

Industrial wireless sensor networks (IWSNs) can provide wireless communication for the control system and have therefore received considerable attention. However, network-induced delays or packet losses, among other issues, significantly degrade the performance of IWSNs and can even destabilize an entire system. In this study, a predictive compensator, a modified linear quadratic regulator (LQR) compensator, and a combination of both compensators were proposed to mitigate the effects of unpredictable packet loss in an IWSN. The control system applying the three proposed compensators was simulated under various condition of packet loss using Matlab Simulink and Truetime. An inverted pendulum was used as the object of the controller. Simulation results showed that, among the three compensators, the combined compensator works best in compensating for the packet loss in both forward and backward channels of the control system.
Estimating Measurement Error of the Patient Activation Measure for Respondents with Partially Missing Data
Authors: Linden Ariel
Published: August 2015

The patient activation measure (PAM) is an increasingly popular instrument used as the basis for interventions to improve patient engagement and as an outcome measure to assess intervention effect. However, a PAM score may be calculated when there are missing responses, which could lead to substantial measurement error. In this paper, measurement error is systematically estimated across the full possible range of missing items (one to twelve), using simulation in which populated items were randomly replaced with missing data for each of 1,138 complete surveys obtained in a randomized controlled trial. The PAM score was then calculated, followed by comparisons of overall simulated average mean, minimum, and maximum PAM scores to the true PAM score in order to assess the absolute percentage error (APE) for each comparison. With only one missing item, the average APE was 2.5% comparing the true PAM score to the simulated minimum score and 4.3% compared to the simulated maximum score. APEs increased with additional missing items, such that surveys with 12 missing items had average APEs of 29.7% (minimum) and 44.4% (maximum). Several suggestions and alternative approaches are offered that could be pursued to improve measurement accuracy when responses are missing.
Exploring Environment‐Intervention Fit: A Study of a Work Environment Intervention Program for the Care Sector
Authors: Smith Louise Hardman , Aust Birgit , Flyvholm Mari-Ann
Published: August 2015

Targeting occupational health and safety interventions to different groups of employees and sectors is important. The aim of this study was to explore the environment‐intervention fit of a Danish psychosocial work environment intervention program for the residential and home care sector. Focus group interviews with employees and interviews with mangers were conducted at 12 selected workplaces and a questionnaire survey was conducted with managers at all 115 workplaces. The interventions enhanced the probability of employees experiencing more “good” work days, where they could make a difference to the lives of clients. The interventions may therefore be characterized as culturally compelling and having a good fit with the immediate work environment of employees. The interventions furthermore seemed to fit well with the wider organizational environment and with recent changes in the societal and economic context of workplaces. However, some workplaces had difficulties with involving all employees and adapting the interventions to the organization of work. The findings suggest that flexibility and a variety of strategies to involve all employees are important aspects, if interventions are to fit well with the care sector. The focus on employees’ conceptualization of a “good” work day may be useful for intervention research in other sectors.
The Combinational Polymorphisms ofORAI1Gene Are Associated with Preventive Models of Breast Cancer in the Taiwanese
Authors: Ou-Yang Fu , Lin Yu-Da , Chuang Li-Yeh , Chang Hsueh-Wei , Yang Cheng-Hong , Hou Ming-Feng
Published: August 2015

The ORAI calcium release-activated calcium modulator 1 (ORAI1) has been proven to be an important gene for breast cancer progression and metastasis. However, the protective association model between the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) ofORAI1gene was not investigated. Based on a published data set of 345 female breast cancer patients and 290 female controls, we used a particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to identify the possible protective models of breast cancer association in terms of the SNPs ofORAI1gene. Results showed that the PSO-generated models of 2-SNP (rs12320939-TT/rs12313273-CC), 3-SNP (rs12320939-TT/rs12313273-CC/rs712853-(TT/TC)), 4-SNP (rs12320939-TT/rs12313273-CC/rs7135617-(GG/GT)/rs712853-(TT/TC)), and 5-SNP (rs12320939-TT/rs12313273-CC/rs7135617-(GG/GT)/rs6486795-CC/rs712853-(TT/TC)) displayed low values of odds ratios (0.409–0.425) for breast cancer association. Taken together, these results suggested that our proposed PSO strategy is powerful to identify the combinational SNPs of rs12320939, rs12313273, rs7135617, rs6486795, and rs712853 ofORAI1gene with a strongly protective association in breast cancer.
Fascia and Primo Vascular System
Authors: Yang Chun , Du Yi-kuan , Wu Jian-bin , Wang Jun , Luan Ping , Yang Qin-lao , Yuan Lin
Published: August 2015

The anatomical basis for the concept of acupuncture points/meridians in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has not been resolved. This paper reviews the fascia research progress and the relationship among acupuncture points/meridians, primo vascular system (PVS), and fascia. Fascia is as a covering, with common origins of layers of the fascial system despite diverse names for individual parts. Fascia assists gliding and fluid flow and holds memory and is highly innervated. Fascia is intimately involved with nourishment of all cells of the body, including those of disease and cancer. The human body’s fascia network may be the physical substrate represented by the meridians of TCM. The PVS is a newly found circulatory system; recent increased interest has led to new research and new discoveries in the anatomical and functional aspects of the PVS. The fasciology theory provides new insights into the physiological effects of acupuncture needling on basic cellular mechanisms including connective tissue mechanotransduction and regeneration. This view represents a theoretical basis and means for applying modern biomedical research to examining TCM principles and therapies, and it favors a holistic approach to diagnosis and treatment.
Promotion and Prevention Focused Feeding Strategies: Exploring the Effects on Healthy and Unhealthy Child Eating
Authors: Melbye Elisabeth L. , Hansen Håvard
Published: August 2015

There is a general lack of research addressing themotivationsbehind parental use of various feeding practices. Therefore, the present work aims to extend the current literature on parent-child feeding interactions by integrating the traditional developmental psychological perspective on feeding practices with elements of Regulatory Focus Theory (RFT) derived from the field of motivational psychology. In this paper, we seek to explain associations between parental feeding practices and child (un)healthy eating behaviors by categorizing parental feeding practices into promotion and prevention focused strategies, thus exploring parent-child feeding interactions within the framework of RFT. Our analyses partly supported the idea that (1) child healthy eating is positively associated with feeding practices characterized as promotion focused, and (2) child unhealthy eating is negatively associated with feeding practices characterized as prevention focused. However, a general observation following from our results suggests that parents’ major driving forces behind reducing children’s consumption of unhealthy food items and increasing their consumption of healthy food items are strategies that motivate rather than restrict. In particular, parents’ provision of a healthy home food environment seems to be essential for child eating.
Using the Promise of Sonodynamic Therapy in the Clinical Setting against Disseminated Cancers
Authors: Trendowski Matthew
Published: August 2015

Sonodynamic therapy (SDT) is a form of ultrasound therapy in which specialized chemotherapeutic agents known as sonosensitizers are administered to increase the efficacy of ultrasound-mediated preferential damage of neoplastic cells. Multiple in vitro and in vivo studies have indicated that SDT has the ability to exhibit profound physical and chemical changes on cellular structure. As supportive as the data have been, assessment of this method at the clinical level has been limited to only solid tumors. Although SDT has shown efficacy against multiple adherent neoplastic cell lines, it has also shown particular promise with leukemia-derived cell lines. Potential procedures to administer SDT to leukemia patients are heating the appendages as ultrasound is applied to these areas (Heat and Treat), using an ultrasound probe to scan the body for malignant growths (Target and Destroy), and extracorporeal blood sonication (EBS) through dialysis. Each method offers a unique set of benefits and concerns that will need to be evaluated in preclinical mammalian models of malignancy before clinical examination can be considered.
MetaRNA-Seq: An Interactive Tool to Browse and Annotate Metadata from RNA-Seq Studies
Authors: Kumar Pankaj , Halama Anna , Hayat Shahina , Billing Anja M. , Gupta Manish , Yousri Noha A. , Smith Gregory M. , Suhre Karsten
Published: August 2015

The number of RNA-Seq studies has grown in recent years. The design of RNA-Seq studies varies from very simple (e.g., two-condition case-control) to very complicated (e.g., time series involving multiple samples at each time point with separate drug treatments). Most of these publically available RNA-Seq studies are deposited in NCBI databases, but their metadata are scattered throughout four different databases: Sequence Read Archive (SRA), Biosample, Bioprojects, and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Although the NCBI web interface is able to provide all of the metadata information, it often requires significant effort to retrieve study- or project-level information by traversing through multiple hyperlinks and going to another page. Moreover, project- and study-level metadata lack manual or automatic curation by categories, such as disease type, time series, case-control, or replicate type, which are vital to comprehending any RNA-Seq study. Here we describe “MetaRNA-Seq,” a new tool for interactively browsing, searching, and annotating RNA-Seq metadata with the capability of semiautomatic curation at the study level.
Differential Immune Response against RecombinantLeishmania donovaniPeroxidoxin 1 and Peroxidoxin 2 Proteins in BALB/c Mice
Authors: Daifalla Nada S. , Bayih Abebe Genetu , Gedamu Lashitew
Published: August 2015

We assessed the immune response against recombinant proteins of two related, albeit functionally different, peroxidoxins fromLeishmania donovani: peroxidoxin 1 (LdPxn1) and peroxidoxin 2 (LdPxn2) in BALB/c mice. We also evaluated the effect of coadministration of TLR agonists (CpG ODN and GLA-SE) on the antigen-specific immune response. Immunization with recombinant LdPxn1 alone induced a predominantly Th2 type immune response that is associated with the production of high level of IgG1 and no IgG2a isotype while rLdPxn2 resulted in a mixed Th1/Th2 response characterized by the production of antigen-specific IgG2a in addition to IgG1 isotype. Antigen-stimulated spleen cells from mice that were immunized with rLdPxn1 produced low level of IL-10 and IL-4 and no IFN-γ, whereas cells from mice immunized with rLdPxn2 secreted high level of IFN-γ, low IL-4, and no IL-10. Coadministration of CpG ODN or GLA-SE with rLdPxn1 skewed the immune response towards a Th 1 type as indicated by robust production of IgG2a isotype. Furthermore, the presence of TLR agonists together with rLdPxn1 antigen enhanced the production of IFN-γand to a lesser extent of IL-10. TLR agonists also enhanced a more polarized Th 1 type immune response against rLdPxn2.
Kinematics of Planetary Roller Screw Mechanism considering Helical Directions of Screw and Roller Threads
Authors: Ma Shangjun , Zhang Tao , Liu Geng , Tong Ruiting , Fu Xiaojun
Published: August 2015

Based on the differential principle of thread transmission, an analytical model considering helical directions between screw and roller threads in planetary roller screw mechanism (PRSM) is presented in this work. The model is critical for the design of PRSM with a smaller lead and a bigger pitch to realize a higher transmission accuracy. The kinematic principle of planetary transmission is employed to analyze the PRSM with different screw thread and roller thread directions. In order to investigate the differences with different screw thread and roller thread directions, the numerical model is developed by using the software Adams to validate the analytical solutions calculated by the presented model. The results indicate, when the helical direction of screw thread is identical with the direction of roller thread, that the lead of PRSM is unaffected regardless of whether sliding between screw and rollers occurs or not. Only when the direction of screw thread is reverse to the direction of roller thread, the design of PRSM with a smaller lead can be realized under a bigger pitch. The presented models and numerical simulation method can be used to research the transmission accuracy of PRSM.
Site-Specific Secretome Map Evidences VSMC-Related Markers of Coronary Atherosclerosis Grade and Extent in the Hypercholesterolemic Swine
Authors: Rocchiccioli Silvia , Cecchettini Antonella , Ucciferri Nadia , Terreni Marianna , Viglione Federica , Trivella Maria Giovanna , Citti Lorenzo , Parodi Oberdan , Pelosi Gualtiero
Published: August 2015

A major drawback in coronary atherosclerosis (ATS) research is the difficulty of investigating early phase of plaque growth and related features in the clinical context. In this study, secreted proteins from atherosclerotic coronary arteries in a hypercholesterolemic swine model were characterized by a proteomics approach and their expression was correlated to site-specific ATS stage and extent. A wide coronary artery map of secreted proteins has been obtained in high fat (HF) diet induced ATS swine model and a significantly different expression of many proteins related to vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) activation/migration has been identified. Significant associations with ATS stage of HF coronary lesions were found for several VSMC-derived proteins and validated for chitinase 3 like protein 1 (CHI3L1) by tissue immunoexpression. A direct correlationR2=0.85was evidenced with intima to media thickness ratio values and ELISA confirmed the higher blood concentrations of CHI3L1 in HF cases. These findings confirmed the pivotal role of VSMCs in coronary plaque development and demonstrated a strong site-specific relation between VSMC-secreted CHI3L1 and lesion grade, suggesting that this protein could be proposed as a useful biomarker for diagnosing and staging of atherosclerotic lesions in coronary artery disease.
One-Year Results of theBeweegKuurLifestyle Intervention Implemented in Dutch Primary Healthcare Settings
Authors: Schutte Bianca A. M. , Haveman-Nies Annemien , Preller Liesbeth
Published: August 2015

Background. Lifestyle interventions focusing on healthy diet and physical activity (PA) are effective in reducing health risks in controlled research settings. The aim of this study was to investigate the one-year results of theBeweegKuurlifestyle intervention implemented nationwide in Netherlands for people with a weight-related health risk.Materials and Methods. Data were requested from all 160 locations participating in theBeweegKuur. In a one group pretest/posttest study, one-year changes in health outcome variables and time spent on physical activity were tested with dependentt-tests. Associations between one-year changes in weight and waist circumference and sociodemographic factors and uptake of the program were analysed with ANOVA.Results. Data for 517 participants from 47 locations were available for analysis. One year after the intervention, weight reduced by 2.9 kg (95% CI −3.3;, −2.5), waist circumference by 4.3 cm (−4.9; −3.7), and blood glucose by 0.5 mmol/L (−0.8; −0.3). Physical activity increased significantly. Higher uptake of the program was associated with a larger decrease in waist circumference.Conclusion. The results of the study suggest that lifestyle interventions implemented in real-life primary healthcare settings with tailor-made supervision can contribute meaningfully to primary prevention.
On the Stability ofL4,5in the Relativistic R3BP with Oblate Secondary and Radiating Primary
Authors: Bello Nakone , Singh Jagadish
Published: August 2015

We consider a version of the relativistic restricted three-body problem (R3BP) which includes the effects of oblateness of the secondary and radiation of the primary. We determine the positions and analyze the stability of the triangular points. We find that these positions are affected by relativistic, oblateness, and radiation factors. It is also seen that both oblateness of the secondary and radiation of the primary reduce the size of stability region. Further, a numerical exploration computing the positions of the triangular points and the critical mass ratio of some binaries systems consisting of the Sun and its planets is given in the tables.