bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hidden in plain sight: Cryptic and endemic malaria parasites in North American white-tailed deer (
Odocoileus virginianus
)
Authors: Martinsen Ellen S. , McInerney Nancy , Brightman Heidi , Ferebee Ken , Walsh Tim , McShea William J. , Forrester Tavis D. , Ware Lisa , Joyner Priscilla H. , Perkins Susan L. , Latch Emily K. , Yabsley Michael J. , Schall Joseph J. , Fleischer Robert C.
Published: August 2017

Findings suggest that North American white-tailed deer commonly harbor cryptic infection with the only known New World mammalian
Plasmodium
.
In Vitro
Enhancement of Respiratory Syncytial Virus Infection by Maternal Antibodies Does Not Explain Disease Severity in Infants
Authors: van Erp Elisabeth A. , van Kasteren Puck B. , Guichelaar Teun , Ahout Inge M. L. , de Haan Cornelis A. M. , Luytjes Willem , Ferwerda Gerben , Wicht Oliver
Published: August 2017

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the leading cause of severe respiratory illness in infants. At this young age, infants typically depend on maternally transferred antibodies (matAbs) and their innate immune system for protection against infections. RSV-specific matAbs are thought to protect from severe illness, yet severe RSV disease occurs mainly below 6 months of age, when neutralizing matAb levels are present. To investigate this discrepancy, we asked if disease severity is related to antibody properties other than neutralization. Some antibody effector functions are mediated via their Fc binding region. However, it has been shown that this binding may lead to antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE) of infection or reduction of neutralization, both possibly leading to more disease. In this study, we first showed that high levels of ADE of RSV infection occur in monocytic THP-1 cells in the presence of RSV antibodies and that neutralization by these antibodies was reduced in Vero cells when they were transduced with Fc gamma receptors. We then demonstrated that antibodies from cotton rats with formalin-inactivated (FI)-RSV-induced pulmonary pathology were capable of causing ADE. Human matAbs also caused ADE and were less neutralizing
in vitro
in cells that carry Fc receptors. However, these effects were unrelated to disease severity because they were seen both in uninfected controls and in infants hospitalized with different levels of RSV disease severity. We conclude that ADE and reduction of neutralization are unlikely to be involved in RSV disease in infants with neutralizing matAbs.

IMPORTANCE
It is unclear why severity of RSV disease peaks at the age when infants have neutralizing levels of maternal antibodies. Additionally, the exact reason for FI-RSV-induced enhanced disease, as seen in the 1960s vaccine trials, is still unclear. We hypothesized that antibodies present under either of these conditions could contribute to disease severity. Antibodies can have effects that may lead to more disease instead of protection. We investigated two of those effects: antibody-dependent enhancement of infection (ADE) and neutralization reduction. We show that ADE occurs
in vitro
with antibodies from FI-RSV-immunized RSV-infected cotton rats. Moreover, passively acquired maternal antibodies from infants had the capacity to induce ADE and reduction of neutralization. However, no clear association with disease severity was seen, ruling out that these properties explain disease in the presence of maternal antibodies. Our data contribute to a better understanding of the impact of antibodies on RSV disease in infants.
Proteomic and Functional Analyses of the Virion Transmembrane Proteome of Cyprinid Herpesvirus 3
Authors: Vancsok Catherine , Peñaranda M. Michelle D. , Raj V. Stalin , Leroy Baptiste , Jazowiecka-Rakus Joanna , Boutier Maxime , Gao Yuan , Wilkie Gavin S. , Suárez Nicolás M. , Wattiez Ruddy , Gillet Laurent , Davison Andrew J. , Vanderplasschen Alain F. C.
Published: August 2017

Virion transmembrane proteins (VTPs) mediate key functions in the herpesvirus infectious cycle. Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3) is the archetype of fish alloherpesviruses. The present study was devoted to CyHV-3 VTPs. Using mass spectrometry approaches, we identified 16 VTPs of the CyHV-3 FL strain. Mutagenesis experiments demonstrated that eight of these proteins are essential for viral growth
in vitro
(open reading frame 32 [ORF32], ORF59, ORF81, ORF83, ORF99, ORF106, ORF115, and ORF131), and eight are nonessential (ORF25, ORF64, ORF65, ORF108, ORF132, ORF136, ORF148, and ORF149). Among the nonessential proteins, deletion of ORF25, ORF132, ORF136, ORF148, or ORF149 affects viral replication
in vitro
, and deletion of ORF25, ORF64, ORF108, ORF132, or ORF149 impacts plaque size. Lack of ORF148 or ORF25 causes attenuation
in vivo
to a minor or major extent, respectively. The safety and efficacy of a virus lacking ORF25 were compared to those of a previously described vaccine candidate deleted for ORF56 and ORF57 (Δ56-57). Using quantitative PCR, we demonstrated that the ORF25 deleted virus infects fish through skin infection and then spreads to internal organs as reported previously for the wild-type parental virus and the Δ56-57 virus. However, compared to the parental wild-type virus, the replication of the ORF25-deleted virus was reduced in intensity and duration to levels similar to those observed for the Δ56-57 virus. Vaccination of fish with a virus lacking ORF25 was safe but had low efficacy at the doses tested. This characterization of the virion transmembrane proteome of CyHV-3 provides a firm basis for further research on alloherpesvirus VTPs.

IMPORTANCE
Virion transmembrane proteins play key roles in the biology of herpesviruses. Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3) is the archetype of fish alloherpesviruses and the causative agent of major economic losses in common and koi carp worldwide. In this study of the virion transmembrane proteome of CyHV-3, the major findings were: (i) the FL strain encodes 16 virion transmembrane proteins; (ii) eight of these proteins are essential for viral growth
in vitro
; (iii) seven of the nonessential proteins affect viral growth
in vitro
, and two affect virulence
in vivo
; and (iv) a mutant lacking ORF25 is highly attenuated but induces moderate immune protection. This study represents a major breakthrough in understanding the biology of CyHV-3 and will contribute to the development of prophylactic methods. It also provides a firm basis for the further research on alloherpesvirus virion transmembrane proteins.
Mammalian Orthoreovirus Factories Modulate Stress Granule Protein Localization by Interaction with G3BP1
Authors: Choudhury Promisree , Bussiere Luke D. , Miller Cathy L.
Published: August 2017

Mammalian orthoreovirus (MRV) infection induces phosphorylation of translation initiation factor eIF2α, which promotes the formation of discrete cytoplasmic inclusions, termed stress granules (SGs). SGs are emerging as a component of the innate immune response to virus infection, and modulation of SG assembly is a common mechanism employed by viruses to counter this antiviral response. We previously showed that MRV infection induces SGs early and then interferes with SG formation as infection proceeds. In this work, we found that SG-associated proteins localized to the periphery of virus-encoded cytoplasmic structures, termed virus factories (VFs), where viral transcription, translation, and replication occur. The localization of SG proteins to VFs was dependent on polysome dissociation and occurred via association of the SG effector protein, Ras-GAP SH3-binding protein 1 (G3BP1), with the MRV nonstructural protein σNS, which localizes to VFs via association with VF nucleating protein, μNS. Deletion analysis of the σNS RNA binding domain and G3BP1 RNA (RRM) and ribosomal (RGG) binding domains showed that σNS association and VF localization phenotypes of G3BP1 do not occur solely through RNA or ribosomal binding but require both the RRM and RGG domains of G3BP1 for maximal viral-factory-like structure (VFL) localization and σNS association. Coexpression of σNS and μNS resulted in disruption of normal SG puncta, and in cells lacking G3BP1, MRV replication was enhanced in a manner correlating with strain-dependent induction of host translation shutoff. These results suggest that σNS association with G3BP1 and relocalization of G3BP1 to the VF periphery play roles in SG disruption to facilitate MRV replication in the host translational shutoff environment.

IMPORTANCE
SGs and SG effector proteins have emerged as important, yet poorly understood, players in the host's innate immune response to virus infection. MRV infection induces SGs early during infection that are dispersed and/or prevented from forming during late stages of infection despite continued activation of the eIF2α signaling pathway. Cellular and viral components involved in disruption of SGs during late stages of MRV infection remain to be elucidated. This work provides evidence that MRV disruption of SGs may be facilitated by association of the MRV nonstructural protein σNS with the major SG effector protein G3BP1 and subsequent localization of G3BP1 and other SG-associated proteins around the peripheries of virus-encoded factories, interrupting the normal formation of SGs. Our findings also reveal the importance of G3BP1 as an inhibitor of MRV replication during infection for the first time.
Adaptive Mistranslation Accelerates the Evolution of Fluconazole Resistance and Induces Major Genomic and Gene Expression Alterations in Candida albicans
Authors: Weil Tobias , Santamaría Rodrigo , Lee Wanseon , Rung Johan , Tocci Noemi , Abbey Darren , Bezerra Ana R. , Carreto Laura , Moura Gabriela R. , Bayés Mónica , Gut Ivo G. , Csikasz-Nagy Attila , Cavalieri Duccio , Berman Judith , Santos Manuel A. S.
Published: August 2017

Infectious diseases caused by drug-resistant fungi are an increasing threat to public health because of the high mortality rates and high costs associated with treatment. Thus, understanding of the molecular mechanisms of drug resistance is of crucial interest for the medical community. Here we investigated the role of regulated protein mistranslation, a characteristic mechanism used by
C. albicans
to diversify its proteome, in the evolution of fluconazole resistance. Such codon ambiguity is usually considered highly deleterious, yet recent studies found that mistranslation can boost adaptation in stressful environments. Our data reveal that CUG ambiguity diversifies the genome in multiple ways and that the full spectrum of drug resistance mechanisms in
C. albicans
goes beyond the traditional pathways that either regulate drug efflux or alter the interactions of drugs with their targets. The present work opens new avenues by which to understand the molecular and genetic basis of microbial drug resistance.
Obstructive sleep apnea in adults with type 1 and type 2 diabetes: perspectives from a quality improvement initiative in a university-based diabetes center
Authors: Ioja Simona , Chasens Eileen R , Ng Jason , Strollo Patrick J , Korytkowski Mary T
Published: August 2017

Objective

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and diabetes are frequent comorbid conditions. Screening for OSA in patients with diabetes is recommended but the frequency with which this is done in clinical practice is unknown. The objectives of this quality improvement initiative were to identify clinician and patient perceptions regarding OSA and to identify the prevalence of patients at high risk for OSA (HROSA).

Methods

A quality improvement initiative was conducted to query clinicians and patients attending a specialty diabetes clinic regarding attitudes and beliefs related to OSA. The Berlin Questionnaire was embedded in patient questionnaires to identify patients as low risk for OSA (LROSA) or HROSA.

Results

35 clinicians completed questionnaires with >80% agreement that OSA contributed to blood pressure (BP), glycemic control, and diabetes complications and that screening is a shared responsibility with other physicians; but only 17% indicated regular screening due predominantly to insufficient time. Of 107 patients (26 type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and 81 type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM)), 30% were aware that OSA could affect diabetes outcomes. The prevalence of known OSA, LROSA, and HROSA was similar in T1DM (15%, 50%, 35%) and T2DM (36%, 33%, 31%, respectively) (p=0.21). 59% of all HROSA patients indicated that OSA screening had never been discussed with them.

Conclusions

These results demonstrate that providers, but not patients, are knowledgeable about the importance of OSA screening, but insufficient time is a major barrier to wider screening. Approximately, 30% of patients with T1DM and T2DM were identified as HROSA supporting the need for procedures that improve detection and treatment.
Making the experience of elective surgery better
Authors: Fregene Tajinere , Wintle Sarah , Venkat Raman Vishal , Edmond Holly , Rizvi Shoaib
Published: August 2017

Objective

Patient experience is one of the three pillars of quality in healthcare; improving it must be a key aim if we are to make the overall quality of the healthcare we provide better.

Methods

We devised a quality improvement project to improve the patient experience of elective surgery. We conducted surveys of patients and assessed their experience by using semistructured interviews and patient questionnaires. We gathered data about their overall satisfaction, fasting times and their communication with staff. We used this information to inform strategies aimed at improving patient experience.

Results

Our initial results showed that patients who had their operations later in the day were significantly less likely to report a positive experience. We found the main reasons for this were long waiting times, poor communication and prolonged fasting. We implemented changes over ‘Plan, Do, Study, Act’ cycles, including (1) staggering patient arrival times, (2) introducing the concept of the 'Golden Patient', (3) having a single point of contact on the day surgery unit to communicate between theatre staff and patients, (4) using the WHO checklist to finalise list order, and (5) altering patient information letters to include the possibility of a wait on the day of surgery.

Conclusion

This project increased the percentage of patients reporting an ‘Excellent’ or ‘Good’ experience from 65% to 96%. In addition to improving our patients' experience, our project has also delivered shorter waiting times, better dissemination of information and fewer patients reporting hunger or thirst.
Phenotypic evaluations ofHBB:c.93-23T>C, a nucleotide substitution in the IVS I nt 108 of β-globin gene
Authors: Vinciguerra Margherita , Cassarà Filippo , Cannata Monica , Renda Disma , Calvaruso Giuseppina , Leto Filippo , Passarello Cristina , Maggio Aurelio , Giambona Antonino
Published: August 2017

Background

Thalassaemia and variant haemoglobin are the most common severe monogenic disorders worldwide.

Aims

To develop prenatal diagnosis programmes for the prevention of the most important haemoglobin disorders and identify healthy carriers of thalassaemia.

Methods

Sequencing analysis was used to obtain complete data on gene structure and to correlate specific phenotypic expression with mutations, especially for new or very rare mutations in globin genes.

Results

A rare single nucleotide variation,HBB:c.93–23T>C, located in nucleotide 108 of the first intervening sequence of theHBBgene, was identified. This variation was previously reported but its clinical significance was not known. Six heterozygous patients had this nucleotide variation and eight further cases co-inherited it together with other defects in the globin genes. Heterozygous subjects for this substitution showed normal haematological and electrophoretic features, whereas subjects who were compound heterozygotes for this mutation and another defect in globin genes showed the classic phenotype of a healthy carrier.

Conclusion

This nucleotide can be considered a single nucleotide polymorphism and not a thalassaemic mutation that reduces the production of haemoglobin. This is another example of a very rare nucleotide variation. Knowledge of this is important so that appropriate genetic counselling can be carried out of a couple potentially at risk, where one of the partners is a carrier of β-thalassaemia and the other is carrier of a nucleotide variation.
Heterogeneous clinical spectrum of DNAJC12-deficient hyperphenylalaninemia: from attention deficit to severe dystonia and intellectual disability
Authors: van Spronsen Francjan J , Himmelreich Nastassja , Rüfenacht Véronique , Shen Nan , Vliet Danique van , Al-Owain Mohammed , Ramzan Khushnooda , Alkhalifi Salwa M , Lunsing Roelineke J , Heiner-Fokkema Rebecca M , Rassi Anahita , Gemperle-Britschgi Corinne , Hoffmann Georg F , Blau Nenad , Thöny Beat
Published: August 2017

Background

Autosomal recessive mutations in DNAJC12, encoding a cochaperone of HSP70 with hitherto unknown function, were recently described to lead to hyperphenylalaninemia, central monoamine neurotransmitter (dopamine and serotonin) deficiency, dystonia and intellectual disability in six subjects affected by homozygous variants.

Objective

Patients exhibiting hyperphenylalaninemia in whom deficiencies in hepatic phenylalanine hydroxylase and tetrahydrobiopterin cofactor metabolism had been excluded were subsequently analysed for DNAJC12 variants.

Methods

To analyse DNAJC12, genomic DNA from peripheral blood (Sanger sequencing), as well as quantitative messenger RNA (Real Time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR)) and protein expression (Western blot) from primary skin fibroblasts were performed.

Results

We describe five additional patients from three unrelated families with homozygosity/compound heterozygosity in DNAJC12 with three novel variants: c.85delC/p.Gln29Lysfs*38, c.596G>T/p.*199Leuext*42 and c.214C>T/p.(Arg72*). In contrast to previously reported DNAJC12-deficient patients, all five cases showed a very mild neurological phenotype. In two subjects, cerebrospinal fluid and primary skin fibroblasts were analysed showing similarly low 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid and homovanillic acid concentrations but more reduced expressions of mRNA and DNAJC12 compared with previously described patients. All patients responded to tetrahydrobiopterin challenge by lowering blood phenylalanine levels.

Conclusions

DNAJC12 deficiency appears to result in a more heterogeneous neurological phenotype than originally described. While early identification and institution of treatment with tetrahydrobiopterin and neurotransmitter precursors is crucial to ensure optimal neurological outcome in DNAJC12-deficient patients with a severe phenotype, optimal treatment for patients with a milder phenotype remains to be defined.
Controversy of posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome: what have we learnt in the last 20 years?
Authors: Gao Bo , Lyu Cui , Lerner Alexander , McKinney Alexander M
Published: August 2017

Over two decades have passed since posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) was first described in 1996. It has becoming increasingly recognised because of improved and more readily available imaging modality. The exact pathophysiological mechanism is not completely understood and remains controversial at present. Precise diagnosis is essential to guide prompt, proper management. Our ability of differentiating it from other acute neurological disorders is likely to improve as we learnt more about the spectrum of this entity in the last 20 years. We emphasise the importance of recognising its diagnostic criteria and biomarker, which would be of great relevance to either outcome evaluation or study design. PRES has a favourable prognosis generally, but neurological sequelae and even fatalities can occur, especially in severe forms that might cause substantial morbidity and even mortality, particularly when the syndrome is complicated by intracranial haemorrhage or brain infarction. In this review, the pathophysiology, approach to diagnosis, some controversies as to the prognosis, as well as the future research direction of PRES are described.
Does price labelling result in sustained cost awareness?
Authors: Banerjee Tanya Sreeta , Chambers Naomi
Published: August 2017

Introduction

Pressures on the National Health Service require improvement in quality of care on a reducing budget. Acute trusts spend £6 billion on procurement, an area highlighted in the Carter Report with the potential for up to £2 billion in efficiency savings. Meanwhile, cost awareness of products among clinicians is poor.

Case study

A survey of 20 ENT (ear, nose and throat) theatre doctors and nurses was carried out in a North West district general hospital to gauge the level of cost awareness in 2011. This was followed by a 2-month period of price labelling of selected products. A follow-up survey in 2017 looked at any sustained effect of awareness.

Results

While individual product prices were not recalled, awareness of price differences and specific expensive items was sustained in 75% of respondents, with influence on product choice also dependent on evidence base and clinical outcome. The remaining 25% included new staff employed post initial survey in 2011.

Conclusion

A combination of price labelling with education and a clinical evidence base has potential for efficiency savings. Clinicians willingly participate in product selection when shown that change will lower cost and leave patient outcome unaffected or improved.
The impact of passive and active smoking on inflammation, lipid profile and the risk of myocardial infarction
Authors: Attard Ritienne , Dingli Philip , Doggen Carine J M , Cassar Karen , Farrugia Rosienne , Wettinger Stephanie Bezzina
Published: August 2017

Objective

To investigate the effect of passive smoking, active smoking and smoking cessation on inflammation, lipid profile and the risk of myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods

A total of 423 cases with a first MI and 465 population controls from the Maltese Acute Myocardial Infarction (MAMI) Study were analysed. Data were collected through an interviewer-led questionnaire, and morning fasting blood samples were obtained. ORs adjusted for the conventional risk factors of MI (aORs) were calculated as an estimate of the relative risk of MI. The influence of smoking on biochemical parameters was determined among controls.

Results

Current smokers had a 2.7-fold (95% CI 1.7 to 4.2) and ex-smokers a 1.6-fold (95% CI 1.0 to 2.4) increased risk of MI. Risk increased with increasing pack-years and was accompanied by an increase in high-sensitivity C reactive protein levels and an abnormal lipid profile. Smoking cessation was associated with lower triglyceride levels. Exposure to passive smoking increased the risk of MI (aOR 3.2 (95% CI 1.7 to 6.3)), with the OR being higher for individuals exposed to passive smoking in a home rather than in a public setting (aOR 2.0 (95% CI 0.7 to 5.6) vs aOR 1.2 (95% CI 0.7 to 2.0)). Passive smoke exposure was associated with higher levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides and total cholesterol:high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio compared with individuals not exposed to passive smoking.

Conclusions

Both active and passive smoking are strong risk factors for MI. This risk increased with increasing pack-years and decreased with smoking cessation. Such effects may be partly mediated through the influence of smoking on inflammation and lipid metabolism.
A study of the relationship between resilience, burnout and coping strategies in doctors
Authors: McCain R Scott , McKinley Nicola , Dempster Martin , Campbell W Jeffrey , Kirk Stephen J
Published: August 2017

Purpose of the study

The aim of this study was to measure resilience, coping and professional quality of life in doctors.

Study design

A cross-sectional study using an online questionnaire in a single National Health Service trust, including both primary and secondary care doctors.

Results

283 doctors were included. Mean resilience was 68.9, higher than population norms. 100 (37%) doctors had high burnout, 194 (72%) doctors had high secondary traumatic stress and 64 (24%) had low compassion satisfaction. Burnout was positively associated with low resilience, low compassion satisfaction, high secondary traumatic stress and more frequent use of maladaptive coping mechanisms, including self-blame, behavioural disengagement and substance use. Non-clinical issues in the workplace were the main factor perceived to cause low resilience in doctors.

Conclusions

Despite high levels of resilience, doctors had high levels of burnout and secondary traumatic stress. Doctors suffering from burnout were more likely to use maladaptive coping mechanisms. As doctors already have high resilience, improving personal resilience further may not offer much benefit to professional quality of life. A national study of professional Quality of Life, Coping And REsilience, which we are proposing to undertake, will for the first time assess the UK and Ireland medical workforce in this regard and guide future targeted interventions to improve professional quality of life.
The impact of CMS inclusive jet data on parton distribution functions and their uncertainties
Authors: Aleedaneshvar A. , Khorramian A.
Published: August 2017

It is well known that the jet production data at LHC provide important constraints on the medium and large-[Formula: see text] gluon parton distribution function (PDF), as well as on the large-[Formula: see text] sea quarks. In this work, we study the impact of recent CMS measurements for the inclusive jet production at center-of-mass energy of [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]=[Formula: see text]13 TeV on the PDFs and their uncertainties. To this aim, with use of the FastNLO and xFitter framework, we apply the parton distribution re-weighting procedure to study the impact of CMS data on two NLO modern CT14 and MMHT PDF sets. As a result, we found that the fit quality obtained using both of these PDF sets is very good. Moreover, the CMS data can impact both the central values and uncertainties of some PDFs especially at low and large [Formula: see text] regions. Overall, it is indicated that the CT14 PDFs compared with the MMHT ones are more affected. We emphasis that the inclusion of these data in a new global analysis of PDFs can improve the determination of the gluon and quark PDFs at both low and large [Formula: see text] regions.
COMPARISON OF THE EFFECTS OF WALKING AND BENCH-STEP EXERCISE ON OSTEOCALCIN AND CTX-1 IN POST-MENOPAUSAL WOMEN WITH OSTEOPENIA
Authors: Haryono Ignatio Rika , Tulaar Angela , Sudoyo Herawati , Purba Ambrosius , Abdullah Murdani , Jusman Sri Widia , Lubis Andri M. T. , Ibrahim Ilyas Ermita I.
Published: August 2017

Purpose: Bench-step exercise produces biomechanical movements beneficial to improve bone remodeling. However, no studies have confirmed the effects of bench-step exercise (BE) on bone formation and resorption. The goal of this study is to compare the effects of bench-step and walking exercise (WE) on changes in osteocalcin and CTX-1 levels. Methods: Fifty-nine sedentary post-menopausal women with osteopenia (T-score between [Formula: see text]1 and [Formula: see text]2.5) were randomly divided into two groups: WE group ([Formula: see text]) and BE group ([Formula: see text]). Subjects performed 12 weeks of exercise. The osteocalcin and CTX-1 levels were analyzed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Independent [Formula: see text]-test or Wilcoxon test was used to analyze the osteocalcin and CTX-1 levels. The difference in changes in the osteocalcin and CTX-1 between the groups before and after was analyzed using Mann–Whitney test. Results: The results showed a significant increase in the osteocalcin and CTX-1 levels in both groups ([Formula: see text]). The increased levels of osteocalcin between groups were not statistically different ([Formula: see text]). The increase in CTX-1 resulting from BE was lower than that from WE ([Formula: see text]). Conclusion: This study indicates that BE may inhibit resorption stronger than WE.
EFFICACY OF LONG-TERM SPLINTING IN THE TREATMENT OF SEVERE CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME
Authors: Sanaee Shahrzad , Roshanzamir Sharareh , Homayounee Kaynoosh
Published: August 2017

Background: Although surgery is an effective treatment for severe carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), it is accompanied by many complications; furthermore, there are several patients with severe CTS who reject surgical management. This study was designed to investigate the efficacy of long-term splinting in severe CTS. Methods and Materials: CTS Assessment Questionnaire (Bostone) was filled for 140 patients with severe CTS, who did not agree to go under surgery. Patients were divided into two groups randomly. One group received medical and physical therapy and short-term (six weeks) wrist splint. The other group received the same treatments but long-term (six months) splinting. Both groups went under the evaluation of symptoms and function with Bostone questionnaire and electrophysiological study six weeks, and six months later. Results: There was no significant difference between two groups in any of the measured or registered parameters at the beginning of the study and six weeks later except for compound motor action potential amplitude. But, both the Boston questionnaire scores (symptom severity and functional capacity) and nerve conduction study results were significantly different between the two groups at six months. Conclusion: Regarding the potential efficacy of long-term night-time splinting for symptom and functional improvement of severe CTS, we recommend its use in severe CTS patients who reject surgery.
Insulin potentiation of photodynamic activity in vitro
Authors: Iliev Ivan , Andreeva Christina , Kacarska Ivona , Avramov Latchezar
Published: August 2017

The present work reports on the investigation of the possible influence of insulin on the photodynamic effect of the photosensitizer radachlorin on four cell lines: HepG2, HT-29, BJ and BALB/3T3. For a quantitative comparison, the insulin effect on the standard chemotherapy drug methotrexate is also measured. The results show that the EC[Formula: see text] value for methotrexate is 40% higher than when combined with insulin; and for the lowest methotrexate concentration used, the difference exceeds 120%. For the case of the photodynamic effect, it is shown that insulin, when applied in combination with radachlorin, improves the cell permeability for the photosensitizer, thus increasing its concentration in the cells. The cytotoxic effect of photodynamic therapy with radachlorin as the photosensitizer has been quantitatively compared. The quantitative comparison of the photodynamic effect in the cases of using the photosensitizer radachlorin both alone and in combination with insulin, shows that the addition of insulin does not have an effect on the model of normal cell lines used; while for the HepG2 tumor cells, a two-fold increase in the EC[Formula: see text] value is measured.
Insertion of PETSc in the OpenFOAM Framework
Authors: Li Hao , Xu Xinhai , Wang Miao , Li Chao , Ren Xiaoguang , Yang Xuejun
Published: August 2017

OpenFOAM is a widely used open source framework for simulation in several areas of computational fluid dynamics and engineering. As a partial differential equation (PDE)-based framework, OpenFOAM suffers from a performance bottleneck in solving large-scale sparse linear systems of equations. To address the problem, this article proposes a novel OpenFOAM-PETSc framework by inserting PETSc, a dedicated numerical solving package, into the OpenFOAM to speed up the process of solving linear equation systems. The design of the OpenFOAM-PETSc framework is described, and the implementation of an efficient matrix conversion algorithm is given as a case study. Validation tests on a high-performance computing cluster show that OpenFOAM-PETSc reduces the time of solving PDEs by about 27% in the lid-driven cavity flow case and by more than 50% in flow around the cylinder case in comparison with OpenFOAM, without compromising the scalability. In addition, this article also gives a preliminary performance analysis of different numerical solution methods, which may provide guidelines for further optimizations.
Envy-Free Pricing in Large Markets
Authors: Anshelevich Elliot , Kar Koushik , Sekar Shreyas
Published: August 2017

We study the classic setting of envy-free pricing, in which a single seller chooses prices for its many items, with the goal of maximizing revenue once the items are allocated. Despite the large body of work addressing such settings, most versions of this problem have resisted good approximation factors for maximizing revenue; this is true even for the classic unit-demand case. In this article, we study envy-free pricing with unit-demand buyers, but unlike previous work we focus on
large
markets: ones in which the demand of each buyer is infinitesimally small compared to the size of the overall market. We assume that the buyer valuations for the items they desire have a nice (although reasonable) structure, that is, that the aggregate buyer demand has a monotone hazard rate and that the values of every buyer type come from the same support.

For such large markets, our main contribution is a 1.88-approximation algorithm for maximizing revenue, showing that good pricing schemes can be computed when the number of buyers is large. We also give a (
e
,2)-bicriteria algorithm that simultaneously approximates both maximum revenue and welfare, thus showing that it is possible to obtain both good revenue and welfare at the same time. We further generalize our results by relaxing some of our assumptions and quantify the necessary tradeoffs between revenue and welfare in our setting. Our results are the first known approximations for large markets and crucially rely on new lower bounds, which we prove for the revenue-maximizing prices.
Process Measures of Dyadic Collaborative Interaction for Social Skills Intervention in Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Wade Joshua , Sarkar Arpan , Swanson Amy , Weitlauf Amy , Warren Zachary , Sarkar Nilanjan
Published: August 2017

Technology-based social skills interventions have shown promise for people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by impairments in social interaction and communication. Primary advantages of a technology-based approach to intervention relate to consistency of service delivery as well as an ability to quantitatively measure process and outcomes. Despite these strengths, however, many current computer-supported systems rely on survey data or data collected post-interaction. In response, we have developed and pilot-tested DOSE (Dyad-Operated Social Encouragement), a novel game and data acquisition platform for collaborative skills intervention that leverages the ability of software to collect time-series, speech audio, and event information for the purposes of finer-grained analyses of dyadic interactions. A pilot study involving 12 participant dyads—comprised of children with ASD and typically developing (TD) peers (6 ASD-TD dyads and 6 TD-TD dyads)—was conducted and several metrics were computed during interactions. Preliminary results suggest that the DOSE system is engaging to users, is capable of collecting a wide range of quantitative process measures, and that post-training measures show preliminary evidence of increased communication and activity coordination. Furthermore, DOSE has been made open-source, allowing other investigators to use and extend DOSE for a variety of applications.
The Development of China's Stock Market and Stakes for the Global Economy
Authors: Carpenter Jennifer N. , Whitelaw Robert F.
Published: August 2017

The rise of China and fivefold growth of its stock market over the past decade have fueled a growing literature on this market in financial economics. On the corporate side, researchers have evaluated the progress of China's stages of privatization, analyzed biases in the selection of firms for listing, and documented massive underpricing of initial public offerings. On the asset pricing side, researchers have studied the price premium of domestic A shares over their foreign-share counterparts, analyzed the firm-specific information content of prices, provided new evidence on informational and behavioral effects in prices, and begun to identify systematic cross-sectional patterns in returns. Numerous areas are ripe for future research as China's stock market continues to grow in global influence and as ongoing reform provides new natural experiments. Challenges for the field will be to gain familiarity with China's distinctive financial system and to avoid overapplying research paradigms developed for the US setting.
The Fate and Impact of Internal Waves in Nearshore Ecosystems
Authors: Woodson C.B.
Published: August 2017

Internal waves are widespread features of global oceans that play critical roles in mixing and thermohaline circulation. Similarly to surface waves, internal waves can travel long distances, ultimately breaking along continental margins. These breaking waves can transport deep ocean water and associated constituents (nutrients, larvae, and acidic low-oxygen waters) onto the shelf and locally enhance turbulence and mixing, with important effects on nearshore ecosystems. We are only beginning to understand the role internal waves play in shaping nearshore ecosystems. Here, I review the physics of internal waves in shallow waters and identify two commonalities among internal waves in the nearshore: exposure to deep offshore waters and enhanced turbulence and mixing. I relate these phenomena to important ecosystem processes ranging from extreme events to fertilization success to draw general conclusions about the influence of internal waves on ecosystems and the effects of internal waves in a changing climate.
Effect of circulating glucagon and free fatty acids on hepatic FGF21 production in dairy cows
Authors: Caixeta Luciano S. , Giesy Sarah L. , Krumm Christopher S. , Perfield James W. , Butterfield Anthony , Schoenberg Katie M. , Beitz Donald C. , Boisclair Yves R.
Published: August 2017

Modern dairy cows meet the energy demand of early lactation by calling on hormonally driven mechanisms to increase the use of lipid reserves. In this context, we recently reported that fibroblast growth factor-21 (FGF21), a hormone required for efficient use of lipid reserves in rodents, is upregulated in periparturient dairy cows. Increased plasma FGF21 in early lactation coincides with elevated circulating concentrations of glucagon (GCG) and nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA). To assess the relative contribution of these factors in regulating FGF21, two experiments were performed in energy-sufficient, nonpregnant, nonlactating dairy cows. In the first study, cows were injected with saline or GCG every 8 h over a 72-h period. GCG increased hepatic FGF21 mRNA by an average of fivefold over matched controls but had no effect on plasma FGF21. In the second study, cows were infused and injected with saline, infused with Intralipid and injected with saline, or infused with Intralipid and injected with GCG. Infusions and injections were administered intravenously over 16 h and subcutaneously every 8 h, respectively. Intralipid infusion increased plasma NEFA from 92 to 550 µM within 3 h and increased plasma FGF21 from 1.3 to >11 ng/ml 6 h later; FGF21 mRNA increased by 34-fold in liver but remained invariant in adipose tissue. GCG injections during the Intralipid infusion had no additional effects on plasma NEFA, liver FGF21 mRNA, or plasma FGF21. These data implicate plasma NEFA as a key factor triggering hepatic production and increased circulating concentrations of FGF21 in early lactation.
Insights into cellular and molecular basis for urinary tract infection in autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease
Authors: Gao Chao , Zhang Long , Zhang Ye , Wallace Darren P. , Lopez-Soler Reynold I. , Higgins Paul J. , Zhang Wenzheng
Published: August 2017

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is a broad term referring to an infection of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and/or urethra. Because of its prevalence, frequent recurrence, and rising resistance to antibiotics, UTI has become a challenge in clinical practice. Autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common monogenic disorder of the kidney and is characterized by the growth of fluid-filled cysts in both kidneys. Progressive cystic enlargement, inflammation, and interstitial fibrosis result in nephron loss with subsequent decline in kidney function. ADPKD patients frequently develop UTI; however, the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for the high UTI incidence in ADPKD patients remain virtually unaddressed. Emerging evidence suggests that α-intercalated cells (α-ICs) of the collecting ducts function in the innate immune defense against UTI. α-ICs inhibit bacterial growth by acidifying urine and secreting neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) that chelates siderophore-containing iron. It is necessary to determine, therefore, if ADPKD patients with recurrent UTI have a reduced number and/or impaired function of α-ICs. Identification of the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms may lead to the development of novel strategies to reduce UTI in ADPKD.
Adaptive Semiactive Cable Vibration Control: A Frequency Domain Perspective
Authors: Chen Z. H. , Ni Y. Q.
Published: August 2017

An adaptive solution to semiactive control of cable vibration is formulated by extending the linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) control from time domain to frequency domain. Frequency shaping is introduced via the frequency dependent weights in the cost function to address the control effectiveness and robustness. The Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) technique is further synthesized for online tuning of the controller gain adaptively to track the cable vibration evolution, which also obviates the iterative optimal gain selection for the trade-off between control performance and energy in the conventional time domain LQG (T-LQG) control. The developed adaptive frequency-shaped LQG (AF-LQG) control is realized by collocated self-sensing magnetorheological (MR) dampers considering the nonlinear damper dynamics for force tracking control. Performance of the AF-LQG control is numerically validated on a bridge cable transversely attached with a self-sensing MR damper. The results demonstrate the adaptivity in gain tuning of the AF-LQG control to target for the dominant cable mode for vibration energy dissipation, as well as its enhanced control efficacy over the optimal passive MR damping control and the T-LQG control for different excitation modes and damper locations.
Different Angiogenic Potentials of Mesenchymal Stem Cells Derived from Umbilical Artery, Umbilical Vein, and Wharton’s Jelly
Authors: Xu Lu , Zhou Jianjun , Liu Jingyu , Liu Yong , Wang Lei , Jiang Ruiwei , Diao Zhenyu , Yan Guijun , Pèault Bruno , Sun Haixiang , Ding Lijun
Published: August 2017

Human mesenchymal stem cells derived from the umbilical cord (UC) are a favorable source for allogeneic cell therapy. Here, we successfully isolated the stem cells derived from three different compartments of the human UC, including perivascular stem cells derived from umbilical arteries (UCA-PSCs), perivascular stem cells derived from umbilical vein (UCV-PSCs), and mesenchymal stem cells derived from Wharton’s jelly (WJ-MSCs). These cells had the similar phenotype and differentiation potential toward adipocytes, osteoblasts, and neuron-like cells. However, UCA-PSCs and UCV-PSCs had more CD146+ cells than WJ-MSCs (P<0.05). Tube formation assay in vitro showed the largest number of tube-like structures and branch points in UCA-PSCs among the three stem cells. Additionally, the total tube length in UCA-PSCs and UCV-PSCs was significantly longer than in WJ-MSCs (P<0.01). Microarray, qRT-PCR, and Western blot analysis showed that UCA-PSCs had the highest expression of the Notch ligand Jagged1 (JAG1), which is crucial for blood vessel maturation. Knockdown of Jagged1 significantly impaired the angiogenesis in UCA-PSCs. In summary, UCA-PSCs are promising cell populations for clinical use in ischemic diseases.
Expression, Docking, and Molecular Dynamics of Endo-β-1,4-xylanase I Gene ofTrichoderma virensinPichia stipitis
Authors: Wickramasinghe Gammadde Hewa Ishan Maduka , Attanayake Mudiyanselage Indika Rathnayake Pilimathalawe Panditharathna Samith , Chandrasekharan Naduviladath Vishvanath , Weerasinghe Mahindagoda Siril Samantha , Wijesundera Ravindra Lakshman Chundananda , Wijesundera Wijepurage Sandhya Sulochana
Published: August 2017

It is essential that major carbohydrate polymers in the lignocellulosic biomass are converted into fermentable sugars for the economical production of energy. Xylan, the major component of hemicelluloses, is the second most naturally abundant carbohydrate polymer comprising 20–40% of the total biomass. Endoxylanase (EXN) hydrolyzes xylan into mixtures of xylooligosaccharides. The objective of this study was to genetically modifyPichia stipitis, a pentose sugar fermenting yeast species, to hydrolyze xylan into xylooligosaccharides via cloning and heterologous extracellular expression ofEXNI gene from locally isolatedTrichoderma virensspecies.Pichia stipitiswas engineered to carry theEXNI gene ofT. virensusing pGAPZαexpression vector. The open reading frame encodes 191 amino acids and SDS-PAGE analysis revealed a 24 kDA recombinant protein. The EXNI activity expressed by recombinantP. stipitisclone under standard conditions using 1% beechwood xylan was 31.7 U/ml. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations were performed to investigate EXNI-xylan interactions. Free EXNI and xylan bound EXNI exhibited similar stabilities and structural behavior in aqueous medium. Furthermore, this in silico work opens avenues for the development of newer generation EXN proteins that can perform better and have enhanced catalytic activity.
DriverFinder: A Gene Length-Based Network Method to Identify Cancer Driver Genes
Authors: Wei Pi-Jing , Zhang Di , Li Hai-Tao , Xia Junfeng , Zheng Chun-Hou
Published: August 2017

Integration of multi-omics data of cancer can help people to explore cancers comprehensively. However, with a large volume of different omics and functional data being generated, there is a major challenge to distinguish functional driver genes from a sea of inconsequential passenger genes that accrue stochastically but do not contribute to cancer development. In this paper, we present a gene length-based network method, named DriverFinder, to identify driver genes by integrating somatic mutations, copy number variations, gene-gene interaction network, tumor expression, and normal expression data. To illustrate the performance of DriverFinder, it is applied to four cancer types from The Cancer Genome Atlas including breast cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, thyroid carcinoma, and kidney renal clear cell carcinoma. Compared with some conventional methods, the results demonstrate that the proposed method is effective. Moreover, it can decrease the influence of gene length in identifying driver genes and identify some rare mutated driver genes.