bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Development and evaluation of an aged care specific Advance Care Plan
Authors: Silvester William , Parslow Ruth A , Lewis Virginia J , Fullam Rachael S , Sjanta Rebekah , Jackson Lynne , White Vanessa , Hudson Rosalie
Published: March 2013

Objectives

To report on the quality of advance care planning (ACP) documents in use in residential aged care facilities (RACF) in areas of Victoria Australia prior to a systematic intervention; to report on the development and performance of an aged care specific Advance Care Plan template used during the intervention.

Design

An audit of the quality of pre-existing documentation used to record resident treatment preferences and end-of-life wishes at participating RACFs; development and pilot of an aged care specific Advance Care Plan template; an audit of the completeness and quality of Advance Care Plans completed on the new template during a systematic ACP intervention.

Participants and setting

19 selected RACFs (managed by 12 aged care organisations) in metropolitan and regional areas of Victoria.

Results

Documentation in use at facilities prior to the ACP intervention most commonly recorded preferences regarding hospital transfer, life prolonging treatment and personal/cultural/religious wishes. However, 7 of 12 document sets failed to adequately and clearly specify the resident's preferences as regards life prolonging medical treatment. The newly developed aged care specific Advance Care Plan template was met with approval by participating RACFs. Of 203 Advance Care Plans completed on the template throughout the project period, 49% included the appointment of a Medical Enduring Power of Attorney. Requests concerning medical treatment were specified in almost all completed documents (97%), with 73% nominating the option of refusal of life-prolonging treatment. Over 90% of plans included information concerning residents’ values and beliefs, and future health situations that the resident would find to be unacceptable were specified in 78% of completed plans.

Conclusions

Standardised procedures and documentation are needed to improve the quality of processes, documents and outcomes of ACP in the residential aged care sector.
Deep brain stimulation: a return journey from psychiatry to neurology
Authors: Ashkan Keyoumars , Shotbolt Paul , David Anthony S , Samuel Michael
Published: March 2013

Deep brain stimulation (DBS) has emerged as an effective neurosurgical tool to treat a range of conditions. Its use in movement disorders such as Parkinson's disease, tremor and dystonia is now well established and has been approved by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE). The NICE does, however, emphasise the need for a multidisciplinary team to manage these patients. Such a team is traditionally composed of neurologists, neurosurgeons and neuropsychologists. Neuropsychiatrists, however, are increasingly recognised as essential members given many psychiatric considerations that may arise in patients undergoing DBS. Patient selection, assessment of competence to consent and treatment of postoperative psychiatric disease are just a few areas where neuropsychiatric input is invaluable. Partly driven by this close team working and partly based on the early history of DBS for psychiatric disorders, there is increasing interest in re-exploring the potential of neurosurgery to treat patients with psychiatric disease, such as depression and obsessive–compulsive disorder. Although the clinical experience and evidence with DBS in this group of patients are steadily increasing, many questions remain unanswered. Yet, the characteristics of optimal surgical candidates, the best choice of DBS target, the most effective stimulating parameters and the extent of postoperative improvement are not clear for most psychiatric conditions. Further research is therefore required to define how DBS can be best utilised to improve the quality of life of patients with psychiatric disease.
Effects of intermolecular hydrogen bonding on the excited-state proton transfer properties of the cinnamonitrile–methanol complex
Authors: Yang Dapeng , Qi Ruiquan
Published: March 2013

The time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) method was used to study the excited-state proton transfer (ESPT) properties of the hydrogen-bonded cinnamonitrile (3TPAN)–methanol (MeOH) complex (3TPAN–MeOH). The intermolecular hydrogen bonds N1···H11 in both the ground state S0 and the excited state S1 were demonstrated by the optimized geometric structures of the hydrogen-bonded 3TPAN–MeOH complex. While in the excited state S3, a new hydrogen bond H11···O1 was formed after the ESPT took place from the hydrogen-bonded MeOH molecule to the 3TPAN moiety. It was demonstrated that the electronic transitions of the S1 states for both the 3TPAN monomer (including the S3 state) and the hydrogen-bonded 3TPAN–MeOH complex should be of a localized-excited (LE) nature on the 3TPAN molecule, while the S3 state of the hydrogen-bonded 3TPAN–MeOH complex should be of charge transfer (CT) character from the hydrogen-bonded MeOH molecule (through O1···H11) to the 3TPAN moiety. The S3-state proton transfer and charge transfer due to the intermolecular hydrogen-bonding interaction should be the reasons for the remarkable redshift (0.91 eV) of the S3-state electronic energy for the hydrogen-bonded 3TPAN–MeOH complex compared with that of the 3TPAN monomer.
EFFECT OF THE GENERALIZED UNCERTAINTY PRINCIPLE ON COMPACT STARS
Authors: ALI AHMED FARAG , TAWFIK ABDEL NASSER
Published: March 2013

Based on the generalized uncertainty principle (GUP), proposed by some approaches to quantum gravity such as string theory and doubly special relativity theories, we investigate the effect of GUP on the thermodynamic properties of compact stars with two different components. We note that the existence of quantum gravity correction tends to resist the collapse of stars if the GUP parameter α is taking values between Planck scale and electroweak scale. Comparing with approaches, it is found that the radii of compact stars become smaller relative to the cases utilizing standard Heisenberg principle. Increasing energy almost exponentially decreases the radii of compact stars.
COSET PRESSURE WITH SUB-ADDITIVE POTENTIALS
Authors: ZHAO YUN , CHENG WEN-CHIAO
Published: March 2013

The goal of this paper is to define the coset topological pressure for sub-additive potentials via separated sets on a compact metric group. Analogues of basic properties for topological pressure hold. This study also reveals a variational principle for the coset topological pressure. The process of the proof is quite similar to that of Cao, Feng and Huang's approximations, but the analysis needs more techniques of ergodic theory and topological dynamics.
Anomalies in Strongly Coupled Harmonic Quantum Brownian Motion
Authors: Giraldi F. , Petruccione F.
Published: March 2013

The exact dynamics of a quantum damped harmonic oscillator coupled to a reservoir of boson modes has been formally described in terms of the coupling function, both in weak and strong coupling regime. In this scenario, we provide a further description of the exact dynamics through integral transforms. We focus on a special class of spectral densities, sub-ohmic at low frequencies, and including integrable divergencies referred to as photonic band gaps. The Drude form of the spectral densities is recovered as upper limit. Starting from special distributions of coherent states as external reservoir, the exact time evolution, described through Fox H-functions, shows long time inverse power law decays, departing from the exponential-like relaxations obtained for the Drude model. Different from the weak coupling regime, in the sub-ohmic condition, undamped oscillations plus inverse power law relaxations appear in the long time evolution of the observables position and momentum. Under the same condition, the number of excitations shows trapping of the population of the excited levels and oscillations enveloped in inverse power law relaxations. Similarly to the weak coupling regime, critical configurations give arbitrarily slow relaxations useful for the control of the dynamics. If compared to the value obtained in weak coupling condition, for strong couplings the critical frequency is enhanced by a factor 4.
Normal Completely Positive Maps on the Space of Quantum Operations
Authors: Chiribella Giulio , Toigo Alessandro , Umanità Veronica
Published: March 2013

Quantum supermaps are higher-order maps transforming quantum operations into quantum operations. Here we extend the theory of quantum supermaps, originally formulated in the finite-dimensional setting, to the case of higher-order maps transforming quantum operations with input in a separable von Neumann algebra and output in the algebra of the bounded operators on a given separable Hilbert space. In this setting we prove two dilation theorems for quantum supermaps that are the analogues of the Stinespring and Radon-Nikodym theorems for quantum operations. Finally, we consider the case of quantum superinstruments, namely measures with values in the set of quantum supermaps, and derive a dilation theorem for them that is analogue to Ozawa's theorem for quantum instruments. The three dilation theorems presented here show that all the supermaps defined in this paper can be implemented by connecting devices in quantum circuits.
ANALYSIS OF A PREDATOR–PREY MODEL WITH DISEASE IN THE PREY
Authors: JI CHUNYAN , JIANG DAQING
Published: March 2013

In this paper, we discuss the behavior of a predator–prey model with disease in the prey with and without stochastic perturbation, respectively. First, we briefly give the dynamic of the deterministic system, by analyzing stabilities of its four equilibria. Then, we consider the asymptotic behavior of the stochastic system. By Lyapunov analysis methods, we show the stochastic stability and its long time behavior around the equilibrium of the deterministic system. We obtain there are similar properties between the stochastic system and its corresponding deterministic system, when white noise is small. But large white noise can make a unstable deterministic system to be stable.
On the Concepts of Vacuum and Mass and the Search for Higgs
Authors: Okun L.B.
Published: March 2013

This is a brief comment on the discovery of “a boson similar to Higgs boson”, written upon the request of Professor Phua and based on personal recollections and on my recent book “ABC of Physics: A Very Brief Guide”. According to the language of Feynman graphs accepted in this book, the role of field is played by virtual particle.
Conference on Computational Physics 2012
Authors: Takabe Hideaki , Baiotti Luca
Published: March 2013

After a long wait, the Conference on Computational Physics (CCP) finally made its way to Japan last year. There were special reasons as to why CCP2012 was held in Kobe, Japan.
Aortocaval fistula delays gastric emptying of liquid test meal in awake rats
Authors: Silva Moisés T. B. , Palheta Raimundo C. , Oliveira Francisca G. V. , de Lima Juliana B. M. , Antunes-Rodrigues José , Oliveira Ricardo B. , Magalhães Pedro J. C. , Santos Armênio A.
Published: March 2013

Arteriovenous anastomoses disrupt cardiovascular and renal homeostasis, eliciting hemodynamic adjustments, resetting the humoral pattern, and inducing cardiac hypertrophy. Because acute circulatory imbalance alters gut motor behavior, we studied the effects of arteriovenous fistula placement on the gastric emptying (GE) of a liquid meal in awake rats. After laparotomy, we created an aortocaval fistula (ACF) by aorta and cava wall puncture with a 21-, 23-, or 26-gauge needle. The ACF was not created in the control group, which underwent sham operation. After 12, 24, or 48 h, mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and central venous pressure were continuously recorded, and cardiac output was estimated by thermal dilution. The rats were then gavage fed a test meal (i.e., phenol red in glucose solution), and fractional dye retention was determined 10, 20, or 30 min later. The effect of prior bleeding on ACF-induced GE delay, the role of neuroautonomic pathways, and changes in plasma hormone levels (i.e., angiotensin II, arginine vasopressin, atrial natriuretic peptide, corticosterone, and oxytocin) were evaluated. When compared with the sham-operated group, ACF rats exhibited arterial hypotension, higher ( P < 0.05) heart rate, central venous pressure, and cardiac output values and increased ( P < 0.05) gastric dye retention, a phenomenon prevented by bilateral subdiaphragmatic vagotomy and hexamethonium treatment. Pirenzepine also impaired the occurrence of gastric delay in subjects with ACF. In addition to causing hyperkinetic circulation, ACF placement delayed the GE of liquid in awake rats, an effect that likely involves a parasympathetic pathway.
Nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor activation decreases the airway hyperresponsiveness induced by allergen in sensitized mice
Authors: Sullo Nikol , Roviezzo Fiorentina , Matteis Maria , Ianaro Angela , Calò Girolamo , Guerrini Remo , Gruttola Luana De , Spaziano Giuseppe , Cirino Giuseppe , Rossi Francesco , D'Agostino Bruno
Published: March 2013

Several studies suggest that the N/OFQ (nociceptin/orphanin FQ)-NOP (N/OFQ peptide) receptor pathway is involved in airway physiology. We previously demonstrated a modulation of the endogenous N/OFQ levels in allergen-sensitized mice. Here, we investigated the effects of NOP receptor activation in allergen sensitization using a murine model of allergen-induced airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR). BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally treated with the NOP receptor agonist UFP-112, either during the sensitization phase (30 min before ovalbumin administration) or at the end of sensitization process (15 min before bronchopulmonary reactivity evaluation). At day 21 from the first allergen exposure, bronchopulmonary reactivity and total and differential cell count in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were evaluated. In a separate set of experiments cell proliferation in lymphocytes, cytokine levels, IgE serum levels, and the effect of UFP-112 on IL-13-induced AHR were evaluated. Pretreatment with UFP-112, during the sensitization phase, caused a significant reduction in allergen-induced AHR and total cell lung infiltration. No effect on allergen-induced AHR was observed when the treatment was performed at the end of sensitization process, on tissues harvested from OVA-sensitized mice and on IL-13-induced AHR. The in vitro proliferative response of lymphocytes was significantly reduced by pretreatment during the sensitization phase with UFP-112. This effect was paralleled by a significant modulation of cytokine secretion in pulmonary tissues and lymphocytes. In conclusion, we demonstrated a role for the NOP receptor and N/OFQ pathway in the AHR induced by allergen, probably through a modulation of the immune response that triggers the development of AHR that involves pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines.
Cratylia mollis1, 4 Lectin: A New Biotechnological Tool in IL-6, IL-17A, IL-22, and IL-23 Induction and Generation of Immunological Memory
Authors: Oliveira Priscilla Stela Santana de , Rêgo Moacyr Jesus Barreto de Melo , da Silva Rafael Ramos , Cavalcanti Mariana Brayner , Galdino Suely Lins , Correia Maria Tereza dos Santos , Coelho Luana Cassandra Breitenbach Barroso , Pitta Maira Galdino da Rocha
Published: March 2013

Cratylia mollislectin has already established cytokine induction in Th1 and Th2 pathways. Thereby, this study aimed to evaluate Cramoll 1, 4 in IL-6, IL-17A, IL-22, and IL-23 induction as well as analyze immunologic memory mechanism by reinducing lymphocyte stimulation. Initially we performed a screening in cultured splenocytes where Cramoll 1, 4 stimulated IL-6 production 5x more than ConA (P<0.05). The same behavior was observed with IL-22 where the increase was greater than 4x. Nevertheless, IL-17A induction was similar for both lectins. In PBMCs, the same splenocytes course was observed for IL-6 and IL-17A. Concerning the stimulation of IL-22 and IL-23 Cramoll 1, 4 was more efficient than ConA in cytokines stimulation mainly in IL-23 (P<0.01). Analyzing reinduced lymphocyte stimulation, IL-17A production was higher (P<0.001) when the first stimulus was realized with Cramoll 1, 4 at 1 μg/mL and the second at 5 μg/mL. IL-22 shows significant differences (P<0.01) at the same condition. Nevertheless, IL-23 revels the best response when the first stimuli was realized with Cramoll1, 4 at 100 ng/mL and the second with 5 μg/mL. We conclude that the Cramoll 1, 4 is able to induce IL-6, IL-17A, IL-22, and IL-23 cytokinesin vitrobetter than Concavalin A, besides immunologic memory generation, being a potential biotechnological tool in Th17 pathway studies.
The Nonrelativistic Scattering States of the Deng-Fan Potential
Authors: Yazarloo Bentol Hoda , Lu Liangliang , Liu Guanghui , Zarrinkamar Saber , Hassanabadi Hassan
Published: March 2013

The approximately analytical scattering state solution of the Schrodinger equation is obtained for the Deng-Fan potential by using an approximation scheme to the centrifugal term. Energy eigenvalues, normalized wave functions, and scattering phase shifts are calculated. We consider and verify two special cases: thel=0and thes-wave Hulthén potential.
A New Tool to Explore Children’s Social Competencies: The Preschool Competition Questionnaire
Authors: Paquette Daniel , Gagnon Marie-Noëlle , Bouchard Luc , Bigras Marc , Schneider Barry H.
Published: March 2013

This paper presents the validation of Preschool Competition Questionnaire (PCQ). The PCQ was completed by the childcare teachers of 780 French-speaking children between the ages of 36 and 71 months. The results of exploratory factor analysis suggest three dimensions involving neither physical nor relational aggression: other-referenced competition, task-oriented competition, and maintenance of dominance hierarchy. The three dimensions are positively correlated with dominance ratings and are linked to social adjustment. Girls are just as competitive as boys in the dimensions of other-referenced competition and dominance hierarchy maintenance. Task-oriented competition is relatively more important in older children and girls. Classification analysis reveals that the children who obtain the highest dominance ratings are the ones who employ a variety of competition strategies.
Molecular Genetics and Genetic Testing in Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1
Authors: Savić Pavićević Dušanka , Miladinović Jelena , Brkušanin Miloš , Šviković Saša , Djurica Svetlana , Brajušković Goran , Romac Stanka
Published: March 2013

Myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1) is the most common adult onset muscular dystrophy, presenting as a multisystemic disorder with extremely variable clinical manifestation, from asymptomatic adults to severely affected neonates. A striking anticipation and parental-gender effect upon transmission are distinguishing genetic features in DM1 pedigrees. It is an autosomal dominant hereditary disease associated with an unstable expansion of CTG repeats in the 3′-UTR of theDMPKgene, with the number of repeats ranging from 50 to several thousand. The number of CTG repeats broadly correlates with both the age-at-onset and overall severity of the disease. Expanded DM1 alleles are characterized by a remarkable expansion-biased and gender-specific germline instability, and tissue-specific, expansion-biased, age-dependent, and individual-specific somatic instability. Mutational dynamics in male and female germline account for observed anticipation and parental-gender effect in DM1 pedigrees, while mutational dynamics in somatic tissues contribute toward the tissue-specificity and progressive nature of the disease. Genetic test is routinely used in diagnostic procedure for DM1 for symptomatic, asymptomatic, and prenatal testing, accompanied with appropriate genetic counseling and, as recommended, without predictive information about the disease course. We review molecular genetics of DM1 with focus on those issues important for genetic testing and counseling.
Variable Structure Control of a Catastrophic Course in a High-Speed Underwater Vehicle Launched out of the Water
Authors: Xiao Min
Published: March 2013

A variable structure controller is designed for a high-speed underwater vehicle on a catastrophic course using a mathematical model. This sudden change at the moment when a high-speed underwater vehicle launches out of the water seriously affects the stability and the control accuracy of the high-speed underwater vehicle. The nonlinear system is linearised via input-output feedback linearisation using differential geometry theory. The attitude tracking controller is designed for a closed loop using the exponentially approaching rule of variable structure theory. The simulation results show that the control system can be applied to a catastrophic course in a high-speed underwater vehicle launched underwater and out of the water. The results also show great robustness against all admissible uncertainties for system parameter perturbation.
Terahertz Frequency Continuous-Wave Spectroscopy and Imaging of Explosive Substances
Authors: Startsev Michael A. , Elezzabi Abdulhakem Y.
Published: March 2013

Continuous-wave terahertz (THz) radiation spectroscopy was performed on high explosive materials using a tuneable optical parametric oscillator (OPO). Military grade, solid-phase, explosive substances, such as cyclotetramethylenetetranitramine (HMX), cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine (RDX), pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), and composition-4, were spectrally scanned over the 0.7–1.9 THz frequency range under experimental conditions modeling that of “real-world” security screenings. Spectral peak locations and spectral line broadening effects were quantified using a Lorentz lineshape fit algorithm. The full-width half-maximum (FWHM) parameter computed by the Lorentz fit algorithm was shown to help in the identification of samples with broad and sparse spectral characteristics. A concealed explosives identification scheme was demonstrated through raster scan THz frequency radiation imaging at specific OPO tuning frequencies.
(m,n)-Semirings and a Generalized Fault-Tolerance Algebra of Systems
Authors: Alam Syed Eqbal , Rao Shrisha , Davvaz Bijan
Published: March 2013

We propose a new class of mathematical structures called(m,n)-semirings(which generalize the usual semirings) and describe their basic properties. We define partial ordering and generalize the concepts of congruence, homomorphism, and so forth, for(m,n)-semirings. Following earlier work by Rao (2008), we consider systems made up of several components whose failures may cause them to fail and represent the set of such systems algebraically as an(m,n)-semiring. Based on the characteristics of these components, we present a formalism to compare the fault-tolerance behavior of two systems using our framework of a partially ordered(m,n)-semiring.
Expanding Assessment of Fear of Falling among Older Adults with an Intellectual Disability: A Pilot Study to Assess the Value of Proxy Responses
Authors: Foran Sinéad , McCarron Mary , McCallion Philip
Published: March 2013

Introduction. Fear of falling (FOF) has emerged as an important health concern in older adults, yet it has rarely been investigated in people with intellectual disabilities (ID). Valid and reliable measurement approaches are a particular challenge. Scales that have been developed to measure FOF have not been validated for use with older people with ID and are not routinely used with proxy respondents.
Method. 63 people comprised purposeful samples of 3 groups, people with ID , their nominated key workers , and additional support workers . Test-retest reliability and interrater reliability were assessed for using a dichotomous, single-item FOF screening measure. The degree of FOF and activity restriction due to FOF were also investigated.
Results. Inter-rater reliability was found to be moderate to excellent with Kappa = 0.77 on ratings of the FOF item. Test-retest reliability for each group of reviewers for the FOF item were also found to be excellent (0.95). Conclusion. The global item is a suitable screening measure for FOF in older adults with ID and can assist in identification of individuals requiring further assessment. Proxies, if carefully selected, can provide consistent and reliable reports of the presence of FOF in people with ID.
On a New Class of Antiperiodic Fractional Boundary Value Problems
Authors: Ahmad Bashir , Nieto Juan J. , Alsaedi Ahmed , Mohamad Nadia
Published: March 2013

This paper investigates a new class of antiperiodic boundary value problems of higher order fractional differential equations. Some existence and uniqueness results are obtained by applying some standard fixed point principles. Some examples are given to illustrate the results.
Uncertainty and Sensitivity Studies with TRACE-SUSA and TRACE-DAKOTA by Means of Steady State BFBT Data
Authors: Jaeger Wadim , Sánchez Espinoza Victor Hugo , Montero Mayorga Francisco Javier , Queral Cesar
Published: March 2013

The subject of the present paper is the uncertainty and sensitivity studies for steady state BFBT results including pressure drop and void fraction measurements. The investigations are performed with TRACE (version 5.0 patch 2), thermal hydraulic modeling, and SUSA and DAKOTA; both tools are for the evaluation of uncertainties and sensitivities. For this purpose, the NUPEC BFBT experimental data base is used. The advantage of applying two different uncertainty and sensitivity tools in combination with TRACE is that the user effect can be excluded. Since in both cases the TRACE model of the BFBT bundle is identical the differences in the results are related to the capabilities of the uncertainty and sensitivity tools. The reference results with TRACE show that the code is very well able to represent both single- and two-phase flows even though it is a 1D coarse mesh system code. For selected cases, an uncertainty study was performed. Even though a reduced number of uncertain parameters are considered in the DAKOTA investigation, compared to the one with SUSA, similar results are obtained. The results indicate also that even small parameter variations can yield to rather large variations of the selected output parameters.
A High-Speed and Low-Energy-Consumption Processor for SVD-MIMO-OFDM Systems
Authors: Iwaizumi Hiroki , Yoshizawa Shingo , Miyanaga Yoshikazu
Published: March 2013

A processor design for singular value decomposition (SVD) and compression/decompression of feedback matrices, which are mandatory operations for SVD multiple-input multiple-output orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM) systems, is proposed and evaluated. SVD-MIMO is a transmission method for suppressing multistream interference and improving communication quality by beamforming. An application specific instruction-set processor (ASIP) architecture is adopted to achieve flexibility in terms of operations and matrix size. The proposed processor realizes a high-speed/low-power design and real-time processing by the parallelization of floating-point units (FPUs) and arithmetic instructions specialized in complex matrix operations.
The Impact of Migrations on the Health Services for Rare Diseases in Europe: The Example of Haemoglobin Disorders
Authors: Angastiniotis Michalis , Vives Corrons Joan-Lluis , Soteriades Elpidoforos S. , Eleftheriou Androulla
Published: March 2013

Migration from different parts of the world to several European countries leads to the introduction of haemoglobinopathy genes into the population, which creates several demanding needs for prevention and treatment services for Hb disorders. In this paper we examined the degree to which European health services have responded to such challenges and in particular to health services necessary to address the needs of patients with thalassaemia and sickle cell disease (SCD). Information on available services was obtained from international organizations, collaborated European project, and the Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF) Databases, which include information from published surveys, registries, field trips, and delegation visits to countries and regions by expert advisors, local associations, and other collaborators’ reports. Results show that countries with traditional strong prevention and treatment programs are well prepared to face the above challenges, while others are urgently needed to address these problems in a systematic way. The Thalassaemia International Federation (TIF) is committed to monitor the progress, raise awareness, and support the promotion of more immigrant‐oriented health policies to ensure their integration in society and their access to appropriate, adequate, and timely health services.
Synchronization of Neuronal Networks via Control Rank Pinning Scheme
Authors: Miao Qingying , Wong W. K. , Shan Dan
Published: March 2013

Recent studies have proposed the controlling regions in the corticocortical network of cats' brain at different scales. Here we study pinning control using a simple model of coupled oscillators assigned to cortical areas in the corticocortical network of cats' brain. We analyze control rank (CR) values of areas in the cortical network. It is found that most of the hubs have bigger CR values than other nodes in the same functional community. Moreover, we analyze the synchrony state of the functional communities in the cortical network, revealing that a community with a larger percentage of pinned nodes inside will be conducive to synchronization.
Implementation on Electronic Circuits and RTR Pragmatical Adaptive Synchronization: Time-Reversed Uncertain Dynamical Systems' Analysis and Applications
Authors: Li Shih-Yu , Yang Cheng-Hsiung , Ko Li-Wei , Lin Chin-Teng , Ge Zheng-Ming
Published: March 2013

We expose the chaotic attractors of time-reversed nonlinear system, further implement its behavior on electronic circuit, and apply the pragmatical asymptotically stability theory to strictly prove that the adaptive synchronization of given master and slave systems with uncertain parameters can be achieved. In this paper, the variety chaotic motions of time-reversed Lorentz system are investigated through Lyapunov exponents, phase portraits, and bifurcation diagrams. For further applying the complex signal in secure communication and file encryption, we construct the circuit to show the similar chaotic signal of time-reversed Lorentz system. In addition, pragmatical asymptotically stability theorem and an assumption of equal probability for ergodic initial conditions (Ge et al., 1999, Ge and Yu, 2000, and Matsushima, 1972) are proposed to strictly prove that adaptive control can be accomplished successfully. The current scheme of adaptive control—by traditional Lyapunov stability theorem and Barbalat lemma, which are used to prove the error vector—approaches zero, as time approaches infinity. However, the core question—why the estimated or given parameters also approach to the uncertain parameters—remains without answer. By the new stability theory, those estimated parameters can be proved approaching the uncertain values strictly, and the simulation results are shown in this paper.
Global Strong Solution to the Density-Dependent 2-D Liquid Crystal Flows
Authors: Zhou Yong , Fan Jishan , Nakamura Gen
Published: March 2013

The initial-boundary value problem for the density-dependent flow of nematic crystals is studied in a 2-D bounded smooth domain. For the initial density away from vacuum, the existence and uniqueness is proved for the global strong solution with the large initial velocityu0and small∇d0. We also give a regularity criterion∇d∈Lp(0,T;Lq(Ω))  (2/q)+(2/p)=1, 2<q≤∞of the problem with the Dirichlet boundary conditionu=0,d=d0on∂Ω.
Nonlinear State Space Modeling and System Identification for Electrohydraulic Control
Authors: Yan Jun , Li Bo , Ling Hai-Feng , Chen Hai-Song , Zhang Mei-Jun
Published: March 2013

The paper deals with nonlinear modeling and identification of an electrohydraulic control system for improving its tracking performance. We build the nonlinear state space model for analyzing the highly nonlinear system and then develop a Hammerstein-Wiener (H-W) model which consists of a static input nonlinear block with two-segment polynomial nonlinearities, a linear time-invariant dynamic block, and a static output nonlinear block with single polynomial nonlinearity to describe it. We simplify the H-W model into a linear-in-parameters structure by using the key term separation principle and then use a modified recursive least square method with iterative estimation of internal variables to identify all the unknown parameters simultaneously. It is found that the proposed H-W model approximates the actual system better than the independent Hammerstein, Wiener, and ARX models. The prediction error of the H-W model is about 13%, 54%, and 58% less than the Hammerstein, Wiener, and ARX models, respectively.
Host Genomics and Control of Tuberculosis Infection
Authors: Cobat A. , Orlova M. , Barrera L.F. , Schurr E.
Published: March 2013

Tuberculosis (TB), caused by the human pathogenic bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis, poses a major global health problem. The tubercle bacillus is transmitted from person to person by aerosol, but only a proportion of those in contact with infectious aerosol particles will become infected. If infection occurs, less than 10% of those infected will develop clinical signs of TB, while the majority will develop latent TB infection (LTBI). The identification and treatment of LTBI persons is a major aspect of TB control, especially in low-incidence, highly developed nations. In the absence of a gold standard test for latent TB, infection is inferred with the help of either the in vivo tuberculin skin test or in vitro interferon gamma release assays of anti-mycobacterial immunity. Recent work has observed high heritability of these immune assays indicating the critical role of the host genetic background on the establishment of infection and latency. Additional genetic studies have identified the host genetic background as an important covariate for the proper interpretation of the results obtained from LTBI assays. Taken together, these data suggest TB surveillance and control can likely be improved by including host genetic information into the interpretation of these widely used assays.
Guidelines for the Recording and Evaluation of Pharmaco-Sleep Studies in Man: The International Pharmaco-EEG Society (IPEG)
Authors: Jobert Marc , Wilson Frederick J. , Roth Thomas , Ruigt Gé S.F. , Anderer Peter , Drinkenburg Wilhelmus H.I.M. ,   The IPEG Pharmaco-EEG Guidelines Committee
Published: March 2013

The International Pharmaco-EEG Society (IPEG) presents guidelines summarising the requirements for the recording and computerised evaluation of pharmaco-sleep data in man. Over the past years, technical and data-processing methods have advanced steadily, thus enhancing data quality and expanding the palette of sleep assessment tools that can be used to investigate the activity of drugs on the central nervous system (CNS), determine the time course of effects and pharmacodynamic properties of novel therapeutics, hence enabling the study of the pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationship, and evaluate the CNS penetration or toxicity of compounds. However, despite the presence of robust guidelines on the scoring of polysomnography -recordings, a review of the literature reveals inconsistent -aspects in the operating procedures from one study to another. While this fact does not invalidate results, the lack of standardisation constitutes a regrettable shortcoming, especially in the context of drug development programmes. The present guidelines are intended to assist investigators, who are using pharmaco-sleep measures in clinical research, in an effort to provide clear and concise recommendations and thereby to standardise methodology and facilitate comparability of data across laboratories.
Deep Sequencing in Pre- and Clinical Vaccine Research
Authors: Prachi P. , Donati C. , Masciopinto F. , Rappuoli R. , Bagnoli F.
Published: March 2013

Vaccine research has experienced a quantum leap after the beginning of the genomics era. High-throughput sequencing techniques, unlimited computing resources, as well as new bioinformatic algorithms are now changing the way we perform genomic studies. Whole genome sequencing will soon become the gold standard for phylogenetic and epidemiology studies and is already shedding new light on the dynamics of bacterial evolution. We believe that deep sequencing projects, together with structural studies on vaccine candidates, will allow targeting constant epitopes and avoid vaccine failure due to antigenic variability. Systems biology, which is expected to revolutionize vaccine research and clinical studies, greatly relies on high-throughput technologies such as RNA-seq. Furthermore, genomics is a key element to develop safer vaccines, and the accuracy of deep sequencing will allow monitoring vaccine coverage after their introduction on the market.
The Role of Polymorphisms in Host Immune Genes in Determining the Severity of Respiratory Illness Caused by Pandemic H1N1 Influenza
Authors: Keynan Y. , Malik S. , Fowke K.R.
Published: March 2013

Following the influenza epidemics, it has become clear that severity of illness is not uniform. Comorbidities and immunocompromise account for only a fraction of severe cases and do not explain the differential severity among the otherwise healthy during pandemics. During the 2009 H1N1 pandemic, a focus has been placed on better understanding of the determinants and pathogenesis of severe influenza infections. Much of the current literature has focused on viral genetics and its impact on host immunity as well as novel risk factors for severe infection (particularly within the H1N1 pandemic). The improved understanding of the cellular mechanisms and pathways involved in the pathogenesis of severe disease along with technological advances have allowed a more systematic approach to the exploration of the host genetic determinants of susceptibility and severe respiratory illness. By better defining the role of genetic variability in the immune responses to influenza, and identifying key polymorphisms that either protect against severe manifestation or those that impair the host immune response, it is possible to envision better methods to identify at-risk populations and new targets for therapeutic interventions and vaccines. This review will summarize the accumulated literature examining the immunogenetic factors associated with propensity for the development of severe pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) manifestations. We will focus on novel and key insights gained through study of ethnic populations that appeared more vulnerable to severe disease during the 2009 H1N1 pandemic.
Toll-Like Receptor 3 Expression in Glia and Neurons Alters in Response to White Matter Injury in Preterm Infants
Authors: Vontell R. , Supramaniam V. , Thornton C. , Wyatt-Ashmead J. , Mallard C. , Gressens P. , Rutherford M. , Hagberg H.
Published: March 2013

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are members of the pattern recognition receptor family that detect components of foreign pathogens or endogenous molecules released in response to injury. Recent studies demonstrate that TLRs also have a functional role in regulating neuronal proliferation in the developing brain. This study investigated cellular expression of TLR3 using immunohistochemistry on human brain tissue. The tissue sections analysed contained anterior and lateral periventricular white matter from the frontal and parietal lobes in post-mortem neonatal cases with a postmenstrual age range of 23.6-31.4 weeks. In addition to preterm brains without overt pathology (control), preterm pathology cases with evidence of white matter injuries (WMI) were also examined. In order to identify TLR-positive cells, we utilized standard double-labelling immunofluorescence co-labelling techniques and confocal microscopy to compare co-expression of TLR3 with a neuronal marker (NeuN) or with glial markers (GFAP for astrocytes, Iba-1 for microglia and Olig2 for oligodendrocytes). We observed an increase in the neuronal (28 vs. 17%) and astroglial (38 vs. 21%) populations in the WMI group compared to controls in the anterior regions of the periventricular white matter in the frontal lobe. The increase in neurons and astrocytes in the WMI cases was associated with an increase in TLR3 immunoreactivity. This expression was significantly increased in the astroglia. The morphology of the TLR3 signal in the control cases was globular and restricted to the perinuclear region of the neurons and astrocytes, whilst in the cases of WMI, both neuronal, axonal and astroglial TLR3 expression was more diffuse (i.e., a different intracellular distribution) and could be detected along the extensions of the processes. This study demonstrates for the first time that neurons and glial cells in human neonatal periventricular white matter express TLR3 during development. The patterns of TLR3 expression were altered in the presence of WMI, which might influence normal developmental processes within the immature brain. Identifying changes in TLR3 expression during fetal development may be key to understanding the reduced volumes of grey matter and impaired cortical development seen in preterm infants.
Blood Pressure Variability and Cognitive Function in the Elderly
Authors: Jung Hee-won , Kim Kwang-il
Published: March 2013

With the increase in the aging population, it is important to understand the individual diseases and their interactions which are prevalent and have a great impact on the health status of the elderly. Hypertension is one of the most common diseases in older age and may impact the health status because it is the main risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases such as heart failure and stroke. Recently, much evidence has been accumulated showing that hypertension plays an important role in the development and progression of cognitive impairment and dementia. Cerebral hypoperfusion secondary to severe atherosclerosis resulting from long-standing hypertension may be a major biological pathway linking high blood pressure (BP) to cognitive decline and dementia. Furthermore, increased BP variability has also been reported to be significantly associated with white matter hyperintensities and brain atrophy, which are predisposing conditions of dementia, depression, and falls in the elderly even after adjusting for BP levels and other confounding variables. Several mechanisms have been shown to be involved in the association between BP variability and cognitive impairment in elderly individuals. In addition to an increased cerebral blood flow fluctuation, neurohumoral activation, endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and oxidative stress have been suggested to be the underlying mechanisms. However, clinical trials provide limited evidence for a protective effect of antihypertensive therapy against dementia and stroke-related cognitive decline. In this article, we aimed to review the existing evidence of the connection between BP variability and cognitive impairment in elderly people.
DPP-4 Inhibitors as Therapeutic Modulators of Immune Cell Function and Associated Cardiovascular and Renal Insulin Resistance in Obesity and Diabetes
Authors: Aroor Annayya , McKarns Susan , Nistala Ravi , DeMarco Vincent , Gardner Michael , Garcia-Touza Mariana , Whaley-Connell Adam , Sowers James R.
Published: March 2013

The prevalence of obesity and diabetes continues to rise in the United States and worldwide. These findings parallel the expansion of childhood obesity and diabetes. Obesity is a central component of the cardiorenal metabolic syndrome (CRS) which increases the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The hallmark of obesity, CRS, and early type 2 diabetes is insulin resistance, a result of decreased insulin metabolic signaling due, in part, to enhanced serine phosphorylation and/or proteasome-mediated degradation of the insulin receptor substrate. Cardiovascular and renal insulin resistance significantly contributes to endothelial dysfunction, impaired cardiac diastolic and vascular relaxation, glomerular injury, and tubular dysfunction. In this context, multiple factors including oxidative stress, increased inflammation, and inappropriate activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone and the sympathetic nervous system contribute to overweight- and obesity-induced systemic and tissue insulin resistance. One common link between obesity and the development of insulin resistance appears to be a low-grade inflammatory response resulting from dysfunctional innate and adaptive immunity. In this regard, there has been recent work on the role of dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) in modulating innate and adaptive immunity. The direct effects of DPP-4 on immune cells and the indirect effects through GLP-1-dependent and -independent pathways suggest effects of DPP-4 inhibition may have beneficial effects beyond glycemic control in improving CVD and renal outcomes. Accordingly, this review addresses new insights into the role of DPP-4 in immune modulation and the potential beneficial effects of DPP-4 inhibitors in insulin resistance and associated CVD and CKD prevention.
Culinary Diplomacy: Breaking Bread to Win Hearts and Minds
Authors: Chapple-Sokol Sam
Published: March 2013

Summary

The concept of ‘culinary diplomacy’ is defined as the use of food and cuisine as an instrument to create cross-cultural understanding in the hopes of improving interactions and cooperation. Its origins are rooted in ancient history, while a modernized version emerged alongside French diplomatic tradition in the early nineteenth century, beginning with the iconic French chef Antonin Carême. The theory underlying the concept is multifaceted, with foundations in the schools of public and cultural diplomacy, non-verbal communication, nation-branding, and in the conflict resolution theory of the contact hypothesis. Culinary diplomacy campaigns worldwide have been undertaken, from the national governmental promotions of multiple South-East Asian countries, to the White House’s outreach to promote healthy eating, to grassroots efforts by cooks to reduce violent conflict. The summit of culinary diplomacy is the Club des Chefs des Chefs, a group of the chefs of heads of state, whose goal it is to unite people with a good meal. There is work to be done in the field, but there are big potential gains, up to and including world peace.