bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Apolipoprotein M overexpression through adeno‐associated virus gene transfer improves insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity in Goto‐Kakizaki rats
Authors: Yu Yang , Zhang Jun , Yao Shuang , Pan Lili , Luo Guanghua , Xu Ning
Published: April 2020

Aims/Objective

The development of type 2 diabetes is a result of insulin resistance in various tissues, including skeletal muscle and liver. Apolipoprotein M (ApoM) plays an important role in the function of high‐density lipoprotein, and also affects hepatic lipid and glucose metabolism. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether ApoM overexpression modulates glucose metabolism and improves insulin sensitivity.

Materials and Methods

The Goto‐Kakizaki (GK) rats were transfected with adeno‐associated virus (AAV) encoding rat ApoM gene or control blank. The oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and hyperinsulinemic‐euglycemic clamp (HEC) experiment were used to assess the insulin sensitivity of GK rats.

Results

The results show that ApoM messenger ribonucleic acid and protein were significantly overexpressed in the pancreatic tissues. Overexpression of ApoM decreased fasting blood glucose and random blood glucose, improved glucose tolerance, and increased bodyweight and insulin levels in GK rats. The glucose infusion rate of rats in the AAV encoding rat ApoM gene group during HEC test was 1.04‐, 1.23‐ and 1.95‐fold higher than that in the AAV control blank group at 1–3 weeks after injection of AAV, respectively. A Wes‐ProteinSimple assay and quantification was carried out to assess phosphorylated protein kinase B/protein kinase B protein levels in the muscle tissues of ApoM‐overexpressing GK rats, and they were found to be higher than those of the control group at the seventh week after AAV injection.

Conclusions

ApoM overexpression through adeno‐associated virus gene transfer might improve insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity in GK rats.
Hand strength and dexterity in individuals with hand eczema
Authors: Passlov H.M. , Pontén A. , Björk J. , Rosén B. , Bruze M. , Svedman C. , Isaksson M.
Published: April 2020

Background

Patients with hand eczema often describe symptoms such as pain, clumsiness and difficulty flexing their fingers, thus impairing the function of the hand.

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate whether hand eczema is associated with a measurable impairment of hand strength and dexterity. We also studied the relationship between hand function and the ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL), pain level and quality of life measured with the Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI).

Methods

Twenty‐one participants with ongoing hand eczema were examined with well‐established methods for measuring hand grip strength, pinch strength and dexterity. A questionnaire was designed to investigate perceived ability to perform ADL. The participants were also asked to grade their current pain level, and the DLQI was used to assess the participants' quality of life. A group of 12 participants was reinvestigated when healed.

Results

The participants demonstrated a significant improvement in all functional tests when healed. There was a strong correlation between ADL and both dexterity and hand grip strength. There was also a strong correlation between ADL and pain. All participants reported some difficulty performing ADL.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that ongoing hand eczema may lead to a measurable decrease of strength and dexterity of the hand, leading to an impairment of the ability to perform ADL and consequently to a poorer quality of life.
Extensive hybridization and past introgression between divergent lineages in a quasi‐clonal hermaphroditic fish: Ramifications for species concepts and taxonomy
Authors: Tatarenkov Andrey , Earley Ryan L. , Taylor D. Scott , Davis William P. , Avise John C.
Published: April 2020

Extreme inbreeding is expected to reduce the incidence of hybridization, serving as a prezygotic barrier. Mangrove rivulus is a small killifish that reproduces predominantly by self‐fertilization, producing highly homozygous lines throughout its geographic range. The Bahamas and Caribbean are inhabited by two highly diverged phylogeographic lineages of mangrove rivulus, Kryptolebias marmoratus and a ‘Central clade’ closely related to K. hermaphroditus from Brazil. The two lineages are largely allopatric, but recently were found in syntopy on San Salvador, Bahamas, where a single hybrid was reported. To better characterize the degree of hybridization and the possibility of secondary introgression, here we conducted a detailed genetic analysis of the contact zone on San Salvador. Two mixed populations were identified, one of which contained sexually mature hybrids. The distribution of heterozygosity at diagnostic microsatellite loci in hybrids showed that one of these hybrids was an immediate offspring from the K. marmoratus x Central clade cross, whereas the remaining five hybrids were products of reproduction by self‐fertilization for 1–3 generations following the initial cross. Two hybrids had mitochondrial haplotypes of K. marmoratus and the remaining four hybrids had a haplotype of the Central clade, indicating that crosses go in both directions. In hybrids, alleles of parental lineages were represented in equal proportions suggesting lack of recent backcrossing to either of the parental lineages. However, sympatric populations of two lineages were less diverged than allopatric populations, consistent with introgression. Results are discussed in terms of applicability of the biological species concept for isogenic, effectively clonal, organisms.
Photoconvertible fluorescent proteins: a versatile tool in zebrafish skeletal imaging
Authors: Bek Jan Willem , De Clercq Adelbert , De Saffel Hanna , Soenens Mieke , Huysseune Ann , Witten P. Eckhard , Coucke Paul J. , Willaert Andy
Published: April 2020

One of the most frequently applied techniques in zebrafish (Danio rerio) research is the visualisation or manipulation of specific cell populations using transgenic reporter lines. The generation of these transgenic zebrafish, displaying cell‐ or tissue‐specific expression of frequently used fluorophores such as Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) or mCherry, is relatively easy using modern techniques. Fluorophores with different emission wavelengths and driven by different promoters can be monitored simultaneously in the same animal. Photoconvertible fluorescent proteins (pcFPs) are different from these standard fluorophores because their emission spectrum is changed when exposed to UV light, a process called photoconversion. Here, the benefits and versatility of using pcFPs for both single and dual fluorochrome imaging in zebrafish skeletal research in a previously generated osx:Kaede transgenic line are illustrated. In this line, Kaede, which is expressed under control of the osterix, otherwise known as sp7, promoter thereby labelling immature osteoblasts, can switch from green to red fluorescence upon irradiation with UV light. First, this study demonstrates that osx:Kaede exhibits an expression pattern similar to a previously described osx:nuGFP transgenic line in both larval and adult stages, hereby validating the use of this line for the imaging of immature osteoblasts. More in‐depth experiments highlight different applications for osx:Kaede, such as lineage tracing and its combined use with in vivo skeletal staining and other transgenic backgrounds. Mineral staining in combination with osx:Kaede confirms osteoblast‐independent mineralisation of the notochord. Osteoblast lineage tracing reveals migration and dedifferentiation of scleroblasts during fin regeneration. Finally, this study shows that combining two transgenics, osx:Kaede and osc:GFP, with similar emission wavelengths is possible when using a pcFP such as Kaede.
Coronavirus Disease19 in Geriatrics and Long‐Term Care: An Update
Authors: Ouslander Joseph G.
Published: April 2020

This editorial comments on the article by Heather D'Adamo in this issue.
Employing statistical learning to derive species‐level genetic diversity for mammalian species
Authors: Schrago Carlos G. , Mello Beatriz
Published: April 2020

The patterns of genetic diversity in several genomic regions have been used in mammalian systematics for decades. For instance, when studying closely related species, it is generally assumed that the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cytb) exhibits significant information that can be used for differentiation between intraspecies and interspecies variation in mammals. Because of sampling limitations, early analyses of this proposition were conducted mainly on rodents and bats.

Currently, more than 57000 cytb sequences are available covering all major lineages of mammals, and sequencing of several individuals per species is common practice in molecular systematics. We were thus prompted to carry out a large‐scale analysis of the utility of cytb genetic variation as a predictor of whether a pair of sequences came from within‐species or between‐species comparisons.

Using predetermined species‐level assignments, we employed standard methods from statistical learning to calculate the cut‐off values able to classify genetic distances in either intraspecies or interspecies categories; we then measured the performance of such statistical classifiers to predict the species‐level taxonomic rank as defined by experts.

Depending on the classifier, our results showed that when adopting cytb distance cut‐off values of 7.3% and 5.5% for small mammals (Metatheria, Rodentia, Chiroptera, and Eulipotyphla) and 4.3% and 3% for medium‐sized to large mammals (Primates, Carnivora, and Artiodactyla), the frequency of incorrect assignment of within‐species divergences to the between‐species category (type I error) varied from 7 to 11%.

In order to avoid over‐splitting by future researchers, we calculated cut‐off values using a more conservative evaluation and provided a list of mammalian species that are likely to consist of complexes of cryptic species. We show that our supervised method can provide practical guidelines to improve the performance of unsupervised algorithms for species delimitation. Finally, we discuss limitations of large‐scale approaches (e.g. effects of misclassification in databases and the need for case‐by‐case evaluation of cryptic species complexes) and their consequences for conservation policies.
Unique bone marrow blood vessels couple angiogenesis and osteogenesis in bone homeostasis and diseases
Authors: Zhao Yifan , Xie Liang
Published: April 2020

Blood vessels serve as a versatile transport system and play crucial roles in organ development, regeneration, and stem cell behavior. In the skeletal system, certain capillaries support perivascular stem cells or osteoprogenitor cells and thereby regulate bone formation. Recent studies reported that a specialized capillary subtype, termed type H vessels, is shown to couple angiogenesis and osteogenesis in rodents and humans. They can be distinguished by specific cell surface markers, as the endothelial cells in the metaphysis and endosteum highly express the junctional protein CD31 and the sialoglycoprotein endomucin. Here, we provide an overview of the role of type H vessels in bone homeostasis and summarize their linkage with various cytokines to control bone cell behavior and bone formation. We also discuss the potential clinical application for bone disorders by targeting these specific vessels according to their physiological and pathobiological settings.
A case of Brugada pattern “bigeminy”
Authors: Mugnai Giacomo , Chierchia Gian‐Battista , de Asmundis Carlo , Brugada Pedro
Published: April 2020

The present case reports for the first time an unusual presentation of Brugada type 1 pattern occurring in a “bigeminy way” without no drug challenges or any apparent causes in a family member of a proband with type 1 pattern.
Strategic communication by regulatory agencies as a form of reputation management: A strategic agenda
Authors: Maor Moshe
Published: April 2020

This article develops a strategic agenda concerning regulatory agencies' strategic communication in light of the reputation literature. It highlights the main strands in this literature, presents the fundamental findings discovered so far, responds to the critiques that have recently surfaced, and offers guidance about where scholarship on strategic communication might most profitably head. The critiques discussed here centre on two aspects: (i) the claim that an agency's communication choices are to some extent driven by the distinctive logic of the media rather than by reputational concerns, and (ii) the argument that strategic communication provides only short‐term solutions to emerging threats and is therefore overemphasized in the literature. Future agendas include, for example, the selection of audience segmentation strategies, and the management of competing and even contradictory communication for segmented audiences when agencies enjoy exclusive jurisdiction, as opposed to cases in which other agencies share the same stage.
Serum levels of soluble programmed death‐1 (sPD‐1) and soluble programmed death ligand 1(sPD‐L1) in systemic lupus erythematosus: Association with activity and severity
Authors: Du Yan , Nie Liuyan , Xu Li , Wu Xinyu , Zhang Songzhao , Xue Jing
Published: April 2020

The programmed cell death‐1 (PD‐1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD‐L1) pathway is an important host immunosuppression mechanism. Soluble PD‐1 (sPD‐1) and PD‐L1 (sPD‐L1) expression regulates co‐inhibitory signals in autoimmune disorders. Here, we evaluated whether serum sPD‐1 and sPD‐L1 are involved in immune dysfunction and assessed its relationship with SLE. Blood samples were obtained from 130 patients with SLE and 44 healthy controls. Serum sPD‐1 and sPD‐L1 were tested by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Relevant immune parameters were analysed. Both serum sPD‐1 and sPD‐L1 were significantly higher in the SLE patients than in the controls. A series of severe disease clinical manifestations and laboratory features such as presence of decreased complement component 3, complement component 4 and SLEDAI >8 were associated with elevated sPD‐1 and sPD‐L1. Our study suggests that abnormal sPD‐1 and sPD‐L1 expression may be involved in the imbalance of immune regulation in SLE.
The more we do, the less we gain? Balancing effort and efficacy in managing the Solidago gigantea invasion
Authors: Nagy Dávid U. , Rauschert Emily S. J. , Henn Tamás , Cianfaglione Kevin , Stranczinger Szilvia , Pal Robert W.
Published: April 2020

Developing invasive plant management strategies is an important task in modern ecology, conservation biology and land management. Solidago gigantea is considered a problematic invader in Europe and Asia, where it forms dominant stands that can decrease species diversity. There is, therefore, an urgent need for effective management to reduce S. gigantea infestations and their negative impacts. We examined the efficacy of multiple approaches to S. gigantea management in Hungary. In our study, we evaluated the effect of several long‐term management techniques such as grazing, mowing and periodic flooding on the invader's density as well as native community diversity. In addition, we investigated the short‐ and long‐term effects of mowing combined with other treatment options, to estimate the influence of increased management intensity. Our results indicate that all tested management techniques had negative impacts on S. gigantea density. Short‐term mowing did not appear to improve species diversity in the resident community; however, all long‐term options improved species diversity. Moreover, combining treatments with mowing varied in its effectiveness; mowing once increased the efficacy of flooding, but decreased the efficacy of grazing, while mowing twice decreased efficacy of flooding. We suspect this is due to the increased intensity of disturbance, which does not allow for the natural recovery of communities, and after management ceases, invasion is able to re‐occur. Our results indicate that for effective management, we need to combine management options which act via different mechanisms, leading to cumulative positive effects on the resident community when applied at moderate levels.
Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in an Annulus With Ribs on the Rotating Inner Cylinder Surface
Authors: Gokul S. , Deepu M.
Published: April 2020

Numerical studies on heat transfer in Taylor-Couette-Poiseuille flow in a cylindrical annulus with ribs mounted on the rotating inner cylinder are presented. The present study focuses on two different types of ribs, namely, longitudinal ribs and helical ribs. Three-dimensional, steady, incompressible, turbulent fluid flow is solved using a semi-implicit method for pressure linked equations (SIMPLE) algorithm based finite volume method. The numerical solution method is validated using two sets of benchmark experimental data. Extensive numerical computations are carried out at various Reynolds numbers (2100 < Re < 2400) and modified Taylor numbers (30,000 < Tam < 90,000) for annulus with and without ribs. Ribs enhance the transport of heat and momentum by inducing more vorticity and turbulence in the flow. The overall performance is presented in terms of thermal performance factor (TPF), which takes in to account the heat transfer as well as pressure drop in the ribbed annulus. Helical ribs are found to offer superior thermal performance than its longitudinal counterpart.
Modeling Contacts and Hysteretic Behavior in Discrete Systems Via Variable-Order Fractional Operators
Authors: Patnaik Sansit , Semperlotti Fabio
Published: April 2020

The modeling of nonlinear dynamical systems subject to strong and evolving nonsmooth nonlinearities is typically approached via integer-order differential equations. In this study, we present the possible application of variable-order (VO) fractional operators to a class of nonlinear lumped parameter models that have great practical relevance in mechanics and dynamics. Fractional operators are intrinsically multiscale operators that can act on both space- and time-dependent variables. Contrarily to their integer-order counterpart, fractional operators can have either fixed or VO. In the latter case, the order can be function of either independent or state variables. We show that when using VO equations to describe the response of dynamical systems, the order can evolve as a function of the response itself; therefore, allowing a natural and seamless transition between widely dissimilar dynamics. Such an intriguing characteristic allows defining governing equations for dynamical systems that are evolutionary in nature. Within this context, we present a physics-driven strategy to define VO operators capable of capturing complex and evolutionary phenomena. Specific examples include hysteresis in discrete oscillators and contact problems. Despite using simplified models to illustrate the applications of VO operators, we show numerical evidence of their unique modeling capabilities as well as their connection to more complex dynamical systems.
Organ-specific isoform selection of fatty acid–binding proteins in tissue-resident lymphocytes
Authors: Frizzell H. , Fonseca R. , Christo S. N. , Evrard M. , Cruz-Gomez S. , Zanluqui N. G. , von Scheidt B. , Freestone D. , Park S. L. , McWilliam H. E. G. , Villadangos J. A. , Carbone F. R. , Mackay L. K.
Published: April 2020

Tissue-resident cells exhibit tissue-specific overlays to the T
RM
cell residency program that includes flexible FABP isoform selection tailored to the tissue of lodgment.
Learning from our immunological history: What can SARS-CoV teach us about SARS-CoV-2?
Authors: Henrickson Sarah E.
Published: April 2020

The current global pandemic reinforces the importance of basic research and mechanistic human immunology.
Pharmacodynamics of Ampicillin-Sulbactam in an In Vitro Infection Model againstEscherichia coliStrains with Various Levels of Resistance
Authors: Lamp Kenneth C. , Vickers Mary K.
Published: April 2020

The activity of ampicillin-sulbactam against β-lactamase-producingEscherichia colihas been questioned. Therefore, in this study, the killing activity of ampicillin-sulbactam was investigated in an in vitro infection model which simulates human pharmacokinetics. One ampicillin-sensitive strain (E. coliATCC 25922, ampicillin-sulbactam MIC = 4/2 μg/ml) and three ampicillin-resistant TEM-1-producing strains with various levels of ampicillin-sulbactam resistance (EC11, MIC = 4/2 μg/ml; TIM2, MIC = 12/6 μg/ml; and GB85, MIC > 128/64 μg/ml) were studied. TheE. colistrains were exposed to ampicillin-sulbactam at a starting inoculum of 6 to 7 log10CFU/ml. Ampicillin-sulbactam was infused over 30 min to simulate doses of 3 and 1.5 g every 6 h for 24 h. The 3-g ampicillin-sulbactam dose was bactericidal againstE. coliATCC 25922, EC11, and TIM2. The 1.5-g dose displayed bactericidal activity against ATCC 25922 and EC11 similar to that of the higher dose but failed to kill TIM2 due to inadequate time above the MIC and increased MICs over 24 h. GB85 was highly resistant and grew similarly to controls. Despite an MIC at 107CFU/ml indicating resistance (20/10 μg/ml), TIM2 was killed by the 3-g dose of ampicillin-sulbactam. Current MIC breakpoints may not adequately portray the activity of ampicillin-sulbactam, considering both the activity in in vitro infection models and clinical data.
A Novel Erythromycin Resistance Methylase Gene (
ermTR
) in
Streptococcus pyogenes
Authors: Seppälä Helena , Skurnik Mikael , Soini Hanna , Roberts Marilyn C. , Huovinen Pentti
Published: April 2020

Erythromycin resistance among streptococci is commonly due to target site modification by an rRNA-methylating enzyme, which results in coresistance to macrolide, lincosamide, and streptogramin B antibiotics (MLS
B
resistance). Genes belonging to the
ermAM
(
ermB
) gene class are the only erythromycin resistance methylase (
erm
) genes in
Streptococcus pyogenes
with MLS
B
resistance that have been sequenced so far. We identified a novel
erm
gene, designated
ermTR
, from an erythromycin-resistant clinical strain of
S. pyogenes
(strain A200) with an inducible type of MLS
B
resistance. The nucleotide sequence of
ermTR
is 82.5% identical to
ermA
, previously found, for example, in
Staphylococcus aureus
and coagulase-negative staphylococci. Our finding provides the first sequence of an
erm
gene other than
ermAM
that mediates MLS
B
resistance in
S. pyogenes.
Determination of the Chromosomal Relationship between
mecA
and
gyrA
in Methicillin-Resistant Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci
Authors: Fey Paul D. , Climo Michael W. , Archer Gordon L.
Published: April 2020

mecA
, the gene that mediates methicillin resistance, and its accompanying
mec
locus DNA, insert near the
gyrA
gene in
Staphylococcus aureus
. To investigate whether there is a similar relationship between
mecA
and
gyrA
in coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS),
mecA
- and
gyrA
-specific DNA fragments were used to probe methicillin-resistant isolates of
Staphylococcus epidermidis
(MRSE) (
n
= 11) and
Staphylococcus haemolyticus
(MRSH) (
n
= 11). The
gyrA
probe hybridized to the same
Sma
I DNA fragment as the
mecA
probe in all strains tested. However, since the size of the
Sma
I fragments containing
mecA
and
gyrA
varied from 73 to 600 kb, the distance between the two genes was determined more precisely. Cloned
mecA
or
gyrA
fragments plus vector sequences each containing a
Sma
I site were introduced into the chromosome of three isolates each of MRSE and methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
(MRSA), and the sizes of the generated
Sma
I fragments were determined by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis. The distance between
gyrA
and
mecA
was found to be between 38 and 42 kb in both MRSE and MRSA, and the two genes were in the same relative orientation in all strains. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) patterns around the
gyrA
gene in CNS were identical, but species specific, for all 10 MRSE and 10 MRSH isolates examined. In contrast, 8 of 11 methicillin-susceptible
S. epidermidis
isolates and 7 of 7 methicillin-susceptible
S. haemolyticus
isolates had different
gyrA
RFLP patterns. These data show that
mecA
is site and orientation specific, relative to
gyrA
, in both MRSE and MRSA. In addition, the local environment around
gyrA
in methicillin-resistant CNS, in contrast to methicillin-susceptible isolates, is similar, suggesting clonality or the requirement for specific DNA sequences with which the
mec
complex must interact for chromosomal integration to occur.
Concentrations of Pefloxacin in Plasma and Tissue after Administration as Surgical Prophylaxis
Authors: Jacoberger Bernadette , Ubeaud Genevieve , Freys Guy , Pottecher Thierry , Jung Louis , Koffel Jean Claude
Published: April 2020

Plasma and epiploic-fat drug concentrations determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and fat penetration of pefloxacin and its metabolite (norfloxacin) given for antimicrobial prophylaxis were studied in patients scheduled for colorectal surgery. Concentrations of pefloxacin in plasma decreased about 40% from the beginning of the operation to closure of the peritoneum, and corresponding levels in epiploic fat stayed stable. The plasma and tissue norfloxacin concentrations were very low. Concentrations of pefloxacin in tissue were greater than MIC at which 90% of isolates are inhibited for sensitive bacteria (members of the family
Enterobacteriaceae
). The penetration of pefloxacin into epiploic fat was about 32%.
Antibiotic Susceptibility of Enterohemorrhagic
Escherichia coli
O157:H7 Isolated from an Outbreak in Japan in 1996
Authors: Tsuboi Isami , Ida Hirohisa , Yoshikawa Eiji , Hiyoshi Suehiro , Yamaji Emiko , Nakayama Issei , Nonomiya Tomoko , Shigenobu Fritz , Shimizu Masaki , O’Hara Koji , Sawai Tetsuo , Mizuoka Keiji
Published: April 2020

The antibiotic susceptibilities of 43 strains of
Escherichia coli
O157:H7 identified in the summer of 1996 in Japan were investigated. Growth of 90% of O157 strains was inhibited at a concentration of ≤0.5 μg/ml by several agents including fosfomycin with glucose-6-phosphate.
Antimicrobial Resistance in
Shigella flexneri
and
Shigella sonnei
in Hong Kong, 1986 to 1995
Authors: Chu Yiu-wai , Houang Elizabeth T. S. , Lyon Donald J. , Ling Julia M. , Ng Tak-keung , Cheng Augustine F. B.
Published: April 2020

Three hundred and thirty-three
Shigella
isolates obtained in 1986 to 1995 were tested for their susceptibilities to 19 antimicrobial agents. Nalidixic acid resistance had emerged in 59.6% of
Shigella flexneri
isolates during 1994 to 1995, with all tested resistant isolates having the mutation in
gyrA
encoding the Ser-83 alteration. Multiresistance (resistance to four or more agents) was more common in
S. flexneri
than in
Shigella sonnei.
Effects of Aluminum Hydroxide and Famotidine on Bioavailability of Tosufloxacin in Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Minami Rumiko , Nakamura Chizuko , Inotsume Nobuo , Nakano Masahiro
Published: April 2020

This study was designed to determine the influence of aluminum hydroxide and famotidine on the bioavailability of tosufloxacin. Coadministration of aluminum hydroxide reduced the bioavailability of tosufloxacin by 31.6% (
P
< 0.05). Famotidine did not alter tosufloxacin absorption. To avoid potential treatment failures, the concurrent use of tosufloxacin and aluminum hydroxide should be avoided altogether.
In Vitro Antimycobacterial Activity of 5-Chloropyrazinamide
Authors: Cynamon Michael H. , Speirs Robert J. , Welch John T.
Published: April 2020

5-Chloropyrazinamide and 5-chloropyrazinoic acid were evaluated for in vitro activity against
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
,
Mycobacterium bovis
, and several nontuberculous mycobacteria by a broth dilution method. 5-Chloropyrazinamide was more active than pyrazinamide against all organisms tested. It is likely that this agent has a different mechanism of action than pyrazinamide.
Effect of Cholera Toxin on Intestinal Elimination of Ciprofloxacin in Rabbits
Authors: Musafija Albert , Barzilai Asher , Ramon Jacob , Rubinstein Ethan
Published: April 2020

The transepithelial intestinal elimination of ciprofloxacin (CPX) was studied in cholera toxin (CT)-challenged and control intestinal loops in the rabbit. CPX concentrations were similar in CT-challenged and control jejunal and ileal loops, while cecal elimination was negligible. The quantities of eliminated CPX per square centimeter of bowel wall were significantly higher in the small intestine CT-challenged loops. The mechanism of elimination of CPX in the small intestine is therefore mainly passive diffusion.
Middle Eocene bentonite in the North Carolina Coastal Plain and its relationship to the volcanic swarm in western Virginia
Authors: Harris W. Burleigh , Thayer* Paul A.
Published: April 2020

A local clay lens up to 60 cm thick in the Eocene Castle Hayne Limestone at the abandoned Fussell Quarry, Duplin County, North Carolina, is identified as a bentonite. It is composed of authigenic smectite with sparse euhedral biotite and apatite. Scanning electron microscope examination shows that the bentonite consists of relic bubble-wall shards altered to smectite. Smectitic columnules, rod-shaped casts of elongate pipe vesicles in pumice fragments derived from early dissolution of nearby small glass shards, also occur. This association is considered diagnostic of a silicic air-fall ash. K-Ar and Rb-Sr biotite dates from the bentonite are 46.2 ± 1.8 Ma and 45.7 ± 0.7 Ma, respectively, and a fission-track age of apatite is 51.0 ± 2.0 Ma; this later date is considered to be incorrect.

Biotite compositions determined from electron microprobe analyses on 100 crystals suggest derivation from a single volcanic source no more than 4000 km from the bentonite. Possible sources of the ash include Bermuda; Highland County, Virginia; and the Caribbean; however, because of distance, prevailing wind direction, and similarity in age and composition, the volcanic swarm in Highland County, Virginia, is the suggested source.
Secular evolution of the lithospheric mantle beneath the northern margin of the North China Craton: Insights from zoned olivine xenocrysts in Early Cretaceous basalts
Authors: Xu Yao , Zhang Hongfu
Published: April 2020

Abundant zoned olivine xenocrysts from Early Cretaceous basalts of the Yixian Formation in western Liaoning Province, China, contain critical information about the nature and evolution of the lithospheric mantle of the northern North China Craton. These olivine xenocrysts are large (600–1600 µm), usually rounded and embayed, with well-developed cracks. Their cores have high and uniform forsterite (Fo) contents (88–91), similar to the peridotitic olivine entrained by regional Cenozoic basalts. Their rims have much lower Fo contents (74–82), comparable to phenocrysts (72–81) in the host basalts. These characteristics reveal that the zoned olivine has been disaggregated from mantle xenoliths and thus can be used to trace the underlying lithospheric mantle at the time of basaltic magmatism. The olivine cores have high oxygen isotope compositions (δ18OSMOW = 5.9–7.0‰) relative to the normal mantle value, suggesting that the Early Cretaceous lithospheric mantle was enriched and metasomatized mainly by melts/fluids released from subducted oceanic crust that had experienced low-temperature hydrothermal alteration. Preservation of zoned olivine xenocrysts in the Early Cretaceous basalts indicates that olivine-melt/fluid reaction could have been prevalent in the lithospheric mantle as an important mechanism for the transformation from old refractory (high-Mg) peridotitic mantle to young, fertile (low-Mg), and enriched lithospheric mantle during the early Mesozoic.
Supplemental Material: The Chief Joseph dike swarm of the Columbia River flood basalts, and the legacy data set of William H. Taubeneck
Authors: Morriss M.C. , al. et
Published: April 2020

Supplemental ArcGIS Shapefiles. Shapefiles for mapped dikes used in maps throughout paper.
Supplemental Material: The Chief Joseph dike swarm of the Columbia River flood basalts, and the legacy data set of William H. Taubeneck
Authors: Morriss M.C.
Published: April 2020

dike swarm, Large igneous province, Columbia River Basalts, Eastern Oregon, Wallowa Mountains
Non-communicable disease care and physical activity promotion in India: analysis of recent policies, guidelines and workplans
Authors: Mohanty Satyajit , Venkatarao Epari , Yasobant Sandul
Published: April 2020

Burden statements on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) across the globe suggest that they pose a constant threat to human development. There are two different types of NCD interventions: population-based interventions addressing NCD risk factors and individual-based interventions addressing NCDs in the primary care setting. Most of the individual-based interventions are based on NCD-care models, as opposed to population-based interventions targeting risk factors through independent vertical programmes. We explored the relevant Indian policy documents including the recent National Health Policy 2017, to get an overview of the Indian NCD-care model and to find out how physical activity (PA) promotion stands in the year 2019 in the current policy documents on NCDs. We conducted a review with two perspectives; first to capture the NCD-care models and second to document the PA promotion and its integration in the current NCD-care model specific to the Indian context. Indian NCD programme is an evolving healthcare programme with a definite NCD-care model, where the individual-based and population-based care are thoroughly linked. Despite having good NCD-care policy and methodical planning, PA promotion seems to be lacking in the policy perspective and currently physical inactivity as a risk factor is not considered seriously. The structure of the NCD-care model should be detailed and strengthened by incorporating lessons from other successful NCD models from across the globe. Indian NCD model must provide sufficient scope of interfacing individual care to that of population-based risk factor strategies like physical activity promotion.
Safety and efficacy of the European Society of Cardiology 0/1-hour algorithm for diagnosis of myocardial infarction: systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Chiang Cho-Han , Chiang Cho-Hung , Lee Gin Hoong , Gi Weng-Tein , Wu Yuan-Kun , Huang Sih-Shiang , Yeo Yee Hui , Giannitsis Evangelos , Lee Chien-Chang
Published: April 2020

Objective

The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) 0/1 hour algorithm has been primarily validated in Europe, America and Australasia with less knowledge of its performance outside of these settings. We aim to evaluate the performance of the ESC 0/1 hour algorithm across different contexts.

Methods

We searched PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for relevant studies published between 1 January 2008 and 31 May 2019. The primary outcome was index myocardial infarction and the secondary outcome was major adverse cardiac event or mortality. A bivariate random-effects meta-analysis was used to derive the pooled estimate of each outcome.

Results

A total of 11 014 patients from 10 cohorts were analysed for the primary outcome. The algorithm based on high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn)T (Roche), hs-cTnI (Abbott) and hs-cTnI (Siemens) had pooled sensitivity of 98.4% (95% CI=95.1% to 99.5%), 98.1% (95% CI=94.6% to 99.3%) and 98.7% (95% CI=97.3% to 99.3%), respectively. The algorithm based on hs-cTnT (Roche) and hs-cTnI (Siemens) had pooled specificity of 91.2% (95% CI=86.0% to 94.6%) and 95.9% (95% CI=94.1% to 97.2%), respectively. Among patients in the rule-out category, the pooled mortality rate at 30 days and at 1 year was 0.1% (95% CI=0.0% to 0.4%) and 0.8% (95% CI=0.5% to 1.2%), respectively. Among patients in the observation zone, the pooled mortality rate was 0.7% (95% CI=0.3% to 1.2%) at 30 days but increased to 8.1% (95% CI=6.1% to 10.4%) at 1 year, comparable to the mortality rate in the rule-in group.

Conclusion

The ESC 0/1 hour algorithm has high diagnostic accuracy but may not be sufficiently safe if the 1% miss-rate for myocardial infarction is desired.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42019142280.
Veterinary care of African pygmy hedgehogs
Authors: Wissink‐Argilaga Nathalie
Published: April 2020

Background

African pygmy hedgehogs (Atelerix albiventris) belong to the order Insectivora and the Erinaceidae family. In the wild they can be found in the steppes, grasslands and agricultural fields of central Africa. They are becoming more popular as pets and so clinicians need to be familiar with their general care, husbandry and health issues.

Aim of the article

This article discusses the general husbandry and care requirements of African pygmy hedgehogs, as well as how to deal with sick hedgehogs.
Update on the management of the anovulatory follicle in horses
Authors: Crabtree James
Published: April 2020

Background

Anovulatory follicles are those that reach the correct size but then fail to ovulate. Two pathological forms of anovulatory follicle exist in horses: persistant anovulatory follicles and haemorrhagic anovulatory follicles.

Aim of the article

This article will focus on the most common morphological form, which is the haemorrhagic anovulatory follicle; why it is important, what our knowledge was and what new knowledge we have developed in the past five to 10 years.
Gender distribution and leadership trends in trauma surgery societies
Authors: Foster Shannon Marie , Knight Jennifer , Velopulos Catherine Garrison , Bonne Stephanie , Joseph D'Andrea , Santry Heena , Coleman Jamie Jones , Callcut Rachael A
Published: April 2020

Introduction

Women are under-represented in the surgical disciplines and gender bias is believed to play a factor. We aimed to understand the gender distribution of membership, leadership opportunities, and scientific contributions to annual trauma professional meetings as a case study of gender issues in trauma surgery.

Methods

Retrospective collection of membership, leadership, presentation and publication data from 2016 to 2018 Trauma/Acute Care Surgery/Surgical Critical Care (TACSCC) Annual Meetings. Gender was assigned based on self-identification in demographic information, established relationships, or public sources.

Results

Women remain under-represented with only 28.1% of those ascertaining American Board of Surgery certification in critical care self-identifying as female. The proportion of female members in Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma (EAST) was comparable (29.4%), slightly lower for Western Trauma Association (WTA) (19.0%), and lowest for American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST) (12.8%, p<0.05). In contrast, AAST had the highest proportion of female participants in executive leadership (AAST 32.5%, WTA 19.0%, EAST 18.8%) and WTA the highest for committee chairs (WTA 33.3%, AAST 27.8%, EAST 20.5%). AAST had the most significant increase in executive leadership during the last 3 years (AAST 28.6% to 41.6%). Invited lectureships, masters, panelists and senior author scientific contributions demonstrated the largest gap of academic representation of female TACSCC surgeons.

Conclusion

Fewer women than men pursue careers in the trauma field. Continuing to provide mentorship, leadership, and scientific recognition will increase gender diversity in TACSCC. We must continue to promote, sponsor, recognize, invite, and elect ‘her’.

Level of evidence

III, Epidemiology.
Relationship between petrographic parameters and physical-mechanical properties of weakly cemented sandstones
Authors: Wang Zhenkang , Chen Jiangfeng , Li Wenping , Wang Qiqing , Niu Qinghe , Liu Shiliang , Hu Yanbo
Published: April 2020

Petrographic characteristics (textural properties and modal compositions) have an intrinsic influence on the physical and mechanical (PM) properties of weakly cemented sandstones. Sixteen sandstone samples were tested to determine the PM parameters and then thin sections from those samples were used to measure the petrographic parameters. Petrographic parameters were analysed statistically to establish quantitative relationships between the petrographic characteristics and PM properties. Based on multiple linear regression (MLRA) and stepwise multiple regression analyses (SMRA), several multiple regression equations with significant petrographic variables were established for estimating the PM parameters of the sandstone. Results indicated that uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) and Young's modulus (
E
) were closely related to mean grain size (Mz) (φ-value), non-uniform coefficient (Cu), fractal dimension (F
d
), Riley sphericity (Ψ
p
), packing proximity (P
p
), floating contacts (Fl), grain-to-grain contacts (G-G), feldspar content and organic matter content. An increased percentage of grain-to-cement contacts (G-C) and reduced percentages of grain-to-matrix contacts (G-M) and organic matter content indicated a high value of Poisson's ratio (POISS). In addition, Mz, C
u
, F
d
, Ψ
p
, quartz, feldspar, and organic matter contents were found to be significant parameters for density and P-wave velocity (
V
p
). Furthermore, density and POISS could be predicted using the results from the MLRA and F
d
was a good predictor for density,
V
p
and UCS using the results from the SMRA. Additionally, it was noted that the petrographic characteristics of roof sandstones had significant influence on the overburden pressure characteristics within the coal faces in the Shendong mining area.
Introduction to Ada
Authors: Feldman Michael B.
Published: April 2020

Level -- Beginner, but attendees should have some experience with a high-level programming language. This tutorial is designed for those who have some familiarity with a programming language, but who are new to Ada. In the morning, we will discuss the basics of programming in Ada, including types, packages, syntax rules, and other Ada programming constructs. In the afternoon, we will briefly cover Ada's object-oriented programming and concurrent-programming features. Many examples will be shown; freely downloadable Ada programming environments and tools will be discussed.
Ada for real-time and parallel processing
Authors: McCormick John W.
Published: April 2020

This tutorial covers two of the major problems with parallel and real-time programming - time management and storage management. Parallel processing, whether on single-processor machines or multiple processors, has many pitfalls. We will examine these potential pitfalls, and discuss ways to avoid common problems, such as deadlocks and race conditions. We will also discuss how to write code that efficiently passes data with other parallel processes. The basics of parallel processing are covered, leading to a discussion and examples using Ada tasking. In addition, the Ada Real-Time Systems Annex is also covered.
Open source development of a safety critical dual redundant (Ada95/C++) signal control program environment (SCOPE)
Authors: Gardinier Mark
Published: April 2020

Advanced Technologies (ATI) is in the process of developing a dual redundant open source traffic intersection control system for the U.S. Department of Transportation. This system is known as a Signal Control Program Environment (SCOPE). A unique aspect of this effort is that we use all open source non-supported toolsets from requirements though formal qualification testing. This paper will describe our development process, prototype, and current work.

The development of the SCOPE is a two part effort. The first part, already completed, was to build a prototype intersection control system that implemented a subsection of newly developed intersection traffic flow control and preemption concepts. In six months, two ATI engineers performed a complete software development lifecycle. The result was a working Ada95/C++ prototype that executes under Linux and can be easily ported to any hardware architecture .
Experience in integrating interchangeable scheduling policies into a distribution middleware for Ada
Authors: Pérez Tijero Hector , Gutierrez J. Javier
Published: April 2020

This paper presents the integration of real-time scheduling mechanisms within middleware which supports distribution through Ada and CORBA standards. This technology includes several aspects closely related to real-time systems, such as the management of remote calls, identification of schedulable entities, support for the transactional model and the assignment of scheduling parameters. As a result, a real-time distribution middleware capable of managing different scheduling policies under a generic interface has been obtained. The paper also presents a case study in order to evaluate the proposed technology.
1
Improving compiler-runtime separation with XIR
Authors: Titzer Ben L. , Würthinger Thomas , Simon Doug , Cintra Marcelo
Published: April 2020

Intense research on virtual machines has highlighted the need for flexible software architectures that allow quick evaluation of new design and implementation techniques. The interface between the compiler and runtime system is a principal factor in the flexibility of both components and is critical to enabling rapid pursuit of new optimizations and features. Although many virtual machines have demonstrated modularity for many components, significant dependencies often remain between the compiler and the runtime system components such as the object model and memory management system. This paper addresses this challenge with a carefully designed strict compiler-runtime interface and the XIR language. Instead of the compiler backend lowering object operations to machine operations using hard-wired runtime-specific logic, XIR allows the runtime system to implement this logic, simultaneously simplifying and separating the backend from runtime-system details. In this paper we describe the design and implementation of this compiler-runtime interface and the XIR language in the C1X dynamic compiler, a port of the HotSpotTM Client compiler. Our results show a significant reduction in backend complexity with XIR and an overall reduction in the compiler-runtime interface complexity while still generating comparable quality code with only minor impact on compilation time.
VMKit
Authors: Geoffray Nicolas , Thomas Gaël , Lawall Julia , Muller Gilles , Folliot Bertil
Published: April 2020

Managed Runtime Environments (MREs), such as the JVM and the CLI, form an attractive environment for program execution, by providing portability and safety, via the use of a bytecode language and automatic memory management, as well as good performance, via just-in-time (JIT) compilation. Nevertheless, developing a fully featured MRE, including e.g. a garbage collector and JIT compiler, is a herculean task. As a result, new languages cannot easily take advantage of the benefits of MREs, and it is difficult to experiment with extensions of existing MRE based languages.

This paper describes and evaluates VMKit, a first attempt to build a common substrate that eases the development of high-level MREs. We have successfully used VMKit to build two MREs: a Java Virtual Machine and a Common Language Runtime. We provide an extensive study of the lessons learned in developing this infrastructure, and assess the ease of implementing new MREs or MRE extensions and the resulting performance. In particular, it took one of the authors only one month to develop a Common Language Runtime using VMKit. VMKit furthermore has performance comparableto the well established open source MREs Cacao, Apache Harmony and Mono, and is 1.2 to 3 times slower than JikesRVM on most of the Dacapo benchmarks.