bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
H2S, a novel gasotransmitter, involves in gastric accommodation
Authors: Xiao Ailin , Wang Hongjuan , Lu Xin , Zhu Jianchun , Huang Di , Xu Tonghui , Guo Jianqiang , Liu Chuanyong , Li Jingxin
Published: November 2015

H2S is produced mainly by two enzymes:cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS) and cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE), using L-cysteine (L-Cys) as the substrate. In this study, we investigated the role of H2S in gastric accommodation using CBS+/− mice, immunohistochemistry, immunoblot, methylene blue assay, intragastric pressure (IGP) recording and electrical field stimulation (EFS). Mouse gastric fundus expressed H2S-generating enzymes (CBS and CSE) and generated detectable amounts of H2S. The H2S donor, NaHS or L-Cys, caused a relaxation in either gastric fundus or body. The gastric compliance was significantly increased in the presence of L-Cys (1 mM). On the contrary, AOAA, an inhibitor for CBS, largely inhibited gastric compliance. Consistently, CBS+/− mice shows a lower gastric compliance. However, PAG, a CSE inhibitor, had no effect on gastric compliances. L-Cys enhances the non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) relaxation of fundus strips, but AOAA reduces the magnitude of relaxations to EFS. Notably, the expression level of CBS but not CSE protein was elevated after feeding. Consistently, the production of H2S was also increased after feeding in mice gastric fundus. In addition, AOAA largely reduced food intake and body weight in mice. Furthermore, a metabolic aberration of H2S was found in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD). In conclusion, endogenous H2S, a novel gasotransmitter, involves in gastric accommodation.
Administration of defined microbiota is protective in a murine Salmonella infection model
Authors: Martz Sarah-Lynn E. , McDonald Julie A. K. , Sun Jun , Zhang Yong-guo , Gloor Gregory B. , Noordhof Curtis , He Shu-Mei , Gerbaba Teklu K. , Blennerhassett Michael , Hurlbut David J. , Allen-Vercoe Emma , Claud Erika C. , Petrof Elaine O.
Published: November 2015

Salmonella typhimurium is a major cause of diarrhea and causes significant morbidity and mortality worldwide and perturbations of the gut microbiota are known to increase susceptibility to enteric infections. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether a Microbial Ecosystem Therapeutic (MET-1) consisting of 33 bacterial strains, isolated from human stool and previously used to cure patients with recurrent Clostridium difficile infection, could also protect against S. typhimurium disease. C57BL/6 mice were pretreated with streptomycin prior to receiving MET-1 or control, then gavaged with S. typhimurium. Weight loss, serum cytokine levels and S. typhimurium splenic translocation were measured. NF-κB nuclear staining, neutrophil accumulation and localization of tight junction proteins (claudin-1, ZO-1) were visualized by immunofluorescence. Infected mice receiving MET-1 lost less weight, had reduced serum cytokines, reduced NF-κB nuclear staining and decreased neutrophil infiltration in the cecum. MET-1 also preserved cecum tight junction protein expression and reduced S. typhimurium translocation to the spleen. Notably, MET-1 did not decrease CFUs of Salmonella in the intestine. MET-1 may attenuate systemic infection by preserving tight junctions, thereby inhibiting S. typhimurium from gaining access to the systemic circulation. We conclude that MET-1 may be protective against enteric infections besides C. difficile infection.
Circulating miR-106a is a Novel Prognostic and Lymph Node Metastasis Indicator for Cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Cheng Qingbao , Feng Feiling , Zhu Lumin , Zheng Yanhua , Luo Xiangji , Liu Chen , Yi Bin , Jiang Xiaoqing
Published: November 2015

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a common biliary malignancy. Despite continuing advances, novel indicators are urgently needed to identify patients with a poor prognosis. Several microRNAs (miRNAs) have been reported to be dysregulated in CCA tissues. The purpose of the current study was to explore the potential use of certain miRNAs as serum indicators. A total of 157 individuals, including103 CCA patients, were recruited into this study. We first used qRT-PCR to evaluate 5 CCA-related miRNAs in the serum of 95 individuals to identify significantly deregulated miRNAs. A logistic regression was used to analyse the potential variables influencing lymph node metastasis. Cox proportional hazards regression models were applied to determine the association between possible prognostic variables and overall survival (OS). We observed that decreased serum miR-106a confers a higher likelihood of lymph node metastasis [hazard ratio (HR) 18.3, 95% confidence interval (CI) 5.9–56.4, p < 0.01]. Additionally, lower circulating miR-106a levels (HR 5.1; 95% CI 2.2–11.8; p < 0.01) and non-radical surgery (HR 4.2; 95% CI 2.3–7.7; p < 0.01) were independent predictors for poor prognosis. Together, reduced expression of serum miR-106a is a powerful prognostic indicator for CCA patients. The dismal outcome of these CCA patients might correlate with a higher risk of lymph node metastasis.
Statistical Approach to Decreasing the Error Rate of Noninvasive Prenatal Aneuploid Detection caused by Maternal Copy Number Variation
Authors: Zhang Han , Zhao Yang-Yu , Song Jing , Zhu Qi-Ying , Yang Hua , Zheng Mei-Ling , Xuan Zhao-Ling , Wei Yuan , Chen Yang , Yuan Peng-Bo , Yu Yang , Li Da-Wei , Liang Jun-Bin , Fan Ling , Chen Chong-Jian , Qiao Jie
Published: November 2015

Analyses of cell-free fetal DNA (cff-DNA) from maternal plasma using massively parallel sequencing enable the noninvasive detection of feto-placental chromosome aneuploidy; this technique has been widely used in clinics worldwide. Noninvasive prenatal tests (NIPT) based on cff-DNA have achieved very high accuracy; however, they suffer from maternal copy-number variations (CNV) that may cause false positives and false negatives. In this study, we developed an algorithm to exclude the effect of maternal CNV and refined the Z-score that is used to determine fetal aneuploidy. The simulation results showed that the algorithm is robust against variations of fetal concentration and maternal CNV size. We also introduced a method based on the discrepancy between feto-placental concentrations to help reduce the false-positive ratio. A total of 6615 pregnant women were enrolled in a prospective study to validate the accuracy of our method. All 106 fetuses with T21, 20 with T18 and three with T13 were tested using our method, with sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 99.97%. In the results, two cases with maternal duplications in chromosome 21, which were falsely predicted as T21 by the previous NIPT method, were correctly classified as normal by our algorithm, which demonstrated the effectiveness of our approach.
Isolation of Rhp-PSP, a member of YER057c/YjgF/UK114 protein family with antiviral properties, from the photosynthetic bacterium Rhodopseudomonas palustris strain JSC-3b
Authors: Su Pin , Feng Tuizi , Zhou Xuguo , Zhang Songbai , Zhang Yu , Cheng Ju’e , Luo Yuanhua , Peng Jing , Zhang Zhuo , Lu Xiangyang , Zhang Deyong , Liu Yong
Published: November 2015

Rhodopseudomonas palustris strain JSC-3b isolated from a water canal adjacent to a vegetable field produces a protein that was purified by bioactivity-guided fractionation based on ammonium sulfate precipitation, ion-exchange absorption and size exclusion. The protein was further identified as an endoribonuclease L-PSP (Liver-Perchloric acid-soluble protein) by shotgun mass spectrometry analysis and gene identification and it is member of YER057c/YjgF/UK114 protein family. Herein, this protein is designated Rhp-PSP. Rhp-PSP exhibited significant inhibitory activities against tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) in vivo and in vitro. To our knowledge, this represents the first report on the antiviral activity of a protein of the YER057c/YjgF/UK114 family and also the first antiviral protein isolated from R. palustris. Our research provides insight into the potential of photosynthetic bacterial resources in biological control of plant virus diseases and sustainable agriculture.
Neuromuscular regulation in zebrafish by a large AAA+ ATPase/ubiquitin ligase, mysterin/RNF213
Authors: Kotani Yuri , Morito Daisuke , Yamazaki Satoru , Ogino Kazutoyo , Kawakami Koichi , Takashima Seiji , Hirata Hiromi , Nagata Kazuhiro
Published: November 2015

Mysterin (also known as RNF213) is a huge intracellular protein with two AAA+ ATPase modules and a RING finger ubiquitin ligase domain. Mysterin was originally isolated as a significant risk factor for the cryptogenic cerebrovascular disorder moyamoya disease and was found to be involved in physiological angiogenesis in zebrafish. However, the function and the physiological significance of mysterin in other than blood vessels remain largely unknown, although mysterin is ubiquitously expressed in animal tissues. In this study, we performed antisense-mediated suppression of a mysterin orthologue in zebrafish larvae and revealed that mysterin-deficient larvae showed significant reduction in fast myofibrils and immature projection of primary motoneurons, leading to severe motor deficits. Fast muscle-specific restoration of mysterin expression cancelled these phenotypes and interestingly both AAA+ ATPase and ubiquitin ligase activities of mysterin were indispensable for proper fast muscle formation, demonstrating an essential role of mysterin and its enzymatic activities in the neuromuscular regulation in zebrafish.
Self-regulated oscillation of transport and topology of magnetic islands in toroidal plasmas
Authors: Ida K. , Kobayashi T. , Evans T. E. , Inagaki S. , Austin M. E. , Shafer M. W. , Ohdachi S. , Suzuki Y. , Itoh S.-I. , Itoh K.
Published: November 2015

The coupling between the transport and magnetic topology is an important issue because the structure of magnetic islands, embedded in a toroidal equilibrium field, depends on the nature of the transport at the edge of the islands. Measurements of modulated heat pulse propagation in the DIII-D tokamak have revealed the existence of self-regulated oscillations in the radial energy transport into magnetic islands that are indicative of bifurcations in the island structure and transport near the q = 2 surface. Large amplitude heat pulses are seen in one state followed by small amplitude pulses later in the discharge resulting in a repeating cycle of island states. These two states are interpreted as a bifurcation of magnetic island with high and low heat pulse accessibility. This report describes the discovery of a bifurcation in the coupled dynamics between the transport and topology of magnetic islands in tokamak plasmas.
Conformational ensemble of human α-synuclein physiological form predicted by molecular simulations
Authors: Rossetti G. , Musiani F. , Abad E. , Dibenedetto D. , Mouhib H. , Fernandez C. O. , Carloni P.
Published: November 2015

Enhanced sampling simulations of N-terminally acetylated human α-synuclein suggest that the post-translational modification leads to the formation of a transient amphipathic α-helix altering protein dynamics at the N-terminal and intramolecular interactions.
h-BN nanosheets as simple and effective additives to largely enhance the activity of Au/TiO2 plasmonic photocatalysts
Authors: Ide Y. , Nagao K. , Saito K. , Komaguchi K. , Fuji R. , Kogure A. , Sugahara Y. , Bando Y. , Golberg D.
Published: November 2015

Au/TiO2 plasmonic photocatalysts showed largely enhanced activity for the oxidation of formic acid in water into CO2 when simply mixed with h-BN nanosheets, as a result of electron transfer from photoexcited Au/TiO2 to the additive to retard charge recombination.
Molecular modeling approach to explore the role of cathepsin B from Hordeum vulgare in the degradation of Aβ peptides
Authors: Dhanavade Maruti J. , Parulekar Rishikesh S. , Kamble Subodh A. , Sonawane Kailas D.
Published: November 2015

The pathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease is the accumulation of Aβ peptides in human brains.
CdTe quantum dots@luminol for trace-level chemiluminescence sensing of phenacetin based on biological recognition materials
Authors: Duan Huimin , Li Leilei , Wang Xiaojiao , Wang Yanhui , Li Jianbo , Luo Chuannan
Published: November 2015

The CL signal was amplified by CRET in CdTe QDs@luminol to improve the sensitivity and CsMG-MIP was introduced to improve the selectivity.
Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HAP NPs): a green and efficient heterogeneous catalyst for three-component one-pot synthesis of 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one derivatives in aqueous media
Authors: Razavi Nasrin , Akhlaghinia Batool
Published: November 2015

HAP NPs were applied as a green heterogeneous catalyst for synthesis of 2,3-dihydroquinazolin-4(1H)-one derivatives. The nanocatalyst was prepared and characterized.
Immobilized Pd(0) nanoparticles on phosphine-functionalized graphene as a highly active catalyst for Heck, Suzuki and N-arylation reactions
Authors: Fareghi-Alamdari Reza , Haqiqi Mohsen G. , Zekri Negar
Published: November 2015

Phosphine functionalized graphene was used for the immobilization of Pd nanoparticles and utilized in C–C and C–N bond formation reactions.
Chemical synthesis, characterization and theoretical investigations of stannite phase CuZn2AlS4 nanocrystals
Authors: Ghosh Anima , Thangavel Rajalingam , Gupta Arunava
Published: November 2015

The stannite-phase CuZn2AlS4 nanocrystals strongly absorb at visible wavelengths, which is suitable for solar energy material applications.
Waste corn-cob cellulose supported bio-heterogeneous copper nanoparticles for aza-Michael reactions
Authors: Sarkar Shaheen M. , Sultana T. , Biswas Tapan Kumar , Rahman Md. Lutfor , Yusoff Mashitah Mohd
Published: November 2015

Waste corn-cob cellulose supported Cu-nanoparticles were found to be a highly effective catalyst for aza-Michael reactions at room temperature.
Long persistent composite phosphor CaAl2O4:Eu2+,Nd3+/Y3Al5O12:Ce3+: a novel strategy to tune the colors of persistent luminescence
Authors: Chen Wenbo , Wang Yuhua , Zeng Wei , Han Shaochun , Li Gen , Guo Haijie , Li Yanyan , Qiang Qinping
Published: November 2015

The design and characterization of a novel color tunable long persistent composite phosphor through radiative energy transfer.
Oligomycins as inhibitors of K-Ras plasma membrane localisation
Authors: Salim A. A. , Tan L. , Huang X.-C. , Cho K.-J. , Lacey E. , Hancock J. F. , Capon R. J.
Published: November 2015

Rare oligomycins from soil-derived Streptomyces are low nM inhibitors of K-Ras plasma membrane localisation.
Copper-catalyzed oxidative coupling reaction of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes with amidines: synthesis of 1,2,4-trisubstituted-1H-imidazole-5-carbaldehydes
Authors: Li Yaxuan , Fu Yajie , Ren Chaojie , Tang Dong , Wu Ping , Meng Xu , Chen Baohua
Published: November 2015

A convenient synthesis of 1,2,4-trisubstituted-1H-imidazole-5-carbaldehydes was developed, which features high atom economy, cheap catalysts and mild conditions.
First light-emitting electrochemical cell with [Ag(i)(N^N)(P^P)] type complex
Authors: Moudam Omar , Tsipis Athanassios C. , Kommanaboyina Srikanth , Horton Peter N. , Coles Simon J.
Published: November 2015

A heteroleptic silver(i) complex has been prepared, characterized and selected for the first time as an active material for light-emitting electrochemical (LEC) devices. Its electronic properties, DFT and device performances have been systematically investigated.
Effects of acid dopants on the capacitance of polyaniline by using graphene hydrogels as substrates
Authors: Zhao W. , He D. W. , Wang Y. S. , Hu Y. , Du X. , Hao X.
Published: November 2015

Acids have a great impact on the specific capacitance of polyaniline, and graphene/polyaniline (GP) doped with H2SO4possesses the highest capacitance compared with that of GP–HCl and GP–HClO4.
Tissue paper assisted spray ionization mass spectrometry
Authors: Meher Anil Kumar , Chen Yu-Chie
Published: November 2015

Tissue paper with fibrous structures is demonstrated to be the suitable sample loading substrate, sampling tool, and electrospray ionization (ESI) emitter for the analysis of analytes with a wide mass range in ESI mass spectrometry.
Light-modulated aggregation behavior of some unsubstituted cinnamate-based ionic liquids in aqueous solutions
Authors: Yang Jie , Wang Huiyong , Wang Jianji , Guo Xiaojia , Zhang Yue
Published: November 2015

The aggregation behavior of a new class light-responsive ionic liquids was modulated efficiently by UV light irradiation in aqueous solutions.
Highly active and selective catalysts for olefin hydrosilylation reactions using metalloporphyrins intercalated in natural clays
Authors: Jondi Waheed , Zyoud Ahed , Mansour Waseem , Hussein Ahmad Q. , Hilal Hikmat S.
Published: November 2015

Mechanisms showing how the metalloporphyrin ions selectively catalyze olefin hydrosilylation reactions and the solvent-like behavior associated with the clay supported metalloporphyrin catalyst.
A monolithic 5-(pyrrolidin-2-yl)tetrazole flow microreactor for the asymmetric aldol reaction in water–ethanol solvent
Authors: Greco Roberto , Caciolli Lorenzo , Zaghi Anna , Pandoli Omar , Bortolini Olga , Cavazzini Alberto , De Risi Carmela , Massi Alessandro
Published: November 2015

An organocatalytic polystyrene monolithic column produces chiral β-hydroxyketones under benign, continuous-flow conditions with high long-term stability.
Model-based development of an on-column PEGylation process
Authors: Pfister David , Ingold Oliver , Morbidelli Massimo
Published: November 2015

On-column PEGylation appears as an interesting alternative to classical solution reaction for more selective synthesis of the targeted mono-PEGylated protein. Indeed, it has the potential to inhibit the formation of the multi-PEGylated species and provide site selectivity by restricting the coupling reaction to fewer reaction sites.
Influence of water on the deprotonation and the ionic mechanisms of a Heck alkynylation and its resultant E-factors
Authors: Hu Chuntian , Shaughnessy Kevin H. , Hartman Ryan L.
Published: November 2015

Water influences the catalysis of Heck alkynylation. The hydrophilic ligand concentration also influences the E-factor, and it can induce mass transport limitations.
Continuous photochemistry: the flow synthesis of ibuprofen via a photo-Favorskii rearrangement
Authors: Baumann M. , Baxendale Ian R.
Published: November 2015

A new enabling technology for performing photochemical reactions in a continuous fashion is presented.
Efficient fully-vacuum-processed perovskite solar cells using copper phthalocyanine as hole selective layers
Authors: Ke Weijun , Zhao Dewei , Grice Corey R. , Cimaroli Alexander J. , Fang Guojia , Yan Yanfa
Published: November 2015

Copper phthalocyanine as an alternative hole selective layers for high-performance stable perovskite solar cells.
Biomaterials for in situ tissue regeneration: development and perspectives
Authors: Li Qian , Ma Lie , Gao Changyou
Published: November 2015

Biomaterials are of fundamental importance to in situ tissue regeneration, which has emerged as a powerful method to treat tissue defects. The development and perspectives of biomaterials for in situ tissue regeneration were summarized.
Rapid in situ endothelialization of a small diameter vascular graft with catalytic nitric oxide generation and promoted endothelial cell adhesion
Authors: Wang Yuanyuan , Chen Siyuan , Pan Yiwa , Gao Jingchen , Tang Di , Kong Deling , Wang Shufang
Published: November 2015

Rapidin situendothelialization of a small diameter vascular graft with catalytic nitric oxide generation and promoted endothelial cell adhesion.
Swift synthesis, functionalization and phase-transfer studies of ultrastable, visible light emitting oleate@ZnO quantum dots
Authors: Arslan O. , Belkoura L. , Mathur S.
Published: November 2015

Facile solution-phase synthesis of remarkably luminescent and monodisperse oleate-capped ZnO nanoparticles with high colloidal stability was developed.
Integration of Partial Information Within and Across Modalities: Contributions to Spoken and Written Sentence Recognition
Authors: Smith Kimberly G. , Fogerty Daniel
Published: November 2015

Purpose

This study evaluated the extent to which partial spoken or written information facilitates sentence recognition under degraded unimodal and multimodal conditions.

Method

Twenty young adults with typical hearing completed sentence recognition tasks in unimodal and multimodal conditions across 3 proportions of preservation. In the unimodal condition, performance was examined when only interrupted text or interrupted speech stimuli were available. In the multimodal condition, performance was examined when both interrupted text and interrupted speech stimuli were concurrently presented. Sentence recognition scores were obtained from simultaneous and delayed response conditions.

Results

Significantly better performance was obtained for unimodal speech-only compared with text-only conditions across all proportions preserved. The multimodal condition revealed better performance when responses were delayed. During simultaneous responses, participants received equal benefit from speech information when the text was moderately and significantly degraded. The benefit from text in degraded auditory environments occurred only when speech was highly degraded.

Conclusions

The speech signal, compared with text, is robust against degradation likely due to its continuous, versus discrete, features. Allowing time for offline linguistic processing is beneficial for the recognition of partial sensory information in unimodal and multimodal conditions. Despite the perceptual differences between the 2 modalities, the results highlight the utility of multimodal speech + text signals.
Valve saturable reactor iron losses of ultrahigh‐voltage direct current converter
Authors: Cao Junzheng , Ji Feng , Liu Jie , Chen Peng
Published: November 2015

Thyristor‐based line‐commutated converters (LCCs) are widely used to achieve AC/DC and DC/AC power conversions in UHVDCs (ultrahigh‐voltage direct currents) transmission. Valve saturable reactors are used to protect power thyristors. To improve the efficiency of bulk electricity transmission over long distance, the operating voltage and current of UHVDCs and therefore the thermal stresses applied to the valve saturable reactors have steadily increased over the last decades. Valve saturable reactor iron losses were studied by accounting for the reverse recovery characteristics of the valve thyristors and the non‐linear characteristics of the saturable reactors. The impact of UHVDC current on valve saturable reactor iron losses was quantified and verified. The valve saturable reactor iron losses of an LCC are generated not only at the turn‐on and turn‐off periods of the valve, but also at the off‐state of the valve. The amount of the losses are affected by the AC busbar stray capacitances of the converter, the valve firing and extinction voltages, the rates of change of valve commutation current, and the reverse recovery current of the valve thyristors. The conclusion obtained will help to understand better the forming mechanism of valve saturable reactor iron losses and optimise the valve saturable reactor design.
Pre-conditioning procedure suitable for internal-RF-antenna of J-PARC RF-driven H− ion source
Authors: Ueno A. , Ohkoshi K. , Ikegami K. , Takagi A. , Asano H. , Oguri H.
Published: November 2015

The Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) cesiated RF-driven H− ion source has been successfully operated for about 1 yr. By the world brightest level beam, the J-PARC design beam power of 1 MW was successfully demonstrated. Although no internal-RF-antenna failure, except for the once caused by an excess cesium due to a misoperation, occurred in the operation, many antennas failed in pre-conditionings for the first hundred days. The antenna failure rate was drastically decreased by using an antenna with coating thicker than a standard value and the pre-conditioning procedure repeating 15 min 25 kW RF-power operation and impurity-gas evacuation a few times, before the full power (50 kW) operation.
Fine-tuning to minimize emittances of J-PARC RF-driven H− ion source
Authors: Ueno A. , Ohkoshi K. , Ikegami K. , Takagi A. , Asano H. , Oguri H.
Published: November 2015

The Japan Proton Accelerator Research Complex (J-PARC) cesiated RF-driven H− ion source has been successfully operated for about one year. By the world’s brightest level beam, the J-PARC design beam power of 1 MW was successfully demonstrated. In order to minimize the transverse emittances, the rod-filter-field (RFF) was optimized by changing the triple-gap-lengths of each of pairing five piece rod-filter-magnets. The larger emittance degradation seems to be caused by impurity-gases than the RFF. The smaller beam-hole-diameter of the extraction electrode caused the more than expected improvements on not only the emittances but also the peak beam intensity.
Ion beam emittance from an ECRIS
Authors: Spädtke P. , Lang R. , Mäder J. , Maimone F. , Schlei B. R. , Tinschert K. , Biri S. , Rácz R.
Published: November 2015

Simulation of ion beam extraction from an Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source (ECRIS) is a fully 3 dimensional problem, even if the extraction geometry has cylindrical symmetry. Because of the strong magnetic flux density, not only the electrons are magnetized but also the Larmor radius of ions is much smaller than the geometrical dimension of the plasma chamber (Ø 64 × 179 mm). If we assume that the influence of collisions is small on the path of particles, we can do particle tracking through the plasma if the initial coordinates of particles are known. We generated starting coordinates of plasma ions by simulation of the plasma electrons, accelerated stochastically by the 14.5 GHz radio frequency power fed to the plasma. With that we were able to investigate the influence of different electron energies on the extracted beam. Using these assumptions, we can reproduce the experimental results obtained 10 years ago, where we monitored the beam profile with the help of viewing targets. Additionally, methods have been developed to investigate arbitrary 2D cuts of the 6D phase space. To this date, we are able to discuss full 4D information. Currently, we extend our analysis tool towards 5D and 6D, respectively.
Studies of the beam extraction system of the GTS-LHC electron cyclotron resonance ion source at CERN
Authors: Toivanen V. , Küchler D.
Published: November 2015

The 14.5 GHz GTS-LHC Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source (ECRIS) provides multiply charged heavy ion beams for the CERN experimental program. The GTS-LHC beam formation has been studied extensively with lead, argon, and xenon beams with varied beam extraction conditions using the ion optical code IBSimu. The simulation model predicts self-consistently the formation of triangular and hollow beam structures which are often associated with ECRIS ion beams, as well as beam loss patterns which match the observed beam induced markings in the extraction region. These studies provide a better understanding of the properties of the extracted beams and a way to diagnose the extraction system performance and limitations, which is otherwise challenging due to the lack of direct diagnostics in this region and the limited availability of the ion source for development work.
Quantum power functional theory for many-body dynamics
Authors: Schmidt Matthias
Published: November 2015

We construct a one-body variational theory for the time evolution of nonrelativistic quantum many-body systems. The position- and time-dependent one-body density, particle current, and time derivative of the current act as three variational fields. The generating (power rate) functional is minimized by the true current time derivative. The corresponding Euler-Lagrange equation, together with the continuity equation for the density, forms a closed set of one-body equations of motion. Space- and time-nonlocal one-body forces are generated by the superadiabatic contribution to the functional. The theory applies to many-electron systems.
The equal combination synchronization of a class of chaotic systems with discontinuous output
Authors: Luo Runzi , Zeng Yanhui
Published: November 2015

This paper investigates the equal combination synchronization of a class of chaotic systems. The chaotic systems are assumed that only the output state variable is available and the output may be discontinuous state variable. By constructing proper observers, some novel criteria for the equal combination synchronization are proposed. The Lorenz chaotic system is taken as an example to demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed approach.
Australian physiotherapy workforce at a glance: a narrative review
Authors: Pretorius Adri , Karunaratne Nuresha , Fehring Susan
Published: November 2015

Background The ability of the physiotherapy workforce to meet the growing demand in the Australian community is uncertain, despite increasing tertiary students and numbers of registered physiotherapists annually. Objectives The present narrative literature review investigates what is known about the Australian physiotherapy workforce, what factors contribute to attrition from the profession and what strategies could be implemented to improve retention of skilled physiotherapists. Methods A literature search of five databases identified 24 articles that informed the content of the present review. The articles were reviewed and content summarised according to focus areas and results discussed in the current Australian healthcare context. Results Although many factors of attrition are inevitable, the present review identified some potentially modifiable factors of attrition. Strategies to improve retention of skilled physiotherapists were broadly grouped into improving professional support in the workforce and assisting the re-entry process for physiotherapists seeking to return to the workforce. Conclusion Increasing retention of qualified and skilled physiotherapists nationally will help build workforce capacity, meeting the needs of the growing, changing and aging community. What is known about the topic? The demand for physiotherapists is growing significantly in Australia and the ability of the workforce to meet growing demands is uncertain. What does this paper add? Many physiotherapists in Australia leave the workforce and the profession early in their careers. Addressing modifiable factors of attrition could help improve the retention of practitioners and skills in the profession, building workforce capacity. What are the implications for practitioners? Professional support for current physiotherapists is crucial. Re-entry physiotherapists should be supported with flexible return-to-work programs, refresher training and mentorship.
Of growing importance: combining greater early vigour and transpiration efficiency for wheat in variable rainfed environments
Authors: Wilson P. B. , Rebetzke G. J. , Condon A. G.
Published: November 2015

Increasing climate variability, particularly variability in the timing and amount of soil water, means that breeding wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties with stable high grain yields is increasingly more challenging. Changing environmental conditions in water-limited rainfed environments will alter genotype ranking to reduce confidence in the identification of consistently higher yielding performers. Greater early vigour (EV) and transpiration efficiency (TE) are two physiological traits that have demonstrated benefits as breeding targets for efficient water-use in Mediterranean in-season water and monsoonal stored water environments, respectively. This Perspective discusses the hypothesis that combining higher TE and greater EV will broaden the adaptation and increase grain yields for wheats grown across most rainfed environments. We examine the physiology underpinning adaptation with greater EV and higher TE, as well as the challenges and potential benefits of deploying these traits in combination. We then discuss how these two traits interact with different environments and, in particular, the different wheat-growing regions of Australia. We conclude that the combination of these two traits is genetically and physiologically feasible, as well theoretically beneficial to average yield in most rainfed environments. Hence, we suggest a strategy for reliably managing the complex genetics underpinning EV and TE when phenotyping and selecting both traits in commercial wheat breeding programs.
‘Troubling’ moments in health promotion: unpacking the ethics of empowerment
Authors: Spencer Grace
Published: November 2015

Issue addressed

Concepts of empowerment feature strongly in global health discourses. Empowerment is frequently advocated as a positive approach to addressing individual and community‐level health needs. Despite its popularity, relatively little has been said about the unintended consequences of empowerment, which may give rise to some troubling ethical issues or, indeed, result in outcomes that may not be considered health promoting.

Methods

Drawing on current uses of empowerment within health promotion, along with insights from an ethnographic study on young people's health, this paper raises some critical questions about the ethics of empowerment. By doing so, the paper troubles the idea that empowerment is a ‘good thing’ without some careful attention to the varying ways in which the ethics of empowerment may unfold in practice.

Results

Findings revealed young people's different perspectives on health and priorities for health promotion. The present analysis highlights how these alternative framings prompt a number of ethical tensions for understanding and operationalising empowerment.

Conclusions

In conclusion, the findings underscore the importance of promoting ethical reflexivity in health promotion and, crucially, attending to the unintended and potentially ethically problematic consequences of empowerment.
Carbon and nutrient subsidies to a lowland river following floodplain inundation
Authors: Nielsen Daryl L. , Cook Robert A. , Ning Nathan , Gawne Ben , Petrie Rochelle
Published: November 2015

Despite the perceived importance of floodplain inundation to the functioning of lowland rivers, there is limited understanding of the contribution that floodplains make to the main river channel during floods. In 2010, substantial flooding occurred throughout south-eastern Australia, which provided an opportunity to quantify the export of biological material and nutrients from a floodplain back in to the main river channel. We quantified the amounts of zooplankton, phytoplankton, dissolved organic carbon and nutrients within the main river channel of the River Murray immediately upstream of the Barmah–Millewa Forest, and at two sites immediately downstream of the forest during two flood events in July and October of 2010. Results demonstrated that although a smaller flood event in July did not contribute substantially to an increase in the measured parameters, a much larger flood in October contributed 0.4 tonnes (t) of phytoplankton; 7t of zooplankton and 300t of dissolved organic carbon. This suggests that small floods will provide minimal resource subsidies back into the main channel after the cessation of flooding. In comparison, larger floods that result in large volumes of floodplain water returning to the river will provide substantial subsidies of terrestrially derived resources.
Phase I Safety Study of Ranolazine in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Authors: Gomberg‐Maitland Mardi , Schilz Robert , Mediratta Anuj , Addetia Karima , Coslet Sandra , Thomeas Vasiliki , Gillies Hunter , Oudiz Ronald J.
Published: November 2015

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) causes right ventricular ischemia, dysfunction, and failure. PAH patients may benefit from antianginal agents based on a shared pathophysiology with left ventricular ischemia. A single‐center, randomized, placebo‐controlled trial (1 : 1) to assess the acute vasoreactivity and safety of ranolazine in PAH was conducted. Plasma samples for pharmacokinetic (PK) studies were drawn during hemodynamic measurements at 0, 60, 90, 120, 240, and 360 minutes from a Swan‐Ganz catheter. All patients received 500‐mg doses, uptitrated to 1,000 mg at week 4, monthly evaluations, and a complete objective assessment after 12 weeks, followed by an open‐label extension. Thirteen patients were randomized and 12 enrolled (6 ranolazine, 6 placebo). All patients completed the acute phase; 10 completed the 12‐week study. There were no acute changes in invasive hemodynamics. At 12 weeks ranolazine was well tolerated. Only 1 of the 5 patients on ranolazine had a serum concentration considered to be in the therapeutic range. Two serious adverse events required early withdrawal (both in the ranolazine group); gastrointestinal complaints were the most common adverse event. Efficacy measures did not demonstrate any differences between treatment groups. During the open‐label trial, 2 additional patients reached a therapeutic concentration. Ranolazine in PAH appears safe, without acute hemodynamic effects after a 500‐mg dose. Ranolazine administrated to PAH patients receiving background PAH therapies did not consistently reach therapeutic levels. Future studies should first perform PK analysis in PAH patients receiving PAH therapies and explore the safety and tolerability of the higher doses perhaps necessary to achieve therapeutic levels in PAH patients. (Trial registration: Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT01757808.)
Some power series involving involutions in Coxeter groups
Authors: Lusztig G.
Published: November 2015

Let

W
W

be a Coxeter group. We show that a certain power series involving a sum over all involutions in

W
W

can be expressed in terms of the Poincaré series of

W
W

. (The case where

W
W

is finite has been known earlier.)
A Downward Trend of the Ratio of Influenza RNA Copy Number to Infectious Viral Titer in Hospitalized Influenza A-Infected Patients
Authors: Van Wesenbeeck Liesbeth , D'Haese David , Tolboom Jeroen , Meeuws Hanne , Dwyer Dominic E. , Holmes Mark , Ison Michael G. , Katz Kevin , McGeer Allison , Sadoff Jerald , Weverling Gerrit Jan , Stuyver Lieven
Published: November 2015

Background.  Efficacy endpoints in influenza clinical trials may include clinical symptoms and virological measurements, although virology cannot serve as the primary endpoint. We investigated the relationship between influenza A RNA copy number and quantity of infectious viruses in hospitalized influenza patients.

Methods.  One hundred fifty influenza-infected, hospitalized patients were included in this prospective cohort study spanning the 2012–2013 influenza season. Daily nasopharyngeal samples were collected during hospitalization, and influenza A RNA copy number and infectious viral titer were monitored.

Results.  The decay rate for 50% tissue culture infectious dose (TCID50) was 0.51 ± 0.14 log10 TCID50/mL per day, whereas the RNA copy number decreased at a rate of 0.41 ± 0.04 log10 copies/mL per day (n = 433). The log ratio of the RNA copy number to the infectious viral titer within patient changes significantly with −0.25 ± 0.09 units per day (P = .0069). For a 12-day observation period, the decay corresponds to a decline of this ratio of 3 log influenza RNA copies.

Conclusions.  Influenza RNA copy number in nasal swabs is co-linear with culture, although the rate of decay of cell culture-based viral titers was faster than that observed with molecular methods. The study documented a clear decreasing log ratio of the RNA copy number to the infectious viral titer of the patients over time.
The Effects of Resident Peer- and Self-Chart Review on Outpatient Laboratory Result Follow-up
Authors: Hale Andrew J. , Nall Ryan W. , Mukamal Kenneth J. , Libman Howard , Smith C. Christopher , Sternberg Scot B. , Kim Hans S. , Kriegel Gila
Published: November 2015

Purpose

Performing and teaching appropriate follow-up of outpatient laboratory results (LRs) is a challenge. The authors tested peer-review among residents as a potentially valuable intervention.

Method

Investigators assigned residents to perform self-review (n = 27), peer-review (n = 21), or self- + peer-review (n = 30) of outpatient charts. They also compared residence performance with that of historical controls (n = 20). In September 2012, residents examined 10 LRs from April 2012 onward. A second review in November 2012 ascertained whether performing chart review improved residents’ practice behaviors.

Results

Initially, the least-square (LS) mean number of LRs without documentation of follow-up per resident in the self-, peer-, and self- + peer-review group was, respectively, 0.5 (SD 1.0), 1.0 (SD 1.7), and 0.9 (SD 1.3), and post intervention, this was 1.0 (SD 0.2), 0.3 (SD 0.2), and 0.6 (SD 0.2) (self- versus peer-review P = .03). Initially the LS mean follow-up time per resident in the self-, peer-, and self- + peer-review group was, respectively, 4.2 (SD 1.2), 6.9 (SD 1.4), and 5.9 (SD 1.2) days, and after the intervention, LS mean time was 5.0 (SD 0.5), 2.5 (SD 0.6), and 3.9 (SD 0.5) days (self- versus peer-review P < .01). Self-review was not associated with significant improvements in practice.

Conclusions

In this comparison of self- and peer-review, only residents who performed peer-review demonstrated significant improvements in their documentation practices. These findings support the use of resident peer-review in improving LR follow-up, and potentially, in other, broader resident quality improvement initiatives.
Electronic Medical Record Adoption: The Effect on Efficiency, Completeness, and Accuracy in an Academic Orthopaedic Practice
Authors: Hollenbeck S. Matthew , Bomar James D. , Wenger Dennis R. , Yaszay Burt
Published: November 2015

Introduction:

The electronic medical record (EMR) is the new platform for documenting health information. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the impact of the EMR on efficiency, completeness, accuracy, and surgeon attitude in the orthopaedic program of a training hospital.

Methods:

Sixty paper charts were compared with 60 EMRs. Pre-EMR and post-EMR billing data was used to determine outpatient clinic volume and the number of providers seeing patients per month. Completeness was evaluated by noting the presence of items from a predetermined list of clinical information pertinent to each diagnosis. Age and side of injury was used to evaluate note accuracy. A survey was used to evaluate surgeon’s attitudes regarding the EMR.

Results:

There was no difference in monthly volume pre-EMR and post-EMR. There was an increase in the number of providers needed to see patients, equating to a 19% reduction in the number of patient visits per provider. The EMR was 1.3 times more likely to include pertinent clinical information. Both paper charts and the EMR were highly accurate. The surgeon attitude survey revealed concerns regarding clinic efficiency, increased “off-hours” record keeping, and decreased clinic teaching.

Discussion:

EMR is an important and essential component of medical care delivery. Record completion and accuracy were similar across medical record types. The use of EMR led to a 19% reduction in patients per provider. Creating the record in the clinic setting appears to detract from patient interaction, and resident/fellow education time. A more focused, specialty designed, EMR may be more efficient for an orthopaedic practice. Future EMR technology should allow a focused EMR designed for specialties that is efficient to create but that can be electronically converted into a “master record” that meets the needs of an associated larger organization.

Level of Evidence:

Level III—retrospective comparative study.
Structural and Functional Changes in the Tight Junctions of Asymptomatic and Serology-negative First-degree Relatives of Patients With Celiac Disease
Authors: Mishra Asha , Prakash Shyam , Sreenivas Vishnubhatla , Das Taposh K. , Ahuja Vineet , Gupta Siddhartha D. , Makharia Govind K.
Published: November 2015

Background:

Ten to 15% of first-degree relatives (FDRs) of celiac disease (CeD) patients develop CeD. Although intestinal barrier functions (intestinal permeability) are abnormal in the subset of serology-negative FDRs, what leads to the abnormal barrier function is not known.

Goals:

To study the ultrastructure and functions of tight junctions in serology-negative FDRs of CeD patients.

Study:

The intestinal permeability was measured in 97 asymptomatic and anti-tissue transglutaminase antibody (anti-tTG Ab)-negative FDRs (using the lactulose mannitol ratio) and in 75 controls. The ultrastructure of tight junctions using transmission electron microscopy, and the expression of key tight junction proteins (claudin-2, claudin-3, occludin, JAM-A, and ZO-1) and zonulin using real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry were assessed in anti-tTG Ab-negative, HLA-DQ2/-DQ8-positive FDRs having normal villi and in disease controls. In addition, the serum zonulin level was measured in 172 anti-tTG Ab-negative FDRs and 198 controls.

Results:

The intestinal permeability was significantly increased in FDRs than in controls. Ultrastructural abnormalities such as dilatation of the tight junction (P=0.004) and loss of the pentalaminar structure (P=0.001) were more common in FDRs than in disease controls. There was significant underexpression of tight junction proteins ZO-1 (P=0.040) and occludin (P=0.041) in FDRs. There was no significant difference in the serum zonulin level between FDRs and controls (P=0.154).

Conclusions:

Even asymptomatic, anti-tTG-Ab-negative FDRs with a normal villous histology have both ultrastructural and functional abnormalities in tight junctions. These findings are indirect evidence of the presence of tight junction abnormalities before the onset of the disease and may have therapeutic implications.
FDG-PET/CT for Detection of Extramedullary Disease in 2 Pediatric Patients With AML
Authors: Matsui Motohiro , Yamanaka Junko , Shichino Hiroyuki , Sato Noriko , Kubota Kazuo , Matsushita Takeji
Published: November 2015

Positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (PET/CT) is a promising diagnostic procedure for the detection of extramedullary disease (EMD) in acute myeloid leukemia. We studied 2 children with acute myeloid leukemia who underwent PET to assess for EMD at diagnosis as well as in remission. We detected 5 EMD lesions in 2 cases with PET, only 2 of which were detectable on clinical examination. Our cases show PET’s increased sensitivity over physical examination alone in assessing and monitoring the extent of this disease.
Telomere dynamics may link stress exposure and ageing across generations
Authors: Haussmann Mark F. , Heidinger Britt J.
Published: November 2015

Although exposure to stressors is known to increase disease susceptibility and accelerate ageing, evidence is accumulating that these effects can span more than one generation. Stressors experienced by parents have been reported to negatively influence the longevity of their offspring and even grand offspring. The mechanisms underlying these long-term, cross-generational effects are still poorly understood, but we argue here that telomere dynamics are likely to play an important role. In this review, we begin by surveying the current connections between stress and telomere dynamics. We then lay out the evidence that exposure to stressors in the parental generation influences telomere dynamics in offspring and potentially subsequent generations. We focus on evidence in mammalian and avian studies and highlight several promising areas where our understanding is incomplete and future investigations are critically needed. Understanding the mechanisms that link stress exposure across generations requires interdisciplinary studies and is essential to both the biomedical community seeking to understand how early adversity impacts health span and evolutionary ecologists interested in how changing environmental conditions are likely to influence age-structured population dynamics.