bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Anopheles gambiae transcriptome – a turning point for malaria control
Authors: Domingos A. , Pinheiro‐Silva R. , Couto J. , do Rosário V. , de la Fuente J.
Published: January 2017

Mosquitoes are important vectors of several pathogens and thereby contribute to the spread of diseases, with social, economic and public health impacts. Amongst the approximately 450 species of Anopheles, about 60 are recognized as vectors of human malaria, the most important parasitic disease. In Africa, Anopheles gambiae is the main malaria vector mosquito. Current malaria control strategies are largely focused on drugs and vector control measures such as insecticides and bed‐nets. Improvement of current, and the development of new, mosquito‐targeted malaria control methods rely on a better understanding of mosquito vector biology. An organism's transcriptome is a reflection of its physiological state and transcriptomic analyses of different conditions that are relevant to mosquito vector competence can therefore yield important information. Transcriptomic analyses have contributed significant information on processes such as blood‐feeding parasite–vector interaction, insecticide resistance, and tissue‐ and stage‐specific gene regulation, thereby facilitating the path towards the development of new malaria control methods. Here, we discuss the main applications of transcriptomic analyses in An. gambiae that have led to a better understanding of mosquito vector competence.
The Association between Diffusion MRI‐Defined Infarct Volume and NIHSS Score in Patients with Minor Acute Stroke
Authors: Yaghi Shadi , Herber Charlotte , Boehme Amelia K. , Andrews Howard , Willey Joshua Z. , Rostanski Sara K. , Siket Matthew , Jayaraman Mahesh V. , McTaggart Ryan A. , Furie Karen L. , Marshall Randolph S. , Lazar Ronald M. , Boden‐Albala Bernadette
Published: January 2017

BACKGROUND

Prior studies have shown a correlation between the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and stroke volume on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI); data are more limited in patients with minor stroke. We sought to determine the association between DWI lesion(s) volume and the (1) total NIHSS score and (2) NIHSS component scores in patients with minor stroke.

METHODS

We included all patients with minor stroke (NIHSS 0–5) enrolled in the Stroke Warning Information and Faster Treatment study. We calculated lesion(s) volume (cm3) on the DWI sequence using Medical Image Processing, Analysis, and Visualization (MIPAV, NIH, Version 7.1.1). We used nonparametric tests to study the association between the primary outcome, DWI lesion(s) volume, and the predictors (NIHSS score and its components).

RESULTS

We identified 894 patients with a discharge diagnosis of minor stroke; 709 underwent magnetic resonance imaging and 510 were DWI positive. There was a graded relationship between the NIHSS score and median DWI lesion volume in cm3: (NIHSS 0: 7.1, NIHSS 1: 8.0, NIHSS 2: 17.1, NIHSS 3: 11.6, NIHSS 4: 19.0, and NIHSS 5: 23.6, P < .01). The median lesion volume was significantly higher in patients with neglect (105.6 vs. 12.5, P = .025), language disorder (34.6 vs. 11.9, P < .001), and visual field impairment (185.6 vs. 11.6, P < .001). Other components of the NIHSS were not associated with lesion volume.

CONCLUSION

In patients with minor stroke, the nature of deficit when used with the NIHSS score can improve prediction of infarct volume. This may have clinical and therapeutic implications.
Potential value of the common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) as an animal feedstuff: a review
Authors: Huang Y. F. , Gao X. L. , Nan Z. B. , Zhang Z. X.
Published: January 2017

The objective of this review was to systematically evaluate common vetch seeds as a potential feedstuff for animals, by summarizing and discussing the available published literature covering their nutritional composition as well as their content of antinutritional factors and potential techniques for their reduction. In addition, animal feeding studies that have investigated the effect of inclusion of common vetch seeds on animal growth and performance were identified and evaluated to stimulate interest in their use as a good source of nutrients for inclusion in animal diets. The collective literature shows that common vetch seeds are a less costly (in comparison with alternatives) and rich source of protein and minerals for farmed animals, are of high digestibility and have a high energy content, and can be used to partially or totally replace soya bean meal and/or to replace a large proportion of cereals in the diet. Furthermore, the literature shows that common vetch seeds contain a range of antinutritional factors which, if they are to be utilized in non‐ruminant diets and to increase their utilizing efficiency, need to be removed or inactivated. This can be achieved via certain pre‐processing methods, the combination of which may deliver better results.
Effect of gender and exercise on haematological and biochemical parameters in Holsteiner horses
Authors: Andriichuk A. , Tkachenko H.
Published: January 2017

The objective of this study was to assess the influence of exercise of average intensity in the haematological and biochemical values, as well as acidic resistance of erythrocytes in mares and stallions of Holsteiner breed. A total of seventeen horses of Holstein breed (seven mares and 10 stallions aged 6 years) were used in this study. The blood samples were assessed for haematocrit (HCT) value, haemoglobin concentration (HGB), the amount of red blood cells (RBC), white blood cells (WBC), platelets (PLT), leucogram, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration (MCHC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH), red cell distribution width (RDW) and platelet distribution width (PDW). Serum concentrations of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) as well as oxidative stress biomarkers were analysed. Stallions showed a significant increase in leucocytes and granulocytes amount, as well as erythrocytes, haemoglobin and haematocrit levels after exercise test. Pre‐exercise level of mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration was higher in stallions. At the same time, mares showed significant decrease in platelet volume after exercise test. Physical effort in stallions leads to significant increase in aspartate aminotransferase activity. Trained mares and stallions showed a decrease in lipid peroxidation after exercise. Exercise also caused increase in oxidative modified protein of erythrocytes in stallions indicating by exercise‐induced oxidative stress. The resistance of erythrocytes in 0.1 m HCl was similar between females and males. No statistically significant differences in the percentage of haemolysed erythrocytes before and after exercise were observed.
mRECIST to predict survival in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma: Analysis of two randomised phase II trials comparing nintedanib vs sorafenib
Authors: Meyer Tim , Palmer Daniel H. , Cheng Ann‐Lii , Hocke Julia , Loembé Arsène‐Bienvenu , Yen Chia‐Jui
Published: January 2017

Background & Aims

Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) has been shown to be a poor surrogate for survival benefit with targeted therapy in advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods

We investigated whether response evaluated using modified RECIST (mRECIST) predicted overall survival (OS) using data from two Phase II clinical trials. Analyses were conducted on pooled data from 188 patients with advanced HCC treated with nintedanib or sorafenib, of whom 180 were evaluable for response. Cox regression and Kaplan‐Meier survival analyses were used to explore differences in OS between the responders and non‐responders according to RECIST 1.0 and mRECIST criteria. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models, including factors known to influence survival, were used to compare survival according to RECIST and mRECIST response.

Results

Discordance between RECIST and mRECIST evaluation was most common for assessment of partial response (12.2%) and stable disease (13.3%). OS was significantly longer in patients with response compared to patients without response—RECIST: hazard ratio (HR) 0.325 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.130‐0.815), P=.0122; mRECIST: HR 0.544 (95% CI 0.335‐0.881), P=.0122. HRs from the multivariate models used to evaluate response by RECIST or by mRECIST as predictors of OS approached significance for RECIST (0.40 [95% CI 0.16–1.01]; P=.053) and for mRECIST (0.62 [95% CI 0.38–1.01]; P=.053).

Conclusions

Response according to RECIST or mRECIST is associated with improved survival and should be considered as a valid endpoint for use in HCC clinical trials.
Performance of magnetic resonance imaging in pulmonary fungal disease compared to high‐resolution computed tomography
Authors: Sartori Ana , Souza Arthur , Zanon Matheus , Irion Klaus , Marchiori Edson , Watte Guilherme , Hochhegger Bruno
Published: January 2017

To evaluate the performance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) compared to computed tomography (CT) in patients diagnosed with pulmonary mycosis. We prospectively included 21 patients diagnosed with pulmonary mycosis between January 2013 and October 2014. Inclusion criteria were presence of respiratory symptoms, histopathological diagnosis of mycosis and absence of mycosis treatment. Reviewers identified one predominant imaging pattern per patient: nodular, reticular or airspace pattern. Afterwards, all CT findings were analysed separately per lobe and compared to MRI. Nodular pattern was the most common found (CT: 76.20%; MRI: 80.96%), followed by airspace pattern (CT and MRI: 9.52%) and reticular (CT: 9.52%; MRI: 4.76%). Compared to CT, MRI performance varied according to radiological finding and pulmonary region. For nodules, MRI presented high sensitivity (100% [95% CI: 93.52‐100]) and specificity (100% [95% CI: 92.00‐100]). For bronchiectasis and septal thickening, there were poorer positive predictive values (33.33% [95% CI: 1.77‐87.47]; and 83.33% [95% CI: 50.88‐97.06] respectively). As specificity and negative predictive value had superior results than sensitivity and positive predictive value, rather than for diagnosis of this condition, MRI might be more considered for the follow‐up of patients with pulmonary mycosis, an alternative to multiple radiation exposures with CT follow‐up.
Upward Grounding
Authors: Dixon T. Scott
Published: January 2017

Realists about universals face a question about grounding. Are things how they are because they instantiate the universals they do? Or do they instantiate those universals because they are how they are? Take Ebenezer Scrooge. You can say that (i) Scrooge is greedy because he instantiates greediness, or you can say that (ii) Scrooge instantiates greediness because he is greedy. I argue that there is reason to prefer the latter to the former. I develop two arguments for the view. I also respond to some concerns one might have about the view defended. I close by showing that analogous views regarding the truth of propositions (that if the proposition thatpis true, then it is true becausep) and the existence of facts (that if the fact thatpexists, then it exists becausep) are supported by analogs of one of these arguments.
Dose rates of antimicrobial substances in boar semen preservation—time to establish new protocols
Authors: Schulze M , Grobbel M , Riesenbeck A , Brüning S , Schaefer J , Jung M , Grossfeld R
Published: January 2017

Contents

To achieve a standardized number of spermatozoa in the final AI dose, varying amounts of extender fluid with a fixed concentration of antimicrobial substances are currently added to boar ejaculates. This practice ignores the different degrees of dilution of the antimicrobials in the end product. In calculating the final concentration of gentamicin in AI doses from 27,538 processed boar ejaculates, we demonstrated varying gentamicin concentrations in the resultant extended boar semen samples. The median concentration was 220.37 mg/L. In 25 of the samples (0.09%), the gentamicin concentration fell below 5 mg/L, which is close to or below the epidemiological cut‐off value for many bacteria. We calculated the minimum inhibitory concentration of gentamicin for bacteria isolated from raw and extended ejaculates. Five of the isolates from extended ejaculates exceeded the maximum test concentration of 512 mg/L. As a result, we are presenting an alternative method of boar semen preservation whereby a particular combination of gentamicin concentrate and antibiotic‐free extender is incorporated that standardizes the antibiotic concentration in the diluted semen. The addition of standardized antibiotic concentrations did not negatively affect sperm quality when compared to the use of ready‐to‐use extenders. In conclusion, an end volume‐based and standardized addition of gentamicin to boar ejaculates can be a helpful alternative to prevent insufficient dosage of antibiotics in liquid preserved boar semen without affecting semen quality.
Dialysate Sodium: Rationale for Evolution over Time
Authors: Flythe Jennifer E. , Mc Causland Finnian R.
Published: January 2017

Oligo‐anuric individuals receiving hemodialysis (HD) are dependent on the dialysis machine to regulate sodium and water balance. Interest in adjusting the dialysate sodium concentration to promote tolerance of the HD procedure dates back to the early years of dialysis therapy. Evolution of dialysis equipment technologies and clinical characteristics of the dialysis population have prompted clinicians to increase the dialysate sodium concentration over time. Higher dialysate sodium concentrations generally promote hemodynamic stabilization and reduce intradialytic symptoms but often do so at the expense of stimulating thirst and promoting volume expansion. The opposite may be true for lower dialysate sodium concentrations. Observational data suggest that the association between dialysate sodium and outcomes may differ by serum sodium levels, supporting the trend toward individualization of the dialysate sodium prescription. However, lack of randomized controlled clinical trial data, along with operational safety concerns related to individualized dialysate sodium prescriptions, have prevented expert consensus regarding the optimal approach to the dialysate sodium prescription.
A new subgenus and two new species of the oribatid mite genus Eurhynchoribates (Acari, Oribatida, Rhynchoribatidae) from the Philippines
Authors: Miko Ladislav , Ermilov Sergey G. , Corpuz-Raros Leonila
Published: January 2017

The oribatid mite genus Eurhynchoribates (Oribatida, Rhynchoribatidae) is recorded in the Philippines for the first time. Two new species are described from litter and soil of secondary forests. Eurhynchoribates samarensis sp. nov. differs from all species of the genus by the presence of 14 pairs of notogastral setae, and is designated as type species of the new subgenus Orinchobates subgen. nov. Eurhynchoribates (Eurhynchoribates) misamisensis sp. nov. is morphologically similar to E. (Eurhynchoribates) obtusus (Mahunka, 1985), but differs by the smaller body size, rostral setae clearly longer than lamellar setae, all barbed, and the presence of two transverse ridges between antero-lateral concavities on the prodorsum. The inclusion of Eurhynchoribates orientalis (Balogh, 1970) in the subgenus Orinchobates is proposed.
Sublethal effects of bifenazate on life history and population parameters of Tetranychus urticae (Acari: Tetranychidae)
Authors: Li Ya Ying , Fan Xiao , Zhang Guo Hao , LIU YI QING , CHEN HAN QIU , LIU HUAI , WANG JIN JUN
Published: January 2017

Traditional estimating only by measuring the lethal effect of acaricides may underestimate the total effects of acaricides on the pest mites. In order to investigate the sublethal effect of bifenazate on life history and population parameters of the two-spotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, the newly emerged females were treated with two lethal concentrations of bifenazate: LC10 (4.92 μg/mL) and LC20 (8.77 μg/mL). Subsequently, the development and fecundity of the progeny generations were observed. Compared to the control, exposure to the 10% lethal concentrations (LC10) and LC20 of bifenazate severely affected the parental generation of T. urticae, including survival rate (reduced 9% and 13%), oviposition period (reduced 77.6% and 83.1%), fecundity per female (decreased 89.2% and 76.9%) and longevity (decreased 79.2% and 83.1%). Besides, the population parameters of the progeny generation from the treated females were also investigated. The results showed that the progeny generation had lower intrinsic rate of increase (rm) and finite rate of increase (λ), longer mean generation time (Tc) compared to the control. The results suggested that the sublethal effects of bifenazate on population growth of T. urticae were significant, and the results of this study could be used as a guide for the rational use of bifenazate in the field for better managing pest mites.
The irreversible momentum of clean energy
Authors: Obama Barack
Published: January 2017

Private-sector efforts help drive decoupling of emissions and economic growth
Assignment of Opsonic Values to Pneumococcal Reference Serum 007sp for Use in Opsonophagocytic Assays for 13 Serotypes
Authors: Burton R. L. , Antonello J. , Cooper D. , Goldblatt D. , Kim K. H. , Plikaytis B. D. , Roalfe L. , Wauters D. , Williams F. , Xie G. L. , Nahm M. H. , Akkoyunlu M.
Published: January 2017

Opsonophagocytic assays (OPAs) are routinely used for assessing the immunogenicity of pneumococcal vaccines, with OPA data often being utilized for licensure of new vaccine formulations. However, no reference serum for pneumococcal OPAs is available, making evaluation of data among different laboratories difficult. This international collaboration was initiated to (i) assign consensus opsonic indexes (OIs) to FDA pneumococcal reference serum lot 007sp (here referred to as 007sp) and a panel of serum samples used for calibration of the OPA and (ii) determine if the normalization of the OPA results obtained with test samples to those obtained with 007sp decreases the variability in OPA results among laboratories. To meet these goals, six participating laboratories tested a panel of serum samples in five runs for 13 serotypes. For each serum sample, consensus OIs were obtained using a mixed-effects analysis of variance model. For the calibration serum samples, normalized consensus values were also determined on the basis of the results obtained with 007sp. For each serotype, the overall reduction in interlaboratory variability was calculated by comparing the coefficients of variation of the unadjusted and the normalized values. Normalization of the results substantially reduced the interlaboratory variability, ranging from a 15% reduction in variability for serotype 9V to a 64% reduction for serotype 7F. Normalization also increased the proportion of data within 2-fold of the consensus value from approximately 70% (average for all serotypes) to >90%. On the basis of the data obtained in this study, pneumococcal reference standard lot 007sp will likely be a useful reagent for the normalization of pneumococcal OPA results from different laboratories. The data also support the use of the 16 FDA serum samples used for calibration of the OPA as part of the initial evaluation of new assays or periodic assessment of established assays.
Mechanism of Protein Kinase R Inhibition by Human Cytomegalovirus pTRS1
Authors: Vincent Heather A. , Ziehr Benjamin , Moorman Nathaniel J.
Published: January 2017

Double-stranded RNAs (dsRNA) produced during human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection activate the antiviral kinase protein kinase R (PKR), which potently inhibits virus replication. The HCMV pTRS1 and pIRS1 proteins antagonize PKR to promote HCMV protein synthesis and replication; however, the mechanism by which pTRS1 inhibits PKR is unclear. PKR activation occurs in a three-step cascade. First, binding to dsRNA triggers PKR homodimerizaton. PKR dimers then autophosphorylate, leading to a conformational shift that exposes the binding site for the PKR substrate eIF2α. Consistent with previous
in vitro
studies, we found that pTRS1 bound and inhibited PKR. pTRS1 binding to PKR was not mediated by an RNA intermediate, and mutations in the pTRS1 RNA binding domain did not affect PKR binding or inhibition. Rather, mutations that disrupted the pTRS1 interaction with PKR ablated the ability of pTRS1 to antagonize PKR activation by dsRNA. pTRS1 did not block PKR dimerization and could bind and inhibit a constitutively dimerized PKR kinase domain. In addition, pTRS1 binding to PKR inhibited PKR kinase activity. Single amino acid point mutations in the conserved eIF2α binding domain of PKR disrupted pTRS1 binding and rendered PKR resistant to inhibition by pTRS1. Consistent with a critical role for the conserved eIF2α contact site in PKR binding, pTRS1 bound an additional eIF2α kinase, heme-regulated inhibitor (HRI), and inhibited eIF2α phosphorylation in response to an HRI agonist. Together our data suggest that pTRS1 inhibits PKR by binding to conserved amino acids in the PKR eIF2α binding site and blocking PKR kinase activity.

IMPORTANCE
The antiviral kinase PKR plays a critical role in controlling HCMV replication. This study furthered our understanding of how HCMV evades inhibition by PKR and identified new strategies for how PKR activity might be restored during infection to limit HCMV disease.
Thymidine Kinase-Negative Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Can Efficiently Establish Persistent Infection in Neural Tissues of Nude Mice
Authors: Huang Chih-Yu , Yao Hui-Wen , Wang Li-Chiu , Shen Fang-Hsiu , Hsu Sheng-Min , Chen Shun-Hua
Published: January 2017

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) establishes latency in neural tissues of immunocompetent mice but persists in both peripheral and neural tissues of lymphocyte-deficient mice. Thymidine kinase (TK) is believed to be essential for HSV-1 to persist in neural tissues of immunocompromised mice, because infectious virus of a mutant with defects in both TK and UL24 is detected only in peripheral tissues, but not in neural tissues, of severe combined immunodeficiency mice (T. Valyi-Nagy, R. M. Gesser, B. Raengsakulrach, S. L. Deshmane, B. P. Randazzo, A. J. Dillner, and N. W. Fraser, Virology 199:484–490, 1994,https://doi.org/10.1006/viro.1994.1150). Here we find infiltration of CD4 and CD8 T cells in peripheral and neural tissues of mice infected with a TK-negative mutant. We therefore investigated the significance of viral TK and host T cells for HSV-1 to persist in neural tissues using three genetically engineered mutants with defects in only TK or in both TK and UL24 and two strains of nude mice. Surprisingly, all three mutants establish persistent infection in up to 100% of brain stems and 93% of trigeminal ganglia of adult nude mice at 28 days postinfection, as measured by the recovery of infectious virus. Thus, in mouse neural tissues, host T cells block persistent HSV-1 infection, and viral TK is dispensable for the virus to establish persistent infection. Furthermore, we found 30- to 200-fold more virus in neural tissues than in the eye and detected glycoprotein C, a true late viral antigen, in brainstem neurons of nude mice persistently infected with the TK-negative mutant, suggesting that adult mouse neurons can support the replication of TK-negative HSV-1.

IMPORTANCEAcyclovir is used to treat herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1)-infected immunocompromised patients, but treatment is hindered by the emergence of drug-resistant viruses, mostly those with mutations in viral thymidine kinase (TK), which activates acyclovir. TK mutants are detected in brains of immunocompromised patients with persistent infection. However, answers to the questions as to whether TK-negative (TK−) HSV-1 can establish persistent infection in brains of immunocompromised hosts and whether neuronsin vivoare permissive for TK−HSV-1 remain elusive. Using three genetically engineered HSV-1 TK−mutants and two strains of nude mice deficient in T cells, we found that all three HSV-1 TK−mutants can efficiently establish persistent infection in the brain stem and trigeminal ganglion and detected glycoprotein C, a true late viral antigen, in brainstem neurons. Our study provides evidence that TK−HSV-1 can persist in neural tissues and replicate in brain neurons of immunocompromised hosts.
Within-Host Evolution of Simian Arteriviruses in Crab-Eating Macaques
Authors: Moncla Louise H. , Weiler Andrea M. , Barry Gabrielle , Weinfurter Jason T. , Dinis Jorge M. , Charlier Olivia , Lauck Michael , Bailey Adam L. , Wahl-Jensen Victoria , Nelson Chase W. , Johnson Joshua C. , Caì Yíngyún , Goldberg Tony L. , O'Connor David H. , Jahrling Peter B. , Kuhn Jens H. , Friedrich Thomas C.
Published: January 2017

Simian arteriviruses are a diverse clade of viruses infecting captive and wild nonhuman primates. We recently reported that Kibale red colobus virus 1 (KRCV-1) causes a mild and self-limiting disease in experimentally infected crab-eating macaques, while simian hemorrhagic fever virus (SHFV) causes lethal viral hemorrhagic fever. Here we characterize how these viruses evolved during replication in cell culture and in experimentally infected macaques. During passage in cell culture, 68 substitutions that were localized in open reading frames (ORFs) likely associated with host cell entry and exit became fixed in the KRCV-1 genome. However, we did not detect any strong signatures of selection during replication in macaques. We uncovered patterns of evolution that were distinct from those observed in surveys of wild red colobus monkeys, suggesting that these species may exert different adaptive challenges for KRCV-1. During SHFV infection, we detected signatures of selection on ORF 5a and on a small subset of sites in the genome. Overall, our data suggest that patterns of evolution differ markedly among simian arteriviruses and among host species.

IMPORTANCE
Certain RNA viruses can cross species barriers and cause disease in new hosts. Simian arteriviruses are a diverse group of related viruses that infect captive and wild nonhuman primates, with associated disease severity ranging from apparently asymptomatic infections to severe, viral hemorrhagic fevers. We infected nonhuman primate cell cultures and then crab-eating macaques with either simian hemorrhagic fever virus (SHFV) or Kibale red colobus virus 1 (KRCV-1) and assessed within-host viral evolution. We found that KRCV-1 quickly acquired a large number of substitutions in its genome during replication in cell culture but that evolution in macaques was limited. In contrast, we detected selection focused on SHFV ORFs 5a and 5, which encode putative membrane proteins. These patterns suggest that in addition to diverse pathogenic phenotypes, these viruses may also exhibit distinct patterns of within-host evolution both
in vitro
and
in vivo
.
Short-term treatment with oral amiodarone resulting in bilateral optic neuropathy and permanent blindness
Authors: Knudsen Arnon
Published: January 2017

A 66-year-old man was hospitalised due to worsening of his atrial fibrillation, and successfully underwent an electrocardioversion to restore sinus rhythm. He was discharged with a prescription of 600 mg amiodarone daily to retain the sinus rhythm prospectively. 3 weeks after discharge, he noticed that his vision became blurry with cloudy areas spreading throughout his field of view on both eyes simultaneously. The visual symptoms gradually worsened throughout the following 5 months, and the patient was hospitalised in the department of ophthalmology. At this point, his vision had dramatically decreased and visual acuity was measured to 0.05 (1.3 LogMAR) on both eyes. After a thorough medical examination, the patient was diagnosed with an amiodarone-induced toxic optic neuropathy. Regular follow-ups conducted throughout 7 years have shown that the patient's vision has stabilised, but remains limited to the ability of recognising hand motions on both eyes, thus characterising him as blind.
Portomesenteric vein thrombosis after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy for morbid obesity
Authors: Anewenah Leslie S , Asif Mohammed , Francesco Richard , Ramachandra Prashanth
Published: January 2017

Portomesenteric vein thrombosis (PMVT) is a rare, life-threatening pathology associated with increased prevalence in laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) versus other gastric bypass procedures. Gaining popularity, LSG is becoming the first choice of patients and physicians alike due to its low complication profile compared to the gastric bypass procedure. We present the case of a 34-year-old woman who underwent an uncomplicated LSG for the treatment of morbid obesity, and presented on postoperative day 13 with PMVT. The patient underwent mechanical thrombectomy and thrombolytic therapy. After 2 days, patency was restored and the patient was discharged in stable condition. A high index of suspicion for PMVT should be considered in patients reporting diffuse abdominal pain after LSG. Owing to its lethality, upon confirmation of PMVT, therapy should begin immediately along with extended anticoagulation therapy on discharge.
Association between Maternal Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) and abortion in Iranian women and validation of DII with serum concentration of inflammatory factors: case-control study
Authors: Vahid Farhad , Shivappa Nitin , Hekmatdoost Azita , Hebert James R. , Davoodi Sayed Hossein , Sadeghi Mohammadreza
Published: January 2017

Previous studies have shown that some dietary components may be implicated in the etiology of spontaneous abortion. However, the possible relationship between diet-related inflammation and the risk of abortion has not yet been investigated. We examined the ability of the literature-derived Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) to predict the abortion incidence in women suffering from recurrent abortion in a case-control study conducted from April 2010 to March 2011. This included 67 incident cases and 68 controls (frequency matched to cases by age) who attended infertility and miscarriage specialized centers in Tehran, Iran. The DII was computed based on dietary intake assessed using a validated and reproducible 168 item food-frequency questionnaire. Logistic regression models were used to estimate multivariable ORs adjusted for age, education, occupation, and body mass index. Subjects with higher DII scores (i.e., a more pro-inflammatory diet) had higher odds of abortion, with the DII being used as a continuous variable (ORcontinuous = 2.12, 95% CI: 1.02–4.43). When analysis was carried out with DII expressed as a dichotomous variable, women in the pro-inflammatory diet group (DII > 1.24) were at 2.12 times higher odds of having abortion compared with women in the referent group (DII ≤ 1.24) (ORDII>1.24/≤1.24 = 2.12; 95% CI: 1.02–4.43). In the same study, for every 1-unit increase in DII, there was a corresponding increase in interleukin-6 by 0.15 pg/mL, 95% CI (<0.01, 0.28). In conclusion, subjects who consumed a more pro-inflammatory diet were at increased odds of abortion compared with those who consumed a more anti-inflammatory diet.
Simulation of diffuse-charge capacitance in electric double layer capacitors
Authors: Sun Ning , Gersappe Dilip
Published: January 2017

We use a Lattice Boltzmann Model (LBM) in order to simulate diffuse-charge dynamics in Electric Double Layer Capacitors (EDLCs). Simulations are carried out for both the charge and the discharge processes on 2D systems of complex random electrode geometries (pure random, random spheres and random fibers). The steric effect of concentrated solutions is considered by using a Modified Poisson–Nernst–Planck (MPNP) equations and compared with regular Poisson–Nernst–Planck (PNP) systems. The effects of electrode microstructures (electrode density, electrode filler morphology, filler size, etc.) on the net charge distribution and charge/discharge time are studied in detail. The influence of applied potential during discharging process is also discussed. Our studies show how electrode morphology can be used to tailor the properties of supercapacitors.
New Product Introduction in Turkish Firms: Insights Across Sectors
Authors: Durst Susanne , Temel Serdal , Hinteregger Christoph , Yesilay Rustem Baris
Published: January 2017

Continued new product introduction (NPI) concerns all companies regardless if they are from advanced economies or emerging ones. Our understanding of NPI in emerging economies is still in the development phase. There is also a lack of studies of variations across sectors relating to determinants of NPI in particular. This study addresses these lacks and, drawing upon a dataset from Turkish companies, it explores whether there are differences regarding influential factors on the introduction of new products or services across sectors. Results reveal major differences with regard to human capital, social capital, and leadership capital.
Virtual Rephotography
Authors: Waechter Michael , Beljan Mate , Fuhrmann Simon , Moehrle Nils , Kopf Johannes , Goesele Michael
Published: January 2017

The ultimate goal of many image-based modeling systems is to render photo-realistic novel views of a scene without visible artifacts. Existing evaluation metrics and benchmarks focus mainly on the geometric accuracy of the reconstructed model, which is, however, a poor predictor of visual accuracy. Furthermore, using only geometric accuracy by itself does not allow evaluating systems that either lack a geometric scene representation or utilize coarse proxy geometry. Examples include a light field and most image-based rendering systems. We propose a unified evaluation approach based on novel view prediction error that is able to analyze the visual quality of
any
method that can render novel views from input images. One key advantage of this approach is that it does not require ground truth geometry. This dramatically simplifies the creation of test datasets and benchmarks. It also allows us to evaluate the quality of an unknown scene during the acquisition and reconstruction process, which is useful for acquisition planning. We evaluate our approach on a range of methods, including standard geometry-plus-texture pipelines as well as image-based rendering techniques, compare it to existing geometry-based benchmarks, demonstrate its utility for a range of use cases, and present a new virtual rephotography-based benchmark for image-based modeling and rendering systems.
Neuroscience in Organizational Behavior
Authors: Waldman David A. , Ward M.K. , Becker William J.
Published: January 2017

In this review, we consider the advent of neuroscience in management and organizational research. We organize our review around two general themes pertaining to how areas of the brain may be relevant to management and organizational behavior. First, intrinsic, at-rest activity in the brain provides trait-like information that can be used to better understand individuals in terms of cognition, emotions, and behaviors. Second, reflexive activity involves an understanding of the brain in terms of its state-like responses to stimuli. In our review, we identify several research challenges and opportunities, such as the need to consider the theoretical basis of neural concepts and measures and the use of team-based neuroscience technologies. In addition, although research in organizational neuroscience is relatively new, some interesting practical implications are raised here. We conclude with a consideration of key limitations, specifically the possibility of excessive reductionism, as well as ethical and professional issues.
The Changing Epidemiology of Autism Spectrum Disorders
Authors: Lyall Kristen , Croen Lisa , Daniels Julie , Fallin M. Daniele , Ladd-Acosta Christine , Lee Brian K. , Park Bo Y. , Snyder Nathaniel W. , Schendel Diana , Volk Heather , Windham Gayle C. , Newschaffer Craig
Published: January 2017

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex neurodevelopmental condition with lifelong impacts. Genetic and environmental factors contribute to ASD etiology, which remains incompletely understood. Research on ASD epidemiology has made significant advances in the past decade. Current prevalence is estimated to be at least 1.5% in developed countries, with recent increases primarily among those without comorbid intellectual disability. Genetic studies have identified a number of rare de novo mutations and gained footing in the areas of polygenic risk, epigenetics, and gene-by-environment interaction. Epidemiologic investigations focused on nongenetic factors have established advanced parental age and preterm birth as ASD risk factors, indicated that prenatal exposure to air pollution and short interpregnancy interval are potential risk factors, and suggested the need for further exploration of certain prenatal nutrients, metabolic conditions, and exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals. We discuss future challenges and goals for ASD epidemiology as well as public health implications.
Obesity in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Burden, Drivers, and Emerging Challenges
Authors: Ford Nicole D. , Patel Shivani A. , Narayan K.M. Venkat
Published: January 2017

We have reviewed the distinctive features of excess weight, its causes, and related prevention and management efforts, as well as data gaps and recommendations for future research in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Obesity is rising in every region of the world, and no country has been successful at reversing the epidemic once it has begun. In LMICs, overweight is higher in women compared with men, in urban compared with rural settings, and in older compared with younger individuals; however, the urban–rural overweight differential is shrinking in many countries. Overweight occurs alongside persistent burdens of underweight in LMICs, especially in young women. Changes in the global diet and physical activity are among the hypothesized leading contributors to obesity. Emerging risk factors include environmental contaminants, chronic psychosocial stress, neuroendocrine dysregulation, and genetic/epigenetic mechanisms. Data on effective strategies to prevent the onset of obesity in LMICs or elsewhere are limited. Expanding the research in this area is a key priority and has important possibilities for reverse innovation that may also inform interventions in high-income countries.
Statistical Issues in Forensic Science
Authors: Stern Hal S.
Published: January 2017

Forensic science refers to the use of scientific methods in a legal context. Several recent events, especially the release in 2009 of the National Research Council (NRC) report Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward, have raised concerns about the methods used to analyze forensic evidence and the ways in which forensic evidence is interpreted and reported on in court. The NRC report identified challenges including the lack of resources in many jurisdictions compared with the amount of evidence requiring processing, the lack of standardization across laboratories and practitioners, and questions about the analysis, interpretation and presentation of evidence. With respect to the last, the NRC report raises questions about the underlying scientific foundation for forensic examinations on some evidence types. Statistics has emerged as a key discipline for helping the forensic science community address these challenges. The standard elements of statistical analysis—study design, data collection, data analysis, statistical inference, and summarizing and reporting inferences—are all relevant. This article reviews the role of forensic evidence, the heterogeneity of forensic domains, current practices and their limitations, and the potential contributions of more rigorous statistical methods, especially Bayesian approaches and the likelihood ratio, in the analysis, interpretation, and reporting of forensic evidence.
Circadian Variation in the Onset of Placental Abruption
Authors: Ohhashi Masanao , Furukawa Seishi , Sameshima Hiroshi
Published: January 2017

Objective. To determine circadian variation in the onset of placental abruption.Methods. A retrospective study involving 115 placental abruptions, divided into four subgroups based on initial symptoms comprising abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, both abdominal pain and bleeding, or other symptoms. The time of the initial symptom was considered the disease onset. We analyzed the frequency of disease onset and adverse perinatal outcome including perinatal death relative to the daily four 6-hour intervals.Results. Abdominal pain displayed significant circadian variation regarding the period of onset with higher levels from 0:00 AM to 6:00 AM (65%) compared with 0:00 PM to 6:00 PM (24%,p<0.01). Vaginal bleeding did not display significant circadian variation (p=0.45). Adverse perinatal outcome showed significant circadian variation with a higher occurrence of perinatal death from 0:00 AM to 6:00 AM (35%) compared with 0:00 PM to 6:00 PM (0%,p<0.01). After adjustment using variables of abdominal pain and time period, both variables significantly affected perinatal death (odds ratio: 13.0 and 2.2, resp.). The risk of adverse perinatal outcome increased significantly when abdominal pain occurred, except for the period 0:00 PM to 6:00 PM (OR, 9.5).Conclusion. Placental abruption beginning with abdominal pain has circadian variation.
QoE-Oriented Mobile Edge Service Management Leveraging SDN and NFV
Authors: Peng Shuping , Fajardo Jose Oscar , Khodashenas Pouria Sayyad , Blanco Begoña , Liberal Fidel , Ruiz Cristina , Turyagyenda Charles , Wilson Mick , Vadgama Sunil
Published: January 2017

5G envisages a “hyperconnected society” where trillions of diverse entities could communicate with each other anywhere and at any time, some of which will demand extremely challenging performance requirements such as submillisecond low latency. Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) concept where application computing resources are deployed at the edge of the mobile network in proximity of an end user is a promising solution to improve quality of online experience. To make MEC more flexible and cost-effective Network Functions Virtualisation (NFV) and Software-Defined Networking (SDN) technologies are widely adopted. It leads to significant CAPEX and OPEX reduction with the help of a joint radio-cloud management and orchestration logic. In this paper we discuss and develop a reference architecture for the orchestration and management of the MEC ecosystem. Along with the lifecycle management flows of MEC services, indicating the interactions among the functional modules inside the Orchestrator and with external elements, QoS management with a focus on the channel state information technique is presented.
Activin A Modulates CRIPTO-1/HNF4α+Cells to Guide Cardiac Differentiation from Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Authors: Duelen Robin , Gilbert Guillaume , Patel Abdulsamie , de Schaetzen Nathalie , De Waele Liesbeth , Roderick Llewelyn , Sipido Karin R. , Verfaillie Catherine M. , Buyse Gunnar M. , Thorrez Lieven , Sampaolesi Maurilio
Published: January 2017

The use of human pluripotent stem cells in basic and translational cardiac research requires efficient differentiation protocols towards cardiomyocytes. In vitro differentiation yields heterogeneous populations of ventricular-, atrial-, and nodal-like cells hindering their potential applications in regenerative therapies. We described the effect of the growth factor Activin A during early human embryonic stem cell fate determination in cardiac differentiation. Addition of high levels of Activin A during embryoid body cardiac differentiation augmented the generation of endoderm derivatives, which in turn promoted cardiomyocyte differentiation. Moreover, a dose-dependent increase in the coreceptor expression of the TGF-βsuperfamily memberCRIPTO-1was observed in response to Activin A. We hypothesized that interactions between cells derived from meso- and endodermal lineages in embryoid bodies contributed to improved cell maturation in early stages of cardiac differentiation, improving the beating frequency and the percentage of contracting embryoid bodies. Activin A did not seem to affect the properties of cardiomyocytes at later stages of differentiation, measuring action potentials, and intracellular Ca2+dynamics. These findings are relevant for improving our understanding on human heart development, and the proposed protocol could be further explored to obtain cardiomyocytes with functional phenotypes, similar to those observed in adult cardiac myocytes.
The Involvement of miR-29b-3p in Arterial Calcification by Targeting Matrix Metalloproteinase-2
Authors: Jiang Wenhong , Zhang Zhanman , Yang Han , Lin Qiuning , Han Chuangye , Qin Xiao
Published: January 2017

Vascular calcification is a risk predictor and common pathological change in cardiovascular diseases that are associated with elastin degradation and phenotypic transformation of vascular smooth muscle cells via gelatinase matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP2). However, the mechanisms involved in this process remain unclear. In this study, we investigated the relationships between miR-29b-3p and MMP2, to confirm miR-29b-3p-mediated MMP2 expression at the posttranscriptional level in arterial calcification. In male Sprague Dawley rats, arterial calcification was induced by subcutaneous injection of a toxic dose of cholecalciferol. In vivo, the quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) showed that MMP2 expression was upregulated in calcified arterial tissues, and miR-29b-3p expression was downregulated. There was a negative correlation between MMP2 mRNA expression and miR-29b-3p levels (P=0.0014,R2=0.481). Western blotting showed that MMP2 expression was significantly increased in rats treated with cholecalciferol. In vitro, overexpression of miR-29b-3p led to decreased MMP2 expression in rat vascular smooth muscle cells, while downregulation of miR-29b-3p expression led to increased MMP2 expression. Moreover, the luciferase reporter assay confirmed that MMP2 is the direct target of miR-29b-3p. Together, our results demonstrated that a role of miR-29b-3p in vascular calcification involves targeting MMP2.
Synthesis and Investigation of Antimicrobial Activity of Cu2O Nanoparticles/Zeolite
Authors: Du Bui Duy , Phu Dang Van , Quoc Le Anh , Hien Nguyen Quoc
Published: January 2017

Cuprous oxide (Cu2O) nanoparticles in zeolite A were synthesized by two steps: (i) ion-exchange of copper ions into the zeolite and (ii) reduction of copper ions in cages of the zeolite by hydrazine hydrate in base medium. The Cu2O nanoparticles/zeolite product was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The particle size of Cu2O nanoparticles was of 40 nm. The antibacterial activity of the as-synthesized Cu2O nanoparticles/zeolite against Escherichia coli was also investigated. Cu2O NPs/zeolite product can be favorably produced on large scale for water treatment and agricultural application as antimicrobial agent.
A Novel Atraumatic Tourniquet Technique for Excessive Bleeding during Cesarean Sections
Authors: Buke Baris , Canverenler Emre , Akkaya Hatice , Akercan Fuat
Published: January 2017

Objective. Controlling excessive bleeding in cesarean sections which may cause a life-threatening event even under well-prepared conditions. We used a novel atraumatic tourniquet technique to temporary arrest blood flow through the uterine and ovarian vessels and compare with other techniques. Toothless vascular clamps were used as clamp. Methods. Tourniquet technique performed postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) cases (19 out of 37) were compared with 18 other cases with PPH. Results. The difference between preoperative and postoperative hemoglobin values was significantly lower in the study group as well as the number of blood products needed during and after surgery. Conclusions. This technique not only prevented massive bleeding from the uterus but also allowed physicians time to consider the necessity of further interventions.