bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Relative Age Effect in Young Swiss Alpine Skiers From 2004 to 2011
Authors: Gorski Tatiane , Rosser Thomas , Hoppeler Hans , Vogt Michael
Published: September 2015

Purpose:

To verify whether relative age effects (RAEs) occur among young male and female Swiss Alpine skiers of different age groups and performance levels. In addition, the efficacy of normalizing performance in physical tests to height and body mass to attenuate RAEs eventually present was tested.

Methods:

The Swiss Ski Power Test consists of anthropometric measures and physical tests for coordination and speed, endurance, and strength and has been used since 2004 to evaluate 11- to 19-y-old Swiss competitive Alpine skiers. The authors analyzed the distribution of 6996 tests performed by 1438 male and 1031 female Alpine skiers between 2004 and 2011 according to the athletes’ respective relative age quartiles. Differences in anthropometric measures and performance in physical tests according to quartile were assessed, and the possibility of attenuating eventual RAEs on performance by normalization of results to height and body mass was tested.

Results:

RAEs were found among all female and male age groups, with no differences between age groups. While performance level did not affect RAE for male skiers, it influenced RAE among female skiers. RAEs also influenced results in all physical tests except upper-limb strength. Normalization of results to body mass attenuated most RAEs identified.

Conclusion:

Small RAEs are present among young Swiss competitive Alpine skiers and should be taken into account in training and selection settings to prevent the waste of possible future talents. When ranking junior athletes according to their performance in physical tests, normalization of results to body mass decreases the bias caused by RAEs.
Intrasession and Intersession Reliability of Running Mechanics During Treadmill Sprints
Authors: Girard Olivier , Brocherie Franck , Morin Jean-Benoit , Millet Grégoire P.
Published: September 2015

Purpose:

To determine the intrasession and intersession (ie, within- and between-days) reliability in treadmill sprinting-performance outcomes and associated running mechanics.

Methods:

After familiarization, 13 male recreational sportsmen (team- and racket-sport background) performed three 5-s sprints on an instrumented treadmill with 2 min recovery on 3 different days, 5–7 d apart. Intrasession (comparison of the 3 sprints of the first session) and intersession (comparison of the average of the 3 sprints across days) reliability of performance, kinetics, kinematics, and spring-mass variables were assessed by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and coefficients of variation (CV%).

Results:

Intrasession reliability was high (ICC > .94 and CV < 8%). Intersession reliability was good for performance indices (.83 < ICC < .89 and CV < 10%, yet with larger variability for mean velocity than for distance covered or propulsive power) and kinetic parameters (ICC > .94 and CV < 5%, yet with larger variability for mean horizontal forces than for mean vertical forces) and ranged from good to high for all kinematic (.88 < ICC < .95 and CV ≤ 3.5%) and spring-mass variables (.86 < ICC < .99 and CV ≤ 6.5%). Compared with intrasession, minimal detectable differences were on average twice larger for intersession designs, except for sprint kinetics.

Conclusion:

Instrumented treadmill sprint offers a reliable method of assessing running mechanics during single sprints either within the same session or between days.
Profiling Isokinetic Strength by Leg Preference and Position in Rugby Union Athletes
Authors: Brown Scott R. , Brughelli Matt , Bridgeman Lee A.
Published: September 2015

Context:

Muscle imbalances aid in the identification of athletes at risk for lower-extremity injury. Little is known regarding the influence that leg preference or playing position may have on lower-extremity muscle strength and asymmetry.

Purpose:

To investigate lower-extremity strength profiles in rugby union athletes and compare isokinetic knee- and hip-strength variables between legs and positions.

Methods:

Thirty male academy rugby union athletes, separated into forwards (n = 15) and backs (n = 15), participated in this cross-sectional analysis. Isokinetic dynamometry was used to evaluate peak torque, angle of peak torque, and strength ratios of the preferred and nonpreferred legs during seated knee extension/flexion and supine hip extension/flexion at 60°/s.

Results:

Backs were older (ES = 1.6) but smaller in stature (ES = –0.47) and body mass (ES = –1.3) than the forwards. The nonpreferred leg was weaker than the preferred leg for forwards during extension (ES = –0.37) and flexion (ES = –0.21) actions and for backs during extension (ES = –0.28) actions. Backs were weaker at the knee than forwards in the preferred leg during extension (ES = –0.50) and flexion (ES = –0.66) actions. No differences were observed in strength ratios between legs or positions. Backs produced peak torque at longer muscle lengths in both legs at the knee (ES = –0.93 to –0.94) and hip (ES = –0.84 to –1.17) than the forwards.

Conclusions:

In this sample of male academy rugby union athletes, the preferred leg and forwards displayed superior strength compared with the nonpreferred leg and backs. These findings highlight the importance of individualized athletic assessments to detect crucial strength differences in male rugby union athletes.
Relationships Between Potentiation Effects After Ballistic Half-Squats and Bilateral Symmetry
Authors: Suchomel Timothy J. , Sato Kimitake , DeWeese Brad H. , Ebben William P. , Stone Michael H.
Published: September 2015

The purposes of this study were to examine the effect of ballistic concentric-only half-squats (COHS) on subsequent squat-jump (SJ) performances at various rest intervals and to examine the relationships between changes in SJ performance and bilateral symmetry at peak performance. Thirteen resistance-trained men performed an SJ immediately and every minute up to 10 min on dual force plates after 2 ballistic COHS repetitions at 90% of their 1-repetition-maximum COHS. SJ peak force, peak power, net impulse, and rate of force development (RFD) were compared using a series of 1-way repeated-measures ANOVAs. The percent change in performance at which peak performance occurred for each variable was correlated with the symmetry index scores at the corresponding time point using Pearson correlation coefficients. Statistical differences in peak power (P = .031) existed between rest intervals; however, no statistically significant pairwise comparisons were present (P > .05). No statistical differences in peak force (P = .201), net impulse (P = .064), and RFD (P = .477) were present between rest intervals. The relationships between changes in SJ performance and bilateral symmetry after the rest interval that produced the greatest performance for peak force (r = .300, P = .319), peak power (r = –.041, P = .894), net impulse (r = –.028, P = .927), and RFD (r = –.434, P = .138) were not statistically significant. Ballistic COHS may enhance SJ performance; however, the changes in performance were not related to bilateral symmetry.
Social Psychological and Developmental Perspectives on Early Sport Specialization
Authors: Horn Thelma S.
Published: September 2015

One of the primary dilemmas surrounding the topic of early sport specialization is whether the practice develops talent or creates long-term psychological problems. The purpose of this paper is to discuss this issue using psychosocial and developmental frameworks. This review begins with an overview of several developmentallybased constructs (e.g., biological maturation, perceived competence, body image, self-identity, motivational orientation) that are relevant to the sport domain. These developmental progressions are then used to address some potential implications for children who begin intensive training and competition at an early age. Next, some socioenvironmental factors are explored, with specific links made to the early sport specialization process. Finally, the paper ends with four recommendations for future research on the topic.
Critical behavior at a dynamic vortex insulator-to-metal transition
Authors: Poccia Nicola , Baturina Tatyana I. , Coneri Francesco , Molenaar Cor G. , Wang X. Renshaw , Bianconi Ginestra , Brinkman Alexander , Hilgenkamp Hans , Golubov Alexander A. , Vinokur Valerii M.
Published: September 2015

Vortices in a superconducting egg crate

Near equilibrium phase transitions, physical systems that bear no resemblance to one another can behave in a very similar way. For example, thermodynamic functions follow the same scaling behavior in a magnetic transition as in the seemingly unrelated gas-liquid transition. Does such universality exist in nonequilibrium phase transitions? Poccia
et al.
fabricated a square array of superconducting islands on a metallic surface. They applied a magnetic field, which caused vortices to form in between the islands, and induced a transition from a state in which vortices were stuck to their positions to one where they were able to move. They observed the same scaling behavior that applies to some equilibrium transitions.

Science
, this issue p.
1202
New human species discovered
Authors: Gibbons Ann
Published: September 2015

Bizarre skeletons emerge from South African cave.
Global payer
Authors: Kupferschmidt Kai
Published: September 2015

As head of the $29 billion Wellcome Trust, Jeremy Farrar took the stage during the Ebola epidemic. Now, he wants to make the trust a world leader.
Advancing precision medicine through multi-omics: An integrated approach to tumor profiling
Authors: Martinelli Giovanni , Foreman Nicholas
Published: September 2015

While technological breakthroughs of the last decade have greatly advanced our understanding of the cancer genome, they have also revealed the immense complexity and heterogeneity of tumors. The key to further advancing our understanding and treatment of cancer is to distinguish between genes and pathways that drive tumorigenesis (driver events) and neutral, passenger events. A growing body of evidence has shown that not all DNA-level alterations have biological implications, making it necessary to examine multiple ꞌomics levels including the transcriptome and proteome, to identify critical driver events. In this webinar, our expert panel will discuss how using a multi-omics–based approach to cancer research can advance our understanding of cancer biology as well as lead to the discovery of novel biomarkers.

View the Webinar
RETRACTED: The inner centromere–shugoshin network prevents chromosomal instability
Authors: Tanno Yuji , Susumu Hiroaki , Kawamura Miyuki , Sugimura Haruhiko , Honda Takashi , Watanabe Yoshinori
Published: September 2015

A misstep in the chromosomes' dance

The chromosomes of most cancer cells are unstable, suffering breaks and rearrangements. These aberrations perturb normal gene-regulatory programs and contribute to cancer progression. Tanno
et al.
studied several human cell lines that show chromosome instability. Homologous chromosomes did not pair very well with each other during cell division. These chromosomes had lost a specific chromatin covalent modification, methylation of histone H3 lysine 9, and/or the protein “glue” cohesin at the chromosomes' centromeres. Either of these losses interfered with the binding of the shugoshin 1 protein, which is required for proper chromosome pairing and segregation.

Science
, this issue p.
1237
Winning coalitions for climate policy
Authors: Meckling Jonas , Kelsey Nina , Biber Eric , Zysman John
Published: September 2015

Green industrial policy builds support for carbon regulation
Coherent manipulation of Andreev states in superconducting atomic contacts
Authors: Janvier C. , Tosi L. , Bretheau L. , Girit Ç. Ö. , Stern M. , Bertet P. , Joyez P. , Vion D. , Esteve D. , Goffman M. F. , Pothier H. , Urbina C.
Published: September 2015

Making and manipulating a weak-link qubit

In superconductors, single particles cannot have energies smaller than the superconducting gap. Yet when two superconductors are separated by a thin nonsuperconducting bridge (the “weak link”), quasi-particles can occupy states that are inside the gap, the so-called Andreev bound states (ABSs). Janvier
et al.
fabricated such a structure out of superconducting aluminum and manipulated the occupation of a pair of ABSs. They observed oscillations in population between two of the energy levels, forming a type of qubit, which they dubbed the Andreev qubit. The results may lead to applications in quantum information processing.

Science
, this issue p.
1199
Stress orientations in subduction zones and the strength of subduction megathrust faults
Authors: Hardebeck Jeanne L.
Published: September 2015

Faults well oriented for failure

A deck of cards will remain motionless while pressed on from above, but easily separates when sheared. Similarly, the ease by which geological faults rupture depends on the geometry of the fault relative to the size and direction of stress. Hardebeck finds that faults are well oriented for failure in subduction zones worldwide, suggesting a low-stress environment (see the Perspective by Bürgmann). Subduction zone faults unleash powerful earthquakes. These estimates on the state of stress constrain potential generation mechanisms of destructive subduction zone earthquakes.

Science
, this issue p.
1213
; see also p.
1162
Six enzymes from mayapple that complete the biosynthetic pathway to the etoposide aglycone
Authors: Lau Warren , Sattely Elizabeth S.
Published: September 2015

Transplanting the wisdom of the mayapple

Etoposide, a topoisomerase inhibitor, is used to treat various cancers. However, etoposide isn't that easy to get. Its precursor comes from the very slow-growing mayapple plant. Lau and Sattely used bioinformatics, heterologous enzyme expression, and kinetic characterization, to work out the pathway that makes the precursor in mayapple (see the Perspective by O'Connor). They then successfully transplanted the full biosynthetic pathway into tobacco plants.

Science, this issue p.1224; see also p.1167
Weak subduction makes great quakes
Authors: Bürgmann Roland
Published: September 2015

Small earthquakes reveal low stress levels at megathrust zones and in surrounding crust

[Also see Report by

Hardebeck
et al.

]
Viruses carry antiviral cargo
Authors: Schoggins John W.
Published: September 2015

Infected cells generate a factor that is incorporated into viruses and transferred to other cells

[Also see Reports by

Bridgeman
et al.

and

Gentili
et al.

]
Complete Genome Sequence of Classical Swine Fever Virus Strain JSZL, Belonging to a New Subgenotype, 2.1d, Isolated in China in 2014
Authors: Zhang Hongliang , Feng Liping , Liu Chunxiao , Chen Jiazeng , Leng Chaoliang , Bai Yun , Peng Jinmei , An Tongqing , Cai Xuehui , Yang Xufu , Tian Zhijun , Tong Guangzhi
Published: September 2015

The complete genome sequence of classic swine fever virus (CSFV) strain JSZL was determined in this study. JSZL was originally isolated from an immune pig farm in Jiangsu Province, China. JSZL is more closely related to subgenotype 2.1b than to 2.1a and 2.1c. Importantly, JSZL was classified into a new subgenotype, 2.1d.
Draft Genome Sequence of Antarctic
Pseudomonas
sp. Strain KG01 with Full Potential for Biotechnological Applications
Authors: Pavlov María S. , Lira Felipe , Martínez José L. , Olivares Jorge , Marshall Sergio H.
Published: September 2015

We report here the draft genome sequence of a free-living psychrotolerant,
Pseudomonas
sp. strain KG01, isolated from an Antarctic soil sample and displaying interesting antimicrobial and surfactant activities. The sequence is 6.3 Mb long and includes 5,648 predicted-coding sequences.
Complete Genome Sequence of Prevotella intermedia Strain 17-2
Authors: Nambu Takayuki , Yamane Kazuyoshi , Maruyama Hugo , Mashimo Chiho , Yamanaka Takeshi
Published: September 2015

Prevotella intermedia
, a Gram-negative black-pigmented anaerobic rod, is frequently isolated from not only periodontal pockets but also purulent infections. We report here the complete genome sequence of
P. intermedia
strain 17-2, which is a non-exopolysaccharide-producing variant obtained from exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing
P. intermedia
strain 17 stock culture.
Draft Genome Sequences of Klebsiella variicola Plant Isolates
Authors: Martínez-Romero Esperanza , Silva-Sanchez Jesús , Barrios Humberto , Rodríguez-Medina Nadia , Martínez-Barnetche Jesús , Téllez-Sosa Juan , Gómez-Barreto Rosa Elena , Garza-Ramos Ulises
Published: September 2015

Three endophytic
Klebsiella variicola
isolates—T29A, 3, and 6A2, obtained from sugar cane stem, maize shoots, and banana leaves, respectively—were used for whole-genome sequencing. Here, we report the draft genome sequences of circular chromosomes and plasmids. The genomes contain plant colonization and cellulases genes. This study will help toward understanding the genomic basis of
K. variicola
interaction with plant hosts.
Electronic health record-based triggers to detect adverse events after outpatient orthopaedic surgery
Authors: Menendez Mariano E , Janssen Stein J , Ring David
Published: September 2015

Background

Adverse events (AEs) after outpatient orthopaedic surgery are common, but difficult to detect. Electronic health records facilitate abstraction of large quantities of data, and may allow automated identification of ‘triggers’ or clues indicating the possibility of an AE. We evaluated electronic health record-based triggers to detect AEs after outpatient orthopaedic surgery.

Methods

The medical records of 1464 patients undergoing outpatient surgical procedures in one of five orthopaedic services at our institution were manually reviewed for the occurrence of 90-day postoperative AEs. We used electronic health records to identify triggers suggestive of an AE. Each trigger was evaluated for positive predictive value (PPV). We constructed a logistic regression model to determine triggers associated with AEs and used the beta coefficients derived from the model to produce a formula for the likelihood of identifying an AE in the medical record.

Results

The overall rate of 90-day AEs was 10%, with surgical site infection being the most common (3.3%). Electronic triggers with the highest PPVs for the occurrence of 90-day AEs were antibiotic prescription (75%), emergency department visit (41%), bone/joint or blood culture (41%), repeat surgery (39%) and consult with infectious disease specialist (33%). Using our formula to predict the likelihood of identifying an AE in the medical record, a predicted probability of >0.10 had a specificity of 80% and sensitivity of 53% for actual AE.

Conclusions

Electronic health record-based triggers may facilitate quality-improvement efforts to monitor morbidity after outpatient orthopaedic surgery. Further research is needed to understand the optimal use of electronic triggers as surgical quality indicators and as screening tools to flag cases for manual review.

Level of evidence

Level III, prognostic study.
Improving the management of sepsis in a district general hospital by implementing the 'Sepsis Six' recommendations
Authors: Kumar Prashant , Jordan Mark , Caesar Jenny , Miller Sarah
Published: September 2015

Sepsis is a common condition with a major global impact on healthcare resources and expenditure. The Surviving Sepsis Campaign has been vigorous in promoting internationally recognised pathways to improve the management of septic patients and decrease mortality. However, translating recommendations into practice is a challenging and complex task that requires a multi-faceted approach with sustained engagement from local stakeholders.

Whilst working at a district general hospital in New Zealand, we were concerned by the seemingly inconsistent management of septic patients, often leading to long delays in the initiation of life-saving measures such as antibiotic, fluid, and oxygen administration. In our hospital there were no clear systems, protocols or guidelines in place for identifying and managing septic patients.

We therefore launched the Sepsis Six resuscitation bundle of care in our hospital in an attempt to raise awareness amongst staff and improve the management of septic patients. We introduced a number of simple low-cost interventions that included educational sessions for junior doctors and nursing staff, as well as posters and modifications to phlebotomy trolleys that acted as visual reminders to implement the Sepsis Six bundle.

Overall, we found there to a be a steady improvement in the delivery of the Sepsis Six bundle in septic patients with 63% of patients receiving appropriate care within one hour, compared to 29% prior to our interventions. However this did not translate to an improvement in patient mortality.

This project forms part of an on going process to instigate a fundamental culture change among local healthcare professionals regarding the management of sepsis. Whilst we have demonstrated improved implementation of the Sepsis Six bundle, the key challenge remains to ensure that momentum of this project continues and forms a platform for sustainable clinical improvement in the long term.
Improving patient outcomes with technology and social media in paediatric diabetes
Authors: Ng Sze May
Published: September 2015

The UK has the highest number of children and young people with diagnosed Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) in Europe, but the lowest numbers attaining good diabetes control (1, 2). Novel strategies and incorporation of digital strategies were identified in the team for development to improve overall patient care and outcomes in our population of children and young people with T1DM.

Within a dual-site integrated care organisation, 3 digital initiatives were proposed from 2012-2013 to 1) establish Facebook communications with parents/patients, 2) to implement an electronic diabetes information management system (using Twinkle.Net) and 3) to undertake routine uploading of blood glucose meters and insulin pumps (using DIASEND®) with the aim to improve outcomes in paediatric diabetes care. Key objectives for the three initiatives were aimed to optimise the following outcomes:

• Reduce HbA1c levels

• Decrease emergency admissions, reduce diabetes-related complications and minimise the length of hospital stays

• Improve patient satisfaction and communication

• Improve efficiencies with mandatory audit submissions

• Empower patients, parents, and the multidisciplicnary team with accurate, real-time information.

These digital initiatives showed effective use of technology and social media in achieving significant improvements in all the outcomes within the objectives.
Trends and socioeconomic disparities in preadolescent's health in the UK: evidence from two birth cohorts 32 years apart
Authors: Shackleton Nichola , Hale Daniel , Viner Russell M
Published: September 2015

Background

Compared to children and adults, little is known about changes in adolescent health over time. This study profiles the health of preadolescents in two distinct time periods, 1980 and 2012.

Methods

Secondary analysis of the British Cohort Study and the Millennium Cohort Study for preadolescents mostly aged between 10 and 11.5 years (range 9.75–13 years). The prevalence/average of, and socioeconomic gradients in, the following were compared between 1980 and 2012; general health problems, anthropometrics, allergic conditions, infectious diseases, health service use, smoking and parental smoking behaviour and maternal adiposity. Socioeconomic status was measured by familial income (3 groups).

Results

There were decreases in the proportion of hospital admissions (Δ=−0.10(−0.09:−0.11)) smoking (Δ=−0.12(−0.11:−0.13)), parental smoking (mother: (Δ=−0.19(−0.18:−0.21)) father: (Δ=−0.35(−0.34:−0.37), infectious diseases (measles: (Δ=−0.46(−0.45:−0.47)) whooping cough: (Δ=−0.07(−0.06:−0.07)) and hearing problems (Δ=−0.04(−0.03:−0.05)). There were no changes in limiting long-standing illness (Δ=0.00 (−0.00:0.00)), or the proportion of children having two or more accidents requiring medical attention (Δ=−0.02(−0.00:−0.02)). There were increases in the proportion overweight (Δ=0.18(0.17:0.19)), maternal overweight(Δ=0.22(0.21:0.23)) and obesity(Δ=0.12(0.11:0.13)), height for age(Δ=0.47(0.44:0.49)), weight for age (Δ=0.68(0.65:0.71)), proportion reporting chicken pox (Δ=0.28(0.27:0.29)), allergic conditions (eczema Δ=0.19(0.18:0.20)), asthma Δ=0.12(0.11:0.13), hay fever Δ=0.15(0.14:0.16)) and wearing glasses (Δ=0.08(0.07:0.09)). There were increases in socioeconomic gradients for limiting long-standing illness, smoking, overweight, weight for age, height for age, wearing glasses, asthma and the onset of puberty.

Conclusions

There have been reductions in infectious diseases and tobacco exposure among British preadolescents, but overweight and allergic conditions have risen dramatically. Children from deprived families have benefitted least from improvements in health status, and have experienced the largest increases in health risks.
Focused post mortem dissection technique for harvest of rete mirabile in domestic swine (Sus scrofa)
Authors: Eliyas Javed Khader , Niekrasz Marek , Wardrip Craig , Lee Seon-Kyu
Published: September 2015

Background

Rete mirabile (RM) of the domestic pig is a popular animal model of arteriovenous malformations. The RM (Latin for ‘wonderful net)’ comprises the arterioarterial portal connecting ascending pharyngeal arteries and the internal carotid arteries, which exists in the skull base of even-toed ungulates. Although angiographic access of the RM is relatively easy, its post mortem procurement is complicated and its detailed technique has not been well described.

Objective

To present our focused post mortem dissection technique for undamaged and complete harvest of the RM.

Materials and methods

Fourteen domestic (40–70 lb (18–32 kg)) swine were used in this study. Angiographies were performed under general anesthesia in all animals. A 5F Berenstein catheter was used for angiography and a 014 microcatheter was used to obtain superselective angiography. A stepwise surgical dissection technique has been developed to efficiently harvest RM. Angiographic and surgical anatomy were also compared.

Results

The RM was supplied by bilateral ascending pharyngeal arteries. Bilateral anterior cerebral arteries, middle cerebral arteries, and the basilar system were identified rostral to the RM. Our surgical dissection technique was developed during a project to streamline harvesting of the RM and a stepwise description is as follows: (1) decapitate the swine by removing the head through the plane of the occiput and C1 vertebral body; (2) remove the tongue and oropharynx via a ventral approach; (3) dissect through the posterior pharyngeal wall identifying bilateral tympanic bullae and the basisphenoid bone; and (4) remove the basisphenoid bone about one and half inches above the rostral end of the tympanic bullae to fully expose the rete.

Conclusions

The RM can be procured efficiently and effectively with our technique, without requiring any sophisticated surgical devices.
Influence of exercise training with resveratrol supplementation on skeletal muscle mitochondrial capacity
Authors: Polley Kristine R. , Jenkins Nathan , O’Connor Patrick , McCully Kevin
Published: September 2015

Physical inactivity reduces, and exercise training increases, mitochondrial capacity. In rodents, exercise training effects can be augmented by large doses of resveratrol supplementation but whether this can occur in humans with a smaller dose is unclear. This study sought to determine the effects of resveratrol supplementation in combination with exercise training on skeletal muscle mitochondrial capacity. Sixteen healthy young adults were randomly assigned in a double-blind fashion to consume either placebo or 500 mg of resveratrol plus 10 mg of piperine, a bioenhancer to increase bioavailibilty and bioefficacy of resveratrol. Participants ingested the pills daily for 4 weeks and completed 3 sessions per week of submaximal endurance training of the wrist flexor muscles of the nondominant arm. The contralateral arm served as an untrained control. Skeletal muscle mitochondrial capacity was measured using near-infrared spectroscopy. Changes in mitochondrial capacity from baseline to post-testing indicated significant differences between the resveratrol+piperine-trained arm and the placebo-trained arm (p = 0.02), with the resveratrol+piperine group increasing about 40% from baseline (Δk = 0.58), while the placebo group increased about 10% from baseline (Δk = 0.13). Neither the placebo group nor the resveratrol+piperine group exhibited changes in mitochondrial capacity in the untrained arm. In conclusion, low-intensity exercise training can increase forearm skeletal muscle mitochondrial capacity when combined with resveratrol and piperine supplementation.
Surface interactions of monomethylarsonic acid with hematite nanoparticles studied using ATR-FTIR: adsorption and desorption kinetics
Authors: Sabur Md Abdus , Al-Abadleh Hind A.
Published: September 2015

Monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) is an organoarsenical compound which, along with dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), poses health and environmental concerns. Little is known about the surface chemistry of MMA at the molecular level with materials relevant to geochemical environments and industrial sectors. We report the structure of MMA surface complexes and the adsorption/desorption kinetics of MMA to and from hematite as a model for reactive iron-containing materials commonly found in geosorbents and arsenic-removal technologies. Attenuated total internal reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy was used to study the surface interactions at the molecular level. Spectra of adsorbed MMA (MMA(ads)) were collected as a function of time and aqueous-phase concentration. Values for the apparent rates of adsorption and desorption were extracted from experimental data at pH 7 as a function of spectral components during the initial times of surface interactions (0–5 min). Results showed that MMA adsorbs on hematite nanoparticles with rates 1.3 to 1.6 times slower than arsenate. The desorption of MMA(ads) by hydrogen phosphate from hematite surfaces is 2× faster than arsenate, and proceeds with an overall nonunity order, suggesting the existence of more than one type of surface complex at equilibrium. Also, hydrogen phosphate leads to the desorption of about 67% of MMA(ads) compared with 26% of surface arsenate. Adsorption kinetics for aqueous hydrogen phosphate were also investigated in the absence and presence of surface arsenic and followed this order: fresh hematite > MMA/hematite ≥ iAs(V)/hematite. From this study, it can be inferred that, on average, the presence of the methyl group in MMA results in weaker surface interactions with hematite relative to arsenate under neutral pH because of the simultaneous formation of mono- and bidentate MMA complexes compared with predominantly bidentate complexes for arsenate.
Discovery of ethyl urea derivatives as inhibitors of islet amyloid polypeptide fibrillization and cytotoxicity
Authors: Fortin Jessica S. , Benoit-Biancamano Marie-Odile , C.-Gaudreault René
Published: September 2015

Islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) has been shown to form amyloid deposits in pancreatic islets, thereby furthering type 2 diabetes disease progression. Further discovery of new molecules is needed to create a diverse set of molecules that impede pancreatic amyloidosis. We have recently designed and synthesized N-phenyl-N′-(2-ethyl)ureas (EU) that are non-cytotoxic small molecules, to evaluate the role of the aryl-substituted moiety on the inhibition of hIAPP fibrillization. Several EUs were tested in vitro for their anti-amyloidogenic activity using the fluorometric ThT assay, the photo-induced cross-linking (PIUCP) assay, and cell survival assay in pancreatic MIN-6 cells. EU-362 and EU-418 were able to significantly inhibit the formation of hIAPP fibrils and protected cells from amyloid cytotoxic effects. Our results suggest that increasing the nucleophilic potency of the aryl moiety significantly enhances the anti-amyloidogenic activity of the molecules.
Monoallelic Expression of Olfactory Receptors
Authors: Monahan Kevin , Lomvardas Stavros
Published: September 2015

The sense of smell collects vital information about the environment by detecting a multitude of chemical odorants. Breadth and sensitivity are provided by a huge number of chemosensory receptor proteins, including more than 1,400 olfactory receptors (ORs). Organizing the sensory information generated by these receptors so that it can be processed and evaluated by the central nervous system is a major challenge. This challenge is overcome by monogenic and monoallelic expression of OR genes. The single OR expressed by each olfactory sensory neuron determines the neuron's odor sensitivity and the axonal connections it will make to downstream neurons in the olfactory bulb. The expression of a single OR per neuron is accomplished by coupling a slow chromatin-mediated activation process to a fast negative-feedback signal that prevents activation of additional ORs. Singular OR activation is likely orchestrated by a network of interchromosomal enhancer interactions and large-scale changes in nuclear architecture.
Generating Neuronal Diversity in the Mammalian Cerebral Cortex
Authors: Lodato Simona , Arlotta Paola
Published: September 2015

The neocortex is the part of the brain responsible for execution of higher-order brain functions, including cognition, sensory perception, and sophisticated motor control. During evolution, the neocortex has developed an unparalleled neuronal diversity, which still remains partly unclassified and unmapped at the functional level. Here, we broadly review the structural blueprint of the neocortex and discuss the current classification of its neuronal diversity. We then cover the principles and mechanisms that build neuronal diversity during cortical development and consider the impact of neuronal class-specific identity in shaping cortical connectivity and function.
Safe Drinking Water for Low-Income Regions
Authors: Amrose Susan , Burt Zachary , Ray Isha
Published: September 2015

Well into the 21st century, safe and affordable drinking water remains an unmet human need. At least 1.8 billion people are potentially exposed to microbial contamination, and close to 140 million people are potentially exposed to unsafe levels of arsenic. Many new technologies, water quality assessments, health impact assessments, cost studies, and user preference studies have emerged in the past 20 years to further the laudable goal of safe drinking water for all. This article reviews (a) the current literature on safe water approaches with respect to their effectiveness in improving water quality and protectiveness in improving human health, (b) new work on the uptake and use of safe water systems among low-income consumers, (c) new research on the cash and labor costs of safe water systems, and (d) research on user preferences and valuations for safe water. Our main recommendation is that safe water from “source to sip” should be seen as a system; this entire system, rather than a discrete intervention, should be the object of analysis for technical, economic, and health assessments.
Transforming Consumption: From Decoupling, to Behavior Change, to System Changes for Sustainable Consumption
Authors: O'Rourke Dara , Lollo Niklas
Published: September 2015

Consumption, although often considered an individual choice, is deeply ingrained in behaviors, cultures, and institutions, and is driven and supported by corporate and government practices. Consumption is also at the heart of many of our most critical ecological, health, and social problems. What is referred to broadly as sustainable consumption has primarily focused on making consumption more efficient and gradually decoupling it from energy and resource use. We argue for the need to focus sustainable consumption initiatives on the key impact areas of consumption—transport, housing, energy use, and food—and at deeper levels of system change. To meet the scale of the sustainability challenges we face, interventions and policies must move from relative decoupling via technological improvements, to strategies to change the behavior of individual consumers, to broader initiatives to change systems of production and consumption. We seek to connect these emerging literatures on behavior change, structural interventions, and sustainability transitions to arrive at integrated frameworks for learning, iteration, and scaling of sustainability innovations. We sketch the outlines of research and practice that offer potentials for system changes for truly sustainable consumption.
Environmental Change in the Deep Ocean
Authors: Rogers Alex David
Published: September 2015

Patterns of abundance, biomass, and species richness are reviewed for deep-sea ecosystems. Long-term monitoring studies have indicated that deep-sea ecosystems are sensitive to climatic variability through its influence on the quantity and quality of surface primary production. The potential impacts of climate change, through its effects on primary production and through changes in the temperature, pH, and oxygenation of the deep ocean are explored. It is concluded that deep-sea ecosystems are likely to be highly sensitive to changes in food supply and the physical environment driven by global climate change. As a result, ecosystem services will be negatively impacted with likely positive feedbacks to atmospheric CO2levels. It is a matter of urgency that baselines are established for diversity, abundance, and biomass of deep-sea ecosystems, particularly for the pelagic realm and that a mechanistic understanding is developed of how food supply and physical parameters affect community structure and function.
Conservation of Planar Polarity Pathway Function Across the Animal Kingdom
Authors: Hale Rosalind , Strutt David
Published: September 2015

Planar polarity is a well-studied phenomenon resulting in the directional coordination of cells in the plane of a tissue. In invertebrates and vertebrates, planar polarity is established and maintained by the largely independent core and Fat/Dachsous/Four-jointed (Ft-Ds-Fj) pathways. Loss of function of these pathways can result in a wide range of developmental or cellular defects, including failure of gastrulation and problems with placement and function of cilia. This review discusses the conservation of these pathways across the animal kingdom. The lack of vital core pathway components in basal metazoans suggests that the core planar polarity pathway evolved shortly after, but not necessarily alongside, the emergence of multicellularity.
Multiple Stressors in a Changing World: The Need for an Improved Perspective on Physiological Responses to the Dynamic Marine Environment
Authors: Gunderson Alex R. , Armstrong Eric J. , Stillman Jonathon H.
Published: September 2015

Abiotic conditions (e.g., temperature and pH) fluctuate through time in most marine environments, sometimes passing intensity thresholds that induce physiological stress. Depending on habitat and season, the peak intensity of different abiotic stressors can occur in or out of phase with one another. Thus, some organisms are exposed to multiple stressors simultaneously, whereas others experience them sequentially. Understanding these physicochemical dynamics is critical because how organisms respond to multiple stressors depends on the magnitude and relative timing of each stressor. Here, we first discuss broad patterns of covariation between stressors in marine systems at various temporal scales. We then describe how these dynamics will influence physiological responses to multi-stressor exposures. Finally, we summarize how multi-stressor effects are currently assessed. We find that multi-stressor experiments have rarely incorporated naturalistic physicochemical variation into their designs, and emphasize the importance of doing so to make ecologically relevant inferences about physiological responses to global change.
Protein Phosphatases of Pathogenic Bacteria: Role in Physiology and Virulence
Authors: Sajid Andaleeb , Arora Gunjan , Singhal Anshika , Kalia Vipin C. , Singh Yogendra
Published: September 2015

The role of protein phosphatases in pathogenic bacteria has been studied extensively over the last two decades. Ser/Thr and Tyr phosphatases are associated with growth and virulence of many bacteria. These phosphatases control kinase-mediated functions and return the proteins to their unmodified state. Biochemical, structural, and functional studies, in addition to extensive genetic characterization, have highlighted the importance of phosphatases in bacteria. However, questions remain regarding the mechanisms driving localization of secretory phosphatases to cellular compartments, identification of receptor phosphatase sensory signals, and a possible role of cofactors and ligands in their functions. This review focuses on the role of Ser/Thr- and Tyr-specific phosphatases present in pathogenic bacteria, with an emphasis on the regulation of basic cellular processes and virulence. Furthermore, we highlight their clinical importance and analyze the development of drugs targeting protein phosphatases.
Carboxymethyl Hyaluronan-Stabilized Nanoparticles for Anticancer Drug Delivery
Authors: Woodman Jessica L. , Suh Min Sung , Zhang Jianxing , Kondaveeti Yuvabharath , Burgess Diane J. , White Bruce A. , Prestwich Glenn D. , Kuhn Liisa T.
Published: September 2015

Carboxymethyl hyaluronic acid (CMHA) is a semisynthetic derivative of HA that is recognized by HA binding proteins but contains an additional carboxylic acid on some of the 6-hydroxyl groups of the N-acetyl glucosamine sugar units. These studies tested the ability of CMHA to stabilize the formation of calcium phosphate nanoparticles and evaluated their potential to target therapy resistant, CD44+/CD24−/lowhuman breast cancer cells (BT-474EMT). CMHA stabilized particles (nCaPCMHA) were loaded with the chemotherapy drugcis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (CDDP) to form nCaPCMHACDDP. nCaPCMHACDDP was determined to be poorly crystalline hydroxyapatite, 200 nm in diameter with a −43 mV zeta potential. nCaPCMHACDDP exhibited a two-day burst release of CDDP that tapered resulting in 86% release by 7 days. Surface plasmon resonance showed that nCaPCMHACDDP binds to CD44, but less effectively than CMHA or hyaluronan. nCaPCMHA-AF488was taken up by CD44+/CD24−BT-474EMTbreast cancer cells within 18 hours. nCaPCMHACDDP was as cytotoxic as free CDDP against the BT-474EMTcells. Subcutaneous BT-474EMTtumors were more reproducibly inhibited by a near tumor dose of 2.8 mg/kg CDDP than a 7 mg/kg dose nCaPCMHACDDP. This was likely due to a lack of distribution of nCaPCMHACDDP throughout the dense tumor tissue that limited drug diffusion.
Generalized Bilinear Differential Operators Application in a (3+1)-Dimensional Generalized Shallow Water Equation
Authors: Wu Jingzhu , Xing Xiuzhi , Geng Xianguo
Published: September 2015

The relations betweenDp-operators and multidimensional binary Bell polynomials are explored and applied to construct the bilinear forms withDp-operators of nonlinear equations directly and quickly. Exact periodic wave solution of a (3+1)-dimensional generalized shallow water equation is obtained with the help of theDp-operators and a general Riemann theta function in terms of the Hirota method, which illustrate that bilinearDp-operators can provide a method for seeking exact periodic solutions of nonlinear integrable equations. Furthermore, the asymptotic properties of the periodic wave solutions indicate that the soliton solutions can be derived from the periodic wave solutions.
Expression of Intratumoral IGF-II Is Regulated by the Gene Imprinting Status in Triple Negative Breast Cancer from Vietnamese Patients
Authors: Radhakrishnan Vinodh Kumar , Hernandez Lorraine Christine , Anderson Kendra , Tan Qianwei , De León Marino , De León Daisy D.
Published: September 2015

African American women suffer higher incidence and mortality of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) than Caucasian women. TNBC is very aggressive, causing the worst clinical outcome. We previously demonstrated that tumors from these patients express high IGF-II and exhibit high activation of the IGF signaling pathways. IGF-II gene expression is imprinted (monoallelic), promotes tumor progression, and metastasis and regulates Survivin, a TNBC prognostic marker. Since BC mortality has increased among young Vietnamese women, we analyzed 48 (paired) TNBC samples from Vietnamese patients to assess IGF-II expression. We analyzed all samples by qrtPCR for identification of IGF-II heterozygosity and to determine allelic expression of the IGF-II gene. We also analyzed the tissues for proIGF-II and Survivin by RT-PCR and Western blotting. A total of 28 samples displayed IGF-II heterozygosity of which 78% were biallelic. Tumors with biallelic IGF-II gene expression exhibited the highest levels of proIGF-II and Survivin. Although 100% of these tissues corresponding normal samples were biallelic, they expressed significantly lower levels of or no proIGF-II and Survivin. Thus, IGF-II biallelic gene expression is differentially regulated in normal versus tumor tissues. We propose that intratumoral proIGF-II is dependent on the IGF-II gene imprinting status and it will promote a more aggressive TNBC.
Adaptive Gearshift Strategy Based on Generalized Load Recognition for Automatic Transmission Vehicles
Authors: Lei Yulong , Liu Ke , Zhang Yuanxia , Fu Yao , Liu Hongbo , Lin Ge , Tang Hui
Published: September 2015

Recognizing various driving conditions in real time and adjusting control strategy accordingly in automatic transmission vehicles are important to improve their adaptability to the external environment. This study defines a generalized load concept which can comprehensively reflect driving condition information. The principle of a gearshift strategy based on generalized load is deduced theoretically, adopting linear interpolation between the shift lines on flat and on the largest gradient road based on recognition results. For the convenience of application, normalization processing is used to transform generalized load results into a normalized form. Compared with the dynamic three-parameter shift schedule, the complex tridimensional curved surface is not needed any more, so it would reduce demands of memory space. And it has a more concise expression and better real-time performance. For the target vehicle, when driving uphill with gradient 11%, the vehicle load is about 280~320 Nm; when driving downhill, the value is around −340~−320 Nm. Road tests show that generalized vehicle load keeps near 0 in zero-load condition after calibration, and an 11% grade can be estimated with less than 1.8% error. This method is convenient and easy to implement in control software and can identify the driving condition information effectively.