bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A review of glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists and their effects on lowering postprandial plasma glucose and cardiovascular outcomes in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Owens David R. , Monnier Louis , Hanefeld Markolf
Published: May 2017

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) comorbidities, with CV disease being the most common cause of death in adults with T2DM. Although glucocentric therapies may improve glycaemic control (as determined by glycated haemoglobin levels), evidence suggests that this approach alone has limited beneficial effects on CV outcomes relative to improvements in lipid and blood pressure control. This may be explained in part by the fact that current antidiabetic treatment regimens primarily address overall glycaemia and/or fasting plasma glucose, but not the postprandial plasma glucose (PPG) excursions that have a fundamental causative role in increasing CV risk. This literature review evaluates the relationship between PPG and the risk of CV disease, discusses the treatment of T2DM with glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists (GLP‐1 RAs) and examines the associated CV outcomes. The literature analysis suggests that exaggerated PPG excursions are a risk factor for CV disease because of their adverse pathophysiologic effects on the vasculature, resulting in increased all‐cause and CV‐related mortality. Although GLP‐1 RAs are well established in the current T2DM treatment paradigm, a subgroup of these compounds has a particularly pronounced, persistent and short‐lived effect on gastric emptying and, hence, lower PPG substantially. However, current long‐term data on CV outcomes with GLP‐1 RAs are contradictory, with both beneficial and adverse effects having been reported. This review explores the opportunity to direct treatment towards controlling PPG excursions, thereby improving not only overall glycaemic control but also CV outcomes.
Intraperitoneal insulin delivery provides superior glycaemic regulation to subcutaneous insulin delivery in model predictive control‐based fully‐automated artificial pancreas in patients with type 1 diabetes: a pilot study
Authors: Dassau Eyal , Renard Eric , Place Jérôme , Farret Anne , Pelletier Marie‐José , Lee Justin , Huyett Lauren M. , Chakrabarty Ankush , Doyle Francis J. , Zisser Howard C.
Published: May 2017

Aims

To compare intraperitoneal (IP) to subcutaneous (SC) insulin delivery in an artificial pancreas (AP).

Research design and methods

Ten adults with type 1 diabetes participated in a non‐randomized, non‐blinded sequential AP study using the same SC glucose sensing and Zone Model Predictive Control (ZMPC) algorithm adjusted for insulin clearance. On first admission, subjects underwent closed‐loop control with SC delivery of a fast‐acting insulin analogue for 24 hours. Following implantation of a DiaPort IP insulin delivery system, the identical 24‐hour trial was performed with IP regular insulin delivery. The clinical protocol included 3 unannounced meals with 70, 40 and 70 g carbohydrate, respectively. Primary endpoint was time spent with blood glucose (BG) in the range of 80 to 140 mg/dL (4.4‐7.7 mmol/L).

Results

Percent of time spent within the 80 to 140 mg/dL range was significantly higher for IP delivery than for SC delivery: 39.8 ± 7.6 vs 25.6 ± 13.1 (
P
= .03). Mean BG (mg/dL) and percent of time spent within the broader 70 to 180 mg/dL range were also significantly better for IP insulin: 151.0 ± 11.0 vs 190.0 ± 31.0 (
P
= .004) and 65.7 ± 9.2 vs 43.9 ± 14.7 (
P
= .001), respectively. Superiority of glucose control with IP insulin came from the reduced time spent in hyperglycaemia (>180 mg/dL: 32.4 ± 8.9 vs 53.5 ± 17.4,
P
= .014; >250 mg/dL: 5.9 ± 5.6 vs 23.0 ± 11.3,
P
= .0004). Higher daily doses of insulin (IU) were delivered with the IP route (43.7 ± 0.1 vs 32.3 ± 0.1,
P
< .001) with no increased percent time spent <70 mg/dL (IP: 2.5 ± 2.9 vs SC: 4.1 ± 5.3,
P
= .42).

Conclusions

Glycaemic regulation with fully‐automated AP delivering IP insulin was superior to that with SC insulin delivery. This pilot study provides proof‐of‐concept for an AP system combining a ZMPC algorithm with IP insulin delivery.
Relationship between diabetes and ischaemic injury among patients with revascularized ST‐elevation myocardial infarction
Authors: Reinstadler Sebastian J. , Stiermaier Thomas , Eitel Charlotte , Metzler Bernhard , de Waha Suzanne , Fuernau Georg , Desch Steffen , Thiele Holger , Eitel Ingo
Published: May 2017

Aims

Studies comparing reperfusion efficacy and myocardial damage between diabetic and non‐diabetic patients with ST‐elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) are scarce and have reported conflicting results. The aim was to investigate the impact of preadmission diabetic status on myocardial salvage and damage as determined by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), and to evaluate its prognostic relevance.

Materials and Methods

We enrolled 792 patients with STEMI at 8 sites. CMR core laboratory analysis was performed to determine infarct characteristics. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE), defined as a composite of all‐cause death, non‐fatal re‐infarction and new congestive heart failure, were recorded at 12 months. Patients were categorized according to preexisting diabetes mellitus (DM), and according to insulin‐treated DM (ITDM) and non‐insulin‐treated DM (NITDM).

Results

One‐hundred and sixty (20%) patients had DM and 74 (9%) were insulin‐treated. There was no difference in the myocardial salvage index, infarct size, microvascular obstruction and left ventricular ejection fraction between all patient groups (all P > .05). Patients with DM were at higher risk of MACE (11% vs 6%, P = .03) than non‐DM patients. After stratification according to preadmission anti‐diabetic therapy, MACE rate was comparable between NITDM and non‐DM (P > .05), whereas the group of ITDM patients had significantly worse outcome (P < .001).

Conclusions

Diabetic patients with STEMI, especially those having ITDM, had an increased risk of MACE. The adverse clinical outcome was, however, not explained by an impact of DM on reperfusion success or myocardial damage.

Clinical trial registry number: NCT00712101.
Biotic resistance by snails and fish to an exotic invasive aquatic plant
Authors: Ribas Luiz Guilherme dos Santos , Cunha Eduardo Ribeiro , Vitule Jean Ricardo Simões , Mormul Roger Paulo , Thomaz Sidinei Magela , Padial André Andrian
Published: May 2017

Hydrilla verticillata (Hydrocharitaceae) is an exotic invasive macrophyte that has caused severe ecological and economic damage worldwide. H. verticillata has invaded the main channel of the river in the Upper Paraná River floodplain (Brazil), but it has not become established in floodplain lakes. Although some abiotic factors have been shown to affect the success of H. verticillata invasions, the role of biotic interactions remains unclear.

Here, we set a laboratory experiment investigating how interactions with resident species may influence the success of H. verticillata invasions in floodplain lakes. Based on field observations, we selected three species that represent the most probable ecological interactions negatively impacting the early establishment of H. verticillata: a herbivorous fish (Moenkhausia forestii: Characidae) and herbivorous gastropods in the genus Pomacea (Ampullariidae), both natives, and an exotic shredder fish (Astronotus crassipinnis: Cichlidae). The individual and combined effects of these species on the early phase of H. verticillata establishment were evaluated.

The native gastropod had the greatest effect on limiting plant growth due to herbivory, whereas the small native herbivorous fish mostly consumed H. verticillata leaves, and the non‐native shredder fish dislodged the plants from the sediment, preventing their establishment and increasing the number of free propagules (plant fragments) of previously rooted plants. The experimental treatment that combined all three species tended to reduce plant performance descriptors.

Our results indicate that biotic resistance may play an important role in reducing the early establishment of H. verticillata in the lakes of this Neotropical floodplain. However, the disturbance caused by the exotic shredder fish may have an undesirable effect at larger scales because it stimulated the production of propagules that may spread to other connected aquatic ecosystems.
Molecular cytogenetic characterization of five F8 complex rearrangements: utility for haemophilia A genetic counselling
Authors: Jourdy Y. , Chatron N. , Fretigny M. , Carage M. L. , Chambost H. , Claeyssens‐Donadel S. , Roussel‐Robert V. , Negrier C. , Sanlaville D. , Vinciguerra C.
Published: May 2017

Background

Genomic inversions are usually balanced, but unusual patterns have been described in haemophilia A (HA) patients for intron 22 (Inv22) and intron 1 (Inv1) inversions leading to the hypothesis of more complex rearrangements involving deletions or duplications.

Aim

To characterize five abnormal patterns either in Southern blot and long‐range PCR for Inv22 or in PCR for Inv1.

Materials and methods

All patients were studied using cytogenetic microarray analysis (CMA).

Results

In all cases, CMA analysis found that each inversion was associated with complex Xq28 rearrangement. In three patients, CMA analysis showed large duplication ranging from 230 to 1302 kb and encompassing a various number of contiguous genes among which RAB39B. RAB39B duplication is a strong candidate gene for X‐linked intellectual disability (XLID). Surprisingly, none of the severe HA patients with RAB39B duplication reported in this study or in the literature exhibited XLID. We hypothesise that F8 complex rearrangement down regulated RAB39B expression. In the two remaining patients, CMA analysis found Xq28 large deletion (from 285 to 522 kb). Moyamoya syndrome was strongly suspected in one of them who carried BRCC3 deletion.

Conclusion

Because several F8 neighbouring genes are associated with other pathologies such as XLID and cardiovascular disease, all HA patients where complex Xq28 rearrangement was suspected should be referred to a geneticist for possible utility of a pangenomic study. Such investigation should be carefully considered in genetic counselling in female carriers to assess the risk of transmitting severe HA with a “contiguous gene syndrome”.
A qualitative study exploring high school students’ understanding of, and attitudes towards, health information and claims
Authors: Cusack Leila , Desha Laura N , Del Mar Chris B , Hoffmann Tammy C
Published: May 2017

Background

Exposure to health claims, particularly in the media and social media, is pervasive, and the information conveyed is often inaccurate, incomplete or misleading. Some young people of high school ages are already making decisions about using readily available health interventions (such as sports drinks and beauty products).Although previous research has assessed adults’ understanding of health claims, no research has examined this issue in young adults who are attending high school.

Objective

To explore high school students’ understanding of, and attitudes towards, concepts relevant to assessing health information and claims.

Design

A qualitative study involving semi‐structured interviews with 27 Australian high school students. Responses were recorded, transcribed and a thematic analysis performed. Three themes emerged as follows: (i) Variability in sources of health information and claims, and general understanding of their creation and accuracy of content, (ii) The use of substitute indicators to assess health information and claims and make judgements about their trustworthiness, (iii) Uncertainty about, and literal interpretation of, the language of health claims. Despite general scepticism of health claims and admitted uncertainty of research terminology, many students were generally convinced. Students had poor understanding about how health claims are generated and tended to rely on substitute indicators, such as endorsements, when evaluating the believability of claims.

Conclusion

School students’ lack of awareness of basic health research processes and methods of assessing the accuracy of health information and claims makes them vulnerable to distorted and misleading health information. This restricts their ability to make informed health decisions – a skill that increases in importance as they become adults.
Impact of the Orthopaedic Nurse Practitioner role on acute hospital length of stay and cost‐savings for patients with hip fracture: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Coventry Linda L. , Pickles Sharon , Sin Michelle , Towell Amanda , Giles Margaret , Murray Kevin , Twigg Diane E.
Published: May 2017

Aims

To compare acute hospital length of stay and cost‐savings for patients with hip fracture before and after commencement of the Orthopaedic Nurse Practitioner and identify variables that increase length of stay in hospital.

Background

Globally, hip fractures are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Whilst the practical benefits of the Orthopaedic Nurse Practitioner have been anecdotally shown, an analysis showing the cost‐saving benefits has yet to be published.

Design

A retrospective cohort study.

Methods

Data from two population‐based cohorts (2010, 2013) of hip fracture patients aged ≥65 years were extracted from the electronic hospital database at a large Western Australian tertiary metropolitan hospital. Multivariate linear regression was used to model factors affecting length of stay in hospital. A simple economic analysis was undertaken and cost‐savings were estimated.

Results

For comparison (n = 354) and intervention (n = 301) groups, average age was 84 years and over 70% were female. Analyses showed length of stay was shorter in 2013 compared with 2010 (4.4–5.3 days). Shorter length of stay was associated with type of procedure and surgery within 24‐hr and longer length of stay was associated with co‐morbid conditions of pulmonary disease, congestive heart failure, dementia, anaemia on admission and complications of delirium, urinary tract infection, myocardial infarction and pneumonia. The cost‐savings to the hospital over one year was $354,483 and the net annual cost‐savings per patient was $1,178.

Conclusion

Implementation of the Orthopaedic Nurse Practitioner role for care of hip fracture patients can reduce acute hospital length of stay resulting in important cost‐savings.
The effects of cognitive capacity and gaming expertise on attention and comprehension
Authors: Lee Y.‐H. , Heeter C.
Published: May 2017

Educational video games can impose high cognitive demands on its users. Two studies were conducted to examine the cognitive process involved in playing an educational digital game. Study 1 examined the effects of users' working memory capacity and gaming expertise on attention and comprehension of the educational messages. The results showed that gaming experts seem to benefit more from having a higher working memory capacity when processing information from the game. However, gaming experts' available working memory did not predict better comprehension. Instead, non‐experts' available working memory predicted better comprehension. Study 2 further examined whether these results were caused by insufficient working memory allocation or different attention focus between gaming experts and non‐experts. The findings suggest that gaming experts approach the game differently from non‐experts, focusing on familiar features and overlooking unfamiliar (educational) information.
Discomfort/pain due to periodontal and peri‐implant probing: Implant type and age
Authors: Stanner Julia , Klum Matthias , Parvini Puria , Zuhr Otto , Nickles Katrin , Eickholz Peter
Published: May 2017

Aim

There is evidence that patients experience more discomfort/pain after peri‐implant probing than periodontal probing. However, there are several plausible factors to additionally influence this observation: e.g., implant type, age, smoking. Thus, this study was designed to compare discomfort/pain after periodontal and peri‐implant probing in different implant types.

Methods

Two dentists recruited and examined 80 patients, each of them exhibiting a dental implant with a contralateral natural tooth. Only two types of implants were included. Periodontal and peri‐implant probing depths (PPD) and probing attachment level (PAL) were assessed. Whether implant or tooth were measured first was randomly assigned. Immediately after probing patients scored discomfort/pain using a visual analogue scale (VAS).

Results

Eighty patients (median; lower/upper quartile: age 57; 47.5/65.5 years; 40 females, 11 smokers) were examined. With the exception of PPD and PAL at the deepest site as well as mean PPD (p < .05) clinical parameters (PAL, bleeding on probing, suppuration) were well balanced between implants and teeth. Peri‐implant probing (VAS: 9.0; 5.0/17.0) caused significantly (p = .038) more discomfort/pain than periodontal probing (5.5; 2.0/13.5). This was confirmed by repeated measures analysis of variance adjusting for several factors (p = .011).

Conclusions

Peri‐implant probing caused significantly more discomfort/pain than periodontal probing.
Medication safety and the usability of electronic prescribing as perceived by physicians—A semistructured interview among primary health care physicians in Finland
Authors: Kauppinen Hanna , Ahonen Riitta , Mäntyselkä Pekka , Timonen Johanna
Published: May 2017

Rationale, aims and objectives

In Finland, a fully operational and nationwide electronic prescription (ePrescription) system was implemented by law in 2012 to 2015. From 2017, all prescriptions have to be electronic. ePrescriptions are intended to facilitate prescribing and to improve medication safety in Finnish health care. In this study, the aim was to explore physicians' experiences with the impacts of ePrescriptions on prescribing and medication safety in Finland.

Method

Data were collected by conducting 42 interviews among primary health care physicians in spring 2015. The data obtained were analyzed by means of qualitative content analysis.

Results

Most of the physicians considered ePrescriptions to be convenient to issue because of the paperless procedure. Additionally, physicians stated that information concerning patients' prescriptions was better available through the Prescription Centre since physicians were able to check patients' prescriptions, including those issued elsewhere. In particular, ePrescriptions have improved the control of narcotics and medicines classified as primarily affecting the central nervous system. However, establishing a patient's overall medication through the Prescription Centre was regarded as difficult because prescription information was sometimes incoherent and had not been updated. The ePrescribing system was also described as inflexible, especially the correcting, cancelling, or renewing of ePrescriptions. For example, the system required too many “mouse clicks” and PIN entries to justify the actions taken in prescriptions. The system's slowness and the poor connection between physicians' electronic patient records and the Prescription Centre were also underlined.

Conclusions

According to the Finnish physicians interviewed, ePrescriptions have facilitated prescribing in some respects. However, the ePrescribing system still has problems and the Prescription Centre cannot be fully used for the management of a patient's overall medication.
Inactivation of bacteria suspended in water by using high frequency unipolar pulse voltage
Authors: Krishnaveni S. , Subhashini R. , Rajini V.
Published: May 2017

Food processing by pulsed electric field has received considerable attention in food and biotechnology. Although the PEF technology for bacterial inactivation depends upon both biological factors and electrical parameters, this article mainly focuses on the impact of pulse repetitive frequency on the bacterial inactivation suspended in liquid. This research work also aims to implement compact pulse converter technology using power MOSFETs to generate 1.5 kV unipolar pulses of width 1.2 μs at different pulse repetition frequency. The efficacy of the pulse generator was tested to inactivate Escherichia Coli MTCC 1610 strain suspended in water at 1, 10, 20, and 51 kHz at 15 kV/cm. It was observed that maximum of 4.4 log10 reduction of bacteria was achieved at 51 kHz (with 1,530,000 pulses) and about 1.2 log10 reduction achieved at 1 kHz (with 30,000 pulses). It shows that high repetitive frequency has significant impact on the process to inactivate the bacteria at moderate electric field intensity.

Practical applications

From the literature, it can be stated that the efficiency of inactivation process is determined by the amplitude of the pulsed electric field intensity. Ultimately this concept increases the cost of the PEF generator and complexity in circuit design. So, this work concentrates to bring down the electric field intensity without sacrificing the efficiency of the process by altering the pulse repetitive frequency among all other electrical parameters. The research also focuses to implement a bench scale PEF to inactivate bacteria in liquid food. The advancements in power semiconductor devices may help to improve the design of PEF generators and the developed PEF converter generates unipolar pulses of 1.5 kV at a variable frequency of 1 kHz to a maximum of 51 kHz with help of simple programmable microcontroller. This bench scale PEF converter is very compact. Since the pulse repetition frequency shows the significant log reduction, this helps to reduce the capital investment and has more options to scale up the design in pulsed power technology. With better power generators, after decades of research, PEF technology may finally be commercialized to inactivate bacteria.
Vertical root fractures in endodontically‐treated teeth: A retrospective analysis of possible risk factors
Authors: García‐Guerrero Claudia , Parra‐Junco Claudia , Quijano‐Guauque Sara , Molano Nicolás , Pineda Gerardo A. , Marín‐Zuluaga Dairo J.
Published: May 2017

Aim

The prevalence of vertical root fractures (VRF) ranges from 2% to 20%, and is associated with endodontically‐treated teeth (ETT). The aim of the present study was to analyze clinically and radiographically, at different intervals of time, some of the risk factors present in ETT that developed VRF.

Methods

A classification model according to time measured the follow‐up period of three groups. A match was made for times of occurrence (cases) and follow up (controls). An odds ratio (OR) test and a logistic regression model set at 95% confidence interval (CI) established the VRF probability when different clinical factors (patient, tooth, and endodontic or restorative treatment) were present.

Results

The sample was composed of 197 ETT (41 cases and 156 controls). A classification model set the trend, thus defining three groups: group 1 (1‐4 years of follow up): endodontic retreatment (OR: 8.01, 95% CI: 1.85‐37.90, P=.0014), indirect restoration (OR: .202, 95% CI: .036‐.979, P=.05); group 2 (5‐8 years of follow up): primary treatment (OR: .052, 95% CI: .002‐.680, P=.044) and the ‘single tooth’ category (OR: .042, 95% CI: .002‐.453, P=.02) demonstrated a significant association with VRF; and group 3 (>9 years of follow up): no association.

Conclusion

Endodontic retreatment had the highest risk association for VRF after 1‐8 years of follow up. Indirect and individual restorations were not significantly associated with VRF.
Overexpression of GhFIM2 propels cotton fiber development by enhancing actin bundle formation
Authors: Zhang Min , Han Li‐Bo , Wang Wen‐Yan , Wu Shen‐Jie , Jiao Gai‐Li , Su Lei , Xia Gui‐Xian , Wang Hai‐Yun
Published: May 2017

Cell elongation and secondary wall deposition are two consecutive stages during cotton fiber development. The mechanisms controlling the progression of these two developmental phases remain largely unknown. Here, we report the functional characterization of the actin‐bundling protein GhFIM2 in cotton fiber. Overexpression of GhFIM2 increased the abundance of actin bundles, which was accompanied with accelerated fiber growth at the fast‐elongating stage. Meanwhile, overexpression of GhFIM2 could propel the onset of secondary cell wall biogenesis. These results indicate that the dynamic rearrangement of actin higher structures involving GhFIM2 plays an important role in the development of cotton fiber cells.
Evidence of involvement of neurone‐glia/neurone‐neurone communications via gap junctions in synchronised activity of KNDy neurones
Authors: Ikegami K. , Minabe S. , Ieda N. , Goto T. , Sugimoto A. , Nakamura S. , Inoue N. , Oishi S. , Maturana A. D. , Sanbo M. , Hirabayashi M. , Maeda K.‐I. , Tsukamura H. , Uenoyama Y.
Published: May 2017

Pulsatile secretion of gonadotrophin‐releasing hormone (GnRH)/luteinising hormone is indispensable for the onset of puberty and reproductive activities at adulthood in mammalian species. A cohort of neurones expressing three neuropeptides, namely kisspeptin, encoded by the Kiss1 gene, neurokinin B (NKB) and dynorphin A, localised in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus (ARC), so‐called KNDy neurones, comprises a putative intrinsic source of the GnRH pulse generator. Synchronous activity among KNDy neurones is considered to be required for pulsatile GnRH secretion. It has been reported that gap junctions play a key role in synchronising electrical activity in the central nervous system. Thus, we hypothesised that gap junctions are involved in the synchronised activities of KNDy neurones, which is induced by NKB‐NK3R signalling. We determined the role of NKB‐NK3R signalling in Ca2+ oscillation (an indicator of neuronal activities) of KNDy neurones and its synchronisation mechanism among KNDy neurones. Senktide, a selective agonist for NK3R, increased the frequency of Ca2+ oscillations in cultured Kiss1‐GFP cells collected from the mediobasal hypothalamus of the foetal Kiss1‐green fluorescent protein (GFP) mice. The senktide‐induced Ca2+ oscillations were synchronised in the Kiss1‐GFP and neighbouring glial cells. Confocal microscopy analysis of these cells, which have shown synchronised Ca2+ oscillations, revealed close contacts between Kiss1‐GFP cells, as well as between Kiss1‐GFP cells and glial cells. Dye coupling experiments suggest cell‐to‐cell communication through gap junctions between Kiss1‐GFP cells and neighbouring glial cells. Connexin‐26 and ‐37 mRNA were found in isolated ARC Kiss1 cells taken from adult female Kiss1‐GFP transgenic mice. Furthermore, 18β‐glycyrrhetinic acids and mefloquine, which are gap junction inhibitors, attenuated senktide‐induced Ca2+ oscillations in Kiss1‐GFP cells. Taken together, these results suggest that NKB‐NK3R signalling enhances synchronised activities among neighbouring KNDy neurones, and that both neurone‐neurone and neurone‐glia communications via gap junctions possibly contribute to synchronised activities among KNDy neurones.
Individual Wealth and Subjective Financial Well‐being in Marriage: Resource Integration or Separation?
Authors: Lersch Philipp M.
Published: May 2017

Economic wealth is mostly assumed to be a household‐level resource that is pooled by spouses in married couples. Using comprehensive data on the individual wealth of both spouses in married couples from the German Socio‐Economic Panel Study (N = 13,623 individuals), the author tests this assumption. To this end, the associations between individuals' wealth and their spouses' wealth with individuals' subjective financial well‐being are examined. Results show that women's financial well‐being is equally associated with their own individual wealth and their spouses' wealth in older birth cohorts. In younger birth cohorts, women's financial well‐being is more strongly associated with their own individual wealth than with their spouses' wealth. For men from all birth cohorts, their own individual wealth is more strongly related to their financial well‐being than is their spouses' wealth. These findings suggest that wealth is not generally and fully pooled and that individual ownership matters within married couples in Germany.
Exploration of potential mechanisms of hepatitis C virus resistance in exposed uninfected intravenous drug users
Authors: Shawa I. T. , Felmlee D. J. , Hegazy D. , Sheridan D. A. , Cramp M. E.
Published: May 2017

A rare outcome following exposure to hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a lack of observable infection as clinically measured by HCV RNA‐ or HCV‐recognizing antibodies. The population who exhibit this trait is termed exposed uninfected (EU). Increasing evidence has refined characterization of these individuals, distinct from those who become infected but spontaneously clear HCV. Study of the EU population is highly pertinent for the discovery of antiviral mechanisms of resistance that can reveal antiviral therapeutic strategies. This review provides an overview of similarities and differences of the EU population relative to spontaneous resolvers and the majority whom develop chronic HCV infection, and focusses on possible mechanisms of resistance including innate and adaptive immunity, genetics and lipid interactions.
Effects of El Niño on the population dynamics of the Malay civet east of the Wallace line
Authors: Seymour A. S. , Tarrant M. R. , Gerber B. D. , Sharp A. , Woollam J. , Cox R.
Published: May 2017

The effect of climate on the population dynamics of rainforest vertebrates is known only for a limited subset of species and study locations. To extend this knowledge, we carried out an 8‐year population study of a Viverrid (Malay civet Viverra tangalunga) in the Wallacea biogeographical region (Buton Island, Sulawesi). Civets were trapped annually from 2003 to 2010, during which there were four weak to moderate El Niño events and one moderate La Niña event. In Indonesia, El Niño events are associated with drier than normal conditions, while La Niña is associated with wetter conditions. The number of individuals captured was strongly correlated with the 12‐month summed Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) prior to trapping, with significantly fewer individuals caught in years with lower summed SOI (i.e. stronger El Niño conditions). Adult civet body mass was significantly higher in El Niño years; mean adult male and female body masses were 10.6% and 4.0% greater in El Niño years. There was support for a 1‐year time lagged effect of El Niño on the apparent survival (1 – probability of disappearing from the study site due to death or emigration) of male (but not female) civets, which was approximately 50% higher in the year following El Niño events. Using spatially explicit capture–mark–recapture models, we were unable to detect any significant change in civet density between years, which was estimated as 1.36 ± 0.14 (se) individuals km−2. We suggest that increased apparent survival of males observed in the year after El Niño events was brought about by reduced dispersal (possibly associated with a change in mating tactic) rather than reduced mortality.
Fire coral clones demonstrate phenotypic plasticity among reef habitats
Authors: Dubé Caroline E. , Boissin Emilie , Maynard Jeffrey A. , Planes Serge
Published: May 2017

Clonal populations are often characterized by reduced levels of genotypic diversity, which can translate into lower numbers of functional phenotypes, both of which impede adaptation. Study of partially clonal animals enables examination of the environmental settings under which clonal reproduction is favoured. Here, we gathered genotypic and phenotypic information from 3,651 georeferenced colonies of the fire coral Millepora platyphylla in five habitats with different hydrodynamic regimes in Moorea, French Polynesia. In the upper slope where waves break, most colonies grew as vertical sheets (“sheet tree”) making them more vulnerable to fragmentation. Nearly all fire corals in the other habitats are encrusting or massive. The M. platyphylla population is highly clonal (80% of the colonies are clones), while characterized by the highest genotype diversity ever documented for terrestrial or marine populations (1,064 genotypes). The proportion of clones varies greatly among habitats (≥58%–97%) and clones (328 clonal lineages) are distributed perpendicularly from the reef crest, perfectly aligned with wave energy. There are six clonal lineages with clones dispersed in at least two adjacent habitats that strongly demonstrate phenotypic plasticity. Eighty per cent of the colonies in these lineages are “sheet tree” on the upper slope, while 80%–100% are encrusting or massive on the mid slope and back reef. This is a unique example of phenotypic plasticity among reef‐building coral clones as corals typically have wave‐tolerant growth forms in high‐energy reef areas.
Local Fiscal Distress: Measurement and Prediction
Authors: Gorina Evgenia , Maher Craig , Joffe Marc
Published: May 2017

During and after the Great Recession, many local governments were compelled to declare fiscal emergencies, lay off workers, and cut services while others weathered the recession without needing to take such actions. In this paper, we construct an action‐based measure of fiscal distress using comprehensive annual financial reports, budgets, and media coverage and then use it as a dependent variable to model fiscal distress as a function of past financial performance and socio‐economic environment. The empirical models show the relative importance of fiscal reserves, debt, and revenue composition in predicting local fiscal distress.
l‐cysteine desulfhydrase‐related H2S production is involved in OsSE5‐promoted ammonium tolerance in roots of Oryza sativa
Authors: Guo Hongming , Zhou Heng , Zhang Jing , Guan Wenxue , Xu Sheng , Shen Wenbiao , Xu Guohua , Xie Yanjie , Foyer Christine Helen
Published: May 2017

Previous studies revealed that rice heme oxygenase PHOTOPERIOD SENSITIVITY 5 (OsSE5) is involved in the regulation of tolerance to excess ammonium by enhancing antioxidant defence. In this study, the relationship between OsSE5 and hydrogen sulfide (H2S), a well‐known signalling molecule, was investigated. Results showed that NH4Cl triggered the induction of l‐cysteine desulfhydrase (l‐DES)‐related H2S production in rice seedling roots. A H2S donor not only alleviated the excess ammonium‐triggered inhibition of root growth but also reduced endogenous ammonium, both of which were aggravated by hypotaurine (HT, a H2S scavenger) or dl‐propargylglycine (PAG, a l‐DES inhibitor). Nitrogen metabolism‐related enzymes were activated by H2S, thus resulting in the induction of amino acid synthesis and total nitrogen content. Interestingly, the activity of l‐DES, as well as the enzymes involved in nitrogen metabolism, was significantly increased in the OsSE5‐overexpression line (35S:OsSE5), whereas it impaired in the OsSE5‐knockdown mutant (OsSE5‐RNAi). The application of the HT/PAG or H2S donor could differentially block or rescue NH4Cl‐hyposensitivity or hypersensitivity phenotypes in 35S:OsSE5‐1 or OsSE5‐RNAi‐1 plants, with a concomitant modulation of nitrogen assimilation. Taken together, these results illustrated that H2S function as an indispensable positive regulator participated in OsSE5‐promoted ammonium tolerance, in which nitrogen metabolism was facilitated.
Antecedent Nippostrongylus infection alters the lung immune response to Plasmodium berghei
Authors: Craig J. M. , Scott A. L.
Published: May 2017

In endemic regions, it is not uncommon for patients to be co‐infected with soil‐transmitted helminths and malaria. Although both malaria and many helminth species use the lungs as a site of development, little attention has been paid to the impact that pulmonary immunity induced by one parasite has on the lung response to the other. To model the consequences of a prior hookworm exposure on the development of immunity to malaria in the lungs, mice were infected with Nippostrongylus brasiliensis and 2 weeks later challenged with Plasmodium berghei. We found that a pre‐existing hookworm‐induced type 2 immune environment had a measurable but modest impact on the nature of the malaria‐driven type 1 cytokine response in the lungs that was associated with a transient effect on parasite development and no significant changes in morbidity and mortality after malaria infection. However, prior hookworm infection did have a lasting effect on lung macrophages, where the malaria‐induced M1‐like response was blunted by previous M2 polarization. These results demonstrate that, although helminth parasites confer robust changes to the immunological status of the pulmonary microenvironment, lung immunity is plastic and capable of rapidly adapting to consecutive heterologous infections.
Emotional self–other voice processing in schizophrenia and its relationship with hallucinations: ERP evidence
Authors: Pinheiro Ana P. , Rezaii Neguine , Rauber Andréia , Nestor Paul G. , Spencer Kevin M. , Niznikiewicz Margaret
Published: May 2017

Abnormalities in self–other voice processing have been observed in schizophrenia, and may underlie the experience of hallucinations. More recent studies demonstrated that these impairments are enhanced for speech stimuli with negative content. Nonetheless, few studies probed the temporal dynamics of self versus nonself speech processing in schizophrenia and, particularly, the impact of semantic valence on self–other voice discrimination. In the current study, we examined these questions, and additionally probed whether impairments in these processes are associated with the experience of hallucinations. Fifteen schizophrenia patients and 16 healthy controls listened to 420 prerecorded adjectives differing in voice identity (self‐generated [SGS] versus nonself speech [NSS]) and semantic valence (neutral, positive, and negative), while EEG data were recorded. The N1, P2, and late positive potential (LPP) ERP components were analyzed. ERP results revealed group differences in the interaction between voice identity and valence in the P2 and LPP components. Specifically, LPP amplitude was reduced in patients compared with healthy subjects for SGS and NSS with negative content. Further, auditory hallucinations severity was significantly predicted by LPP amplitude: the higher the SAPS “voices conversing” score, the larger the difference in LPP amplitude between negative and positive NSS. The absence of group differences in the N1 suggests that self–other voice processing abnormalities in schizophrenia are not primarily driven by disrupted sensory processing of voice acoustic information. The association between LPP amplitude and hallucination severity suggests that auditory hallucinations are associated with enhanced sustained attention to negative cues conveyed by a nonself voice.
The Roles of TLR Gene Polymorphisms in Atherosclerosis: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of 35,317 Subjects
Authors: Xie X. , Shi X. , Liu M.
Published: May 2017

Recently, the roles of toll like receptor (TLR) gene polymorphisms in atherosclerotic diseases were extensively investigated, with conflicting results. Therefore, we performed this study to better assess the relationship between TLR gene variants and atherosclerosis. Eligible studies were searched in PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science and CNKI. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to estimate associations between TLR gene polymorphisms and atherosclerosis. A total of 40 studies covering 19,657 cases and 15,660 controls were finally included in our systematic review and meta‐analysis. Significant correlations with atherosclerosis susceptibility were found for the TLR1 rs5743551 polymorphism (dominant model: 95% CI 1.03–1.79; recessive model: 95% CI 0.28–0.97; allele model: 95% CI 1.07–1.69), TLR1 rs5743611 polymorphism (dominant model: 95% CI 0.56–0.98) and TLR6 rs5743810 polymorphism (recessive model: 95% CI 0.56–0.92) in overall analyses. Moreover, further subgroup analyses revealed that TLR4 rs1927911 polymorphism was significantly associated with the risk of cerebral infarction in the recessive model (95% CI 0.46–0.96), whereas TLR4 rs4986791 polymorphism was significantly correlated with susceptibility to atherosclerosis among Asians in the dominant (95% CI 1.58–6.66), additive (95% CI 0.13–0.69) and allele (95% CI 1.58–5.53) models. However, no positive results were found for the other 13 TLR polymorphisms. In conclusion, our findings indicate that most TLR gene polymorphisms may not be implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis, whereas certain TLR gene variations, such as rs5743551, rs5743611, rs5743810, rs4986791 and rs1927911, may serve as genetic biomarkers of atherosclerotic diseases.
Acoustic Boundary Layer Attenuation in Ducts With Rigid and Elastic Walls Applied to Cochlear Mechanics
Authors: Böhnke Frank , Semmelbauer Sebastian
Published: May 2017

The cochlea is the most important part of the hearing system, due to the fact that it transforms sound guided through air, bone, and lymphatic fluid to vibrations of the cochlear partition which includes the organ of Corti with its sensory cells. These send nerve impulses to the brain leading to hearing perception. The work presents the wave propagation in rigid ducts filled with air or water including viscous-thermal boundary layer damping. In extension, a mechanical box model of the human cochlea represented by a rectangular duct limited by the tapered basilar membrane at one side is developed and evaluated numerically by the finite element method. The results match with rare experiments on human temporal bones without using the physically unfounded assumption of Rayleigh damping. A forecast on the concept of the traveling wave parametric amplification is given to potentially explain the high hearing sensitivity and otoacoustic emissions.
Fatigue Damage Study of Helical Wires in Catenary Unbonded Flexible Riser Near Touchdown Point
Authors: Wang Kunpeng , Ji Chunyan , Xue Hongxiang , Tang Wenyong
Published: May 2017

This study presents an analytical model of flexible riser and implements it into finite-element software abaqus to investigate the fatigue damage of helical wires near touchdown point (TDP). In the analytical model, the interlayer contact pressure is simulated by setting up springs between adjacent interlayers. The spring stiffness is iteratively updated based on the interlayer penetration and separation conditions in the axisymmetric analysis. During the bending behavior, the axial stress of helical wire along the circumferential direction is traced to determine whether the axial force overcomes the interlayer friction force and thus lead to sliding. Based on the experimental data in the literature, the model is verified. The present study implements this model into abaqus to carry out the global analysis of the catenary flexible riser. In the global analysis, the riser–seabed interaction is simulated by using a hysteretic seabed model in the literature. The effect of the seabed stiffness and interlayer friction on the fatigue damage of helical wire near touchdown point is parametrically studied, and the results indicate that these two aspects significantly affect the helical wire fatigue damage, and the sliding of helical wires should be taken into account in the global analysis for accurate prediction of fatigue damage. Meanwhile, different from the steel catenary riser, high seabed stiffness may not correspond to high fatigue damage of helical wires.
Boiling Performance of Graphene Oxide Coated Copper Surfaces at High Pressures
Authors: Li Nanxi , Rachel Betz Amy
Published: May 2017

Graphene has been investigated due to its mechanical, optical, and electrical properties. Graphene's effect on the heat transfer coefficient (HTC) and critical heat flux (CHF) in boiling applications has also been studied because of its unique structure and properties. Methods for coating graphene oxide (GO) now include spin, spray, and dip coating. In this work, graphene oxide coatings are spray coated on to a copper surface to investigate the effect of pressure on pool boiling performance. For example, at a heat flux of 30 W/cm2, the HTC increase of the GO-coated surface was 126.8% at atmospheric pressure and 51.5% at 45 psig (308 kPa). For both surfaces, the HTC increases with increasing pressure. However, the rate of increase is not the same for both surfaces. Observations of bubble departure showed that bubbles departing from the graphene oxide surface were significantly smaller than that of the copper surface even though the contact angle was similar. The change in bubble departure diameter is due to pinning from micro- and nanostructures in the graphene oxide coating or nonhomogeneous wettability. Condensation experiments at 40% relative humidity on both the plain copper surface and the graphene oxide coated surface show that water droplets forming on both surfaces are significantly different in size and shape despite the similar contact angle of the two surfaces.
Multi-Objective Optimization of Elastic Beams for Noise Reduction
Authors: He Meng-Xin , Xiong Fui-Rui , Sun Jian-Qiao
Published: May 2017

This paper presents a study of multi-objective optimization of elastic beams with minimum weight and radiated sound power. The goal of this research is to discover the potentials to design multi-objective optimal elastic structures for better acoustic performance. We discuss various structural-acoustic properties of the Pareto solutions of the multi-objective optimization problem (MOP). We have found that geometrical and dynamic constraints can substantially reduce the volume fraction of feasible solutions in the design space, which can make it difficult to search for the optimal solutions. Several case studies with different boundary conditions are studied to demonstrate the multi-objective optimal designs of the structure.
Effects of Interface Velocity, Diffusion Rate, and Radial Velocity on Colloidal Deposition Patterns Left by Evaporating Droplets
Authors: Greyson Marcette , Maki Kara L. , Schertzer Michael J.
Published: May 2017

This investigation experimentally examines the role of interface capture on the transport and deposition of colloidal material in evaporating droplets. It finds that deposition patterns cannot be characterized by the ratio of interface velocity to particle diffusion rate alone when the two effects are of the same order. Instead, the ratio of radial velocity to particle diffusion rate should also be considered. Ring depositions are formed when the ratio of radial velocity to the particle diffusion rate is greater than the ratio of interface velocity to diffusion. Conversely, uniform depositions occur when the ratio of radial velocity to diffusion is smaller than the ratio of interface velocity to diffusion. Transitional depositions with a ring structure and nonuniform central deposition are observed when these ratios are similar in magnitude. Since both ratios are scaled by diffusion rate, it is possible to characterize the depositions here using a ratio of interface velocity to radial velocity. Uniform patterns form when interface velocity is greater than radial velocity and ring patterns form when radial velocity is larger. However, Marangoni effects are small and Derjaguin, Landau, Verwey, and Overbeek (DLVO) forces repel particles from the surface in these cases. Further research is required to determine if these conclusions can be extended or modified to describe deposition patterns when particles are subjected to appreciable Marangoni recirculation and attractive DLVO forces.