bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Authority, Interoperability, and Digital Medieval Scholarship
Authors: Fisher Matthew
Published: December 2012

The offline relationships between scholars and institutions have shaped the gateways to publishing, and the nature of the work published. The trust and credibility relationships that are part of those offline academic networks are an essential component of the authenticating strategies that frame both publication and citation, something made increasingly visible through online social networking tools. Although crowd‐sourced projects such as Wikipedia and Project Gutenberg attest to the incredible dynamism of online work, the digital humanities have been less successful at bringing together the energy of online discussions and the quality scholarship of print publications. By considering how data is trapped in the silos of digital medieval projects, and using RegEx searches to generate philological data from the Piers Plowman Electronic Archive, I suggest that it is the democratization of interoperable digital tools, along with updated frameworks for trust and authority, that are essential for progress in the digital humanities.
Online Teaching of Old English: Wave of the Future or Wave Goodbye?
Authors: McGillivray Murray
Published: December 2012

Online teaching of Old English experienced a boom in the 1990s when it was treated as the wave of the future, but this analysis of the field suggests that development has been relatively stagnant since the mid‐2000s, and may even be in decline. This article assesses these trends in online teaching using a case‐study of an online Old English course and telling the story of its development and the limits to further development. Technological change, unsupportive administrative environments, and assessment structures that favor research over teaching may account for some of the arrested development of online Old English teaching, but changing governmental and societal attitudes may also be involved.
The impact of hepatic steatosis on liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy
Authors: Kele Petra G. , van der Jagt Eric J. , Gouw Annette S. H. , Lisman Ton , Porte Robert J. , de Boer Marieke T.
Published: December 2012

Background & Aim

Experimental studies in animals have suggested that liver regeneration is impaired in steatotic livers. However, few studies have focused on the impact of steatosis in patients undergoing partial hepatectomy (PH). This study aims to determine the role of steatosis on liver regeneration in humans following PH.

Methods

Eighty‐eight patients undergoing PH were included in this study. All patients underwent CT‐scanning of the liver preoperatively and 7 days after surgery. Additional CT‐scans were performed 6 months post‐operatively. Preoperative and post‐operative volumes of the total liver (TLV), future liver remnant (FLR) and liver remnant (LR) were measured on CT‐scans. Regeneration indices (RI) were calculated at 7 days and 6 months using the formula: (Volume LR−Volume FLR)/Volume FLR × 100%. Based on histological examination of the resected part of the liver, patients were classified into three groups: (1) no steatosis, (2) mild steatosis (1–29%) and (3) moderate‐to‐severe steatosis (≥30%).

Results

The early RI (at day 7) was 40%, 24% and 20% for patients in group 1, 2 and 3 respectively. Late RI (at 6 months) was 81% for group 1, 44% for group 2 and 22% for group 3 (P = 0.019). At 7 days, the LR represented 79%, 80% and 79% of the TLV for groups 1–3. At 6 months, this was 93%, 92% and 79% respectively.

Conclusion

Although early RI after PH did not differ in patients with or without steatosis, the late RI in patients with moderate‐to‐severe steatosis was lower, suggesting that late liver regeneration is impaired in these patients.
Large silica‐rich igneous‐textured inclusions in the Buzzard Coulee chondrite: Condensates, differentiates, or impact melts?
Authors: RUZICKA Alex , HUTSON Melinda , FLOSS Christine , HILDEBRAND Alan
Published: December 2012

Abstract–We studied three large (2–4 mm diameter) igneous‐textured inclusions in the Buzzard Coulee (H4) chondrite using microanalytical techniques (OLM, SEM, EMPA, SIMS) to better elucidate the origins of igneous inclusions in ordinary chondrites. The inclusions are clasts that come in two varieties (1) white inclusions Bz‐1 and Bz‐2 represent a nearly holocrystalline assemblage of low‐Ca and high‐Ca pyroxene (63–66 area%) and cristobalite (33–36%) and (2) tan inclusion Bz‐3 is glass‐rich (approximately 60%) with low‐Ca and high‐Ca pyroxene phenocrysts. The bulk compositions of the inclusions determined by modal reconstruction are all SiO2‐rich (approximately 67 wt% for Bz‐1 and Bz‐2, approximately 62% for Bz‐3), but Bz‐3 is enriched in incompatible elements (e.g., REE approximately 4–5 × CI abundances), whereas Bz‐2 and Bz‐1 are depleted in those elements that are most incompatible in pyroxene (e.g., La‐Ho approximately 0.15–0.4 × CI abundances). These bulk compositions do not resemble what one would expect for partial or complete shock melting of a chondritic precursor, and show no evidence for overall volatility control. We infer that the inclusions originated through igneous differentiation and FeO reduction, with Bz‐3 forming as an “andesitic” partial melt (approximately 30–40% partial melting of an H chondrite precursor), and Bz‐1 and Bz‐2 forming as pyroxene‐cristobalite cumulates from an Si‐rich melt. We suggest that both types of melts experienced a period of transit through a cold, low‐pressure space environment in which cooling, FeO reduction, and interaction with a vapor occurred. Melts may have been lofted into space by excavation or splashing during collisions, or by pyroclastic volcanism. Our results indicate intriguing similarities between the inclusions in Buzzard Coulee and the silicates in some iron (IIE‐type) and stony iron (IVA‐type) meteorites, suggesting a genetic relationship.
Precise spatio‐temporal regulation of the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway leads to petal spot formation in Clarkia gracilis (Onagraceae)
Authors: Martins Talline R. , Berg Jeremy J. , Blinka Steven , Rausher Mark D. , Baum David A.
Published: December 2012

Petal spots are widespread in angiosperms and are often implicated in pollinator attraction. Clarkia gracilis petals each have a single red‐purple spot that contrasts against a pink background. The position and presence of spots in C. gracilis are determined by the epistatic interaction of alleles at two as yet unidentified loci.

We used HPLC to identify the different pigments produced in the petals, and qualitative and quantitative RT‐PCR to assay for spatio‐temporal patterns of expression of different anthocyanin pathway genes.

We found that spots contain different pigments from the remainder of the petal, being composed of cyanidin/peonidin‐based, instead of malvidin‐based anthocyanins. Expression assays of anthocyanin pathway genes showed that the dihydroflavonol‐4‐reductase 2 (Dfr2) gene has a spot‐specific expression pattern and acts as a switch for spot production. Co‐segregation analyses implicated the gene products of the P and I loci as trans‐regulators of this switch. Spot pigments appear earlier in development as a result of early expression of Dfr2 and the flavonoid 3′ hydroxylase 1 (F3′h1) gene. Pigments in the background appear later, as a result of later expression of Dfr1 and the flavonoid 3′‐5′ hydroxylase 1 (F3′5′h1) genes.

The evolution of this spot production mechanism appears to have been facilitated by duplication of the Dfr gene and to have required substantial reworking of the anthocyanin pathway regulatory network.
Variation in Arabidopsis developmental responses to oomycete infection: resilience vs changes in life history traits
Authors: Salvaudon Lucie , Shykoff Jacqui A.
Published: December 2012

Although plant resistance to aggressors has been well described, there is still little knowledge about the mechanisms underlying their tolerance to pathogens. Tolerance often appears to be mediated by changes in life history traits, shifting host resource investment from growth to reproduction, but whether host phenotype modifications induced after attack are adaptive is not always clear.

Here, we investigated the details of the impact of Hyaloperonospora arabidopsidis infection on several biomass, phenology and architectural traits of Arabidopsis thaliana, for three pathogen genotypes and three host plant genotypes that have been shown previously to differ greatly in fecundity and tolerance to infection.

We found that, although host genotype explains most of the variance in life history traits, these three lines differ critically in their response to infection, with delays and biomass losses at bolting, together with changes in inflorescence architecture, observed at one extreme host line, and an advantage at bolting for infected plants and no inflorescence alteration for the other.

These results suggest that the differences in tolerance observed previously in this pathosystem do not involve plasticity in inflorescence architecture, but may arise from induced changes at the vegetative stage, before plant transition to reproduction.
Testing Prediction Performance of Poverty Models: Empirical Evidence from Uganda
Authors: Mathiassen Astrid
Published: December 2012

This paper examines the performance of a method of predicting poverty rates. Because most developing countries cannot justify the expense of frequent household budget surveys, additional low‐cost methods have been developed and used. The prediction method is based on a model linking the proportion of poor households to suitable explanatory variables (consumption proxies). These consumption proxies are variables that can be collected at much lower cost through smaller annual surveys. Several applications have shown that such models can produce poverty estimates with confidence intervals of a similar magnitude to the poverty estimates from the household budget surveys. There is, however, limited evidence of how well the methods perform out‐of‐sample. A series of seven household budget surveys conducted in Uganda in the period 1993–2005 allows us to test the prediction performance of the model. We test the poverty models by using data from one survey to predict the proportion of poor households in other surveys, and vice versa. The results are encouraging, as all models predict similar poverty trends. Although in most cases the predictions are precise, sometimes they differ significantly from the poverty level estimated from the survey directly.
Estimation of Equivalence Scales Under Convertible Rationing
Authors: Koohi‐Kamali Feridoon
Published: December 2012

This paper provides estimates of equivalence scales based on three Quadratic Almost Ideal type models of the food share with coupon resale, and on their extended versions. A chief feature of the models is the method of dealing with infrequency of zero expenditure on coupon goods through imputation. The models are applied to an Iranian wartime budget survey. The results indicate little scope for measurement error. However, they also reveal a strong cross‐section price effect, which proves robust to a variety of checks. The effect of price heterogeneity proves critical in identification of the scale estimates, providing relatively rare empirical evidence consistent with the Base Independence (BI) hypothesis. The BI food share estimates of cost of children have plausible values.
Financing Empowerment? How Foreign Aid to Southern Ngos and Social Movements Undermines Grass‐Roots Mobilization
Authors: Jalali Rita
Published: December 2012

The article examines why many foreign‐funded, resource‐ rich movements in developing countries have been unable to produce the massive mobilization found in other successful social movements with access to fewer resources. While foreign ties have brought substantial benefits to local movements, many such social movements have limited grass‐roots support. The issue of external aid is at the core of an emerging research agenda in the fields of international relations, social movements, and development studies that focuses on the relationship between participatory development, democratization, and the process of transnationalization. Drawing on research work from these different fields, the article argues that by making constituency support irrelevant, internationalization through financial assistance has transformed conflict movements into consensus movements that follow an institutional, resource‐dependent, non‐conflictual strategy with no deep roots in the community. The article specifies the mechanisms by which foreign funding affects grass‐roots mobilization. These arguments are examined with respect to evidence from around the world.
Diversity in National Legislatures Around the World
Authors: Hughes Melanie M.
Published: December 2012

Men from majority racial, ethnic, and religious groups continue to dominate electoral politics in most countries. At the same time, national legislatures are becoming more diverse. Cross‐national research on inequality in national politics focuses most often on women, but occasionally addresses the political representation of other marginalized groups. This review brings together these distinct areas of research – cross‐national studies on the representation of women and minority groups in national legislatures – to think about diversity in politics in a broader way. Such an approach suggests future studies should: (i) acknowledge important differences among women; (ii) focus on more than one type of minority group at a time; and (iii) explicitly examine variation in the overrepresentation of majority men as political elites.
Loop‐mediated isothermal amplification for detection of HLA‐B*58:01 allele
Authors: Kwok J. , Kwong K. M.
Published: December 2012

Strong association of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)‐B*58:01 allele with allopurinol‐induced hypersensitivity was found worldwide, especially in the Han Chinese populations. This study aims to develop and evaluate a loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for rapid detection of HLA‐B*58:01. Two sets of LAMP primers targeting exons 2 and 3 of HLA‐B*58:01 allele were designed and their annealing temperatures were optimized accordingly. The heating devices for LAMP assay were tested. The analytical sensitivities of the two sets of LAMP primers were determined by 1:10 serial dilution of a positive control with homozygous HLA‐B*58:01 allele from 100 ng down to 1 fg. The analytical specificities of the LAMP primers were evaluated by 30 selected University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) DNA Exchange Program samples with known HLA‐B loci typings previously typed by sequencing. Both sets of LAMP primers targeting exons 2 and 3 amplified optimally at 67°C. Thermal cycler is essential in achieving a more precise and specific LAMP result. The sensitivity of the exon 2 LAMP primer set was found to be 1 pg, whereas it was 10 ng for the exon 3 primer set in a 60‐min amplification. The LAMP primers were highly specific because LAMP results were perfectly concordant to the sequencing results. The HLA‐B*58:01 LAMP assay has compatible sensitivity and specificity to routine genotyping assays, and it is potentially an alternative screening test for the detection of HLA‐B*58:01 and ultimately allopurinol‐induced hypersensitivity.
Genetic polymorphisms in innate immunity receptors do not predict the risk of bacterial and fungal infections and acute rejection after liver transplantation
Authors: de Mare‐Bredemeijer E.L.D. , Mancham S. , Utomo W.K. , de Canck I. , van Thielen M. , de Meester E. , Rossau R. , van der Laan L.J.W. , Hansen B.E. , Tilanus H.W. , Kazemier G. , Janssen H.L.A. , Metselaar H.J. , Kwekkeboom J.
Published: December 2012

Introduction

We studied the influence of a broad range of genetic variants in recipient and donor innate immunity receptors on bacterial and fungal infections and acute rejection after liver transplantation (LT).

Methods

Seventy‐six polymorphisms in TLR 1‐10, NOD2, LBP, CD14, MD2, SIGIRR, Ficolins 1, ‐2, and ‐3, MASP 1, ‐2, and ‐3, and the complement receptor C1qR1 were determined in 188 LT recipients and 135 of their donors. Associations with clinically significant infections and acute rejection were analyzed for 50 polymorphisms. Significant associations were validated in an independent cohort of 181 recipients and 167 donors.

Results

Three recipient polymorphisms and 3 donor polymorphisms were associated with infections in the identification cohort, but none of these associations were confirmed in the validation cohort. Three donor polymorphisms were associated with acute rejection in the identification cohort, but not in the validation cohort.

Conclusion

In contrast to their effect in the general population, 50 common genetic variations in innate immunity receptors do not influence susceptibility to bacterial/fungal infections after LT. In addition, no reproducible associations with acute rejection after LT were observed. Likely, transplant‐related factors play a superior role as risk factors for bacterial/fungal infections and acute rejection after LT.
Cost–utility analysis of oral deferasirox versus infusional deferoxamine in transfusion‐dependent β‐thalassemia patients
Authors: Keshtkaran Ali , Javanbakht Mehdi , Salavati Sedigheh , Mashayekhi Atefeh , Karimi Mehran , Nuri Bijan
Published: December 2012

Background

Deferasirox (DFX) is a novel iron chelator that has been shown to have similar efficacy and safety compared with deferoxamine (DFO) in patients with β‐thalassemia. The aim of this study was to determine the cost utility of DFX versus DFO in β‐thalassemia major patients from Iran's society perspective.

Study Design and Methods

A Markov model has been developed to determine lifetime cost and quality‐adjusted life‐years (QALYs) of patients. To estimate the annual cost of each method, a cross‐sectional study was conducted among two groups of patients who received DFO and DFX (n = 100 and n = 45, respectively). Also a time trade‐off method was used to estimate the utility of two strategies. Finally a one‐way and probabilistic sensitivity analysis was conducted to examine the strength of the results.

Results

Our base‐case analysis showed that estimated total lifetime costs per patient for DFX and DFO were 47,029 international dollar ($Int) and $Int143,522, respectively, while the estimated total discounted QALYs per person were 12.28 and 7.76, respectively. Calculated incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio showed that DSX is a dominant therapy and its estimated lifetime net monetary benefit was $Int273,528.

Conclusion

We conclude that the use of DFX instead of DFO represents a cost‐effective use of resources for treatment of iron overload in patients with β‐thalassemia from Iran's society perspective.
Comparison of the diagnostic quality of computed tomography images of normal ocular and orbital structures acquired with and without the use of general anesthesia in the cat
Authors: Collins Sean P. , Matheson Jodi S. , Hamor Ralph E. , Mitchell Mark A. , Labelle Amber L. , O'Brien Robert T.
Published: December 2012

Objective

To compare the diagnostic quality of computed tomography (CT) images of normal ocular and orbital structures acquired with and without the use of general anesthesia in the cat.

Animal Studied

Eleven privately owned cats with nasal disease presenting to a single referral hospital.

Procedures

All cats received a complete ophthalmic examination. A 16 multislice helicalCTsystem was utilized to acquire images of the skull and neck with and without the use of general anesthesia. Images were acquired before and after the administration of intravenous iodinated contrast. Images of normal ocular and orbital structures were evaluated via consensus by two board‐certified radiologists. Visibility of ocular and orbital structures, degree of motion, and streak artifact were assessed and scored for each image set in the transverse, dorsal, and sagittal planes.

Results

The use of general anesthesia did not significantly affect the diagnostic quality of images. No motion artifact was observed in anyCTimage. Streak artifact was significantly increased in scans performed in the transverse orientation but not in the dorsal orientation or sagittal orientation and did not affect the diagnostic quality of the images. Contrast enhancement did not significantly enhance the visibility of any ocular or orbital structures.

Conclusion

DiagnosticCTimages of normal ocular and orbital structures can be acquired without the use of general anesthesia in the cat.
Challenges to surface water quality in mid‐sized African cities: conclusions from Awetu‐Kito Rivers in Jimma, south‐west Ethiopia
Authors: Haddis Alemayehu , Getahun Tadesse , Mengistie Embialle , Jemal Amana , Smets Ilse , van der Bruggen Bart
Published: December 2012

Rapid urbanization and industrialization, uncontrolled population growth, indiscriminate waste discharge and poor infrastructure are problems that African cities are facing. This paper describes an exemplary case study from Jimma, south‐west Ethiopia. A cross‐sectional study was conducted along the Awetu‐Kito drainage system in Jimma town to assess the level of pollution from urban dwellers and related activities. The study indicates that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) norms for biochemical oxygen demand (BOD), dissolved oxygen (DO) and orthophosphates are not met downstream of the major industrial and institutional activities. Small‐scale industries, Jimma University and residential areas contributed 50, 15 and 23% pollution load on the river, respectively. It can be concluded that the pollution effect in Jimma town is mainly as a result of the growing (uncontrolled) industrial activities and not to discharge of household wastewater. Given the same trends of urbanization and population growth, similar development (socio‐economic) indicators and similar climatic conditions, the key findings for Jimma are transferable to other mid‐sized African cities.
Kinetics of the deposition step in time multiplexed deep silicon etches
Authors: Saraf Iqbal R. , Goeckner Matthew J. , Goodlin Brian E. , Kirmse Karen H. R. , Nelson Caleb T. , Overzet Lawrence J.
Published: December 2012

The time multiplexed deep silicon etch (TMDSE) process is the etch process of choice to make MEMS devices and through wafer vias. It has been used to produce deep trenches and vias at reasonable throughputs. Significant issues remain for the TMDSE process as well as room for improvement even though it has been both experimentally studied and modeled by a wide variety of researchers. This is because it is a highly complex process. Aspect ratio dependencies, selectivity, and the ability to use photoresist masks (instead of SiO2) are examples of remaining issues. The presently obtainable etch rates do not indicate efficient use of the etchant species. In this article, the authors focus on the deposition step in the TMDSE process. While prior research has generally assumed that the deposition step can be adequately modeled as being controlled by a reactive sticking coefficient, they have experimentally examined the deposition step of the process and found that the film growth is dominantly ion-enhanced. The results shown here were obtained in C4F8 plasmas but are also consistent with results found in CHF3 and C4F6 plasmas. As a result, the deposited film thickness can be larger at the bottom of a high aspect ratio feature than at the top sidewall, which is exactly the opposite of the desired profile. The very nature of the deposition mechanism leads to mask undercut at the same time as feature closing/etch stop.
Impact of variable RBE on proton fractionation
Authors: Dasu Alexandru , Toma‐Dasu Iuliana
Published: December 2012

Purpose:

To explore the impact of variable proton relative biological effectiveness (RBE) on dose fractionation for clinically relevant situations. A generic RBE = 1.1 is generally used for isoeffect calculations, while experimental studies showed that proton RBE varies with tissue type, dose, and linear energy transfer (LET).

Methods:

An analytical expression for the LET and α/β dependence of the linear‐quadratic (LQ) model has been used for proton simulations in parallel with the assumption of a generic RBE = 1.1. Calculations have been performed for ranges of LET values and fractionation sensitivities to describe clinically relevant cases, such as the treatment of head and neck and prostate tumors. Isoeffect calculations were compared with predictions from a generic RBE value and reported clinical results.

Results:

The generic RBE = 1.1 appears to be a reasonable estimate for the proton RBE of rapidly growing tissues irradiated with low LET radiation. However, the use of a variable RBE predicts larger differences for tissues with low α/β (both tumor and normal) and at low doses per fraction. In some situations these differences may appear in contrast to the findings from photon studies highlighting the importance of accurate accounting for the radiobiological effectiveness of protons. Furthermore, the use of variable RBE leads to closer predictions to clinical results.

Conclusions:

The LET dependence of the RBE has a strong impact on the predicted effectiveness of fractionated proton radiotherapy. The magnitude of the effect is modulated by the fractionation sensitivity and the fractional dose indicating the need for accurate analyses both in the target and around it. Care should therefore be employed for changing clinical fractionation patterns or when analyzing results from clinical studies for this type of radiation.
The Greening of Insurance
Authors: Mills Evan
Published: December 2012

Insurance industry trends show how market-based mechanisms support climate change mitigation and adaptation.
Is Science Mostly Driven by Ideas or by Tools?
Authors: Dyson Freeman J.
Published: December 2012

The physical sciences have alternated between revolutions driven by new ideas and explorations driven by new tools.
Tissue Distribution of Neospora caninum in Experimentally Infected Cattle
Authors: Nishimura Maki , Kohara Junko , Hiasa Jun , Muroi Yoshikage , Yokoyama Naoaki , Kida Katsuya , Xuan Xuenan , Furuoka Hidefumi , Nishikawa Yoshifumi
Published: December 2012

Histopathology and quantitative PCR (qPCR) were used to determine the tissue distribution ofNeospora caninumin calves at 80 days postinfection. Our findings revealed that the most appropriate brain areas for researchingN. caninumpathogenesis were the amygdala and hippocampus for qPCR and the corpus striatum and diencephalon for histopathology.
In VivoDifferences in the Virulence, Pathogenicity, and Induced Protective Immunity ofwboAMutants from Genetically Different Parent Brucella spp
Authors: Wang Zhen , Niu Jianrui , Wang Shuangshan , Lv Yanli , Wu Qingmin
Published: December 2012

To explore the effects of the genetic background on the characteristics ofwboAgene deletion rough mutants generated from different parentBrucellasp. strains, we constructed the rough-mutant strainsBrucella melitensis16 M-MB6,B. abortus2308-SB6,B. abortusS19-RB6, andB. melitensisNI-NB6 and evaluated their survival, pathogenicity, and induced protective immunity in mice and sheep. In mice, the survival times of the four mutants were very different in the virulence assay, from less than 6 weeks forB. abortusS19-RB6 to 11 weeks forB. abortus2308-SB6 andB. melitensisNI-NB6. However,B. abortusS19-RB6 andB. melitensis16 M-MB6, with a shorter survival time in mice, offered better protection against challenges withB. abortus2308 in protection tests thanB. abortus2308-SB6 andB. melitensisNI-NB6. It seems that the induced protective immunity of each mutant might not be associated with its survival timein vivo. In the cross-protection assay, bothB. melitensis16 M-MB6 andB. abortusS19-RB6 induced greater protection against homologous challenges than heterologous challenges. When pregnant sheep were inoculated withB. abortusS19-RB6 andB. melitensis16 M-MB6,B. abortusS19-RB6 did not induce abortion, whereasB. melitensis16 M-MB6 did. These results demonstrated the differences in virulence, pathogenicity, and protective immunityin vivoin thewboAdeletion mutants from genetically different parentBrucellaspp. and also indicated that future rough vaccine strain development could be promising if suitable parentBrucellastrains and/or genes were selected.
Host Cell Autophagy Modulates Early Stages of Adenovirus Infections in Airway Epithelial Cells
Authors: Zeng Xuehuo , Carlin Cathleen R.
Published: December 2012

Human adenoviruses typically cause mild infections in the upper or lower respiratory tract, gastrointestinal tract, or ocular epithelium. However, adenoviruses may be life-threatening in patients with impaired immunity and some serotypes cause epidemic outbreaks. Attachment to host cell receptors activates cell signaling and virus uptake by endocytosis. At present, it is unclear how vital cellular homeostatic mechanisms affect these early steps in the adenovirus life cycle. Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation pathway for recycling intracellular components that is upregulated during periods of cell stress. Autophagic cargo is sequestered in double-membrane structures called autophagosomes that fuse with endosomes to form amphisomes which then deliver their content to lysosomes. Autophagy is an important adaptive response in airway epithelial cells targeted by many common adenovirus serotypes. Using two established tissue culture models, we demonstrate here that adaptive autophagy enhances expression of the early region 1 adenovirus protein, induction of mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling, and production of new viral progeny in airway epithelial cells infected with adenovirus type 2. We have also discovered that adenovirus infections are tightly regulated by endosome maturation, a process characterized by abrupt exchange of Rab5 and Rab7 GTPases, associated with early and late endosomes, respectively. Moreover, endosome maturation appears to control a pool of early endosomes capable of fusing with autophagosomes which enhance adenovirus infection. Many viruses have evolved mechanisms to induce autophagy in order to aid their own replication. Our studies reveal a novel role for host cell autophagy that could have a significant impact on the outcome of respiratory infections.
Sequencing, Annotation, and Characterization of the Influenza Ferret Infectome
Authors: León Alberto J. , Banner David , Xu Luoling , Ran Longsi , Peng Zhiyu , Yi Kang , Chen Chao , Xu Fengping , Huang Jinrong , Zhao Zhen , Lin Zhen , Huang Stephen H. S. , Fang Yuan , Kelvin Alyson A. , Ross Ted M. , Farooqui Amber , Kelvin David J.
Published: December 2012

Ferrets have become an indispensable tool in the understanding of influenza virus virulence and pathogenesis. Furthermore, ferrets are the preferred preclinical model for influenza vaccine and therapeutic testing. Here we characterized the influenza infectome during the different stages of the infectious process in ferrets with and without prior specific immunity to influenza. RNA from lung tissue and lymph nodes from infected and naïve animals was subjected to next-generation sequencing, followed by
de novo
data assembly and annotation of the resulting sequences; this process generated a library comprising 13,202 ferret mRNAs. Gene expression profiles during pandemic H1N1 (pdmH1N1) influenza virus infection were analyzed by digital gene expression and solid support microarrays. As expected during primary infection, innate immune responses were triggered in the lung tissue; meanwhile, in the lymphoid tissue, genes encoding antigen presentation and maturation of effector cells of adaptive immunity increased dramatically. After 5 days postinfection, the innate immune gene expression was replaced by the adaptive immune response, which correlates with viral clearance. Reinfection with homologous pandemic influenza virus resulted in a diminished innate immune response, early adaptive immune gene regulation, and a reduction in clinical severity. The fully annotated ferret infectome will be a critical aid to the understanding of the molecular events that regulate disease severity and host-influenza virus interactions among seasonal, pandemic, and highly pathogenic avian influenzas.
Respiratory Syncytial Virus Modified by Deletions of the NS2 Gene and Amino Acid S1313 of the L Polymerase Protein Is a Temperature-Sensitive, Live-Attenuated Vaccine Candidate That Is Phenotypically Stable at Physiological Temperature
Authors: Luongo Cindy , Winter Christine C. , Collins Peter L. , Buchholz Ursula J.
Published: December 2012

Human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading viral cause of lower respiratory tract disease in infants and children worldwide. In previous work to develop point mutations in RSV with improved genetic stability, we observed that an attenuating mutation at amino acid position 1321 in the L polymerase protein was subject to deattenuation by a spontaneous second-site compensatory mutation at position 1313 (C. Luongo, C. C. Winter, P. L. Collins, and U. J. Buchholz, J. Virol. 86:10792–10804, 2012). In the present study, we found that deletion of position 1313 (Δ1313), irrespective of the presence of an attenuating mutation at position 1321, provided a new attenuating mutation. RSV bearing Δ1313 replicated in cell culture as efficiently as wild-type virus at 32°C, was restricted for replication at 37°C, and was restricted 50-fold and 150-fold in the upper and lower respiratory tracts, respectively, of mice. We combined the Δ1313 deletion with the previously described, attenuating NS2 gene deletion (ΔNS2) to produce the recombinant live-attenuated RSV vaccine candidate ΔNS2/Δ1313. During
in vitro
stress tests involving serial passage at incrementally increasing temperatures, a second-site compensatory mutation was detected in close proximity of Δ1313, namely, I1314T. This site was genetically and phenotypically stabilized by an I1314L substitution. Combination of I1314L with ΔNS2/Δ1313 yielded a virus, ΔNS2/Δ1313/1314L, with genetic stability at physiological temperature. This stabilized vaccine candidate was moderately temperature sensitive and had a level of restriction in chimpanzees comparable to that of MEDI-559, a promising RSV vaccine candidate that presently is in clinical trials but lacks stabilized attenuating mutations. The level of attenuation and genetic stability identify ΔNS2/Δ1313/1314L as a promising candidate for evaluation in pediatric phase I studies.
Does transition into parenthood lead to changes in mental health? Findings from three waves of a population based panel study
Authors: Mckenzie Sarah K , Carter Kristie
Published: December 2012

Background

Longitudinal studies specifically looking at the transition into parenthood and changes in mental health in the general population are scarce. This study aimed to investigate the impact of transition into parenthood on mental health and psychological distress using longitudinal survey data.

Methods

The analysis used three waves from the longitudinal Survey of Family, Income and Employment. Parenthood was classified as first time parent (first and only child <12 months at interview date), subsequent parent (child <12 months and other children in the family), existing parent (no children <12 months but other existing children in the family) and not a parent. We used fixed effects generalised linear modelling, controlling for all time-invariant and time-varying sources of confounding in a sample of 6670 adults within families.

Results

After adjusting for confounding from time-varying partner status, area deprivation, labour force status and household income, those who became first time parents reported an increase in mental health (β 1.22, 95% CI −0.06 to 2.50; mean=83.8, SD=14.1) and a decrease in psychological distress (β −0.70 95% CI −1.10 to −0.29; mean=13.4, SD=5.0). Subsequent parents reported a decrease in psychological distress (β −0.60 95% CI −0.95 to −0.24).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that a transition into parenthood for the first time leads to changes in mental health and psychological distress. Understanding the relationship between becoming a parent and mental health outcomes is important given that parental mental health is integral to effective parenting.
Geothermal exploration of Paleozoic formations in Central Alberta
Authors: Weides Simon , Moeck Inga , Majorowicz Jacek , Palombi Dan , Grobe Matthias
Published: December 2012

This study explores the distribution of Paleozoic formations in the Central Alberta Basin and investigates rock properties with regard to their usability as geothermal reservoirs. The study area of this regional-scale investigation is about 160 km × 200 km in size and located around Edmonton where the basin depth ranges between 1.8 and 3.5 km. A three-dimensional (3D) geological model was developed based on stratigraphic tops from about 7000 wells from the database of the Alberta Geological Survey (AGS). Spatial distribution and thickness of deep formations were established in the 3D geological model. Porosity and permeability of four Devonian carbonate formations — Cooking Lake, Leduc, and Nisku formations, and Wabamun Group — were investigated using data from more than 50 000 core analyses. Average porosity of the Devonian strata in the study area ranges from 4.5% (Nisku) to 8.7% (Wabamun), average permeability is between 3.5 × 10−15m2(Wabamun) and 26 × 10−15m2(Leduc). The distribution of both parameters was analyzed using geostatistical methods. Based on an average geothermal gradient and the geometry of formations from the 3D modeling study, an estimation of formation temperatures for the Paleozoic formations is presented. Temperature in the Cambrian Basal Sandstone Unit ranges from 62 °C in the shallower northeast (1.8 km) to 122 °C in the deeper southwest (3.5 km); temperature in the Devonian strata ranges from 22 to 87 °C. With these new results, potential geothermal reservoirs can be delineated in the Alberta Basin around Edmonton, enabling future detailed exploration and field development.
A BIQUADRATIC SYSTEM OF TWO ORDER ONE DIFFERENCE EQUATIONS: PERIODS, CHAOTIC BEHAVIOR OF THE ASSOCIATED DYNAMICAL SYSTEM
Authors: BASTIEN GUY , ROGALSKI MARC
Published: December 2012

We study in [Formula: see text] the biquadratic system of two order one difference equations [Formula: see text] for some values of the parameters. We show that there is an invariant function G, and so that the orbit of a point (u0, v0) in some invariant open set U is on an invariant ellipse, and that the restriction on this ellipse of the associated dynamical system is conjugated to a rotation on a circle. The equilibrium is locally stable and the solutions (un, vn) are permanent. We show also that the starting points with periodic orbit are dense in U, and that every integer p ≥ N(a, b, c) is the minimal period of a periodic solution (un, vn). Moreover, the restriction of the dynamical system to the invariant compact "annulus" {K1 ≤ G ≤ K2} has global sensitivity to initial conditions, for inf U G < K1 < K2 < sup U G. Otherwise, outside U the solutions tend to infinity. At last we prove that the possible rational periodic solutions, when a, b, c are rational, may only be two or three-periodic, and we determine exactly the triples (a, b, c) for which such rational two or three-periodic solutions exist.
MULTIPLE ATTRACTORS AND BIFURCATIONS IN HARD OSCILLATORS DRIVEN BY CONSTANT INPUTS
Authors: LANZA VALENTINA , PONTA LINDA , BONNIN MICHELE , CORINTO FERNANDO
Published: December 2012

Hard oscillators are dynamical systems that show the coexistence of qualitatively different attractors, in the form of limit cycles and equilibrium points. In the presence of external inputs their dynamic behavior is significantly different from those of oscillators, called soft, with a limit cycle as unique attractor. This paper studies the dynamics of a simple hard oscillator under the influence of a constant external input. It is shown that, despite the apparent simplicity, when the input strength and the oscillator's natural frequency are varied the system exhibits many different bifurcation phenomena, including global bifurcations as saddle-node on limit cycle and homoclinic bifurcations. The model under investigation can play a role in neuroscience, as it exhibits two different mechanisms of class I neural excitability and one mechanism for class II. It also highlights a mechanism of transition between the two classes.
GENERALIZED EXTREME VALUE DISTRIBUTION PARAMETERS AS DYNAMICAL INDICATORS OF STABILITY
Authors: FARANDA DAVIDE , LUCARINI VALERIO , TURCHETTI GIORGIO , VAIENTI SANDRO
Published: December 2012

We introduce a new dynamical indicator of stability based on the Extreme Value statistics showing that it provides an insight into the local stability properties of dynamical systems. The indicator performs faster than others based on the iteration of the tangent map since it requires only the evolution of the original systems and, in the chaotic regions, gives further information about the local information dimension of the attractor. A numerical validation of the method is presented through the analysis of the motions in the Standard map.
Sensorimotor priors in nonstationary environments
Authors: Narain Devika , van Beers Robert J. , Smeets Jeroen B. J. , Brenner Eli
Published: December 2012

In the course of its interaction with the world, the human nervous system must constantly estimate various variables in the surrounding environment. Past research indicates that environmental variables may be represented as probabilistic distributions of a priori information (priors). Priors for environmental variables that do not change much over time have been widely studied. Little is known, however, about how priors develop in environments with nonstationary statistics. We examine whether humans change their reliance on the prior based on recent changes in environmental variance. Through experimentation, we obtain an online estimate of the human sensorimotor prior (prediction) and then compare it to similar online predictions made by various nonadaptive and adaptive models. Simulations show that models that rapidly adapt to nonstationary components in the environments predict the stimuli better than models that do not take the changing statistics of the environment into consideration. We found that adaptive models best predict participants' responses in most cases. However, we find no support for the idea that this is a consequence of increased reliance on recent experience just after the occurrence of a systematic change in the environment.
Frequency and Clinical Features of Dengue Infection in a Schoolchildren Cohort from Medellin, Colombia
Authors: Restrepo Berta Nelly , Piedrahita Leidy Diana , Agudelo Ivony Yireth , Parra-Henao Gabriel , Osorio Jorge E.
Published: December 2012

To determine the incidence of dengue infection, we established active surveillance of febrile episodes in a cohort of schoolchildren from three schools in Medellin, Colombia. We followed a cohort of 2,379 schoolchildren in 2010 and followed 1,840 of these children the following year. During the follow-up time, 264 schoolchildren displayed 297 febrile episodes; of these, 23 episodes (7.7%) were caused by acute dengue infection. All four dengue serotypes were found, and all of the cases were mild. The most common symptoms in the dengue cases compared with those in other febrile illness were asthenia (96% versus 87%), anorexia (78% versus 57%), rhinorrhea (65.2% versus 58%), abdominal pain (56.5% versus 47.8%), arthralgia (43% versus 33%), and positive tourniquet test (13% versus 3%). This difference was not statistically significant. Pulse was elevated, and systolic arterial pressure was lower in dengue cases compared with other febrile illness (P<0.05). Mosquito indexes were determined in 8 children’s houses and in the schools.Aedes aegyptiadults were found in both households and in schools, whereasAedes aegyptilarvae were found only in schools. These results showed an elevated dengue frequency in children, with symptoms similar to those of other febrile illness and transmission risk in households and schools.
Flying Instability due to Organic Compounds in Hard Disk Drive
Authors: Sonoda Koji
Published: December 2012

The influence of organic compounds (OCs) on the head-disk interface (HDI) was investigated in hard disk drives. The drives were tested at high temperature to investigate the influence of gaseous OC and to confirm if the gaseous OC forms droplets on head or disk. In the experiment, errors occurred by readback signal jump and we observed the droplets on the disk after full stroke seek operation of the drive. Our results indicate that the gaseous OC condensed on the slider and caused flying instability resulting in drive failure due to slider contact with a droplet of liquid OC. Furthermore, this study shows that kinetic viscosity of OC is an important factor to cause drive failure using alkane reagents.
Seven Capital Devices for the Future of Stroke Rehabilitation
Authors: Iosa M. , Morone G. , Fusco A. , Bragoni M. , Coiro P. , Multari M. , Venturiero V. , De Angelis D. , Pratesi L. , Paolucci S.
Published: December 2012

Stroke is the leading cause of long-term disability for adults in industrialized societies. Rehabilitation’s efforts are tended to avoid long-term impairments, but, actually, the rehabilitative outcomes are still poor. Novel tools based on new technologies have been developed to improve the motor recovery. In this paper, we have taken into account seven promising technologies that can improve rehabilitation of patients with stroke in the early future: (1) robotic devices for lower and upper limb recovery, (2) brain computer interfaces, (3) noninvasive brain stimulators, (4) neuroprostheses, (5) wearable devices for quantitative human movement analysis, (6) virtual reality, and (7) tablet-pc used for neurorehabilitation.
Soluble Urokinase Plasminogen Activator Receptor Levels in Tuberculosis Patients at High Risk for Multidrug Resistance
Authors: Mardining Raras Tri Yudani , Astuti Triwahju , Noor Chozin Iin
Published: December 2012

The soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) has been shown to be a strong prognostic biomarker for tuberculosis (TB). In the present study, the profiles of plasma suPAR levels in pulmonary TB patients at high risk for multidrug resistance were analyzed and compared with those in multidrug resistant (MDR)-TB patients. Forty patients were prospectively included, consisting of 10 MDR-TB patients and 30 TB patients at high risk for MDR, underwent clinical assesment. Plasma suPAR levels were measured using ELISA (SUPARnostic, Denmark) and bacterial cultures were performed in addition to drug susceptibility tests. All patients of suspected MDR-TB group demonstrated significantly higher suPAR levels compared with the healthy TB-negative group (1.79 ng/mL). Among the three groups at high risk for MDR-TB, only the relapse group (7.87 ng/mL) demonstrated suPAR levels comparable with those of MDR-TB patients (7.67 ng/mL). suPAR levels in the two-month negative acid-fast bacilli conversion group (9.29 ng/mL) were higher than positive control, whereas levels in the group consisting of therapy failure patients (5.32 ng/mL) were lower. Our results strongly suggest that suPAR levels enable rapid screening of suspected MDR-TB patients, but cannot differentiate between groups.