bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Remediation of pharmaceutical contaminated water by use of magnetic functionalized metal organic framework. Physicochemical study of doxycycline adsorption
Authors: Naeimi Shakiba , Faghihian Hossein
Published: March 2018

The presence of pharmaceutical pollutant, doxycycline (DOC) in water and waste streams has negative impact on the environment. In this research, metal organic framework was synthesized and functionalized by potassium nickel ferrocyanide (KNiFC). After characterisation, the functionalized adsorbent was used for removal of DOC from aqueous solutions. The adsorbent containing 80% of KNiFC exhibited the high adsorption capacity of 100 mg/g. The adsorption process was kinetically fast and the equilibration was established within 30 min. The used adsorbent retained 90% of its initial capacity after regeneration. The magnetic susceptibility of the adsorbent measured by VSM technique was 35 emu/g and sufficient for separation of the used adsorbent by external magnetic field. Isotherm models including Langmuir, Freundlich, Tempkin, Redlich‐Peterson, and Sips were applied to correlate the experimental equilibrium data. To evaluate the fitness of the isotherm equations error analysis methods, residual root mean square error and average relative error were used.
Informed Consent in Social Sciences Research: Ethical Challenges
Authors: Ferreira Carlos Miguel , Serpa Sandro
Published: March 2018

Informed consent is a critical procedure for the fulfilment of the ethical dimension in scientific research in social sciences. On the basis of a stance centred in Sociology research practices developed by the authors, this paper reflects on informed consent, its relevance in research, and procedures involved in its production and its concomitant implications. The reflection on the research process is stressed, emphasising the need to not consider the informed consent procedure as something that is fulfilled only once, but rather as something that integrates both the research process and its product and that, therefore, should be continuously considered and assessed throughout research.
Conflict Resolution Strategies in Media Discourse: The Case Study of: “Ɂəl xayT ləbyəD” “The Mediator”
Authors: Malki Ilham
Published: March 2018

This study examines the way discourse can contribute to conflict resolution. The study focuses on the discourse strategies used by the disputants in ‘the Mediator’ TV show to resolve their interpersonal conflicts. It also identifies the different tactics that the disputants in ‘the Mediator’ TV show use to negotiate their conflicts collaboratively and hence reach joint outcomes. Taking into consideration the significant role argumentation plays in the management of conflict, the study also seeks to underline the different rhetorical strategies and argumentative fallacies through which the contestants in ‘the Mediator’ TV show achieve their goals.Within a data corpus based on video-recordings of disputants in ‘the Mediator’ TV show, a number of interactional exchanges are phonetically transcribed, translated into English and qualitatively analyzed. The study analytical approach includes conversation analysis (Sacks (1974) Jefferson & Schegloff (1974)) as the methodological framework to investigate the contestants’ discourse strategies during conflict resolution process. The qualitative analysis of the selected data reveals different discourse and negotiating strategies adopted by the disputants to reach a resolution. These strategies contain discourse strategies of integrative conflict resolution, discourse strategies of cooperative competing conflict resolution, avoiding discursive strategies to conflict resolution, and finally discourse strategies of compromising conflict resolution. Strikingly is the fact that the results of the study identify accommodating, as the only style that has not been adopted by the disputants in ‘The Mediator’ TV show during the process of resolving their conflict.
Experiences in Physical Education: Exploring the Intersection of Visual Impairment and Maleness
Authors: Haegele Justin A. , Kirk T. Nicole
Published: March 2018

The purpose of this study was to adopt an explicitly intersectional approach to examine the embodied perspectives of males with visual impairments about physical education. An interpretative phenomenological analysis research approach was used, and six adults (18–33 years) who identified as males with visual impairments acted as participants. The primary sources of data were semistructured, audiotaped, telephone interviews and reflective field notes. Thematic development utilized a four-step interpretative phenomenological analysis-guided analytical process. Based on the data analysis, the following three interrelated themes emerged: (a) “I didn’t feel very integrated”: Noninclusionary experiences based on blindness; (b) “Oh great, where’s my cane now?”: Bullying, blindness, and maleness; and (c) “Okay, just do what you can”: Competitive culture glass ceiling. The themes highlight several issues that have been faced by males with visual impairments, which should be considered by physical education and adapted physical education personnel to enhance the quality of education for this population.
Single-cell profiling of the developing mouse brain and spinal cord with split-pool barcoding
Authors: Rosenberg Alexander B. , Roco Charles M. , Muscat Richard A. , Kuchina Anna , Sample Paul , Yao Zizhen , Graybuck Lucas T. , Peeler David J. , Mukherjee Sumit , Chen Wei , Pun Suzie H. , Sellers Drew L. , Tasic Bosiljka , Seelig Georg
Published: March 2018

Identifying single-cell types in the mouse brain

The recent development of single-cell genomic techniques allows us to profile gene expression at the single-cell level easily, although many of these methods have limited throughput. Rosenberg
et al.
describe a strategy called split-pool ligation-based transcriptome sequencing, or SPLiT-seq, which uses combinatorial barcoding to profile single-cell transcriptomes without requiring the physical isolation of each cell. The authors used their method to profile >100,000 single-cell transcriptomes from mouse brains and spinal cords at 2 and 11 days after birth. Comparisons with in situ hybridization data on RNA expression from Allen Institute atlases linked these transcriptomes with spatial mapping, from which developmental lineages could be identified.

Science
, this issue p.
176
GDV1 induces sexual commitment of malaria parasites by antagonizing HP1-dependent gene silencing
Authors: Filarsky Michael , Fraschka Sabine A. , Niederwieser Igor , Brancucci Nicolas M. B. , Carrington Eilidh , Carrió Elvira , Moes Suzette , Jenoe Paul , Bártfai Richárd , Voss Till S.
Published: March 2018

Sexual development in
Plasmodium

Malaria-causing parasites (
Plasmodium
) have complex life histories in the tissues of humans. For the most part, the parasites focus their efforts on replication within the human host cells. However, occasionally, some replicating cells release gametes into the bloodstream, which are picked up by biting mosquitoes. Filarsky
et al.
discovered that the
Plasmodium
parasite keeps the production of gametes under tight epigenetic control using heterochromatin protein 1 (HP1).
Plasmodium
gametocytogenesis is initiated when HP1 is evicted from upstream of gamete-specific genes by gametocyte development 1 (GDV1) protein. GDV1 is in turn regulated by its antisense RNA. What triggers GDV1 expression remains unclear. Elucidating this pathway could provide a target for interrupting malaria transmission.

Science
, this issue p.
1259
Long-distance stone transport and pigment use in the earliest Middle Stone Age
Authors: Brooks Alison S. , Yellen John E. , Potts Richard , Behrensmeyer Anna K. , Deino Alan L. , Leslie David E. , Ambrose Stanley H. , Ferguson Jeffrey R. , d’Errico Francesco , Zipkin Andrew M. , Whittaker Scott , Post Jeffrey , Veatch Elizabeth G. , Foecke Kimberly , Clark Jennifer B.
Published: March 2018

The Middle Stone Age in Africa

The Olorgesailie basin in the southern Kenya rift valley contains sediments dating back to 1.2 million years ago, preserving a long archaeological record of human activity and environmental conditions. Three papers present the oldest East African evidence of the Middle Stone Age (MSA) and elucidate the system of technology and behavior associated with the origin of
Homo sapiens
. Potts
et al.
present evidence for the demise of Acheulean technology that preceded the MSA and describe variations in late Acheulean hominin behavior that anticipate MSA characteristics. The transition to the MSA was accompanied by turnover of large mammals and large-scale landscape change. Brooks
et al.
establish that ∼320,000 to 305,000 years ago, the populations in eastern Africa underwent a technological shift upon procurement of distantly sourced obsidian for toolmaking, indicating the early development of social exchange. Deino
et al.
provide the chronological underpinning for these discoveries.

Science
, this issue p.
86
, p.
90
, p.
95
Protecting marine mammals, turtles, and birds by rebuilding global fisheries
Authors: Burgess Matthew G. , McDermott Grant R. , Owashi Brandon , Peavey Reeves Lindsey E. , Clavelle Tyler , Ovando Daniel , Wallace Bryan P. , Lewison Rebecca L. , Gaines Steven D. , Costello Christopher
Published: March 2018

Healthy fisheries can reduce bycatch

Bycatch of marine mammals, turtles, and birds during commercial fishing is a considerable threat. Activities intended to reduce bycatch are often thought to conflict with commercial fishing. However, Burgess
et al.
show that in the majority of cases, managing fishery stocks to best promote long-term sustainability would also reduce bycatch. Rebuilding fish stocks will naturally promote lower bycatch, and these factors together will facilitate sustainable profit generation from fish harvest.

Science
, this issue p.
1255
Rhythms: The dark side meets the light
Authors: Millius Arthur , Ueda Hiroki
Published: March 2018

Researchers examine the 24-hour biological clock in daytime-active baboons
Selection and Characterization of Rupintrivir-Resistant Norwalk Virus Replicon Cells
In Vitro
Authors: Kitano Mitsutaka , Hosmillo Myra , Emmott Edward , Lu Jia , Goodfellow Ian
Published: March 2018

Human norovirus (HuNoV) is a major cause of nonbacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, yet despite its impact on society, vaccines and antivirals are currently lacking. A HuNoV replicon system has been widely applied to the evaluation of antiviral compounds and has thus accelerated the process of drug discovery against HuNoV infection. Rupintrivir, an irreversible inhibitor of the human rhinovirus 3C protease, has been reported to inhibit the replication of the Norwalk virus replicon via the inhibition of the norovirus protease. Here we report, for the first time, the generation of rupintrivir-resistant human Norwalk virus replicon cells
in vitro
. Sequence analysis revealed that these replicon cells contained amino acid substitutions of alanine 105 to valine (A105V) and isoleucine 109 to valine (I109V) in the viral protease NS6. The application of a cell-based fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay for protease activity demonstrated that these substitutions were involved in the enhanced resistance to rupintrivir. Furthermore, we validated the effect of these mutations using reverse genetics in murine norovirus (MNV), demonstrating that a recombinant MNV strain with a single I109V substitution in the protease also showed reduced susceptibility to rupintrivir. In summary, using a combination of different approaches, we have demonstrated that, under the correct conditions, mutations in the norovirus protease that lead to the generation of resistant mutants can rapidly occur.
Heavy Metal Susceptibility of Escherichia coli Isolated from Urine Samples from Sweden, Germany, and Spain
Authors: Sütterlin Susanne , Téllez-Castillo Carlos J. , Anselem Leticia , Yin Hong , Bray James E. , Maiden Martin C. J.
Published: March 2018

Antimicrobial resistance is a major health care problem, with the intensive use of heavy metals and biocides recently identified as a potential factor contributing to the aggravation of this situation. The present study investigated heavy metal susceptibility and genetic resistance determinants in
Escherichia coli
isolated from clinical urine samples from Sweden, Germany, and Spain. A total of 186 isolates were tested for their sodium arsenite, silver nitrate, and copper(II) sulfate MICs. In addition, 88 of these isolates were subjected to whole-genome sequencing for characterization of their genetic resistance determinants and epidemiology. For sodium arsenite, the isolates could be categorized into a resistant and a nonresistant group based on MIC values. Isolates of the resistant group exhibited the chromosomal
ars
operon and belonged to non-B2 phylogenetic groups; in contrast, within the B2 phylogroup, no
ars
operon was found, and the isolates were susceptible to sodium arsenite. Two isolates also harbored the silver/copper resistance determinant
pco/sil
, and they belonged to sequence types ST10 (phylogroup A) and ST295 (phylogroup C). The ST295 isolate had a silver nitrate MIC of ≥512 mg/liter and additionally produced extended-spectrum beta-lactamases. To our knowledge, this is the first study to describe the distribution of the arsenic resistance
ars
operon within phylogroups of
E. coli
strains isolated from patients with urinary tract infections. The arsenic resistance
ars
operon was present only in all non-B2 clades, which have previously been associated with the environment and commensalism in both humans and animals, while B2 clades lacked the
ars
operon.
In Vitro
Activity of Lefamulin against Sexually Transmitted Bacterial Pathogens
Authors: Paukner Susanne , Gruss Astrid , Jensen Jørgen Skov
Published: March 2018

The pleuromutilin antibiotic lefamulin demonstrated
in vitro
activity against the most relevant bacterial pathogens causing sexually transmitted infections (STI), including
Chlamydia trachomatis
(MIC
50/90
, 0.02/0.04 mg/liter;
n
= 15), susceptible and multidrug-resistant
Mycoplasma genitalium
(MIC range, 0.002 to 0.063 mg/liter;
n
= 6), and susceptible and resistant
Neisseria gonorrhoeae
(MIC
50/90
, 0.12/0.5 mg/liter;
n
= 25). The results suggest that lefamulin could be a promising first-line antibiotic for the treatment of STI, particularly in populations with high rates of resistance to standard-of-care antibiotics.
Improvement of Bartonella henselae DNA Detection in Cat Blood Samples by Combining Molecular and Culture Methods
Authors: Drummond Marina Rovani , Lania Bruno Grosselli , Diniz Pedro Paulo Vissotto de Paiva , Gilioli Rovilson , Demolin Daniele Masselli Rodrigues , Scorpio Diana Gerardi , Breitschwerdt Edward B. , Velho Paulo Eduardo Neves Ferreira
Published: March 2018

Bartonella
spp. are bacteria of worldwide distribution that cause asymptomatic to fatal infections in animals and humans. The most common zoonotic species is
Bartonella henselae
, for which cats are the major natural reservoir host. To better understand
Bartonella
sp. diagnostic limitations, we determined the frequency of bloodstream infection in 112 cats by comparing and combining the results of multiple conventional and nested PCRs from blood and liquid culture samples. Using liquid culture conventional PCR,
Bartonella
sp. DNA was amplified from 27.7% of samples (31/112) compared to 90.2% of samples (101/112) by combining nested PCR from blood and liquid culture, indicating that PCR testing of more than one type of sample provides better sensitivity than a standalone PCR and that bloodstream infection is very frequent among cats in southeastern Brazil. This study reinforces the need for multistep testing for
Bartonella
sp. infection to prevent false-negative diagnostic results, even in reservoir hosts such as cats that typically maintain higher bacteremia levels.
Exacerbated Apoptosis of Cells Infected with Infectious Bursal Disease Virus upon Exposure to Interferon Alpha
Authors: Cubas-Gaona Liliana L. , Diaz-Beneitez Elisabet , Ciscar Marina , Rodríguez José F. , Rodríguez Dolores
Published: March 2018

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) belongs to the
Birnaviridae
family and is the etiological agent of a highly contagious and immunosuppressive disease (IBD) that affects domestic chickens (
Gallus gallus
). IBD or Gumboro disease leads to high rates of morbidity and mortality of infected animals and is responsible for major economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. IBD is characterized by a massive loss of IgM-bearing B lymphocytes and the destruction of the bursa of Fabricius. The molecular bases of IBDV pathogenicity are still poorly understood; nonetheless, an exacerbated cytokine immune response and B cell depletion due to apoptosis are considered main factors that contribute to the severity of the disease. Here we have studied the role of type I interferon (IFN) in IBDV infection. While IFN pretreatment confers protection against subsequent IBDV infection, the addition of IFN to infected cell cultures early after infection drives massive apoptotic cell death. Downregulation of double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-dependent protein kinase (PKR), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), or nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) expression drastically reduces the extent of apoptosis, indicating that they are critical proteins in the apoptotic response induced by IBDV upon treatment with IFN-α. Our results indicate that IBDV genomic dsRNA is a major viral factor that contributes to the triggering of apoptosis. These findings provide novel insights into the potential mechanisms of IBDV-induced immunosuppression and pathogenesis in chickens.

IMPORTANCE
IBDV infection represents an important threat to the poultry industry worldwide. IBDV-infected chickens develop severe immunosuppression, which renders them highly susceptible to secondary infections and unresponsive to vaccination against other pathogens. The early dysregulation of the innate immune response led by IBDV infection and the exacerbated apoptosis of B cells have been proposed as the main factors that contribute to virus-induced immunopathogenesis. Our work contributes for the first time to elucidating a potential mechanism driving the apoptotic death of IBDV-infected cells upon exposure to type I IFN. We provide solid evidence about the critical importance of PKR, TNF-α, and NF-κB in this phenomenon. The described mechanism could facilitate the early clearance of infected cells, thereby aiding in the amelioration of IBDV-induced pathogenesis, but it could also contribute to B cell depletion and immunosuppression. The balance between these two opposing effects might be dramatically affected by the genetic backgrounds of both the host and the infecting virus strain.
Herpesvirus Evasion of Natural Killer Cells
Authors: De Pelsmaeker Steffi , Romero Nicolas , Vitale Massimo , Favoreel Herman W.
Published: March 2018

Natural killer (NK) cells play an important role in the host response against viral infections and cancer development. They are able to kill virus-infected and tumor cells, and they produce different important cytokines that stimulate the antiviral and antitumor adaptive immune response, particularly interferon gamma. NK cells are of particular importance in herpesvirus infections, which is illustrated by systemic and life-threatening herpesvirus disease symptoms in patients with deficiencies in NK cell activity and by the myriad of reports describing herpesvirus NK cell evasion strategies. The latter is particularly obvious for cytomegaloviruses, but increasing evidence indicates that most, if not all, members of the herpesvirus family suppress NK cell activity to some extent. This review discusses the different NK cell evasion strategies described for herpesviruses and how this knowledge may translate to clinical applications.
Domains of the Hepatitis B Virus Small Surface Protein S Mediating Oligomerization
Authors: Suffner Sascha , Gerstenberg Nadine , Patra Maria , Ruibal Paula , Orabi Ahmed , Schindler Michael , Bruss Volker
Published: March 2018

During hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections, subviral particles (SVP) consisting only of viral envelope proteins and lipids are secreted. Heterologous expression of the small envelope protein S in mammalian cells is sufficient for SVP generation. S is synthesized as a transmembrane protein with N-terminal (TM1), central (TM2), and hydrophobic C-terminal (HCR) transmembrane domains. The loops between TM1 and TM2 (the cytosolic loop [CL]) and between TM2 and the HCR (the luminal loop [LL]) are located in the cytosol and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) lumen, respectively. To define the domains of S mediating oligomerization during SVP morphogenesis, S mutants were characterized by expression in transiently transfected cells. Mutation of 12 out of 15 amino acids of TM1 to alanines, as well as the deletion of HCR, still allowed SVP formation, demonstrating that these two domains are not essential for contacts between S proteins. Furthermore, the oligomerization of S was measured with a fluorescence-activated cell sorter (FACS)-based Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay. This approach demonstrated that the CL, TM2, and the LL independently contributed to S oligomerization, while TM1 and the HCR played minor roles. Apparently, intermolecular homo-oligomerization of the CL, TM2, and the LL drives S protein aggregation. Detailed analyses revealed that the point mutation C65S in the CL, the mutation of 13 out of 19 amino acids of TM2 to alanine residues, and the simultaneous replacement of all 8 cysteine residues in the LL by serine residues blocked the abilities of these domains to support S protein interactions. Altogether, specific domains and residues in the HBV S protein that are required for oligomerization and SVP generation were defined.

IMPORTANCE
The small hepatitis B virus envelope protein S has the intrinsic ability to direct the morphogenesis of spherical 20-nm subviral lipoprotein particles. Such particles expressed in yeast or mammalian cells represent the antigenic component of current hepatitis B vaccines. Our knowledge about the steps leading from the initial, monomeric, transmembrane translation product of S to SVP is very limited, as is our information on the structure of the complex main epitope of SVP that induces the formation of protective antibodies after vaccination. This study contributes to our understanding of the oligomerization process of S chains during SVP formation and shows that the cytoplasmic loop, one membrane-embedded domain, and the luminal loop of S independently drive S-S oligomerization.
An LaeA- and BrlA-Dependent Cellular Network Governs Tissue-Specific Secondary Metabolism in the Human Pathogen Aspergillus fumigatus
Authors: Lind Abigail L. , Lim Fang Yun , Soukup Alexandra A. , Keller Nancy P. , Rokas Antonis
Published: March 2018

Filamentous fungi produce a spectacular variety of small molecules, commonly known as secondary or specialized metabolites (SMs), which are critical to their ecologies and lifestyles (e.g., penicillin, cyclosporine, and aflatoxin). Elucidation of the regulatory network that governs SM production is a major question of both fundamental and applied research relevance. To shed light on the relationship between regulation of development and regulation of secondary metabolism in filamentous fungi, we performed global transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses on mutant and wild-type strains of the human pathogen
Aspergillus fumigatus
under conditions previously shown to induce the production of both vegetative growth-specific and asexual development-specific SMs. We find that the gene
brlA
, previously known as a master regulator of asexual development, is also a master regulator of secondary metabolism and other cellular processes. We further show that
brlA
regulation of SM is mediated by
laeA
, one of the master regulators of SM, providing a framework for the cellular network regulating not only fungal SMs but diverse cellular processes linked to virulence of this pathogen.
Off-label use of tacrolimus in children with Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis: a pilot study
Authors: Zhang Dong-Feng , Hao Guo-Xiang , Li Chun-Zhen , Yang Yan-Jun , Liu Fu-Juan , Liu Ling , Yuan Xiao-Ying , Li Rui-Hong , Dong Lei , Dong Qian , Jacqz-Aigrain Evelyne , Zhao Wei
Published: March 2018

Background

Tacrolimus is used off-label in the treatment of Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) in children, with limited evidence-based data. Based on clinical empirical experience and mechanism of action, tacrolimus might be promoted as treatment for childhood HSPN. The objectives of this pilot study were to assess its effectiveness and safety, and to explore the potential impact of CYP3A5 genotype.

Methods

Children with HSPN receiving tacrolimus as empirical treatment were included in this prospective, observational study. Effectiveness was classified as complete remission, partial remission or non-response. General safety data analyses during and after study drug exposure included adverse events, reasons for discontinuation, deaths, laboratory data and vital signs. Trough concentration was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Pharmacogenetic analysis was performed on the CYP3A5 gene.

Results

A total of 20 patients with a mean age of 7.5 (SD 2.1) years participated in the whole process of the study. Twelve patients reached complete remission and eight patients reached partial remission at the end of 6-month treatment. No patients discontinued tacrolimus treatment due to adverse events, and no drug-related adverse events were shown to have a causal association with tacrolimus therapy. Dose-adjusted trough concentration was significantly higher in children with CYP3A5*1 allele as compared with patients with CYP3A5*3/*3 genotype (170.7±100.9 vs 79.8±47.4 (ng/mL)/(mg/kg)).

Conclusion

This pilot study showed that tacrolimus might be an effective and well-tolerated drug for the treatment of HSPN in children. CYP3A5 polymorphism had a significant impact on tacrolimus concentration.
National, regional and global mortality due to alcoholic cardiomyopathy in 2015
Authors: Manthey Jakob , Probst Charlotte , Rylett Margaret , Rehm Jürgen
Published: March 2018

Objectives

(1) A comprehensive mortality assessment of alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM) and (2) examination of under-reporting using vital statistics data.

Methods

A modelling study estimated sex-specific mortality rates for each country, which were subsequently aggregated by region and globally. Input data on ACM mortality were obtained from death registries for n=91 countries. For n=99 countries, mortality estimates were predicted using aggregate alcohol data from WHO publications. Descriptive additional analyses illustrated the scope of under-reporting.

Results

In 2015, there were an estimated 25 997 (95% CI 17 385 to 49 096) global deaths from ACM. This translates into 6.3% (95% CI 4.2% to 11.9%) of all global deaths from cardiomyopathy being caused by alcohol. There were large regional variations with regard to mortality burden. While the majority of ACM deaths were found in Russia (19 749 deaths, 76.0% of all ACM deaths), for about one-third of countries (n=57) less than one ACM death was found. Under-reporting was identified for nearly every second country with civil registration data. Overall, two out of three global ACM deaths might be misclassified.

Conclusions

The variation of ACM mortality burden is greater than for other alcohol-attributable diseases, and partly may be the result of stigma and lack of detection. Misclassification of ACM fatalities is a systematic phenomenon, which may be caused by low resources, lacking standards and stigma associated with alcohol-use disorders. Clinical management may be improved by including routine alcohol assessments. This could contribute to decrease misclassifications and to provide the best available treatment for affected patients.
Late outcomes after the Fontan procedure in patients with single ventricle: a meta-analysis
Authors: Schwartz Ilana , McCracken Courtney E , Petit Christopher J , Sachdeva Ritu
Published: March 2018

Objective

More patients with Fontan physiology are reaching adulthood. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the late outcomes of patients palliated with Fontan procedure and to assess the risk factors for mortality.

Methods

PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were queried to retrieve observational studies of survival in patients following the Fontan procedure with ≥5 years of follow-up. A random-effects model was used to determine pooled survival estimates at 5, 10 and 15 years. Meta-regression was used to assess potential moderators for death.

Results

Nineteen articles with a total of 5859 patients were included. The weighted mean follow-up time was 8.94±2.64 years with overall 8.3% deaths and 1.5% transplants. Pooled survival estimates at 5, 10 and 15 years were 90.7%, 87.2% and 87.5%, respectively; and 88.4%, 85.7% and 84.1%, respectively, for studies that included all three time intervals (n=4). Earliest surgical year included in the study, proportion of atriopulmonary connections versus extracardiac conduit or lateral tunnel, and older age at Fontan were associated with higher rates of death, but ventricular morphology was not. Protein-losing enteropathy, reoperation and pacemaker insertion were reported in 2.1%, 5.6% and 6.8% patients, respectively.

Conclusions

Survival following the Fontan procedure has improved with time and is influenced by Fontan type and age at the time of Fontan. At a mean follow-up of 8.9 years, there was no significant association between survival and ventricular morphology, not taking into account the mortality prior to Fontan.
Association of ambient pollution with inhaler use among patients with COPD: a panel study
Authors: Magzamen Sheryl , Oron Assaf P , Locke Emily R , Fan Vincent S
Published: March 2018

Background

Studies have linked ambient air pollution to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) healthcare encounters. However, the association between air quality and rescue medication use is unknown.

Objectives

We assessed the role of air pollution exposure for increased short-acting beta-2-agonist (SABA) use in patients with COPD through use of remote monitoring technology.

Methods

Participants received a portable electronic inhaler sensor to record the date, time and location for SABA use over a 3-month period. Ambient air pollution data and meteorological data were collected from a centrally located federal monitoring station. Mixed-effects Poisson regression was used to examine the association of daily inhaler use with pollutant levels. Four criteria pollutants (PM2.5, PM10, O3and NO2), two particulate matter species (elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon), estimated coarse fraction of PM10(PM10–2.5) and four multipollutant air quality measures were each examined separately, adjusting for covariates that passed a false discovery rate (FDR) screening.

Results

We enrolled 35 patients with COPD (94.3% male and mean age: 66.5±8.5) with a mean forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) % predicted of 44.9+17.2. Participants had a median of 92 observation days (range 52–109). Participants’ average SABA inhaler use ranged from 0.4 to 13.1 puffs/day (median 2.8). Controlling for supplemental oxygen use, long-acting anticholinergic use, modified Medical Research Council Dyspnoea Scale and influenza season, an IQR increase in PM10concentration (8.0 µg/m3) was associated with a 6.6% increase in daily puffs (95% CI 3.5% to 9.9%; FDR <0.001). NO2and EC concentration were also significantly associated with inhaler use (3.9% and 2.9% per IQR increase, respectively).

Conclusions

Exposure to increased ambient air pollution were associated with a significant increase in SABA use for patients with COPD residing in a low-pollution area.
Simplified analysis of chord and brace effects on jack-up leg penetration for preloading in soft clay
Authors: Aagesen R. , Dean E.T.R. , Lee F.H. , Li Y.P.
Published: March 2018

The main codes of practice governing jack-up preloading presently do not consider the possibility of beneficial effects of soil resistance generated by leg chord and leg brace members as they move downwards through disturbed soil that has been squeezed past the spudcan to form part of the backfill. This paper argues that these effects can be significant for the special case of deep penetrations in soft clay. An approximate method of estimating the effects is proposed and discussed. Results are found to be broadly consistent with recent centrifuge model tests and numerical analyses. Further work is recommended to explore these potentially important and certainly complex effects.
A comprehensive comparison between single- and two-step GBLUP methods in a simulated beef cattle population
Authors: Piccoli Mario L. , Brito Luiz F. , Braccini José , Brito Fernanda V. , Cardoso Fernando F. , Cobuci Jaime A. , Sargolzaei Mehdi , Schenkel Flávio S.
Published: March 2018

The statistical methods used in the genetic evaluations are a key component of the process and can be best compared by using simulated data. The latter is especially true in grazing beef cattle production systems, where the number of proven bulls with highly reliable estimated breeding values is limited to allow for a trustworthy validation of genomic predictions. Therefore, we simulated data for 4980 beef cattle aiming to compare single-step genomic best linear unbiased prediction (ssGBLUP), which simultaneously incorporates pedigree, phenotypic, and genomic data into genomic evaluations, and two-step GBLUP (tsGBLUP) procedures and genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs) blending methods. The greatest increases in GEBV accuracies compared with the parents’ average estimated breeding values (EBVPA) were 0.364 and 0.341 for ssGBLUP and tsGBLUP, respectively. Direct genomic value and GEBV accuracies when using ssGBLUP and tsGBLUP procedures were similar, except for the GEBV accuracies using Hayes’ blending method in tsGBLUP. There was no significant or slight bias in genomic predictions from ssGBLUP or tsGBLUP (using VanRaden’s blending method), indicating that these predictions are on the same scale compared with the true breeding values. Overall, genetic evaluations including genomic information resulted in gains in accuracy >100% compared with the EBVPA. In addition, there were no significant differences between the selected animals (10% males and 50% females) by using ssGBLUP or tsGBLUP.
The impact of stock collapse on small-scale fishers’ behavior: evidence from Japan
Authors: Kiyama Shoichi , Yamazaki Satoshi
Published: March 2018

Understanding behavioral responses of resource users to environmental changes and incentives created by management systems is imperative to implement effective resource management and development policies. A small-scale mixed fishery in the Maizuru Bay, Japan, provides a natural experiment to evaluate changes in small-scale fishers’ harvesting and targeting behavior over the years that one of the key species in the fishery experienced a collapse of the stock. Using data on individual fishers across the pre- and postcollapse periods, we find that inefficient fishers were forced to shut down or stay idle along with the collapse of the stock, and this behavior led to an increase in the overall efficiency in the production of clams (Venerupis philippinarum). The depletion of the stock, however, imposed a natural constraint on the operation, resulting in a substantial decline in the maximum production achievable by the remaining fishers. We further show that the collapse of the stock not only affected the harvesting behavior against the declining species but also led to the expansion of the fishing capacity and effort to catch other species and the development of aquaculture as an alternative form of fish production in the region.
Meta optimization of stand management with population-based methods
Authors: Jin Xingji , Pukkala Timo , Li Fengri
Published: March 2018

The amount of different products and services obtained from forests depends on several management decisions such as thinning years, thinning intensity, thinning type, and rotation length. The relationships between management actions and the various outputs obtained from forests are complicated. This makes stand management optimization challenging, especially if the number of simultaneously maximized outputs and the number of optimized variables are high. The direct search method of Hooke and Jeeves (HJ) has been used much in stand management optimization. In recent years, population-based methods have been proposed as an alternative to the HJ method. The performance of a population-based method depends on its parameters such as number iterations and population size (number of solution vectors used in the population-based method). This study used two-level meta optimization to simultaneously optimize the parameters of a population-based method and the management schedule of a stand. Four population-based methods were analysed: differential evolution (DE), particle swarm optimization (PS), evolution strategy optimization (ES), and the method of Nelder and Mead (NM). With optimal parameter values, DE and PS found the best stand management schedules, followed by ES and NM. DE and PS performed better than HJ. Therefore, DE and PS should be used more in forest management and their search algorithms should be further developed.
A new development in quantum field equations of dyons
Authors: Chanyal B.C.
Published: March 2018

In this study, we describe a novel approach to quantum phenomena of the generalized electromagnetic fields of dyons with quaternionic analysis. Starting with quaternionic quantum wave equations, we have established a quantized condition for time coordinate that transforms microscopic to macroscopic fields. In view of the classical electromagnetic field equations, we propose a new set of quantized Proca–Maxwell’s equations for dyons. Furthermore, a quantized form of four-current densities and the quantized Lorentz gauge conditions for electric and magnetic potentials, respectively, of dyons are obtained. We have established the new quantized continuity equations for electric and magnetic densities of dyons, which are associated with a torque density result from the two spin states. The quantized Klein–Gordon-like field equations and the unified quaternionic electromagnetic potential wave equations for massive dyons are demonstrated. Moreover, we investigate the quaternionic quantized relativistic Dirac field equations for massive dyons, which indicate that the antiparticle of dyons will exist, called antidyons.
Quantifying the contribution of zoos and aquariums to peer-reviewed scientific research
Authors: Loh Tse-Lynn , Larson Eric R. , David Solomon R. , de Souza Lesley S. , Gericke Rebecca , Gryzbek Mary , Kough Andrew S. , Willink Philip W. , Knapp Charles R.
Published: March 2018

Modern zoos and aquariums aspire to contribute significantly to biodiversity conservation and research. For example, conservation research is a key accreditation criterion of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). However, no studies to date have quantified this contribution. We assessed the research productivity of 228 AZA members using scientific publications indexed in the ISI Web of Science (WoS) database between 1993 and 2013 (inclusive). AZA members published 5175 peer-reviewed manuscripts over this period, with publication output increasing over time. Most publications were in the zoology and veterinary science subject areas, and articles classified as “biodiversity conservation” by WoS averaged 7% of total publications annually. From regression analyses, AZA organizations with larger financial assets generally published more, but research-affiliated mission statements were also associated with increased publication output. A strong publication record indicates expertise and expands scientific knowledge, enhancing organizational credibility. Institutions aspiring for higher research productivity likely require a dedicated research focus and adequate institutional support through research funding and staffing. We recommend future work build on our results by exploring links between zoo and aquarium research productivity and conservation outcomes or uptake.
The branching fraction calculations of Bc+ → ψ(2S)π+, Bc+ → J/ψK+ and Bc+ → J/ψDs+ decays relative to that of the Bc+ → J/ψπ+ mode
Authors: Mohammadi Behnam
Published: March 2018

The weak decay of [Formula: see text] into [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] mesons, observed by LHCb collaboration for the first time, are calculated in the model which takes into account the “factorizable” contributions and “nonfactorizable” corrections. The decays of [Formula: see text] mesons into charmonia and light hadrons are expected to be well described by the factorization approximation. In the standard model, [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] decays occur through only the tree-level diagrams and so there are no CP violation in these channels. The decay [Formula: see text] is expected to proceed mainly via a [Formula: see text] transition because the [Formula: see text] decay has identical final state and similar event topology, where it is chosen as the relative branching fraction channel. The ratio of branching fractions [Formula: see text] is of particular interest since the CKM matrix element is suppressed by a factor [Formula: see text], in which the [Formula: see text] occur through [Formula: see text] transition, but the dominant amplitude of the decay [Formula: see text] is a [Formula: see text] transition. The decay [Formula: see text] is examined by color-allowed, color-suppressed spectator and weak annihilation diagrams. The weak annihilation topology, in contrast to decays of other beauty hadrons, is not suppressed and can contribute significantly to the decay amplitude. Because of the [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] branching fractions are calculated relative to the [Formula: see text] decay, this decay mode is estimated separately, the ratio between them are [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively, that are compatible with the experimental data.
Sol–gel synthesis and optical properties of titanium dioxide thin film
Authors: Ullah Irfan , Khattak Shaukat Ali , Ahmad Tanveer , Saman  , Ludhi Nayab Ali
Published: March 2018

The titanium dioxide (TiO2) is synthesized by sol–gel method using titanium-tetra-iso-propoxide (TTIP) as a starting material, and deposited on the pre-cleaned glass substrate using spin coating technique at optimized parameters. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy confirms successful TiO2 growth. The optical properties concerning the transmission and absorption spectra show 85% transparency and 3.28 eV wide optical band gap for indirect transition, calculated from absorbance. The exponential behavior of absorption edge is observed and attributed to the localized states electronic transitions, curtailed in the indirect band gap of the thin film. The film reveals decreasing refractive index with increasing wavelength. The photoluminescence (PL) study ascertains that luminescent properties are due to the surface defects.
Total variation flow perturbed by gradient linear multiplicative noise
Authors: Munteanu Ionuţ , Röckner Michael
Published: March 2018

We consider stochastic nonlinear diffusion equations with a highly singular diffusivity term and multiplicative gradient-type noise. We study existence and uniqueness of non-negative variational solutions in terms of stochastic variational inequalities. We also show the positivity preserving property of the solutions and extinction in finite time with probability one. These kinds of equations arise, e.g., in the use for simulation of image restoring techniques or for modeling turbulence.
Measurement-induced randomness and state-merging
Authors: Chakrabarty Indranil , Deshpande Abhishek , Chatterjee Sourav
Published: March 2018

In this work we introduce the randomness which is truly quantum mechanical in nature arising as an act of measurement. For a composite classical system, we have the joint entropy to quantify the randomness present in the total system and that happens to be equal to the sum of the entropy of one subsystem and the conditional entropy of the other subsystem, given we know the first system. The same analogy carries over to the quantum setting by replacing the Shannon entropy by the von Neumann entropy. However, if we replace the conditional von Neumann entropy by the average conditional entropy due to measurement, we find that it is different from the joint entropy of the system. We call this difference Measurement Induced Randomness (MIR) and argue that this is unique of quantum mechanical systems and there is no classical counterpart to this. In other words, the joint von Neumann entropy gives only the total randomness that arises because of the heterogeneity of the mixture and we show that it is not the total randomness that can be generated in the composite system. We generalize this quantity for N-qubit systems and show that it reduces to quantum discord for two-qubit systems. Further, we show that it is exactly equal to the change in the cost quantum state merging that arises because of the measurement. We argue that for quantum information processing tasks like state merging, the change in the cost as a result of discarding prior information can also be viewed as a rise of randomness due to measurement.
Optimal Control of an Inverted Ball-Driving Robot Based upon Slip Patterns
Authors: Lee Howon , Lee Jangmyung
Published: March 2018

This paper proposes a precise driving control algorithm by utilizing the slip pattern of an inverted ball-driving robot with Mecanum wheels. The slip pattern of the ball-driving robot has an eight-leaves flower shape, which can be utilized to plan the driving direction of the ball-robot and to minimize the slip. When there exists the slip, the localization of the ball-robot becomes very coarse because of the uncertainties caused by the slip. By minimizing the slip using the analyzed slip pattern, the precise driving of the inverted ball-driving robot with Mecanum wheels can be achieved. Real experiments with a self-manufactured ball-robot have been carried out to show the preciseness of the driving based upon the proposed algorithm compared to the conventional algorithms.
Accurate Viscoelastic Large Deformation Analysis Using F-Bar Aided Edge-Based Smoothed Finite Element Method for 4-Node Tetrahedral Meshes (F-BarES-FEM-T4)
Authors: Onishi Yuki , Iida Ryoya , Amaya Kenji
Published: March 2018

A state-of-the-art tetrahedral smoothed finite element method, F-barES-FEM-T4, is demonstrated on viscoelastic large deformation problems. The stress relaxation of viscoelastic materials brings near incompressibility when the long-term Poisson’s ratio is close to 0.5. The conventional hybrid 4-node tetrahedral (T4) elements cannot avoid the shear locking and pressure checkerboarding issues, meanwhile F-barES-FEM-T4 can suppress these issues successfully by adopting the edge-based smoothed finite element method (ES-FEM) with the aid of the F-bar method and the cyclic smoothing procedure. A few examples of analyses verify that F-barES-FEM-T4 is locking-free and pressure oscillation-free in viscoelastic analyses as well as in nearly incompressible hyperelastic or elastoplastic analyses.
BUSINESS REGULATION AND ECONOMIC GROWTH: THE INDIRECT EFFECT OF CORRUPTION IN LATIN AMERICA AND THE CARIBBEAN
Authors: FERNÁNDEZ-TORRES YAKIRA , GUTIÉRREZ-FERNÁNDEZ MILAGROS , RAMAJO-HERNÁNDEZ JULIÁN
Published: March 2018

This paper explores how corruption indirectly affects economic growth through business regulation in Latin America and the Caribbean, a relationship that has scarcely been addressed in the literature. Although regulation of the private sector explains GDP per capita, the effect is conditioned by the level of corruption. When the control of corruption is greater, there is an increase in the extent to which bureaucracy when starting a business and trading across borders negatively affects GDP per capita in Latin America and the Caribbean. This finding corroborates the “greasing the wheels” hypothesis.