bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Whole blood for hemostatic resuscitation of major bleeding
Authors: Spinella Philip C. , Pidcoke Heather F. , Strandenes Geir , Hervig Tor , Fisher Andrew , Jenkins Donald , Yazer Mark , Stubbs James , Murdock Alan , Sailliol Anne , Ness Paul M. , Cap Andrew P.
Published: April 2016

Recent combat experience reignited interest in transfusing whole blood (WB) for patients with life‐threatening bleeding. US Army data indicate that WB transfusion is associated with improved or comparable survival compared to resuscitation with blood components. These data complement randomized controlled trials that indicate that platelet (PLT)‐containing blood products stored at 4°C have superior hemostatic function, based on reduced bleeding and improved functional measures of hemostasis, compared to PLT‐containing blood products at 22°C.

WB is rarely available in civilian hospitals and as a result is rarely transfused for patients with hemorrhagic shock. Recent developments suggest that impediments to WB availability can be overcome, specifically the misconceptions that WB must be ABO specific, that WB cannot be leukoreduced and maintain PLTs, and finally that cold storage causes loss of PLT function. Data indicate that the use of low anti‐A and anti‐B titer group O WB is safe as a universal donor, WB can be leukoreduced with PLT‐sparing filters, and WB stored at 4°C retains PLT function during 15 days of storage. The understanding that these perceived barriers are not insurmountable will improve the availability of WB and facilitate its use. In addition, there are logistic and economic advantages of WB‐based resuscitation compared to component therapy for hemorrhagic shock. The use of low‐titer group O WB stored for up to 15 days at 4°C merits further study to compare its efficacy and safety with current resuscitation approaches for all patients with life‐threatening bleeding.
Dried plasma: state of the science and recent developments
Authors: Pusateri Anthony E. , Given Michael B. , Schreiber Martin A. , Spinella Philip C. , Pati Shibani , Kozar Rosemary A. , Khan Abdul , Dacorta Joseph A. , Kupferer Kevin R. , Prat Nicolas , Pidcoke Heather F. , Macdonald Victor W. , Malloy Wilbur W. , Sailliol Anne , Cap Andrew P.
Published: April 2016

The early transfusion of plasma is important to ensure optimal survival of patients with traumatic hemorrhage. In military and remote or austere civilian settings, it may be impossible to move patients to hospital facilities within the first few hours of injury. A dried plasma product with reduced logistical requirements is needed to enable plasma transfusion where medically needed, instead of only where freezers and other equipment are available. First developed in the 1930s, pooled lyophilized plasma was widely used by British and American forces in WWII and the Korean War. Historical dried plasma products solved the logistical problem but were abandoned because of disease transmission. Modern methods to improve blood safety have made it possible to produce safe and effective dried plasma. Dried plasma products are available in France, Germany, South Africa, and a limited number of other countries. However, no product is available in the US. Promising products are in development that employ different methods of drying, pathogen reduction, pooling, packaging, and other approaches. Although challenges exist, the in vitro and in vivo data suggest that these products have great potential to be safe and effective. The history, state of the science, and recent developments in dried plasma are reviewed.
Health‐Literacy‐Sensitive Diabetes Self‐Management Interventions: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Kim Su Hyun , Lee Anna
Published: April 2016

Background

Low health literacy is a potential barrier to self‐management among patients with diabetes. A variety of strategies for low health literacy have been proposed for diabetes self‐management interventions, but interventions accommodating low health literacy have been heterogeneous in terms of content and have produced mixed results.

Aim

To systematically review health‐literacy‐sensitive diabetes management interventions, with a focus on identifying strategies for accommodating patients with low health literacy, and to examine the efficacy of these interventions to improve health outcomes.

Methods

PubMed, CINAHL, and EMBASE were searched for intervention studies published between January 2000 and January 2015. Two authors separately identified full‐texts according to the inclusion criteria and assessed study quality using the quantitative components of the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. The final list of studies to be analyzed was made through discussion. The meta‐analysis was conducted using a random effects model.

Results

Thirteen studies were selected from the 490 studies found in our initial search. We identified a range of strategies for accommodating those with low health literacy in diabetes self‐management interventions, which encompassed four domains: written communication, spoken communication, empowerment, and language/cultural consideration. Using at least one of the spoken communication strategies led to positive cognitive/psychological, self‐care, and health outcomes. We found that, overall, health‐literacy‐sensitive diabetes management interventions were effective in reducing HbA1C level in the meta‐analysis.

Linking Evidence to Action

Healthcare providers should consider active implementation of strategies for accommodating people with low health literacy in diabetes self‐management interventions. The routine use of spoken communication strategies would be necessary to achieve the best health outcomes in diabetes self‐management interventions. More research is needed to determine the individual effects of the key strategies that improve health and reduce health disparity.
Phylogenetic inference based on landmark data in 41 empirical data sets
Authors: Catalano Santiago A. , Torres Ambrosio
Published: April 2016

The inference of phylogenetic hypotheses from landmark data has been questioned during the last two decades. Besides theoretical concerns, one of the limitations pointed out for the use of landmark data in phylogenetics is its (supposed) lack of information relevant to the inference of phylogenetic relationships. However, empirical analyses are scarce; there exists no previous study that systematically evaluates the phylogenetic performance of landmark data in a series of data sets. In the present study, we analysed 41 published data sets in order to assess the correspondence between the phylogenetic trees derived from landmark data and those obtained with alternative and independent sources of evidence, and determined the main factors that might affect this inference. The data sets presented a variable number of terminals (5–200) and configurations (1–14), belonging to different taxonomic groups. The results showed that for most of the data sets analysed, the trees derived from landmark data presented a low correspondence with the reference phylogenies. The results were similar irrespective of the phylogenetic method considered. Complementary analyses strongly suggested that the limited amount of evidence included in each data set (one or a few landmark configurations) is the main cause for that low correspondence: the phylogenetic analysis of eight data sets that presented three or more configurations clearly showed that the inclusion of several landmark configurations improves the results. In addition, the analyses indicated that the inclusion of landmark data from different configurations is more important than the inclusion of more landmarks from the same configuration. Based on the results presented here, we consider that the poor results previously obtained in phylogenetic analyses based on landmark data were not caused by methodological limitations, but rather due to the limited amount of evidence included in the data sets.
Use dependence of peripheral nociceptive conduction in the absence of tetrodotoxin‐resistant sodium channel subtypes
Authors: Hoffmann Tal , Kistner Katrin , Nassar Mohammed , Reeh Peter W. , Weidner Christian
Published: April 2016

Key points

This study examines conduction in peripheral nerves and its use dependence in tetrodotoxin‐resistant (TTXr) sodium channel (Nav1.8, Nav1.9) knockout and wildtype animals.

We observed use‐dependent decreases of single fibre and compound action potential amplitude in peripheral mouse C‐fibres (wildtype). This matches the previously published hypothesis that increased Na/K‐pump activity is not the underlying mechanism for use‐dependent changes of neural conduction.

Knocking out TTXr sodium channels influences use‐dependent changes of conductive properties (action potential amplitude, latency, conduction safety) in the order Nav1.8 KO > Nav1.9KO > wildtype.

This is most likely explained by different subsets of presumably (relatively) Nav1.7‐rich conducting fibres in knockout animals as compared to wildtypes, in combination with reduced per‐pulse sodium influx.

Use dependency of peripheral nerves, especially of nociceptors, correlates with receptive properties. Slow inactivation of voltage‐gated sodium channels has been discussed to be the underlying mechanism – pointing to a receptive class‐related difference of sodium channel equipment. Using electrophysiological recordings of single unmyelinated cutaneous fibres and their compound action potential (AP), we evaluated use‐dependent changes in mouse peripheral nerves, and the contribution of the tetrodotoxin‐resistant (TTXr) sodium channels Nav1.8 and Nav1.9 to these changes. Nerve fibres were electrically stimulated using single or double pulses at 2 Hz. Use‐dependent changes of latency, AP amplitude, and duration as well as the fibres’ ability to follow the stimulus were evaluated. AP amplitudes substantially diminished in used fibres from C57BL/6 but increased in Nav1.8 knockout (KO) mice, with Nav1.9 KO in between. Activity‐induced latency slowing was in contrast the most pronounced in Nav1.8 KOs and the least in wildtype mice. The genotype was also predictive of how long fibres could follow the double pulsed stimulus with wildtype fibres blocking first and Nav1.8 KO fibres enduring the longest. In contrast, changes in spike duration were less pronounced and displayed no significant tendency. Thus, all major measures of peripheral nerve accommodation (amplitude, latency and durability) depended on genotype. All use‐dependent changes appeared in the order NaV1.8 KO > NaV1.9 KO > wildtype, which is most likely explained by the relative contribution of Nav1.7 varying in the same order and the amounts of per‐pulse sodium influx expected in the opposite order.
Microglia across the lifespan: from origin to function in brain development, plasticity and cognition
Authors: Tay Tuan Leng , Savage Julie C. , Hui Chin Wai , Bisht Kanchan , Tremblay Marie‐Ève
Published: April 2016

Microglia are the only immune cells that permanently reside in the central nervous system (CNS) alongside neurons and other types of glial cells. The past decade has witnessed a revolution in our understanding of their roles during normal physiological conditions. Cutting‐edge techniques revealed that these resident immune cells are critical for proper brain development, actively maintain health in the mature brain, and rapidly adapt their function to physiological or pathophysiological needs. In this review, we highlight recent studies on microglial origin (from the embryonic yolk sac) and the factors regulating their differentiation and homeostasis upon brain invasion. Elegant experiments tracking microglia in the CNS allowed studies of their unique roles compared with other types of resident macrophages. Here we review the emerging roles of microglia in brain development, plasticity and cognition, and discuss the implications of the depletion or dysfunction of microglia for our understanding of disease pathogenesis. Immune activation, inflammation and various other conditions resulting in undesirable microglial activity at different stages of life could severely impair learning, memory and other essential cognitive functions. The diversity of microglial phenotypes across the lifespan, between compartments of the CNS, and sexes, as well as their crosstalk with the body and external environment, is also emphasised. Understanding what defines particular microglial phenotypes is of major importance for future development of innovative therapies controlling their effector functions, with consequences for cognition across chronic stress, ageing, neuropsychiatric and neurological diseases.

image
Renal extracellular vesicles: from physiology to clinical application
Authors: Morrison E. E. , Bailey M. A. , Dear J. W.
Published: April 2016

Urinary extracellular vesicles (uEVs) are released from all regions of the kidney's nephron and from other cells that line the urinary tract. Extracellular vesicles retain proteomic and transcriptomic markers specific to their cell of origin and so represent a potential reservoir for kidney disease biomarker discovery. Exosomes, a subtype of uEVs, are distinguished from other vesicles by features related to their biogenesis within cells: mature multi‐vesicular bodies fuse with the cellular membrane to liberate exosomes into the extracellular space. uEVs represent a novel cell signalling mechanism because they can be shuttled to a recipient cell and, through a number of proposed mechanisms, affect the recipient cell's proteome and function. Here we review the current evidence for uEV signalling along the nephron, their role in health and disease of the kidney, and their potential for clinical translation as biomarkers and therapeutics.

image
The acquisition of mechano‐electrical transducer current adaptation in auditory hair cells requires myosin VI
Authors: Marcotti Walter , Corns Laura F. , Goodyear Richard J. , Rzadzinska Agnieszka K. , Avraham Karen B. , Steel Karen P. , Richardson Guy P. , Kros Corné J.
Published: April 2016

Key points

The transduction of sound into electrical signals occurs at the hair bundles atop sensory hair cells in the cochlea, by means of mechanosensitive ion channels, the mechano‐electrical transducer (MET) channels.

The MET currents decline during steady stimuli; this is termed adaptation and ensures they always work within the most sensitive part of their operating range, responding best to rapidly changing (sound) stimuli.

In this study we used a mouse model (Snell's waltzer) for hereditary deafness in humans that has a mutation in the gene encoding an unconventional myosin, myosin VI, which is present in the hair bundles.

We found that in the absence of myosin VI the MET current fails to acquire its characteristic adaptation as the hair bundles develop.

We propose that myosin VI supports the acquisition of adaptation by removing key molecules from the hair bundle that serve a temporary, developmental role.

Mutations in Myo6, the gene encoding the (F‐actin) minus end‐directed unconventional myosin, myosin VI, cause hereditary deafness in mice (Snell's waltzer) and humans. In the sensory hair cells of the cochlea, myosin VI is expressed in the cell bodies and along the stereocilia that project from the cells’ apical surface. It is required for maintaining the structural integrity of the mechanosensitive hair bundles formed by the stereocilia. In this study we investigate whether myosin VI contributes to mechano‐electrical transduction. We report that Ca2+‐dependent adaptation of the mechano‐electrical transducer (MET) current, which serves to keep the transduction apparatus operating within its most sensitive range, is absent in outer and inner hair cells from homozygous Snell's waltzer mutant mice, which fail to express myosin VI. The operating range of the MET channels is also abnormal in the mutants, resulting in the absence of a resting MET current. We found that cadherin 23, a component of the hair bundle's transient lateral links, fails to be downregulated along the length of the stereocilia in maturing Myo6 mutant mice. MET currents of heterozygous littermates appear normal. We propose that myosin VI, by removing key molecules from developing hair bundles, is required for the development of the MET apparatus and its Ca2+‐dependent adaptation.
Evaluation of β1-integrin expression on chondrogenically differentiating human adipose-derived stem cells using atomic force microscopy
Authors: Quisenberry Chrystal R. , Nazempour Arshan , Van Wie Bernard J. , Abu-Lail Nehal I.
Published: April 2016

The expression of β1-integrin on human adipose-derived stem cells, differentiating toward a chondrogenic lineage, is hypothesized to decrease when cells are grown under in vivo-like environments due to sufficient extracellular matrix (ECM) buildup in the engineered tissues. The opposite is true when cells are grown in static cultures such as in pellet or micromass. To probe β1-integrin distribution on cellular surfaces, atomic force microscopy cantilevers modified with anti-β1-integrin antibodies were used. Specific antibody–antigen adhesion forces were identified and indicated the locations of β1-integrins on cells. ECM properties were assessed by estimating the Young's modulus of the matrix. Specific single antibody–antigen interactions averaged 78 ± 10 pN with multiple bindings occurring at approximate multiples of 78 pN. The author's results show that upregulated β1-integrin expression coincided with a less robust ECM as assessed by mechanical properties of tissues. In micromass and pellet cultures, transforming growth factor β3(TGF-β3) elicited a decrease in Young's modulus by 3.7- and 4.4-fold while eliciting an increase in β1-integrin count by 1.1- and 1.3-fold, respectively. β1-integrin counts on cells grown in the presence of TGF-β3 with oscillating hydrostatic pressure decreased by a 1.1-fold while the Young's modulus increased by a 1.9-fold. Collectively, our results suggest that cells in insufficiently robust ECM express more integrin perhaps to facilitate cell–ECM adhesion and compensate for a looser less robust ECM.
Cyclin-dependent kinase 1–dependent activation of APC/C ubiquitin ligase
Authors: Fujimitsu Kazuyuki , Grimaldi Margaret , Yamano Hiroyuki
Published: April 2016

Phosphorylation cues exit from mitosis

The entry and exit from the cell cycle are controlled by waves of protein phosphorylation and degradation events. Fujimitsu
et al.
describe the precise mechanism by which the cell cycle machinery controls exit from mitosis. The critical event is activation of a ubiquitin ligase, the anaphase-promoting complex or cyclosome (APC/C). The authors used purified components and the Xenopus egg extract system to show that two subunits of APC/C were directly phosphorylated by cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1). Phosphorylation of one subunit helped recruit CDK1 for further phosphorylation of another subunit. The second subunit interacted with the APC/C activator and target of anticancer therapy known as Cdc20.

Science
, this issue p.
1121
Observation of the
60
Fe nucleosynthesis-clock isotope in galactic cosmic rays
Authors: Binns W. R. , Israel M. H. , Christian E. R. , Cummings A. C. , de Nolfo G. A. , Lave K. A. , Leske R. A. , Mewaldt R. A. , Stone E. C. , von Rosenvinge T. T. , Wiedenbeck M. E.
Published: April 2016

Cosmic rays from a nearby supernova

Supernova explosions produce unstable isotopes, spreading them through space in the form of cosmic rays. Binns
et al.
used NASA's Advanced Composition Explorer spacecraft to search for previously undetected traces of
60
Fe in cosmic rays passing through the solar system. Seventeen years of observations detected just 15
60
Fe nuclei—a small but statistically significant number. Because
60
Fe is radioactive, with a half-life of 2.6 million years, these nuclei must have formed relatively recently in a nearby supernova. The most likely candidates are massive stars in the Scorpius-Centaurus association.

Science
, this issue p.
677
An endogenous caspase-11 ligand elicits interleukin-1 release from living dendritic cells
Authors: Zanoni Ivan , Tan Yunhao , Di Gioia Marco , Broggi Achille , Ruan Jianbin , Shi Jianjin , Donado Carlos A. , Shao Feng , Wu Hao , Springstead James R. , Kagan Jonathan C.
Published: April 2016

Immune activation in context

Dendritic cells (DCs) initiate protective immunity upon binding molecules derived from microbes or released from dying cells. Zanoni
et al.
examined how microbial and endogenous signals interact to shape the course of the ensuing immune response (see the Perspective by Napier and Monack). They found that oxPAPC, an oxidized phospholipid released from dying cells, binds to a protein called caspase-11 in DCs, activating an inflammatory program in these cells. Whereas caspase-11 binding to oxPAPC and bacterial lipopolysaccharide causes DCs to produce the cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) and undergo cell death, binding to oxPAPC alone triggers DCs to secrete IL-1 and induce strong adaptive immunity. Thus, context-dependent signals can shape the ensuing immune response.

Science
, this issue p.
1232
; see also p.
1173
Genome Sequence of the Tick-Borne Pathogen
Rickettsia raoultii
Authors: El Karkouri Khalid , Mediannikov Oleg , Robert Catherine , Raoult Didier , Fournier Pierre-Edouards
Published: April 2016

Rickettsia raoultii
is a tick-associated spotted fever group (SFG) organism, causing scalp eschar and neck lymphadenopathy after tick bite (SENLAT) in humans. We report here the genome sequence of
R. raoultii
strain Khabarovsk
T
(CSUR R3
T
, ATCC VR-1596
T
), which was isolated from a
Dermacentor silvarum
tick collected in Russia.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Spore-Forming Probiotic Strain
Bacillus coagulans
Unique IS-2
Authors: Upadrasta Aditya , Pitta Swetha , Madempudi Ratna Sudha
Published: April 2016

Bacillus coagulans
Unique IS-2 is a potential spore-forming probiotic that is commercially available on the market. The draft genome sequence presented here provides deep insight into the beneficial features of this strain for its safe use as a probiotic for various human and animal health applications.
Draft Genome Sequences of 63
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Isolates Recovered from Cystic Fibrosis Sputum
Authors: Spilker Theodore , LiPuma John J.
Published: April 2016

Here, we report the draft genome sequences of 63
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
isolates, recovered in culture of sputum from 15 individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) receiving care in a single CF care center over a 13-year period. These sequences add value to studies of within-host evolution of bacterial pathogens during chronic infection.
Genome Sequence of the Endophytic Bacterium
Bacillus thuringiensis
Strain KB1, a Potential Biocontrol Agent against Phytopathogens
Authors: Jeong Haeyoung , Jo Sung Hee , Hong Chi Eun , Park Jeong Mee
Published: April 2016

Bacillus thuringiensis
is the most widely known microbial pesticide used in agricultural applications. Herein, we report a draft genome sequence of the endophytic bacterium
Bacillus thuringiensis
strain KB1, which exhibits antagonism against phytopathogens.
Complete Genome Sequence of
Lactobacillus rhamnosus
Strain BPL5 (CECT 8800), a Probiotic for Treatment of Bacterial Vaginosis
Authors: Chenoll Empar , Codoñer Francisco M. , Martinez-Blanch Juan F. , Ramón Daniel , Genovés Salvador , Menabrito Marco
Published: April 2016

Lactobacillus rhamnosus
BPL5 (CECT 8800), is a probiotic strain suitable for the treatment of bacterial vaginosis. Here, we report its complete genome sequence deciphered by PacBio single-molecule real-time (SMRT) technology. Analysis of the sequence may provide insight into its functional activity.
Draft Genome Sequence of a Biocontrol Rhizobacterium,
Chryseobacterium kwangjuense
Strain KJ1R5, Isolated from Pepper (
Capsicum annuum
)
Authors: Jeong Jin-Ju , Park Hongjae , Park Byeong Hyeok , Mannaa Mohamed , Sang Mee Kyung , Choi In-Geol , Kim Ki Deok
Published: April 2016

Strain KJ1R5 of the rhizobacterium
Chryseobacterium kwangjuense
is an effective biocontrol agent against Phytophthora blight of pepper caused by a destructive soilborne oomycete,
Phytophthora capsici
. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of strain KJ1R5, which contains genes related to biocontrol, plant growth promotion, and environmental stress adaptation.
Complete Genome Sequence of an NADC30-Like Strain of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus in China
Authors: Ji Guobiao , Li Yingying , Tan Feifei , Zhuang Jinshan , Li Xiangdong , Tian Kegong
Published: April 2016

The most recently emergent porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus strains in China are characterized by 393 nucleotide deletions in the nonstructural protein 2 (NSP2) region and are known as NADC30-like strains. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of the NADC30-like HNjz15 strain that was isolated in 2015.
A double conundrum: concurrent presentation of Hashimoto's thyroiditis and ulcerative colitis
Authors: Singh Gurpreet , Brien Susie , Taylor Ellen
Published: April 2016

We describe a case of a 31-year-old man who presented with a 3-day history of crampy abdominal pain, anorexia, malaise and diarrhoea of increasing frequency, with the passage of both mucus and haematochezia. The patient's biochemical investigations revealed hyponatraemia, hypothyroidism and elevated inflammatory markers. The patient underwent an ultrasound and fine-needle aspiration of the thyroid and was diagnosed as having Hashimoto's thyroiditis. He was started on thyroxine and fluid was restricted. He was also investigated for alternative causes of hyponatraemia. With improvement in his hyponatraemia, the patient underwent a colonoscopy with biopsies confirming a concurrent diagnosis of ulcerative colitis. He was started on mesalazine and prednisolone and discharged from hospital. He suffered a flare shortly after discharge and was readmitted to hospital. He was again discharged, on a higher dose of prednisolone, with outpatient follow-up at our hospital's gastroenterology clinic.
Laryngeal lipoma: a rare cause of acute intermittent airway obstruction
Authors: Deutsch Peter George , O'Connell Janet
Published: April 2016

We present a case of a 62-year-old man with a lipoma in the exceedingly rare location of the larynx, causing intermittent airway obstruction and dysphagia. The lipoma was excised endoscopically with complete resolution of symptoms. Lipomas are relatively common, accounting for 4–5% of all benign tumours in the body. They traditionally occur in areas of large depositions of subcutaneous fat, most frequently the trunk and limbs. They are recognised to occur in the head and neck but these only represent 13–15% of all lipomas. Lipomas are typically asymptomatic unless their impingement of nearby structures causes symptoms.
Ectopia cordis: a novel palliative care technique
Authors: Berry Mary Judith , Saito-Benz Maria , Klein Tisha , Bowkett Brendon , Richardson Vaughan F
Published: April 2016

Complete ectopia cordis in the newborn represents a significant management challenge. There are minimal data available to inform optimal clinical care for those infants with coexisting complex congenital heart disease who are therefore not candidates for surgical intervention. The exteriorisation of the heart and absence of the pericardial sac requires meticulous wound care to prevent desiccation of the myocardium and to minimise infection risk. Additionally, the technique selected must address the risk of occlusion of the cardiac vascular pedicle and abrasion between the mobile myocardium and dressing surface. We report a novel approach to wound management and integrated palliative care that enabled community-based care. Our patient, a full-term male infant with complete ectopia cordis was born in good condition by assisted vaginal delivery. He was discharged from hospital on day 8 and was cared for in the community until his demise from cardiac failure on day 15.
Influence of acidic media on the supramolecular aggregation of iso-tellurazole N-oxides
Authors: Ho Peter C. , Lee Lucia Myongwon , Jenkins Hilary , Britten James F. , Vargas-Baca Ignacio
Published: April 2016

Iso-tellurazole N-oxides are promising supramolecular building blocks. While in neutral solutions, they form tetra- and hexameric macrocyclic aggregates linked by Te···O secondary bonding (σ hole interactions or chalcogen bonds), protonation of the oxygen atom in acidic media disrupts such supramolecular association. The process is reversible and, consequently, can be used to switch on and off the self-assembly process. Hammett acidity measurements gave pKa values of –3.2 for the protonated molecules. Adducts with HCl and HBr were isolated and structurally characterized. Protonation in solution led to the crystallization of a new polymorph of 3-methyl-5-phenyl-1,2-tellurazole N-oxide, which features a unique polymeric arrangement.
Perturbative approach to the problem of particle production in electric field on de Sitter universe
Authors: Crucean Cosmin , Băloi Mihaela-Andreea
Published: April 2016

In this paper, we study the problem of scalar particle production in external electric field in de Sitter geometry. The total probability is calculated using the previously obtained result in [M. A. Băloi, Mod. Phys. Lett. A 29, 1450138 (2014)] for transition amplitude in external electric field on de Sitter space. Then we make a graphical study of the total probability in terms of the ratio mass of the particle/expansion factor. Our results show that the probability depend on the direction in which the particles are emitted and that the probability becomes maximum when particles are emitted on the direction of the electric field. In the Minkowski limit, we obtain that the probability is vanishing.
Geometric relativistic phase from Lorentz symmetry breaking effects in the cosmic string spacetime
Authors: Belich H. , Bakke K.
Published: April 2016

In this paper, we have investigated the arising of geometric quantum phases in a relativistic quantum dynamics of a Dirac neutral particle from the spontaneous Lorentz symmetry violation effects in the cosmic string spacetime. We started by the Dirac equation in an effective metric, and we have observed a relativistic geometric phase which stems from the topology of the cosmic string spacetime and an intrinsic Lorentz symmetry breaking effects. It is shown that both Lorentz symmetry breaking effects and the topology of the defect yields a phase shift in the wave function of the nonrelativistic spin-[Formula: see text] particle.
On black hole structures in scalar–tensor theories of gravity
Authors: Bronnikov Kirill A. , Fabris Júlio C. , Rodrigues Denis C.
Published: April 2016

We review some properties of black hole structures appearing in gravity with a massless scalar field, with both minimal and nonminimal coupling. The main properties of the resulting cold black holes are described. The study of black holes in scalar-gravity systems is extended to [Formula: see text]-essence theories, and some examples are explicitly worked out. In these cases, even while the existence of horizons is possible, the metric regularity requirement on the horizon implies either a cold black type structure or a singular behavior of the scalar field.
A Comparative Investigation of Type-2 Fuzzy Sets, Nonstationary Fuzzy Sets and Cloud Models
Authors: Huang Han-Chen , Yang Xiaojun
Published: April 2016

Since Zadeh introduced fuzzy sets, a lot of extensions of this concept have been proposed, such as type-2 fuzzy sets, nonstationary fuzzy sets, and cloud models, to represent higher levels of uncertainty. This paper provides a comparative investigation of type-2 fuzzy sets, nonstationary fuzzy sets, and cloud models. Type-2 fuzzy sets study the fuzziness of the membership function (MF) using primary MF and secondary MF based on analytic mathematical methods; nonstationary fuzzy sets study the randomness of the MF using primary MF and variation function based on type-1 fuzzy sets theory; cloud models study the randomness of the distribution of samples in the universe and generate random membership grades (MGs) using two random variables based on probability and statistic mathematical methods. They all concentrate on dealing with the uncertainty of the MF or the MG which type-1 fuzzy sets do not consider, and thus have many similarities. Moreover, we find out that, the same qualitative concept “moderate amount” can be represented by an interval type-2 fuzzy set, a nonstationary fuzzy set or a normal cloud model, respectively. Then, we propose a unified mathematical expression for the interval type-2 fuzzy set, nonstationary fuzzy set and normal cloud model. On the other hand, we also find out that, the theory fundament and underlying motivations of these models are quite different. Therefore, We summarize detailed comparisons of distinctive properties of type-2 fuzzy sets, nonstationary fuzzy sets, and cloud models. Further, we study their diverse characteristics of distributions of MGs across vertical slices. The comparative investigation shows that these models are complementary to describe the uncertainty from different points of view. Thus, this paper provides a fundamental contribution and makes a basic reference for knowledge representation and other applications with uncertainty.
Robust Control Design of Uncertain Mechanical Systems: A Fuzzy Approach
Authors: Chen Xianmin , Wang Yong , Zhen Shengchao , Huang Kang , Zhao Han , Chen Ye-Hwa
Published: April 2016

We first investigate the fundamental properties of the mechanical system as related to the control design. Then a new robust control is proposed for mechanical systems with fuzzy uncertainty. Fuzzy set theory is used to describe the uncertainty in the mechanical system. The desirable system performance is deterministic. The proposed control is deterministic and is not the usual if-then rules-based. The resulting controlled system is uniformly bounded and uniformly ultimately bounded proved via the Lyapunov minimax approach. The resulting control design is systematic and is able to render the deterministic performance. A mechanical system is chosen for demonstration.
A Fault-Based Secret Key Retrieval Method for ECDSA
Authors: Barenghi Alessandro , Bertoni Guido M. , Breveglieri Luca , Pelosi Gerardo , Sanfilippo Stefano , Susella Ruggero
Published: April 2016

Elliptic curve cryptosystems proved to be well suited for securing systems with constrained resources like embedded and portable devices. In a fault-based attack, errors are induced during the computation of a cryptographic primitive, and the results are collected to derive information about the secret key safely stored in the device. We introduce a novel attack methodology to recover the secret key employed in implementations of the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm. Our attack exploits the information leakage induced when altering the execution of the modular arithmetic operations used in the signature primitive and does not rely on the underlying elliptic curve mathematical structure, thus being applicable to all standardized curves. We provide both a validation of the feasibility of the attack, even employing common off-the-shelf hardware to perform the required computations, and a low-cost countermeasure to counteract it.
Using Imitation to Build Collaborative Agents
Authors: Raza Saleha , Haider Sajjad
Published: April 2016

The article presents an approach to learn collaborative strategies among multiple agents via imitation. Imitation-based learning involves learning from an expert by observing the demonstration of a task and then replicating it. This mechanism makes it convenient for a knowledge engineer to transfer knowledge to a software agent. This article applies imitation to learn not only the strategy of an individual agent, but also the collaborative strategy of a team of agents to achieve a common goal. The article presents an imitation-based solution that learns a weighted naïve Bayes structure, whereas the weights of the model are optimized using Artificial Immune Systems. The learned model is then used by agents to act autonomously. The applicability of the presented approach is assessed in the RoboCup Soccer 3D Simulation environment, which is a promising platform to address many complex real-world problems. The performance of the trained agents is benchmarked against other RoboCup Soccer 3D Simulation teams. In addition to performance characteristics, the research also analyzes the behavioral traits of the imitating team to assess how closely they are imitating the demonstrating team.
Differential Write-Conscious Software Design on Phase-Change Memory
Authors: Lee Sungkwang , Lee Taemin , Park Hyunsun , Ahn Junwhan , Yoo Sungjoo , Won Youjip , Lee Sunggu
Published: April 2016

Phase-change memory (PCM) has several benefits including low cost, non-volatility, byte-addressability, etc., and limitations such as write endurance. There have been several hardware approaches to exploit the benefits while minimizing the negative impact of limitations. Software approaches could give further improvements, when used together with hardware approaches, by taking advantage of write behavior present in the program, e.g., write behavior on dynamically allocated data, which is hardly captured by hardware approaches. This work proposes a software design methodology to reduce costly PCM writes. First, on top of existing hardware approach such as Flip-N-Write, we advocate exploiting the capability of PCM bit-level differential write in the software by judiciously reusing previously allocated memory resource. In order to avoid wear-out incurred by the reuse, we present software-based wear-leveling methods that distribute writes across PCM cells. In order to further reduce PCM writes, we propose identifying data, the loss of which does not affect the functionality of the underlying software, and then diverting write traffic for those data items to volatile memory. To evaluate the effectiveness of these methods, as a case study, we applied the proposed methods to the design of journaling in SQLite, which is an important database application commonly used in smartphones. For the experiments, we used an in-house PCM-based prototype board. Our experiments with four representative mobile applications show that the proposed design methods, which is applied on top of the hardware approach, Flip-N-Write, result in 75.2% further reduction in total bit updates in PCM, on average, without aggravating wear-out compared with the baseline of PCM-based journaling, which is based only on the hardware approach. Also, the proposed design methods result in 49.4% reduction in energy consumption and 52.3% reduction in runtime compared to a typical FIFO management of free resources.
EOLE
Authors: Perais Arthur , Seznec André
Published: April 2016

Recent work in the field of value prediction (VP) has shown that given an efficient confidence estimation mechanism, prediction validation could be removed from the out-of-order engine and delayed until commit time. As a result, a simple recovery mechanism—pipeline squashing—can be used, whereas the out-of-order engine remains mostly unmodified.

Yet, VP and validation at commit time require additional ports on the physical register file, potentially rendering the overall number of ports unbearable. Fortunately, VP also implies that many single-cycle ALU instructions have their operands predicted in the front-end and can be executed in-place, in-order. Similarly, the execution of single-cycle instructions whose result has been predicted can be delayed until commit time since predictions are validated at commit time.

Consequently, a significant number of instructions—10% to 70% in our experiments—can bypass the out-of-order engine, allowing for a reduction of the issue width. This reduction paves the way for a truly practical implementation of VP. Furthermore, since VP in itself usually increases performance, our resulting {Early—Out-of-Order—Late} Execution architecture, EOLE, is often more efficient than a baseline VP-augmented 6-issue superscalar while having a significantly narrower 4-issue out-of-order engine.
Introduction to the Special Issue on New Directions in Eye Gaze for Interactive Intelligent Systems
Authors: Nakano Yukiko I. , Bednarik Roman , Huang Hung-Hsuan , Jokinen Kristiina
Published: April 2016

Eye gaze has been used broadly in interactive intelligent systems. The research area has grown in recent years to cover emerging topics that go beyond the traditional focus on interaction between a single user and an interactive system. This special issue presents five articles that explore new directions of gaze-based interactive intelligent systems, ranging from communication robots in dyadic and multiparty conversations to a driving simulator that uses eye gaze evidence to critique learners’ behavior.
Novel Adaptive Power-Gating Strategy and Tapered TSV Structure in Multilayer 3D IC
Authors: Kim Seungwon , Kang Seokhyeong , Han Ki Jin , Kim Youngmin
Published: April 2016

Among power dissipation components, leakage power has become more dominant with each successive technology node. Power-gating techniques have been widely used to reduce the standby leakage energy. In this work, we investigate a power-gating strategy for through-silicon via (TSV)-based 3D IC stacking structures. Power-gating control is becoming more complicated as more dies are stacked. We combine the on-chip PDN and TSV in a multilayered 3D IC to perform power-gating analysis of the static and dynamic voltage drops and in-rush current. Then, we propose a novel power-gating strategy that optimizes the in-rush current profile, subject to the voltage-drop constraints. Our power-gating strategy provides a minimal wake-up latency such that the voltage noise safety margins are not violated. In addition, the layer dependency of the 3D IC on the power gating is analyzed in terms of the wake-up time reduction. We achieve an average wake-up time reduction of 43% for all cases with our adaptive power-gating method that exploits location (or layer) information regarding the aggressors in a 3D IC. A tapered TSV architecture based on the layer dependency has been analyzed; it exhibits up to 18% wake-up time reduction compared to that of circuits with uniform TSVs.
General Graph Data De-Anonymization
Authors: Ji Shouling , Li Weiqing , Srivatsa Mudhakar , He Jing Selena , Beyah Raheem
Published: April 2016

When people utilize social applications and services, their privacy suffers a potential serious threat. In this article, we present a novel, robust, and effective de-anonymization attack to mobility trace data and social data. First, we design a Unified Similarity (US) measurement, which takes account of local and global structural characteristics of data, information obtained from auxiliary data, and knowledge inherited from ongoing de-anonymization results. By analyzing the measurement on real datasets, we find that some data can potentially be de-anonymized accurately and the other can be de-anonymized in a coarse granularity. Utilizing this property, we present a US-based De-Anonymization (DA) framework, which iteratively de-anonymizes data with accuracy guarantee. Then, to de-anonymize large-scale data without knowledge of the overlap size between the anonymized data and the auxiliary data, we generalize DA to an Adaptive De-Anonymization (ADA) framework. By smartly working on two
core matching subgraphs
, ADA achieves high de-anonymization accuracy and reduces computational overhead. Finally, we examine the presented de-anonymization attack on three well-known mobility traces: St Andrews, Infocom06, and Smallblue, and three social datasets: ArnetMiner, Google+, and Facebook. The experimental results demonstrate that the presented de-anonymization framework is very effective and robust to noise.

The source code and employed datasets are now publicly available at SecGraph [2015].
The Flame Graph
Authors: Gregg Brendan
Published: April 2016

An everyday problem in our industry is understanding how software is consuming resources, particularly CPUs. What exactly is consuming how much, and how did this change since the last software version? These questions can be answered using software profilers, tools that help direct developers to optimize their code and operators to tune their environment. The output of profilers can be verbose, however, making it laborious to study and comprehend. The flame graph provides a new visualization for profiler output and can make for much faster comprehension, reducing the time for root cause analysis.
A comparison of animated versus static images in an instructional multimedia presentation
Authors: Daly C. J. , Bulloch J. M. , Ma M. , Aidulis D.
Published: April 2016

Sophisticated three-dimensional animation and video compositing software enables the creation of complex multimedia instructional movies. However, if the design of such presentations does not take account of cognitive load and multimedia theories, then their effectiveness as learning aids will be compromised. We investigated the use of animated images versus still images by creating two versions of a 4-min multimedia presentation on vascular neuroeffector transmission. One version comprised narration and animations, whereas the other animation comprised narration and still images. Fifty-four undergraduate students from level 3 pharmacology and physiology undergraduate degrees participated. Half of the students watched the full animation, and the other half watched the stills only. Students watched the presentation once and then answered a short essay question. Answers were coded and marked blind. The “animation” group scored 3.7 (SE: 0.4; out of 11), whereas the “stills” group scored 3.2 (SE: 0.5). The difference was not statistically significant. Further analysis of bonus marks, awarded for appropriate terminology use, detected a significant difference in one class (pharmacology) who scored 0.6 (SE: 0.2) versus 0.1 (SE: 0.1) for the animation versus stills group, respectively ( P = 0.04). However, when combined with the physiology group, the significance disappeared. Feedback from students was extremely positive and identified four main themes of interest. In conclusion, while increasing student satisfaction, we do not find strong evidence in favor of animated images over still images in this particular format. We also discuss the study design and offer suggestions for further investigations of this type.
Binding of Released Bim to Mcl-1 is a Mechanism of Intrinsic Resistance to ABT-199 which can be Overcome by Combination with Daunorubicin or Cytarabine in AML Cells
Authors: Niu Xiaojia , Zhao Jianyun , Ma Jun , Xie Chengzhi , Edwards Holly , Wang Guan , Caldwell J. Timothy , Xiang Shengyan , Zhang Xiaohong , Chu Roland , Wang Zhihong J. , Lin Hai , Taub Jeffrey W. , Ge Yubin
Published: April 2016

Purpose: To investigate the molecular mechanism underlying intrinsic resistance to ABT-199.

Experimental Design: Western blots and real-time RT-PCR were used to determine levels of Mcl-1 after ABT-199 treatment alone or in combination with cytarabine or daunorubicin. Immunoprecipitation of Bim and Mcl-1 were used to determine the effect of ABT-199 treatment on their interactions with Bcl-2 family members. Lentiviral short hairpin RNA knockdown of Bim and CRISPR knockdown of Mcl-1 were used to confirm their role in resistance to ABT-199. JC-1 assays and flow cytometry were used to determine drug-induced apoptosis.

Results: Immunoprecipitation of Bim from ABT-199–treated cell lines and a primary patient sample demonstrated decreased association with Bcl-2, but increased association with Mcl-1 without corresponding change in mitochondrial outer membrane potential. ABT-199 treatment resulted in increased levels of Mcl-1 protein, unchanged or decreased Mcl-1 transcript levels, and increased Mcl-1 protein half-life, suggesting that the association with Bim plays a role in stabilizing Mcl-1 protein. Combining conventional chemotherapeutic agent cytarabine or daunorubicin with ABT-199 resulted in increased DNA damage along with decreased Mcl-1 protein levels, compared with ABT-199 alone, and synergistic induction of cell death in both AML cell lines and primary patient samples obtained from AML patients at diagnosis.

Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that sequestration of Bim by Mcl-1 is a mechanism of intrinsic ABT-199 resistance and supports the clinical development of ABT-199 in combination with cytarabine or daunorubicin for the treatment of AML. Clin Cancer Res; 22(17); 4440–51. ©2016 AACR.