bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Root Locus Practical Sketching Rules for Fractional-Order Systems
Authors: Lopes António M. , Tenreiro Machado J. A.
Published: June 2013

For integer-order systems, there are well-known practical rules for RL sketching. Nevertheless, these rules cannot be directly applied to fractional-order (FO) systems. Besides, the existing literature on this topic is scarce and exclusively focused on commensurate systems, usually expressed as the ratio of two noninteger polynomials. The practical rules derived for those do not apply to other symbolic expressions, namely, to transfer functions expressed as the ratio of FO zeros and poles. However, this is an important case as it is an extension of the classical integer-order problem usually addressed by control engineers. Extending the RL practical sketching rules to such FO systems will contribute to decrease the lack of intuition about the corresponding system dynamics. This paper generalises several RL practical sketching rules to transfer functions specified as the ratio of FO zeros and poles. The subject is presented in a didactic perspective, being the rules applied to several examples.
A Street Parking System Using Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Zhang Zusheng , Li Xiaoyun , Yuan Huaqiang , Yu Fengqi
Published: June 2013

Recently, with the explosive increase of automobiles in cities, parking problems are serious and even worsen in many cities. This paper proposes a street parking system (SPS) based on wireless sensor networks. The system can monitor the state of every parking space by deploying a magnetic sensor node on the space. For accurately detecting a parking car, a vehicle detection algorithm is proposed. And an adaptive sampling mechanism is used to reduce the energy consumption. Eighty-two sensor nodes are deployed on the street parking spaces to evaluate the performance of SPS. By running the system for more than one year, we observed that the vehicle detection accuracy of the SPS is better than 98%, and the lifetime of the sensor node is more than 5 years with a pair of 2500 mAh Li batteries.
Strong Field‐Induced Frequency Conversion of Laser Radiation in Plasma Plumes: Recent Achievements
Authors: Ganeev R. A.
Published: June 2013

New findings in plasma harmonics studies using strong laser fields are reviewed. We discuss recent achievements in the growth of the efficiency of coherent extreme ultraviolet (XUV) radiation sources based on frequency conversion of the ultrashort pulses in the laser‐produced plasmas, which allowed for the spectral and structural studies of matter through the high‐order harmonic generation (HHG) spectroscopy. These studies showed that plasma HHG can open new opportunities in many unexpected areas of laser‐matter interaction. Besides being considered as an alternative method for generation of coherent XUV radiation, it can be used as a powerful tool for various spectroscopic and analytical applications.
An Evaluation of Neoadjuvant Chemoradiotherapy for Patients with Resectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Jiang Hui , Du Chi , Cai Mingwei , He Hai , Chen Cheng , Qiu Jianguo , Wu Hong
Published: June 2013

Aims. The aim of this study is to compare our results of preoperative chemotherapy followed by pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) with those of surgery alone in patients with localized resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Methods. Outcome data for 112 patients of resectable PDAC who received preoperative chemoradiotherapy followed by PD (group I) between January 2004 and April 2010 were retrospectively analyzed and were compared with selected 120 patients who underwent PD alone (group II) in the same period. Results. Patients in group I had an incidence of locoregional recurrence of 17.1% compared to 30.8% in group II (P=0.03). There were no statistically significant differences in postoperative morbidity (27.7% versus 30.8%) and mortality (2.67% versus 3.33%). The 1-, 2-, and 3-year survival rates were estimated at 82.1%, 54%, and 28%, respectively, with NCRT and 65.8%, 29.1%, and 10% without (P=0.006). Nevertheless, preoperative chemotherapy did not reduce the 1-, 3-, and 5-year disease-free survival rates, which were estimated at 58%, 36.6%, and 12.5% with NCRT and 51.7%, 18.3%, and 7.5% without (P=0.058). Conclusions. The treatment of NCRT followed by PD in patients with PDAC has a significantly lower rate of locoregional recurrence and a longer overall survival than those with surgery alone.
Multiscale Cross-Approximate Entropy Analysis as a Measure of Complexity among the Aged and Diabetic
Authors: Wu Hsien-Tsai , Liu Cyuan-Cin , Lo Men-Tzung , Hsu Po-Chun , Liu An-Bang , Chang Kai-Yu , Tang Chieh-Ju
Published: June 2013

Complex fluctuations within physiological signals can be used to evaluate the health of the human body. This study recruited four groups of subjects: young healthy subjects (Group 1,n=32), healthy upper middle-aged subjects (Group 2,n=36), subjects with well-controlled type 2 diabetes (Group 3,n=31), and subjects with poorly controlled type 2 diabetes (Group 4,n=24). Data acquisition for each participant lasted 30 minutes. We obtained data related to consecutive time series with R-R interval (RRI) and pulse transit time (PTT). Using multiscale cross-approximate entropy (MCE), we quantified the complexity between the two series and thereby differentiated the influence of age and diabetes on the complexity of physiological signals. This study used MCE in the quantification of complexity between RRI and PTT time series. We observed changes in the influences of age and disease on the coupling effects between the heart and blood vessels in the cardiovascular system, which reduced the complexity between RRI and PTT series.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Inhibit Tumor Growth in a Rat Model of Bladder Cancer
Authors: Parada Belmiro , Reis Flávio , Cerejo Raquel , Garrido Patrícia , Sereno José , Xavier-Cunha Maria , Neto Paula , Mota Alfredo , Figueiredo Arnaldo , Teixeira Frederico
Published: June 2013

Omega-3 (ω-3) fatty acids have been tested on prevention and treatment of several cancer types, but the efficacy on “in vivo” bladder cancer has not been analyzed yet. This study aimed at evaluating the chemopreventive efficacy of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) mixture in an animal model of bladder cancer. Forty-four male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups during a 20-week protocol: control; carcinogen—N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl) nitrosamine (BBN);ω-3 (DHA + EPA); andω-3 + BBN. BBN andω-3 were given during the initial 8 weeks. At week 20 blood and bladder were collected and checked for the presence of urothelium lesions and tumors, markers of inflammation, proliferation, and redox status. Incidence of bladder carcinoma was, control (0%),ω-3 (0%), BBN (65%), andω-3 + BBN (62.5%). Theω-3 + BBN group had no infiltrative tumors or carcinomain situ, and tumor volume was significantly reduced compared to the BBN (0.9 ± 0.1 mm3versus 112.5 ± 6.4 mm3). Also, it showed a reduced MDA/TAS ratio and BBN-induced serum CRP, TGF-β1, and CD31 were prevented. In conclusion, omega-3 fatty acids inhibit the development of premalignant and malignant lesions in a rat model of bladder cancer, which might be due to anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-proliferative, and anti-angiogenic properties.
Prevalence and Pattern of Neurocognitive Impairment in Nigerians with Stages 3 to 5 Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Williams U. E. , Owolabi M. O. , Ogunniyi A. , Ezunu E. O.
Published: June 2013

Background. Cognitive impairment with its negative effect on quality of life has been reported in chronic kidney disease (CKD). The paucity of the literature on cognitive impairment in Africans with CKD prompted this study. Objectives. To determine the frequency and pattern of cognitive impairment in patients with stages 3 to 5 CKD. Methods. We studied 79 consecutive consenting adults with a National Kidney Foundation (NKF) stage 3 to 5 CKD based on their estimated glomerular filtration rate using the Cockcroft-Gault formula. The controls consisted of healthy demographically matched subjects. Community screening instrument for dementia (CSI’D), trail making test A (TMTA), and trail making test B (TMTB) were used for cognitive assessment. Results. More CKD patients had cognitive impairment compared with controls using CSI’D (51.9% versus 2.5%, P<0.001); TMTA (53.2% versus 0%, P<0.001); and TMTB (40% versus 0%, P<0.001). The odds of having cognitive impairment increased in the presence of CKD when assessed using CSI’D (OR = 2.026; CI = 1.607–2.555); TMTA (OR = 3.13; CI = 2.40–4.09) and TMTB (OR = 3.22; CI = 2.42–4.25). CKD patients performed poorer on tests of executive function TMTA (P<0.001) and TMTB (P<0.001) while CSI’D showed significantly lower scores on multiple cognitive domains. Conclusions. Significant cognitive impairment in multiple domains exists among Nigerians with CKD.
PRESEE: An MDL/MML Algorithm to Time‐Series Stream Segmenting
Authors: Xu Kaikuo , Jiang Yexi , Tang Mingjie , Yuan Changan , Tang Changjie
Published: June 2013

Time‐series stream is one of the most common data types in data mining field. It is prevalent in fields such as stock market, ecology, and medical care. Segmentation is a key step to accelerate the processing speed of time‐series stream mining. Previous algorithms for segmenting mainly focused on the issue of ameliorating precision instead of paying much attention to the efficiency. Moreover, the performance of these algorithms depends heavily on parameters, which are hard for the users to set. In this paper, we propose PRESEE (parameter-free, real-time, and scalable time-series stream segmenting algorithm), which greatly improves the efficiency of time‐series stream segmenting. PRESEE is based on both MDL (minimum description length) and MML (minimum message length) methods, which could segment the data automatically. To evaluate the performance of PRESEE, we conduct several experiments on time‐series streams of different types and compare it with the state‐of‐art algorithm. The empirical results show that PRESEE is very efficient for real‐time stream datasets by improving segmenting speed nearly ten times. The novelty of this algorithm is further demonstrated by the application of PRESEE in segmenting real‐time stream datasets from ChinaFLUX sensor networks data stream.
The Effect ofCamellia sinensison Wound Healing Potential in an Animal Model
Authors: Hajiaghaalipour Fatemeh , Kanthimathi M. S. , Abdulla Mahmood Ameen , Sanusi Junedah
Published: June 2013

Camellia sinensis(tea) is reported to have health benefits, including the building of healthy skin. This study evaluated the effects of topical application ofCamellia sinensisextract on the rate of wound closure and the histology of wound area. A uniform area of 2.00 cm in diameter was excised from the neck of adult male Sprague Dawley rats. The animals were topically treated with 0.2 mL of vehicle (CMC), Intrasite gel (positive control), or 200 and 400 mg/mL of extract. Wounds dressed with the extract and Intrasite gel healed significantly earlier than those with vehicle. Histological analysis of the wound area after 10 days showed that wounds dressed with the extract had less scar width when compared to the control. The tissue contained less inflammatory cells and more collagen and angiogenesis, compared to wounds dressed with vehicle. In this study,Camellia sinensisshowed high potential in wound healing activity.
Emotion-Focused Coping Worsens Depressive Feelings and Health Complaints in Cyberbullied Children
Authors: Völlink T. , Bolman C. A. W. , Eppingbroek A. , Dehue F.
Published: June 2013

Coping may explain why being cyberbullied affects children’s well-being differently, though previous studies are inconclusive. This survey among 325 children focused on the role coping strategies may play in the relationship between cyberbullying and depressive feelings and health complaints. Being cyberbullied was measured with the Cyberbullying Questionnaire, general coping with the Utrecht Coping List, and cyberbullying-specific coping with a questionnaire developed for this study. Health complaints were measured with the Short Questionnaire for Experienced Health and depressive feelings with the shortened Children’s Depression Inventory. The results showed that 18.8% of the children were bullied by mobile phone and 24.1% through the internet. Correlation analyses showed strong relationships between victimization, coping, depressive feelings, and health complaints. In the regression analyses conducted in all children, victimization, general emotion-focused, and problem-focused copings had main effects on depressive feelings and health complaints; emotion-focused coping interacted with victimization in health complaints. Simple slope analyses of children with high scores on emotion-focused general coping showed a stronger positive relationship between victimization and health complaints. Regression analyses of only cyberbullied children showed that only emotion-focused cyber-specific coping was associated with more health complaints and depressive feelings.
The Therapeutic Effect of Adding Dextromethorphan to Clonidine for Reducing Symptoms of Opioid Withdrawal: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Authors: Malek Ayyoub , Amiri Shahrokh , Habibi Asl Bohlool
Published: June 2013

Background. Dextromethorphan is a noncompetitive N-methyl D-aspartate receptor antagonist that is clinically feasible for relieving the opioid withdrawal symptoms. This study compares the efficacy of a combination therapy with dextromethorphan and clonidine to treatment with clonidine alone. Methods and Materials. In this double-blind randomized clinical trial, patients were selected from inpatients of detox and rehabilitation ward of Razi Hospital, Tabriz, Iran. They were randomly allocated to two groups receiving either clonidine (0.4–1.2 mg/day) or clonidine and dextromethorphan (300 mg/day). Withdrawal symptoms were evaluated in the first day of admission and again 24, 48, and 72 hours later. Results. Thirty male patients completed the trial in each group. Withdrawal symptoms began to decrease in the second day in patients receiving dextromethorphan and clonidine while patients receiving clonidine experienced the more severe symptoms in 72 hours. Analysis of variance of the symptom severity score revealed a significant group × time interaction (F=14.25; P<0.001), so that patients receiving dextromethorphan plus clonidine had milder symptoms during three days in all of the measurements compared to clonidine group. Conclusion. Combination therapy of dextromethorphan and clonidine would result in milder opioid withdrawal symptoms compared to clonidine alone with a reduction beginning at the second day.
Prevalence and Genetic Variability in Capsid L1 Gene of Rare Human Papillomaviruses (HPV) Found in Cervical Lesions of Women from North-East Brazil
Authors: Gurgel Ana Pavla Almeida Diniz , Chagas Bárbara Simas , Amaral Carolina Maria Medeiros do , Albuquerque Eugênia Maria Bezerra , Serra Ivi Gonçalves Soares Santos , Silva Neto Jacinto da Costa , Muniz Maria Tereza Cartaxo , Freitas Antonio Carlos de
Published: June 2013

The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence and genetic variability of the capsid L1 gene of rare HPV genotypes that were found in the cervical lesions of women from North-East Brazil. A total number of 263 patients were included in this study. HPV detection was performed using PCR followed by direct sequencing of MY09/11, as well as type-specific PCR to detect the Alpha-9 species. Epitope prediction was performed to determine whether or not the genetic variants are inserted in B-cell and T-cell epitopes. The prevalence of rare HPV types in cervical lesions was found to be 9.47%. The rare HPV genotypes that were detected were HPV-53, 54, 56, 61, 62, 66, 70, and 81. The genetic variability in the L1 gene of rare HPV types involved thirty nucleotide changes, eight of which were detected for the first time in this study. Moreover, some of these variants are embedded in B-cell or T-cell epitope regions. The results of this research suggest that rare HPV types might be involved in cervical lesions and some of these variants can be found in B-cell and T-cell epitopes. Data on the prevalence and variability of rare HPV types will assist in clarifying the role of these viruses in carcinogenesis.
Development and Preliminary Testing of a Framework to Evaluate Patients' Experiences of the Fundamentals of Care: A Secondary Analysis of Three Stroke Survivor Narratives
Authors: Kitson Alison L. , Muntlin Athlin Åsa
Published: June 2013

Aim. To develop and test a framework describing the interrelationship of three key dimensions (physical, psychosocial, and relational) in the provision of the fundamentals of care to patients.Background. There are few conceptual frameworks to help healthcare staff, particularly nurses, know how to provide direct care around fundamental needs such as eating, drinking, and going to the toilet.Design. Deductive development of a conceptual framework and qualitative analysis of secondary interview data.Method. Framework development followed by a secondary in-depth analysis of primary narrative interview data from three stroke survivors.Results. Using the physical, psychosocial and relational dimensions to develop a conceptual framework, it was possible to identify a number of “archetypes” or scenarios that could explain stroke survivors’ positive experiences of their care. Factors contributing to suboptimal care were also identified.Conclusions. This way of thinking about how the fundamentals of care are experienced by patients may help to elucidate the complex processes involved around providing high quality fundamentals of care. This analysis illustrates the multiple dimensions at play. However, more systematic investigation is required with further refining and testing with wider healthcare user groups. The framework has potential to be used as a predictive, evaluative, and explanatory tool.
Enabling Dynamic Sensor Configuration and Cooperation in Opportunistic Activity Recognition Systems
Authors: Kurz Marc , Hölzl Gerold , Ferscha Alois
Published: June 2013

Opportunistic activity recognition as research discipline is characterized by the fact that human activities (and more generally the context) shall be recognized with sensors that are initially unknown to the system. In contrast to “traditional” applications—where sensors, their modalities, locations, and working characteristics have to be defined at design time—opportunistic systems do not rely on an initially defined and fixed sensing infrastructure. Sensors have to be utilized upon their spontaneous availability and activity recognition capabilities and dynamic sensor ensembles have to be configured at runtime with respect to maximized recognition accuracy and minimized energy consumption. This requirement contains two research challenges that this paper tackles: (i) estimating the accuracy of an ensemble without being able to compare the output in the form of recognized activity classes to a (labeled) ground truth and (ii) optimizing the accuracy/energy trade-off by applying exact and heuristic methods adapted for cooperative sensor ensembles.
Positive Stability Analysis and Bio-Circuit Design for Nonlinear Biochemical Networks
Authors: Sun Yonghui , Wei Zhinong , Sun Guoqiang
Published: June 2013

This paper is concerned with positive stability analysis and bio-circuits design for nonlinear biochemical networks. A fuzzy interpolation approach is employed to approximate nonlinear biochemical networks. Based on the Lyapunov stability theory, sufficient conditions are developed to guarantee the equilibrium points of nonlinear biochemical networks to be positive and asymptotically stable. In addition, a constrained bio-circuits design with positive control input is also considered. It is shown that the conditions can be formulated as a solution to a convex optimization problem, which can be easily facilitated by using the Matlab LMI control toolbox. Finally, a real biochemical network model is provided to illustrate the effectiveness and validity of the obtained results.
Susceptibility for Lupus Nephritis by Low Copy Number of theFCGR3BGene Is Linked to Increased Levels of Pathogenic Autoantibodies
Authors: Nossent Johannes C. , Becker-Merok Andrea , Rischmueller Maureen , Lester Sue
Published: June 2013

Low copy number (CN) of theFCGR3Bgene reducesFCGR3Bmembrane expression on neutrophils and results in clearance of a smaller amount of immune complex. We investigatedFCGR3BCN in relation to the clinical phenotype in a Caucasian SLE cohort ().FCGR3BCN was determined by three different qPCR parameter estimations (Ct−, Cy0, and cpD1) and confirmed by the FCGR2C/FCGR2A paralog ratio test. Clinical and serological data were then analyzed for their association withFCGR3BCN. LowFCGR3BCN (<2) was more frequent in SLE patients than in healthy controls () (20% versus 6%, OR 4.15, ) and associated with higher disease activity scores (SLEDAI 10.4 versus 6.1, ), lupus nephritis (LN) (25 versus 5%, ), and increased levels of antibodies against dsDNA (81 versus 37 IU, ), C1q (22 versus 6 IU, ), and ribosomal P (10 versus 5 IU, ). No such associations were seen with antibodies against extractable nuclear antigens or highFCGR3BCN (>2). In multivariate analyses, LN was independently associated with anti-C1q-Ab levels () and lowFCGR3BCN (). We conclude that the susceptibility for LN in patients with lowFCGR3BCN is linked to increased levels of pathogenic autoantibodies.
Study of Zn‐Cu Ferrite Nanoparticles for LPG Sensing
Authors: Jain Anuj , Baranwal Ravi Kant , Bharti Ajaya , Vakil Z. , Prajapati C. S.
Published: June 2013

Nanostructured zinc‐copper mixed ferrite was synthesized using sol‐gel method. XRD patterns of different compositions of zinc‐copper ferrite, Zn(1−x)CuxFe2O4 (x = 0.0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75), revealed single phase inverse spinel ferrite in all the samples synthesized. With increasing copper concentration, the crystallite size was found to be increased from 28 nm to 47 nm. The surface morphology of all the samples studied by the Scanning Electron Microscopy there exhibits porous structure of particles throughout the samples. The pellets of the samples are prepared for LPG sensing characteristics. The sensing is carried out at different operating temperatures (200, 225, and 250°C) with the variation of LPG concentrations (0.2, 0.4, and 0.6 vol%). The maximum sensitivity of 55.33% is observed at 250°C operating for the 0.6 vol% LPG.
Deconvolution Filtering for Nonlinear Stochastic Systems with Randomly Occurring Sensor Delays via Probability-Dependent Method
Authors: Luo Yuqiang , Wei Guoliang , Karimi Hamid Reza , Wang Licheng
Published: June 2013

This paper deals with a robustH∞deconvolution filtering problem for discrete-time nonlinear stochastic systems with randomly occurring sensor delays. The delayed measurements are assumed to occur in a random way characterized by a random variable sequence following the Bernoulli distribution with time-varying probability. The purpose is to design anH∞deconvolution filter such that, for all the admissible randomly occurring sensor delays, nonlinear disturbances, and external noises, the input signal distorted by the transmission channel could be recovered to a specified extent. By utilizing the constructed Lyapunov functional relying on the time-varying probability parameters, the desired sufficient criteria are derived. The proposedH∞deconvolution filter parameters include not only the fixed gains obtained by solving a convex optimization problem but also the online measurable time-varying probability. When the time-varying sensor delays occur randomly with a time-varying probability sequence, the proposed gain-scheduled filtering algorithm is very effective. The obtained design algorithm is finally verified in the light of simulation examples.
Purple Urine Bag Syndrome May Not Be Benign: A Case Report and Brief Review of the Literature
Authors: Bhattarai Mukul , Bin Mukhtar Hamid , Davis Thomas Walter , Silodia Alok , Nepal Hitekshya
Published: June 2013

Purple urine bag syndrome (PUBS) is a rare condition in which there is purple discoloration of the urine with its collecting bag and associated tubing occurs. It is considered a benign condition. We report an unusual case of PUBS in an 87-year-old female from nursing home who had a history of recurrent UTI. She also had a history of ureteral obstruction requiring left nephrostomy tube. She was brought to emergency department with altered mental status which developed five days after the occurrence of purple discoloration of the urinary bag. Her urine culture grew vancomycin-resistantEnterococci(VRE) andPseudomonas aeruginosa. She died within three days of hospitalization despite intensive care in tertiary center. This case highlights that PUBS may not always be benign and should be approached on a case-by-case basis because it may signal the underlying UTI which might be very difficult to treat. Failure of recognition of this peculiar color early could delay the appropriate intervention leading to fatal complication. This case also represents the rare occurrence of PUBS in the setting of nephrostomy tube.
An Autocrine Loop between TGF-β1 and the Transcription Factor Brachyury Controls the Transition of Human Carcinoma Cells into a Mesenchymal Phenotype
Authors: Larocca Cecilia , Cohen Joseph R. , Fernando Romaine I. , Huang Bruce , Hamilton Duane H. , Palena Claudia
Published: June 2013

The epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a process associated with the metastasis of solid tumors as well as with the acquisition of resistance to standard anticancer modalities. A major initiator of EMT in carcinoma cells is TGF-β, which has been shown to induce the expression of several transcription factors ultimately responsible for initiating and maintaining the EMT program. We have previously identified Brachyury, a T-box transcription factor, as an inducer of mesenchymal features in human carcinoma cells. In this study, a potential link between Brachyury and TGF-β signaling has been investigated. The results show for the first time that Brachyury expression is enhanced during TGF-β1–induced EMT in various human cancer cell lines, and that a positive feedback loop is established between Brachyury and TGF-β1 in mesenchymal-like tumor cells. In this context, Brachyury overexpression is shown to promote upregulation of TGF-β1 at the mRNA and protein levels, an effect mediated by activation of the TGF-β1 promoter in the presence of high levels of Brachyury. Furthermore, inhibition of TGF-β1 signaling by a small-molecule inhibitor of TGF-β receptor type I decreases Brachyury expression, induces a mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition, and renders cancer cells more susceptible to chemotherapy. This study thus has implications for the future development of clinical trials using TGF-β inhibitors in combination with other anticancer agents. Mol Cancer Ther; 12(9); 1805–15. ©2013 AACR.
Protease activated receptor 4 limits bacterial growth and lung pathology during late stage Streptococcus pneumoniae induced pneumonia in mice
Authors: van ’t Veer Cornelis , van den Boogaard Florry E. , Nieuwland Rienk , Hoogendijk Arie J. , de Boer Onno J. , Roelofs Joris J. T. H. , der Poll Tom van , de Stoppelaar Sacha F.
Published: June 2013

Streptococcus pneumoniae is a common causative pathogen of pneumonia and sepsis. Pneumonia and sepsis are associated with enhanced activation of coagulation, resulting in the production of several host-derived proteases at the primary site of infection and in the circulation. Serine proteases cleave protease activated receptors (PARs), which form a molecular link between coagulation and inflammation. PAR4 is one of four subtypes of PARs and is widely expressed by multiple cell types in the respiratory tract implicated in pulmonary inflammation, by immune cells and by platelets. In mice, mouse (m)PAR4 is the only thrombin receptor expressed by platelets. We here sought to determine the contribution of mPAR4 to the host response during pneumococcal pneumonia. Pneumonia was induced by intranasal inoculation with S. pneumoniae in mPAR4-deficient (par4-/-
) and wild-type mice. Mice were sacrificed after 6, 24 or 48 hours (h). Blood, lungs, liver and spleen were collected for analyses. Ex vivo stimulation assays were performed with S. pneumoniae and mPAR4 activating peptides. At 48 h after infection, higher bacterial loads were found in the lungs and blood of par4-/-
mice (p < 0.05), accompanied by higher histopathology scores and increased cytokine levels (p < 0.05) in the lungs. Ex vivo, co-stimulation with mPAR4 activating peptide enhanced the whole blood cytokine response to S. pneumoniae. Thrombin inhibition resulted in decreased cytokine release after S. pneumoniae stimulation in human whole blood. Our findings suggest that mPAR4 contributes to antibacterial defence during murine pneumococcal pneumonia.
Long-term Survival of Dialysis Patients With Bacterial Endocarditis Undergoing Valvular Replacement Surgery in the United States
Authors: Leither Maxwell D. , Shroff Gautam R. , Ding Shu , Gilbertson David T. , Herzog Charles A.
Published: June 2013

Background—

Bacterial endocarditis in dialysis patients is associated with high mortality rates. The literature is limited on the long-term outcomes of valvular replacement surgery and the choice of prosthesis in dialysis patients with bacterial endocarditis.

Methods and Results—

Dialysis patients hospitalized for bacterial endocarditis from 2004 to 2007 were studied retrospectively using data from the United States Renal Data System. Long-term survival of patients undergoing valve replacement surgery with tissue or nontissue valves was compared by use of the Kaplan-Meier method. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify independent predictors of mortality in patients undergoing valvular replacement surgery. During the study period, 11 156 dialysis patients were hospitalized for bacterial endocarditis and 1267 (11.4%) underwent valvular replacement surgery (tissue valve, 44.3%; nontissue valve, 55.7%). In the valve replacement cohort, 60% were men, 50% were white, 54% were 45 to 64 years of age, and 36% were diabetic. Estimated survival with tissue and nontissue valves at 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 years was 59% and 60%, 48% and 50%, 35% and 37%, and 25% and 30%, respectively (log-rank
P
=0.42). Staphylococcus was the predominant organism (66% of identified organisms). Independent predictors of mortality in patients undergoing valve replacement surgery included older age, diabetes mellitus as the cause of end-stage renal disease, surgery during index hospitalization, staphylococcus as the causative organism, and dysrhythmias as a comorbid condition.

Conclusions—

Valve replacement surgery is appropriate for well-selected dialysis patients with bacterial endocarditis but is associated with high mortality rates. Survival does not differ with tissue or nontissue prosthesis.
The Persistence of the Image: Dhākira Hurra in Dia Azzawi's Drawings on the Massacre of Tel al-Zaatar
Authors: Al-Bahloly Saleem
Published: June 2013

This article examines the memory-image in a set of drawings produced by the Iraqi artist Dia Azzawi on the massacre of the Palestinian refugee camp, Tel al-Zaatar, during the Lebanese civil war. It traces the development of this memory-image in Iraq in the 1960s, within a paradigm of the modern artwork established by the work of the artist Kadhim Haidar. Generalizing in modern art a mode of allegory from the poetic tradition of the husayniyyat, that paradigm introduced a philosophy of history in which the past was interpreted as a tradition of tragic forms that could be revived in painting as allegories for articulating the experience of contemporary political violence. Within that philosophy of history, Azzawi drew from the epic, Gilgamesh, a formula for representing injustice, one where a victim is emplotted in a narrative of struggle, such that the forms of the victim double as forms of the aggression from which he suffers. This formula comprised the method of representation in Azzawi's drawings on the massacre at Tel al-Zaatar and in his work throughout the 1970s.
Enemy at the Gates: The Phenomenon of Fortifications in Israel Reexamined
Authors: Ben-Ami Doron , Wazana Nili
Published: June 2013

Abstract

This article addresses the phenomenon of fortifications in Iron Age Israel and tries to portray the specific historical background behind their construction by integrating the archaeological data, the extra-biblical sources and the analysis of the biblical text. Of the two clear stratigraphical phases of fortifications noticed in several Iron Age cities, the latter is more massive and elaborated compared with its predecessor. We propose that the developed phase of fortifications in Israel was created under the Omrides, in a time of economic and political strength, as a response to the expansion policy of Aram Damascus. This analysis offers an explanation to the intriguing absence of any biblical reference to the Assyrians prior to Tiglath-pileser III, and casts a fresh look upon the current debate on the chronology of the Iron Age II. If the elaborate fortification systems were initiated during the first half of the ninth century, the initial phase of the urbanization process, which preceded this developed stage, must have begun in the days prior to the Omride dynasty, namely in the tenth century.
What Do We Mean by Protection?
Authors: Stevens Dallal
Published: June 2013

Protection is arguably the raison-d’être of refugee policy. Yet, surprisingly, the meaning of protection is not without ambiguity. ‘Domestic protection’ can be distinguished from ‘international protection’; the sense attributed to protection within the 1951 Refugee Convention contrasts with that of the 1950 United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Statute. Equally, how the state interprets its protective obligations departs frequently from the practice of humanitarian organisations. Alongside such differences, there has been a proliferation of protection concepts in recent years which, far from improving understanding, have added unnecessary confusion and undermined the fundamental purpose of protection. This article considers the language of ‘protection’ within the refugee field and argues that protection proliferation must now be addressed and reversed.
Asylum Seekers, Good Faith and the State
Authors: Piotrowicz Ryszard
Published: June 2013

The author considers the nature of the obligation of asylum seekers to be truthful in their dealings with potential asylum states when making claims for asylum. The obligation is considered against the backdrop of the legitimate interest of the state to restrict access of aliens to its territory, juxtaposed with the right of asylum seekers to seek a haven elsewhere, in light of sometimes very strong fear or pressure on them arising from the situation they have fled. The author concludes that refugee law and practice are at loggerheads: insufficient account is taken of the dilemma of states, which have clear obligations under refugee law towards asylum seekers but which have little or no means to address the dilemma of how to deal with asylum seekers who make dishonest claims to asylum.
Jacques de Revigny’s contribution to the concept of subjective rights and the origins of the maxim ‘Ex facto ius oritur ’
Authors: Bezemer Kees
Published: June 2013

The idea that people can have subjective rights is no doubt older than the term itself. It is argued that in the course of the thirteenth century it obtained its place in legal doctrine. Jacques de Revigny (d. 1296) in particular has devised a doctrinal frame to this end. At the same time he sought to reduce the weight attached to the actions flowing from these rights, making a shift possible from the action-centred Roman law to a legal system based on (subjective) rights. Bartolus de Saxoferrato (1314–1357) saw the potential of this frame and applied it without much dogmatic discussion. The maxim ‘Ex facto ius oritur’ should be placed in the context of this development.
Le jugement de l’opinion publique et la répression des provocations collectives non suivies d’effet en Belgique (1831–1914)
Authors: Delbecke Bram
Published: June 2013

The judgment of public opinion and the repression of ineffective criminal provocation in Belgium (1831-1914) – Amongst others, the preoccupation of the 1830–1831 Belgian National Congress with national public opinion as its political foundation, was reflected in the way it thought about criminal provocation. When no effect was given to seditious articles or subversive speeches, they considered them not to be punishable, since public opinion had not bothered to heed their incitements. However, the rise of the labour movement urged the Belgian authorities to change their policy towards this kind of provocations. In order to avoid the long-term effects of the rebellious messages of socialist leaders and anarchist rioters, criminal provocation was qualified an autonomous offence. The way judicial inquiries were held revealed the concern to agitate public opinion as little as possible. This development is clearly marked by a regained sense of pragmatism and a loss of confidence in the judgement of public opinion.
Religious Freedom in Islam: A Global Landscape
Authors: Philpott Daniel
Published: June 2013

This paper presents a global landscape of religious freedom in Islam, a crucial matter for resolving the contentious contemporary debate over whether Islam is a peaceful or violent religion. The landscape shows a general dearth of religious freedom in Islam. This does not mean, though, that Islam is incompatible with religious freedom, for a large percentage of Muslim countries are governed by regimes inspired by western secularism. The paper also argues that religious freedom is neither synonymous nor co-extensive with electoral democracy. Several democracies with low levels of religious freedom exist in Muslim-majority countries, while authoritarian regimes with relatively high levels of religious freedom exist but are rare.
A new species of Fizesereneia Takeda & Tamura, 1980 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: Cryptochiridae) from Japan
Authors: ZAYASU YUNA , NOMURA KEIICHI , SENO KOUTARO , ASAKURA AKIRA
Published: June 2013

A new species of pit crab of the genus Fizesereneia Takeda & Tamura, 1980, Fizesereneia daidai sp. nov., is described and illustrated based on specimens collected from the scleractinian corals Micromussa amakusensis and Micromussa sp. in Japan. The new species, the sixth assigned to the genus, can be separated from its congeners by having an orange pos-terior carapace in life, a subrectangular carapace, the width to length ratio of the carapace depressions being approximately three-halves, the midline of the carapace depression being almost invisible in lateral view, and the ocular peduncles being mostly exposed. The usefulness of the fusion or separation of the pterygostomial region to the carapace as a generic char-acter is discussed.
Dates of publication of Bleeker’s Atlas ichthyologique and Poissons de Madagascar
Authors: KOTTELAT MAURICE
Published: June 2013

The publication dates of the 36 livraisons of Bleeker’s Atlas ichthyologique des Indes orientales néêrlandaises (1862– 1878) are here compiled from reports of the books received by the Royal Academy of Sciences in Amsterdam that were published as supplements to the Verslagen en Mededeelingen der Koninklijke Akademie van Wetenschappen, Afdeeling Natuurkunde. While the dates of livraisons 1–18 were already known with some accuracy, only the publication year was known for livraisons 19–36. The dates are now narrowed to within a month. This source also shows that Poissons de Mad-agascar was published in December 1874 at the latest.
Evaluation of Boundary Layer Depth Estimates at Summit Station, Greenland
Authors: Van Dam B. , Helmig D. , Neff W. , Kramer L.
Published: June 2013

Boundary layer conditions in polar regions have been shown to have a significant impact on the levels of trace gases in the lower atmosphere. The ability to properly describe boundary layer characteristics (e.g., stability, depth, and variations on diurnal and seasonal scales) is essential to understanding the processes that control chemical budgets and surface fluxes in these regions. Surface turbulence data measured from 3D sonic anemometers on an 8-m tower at Summit Station, Greenland, were used for estimating boundary layer depths (BLD) in stable to weakly stable conditions. The turbulence-derived BLD estimates were evaluated for June 2010 using direct BLD measurements from an acoustic sounder located approximately 50 m away from the tower. BLDs during this period varied diurnally; minimum values were less than 10 m, and maximum values were greater than 150 m. BLD estimates provided a better comparison with sodar observations during stable conditions. Ozone and nitrogen oxides were also measured at the meteorological tower and investigated for their dependency on boundary layer structure. These analyses, in contrast to observations from South Pole, Antarctica, did not show a clear relation between surface-layer atmospheric trace-gas levels and the stable boundary layer.
The Role of Air–Sea Coupling in Seasonal Prediction of Asia–Pacific Summer Monsoon Rainfall
Authors: Zhu Jieshun , Shukla Jagadish
Published: June 2013

This study examines the role of the air–sea coupled process in the seasonal predictability of Asia–Pacific summer monsoon rainfall by comparing seasonal predictions from two carefully designed model experiments: tier 1 (fully coupled model) and tier 2 (AGCM with prescribed SSTs). In these experiments, an identical AGCM is used in both tier 1 and tier 2 predictions; the daily mean SSTs from tier 1 coupled predictions are prescribed as a boundary condition in tier 2 predictions. Both predictions start in April from 1982 to 2009, with four ensemble members for each case. The model used is the Climate Forecast System, version 2 (CFSv2), the current operational climate prediction model for seasonal-to-interannual prediction at the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP). Comparisons indicate that tier 2 predictions produce not only higher rainfall biases but also unrealistically high rainfall variations in the tropical western North Pacific (TWNP) and some coastal regions as well. While the prediction skill in terms of anomaly correlations does not present a significant difference between the two types of predictions, the root-mean-square errors (RMSEs) are clearly larger over the above-mentioned regions in the tier 2 prediction. The reduced RMSE skills in the tier 2 predictions are due to the lack of a coupling process in AGCM-alone simulations, which, particularly, results in an unrealistic SST–rainfall relationship over the TWNP region. It is suggested that for a prediction of summer monsoon rainfall over the Asia–Pacific region, it is necessary to use a coupled atmosphere–ocean (tier 1) prediction system.
Profiles of Wind Speed Variances within Nocturnal Low-Level Jets Observed with a Sodar
Authors: Kallistratova Margarita A. , Kouznetsov Rostislav D. , Kramar Valerii F. , Kuznetsov Dmitrii D.
Published: June 2013

Continuous sodar measurements of wind profiles have been carried out at the Zvenigorod Scientific Station of the Obukhov Institute of Atmospheric Physics since 2008. The station is located in a slightly inhomogeneous rural area about 45 km west of Moscow, Russia. The data were used to determine the parameters of wind and turbulence within low-level jets in the stable atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). Along with the mean velocity profiles, the profiles of variances of wind speed components from the sodar and the profiles of temperature from a microwave radiometer have been used to quantify turbulence and thermal stratification. Data from two sonic anemometers were used to get the near-surface parameters.

The typical standard deviation of the vertical wind component σw within the low-level jet is about 5% of the maximum wind speed in the jet. No noticeable vertical variation of σw across the jets was detected in several earlier sodar campaigns, and it was not found in the present study. An increase in horizontal variances was detected in zones of substantial wind shear, which agrees with earlier published lidar data.

Quasi-periodic structures in the sodar return signal, which appear in sodar echograms as braid-shaped patterns, were found to emerge preferably when a substantial increase of wind shear occurs at the top of the stable ABL. The braid patterns in the sodar echograms were not accompanied by any noticeable increase of observed σw, which disagrees with earlier data and indicates that such patterns may originate from various phenomena.
Comparison among nasopharyngeal swab, nasal wash, and oropharyngeal swab for respiratory virus detection in adults with acute pharyngitis
Authors: Li Li , Chen Qiao-Yan , Li Yun-Ying , Wang Yan-Fang , Yang Zi-Feng , Zhong Nan-Shan
Published: June 2013

Background

Acute pharyngitis is frequently seen in primary care. Acute viral pharyngitis may be easily misdiagnosed as acute bacterial pharyngitis. Laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of respiratory viruses is recommended. The purpose of this study was to compare the sensitivities among oropharyngeal swab (OPS), nasopharyngeal swab (NPS), and nasal wash (NW) in adults with acute pharyngitis.

Methods

OPS, NPS, and NW were obtained from each participant with acute pharyngitis. The specimens were tested for 15 respiratory viruses by TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction. A sample was considered to be a true positive if any of the specimens was positive. The sensitivities among samples were compared by chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test, as appropriate.

Results

One hundred three triple samples collected consecutively by OPS, NPS, and NW were obtained. In 73 patients, one or more viruses were detected by any of the three methods. Among all viruses, the sensitivity of NPS was significantly higher than that of NW (74% vs. 49%, respectively; p < 0.01) and OPS (74% vs. 49%, respectively; p < 0.01).

Conclusions

Flocked NPS collection may be the most effective alternative to NW and OPS for detection of respiratory viruses in adults with acute pharyngitis using TaqMan real-time polymerase chain reaction.
Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitors- current status
Authors: Mughal Anum , Aslam Hafiz Muhammad , Khan Aga Muhammad Hammad , Saleem Shafaq , Umah Ribak , Saleem Maria
Published: June 2013

Bcr-Abl plays a central role in the development of chromosome positive leukaemia. Chronic Myeloid leukaemia occurs due to increase proliferation and resistance to apoptosis by Bcr-Abl positive cells. Imatinib (STI571) is the first drug in the family of Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitors while Nilotinib (AMN107) and Dasatinib (BMS-345825) are second generation drugs that are intended to have less resistance and intolerance than imatinib. Ponatinib (AP24534) an orally active Bcr-Abl Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor and Bafetinib (INNO-406) have efficacy against various point mutations in the Bcr-Abl kinase. 1, 3, 4 thiadiazole derivatives has also displayed moderate inhibitory action on both Abl and Src kinase family. However there are varieties of Bcr-Abl inhibitors but Nilotinib is still the frontline tyrosine kinase inhibitors.