bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In vitro and in vivo characterization of the antibacterial activity and membrane damage mechanism of quinic acid against Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Bai Jinrong , Wu Yanping , Wang Xiaoyan , Liu Xiaoyan , Zhong Kai , Huang Yina , Chen Yiting , Gao Hong
Published: November 2017

In this study, we investigated the antibacterial activity of quinic acid (QA) and elucidated its membrane action mechanism against Staphylococcus aureus. In vitro antibacterial assay showed that QA effectively inhibited the growth of test bacteria. In model food systems of cabbage suspension and barley soup, QA possessed a great antibacterial capacity. The membrane hyperpolarization and a decrease of membrane fluidity demonstrated a significant effect of QA on damaging the normal functions of cell membrane, which was further validated by the observation of the transmission electron microscope. The interaction of QA with Phe residues in the membrane protein was revealed by fluorescence quenching. Overall, the present study illustrates QA as a potent antibacterial agent and its inhibition action on S. aureus by damaging the cell membrane.

Practical applications

In model food systems of cabbage suspension and barley soup, QA possessed a great antibacterial capacity to control the total counts of viable bacteria. This study provided the theoretical foundations for the application of QA in foods to prevent the growth of foodborne pathogens.
Enteroendocrine and adipokine associations with type 2 diabetes: Phenotypic risk scoring approaches
Authors: Cox Amanda J , Zhang Ping , Bowden Donald W , Devereaux Benedict , Davoren Peter M , Cripps Allan W , West Nicholas P
Published: November 2017

Background and Aim

The contribution of gut‐derived factors to the mechanisms linking obesity and metabolic disease remains under‐investigated. The aim of the current study was to examine the associations between glucagon and enteroendocrine signaling and type 2 diabetes (T2D) using a derived risk score approach. To compare the relative importance of the enteroendocrine system, associations between adipokine measures and T2D were also investigated.

Methods

A total of 130 individuals with T2D and 161 individuals without T2D were included in the study. Circulating concentrations of enteroendocrine (glucagon, ghrelin, glucagon‐like peptide‐1, and gastric inhibitory peptide) and adipokine mediators (adiponectin, leptin, resistin, visfatin, and adipsin) were measured. Standard scores (Z‐scores) were determined for each measure and enteroendocrine risk scores (ERS) and adipokine risk scores (ARS) calculated based on summation of the component measures. Associations between both the ERS and ARS and T2D status were assessed using logistic regression models.

Results

The ERS was significantly associated with T2D status in an adjusted model (odds ratio: 1.36; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08–1.72; P = 0.009). Associations between the ARS and T2D status were not independent of age, sex, and body mass index (odds ratio: 1.21; 95%CI: 0.99–1.47; P = 0.06). Quantification of risk across ERS tertiles revealed that individuals with an ERS in the upper tertile were 10 times more likely (CI: 3.23–32.73; P < 0.001) to have T2D.

Conclusions

These data support an association between enteroendocrine signaling and T2D. Use of the ERS as a potential tool for classifying individuals with metabolic syndrome as high or low risk for T2D development is being considered.
Impact of muscle volume and muscle function decline in patients undergoing surgical resection for hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Hiraoka Atsushi , Otsuka Yasuhiro , Kawasaki Hideki , Izumoto Hirofumi , Ueki Hidetaro , Kitahata Shogo , Aibiki Toshihiko , Okudaira Tomonari , Yamago Hiroka , Miyamoto Yuji , Iwasaki Ryuichiro , Tomida Hideomi , Mori Kenichiro , Miyata Hideki , Tsubouchi Eiji , Kishida Masato , Hirooka Masashi , Abe Masanori , Matsuura Bunzo , Ninomiya Tomoyuki , Mori Izumi , Hiasa Yoichi , Michitaka Kojiro
Published: November 2017

Background and Aim

This study investigated the prognostic impact of muscle volume loss (MVL) and muscle function decline in patients undergoing resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

This study enrolled 171 naïve HCC patients treated with resection from 2007 to 2015, after excluding those lacking spirometry or computed tomography findings, who had received non‐curative treatments, or with restrictive or obstructive lung disorders. The median peak expiratory flow rate (%PEF) was set as the cut‐off value for muscle function decline, and MVL was diagnosed using a previously reported value. Clinical backgrounds and prognosis were retrospectively evaluated.

Results

Overall survival rate was lower in the MVL (n = 35) as compared with the non‐MVL (n = 136) group (1/3/5‐year overall survival rate = 88.2%/81.6%/55.6% vs 91.0%/81.5%/74.8%, respectively; P = 0.0083), while there were no differences regarding hepatic function or tumor burden between the groups. Child‐Pugh class B (hazard ratio [HR] 3.510, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.558–7.926, P = 0.0025), beyond Milan criteria (HR 1.866, 95%CI: 1.024–3.403, P = 0.042), and presence of MVL (HR 1.896, 95%CI: 1.052–3.416, P = 0.033) were significant prognostic factors. The decreased %PEF group (n = 84) showed a higher rate of postoperative delirium than the others (n = 87) (27.4% vs 11.5%, P = 0.0088). The cut‐off values for %PEF and age for postoperative delirium were 63.3% (area under receiver operating characteristic [AUROC] 0.697) and 73 years old (AUROC 0.734), respectively. Delirium was observed in 50.0% (14/28) of patients with both factors, 23.8% (15/63) of those with 1 factor, and 5.0% (4/80) of those without either factor.

Conclusion

Muscle volume loss is an independent prognostic factor in HCC patients treated with surgical resection, while advanced age and decreased muscle function might indicate high risk for postoperative delirium.
Facial shape manifestations of growth faltering in Tanzanian children
Authors: Cole Joanne B. , Manyama Mange F. , Nikitovic Dejana , Gonzalez Paula N. , Liberton Denise K. , Wilson Warren M. , Rolian Campbell , Larson Jacinda R. , Kimwaga Emmanuel , Mathayo Joshua , Roseman Charles C. , Santorico Stephanie A. , Lukowiak Ken , Spritz Richard A. , Hallgrimsson Benedikt
Published: November 2017

Variation in the shape of the human face and in stature is determined by complex interactions between genetic and environmental influences. One such environmental influence is malnourishment, which can result in growth faltering, usually diagnosed by means of comparing an individual's stature with a set of age‐appropriate standards. These standards for stature, however, are typically ascertained in groups where people are at low risk for growth faltering. Moreover, genetic differences among populations with respect to stature are well established, further complicating the generalizability of stature‐based diagnostic tools. In a large sample of children aged 5–19 years, we obtained high‐resolution genomic data, anthropometric measures and 3D facial images from individuals within and around the city of Mwanza, Tanzania. With genome‐wide complex trait analysis, we partitioned genetic and environmental variance for growth outcomes and facial shape. We found that children with growth faltering have faces that look like those of older and taller children, in a direction opposite to the expected allometric trajectory, and in ways predicted by the environmental portion of covariance at the community and individual levels. The environmental variance for facial shape varied subtly but significantly among communities, whereas genetic differences were minimal. These results reveal that facial shape preserves information about exposure to undernourishment, with important implications for refining assessments of nutritional status in children and the developmental‐genetics of craniofacial variation alike.
Telemedicine follow‐up facilitates more comprehensive diabetes foot ulcer care: A qualitative study in home‐based and specialist health care
Authors: Kolltveit Beate‐Christin Hope , Thorne Sally , Graue Marit , Gjengedal Eva , Iversen Marjolein M , Kirkevold Marit
Published: November 2017

Aims and objectives

To investigate the application of a telemedicine intervention in diabetes foot ulcer care, and its implications for the healthcare professionals in the clinical field.

Background

Contextual factors are found to be important when applying technology in health care and applying telemedicine in home‐based care has been identified as particularly complex.

Design and methods

We conducted field observations and individual interviews among healthcare professionals in home‐based care and specialist health care in a diabetes foot care telemedicine RCT (Clin.Trial.gov: NCT01710774) during 2016. This study was guided by Interpretive Description, an inductive qualitative methodology.

Results

Overall, we identified unequal possibilities for applying telemedicine in diabetes foot ulcer care within the hospital and home care contexts. Different circumstances and possibilities in home‐based care made the application of telemedicine as intended more difficult. The healthcare professionals in both care contexts perceived the application of telemedicine to facilitate a more comprehensive approach towards the patients, but with different possibilities to enact it.

Conclusions

Application of telemedicine in home‐based care was more challenging than in the outpatient clinic setting. Introducing more updated equipment and minor structural adjustments in consultation time and resources could make the use of telemedicine in home‐based care more robust.

Relevance to clinical practice

Application of telemedicine in diabetes foot ulcer follow‐up may enhance the nursing staff's ability to conduct comprehensive assessment and care of the foot ulcer as well as the patient's total situation. Access to adequate equipment and time, particularly in home‐based care, is necessary to capitalise on this new technology.
Tracing the Roots of Innovativeness in Family SMEs: The Effect of Family Functionality and Socioemotional Wealth
Authors: Filser Matthias , De Massis Alfredo , Gast Johanna , Kraus Sascha , Niemand Thomas
Published: November 2017

By integrating literature on family functionality, family firms, and socioemotional wealth (SEW), we develop a theoretical model explaining how family functionality and SEW dimensions influence firm innovativeness. Our multigroup structural equation model on two samples of family small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) shows that family functionality is positively linked to SEW, whereas divergences emerge on the effect of different SEW dimensions on innovativeness. Binding social ties, the emotional attachment of family members to the firm, and the renewal of family bonds through intrafamily succession positively affect family SME innovativeness, while identification of family members with the firm has a negative effect. By deepening current understanding of the role and functionality of controlling families as determinants of their propensity to preserve SEW and achieve innovativeness, our findings offer important implications for theory and practice, paving the way for future research on SEW and family firm innovation.
Cultural Spillovers: Copyright, Conceptions of Authors, and Commercial Practices
Authors: Haveman Heather A. , Kluttz Daniel N.
Published: November 2017

Economists, sociologists, and legal scholars agree that intellectual-property law is fundamental to markets because legal control over copying motivates creative production. But in many markets, such as fashion and databases, there is little or no intellectual-property protection, yet producers still create innovative products and earn profits. Research on such “negative spaces” in intellectual-property law reveals that social norms can constrain copying and support creative production. This insight guided our analysis of markets for American literature before the Civil War, in both magazines (a negative space, where intellectual-property law did not apply) and books (a positive space, where intellectual-property law did apply). We observed similar understandings of authors and similar commercial practices in both spaces because many authors published the same work in both spaces. Based on these observations, we propose that cultural elements that develop in positive spaces may spill over to related negative spaces, inducing changes in buyers' and sellers' behavior in negative spaces. Our historical approach also revealed nuances—shades of gray—beyond the sharp distinction typically drawn between negative and positive spaces. In the 1850s, a few large-circulation magazine publishers began to claim copyright, but many still allowed reprinting and none litigated to protect copyright.
Concomitant nonalcoholic fatty liver disease does not alter the activity, severity or course of primary biliary cholangitis
Authors: Minuk Gerald Y. , Iliant Venera , Zhou Nancy , Kaita Kelly D. , Wong Stephen G. , Peretz David , Uhanova Julia
Published: November 2017

Background & Aims

The impact of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) on the natural history of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) has yet to be described. The aim of this study was to document the activity, severity and progression of PBC in patients with concomitant NAFLD and compare the findings to those with PBC alone.

Methods

Disease activity was assessed by serum liver enzyme levels; severity, by Fib‐4 scores and percent of patients with APRI >1.5; and progression, by changes in Fib‐4 and prevalence of APRI >1.5 during follow‐up.

Results

The study populations consisted of 168 PBC alone and 68 PBC/NAFLD patients. The mean ages and gender distributions of the two cohorts were similar. At presentation, PBC alone patients had greater disease activity (higher serum ALP and GGT values, P = .003 and 0.01, respectively) and advanced disease (higher Fib‐4 (P = .04) scores) than PBC/NAFLD patients. Although the prevalence of APRI >1.5 was also higher in PBC alone (11.1%) vs PBC/NAFLD (4.7%) patients, the difference was not significant (P = .16). During mean follow‐up of 6.7 ± 5.5 (PBC alone) and 6.4 ± 4.4 (PBC/NAFLD) years (ranges: 0.5‐21 years) annual increases in Fib‐4 and prevalence of ≥ APRI 1.5 were greater in PBC alone patients but the differences did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusions

The results of this retrospective, single centre study suggest that the activity, severity and progression of PBC are not adversely affected by concomitant NAFLD.
Morphological and clinical evaluation of prostatic urethra using modified sonourethrography with retrograde jelly injection
Authors: Minagawa Tomonori , Daimon Hironori , Ogawa Noriyuki , Saito Tetsuichi , Suzuki Toshiro , Domen Takahisa , Nagai Takashi , Ogawa Teruyuki , Ishizuka Osamu
Published: November 2017

Objective

Using modified sonourethrography (mSUG) with retrograde jelly injection to precisely measure the morphological characteristics of the prostatic urethra, we assessed prostatic urethral morphology associated with clinical parameters of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).

Methods

BPH patients (n = 43) and control patients with localized prostate cancer (PC; n = 57) were imaged by mSUG before surgery. Using the seminal colliculus as a landmark, prostatic urethral angulation (PUA), sagittal urethral diameter, and anterior or posterior prostatic urethral length were measured. The International Prostatic Symptoms Score (IPSS) was also evaluated in all patients. The Bladder Outlet Obstruction Index (BOOI) was measured in BPH patients that could void in a pressure–flow study. Parameters were compared between BPH and PC patients, and correlations among morphological and clinical parameters were evaluated.

Results

Prostatic urethras were clearly observed in all patients by mSUG. PUA, sagittal urethral diameter, and posterior urethral length were all greater in BPH than PC patients (P < .05). Among all parameters examined, PUA had the strongest correlation with IPSS (r = 0.56). Longitudinal urethral diameter showed the strongest correlation with BOOI, whereas PUA was not correlated with BOOI.

Conclusions

Prostatic urethral morphology can be imaged precisely by mSUG. Morphometric measurements showed that increased PUA was strongly correlated with problematic urinary symptoms, and a flattened shape of the posterior urethra, such as extension of the sagittal urethral diameter, was correlated with urinary tract obstruction by BPH.
Understanding Task‐in‐Process Through the Lens of Laughter: Activity Designs, Instructional Materials, Learner Orientations, and Interpersonal Relationships
Authors: HASEGAWA ATSUSHI
Published: November 2017

Using the framework of conversation analysis, this study investigated the interactional workings of laughter in task‐based interactions. The analysis was drawn from 160 cases of pair work interactions, collected in 2nd‐semester Japanese‐as‐a‐foreign‐language classrooms. The pair work activities examined in this study are mostly grammar‐focused, with prescribed sequences of turns presented on activity prompts. While the learners are closely following these prescribed sequences, analysis of their laughter reveals the complex interplays of their interpretations of activity designs, their appropriation of instructional materials, their negotiation of moment‐by‐moment orientations, and their positioning in interpersonal relationships, all of which give rise to unique interactional outcomes. Moreover, the resourceful use of laughter can be deemed relevant to language learning as it relates to active engagement with language use. This study suggests that a close examination of laughter provides rich information about task‐based interactions that may otherwise be overlooked.
Evaluation of a new fluorescent reagent, fluorescent brightener 85, for the diagnosis of suspected onychomycosis compared with potassium hydroxide
Authors: Yue Xueping , Wang Aiping , Wang Hongwei , Li Qing , Yue Xiuling
Published: November 2017

Onychomycosis is a common fungal infection in dermatology clinics. The commonly used diagnostic method, potassium hydroxide (KOH) direct microscopy, does not have a high‐positive detection rate. Therefore, a new diagnostic method is needed to confirm onychomycosis. The objective of this research was to use fluorescent brightener 85 (FB85), a new fluorescent reagent for fungi detection, and to evaluate this new method based on the diagnostic positive rate, accuracy and efficiency in suspected onychomycosis compared with theKOHmethod. Subungual debris was collected from clinically suspected onychomycosis cases and divided into two parts. The parts were examined byFB85 and 10%KOHsolution, respectively. In total, 108 patients with suspected onychomycosis were recruited. The positive rates ofFB85 andKOHwere 88.9% and 55.6%, respectively. The patients showed significant statistical differences (P < .001). Compared with theKOHmethod, theFB85 fluorescent method was an accurate and efficient method with a higher positive rate. This method could increase the diagnostic accuracy and efficiency of onychomycosis detection.
Muslims' nation‐building process in socialist Bosnia and Herzegovina in the 1960s
Authors: Pearson Sevan Philippe
Published: November 2017

During the 1960s, the Yugoslav Socialist authorities gradually recognised Bosnia and Herzegovina's Muslims as a nation. Interestingly, in the 1940s, the Yugoslav Communist leaders refused to consider Muslims even as an ethnic group and saw them only as a religious community whose members had to designate themselves as Serbs or Croats. Why did the regime decide to recognise Muslims as a nation in the 1960s, whereas 20 years earlier they supported the opposite position? To understand the shift, this nation‐building process must be understood as the result of a dual dynamic on the federal and the republican level, where important changes occurred. At the federal one, the Communist authorities initiated a decentralisation process within the context of Yugoslav self‐management in the 1950s, which significantly reinforced the republic elites. This coincided with the resurgence of the national question in the whole of Yugoslavia. Simultaneously, in Bosnia and Herzegovina, a new elite progressively rose to power in the 1960s and put the ‘Muslim question’ on the political agenda. This led to the gradual increase in status of the Muslims from a religious community to an ethnic group at the beginning of the 1960s and then to a nation at the end of the decade.
Critical Care Capacity Management: Understanding the Role of a Step Down Unit
Authors: Armony Mor , Chan Carri W. , Zhu Bo
Published: November 2017

In hospitals, Step Down Units (SDUs) provide an intermediate level of care between the Intensive Care Units (ICUs) and the general medical‐surgical wards. Because SDUs are less richly staffed than ICUs, they are less costly to operate; however, they also are unable to provide the level of care required by the sickest patients. There is an ongoing debate in the medical community as to whether and how SDUs should be used. On one hand, an SDU alleviates ICU congestion by providing a safe environment for post‐ICU patients before they are stable enough to be transferred to the general wards. On the other hand, an SDU can take capacity away from the already over‐congested ICU. In this work, we propose a queueing model of patient flow through the ICU and SDU in order to determine when an SDU is needed, what size it should be, and what are the main drivers influencing these decisions. Using first‐ and second‐order analysis, we examine the tradeoff between reserving capacity in the ICU for the most critical patients and gaining additional capacity achieved by allocating nurses to the SDU due to the lower staffing requirement. We find that under some circumstances the optimal size of the SDU is zero, while in other cases, having a sizable SDU may be beneficial. Moreover, we identify two parameters which play a prominent role in the SDU sizing decision: p, which captures the demand for SDU beds, and ν, which captures the supply gains by moving nurses to the SDU. The insights from our work provide rigorous justification for the variation in SDU use seen in practice as well as highlight which factors should be considered when making such sizing decisions for critical care.
Analytic Confidence and Political Decision‐Making: Theoretical Principles and Experimental Evidence From National Security Professionals
Authors: Friedman Jeffrey A. , Zeckhauser Richard
Published: November 2017

When making decisions under uncertainty, it is important to distinguish between the probability that a judgment is true and the confidence analysts possess in drawing their conclusions. Yet analysts and decision‐makers often struggle to define “confidence” in this context, and many ways that scholars use this term do not necessarily facilitate decision‐making under uncertainty. To help resolve this confusion, we argue for disaggregating analytic confidence along three dimensions: reliability of available evidence, range of reasonable opinion, and responsiveness to new information. After explaining how these attributes hold different implications for decision‐making in principle, we present survey experiments examining how analysts and decision‐makers employ these ideas in practice. Our first experiment found that each conception of confidence distinctively influenced national security professionals' evaluations of high‐stakes decisions. Our second experiment showed that inexperienced assessors of uncertainty could consistently discriminate among our conceptions of confidence when making political forecasts. We focus on national security, where debates about defining “confidence levels” have clear practical implications. But our theoretical framework generalizes to nearly any area of political decision‐making, and our empirical results provide encouraging evidence that analysts and decision‐makers can grasp these abstract elements of uncertainty.
The more subsidies, the longer survival? Evidence from Chinese manufacturing firms
Authors: Mao Qilin , Xu Jiayun
Published: November 2017

How do government subsidies affect firm survival? By using Chinese firm‐level data for 1998 to 2007, we show that, on average, there is a positive and significant impact of government subsidies on firm survival. We also investigate the heterogeneous effects of government subsidies with different intensities on firm survival, and find that moderate‐intensity government subsidies exert a positive impact on firm survival, while high‐intensity government subsidies increase the exit probabilities, the underlying mechanisms via subsidy‐seeking investment and innovation incentive weakening are supported by empirical evidence. Furthermore, we explore the role of governance institutions in the subsidy–survival relationship, and find that the positive impact of government subsidies on firm survival is more pronounced in regions with better governance institutions.
Experiences of living with a sexually transmitted disease: an integrative review
Authors: Haapa Toni , Suominen Tarja , Paavilainen Eija , Kylmä Jari
Published: November 2017

Purpose

This integrative review describes experiences related to living with a sexually transmitted disease (STD).

Design

The data search was conducted using the CINAHL, MEDLINE (Ovid), PsycINFO and PubMed databases between the years 2000 and 2016. A manual search was also used. The retrieved data consisted of 33 original articles which were analysed using deductive and inductive content analysis.

Results

Based on the results, an infected person has a need for information about STDs and experiences emotions such as a loss of purity and control over his/her body. In addition, the ego of the infected person is wounded due to the infection. Concerns about the results of treatments, suffering side effects, and experiences of unprofessional behaviour by nursing staff are related to the treatment of an STD. Having an STD in everyday life means coping with a changing condition, but there are resources that can provide support. The quality of life can also be negatively affected by an STD, and a future with an STD can manifest different hopes and concerns. In relation to other people, an STD has a marked effect, especially concerning sexual relations. The person's sex life can fade away; however, it may remain as an enjoyable experience. The infected person may also adopt safer sexual behaviours or continue with a risk‐taking behaviour.

Conclusion

The results of this review can be used in the development of nursing practices, as well as be used in the prevention of STDs.
Metaanalysis of Mood and Substance Use Disorders in Proximal Risk for Suicide Deaths
Authors: Conner Kenneth R. , Bridge Jeffrey A. , Davidson Dustin J. , Pilcher Carly , Brent David A.
Published: November 2017

Evidence for proximal risk factors for suicide is based on case–control psychological autopsy studies, with these reports showing that mood and substance use disorders are the most prevalent mental disorders among suicide decedents worldwide and are associated with marked risk. However, moderators of risk and the degree of risk associated with (nonalcohol) drug use disorder are unknown. A comprehensive search was used to identify 35 case–control psychological autopsy studies published worldwide over a 30‐year period that were metaanalyzed using random effects models. Major depression, odds ratio (95% confidence interval) = 9.14 (5.53, 15.09), and drug use disorder, OR (95% CI) = 7.18 (3.22, 16.01), had large effect sizes, among other results. Risk estimates associated with major depression were greater in studies with a larger proportion of women and those conducted in Asia compared with other regions. There was no evidence of publication bias or that any one study had a disproportionate impact on findings. Risk for suicide associated with major depression appears to be moderated by sex and/or world region. Drug use disorder is a potent risk factor, illustrating the importance of assessing drug use in clinical risk assessment.
Rapid identification of microorganisms from platelet concentrates by matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry after short‐term incubation on liquid medium
Authors: Chetouane Yasmine , Dubourg Gregory , Gallian Pierre , Flaudrops Christophe , Chiaroni Jacques , Chabrière Eric , Raoult Didier , Camoin‐Jau Laurence
Published: November 2017

BACKGROUND

Platelets (PLTs) are especially affected by the risk of bacterial contamination. Matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization time‐of‐flight (MALDI‐TOF) is an accurate method for the routine identification of bacterial isolates in microbiology laboratories. We directly applied the MALDI‐TOF method to bacterial detection in PLTs. In this study, we evaluated the sensitivity, specificity, and speed of a direct MALDI‐TOF approach compared to the conventional method BACTEC.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Eight bacteria associated with PLT contamination, cited by the ISBT on transfusion‐transmitted infectious diseases, were spiked into PLTs for a final concentration of approximately 100 CFU/bag (n = 5 for each strain). The PLTs were then agitated for 24 hours. One milliliter of PLTs was incubated in a shaker incubator for 8 hours at 37°C with 1 mL of trypticase soy broth (TSB). The spectra were analyzed using the MALDI Biotyper software. As a control, 8 mL of PLTs incubated into BACTEC bottles and a positive bottle were subcultured to ensure identification of bacterial growth.

RESULTS

Regardless of the strain of PLTs tested, MALDI‐TOF analysis made detection and early identification possible at 8 hours. Analysis by BACTEC of PLTs infected with Escherichia coli, Bacillus cereus, and Providencia stuartii made early identification possible. For the remaining bacteria, the detection time by BACTEC was significantly longer than 8 hours.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrated the possibility of detecting bacteria in PLTs using a standardized culture step in TSB with MALDI‐TOF, regardless of the strain, with the same specificity and analytical sensitivity and with a time to results of 12 hours. This direct method presented rapid and reliable results.
Heuristics-Enhanced Model Fusion Considering Incomplete Data Using Kriging Models
Authors: Beek Anton v. , Li Mian , Ren Chao
Published: November 2017

Simulation models are widely used to describe processes that would otherwise be arduous to analyze. However, many of these models merely provide an estimated response of the real systems, as their input parameters are exposed to uncertainty, or partially excluded from the model due to the complexity, or lack of understanding of the problem's physics. Accordingly, the prediction accuracy can be improved by integrating physical observations into low fidelity models, a process known as model calibration or model fusion. Typical model fusion techniques are essentially concerned with how to allocate information-rich data points to improve the model accuracy. However, methods on subtracting more information from already available data points have been starving attention. Subsequently, in this paper we acknowledge the dependence between the prior estimation of input parameters and the actual input parameters. Accordingly, the proposed framework subtracts the information contained in this relation to update the estimated input parameters and utilizes it in a model updating scheme to accurately approximate the real system outputs that are affected by all real input parameters (RIPs) of the problem. The proposed approach can effectively use limited experimental samples while maintaining prediction accuracy. It basically tweaks model parameters to update the computer simulation model so that it can match a specific set of experimental results. The significance and applicability of the proposed method is illustrated through comparison with a conventional model calibration scheme using two engineering examples.
Quantifying Geometric Accuracy With Unsupervised Machine Learning: Using Self-Organizing Map on Fused Filament Fabrication Additive Manufacturing Parts
Authors: Khanzadeh Mojtaba , Rao Prahalada , Jafari-Marandi Ruholla , Smith Brian K. , Tschopp Mark A. , Bian Linkan
Published: November 2017

Although complex geometries are attainable with additive manufacturing (AM), a major barrier preventing its use in mission-critical applications is the lack of geometric accuracy of AM parts. Existing geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) characteristics are defined based on simple landmark features, and thus, need to be customized to capture the subtle difference in parts with complex geometries. Hence, the objective of this work is to quantify the geometric deviations of additively manufactured parts from a large data set of laser-scanned coordinates using an unsupervised machine learning (ML) approach called the self-organizing map (SOM). The central hypothesis is that clusters recognized by the SOM correspond to specific types of geometric deviations, which in turn are linked to certain AM process conditions. This hypothesis is tested on parts made while varying process conditions in the fused filament fabrication (FFF) AM process. The outcomes of this research are as follows: (1) visualizing and quantifying the link between process conditions and geometric accuracy in FFF and (2) significantly reducing the amount of point cloud data required for characterizing of geometric accuracy. The significance of this research is that this unsupervised ML approach resulted in less than 3% of over 1 million data points being required to fully quantify the part geometric accuracy.
Romanian National Guidelines on Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound in clinical practice
Authors: Sporea Ioan , Badea Radu , Brisc Ciprian , Ioanițescu Simona , Moga Tudor , Popescu Alina , Săftoiu Adrian , Săndulescu Larisa , Spârchez Zeno , Șirli Roxana
Published: November 2017

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) allows a real-time assessment of the vascular pattern of different types of lesions, as it has no renal or liver toxicity, it lacks radiation exposure and it is also cheaper than other imaging methods, having a diagnostic capability that matches contrast-enhanced CT or MRI. In Romania CEUS is used more and more, especially by clinicians, and since some centres have extensive experience in this domain, we felt the need to disseminate our expertise in order to implement this method in as many centres as possible. These Guidelines present the clinical applications of CEUS in the liver, spleen, pancreas, kidney, testis, bowel, intra-cavitary and endoscopic ultrasound, as well as other applications.
A scar-y movie, starring IL-11
Authors: King Kevin R.
Published: November 2017

IL-11 is found to be a critical mediator of TGFβ1-induced scarring and fibrosis in the heart and kidney.
Prasinovirus Attack of Ostreococcus Is Furtive by Day but Savage by Night
Authors: Derelle Evelyne , Yau Sheree , Moreau Hervé , Grimsley Nigel H.
Published: November 2017

Prasinoviruses are large DNA viruses that infect diverse genera of green microalgae worldwide in aquatic ecosystems, but molecular knowledge of their life cycles is lacking. Several complete genomes of both these viruses and their marine algal hosts are now available and have been used to show the pervasive presence of these species in microbial metagenomes. We have analyzed the life cycle of Ostreococcus tauri virus 5 (OtV5), a lytic virus, using transcriptome sequencing (RNA-Seq) from 12 time points of healthy or infected
Ostreococcus tauri
cells over a day/night cycle in culture. In the day, viral gene transcription remained low while host nitrogen metabolism gene transcription was initially strongly repressed for two successive time points before being induced for 8 h, but during the night, viral transcription increased steeply while host nitrogen metabolism genes were repressed and many host functions that are normally reduced in the dark appeared to be compensated either by genes expressed from the virus or by increased expression of a subset of 4.4% of the host's genes. Some host cells underwent lysis progressively during the night, but a larger proportion were lysed the following morning. Our data suggest that the life cycles of algal viruses mirror the diurnal rhythms of their hosts.

IMPORTANCE
Prasinoviruses are common in marine environments, and although several complete genomes of these viruses and their hosts have been characterized, little is known about their life cycles. Here we analyze in detail the transcriptional changes occurring over a 27-h-long experiment in a natural diurnal rhythm, in which the growth of host cells is to some extent synchronized, so that host DNA replication occurs late in the day or early in the night and cell division occurs during the night. Surprisingly, viral transcription remains quiescent over the daytime, when the most energy (from light) is available, but during the night viral transcription activates, accompanied by expression of a few host genes that are probably required by the virus. Although our experiment was accomplished in the lab, cyclical changes have been documented in host transcription in the ocean. Our observations may thus be relevant for eukaryotic phytoplankton in natural environments.
Gut Symbiont
Bacteroides fragilis
Secretes a Eukaryotic-Like Ubiquitin Protein That Mediates Intraspecies Antagonism
Authors: Chatzidaki-Livanis Maria , Coyne Michael J. , Roelofs Kevin G. , Gentyala Rahul R. , Caldwell Jarreth M. , Comstock Laurie E.
Published: November 2017

Human gut
Bacteroides
species produce different types of toxins that antagonize closely related members of the gut microbiota. Some are toxic effectors delivered by type VI secretion systems, and others are non-contact-dependent secreted antimicrobial proteins. Many strains of
Bacteroides fragilis
secrete antimicrobial molecules, but only one of these toxins has been described to date (
Bacteroidales
secreted antimicrobial protein 1 [BSAP-1]). In this study, we describe a novel secreted protein produced by
B. fragilis
strain 638R that mediated intraspecies antagonism. Using transposon mutagenesis and deletion mutation, we identified a gene encoding a eukaryotic-like ubiquitin protein (BfUbb) necessary for toxin activity against a subset of
B. fragilis
strains. The addition of
ubb
into a heterologous background strain conferred toxic activity on that strain. We found this gene to be one of the most highly expressed in the
B. fragilis
genome. The mature protein is 84% similar to human ubiquitin but has an N-terminal signal peptidase I (SpI) signal sequence and is secreted extracellularly. We found that the mature 76-amino-acid synthetic protein has very potent activity, confirming that BfUbb mediates the activity. Analyses of human gut metagenomic data sets revealed that
ubb
is present in 12% of the metagenomes that have evidence of
B. fragilis
. As 638R produces both BSAP-1 and BfUbb, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the toxin activity of BSAP-1 and BfUbb against a set of 40
B. fragilis
strains, revealing that 75% of
B. fragilis
strains are targeted by one or the other of these two secreted proteins of strain 638R.

IMPORTANCE
We are just beginning to understand some of the important interactions that occur between microbes of the human gut microbiota that dictate the composition and abundance of its constituent members. The ability of one member to produce molecules that directly kill a coresident member has been shown among minor gut species and is just starting to be studied in the abundant
Bacteroides
species. Here, we show that some strains of
Bacteroides fragilis
have acquired a gene encoding a secreted eukaryotic-like ubiquitin protein with potent inhibitory activity against other
B. fragilis
stains. This is the first bacterially encoded ubiquitin-like molecule shown to function like a bacterial toxin. This molecule is an example of a gut symbiont acquiring and adapting a eukaryotic molecule likely to increase its competitiveness in the mammalian gut. Understanding antagonistic factors produced by abundant gut symbionts is an important prerequisite to properly engineer strains to colonize the gut for health benefits.
Improving postpartum care delivery and uptake by implementing context-specific interventions in four countries in Africa: a realist evaluation of the Missed Opportunities in Maternal and Infant Health (MOMI) project
Authors: Djellouli Nehla , Mann Sue , Nambiar Bejoy , Meireles Paula , Miranda Diana , Barros Henrique , Bocoum Fadima Y , Yaméogo W Maurice E , Yaméogo Clarisse , Belemkoabga Sylvie , Tougri Halima , Coulibaly Abou , Kouanda Seni , Mochache Vernon , Mwakusema Omar K , Irungu Eunice , Gichangi Peter , Dembo Zione , Kadzakumanja Angela , Makwenda Charles Vidonji , Timóteo Judite , Cossa Misete G , de Melo Malica , Griffin Sally , Osman Nafissa B , Foia Severiano , Ogbe Emilomo , Duysburgh Els , Colbourn Tim
Published: November 2017

Postpartum care (PPC) has remained relatively neglected in many interventions designed to improve maternal and neonatal health in sub-Saharan Africa. The Missed Opportunities in Maternal and Infant Health project developed and implemented a context-specific package of health system strengthening and demand generation in four African countries, aiming to improve access and quality of PPC. A realist evaluation was conducted to enable nuanced understanding of the influence of different contextual factors on both the implementation and impacts of the interventions. Mixed methods were used to collect data and test hypothesised context–mechanism–outcome configurations: 16 case studies (including interviews, observations, monitoring data on key healthcare processes and outcomes), monitoring data for all study health facilities and communities, document analysis and participatory evaluation workshops. After evaluation in individual countries, a cross-country analysis was conducted that led to the development of four middle-range theories. Community health workers (CHWs) were key assets in shifting demand for PPC by ‘bridging’ communities and facilities. Because they were chosen from the community they served, they gained trust from the community and an intrinsic sense of responsibility. Furthermore, if a critical mass of women seek postpartum healthcare as a result of the CHWs bridging function, a ‘buzz’ for change is created, leading eventually to the acceptability and perceived value of attending for PPC that outweighs the costs of attending the health facility. On the supply side, rigid vertical hierarchies and defined roles for health facility workers (HFWs) impede integration of maternal and infant health services. Additionally, HFWs fear being judged negatively which overrides the self-efficacy that could potentially be gained from PPC training. Instead the main driver of HFWs’ motivation to provide comprehensive PPC is dependent on accountability systems for delivering PPC created by other programmes. The realist evaluation offers insights into some of the contextual factors that can be pivotal in enabling the community-level and service-level interventions to be effective.
Thirty-year trends in the prevalence and severity of female genital mutilation: a comparison of 22 countries
Authors: Koski Alissa , Heymann Jody
Published: November 2017

Introduction

Female genital mutilation (FGM) harms women’s health and well-being and is widely considered a violation of human rights. The United Nations has called for elimination of the practice by 2030.

Methods

We used household survey data to measure trends in the prevalence of FGM in 22 countries. We also examined trends in the severity of the practice by measuring changes in the prevalence of flesh removal, infibulation and symbolic ‘nicking’ of the genitals. We evaluated the extent to which measurement error may have influenced our estimates by observing the consistency of reports for the same birth cohorts over successive survey waves.

Results

The prevalence of all types of FGM fell in 17 of 22 countries we examined. The vast majority of women who undergo FGM have flesh removed from their genitals, likely corresponding to the partial or total removal of the clitoris and labia. Infibulation is still practised throughout much of sub-Saharan Africa. Its prevalence has declined in most countries, but in Chad, Mali and Sierra Leone the prevalence has increased by 2–8 percentage points over 30 years. Symbolic nicking of the genitals is relatively rare but becoming more common in Burkina Faso, Chad, Guinea and Mali.

Conclusion

FGM is becoming less common over time, but it remains a pervasive practice in some countries: more than half of women in 7 of the 22 countries we examined still experience FGM. The severity of the procedures has not changed substantially over time. Rigorous evaluation of interventions aimed at eliminating or reducing the harms associated with the practice is needed.
Study of depression influencing factors with zero-inflated regression models in a large-scale population survey
Authors: Xu Tao , Zhu Guangjin , Han Shaomei
Published: November 2017

Objectives

The number of depression symptoms can be considered as count data in order to get complete and accurate analyses findings in studies of depression. This study aims to compare the goodness of fit of four count outcomes models by a large survey sample to identify the optimum model for a risk factor study of the number of depression symptoms.

Methods

15 820 subjects, aged 10 to 80 years old, who were not suffering from serious chronic diseases and had not run a high fever in the past 15 days, agreed to take part in this survey; 15 462 subjects completed all the survey scales. The number of depression symptoms was the sum of the ‘positive’ responses of seven depression questions. Four count outcomes models and a logistic model were constructed to identify the optimum model of the number of depression symptoms.

Results

The mean number of depression symptoms was 1.37±1.55. The over-dispersion test statisticOwas 308.011. The alpha dispersion parameter was 0.475 (95% CI 0.443 to 0.508), which was significantly larger than 0. The Vuong test statisticZwas 6.782 and the P value was <0.001, which showed that there were too many zero counts to be accounted for with traditional negative binomial distribution. The zero-inflated negative binomial (ZINB) model had the largest log likelihood and smallest AIC and BIC, suggesting best goodness of fit. In addition, predictive probabilities for many counts in the ZINB model fitted the observed counts best.

Conclusions

All fitting test statistics and the predictive probability curve produced the same findings that the ZINB model was the best model for fitting the number of depression symptoms, assessing both the presence or absence of depression and its severity.