bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nitric oxide modulates a swimmeret beating rhythm in the crayfish
Authors: Mita Atsuki , Yoshida Misato , Nagayama Toshiki 
Published: December 2014

AbstractThe modulatory effects of nitric oxide (NO) and cAMP on the rhythmic beating activity of the swimmeret motor neurones in the crayfish were examined. The swimmerets are paired appendages located on the ventral side of each abdominal segment that show rhythmic beating activity during forward swimming, postural righting behaviour and egg ventilation in gravid females. In an isolated abdominal nerve cord preparation, swimmeret motor neurones were usually silent or showed continuous low frequency spiking activity. Application of carbachol, a cholinergic agonist, elicited rhythmic bursts of motor neurone spikes. The co-application of L-arginine, the substrate for NO synthesis with carbachol increased the burst frequency of the motor neurones. The co-application of the NO donor, SNAP, with carbachol also increased the burst frequency of the motor neurones. By contrast, co-application of a NOS inhibitor, L-NAME, with carbachol decreased beating frequency of the motor neurones. These results indicated that NO may act as a neuromodulator to facilitate swimmeret beating activity. The facilitatory effect of L-arginine was cancelled by co-application of a soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) inhibitor, ODQ. These results indicated that NO acted by activating sGC to promote the production of cGMP. The application of L-arginine alone or a membrane-permeable cGMP analogue, 8-Br-cGMP, alone did not elicit rhythmic activity of motor neurones, but co-application of 8-Br-cGMP with carbachol increased bursting frequency of the motor neurones. Furthermore, application of the membrane-permeable cAMP analogue, CPT-cAMP alone produced rhythmic bursting of swimmeret motor neurones, and the bursting frequency elicited by CPT-cAMP was increased by co-application with L-arginine. The co-application of an adenylate cyclase inhibitor, SQ22536 ceased rhythmic bursts of motor neurone spikes elicited by carbachol. These results suggested that a cAMP system enabled the rhythmic bursts of motor neurone spikes and that a NO/cGMP signaling pathway increased cAMP activity to facilitate swimmeret beating activity.
Development of a Novel Surface Elemental Analysis Methodology: X-ray-Aided Noncontact Atomic Force Microscopy (XANAM)
Authors: Suzuki Shushi 
Published: December 2014

Abstract
Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) is widely used for analysis of structures on substrate surfaces. Particularly, scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and noncontact atomic force microscopy (NC-AFM) enable real-space observations of solid surfaces at the atomic level with high spatial resolution. However, these microscopic measurement methods still involve difficulties in elemental analysis at the nanoscale for general purposes, although several validated solutions have already been proposed for well-defined cases. This brief review explains issues and their resolution, including topics related to the development of chemical analysis methodologies based on STM/NC-AFM, such as inelastic tunneling spectroscopy (IETS)-STM for spectroscopy of individual molecules, STM combined with synchrotron radiation X-ray sources for elemental analysis of surface structures, and force spectroscopy with atom tracking technology, as well as X-ray-aided noncontact atomic force microscopy (XANAM). Particularly, the review describes details of XANAM including recently obtained results on X-ray energy dependence of force spectroscopy and its two-dimensional recording as XANAM imaging, suggesting XANAM offers great potential to contribute to nanoscale investigations of chemical analysis for various purposes.
Gaming Technology in Math Classes at the Secondary School
Authors: Ипполитова  , Ippolitova N. 
Published: December 2014

Involving students in creative activities is the one of the
primary teachers’ tasks. Creativity in teachers’ work implies the use
of special games and play activities as forms of teaching. The author
considers a game to be a type of activity in situations, simulating
social experience acquiring and adoption for the purpose of developing
and enhancing behavior self-management.
Mythmaking as a creative method in advertising
Authors: Лапшина Ольга , Lapshina Olga , Соколова Антонина , Sokolova Antonina 
Published: December 2014

The article is devoted to the advertising as a mythological communication. The authors are evaluated a creativity essence and creativity method in advertising, and brought to light the correlation of advertising reality and myth theory. The information is based on the recent practice examples.
The article is based on the theory methods and practice activities of such world famous international advertising experts, like D. Ogilvie, D. Bernstein, L. Barnett, as well as representatives of Russian school G.Pochepcova.
Characteristics of Logging Businesses that Harvest Biomass for Energy Production
Authors: Barrett Scott M. , Bolding M. Chad , Aust W. Michael , Munsell John F. 
Published: December 2014

Abstract
Utilization of biomass from logging residues for renewable energy production depends on forest harvesting businesses. As biomass markets emerge, businesses will need to adapt to meet operational requirements. Logging businesses that supplied biomass for energy production in Virginia were surveyed regarding operations and attitudes. Results show that businesses across a broad range of total production levels (150 to 6250 tons/wk) harvested biomass and roundwood using integrated harvesting operations with whole tree chippers. Businesses had produced biomass an average of 6.8 years. Sixty-one percent of operations utilized a single loader at the landing for processing roundwood and biomass. Biomass accounted for an average of 28 percent of each respondents total reported production and was often produced with relatively large (median = 600 horsepower) chippers with an average age of 12.5 years. Characteristics of operations where business owners agreed they profited from biomass production were compared with those that were neutral or disagreed. Business owners that agreed they profited had an average investment of $188,500 in biomass production equipment, versus $377,143 for the neutral/disagree group (P = 0.02). Respondents indicated they were more likely to begin harvesting biomass to satisfy landowners and diversify operations rather than in response to encouragement from consuming facilities. Most owners viewed biomass harvesting positively and plan to continue production in the future.
Bioinformatics for Clinical Next Generation Sequencing
Authors: Oliver Gavin R , Hart Steven N , Klee Eric W 
Published: December 2014

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Next generation sequencing (NGS)-based assays continue to redefine the field of genetic testing. Owing to the complexity of the data, bioinformatics has become a necessary component in any laboratory implementing a clinical NGS test.

CONTENT
The computational components of an NGS-based work flow can be conceptualized as primary, secondary, and tertiary analytics. Each of these components addresses a necessary step in the transformation of raw data into clinically actionable knowledge. Understanding the basic concepts of these analysis steps is important in assessing and addressing the informatics needs of a molecular diagnostics laboratory. Equally critical is a familiarity with the regulatory requirements addressing the bioinformatics analyses. These and other topics are covered in this review article.

SUMMARY
Bioinformatics has become an important component in clinical laboratories generating, analyzing, maintaining, and interpreting data from molecular genetics testing. Given the rapid adoption of NGS-based clinical testing, service providers must develop informatics work flows that adhere to the rigor of clinical laboratory standards, yet are flexible to changes as the chemistry and software for analyzing sequencing data mature.
Basic Income and Negative Income Tax: A Comparison with a Simulation Model
Authors: Honkanen Pertti 
Published: December 2014

AbstractAn explicit unconditional basic income linked with a proportional tax rate and corresponding negative income tax schedule are generally thought to produce an equal distribution of incomes. They are so to say mathematically uniform systems. If we try to implement these schedules on an existing system of social transfers and taxes, the results may nevertheless be different. One problem is that taxes are generally calculated on yearly basis but social transfers are paid on monthly or even daily basis. There can be also other differences in the implementation. In this paper a simulation experiment with the Finnish tax and transfer system is presented. Two levels of basic income are defined: a normal basic income for adults over 18 years and a bit higher basic income (basic pension) for pensioners. Two alternative simulations are made: one corresponding to an unconditional basic income model and the other corresponding to the idea of negative income tax. Then the distributional effects and various transfer and income flows are studied.
Laboratory utilization improvement through a computer-aided algorithm developed with general practitioners
Authors: Salinas Maria , López-Garrigós Maite , Asencio Alberto , Leiva-Salinas Maria , Lugo Javier , Leiva-Salinas Carlos 
Published: December 2014

AbstractOne of the main duties of healthcare workers is to get an appropriate use of diagnostic and therapeutic tools. The aim of this study was to show how strategies can be designed and established in consensus with general practitioners (GPs) to reach an optimal laboratory test request.The laboratory serves a population of approximately 235,000 inhabitants, including nine primary care centers. GPs could request every test in profiles and individually. In meetings between the laboratory and GPs our request patterns were compared to other geographic regions, and we investigated the appropriateness of test requesting. The group devised strategies that consisted of removing tests from profiles [aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) and phosphate], removing tests from GPs requests (iron and transferrin), substituting tests (IgA antigliadin antibody), and measuring total bilirubin (tBil) only when the icteric index value was above 34.2 mmol/L (2 mg/dL). We analyzed every test request in the post- (years 2012–2013) and pre-intervention period (years 2010–2011), and the tBil measured in the post-intervention period. We studied if AST/alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and GGT/ALT achieved indicators targets and calculated the economic savings in the post-intervention period.There was a significant drop in every test request in the post-intervention period. AST/ALT achieved the indicator target. GGT/ALT, never achieved the indicator goal. The strategies resulted in a savings of more than €34,000.The strategies designed between the laboratory and the requesting clinicians and automatically established by using our laboratory information system were successful.
Sex and sex steroids: impact on the kinetics of fatty acids underlying body shape
Authors: Santosa Sylvia , Jensen Michael D. 
Published: December 2014

Abstract
Adult humans have a remarkable sexual dimorphism in body shape. Men tend to store relatively more fat in the upper body whereas women store more fat in the lower body. We do not have a complete understanding of the mechanisms underlying these differences, but we know that people who preferentially store abdominal fat are at greater risk of metabolic disease. It is also known that the changes in sex steroid concentrations during puberty and again with advancing age are accompanied by changes in body fat distribution. The objective of this review is to describe what has been learned regarding the mechanisms underlying changes in regional body fat distribution that occur as a result of changes in sex hormones and to delineate effects of sex steroids in modulating body composition.
Vitamin D-mediated apoptosis in cancer and obesity
Authors: Sergeev Igor N. 
Published: December 2014

Abstract
Low vitamin D status has been associated with increased risk of several cancers and obesity; concurrently, obesity and cancer have been linked to impaired vitamin D status. In both cancer and obesity, selective elimination of cancer cells and adipocytes can result in decreasing tumor size and a long-term reduction in adipose tissue mass. These effects can be achieved through induction of apoptotic cell death. The vitamin D-derived hormone 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (1,25(OH)2D3) triggers apoptosis in epithelial cancer cells and mature adipocytes via induction of apoptotic Ca2+ signal – a sustained, prolonged increase in concentration of intracellular Ca2+. This Ca2+ signal functions as an apoptotic initiator that directly recruits apoptotic effectors, Ca2+-dependent proteases, in cancer cells and adipocytes. The 1,25(OH)2D3 – cellular Ca2+ – apoptosis link in cancer and obesity supports the rationale to include vitamin D compounds modulating intracellular Ca2+ and Ca2+-dependent apoptotic proteases as promising targets for discovery of new therapeutic and preventive agents for cancer and obesity. The concept of maintaining an increased vitamin D status for protecting against cancer and decreasing adiposity also warrants further evaluation.
Longitudinal changes in C-reactive protein, proform of eosinophil major basic protein, and pregnancy-associated plasma protein-A during weight changes in obese children
Authors: Lausten-Thomsen Ulrik , Gamborg Michael , Bøjsøe Christine , Hedley Paula L. , Hagen Christian Munch , Christiansen Michael , Holm Jens-Christian 
Published: December 2014

AbstractChildhood obesity is associated with several complications, including cardiovascular comorbidity. Several biomarkers, such as high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), proform of eosinophil major basic protein (Pro-MBP) and pregnancy associated plasma protein-A (PAPP-A), have equally been linked to increased cardiovascular susceptibility. This study investigates these biomarkers during weight loss and regain in obese children.A longitudinal study during a 12-week weight loss program with a 28 months follow-up was conducted. Anthropometrics and plasma concentrations of hs-CRP, Pro-MBP, and PAPP-A were measured at baseline; at days 14, 33 and 82 during weight loss; and at months 10, 16, and 28 during follow-up.Fifty-three boys and 62 girls aged 8–15 years with a median body mass index (BMI) standard deviation score (SDS) at baseline of 2.78 (boys), and 2.70 (girls) were included. Ninety children completed the weight loss program and 68 children entered the follow-up program. Pro-MBP and PAPP-A, but not hs-CRP, exhibited individual-specific levels (tracking) during weight loss and regain. The PAPP-A/Pro-MBP correlation was strong, whereas the hs-CRP/PAPP-A correlation was weak during weight fluctuations.Hs-CRP changes reflect weight changes. PAPP-A and Pro-MBP exhibited tracking during weight perturbations and may contribute as early risk markers of cardiovascular susceptibility.
The Lost Children: When the Right to Children Conflicts with the Rights of Children
Authors: Laufer-Ukeles Pamela 
Published: December 2014

Abstract
In this essay, I consider the tension between the drive toward the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) and the state’s failure to protect interests of children born of ART. I ask the question whether ART should be regulated for the sake of future children’s interests. Taking a narrow view of rights, this essay argues that despite the considerable obstacles posed by Derek Parfit’s non-identity problem and the ambiguity surrounding how to optimize and identify what is “best” for children under the “best interests” standard, there are still basic civil rights of children born of ART that must be ensured in ART regulation. Therefore, regulation of ART for the sake of children is justifiable and necessary but in a limited manner. To demonstrate how conflict can arise between the use of ART and the basic rights of children born of ART I first turn to the example of Israel where the use of ART can affect the resulting child’s personal status, which can affect a person’s ability to marry. This tension is particularly stark in Israel, where procreative support from the state is extreme, and relatively easy fixes could relieve much of the problem. But, the same tension plays out in other nations in which the use of ART leads to the creation of children whose basic needs are not sufficiently addressed. In particular, I discuss the lack of access to health information from gamete donors in the U.S. and the failure to provide citizenship and legal parenthood to children born of international surrogates in a number of other countries. I argue that while procreation is a valid goal it cannot come at the cost of the social and basic civil rights of children. State policy and laws must ensure that children born of ART will be full citizens upon their birth. In sum, regulating ART can be justified for the sake of future children but I suggest that such regulation be drawn narrowly and only to ensure children’s basic civil rights.
A martingale approach to estimating confidence
band with censored data
Authors: Lee Seung-Hwan , Lee Eun-Joo 
Published: December 2014

Abstract
This paper develops some
non-parametric simultaneous confidence bands for survival function
when data are randomly censored on the right. To construct the
confidence bands, a computer-assisted method is utilized and this
approach requires no distributional assumptions, so the confidence
bands can be easily estimated. The procedures are based on the
integrated martingale whose distribution is approximated by a
Gaussian process. The supremum distribution of the Gaussian process
generated by simulation techniques leads to the construction of the
confidence bands. To improve the estimation procedures for the
finite sample sizes, the log-minus-log transformation is employed.
The proposed confidence bands are assessed using numerical
simulations and applied to a real-world data set regarding
leukemia.
Infamis etiam campio non esse potest. Kämpen in deutschen und italienischen Städten des Spätmittelalters zwischen Marginalität und Rechtspflege
Authors: Jaser Christian 
Published: December 2014

AbstractHistorical research on the complex legal and social roles of medieval mercenary champions hired as proxies to fight in judicial duels has long been dominated by simplistic categorisations and static repetitions of their reputed infamy. Concentrating on account books and statutes of late medieval German and Italian cities, this article seeks, in contrast, to reconstruct the dynamic institutionalisation and control of civic champions. Thereby, their ambiguous perception reveals a complex interplay between marginality, enhancement of their status as legal agents and a latent suspiciousness regarding their peculiar representational role.
Effect of gas counter pressure on the carbon fiber orientation and the associated electrical conductivities in injection molded polymer composites
Authors: Chen Shia-Chung , Chien Min-Yuan , Lin Su-Hsia , Chien Rean-Der , Lin Ming-Chung 
Published: December 2014

Abstract
Polymers filled with conducting fibers to provide electrical conductivity performance have received great attention due to the requirements of many engineering applications. In the present article, injection molding of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS)/carbon-fiber composites using applied gas counter pressure (GCP) was conducted and the overall fiber orientation and associated through-plane electrical conductivity (TPEC) of each layer (core, shear and skin layers) and various locations (far gate, center and near gate) were characterized. Results show that GCP had significant effects on the fiber orientation and skin layer thickness, resulting in decreases in the fiber orientation level (FOL) value in all locations and TPEC increases with increasing GCP in the core region of the molded composites (improvement of 62% when 100 bar GCP was applied). However, the effect of increased skin layer thickness in reducing TPEC was stronger than the effect of decreased FOL in raising TPEC when GCP was applied. This resulted in the overall TPEC falling slightly with increasing GCP. The results also show that the electrical conductivity followed the sequence of far gate>center>near gate and the FOL followed the order of core layer<shear layer<skin layer. The results obtained in this investigation reveal the potential application of GCP technology associated with mold temperature control in injection molding to manufacture products with enhanced electrical conductivity in the future.
Numerical simulation of cavitating two-phase gas-liquid three-dimensional flow in a duct of varying cross-section based on homogenous mixture model
Authors: Duc Nguyen The 
Published: December 2014

The paper presents a numerical method to simulate two-phase turbulent cavitating flows in ducts of varying cross-section usually faced in engineering. The method is based on solution of two-phase Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations of two-phase mixture. The numerical method uses artificial compressibility algorithm extended to unsteady flows with dual-time technique. The discreted method employs an implicit, characteristic-based upwind differencing scheme in the curvilinear grid systems. Numerical simulation of an unsteady three-dimensional two-phase cavitating flow in a duct of varying cross-section with available experiment was performed. The unsteady important characteristics of the unsteady flow can be observed in results of numerical simulation. Comparison of predicted results with experimental data for time-averaged velocity and phase fraction are provided.
Vibration frequency of prestress slender beams resting on Winkler elastic foundation
Authors: Kien Nguyen Dinh 
Published: December 2014

The present paper investigates the vibration frequency of slender beams prestressing by axial force and resting on an elastic Winkler foundation by the finite element method. A beam element taking the effects of both the prestress and foundation support into account is formulated using the expression of strain energy. Using the developed element, the natural frequencies of beams having various boundary conditions are computed for different values of the axial force and foundation stiffness. The influence of the axial force and the foundation stiffness on the frequency of the beams is investigated. The effect of partial support by the foundation and the type of mass matrices on the vibration frequency of the beam is also studied and highlighted.
Prediction of delamination strength at interface between thin film and substrate by cohesive zone model
Authors: Truong Do Van , Hirakata Hiroyuku , Katamura Takayuki 
Published: December 2014

An electronic device consists of multi-layered submicron-thick films, and delamination often takes place at an interface edge because of the stress singularity near the edge. Since the stress singularity at an interface edge depends on the edge shape, the fracture mechanics concept cannot be used to compare the delamination strength between the components with different shapes. This paper aims to predict the delamination strength at the interface edge with arbitrary shape using a cohesive zone model. Two different experiments are conducted for a gold thin film on a silicon substrate to calibrate the cohesive law. The validity of the approach is then discussed.
Method of transmission matrix for investigating planar relative motions
Authors: Sanh Do , Khoa Do Dang 
Published: December 2014

In the paper [2] the method of transmission matrix applying for the case of a loop with turning pairs investigated. In the present paper the kinematics of a loop connected by composite joints, i.e. the one of revolute-translational joints are discussed now. By means of proposed method the planar motion of rigid bodies is presented by a point of general view.Especially, the introduced method allows to apply effectively universal software, for example, MATCAD, MAPLE, ... for investigating complex mechanical systems.