bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early life stage bottlenecks of carnivorous molluscs under captivity: a challenge for their farming and contribution to seafood production
Authors: Uriarte Iker , Astorga Marcela , Navarro Juan Carlos , Viana María Teresa , Rosas Carlos , Molinet Carlos , Hernández Jorge , Navarro Jorge , Moreno‐Villoslada Ignacio , Amthauer Rodolfo , Kausel Gudrun , Figueroa Jaime , Paredes Enrique , Paschke Kurt , Romero Alex , Hontoria Francisco , Varó Inmaculada , Vargas‐Chacoff Luis , Toro Jorge , Yáñez Alejandro , Cárdenas Leyla , Enriquez Ricardo , Olivares Alberto , Rey Manuel , Izquierdo Marisol , Sorgeloos Patrick , Soto Doris , Farías Ana
Published: March 2018

This work brings together the view of different specialists in the areas of larviculture, physiology, ecology, nutrition and animal health, regarding how to deal with the aquaculture farming of species with complex life cycles in a multidisciplinary way, using as models the octopus and the muricidC. concholepas, with the aim of reducing the gap between the experimental and the industrial culture of species that are relevant for the diversification of aquaculture, particularly in Chile. Although these species are similar in their difficulty to reach the terminal planktonic phase prior to juvenile, they differ in the bottlenecks they have to overcome to reach it. Relevant aspects of study to achieve juvenile production from early life stages rearing, whether for repopulation or for ongrowing, are as follows: (i) Replacement or supplementation of live diets with inert diets to achieve significant survival values over the first stages of life. (ii) Physiological approaches to establish cultivation conditions evaluating the individual responses to several rearing conditions, specially the interaction between temperature, dissolved oxygen and acidity. Studies of urgent character due to the global warming scenario. (iii) Genomic studies associated with the effect of ontogenetic development, environment, health and nutrition on gene expression to understand, in an integrated way, the key processes for the development and growth of immature stages. (iv) Studies on the control of reproduction, the quality control of the ova, the genetic structure of reproductive populations and the characterization of diseases are also necessary to achieve efficient hatchery technologies.
Altered expression of IL‐18 binding protein and IL‐18 receptor in basophils and mast cells of asthma patients
Authors: Wang Zhiyun , Liu Zhining , Wang Ling , Wang Junling , Chen Liping , Xie Hua , Zhang Huiyun , He Shaoheng
Published: March 2018

IL‐18 is likely to contribute to asthma. However, little is known regarding the role of IL‐18 binding protein (BP) and IL‐18 receptor (R) in asthma. Because the action of IL‐18 in the body is regulated by IL‐18BP and mast cells and basophils are key cell types involved in asthma, we investigated the expression of IL‐18, IL‐18BP and IL‐18R in basophils and mast cells using flow cytometry and a mouse asthma model. We found that among basophils, approximately 53% and 51% were IL‐18+, 85% and 81% were IL‐18BP+ basophils, and 19.8% and 8.6% were IL‐18R+ in healthy control (HC) and asthmatic blood, respectively. The allergens tested had little effect on the expression of IL‐18 and related factors. Only 3.5%, 14.3% and 2.4% of dispersed mast cells expressed IL‐18, IL‐18BP and IL‐18R, respectively, in asthmatic sputum. In a mouse asthma model, OVA‐sensitized mice exhibited decreased IL‐18BP+ but increased IL‐18R+ basophils in their blood. IL‐18 increased the number of basophils but eliminated IL‐18BP+ basophils in mouse blood. IL‐18 increased the number of mast cells and IL‐18R+ mast cells in the lung as well as increased the mast cell numbers and IL‐18BP+ mast cells in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of OVA‐sensitized mice. Thus, basophils and mast cells may be involved in asthma pathogenesis via an IL‐18‐associated mechanism.
Red Lights and Handcuffs: The Effect of Arrests on the Fear of Crime*
Authors: Fernandes April
Published: March 2018

Objectives

Despite decreasing rates of violent victimization, the fear of neighborhood crime continues to rise and is often exaggerated. This project explores the role of arrests on the fear of crime and perceived neighborhood safety. The visual nature of arrests—flashing red lights, blaring sirens, and apprehension of a suspect—provides residents with an observable proxy for crime, elevating their fear. Alternately, arrests can serve as a signal of police effectiveness and the decreasing threat of victimization.

Methods

I use multilevel modeling to investigate the unique relationship between two forms of neighborhood concern and arrests.

Results

Results show that the number of arrests increases the fear of violent crime. Perceived neighborhood safety is influenced more by crime rates than arrests.

Conclusions

These results have implications for the role of police in managing the fear of crime among community residents, especially surrounding violent crime.
Skin Tone and Assimilation*
Authors: Richey Sean , Carlin Ryan E.
Published: March 2018

Objective

We test one untested influence on whether Hispanics will assimilate into American society in a “straight line” or remain “segmented.” The type of assimilation hinges on both how non‐Hispanics treat Hispanics and whether Hispanics desire assimilation. We argue that these behaviors depend on the social construction of Hispanics’ identity, which in turn may depend in part on their skin tone.

Methods

We compare these two theoretical competing models in two ways. First, to a nationally representative sample, we randomly assign four images of Hispanic males who are two standard deviations apart in skin tone and gauge respondents’ social acceptance of them. Second, using objective skin‐tone measures from the 2012 ANES oversample of Hispanics, we determine if skin tone correlates with beliefs over assimilation.

Results

For the experimental evidence, we discover that whites and blacks do not discriminate across this range of skin tone for Hispanics. For the ANES data, we find no evidence that skin tone affects Hispanics willingness to assimilate into America.

Conclusion

Thus, the typical skin tones of Hispanics do not affect the assimilation ideas of either non‐Hispanics or Hispanics.
Modified efficient importance sampling for partially non‐Gaussian state space models
Authors: Koopman Siem Jan , Lit Rutger , Nguyen Thuy Minh
Published: March 2018

The construction of an importance density for partially non‐Gaussian state space models is crucial when simulation methods are used for likelihood evaluation, signal extraction, and forecasting. The method of efficient importance sampling is successful in this respect, but we show that it can be implemented in a computationally more efficient manner using standard Kalman filter and smoothing methods. Efficient importance sampling is generally applicable for a wide range of models, but it is typically a custom‐built procedure. For the class of partially non‐Gaussian state space models, we present a general method for efficient importance sampling. Our novel method makes the efficient importance sampling methodology more accessible because it does not require the computation of a (possibly) complicated density kernel that needs to be tracked for each time period. The new method is illustrated for a stochastic volatility model with a Student'stdistribution.
The novel allele, HLA‐A*11:264, was identified in a Chinese individual by sequence‐based typing
Authors: Liu L. , Chi X.‐Y. , Zhu Y.‐L. , Jiao S.‐X.
Published: March 2018

The novel allele, A*11:264, was identified in a Chinese individual by sequence‐based typing.
Price‐level co‐movements within currency unions: An alternative integration metric
Authors: Whitten Gregory W.
Published: March 2018

This paper analyses currency union integration by testing whether price levels in member countries possess a common stochastic trend. The trace statistic test for cointegration proposed by (Johansen, 1995) demonstrates the presence of such a trend for most unions. A disaggregated analysis identifies a common stochastic trend for several though fewer than half of country pairs within a union. Some unions such as the Eurozone have small shares of cointegrated country pairs. Yet, the share of cointegrated country pairs is large relative to countries outside currency unions. Comparison to a control group (country pairs where one country belongs to a given union and the other country does not) indicates that the cointegration found within a currency union is a union‐specific trait and not a feature of the individual countries within the union. These results provide an alternative metric to intraunion trade for gauging the extent of currency union integration.
An update on clinical biochemical RIs of rabbits with special consideration for age, gender, and size
Authors: Korn Anne K. , Bauer Natali , Moritz Andreas , Erhardt Georg
Published: March 2018

Background

Literature regarding the impact of age and breed size on clinical biochemical measurands in rabbits is scarce.

Objectives

We aimed to establish clinical biochemical measurand RIs for rabbits bred and kept under standard conditions and to evaluate the impact of gender, age, and breed size on the results using a Nova CRT8 analyzer (Nova Biomedical GmbH) and an ABX Pentra 400 analyzer (ABX Horiba, Axonlab).

Methods

Serum samples were available from 122 adult rabbits (56 males, 66 females) of 10 different breeds and crossbreds with a mean age of 264 ± 21 days. The impact of age was evaluated by sampling 48 rabbits at weaning (8 weeks of age) and when they reached adulthood.

Results

Significantly higher median values were obtained for ALT, glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH), and potassium in adult males compared with adult female rabbits. Total bilirubin, cholesterol, creatinine, and urea were significantly higher in adult females than adult males. Juvenile animals at weaning revealed significantly higher median values for ALP, cholesterol, GGT, GLDH, glucose, phosphate, and triglycerides compared with their adulthood values. In contrast, lower median albumin, ALT, chloride, creatinine, globulin, ionized calcium, magnesium, potassium, total protein, urea, and calcium‐phosphate ratios were seen at the time of weaning compared with adulthood values. Significantly lower median CK, creatinine, and ALT were found in dwarf/small rabbit breeds compared with intermediate/large breeds.

Conclusions

These RIs are especially useful for rabbit production and experimental studies. Age should be considered when evaluating clinical biochemical measurands. Creatinine, CK, and ALT are affected by organ mass.
Reference intervals for the activity of lactate dehydrogenase and its isoenzymes in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of healthy canines
Authors: Kopanke Jennifer H. , Chen Annie V. , Brune Jourdan E. , Brenna Amanda C. , Thomovsky Stephanie A.
Published: March 2018

Background

Lactate dehydrogenase (LD) exists as 5 isoenzymes (LD‐1 throughLD‐5) that are expressed throughout the body and can be detected in both serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).LDand its isoenzymes have been relatively unstudied in veterinary medicine, although studies in human medicine have demonstrated that changes in totalLDactivity and atypical isoenzyme patterns can indicate disease processes, including neurologic abnormalities.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to establishRIs forLDand its isoenzymes in the serum andCSFof clinically healthy dogs. By establishing a definitiveRIfor this enzyme in healthy canines, further study of the clinical and diagnostic usefulness ofLDcan be undertaken.

Methods

Serum and atlantoaxialCSFwere collected from clinically healthy dogs. TotalLDactivity was measured spectrophotometrically immediately after collection. Isoenzyme distributions were also determined within 8 hours of collection using the QuickGelLDIsoenzyme technique and a densitometric scanner.

Results

The median serum totalLDin healthy canines was 69.0 U/L (n = 41; range: 21.0‐217.0 U/L), while the medianCSFtotalLDwas 10.0 U/L (n = 40; range: 6.0‐19.3 U/L).LD‐5 is the predominant isoenzyme in canine serum (n = 40), contributing over half of the total enzyme activity. Conversely, in canineCSF(n = 42),LD‐1 is the predominant isoenzyme, followed byLD‐2 andLD‐3.

Conclusions

Knowledge of the distribution and concentration ofLDin the serum andCSFof healthy dogs will set the foundation for future studies of canineLDas a potentially clinically useful biomarker.
The vulnerability of spinal motoneurons and soma size plasticity in a mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Dukkipati S. Shekar , Garrett Teresa L. , Elbasiouny Sherif M.
Published: March 2018

Key points

Motoneuron soma size is a largely plastic property that is altered during amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) progression.

We report evidence of systematic spinal motoneuron soma size plasticity in mutant SOD1‐G93A mice at various disease stages and across sexes, spinal regions and motoneuron types.

We show that disease‐vulnerable motoneurons exhibit early increased soma sizes.

We show via computer simulations that the measured changes in soma size have a profound impact on the excitability of disease‐vulnerable motoneurons.

This study reveals a novel form of plasticity in ALS and suggests a potential target for altering motoneuron function and survival.

α‐Motoneuron soma size is correlated with the cell's excitability and function, and has been posited as a plastic property that changes during cellular maturation, injury and disease. This study examined whether α‐motoneuron somas change in size over disease progression in the G93A mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a disease characterized by progressive motoneuron death. We used 2D‐ and 3D‐morphometric analysis of motoneuron size and measures of cell density at four key disease stages: neonatal (P10 – with earliest known disease changes); young adult (P30 – presymptomatic with early motoneuron death); symptom onset (P90 – with death of 70–80% of motoneurons); and end‐stage (P120+ – with full paralysis of hindlimbs). We additionally examined differences in lumbar vs. sacral vs. cervical motoneurons; in motoneurons from male vs. female mice; and in fast vs. slow motoneurons. We present the first evidence of plastic changes in the soma size of spinal α‐motoneurons occurring throughout different stages of ALS with profound effects on motoneuron excitability. Somatic changes are time dependent and are characterized by early‐stage enlargement (P10 and P30); no change around symptom onset; and shrinkage at end‐stage. A key finding in the study indicates that disease‐vulnerable motoneurons exhibit increased soma sizes (P10 and P30). This pattern was confirmed across spinal cord regions, genders and motoneuron types. This extends the theory of motoneuron size‐based vulnerability in ALS: not only are larger motoneurons more vulnerable to death in ALS, but are also enlarged further in the disease. Such information is valuable for identifying ALS pathogenesis mechanisms.
Review Article: Stress in thin films and coatings: Current status, challenges, and prospects
Authors: Abadias Grégory , Chason Eric , Keckes Jozef , Sebastiani Marco , Thompson Gregory B. , Barthel Etienne , Doll Gary L. , Murray Conal E. , Stoessel Chris H. , Martinu Ludvik
Published: March 2018

The issue of stress in thin films and functional coatings is a persistent problem in materials science and technology that has congregated many efforts, both from experimental and fundamental points of view, to get a better understanding on how to deal with, how to tailor, and how to manage stress in many areas of applications. With the miniaturization of device components, the quest for increasingly complex film architectures and multiphase systems and the continuous demands for enhanced performance, there is a need toward the reliable assessment of stress on a submicron scale from spatially resolved techniques. Also, the stress evolution during film and coating synthesis using physical vapor deposition (PVD), chemical vapor deposition, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD), and related processes is the result of many interrelated factors and competing stress sources so that the task to provide a unified picture and a comprehensive model from the vast amount of stress data remains very challenging. This article summarizes the recent advances, challenges, and prospects of both fundamental and applied aspects of stress in thin films and engineering coatings and systems, based on recent achievements presented during the 2016 Stress Workshop entitled “Stress Evolution in Thin Films and Coatings: from Fundamental Understanding to Control.” Evaluation methods, implying wafer curvature, x-ray diffraction, or focused ion beam removal techniques, are reviewed. Selected examples of stress evolution in elemental and alloyed systems, graded layers, and multilayer-stacks as well as amorphous films deposited using a variety of PVD and PECVD techniques are highlighted. Based on mechanisms uncovered by in situ and real-time diagnostics, a kinetic model is outlined that is capable of reproducing the dependence of intrinsic (growth) stress on the grain size, growth rate, and deposited energy. The problems and solutions related to stress in the context of optical coatings, inorganic coatings on plastic substrates, and tribological coatings for aerospace applications are critically examined. This review also suggests strategies to mitigate excessive stress levels from novel coating synthesis perspectives to microstructural design approaches, including the ability to empower crack-based fabrication processes, pathways leading to stress relaxation and compensation, as well as management of the film and coating growth conditions with respect to energetic ion bombardment. Future opportunities and challenges for stress engineering and stress modeling are considered and outlined.
Low-frequency band gap of locally resonant phononic crystals with a dual-base plate
Authors: Zuo Shuguang , Huang Haidong , Wu Xudong , Zhang Minghai , Ni Tianxin
Published: March 2018

To achieve a wider band gap and a lower cut-on frequency, a locally resonant phononic crystal (LRPC) with a dual-base plate is investigated in this paper. Compared with the LRPC with a single plate, the band structure of the LRPC with a dual-base plate is calculated using the method of plane wave expansion and verified by the finite element method. According to the analysis of the band curves of the LRPC with a dual-base plate, the mechanisms are explained. Next, the influences of the thickness of the plates, the stiffness of the springs, the mass of resonators, and the lattice constant are also investigated. The results show that the structural asymmetry between the upper and the lower plate is conducive to reducing the cut-on frequency and broadening the band gap effectively. The results indicate a different approach for the application of LRPC in vibration and noise control.
Stability analysis of inverse time domain boundary element method for near-field acoustic holography
Authors: Bi Chuan-Xing , Zhang Yang , Zhang Xiao-Zheng , Zhang Yong-Bin
Published: March 2018

Stability of the inverse time domain boundary element method (ITBEM) for near-field acoustic holography is investigated. An eigenvalue system is built by reformulating the ITBEM to an iterative format. Through the analysis of the eigenvalue system, a stabilization criterion is derived. Then the stabilization criterion is utilized to reveal the stabilization mechanism of the TSVD method which plays an important role in the ITBEM. Furthermore, a method for properly choosing the ratio of truncated singular values to ensure the stability is provided. Although stability can be managed by using the TSVD method, the accuracy of the results cannot always be guaranteed. To overwhelm this difficulty, an averaging technique is further introduced, and its stabilization mechanism is investigated by incorporating it into the ITBEM formulations. Numerical simulations are carried out to validate the stabilization criterion, and the stabilization mechanisms of TSVD and averaging are shown specifically with extensive eigenvalue analyses.
Upwelling regime off the Cabo Frio region in Brazil and impact on acoustic propagation
Authors: Calado Leandro , Camargo Rodríguez Orlando , Codato Gabriel , Contrera Xavier Fabio
Published: March 2018

This work introduces a description of the complex upwelling regime off the Cabo Frio region in Brazil and shows that ocean modeling, based on the feature-oriented regional modeling system (FORMS) technique, can produce reliable predictions of sound speed fields for the corresponding shallow water environment. This work also shows, through the development of simulations, that the upwelling regime can be responsible for the creation of shadow coastal zones, in which the detection probability is too low for an acoustic source to be detected. The development of the FORMS technique and its validation with real data, for the particular region of coastal upwelling off Cabo Frio, reveals the possibility of a sustainable and reliable forecast system for the corresponding (variable in space and time) underwater acoustic environment.
Diagnosis of Zika Virus Infection by Peptide Array and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Authors: Mishra Nischay , Caciula Adrian , Price Adam , Thakkar Riddhi , Ng James , Chauhan Lokendra V. , Jain Komal , Che Xiaoyu , Espinosa Diego A. , Montoya Cruz Magelda , Balmaseda Angel , Sullivan Eric H. , Patel Jigar J. , Jarman Richard G. , Rakeman Jennifer L. , Egan Christina T. , Reusken Chantal B. E. M. , Koopmans Marion P. G. , Harris Eva , Tokarz Rafal , Briese Thomas , Lipkin W. Ian
Published: March 2018

Zika virus (ZIKV) is implicated in fetal stillbirth, microcephaly, intracranial calcifications, and ocular anomalies following vertical transmission from infected mothers. In adults, infection may trigger autoimmune inflammatory polyneuropathy. Transmission most commonly follows the bite of infectedAedesmosquitoes but may also occur through sexual intercourse or receipt of blood products. Definitive diagnosis through detection of viral RNA is possible in serum or plasma within 10 days of disease onset, in whole blood within 3 weeks of onset, and in semen for up to 3 months. Serological diagnosis is nonetheless critical because few patients have access to molecular diagnostics during the acute phase of infection and infection may be associated with only mild or inapparent disease that does not prompt molecular testing. Serological diagnosis is confounded by cross-reactivity of immune sera with other flaviviruses endemic in the areas where ZIKV has recently emerged. Accordingly, we built a high-density microarray comprising nonredundant 12-mer peptides that tile, with one-residue overlap, the proteomes of Zika, dengue, yellow fever, West Nile, Ilheus, Oropouche, and chikungunya viruses. Serological analysis enabled discovery of a ZIKV NS2B 20-residue peptide that had high sensitivity (96.0%) and specificity (95.9%) versus natural infection with or vaccination against dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever, West Nile, tick-borne encephalitis, or Japanese encephalitis virus in a microarray assay and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of early-convalescent-phase sera (2 to 3 weeks after onset of symptomatic infection).

IMPORTANCEThe emergence of Zika virus (ZIKV) as a teratogen is a profound challenge to global public health. Molecular diagnosis of infection is straightforward during the 3-week period when patients are viremic. However, serological diagnosis thereafter of historical exposure has been confounded by cross-reactivity. Using high-density peptide arrays that tile the proteomes of a selection of flaviviruses to identify a ZIKV-specific peptide, we established two assays that enable sensitive and specific diagnosis of exposure to ZIKV. These assays may be useful in guiding clinical management of mothers at risk for potential exposure to ZIKV and enable insights into the epidemiology of ZIKV infections.
The
Drosophila melanogaster
Gut Microbiota Provisions Thiamine to Its Host
Authors: Sannino David R. , Dobson Adam J. , Edwards Katie , Angert Esther R. , Buchon Nicolas
Published: March 2018

The microbiota of
Drosophila melanogaster
has a substantial impact on host physiology and nutrition. Some effects may involve vitamin provisioning, but the relationships between microbe-derived vitamins, diet, and host health remain to be established systematically. We explored the contribution of microbiota in supplying sufficient dietary thiamine (vitamin B
1
) to support
D. melanogaster
at different stages of its life cycle. Using chemically defined diets with different levels of available thiamine, we found that the interaction of thiamine concentration and microbiota did not affect the longevity of adult
D. 
melanogaster
. Likewise, this interplay did not have an impact on egg production. However, we determined that thiamine availability has a large impact on offspring development, as axenic offspring were unable to develop on a thiamine-free diet. Offspring survived on the diet only when the microbiota was present or added back, demonstrating that the microbiota was able to provide enough thiamine to support host development. Through gnotobiotic studies, we determined that
Acetobacter pomorum
, a common member of the microbiota, was able to rescue development of larvae raised on the no-thiamine diet. Further, it was the only microbiota member that produced measurable amounts of thiamine when grown on the thiamine-free fly medium. Its close relative
Acetobacter pasteurianus
also rescued larvae; however, a thiamine auxotrophic mutant strain was unable to support larval growth and development. The results demonstrate that the
D. melanogaster
microbiota functions to provision thiamine to its host in a low-thiamine environment.

IMPORTANCE
There has been a long-standing assumption that the microbiota of animals provides their hosts with essential B vitamins; however, there is not a wealth of empirical evidence supporting this idea, especially for vitamin B
1
(thiamine). To determine whether this assumption is true, we used
Drosophila melanogaster
and chemically defined diets with different thiamine concentrations as a model. We found that the microbiota does provide thiamine to its host, enough to allow the development of flies on a thiamine-free diet. The power of the
Drosophila
-microbiota system allowed us to determine that one microbiota member in particular,
Acetobacter pomorum
, is responsible for the thiamine provisioning. Thereby, our study verifies this long-standing hypothesis. Finally, the methods used in this work are applicable for interrogating the underpinnings of other aspects of the tripartite interaction between diet, host, and microbiota.
Rapid Growth of Uropathogenic
Escherichia coli
during Human Urinary Tract Infection
Authors: Forsyth Valerie S. , Armbruster Chelsie E. , Smith Sara N. , Pirani Ali , Springman A. Cody , Walters Matthew S. , Nielubowicz Greta R. , Himpsl Stephanie D. , Snitkin Evan S. , Mobley Harry L. T.
Published: March 2018

Uropathogenic
Escherichia coli
(UPEC) strains cause most uncomplicated urinary tract infections (UTIs). These strains are a subgroup of extraintestinal pathogenic
E. coli
(ExPEC) strains that infect extraintestinal sites, including urinary tract, meninges, bloodstream, lungs, and surgical sites. Here, we hypothesize that UPEC isolates adapt to and grow more rapidly within the urinary tract than other
E. coli
isolates and survive in that niche. To date, there has not been a reliable method available to measure their growth rate
in vivo
. Here we used two methods: segregation of nonreplicating plasmid pGTR902, and peak-to-trough ratio (PTR), a sequencing-based method that enumerates bacterial chromosomal replication forks present during cell division. In the murine model of UTI, UPEC strain growth was robust
in vivo
, matching or exceeding
in vitro
growth rates and only slowing after reaching high CFU counts at 24 and 30 h postinoculation (hpi). In contrast, asymptomatic bacteriuria (ABU) strains tended to maintain high growth rates
in vivo
at 6, 24, and 30 hpi, and population densities did not increase, suggesting that host responses or elimination limited population growth. Fecal strains displayed moderate growth rates at 6 hpi but did not survive to later times. By PTR,
E. coli
in urine of human patients with UTIs displayed extraordinarily rapid growth during active infection, with a mean doubling time of 22.4 min. Thus, in addition to traditional virulence determinants, including adhesins, toxins, iron acquisition, and motility, very high growth rates
in vivo
and resistance to the innate immune response appear to be critical phenotypes of UPEC strains.

IMPORTANCE
Uropathogenic
Escherichia coli
(UPEC) strains cause most urinary tract infections in otherwise healthy women. While we understand numerous virulence factors are utilized by
E. coli
to colonize and persist within the urinary tract, these properties are inconsequential unless bacteria can divide rapidly and survive the host immune response. To determine the contribution of growth rate to successful colonization and persistence, we employed two methods: one involving the segregation of a nonreplicating plasmid in bacteria as they divide and the peak-to-trough ratio, a sequencing-based method that enumerates chromosomal replication forks present during cell division. We found that UPEC strains divide extraordinarily rapidly during human UTIs. These techniques will be broadly applicable to measure
in vivo
growth rates of other bacterial pathogens during host colonization.
Efficacy of Pseudomonas fluorescens for control of Mucor rot of apple during commercial storage and potential modes of action
Authors: Wallace Rhiannon L. , Hirkala Danielle L. , Nelson Louise M.
Published: March 2018

The ability of Pseudomonas fluorescens isolates 1-112, 2-28, and 4-6, to control Mucor piriformis (Mucor rot) on Gala, McIntosh, Ambrosia, and Spartan apple cultivars in commercial cold storage and their possible mechanisms of action were investigated. Isolates 1-112 and 2-28 provided significant levels of disease control on McIntosh and Spartan apples, while isolate 4-6 provided control of Mucor rot on Gala and Spartan apples, compared with control fruits after 15 weeks of storage at 0 °C. Mycelial growth of M. piriformis was markedly inhibited by cell-free supernatant and volatile organic compounds produced by P. fluorescens isolates, in vitro. In filter-sterilized apple juice, living cells of all 3 P. fluorescens isolates or their metabolites significantly inhibited spore germination by 99.8% and 61.6%, on average, respectively. Electron microscopy indicated that all 3 isolates of P. fluorescens colonized the hyphae of M. piriformis, but only isolate 1-112 was observed to colonize M. piriformis spores in vitro. In the wounds of apple, all 3 isolates formed a biofilm on the fungal hyphae and on the fruit tissue. Potential mechanisms of antagonism utilized by P. fluorescens against M. piriformis may include competition for nutrients and space, production of inhibitory metabolites and volatiles, and biofilm formation, leading to inhibition of spore germination and mycelial growth.
Methods of Measuring Enzyme Activity Ex Vivo and In Vivo
Authors: Ou Yangguang , Wilson Rachael E. , Weber Stephen G.
Published: March 2018

Enzymes catalyze a variety of biochemical reactions in the body and, in conjunction with transporters and receptors, control virtually all physiological processes. There is great value in measuring enzyme activity ex vivo and in vivo. Spatial and temporal differences or changes in enzyme activity can be related to a variety of natural and pathological processes. Several analytical approaches have been developed to meet this need. They can be classified broadly as methods either based on artificial substrates, with the goal of creating images of diseased tissue, or based on natural substrates, with the goal of understanding natural processes. This review covers a selection of these methods, including optical, magnetic resonance, mass spectrometry, and physical sampling approaches, with a focus on creative chemistry and method development that make ex vivo and in vivo measurements of enzyme activity possible.
The Molecular Origin of Enthalpy/Entropy Compensation in Biomolecular Recognition
Authors: Fox Jerome M. , Zhao Mengxia , Fink Michael J. , Kang Kyungtae , Whitesides George M.
Published: March 2018

Biomolecular recognition can be stubborn; changes in the structures of associating molecules, or the environments in which they associate, often yield compensating changes in enthalpies and entropies of binding and no net change in affinities. This phenomenon—termed enthalpy/entropy (H/S) compensation—hinders efforts in biomolecular design, and its incidence—often a surprise to experimentalists—makes interactions between biomolecules difficult to predict. Although characterizing H/S compensation requires experimental care, it is unquestionably a real phenomenon that has, from an engineering perspective, useful physical origins. Studying H/S compensation can help illuminate the still-murky roles of water and dynamics in biomolecular recognition and self-assembly. This review summarizes known sources of H/ S compensation (real and perceived) and lays out a conceptual framework for understanding and dissecting—and, perhaps, avoiding or exploiting—this phenomenon in biophysical systems.
Time Scale Inequalities of the Ostrowski Type for Functions Differentiable on the Coordinates
Authors: Nwaeze Eze R. , Kermausuor Seth , Tameru Ana M.
Published: March 2018

In 2016, some inequalities of the Ostrowski type for functions (of two variables) differentiable on the coordinates were established. In this paper, we extend these results to an arbitrary time scale by means of a parameter λ∈0,1. The aforementioned results are regained for the case when the time scale T=R. Besides extension, our results are employed to the continuous and discrete calculus to get some new inequalities in this direction.
A Simple Method for Impasse Points Detection in Nonlinear Electrical Circuits
Authors: Kleiman Diana Leonor , Etchechoury María del Rosario , Puleston Paul
Published: March 2018

In a nonlinear system, impasse points are singularities beyond which solutions are not continuable. In this article, we study two families of nonlinear electrical circuits, which can be represented by nonlinear Implicit Differential Equations. We set conditions that ensure the existence of impasse points in both families of circuits. In the literature, there exist general results to analyse the presence of such singularities in given differential equations of this type. However, the method proposed in this work allows detecting their existence in these electrical topologies in an extremely straightforward way, as illustrated by the examples of application.
TLBO-Based Adaptive Neurofuzzy Controller for Mobile Robot Navigation in a Strange Environment
Authors: Aouf Awatef , Boussaid Lotfi , Sakly Anis
Published: March 2018

This work investigates the possibility of using a novel evolutionary based technique as a solution for the navigation problem of a mobile robot in a strange environment which is based on Teaching-Learning-Based Optimization. TLBO is employed to train the parameters of ANFIS structure for optimal trajectory and minimum travelling time to reach the goal. The obtained results using the suggested algorithm are validated by comparison with different results from other intelligent algorithms such as particle swarm optimization (PSO), invasive weed optimization (IWO), and biogeography-based optimization (BBO). At the end, the quality of the obtained results extracted from simulations affirms TLBO-based ANFIS as an efficient alternative method for solving the navigation problem of the mobile robot.
Influence of Handprint Culture Training on Compliance of Healthcare Workers with Hand Hygiene
Authors: Fouad Hala , Halim Mona M. A. , Algebaly HebatAllah F. , Elmallakh Nardeen A.
Published: March 2018

Objective. We aimed to study the effect of visual observation of bacterial growth from handprints on healthcare workers’ (HCWs) compliance with hand hygiene (HH).Settings. Medical and postoperative cardiac surgery units.Design. Prospective cohort study.Subject. The study included 40 HCWs.Intervention. Each HCW was interviewed on 3 separate occasions. The 1st interview was held to obtain a handprint culture before and after a session demonstrating the 7 steps of HH using alcohol-based hand rub, allowing comparison of results before and after HH. A 2nd interview was held 6 weeks later to obtain handprint culture after HH. A 3rd interview was held to obtain a handprint culture before HH. One month before implementation of handprint cultures and during the 12-week study period, monitoring of HCWs for compliance with HH was observed by 2 independent observers.Main Results. There was a significant improvement in HH compliance following handprint culture interview (p<0.001). The frequency of positive cultures, obtained from patients with suspected healthcare-associated infections, significantly declined (blood cultures:p=0.001; wound cultures:p= 0,003; sputum cultures:p=0.005).Conclusion. The visual message of handprint bacterial growth before and after HH seems an effective method to improve HH compliance.
Association of Peripheral Monocyte Count with Soluble P-Selectin and Advanced Stages in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Authors: Komala Adi Surya , Rachman Andhika
Published: March 2018

Introduction. Inflammation is widely recognized to play an important role in cancer progression and is related to thrombosis. Soluble P-selectin (sP-selectin) is one of several biomarkers that may be predictive of thrombosis in cancer. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between monocyte count and sP-selectin in various stages of nasopharyngeal carcinoma.Methods. Fifty-five patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma were divided into three groups according to nodal and distant metastasis (group of stages I-IVA, IVB, and IVC). Monocyte count was calculated from routine peripheral blood examination, while sP-selectin level was measured using commercial ELISA kit.Results. The monocyte count of subjects in groups IVB and IVC was significantly higher compared to group I-IVA (707/μL versus 528/μL,p=0.022; 841/μL versus 528/μL,p=0.005). Plasma levels of sP-selectin in group IVC were higher than group I-IVA (59.5 ng/mL versus 41.97 ng/mL,p=0.001) and group IVB (59.5 ng/mL versus 45.53 ng/mL,p=0.007). In subjects with high monocyte count (>665/μL), there was moderate correlation between monocyte count and sP-selectin (r=0.436,p=0.022).Conclusion. Advanced stages of nasopharyngeal carcinoma had higher levels of monocyte count and sP-selectin compared to earlier stages. Monocyte count was correlated with sP-selectin especially in high monocyte count subgroup.
Organoleptic Evaluation of Amomi Fructus and Its Further Background Verified via Morphological Measurement and GC Coupled with E‐Nose
Authors: Xu Dong , Lin Yan , Bauer Rudolf , Chen Hui-Rong , Yang Rui-Qi , Zou Hui-Qin , Yan Yong-Hong
Published: March 2018

The present study investigated the maneuverability and reasonability of sensory analysis, which has been applied in TCM identification for a long time. Ten assessors were trained and generated the human panel to carry out the organoleptic evaluation of twenty‐five batches of Sha‐Ren samples. Accordingly, samples were scored from 0 (lowest) to 10 (highest) for sensory attributes. Based on this, samples were divided into three classes: high class (Yang‐Chun‐Sha from Guang‐Dong), moderate class (Yang‐Chun‐Sha samples from Yun‐Nan and Guang‐Xi), and low class (Lv‐Qiao‐Sha from marketplaces). For further background, three instrumental approaches were employed: morphological measurement with three indices (longitudinal diameter, transverse diameter, and 100‐fruit weight), GC for determination of bornyl acetate contents, and E‐nose for aromatic fingerprint. It is demonstrated in the results that GC and E‐nose analyses were in great agreement with organoleptic evaluation. It gives insights into further studies on searching better morphological indicators and improving discriminant model of E‐nose.
Superior Facet Joint Violations during Single Level Minimally Invasive Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion: A Preliminary Retrospective Clinical Study
Authors: Jia Long , Yu Yan , Khan Kamran , Li Fuping , Zhu Rui , Zeng Zhili , Cheng Liming
Published: March 2018

Background. Facet joint violation (FV) was reported as variable iatrogenic damage that can be a crucial risk factor leading to the adjacent segment degeneration (ASD). “Blind” screw placement technique in minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (MIS-TLIF) contributes to the increasing incidence of FV that can be influenced by several potential factors. Many controversies about these factors and clinical outcomes of different types of FV patients exist, yet they have not been analyzed. Methods. 99 cases undergoing single-segment MIS-TLIF from July 2013 to December 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. Computed tomography (CT) was applied to determine the incidence of FV, and then the correlation between FV and relevant factors, including gender, age, body mass index (BMI), top-screw level, and decompression, was analyzed. A total of 53 cases were followed up after one year, 31 cases in noninjury (A group) and 22 patients in FV injury (B group). Results. The incidence of FV was 39. 39% (39/99) in the patients and 23.23% (46/198) in the screws. Logistic regression analysis showed that screw at L5 in patients with BMI > 30 kg/m2 was vulnerable to FV (P<0.05). Moreover, postoperative average intervertebral disc height (AIDH) of fusion segment, visual analog scale (VAS), and Oswestry disability index (ODI) scores improved significantly in group A and B when compared with preoperative data (P<0.05). Adjacent superior average intervertebral disc height (ASAIDH) presented decrease, but adjacent superior intervertebral disc Cobb angle (ASIDCA) appeared to increase in the two groups at the final follow-up compared with postoperative 3 days (P<0.05). Low back VAS and ODI scores in group A (31 cases) were lower than those in group B (22 cases) in the final follow-up (P<0.05). Conclusion. MIS-TLIF is an effective treatment for lumbar degenerative disease, but FV occurred at a higher incidence. Facet joints should be protected in MIS-TLIF to avoid FV.
Effect of Stains on LDL Reduction and Liver Safety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Liang Xiao , He Qin , Zhao Qinghua
Published: March 2018

Background and Aim. Statin is a class of medications used to decrease low-density lipoprotein cholesterol level to prevent cardiovascular disease. However, the risk of hepatic damage caused by statin therapy is still controversial. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis summarizing the existing evidence of the effect of statin therapy on incidence of liver injury to clarify whether statin therapy could lead to liver function test abnormalities.Methods. We searched the Cochrane Library, PubMed, and Embase database for the relevant studies update till Jan. 2017 regarding statin therapy and liver injury. Two researchers screened the literature independently by the selection and exclusion criteria. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using random effects models, and subgroup analyses were performed by study characteristics. This meta-analysis was performed by STATA 13.1 software.Results. Analyses were based on 74,078 individuals from 16 studies. The summary OR of statin therapy was 1.18 (95% CI: 1.01–1.39,p=0.04;I2=0.0%) for liver injury. Subgroup analysis indicated that fluvastatin increased the risk of liver injury significantly (OR, 3.50; 95% CI: 1.07–11.53,p=0.039;I2=0.0%) and dose over 40 mg/daily had an unfavorable effect on the liver damage (OR, 3.62; 95% CI: 1.52–8.65,p=0.004;I2=0.0%). The sensitivity analysis indicated that the results were robust.Conclusion. Our findings confirm that statin therapy substantially increases the risk of liver injury, especially using fluvastatin over 40 mg/d.
Antioxidant and Antiradical Activity of Beetroot (Beta vulgarisL. var.conditivaAlef.) Grown Using Different Fertilizers
Authors: Babagil Aynur , Tasgin Esen , Nadaroglu Hayrunnisa , Kaymak Haluk Caglar
Published: March 2018

Fertilizers in different nitrogen forms (calcium ammonium nitrate (CAN), urea, ammonium sulfate (AS), and ammonium nitrate (AN)) and their doses (50, 100, and 150) for beetroot (BT) (Beta vulgarisL. var.conditivaAlef.) and the antioxidant and antiradical activities in the lyophilized water and alcohol extracts of BT were evaluated. In order to evaluate antioxidant and radical removing activities of BT roots, total phenolic compound amount assignment, total flavonoids amount assignment, method of Fe3+-Fe2+reduction activity using ferric cyanate reduction, cupric ions (Cu2+) reducing capacity with CUPRAC method, Fe3+reducing capacity according to FRAP method, ferrous ions (Fe2+) chelating activity, superoxide anion radical (O2•-) removing activity, and 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS•+) radical removing activity were determined. In the study, BHA andα-tocopherol were used as standard antioxidants. It was determined that water and alcohol extracts obtained from BT roots indicated reduction activities, effectively. In addition, it was also determined that these reduction activities were indicated in most BT roots grown in fertilizer media at lower percentage and that they had higher antioxidative level than that of standard antioxidants.
Lymph Drainage of Posttraumatic Edema of Lower Limbs
Authors: Pereira de Godoy Ana Carolina , Ocampos Troitino Rodrigo , de Fátima Guerreiro Godoy Maria , Pereira de Godoy José Maria
Published: March 2018

Objective. The present study was aimed at evaluating the use of mechanical and manual lymphatic therapy as a treatment for lymphedema resulting from orthopedic surgery that became painful after an episode of erysipelas. Case Report. A 70-year-old male patient suffered direct trauma resulting in a compound fracture of the tibia and fibula of the left leg. He was treated with an external fixator for four months followed by plaster cast immobilization for three weeks. He presented with fever and paresthesia in the lower left limb that resulted in an episode of erysipelas, and the patient evolved with painful lymphedema. Treatment using the Godoy and Godoy technique was proposed, including manual and mechanical lymphatic therapy. Water displacement volumetry was used to quantify the leg size reduction. Results. After 10 sessions of therapy, the patient presented a significant reduction in the limb volume and remission of symptoms. Conclusions. The method used may be a promising option for the treatment of posttraumatic edemas with pain.
Discrete Element Simulation of Conical Pick’s Coal Cutting Process under Different Cutting Parameters
Authors: Liu Jinxia , Ma Chao , Zeng Qingliang , Gao Kuidong
Published: March 2018

To explore how the cutting parameters affect the conical pick’s cutting force in coal cutting process, some simulation tests were carried with EDEM based on analysis of coal cutting process of conical pick and micro mechanical characteristic of coal particles. In this paper, traction speed, drum angular velocity, and installation angle of conical pick were considered as the main coal cutting parameters. The discrete element simulations were conducted under 7 sets of various cutting parameters, which were determined in the range of empirical parameters. From the results of the simulation tests, it can be concluded that the fragmentation of coal particles appears in a compacted, squeezed, and crumbling state in coal cutting process; the traction speed has the greatest impact on the conical pick’s cutting force and cutting force fluctuation and the influence of drum angular velocity and installation angle reduce in turn; the force and force fluctuation tend to decrease and obviously increase, respectively, with the increase of drum angular velocity and traction speed; and they will reach the minimum when the pick’s installation angle is 45° under certain traction speed and drum angular velocity.