bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Studies on Antimicrobial and Immunomodulatory Effects of Hot Aqueous Extract ofAcacia niloticaL. Leaves against Common Veterinary Pathogens
Authors: Sharma Arvind Kumar , Kumar Amit , Yadav Sharad Kumar , Rahal Anu
Published: April 2014

Acacia niloticais a plant species that is almost ubiquitously found in different parts of the world. Various preparations of it have been advocated in folk medicine for the treatment of tuberculosis, leprosy, smallpox, dysentery, cough, ophthalmia, toothache, skin cancer as astringent, antispasmodic, and aphrodisiac since immemorial times. The present study investigates the antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and immunomodulatory potential of hot aqueous extract (HAE) ofAcacia niloticaleaves. On dry matter basis, the filtered HAE had a good extraction ratio (33.46%) and was found to have carbohydrates, glycosides, phytosterols, phenolic compounds, saponins, and flavonoids as major constituents. HAE produced dose dependent zone of inhibition againstKlebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, E. coli, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, and Streptococcus uberisand fungal pathogensAspergillus nigerandAspergillus fumigates; however, no antiviral activity was recorded against IBR virus. HAE ofA. niloticarevealed both proliferative and inhibitory effects on the rat splenocytes and IL-10 release depending on the dose. Detailed studies involving wide spectrum of bacterial, fungal, and viral species are required to prove or know the exact status of each constituents of the plant extract.
On Blow‐Up Structures for a Generalized Periodic Nonlinearly Dispersive Wave Equation
Authors: Wang Ying , Guo Yunxi , Li Fang
Published: April 2014

The local well‐posedness for a generalized periodic nonlinearly dispersive wave equation is established. Under suitable assumptions on initial value u0, a precise blow‐up scenario and several sufficient conditions about blow‐up results to the equation are presented.
Social Contribution-Based Routing Protocol for Vehicular Network with Selfish Nodes
Authors: Gong Haigang , Yu Lingfei , Zhang Xue
Published: April 2014

Routing in vehicular network is a challenging task due to the characteristic of intermittent connectivity, especially when nodes behave selfishly in the real world. Previous works usually assume that all nodes in the network are willing to forward packets for others, which is impractical in real world. Selfish behaviors of nodes would degrade network performance greatly. In this paper, we propose SCR, a social contribution-based routing protocol, for selfish vehicular network. When making forwarding decision, SCR considers both the delivery probability to the destination and the social contributions of the relay node. The delivery probability is determined by the social relations among nodes and social contribution is used as the incentive to stimulate selfish nodes to be more cooperative, which consists of reciprocal contribution and community contribution. The node with higher delivery probability and lower social contributions is the preferred candidate for the next hop. Simulation results show that SCR achieves better performance than other social routing protocols with the incentive scheme.
Wiener-Itô Chaos Expansion of Hilbert Space Valued Random Variables
Authors: Alshanskiy M. A.
Published: April 2014

The notion of n-fold iterated Itô integral with respect to a cylindrical Hilbert space valued Wiener process is introduced and the Wiener-Itô chaos expansion is obtained for a square Bochner integrable Hilbert space valued random variable. The expansion can serve a basis for developing the Hilbert space valued analog of Malliavin calculus of variations which can then be applied to the study of stochastic differential equations in Hilbert spaces and their solutions.
Influence of Adult Knee Height, Age at First Birth, Migration, and Current Age on Adult Physical Function of Bangladeshi Mothers and Daughters in the United Kingdom and Bangladesh
Authors: Bogin Barry , Harper Diane , Merrell Joy , Chowdhury Jasmin , Heinrich Michael , Garaj Vanja , Molik Bablin , Thompson Janice L.
Published: April 2014

In the United Kingdom, Bangladeshi women have the lowest self-reported levels of physical activity and some of the highest levels of metabolic disease of all ethnic groups. To better understand these risks for poor health we employed life course and intergenerational hypotheses to predict lower body physical function in a sample of 121 Bangladeshi mothers (40–70 years old) and one of their adult daughters (17–36 years old) living in Bangladesh or in the UK. For the mothers, older age and shorter knee height predicted reduced lower body physical function. Knee height is a biomarker of nutrition and health status between birth and puberty. Age at first birth did not have a significant effect. For daughters, older age and migration to the UK predicted reduced lower body physical function. We controlled for total stature and fatness in all analyses. UK-born daughters were taller than BD-born daughters living in the UK, mostly due to differences in knee height. These new findings support previous research indicating that early life health and adequate nutritional status, along with appropriate adult physical activity and diet, may decrease risks for poor physical function, morbidity, and premature mortality.
Solving Dynamic Traveling Salesman Problem Using Dynamic Gaussian Process Regression
Authors: Akandwanaho Stephen M. , Adewumi Aderemi O. , Adebiyi Ayodele A.
Published: April 2014

This paper solves the dynamic traveling salesman problem (DTSP) using dynamic Gaussian Process Regression (DGPR) method. The problem of varying correlation tour is alleviated by the nonstationary covariance function interleaved with DGPR to generate a predictive distribution for DTSP tour. This approach is conjoined with Nearest Neighbor (NN) method and the iterated local search to track dynamic optima. Experimental results were obtained on DTSP instances. The comparisons were performed with Genetic Algorithm and Simulated Annealing. The proposed approach demonstrates superiority in finding good traveling salesman problem (TSP) tour and less computational time in nonstationary conditions.
Microstructures and Recording Mechanism of Mo/Si Bilayer Applied for Write‐Once Blue Laser Optical Recording
Authors: Ou Sin-Liang , Kao Kuo-Sheng , Chang Han-Feng , Ko Tsung-Shine , Yeh Chin-Yen
Published: April 2014

Mo/Si bilayer thin films were grown by magnetron sputtering and applied to write‐once blu‐ray disc (BD‐R). The microstructures and optical storage properties of Mo/Si bilayer were investigated. From the temperature dependence of reflectivity measurement, it was revealed that a phase change occurred in the range of 255–425°C. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that the as‐deposited film possessed Mo polycrystalline phase. The hexagonal MoSi2 and cubic Mo3Si phases appeared after annealing at 300 and 450°C, respectively. By measuring the optical reflectivity at a wavelength of 405 nm, the optical contrast of Mo/Si bilayer between as‐deposited and 450°C‐annealed states was evaluated to 25.8%. The optimum jitter value of 6.8% was obtained at 10.65 mW for 4× recording speed. The dynamic tests show that the Mo/Si bilayer has high potential in BD‐R applications.
Fatigue Crack Behavior of Stainless Steel 304 by the Addition of Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Syed Rizwanulhaque , Jiang Wei
Published: April 2014

Fatigue is the main source of almost half of whole mechanical failures. This research investigated the effect on cyclic fatigue behavior of stainless steel 304 (SS304) when including carbon nanotubes (CNTs) at the crack tip. The cyclic fatigue tests were conducted on compact tension (CT) specimens to establish the relationship between crack growth and the number of cycles (a‐N). It is found that the incorporation of a small amount of CNTs increased the fatigue life of the SS304/metal. Micrographs showed that the enhancement in fatigue life is caused by CNTs dense arrangement around the crack tip, entangled with each other, and finer grain size. Smooth bonding at the interface of the CNTs and SS304 grains is also observed.
Improvement in Hemodynamic Responses to Metaboreflex Activation after One Year of Training in Spinal Cord Injured Humans
Authors: Milia Raffaele , Roberto Silvana , Marongiu Elisabetta , Olla Sergio , Sanna Irene , Angius Luca , Bassareo Pierpaolo , Pinna Marco , Tocco Filippo , Concu Alberto , Crisafulli Antonio
Published: April 2014

Spinal cord injured (SCI) individuals show an altered hemodynamic response to metaboreflex activation due to a reduced capacity to vasoconstrict the venous and arterial vessels below the level of the lesion. Exercise training was found to enhance circulating catecholamines and to improve cardiac preload and venous tone in response to exercise in SCI subjects. Therefore, training would result in enhanced diastolic function and capacity to vasoconstrict circulation. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that one year of training improves hemodynamic response to metaboreflex activation in these subjects. Nine SCI individuals were enrolled and underwent a metaboreflex activation test at the beginning of the study (T0) and after one year of training (T1). Hemodynamics were assessed by impedance cardiography and echocardiography at both T0 and T1. Results show that there was an increment in cardiac output response due to metaboreflex activity at T1 as compared to T0 (545.4±683.9 mL·min−1versus220.5±745.4 mL·min−1,P<0.05). Moreover, ventricular filling rate response was higher at T1 than at T0. Similarly, end-diastolic volume response was increased after training. We concluded that a period of training can successfully improve hemodynamic response to muscle metaboreflex activation in SCI subjects.
Saturable Absorption and Modulation Characteristics of Laser with Graphene Oxide Spin Coated on ITO Substrate
Authors: Li Xin , Zhang Haikun , Wang Peiji , Li Guiqiu , Zhao Shengzhi , Wang Jing , Chen Lijuan
Published: April 2014

The graphene oxide (GO) thin film has been obtained by mixture of GO spin coated on substrate of indium tin oxide (ITO). The experiment has shown that continuous‐wave laser is modulated when the graphene oxide saturable absorber (GO‐SA) is employed in the 1064 nm laser cavity. The shortest pulse width is 108 ns at the pump power of 5.04 W. Other output laser characteristics, such as the threshold pump power, the repetition rate, and the peak power, have also been measured. The results have demonstrated that graphene oxide is an available saturable absorber for 1064 nm passive Q‐switching laser.
Meromorphic Parabolic Starlike Functions Associated with q-Hypergeometric Series
Authors: Murugusundaramoorthy G. , Janani T.
Published: April 2014

We introduce a new class of meromorphic parabolic starlike functions with a fixed point defined in the punctured unit disk Δ*≔z∈ℂ:0<z<1 involving the q-hypergeometric functions. We obtained coefficient inequalities, growth and distortion inequalities, and closure results for functions f∈ℳmlλ,β,γ. We further established some results concerning convolution and the partial sums.
An Approach to Segmenting Initial Object Movement in Visual Sensor Networks
Authors: Jang Seok-Woo , Cha Si-Ho
Published: April 2014

This paper suggests a new method to extract the initial movement of moving objects in digital image data obtained in visual sensor networks. First, consecutive images are received as input. Then, the frames are partitioned into nonoverlapping square blocks of pixels, and finally, the block-based motion vectors, which represent the movement information between two adjacent frames, are extracted from the received images using a block-matching algorithm. The extracted motion vectors are subsequently applied to an outlier-elimination algorithm called robust estimation to discriminate between the background motion vectors and those of noise or moving objects. The motion vectors corresponding to the noise or objects are clustered with an unsupervised clustering algorithm to segment the individual moving objects. Experimental results prove that the proposed method can effectively detect the initial movement of objects in various indoor and outdoor environments.
Molecular Imprinting for High-Added Value Metals: An Overview of Recent Environmental Applications
Authors: Kyzas George Z. , Bikiaris Dimitrios N.
Published: April 2014

One of the most hot topics of recent research is the reuse of some compounds existing as pollutants in environment. These compounds (molecules, ions, complexes, etc.) are of high-added value and it will be ideal to selectively bind them with any environmental application and reuse them in their initial or modified form. The latter can be achieved using molecular imprinting. In the present review article, an overview of the recent attempts for the selective binding of some precious metals (i.e., gold, silver, and platinum) of high-added value is done using molecular imprinted polymers (MIPs) as materials. The simplicity of their use, their relatively low cost, and the broad range of possible guest molecules (small organic molecules, ions, metals, and also biological macromolecules) have since led to the important development of molecular imprinting.
Off‐Line Robust Constrained MPC for Linear Time‐Varying Systems with Persistent Disturbances
Authors: Bumroongsri P. , Kheawhom S.
Published: April 2014

An off‐line robust constrained model predictive control (MPC) algorithm for linear time‐varying (LTV) systems is developed. A novel feature is the fact that both model uncertainty and bounded additive disturbance are explicitly taken into account in the off‐line formulation of MPC. In order to reduce the on‐line computational burdens, a sequence of explicit control laws corresponding to a sequence of positively invariant sets is computed off‐line. At each sampling time, the smallest positively invariant set containing the measured state is determined and the corresponding control law is implemented in the process. The proposed MPC algorithm can guarantee robust stability while ensuring the satisfaction of input and output constraints. The effectiveness of the proposed MPC algorithm is illustrated by two examples.
Oncology Drug Discovery: Planning a Turnaround
Authors: Toniatti Carlo , Jones Philip , Graham Hilary , Pagliara Bruno , Draetta Giulio
Published: April 2014

We have made remarkable progress in our understanding of the pathophysiology of cancer. This improved understanding has resulted in increasingly effective targeted therapies that are better tolerated than conventional cytotoxic agents and even curative in some patients. Unfortunately, the success rate of drug approval has been limited, and therapeutic improvements have been marginal, with too few exceptions. In this article, we review the current approach to oncology drug discovery and development, identify areas in need of improvement, and propose strategies to improve patient outcomes. We also suggest future directions that may improve the quality of preclinical and early clinical drug evaluation, which could lead to higher approval rates of anticancer drugs. Cancer Discov; 4(4); 397–404. ©2014 AACR.
Added Value of Angiogenic Factors for the Prediction of Early and Late Preeclampsia in the First Trimester of Pregnancy
Authors: Crovetto Francesca , Figueras Francesc , Triunfo Stefania , Crispi Fatima , Rodriguez-Sureda Victor , Peguero Anna , Dominguez Carmen , Gratacos Eduard
Published: April 2014

Objective: To explore the predictive role of angiogenic factors for the prediction of early and late preeclampsia (PE) in the first trimester. Methods: A nested case-control study, within a cohort of 5,759 pregnancies, including 28 cases of early, 84 of late PE (cut-off 34 weeks) and 84 controls. Maternal characteristics, mean blood pressure (MAP), uterine artery (UtA) Doppler (11-13 weeks), vascular endothelial growth factor, placental growth factor (PlGF), soluble Fms-like tyrosine kinase-1 (sFlt-1) and soluble endoglin (8-11 weeks) were measured/recorded. All parameters were normalized by logarithmic transformation; logistic regression analysis was used to predict PE. Results: For early PE, significant contributions were chronic hypertension, previous PE, MAP, UtA Doppler, PlGF and sFlt-1. A model including these predictors achieved detection rates (DR) of 77.8 and 88.9% for 5 and 10% false-positive rates (FPR), respectively (AUC 0.958; 95% CI 0.920-0.996). For late PE, significant contributions were provided by body mass index, previous PE, UtA Doppler, PlGF and sFlt-1. The model including these factors achieved DR of 51.2 and 69% at 5 and 10% FPR, respectively (AUC 0.888; 95% CI 0.840-0.936). Conclusions: Among angiogenic factors, not only PlGF but also sFlt-1 substantially improve the prediction for early and late PE. The data need confirmation in larger studies.
Pelvic Inflammatory Disease: A Retrospective Clinical Analysis of 1,922 Cases in North China
Authors: Zhao Wei-Hong , Hao Min
Published: April 2014

Purpose: To identify the cause of pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) in Shanxi, North China. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 1,922 women with PID who underwent laparoscopy for infertility. Results: 1,922 cases (42.3%) of PID were detected in 4,540 cases of infertility, wherein the incidence rates of nonspecific PID and female genital tuberculosis (FGTB) were 57.9 and 42.1%, respectively. From 1985 to 1995, FGTB (25.1%) was the first reason for infertility, while from 1996 to 2006, nonspecific PID (33.9%) emerged as the most common cause of infertility. Further, FGTB (74.7%) was the major factor causing occluded fallopian tubes, followed by nonspecific PID (61.1%), and the damage of the former was more serious than the latter. Conclusions: PID is the main cause of tubal infertility, but the etiology of PID has changed from FGTB to nonspecific PID in the last 10 years in Shanxi.
Variable Clinical Phenotypes in a Family with Homozygous c.1159G>A Mutation in the Thyroid Peroxidase Gene
Authors: Lee Ching Chin , Harun Fatimah , Jalaludin Muhammad Yazid , Heh Choon Han , Othman Rozana , Kang In Nee , Mat Junit Sarni
Published: April 2014

Background: Defects in the thyroid peroxidase (TPO) gene have been associated with goitrous congenital hypothyroidism (CH). Case Report: In this study, we report 3 siblings possessing a homozygous mutation, c.1159G>A, but exhibiting different clinical phenotypes in a Malaysian-Malay family. The index patient was diagnosed with CH during a routine neonatal screening but the other 2 siblings appeared to be asymptomatic until the ages of 19 and 12.5, respectively, when they started to develop goiter. Results and Conclusion: The mutation was predicted to interrupt the correct splicing of pre-mRNA and also lead to structural alterations in the functional sites of the mutant TPO. The current results suggest the association of goiter development with a homozygous c.1159G>A mutation, but the CH in the index patient could be triggered by other genetic and epigenetic factors distinct from the c.1159G>A mutation.
Are Changes in Circulating Tumor Cell (CTC) Count Associated with the Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in Local Advanced Breast Cancer? A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Fei Fei , Du Yueyao , Di Genhong , Wu Jiong , Shao Zhiming
Published: April 2014

Introduction: Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) represent a biomarker for tumor progression and monitoring therapeutic effects. We evaluated the association between the changes in CTC count and the pathological response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) for local advanced breast cancer (LABC) patients. Methods: PubMed, EBSCO, Web of Science, conference proceedings and key trials for the period 1998-2012 were searched. We used the hazard ratio (HR) to evaluate the variation in the number of CTCs to predict the response to NCT in LABC patients. All data from each study were investigated using either fixed- or random-effect models and were analyzed using Stata software. Results: There was no between-study heterogeneity in pathological complete response (pCR) (heterogeneity chi-squared = 0.02 (df = 1), I2 = 0.0%, p = 0.877). Our meta-analysis showed that the change (decrease or increase) in CTC number in LABC patients during NCT was not correlated with pCR (HR = 0.918, 95% confidence interval 0.650-1.295; p = 0.877). Conclusion: The results of the current meta-analysis indicate that there is no association between the decrease of CTC number and pCR after NCT. According to our results, a decrease in the CTC count after NCT in LABC patients did not indicate that they had an improved response to NCT. However, more randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm this conclusion.
25-Hydroxyvitamin D and Parathyroid Hormone Levels Do Not Predict Changes in Carotid Arterial Stiffness
Authors: Gepner Adam D. , Colangelo Laura A. , Blondon Marc , Korcarz Claudia E. , de Boer Ian H. , Kestenbaum Bryan , Siscovick David S. , Kaufman Joel D. , Liu Kiang , Stein James H.
Published: April 2014

Objective—

To evaluate the impact of vitamin D and parathyroid hormone (PTH) on longitudinal changes in arterial stiffness.

Approach and Results—

Distensibility coefficient and Young’s elastic modulus of the right common carotid artery were evaluated at baseline and after a mean (SD) of 9.4 (0.5) years in 2580 Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) participants. Cross-sectional and longitudinal associations were evaluated using multivariable linear regression and analysis of covariance. At baseline, participants were 60.1 (9.4) years old (54% female; 26% black, 20% Hispanic, 14% Chinese). Mean annualized 25(OH)D was <20 ng/dL in 816 participants, and PTH was >65 pg/dL in 285 participants. In cross-sectional analyses, low 25(OH)D (<20 ng/mL) was not associated with stiffer arteries after adjustment for cardiovascular disease risk factors (
P
>0.4). PTH >65 pg/mL was associated with stiffer arteries after adjustment for cardiovascular disease risk factors, other than systolic blood pressure (distensibility coefficient: β=−2.4×10
−4
mm Hg
−1
,
P
=0.003; Young’s elastic modulus: β=166 mm Hg,
P
=0.01); however, after adjustment for systolic blood pressure, these associations no longer were statistically significant. Longitudinal arterial stiffening was associated with older age (
P
<0.0001), higher systolic blood pressure (
P
<0.008), and use of antihypertensive medications (
P
<0.006), but not with 25(OH)D or PTH (both
P
>0.1).

Conclusions—

Carotid arterial stiffness is not associated with low 25(OH)D concentrations. Cross-sectional associations between arterial stiffness and high PTH were attenuated by systolic blood pressure. After nearly a decade of follow-up, neither baseline PTH nor 25(OH)D concentrations were associated with progression of carotid arterial stiffness.
Noninvasive Evaluation of Coronary Collateral Arterial Flow by Coronary Computed Tomographic Angiography
Authors: Choi Jin-Ho , Kim Eun Kyoung , Kim Sung Mok , Song Young Bin , Hahn Joo-Yong , Choi Seung Hyuk , Gwon Hyeon-Cheol , Lee Sang Hoon , Choe Yeon Hyeon , Oh Jae K.
Published: April 2014

Background—

Coronary collateral flow is an alternative source of myocardial perfusion in patients with totally occluded coronary arteries. Clinical evaluation of collateral flow has been limited by the need of invasive measurements. We investigated whether noninvasive coronary computed tomographic angiography can evaluate the angiographic extent of coronary collateral flow.

Methods and Results—

We enrolled 325 coronary computed tomographic angiography cases with angiographically confirmed chronic total occlusion (median age, 63 years; men 83%). Transluminal attenuation gradient (TAG), which reflects the kinetics of contrast media in coronary artery, of an entire artery as well as of a distal vessel was assessed to evaluate the flow in entire vessel and distal vessel. TAGs were validated against visually assessed angiographic collateral connection and Rentrop grading. TAG of an entire artery increased consistently according to the angiographic extent of collateral flow (
P
<0.001). Well-developed collaterals, defined by highest collateral connection and Rentrop grades (n=103), could be predicted by TAG of an entire artery (cutoff, ≥−7.6 Hounsfield units/10 mm;
c
-statistics, 0.72; sensitivity, 65%; specificity, 73%; positive predictive value, 52%; negative predictive value, 82%). TAG of a distal vessel could discriminate the antegrade (n=143) and retrograde (n=182) flows in distal artery (cutoff, 0.0 Hounsfield unit/10 mm;
c
-statistics, 0.88; sensitivity, 78%; specificity, 85%; positive predictive value, 87%; negative predictive value, 75%).

Conclusions—

TAG, an intracoronary attenuation-based analysis of coronary computed tomographic angiography, moderately reflected the functional extent and direction of collateral flow.
The Cortex-based Alignment Approach to TMS Coil Positioning
Authors: Duecker Felix , Frost Martin A. , de Graaf Tom A. , Graewe Britta , Jacobs Christianne , Goebel Rainer , Sack Alexander T.
Published: April 2014

TMS allows noninvasive manipulation of brain activity in healthy participants and patients. The effectiveness of TMS experiments critically depends on precise TMS coil positioning, which is best for most brain areas when a frameless stereotactic system is used to target activation foci based on individual fMRI data. From a purely scientific perspective, individual fMRI-guided TMS is thus the method of choice to ensure optimal TMS efficiency. Yet, from a more practical perspective, such individual functional data are not always available, and therefore alternative TMS coil positioning approaches are often applied, for example, based on functional group data reported in Talairach coordinates. We here propose a novel method for TMS coil positioning that is based on functional group data, yet only requires individual anatomical data. We used cortex-based alignment (CBA) to transform individual anatomical data to an atlas brain that includes probabilistic group maps of two functional regions (FEF and hMT+/V5). Then, these functional group maps were back-transformed to the individual brain anatomy, preserving functional–anatomical correspondence. As a proof of principle, the resulting CBA-based functional targets in individual brain space were compared with individual FEF and hMT+/V5 hotspots as conventionally localized with individual fMRI data and with targets based on Talairach coordinates as commonly done in TMS research in case only individual anatomical data are available. The CBA-based approach significantly improved localization of functional brain areas compared with traditional Talairach-based targeting. Given the widespread availability of CBA schemes and preexisting functional group data, the proposed procedure is easy to implement and at no additional measurement costs. However, the accuracy of individual fMRI-guided TMS remains unparalleled, and the CBA-based approach should only be the method of choice when individual functional data cannot be obtained or experimental factors argue against it.
The Role of the Right Superior Parietal Lobule in Processing Visual Context for the Establishment of the Egocentric Reference Frame
Authors: Lester Benjamin D. , Dassonville Paul
Published: April 2014

Visual cues contribute to the creation of an observer's egocentric reference frame, within which the locations and orientations of objects can be judged. However, these cues can also be misleading. In the rod-and-frame illusion, for example, a large tilted frame distorts the observer's sense of vertical, causing an enclosed rod to appear tilted in the opposite direction. To determine the brain region responsible for processing these spatial cues, we used TMS to suppress neural activity in the superior parietal lobule of healthy observers. Stimulation of the right hemisphere, but not the left, caused a significant reduction in rod-and-frame susceptibility. In contrast, a tilt illusion caused by a mechanism that does not involve a distortion of the observer's egocentric reference frame was unaffected. These results demonstrate that the right superior parietal lobule is actively involved in processing the contextual cues that contribute to our perception of egocentric space.
Dynamics of Alpha Control: Preparatory Suppression of Posterior Alpha Oscillations by Frontal Modulators Revealed with Combined EEG and Event-related Optical Signal
Authors: Mathewson Kyle E. , Beck Diane M. , Ro Tony , Maclin Edward L. , Low Kathy A. , Fabiani Monica , Gratton Gabriele
Published: April 2014

We investigated the dynamics of brain processes facilitating conscious experience of external stimuli. Previously, we proposed that alpha (8–12 Hz) oscillations, which fluctuate with both sustained and directed attention, represent a pulsed inhibition of ongoing sensory brain activity. Here we tested the prediction that inhibitory alpha oscillations in visual cortex are modulated by top–down signals from frontoparietal attention networks. We measured modulations in phase-coherent alpha oscillations from superficial frontal, parietal, and occipital cortices using the event-related optical signal (EROS), a measure of neuronal activity affording high spatiotemporal resolution, along with concurrently recorded EEG, while participants performed a visual target detection task. The pretarget alpha oscillations measured with EEG and EROS from posterior areas were larger for subsequently undetected targets, supporting alpha's inhibitory role. Using EROS, we localized brain correlates of these awareness-related alpha oscillations measured at the scalp to the cuneus and precuneus. Crucially, EROS alpha suppression correlated with posterior EEG alpha power across participants. Sorting the EROS data based on EEG alpha power quartiles to investigate alpha modulators revealed that suppression of posterior alpha was preceded by increased activity in regions of the dorsal attention network and decreased activity in regions of the cingulo-opercular network. Cross-correlations revealed the temporal dynamics of activity within these preparatory networks before posterior alpha modulation. The novel combination of EEG and EROS afforded localization of the sources and correlates of alpha oscillations and their temporal relationships, supporting our proposal that top–down control from attention networks modulates both posterior alpha and awareness of visual stimuli.
An Integrated Face–Body Representation in the Fusiform Gyrus but Not the Lateral Occipital Cortex
Authors: Bernstein Michal , Oron Jonathan , Sadeh Boaz , Yovel Galit
Published: April 2014

Faces and bodies are processed by distinct category-selective brain areas. Neuroimaging studies have so far presented isolated faces and headless bodies, and therefore little is known on whether and where faces and headless bodies are grouped together to one object, as they appear in the real world. The current study examined whether a face presented above a body are represented as two separate images or as an integrated face–body representation in face and body-selective brain areas by employing a fMRI competition paradigm. This paradigm has been shown to reveal higher fMRI response to sequential than simultaneous presentation of multiple stimuli (i.e., the competition effect), indicating competitive interactions among simultaneously presented multiple stimuli. We therefore hypothesized that if a face above a body is integrated to an image of a person whereas a body above a face is represented as two separate objects, the competition effect will be larger for the latter than the former. Consistent with our hypothesis, our findings reveal a competition effect when a body is presented above a face, but not when a face is presented above a body, suggesting that a body above a face is represented as two separate objects whereas a face above a body is represented as an integrated image of a person. Interestingly, this integration of a face and a body to an image of a person was found in the fusiform, but not the lateral-occipital face and body areas. We conclude that faces and bodies are processed separately at early stages and are integrated to a unified image of a person at mid-level stages of object processing.
Developmental Trajectory of Face Processing Revealed by Integrative Dynamics
Authors: Mišić Bratislav , Mills Travis , Vakorin Vasily A. , Taylor Margot J. , McIntosh Anthony R.
Published: April 2014

Given their unique connectivity, a primary function of brain networks must be to transfer and integrate information. Therefore, the way in which information is integrated by individual nodes of the network may be an informative aspect of cognitive processing. Here we present a method inspired by telecommunications research that utilizes time–frequency fluctuations of neural activity to infer how information is integrated by individual nodes of the network. We use a queueing theoretical model to interpret empirical data in terms of information processing and integration. In particular, we demonstrate, in participants aged from 6 to 41 years, that the well-known face inversion phenomenon may be explained in terms of information integration. Our model suggests that inverted faces may be associated with shorter and more frequent neural integrative stages, indicating fractured processing and consistent with the notion that inverted faces are perceived by parts. Conversely, our model suggests that upright faces may be associated with a smaller number of sustained episodes of integration, indicating more involved processing, akin to holistic and configural processing. These differences in how upright and inverted faces are processed became more pronounced during development, indicating a gradual specialization for face perception. These effects were robustly expressed in the right fusiform gyrus (all groups), as well as right parahippocampal gyrus (children and adolescents only) and left inferior temporal cortex (adults only).
Gastrochilus kadooriei (Orchidaceae), a new species from Hong Kong, with notes on allied taxa in section Microphyllae found in the region.
Authors: Kumar Pankaj , Gale Stephan W. , Kocyan Alexander , Fischer Gunter A. , Averyanov Leonid , Borosova Renata , Bhattacharjee Avishek , Li Ji-Hong , Pang Kuen Shum
Published: April 2014

A new species, Gastrochilus kadooriei, is described from Hong Kong. Notes are presented on its distribution, ecology and conservation status, and its distinguishing features are compared with those of allied taxa. Gastrochilus jeitouensis is reduced to the synonymy of G. distichus, and a lectotype is assigned for G. pseudodistichus. Gastrochilus fuscopunctatus is reinstated as an accepted species. Dichotomous keys to this taxonomically difficult group of morphologically similar species are presented.
A new Andean species of Philodryas (Dipsadidae, Xenodontinae) from Ecuador
Authors: Zaher Hussam , Arredondo Juan C. , Valencia Jorge H. , Arbeláez Ernesto , Rodrigues Miguel T. , Altamirano-Benavides Marco
Published: April 2014

We describe a new species of Philodryas from the highlands of southern Ecuador. The new species is distinguished from all known species of Philodryas by a unique combination of coloration, scalation, and hemipenial characters. The new species resembles Philodryas simonsii in color pattern. However, they differ notoriously by their hemipenial morphology. The three other trans-Andean members of the genus (Philodryas simonsii, Philodryas chamissonis, and Philodryas tachymenoides), along with the new species, compose a probably monophyletic group that may be characterized by the presence of ungrooved postdiastemal teeth in the maxilla. Unlike most species of the genus Philodryas, the new species shows a restricted distribution, being apparently endemic to a small region of high-altitude (3150–4450m) grasslands in the southern Andes of Ecuador.
Description of Helicotylenchus persiaensis sp. n. (Nematoda: Hoplolaimidae) from Iran
Authors: KASHI LEILA , KAREGAR AKBAR
Published: April 2014

In order to identify the species of Helicotylenchus Steiner, 1945 present in Iran, 497 soil and root samples were collected from the rhizosphere of different plants and localities throughout the country during 2009-2010. A new and several known species of Helicotylenchus were identified from the collected material. H. persiaensis sp. n. is characterized by its short tail (8-11 µm , c = 54.2–79.0, c′ = 0.6–1.2), usually with smooth terminus or with 1–3 very coarse annules, rarely with minor ventral, dorsal or lateral projection, conical and truncate head with 4–5 distinct annules, stylet 22–26 µm long with anteriorly flattened knobs, relatively short body length (570–730 µm) and absence of males. This species was collected from the rhizosphere of zelkova (Zelkova carpinifolia) and maple (Acer sp.) forest trees in Golestan province, northern Iran. Also observed were H. abunaamai Siddiqi, 1972, with a small ventral projection at the tail terminus, and H. crenacauda Sher, 1966, with long projection and indented terminus, collected from sugarcane (Haft-Tapeh, Khuzestan province) and rice rhizosphere (Chabok-Sar, Gilan province), respectively. This is the first report of H. abunaamai from Iran. New data on H. crenacauda are provided.
„O czym nie można mówić, o tym trzeba milczeć”? – obszary językowo tabuizowane w tekstach prasowych z okresu żałoby narodowej po śmierci Józefa Piłsudskiego
Authors: Rogalska Marta
Published: April 2014

“Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent” – areas tabooed linguistically in press texts during the national days of mourning after Józef Piłsudski’s deathThis article discusses issues concerning press text taboo during the national days of mourning after Józef Piłsudski’s death. The source of the material are texts printed in the daily press dated 13.05-19.05.1935. The article discusses both taboo on the formal plane (euphemisms of death and its various aspects), and taboo on a semantic plane (taboo subjects), as well as relationship between taboo and censorship (individual and institutional/public). Its aim is to collect and to analyse euphemisms connected with mourning in the press discourse in the 1930s, especially euphemisms of lexemes: corpse and death. The article discusses also the rhetorical function of taboo subjects defined in connection with Marshal Piłsudski’s death. „O czym nie można mówić, o tym trzeba milczeć”? – obszary językowo tabuizowane w tekstach prasowych z okresu żałoby narodowej po śmierci Józefa PiłsudskiegoArtykuł omawia zagadnienie tabu w czasie żałoby narodowej po śmierci Józefa Piłsudskiego. Materiał stanowią teksty prasowe drukowane na łamach dzienników (zróżnicowanych światopoglądowo) w dniach 13.05.1935-19.05.1935 r. Omówione zostaje zarówno tabu w planie wyrażania (eufemizmy śmierci i obszarów z nią związanych), jak i tabu w planie treści (tematy tabu), a także relacje między tabu i cenzurą (wewnętrzną i zewnętrzną). Celem artykułu jest zebranie i analiza eufemizmów związanych z żałobą, szczególnie eufemizmów leksemów trup i śmierć, w dyskursie publicystycznym lat 30. XX w. oraz omówienie retorycznych funkcji tematów tabu wyznaczanych w związku ze śmiercią marszałka Piłsudskiego.
Sprawozdanie z konferencji Polyslav XVII (Kijów 11–14 września 2013 roku)
Authors: Jankowiak Mirosław
Published: April 2014

Report of the conference Polyslav XVII (Kiev, 11–14 September 2013)The paper is a conference report. Young Slavists meet each other every year at the Polyslav conference. The previous meeting took place in Kiev and was organized by the Institute of Philology of the Taras Shevchenko National University in Kiev (Department of the Modern Ukrainian Language). Young linguists from 11 countries presented 68 reports associated with Slavic languages. The reports were related to almost all areas of linguistics. Sprawozdanie z konferencji Polyslav XVII (Kijów 11–14 września 2013 roku)Tekst jest sprawozdaniem z konferencji. Młodzi slawiści co roku spotykają się na konferencji Polyslav. Ostatnia z nich została zorganizowana przez Instytut Filologii Państwowego Uniwersytetu Kijowskiego im. Tarasa Szewczenki (Katedra Współczesnego Języka Ukraińskiego) w Kijowie. Młodzi slawiści z 11 krajów zaprezentowali 68 referatów opisujących języki słowiańskie. Referaty dotyczyły prawie wszystkich dziedzin językoznawstwa.
On the Calculation and Correction of Equitable Threat Score for Model Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts for Small Verification Areas: The Example of Taiwan
Authors: Wang Chung-Chieh
Published: April 2014

As one of the most widely used skill scores for model quantitative precipitation forecast (QPF) verification and evaluation, the equitable threat score ETS differs from the threat score TS in that the random hits R are removed from its calculation. In practice, however, when applied to a set of verification points confined to small areas, the random assumption often becomes increasingly questionable or even invalid in larger events. As a result, the random hits are overestimated and the ETS becomes biased and not indicative of model skills. In this paper, such an issue is explored and demonstrated through the example of Taiwan with steep topography from Typhoon Morakot (2009) and mei-yu heavy-rainfall cases. It is found that the ETS is affected more seriously and scaled down by at least about 0.1 compared to the TS whenever the rain area occupies roughly 20% or more of the total verification area (if the random assumption of R is invalid). As such conditions often occur for small areas, it is vital to estimate R as correctly as possible for the ETS to work properly. A simple solution is offered by using all gridpoint values from the entire model domain, rather than just a small subset falling into the verification area, to estimate the random hit rate in the forecast. While the ETS remains unaltered in its definition, the proposed method yields the best estimates of R available by using the largest sample size from the model and subsequently better-behaved ETS values and is, therefore, recommended for all applications of ETS for small verification areas.
The Impact of Climate Change on Meningitis in Northwest Nigeria: An Assessment Using CMIP5 Climate Model Simulations
Authors: Abdussalam Auwal F. , Monaghan Andrew J. , Steinhoff Daniel F. , Dukic Vanja M. , Hayden Mary H. , Hopson Thomas M. , Thornes John E. , Leckebusch Gregor C.
Published: April 2014

Meningitis remains a major health burden throughout Sahelian Africa, especially in heavily populated northwest Nigeria with an annual incidence rate ranging from 18 to 200 per 100 000 people for 2000–11. Several studies have established that cases exhibit sensitivity to intra- and interannual climate variability, peaking during the hot and dry boreal spring months, raising concern that future climate change may increase the incidence of meningitis in the region. The impact of future climate change on meningitis risk in northwest Nigeria is assessed by forcing an empirical model of meningitis with monthly simulations of seven meteorological variables from an ensemble of 13 statistically downscaled global climate model projections from phase 5 of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Experiment (CMIP5) for representative concentration pathway (RCP) 2.6, 6.0, and 8.5 scenarios, with the numbers representing the globally averaged top-of-the-atmosphere radiative imbalance (in W m−2) in 2100. The results suggest future temperature increases due to climate change have the potential to significantly increase meningitis cases in both the early (2020–35) and late (2060–75) twenty-first century, and for the seasonal onset of meningitis to begin about a month earlier on average by late century, in October rather than November. Annual incidence may increase by 47% ± 8%, 64% ± 9%, and 99% ± 12% for the RCP 2.6, 6.0, and 8.5 scenarios, respectively, in 2060–75 with respect to 1990–2005. It is noteworthy that these results represent the climatological potential for increased cases due to climate change, as it is assumed that current prevention and treatment strategies will remain similar in the future.
The Price of Belonging to the Volk: Volksdeutsche, Land Redistribution and Aryanization in the Serbian Banat, 1941–4
Authors: Zakić Mirna
Published: April 2014

Between 1941 and 1944, the Serbian Banat was occupied by Reich German forces but administered by its Volksdeutsche (ethnic German) minority. The Banat Volksdeutsche existed in a precarious balance between the Third Reich's racial policy and their new position as masters of their home region, with the power to rule as well as abuse other Banat ethnic groups. The precariousness of their position was especially apparent with relation to the material perks and privileges they received at the Third Reich’s behest, specifically easy access to Aryanized property and to land expropriated from the Banat Serbs. Not only did these privileges help turn other Banat ethnicities against the Volksdeutsche, they also drew the Volksdeutsche ever deeper into complicity with the Third Reich. The Banat Volksdeutsche paid dearly for material privileges and a modicum of power, as they came to owe the Third Reich loyalty, food deliveries, administrative and security service and, finally, armed service in the Waffen-SS.
A stochastic agent-based model of pathogen propagation in dynamic multi-relational social networks
Authors: Khan Bilal , Dombrowski Kirk , Saad Mohamed
Published: April 2014

We describe a general framework for modeling and stochastic simulation of epidemics in realistic dynamic social networks, which incorporates heterogeneity in the types of individuals, types of interconnecting risk-bearing relationships, and types of pathogens transmitted across them. Dynamism is supported through arrival and departure processes, continuous restructuring of risk relationships, and changes to pathogen infectiousness, as mandated by natural history; dynamism is regulated through constraints on the local agency of individual nodes and their risk behaviors, while simulation trajectories are validated using system-wide metrics. To illustrate its utility, we present a case study that applies the proposed framework towards a simulation of HIV in artificial networks of intravenous drug users (IDUs) modeled using data collected in the Social Factors for HIV Risk survey.
‘Le pays où on ne sait pas lire’: Literacy, Numeracy and Human Capital in the Commercial Hub of the Austrian Netherlands (1715–75)
Authors: Verhoeven Gerrit
Published: April 2014

Files of the local criminal court in Antwerp – the Hoogere Vierschaar – are used in this article to assess the evolution of literacy and numeracy in Antwerp. Both forms of human capital are habitually seen as strongly intertwined, yet our evidence shows that they were not always geared to one another. Literacy did not grow significantly in Antwerp during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, while it reached its high-water mark in other European towns. Faced by a severe economic crisis, the local government had to trim down free public education in Sunday schools, while private boarding schools ( Duytsche scholen) saw their number of pupils fall abruptly as the recession impoverished a wide swath of society. Numeracy, however, followed a different course. Despite the economic crisis, people's age awareness took a huge leap forward in the late seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries as basic arithmetic skills were bound to a more informal, everyday training. Moreover, this idea, that literacy and numeracy were not always geared to each other is buttressed by marked social and gender variations.