bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Combination of long-chain alcohols and fatty acids with alkanes as faecal markers to estimate feed intake and digestibility in horses and cattle fed on grass-heathland vegetation communities
Authors: López Carlos López , Celaya Rafael , Santos Ana Sofia , Rodrigues Miguel A.M. , Osoro Koldo , Ferreira Luis M.M.
Published: March 2016

Application of long-chain alcohols (LCOH) and long-chain fatty acids (LCFA) combined with alkanes as faecal markers to estimate dry matter intake (DMI) and dry matter digestibility (DMD) of equines and cattle was assessed. Six crossbred mares, randomly divided in two groups (H1 and H2), and three nonlactating cows (C) were housed in individual stalls. Groups H1 and C were fed on a diet of ryegrass (Lolium perenne, 0.7) and heather (Erica spp., Calluna vulgaris, 0.3), and H2 received ryegrass (0.4), heather (0.3) and gorse (Ulex gallii, 0.3). Digestibility was estimated using LCOH (C28-OH and C30-OH) and LCFA (C28-FA, C30-FA, and C32-FA) as internal markers. For DMI estimation, animals received daily a paper pellet containing C24, C32, and C36n-alkanes. Intake was estimated from the faecal ratio of naturally occurring LCOH, LCFA, and dosed n-alkanes, and was compared with the known DMI values. In horses, all markers provided accurate estimates of DMD. Similarly, LCOH provided accurate estimates of DMD in cattle, whereas LCFA underestimated it (P < 0.05). Intake estimates were affected (P < 0.05) by the marker pair used in calculations. In general, the C24:C24-FA pair provided the most accurate DMI estimates. Results suggest the usefulness of combining epicuticular compounds as faecal markers to estimate DMI, DMD and diet composition of horses and cattle grazing grass-heathland communities, simultaneously.
Changes in land, feed, and manure management practices on beef operations in Canada between 2005 and 2011
Authors: Sheppard S.C. , Bittman S. , Macdonald D. , Amiro B.D. , Ominski K.H.
Published: March 2016

The objective of this paper was to evaluate changes in management practices of beef cattle from 2005 to 2011. Large nationwide surveys of husbandry practices in the beef industry were conducted to represent management practices used in 2005 and 2011 across Canadian Ecoregions. The two surveys attempted to similarly represent operation types (cow–calf, backgrounding, and finishing) and size. Several statistically significant changes in management practices from 2005 to 2011 were observed: in non-feedlot operations, these included more operations with >50% legume in perennial forage, less N fertilization applied to forages, increased winter grazing of cows, and higher quality feed used as a supplement to grazing. In feedlots, there were more shelter structures, less feeding of grain and more of high-legume forages, and more frequent removal of manure. Several practices remained constant in the two surveys including use of covers for storing hay, frequency of harvesting forage, time of barn and feedlot cleanout, manure storage and practices relating to manure incorporation into soil. The large increase in use of winter grazing on the Prairies as well as in eastern Canada documented here is an important change in the industry that has both economic and environmental implications.
Isolation of iqalisetins A and B from a Tolypocladium sp. isolated from marine sediment from Frobisher Bay in Canada’s arctic
Authors: Grunwald Alyssa L. , Berrué Fabrice , Overy David P. , Kerr Russell G.
Published: March 2016

Two new decalin-tetramic acid compounds, iqalisetin A (1) and iqalisetin B (2), were identified from a Tolypocladium sp. isolated from a marine sediment sample collected from Frobisher Bay, Nunavut, in Canada’s arctic. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by NMR experiments. The relative stereochemistry of the decalin skeleton was determined by NOESY experiments and confirmed that 1 and 2 contained a trans-decalin ring system. The absolute stereochemistry of the tetramic acid was determined using Marfey’s method. Compounds 1 and 2 did not exhibit any significant antimicrobial or cytotoxic activity.
Risk identification and assessment for engineering procurement construction management projects using fuzzy set theory
Authors: Salah Ahmad , Moselhi Osama
Published: March 2016

Considerable work has been carried out on risk qualitative and quantitative assessment but far less on risk identification. This paper introduces a newly developed method for risk identification, based on micro risk breakdown structure and newly introduced identification procedure called preventive root cause and effective remedial. It also introduces a risk responsibility matrix that distributes the responsibilities associated with each risk among project stakeholders and introduces a newly developed method for qualitative and quantitative assessment of each item using fuzzy set and fuzzy probability theories. Output of the proposed assessment method is pre-mitigation contingency of each risk which represents a quantitative indicator for decision making whether to mitigate or not the risk being considered. Two case studies and one numerical example are presented to demonstrate the applicability and illustrate the essential features of proposed identification, allocation, and assessment methods.
Camel fossils from gravel pits near Edmonton and Vauxhall, and a review of the Quaternary camelid record of Alberta
Authors: Jass Christopher N. , Allan Timothy E.
Published: March 2016

Camelid remains are known from several Quaternary palaeontological localities in Alberta, yet most specimens are undescribed in the literature. Specimens reported here comprise a large sample of the known camelid record from the province and provide further insight into the record of Quaternary megafauna of western Canada. Remains from the Edmonton area include specimens pre- and post-dating the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM), whereas remains from the Vauxhall area are post-LGM. A metapodial fragment of a giant camel originally described as Titanotylopus from the Edmonton area is likely from earlier in the Pleistocene or late Pliocene. Camelid remains are not overly abundant in Alberta, but are widely distributed, having been recovered from several sites across the province. A new radiocarbon date of 11 280 ± 40 14C years BP on a radioulna of Camelops cf. C. hesternus represents only the fourth direct age assessment of a Quaternary camelid from Alberta. Radiocarbon data may suggest linkages to patterns of extirpation observed in camelid populations from northern Canada, followed by recolonization following deglaciation.
Persistence of antibiotic resistance and plasmid-associated genes in soil following application of sewage sludge and abundance on vegetables at harvest
Authors: Rahube Teddie O. , Marti Romain , Scott Andrew , Tien Yuan-Ching , Murray Roger , Sabourin Lyne , Duenk Peter , Lapen David R. , Topp Edward
Published: March 2016

Sewage sludge recovered from wastewater treatment plants contains antibiotic residues and is rich in antibiotic resistance genes, selected for and enriched in the digestive tracts of human using antibiotics. The use of sewage sludge as a crop fertilizer constitutes a potential route of human exposure to antibiotic resistance genes through consumption of contaminated crops. Several gene targets associated with antibiotic resistance (catA1, catB3, ereA, ereB, erm(B), str(A), str(B), qnrD, sul1, and mphA), mobile genetic elements (int1, mobA, IncW repA, IncP1 groups -α, -β, -δ, -γ, -ε), and bacterial 16S rRNA (rrnS) were quantified by qPCR from soil and vegetable samples obtained from unamended and sludge-amended plots at an experimental field in London, Ontario. The qPCR data reveals an increase in abundance of gene targets in the soil and vegetables samples, indicating that there is potential for additional crop exposure to antibiotic resistance genes carried within sewage sludge following field application. It is therefore advisable to allow an appropriate delay period before harvesting of vegetables for human consumption.
Assessment of 25CYP2D6alleles found in the Chinese population on propafenone metabolism in vitro
Authors: Su Ying , Liang Bing-qing , Feng Yan-lin , Zhan Yunyun , Gu Ermin , Chen Xinxin , Dai Da-Peng , Hu Guo-xin , Cai Jian-ping
Published: March 2016

Cytochrome P450 enzyme 2D6 (CYP2D6) is an important member of the cytochrome P450 enzyme superfamily, with more than 100 CYP2D6 allelic variants being previously reported. The aim of this study was to assess the catalytic characteristics of 25 alleles (CYP2D6.1 and 24 CYP2D6 variants) and their effects on the metabolism of propafenone in vitro. Twenty-five CYP2D6 alleles were expressing in 21 Spodoptera frugiperda (Sf) insect cells, and each variant was evaluated using propafenone as the substrate. Reactions were performed at 37 °C with 1–100 μmol/L propafenone for 30 min. After termination, the product 5-OH-propafenone was extracted and used for signal collection by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). Compared with wild type CYP2D6.1, the intrinsic clearance (Vmaxand Km) values of all variants were significantly altered. Three variants (CYP2D6.87, CYP2D6.90, CYP2D6.F219S) exhibited markedly increased intrinsic clearance values (129% to 165%), whereas 21 variants exhibited significantly decreased values (16% to 85%) due to increased Kmand (or) decreased Vmaxvalues. These results indicated that the majority of tested alleles had significantly altered catalytic activity towards propafenone hydroxylation in this expression system. Attention should be paid to subjects carrying these rare alleles when treated with propafenone.
Identification of quantitative trait loci associated with oil content and development of near isogenic lines for stableqOC-A10inBrasscia napusL.
Authors: Cheng Xiaomao , Xia Shu , Zeng Xihua , Gu Jianxun , Yang Yuan , Xu Jinsong , Liu Chao , Liu Kede , Wu Jiangsheng
Published: March 2016

Seed oil content is a key seed quality trait determining the economic value of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.). However, it is a complex quantitative trait controlled by multiple genes. To this point, its genetic mechanism in rapeseed remains to be revealed. In the present study, we separately identified the quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling seed oil content of B. napus using three generations of recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations (F4:5, F5:6, and F6:7) derived from a cross of two contrasting parents (M201, a high-oil parent, and M202, a low-oil parent) in four trials. The results indicated that the additive effects may be the primary factors contributing to the variation in seed oil content in B. napus. A total of 15 QTL for seed oil content were mapped. Two of them, namely qOC-A9-3 and qOC-A10, were consistently detected across two and all four environments, respectively. Meanwhile, qOC-A10 showed a large effect on phenotypic variation in seed oil content. The stability and significance of qOC-A10 was also validated in the near isogenic lines (NILs-qOC-A10) developed from the RIL population (F4:5) using marker-assisted selection. The qOC-A10 is of particular interest for further fine mapping and map-based cloning.
Morphological, physiological, biochemical characteristics and bud success responses of myrobolan 29 c plum rootstock subjected to water stress
Authors: Bolat Ibrahim , Dikilitas Murat , Ikinci Ali , Ercisli Sezai , Tonkaz Tahsin
Published: March 2016

Water stress treatments on some morphological, biomass, physiological, biochemical characteristics and budding success of apricot and plum cultivars/Myrobolan 29 C plum rootstock have been studied in a pot-experiment trial. Three different water stress levels (control-100 %, medium-75 %, and severe-50 % of the pot capacity) were applied. The results showed that measured morphological, biomass, physiological and biochemical characteristics as well as budding success of cultivars on the rootstocks were affected by water stress. Water stress, both moderate and severe, significantly decreased the relative shoot length, diameter and shoot stem cross sectional area, plant total fresh and dry weights. Increases in water stress led to increases in peroxidase activities, phenol and proline contents in plum rootstock. Increases in water stress also resulted in reduction in budding success in both Formosa (plum cv)/Myrobolan 29 C (90.00 % and 48.33 %) and San Castrese (apricot cv)/Myrobolan 29 C (87.50 % and 42.83 %).
Weed seed survival in experimental mini-silos of corn and alfalfa
Authors: Simard Marie-Josée , Lambert-Beaudet Camille
Published: March 2016

Weed seeds present in harvested silage have to survive silage fermentation and rumen digestion before they are dispersed as a contaminant of manure. Therefore, producing crops that are ensiled could lower the seed dispersal of weed escapes. This study is aimed at evaluating the viability of seven weed species after storage in experimental mini-silos filled with corn or alfalfa. Nylon mesh bags, each containing one hundred seeds of a weed species, were inserted at random locations in mini-silos filled with silage corn or alfalfa and stored for one, three or six months. The experiment included five mini-silos per storage time as well as untreated seeds. Water imbibition by intact seeds was also evaluated to determine if it could be related with survival in silage. After three and six months of storage few seeds were viable in any treatment (<0.1% of all seeds tested). Differences between weed species and silage type were observable after one month of storage and could not be related to seed coat permeability as measured by water imbibition. Ensiling for three to six months, or more, could be used to kill harvested weed seeds. Further evaluations in commercial farm silos could be done to support results.
Soil science education for Grades K–12 in Canada
Authors: Hayhoe Doug , MacIntyre Jane , Bullock Shawn
Published: March 2016

Soil scientists who interact with K–12 students or teachers may benefit from knowing what the provincial curricula say, what a typical classroom teacher knows, and what resources, programs, and opportunities are available regarding soil education. Many provinces have a soil science unit at the Grade 2–4 level in their curriculum. In all provincial curricula, soil science concepts are found in units on living things, plants, and ecosystems, from Grades 1–12. Even in Kindergarten, hands-on soil programs effectively address many skills and attitudes’ expectations in the provincial curricula. What is the use of having soil science in the curriculum, however, if the teachers responsible for student learning do not understand the key concepts? Preliminary results using a 25-item soil questionnaire show that incoming preservice teachers do have some initial understanding of soil, scoring 50% on a pretest application, when a random score would be 25%. After engaging in several hours of hands-on learning, followed by a wait time of several months, they then scored at 68%, thus gaining one third of what was lacking in their understanding. This may encourage those involved with soil education outreach to teachers. Resources for teaching hands-on soil science to elementary students will be noted, including an integrated science-language method called “Soil Science through Stories”. At the secondary level, we have the national “Soil 4 Youth” program, which integrates soil science into school programs across Canada and is supported by the Canadian Society for Soil Science. New STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) approaches to education also offer opportunities for innovative teaching of soil science to Canadian students.
How to tackle the molecular species inventory for an industrialized nation—lessons from the first phase of the German Barcode of Life initiative GBOL (2012–2015)
Authors: Geiger M.F. , Astrin J.J. , Borsch T. , Burkhardt U. , Grobe P. , Hand R. , Hausmann A. , Hohberg K. , Krogmann L. , Lutz M. , Monje C. , Misof B. , Morinière J. , Müller K. , Pietsch S. , Quandt D. , Rulik B. , Scholler M. , Traunspurger W. , Haszprunar G. , Wägele W.
Published: March 2016

Biodiversity loss is mainly driven by human activity. While concern grows over the fate of hot spots of biodiversity, contemporary species losses still prevail in industrialized nations. Therefore, strategies were formulated to halt or reverse the loss, driven by evidence for its value for ecosystem services. Maintenance of the latter through conservation depends on correctly identified species. To this aim, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research is funding the GBOL project, a consortium of natural history collections, botanic gardens, and universities working on a barcode reference database for the country’s fauna and flora. Several noticeable findings could be useful for future campaigns: (i) validating taxon lists to serve as a taxonomic backbone is time-consuming, but without alternative; (ii) offering financial incentives to taxonomic experts, often citizen scientists, is indispensable; (iii) completion of the libraries for widespread species enables analyses of environmental samples, but the process may not hold pace with technological advancements; (iv) discoveries of new species are among the best stories for the media; (v) a commitment to common data standards and repositories is needed, as well as transboundary cooperation between nations; (vi) after validation, all data should be published online via the BOLD to make them searchable for external users and to allow cross-checking with data from other countries.
Haptic Display of Image Based on Multi-Feature Extraction
Authors: Tian Lei , Song Aiguo , Chen Dapeng , Ni Dejing
Published: March 2016

Image feature extraction is one of the key technologies of image haptic display. In this paper, multi-feature extraction method of the object in image is proposed to improve image-based haptic perception. The multi-feature extraction includes contour shape extraction, pattern extraction and detail texture extraction. Firstly, we use an intrinsic decomposition method to decompose an image into shading image and reflectance image. The reflectance image describes nonillumination affected color patterns spread on the surface. Then, the shading image is utilized in contour shape and detail texture extraction. Contour shape extraction is based on partial differential equation (PDE), to reconstruct three-dimensional (3D) surface model in virtual environments. Detailed texture extraction is based on fractional differential method simultaneously. Finally, the various features extracted above are haptic rendered by different methods. The experimental results show the effectiveness and potentiality of the proposed method for improving the ability of haptic perception and recognition of human in virtual environments.
Flexible and Extensible Runtime Verification for Java (Extended Version)
Authors: Xiang Chengcheng , Qi Zhengwei , Binder Walter
Published: March 2016

Runtime verification validates the correctness of a program’s execution trace. Much work has been done on improving the expressiveness and efficiency of runtime verification. However, current approaches require static deployment of the verification logic and are often restricted to a limited set of events that can be captured and analyzed, hindering the adoption of runtime verification in production systems. A popular system for runtime verification in Java, JavaMOP (Monitor-Oriented Programming in Java), suffers from the aforementioned limitations due to its dependence on AspectJ, which supports neither dynamic weaving nor an extensible join-point model. In this article, we extend the JavaMOP framework with a dynamic deployment API and a new MOP specification translator, which targets the domain-specific aspect language DiSL instead of AspectJ; DiSL offers an open join-point model that allows for extensions. A case study on lambda expressions in Java8 demonstrates the extensibility of our approach. Moreover, in comparison with JavaMOP using load-time weaving, our implementation reduces runtime overhead by 32%, and heap memory usage by 13%, on average.
Secure, Dynamic and Distributed Access Control Stack for Database Applications
Authors: Pereira Óscar Mortágua , Regateiro Diogo Domingues , Aguiar Rui L.
Published: March 2016

In database applications, access control security layers are mostly developed from tools provided by vendors of database management systems and deployed in the same servers containing the data to be protected. This solution conveys several drawbacks. Among them we emphasize: (1) if policies are complex, their enforcement can lead to performance decay of database servers; (2) when modifications in the established policies implies modifications in the business logic (usually deployed at the client-side), there is no other possibility than modify the business logic in advance and, finally, 3) malicious users can issue CRUD expressions systematically against the DBMS expecting to identify any security gap. In order to overcome these drawbacks, in this paper we propose an access control stack characterized by: most of the mechanisms are deployed at the client-side; whenever security policies evolve, the security mechanisms are automatically updated at runtime and, finally, client-side applications do not handle CRUD expressions directly. We also present an implementation of the proposed stack to prove its feasibility. This paper presents a new approach to enforce access control in database applications, this way expecting to contribute positively to the state of the art in the field.
Evaluating the Feasibility of MAX: A Method Using Cards and a Board for Assessing the Post-Use UX
Authors: Cavalcante Emanuelle , Rivero Luis , Conte Tayana
Published: March 2016

User Experience (UX) is an important attribute for the success and quality of a software application. UX explores how an application is used and the emotional and behavioral consequences of such use. Although several UX evaluation methods allow understanding the reasons for a poor UX, some of them are tedious or too intrusive, making the evaluation unpleasant. This paper presents the Method for the Assessment of eXperience (MAX), which through cards and a board assists software engineers in gathering UX data while motivating users to report their experience. We conducted two pilot studies to verify the feasibility of MAX, which showed that the method is useful for evaluating the UX of finished/prototyped applications from the point of view of users and software engineers.
Erratum: Connected sum of representations of knot groups
Authors: Cho Jinseok
Published: March 2016

We fix the errors in the paper ‘Connected sum of representations of knot groups’ [J. Cho, Connected sum of representations of knot groups, J. Knot Theory Ramifications 24(3) (2015) 18, 1550020].
MODELING THE SPREAD OF HOOKWORM DISEASE AND ASSESSING CHEMOTHERAPY PROGRAMS: MATHEMATICAL ANALYSIS AND COMPARISON WITH SURVEILLANCE DATA
Authors: PAWELEK KASIA A. , LIU SHENGQIANG , LOLLA MADHURI U.
Published: March 2016

Soil-transmitted helminthes including hookworm infections result in a major disease burden worldwide. Periodic chemotherapy treatments with anthelminthic drugs remain major intervention strategy in highly endemic areas and currently there is no approved human vaccine. We developed a model to study the spread of the hookworm infection in the population level having a variety of parasite development stages. We investigated long-term effectiveness of selective and mass chemotherapy, scenarios in which the therapy becomes less effective, and is interrupted. We analyzed the mathematical model, which includes determining the basic reproductive number and steady states, defining model initial conditions, proving positiveness and boundedness of solutions, local and global stability of the disease-free and endemic steady states, and uniform persistence of the system. We fitted our model using field data from hookworm control programs in endemic areas in China and Zimbabwe. The model provided accurate predictions of disease prevalence for all considered locations for multiple years of utilizing deworming programs. We demonstrated that administration of the deworming therapy is an effective method in terms of controlling the hookworm infection. Nevertheless, the chemotherapy programs do not eradicate the disease in the villages and the infection occurrence promptly increases once the program is interrupted, thus ultimately leading to the pre-treatment levels. Our modeling results suggest that the deworming programs should be maintained at least once per year to control the infection.
ELECTROCATALYTIC OXIDATION OF ALCOHOLS ON Cu2O/Cu THIN FILM ELECTRODEPOSITED ON TITANIUM SUBSTRATE
Authors: BEZGHICHE-IMLOUL T. , HAMMACHE-MAKHLOUFI H. , AIT AHMED N.
Published: March 2016

A novel class of nanomaterials consisting of a composite thin film of cooper metal nanoparticles and cuprous oxide (Cu2O/Cu) for the catalytic electrooxidation of methanol, ethanol and ethylene glycol is considered here. The material was prepared by electrochemical deposition under a potentiostatic condition of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]mV vs saturated calomel electrode (SCE) from acetate bath at titanium substrate. The effect of electrodeposition time on the structure, composition and morphology of the deposit was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicated the formation of pure cuprous oxide Cu2O thin film at low electrodeposition time (5 min) and Cu2O oxide thin film decorated with Cu nanoparticles (Cu2O/Cu) at high electrodeposition time. The obtained Cu2O and Cu2O/Cu thin films were explored for the electrochemical oxidation of alcohols in 1 M NaOH alkaline medium using cyclic voltammetry (CV) method. The Cu2O/Cu thin film grown at electrodeposition time of 15 min shows the best electrocatalytic performance toward ethanol oxidation. The effect of concentration of alcohols on the oxidation reaction was studied by CV and chronoamperometry. It was found that the reaction is governed by an irreversible diffusion process. The promising electrocatalytic activity of the Cu2O/Cu electrode provides a new platform for the fabrication of high-performance thin films for alcohols oxidation in alkaline medium. Therefore, the Cu2O/Cu electrode is a suitable as a less expensive electrocatalyst for alcohols oxidation.
UNDERWATER SLIDING PROPERTIES: EFFECT OF SLIDER SHAPE AND SURFACE WETTABILITY
Authors: KIRVESLAHTI A. , MIELONEN K. , IKONEN K. , CUI W. , SUVANTO M. , PAKKANEN T. A.
Published: March 2016

A dynamic test method for the measurement of the underwater sliding properties of model boats has been developed. Surface-modified model boats were examined to assess how the surface wettability properties affect sliding. Along with the surface properties, the influence of the boat shape was considered. We studied various coatings in the contact angle range of 3–162[Formula: see text] with two model boat shapes. The hydrophobicity of the surfaces influenced the sliding speed of the model boat depending on the boat shape. The method is applicable to study sliding properties of model boats with different surfaces in variable flow conditions.
𝔉-groups and Hall s-semiembedded subgroups
Authors: Guo Yanhui , Li Xianhua
Published: March 2016

Let [Formula: see text] be a finite group. A subgroup [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text] is said to be a Hall [Formula: see text]-semiembedded subgroup of [Formula: see text] if [Formula: see text] is a Hall subgroup of [Formula: see text] for any [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we investigate the influence of Hall [Formula: see text]-semiembedded subgroups on the structure of the finite group [Formula: see text]. Some new results about [Formula: see text] to be a [Formula: see text]-group are obtained, where [Formula: see text] is a saturated formation.
Connected Graphs Arising from Products of Veronese Varieties
Authors: Failla Gioia , Utano Rosanna
Published: March 2016

Given a Segre squarefree Veronese configuration, following Bernd Sturmfels, we improve the study of the graphs associated to the configuration. We determine two special families of toric ideals and a finite set of moves for each of them, which still guarantee simultaneously the connection of all graphs arising from each family of moves.
Lower Bounds for Local Cohomology Modules with Respect to a Pair of Ideals
Authors: Lotfi Parsa M. , Payrovi Sh.
Published: March 2016

Let R be a Noetherian ring, I and J two ideals of R, M an R-module and t an integer. Let S be a Serre subcategory of the category of R-modules satisfying the condition CI, and N be a finitely generated R-module with Supp RN= V (𝔞) for some [Formula: see text]. It is shown that if [Formula: see text] for all i < t and all j < t-i, then [Formula: see text] for all i < t. Let S be the class of all R-modules N with dim R N ≤ k, where k is an integer. It is proved that if [Formula: see text] for all i < t and all [Formula: see text], then [Formula: see text] for all i < t. It follows that [Formula: see text].
Rupture Process and Strong-Motion Generation of the 2014 Iquique, Northern Chile, Earthquake
Authors: Suzuki Wataru , Pulido Nelson , Aoi Shin
Published: March 2016

To investigate the rupture process and strong-motion generation of the [Formula: see text] 8.2 Iquique, Northern Chile, earthquake in 2014, we estimated kinematic source models from waveform inversion and back-projection analyses using strong-motion records. A slip model derived from the waveform inversion using the low-frequency (0.02–0.125[Formula: see text]Hz) velocities is characterized by a large slip area localized 50[Formula: see text]km south of the epicenter with a peak slip of 10[Formula: see text]m, and a deeper slip area with a peak slip above 2[Formula: see text]m located below the coast. The main rupture of these areas started 25[Formula: see text]s after the initial break generating two pronounced phases observed in most of the records. The landward slip area ruptured for about 10[Formula: see text]s generating the first impulsive phase, while the offshore largest slip area ruptured for 20[Formula: see text]s creating a longer duration phase observed later. Results from a back-projection analysis based on stacking of envelopes of 5–10-Hz accelerations indicate that the high-frequency radiation propagated down-dip towards the coast, reaching its maximum value from 25[Formula: see text]s to 40[Formula: see text]s, far away from the shallow main slip area obtained from low-frequency waveform inversion. Our results suggest a clear depth dependence of the seismic wave radiation during the Iquique earthquake.
Investigation of photodamage by femtosecond laser to cells via gold nanorods
Authors: Li Yang , He Hao , Song Huanyu , Liu Bowen , Hu Minglie , Wang Chingyue
Published: March 2016

Usually, only focused femtosecond (fs) lasers at near-infrared (NIR) range can induce photodamage to transparent cells, making it difficult to treat large amount of cells by such optical methods for photostimulation. In this study, we clarify the mechanism of photodamage to cells that are co-cultured with gold nanorods (GNRs) by fs laser. The pulse duration and repetition rate of the fs laser play a key role in cell damage suggesting that the heat accumulation contributes to the major part for the cell damage rather than the high peak power which mainly determines the efficiency of multiphoton excitation. We further show that cellular Ca[Formula: see text] can also be released in this scheme, but the process is more sensitive to peak power. Our results can provide a large-scale GNR-mediated photostimulation for cell signaling modulation.
Recursion formulas for the Srivastava–Daoust and related multivariable hypergeometric functions
Authors: Sahai Vivek , Verma Ashish
Published: March 2016

This paper concludes the study of recursion formulas of multivariable hypergeometric functions. Earlier in [V. Sahai and A. Verma, Recursion formulas for multivariable hypergeometric functions, Asian–Eur. J. Math. 8 (2015) 50, 1550082], the authors have given the recursion formulas for three variable Lauricella functions, Srivastava’s triple hypergeometric functions and [Formula: see text]-variable Lauricella functions. Further, in [V. Sahai and A. Verma, Recursion formulas for Recursion formulas for Srivastava’s general triple hypergeometric functions, Asian–Eur. J. Math. 9 (2016) 17, 1650063], we have obtained recursion formulas for Srivastava general triple hypergeometric function [Formula: see text]. We present here the recursion formulas for generalized Kampé de Fériet series and Srivastava and Daoust multivariable hypergeometric function. Certain particular cases leading to recursion formulas of certain generalized hypergeometric function of one variable, certain Horn series, Humbert’s confluent hypergeometric series and some confluent forms of Lauricella series in [Formula: see text]-variables are also presented.
Seasonality in Perceived Risk: A Sentiment Effect
Authors: Kaplanski Guy , Levy Haim
Published: March 2016

Studies which attribute markets’ seasonality to sentiment assume that seasonal affective disorder (SAD) creates seasonal fluctuations in risk-aversion which, in turn, affects prices. Employing the variance risk premium (VP), we directly test for seasonality in risk-aversion. We find significant seasonality in the VP which is not explained by exogenous events, market-realized variance and returns and major macroeconomic variables. We use the number of people who actively suffer from SAD to show that consistent with the SAD hypothesis VP and SAD are significantly positively correlated. International comparison reveals significant positive association between the magnitude of seasonally and the prevalence of SAD.
Impact of Climate Variability Including Drought on the Residual Value of Irrigation Water Across the Murray–Darling Basin, Australia
Authors: Qureshi M. E. , Ahmad M. D. , Whitten S. M. , Reeson A. , Kirby M.
Published: March 2016

Understanding the economic value of irrigation water is essential for supporting policies relating to the irrigation sector, irrigation water allocation decisions, water pricing and to compare the variable impacts of water reform within and across sectors of the economy. In this paper, we apply the residual method as a complement to other methods for determining the value of the water used over a wide range of irrigated crops in different seasons and regions of Australia’s Murray–Darling Basin. Using Monte Carlo simulation and probability theory, we estimated the combined impacts of biophysical and economic factors on the economic productivity of irrigation water use by individual activities. The estimated residual values vary across regions and in response to water availability as we would expect and warrant consideration of these factors in making any future water policy and investment decisions in different regions. As anticipated perennial (fruits and nuts, grapes) and high capital annual activities (cotton) represent the highest value water uses. Water trading from low to high value activities results in economic losses that are much lower than the proportional decline in water availability during periods of drought.
Water Markets and Storage — Substitutes or Complements for Drought Risk Mitigation?
Authors: Yoder Jonathan , Brady Micheal , Cook Joseph
Published: March 2016

Are water storage and water markets complements or substitutes? This paper examines the conditions under which water storage for drought risk mitigation augments or attenuates water market gains from trade, and conversely, the conditions under which water markets augment or attenuate the value of additional water storage. The analysis is performed in the context of the Prior Appropriations doctrine in a fully appropriated basin. Two stylized examples based on water use at the intensive and extensive margin are provided, along with simulation results for proposed water storage projects and market development in the Yakima Basin in South-central Washington State.
Human vascular endothelial cells transport foreign exosomes from cow's milk by endocytosis
Authors: Kusuma Rio Jati , Manca Sonia , Friemel Taylor , Sukreet Sonal , Nguyen Christopher , Zempleni Janos
Published: March 2016

Encapsulation of microRNAs in exosomes confers protection against degradation and a vehicle for shuttling of microRNAs between cells and tissues, and cellular uptake by endocytosis. Exosomes can be found in foods including milk. Humans absorb cow's milk exosomes and deliver the microRNA cargo to peripheral tissues, consistent with gene regulation by dietary nucleic acids across species boundaries. Here, we tested the hypothesis that human vascular endothelial cells transport milk exosomes by endocytosis, constituting a step crucial for the delivery of dietary exosomes and their cargo to peripheral tissues. We tested this hypothesis by using human umbilical vein endothelial cells and fluorophore-labeled exosomes isolated from cow's milk. Exosome uptake followed Michaelis-Menten kinetics ( Vmax = 0.057 ± 0.004 ng exosome protein × 40,000 cells/h; Km = 17.97 ± 3.84 μg exosomal protein/200 μl media) and decreased by 80% when the incubation temperature was lowered from 37°C to 4°C. When exosome surface proteins were removed by treatment with proteinase K, or transport was measured in the presence of the carbohydrate competitor d-galactose or measured in the presence of excess unlabeled exosomes, transport rates decreased by 45% to 80% compared with controls. Treatment with an inhibitor of endocytosis, cytochalasin D, caused a 50% decrease in transport. When fluorophore-labeled exosomes were administered retro-orbitally, exosomes accumulated in liver, spleen, and lungs in mice. We conclude that human vascular endothelial cells transport bovine exosomes by endocytosis and propose that this is an important step in the delivery of dietary exosomes and their cargo to peripheral tissues.
Enhanced resolution of experimental ARDS through IL-4-mediated lung macrophage reprogramming
Authors: D'Alessio F. R. , Craig J. M. , Singer B. D. , Files D. C. , Mock J. R. , Garibaldi B. T. , Fallica J. , Tripathi A. , Mandke P. , Gans J. H. , Limjunyawong N. , Sidhaye V. K. , Heller N. M. , Mitzner W. , King L. S. , Aggarwal N. R.
Published: March 2016

Despite intense investigation, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains an enormous clinical problem for which no specific therapies currently exist. In this study, we used intratracheal lipopolysaccharide or Pseudomonas bacteria administration to model experimental acute lung injury (ALI) and to further understand mediators of the resolution phase of ARDS. Recent work demonstrates macrophages transition from a predominant proinflammatory M1 phenotype during acute inflammation to an anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype with ALI resolution. We tested the hypothesis that IL-4, a potent inducer of M2-specific protein expression, would accelerate ALI resolution and lung repair through reprogramming of endogenous inflammatory macrophages. In fact, IL-4 treatment was found to offer dramatic benefits following delayed administration to mice subjected to experimental ALI, including increased survival, accelerated resolution of lung injury, and improved lung function. Expression of the M2 proteins Arg1, FIZZ1, and Ym1 was increased in lung tissues following IL-4 treatment, and among macrophages, FIZZ1 was most prominently upregulated in the interstitial subpopulation. A similar trend was observed for the expression of macrophage mannose receptor (MMR) and Dectin-1 on the surface of alveolar macrophages following IL-4 administration. Macrophage depletion or STAT6 deficiency abrogated the therapeutic effect of IL-4. Collectively, these data demonstrate that IL-4-mediated therapeutic macrophage reprogramming can accelerate resolution and lung repair despite delayed use following experimental ALI. IL-4 or other therapies that target late-phase, proresolution pathways may hold promise for the treatment of human ARDS.
Nitric oxide and fever: immune-to-brain signaling vs. thermogenesis in chicks
Authors: Dantonio Valter , Batalhão Marcelo E. , Fernandes Marcia H. M. R. , Komegae Evilin N. , Buqui Gabriela A. , Lopes Norberto P. , Gargaglioni Luciane H. , Carnio Évelin C. , Steiner Alexandre A. , Bícego Kênia C.
Published: March 2016

Nitric oxide (NO) plays a role in thermogenesis but does not mediate immune-to-brain febrigenic signaling in rats. There are suggestions of a different situation in birds, but the underlying evidence is not compelling. The present study was designed to clarify this matter in 5-day-old chicks challenged with a low or high dose of bacterial LPS. The lower LPS dose (2 μg/kg im) induced fever at 3–5 h postinjection, whereas 100 μg/kg im decreased core body temperature (Tc) (at 1 h) followed by fever (at 4 or 5 h). Plasma nitrate levels increased 4 h after LPS injection, but they were not correlated with the magnitude of fever. The NO synthase inhibitor ( NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester, l-NAME; 50 mg/kg im) attenuated the fever induced by either dose of LPS and enhanced the magnitude of the Tcreduction induced by the high dose in chicks at 31–32°C. These effects were associated with suppression of metabolic rate, at least in the case of the high LPS dose. Conversely, the effects of l-NAME on Tcdisappeared in chicks maintained at 35–36°C, suggesting that febrigenic signaling was essentially unaffected. Accordingly, the LPS-induced rise in the brain level of PGE2was not affected by l-NAME. Moreover, l-NAME augmented LPS-induced huddling, which is indicative of compensatory mechanisms to run fever in the face of attenuated thermogenesis. Therefore, as in rats, systemic inhibition of NO synthesis attenuates LPS-induced fever in chicks by affecting thermoeffector activity and not by interfering with immune-to-brain signaling. This may constitute a conserved effect of NO in endotherms.
Reactivation of visual-evoked activity in human cortical networks
Authors: Chelaru Mircea I. , Hansen Bryan J. , Tandon Nitin , Conner Chris R. , Szukalski Susann , Slater Jeremy D. , Kalamangalam Giridhar P. , Dragoi Valentin
Published: March 2016

In the absence of sensory input, neuronal networks are far from being silent. Whether spontaneous changes in ongoing activity reflect previous sensory experience or stochastic fluctuations in brain activity is not well understood. Here we demonstrate reactivation of stimulus-evoked activity that is distributed across large areas in the human brain. We performed simultaneous electrocorticography recordings from occipital, parietal, temporal, and frontal areas in awake humans in the presence and absence of sensory stimulation. We found that, in the absence of visual input, repeated exposure to brief natural movies induces robust stimulus-specific reactivation at individual recording sites. The reactivation sites were characterized by greater global connectivity compared with those sites that did not exhibit reactivation. Our results indicate a surprising degree of short-term plasticity across multiple networks in the human brain as a result of repeated exposure to unattended information.
In vivo analysis of cerebellar Purkinje cell activity in SCA2 transgenic mouse model
Authors: Egorova Polina A. , Zakharova Olga A. , Vlasova Olga L. , Bezprozvanny Ilya B.
Published: March 2016

Cerebellar Purkinje cells (PCs) are primarily affected in many spinocerebellar ataxias (SCA). In this study we investigated functional activity of PCs in transgenic mouse model of SCA2, a polyglutamine neurodegenerative hereditary disorder. In our studies we used extracellular single-unit recording method to compare spontaneous activity of PCs in age-matched wild-type mice and SCA2-58Q transgenic mice. We discovered that the fraction of PCs with bursting and an irregular pattern of spontaneous activity dramatically increases in aged SCA2-58Q mice compared with wild-type littermates. Small-conductance calcium-activated potassium (SK) channels play an important role in determining firing rate of PCs. Indeed, we demonstrated that intraperitoneal (IP) injection of SK channel inhibitor NS8593 induces an irregular pattern of PC activity in wild-type mice. Furthermore, we demonstrated that IP injection of SK channel-positive modulator chlorzoxazone (CHZ) decreases spontaneous firing rate of cerebellar PCs. Finally, we have shown that IP injections with CHZ normalize firing activity of cerebellar PCs from aging SCA2-58Q mice. We propose that alterations in PC firing patterns is one of potential causes of ataxic symptoms in SCA2 and in other SCAs and that positive modulators of SK channels can be used to normalize activity of PCs and alleviate ataxic phenotype in patients with SCA.
Lactulose Hydrogen Breath Test Result Is Associated with Age and Gender
Authors: Newberry Carolyn , Tierney Ann , Pickett-Blakely Octavia
Published: March 2016

Small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) is associated with chronic gastrointestinal diseases and structural/functional abnormalities of the gastrointestinal tract. SIBO’s association with clinical characteristics is unclear. This study investigates the association between clinical factors and SIBO according to lactulose hydrogen breath test (LHBT) result.Methods. A cross-sectional study in a university-based gastroenterology practice was performed. Data was abstracted from the medical records of subjects undergoing LHBT from 6/1/2009 to 6/1/2013. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the association between predictor variables: age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and positive LHBT, the outcome of interest.Results. LHBT was performed in 791 subjects. Fifty-four percent had a positive LHBT. There was no statistically significant difference between the LHBT results according to age or BMI. In females, the likelihood of a positive LHBT increased with age (OR 1.02; 95% CI: 1.01–1.03). In males, the likelihood of a positive LHBT result decreased with age (OR 0.98; 95% CI: 0.97–1.00).Conclusion. There was an association between age, with respect to sex, and a positive LHBT. With increased age in females, the odds of a positive LHBT increased, while, in men, the odds of a positive LHBT decreased with age.
The Regulatory Roles of MicroRNAs in Bone Remodeling and Perspectives as Biomarkers in Osteoporosis
Authors: Sun Mengge , Zhou Xiaoya , Chen Lili , Huang Shishu , Leung Victor , Wu Nan , Pan Haobo , Zhen Wanxin , Lu William , Peng Songlin
Published: March 2016

MicroRNAs are involved in many cellular and molecular activities and played important roles in many biological and pathological processes, such as tissue formation, cancer development, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, and cardiovascular diseases. Recently, it has been reported that microRNAs can modulate the differentiation and activities of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, the key cells that are involved in bone remodeling process. Meanwhile, the results from our and other research groups showed that the expression profiles of microRNAs in the serum and bone tissues are significantly different in postmenopausal women with or without fractures compared to the control. Therefore, it can be postulated that microRNAs might play important roles in bone remodeling and that they are very likely to be involved in the pathological process of postmenopausal osteoporosis. In this review, we will present the updated research on the regulatory roles of microRNAs in osteoblasts and osteoclasts and the expression profiles of microRNAs in osteoporosis and osteoporotic fracture patients. The perspective of serum microRNAs as novel biomarkers in bone loss disorders such as osteoporosis has also been discussed.