bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of the spectral shape changes on voice perception
Authors: Ito Mika , Gerratt Bruce R. , Antonanzas-Barroso Norma , Kreiman Jody
Published: October 2013

Researchers have long known that the shape of the vocal source spectrum is an important determinant of vocal quality, but the details regarding the importance of individual spectral features remains unclear. Previous research indicates four spectral features, H1-H2, the spectral slope above 4 kHz, the slope from 1.5–2 kHz, and the slope from 2–4 kHz, account for virtually all the variability in spectral shapes. The present study provides preliminary evidence about the perceptual importance of these four features. Four series of stimuli were synthesized for each spectral parameter, in which that parameter varied in small steps. Because the perceptual salience of source parameters depends on F0 and on the spectrum of the inharmonic part of the source, series differed in the sex of the speaker (male/female) and in the NSR (noise-free/very noisy). Listeners heard all possible pairs of voices within each series and were asked to determine whether stimuli were the same or different. We hypothesize that listeners sensitivity to H1-H2 and the slope of the spectrum from 1.5–2 kHz will be independent of noise, but that sensitivity to changes in the spectral shape above 2 kHz will depend on the amount of noise excitation present in the voice.
Adaptive beamformer trade-off study of an expendable array for biologic vocalizations
Authors: Arvelo Juan
Published: October 2013

Adaptive beamformers exploit the ambient noise anisotropy to increase the array gain against this background, enhance target detection, and increase the resolution of the beam response. A prototype expendable array was developed and tested for high-frequency passive detection and localization of marine mammals. This latest array consists of vertical poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) wire elements arranged in a horizontal 6×6 grid with the corner elements removed for a total of 32 lines. The length of the wires forms a vertical beam response that allows exploitation of the ambient noise directionality in elevation while the horizontal aperture provides full coverage in azimuth. The performance and computational demand of selected adaptive and conventional beamformers are compared in a trade-off study to determine their possible use in this expendable system. This trade-off study accounts for the demand of computational resources in addition to the predicted system performance as adjuncts to ocean observatories. [This effort is partly supported by JHU/APL and the Office of Naval Research (ONR).]
Robust matched-field processor in the presence of geoacoustic inversion uncertainty
Authors: Huang Chen-Fen , Gerstoft Peter , Hodgkiss William S.
Published: October 2013

This presentation examines the performance of a matched-field processor incorporating geoacoustic inversion uncertainty. Uncertainty of geoacoustic parameters is described via a joint posterior probability distribution (PPD) of the estimated environmental parameters, which is found by formulating and solving the geoacoustic inversion problem in a Bayesian framework. The geoacoustic inversion uncertainty is mapped into uncertainty in the acoustic pressure field. The resulting acoustic field uncertainty is incorporated in the matched-field processor using the minimum variance beamformer with environmental perturbation constraints (MV-EPC). The constraints are estimated using the ensemble of acoustic pressure fields derived from the PPD of the estimated environmental parameters. Using a data set from the ASIAEX 2001 East China Sea experiment, tracking performance of the MV-EPC beamformer is compared with the Bartlett beamformer using the best-fit model.
Evolution of modern fluctuation-based processing
Authors: Wagstaff Ronald
Published: October 2013

Modern fluctuation-based processors (FBPs) are relatively new on the signal processing scene. They started in the mid-1980s with the realization that averaging the reciprocal acoustic powers and inverting the result back, i.e., the harmonic mean, could yield 6- to 8-dB signal-to-noise ratio gain over the corresponding average power. Because of its significant noise attenuation, this processor was designated WISPR, i.e., reduces noise to a whisper. WISPR had a unique, potentially more valuable, capability. Based on the decibel difference, or ratio, between the average power and WISPR, it could be determined whether the received signals were from ships, or from sources of sound that were submerged. After much time and experience with WISPR at sea, acquiring and processing towed array ocean acoustic data, and continuing data processing in the laboratory, the phenomena that were responsible for WISPRs performance, acoustic fluctuations generated near the sea surface, became better understood and WISPRs credibility increased. This led to the development of many other FBPs with similar capabilities, but with significantly enhanced performances. A brief account of post-WISPR development will be presented, including a description of the exploitable parameters, how they are used, and the range of gains that they achieve.
Echo detection enhancement using multiple guide sources in shallow water
Authors: Calvo David C. , Gaumond Charles F. , Fromm David M. , Menis Richard
Published: October 2013

The use of a guide source has been proposed as a way of compensating for multipath by forming a spatial-temporal cross correlation of the received target and guide source signals across a vertical array in the frequency domain [Siderius et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 102, 3439–3449]. This processing has the effect of creating a virtual receiver at the guide source position. In general, the performance of a virtual receiver degrades if the spatial integration is not carried out over the span of the array with significant signal. In our study, we have pursued an alternative approach of using guide sources which does not require this integration in general. The guide source signal is simply used as a matched filter. Although this does not correspond to a virtual receiver, it is useful as a means of improving active or passive detection of signals in noise. In general, the signal gain using this alternative technique is dependent on the guide source position. To compensate for this, we construct a separable-kernel-receiver filter bank using multiple randomly positioned guide source signals. Improvement of ROC curves in both passive and active scenarios is obtained using experimental and simulated data. [Work sponsored by ONR.]
Incorporating environmental variability into received signal statistics
Authors: Camin H. John , Culver R. Lee , Sibul Leon H. , Ballard Jeffrey A. , Jemmott Colin W.
Published: October 2013

We have developed a Monte Carlo-based method for estimating the variability of acoustic signal parameters caused by uncertain ocean environments. The method begins with a physics-based model for the environmental properties and uses the maximum entropy (MaxEnt) method to construct probability density functions (pdf’s) describing the measured deviations from the model mean. Random realizations of environmental variability, with proper depth correlation, are constructed from the pdf’s and added to the mean model parameters. A parabolic equation code (ram) is used to propagate acoustic energy through each realization of the environment. Fourier synthesis is used to recreate the arrival structure. The method is demonstrated using measurements from the Strait of Gibraltar, which is a particularly complicated region dominated by strong tidal fluctuations and internal waves. During 1996, an international group carried out the Strait of Gibraltar Acoustic Monitoring Experiment (SGAME), in which detailed environmental and 250-Hz acoustic data were collected. Here, pdf’s of the received signal level are compared with results of the Monte Carlo method to demonstrate performance. [Gibraltar data and SVP model provided by Chris Tiemann (ARL:UT) and Peter Worcester (SIO). Work supported by ONR Undersea Signal Processing.]
Impulse response measurements based on music and speech signals
Authors: Ahnert Wolfgang , Feistel Stefan , Miron Alexandru , Finder Enno
Published: October 2013

All known software based measurement systems, including TEF, MLSSA, SMAART, and EASERA, derive results using predetermined excitation signals like Sweep, MLS, or Noise. This work extends the range of excitations to natural signals like speech and music. In this context selected parameters like frequency range, dynamic range, and fluctuation of the signal and the signal duration are investigated in order to reach conclusions about the conditions required to obtain results comparable with standard excitation signals. Also the limitations of the standard stimuli and the proposed natural stimuli are discussed.
Cortical High-Density Counterstream Architectures
Authors: Markov Nikola T. , Ercsey-Ravasz Mária , Van Essen David C. , Knoblauch Kenneth , Toroczkai Zoltán , Kennedy Henry
Published: October 2013

Small-world networks provide an appealing description of cortical architecture owing to their capacity for integration and segregation combined with an economy of connectivity. Previous reports of low-density interareal graphs and apparent small-world properties are challenged by data that reveal high-density cortical graphs in which economy of connections is achieved by weight heterogeneity and distance-weight correlations. These properties define a model that predicts many binary and weighted features of the cortical network including a core-periphery, a typical feature of self-organizing information processing systems. Feedback and feedforward pathways between areas exhibit a dual counterstream organization, and their integration into local circuits constrains cortical computation. Here, we propose a bow-tie representation of interareal architecture derived from the hierarchical laminar weights of pathways between the high-efficiency dense core and periphery.
Doctoral Students and U.S. Immigration Policy
Authors: Maskus Keith E. , Mobarak A. Mushfiq , Stuen Eric T.
Published: October 2013

Policies should promote skilled non-U.S. students to study, and stay, in the United States.
Acquisition of Oral Microbes and Associated Systemic Responses of Newborn Nonhuman Primates
Authors: Ebersole J. L. , Holt S. C. , Delaney J. E.
Published: October 2013

The acquisition and development of the complex oral microbiome remain ill defined. While selected species of oral bacteria have been examined in relation to their initial colonization in neonates, a more detailed understanding of the dynamics of the microbiome has been developed only in adults. The current investigation used a nonhuman primate model to document the kinetics of colonization of the oral cavities of newborns and infants by a range of oral commensals and pathogens. Differences in colonization were evaluated in newborns from mothers who were maintained on an oral hygiene regimen pre- and postparturition with those displaying naturally acquired gingivitis/periodontitis. The results demonstrate distinct profiles of acquisition of selected oral bacteria, with the transmission of targeted pathogens,Porphyromonas gingivalisandAggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, being passed on primarily from mothers with gingivitis/periodontitis. This colonization resulted in defined patterns of systemic antibody responses in the infants. The significant relative risk measures for infection with the pathogens, as well as the relationship of oral infection and blood serum antibody levels, were consistent with those of the newborns from mothers with gingivitis/periodontitis. These findings indicate that the early acquisition of potentially pathogenic oral bacterial species might impact the development of mucosal responses in the gingiva and may provide an enhanced risk for the development of periodontitis later in life.
Safety, Immunogenicity, and Antibody Persistence following an Investigational Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae Triple-Protein Vaccine in a Phase 1 Randomized Controlled Study in Healthy Adults
Authors: Berglund Johan , Vink Peter , Tavares Da Silva Fernanda , Lestrate Pascal , Boutriau Dominique
Published: October 2013

We investigated a protein-based nontypeable
Haemophilus influenzae
(NTHi) and pneumococcal (HiP) vaccine containing pneumococcal histidine triad D (PhtD), detoxified pneumolysin (dPly), and NTHi protein D (PD) in adults. In a phase I study, 40 healthy 18- to 40-year-old subjects were randomized (2:2:1) to receive two HiP doses administered 60 days apart, with or without AS03 adjuvant (HiP-AS and HiP groups, respectively), or Engerix B (GlaxoSmithKline, Belgium) as a control. Safety, antibodies, and antigen-specific CD4
+
T-cell immune responses were assessed before and until 480 days after vaccination. No serious adverse events were reported, and no subject withdrew due to an adverse event. Local and systemic symptoms were reported more frequently in the HiP-AS group than in the other two groups. The frequency and intensity of local and systemic symptoms appeared to increase after the second dose of HiP-AS or HiP but not Engerix B. Antibody geometric mean concentrations (GMCs) for PhtD, dPly, and PD increased after each dose of HiP-AS or HiP, with higher GMCs being observed in the HiP-AS group (statistically significant for anti-PD after dose 1 and anti-Ply after dose 2). GMCs remained higher at day 420 than prior to vaccination in both the HiP-AS and HiP groups. Antigen-specific CD4
+
T cells increased after each dose but were unmeasurable by day 480. Two doses of an investigational PhtD-dPly-PD protein vaccine induced humoral immunity and antigen-specific CD4
+
T-cell responses after each dose, with generally higher responses when the vaccine was administered with AS03. HiP combined with AS03 appeared to be more reactogenic than the antigens alone. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under registration no. NCT00814489.)
Assessment of an Oral Mycobacterium bovis BCG Vaccine and an Inactivated M. bovis Preparation for Wild Boar in Terms of Adverse Reactions, Vaccine Strain Survival, and Uptake by Nontarget Species
Authors: Beltrán-Beck Beatriz , Romero Beatriz , Sevilla Iker A. , Barasona Jose A. , Garrido Joseba M. , González-Barrio David , Díez-Delgado Iratxe , Minguijón Esmeralda , Casal Carmen , Vicente Joaquín , Gortázar Christian , Aranaz Alicia
Published: October 2013

Wildlife vaccination is increasingly being considered as an option for tuberculosis control. We combined data from laboratory trials and an ongoing field trial to assess the risk of an oralMycobacterium bovisBCG vaccine and a prototype heat-inactivatedMycobacterium bovispreparation for Eurasian wild boar (Sus scrofa). We studied adverse reactions, BCG survival, BCG excretion, and bait uptake by nontarget species. No adverse reactions were observed after administration of BCG (n= 27) or inactivatedM. bovis(n= 21). BCG was not found at necropsy (175 to 300 days postvaccination [n= 27]). No BCG excretion was detected in fecal samples (n= 162) or in urine or nasal, oral, or fecal swab samples at 258 days postvaccination (n= 29). In the field, we found no evidence of loss of BCG viability in baits collected after 36 h (temperature range, 11°C to 41°C). Camera trapping showed that wild boar (39%) and birds (56%) were the most frequent visitors to bait stations (selective feeders). Wild boar activity patterns were nocturnal, while diurnal activities were recorded for all bird species. We found large proportions of chewed capsules (29%) (likely ingestion of the vaccine) and lost baits (39%) (presumably consumed), and the proportion of chewed capsules showed a positive correlation with the presence of wild boar. Both results suggest proper bait consumption (68%). These results indicate that BCG vaccination in wild boar is safe and that, while bait consumption by other species is possible, this can be minimized by using selective cages and strict timing of bait deployment.
Dengue Virus Subverts the Interferon Induction Pathway via NS2B/3 Protease-IκB Kinase ε Interaction
Authors: Angleró-Rodríguez Yesseinia I. , Pantoja Petraleigh , Sariol Carlos A.
Published: October 2013

Dengue is the world's most common mosquito-borne viral infection and a leading cause of morbidity throughout the tropics and subtropics. Viruses are known to evade the establishment of an antiviral state by regulating the activation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), a critical transcription factor in the alpha/beta interferon induction pathway. Here, we show that dengue virus (DENV) circumvents the induction of the retinoic acid-inducible gene I-like receptor (RLR) pathway during infection by blocking serine 386 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of IRF3. This effect is associated with the expression of nonstructural 2B/3 protein (NS2B/3) protease in human cells. Using interaction assays, we found that NS2B/3 interacts with the cellular IκB kinase ε (IKKε). Docking computational analysis revealed that in this interaction, NS2B/3 masks the kinase domain of IKKε and potentially affects its functionality. This observation is supported by the DENV-associated inhibition of the kinase activity of IKKε. Our data identify IKKε as a novel target of DENV NS2B/3 protease.
Use of Antigen-Specific Interleukin-2 To Differentiate between Cattle Vaccinated with Mycobacterium bovis BCG and Cattle Infected with M. bovis
Authors: Rhodes Shelley G. , McKinna Lucy C. , Steinbach Sabine , Dean Gilly S. , Villarreal-Ramos Bernardo , Whelan Adam O. , Pirson C. , Jones Gareth J. , Clifford Derek , Vordermeier H. Martin
Published: October 2013

We describe here the application of a novel bovine interleukin-2 (IL-2) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the measurement of antigen-specific IL-2 in cattle naturally infected withMycobacterium bovisand in cattle vaccinated withMycobacterium bovisBCG and then experimentally challenged with pathogenicM. bovis. Supernatants from whole-blood cultures stimulated with mycobacterial antigen (bovine purified protein derivative [PPDB] or the peptide cocktail ESAT6-CFP10) were assessed using a sandwich ELISA consisting of a new recombinant monoclonal fragment capture antibody and a commercially available polyclonal anti-bovine-IL-2. The production of IL-2 was compared to the production of gamma interferon (IFN-γ) in the same antigen-stimulated whole-blood supernatants. The data show that cattle infected withM. bovisproduced quantifiable levels of antigen-specific IL-2, while IL-2 levels in cattle vaccinated withM. bovisBCG did not. Furthermore, cattle vaccinated withM. bovisBCG and then challenged with pathogenicM. bovisdisplayed a more rapid induction of IL-2 but ultimately had lower levels of infection-induced IL-2 than did unvaccinated challenge control cattle. These data suggest that IL-2 responses are not detectable post-BCG vaccination and that these responses may require infection with virulentM. bovisto develop. This may be useful to differentiate infected cattle from uninfected or BCG-vaccinated cattle, although the overall sensitivity is relatively low, particularly in single intradermal comparative cervical tuberculin (SICCT)-negative infected animals. Furthermore, the strength of the IL-2 response may correlate with pathology, which poses interesting questions on the immunobiology of bovine tuberculosis in contrast to human tuberculosis, which is discussed.
Toxin-Producing Clostridium difficile Strains as Long-Term Gut Colonizers in Healthy Infants
Authors: Adlerberth Ingegerd , Huang Haihui , Lindberg Erika , Åberg Nils , Hesselmar Bill , Saalman Robert , Nord Carl Erik , Wold Agnes E. , Weintraub Andrej
Published: October 2013

Clostridium difficile
is a colonizer of the human gut, and toxin-producing strains may cause diarrhea if the infectious burden is heavy. Infants are more frequently colonized than adults, but they rarely develop
C. difficile
disease. It is not known whether strains of
C. difficile
differ in the capacity to colonize and persist in the human gut microbiota. Here, we strain typed isolates of
C. difficile
that had colonized 42 healthy infants followed from birth to ≥12 months of age by using PCR ribotyping of the 16S-23S rRNA intergenic spacer region. The isolates were also characterized regarding carriage of the toxin genes
tcdA
,
tcdB
, and
cdtA/B
and the capacity to produce toxin B
in vitro
. Most strains (71%) were toxin producers, and 51% belonged to the 001 or 014 ribotypes, which often cause disease in adults. These ribotypes were significantly more likely than others to persist for ≥6 months in the infant micobiota, and they were isolated from 13/15 children carrying such long-term-colonizing strains. Ribotype 001 strains were often acquired in the first week of life and attained higher population counts than other
C. difficile
ribotypes in newborn infants' feces. Several toxin-negative ribotypes were identified, two of which (GI and GIII) were long-term colonizers, each found in one infant. Our results suggest that the toxin-producing
C. difficile
ribotypes 001 and 014 have special fitness in the infantile gut microbiota. Toxin-producing strains colonizing young children for long time periods may represent a reservoir for strains causing disease in adults.
Comparison of the Bruker Biotyper and Vitek MS Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization–Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry Systems for Identification of Mycobacteria Using Simplified Protein Extraction Protocols
Authors: Mather Cheryl A. , Rivera Sheila F. , Butler-Wu Susan M.
Published: October 2013

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) has recently been described as a fast and inexpensive method for the identification of mycobacteria. Although mycobacteria require extraction prior to MALDI-TOF MS analysis, previously published protocols have been relatively complex, involving significant hands-on time and materials not often found in the clinical laboratory. In this study, we tested two simplified protein extraction protocols developed at the University of Washington (UW) and by bioMérieux (BMX) for use with two different mass spectrometry platforms (the Bruker MALDI Biotyper and the bioMérieux Vitek MS, respectively). Both extraction protocols included vortexing with silica beads in the presence of ethanol. The commercial Bruker database was also augmented with an in-house database composed of 123 clinical
Mycobacterium
strains. A total of 198 clinical strains, representing 18
Mycobacterium
species, were correctly identified to the species level 94.9% of the time when extracted using the UW protocol and compared to the augmented database. The BMX protocol and Vitek MS system resulted in correct species-level identifications for 94.4% of these strains. In contrast, only 79.3% of the strains were identified to the species level by the nonaugmented Bruker database, although the use of a lower identification score threshold (≥1.7) increased the identification rate to 93.9%, with two misidentifications that were unlikely to be clinically relevant. The two simplified protein extraction protocols described in this study are easy to use for identifying commonly encountered
Mycobacterium
species.
First Report of Brain Abscess Caused by a Satelliting Phenotypic Variant of Helcococcus kunzii
Authors: Sridhar Siddharth , Chan Jasper F. W. , Yuen Kwok-Yung
Published: October 2013

Helcococcus kunzii
was isolated from a brain abscess in a diabetic patient with cholesteatoma and demonstrated satellitism around
Staphylococcus aureus
in culture. This is the first reported case of severe central nervous system infection due to
H. kunzii
and the first description of a satelliting phenotypic variant of this organism.
Genotypic and Epidemiologic Trends of Norovirus Outbreaks in the United States, 2009 to 2013
Authors: Vega Everardo , Barclay Leslie , Gregoricus Nicole , Shirley S. Hannah , Lee David , Vinjé Jan
Published: October 2013

Noroviruses are the leading cause of epidemic acute gastroenteritis in the United States. From September 2009 through August 2013, 3,960 norovirus outbreaks were reported to CaliciNet. Of the 2,895 outbreaks with a known transmission route, person-to-person and food-borne transmissions were reported for 2,425 (83.7%) and 465 (16.1%) of the outbreaks, respectively. A total of 2,475 outbreaks (62.5%) occurred in long-term care facilities (LTCF), 389 (9.8%) in restaurants, and 227 (5.7%) in schools. A total of 435 outbreaks (11%) were typed as genogroup I (GI) and 3,525 (89%) as GII noroviruses. GII.4 viruses caused 2,853 (72%) of all outbreaks, of which 94% typed as either GII.4 New Orleans or GII.4 Sydney. In addition, three non-GII.4 viruses, i.e., GII.12, GII.1, and GI.6, caused 528 (13%) of all outbreaks. Several non-GII.4 genotypes (GI.3, GI.6, GI.7, GII.3, GII.6, and GII.12) were significantly more associated with food-borne transmission (odds ratio, 1.9 to 7.1;
P
< 0.05). Patients in LTCF and people ≥65 years of age were at higher risk for GII.4 infections than those in other settings and with other genotypes (
P
< 0.05). Phylogeographic analysis identified three major dispersions from two geographic locations that were responsible for the GI.6 outbreaks from 2011 to 2013. In conclusion, our data demonstrate the cyclic emergence of new (non-GII.4) norovirus strains, and several genotypes are more often associated with food-borne outbreaks. These surveillance data can be used to improve viral food-borne surveillance and to help guide studies to develop and evaluate targeted prevention methods such as norovirus vaccines, antivirals, and environmental decontamination methods.
Seroprevalence of Human Malawi Polyomavirus
Authors: Nicol Jérôme T. J. , Leblond Valérie , Arnold Françoise , Guerra Giovanni , Mazzoni Elisa , Tognon Mauro , Coursaget Pierre , Touzé Antoine
Published: October 2013

The seroprevalence of the recently discovered human Malawi polyomavirus (MWPyV) was determined by virus-like particle-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in age-stratified Italian subjects. The findings indicated that MWPyV infection occurs early in life, and seroprevalence was shown to reach 42% in adulthood.
Autophagy Benefits the Replication of Newcastle Disease Virus in Chicken Cells and Tissues
Authors: Sun Yingjie , Yu Shengqing , Ding Na , Meng Chunchun , Meng Songshu , Zhang Shilei , Zhan Yuan , Qiu Xusheng , Tan Lei , Chen Hongjun , Song Cuiping , Ding Chan
Published: October 2013

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) is an important avian pathogen. We previously reported that NDV triggers autophagy in U251 glioma cells, resulting in enhanced virus replication. In this study, we investigated whether NDV triggers autophagy in chicken cells and tissues to enhance virus replication. We demonstrated that NDV infection induced steady-state autophagy in chicken-derived DF-1 cells and in primary chicken embryo fibroblast (CEF) cells, evident through increased double- or single-membrane vesicles, the accumulation of green fluorescent protein (GFP)-LC3 dots, and the conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II. In addition, we measured autophagic flux by monitoring p62/SQSTM1 degradation, LC3-II turnover, and GFP-LC3 lysosomal delivery and proteolysis, to confirm that NDV infection induced the complete autophagic process. Inhibition of autophagy by pharmacological inhibitors and RNA interference reduced virus replication, indicating an important role for autophagy in NDV infection. Furthermore, we conducted
in vivo
experiments and observed the conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II in heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney of NDV-infected chickens. Regulation of the induction of autophagy with wortmannin, chloroquine, or starvation treatment affects NDV production and pathogenesis in tissues of both lung and intestine; however, treatment with rapamycin, an autophagy inducer of mammalian cells, showed no detectable changes in chicken cells and tissues. Moreover, administration of the autophagy inhibitor wortmannin increased the survival rate of NDV-infected chickens. Our studies provide strong evidence that NDV infection induces autophagy which benefits NDV replication in chicken cells and tissues.
Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4α and Downstream Secreted Phospholipase A
2
GXIIB Regulate Production of Infectious Hepatitis C Virus
Authors: Li Xinlei , Jiang Hanfang , Qu Linbing , Yao Wenxia , Cai Hua , Chen Ling , Peng Tao
Published: October 2013

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a major cause of chronic hepatitis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma in humans. The life cycle of HCV is closely associated with the metabolism of lipids, especially very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) in hepatocytes. Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α), the most abundant transcription factor in the liver, regulates the VLDL secretory pathway. However, the effects of HNF4α on the HCV life cycle are unclear. In this study, we investigated the regulatory effects of HNF4α on HCV assembly and secretion. HCV in HNF4α-deficient hepatocytes showed reduced assembly and secretion but unchanged entry and RNA replication. Bezafibrate, a chemical inhibitor of HNF4α, suppressed HCV assembly and secretion. HNF4α downregulation resulted in rearrangement of cytosolic lipid droplets (LDs), as evidenced by the aggregation of large LDs and distorted cytosolic distribution. Phospholipase A
2
GXIIB (PLA
2
GXIIB), an HNF4α-regulated factor involved in VLDL secretion, was found to be crucial in HCV secretion. PLA
2
GXIIB expression was upregulated in hepatocytes harboring HCV subgenomic replicons or in HCV-infected hepatocytes. This upregulation was transcriptionally controlled in an HNF4α-dependent manner after HCV infection. Furthermore, PLA
2
GXIIB combined with microsomal triglyceride transfer protein was found to be responsible for the regulation of HNF4α-induced HCV infectivity. These results suggest that HNF4α and its downstream PLA
2
GXIIB are important factors affecting the late stage of the HCV life cycle and may serve as potential drug targets for the treatment of HCV infection.
B Lymphocytes from Patients with a Hypomorphic Mutation inSTAT3Resist Epstein-Barr Virus-Driven Cell Proliferation
Authors: Koganti Siva , de la Paz Amanda , Freeman Alexandra F. , Bhaduri-McIntosh Sumita
Published: October 2013

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) oncogenes exert potent B cell proliferative effects. EBV infection gives rise to B cell lines that readily proliferate in culture. This ability of EBV represents a powerful tool to study cell proliferation. In efforts to delineate the contribution of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) toward EBV-driven cell proliferation, we have discovered that B cells from patients with autosomal dominant hyper-IgE syndrome (AD-HIES) resist such EBV oncogene-driven outgrowth of cells. Patients with AD-HIES have a dominant negative mutation in theirSTAT3gene which renders most of the protein nonfunctional. Exposure of healthy subject-derived B cells to EBV resulted in early activation of STAT3, rapidly followed by increased expression of its mRNA and protein. STAT3 upregulation preceded the expression of EBNA2, temporally one of the first viral oncogenes to be expressed. We found that STAT3 was necessary for subsequent survival and for proliferation of EBV-infected cells past the S phase of the cell cycle. Consequently, B cells from AD-HIES patients were prone to dying and accumulated in the S phase, thereby accounting for impaired cell outgrowth. Of importance, we have now identified a cohort of patients with a primary immunodeficiency disorder whose B cells oppose EBV-driven proliferative signals. These findings simultaneously reveal how EBV manipulates host STAT3 even before expression of viral oncogenes to facilitate cell survival and proliferation, processes fundamental to EBV lymphomagenesis.
Exposure to Mimivirus Collagen Promotes Arthritis
Authors: Shah Nikunj , Hülsmeier Andreas J. , Hochhold Nina , Neidhart Michel , Gay Steffen , Hennet Thierry
Published: October 2013

Collagens, the most abundant proteins in animals, also occur in some recently described nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses such as
Mimiviridae
, which replicate in amoebae. To clarify the impact of viral collagens on the immune response of animals exposed to
Mimiviridae
, we have investigated the localization of collagens in
Acanthamoeba polyphaga
mimivirus particles and the response of mice to immunization with mimivirus particles. Using protein biotinylation, we have first shown that viral collagen encoded by open reading frame L71 is present at the surface of mimivirus particles. Exposure to mimivirus collagens elicited the production of anti-collagen antibodies in DBA/1 mice immunized intradermally with mimivirus protein extracts. This antibody response also targeted mouse collagen type II and was accompanied by T-cell reactivity to collagen and joint inflammation, as observed in collagen-induced arthritis following immunization of mice with bovine collagen type II. The broad distribution of nucleocytoplasmic large DNA viruses in the environment suggests that humans are constantly exposed to such large virus particles. A survey of blood sera from healthy human subjects and from rheumatoid arthritis patients indeed demonstrated that 30% of healthy-subject and 36% of rheumatoid arthritis sera recognized the major mimivirus capsid protein L425. Moreover, whereas 6% of healthy-subject sera recognized the mimivirus collagen protein L71, 22% of rheumatoid arthritis sera were positive for mimivirus L71. Accordingly, our study shows that environmental exposure to mimivirus represents a risk factor in triggering autoimmunity to collagens.
Rhinocerebral mucormycosis in a patient with type 1 diabetes presenting as toothache: a case report from Himalayan region of India
Authors: Singh Vikram , Singh Mridu , Joshi Chitra , Sangwan Jyoti
Published: October 2013

Mucormycosis is an angioinvasive infection caused by ubiquitous filamentous fungi of the order Mucorales. It is a rapidly progressive fatal infection mostly reported in susceptible individuals, such as those with poorly controlled diabetes or those with defects in phagocytic function. Rhinocerebral mucormycosis is the most common type of mucormycosis in diabetic patients. This case report describes a 17-year-old girl with type 1 diabetes mellitus presenting with rhinocerebral mucormycosis. The patient presented with a history of toothache and facial pain with oedema of left half of face, periorbital oedema and depressed conciousness. She had hyperglycaemia with diabetic ketoacidosis and rapidly developed hemiparesis progressing to quadriparesis and died within 3 days of admission. The current report emphasises the importance of having a high index of suspicion when dealing with patients with diabetes presenting with facial pain or cellulitis and prompt initiation of medical therapy along with surgical debridement for control of rhinocerebral mucormycosis.
Affinities of the alleged earliest Cambrian gastropodAldanella
Authors: Dzik Jerzy , Mazurek Dawid
Published: October 2013

Unlike true Palaeozoic gastropods, but similar to some coeval hyoliths, the cup-like hemispherical embryonic shell of Aldanella attleborensis (Shaler and Foerste, 1888) from the earliest Cambrian (early Tommotian) Erkeket Formation of northern Siberia bears a mucro. Also, the pattern of mortality, with right-skewed distribution and a peak at about 1.0 mm diameter, is not similar to that of early Palaeozoic gastropods; there is no evidence of metamorphosis that would end the pelagic larval stage of ontogeny. Specimens of larger size are rare in samples of phosphatized “small shelly fossils” but are known in related species of the genus, of up to 3–5 mm diameter. A phosphatized soft body is preserved in a few specimens of A. attleborensis, one bearing possible chaetae of about 5 μm diameter. Such bunches of chaetae arming locomotory organs were earlier identified in the genus Pelagiella Matthew, 1895, a more derived member of the same lineage. It shares with the genus Aldanella Vostokova, 1962 also the mucronate embryonic shell and acicular aragonitic shell wall microstructure. The presence of chaetae-bearing organs suggests pelagic mode of life of pelagiellids at maturity. Middle Cambrian Pelagiella shells reached 7 mm in diameter, suggesting evolutionary increase in mature size. Embryonic shell morphology, wall microstructure, and the presence of locomotory organs with a fan of chaetae contradicts gastropod, and even conchiferan affinity of the pelagiellids, but together with the pattern of ontogeny conforms to the enigmatic Palaeozoic hyoliths. They differ in having opercula closing the shell apertures and in lacking evidence of chaetae. The helens, paired apertural appendages of possible locomotory function occurring in apertures of some of them, do not reveal any similarity to chaetae in their development. We propose classifying the order Pelagiellida in the class Hyolitha rather than in the class Gastropoda, until its phylogenetic position is clarified. Such understood hyoliths may represent the earliest stage in evolution of molluscs, immediately following initial diversification of the spiralians (lophotrochozoans) into phyla.
Warm-season heat stress in moose (Alcesalces)
Authors: McCann N.P. , Moen R.A. , Harris T.R.
Published: October 2013

Understanding how moose (Alces alces (L., 1758)) are affected by temperature is critical for determining why populations have recently declined at the southern extent of their North American range. Warm-season heat-stress thresholds of 14 and 20 °C are commonly used to study moose, but the variable response of free-ranging moose to temperatures above these thresholds suggests that moose may be more tolerant to heat. We studied zoo-managed cow and bull moose to identify factors that influence warm-season heat stress. We found clear behavioral and physiological responses to thermal conditions. Moose selected shade, indicating solar radiation affects heat stress. Temperature and wind influenced respiration rates. Heat-stress thresholds for moose occurred at 17 °C when bedded under calm conditions and 24 °C when bedded under wind, demonstrating that the onset of heat stress is sensitive to wind and incorporating wind velocity into analyses would improve investigations of heat stress. Moose showing symptoms of gastrointestinal illness selected wind at lower temperatures than healthy moose, suggesting the effects of climate change will be compounded for health-compromised moose. Determining why moose are declining at the southern extent of their range may require understanding how temperature interacts with wind, moose health, and other factors.
A HÖLDER INEQUALITY FOR NORMS OF POISSONIAN WICK PRODUCTS
Authors: LANCONELLI ALBERTO , STAN AUREL I.
Published: October 2013

An understanding of the second quantization operator of a constant times the identity operator and the Poissonian Wick product, without using the orthogonal Charlier polynomials, is presented first. We use both understanding, with and without the Charlier polynomials, to prove some inequalities about the norms of Poissonian Wick products. These inequalities are the best ones in the case of L1, L2, and L∞ norms. We close the paper with some probabilistic interpretations of the Poissonian Wick product.
Prey-Predator Algorithm: A New Metaheuristic Algorithm for Optimization Problems
Authors: Tilahun Surafel Luleseged , Ong Hong Choon
Published: October 2013

Nature-inspired optimization algorithms have become useful in solving difficult optimization problems in different disciplines. Since the introduction of evolutionary algorithms several studies have been conducted on the development of metaheuristic optimization algorithms. Most of these algorithms are inspired by biological phenomenon. In this paper, we introduce a new algorithm inspired by prey-predator interaction of animals. In the algorithm randomly generated solutions are assigned as a predator and preys depending on their performance on the objective function. Their performance can be expressed numerically and is called the survival value. A prey will run towards the pack of preys with better surviving values and away from the predator. The predator chases the prey with the smallest survival value. However, the best prey or the prey with the best survival value performs a local search. Hence the best prey focuses fully on exploitation while the other solution members focus on the exploration of the solution space. The algorithm is tested on selected well-known test problems and a comparison is also done between our algorithm, genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization. From the simulation result, it is shown that on the selected test problems prey-predator algorithm performs better in achieving the optimal value.
NEW CLASS OF DOUBLE INDUCTIVE ERROR CORRECTING CODES BASED ON THE CLASS OF GRM AND DGRM CODES OVER GF(2)
Authors: THAKRAN SEEMA , TYAGI VINOD
Published: October 2013

In this paper, a new class of codes over GF(2) is introduced. The codes have length n = 3/2 ⋅ 2m(m ≥ 4), and have a similar 'double inductive' structure to that possessed by the class of GRM and DGRM codes. The new codes are constructed in a way such that their length-to-distance ratio n/d = 2m(m ≥ 3).
EULERIAN AND HAMILTONIAN DICYCLES IN DIRECTED HYPERGRAPHS
Authors: ARAUJO JULIO , BERMOND JEAN-CLAUDE , DUCOFFE GUILLAUME
Published: October 2013

In this paper, we generalize the concepts of Eulerian and Hamiltonian digraphs to directed hypergraphs. A dihypergraphH is a pair (𝒱(H), ℰ(H)), where 𝒱(H) is a non-empty set of elements, called vertices, and ℰ(H) is a collection of ordered pairs of subsets of 𝒱(H), called hyperarcs. It is Eulerian (resp. Hamiltonian) if there is a dicycle containing each hyperarc (resp. each vertex) exactly once. We first present some properties of Eulerian and Hamiltonian dihypergraphs. For example, we show that deciding whether a dihypergraph is Eulerian is an NP-complete problem. We also study when iterated line dihypergraphs are Eulerian and Hamiltonian. Finally, we study when the generalized de Bruijn dihypergraphs are Eulerian and Hamiltonian. In particular, we determine when they contain a complete Berge dicycle, i.e., an Eulerian and Hamiltonian dicycle.
Continuous-Time Portfolio Selection and Option Pricing under Risk-Minimization Criterion in an Incomplete Market
Authors: Ruan Xinfeng , Zhu Wenli , Huang Jiexiang , Li Shuang
Published: October 2013

We study option pricing with risk-minimization criterion in an incomplete market where the dynamics of the risky underlying asset are governed by a jump diffusion equation. We obtain the Radon-Nikodym derivative in the minimal martingale measure and a partial integrodifferential equation (PIDE) of European call option. In a special case, we get the exact solution for European call option by Fourier transformation methods. Finally, we employ the pricing kernel to calculate the optimal portfolio selection by martingale methods.
Intranuclear Crosstalk between Extracellular Regulated Kinase1/2 and Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 Regulates JEG‐3 Choriocarcinoma Cell Invasion and Proliferation
Authors: Morales-Prieto Diana M. , Ospina-Prieto Stephanie , Chaiwangyen Wittaya , Weber Maja , Hölters Sebastian , Schleussner Ekkehard , Fitzgerald Justine S. , Markert Udo R.
Published: October 2013

Invasiveness of trophoblast and choriocarcinoma cells is in part mediated via leukemia inhibitory factor‐ (LIF‐) induced activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3). The regulation of STAT3 phosphorylation at its ser727 binding site, possible crosstalk with intracellular MAPK signaling, and their functional implications are the object of the present investigation. JEG‐3 choriocarcinoma cells were cultured in presence/absence of LIF and the specific ERK1/2 inhibitor (U0126). Phosphorylation of signaling molecules (p‐STAT3 (ser727 and tyr705) and p‐ERK1/2 (thr 202/tyr 204)) was assessed per Western blot. Immunocytochemistry confirmed results, but also pinpointed the location of phosphorylated signaling molecules. STAT3 DNA‐binding capacity was studied with a colorimetric ELISA‐based assay. Cell viability and invasion capability were assessed by MTS and Matrigel assays. Our results demonstrate that LIF‐induced phosphorylation of STAT3 (tyr705 and ser727) is significantly increased after blocking ERK1/2. STAT3 DNA‐binding capacity and cell invasiveness are enhanced after LIF stimulation and ERK1/2 blockage. In contrast, proliferation is enhanced by LIF but reduced after ERK1/2 inhibition. The findings herein show that blocking ERK1/2 increases LIF‐induced STAT3 phosphorylation and STAT3 DNA‐binding capacity by an intranuclear crosstalk, which leads to enhanced invasiveness and reduced proliferation.
Intelligence Deficits in Chinese Patients with Brain Tumor: The Impact of Tumor Resection
Authors: Shen Chao , Xie Rong , Cao Xiaoyun , Bao Weimin , Yang Bojie , Mao Ying , Gao Chao
Published: October 2013

Background. Intelligence is much important for brain tumor patients after their operation, while the reports about surgical related intelligence deficits are not frequent. It is not only theoretically important but also meaningful for clinical practice. Methods. Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale was employed to evaluate the intelligence of 103 patients with intracranial tumor and to compare the intelligence quotient (IQ), verbal IQ (VIQ), and performance IQ (PIQ) between the intracerebral and extracerebral subgroups. Results. Although preoperative intelligence deficits appeared in all subgroups, IQ, VIQ, and PIQ were not found to have any significant difference between the intracerebral and extracerebral subgroups, but with VIQ lower than PIQ in all the subgroups. An immediate postoperative follow‐up demonstrated a decline of IQ and PIQ in the extracerebral subgroup, but an improvement of VIQ in the right intracerebral subgroup. Pituitary adenoma resection exerted no effect on intelligence. In addition, age, years of education, and tumor size were found to play important roles. Conclusions. Brain tumors will impair IQ, VIQ, and PIQ. The extracerebral tumor resection can deteriorate IQ and PIQ. However, right intracerebral tumor resection is beneficial to VIQ, and transsphenoidal pituitary adenoma resection performs no effect on intelligence.
Spiritually and Religiously Integrated Group Psychotherapy: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Viftrup Dorte Toudal , Hvidt Niels Christian , Buus Niels
Published: October 2013

We systematically reviewed the research literature on spiritually and religiously integrated group psychotherapy to answer the following three questions: first, how are spirituality and religiosity defined; second, how are spiritual and religious factors characterized and integrated into group psychotherapy; and, third, what is the outcome of the group psychotherapies? We searched in two databases: PsycINFO and PubMed. Inclusion and exclusion criteria and checklists from standardized assessment tools were applied to the research literature. Qualitative and quantitative papers were included. In total, 8 articles were considered eligible for the review. Findings from the evaluation suggested that the concepts of spirituality and religiosity were poorly conceptualized and the way in which spiritual and religious factors were integrated into such group psychotherapies, which distinguished it from other types of group psychotherapies, was not fully conceptualized or understood either. However, clear and delimited conceptualization of spiritual and religious factors is crucial in order to be able to conclude the direct influences of spiritual or religious factors on outcomes. Implications for spiritually or religiously integrated group psychotherapy and conducting research in this field are propounded.
Sliding Mode Control in Finite Time Stabilization for Synchronization of Chaotic Systems
Authors: Zhao Zhan-Shan , Zhang Jing , Sun Lian-Kun
Published: October 2013

An adaptive sliding mode control for chaotic systems synchronization is considered. The design of robust finite time convergent controller is based on geometric homogeneity and integral sliding mode manifold. The knowledge of the upper bound of the system uncertainties is not prior required. The chaos synchronization is presented to system stability based on the Lyapunov stability theory. The simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed method.