bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thermal Comfort Property of Uniform Fabrics of Selected Hong Kong Hospitality Industries
Authors: Chan C.K. , Jiang X.Y. , Chan L.K. , Liew K. , Wong W.K. , Lau M.P.
Published: April 2016

Comfort is one of the most important attributes demanded by modern clothing consumers. It reflects the psychological feeling of a wearer, featured by three latent independent sensory factors: thermal comfort, tactile comfort, and psychological comfort. This paper presents a detailed discussion of the mechanisms influencing different thermal variables on the basis of the thermal comfort properties of 12 commercial types of uniform materials collected from different sources with various fiber content, blend composition, fabric weave, color and end uses. Results generated include thermal conductivity, air permeability and moisture permeability since it is well established that the movement of heat, moisture and air through a fabric are the major factors governing clothing thermal comfort. The initiated research is intended to enable a quantitative analysis of the comfort properties of uniform fabrics currently in use. The results will help establish comfort levels for a wide range of fabric types and assist in fabric selection during uniform product development. In addition, this study might have potential application to other clothing products as well.
The Environmental Revolution and the Supreme Court of Canada: Empirical Analysis of Postmaterialist Value Change Across Four Decades*
Authors: Wetstein Matthew E. , Ostberg C. L.
Published: April 2016

Objective

This study examines Ronald Inglehart's theory of value change in the Supreme Court of Canada. The theory has received little attention in the public law literature, yet its central tenet suggests that intergenerational value change might influence the way that Supreme Court justices decide cases over time.

Method

Using a socio‐attitudinal model of judicial behavior, the study analyzes all environmental decisions between 1973 and 2010. Case outcomes are coded as either pro‐environmental (1) or anti‐environmental (0). Logistic regression analysis examines whether Court tenures, case facts, and judge‐level variables have a significant impact on predicting a postmaterialist outcome.

Results

We find evidence of postmaterialist, pro‐environmental value change, with more contemporary justices exhibiting pro‐environmental positions, even in the face of rival variables.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that intergenerational value change has influenced decision making in Canadian environmental cases over the last 40 years, and indicate the theory may have relevance for explaining other high court change over time in a postmaterialist direction.
Computational Fluid Dynamics Simulation of Direct-Contact Condensation Phenomenon of Vapor Jet in Subcooled Water Tank
Authors: Ji Yu , Zhang Hao-Chun , Zhang Yi-Ning , Wang Xu-Wei , Quan Yan
Published: April 2016

The direct-contact condensation (DCC) is a significant phenomenon in a nuclear reactor and its balance facilities, together with some chemical engineering systems. DCC occurs when the vapor is ejected from the nozzle, contacts with subcooled water, and condenses at the interface directly. The DCC phenomenon accompanied with the heat transfer and mass transfer will lead to the temperature and pressure fluctuations in the tank, even some accidents under certain conditions. This paper investigates the transport phenomena concerning the DCC in the subcooled water tank using the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) commercial code, ANSYS-FLUENT, in which the DCC process is simulated with the Euler–Euler framework for two-phase flow, and the simplified Hertz–Knudsen–Schrage relation is adopted to model mass transfer. In the simulation, the flow field and temperature profile are derived. Moreover, the shape and size of the plume jet are also investigated.
Modeling of In-Tube Condensation of Zeotropic Mixtures
Authors: Macdonald Malcolm , Garimella Srinivas
Published: April 2016

Studies in the literature have shown that zeotropic mixture condensation rates are lower than those predicted using a pure-fluid approach. This has been attributed to the decrease in fluid temperature that occurs with zeotropic mixtures and to the development of concentration gradients in the vapor-phase that limit the condensation heat transfer. The decrease in the apparent heat transfer coefficient is not consistent across mass fluxes, tube diameters, fluid combinations, saturation pressures, and concentrations. Several modeling techniques exist, which allow engineers to model the decrease in heat transfer rates. This study provides guidelines on when the mass transfer effects can be neglected and when it is appropriate to apply established models in the literature. A condensation database containing fluid combinations of pairs of hydrocarbons, ammonia and water, and synthetic refrigerants across large changes in operating conditions, tube diameters, and concentrations is used to validate the approach. The proposed framework predicts that the Bell and Ghaly (1973, “An Approximate Generalized Design Method for Multicomponent/Partial Condensers,” AIChE Symp. Ser., 69, pp. 72–79) approach is valid for mid- and high-reduced pressures, i.e., above 0.40, while explicitly accounting for mass transfer is necessary at lower reduced pressures, i.e., below 0.40, where the influence of the temperature glide in the Bell and Ghaly method is weighted too strongly.
Numerical and Experimental Investigation Into the Effects of Nanoparticle Mass Fraction and Bubble Size on Boiling Heat Transfer of TiO2–Water Nanofluid
Authors: Qi Cong , Wan Yongliang , Liang Lin , Rao Zhonghao , Li Yimin
Published: April 2016

Considering mass transfer and energy transfer between liquid phase and vapor phase, a mixture model for boiling heat transfer of nanofluid is established. In addition, an experimental installation of boiling heat transfer is built. The boiling heat transfer of TiO2–water nanofluid is investigated by numerical and experimental methods, respectively. Thermal conductivity, viscosity, and boiling bubble size of TiO2–water nanofluid are experimentally investigated, and the effects of different nanoparticle mass fractions, bubble sizes and superheat on boiling heat transfer are also discussed. It is found that the boiling bubble size in TiO2–water nanofluid is only one-third of that in de-ionized water. It is also found that there is a critical nanoparticle mass fraction (wt.% = 2%) between enhancement and degradation for TiO2–water nanofluid. Compared with water, nanofluid enhances the boiling heat transfer coefficient by 77.7% when the nanoparticle mass fraction is lower than 2%, while it reduces the boiling heat transfer by 30.3% when the nanoparticle mass fraction is higher than 2%. The boiling heat transfer coefficients increase with the superheat for water and nanofluid. A mathematic correlation between heat flux and superheat is obtained in this paper.
Application of Semi-Active Inerter in Semi-Active Suspensions Via Force Tracking
Authors: Chen Michael Z. Q. , Hu Yinlong , Li Chanying , Chen Guanrong
Published: April 2016

This paper investigates the application of semi-active inerter in semi-active suspension. A semi-active inerter is defined as an inerter whose inertance can be adjusted within a finite bandwidth by online control actions. A force-tracking approach to designing semi-active suspension with a semi-active inerter and a semi-active damper is proposed in this paper. Two parts are required in the force-tracking strategy: a target active control law and a proper algorithm to adjust the inertance and the damping coefficient online to track the target active control law. The target active control law is derived based on the state-derivative feedback control methodology in the “reciprocal state-space” (RSS) framework, which has the advantage that it is straightforward to use the acceleration information in the controller design. The algorithm to adjust the inertance and the damping coefficient is to saturate the active control force between the maximal and the minimal achievable suspension forces of the semi-active suspension. Both a quarter-car model and a full-car model are considered in this paper. Simulation results demonstrate that the semi-active suspension with a semi-active inerter and a semi-active damper can track the target active control force much better than the conventional semi-active suspension (which only contains a semi-active damper) does. As a consequence, the overall performance in ride comfort, suspension deflection, and road holding is improved, which effectively demonstrates the necessity and the benefit of introducing semi-active inerter in vehicle suspension.
Experimental and Numerical Study of the Vibration of Stationary and Rotating Annular Disks
Authors: Bashmal Salem , Bhat Rama , Rakheja Subhash
Published: April 2016

Numerical and experimental investigations are carried out to study the combined effect of rotation and support nonuniformity on the modal characteristics of circular thick disks. The laboratory experiments on stationary and rotating circular disks are conducted to investigate the effects of partial support conditions on the in-plane and out-of-plane vibration responses of annular disks with different radius ratios. Numerical results suggested that the nonuniformity of the support along the circumferential directions of the boundaries affects the modal characteristics of the disk along the in-plane and out-of-plane directions, while introducing additional coupling between the modes. Specifically, some of the frequency peaks in the frequency spectrum obtained under uniform boundary conditions split into two distinct peaks in the presence of a point support. The results show that the in-plane modes of vibration are comparable with those associated with out-of-plane modes and are contributing to the total noise radiation. The coupling between in-plane and out-of-plane modes is found to be quite significant due to the nonuniformity of the boundary conditions. The experimental study confirms the split in natural frequencies of the disk that is observed in the numerical results due to both rotation and support nonuniformity. The applicability and accuracy of the formulations is further examined through analysis of modal characteristics of a railway wheel in contact with the rail.
Associations Between Physical Fitness and Children’s Psychological Well-Being
Authors: LaVigne Timothy , Hoza Betsy , Smith Alan L. , Shoulberg Erin K. , Bukowski William
Published: April 2016

We examined the relation between physical fitness and psychological well-being in children ages 10–14 years (N = 222), and the potential moderation of this relation by sex. Participants completed a physical fitness assessment comprised of seven tasks and a diverse set of self-report well-being measures assessing depressive symptoms, loneliness, and competence. Peers reported on social status and teachers rated adaptive functioning, internalizing symptoms, and externalizing symptoms. Multiple regression analyses indicated a significant association between physical fitness and psychological well-being for both boys and girls. Higher levels of physical fitness were associated with lower levels of peer dyadic loneliness and fewer depressive symptoms; greater cognitive, social, and athletic competence; greater feelings of self-worth; and better teacher reports of adaptive functioning. An interaction between internalizing and sex indicated a significant and negative association between physical fitness and internalizing symptoms for males only. No other moderation effects by sex were observed. Results suggest that physical fitness is associated with a range of well-being indicators for both boys and girls in this age group.
Papers of note in
Science
Authors: VanHook Annalisa M.
Published: April 2016

This week’s articles show that macrophages can protect lymph nodes from tumor-secreted vesicles, expression of the oncogene
MYC
helps cancer cells evade the immune response, and bacteria can use riboswitches to defend themselves against antibiotics.
Comparative
In Vitro
Activities of Oritavancin, Dalbavancin, and Vancomycin against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Isolates in a Nondividing State
Authors: Belley Adam , Lalonde Seguin David , Arhin Francis , Moeck Greg
Published: April 2016

Antibacterial agents that kill nondividing bacteria may be of utility in treating persistent infections. Oritavancin and dalbavancin are bactericidal lipoglycopeptides that are approved for acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections in adults caused by susceptible Gram-positive pathogens. Using time-kill methodology, we demonstrate that oritavancin exerts bactericidal activity against methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) isolates that are maintained in a nondividing state
in vitro
, whereas dalbavancin and the glycopeptide vancomycin do not.
PBP 4 Mediates High-Level Resistance to New-Generation Cephalosporins in Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Chan Liana C. , Gilbert Aubre , Basuino Li , da Costa Thaina M. , Hamilton Stephanie M. , dos Santos Katia R. , Chambers Henry F. , Chatterjee Som S.
Published: April 2016

Staphylococcus aureus
is an important cause of both hospital- and community-associated methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
(MRSA) infections worldwide. β-Lactam antibiotics are the drugs of choice to treat
S. aureus
infections, but resistance to these and other antibiotics make treatment problematic. High-level β-lactam resistance of
S. aureus
has always been attributed to the horizontally acquired penicillin binding protein 2a (PBP 2a) encoded by the
mecA
gene. Here, we show that
S. aureus
can also express high-level resistance to β-lactams, including new-generation broad-spectrum cephalosporins that are active against methicillin-resistant strains, through an uncanonical core genome-encoded penicillin binding protein, PBP 4, a nonessential enzyme previously considered not to be important for staphylococcal β-lactam resistance. Our results show that PBP 4 can mediate high-level resistance to β-lactams.
Barrier-Independent, Fitness-Associated Differences in Sofosbuvir Efficacy against Hepatitis C Virus
Authors: Gallego Isabel , Sheldon Julie , Moreno Elena , Gregori Josep , Quer Josep , Esteban Juan Ignacio , Rice Charles M. , Domingo Esteban , Perales Celia
Published: April 2016

Sofosbuvir displays a high phenotypic barrier to resistance, and it is a component of several combination therapies for hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. HCV fitness can be a determinant of decreased sensitivity to direct-acting antiviral agents such as telaprevir or daclatasvir, but fitness-dependent decreased drug sensitivity has not been established for drugs with a high phenotypic barrier to resistance. Low- and high-fitness HCV populations and biological clones derived from them were used to infect Huh-7.5 hepatoma cells. Sofosbuvir efficacy was analyzed by measuring virus progeny production during several passages and by selection of possible sofosbuvir resistance mutations determined by sequencing the NS5B-coding region of the resulting populations. Sofosbuvir exhibited reduced efficacy against high-fitness HCV populations, without the acquisition of sofosbuvir-specific resistance mutations. A reduced sofosbuvir efficacy, similar to that observed with the parental populations, was seen for high-fitness individual biological clones. In independently derived high-fitness HCV populations or clones passaged in the presence of sofosbuvir, M289L was selected as the only substitution in the viral polymerase NS5B. In no case was the sofosbuvir-specific resistance substitution S282T observed. High HCV fitness can lead to decreased sensitivity to sofosbuvir, without the acquisition of specific sofosbuvir resistance mutations. Thus, fitness-dependent drug sensitivity can operate with HCV inhibitors that display a high barrier to resistance. This mechanism may underlie treatment failures not associated with selection of sofosbuvir-specific resistance mutations, linked to
in vivo
fitness of pretreatment viral populations.
Preclinical Studies Evaluating Subacute Toxicity and Therapeutic Efficacy of LQB-118 in Experimental Visceral Leishmaniasis
Authors: Cunha-Júnior Edézio Ferreira , Martins Thiago Martino , Canto-Cavalheiro Marilene Marcuzzo , Marques Paulo Roberto , Portari Elyzabeth Avvad , Coelho Marsen Garcia Pinto , Netto Chaquip Daher , Costa Paulo Roberto Ribeiro , Sabino Katia Costa de Carvalho , Torres-Santos Eduardo Caio
Published: April 2016

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is the most severe form of leishmaniasis and is the second major cause of death by parasites, after malaria. The arsenal of drugs against leishmaniasis is small, and each has a disadvantage in terms of toxicity, efficacy, price, or treatment regimen. Our group has focused on studying new drug candidates as alternatives to current treatments. The pterocarpanquinone LQB-118 was designed and synthesized based on molecular hybridization, and it exhibited antiprotozoal and anti-leukemic cell line activities. Our previous work demonstrated that LQB-118 was an effective treatment for experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis. In this study, we observed that treatment with 10 mg/kg of body weight/day LQB-118 orally inhibited the development of hepatosplenomegaly with a 99% reduction in parasite load. An
in vivo
toxicological analysis showed no change in the clinical, biochemical, or hematological parameters. Histologically, all of the analyzed organs were normal, with the exception of the liver, where focal points of necrosis with leukocytic infiltration were observed at treatment doses 5 times higher than the therapeutic dose; however, these changes were not accompanied by an increase in transaminases. Our findings indicate that LQB-118 is effective at treating different clinical forms of leishmaniasis and presents no relevant signs of toxicity at therapeutic doses; thus, this framework is demonstrated suitable for developing promising drug candidates for the oral treatment of leishmaniasis.
Novel Heteroaryl Selenocyanates and Diselenides as Potent Antileishmanial Agents
Authors: Baquedano Ylenia , Alcolea Verónica , Toro Miguel Ángel , Gutiérrez Killian Jesús , Nguewa Paul , Font María , Moreno Esther , Espuelas Socorro , Jiménez-Ruiz Antonio , Palop Juan Antonio , Plano Daniel , Sanmartín Carmen
Published: April 2016

A series of new selenocyanates and diselenides bearing interesting bioactive scaffolds (quinoline, quinoxaline, acridine, chromene, furane, isosazole, etc.) was synthesized, and their
in vitro
leishmanicidal activities against
Leishmania infantum
amastigotes along with their cytotoxicities in human THP-1 cells were determined. Interestingly, most tested compounds were active in the low micromolar range and led us to identify four lead compounds (1h, 2d, 2e, and 2f) with 50% effective dose (ED
50
) values ranging from 0.45 to 1.27 μM and selectivity indexes of >25 for all of them, much higher than those observed for the reference drugs. These active derivatives were evaluated against infected macrophages, and in order to gain preliminary knowledge about their possible mechanism of action, the inhibition of trypanothione reductase (TryR) was measured. Among these novel structures, compounds 1h (3,5-dimethyl-4-isoxazolyl selenocyanate) and 2d [3,3′-(diselenodiyldimethanediyl)bis(2-bromothiophene)] exhibited good association between TryR inhibitory activity and antileishmanial potency, pointing to 1h, for its excellent theoretical ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion) properties, as the most promising lead molecule for leishmancidal drug design.
Identification and Characterization of a Novel Aspergillus fumigatus Rhomboid Family Putative Protease, RbdA, Involved in Hypoxia Sensing and Virulence
Authors: Vaknin Yakir , Hillmann Falk , Iannitti Rossana , Ben Baruch Netali , Sandovsky-Losica Hana , Shadkchan Yona , Romani Luigina , Brakhage Axel , Kniemeyer Olaf , Osherov Nir
Published: April 2016

Aspergillus fumigatus
is the most common pathogenic mold infecting humans and a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised patients. In invasive pulmonary aspergillosis,
A. fumigatus
spores are inhaled into the lungs, undergoing germination and invasive hyphal growth. The fungus occludes and disrupts the blood vessels, leading to hypoxia and eventual tissue necrosis. The ability of this mold to adapt to hypoxia is regulated in part by the sterol regulatory element binding protein (SREBP) SrbA and the DscA to DscD Golgi E3 ligase complex critical for SREBP activation by proteolytic cleavage. Loss of the genes encoding these proteins results in avirulence. To identify novel regulators of hypoxia sensing, we screened the
Neurospora crassa
gene deletion library under hypoxia and identified a novel rhomboid family protease essential for hypoxic growth. Deletion of the
A. fumigatus
rhomboid homolog
rbdA
resulted in an inability to grow under hypoxia, hypersensitivity to CoCl
2
, nikkomycin Z, fluconazole, and ferrozine, abnormal swollen tip morphology, and transcriptional dysregulation—accurately phenocopying deletion of
srbA. In vivo
,
rbdA
deletion resulted in increased sensitivity to phagocytic killing, a reduced inflammatory Th1 and Th17 response, and strongly attenuated virulence. Phenotypic rescue of the Δ
rbdA
mutant was achieved by expression and nuclear localization of the N terminus of SrbA, including its HLH domain, further indicating that RbdA and SrbA act in the same signaling pathway. In summary, we have identified RbdA, a novel putative rhomboid family protease in
A. fumigatus
that mediates hypoxia adaptation and fungal virulence and that is likely linked to SrbA cleavage and activation.
Addiction of Hypertransformable Pneumococcal Isolates to Natural Transformation for
In Vivo
Fitness and Virulence
Authors: Li Guiling , Liang Zhuowen , Wang Xiatai , Yang Yonghong , Shao Zhujun , Li Machao , Ma Yueyun , Qu Fen , Morrison Donald A. , Zhang Jing-Ren
Published: April 2016

Natural genetic transformation of
Streptococcus pneumoniae
, an important human pathogen, mediates horizontal gene transfer for the development of drug resistance, modulation of carriage and virulence traits, and evasion of host immunity. Transformation frequency differs greatly among pneumococcal clinical isolates, but the molecular basis and biological importance of this interstrain variability remain unclear. In this study, we characterized the transformation frequency and other associated phenotypes of 208
S. pneumoniae
clinical isolates representing at least 30 serotypes. While the vast majority of these isolates (94.7%) were transformable, the transformation frequency differed by up to 5 orders of magnitude between the least and most transformable isolates. The strain-to-strain differences in transformation frequency were observed among many isolates producing the same capsule types, indicating no general association between transformation frequency and serotype. However, a statistically significant association was observed between the levels of transformation and colonization fitness/virulence in the hypertransformable isolates. Although nontransformable mutants of all the selected hypertransformable isolates were significantly attenuated in colonization fitness and virulence in mouse infection models, such mutants of the strains with relatively low transformability had no or marginal fitness phenotypes under the same experimental settings. This finding strongly suggests that the pneumococci with high transformation capability are “addicted” to a “hypertransformable” state for optimal fitness in the human host. This work has thus provided an intriguing hint for further investigation into how the competence system impacts the fitness, virulence, and other transformation-associated traits of this important human pathogen.
TcI Isolates of Trypanosoma cruzi Exploit the Antioxidant Network for Enhanced Intracellular Survival in Macrophages and Virulence in Mice
Authors: Zago María Paola , Hosakote Yashoda M. , Koo Sue-jie , Dhiman Monisha , Piñeyro María Dolores , Parodi-Talice Adriana , Basombrio Miguel A. , Robello Carlos , Garg Nisha J.
Published: April 2016

Trypanosoma cruzi
species is categorized into six discrete typing units (TcI to TcVI) of which TcI is most abundantly noted in the sylvatic transmission cycle and considered the major cause of human disease. In our study, the TcI strains Colombiana (COL), SylvioX10/4 (SYL), and a cultured clone (TCC) exhibited different biological behavior in a murine model, ranging from high parasitemia and symptomatic cardiomyopathy (SYL), mild parasitemia and high tissue tropism (COL), to no pathogenicity (TCC). Proteomic profiling of the insect (epimastigote) and infective (trypomastigote) forms by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis/matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry, followed by functional annotation of the differential proteome data sets (≥2-fold change,
P
< 0.05), showed that several proteins involved in (i) cytoskeletal assembly and remodeling, essential for flagellar wave frequency and amplitude and forward motility of the parasite, and (ii) the parasite-specific antioxidant network were enhanced in COL and SYL (versus TCC) trypomastigotes. Western blotting confirmed the enhanced protein levels of cytosolic and mitochondrial tryparedoxin peroxidases and their substrate (tryparedoxin) and iron superoxide dismutase in COL and SYL (versus TCC) trypomastigotes. Further, COL and SYL (but not TCC) were resistant to exogenous treatment with stable oxidants (H
2
O
2
and peroxynitrite [ONOO
−
]) and dampened the intracellular superoxide and nitric oxide response in macrophages, and thus these isolates escaped from macrophages. Our findings suggest that protein expression conducive to increase in motility and control of macrophage-derived free radicals provides survival and persistence benefits to TcI isolates of
T. cruzi
.
Publication and non-publication of drug trial results: a 10-year cohort of trials in Norwegian general practice
Authors: Brænd Anja Maria , Straand Jørund , Jakobsen Rune Bruhn , Klovning Atle
Published: April 2016

Objectives

Previously, we identified a 10-year cohort of protocols from applications to the Norwegian Medicines Agency 1998–2007, consisting of 196 drug trials in general practice. The aim of this study was to examine whether trial results were published and whether trial funding and conflicts of interest were reported.

Design

Cohort study of trials with systematic searches for published results.

Setting

Clinical drug trials in Norwegian general practice.

Methods

We performed systematic literature searches of MEDLINE, Embase and CENTRAL to identify publications originating from each trial using characteristics such as test drug, comparator and patient groups as search terms. When no publication was identified, we contacted trial sponsors for information regarding trial completion and reference to any publications.

Main outcome measures

We determined the frequency of publication of trial results and trial characteristics associated with publication of results.

Results

Of the 196 trials, 5 were never started. Of the remaining 191 trials, 71% had results published in a journal, 11% had results publicly available elsewhere and 18% of trials had no results available. Publication was more common among trials with an active comparator drug (χ2test, p=0.040), with a larger number of patients (total sample size≥median, p=0.010) and with a longer trial period (duration≥median, p=0.025). Trial funding was reported in 85% of publications and increased over time, as did reporting of conflicts of interest among authors. Among the 134 main journal articles from the trials, 60% presented statistically significant results for the investigational drug, and the conclusion of the article was favourable towards the test drug in 78% of papers.

Conclusions

We did not identify any journal publication of results for 29% of the general practice drug trials. Trials with an active comparator, larger and longer trials were more likely to be published.
eLearning to facilitate the education and implementation of the Chelsea Critical Care Physical Assessment: a novel measure of function in critical illness
Authors: Corner Evelyn J , Handy Jonathan M , Brett Stephen J
Published: April 2016

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy of eLearning in the widespread standardised teaching, distribution and implementation of the Chelsea Critical Care Physical Assessment (CPAx) tool—a validated tool to assess physical function in critically ill patients.

Design

Prospective educational study. An eLearning module was developed through a conceptual framework, using the four-stage technique for skills teaching to teach clinicians how to use the CPAx. Example and test video case studies of CPAx assessments were embedded within the module. The CPAx scores for the test case studies and demographic data were recorded in a secure area of the website. Data were analysed for inter-rater reliability using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) to see if an eLearning educational package facilitated consistent use of the tool. A utility and content validity questionnaire was distributed after 1 year to eLearning module registrants (n=971). This was to evaluate uptake of the CPAx in clinical practice and content validity of the CPAx from the perspective of clinical users.

Setting

The module was distributed for use via professional forums (n=2) and direct contacts (n=95).

Participants

Critical care clinicians.

Primary outcome measure

ICC of the test case studies.

Results

Between July and October 2014, 421 candidates from 15 countries registered for the eLearning module. The ICC for case one was 0.996 (95% CI 0.990 to 0.999; n=207). The ICC for case two was 0.988 (0.996 to 1.000; n=184). The CPAx has a strong total scale content validity index (s-CVI) of 0.94 and is well used.

Conclusions

eLearning is a useful and reliable way of teaching psychomotor skills, such as the CPAx. The CPAx is a well-used measure with high content validity rated by clinicians.
Association of immune recovery with hyperlipidaemia and apolipoprotein gene polymorphisms following highly active antiretroviral therapy in a cohort of Chinese HIV patients
Authors: Chan Denise Pui-Chung , Lee Man-Po , Wong Ngai-Sze , Leung Ross Ka-Kit , Naftalin Claire Melinda , Lee Shui-Shan
Published: April 2016

Objective

To examine the associations between CD4 recovery, dyslipidaemia and apolipoprotein (APO) gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) following highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART).

Design

Retrospective observational cohort study.

Setting

A major HIV care clinic in Hong Kong.

Participants

197 Chinese treatment-naïve HIV patients.

Outcome measures

Maximum CD4 count and its rise 2–3 years after HAART initiation and their association with abnormal total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG) and 8 selected APO SNP at multiple time points.

Results

Before HAART, abnormal levels of TC, TG, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were detected in 13%, 26%, 59% and 19% of the recruited patients, respectively. APOA5 −1131T>C and c.553G>T were significantly associated with high pre-HAART TG while APOE 2198C>T was correlated with high TG at baseline and/or a rise 2–3 years following HAART initiation. Poor CD4 achievement, defined as the highest CD4 count <350/μL and a net gain of <100/μL, was associated with a low CD4 count ≤200/μL at baseline and a rise of TC beyond 5.17 mmol/L following HAART with or without the use of antilipid agents. Conversely, satisfactory CD4 achievement was associated with APOC3 3238GG genotype. Applying a linear generalised estimating equation, APOA5 −1131T>C was shown to be a predictor of a weaker temporal trend for CD4 response in the presence of a low baseline CD4≤200/μL.

Conclusions

Dyslipidaemia plays a predictive role in impacting immunological recovery following HAART, which could be partly explained by the APO gene SNP.
Diagnostic accuracy of PAT-POPS and ManChEWS for admissions of children from the emergency department
Authors: Cotterill Sarah , Rowland Andrew G , Kelly Jacqueline , Lees Helen , Kamara Mohammed
Published: April 2016

Background

The Pennine Acute Trust (PAT) Paediatric Observation Priority Score (PAT-POPS) is a specific emergency department (ED) physiological and observational aggregate scoring system, with scores of 0–18. A higher score indicates greater likelihood of admission. The Manchester Children's Early Warning System (ManChEWS) assesses six physiological observations to create a trigger score, classified as Green, Amber or Red.

Methods

Prospectively collected data were used to calculate PAT-POPS and ManChEWS on 2068 patients aged under 16 years (mean 5.6 years, SD 4.6) presenting over 1 month to a UK District General Hospital Paediatric ED. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) comparison, using STATA V.13, was used to investigate the ability of ManChEWS and PAT-POPS to predict admission to hospital within 72 h of presentation to the ED.

Results

Comparison of the area under the ROC curve indicates that the ManChEWS ROC is 0.67 (95% CI 0.64 to 0.70) and the PAT-POPS ROC is 0.72 (95% CI 0.68 to 0.75). The difference is statistically significant. At a PAT-POPS cut-off of ≥2, 80% of patients had their admission risk correctly classified (positive likelihood ratio 3.40, 95% CI 2.90 to 3.98) whereas for ManChEWS with a cut off of ≥Amber only 71% of patients were correctly classified (positive likelihood ratio 2.18, 95% CI 1.94 to 2.45).

Conclusions

PAT-POPS is a more accurate predictor of admission risk than ManChEWS. Replacing ManChEWS with PAT-POPS would appear to be clinically appropriate in a paediatric ED. This needs validation in a multicentre study.
Ultrasound findings in 42 patients with cytotoxic tissue damage following bites by South African snakes
Authors: Wood Darryl , Sartorius Benjamin , Hift Richard
Published: April 2016

Background

Snakebites that have cytotoxic venom can cause significant soft tissue swelling. Assessing the site and degree of swelling using ultrasound as a non-invasive technique would be an important tool for instituting appropriate treatment.

Methods

Forty-two patients who presented to a referral hospital in South Africa with cytotoxic swelling of the limbs from snakebite were assessed using ultrasound. The envenomed limb of each patient was scanned at the point of maximal swelling and compared with the unaffected limb at the same site. Data were presented as an expansion coefficient defined as the ratio of the thickness of tissue structure (subcutaneous tissue or muscle compartment) in the envenomed limb to that in the unaffected limb. A p value of 0.05 was regarded as significant, and 95% CIs were expressed throughout.

Results

The majority of bites were in the upper limb (27/42). Twenty-five patients were children less than 12 years. Tissue expansion was noted in both the subcutaneous and muscle compartments of the envenomed limbs. The site of swelling was predominantly in the subcutaneous tissues, while swelling in muscle compartment was limited (the mean expansion coefficient for subcutaneous tissues was 2.0 (CI 1.7 to 2.3) vs 1.06 (CI 1.0 to 1.1), respectively). The difference between the groups was significant (p<001). One case, confirmed as compartment syndrome, showed marked swelling in the muscle group.

Conclusions

Basic ultrasound techniques may be used to identify the site and degree of tissue swelling from cytotoxic envenomation. It is a non-invasive, painless procedure that can assist the clinician to assess the injured limb and may also be of benefit to monitor the progression of swelling.
Impact of persistent and adolescent-limited antisocial behaviour on adult health outcomes
Authors: Paradis Angela D , Koenen Karestan C , Fitzmaurice Garrett M , Buka Stephen L
Published: April 2016

Background

Persistent engagement in antisocial behaviour across developmental periods is thought to increase the risk for early disease morbidity. However, less is known about potential adverse health outcomes among the much larger subset of individuals with antisocial behaviour limited to adolescence.

Methods

Using data from the Providence, Rhode Island cohort of the Collaborative Perinatal Project, we examined the association between developmentally based subtypes of antisocial behaviour and health outcomes (n=801). Official arrest records and self-reports of engagement in antisocial behaviour were used to classify participants into antisocial groups (persistent into adulthood, adolescent-limited, no significant problems) that were contrasted across important adult health indicators.

Results

With few exceptions, those with persistent antisocial behaviour had the highest prevalence of each health problem. Compared to those with no antisocial behaviour, participants with persistent problems had poorer overall health and significantly elevated odds of cardiovascular problems, wheezing, lower back pain, cancer, serious injury and emergency department visits. Those with adolescent-limited behaviour experienced significantly increased odds of health concerns including poorer overall health, hypercholesterolaemia, acute respiratory problems and wheezing, lower back pain and emergency department visits compared to participants with no antisocial behaviour. Both antisocial groups reported barriers to healthcare access.

Conclusions

Findings highlight the impact of persistent antisocial behaviour on adult health, and suggest that antisocial behaviour limited to adolescence is also an important marker of poor health. Given that antisocial behaviour during adolescence is an important early marker of adverse health outcomes, youth exhibiting serious behavioural problems should be targeted for preventive interventions.
Alignment of fluvio-tidal point bars in the middle McMurray Formation: implications for structural architecture of the Lower Cretaceous Athabasca Oil Sands Deposit, northern Alberta
Authors: Broughton Paul L.
Published: April 2016

The northern Athabasca Oil Sands Deposit accumulated on sub-Cretaceous structure partially configured by multistage pre-Cretaceous salt dissolutions in Prairie Evaporite (Middle Devonian) substrate that continued concurrent with deposition of McMurray Formation (Aptian) strata. Dissolution fronts only 250 m below advanced along NW- and NE-oriented fracture–fault lineaments that coalesced into larger salt removal areas. This structural grain was transmitted to the overlying dissected Upper Devonian karst topography draped by lower McMurray braided rivers along a lattice-like channel network. The dominant NW structural grain continued during middle McMurray deposition, with fluvial-estuarine point bars aligned along subparallel tidal channels. Regional salt removal fronts concurrent with middle McMurray deposition migrated north of the Bitumount Trough, resulting in the 200 km2 central collapse. The northern Athabasca Deposit area was configured as a funnel-shaped lower estuary structure consisting of aligned Upper Devonian – lower McMurray fault block terraces that stepped down northward into the central collapse. Sinuous river channels of the upper estuary, constrained along stable substrate of the main paleovalley, flowed northward onto the unstable floor of this funnel-form lower estuary. The main paleovalley fairway branched into multiple tens of kilometres long subparallel fluvio-estuarine tidal channels aligned parallel to the NW structural grain. Sand transport fairways cascaded over the step-down terraces and permitted aggradations of overlying fluvio-tidal point bars to accumulate into giant commercially attractive sand complexes. The internal architecture of these tens of metres thick sand deposits included deposit-wide erosion surfaces resulting from cycles of collapse–subsidence, stabilized substrate and erosion, and renewed subsidence and aggradation.
Magnetic susceptibility mapping of the Sudbury area, Ontario, Canada: evaluating pollution distributions decades later
Authors: Yurtseven-Sandker A. , Cioppa M.T.
Published: April 2016

This study evaluates the use of magnetic susceptibility and magnetic parameter measurements in assessing spatial and temporal variations of pollutants that emanated from mining industries in and around Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. For this purpose, in situ magnetic susceptibility (κin situ) was measured at 106 sites on a grid of 10 km × 10 km and 5 km × 5 km. The κin situ values ranged from 2 × 10−5 to 149 × 10−5 SI, and the highest κin situ values were observed near the active (Copper Cliff) and inactive (Coniston) mining sites. The lowest κin situ values were measured at increased distances from possible pollution sources; therefore, mapping of in situ magnetic susceptibility values is a proxy to polluted areas in and around Sudbury. To evaluate potential anthropogenic and (or) lithogenic input to κin situ, low-frequency mass specific magnetic susceptibility (χlf) variations with depth were classified into four different types of profiles. For further investigation of magnetic minerals in the samples, laboratory measurements of magnetic susceptibility, frequency dependence of magnetic susceptibility, hysteresis properties, thermosusceptibility curves, anhysteretic and isothermal magnetizations, and scanning electron microscopy – energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS) were also conducted on the soil samples. Laboratory measurements indicated that ferrimagnetic minerals (e.g., magnetite) of variable grain size were the dominant magnetic minerals, with the exception of one site that contained an iron sulfide (greigite) phase near a mine waste site. Magnetic spherules observed in SEM micrographs are of variable sizes (6–60 μm), suggesting that suspended particulate matter (PM10) is present, and may be a health concern. At some sites, EDS analysis showed that heavy metals (Co, Al, and Ni), which threaten human health, are also present in the study area.
Spatial and temporal quantification of forest residue volumes and delivered costs
Authors: Wells Lucas A. , Chung Woodam , Anderson Nathaniel M. , Hogland John S.
Published: April 2016

Growing demand for bioenergy, biofuels, and bioproducts has increased interests in the utilization of biomass residues from forest treatments as feedstock. In areas with limited history of industrial biomass utilization, uncertainties in the quantity, distribution, and cost of biomass production and logistics can hinder the development of new bio-based industries. This paper introduces a new methodology to quantify and spatially describe delivered feedstock volumes and costs across landscapes of arbitrary size in ways that characterize operational and annual management decision-making. Using National Agricultural Imagery Program (NAIP) imagery, the forest is segmented into operational-level treatment units. A remote sensing model based on NAIP imagery and Forest Inventory and Analysis plot data are used to attribute treatment units with stand-level estimates of basal area, tree density, aboveground biomass, and quadratic mean diameter. These methods are applied to a study site in southwestern Colorado to assess the quantity and distribution of treatment residue for use in bioenergy production. Results from the case study demonstrate how this generalized approach can be used in the analysis and decision-making process when establishing new bioenergy industries that use forest residue as feedstock.
Compositional analysis: a valid approach to analyze microbiome high-throughput sequencing data
Authors: Gloor Gregory B. , Reid Gregor
Published: April 2016

A workshop held at the 2015 annual meeting of the Canadian Society of Microbiologists highlighted compositional data analysis methods and the importance of exploratory data analysis for the analysis of microbiome data sets generated by high-throughput DNA sequencing. A summary of the content of that workshop, a review of new methods of analysis, and information on the importance of careful analyses are presented herein. The workshop focussed on explaining the rationale behind the use of compositional data analysis, and a demonstration of these methods for the examination of 2 microbiome data sets. A clear understanding of bioinformatics methodologies and the type of data being analyzed is essential, given the growing number of studies uncovering the critical role of the microbiome in health and disease and the need to understand alterations to its composition and function following intervention with fecal transplant, probiotics, diet, and pharmaceutical agents.
The effects of polyphenol-rich chokeberry juice on fatty acid profiles and lipid peroxidation of active handball players: results from a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study
Authors: Petrovic Snjezana , Arsic Aleksandra , Glibetic Marija , Cikiriz Nikola , Jakovljevic Vladimir , Vucic Vesna
Published: April 2016

The effect of polyphenol-rich chokeberry juice consumption on plasma phospholipid fatty acid profiles of 32 active male and female handball players was examined. This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted during the preparatory training in a closed campus, where 18 players (8 males, 10 females) consumed 100 mL of chokeberry juice, while 14 players (7 males, 7 females) consumed placebo. Lipid status, glucose, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and percentages of fatty acids were assessed at baseline and at the end of the study. Consumption of chokeberry juice induced decreases of C18:1n-9 and C18:3n-3 in men, but no changes in female players. However, placebo-controlled groups had reduced proportions of mono- (C16:1n-7, C18:1n-7) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs: C18:3n-3, C20:5n-3, and C22:4n-6) in males, as well as n-6 PUFAs and total PUFAs in females after consumption. These results indicate that chokeberry juice had a weak impact on attenuating the effect of intensive training in active handball players.
Mass spectrometry of organic matter influenced by long-term pedogenesis and a short-term reclamation practice in an Oxisol of Brazil
Authors: Monreal Carlos M. , Alves Marlene Cristina , Schnitzer Morris , Filho Sebastiao Nilce Souto , Batista Bonini Carolina dos Santos
Published: April 2016

Little is known about the influence of soil pedogenesis and reclamation practices on the chemical composition of soil organic matter (SOM) in eroded Oxisol. We examined the long-term influence of pedogenesis and 8 years of a reclamation practice on SOM in the top 5 cm of an artificially eroded Oxisol of Brazil. The experimental site involved replicated treatments established under native vegetation, and an adjacent site whose top 8.6 m had been removed mechanically (eroded reference). The eroded Oxisol was under reclamation with native tree and grass species, and addition of sewage sludge. Pyrolysis field ionization mass spectrometry was used to characterize SOM. The abundance of most classes of SOM and soil carbon decreased in the following order: native > reclaimed >> eroded soil. Relative to the eroded reference, SOM in the native soil was highly humified and stabilized by inorganic colloids of iron, aluminum, and silicon. Humified and thermally stable SOM in the native and reference eroded soils involved mostly alkylaromatics, lipids, phenols+lignin monomers, lignin dimers, and N-heterocyclics. The reclaimed soil SOM was less humified and less stable than the native Oxisol, showing significant contributions of carbohydrates, amino acids, and sterols derived from sewage sludge and plant residues.