bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ant mimicry by an aphid parasitoid, Lysiphlebus fabarum
Authors: Rasekh Arash , Michaud J.P. , Kharazi-Pakdel Aziz , Allahyari Hossein 
Published: September 2010

Abstract
In Iran, Lysiphlebus fabarum (Marshall) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae: Aphidiinae) is a uniparental parasitoid of the black bean aphid, Aphis fabae Scopoli (Hemiptera: Aphididae), that possesses various highly evolved adaptations for foraging within ant-tended aphid colonies. Direct observations and video recordings were used to analyze the behavior of individual females foraging for A. fabae on bean leaf disks in open arenas in the laboratory. Females exploited aphids as hosts and as a sourcof food, allocating within-patch time as follows: resting - 10.4%, grooming - 8.2%, searching - 11.5%, antennation (host recognition) - 7.5%, antennation (honeydew solicitation mimicking ants) - 31.9%, abdominal bending (attack preparation) - 19.7%, probing with the ovipositor (attack) - 10.8%. The mean handling time for each aphid encountered was 2.0 ± 0.5 min. Females encountered anaverage of 47.4 ± 6.4 aphids per hour, but laid only 1.2 eggs per hour. The ovipositor insertion time for parasitism ranged from 2 sec to longer than a minute, but most insertions did not result in an egg being laid. A. fabae defensive behaviors included kicking, raising and swiveling the body, and attempts to smear the attacker with cornicle secretions, sometimes with lethal results. Food deprivation for 4-6 h prior to testing increased the frequency of ant mimcry by L. fabarum. Females also used ant-like antennation to reduce A. fabae defensive behavior, e.g. the frequency of kicking. L. fabarum attacks primed A. fabae to be more responsive to subsequent honeydew solicitation, such that experienced females improved their feeding success by alternating between the roles of parasitoid and ant mimic. These results reveal the possibility for mutualisms to evolve between L. fabarum and the ant species that tend A. fabae, since L. fabarum receive ant protection for their progeny and may benefit the ants by improving A. fabae responsiveness to honeydew solicitation.
Prevalence and Correlates of Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults in Tianjin, China
Authors: Qi Xiuying , Sun Jing , Wang Jing , Wang Peizhong Peter , Xu Zhongliang , Murphy Madonna , Jia Junting , Wang Jianhua , Xie Yun , Xu Weili 
Published: September 2010

OBJECTIVE
Data on latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA) from population-based studies are sparse. We sought to investigate the prevalence and correlates of LADA.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
A total of 8,109 participants, who were aged ≥15 years and living in Tianjin, China, were assessed to identify individuals with type 2 diabetes (American Diabetes Association Criteria, 1997) and further to detect patients with LADA. LADA was ascertained by 1) the presence of type 2 diabetes and age ≥35 years, 2) the lack of a requirement for insulin at least 6 months after the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes, and 3) serum GAD antibody positivity. Data were analyzed using multinomial logistic regression with adjustment for potential confounders.

RESULTS
Of all participants, 498 (6.1%) were patients with type 2 diabetes. Of them, 46 (9.2%) were found to have LADA. The prevalence of LADA was 0.6% (46 of 8,109), and tended to increase with age up to 50–59 years in all participants. The odds ratios (95% CI) of LADA related to hypertension, family history of diabetes, waist-to-hip ratio ≥0.85, and major stressful events were 1.93 (1.02–3.65), 17.59 (9.08–34.06), 5.37 (2.31–12.49), and 4.09 (1.75–9.52), respectively.

CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of LADA is ∼9% in patients with type 2 diabetes. Hypertension, family history of diabetes, central obesity, and major stressful events may be associated with the occurrence of LADA.
Extended Family History of Diabetes and Autoimmune Diseases in Children With and Without Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Alhonen Salla , Korhonen Sari , Tapanainen Päivi , Knip Mikael , Veijola Riitta 
Published: September 2010

OBJECTIVE
To determine the extended family history of diabetes or autoimmune diseases in families with and without children having type 1 diabetes.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
Three hundred case families and 381 control families were interviewed using structured questionnaires.

RESULTS
The proportion of case children having at least one relative with type 1 diabetes outside the nuclear family was higher than that of control children (50.3 vs. 31.8%, P &lt; 0.001). The proportions of case and control children having relatives with type 2 diabetes or gestational diabetes were similar. Other autoimmune diseases occurred more frequently among the case children (9.7 vs. 1.1%, P &lt; 0.001), in the case nuclear families (22.0 vs. 12.9%, P = 0.002) and in relatives outside the case nuclear family (72.0 vs. 62.2%, P = 0.007).

CONCLUSIONS
Type 1 diabetes and autoimmune diseases not only cluster in the nuclear families of children with type 1 diabetes but are also overrepresented in their extended families.
Physical Activity Before and During Pregnancy and Risk of Gestational Diabetes Mellitus
Authors: Tobias Deirdre K. , Zhang Cuilin , van Dam Rob M. , Bowers Katherine , Hu Frank B. 
Published: September 2010

OBJECTIVE
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is one of the most common complications of pregnancy and is associated with a substantially elevated risk of adverse health outcomes for both mothers and offspring. Physical activity may contribute to the prevention of GDM and thus is crucial for dissecting the vicious circle involving GDM, childhood obesity, and adulthood obesity, and diabetes. Therefore, we aimed to systematically review and synthesize the current evidence on the relation between physical activity and the development of GDM.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane Reviews were searched from inception to 31 March 2010. Studies assessing the relationship between physical activity and subsequent development of GDM were included. Characteristics including study design, country, GDM diagnostic criteria, ascertainment of physical activity, timing of exposure (prepregnancy or early pregnancy), adjusted relative risks, CIs, and statistical methods were extracted independently by two reviewers.

RESULTS
Our search identified seven prepregnancy and five early pregnancy studies, including five prospective cohorts, two retrospective case-control studies, and two cross-sectional study designs. Prepregnancy physical activity was assessed in 34,929 total participants, which included 2,813 cases of GDM, giving a pooled odds ratio (OR) of 0.45 (95% CI 0.28–0.75) when the highest versus lowest categories were compared. Exercise in early pregnancy was assessed in 4,401 total participants, which included 361 cases of GDM, and was also significantly protective (0.76 [95% CI 0.70–0.83]).

CONCLUSIONS
Higher levels of physical activity before pregnancy or in early pregnancy are associated with a significantly lower risk of developing GDM.
Extraction of centre line from curvilinear objects
Authors: Rokicki J. , Matiukas V. , Ušinskas A. , Adaškevičius R. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThis tutorial paper surveys three methods designed to detect the centre line in curvilinear structures. These are the iterative thinning, Steger’s and derivatives’ methods. We aim to illustrate the effectivness of the chosen methods for processing laser-trace images and magnetic resonance slices of human head. The essence of each three methods is presented and important parameters are discussed. Experiments have been carried out and results are discussed in the light of the quality of the centre line produced and work time of all three methods.
Properties comparison of GaN epilayers deposited under different growth temperatures
Authors: Wang P. , Yan H. , Cao B. , Wei W. , Gan Z. , Liu S. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractUndoped GaN epilayers were grown on c-plane sapphire substrates under different growth temperatures by metalorganic chemical vapour deposition (MOCVD). The optical and structural characteristics of these grown samples were studied and compared. It was found that the crystalline quality of GaN film deposited at 1050°C was better that of other samples. Photoluminescence spectra showed that the intensities of yellow luminescence band of the samples decreased as the growth temperature increased. All above test results demonstrate that high temperature deposition can serve as a good method for high-quality GaN epilayer growth and there exists an optimal growth temperature.
Embossable grating couplers for planar evanescent wave sensors
Authors: Karasiński P. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThe paper presents input grating couplers to be applied in planar evanescent wave sensors. Waveguide films SiO2:TiO2 were obtained using the sol-gel method, and grating couplers with a groove density of 1000 g/mm and 2400 g/mm were produced using the method of master grating embossing in sol film. The influence of refractive index of the cover on incoupling angles was presented. Basing on the experimental results, detection limits involving the changes of effective indexes and refractive indexes of the cover for the investigated planar structures were determined. Sensor structures with the couplers having a groove density of 1000 g/mm enable to detect minimum changes of the effective index below 3.3×10−7 and to detect minimum changes of refractive index of the cover below 2.3×10−6. Detection limits for the structures with couplers having the groove density of 2400 g/mm are over twofold higher.
Model analysis of supermode generation in active 5-core optical fibre
Authors: Dorosz D. , Kochanowicz M. 
Published: September 2010

AbstractIn the paper, the phase-locked emitters in multi-core optical fibres for high power fibre lasers are presented. The influence of the normalized frequency and diameters of the cores on the shape of the pattern in the Fraunhofer diffraction region has been analysed. The simulation of coupling coefficient between cores influences on phase-locking and in the consequence on the far-field pattern of the fibre laser, based on the analyzed multi-core optical fibre, were performed. In the analyzed fibre laser, while exchanging power of the generated radiation between two adjacent cores on the fibre length (L = 5 m) within the range of 4–10%, the radiation becomes phased. Having satisfied this condition, in the far-field low-divergence, high-power laser beam (supermode) is attained. 5-core double clad optical fibre doped with neodymium ions was fabricated. Luminescence spectra of the manufactured fibre were measured.
Weak and exact domination in distributed systems
Authors: Afifi Larbi , Magri El , Jai Abdelhaq 
Published: September 2010

Weak and exact domination in distributed systemsIn this work, we introduce and examine the notion of domination for a class of linear distributed systems. This consists in studying the possibility to make a comparison between input or output operators. We give the main algebraic properties of such relations, as well as characterizations of exact and weak domination. We also study the case of actuators, and various situations are examined. Applications and illustrative examples are also given. By duality, we extend this study to observed systems. We obtain similar results and properties, and the case of sensors is equally examined.
Protector control: Extension to a class of nonlinear distributed systems
Authors: Qaraai Youssef , Bernoussi Abdes 
Published: September 2010

Protector control: Extension to a class of nonlinear distributed systemsWe present an extension of the protector control scheme introduced for the linear case in a previous work to a class of nonlinear systems. The systems considered are assumed to have a finite propagation velocity while the initial state is subject to a spreading disturbance. We characterize such a control first by using the remediability approach to the resulting nonlinear delay system, and then by coupling families of transformations and the delay approach. To illustrate this work, we provide a simulation example.
Sensor network design for the estimation of spatially distributed processes
Authors: Uciński Dariusz , Patan Maciej 
Published: September 2010

Sensor network design for the estimation of spatially distributed processesIn a typical moving contaminating source identification problem, after some type of biological or chemical contamination has occurred, there is a developing cloud of dangerous or toxic material. In order to detect and localize the contamination source, a sensor network can be used. Up to now, however, approaches aiming at guaranteeing a dense region coverage or satisfactory network connectivity have dominated this line of research and abstracted away from the mathematical description of the physical processes underlying the observed phenomena. The present work aims at bridging this gap and meeting the needs created in the context of the source identification problem. We assume that the paths of the moving sources are unknown, but they are sufficiently smooth to be approximated by combinations of given basis functions. This parametrization makes it possible to reduce the source detection and estimation problem to that of parameter identification. In order to estimate the source and medium parameters, the maximum-likelihood estimator is used. Based on a scalar measure of performance defined on the Fisher information matrix related to the unknown parameters, which is commonly used in optimum experimental design theory, the problem is formulated as an optimal control one. From a practical point of view, it is desirable to have the computations dynamic data driven, i.e., the current measurements from the mobile sensors must serve as a basis for the update of parameter estimates and these, in turn, can be used to correct the sensor movements. In the proposed research, an attempt will also be made at applying a nonlinear model-predictive-control-like approach to attack this issue.
Similarity transformation of matrices to one common canonical form and its applications to 2D linear systems
Authors: Kaczorek Tadeusz 
Published: September 2010

Similarity transformation of matrices to one common canonical form and its applications to 2D linear systemsThe notion of a common canonical form for a sequence of square matrices is introduced. Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of a similarity transformation reducing the sequence of matrices to the common canonical form are established. It is shown that (i) using a suitable state vector linear transformation it is possible to decompose a linear 2D system into two linear 2D subsystems such that the dynamics of the second subsystem are independent of those of the first one, (ii) the reduced 2D system is positive if and only if the linear transformation matrix is monomial. Necessary and sufficient conditions are established for the existence of a gain matrix such that the matrices of the closed-loop system can be reduced to the common canonical form.
On-line wavelet estimation of Hammerstein system nonlinearity
Authors: Śliwiński Przemysław 
Published: September 2010

On-line wavelet estimation of Hammerstein system nonlinearityA new algorithm for nonparametric wavelet estimation of Hammerstein system nonlinearity is proposed. The algorithm works in the on-line regime (viz., past measurements are not available) and offers a convenient uniform routine for nonlinearity estimation at an arbitrary point and at any moment of the identification process. The pointwise convergence of the estimate to locally bounded nonlinearities and the rate of this convergence are both established.
Probabilities of discrepancy between minima of cross-validation, Vapnik bounds and true risks
Authors: Klęsk Przemysław 
Published: September 2010

Probabilities of discrepancy between minima of cross-validation, Vapnik bounds and true risksTwo known approaches to complexity selection are taken under consideration:n-fold cross-validation and structural risk minimization. Obviously, in either approach, a discrepancy between the indicated optimal complexity (indicated as the minimum of a generalization error estimate or a bound) and the genuine minimum ofunknown true risksis possible. In the paper, this problem is posed in a novel quantitative way. We state and prove theorems demonstrating how one can calculate pessimistic probabilities of discrepancy between these minima for given for given conditions of an experiment. The probabilities are calculated in terms of all relevant constants: the sample size, the number of cross-validation folds, the capacity of the set of approximating functions and bounds on this set. We report experiments carried out to validate the results.
Parallel implementation of local thresholding in Mitrion-C
Authors: Kryjak Tomasz , Gorgoń Marek 
Published: September 2010

Parallel implementation of local thresholding in Mitrion-CMitrion-C based implementations of three image processing algorithms: a look-up table operation, simple local thresholding and Sauvola's local thresholding are described. Implementation results, performance of the design and FPGA logic utilization are discussed.
Numbering action vertices in workflow graphs
Authors: Mann Zoltán 
Published: September 2010

Numbering action vertices in workflow graphsWorkflow graphs, consisting of actions, events, and logical switches, are used to model business processes. In order to easily identify the actions within a workflow graph, it is useful to number them in such a way that the numbering reflects the structure of the workflow. However, available tools offer only rudimental numbering schemes. In the paper, a set of natural requirements is defined that a logical numbering should fulfill. It is investigated under what conditions there is an appropriate numbering at all, when it is uniquely defined by the set of requirements, and when it can be computed efficiently. It is shown that for an important special class of workflow graphs, namely, structured workflow graphs, the answer to all these questions is affirmative. For general workflow graphs, a set of requirements is presented that can always be fulfilled, but the numbering is not necessarily unique. An algorithm based on a depth-first search can be used to compute an appropriate numbering efficiently.
A mathematical model of HIV-1 infection including the saturation effect of healthy cell proliferation
Authors: Kouche Mahiéddine , Ainseba Bedr'Eddine 
Published: September 2010

A mathematical model of HIV-1 infection including the saturation effect of healthy cell proliferationIn this paper we derive a model describing the dynamics of HIV-1 infection in tissue culture where the infection spreads directly from infected cells to healthy cells trough cell-to-cell contact. We assume that the infection rate between healthy and infected cells is a saturating function of cell concentration. Our analysis shows that if the basic reproduction number does not exceed unity then infected cells are cleared and the disease dies out. Otherwise, the infection is persistent with the existence of an infected equilibrium. Numerical simulations indicate that, depending on the fraction of cells surviving the incubation period, the solutions approach either an infected steady state or a periodic orbit.
Deep brain stimulation in midline thalamic region facilitates synaptic transmission and short-term memory in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Arrieta-Cruz Isabel , Pavlides Constantine , Pasinetti Giulio 
Published: September 2010

AbstractBased on evidence suggesting that deep brain stimulation (DBS) may promote certain cognitive processes, we have been interested in developing DBS as a means of mitigating memory and learning impairments in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In this study we used an animal model of AD (TgCRND8 mice) to determine the effects of high-frequency stimulation (HFS) on non-amyloidogenic α-secretase activity and DBS in short-term memory. We tested our hypothesis using hippocampal slices (in vitro studies) from TgCRND8 mice to evaluate whether HFS increases α-secretase activity (non-amyloidogenic pathway) in the CA1 region. In a second set of experiments, we performed in vivo studies to evaluate whether DBS in midline thalamic region re-establishes hippocampal dependent short-term memory in TgCRND8 mice. The results showed that application of HFS to isolated hippocampal slices significantly increased synaptic plasticity in the CA1 region and promoted a 2-fold increase of non-amyloidogenic α-secretase activity, in comparison to low frequency stimulated controls from TgCRND8 mice. In the in vivo studies, DBS treatment facilitated acquisition of object recognition memory in TgCRND8 mice, in comparison to their own baseline before treatment. These results provide evidence that DBS could enhance short-term memory in the CA1 region of hippocampus in a mouse model of AD.
Neuronal tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH2) in suicidal behaviour
Authors: Štefulj Jasminka , Bordukalo-Nikšić Tatjana 
Published: September 2010

AbstractSerotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) is a signalling molecule involved in many brain functions as well as in a variety of psychiatric conditions, including suicidal behaviour. Tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH), the rate-limiting enzyme of 5-HT biosynthesis, plays a critical role in 5-HT metabolism and thus in the regulation of 5-HT neurotransmission. There are two isoforms of TPH, so-called peripheral (TPH1) and neuronal (TPH2), encoded by the two distinct genes. TPH1 is abundant in the peripheral tissues, while TPH2 was detected exclusively within the nervous system. Since its discovery in 2003, TPH2 gene has attracted great interest as a potential factor contributing to diathesis of suicidal behaviour. However, initial positive findings indicating an association of TPH2 genetic variants with suicide have not been replicated consistently. Here we provide an overview of published studies to date, that have evaluated the contribution of TPH2 gene to the etiopathogenesis of suicidal behaviour.
C. elegans models of neuromuscular diseases expedite translational research
Authors: Sleigh James , Sattelle David 
Published: September 2010

AbstractThe nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is a genetic model organism and the only animal with a complete nervous system wiring diagram. With only 302 neurons and 95 striated muscle cells, a rich array of mutants with defective locomotion and the facility for individual targeted gene knockdown by RNA interference, it lends itself to the exploration of gene function at nerve muscle junctions. With approximately 60% of human disease genes having a C. elegans homologue, there is growing interest in the deployment of lowcost, high-throughput, drug screens of nematode transgenic and mutant strains mimicking aspects of the pathology of devastating human neuromuscular disorders. Here we explore the contributions already made by C. elegans to our understanding of muscular dystrophies (Duchenne and Becker), spinal muscular atrophy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Friedreich’s ataxia, inclusion body myositis and the prospects for contributions to other neuromuscular disorders. A bottleneck to low-cost, in vivo, large-scale chemical library screening for new candidate therapies has been rapid, automated, behavioural phenotyping. Recent progress in quantifying simple swimming (thrashing) movements is making such screening possible and is expediting the translation of drug candidates towards the clinic.