bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self-organization of signal transduction
Authors: Scheler Gabriele
Published: April 2013

We propose a model of parameter learning for signal transduction, where the objective function is defined by signal transmission efficiency. We apply this to learn kinetic rates as a form of evolutionary learning, and look for parameters which satisfy the objective. This is a novel approach compared to the usual technique of adjusting parameters only on the basis of experimental data. The resulting model is self-organizing, i.e. perturbations in protein concentrations or changes in extracellular signaling will automatically lead to adaptation. We systematically perturb protein concentrations and observe the response of the system. We find compensatory or co-regulation of protein expression levels. In a novel experiment, we alter the distribution of extracellular signaling, and observe adaptation based on optimizing signal transmission. We also discuss the relationship between signaling with and without transients. Signaling by transients may involve maximization of signal transmission efficiency for the peak response, but a minimization in steady-state responses. With an appropriate objective function, this can also be achieved by concentration adjustment. Self-organizing systems may be predictive of unwanted drug interference effects, since they aim to mimic complex cellular adaptation in a unified way.
II. Capsular vaso-mimicry formed by transgenic mammary tumor spheroids implanted ectopically into mouse dorsal skin fold: implications for cellular mechanisms of metastasis
Authors: Witkiewicz Halina , Oh Phil , Schnitzer Jan E
Published: April 2013

Most cancer patients die of metastatic disease, not primary tumors, while biological mechanisms leading to metastases remain unclear and effective therapies are missing. Using a mouse dorsal skin chamber model we had observed that tumor growth and vasculature formation could be influenced by the way in vitro cultured (avascular) spheroids of N202 breast tumor cells were implanted; co-implantation of lactating breast tissue created stimulating microenvironment, whereas the absence of the graft resulted in temporary tumor dormancy. This report addressed the issue of cellular mechanisms of the vasculogenic switch that ended the dormancy. In situ ultrastructural analysis revealed that the tumors survived in ectopic microenvironment until some of host and tumor stem cells evolved independently into cells initiating the vasculogenic switch. The tumor cells that survived and proliferated under hypoxic conditions for three weeks were supported by erythrogenic autophagy of others. However, the host microenvironment first responded as it would to non-immunogenic foreign bodies, i.e., by encapsulating the tumor spheroids with collagen-producing fibroblasts. That led to a form of vaso-mimicry consisting of tumor cells amid tumor-derived erythrosomes (synonym of erythrocytes), megakaryocytes and platelets, and encapsulating them all, the host fibroblasts. Such capsular vaso-mimicry could potentially facilitate metastasis by fusing with morphologically similar lymphatic vessels or veins. Once incorporated into the host circulatory system, tumor cells could be carried away passively by blood flow, regardless of their genetic heterogeneity. The fake vascular segment would have permeability properties different from genuine vascular endothelium. The capsular vaso-mimicry was different from vasculogenic mimicry earlier observed in metastases-associated malignant tumors where channels formed by tumor cells were said to contain circulating blood. Structures similar to the vasculogenic mimicry were seen here as well but contained non-circulating erythrosomes formed between tumor nodules. The host’s response to the implantation included coordinated formation of new vessels and peripheral nerves.
Predictive capability of economic and technological laws
Authors: Кислюк  , Kislyuk M. , Юсим  , Yusim Vyacheslav , Фиалковский  , Fialkovskiy Dmitriy
Published: April 2013

In the article discuss the assertion about the existence of fundamental laws of a previously unknown economical and technological type, and a series of examples demonstrate their possibility of forecasting.
Measuring the Effect of Queues on Customer Purchases
Authors: Lu Yina , Musalem Andrés , Olivares Marcelo , Schilkrut Ariel
Published: April 2013

We conduct an empirical study to analyze how waiting in queue in the context of a retail store affects customers' purchasing behavior. Our methodology combines a novel data set with periodic information about the queuing system (collected via video recognition technology) with point-of-sales data. We find that waiting in queue has a nonlinear impact on purchase incidence and that customers appear to focus mostly on the length of the queue, without adjusting enough for the speed at which the line moves. An implication of this finding is that pooling multiple queues into a single queue may increase the length of the queue observed by customers and thereby lead to lower revenues. We also find that customers' sensitivity to waiting is heterogeneous and negatively correlated with price sensitivity, which has important implications for pricing in a multiproduct category subject to congestion effects.

This paper was accepted by Martin Lariviere, operations management.
What Are Investors Willing to Pay to Customize Their Investment Product?
Authors: Vrecko Dennis , Langer Thomas
Published: April 2013

Even though buy-and-hold (B&H) investment strategies can take the risk tolerance of an investor into account by specifying a suitable stock proportion, the outcome profiles of B&H strategies are restricted to a specific class of return distributions. For investors with particular risk preferences, further customization should thus provide additional value. The objective of this paper is to investigate the strength of preference for such customized distributions and to draw conclusions about the demand for personalized investment products. In two experimental studies, 256 participants could adjust the return distribution of an initially chosen B&H investment by using an interactive software program. Our main finding is that most investors make extensive use of the customization option and many are willing to pay a substantial fee for this additional flexibility. We further find that the willingness to pay for customization is lower if the fee is integrated into the display of the return distribution, making its impact on final returns more obvious. We also observe that investors can be clustered into distinct subgroups via their adjustment patterns, but individually elicited prospect theory parameters are barely able to explain and predict these adjustments. As a robustness check, we also survey real investors at an investors fair to compare their preferences with those of our main pool of student subjects. We find that the willingness to pay for customization is slightly lower for these real investors and the main effect of fee integration is also less pronounced. In summary, we observe a strong willingness to pay for additional flexibility even though the actual benefits of customization vary markedly according to the individual. In many cases the accepted fees are so high that standard B&H strategies stochastically dominate the customized distributions after fee integration.

This paper was accepted by Peter Wakker, decision analysis.
No-Arbitrage Taylor Rules with Switching Regimes
Authors: Li Haitao , Li Tao , Yu Cindy
Published: April 2013

We study the time-varying nature of U.S. monetary policies summarized by the Taylor rule based on a continuous-time regime-switching term structure model. In this model, the spot rate follows the Taylor rule and government bonds at different maturities are priced by no arbitrage. We allow the coefficients of the Taylor rule and the dynamics of inflation and output gap to be regime dependent and estimate the model using government bond yields. We find that the Fed is proactive in controlling inflation in one regime and accommodative for growth in another. Moreover, proactive monetary policies are associated with more stable inflation and output gap and therefore could have contributed to the Great Moderation. Our analysis also highlights the importance of switching regimes for term structure modeling. Without the regimes, inflation and output can explain less than 50% of the variations of bond yields. With the regimes, the two variables can explain more than 80% of the variations of bond yields.

This paper was accepted by Wei Xiong, finance.
Simple Auctions for Supply Contracts
Authors: Duenyas Izak , Hu Bin , Beil Damian R.
Published: April 2013

This paper studies an optimal procurement mechanism for a newsvendor-like problem where the buyer's (newsvendor's) purchase price of the supplies is not fixed, but determined through interaction with candidate suppliers. The buyer has priors on the suppliers' costs but does not know their costs exactly. Recent literature has shown how the buyer can implement the optimal procurement mechanism by announcing a revenue function (specifying a payment for each quantity the buyer may purchase), then auctioning off the supply contract with the specified revenue function. In this paper, we show that a simple modified version of the standard open-descending auction for a fixed quantity is also an optimal mechanism for obtaining supplies. What distinguishes this mechanism is its simplicity and familiarity for the suppliers—open-descending auctions are very easy to run and ubiquitous in practice, whereas auctioning supply contracts with a specified revenue function is much less observed and more difficult to explain to suppliers. Furthermore, we show that this simple mechanism can be easily generalized to ex ante asymmetric suppliers and a class of nonlinear production costs.

This paper was accepted by Yossi Aviv, operations management.
Lymphatic Endothelial Differentiation in Pulmonary Lymphangioleiomyomatosis Cells
Authors: Davis Jennifer M. , Hyjek Elizabeth , Husain Aliya N. , Shen Le , Jones Jennifer , Schuger Lucia A.
Published: April 2013

Pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) is a rare, low-grade neoplasm affecting almost exclusively women of childbearing age. LAM belongs to the family of perivascular epithelioid cell tumors, characterized by spindle and epithelioid cells with smooth muscle and melanocytic differentiation. LAM cells infiltrate the lungs, producing multiple, bilateral lesions rich in lymphatic channels and forming cysts, leading to respiratory insufficiency. Here we used antibodies against four lymphatic endothelial markers—podoplanin (detected by D2-40), prospero homeobox 1 (PROX1), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (VEGFR-3), and lymphatic vessel endothelial hyaluronan receptor 1 (LYVE1)—to determine whether LAM cells show lymphatic differentiation. Twelve of 12 diagnostic biopsy specimens (early-stage LAM) and 19 of 19 explants (late-stage LAM) showed immunopositivity for D2-40 in most neoplastic cells. PROX1, VEGFR-3, and LYVE1 immunoreactivity varied from scarce in the early stage to abundant in the late stage. Lymphatic endothelial, smooth muscle, and melanocytic markers were partially co-localized. These findings indicate that lymphatic endothelial differentiation is a feature of LAM and provide evidence of a previously unidentified third lineage of differentiation in this neoplasm. This study has implications for the histological diagnosis of LAM, the origin of the neoplastic cells, and potential future treatment with drugs targeting lymphangiogenesis.
Jüdisch-christliche Koexistenz in den Dörfern ausgewählter Grafschaften Frankens während des 16. und 17. Jahrhunderts
Authors: Stretz Torben
Published: April 2013

Jewish-Christian relations in village or small-town societies during the early modern period were framed by coexistence and conflict on three major fields of encounter: the rural economy, the practice of religion, and the social relations within the local communities. This study provides case studies of these three aspects by drawing on evidence for the two counties of Castell and Wertheim in Franconia. Analysis of three expulsion proceedings and their different outcomes allows us to add a fourth perspective to this typical picture of integration and segregation, the question of how political rule was enacted and communicated. The conditions of Jewish settlement and community life were always precarious and had to be renegotiated on a regular basis. Negotiations were influenced by the diplomatic skills of individual Jews, by the interests of the community or its leading members, of the rulers and their local representatives.
Ein Beispiel für Landjuden? Jüdische Viehhändler in Mittelfranken (1919–1939)
Authors: Fischer Stefanie
Published: April 2013

This article demonstrates that labelling a group of Jews as either rural or urban masks the changes which this group underwent after attaining emancipation. This will be exemplified by looking at the Jewish cattle dealers in interwar Middle Franconia, a north-Bavarian district. Jewish cattle dealers have traditionally been categorized as a group of rural Jews who were stuck in old patterns rather than casting them off. By analyzing the business structure of their enterprises the author shows that this specific socio-economic group did in fact undergo dramatic changes after becoming emancipated, even though it remained in a profession shaped during an era when Jews were primarily limited to trade. For example, the great majority of the Jewish cattle dealers developed a modern business culture and moved to centrally located small towns rather than remaining in small villages.
Globalization, International Corporate Alliances, and Political Conflict: The Experience of the US Airline and Telecommunication Industries
Authors: Crystal Jonathan
Published: April 2013

The globalization of production simultaneously opens up new opportunities for firms and threatens them with intensified foreign competition. Studies of the resulting producer demands for commercial policy have not yet incorporated two recent trends: the increasing significance of the trade in services and the proliferation of international corporate alliances. With two US industries (airlines and telecommunications) as illustrative case studies, it can be seen that, to a surprising extent, even competitive global industries will seek to block foreign competitors from entering local markets via alliances. The level of political conflict in response to these alliances is related to the issue of market access at home and abroad. Market barriers abroad provide global producers with the motive for seeking contingent restrictions. Restrictions at home give domestic firms the opportunity to oppose alliances without worrying that competitors could enter the market through foreign direct investment. The model suggests some important differences in the political reactions to globalization between service and manufacturing firms.
Two languages, two sets of interpretations: Language-specific influences of morphological form on Dutch and English speakers' interpretation of compounds
Authors: Banga Arina , Hanssen Esther , Schreuder Robert , Neijt Anneke
Published: April 2013

The present study investigates linguistic relativity. Do form differences between Dutch and English influence the interpretations which speakers have? The Dutch element en in noun-noun compounds, for example in aardbeienjam ‘strawberry jam’ is homophonous and homographic with the regular plural suffix -en. English, in contrast, has no such typical linking elements in compounds. We therefore investigated the interpretation of Dutch modifiers in compounds and their English equivalents. We compared the plurality ratings of Dutch modifiers with and without the linking element en by native Dutch speakers, and the plurality ratings of English modifiers by native Dutch speakers and native English speakers. If the Dutch linking en induces plural meaning, we expected a difference between the plurality ratings by English speakers for English modifiers and by Dutch speakers for Dutch modifiers, such that the estimation of the number of strawberries in strawberry jam is lower for the English speakers than the number of aardbeien in aardbeienjam for the Dutch speakers. This is exactly what we found. Moreover, when native Dutch speakers rate the English equivalents, their interpretation of strawberry jam is the same as for native English speakers, which shows the language being used to influence semantic interpretations.
Competing iconicities in the structure of languages
Authors: Meir Irit , Padden Carol , Aronoff Mark , Sandler Wendy
Published: April 2013

The paper examines the role that iconicity plays in the structuring of grammars. Two main points are argued for: (a) Grammar does not necessarily suppress iconicity; rather, iconicity and grammar can enjoy a congenial relation in that iconicity can play an active role in the structuring of grammars. (b) Iconicity is not monolithic. There are different types of iconicity and languages take advantage of the possibilities afforded by them. We examine the interaction between iconicity and grammar by focusing on the ways in which sign languages employ the physical body of the signer as a rich iconic resource for encoding a variety of grammatical notions. We show that the body can play three different roles in iconic forms in sign languages: it can be used as a naming device where body parts represent body parts; it can represent the subject argument of verbal signs, and it can stand for first person. These strategies interact and sometimes compete in the languages under study. Each language resolves these competitions differently, which results in different grammars and grammatical structures. The investigation of the ways in which grammar and iconicity interact in these languages provides insight into the nature of both systems.
Direct speech compounds: Evoking socio-cultural scenarios through fictive interaction
Authors: Pascual Esther , Królak Emilia , Janssen Theo A. J. M.
Published: April 2013

This paper examines English nominal compounds whose modifier could serve as a self-sufficient discourse unit (e.g. “Hi honey, I'm home happiness,” “‘not happy, money back’ guarantee”). The scant literature on the construction treats such modifiers as embedded sentences, clauses, or phrases. Drawing on a collection of over 7,000 different examples from written as well as oral English of various dialects and registers, we suggest that regardless of their internal syntax, they always constitute (pieces of) fictive conversational turns. They are structured by the conversation frame as they are based on our everyday experience with situated communication. Hence, they constitute instances of fictive interaction (Pascual 2002). The direct speech element metonymically sets up a significant and easily knowable or recognizable scenario, which serves as a reference point for subcategorizing the denotative potential of the head noun. Making use of encyclopedic and episodic knowledge, direct speech compounds serve to name subjective semantic categories. They are catchy and involving, as they construct a sense of immediacy through (re)enactment. We claim their use to be motivated by the cultural model that relates saying, believing and the truth (Sweetser 1993 [1987]) as well as the understanding of talk-in-interaction as the most concrete indication of the utterer's mental, emotional and behavioral world (cf. Cicourel 1973).
Toric varieties, monoid schemes and cdh descent
Authors: Cortiñas Guillermo , Haesemeyer Christian , Walker Mark E. , Weibel Charles
Published: April 2013

We give conditions for the Mayer–Vietoris property to hold for
the algebraic K-theory of blow-up squares of toric varieties
and schemes, using the theory of monoid schemes. These conditions are used to relate algebraic K-theory to
topological cyclic homology in characteristic p. To achieve our goals, we develop many notions for monoid schemes
based on classical algebraic geometry,
such as separated and proper maps and resolution of singularities.
On Lagrangian fibrations by Jacobians I
Authors: Sawon Justin
Published: April 2013

Let Y → ℙ
n
be a flat family of integral Gorenstein curves,
such that the compactified relative Jacobian X = J̅
d
(Y/ℙ
n
) is a Lagrangian fibration. We prove that the degree of the discriminant locus Δ ⊂ ℙ
n
is at least
4n + 2, and we prove that X is a Beauville–Mukai integrable system if deg Δ > 4n + 20.
Model for calculating physicochemical properties of aluminosilicate melt
Authors: Zhang Guo-Hua , Chou Kuo-Chih
Published: April 2013

It is an important issue to calculate the physicochemical properties of aluminosilicate melt based on some known data. However, it is also a difficult issue to do so, especially for a multicomponent slag system since the available data are very limited due to the difficulty of experimental measurement at high temperature. In this paper, a method is suggested to resolve this problem, which is particularly significant. This model can be well used to estimate the electrical conductivity, viscosity, molar volume and surface tension of aluminosilicate melt.
Electrodeposition of Solar Cell Grade Silicon in High Temperature Molten Salts
Authors: Xu Junli , Haarberg Geir Martin
Published: April 2013

Silicon is the most common material used in solar cells. High cost of silicon restricts the widely use of PV power. In order to make solar cells more accessible and affordable, it is strongly needed to develop a new and low-cost production process of solar energy silicon (SoG-Si). Electrodeposition of SoG-Si films appears to be a cost saving technique since solidification and sawing steps which contribute significantly to the overall cost of solar cells will be bypassed. Electrodeposition of SoG-Si has been evaluated during the last three decades, and some of them have shown promising results. Thermodynamic and kinetic considerations which relate to the electrodeposition of silicon are discussed, and progresses towards the developments of the electrodeposition of silicon in high temperature molten salts are reviewed in this paper.
Power System Oscillation Modes Identifications: Guidelines for Applying TLS-ESPRIT Method
Authors: Gajjar Gopal R. , Soman Shreevardhan
Published: April 2013

Fast measurements of power system quantities available through wide-area measurement systems enables direct observations for power system electromechanical oscillations. But the raw observations data need to be processed to obtain the quantitative measures required to make any inference regarding the power system state. A detailed discussion is presented for the theory behind the general problem of oscillatory mode indentification. This paper presents some results on oscillation mode identification applied to a wide-area frequency measurements system. Guidelines for selection of parametes for obtaining most reliable results from the applied method are provided. Finally, some results on real measurements are presented with our inference on them.
Optimal Rescheduling of Generators for Congestion Management and Benefit Maximization in a Decentralized Bilateral Multi-transactions Power Network
Authors: Singh Brijesh , Mahanty Ranjit , Singh S.P.
Published: April 2013

This paper presents a framework to achieve an optimal power flow solution in a decentralized bilateral multitransaction-based market. An independent optimal dispatch solution has been used for each market. The interior point (IP)-based optimization technique has been used for finding a global economic optimal solution of the whole system. In this method, all the participants try to maximize their own profits with the help of system information announced by the operator. In the present work, a parallel algorithm has been used to find out a global optimum solution in decentralized market model. The study has been carried out on a modified IEEE-30 bus system. The results show that the suggested decentralized approach can provide a better optimal solution. The obtained results show the effectiveness of IP optimization-based optimal generator schedule and congestion management in the decentralized market.
Impedance seen by Distance Relays on Lines Fed from Fixed Speed Wind Turbines
Authors: Srivastava Sachin , Shenoy U.J. , Chandra Biswal Abhinna , Sethuraman Ganesan
Published: April 2013

This paper deals with line protection challenges experienced in a system having substantial wind generation penetration. Two types of generators, thermal synchronous generators and fixed speed wind turbines based on squirrel-cage induction generators, are simulated as thevenin equivalent model, connected to grid with single-circuit transmission line. The paper gives comparative discussion and summarizes analytical investigations carried out on the impedance seen by distance relays by varying fault resistances and grid short circuit MVA, for the protection of such transmission lines during faults.
Vowel Phoneme Segmentation for Speaker Identification Using an ANN-Based Framework
Authors: Sarma Mousmita , Sarma Kandarpa Kumar
Published: April 2013

Vowel phonemes are a part of any acoustic speech signal. Vowel sounds occur in speech more frequently and with higher energy. Therefore, vowel phoneme can be used to extract different amounts of speaker discriminative information in situations where acoustic information is noise corrupted. This article presents an approach to identify a speaker using the vowel sound segmented out from words spoken by the speaker. The work uses a combined self-organizing map (SOM)- and probabilistic neural network (PNN)-based approach to segment the vowel phoneme. The segmented vowel is later used to identify the speaker of the word by matching the patterns with a learning vector quantization (LVQ)-based code book. The LVQ code book is prepared by taking features of clean vowel phonemes uttered by the male and female speakers to be identified. The proposed work formulates a framework for the design of a speaker-recognition model of the Assamese language, which is spoken by ∼3 million people in the Northeast Indian state of Assam. The experimental results show that the segmentation success rates obtained using a SOM-based technique provides an increase of at least 7% compared with the discrete wavelet transform-based technique. This increase contributes to the improvement in overall performance of speaker identification by ∼3% compared with earlier related works.
Nanostructured phase-changeable heat transfer fluids
Authors: Xu Jiajun , Yang Bao
Published: April 2013

Cooling is one of the most important technique challenges faced by a range of diverse industries and military needs. There is an urgent need for the innovative heat transfer fluids with improved thermal properties over the currently available. This review paper discusses the concept of using phase-changeable nanoparticles to increase the effective heat capacity and the heat transfer rate of the fluid. A large amount of heat can be absorbed or released when these nanoparticles undergo phase transition from solid to liquid or liquid to gas or vice versa and, thus, enhancing the heat transfer rate. Two types of phase-change fluids are introduced: one contains liquid nanodroplets that will evaporate at elevated temperatures or solidifies at reduced temperatures, called “nanoemulsion fluids”; the other is suspensions of solid-liquid metallic phase-change nanoparticles. The material synthesis and property characterizations of these phase-changeable fluids are two main aspects of this paper. The explosive vaporization of the dispersed nanodroplets would significantly improve the heat transfer in the nanoemulsion fluid. The solid-liquid metallic phase-change nanoparticles will increase the effective heat capacity and thermal conductivity of the base fluids simultaneously. This paper also identifies the several critical issues in the phase-changeable fluids to be solved in the future.
Genetics in endocrinology: Genetics of mineralocorticoid excess: an update for clinicians
Authors: Zennaro Maria-Christina , Rickard Amanda Jane , Boulkroun Sheerazed
Published: April 2013

Aldosterone plays a major role in the regulation of sodium and potassium homeostasis and blood pressure. More recently, aldosterone has emerged as a key hormone mediating end organ damage. In extreme cases, dysregulated aldosterone production leads to primary aldosteronism (PA), the most common form of secondary hypertension. However, even within the physiological range, high levels of aldosterone are associated with an increased risk of developing hypertension over time. PA represents the most common and curable form of hypertension, with a prevalence that increases with the severity of hypertension. Although genetic causes underlying glucocorticoid-remediable aldosteronism, one of the three Mendelian forms of PA, were established some time ago, somatic and inherited mutations in the potassium channel GIRK4 have only recently been implicated in the formation of aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) and in familial hyperaldosteronism type 3. Moreover, recent findings have shown somatic mutations in two additional genes, involved in maintaining intracellular ionic homeostasis and cell membrane potential, in a subset of APAs.

This review summarizes our current knowledge on the genetic determinants that contribute to variations in plasma aldosterone and renin levels in the general population and the genetics of familial and sporadic PA. Various animal models that have significantly improved our understanding of the pathophysiology of excess aldosterone production are also discussed. Finally, we outline the cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic consequences of mineralocorticoid excess beyond blood pressure regulation.
Identification of Cilia Genes That Affect Cell-Cycle Progression Using Whole-Genome Transcriptome Analysis in Chlamydomonas reinhardtti
Authors: Albee Alison J , Kwan Alan L , Lin Huawen , Granas David , Stormo Gary D , Dutcher Susan K
Published: April 2013

Cilia are microtubule based organelles that project from cells. Cilia are found on almost every cell type of the human body and numerous diseases, collectively termed ciliopathies, are associated with defects in cilia, including respiratory infections, male infertility, situs inversus, polycystic kidney disease, retinal degeneration, and Bardet-Biedl Syndrome. Here we show that Illumina-based whole-genome transcriptome analysis in the biflagellate green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii identifies 1850 genes up-regulated during ciliogenesis, 4392 genes down-regulated, and 4548 genes with no change in expression during ciliogenesis. We examined four genes up-regulated and not previously known to be involved with cilia (ZMYND10, NXN, GLOD4, SPATA4) by knockdown of the human orthologs in human retinal pigment epithelial cells (hTERT-RPE1) cells to ask whether they are involved in cilia-related processes that include cilia assembly, cilia length control, basal body/centriole numbers, and the distance between basal bodies/centrioles. All of the genes have cilia-related phenotypes and, surprisingly, our data show that knockdown of GLOD4 and SPATA4 also affects the cell cycle. These results demonstrate that whole-genome transcriptome analysis during ciliogenesis is a powerful tool to gain insight into the molecular mechanism by which centrosomes and cilia are assembled.
AKAP9 Is Essential for Spermatogenesis and Sertoli Cell Maturation in Mice
Authors: Schimenti Kerry J , Feuer Sky K , Griffin Laurie B , Graham Nancy R , Bovet Claire A , Hartford Suzanne , Pendola Janice , Lessard Carl , Schimenti John C , Ward Jeremy O
Published: April 2013

Mammalian male fertility relies on complex inter- and intracellular signaling during spermatogenesis. Here we describe three alleles of the widely expressed A-kinase anchoring protein 9 (Akap9) gene, all of which cause gametogenic failure and infertility in the absence of marked somatic phenotypes. Akap9 disruption does not affect spindle nucleation or progression of prophase I of meiosis but does inhibit maturation of Sertoli cells, which continue to express the immaturity markers anti-Mullerian hormone and thyroid hormone receptor alpha in adults and fail to express the maturation marker p27Kip1. Furthermore, gap and tight junctions essential for blood–testis barrier (BTB) organization are disrupted. Connexin43 (Cx43) and zona occludens-1 are improperly localized in Akap9 mutant testes, and Cx43 fails to compartmentalize germ cells near the BTB. These results identify and support a novel reproductive tissue-specific role for Akap9 in the coordinated regulation of Sertoli cells in the testis.
Structural Neuroplastic Change After Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy in Children With Cerebral Palsy
Authors: Sterling Chelsey , Taub Edward , Davis Drew , Rickards Tyler , Gauthier Lynne V. , Griffin Angi , Uswatte Gitendra
Published: April 2013

Research from the present laboratory with adult stroke patients showed that structural neuroplastic changes are correlated with clinical improvements due to constraint-induced movement (CI) therapy. This pilot study evaluated whether comparable changes occur in children receiving CI therapy. Ten children (6 boys) with congenital hemiparesis (mean age: 3 years, 3 months) underwent MRI scans 3 weeks before, immediately before, and immediately after receiving 3 weeks of CI therapy. Longitudinal voxel-based morphometry was performed on MRI scans to determine gray matter change. In addition, the Pediatric Motor Activity Log-Revised was administered at these time points to assess arm use in daily life before and after treatment. Children exhibited large improvements after CI therapy in spontaneous use of the more-affected arm (P < .001, d′ = 3.24). A significant increase in gray matter volume occurred in the sensorimotor cortex contralateral to the more-affected arm (P = .04); there was a trend for these changes to be correlated with motor improvement (r = 0.63, P = .063). Trends were also observed for increases in gray matter volume in the ipsilateral motor cortex (P = .055) and contralateral hippocampus (P = .1). No significant gray matter change was seen during the 3 weeks before treatment. These findings suggest that CI therapy produces gray matter increases in the developing nervous system and provide additional evidence that CI therapy is associated with structural remodeling of the human brain while producing motor improvement in patients with disabling central nervous system diseases.
Temporal Trends in Survival Among Infants With Critical Congenital Heart Defects
Authors: Oster Matthew E. , Lee Kyung A. , Honein Margaret A. , Riehle-Colarusso Tiffany , Shin Mikyong , Correa Adolfo
Published: April 2013

OBJECTIVE:

To evaluate the trends in survival for infants with critical congenital heart defects (CCHDs) and to examine the potential impact of timing of diagnosis and other prognostic factors on survival.

METHODS:

We performed a retrospective population-based cohort study in infants born with structural congenital heart defects (CHDs) between 1979 and 2005 and ascertained by the Metropolitan Atlanta Congenital Defects Program. We estimated Kaplan-Meier survival probabilities for 12 CCHD phenotypes by birth era and timing of diagnosis among infants without noncardiac defects or chromosomal disorders and used stratified Cox proportional hazards models to assess potential prognostic factors.

RESULTS:

Of 1 056 541 births, there were 6965 infants with CHDs (1830 with CCHDs). One-year survival was 75.2% for those with CCHDs (n = 1336) vs 97.1% for those with noncritical CHDs (n = 3530; P < .001). One-year survival for infants with CCHDs improved from 67.4% for the 1979–1993 birth era to 82.5% for the 1994–2005 era (P < .001). One-year survival was 71.7% for infants with CCHDs diagnosed at ≤1 day of age (n = 890) vs 82.5% for those with CCHDs diagnosed at >1 day of age (n = 405; P < .001). There was a significantly higher risk of 1-year mortality for infants with an earlier birth era, earlier diagnosis, and low birth weight and whose mothers were <30 years old.

CONCLUSIONS:

One-year survival for infants with CCHDs has been improving over time, yet mortality remains high. Later diagnosis is associated with improved 1-year survival. These benchmark data and identified prognostic factors may aid future evaluations of the impact of pulse oximetry screening on survival from CCHDs.
Role of genetic and environmental factors in the development of polycystic ovary syndrome
Authors: Ságodi László , Kiss-Tóth Emőke , Barkai László
Published: April 2013

Polycystic ovary syndrome is the most common heterogeneous endocrine abnormality in women in the reproductive age. The syndrome remains an enigmatic disorder because the aetiology is still unclear. Familial aggreagation is relatively common among patients with polycystic ovary syndrome suggesting a signiﬁcant genetic component, although the way of inheritance has not been established firmly. The authors review the relevant medical literature and suggest that genetic and environmental factors play a role in the development of polycystic ovary syndrome. To date, no gene has been identified that causes or contributes substantially to the development of a polycystic ovary syndrome phenotype. Polycystic ovarian syndrome is considered to be an oligogenic disorder in which the interaction of a number of genetic and environmental factors determines the heterogeneous clinical and biochemical phenotype. To summarize current evidence the authors conclude, that when we are able to identify and then modify environmental determinants, then we will be able to safeguard better the health of those patients who are predisposed to disease development due to genotype or previous environmental effects. Orv. Hetil., 2013, 154, 650–657.
The cortical collecting duct plays a pivotal role in kidney local renin-angiotensin system
Authors: Csohány Rózsa , Prókai Ágnes , Kosik Anna , Szabó J. Attila
Published: April 2013

The renin-angiotensin system is one of the most important hormone systems in the body, and the regulations as well as the role in the juxtaglomerular apparatus are well known. The present review focuses on renin secretion in a recently described localization, the cortical collecting duct. The authors display it in parallel of the copying strategy of an adult and a developing kidney. Furthermore, based on different animal studies it highlights the local role of renin released from the collecting duct. In chronic angiotensin II-infused, 2-kidney, 1-clip hypertensive model as well as in diabetic rats the major source of (pro)renin is indeed the collecting duct. In this localization this hormone can reach both the systemic circulation and the interstitial renin-angiotensin system components including the newly described (pro)renin receptor, by which (pro)renin is able to locally activate pro-fibrotic intracellular signal pathways. Consequently, one can postulate that in the future renin may serve either as a new therapeutic target in nephropathy associated with both hypertension and diabetes or as an early diagnostic marker in chronic diseases leading to nephropathy. Orv. Hetil., 2013, 154, 643–649.
A Prospective, Randomized Controlled Preclinical Trial to Evaluate Different Formulations of Biphasic Calcium Phosphate in Combination With a Hydroxyapatite Collagen Membrane to Reconstruct Deficient Alveolar Ridges
Authors: Nevins Myron , Nevins Marc L. , Schupbach Peter , Kim Soo-Woo , Lin Zhao , Kim David M.
Published: April 2013

Many patients and clinicians would prefer a synthetic particulate bone replacement graft, but most available alloplastic biomaterials have limited osteogenic potential. An alloplast with increased regenerative capacity would be advantageous for the treatment of localized alveolar ridge defects. This prospective, randomized controlled preclinical trial utilized 6 female foxhounds to analyze the osteogenic impact of different formulations of biphasic calcium phosphate (BCP) in combination with an hydroxyapatite-collagen membrane and their ability to reconstruct deficient alveolar ridges for future implant placement. The grafted sites were allowed to heal 3 months, and then trephine biopsies were obtained to perform light microscopic and histomorphometric analyses. All treated sites healed well with no early membrane exposure or adverse soft tissue responses during the healing period. The grafted sites exhibited greater radiopacity than the surrounding native bone with BCP particles seen as radiopaque granules. The graft particles appeared to be well-integrated and no areas of loose particles were observed. Histologic evaluation demonstrated BCP particles embedded in woven bone with dense connective tissue/marrow space. New bone growth was observed around the graft particles as well as within the structure of the graft particulate. There was intimate contact between the graft particles and newly formed bone, and graft particles were bridged by the newly formed bone in all biopsies from the tested groups. The present study results support the potential of these BCP graft particulates to stimulate new bone formation. Clinical studies are recommended to confirm these preclinical findings.
Severely Scarred Oronasal Cleft Defects in Edentulous Adults: Initial Data on the Long-Term Outcome of Telescoped Obturator Prostheses Supported by Zygomatic Implants
Authors: Landes Constantin A. , Ghanaati Sharam , Ballon Alexander , Thai Van Dung , Reinhard René , Nolte Dieter , Piwowarczyk Andree , Wagner Mathias , Sader Robert
Published: April 2013

Objective

Prosthetic rehabilitation of edentulous patients presenting with severely scarred oronasal cleft defects. To document the outcome of telescopic obturator prostheses attached to zygomatic implants in edentulous cleft lip and palate patients.

Patients and Methods

Four edentulous patients suffering from the consequences of cleft lip and palate were selected from a cohort of 52 patients who had received zygomatic implants between 1998 and 2010. Oronasal communication had persisted and severe scars and chronic infection were noted in the cleft region. Bone grafting procedures were contraindicated due to high risk for dehiscence. For the functional support of telescopic prostheses, nine zygomatic implants and two standard dental implants had been placed.

Results

The zygomatic implants and the telescopic prostheses survived an average of 62 months (37 to 99 months) and were successful. Patients' satisfaction and oral function improved (on visual analog scale and oral health impact profile).

Conclusions

Telescopic obturator dentures supported by zygomatic implants represent a feasible option for the prosthetic rehabilitation of cleft lip and palate patients with severe impairments of the edentulous ridges including atrophy, scar tissue, ridge defects, oronasal communication, and chronic infection in the cleft region.
Role of Filopodia in HSV-1 Entry into Zebrafish 3-O-Sulfotransferase-3-Expressing Cells
Authors: Choudhary Samiksha , Burnham Lorrie , Thompson Jeffrey M , Shukla Deepak , Tiwari Vaibhav
Published: April 2013

Background:

Heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) modified by zebrafish (ZF) encoded glucosaminyl 3-O sulfotransferase-3 (3-OST-3) generate a receptor for herpes simplex virus type-1 (HSV-1) entry and spread. In order to elucidate the mechanism by which HSV-1 enters into ZF-3-OST-3 cells, we investigated the mode of viral entry.

Results:

Under high resolution scanning electron microscopy (SEM), actin cytoskeleton changes were observed by a dramatic increase in the number of filopodia formed during early interactions of HSV-1 with the target cells. While the increase in number was common among all the infected cells, the highest numbers of filopodia was observed in cells expressing the 3-OST-3 modified form of heparan sulfate (HS) encoded either by human or ZF. The levels of viral infection and filopodia induction were reduced with the actin polymerization inhibitors, Cytochalasin-D and Lantriculin B, suggesting an important role for actin reorganization during ZF-3-OST-3 mediated HSV-1 entry. Supporting an interesting possibility of filopodia usage during HSV-1 spread, pre-treatment of cytochalasin D in ZF-3-OST-3 cells drastically reduced virus glycoprotein induced cell fusion.

Conclusions:

Taken together, our results provide new evidence on the involvement of filopodia during HSV-1 infection of ZF-3-OST-3 cells and confirm a role for modified heparan sulfate in cytoskeleton rearrangement during HSV-1 entry.
How Does the Strength of the Financial Regulatory Regime Influence Auditors' Judgments to Constrain Aggressive Reporting in a Principles-Based Versus Rules-Based Accounting Environment?
Authors: Cohen Jeffrey R. , Krishnamoorthy Ganesh , Peytcheva Marietta , Wright Arnold M.
Published: April 2013

SYNOPSIS:

With the movement toward adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) worldwide, a question arises as to whether the adoption of a principles-based approach, such as IFRS, will ultimately result in higher-quality financial reporting. This issue is particularly relevant because, even though for now the SEC is not adopting IFRS, the securities markets and the SEC still need to ponder the implications of a decision that may lead to the ultimate adoption of, or at least some degree of convergence with, IFRS in the U.S. To examine this issue, we employ an experiment with 97 experienced auditors as participants. Using a case setting involving the classification of a lease (operating versus capital), we manipulate the accounting standard type as rules-based or principles-based, and the regulatory regime as stronger or weaker. The lease setting is one where there are indications of management's incentives to leave the debt off of the balance sheet and, hence, engage in aggressive reporting. We find, as expected, that auditors are more likely to constrain aggressive reporting under principles-based accounting standards than under rules-based standards, under both stronger and weaker regulatory regimes. Importantly, from a public policy perspective, the results indicate that auditors' judgments under principles-based standards, regardless of the strength of the financial regulatory regime, lead to more conservative reporting when compared to rules-based standards coupled with a stronger financial regulatory regime, which is the way the U.S. environment is often characterized.
Impact of malocclusion on the quality of life of Saudi children
Authors: Dawoodbhoy Irfan , Delgado-Angulo Elsa K. , Bernabé Eduardo
Published: April 2013

Objective:

To assess the relationship between malocclusion severity and quality of life in children.

Materials and Method:

Two hundred and seventy-eight children aged 11 to 14 years were recruited voluntarily from the Dental and Maxillofacial Centre of the Almana General Hospital in Alkhobar, Saudi Arabia. The children were asked to fill out the Arabic version of the Child Perception Questionnaire for 11- to 14-year-old children (CPQ11–14) and were then clinically examined to determine the severity of their malocclusion using the Dental Aesthetic Index (DAI). Multivariate analysis of variance was used to compare the four domains and the total CPQ11–14 scores between the four DAI severity groups.

Results:

Significant differences were found between DAI severity groups for the four domains and the total CPQ11–14 scores. Although children with very severe (handicapping) malocclusion had significantly higher domain and total CPQ11–14 scores than all the other groups (differences of up to 6 and 22 units, respectively, compared to children with no/minor malocclusion), there were no differences between those with no/minor, definite, and severe malocclusion.

Conclusion:

These findings suggest that only very severe malocclusion had an impact on the quality of life of the participants. Orthodontists should focus not only on clinical measures of malocclusion but should also consider the impact of severe malocclusion on patients' quality of life.