bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Random Vibration of Diamond-Beaded Rope Subject to a Concentrated Load
Authors: Wang Fei , Zhang Jinsheng , Huang Bo , Wang Zhi , Wang Jingkun
Published: September 2015

In this work, the random vibration characteristics of a beaded rope under a concentrated load are investigated. A stochastic model describing the sawing force of a single diamond-beaded rope was established, based on the principle of volume invariability. The governing equations of the beaded rope were obtained using Hamilton's principle. Theoretical expressions were derived to calculate the response power spectral density (PSD), load-response cross-PSD and the mean square value of the beaded rope lateral displacement, for a beaded rope subject to a concentrated load. The influence of the parameters on the random vibration characteristics of a beaded rope was analyzed, including the effects of the linear speed of the beaded rope, the tension of the beaded rope, and the location of the concentrated load. Numerical examples are given. Results show that as the tension of the beaded rope increases, the PSD and mean square value of the rope displacement are reduced. However, as the linear velocity of the beaded rope increases, the PSD and mean square value of the rope displacement are also increased. During movement of the diamond-beaded rope, the mean square value of the transverse displacement fluctuates predominantly, because of the time-varying impact force caused by the diamond beads.
PubPeer co-founder reveals identity—and new plans
Authors: Couzin-Frankel Jennifer
Published: September 2015

Neuroscientist Brandon Stell wants to raise funds to expand postpublication critiques.
Monodehydroascorbate reductase mediates TNT toxicity in plants
Authors: Johnston Emily J. , Rylott Elizabeth L. , Beynon Emily , Lorenz Astrid , Chechik Victor , Bruce Neil C.
Published: September 2015

Bioremediation from disabled self-destruction

Explosives used in mining, construction, or military operations leave behind contaminated soils. Although bioremediation could help, plants do not thrive on these soils. Johnston
et al.
have now found out why (see the Perspective by Noctor). An enzyme found in plant mitochondria and chloroplasts spins out of control when given the explosive TNT, generating toxic reactive oxygen species and subverting biochemical pathways. With the key enzyme disabled, the plants are better at tolerating and accumulating TNT. These results point the way to future bioremediation and herbicide strategies.

Science
, this issue p.
1072
; see also p.
1052
Sustainable Fe–ppm Pd nanoparticle catalysis of Suzuki-Miyaura cross-couplings in water
Authors: Handa Sachin , Wang Ye , Gallou Fabrice , Lipshutz Bruce H.
Published: September 2015

Iron lends power to traces of palladium

Palladium (Pd) is a mainstay of chemical catalysis. The precious metal has a knack for forging carbon-carbon (C-C) bonds. Handa
et al.
now report that when mixed in a specific preparation with iron, just parts per million of Pd suffice to catalyze the C-C bond–forming Suzuki coupling reaction. The addition of surfactants allowed the reaction to proceed in water. The protocol bodes well for conserving Pd in pharmaceutical and agrochemical synthesis.

Science
, this issue p.
1087
Lighting the fuse on toxic TNT
Authors: Noctor Graham
Published: September 2015

An enzyme that helps control reactive oxidants sensitizes plants to TNT pollution

[Also see Research Article by

Johnston
et al.

]
The PapilloCheck Assay for Detection of High-Grade Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia
Authors: Crosbie Emma J. , Bailey Andrew , Sargent Alex , Gilham Clare , Peto Julian , Kitchener Henry C.
Published: September 2015

Human papillomavirus (HPV) testing is used in primary cervical screening, as an adjunct to cervical cytology for the management of low grade abnormal cytology, and in a test of cure. PapilloCheck (Greiner Bio-One) is a PCR-based DNA microarray system that can individually identify 24 HPV types, including the 13 high-risk (HR) types identified by Hybrid Capture 2 (HC2). Here, we compare PapilloCheck with HC2 for the detection of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2+) in a total of 8,610 cervical cytology samples from the ARTISTIC population-based cervical screening study. We performed a retrospective analysis of 3,518 cytology samples from round 1 ARTISTIC enriched for underlying CIN2+ (
n
= 723) and a prospective analysis of 5,092 samples from round 3 ARTISTIC. Discrepant results were tested using the Roche reverse line blot (RLB) or Linear Array (LA) assay. The relative sensitivity and specificity of HR PapilloCheck compared with that of HC2 for the detection of CIN2+ in women aged over 30 years were 0.94 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.91, 0.97) and 1.05 (95% CI, 1.04, 1.05), respectively. HC2 missed 44/672 (7%) CIN2+ lesions, while HR PapilloCheck missed 74/672 (11%) CIN2+ lesions. Thirty-six percent of HC2-positive normal cytology samples were HR HPV negative by both PapilloCheck and RLB/LA, indicating that the use of HR PapilloCheck rather than HC2 in population-based primary screening would reduce the number of additional tests required (e.g., reflex cytology) in women where underlying CIN2+ is extremely unlikely. HR PapilloCheck could be a suitable HPV detection assay for use in the cervical screening setting.
Evaluation of the “Dip Effect” Phenomenon in Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Candida spp. against Echinocandins by Use of Gradient Concentration Strips
Authors: Siopi Maria , Tsala Marilena , Siafakas Nikolaos , Zerva Loukia , Meletiadis Joseph
Published: September 2015

The “dip effect” phenomenon complicates antifungal susceptibility testing with gradient concentration strips. Of 60
Candida
isolates tested with the three echinocandins, this phenomenon was observed only for caspofungin with most (>90%)
Candida albicans
,
Candida glabrata
, and
Candida tropicalis
isolates and for isolates with CLSI MICs of ≤0.25 mg/liter. In order to facilitate MIC determination, a practical approach was developed using the inhibition zones at 32, 8, 2, and 1 mg/liter, increasing the agreement with the CLSI method >86%.
Tracking the Fate of Genetically Distinct Vesicular Stomatitis Virus Matrix Proteins Highlights the Role for Late Domains in Assembly
Authors: Soh Timothy K. , Whelan Sean P. J.
Published: September 2015

Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) assembly requires condensation of the viral ribonucleoprotein (RNP) core with the matrix protein (M) during budding from the plasma membrane. The RNP core comprises the negative-sense genomic RNA completely coated by the nucleocapsid protein (N) and associated by a phosphoprotein (P) with the large polymerase protein (L). To study the assembly of single viral particles, we tagged M and P with fluorescent proteins. We selected from a library of viruses with insertions in the M gene a replication-competent virus containing a fluorescent M and combined that with our previously described virus containing fluorescent P. Virus particles containing those fusions maintained the same bullet shape appearance as wild-type VSV but had a modest increase in particle length, reflecting the increased genome size. Imaging of the released particles revealed a variation in the amount of M and P assembled into the virions, consistent with a flexible packaging mechanism. We used the recombinants to further study the importance of the late domains in M, which serve to recruit the endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) machinery during budding. Mutations in late domains resulted in the accumulation of virions that failed to pinch off from the plasma membrane. Imaging of single virions released from cells that were coinfected with M tagged with enhanced green fluorescent protein and M tagged with mCherry variants in which the late domains of one virus were inactivated by mutation showed a strong bias against the incorporation of the late-domain mutant into the released virions. In contrast, the intracellular expression and membrane association of the two variants were unaltered. These studies provide new tools for imaging particle assembly and enhance our resolution of existing models for assembly of VSV.

IMPORTANCE
Assembly of vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) particles requires the separate trafficking of the viral replication machinery, a matrix protein (M) and a glycoprotein, to the plasma membrane. The matrix protein contains a motif termed a “late domain” that engages the host endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT) machinery to facilitate the release of viral particles. Inactivation of the late domains through mutation results in the accumulation of virions arrested at the point of release. In the study described here, we developed new tools to study VSV assembly by fusing fluorescent proteins to M and to a constituent of the replication machinery, the phosphoprotein (P). We used those tools to show that the late domains of M are required for efficient incorporation into viral particles and that the particles contain a variable quantity of M and P.
Viral Small-RNA Analysis of Bombyx mori Larval Midgut during Persistent and Pathogenic Cytoplasmic Polyhedrosis Virus Infection
Authors: Zografidis Aris , Van Nieuwerburgh Filip , Kolliopoulou Anna , Apostolou-Karampelis Konstantinos , Head Steven R. , Deforce Dieter , Smagghe Guy , Swevers Luc
Published: September 2015

The lepidopteran innate immune response against RNA viruses remains poorly understood, while in other insects several studies have highlighted an essential role for the exo-RNAi pathway in combating viral infection. Here, by using deep-sequencing technology for viral small-RNA (vsRNA) assessment, we provide evidence that exo-RNAi is operative in the silkworm
Bombyx mori
against both persistent and pathogenic infection of
B. mori
cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (BmCPV) which is characterized by a segmented double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) genome. Further, we show that Dicer-2 predominantly targets viral dsRNA and produces 20-nucleotide (nt) vsRNAs, whereas an additional pathway is responsive to viral mRNA derived from segment 10. Importantly, vsRNA distributions, which define specific hot and cold spot profiles for each viral segment, to a considerable degree overlap between Dicer-2-related (19 to 21 nt) and Dicer-2-unrelated vsRNAs, suggesting a common origin for these profiles. We found a degenerate motif significantly enriched at the cut sites of vsRNAs of various lengths which link an unknown RNase to the origins of vsRNAs biogenesis and distribution. Accordingly, the indicated RNase activity may be an important early factor for the host's antiviral defense in Lepidoptera.

IMPORTANCE
This work contributes to the elucidation of the lepidopteran antiviral response against infection of segmented double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) virus (CPV;
Reoviridae
) and highlights the importance of viral small-RNA (vsRNA) analysis for getting insights into host-pathogen interactions. Three vsRNA pathways are implicated in antiviral defense. For dsRNA, two pathways are proposed, either based on Dicer-2 cleavage to generate 20-nucleotide vsRNAs or based on the activity of an uncharacterized endo-RNase that cleaves the viral RNA substrate at a degenerate motif. The analysis also indicates the existence of a degradation pathway that targets the positive strand of segment 10.
The Genome of a Tortoise Herpesvirus (Testudinid Herpesvirus 3) Has a Novel Structure and Contains a Large Region That Is Not Required for Replication
In Vitro
or Virulence
In Vivo
Authors: Gandar Frédéric , Wilkie Gavin S. , Gatherer Derek , Kerr Karen , Marlier Didier , Diez Marianne , Marschang Rachel E. , Mast Jan , Dewals Benjamin G. , Davison Andrew J. , Vanderplasschen Alain F. C.
Published: September 2015

Testudinid herpesvirus 3 (TeHV-3) is the causative agent of a lethal disease affecting several tortoise species. The threat that this virus poses to endangered animals is focusing efforts on characterizing its properties, in order to enable the development of prophylactic methods. We have sequenced the genomes of the two most studied TeHV-3 strains (1976 and 4295). TeHV-3 strain 1976 has a novel genome structure and is most closely related to a turtle herpesvirus, thus supporting its classification into genus
Scutavirus
, subfamily
Alphaherpesvirinae
, family
Herpesviridae
. The sequence of strain 1976 also revealed viral counterparts of cellular interleukin-10 and semaphorin, which have not been described previously in members of subfamily
Alphaherpesvirinae
. TeHV-3 strain 4295 is a mixture of three forms (m1, m2, and M), in which, in comparison to strain 1976, the genomes exhibit large, partially overlapping deletions of 12.5 to 22.4 kb. Viral subclones representing these forms were isolated by limiting dilution assays, and each replicated in cell culture comparably to strain 1976. With the goal of testing the potential of the three forms as attenuated vaccine candidates, strain 4295 was inoculated intranasally into Hermann's tortoises (
Testudo hermanni
). All inoculated subjects died, and PCR analyses demonstrated the ability of the m2 and M forms to spread and invade the brain. In contrast, the m1 form was detected in none of the organs tested, suggesting its potential as the basis of an attenuated vaccine candidate. Our findings represent a major step toward characterizing TeHV-3 and developing prophylactic methods against it.

IMPORTANCE
Testudinid herpesvirus 3 (TeHV-3) causes a lethal disease in tortoises, several species of which are endangered. We have characterized the viral genome and used this information to take steps toward developing an attenuated vaccine. We have sequenced the genomes of two strains (1976 and 4295), compared their growth
in vitro
, and investigated the pathogenesis of strain 4295, which consists of three deletion mutants. The major findings are that (i) TeHV-3 has a novel genome structure, (ii) its closest relative is a turtle herpesvirus, (iii) it contains interleukin-10 and semaphorin genes (the first time these have been reported in an alphaherpesvirus), (iv) a sizeable region of the genome is not required for viral replication
in vitro
or virulence
in vivo
, and (v) one of the components of strain 4295, which has a deletion of 22.4 kb, exhibits properties indicating that it may serve as the starting point for an attenuated vaccine.
Molecular Determinants of Virulence and Stability of a Reporter-Expressing H5N1 Influenza A Virus
Authors: Zhao Dongming , Fukuyama Satoshi , Yamada Shinya , Lopes Tiago J. S. , Maemura Tadashi , Katsura Hiroaki , Ozawa Makoto , Watanabe Shinji , Neumann Gabriele , Kawaoka Yoshihiro
Published: September 2015

We previously reported that an H5N1 virus carrying the Venus reporter gene, which was inserted into the NS gene segment from the A/Puerto Rico/8/1934(H1N1) virus (Venus-H5N1 virus), became more lethal to mice, and the reporter gene was stably maintained after mouse adaptation compared with the wild-type Venus-H5N1 (WT-Venus-H5N1) virus. However, the basis for this difference in virulence and Venus stability was unclear. Here, we investigated the molecular determinants behind this virulence and reporter stability by comparing WT-Venus-H5N1 virus with a mouse-adapted Venus-H5N1 (MA-Venus-H5N1) virus. To determine the genetic basis for these differences, we used reverse genetics to generate a series of reassortants of these two viruses. We found that reassortants with PB2 from MA-Venus-H5N1 (MA-PB2), MA-PA, or MA-NS expressed Venus more stably than did WT-Venus-H5N1 virus. We also found that a single mutation in PB2 (V25A) or in PA (R443K) increased the virulence of the WT-Venus-H5N1 virus in mice and that the presence of both of these mutations substantially enhanced the pathogenicity of the virus. Our results suggest roles for PB2 and PA in the stable maintenance of a foreign protein as an NS1 fusion protein in influenza A virus.

IMPORTANCE
The ability to visualize influenza viruses has far-reaching benefits in influenza virus research. Previously, we reported that an H5N1 virus bearing the Venus reporter gene became more pathogenic to mice and that its reporter gene was more highly expressed and more stably maintained after mouse adaptation. Here, we investigated the molecular determinants behind this enhanced virulence and reporter stability. We found that mutations in PB2 (V25A) and PA (R443K) play crucial roles in the stable maintenance of a foreign protein as an NS1 fusion protein in influenza A virus and in the virulence of influenza virus in mice. Our findings further our knowledge of the pathogenicity of influenza virus in mammals and will help advance influenza virus-related live-imaging studies
in vitro
and
in vivo
.
Circadian Rhythms in Cyanobacteria
Authors: Cohen Susan E. , Golden Susan S.
Published: September 2015

Life on earth is subject to daily and predictable fluctuations in light intensity, temperature, and humidity created by rotation of the earth. Circadian rhythms, generated by a circadian clock, control temporal programs of cellular physiology to facilitate adaptation to daily environmental changes. Circadian rhythms are nearly ubiquitous and are found in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms. Here we introduce the molecular mechanism of the circadian clock in the model cyanobacterium
Synechococcus elongatus
PCC 7942. We review the current understanding of the cyanobacterial clock, emphasizing recent work that has generated a more comprehensive understanding of how the circadian oscillator becomes synchronized with the external environment and how information from the oscillator is transmitted to generate rhythms of biological activity. These results have changed how we think about the clock, shifting away from a linear model to one in which the clock is viewed as an interactive network of multifunctional components that are integrated into the context of the cell in order to pace and reset the oscillator. We conclude with a discussion of how this basic timekeeping mechanism differs in other cyanobacterial species and how information gleaned from work in cyanobacteria can be translated to understanding rhythmic phenomena in other prokaryotic systems.
The painted shoes
Authors: Noronha Natália , Rosa Alexandre André , Cavaca Santos Joana , Rodrigues Fernanda
Published: September 2015

A previously well 4-year-old boy presented to the emergency room with progressive cyanosis, pallor and vomiting over the last 5 h. Oxygen saturation on pulse oximetry was 87–89% despite 9 L/min of supplemental oxygen. He was tachypnoeic and had a systolic heart murmur, with no other findings on clinical examination. In his medical history, there was record of a restrictive atrial septal defect, with a normal echocardiogram from 3 years before. He had no relevant family history. His shoes appeared to have been recently painted, which raised the suspicion of methaemoglobinaemia, presumptively caused by aniline-containing shoe dye. The shoes were removed promptly and his feet washed profusely. After confirming the diagnosis, methylene blue was started. The level of methaemoglobin decreased rapidly and the boy made a full recovery.
Healthcare provider perceptions of clinical prediction rules
Authors: Richardson Safiya , Khan Sundas , McCullagh Lauren , Kline Myriam , Mann Devin , McGinn Thomas
Published: September 2015

Objectives

To examine internal medicine and emergency medicine healthcare provider perceptions of usefulness of specific clinical prediction rules.

Setting

The study took place in two academic medical centres. A web-based survey was distributed and completed by participants between 1 January and 31 May 2013.

Participants

Medical doctors, doctors of osteopathy or nurse practitioners employed in the internal medicine or emergency medicine departments at either institution.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The primary outcome was to identify the clinical prediction rules perceived as most useful by healthcare providers specialising in internal medicine and emergency medicine. Secondary outcomes included comparing usefulness scores of specific clinical prediction rules based on provider specialty, and evaluating associations between usefulness scores and perceived characteristics of these clinical prediction rules.

Results

Of the 401 healthcare providers asked to participate, a total of 263 (66%), completed the survey. The CHADS2 score was chosen by most internal medicine providers (72%), and Pulmonary Embolism Rule-Out Criteria (PERC) score by most emergency medicine providers (45%), as one of the top three most useful from a list of 24 clinical prediction rules. Emergency medicine providers rated their top three significantly more positively, compared with internal medicine providers, as having a better fit into their workflow (p=0.004), helping more with decision-making (p=0.037), better fitting into their thought process when diagnosing patients (p=0.001) and overall, on a 10-point scale, more useful (p=0.009). For all providers, the perceived qualities of useful at point of care, helps with decision making, saves time diagnosing, fits into thought process, and should be the standard of clinical care correlated highly (≥0.65) with overall 10-point usefulness scores.

Conclusions

Healthcare providers describe clear preferences for certain clinical prediction rules, based on medical specialty.
Impact of physical frailty on disability in community-dwelling older adults: a prospective cohort study
Authors: Makizako Hyuma , Shimada Hiroyuki , Doi Takehiko , Tsutsumimoto Kota , Suzuki Takao
Published: September 2015

Objective

To examine the relationship between physical frailty and risk of disability, and to identify the component(s) of frailty with the most impact on disability in community-dwelling older adults.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

A Japanese community.

Participants

4341 older adults aged ≥65 living in the community participated in a baseline assessment from 2011 to 2012 and were followed for 2 years.

Main outcome measures

Care-needs certification in the national long-term care insurance (LTCI) system of Japan, type of physical frailty (robust, prefrail, frail) and subitems (slowness, weakness, exhaustion, low activity, weight loss), adjusted for several potential confounders such as demographic characteristics, analysed with Kaplan-Meier survival curves for incidence of disability by frailty phenotype.

Results

During the 2-year follow-up period, 168 participants (3.9%) began using the LTCI system for incidence of disability. Participants classified as frail (HR 4.65, 95% CI 2.63 to 8.22) or prefrail (2.52, 1.56 to 4.07) at the baseline assessment had an increased risk of disability incidence compared with robust participants. Analyses for subitems of frailty showed that slowness (2.32, 1.62 to 3.33), weakness (1.90, 1.35 to 2.68) and weight loss (1.61, 1.13 to 2.31) were related to increased risk of disability incidence. In stratified analyses, participants who were classified as frail and who had lower cognitive function had the highest percentage (30.3%) of disability incidence during the 2 years after baseline assessment.

Conclusions

Physical frailty, even being prefrail, had a strong impact on the risk of future disability. Some components of frailty, such as slowness, weakness and weight loss, are strongly associated with incident disability in community-dwelling older adults.
Metformin initiation and renal impairment: a cohort study in Denmark and the UK
Authors: Christiansen Christian Fynbo , Ehrenstein Vera , Heide-Jørgensen Uffe , Skovbo Stine , Nørrelund Helene , Sørensen Henrik Toft , Li Lin , Jick Susan
Published: September 2015

Objectives

To estimate prevalence of renal impairment, rate of decline in kidney function and changes in metformin use after decline in kidney function, in metformin initiators.

Design, setting and participants

We conducted this 2-country cohort study using routine data from northern Denmark and the UK during 2000–2011. We included metformin initiators among patients aged ≥30 years with medically treated diabetes.

Main outcome measures

We described patients’ demographics, comorbidity, co-medications and their estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR). Furthermore, we described the patients’ characteristics according to eGFR level. Finally, we examined the rate of any decline in eGFR and changes in metformin use within 90 days after first decline in eGFR during follow-up.

Results

We included 124 720 metformin initiators in the 2 countries. Prevalence of eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m2among metformin initiators was 9.0% in Denmark and 25.2% in the UK. In contrast, prevalence of eGFR values <30 mL/min/1.73 m2among metformin initiators was 0.3% in Denmark and 0.4% in the UK. Patients with renal impairment were older and more likely to have received cardiovascular drugs. Incidence rate of decline in renal function was 4.92 per 100 person-years (95% CI 4.76 to 5.09) in Denmark and 7.48 per 100 person-years (95% CI 7.39 to 7.57) in the UK. The proportion of patients continuing metformin use, even after a first decline brought the eGFR below 30 mL/min/1.73 m2, was 44% in Denmark and 62% in the UK. There was no clinically significant dose reduction with decreasing baseline eGFR level discernible from the data.

Conclusions

Mild to moderate renal impairment was common among metformin initiators, while severe renal impairment was uncommon. Patients with severe renal impairment frequently continued receiving/redeeming metformin prescriptions even 90 days after eGFR decline.
After the Liverpool Care Pathway—development of heuristics to guide end of life care for people with dementia: protocol of the ALCP study
Authors: Davies N , Manthorpe J , Sampson E L , Iliffe S
Published: September 2015

Introduction

End of life care guidance for people with dementia is lacking and this has been made more problematic in England with the removal of one of the main end of life care guidelines which offered some structure, the Liverpool Care Pathway. This guidance gap may be eased with the development of heuristics (rules of thumb) which offer a fast and frugal form of decision-making.

Objective

To develop a toolkit of heuristics (rules of thumb) for practitioners to use when caring for people with dementia at the end of life.

Method and analysis

A mixed-method study using a co-design approach to develop heuristics in three phases. In phase 1, we will conduct at least six focus groups with family carers, health and social care practitioners from both hospital and community care services, using the ‘think-aloud’ method to understand decision-making processes and to develop a set of heuristics. The focus group topic guide will be developed from the findings of a previous study of 46 interviews of family carers about quality end-of-life care for people with dementia and a review of the literature. A multidisciplinary development team of health and social care practitioners will synthesise the findings from the focus groups to devise and refine a toolkit of heuristics. Phase 2 will test the use of heuristics in practice in five sites: one general practice, one community nursing team, one hospital ward and two palliative care teams working in the community. Phase 3 will evaluate and further refine the toolkit of heuristics through group interviews, online questionnaires and semistructured interviews.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has received ethical approval from a local NHS research ethics committee (Rec ref: 15/LO/0156). The findings of this study will be presented in peer-reviewed publications and national and international conferences.
Advance directives and end-of-life decisions in Switzerland: role of patients, relatives and health professionals
Authors: Pautex Sophie , Gamondi Claudia , Philippin Yves , Gremaud Grégoire , Herrmann François , Camartin Cristian , Vayne-Bossert Petra
Published: September 2015

Background

Little is known in Europe about end-of-life (EOL) decisions and advance directives (AD), particularly in patients with severe advanced disease. Switzerland is a multicultural and multilingual federal country and has the particularity of being divided into four linguistic and cultural regions

Objective

To understand better in different regions of Switzerland which specific patient's characteristics could have an impact on their decision to complete AD or not.

Design/setting/participants

Prospective study conducted in four palliative care units. Patients with an advanced oncological disease, fluent in French, German or Italian and with a Mini-Mental State Examination >20 were included. Demographic data, symptom burden (Edmonton Symptom Assessment System, ESAS; Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS) and spiritual well-being (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Spiritual well-being, FACIT-sp) have been assessed. A structured questionnaire has been completed by patients, their relatives and health professionals.

Results

143 patients were included (mean age 68.3 years; 62 male). 41 completed ADs. No particular features were associated with the completion of ADs. Most patients were satisfied with the medical information received. A third of them were not worrying about their future, especially those living in the German-speaking part. Should they become unable to communicate, 87 expected their relative to transmit their own wishes, but only 38 had spoken recently with them about what they wanted. 23 of the 69 included relatives would like to play a more active role in decision-making.

Conclusions

These results illustrate the fact that terminally ill patients wish to be active in decision-making, but only seldom transmit their wishes to their relative or complete a written document. The discussion about ACP should be defined according to the particularity of each region and the role of healthcare professionals’ attitudes towards ADs, but we should also be creative and find other ways to promote shared decision-making.
Seasonal and spatial patterns of growth of rainbow trout in the Colorado River in Grand Canyon, Arizona
Authors: Yard Michael D. , Korman Josh , Walters Carl J. , Kennedy Theodore A.
Published: September 2015

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) have been purposely introduced in many regulated rivers, with inadvertent consequences on native fishes. We describe how trout growth rates and condition could be influencing trout population dynamics in a 130 km section of the Colorado River below Glen Canyon Dam based on a large-scale mark–recapture program where ∼8000 rainbow trout were recaptured over a 3-year period (2012–2014). There were strong temporal and spatial variations in growth in both length and weight as predicted from von Bertalanffy and bioenergetic models, respectively. There was more evidence for seasonal variation in the growth coefficient and annual variation in the asymptotic length. Bioenergetic models showed more variability for growth in weight across seasons and years than across reaches. These patterns were consistent with strong seasonal variation in invertebrate drift and effects of turbidity on foraging efficiency. Highest growth rates and relative condition occurred in downstream reaches with lower trout densities. Results indicate that reduction in rainbow trout abundance in Glen Canyon will likely increase trout size in the tailwater fishery and may reduce downstream dispersal into Grand Canyon.
Numerical Study of Periodic Traveling Wave Solutions for the Predator–Prey Model with Landscape Features
Authors: Yun Ana , Shin Jaemin , Li Yibao , Lee Seunggyu , Kim Junseok
Published: September 2015

We numerically investigate periodic traveling wave solutions for a diffusive predator–prey system with landscape features. The landscape features are modeled through the homogeneous Dirichlet boundary condition which is imposed at the edge of the obstacle domain. To effectively treat the Dirichlet boundary condition, we employ a robust and accurate numerical technique by using a boundary control function. We also propose a robust algorithm for calculating the numerical periodicity of the traveling wave solution. In numerical experiments, we show that periodic traveling waves which move out and away from the obstacle are effectively generated. We explain the formation of the traveling waves by comparing the wavelengths. The spatial asynchrony has been shown in quantitative detail for various obstacles. Furthermore, we apply our numerical technique to the complicated real landscape features.
A Correlation Improvement Technique for Model Updating of Structures
Authors: Altunel Fatih , Çelik Mehmet , Çalişkan Mehmet
Published: September 2015

This study proposes a new correlation improvement technique for the optimum node removal location to get improved modal assurance criterion (MAC) matrix. The technique is applied to updating of the finite element model (FEM) of a structure. The developed routine is tried on a utility helicopter. It is proven that it is capable of showing better performance than the coordinate MAC (coMAC), commonly used in such analyses. Commercial software is utilized for the finite element analysis of the helicopter fuselage and tail. Experimental modal analyses are also performed for updating the model for tail of the helicopter to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new technique.
An Investigation of the Role of Project Culture in Team Efficacy and Success in Project-Based Work
Authors: Aronson Zvi H.
Published: September 2015

We examined the effect of project team culture on the evolution of team efficacy in a sample of 118 project teams. Little is known about the factors responsible for the development of team efficacy — the collective belief of a project team that it can be effective. Results reveal that culture in project-based work, is related to the project team’s efficacy, and the project team’s efficacy is related to success. Our findings provide project leaders with an alternative informal lever to enhance project success, by influencing team efficacy in project-based work.
PACAP intraperitoneal treatment suppresses appetite and food intake via PAC1 receptor in mice by inhibiting ghrelin and increasing GLP-1 and leptin
Authors: Vu John P. , Goyal Deepinder , Luong Leon , Oh Suwan , Sandhu Ravneet , Norris Joshua , Parsons William , Pisegna Joseph R. , Germano Patrizia M.
Published: September 2015

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating peptide (PACAP) is expressed within the gastroenteric system, where it has profound physiological effects. PACAP was shown to regulate food intake and thermogenesis centrally; however, PACAP peripheral regulation of appetite and feeding behavior is unknown. Therefore, we studied PACAP's effect on appetite and food intake control by analyzing feeding behavior and metabolic hormones in PAC1-deficient (PAC1−/−) and age-matched wild-type (WT) mice intraperitoneally injected with PACAP1–38 or PACAP1–27 before the dark phase of feeding. Food intake and feeding behavior were analyzed using the BioDAQ system. Active ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), leptin, peptide YY, pancreatic polypeptide, and insulin were measured following PACAP1–38 administration in fasted WT mice. PACAP1–38/PACAP1–27 injected into WT mice significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner cumulative food intake and reduced bout and meal feeding parameters. Conversely, PACAP1–38 injected into PAC1−/− mice failed to significantly change food intake. Importantly, PACAP1–38 reduced plasma levels of active ghrelin compared with vehicle in WT mice. In PAC1−/− mice, fasting levels of active ghrelin, GLP-1, insulin, and leptin and postprandial levels of active ghrelin and insulin were significantly altered compared with levels in WT mice. Therefore, PAC1 is a novel regulator of appetite/satiety. PACAP1–38/PACAP1–27 significantly reduced appetite and food intake through PAC1. In PAC1−/− mice, the regulation of anorexigenic/orexigenic hormones was abolished, whereas active ghrelin remained elevated even postprandially. PACAP significantly reduced active ghrelin in fasting conditions. These results establish a role for PACAP via PAC1 in the peripheral regulation of appetite/satiety and suggest future studies to explore a therapeutic use of PACAP or PAC1 agonists for obesity treatment.
Influence of combined resistance training and healthy diet on muscle mass in healthy elderly women: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Strandberg Emelie , Edholm Peter , Ponsot Elodie , Wåhlin-Larsson Britta , Hellmén Erik , Nilsson Andreas , Engfeldt Peter , Cederholm Tommy , Risérus Ulf , Kadi Fawzi
Published: September 2015

The delivery of efficient nonpharmacological treatment to prevent the loss of muscle mass in older adults is a major challenge, and information on the combined effects of training and diet is particularly important. Here we aimed to evaluate the effects of 24 wk of resistance training combined with a healthy dietary approach (n-6/n-3 ratio < 2) in a population of healthy and physically active older women (65-70 years). The three-armed randomized controlled trial included a resistance training + healthy diet group (RT-HD), a resistance training group (RT), and controls (CON). All subjects included in the study were physically active and had low levels of serum inflammatory markers. In accordance with the dietary goals, the n-6/n-3 ratio dietary intake significantly decreased only in RT-HD by 42%. An increase in 1 repetition maximum in leg extension occurred in RT (+20.4%) and RT-HD (+20.8%), but not in CON. Interestingly, leg lean mass significantly increased only in RT-HD (+1.8%). While there were no changes in serum C-reactive protein and IL-6 levels, a significant decrease in serum level of the pro-inflammatory precursor arachidonic acid (−5.3 ± 9.4%) together with an increase in serum n-3 docosahexaenoic acid (+8.3%) occurred only in RT-HD. Altogether, this study demonstrates that the effects of resistance training on muscle mass in healthy older adults can be optimized by the adoption of a healthy diet.
Counting on dis-inhibition: a circuit motif for interval counting and selectivity in the anuran auditory system
Authors: Naud Richard , Houtman Dave , Rose Gary J. , Longtin André
Published: September 2015

Information can be encoded in the temporal patterning of spikes. How the brain reads these patterns is of general importance and represents one of the greatest challenges in neuroscience. We addressed this issue in relation to temporal pattern recognition in the anuran auditory system. Many species of anurans perform mating decisions based on the temporal structure of advertisement calls. One important temporal feature is the number of sound pulses that occur with a species-specific interpulse interval. Neurons representing this pulse count have been recorded in the anuran inferior colliculus, but the mechanisms underlying their temporal selectivity are incompletely understood. Here, we construct a parsimonious model that can explain the key dynamical features of these cells with biologically plausible elements. We demonstrate that interval counting arises naturally when combining interval-selective inhibition with pulse-per-pulse excitation having both fast- and slow-conductance synapses. Interval-dependent inhibition is modeled here by a simple architecture based on known physiology of afferent nuclei. Finally, we consider simple implementations of previously proposed mechanistic explanations for these counting neurons and show that they do not account for all experimental observations. Our results demonstrate that tens of millisecond-range temporal selectivities can arise from simple connectivity motifs of inhibitory neurons, without recourse to internal clocks, spike-frequency adaptation, or appreciable short-term plasticity.
Processing time of addition or withdrawal of single or combined balance-stabilizing haptic and visual information
Authors: Honeine Jean-Louis , Crisafulli Oscar , Sozzi Stefania , Schieppati Marco
Published: September 2015

We investigated the integration time of haptic and visual input and their interaction during stance stabilization. Eleven subjects performed four tandem-stance conditions (60 trials each). Vision, touch, and both vision and touch were added and withdrawn. Furthermore, vision was replaced with touch and vice versa. Body sway, tibialis anterior, and peroneus longus activity were measured. Following addition or withdrawal of vision or touch, an integration time period elapsed before the earliest changes in sway were observed. Thereafter, sway varied exponentially to a new steady-state while reweighting occurred. Latencies of sway changes on sensory addition ranged from 0.6 to 1.5 s across subjects, consistently longer for touch than vision, and were regularly preceded by changes in muscle activity. Addition of vision and touch simultaneously shortened the latencies with respect to vision or touch separately, suggesting cooperation between sensory modalities. Latencies following withdrawal of vision or touch or both simultaneously were shorter than following addition. When vision was replaced with touch or vice versa, adding one modality did not interfere with the effect of withdrawal of the other, suggesting that integration of withdrawal and addition were performed in parallel. The time course of the reweighting process to reach the new steady-state was also shorter on withdrawal than addition. The effects of different sensory inputs on posture stabilization illustrate the operation of a time-consuming, possibly supraspinal process that integrates and fuses modalities for accurate balance control. This study also shows the facilitatory interaction of visual and haptic inputs in integration and reweighting of stance-stabilizing inputs.
Ramping ensemble activity in dorsal anterior cingulate neurons during persistent commitment to a decision
Authors: Blanchard Tommy C. , Strait Caleb E. , Hayden Benjamin Y.
Published: September 2015

We frequently need to commit to a choice to achieve our goals; however, the neural processes that keep us motivated in pursuit of delayed goals remain obscure. We examined ensemble responses of neurons in macaque dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC), an area previously implicated in self-control and persistence, in a task that requires commitment to a choice to obtain a reward. After reward receipt, dACC neurons signaled reward amount with characteristic ensemble firing rate patterns; during the delay in anticipation of the reward, ensemble activity smoothly and gradually came to resemble the postreward pattern. On the subset of risky trials, in which a reward was anticipated with 50% certainty, ramping ensemble activity evolved to the pattern associated with the anticipated reward (and not with the anticipated loss) and then, on loss trials, took on an inverted form anticorrelated with the form associated with a win. These findings enrich our knowledge of reward processing in dACC and may have broader implications for our understanding of persistence and self-control.
To transfer or not to transfer? Kinematics and laterality quotient predict interlimb transfer of motor learning
Authors: Lefumat Hannah Z. , Vercher Jean-Louis , Miall R. Chris , Cole Jonathan , Buloup Frank , Bringoux Lionel , Bourdin Christophe , Sarlegna Fabrice R.
Published: September 2015

Humans can remarkably adapt their motor behavior to novel environmental conditions, yet it remains unclear which factors enable us to transfer what we have learned with one limb to the other. Here we tested the hypothesis that interlimb transfer of sensorimotor adaptation is determined by environmental conditions but also by individual characteristics. We specifically examined the adaptation of unconstrained reaching movements to a novel Coriolis, velocity-dependent force field. Right-handed subjects sat at the center of a rotating platform and performed forward reaching movements with the upper limb toward flashed visual targets in prerotation, per-rotation (i.e., adaptation), and postrotation tests. Here only the dominant arm was used during adaptation and interlimb transfer was assessed by comparing performance of the nondominant arm before and after dominant-arm adaptation. Vision and no-vision conditions did not significantly influence interlimb transfer of trajectory adaptation, which on average was significant but limited. We uncovered a substantial heterogeneity of interlimb transfer across subjects and found that interlimb transfer can be qualitatively and quantitatively predicted for each healthy young individual. A classifier showed that in our study, interlimb transfer could be predicted based on the subject's task performance, most notably motor variability during learning, and his or her laterality quotient. Positive correlations suggested that variability of motor performance and lateralization of arm movement control facilitate interlimb transfer. We further show that these individual characteristics can predict the presence and the magnitude of interlimb transfer of left-handers. Overall, this study suggests that individual characteristics shape the way the nervous system can generalize motor learning.
Evolution of Lignocellulosic Macrocomponents in the Wastewater Streams of a Sulfite Pulp Mill: A Preliminary Biorefining Approach
Authors: Llano Tamara , García-Quevedo Noelia , Quijorna Natalia , Viguri Javier R. , Coz Alberto
Published: September 2015

The evolution of lignin, five- and six-carbon sugars, and other decomposition products derived from hemicelluloses and cellulose was monitored in a sulfite pulp mill. The wastewater streams were characterized and the mass balances throughout digestion and total chlorine free bleaching stages were determined. Summative analysis in conjunction with pulp parameters highlights some process guidelines and valorization alternatives towards the transformation of the traditional factory into a lignocellulosic biorefinery. The results showed a good separation of cellulose (99.64%) during wood digestion, with 87.23% of hemicellulose and 98.47% lignin dissolved into the waste streams. The following steps should be carried out to increase the sugar content into the waste streams: (i) optimization of the digestion conditions increasing hemicellulose depolymerization; (ii) improvement of the ozonation and peroxide bleaching stages, avoiding deconstruction of the cellulose chains but maintaining impurity removal; (iii) fractionation of the waste water streams, separating sugars from the rest of toxic inhibitors for 2nd generation biofuel production. A total of 0.173 L of second-generation ethanol can be obtained in the spent liquor per gram of dry wood. The proposed methodology can be usefully incorporated into other related industrial sectors.
mmnet: An R Package for Metagenomics Systems Biology Analysis
Authors: Cao Yang , Zheng Xiaofei , Li Fei , Bo Xiaochen
Published: September 2015

The human microbiome plays important roles in human health and disease. Previous microbiome studies focused mainly on single pure species function and overlooked the interactions in the complex communities on system-level. A metagenomic approach introduced recently integrates metagenomic data with community-level metabolic network modeling, but no comprehensive tool was available for such kind of approaches. To facilitate these kinds of studies, we developed an R package,mmnet, to implement community-level metabolic network reconstruction. The package also implements a set of functions for automatic analysis pipeline construction including functional annotation of metagenomic reads, abundance estimation of enzymatic genes, community-level metabolic network reconstruction, and integrated network analysis. The result can be represented in an intuitive way and sent to Cytoscape for further exploration. The package has substantial potentials in metagenomic studies that focus on identifying system-level variations of human microbiome associated with disease.