bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Zolpidem as a Sleep Aid for Military Aviators
Authors: Sen Kew Guan , See Brian
Published: March 2018

INTRODUCTION: Zolpidem is a short-acting nonbenzodiazepine hypnotic that has been approved by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) for aircrew sleep management since 2005. Prior to consuming zolpidem for operational reasons, each RSAF aircrew member is required to undergo
a ground test to exclude operationally relevant adverse drug effects. This study describes the RSAF’s zolpidem ground testing outcomes over a 12.5-yr period.METHODS: This is a retrospective case series of 578 RSAF aircrew members who underwent zolpidem test dosing from 1 January
2005 to 30 June 2017.RESULTS: The median age was 29 yr (range, 19–54 yr) and the mean age was 30.1 yr ± 6.3 yr. Of the aircrew members, 568 (98.3%) were men and all were of Asian origin; 558 (96.5%) were medically cleared for the operational use of zolpidem. Among the
20 (3.5%) who failed zolpidem ground testing, next-day drowsiness (cumulative incidence, 1.04%), headache (cumulative incidence, 0.87%), and dizziness (cumulative incidence, 0.35%) were the most common causes of failure. None of the aircrew members reported abnormal sleep behaviors or major
adverse drug events from zolpidem ingestion.DISCUSSION: Our results suggest a low occurrence of adverse effects among military aircrew members who undergo zolpidem test dosing prior to using the drug operationally. To our knowledge, this is the single largest published case series
of zolpidem ground testing outcomes among Asian military aviators.Kew GS, See B. Zolpidem as a sleep aid for military aviators. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2018; 89(4):406–408.
Non-Invasive Intracranial Pressure Estimation During Combined Exposure to CO2 and Head-Down Tilt
Authors: Kurazumi Takuya , Ogawa Yojiro , Yanagida Ryo , Morisaki Hiroshi , Iwasaki Ken-ichi
Published: March 2018

BACKGROUND: Exposure to carbon dioxide (CO2) and cephalad fluid shift are considered factors that affect intracranial pressure (ICP) during spaceflight. Increases in ICP were reported during cephalad fluid shift induced by head-down tilt (HDT), while little is known
regarding the effect of additional CO2 during HDT on ICP. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that this combination increases ICP more than HDT alone.METHODS: There were 15 healthy male volunteers who underwent 4 types of 10-min interventions consisting of Placebo/Supine
(air and supine), CO2/Supine (3% CO2 and supine, CO2 alone), Placebo/HDT (air and −10° HDT, HDT alone), and CO2/HDT (3% CO2 and −10° HDT, combination). Using arterial blood pressure (ABP) and cerebral blood flow velocity
waveforms, ICP was estimated noninvasively before and during the four interventions. Two calculation methods were employed. One is based on the signal transformation from ABP to ICP with the intracranial component as a “black box” system (nICP_BB), and the other is based on the
equation ICP = ABP − cerebral perfusion pressure, reflecting critical closing pressure (nICP_CrCP).RESULTS: Both nICP_BB and nICP_CrCP significantly increased during Placebo/HDT and CO2/HDT, although there was no statistically significant difference between the
nICP indexes of these two interventions.DISCUSSION: Increases in ICP were observed during both Placebo/HDT and CO2/HDT. Contrary to our hypothesis, the combination of 3% CO2 and −10° HDT did not increase ICP remarkably compared to −10° HDT
alone. Therefore, the addition of 3% CO2 is considered to have little effect on increasing ICP during cephalad fluid shift.Kurazumi T, Ogawa Y, Yanagida R, Morisaki H, Iwasaki K. Non-invasive intracranial pressure estimation during combined exposure to CO2 and head-down tilt. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2018; 89(4):365–370.
Helmet-Induced Occipital Neuralgia in a Military Aviator
Authors: Chalela Julio A.
Published: March 2018

BACKGROUND: Headaches among military personnel are very common and headgear wear is a frequently identified culprit. Helmet wear may cause migrainous headaches, external compression headache, other primary cranial neuralgias, and occipital neuralgia. The clinical features and
the response to treatment allow distinction between the different types of headaches. Headaches among aviators are particularly concerning as they may act as distractors while flying and the treatment options are often incompatible with flying status.CASE REPORT: A 24-yr-old door
gunner presented with suboccipital pain associated with the wear of his helmet. He described the pain as a paroxysmal stabbing sensation coming in waves. The physical exam and history supported the diagnosis of primary occipital neuralgia. Systemic pharmacological options were discussed with
the soldier, but rejected due to his need to remain in flying status. An occipital nerve block was performed with good clinical results, supporting the diagnosis of occipital neuralgia and allowing him to continue as mission qualified.DISCUSSION: Occipital neuralgia can be induced
by helmet wear in military personnel. Occipital nerve block can be performed in the deployed setting, allowing the service member to remain mission capable and sparing him/her from systemic side effects.Chalela JA. Helmet-induced occipital neuralgia in a military aviator. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2018; 89(4):409–410.
Modelling of Basin Wide Daily Evapotranspiration with a Partial Integration of Remote Sensing Data
Authors: Ivezic Vedran , Bekic Damir , Horvat Bojana
Published: March 2018

Evapotranspiration (ET) is the most significant water balance component and is also a very complex component to evaluate in spatio–temporal scales. Remotely-sensed data greatly increases the accuracy of basin wide ET estimation but only in periods with available satellite images. This paper describes an attempt to estimate daily ET regardless of the availability of the satellite images. The method is based on application of the interpolated evaporative fraction (Λ) from “historical” satellite images to periods with no satellite data available. Basin wide daily ET is obtained by combining interpolated Λ and standard PET methods on meteorological stations. The reliability of such approach was evaluated by comparing the obtained daily ET to the SEBAL ET estimates through the analysis of residuals (Δ), standard deviations of residuals (σ) and the Nash–Sutcliffe coefficient (NSE) over the basin. The SEBAL ET estimates were validated with the data from two lysimeters. The discrepancy of obtained ET versus the SEBAL ET estimates (Δ = 0.13 mm day−1, σ = 0.64 mm day−1, NSE = 0.07) indicated that the proposed concept has relatively high accuracy, which is notably higher than the Penman–Monteith interpolated ET estimates (Δ = 1.94 mm day−1, σ = 1.03 mm day−1, NSE = −4.71). It was shown that a total of five images can provide a reliable estimate of interpolated Λ and thus represent specific characteristics of a basin. As the presented concept requires minimum remote sensing data and ground based inputs, it could be applied to estimate basin wide daily ET in data scarce regions and in periods with no satellite images available.
Sensory Trick in a Patient with Cervical Dystonia: Insights from Magnetoencephalography
Authors: Mahajan Abhimanyu , Zillgitt Andrew , Bowyer Susan , Sidiropoulos Christos
Published: March 2018

Background: The proposed mechanisms for the sensory trick include peripheral sensory feedback to aid in correcting abnormal posture or movement. Case report: A 53-year-old woman with cervical dystonia underwent magnetoencephalography pre- and post-botulinum toxin injection and sensory trick, which was described as yawning. Study revealed connectivity between the left frontal and inferior frontal gyrus before yawning, which changed to the visual cortex and right middle frontal gyrus with yawning. Beta frequencies reduced and gamma frequencies increased after yawning. Discussion: The increase in gamma frequency bands may indicate increased GABAergic activity. Increase in connectivity in the right cerebellar region underscores the importance of cerebellum in pathogenesis of dystonia.
New Insights from Elucidating the Role of LMP1 in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Authors: Shair Kathy , Reddy Akhil , Cooper Vaughn
Published: March 2018

Latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) is an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) oncogenic protein that has no intrinsic enzymatic activity or sequence homology to cellular or viral proteins. The oncogenic potential of LMP1 has been ascribed to pleiotropic signaling properties initiated through protein-protein interactions in cytosolic membrane compartments, but the effects of LMP1 extend to nuclear and extracellular processes. Although LMP1 is one of the latent genes required for EBV-immortalization of B cells, the biology of LMP1 in the pathogenesis of the epithelial cancer nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is more complex. NPC is prevalent in specific regions of the world with high incidence in southeast China. The epidemiology and time interval from seroconversion to NPC onset in adults would suggest the involvement of multiple risk factors that complement the establishment of a latent and persistent EBV infection. The contribution of LMP1 to EBV pathogenesis in polarized epithelia has only recently begun to be elucidated. Furthermore, the LMP1 gene has emerged as one of the most divergent sequences in the EBV genome. This review will discuss the significance of recent advances in NPC research from elucidating LMP1 function in epithelial cells and lessons that could be learned from mining LMP1 sequence diversity.
Study of the Influence of NanOx Parameters
Authors: Monini Caterina , Cunha Micaela , Testa Etienne , Beuve Michaёl
Published: March 2018

NanOx is a new biophysical model that aims at predicting the biological effect of ions in the context of hadron therapy. It integrates the fully-stochastic nature of ionizing radiation both at micrometric and nanometric scales and also takes into account the production and diffusion of reactive chemical species. In order to further characterize the new framework, we discuss the meaning and relevance of most of the NanOx parameters by evaluating their influence on the linear-quadratic coefficient α and on the dose deposited to achieve 10% or 1% of cell survival, D 10 % or D 1 % , as a function of LET. We perform a theoretical study in which variations in the input parameters are propagated into the model predictions for HSG, V79 and CHO-K1 cells irradiated by monoenergetic protons and carbon ions. We conclude that, in the current version of NanOx, the modeling of a specific cell line relies on five parameters, which have to be adjusted to several experimental measurements: the average cellular nuclear radius, the linear-quadratic coefficients describing photon irradiations and the α values associated with two carbon ions of intermediate and high-LET values. This may have interesting implications toward a clinical application of the new biophysical model.
Use of the Ion PGM and the GeneReader NGS Systems in Daily Routine Practice for Advanced Lung Adenocarcinoma Patients: A Practical Point of View Reporting a Comparative Study and Assessment of 90 Patients
Authors: Heeke Simon , Hofman Véronique , Long-Mira Elodie , Lespinet Virginie , Lalvée Salomé , Bordone Olivier , Ribeyre Camille , Tanga Virginie , Benzaquen Jonathan , Leroy Sylvie , Cohen Charlotte , Mouroux Jérôme , Marquette Charles , Ilié Marius , Hofman Paul
Published: March 2018

Background: With the integration of various targeted therapies into the clinical management of patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma, next-generation sequencing (NGS) has become the technology of choice and has led to an increase in simultaneously interrogated genes. However, the broader adoption of NGS for routine clinical practice is still hampered by sophisticated workflows, complex bioinformatics analysis and medical interpretation. Therefore, the performance of the novel QIAGEN GeneReader NGS system was compared to an in-house ISO-15189 certified Ion PGM NGS platform. Methods: Clinical samples from 90 patients (60 Retrospectively and 30 Prospectively) with lung adenocarcinoma were sequenced with both systems. Mutations were analyzed and EGFR, KRAS, BRAF, NRAS, ALK, PIK3CA and ERBB2 genes were compared and sampling time and suitability for clinical testing were assessed. Results: Both sequencing systems showed perfect concordance for the overlapping genes. Correlation of allele frequency was r2 = 0.93 for the retrospective patients and r2 = 0.81 for the prospective patients. Hands-on time and total run time were shorter using the PGM system, while the GeneReader platform provided good traceability and up-to-date interpretation of the results. Conclusion: We demonstrated the suitability of the GeneReader NGS system in routine practice in a clinical pathology laboratory setting.
Curcuminoids as EBV Lytic Activators for Adjuvant Treatment in EBV-Positive Carcinomas
Authors: Ramayanti Octavia , Brinkkemper Mitch , Verkuijlen Sandra , Ritmaleni Leni , Go Mei , Middeldorp Jaap
Published: March 2018

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) persists in nasopharyngeal (NPC) and gastric carcinomas (EBVaGC) in a tightly latent form. Cytolytic virus activation (CLVA) therapy employs gemcitabine and valproic acid (GCb+VPA) to reactivate latent EBV into the lytic phase and antiviral valganciclovir to enhance cell death and prevent virus production. CLVA treatment has proven safe in phase-I/II trials with promising clinical responses in patients with recurrent NPC. However, a major challenge is to maximize EBV lytic reactivation by CLVA. Curcumin, a dietary spice used in Asian countries, is known for its antitumor property and therapeutic potential. Novel curcuminoids that were developed to increase efficacy and bioavailability may serve as oral CLVA adjuvants. We investigated the potential of curcumin and its analogs (curcuminoids) to trigger the EBV lytic cycle in EBVaGC and NPC cells. EBV-reactivating effects were measured by immunoblot and immunofluorescence using monoclonal antibodies specific for EBV lytic proteins. Two of the hit compounds (41, EF24) with high lytic inducing activity were further studied for their synergistic or antagonistic effects when combined with GCb+VPA and analyzed by cytotoxicity and mRNA profiling assays to measure the EBV reactivation. Curcuminoid as a single agent significantly induced EBV reactivation in recombinant GC and NPC lines. The drug effects were dose- and time-dependent. Micromolar concentration of curcuminoid EF24 enhanced the CLVA effect in all cell systems except SNU719, a naturally infected EBVaGC cell that carries a more tightly latent viral genome. These findings indicated that EF24 has potential as EBV lytic activator and may serve as an adjuvant in CLVA treatment.
Testing Convergence of Different Free-Energy Methods in a Simple Analytical System with Hidden Barriers
Authors: Paz S. , Abrams Cameron
Published: March 2018

In this work, we study the influence of hidden barriers on the convergence behavior of three free-energy calculation methods: well-tempered metadynamics (WTMD), adaptive-biasing forces (ABF), and on-the-fly parameterization (OTFP). We construct a simple two-dimensional potential-energy surfaces (PES) that allows for an exact analytical result for the free-energy in any one-dimensional order parameter. Then we chose different CV definitions and PES parameters to create three different systems with increasing sampling challenges. We find that all three methods are not greatly affected by the hidden-barriers in the simplest case considered. The adaptive sampling methods show faster sampling while the auxiliary high-friction requirement of OTFP makes it slower for this case. However, a slight change in the CV definition has a strong impact in the ABF and WTMD performance, illustrating the importance of choosing suitable collective variables.
Mechanism of Cuticle Hole Development in Human Hair Due to UV-Radiation Exposure
Authors: Maeda Kazuhisa , Yamazaki Jun , Okita Nana , Shimotori Masami , Igarashi Kyouhei , Sano Taiga
Published: March 2018

Hair is easily damaged by ultraviolet (UV) radiation, bleaching agents or permanent wave treatments, and as damage progresses, hair loses its gloss, develops split ends and breaks. However, the causes of hair damage due to UV radiation have not yet been clarified. We discovered that in one mechanism facilitating damage to wet hair by UV radiation, the unsaturated fatty acids in wet hair produce hydroxy radicals upon exposure to UV radiation, and these radicals produce cuticle holes between the cuticle layers. In wet hair exposed to UV radiation, cuticle holes were produced only between the cuticle layers, whereas when human hair was immersed in a solution containing hydroxy radicals produced by Fenton’s reaction, a random production of cuticle holes was noted. It is thought that hydroxy radicals are produced only between the cuticle layers by exposure to UV radiation, and cuticle holes are formed only in this region because one of the polyunsaturated fatty acids, linoleic acid, with a bis-allyl hydrogen, is found between the cuticle layers.
Income Inequality, Cohesiveness and Commonality in the Euro Area: A Semi-Parametric Boundary-Free Analysis
Authors: Anderson Gordon , Pittau Maria , Zelli Roberto , Thomas Jasmin
Published: March 2018

The cohesiveness of constituent nations in a confederation such as the Eurozone depends on their equally shared experiences. In terms of household incomes, commonality of distribution across those constituent nations with that of the Eurozone as an entity in itself is of the essence. Generally, income classification has proceeded by employing “hard”, somewhat arbitrary and contentious boundaries. Here, in an analysis of Eurozone household income distributions over the period 2006–2015, mixture distribution techniques are used to determine the number and size of groups or classes endogenously without resort to such hard boundaries. In so doing, some new indices of polarization, segmentation and commonality of distribution are developed in the context of a decomposition of the Gini coefficient and the roles of, and relationships between, these groups in societal income inequality, poverty, polarization and societal segmentation are examined. What emerges for the Eurozone as an entity is a four-class, increasingly unequal polarizing structure with income growth in all four classes. With regard to individual constituent nation class membership, some advanced, some fell back, with most exhibiting significant polarizing behaviour. However, in the face of increasing overall Eurozone inequality, constituent nations were becoming increasingly similar in distribution, which can be construed as characteristic of a more cohesive society.
Modelling of A Boundary Layer Ingesting Propulsor
Authors: Budziszewski Nils , Friedrichs Jens
Published: March 2018

Boundary layer ingestion is a promising method to decrease the propulsive power consumption of an aircraft, and therefore the fuel consumption. This leads to a reduced environmental impact and an improved cost-efficiency. To get a better understanding of this method and to estimate its benefits, the modelling of a propulsor located at the upper rear centerbody of a blended wing body aircraft is presented in this paper. A parallel compressor model approach is used to analyse the impact of the ingested low velocity fluid which leads to a non-uniform inflow. The required boundary layer data are generated with an analysis tool for 2D subsonic airfoils. Some parameter variations are conducted with the developed programme to study their impact on the power saving potential. In addition, a simple estimation for the benefit of embedded aeroengines is given. Despite the drawback from fan efficiency due to the inflow distortion, the results show a significant decrease in required propulsive power for boundary layer ingestion in combination with integrated engines.
Energy Non-Availability in Distribution Grids with Heavy Penetration of Solar Power: Assessment and Mitigation through Solar Smoother
Authors: Sarkar Tathagata , Bhattacharjee Ankur , Mukhopadhyay Kanak , Bhattacharya Konika , Saha Hiranmay
Published: March 2018

Rapid fluctuation of solar irradiance due to cloud passage causes corresponding variations in the power output of solar PV power plants. This leads to rapid voltage instability at the point of common coupling (PCC) of the connected grid which may cause temporary shutdown of the plant leading to non-availability of energy in the connected load and distribution grid. An estimate of the duration and frequency of this outage is important for solar energy generators to ensure the generation and performance of the solar power plant. A methodology using PVsyst (6.6.4, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland) and PSCAD (4.5, Manitoba HVDC Research Centre, Winnipeg, MB, Canada) simulation has been developed to estimate the duration and frequency of power outages due to rapid fluctuation of solar irradiance throughout the year. It is shown that the outage depends not only on the solar irradiance fluctuation, but also on the grid parameters of the connected distribution grid. A practical case study has been done on a 500 kilo Watt peak (kWp) solar PV power plant for validation of the proposed methodology. It is observed that the energy non-availability for this plant is about 13% per year. This can be reduced to 8% by incorporating a solar smoother. A financial analysis of this outage and its mitigation has also been carried out.
Improved Modulated Carrier Controlled PFC Boost Converter Using Charge Current Sensing Method
Authors: Kim Jintae , Won Chung-Yuen
Published: March 2018

An improved modulated carrier control (MCC) method is proposed to offer high power factor (PF) and low total harmonic distortion (THD) at a wide input voltage range and load variation. The conventional MCC method not only requires a multiplier and divider, but also is hard to be implemented with a micro controller unit without a high frequency oscillator. To overcome the problem and maintain the advantages of the conventional MCC method, the proposed MCC method adopts a current integrator, an output voltage amplifier, a zero-current duration (ZCD) demodulator of the boost inductor, and a carrier generator. Thus, it can remove a multiplier and well, as it allows for being operable with a general micro control unit. This paper presents an operation principle of the proposed control method. To verify the proposed control method, experimental results with 400 W PFC boost converter is demonstrated.
Fiber Network Formation in Semi-Flexible Polymer Solutions: An Exploratory Computational Study
Authors: Vargas-Lara Fernando , Douglas Jack
Published: March 2018

The formation of gels through the bundling of semi-flexible polymer chains into fiber networks is ubiquitous in diverse manufactured and natural materials, and, accordingly, we perform exploratory molecular dynamics simulations of a coarse-grained model of semi-flexible polymers in a solution with attractive lateral interchain interactions to understand essential features of this type of gel formation. After showing that our model gives rise to fibrous gels resembling real gels of this kind, we investigate how the extent of fiber bundling influences the “melting” temperature, T m , and the emergent rigidification of model bundled fibers having a fixed number of chains, N, within them. Based on our preliminary observations, we suggest the fiber size is kinetically selected by a reduced thermodynamic driving force and a slowing of the dynamics within the fibers associated with their progressive rigidification with the inclusion of an increasing number of chains in the bundle.
A Toxin-Antitoxin System VapBC15 from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 Shows Distinct Regulatory Features
Authors: Fei Qian , Gao E-Bin , Liu Biao , Wei Yao , Ning Degang
Published: March 2018

Type II toxin–antitoxin (TA) systems play important roles in bacterial stress survival by regulating cell growth or death. They are highly abundant in cyanobacteria yet remain poorly characterized. Here, we report the identification and regulation of a putative type II TA system from Synechocystis PCC6803, VapBC15. The VapBC15 system is encoded by the chromosomal operon vapBC15. Exogenous expression of VapC15 dramatically arrested cell growth of Escherichia coli and reduced the numbers of colony-forming units (CFU). The VapC15 toxicity could be neutralized by simultaneous or delayed production of VapB15. Biochemical analysis demonstrated the formation of VapB15-VapC15 complexes by the physical interaction between VapB15 and VapC15. Notably, the VapB15 antitoxin up-regulated the transcription of the vapBC15 operon by directly binding to the promoter region, and the VapC15 toxin abolished the up-regulatory effect by destabilizing the binding. Moreover, VapB15 can be degraded by the proteases Lons and ClpXP2s from Synechocystis PCC6803, thus activating the latent toxicity of VapBC15. These findings suggest that VapBC15 represents a genuine TA system that utilizes a distinct mechanism to regulate toxin activity.
The Role of microRNAs in Alzheimer’s Disease and Their Therapeutic Potentials
Authors: Miya Shaik Munvar , Tamargo Ian , Abubakar Murtala , Kamal Mohammad , Greig Nigel , Gan Siew
Published: March 2018

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short, endogenous, non-coding RNAs that post-transcriptionally regulate gene expression by base pairing with mRNA targets. Altered miRNA expression profiles have been observed in several diseases, including neurodegeneration. Multiple studies have reported altered expressions of miRNAs in the brains of individuals with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) as compared to those of healthy elderly adults. Some of the miRNAs found to be dysregulated in AD have been reported to correlate with neuropathological changes, including plaque and tangle accumulation, as well as altered expressions of species that are known to be involved in AD pathology. To examine the potentially pathogenic functions of several dysregulated miRNAs in AD, we review the current literature with a focus on the activities of ten miRNAs in biological pathways involved in AD pathogenesis. Comprehensive understandings of the expression profiles and activities of these miRNAs will illuminate their roles as potential therapeutic targets in AD brain and may lead to the discovery of breakthrough treatment strategies for AD.
Role of the Extremolytes Ectoine and Hydroxyectoine as Stress Protectants and Nutrients: Genetics, Phylogenomics, Biochemistry, and Structural Analysis
Authors: Czech Laura , Hermann Lucas , Stöveken Nadine , Richter Alexandra , Höppner Astrid , Smits Sander , Heider Johann , Bremer Erhard
Published: March 2018

Fluctuations in environmental osmolarity are ubiquitous stress factors in many natural habitats of microorganisms, as they inevitably trigger osmotically instigated fluxes of water across the semi-permeable cytoplasmic membrane. Under hyperosmotic conditions, many microorganisms fend off the detrimental effects of water efflux and the ensuing dehydration of the cytoplasm and drop in turgor through the accumulation of a restricted class of organic osmolytes, the compatible solutes. Ectoine and its derivative 5-hydroxyectoine are prominent members of these compounds and are synthesized widely by members of the Bacteria and a few Archaea and Eukarya in response to high salinity/osmolarity and/or growth temperature extremes. Ectoines have excellent function-preserving properties, attributes that have led to their description as chemical chaperones and fostered the development of an industrial-scale biotechnological production process for their exploitation in biotechnology, skin care, and medicine. We review, here, the current knowledge on the biochemistry of the ectoine/hydroxyectoine biosynthetic enzymes and the available crystal structures of some of them, explore the genetics of the underlying biosynthetic genes and their transcriptional regulation, and present an extensive phylogenomic analysis of the ectoine/hydroxyectoine biosynthetic genes. In addition, we address the biochemistry, phylogenomics, and genetic regulation for the alternative use of ectoines as nutrients.
Challenges for Older Drivers in Urban, Suburban, and Rural Settings
Authors: Payyanadan Rashmi , Lee John , Grepo Lorelie
Published: March 2018

Along with age-related factors, geographical settings—urban, suburban, and rural areas—also contribute to the differences in fatal crashes among older drivers. These differences in crash outcomes might be attributed to the various driving challenges faced by older drivers residing in different locations. To understand these challenges from the perspective of the older driver, a focus group study was conducted with drivers 65 and older from urban, suburban, and rural settings. Guided-group interviews were used to assess driving challenges, mobility options, opportunities for driver support systems (DSS), and alternate transportation needs. Content analysis of the interview responses resulted in four categories representing common challenges faced by older drivers across the settings: behavior of other drivers on the road, placement of road signs, reduced visibility of road signs due to age-related decline, and difficulties using in-vehicle technologies. Six categories involved location-specific challenges such as heavy traffic situations for urban and suburban drivers, and multi-destination trips for rural drivers. Countermeasures implemented by older drivers to address these challenges primarily involved route selection and avoidance. Technological advances of DSS systems provide a unique opportunity to support the information needs for route selection and avoidance preferences of drivers. Using the content analysis results, a framework was built to determine additional and modified DSS features to meet the specific challenges of older drivers in urban, suburban, and rural settings. These findings suggest that there is heterogeneity in the driving challenges and preferences of older drivers based on their location. Consequently, DSS technologies and vehicle automation need to be tailored to not only meet the driving safety and mobility needs of older drivers as a population, but also to their driving environment.
Black–White Differences in Housing Type and Sleep Duration as Well as Sleep Difficulties in the United States
Authors: Johnson Dayna , Thorpe Roland , McGrath John , Jackson W. , Jackson Chandra
Published: March 2018

Housing environments can directly and indirectly affect sleep, and blacks are more likely than whites to live in suboptimal housing conditions, which may independently contribute to sleep disparities. However, few large-scale epidemiological studies consider the potential influence of housing type on sleep health. Using data from the 2004–2015 National Health Interview Survey, we investigated overall and Black-White differences in the association between housing type (house/apartment versus mobile home/trailer) and sleep duration as well as sleep difficulties among 226,208 adults in the U.S. Poisson regression with robust variance was used to estimate sex-specific prevalence ratios (PR) for sleep categories, first comparing houses/apartments to mobile homes/trailers and then blacks to whites within housing types. All models were adjusted for age, educational attainment, income, occupational class, self-reported general health status, and region of residence. Compared to participants living in houses/apartments, the prevalence of short sleep was higher for men (PR = 1.05 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.02–1.08)) and women (PR = 1.07 (95% CI: 1.04–1.09)) in mobile homes/trailers. Black men (PR = 1.26 (95% CI: 1.21–1.30)) and women (PR = 1.24 (95% CI: 1.20–1.27)) in a house/apartment were more likely to be short sleepers than their white counterparts. There was generally no significant difference in sleep characteristics (except long sleep) between black and white men in mobile homes/trailers after adjustments, and black men in houses/apartments as well as black women in both housing types were less likely to report sleep difficulties although being more likely to report short sleep. Overall, individuals in mobile homes/trailers, which may represent suboptimal housing, had worse sleep than those in houses/apartments; and racial differences in the quality of houses and apartments are likely to greatly vary in ways that still contribute to sleep disparities. Race–sex group differences in sleep duration among residents in a house/apartment and even a lack of racial difference among individuals living in mobile homes/trailers support the need for more research on residential environments and eventually multi-level interventions designed to reduce sleep disparities.
Design, Intervention Fidelity, and Behavioral Outcomes of a School-Based Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene Cluster-Randomized Trial in Laos
Authors: Chard Anna , Freeman Matthew
Published: March 2018

Evidence of the impact of water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) in schools (WinS) interventions on pupil absence and health is mixed. Few WinS evaluations rigorously report on output and outcome measures that allow for comparisons of effectiveness between interventions to be made, or for an understanding of why programs succeed. The Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene for Health and Education in Laotian Primary Schools (WASH HELPS) study was a randomized controlled trial designed to measure the impact of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) Laos WinS project on child health and education. We also measured the sustainability of intervention outputs and outcomes, and analyzed the effectiveness of group hygiene activities on behavior change and habit formation. Here, we present the design and intermediate results from this study. We found the WinS project improved the WASH environment in intervention schools; 87.8% of schools received the intervention per design. School-level adherence to outputs was lower; on average, schools met 61.4% of adherence-related criteria. The WinS project produced positive changes in pupils’ school WASH behaviors, specifically increasing toilet use and daily group handwashing. Daily group hygiene activities are effective strategies to improve school WASH behaviors, but a complementary strategy needs to be concurrently promoted for effective and sustained individual handwashing practice at critical times.
Induced Tissue-Specific Stem Cells and Epigenetic Memory in Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells
Authors: Noguchi Hirofumi , Miyagi-Shiohira Chika , Nakashima Yoshiki
Published: March 2018

Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have significant implications for overcoming most of the ethical issues associated with embryonic stem (ES) cells. The pattern of expressed genes, DNA methylation, and covalent histone modifications in iPS cells are very similar to those in ES cells. However, it has recently been shown that, following the reprogramming of mouse/human iPS cells, epigenetic memory is inherited from the parental cells. These findings suggest that the phenotype of iPS cells may be influenced by their cells of origin and that their skewed differentiation potential may prove useful in the generation of differentiated cell types that are currently difficult to produce from ES/iPS cells for the treatment of human diseases. Our recent study demonstrated the generation of induced tissue-specific stem (iTS) cells by transient overexpression of the reprogramming factors combined with tissue-specific selection. iTS cells are cells that inherit numerous components of epigenetic memory from donor tissue and acquire self-renewal potential. This review describes the “epigenetic memory” phenomenon in iPS and iTS cells and the possible clinical applications of these stem cells.
Automated Exploration of Free Energy Landscapes Based on Umbrella Integration
Authors: Mitsuta Yuki , Kawakami Takashi , Okumura Mitsutaka , Yamanaka Shusuke
Published: March 2018

We present a new approach for automated exploration of free energy landscapes on the basis of the umbrella integration (UI) method. The method to search points in the landscape relies on the normal distributions and gradients of the potential of mean force (PMF) obtained from UI calculations. We applied this approach to the alanine dipeptide in solution and demonstrated that the equilibrium and the transition states were efficiently found in the ascending order of the PMF values.
Pivotal Roles of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors (PPARs) and Their Signal Cascade for Cellular and Whole-Body Energy Homeostasis
Authors: Lamichane Shreekrishna , Dahal Lamichane Babita , Kwon Sang-Mo
Published: March 2018

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), members of the nuclear receptor superfamily, are important in whole-body energy metabolism. PPARs are classified into three isoforms, namely, PPARα, β/δ, and γ. They are collectively involved in fatty acid oxidation, as well as glucose and lipid metabolism throughout the body. Importantly, the three isoforms of PPARs have complementary and distinct metabolic activities for energy balance at a cellular and whole-body level. PPARs also act with other co-regulators to maintain energy homeostasis. When endogenous ligands bind with these receptors, they regulate the transcription of genes involved in energy homeostasis. However, the exact molecular mechanism of PPARs in energy metabolism remains unclear. In this review, we summarize the importance of PPAR signals in multiple organs and focus on the pivotal roles of PPAR signals in cellular and whole-body energy homeostasis.
The Exploration and Analysis of the Magnetic Relaxation Behavior in Three Isostructural Cyano-Bridged 3d–4f Linear Heterotrinuclear Compounds
Authors: Xiong Xia , Liu Yangyu , Li Shan , Xue Anqi , Wang Juan , Zhang Chi , Zhu Wenhua , Sun Haoling
Published: March 2018

Three isostructural cyano-bridged 3d–4f linear heterotrinuclear compounds, (H2.5O)4{Ln[TM(CN)5(CNH0.5)]2(HMPA)4} (Ln = YIII, TM = [FeIII]LS (1); Ln = DyIII, TM = [FeIII]LS (2); Ln = DyIII, TM = CoIII (3)), have been synthesized and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Due to the steric effect of the HMPA ligands, the central lanthanide ions in these compounds possess a low coordination number, six-coordinate, exhibiting a coordination geometry of an axially elongated octahedron with a perfect D4h symmetry. Four HMPA ligands situate in the equatorial plane around the central lanthanide ions, and two [TM(CN)5(CNH0.5)]2.5− entities occupy the apical positions to form a cyano-bridged 3d–4f linear heterotrinuclear structure. The static magnetic analysis of the three compounds indicated a paramagnetic behavior of compounds 1 and 3, and possible small magnetic interactions between the intramolecular DyIII and [FeIII]LS ions in compound 2. Under zero dc field, the ac magnetic measurements on 2 and 3 revealed the in-phase component (χ′) of the ac susceptibility without frequency dependence and silent out-of-phase component (χ″), which was attributed to the QTM effect induced by the coordination geometry of an axially elongated octahedron for the DyIII ion. Even under a 1 kOe applied dc field, the χ″ components of 2 were revealed frequency dependence without peaks above 2 K. And under a 2 kOe and 3 kOe dc field, the χ″ components of 3 exhibited weak frequency dependence below 4 K with the absence of well-shaped peaks, which confirmed the poor single-ion magnetic relaxation behavior of the six-coordinate DyIII ion excluding any influence from the neighboring [FeIII]LS ions as that in the analogue 2.
The Influence of Prescribed Fire, Habitat, and Weather on Amblyomma americanum (Ixodida: Ixodidae) in West-Central Illinois, USA
Authors: Gilliam Mary , Rechkemmer Will , McCravy Kenneth , Jenkins Seán
Published: March 2018

The distribution of Amblyomma americanum (L.) is changing and reports of tick-borne disease transmitted by A. americanum are increasing in the USA. We used flagging to collect ticks, surveyed vegetation and collected weather data in 2015 and 2016. A. americanum dominated collections in both years (97%). Ticks did not differ among burn treatments; however, tick abundance differed between years among total, adult, and larval ticks. Habitat variables showed a weak negative correlation to total ticks in respect to: Shannon diversity index, percent bare ground, perennial cover, and coarse woody debris. Nymphal ticks showed a weak negative correlation to percent bare ground and fewer adults were collected in areas with more leaf litter and coarse woody debris. Conversely, we found larvae more often in areas with more total cover, biennials, vines, shrubs, and leaf litter, suggesting habitat is important for this life stage. We compared weather variables to tick presence and found, in 2015, temperature, precipitation, humidity, and sample period influenced tick collection and were life stage specific. In 2016, temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind, and sample period influenced tick collection and were also life stage specific. These results indicate that spring burns in an oak woodland do not reduce ticks; other variables such as habitat and weather are more influential on tick abundance or presence at different life stages.
Correction: W.C. Mak, et al. Controlled Delivery of Human Cells by Temperature Responsive Microcapsules. J. Funct. Biomater. 2015, 6, 439–453
Authors: Mak W.C. , Olesen K. , Sivlér P. , Lee C.J. , Moreno-Jimenez I. , Edin J. , Courtman D. , Skog M. , Griffith M.
Published: March 2018

Recently, we found a mistake in Figure 4D in our previously published paper[...]
Influence of NC Program Quality and Geometric Errors of Rotary Axes on S-Shaped Machining Test Accuracy
Authors: Sato Ryuta , Shirase Keiichi , Ihara Yukitoshi
Published: March 2018

An S-shaped machining test is proposed for the ISO 10791-7 standard to verify the performance of five-axis machining centers. However, investigation of the factor that has the most influence on the geometrical accuracy of finished S-shaped workpieces has not been undertaken. Determination of the influence of NC program tolerance and geometric errors concerning the rotary axes on the accuracy of the finished S-shaped workpiece forms the main objective of the study. Actual cutting experiments as well as simulations were performed during the proposed investigation. Our results clarify that NC-program tolerance has a significant influence on the end quality of the machined surface. Although geometric errors pertaining to rotary axes also have a significant influence on machined-surface quality, it is difficult to evaluate the influence of each individual error, because all geometric errors make glitches at the same point on the machined surface. The proposed S-shaped machining test can be used to provide a complete demonstration of available machining techniques.
Combined Effect of Alternating Current Interference and Cathodic Protection on Pitting Corrosion and Stress Corrosion Cracking Behavior of X70 Pipeline Steel in Near-Neutral pH Environment
Authors: Wang Liwei , Cheng Lianjun , Li Junru , Zhu Zhifu , Bai Shuowei , Cui Zhongyu
Published: March 2018

Influence of alternating current (AC) on pitting corrosion and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of X70 pipeline steel in the near-neutral pH environment under cathodic protection (CP) was investigated. Both corrosion and SCC are inhibited by −0.775 VSCE CP without AC interference. With the superimposition of AC current (1–10 mA/cm2), the direct current (DC) potential shifts negatively under the CP of −0.775 VSCE and the cathodic DC current decreases and shifts to the anodic direction. Under the CP potential of −0.95 VSCE and −1.2 VSCE, the applied AC current promotes the cathodic reaction and leads to the positive shift of DC potential and increase of cathodic current. Local anodic dissolution occurs attributing to the generated anodic current transients in the positive half-cycle of the AC current, resulting in the initiation of corrosion pits (0.6–2 μm in diameter). AC enhances the SCC susceptibility of X70 steel under −0.775 VSCE CP, attributing to the promotion of anodic dissolution and hydrogen evolution. Even an AC current as low as 1 mA/cm2 can enhance the SCC susceptibility.
Synthesis of Carbon Foam from Waste Artificial Marble Powder and Carboxymethyl Cellulose via Electron Beam Irradiation and Its Characterization
Authors: Kim Hong , Kim Yong , Kwac Lee , Chae Su-Hyeong , Shin Hye
Published: March 2018

Carbon foams were prepared by carbonization of carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)/waste artificial marble powder (WAMP) composites obtained via electron beam irradiation (EBI); these composites were prepared by mixing eco-friendly CMC with WAMP as the fillers for improved their poor mechanical strength. Gel fractions of the CMC/WAMP composites obtained at various EBI doses were investigated, and it was found that the CMC/WAMP composites obtained at an EBI dose of 80 kGy showed the highest gel fraction (95%); hence, the composite prepared at this dose was selected for preparing the carbon foam. The thermogravimetric analysis of the CMC/WAMP composites obtained at 80 kGy; showed that the addition of WAMP increased the thermal stability and carbon residues of the CMC/WAMP composites at 900 °C. SEM images showed that the cell walls of the CMC/WAMP carbon foams were thicker more than those of the CMC carbon foam. In addition, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy showed that the CMC/WAMP carbon foams contained small amounts of aluminum, derived from WAMP. The results confirmed that the increased WAMP content and hence increased aluminum content improved the thermal conductivity of the composites and their corresponding carbon foams. Moreover, the addition of WAMP increased the compressive strength of CMC/WAMP composites and hence the strength of their corresponding carbon foams. In conclusion, this synthesis method is encouraging, as it produces carbon foams of pore structure with good mechanical properties and thermal conductivity.
Fabrication and Sintering Behavior of Er:SrF2 Transparent Ceramics using Chemically Derived Powder
Authors: Liu Jun , Liu Peng , Wang Jun , Xu Xiaodong , Li Dongzhen , Zhang Jian , Nie Xinming
Published: March 2018

In this paper, we report the fabrication of high-quality 5 at. % Er3+ ions doped SrF2 transparent ceramics, the potential candidate materials for a mid-infrared laser-gain medium by hot-pressing at 700 °C for 40 h using a chemically-derived powder. The phase structure, densification, and microstructure evolution of the Er:SrF2 ceramics were systematically investigated. In addition, the grain growth kinetic mechanism of Er:SrF2 was clarified. The results showed lattice diffusion to be the grain growth mechanism in the Er:SrF2 transparent ceramic of which highest in-line transmittance reached 92% at 2000 nm, i.e., very close to the theoretical transmittance value of SrF2 single crystal. Furthermore, the emission spectra showed that the strongest emission band was located at 2735 nm. This means that it is possible to achieve a laser output of approximately 2.7 μm in the 5 at. % Er3+ ions doped SrF2 transparent ceramics.
Asynchronous Iterations of Parareal Algorithm for Option Pricing Models
Authors: Magoulès Frédéric , Gbikpi-Benissan Guillaume , Zou Qinmeng
Published: March 2018

Spatial domain decomposition methods have been largely investigated in the last decades, while time domain decomposition seems to be contrary to intuition and so is not as popular as the former. However, many attractive methods have been proposed, especially the parareal algorithm, which showed both theoretical and experimental efficiency in the context of parallel computing. In this paper, we present an original model of asynchronous variant based on the parareal scheme, applied to the European option pricing problem. Some numerical experiments are given to illustrate the convergence performance and computational efficiency of such a method.