bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Maturation-Associated Destabilization of Hepatitis B Virus Nucleocapsid
Authors: Cui Xiuji , Ludgate Laurie , Ning Xiaojun , Hu Jianming
Published: August 2013

The mature nucleocapsid (NC) of hepatitis B virus containing the relaxed circular (RC) DNA genome can be secreted extracellularly as virions after envelopment with the viral surface proteins or, alternatively, can be disassembled to release RC DNA (i.e., uncoating) into the host cell nucleus to form the covalently closed circular (CCC) DNA, which sustains viral replication and persistence. In contrast, immature NCs containing the viral single-stranded DNA or the pregenomic RNA are incompetent for either envelopment or uncoating. Little is currently known about how mature NCs, and not the immature ones, are specifically selected for these processes. Here, we have carried out a biochemical analysis of the different NC populations upon their separation through sucrose gradient centrifugation. We have found that the maturation of NCs is associated with their destabilization, manifested as increased protease and nuclease sensitivity, altered sedimentation during sucrose gradient centrifugation, and retarded mobility during native agarose gel electrophoresis. Also, three distinct populations of intracellular mature NCs could be differentiated based on these characteristics. Furthermore, mature NCs generated
in vitro
under cell-free conditions acquired similar properties. These results have thus revealed significant structural changes associated with NC maturation that likely play a role in the selective uncoating of the mature NC for CCC DNA formation and/or its preferential envelopment for virion secretion.
The Human Adenovirus 5 L4 Promoter Is Activated by Cellular Stress Response Protein p53
Authors: Wright Jordan , Leppard Keith N.
Published: August 2013

During adenovirus infection, the emphasis of gene expression switches from early genes to late genes in a highly regulated manner. Two gene products, L4-22K and L4-33K, contribute to this switch by activating the major late transcription unit (MLTU) and regulating the splicing of its transcript. L4-22K and L4-33K expression is driven initially by a recently described L4 promoter (L4P) embedded within the MLTU that is activated by early and intermediate viral factors: E1A, E4 Orf3, and IVa2. Here we show that this promoter is also significantly activated by the cellular stress response regulator, p53. Exogenous expression of p53 activated L4P in reporter assays, while depletion of endogenous p53 inhibited the induction of L4P by viral activators. Chromatin immunoprecipitation studies showed that p53 associates with L4P and that during adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) infection, this association peaks at 12 h postinfection, coinciding with the phase of the infectious cycle when L4P is active, and is then lost as MLP activation commences. p53 activation of L4P is significant during Ad5 infection, since depletion of p53 prior to infection of either immortalized or normal cells led to severely reduced late gene expression. The association of p53 with L4P is transient due to the action of products of L4P activity (L4-22K/33K), which establish a negative feedback loop that ensures the transient activity of L4P at the start of the late phase and contributes to an efficient switch from early- to late-phase virus gene expression.
Acupuncture and Moxibustion Treatment for Hypersexuality in a Patient who Was Uraemic: A Case Report
Authors: Li Han , Ni Shuyue , Wang Yinping
Published: August 2013

This report concerns a case that shows the apparent successful use of acupuncture and moxibustion in treating hypersexuality. The patient was a 60-year-old Chinese woman with a history of uraemia for 4 years and hypersexuality for 7 months, the latter being a rare condition. The presenting symptoms were persistent sexual desires and fantasies, in addition to being irritated when her continuous sexual urges could not be satisfied. In order to control her sexual desire the patient had tried almost all viable therapeutic methods, including use of sedatives, but the symptoms could not be mitigated any further even after consulting eight different hospital departments. However, after 10 days of acupuncture and moxibustion, all her symptoms related to the problem were resolved. A year later, she presented with a slight relapse with similar symptoms and was again treated with acupuncture and moxibustion, with subsequent resolution of symptoms. Over the following 2 years, such symptoms have not recurred. Based on the findings from this case, we conclude that use of acupuncture and moxibustion may be an effective treatment for hypersexuality in clinical practice.
Bladder perivascular epithelioid cell tumours
Authors: Abou Ghaida Rami , Nasr Rami , Shahait Mohammed , Khairallah Aya
Published: August 2013

Perivascular epithelioid cell tumours, better known as PECOMAs, are a very uncommon pathological finding. In English medical literature it has rarely been reported. In the genitourinary system, mostly urinary bladder, the incidence is as low as 10 cases described since 2003 until now. In this case report, we present a urinary bladder PECOMA with a detailed pathological description and a review of literature.
How active are our children? Findings from the Millennium Cohort Study
Authors: Griffiths Lucy J , Cortina-Borja Mario , Sera Francesco , Pouliou Theodora , Geraci Marco , Rich Carly , Cole Tim J , Law Catherine , Joshi Heather , Ness Andrew R , Jebb Susan A , Dezateux Carol
Published: August 2013

Objective

To describe levels of physical activity, sedentary time and adherence to Chief Medical Officers (CMO) physical activity guidelines among primary school-aged children across the UK using objective accelerometer-based measurements.

Design

Nationally representative prospective cohort study.

Setting

Children born across the UK, between 2000 and 2002.

Participants

6497 7-year-old to 8-year-old singleton children for whom reliable accelerometer data were available for at least 10 h a day for at least 2 days.

Main outcome measures

Physical activity in counts per minute (cpm); time spent in sedentary and moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA); proportion of children meeting CMO guidelines (≥60 min/day MVPA); average daily steps.

Explanatory measures

Gender, ethnicity, maternal current/most recent occupation, lone parenthood status, number of children in the household and country/region of residence.

Results

The median daily physical activity level was 595 cpm (IQR 507, 697). Children spent a median of 60 min (IQR 47–76) in MVPA/day and were sedentary for a median of 6.4 h/day (IQR 6–7). Only 51% met CMO guidelines, with girls (38%) less active than boys (63%). Children took an average of 10 229 (95% CI (8777 to 11 775)) steps each day. Children of Indian ethnicity were significantly less active overall than all other ethnic groups. Children of Bangladeshi origin and those living in Northern Ireland were least likely to meet CMO guidelines.

Conclusions

Only half of 7-year-old children in the UK achieve recommended levels of physical activity, with significant gender, ethnic and geographic variations. Longitudinal studies are needed to better understand the relevance of these (in)activity patterns for long-term health and well-being. In the meantime population-wide efforts to boost physical activity among young people are needed which are likely to require a broad range of policy interventions.
Extending the use of PROMs in the NHS—using the Oxford Knee Score in patients undergoing non-operative management for knee osteoarthritis: a validation study
Authors: Harris Kristina K , Dawson Jill , Jones Luke D , Beard David J , Price Andrew J
Published: August 2013

Objectives

To assess the validity of the Oxford Knee Score (OKS) for use in patients undergoing non-operative management for their knee osteoarthritis (OA) within the National Health Service (NHS).

Design

Observational cohort study.

Setting

Single orthopaedic centre in England.

Participants

134 patients undergoing non-operative management for knee OA.

Main outcome measures

OKS, the Intermittent and Constant Osteoarthritis Pain (ICOAP), the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Score-Physical Function Short Form (KOOS-PS), at baseline and 3-month follow-up, transition item of change at 3 months.

Results

The OKS summary scale and its pain and functional component subscales demonstrated good test–retest reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.93, 0.91 and 0.92, respectively) and measurement precision which, allows its use with groups of patients with knee OA (research/audit) and with individuals (clinical practice). The results in this study were consistent with a priori set hypotheses about the relationship of OKS with other validated measures (KOOS-PS, ICOAP and short form 12 (SF-12)), which provided evidence of its construct validity and responsiveness. Confirmatory factor analysis confirmed the structural validity of OKS. However, there was a lack of satisfactory evidence of structural validity for ICOAP and KOOS. The minimum detectable change (MDC90) was ±6 for OKS (±16 for the Pain Component Score (OKS-PCS) and ±15 for the Functional Component Score (OKS-FCS)). Minimal important changes were ≈7 for OKS (≈17 for OKS-PCS and ≈11 for OKS-FCS) and minimal important differences were ≈6 for OKS (≈14 for OKS-PCS and ≈10 for OKS-FCS). These values were also calculated for ICOAP and KOOS-PS.

Conclusions

The OKS summary scale, together with its pain and functional component subscales, has excellent measurement properties when used with patients with knee OA undergoing non-operative treatment and is superior to ICOAP and KOOS-PS for this purpose. This evidence provides support for the validity of the use of OKS when used across the spectrum of knee OA disease severity, both in research and clinical practice.
Does comorbidity increase the risk of mortality among children under 3 years of age?
Authors: Fischer Walker Christa L , Perin Jamie , Liu Jodi L , Katz Joanne , Tielsch James M , Black Robert
Published: August 2013

Objectives

Diarrhoea and pneumonia remain leading causes of morbidity and mortality in children under 5 years of age. Little data is available to quantify the burden of comorbidity and the relationship between comorbid diarrhoea and pneumonia infections and mortality. We sought to quantify the relationship between comorbidity and risk of mortality among young children in two community-based studies conducted among South Asian children.

Design

Secondary data analysis of two cohort studies.

Participants

We identified two cohort studies of children under 3 years of age with prospective morbidity at least once every 2 weeks and ongoing mortality surveillance.

Outcome measures

We calculated the mortality risk for diarrhoea and acute lower respiratory infection (ALRI) episodes and further quantified the risk of mortality when both diseases occur at the same time using a semiparametric additive model.

Results

Among Nepali children, the estimated additional risk of mortality for comorbid diarrhoea and ALRI was 0.0014 (−0.0033, 0.0060). Among South Indian children, the estimated additional risk of mortality for comorbid diarrhoea and ALRI was 0.0032 (−0.0098, 0.0162). This risk is in addition to the single infection risk of mortality observed among these children.

Conclusions

We observed an additional risk of mortality in children who experienced simultaneous diarrhoea and ALRI episodes though the CI was wide indicating low statistical support. Additional studies with adequate power to detect the increased risk of comorbidity on mortality are needed to improve confidence around the effect size estimate.
Reducing risk with e-based support for adherence to lifestyle change in hypertension (REACH): protocol for a multicentred randomised controlled trial
Authors: Nolan Robert P , Liu Sam , Feldman Ross , Dawes Martin , Barr Susan , Lynn Hazel , Gwardy-Sridhar Femida , Thomas Scott G , Goodman Jack , Oh Paul , Kaczorowski Janusz , Chessex Caroline , Hachinski Vladimir , Shoemaker Kevin
Published: August 2013

Introduction

Web-based lifestyle counselling designed to improve adherence to self-management behaviours for diet, exercise and medication has been shown to reduce blood pressure (BP). However, the long-term clinical outcome of these interventions is not established. Our aim was to establish whether an e-counselling program is independently associated with improved clinical outcomes over a 12-month period, as defined by the following criteria: (1) reduction of systolic BP, diastolic BP, pulse pressure and associated risk factors for cardiovascular events; and (2) adherence to self-management behaviour (diet, exercise, smoke-free living and prescribed medication).

Methods and analysis

Reducing risk with e-based support for adherence to lifestyle change in hypertension is a two-parallel group, double-blind randomised controlled trial that will utilise a two (Groups: e-counselling vs control) by three (assessment intervals: baseline, 4-month and 12-month outcome) design. BP, lipoprotein cholesterol, physical activity and dietary behaviours and psychological distress will be measured at each assessment. We plan to recruit 528 participants (35–74 years of age) diagnosed with stage 1 or 2 hypertension (systolic BP, 140–180 mm Hg; diastolic BP 90–110 mm Hg) from three major cities (Toronto, London, Vancouver) and one rural area (Grey Bruce region) across Canada between February 2012 and July 2015. Controls will receive general educational e-messages on heart healthy living and the e-counselling group will receive tailored e-messages that are matched to their stage of readiness for change. For both groups, e-messages will be sent proactively on a weekly basis during months 1–4, then bi-weekly during months 5–8 and then monthly during months 9–12.

Ethics and dissemination

Ethical approval has been obtained from all recruitment sites. This will be one of the first studies to evaluate the long-term efficacy of preventive e-counselling strategies for cardiovascular disease prevention in patients with hypertension. Findings from this study will be used to guide the ongoing development of e-counselling services.

Trial Registration

Clinicaltrial.govNCT01541540;http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01541540.
Elaboration on Benford’s law and the distribution of first digits
Authors: Falk W.R.
Published: August 2013

Benford’s law, which gives the probability distribution of first digits of a set of numbers, is examined from underlying distribution functions representing physical phenomena. Data satisfying the power law function y(x) ∝ 1/x retain the same probability distribution of first digits when the data are subject to a scale change in the variable x. Exponential functions are shown to exhibit approximate invariance under scale change. Results are tested and examined using the data from the areas of 4013 lakes and 415 β-decay half-lives.
Relativistic symmetries of fermions in the background of the inversely quadratic Yukawa potential with Yukawa potential as a tensor
Authors: Hamzavi Majid , Ikhdair Sameer M.
Published: August 2013

In the presence of spin and pseudo-spin symmetries, we obtain approximate analytical bound state solutions to the Dirac equation with scalar–vector inverse quadratic Yukawa potential including a Yukawa tensor interaction for any arbitrary spin–orbit quantum number, κ. The energy eigenvalues and their corresponding two-component spinor wave functions are obtained in closed form using the parametric Nikiforov–Uvarov method. It is noticed that the tensor interaction removes the degeneracy in the spin and p-spin doublets. Some numerical results are obtained for the lowest energy states within spin and pseudo-spin symmetries.
PRESERVED NETWORK METRICS ACROSS TRANSLATED TEXTS
Authors: CABATBAT JOSEPHINE JILL T. , MONSANTO JICA P. , TAPANG GIOVANNI A.
Published: August 2013

Co-occurrence language networks based on Bible translations and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) translations in different languages were constructed and compared with random text networks. Among the considered network metrics, the network size, N, the normalized betweenness centrality (BC), and the average k-nearest neighbors, knn, were found to be the most preserved across translations. Moreover, similar frequency distributions of co-occurring network motifs were observed for translated texts networks.
A WEIGHTED EVOLVING NETWORK WITH AGING-NODE-DELETING AND LOCAL REARRANGEMENTS OF WEIGHTS
Authors: DAI MEIFENG , ZHANG DANPING
Published: August 2013

In previous study of complex network, researchers generally considered the increase of the un-weighted network by the method of adding new nodes and new links. However, most of real networks are weighted and characterized by capacities or strength instead of a binary state (present or absent), and their nodes and links experience both increase and deletion. Barrat, Barthlemy and Vespignani, Phys. Rev. Lett.92, 228701 (2004) presented an evolutionary model (BBV model) to investigate weighted networks. We present a weighted evolution network model based on BBV model, which not only considers to add a new node and m links, but also to remove an old node and corresponding links with probability at each time step. By using rate equation and mean-field method, we study the network's properties: The weight, strength and their distributions. We find that the relationship between weight and strength is nonlinear. In addition, we theoretically prove that the weight distribution and the strength distribution follow a power-law distribution, respectively.
CONSTRAINING NEW PHYSICS IN $B_{s}^0$ MESON MIXING
Authors: HULSBERGEN WOUTER
Published: August 2013

Neutral mesons exhibit a phenomenon called flavour mixing. As a consequence of a second order weak process the flavour eigenstates corresponding to the meson and its anti-meson are superpositions of two mass eigenstates. A meson produced in a flavour state changes into an anti-meson and back again as a function of time. Such flavour oscillations are considered sensitive probes of physics beyond the Standard Model. In this brief review I summarize the status of experimental constraints on mixing parameters in the [Formula: see text] meson system.
ATOMS IN THE ANIONIC DOMAIN, Z < N
Authors: GIL GABRIEL , GONZALEZ AUGUSTO
Published: August 2013

We study atoms with N electrons, and nuclear charge Z. It is well known that the cationic regime, Z > N, is qualitatively described by Thomas–Fermi theory. The anionic regime, Z < N, on the other hand, is characterized by an instability threshold at Zc ≲ N-1, below which the atom spontaneously emits an electron. We compute the slope of the energy curve at Z = N - 1 by means of a simple model that depends on the electron affinity and the covalent radius of the neutral atom with N - 1 electrons. This slope is used in order to estimate Zc, which is compared with previous numerical results. Extrapolation of the linear behavior in the opposite direction, up to Z = N, allows us to estimate the ionization potential of the atom with N electrons. The fact that the obtained ionization potentials are qualitatively correct is an indication that, with regard to certain properties, neutral atoms are closer to the anionic instability threshold than they are to the Thomas–Fermi, large Z, region. A regularized series is written for the ionization potential that fits both, the large Z and Z → Zc limits.
BIRACK SHADOW MODULES AND THEIR LINK INVARIANTS
Authors: NELSON SAM , PELLAND KATIE
Published: August 2013

We introduce an associative algebra ℤ[X, S] associated to a birack shadow and define enhancements of the birack counting invariant for classical knots and links via representations of ℤ[X, S] known as shadow modules. We provide examples which demonstrate that the shadow module enhanced invariants are not determined by the Alexander polynomial or the unenhanced birack counting invariants.
SECURITY OF QUANTUM-READOUT PUFs AGAINST QUADRATURE-BASED CHALLENGE-ESTIMATION ATTACKS
Authors: ŠKORIĆ BORIS , MOSK ALLARD P. , PINKSE PEPIJN W. H.
Published: August 2013

The concept of quantum-secure readout of Physical Unclonable Functions (PUFs) has recently been realized experimentally in an optical PUF system. We analyze the security of this system under the strongest type of classical attack: the challenge estimation attack. The adversary performs a measurement on the challenge quantum state in order to learn as much about it as he can. Using this knowledge, he then tries to reconstruct the challenge and to emulate the PUF. We consider quadrature measurements, which are the most informative practical measurements known to us. We prove that even under this attack the expected number of photons detected in the verification mechanism is approximately a factor S + 1 too low; here S is the Quantum Security Parameter, defined as the number of modes in the optical system divided by the number of photons in the challenge. The photon count allows for a reliable distinction between an authentic PUF and a challenge estimation attack.
INNOVATION CHARACTERISTICS, INDUSTRIAL CLUSTERS, AND INTRA-INDUSTRY SPILLOVER EFFECTS IN INTEGRATED CIRCUIT INDUSTRY
Authors: TSAI BI-HUEI , CHEN HUANG WEN
Published: August 2013

Since Taiwan and U.S. integrated circuit (IC) industries cluster in Hsinchu Science Industrial Park (HSIP) and Silicon Valley, respectively, these IC firms can easily imitate any innovation through the interactions among intra-industry firms. The contribution of intra-industry innovation development to firms' technological advancement is defined as the "spillover effect". This paper compares how the innovation characteristics and industrial clustering influence the spillover effects. The results show the research and development (R&D) spillover effects in IC manufacturing, packaging and testing industries appear evidently greater than those in IC design industry, while the patent spillover effect exhibits greater for IC design industry than for the other IC industries. Similar production stages in IC manufacturing, packaging and testing industries enable firms to easily imitate R&D outcomes within the same industry. By contrast, the production process of IC design firms is diversified, so they hardly upgrade their technical skills through the interchange of R&D information within the same industry. Hence, the IC design firms, which focus on product innovation, rely more on patent licensing to develop core technology innovation. Finally, R&D spillover effect is evidently greater in U.S. IC design industry than in Taiwan IC design industry, while patent spillover effect appears greater in Taiwan IC design industry than in U.S. IC design industry. The IC design industry in U.S. free-rides intra-industry R&D outcomes more easily than that in Taiwan. Consequently, Taiwan IC design firms rely on patent spillovers to develop IC elements, which are compatible with the incumbent IC products.
A NOTE ON THE TRANSCENDENCE OF ZEROS OF A CERTAIN FAMILY OF WEAKLY HOLOMORPHIC FORMS
Authors: JENNINGS-SHAFFER CHRIS , SWISHER HOLLY
Published: August 2013

Recently, Duke and Jenkins have studied a certain family of modular forms fk,m, which form a natural basis of the space of weakly holomorphic modular forms of weight k on SL 2(ℤ). In particular, they prove that for all but at most [Formula: see text] values of m, the zeros of these functions all lie on the unit circle. Using a method of Kohnen, we observe that other than i, ρ, these zeros are transcendental. In addition we observe that in the remaining cases there are at most finitely many algebraic zeros and examine the values of these algebraic zeros in a special case.
ON THE AVERAGE NUMBER OF SUBGROUPS OF THE GROUP ℤm × ℤn
Authors: NOWAK WERNER GEORG , TÓTH LÁSZLÓ
Published: August 2013

Let ℤm be the group of residue classes modulo m. Let s(m, n) denote the total number of subgroups of the group ℤm × ℤn, where m and n are arbitrary positive integers. We derive asymptotic formulas for the sum ∑m,n≤x s(m, n) and for the corresponding sum restricted to gcd (m, n) > 1 which concerns the groups ℤm × ℤn having rank two.
A CENTRAL LIMIT THEOREM FOR THE ZEROES OF THE ZETA FUNCTION
Authors: RODGERS BRAD
Published: August 2013

On the assumption of the Riemann hypothesis, we generalize a central limit theorem of Fujii regarding the number of zeroes of Riemann's zeta function that lie in a mesoscopic interval. The result mirrors results of Spohn and Soshnikov and others in random matrix theory. In an appendix we put forward some general theorems regarding our knowledge of the zeta zeroes in the mesoscopic regime.
A CRITERION FOR THE EQUALITY OF DEDEKIND SUMS MOD ℤ
Authors: GIRSTMAIR KURT
Published: August 2013

In [Jabuka, Robins and Wang, When are two Dedekind sums equal? Internat. J. Number Theory7 (2011) 2197–2202], it was shown that the Dedekind sums s(m1, n) and s(m2, n) are equal only if (m1m2-1)(m1-m2) ≡ 0 mod n. Here we show that the latter condition is equivalent to 12s(m1, n) - 12s(m2, n) ∈ ℤ. In addition, we determine, for a given number m1, the number of integers m2in the range 0 ≤ m2< n, (m1, m2) = 1, such that 12s(m1, n) - 12s(m2, n) ∈ ℤ, provided that n is square-free.
SOLVING LINEAR EQUATIONS IN L-FUNCTIONS
Authors: KACZOROWSKI J. , PERELLI A.
Published: August 2013

We describe the solutions of the linear equation aX + bY = cZ in the class of Dirichlet series with functional equation. Proofs are based on the properties of certain nonlinear twists of the L-functions.
PREPARATION OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL GRAPHENE NETWORKS FOR USE AS ANODE OF LITHIUM ION BATTERIES
Authors: LI HAI , LU CHUNXIANG
Published: August 2013

The three-dimensional (3D) graphene networks have been prepared by annealing the mixture of graphene oxide and SiO 2 nanoparticles and then etching SiO 2. The obtained material was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscopy, which revealed that 3D networks consisting of crumpled graphene nanosheets were preserved after the removal of SiO 2. When used as anode material of lithium ion batteries, the graphene networks showed a reversible capacity of 610.9 mAh/g at a current density of 50 mA/g after 50 cycles and excellent rate capability of 291.5 mAh/g at a current density of 5000 mA/g. The good electrochemical performance can be attributed to the network structure, which enables graphene to electrochemically absorb more lithium ions and significantly improve the electrical conductivity of electrode. The graphene networks have the potential applications in ultracapacitor and catalyst supports.
High piezoelectric properties and good temperature stabilities of CuO-modified Ba(Ti0.96SnxZr0.04-x)O3 ceramics
Authors: Tan Y. Q. , Zhang J. L. , Wang C. L.
Published: August 2013

In order to obtain both high piezoelectric property and good temperature stability in BaTiO 3-based ceramics in the common usage temperature range, Sn 4+ and Zr 4+ are co-doped into BaTiO 3 ceramics according to the formula of Ba ( Ti 0.96 Sn x Zr 0.04-x) O 3 (BTSZ) (x = 0.01–0.4) with 1 mol% CuO being added as sintering-aid in this study. The CuO -modified BTSZ ceramics show both high piezoelectric properties and good temperature stability. Particularly, the CuO -modified Ba ( Ti 0.96 Sn 0.01 Zr 0.03) O 3 ceramic displays the high piezoelectric properties of d33 = 350 pC/N, k p = 49.5% at room-temperature and a weak temperature dependence of kp in the temperature range of -15°C and 60°C. Moreover, the CuO -modified Ba ( Ti 0.96 Sn 0.01 Zr 0.03) O 3 ceramic shows stable thermal aging behavior with the d33 being almost unchanged until the aging temperature of 100°C, which is even higher than its Curie temperature. The high piezoelectric properties of CuO -modified Ba ( Ti 0.96 Sn 0.01 Zr 0.03) O 3 ceramic were ascribed to the dense microstructure with small and uniform grain size distribution. The stable thermal aging behavior can be explained by the aging effect based on the defect dipolar model.
Reduced GABAergic inhibition of kidney-related PVN neurons in streptozotocin-treated type 1 diabetic mouse
Authors: Jiang Yanyan , Gao Hong , Krantz Amanda M. , Derbenev Andrei V. , Zsombok Andrea
Published: August 2013

Activity of presympathetic neurons in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus is known to play an important role in the regulation of sympathetic outflow. Sympathetic overactivity is associated with many pathophysiological conditions such as diabetes mellitus and hypertension; however, the underlying synaptic mechanisms are poorly understood. In this study, we examined the GABAergic inhibitory synaptic control of kidney-related presympathetic PVN neurons in the streptozotocin-treated type 1 diabetic mouse model, using patch-clamp slice electrophysiology in combination with retrograde labeling. Type 1 diabetes resulted in decreased frequency of miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs). Our data also demonstrated a reduction of mIPSC amplitude and mean inhibitory current without alteration of input resistance. Furthermore, our data revealed decreased tonic GABAergic inhibition of kidney-related PVN neurons in diabetic conditions, which was consistent with the observed increased excitability of the presympathetic PVN neurons. In summary, our data demonstrated decreased phasic and tonic inhibitory control of kidney-related presympathetic PVN neurons that suggest altered sympathetic circuitry in type 1 diabetes.
Short- and long-term plasticity in CA1 neurons from mice lacking h-channel auxiliary subunit TRIP8b
Authors: Brager Darrin H. , Lewis Alan S. , Chetkovich Dane M. , Johnston Daniel
Published: August 2013

Hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated nonselective cation channels (HCN or h-channels) are important regulators of neuronal physiology contributing to passive membrane properties, such as resting membrane potential and input resistance ( RN), and to intrinsic oscillatory activity and synaptic integration. The correct membrane targeting of h-channels is regulated in part by the auxiliary h-channel protein TRIP8b. The genetic deletion of TRIP8b results in a loss of functional h-channels, which affects the postsynaptic integrative properties of neurons. We investigated the impact of TRIP8b deletion on long-term potentiation (LTP) at the two major excitatory inputs to CA1 pyramidal neurons: Schaffer collateral (SC) and perforant path (PP). We found that SC LTP was not significantly different between neurons from wild-type and TRIP8b-knockout mice. There was, however, significantly more short-term potentiation in knockout neurons. We also found that the persistent increase in h-current ( Ih) that normally occurs after LTP induction was absent in knockout neurons. The lack of Ih plasticity was not restricted to activity-dependent induction, because the depletion of intracellular calcium stores also failed to produce the expected increase in Ih. Interestingly, pairing of SC and PP inputs resulted in a form of LTP in knockout neurons that did not occur in wild-type neurons. These results suggest that the physiological impact of TRIP8b deletion is not restricted to the integrative properties of neurons but also includes both synaptic and intrinsic plasticity.
Capacity-Equivocation Regions of the DMBCs with Noiseless Feedback
Authors: Yin Xinxing , Xue Zhi , Dai Bin
Published: August 2013

The discrete memoryless broadcast channels (DMBCs) with noiseless feedback are studied. The entire capacity-equivocation regions of two models of the DMBCs with noiseless feedback are obtained. One is the degraded DMBCs with rate-limited feedback; the other is thelessandreversely less noisyDMBCs with causal feedback. In both models, two kinds of messages are transmitted. The common message is to be decoded by both the legitimate receiver and the eavesdropper, while the confidential message is only for the legitimate receiver. Our results generalize the secrecy capacity of the degraded wiretap channel with rate-limited feedback (Ardestanizadeh et al., 2009) and the restricted wiretap channel with noiseless feedback (Dai et al., 2012). Furthermore, we use a simpler and more intuitive deduction to get the single-letter characterization of the capacity-equivocation region, instead of relying on the recursive argument which is complex and not intuitive.
Analysis of HighTcSuperconducting Rectangular Microstrip Patches over Ground Planes with Rectangular Apertures in Substrates Containing Anisotropic Materials
Authors: Messai Abderraouf , Benkouda Siham , Amir Mounir , Bedra Sami , Fortaki Tarek
Published: August 2013

A rigorous full-wave analysis of highTcsuperconducting rectangular microstrip patch over ground plane with rectangular aperture in the case where the patch is printed on a uniaxially anisotropic substrate material is presented. The dyadic Green’s functions of the considered structure are efficiently determined in the vector Fourier transform domain. The effect of the superconductivity of the patch is taken into account using the concept of the complex resistive boundary condition. The accuracy of the analysis is tested by comparing the computed results with measurements and previously published data for several anisotropic substrate materials. Numerical results showing variation of the resonant frequency and the quality factor of the superconducting antenna with regard to operating temperature are given. Finally, the effects of uniaxial anisotropy in the substrate on the resonant frequencies of different TM modes of the superconducting microstrip antenna with rectangular aperture in the ground plane are presented.
Low-Cost MEMS-Based Pedestrian Navigation Technique for GPS-Denied Areas
Authors: Ali Abdelrahman , El-Sheimy Naser
Published: August 2013

The progress in the micro electro mechanical system (MEMS) sensors technology in size, cost, weight, and power consumption allows for new research opportunities in the navigation field. Today, most of smartphones, tablets, and other handheld devices are fully packed with the required sensors for any navigation system such as GPS, gyroscope, accelerometer, magnetometer, and pressure sensors. For seamless navigation, the sensors’ signal quality and the sensors availability are major challenges. Heading estimation is a fundamental challenge in the GPS-denied environments; therefore, targeting accurate attitude estimation is considered significant contribution to the overall navigation error. For that end, this research targets an improved pedestrian navigation by developing sensors fusion technique to exploit the gyroscope, magnetometer, and accelerometer data for device attitude estimation in the different environments based on quaternion mechanization. Results indicate that the improvement in the traveled distance and the heading estimations is capable of reducing the overall position error to be less than 15 m in the harsh environments.
Cellulase and Xylanase Production by Penicillium echinulatum in Submerged Media Containing Cellulose Amended with Sorbitol
Authors: Todero Ritter Carla Eliana , Camassola Marli , Zampieri Denise , Silveira Mauricio Moura , Dillon Aldo José Pinheiro
Published: August 2013

The present work investigated the use of sorbitol as a soluble carbon source, in association with cellulose, to produce cellulases and xylanases in submerged cultures of Penicillium echinulatum 9A02S1. Because cellulose is an insoluble carbon source, in cellulase production, there are some problems with rheology and oxygen transfer. The submerged fermentations containing media composed of 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, and 1% (w/v) sorbitol and cellulose that were added at different times during the cultivation; 0.2% (w/v) soy bran; 0.1% (w/v) wheat bran; and a solution of salts. The highest filter paper activity (FPA) ( IU·mL−1) was obtained on the seventh day in the medium containing 0.5% (w/v) sorbitol and 0.5% (w/v) cellulose added 24 h after the start of cultivation. However, the CMCases showed an activity peak on the sixth day ( IU·mL−1) in the medium containing 0.75% (w/v) sorbitol and 0.75% (w/v) cellulose added after 12 h of cultivation. The xylanases showed the highest activity in the medium with 0.75% (w/v) sorbitol and 0.25% (w/v) cellulose added 36 h after the start of cultivation. This strategy enables the reduction of the cellulose concentration, which in high concentrations can cause rheological and oxygen transfer problems.
Hepatoprotective Effect of Fermented Soybean (Nutrient Enriched Soybean Tempeh) against Alcohol-Induced Liver Damage in Mice
Authors: Mohd Yusof Hamidah , Ali Norlaily Mohd , Yeap Swee Keong , Ho Wan Yong , Beh Boon Kee , Koh Soo Peng , Long Kamariah , Abdul Aziz Suraini , Alitheen Noorjahan Banu
Published: August 2013

Recently, soybean tempeh has received great attention due to many advantages such as higher nutritional value, lower production cost, and shorter fermentation time. In this study, thein vivohepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of nutrient enriched soybean tempeh (NESTE) were determined. NESTE fermentation process which involved anaerobic incubation was previously proclaimed to increase the content of amino acids and antioxidant properties remarkably. The evaluation of histological sections, serum biochemical markers (aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and cholesterol and triglycerides (TG)), liver immune response level (nitric oxide (NO)) and liver antioxidant level (superoxide dismutase (SOD), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP), and malondialdehyde (MDA)) was conducted in order to compare the effects of nonfermented soybean extract (SBE) and fermented soybean extract (NESTE) on alcohol-induced liver damage in mice. Results demonstrated that 1000 mg/kg of NESTE can significantly reduce the levels of AST, ALT, cholesterol, TG, MDA, and NO. On the other hand, it also raised the level of SOD and FRAP. Furthermore, the histological examination on 1000 mg/kg NESTE treatment group showed that this extract was capable of recovering the damaged hepatocytes to their normal structures. Thus, it can be concluded that NESTE produced through fermentation process was able to enhance hepatoprotective and antioxidant effectsin vivo.
Incremental Localization Algorithm Based on Multivariate Analysis
Authors: Yan Xiaoyong , Qian Huanyan , Chen Jiguang
Published: August 2013

In view of the traditional increment localization method, only the heteroscedasticity caused by the error accumulation is considered unilaterally a kind of incremental localization algorithm based on multivariate analysis is proposed. The algorithm combines the feasible weighted least squares (FWLS) in the multianalysis with the canonical correlation regression (CCR) and utilizes the FWLS to solve the heteroscedasticity caused by the error accumulation in the process of incremental localization; in the process of estimation, the CCR is used to solve the topology problems between the original beacon nodes and new beacon nodes. The simulation results show that the method can not only effectively restrain the influence caused by the accumulative errors but also can adapt to the different node topological shapes, so as to improve the positioning accuracy of the nodes.
Reduction of Cellular Lipid Content by a Knockdown ofDrosophila PDP1γand Mammalian Hepatic Leukemia Factor
Authors: Dzitoyeva Svetlana , Manev Hari
Published: August 2013

In exploring the utility of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) injections for silencing thePAR-domain protein 1 (Pdp1)gene in adultDrosophila, we noticed a dramatic loss of fat tissue lipids. To verify that our RNAi approach produced the expectedPdp1knockdown, the abdominal fat tissues sections were stained with PDP1 antibodies. PDP1 protein immunostaining was absent in flies injected with dsRNA targeting a sequence common to all knownPdp1isoforms. Subsequent experiments revealed that lipid staining is reduced in flies injected with dsRNA against Pdp1γ(fat body specific) and not againstPdp1ε(predominantly involved in circadian mechanisms).DrosophilaPDP1γprotein shows a high homology to mammalian thyrotroph embryonic factor (TEF), albumin D site-binding protein (DBP), and hepatic leukemia factor (HLF) transcription factors. In an in vitro model of drug- (olanzapine-) induced adiposity in mouse 3T3-L1 cells, the mRNA content of HLF but not TEF and DBP was increased by the drug treatment. A knockdown of the HLF mRNA by transfecting the cultures with HLF dsRNA significantly reduced their lipid content. Furthermore, the HLF RNAi prevented olanzapine from increasing the cell lipid content. These results suggest that the PDP1/HLF system may play a role in physiological and drug-influenced lipid regulation.
Facile and Clean Solution Synthesis of Large‐Scale ZnO Nanorods Assisted with Aliquat 336
Authors: Huang Qiang , Liu Jianping
Published: August 2013

A facile and clean fabrication of large‐scale ZnO nanorods assisted with Aliquat 336 using aqueous chemical method is reported. As prepared, samples were characterized using XRD, EDS, SEM, TEM, and HRTEM. The optical properties were measured by Raman spectroscopy and room temperature photoluminescence spectra.
Revised Variational Iteration Method for Solving Systems of Nonlinear Fractional-Order Differential Equations
Authors: Ünlü C. , Jafari H. , Baleanu D.
Published: August 2013

A modification of the variational iteration method (VIM) for solving systems of nonlinear fractional-order differential equations is proposed. The fractional derivatives are described in the Caputo sense. The solutions of fractional differential equations (FDE) obtained using the traditional variational iteration method give good approximations in the neighborhood of the initial position. The main advantage of the present method is that it can accelerate the convergence of the iterative approximate solutions relative to the approximate solutions obtained using the traditional variational iteration method. Illustrative examples are presented to show the validity of this modification.
Extractive Spectrophotometric Method for the Determination of Lamivudine and Zidovudine in Pharmaceutical Preparations Using Bromocresol Purple
Authors: Kepekci Tekkeli Serife Evrim
Published: August 2013

A new spectrophotometric method has been established for the quantitation of lamivudine (LVD) and zidovudine (ZVD) in pharmaceutical preparations. The method is based on the reaction between the investigated drug substances and bromocresol purple (BCP) producing ion‐pair complexes in acidic buffers which are suitable for chloroform extraction. The maximum absorbance of these complexes was measured at 424 nm in chloroform. All variables were studied to optimize the reaction conditions. Linearity ranges were found to be 25–250 μg mL−1 for LVD‐BCP and 50–300 μg mL−1 for ZVD‐BCP. The developed method was successfully applied for the determination of these drugs in pharmaceutical preparations. Excipients in pharmaceutical formulations did not interfere in the analysis. The results were compared statistically with those obtained by the HPLC method reported in the literature. According to the results, the proposed method can be recommended for quality control and routine analysis.
Inflammation, Cerebral Vasospasm, and Evolving Theories of Delayed Cerebral Ischemia
Authors: Carr Kevin R. , Zuckerman Scott L. , Mocco J
Published: August 2013

Cerebral vasospasm (CVS) is a potentially lethal complication of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). Recently, the symptomatic presentation of CVS has been termed delayed cerebral ischemia (DCI), occurring as early as 3-4 days after the sentinel bleed. For the past 5-6 decades, scientific research has promulgated the theory that cerebral vasospasm plays a primary role in the pathology of DCI and subsequently delayed ischemic neurological decline (DIND). Approximately 70% of patients develop CVS after aSAH with 50% long-term morbidity rates. The exact etiology of CVS is unknown; however, a well-described theory involves an antecedent inflammatory cascade with alterations of intracellular calcium dynamics and nitric oxide fluxes, though the intricacies of this inflammatory theory are currently unknown. Consequently, there have been few advances in the clinical treatment of this patient cohort, and morbidity remains high. Identification of intermediaries in the inflammatory cascade can provide insight into newer clinical interventions in the prevention and management of cerebral vasospasm and will hopefully prevent neurological decline. In this review, we discuss current theories implicating the inflammatory cascade in the development of CVS and potential treatment targets.
Numerical Solution of Singular Lane-Emden Equation
Authors: Aminikhah Hossein , Moradian Sakineh
Published: August 2013

A new approach for solving the nonlinear Lane-Emden type equations has been proposed. The method is based on Legendre wavelets approximations. Illustrative examples have been discussed to demonstrate the validity and applicability of the technique, and the results have been compared with the exact solution.
Retrospective Analysis of Efficacy and Safety of Tocilizumab Treatment in Patients with Severe Systemic-Onset Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Followed for 12 Months
Authors: Alexeeva E. I. , Baranov A. A. , Denisova R. V. , Valieva S. I. , Bzarova T. M. , Isaeva K. B. , Sleptsova T. V. , Mitenko E. V. , Taybulatov N. I. , Chistyakova E. G. , Fetisova A. N.
Published: August 2013

The results of the retrospective study evaluating efficacy and safety of tocilizumab treatment in 75 patients with severe systemic-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis refractory to standard immunosuppressive therapy are presented in the paper. Inactive disease was documented in 64% of patients after 6 months of treatment and in 73% of patients after 12 months. Adverse events manifested as mild and moderate infections as well as laboratory abnormalities: leukopenia, neutropenia, and elevated aminotransferase levels.
Design of a Single-Electron Memory Operating at Room Temperature
Authors: Touati Amine , Chatbouri Samir , Adel Kalboussi
Published: August 2013

Single-electronic transistors (SETs) are considered as the attractive component for the next generation of transistors due to their ultrasmall size and low power consumption. Because SETs with single island cannot work at high temperature normally, more researchers begin to carry out research on the SETs with N-dimension multi-islands. In this paper, we introduce a new architecture of single-electron memory; ideally the memory should operate in combination of SETs with a nanowire of two-dimensional regular array of multiple tunnel junctions (MTJs). This structure is analyzed and studied with Monte Carlo simulator, SIMON. The Coulomb blockade effect and thermionic effect play an important role in carrier conduction in the system at room temperature. Nanowire MTJs are used as an electrometer to sense the memory-node charge. The well-defined parameter in tunnel junction circuits helps to obtain the charging of single electrons in these circuits at room temperature.
Novel Multipoint Relays Scheme Based on Hybrid Cost Function
Authors: Ouacha Ali , Bouamoud Bachir , Habbani Ahmed , El Abbadi Jamal
Published: August 2013

When evaluating the performance of QoS protocols, a number of factors have a major impact on the results. Notably, QoS is emphasized when mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) are employed into aerospace fields. Some of these parameters are a particular manifestation of characteristics of the MANET environment, such as mobility. Indeed, our proposal is a novel multipoint relays scheme based on hybrid cost function taking into account QoS criteria and avoiding mobility effect of nodes, especially those selected as MPRs. A comprehensive simulation study was conducted to evaluate the performance of the proposed scheme. Performance results show that RQMPR outperforms existing MPR heuristic adopted in the ad hoc routing protocols OLSR and QOLSR, in terms of packet delivery and average end-to-end delay.