bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Congenic Strains of the Filamentous Form of Cryptococcus neoformans for Studies of Fungal Morphogenesis and Virulence
Authors: Zhai Bing , Zhu Pinkuan , Foyle Dylan , Upadhyay Srijana , Idnurm Alexander , Lin Xiaorong 
Published: May 2013

ABSTRACTCryptococcus neoformansis an unconventional dimorphic fungus that can grow either as a yeast or in a filamentous form. To facilitate investigation of genetic factors important for its morphogenesis and pathogenicity, congenicaand α strains for a filamentous form were constructed. XL280 (α) was selected as the background strain because of its robust ability to undergo the morphological transition from yeast to the filamentous form. TheMATaallele from a sequenced strain JEC20 was introgressed into the XL280 background to generate the congenicaand α pair strains. The resulting congenic strains were then used to test the impact of mating type on virulence. In both the inhalation and the intravenous infection models of murine cryptococcosis, the congenicaand α strains displayed comparable levels of high virulence. Thea-α coinfections displayed equivalent virulence to the individualaor α infections in both animal models. Further analyses of the mating type distribution ina-α coinfected mice suggested no influence ofa-α interactions on cryptococcal neurotropism, irrespective of the route of inoculation. Furthermore, deletion or overexpression of a known transcription factor, Znf2, in XL280 abolished or enhanced filamentation and biofilm formation, consistent with its established role. Overexpression of Znf2 in XL280 led to attenuation of virulence and a reduced abundance in the brain but not in other organs, suggesting that Znf2 might interfere with cryptococcal neurotropism upon extrapulmonary dissemination. In summary, the congenic strains provide a new resource for the exploration of the relationship inCryptococcusbetween cellular morphology and pathogenesis.
Residential proximity to major roadways and renal function
Authors: Lue Shih-Ho , Wellenius Gregory A , Wilker Elissa H , Mostofsky Elizabeth , Mittleman Murray A 
Published: May 2013

BackgroundLiving near major roadways has been associated with increased risk of cardiovascular events, but little is known about its impact on renal function.MethodsWe calculated the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) for 1103 consecutive Boston-area patients hospitalised with confirmed acute ischaemic stroke between 1999 and 2004. We used linear regression to evaluate the association between eGFR and categories of residential distance to major roadway (0 to ≤50, >50 to ≤100, >100 to ≤200, >200 to ≤400, >400 to ≤1000 and >1000 m) adjusting for age, sex, race, smoking, comorbid conditions, treatment with ACE inhibitor and neighbourhood-level socioeconomic characteristics. In a second analysis, we considered the log of distance to major roadway as a continuous variable.ResultsPatients living closer to a major roadway had lower eGFR than patients living farther away (Ptrend=0.01). Comparing patients living 50 m versus 1000 m from a major roadway was associated with a 3.9 ml/min/1.73 m2lower eGFR (95% CI 1.0 to 6.7; p=0.007): a difference comparable in magnitude to the reduction in eGFR observed for a 4-year increase in age in population-based studies. The magnitude of this association did not differ significantly across categories of age, sex, race, history of hypertension, diabetes or socioeconomic status.ConclusionsLiving near a major roadway is associated with lower eGFR in a cohort of patients presenting with acute ischaemic stroke. If causal, these results imply that exposures associated with living near a major roadway contribute to reduced renal function, an important risk factor for cardiovascular events.
TIGHT ANALYSIS OF SHORTEST PATH CONVERGECAST IN WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORKS
Authors: AUGUSTINE JOHN , HAN QI , LODEN PHILIP , LODHA SACHIN , ROY SASANKA 
Published: May 2013

We consider the convergecast problem in wireless sensor networks where each sensor has a reading that must reach a designated sink. Since a sensor reading can usually be encoded in a few bytes, more than one reading can readily fit into a standard transmission packet. We assume that each packet hop consumes one unit of energy. Our objective is to minimize the total energy consumed to send all readings to the sink. We show that this problem is NP-hard even when all readings are of fixed size. We then study a class SPEP of distributed algorithms that is completely defined by two properties. Firstly, the packets hop along some shortest path to the sink. Secondly, the nodes use an elementary packing algorithm to pack readings into packets. Our main technical contribution is a lower bound. We show that no algorithm for UCCP that either follows the shortest path or packs in an elementary manner is a (2 − ϵ)-approximation, for any fixed ϵ > 0. To complement this, we show that SPEP algorithms are [Formula: see text]-approximation for UCCP and 3-approximation for CCP, where k ≥ 2 is the number of readings that can fit within a packet. We conclude with some special cases and experimental observations.
A NUMERICAL STUDY OF UNIVERSALITY AND SELF-SIMILARITY IN SOME FAMILIES OF FORCED LOGISTIC MAPS
Authors: RABASSA PAU , JORBA ÀNGEL , TATJER JOAN CARLES 
Published: May 2013

We explore different two-parametric families of quasi-periodically Forced Logistic Maps looking for universality and self-similarity properties. In the bifurcation diagram of the one-dimensional Logistic Map, it is well known that there exist parameter values sn where the 2n-periodic orbit is superattracting. Moreover, these parameter values lay between the parameters corresponding to two consecutive period doublings. In the quasi-periodically Forced Logistic Maps, these points are replaced by invariant curves, that undergo a (finite) sequence of period doublings. In this work, we study numerically the presence of self-similarities in the bifurcation diagram of the invariant curves of these quasi-periodically Forced Logistic Maps. Our computations show a remarkable self-similarity for some of these families. We also show that this self-similarity cannot be extended to any quasi-periodic perturbation of the Logistic map.
Contrasting metamorphic records and their implications for tectonic process in the central Sør Rondane Mountains, eastern Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica
Authors: Adachi Tatsuro , Hokada Tomokazu , Osanai Yasuhito , Nakano Nobuhiko , Baba Sotaro , Toyoshima Tsuyoshi 
Published: May 2013

Abstract

Metamorphic rocks in the central part of Sør Rondane Mountains, eastern Dronning Maud Land, East Antarctica, are classified into three types based on petrological characteristics. (i) The Austkampane area preserves
c.
800 °C and 0.5–0.6 GPa peak metamorphic conditions followed by decompression and subsequent isobaric cooling and later hydration (A-type). (ii) The Brattnipene and eastern Menipa area preserve peak
P–T
conditions of
c.
800 °C and 0.7–0.8 GPa with subsequent isobaric cooling and later hydration (B-type). (iii) The area including Lunckeryggen, southern Walnumfjella and western Menipa preserves an amphibolite–facies peak metamorphic condition with signatures of prograde metamorphism (L-type), which are typically unaffected by the retrograde hydration event. Peak granulite–facies metamorphism of A- and B-type rocks are contemporaneous at
c.
640–600 Ma, but a difference in the
P–T
paths between these rocks can be explained by thrusting of the A-type rock unit onto the B-type rock unit. By contrast, the timing of the metamorphism of the L-type rocks is significantly younger at
c.
550 Ma, possibly related to the intrusion of pegmatites and granitoids. These metamorphic records in the central part of the Sør Rondane Mountains can be a test ground for the regional tectonic processes proposed for the orogeny related to Gondwana formation.

Supplementary material:

Representative mineral compositions are listed at
www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18623
Modeling the effect of user interactions on mesh-based P2P VoD streaming systems
Authors: Zhao Zhen Wei , Samarth Sameer , Ooi Wei Tsang 
Published: May 2013

User interactions such as seeks and pauses are widely supported by existing Peer-to-Peer Video-on-Demand (P2P VoD) streaming systems. Their effect on the streaming system, however, has not been well studied. Seeks cause peers to skip part of the video, making them stay in the system for shorter time, and thus contribute less. On the other hand, only part of the video is downloaded due to seeks, reducing peers' demand from the system. It is unclear which factor dominates the effect of seeks on the streaming system. Pauses during playback, on one hand, allow peers to stay longer in the system and upload more content. When interleaved with seeks, however, long pauses may increase peers' demand unnecessarily as peers may download content that will eventually be skipped by subsequent forward seeks. The collective effect of seeks and pauses, together with the known random peer departure, is unintuitive and needs to be addressed properly so as to understand the effect of human factors on the streaming system performance.
In this article, we develop an analytical model to both qualitatively and quantitatively study the effect of seeks and pauses on mesh-based P2P VoD streaming systems, in particular, the effect on the server cost. Our model can help in understanding how human factors such as seeks and pauses affect the streaming system performance, tuning a P2P VoD system towards better system performance and stability, and providing a framework for capacity planning.
Modeling BitTorrent-like systems with many classes of users
Authors: Liao Wei-Cherng , Papadopoulos Fragkiskos , Psounis Konstantinos , Psomas Constantinos 
Published: May 2013

BitTorrent is one of the most successful peer-to-peer systems. Researchers have studied a number of aspects of the system, including its scalability, performance, efficiency and fairness. However, the complexity of the system has forced most prior analytical work to make a number of simplifying assumptions, for example, user homogeneity, or even ignore some central aspects of the protocol altogether, for example, the rate-based Tit-for-Tat (TFT) unchoking scheme, in order to keep the analysis tractable.
Motivated by this, in this article we propose two analytical models that accurately predict the performance of the system while considering the central details of the BitTorrent protocol. Our first model is a steady-state one, in the sense that it is valid during periods of time where the number of users remains fixed. Freed by the complications of user time-dynamics, we account for many of the central details of the BitTorrent protocol and accurately predict a number of performance metrics. Our second model combines prior work on fluid models with our first model to capture the transient behavior as new users join or old users leave, while modelling many major aspects of BitTorrent. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first model that attempts to capture the transient behavior of many classes of heterogeneous users. Finally, we use our analytical methodology to introduce and study the performance of a flexible token-based scheme for BitTorrent, show how this scheme can be used to block freeriders and tradeoff between higher-bandwidth and lower-bandwidth users performance, and evaluate the scheme's parameters that achieve a target operational point.
The Number of Candidate Variants in Exome Sequencing for Mendelian Disease under No Genetic Heterogeneity
Authors: Nishino Jo , Mano Shuhei 
Published: May 2013

There has been recent success in identifying disease-causing variants in Mendelian disorders by exome sequencing followed by simple filtering techniques. Studies generally assume complete or high penetrance. However, there are likely many failed and unpublished studies due in part to incomplete penetrance or phenocopy. In this study, the expected number of candidate single-nucleotide variants (SNVs) in exome data for autosomal dominant or recessive Mendelian disorders was investigated under the assumption of “no genetic heterogeneity.” All variants were assumed to be under the “null model,” and sample allele frequencies were modeled using a standard population genetics theory. To investigate the properties of pedigree data, full-sibs were considered in addition to unrelated individuals. In both cases, particularly regarding full-sibs, the number of SNVs remained very high without controls. The high efficacy of controls was also confirmed. When controls were used with a relatively large total sample size (e.g.,N=20, 50), filtering incorporating of incomplete penetrance and phenocopy efficiently reduced the number of candidate SNVs. This suggests that filtering is useful when an assumption of no “genetic heterogeneity” is appropriate and could provide general guidelines for sample size determination.
Sudden Cardiac Death With Autopsy Findings of Uncertain Significance
Authors: Papadakis Michael , Raju Hariharan , Behr Elijah R. , De Noronha Sofia V. , Spath Nicholas , Kouloubinis Alexandros , Sheppard Mary N. , Sharma Sanjay 
Published: May 2013

Background—
The sudden death of young individuals is commonly attributed to inherited cardiac disorders, and familial evaluation is advocated. The identification of pathognomonic histopathologic findings, or the absence of cardiac pathology (sudden arrhythmic death syndrome [SADS]) at postmortem, directs familial evaluation targeting structural disorders or primary arrhythmogenic syndromes, respectively. In a proportion of autopsies, structural abnormalities of uncertain significance are reported. We explored the hypothesis that such sudden cardiac deaths represent SADS.

Methods and Results—

Families (n=340) of index cases of sudden cardiac deaths who underwent postmortem evaluation were evaluated in specialist cardiogenetics clinics. Families in whom the deceased exhibited structural abnormalities of uncertain significance (n=41), such as ventricular hypertrophy, myocardial fibrosis, and minor coronary artery disease, were included in the study. Results were compared with 163 families with normal postmortem (SADS). Relatives underwent comprehensive cardiac evaluation. Twenty-one families (51%) with autopsy findings of uncertain significance received a diagnosis based on the identification of an inherited cardiac condition phenotype in ≥1 relatives: 14 Brugada syndrome; 4 long-QT syndrome; 1 catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia; and 2 cardiomyopathy. A similar proportion of families (47.2%) received a diagnosis in the SADS cohort (
P
=0.727). An arrhythmogenic syndrome was the predominant diagnosis in both cohorts (46% versus 45%;
P
=0.863).

Conclusions—
Familial evaluation after sudden cardiac deaths with autopsy findings of uncertain significance identified a similar proportion of primary arrhythmogenic syndromes to a contemporary series of SADS. Our study highlights the need for accurate interpretation of autopsy findings to avoid erroneous diagnoses, with potentially devastating implications.
Analysis of the Establishment of Seedlings of Açai (Euterpe Oleracea Mart.) in the Understory of a Forest of Amazon Floodplain
Authors: Cunha Freire Antonio Sérgio , Vitorino Maria Isabel , Gonçalves Jardim Mário Augusto , Leão de Sousa Adriano Marlison , Quaresma Adriano Costa , Gomes de Oliveira Fábio , Pereira Rafael do Nascimento 
Published: May 2013

Abstract
The effects of diffuse solar radiation (DSR), precipitation, and air temperature on survival and mortality of seedlings of açai (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) were evaluated in an estuarine floodplain forest located in the environmental protection area of Combu Island, Belém, Pará, Brazil, in the period from April 2010 to January 2011. An automatic weather station was installed in the understory of Combu Island to collect from the elements, whose location was defined by taking into account the sheer number of seedlings of açai and the incidence of diffuse radiation through canopy sunflecks on the solar panel. Six plots of 2 m × 20 m were demarcated and divided into 10 subplots of 2 m × 2 m in the directions of north, south, east, and west and two others at random around the station. The seedlings with a height between 10 cm and 2 m were quantified and monitored biweekly for survival and mortality. Data were statistically analyzed by a Pearson correlation. Initially, 1072 individuals were recorded, with a significant survival rate of 764 (71.3%) and a mortality rate of 308 (28.7%); therefore, a positive correlation between precipitation and survival was seen, while DSR directly influenced the mortality in the months of May–July 2010, mainly in continuous days of radiation above 34.56 MJ m−2 day−1.
Antipsychotic polypharmacy and high-dose prescription in schizophrenia: a 5-year comparison
Authors: Roh Daeyoung , Chang Jhin-Goo , Kim Chan-Hyung , Cho Hyun-Sang , An Suk Kyoon , Jung Young-Chul 
Published: May 2013

Objective: The co-prescription of multiple antipsychotic drugs continues to increase despite a lack of evidence supporting this practice. The purpose of this study was to quantify and describe recent trends of antipsychotic polypharmacy in Korean schizophrenic inpatients by comparing prescribed medications between the years of 2005 and 2010. Methods: We reviewed comprehensive medication profiles of schizophrenic patients discharged from a university psychiatric hospital in 2005 ( n=194) or 2010 ( n=201). Antipsychotic polypharmacy was defined as the concurrent receipt of two or more chemically distinct antipsychotics for at least 14 days. High antipsychotic dose was defined as a prescribed daily dose to defined daily dose ratio of greater than 1.5. Results: Antipsychotic polypharmacy increased between 2005 (37.1%) and 2010 (48.3%, p=0.025). The most frequently used drug within combinations of antipsychotics was haloperidol in 2005 (51.4%) and quetiapine in 2010 (48.5%). Overall, no changes were observed between 2005 and 2010 in the rate of prescribing high-dose antipsychotics. High-dose antipsychotic monotherapy decreased across years (from 30.4 to 18.4%), but high-dose antipsychotic polypharmacy increased (from 34.0 to 45.3%). Regression analysis revealed that antipsychotic polypharmacy was strongly associated with high doses of prescribed antipsychotics (odds ratio=18.60, p<0.001). Conclusions: The practice of prescribing multiple antipsychotics to patients with schizophrenia is increasing, and high-dose antipsychotic drugs are more likely to be prescribed in combination than in isolation. The reasons for this pattern of prescription and its impact warrants further study.
What do patients with advanced incurable cancer want from the management of their pain? A qualitative study
Authors: Gibbins Jane , Bhatia Rebecca , Forbes Karen , Reid Colette M 
Published: May 2013

Background: Pain is one of the most frequent symptoms among patients with metastatic cancer, yet little is known about what patients with advanced cancer want from the management of their pain. Measuring the effectiveness of the management of pain is challenging as it is a subjective phenomenon and a multifaceted process. Determining how we currently define whether a patient with pain due to advanced cancer has controlled pain (or not) is important, particularly from the patient’s perspective. Aim: To explore how patients with advanced cancer describe the control of pain and what they want from management of this pain. Design: Qualitative study using face-to-face interviews. Data were analysed using a constant comparison approach. Setting/participants: Purposive sample of patients with advanced cancer known to palliative care services. Results: Twelve interviews took place until saturation of data was achieved. Four themes emerged: maintaining role, self and independence; compromising/modifying expectations; role of healthcare professionals; and meaning of pain in context of advanced cancer. Conclusion: Patients determined whether their pain was ‘controlled’ by whether or not they were able to perform activities or tasks and maintain relationships with family or friends, which determined themselves as individuals. Numerical rating scales did not appear to be useful for patients in measuring whether they are able to perform these activities or maintain a sense of control and independence. Individualised goal/task/role/activity setting for patients with advanced cancer pain may be useful to allow patients themselves to determine what they want from the ‘management’ of their pain.
A multicenter survey of Hispanic caregiver preferences for patient decision control in the United States and Latin America
Authors: Yennurajalingam Sriram , Noguera Antonio , Parsons Henrique Afonseca , Torres-Vigil Isabel , Duarte Eva Rosina , Palma Alejandra , Bunge Sofia , Palmer J Lynn , Delgado-Guay Marvin Omar , Bruera Eduardo 
Published: May 2013

Background: Understanding family caregivers’ decisional role preferences is important for communication, quality of care, and patient and family satisfaction. The family caregiver has an important role in a patient’s decisional role preferences. There are limited studies on family caregivers’ preferences of the patient’s decision control at the end of life among Hispanics. Aims: To identify Hispanic caregivers’ preferences of the decision control of patients with advanced cancer and to compare the preferences of caregivers in Hispanic Latin American and Hispanic American caregivers. Design: We surveyed patients and their family caregivers referred to outpatient palliative care clinics in the United States, Chile, Argentina, and Guatemala. Caregiver preferences of patient’s decision control were evaluated using the Control Preference Scale. Caregivers’ and patients’ sociodemographic variables, patient performance status, and Hispanic American patient acculturation level were also collected. Participants: A total of 387 caregivers were surveyed: 100 (26%) in Chile, 99 (26%) in Argentina, 97 (25%) in Guatemala, and 91 (24%) in the United States. The median age was 56 years, and 59% were female. Results: Caregiver preference of patient’s decision control was passive, shared, and active for 10 (11%), 45 (52%), and 32 (37%) Hispanic American caregivers and 54 (19%), 178 (62%), and 55 (19%) Hispanic Latin American caregivers ( p = 0.0023), respectively. Caregiver acculturation level did not affect the preferences of the Hispanic American sample ( p = 0.60). Conclusions: Most Hispanic family caregivers preferred the patient to make shared decisions. Hispanic Latin American caregivers more frequently preferred patients to assume a passive decisional role. Acculturation did not influence the preferences of Hispanic American caregivers.