bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relationship between employment category and gender on quality of life, physical activity and their barriers and motivators, for full-time university staff
Authors: Scott Leicht Anthony , M. Sealey Rebecca , Devine Sue
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– There has been considerable interest in worksite health programmes to improve employee health and productivity with programme effectiveness possibly influenced by employment category and gender. The purpose of this paper is to examine the current quality of life (QOL), physical activity (PA) levels, sitting times, and barriers/motivators to undertaking PA between academic and professional, and male and female staff within a university workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

– Participants (105 males, 192 females, n=297) employed as full-time staff of a regional university completed an online survey with differences between staff categories (academic vs professional) and genders identified via ANCOVA using sitting time and working hours as covariates. Relationships between variables were assessed using Spearman's Rank correlations.

Findings

– Academic and male staff reported greater working hours (∼7-25 per cent, p<0.05) but similar QOL, seven-day total PA (∼3,600 MET-minutes per week) and sitting times (∼6-7 hours per day) compared to professional and female staff. The most common barriers for PA were lack of time or energy, with motivators including to feel good or improve health. Male staff reported these less frequently compared to females (∼13-25 per cent, p<0.05). Significant correlations between working hours and QOL (=−0.157 to −0.220, p<0.05), sitting time and QOL (=−0.195 to 0.171, p<0.05), and PA levels and QOL (=0.141-0.192, p<0.05) were identified for all staff.

Originality/value

– The current study has demonstrated significant employment and gender differences in working hours with staff exhibiting similar QOL, PA and sitting levels. Gender differences in working hours, and PA barriers/motivators may provide important foci for the development of worksite health programmes to improve staff health and well-being.
Physical activity barriers in the workplace
Authors: Edmunds Sarah , Hurst Louise , Harvey Kate
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to explore factors contributing to non-participation in a workplace physical activity (PA) intervention in a large UK call centre.

Design/methodology/approach

– In total, 16 inactive individuals (nine male/seven female), aged 27±9 years, who had not taken part in the intervention were interviewed to explore their perceptions of PA, the intervention and factors which contributed to their non-participation. Transcripts were analysed using thematic analysis.

Findings

– Six superordinate themes were identified: self-efficacy for exercise; attitudes towards PA; lack of time and energy; facilities and the physical environment; response to the PA programme and PA culture. Barriers occurred at multiple levels of influence, and support the use of ecological or multilevel models to help guide future programme design/delivery.

Research limitations/implications

– The 16 participants were not selected to be representative of the workplace gender or structure. Future intentions relating to PA participation were not considered and participants may have withheld negative opinions about the workplace or intervention despite use of an external researcher.

Practical implications

– In this group of employees education about the importance of PA for young adults and providing opportunities to gain social benefits from PA would increase perceived benefits and reduce perceived costs of PA. Workplace cultural norms with respect to PA must also be addressed to create a shift in PA participation.

Originality/value

– Employees’ reasons for non-participation in workplace interventions remain poorly understood and infrequently studied. The study considers a relatively under-studied population of employed young adults, providing practical recommendations for future interventions.
Globalization of trust and internet confidence emails
Authors: Nikiforova Bistra , W. Gregory Deborah
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– This paper aims to analyze Nigerian Letter scam emails in the context of processes of globalization in order to understand how and why they continue to defraud people despite the increased public awareness.

Design/methodology/approach

– This paper analyses over 500 emails received in an institutional email box over a nine-year period. Distinct rhetorical strategies for conveying trust and reputation were identified as indicators of the global connectedness of scammers and their victims.

Findings

– Scammers from Third World countries and their First World victims share similar perceptions of trust and business reputation due to the global financial flows and transnational movement of people and labour, which is strengthened by the internet. They have transformed the rhetorical elements that establish trust and reputation within the Western rational context and imbued them with new value meanings intended to defraud their victims.

Originality/value

– This paper is the first to interpret the success of Nigerian Letter scams as a product of processes that go beyond scammers' and their victims' social and political realities. It is valuable for crime-fighting organizations because it accounts not only for the rhetorical strategies used by the scammers but also for the underlying context that enables the spread and success of the online Confidence Letter scams.
Conflict of interest in European public law
Authors: Nikolov Nikolay
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– The aim of this article is to formulate and represent some common characteristics about conflict of interest as a global legal occurrence. All the conclusions made here are based upon 11 European countries legislations. As do similarities so do differences in every separate legislation give us the reasoning that there is a common European model on conflict of interest. The aim of the article is to provoke a discussion on this topic which is to help creating a new and better European legislation in the field of conflict of interest.

Design/methodology/approach

– The basic methods used for writing the article are comparison and analysis on the judicial system concerning conflict of interest in the treated European countries.

Findings

– Conflict of interest is extremely important governmental instrument in the fight against corruption and spending funds or using public properties for private purposes. Besides some of the analyzed countries, i.e. Germany, where such an act is treated as a crime according to the criminal code, the conflict of interest is an administrative offence. Finding conflict of interest is a matter in the field of administrative control, so when there is a conflict of interest, it follows that administrative punishment should be enforced. There exists a conjunction between the substantive staff dealing with conflict of interest in much of the mentioned countries. Two main types of finding were described – by a specialized governmental body or by the appointment authority or by some other internal for the departmental system body.

Originality/value

– The article claims that conflict of interest aims for higher public trust towards institutions and to consolidate democracy. As far as conflict of interest is often applied when the concern is spending a considerable funds, including supranational, there comes the question for the need of a new supranational legislation. A review was made on the conflict of interest in European countries. Free movement of people, goods and capital in EU boundaries demands a broadening of the existing legislative system.
Beyond persuasion: a cultural perspective of behaviour
Authors: Spotswood Fiona , Tapp Alan
Published: September 2013

Purpose

– This research suggests that understanding problem behaviours through a cultural lens may offer multifarious layers of insight and provide opportunities for more effective intervention than the classical psychological perspective and cognitive models. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

Design/methodology/approach

– In this ethnographic study of a deprived community in North West England, physical activity behaviours were researched through participant observation. Field notes were analysed using retroductive reasoning, with Bourdieu's “habitus” as a theoretical framework to guide a cultural understanding.

Findings

– This approach led to the identification of cultural mechanisms which influenced the observed lack of physical activity, and which would have been difficult to identify with a psychological theoretical base. These included a lack of perspective, participation and control. These mechanisms led to the observed preoccupations with family survival, withdrawal and fantasy, instant pleasure and image management.

Practical implications

– This paper argues that the identification of these mechanisms through culturally grounded analysis suggests that cognitive models are limited in scope and that the simple “marketing exchange” and favoured social marketing 4Ps approach is unlikely to make a significant impact on behaviour.

Originality/value

– Social marketers tend to rely on overtly cognitive models to underpin their audience research and intervention planning, and in alignment with the field's definition, social marketing interventions tend to rely on the voluntary engagement of the target audience in the “exchange” or marketing offer. In contrast, this research suggests culture change is a logical intervention approach, but it would contravene the existing definition of social marketing.
Drinking: Another glass ceiling? Social drinking and alcohol use among women inKorea
Authors: Chung Sulki , Yoon Hong Sik
Published: September 2013

Korean society is experiencing a rapid increase in alcohol consumption among women. Research on women's alcohol use has focused mostly on problems and pathological symptoms associated with alcohol use. Focusing only on problems of alcohol use risks overlooking some important social phenomena where alcohol use is a medium. We examined the association between marital status, childcare responsibility, employment status and social drinking behaviour. Our aim was to examine how these factors influence women's alcohol consumption in order to provide an empirical explanation of how the traditional division of labour limits women's social drinking practices. Findings show that women are structurally excluded from social drinking behaviour due to domestic responsibilities (as a wife and a mother). In other words, social drinking has become another glass ceiling for women.

Key Practitioner Message: ●Attention should be given to structural influences on women's alcohol use;●It is important to consider gender inequality in both formal and informal domains.
Tip Clearance Investigation of a Ducted Fan Used in VTOL Unmanned Aerial Vehicles—Part II: Novel Treatments Via Computational Design and Their Experimental Verification
Authors: Akturk Ali , Camci Cengiz
Published: September 2013

Ducted fan based vertical lift systems are excellent candidates to be in the group of the next generation vertical lift vehicles, with many potential applications in general aviation and military missions. Although ducted fans provide high performance in many “vertical take-off and landing” (VTOL) applications, there are still unresolved problems associated with these systems. Fan rotor tip leakage flow adversely affects the general aerodynamic performance of ducted fan VTOL unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). The current study utilized a three-dimensional Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model of ducted fan for the development and design analysis of novel tip treatments. Various tip leakage mitigation schemes were introduced by varying the chordwise location and the width of the extension in the circumferential direction. Reduced tip clearance related flow interactions were essential in improving the energy efficiency and range of ducted fan based vehicles. Full and inclined pressure side tip squealers were also designed. Squealer tips were effective in changing the overall trajectory of the tip vortex to a higher path in radial direction. The interaction of rotor blades and tip vortex was effectively reduced and the aerodynamic performance of the rotor blades was improved. The overall aerodynamic gain was a measurable reduction in leakage mass flow rate. This leakage reduction increased thrust significantly. Experimental measurements indicated that full and inclined pressure side tip squealers increased thrust obtained in hover condition by 9.1% and 9.6%, respectively. A reduction or elimination of the momentum deficit in tip vortices is essential to reduce the adverse performance effects originating from the unsteady and highly turbulent tip leakage flows rotating against a stationary casing. The novel tip treatments developed throughout this study are highly effective in reducing the adverse performance effects of ducted fan systems developed for VTOL UAVs.
Aerodynamic Design of High End Wall Angle Turbine Stages—Part II: Experimental Verification
Authors: Cranstone A. W. , Pullan G. , Curtis E. M. , Bather S.
Published: September 2013

An experimental investigation of a turbine stage featuring very high end wall angles is presented. The initial turbine design did not achieve a satisfactory performance and the difference between the design predictions and the test results was traced to a large separated region on the rear suction-surface. To improve the agreement between computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and experiment, it was found necessary to modify the turbulence modeling employed. The modified CFD code was then used to redesign the vane, and the changes made are described. When tested, the performance of the redesigned vane was found to have much closer agreement with the predictions than the initial vane. Finally, the flowfield and performance of the redesigned stage are compared to a similar turbine, designed to perform the same duty, which lies in an annulus of moderate end wall angles. A reduction in stage efficiency of at least 2.4% was estimated for the very high end wall angle design.
Drag Management in High Bypass Turbofan Nozzles for Quiet Approach Applications
Authors: Shah P. , Robinson A. , Price A. , Spakovszky Z.
Published: September 2013

The feasibility of a drag management device that reduces engine thrust on approach by generating a swirling outflow from the fan (bypass) nozzle is assessed. Deployment of such “engine air-brakes” (EABs) can assist in achieving slower and/or steeper and/or aeroacoustically cleaner approach profiles. The current study extends previous work from a ram air-driven nacelle (a so-called “swirl tube”) to a “pumped” or “fan-driven” configuration and also includes an assessment of a pylon modification to assist a row of vanes in generating a swirling outflow in a more realistic engine environment. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and aeroacoustic measurements in an anechoic nozzle test facility are performed to assess the swirl-flow-drag-noise relationship for EAB designs integrated into two NASA high-bypass ratio (HBPR), dual-stream nozzles. Aerodynamic designs have been generated at two levels of complexity: (1) a periodically spaced row of swirl vanes in the fan flowpath (the “simple” case), and (2) an asymmetric row of swirl vanes in conjunction with a deflected trailing edge pylon in a more realistic engine geometry (the “installed” case). CFD predictions and experimental measurements reveal that swirl angle, drag, and jet noise increase monotonically but approach noise simulations suggest that an optimal EAB deployment may be found by carefully trading any jet noise penalty with a trajectory or aerodynamic configuration change to reduce perceived noise on the ground. Constant speed, steep approach flyover noise predictions for a single-aisle, twin-engine tube-and-wing aircraft suggest a maximum reduction of 3 dB of peak tone-corrected perceived noise level (PNLT) and up to 1.8 dB effective perceived noise level (EPNL). Approximately 1 dB less maximum benefit on each metric is predicted for a next-generation hybrid wing/body aircraft in a similar scenario.
The Effect of Clearance on Shrouded and Unshrouded Turbines at Two Levels of Reaction
Authors: Yoon Sungho , Curtis Eric , Denton John , Longley John
Published: September 2013

In this paper, the effect of seal clearance on the efficiency of a turbine with a shrouded rotor is compared with the effect of the tip clearance when the same turbine has an unshrouded rotor. The shrouded versus unshrouded comparison was undertaken for two turbine stage designs one having 50% reaction, the other having 24% reaction. Measurements for a range of clearances, including very small clearances, showed three important phenomena. Firstly, as the clearance is reduced, there is a “break-even clearance” at which both the shrouded turbine and the unshrouded turbine have the same efficiency. If the clearance is reduced further, the unshrouded turbine performs better than the shrouded turbine, with the difference at zero clearance termed the “offset loss.” This is contrary to the traditional assumption that both shrouded and unshrouded turbines have the same efficiency at zero clearance. The physics of the break-even clearance and the offset loss are discussed. Secondly, the use of a lower reaction had the effect of reducing the tip leakage efficiency penalty for both the shrouded and the unshrouded turbines. In order to understand the effect of reaction on the tip leakage, an analytical model was used and it was found that the tip leakage efficiency penalty should be understood as the dissipated kinetic energy rather than either the tip leakage mass flow rate or the tip leakage loss coefficient. Thirdly, it was also observed that, at a fixed flow coefficient, the fractional change in the output power with clearance was approximately twice the fractional change in efficiency with clearance. This was explained by using an analytical model.
Effects of Periodic Unsteady Inflow on Film Cooling and Heat Transfer on Highly Loaded High Pressure Turbine Blades With Flow Separation
Authors: Gomes Reinaldo A. , Niehuis Reinhard
Published: September 2013

Film cooling experiments were run at the high-speed cascade wind tunnel of the University of the Federal Armed Forces Munich. The investigations were carried out on a linear cascade of highly loaded turbine blades. The main targets of the tests were to assess the film cooling effectiveness and the heat transfer in zones with main flow separation. The previous cascade was designed to have a large zone with flow separation on the pressure side starting at the leading edge and reaching up to approximately half of the axial chord. This cascade was changed for a new design with a larger pitch to chord ratio in order to set the focus on flow separation on the suction side. This increased pitch forces a massive separation on the suction side due to strong shocks. The flow separation is controlled with aid of vortex generating jets in order to reduce the total pressure loss caused by it. Film cooling is provided on the suction side upstream of the vortex generating jets. The measurements comprise of blade loading, profile loss, adiabatic film cooling effectiveness, and heat transfer coefficient under two Mach numbers at a Reynolds number of 390,000. In a previous publication detailed results with homogeneous inflow where shown. Now, the focus is set on the effects of periodic unsteady wakes resulting from bars moving upstream of the cascade. These moving bars create a periodic unsteady inflow similar to the interaction between stator and rotor in the machine. It is shown how these wakes have significant influence on the heat transfer in the acceleration region of the suction side and affect the adiabatic film cooling effectiveness upstream of the shock.
Multicolor Techniques for Identification and Filtering of Burst Signals in Jet Engine Pyrometers
Authors: Estevadeordal Jordi , Wang Guanghua , Nirmalan Nirm , Wang Anquan , Harper Sean P. , Rigney Joseph D.
Published: September 2013

A Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)-funded multicolor pyrometry (MCP) experiment was carried out on a government-provided aircraft engine to study the nature of hot particulate bursts generated from the combustor at certain engine conditions. These bursts of hot particulates lead to intermittent high-voltage signal output from the line-of-sight (LOS) pyrometer that is ultimately detected and used by the onboard digital engine controller (DEC). The investigation used a high-speed MCP system designed to detect bursts and identify their properties. Results of the radiant temperature, multicolor temperature, and apparent emissivity are presented. The results indicated that the apparent emissivity calculated during the signal burst was lower than that of the blade. The root cause for the signal burst was identified as soot particles generated as a by-product of combustion under certain conditions. This conclusion was drawn based on both experimental and simulation results. Technical strategies to separate, reduce, or remove the burst signal are proposed.
Impact of an Upstream Film-Cooling Row on Mitigation of Secondary Combustion in a Fuel Rich Environment
Authors: Bohan Brian T. , Blunck David L. , Polanka Marc D. , Kostka Stanislav , Jiang Naibo , Stouffer Scott D.
Published: September 2013

In advanced gas turbine engines that feature very short combustor sections, an issue of fuel-rich gases interacting with the downstream turbine components can exist. Specifically, in combustors with high fuel-to-air ratios, there are regions downstream of the primary combustion section that will require the use of film-cooling in the presence of incompletely reacted exhaust. Additional combustion reactions resulting from the combination of unburnt fuel and oxygen-rich cooling films can cause significant damage to the turbine. Research has been accomplished to understand this secondary reaction process. This experimental film-cooling study expands the previous investigations by attempting to reduce or mitigate the increase in heat flux that results from secondary combustion in the coolant film. Two different upstream cooling schemes were used to attempt to protect a downstream fan-shaped cooling row. The heat flux downstream was measured and compared between ejection with air compared to nitrogen in the form of a heat flux augmentation. Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) was used to measure relative OH concentration in the combustion zones to understand where the reactions occurred. A double row of staggered normal holes was unsuccessful at reducing the downstream heat load. The coolant separated from the surface generating a high mixing regime and allowed the hot unreacted gases to penetrate underneath the jets. Conversely, an upstream slot row was able to generate a spanwise film of coolant that buffered the reactive gases off the surface. Essentially no secondary reactions were observed aft of the shaped coolant hole ejection with the protective slot upstream. A slight increase in heat transfer was attributed to the elevated freestream temperature resulting from reactions above the slot coolant. Creating this full sheet of coolant will be a key toward future designs attempting to control secondary reactions in the turbine.
Heat-Flux Measurements for a Realistic Cooling Hole Pattern With Multiple Flow Conditions
Authors: Nickol Jeremy B. , Mathison Randall M. , Dunn Michael G.
Published: September 2013

Predicting cooling flow migration and its impact on surface heat flux for a turbine operating at design-corrected conditions is a challenging task. While recent data sets have provided a baseline for comparison, they have also raised many questions about comparison methods and the proper implementation of boundary conditions. Simplified experiments are helpful for bridging the gap between the experimental and computational worlds to develop the best procedures for generating predictions and correctly comparing them to experiments. To this end, a flat-plate configuration has been developed that replicates the cooling hole pattern of the pressure side of a high-pressure turbine blade. The heat transfer for this configuration is investigated for a range of flow properties of current interest to the industry using a medium-duration blowdown facility. Heat-flux measurements are obtained using double-sided Kapton heat-flux gauges arrayed in two rows in the axial direction along the centerline of the hole pattern. Gauges are located upstream of the holes, in between rows of holes, and extending far downstream of the last row of holes. New parameters are proposed for analyzing the data including a corrected Stanton number and the length-corrected heat flux reduction parameter. These parameters are used for exploring the influence of Reynolds number and blowing ratio on local heat transfer. In addition, the temperatures of the main flow and the test section walls were varied to determine the effect of cooling on the local adiabatic wall temperature and to enable comparisons using the adiabatic cooling effectiveness.
Numerical Investigation of the Unsteady Flow Inside a Centrifugal Compressor Stage With Pipe Diffuser
Authors: Grates Daniel R. , Jeschke Peter , Niehuis Reinhard
Published: September 2013

The subject of this paper is the investigation of unsteady flow inside a transonic centrifugal compressor stage with a pipe-diffuser by utilizing unsteady 3D Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes simulations (unsteady 3D URANS). The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) results obtained are compared with detailed experimental data gathered using various steady and unsteady measurement techniques. The basic phenomena and mechanisms of the complex and highly unsteady flow inside the compressor with a pipe-diffuser are presented and analyzed in detail.
Cocaine Disinhibits Dopamine Neurons by Potentiation of GABA Transmission in the Ventral Tegmental Area
Authors: Bocklisch Christina , Pascoli Vincent , Wong Jovi C. Y. , House David R. C. , Yvon Cédric , de Roo Mathias , Tan Kelly R. , Lüscher Christian
Published: September 2013

Drugs, Dopamine, and Disinhibition

Drugs often change the neuronal circuitry in the brain and thereby cause a long-lasting change in behavior. Using a wide range of in vivo and in vitro techniques in mice,

Bocklisch
et al.

(p.
1521
) observed that cocaine profoundly altered dopamine neuron function and that drug-evoked synaptic plasticity in a specific set of neurons represents a crucial step in circuit remodeling.
Where Lines Are Drawn
Experiencing Art
In the Brain of the Beholder

by Arthur P. Shimamura

Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2013. 312 pp. $49.95, £35.99. ISBN 9780199936939.
Authors: Hutton Noah , Kelly Leah
Published: September 2013

Using artworks from many periods and traditions, Shimamura explores what science can tell us about our reactions to art.
Mercury and Health
Authors: McNutt Marcia
Published: September 2013

This October, nations will gather in Japan to sign the Minamata convention, a treaty to address the toxic effects of mercury in the environment. The agreement will become binding once ratified by at least 50 nations. The convention is timely and welcome in that it places controls and limitations on products, processes, and industries that increase the level of exposure of people and the environment to mercury, a naturally occurring element. Mercury bioaccumulates in the form of methylmercury, a powerful neurotoxin that can affect wildlife, domestic animals, and humans alike. Symptoms of mercury poisoning can range from numbness in the hands and feet and muscle weakness in mild cases, to insanity and death.
Sequester Takes Uneven Bite From Agency Budgets
Authors: Cho Adrian , Kaiser Jocelyn , Mervis Jeffrey
Published: September 2013

As the 2013 fiscal year comes to a close in the United States, the impact on science of the 5% federal budget cut known as the sequester is becoming clearer—sort of.
Will New Government Overcome 'Symbolically Challenged' Start?
Authors: Dayton Leigh
Published: September 2013

Australia's new government eliminated the science minister post and has begun dismantling climate change programs—and more tremors could follow.
DNA Sleuths Track
C. difficile
Infection Routes
Authors: Sinha Gunjan
Published: September 2013

C. difficile
, a nasty hospital-acquired infection, is on the rise. Genetic sleuths are looking for where it is coming from and what can be done.
In Minamata, Mercury Still Divides
Authors: Normile Dennis
Published: September 2013

Nearly 60 years after a chemical plant caused one of the world's worst episodes of mercury poisoning, the Japanese town that came to symbolize the metal's threat is still struggling with the aftermath.
Virulence Gene Profiles and Population Genetic Analysis for Exploration of Pathogenic Serogroups of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli
Authors: Kobayashi Naoki , Lee Ken-ichi , Yamazaki Akiko , Saito Shioko , Furukawa Ichiro , Kono Tomomi , Maeda Eriko , Isobe Junko , Sugita-Konishi Yoshiko , Hara-Kudo Yukiko
Published: September 2013

Infection with Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing
Escherichia coli
(STEC) is a serious public health concern, causing severe diarrhea and hemolytic-uremic syndrome. Patient symptoms are varied among STEC strains, possibly implying the presence of markers for STEC virulence other than Stx. To reveal the genotypic traits responsible for STEC virulence, we investigated 282 strains of various serogroups for the presence of 17 major virulence genes, i.e.,
stx
1
,
stx
2a
,
stx
2c
,
stx
2d
,
stx
2e
,
stx
2f
,
eae
,
tir
,
espB
,
espD
,
iha
,
saa
,
subA
,
ehxA
,
espP
,
katP
, and
stcE
. Next, we examined the prevalence of virulence genes according to the seropathotypes in which serotypes were classified (seropathotypes A through E) based on the reported frequencies in human illness, as well as known associations with outbreaks and with severe disease. Our results demonstrate that the presence of both
katP
and
stcE
in STEC, in addition to the genes located in the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE), including
eae
,
tir
,
espB
, and
espD
, may indicate the most pathogenic genotype of STEC. A population structure analysis of the profiles of virulence genes statistically supported the pathogenic genotype and, furthermore, revealed that there are serogroups with potentially higher pathogenicity than previously thought. Some strains in serogroups O26, O145, and O165 may have high virulence equivalent to that of serogroup O157. Several serogroups, including O14, O16, O45, O63, O74, 119, O128, and O untypeable, also may be potentially pathogenic, although rarely in humans.
Evaluation of the βLacta Test, a Rapid Test Detecting Resistance to Third-Generation Cephalosporins in Clinical Strains of Enterobacteriaceae
Authors: Renvoisé Aurélie , Decré Dominique , Amarsy-Guerle Rishma , Huang Te-Din , Jost Christelle , Podglajen Isabelle , Raskine Laurent , Genel Nathalie , Bogaerts Pierre , Jarlier Vincent , Arlet Guillaume
Published: September 2013

For decades, third-generation cephalosporins (3GC) have been major drugs used to treat infections due to
Enterobacteriaceae
; growing resistance to these antibiotics makes the rapid detection of such resistance important. The βLacta test is a chromogenic test developed for detecting 3GC-resistant isolates from cultures on solid media within 15 min. A multicenter prospective study conducted in 5 French and Belgian hospitals evaluated the performance of this test on clinical isolates. Based on antibiotic susceptibility testing, strains resistant or intermediate to cefotaxime or ceftazidime were classified as 3GC resistant, and molecular characterization of this resistance was performed. The rates of 3GC resistance were 13.9% (332/2,387) globally, 9.4% in
Escherichia coli
(132/1,403), 25.6% in
Klebsiella pneumoniae
(84/328), 30.3% in species naturally producing inducible AmpC beta-lactamases (109/360), and 5.6% in
Klebsiella oxytoca
and
Citrobacter koseri
(7/124). The sensitivities and specificities of the βLacta test were, respectively, 87.7% and 99.6% overall, 96% and 100% for
E. coli
and
K. pneumoniae
, and 67.4% and 99.6% for species naturally producing inducible AmpC beta-lactamase. False-negative results were mainly related to 3GC-resistant strains producing AmpC beta-lactamase. Interestingly, the test was positive for all 3GC-resistant extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing isolates (
n
= 241). The positive predictive value was 97% and remained at ≥96% for prevalences of 3GC resistance ranging between 10 and 30%. The negative predictive values were 99% for
E. coli
and
K. pneumoniae
and 89% for the species producing inducible AmpC beta-lactamase. In conclusion, the βLacta test was found to be easy to use and efficient for the prediction of resistance to third-generation cephalosporins, particularly in extended-spectrum beta-lactamase-producing strains.
Complexity, Temporal Stability, and Clinical Correlates of Airway Bacterial Community Composition in Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia
Authors: Rogers Geraint B. , Carroll Mary P. , Zain Nur Masirah M. , Bruce Kenneth D. , Lock Karen , Walker Woolf , Jones Graeme , Daniels Thomas W. V. , Lucas Jane S.
Published: September 2013

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a genetic disease characterized by abnormalities in ciliary function, leading to compromised airway clearance and chronic bacterial infection of the upper and lower airways. The compositions of these infections and the relationships between their characteristics and disease presentation are poorly defined. We describe here the first systematic culture-independent evaluation of lower airway bacteriology in PCD. Thirty-three airway samples (26 from sputum, 7 from bronchoalveolar lavage [BAL] fluid) were collected from 24 PCD patients aged 4 to 73 years. 16S rRNA quantitative PCR and pyrosequencing were used to determine the bacterial loads and community compositions of the samples. Bacterial loads, which ranged from 1.3 × 10
4
to 5.2 × 10
9
CFU/ml, were positively correlated with age (
P
= 0.002) but not lung function. An analysis of ∼7,000 16S rRNA sequences per sample identified bacterial species belonging to 128 genera. The concurrently collected paired samples showed high bacterial community similarity. The mean relative abundance of the dominant genera was 64.5% (standard deviation [SD], 24.5), including taxa reported through standard diagnostic microbiology (members of the genera
Pseudomonas
,
Haemophilus
, and
Streptococcus
) and those requiring specific
ex vivo
growth conditions (members of the genera
Prevotella
and
Porphyromonas
). The significant correlations observed included a positive relationship between
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
relative abundance and age and a negative relationship between
P. aeruginosa
relative abundance and lung function. Members of the genus
Ralstonia
were also found to contribute substantially to the bacterial communities in a number of patients. Follow-up samples from a subset of patients revealed high levels of bacterial community temporal stability. The detailed microbiological characterization presented here provides a basis for the reassessment of the clinical management of PCD airway infections.
Comparative Analysis of Adeno-Associated Virus Capsid Stability and Dynamics
Authors: Rayaprolu Vamseedhar , Kruse Shannon , Kant Ravi , Venkatakrishnan Balasubramanian , Movahed Navid , Brooke Dewey , Lins Bridget , Bennett Antonette , Potter Timothy , McKenna Robert , Agbandje-McKenna Mavis , Bothner Brian
Published: September 2013

Icosahedral viral capsids are obligated to perform a thermodynamic balancing act. Capsids must be stable enough to protect the genome until a suitable host cell is encountered yet be poised to bind receptor, initiate cell entry, navigate the cellular milieu, and release their genome in the appropriate replication compartment. In this study, serotypes of adeno-associated virus (AAV), AAV1, AAV2, AAV5, and AAV8, were compared with respect to the physical properties of their capsids that influence thermodynamic stability. Thermal stability measurements using differential scanning fluorimetry, differential scanning calorimetry, and electron microscopy showed that capsid melting temperatures differed by more than 20°C between the least and most stable serotypes, AAV2 and AAV5, respectively. Limited proteolysis and peptide mass mapping of intact particles were used to investigate capsid protein dynamics. Active hot spots mapped to the region surrounding the 3-fold axis of symmetry for all serotypes. Cleavages also mapped to the unique region of VP1 which contains a phospholipase domain, indicating transient exposure on the surface of the capsid. Data on the biophysical properties of the different AAV serotypes are important for understanding cellular trafficking and is critical to their production, storage, and use for gene therapy. The distinct differences reported here provide direction for future studies on entry and vector production.
Increased Escherichia coli-Induced Interleukin-23 Production by CD16+Monocytes Correlates with Systemic Immune Activation in Untreated HIV-1-Infected Individuals
Authors: Manuzak Jennifer A. , Dillon Stephanie M. , Lee Eric J. , Dong Zachary M. , Hecht Daniel K. , Wilson Cara C.
Published: September 2013

The level of microbial translocation from the intestine is increased in HIV-1 infection. Proinflammatory cytokine production by peripheral antigen-presenting cells in response to translocated microbes or microbial products may contribute to systemic immune activation, a hallmark of HIV-1 infection. We investigated the cytokine responses of peripheral blood myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) and monocytes toin vitrostimulation with commensal entericEscherichia coliin peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from untreated HIV-1-infected subjects and from uninfected controls. Levels of interleukin 23 (IL-23) produced by PBMC from HIV-1-infected subjects in response toE. colistimulation were significantly higher than those produced by PBMC from uninfected subjects. IL-23 was produced primarily by CD16+monocytes. This subset of monocytes was increased in frequency and expressed higher levels of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) in HIV-1-infected individuals than in controls. Blocking TLR4 on total CD14+monocytes reduced IL-23 production in response toE. colistimulation. Levels of soluble CD27, an indicator of systemic immune activation, were elevated in HIV-1-infected subjects and were associated with the percentage of CD16+monocytes and the induction of IL-23 byE. coli, providing a link between these parameters and systemic inflammation. Taken together, these results suggest that IL-23 produced by CD16+monocytes in response to microbial stimulation may contribute to systemic immune activation in HIV-1-infected individuals.
Discovery of a Unique Novel Clade of Mosquito-Associated Bunyaviruses
Authors: Marklewitz Marco , Zirkel Florian , Rwego Innocent B. , Heidemann Hanna , Trippner Pascal , Kurth Andreas , Kallies René , Briese Thomas , Lipkin W. Ian , Drosten Christian , Gillespie Thomas R. , Junglen Sandra
Published: September 2013

Bunyaviruses are the largest known family of RNA viruses, infecting vertebrates, insects, and plants. Here we isolated three novel bunyaviruses from mosquitoes sampled in Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Uganda. The viruses define a highly diversified monophyletic sister clade to all members of the genus
Orthobunyavirus
and are virtually equidistant to orthobunyaviruses and tospoviruses. Maximal amino acid identities between homologous putative proteins of the novel group and orthobunyaviruses ranged between 12 and 25%. The type isolates, tentatively named Herbert virus (HEBV), Taï virus (TAIV), and Kibale virus (KIBV), comprised genomes with L, M, and S segments of about 7.4 kb, 2.7 kb, and 1.1 kb, respectively. HEBV, TAIV, and KIBV encode the shortest bunyavirus M segments known and did not seem to encode NSs and NSm proteins but contained an elongated L segment with an ∼500-nucleotide (nt) insertion that shows no identity to other bunyaviruses. The viruses replicated to high titers in insect cells but did not replicate in vertebrate cells. The enveloped virions were 90 to 110 nm in diameter and budded at cellular membranes with morphological features typical of the Golgi complex. Viral RNA recovered from infected cells showed 5′-terminal nontemplated sequences of 9 to 22 nt, suggestive of cap snatching during mRNA synthesis, as described for other bunyaviruses. Northern blotting identified RNA species of full and reduced lengths, suggested upon analogy with other bunyaviruses to constitute antigenomic-sense cRNA and transcript mRNAs, respectively. Functional studies will be necessary to determine if this group of viruses constitutes a novel genus in the bunyavirus family.
SAMHD1 Restricts Herpes Simplex Virus 1 in Macrophages by Limiting DNA Replication
Authors: Kim Eui Tae , White Tommy E. , Brandariz-Núñez Alberto , Diaz-Griffero Felipe , Weitzman Matthew D.
Published: September 2013

Macrophages play important roles in host immune defense against virus infection. During infection by herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1), macrophages acquire enhanced antiviral potential. Restriction of HSV-1 replication and progeny production is important to prevent viral spread, but the cellular mechanisms that inhibit the DNA virus in macrophages are unknown. SAMHD1 was recently identified as a retrovirus restriction factor highly expressed in macrophages. The SAMHD1 protein is expressed in both undifferentiated monocytes and differentiated macrophages, but retroviral restriction is limited to differentiated cells by modulation of SAMHD1 phosphorylation. It is proposed to block reverse transcription of retroviral RNA into DNA by depleting cellular deoxynucleotide triphosphates (dNTPs). Viruses with DNA genomes do not employ reverse transcription during infection, but replication of their viral genomes is also dependent on intracellular dNTP concentrations. Here, we demonstrate that SAMHD1 restricts replication of the HSV-1 DNA genome in differentiated macrophage cell lines. Depleting SAMHD1 in THP-1 cells enhanced HSV-1 replication, while ectopic overexpression of SAMHD1 in U937 cells repressed HSV-1 replication. SAMHD1 did not impact viral gene expression from incoming HSV-1 viral genomes. HSV-1 restriction involved the dNTP triphosphohydrolase activity of SAMHD1 and was partially overcome by addition of exogenous deoxynucleosides. Unlike retroviruses, restriction of HSV-1 was not affected by SAMHD1 phosphorylation status. Our results suggest that SAMHD1 functions broadly to inhibit replication of DNA viruses in nondividing macrophages.
Recombination Can Lead to Spurious Results in Retroviral Transduction with Dually Fluorescent Reporter Genes
Authors: Salamango Daniel J. , Evans David A. , Baluyot Mariju F. , Furlong Jackson N. , Johnson Marc C.
Published: September 2013

Fluorescent proteins are routinely employed as reporters in retroviral vectors. Here, we demonstrate that transduction with retroviral vectors carrying a tandem-dimer Tomato (TdTom) reporter produces two distinct fluorescent cell populations following template jumping due to a single nucleotide polymorphism between the first and second Tomato genes. Template jumping also occurs between repeated sequences in the Tomato and green fluorescent protein (GFP) genes. Thus, proper interpretation of the fluorescence intensity of transduced cells requires caution.
Kaposi's Sarcoma-Associated Herpesvirus Transactivator Rta Induces Cell Cycle Arrest in G
0
/G
1
Phase by Stabilizing and Promoting Nuclear Localization of p27
kip
Authors: Kumar Pankaj , Wood Charles
Published: September 2013

The Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) immediate-early gene, replication, and transcription activator (K-Rta) is a key viral protein that serves as the master regulator for viral lytic replication. In this study, we investigated the role of K-Rta in cell cycle regulation and found that the expression of K-Rta in doxycycline (Dox)-inducible BJAB cells induced cell cycle arrest in G
0
/G
1
phase. Western blot analysis of key cell cycle regulators revealed that K-Rta-mediated cell cycle arrest was associated with a decrease in cyclin A and phosphorylated Rb (pS807/pS811) protein levels, both markers of S phase progression, and an increase in protein levels for p27, a cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor. Further, we found that K-Rta does not affect the transcription of p27 but regulates p27 at the posttranslational level by inhibiting its proteosomal degradation. Immunofluorescence staining and cell fractionation experiments revealed largely nuclear compartmentalization of p27 in K-Rta-expressing cells, demonstrating that K-Rta not only stabilizes p27 but also modulates its cellular localization. Finally, short hairpin RNA knockdown of p27 significantly abrogates cell cycle arrest in K-Rta-expressing cells, supporting its key role in K-Rta-mediated cell cycle arrest. Our findings are consistent with previous studies which showed that expression of immediate-early genes of several herpesviruses, including herpes simplex virus, Epstein-Barr virus, and cytomegalovirus, results in cell cycle arrest at the G
0
/G
1
phase, possibly to avoid competition for resources needed for host cell replication during the S phase.
Suppression of PACT-Induced Type I Interferon Production by Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Us11 Protein
Authors: Kew Chun , Lui Pak-Yin , Chan Chi-Ping , Liu Xiang , Au Shannon Wing Ngor , Mohr Ian , Jin Dong-Yan , Kok Kin-Hang
Published: September 2013

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) Us11 protein is a double-stranded RNA-binding protein that suppresses type I interferon production through the inhibition of the cytoplasmic RNA sensor RIG-I. Whether additional cellular mediators are involved in this suppression remains to be determined. In this study, we report on the requirement of cellular double-stranded RNA-binding protein PACT for Us11-mediated perturbation of type I interferon production. Us11 associates with PACT tightly to prevent it from binding with and activating RIG-I. The Us11-deficient HSV-1 was indistinguishable from the Us11-proficient virus in the suppression of interferon production when PACT was compromised. More importantly, HSV-1-induced activation of interferon production was abrogated in PACT knockout murine embryonic fibroblasts. Our findings suggest a new mechanism for viral evasion of innate immunity through which a viral double-stranded RNA-binding protein interacts with PACT to circumvent type I interferon production. This mechanism might also be used by other PACT-binding viral interferon-antagonizing proteins such as Ebola virus VP35 and influenza A virus NS1.
Two similar cases of internal hernia after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass surgery
Authors: Däster Silvio , Droeser Raoul A , Delko Tarik , Oertli Daniel
Published: September 2013

Internal hernia after laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) surgery can lead to acute small bowel obstruction or chronic recurrent abdominal pain. We present two cases of internal hernias after antecolic antegastric LRYGB. Both patients presented to the emergency room with acute diffuse abdominal pain. Other than that, a physical examination and routine laboratory workup did not reveal any pathological finding. An abdominal CT was performed in both cases. It showed mesenteric torsion as a sign of internal hernia in one case, but remained inconclusive in the other patient. Immediate diagnostic laparoscopy was performed in both cases. Intraoperatively, both patients revealed an internal hernia, where the common channel herniated through the mesojejunal space. The conversion to upper median minilaparotomy was necessary for hernia reduction in both cases. No bowel resection was required and both patients recovered fully.