bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Secure communications in multiple amplify‐and‐forward relay networks with outdated channel state information
Authors: Deng Dan , Fan Lisheng , Zhao Rui , Hu Rose Qingyang
Published: September 2015

This paper studies the effect of outdated channel state information on relay selection for a secure amplify‐and‐forward relay network. In the considered system, one of the multiple amplify‐and‐forward relays is selected to assist the secure transmission from the source to the destination, where secure transmission may be wiretapped by multiple eavesdroppers. To enhance the system security, two relay selection criteria are considered to choose the best relay, and the selection is performed in time‐varying Rayleigh block‐fading channel environments. We study the effect of the outdated channel state information on the system secrecy performance by deriving the analytical secrecy outage probability as well as the asymptotic expression with main‐to‐eavesdropper ratio. From the asymptotic expressions, it can be found that the diversity order of the secrecy outage probability for both the criteria remains unity, regardless of the number of relays and the number of eavesdroppers. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Adenovirus‐mediated delivery of Factor H attenuates complement C3 induced pathology in the murine retina: a potential gene therapy for age‐related macular degeneration
Authors: Cashman Siobhan M. , Gracias Jessica , Adhi Mehreen , Kumar‐Singh Rajendra
Published: September 2015

Background

Age‐related macular degeneration (AMD) is the most common cause of blindness in the elderly, with no therapy available for 90% of patients. Recent genetic evidence implicates activation of complement in the pathogenesis of AMD. We have recently discovered that adenovirus (Ad)‐mediated expression of complement component C3 (AdCMVC3) in the murine retina recapitulates many of the pathological features found in human AMD. In the present study, utilizing a gene therapy approach, we examine whether Ad‐mediated expression of complement Factor H (AdCAGfH) attenuates AdCMVC3‐mediated retinal pathology.

Methods

AdCMVC3 was co‐injected with either AdCAGfH or a negative control virus expressing green fluorescent protein (AdCMVGFP) into the subretinal space of adult mice. The resulting retinal pathology was analyzed by histology and immunocytochemistry and retinal function was quantified by electroretinography.

Results

Morphological and functional analyses indicated that AdCMVC3‐mediated retinal pathology could be attenuated by AdCAGfH. Specifically, endothelial cell proliferation was reduced by 91% and atrophy of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) could be attenuated by 69%. AdCAGfH injected eyes exhibited 90–150% greater A‐wave and 120–180% greater B‐wave amplitudes relative to control eyes. Immunocytochemical analysis of rhodopsin and RPE65 was consistent with the rescue of photoreceptors and RPE in AdCAGfH injected eyes.

Conclusions

C3‐induced pathology in murine retina can be attenuated by Ad‐mediated expression of Factor H. Expression of Factor H is worthy of further study as a potential gene therapy for AMD. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Preliminary development of an ultrabrief two‐item bedside test for delirium
Authors: Fick Donna M. , Inouye Sharon K. , Guess Jamey , Ngo Long H. , Jones Richard N. , Saczynski Jane S. , Marcantonio Edward R.
Published: September 2015

BACKGROUND

Delirium is common, morbid, and costly, yet is greatly under‐recognized among hospitalized older adults.

OBJECTIVE

To identify the best single and pair of mental status test items that predict the presence of delirium.

DESIGN, SETTING

Diagnostic test evaluation study that enrolled medicine inpatients aged 75 years or older at an academic medical center.

METHODS

Patients underwent a clinical reference standard assessment involving a patient interview, medical record review, and interviews with family members and nurses to determine the presence or absence of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition defined delirium. Participants also underwent the three‐dimensional Confusion Assessment Method (3D‐CAM), a brief, validated assessment for delirium. Individual items and pairs of items from the 3D‐CAM were evaluated to determine sensitivity and specificity relative to the reference standard delirium diagnosis.

RESULTS

Of the 201 participants (mean age 84 years, 62% female), 42 (21%) had delirium based on the clinical reference standard. The single item with the best test characteristics was “months of the year backwards” with a sensitivity of 83% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 69%‐93%) and specificity of 69% (95% CI: 61%‐76%). The best 2‐item screen was the combination of “months of the year backwards” and “what is the day of the week?” with a sensitivity of 93% (95% CI: 81%‐99%) and specificity of 64% (95% CI: 56%‐70%).

CONCLUSIONS

We identified a single item with >80% and pair of items with >90% sensitivity for delirium. If validated prospectively, these items will serve as an initial innovative screening step for delirium identification in hospitalized older adults. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2015;10:645–650. © 2015 Society of Hospital Medicine
Existential–Experiential View of Self‐Sourced (In)Authentic Healthcare Identity
Authors: Koskiniemi Anne , Perttula Juha , Syväjärvi Antti
Published: September 2015

In the healthcare context, both nurses and doctors derive their professional identities from diverse backgrounds, thus resulting in two distinct professions. Becoming a leader and forming a leader identity that is separate from a strong professional identity is a difficult task. However, assuming a leader identity is considered an important aspect of actually being a leader, not just a professional with a leader position. The current article explores authenticity in generic healthcare leader identity formation by utilizing the concept of professional identity. Instead of committing to the humanistic ontological roots of the authentic leadership construct, the research analyzes the concepts of self and authenticity from an existential–experiential perspective. A conceptual framework of self‐sourced healthcare identity formation, including leader identity and professional identity, is presented. The framework shows how leader identity originates in the leader's experiencing self‐in‐situation, which is understood as the source of authenticity. The experiencing self, or the self as a subject, is differentiated from the experienced self, or the self as an object, by which professional identities are formed. The conceptualization provides a way of understanding and developing leadership in fields consisting of strong professional identities. The applications of the framework are also discussed.
Leadership Graduate Degree Programs: A Comparative Review and Analysis of Value Propositions
Authors: Stork Elizabeth , Grant A. J. , Darmo Lubomir
Published: September 2015

The language used in program descriptions of graduate leadership programs on college and university websites are first attempts at enticing prospective students to consider enrolling. The descriptions invariably include value propositions about the benefits of a particular program, aimed to appeal to readers’ motivations, couched in one of three discourse styles: Formal Impersonal, Formal Personal, and Informal Personal styles. Program descriptions, a de facto rhetorical genre, and demographics of all 154 master's degree programs in Organizational Leadership in existence as of January 2014 are analyzed, using a systematic discourse analysis typology which explored the ways in which value propositions were presented. Four questions concerning discourse types, the kinds of value propositions, the relationship between rankings of universities and kinds of value propositions and discourse types, intrinsic (meaning) and extrinsic (utility) appeals are answered. Detailed cross‐sectional comparative analysis of leadership master's degree programs are also presented.
The Staff Ride: Developing Historical Sense in Army Leaders
Authors: Williams Thomas
Published: September 2015

In the current essay, the author draws on his experience as a serving member of the Armed Forces to discuss the problem of developing military leaders capable of mitigating the disruptive nature of war. Specifically, it discusses the staff ride, a comprehensive analysis of historical events conducted through observation, reflection, and discussion, to develop in leaders an understanding that nothing ever works out the way a leader intends or expects. For the military leader facing the uncertainty and ambiguity of modern combat, this lesson from history is arguably the most essential.
The Cuban Missile Crisis: Leadership as Disturbance, Informed by History
Authors: Chace Sarah
Published: September 2015

The Cuban missile crisis of October 1962 cannot be over‐studied for the lessons it teaches about leadership. As documents have become declassified, it has now become known that President Kennedy and his team of advisors considered the crisis from multiple angles, ranging from a traditional response to perceived aggression to transactional leadership—in this case, secretly trading the removal of Soviet missiles in Cuba for the removal of American missiles in Turkey. The resolution of the Cuban missile crisis involved more than transactional leadership, however. In the complex negotiations that followed the discovery of the missiles, President Kennedy and his team of advisors experienced an evolution in their thinking, while operating under intense strain. The conceptual frameworks that best describe Kennedy's leadership in this context are Voegelin's notion of historical consciousness and Heifetz's conceptions of adaptive leadership.
Global Information System Implementation: A Study of Strategic and Cultural Challenges and Enablers in a DMNC
Authors: Parry Glenn , De Bock Roan , White Gareth R.T.
Published: September 2015

The factors mentioned most frequently by the information system implementation teams as being critical to success were all issues pertaining to cultural rather than strategic management.
First bite syndrome: Our experience with intraparotid injections with botulinum toxin type A
Authors: Ghosh Ankona , Mirza Natasha
Published: September 2015

Objectives/Hypothesis

First bite syndrome is the sudden onset of acute and severe pain in the parotid region at the initiation of mastication. Although it generally lasts less than a minute, it is disabling for these individuals and leads to a fear of oral intake. It is typically seen after parapharyngeal or deep parotid space surgery. Intraparotid injection of botulinum toxin A (BTA) has been suggested as a treatment for this condition, but there is little supporting literature to this effect. The purpose of this study is to document our experience using this treatment method for first bite syndrome.

Study Design

Retrospective case review.

Methods

Five patients with first bite syndrome, developed after parapharyngeal space surgery, were treated by multisite injection of BTA into the parotid gland. Between 17.5 and 50 total U of BTA were injected into four or more sites in the parotid region. The patients were then followed up every 4 months.

Results

Three of five patients reported a significant improvement in symptoms at the 4‐month follow‐up visit, although complete resolution was not reported. One patient reported only moderate improvement, and despite two series of injections there was no improvement in one patient, leading us to question our initial diagnosis.

Conclusions

Unilateral BTA injection into the affected parotid gland produces a decrease in the severity of symptoms. It is a safe and viable noninvasive treatment for this difficult to treat condition and may lead to permanent resolution of symptoms in some patients.

Level of Evidence

4 Laryngoscope, 126:104–107, 2016
The progression of thyroid cartilage calcification as it relates to the utilization of laryngeal ultrasound
Authors: Wenaas Ashley E. , Tran Brandon , Ongkasuwan Julina
Published: September 2015

Objectives/Hypothesis

The purpose of this study is to review the computed tomography (CT) scans of infants, children, and adults to assess the degree of calcification of the thyroid cartilage at various ages in order to understand in which age group laryngeal ultrasound can be utilized.

Study Design

Retrospective.

Methods

Two hundred patients from newborn to 50 years who received a CT scan of the neck were identified. The Hounsfield units (HU) of the thyroid cartilage were calculated at one o'clock, four o'clock, eight o'clock, and eleven o'clock at the level of the true and false vocal fold. The Spearman correlation coefficient was calculated to evaluate the correlation between each measure and age, then a linear regression with a logarithmic transformation was applied to further study how the measures were related to age.

Results

The Spearman correlation coefficients ranged from 0.58 to 0.75. The P values of these coefficients were all < 0.0001, showing a significant relationship to age. The age increase by 1 year resulted in increased calcification by 1.5% to 4%. The Wilcoxon signed rank test compared the rate of calcification at each site measured. This showed that the two posterolateral sites calcify faster than the two anteromedial sites.

Conclusion

The thyroid cartilage calcifies at a rate that is significantly related to increasing age and calcifies in a posterolateral to anteromedial direction. Based on the HU, the thyroid cartilage is not consistently denser than soft tissue until greater than 40 years of age, which would make laryngeal ultrasound feasible for this population.

Level of Evidence

4. Laryngoscope, 126:913–917, 2016
Epiglottis collapse in adult obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review
Authors: Torre Carlos , Camacho Macario , Liu Stanley Yung‐Chuan , Huon Leh‐Kiong , Capasso Robson
Published: September 2015

Objectives/Hypothesis

To systematically review the international literature evaluating the role of the epiglottis in snoring and obstructive sleep apnea and to explore possible treatment options available.

Data Sources

PubMed, Scopus, Embase, Google Scholar, Book Citation Index‐Science, CINAHL, Conference Proceedings Citation Index‐Science, The Cochrane Collaboration Databases, and Web of Science.

Review Method

The searches were performed from the first year of each database through March 5, 2015.

Results

Fourteen studies about the prevalence of epiglottis collapse in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) were found. Most involved drug‐induced sleep endoscopy studies that indirectly reported their findings about epiglottis collapse. The data suggests that the prevalence of epiglottis collapse in OSA is higher than previously described. The epiglottis has been implicated in 12% of cases of snoring, and sound originating from it has a higher pitch than palatal snoring. Continuous positive pressure (CPAP) surgery and positional therapy in the treatment of epiglottis collapse were also considered. Lateral position of the head may reduce the frequency of epiglottis collapse. With regard to CPAP, available reports suggest that it may accentuate collapse of the epiglottis. Surgery may help reduce snoring in some patients with a lax epiglottis and improve OSA in patients undergoing multilevel surgery.

Conclusion

Knowledge regarding the role of the epiglottis in adult OSA and snoring patients is limited. The prevalence of this phenomenon in OSA seems to be greater than previously reported, and more research is needed to understand its role in OSA and the best way to treat it.

Level of Evidence

NA. Laryngoscope, 126:515–523, 2016
Predictive factors for perioperative blood transfusion in neck dissection
Authors: Abu‐Ghanem Sara , Warshavsky Anton , Carmel Narin‐Nard , Abu‐Ghanem Yasmin , Abergel Avraham , Fliss Dan M. , Yehuda Moshe
Published: September 2015

Objectives/Hypothesis

There is growing interest in reducing the exposure of patients to allogeneic blood transfusions by lowering preoperative cross‐matched blood ordering and adopting alternative practices, such as autologous blood donations. Our aim was to investigate the predictors for perioperative blood transfusion (PBT) in head and neck cancer patients undergoing neck dissection (ND).

Study Design

Retrospective cohort study.

Methods

Retrospective observational study. All patients who underwent ND between January 2011 and August 2014. The primary outcome measure was PBT. Predictors tested included: gender, age, American Society of Anesthesiologists comorbidity score, Charlson comorbidity index, preoperative hemoglobin level, head and neck primary tumor location, tumor and nodal staging, side and laterality of ND, central versus lateral ND, elective ND, preoperative chemotherapy/radiotherapy/I131 therapy, history of previous ND, other surgical procedures in addition to the ND, bone resection, use and type of reconstruction, and the use of bony free flap reconstruction.

Results

Twenty‐one preoperative and operative variables were tested for an association with PBT using univariate and multivariate analyses. Multivariate analysis found only the following three predictors to be significantly associated with PBT in patients undergoing ND: low preoperative hemoglobin level, advanced N stage, and concurrent reconstructive surgery.

Conclusion

Evaluation of specific risk factors for predicting the need for PBT prior to neck dissection may be helpful in identifying the head and neck cancer patients in whom preoperative ordering of cross‐matched blood is required or who could benefit from alternative means, such as preoperative autologous blood donation.

Level of Evidence

4. Laryngoscope, 126:851–857, 2016
Derivation and characterization of porcine vocal fold extracellular matrix scaffold
Authors: Wrona Emily A. , Peng Robert , Born Hayley , Amin Milan R. , Branski Ryan C. , Freytes Donald O.
Published: September 2015

Objectives/Hypothesis

To optimize decellularization of porcine vocal folds (VF) and quantify human bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cell (BM‐MSC) interactions with this matrix to provide a foundation for regenerative approaches to VF repair.

Study Design and Methods

Vocal folds were dissected from porcine larynges and three decellularization protocols were compared, each consisting of washes and mechanical agitations with different combinations of reagents. DNA content was analyzed via Quant‐iT Picogreen assay and hematoxylin and eosin staining. Bone marrow‐derived MSCs were then seeded onto the decellularized VF matrices. Morphology, metabolic activity, DNA content, and gene expression were assessed using LIVE/DEAD Cell Viability, alamarBlue Cell Viability Assay, Quant‐iT Picogreen assay, and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively.

Results

The most successful decellularization protocol removed 95% DNA content within 1 day, compared to several days required for previously described protocols. Histology confirmed the retention of extracellular matrix (ECM) and its components, including glycosaminoglycans, collagen, and fibrin, while void of nuclear/cellular content. Decellularized scaffolds were then seeded with BM‐MSCs. Similar DNA quantities were observed after 24 hours of seeding within the VF‐ECM scaffold when compared to cells on tissue culture plastic (TCP). LIVE/DEAD staining of the seeded VF‐ECM confirmed excellent cell viability, and the metabolic activity of BM‐MSCs increased significantly on VF‐ECM compared to TCP. Endoglin gene expression decreased, suggestive of differentiation.

Conclusion

Porcine VFs can be efficiently decellularized within 5 hours using a combination of sodium deoxycholate and peracetic acid. Decellularized VF‐ECM supported attachment and growth of human BM‐MSCs, with evidence of differentiation.

Level of Evidence

N/A Laryngoscope, 126:928–935, 2016
Productivity costs decrease after endoscopic sinus surgery for refractory chronic rhinosinusitis
Authors: Rudmik Luke , Smith Timothy L. , Mace Jess C. , Schlosser Rodney J. , Hwang Peter H. , Soler Zachary M.
Published: September 2015

Objectives/Hypothesis

The primary objective of this pilot study was to define the change in productivity costs following endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Secondary objectives were to identify CRS‐related characteristics that may influence the degree of productivity improvement after ESS.

Study Design

Prospective, multi‐institutional, observational cohort study.

Methods

The human capital approach was used to define productivity costs. Annual absenteeism, presenteeism, and lost leisure time were quantified to define annual lost productive time (LPT). LPT was monetized using the annual daily wage rates obtained from the 2012 US Census and the 2013 US Department of Labor statistics.

Results

Twenty‐seven patients with refractory CRS who underwent ESS were followed for a mean of 15 months (range, 8–25 months). Following ESS, there were improvements in annual absenteeism (22 days reduced to 3 days), annual presenteeism (41 days reduced to 19 days), and annual household days lost (12 days reduced to 6 days). Overall, the preoperative productivity costs were reduced after ESS ($9,190 vs. $3,373, respectively; P < .001).

Conclusions

Daily productivity is negatively impacted by the presence of CRS. The outcomes from this study provide the first insights into the reduced productivity costs associated with receiving ESS for refractory CRS. Future studies with larger sample sizes will need to validate the results from this pilot study.

Level of Evidence

2c Laryngoscope, 126:570–574, 2016
Outcomes and complications in superior semicircular canal dehiscence surgery: A systematic review
Authors: Gioacchini Federico Maria , Alicandri‐Ciufelli Matteo , Kaleci Shaniko , Scarpa Alfonso , Cassandro Ettore , Re Massimo
Published: September 2015

Objective

Superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SSCD) represents a rare condition that may be associated to some particular symptoms as vertigo, autophony, and Tullio phenomenon. In those patients who present severe symptoms surgical treatment is required. Middle fossa craniotomy and transmastoid approaches are both described. Concerning repairing techniques, plugging and/or resurfacing are typically used to close the defect. Our aim was first to analyze the overall outcomes and complications of this surgery. Our second aim was to make a comparison between the different surgical modalities to investigate the eventual advantages and disadvantages.

Review Methods

A search through Ovid MEDLINE was organized in January 2015 to include all eligible articles. A statistical analysis of the obtained data was performed.

Results

Twenty studies comprising a total of 150 procedures were included. Four modalities of canal repair were described (plugging, capping, resurfacing, plugging with resurfacing). The overall rate of success resulted in 94% (95% confidence interval: 87%‐97%). No statistically significant differences were observed among the different modalities of canal repair concerning both success rate and surgical complications. Differences observed between the middle fossa approach and transmastoid approach in terms of outcome were not statistically significant.

Conclusions

This review showed that surgical treatment for SSCD represents a safe option for those patients with severe symptoms of this condition. Differences observed in terms of success rate or complications were analyzed between the different surgical techniques with results that were not statistically significant.

Level of Evidence

NA Laryngoscope, 126:1218–1224, 2016
Differential expression of HDAC and HAT genes in atrophying skeletal muscle
Authors: Beharry Adam W. , Judge Andrew R.
Published: September 2015

Introduction: Histone deacetylase (HDAC) proteins, which counter the activity of histone acetyltransferases (HATs), are necessary for normal muscle atrophy in response to several pathophysiological conditions. Despite this, it remains unknown whether a common or unique transcriptional profile of HDAC and HAT genes exist during the progression of muscle atrophy. Methods: Muscles were harvested from cast immobilized, denervated, or nutrient deprived animals for quantitative reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction analysis of HDAC and HAT gene expression. Results: The mRNA levels of Hdac2, Hdac4, Hdac6, Sirt1, p300, Cbp, and Pcaf increased, and Hdac7 decreased in skeletal muscle in each experimental model of muscle atrophy. Hdac1 and Hdac3 were increased only in cast immobilized and denervated muscles. Conclusions: While specific HDACs and HATs are increased in multiple models of muscle atrophy, increased expression of class I HDACs was unique to muscle disuse, reinforcing that specific HDAC inhibitors may be more effective than pan‐HDAC inhibitors at countering muscle atrophy. Muscle Nerve 52: 1098–1101, 2015
Residual quadrupole interaction in brain and its effect on quantitative sodium imaging
Authors: Stobbe Robert W. , Beaulieu Christian
Published: September 2015

Sodium MRI is particularly interesting given the key role that sodium ions play in cellular metabolism. To measure concentration, images must be free from contrast unrelated to sodium density. However, spin 3/2 NMR is complicated by more than rapid biexponential signal decay. Residual quadrupole interactions (described by frequency
) can reduce Mxy development during RF excitation. Three experiments, each performed on the same four healthy volunteers, demonstrate that residual quadrupole interactions are of concern in quantitative sodium imaging of the brain. The first experiment shows a reliable increase in the rate of excitation ‘flipping’ (1%–6%), particularly in white matter with tracts running superior–inferior (i.e. parallel to B0). Increased flip‐rates imply an associated signal loss and are to be expected when
~ ω1. The second experiment shows that a prescribed flip‐angle decrease from 90° to 20°, with concomitant decrease in TE from 0.25 ms to 0.10 ms and no T1 weighting, results in a 14%–26% saline calibration phantom normalized signal (SN) increase in the white matter regions. The third experiment shows that this (SN) increase is primarily due to a residual quadrupole effect, with a small contribution from T2 weighting. There is an observed deviation from the spin 3/2 biexponential curve, also suggesting
dephasing. Using simulation to explain the results of all three experiments, a model of brain tissue is hypothesized. It includes one pool (50%) with
= 0, and another (50%) in which
has a Gaussian distribution with a standard deviation of 625 Hz. Given the result of the second experiment, it is suggested that the use of reduced flip‐angles with large ω1 will provide more accurate measures of sodium concentration than ‘standard’ methods using 90°pulses. Alternatively, further study of sodium
may provide a means to explore tissue structure and organization. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Massive integration of diverse protein quality assessment methods to improve template based modeling in CASP11
Authors: Cao Renzhi , Bhattacharya Debswapna , Adhikari Badri , Li Jilong , Cheng Jianlin
Published: September 2015

Model evaluation and selection is an important step and a big challenge in template‐based protein structure prediction. Individual model quality assessment methods designed for recognizing some specific properties of protein structures often fail to consistently select good models from a model pool because of their limitations. Therefore, combining multiple complimentary quality assessment methods is useful for improving model ranking and consequently tertiary structure prediction. Here, we report the performance and analysis of our human tertiary structure predictor (MULTICOM) based on the massive integration of 14 diverse complementary quality assessment methods that was successfully benchmarked in the 11th Critical Assessment of Techniques of Protein Structure prediction (CASP11). The predictions of MULTICOM for 39 template‐based domains were rigorously assessed by six scoring metrics covering global topology of Cα trace, local all‐atom fitness, side chain quality, and physical reasonableness of the model. The results show that the massive integration of complementary, diverse single‐model and multi‐model quality assessment methods can effectively leverage the strength of single‐model methods in distinguishing quality variation among similar good models and the advantage of multi‐model quality assessment methods of identifying reasonable average‐quality models. The overall excellent performance of the MULTICOM predictor demonstrates that integrating a large number of model quality assessment methods in conjunction with model clustering is a useful approach to improve the accuracy, diversity, and consequently robustness of template‐based protein structure prediction. Proteins 2016; 84(Suppl 1):247–259. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Why does mutation of Gln61 in Ras by the nitro analog NGln maintain activity of Ras‐GAP in hydrolysis of guanosine triphosphate?
Authors: Khrenova Maria G. , Grigorenko Bella L. , Mironov Vladimir A. , Nemukhin Alexander V.
Published: September 2015

Interpretation of the experiments showing that the Ras‐GAP protein complex maintains activity in guanosine triphosphate (GTP) hydrolysis upon replacement of Glu61 in Ras with its unnatural nitro analog, NGln, is an important issue for understanding details of chemical transformations at the enzyme active site. By using molecular modeling we demonstrate that both glutamine and its nitro analog in the aci‐nitro form participate in the reaction of GTP hydrolysis at the stages of proton transfer and formation of inorganic phosphate. The computed structures and the energy profiles for the complete pathway from the enzyme‐substrate to enzyme‐product complexes for the wild‐type and mutated Ras suggest that the reaction mechanism is not affected by this mutation. Proteins 2015; 83:2091–2099. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Different combinations of atomic interactions predict protein‐small molecule and protein‐DNA/RNA affinities with similar accuracy
Authors: Dias Raquel , Kolazckowski Bryan
Published: September 2015

Interactions between proteins and other molecules play essential roles in all biological processes. Although it is widely held that a protein's ligand specificity is determined primarily by its three‐dimensional structure, the general principles by which structure determines ligand binding remain poorly understood. Here we use statistical analyses of a large number of protein−ligand complexes with associated binding‐affinity measurements to quantitatively characterize how combinations of atomic interactions contribute to ligand affinity. We find that there are significant differences in how atomic interactions determine ligand affinity for proteins that bind small chemical ligands, those that bind DNA/RNA and those that interact with other proteins. Although protein‐small molecule and protein‐DNA/RNA binding affinities can be accurately predicted from structural data, models predicting one type of interaction perform poorly on the others. Additionally, the particular combinations of atomic interactions required to predict binding affinity differed between small‐molecule and DNA/RNA data sets, consistent with the conclusion that the structural bases determining ligand affinity differ among interaction types. In contrast to what we observed for small‐molecule and DNA/RNA interactions, no statistical models were capable of predicting protein−protein affinity with >60% correlation. We demonstrate the potential usefulness of protein‐DNA/RNA binding prediction as a possible tool for high‐throughput virtual screening to guide laboratory investigations, suggesting that quantitative characterization of diverse molecular interactions may have practical applications as well as fundamentally advancing our understanding of how molecular structure translates into function. Proteins 2015; 83:2100–2114. © 2015 The Authors. Proteins: Structure, Function, and Bioinformatics Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The effect of composite GaN/InGaN last barrier layer on electron leakage current and modal gain of InGaN‐based multiple quantum well laser diodes
Authors: Chen P. , Zhao D. G. , Jiang D. S. , Zhu J. J. , Liu Z. S. , Le L. C. , Yang J. , Li X. , Zhang L. Q. , Liu J. P. , Zhang S. M. , Yang H.
Published: September 2015

In order to enhance the optical confinement and to reduce the vertical electron leakage current of InGaN‐based multiple quantum well (MQW) laser diodes, a 2 nm GaN/5 nm In0.05Ga0.95N composite layer is designed as the last barrier layer between the MQW and AlGaN blocking layer in the p‐region. The device simulation shows that the laser diode then has a lower threshold current and a higher output light power under same injection current than the conventional laser diodes without such a composite barrier layer. It is found that the thickness of InGaN has little influence on the P–I characteristic, while the In composition significantly changes the threshold current and output light power properties of laser diodes, which is attributed to the enhanced optical confinement and reduced vertical electron leakage current escaping from active region to p‐doped region. The influences of the two parameters to modal gain are analyzed, too.
The influence of Fe impurities on the annealing of OH–Li complexes in ZnO
Authors: Herklotz F. , Johansen K. M. , Galeckas A. , Sky T. N. , Svensson B. G.
Published: September 2015

The annealing behavior of the center in ZnO, which leads to a local vibrational mode at , has been studied. Infrared absorption measurements confirm the previous findings that the center dissociates already at temperatures higher than about 500C and an apparent stability up to 1250C is due to efficient retrapping of H by Li. Secondary ion mass spectrometry data indicate that Fe impurities prevent a reformation of after dissociation. The formation of Fe −Li complexes is proposed as a prevailing mechanism for this behavior.
Retinoic Acid Induces Ubiquitination-Resistant RIP140/LSD1 Complex to Fine-Tune P
ax6 Gene in Neuronal Differentiation
Authors: Wu Cheng-Ying , Persaud Shawna D. , Wei Li-Na
Published: September 2015

Receptor-interacting protein 140 (RIP140) is a wide-spectrum coregulator for hormonal regulation of gene expression, but its activity in development/stem cell differentiation is unknown. Here, we identify RIP140 as an immediate retinoic acid (RA)-induced dual-function chaperone for LSD1 (lysine-specific demethylase 1). RIP140 protects LSD1's catalytic domain and antagonizes its Jade-2-mediated ubiquitination and degradation. In RA-induced neuronal differentiation, the increased RIP140/LSD1 complex is recruited by RA-elevated Pit-1 to specifically reduce H3K4me2 modification on the Pax6 promoter, thereby repressing RA-induction of Pax6. This study reveals a new RA-induced gene repressive mechanism that modulates the abundance, enzyme quality, and recruitment of histone modifier LSD1 to neuronal regulator Pax6, which provides a homeostatic control for RA induction of neuronal differentiation.
Effective MPPT technique and robust power control of the PMSG wind turbine
Authors: Meghni Billel , Saadoun Abdallah , Dib Djalel , Amirat Yassine
Published: September 2015

Wind generator performance improvement requires sophisticated and robust control techniques to overcome various constraints and achieve optimal aerodynamic energy conversion. Because of the continuously changing nature of the wind, the output power of a wind energy conversion system (WECS) can be maximized if the wind rotor is driven at an optimal rotational speed for a particular wind speed. This is achieved with a maximum power point tracking (MPPT) controller. Over the years, a variety of MPPT studies have been made, but very few provide guidelines to single out the most suited MPPT technique. In this paper, a comprehensive comparison of the four most used schemes has been made in relation to a permanent magnet synchronous generator (PMSG) wind turbine system. These techniques can be classified into various categories. The obtained results show clearly the superiority of the fuzzy logic control (FLC) technique. Using this MPPT approach, the generated power by the turbine is considered to be, in terms of power control, an auxiliary source feeding a grid. To achieve smooth regulation of the active and reactive power exchange between the PMSG and the grid, direct power control, using space vector modulation DPC‐SVM strategy combined with sliding mode control (SMC) is applied in the grid‐side converter. Simulation results show the efficiency and reliability of the control strategy proposed in this paper. © 2015 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Optimal siting and sizing of intermittent distributed generators in distribution system
Authors: Zhang Shenxi , Cheng Haozhong , Li Ke , Bazargan Masoud , Yao Liangzhong
Published: September 2015

Intermittent distributed generators (IDGs), such as distributed wind turbine generator (WTG) and photovoltaic generator (PVG), have been developing rapidly in recent years. The output power of WTG and PVG highly depends on the wind speed and illumination intensity, respectively. There always exist correlations among the wind speed, illumination intensity, and bus load, which could have significant influence on the determination of siting and sizing of IDGs in distribution system. Given this background, a chance‐constrained‐programming‐based IDGs planning model, which can take into account the correlations, is developed in this paper. Latin hypercube sampling technique and Cholesky decomposition are introduced to handle the correlations. A Monte Carlo simulation‐embedded multi‐population differential evolution algorithm is employed to solve the developed model. Case studies carried out on the Baran & Wu 33‐bus distribution system verify the feasibility of the developed model and effectiveness of the proposed solving methodology. © 2015 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Developing nondestructive techniques for managing conflicts between fisheries and double‐crested cormorant colonies
Authors: Suzuki Yasuko , Roby Daniel D. , Lyons Donald E. , Courtot Karen N. , Collis Ken
Published: September 2015

Double‐crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) have been identified as the source of significant mortality to juvenile salmonids (Oncorhynchus spp.) in the Columbia River Basin. Management plans for reducing the size of a large colony on East Sand Island (OR, USA) in the Columbia River estuary are currently being developed. We evaluated habitat enhancement and social attraction as nondestructive techniques for managing cormorant nesting colonies during 2004–2007. We tested these techniques on unoccupied plots adjacent to the East Sand Island cormorant colony. Cormorants quickly colonized these plots and successfully raised young. Cormorants also were attracted to nest and raised young on similar plots at 2 islands approximately 25 km from East Sand Island; 1 island had a history of successful cormorant nesting whereas the other was a site where cormorants had previously nested unsuccessfully. On a third island with no history of cormorant nesting or nesting attempts, these techniques were unsuccessful at attracting cormorants to nest. Our results suggest that some important factors influencing attraction of nesting cormorants using these techniques include history of cormorant nesting, disturbance, and presence of breeding cormorants nearby. These techniques may be effective in redistributing nesting cormorants away from areas where fish stocks of conservation concern are susceptible to predation, especially if sites with a recent history of cormorant nesting are available within their foraging or dispersal range. Published 2015. Wiley Periodicals, Inc. This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the United States of America.
High HER2 protein levels correlate with increased survival in breast cancer patients treated with anti‐HER2 therapy
Authors: Nuciforo Paolo , Thyparambil Sheeno , Aura Claudia , Garrido-Castro Ana , Vilaro Marta , Peg Vicente , Jimenez José , Vicario Rocio , Cecchi Fabiola , Hoos William , Burrows Jon , Hembrough Todd , Ferreres Juan Carles , Perez-Garcia José , Arribas Joaquin , Cortes Javier , Scaltriti Maurizio
Published: September 2015

Introduction: Current methods to determine HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 2) status are affected by reproducibility issues and do not reliably predict benefit from anti‐HER2 therapy. Quantitative measurement of HER2 may more accurately identify breast cancer (BC) patients who will respond to anti‐HER2 treatments.

Methods: Using selected reaction monitoring mass spectrometry (SRM‐MS), we quantified HER2 protein levels in formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) tissue samples that had been classified as HER2 0, 1+, 2+ or 3+ by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Receiver operator curve (ROC) analysis was conducted to obtain optimal HER2 protein expression thresholds predictive of HER2 status (by standard IHC or in situ hybridization [ISH]) and of survival benefit after anti‐HER2 therapy.

Results: Absolute HER2 amol/μg levels were significantly correlated with both HER2 IHC and amplification status by ISH (p < 0.0001). A HER2 threshold of 740 amol/μg showed an agreement rate of 94% with IHC and ISH standard HER2 testing (p < 0.0001). Discordant cases (SRM‐MS‐negative/ISH‐positive) showed a characteristic amplification pattern known as double minutes. HER2 levels >2200 amol/μg were significantly associated with longer disease‐free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) in an adjuvant setting and with longer OS in a metastatic setting.

Conclusion: Quantitative HER2 measurement by SRM‐MS is superior to IHC and ISH in predicting outcome after treatment with anti‐HER2 therapy.
Rethinking Judicial Independence in India and Sri Lanka
Authors: ABEYRATNE Rehan
Published: September 2015

The traditional narrative of judicial independence in India and Sri Lanka goes like this. The Indian Constitution established a strong and independent judiciary, which has become one of the most powerful in the world. By contrast, judicial independence was never entrenched in Sri Lanka due to insufficient constitutional safeguards and political interference. This paper seeks to challenge this narrative. It argues that despite important structural differences, India and Sri Lanka have followed similar judicial paths since the 1970s. Both judiciaries relaxed procedural requirements to allow sweeping public interest litigation; defined secularism and regulated religious practices in line with the dominant religious tradition; and largely deferred to the executive on the scope and necessity of emergency regulations. This remarkable convergence in jurisprudence demonstrates that (1) the Sri Lankan Supreme Court is more rights-protective and (2) its Indian counterpart is less willing to assert its independence on controversial issues than traditionally understood.
Can machine translation systems be evaluated by the crowd alone
Authors: GRAHAM YVETTE , BALDWIN TIMOTHY , MOFFAT ALISTAIR , ZOBEL JUSTIN
Published: September 2015

Crowd-sourced assessments of machine translation quality allow evaluations to be carried out cheaply and on a large scale. It is essential, however, that the crowd's work be filtered to avoid contamination of results through the inclusion of false assessments. One method is to filter via agreement with experts, but even amongst experts agreement levels may not be high. In this paper, we present a new methodology for crowd-sourcing human assessments of translation quality, which allows individual workers to develop their own individual assessment strategy. Agreement with experts is no longer required, and a worker is deemed reliable if they are consistent relative to their own previous work. Individual translations are assessed in isolation from all others in the form of direct estimates of translation quality. This allows more meaningful statistics to be computed for systems and enables significance to be determined on smaller sets of assessments. We demonstrate the methodology's feasibility in large-scale human evaluation through replication of the human evaluation component of Workshop on Statistical Machine Translation shared translation task for two language pairs, Spanish-to-English and English-to-Spanish. Results for measurement based solely on crowd-sourced assessments show system rankings in line with those of the original evaluation. Comparison of results produced by the relative preference approach and the direct estimate method described here demonstrate that the direct estimate method has a substantially increased ability to identify significant differences between translation systems.
The critical mass approach to achieve a deal on green goods and services: what is on the table? How much should we expect?
Authors: de Melo Jaime , Vijil Mariana
Published: September 2015

In July 2014 a group of 14 countries (the ‘Davos Group’) launched negotiations on liberalizing trade in ‘green goods’ (also known as environmental goods – EGs), focusing on the elimination of tariffs for a list of 54 products. With an average tariff of 1.8 per cent, this group has little to offer even if the list were extended to the 411 products on the ‘WTO list’. Taking into account tariff dispersion, their tariff structure on EGs would be equivalent to a uniform tariff of 3.4 per cent, about half the uniform tariff-equivalent for non EGs products. Enlarging the number of participants to low-income countries might be possible as, on average, their imports would not increase by more than 8 per cent. Because of the strong complementarities between trade in EGs and trade in environmental services, these should also be brought into the negotiation in spite of the likely difficulties in reaching agreement on their scope.
Yukos's Principal Shareholders v. Russia
Authors: Chornyi Vasyl
Published: September 2015

Yukos conducted its sales through a network of companies registered in a number of low-tax regions in Russia. Following tax investigation, Russian authorities found it had underpaid taxes and held it liable for unpaid taxes, fines, and penalties of USD 24.18 billion. The tax investigations were accompanied by criminal proceedings against and the subsequent imprisonment of some of Yukos's senior management. Following Yukos's unsuccessful attempts to settle its tax debt, the Russian tax authorities sold its core production facility, YNG, in order to satisfy their tax payment demands. YNG was eventually acquired by the state-owned Rosneft. Yukos then went into bankruptcy, with the Russian State owning 97.67 per cent of the claims against it and receiving 99.71 per cent of the bankruptcy proceeds.
Cold Face Test-Induced Increases in Heart Rate Variability Are Abolished by Engagement in a Social Cognition Task
Authors: Iorfino Frank , Alvares Gail A. , Guastella Adam J. , Quintana Daniel S.
Published: September 2015

Abstract. The vagus nerve is a major constituent in the bidirectional relationship between the heart and the prefrontal cortex. This study investigated the role of the vagus in social cognition using the cold face test (facial cooling) to stimulate the vagus nerve and increase prefrontal inhibitory control. Heart Rate Variability (HRV) was measured to index parasympathetic outflow while social cognition ability was tested using the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test (RMET). Healthy males (n = 25) completed the RMET under two conditions: with and without facial cooling. Results indicated that although facial cooling increased HRV at rest, there was no improvement in the RMET during the facial cooling condition. Interestingly, completing the RMET with facial cooling abolished this increase in HRV, suggesting interference along the vagal reflex arc. These results are consistent with the involvement of a common cortico-subcortical circuit in autonomic and cognitive processes, important for emotion recognition.