bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Dynamics on human Toll‐like receptor 4 complexation to MD‐2: The coreceptor stabilizing function
Authors: de Aguiar Carla , Costa Mauricio G. S. , Verli Hugo 
Published: December 2014

ABSTRACTThe interaction between human Toll‐like receptor 4 (hTLR4) and its coreceptor, myeloid differentiation factor 2 (MD‐2), is important in Gram‐negative bacteria lipopolysaccharide (LPS) recognition. In this process, MD‐2 recognizes LPS and promotes the dimerization of the complex hTLR4–MD‐2–LPS, triggering an intracellular immune signaling. In this study, we employed distinct computational methods to explore the dynamical properties of the hTLR4–MD‐2 complex and investigated the implications of the coreceptor complexation to the structural biology of hTLR4. We characterized both global and local dynamics of free and MD‐2 complexed hTLR4, in both (hTLR4–MD‐2)1 and (hTLR4–MD‐2)2 states. Both molecular dynamics and normal mode analysis reveled a stabilization of the terminal regions of hTLR4 upon complexation to MD‐2. We are able to identify conserved important residues involved on the hTLR4–MD‐2 interaction dynamics and disclose C‐terminal motions that may be associated to the signaling process upon oligomerization. Proteins 2015; 83:373–382. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Impact of the goldspotted oak borer, Agrilus auroguttatus, on the health of coast live oak before and after treatment with two systemic insecticides
Authors: Chen Yigen , Flint Mary L , Coleman Tom W , Doccola Joseph J , Grosman Donald M , Wood David L , Seybold Steven J 
Published: December 2014

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe invasive goldspotted oak borer, Agrilus auroguttatus, is threatening the health and survival of oak trees in San Diego County, California. From two sites in the core area of the infestation, we report a 2.5 year investigation of the impact of A. auroguttatus on coast live oak, Quercus agrifolia, before and after treatment with two systemic insecticides, emamectin benzoate (EB) and imidacloprid (IC).RESULTSNone of the 446 survey trees died during the study. The crown dieback rating of most trees at both study sites remained unchanged, regardless of insecticide treatment. A higher cumulative increase in the number of A. auroguttatus emergence holes was observed on trees that were previously infested and on trees with larger diameters. Over the 2.5 year period, the new infestation rates of initially uninfested trees across the untreated and treated groups were 50% (EB) and 32% (IC), and neither EB nor IC treatment affected cumulative increases in the number of emergence holes. EB‐injected trees did not have significant annual increases in the number of A. auroguttatus emergence holes at either 1.5 or 2.5 years compared with that at 0.5 years, whereas untreated trees had significant annual increases. Although IC‐injected trees had a significantly greater annual increment in the number of emergence holes than untreated trees during the last year of the study, treated trees had significant reductions in annual increases in emergence holes at both 1.5 and 2.5 years compared with that at 0.5 years. Untreated trees had no significant reduction in the annual increase in emergence holes at 1.5 and 2.5 years.CONCLUSIONSA. auroguttatus preferentially attacked previously infested and larger (diameter at breast height > 15–30 cm) oak trees, but the attacks led to very gradual changes in the health of the trees. Both EB and IC provided minor suppressive effects on A. auroguttatus emergence. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
On designing overlapping group mode‐dependent H∞ controllers of discrete‐time Markovian jump linear systems with incomplete mode transition probabilities
Authors: Ge Xiaohua , Han Qing‐Long 
Published: December 2014

SummaryThis paper is concerned with overlapping group mode‐dependent H∞ control for a discrete‐time Markovian jump linear system, where global modes of the system are not completely available for controller design. Firstly, a randomly overlapping decomposition method is developed to reformulate the system by a set of locally overlapping switched groups with accessible group modes. The reformulated system switches among different group modes in an overlapping manner. Secondly, an overlapping group mode‐dependent state feedback controller is delicately constructed. Compared with some existing mode‐dependent controllers in the literature, the proposed controller has three features: (i) it does not require all exact knowledge of global modes; (ii) it takes full advantage of group mode information of the reformulated system; and (iii) it allows overlapping local modes to exist in the formed groups. Thirdly, sufficient conditions on the existence of a desired overlapping group mode‐dependent state feedback controller are derived such that the resultant closed‐loop system is stochastically stable with prescribed H∞ performance. Furthermore, the proposed method is extended to design overlapping group mode‐dependent state feedback controllers subject to incomplete mode transition probabilities. The proposed overlapping group mode‐dependent framework is shown to be more general and includes traditional Markovian jump linear systems with completely accessible global modes as its special case. In the case of only one group in the reformulated system, it is shown that some existing result in existing literature can be retrieved. Finally, two illustrative examples are given to show the effectiveness of the obtained theoretical results. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of microcrack formation in root canals after instrumentation with different NiTi rotary file systems: A scanning electron microscopy study
Authors: Çiçek Ersan , Koçak Mustafa Murat , Sağlam Baran Can , Koçak Sibel 
Published: December 2014

SummaryThe aim of this study was to evaluate the dentinal microcrack formation of ProTaper Universal, ProTaper Next, and WaveOne. Sixty extracted mandibular molars were selected. The mesial roots were resected and randomly divided into four groups (n = 15). The canals were prepared with hand files (group 1), ProTaper Universal (group 2), ProTaper Next (group 3), and WaveOne (group 4) instrument systems. The roots were separated horizontally at 3, 6, and 9 mm from the apex. Digital images were captured at ×40 magnification using scanning electron microscopy to detect microcrack formation. Statistical analysis was performed by Pearson Chi‐square test. The prevalence of microcracks in group 2, group 3, and group 4 were significantly higher when compared to group 1 (p < 0.001). Group 2, group 3, and group 4 demonstrated similar prevalence of microcracks without significant difference (p > 0.05) in all sections. All instruments caused microcracks except for hand file. The highest percentage of microcrack was recorded in 3 mm section for all groups. SCANNING 37:49–53, 2015. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Predictive distributions for between‐study heterogeneity and simple methods for their application in Bayesian meta‐analysis
Authors: Turner Rebecca M. , Jackson Dan , Wei Yinghui , Thompson Simon G. , Higgins Julian P. T. 
Published: December 2014

Numerous meta‐analyses in healthcare research combine results from only a small number of studies, for which the variance representing between‐study heterogeneity is estimated imprecisely. A Bayesian approach to estimation allows external evidence on the expected magnitude of heterogeneity to be incorporated.The aim of this paper is to provide tools that improve the accessibility of Bayesian meta‐analysis. We present two methods for implementing Bayesian meta‐analysis, using numerical integration and importance sampling techniques. Based on 14 886 binary outcome meta‐analyses in the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, we derive a novel set of predictive distributions for the degree of heterogeneity expected in 80 settings depending on the outcomes assessed and comparisons made. These can be used as prior distributions for heterogeneity in future meta‐analyses.The two methods are implemented in R, for which code is provided. Both methods produce equivalent results to standard but more complex Markov chain Monte Carlo approaches. The priors are derived as log‐normal distributions for the between‐study variance, applicable to meta‐analyses of binary outcomes on the log odds‐ratio scale. The methods are applied to two example meta‐analyses, incorporating the relevant predictive distributions as prior distributions for between‐study heterogeneity.We have provided resources to facilitate Bayesian meta‐analysis, in a form accessible to applied researchers, which allow relevant prior information on the degree of heterogeneity to be incorporated. © 2014 The Authors. Statistics in Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
GloudSim: Google trace based cloud simulator with virtual machines
Authors: Di Sheng , Cappello Franck 
Published: December 2014

SummaryIn 2011, Google released a 1‐month production trace with hundreds of thousands of jobs running across over 12,000 heterogeneous hosts. In order to perform in‐depth research based on the trace, it is necessary to construct a close‐to‐practice simulation system. In this paper, we devise a distributed cloud simulator (or toolkit) based on virtual machines, with three important features. (1) The dynamic changing resource amounts (such as CPU rate and memory size) consumed by the reproduced jobs can be emulated as closely as possible to the real values in the trace. (2) Various types of events (e.g., kill/evict event) can be emulated precisely based on the trace. (3) Our simulation toolkit is able to emulate more complex and useful cases beyond the original trace to adapt to various research demands. We evaluate the system on a real cluster environment with 16×8=128 cores and 112 virtual machines constructed by XEN hypervisor. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work to reproduce Google cloud environment with real experimental system setting and real‐world large scale production trace. Experiments show that our simulation system could effectively reproduce the real checkpointing/restart events based on Google trace, by leveraging Berkeley Lab Checkpoint/Restart tool. It can simultaneously process up to 1200 emulated Google jobs over the 112 virtual machines. Such a simulation toolkit has been released as a GNU GPL v3 software for free downloading, and it has been successfully applied to the fundamental research on the optimization of checkpoint intervals for Google tasks. Copyright © 2014 © Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
4‐hydroxy tempo improves mitochondrial and neurobehavioral deficits in experimental model of Huntington's disease
Authors: Sandhir Rajat , Mahajan Namita , Mehrotra Arpit , Aggarwal Aanchal , Sunkaria Aditya 
Published: December 2014

ABSTRACTMitochondrial dysfunctions have been implicated in the progression of Huntington's disease (HD). To date, several free radical scavengers have been tested in experimental HD, but only a few have shown promise. Although most antioxidants rapidly reduce ROS but in the process they are oxidized, which limits their ability to protect. Therefore, in the present study we employed a potent recycling antioxidant, 4‐hydroxy tempo (4‐HT), because it can reinstate its reduced state even after its oxidation during scavenging of ROS. Female Wistar rats were administered 3‐nitropropionic acid (3‐NP) and/or 4‐HT for 21 days, after which animals were subjected to biochemical and behavioral assessments. Our results showed that 4‐HT treatment significantly attenuated the 3‐NP induced decrease in the activities of mitochondrial electron transport chain enzymes. In addition, 4‐HT administration restored the increased nitrite and lipid peroxidation levels. Apart from this, 4‐HT also attenuated the 3‐NP induced decrease in superoxide dismutase and catalase activities. Further, 4‐HT administration resulted in significant improvement in 3‐NP induced cognitive and motor impairments. Taken together, the results of the study demonstrate that 4‐HT is beneficial in 3‐NP induced model of HD and thus could be a potential therapeutic agent in management of this disease. Synapse 69:128–138, 2015.  © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Atrial dominance in the human embryonic heart: a study of cardiac function at 6–10 weeks of gestation
Authors: Wloch A. , Rozmus‐Warcholinska W. , Cnota W. , Huhta J. C. , Acharya G. 
Published: December 2014

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the difference in forces developed by atrial and ventricular myocardium during contraction in human embryos using a novel method.MethodsThis was a cross‐sectional study of 115 pregnancies examined at 6–10 weeks of gestation. Ventricular inflow and outflow velocities were obtained by Doppler echocardiography and the relative force development was evaluated by calculating the ratio between atrial and ventricular ejection force (EF).ResultsData from 97 embryos with monophasic ventricular filling were analyzed. Both inflow and outflow cardiac velocities increased with advancing gestational age (P < 0.001). The mean peak inflow velocity (31.7 ± 10.2 cm/s) was significantly higher (P < 0.0001) than the outflow velocity (19.6 ± 6.1 cm/s). The EFinflow/EFoutflow ratio was more than 1.0 in all but four (96%) cases.ConclusionOur study indicates the possibility of atrial dominance in the embryonic period of heart development, which may have clinical implications, as deviations from this normal pattern may indicate human embryonic cardiac dysfunction. Copyright © 2014 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Helium‐Testlecks
Authors: Jitschin Wolfgang , Farangis Baker 
Published: December 2014

AbstractDie Lecksuche und Dichtheitsprüfung mit Helium ist ein sehr empfindliches Verfahren. Häufig kommt es darauf an, die Qualität einer Prüfung quantitativ anzugeben. Insbesondere in der Qualitätssicherung ist es notwendig, die Nachweisgrenze eines Verfahren oder eines Gerätes zuverlässig zu verifizieren. Hierzu werden Testlecks eingesetzt, die eine genau bekannte Helium‐Leckagerate liefern. Im Artikel werden verschiedene Typen von Testlecks und ihre Eigenschaften beschrieben. Testlecks in einem weiten Bereich von Leckageraten sind kommerziell erhältlich. Ihr Leckagestrom kann mit guter Genauigkeit durch Kalibrierung bestimmt werden. Beim Einsatz der Testlecks ist die Temperaturabhängigkeit der Leckagerate zu beachten, ebenso wie die allmähliche Abnahme der Leckagerate infolge der Entleerung des Gasreservoirs.
Hydrothermal Synthesis, Crystal Structures, and Luminescent Properties of Two Cadmium(II) Coordination Polymers Based on Dicarboxylate and Imidazole‐Containing Coligands
Authors: Yang Bin , Chen Ning , Tse Kwong‐Ming , Lee Heow‐Pueh 
Published: December 2014

AbstractIn this paper, two cadmium(II) coordination polymers [Cd(sdb)(bib)]n (1) and {[Cd2(pda)2(bib)2]·0.5H2O}n (2) [H2sdb = 4,4′‐sulfonyl‐dicarboxylic acid, H2pda = 1,3‐phenylenediacetic acid, and bib = 1,4‐bis(1‐imidazolyl) benzene] were synthesized and characterized by hydrothermal methods. Complex 1 displays a 3,5‐connected topological net and complex 2 shows a 4‐connected non‐interpenetrated pcu framework. Furthermore, the luminescent properties for complexes 1 and 2 were investigated.
A compositional automata-based semantics and preserving transformation rules for testing property patterns
Authors: Taha Safouan , Julliand Jacques , Dadeau Frédéric , Castillos Kalou Cabrera , Kanso Bilal 
Published: December 2014

Abstract
Dwyer et al. provide a language to specify dynamic properties based on a limited number of predefined patterns and scopes. The semantics of these properties is defined by translating each combination of a pattern and a scope into usual temporal logics (linear temporal logic, CTL, etc.). This translational semantics suffers from two main issues. It is not easily extensible to other patterns or scopes, and it is not always faithful to the natural semantics. In this article, we propose a compositional automata-based approach defining the semantics of each pattern and each scope by an automaton, after which the semantics is composed. Hence, the semantics is compositional and the language is easily extensible. We compare the two semantics by model checking. In some cases, our semantics reveals a lack of homogeneity within Dwyer et al.’s semantics. Finally, we apply this approach in the context of property-based testing, in order to evaluate the quality of a test suite, by measuring the coverage of the property automaton. To allow the tester to adapt the coverage criteria to its goals, we propose transformation rules over the patterns automata that implement relevant unfolding strategies for loops, or predicates labeling the automata transitions. We illustrate these principles by means of an industrial case study.
A Pilot Survey of Pediatric Surgical Capacity in West Africa
Authors: Okoye Mekam T. , Ameh Emmanuel A. , Kushner Adam L. , Nwomeh Benedict C. 
Published: December 2014

AbstractBackgroundWhile some data exist for the burden of pediatric surgical disease in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs), little is known about pediatric surgical capacity. In an effort to better plan and allocate resources for pediatric surgical care in LMICs, a survey of pediatric surgical capacity using specific tool was needed.MethodsBased on the previously published Surgeons OverSeas Personnel, Infrastructure, Procedure, Equipment, and Supplies (PIPES) survey, a pediatric PIPES (PediPIPES) survey was created. To ensure relevance to local needs and inclusion of only essential items, a draft PediPIPES survey was reviewed by nine pediatric surgeons and modifications were incorporated into a final tool. The survey was then distributed to surgeons throughout sub‐Saharan Africa. Data from West Africa (37 hospitals in 10 of the 16 countries in the subregion) were analyzed.ResultsFewer than 50 % (18/37) of the hospitals had more than two pediatric surgeons. Neonatal or general intensive care units were not available in 51.4 % (19/37) of hospitals. Open procedures such as appendectomy were performed in all the hospitals whereas less‐invasive interventions such as non‐operative intussusception reduction were done in only 41 % (15/37). Life‐saving pediatric equipment such as apnea monitors were not available in 65 % (24/37) of the hospitals.ConclusionsThe PediPIPES survey was useful in documenting the pediatric surgical capacity in West Africa. Many hospitals in West Africa are not optimally prepared to undertake pediatric surgery. Our study showed shortages in personnel, infrastructure, procedures, equipment, and supplies necessary to adequately and appropriately provide surgical care for pediatric patients.
Performance of New Biodegradable Di‐Sulfonate Surfactants as Hydrotropes in High‐Temperature and Salinity Environments
Authors: Behr Anastasia Mardilovich , Tucker Christopher J. , Daugs Edward D. 
Published: December 2014

AbstractPropyl alkyl ether sulfonate (PAES) surfactants, recently developed by The Dow Chemical Company, show excellent electrolyte, hard water and caustic solubility, with attractive ECOTOX profile and biodegradability. Due to their unique structure and properties, they are good candidates for use as hydrotropes in formulations containing nonionic surfactants. The goal of these studies was to evaluate hydrotropic efficiency of PAES materials via cloud point analysis. The effects of PAES alkyl tail length, concentration, and mono‐ and di‐sulfonate components on the cloud point of TERGITOL™ 15‐S‐9 in solutions of varying electrolyte strength were investigated. In the presence of high electrolyte levels, PAES 12C had the highest hydrotropic efficiency of all materials tested, including commonly used commercial hydrotropes. Di‐sulfonate components of the PAES materials were found to be more efficient hydrotropes than mono‐sulfonate in high electrolyte environments for all tail lengths tested. The di/mono ratio and tail length were found to be critical parameters.
The triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is associated with enhanced inflammation, neuropathological lesions and increased risk for Alzheimer's dementia
Authors: Roussos Panos , Katsel Pavel , Fam Peter , Tan Weilun , Purohit Dushyant P. , Haroutunian Vahram 
Published: December 2014

AbstractIntroductionThe objective of this study was to elucidate the relationship between the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) risk variant, neuropathological lesions, alterations in gene and protein expression, and the severity of neuroinflammation.MethodsThe genetic association study of the R47 H TREM2 variant with Alzheimer's disease (AD), neuropathology, and changes in TREM2 and TYRO protein tyrosine kinase‐binding protein (TYROBP) gene and protein expression, and neuroinflammatory markers.ResultsThe TREM2 variant is associated with: (i) AD (odds ratio: 4.76; P = .014); (ii) increased density of amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in multiple brain regions; (iii) increased TREM2 (P = .041) and TYROBP (P = .006) gene expression; (iv) decreased TREM2 protein levels (P = .016); and (v) upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines (regulated on activation, normal T cell expressed and secreted [RANTES] and interferon [IFN] gamma) (P = .003) and nominal downregulation of protective markers (α2‐macroglobulin, interleukin 4 or IL‐4, and ApoA1) (P = .018).DiscussionThese findings link the TREM2 missense mutation with specific molecular abnormalities and increases in neuropathological lesions in the human brain.
The moral implications of Kierkegaard's analysis of despair
Authors: KRISHEK SHARON 
Published: December 2014

AbstractKierkegaard's The Sickness unto Death famously characterizes despair as the sickness of any human being who does not live a life of faith. Kierkegaard supports this claim by providing a detailed analysis of despair in the first part of this essay. This analysis, I claim, presents the thesis that to be healed of despair is not only to maintain a correct relation to God but also to the world and, moreover, that the two relations are interdependent. Thus, in contrast to prominent readings of this essay, I claim that Kierkegaard's analysis of despair bears the important moral implication that a believer's relationship with other humans is indispensable to a life of faith.
The Tongue and the Reed: Organs and Instruments in the Philosophical Part of Hippocratic Regimen
Authors: Demont Paul 
Published: December 2014

Abstract:In the first book of Hippocratic Regimen, an unclear excursus explains how the technai imitate, and thus allow us to understand, human nature. It is argued here that the new polysemy of the word organon at the beginning of the fourth century is utilized by the author in his comparison, that this observation allows new understandings of some difficult passages and that such polysemy applies to a specific organon, the glotta (‘tongue’ and ‘reed’).
Lycophron's Alexandra, The Romans and Antiochus III
Authors: Jones Kenneth R. 
Published: December 2014

Abstract:Much of the debate over the authorship and composition date of the Alexandra has focused on the so-called ‘Roman Passages’ (lines 1226–82 and 1446–50). Though attributed to Lycophron, a scholar-poet in the court of Ptolemy II, many scholars, ancient and modern, have questioned whether the extravagant terms used to describe Roman power are appropriate for the early third century BC. Scholars have mostly either settled for the traditional date and assign the ‘Roman Passages’ to the aftermath of the Pyrrhic War or they have dated the passages to the time of the Second Macedonian War. This article offers a new context for the material on Rome, namely the Antiochene War. The new dating is based on the appearance of similar themes in the Alexandra and accounts, both historical and propagandistic, of the Antiochene War. These themes, which include Rome's Trojan origins, the conflict of Europe and Asia, and Rome's conquest of the world, are absent from accounts of the Pyrrhic and Second Macedonian Wars. After establishing a date in the aftermath of the Antiochene War, this article identifies the shadowy figures mentioned in the second ‘Roman Passage’.