bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What does it mean when people call a place a shithole? Understanding a discourse of denigration in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland
Authors: Butler Alice , Schafran Alex , Carpenter Georgina
Published: April 2018

This paper investigates what people mean when they engage in the discourse of denigration. Building on existing literature on territorial stigmatisation that either focuses on macro‐scale uses and effects of territorial stigmatisation or micro‐scale ethnographic studies of effects, we develop a novel approach that captures the diverse voices that engage in the discourse of denigration by tracing the use of the word and hashtag “shithole” on the social media platform Twitter in order to examine who is engaged in the stigmatising discourse, the types of place that are stigmatised and the responses to stigmatised places. Using a robust data set, we highlight two key findings. First, the majority of tweets were aimed at places where the tweeter was not from, a form of othering consistent with how territories are stigmatised by those in positions of power such as policymakers, politicians and journalists. Second, we note that an important and gendered minority of tweets can be characterised by a “cry for help” and powerlessness, where the stigma is aimed at their own places. We offer an interpretive lens through which to understand and frame these minoritarian voices by engaging with theories of abjection that allow us to see how minoritarian voices relate to place.
A working model for hypothermic neuroprotection
Authors: Wassink Guido , Davidson Joanne O. , Lear Christopher A. , Juul Sandra E. , Northington Frances , Bennet Laura , Gunn Alistair J.
Published: April 2018

Therapeutic hypothermia significantly improves survival without disability in near‐term and full‐term newborns with moderate to severe hypoxic–ischaemic encephalopathy. However, hypothermic neuroprotection is incomplete. The challenge now is to find ways to further improve outcomes. One major limitation to progress is that the specific mechanisms of hypothermia are only partly understood. Evidence supports the concept that therapeutic cooling suppresses multiple extracellular death signals, including intracellular pathways of apoptotic and necrotic cell death and inappropriate microglial activation. Thus, the optimal depth of induced hypothermia is that which effectively suppresses the cell death pathways after hypoxia–ischaemia, but without inhibiting recovery of the cellular environment. Thus mild hypothermia needs to be continued until the cell environment has recovered until it can actively support cell survival. This review highlights that key survival cues likely include the inter‐related restoration of neuronal activity and growth factor release. This working model suggests that interventions that target overlapping mechanisms, such as anticonvulsants, are unlikely to materially augment hypothermic neuroprotection. We suggest that further improvements are most likely to be achieved with late interventions that maximise restoration of the normal cell environment after therapeutic hypothermia, such as recombinant human erythropoietin or stem cell therapy.

image
Synaptic depression induced by postsynaptic cAMP production in the Drosophila mushroom body calyx
Authors: Sato Shoma , Ueno Kohei , Saitoe Minoru , Sakai Takaomi
Published: April 2018

Key points

Synaptic potentiation in Drosophila is observed at cholinergic synapses between antennal lobe (AL) and mushroom body (MB) neurons in the adult brain; however, depression at the AL–MB synapses has not yet been identified.

By ex vivo Ca2+ imaging in an isolated cultured Drosophila brain, we found novel activity‐dependent depression at the AL–MB synapses.

The degree of Ca2+ responses after repetitive AL stimulation is significantly reduced in the dendritic region of MB neurons (calyx) compared with those before AL stimulation, and this reduction of Ca2+ responses remains for at least 30 min.

The expression of rutabaga, which encodes Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent adenylyl cyclase, is essential in the MB neurons for the reduction of Ca2+ responses in the calyx.

Our study reveals that elevation of cAMP production in the calyx during repetitive AL stimulation induces the depression at the AL–MB synapses.

Synaptic plasticity has been studied to reveal the molecular and cellular mechanisms of associative and non‐associative learning. The fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster can be used to identify the molecular mechanisms of synaptic plasticity because vast genetic information or tools are available. Here, by ex vivo Ca2+ imaging of an isolated cultured Drosophila brain, we examined the novel activity‐dependent synaptic depression between the projection neurons of the antennal lobe (AL) and mushroom body (MB). Ex vivo Ca2+ imaging analysis revealed that electrical stimulation of AL elicits Ca2+ responses in the dendritic (calyx) and axonal (α lobe) regions of MB neurons, and the responses are reduced after repetitive AL stimulation. Since the cAMP signalling pathway plays an important role in synaptic plasticity in invertebrates and vertebrates, we examined whether the reduction of Ca2+ responses is also regulated by the cAMP signalling pathway. The expression of rutabaga (rut), which encodes Ca2+/calmodulin‐dependent adenylyl cyclase, was essential for the reduction of Ca2+ responses in the calyx and α lobe. Furthermore, imaging analysis using a fluorescence resonance energy transfer‐based cAMP indicator revealed that the cAMP level increased in the wild‐type calyx during repetitive AL stimulation, whereas it decreased in rut1mutant flies with a loss‐of‐function mutation of rut. Thus, our study suggests that an increase in postsynaptic cAMP level during repetitive AL stimulation contributes to the attenuation of inputs at AL–MB synapses.
Abordaje diagnóstico de la hipertensión arterial secundaria
Authors: Villamil Castañeda Lina , Badoui Nora
Published: April 2018

Introducción: La hipertensión arterial es una de las enfermedades más prevalentes en atención primaria y el principal factor de riesgo para enfermedad cardivoascular. La hipertensión arterial secundaria es frecuente entre los pacientes con diagnóstico de hipertensión arterial, con una prevalencia del 10 % que puede incrementar hasta 20 % o 40 % en pacientes con hipertensión refractaria al tratamiento. Su identificación temprana se asocia con mejores desenlaces. Objetivo: Evaluar en la literatura las principales causas de hipertensión arterial secundaria e identificar el abordaje diagnóstico inicial de las patologías asociadas. Métodos: Selección y lectura de artículos de bases de datos Pubmed y Google Scholar y de revisiones de UpToDate que trataran el tema de hipertensión arterial secundaria. Conclusiones: Es importante reconocer aquellos pacientes que puedan estar cursando con hipertensión arterial de causa secundaria, ya que esto modifica el enfoque terapéutico, facilita el tratamiento y mejora los desenlaces; incluso puede llegar a la cura y resolución.
Paracentesis: datos sobre la correcta utilización
Authors: Mosquera Klinger Gabriel , Mayo Patiño Melissa , Suárez Yanett
Published: April 2018

La paracentesis es un procedimiento con fines diagnósticos en pacientes con ascitis de novo. Permite detectar la presencia de infección en pacientes con ascitis de larga data. En casos de ascitis a tensión, ascitis refractaria y disnea por restricción es ampliamente utilizada como terapia. El conocimiento general de este procedimiento y de los pormenores de su técnica son de gran importancia, ya que su utilización viene en aumento en los servicios de urgencias, hospitalización general e incluso, en la unidad de cuidados intensivos. Teniendo en cuenta lo anterior, se hace hincapié en la correcta utilización de esta técnica por parte del personal médico. Métodos: Se realizó una búsqueda de la literatura científica en las bases de datos Pubmed y SciELO de artículos con una estrategia definida, limitada a idiomas español e inglés, utilizando una combinación de términos libres y MeSH que incluyeron paracentesis, ascitis, cirrosis hepática y malignidad.
Standards prepared by drop-on-demand dispenser for SIMS
Authors: Gui Dong , Chen Bo-Jung , Wu Szu-Hsun , Lai Wan-Hao , Yin Yu-Sheng , Lee Jang Jung
Published: April 2018

Quantitative determination of metal impurities becomes increasingly crucial for the semiconductor industry as integrated circuit critical dimensions continue to shrink. Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF SIMS) has been widely used for this purpose. Proper standards are necessary to ensure measurement accuracy and precision. Ion implanted samples with known dose conventionally serve as SIMS standards because of high precision and good uniformity. However, due to the matrix effect, implanted standards may not always be available for different matrixes. In this paper, the authors proposed to prepare SIMS standard samples using the drop-on-demand technique. A series of droplet arrays were dispensed on silicon wafers from solutions of Fe, Ni, and Cu with concentrations ranging from 2 to 1000 ppm. The dose determined by TOF SIMS linearly correlated with the calculated dose of the droplets. The linearity of these metals was better than 0.99, which demonstrated that the drop-on-demand technique can be a promising technique to prepare SIMS standards.
Redefinition and Unification of the SXT/R391 Family of Integrative and Conjugative Elements
Authors: Bioteau Audrey , Durand Romain , Burrus Vincent
Published: April 2018

Integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) of the SXT/R391 family are key drivers of the spread of antibiotic resistance inVibrio cholerae, the infectious agent of cholera, and other pathogenic bacteria. The SXT/R391 family of ICEs was defined based on the conservation of a core set of 52 genes and site-specific integration into the 5′ end of the chromosomal geneprfC. Hence, the integrase geneinthas been intensively used as a marker to detect SXT/R391 ICEs in clinical isolates. ICEs sharing most core genes but differing by their integration site and integrase gene have been recently reported and excluded from the SXT/R391 family. Here we explored the prevalence and diversity of atypical ICEs in GenBank databases and their relationship with typical SXT/R391 ICEs. We found atypical ICEs inV. choleraeisolates that predate the emergence and expansion of typical SXT/R391 ICEs in the mid-1980s in seventh-pandemic toxigenicV. choleraestrains O1 and O139. Our analyses revealed that while atypical ICEs are not associated with antibiotic resistance genes, they often carry cation efflux pumps, suggesting heavy metal resistance. Atypical ICEs constitute a polyphyletic group likely because of occasional recombination events with typical ICEs. Furthermore, we show that the alternative integration and excision genes of atypical ICEs remain under the control of SetCD, the main activator of the conjugative functions of SXT/R391 ICEs. Together, these observations indicate that substitution of the integration/excision module and change of specificity of integration do not preclude atypical ICEs from inclusion into the SXT/R391 family.

IMPORTANCEVibrio choleraeis the causative agent of cholera, an acute intestinal infection that remains to this day a world public health threat. Integrative and conjugative elements (ICEs) of the SXT/R391 family have played a major role in spreading antimicrobial resistance in seventh-pandemicV. choleraebut also in several species ofEnterobacteriaceae. Most epidemiological surveys use the integrase gene as a marker to screen for SXT/R391 ICEs in clinical or environmental strains. With the recent reports of closely related elements that carry an alternative integrase gene, it became urgent to investigate whether ICEs that have been left out of the family are a liability for the accuracy of such screenings. In this study, based on comparative genomics, we broaden the SXT/R391 family of ICEs to include atypical ICEs that are often associated with heavy metal resistance.
Biofilms Comprise a Component of the Annual Cycle of Vibrio cholerae in the Bay of Bengal Estuary
Authors: Sultana Marzia , Nusrin Suraia , Hasan Nur A. , Sadique Abdus , Ahmed Kabir U. , Islam Atiqul , Hossain Anwar , Longini Ira , Nizam Azhar , Huq Anwar , Siddique Abul K. , Sack David A. , Sack Richard B. , Colwell Rita R. , Alam Munirul
Published: April 2018

Vibrio cholerae
, an estuarine bacterium, is the causative agent of cholera, a severe diarrheal disease that demonstrates seasonal incidence in Bangladesh. In an extensive study of
V. cholerae
occurrence in a natural aquatic environment, water and plankton samples were collected biweekly between December 2005 and November 2006 from Mathbaria, an estuarine village of Bangladesh near the mangrove forests of the Sundarbans. Toxigenic
V. cholerae
exhibited two seasonal growth peaks, one in spring (March to May) and another in autumn (September to November), corresponding to the two annual seasonal outbreaks of cholera in this region. The total numbers of bacteria determined by heterotrophic plate count (HPC), representing culturable bacteria, accounted for 1% to 2.7% of the total numbers obtained using acridine orange direct counting (AODC). The highest bacterial culture counts, including toxigenic
V. cholerae
, were recorded in the spring. The direct fluorescent antibody (DFA) assay was used to detect
V. cholerae
O1 cells throughout the year, as free-living cells, within clusters, or in association with plankton.
V. cholerae
O1 varied significantly in morphology, appearing as distinctly rod-shaped cells in the spring months, while small coccoid cells within thick clusters of biofilm were observed during interepidemic periods of the year, notably during the winter months. Toxigenic
V. cholerae
O1 was culturable in natural water during the spring when the temperature rose sharply. The results of this study confirmed biofilms to be a means of persistence for bacteria and an integral component of the annual life cycle of toxigenic
V. cholerae
in the estuarine environment of Bangladesh.

IMPORTANCE
Vibrio cholerae
, the causative agent of cholera, is autochthonous in the estuarine aquatic environment. This study describes morphological changes in naturally occurring
V. cholerae
O1 in the estuarine environment of Mathbaria, where the bacterium is culturable when the water temperature rises and is observable predominantly as distinct rods and dividing cells. In the spring and fall, these morphological changes coincide with the two seasonal peaks of endemic cholera in Bangladesh.
V. cholerae
O1 cells are predominantly coccoid within biofilms but are rod shaped as free-living cells and when attached to plankton or to particulate matter in interepidemic periods of the year. It is concluded that biofilms represent a stage of the annual life cycle of
V. cholerae
O1, the causative agent of cholera in Bangladesh.
Type II Secretion-Dependent Aminopeptidase LapA and Acyltransferase PlaC Are Redundant for Nutrient Acquisition during
Legionella pneumophila
Intracellular Infection of Amoebas
Authors: White Richard C. , Gunderson Felizza F. , Tyson Jessica Y. , Richardson Katherine H. , Portlock Theo J. , Garnett James A. , Cianciotto Nicholas P.
Published: April 2018

Legionella pneumophila
genes encoding LapA, LapB, and PlaC were identified as the most highly upregulated type II secretion (T2S) genes during infection of
Acanthamoeba castellanii
, although these genes had been considered dispensable on the basis of the behavior of mutants lacking either
lapA
and
lapB
or
plaC
. A
plaC
mutant showed even higher levels of
lapA
and
lapB
transcripts, and a
lapA lapB
mutant showed heightening of
plaC
mRNA levels, suggesting that the role of the LapA/B aminopeptidase is compensatory with respect to that of the PlaC acyltransferase. Hence, we made double mutants and found that
lapA plaC
mutants have an ~50-fold defect during infection of
A. castellanii
. These data revealed, for the first time, the importance of LapA in any sort of infection; thus, we purified LapA and defined its crystal structure, activation by another T2S-dependent protease (ProA), and broad substrate specificity. When the amoebal infection medium was supplemented with amino acids, the defect of the
lapA plaC
mutant was reversed, implying that LapA generates amino acids for nutrition. Since the LapA and PlaC data did not fully explain the role of T2S in infection, we identified, via proteomic analysis, a novel secreted protein (NttD) that promotes infection of
A. castellanii
. A
lapA plaC nttD
mutant displayed an even greater (100-fold) defect, demonstrating that the LapA, PlaC, and NttD data explain, to a significant degree, the importance of T2S. LapA-, PlaC-, and NttD-like proteins had distinct distribution patterns within and outside the
Legionella
genus. LapA was notable for having as its closest homologue an
A. castellanii
protein.

IMPORTANCE
Transmission of
L. pneumophila
to humans is facilitated by its ability to grow in
Acanthamoeba
species. We previously documented that type II secretion (T2S) promotes
L. pneumophila
infection of
A. castellanii
. Utilizing transcriptional analysis and proteomics, double and triple mutants, and crystal structures, we defined three secreted substrates/effectors that largely clarify the role of T2S during infection of
A. castellanii
. Particularly interesting are the unique functional overlap between an acyltransferase (PlaC) and aminopeptidase (LapA), the broad substrate specificity and eukaryotic-protein-like character of LapA, and the novelty of NttD. Linking LapA to amino acid acquisition, we defined, for the first time, the importance of secreted aminopeptidases in intracellular infection. Bioinformatic investigation, not previously applied to T2S, revealed that effectors originate from diverse sources and distribute within the
Legionella
genus in unique ways. The results of this study represent a major advance in understanding
Legionella
ecology and pathogenesis, bacterial secretion, and the evolution of intracellular parasitism.
Trends, geographical variation and factors associated with prescribing of gluten-free foods in English primary care: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Walker Alex J , Curtis Helen J , Bacon Seb , Croker Richard , Goldacre Ben
Published: April 2018

Objectives

There is substantial disagreement about whether gluten-free foods should be prescribed on the National Health Service. We aim to describe time trends, variation and factors associated with prescribing gluten-free foods in England.

Setting

English primary care.

Participants

English general practices.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

We described long-term national trends in gluten-free prescribing, and practice and Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) level monthly variation in the rate of gluten-free prescribing (per 1000 patients) over time. We used a mixed-effect Poisson regression model to determine factors associated with gluten-free prescribing rate.

Results

There were 1.3 million gluten-free prescriptions between July 2016 and June 2017, down from 1.8 million in 2012/2013, with a corresponding cost reduction from £25.4 million to £18.7 million. There was substantial variation in prescribing rates among practices (range 0 to 148 prescriptions per 1000 patients, IQR 7.3–31.8), driven in part by substantial variation at the CCG level, likely due to differences in prescribing policy. Practices in the most deprived quintile of deprivation score had a lower prescribing rate than those in the highest quintile (incidence rate ratio 0.89, 95% CI 0.87 to 0.91). This is potentially a reflection of the lower rate of diagnosed coeliac disease in more deprived populations.

Conclusion

Gluten-free prescribing is in a state of flux, with substantial clinically unwarranted variation between practices and CCGs.
Consensus for genes to be included on cancer panel tests offered by UK genetics services: guidelines of the UK Cancer Genetics Group
Authors: Taylor Amy , Brady Angela F , Frayling Ian M , Hanson Helen , Tischkowitz Marc , Turnbull Clare , Side Lucy
Published: April 2018

Genetic testing for hereditary cancer predisposition has evolved rapidly in recent years with the discovery of new genes, but there is much debate over the clinical utility of testing genes for which there are currently limited data regarding the degree of associated cancer risk. To address the discrepancies that have arisen in the provision of these tests across the UK, the UK Cancer Genetics Group facilitated a 1-day workshop with representation from the majority of National Health Service (NHS) clinical genetics services. Using a preworkshop survey followed by focused discussion of genes without prior majority agreement for inclusion, we achieved consensus for panels of cancer genes with sufficient evidence for clinical utility, to be adopted by all NHS genetics services. To support consistency in the delivery of these tests and advice given to families across the country, we also developed management proposals for individuals who are found to have pathogenic mutations in these genes. However, we fully acknowledge that the decision regarding what test is most appropriate for an individual family rests with the clinician, and will depend on factors including specific phenotypic features and the family structure.
Bayesian naturalness, simplicity, and testability applied to the B − L MSSM GUT
Authors: Fundira Panashe , Purves Austin
Published: April 2018

Recent years have seen increased use of Bayesian model comparison to quantify notions such as naturalness, simplicity, and testability, especially in the area of supersymmetric model building. After demonstrating that Bayesian model comparison can resolve a paradox that has been raised in the literature concerning the naturalness of the proton mass, we apply Bayesian model comparison to GUTs, an area to which it has not been applied before. We find that the GUTs are substantially favored over the nonunifying puzzle model. Of the GUTs we consider, the [Formula: see text] MSSM GUT is the most favored, but the MSSM GUT is almost equally favored.
Management of Revenue and Earnings in Korean Firms Influenced by Cognitive Reference Points
Authors: Lacina Michael , Lee B. Brian , Kim Dong Wuk
Published: April 2018

We investigate how Korean officers manage revenue and earnings to achieve cognitive reference points (round up). In Korea, revenue has traditionally served as one of the key financial statement figures. Thus, we study revenue management around cognitive reference points both in isolation and to influence earnings around cognitive reference points through a chain effect. Our study compares the distributions of the second (from the left) and first digits in revenue and various proxies for earnings with their corresponding Benford distributions (Benford, 1938). Also, we perform a logistic regression analysis and compute probabilities based on this analysis. The results show that revenue observations have more first digit 1’s and second digit 0’s and fewer first and second digits 9’s than under a Benford distribution. Korean managers appear to round up revenues with high second digits to improve first digits. In addition, we document that revenue observations with second digits of 0 are associated with higher proportions of positive earnings (gross margin and earnings from operations) with second digits of 0. This suggests that Korean firms simultaneously convert the second digits of revenue and earnings to improve the first digits of those numbers. Results from additional tests convey more upward management of the second digit of revenue for firms that have characteristics that indicate higher ex ante benefits and stronger ex post effects from revenue management.
Noniterative Integration Algorithms with Controllable Numerical Dissipations for Structural Dynamics
Authors: Li Jinze , Yu Kaiping
Published: April 2018

A new family of noniterative algorithms with controllable numerical dissipations for structural dynamics is studied. Particularly, this paper provides nine members of the proposed algorithms and two existing methods are included as two special cases. The proposed algorithms achieve unconditional stability and are second-order accurate for linear elastic systems. The explicit expressions of stability conditions for nonlinear stiffness systems are completely presented, which shows that new algorithms possess unconditional and conditional stability for stiffness softening and hardening systems, respectively. A comprehensive stability and accuracy analysis, including numerical energy dissipations and dispersions, are studied in order to gain insight into spectral properties of new algorithms. Due to the existence of the nonzero spurious root, this paper also pays attention to the influence of the spurious root, which shows that the spurious root does not influence numerical accuracy at low-frequency domains. Although the proposed algorithms exhibit the unusual overshoot behaviors in either displacement or velocity, numerical damping ratios in new algorithms can significantly eliminate this overshoot at a few steps. The new dissipative algorithms are appropriate to solve numerical transient responses of the structure. Numerical examples are also presented to demonstrate the analytical results.
Human Perception of Inertial Mass for Joint Human-Robot Object Manipulation
Authors: Schmidtler Jonas , Körber Moritz
Published: April 2018

In this article, we investigate human perception of inertial mass discrimination in active planar manipulations, as they are common in daily tasks, such as moving heavy and bulky objects. Psychophysical experiments were conducted to develop a human inertial mass perception model to improve usability and acceptance of novel haptically collaborating robotic systems. In contrast to existing literature, large-scale movements involving a broad selection of reference stimuli and larger sample sizes were used. Linear mixed models were fitted to model dependent errors from the longitudinal perceptual data. Differential thresholds near the perception boundary exponentially increased and resulted in constant behavior for higher stimuli. No effect of different directions (sagittal and transversal) was found; however, a large effect of different movement types (precise and imprecise) was present in the data. Recommendations to implement the findings in novel physical assist devices are given.
Residual-Based Simpler Block GMRES for Nonsymmetric Linear Systems with Multiple Right-Hand Sides
Authors: Wu Qinghua , Bao Liang , Lin Yiqin
Published: April 2018

We propose in this paper a residual-based simpler block GMRES method for solving a system of linear algebraic equations with multiple right-hand sides. We show that this method is mathematically equivalent to the block GMRES method and thus equivalent to the simpler block GMRES method. Moreover, it is shown that the residual-based method is numerically more stable than the simpler block GMRES method. Based on the deflation strategy proposed by Calandra et al. (2013), we derive a deflation strategy to detect the possible linear dependence of the residuals and a near rank deficiency occurring in the block Arnoldi procedure. Numerical experiments are conducted to illustrate the performance of the new method.
Chronic Tenosynovitis due to Mycobacteria kansasii in an Immunocompetent Host
Authors: Wang Michael S. , Berry Michael , Lehto-Hoffman Alissa , Vi Linh , Ramessar Nina
Published: April 2018

We report a case of a healthy 56-year-old male who presented with chronic swelling and erythema in his right hand. He had a prior chemical exposure several years ago and subsequent exposure to freshwater, fish tank, and soil. Laboratory data showed a slightly elevated CRP. An MRI was consistent with suggestive of flexor tenosynovitis. He underwent surgical debridement and was diagnosed with Mycobacterium kansasii. He was treated with clarithromycin, rifampin, and isoniazid, but subsequent susceptibility testing revealed resistance to isoniazid. Isoniazid was switched to ethambutol, but further susceptibility testing also suggested resistance to ethambutol. Antimicrobial therapy was stopped at 6 months due to clinical recovery, and the patient is currently doing well as of 6 months postdiscontinuation of therapy.
Improved Stabilization Conditions for Nonlinear Systems with Input and State Delays via T-S Fuzzy Model
Authors: Che Chang , Peng Jiayao , Zhao Tao , Xiao Jian , Zhou Jie
Published: April 2018

This paper focuses on the problem of nonlinear systems with input and state delays. The considered nonlinear systems are represented by Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy model. A new state feedback control approach is introduced for T-S fuzzy systems with input delay and state delays. A new Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional is employed to derive less conservative stability conditions by incorporating a recently developed Wirtinger-based integral inequality. Based on the Lyapunov stability criterion, a series of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) are obtained by using the slack variables and integral inequality, which guarantees the asymptotic stability of the closed-loop system. Several numerical examples are given to show the advantages of the proposed results.
Psychological Problems and Socioemotional Wellbeing among Children of Mothers with Depression and Their Association with Sociodemographic Factors in a Sri Lankan Setting
Authors: Rohanachandra Yasodha Maheshi , Prathapan Shamini , Wijetunge Swarna
Published: April 2018

Background. Maternal depression is known to be associated with anxiety, depression, oppositional and conduct disorders, neurocognitive deficits, ADHD, substance abuse, and personality disorder in the offspring. We aimed to describe the proportion of psychological problems among children of mothers with depression in Sri Lanka and to describe the associated sociodemographic factors. Methods. A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 100 children and adolescents between 4 and 16 years, whose mothers have a diagnosis of depression and are currently in remission. Specifically designed instruments were used to extract sociodemographic details and data on mother’s illness. Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) was used to detect psychological problems in children. Results. 14% of the children scored abnormally high in hyperactivity, 13% in conduct problems, 12% in emotional problems, 9% in peer problems, and 10% in total difficulties. Children (4–12 years) scored significantly higher than the adolescents in hyperactivity and externalizing problems (p<0.05). Significant differences were also found in peer problems (p<0.05), internalizing problems (p<0.05), and total difficulties (p<0.05) in relation to the age of the mother. Conclusion. Screening the children of mothers with depression for psychological problems and developing a holistic management plan, which includes measures to ensure their wellbeing, is important.
A Rare Case of Iatrogenic Diaphragm Defect following Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Presented as Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
Authors: Bouchagier Konstantinos , Solakis Evangelos , Klimopoulos Serafeim , Demesticha Theano , Filippou Dimitrios , Skandalakis Panagiotis
Published: April 2018

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is considered as the gold standard in the treatment of gallbladder disease. Laparoscopy presents significant advantages including decreased hospital stay, better aesthetic results, faster rehabilitation, less pain, reduced cost, and increased patient satisfaction. The complications’ prevalence is low; however, the overall serious complication rate seems to be higher compared to open cholecystectomy, despite the increasing experience. Diaphragmatic injury following laparoscopic cholecystectomy is an extremely rare complication, and a high index of clinical suspicion is necessary to diagnose this situation that has a variety of clinical presentations and might be life-threatening. We present a unique case of postlaparoscopic cholecystectomy diaphragm defect with late onset. The clinical findings included those of respiratory distress syndrome along with small bowel incarceration and peritonitis.
Genome-Wide Identification and Characterization of Fox Genes in the Honeybee,Apis cerana, and Comparative Analysis with Other Bee Fox Genes
Authors: Nie Hongyi , Geng Haiyang , Lin Yan , Xu Shupeng , Li Zhiguo , Zhao Yazhou , Su Songkun
Published: April 2018

The forkhead box (Fox) gene family, one of the most important families of transcription factors, participates in various biological processes. However, Fox genes in Hymenoptera are still poorly known. In this study, 14 Fox genes were identified in the genome ofApis cerana. In addition, 16(Apis mellifera), 13(Apis dorsata), 16(Apis florea), 17(Bombus terrestris), 16(Bombus impatiens), and 18(Megachile rotundata)Fox genes were identified in their genomes, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses suggest that FoxA is absent in the genome ofA. dorsatagenome. Similarly, FoxG is missing in the genomesA. ceranaandA. dorsata. Temporal expression profiles obtained by quantitative real-time PCR revealed that Fox genes have distinct expression patterns inA. cerana, especially for three genesACSNU03719T0 (AcFoxN4),ACSNU05765T0 (AcFoxB), andACSNU07465T0 (AcFoxL2), which displayed high expression at the egg stage. Tissue expression patterns showed thatFoxJ1is significantly higher in the antennae ofA. ceranaandA. melliferacompared to other tissues. These results may facilitate a better understanding of the potential physiological functions of the Fox gene family inA. ceranaand provide valuable information for a comprehensive functional analysis of the Fox gene family in Hymenopterans.
Interactions of Gut Microbiota, Endotoxemia, Immune Function, and Diet in Exertional Heatstroke
Authors: Armstrong Lawrence E. , Lee Elaine C. , Armstrong Elizabeth M.
Published: April 2018

Exertional heatstroke (EHS) is a medical emergency that cannot be predicted, requires immediate whole-body cooling to reduce elevated internal body temperature, and is influenced by numerous host and environmental factors. Widely accepted predisposing factors (PDF) include prolonged or intense exercise, lack of heat acclimatization, sleep deprivation, dehydration, diet, alcohol abuse, drug use, chronic inflammation, febrile illness, older age, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use. The present review links these factors to the human intestinal microbiota (IM) and diet, which previously have not been appreciated as PDF. This review also describes plausible mechanisms by which these PDF lead to EHS: endotoxemia resulting from elevated plasma lipopolysaccharide (i.e., a structural component of the outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria) and tissue injury from oxygen free radicals. We propose that recognizing the lifestyle and host factors which are influenced by intestine-microbial interactions, and modifying habitual dietary patterns to alter the IM ecosystem, will encourage efficient immune function, optimize the intestinal epithelial barrier, and reduce EHS morbidity and mortality.
Contact Toxicity and Repellency of the Essential Oil from Bupleurum bicaule Helm against Two Stored Product Insects
Authors: Wei Xiao-Meng , Guo Shan-Shan , Yan Hua , Cheng Xian-Long , Wei Feng , Du Shu-Shan
Published: April 2018

Essential oils obtained from many plants showed various kinds of insecticidal properties; some of them have been considered as alternative insecticides for pest control. The present study was aimed at determining the chemical composition of the essential oil from the roots of Bupleurum bicaule Helm, as well as evaluating the contact and repellent activities of the oil and four identified compounds against Lasioderma serricorne and Liposcelis bostrychophila adults. The essential oil was extracted by hydrodistillation, and its components were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). 26 components were determined and the main compounds included trans-2-isopropylbicyclo[4.3.0]non-3-en-8-one (25.9%), 4,5-dimethyl-1,2,3,6,7,8,8a,8b-octahydrobiphenylene (23.5%), and 1,4-dimethoxy-2-tert-butylbenzene (4.3%). It was found that the essential oil exhibited contact toxicity against L. serricorne (LD50 = 11.91 μg/adult), but the contact toxicity against L. bostrychophila could not be observed. The essential oil also showed strong repellent activity against L. serricorne with percent repellency of 100% at 78.63 nl/cm2. Four chemical compounds, 1,4-dimethoxy-2-tert-butylbenzene, bornyl acetate, (2E,4E)-2,4-nonadienal, and β-bisabolene, exhibited various levels of bioactivities. The experimental results indicated that the essential oil of B. bicaule and its individual compounds could be used in insecticidal and repellent strategies for stored product insects.
A New Imperialist Competitive Algorithm for Multiobjective Low Carbon Parallel Machines Scheduling
Authors: Pan Zixiao , Lei Deming , Zhang Qingyong
Published: April 2018

This paper considers low carbon parallel machines scheduling problem (PMSP), in which total tardiness is regarded as key objective and total energy consumption is a non-key one. A lexicographical method is used to compare solutions and a novel imperialist competitive algorithm (ICA) is presented, in which a new strategy for initial empires is adopted. Some new improvements are also added in ICA to obtain high quality solutions, which are adaptive assimilation, adaptive revolution, imperialist innovation, and alliance and the novel way of imperialist competition. Extensive experiments are conducted to test the search performance of ICA by comparing it with methods from literature. Computational results show the promising advantages of ICA on low carbon PMSP.
Fungal, Bacterial, and Archaeal Diversity in the Digestive Tract of Several Beetle Larvae (Coleoptera)
Authors: Ziganshina Elvira E. , Mohammed Waleed S. , Shagimardanova Elena I. , Vankov Petr Y. , Gogoleva Natalia E. , Ziganshin Ayrat M.
Published: April 2018

Interpretation of how partnerships between fungi, bacteria, archaea, and insects are maintained through the life of the hosts is a big challenge within the framework of symbiosis research. The main goal of this work was to characterize the gut microbiota in larvae of several Coleoptera species using sequencing of the bacterial and archaeal 16S rRNA genes and fungal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region. Thus, larvae with various food preferences, including Amphimallon solstitiale, Oryctes nasicornis, Cucujus cinnaberinus, Schizotus pectinicornis, Rhagium mordax, and Rhagium inquisitor, were thoroughly investigated in this work. We revealed an association of these beetle species mainly with four bacterial phyla, Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes, as well as with three fungal phyla, Ascomycota, Zygomycota, and Basidiomycota, but microbial communities varied depending on the beetle host, individual organism, and surrounding environment. Moreover, archaea within the phyla Euryarchaeota and Crenarchaeota in the hindgut content of O. nasicornis and A. solstitiale were additionally detected. The identified microbial communities suggest their potential role in the exploitation of various resources, providing nutritional needs for the host organism. These microorganisms can also represent a valuable source of novel metabolic capacities for their application in different biotechnologies.
Color Confinement, Hadron Dynamics, and Hadron Spectroscopy from Light-Front Holography and Superconformal Algebra
Authors: Brodsky Stanley J.
Published: April 2018

The QCD light-front Hamiltonian equation HLFΨ=M2Ψ derived from quantization at fixed LF time τ=t  +  z/c provides a causal, frame-independent method for computing hadron spectroscopy as well as dynamical observables such as structure functions, transverse momentum distributions, and distribution amplitudes. The QCD Lagrangian with zero quark mass has no explicit mass scale. de Alfaro, Fubini, and Furlan (dAFF) have made an important observation that a mass scale can appear in the equations of motion without affecting the conformal invariance of the action if one adds a term to the Hamiltonian proportional to the dilatation operator or the special conformal operator. If one applies the dAFF procedure to the QCD light-front Hamiltonian, it leads to a color-confining potential κ4ζ2 for mesons, where ζ2 is the LF radial variable conjugate to the qq¯ invariant mass squared. The same result, including spin terms, is obtained using light-front holography, the duality between light-front dynamics and AdS5, if one modifies the AdS5 action by the dilaton eκ2z2 in the fifth dimension z. When one generalizes this procedure using superconformal algebra, the resulting light-front eigensolutions provide a unified Regge spectroscopy of meson, baryon, and tetraquarks, including remarkable supersymmetric relations between the masses of mesons and baryons and a universal Regge slope. The pion qq¯ eigenstate has zero mass at mq=0. The superconformal relations also can be extended to heavy-light quark mesons and baryons. This approach also leads to insights into the physics underlying hadronization at the amplitude level. I will also discuss the remarkable features of the Poincaré invariant, causal vacuum defined by light-front quantization and its impact on the interpretation of the cosmological constant. AdS/QCD also predicts the analytic form of the nonperturbative running coupling αs(Q2)∝e-Q2/4κ2. The mass scale κ underlying hadron masses can be connected to the parameter ΛMS¯ in the QCD running coupling by matching the nonperturbative dynamics to the perturbative QCD regime. The result is an effective coupling αs(Q2) defined at all momenta. One obtains empirically viable predictions for spacelike and timelike hadronic form factors, structure functions, distribution amplitudes, and transverse momentum distributions. Finally, I address the interesting question of whether the momentum sum rule is valid for nuclear structure functions.
Serotonin Exhibits Accelerated Bleomycin-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis through TPH1 Knockout Mouse Experiments
Authors: Zhang Jingyao , Cui Ruixia , Feng Yang , Gao Weiman , Bi Jianbin , Li Zeyu , Liu Chang
Published: April 2018

Background. Pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic progressive fibrosis interstitial lung disease that is characterized by inflammatory infiltration and fibrotic changes. 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) is an important regulatory factor in inflammation, immunomodulation, and fibrosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of 5-HT in bleomycin- (BLM-) induced pulmonary fibrosis through wild-type C57BL/6 (WT) and TPH1 knockout (KO) mouse experiments. Methods. The mice were grouped as follows: WT control group, KO control group, WT BLM group, and KO BLM group. Mice were administrated bleomycin hydrochloride through intratracheal instillation to induce pulmonary fibrosis. Mice were sacrificed 0, 7, 14, and 21 days after modeling, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissues were collected to determine the severity of fibrotic changes. Results. The results showed that the weight loss of mice in the WT BLM group was more severe than that in the KO BLM group. H&E and Sirius Red staining revealed that 5-HT markedly aggravated histological damage and fibrotic changes in the lung. Significantly lower levels of hydroxyproline, Ashcroft fibrosis score, total BALF protein and cells, BALF tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α and interleukin- (IL-) 6, TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA, malondialdehyde (MDA), and myeloperoxidase- (MPO-) positive cells in the lung tissues, and fibrosis-associated proteins were discovered in the mice from the KO BLM group compared with the WT BLM group. Conclusion. 5-HT aggravated pulmonary fibrosis mainly by promoting the inflammation, exudation of proteins and cells, oxidative stress, and upregulation of fibrosis-associated genes in the lung tissues.
An Advanced Chemical Reaction Optimization Algorithm Based on Balanced Local and Global Search
Authors: Zhang Min , Chen Liang , Chen Xin
Published: April 2018

An advanced chemical reaction optimization algorithm based on balanced local search and global search is proposed, which combines the advantages of adaptive chemical reaction optimization (ACRO) and particle swarm optimization (PSO), to solve continuous optimization problems. This new optimization is mainly based on the framework of ACRO, with PSO’s global search operator applied as part of ACRO’s neighborhood search operator. Moreover, a “finish” operator is added to the ACRO’s structure and the search operator is evolved by an adaptive scheme. The simulation results tested on a set of twenty-three benchmark functions, and a comparison was made with the results of a newly proposed hybrid algorithm based on chemical reaction optimization (CRO) and particle swarm optimization (denoted as HP-CRO). The finial comparison results show the superior performance improvement over HP-CRO in most experiments.
Uterine Sarcoma Presenting with Sepsis from Clostridium perfringens Endometritis in a Postmenopausal Woman
Authors: Kao Mary J. , Roy Madhuchhanda , Harter Josephine , Spencer Ryan J.
Published: April 2018

Clostridium perfringens is an anaerobic gram positive rod that is found in normal vaginal and cervical flora in 1–10% of healthy women. Uterine infection with Clostridium perfringens is seen rarely but is often related to underlying uterine pathology and can progress quickly to sepsis. Early recognition of sepsis, prompt treatment with antibiotics, and source control with surgical management allow for optimal chance of recovery. We present a case of a postmenopausal woman who presented with sepsis, vaginal bleeding, and back pain who was found to have Clostridium perfringens infection in the setting of undifferentiated uterine sarcoma.
Tumor-Associated CD204-Positive Macrophage Is a Prognostic Marker in Clinical Stage I Lung Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Sun Yanbin , Xu Shun
Published: April 2018

Objective. Macrophages are the dominant leukocytes in the tumor microenvironment. Accumulating evidence revealed that CD204-positive (CD204+) tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are associated with the aggressive behavior of various cancers; however, the clinical, pathological, and prognostic associations of CD204+ TAMs with the subtype of lung adenocarcinoma have not been reported. Methods. Tissue microarray and immunohistochemistry were constructed from clinical stage I lung adenocarcinomas with radical surgical resection. The intratumoral density of CD204+ cells was calculated using image analysis software for analyses. Survival analyses were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results. The intratumoral density of CD204 was correlated with T stage, nodal involvement, lymphovascular invasion, and cancer relapse after the surgery, but not with age, gender, or smoking history. The density of CD204 in non-LPD was significantly higher than that in LPD. The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate of CD204 high-density group was significantly worse than that of CD204 low-density group. Conclusions. The expression of CD204 in TAMs is associated with the aggressiveness of lung adenocarcinoma. Our results suggest that a specific immune microenvironment may be associated with the biological behavior of lung adenocarcinoma.
Therapeutic Response to Secukinumab in a 36-Year-Old Woman with Hidradenitis Suppurativa
Authors: Jørgensen Astrid-Helene Ravn , Yao Yiqiu , Thomsen Simon Francis
Published: April 2018

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disorder involving primarily the intertriginous skin of the axillary, inguinal, genital, and perianal areas of the body. It is characterized by recurrent inflamed nodules and abscesses, resulting in fistulae, fibrosis, and scarring. We present a case of HS refractory to local and systemic antibiotic therapy as well as anti-TNF and anti-IL12/23 that was successfully treated with secukinumab (anti-IL17A).