bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Long‐term partners' relationship satisfaction and their perceptions of each other's attachment insecurities
Authors: MOLERO FERNANDO , SHAVER PHILLIP R. , FERNÁNDEZ ITZIAR , ALONSO‐ARBIOL ITZIAR , RECIO PATRICIA
Published: February 2016

In this research, we examined actors' and partners' perceptions of each other's attachment insecurities and the associations of these perceptions with relationship satisfaction. A sample of 148 heterosexual couples completed measures of self and partner attachment insecurities and relationship satisfaction. Results indicate that partners agree in their perceptions of their own and each other's attachment insecurities (anxiety and avoidance). Based on the actor–partner interdependence model (APIM), we also found that both actors' scores on avoidance and their perceptions of their partner's degree of avoidanc are associated with lower relationship satisfaction. Finally, we found that the way an actor perceives his or her partner's avoidance plays a mediational role in the association between partner's self‐reported avoidance and actor's relationship satisfaction.
Urological complications following kidney transplantation in pediatric age: A single‐center experience
Authors: Rossi V. , Torino G. , Gerocarni Nappo S. , Mele E. , Innocenzi M. , Mattioli G. , Capozza N.
Published: February 2016

Surgical complications during kidney transplantation can seriously affect renal outcomes. We assess occurrence, risk factors, and results of all urological complications in a series of renal transplants in a single center. Children who underwent renal transplant between January 2008 and December 2014 were retrospectively evaluated. Postoperative urological complications were reviewed. Demographic details, cause of ESRD, donor type, and surgical procedures at transplant were analyzed. For statistical analysis, the chi‐square test or Fisher's exact test were used as appropriate. One hundred and twenty‐one kidney transplants were performed in 117 children (median age 12 yr). Sixty‐two of 121 (53%) had an underlying urological malformation. At a median follow‐up of three yr, 28 urological complications were recorded (23%): 12 lymphocele (10%), 10 ureteral obstruction (8%), three urinary leakage (2.5%), two symptomatic VUR (1.7%), and one hydropyonephrosis. When lymphocele was excluded, the complication incidence rate dropped to 13%. Ureteral obstruction mostly occurred late after transplant (more than six months). Presence of urological malformation was the only factor related to increased occurrence of urological complication (p = 0.007) and, in particular, ureteral obstruction (p = 0.018). Children with urological malformations presented a statistically significant risk of developing urological complications after kidney transplantation, ureteral obstruction being the most common complication.
Global analysis of the developmental dynamics of Gossypium hirsutum based on strand‐specific transcriptome
Authors: Ma Lei , Wang Yanqin , Yan Gentu , Wei Shoujun , Zhou Dayun , Kuang Meng , Fang Dan , Xu Shuangjiao , Yang Weihua
Published: February 2016

Cotton is an economically important crop that provides both natural fiber and by‐products such as oil and protein. Its global gene expression could provide insight into the biological processes underlying growth and development, which involve suites of genes expressed with temporal and spatial control by regulatory networks. Generally, the goal for cotton breeding is improvement of the fiber; thus, most previous research has focused on identifying genes specific to the fiber. However, seeds may also play an important role in fiber development. In this study, we constructed and systematically analyzed 21 strand‐specific RNA‐Seq libraries for Gossypium hirsutum, covering different tissues, organs and development stages, from which approximately 970 million reads were generated to provide a global view of gene expression during cotton development. The organ (tissue)‐specific gene expression patterns were investigated, providing further insight into the dynamic programming associated with developmental processes and a way to study the coordination of development between fiber cells and ovules. Series of transcription factors and seed‐specific genes have been identified as candidate genes that could elucidate key mechanisms and regulatory networks in nutrient accumulation during ovule development and in fiber development. This study reports comprehensive transcriptome dynamics at various stages of cotton development and will serve as a valuable genome‐wide transcriptome resource for initial gene discovery and functional characterization of genes in cotton.
White House Evolution and Institutionalization: The Office of Chief of Staff since Reagan
Authors: Cohen David B. , Hult Karen M. , Walcott Charles E.
Published: February 2016

In exploring the evolution and institutionalization of the White House chief of staff and the office that chiefs oversee, we focus on presidencies from Reagan through Obama. We pay particular attention to the evolution of several major roles that chiefs of staff perform, to the dynamics in the chief of staff's office, and to the emergence of multiple deputy chiefs of staff. Despite variation in the activities and emphases of chiefs of staff and their operations, patterns include partisan learning across administrations, term and meta cycles, and distinctive prioritization of roles.
Presidential Attention Focusing in the Global Arena: The Impact of International Travel on Foreign Publics
Authors: Cohen Jeffrey E.
Published: February 2016

Presidents increasingly engage in public diplomacy, especially traveling to other nations. Often presidents target the public in the visited nation, with the aim of improving the opinion climate there and then using that improved opinion climate to further U.S. policy goals in the visited nation. To a degree, then, foreign travel resembles presidential domestic going public. This article tests one important linkage in the process from a presidential trip to foreign public opinion, whether trips can focus public opinion in the visited nation on the president. Analysis uses a pooled cross‐sectional time series analysis of weekly Google Trends data for forty‐two nations during Barack Obama's first term in office. Results suggest that presidential trips lead to impressive increases in searches on the president, an indication of increased attention to the president. The conclusion places the findings into two literatures, presidential going public and public diplomacy, and suggests directions for future research.
Polls and Elections: There Is Nothing Wrong with Kansas: The Effect of Race and Economics on Voting Correctly in U.S. Presidential Elections
Authors: Glas Jeffrey M. , Richey Sean , Taylor J. Benjamin , Zhu Junyan
Published: February 2016

Are poor whites less likely to vote correctly when they vote for Republican presidential candidates? The rationality of poor white voters is perennially debated in American politics. To date, scholars and journalists have weighed in on this debate without using any objective measure of voter preferences, nor has anyone tested the extent to which those preferences match voters’ behavior in the ballot booth. To adjudicate this debate, we use Lau and Redlawsk's voting correctly data from 1972 to 2008 to test the popular hypothesis that poor white voters, specifically, vote against their interests by voting for Republican presidential candidates. A series of probit estimations demonstrate that, while poor whites are less likely to vote correctly than those who are not poor whites, there is no relationship between poor whites and voting correctly for Republican or Democratic candidates independently. This suggests that the longstanding debate about poor white voting for Republican candidates is much ado about little and obscures the larger debate about all voters being able to vote in line with their preferences more generally.
Two stages of directed forgetting: Electrophysiological evidence from a short‐term memory task
Authors: Gao Heming , Cao Bihua , Qi Mingming , Wang Jing , Zhang Qi , Li Fuhong
Published: February 2016

In this study, a short‐term memory test was used to investigate the temporal course and neural mechanism of directed forgetting under different memory loads. Within each trial, two memory items with high or low load were presented sequentially, followed by a cue indicating whether the presented items should be remembered. After an interval, subjects were asked to respond to the probe stimuli. The ERPs locked to the cues showed that (a) the effect of cue type was initially observed during the P2 (160–240 ms) time window, with more positive ERPs for remembering relative to forgetting cues; (b) load effects were observed during the N2‐P3 (250–500 ms) time window, with more positive ERPs for the high‐load than low‐load condition; (c) the cue effect was also observed during the N2‐P3 time window, with more negative ERPs for forgetting versus remembering cues. These results demonstrated that directed forgetting involves two stages: task‐relevance identification and information discarding. The cue effects during the N2 epoch supported the view that directed forgetting is an active process.
Maritime Transportation Risk Assessment of Tianjin Port with Bayesian Belief Networks
Authors: Zhang Jinfen , Teixeira Ângelo P , Guedes Soares C. , Yan Xinping , Liu Kezhong
Published: February 2016

This article develops a Bayesian belief network model for the prediction of accident consequences in the Tianjin port. The study starts with a statistical analysis of historical accident data of six years from 2008 to 2013. Then a Bayesian belief network is constructed to express the dependencies between the indicator variables and accident consequences. The statistics and expert knowledge are synthesized in the Bayesian belief network model to obtain the probability distribution of the consequences. By a sensitivity analysis, several indicator variables that have influence on the consequences are identified, including navigational area, ship type and time of the day. The results indicate that the consequences are most sensitive to the position where the accidents occurred, followed by time of day and ship length. The results also reflect that the navigational risk of the Tianjin port is at the acceptable level, despite that there is more room of improvement. These results can be used by the Maritime Safety Administration to take effective measures to enhance maritime safety in the Tianjin port.
Development of the World Health Organization Measles Programmatic Risk Assessment Tool Using Experience from the 2009 Measles Outbreak in Namibia
Authors: Kriss Jennifer L. , De Wee Roselina J. , Lam Eugene , Kaiser Reinhard , Shibeshi Messeret E. , Ndevaetela Emmy‐Else , Muroua Clementine , Shapumba Nicholaus , Masresha Balcha G. , Goodson James L.
Published: February 2016

In the World Health Organization (WHO) African region, reported measles cases decreased by 80% and measles mortality declined by 88% during 2000–2012. Based on current performance trends, however, focused efforts will be needed to achieve the regional measles elimination goal. To prioritize efforts to strengthen implementation of elimination strategies, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and WHO developed a measles programmatic risk assessment tool to identify high‐risk districts and guide and strengthen program activities at the subnational level. This article provides a description of pilot testing of the tool in Namibia using comparisons of high‐risk districts identified using 2006–2008 data with reported measles cases and incidence during the 2009 outbreak. Of the 34 health districts in Namibia, 11 (32%) were classified as high risk or very high risk, including the district of Engela where the outbreak began in 2009. The district of Windhoek, including the capital city of Windhoek, had the highest overall risk score—driven primarily by poor population immunity and immunization program performance—and one of the highest incidences during the outbreak. Other high‐risk districts were either around the capital district or in the northern part of the country near the border with Angola. Districts categorized as high or very high risk based on the 2006–2008 data generally experienced high measles incidence during the large outbreak in 2009, as did several medium‐ or low‐risk districts. The tool can be used to guide measles elimination strategies and to identify programmatic areas that require strengthening.
Immunogenetics of prostate cancer and benign hyperplasia – the potential use of an HLA‐G variant as a tag SNP for prostate cancer risk
Authors: Zambra F. M. B. , Biolchi V. , de Cerqueira C. C. S. , Brum I. S. , Castelli E. C. , Chies J. A. B.
Published: February 2016

Human leukocyte antigen G (HLA‐G) is an immunomodulatory molecule with important roles both physiologically as well as an escape mechanism of cancer cells. In this study, we evaluated the impact of eight polymorphisms at the 3′ untranslated region (3′UTR) of the HLA‐G gene in the development of prostate cancer (PCa) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). A total of 468 DNA samples of Brazilian men predominantly Euro‐descendant with PCa (N = 187), BPH (N = 152) and healthy control individuals (N = 129) were evaluated. The HLA‐G 3′UTR region was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), sequenced and genotyped to identify the 14 bp insertion/deletion (rs371194629), +3003T/C (rs1707), +3010C/G (rs1710), +3027A/C (rs17179101), +3035C/T (rs17179108), +3142G/C (rs1063320), +3187A/G (rs9380142) and +3196C/G (rs1610696) polymorphisms. Regression logistic and chi‐square tests were performed to verify the influence of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in PCa and/or BPH susceptibility, as well as in PCa progression (clinicopathological status). Our data showed the UTR‐4 haplotype as a risk factor to PCa in comparison with control [odds ratio (OR) 2.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.39–3.96, Padjusted = 0.003) and BPH groups (OR 1.82, 95% CI 1.15–2.86, Padjusted = 0.030). Further, the ‘non‐14bp Ins_ + 3142G_+3187A’ haplotype (OR 1.56, 95% CI 1.10–2.20, Padjusted = 0.036), the +3003CT genotype (OR 4.44, 95% CI 1.33–4.50, Padjusted = 0.032) and the +3003C allele (OR 2.33, 95% CI 1.38–3.92, Padjusted = 0.016) also conferred susceptibility to PCa. Our data suggest an important influence of HLA‐G 3′UTR polymorphisms in PCa susceptibility and support the use of the +3003 variant as a tag SNP for PCa risk.
Identification of a novel HLA‐C*16 variant, HLA‐C*16:90, in a Chinese individual
Authors: Liu B. , Yang P. , Ma Z. , Ma Y. , Sheng X.
Published: February 2016

The novel HLA‐C*16:90 allele differs from HLA‐C*16:02:01 by one nucleotide transition, G>A 736.
HLA‐A*11:231, a novel variant of HLA‐A*11, found in a Taiwanese hematopoietic stem cell donor
Authors: Yang K. L. , Hung J. H. , Lin P. Y.
Published: February 2016

One nucleotide substitution at residue 517 of HLA‐A*11:01:01:01 results in a novel allele, HLA‐A*11:231.
A new HLA‐A allele, HLA‐A*11:120, sequenced in a Chinese hematopoietic stem cell donor
Authors: Zhang X. , Li G.‐J. , Li X.‐F. , Fan H. , Li J.‐P.
Published: February 2016

HLA‐A*11:120 has one nucleotide change from HLA‐A*11:01:01:01 where 295 T(ACC) is changed to S(AGC).
Characteristics of neonatal near miss in hospitals in Benin, Burkina Faso and Morocco in 2012–2013
Authors: Ronsmans Carine , Cresswell Jenny A. , Goufodji Sourou , Agbla Schadrac , Ganaba Rasmané , Assarag Bouchra , Tonouhéoua Oscar , Diallo Cheick , Meski Fatima‐Zahra , Filippi Véronique
Published: February 2016

Objective

The objective of this study is to explore the usefulness of neonatal near miss in low‐ and middle‐income countries by examining the incidence of neonatal near miss and pre‐discharge neonatal deaths across various obstetric risk categories in 17 hospitals in Benin, Burkina Faso and Morocco.

Methods

Data were collected on all maternal deaths, maternal near miss, neonatal near miss (based on organ‐dysfunction markers), Caesarean sections, stillbirths, neonatal deaths before discharge and non‐cephalic presentations, and on a sample of births not falling in any of the above categories.

Results

The burden of stillbirth, pre‐discharge neonatal death or neonatal near miss ranged from 23 to 129 per 1000 births in Moroccan and Beninese hospitals, respectively. Perinatal deaths (range 17–89 per 1000 births) were more common than neonatal near miss (range 6–43 per 1000 live births), and between a fifth and a third of women who had suffered a maternal near miss lost their baby. Pre‐discharge neonatal deaths and neonatal near miss had a similar distribution of markers of organ dysfunction, but unlike pre‐discharge neonatal deaths most neonatal near miss (63%, 81% and 71% in Benin, Burkina Faso and Morocco, respectively) occurred among babies who were not considered premature, low birthweight or with a low 5‐min Apgar score as defined by WHO's pragmatic markers of severe neonatal morbidity.

Conclusion

Whether the measurement of neonatal near miss adds useful insights into the quality of perinatal or newborn care in settings where facility‐based intrapartum and early newborn mortality is very high is uncertain. Perhaps the greatest advantage of adding near miss is the shift in focus from failure to success so that lessons can be learned on how to save lives even when clinical conditions are life‐threatening.
Criteria‐based audit of caesarean section in a referral hospital in rural Tanzania
Authors: Heemelaar S. , Nelissen E. , Mdoe P. , Kidanto H. , van Roosmalen J. , Stekelenburg J.
Published: February 2016

Objective

WHO uses the Caesarean section (CS) rate to monitor implementation of emergency obstetric care (EmOC). Although CS rates are rising in sub‐Saharan Africa, maternal outcome has not improved. We audited indications for CS and related complications among women with severe maternal morbidity and mortality in a referral hospital in rural Tanzania.

Methods

Cross‐sectional study was from November 2009 to November 2011. Women with severe maternal morbidity and mortality were identified and those with CS were included in this audit. Audit criteria were developed based on the literature review and (inter)national guidelines. Tanzanian and Dutch doctors reviewed hospital notes. The main outcome measured was prevalence of substandard quality of care leading to unnecessary CS and delay in performing interventions to prevent CS.

Results

A total of 216 maternal near misses and 32 pregnancy‐related deaths were identified, of which 82 (33.1%) had a CS. Indication for CS was in accordance with audit criteria for 36 of 82 (44.0%) cases without delay. In 20 of 82 (24.4%) cases, the indication was correct; however, there was significant delay in providing standard obstetric care. In 16 of 82 (19.5%) cases, the indication for CS was not in accordance with audit criteria. During office hours, CS was more often correctly indicated than outside office hours (60.0% vs. 36.0%, P < 0.05).

Discussion

Caesarean section rate is not an useful indicator to monitor quality of EmOC as a high rate of unnecessary and potentially preventable CS was identified in this audit.
Extracorporeal photopheresis in solid organ transplant–associated acute graft‐versus‐host disease
Authors: Houston Brett L. , Yan Matthew , Tinckam Kathryn , Kamel‐Reid Suzanne , Chang Hong , Kuo Kevin H.M. , Tsien Cynthia , Seftel Matthew D. , Avitzur Yaron , Grant David , Cserti‐Gazdewich Christine M.
Published: February 2016

BACKGROUND

Extracorporeal photopheresis (ECP) culls pathogenic T lymphocytes, be these the clones of cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma, or mediators of chronic graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) after allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT‐GVHD). Whether or not ECP may have an effect in the rarer instances of solid organ transplantation–associated GVHD (SOT‐GVHD) is unclear. Mortality rates in SOT‐GVHD rival those of transfusion‐associated GVHD, with fatalities preceded by pancytopenia and peripheral blood chimerism (PBC) levels exceeding 20%. ECP has been described in two SOT‐GVHD cases to date, with one surviving.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Clinicolaboratory features (including HLA relationships) in a case of multivisceral transplantation were reviewed from the time of surgery to the onset and progression of SOT‐GVHD. ECP, which was introduced as a less immunosuppressive and more selective intervention, was assessed for its effect on serial PBC (as measured by short‐tandem‐repeat analysis) and clinical outcome.

RESULTS

Multivisceral SOT‐GVHD manifested with erythroderma, neutropenic sepsis, and PBC increasing from 6% on Posttransplant Day (PTD) 38 to 78% by PTD 60 (at a doubling time of 6 days despite corticosteroids). ECP was administered on PTDs 62 and 67 and was associated with the first evidence of PBC decay to 67% on PTD 69. Death nevertheless ensued on the last day of salvage antithymocyte globulin (PTDs 69‐73) despite further PBC reduction to 41%.

CONCLUSION

Further study is needed to determine if the sooner or more frequent application of ECP might attenuate the high case fatality rates of SOT‐GVHD.
Use of indirect lymphography to identify sentinel lymph node in dogs: a pilot study in 30 tumours
Authors: Brissot H. N. , Edery E. G.
Published: February 2016

This study reports the clinical value of sentinel lymph node (SLN) mapping with indirect lymphography (IL) using iodized oil (IO) as a marker injected preoperatively around the site of the primary tumour and radiography or tomodensitometry for imaging. Surgical extirpation of the node was performed following peritumoural injection of methylene blue (MB). Twenty nine dogs affected by 30 palpable solid tumours were prospectively studied. SLNs were identified by IL in 96.6% of the IL studies. IL followed by MB studies were performed in 25 dogs (26 studies). In these studies, agreement between IL and MB was observed in 84.6%. One dog had a minor complication following IO injection. This protocol represents an attractive alternative to scintigraphy for SLN mapping. This less technically demanding protocol may provide a wider access to SLN identification for application in veterinary oncology.
Interference of the agrestal Helianthus annuus biotype with sunflower growth
Authors: Casquero M , Cantamutto M
Published: February 2016

The Helianthus annuus taxon includes the wild (ruderal), weedy (agrestal) and volunteer biotypes, which may share space and time with the sunflower crop. The agrestal biotype is one of the most harmful weeds challenging the use of modern biotechnological tools in sunflower. The interference of the agrestal biotype was studied at a range of weed densities within a sunflower crop. The area of influence of one agrestal plant was estimated as a circular area of more than 2.5 m2. The agrestal biotype at 10.7 plants m−2 reduced the sunflower seed production by 66%, the seed weight by 41% and the yield by 80%. The agrestal biotype showed intermediate vegetative stage duration between sunflower and the ruderal biotype. The interference of the agrestal biotype would be due to its high initial growth rate, its larger leaf area and plant height. Some agrestal plants showed partial dehiscence at the sunflower harvest stage replenishing the soil seedbank with over 18 000 seeds m−2. The sunflower harvest operation and grain storage might be affected due to a fraction of agrestal plants remaining alive and moist when the crop reached harvest maturity. The results support the recommendation of preventing the entry of the agrestal biotype into crop production fields.
Remarkable levels of avian louse (Insecta: Phthiraptera) diversity in the Congo Basin
Authors: Light Jessica E. , Nessner Caitlin E. , Gustafsson Daniel R. , Wise Samantha R. , Voelker Gary
Published: February 2016

Although the Democratic Republic of the Congo is considered a megadiverse country, the Congo Basin is not recognized as a conservation priority because of gross underestimates of species diversity and endemism, especially for invertebrate taxa. Examining ectoparasitic chewing lice parasitizing birds in this region could provide valuable information pertaining to the diversity of invertebrate taxa as well as host–parasite interactions within the Congo Basin. In this study, we used molecular and morphological data to examine avian louse diversity. From 60 parasitized birds, we documented 39 new host associations, and at least 12 and 17 species of amblyceran and ischnoceran chewing lice, respectively. Morphologically, we identified a minimum of 13 new species. Due to a lack of available reference material, we were unable to identify some specimens and it is likely many, if not all of these, represent new species. Our sampling efforts, morphological examinations and molecular analyses reveal an astounding amount of louse diversity in the Congo Basin.
Exercise‐induced oxidative stress: past, present and future
Authors: Powers Scott K. , Radak Zsolt , Ji Li Li
Published: February 2016

The existence of free radicals in living cells was first reported in 1954 and this important finding helped launch the field of free radical biology. However, the discovery that muscular exercise is associated with increased biomarkers of oxidative stress did not occur until 1978. Following the initial report that exercise promotes oxidative stress in humans, many studies have confirmed that prolonged or short‐duration high intensity exercise results in increased radical production in active skeletal muscles resulting in the formation of oxidized lipids and proteins in the working muscles. Since these early descriptive studies, the investigation of radicals and redox biology related to exercise and skeletal muscle has grown as a discipline and the importance of this research in the biomedical sciences is widely recognized. This review will briefly summarize the history of research in exercise‐induced oxidative stress and will discuss the major paradigm shifts that the field has undergone and continues to experience. We conclude with a discussion of future directions in the hope of stimulating additional research in this important field.
Contrast enhanced harmonic ultrasonography for the evaluation of acute scrotal pathology. A pictorial essay.
Authors: Badea Radu , Lucan Ciprian , Suciu Mihai , Vasile Tudor , Gersak Mirela
Published: February 2016

Conventional ultrasonographic evaluation (grey scale and Doppler) represents the first line investigation in the acute pathology of the scrotum. Its diagnosis value in acute scrotal pathology is undoubted in regard with hypervascular lesions, but in the evaluation of isoechoic and hypo/avascular lesions i.v. contrast-enhanced harmonic ultrasonography (CEUS) is recommended in establishing a firm and certain diagnosis. Besides these, CEUS has an important role in the evaluation of the remaining viable testicular tissue in cases of testicular trauma, thus guiding a limited excision surgery. This paper aims to discuss the added diagnosis value of CEUS and to illustrate this through various ultrasonographic images suggestive for acute scrotum pathology.
Concepts in monitoring enthesitis in patients with spondylarthritis- the role of musculoskeletal ultrasound
Authors: Micu Mihaela Cosmina , Fodor Daniela
Published: February 2016

Enthesitis is the key pathological lesion in the spondyloarthritides group and an important element for early diagnosis with a predictive and prognostic value. The recognition of enthesitis on a clinical basis alone remains a challenge and creates unnecessary delays in diagnosis and adequate treatment commencement. Musculoskeletal ultrasound is a valid, reliable, and feasible imaging tool valuable for identifying inflammatory and structural lesions at enthesis level, helpful in establishing a diagnosis, evaluating disease activity and therapy monitoring. This paper focuses on the most relevant aspects of current literature regarding enthesitis and highlights the musculoskeletal ultrasound added value in enthesis assessment.
Subclinical myocardial impairment in SLE: insights from novel ultrasound techniques and clinical determinants.
Authors: Guşetu Gabriel , Pop Dana , Pamfil Cristina , Bǎlaj Raluca , Mureşan Lucian , Cismaru Gabriel , Matuz Roxana , Roşu Radu , Zdrenghea Dumitru , Rednic Simona
Published: February 2016

Aims: Myocardial damage is frequent and often silent in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of myocardial damage by novel ultrasound techniques and to systematically assess the relationship between subclinical cardiac dysfunction and SLE-related clinical parameters. Material and methods: Seventy-five consecutive SLE patients without evidence of cardiac disease and seventy-three controls underwent standard transthoracic echocardiography using classical and novel ultrasound techniques: tissue Doppler imaging and speckle tracking echocardiography. Patient characteristics, cumulative organ damage and laboratory data were retrieved by medical chart review. Results: Within the cohort, 89.3% of the patients were female; mean±SD age and median (IQR) disease duration were 43.2±12.5 years and 8.03(6.3) years, respectively. SLE patients exhibited a significant decrement in endocardial longitudinal strain (-18.4% vs 19.3%, p=0.001)  compared  with controls. Diastolic dysfunction was detected in 34 (45.3%) of SLE patients. Major determinants of systolic and diastolic dysfunction were hypertension (p=0.023 and p<0.001, respectively), associated antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) (p<0.001 and p<0.001, respectively), cumulative damage accrual (p<0.001 and p=0.003, respectively), and disease duration (p=0.03 and p<0.001, respectively). Notably, anti-Ro antibodies were present in 37% of the SLE patients who  had better systolic longitudinal performance. Neither disease activity, nor specific organ involvement, were associated with myocardial impairment. Conclusion: Systolic longitudinal and diastolic performance impairments are frequent findings in SLE patients without overt cardiovascular disease. Cumulative organ damage, disease duration, APS, and hypertension are major determinants for early heart involvement in SLE patients.
Interference pattern of the sound field in the presence of an internal Kelvin wave in a stratified lake
Authors: Katsnelson Boris , Lunkov Andrey , Ostrovsky Ilia
Published: February 2016

Internal Kelvin waves (IKWs) initiated by rotation of the Earth are one of the main hydrodynamic phenomena in large stratified lakes where baroclinic Rossby radius of deformation is smaller than the horizontal scale of the lake. IKWs can be identified using the spectra of internal waves, where in the presence of IKWs, the inertial frequency is at maximum. IKWs play a rather important role in the lake's dynamics for different processes, both in the water layer and sediment, especially at the periphery of lake. Due to influence of internal waves on the sound propagation, acoustical methods can be used for estimation of behaviour of IKWs. In this paper, the spatiotemporal variability of the mid-frequency (∼1 kHz) sound field in the presence of IKWs in a deep stratified Lake Kinneret is studied using numerical simulations based on normal-mode theory. Due to the specific character of perturbation of the water layer, IKWs can cause specific variations of interference pattern, in particular, a significant shift of the sound interference pattern both in spatial and frequency domain. These shifts can be easily measured and used for reconstruction of IKW parameters.
How many cents on the dollar? Women and men in product markets
Authors: Kricheli-Katz Tamar , Regev Tali
Published: February 2016

Women sellers receive about 80 cents for every dollar a man receives when selling identical new products on eBay.
Dynamically variable negative stiffness structures
Authors: Churchill Christopher B. , Shahan David W. , Smith Sloan P. , Keefe Andrew C. , McKnight Geoffrey P.
Published: February 2016

A novel active structure supports loads while dynamically and continuously changing stiffness by more than 100× in less than 10 ms.
Asymmetric excitation of surface plasmons by dark mode coupling
Authors: Zhang Xueqian , Xu Quan , Li Quan , Xu Yuehong , Gu Jianqiang , Tian Zhen , Ouyang Chunmei , Liu Yongmin , Zhang Shuang , Zhang Xixiang , Han Jiaguang , Zhang Weili
Published: February 2016

Asymmetric excitation of surface plasmons is achieved by classical dark mode coupling, promising metadevices with unique functionalities.
Estimates of Soil Bacterial Ribosome Content and Diversity Are Significantly Affected by the Nucleic Acid Extraction Method Employed
Authors: Wüst Pia K. , Nacke Heiko , Kaiser Kristin , Marhan Sven , Sikorski Johannes , Kandeler Ellen , Daniel Rolf , Overmann Jörg
Published: February 2016

Modern sequencing technologies allow high-resolution analyses of total and potentially active soil microbial communities based on their DNA and RNA, respectively. In the present study, quantitative PCR and 454 pyrosequencing were used to evaluate the effects of different extraction methods on the abundance and diversity of 16S rRNA genes and transcripts recovered from three different types of soils (leptosol, stagnosol, and gleysol). The quality and yield of nucleic acids varied considerably with respect to both the applied extraction method and the analyzed type of soil. The bacterial ribosome content (calculated as the ratio of 16S rRNA transcripts to 16S rRNA genes) can serve as an indicator of the potential activity of bacterial cells and differed by 2 orders of magnitude between nucleic acid extracts obtained by the various extraction methods. Depending on the extraction method, the relative abundances of dominant soil taxa, in particular
Actinobacteria
and
Proteobacteria
, varied by a factor of up to 10. Through this systematic approach, the present study allows guidelines to be deduced for the selection of the appropriate extraction protocol according to the specific soil properties, the nucleic acid of interest, and the target organisms.
A Tale of Transmission: Aeromonas veronii Activity within Leech-Exuded Mucus
Authors: Ott Brittany M. , Dacks Andrew M. , Ryan Kenneth J. , Rio Rita V. M.
Published: February 2016

Transmission, critical to the establishment and persistence of host-associated microbiotas, also exposes symbionts to new environmental conditions. With horizontal transmission, these different conditions represent major lifestyle shifts. Yet genome-wide analyses of how microbes adjust their transcriptomes toward these dramatic shifts remain understudied. Here, we provide a comprehensive and comparative analysis of the global transcriptional profiles of a symbiont as it shifts between lifestyles during transmission. The gammaproteobacterium
Aeromonas veronii
is transmitted from the gut of the medicinal leech to other hosts via host mucosal castings, yet
A. veronii
can also transition from mucosal habitancy to a free-living lifestyle. These three lifestyles are characterized by distinct physiological constraints and consequently lifestyle-specific changes in the expression of stress-response genes. Mucus-bound
A. veronii
had the greatest expression in terms of both the number of loci and levels of transcription of stress-response mechanisms. However, these bacteria are still capable of proliferating within the mucus, suggesting the availability of nutrients within this environment. We found that
A. veronii
alters transcription of loci in a synthetic pathway that obtains and incorporates
N
-acetylglucosamine (NAG; a major component of mucus) into the bacterial cell wall, enabling proliferation. Our results demonstrate that symbionts undergo dramatic local adaptation, demonstrated by widespread transcriptional changes, throughout the process of transmission that allows them to thrive while they encounter new environments which further shape their ecology and evolution.
Illuminating Anaerobic Microbial Community and Cooccurrence Patterns across a Quality Gradient in Chinese Liquor Fermentation Pit Muds
Authors: Hu Xiaolong , Du Hai , Ren Cong , Xu Yan
Published: February 2016

Fermentation pit mud, an important reservoir of diverse anaerobic microorganisms, is essential for Chinese strong-aroma liquor production. Pit mud quality, according to its sensory characteristics, can be divided into three grades: degraded, normal, and high quality. However, the relationship between pit mud microbial community and pit mud quality is poorly understood, as are microbial associations within the pit mud ecosystem. Here, microbial communities at these grades were compared using Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the variable region V4 of the 16S rRNA gene. Our results revealed that the pit mud microbial community was correlated with its quality and environmental factors. Species richness, biodiversity, and relative and/or absolute abundances ofClostridia,Clostridium kluyveri,Bacteroidia, andMethanobacteriasignificantly increased, with corresponding increases in levels of pH, NH4+, and available phosphorus, from degraded to high-quality pit muds, while levels ofLactobacillus, dissolved organic carbon, and lactate significantly decreased, with normal samples in between. Furthermore, 271 pairs of significant and robust correlations (cooccurrence and negative) were identified from 76 genera using network analysis. Thirteen hubs of cooccurrence patterns, mainly under theClostridia,Bacteroidia,Methanobacteria, andMethanomicrobia, may play important roles in pit mud ecosystem stability, which may be destroyed with rapidly increased levels of lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus,Pediococcus, andStreptococcus). This study may help clarify the relationships among microbial community, environmental conditions, and pit mud quality, allow the improvement of pit mud quality by using bioaugmentation and controlling environmental factors, and shed more light on the ecological rules guiding community assembly in pit mud.
Cell Culture Isolation of Piscine Nodavirus (Betanodavirus) in Fish-Rearing Seawater
Authors: Nishi Shinnosuke , Yamashita Hirofumi , Kawato Yasuhiko , Nakai Toshihiro
Published: February 2016

Piscine nodavirus (betanodavirus) is the causative agent of viral nervous necrosis (VNN) in a variety of cultured fish species, particularly marine fish. In the present study, we developed a sensitive method for cell culture isolation of the virus from seawater and applied the method to a spontaneous fish-rearing environment. The virus in seawater was concentrated by an iron-based flocculation method and subjected to isolation with E-11 cells. A real-time reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) assay was used to quantify the virus in water. After spiking into seawater was performed, a betanodavirus strain (redspotted grouper nervous necrosis virus [RGNNV] genotype) was effectively recovered in the E-11 cells at a detection limit of approximately 10
5
copies (equivalent to 10
2
50% tissue culture infective doses [TCID
50
])/liter seawater. In an experimental infection of juvenile sevenband grouper (
Epinephelus septemfasciatus
) with the virus, the virus was isolated from the drainage of a fish-rearing tank when the virus level in water was at least approximately 10
5
copies/liter. The application of this method to sevenband grouper-rearing floating net pens, where VNN prevailed, resulted in the successful isolation of the virus from seawater. No differences were found in the partial sequences of the coat protein gene (
RNA2
) between the clinical virus isolates of dead fish and the cell-cultured virus isolates from seawater, and the viruses were identified as RGNNV. The infection experiment showed that the virus isolates from seawater were virulent to sevenband grouper. These results showed direct evidence of the horizontal transmission of betanodavirus via rearing water in marine aquaculture.
Dominant Tree Species and Soil Type Affect the Fungal Community Structure in a Boreal Peatland Forest
Authors: Sun Hui , Terhonen Eeva , Kovalchuk Andriy , Tuovila Hanna , Chen Hongxin , Oghenekaro Abbot O. , Heinonsalo Jussi , Kohler Annegret , Kasanen Risto , Vasander Harri , Asiegbu Fred O.
Published: February 2016

Boreal peatlands play a crucial role in global carbon cycling, acting as an important carbon reservoir. However, little information is available on how peatland microbial communities are influenced by natural variability or human-induced disturbances. In this study, we have investigated the fungal diversity and community structure of both the organic soil layer and buried wood in boreal forest soils using high-throughput sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. We have also compared the fungal communities during the primary colonization of wood with those of the surrounding soils. A permutational multivariate analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) confirmed that the community composition significantly differed between soil types (
P
< 0.001) and tree species (
P
< 0.001). The distance-based linear models analysis showed that environmental variables were significantly correlated with community structure (
P
< 0.04). The availability of soil nutrients (Ca [
P
= 0.002], Fe [
P
= 0.003], and P [
P
= 0.003]) within the site was an important factor in the fungal community composition. The species richness in wood was significantly lower than in the corresponding soil (
P
< 0.004). The results of the molecular identification were supplemented by fruiting body surveys. Seven of the genera of
Agaricomycotina
identified in our surveys were among the top 20 genera observed in pyrosequencing data. Our study is the first, to our knowledge, fungal high-throughput next-generation sequencing study performed on peatlands; it further provides a baseline for the investigation of the dynamics of the fungal community in the boreal peatlands.
Diversity, Productivity, and Stability of an Industrial Microbial Ecosystem
Authors: Beyter Doruk , Tang Pei-Zhong , Becker Scott , Hoang Tony , Bilgin Damla , Lim Yan Wei , Peterson Todd C. , Mayfield Stephen , Haerizadeh Farzad , Shurin Jonathan B. , Bafna Vineet , McBride Robert
Published: February 2016

Managing ecosystems to maintain biodiversity may be one approach to ensuring their dynamic stability, productivity, and delivery of vital services. The applicability of this approach to industrial ecosystems that harness the metabolic activities of microbes has been proposed but has never been tested at relevant scales. We used a tag-sequencing approach with bacterial small subunit rRNA (16S) genes and eukaryotic internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2) to measuring the taxonomic composition and diversity of bacteria and eukaryotes in an open pond managed for bioenergy production by microalgae over a year. Periods of high eukaryotic diversity were associated with high and more-stable biomass productivity. In addition, bacterial diversity and eukaryotic diversity were inversely correlated over time, possibly due to their opposite responses to temperature. The results indicate that maintaining diverse communities may be essential to engineering stable and productive bioenergy ecosystems using microorganisms.
Lactococcus lactis LMG2081 Produces Two Bacteriocins, a Nonlantibiotic and a Novel Lantibiotic
Authors: Mirkovic Nemanja , Polovic Natalija , Vukotic Goran , Jovcic Branko , Miljkovic Marija , Radulovic Zorica , Diep Dzung B. , Kojic Milan
Published: February 2016

Bacteriocin producers normally possess dedicated immunity systems to protect themselves from their own bacteriocins.
Lactococcus lactis
strains LMG2081 and BGBM50 are known as lactococcin G producers. However, BGBM50 was sensitive to LMG2081, which indicated that LMG2081 might produce additional bacteriocins that are not present in BGBM50. Therefore, whole-genome sequencing of the two strains was performed, and a lantibiotic operon (called
lctLMG
) was identified in LMG2081 but not in BGBM50. The
lctLMG
operon contains six open reading frames; the first three genes,
lmgA
,
lmgM
, and
lmgT
, are involved in the biosynthesis and export of bacteriocin, while the other three genes,
lmgF
,
lmgE
, and
lmgG
, are involved in lantibiotic immunity. Mutational analysis confirmed that the
lctLMG
operon is responsible for the additional antimicrobial activity. Specifically, site-directed mutation within this operon rendered LMG2081 inactive toward BGBM50. Subsequent purification and electrospray ionization–time of flight mass spectrometric analysis confirmed that the lantibiotic bacteriocin called lacticin LMG is exported as a 25-amino-acid peptide. Lacticin LMG is highly similar to the lacticin 481 group. It is interesting that a bacteriocin producer produces two different classes of bacteriocins, whose operons are located in the chromosome and a plasmid.
Electroacupuncture Improves Memory and Protects Neurons by Regulation of the Autophagy Pathway in a Rat Model of Alzheimer—s Disease
Authors: Guo Hai-dong , Zhu Jing , Tian Jin-xin , Shao Shui-jin , Xu Yan-wu , Mou Fang-fang , Han Xiao-jing , Yu Zhi-hua , Chen Jiu-lin , Zhang Da-yong , Zhang Li-sheng , Cui Guo-hong
Published: February 2016

Background

Acupuncture is a potential therapy for Alzheimer's disease (AD), but its clinical effects and underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. Emerging evidence suggests autophagy is involved in β-amyloid (Aβ) clearance. We hypothesised that electroacupuncture (EA) treatment of AD involves the autophagy pathway in rats.

Methods

We injected 2μl Aβ1–40 bilaterally into the hippocampi of 42 rats to establish AD. Rats remained untreated (AD group, n=14) or received 24 EA treatments at GV20+BL23 over 28 days from day 7 post-injection with/without co-treatment with 3-methyladenine (3-MA), an autophagy inhibitor (AD+EA+3-MA and AD+EA groups, respectively, n=14 each). Cognitive function was evaluated by Morris water maze (MWM) testing. Hippocampi were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and stained with haematoxylin and eosin/transferase dUTP nick end labelling (TUNEL) to assess neuronal morphology/apoptosis, respectively. Protein expression of Beclin-1, LC3 and Aβ1-40 was examined.

Results

In the MWM test, the AD+EA group showed an improvement in parameters consistent with improved learning/memory compared to untreated AD rats, and 3-MA attenuated these effects. EA mitigated cellular apoptosis resulting from Aβ infusion in the CA1 region and enhanced LC3II/LC3I ratios and Beclin-1 expression. Numerous autophagosome precursors and enlarged autophagosomes were observed by TEM in the hippocampi of EA-treated rats. Reduced Aβ levels, and co-localisation of Aβ and LC3II, were observed following EA treatment by immunofluorescence staining. EA+3-MA treated rats had much higher TUNEL-positive neurons, lower LC3II/LC3I ratios and Beclin-1 expression, and elevated Aβ levels compared with EA alone.

Conclusions

EA reduces neuronal apoptosis, enhances degradation of Aβ, and improves learning/memory in AD rats by upregulating the autophagy pathway.
Visceral leishmaniasis: a forgotten epidemic
Authors: Zijlstra Eduard E
Published: February 2016

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL or kala-azar) is most endemic in Asia and Africa and commonly affects young children. It is usually caused byLeishmania donovaniorLeishmania infantumthat are transmitted by Phlebotomine sand flies. Transmission may be anthroponotic or zoonotic or both, depending on the endemic area. Clinical features include fever, hepatosplenomegaly, weight loss and pancytopenia. Younger age, malnutrition and immunosuppression (HIV infection, use of immunosuppressive drugs) are risk factors. Many infections remain asymptomatic. Diagnosis is made by demonstration of theLeishmaniaparasite in aspirates of lymph node, bone marrow or spleen. Serological tests such as rK39 strip test are widely used but the sensitivity varies. qPCR is useful to detect low numbers of parasites and to monitor treatment. Treatment is with AmBisome monotherapy in most areas but with drug combinations elsewhere. HIV co-infected patients are most difficult to treat and often relapse. Control efforts focus on case finding, availability of diagnostic tools, reservoir control and protection from sand flies (insecticides, bed nets). There is no human vaccine.