bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Investigating Meaning in Experimental Semiotics
Authors: Roberts Gareth , Galantucci Bruno 
Published: February 2017

Abstract
Experimental semiotics is a new discipline developed over the last decade to study human communication. Studies within this discipline typically involve people creating novel signs by associating signals with meanings. Here we suggest ways this discipline can be used to shed light on how people create and communicate meaning. First we present observations drawn from studies in which participants not only construct novel signals, but also have considerable freedom over what these signals refer to. These studies offer intriguing insight on non-saussurian signs (where a single unit of meaning is associated with different signals), communicative egocentricity, private and public meaning, and the distinction between meaningful and meaningless units in linguistic structure, that is between morphemes and phonemes (or analogous entities). We then present a novel quantitative approach to determining the extent to which a signal unit is meaningful, and illustrate its use with data from a study in which participants construct signals to refer to predetermined meanings. Aside from these specific contributions, we show more generally how challenging investigating meaning in Experimental Semiotics is, but we argue that this reflects the difficulties we must face when studying meaning, outside the lab as well as in it.
Testing the Endowment Effect for Default Rules
Authors: Marcin Isabel , Nicklisch Andreas 
Published: February 2017

AbstractThis paper explores potential endowment effects of contractual default rules. For this purpose, we analyze the Hadley liability default clause in a model of bilateral bargaining of lotteries against safe options. The liability default clause determines the right for the safe payoff option. We test the model in series of laboratory experiments. The results reveal a substantial willingness-to-accept to willingness-to-pay gap for the right to change lotteries against safe options. Even if we apply the incentive compatible Becker-DeGroot-Marschak value elicitation mechanism, there is a significant gap indicating a robust endowment effect caused by default rules. Differences of expected values of the lotteries and the safe options consistently decrease the gaps. Implications for applications of default rules in the law are discussed.
IL-6 gene polymorphisms and sepsis in icu adult romanian patients: a prospective study
Authors: Georgescu Anca Meda , Bănescu Claudia , Badea Iudita , Moldovan Valeriu , Huțanu Adina , Voidăzan Septimiu , Dobreanu Minodora , Azamfirei Leonard 
Published: February 2017

Abstract

Objectives: The goal of the study was to investigate the correlations between the interleukin-6 IL-6 -174 G/C and IL-6 -572 G/C gene polymorphisms and sepsis risk and severity in adult ICU patients.

Materials and Methods: We prospectively assessed 107 septic patients and divided them into two subgroups: organ dysfunction-free sepsis subgroup S (n=60) and septic shock subgroup SS (n=47). A control group of 96 healthy individuals was included. Both patients and controls underwent IL-6 -174 G/C and -572 G/C genotyping and circulating IL-6 in the study group which were measured from samples taken in the first day of sepsis diagnosis.

Results: No differences in the genotype frequencies of the two polymorphisms between study and control groups were identified. The GC genotype and C allele of IL-6 -572 G/C gene polymorphism was statistically significant more frequent in the organ dysfunction-free subgroup (p=0.01, p=0.004 respectively). No statistically significant differences for the IL-6 -174 G/C gene polymorphism were found between the two sepsis subgroups. Circulating IL-6 levels were significantly higher in the septic shock subgroup and among patients with GG genotypes of both studied polymorphisms.

Conclusion: We underline the possible role of IL-6 -572 G/C as a marker of severe evolution. There is no evidence of a direct role of IL-6 -174 G/C gene polymorphism in sepsis risk and outcome. Il-6 levels are correlated with sepsis severity but not with variant genotype of investigated IL-6 gene polymorphisms.
Evaluation of c677t and a1298c polymorphism of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene as a maternal risk factor for trisomy 21 (a monocentric study)
Authors: Bucerzan Simona , Popp Radu Anghel , Vlad Raluca Maria , Lazea Cecilia , Nicolaescu Radu , Grigorescu-Sido Paula 
Published: February 2017

Abstract

Aim: To assess the risk for trisomy 21 in children, depending on the polymorphisms C677T and A1298C of the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene in mothers.

Methods: For 93 mothers who have children with trisomy 21 and 202 mothers of healthy children (control group), genotyping of MTHFR polymorphisms C677T and A1298C was performed.

Results: For each polymorphism, three genotypes were identified (normal homozygous, heterozygous and mutant homozygous). For the polymorphism C677T, the frequencies of the three genotypes (CC, CT and TT) were 50.5%, 40.8% and 8.6% in mothers of children with trisomy 21, versus 42.6%, 46% and 11.4% in mothers of healthy children, with no statistically significant differences. The frequency of the polymorphism A1298C was not statistically significant between the two groups for the genotype (AA) (48.4% vs 56.4%) or the genotype (AC) (39.8% vs 38.6%), but the genotype TT was more frequent in mothers of children with trisomy 21 (11.8% vs 4.9%; p = 0.033; OR = 2.57).

Conclusion: Women with genotype CC for the polymorphism A1298C of the MTHFR gene have a 2.57 times higher risk of offspring with trisomy 21.
Taxonomic Structure of Nematode Communities of Epiphytic Mosses in Green Plantations of Chernihiv, Ukraine
Authors: Shevchenko V. L. , Zhylina T. M. 
Published: February 2017

Abstract
In the city of Chernihiv, nematodes of epiphytic mosses were studied for the fi rst time. 40 nematode species belonging to 30 genera, 20 families and 8 orders were revealed. Most of the identifi ed species belonged to the order Rhabditida: 12 species or 30 % of total number. Nematodes of the order Plectida were the most abundant in the studied communities, they composed 61.21 % of total specimens collected. Nine species: Plectus parietinus (Bastian, 1865) Paramonov, 1964, Mesodorylaimus bastiani (Butschli, 1873), Geomonhystera villosa Butschli, 1837, Tylocephalus auriculatus (Butschli, 1873) Anderson, 1966, Aphelenchoides composticola Franklin, 1957, Panagrolaimus rigidus (Schneider, 1866) Thorne, 1937, Eudorylaimus circulifera Loof 1961, Plectus parvus (Bastian, 1865) Paramonov, 1964, Laimaphelenchus penardi (Steiner, 1914) Filipjev et Sch. Stek., 1941 constituted the core of nematode communities in epiphytic mosses.
Review of Metanotal Sculpture of Aphidiine Wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Aphidiinae)
Authors: Kaliuzhna M. O. 
Published: February 2017

Abstract
Morphological data on metanotal sculpture of aphidiine wasps (Hymenoptera, Braconidae, Aphidiinae), are reviewed based on the specimens collected in Ukraine. Specimens of 20 species of 13 genera were studied using light and scanning electron microscopy. Differences in menatonal morphology appear diagnostic for some genera or generic groups, such as tribes and subtribes. Seven general types of metanotal sculpture were distinguished. The proposed diagnostic characters are: the relative proportions of the metanotum and its parts (metascutellum, metascutellar arms), the shape and setation of the metascutellum, the number and form of the carinae arising from the base of metascutellum toward the mesoscutellum. To facilitate describing the structure of the metanotum in Aphidiinae, following measurements were established: the length and width of the metanotum and the metascutellum, the length of the metascutellar arms. The discovered characters could be used as additional diagnostic tools for aphidiine identification, and perhaps also in studies on their evolution and phylogeny.
Pecular Features of Hematopoiesis in the Liver of Mature and Immature Green Frogs (Pelophylax Esculentus Complex)
Authors: Akulenko N. M. 
Published: February 2017

Abstract
The article describes characteristic features of the hematopoiesis in mature and immature green frogs (Pelophylax esculentus complex). Quantitative differences in liver myelograms were insignificant. However, in a sample of mature animals numerous significant correlations between the number of pigment inclusions in the liver and indicators of erythropoiesis and myelopoiesis were observed. Those correlations were absent in the immature frogs. We concluded that aft er the frogs’ breeding a lack of plastic resources, in particular, hemosiderin remains up to the hibernation.
Neural Representation and Causal Models in Motor Cortex
Authors: Chaisanguanthum Kris S. , Shen Helen H. , Sabes Philip N. 
Published: February 2017

Dorsal premotor (PMd) and primary motor (M1) cortices play a central role in mapping sensation to movement. Many studies of these areas have focused on correlation-based tuning curves relating neural activity to task or movement parameters, but the link between tuning and movement generation is unclear. We recorded motor preparatory activity from populations of neurons in PMd/M1 as macaque monkeys performed a visually guided reaching task and show that tuning curves for sensory inputs (reach target direction) and motor outputs (initial movement direction) are not typically aligned. We then used a simple, causal model to determine the expected relationship between sensory and motor tuning. The model shows that movement variability is minimized when output neurons (those that directly drive movement) have target and movement tuning that are linearly related across targets and cells. In contrast, for neurons that only affect movement via projections to output neurons, the relationship between target and movement tuning is determined by the pattern of projections to output neurons and may even be uncorrelated, as was observed for the PMd/M1 population as a whole. We therefore determined the relationship between target and movement tuning for subpopulations of cells defined by the temporal duration of their spike waveforms, which may distinguish cell types. We found a strong correlation between target and movement tuning for only a subpopulation of neurons with intermediate spike durations (trough-to-peak ∼350 μs after high-pass filtering), suggesting that these cells have the most direct role in driving motor output.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThis study focuses on how macaque premotor and primary motor cortices transform sensory inputs into motor outputs. We develop empirical and theoretical links between causal models of this transformation and more traditional, correlation-based “tuning curve” analyses. Contrary to common assumptions, we show that sensory and motor tuning curves for premovement preparatory activity do not generally align. Using a simple causal model, we show that tuning-curve alignment is only expected for output neurons that drive movement. Finally, we identify a physiologically defined subpopulation of neurons with strong tuning-curve alignment, suggesting that it contains a high concentration of output cells. This study demonstrates how analysis of movement variability, combined with simple causal models, can uncover the circuit structure of sensorimotor transformations.
Enhanced Sensitivity to Hyperpolarizing Inhibition in Mesoaccumbal Relative to Nigrostriatal Dopamine Neuron Subpopulations
Authors: Tarfa Rahilla A. , Evans Rebekah C. , Khaliq Zayd M. 
Published: February 2017

Midbrain dopamine neurons recordedin vivopause their firing in response to reward omission and aversive stimuli. While the initiation of pauses typically involves synaptic or modulatory input, intrinsic membrane properties may also enhance or limit hyperpolarization, raising the question of how intrinsic conductances shape pauses in dopamine neurons. Using retrograde labeling and electrophysiological techniques combined with computational modeling, we examined the intrinsic conductances that shape pauses evoked by current injections and synaptic stimulation in subpopulations of dopamine neurons grouped according to their axonal projections to the nucleus accumbens or dorsal striatum in mice. Testing across a range of conditions and pulse durations, we found that mesoaccumbal and nigrostriatal neurons differ substantially in rebound properties with mesoaccumbal neurons displaying significantly longer delays to spiking following hyperpolarization. The underlying mechanism involves an inactivating potassium (IA) current with decay time constants of up to 225 ms, and small-amplitude hyperpolarization-activated currents (IH), characteristics that were most often observed in mesoaccumbal neurons. Pharmacological block of IAcompletely abolished rebound delays and, importantly, shortened synaptically evoked inhibitory pauses, thereby demonstrating the involvement of A-type potassium channels in prolonging pauses evoked by GABAergic inhibition. Therefore, these results show that mesoaccumbal and nigrostriatal neurons display differential responses to hyperpolarizing inhibitory stimuli that favors a higher sensitivity to inhibition in mesoaccumbal neurons. These findings may explain, in part, observations fromin vivoexperiments that ventral tegmental area neurons tend to exhibit longer aversive pauses relative to SNc neurons.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTOur study examines rebound, postburst, and synaptically evoked inhibitory pauses in subpopulations of midbrain dopamine neurons. We show that pauses in dopamine neuron firing, evoked by either stimulation of GABAergic inputs or hyperpolarizing current injections, are enhanced by a subclass of potassium conductances that are recruited at voltages below spike threshold. Importantly, A-type potassium currents recorded in mesoaccumbal neurons displayed substantially slower inactivation kinetics, which, combined with weaker expression of hyperpolarization-activated currents, lengthened hyperpolarization-induced delays in spiking relative to nigrostriatal neurons. These results suggest that input integration differs among dopamine neurons favoring higher sensitivity to inhibition in mesoaccumbal neurons and may partially explainin vivoobservations that ventral tegmental area neurons exhibit longer aversive pauses relative to SNc neurons.
Activity-Induced Synaptic Structural Modifications by an Activator of Integrin Signaling at theDrosophilaNeuromuscular Junction
Authors: Lee Joo Yeun , Geng Junhua , Lee Juhyun , Wang Andrew R. , Chang Karen T. 
Published: February 2017

Activity-induced synaptic structural modification is crucial for neural development and synaptic plasticity, but the molecular players involved in this process are not well defined. Here, we report that a protein named Shriveled (Shv) regulates synaptic growth and activity-dependent synaptic remodeling at theDrosophilaneuromuscular junction. Depletion of Shv causes synaptic overgrowth and an accumulation of immature boutons. We find that Shv physically and genetically interacts with βPS integrin. Furthermore, Shv is secreted during intense, but not mild, neuronal activity to acutely activate integrin signaling, induce synaptic bouton enlargement, and increase postsynaptic glutamate receptor abundance. Consequently, loss of Shv prevents activity-induced synapse maturation and abolishes post-tetanic potentiation, a form of synaptic plasticity. Our data identify Shv as a novel trans-synaptic signal secreted upon intense neuronal activity to promote synapse remodeling through integrin receptor signaling.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENTThe ability of neurons to rapidly modify synaptic structure in response to neuronal activity, a process called activity-induced structural remodeling, is crucial for neuronal development and complex brain functions. The molecular players that are important for this fundamental biological process are not well understood. Here we show that the Shriveled (Shv) protein is required during development to maintain normal synaptic growth. We further demonstrate that Shv is selectively released during intense neuronal activity, but not mild neuronal activity, to acutely activate integrin signaling and trigger structural modifications at theDrosophilaneuromuscular junction. This work identifies Shv as a key modulator of activity-induced structural remodeling and suggests that neurons use distinct molecular cues to differentially modulate synaptic growth and remodeling to meet synaptic demand.
Discriminative Role of Brachial Artery Doppler Parameters in Correlation with Hemodialysis Arteriovenous Fistula
Authors: Çildağ Burak Mehmet , Köseoğlu Kutsi Ömer Faruk 
Published: February 2017

Purpose. The aim of this study was to evaluate the flow volume and resistive index parameters of the brachial artery in the functioning and dysfunctioning radiocephalic and brachiocephalic hemodialysis arteriovenous fistula (AVF).Methods. 82 patients were distributed into three groups according to their hemodialysis function - as normal function, decreased pump flow and increased venous pressure. Flow volumes and resistive indexes (RI) of the brachial artery of radiocephalic and brachiocephalic AVFs were measured by Doppler ultrasound. Flow parameters of the groups were compared. Results. A statistically significant difference was found between the normal and decreased pump flow groups in terms of flow volume and resistive index values. 770 ml/min flow volume of the brachial artery has a 94% sensitivity and 84% specificity and 0.52 value of RI has an 89% sensitivity and 88% specificity in the the differentiation of normal and decreased pump flow groups.Conclusion. Doppler parameters of the brachial artery such as flow volume and RI can provide valuable information about AVF function.
Micro- and Nano-Fabrication of Polymer Based Microfluidic Platforms for BioMEMS Applications
Authors: Lai Siyi , Lee L. James , Yu Liyong , Koelling Kurt W. , Madou Marc J. 
Published: February 2017

AbstractIn this paper, we review the approaches developed in our laboratory for polymer-based micro/nanofabrication. For fabrication of microscale features, UV-LIGA (UV-lithography, electroplating, and molding) technology was applied for low-cost mass production. For fabrication of sub-micron or nanoscale features, a novel nano-manufacturing protocol is being developed. The protocol applies a novel nano-lithography imprinting process on an ultra-precision motion-control station. It is capable of economically producing well-defined pores or channels at the nanometer scale on thin polymer layers. The formed thin layers can be used as nano-filters for chemical or bio-separation. They can also be integrated into miniaturized devices for cell immunoprotection or tissue growth. For bonding of polymer-based microfluidic platforms, a novel resin-gas injection-assisted technique has been developed that achieves both bonding and surface modification. This new approach can easily seal microfluidic devices with micron and sub-micron sized channels without blocking the flow path. It can also be used to modify the channel shape, size, and surface characteristics (e.g., hydrophilicity, degree of protein adsorption). By applying the masking technique, local modification of the channel surface can be achieved through cascade resin-gas injection.
Fabrication of a Conductometric Sensor for Crevice Corrosion Studies
Authors: Wang Xiaoyan , Kelly Robert G. , Lee Jason S. , Reed Michael L. 
Published: February 2017

AbstractMicrofabricated crevice corrosion samples have been employed in experiments that provided important information necessary for developing an accurate, comprehensive, and reliable crevice corrosion model. Acquiring real-time spatial information of crevice corrosion is also essential in analyzing corrosion processes. Integration of arrays of solid-state microsensors, such as conductometric sensors, pH and other ion concentration potentiometric sensors, into the crevice corrosion samples will allow for in-situ real-time data acquisition. In the present work, crevice corrosion samples with conductometric sensor arrays are made using the techniques developed for thin film semiconductor processing and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication. The crevice corrosion testing sample is constructed by coupling a crevice former to a crevice substrate and has a uniform crevice gap. A conductometric sensor array built on a silicon wafer is incorporated into the crevice former. Each of these sensors is composed of a pair of thin film gold electrodes, which enables in-situ spatial conductivity analysis of crevice corrosion. Information about metal ion concentration and active chemistry inside the crevice can also be obtained.
Microfabricated Device for Impedance-Based Detection of Bacterial Metabolism
Authors: Gómez Rafael , Ladisch Michael R. , Bhunia Arun K. , Bashir Rashid 
Published: February 2017

AbstractWe present the use of a microfabricated device for impedance-based detection of a few live bacterial cells. Impedance-based detection relies on measuring changes in the AC impedance of two electrodes immersed in a liquid were the bacteria are cultured, caused by the release of ionic species by metabolizing bacterial cells. Rapid detection of a few cells (1 to 10) is possible if the cells are confined into a volume on the order of nanoliters. A microfluidic biochip prototype has been fabricated to test this miniaturized assay. The conductance of the bacterial suspensions is extracted from measuring their complex impedance in a 5.27 nl chamber in the biochip, at several frequencies between 100 Hz and 1 MHz. Measurements on suspensions of the bacteria Listeria innocua, Listeria monocytogenes, and Escherichia coli in a low conductivity buffer demonstrate that, under the current experimental conditions, the minimum detection level is between 50 and 200 live cells, after two hours of off-chip incubation. Work is in progress to develop techniques for selective capture of bacteria inside the chip, and to minimize background changes in impedance during on-chip incubation.
Modeling and Simulation of a High Frequency MEMS-Fabricated Ultrasonic Nozzle
Authors: Tsai S. C. , Tseng T.K. , Song Y. L. , Chou Y. F. , Tsai C. S. , Chang P.Z. 
Published: February 2017

AbstractThis paper reports on the design and simulation of micro-fabricated 0.5 MHz Si-based ultrasonic nozzles that consist of multiple sections of Fourier horns of half wavelength design. Such high frequency ultrasonic nozzles should produce 10-15μm-diameter uniform precursor drops for nanoparticle synthesis by means of spray pyrolysis at ambient pressure. Results of 3-D simulation using a commercial FEM program, ANSYS, show existence of one resonant frequency of pure longitudinal vibration, which is very close to the design value. The results also show that at this resonant frequency increase in vibration amplitude at the nozzle tip is very close to the theoretical values of 2n, where n is the number of horn section. Therefore, the required electric drive power should be drastically reduced and the transducer failure in ultrasonic atomization can be more readily avoided.