bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In Vitro and In Vivo Characterization of the New Analgesic Combination Beta‐Caryophyllene and Docosahexaenoic Acid
Authors: Fiorenzani Paolo , Lamponi Stefania , Magnani Agnese , Ceccarelli Ilaria , Aloisi Anna Maria
Published: July 2014

Beta‐caryophyllene (BCP) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are components of several plants with documented anti‐inflammatory and analgesic effects in animal pain models. In the present study, in vitro and in vivo tests were carried out to evaluate their effects, alone or in combination, during long‐lasting administration in a model of persistent pain. IR spectra of the two compounds were obtained to determine their chemical stability and then in vitro toxicity was evaluated in fibroblasts and astrocytes. In the in vivo tests, the analgesic effects of BCP and BCP+DHA were determined in male rats subjected to a model of persistent recurrent pain (three repetitions of the formalin test once a week) to mimic recurrent pain. Both substances were administered per os in almond oil for 2 weeks. Gonadal hormones were determined at the end of the tests to evaluate treatment‐induced effects on their levels. BCP changed fibroblast and astrocyte survival in a dose‐dependent manner and the effect was counteracted by DHA coadministration. In the in vivo tests, pain responses were significantly decreased in the BCP and BCP+DHA groups with respect to OIL after 1 and 2 weeks of treatment. Estradiol and testosterone levels were increased only in the BCP group. In conclusion, BCP alone or at lower concentration in combination with DHA was efficacious in modulating pain, showing a clear analgesic activity.
Sub-THz Characterisation of Monolayer Graphene
Authors: Dadrasnia Ehsan , Puthukodan Sujitha , Thalakkatukalathil Vinod V. K. , Lamela Horacio , Ducournau Guillaume , Lampin Jean-Francois , Garet Frédéric , Coutaz Jean-Louis
Published: July 2014

We explore the optical and electrical characteristics of monolayer graphene by using pulsed optoelectronic terahertz time-domain spectroscopy in the frequency range of 325–500 GHz based on fast direct measurements of phase and amplitude. We also show that these parameters can, however, be measured with higher resolution using a free space continuous wave measurement technique associated with a vector network analyzer that offers a good dynamic range. All the scattering parameters (both magnitude and phase) are measured simultaneously. The Nicholson-Ross-Weir method is implemented to extract the monolayer graphene parameters at the aforementioned frequency range.
Integral Least-Squares Inferences for Semiparametric Models with Functional Data
Authors: Zhao Limian , Zhao Peixin
Published: July 2014

The inferences for semiparametric models with functional data are investigated. We propose an integral least-squares technique for estimating the parametric components, and the asymptotic normality of the resulting integral least-squares estimator is studied. For the nonparametric components, a local integral least-squares estimation method is proposed, and the asymptotic normality of the resulting estimator is also established. Based on these results, the confidence intervals for the parametric component and the nonparametric component are constructed. At last, some simulation studies and a real data analysis are undertaken to assess the finite sample performance of the proposed estimation method.
Feasibility Study of a Hand Guided Robotic Drill for Cochleostomy
Authors: Brett Peter , Du Xinli , Zoka-Assadi Masoud , Coulson Chris , Reid Andrew , Proops David
Published: July 2014

The concept of a hand guided robotic drill has been inspired by an automated, arm supported robotic drill recently applied in clinical practice to produce cochleostomies without penetrating the endosteum ready for inserting cochlear electrodes. The smart tactile sensing scheme within the drill enables precise control of the state of interaction between tissues and tools in real-time. This paper reports development studies of the hand guided robotic drill where the same consistent outcomes, augmentation of surgeon control and skill, and similar reduction of induced disturbances on the hearing organ are achieved. The device operates with differing presentation of tissues resulting from variation in anatomy and demonstrates the ability to control or avoid penetration of tissue layers as required and to respond to intended rather than involuntary motion of the surgeon operator. The advantage of hand guided over an arm supported system is that it offers flexibility in adjusting the drilling trajectory. This can be important to initiate cutting on a hard convex tissue surface without slipping and then to proceed on the desired trajectory after cutting has commenced. The results for trials on phantoms show that drill unit compliance is an important factor in the design.
New Insight into Adiponectin Role in Obesity and Obesity-Related Diseases
Authors: Nigro Ersilia , Scudiero Olga , Monaco Maria Ludovica , Palmieri Alessia , Mazzarella Gennaro , Costagliola Ciro , Bianco Andrea , Daniele Aurora
Published: July 2014

Obesity is a major health problem strongly increasing the risk for various severe related complications such as metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular diseases, respiratory disorders, diabetic retinopathy, and cancer. Adipose tissue is an endocrine organ that produces biologically active molecules defined “adipocytokines,” protein hormones with pleiotropic functions involved in the regulation of energy metabolism as well as in appetite, insulin sensitivity, inflammation, atherosclerosis, cell proliferation, and so forth. In obesity, fat accumulation causes dysregulation of adipokine production that strongly contributes to the onset of obesity-related diseases. Several advances have been made in the treatment and prevention of obesity but current medical therapies are often unsuccessful even in compliant patients. Among the adipokines, adiponectin shows protective activity in various processes such as energy metabolism, inflammation, and cell proliferation. In this review, we will focus on the current knowledge regarding the protective properties of adiponectin and its receptors, AdipoRs (“adiponectin system”), on metabolic complications in obesity and obesity-related diseases. Adiponectin, exhibiting antihyperglycemic, antiatherogenic, and anti-inflammatory properties, could have important clinical benefits in terms of development of therapies for the prevention and/or for the treatment of obesity and obesity-related diseases.
Determination of Biological Nitrogen Fixation Induced N2O Emission from Arable Soil by Using a Closed Chamber Technique
Authors: Shah Ambreen
Published: July 2014

Intensive use of mineral N fertilizers and organic amendments has resulted in higher N2O emissions. A growing worldwide concern for these problems has motivated researchers, environmentalists, and policy makers to find alternatives to overcome such losses. Biological nitrogen fixation is one of many natural biological approaches to minimize the use of fertilizers and to possibly reduce N2O emissions. A greenhouse study was performed by growing inoculated and noninoculated soybean seeds (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) in PVC columns. The objective was to measure the contribution ofBradyrhizobium Japonicumand mineral-N fertilizer to promoting N2O emission. A closed chamber technique was used for gas sampling. N2O measurements were carried out shortly after nodulation.Bradyrhizobium Jopanicuminduced N2O cumulative (121.8 μg kg−1) fluxes of inoculated seeds was significantly (α= 0.05) higher than those of mineral N fertilized treatment (NIS) and the control (bare soil). Total nitrogen content of the roots and seeds was not affected by inoculation. Total carbon ( 42.1  ±  0.1%), total nitrogen (3.1  ±  0.1%), and crude protein (19.9  ±   0.7%) contents of leaves of the inoculated seeds were significantly higher than those of noninoculated seed treatments. N2O fluxes significantly increased with high dissolved organic carbon content (70.77  ±  3.99  mg L−1) at R3 and at R8 stages whenNO3-(39.60  ±  0.94 mg L−1) concentrations were high.
Sol-Gel to Prepare Nitrogen Doped TiO2Nanocrystals with Exposed {001} Facets and High Visible-Light Photocatalytic Performance
Authors: Ai Hui-Ying , Shi Jian-Wen , Duan Rui-Xi , Chen Jian-Wei , Cui Hao-Jie , Fu Ming-Lai
Published: July 2014

A series of N-doped TiO2nanocrystals with exposed{001}facets was prepared successfully by sol-gel method for the first time. The physicochemical properties of these resultant photocatalysts were characterized by XRD, TEM, XPS, and DRS, and their photocatalytic performances were evaluated by photocatalytic decoloration of methylene blue solution under visible light (λ>420 nm) irradiation. The results showed that the N-doped TiO2nanocrystals with exposed{001}facets showed higher photocatalytic activity than P25. The enhanced photocatalytic performance can be attributed to synergistic effects of several factors, such as good crystallinity, better light response characteristic, and high reactivity of{001}facets.
Preprocessing by a Bayesian Single-Trial Event-Related Potential Estimation Technique Allows Feasibility of an Assistive Single-Channel P300-Based Brain-Computer Interface
Authors: Goljahani Anahita , D’Avanzo Costanza , Silvoni Stefano , Tonin Paolo , Piccione Francesco , Sparacino Giovanni
Published: July 2014

A major clinical goal of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) is to allow severely paralyzed patients to communicate their needs and thoughts during their everyday lives. Among others, P300-based BCIs, which resort to EEG measurements, have been successfully operated by people with severe neuromuscular disabilities. Besides reducing the number of stimuli repetitions needed to detect the P300, a current challenge in P300-based BCI research is the simplification of system’s setup and maintenance by lowering the numberNof recording channels. By using offline data collected in 30 subjects (21 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients and 9 controls) through a clinical BCI withN=5channels, in the present paper we show that a preprocessing approach based on a Bayesian single-trial ERP estimation technique allows reducingNto 1 without affecting the system’s accuracy. The potentially great benefit for the practical usability of BCI devices (including patient acceptance) that would be given by the reduction of the numberNof channels encourages further development of the present study, for example, in an online setting.
Differential Expression of Immunogenic Proteins on VirulentMycobacterium tuberculosisClinical Isolates
Authors: Schierloh Pablo , Klepp Laura , Vazquez Camila , Rocha Roxana Valeria , Blanco Federico Carlos , Balboa Luciana , López Beatriz , Ritacco Viviana , Bigi Fabiana , Sasiain María del Carmen
Published: July 2014

Molecular epidemiology has revealed thatMycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb), formerly regarded as highly conserved species, displays a considerable degree of genetic variability that can influence the outcome of the disease as well as the innate and adaptive immune response. Recent studies have demonstrated thatMtbfamilies found worldwide today differ in pathology, transmissibility, virulence, and development of immune response. By proteomic approaches seven proteins that were differentially expressed between a local clinical isolate from Latin-American-Mediterranean (LAM) and from Haarlem (H) lineages were identified. In order to analyze the immunogenic ability, recombinant Rv2241, Rv0009, Rv0407, and Rv2624c proteins were produced for testing specific antibody responses. We found that these proteins induced humoral immune responses in patients with drug-sensitive and drug-resistant tuberculosis with substantial cross-reactivity among the four proteins. Moreover, such reactivity was also correlated with anti-Mtb-cell surface IgM, but not with anti-ManLAM, anti-PPD, or anti-Mtb-surface IgG antibodies. Therefore, the present results describe newMtbantigens with potential application as biomarkers of TB.
Innate Immunity toLeishmaniaInfection: Within Phagocytes
Authors: Lopes Marcela Freitas , Costa-da-Silva Ana Caroline , DosReis George Alexandre
Published: July 2014

Infection byLeishmaniatakes place in the context of inflammation and tissue repair. Besides tissue resident macrophages, inflammatory macrophages and neutrophils are recruited to the infection site and serve both as host cells and as effectors against infection. Recent studies suggest additional important roles for monocytes and dendritic cells. This paper addresses recent experimental findings regarding the regulation ofLeishmania majorinfection by these major phagocyte populations. In addition, the role of IL-4 on dendritic cells and monocytes is discussed.
Applying Fuzzy Multiobjective Integrated Logistics Model to Green Supply Chain Problems
Authors: Chiu Chui-Yu , Lin Yi , Yang Ming-Feng
Published: July 2014

The aim of this paper is attempting to explore the optimal way of supply chain management within the domain of environmental responsibility and concerns. The background of this research involves the issue of green supply chain management (GSCM) and the concept of the multiobjective integrated logistics model. More specifically, in this paper, we suggest the fuzzy multiobjective integrated logistics model with the transportation cost and demand fuzziness to solve green supply chain problems in the uncertain environment which is illustrated via the detailed numerical example. Results and the sensitivity analysis of the numerical example indicate that when the governmental subsidy value increased the profits of the reverse chain also increased. The finding shows that the governmental subsidy policy could remain of significant influence for used-product reverse logistics chain.
A Rhythm-Based Authentication Scheme for Smart Media Devices
Authors: Lee Jae Dong , Jeong Young-Sik , Park Jong Hyuk
Published: July 2014

In recent years, ubiquitous computing has been rapidly emerged in our lives and extensive studies have been conducted in a variety of areas related to smart devices, such as tablets, smartphones, smart TVs, smart refrigerators, and smart media devices, as a measure for realizing the ubiquitous computing. In particular, smartphones have significantly evolved from the traditional feature phones. Increasingly higher-end smartphone models that can perform a range of functions are now available. Smart devices have become widely popular since they provide high efficiency and great convenience for not only private daily activities but also business endeavors. Rapid advancements have been achieved in smart device technologies to improve the end users’ convenience. Consequently, many people increasingly rely on smart devices to store their valuable and important data. With this increasing dependence, an important aspect that must be addressed is security issues. Leaking of private information or sensitive business data due to loss or theft of smart devices could result in exorbitant damage. To mitigate these security threats, basic embedded locking features are provided in smart devices. However, these locking features are vulnerable. In this paper, an original security-locking scheme using a rhythm-based locking system (RLS) is proposed to overcome the existing security problems of smart devices. RLS is a user-authenticated system that addresses vulnerability issues in the existing locking features and provides secure confidentiality in addition to convenience.
Application of Fault-Tolerant Mechanism to Reduce Pollution Attacks in Peer-to-Peer Networks
Authors: Chen Chien-Sheng , Yeh Ting-Yuan , Lee Chin-Tan , Lu Chyuan-Der
Published: July 2014

File pollution is a recent security threat to peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing systems. By disseminating numerous polluted files with mismatched or partially tampered contents in the P2P system, the attacker causes users to download unexpected files. This attack is aimed at frustrating users and making them abandon the system. Present researches on combating file pollution have mostly focused on pollution modeling or evaluating the extent of pollution. Only a few researches have proposed effective methods to eliminate pollution attacks, and they are primarily based on reputation systems and blacklisting mechanisms. However, these methods require exchange of significant feedback among the peers in order to identify the malicious peers or polluted files in the system. In this paper, we describe the application of fault-tolerant mechanism used in the redundant arrays of independent disks system to suppress file pollution attacks based on the concept that P2P file sharing systems currently have global file storage systems. We have extended the previously developed Fluid Model to analyze and evaluate the proposed antipollution mechanism. The model accuracy has been demonstrated by performing several simulation experiments; the proposed mechanism could effectively suppress the pollution and successfully decrease the polluted-time exposure of a P2P file sharing system by approximately 40∼60%.
Expression of a Splice Variant of CYP26B1 in Betel Quid-Related Oral Cancer
Authors: Chen Ping-Ho , Lee Ka-Wo , Hsu Cheng-Chieh , Chen Jeff Yi-Fu , Wang Yan-Hsiung , Chen Ker-Kong , Wang Hui-Min David , Huang Hurng-Wern , Huang Bin
Published: July 2014

Betel quid (BQ) is a psychostimulant, an addictive substance, and a group 1 carcinogen that exhibits the potential to induce adverse health effects. Approximately, 600 million users chew a variety of BQ. Areca nut (AN) is a necessary ingredient in BQ products. Arecoline is the primary alkaloid in the AN and can be metabolized through the cytochrome P450 (CYP) superfamily by inducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Full-length CYP26B1 is related to the development of oral pharyngeal cancers. We investigated whether a splice variant of CYP26B1 is associated with the occurrence of ROS related oral and pharyngeal cancer. Cytotoxicity assays were used to measure the effects of arecoline on cell viability in a dose-dependent manner.In vitroandin vivostudies were conducted to evaluate the expression of the CYP26B1 splice variant. The CYP26B1 splice variant exhibited lower expression than did full-length CYP26B1 in the human gingival fibroblast-1 and Ca9-22 cell models. Increased expression of the CYP26B1 splice variant was observed in human oral cancer tissue compared with adjacent normal tissue, and increased expression was observed in patients at a late tumor stage. Our results suggested that the CYP26B1 splice variant is associated with the occurrence of BQ-related oral cancer.
Electrodeposition Combination with Hydrothermal Preparation of ZnO Films and Their Application in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cell
Authors: Zou Xiaoping , Liu Yan , Wei Cuiliu , Huang Zongbo , Meng Xiangmin
Published: July 2014

A suitable method is necessary for the high performance of dyes-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). In this paper, photoanodes of DSSCs have been fabricated through electrodeposition and combination with hydrothermal method. The results of mix method showed better performance than the single one. After the second step electrodeposition, the ZnO films formed flack finally. With the increase of hydrothermal time, ZnO films become thicker and bigger, which can offer large surface area to absorb much more dyes. The short-circuit current (2.4 mA/cm2) and open-circuit voltage (0.67 V) were greater than the single one, alternating current impedance indicating that electrodeposition and hydrothermal mix are a more suitable method for high performance DSSCs. We expected to obtain higher conversion efficiency of DSSCs by this method.
A Review on Unique Existence Theorems in Lightlike Geometry
Authors: Duggal K. L.
Published: July 2014

This is a review paper of up-to-date research done on the existence of unique null curves, screen distributions, Levi-Civita connection, symmetric Ricci tensor, and scalar curvature for a large variety of lightlike submanifolds of semi-Riemannian (in particular, Lorentzian) manifolds, supported by examples and an extensive bibliography. We also propose some open problems.
An Efficient Image Compressor for Charge Coupled Devices Camera
Authors: Li Jin , Xing Fei , You Zheng
Published: July 2014

Recently, the discrete wavelet transforms- (DWT-) based compressor, such as JPEG2000 and CCSDS-IDC, is widely seen as the state of the art compression scheme for charge coupled devices (CCD) camera. However, CCD images project on the DWT basis to produce a large number of large amplitude high-frequency coefficients because these images have a large number of complex texture and contour information, which are disadvantage for the later coding. In this paper, we proposed a low-complexity posttransform coupled with compressing sensing (PT-CS) compression approach for remote sensing image. First, the DWT is applied to the remote sensing image. Then, a pair base posttransform is applied to the DWT coefficients. The pair base are DCT base and Hadamard base, which can be used on the high and low bit-rate, respectively. The best posttransform is selected by thelp-norm-based approach. The posttransform is considered as the sparse representation stage of CS. The posttransform coefficients are resampled by sensing measurement matrix. Experimental results on on-board CCD camera images show that the proposed approach significantly outperforms the CCSDS-IDC-based coder, and its performance is comparable to that of the JPEG2000 at low bit rate and it does not have the high excessive implementation complexity of JPEG2000.
Density-Based Penalty Parameter Optimization on C-SVM
Authors: Liu Yun , Lian Jie , Bartolacci Michael R. , Zeng Qing-An
Published: July 2014

The support vector machine (SVM) is one of the most widely used approaches for data classification and regression. SVM achieves the largest distance between the positive and negative support vectors, which neglects the remote instances away from the SVM interface. In order to avoid a position change of the SVM interface as the result of an error system outlier, C-SVM was implemented to decrease the influences of the system’s outliers. Traditional C-SVM holds a uniform parameterCfor both positive and negative instances; however, according to the different number proportions and the data distribution, positive and negative instances should be set with different weights for the penalty parameter of the error terms. Therefore, in this paper, we propose density-based penalty parameter optimization of C-SVM. The experiential results indicated that our proposed algorithm has outstanding performance with respect to both precision and recall.
The Harmful Effects of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage on Extracerebral Organs
Authors: Chen Sheng , Li Qian , Wu Haijian , Krafft Paul R. , Wang Zhen , Zhang John H.
Published: July 2014

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a devastating neurological disorder. Patients with aneurysmal SAH develop secondary complications that are important causes of morbidity and mortality. Aside from secondary neurological injuries, SAH has been associated with nonneurologic medical complications, such as neurocardiogenic injury, neurogenic pulmonary edema, hyperglycemia, and electrolyte imbalance, of which cardiac and pulmonary complications are most common. The related mechanisms include activation of the sympathetic nervous system, release of catecholamines and other hormones, and inflammatory responses. Extracerebral complications are directly related to the severity of SAH-induced brain injury and indicate the clinical outcome in patients. This review provides an overview of the extracerebral complications after SAH. We also aim to describe the manifestations, underlying mechanisms, and the effects of those extracerebral complications on outcome following SAH.
Design and Implementation of Hybrid CORDIC Algorithm Based on Phase Rotation Estimation for NCO
Authors: Zhang Chaozhu , Han Jinan , Li Ke
Published: July 2014

The numerical controlled oscillator has wide application in radar, digital receiver, and software radio system. Firstly, this paper introduces the traditional CORDIC algorithm. Then in order to improve computing speed and save resources, this paper proposes a kind of hybrid CORDIC algorithm based on phase rotation estimation applied in numerical controlled oscillator (NCO). Through estimating the direction of part phase rotation, the algorithm reduces part phase rotation and add-subtract unit, so that it decreases delay. Furthermore, the paper simulates and implements the numerical controlled oscillator by Quartus II software and Modelsim software. Finally, simulation results indicate that the improvement over traditional CORDIC algorithm is achieved in terms of ease of computation, resource utilization, and computing speed/delay while maintaining the precision. It is suitable for high speed and precision digital modulation and demodulation.
Using Ignorance in 3D Scene Understanding
Authors: Harasymowicz-Boggio Bogdan , Siemiątkowska Barbara
Published: July 2014

Awareness of its own limitations is a fundamental feature of the human sight, which has been almost completely omitted in computer vision systems. In this paper we present a method of explicitly using information about perceptual limitations of a 3D vision system, such as occluded areas, limited field of view, loss of precision along with distance increase, and imperfect segmentation for a better understanding of the observed scene. The proposed mechanism integrates metric and semantic inference using Dempster‐Shafer theory, which makes it possible to handle observations that have different degrees and kinds of uncertainty. The system has been implemented and tested in a real indoor environment, showing the benefits of the proposed approach.
Cardiac Troponin T (TNNT2) Mutations in Chinese Dilated Cardiomyopathy Patients
Authors: Li Xiaoping , Luo Rong , Gu Haiyong , Deng Yun , Xu Xiaolei , Wu Xiushan , Hua Wei
Published: July 2014

Background. Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is one of the leading causes of heart failure with high morbidity and mortality. Although more than 40 genes have been reported to cause DCM, the role of genetic testing in clinical practice is not well defined. Mutations in the troponin T (TNNT2) gene represent an important subset of known disease-causing mutations associated with DCM. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine the genetic variations inTNNT2and the associations of those variations with DCM in Chinese patients.Methods. An approximately 4 kb fragment of theTNNT2gene was isolated from 103 DCM patients and 192 healthy controls and was analyzed by DNA sequence analysis for genetic variations.Results. A total of 6TNNT2mutations were identified in 99 patients, including a G321T missense mutation (Leu84Phe) and 5 novel intronic mutations. Alleles of two novel SNPs (c.192+353C>A, OR=0.095, 95% CI:0.013–0.714,P=0.022; c.192+463G>A, OR=0.090, 95% CI:0.012–0.675,P=0.019) and SNP rs3729843 (OR=1.889, 95% CI:1.252–2.852;P=0.002) were significantly correlated with DCM.Conclusions. These results suggest that the missense mutation (Leu84Phe) and two novel SNPs (c.192+353C>A, c.192+463G>A) inTNNT2gene might be associated with DCM in the Chinese population.
HBV Reactivation in Patients Treated with Antitumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha (TNF-α) Agents for Rheumatic and Dermatologic Conditions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Cantini Fabrizio , Boccia Stefania , Goletti Delia , Iannone Florenzo , Leoncini Emanuele , Panic Nikola , Prignano Francesca , Gaeta Giovanni Battista
Published: July 2014

Introduction.Antitumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) agents are widely used for treatment of rheumatic and dermatological diseases. We conducted the systematic review and meta-analysis to assess the prevalence of HBV reactivation among patients treated with anti-TNF-α.Methods and Findings.A comprehensive literature search of MEDLINE, Scopus, and ISI Web of Knowledge databases was conducted. From 21 studies included in the systematic review, 9 included patients with occult chronic HBV infection and 6 included patients with overt infection while 6 addressed both groups. Based on 10 studies eligible for meta-analysis we report pooled estimate of HBV reactivation of 4.2% (95% CI: 1.4–8.2%,I2: 74.7%). The pooled prevalence of reactivation was 3.0% (95% CI: 0.6–7.2,I2: 77.1%) for patients with occult infection, and 15.4% (95% CI: 1.2–41.2%,I2: 79.9%) for overt infection. The prevalence of reactivation was 3.9% (95% CI: 1.1–8.4%,I2: 51.1%) for treatment with etanercept and 4.6% (95% CI: 0.5–12.5%,I2: 28.7%) for adalimumab. For subgroup of patients without any antiviral prophylaxis the pooled reactivation was 4.0% (95% CI: 1.2–8.3%,I2: 75.6%).Conclusion.Although HBV reactivation rate is relatively low in patients treated with anti-TNF-αfor rheumatic and dermatological conditions, the antiviral prophylaxis would be recommended in patients with overt chronic HBV infection.
Affine Fullerene C60in a GS-Quasigroup
Authors: Volenec Vladimir , Kolar-Begović Zdenka , Kolar-Šuper Ružica
Published: July 2014

It will be shown that the affine fullerene C60, which is defined as an affine image of buckminsterfullerene C60, can be obtained only by means of the golden section. The concept of the affine fullerene C60will be constructed in a general GS-quasigroup using the statements about the relationships between affine regular pentagons and affine regular hexagons. The geometrical interpretation of all discovered relations in a general GS-quasigroup will be given in the GS-quasigroupC(1/2(1+5)).
AMPK Reverses the Mesenchymal Phenotype of Cancer Cells by Targeting the Akt–MDM2–Foxo3a Signaling Axis
Authors: Chou Chih-Chien , Lee Kuen-Haur , Lai I-Lu , Wang Dasheng , Mo Xiaokui , Kulp Samuel K. , Shapiro Charles L. , Chen Ching-Shih
Published: July 2014

In cancer cells, the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) confers the ability to invade basement membranes and metastasize to distant sites, establishing it as an appealing target for therapeutic intervention. Here, we report a novel function of the master metabolic kinase AMPK in suppressing EMT by modulating the Akt–MDM2–Foxo3 signaling axis. This mechanistic link was supported by the effects of siRNA-mediated knockdown and pharmacologic activation of AMPK on epithelial and mesenchymal markers in established breast and prostate cancer cells. Exposure of cells to OSU-53, a novel allosteric AMPK activator, as well as metformin and AICAR, was sufficient to reverse their mesenchymal phenotype. These effects were abrogated by AMPK silencing. Phenotypic changes were mediated by Foxo3a activation, insofar as silencing or overexpressing Foxo3a mimicked the effects of AMPK silencing or OSU-53 treatment on EMT, respectively. Mechanistically, Foxo3a activation led to the transactivation of the E-cadherin gene and repression of genes encoding EMT-inducing transcription factors. OSU-53 activated Foxo3a through two Akt-dependent pathways, one at the level of nuclear localization by blocking Akt- and IKKβ-mediated phosphorylation, and a second at the level of protein stabilization via cytoplasmic sequestration of MDM2, an E3 ligase responsible for Foxo3a degradation. The suppressive effects of OSU-53 on EMT had therapeutic implications illustrated by its ability to block invasive phenotypes in vitro and metastatic properties in vivo. Overall, our work illuminates a mechanism of EMT regulation in cancer cells mediated by AMPK, along with preclinical evidence supporting a tractable therapeutic strategy to reverse mesenchymal phenotypes associated with invasion and metastasis. Cancer Res; 74(17); 4783–95. ©2014 AACR.
BluepRINT for Moderate-to-Low Penetrance Cancer Susceptibility Genes Needed: Breast Cancer and Beyond
Authors: Ngeow Joanne , Eng Charis
Published: July 2014

Summary:RINT1 is a novel moderately penetrant cancer susceptibility gene seen in breast cancer as well as possibly in Lynch syndrome–related cancers. Cancer Discov; 4(7); 762–3. ©2014 AACR.

See related article by Park et al., p. 804
Impact of Common Treatments Given in the Perinatal Period on the Developing Brain
Authors: Favrais Géraldine , Tourneux Pierre , Lopez Emmanuel , Durrmeyer Xavier , Gascoin Géraldine , Ramful Duksha , Zana-Taieb Elodie , Baud Olivier
Published: July 2014

Background: Over the last decades, considerable progress has been made in the perinatal management of high-risk preterm neonates, changing the landscape of pathological conditions associated with neurological impairments. Major focal destructive lesions are now less common, and the predominant neuropathological lesion is diffuse white-matter damage in the most immature infants. Similarly, over the last few years, we have observed a trend towards a decrease in neurological impairment in the absence of treatments specifically aimed at neuroprotection. Objectives: We examined whether recent changes in treatment strategies in perinatal care during the perinatal period could have had an indirect beneficial impact on the occurrence of brain lesions and their consequences. Methods: Thus, we reviewed the effects of the most common treatments administered during the perinatal period to the mother or to very preterm infants on brain damage and neurocognitive follow-up. Results: Antenatal steroids and exogenous surfactant are the two main treatments capable of leading to neuroprotection in very preterm infants. Randomized controlled trials are currently investigating the effects of inhaled nitric oxide and erythropoietin, while antenatal magnesium sulphate and caffeine are also likely to provide some neuroprotection, but this needs to be further investigated. Finally, other common treatments against pain, haemodynamic failure and patent ductus arteriosus have conflicting or no effects on the developing brain. Conclusion: While specific neuroprotective drugs are still awaited, recent advances in perinatal care have been associated with an unexpected but significant decrease in the incidence of both severe brain lesions and neurological impairment.
CCR5 as a Treatment Target in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Amsellem Valérie , Lipskaia Larissa , Abid Shariq , Poupel Lucie , Houssaini Amal , Quarck Rozenn , Marcos Elisabeth , Mouraret Nathalie , Parpaleix Aurélien , Bobe Régis , Gary-Bobo Guillaume , Saker Mirna , Dubois-Randé Jean-Luc , Gladwin Mark T. , Norris Karen A. , Delcroix Marion , Combadière Christophe , Adnot Serge
Published: July 2014

Background—

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PH), whether idiopathic or related to underlying diseases such as HIV infection, results from complex vessel remodeling involving both pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PA-SMC) proliferation and inflammation. CCR5, a coreceptor for cellular HIV-1 entry expressed on macrophages and vascular cells, may be involved in the pathogenesis of PH. Maraviroc is a new CCR5 antagonist designed to block HIV entry.

Methods and Results—

Marked CCR5 expression was found in lungs from patients with idiopathic PH, in mice with hypoxia-induced PH, and in Simian immunodeficiency virus–infected macaques, in which it was localized chiefly in the PA-SMCs. To assess the role for CCR5 in experimental PH, we used both gene disruption and pharmacological CCR5 inactivation in mice. Because maraviroc does not bind to murine CCR5, we used human-CCR5ki mice for pharmacological and immunohistochemical studies. Compared with wild-type mice, CCR5
−/−
mice or human-CCR5ki mice treated with maraviroc exhibited decreased PA-SMC proliferation and recruitment of perivascular and alveolar macrophages during hypoxia exposure. CCR5
−/−
mice reconstituted with wild-type bone marrow cells and wild-type mice reconstituted with CCR5
−/−
bone marrow cells were protected against PH, suggesting CCR5-mediated effects on PA-SMCs and macrophage involvement. The CCR5 ligands CCL5 and the HIV-1 gp120 protein increased intracellular calcium and induced growth of human and human-CCR5ki mouse PA-SMCs; maraviroc inhibited both effects. Maraviroc also reduced the growth-promoting effects of conditioned media from CCL5-activated macrophages derived from human-CCR5ki mice on PA-SMCs from wild-type mice.

Conclusion—

The CCL5-CCR5 pathway represents a new therapeutic target in PH associated with HIV or with other conditions.
Visibly Dead: On Making Brain Death Believable
Authors: Gross Sky , Lavi Shai
Published: July 2014

The paper discusses the role of visualization technologies and instrumental devices in the acceptance of “brain death” with rabbinic bodies and the law in Israel. The authors suggest that technologies serve the traditional in the interplay between lay and technical epistemologies, namely where the “corpse” appears to be alive.
The Right to Marry
Authors: Stiles Erin
Published: July 2014

In rural Zanzibar, both lay people and legal professionals argue that women’s options in marriage could be improved by closer adherence to Islamic law. This argument is usually made to critique the authority of elders in marriage negotiations. Although there is a strong norm of daughters adhering to elders’ authority in marriage, this norm does not go uncontested: by asserting rights under Islamic law, women critique and sometimes even challenge elder authority in court. Based on my ethnographic research in an Islamic court and the surrounding community, I first examine how women and men talk about elder authority in marriage, and then explore legal challenges to their authority in court. I argue that there are two patterns in the way women reference Islam to talk about their rights in marriage. Whereas some women use their knowledge of Islamic law to assert rights in court, others reference their piety as Muslims to explain why they choose not to assert certain rights.
Type study of Peniophora inflata (Agaricomycetes), and the introduction of the term “subicystidium”
Authors: Karasiński Dariusz
Published: July 2014

The type specimen of the corticioid fungus Peniophora inflata was re-examined. The term “subicystidium” (plural: subicystidia) is introduced to define basally clamped and encrusted cystidia of subicular or rhizomorphic origin. Peniophora inflata is characterized by the presence of subicystidia and hymenial lamprocystidia, a smooth, resupinate basidioma, a monomitic hyphal system, small, clavate basidia, minute ellipsoidal basidiospores negative in Melzer’s reagent and Cotton Blue, thickening hymenium and the development of rhizomorphs. The morphological similarities of Peniophora inflata with some corticioid species are discussed. Recently the generic name Sceptrulum was erected for this species. Because the introduction of the latter name lacked any discussion and clarity, the aim of this study is to provide a detailed examination of P. inflata.
Grasshoppers, Crickets and Katydids (Insecta: Orthoptera) of Cuba: an annotated checklist
Authors: YONG SHEYLA , PEREZ-GELABERT DANIEL E.
Published: July 2014

An annotated list of the Cuban fauna of Orthoptera is presented. For each species we include details of valid names, synonyms, type specimens (type category, sex, locality and depository), geographic distribution and bibliographic references. Clarifying notes are added, as well as comments on the species considered doubtful. A total of 140 species included in 62 genera, 31 subfamilies and 12 families make up the known Cuban fauna of Orthoptera. The family Episactidae, the acridid subfamily Ommatolampidinae with 3 unknown genera, 3 unknown genera of Tettigoniidae (Conocephalinae) and 1 undescribed new genus of Tetrigidae (Cladonotinae) are here recorded for the first time from Cuba. Syntypes are designated for Hygronemobius histrionicus Zayas.
The parerigonine genus Paropesia Mesnil (Diptera, Tachinidae), with descriptions of three new species from East Asia
Authors: SHIMA HIROSHI
Published: July 2014

Three new species of Paropesia Mesnil (Phasiinae, Parerigonini) are described: P. discalis sp. nov. from China and Myanmar, P. grisea sp. nov. from Japan and P. tessellata sp. nov. from Myanmar and China. The type species of Paropesia, P. nigra Mesnil, is redescribed. The male and female terminalia of the new species are described and illustrated and characteristics of the genus Paropesia are briefly discussed.
Stochastic Model Output Statistics for Bias Correcting and Downscaling Precipitation Including Extremes
Authors: Wong Geraldine , Maraun Douglas , Vrac Mathieu , Widmann Martin , Eden Jonathan M. , Kent Thomas
Published: July 2014

Precipitation is highly variable in space and time; hence, rain gauge time series generally exhibit additional random small-scale variability compared to area averages. Therefore, differences between daily precipitation statistics simulated by climate models and gauge observations are generally not only caused by model biases, but also by the corresponding scale gap. Classical bias correction methods, in general, cannot bridge this gap; they do not account for small-scale random variability and may produce artifacts. Here, stochastic model output statistics is proposed as a bias correction framework to explicitly account for random small-scale variability. Daily precipitation simulated by a regional climate model (RCM) is employed to predict the probability distribution of local precipitation. The pairwise correspondence between predictor and predictand required for calibration is ensured by driving the RCM with perfect boundary conditions. Wet day probabilities are described by a logistic regression, and precipitation intensities are described by a mixture model consisting of a gamma distribution for moderate precipitation and a generalized Pareto distribution for extremes. The dependence of the model parameters on simulated precipitation is modeled by a vector generalized linear model. The proposed model effectively corrects systematic biases and correctly represents local-scale random variability for most gauges. Additionally, a simplified model is considered that disregards the separate tail model. This computationally efficient model proves to be a feasible alternative for precipitation up to moderately extreme intensities. The approach sets a new framework for bias correction that combines the advantages of weather generators and RCMs.
Assessment of Bias Assumptions for Climate Models
Authors: Kerkhoff Christian , Künsch Hans R. , Schär Christoph
Published: July 2014

Climate scenarios make implicit or explicit assumptions about the extrapolation of climate model biases from current to future time periods. Such assumptions are inevitable because of the lack of future observations. This manuscript reviews different bias assumptions found in the literature and provides measures to assess their validity. The authors explicitly separate climate change from multidecadal variability to systematically analyze climate model biases in seasonal and regional surface temperature averages, using global and regional climate models (GCMs and RCMs) from the Ensemble-Based Predictions of Climate Changes and Their Impacts (ENSEMBLES) project over Europe. For centennial time scales, it is found that a linear bias extrapolation for GCMs is best supported by the analysis: that is, it is generally not correct to assume that model biases are independent of the climate state. Results also show that RCMs behave markedly differently when forced with different drivers. RCM and GCM biases are not additive, and there is a significant interaction component in the bias of the RCM–GCM model chain that depends on both the RCM and GCM considered. This result questions previous studies that deduce biases (and ultimately projections) in RCM–GCM combinations from reanalysis-driven simulations. The authors suggest that the aforementioned interaction component derives from the refined RCM representation of dynamical and physical processes in the lower troposphere, which may nonlinearly depend upon the larger-scale circulation stemming from the driving GCM. The authors’ analyses also show that RCMs provide added value and that the combined RCM–GCM approach yields, in general, smaller biases in seasonal surface temperature and interannual variability, particularly in summer and even for spatial scales that are, in principle, well resolved by the GCMs.
Projections of the Tropical Atlantic Vertical Wind Shear and Its Relationship with ENSO in SP-CCSM4
Authors: Zhu Xiaojie , Xu Li , Stan Cristiana
Published: July 2014

The vertical wind shear over the tropical Atlantic Ocean and its relationship with ENSO are analyzed in the superparameterized Community Climate System Model, version 4 (SP-CCSM4) and in the conventional CCSM4. The climatology of vertical wind shear over the tropical Atlantic and the ENSO–shear relationship are well simulated in the control runs of SP-CCSM4 and CCSM4. However, because of different representations of cloud processes, in a warmer climate such as the representative concentration pathway 8.5 (RCP8.5) scenario, SP-CCSM4 projects increased mean westerlies at 200 hPa during July through October (JASO), whereas CCSM4 projects decreased mean westerlies at 200 hPa over the equatorial Atlantic. The different changes in the upper-level wind further contribute to different projection of JASO mean vertical wind shear over the equatorial Atlantic. In the RCP8.5 scenario, when excluding the linear trend, projection of the ENSO–shear relationships by SP-CCSM4 retains similar features as in the observed current climate, whereas the ENSO–shear relationship projected by CCSM4 indicates an increase in the vertical wind shear dominating the tropical Atlantic during El Niño events. The difference in projection of ENSO–shear relationship is, to a certain extent, related to the different response of the tropical Atlantic SST to ENSO. Analysis of the climate change projection of Walker circulation, cloud cover, and convective activity illustrates that superparameterization simulates a stronger suppression of African convection than the conventional parameterization of moist processes. The weak convective activity diminishes the divergent wind associated with the vertical motion, which contributes to increased westerlies projected in SP-CCSM4.
The Impact of Data Assimilation Length Scales on Analysis and Prediction of Convective Storms
Authors: Lange Heiner , Craig George C.
Published: July 2014

An idealized convective test bed for the local ensemble transform Kalman filter (LETKF) is set up to perform storm-scale data assimilation of simulated Doppler radar observations. Convective systems with lifetimes exceeding 6 h are triggered in a doubly periodic domain. Perfect-model experiments are used to investigate the limited predictability in precipitation forecasts by comparing analysis schemes that resolve different length scales. Starting from a high-resolution reference scheme with 8-km covariance localization and observations with 2-km resolution on a 5-min cycle, an experimental hierarchy is set up by successively choosing a larger covariance localization radius of 32 km, observations that are horizontally averaged by a factor of 4, a coarser resolution in the calculation of the analysis weights, and a cycling interval of 20 min. After 3 h of assimilation, the high-resolution analysis scheme is clearly superior to the configurations with coarser scales in terms of RMS error and field-oriented measures. The difference is associated with the observation resolution and a larger localization radius required for filter convergence with coarse observations. The high-resolution analysis leads to better forecasts for the first hour, but after 3 hours, the forecast quality of the schemes is indistinguishable. The more rapid error growth in forecasts from the high-resolution analysis appears to be associated with a limited predictability of the small scales, but also with gravity wave noise and spurious convective cells. The latter suggests that the field is in some sense less balanced, or less consistent with the model dynamics, than in the coarser-resolution analysis.