bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microbial causes of complicated acute bacterial rhinosinusitis and implications for empirical antimicrobial therapy
Authors: Miah M S , Nix P , Koukkoullis A , Sandoe J
Published: December 2015

Objectives:

Very little up-to-date information is available on the microbiology of complicated acute bacterial rhinosinusitis. Reliable microbiology testing is necessary to inform current empirical antimicrobial treatments. This study was conducted in response to recent US guidelines on antimicrobial treatments for acute bacterial rhinosinusitis. It aimed to describe the pathological micro-organisms involved in complicated acute bacterial rhinosinusitis in the UK and their antimicrobial susceptibility.

Methods:

This study collected retrospective data on cases of complicated acute bacterial rhinosinusitis with sinogenic orbital and/or intracranial infections from 2007 to 2012. Bacteria identified in paranasal sinus pus were compared with those identified in orbital and/or intracranial infections.

Results:

Streptococcus anginosus group bacteria were isolated from 61.3 per cent of paranasal sinus pus samples, 83.3 per cent of orbital infections and 77.8 per cent of intracranial infections. All S anginosus isolates were sensitive to penicillin; no penicillin-resistant organisms were isolated.

Conclusion:

S anginosus was the predominant organism isolated from complicated acute bacterial rhinosinusitis samples at our UK centre. S anginosus is sensitive to penicillin, suggesting that penicillin can be used as an appropriate first-line empirical antibiotic for uncomplicated acute bacterial rhinosinusitis.
Nonlinear fast sausage waves in homogeneous magnetic flux tubes
Authors: Mikhalyaev Badma B. , Ruderman Michael S.
Published: December 2015

We consider fast sausage waves in straight homogeneous magnetic tubes. The plasma motion is described by the ideal magnetohydrodynamic equations in the cold plasma approximation. We derive the nonlinear Schrödinger equation describing the nonlinear evolution of an envelope of a carrier wave. The coefficients of this equation are expressed in terms Bessel and modified Bessel functions. They are calculated numerically for various values of parameters. In particular, we show that the criterion for the onset of the modulational or Benjamin–Fair instability is satisfied. The implication of the obtained results for solar physics is discussed.
The galactic dynamo and superbubbles
Authors: Kulsrud Russell M.
Published: December 2015

In previous galactic dynamo theories of the origin of the magnetic field in our galaxy, the subject of flux-freezing has been omitted. As a consequence, the equation of mass flow has generally also been omitted, particularly in the halo where the galactic gravitational field will operate on the mass flow. In this paper, it has been shown that this neglect could have serious consequences for the results obtained from those galactic dynamo simulations that include the halo. A modification of these dynamo theories is proposed which involves the expulsion of very small pieces of the magnetic field lines, rather than the wholesale expulsion of the complete magnetic lines encapsulated in the previous theories. This expulsion is accomplished by a spike instability that arises from superbubbles when they break out of the galactic disc and their shells fragment. This leads to a cut in the lines of force that still remain in the disc. Subsequently, normal disc turbulence rotates the cut lines and thus dissipates their mean flux, removing them from a role in the dynamo theory. This new process takes a length of time comparable to, but slightly longer than, the previous growth time of the disc dynamo, but avoids the previous difficulties associated with flux freezing and flux expulsion.
Saturation mechanism in a two-stream free-electron laser
Authors: Mahdizadeh N.
Published: December 2015

The effect of a guide field on the saturation mechanism in a two-stream free-electron laser (FEL) is verified. Two monoenergetic electron beams with a vanishing pitch-angle spread are considered. Nonlinear wave–particle interaction is described by a set of coupled differential equations in a 1-D approximation. Output power is presented as a function of the axial distance. It was found that through using a focusing mechanism, the two-stream FEL reached the saturation regime in a shorter axial distance in comparison with the case of no focusing mechanism.
‘The World Rests on the Back of a Tortoise’: Science and mythology in Indian history
Authors: CHAKRABARTI PRATIK , SEN JOYDEEP
Published: December 2015

This article traces the consilience of science and mythology in the history of fossil research in India: this is a narrative in which Indian fossil research met the Orientalist discovery of the Indian past. It demonstrates that in exploring the geological evolution of Indian fossils, British researchers such as Hugh Falconer invoked animals from thePuranas, picking up on a tradition of mythological hermeneutics first developed in India by the likes of William Jones. In exploring the nuances of this intellectual approach, the article thus identifies a hitherto obscured historical trajectory regarding the making of geology in colonial India.
Nudes, Swords, and the Germanic Imagination: Renditions of Germanic Sword Dance Narratives in Early Twentieth-Century Dance
Authors: Walsdorf Hanna
Published: December 2015

The written history of German sword dance has seen a number of quaint twists. With the rediscovery in 1455 of a short Tacitus quote (98 C.E.) presumably proving the existence of the sword dance in ancient Germanic times, claims were soon made that it had persisted for millennia. From the late nineteenth century onward, nationalists and body culture theorists, each in their way, favored the idea of revitalizing an ethnic German dance form. This article aims to delineate the respective discourses, and illustrates these by portraying the choreographic renditions of an imagined German sword dance tradition by Olga Desmond and Harald Kreutzberg.
Ought I Make Political Dance?
Authors: Mullis Eric C.
Published: December 2015

This essay draws on personal experience as it investigates the intersection of ethics, political activism, and dance performance. It considers the manner in which artistic and ethical convictions can shape the critical reception of dance that intentionally engages social justice issues, and it draws on ethical theory in order to investigate the manner in which personal ethical beliefs can determine a dance artist's approach to such work.
Dance, Politics & Co-Immunity
Authors: Giersdorf Jens Richard
Published: December 2015

Dance, Politics & Co-Immunity developed out of a symposium organized by the Master in Choreography and Performance at the Justus-Liebig-University Giessen, Germany, which was held with a joint symposium Thinking—Resisting—Reading the Political organized by the Graduate Center for the Study of Culture at the same university in 2010. Whereas the cultural studies symposium asked, “What specific perspectives and methodological consequences arise for the study of culture that are informed by recent deliberations on the relationship of the political and the aesthetic?” (2010), the dance symposium invited participants and contributors to the anthology “to think about the multiple connections between politics, community, dance, and globalization from the perspective of Dance and Theatre Studies, History, Philosophy, and Sociology” (13). As indicated by the title of the cultural studies symposium and some of the key speakers, including Jacques Rancière, Chantal Mouffe, and Judith Butler, the term political is not used as broadly as it might be used in U.S.-based dance studies discourse. Rather, the political is predominantly investigated by both symposia for its resistive potential and from a liberal or post-Marxist stance.
EARLY ASSESSMENT AND PREDICTION OF POTENTIAL IMPACT OF THE IMPLANTATION OF POLYURETHANE SCAFFOLD IN PARTIAL MENISCAL LESIONS: A PILOT HORIZON SCANNING ACTIVITY IN SOUTH KOREA
Authors: Tark Ji Yun , Jeong Ji-young , Lee Min , Park Eunjung , Park Jooyeon , Park Ji Jeong , Lee Sungkyu , Shin Chaemin
Published: December 2015

Objectives: The aim of this study was to predict the potential impact of the introduction of implantation of polyurethane scaffold for the treatment of partial meniscal lesions in the South Korean healthcare system.

Methods: The horizon scanning process was used to select a target technology and assess its potential impacts on patients and the Korean healthcare system. We identified and filtered research-phase health technologies that are not listed yet in Korean, but appear promising. After a process of prioritization, we chose the implantation of polyurethane scaffolds as a target technology. Then, through the procedures of assessment and peer review, we analyzed current evidence and its predicted potential impacts.

Results: There were eight studies included in the review: one prospective cohort and seven case-series studies. Six revealed significant improvements in function and pain relief. Of the six studies, which reported safety endpoints, four stated no major postoperative complications related to scaffold, and two reported adverse events and serious adverse events such as pain, joint swelling, et cetera. We also included the potential impact of this technology based on the experts’ consultation. They all agreed that it would satisfy the diverse needs of patients and fulfill clinical needs. However, the majority of related clinical studies were based on short-term follow-up observations without any validation process involving comparison with control groups.

Conclusions: Through a horizon scanning activity, we found that the implantation of polyurethane scaffolds is a promising technology to resolve articular cartilage defects; however, long-term evidence with comparison groups for safety and effectiveness is required.
Treating to target in major depressive disorder: response to remission to functional recovery
Authors: McIntyre Roger S. , Lee Yena , Mansur Rodrigo B.
Published: December 2015

Treating to target in chronic diseases [e.g. Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)] fosters precision, consistency, and appropriateness of treatment selection and sequencing. Therapeutic target definitions/endpoints in MDD should satisfy patient-, provider-, and societal expectations. Functional recovery in depression and return to both physical and mental health are the overarching therapeutic objectives. Treating to target in MDD implies multidimensional symptomatic remission, with a particular emphasis on cognitive function and aspects of positive mental health. Several atypical antipsychotic agents (i.e. brexpiprazole, aripiprazole, quetiapine) are FDA-approved as augmentation agents in MDD. Vortioxetine, duloxetine, and psychostimulants have evidence of independent, direct, and robust effects on cognitive function in MDD. Vortioxetine is the only agent that demonstrates efficacy across multiple cognitive domains in MDD associated with functional recovery. Measurement-based care, health information technology/systems, and integrated care models (e.g. medical homes) provide requisite tools and health environments for optimal health outcomes in MDD. Achieving remission in MDD does not equate to health. Return to positive mental health as well as full functioning provide the impetus to pivot away from traditional provider-defined outcomes toward an inclusive perspective involving patient- and society-defined outcomes (i.e. optimization of human capital). As in other chronic diseases, treating to target (e.g. cognitive function) further increases the probability of achieving optimal health outcomes.
The clinical challenges of akathisia
Authors: Lohr James B. , Eidt Carolyn A. , Abdulrazzaq Alfaraj Areej , Soliman Mounir A.
Published: December 2015

Akathisia is one of the most vexing problems in neuropsychiatry. Although it is one of the most common side effects of antipsychotic medications, it is often difficult to describe by patients, and is difficult to diagnose and treat by practitioners. Akathisia is usually grouped with extrapyramidal movement disorders (ie, movement disorders that originate outside the pyramidal or corticospinal tracts and generally involve the basal ganglia). Yet, it can present as a purely subjective clinical complaint, without overt movement abnormalities. It has been subtyped into acute, subacute, chronic, tardive, withdrawal-related, and “pseudo” forms, although the distinction between many of these is unclear. It is therefore not surprising that akathisia is generally either underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed, which is a serious problem because it can lead to such adverse outcomes as poor adherence to medications, exacerbation of psychiatric symptoms, and, in some cases, aggression, violence, and suicide. In this article, we will attempt to address some of the confusion surrounding the condition, its relationship to other disorders, and differential diagnosis, as well as treatment alternatives.
Processing grammatical evidentiality and time reference in Turkish heritage and monolingual speakers
Authors: ARSLAN SEÇKİN , DE KOK DÖRTE , BASTIAANSE ROELIEN
Published: December 2015

In the current study, we examined how adult heritage and monolingual speakers of Turkish process evidentiality (the linguistic expression of information source) through finite verb inflections and time reference, expressed on non-finite participles. A sentence-verification task was used to measure participants’ sensitivity to evidentiality and time-reference violations in Turkish. Our findings showed that the heritage speakers were less accurate and slower than the monolinguals in responding to both evidentiality and time-reference violations. Also, the heritage speakers made more errors and had longer RTs when responding to evidentiality violations as compared to time-reference violations. The monolinguals had longer RTs (and more accurate responses) to time reference than to evidentiality violations. This study shows that evidentiality is susceptible to incomplete acquisition in Turkish heritage speakers. It is suggested that the requirement for simultaneous processing at different linguistic levels makes the evidentiality markers vulnerable.
Water intake and beverage consumption of pre-schoolers from six European countries and associations with socio-economic status: the ToyBox-study
Authors: Pinket An-Sofie , De Craemer Marieke , Maes Lea , De Bourdeaudhuij Ilse , Cardon Greet , Androutsos Odysseas , Koletzko Berthold , Moreno Luis , Socha Piotr , Iotova Violeta , Manios Yannis , Van Lippevelde Wendy
Published: December 2015

Objective

To study the quantity and quality of water intake from beverages among pre-schoolers and investigate associations with gender and socio-economic status (SES).

Design

Kindergarten-based cross-sectional survey within the large-scale European ToyBox-study. A standardized protocol was used and parents/caregivers filled in sociodemographic data and a semi-quantitative FFQ.

Setting

Kindergartens in six European countries (Belgium, Bulgaria, Germany, Greece, Poland and Spain).

Subjects

European pre-schoolers (aged 3·5–5·5 years) and their parents/caregivers (n 7051).

Results

Mean water intake was 1051 ml/d; plain water, 547 ml/d; plain milk, 241 ml/d; other fruit juice, 104 ml/d; pure fruit juice, 59 ml/d; soft drinks, 55 ml/d; tea, 45 ml/d; sugared and chocolate milk, 37 ml/d; smoothies, 15 ml/d; and light soft drinks, 6 ml/d. Boys had a higher water intake than girls due to a higher consumption of plain water, but more importantly to the consumption of beverages of less quality. Lower-SES pre-schoolers scored better on quantity than high-SES pre-schoolers, but as a consequence of consumption of sugared beverages. Nevertheless, the associations differed by country.

Conclusions

The water intake from beverages did not meet the European Food Safety Authority standard of 1280 ml/d; especially in Western European countries water intake from beverages was low. The most important water sources were plain water, milk and fruit juices. Interventions aiming at a proper and sufficient water intake should focus on both quantity and quality. Messages about water and water sources should be clear for everyone and interventions should be sufficiently tailored.
Welfare States and Care Arrangements: Care Time Mix Approach and Its Application to Japan and Korea
Authors: An Mi Young
Published: December 2015

This article suggests how notions of replacing, supplementing and valuing care by the family can be linked with policy instruments of childcare services, leave provisions, and cash for care by family, to influence care arrangements at collective and individual levels. It analyses care arrangements in Japan and Korea, estimating their changes over approximately ten years using the care time mix approach. The findings suggest that at the beginning of the new millennium, care arrangements in both countries were configured as female>non-state>male>state. A decade later, Japan remains the same, whereas Korea has become a paid care economy configured as non-state>female>male>state. Unpaid care economy remains gendered, but over time, Japanese men's contribution has marginally increased, with the opposite being true in Korea. The article discusses what the transformation of the paid care economy in Korea, and its expansion in Japan, imply for social structures in the respective countries.
Sharing a Placenta is Associated With a Greater Similarity in DNA Methylation in Monochorionic Versus Dichorionic Twin Pars in Blood at Age 14
Authors: Bui Masato , Benyamin Beben , Shah Sonia , Henders Anjali K. , Martin Nicholas G. , Montgomery Grant W. , McRae Allan F.
Published: December 2015

Monozygotic (MZ) twins provide a natural system for investigating developmental plasticity and the potential epigenetic origins of disease. A major difference in the intrauterine environment between MZ pairs is whether they share a common placenta or have separate placentas. Using DNA methylation measured at >400,000 points in the genome on the Illumina HumanMethylation450 array, we demonstrate that the co-twins of MZ pairs (average age of 14) that shared a common placenta (n = 18 pairs) have more similar DNA methylation levels in blood throughout the genome relative to those with separate placentas (n = 16 pairs). Functional annotation of the genomic regions that show significantly different correlation between monochorionic (MC) and dichorionic (DC) MZ pairs found an over-representation of genes involved in the regulation of transcription, neuronal development, and cellular differentiation. These results support the idea that prenatal environmental exposures may have a lasting effect on an individual's epigenetic landscape, and the potential for these changes to have functional consequences.
Ergebnisqualität einer web-basierten Tele-Nachsorge nach stationärer medizinischer Rehabilitation Alkoholabhängiger
Authors: Missel Peter , Kramer Dietmar , Arens Julia
Published: December 2015

Zusammenfassung. Zielsetzung. Ziele der vorliegenden Studie waren eine erfolgreiche Implementierung chatbasierter Nachsorge nach stationärer Rehabilitation Alkoholabhängiger, eine Sicherung des Erhalts einer abstinenten Lebensweise im Alltag sowie die Überwindung der poststationären Schnittstellenproblematik. Methodik. Die prospektive, randomisierte Längsschnittstudie (Experimentalgruppe (EG): wöchentliche Gruppentherapie im Chat; Kontrollgruppe (KG): monatlicher Telefonkontakt) wurde in zwei Fachkliniken für Abhängigkeitserkrankungen durchgeführt (NGesamt = 268). Beide Interventionen fanden über sechs Monate nach Entlassung aus der Rehabilitation statt. Als Datenbasis dienten eine standardisierte Basisdokumentation und Katamnestik, psychometrische Fragebögen, Instrumente zur Erfassung von Rückfällen, Nachsorgeverhalten und zur Programmevaluation. Ergebnisse. Die Abstinenzquoten wurden nach den Standards der DGSS (DGSS 1 – 4) berechnet. Sechs Monate nach der stationären Entlassung fiel die Erfolgsquote der EG mit 69,4 % erwartungsgemäß höher aus als die der KG (59,5 %). Die Teilnehmer der Interventionsgruppen wiesen zur 1-Jahres-Katamnese je nach Standard eine um 10 – 20 % höhere Erfolgsquote auf als Patienten einer Vergleichsgruppe (treatment as usual) (p < 0.05). Schlussfolgerungen. Internetbasierte und telefonische Nachsorgekonzepte stellen ein innovatives, bedarfsgerechtes Behandlungsangebot dar, welches die Chance bietet, die Inanspruchnahme von Nachsorgemaßnahmen zu erhöhen.
Exploring a potential impact of a social marketing campaign on reducing oral cancer incidences in Michigan: an ecological study
Authors: Lim Sungwoo , Spavik Georgia , Ismail Amid I
Published: December 2015

Objectives/Aims:

The social marketing campaign was launched in 2005–2007 to address excess risk of oral cancer in Detroit tri-county area, Michigan. We assessed the extent to which the campaign might have contributed to decreasing risk of oral cancer using the modified interrupted time-series design.

Materials and Methods:

Oral cancer incidence and mortality data came from Michigan Department of Community Health, and trends of age-adjusted rates during 1990–2009 were compared between intervention and comparison counties via joinpoint regression.

Results:

Although mortality rates in both areas decreased in parallel manner, incidence rates decreased during and after the campaign only in the intervention counties. A similar trend was observed in the race-specific analysis. Alternative explanations, including population profiles, health-care access and pre-existing trends, were examined, and these characteristics were comparable between two areas in 1990s and 2000s.

Conclusions:

These results suggested that the campaign was more likely to be associated with the decreasing trend of oral cancer incidence in the intervention counties than alternative explanations. Although oral cancer is a deadly disease, its awareness has been relatively low. This study highlights a potential impact of concerted efforts to improve the oral cancer awareness in the high-risk communities.
Relative importance of evolutionary dynamics depends on the composition of microbial predator–prey community
Authors: Friman Ville-Petri , Dupont Alessandra , Bass David , Murrell David J , Bell Thomas
Published: December 2015

Community dynamics are often studied in subsets of pairwise interactions. Scaling pairwise interactions back to the community level is, however, problematic because one given interaction might not reflect ecological and evolutionary outcomes of other functionally similar species interactions or capture the emergent eco-evolutionary dynamics arising only in more complex communities. Here we studied this experimentally by exposing Pseudomonas fluorescens SBW25 prey bacterium to four different protist predators (Tetrahymena pyriformis, Tetrahymena vorax, Chilomonas paramecium and Acanthamoeba polyphaga) in all possible single-predator, two-predator and four-predator communities for hundreds of prey generations covering both ecological and evolutionary timescales. We found that only T. pyriformis selected for prey defence in single-predator communities. Although T. pyriformis selection was constrained in the presence of the intraguild predator, T. vorax, T. pyriformis selection led to evolution of specialised prey defence strategies in the presence of C. paramecium or A. polyphaga. At the ecological level, adapted prey populations were phenotypically more diverse, less stable and less productive compared with non-adapted prey populations. These results suggest that predator community composition affects the relative importance of ecological and evolutionary processes and can crucially determine when rapid evolution has the potential to change ecological properties of microbial communities.
Rabphilin 3A retains NMDA receptors at synaptic sites through interaction with GluN2A/PSD-95 complex
Authors: Stanic Jennifer , Carta Mario , Eberini Ivano , Pelucchi Silvia , Marcello Elena , Genazzani Armando A. , Racca Claudia , Mulle Christophe , Di Luca Monica , Gardoni Fabrizio
Published: December 2015

NMDA receptor (NMDAR) composition and synaptic retention represent pivotal features in the physiology and pathology of excitatory synapses. Here, we identify Rabphilin 3A (Rph3A) as a new GluN2A subunit-binding partner. Rph3A is known as a synaptic vesicle-associated protein involved in the regulation of exo- and endocytosis processes at presynaptic sites. We find that Rph3A is enriched at dendritic spines. Protein–protein interaction assays reveals that Rph3A N-terminal domain interacts with GluN2A(1349–1389) as well as with PSD-95(PDZ3) domains, creating a ternary complex. Rph3A silencing in neurons reduces the surface localization of synaptic GluN2A and NMDAR currents. Moreover, perturbing GluN2A/Rph3A interaction with interfering peptides in organotypic slices orin vivoinduces a decrease of the amplitude of NMDAR-mediated currents and GluN2A density at dendritic spines. In conclusion, Rph3A interacts with GluN2A and PSD-95 forming a complex that regulates NMDARs stabilization at postsynaptic membranes.
Efficient backbone cyclization of linear peptides by a recombinant asparaginyl endopeptidase
Authors: Harris Karen S. , Durek Thomas , Kaas Quentin , Poth Aaron G. , Gilding Edward K. , Conlan Brendon F. , Saska Ivana , Daly Norelle L. , van der Weerden Nicole L. , Craik David J. , Anderson Marilyn A.
Published: December 2015

Cyclotides are diverse plant backbone cyclized peptides that have attracted interest as pharmaceutical scaffolds, but fundamentals of their biosynthetic origin remain elusive. Backbone cyclization is a key enzyme-mediated step of cyclotide biosynthesis and confers a measure of stability on the resultant cyclotide. Furthermore, cyclization would be desirable for engineered peptides. Here we report the identification of four asparaginyl endopeptidases (AEPs), proteases implicated in cyclization, from the cyclotide-producing plant Oldenlandia affinis. We recombinantly express OaAEP1b and find it functions preferably as a cyclase by coupling C-terminal cleavage of propeptide substrates with backbone cyclization. Interestingly, OaAEP1b cannot cleave at the N-terminal site of O. affinis cyclotide precursors, implicating additional proteases in cyclotide biosynthesis. Finally, we demonstrate the broad utility of this enzyme by cyclization of peptides unrelated to cyclotides. We propose that recombinant OaAEP1b is a powerful tool for use in peptide engineering applications where increased stability of peptide products is desired.
Theory and experimental evidence of phonon domains and their roles in pre-martensitic phenomena
Authors: Jin Yongmei M , Wang Yu U , Ren Yang
Published: December 2015

Pre-martensitic phenomena, also called martensite precursor effects, have been known for decades while yet remain outstanding issues. This paper addresses pre-martensitic phenomena from new theoretical and experimental perspectives. A statistical mechanics-based Grüneisen-type phonon theory is developed. On the basis of deformation-dependent incompletely softened low-energy phonons, the theory predicts a lattice instability and pre-martensitic transition into elastic-phonon domains via ‘phonon spinodal decomposition.’ The phase transition lifts phonon degeneracy in cubic crystal and has a nature of phonon pseudo-Jahn–Teller lattice instability. The theory and notion of phonon domains consistently explain the ubiquitous pre-martensitic anomalies as natural consequences of incomplete phonon softening. The phonon domains are characterised by broken dynamic symmetry of lattice vibrations and deform through internal phonon relaxation in response to stress (a particular case of Le Chatelier’s principle), leading to previously unexplored new domain phenomenon. Experimental evidence of phonon domains is obtained by in situ three-dimensional phonon diffuse scattering and Bragg reflection using high-energy synchrotron X-ray single-crystal diffraction, which observes exotic domain phenomenon fundamentally different from usual ferroelastic domain switching phenomenon. In light of the theory and experimental evidence of phonon domains and their roles in pre-martensitic phenomena, currently existing alternative opinions on martensitic precursor phenomena are revisited.
Correction: Corrigendum: Temporal MRI characterization, neurobiochemical and neurobehavioral changes in a mouse repetitive concussive head injury model
Authors: Yang Zhihui , Wang Ping , Morgan Drake , Bruijnzeel Adriaan W. , Lin Dan , Pan Jianchun , Lin Fan , Strang Kevin H. , Selig Tyler M. , Perez Pablo D. , Febo Marcelo , Chang Binggong , Rubenstein Richard , Wang Kevin K. W.
Published: December 2015

Single and repeated sports-related mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), also referred to as concussion, can result in chronic post-concussive syndrome (PCS), neuropsychological and cognitive deficits, or chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). However PCS is often difficult to diagnose using routine clinical, neuroimaging or laboratory evaluations, while CTE currently only can be definitively diagnosed postmortem. We sought to develop an animal model to simulate human repetitive concussive head injury for systematic study. In this study, mice received single or multiple head impacts by a stereotaxic impact device with a custom-made rubber tip-fitted impactor. Dynamic changes in MRI, neurobiochemical markers (Tau hyperphosphorylation and glia activation in brain tissues) and neurobehavioral functions such as anxiety, depression, motor function and cognitive function at various acute/subacute (1-7 day post-injury) and chronic (14-60 days post-injury) time points were examined. To explore the potential biomarkers of rCHI, serum levels of total Tau (T-Tau) and phosphorylated Tau (P-Tau) were also monitored at various time points. Our results show temporal dynamics of MRI consistent with structural perturbation in the acute phase and neurobiochemical changes (P-Tau and GFAP induction) in the subacute and chronic phase as well as development of chronic neurobehavioral changes, which resemble those observed in mTBI patients.
Correction: Corrigendum: Occurrence of chiral organochlorine compounds in the environmental matrices from King George Island and Ardley Island, west Antarctica
Authors: Wang Pu , Zhang Qinghua , Li Yingming , Zhu Chaofei , Chen Zhaojing , Zheng Shucheng , Sun Huizhong , Liang Yong , Jiang Guibin
Published: December 2015

Chiral organochlorine compounds (OCs) were measured in various environmental matrices (air, soil and vegetation) from west Antarctica using high resolution gas chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS). They were generally detected at a global background level compared with the previous studies. α-HCH and PCB-183 was observed in all the matrices except PCB-183 in two soil samples, while PCB-95, -136, -149, -174, -176 and o,p’-DDT were detected in most air but only a few solid matrices. Enantiomeric fractions (EFs) indicated that nonracemic residues of chiral OCs occurred in all the matrices and a wide variation of the EF values was observed in the vegetation. There was significant discrepancy between the EF values of PCB-183 and the racemic values, indicating that stereoselective depletion of PCB-183 was probably associated with the water-air exchange. The EFs values of α-HCH were generally lower than the racemic values but no statistical difference was obtained in all the matrices except lichen, supporting the assumption that water-air exchange may make influence on long-range transport of α-HCH.
Correction: Corrigendum: Crystal structure of caspase recruiting domain (CARD) of apoptosis repressor with CARD (ARC) and its implication in inhibition of apoptosis
Authors: Jang Tae-ho , Kim Seong Hyun , Jeong Jae-Hee , Kim Sunghwan , Kim Yeon-Gil , Park Hyun Ho
Published: December 2015

Apoptosis repressor with caspase recruiting domain (ARC) is a multifunctional inhibitor of apoptosis that is unusually over-expressed or activated in various cancers and in the state of the pulmonary hypertension. Therefore, ARC might be an optimal target for therapeutic intervention. Human ARC is composed of two distinct domains, N-terminal caspase recruiting domain (CARD) and C-terminal P/E (proline and glutamic acid) rich domain. ARC inhibits the extrinsic apoptosis pathway by interfering with DISC formation. ARC CARD directly interacts with the death domains (DDs) of Fas and FADD, as well as with the death effector domains (DEDs) of procaspase-8. Here, we report the first crystal structure of the CARD domain of ARC at a resolution of 2.4 Å. Our structure was a dimer with novel homo-dimerization interfaces that might be critical to its inhibitory function. Interestingly, ARC did not exhibit a typical death domain fold. The sixth helix (H6), which was detected at the typical death domain fold, was not detected in the structure of ARC, indicating that H6 may be dispensable for the function of the death domain superfamily.
Erratum: Simultaneous excitation and emission enhancements in upconversion luminescence using plasmonic double-resonant gold nanorods
Authors: Liu Xin , Lei Dang Yuan
Published: December 2015

The geometry and dimension of a gold nanorod (GNR) are optimally designed to enhance the fluorescence intensity of a lanthanide-doped upconversion nanocrystal placed in close proximity to the GNR. A systematic study of the electromagnetic interaction between the upconversion emitter of three energy levels and the GNR shows that the enhancement effect arising from localized electric field-induced absorption can be balanced by the negative effect of electronic transition from an intermediate state to the ground state of the emitter. The dependence of fluorescence enhancement on the emitter-GNR separation is investigated, and the results demonstrate a maximum enhancement factor of 120 folds and 160 folds at emission wavelengths 650 and 540 nm, respectively. This is achieved at the emitter-GNR separation ranging from 5 to 15 nm, depending on the initial quantum efficiency of the emitter. The modified upconversion luminescence behavior by adjusting the aspect ratio of the GNR and the relative position of the emitter indicates the dominate role of excitation process in the total fluorescence enhancement. These findings are of great importance for rationally designing composite nanostructures of metal nanoparticles and upconversion nanocrystals with maximized plasmonic enhancement for bioimaging and sensing applications.
Zinc enhancement of cytidine deaminase activity highlights a potential allosteric role of loop-3 in regulating APOBEC3 enzymes
Authors: Marx Ailie , Galilee Meytal , Alian Akram
Published: December 2015

The strong association of APOBEC3 cytidine deaminases with somatic mutations leading to cancers accentuates the importance of their tight intracellular regulation to minimize cellular transformations. We reveal a novel allosteric regulatory mechanism of APOBEC3 enzymes showing that APOBEC3G and APOBEC3A coordination of a secondary zinc ion, reminiscent to ancestral deoxycytidylate deaminases, enhances deamination activity. Zinc binding is pinpointed to loop-3 which whilst highly variable harbors a catalytically essential and spatially conserved asparagine at its N-terminus. We suggest that loop-3 may play a general role in allosterically tuning the activity of zinc-dependent cytidine deaminase family members.
PDLIM1 inhibits NF-κB-mediated inflammatory signaling by sequestering the p65 subunit of NF-κB in the cytoplasm
Authors: Ono Rumiko , Kaisho Tsuneyasu , Tanaka Takashi
Published: December 2015

Understanding the regulatory mechanisms for the NF-κB transcription factor is key to control inflammation. IκBα maintains NF-κB in an inactive form in the cytoplasm of unstimulated cells, whereas nuclear NF-κB in activated cells is degraded by PDLIM2, a nuclear ubiquitin E3 ligase that belongs to a LIM protein family. How NF-κB activation is negatively controlled, however, is not completely understood. Here we show that PDLIM1, another member of LIM proteins, negatively regulates NF-κB-mediated signaling in the cytoplasm. PDLIM1 sequestered p65 subunit of NF-κB in the cytoplasm and suppressed its nuclear translocation in an IκBα-independent, but α-actinin-4-dependent manner. Consistently, PDLIM1 deficiency lead to increased levels of nuclear p65 protein and thus enhanced proinflammatory cytokine production in response to innate stimuli. These studies reveal an essential role of PDLIM1 in suppressing NF-κB activation and suggest that LIM proteins comprise a new family of negative regulators of NF-κB signaling through different mechanisms.
The realization of the dipole (γ, γ) method and its application to determine the absolute optical oscillator strengths of helium
Authors: Xu Long-Quan , Liu Ya-Wei , Kang Xu , Ni Dong-Dong , Yang Ke , Hiraoka Nozomu , Tsuei Ku-Ding , Zhu Lin-Fan
Published: December 2015

The dipole (γ, γ) method, which is the inelastic x-ray scattering operated at a negligibly small momentum transfer, is proposed and realized to determine the absolute optical oscillator strengths of the vanlence-shell excitations of atoms and molecules. Compared with the conventionally used photoabsorption method, this new method is free from the line saturation effect, which can seriously limit the accuracies of the measured photoabsorption cross sections for discrete transitions with narrow natural linewidths. Furthermore, the Bethe-Born conversion factor of the dipole (γ, γ) method varies much more slowly with the excitation energy than does that of the dipole (e, e) method. Absolute optical oscillator strengths for the excitations of 1s2 → 1 snp(n = 3 − 7) of atomic helium have been determined using the high-resolution dipole (γ, γ) method and the excellent agreement of the present measurements with both those measured by the dipole (e, e) method and the previous theoretical calculations indicates that the dipole (γ, γ) method is a powerful tool to measure the absolute optical oscillator strengths of the valence-shell excitations of atoms and molecules.
Effects of electrical stimulation on rat limb regeneration, a new look at an old model
Authors: Leppik Liudmila P. , Froemel Dara , Slavici Andrei , Ovadia Zachri N. , Hudak Lukasz , Henrich Dirk , Marzi Ingo , Barker John H.
Published: December 2015

Limb loss is a devastating disability and while current treatments provide aesthetic and functional restoration, they are associated with complications and risks. The optimal solution would be to harness the body’s regenerative capabilities to regrow new limbs. Several methods have been tried to regrow limbs in mammals, but none have succeeded. One such attempt, in the early 1970s, used electrical stimulation and demonstrated partial limb regeneration. Several researchers reproduced these findings, applying low voltage DC electrical stimulation to the stumps of amputated rat forelimbs reporting “blastema and new bone, bone marrow, cartilage, nerve, skin, muscle and epiphyseal plate formation”. In spite of these encouraging results this research was discontinued. Recently there has been renewed interest in studying electrical stimulation, primarily at a cellular and subcellular level and studies have demonstrated changes in stem cell behavior with increased proliferation, differentiation, matrix formation and migration, all important in tissue regeneration. We applied electrical stimulation, in vivo, to the stumps of amputated rat limbs and observed significant new bone, cartilage and vessel formation and prevention of neuroma formation. These findings demonstrate that electricity stimulates tissue regeneration and form the basis for further research leading to possible new treatments for regenerating limbs.
Adipose tissue fatty acid chain length and mono-unsaturation increases with obesity and insulin resistance
Authors: Yew Tan Chong , Virtue Samuel , Murfitt Steven , Roberts Lee D. , Phua Yi Hui , Dale Martin , Griffin Julian L. , Tinahones Francisco , Scherer Philipp E. , Vidal-Puig Antonio
Published: December 2015

The non-essential fatty acids, C18:1n9, C16:0, C16:1n7, C18:0 and C18:1n7 account for over 75% of fatty acids in white adipose (WAT) triacylglycerol (TAG). The relative composition of these fatty acids (FA) is influenced by the desaturases, SCD1-4 and the elongase, ELOVL6. In knock-out models, loss of SCD1 or ELOVL6 results in reduced Δ9 desaturated and reduced 18-carbon non-essential FA respectively. Both Elovl6 KO and SCD1 KO mice exhibit improved insulin sensitivity. Here we describe the relationship between WAT TAG composition in obese mouse models and obese humans stratified for insulin resistance. In mouse models with increasing obesity and insulin resistance, there was an increase in scWAT Δ9 desaturated FAs (SCD ratio) and FAs with 18-carbons (Elovl6 ratio) in mice. Data from mouse models discordant for obesity and insulin resistance (AKT2 KO, Adiponectin aP2-transgenic), suggested that scWAT TAG Elovl6 ratio was associated with insulin sensitivity, whereas SCD1 ratio was associated with fat mass. In humans, a greater SCD1 and Elovl6 ratio was found in metabolically more harmful visceral adipose tissue when compared to subcutaneous adipose tissue.
Homogeneity of lithium distribution in cylinder-type Li-ion batteries
Authors: Senyshyn A. , Mühlbauer M. J. , Dolotko O. , Hofmann M. , Ehrenberg H.
Published: December 2015

Spatially-resolved neutron powder diffraction with a gauge volume of 2 × 2 × 20 mm3 has been applied as an in situ method to probe the lithium concentration in the graphite anode of different Li-ion cells of 18650-type in charged state. Structural studies performed in combination with electrochemical measurements and X-ray computed tomography under real cell operating conditions unambiguously revealed non-homogeneity of the lithium distribution in the graphite anode. Deviations from a homogeneous behaviour have been found in both radial and axial directions of 18650-type cells and were discussed in the frame of cell geometry and electrical connection of electrodes, which might play a crucial role in the homogeneity of the lithium distribution in the active materials within each electrode.
Iron oxide nanoparticle-mediated hyperthermia stimulates dispersal in bacterial biofilms and enhances antibiotic efficacy
Authors: Nguyen Thuy-Khanh , Duong Hien T. T. , Selvanayagam Ramona , Boyer Cyrille , Barraud Nicolas
Published: December 2015

The dispersal phase that completes the biofilm lifecycle is of particular interest for its potential to remove recalcitrant, antimicrobial tolerant biofilm infections. Here we found that temperature is a cue for biofilm dispersal and a rise by 5 °C or more can induce the detachment ofPseudomonas aeruginosabiofilms. Temperature upshifts were found to decrease biofilm biomass and increase the number of viable freely suspended cells. The dispersal response appeared to involve the secondary messenger cyclic di-GMP, which is central to a genetic network governing motile to sessile transitions in bacteria. Furthermore, we used poly((oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether acrylate)-block-poly(monoacryloxy ethyl phosphate)-stabilized iron oxide nanoparticles (POEGA-b-PMAEP@IONPs) to induce local hyperthermia in established biofilms upon exposure to a magnetic field. POEGA-b-PMAEP@IONPs were non-toxic to bacteria and when heated induced the detachment of biofilm cells. Finally, combined treatments of POEGA-b-PMAEP@IONPs and the antibiotic gentamicin reduced by 2-log the number of colony-forming units in both biofilm and planktonic phases after 20 min, which represent a 3.2- and 4.1-fold increase in the efficacy against planktonic and biofilm cells, respectively, compared to gentamicin alone. The use of iron oxide nanoparticles to disperse biofilms may find broad applications across a range of clinical and industrial settings.
Ligand-Mediated and Copper-Catalyzed C(sp3)-H Bond Functionalization of Aryl Ketones with Sodium Sulfinates under Mild Conditions
Authors: Lan Xing-Wang , Wang Nai-Xing , Bai Cui-Bing , Zhang Wei , Xing Yalan , Wen Jia-Long , Wang Yan-Jing , Li Yi-He
Published: December 2015

A novel and convenient copper (II) bromide and 1,8-diazabicyclo[5.4.1]undec-7-ene (DBU) or 1,10-phenanthroline catalysis protocol for the construction of α-alkyl-β-keto sulfones via C(sp3)-H bond functionalization followed by C(sp3)-S bond formation between aryl ketones and sodium sulfinates at room temperature has been developed. This method is applicable to a wide range of aryl ketones and sodium sulfinates. The electronic effects of aryl ketones and ligands effects of the copper salts are crucial for this transformation. Typically, substituted aryl ketones with electron-withdrawing group do not need any ligand to give a good to excellent yield, while substituted aryl ketones with electron-donating group and electron-rich heteroaromatic ketones offer a good to excellent yield only under the nitrogen-based ligands. The practical value of this transformation highlights the efficient and robust one-pot synthesis of α-alkyl-β-keto sulfones.
Dose-volume relationships for moderate or severe neck muscle atrophy after intensity-modulated radiotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Lu-Lu , Wang Xiao-Ju , Zhou Guan-Qun , Tang Ling-Long , Lin Ai-Hua , Ma Jun , Sun Ying
Published: December 2015

This study aimed to identify the dosimetric parameters and radiation dose tolerances associated with moderate or severe sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) atrophy after intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). We retrospectively analysed 138 patients treated with IMRT between 2011 and 2012 for whom IMRT treatment plans and pretreatment and 3-year post-IMRT MRI scans were available. The association between mean dose (Dmean), maximum dose (Dmax), VX (% SCM volume that received more than X Gy), DX (dose to X% of the SCM volume) at X values of 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65, 70, 75, 80 and SCM atrophy at 3 years after IMRT were analyzed. All dosimetric parameters, except V40, V50 and V80, were significantly associated with moderate or severe SCM atrophy. Multivariate analysis showed that V65 was an independent predictor of moderate or severe SCM atrophy (P < 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve indicated a V65 of 21.47% (area under ROC curves, 0.732; P < 0.001) was the tolerated dose for moderate or severe SCM atrophy. We suggest a limit of 21.47% for V65 to optimize NPC treatment planning, whilst minimizing the risk of moderate or severe SCM atrophy.
Investigation of the dynamic bending properties of MoS2 thin films by interference colours
Authors: Wang Peng , Xiao Si , Li Xiaohong , Lyu Bosai , Huang Yingbao , Cheng Shubo , Huang Han , He Jun , Gao Yongli
Published: December 2015

A non-contact method for the observation of the elastic deformation of 2D molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) thin films using an ordinary optical microscope is reported. A pulsed laser is used to rapidly increase the bending deformation of the MoS2 thin films via heating. The bending angle of the MoS2 thin films shows high stability, changing only 5% in forty days without external forces. However, the bending angle of the MoS2 thin films substantially decreases after being wetted with the volatile polar solvent tetrahydrofuran (THF), because of its low surface tension. By removing the nano-Newton scale forces on the MoS2 thin films, the bending angle increases significantly within 4 minutes and this feature of the thin films shows great potential for use in the fabrication of micro-force sensors. This is the first attempt to study the mechanical properties of 2D materials by optical methods. Further utilization of industrially manufactured MoS2 thin films for detecting micro-force qualitatively on the basis of their excellent bending properties would significantly reduce the production costs of micro-force sensors.