julilili42/papers huggingface dataset:
W4Br10 Cluster Intermediates in the Solid State Nucleation of W6Br12
2012-05-01

Abstract The new adduct W 4 Br 10 · 2SbBr 3 and the new binary compound W 4 Br 10 were obtained as products in a reaction cascade in which WBr 6 was reacted with elemental antimony at successively increased temperatures. The crystal structures of both compounds were refined from X‐ray powder diffraction data and their electronic structures were analyzed by MO calculations. The cluster compounds W 4 Br 10 · 2SbBr 3 and W 4 Br 10 appear as intermediates in the solid state nucleation of W 6 Br 12 . The overall reaction cascade involves tungsten clusters having tetrahedral (W 4 ), square pyramidal (W 5 ) and finally octahedral (W 6 ) cluster cores.
Insight Into 8 Patients With Nonarteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy Following Anti-VEGF Injections
2012-05-01

We read with great interest the recent article by Prescott et al (1) concluding that anti–vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) therapy has no apparent beneficial effect in the treatment of nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION). We would add a further note of caution in the use of anti-VEGF agents. Recently, we reported that these agents may actually compromise ocular blood flow and may precipitate an episode of NAION (2). We described 8 patients who received intravitreal injection of one of these medications (bevacizumab, ranibizumab, pegaptnib) and developed NAION within 4–60 days. Because our patient cohort was small and the study design was retrospective, we cannot determine whether a causal relationship exists. Potential mechanisms include the vasoconstrictor effect of the anti-VEGF drugs, an increase in intraocular pressure from the intravitreal injection, and the exacerbation of systemic hypertension from the stress of the procedure. Further research is necessary to explore the potential relationship between intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy and NAION.
Real‐Time Disparity Map‐Based Pictorial Depth Cue Enhancement
2012-05-01

Abstract The availability of stereoscopic image material is increasing rapidly. In contrast to the generation of distance information, displaying it is still a challenging task. To overcome the need for special 3D display hardware, we present a novel real‐time video processing framework‐based on edge‐avoiding à trous wavelets. The framework adds and emphasizes monocular depth cues corresponding to the depth information of a supplemental disparity map. This creates a compelling depth sensation on 2D display devices. The framework enhances multiple depth cues in parallel, such as depth of field, local contrast, ambient occlusion and saturation. At the same time, it improves the disparity map quality. Depth cues control how a human explores an image, since the perception of distance is coupled to visual attention. The presented work demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed framework in guiding the viewer, without destroying the image content, by evaluating the performance in search‐and‐find tasks. A user study analyzes the connection between faster response times and the boosting of particular monocular depth cues.
A Comparative Evaluation of Word Sense Disambiguation Algorithms for German
2012-05-01

The present paper explores a wide range of word sense disambiguation (WSD) algorithms for German. These WSD algorithms are based on a suite of semantic relatedness measures, including path-based, information-content-based, and gloss-based methods. Since the individual algorithms produce diverse results in terms of precision and thus complement each other well in terms of coverage, a set of combined algorithms is investigated and compared in performance to the individual algorithms. Among the single algorithms considered, a word overlap method derived from the Lesk algorithm that uses Wiktionary glosses and GermaNet lexical fields yields the best F-score of 56.36. This result is outperformed by a combined WSD algorithm that uses weighted majority voting and obtains an F-score of 63.59. The WSD experiments utilize the German wordnet GermaNet as a sense inventory as well as WebCAGe (short for: Web-Harvested Corpus Annotated with GermaNet Senses), a newly constructed, sense-annotated corpus for this language. The WSD experiments also confirm that WSD performance is lower for words with fine-grained sense distinctions compared to words with coarse-grained senses.
Lung Volume Reduction Coil Treatment For Patients With Severe Heterogeneous Emphysema, A Multicenter Feasibility Trial
2012-05-01

Introduction: The Lung Volume Reduction Coil (LVRC) is a bronchoscopic device made of self-expandable nitinol wire for the treatment of emphysema. A previous single center pilot study showed safety and efficacy in severe upper-lobe emphysema. Aim: In this study we investigated the feasibility, safety and efficacy of LVRC treatment in a multicenter cohort trial design in patients with severe upper or lower lobe heterogeneous emphysema. Methods: 44 patients (23F/21M, 60yrs (±11), FEV1 29.9%pred (±6.9%), RV 249%pred (±52%), TLC 135%pred (±16%)) were bronchoscopically treated under general anesthesia using fluoroscopy with LVRCs (PneumRx, USA) in either one or two lungs (in two sequential procedures) in 10 European centers. Safety was evaluated by recording of all adverse events (AEs). Efficacy as measured by questionnaires, pulmonary function- and exercise testing will be measured at 3, 6 and 12 months post treatment. Results: 83 LVRC procedures were performed (39 bilateral, 5 unilateral). 33 patients were treated in the upper lobes and 11 in the lower lobes. The mean procedure time was 50 mins (±24), using a median of 10 coils (range 8-14) per lobe. The coil lengths used were 70mm (2x), 85mm (19x), 100mm (352x), 125mm (347x), 150mm (81x) and 175mm (25x). AEs <24hrs after the procedure were: COPD exacerbation (n=2), pneumothorax (n=1), chest pain (n=2), dyspnea (n=3), consolidation (n=1), cough (n=1), and mild hemoptysis (n=5). Conclusion: The LVRC treatment is technically feasible in both upper and lower lobe emphysema, with a good periprocedural safety profile. At the ERS conference meeting we will also be able to present the follow-up efficacy and safety data for this trial.
Dependable embedded systems: The German research foundation DFG priority program SPP 1500
2012-05-01

When migrating to future technology nodes, dependability becomes a major design problem as variability, aging and susceptibility to soft errors increase. The purpose of this program is to research cross-layer solutions that address the physical problems at system-level i.e. at hardware-level, operating system level, application level etc. The goals and an overview of the DFG SPP 1500 research program are presented.
Multiple insert size paired-end sequencing for deconvolution of complex transcriptomes
2012-05-01

Deep sequencing of transcriptomes allows quantitative and qualitative analysis of many RNA species in a sample, with parallel comparison of expression levels, splicing variants, natural antisense transcripts, RNA editing and transcriptional start and stop sites the ideal goal. By computational modeling, we show how libraries of multiple insert sizes combined with strand-specific, paired-end (SS-PE) sequencing can increase the information gained on alternative splicing, especially in higher eukaryotes. Despite the benefits of gaining SS-PE data with paired ends of varying distance, the standard Illumina protocol allows only non-strand-specific, paired-end sequencing with a single insert size. Here, we modify the Illumina RNA ligation protocol to allow SS-PE sequencing by using a custom pre-adenylated 3' adaptor. We generate parallel libraries with differing insert sizes to aid deconvolution of alternative splicing events and to characterize the extent and distribution of natural antisense transcription in C. elegans. Despite stringent requirements for detection of alternative splicing, our data increases the number of intron retention and exon skipping events annotated in the Wormbase genome annotations by 127% and 121%, respectively. We show that parallel libraries with a range of insert sizes increase transcriptomic information gained by sequencing and that by current established benchmarks our protocol gives competitive results with respect to library quality.
11-Keto-β-boswellic acid inhibits infiltration of lymphocytes into pancreatic islets in NOD-mice
2012-05-01

Introduction: Previously we have shown that 11-Keto-β-boswellic acid (KBA) and O-acetyl-11-Keto-β-boswellic acid (AKBA) prevent hyperglycemia, infiltration of lymphocytes into pancreatic islets and the increase of proinflammatory cytokines in the model of multiple low dose-streptozotocin (MLD-STZ) diabetic mice (Ammon and Shehata, 2011).
Analgesic Drug Use Associated with Statin Prescription – A Cross- Sectional Study in Primary Care Settings
2012-05-01

Background: To investigate whether features of muscular complaints (MC) differ between receivers of a statin prescription and non-receivers. To analyze the relationship between analgesics prescription, statin prescription and/or musculoskeletal disorders. Methods: Cross-sectional study. Consecutive patients in offices of family practitioners were interviewed using a standardized questionnaire. Target variables: Rates of features of MC in patients with or without a statin prescription and rates of analgesic drug prescription in patients with or without statin prescription and/or musculoskeletal disorders. Odds ratios (adjusted for age, sex, and socio-economic status) were calculated using logistic regression analysis. Results: 1135 patients in 26 general practitioners' offices were asked to participate, and 1031 patients agreed. Features of MC did not differ between the two groups of patients. Analgesic prescription was found to be associated with statin prescription in patients without musculoskeletal disorders (OR 2.2, CI 1.1-4.7 without statin, OR 2.5, CI 0.9-6.9 with statin) and particularly in those with musculoskeletal disorders (OR 5.2, CI 2.9-9.3 without statin, OR 9.3, CI 4.5-19.1 with statin). Conclusions: Analgesic prescriptions are probably positively associated with statin prescription. Assuming that analgesics attenuate MC, an even stronger association between MC and statin use seems likely. The results generate the hypothesis that statin use contributes to analgesic use in primary care patients. Keywords: Lipid-lowering drugs, statins, musculoskeletal disorders, general practice, analgesics, primary health care
Phenotypic and functional immune attributes predicting survival in very elderly people (47.7)
2012-05-01

Abstract The low level of naïve T-cells commonly observed in the elderly is thought to be causally associated with mortality. However this has not been tested in longitudinal studies. Here, we present correlations between peripheral T-cell subsets and 8-year survival in individuals from the population-based prospective Leiden 85-plus Study. Counter-intuitively, a lower frequency of naïve (CD45RA+CCR7+CD27+CD28+) CD8+ T-cells at baseline (&amp;gt;88 years) correlated with significantly better survival, while there was a tendency for the reciprocal accumulation of late-differentiated effector memory cells (CD45RA-CCR7-CD27-CD28-) also to associate with better survival, suggesting that better retention of memory cells specific for previously encountered antigens provided a survival advantage in this particular population. Given the prevalence of Cytomegalovirus (CMV) and its reported association with immunosenescence, we tested whether memory for this potential pathogen was relevant to survival. We found that individuals mounting an exclusively pro-inflammatory ex-vivo response (TNF, IFN-γ, IL-17) to the major CMV target molecules pp65 and IE1 had a significant survival advantage over those also having anti-inflammatory responses (IL-10). These findings suggest that higher levels of naïve T cells are not necessarily associated with a survival advantage and imply that the nature of immunosurveillance against CMV may be crucial for remaining longevity, at least in the very elderly.
Differential influence of sinusoidal and noisy inputs on synaptic connections in a network with STDP
2012-05-01

We hypothesize that the type of cortical network activation influences synaptic connectivity in the network, eventually expressed in an altered responsiveness to external stimuli. Our predictions are based on a time discrete canonical model of spike-time–dependent plasticity. The results show that, at a given synaptic connection strength in the network, sinusoidal input to the network can decrease synaptic potentiation whereas uncorrelated noise increases synaptic potentiation, implying that these opposing effects manifest themselves in respective decreases and increases of the network response to an external stimulus. These predictions are in qualitative agreement with visually evoked responses obtained in humans after 9 hour periods of visual deprivation (used to increase sinusoidal EEG alpha-activity in cortical networks) or normal daytime vision (as an approximate of noise input).
Detecting correlative light and electron microscopic labels by electron spectroscopic imaging
2012-05-01

To bridge the gap in resolution and to localize molecules of interest in high-resolution light and electron microscopy a number of correlative approaches have been proposed. One possibility is the use of correlative markers, e.g. fluorescent Quantum Dots (Qdots), which in TEM are imaged and distinguished by their contrast and shape. In 2007 Mhawi et al. demonstrated a more direct possibility, the visualization of electron low energy loss, which represents the TEM equivalent of fluorescence excitation. Such spectral information in the low energy-loss range was used to identify doxorubicin introduced into cells to label nuclei.
Psychosoziale Effekte von Oxytocin und Vasopressin und ihre therapeutischen Anwendungsmöglichkeiten
2012-05-01

The neuropeptides oxytocin (OXT) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) are strongly involved in the regulation of social cognition and behavior. Behavioral studies in humans relying on the intranasal administration of the peptides demonstrate the influence of OXT and AVP on social interactions, e.g., attachment, interpersonal trust, and cooperative behavior, as well as emotion recognition, visual attention and social memory, indicating that OXT and AVP contribute to the processing of social cues. Clinical studies suggest that altered OXT signaling in particular may play a pathophysiological role in mental and developmental disorders characterized by social dysfunction, such as autism, borderline personality disorder, schizophrenia, and social anxiety disorder. This article summarizes recent findings on OXT and AVP effects in healthy humans and patients and addresses potential therapeutical options in the treatment of mental disorders.
Die Idee eines intergenerationellen Libertarismus
2012-05-01

Abstract The contents and foundations of intergenerational justice have only recently become the focus of controversial debates in political philosophy. My main purpose in this essay is to outline the idea of an intergenerational libertarianism and contrast it with a skeptical rejection of the moral rights of future persons by contractarians on the one hand and egalitarian conceptions of intergenerational justice by utilitarians on the other. As far as its contents are concerned, the idea contains three main principles: future persons have a moral right to satisfy their basic needs, they have a moral right to develop and exercise their capacity of political and personal autonomy, and they have a moral right to be compensated for harmful actions by their predecessors. And as far as its foundations are concerned, these principles can be justified by a contractualist procedure: considerations of sufficiency, of liberty and of reciprocity cannot reasonably be rejected by either members of future generations or by members of the present one.
Cyclic Electrodeposition of PtCu Alloy: Facile Fabrication of Highly Porous Platinum Electrodes
2012-05-02

Cyclic electrodeposition of platinum and copper enables the fabrication of high surface area electrodes (roughness factors of >3000) by multiple alternation of alloy co-deposition and dealloying of copper from the just-fabricated alloy layers. The underlying processes, resulting electrode structures, and their applicability to potentially implantable glucose fuel cells are discussed.
Early Embryogenesis in Flowering Plants: Setting Up the Basic Body Pattern
2012-05-03

Early embryogenesis is the critical developmental phase during which the basic features of the plant body are established: the apical-basal axis of polarity, different tissue layers, and both the root pole and the shoot pole. Polarization of the zygote correlates with the generation of apical and basal (embryonic and extraembryonic) cell fates. Whereas mechanisms of zygote polarization are still largely unknown, distinct expression domains of WOX family transcription factors as well as directional auxin transport and local auxin response are known to be involved in early apical-basal patterning. Radial patterning of tissue layers appears to be mediated by cell-cell communication involving both peptide signaling and transcription factor movement. Although the initiation of the shoot pole is still unclear, the apical organization of the embryo depends on both the proper establishment of transcription factor expression domains and, for cotyledon initiation, upward auxin flow in the protoderm. Here we focus on the essential patterning processes, drawing mainly on data from Arabidopsis thaliana and also including relevant data from other species if available.
Surface-associated motility, a common trait of clinical isolates of Acinetobacter baumannii, depends on 1,3-diaminopropane
2012-05-03

While flagella-independent motility has long been described in representatives of the genus Acinetobacter, the mechanism of motility remains ambiguous. Acinetobacter baumannii, a nosocomial pathogen appearing increasingly multidrug-resistant, may profit from motility during infection or while persisting in the hospital environment. However, data on the frequency of motility skills among clinical A. baumannii isolates is scarce. We have screened a collection of 83 clinical A. baumannii isolates of different origin and found that, with the exception of one isolate, all were motile on wet surfaces albeit to varying degrees and exhibiting differing morphologies. Screening a collection of transposon mutants of strain ATCC 17978 for motility defects, we identified 2 akinetic mutants carrying transposon insertions in the dat and ddc gene, respectively. These neighbouring genes contribute to synthesis of 1,3-diaminopropane (DAP), a polyamine ubiquitously produced in Acinetobacter. Supplementing semi-solid media with DAP cured the motility defect of both mutants. HPLC analyses confirmed that DAP synthesis was abolished in ddc and dat mutants of different A. baumannii isolates and was re-established after genetic complementation. Both, the dat and ddc mutant of ATCC 17978 were attenuated in the Galleria mellonella caterpillar infection model. Taken together, surface-associated motility is a common trait of clinical A. baumannii isolates that requires DAP and may play a role in its virulence.
Multi‐isotopic analysis reveals individual mobility and diet at the early iron age monumental tumulus of magdalenenberg, germany
2012-05-03

Abstract For the Early Iron Age western Hallstatt culture, which includes the site of Magdalenenberg in southwest Germany, it has been proposed that people were mobile and maintained far reaching social and trading networks throughout Europe. We tested this hypothesis by analyzing multiple isotopes (strontium, oxygen, sulfur, carbon, and nitrogen) of the preserved skeletons from the Magdalenenberg elite cemetery to determine diets and to look for evidence of mobility. The analysis of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur isotope ratios in collagen of humans ( n = 50) and associated domestic fauna ( n = 10) indicates a terrestrial‐based diet. There was a heterogeneous range of isotope values in both strontium (0.70725 to 0.71923, n = 76) and oxygen (13.4‰ to 18.5‰, n = 78) measured in tooth enamel. Although many of the individuals had values consistent with being from Hallstatt culture sites within southwest Germany, some individuals likely originated from further afield. Possible areas include the Alps of Switzerland and Austria or even locations in Italy. Our study strongly supports the assumption of far reaching social and economic networks in the western Hallstatt culture. Am J Phys Anthropol 148:406–421, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Few electron limit of n-type metal oxide semiconductor single electron transistors
2012-05-03

We report the electronic transport on n-type silicon single electron transistors (SETs) fabricated in complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) technology. The n-type metal oxide silicon SETs (n-MOSSETs) are built within a pre-industrial fully depleted silicon on insulator (FDSOI) technology with a silicon thickness down to 10 nm on 200 mm wafers. The nominal channel size of 20 × 20 nm(2) is obtained by employing electron beam lithography for active and gate level patterning. The Coulomb blockade stability diagram is precisely resolved at 4.2 K and it exhibits large addition energies of tens of meV. The confinement of the electrons in the quantum dot has been modeled by using a current spin density functional theory (CS-DFT) method. CMOS technology enables massive production of SETs for ultimate nanoelectronic and quantum variable based devices.
C–H Bond Amination by Photochemically Generated Transient Borylnitrenes at Room Temperature: A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of the Insertion Mechanism and Influence of Substituents
2012-05-03

A number of azidoboranes having substitution patterns that are derived from catechol (3), pinacol (4a), 1,2-diaminoethane (4b,c), 1,2-ethanedithiol (4d), and 1,2,4,5-tetrahydroxybenzene as well as acyclic dialkoxy species (5) were synthesized and, in the case of 4c (N,N′-ditosyl-2-azido-1,3,2-diazaborolane), also structurally characterized. The azidoboranes were photolyzed in cyclohexane solvent in order to investigate the tendency of the generated borylnitrenes to undergo intermolecular C–H insertion reactions. The yields of intermolecular insertion products ranged from very good (4a) to vanishingly small, depending on the substitution of the azidoborane. For a number of borylnitrenes the zero-field splitting parameter D was measured in organic glasses at 4 K. The small primary kinetic isotope effect (kH/kD = 1.35) measured for 4a in mixtures of [H12]cyclohexane and [D12]cyclohexane suggests that the insertion reaction is concerted and involves the singlet state of the borylnitrene. Computations at the CBS-QB3 and CCSD(T)/TZ2P levels of theory show that the relative energies of singlet and triplet states of a wide variety of borylnitrenes and even their nature as minima or saddle points depend strongly on the substituents. Photolysis of the most reactive azidoborane, 4a, in methane in a flow reactor at atmospheric pressure produces an intermolecular insertion product in low yields, in agreement with the expectation of intersystem crossing to the less reactive triplet state of the borylnitrene.