bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cloning and characterization of short‐chain N‐acyl homoserine lactone‐producing Enterobacter asburiae strain L1 from lettuce leaves
Authors: Lau Yin Yin , How Kah Yan , Yin Wai‐Fong , Chan Kok‐Gan 
Published: July 2018

AbstractIn gram‐negative bacteria, bacterial communication or quorum sensing (QS) is achieved using common signaling molecules known as N‐acyl homoserine lactones (AHL). We have previously reported the genome of AHL‐producing bacterium, Enterobacter asburiae strain L1. In silico analysis of the strain L1 genome revealed the presence of a pair of luxI/R genes responsible for AHL‐type QS, designated as easIR. In this work, the 639 bp luxI homolog, encoding 212 amino acids, have been cloned and overexpressed in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3)pLysS. The purified protein (~25 kDa) shares high similarity to several members of the LuxI family among different E asburiae strains. Our findings showed that the heterologously expressed EasI protein has activated violacein production by AHL biosensor Chromobacterium violaceum CV026 as the wild‐type E. asburiae. The mass spectrometry analysis showed the production of N‐butanoyl homoserine lactone and N–hexanoyl homoserine lactone from induced E. coli harboring the recombinant EasI, suggesting that EasI is a functional AHL synthase. E. asburiae strain L1 was also shown to possess biofilm‐forming characteristic activity using crystal violet binding assay. This is the first report on cloning and characterization of the luxI homolog from E. asburiae.
A note on the rainbow cycle cover problem
Authors: Moreno Jorge , Martins Simone , Frota Yuri 
Published: July 2018

AbstractGiven an edge‐colored graph G, a cycle with all its edges with different colors is called a rainbow cycle. The rainbow cycle cover (RCC) problem consists of finding the minimum number of disjoint rainbow cycles covering G. We present an integer linear programming model for the RCC problem and a reduction process for decreasing the dimensions of the graph, resulting in a more efficient method that was able to find new optimal solutions for instances that were unsolved.
Government stewardship and primary health care in Guatemala since 1996
Authors: Cross Harry E. , De La Cruz Marisela , Dent Juan 
Published: July 2018

SummaryThis article analyzes the role of government stewardship in the expansion of primary health care in post‐conflict Guatemala. By the time the Peace Accords were signed in 1996, the country's primary health care system was scarcely functioning with virtually no services available in rural indigenous areas. To address this gaping void/deficiency, the Ministry of Public Health and Social Assistance (MSPAS) embarked on a progressive expansion of primary services aimed at covering the majority of rural poor. Through a series of legal, policy, and program reforms up to 2014, the MSPAS dramatically expanded primary coverage and greatly improved basic health indicators for the entire population. To succeed in this effort, the MSPAS and its partners needed to simultaneously grow their stewardship capacity to oversee and develop the primary health system. On the basis of recent health systems strengthening literature, we propose a stewardship framework of 6 critical functions and use it to analyze the gains in government capacity that enabled the achievement of many of the country's primary health goals. Of the 6 stewardship functions, “building relationships, coalitions, and partnerships” especially with civil society organizations stands out as one of the keys to MSPAS success.
AcFT promotes kiwifruit in vitro flowering when overexpressed and Arabidopsis flowering when expressed in the vasculature under its own promoter
Authors: Moss Sarah M. A. , Wang Tianchi , Voogd Charlotte , Brian Lara A. , Wu Rongmei , Hellens Roger P. , Allan Andrew C. , Putterill Joanna , Varkonyi‐Gasic Erika 
Published: July 2018

AbstractKiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) has three FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) genes, AcFT, AcFT1, and AcFT2, with differential expression and potentially divergent roles. AcFT was previously shown to be expressed in source leaves and induced in dormant buds by winter chilling. Here, we show that AcFT promotes flowering in A. chinensis, despite a short sequence insertion not present in other FT‐like genes. A 3.5‐kb AcFT promoter region contained all the regulatory elements required to mediate vascular expression in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis). The promoter activation was initially confined to the veins in the distal end of the leaf, before extending to the veins in the base of the leaf, and was detected in inductive and noninductive photoperiods. The 3‐kb and 2.7‐kb promoter regions of AcFT1 and AcFT2, respectively, demonstrated different activation patterns in Arabidopsis, corresponding to differential expression in kiwifruit. Expression of AcFT cDNA from the AcFT promoter was capable to induce early flowering in transgenic Arabidopsis in noninductive photoperiods. Further, expression of AcFT cDNA fused to the green fluorescent protein was detected in the vasculature and was also capable to advance flowering in noninductive photoperiods. Taken together, these studies implicate AcFT in regulation of kiwifruit flowering time and as a candidate for kiwifruit florigen.
A calibration framework for the determination of accurate collision cross sections of polyanions using polyoxometalate standards
Authors: Hupin Sébastien , Lavanant Hélène , Renaudineau Séverine , Proust Anna , Izzet Guillaume , Groessl Michael , Afonso Carlos 
Published: July 2018

RationalePolyoxometalates (POMs) are remarkable oxo‐clusters forming compact highly charged anions. We measured their collision cross sections (CCS) in N2 with drift tube ion mobility spectrometry (DTIMS). These values were then used to calibrate a traveling wave ion mobility spectrometry (TWIMS) device and the accuracy of the calibration was tested.MethodsSix POM standards were analyzed by DTIM‐MS (Tofwerk, Thun, Switzerland) at different voltages to determine absolute DTCCS (N2) values. Five POM compounds (Lindqvist TBA2Mo6O19; decatungstate TBA4W10O32; Keggin TBA3PMo12O40; TBA3PW12O40 and Dawson TBA6P2W18O62) were used for the calibration of the TWIM‐MS instrument (Synapt G2 HDMS, Waters, Manchester, UK) and a sixth Dawson POM, TBA9P2Nb3W15O62, was used to compare the accuracy of the calibrations with POM or with polyalanine and dextran reference ions.ResultsWe determined 45 DTCCS (N2) values at 30°C or 60°C. Fourteen DTCCS (N2) values at 30°C were used to perform calibration of the TWIMS instrument. Better correlations were observed than when DTCCS values in helium from the literature were used. The accuracy tests on six ions of Dawson POM TBA9P2Nb3W15O62 led to relative errors below 3.1% while relative errors of 3.6% to 10.1% were observed when calibration was performed with polyalanine and dextran reference ions.ConclusionsOur novel calibration strategy for determination of CCS values of multiply negatively charged ions on TWIM‐MS devices based on DTCCS (N2) of standard POM structures covered a wider range of CCS and improved the accuracy to 2.1% relative error on average compared with 6.9% using polyalanine and dextran calibration.
Exact and overapproximated guarantees for corner cutting avoidance in a multiobstacle environment
Authors: Stoican Florin , Prodan Ionela , Grøtli Esten Ingar 
Published: July 2018

SummaryThe corner cutting avoidance problem is an important but often overlooked part of motion planning strategies. Obstacle and collision avoidance constraints are usually imposed at the sampling time without regards to the intrasample behavior of the agent. Hence, it is possible for an agent to “cut the corner” of an obstacle while apparently respecting the constraints. This paper improves upon state of the art by providing exact and overapproximated descriptions of the undershadow (and of its complement, the visible) region generated by an agent against obstacles. We employ a hyperplane arrangement construction to handle multiple obstacles simultaneously and provide piecewise descriptions of the regions of interest and parametrizations of the corner cutting conditions (useful, eg, in finite horizon optimization problems). Mixed‐integer representations are used to describe the regions of interest, leading in the overapproximated case to binary‐only constraints. Illustrative proofs of concept, comparisons with the state of the art, and simulations over a standard multiobstacle avoidance problem showcase the benefits of the proposed approach.
Supply chain strategy decisions for sustainable development using an integrated multi‐criteria decision‐making approach
Authors: Sreekumar V. , Rajmohan M. 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe evaluation and selection of strategies for sustainable development in manufacturing supply chains are critical tasks for the decision‐maker because of the complexity involving various criteria. This paper deals with the prioritization of critical sustainability criteria and the sustainability strategy selection (SSS) using an integrated weighting approach. This approach consists of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), the subjective and objective weight integrated approach (SOWIA) and the technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution (TOPSIS) and is found to be effective for solving this multi‐criteria decision‐making problem. The proposed methodology is applied to solve a real‐time supply chain decision‐making issue of an Indian manufacturing industry. From a sustainability perspective, the results indicate the second strategy set as the best among the given alternatives, with an objective factor of 0.5. The robustness of the results has been analysed to identify the uncertainty in the final ranking. The consistency of the final ranking has been evaluated based on different objective factor values. The novelty of this paper pertains to addressing the most relevant SSS problem involved in a manufacturing supply chain and in establishing a hybrid approach for solving it. This approach offers a flexible provision for decision‐makers to incorporate the appropriate level of subjectivity and objectivity into their decisions based on their degree of expertise. This study is unique and carries a high originality value, as it offers a new structured and flexible approach to solving the SSS problem.
The PROSIT tool: Toward the optimal design of probabilistic soft real‐time systems
Authors: Villalba Frías Bernardo , Palopoli Luigi , Abeni Luca , Fontanelli Daniele 
Published: July 2018

SummaryIn recent years, series of important achievements have paved the way for the introduction of probabilistic analysis in the area of soft real‐time systems design. In this article, we present an extensible design tool, called PROSIT, which facilitates the access to this technology for a potentially large number of researchers and industrial practitioners. The tool enables the probabilistic analysis of the temporal performance of a real‐time task under fixed‐priority and resource reservations scheduling algorithms. For resource reservations, the tool also offers an automatic procedure for the synthesis of scheduling parameters that optimize a quality metric related to the probabilistic behavior of the tasks.
Modelling of waves in fluid‐saturated porous media with high contrast heterogeneity: homogenization approach
Authors: Rohan Eduard , Naili Salah , Nguyen Vu‐Hieu 
Published: July 2018

AbstractThe paper deals with homogenization of a double porosity fluid‐saturated periodic medium. At the mesoscopic level, dynamic behaviour of the medium is described by the Biot model featured by high contrasts in the permeability and the poroelastic coefficients. The fluid flow is governed by the Darcy flow model extended by inertia terms and by the mass conservation equation. To respect the high contrasts, some of the material properties are scaled by the small parameter which characterizes the size of the heterogeneities being subject of the asymptotic analysis. The macroscopic model of the medium is obtained using the two‐scale homogenization based on the periodic unfolding method. For this, the Laplace transformation in time is used to introduce the local autonomous problems for characteristic responses defining the effective medium properties. In comparison with the low contrast heterogeneous medium, the microflow in the double porosity gives rise to the fading memory effects involved also in the macroscopic poroviscoelastic constitutive law. The problem treated in the paper is an extension of previously studied problems with either rigid skeleton part, or deformable Biot ‘medium without high contrasts in material properties. Numerical illustrations of the homogenized effective model parameters are given. The derived two‐scale model is a convenient tool for studying wave propagation in many natural media and provides a basis for material research.
An $$ \mathcal{N}=1 $$ 3d-3d correspondence
Authors: Eckhard Julius , Schäfer-Nameki Sakura , Wong Jin-Mann 
Published: July 2018

AbstractM5-branes on an associative three-cycleM3in aG2-holonomy manifold give rise to a 3d$$ \mathcal{N}=1 $$N=1supersymmetric gauge theory,$$ {T}_{\mathcal{N}=1}\left[{M}_3\right] $$TN=1M3. We propose an$$ \mathcal{N}=1 $$N=13d-3d correspondence, based on two observables of these theories: the Witten index and theS3-partition function. The Witten index of a 3d$$ \mathcal{N}=1 $$N=1theory$$ {T}_{\mathcal{N}=1}\left[{M}_3\right] $$TN=1M3is shown to be computed in terms of the partition function of a topological field theory, a super-BF-model coupled to a spinorial hypermultiplet (BFH), onM3. The BFH-model localizes on solutions to a generalized set of 3d Seiberg-Witten equations onM3. Evidence to support this correspondence is provided in the abelian case, as well as in terms of a direct derivation of the topological field theory by twisted dimensional reduction of the 6d (2,0) theory. We also consider a correspondence for theS3-partition function of the$$ {T}_{\mathcal{N}=1}\left[{M}_3\right] $$TN=1M3theories, by determining the dimensional reduction of the M5-brane theory onS3. The resulting topological theory is Chern-Simons-Dirac theory, for a gauge field and a twisted harmonic spinor onM3, whose equations of motion are the generalized 3d Seiberg-Witten equations. For genericG2-manifolds the theory reduces to real Chern-Simons theory, in which case we conjecture that theS3-partition function of$$ {T}_{\mathcal{N}=1}\left[{M}_3\right] $$TN=1M3is given by the Witten-Reshetikhin-Turaev invariant ofM3.
Applying four-component instructional design to develop a&nbsp;case presentation curriculum
Authors: Daniel Michelle , Stojan Jennifer , Wolff Margaret Wolff , Taqui Bizath , Glasgow Tiffany , Forster Susan , Cassese Todd 
Published: July 2018

Medical students must gain proficiency with the complex skill of case presentations, yet current approaches to instruction are fragmented and often informal, resulting in suboptimal transfer of this skill into clinical practice. Whole task approaches to learning have been proposed to teach complex skill development. The authors describe a longitudinal case presentation curriculum developed using a whole task approach known as four-component instructional design (4-C/ID). 4‑C/ID is based on cognitive psychology theory, and carefully attends to titrating a learner’s cognitive load, aiming to always keep students in their zone of proximal development. A multi-institutional group of medical educators convened to develop expert consensus regarding case presentation instruction using the 4‑C/ID model. A curriculum consisting of 1) learning tasks, 2) supportive information, 3) just-in-time information, and 4) part-task practice was developed. Domains were identified that make the task of delivering a case presentation complex. A simplifying conditions approach was applied to each domain to develop sequential task class descriptions. Examples of the four components are given to facilitate understanding of the 4‑C/ID model, making it more accessible to medical educators. Applying 4‑C/ID to curriculum development for the complex skill of case presentation delivery may optimize instruction. The provision of the complete curricular outline may facilitate transfer and implementation of this case presentation curriculum, as well as foster the application of 4‑C/ID to other complex skill development in medical education.
Development of design system for crack patterns on cup surface based on KANSEI
Authors: Misaka Mai , Aoyama Hideki 
Published: July 2018

Abstract
With the development of manufacturing technology in recent years, as well as with the industrial product development, differentiation in the design aspect is becoming effective, not in terms of performance or quality. In addition, as consumers seek products that match their own sensibilities (KANSEI), designers are required to propose designs that highly conform to concept presented by client, while understanding the KANSEI of diversified consumers; therefore, their burden is increasing. To address these issues, the support of the development of computer-aided design has advanced; however, it is difficult to reflect human KANSEI or to generate a design that induces a natural impression through computers.
The purpose of this research is to develop a system that incorporates the KANSEI of users, and emits a pattern design that induces a natural impression using a computer. This work is focused on crack patterns that can be observed on pottery surfaces, and a method for generating crack patterns on a cup surface is suggested. In this study, a Bézier curved surface and fluctuation were employed in order to induce a natural impression. In addition, by using the neural network, the crack patterns were associated with user KANSEI. The neural network was composed of three layers, namely the input layer, the hidden layer, and the output layer; it adopted the sigmoid function as the transition function and the back propagation as the learning method. As a result, a system was constructed, in which a crack pattern that satisfied the input produces an output according to the desired impression of the user.
Finally, an evaluation questionnaire was distributed, and the usefulness of the system was confirmed.
Highlights A method for creating crack patterns using a computer is proposed. The relationship between KANSEI and crack patterns is modeled by neural network. A system is developed that outputs crack patterns that satisfy the inputted KANSEI.
Morphological evidence of biofilm in chronic obstructive sialadenitis
Authors: Schrøder S A , Eickhardt S , Bjarnsholt T , Nørgaard T , Homøe P 
Published: July 2018

AbstractObjectiveBacterial infection is a common finding in acute sialadenitis and may play a role in the chronicity of the condition. This study investigated if bacterial biofilm is present in submandibular chronic obstructive sialadenitis.MethodsA descriptive case–control study was conducted that compared 10 histological sections of submandibular glands with chronic obstructive sialadenitis, to 10 histological sections of the healthy part of submandibular glands with pleomorphic adenoma. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation and confocal laser scanning microscopy visualised evidence of bacterial biofilm.ResultsIn the chronic obstructive sialadenitis group, 5 out of 10 histological sections showed morphological evidence of bacterial biofilm. In the control group, there was no sign of bacterial biofilm formation.ConclusionMorphological evidence of bacterial biofilm was found in the submandibular gland sections from patients with chronic sialadenitis and suggests a role in the chronicity of submandibular chronic obstructive sialadenitis.
Iron deficiency anaemia: experiences and challenges
Authors: Stelle Isabella , Kalea Anastasia Z. , Pereira Dora I. A. 
Published: July 2018

Iron deficiency remains the largest nutritional deficiency worldwide and the main cause of anaemia. Severe iron deficiency leads to anaemia known as iron deficiency anaemia (IDA), which affects a total of 1·24 billion people, the majority of whom are children and women from resource-poor countries. In sub-Saharan Africa, iron deficiency is frequently exacerbated by concomitant parasitic and bacterial infections and contributes to over 120 000 maternal deaths a year, while it irreparably limits the cognitive development of children and leads to poor outcomes in pregnancy.Currently available iron compounds are cheap and readily available, but constitute a non-physiological approach to providing iron that leads to significant side effects. Consequently, iron deficiency and IDA remain without an effective treatment, particularly in populations with high burden of infectious diseases. So far, despite considerable investment in the past 25 years in nutrition interventions with iron supplementation and fortification, we have been unable to significantly decrease the burden of this disease in resource-poor countries.If we are to eliminate this condition in the future, it is imperative to look beyond the strategies used until now and we should make an effort to combine community engagement and social science approaches to optimise supplementation and fortification programmes.
DEVELOPMENT OF THE ONTARIO DECISION FRAMEWORK: A VALUES BASED FRAMEWORK FOR HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
Authors: Krahn Murray , Miller Fiona , Bayoumi Ahmed , Brooker Ann-Sylvia , Wagner Frank , Winsor Shawn , Giacomini Mita , Goeree Ron , Schünemann Holger , van der Velde Gabrielle , Petersen Stephen , Sikich Nancy , Dhalla Irfan 
Published: July 2018

Objectives:In 2007, the Ontario Health Technology Advisory Committee (OHTAC) developed a decision framework to guide decision making around nondrug health technologies. In 2012, OHTAC commissioned a revision of this framework to enhance its usability and deepen its conceptual and theoretical foundations.Methods:The committee overseeing this work used several methods: (a) a priori consensus on guiding principles, (b) a scoping review of decision attributes and processes used globally in health technology assessment (HTA), (c) presentations by methods experts and members of review committees, and (d) committee deliberations over a period of 3 years.Results:The committee adopted a multi-criteria decision-making approach, but rejected the formal use of multi-criteria decision analysis. Three broad categories of attributes were identified: (I) context criteria attributes included factors such as stakeholders, adoption pressures from neighboring jurisdictions, and potential conflicts of interest; (II) primary appraisal criteria attributes included (i) benefits and harms, (ii) economics, and (iii) patient-centered care; (III) feasibility criteria attributes included budget impact and organizational feasibility.Conclusion:The revised Ontario Decision Framework is similar in some respects to frameworks used in HTA worldwide. Its distinctive characteristics are that: it is based on an explicit set of social values; HTA paradigms (evidence based medicine, economics, and bioethics/social science) are used to aggregate decision attributes; and that it is rooted in a theoretical framework of optimal decision making, rather than one related to broad social goals, such as health or welfare maximization.