bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrocardiographic findings in 130 hospitalized neonatal calves with diarrhea and associated potassium balance disorders
Authors: Trefz Florian M. , Lorenz Ingrid , Constable Peter D.
Published: June 2018

Background

Hyperkalemia in neonatal diarrheic calves can potentially result in serious cardiac conduction abnormalities and arrhythmias.

Objectives

To document electrocardiographic (ECG) findings and the sequence of ECG changes that are associated with increasing plasma potassium concentrations (cK+) in a large population of neonatal diarrheic calves.

Animals

One hundred and thirty neonatal diarrheic calves (age ≤21 days).

Methods

Prospective observational study involving calves admitted to a veterinary teaching hospital.

Results

Hyperkalemic calves (cK+: 5.8‐10.2, blood pH: 6.55‐7.47) had significantly (P < .05) longer QRS durations as well as deeper S wave, higher T wave, and higher ST segment amplitudes in lead II than calves, which had both venous blood pH and cK+ within the reference range. The first ECG changes in response to an increase in cK+ were an increase in voltages of P, Ta, S, and T wave amplitudes. Segmented linear regression indicated that P wave amplitude decreased when cK+ >6.5 mmol/L, S wave amplitude voltage decreased when cK+ >7.4 mmol/L, QRS duration increased when cK+ >7.8 mmol/L, J point amplitude increased when cK+ >7.9 mmol/L, and ST segment angle increased when cK+ >9.1 mmol/L. P wave amplitude was characterized by a second common break point at cK+ = 8.2 mmol/L, above which value the amplitude was 0.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Hyperkalemia in neonatal diarrheic calves is associated with serious cardiac conduction abnormalities. In addition to increased S and T wave amplitude voltages, alterations of P and Ta wave amplitudes are early signs of hyperkalemia, which is consistent with the known sensitivity of atrial myocytes to increased cK+.
Infer with care: A critique of the argument from animals
Authors: Brown Rachael L.
Published: June 2018

Non‐human animal evidence is frequently invoked in debates in cognitive science. Here, I critically assess one use of such evidence in the form of the “argument from animals,” a prominent positive argument for nativism, which roughly states that non‐human cognitive development is largely nativist, and thus human cognitive development is most likely largely nativist too. I offer a number of reasons to reject this argument, and in doing so derive some important broader lessons concerning the appropriate role of non‐human animal evidence in a science of the human mind.
Assessment of a pan‐dermatophyte nested‐PCR compared with conventional methods for direct detection and identification of dermatophytosis agents in animals
Authors: Piri Fahimeh , Zarei Mahmoudabadi Ali , Ronagh Ali , Ahmadi Bahram , Makimura Koichi , Rezaei‐Matehkolaei Ali
Published: June 2018

Conventional direct microscopy with potassium hydroxide (KOH) and culture were found to lack the ability to establish a fast and specific diagnosis of dermatophytosis. A pan‐dermatophyte nested‐PCR assay was developed using a novel primer pair targeting the translation elongation factor 1‐α (Tef‐1α) sequences for direct detection and identification of most veterinary relevant dermatophytes in animal samples suspected to dermatophytosis. A total of 140 animal skin and hair samples were subjected to direct microscopy, culture, and ITS‐RFLP/ITS‐sequencing of culture isolates for the detection and identification of dermatophytosis agents. Nested‐PCR sequencing was performed on all the extracted DNAs using a commercial kit after dissolving the specimens by mechanical beating. Nested‐PCR was positive in 90% of samples, followed by direct microscopy (85.7%) and culture (75%). The degree of agreement between nested‐PCR and direct microscopy (94.4%) was higher than with culture (83.3%). In 105 culture‐positive cases, the measures of agreement for the identification of dermatophytosis agents were as follows: 100% between nested‐PCR sequencing and ITS‐RFLP/ITS‐sequencing and 63.8% between nested‐PCR sequencing and culture. The developed nested‐PCR was faster as well as more sensitive and specific than conventional methods for detection and identification of dermatophytes in clinical samples, which was particularly suitable for epidemiological studies.
Land–atmospheric feedbacks during droughts and heatwaves: state of the science and current challenges
Authors: Miralles Diego G. , Gentine Pierre , Seneviratne Sonia I. , Teuling Adriaan J.
Published: June 2018

Droughts and heatwaves cause agricultural loss, forest mortality, and drinking water scarcity, especially when they occur simultaneously as combined events. Their predicted increase in recurrence and intensity poses serious threats to future food security. Still today, the knowledge of how droughts and heatwaves start and evolve remains limited, and so does our understanding of how climate change may affect them. Droughts and heatwaves have been suggested to intensify and propagate via land–atmosphere feedbacks. However, a global capacity to observe these processes is still lacking, and climate and forecast models are immature when it comes to representing the influences of land on temperature and rainfall. Key open questions remain in our goal to uncover the real importance of these feedbacks: What is the impact of the extreme meteorological conditions on ecosystem evaporation? How do these anomalies regulate the atmospheric boundary layer state (event self‐intensification) and contribute to the inflow of heat and moisture to other regions (event self‐propagation)? Can this knowledge on the role of land feedbacks, when available, be exploited to develop geo‐engineering mitigation strategies that prevent these events from aggravating during their early stages? The goal of our perspective is not to present a convincing answer to these questions, but to assess the scientific progress to date, while highlighting new and innovative avenues to keep advancing our understanding in the future.
Mimicking a rainfall gradient to test the role of soil microbiota for mediating plant responses to drier conditions
Authors: O'Brien Michael J. , Pugnaire Francisco I. , Rodríguez‐Echeverría Susana , Morillo José A. , Martín‐Usero Francisco , López‐Escoriza Almudena , Aránega Diego J. , Armas Cristina
Published: June 2018

Plant interactions with soil microbiota are important drivers of biodiversity and ecosystem function, but climate change can modify these interactions by directly altering the soil community, which can affect the direction and magnitude of such interactions. We manipulated water quantity and soil microbiota of two populations of three plant species that differ in their interactions with soil microbiota and assessed germination and biomass production under conditions that mimicked a rainfall gradient in southeastern Spain. We assessed the importance of soil microbiota from home and away (drier) sites for alleviating or exacerbating the effects of drier conditions. Our results suggest that home soil microbiota enhanced germination of the legumeTrifolium stellatum. Conversely, we found that the grass,Lagurus ovatus, and the forb,Sisymbrium erysimoides, produced more biomass under moderate drying with soil microbiota from a drier site than with home soil microbiota, suggesting that dry‐adapted soil microbiota alleviated the negative effects of drier conditions for these species. This maintenance of productivity with dry‐adapted soil microbiota under drier conditions was found despite simultaneous reductions in leaf dry matter content and root‐to‐shoot ratio that would typically be less optimal traits changes under reduced water availability. Severe water limitation resulted in decreased plant biomass regardless of the plant species and soil inoculum, indicating a threshold effect whereby severe water limitation on growth supersedes the beneficial effects of soil microbiota. Overall, our results show that species identity, the severity of water limitation, and soil microbiota interact to determine the response of plants to drier conditions.
Onychomycosis in children: Safety and efficacy of antifungal agents
Authors: Gupta Aditya K. , Mays Rachel R. , Versteeg Sarah G. , Shear Neil H. , Friedlander Sheila F.
Published: June 2018

Onychomycosis is an uncommon condition in childhood, but prevalence in children is increasing worldwide.The objective was to review the efficacy and safety of systemic and topical antifungal agents to treat onychomycosis in children. Databases (Pubmed, OVID, Scopus, clinicaltrials.gov, Cochrane Library) were searched. Seven studies were selected for inclusion. Only one was a randomized controlled trial. In total, 208 children were administered antifungal agents for the treatment of onychomycosis. Four reports of mild adverse events were documented (1.9% of treated children), one of which discontinued treatment (0.5%). Limitations of this review are the lack of randomized controlled trials available in pediatric onychomycosis. These findings suggest that antifungal therapies used to treat onychomycosis in children are associated with a low incidence of adverse events. Current dosing regimens for antifungal drugs are effective and appear safe to use in children, notwithstanding that the Food and Drug Administration has not approved any of these agents for the treatment of onychomycosis in children. To our knowledge, this review is the most up‐to‐date, comprehensive summary of pediatric onychomycosis treatment.
Itching at night: A review on reducing nocturnal pruritus in children
Authors: Boozalis Emily , Grossberg Anna L. , Püttgen Katherine B. , Cohen Bernard A. , Kwatra Shawn G.
Published: June 2018

The most common causes of chronic nocturnal itching in children are atopic dermatitis and psoriasis, with lichen simplex chronicus and prurigo nodularis contributing to lesser degrees. Despite the prevalence of nocturnal itching, its pathophysiology remains poorly understood. The most troubling consequence of itching at night is poor quality of sleep. Poor sleep quality in children with nocturnal itching has been linked to adverse neurocognitive, behavioral, and physiologic outcomes, including poor performance in school, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, short stature, hypertension, obesity, and impaired immune function. There is no consensus on the best management of nocturnal itching in children. We conducted a review of the literature evaluating the efficacy of various treatment options for children with chronic nocturnal pruritus. Our review found three recently conducted randomized controlled trials and one case report demonstrating the efficacy of topical corticosteroids, oral melatonin, and clonidine in reducing nocturnal itching or improving sleep quality in children with nocturnal pruritus. Future research is needed to elucidate the pathophysiology of nocturnal itching to best develop targeted, effective treatment strategies.
Usefulness of high‐frequency ultrasonography in the assessment of cutaneous lesions in children with hematologic malignancies
Authors: Rodríguez Bandera Ana Isabel , Moreno Bonilla Gilberto , Feito Rodríguez Marta , Beato Merino María Jose , de Lucas Laguna Raúl
Published: June 2018

High‐frequency ultrasonography is a bedside tool increasingly used for the assessment of skin lesions, but there have been few reports about its importance in children with skin signs of hematologic disease. We present three cases to highlight the usefulness of high‐frequency ultrasonography in assisting with the diagnosis of these skin lesions.
Neurally adjusted ventilatory assist in extremely low‐birthweight infants
Authors: Oda Arata , Kamei Yoshiya , Hiroma Takehiko , Nakamura Tomohiko
Published: June 2018

Background

Neurally adjusted ventilatory assist (NAVA) is expected to improve respiratory outcomes in preterm infants, but it has not yet been evaluated. We investigated whether NAVA could improve respiratory outcomes and reduce sedation use in extremely low‐birthweight infants (ELBWI).

Methods

A retrospective cohort study was conducted based on patient charts at the Nagano Children's Hospital neonatal intensive care unit, Japan. Infants who were born at <27 weeks’ gestation were included. We assessed the prevalence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), home oxygen therapy (HOT), duration of intubation, and sedation use.

Results

The NAVA group consisted of 14 ELBWI who were born at <27 weeks’ gestation between September 2013 and September 2015. A total of 21 ELBWI born between September 2011 and September 2013, before NAVA implementation, served as the control group. There were no significant differences in the perinatal background characteristics between the two groups. For respiratory outcomes, no significant between‐group differences were found in the prevalence of BPD and HOT or the duration of intubation. The total duration of sedation use was not significantly different between the two groups, but in the NAVA group, midazolam was discontinued in all cases after the infants were switched to NAVA.

Conclusions

NAVA was safe in preterm infants and had a similar effect to conventional mechanical ventilation with regard to respiratory outcomes and sedation use in the chronic phase; thus, NAVA could be used in the early phase, at least before BPD worsens to improve respiratory outcomes in ELBWI.
Mindreading beyond belief: A more comprehensive conception of how we understand others
Authors: Spaulding Shannon
Published: June 2018

Traditional theories of mindreading tend to focus exclusively on attributing beliefs and desires to other agents. The literature emphasizes belief attribution in particular, with numerous debates over when children develop the concept of belief, how neurotypical adult humans attribute beliefs to others, whether non‐human animals have the concept of belief, etc. I describe a growing school of thought that the heavy focus on belief leaves traditional theories of mindreading unable to account for the complexity, diversity, and messiness of ordinary social interactions. I present a few broader, more comprehensive conceptions of mindreading that take into account how stereotypes, character trait inferences, social biases, and more influence how we understand and interact with others. These broader conceptions of mindreading promise to be more empirically adequate and have fruitful application to various debates in philosophy and cognitive science.
Aphid–hoverfly interactions under elevated CO2 concentrations: oviposition and larval development
Authors: Boullis Antoine , Francis Frédéric , Verheggen François
Published: June 2018

The performance of predators of plant pests is mainly driven by their ability to find prey. Recent studies suggest that rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations will affect the semiochemistry of plant–insect relationships, possibly altering prey‐finding behaviour. In the present study, we test the hypothesis that higher atmospheric CO2 concentrations affect the oviposition behaviour of an aphidophagous hoverfly and alter the development of its larvae. We also test the hypothesis that volatile compounds released by the plant–aphid association are modified under elevated CO2. Broad bean plants infested with pea aphids are grown under ambient (450 ppm) or elevated CO2 (800 ppm) concentrations. Plants raised under each treatment are then presented to gravid hoverfly females in a dual‐choice bioassay. In addition, emerging Episyrphus balteatus larvae are directly fed with aphids reared under ambient or elevated CO2 conditions and then measured and weighed daily until pupation. Odours emitted by the plant–aphid association are sampled. A larger number of eggs is laid on plants grown under ambient CO2 conditions. However, no significant difference is observed between the two groups of predatory larvae grown under different CO2 concentrations, indicating that the CO2 concentration does not affect the quality of their aphid diet. Although plant volatiles do not differ between the ambient and elevated CO2‐treated plants, we find that the quantity of aphid alarm pheromone is lower on the plant–aphid association raised under the elevated CO2 condition. This suggests that an alteration of semiochemical emissions by elevated CO2 concentrations impacts the oviposition behaviour of aphid predators.
Abscisic acid, cold and salt stimulate conserved metabolic regulation in the moss Physcomitrella patens
Authors: Arif M. A. , Alseekh S. , Harb J. , Fernie A. , Frank W.
Published: June 2018

Salt and cold are major abiotic stresses that have adverse effects on plant growth and development. To cope with these stresses and their detrimental effects plants have evolved several metabolic, biochemical and physiological processes that are mainly triggered and mediated by the plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA).

To elucidate the metabolic responses of the moss Physcomitrella patens, which serves as a model plant for abiotic stress adaptation, we performed GC‐MS‐based metabolic profiling of plants challenged for 5 and 28 h with either salt, cold or ABA.

Our results indicate significant changes in the accumulation of several sugars including maltose, isomaltose and trehalose, amino acids including arginine, histidine, ornithine, tryptophan and tyrosine, and organic acids mainly citric acid and malonic acid. The metabolic responses provoked by ABA, cold and salt show considerable similarities. The accumulation of certain metabolites positively correlates with gene expression data whereas some metabolites do not show correlation with cognate transcript abundance.

To place our results into an evolutionary context we compared the ABA‐ and stress‐induced metabolic changes in moss to available metabolic profiles of the seed plant Arabidopsis thaliana. We detected considerable conservation between the species, indicating early evolution of stress‐associated metabolic adaptations that probably occurred at the plant water‐to‐land transition.
The impact of installation of automatic milking system on production and reproduction traits of dairy cows
Authors: Brzozowski Marcin , Piwczyński Dariusz , Sitkowska Beata , Kolenda Magdalena
Published: June 2018

The objective of the research was the evaluation of change in the traditional milking system using automatic milking system in the scope of the selected reproduction features of dairy cows of the Polish Holstein–Friesian breed. Animal material consisted of 2,818 cows used on nine farms equipped with the automatic milking system Astronaut A4 made by Lely. The cows were controlled in the scope of services per conception, service period, length of pregnancy, calving interval and calving to conception period, milk yield, protein and fat content obtained in lactations of 305 days. The selected traits were observed between 2005 and 2015. In this period, the milking system was changed from the conventional to automated one. The collected data material was statistically processed, using the multifactorial analysis of variance. The period between the first calving and the second effective insemination was reduced by 11.8 days, and the period between the second calving and the third effective insemination was shortened by 4 days after the installation of the automatic milking system. The increase in milk yield by 466 kg during 305‐day lactation was observed among primiparous cows. The percentage of protein and fat content in the researched groups decreased; moreover, the fall of intergroup variability was noticeable, which may be a sign of the levelling of the yield within the herd.
Expression of melatonin and its related synthase and membrane receptors in the oestrous corpus luteum and corpus luteum verum of sheep
Authors: Xiao Longfei , Hu Junjie , Zhao Xingxu , Song Liangli , Zhang Yong , Dong Weitao , Zhang Quanwei , Ma Youji , Li Fadi
Published: June 2018

Melatonin is an important factor involved in regulating reproduction; it is synthesized enzymatically by the sequential action of melatonin‐synthesizing enzymes, arylalkylamine N‐acetyltransferase (AANAT) and hydroxyindole‐O‐methyltransferase (HIOMT), and exerts its biological functions mainly through receptor‐mediated action. To evaluate the expression of melatonin, two melatonin‐synthesizing enzymes (HIOMT and AANAT), and membrane receptors (MT1 and MT2) in oestrous corpus luteum (CL) and CL verum of sheep (Ovis aries), we performed ELISA, qRT‐PCR, western blotting and immunohistochemistry. The quantitative results showed that melatonin, HIOMT and AANAT levels in the CL verum were significantly higher than those in oestrous CL (p < 0.05), whereas MT1 and MT2 exhibited no change between the oestrous CL and CL verum (p > 0.05); moreover, the localization results showed that HIOMT, AANAT, MT1 and MT2 were mainly expressed in large luteal cells (LLCs). In summary, the above results suggested that sheep CL has potential for the synthesis of melatonin; meanwhile, they also suggested that CL is one of the targets of melatonin. These results provide not only a basis for whether sheep CL can synthesize melatonin but also provide a reference for further study on the mechanism of melatonin in the CL.
GLUCOLD, eosinophils and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Pavord Ian D.
Published: June 2018

See related Article
A decline in molluscan carbonate production driven by the loss of vegetated habitats encoded in the Holocene sedimentary record of the Gulf of Trieste
Authors: Tomašových Adam , Gallmetzer Ivo , Haselmair Alexandra , Kaufman Darrell S. , Mavrič Borut , Zuschin Martin
Published: June 2018

Carbonate sediments in non‐vegetated habitats on the north‐east Adriatic shelf are dominated by shells of molluscs. However, the rate of carbonate molluscan production prior to the 20th century eutrophication and overfishing on this and other shelves remains unknown because: (i) monitoring of ecosystems prior to the 20th century was scarce; and (ii) ecosystem history inferred from cores is masked by condensation and mixing. Here, based on geochronological dating of four bivalve species, carbonate production during the Holocene is assessed in the Gulf of Trieste, where algal and seagrass habitats underwent a major decline during the 20th century. Assemblages of sand‐dwelling Gouldia minima and opportunistic Corbula gibba are time‐averaged to >1000 years and Corbula gibba shells are older by >2000 years than shells of co‐occurring Gouldia minima. This age difference is driven by temporally disjunct production of two species coupled with decimetre‐scale mixing. Stratigraphic unmixing shows that Corbula gibba declined in abundance during the highstand phase and increased again during the 20th century. In contrast, one of the major contributors to carbonate sands – Gouldia minima – increased in abundance during the highstand phase, but declined to almost zero abundance over the past two centuries. Gouldia minima and herbivorous gastropods associated with macroalgae or seagrasses are abundant in the top‐core increments but are rarely alive. Although Gouldia minima is not limited to vegetated habitats, it is abundant in such habitats elsewhere in the Mediterranean Sea. This live–dead mismatch reflects the difference between highstand baseline communities (with soft‐bottom vegetated zones and hard‐bottom Arca beds) and present‐day oligophotic communities with organic‐loving species. Therefore, the decline in light penetration and the loss of vegetated habitats with high molluscan production traces back to the 19th century. More than 50% of the shells on the sea floor in the Gulf of Trieste reflect inactive production that was sourced by heterozoan carbonate factory in algal or seagrass habitats.
Newborn screening using TREC/KREC assay for severe T and B cell lymphopenia in Iran
Authors: Nourizadeh Maryam , Shakerian Leila , Borte Stephan , Fazlollahi Mohammadreza , Badalzadeh Mohsen , Houshmand Massoud , Alizadeh Zahra , Dalili Hossein , Rashidi‐Nezhad Ali , Kazemnejad Anoshirvan , Moin Mostafa , Hammarström Lennart , Pourpak Zahra
Published: June 2018

T‐cell receptor excision circles (TRECs) and κ‐deleting recombination excision circles (KRECs) are recently used for detection of T or B cell lymphopenia in neonates based on region‐specific cutoff levels. Here, we report cutoffs for TREC and KREC copies useful for newborn screening and/or diagnosis of primary immunodeficiency diseases (PID) in Iran. DNA was extracted from a single 3.2 mm punch of dried blood spots collected from 2160 anonymized newborns referred to two major referral health centres between 2014 and 2016. For refinement of the cutoffs, 51 patients with a definite diagnosis of severe combined immunodeficiency, X‐linked agammaglobulinaemia and combined immunodeficiency, including ataxia telangiectasia, human phosphoglucomutase 3 and Janus kinase‐3 deficiency, as well as 47 healthy controls were included. Samples from patients with an X‐linked hyper‐IgM‐syndrome, Wiskott‐Aldrich syndrome and DNA ligase 4 deficiency were considered as disease controls. Triplex‐quantitative real‐time PCR was used. Cutoffs were calculated as TRECs < 11 and KRECs < 6 copies with an ACTB > 700 copies with sensitivity of 100% for TREC and 97% for KREC. Among thirty anonymized newborn samples (1.5%) with abnormal results for TREC and/or KREC, only twenty‐one available cases were retested and shown to be in the normal range except for three samples (0.15%). All of the patients with a definitive diagnosis were correctly identified based on our established TREC/KREC copy numbers. Determining cutoffs for TREC/KREC is essential for correctly identifying children with PID in newborn screening. Early diagnosis of PID patients enables appropriate measures and therapies like stem cell transplantation.
Facility Management of Nigerian Universities: Case of University of Lagos, Lagos and the Bells University of Technology, Ota, Nigeria
Authors: Joseph Oyewale Oyedeji
Published: June 2018

Universities which are citadel of research and learning have many facilities that need to be well maintained in order to achieve the designed aim and sustain value of the institution. This necessitates the need for this study to examine facility management practice and the level of satisfaction of users of facility management in the study areas. The study populations are the students and staff of the institutions who are the users of the facilities. The sampling technique is systematic random sampling technique where respondents were selected from all the academic faculties, student’s hostels, and staff quarters which makes all categories of facilities users to be captured. The analysis was done using tables, 5-point Likert scale. The facility management services were categorized into hard and soft services. The modes of execution of the two were studied. It was gathered that some of the hard and soft services were outsourced while some are done in-house. The levels of satisfaction of the users on the hard and soft services were measured. It was gathered that soft services like move management have least ranking in the two universities and hard services like decoration and refurbishment have least ranking in the two universities. Recommendations were made on how the two universities can improve facility management services.
An Appraisal into the Potential Application of Big Data in the Construction Industry
Authors: Ismail Siti Aisyah , Bandi Shamsulhadi , Maaz Zafira Nadia
Published: June 2018

The volume of data generated by the construction industry has increased exponentially following an intense use of modern technologies. The data explosion thus lead towards the big data phenomenon which is envisioned to revolutionize the construction like never before. Like any other technologies, big data is a disruptive paradigm and inevitably will give impact to the construction industry. As the industry is refocusing towards an improved productivity, the appeal to embrace big data is certain given the value it offers. This certainly will benefit construction akin to the manufacturing and the retail industry alike. Nevertheless, a review of the literature suggested a limited coverage on the potential application of big data in construction as compared to other industries. This limits understanding of its potential, where the industry is seemingly unaware thus could not relate and extract its real value. Hence, this study aims to draw insights on the specific areas of construction big data research. The research objectives include: (1) to analyse the current extent of construction big data research; (2) to map out the orientation of the current construction big data research; and (3) to suggest the current directions of construction big data research. The qualitative method through a desk study approach has been carried out to attain the first two objectives. It involved a structured review process which covered articles from the online databases assisted by the Nvivo software. This resulted in the theoretical orientation which was conceptualized as: (1) project management; (2) safety (3) energy management; (4) decision making design framework and (5) resource management. The theoretical orientation discovered from the review process will form the basis to suggest the prospective directions of research on big data in construction. This exploration is substantial as a precursor to a much deeper study on big data. As big data is set to influence the industry, the finding made would be a catalyst for creating an awareness to support the development of big data for the construction industry.
Two Stage Portfolio Selection and Optimization Model with the Hybrid Particle Swarm Optimization
Authors: Zaheer Kashif Bin , Abd Aziz Mohd Ismail Bin , Kashif Amber Nehan , Raza Syed Muhammad Murshid
Published: June 2018

The selection criteria play an important role in the portfolio optimization using any ratio model. In this paper, the authors have considered the mean return as profit and variance of return as risk on the asset return as selection criteria, as the first stage to optimize the selected portfolio. Furthermore, the sharp ratio (SR) has been considered to be the optimization ratio model. In this regard, the historical data taken from Shanghai Stock Exchange (SSE) has been considered. A metaheuristic technique has been developed, with financial tool box available in MATLAB and the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm. Hence, called as the hybrid particle swarm optimization (HPSO) or can also be called as financial tool box particle swarm optimization (FTB-PSO). In this model, the budgets as constraint, where as two different models i.e. with and without short sale, have been considered. The obtained results have been compared with the existing literature and the proposed technique is found to be optimum and better in terms of profit.
Generalisations of DNA Splicing Systems with One Palindromic Restriction Enzyme
Authors: Heng Fong Wan , Ismail Nurul Izzaty
Published: June 2018

In DNA splicing system, the potential effect of sets of restriction enzymes and a ligase that allow DNA molecules to be cleaved and re-associated to produce further molecules is modelled mathematically.  This modelling is done in the framework of formal language theory, in which the nitrogen bases, nucleotides and restriction sites are modelled as alphabets, strings and rules respectively.  The molecules resulting from a splicing system is depicted as the splicing language.  In this research, the splicing language resulting from DNA splicing systems with one palindromic restriction enzyme for one and two (non-overlapping) cutting sites are generalised as regular expressions.
Comparative Study on Maxwell and Navier Stokes Fluid Equations with Pressure Gradient Over a Flat Plate for Convective Boundary Layer Flow and Heat Transfer
Authors: Kashif Amber Nehan , Abdul Aziz Zainal
Published: June 2018

In this article, Maxwell fluid over a flat plate for convective boundary layer flow with pressure gradient parameter is considered. The aim of this study is to compare and analyze the effects of the presence and absence of λ (relaxation time), and also the effects of m (pressure gradient parameter) and Pr (Prandtl number) on the momentum and thermal boundary layer thicknesses. An approximation technique namely Homotopy Perturbation Method (HPM) has been used with an implementation of Adam and Gear Method’s algorithms. The obtained results have been compared for zero relaxation time and also pressure gradient parameter with the published work of Fathizadeh and Rashidi. The current outcomes are found to be in good agreement with the published results. Physical interpretations have been given for the effects of the m, Pr and β (Deborah number) with λ. This study will play an important role in industrial and engineering applications.
Subbalancing Numbers
Authors: Davala Ravi Kumar , Panda G. K.
Published: June 2018

A natural number $n$ is called balancing number (with balancer $r$)if it satisfies the Diophantine equation $1+2+\cdots+(n-1)=(n+1)+(n+2)+\cdots+(n+r).$ However, if for some pair of natural numbers $(n,r)$, $1+2+\cdots+(n-1) < (n+1)+(n+2)+\cdots+(n+r)$ and equality is achieved after adding a natural number $D$ to the left hand side then we call $n$ a $D$-subbalancing number with $D$-subbalaner number $r$. In this paper, such numbers are studied for certain values of $D$.
Exergy Analysis of the Annual Operation of a Sugarcane Cogeneration Power Plant Assisted by Linear Fresnel Solar Collectors
Authors: López Juan Camilo , Restrepo Álvaro , Bazzo Edson
Published: June 2018

In this work, the exergy analysis of two configurations of hybrid solar–sugarcane cogeneration power plant is proposed in order to evaluate the overall efficiency enhancement of the cycle. Solar thermal energy was coupled to a sugarcane cogeneration power plant localized on the tropical region of Brazil, in order to preheat the feeding water supplied to the steam generators and to reduce the fuel consumption during the sugarcane-harvesting season in order to stock the unused fuel for its use during the off-season. The exergy analysis of the cycle was proposed based on a thermodynamic model, which considered real operational states, and allowed to quantify the main parameters of performance, such as the solar-to-electricity (STE) efficiency, the power generation increasing, the percentage of fuel saved, and the exergy destruction rates of the equipment. The results showed that, under design conditions, almost 10% of fuel was saved, and the overall exergy destruction decreased 11% approximately. Additionally, as a result of the hourly analysis of the annual operation, it was found that the power plant operated 331 extra hours, 8.50 GWh of electricity were generated, and due to this fact, it has attained economic benefits for the operation of the sugarcane cogeneration power plant.
Diffuse-field reciprocity calibration of half-inch laboratory standard microphones using simultaneous reverberation time measurement
Authors: B. Milhomem Thiago Antônio , Defilippo Soares Zemar M. , Musafir Ricardo E. , Müller Swen
Published: June 2018

This paper presents a procedure for diffuse-field calibration of half-inch laboratory standard microphones by reciprocity using three microphones and a small reverberation chamber. The procedure consists of obtaining the impulse response of the system microphone-chamber-microphone and employing it to determine both the electrical transfer impedance between the microphones and the chamber's reverberation time (necessary to calculate the acoustic transfer impedance between the microphones). The electrical transfer impedance is calculated from the reverberant part of the obtained impulse response and the reverberation time is obtained by integrating the same impulse response. A comparison between results obtained by the proposed procedure (by the reciprocity method) and pressure field results corrected to diffuse-field (an usual alternative method) shows the accuracy of the proposal, while a comparison with other diffuse-field procedures using the reciprocity method shows that the measured frequency range is extended down, whereas similar performance is found in the common range.
MEG3-4 is a miRNA decoy that regulates IL-1β abundance to initiate and then limit inflammation to prevent sepsis during lung infection
Authors: Li Rongpeng , Fang Lizhu , Pu Qinqin , Bu Huimin , Zhu Pengcheng , Chen Zihan , Yu Min , Li Xuefeng , Weiland Timothy , Bansal Arvind , Ye Shui Qing , Wei Yuquan , Jiang Jianxin , Wu Min
Published: June 2018

Feedback inhibition of the microRNA decoy activity of lncRNA MEG3 tempers inflammation during lung infection.
Acquisition of Beta-Lactamase by Neisseria meningitidis through Possible Horizontal Gene Transfer
Authors: Hong Eva , Deghmane Ala-Eddine , Taha Muhamed-Kheir
Published: June 2018

We report the detection in France of a beta-lactamase-producing invasive meningococcal isolate. Whole-genome sequencing of the isolate revealed a ROB-1-type beta-lactamase gene that is frequently encountered in
Haemophilus influenzae
, suggesting horizontal transfer between isolates of these bacterial species.
Screening and Characterization of Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria from a Remote African Area, São Tomé and Príncipe
Authors: Poirel Laurent , Aires-de-Sousa Marta , Kudyba Patrick , Kieffer Nicolas , Nordmann Patrice
Published: June 2018

The occurrence of resistance to last-resort antibiotics was evaluated among
Enterobacteriaceae
isolates recovered from hospitalized children in a remote African archipelago, São Tomé and Príncipe, where there is limited access to those antibiotics. Fifty patients were screened for colonization by carbapenem-, pan-aminoglycoside-, or polymyxin-resistant
Enterobacteriaceae
.
Clostridium difficile
Lipoprotein GerS Is Required for Cortex Modification and Thus Spore Germination
Authors: Diaz Oscar R. , Sayer Cameron V. , Popham David L. , Shen Aimee
Published: June 2018

The Gram-positive, spore-forming bacterium
Clostridium difficile
is a leading cause of antibiotic-associated diarrhea. Because
C. difficile
is an obligate anaerobe, its aerotolerant spores are essential for transmitting disease, and their germination into toxin-producing cells is necessary for causing disease. Spore germination requires the removal of the cortex, a thick layer of modified peptidoglycan that maintains spore dormancy. Cortex degradation is mediated by the SleC hydrolase, which is thought to recognize cortex-specific modifications. Cortex degradation also requires the GerS lipoprotein for unknown reasons. In our study, we tested whether GerS is required to generate cortex-specific modifications by comparing the cortex composition of Δ
gerS
spores to the cortex composition of spores lacking two putative cortex-modifying enzymes, CwlD and PdaA. These analyses revealed that GerS, CwlD, and PdaA are all required to generate cortex-specific modifications. Since loss of these modifications in Δ
gerS
, Δ
cwlD
, and Δ
pdaA
mutants resulted in spore germination and heat resistance defects, the SleC cortex lytic enzyme depends on cortex-specific modifications to efficiently degrade this protective layer. Our results further indicate that GerS and CwlD are mutually required for removing peptide chains from spore peptidoglycan and revealed a novel interaction between these proteins. Thus, our findings provide new mechanistic insight into
C. difficile
spore germination.
Clostridium difficile
Alters the Structure and Metabolism of Distinct Cecal Microbiomes during Initial Infection To Promote Sustained Colonization
Authors: Jenior Matthew L. , Leslie Jhansi L. , Young Vincent B. , Schloss Patrick D.
Published: June 2018

Clostridium difficile
has become the most common single cause of hospital-acquired infection over the last decade in the United States. Colonization resistance to the nosocomial pathogen is primarily provided by the gut microbiota, which is also involved in clearing the infection as the community recovers from perturbation. As distinct antibiotics are associated with different risk levels for CDI, we utilized a mouse model of infection with 3 separate antibiotic pretreatment regimens to generate alternative gut microbiomes that each allowed for
C. difficile
colonization but varied in clearance rate. To assess community-level dynamics, we implemented an integrative multi-omics approach that revealed that infection significantly changed many aspects of the gut community. The degree to which the community changed was inversely correlated with clearance during the first 6 days of infection, suggesting that
C. difficile
differentially modifies the gut environment to promote persistence. This is the first time that metagenome-enabled metatranscriptomics have been employed to study the behavior of a host-associated microbiota in response to an infection. Our results allow for a previously unseen understanding of the ecology associated with
C. difficile
infection and provide the groundwork for identification of context-specific probiotic therapies.
Premacular membrane formation after scleral buckling for primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment: prospective study and pathophysiological insights
Authors: Cacioppo Viviana , Govetto Andrea , Radice Paolo , Virgili Gianni , Scialdone Antonio
Published: June 2018

Purpose

To investigate the incidence, clinical features and risk factors of premacular membrane (PMM) formation after primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) repair with scleral buckling (SB) alone.

Methods

This institutional, prospective and consecutive case series included phakic eyes with RRD, treated with SB alone within 7 days from the occurrence of symptoms, with a follow-up of 6 months. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography images were reviewed. The association of PMM development and morphology with preoperative and intraoperative RRD features was analysed.

Results

Ninety-two patients with a mean age of 56±13 years completed the 6 months follow-up period. Postoperatively, eyes with any PMM stage were 30 out of 92 (32.6%) at 1 month and 47 out of 92 (51,1%) at both 3 months and 6 months. Over the follow-up period, 17 out of 47 PMMs (36.2%) progressed to later stages. Progression of PMMs to later stages were observed only in RRDs involving the macular region (17 out of 35 eyes, 48.5%), while none of the PMMs in macula-sparing detachments progressed to later stages (p=0.020). The risk factors significantly associated with postoperative new onset of PMM were preoperative RRDs involving the macular region (p=0.001), cryopexy time (p=0.045), presence of horseshoe tears (p=0.003), worse preoperative visual acuity (p=0.004) and subretinal fluid drainage (p=0.047).

Conclusion

The incidence of postoperative PMM formation after RRD repair with SB alone was high. In retinal detachments involving the macular region PMM were more severe, tending to anatomical progression and functional deterioration. Activation of foveal Müller cell in detachments involving the macula may be a key factor in PMM progression.
Functional and aesthetic outcomes of eyelid skin grafting in facial nerve palsy
Authors: Maqsood Sundas Ejaz , Cascone Nikhil , Grixti Andre , Kannan Ruben , Nduka Charles , Malhotra Raman
Published: June 2018

Aim

To report the functional and aesthetic outcomes of eyelid full-thickness skin grafting (FTSG) in patients with facial nerve palsy (FNP).

Methods

This is a retrospective, non-comparative, single-centre review of all patients with FNP who underwent FTSG over an 8-year period. Functional outcomes were collected through case notes review: CADS (cornea, static asymmetry and dynamic and synkinesis) score facial nerve grading and lagophthalmos on blink, gentle and forced closure. Marginal reflex distance (MRD1 and MRD2) was calculated on standardised photographs. The aesthetic outcomes were assessed objectively by two blinded independent assessors who assessed standardised photographs based on a mutually agreed grading scale. Both functional and aesthetic outcomes were measured preoperatively, and at early (1–3 months), intermediate (3–6 months) and late (>9 months) postoperative periods.

Results

A total of 28 eyelid FTSGs were performed on 21 patients (11 female, 10 male) between 2008 and 2016. The mean age was 68 (range, 16–89) years and the mean follow-up was 20.8 (range, 12–30) months. The CADS score (cornea (p<0.001), static asymmetry (p<0.001), dynamic function (p<0.001)), MRD2 (p=0.002) and lagophthalmos (blink (p=0.003), gentle (p<0.001), forced (p=0.003)) improved through early and late postoperative periods. Aesthetically, the grafts appeared to look natural in terms of colour, surface contour and graft edge from the intermediate postoperative period and continued to improve significantly by the late postoperative period.

Conclusion

The use of periocular FTSG is effective in improving lagophthalmos and periorbital symmetry in patients with FNP where skin contraction exists. They should be considered as an adjunct to other oculoplastic procedures for both functional and aesthetic rehabilitation.
Are medical students in prehospital care at risk of moral injury?
Authors: Murray Esther , Krahé Charlotte , Goodsman Danë
Published: June 2018

Background

The term ‘moral injury’ may be useful in conceptualising the negative psychological effects of delivering emergency and prehospital medicine as it provides a non-pathological framework for understanding these effects. This is in contrast to concepts such as burnout and post-traumatic stress disorder which suggest practitioners have reached a crisis point. We conducted an exploratory, pilot study to determine whether the concept of moral injury resonated with medical students working in emergency medicine and what might mitigate that injury for them.

Methods

Structured interviews and focus groups were carried out with medical students involved in the delivery of prehospital and emergency medicine. The study was carried out at Barts and the London School of Medicine and Dentistry in May and June 2017. The data were analysed using theoretically driven thematic analysis.

Results

Concepts of moral injury such as witnessing events which contravene one’s moral code, especially those involving children, or acts of violence, resonated with the experiences of medical students in this study. Participants stated that having more medical knowledge and a clear sense of a job to do on scene helped reduce their distress at the time. While social support was a protective factor, not all students found the process of debrief easy to access or undergo, those with more established relationships with colleagues fared better in this regard.

Conclusions

The term moral injury is useful in exploring the experience of medical students in emergency medicine. More effort should be made to ensure that students effectively access debrief and other support opportunities. It is hoped that future work will be undertaken with different professional groups and explore the potential psychological and neuropsychological impact of witnessing trauma.