bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The FACIT‐Sp spiritual well‐being scale: an investigation of the dimensionality, reliability and construct validity in a cognitively intact nursing home population
Authors: Haugan Gørill 
Published: March 2014

BackgroundSpiritual well‐being has been found to be a strong individual predictor of overall nursing home satisfaction and a fundamental dimension of global as well as health‐related quality‐in‐life among nursing home patients. Therefore, access to a valid and reliable measure of spiritual well‐being among nursing home patients is highly warranted.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to investigate the dimensionality, reliability and construct validity of the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Spiritual Wellbeing scale in a cognitively intact nursing home population.Design and methodA cross‐sectional design was applied, selecting two counties in central Norway from which 20 municipalities representing 44 different nursing homes took part in this study. Long‐term care was defined as 24‐hour care with duration of 6 months or longer. Participants were 202 cognitively intact long‐term nursing home patients fulfilling the inclusion criteria. Approval by all regulatory institutions dealing with research issues in Norway and the Management Unit at the 44 nursing homes was obtained. Explorative and confirmative factor analyses as well as correlation with selected construct were used.ResultsThough three items loaded very low (λ = 0.22, 0.26, 0.32) indicating low reliability, the three‐factor model for the FACIT‐Sp spiritual well‐being scale provided an acceptable fit (χ2 = 101.15 (df = 50), p‐value <0.001, RMSEA = 0.075 p = 0.030, NFI = 0.90, GFI = 0.91, AGFI = 0.85) for older nursing home patients, demonstrating acceptable measurement reliability. Construct validity was supported by significant correlations in the hypothesised direction with the selected constructs.ConclusionThe three‐factor model is an improvement over the original two‐factor construct, based on these nursing home data. The measure yielded significantly factor loadings, good composite reliability and construct validity.
Absolute and Conditional Convergence in Both Zones of Cyprus: Statistical Convergence and Insitutional Divergence
Authors: Yorucu Vedat , Mehmet Ozay 
Published: March 2014

AbstractThis paper implements a time series econometric model to determine the timing of full convergence of incomes and output per capita and total factor productivity in the North and South of Cyprus, regardless of whether there is a political settlement or not. A significant dimension of the paper is its emphasis on institutional convergence, going beyond econometric or statistical convergence. Our results reveal that North Cyprus needs 17 years to catch up to full per capita income convergence, 16 years for per capita output convergence and 17 years for full total factor productivity (technological) convergence. The time‐series findings demonstrate that statistical convergence is occurring quite rapidly as the North is catching up to the average income and productivity levels of the South, which may confirm evidence of unconditional (beta) or absolute convergence, but there are significant differences between North and South in savings, tastes, population growth and technology. Most significantly, there are institutional differences highlighted in the study with a Two‐sector model of gate‐keeping and rent‐seeking which validates the premises of conditional convergence. Put differently, there are strong forces of divergence hidden behind our statistical findings.
Synaptic and paracrine mechanisms at carotid body arterial chemoreceptors
Authors: Nurse Colin A. 
Published: March 2014

AbstractMammalian carotid bodies are the main peripheral arterial chemoreceptors, strategically located at the bifurcation of the common carotid artery. When stimulated these receptors initiate compensatory respiratory and cardiovascular reflexes to maintain homeostasis. Thus, in response to low oxygen (hypoxia) or increased CO2/H+ (acid hypercapnia), chemoreceptor type I cells depolarize and release excitatory neurotransmitters, such as ATP, which stimulate postsynaptic P2X2/3 receptors on afferent nerve terminals. The afferent discharge is shaped by autocrine and paracrine mechanisms involving both excitatory and inhibitory neuromodulators such as adenosine, serotonin (5‐HT), GABA and dopamine. Recent evidence suggests that paracrine activation of P2Y2 receptors on adjacent glia‐like type II cells may help boost the ATP signal via the opening of pannexin‐1 channels. The presence of an inhibitory efferent innervation, mediated by release of nitric oxide, provides additional control of the afferent discharge. The broad array of neuromodulators and their receptors appears to endow the carotid body with a remarkable plasticity, most apparent during natural and pathophysiological conditions associated with chronic sustained and intermittent hypoxia.
Synaptic communication and signal processing among sensory cells in taste buds
Authors: Chaudhari Nirupa 
Published: March 2014

AbstractTaste buds (sensory structures embedded in oral epithelium) show a remarkable diversity of transmitters synthesized and secreted locally. The known transmitters accumulate in a cell type selective manner, with 5‐HT and noradrenaline being limited to presynaptic cells, GABA being synthesized in both presynaptic and glial‐like cells, and acetylcholine and ATP used for signalling by receptor cells. Each of these transmitters participates in local negative or positive feedback circuits that target particular cell types. Overall, the role of ATP is the best elucidated. ATP serves as a principal afferent transmitter, and also is the key trigger for autocrine positive feedback and paracrine circuits that result in potentiation (via adenosine) or inhibition (via GABA or 5‐HT). While many of the cellular receptors and mechanisms for these circuits are known, their impact on sensory detection and perception remains to be elaborated in most instances. This brief review examines what is known, and some of the open questions and controversies surrounding the transmitters and circuits of the taste periphery.
Preclinical Profile of BI 224436, a Novel HIV-1 Non-Catalytic-Site Integrase Inhibitor
Authors: Fenwick Craig , Amad Ma'an , Bailey Murray D. , Bethell Richard , Bös Michael , Bonneau Pierre , Cordingley Michael , Coulombe René , Duan Jianmin , Edwards Paul , Fader Lee D. , Faucher Anne-Marie , Garneau Michel , Jakalian Araz , Kawai Stephen , Lamorte Louie , LaPlante Steven , Luo Laibin , Mason Steve , Poupart Marc-André , Rioux Nathalie , Schroeder Patricia , Simoneau Bruno , Tremblay Sonia , Tsantrizos Youla , Witvrouw Myriam , Yoakim Christiane 
Published: March 2014

ABSTRACT

BI 224436 is an HIV-1 integrase inhibitor with effective antiviral activity that acts through a mechanism that is distinct from that of integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs). This 3-quinolineacetic acid derivative series was identified using an enzymatic integrase long terminal repeat (LTR) DNA 3′-processing assay. A combination of medicinal chemistry, parallel synthesis, and structure-guided drug design led to the identification of BI 224436 as a candidate for preclinical profiling. It has antiviral 50% effective concentrations (EC
50
s) of <15 nM against different HIV-1 laboratory strains and cellular cytotoxicity of >90 μM. BI 224436 also has a low, ∼2.1-fold decrease in antiviral potency in the presence of 50% human serum and, by virtue of a steep dose-response curve slope, exhibits serum-shifted EC
95
values ranging between 22 and 75 nM. Passage of virus in the presence of inhibitor selected for either A128T, A128N, or L102F primary resistance substitutions, all mapping to a conserved allosteric pocket on the catalytic core of integrase. BI 224436 also retains full antiviral activity against recombinant viruses encoding INSTI resistance substitutions N155S, Q148H, and E92Q. In drug combination studies performed in cellular antiviral assays, BI 224436 displays an additive effect in combination with most approved antiretrovirals, including INSTIs. BI 224436 has drug-like
in vitro
absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties, including Caco-2 cell permeability, solubility, and low cytochrome P450 inhibition. It exhibited excellent pharmacokinetic profiles in rat (clearance as a percentage of hepatic flow [CL], 0.7%; bioavailability [
F
], 54%), monkey (CL, 23%;
F
, 82%), and dog (CL, 8%;
F
, 81%). Based on the excellent biological and pharmacokinetic profile, BI 224436 was advanced into phase 1 clinical trials.
Genome Sequence of a Complex HIV-1 Unique Recombinant Form Involving CRF01_AE, Subtype B, and Subtype B′ Identified in Malaysia
Authors: Chow Wei Zhen , Nizam Sarimie , Ong Lai Yee , Ng Kim Tien , Chan Kok Gan , Takebe Yutaka , Koh Clayton , Kamarulzaman Adeeba , Tee Kok Keng 
Published: March 2014

ABSTRACT
A complex HIV-1 unique recombinant form involving subtypes CRF01_AE, B, and B′ was recently identified from an injecting drug user in Malaysia. A total of 13 recombination breakpoints were mapped across the near-full-length genome of isolate 10MYPR226, indicating the increasingly diverse molecular epidemiology and frequent linkage among various high-risk groups.
Draft Genome Sequence of a New Homofermentative, Lactic Acid-Producing Enterococcus faecalis Isolate, CBRD01
Authors: Christopher Lew P. , Kapatral Vinayak , Vaisvil Benjamin , Emel Ginger , DeVeaux Linda C. 
Published: March 2014

ABSTRACT

We report here the draft genome sequence of the novel homofermentative
Enterococcus faecalis
isolate CBRD01, which is capable of high lactic acid productivity and yields, with minimal nutritional requirements. The genome is 2.8 Mbp, with 37% G+C, and contains genes for two lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) enzymes found in related organisms.
Genome Sequence of Yersinia similis Y228
T
, a Member of the Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Complex
Authors: Sprague Lisa D. , Neubauer Heinrich 
Published: March 2014

ABSTRACT

We report here on the genome sequence of
Yersinia similis
228
T
isolated in Germany. The genome has a size of 4.9 Mb and a G+C content of 47% and is predicted to contain 4,135 coding sequences. Annotation of the 60,687-bp extrachromosomal element predicted 67 coding sequences and a G+C content of 47.8%.
Identification of a Triple-Reassortant H1N1 Swine Influenza Virus in a Southern China Pig
Authors: Xie Zhixun , Zhang Minxiu , Xie Liji , Luo Sisi , Liu Jiabo , Deng Xianwen , Xie Zhiqin , Pang Yaoshan , Fan Qing 
Published: March 2014

ABSTRACT
We report here the complete genome sequence of a triple-reassortant H1N1 swine influenza virus strain, A/swine/Guangxi/BB1/2013 (H1N1) (GXBB1), isolated from a swine in the Guangxi Province of southern China in 2013. We obtained the complete genome sequence of the GXBB1 virus. Sequence analysis demonstrated that this H1N1 virus was a triple-reassortant swine influenza virus (SIV) whose genes originated from avian, human, and swine, respectively. Knowledge regarding the complete genome sequence of the GXBB1 virus will be useful for epidemiological surveillance.
Tennis in hot and cool conditions decreases the rapid muscle torque production capacity of the knee extensors but not of the plantar flexors
Authors: Girard Olivier , Racinais Sébastien , Périard Julien D 
Published: March 2014

ObjectivesTo assess the time course of changes in rapid muscle force/torque production capacity and neuromuscular activity of lower limb muscles in response to prolonged (∼2 h) match-play tennis under heat stress.MethodsThe rates of torque development (RTD) and electromyographic activity (EMG; ie, root mean square) rise were recorded from 0 to 30, –50, –100 and –200 ms during brief (3–5 s) explosive maximal isometric voluntary contractions (MVC) of the knee extensors (KE) and plantar flexors (PF), along with the peak RTD within the entirety of the torque-time curve. These values were recorded in 12 male tennis players before (prematch) and after (postmatch, 24 and 48 h) match-play in HOT (∼37°C) and COOL (∼22°C) conditions.ResultsThe postmatch core temperature was greater in the HOT (∼39.4°C) vs COOL (∼38.7°C) condition (p<0.05). Reductions in KE RTD occurred within the 0–200 ms epoch after contraction onset postmatch and at 24 h, compared with prematch, independent of environmental conditions (p<0.05). A similar reduction in the KE peak RTD was also observed postmatch relative to prematch (p<0.05). No differences in KE RTD values were observed after normalisation to MVC torque. Furthermore, the rate of KE EMG activity rise remained unchanged. Conversely, the PF contractile RTD and rate of EMG activity rise were unaffected by the exercise or environmental conditions.ConclusionsIn the KE, a reduction in maximal torque production capacity following prolonged match-play tennis appears to account for the decrease in the rate of torque development, independent of environmental conditions, while remaining unchanged in the PF.
Television viewing over the life course and the metabolic syndrome in mid-adulthood: a longitudinal population-based study
Authors: Wennberg Patrik , Gustafsson Per E , Howard Bethany , Wennberg Maria , Hammarström Anne 
Published: March 2014

BackgroundAccumulating evidence suggests that television (TV) viewing is associated with cardio-metabolic risk, but little is known about how this relationship unfolds over the life course. This study employs a life course epidemiological framework by examining the potential cumulative effect of frequent TV viewing during adolescence and young adulthood on the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in mid-adulthood; and whether TV viewing during adolescence constitutes a sensitive period for the development of the metabolic syndrome in mid-adulthood.MethodsWe used data from the Northern Swedish Cohort, a nationally representative cohort comprising 855 participants (80% of the baseline sample). Data were collected during 1981–2008 and analysed in 2013. Logistic regression was applied to examine the associations between TV viewing at ages 16, 21 and 30 years, and the metabolic syndrome at age 43 years.ResultsCumulative frequent TV viewing was associated with subsequent prevalence of the metabolic syndrome after adjustment for potential confounders (p for trend=0.026). Watching ‘several shows a day’ compared with ‘one show/week’ or less at age 16 years was associated with the metabolic syndrome at age 43 years after adjustment for later exposure (TV viewing at ages 21 and 30 years) and potential confounders (OR 1.86, 95% CI 1.06 to 3.27).ConclusionsThe number of life periods of frequent TV viewing during adolescence and early adulthood influenced cardio-metabolic risk in mid-adulthood in a dose-dependent manner, corresponding to a cumulative risk life course model. Additionally, TV viewing in adolescence may constitute a sensitive period for the metabolic syndrome in mid-adulthood.
ON MULTISERVER RETRIAL QUEUES: HISTORY, OKUBO-TYPE HYPERGEOMETRIC SYSTEMS AND MATRIX CONTINUED-FRACTIONS
Authors: AVRAM F. , MATEI D. , ZHAO Y. Q. 
Published: March 2014

In this paper, we study two families of QBD processes with linear rates: (a) the multiserver retrial queue and its easier relative; and (b) the multiserver M/M/∞ Markov modulated queue. The linear rates imply that the stationary probabilities satisfy a recurrence with linear coefficients; as known from previous work, they yield a"minimal/nondominant" solution of this recurrence, which may be computed numerically by matrix continued-fraction methods. Furthermore, the generating function of the stationary probabilities satisfies a linear differential system with polynomial coefficients, which calls for the venerable but still developing theory of holonomic (or D-finite) linear differential systems. We provide a differential system for our generating function that unifies problems (a) and (b), and we also include some additional features and observe that in at least one particular case we get a special "Okubo-type hypergeometric system", a family that recently spurred considerable interest.The differential system should allow further study of the Taylor coefficients of the expansion of the generating function at three points of interest: (i) the irregular singularity at 0; (ii) the dominant regular singularity, which yields asymptotic series via classic methods like the Frobenius vector expansion; and (iii) the point 1, whose Taylor series coefficients are the factorial moments.
ForEVeR
Authors: Parikh Ritesh , Bertacco Valeria 
Published: March 2014

As silicon technology scales, modern processor and embedded systems are rapidly shifting towards complex chip multi-processor (CMP) and system-on-chip (SoC) designs. As a side effect of complexity of these designs, ensuring their correctness has become increasingly problematic. Within these domains, Network-on-Chips (NoCs) are a de-facto choice to implement on-chip interconnect; their design is quickly becoming extremely complex in order to keep up with communication performance demands. As a result, design errors in the NoC may go undetected and escape into the final silicon.
In this work, we propose ForEVeR, a solution that complements the use of formal methods and runtime verification to ensure functional correctness in NoCs. Formal verification, due to its scalability limitations, is used to verify smaller modules, such as individual router components. To deliver correctness guarantees for the complete network, we propose a network-level detection and recovery solution that monitors the traffic in the NoC and protects it against escaped functional bugs. To this end, ForEVeR augments the baseline NoC with a lightweight checker network that alerts destination nodes of incoming packets ahead of time. If a bug is detected, flagged by missed packet arrivals, our recovery mechanism delivers the in-flight data safely to the intended destination via the checker network. ForEVeR's experimental evaluation shows that it can recover from NoC design errors at only 4.9% area cost for an 8x8 mesh interconnect, over a time interval ranging from 0.5K to 30K cycles per recovery event, and it incurs no performance overhead in the absence of errors. ForEVeR can also protect NoC operations against soft-errors: a growing concern with the scaling of silicon. ForEVeR leverages the same monitoring hardware to detect soft-error manifestations, in addition to design-errors. Recovery of the soft-error affected packets is guaranteed by building resiliency features into our checker network. ForEVeR incurs minimal performance penalty up to a flit error rate of 0.01% in lightly loaded networks.
Post-silicon platform for the functional diagnosis and debug of networks-on-chip
Authors: Abdel-Khalek Rawan , Bertacco Valeria 
Published: March 2014

The increasing number of units in today's systems-on-chip and multicore processors has led to complex intra-chip communication solutions. Specifically, Networks-on-Chip (NoCs) have emerged as a favorable fabric to provide high bandwidth and low latency in connecting many units in a same chip. To achieve these goals, the NoC often includes complex components and advanced features, leading to the development of large and highly complex interconnect subsystems. One of the biggest challenges in these designs is to ensure the correct functionality of this communication infrastructure. To support this goal, an increasing fraction of the validation effort has shifted to post-silicon validation, because it permits exercising network activities that are too complex to be validated in pre-silicon. However, post-silicon validation is hindered by the lack of observability of the network's internal operations and thus, diagnosing functional errors during this phase is very difficult.
In this work, we propose a post-silicon validation platform that improves observability of network operations by taking periodic snapshots of the traffic traversing the network. Each node's local cache is configured to temporarily store the snapshot logs in a designated area reserved for post-silicon validation and relinquished after product release. Each snapshot log is analyzed locally by a software algorithm running on its corresponding core, in order to detect functional errors. Upon error detection, all snapshot logs are aggregated at a central location to extract additional debug data, including an overview of network traffic surrounding the error event, as well as a partial reconstruction of the routes followed by packets in flight at the time. In our experiments, we found that this approach allows us to detect several types of functional errors, as well as observe, on average, over 50% of the network's traffic and reconstruct at least half of each of their routes through the network.
Cognitive Impairment and Risk of Stroke
Authors: Rostamian Somayeh , Mahinrad Simin , Stijnen Theo , Sabayan Behnam , de Craen Anton J.M. 
Published: March 2014

Background and Purpose—
Cognitive impairment is linked to vascular risk factors and brain vascular pathologies. Several studies have tested whether subjects with cognitive impairment have higher risk for stroke. The aim of this study was to systematically review available evidence on the association between cognitive impairment and risk of stroke to obtain precise effect estimates of the association and to identify which cognitive domains associate most with incident stroke.

Methods—
PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science were searched from January 1, 1980, to October 1, 2013, without language restriction. Only prospective cohort studies were included. From each study, data on the association between cognitive impairment and stroke estimated with hazard ratios or relative risks with 95% confidence interval (CI) were extracted. For each study, risk of stroke per SD lower performance in various cognitive tests was calculated.

Results—
Twelve studies were included, comprising 82 899 participants of whom 3043 had an incident stroke. The pooled relative risk per SD lower global cognitive performance was 1.19 (95% CI, 1.12–1.27). Each SD lower score in executive function or attention was associated with 1.14-fold (95% CI, 1.06–1.24) higher risk of stroke. Lower scores in memory were associated with 1.07-fold (95% CI, 1.02–1.12) higher risk of stroke, and lower scores in language were associated with 1.08-fold (95% CI, 1.02–1.16) higher risk of stroke.

Conclusions—
Cognitive impairment is associated with higher risk of stroke. The associations were not significantly different for executive function, memory, and language.