bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is There a Relationship between Vitamin B12 and Stress Urinary Incontinence?
Authors: KESİKTAS Nur , KARAN Ayse , ERKAN Habibe , GUNGOR Funda , ESKİYURT Nurten , YALCİN Onay
Published: December 2011

Objective: Pelvic floor, which includes collagen, elastin, and smooth muscle, is very important in preventing urinary incontinence (UI). Studies suggest that vitamin B12 is involved in collagen synthesis. In the present study we aimed to determine the association of vitamin B12 deficiency with stress UI in a sample of Turkish women.

Methods: Forty‐two women with stress UI or mixed UI who met the inclusion criteria from a group of 541 women with stress UI or mixed UI, were included in the study. The study group was compared with a control group of 20 healthy women without UI who matched to the study group's demographic data and met the inclusion criteria. Demographic data as well as duration of symptoms and vitamin B12 levels were analyzed and compared.

Results: The mean ages of the study and the control groups were 50.04 ± 4.6 and 49.02 ± 5.1 years, respectively. Vitamin B12 level was 300.95 ± 142.9 pg/mL in the study group, whereas in the control group it was 598.98 ± 120.3 pg/mL (P < 0.001). In the study group, 66.6% of the patients with stress UI had vitamin B12 levels less than 300 pg/mL. When the duration of symptoms and vitamin B12 levels were compared, women with vitamin B12 levels less than 200 pg/mL had symptoms for a longer duration (P < 0.01).

Conclusion: One of the main etiologic factors for stress UI is a defect in pelvic floor support. Vitamin B12 is lower in women with stress UI. Analysis of vitamin B12 levels should also be considered in the evaluation of women with stress UI.
Unanticipated troubles in video‐assisted thoracic surgery: A proposal for the classification of troubleshooting
Authors: Kamiyoshihara M , Nagashima T , Igai H , Ohtaki Y , Atsumi J , Shimizu K , Takeyoshi I
Published: December 2011

Introduction

Most thoracic surgeons encounter atypical cases or unexpected situations that usually lead them to convert minimally invasive surgery to open thoracotomy. But are there other options besides open surgery? The purpose of this study was to suggest a video‐assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) classification system and present tips for the application of VATS to atypical cases or unexpected situations. We have categorized VATS procedures for atypical cases or unexpected situations into two groups: the modification of techniques/instruments and the creation of additional access incisions.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed VATS with optional additional techniques. We used direct visualization or monitoring as the situation demanded, switching back and forth between the monitor and direct vision.

Results

Of the 33 cases we reviewed, 27 patients had malignant lung disease and 6 had benign lung disease. All patients underwent lobectomies including one or more of the following: bronchoplasty (n = 12), control of the main pulmonary artery (n = 9), total adhesiotomy (n = 7), combined resection with the diaphragm (n = 3), and separation of totally fused fissures (n = 2). The mean length of the skin incision was 8 cm, the mean total operating time was 208 min, and the mean blood loss was 173 mL No operative or hospital deaths occurred.

Conclusions

Veteran surgeons can instinctively deal with intraoperative variance, but we frequently see inexperienced surgeons panic and change the course of their procedures. A VATS classification system may have educational benefits for newer surgeons. We believe that the creation of a categorized coping plan will help inexperienced surgeons deal with unanticipated problems.
ECONOMICS AND THE MODELING OF WATER RESOURCES AND POLICIES
Authors: BOOKER JAMES F. , HOWITT RICHARD E. , MICHELSEN ARI M. , YOUNG ROBERT A.
Published: December 2011

Abstract Over the last 25 years, economic water policy models have evolved in concept, theoretical and technical methods, scope and application to address a host of water demand, supply, and management policy questions. There have been a number of theoretical and empirical advances over this period, particularly related to estimation of nonmarket, public good water‐related values involving different methods of valuation. We discuss modeling advances including modeling multiple, competing demands, types of incentives and technologies and behavioral responses, incorporation of groundwater and other supply alternatives, integration of institutional factors, and increasing attention to system‐wide impacts. The largest changes in hydroeconomic policy models have been the integration of the individual demand and supply components, inclusion of environmental values, incorporation of governance and institutional conditions (laws, regulations and policies), and expansion to river basin and even interposing scales of analysis. Important areas of future hydroeconomic model advances will be the use of genetic and neurological based algorithms for solving dynamic, stochastic problems, reconstruction of hydrological and economic relationships for remotely sensed data, and the expansion of models to understand and address transboundary water resource economic, hydrologic, environmental and institutional policy, and interdependencies.
Diverse forms of primordial organic matter identified in interplanetary dust particles
Authors: MATRAJT Graciela , MESSENGER Scott , BROWNLEE Don , JOSWIAK Dave
Published: December 2011

Abstract– Coordinated in situ transmission electron microscopy and isotopic measurements of carbonaceous phases in interplanetary dust particles were performed to determine their origins. Five different types of carbonaceous materials were identified based on their morphology and texture, observed by transmission electron microscopy: globular, vesicular, dirty, spongy, and smooth. Flash heating experiments were performed to explore whether some of these morphologies are the result of atmospheric entry processes. Each of these morphologies was found to have isotopically anomalous H and N. Rare C isotopic anomalies were also observed. The isotopic and morphological properties of several of these phases, particularly the organic globules, are remarkably similar to those observed in other extraterrestrial materials including carbonaceous chondrites, comet 81P/Wild 2 particles collected by the Stardust spacecraft, and Antarctic micrometeorites, indicating that they were widespread in the early solar system. The ubiquitous nature and the isotopic anomalies of the nanoglobules and some other morphologies strongly suggest that these are very primitive phases. Given that some of the isotopic anomalies (D and 15N excesses) are indicative of mass fractionation chemical reactions in a very cold environment, and some others (13C and 15N depletions) have other origins, these carbonaceous phases come from different reservoirs. Whatever their origins, these materials probably reflect the first stages of the evolution of solar system organic matter, having originated in the outermost regions of the protosolar disk and/or interstellar cold molecular clouds.
Reliable and effective oxygen-ozone therapy at a crossroads with ozonated saline infusion and ozone rectal insufflation
Authors: Bocci Velio , Zanardi Iacopo , Borrelli Emma , Travagli Valter
Published: December 2011

Objectives

This review aims to highlight the advantages and safety of oxygen-ozone therapy (OOT) and to suggest ways to enhance its acceptance.

Key findings

The treatment of a herniated disk by injecting a gaseous oxygen-ozone mixture inside the nucleus pulposus is a great clinical success. However, the use of OOT lags for a number of reasons, including lack of standardization, the need for numerous treatments, lack of knowledge and even denial. Anecdotally, several million treatments by OOT have been performed worldwide indicating its usefulness, mainly in peripheral arterial diseases and age-related macular degeneration. The scepticism that accompanies the systemic use of ozone can only be overcome by demonstrating the validity of OOT in controlled and randomized clinical trials. Cheaper and quicker methods, such as ozonating physiological saline with successive infusion as well as ozone rectal insufflations, are becoming popular, however, such alternative procedures are erratic, unstable and liable to be toxic, with deleterious consequences, and are likely to discredit the beneficial use of ozone.

The approval of ozone in terms of both therapeutic efficacy and safety will depend on the results achieved by authoritative clinical trials.
1997 Best Paper Award—Education Committee: A Three-Dimensional Turbine Engine Analysis Compressor Code (TEACC) for Steady-State Inlet Distortion
Authors: Hale A. , O’Brien W.
Published: December 2011

The direct approach of modeling the flow between all blade passages for each blade row in the compressor is too computationally intensive for practical design and analysis investigations with inlet distortion. Therefore a new simulation tool called the Turbine Engine Analysis Compressor Code (TEACC) has been developed. TEACC solves the compressible, time-dependent, three-dimensional Euler equations modified to include turbomachinery source terms, which represent the effect of the blades. The source terms are calculated for each blade row by the application of a streamline curvature code. TEACC was validated against experimental data from the transonic NASA rotor, Rotor 1B, for a clean inlet and for an inlet distortion produced by a 90-deg, one-per-revolution distortion screen. TEACC revealed that strong swirl produced by the rotor caused the compressor to increase in loading in the direction of rotor rotation through the distorted region and decrease in loading circumferentially away from the distorted region.
Comparison Between Complete Hilbert Transform and Simplified Solutions of the Moore Rotating Stall Model
Authors: Arnulfi G. L. , Ghiglino F. L. , Massardo A. F.
Published: December 2011

The main objective of this work is the analysis and the comparison between different methods utilized to solve the Moore rotating stall model. To date only simplified relations between the axial flow perturbation g and the transverse one h have been utilized and presented in literature, such as h′ = −g or the truncated Fourier series. On the contrary, in this paper the accurate relation given by the Hilbert Transform is utilized, and to improve the numerical stability of the method, a new expression of the first derivative of transverse flow coefficient perturbation is proposed and utilized. A complete and detailed comparison between the results of the simplified methods and the solution proposed here is presented. This comparison is extended to a wide range of geometric and physical compressor parameters, and it allows the accuracy of simplified approaches to be tested. Finally, a correlative approach estimating overall rotating stall effects based on the complete solution proposed here is presented. It allows rotating stall influence to be quickly and easily taken into account in several axial compressor areas (design, optimization, active control, etc.).
Prediction of Turbine Blade Vibratory Response Due to Upstream Vane Distress
Authors: Panovsky J. , Carson S. M.
Published: December 2011

Turbine blades and vanes operate in a hostile environment, which leads to deterioration of these components over time. This paper describes detailed calculations to predict the vibratory response of a high-pressure turbine blade due to the excitation produced by a single distressed upstream vane in a modern turbofan engine. The approach includes detailed computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis of the steady flowfield produced by the distressed vane, Fourier decomposition of the flow variables to determine the harmonic content, unsteady CFD analysis to determine the resulting vibratory response of the blade, and crack propagation analysis to determine blade life. Predictions of vibratory stress and threshold crack size are summarized as functions of vane distress level. The results, which indicate that this type of vane distress can indeed be a significant excitation source for the blades, are shown to be in good agreement with engine experience. The method provides, for the first time, a quantitative approach to setting limits for acceptable levels of vane distress in the field.
Measurements of Heat Transfer Coefficients and Friction Factors in Passages Rib-Roughened on All Walls
Authors: Taslim M. E. , Li T. , Spring S. D.
Published: December 2011

A liquid crystal technique was used to measure heat transfer coefficients in twelve test sections with square and trapezoidal cross-sectional areas representing blade midchord cooling cavities in a modern gas turbine. Full-length ribs were configured on suction side as well as pressure side walls while half-length ribs were mounted on partition walls between adjacent cooling cavities. Ribs were in staggered arrangements with a nominal blockage ratio of 22 percent and an angle of attack to the mainstream flow, α, of 90 deg. Heat transfer measurements were performed on the roughened walls with full-length as well as half-length ribs. Nusselt numbers, friction factors, and thermal performances of all geometries are compared. The most important conclusion of this study is that the roughening of the partition walls enhances the heat transfer coefficients on those walls but, more importantly, enhances heat transfer coefficients on the primary walls considerably.
Spray and Flame Structure of a Generic Injector at Aeroengine Conditions
Authors: Meier Ulrich , Heinze Johannes , Freitag Stefan , Hassa Christoph
Published: December 2011

In support of the development of CFD for aeroengine combustion, quantitative measurements of spray properties and temperature were made. A generic swirling air blast injector was designed and built to produce well defined inlet conditions and for ease of numerical description for the CFD development. The measurements were performed in an optically accessible single sector combustor at pressures of 4 and 10 bar and preheat temperatures of 550 and 650 K, respectively. Jet A-1 was used as fuel. The burner air to fuel ratio was 20 and the pressure loss was set to 3%. Sauter mean diameter profiles and liquid mass flux distributions were generated from the phase Doppler anemometry measurements of the evaporating spray drop sizes and velocities. With planar measurements of Mie scattering and kerosene-LIF, the distribution of kerosene (liquid and vapor phase) was imaged. Temperatures were measured with OH-LIF. The burner was designed with a straight outlet to exhibit lifted flames. Hence initial distributions of size, velocity and density of the spray were measured before it entered the flame. Almost complete prevaporization was seen at least for the four bar flame. Compared with atmospheric investigations, the smaller diameters of the droplets and the small streamline curvature of the configuration led to a more uniform behavior of the spray.
Bifurcations of Self-Excited Ducted Laminar Premixed Flames
Authors: Kabiraj Lipika , Sujith R. I. , Wahi Pankaj
Published: December 2011

Bifurcation analysis is performed on experimental data obtained from a simple setup comprising ducted laminar premixed conical flames in order to investigate the features of nonlinear thermoacoustic oscillations. It is observed that as the bifurcation parameter is varied, the system undergoes a series of bifurcations leading to characteristically different nonlinear oscillations. Through the application of nonlinear time series analysis to pressure and flame (CH* chemiluminescence) intensity time traces, these oscillations are characterized as periodic, aperiodic, or chaotic oscillations, and subsequently the nature of the obtained bifurcations is explained based on dynamical systems theory. Nonlinear interaction between the flames and the acoustic modes of the duct is clearly reflected in the high speed flame images acquired simultaneously with pressure time series.
H

∞

and Passivity Control via Static and Integral Output Feedback for Systems With Input Delay
Authors: Du Baozhu , Lam James , Shu Zhan
Published: December 2011

This paper addresses a new approach on H∞ and passivity control via static and integral output feedback controllers of continuous-time linear systems with input delay. By combining an augmentation approach and the delay partitioning technique, criteria for static and integral output feedback H∞/passivity stabilizability are proposed for the closed-loop system in terms of matrix inequalities. These new characterizations possess a special monotonic property, which underpin the convergence of a linearized iterative computational algorithm. The effectiveness and merits of the proposed approach are illustrated through numerical examples.
Genome Sequence of Mycoplasma iowae Strain 695, an Unusual Pathogen Causing Deaths in Turkeys
Authors: Wei Shun , Guo Zisheng , Li Tingting , Zhang Tengfei , Li Xiaowen , Zhou Zutao , Li Zili , Liu Mei , Luo Rui , Bi Dingren , Chen Huanchun , Zhou Rui , Jin Hui
Published: December 2011

Mycoplasma iowae
is associated mainly with reduced hatchability in turkeys and is well known for the unusual ability of phenotypic variation in the
Mycoplasma
surface components as well as a relative resistance to heat, bile salts, and many antimicrobials. A subset of unique genes and a gene cluster responsible for these characteristics could be identified from the genome. Here, we report the first genome sequence of this species.
Whole-Genome Sequence of the Emerging Pathogen Mycobacterium abscessus Strain 47J26
Authors: Chan Jacqueline , Halachev Mihail , Yates Emma , Smith Grace , Pallen Mark
Published: December 2011

Mycobacterium abscessus
is a rapidly growing environmental mycobacterium commonly found in soil and water which is often also associated with infections in humans, particularly of the lung. We report herein the draft genome sequence of
M. abscessus
strain 47J26.
Peripheral Blood Buffy Coat Smear: a Promising Tool for Diagnosis of Visceral Leishmaniasis
Authors: Salam M. Abdus , Khan M. Gulam Musawwir , Bhaskar Khondaker Rifat Hasan , Afrad Mokibul Hassan , Huda M. Mamun , Mondal Dinesh
Published: December 2011

Confirmative diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is still a challenge at the primary health care facilities in most of the rural areas of endemicity in the Indian subcontinent. Conventional methods for parasitological confirmation are risky and require skilled personnel, and hence they are unavailable to the poor people in the regions of endemicity. Buffy coat smear microscopy, as a minimally invasive, simple alternative for the parasitological diagnosis of VL, was evaluated in this prospective study. One hundred twelve VL patients were enrolled in this study. The buffy coat was separated from peripheral blood of all enrolled subjects using Histopaque-1119 solution. Leishman-stained buffy coat smears were examined for
Leishmania donovani
bodies, and buffy coat was also utilized for detection of parasite DNA by
Leishmania
nested PCR (LnPCR) for all cases. Concomitant splenic smears could be examined for
L. donovani
bodies in 66 cases, and the parasite load was graded on a scale of 1+ to 6+ for
L. donovani
-positive smears. All splenic smear-positive cases were also found to be positive by LnPCR. Of 112 enrolled VL cases, 103 (92%) were found to be positive for
L. donovani
bodies in buffy coat smear microscopy, which is promising as a confirmative diagnosis tool. We have also found a significant association of the buffy coat smear positivity with parasitic burden in the spleen smear. In this preliminary observation in Bangladesh, buffy coat smear microscopy has been found to be very simple, minimally invasive, and risk-free method of parasitological diagnosis of VL with a good diagnostic accuracy and potential for field use.
Application of a 16S rRNA PCR–High-Resolution Melt Analysis Assay for Rapid Detection of Salmonella Bacteremia
Authors: Jeng Kevin , Yang Samuel , Won Helen , Gaydos Charlotte A. , Hsieh Yu-Hsiang , Kecojevic Alex , Carroll Karen C. , Hardick Justin , Rothman Richard E.
Published: December 2011

Current culture and phenotypic protocols for diagnosing
Salmonella
infections can be time-consuming. Here, we describe the application of a 16S rRNA PCR coupled to high-resolution melt analysis (HRMA) for species and serotype identification within 6 h of blood sample collection from a patient with
Salmonella enterica
serotype Enteritidis bacteremia.
Distribution of Mycobacterium leprae Strains among Cases in a Rural and Urban Population of Maharashtra, India
Authors: Kuruwa Sanjana , Vissa Varalakshmi , Mistry Nerges
Published: December 2011

The elimination of leprosy continues to be a challenge, with the disease remaining endemic in several countries. India accounts for the highest number of cases, and the identification of child cases indicates recent transmission. Genetic markers, like variable-number tandem repeats (VNTRs) and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), have been identified to track transmission of the pathogen
Mycobacterium lepra
e. They were used to describe
M. leprae
strains detected in 48 skin biopsy specimens from leprosy patients in the state of Maharashtra in western India in rural and urban areas near Mumbai. Ninety-three percent of strains across both settings belonged to the SNP type 1D, with three of SNP type 1B being identified in patients living within 3 km of each other. The VNTR profiles of the Maharashtra strains clustered with those from Southern India reported previously and a few other Asian strains, indicating that the Indian strains are genotypically conserved at the level of many VNTR loci. Taken together, SNP and VNTR markers are sufficiently reliable and suitable for both localized and broad geographical genotype associations. VNTR profiles of additional cases may aid in distinguishing the SNP type 1B and 1D strains.
Actinomucor elegans as an Emerging Cause of Mucormycosis
Authors: Mahmud Aneela , Lee Richard , Munfus-McCray Delicia , Kwiatkowski Nicole , Subramanian Aruna , Neofytos Dennis , Carroll Karen , Zhang Sean X.
Published: December 2011

We report an invasive mucormycosis caused by
Actinomucor elegans
in a patient with refractory aplastic anemia. The organism was isolated from a necrotic skin lesion on the patient's left arm and demonstrated angioinvasive features on histopathology examination. In contrast to three cases described previously, we describe the first case of
A. elegans
invasive fungal infection in an immunocompromised patient. This report, along with the three previously reported cases, is convincing evidence that
A. elegans
is an emerging fungal pathogen capable of causing invasive mucormycosis in humans.
Distinctive Epstein-Barr Virus Variants Associated with Benign and Malignant Pediatric Pathologies: LMP1 Sequence Characterization and Linkage with Other Viral Gene Polymorphisms
Authors: Lorenzetti Mario Alejandro , Gantuz Magdalena , Altcheh Jaime , De Matteo Elena , Chabay Paola Andrea , Preciado María Victoria
Published: December 2011

The ubiquitous Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is related to the development of lymphoma and is also the etiological agent for infectious mononucleosis (IM). Sequence variations in the gene encoding LMP1 have been deeply studied in different pathologies and geographic regions. Controversial results propose the existence of tumor-related variants, while others argued in favor of a geographical distribution of these variants. Reports assessing EBV variants in IM were performed in adult patients who displayed multiple variant infections. In the present study, LMP1 variants in 15 pediatric patients with IM and 20 pediatric patients with EBV-associated lymphomas from Argentina were analyzed as representatives of benign and malignant infections in children, respectively. A 3-month follow-up study of LMP1 variants in peripheral blood cells and in oral secretions of patients with IM was performed. Moreover, an integrated linkage analysis was performed with variants of EBNA1 and the promoter region of BZLF1. Similar sequence polymorphisms were detected in both pathological conditions, IM and lymphoma, but these differ from those previously described in healthy donors from Argentina and Brazil. The results suggest that certain LMP1 polymorphisms, namely, the 30-bp deletion and high copy number of the 33-bp repeats, are associated with EBV-related pathologies, either benign or malignant, instead of just being tumor related. Additionally, this is the first study to describe the Alaskan variant in EBV-related lymphomas that previously was restricted to nasopharyngeal carcinomas from North America.
Characterization of Isolates of Salmonella enterica Serovar Stanley, a Serovar Endemic to Asia and Associated with Travel
Authors: Hendriksen Rene S. , Le Hello Simon , Bortolaia Valeria , Pulsrikarn Chaiwat , Nielsen Eva Møller , Pornruangmong Srirat , Chaichana Phattharaporn , Svendsen Christina Aaby , Weill François-Xavier , Aarestrup Frank M.
Published: December 2011

Salmonella enterica
serovar Stanley (
S
. Stanley) is a common serovar in Southeast Asia and was the second most common serovar implicated in human salmonellosis in Thailand in the years 2002 to 2007. In contrast, this serovar is relatively uncommon in Europe. The objective of this study was to characterize a collection of
S
. Stanley strains isolated from Thai (
n
= 62), Danish (
n
= 39), and French (
n
= 24) patients to gain a broader understanding of the genetic diversity, population dynamics, and susceptibility to antimicrobials. All isolates were characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and antimicrobial susceptibility testing. The molecular mechanisms of resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins and plasmid-mediated resistance to quinolones were characterized by PCR and sequencing. Plasmid profiling, replicon typing, and microarray analysis were used to characterize the genetic mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance in 10 extended-spectrum cephalosporinase-producing isolates. Considerable genetic diversity was observed among the isolates characterized with 91 unique XbaI pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns, including 17 distinct clusters consisting of two to seven indistinguishable isolates. We found some of the
S
. Stanley isolates isolated from patients in Europe were acquired during travel to Southeast Asia, including Thailand. The presence of multiple plasmid lineages carrying the extended-spectrum cephalosporinase-encoding
bla
CMY-2
gene in
S
. Stanley isolates from the central part of Thailand was confirmed. Our results emphasize that Thai authorities, as well as authorities in other countries lacking prudent use of antimicrobials, should improve the ongoing efforts to regulate antimicrobial use in agriculture and in clinical settings to limit the spread of multidrug-resistant
Salmonella
isolates and plasmids among humans and pigs in Thailand and abroad.
Genetic Diversity and Drug Susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Isolates from Zunyi, One of the Highest-Incidence-Rate Areas in China
Authors: Chen Ling , Li Nana , Liu Zhiguang , Liu Mei , Lv Bing , Wang Jianhua , Zhang Jianyong , Wan Kanglin , Zhang Hong
Published: December 2011

Mycobacterium tuberculosis
isolates from Zunyi were found more diversified but clustered less frequently to the Beijing family compared to isolates from other areas of China. These observations, on top of the fact that the Zunyi area has a high prevalence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), support the notion that Beijing family isolates may not be linked to MDR-TB.
No Evidence for an Association between Persistent Measles Virus Infection and Otosclerosis among Patients with Otosclerosis in Japan
Authors: Komune Noritaka , Ohashi Mitsuru , Matsumoto Nozomu , Kimitsuki Takashi , Komune Shizuo , Yanagi Yusuke
Published: December 2011

Otosclerosis, which is characterized by disordered bone remodeling, occurs exclusively in the human temporal bone. The etiology of the disease is unknown, but a popular hypothesis is that it is caused by persistent measles virus (MV) infection. Paramyxovirus-like filamentous structures were found in otosclerotic lesions of stapes footplates from patients with otosclerosis. Although MV RNAs have been detected in otosclerotic samples by using reverse transcription-PCR, no complete MV mRNA sequence has been reported, nor has infectious virus been isolated from clinical samples. Furthermore, one study failed to obtain evidence of MV infection in otosclerotic bone samples. In this study, we tested, by three different protocols, for the presence of MV in clinical samples from patients with otosclerosis in Japan. We used a highly sensitive reverse transcription-quantitative PCR method which is able to detect viral mRNA in cells infected with MV at around one infectious unit per well. We obtained no evidence of MV infection in bone samples, primary cell cultures derived from stapes bones, or MV-susceptible cell lines (Vero/hSLAM and II-18 cells) cocultured with bone samples or primary cell cultures derived from them. Thus, our results do not support the hypothesis that persistent MV infection is involved in the pathoetiology of otosclerosis.
Genes Encoding OXA-134-Like Enzymes Are Found in Acinetobacter lwoffii and A. schindleri and Can Be Used for Identification
Authors: Turton Jane F. , Hyde Rhiannon , Martin Kate , Shah Jayesh
Published: December 2011

bla
OXA-134
genes and variants were sought in 21 species of
Acinetobacter
and found in
A. lwoffii
, genomic species 9 (regarded as synonyms), and
A. schindleri
. Sequencing revealed a 9-bp deletion in the gene in the type strain of genomic species 9 (ATCC 9957) relative to the gene in the type strain of
A. lwoffii
(ATCC 15309). Primers based on the gene without the deletion gave specific amplification of 29 of 30 clinical isolates of
A. lwoffii
/genomic species 9.
Regulation of Cyclin T1 and HIV-1 Replication by MicroRNAs in Resting CD4
+
T Lymphocytes
Authors: Chiang Karen , Sung Tzu-Ling , Rice Andrew P.
Published: December 2011

The replication of integrated human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is dependent on the cellular cofactor cyclin T1, which binds the viral Tat protein and activates the RNA polymerase II transcription of the integrated provirus. The activation of resting CD4
+
T cells upregulates cyclin T1 protein levels independently of an increase in cyclin T1 mRNA levels, suggesting a translational repression of cyclin T1 in resting CD4
+
T cells. Hypothesizing that microRNAs (miRNAs) repress cyclin T1 translation in resting CD4
+
T cells and that this inhibition is lifted upon cell activation, we used microarray expression analysis to identify miRNAs miR-27b, miR-29b, miR-150, and miR-223 as being significantly downregulated upon CD4
+
T cell activation. The overexpression of these miRNAs decreased endogenous cyclin T1 protein levels, while treatment with the corresponding antagomiRs increased cyclin T1 protein levels. An miR-27b binding site within the cyclin T1 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) was identified and confirmed to be functional after the mutation of key resides abrogated the ability of miR-27b to decrease the expression of a luciferase reporter upstream of the cyclin T1 3′UTR. Ago2 immunoprecipitation revealed an association with cyclin T1 mRNA that was decreased following treatment with miR-27b and miR-29b antagomiRs. Cells overexpressing miR-27b showed decreased viral gene expression levels of the HIV-1 reporter virus and a decreased replication of strain NL4.3; a partial rescue of viral transcription could be seen following the transfection of cyclin T1. These results implicate miR-27b as a novel regulator of cyclin T1 protein levels and HIV-1 replication, while miR-29b, miR-223, and miR-150 may regulate cyclin T1 indirectly.
Natural Occurrence and Characterization of Two Internal Ribosome Entry Site Elements in a Novel Virus, Canine Picodicistrovirus, in the Picornavirus-Like Superfamily
Authors: Woo Patrick C. Y. , Lau Susanna K. P. , Choi Garnet K. Y. , Huang Yi , Teng Jade L. L. , Tsoi Hoi-Wah , Tse Herman , Yeung Man Lung , Chan Kwok-Hung , Jin Dong-Yan , Yuen Kwok-Yung
Published: December 2011

Dicistroviridae
and
Picornaviridae
are two phylogenetically related families of positive-sense single-stranded RNA viruses in the picornavirus-like superfamily with similar gene contents but different genome organizations and hosts. In a surveillance study involving 1,472 samples from 368 dogs over a 22-month period, we identified a novel picornavirus-like virus from 47 fecal and urine samples by the use of reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR). Sequencing and phylogenetic analysis of three complete genomes revealed that, although it seemed that the virus was most closely related to other picornaviruses, P1, P2, and P3 of the virus possessed very low amino acid identities of <30% to those of all other known picornaviruses and that the amino acid identities between the 3D
pol
and 2C of the virus and the RNA-dependent RNA polymerases and helicases of all other picornaviruses were <35%. Distinct from other picornaviruses, the genomes of the virus contain two putative internal ribosome entry sites (IRESs) and two open reading frames, encoding two polyprotein precursors (844 and 1,406 amino acids), separated by an intergenic region (IGR) of 588 bases. A dual-luciferase activity assay using DNA and RNA transfection revealed that both IRESs were functional. Quantitative RT-PCR showed that numbers of viral RNAs ranged from 7.55 × 10
6
to 1.26 × 10
9
copies/ml of urine and 1.82 × 10
6
to 4.97 × 10
10
copies/ml of fecal sample. This is the first report of the natural occurrence of two functional IRESs in nondicistroviruses. Based on our results, we have proposed a novel species, canine picodicistrovirus (CPDV), to describe this novel member of the picornavirus-like superfamily, which could represent a novel family of viruses.
Targeting HIV-1 Envelope Glycoprotein Trimers to B Cells by Using APRIL Improves Antibody Responses
Authors: Melchers Mark , Bontjer Ilja , Tong Tommy , Chung Nancy P. Y. , Klasse Per Johan , Eggink Dirk , Montefiori David C. , Gentile Maurizio , Cerutti Andrea , Olson William C. , Berkhout Ben , Binley James M. , Moore John P. , Sanders Rogier W.
Published: December 2011

An HIV-1 vaccine remains elusive, in part because various factors limit the quantity and quality of the antibodies raised against the viral envelope glycoprotein complex (Env). We hypothesized that targeting Env vaccines directly to B cells, by fusing them to molecules that bind and activate these cells, would improve Env-specific antibody responses. Therefore, we fused trimeric Env gp140 to A PRoliferation-Inducing Ligand (APRIL), B-cell Activating Factor (BAFF), and CD40 Ligand (CD40L). The Env-APRIL, Env-BAFF, and Env-CD40L gp140 trimers all enhanced the expression of activation-induced cytidine deaminase (AID), the enzyme responsible for inducing somatic hypermutation, antibody affinity maturation, and antibody class switching. They also triggered IgM, IgG, and IgA secretion from human B cellsin vitro. The Env-APRIL trimers induced higher anti-Env antibody responses in rabbits, including neutralizing antibodies against tier 1 viruses. The enhanced Env-specific responses were not associated with a general increase in total plasma antibody concentrations, indicating that the effect of APRIL was specific for Env. All the rabbit sera raised against gp140 trimers, irrespective of the presence of CD40L, BAFF, or APRIL, recognized trimeric Env efficiently, whereas sera raised against gp120 monomers did not. The levels of trimer-binding and virus-neutralizing antibodies were strongly correlated, suggesting that gp140 trimers are superior to gp120 monomers as immunogens. Targeting and activating B cells with a trimeric HIV-1 Env-APRIL fusion protein may therefore improve the induction of humoral immunity against HIV-1.
Equine Herpesvirus Type 1-Mediated Oncolysis of Human Glioblastoma Multiforme Cells
Authors: Courchesne Michael J. , White Maria C. , Stanfield Brent A. , Frampton Arthur R.
Published: December 2011

The cytolytic animal virus equine herpesvirus type 1 (EHV-1) was evaluated for its oncolytic potential against five human glioblastoma cell lines. EHV-1 productively infected four of these cell lines, and the degree of infection was positively correlated with glioma cell death. No human major histocompatibility complex class 1 (MHC-I) was detected in the resistant glioma line, while infection of the susceptible glioma cell lines, which expressed human MHC-I, were blocked with antibody to MHC-I, indicating that human MHC-I acts as an EHV-1 entry receptor on glioma cells.
Differential Transmission of HIV Traversing Fetal Oral/Intestinal Epithelia and Adult Oral Epithelia
Authors: Tugizov Sharof M. , Herrera Rossana , Veluppillai Piri , Greenspan Deborah , Soros Vanessa , Greene Warner C. , Levy Jay A. , Palefsky Joel M.
Published: December 2011

While human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission through the adult oral route is rare, mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) through the neonatal/infant oral and/or gastrointestinal route is common. To study the mechanisms of cell-free and cell-associated HIV transmission across adult oral and neonatal/infant oral/intestinal epithelia, we established
ex vivo
organ tissue model systems of adult and fetal origin. Given the similarity of neonatal and fetal oral epithelia with respect to epithelial stratification and density of HIV-susceptible immune cells, we used fetal oral the epithelium as a model for neonatal/infant oral epithelium. We found that cell-free HIV traversed fetal oral and intestinal epithelia and infected HIV-susceptible CD4
+
T lymphocytes, Langerhans/dendritic cells, and macrophages. To study the penetration of cell-associated virus into fetal oral and intestinal epithelia, HIV-infected macrophages and lymphocytes were added to the surfaces of fetal oral and intestinal epithelia. HIV-infected macrophages, but not lymphocytes, transmigrated across fetal oral epithelia. HIV-infected macrophages and, to a lesser extent, lymphocytes transmigrated across fetal intestinal epithelia. In contrast to the fetal oral/intestinal epithelia, cell-free HIV transmigration through adult oral epithelia was inefficient and virions did not infect intraepithelial and subepithelial HIV-susceptible cells. In addition, HIV-infected macrophages and lymphocytes did not transmigrate through intact adult oral epithelia. Transmigration of cell-free and cell-associated HIV across the fetal oral/intestinal mucosal epithelium may serve as an initial mechanism for HIV MTCT.
The ABC of handover: impact on shift handover in the emergency department
Authors: Farhan Maisse , Brown Ruth , Vincent Charles , Woloshynowych Maria
Published: December 2011

Introduction

A study was undertaken to test the impact of a new tool for shift handover, ‘The ABC of Handover’, in the emergency department (ED). The impact on shift handover following implementation of this structured tool, the effect on clinical and organisational aspects of the subsequent shift and the opinions of users of this new tool are reported.

Methods

A prospective observational before and after study was performed to explore the effect of implementing ‘The ABC of Handover’ on clinical and organisational practice using a questionnaire.

Results

41 handovers were observed before implementation of ‘The ABC of Handover’ and 42 were observed after. The new tool was successfully implemented and resulted in a change of practice which led to a significant increase in the operational issues mentioned at handover from a mean of 34% to a mean of 86% of essential items with the ABC method. Over the study period, middle-grade staff demonstrated improved situational awareness as they adopted proactive management of operational issues such as staffing or equipment shortages. All participants reported that ‘The ABC of Handover’ improved handover regardless of the seniority of the doctor giving it, and found the ABC method easy to learn.

Conclusions

Successful implementation of ‘The ABC of Handover’ led to a change of practice in the ED. Improving handover resulted in better organisation of the shift and heightened awareness of potential patient safety issues. The ABC method provides a framework for organising the shift and preparing for events in the subsequent shift.
BULK SCALAR-FIELD INFLUENCED FRW UNIVERSE MODEL
Authors: LEE TAE HOON , LEE SUNNYEO
Published: December 2011

We consider a nonlinear sigma-model-like theory of bulk scalar fields coupled to the five-dimensional Einstein gravity. In Robertson–Walker spacetimes, we find some power-law cosmological solutions for the scale factor when the expansion rate of an extra dimension is proportional to one of our (3+1)-dimensional universe. Among them, the solution with a decreasing warp factor could be related to the one-brane model of Randall and Sundrum.
A GENERAL FORMULATION OF THE MOYAL AND VOROS PRODUCTS AND ITS PHYSICAL INTERPRETATION
Authors: GOUBA LAURE , KOVACEVIC DOMAGOJ , MELJANAC STJEPAN
Published: December 2011

A unifying perspective on the Moyal and Voros products and their physical meanings has been recently presented in the literature, where the Voros formulation admits a consistent physical interpretation. We define a star product ⋆, in terms of an antisymmetric fixed matrix Θ, and an arbitrary symmetric matrix Φ, that is a generalization of the Moyal and the Voros products. We discuss the quantum mechanics and the physical meaning of the generalized star product.
KRONECKER COEFFICIENTS VIA SYMMETRIC FUNCTIONS AND CONSTANT TERM IDENTITIES
Authors: GARSIA ADRIANO , WALLACH NOLAN , XIN GUOCE , ZABROCKI MIKE
Published: December 2011

This work lies across three areas of investigation that are by themselves of independent interest. A problem that arose in quantum computing led us to a link that tied these areas together. This link led to the calculation of some Kronecker coefficients by computing constant terms and conversely the computations of certain constant terms by computing Kronecker coefficients by symmetric function methods. This led to results as well as methods for solving numerical problems in each of these separate areas.
APPROXIMATING INFINITE DELAY WITH FINITE DELAY
Authors: CONTI MONICA , MARCHINI ELSA M. , PATA VITTORINO
Published: December 2011

Equations with infinite delay commonly face the philosophical objection of being "unphysical", since a memory of infinite duration conflicts with reality. Indeed, besides common sense, experimental observations on concrete physical models tell that effects from the far past cannot possibly influence the current dynamics of a given system. On the other hand, infinite delay arises quite naturally in the mathematical description of several relevant phenomena. In this note, we propose a possible conceptual solution, showing that infinite delay can be recovered as a limiting case of finite delay on a large time-scale, along with a quantitative control of the discrepancy.
SINGULAR SOLUTIONS TO THE HEAT EQUATIONS WITH NONLINEAR ABSORPTION AND HARDY POTENTIALS
Authors: LISKEVICH VITALI , SHISHKOV ANDREY , SOBOL ZEEV
Published: December 2011

We study the existence and nonexistence of singular solutions to the equation [Formula: see text], p > 1, in ℝN× [0, ∞), N ≥ 3, with a singularity at the point (0, 0), that is, nonnegative solutions satisfying u(x, 0) = 0 for x ≠ 0, assuming that α > -2 and [Formula: see text]. The problem is transferred to the one for a weighted Laplace–Beltrami operator with a nonlinear absorption, absorbing the Hardy potential in the weight. A classification of a singular solution to the weighted problem either as a source solution with a multiple of the Dirac mass as initial datum, or as a unique very singular solution, leads to a complete classification of singular solutions to the original problem, which exist if and only if [Formula: see text].
OBSERVATION CONFLICT RESOLUTION IN STEADY-STATE METABOLIC NETWORK DYNAMICS ANALYSIS
Authors: CICEK A. ERCUMENT , OZSOYOGLU GULTEKIN
Published: December 2011

Steady state metabolic network dynamics analysis (SMDA) is a recently proposed computational metabolomics tool that (i) captures a metabolic network and its rules via a metabolic network database, (ii) mimics the reasoning of a biochemist, given a set of metabolic observations, and (iii) locates efficiently all possible metabolic activation/inactivation (flux) alternatives. However, a number of factors may cause the SMDA algorithm to eliminate feasible flux scenarios. These factors include (i) inherent error margins in observations (measurements), (ii) lack of knowledge to classify measurements as normal versus abnormal, and (iii) choosing a highly constrained metabolic subnetwork to query against. In this work, we first present and formalize these obstacles. Then, we propose techniques to eliminate them and present an experimental evaluation of our proposed techniques.
Nucleotide-driven packaging of a singlet oxygen generating porphyrin in an icosahedral virus
Authors: Cohen Brian A. , Kaloyeros Alain E. , Bergkvist Magnus
Published: December 2011

Results are reported from investigations of the interactions between MS2 bacteriophages and a cationic porphyrin with potential use in photodynamic therapy. Based on the naturally strong binding between porphyrins and nucleic acids, it is suggested that this non-enveloped capsid could act as a self-loading, nanoscale carrier of porphyrins. By applying size exclusion chromatography in conjunction with UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, it is demonstrated that approximately 250 porphyrin molecules could associate and co-elute with a single capsid. Additionally, there is an observed red shift in the Soret peak of the porphyrin, indicating that the majority of the cationic porphyrin is capable of interacting with RNA on the interior of the capsid. It is also observed that removal of RNA from the interior of the MS2 capsid significantly reduces loading capacity of the porphyrin. Furthermore, MS2 bacteriophages loaded with porphyrins were shown to photogenerate singlet oxygen. These findings suggest that icosahedral viruses, such as MS2 bacteriophages, are able to function as self-packaging "nanoscale containers" and efficiently load cationic porphyrins, with potential benefits in areas such as targeted photodynamic therapy.
AN APPLICATION OF MODELING AND SIMULATION TO SUPPORT INDUSTRIAL PLANTS DESIGN
Authors: LONGO FRANCESCO , MASSEI MARINA , NICOLETTI LETIZIA
Published: December 2011

The focus of the research work presented in this article is the design of an industrial plant devoted to produce different types of hazelnuts-based products. The industrial plant design is initially based on a traditional approach (production process flow charts analysis and plant layout study) and it is then supported by a simulation model mainly used to investigate the system behavior in different operative scenarios. The industrial plant simulation model (called HAZIMUT, HAZelnuts Industrial plant design and management based on advanced simulation Models Utilization) recreates the entire hazelnuts production process (based on nine different production lines). The HAZIMUT simulation model is used to evaluate the effects — caused by multiple changes in the production lines capacities — on multiple performance measures based on machines levels utilization, work in process and production system productivity. The simulation results show how variations in production lines capacities generate an over-reaction of the system with major changes in some of the performance measures therefore stressing the importance to use the HAZIMUT simulator to tune the system correctly to improve the overall plant performances.