bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Long-Lost Partbook of French Chansons Resurfaces at the University of Virginia
Authors: Walker Paul , Martin Rya
Published: August 2014

In 1986 the University of Virginia came into possession of an important collection of early modern French literature. The collection includes a single musical item: a tenor partbook without title page or colophon that clearly formed part of a published collection of French chansons. Considerable investigation has revealed the partbook to be the long-lost tenor part from Il primo libro de le canzoni franzese published in Venice by Ottaviano Scotto in 1535, and reprinted the following year. Its reappearance allows us to add seven pieces to the early chanson repertory, including two by Adrian Willaert, that have been hitherto available only in incomplete state. The article tells the story of how this identification was made, and reports on the partbook’s owners in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It also summarizes both the musical style of the volume’s contents, and the chansonnier’s importance for the early history of the Parisian chanson in the years prior to and contemporaneous with Attaingnant’s establishment of the genre’s classic characteristics.
Augustine’s Confessions and the Transcendental Ground of Consciousness, or How Literary Narrative Becomes Prophetic Revelation
Authors: Franke William
Published: August 2014

The generic paradigms for Augustine’s discourse include not only autobiography but also theology, philosophy, exegesis, and “confession.” However, most importantly of all, Augustine’s discourse is cast into the form of a dialogue with God. His life story, unfolding in a succession of anecdotes, forms a horizontal axis that is traversed by and wholly subsumed under a vertical axis, along which he converses directly with God. The point of view evoked through this dialogue is not a temporally finite point of view but rather the totum simul vision of divinity.
The Form of Media History: Narrator-Space and The Lay of the Last Minstrel
Authors: Bujak Nick
Published: August 2014

In this essay, I argue that Walter Scott’s scholarly interest in what he calls the “melting and dissolving” of Scotland’s “peculiar features”—the traditions, superstitions, and so on—into those of England, finds a formal analog in his best-selling narrative poem, The Lay of the Last Minstrel . I focus on how Scott enriches narrator-space—a narratological category that structures the relations and tensions among multiple narrating voices in a single work—to examine the changes that make up media history. While Romantic-era media theory tends to be criticized for the way it produces a “confrontational model[] of print and oral tradition,” I argue that Scott uses narrative form in his poetry to produce a much more complex account of media-historical change than we might otherwise expect.
Cannibalism and Communion in Swift’s “Receipt to Restore Stella’s Youth”
Authors: Callander Julia K.
Published: August 2014

This essay contends that, in his penultimate Stella poem, Jonathan Swift endorses the redemptive power of language and of Christian liturgy in order to imagine his relationship with Stella as symbiotic. Swift not only invokes the Eucharist as a solution to the poem’s thematics of cannibalism but also exploits two formal issues that resemble that same ritual: lyric address and the distance between metaphor and identity. By linking content and form and by recasting dependency and predation as mutuality, Swift transcends the material and economical thinking he perceives as morally bankrupt; in effect, he transforms cannibalism into communion.
Living near the edge: Being close to mature forest increases the rate of succession in beetle communities
Authors: Fountain-Jones Nicholas M. , Jordan Gregory J. , Baker Thomas P. , Balmer Jayne M. , Wardlaw Tim , Baker Susan C.
Published: August 2014

In increasingly fragmented landscapes, it is important to understand how mature forest affects adjacent secondary forest (forest influence). Forest influence on ecological succession of beetle communities is largely unknown. We investigated succession and forest influence using 235 m long transects across boundaries between mature and secondary forest at 15 sites, sampling a chronosequence of three forest age classes (5–10, 23–29, and 42–46 years since clear‐cutting) in tall eucalypt forest in Tasmania, Australia. Our results showed that ground‐dwelling beetle communities showed strong successional changes, and in the oldest secondary forests, species considered indicators of mature forest had recolonized to abundance levels similar to those observed within adjacent mature forest stands. However, species composition also showed forest influence gradients in all age classes. Forest influence was estimated to extend 13 m and 20 m in the youngest and intermediate‐aged secondary forests, respectively. However, the estimated effect extended to at least 176 m in the oldest secondary forest. Our environmental modeling suggests that leaf litter, microclimate, and soil variables were all important in explaining the spatial variation in beetle assemblages, and the relative importance of factors varied between secondary forest age classes.

Mature‐forest beetle communities can recolonize successfully from the edge, and our results provide a basis for land managers to build mature habitat connectivity into forest mosaics typical of production forests. Our results also indicate the importance of forest influence in determining potential conservation value of older secondary forest for beetles.
Update on the Use of L-Asparaginase in Infants and Adolescent Patients with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Authors: Andrade Augusto F. , Borges Kleiton S. , Silveira Vanessa S.
Published: August 2014

Great improvements have been made in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treatment in the past decades, especially due to the use of L-asparaginase (L-ASP). Despite the significant success rate, several side effects mainly caused by toxicity, asparaginase silent inactivation, and cellular resistance, encourage an open debate regarding the optimal dosage and formulation of L-ASP. Alternative sources of asparaginases have been constantly investigated in order to overcome hypersensitivity clinical toxicity. Additionally, genomic modulation as gene expression profiling, genetic polymorphisms, and epigenetic changes is also being investigated concerning their role in cellular resistance to L-ASP. Understanding the mechanisms that mediate the resistance to L-ASP treatment may bring new insights into ALL pathobiology and contribute to the development of more effective treatment strategies. In summary, this review presents an overview on L-ASP data and focuses on cellular mechanisms underlying resistance and alternative therapies for the use of asparaginase in childhood ALL treatment.
Molecular Network Analysis Suggests a Logical Hypothesis for the Pathological Role of C9orf72 in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis/Frontotemporal Dementia
Authors: Satoh Jun-Ichi , Yamamoto Yoji , Kitano Shouta , Takitani Mika , Asahina Naohiro , Kino Yoshihiro
Published: August 2014

Background

Expanded GGGGCC hexanucleotide repeats, ranging from hundreds to thousands in number, located in the noncoding region of the chromosome 9 open reading frame 72 ( C9orf72) gene represent the most common genetic abnormality for familial and sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) (abbreviated as C9ALS). Currently, three pathological mechanisms, such as haplo insufficiency of C9orf72, formation of nuclear RNA foci composed of sense and antisense repeats, and accumulation of unconventionally transcribed dipeptide-repeat (DPR) proteins, are proposed for C9ALS. However, at present, the central mechanism underlying neurodegeneration in C9ALS remains largely unknown.

Methods

By using three distinct pathway analysis tools of bioinformatics, we studied molecular networks involved in C9ALS pathology by focusing on C9orf72 omics datasets, such as proteome of C9orf72 repeat RNA-binding proteins, transcriptome of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC)-derived motor neurons of patients with C9ALS, and transcriptome of purified motor neurons of patients with C9ALS.

Results

We found that C9orf72 repeat RNA-binding proteins play a crucial role in the regulation of post-transcriptional RNA processing. The expression of a wide range of extracellular matrix proteins and matrix metalloproteinases was reduced in iPSC-derived motor neurons of patients with C9ALS. The regulation of RNA processing and cytoskeletal dynamics is disturbed in motor neurons of patients with C9ALS in vivo.

Conclusions

Bioinformatics data mining approach suggests a logical hypothesis that C9orf72 repeat expansions that deregulate post-transcriptional RNA processing disturb the homeostasis of cytoskeletal dynamics and remodeling of extracellular matrix, leading to degeneration of stress-vulnerable neurons in the brain and spinal cord of patients with C9ALS.
Extensive CO2 emissions from shallow coastal waters during passage of Hurricane Irene (August 2011) over the Mid‐Atlantic Coast of the U.S.A
Authors: Crosswell Joseph R. , Wetz Michael S. , Hales Burke , Paerl Hans W.
Published: August 2014

Shallow coastal waters serve an important role as long‐term carbon (C) sinks because they capture terrestrial C and retain internally produced C in wetlands and sediments. We show that tropical cyclones (TCs) can lead to rapid CO2 efflux from estuaries, driven by physical and biogeochemical perturbation of these coastal C reservoirs, and that the magnitude of TC‐driven CO2 emissions may offset C that accumulates over much longer timescales. In August 2011, Hurricane Irene passed over North Carolina's Neuse River Estuary—Pamlico Sound (NRE‐PS), which is part of the second largest estuarine system in the U.S., the Albemarle—Pamlico Sound. Irene rapidly changed the NRE‐PS system from a small CO2 sink to a large CO2 source. Irene‐induced CO2 efflux from the NRE alone was at least four times the annual riverine C input and seven times the annual atmospheric CO2 uptake. The magnitude and duration of ecosystem disturbance from TCs vary with storm intensity and frequency but likely are qualitatively similar across many terrestrial and coastal systems. Consequently, altered TC activity under future climate scenarios may shift the balance between C accumulation in, and release from, coastal C reservoirs.
Dispersal pathways of American eel larvae from the Sargasso Sea
Authors: Rypina Irina I. , Llopiz Joel K. , Pratt Lawrence J. , Lozier M. Susan
Published: August 2014

At the end of their life cycle, American eel (Anguilla rostrata) migrate to the Sargasso Sea from freshwater habitats along the east coast of North America in order to spawn planktonic eggs. The eggs develop into larvae that then have to reach estuarine and freshwater nursery habitats along the North American coast within approximately their first year of life. A coupled biological—physical model was used to study how potential behavioral adaptations influence the ability of American eel larvae to reach near‐coastal waters. Specifically, several larval swimming behaviors were investigated, including passive drift, random walk swimming, and directional navigation with and without a preferred swimming direction. Directional swimming with a randomly chosen direction improved the success rates of larvae reaching the continental shelf by more than two orders of magnitude compared to passive drift, and swimming primarily to the northwest further tripled these success rates. Success rates also substantially increased for larvae with swimming abilities even slightly above an estimated average. Notably, directional swimming resulted in a reasonable distribution of larvae along the North American shelf break, whereas other swimming scenarios left distinct gaps where no simulated larvae reached the shelf, including near the Gulf of Maine where juvenile eels are abundant. Additionally, directional swimming yielded transit times of ∼ 1 yr, in agreement with observations. Finally, the model supported the southwestern Sargasso Sea as the probable spawning area for American eel.
Laboratory intercomparison of marine particulate digestions including Piranha: a novel chemical method for dissolution of polyethersulfone filters
Authors: Ohnemus Daniel C. , Auro Maureen E. , Sherrell Robert M. , Lagerström Maria , Morton Peter L. , Twining Benjamin S. , Rauschenberg Sara , Lam Phoebe J.
Published: August 2014

The US GEOTRACES program will generate marine particulate trace metal data over spatial scales and depth resolutions never before sampled. In preparation for these analyses, we conducted a four laboratory intercomparison exercise to determine our degree of intercalibration and to examine how several total digestion procedures perform on marine particles collected on polyethersulfone (PES, Pall Supor) filters. In addition, we present a new chemical method for complete dissolution of PES filters using a combination of sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide called Piranha reagent that can be conducted using minimal specialized equipment. Intralaboratory subsampling variability across 142 mm particulate matter filters, for subsamples representing approximately 10 L filtered seawater, was measured at an element‐dependent 1% to 9% (RSD: 1δ/x-, %), whereas interlaboratory variability accounted for an additional 5% to 42% variability. Lab‐ and element‐specific trends in recoveries are discussed, though all digestion methods tested appear to completely solubilize particulate material. We recommend rigorous determination of digest‐acid and/or filter process blanks, as some particulate elements (namely Pb and Zn) have natural abundances that approach blank values.
John Peyton’s A Relation of the State of Polonia and the Accession of King James I, 1598–1603
Authors: Sobecki Sebastian
Published: August 2014

The anonymous A Relation of the State of Polonia and the Provinces United with that Crowne, Anno 1598 is the most important early account of Poland written in English. Over the last one hundred years, the work has received considerable attention from British, German, and Polish historians. Two different authors have been proposed, George Carew (c.1556–1612) and William Bruce (c.1560–after 1613), but neither attribution has gone unchallenged. This article is based on a fresh examination of what was long thought to be the only manuscript of this work, British Library Royal MS 18 B I, which makes it possible to determine the date and the circumstances of its production. Following a thorough analysis of the handwriting in the manuscript and the discovery of the watermark, it is now possible to point to the provenance of the manuscript and its components. This new information, in turn, leads to a reassessment of the historical context commonly assigned to A Relation of the State of Polonia. With the help of significant new evidence and formerly overlooked auction catalogues, the author can now be identified as John Peyton (1579–1635). The manuscript itself, I argue, was produced for King James VI and I at the time of his arrival in London in May 1603.
Frequent and Transient Acquisition of Pluripotency During Somatic Cell Trans-Differentiation with iPSC Reprogramming Factors
Authors: Maza Itay , Caspi Inbal , Viukov Sergey , Rais Yoach , Zviran Asaf , Geula Shay , Krupalnik Vladislav , Zerbib Mirie , Massarwa Rada , Novershtern Noa , Hanna Jacob H.
Published: August 2014

Recent reports have proposed a new paradigm for obtaining mature somatic cell types from fibroblasts without going through a pluripotent state, by briefly expressing canonical iPSC reprogramming factorsOct4,Sox2,Klf4,c-Myc(abbreviated as OSKM) in cells expanded in lineage differentiation promoting conditions. Here we apply genetic lineage tracing for endogenous Nanog locus and X chromosome reactivation during OSKM induced trans-differentiation, as these molecular events mark final stages for acquisition of induced pluripotency. Remarkably, the majority of reprogrammed cardiomyocytes or neural stem cells derived from mouse fibroblasts via OSKM mediated trans-differentiation (∼>90%), are attained after transient acquisition of pluripotency, and followed by rapid differentiation. Our findings underscore a molecular and functional coupling between inducing pluripotency and obtaining “trans-differentiated” somatic cells via OSKM induction, and have implications on defining molecular trajectories assumed during different cell reprogramming methods.
Sources of PCR-induced distortions in high-throughput sequencing datasets
Authors: Kebschull Justus M , Zador Anthony M
Published: August 2014

PCR permits the exponential and sequence-specific amplification of DNA, even from minute starting quantities. PCR is a fundamental step in preparing DNA samples for high-throughput sequencing. However, there are errors associated with PCR-mediated amplification. Here we examine the effects of four important sources of error — bias, stochasticity, template switches and polymerase errors — on sequence representation in low-input next-generation sequencing libraries. We designed a pool of diverse PCR amplicons with a defined structure, and then used Illumina sequencing to search for signatures of each process. We further developed quantitative models for each process, and compared predictions of these models to our experimental data. We find that PCR stochasticity is the major force skewing sequence representation after amplification of a pool of unique DNA amplicons. Polymerase errors become very common in later cycles of PCR but have little impact on the overall sequence distribution as they are confined to small copy numbers. PCR template switches are rare and confined to low copy numbers. Our results provide a theoretical basis for removing distortions from high-throughput sequencing data. In addition, our findings on PCR stochasticity will have particular relevance to quantification of results from single cell sequencing, in which sequences are represented by only one or a few molecules.
Investment planning in the petroleum downstream infrastructure
Authors: Fiorencio Luiza , Oliveira Fabrício , Nunes Paula , Hamacher Silvio
Published: August 2014

The Brazilian oil industry has gained new momentum after the discovery of large oil reserves in deep under‐water. Numerous investments in the oil production chain are expected to support the scale of this operation. Given this context, the use of a decision support system (DSS), which encompasses the complexity of the oil supply chain to support investment decisions, becomes crucial. This paper proposes a DSS that is based on a mixed‐integer linear programming (MILP) model that allows the evaluation of different investment alternatives in logistics networks, such as expanding the capacity for transport, handling, and/or storage. Additionally, the DSS is composed of a database structure, business intelligence environment, and graphical visualization tool. The features of the proposed system were evaluated in two case studies. The first case study assesses the synergies between two projects: specifically the expansion of the berthing capacity of vessels in a marine terminal, and the increase in the transport capacity of the pipeline that connects the marine terminal to a distribution base. The second case study evaluates the dependency of the investment in sections of a pipeline that connects a refinery to several distribution bases. These case studies demonstrate the potential use of a DSS that currently optimizes investments in the Brazilian petroleum supply chain.
Inflammation and Growth in Young Children with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome before and after Adenotonsillectomy
Authors: Nachalon Yuval , Lowenthal Neta , Greenberg-Dotan Sari , Goldbart Aviv D.
Published: August 2014

Background. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with growth impairment that usually improves following effective treatment. In this study we investigated the mechanisms underlying the growth processes in young children diagnosed with OSA, before and after adenotonsillectomy (T&A).Methods. Young children (6–36 months old) were enrolled and evaluated before and several months after T&A surgery for height, weight, circulating high sensitive C-reactive protein (CRP), and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels. Caloric intake was assessed by a validated Short Food Frequency Questionnaire (SFFQ).Results. Following T&A, children added 4.81 cm and 1.88 kg to their height and weight, respectively (P<0.001for both) and had a significant increase in BMI Z score (P=0.002). Increased caloric intake of 377 kcal/day was noted (P<0.001), with increased protein and decreased fat intake. The decrease in CRP levels correlated with the increase in body weight in boys (P<0.05, adjusted for caloric intake).Conclusions. Adenotonsillectomy results in enhanced somatic growth in young children that correlates with a decrease in systemic inflammation and caloric intake increment. Our findings imply that systemic inflammation may have an important role in this OSA-related morbidity.
Management of Vegetation by Alternative Practices in Fields and Roadsides
Authors: Barker Allen V. , Prostak Randall G.
Published: August 2014

In attempts to reduce the amounts of conventional herbicides used, alternative practices are sought in the management of roadside vegetation. In this investigation, alternative herbicides (citric-acetic acids, clove oil, corn gluten meal, limonene, and pelargonic acid), flaming, and mulching were assessed in management of annual and perennial, herbaceous vegetation in field and roadside plots. Several formulations of alternative herbicides applied singly or repeatedly during the growing season were evaluated and compared with conventional herbicides (glyphosate and glufosinate ammonium) or with flaming or mulching. Citric-acetic acid formulations, clove oil, limonene, or pelargonic acid applied as foliar sprays immediately desiccated foliage, but the efficacy lasted for no longer than five weeks. Repeated applications were better than single applications of these herbicides in suppressing plant vegetative growth. Corn gluten meal imparted little or no early control and stimulated late-season growth of vegetation. A single flaming of vegetation gave no better control than the alternative herbicides, but repeated flaming strongly restricted growth. Mulching with wood chips or bark gave season-long suppression of vegetation. Glyphosate gave season-long inhibition of vegetation, but the efficacy of glufosinate ammonium waned as the growing season progressed. For season-long suppression of vegetation with alternative herbicides or flaming repeated applications will be required.
Aesthetic Surgery Training during Residency in the United States: A Comparison of the Integrated, Combined, and Independent Training Models
Authors: Momeni Arash , Kim Rebecca Y. , Wan Derrick C. , Izadpanah Ali , Lee Gordon K.
Published: August 2014

Background. Three educational models for plastic surgery training exist in the United States, the integrated, combined, and independent model. The present study is a comparative analysis of aesthetic surgery training, to assess whether one model is particularly suitable to provide for high-quality training in aesthetic surgery. Methods. An 18-item online survey was developed to assess residents’ perceptions regarding the quality of training in aesthetic surgery in the US. The survey had three distinct sections: demographic information, current state of aesthetic surgery training, and residents’ perception regarding the quality of aesthetic surgery training. Results. A total of 86 senior plastic surgery residents completed the survey. Twenty-three, 24, and 39 residents were in integrated, combined, and independent residency programs, respectively. No statistically significant differences were seen with respect to number of aesthetic surgery procedures performed, additional training received in minimal-invasive cosmetic procedures, median level of confidence with index cosmetic surgery procedures, or perceived quality of aesthetic surgery training. Facial aesthetic procedures were felt to be the most challenging procedures. Exposure to minimally invasive aesthetic procedures was limited. Conclusion. While the educational experience in aesthetic surgery appears to be similar, weaknesses still exist with respect to training in minimally invasive/nonsurgical aesthetic procedures.
Tests of Lorentz Symmetry in Single Beta Decay
Authors: Díaz Jorge S.
Published: August 2014

Low-energy experiments studying single beta decay can serve as sensitive probes of Lorentz invariance that can complement interferometric searches for deviations from this spacetime symmetry. Experimental signatures of a dimension-three operator for Lorentz violation which are unobservable in neutrino oscillations are described for the decay of polarized and unpolarized neutrons as well as for measurements of the spectral endpoint in beta decay.
Antiperiodic Solutions forp-Laplacian Systems via Variational Approach
Authors: Niu Lifang , Teng Kaimin
Published: August 2014

We establish the existence of solutions forp-Laplacian systems with antiperiodic boundary conditions through using variational methods.
Intuitionistic Fuzzy Planar Graphs
Authors: Alshehri Noura , Akram Muhammad
Published: August 2014

Graph theory has numerous applications in modern sciences and technology. Atanassov introduced the concept of intuitionistic fuzzy sets as a generalization of fuzzy sets. Intuitionistic fuzzy set has shown advantages in handling vagueness and uncertainty compared to fuzzy set. In this paper, we apply the concept of intuitionistic fuzzy sets to multigraphs, planar graphs, and dual graphs. We introduce the notions of intuitionistic fuzzy multigraphs, intuitionistic fuzzy planar graphs, and intuitionistic fuzzy dual graphs and investigate some of their interesting properties. We also study isomorphism between intuitionistic fuzzy planar graphs.
Morphometric Analysis of Lateral Masses of Axis Vertebrae in North Indians
Authors: Lalit Monika , Piplani Sanjay , Kullar J. S. , Mahajan Anupama
Published: August 2014

Background and Objective.The lateral masses of axis have good cancellous bone quality beneath the articular surface of facets that make this area a good site for the insertion of an internal fixation device.Methods.60 dry axis vertebrae were obtained for anatomic evaluation focused on pedicle, superior and inferior articular facets, and foramen transversarium. Based upon linear and angular parameters the mean, range, and standard deviation were calculated.Results.The mean length, width, and height of the pedicle were 21.61 ± 2.37 mm, 8.82 ± 2.43 mm, and 5.63 ± 2.06 mm. The mean pedicle superior angle and median angle were 23.3 and 32.2 degrees. The mean superior articular facet length, width, and external and internal height were 16.34 ± 1.56 mm, 14.35 ± 1.75 mm, 8.98 ± 1.36 mm, and 4.23 ± 0.81 mm. Depth of vertebral artery was 4.72 ± 0.83 mm. Mean inferior articular facet length and width were 11.13 ± 1.43 mm and 7.89 ± 1.30 mm. The mean foramen transversarium length and width were 5.11 ± 0.91 mm and 5.06 ± 1.23 mm.Conclusions.The study may provide information for the surgeons to determine the safe site of entry and trajectory for the screw implantation and also to avoid injuries to vital structures while operating around axis.
TRPV1 Antagonism by Capsazepine Modulates Innate Immune Response in Mice Infected withPlasmodium bergheiANKA
Authors: Fernandes Elizabeth S. , Brito Carolina X. L. , Teixeira Simone A. , Barboza Renato , dos Reis Aramys S. , Azevedo-Santos Ana Paula S. , Muscará Marcelo , Costa Soraia K. P. , Marinho Claudio R. F. , Brain Susan D. , Grisotto Marcos A. G.
Published: August 2014

Thousands of people suffer from severe malaria every year. The innate immune response plays a determinant role in host’s defence to malaria. Transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) modulates macrophage-mediated responses in sepsis, but its role in other pathogenic diseases has never been addressed. We investigated the effects of capsazepine, a TRPV1 antagonist, in malaria. C57BL/6 mice received 105red blood cells infected withPlasmodium bergheiANKA intraperitoneally. Noninfected mice were used as controls. Capsazepine or vehicle was given intraperitoneally for 6 days. Mice were culled on day 7 after infection and blood and spleen cell phenotype and activation were evaluated. Capsazepine decreased circulating but not spleen F4/80+Ly6G+cell numbers as well as activation of both F4/80+and F4/80+Ly6G+cells in infected animals. In addition, capsazepine increased circulating but not spleen GR1+and natural killer (NK) population, without interfering with natural killer T (NKT) cell numbers and blood NK and NKT activation. However, capsazepine diminished CD69 expression in spleen NKT but not NK cells. Infection increased lipid peroxidation and the release of TNFαand IFNγ, although capsazepine-treated group exhibited lower levels of lipid peroxidation and TNFα. Capsazepine treatment did not affect parasitaemia. Overall, TRPV1 antagonism modulates the innate immune response to malaria.
Three-Dimensional Flow and Heat Transfer Past a Permeable Exponentially Stretching/Shrinking Sheet in a Nanofluid
Authors: Mansur Syahira , Ishak Anuar , Pop Ioan
Published: August 2014

The three-dimensional flow and heat transfer of a nanofluid over a stretching/shrinking sheet is investigated. Numerical results are obtained using bvp4c in MATLAB. The results show nonunique solutions for the shrinking case. The effects of the stretching/shrinking parameter, suction parameter, Brownian motion parameter, thermophoresis parameter, and Lewis number on the local skin friction coefficient and the local Nusselt number are studied. Suction increases the solution domain. Furthermore, as the sheet is shrunk in thex-direction, suction increases the skin friction coefficient in the same direction while decreasing the skin friction coefficient in they-direction. The local Nusselt number is consistently lower for higher values of thermophoresis parameter and Lewis number. On the other hand, the local Nusselt number increases as the Brownian motion parameter increases.
The Coupled Nonlinear Schrödinger Equations Describing Power and Phase for Modeling Phase-Sensitive Parametric Amplification in Silicon Waveguides
Authors: Li Xuefeng , Wang Zhaolu , Liu Hongjun
Published: August 2014

The coupled nonlinear Schrödinger (NLS) equations describing power and phase of the optical waves are used to model phase-sensitive (PS) parametric amplification in a width-modulated silicon-on-insulator (SOI) channel waveguide. Through solving the coupled NLS equations by the split-step Fourier and Runge-Kutta integration methods, the numerical results show that the coupled NLS equations can perfectly describe and character the PS amplification process in silicon waveguides.
Reference Values of Pulse Wave Velocity in Healthy People from an Urban and Rural Argentinean Population
Authors: Díaz Alejandro , Galli Cintia , Tringler Matías , Ramírez Agustín , Cabrera Fischer Edmundo Ignacio
Published: August 2014

In medical practice the reference values of arterial stiffness came from multicenter registries obtained in Asia, USA, Australia and Europe. Pulse wave velocity (PWV) is the gold standard method for arterial stiffness quantification; however, in South America, there are few population-based studies. In this research PWV was measured in healthy asymptomatic and normotensive subjects without history of hypertension in first-degree relatives. Normal PWV and the 95% confidence intervals values were obtained in 780 subjects (39.8 ± 18.5 years) divided into 7 age groups (10–98 years). The mean PWV found was 6.84 m/s ± 1.65. PWV increases linearly with aging with a high degree of correlation (r2=0.61;P<0.05) with low dispersion in younger subjects. PWV progressively increases 6–8% with each decade of life; this tendency is more pronounced after 50 years. A significant increase of PWV over 50 years was demonstrated. This is the first population-based study from urban and rural people of Argentina that provides normal values of the PWV in healthy, normotensive subjects without family history of hypertension. Moreover, the age dependence of PWV values was confirmed.

Corrigendum to “Reference Values of Pulse Wave Velocity in Healthy People from an Urban and Rural Argentinean Population”
Engineering Change Orders Design Using Multiple Variables Linear Programming for VLSI Design
Authors: Fan Yu-Cheng , Lin Chih-Kang , Chou Shih-Ying , Wang Chun-Hung , Wu Shu-Hsien , Liu Hung-Kuan
Published: August 2014

An engineering change orders design using multiple variable linear programming for VLSI design is presented in this paper. This approach addresses the main issues of resource between spare cells and target cells. We adopt linear programming technique to plan and balance the spare cells and target cells to meet the new specification according to logic transformation. The proposed method solves the related problem of resource for ECO problems and provides a well solution. The scheme shows new concept to manage the spare cells to meet possible target cells for ECO research.
Physical Violence Detection for Preventing School Bullying
Authors: Ye Liang , Ferdinando Hany , Seppänen Tapio , Alasaarela Esko
Published: August 2014

School bullying is a serious problem among teenagers, causing depression, dropping out of school, or even suicide. It is thus important to develop antibullying methods. This paper proposes a physical bullying detection method based on activity recognition. The architecture of the physical violence detection system is described, and a Fuzzy Multithreshold classifier is developed to detect physical bullying behaviour, including pushing, hitting, and shaking. Importantly, the application has the capability of distinguishing these types of behaviour from such everyday activities as running, walking, falling, or doing push-ups. To accomplish this, the method uses acceleration and gyro signals. Experimental data were gathered by role playing school bullying scenarios and by doing daily-life activities. The simulations achieved an average classification accuracy of 92%, which is a promising result for smartphone-based detection of physical bullying.
Flavocoxid, a Nutraceutical Approach to Blunt Inflammatory Conditions
Authors: Bitto Alessandra , Squadrito Francesco , Irrera Natasha , Pizzino Gabriele , Pallio Giovanni , Mecchio Anna , Galfo Federica , Altavilla Domenica
Published: August 2014

Flavonoids, fromScutellaria baicalensis(Chinese skullcap) andAcacia catechu(black catechu), have been shown to exert a variety of therapeutic effects, including anti-inflammatory, antiviral, antibacterial, and anticancer activities. Flavocoxid is a mixed extract containing baicalin and catechin and it acts as a dual balanced inhibitor of cyclooxygenase-1 (COX-1) and COX-2 peroxidase enzyme activities with a significant inhibition of 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) enzyme activityin vitro. Flavocoxid downregulates gene or protein expression of several inflammatory markers and exerts also strong antioxidant activity in several experimental models. Controlled clinical trials and a postmarketing study have clearly shown that flavocoxid is as effective as naproxen in managing the signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis of the knee and it has better upper gastrointestinal, renal, and respiratory safety profile than naproxen. Flavocoxid may therefore provide a potential therapeutic approach to the treatment of chronic inflammatory conditions.
A Prediction System Using a P2P Overlay Network for a Bus Arrival System
Authors: Lu Ssu-Hsuan , Chan Yu-Wei
Published: August 2014

Along with the evolution of times and the surge of metropolitan populations, government agencies often promote the construction of public transport. Unlike rail transportation or rapid transit systems, it is often difficult to estimate the vehicle arrival times at each station in a bus transportation system due to metropolitan transportation congestion. Traffic status is often monitored using wireless sensor networks (WSNs). However, WSNs are always separated from one another spatially. Recent studies have considered the connection of multiple sensor networks. This study considers a combination view of peer-to-peer (P2P) overlay networks and WSN architecture to predict bus arrival times. Each bus station, which is also a P2P overlay peer, is connected in a P2P overlay network. A sensor installed in each bus can receive data via peers to obtain the moving speed of a bus. Then, each peer can exchange its data to predict bus arrival times at bus stations. This method can considerably increase the accuracy with which bus arrival times can be predicted and can provide traffic status with high precision. Furthermore, these data can also be used to plan new bus routes according to the information gathered.
An Improved Approach for Reduction of Defect Density Using Optimal Module Sizes
Authors: Verma Dinesh , Kumar Shishir
Published: August 2014

Nowadays, software developers are facing challenges in minimizing the number of defects during the software development. Using defect density parameter, developers can identify the possibilities of improvements in the product. Since the total number of defects depends on module size, so there is need to calculate the optimal size of the module to minimize the defect density. In this paper, an improved model has been formulated that indicates the relationship between defect density and variable size of modules. This relationship could be used for optimization of overall defect density using an effective distribution of modules sizes. Three available data sets related to concern aspect have been examined with the proposed model by taking the distinct values of variables and parameter by putting some constraint on parameters. Curve fitting method has been used to obtain the size of module with minimum defect density. Goodness of fit measures has been performed to validate the proposed model for data sets. The defect density can be optimized by effective distribution of size of modules. The larger modules can be broken into smaller modules and smaller modules can be merged to minimize the overall defect density.
Iterative Splitting Methods for Integrodifferential Equations: Theory and Applications
Authors: Geiser Jürgen
Published: August 2014

We present novel iterative splitting methods to solve integrodifferential equations. Such integrodifferential equations are applied, for example, in scattering problems of plasma simulations. We concentrate on a linearised integral part and a reformulation to a system of first order differential equations. Such modifications allow for applying standard iterative splitting schemes and for extending the schemes, respecting the integral operator. A numerical analysis is presented of the system of semidiscretised differential equations as abstract Cauchy problems. In the applications, we present benchmark and initial realistic applications to transport problems with scattering terms. We also discuss the benefits of such iterative schemes as fast solver methods.
Comparative Evaluation of Midventral and Flank Laparotomy Approaches in Goat
Authors: Abubakar A. A. , Andeshi R. A. , Yakubu A. S. , Lawal F. M. , Adamu U.
Published: August 2014

The aim of the study was to compare two laparotomy approaches (flank and midventral). Ten (n=10) apparently healthy goats of different breeds and sex, average age of 12±2.1 months, and average weight of 13.4±2 kg were used for the investigation. The goats were randomly divided into flank and midventral groups, each group comprising five goats (n=5). Standard aseptic laparotomy was performed under lumbosacral epidural anaesthesia with mild sedation. Postsurgical wound score showed significant difference (P<0.05) in erythema at 18–24 hours and 10–14 days after surgery between the two approaches; significant difference of dehiscence between the two groups was also recorded at 10–14 days after surgery. Total white blood cells (WBC) and lymphocytes counts were significantly different (P<0.05) at the first and second week after surgery. There was significant difference of platelets critical value and platelets dimension width at the first and second week after surgery. Significant difference of packed cells volume between the two approaches was also recorded one week after surgery. It was concluded that midventral laparotomy approach can be conveniently and safely performed under aseptic precautions without fear of intra- and postoperative clinical problems.
Osteomyelitis Caused byCandida glabratain the Distal Phalanx
Authors: Toki Shunichi , Hibino Naohito , Sairyo Koichi , Takahashi Mitsuhiko , Yoshioka Shinji , Yamano Masahiro , Henmi Tatsuhiko
Published: August 2014

Osteomyelitis caused byCandida glabratais rare and its optimal treatment is unknown. Here we report a case of osteomyelitis caused byC. glabratain the distal phalanx in a 54-year-old woman. Despite partial resection of the nail and administering a 1-month course of antibiotics for paronychia, the local swelling remained and an osteolytic lesion was found.C. glabrataosteomyelitis of the distal phalanx was later diagnosed after curettage. Thereafter, the patient was treated with antifungal agents for 3 months. The infection eventually resolved, and radiological healing of the osteolytic lesion was achieved. Antifungal susceptibility testing should be performed in the case of osteomyelitis caused by nonalbicans Candida species, due to their resistance to fluconazole.
Gastroscopic Image Graph: Application to Noninvasive Multitarget Tracking under Gastroscopy
Authors: Wang Bin , Hu Weiling , Liu Jiquan , Si Jianmin , Duan Huilong
Published: August 2014

Gastroscopic examination is one of the most common methods for gastric disease diagnosis. In this paper, a multitarget tracking approach is proposed to assist endoscopists in identifying lesions under gastroscopy. This approach analyzes numerous preobserved gastroscopic images and constructs a gastroscopic image graph. In this way, the deformation registration between gastroscopic images is regarded as a graph search problem. During the procedure, the endoscopist marks suspicious lesions on the screen and the graph is utilized to locate and display the lesions in the appropriate frames based on the calculated registration model. Compared to traditional gastroscopic lesion surveillance methods (e.g., tattooing or probe-based optical biopsy), this approach is noninvasive and does not require additional instruments. In order to assess and quantify the performance, this approach was applied to stomach phantom data andin vivodata. The clinical experimental results demonstrated that the accuracy at angularis, antral, and stomach body was 6.3 ± 2.4 mm, 7.6 ± 3.1 mm, and 7.9 ± 1.6 mm, respectively. The mean accuracy was 7.31 mm, average targeting time was 56 ms, and thePvalue was 0.032, which makes it an attractive candidate for clinical practice. Furthermore, this approach provides a significant reference for endoscopic target tracking of other soft tissue organs.
Ideophones in Japhug (Rgyalrong)
Authors: Jacques Guillaume
Published: August 2014

This article provides a description of the main phonological and morphosyntactic features that characterize ideophones in Japhug (Rgyalrong, Sino-Tibetan). Ideophones are among the few words that can occur postverbally, even in relative clauses. Also discussed are the morphological patterns of ideophones, verbs derived from ideophones and their relationship to denominal verbs, and other phonologically marked parts of speech such as interjections and calling sounds and their differences from ideophones.
Signifying (Non)Linguistic and Subliminal Spirituality: Caryl Phillips’ Crossing the River
Authors: Carter Tomeiko Ashford
Published: August 2014

In “West,” the second narrative of his 1993 novel, Crossing the River , author Caryl Phillips writes the life story of Martha, a former slave in the American South. Phillips privileges Martha’s recounting of her own trials. At times, Martha’s idiom seems to demonstrate an interspersed, omniscient perspective, and she shares in the production of the text. What results is the viability of Martha’s spirit: Phillips uses her suffering to demonstrate her resilience. The author creates verbal and non-verbal cues that project Martha and the narrative into various states of (divine) consciousness. This style shows that Martha operates from a very sophisticated system of signs in which she uses emotions instead of words to relay, or to “signify” as Henry Louis Gates would suggest, alternate meanings. Martha’s minimal use of language and her reliance on other signs to understand and create meaning contrast with the biblical character of Martha that Phillips’ text enjoins. The biblical Martha actually misses or misinterprets cues of meaning. “West” augments the novel’s greater aim of showing the interrelatedness of races on a global scale, allowing the author’s Martha to define “freedom” through her dreams with the help of a woman of another race.
Crossing into the Cultural Other: A Dialogic Reading Strategy
Authors: Rankin Stephen
Published: August 2014

Drawing on the theories of Homi Bhabha and Tzvetan Todorov, this article explores the difficulties facing Western writers of fiction in relation to their participation in postcolonial discourse. This essay suggests that many writers in the West are limited by a lack of hybridity to a space outside of dialogic discourse and as a consequence find themselves restricted in their engagement with cultural alterity to an endless loop of self-reference or to the appropriation of otherness. The article, however, goes on to argue that textual dialogism can provide an avenue for the negotiation of difference for the reader: a conversational space within which both sides can speak and be heard without crossing the line into cultural appropriation. I suggest that this can take place by means of a cross-culturally dialogic reading strategy in which the consciousness of the reader through the internal and socially-contextualised experience of culturally divergent voices is able to share a common literary space. The applicability of dialogism as a reading strategy will be considered in relation to two texts, Inez Baranay’s Australian novel, The Edge of Bali , and Gerson Poyk’s Indonesian short story, “Kuta, here my love flickers brightly,” both of which explore fictional encounters between Australian female tourists and Indonesian men.
Social Non-Conformists in Forster’s Italy: Otherness and the Enlightened English Tourist
Authors: Roszak Suzanne
Published: August 2014

Recent years have seen increasing attention to E. M. Forster’s approach to issues of race and ethnicity, including how Forster’s oeuvre advances problematic views of foreign cultures. Nevertheless, the criticism on Forster’s Italian novels has lagged behind, with readers continuing to emphasize how Where Angels Fear to Tread (1905) and A Room with a View (1908) valorize Italian culture and undermine prejudiced assumptions of English cultural superiority. This article considers the portrayal of English social non-conformists in Forster’s Italy, individuals whose interactions with Italian people and landscapes inspire them to develop new ways of approaching class and gender as well as nation and ethnicity. I reveal that while the Italian novels use this trope of the non-conformist to stress a foreign culture’s power to generate reform at home, they also overemphasize the cultural difference that separates Italy from England, indulging in primitivist, patronizing depictions of Italian spaces and people. The novels also exhibit a problematic narrative impulse to sacrifice their Italian characters for the benefit of their Englishmen and Englishwomen, imagining the lives and especially the deaths of Italians as a tool for enlightening the English tourist. This discontinuity in Forster exemplifies the persistent essentialization of Italy in twentieth-century Anglo-American fiction.