bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Tale of Two Crises: Migration and Terrorism after the Paris Attacks
Authors: Nail Thomas
Published: May 2016

This paper argues that the figure of the migrant has come to be seen as a potential terrorist in the West, under the condition of a double, but completely opposed, set of crises internal to the nation‐state. The refugee crisis in Europe can no longer be understood as separate from the crisis of terrorism after the Paris attacks on 13 November 2015. In fact, the two crises were never really separate in the nationalist imaginary to begin with. The difference is that, with such a quick shift of attention between crises, we now see what was only implicit in the European response to the Syrian refugees has now become explicit in the response to the tragic attacks in Paris: that migration is understood to be a form of barbarian warfare that threatens the European Union.
Minimalist Citizenship and National Identity in the Australian Republican Movement
Authors: Veri Francesco
Published: May 2016

This article explores the way in which the Australian Republican Movement (ARM) in the 1990s considered the meaning of citizenship and national identity. We seek to demonstrate that ARM's citizenship ideal was minimalist because it largely ignored legal and normative notions of citizenship for pragmatic, political, and theoretical reasons. First, we will explore the meaning of citizenship in the Australian institutional context in order to explain the differences between the legal exclusive notion and the normative inclusive understanding of citizenship. Later, we will focus our analysis specifically on ARM's political debate during the 1990s. From this point of view, ARM only portrayed an unattractive normative vision of Australian citizenship which relied on universal civic values based on civic‐territorial and egalitarian ideas of citizenship adaptable to any political system. ARM's minimalist constitutional proposal hardly had an impact on national identity because it was not designed to harbour an inclusive normative vision of citizenship. ARM had an opportunity to advance a new conception of citizenship which would have advanced a more attractive definition of national identity. ARM's minimalist approach also negatively influenced the 1999 republican referendum outcome.
On the Nonlinearity of the Financial Ratios-Credit Ratings Relationship
Authors: Krichene Afef Feki , Khoufi Walid
Published: May 2016

In this paper, we study the specificity of financial ratios in determining credit ratings. Specifically, we examine the nonlinearity of the financial ratios-credit ratings relationship. Among financial ratios, the interest coverage and debt coverage ratios have the most pronounced effect on credit ratings. To determine the form of the nonlinearity, the interest and debt coverage ratios are divided to four sub-variables with different weights associated to each increment. We find that different coefficients are associated to different increments of the interest coverage and debt coverage ratios. An interest coverage ratio loses all significance when it is less than zero and when it exceeds 20. Similarly, a debt coverage ratio loses all significance when it less than negative one and when it exceeds one. Our results confirm the nonlinearity of the financial ratios-credit rating relationship.
Racine's Phèdre and the "Theatre of the World"
Authors: Knight Philip
Published: May 2016

Racine's Phèdre and the "Theatre of the World"
Hauptmann's The Weavers as "Social Sculpture"
Authors: Sutherland Margaret
Published: May 2016

Hauptmann's The Weavers as "Social Sculpture"
Novel germanium surface modification for sub-10 nm patterning with electron beam lithography and hydrogen silsesquioxane resist
Authors: Gangnaik Anushka S. , Georgiev Yordan M. , Collins Gillian , Holmes Justin D.
Published: May 2016

Germanium is a promising high-mobility channel material for future nanoelectronic devices. Hydrogen silsesquioxane (HSQ) is a well known high-resolution electron beam lithography (EBL) resist, which is usually developed in aqueous based developers. However, this feature of HSQ causes troubles while patterning Ge surface as it is always shielded with native Ge oxides. GeO2 is a water soluble oxide, and since HSQ resist is developed in aqueous solvents, this oxide interferes with the patterning. After the EBL exposure, GeO2 is washed off during the development, lifting the patterned structures and making the high-resolution patterning impossible. To avoid this issue, it is necessary to either clean and passivate the Ge surface or use buffer layers between the native Ge oxides and the HSQ layer. In this article, a novel technique to clean the Ge surface prior to HSQ deposition, using simple “household” acids like citric acid and acetic acid, is reported. The acids are able to remove the native Ge oxides as well as efficiently passivate the surface. The acid passivation was found to hold the HSQ sturdily to the Ge surface, even during development with the aqueous salty solvent. Using this process, Ge nanowires having widths down to 5 nm were successfully patterned on germanium-on-insulator substrates. To the best of our knowledge, these are the smallest top-down fabricated Ge nanostructures reported till date.
Characterizing spatiotemporal information loss in sparse‐sampling‐based dynamic MRI for monitoring respiration‐induced tumor motion in radiotherapy
Authors: Arai Tatsuya J. , Nofiele Joris , Madhuranthakam Ananth J. , Yuan Qing , Pedrosa Ivan , Chopra Rajiv , Sawant Amit
Published: May 2016

Purpose:

Sparse‐sampling and reconstruction techniques represent an attractive strategy to achieve faster image acquisition speeds, while maintaining adequate spatial resolution and signal‐to‐noise ratio in rapid magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The authors investigate the use of one such sequence, broad‐use linear acquisition speed‐up technique (k‐t BLAST) in monitoring tumor motion for thoracic and abdominal radiotherapy and examine the potential trade‐off between increased sparsification (to increase imaging speed) and the potential loss of “true” information due to greater reliance on a priori information.

Methods:

Lung tumor motion trajectories in the superior–inferior direction, previously recorded from ten lung cancer patients, were replayed using a motion phantom module driven by an MRI‐compatible motion platform. Eppendorf test tubes filled with water which serve as fiducial markers were placed in the phantom. The modeled rigid and deformable motions were collected in a coronal image slice using balanced fast field echo in conjunction with k‐t BLAST. Root mean square (RMS) error was used as a metric of spatial accuracy as measured trajectories were compared to input data. The loss of spatial information was characterized for progressively increasing acceleration factor from 1 to 16; the resultant sampling frequency was increased approximately from 2.5 to 19 Hz when the principal direction of the motion was set along frequency encoding direction. In addition to the phantom study, respiration‐induced tumor motions were captured from two patients (kidney tumor and lung tumor) at 13 Hz over 49 s to demonstrate the impact of high speed motion monitoring over multiple breathing cycles. For each subject, the authors compared the tumor centroid trajectory as well as the deformable motion during free breathing.

Results:

In the rigid and deformable phantom studies, the RMS error of target tracking at the acquisition speed of 19 Hz was approximately 0.3–0.4 mm, which was smaller than the reconstructed pixel resolution of 0.67 mm. In the patient study, the dynamic 2D MRI enabled the monitoring of cycle‐to‐cycle respiratory variability present in the tumor position. It was seen that the range of centroid motion as well as the area covered due to target motion during each individual respiratory cycle was underestimated compared to the entire motion range observed over multiple breathing cycles.

Conclusions:

The authors’ initial results demonstrate that sparse‐sampling‐ and reconstruction‐based dynamic MRI can be used to achieve adequate image acquisition speeds without significant information loss for the task of radiotherapy guidance. Such monitoring can yield spatial and temporal information superior to conventional offline and online motion capture methods used in thoracic and abdominal radiotherapy.
Analysis of coupled fast-shear and extensional vibrations of a LiTaO3 crystal plate with a ferroelectric inversion layer
Authors: Ma Tingfeng , Pei Jieyu , Wang Ji , Du Jianke , Zhang Chao , Huang Bin , Yuan Lili , Yu Fapeng
Published: May 2016

The resonance vibrations of LiTaO3 fast-shear overtone mode resonators with a ferroelectric inversion layer are analyzed. In addition to the fast-shear mode, the coupled extensional mode is considered. Different from most of the LiTaO3 resonators studied in the literature that are based on the slow-shear mode, the resonator in this paper operates with the fast-shear overtone mode. Results show that the capacitance ratio assumes maxima at two resonances, which are identified to be the second overtone modes of fast-shear and extension, respectively. It is found that the thickness of the inversion layer has obvious influences on the capacitance ratio of fast-shear and extensional modes. This condition may provide a simple method to adjust capacitance ratios of piezoelectric resonators. The influence mechanisms are also discussed. Besides, the effect of the cut angle of the crystal on the mode shape of vibrations is also investigated. The results can be used as important basis of parameters designs of LiTaO3 resonators operating on the fast-shear overtone mode.
Histone H3K36 mutations promote sarcomagenesis through altered histone methylation landscape
Authors: Lu Chao , Jain Siddhant U. , Hoelper Dominik , Bechet Denise , Molden Rosalynn C. , Ran Leili , Murphy Devan , Venneti Sriram , Hameed Meera , Pawel Bruce R. , Wunder Jay S. , Dickson Brendan C. , Lundgren Stefan M. , Jani Krupa S. , De Jay Nicolas , Papillon-Cavanagh Simon , Andrulis Irene L. , Sawyer Sarah L. , Grynspan David , Turcotte Robert E. , Nadaf Javad , Fahiminiyah Somayyeh , Muir Tom W. , Majewski Jacek , Thompson Craig B. , Chi Ping , Garcia Benjamin A. , Allis C. David , Jabado Nada , Lewis Peter W.
Published: May 2016

An oncohistone deranges inhibitory chromatin

Missense mutations (that change one amino acid for another) in histone H3 can produce a so-called oncohistone and are found in a number of pediatric cancers. For example, the lysine-36–to-methionine (K36M) mutation is seen in almost all chondroblastomas. Lu
et al.
show that K36M mutant histones are oncogenic, and they inhibit the normal methylation of this same residue in wild-type H3 histones. The mutant histones also interfere with the normal development of bone-related cells and the deposition of inhibitory chromatin marks.

Science
, this issue p.
844
Evidence of a Substrate-Discriminating Entrance Channel in the Lower Porter Domain of the Multidrug Resistance Efflux Pump AcrB
Authors: Schuster Sabine , Vavra Martina , Kern Winfried V.
Published: May 2016

Efflux pumps of the resistance nodulation cell division (RND) transporter family, such as AcrB of
Escherichia coli
, play an important role in the development of multidrug resistance, but the molecular basis for their substrate promiscuity is not yet completely understood. From a collection of highly clarithromycin-resistant AcrB periplasmic domain mutants derived from
in vitro
random mutagenesis, we identified variants with an unusually altered drug resistance pattern characterized by increased susceptibility to many drugs of lower molecular weight, including fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, and oxazolidinones, but unchanged or increased resistance to drugs of higher molecular weight, including macrolides. Sequencing of 14 such “divergent resistance” phenotype mutants and 15 control mutants showed that this unusual phenotype was associated with mutations at residues I38 and I671 predominantly to phenylalanine and threonine, respectively, both conferring a similar susceptibility pattern. Reconstructed I38F and I671T single mutants as well as an engineered I38F I671T double mutant with proved efflux competence revealed an equivalent phenotype with enhanced or unchanged resistance to many large AcrB substrates but increased susceptibility to several lower-molecular-weight drugs known to bind within the distal binding pocket. The two isoleucines located in close vicinity to each other in the lower porter domain of AcrB beneath the bottom of the proximal binding pocket may be part of a preferential small-drug entrance pathway that is compromised by the mutations. This finding supports recent indications of distinct entrance channels used by compounds with different physicochemical properties, of which molecular size appears to play a prominent role.
Commentary: Towards Universal Screening for Toxoplasmosis: Rapid, Cost-Effective, and Simultaneous Detection of Anti-Toxoplasma IgG, IgM, and IgA Antibodies by Use of Very Small Serum Volumes
Authors: Augustine Swinburne A. J.
Published: May 2016

Rapid, cost-effective, and early determination of the serological status of potentially infected individuals, particularly pregnant women, can be critical in preventing life-threatening infections and subsequent fetal congenital abnormalities. An article in this issue of the
Journal of Clinical Microbiology
(X. Li, C. Pomares, G. Gonfrier, B. Koh, S. Zhu, M. Gong, J. G. Montoya, and H. Dai, J Clin Microbiol 54:1726–1733, 2016,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/JCM.03371-15
) describes an innovative multiplexed immunoassay that offers a path toward universal screening.
Association between Hemagglutinin Stem-Reactive Antibodies and Influenza A/H1N1 Virus Infection during the 2009 Pandemic
Authors: Hoa Le Nguyen Minh , Mai Le Quynh , Bryant Juliet E. , Thai Pham Quang , Hang Nguyen Le Khanh , Yen Nguyen Thi Thu , Duong Tran Nhu , Thoang Dang Dinh , Horby Peter , Werheim Heiman F. L. , Fox Annette
Published: May 2016

The discovery of influenza virus broadly neutralizing (BrN) antibodies prompted efforts to develop universal vaccines. Influenza virus stem-reactive (SR) broadly neutralizing antibodies have been detected by screening antibody phage display libraries. However, studies of SR BrN antibodies in human serum, and their association with natural infection, are limited. To address this, pre- and postpandemic sera from a prospective community cohort study in Vietnam were assessed for antibodies that inhibit SR BrN monoclonal antibody (MAb) (C179) binding to H1N1 pandemic 2009 virus (H1N1pdm09). Of 270 households, 33 with at least one confirmed H1N1pdm09 illness or at least two seroconverters were included. The included households comprised 71 infected and 41 noninfected participants. Sera were tested as 2-fold dilutions between 1:5 and 1:40. Fifty percent C179 inhibition (IC
50
) titers did not exceed 10, although both IC
50
titers and percent C179 inhibition by sera diluted 1:5 or 1:10 correlated with hemagglutination inhibition (HI) and microneutralization (MN) titers (all
P
< 0.001). Thirteen (12%) participants had detectable prepandemic IC
50
titers, but only one reached a titer of 10. This proportion increased to 44% after the pandemic, when 39 participants had a titer of 10, and 67% of infected compared to 44% of noninfected had detectable IC
50
titers (
P
< 0.001). The low levels of SR antibodies in prepandemic sera were not associated with subsequent H1N1pdm09 infection (
P
= 0.241), and the higher levels induced by H1N1pdm09 infection returned to prepandemic levels within 2 years. The findings indicate that natural infection induces only low titers of SR antibodies that are not sustained.

IMPORTANCE
Universal influenza vaccines could have substantial health and economic benefits. The focus of universal vaccine research has been to induce antibodies that prevent infection by diverse influenza virus strains. These so-called broadly neutralizing antibodies are readily detected in mice and ferrets after infection with a series of distinct influenza virus strains. The 2009 H1N1 pandemic provided an opportunity to investigate whether infection with a novel strain induced broadly neutralizing antibodies in humans. We found that broadly neutralizing antibodies were induced, but levels were low and poorly maintained. This could represent an obstacle for universal vaccine development and warrants further investigation.
Pseudomembranous colitis secondary tomethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA)
Authors: Pressly Kalynn B , Hill Emilie , Shah Kairav J
Published: May 2016

A 37-year-old woman with a history of type II diabetes and Crohn's disease, status postcholecystectomy, presented with a >2-week history of cramping abdominal pain, nausea, non-bloody/non-bilious emesis and, later, diarrhoea. A flexible sigmoidoscopy was performed, revealing that ‘a segmental pseudomembrane was found from rectum to sigmoid colon’.Clostridium difficilePCR on the stool was repeated twice and resulted negative both times. A food history prior to onset of symptoms was consistent withStaphylococcalfood poisoning and a stool culture was positive for heavy growth ofmethicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureusand the absence of enteric flora. The patient was successfully treated with oral vancomycin.
ID: 109: PARKIN MEDIATES ENDOTHELIAL PRO-INFLAMMATORY RESPONSES IN ACUTE LUNG INJURY
Authors: Letsiou E , Wang H , Belvitch P , Dudek S , Sammani S
Published: May 2016

Introduction

Acute lung injury (ALI) and its more severe form, the Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS), are serious conditions resulting from direct or indirect lung injury that occur in critically ill patients and are associated with an unacceptable mortality of up to 40%. A key biological event in the pathogenesis of ALI/ARDS is the dysfunction of the lung endothelium (EC), which is triggered by a variety of inflammatory insults leading to damaged EC, vascular leak, and excessive inflammation. Recently, we demonstrated that an Abl family tyrosine kinase inhibitor, imatinib, protects against LPS-induced endothelial dysfunction by inhibiting c-Abl kinase through mechanisms that remain largely unknown. In the present study, we identified parkin, a novel c-Abl substrate, as a critical mediator of endothelial dysfunction in ALI.

Methods

In vitro Human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (EC) were transfected with siRNA for parkin and then challenged with LPS (1 µg/ml, 3 hrs). Inflammatory mediators were determined in cell lysates and supernatants by Western blotting and ELISA respectively. In vivo C57BL/6 (WT) and parkin deficient (PARK2 KO) male mice (8–12 wks, n=5–8) were subjected to LPS (intratracheally, 1 mg/kg) or PBS (controls), and allowed to recover prior to harvest 18 hrs later. Leakage of proteins into the alveolar space was assessed by measuring the protein levels in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL). To assess lung inflammation, neutrophil cell counts, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and IL-6 levels were determined in BAL.

Results

In human lung EC, down-regulation of parkin by siRNA reduces LPS-induced VCAM-1 expression (adhesion molecule involved in neutrophil adhesion to EC) (by 35%, p<0.05), IL-8 (neutrophil chemoattractant) (by 59%, p<0.01), and IL-6 (inflammatory cytokine) release (by 79%, p<0.01). PARK2 KO mice exhibit less ALI after LPS compared to WT. In PARK2 KO, BAL protein levels were reduced by 27% (p=0.0024) compared to WT mice. LPS-induced neutrophil recruitment into the alveoli of PARK2 KO was attenuated by 47% compared to WT (p=0.0019). BAL MPO activity (marker of neutrophil activation) and BAL IL-6 levels were also significantly lower in PARK2 KO by 52% (p=0.03) and 28% (p=0.0061) respectively.

Conclusion

These results suggest that endothelial parkin mediates EC activation and neutrophil adhesion/migration after LPS, and therefore it may represent a new potential therapeutic target in ALI/ARDS.
Effect of Adventitial Dissection in Brachiobasilic Arteriovenous Fistulae Opened in Children as Vascular Access for Hemodialysis on Patency and Maturation of Fistulae
Authors: Karabay Ozalp , Bak Mustafa , Silistreli Erdem , Calkavur Sebnem , Yurekli Ismail , Agin Hasan , Acikel Unal
Published: May 2016

Background

Recently, therapy of pediatric patients with chronic renal failure has been carried out using hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, or renal transplant. In this study, we prospectively investigated the role of adventitial dissection (performed on brachiobasilic arteriovenous fistulae in the antecubital area) in the patency rate, maturation, and early initiation of dialysis among pediatric cases undergoing chronic hemodialysis.

Methods

Thirty children (7 male and 23 females) were included in this study. They were operated on at the Department of Cardiovascular Surgery of Alsancak State Hospital and Dokuz Eylul University between March 2001 and June 2003. Their mean age was 12.3 ± 2.9 years (range 7-17 years), and their mean weight was 25.5 ± 7.9 kg (range 16-44 kg). Children who underwent only brachiobasilic arteriovenous fistula operation were included. Group 1 (n = 15) consisted of those who underwent adventitial dissection, and group 2 (n = 15) consisted of those not receiving the adventitial dissection procedure.

Results

The procedure was conducted by the same surgeon, and follow-up examinations were done at the Department of Pediatric Nephrology by investigators masked to treatment groups.

Conclusion

There were no significant differences in age, sex, existence of preoperative hypertension, diameter of vein measured preoperatively, and first day of dialysis between the groups. In 29 cases, a palpable thrill was noted at the operation site. Hemodialysis had been initiated after the fourth week, when the fistulae had matured. The mean duration of follow-up was 12.53 ± 8.98 months in group 1 and 11.85 ± 7.55 months in group 2 (p = .880). In group 1, one case developed fistula infection in the second month and one case developed lymphatic drainage. In group 2, one case developed early thrombosis, one case developed hematoma, and one case developed transient ischemia owing to arterial spasm in the ipsilateral limb. One case in each group developed minimal edema in the forearm, which was treated conservatively. The primary patency rate was 93.3% in both groups, whereas the secondary patency rate was 100% in group 1. Adventitial dissection performed on the vein during arteriovenous fistula formation does not result in any additional benefit with respect to fistula maturation, early initiation of dialysis, and patency. Among pediatric patients with chronic renal failure, in cases of inappropriate forearm veins, brachial arteriovenous fistulae performed with a meticulous surgical technique should be the procedure of choice because it is associated with minimal complications and a high patency rate.
Evaluating and Implementing Data and Safety Monitoring Plans
Authors: Terrin Michael L.
Published: May 2016

Data and safety monitoring plans are essential for fulfilling assurances that are given to patients enrolling in clinical trials that they will not be exposed to avoidable risks and that any information that may influence their willingness to participate in the clinical trial will be made available to them whether the clinical trial is a phase I, phase II, or phase III effort. In addition to the often explicitly detailed nomination of members of an independent data and safety monitoring board and selection of interim analysis plans for control of type I error and avoidance of conduct of a futile study, data and safety monitoring requires organization with regard to schedules for data collection, active surveillance for adverse events, with special emphasis on serious or unexpected events, and the ability to bring all information within a study and newly accruing information external to the research project together as needed for assessment of patient safety.
Journal Impact Factors Do Not Equitably Reflect Academic Staff Performance in Different Medical Subspecialties
Authors: Epstein Richard J.
Published: May 2016

Background

The simplest variables to quantify on an academic curriculum vitae are the impact factors (IFs) of journals in which articles have been published. As a result, these measures are increasingly used as part of academic staff assessment. The present study tests the hypotheses that IFs exhibit patterns that are consistent between journals of different specialties and that these IFs reflect the quality of staff academic performance.

Methods

The IFs of a sample of journals from each of four medical specialties—medicine, oncology, genetics, and public and occupational health—were downloaded from the Science Citation Index and compared. Overall and specialty-specific journal IF frequencies were analyzed with respect to distribution patterns, averages, and skew.

Results

Approximately 91% of journal IFs fell within the 0 to 5 range, with 97% being less than 10. The overall IF distribution featured a positive skew and a mean of 2.5. Separate analysis of the journal specialty subsets revealed significant differences in IF means (genetics 3.4 > oncology 3.1 > medicine 2.0 > public health 1.6; p < .006), all of which well exceeded the respective IF medians. Journals from the general medicine category exhibited both the lowest IF median (0.7) and the most positively skewed distribution.

Conclusion

The distribution of IFs exhibits degrees of skew, numeric average, and spread that differ significantly between journal specialty subsets. This suggests that factors other than random variations underlie much of the IF variation between specialty journals and reduces the plausibility of a reliable correlation between IFs and the quality of academic staff performance. It is concluded that a dominant emphasis on IFs in academic recruitment and promotion may select for long-term faculty characteristics other than academic quality alone.
A window into mid-latitudinal Early Eocene environmental variability: a high-resolution palynological analysis of the Falkland site, Okanagan Highlands, British Columbia, Canada
Authors: Moss Patrick T. , Smith Robin Y. , Greenwood David R.
Published: May 2016

A series of Eocene lake shale deposits from British Columbia, coined the Okanagan Highlands, are dated from associated volcanic ash as mostly from the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO), the longest persisting of the early Paleogene hyperthermals. In this report we focus on high-resolution palynological sampling of short sequences for the Falkland site to determine if they record centennial- or millennial-scale vegetation change during the EECO. The Falkland shales consist of alternating dark- and light-coloured irregular laminae, along with interleaved tephras from volcanic eruptions. At this site it is apparent that deposition occurred over several millennia. Pollen grains were counted under light microscopy using a standard transect method, with clustering analysis determining whether the data show any long-term trends in plant representation and abundance. Our data show that regional vegetation was impacted by millennial- to centennial-scale climatic variability, as well as the effects of volcanic eruptions. At Falkland there appears to be alterations in vegetation assemblages (birch – golden larch association to fir–spruce) that reflect longer-term (centennial to millennial) climatic transitions (warm/wet to cool/dry). Within this sequence, a period of environmental disturbance (reflected in the presence of multiple volcanic ash layers, wave ripple marks, and a fish-kill layer) has a marked impact on vegetation representation, with a dramatic increase in Abies and Picea pollen at the expense of Alnus and Betula, which do eventually recover. These results suggest mid-latitude millennial-scale climate oscillations in the waning period of the EECO of a similar magnitude to Holocene variability.
Dependency of hydromechanical properties of monzonitic granite on confining pressure and fluid pressure under compression
Authors: Wang Huanling , Xu Weiya , Lui Zaobao , Chao Zhiming , Meng Qingxiang
Published: May 2016

Monzonitic granite is a low-permeability rock. Monzonitic granite formations are ideal for underground storage of oil due to their low permeability and high mechanical strength. In this study, a series of coupled hydromechanical triaxial tests are carried out using monzonitic granite specimens. The influence of confining and fluid pressures on stress, strain, and permeability is investigated. Failure characteristics under different confining and fluid pressures are discussed based on the analysis of macro fracture planes and micro scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The test results show that the change of permeability with stress and strain reflects the deformation stages of compaction, compression, crack propagation, coalesce, and failure of cracks. Due to the low porosity, the change of permeability is small in the initial phases of compaction and compression, whereas there is a significant increase in permeability when new cracks start to develop and coalesce. Confining pressures have a significant impact on the strength and permeability, particularly the crack damage stress of the rock. Compared with confining pressure, the effect of fluid pressure on rock strength and crack damage stress is small. For the monzonitic granite specimens tested, changing the confining pressure results in different failure modes, whereas the fluid pressure has a relatively small effect on the failure modes.
Scalar waves in regular Bardeen black holes: Scattering, absorption and quasinormal modes
Authors: Macedo Caio F. B. , Crispino Luís C. B. , de Oliveira Ednilton S.
Published: May 2016

We discuss the phenomenology of massless scalar fields around a regular Bardeen black hole, namely absorption cross-section, scattering cross-section and quasinormal modes. We compare the Bardeen and Reissner–Nordström black holes, showing limiting cases for which their properties are similar.
NLRP3 inflammasome signaling is activated by low-level lysosome disruption but inhibited by extensive lysosome disruption: roles for K+ efflux and Ca2+ influx
Authors: Katsnelson Michael A. , Lozada-Soto Kristen M. , Russo Hana M. , Miller Barbara A. , Dubyak George R.
Published: May 2016

Nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich-repeat-containing family, pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) is a cytosolic protein that nucleates assembly of inflammasome signaling platforms, which facilitate caspase-1-mediated IL-1β release and other inflammatory responses in myeloid leukocytes. NLRP3 inflammasomes are assembled in response to multiple pathogen- or environmental stress-induced changes in basic cell physiology, including the destabilization of lysosome integrity and activation of K+-permeable channels/transporters in the plasma membrane (PM). However, the quantitative relationships between lysosome membrane permeabilization (LMP), induction of increased PM K+ permeability, and activation of NLRP3 signaling are incompletely characterized. We used Leu-Leu- O-methyl ester (LLME), a soluble lysosomotropic agent, to quantitatively track the kinetics and extent of LMP in relation to NLRP3 inflammasome signaling responses (ASC oligomerization, caspase-1 activation, IL-1β release) and PM cation fluxes in murine bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs). Treatment of BMDCs with submillimolar (≤1 mM) LLME induced slower and partial increases in LMP that correlated with robust NLRP3 inflammasome activation and K+ efflux. In contrast, supramillimolar (≥2 mM) LLME elicited extremely rapid and complete collapse of lysosome integrity that was correlated with suppression of inflammasome signaling. Supramillimolar LLME also induced dominant negative effects on inflammasome activation by the canonical NLRP3 agonist nigericin; this inhibition correlated with an increase in NLRP3 ubiquitination. LMP elicited rapid BMDC death by both inflammasome-dependent pyroptosis and inflammasome-independent necrosis. LMP also triggered Ca2+ influx, which attenuated LLME-stimulated NLRP3 inflammasome signaling but potentiated LLME-induced necrosis. Taken together, these studies reveal a previously unappreciated signaling network that defines the coupling between LMP, changes in PM cation fluxes, cell death, and NLRP3 inflammasome activation.
Acute ethanol effects on neural encoding of reward size and delay in the nucleus accumbens
Authors: Gutman Andrea L. , Taha Sharif A.
Published: May 2016

Acute ethanol administration can cause impulsivity, resulting in increased preference for immediately available rewards over delayed but more valuable alternatives. The manner in which reward size and delay are represented in neural firing is not fully understood, and very little is known about ethanol effects on this encoding. To address this issue, we used in vivo electrophysiology to characterize neural firing in the core of the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) in rats responding for rewards that varied in size or delay after vehicle or ethanol administration. The NAcc is a central element in the circuit that governs decision-making and importantly, promotes choice of delayed rewards. We found that NAcc firing in response to reward-predictive cues encoded anticipated reward value after vehicle administration, but ethanol administration disrupted this encoding, resulting in a loss of discrimination between immediate and delayed rewards in cue-evoked neural responses. In addition, NAcc firing occurring at the time of the operant response (lever pressing) was inversely correlated with behavioral response latency, such that increased firing rates were associated with decreased latencies to lever press. Ethanol administration selectively attenuated this lever press-evoked firing when delayed but not immediate rewards were expected. These effects on neural firing were accompanied by increased behavioral latencies to respond for delayed rewards. Our results suggest that ethanol effects on NAcc cue- and lever press-evoked encoding may contribute to ethanol-induced impulsivity.
Shared and distinct retinal input to the mouse superior colliculus and dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus
Authors: Ellis Erika M. , Gauvain Gregory , Sivyer Benjamin , Murphy Gabe J.
Published: May 2016

The mammalian retina conveys the vast majority of information about visual stimuli to two brain regions: the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) and the superior colliculus (SC). The degree to which retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) send similar or distinct information to the two areas remains unclear despite the important constraints that different patterns of RGC input place on downstream visual processing. To resolve this ambiguity, we injected a glycoprotein-deficient rabies virus coding for the expression of a fluorescent protein into the dLGN or SC; rabies virus labeled a smaller fraction of RGCs than lipophilic dyes such as DiI but, crucially, did not label RGC axons of passage. Approximately 80% of the RGCs infected by rabies virus injected into the dLGN were colabeled with DiI injected into the SC, suggesting that many dLGN-projecting RGCs also project to the SC. However, functional characterization of RGCs revealed that the SC receives input from several classes of RGCs that largely avoid the dLGN, in particular RGCs in which 1) sustained changes in light intensity elicit transient changes in firing rate and/or 2) a small range of stimulus sizes or temporal fluctuations in light intensity elicit robust activity. Taken together, our results illustrate several unexpected asymmetries in the information that the mouse retina conveys to two major downstream targets and suggest that differences in the output of dLGN and SC neurons reflect, at least in part, differences in the functional properties of RGCs that innervate the SC but not the dLGN.
Pathophysiology of affective disorders: functional interaction of stress hormones and hippocampal excitation
Authors: McGinn M. Adrienne , Pahng Amanda R.
Published: May 2016

An important new study by Kvarta, Bradbrook, Dantrassy, Bailey, and Thompson ( J Neurophysiol 114: 1713–1724, 2015) examined the effects of persistent stress and excessive glucocorticoid levels on hippocampal function and emotional behavior in rodents. The authors specifically implicate the temporoammonic pathway as being susceptible to reductions in excitatory function in the context of chronic stress. We discuss the importance of this new finding in the broader context of medication development for major depressive disorder.
Stress, Inflammation and the Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Authors: Collins Stephen M , Barbara Giovanni , Vallance Bruce
Published: May 2016

Studies in animals have shown that inflammation
of the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract is accompanied
by changes in enteric nerve and smooth muscle function, and in
gut motility and sensation. In some instances, these changes persist
long after resolution of the mucosal inflammation. Some of
these observations have been made in human studies of irritable
bowel syndrome (IBS) in patients after an enteric infection or in
patients in remission from ulcerative colitis. Stress has also been
implicated as a modulator of gastrointestinal inflammation in
both animal and human studies. In animals, stress causes a reactivation
of previous enteric inflammation and induces the attendant
physiological changes. Prior stress also enhances the response
to subsequent inflammatory stimuli. In humans, postinfectious
IBS tends to occur in patients with psychological profiles similar
to those observed in IBS patients and in whom there is a higher incidence
of stressful life events just before exposure to the infection.
Taken together, these observations link stress and
inflammation as a putative pathogenetic mechanism in at least a
subset of IBS patients.
Black Colouration of the Knee Articular Cartilage after Spontaneously Recurrent Haemarthrosis
Authors: Matsumoto Kazu , Ishimaru Daichi , Ogawa Hiroyasu , Akiyama Haruhiko
Published: May 2016

Mild discolouration of the articular cartilage is known to gradually occur during aging. However, pathological tissue pigmentation is occasionally induced under several specific conditions. In the present case, we performed total knee replacement in a patient with recurrent haemarthrosis. However, during the operation, we observed severe black colouration of the knee articular cartilage, due to the deposition of hemosiderin and lipofuscin. To our knowledge, this is the first report of severe cartilage pigmentation, due to hemosiderin and lipofuscin deposition in articular cartilage.
The Transmittance, Transmittance Wavefront, and Laser Induced Damage Properties of Thin Fluoride Polymer Films May Be Used as Short Pulse Laser Debris Shields
Authors: Chen Shufan , Huang Chuanqun , Jiang Xiaodong , Luo Xuan , Fang Yu , Wu Weidong
Published: May 2016

Debris mitigation which pollutes and even damages the optical elements is a major challenge for all high-peak-power lasers system. In order to solve the problem, we employed some preliminary research. In this work, first, the film optical properties of fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP), perfluoroalkoxy copolymer (PFA), and ethane-tetrafluoroethylene copolymer (ETFE) were investigated with respect to their possible application as laser debris shields. The results indicate that three of the polymer films have high transmittance at 355 nm, especially in FEP film, the transmittance of which at 355 nm is near to 94%. The transmittance wavefront and the laser that induce damage of FEP film were investigated further. The result indicates that the wavefront error of FEP film (with a diameter of 90 mm) is about 0.33λ. The damage test was performed by a 355 nm neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet (Nd:YAG) laser with a 9.3 ns pulse duration, and it was found that the highest nondamage fluence for FEP film is 10.35 J/cm2. Through a demonstration experiment, it was testified that the FEP film can prevent large amount of metal fractions and the FEP film can be used as the debris shields indeed.
Preeclampsia as a Risk Factor for Damage of the Cochlear Outer Hair Cells Function
Authors: Atmaja Oppy Surya , Sudarman Kartono , Surono Agus
Published: May 2016

Preeclampsia is one of the most common complications of pregnancy in the world. In Indonesia, the incidence of preeclampsia lies within 3–10% of all pregnancies every year. Preeclampsia is a multisystem disorder that causes endothelial dysfunction and vasospasm that may lead to ischemia and organ damage especially to the end organs. Cochlea serves as an end organ and is therefore vulnerable to damage under ischemic conditions. This research aimed to understand the role of preeclampsia on the destruction of cochlear outer hair cells function. Subjects were pregnant women who were hospitalized in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Ward of Sardjito Hospital. Diagnosis of preeclampsia was obtained by defining level of high blood pressure measurement and quantitative 24 hours of proteinuria. Meanwhile, cochlear outer hair cell function was measured by the distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE). The DPOAE results showed that REFER presented in 6 (10%) patients with preeclampsia and none in those without preeclampsia groups. This result demonstrated preeclampsia as one of the risk factors for impaired function of cochlear outer hair cells.
Liouville Theorem for Some Elliptic Equations with Weights and Finite Morse Indices
Authors: Wu Qiongli , Gan Liangcai , Fan Qingfeng
Published: May 2016

We establish the nonexistence of solution for the following nonlinear elliptic problem with weights:-Δu=(1+|x|α)|u|p-1uinRN, whereαis a positive parameter. Suppose that1
(N-2)(p+1)/2-NforN≥3orp>1,α>-2forN=2; we will show that this equation does not possess nontrivial bounded solution with finite Morse index.
Evaluation of Adipokines, Inflammatory Markers, and Sex Hormones in Simple and Complex Breast Cysts’ Fluid
Authors: Madej Paweł , Franik Grzegorz , Kurpas Piotr , Owczarek Aleksander , Chudek Jerzy , Olszanecka-Glinianowicz Magdalena
Published: May 2016

Objective. The aim of the study was to analyze the association between levels of adipokines in the breast cyst fluid and in the circulation in relation to the type of cysts.Material and Measurements. A cross-sectional study involved 86 women with breast cysts (42 with simple cysts and 44 with complex cysts). Plasma and breast cyst fluid leptin, adiponectin, visfatin/NAMPT, resistin, TNF-α, and IL-6 levels, in addition to serum levels of estradiol, progesterone and prolactin, and anthropometric parameters and body composition (by bioimpedance method), were measured.Results. The levels of leptin, adiponectin, and resistin were significantly lower in breast cyst fluid than in plasma regardless of the cyst type. Contrarily, the levels of visfatin/NAMPT and TNF-αwere significantly increased, and IL-6 levels were similar in the breast cyst fluid and plasma in both study groups. There was no correlation between corresponding levels of leptin, adiponectin, resistin, visfatin/NAMPT, TNF-α, and IL-6 in breast cyst fluid and plasma.Conclusions. Higher levels of visfatin/NAMPT and TNF-αin the fluid from simple and complex breast cysts than in plasma suggest that their local production is related to inflammation.
A Novel Seam Finding Method Using Downscaling and Cost for Image Stitching
Authors: Jeong Jinwook , Jun Kyungkoo
Published: May 2016

Seaming finding is an important step for creating panorama images because it smoothes away differences observed at boundaries between stitched images. We propose an improved seam finding method in which we define a cost function to measure the discrepancies that boundary pixels cause. We are also able to improve computing complexity by avoiding finding a seam over the whole area of overlapped region. Instead, we use a downscaled version of overlapped area to approximate a seam and then interpolate the seam to the original region. From experiments to generate panorama images, we compare our method with three other existing seam finding algorithms and observe that our method is able to produce better quality panorama image than the existing methods, while the processing time is comparable to those of the others.
Valorization of Wasted Black Tea as a Low-Cost Adsorbent for Nickel and Zinc Removal from Aqueous Solution
Authors: Malakahmad Amirhossein , Tan Sandee , Yavari Saba
Published: May 2016

Characteristics and efficiency of wasted black tea (WBT) were investigated as a low-cost sorbent in removal of Ni2+and Zn2+ions from aqueous solution. Initial findings showed WBT potential to be applied as an effective sorbent due to high concentrations of carbon and calcium and high porosity and availability of functional groups. Sorption dynamics were studied with varying pH, contact time, and adsorbent dose. Maximum percentages of metal ions removal were recorded at pH 5, contact time 250 min, and 20 g/L of adsorbent concentration. Binary metal sorption studies showed that Ni2+and Zn2+do not compete with each other for available sorption sites, so the adsorption trend in binary system appears similar to monocomponent metal adsorption. Evaluation of the isotherms confirmed that WBT has high value of adsorption capacity. Sorption data fitted well with both Freundlich and Langmuir models. In the optimum conditions, maximum capacity of WBT could reach up to 90.91 mg-Ni/g adsorbent and 166.67 mg-Zn/g adsorbent. This experiment demonstrated the ability of tea waste as an effective, sustainable, and low-cost adsorbent for removal of the heavy metal ions.
A Narrative Review of Diabetes Intervention Studies to Explore Diabetes Care Opportunities for Pharmacists
Authors: Ayadurai Shamala , Hattingh H. Laetitia , Tee Lisa B. G. , Md Said Siti Norlina
Published: May 2016

Background. We conducted a review of current diabetes intervention studies in type 2 diabetes and identified opportunities for pharmacists to deliver quality diabetes care.Methods. A search on randomised controlled trials (RCT) on diabetes management by healthcare professionals including pharmacists published between 2010 and 2015 was conducted.Results and Discussion. Diabetes management includes multifactorial intervention which includes seven factors as outlined in diabetes guidelines, namely, glycaemic, cholesterol and blood pressure control, medication, lifestyle, education, and cardiovascular risk factors. Most studies do not provide evidence that the intervention methods used included all seven factors with exception of three RCT which indicated HbA1c (glycated hemoglobin) reduction range of 0.5% to 1.8%. The varied HbA1C reduction suggests a lack of standardised and consistent approach to diabetes care. Furthermore, the duration of most studies was from one month to two years; therefore long term outcomes could not be established.Conclusion. Although pharmacists’ contribution towards improving clinical outcomes of diabetes patients was well documented, the methods used to deliver structured, consistent evidence-based care were not clearly stipulated. Therefore, approaches to achieving long term continuity of care are uncertain. An intervention strategy that encompass all seven evidence-based factors will be useful.
Integrated Wearable System for Monitoring Heart Rate and Step during Physical Activity
Authors: Prawiro Eka Adi Prasetyo Joko , Yeh Chun-I , Chou Nai-Kuan , Lee Ming-Wei , Lin Yuan-Hsiang
Published: May 2016

This paper integrates a heart rate (HR) monitoring system with step counter for use during physical activities. Novel step counter algorithm has been developed to enable the highly accurate detection of step. The proposed system comprises a wireless wearable device, a smartphone, and a remote server. Data transmission between a wearable device and a smartphone is conducted via Bluetooth low energy (BLE). An indirect contact measurement method has also been devised to eliminate the need for direct contact electrodes and likelihood of skin irritation. The proposed system is compact, lightweight, and comfortable to wear. A smartphone application provides the interface for the display of data related to HR, step count (SC), exercise intensity, speed, distance, and calories burned, as well as waveforms related to ECG and step cycle. ECG peak detection algorithm achieved accuracy of 99.7% using the MIT-BIH ST Change Database. Accuracy of 98.89% was achieved for HR and 98.96% for SC at treadmill speeds of 1.8 to 9.0 km/h.