bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Histochemical Demonstration of Carbonic Anhydrase Activity in Some Epithelia Noted for Active Transport
Authors: Hansson Holger P. J.
Published: July 2014

An improved histochemical method for demonstration of carbonic anhydrase has been applied to a number of epithelia engaged in electrolyte transport.

Heavy staining was found close to or in the following regions:

Intercellular spaces bordered with folded epithelial membranes (unpigmented epithelium of rabbit ciliary processes, straight segment of human eccrine sweat gland duct, rabbit gall‐bladder and villi of rat duodenum).

Basal membrane infoldings (rat proximal and distal tubules, pigmented epithelium of rabbit ciliary processes).

Intracellular canaliculi (parietal cells of rat stomach).

Brush border of rat proximal tubule.

Certain nuclei, but only in fixed sections and of dubious specificity. Moderate to weak staining was seen in several other places in the epithelial layers.
Induction and Inhibition of Pinocytosis in Amoeba Proteus
Authors: Josefsson Jan‐Owe
Published: July 2014

Pinocytosis induced by different cations was studied by phase contrast in Amoeba proteus. Monovalent cations were more effective inducers the smaller the hydrated size of the ion (Cs>K>Na>Li). Divalent cations were less active inducers than monovalent ions and among the divalent ions tested calcium was unable to induce measurable pinocytosis. Tris+ possessed properties as an inducer similar to sodium although the intensity of Tris‐induced pinocytosis was greater. The sensitivity to the inducing cation decreased in proportion to the concentrations of calcium and hydrogen ions in the medium. Addition of a calcium chelating agent to the inducer decreased the maximum number of channels observed. Among the divalent cations present in the culture solution only calcium could restore the pinocytosis intensity to normal. The receptors in the cell membrane upon which inducing ions act are proposed to be negatively charged groups, the ionization of which varies with pH. Their availability to inducers is diminished when the calcium concentration of the medium is increased. A minimal calcium concentration is, however, required for a normal function of the channel forming system. The differene in activity between potassium and sodium in the induction of pinocytosis might be a factor controlling the intracellular content of these ions in the amoeba. The outward diffusion of potassium from the cell might explain the phenomenon of “spontaneous” pinocytosis.
Structures Essential for the Effect of Cholecystokinin on the Guinea Pig Small Intestine in vitro
Authors: Hedner Pavo , Rorsman Gunne
Published: July 2014

The stimulating effect of cholecystokinin on the small intestine was investigated by different registration techniques in the guinea pig ileum in vitro. The effect of cholecystokinin was blocked by atropine, morphine and tetrodotoxin but not by hexamethonium or pretreatment with reserpine. Cholecystokinin was still effective after desensitization to 5‐hydroxytryptamine. After a propagated contraction in the circular muscle layer induced by an increased intraluminal volume or by 5‐hydroxytryptamine there was a refractory period for 20—60 sec which could not be registered when the corresponding response was induced by cholecystokinin. It is concluded that the stimulating effect of cholecystokinin on the two muscle layers of the guinea pig small intestine is mediated via a cholinergic neural pathway without cholinergic synapses. The mechanism of action is still unknown but does not seem to consist in a release of 5‐hydroxytryptamine.
Static Elasticity of Isolated Muscle Spindles of the Frog and Tension Development of Their Intrafusal Muscle Fibres
Authors: Jahn Samia Al Azharia
Published: July 2014

At small degrees of stretch the equatorial region of the isolated muscle spindle of the frog had a two to four times greater compliance than the polar regions, the static “modulus” of elasticity in the equatorial region being 5.9 ± 1.1 × 106 dynes/cm2 and in the polar region 7.6 ± 1.1 × 107 dynes/cm2. After the intrafusal muscle fibres had been crushed the compliance of the equatorial and of the polar regions increased two to three times. The time course of the spontaneous contractions of intrafusal muscle fibres was similar to that of extrafusal muscle fibres. The twitch tension of single intrafusal fibres was 0.7–1.3 mg, of the intrafusal muscle bundle 2–4 mg and the tetanic tension of the intrafusal muscle bundle was 11–15 mg (17–20° C). Referred to the cross‐sectional area the maximum tetanic tension was the same as in extrafusal muscle fibres (3.4–3.9 kg/cm2).
5‐Hydroxytryptamine Release from Enterochromaffin Granules in vitro
Authors: Penttilä A. , Saris N.‐E.
Published: July 2014

5‐Hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT) release in vitro from cow and pig enterochromaffin granule preparations was studied. An accelerated 5‐HT release from the granule fraction was caused by: elevation of temperature, freezing and thawing, dilution, increase of the pH of the incubation medium, addition of chlorpromazine, imipramine, mepyramine, segontin®, tyramine, trypsin, hydrocortisone and cortisone. In various isotonic salt and buffer solutions the amine release was faster than that in isotonic sucrose solution. A slight 5‐HT release was induced by Ca++ ions, Titriplex III®, Titriplex IV® and histamine, and an almost complete release by CuCl2, distilled water and all the detergents studied. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (in 0.15 M phosphate buffer, pH 6.9) and MgCl2 (in 0.3 M sucrose solutions, pH 6.9) were the only chemicals that retarded amine release. The following chemicals had no effect: ACTH, thyroxine, adrenaline, noradrenaline, dihydroxyphenylalanine, tryptophan, indoleacetic acid, 3‐hydroxytyramine, acetylcholine or butyrylcholine with eserine, and guanethidine.

The release of 5‐HT from enterochromaffin granules resembles in some ways amine release from platelets, mast cells or granules carrying norepinephrine but differs in others. The special features of the enterochromaffin granules are discussed.
Proximal Luminal Volume and Fluid Reabsorption in the Rat Kidney1
Authors: Baines Andrew D. , Gottschalk Carl W. , Leyssac Paul P.
Published: July 2014

The relationship between proximal luminal volume and proximal salt and water reabsorption was studied in 21 non‐diuretic anesthetized male rats. Luminal diameters were measured in enlarged photographs of the surface of the capsulated kidney. Proximal reabsorption rates were estimated from Cin, which changed spontaneously in the range 0.4–1.6 ml/min g kidney weight (k.w.). Cin was further reduced in eight rats by compression of the renal artery. The mean proximal luminal diameter was 18.7 μ without compression of the renal artery and 19.6 μ during compression. There was no consistent relationship between estimated proximal reabsorption rate and proximal luminal diameter. It is concluded that proximal tubular volume was not the prime determinant of proximal salt and water reabsorption rate in rats under the conditions of these experiments.
Proximal Tubular Function in Rats with Low Inulin Clearance1
Authors: Gottschalk Carl W. , Leyssac Paul P.
Published: July 2014

Proximal tubular salt and water reabsorption were studied in relation to the inulin clearance (Cin) in anesthetized rats maintained on a standard diet with and without partial clamping of the renal artery and in rats on a sodium deficient diet. The rate of proximal reabsorption, determined as the reciprocal of the occlusion time (OT), was linearly related to Cin above clearance values of 0.7 ml/min g kidney weight (k.w.). Below this value, proximal reabsorption rate reached a fixed minimum corresponding to an OT of 25–26 sec. Late proximal fluid to plasma inulin ratios averaged 3.0 at Cin greater than 0.65 ml/min g k.w. and 5.1 when Cin was 0.55 ml/min or less. This significant difference in fractional reabsorption was predicted from the OT measurements. Factors leading to a decrease in caliber of the proximal tubular lumen following retrograde microinjection of the distal convolution of the same nephron were also studied. When seen, proximal collapse appeared to be due to leakage of tubular fluid at a previous proximal puncture site and did not occur when procedures were taken to minimize leakage.
Intra‐ and Extraoral Prostheses Retained by Zygoma Implants Following Resection of the Upper Lip and Nose
Authors: Gonçalves Letícia Machado , Gonçalves Thais Marques Simek Vega , Rodrigues Antônio Henrique Corrêa , Lanza Marcos Dias , Nascimento Paulo Roberto Gomes do , Girundi Francisco Mauro da Silva
Published: July 2014

Upper lip cancers are infrequent lesions, being aggressive unless diagnosed and treated early. After the surgical resection, maxillofacial defects require special care in rehabilitation. This article describes the maxillofacial rehabilitation of an edentulous patient diagnosed with upper lip squamous cell carcinoma. The treatment consisted of a large amount of upper lip and nose tissue resection, followed by chemoradiotherapy. After the first surgical healing, zygoma implants were inserted in a two‐step procedure. The maxillary and nasal prostheses were installed and fixed by a titanium framework. After 6 years follow‐up, no recurrences were observed, and the patient did not develop metastases. Tissues around implants were in good health, and the prostheses remained well‐fitted. The use of implant‐retained prostheses improved the quality of life, and the patient was extremely satisfied with the final result. The implant‐retained prostheses are well accepted by the patient, improving comfort and safety during function while recovering her esthetic apperance.
Differences in monocarboxylic acid transporter type 1 expression in rumen epithelium of newborn calves due to age and milk or milk replacer feeding
Authors: Flaga J. , Górka P. , Zabielski R. , Kowalski Z. M.
Published: July 2014

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether besides age and solid feed intake, monocarboxylic acid transporter type 1 (MCT1) expression in the rumen epithelium of calves is affected by liquid feed type [whole milk (WM) or milk replacer (MR)]. Thirty bull calves at the mean age of 5 days were randomly allocated to five experimental groups (six calves/group). Six calves were slaughtered immediately after allocation to the trial (5 days of life), eighteen calves were fed MR and slaughtered at week intervals (on 12, 19, 26 days of life respectively), and six calves were fed WM and slaughtered at the 26 days of life. MCT1 protein abundance and the MCT1 mRNA level were investigated in the dorsal and ventral sack of the rumen. Solid feed intake and short‐chain fatty acids (SCFA) concentration in the rumen fluid increased linearly with calves' age. The amount of the MCT1 protein and mRNA in the dorsal sac of rumen as well as the amount of MCT1 protein in the cranial ventral sac of rumen also increased linearly with calves' age. Calves fed WM had greater solid feed intake in the last week of the study as compared to calves fed MR, but SCFA concentration in the rumen fluid was not different. MCT1 mRNA expression in the cranial dorsal sac of rumen and protein MCT1 expression in both dorsal and ventral cranial sack of the rumen were higher in calves fed WM as compared to calves fed MR. This study confirmed age‐dependent changes of MCT1 expression in the rumen epithelium of newborn calves and showed that its expression might be affected by liquid feed type.
Asexual plants change just as often and just as fast as do sexual plants when introduced to a new range
Authors: Dalrymple Rhiannon L. , Buswell Joanna M. , Moles Angela T.
Published: July 2014

Some of the world's most economically and environmentally damaging introduced species reproduce asexually. While sexually reproducing introduced herbs have proven capable of rapid evolution, no previous study has quantified morphological changes in multiple obligatory asexually reproducing introduced species, or asked whether their potential for change differs from that of sexual species. We measured herbarium specimens of eight asexual species introduced to Australia and/or New Zealand. We quantified changes in leaf area, leaf shape, leaf mass per area, plant height and internode length through time since the species’ introduction. Half of the asexual species demonstrated significant change in at least one trait. The observed changes were substantial – up to 561% per 100 years. The proportion of species showing at least one significant morphological change did not differ significantly between our asexual species, and data measured in the same manner for 34 sexually reproducing introduced species. There was also no significant difference in the rate of morphological change in sexual versus asexual species. That is, we found that sexual species have not changed more often, or more quickly than their asexual counterparts. Our results show that asexually reproducing species can undergo rapid morphological change at a rate matching that of sexually reproducing species when introduced to a new range. Our results also suggest that asexually reproducing plants may be able to respond to changing conditions better than was previously appreciated.
Clinical recommendations of Cochrane reviews in pediatric gastroenterology: Systematic analysis
Authors: Goda Yvonne , Sauer Harald , Schöndorf Dominik , Hennes Pia , Gortner Ludwig , Gräber Stefan , Meyer Sascha
Published: July 2014

Background

Systematic and up‐to‐date Cochrane reviews in pediatrics in general and in pediatric gastroenterology in particular are important tools in disseminating the best available evidence to the medical community, thus providing the physician at the bedside with invaluable information and recommendations with regard to specific clinical questions.

Methods

A systematic literature review was conducted, including all Cochrane reviews published by the Cochrane Review Group in the field of pediatric gastroenterology between 1993 and 2012, with regard to the percentage of reviews that concluded that a certain intervention provided a benefit, percentage of reviews that concluded that a certain intervention should not be performed, and percentage of studies that concluded that the current level of evidence was inconclusive.

Results

In total, 86 reviews in the field of pediatric gastroenterology were included. The majority of reviews assessed pharmacological interventions (46/86); other important fields included prevention (15/86) and nutrition (9/86). A total of 33/86 reviews issued definite recommendations (positive, 19/86; negative, 14/86). The remaining 53/86 reviews were either inconclusive (24/86) or only of limited conclusiveness (29/86). The percentage of inconclusive reviews increased from 9% (1998–2002) to 19% (2003–2007; P < 0.05) to finally 24% (2008–2012) (P < 0.05). The three most common reasons for the need for further research were heterogeneity of studies (26/86), small number of patients (18/86), and insufficient data (16/86).

Conclusions

Further high‐quality research is necessary to increase the proportion of reviews with clear recommendations. Funding and research agencies are key to selecting the most appropriate research programs.
Rethinking Long Memory and Structural Breaks in the Forward Premium
Authors: Li Xiao‐Ming
Published: July 2014

This paper documents new results that the ability of structural breaks to explain away non‐stationary long memory in the forward premium weakens considerably with higher‐frequency data. For daily data, removing structural breaks does not make non‐stationary long memory stationary, contrary to the evidence for monthly data reported in the recent literature. Simulating data on a daily basis, we show that using monthly data tends to overstate the importance of structural breaks, and obfuscate the true nature of persistence, in the forward premium. Our results thus corroborate earlier findings that long memory bears primary responsibility for the forward premium anomaly.
Can exercise change the stereotypes associated with individuals with cancer?
Authors: Clément‐Guillotin C. , Falzon C. , d'Arripe‐Longueville F.
Published: July 2014

The purpose of this study was to examine whether exercising can positively influence the stereotypes associated with individuals with cancer and, more specifically, have an effect on the impression formation related to warmth and competence. A total of 193 French college students (Mage = 21.08, SD = 1.44 years; 88 females and 105 males) were randomly assigned to one of the conditions of a 2 (participant sex) × 2 (target health status: cancer vs no information) × 3 (target exercise status: exerciser vs non‐exerciser vs no information) experimental design. Results indicated that exercising target with cancer was perceived as the most competent compared with targets with cancer and those without information about cancer. These results suggest that exercising could be an effective way to undermine cancer stereotypes and reduce discrimination against people with cancer.
Candida vascular complication in a liver transplant recipient due to yeast contamination of preservation solution
Authors: Levesque E. , Suet G. , Merle J.C. , Compagnon P. , Amathieu R. , Feray C. , Botterel F. , Foulet F. , Azoulay D. , Dhonneur G.
Published: July 2014

Infections remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality after liver transplantation. One possible cause of infection is preservation fluid contamination. Donor‐derived pathogens, such as Candida albicans, have occasionally produced life‐threatening complications in organ recipients, already described in renal transplantation. In the present case, we report the loss of a liver graft secondary to vascular complications because of C. albicans found in the preservation fluid. Our case report raises the question of implementing procedures, similar to those in renal transplantation, including early antifungal treatment and repeated radiological monitoring for the prevention and detection of vascular complications.
Low resistance palladium/molybdenum based ohmic contacts to n-GaSb grown on GaAs
Authors: Rahimi Nassim , Aragon Andrew A. , Romero Orlando S. , Shima Darryl M. , Rotter Thomas J. , Mukherjee Sayan D. , Balakrishnan Ganesh , Lester Luke F.
Published: July 2014

Low resistance ohmic contacts were fabricated on n-type GaSb grown by molecular beam epitaxy. N-type GaSb epilayers with different doping concentrations and thicknesses were fabricated and studied in order to investigate the current transport mechanism between the metal contacts and the semiconductor. Different metallization schemes were implemented to achieve the lowest possible contact resistance. Rapid thermal annealing was performed at various temperatures to achieve the optimal gold penetration into the GaSb epilayers for low resistance. Ohmic contact fabrication and electrical characterization are discussed in detail. The microstructure analysis of the semiconductor and metal contact interfaces was performed using cross-section transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy. Specific contact resistances as low as 3 × 10−6 Ω cm2 were obtained.
High Prevalence of
bla
CTX-M-1
/IncI1/ST3 and
bla
CMY-2
/IncI1/ST2 Plasmids in Healthy Urban Dogs in France
Authors: Haenni Marisa , Saras Estelle , Métayer Véronique , Médaille Christine , Madec Jean-Yves
Published: July 2014

In the community, close contacts between humans and dogs may promote the transfer of extended-spectrum beta-lactamase/plasmidic AmpC cephalosporinase (ESBL/pAmpC) genes. Large-scale prevalence studies on ESBL/pAmpC carriage in dogs are rare, and data on ESBL/pAmpC plasmids are even more limited. Here, a considerable rate of 18.5% ESBL/pAmpC carriers was found among 368 unrelated healthy dogs in Paris, France. This prevalence is much higher than the one found in healthy humans in the same city (6%) but close to that recently reported in dogs in China (24.5%). All isolates were identified as
Escherichia coli
, except one
Salmonella enterica
and one
Klebsiella pneumoniae
isolate. The sequence type 131 (ST131) clone was rare (2/73 isolates). Interestingly, two plasmids (
bla
CTX-M-1
/IncI1/ST3 and
bla
CMY-2
/IncI1/ST2) were unexpectedly highly predominant, raising the question of their successful spread. Considering that CTX-M-1 was recently found to be equally as abundant as CTX-M-15 in healthy Parisian subjects, the question of dogs being a CTX-M-1 reservoir for humans is open. Such a high prevalence of the
bla
CMY-2
/IncI1/ST2 plasmid may result from the use of cephalexin in veterinary medicine, as previously demonstrated experimentally. In all, our study points out healthy urban dogs as a potential source of ESBL/pAmpC genes that can further disseminate to the human community.
High-Dose Continuous Oxacillin Infusion Results in Achievement of Pharmacokinetics Targets in Critically Ill Patients with Deep Sternal Wound Infections following Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Nesseler Nicolas , Verdier Marie-Clémence , Launey Yoann , Malherbe Alexandre , Dermu Marine , Piau Caroline , Flécher Erwan , Tribut Olivier , Mallédant Yannick , Seguin Philippe
Published: July 2014

Knowledge regarding antimicrobial therapy strategies in deep sternal wound infections (DSWI) following cardiac surgery is limited. Therefore, we aimed to determine the steady-state plasma and mediastinal concentrations of oxacillin administered by continuous infusion in critically ill patients with DSWI and to compare these concentrations with the susceptibility of staphylococci recovered. A continuous infusion of oxacillin (150 to 200 mg/kg of body weight/24 h) was administered after a loading dose (50 mg/kg). Plasma and mediastinal concentrations of total and unbound oxacillin were determined 4 h after the loading dose (H4) and then at day 1 (H24) and day 2 (H48). Twelve patients were included. Nine patients exhibited bacteremia, 5 were in septic shock, 8 were positive for
Staphylococcus aureus
, and 4 were positive for coagulase-negative staphylococci. The median MIC (first to third interquartile range) was 0.25 (0.24 to 0.41) mg/liter. Median plasma concentrations of total and unbound oxacillin at H4, H24, and H48 were, respectively, 64.4 (41.4 to 78.5) and 20.4 (12.4 to 30.4) mg/liter, 56.9 (31.4 to 80.6) and 21.7 (6.5 to 27.3) mg/liter, and 57.5 (32.2 to 85.1) and 20 (14.3 to 35.7) mg/liter. The median mediastinal concentrations of total and unbound oxacillin at H4, H24, and H48 were, respectively, 2.3 (0.7 to 25.9) and 0.9 (<0.5 to 15) mg/liter, 29.1 (19.7 to 38.2) and 12.6 (5.9 to 19.8) mg/liter, and 31.6 (14.9 to 42.9) and 17.1 (6.7 to 26.7) mg/liter. High-dose oxacillin delivered by continuous infusion is a valuable strategy to achieve our pharmacokinetic target (4× MIC) at the site of action at H24. But concerns remain in cases of higher MICs, emphasizing the need for clinicians to obtain the MICs for the bacteria and to monitor oxacillin concentrations, especially the unbound forms, at the target site.
N-Terminally Modified Linear and Branched Spermine Backbone Dipeptidomimetics against Planktonic and Sessile Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Dewangan Rikeshwer Prasad , Joshi Seema , Kumari Shalini , Gautam Hemlata , Yar Mohammed Shahar , Pasha Santosh
Published: July 2014

Toward the discovery of useful therapeutic molecules, we report the design and synthesis of a focused library of new ultrashort N-terminally modified dipeptidomimetics, with or without modifications in the spermine backbone leading to linear (series 1) or branched (series 2) tryptophans, as antimicrobial agents. Eight peptidomimetics in the library showed good antibacterial activity (MICs of 1.77 to 14.2 μg/ml) against methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) and methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus epidermidis
bacterial strains. Tryptophan fluorescence measurements on artificial bacterial or mammalian mimic membranes and assessment of the MRSA potential depolarization ability of the designed compounds revealed membrane interactions dependent on tryptophan positioning and N-terminal tagging. Among active peptidomimetics, compounds 1c and 1d were found to be nonhemolytic, displaying rapid bactericidal activity (at 4× MIC) against exponentially growing MRSA. Further, scanning electron microscopy of peptidomimetic 1c- and 1d-treated MRSA showed morphological changes with damage to cell walls, defining a membrane-active mode of action. Moreover, peptidomimetics 1c and 1d did not induce significant drug resistance in MRSA even after 17 passages. We also investigated the activity of these molecules against MRSA biofilms. At sub-MIC levels (∼2 to 4 μg/ml), both peptidomimetics inhibited biofilm formation. At concentrations higher than the MIC (35 to 140 μg/ml), peptidomimetics 1c and 1d significantly reduced the metabolic activity and biomass of mature (24-h) MRSA biofilms. These results were corroborated by confocal laser scanning microscopy (live/dead assay). The
in vitro
protease stability and lower cytotoxicity of peptidomimetics against peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) support them being novel staphylocidal peptidomimetics. In conclusion, this study provides two peptidomimetics as potential leads for treatment of staphylococcal infections under planktonic and sessile conditions.
Pleiotropic Role of the RNA Chaperone Protein Hfq in the Human Pathogen Clostridium difficile
Authors: Boudry P. , Gracia C. , Monot M. , Caillet J. , Saujet L. , Hajnsdorf E. , Dupuy B. , Martin-Verstraete I. , Soutourina O.
Published: July 2014

Clostridium difficile
is an emergent human pathogen and the most common cause of nosocomial diarrhea. Our recent data strongly suggest the importance of RNA-based mechanisms for the control of gene expression in
C. difficile
. In an effort to understand the function of the RNA chaperone protein Hfq, we constructed and characterized an Hfq-depleted strain in
C. difficile
. Hfq depletion led to a growth defect, morphological changes, an increased sensitivity to stresses, and a better ability to sporulate and to form biofilms. The transcriptome analysis revealed pleiotropic effects of Hfq depletion on gene expression in
C. difficile
, including genes encoding proteins involved in sporulation, stress response, metabolic pathways, cell wall-associated proteins, transporters, and transcriptional regulators and genes of unknown function. Remarkably, a great number of genes of the regulon dependent on sporulation-specific sigma factor, SigK, were upregulated in the Hfq-depleted strain. The altered accumulation of several sRNAs and interaction of Hfq with selected sRNAs suggest potential involvement of Hfq in these regulatory RNA functions. Altogether, these results suggest the pleiotropic role of Hfq protein in
C. difficile
physiology, including processes important for the
C. difficile
infection cycle, and expand our knowledge of Hfq-dependent regulation in Gram-positive bacteria.
More than 50% of players sustained a time-loss injury (>1 day of lost training or playing time) during the 2012 Super Rugby Union Tournament: a prospective cohort study of 17 340 player-hours
Authors: Schwellnus Martin P , Thomson Alan , Derman Wayne , Jordaan Esme , Readhead Clint , Collins Rob , Morris Ian , Strauss Org , Van der Linde Ewoudt , Williams Arthur
Published: July 2014

Background

Professional Rugby Union is a contact sport with a high risk of injury.

Objective

To document the incidence and nature of time-loss injuries during the 2012 Super Rugby tournament.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Setting

2012 Super Rugby tournament (Australia, New Zealand, South Africa).

Participants

152 players from 5 South African teams.

Methods

Team physicians collected daily injury data through a secure, web-based electronic platform. Data included size of the squad, type of day, main player position, training or match injury, hours of play (training and matches), time of the match injury, mechanism of injury, main anatomical location of the injury, specific anatomical structure of the injury, the type of injury, the severity of the injury (days lost).

Results

The proportion (%) of players sustaining a time-loss injury during the tournament was 55%, and 25% of all players sustained >1 injury. The overall incidence rate (IR/1000 player-hours) of injuries was 9.2. The IR for matches (83.3) was significantly higher than for training (2.1) and the IR was similar for forwards and backs. Muscle/tendon (50%) and joint/ligament (32.7%) injuries accounted for >80% of injuries. Most injuries occurred in the lower (48.1%) and upper limb (25.6%). 42% of all injuries were moderate (27.5%) or severe (14.8%), and tackling (26.3%) and being tackled (23.1%) were the most common mechanisms of injury. The IR of injuries was unrelated to playing at home compared with away (locations ≥6 h time difference).

Conclusions

55% of all players were injured during the 4-month Super Rugby tournament (1.67 injuries/match). Most injuries occurred in the lower (knee, thigh) or upper limb (shoulder, clavicle). 42% of injuries were severe enough for players to not play for >1 week.
Epidemiological investigation and antimicrobial susceptibility analysis of ureaplasma species andMycoplasmahominis in outpatients with genital manifestations
Authors: Song Tiejun , Ye Aiqing , Xie Xinyou , Huang Jun , Ruan Zhi , Kong Yingying , Song Jingjuan , Wang Yue , Chen Jianzhong , Zhang Jun
Published: July 2014

Aims

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and drug resistance ofUreaplasmaspecies andMycoplasma hominisin outpatients with genital manifestation from 2005 to 2013 in Hangzhou, China.

Methods

A total of 2689 female and 2336 male patients with various genital symptoms were included in this study. Species identification and antimicrobial susceptibility test were performed by using the mycoplasma IST-2 kit.

Results

The prevalence rate ofUreaplasmaspecies was 39.9%,M hominiswas 1.2% in female patients, and the coinfection rate was 13.4%; while in males, the prevalence rate ofUreaplasmaspecies was 18.8%,M hominiswas 0.4%, and the coinfection rate was 2.9%. Moreover, significantly high positive rates for mycoplasmas (UreaplasmaspeciesM hominis) and were found in 16–20-year-old females (65.2%) and males (27.3%).Ureaplasmaspecies andM hominisdisplayed relatively lower resistance rates (<5.0%) to doxycycline, josamycin, tetracycline and pristinamycin, and the resistance rates did not change during the study period, while the resistance rates ofUreaplasmaspecies to quinolones (ofloxacin and ciprofloxacin) were much higher (>50%) and increased significantly from 2005 to 2013.

Conclusions

Our study indicates that high positive rates ofUreaplasmaspecies andM hominiswere found in young outpatients with genital symptoms, and monitoring the local drug resistance is critical for prevention of the occurrence of resistant strains.
Wheat-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis: a retrospective case review from a tertiary hospital
Authors: Thalayasingam Meera , Allameen Nur Azizah , Soh Jian Yi , Bigliardi Paul , Van Bever Hugo , Shek Lynette Pei-Chi
Published: July 2014

Background

Wheat-dependent exercise-induced anaphylaxis (WDEIA) is a specific form of wheat allergy caused by the combination of wheat ingestion and physical exercise and has been reported in other parts of Asia. At present, there are no published reports of WDEIA in Singapore. The objective of this study is to characterise the common local clinical and laboratory manifestations of WDEIA.

Methods

This was a retrospective descriptive study of all WDEIA who presented to a tertiary Singaporean Hospital over a 5-year-period from 1 January 2009 to 30 June 2013.

Results

Eight patients aged 9–41 years old were characterised. Six were males and the majority (5) was of Chinese ethnicity. An atopic history was found in four patients. The symptoms of anaphylaxis included cutaneous manifestations such as urticaria (n=7), angioedema (n=6), respiratory symptoms of dyspnoea and wheezing (n=5) and hypotension (n=5). The symptoms occurred 20–75 min after consumption of wheat-based products, often upon cessation of exercise [running (n=3), walking (n=4) and swimming (n=1)]. The WDEIA was recurrent in seven patients. The skin prick tests were positive to wheat in seven patients, and ω-5 gliadin test to wheat was positive in five patients.

Conclusions

With the emergence of wheat allergy in East Asian countries, WDEIA has become an important condition for physicians and Singapore is no exception. Under-recognition combined with life-threatening symptoms warrants better public awareness measures. In addition, further studies are necessary to identify possible unique genetic and environmental exposures that could explain the inter-regional differences of WDEIA.
Oxidation of alkylaromatics to aromatic ketones catalyzed by metalloporphyrins under the special temperature control method
Authors: Wang Pan , She Yuanbin , Fu Haiyan , Zhao Wenbo , Wang Meng
Published: July 2014

The aerobic oxidation of alkylaromatics to aromatic ketones catalyzed by metalloporphyrins under the special temperature control method was systematically investigated. Three novel and key points were found to have significant functions in this process, that is, the special temperature control method (initiation at higher temperature and reaction at lower temperature), the synergistic effect of the composite catalysts comprising cobalt and manganese porphyrins, and the amount of catalysts in the reaction. Subsequently, the effects of substitutes on alkylaromatics were also explored under the same conditions. Results showed that alkylaromatic conversions gradually increased from 8.5% to 54.3% with the para-substituents shifting from the electron-donating group to the electron-withdrawing group (i.e., methoxy < hydro < bromo < acyl < nitro). A possible mechanism for this reaction was also proposed.
Effect of selection logging on Yellow-bellied Sapsucker sap-feeding habits in Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario
Authors: Mancuso Kristen , Nol Erica , Burke Dawn , Elliott Ken
Published: July 2014

The sap-feeding behaviour of a keystone woodpecker species, the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (Sphyrapicus varius (Linnaeus, 1766)), was compared between high-quality uncut stands and stands harvested with various forms of selection logging in the hardwood forests of Algonquin Provincial Park, Ontario. We examined (i) the average distances that sapsuckers travelled from their nest tree to sapwell trees, (ii) the characteristics of active sapwell trees compared with overall stand characteristics, and (iii) the reuse of sapwell trees after 1 or 2 years. We found that sapsuckers travelled approximately the same average distance from their nests to sapwell trees, regardless of logging treatment. The characteristics of sapwell trees were overall unaffected by logging: unhealthy trees, sugar maple (Acer saccharum Marshall), and yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton) were used at similar proportions to their stand-level availability in reference and harvested stands. Trees with old sapwells and large-diameter trees were used significantly more than their stand-level availability; thus the retention of these trees during tree-marking procedures may preserve sap foraging habitat. The reuse of sapwell trees did not vary between treatments, and on average, over half of the sapwell trees showed evidence of reuse the following year.
Maximizing the Lifetime of Query-Based Wireless Sensor Networks
Authors: Degirmenci Guvenc , Kharoufeh Jeffrey P. , Prokopyev Oleg A.
Published: July 2014

We consider the problem of maximizing the lifetime of a query-based wireless sensor network in which all of the sensor nodes are both producers and consumers of network resources. Of particular concern is the problem of selecting a common transmission range for all of the sensor nodes, the resource replication level (or time-to-live counter), and the active/sleep schedule of nodes while satisfying connectivity and quality-of-service constraints. To this end, we first formulate a general, mixed-integer programming model that selects the optimal operating parameters in each period of a finite planning horizon. Subsequently, we examine in detail specific connectivity and quality-of-service constraints that can be considered within this framework. Due to the complexity of the model, we formulate an alternative linearized version that can be solved more efficiently. Additionally, we devise a simple algorithm to solve a special case of the problem when alive nodes are always active. Computational results indicate that the maximum attainable lifetime can be significantly improved by adjusting the key operating parameters as sensor nodes fail over time due to energy depletion.
Licensing professional software engineers
Authors: Laplante Phillip A.
Published: July 2014

Professional organizations should be in the forefront of the ongoing discussion about licensing professional software engineers.
JMB
Authors: Rahul Hariharan , Kumar Swarun , Katabi Dina
Published: July 2014

We present JMB, a
joint
multiuser beamforming system, that enables independent access points (APs) to beamform their signals and communicate with their clients on the same channel as if they were one large MIMO transmitter. The key enabling technology behind JMB is a new low-overhead technique for synchronizing the phase of multiple transmitters in a distributed manner. The design allows a wireless LAN to scale its throughput by continually adding more APs on the same channel. JMB is implemented and tested with both software radio clients and off-the-shelf 802.11n cards, and evaluated in a dense congested deployment resembling a conference room. Results from a 10-AP software-radio testbed show a linear increase in network throughput with a median gain of 8.1--9.4×. Our results also demonstrate that JMB's joint multiuser beamforming can provide throughput gains with unmodified 802.11n cards.
A Comparative Perceptual Study of Soft-Shadow Algorithms
Authors: Hecher Michael , Bernhard Matthias , Mattausch Oliver , Scherzer Daniel , Wimmer Michael
Published: July 2014

We performed a perceptual user study of algorithms that approximate soft shadows in real time. Although a huge body of soft-shadow algorithms have been proposed, to our knowledge this is the first methodical study for comparing different real-time shadow algorithms with respect to their plausibility and visual appearance. We evaluated soft-shadow properties like penumbra overlap with respect to their relevance to shadow perception in a systematic way, and we believe that our results can be useful to guide future shadow approaches in their methods of evaluation. In this study, we also capture the predominant case of an inexperienced user observing shadows
without
comparing to a reference solution, such as when watching a movie or playing a game. One important result of this experiment is to scientifically verify that real-time soft-shadow algorithms, despite having become physically based and very realistic, can nevertheless be intuitively distinguished from a correct solution by untrained users.
Collaboration with distributed teams
Authors: Yiu Charles
Published: July 2014

To ensure the benefits of collaborating in distributed UX teams outweigh the costs, keep these seven best practices in mind.
GemDroid
Authors: Chidambaram Nachiappan Nachiappan , Yedlapalli Praveen , Soundararajan Niranjan , Kandemir Mahmut Taylan , Sivasubramaniam Anand , Das Chita R.
Published: July 2014

As the demand for feature-rich mobile systems such as smartphones and tablets has outpaced other computing systems and is expected to continue at a faster rate, it is projected that SoCs with tens of cores and hundreds of IPs (or accelerator) will be designed to provide unprecedented level of features and functionality in future. Design of such mobile systems with required QoS and power budgets along with other design constraints will be a daunting task for computer architects since any ad hoc, piece-meal solution is unlikely to result in an optimal design. This requires early exploration of the complete design space to understand the system-level design trade-offs. To the best of our knowledge, there is no such publicly available tool to conduct a holistic evaluation of mobile platforms consisting of cores, IPs and system software.

This paper presents GemDroid, a comprehensive simulation infrastructure to address these concerns. GemDroid has been designed by integrating the Android open-source emulator for facilitating execution of mobile applications, the GEM5 core simulator for analyzing the CPU and memory centric designs, and models for several IPs to collectively study their impact on system-level performance and power. Analyzing a spectrum of applications with GemDroid, we observed that the memory subsystem is a vital cog in the mobile platform because, it needs to handle both core and IP traffic, which have very different characteristics. Consequently, we present a heterogeneous memory controller (HMC) design, where we divide the memory physically into two address regions, where the first region with one memory controller (MC) handles core-specific application data and the second region with another MC handles all IP related data. The proposed modifications to the memory controller design results in an average 25% reduction in execution time for CPU bound applications, up to 11% reduction in frame drops, and on average 17% reduction in CPU busy time for on-screen (IP bound) applications.
Network-design sensitivity analysis
Authors: Tune Paul , Roughan Matthew
Published: July 2014

Traffic matrices are used in many network engineering tasks, for instance optimal network design. Unfortunately, measurements of these matrices are error-prone, a problem that is exacerbated when they are extrapolated to provide the predictions used in planning. Practical network design and management should consider sensitivity to such errors, but although robust optimisation techniques exist, it seems they are rarely used, at least in part because of the difficulty in generating an ensemble of admissible traffic matrices with a controllable error level. We address this problem in our paper by presenting a fast and flexible technique of generating synthetic traffic matrices. We demonstrate the utility of the method by presenting a methodology for robust network design based on adaptation of the
mean-risk analysis
concept from finance.
Tunable survivable spanning trees
Authors: Yallouz Jose , Rottenstreich Ori , Orda Ariel
Published: July 2014

Coping with network failures has become a major networking challenge. The concept of tunable survivability provides a quantitative measure for specifying any desired level (0%-100%) of survivability, thus offering flexibility in the routing choice. Previous works focused on implementing this concept on unicast transmissions. However, vital network information is often broadcasted via spanning trees. Accordingly, in this study, we investigate the application of tunable survivability for efficient maintenance of spanning trees under the presence of failures. We establish efficient algorithmic schemes for optimizing the level of survivability under various QoS requirements. In addition, we derive theoretical bounds on the number of required trees for maximum survivability. Finally, through extensive simulations, we demonstrate the effectiveness of the tunable survivability concept in the construction of spanning trees. Most notably, we show that, typically,
negligible
reduction in the level of survivability results in
major
improvement in the QoS performance of the resulting spanning trees.
Balanced resource allocations across multiple dynamic MapReduce clusters
Authors: Ghit Bogdan , Yigitbasi Nezih , Iosup Alexandru , Epema Dick
Published: July 2014

Running multiple instances of the MapReduce framework concurrently in a multicluster system or datacenter enables data, failure, and version isolation, which is attractive for many organizations. It may also provide some form of performance isolation, but in order to achieve this in the face of time-varying workloads submitted to the MapReduce instances, a mechanism for dynamic resource (re-)allocations to those instances is required. In this paper, we present such a mechanism called Fawkes that attempts to balance the allocations to MapReduce instances so that they experience similar service levels. Fawkes proposes a new abstraction for deploying MapReduce instances on physical resources, the MR-cluster, which represents a set of resources that can grow and shrink, and that has a core on which MapReduce is installed with the usual data locality assumptions but that relaxes those assumptions for nodes outside the core. Fawkes dynamically grows and shrinks the active MR-clusters based on a family of weighting policies with weights derived from monitoring their operation.

We empirically evaluate Fawkes on a multicluster system and show that it can deliver good performance and balanced resource allocations, even when the workloads of the MR-clusters are very uneven and bursty, with workloads composed from both synthetic and real-world benchmarks.
Is sharing with retransmissions causing instabilities?
Authors: Jelenkovic Predrag R. , Skiani Evangelia D.
Published: July 2014

Retransmissions represent a primary failure recovery mech- anism on all layers of communication network architecture. Similarly, fair sharing, e.g. processor sharing (PS), is a widely accepted approach to resource allocation among mul- tiple users. Recent work has shown that retransmissions in failure-prone, e.g. wireless ad hoc, networks can cause heavy tails and long delays. In this paper, we discover a new phe- nomenon showing that PS-based scheduling induces com- plete instability in the presence of retransmissions, regard- less of how low the traffic load may be. This phenomenon occurs even when the job sizes are bounded/fragmented, e.g. deterministic. Our analytical results are further validated via simulation experiments. Moreover, our work demon- strates that scheduling one job at a time, such as first-come- first-serve, achieves stability and should be preferred in these systems.
A measurement study of google play
Authors: Viennot Nicolas , Garcia Edward , Nieh Jason
Published: July 2014

Although millions of users download and use third-party Android applications from the Google Play store, little information is known on an aggregated level about these applications. We have built PlayDrone, the first scalable Google Play store crawler, and used it to index and analyze over 1,100,000 applications in the Google Play store on a daily basis, the largest such index of Android applications. PlayDrone leverages various hacking techniques to circumvent Google's roadblocks for indexing Google Play store content, and makes proprietary application sources available, including source code for over 880,000 free applications. We demonstrate the usefulness of PlayDrone in decompiling and analyzing application content by exploring four previously unaddressed issues: the characterization of Google Play application content at large scale and its evolution over time, library usage in applications and its impact on application portability, duplicative application content in Google Play, and the ineffectiveness of OAuth and related service authentication mechanisms resulting in malicious users being able to easily gain unauthorized access to user data and resources on Amazon Web Services and Facebook.