bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Historia de la investigación española en psicología vista a través de las principales revistas científicas del área durante el período 2003-2012.
Authors: Osca-Lluch Julia , Gonzalez Sala Fancisco , Fonseca Baeza Sara , Civera Mollá Cristina
Published: August 2017

La abundancia y nivel de las publicaciones científicas, constituye un indicador de la capacidad, trayectoria y calidad científica de un país, área temática o grupo de investigación. El grado de visibilidad internacional de una revista es un importante indicador sobre su calidad y cada vez es más considerado por las agencias de evaluación de los meritos científicos. Este estudio ofrece un análisis de la evolución de la actividad española en psicología, vista a través de su producción científica en las revistas de psicología recogidas en las base de datos JCR del SSCI (Social Sciences Citation Index) y del SCI (Science Citation Index) durante los años 2003-2012. Los resultados indican un crecimiento en la producción científica española en este período y un crecimiento en el número de revistas españolas y latinoamericanas en las bases de datos JCR (SCI y SSCI), lo que es un indicador del esfuerzo que están realizando los editores de las revistas de estos países en cuidar los aspectos formales de las publicaciones y aumentar su calidad, obteniendo una mayor proyección internacional y un aumento de su presencia en bases de datos internacionales. El comportamiento de los investigadores en psicología, es diferente, dependiendo de las áreas temáticas. Como conclusión destacar que a lo largo del período estudiado se observa un aumento en el número de revistas utilizadas para publicar los trabajos de psicología. Durante el quinquenio 2008-2012 las revistas más utilizadas por los investigadores españoles fueron las editadas en España, Francia, Inglaterra, Estados Unidos y Colombia.
Implementación del programa de intervención psicológica en resiliencia para cuidadores informales de pacientes con demencia tipo Alzheimer PIRCA
Authors: Cerquera Córdoba Ara Mercedes , Pabón Poches Daysy Katherine , Lorenzo Ruíz Alexis
Published: August 2017

Los programas de intervención psicológica de enfoque cognitivo conductual para cuidadores informales de pacientes con Alzheimer han sido hasta el momento los más utilizados por la efectividad de sus resultados. El objetivo de este estudio es la implementación del programa PIRCA (Programa de Intervención en Resiliencia para Cuidadores Informales de pacientes con Alzheimer) para observar los cambios presentados en los sujetos después de haber participado en el programa. Participaron 10 cuidadores informales, que no recibían remuneración, sin capacitación y convivían con el paciente. Se diseñó un estudio experimental transversal descriptivo comparativo, tipo pre-test/post-test. Los resultados indicaron que los puntajes de las variables con mayor variabilidad fueron depresión estado, eutimia estado, sobrecarga, y estrategias de afrontamiento como búsqueda de apoyo social y religión. Con lo que se concluye que intervenir la resiliencia responde a una necesidad básica de los cuidadores ya que está presente en las características de personalidad del cuidador
Masculinidades emergentes a través de la trayectoria del padecimiento: implicaciones para el cuidado de la salud de varones que viven con VIH
Authors: Almanza Avendaño Ariagor Manuel , Gómez San Luis Anel Hortensia
Published: August 2017

Se realizaron entrevistas a profundidad a doce varones, para comprender el sentido que atribuyen a su vivencia con el VIH y la forma en que construyen su masculinidad, en relación con los ideales hegemónicos presentes en su contexto sociocultural. Los resultados indican que durante el transcurso del padecimiento existe una transformación de su masculinidad, pues al reconocer la vulnerabilidad física, social y emocional que conlleva el diagnóstico de VIH, construyen una masculinidad alternativa que permite mantener el auto-cuidado y normalizar la vida con el padecimiento. Los elementos de esta masculinidad emergente deben ser comprendidos por los servicios de salud y considerados durante el tratamiento para facilitar su atención integral.
Propiedades Psicométricas del Exercise Addiction Inventory (EAI) en una Muestra de Estudiantes Brasileños Universitarios
Authors: Sicilia Álvaro , Bracht Valter , Penha Vinicius , Almeida Ueberson Ribero , Ferriz Roberto , Alcaraz-Ibáñez Manuel
Published: August 2017

El objetivo de este estudio fue validar el Inventario de Adicción al Ejercicio (EAI) en el contexto brasileño. Participaron en el estudio 251 estudiantes universitarios (hombres= 132, mujeres= 119, Medad = 22.34, DT = 4.65). Los resultados mostraron un adecuado ajuste del modelo a los datos: χ2 (9, N = 251) = 17.45, p = .04; χ2/gl = 1.94; CFI = .96; IFI = .96; RMSEA = .061 (IC 90% = .01, .10); SRMR = .041. La estructura factorial se mostró invariante respecto al género. Se obtuvieron adecuados valores de consistencia interna (= .70) y estabilidad temporal (CCI= .80). Dieciséis (6.4%) participantes fueron clasificados en riesgo de adicción, 198 (78.9%) como sintomáticos y 37 (14.7%) como asintomáticos. Se obtuvieron evidencias que permiten sugerir la validez y la fiabilidad del EAI en el contexto brasileño. No obstante, investigaciones con poblaciones más diversas deberían determinar la aplicabilidad general del EAI.
Valoración de la influencia del Programa de Acompañamiento Directivo sobre la percepción y satisfacción laboral de los docentes y directivos
Authors: Bravo Carrasco Ingrid Yannine , Díaz Mujica Alejandro , Bustos Claudio Enrique Navarrete , Pérez Villalobos María Victoria , Cuevas Tamarín Carol Andrea , Nova Olave Carolina , Albornoz Medel Marcelo Andrés
Published: August 2017

El objetivo de esta investigación es valorar el “Programa de desarrollo de habilidades de acompañamiento directivo” (PAD), analizando su influencia sobre (1) la percepción y satisfacción de los docentes y, (2) la percepción de los directivos sobre su labor de acompañamiento y la satisfacción percibida en los docentes.
Se aplicó un diseño cuasi-experimental. Participaron 12 directivos y 16 docentes de cuatro centros educativos de la Región del Bío-Bío, Chile.
Se concluye que el PAD tiene un efecto de mejora en (1) la percepción y satisfacción de los docentes, y (2) en la percepción y satisfacción percibida por los directivos en los docentes, por los procesos de acompañamiento realizados. Las dimensiones del PAD que obtienen mayores puntuaciones son apoyo (en los docentes) y sistematicidad (en los directivos).
EFECTOS EN LA EJECUCIÓN DURANTE UNA TAREA DE IGUALACIÓN A LA MUESTRA SEGÚN EL TIPO Y EL ORDEN DE EXPOSICIÓN A LAS PRUEBAS DE TRANSFERENCIA
Authors: Hurtado-Parrado Camilo , Robayo Miguel Ángel , Peña-Correal Telmo Eduardo
Published: August 2017

Se evaluó el efecto de manipular el tipo y el orden de presentación de pruebas de transferencia intramodal, extramodal, extrarrelacional y extradimensional, después de un entrenamiento en relaciones de discriminación condicional. Se entrenó a 28 estudiantes universitarios en un procedimiento de igualación a la muestra de segundo orden con retroalimentación continua. Luego los participantes fueron divididos en cuatro grupos experimentales que variaron en el orden de presentación de las pruebas de transferencia. Las condiciones de exposición fueron: orden de complejidad/ dificultad ascendente, descendente, y dos grupos en donde el orden de las pruebas fue establecido aleatoriamente. Se analizaron los porcentajes de efectividad y una medida poco explorada en este tipo de estudios, el tiempo de latencia de respuesta, que fue propuesto como una variable sensible a la dificultad de una tarea de igualación. Se evidenció heterogeneidad en la velocidad de adquisición de las discriminaciones en la fase de entrenamiento, a pesar de que todos los sujetos fueron expuestos a la misma tarea. La exposición a las secuencias de prueba ascendente y descendente no favoreció el ajuste efectivo del comportamiento, mientras que la exposición a una de las secuencias asignadas de forma aleatoria pareció ser la que favoreció desempeños más altos y homogéneos. El orden en que se expusieron los participantes a los diferentes tipos de prueba de transferencia, en interacción con la historia de adquisición temprana durante el entrenamiento, dan cuenta de los resultados del estudio. Se discute la necesidad de abordar sistemáticamente el estudio de los factores implicados en las pruebas de transferencia.
Adductor Muscle Tear? Ultrasonographic Imaging of Avulsion Injury of the Iliopsoas Tendon
Authors: Chang Ke-Vin , Wu Wei-Ting , Han Der-Sheng
Published: August 2017

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Correlation between density and hydrogen content in vertically aligned carbon nanotube forests by ion beam analysis
Authors: Girshevitz Olga , Richter Vova , Avraham Efrat Shawat , Nessim Gilbert D. , Gouzman Irina
Published: August 2017

Interactions of vertically aligned multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with high energy He+ beams were studied using elastic recoil detection analysis and ion beam channeling. The relationship between the elastic recoil of hydrogen, the depth of He–H interactions, and the number of carbon atoms per volume (denoted as effective density) was calculated. Ion channeling was observed in CNT forests shorter than 40 μm. It was found that the effective density and hydrogen content were inversely correlated with the CNT height. In compliance with channeling and density calculations, the authors propose that this effect is due to the weakening of Van-der-Waals forces in taller CNT forests. The methodology suggested in this work may be extended to assessing densities of thin, highly porous materials.
Fabrication of tungsten Fresnel zone plates for hard x-rays using wet etching
Authors: Tiwari Pragya , Mondal Puspen , Srivastava A. K. , Srivastava Himanshu , Dhawan Rajnish , Rai Sanjay
Published: August 2017

A novel and scalable method to fabricate tungsten Fresnel zone plate (FZP) structures with a high aspect ratio using the wet etching method is presented. FZPs with an outermost zone width of 370 nm and a height of 1.1 μm were fabricated in tungsten on a 35 μm polyimide film. They were designed for a focal length of 50 cm at 8 keV such that the radius is 100 μm for 142 zones, with an opaque center zone. The fabrication method presented is a simple single step resist process. The testing of FZP was carried out at the Indus-2 synchrotron source, where focusing was observed as per design parameters. The transmission characteristics of polyimide coupled with the phase shifting properties of tungsten make the FZP useful also at lower energies. An improvement in the zone plate structural parameters and hence its performance has also been discussed.
Learning to Do Diversity Work: A Model for Continued Education of Program Organizers
Authors: Dounas-Frazer Dimitri R. , Hyater-Adams Simone A. , Reinholz Daniel L.
Published: August 2017

Physics and physics education in the United States suffer from severe (and, in some cases, worsening) underrepresentation of Black, Latinx, and Native American people of all genders and women of all races and ethnicities. In this paper, we describe an approach to facilitating physics students’ collective and continued education about such underrepresentation; its connections to racism, sexism, and other dimensions of marginalization; and models of allyship that may bring about social change within physics. Specifically, we focus on the efforts of undergraduate students, graduate students, and postdocs who are members of a student-run diversity-oriented organization in the physics department at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU), a large, selective, predominantly White public university with high research activity. This group’s education was accomplished through quarterly Diversity Workshops. Here we report on six Diversity Workshops that were co-designed and facilitated by the authors. We describe the context, motivation, and goals of the workshops, the theories underlying their design and implementation, and their content. In addition, we discuss workshop attendance and suggest strategies for maintaining high attendance in the future. Because the details of our workshops were tailored to the specific needs and interests of a particular student organization, our workshop agendas may not be widely applicable beyond our local context. Nevertheless, our model, design principles, and facilitation strategies may be transferable to other contexts and provide inspiration to other diversity-oriented student groups.
Electrical Power Quality – What’s Behind the Outlet?
Authors: Baird William H. , Secrest Jeffery , Padgett Clifford
Published: August 2017

Although we may consider the power outlets in our homes to be nearly ideal voltage sources, a variety of influences in and around the home can cause departures from the nominal 60 Hz, 110–120 V root-mean-square (rms) of the North American grid. Even without instrumentation, we can see that a large motor starting from rest can be sufficient to cause lights to dim momentarily (voltage sag). This dimming is due to the inrush current drawn by a stationary motor, which may be several times the current drawn at operating speed. We prepared a voltage monitoring system using a voltage divider, the construction details of which we omit in the interest of safety.
Common Challenges Faced by Women of Color in Physics, and Actions Faculty Can Take to Minimize Those Challenges
Authors: Johnson Angela , Ong Maria , Ko Lily T. , Smith Janet , Hodari Apriel
Published: August 2017

Women of color are deeply underrepresented in physics. Between 2002 and 2012, only 1% of graduating physics majors were Black women and another 1% were Latinas; only 61 American Indian women total completed degrees in physics in those years (out of 48,000 physics majors). This isolation can lead to additional obstacles that women of color majoring in physics must face above and beyond the challenging material. In this article we draw on qualitative findings to describe common obstacles women of color face. However, departments can take deliberate steps so that underrepresentation need not turn into loneliness and isolation. We describe the characteristics of a department where women of color report that they are thriving. We end with concrete steps physics faculty can take to support women physics majors of color.
Integrating Conversations About Equity in “Whose Knowledge Counts” into Science Teacher Education
Authors: Russ Rosemary S.
Published: August 2017

Each day we are confronted with news stories detailing the landscape of privilege and bias built into the cultural institutions of our nation. The elected representatives of Flint denied its people access to clean water. The legal system fails to hold police officers who shoot unarmed Black men criminally responsible for their actions. The government of North Carolina is attempting to prevent transgender people from using the bathroom for the gender with which they identify. A flagship university in the Midwest took five days to respond to a hate crime in which two fans at a football game enacted a scene, reminiscent of the lynching of African Americans, of Trump tying a noose around Obama’s neck. Systemic inequity lies not in individual actions, but in how broader systems respond (or fail to respond) to those actions. These stories receive national attention, but there are other stories that make up the everyday lives of the oppressed in our society. Students on my campus created a Twitter hashtag #TheRealUW to expose the inequity they experience on a daily basis. And one Black student, frustrated by the culture of the university, painted the message “Racizm in the air. Don’t breathe. – God” on campus in spring 2016.
Living Ethnoastronomy: Discovering the Connectedness of the Human Spirit Beneath the Night Sky
Authors: Hechter Richard Paul , Awad Nayif
Published: August 2017

We are writing this article from opposite sides of the Earth and are getting ready to meet again in December 2017 to continue our project of bringing the world together through physics education, one constellation at a time. With the events in France, Belgium, Germany, United States, and United Kingdom fresh in our minds, there is not a more critical time than now to work on this project. Although some people believe that the authors (Richard, a Canadian Jew, and Nayif, a Palestinian Arab) should not be colleagues on an international project rooted in global unity, and certainly not be dear friends, we carry on as our work transcends the myopic limitations that society has placed on us. This is our story.
Visual Electricity Demonstrator
Authors: Lincoln James
Published: August 2017

The Visual Electricity Demonstrator (VED) is a linear diode array that serves as a dynamic alternative to an ammeter. A string of 48 red light-emitting diodes (LEDs) blink one after another to create the illusion of a moving current. Having the current represented visually builds an intuitive and qualitative understanding about what is happening in a circuit. In this article, I describe several activities for this device and explain how using this technology in the classroom can enhance the understanding and appreciation of physics.
Augmenting the thermal flux experiment: A mixed reality approach with the HoloLens
Authors: Strzys M. P. , Kapp S. , Thees M. , Kuhn J. , Lukowicz P. , Knierim P. , Schmidt A.
Published: August 2017

In the field of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR), technologies have made huge progress during the last years and also reached the field of education. The virtuality continuum, ranging from pure virtuality on one side to the real world on the other, has been successfully covered by the use of immersive technologies like head-mounted displays, which allow one to embed virtual objects into the real surroundings, leading to a Mixed Reality (MR) experience. In such an environment, digital and real objects do not only coexist, but moreover are also able to interact with each other in real time. These concepts can be used to merge human perception of reality with digitally visualized sensor data, thereby making the invisible visible. As a first example, in this paper we introduce alongside the basic idea of this column an MR experiment in thermodynamics for a laboratory course for freshman students in physics or other science and engineering subjects that uses physical data from mobile devices for analyzing and displaying physical phenomena to students.
Letting students discover the power, and the limits, of simple models: Coulomb’s law
Authors: Bohacek Peter , Vonk Matthew , Dill Joseph , Boehm Emma
Published: August 2017

The inverse-square law pops up all over. It’s a simplified model of reality that describes light, sound, gravity, and static electricity. But when it’s brought up in class, students are often just handed the equations. They rarely have an opportunity to discover Coulomb’s law or Newton’s law of gravitation for themselves. It’s not hard to understand why. A quantitative demonstration of Coulomb’s law can be difficult. The forces are smaller than many force sensors can measure and static electricity tends to be finicky. In addition, off-the-shelf units are expensive or difficult to use. As a result, many instructors skip this lab in favor of qualitative demonstrations or simulations. Adolf Cortel sought to remedy this by designing a straightforward experiment for measuring Coulomb’s law using charged metalized-glass spheres (Christmas ornaments) and an electronic balance. Building on Cortel’s design, we’ve made a series of video-based experiments that students can use to discover the relationships that underlie electric force.
Using multipath reflections to obtain dive depths of beaked whales from a towed hydrophone array
Authors: DeAngelis Annamaria Izzi , Valtierra Robert , Van Parijs Sofie M. , Cholewiak Danielle
Published: August 2017

Beaked whales are deep divers, emitting echolocation clicks while at depth. Little is known about the dive behavior of most species; however, passive acoustic data collected with towed hydrophone arrays can provide depth information using multipath reflections of clicks coupled with a two-dimensional localization of the individual. Data were collected during a shipboard survey in the western North Atlantic Ocean using a towed linear hydrophone array. Beaked whale tracks were classified as either Cuvier's (Ziphius cavirostris) or Gervais'/True's (Mesoplodon europaeus/Mesoplodon mirus). Weighted species average depths and weighted species standard deviations were 1158 m ± 287 m for Cuvier's (n = 24), and 870 m ± 151 m for Gervais'/True's (n = 15). Depth uncertainties ranged from 3% to 142% of the average depth. Slant ranges were corrected for depth to provide average horizontal perpendicular distance estimates. The average horizontal perpendicular distance distribution exhibited fewer detections in the first bin than the second. This is the first report of dive depths for Gervais'/True's beaked whales and use of this method to obtain depths for beaked whales using a towed linear array.
Volume instabilities in capillary flow of pure SBR and SBR compounds
Authors: Jugo Viloria M. , Valtier M. , Vergnes B.
Published: August 2017

The flow instabilities of pure styrene-butadiene-rubber (SBR) and SBR compounds filled with silica were characterized using capillary rheometry. Above a critical shear stress, volume defects develop, leading to products of unacceptable quality. Unlike other polymers (polystyrene and low density polyethylene), the onset of these defects is concomitant with a transition from no slip (or weak slip) to strong slip conditions. Volume instabilities are affected by the silica content and the type of additive (coating or coupling agents) present in the compounds. A method based on image analysis is proposed to quantify volume defects, which can help to compare the different compounds in terms of extrusion quality.
Personality, Affectivity, and Alexithymia in Scuba Diving: Two Types of Risk Taking
Authors: Bonnet Agnès , Bréjard Vincent , Pedinielli Jean-Louis
Published: August 2017

Objectives for this study were, first, to describe individual differences in risk taking among scuba divers. Differences were examined on personality dimensions and psycho-affective variables, including positive and negative affect, as well as alexithymia. In addition, the study examined contributors to two types of behavior associated with scuba diving—deliberate risk taking and controlled participation in a high-risk sport (non-risk-taking). A cross-sectional design was used, and 131 participants were assessed on extraversion-neuroticism, affectivity, and alexithymia. The broad dimensions of personality and affectivity explained risk taking among divers. Alexithymia differentially predicted two types of risktaking behavior (direct or short-term and indirect or long-term) and was associated significantly with short-term risk-taking behavior.
Salivary Hormone and Anxiety Responses to Free-Throw Shooting Competition in Collegiate Female Basketball Players
Authors: Madrigal Leilani A. , Wilson Patrick B.
Published: August 2017

This study assessed the hormonal and psychological responses to a free-throw shooting competition in twelve NCAA Division I female collegiate basketball players. Salivary cortisol, alpha-amylase, and testosterone were collected before and after the competition, in addition to a self-reported measure of anxiety. Using nonparametric statistics, cortisol (Z = –3.06, p = .002) and testosterone (Z = –2.67, p = .008) levels were significantly higher precompetition compared with postcompetition. There were no statistically significant differences between winners and losers for anxiety or hormone responses. Concentration disruption (rho = .63, p = .03) and total competitive anxiety (rho = .68, p = .02) were positively correlated with precompetition cortisol. Concentration disruption also correlated positively with postcompetition cortisol (rho = .62 p = .03) and postcompetition testosterone (rho = .64, p = .03). Future studies are needed to examine the psychological and physiological stress responses of basketball players during different competition tasks.
Targeting VCP enhances anticancer activity of oncolytic virus M1 in hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Zhang Haipeng , Li Kai , Lin Yuan , Xing Fan , Xiao Xiao , Cai Jing , Zhu Wenbo , Liang Jiankai , Tan Yaqian , Fu Liwu , Wang Fang , Yin Wei , Lu Bingzheng , Qiu Pengxin , Su Xingwen , Gong Shoufang , Bai Xuetao , Hu Jun , Yan Guangmei
Published: August 2017

Inhibition of VCP sensitizes hepatocellular carcinoma cells to oncolytic virus M1–induced apoptosis.
Capsule Type and Amount Affect Shedding and Transmission of
Streptococcus pneumoniae
Authors: Zafar M. Ammar , Hamaguchi Shigeto , Zangari Tonia , Cammer Michael , Weiser Jeffrey N.
Published: August 2017

The capsular polysaccharide (CPS) of
Streptococcus pneumoniae
is characterized by its diversity, as it has over 95 known serotypes, and the variation in its thickness as it surrounds an organism. While within-host effects of CPS have been studied in detail, there is no information about its contribution to host-to-host transmission. In this study, we used an infant mouse model of intralitter transmission, together with isogenic capsule switch and
cps
promoter switch constructs, to explore the effects of CPS type and amount. The determining factor in the transmission rate in this model is the number of pneumococci shed in nasal secretions by colonized hosts. Two of seven capsule switch constructs showed reduced shedding. These constructs were unimpaired in colonization and expressed capsules similar in size to those of the wild-type strain. A
cps
promoter switch mutant expressing ~50% of wild-type amounts of CPS also displayed reduced shedding without a defect in colonization. Since shedding from the mucosal surface may require escape from mucus entrapment, a mucin-binding assay was used to compare capsule switch and
cps
promoter switch mutants. The CPS type or amount constructs that shed poorly were bound more robustly by immobilized mucin. These capsule switch and
cps
promoter switch constructs with increased mucin-binding affinity and reduced shedding also had lower rates of pup-to-pup transmission. Our results demonstrate that CPS type and amount affect transmission dynamics and may contribute to the marked differences in prevalence among pneumococcal types.

IMPORTANCE
Streptococcus pneumoniae
, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality, is readily transmitted, especially among young children. Its structurally and antigenically diverse capsular polysaccharide is the target of currently licensed pneumococcal vaccines. Epidemiology studies show that only a subset of the >95 distinct serotypes are prevalent in the human population, suggesting that certain capsular polysaccharide types might be more likely to be transmitted within the community. Herein, we used an infant mouse model to show that both capsule type and amount are important determinants in the spread of pneumococci from host to host. Transmission rates correlate with those capsule types that are better at escaping mucus entrapment, a key step in exiting the host upper respiratory tract. Hence, our study provides a better mechanistic understanding of why certain pneumococcal serotypes are more common in the human population.
Pharmacodynamics of the Orotomides against
Aspergillus fumigatus
: New Opportunities for Treatment of Multidrug-Resistant Fungal Disease
Authors: Hope William W. , McEntee Laura , Livermore Joanne , Whalley Sarah , Johnson Adam , Farrington Nicola , Kolamunnage-Dona Ruwanthi , Schwartz Julie , Kennedy Anthony , Law Derek , Birch Michael , Rex John H.
Published: August 2017

F901318 is an antifungal agent with a novel mechanism of action and potent activity against
Aspergillus
spp. An understanding of the pharmacodynamics (PD) of F901318 is required for selection of effective regimens for study in phase II and III clinical trials. Neutropenic murine and rabbit models of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis were used. The primary PD endpoint was serum galactomannan. The relationships between drug exposure and the impacts of dose fractionation on galactomannan, survival, and histopathology were determined. The results were benchmarked against a clinically relevant exposure of posaconazole. In the murine model, administration of a total daily dose of 24 mg/kg of body weight produced consistently better responses with increasingly fractionated regimens. The ratio of the minimum total plasma concentration/MIC (
C
min
/MIC) was the PD index that best linked drug exposure with observed effect. An average
C
min
(mg/liter) and
C
min
/MIC of 0.3 and 9.1, respectively, resulted in antifungal effects equivalent to the effect of posaconazole at the upper boundary of its expected human exposures. This pattern was confirmed in a rabbit model, where
C
min
and
C
min
/MIC targets of 0.1 and 3.3, respectively, produced effects previously reported for expected human exposures of isavuconazole. These targets were independent of triazole susceptibility. The pattern of maximal effect evident with these drug exposure targets was also apparent when survival and histopathological clearance were used as study endpoints. F901318 exhibits time-dependent antifungal activity. The PD targets can now be used to select regimens for phase II and III clinical trials.

IMPORTANCE
Invasive fungal infections are common and often lethal. There are relatively few antifungal agents licensed for clinical use. Antifungal drug toxicity and the emergence of drug resistance make the treatment of these infections very challenging. F901318 is the first in a new class of antifungal agents called the orotomides. This class has a novel mechanism of action that involves the inhibition of the fungal enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase. F901318 is being developed for clinical use. A deep understanding of the relationship between dosages, drug concentrations in the body, and the antifungal effect is fundamental to the identification of the regimens to administer to patients with invasive fungal infections. This study provides the necessary information to ensure that the right dose of F901318 is used the first time. Such an approach considerably reduces the risks in drug development programs and ensures that patients with few therapeutic options can receive potentially life-saving antifungal therapy at the earliest opportunity.
The Fusion Loops of the Initial Prefusion Conformation of Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Fusion Protein Point Toward the Membrane
Authors: Fontana Juan , Atanasiu Doina , Saw Wan Ting , Gallagher John R. , Cox Reagan G. , Whitbeck J. Charles , Brown Lauren M. , Eisenberg Roselyn J. , Cohen Gary H.
Published: August 2017

All enveloped viruses, including herpesviruses, must fuse their envelope with the host membrane to deliver their genomes into target cells, making this essential step subject to interference by antibodies and drugs. Viral fusion is mediated by a viral surface protein that transits from an initial prefusion conformation to a final postfusion conformation. Strikingly, the prefusion conformation of the herpesvirus fusion protein, gB, is poorly understood. Herpes simplex virus (HSV), a model system for herpesviruses, causes diseases ranging from mild skin lesions to serious encephalitis and neonatal infections. Using cryo-electron tomography and subtomogram averaging, we have characterized the structure of the prefusion conformation and fusion intermediates of HSV-1 gB. To this end, we have set up a system that generates microvesicles displaying full-length gB on their envelope. We confirmed proper folding of gB by nondenaturing electrophoresis-Western blotting with a panel of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) covering all gB domains. To elucidate the arrangement of gB domains, we labeled them by using (i) mutagenesis to insert fluorescent proteins at specific positions, (ii) coexpression of gB with Fabs for a neutralizing MAb with known binding sites, and (iii) incubation of gB with an antibody directed against the fusion loops. Our results show that gB starts in a compact prefusion conformation with the fusion loops pointing toward the viral membrane and suggest, for the first time, a model for gB’s conformational rearrangements during fusion. These experiments further illustrate how neutralizing antibodies can interfere with the essential gB structural transitions that mediate viral entry and therefore infectivity.

IMPORTANCE
The herpesvirus family includes herpes simplex virus (HSV) and other human viruses that cause lifelong infections and a variety of diseases, like skin lesions, encephalitis, and cancers. As enveloped viruses, herpesviruses must fuse their envelope with the host membrane to start an infection. This process is mediated by a viral surface protein that transitions from an initial conformation (prefusion) to a final, more stable, conformation (postfusion). However, the prefusion conformation of the herpesvirus fusion protein (gB) is poorly understood. To elucidate the structure of the prefusion conformation of HSV type 1 gB, we have employed cryo-electron microscopy to study gB molecules expressed on the surface of vesicles. Using different approaches to label gB’s domains allowed us to model the structures of the prefusion and intermediate conformations of gB. Overall, our findings enhance our understanding of HSV fusion and lay the groundwork for the development of new ways to prevent and block HSV infection.
Moderate Exercise Has Limited but Distinguishable Effects on the Mouse Microbiome
Authors: Lamoureux Emily V. , Grandy Scott A. , Langille Morgan G. I.
Published: August 2017

The bacteria that live in our gut have a complex yet vital relationship with our health. Environmental factors that influence the gut microbiome are of great interest, as recent research demonstrates that these microbes, mostly bacteria, are important for normal host physiology. Diseases such as obesity, diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and colon cancer have also been linked to shifts in the microbiome. Exercise is known to have beneficial effects on these diseases; however, much less is known about its direct impact on the gut microbiome. Our results illustrate that exercise has a moderate but measurable effect on gut microbial communities in mice. These methods can be used to provide important insight into other factors affecting the microbiome and our health.
Salmonella Thompson splenic abscess in a healthy female
Authors: Bonares Michael J , Ying Thomas , Patel Yashesh
Published: August 2017

A 26-year-old woman presented with a 5-day history of fever and 3-day history of left upper quadrant abdominal pain and cough associated with left shoulder tip pain. Initial blood cultures did not display growth. On CT imaging, there was a cyst measuring 7.2×8 cm originally interpreted to be haemorrhagic in nature. Repeat cultures during admission revealed Salmonella Thompson. Percutaneous drainage and antibiotic treatment, rather than splenectomy, was successfully pursued with the patient afebrile and in no pain at 6 weeks follow-up.
Oral mucosal grafting combined with tenonplasty for ocular surface and lid margin reconstruction in an atypical sectorial chemical burn
Authors: Singh Swati , Narang Purvasha , Mittal Vikas
Published: August 2017

A 46-year-old woman presented with chemical injury in both eyes after the instillation of undefined eye-drops prescribed by quack. She had an atypical presentation in the form of bilateral severe necrosis of both lids and whole palpebral conjunctiva. Extensive debridement with conjunctival epitheliectomy, tenonplasty and amniotic membrane transplantation (AMT) was performed. Characteristic differences from typical chemical injuries were a sectorial involvement of ocular surface and keratinisation over distorted lid margins. Lid margin needed replacement by labial mucous membrane for the restoration of ocular surface. Ocular surface reconstruction with AMT in acute phase and mucous membrane grafting for involved lid margins in late phase achieves vision salvage and avoids late complications in drug-induced chemical injury.
Understanding the challenges to caring for low birthweight babies in rural southern Malawi: a qualitative study exploring caregiver and health worker perceptions and experiences
Authors: Koenraads Marianne , Phuka John , Maleta Kenneth , Theobald Sally , Gladstone Melissa
Published: August 2017

Background

Low birthweight (LBW) babies account for >80% of neonatal mortality in sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia and those who survive the neonatal period are still at risk of detrimental outcomes. LBW is a major public health problem in Malawi and strongly contributes to the country’s high neonatal mortality rate. We aimed to get a better understanding of the care of LBW babies in rural Malawi in order to inform action to improve their outcomes.

Methods

Qualitative methods were used to identify challenges faced by caregivers and health workers within communities and at the rural facility level. We conducted 33 in-depth interviews (18 with caregivers; 15 with health workers) and 4 focus group discussions with caregivers. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and translated. Thematic analysis was used to index the data into themes and develop a robust analytical framework.

Results

Caregivers referred to LBW babies as weak, with poor health, stunted growth, developmental problems and lack of intelligence. Poor nutrition of the mother and illnesses during pregnancy were perceived to be important causes of LBW. Discrimination and stigma were described as a major challenge faced by carers of LBW babies. Problems related to feeding and the high burden of care were seen as another major challenge. Health workers described a lack of resources in health facilities, lack of adherence to counselling provided to carers and difficulties with continuity of care and follow-up in the community.

Conclusion

This study highlights that care of LBW babies in rural Malawi is compromised both at community and rural facility level with poverty and existing community perceptions constituting the main challenges. To make progress in reducing neonatal mortality and promoting better outcomes, we must develop integrated community-based care packages, improve care at facility level and strengthen the links between them.
Good practice or positive action? Using Q methodology to identify competing views on improving gender equality in academic medicine
Authors: Bryant Louise D , Burkinshaw Paula , House Allan O , West Robert M , Ward Vicky
Published: August 2017

Objectives

The number of women entering medicine has increased significantly, yet women are still under-represented at senior levels in academic medicine. To support the gender equality action plan at one School of Medicine, this study sought to (1) identify the range of viewpoints held by staff on how to address gender inequality and (2) identify attitudinal barriers to change.

Design

Q methodology. 50 potential interventions representing good practice or positive action, and addressing cultural, organisational and individual barriers to gender equality, were ranked by participants according to their perception of priority.

Setting

The School of Medicine at the University of Leeds, UK.

Participants

Fifty-five staff members were purposively sampled to represent gender and academic pay grade.

Results

Principal components analysis identified six competing viewpoints on how to address gender inequality. Four viewpoints favoured positive action interventions: (1) support careers of women with childcare commitments, (2) support progression of women into leadership roles rather than focus on women with children, (3) support careers of all women rather than just those aiming for leadership, and (4) drive change via high-level financial and strategic initiatives. Two viewpoints favoured good practice with no specific focus on women by (5) recognising merit irrespective of gender and (6) improving existing career development practice. No viewpoint was strongly associated with gender, pay grade or role; however, latent class analysis identified that female staff were more likely than male to prioritise the setting of equality targets. Attitudinal barriers to the setting of targets and other positive action initiatives were identified, and it was clear that not all staff supported positive action approaches.

Conclusions

The findings and the approach have utility for those involved in gender equality work in other medical and academic institutions. However, the impact of such initiatives needs to be evaluated in the longer term.
Is atmospheric pollution exposure during pregnancy associated with individual and contextual characteristics? A nationwide study in France
Authors: Ouidir Marion , Lepeule Johanna , Siroux Valérie , Malherbe Laure , Meleux Frederik , Rivière Emmanuel , Launay Ludivine , Zaros Cécile , Cheminat Marie , Charles Marie-Aline , Slama Rémy
Published: August 2017

Background

Exposure to atmospheric pollutants is a danger for the health of pregnant mother and children. Our objective was to identify individual (socioeconomic and behavioural) and contextual factors associated with atmospheric pollution pregnancy exposure at the nationwide level.

Method

Among 14 921 women from the French nationwide ELFE (French Longitudinal Study of Children) mother-child cohort recruited in 2011, outdoor exposure levels of PM2.5, PM10(particulate matter <2.5 µm and <10 µm in diameter) and NO2(nitrogen dioxide) were estimated at the pregnancy home address from a dispersion model with 1 km resolution. We used classification and regression trees (CART) and linear regression to characterise the association of atmospheric pollutants with individual (maternal age, body mass index, parity, education level, relationship status, smoking status) and contextual (European Deprivation Index, urbanisation level) factors.

Results

Patterns of associations were globally similar across pollutants. For the CART approach, the highest tertile of exposure included mainly women not in a relationship living in urban and socially deprived areas, with lower education level. Linear regression models identified different determinants of atmospheric pollutants exposure according to the residential urbanisation level. In urban areas, atmospheric pollutants exposure increased with social deprivation, while in rural areas a U-shaped relationship was observed.

Conclusion

We highlighted social inequalities in atmospheric pollutants exposure according to contextual characteristics such as urbanisation level and social deprivation and also according to individual characteristics such as education, being in a relationship and smoking status. In French urban areas, pregnant women from the most deprived neighbourhoods were those most exposed to health-threatening atmospheric pollutants.
Weight loss enhances hepatic antioxidant status in a NAFLD model induced by high-fat diet
Authors: Mendes Iara Karise Santos , Matsuura Cristiane , Aguila Marcia Barbosa , Daleprane Julio Beltrame , Martins Marcela Anjos , Mury Wanda Vianna , Brunini Tatiana Marlowe Cunha
Published: August 2017

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a benign condition that can progress to more severe liver damage in a process mediated, in part, by disturbances in redox balance. Additionally, some argue that it is set to become the main cause of end-stage liver disease in the near future. Here, we investigated whether diet-induced weight loss is able to reverse hepatic lipid accumulation and reduce oxidative stress in liver from C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat (HF) diet. Male C57BL/6 mice were divided into 4 groups: standard chow (SC; 10% energy from fat, 16 weeks); HF (50% energy from fat, 16 weeks); SC-HF (SC for 8 weeks followed by HF for 8 weeks); and HF-SC (HF for 8 weeks followed by SC for 8 weeks). The HF diet during 8 (SC-HF) and 16 weeks (HF) downregulated messenger RNA levels and protein expression of Nrf2 and endogenous antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, and glutathione reductase) in the liver; caused liver steatosis; affected liver function markers; increased intra-abdominal and subcutaneous adipose tissue; and induced glucose intolerance and hypercholesterolemia compared with controls (SC). Diet-induced weight loss significantly reduced the intrahepatic lipid accumulation, improved glucose tolerance, and restored both gene and protein expression of the antioxidant enzymes. Our findings suggest that a dietary intervention aimed to induce weight loss may exert protective effects in NAFLD as it can reduce hepatic oxidative stress and intrahepatic lipid accumulation, which can hinder the progression of this condition to more severe states.
Use of pore pressure build-up as damage metric in computation of equivalent number of uniform strain cycles
Authors: Khashila Marwan , Hussien Mahmoud N. , Karray Mourad , Chekired Mohamed
Published: August 2017

The build-up of earthquake-induced excess pore-water pressure may be viewed as analogous to the cumulative damage of saturated granular materials caused by cyclic loading, and consequently as a damage metric when converting an irregular earthquake loading to an equivalent number of uniform cycles, Neq. In this paper, a comprehensive series of strain-controlled tests have been conducted using the new combined triaxial simple shear (TxSS) apparatus developed at Institute de Recherche d’Hydro-Quebec (IREQ) in collaboration with the geotechnical group at the Université de Sherbrooke to verify the hypothesis of adopting the pore-water pressure ratio, Ru, as a damage metric when converting earthquakes to an equivalently damaging number of uniform strain cycles. Different reconstituted saturated samples of Baie-Saint-Paul, Carignon, and Quebec sands have been tested under undrained conditions up to liquefaction. The experimental results from this study have been utilized to develop an empirical expression to compute Neqγfrom both the number of cycles required to trigger liquefaction, Nliq, and the material parameter, r. The parameter r had been experimentally calibrated a priori from a separate set of tests using uniform strain cycles following the theoretical framework outlined by Green and Lee in 2006. The present results reveal that the measured pore-water pressure ratio, Ru, is in agreement with predicted cumulative damage using the Richart and Newmark (R–N) hypothesis. However, the Palmgren–Miner (P–M) hypothesis underestimates the cumulative damage (i.e., the generated pore-water pressure) during cyclic loading.
Effect of soft outer lining in pentafurcated duct
Authors: Hassan Mahmood-ul , Bashir Amna
Published: August 2017

This paper describes the diffraction of the lowest plane wave propagating out of the opening of a semi-infinite hard duct that is symmetrically placed inside an infinite soft duct. The whole system forms a pentafurcated waveguide whose solution is given by eigenfunction expansion. The same method has been used to validate the results of a trifurcated duct problem previously tackled by using the standard Wiener–Hopf technique. Some graphical results showing the influence of waveguide spacing on the reflection coefficient are presented. We compared our results with the related existing work. We observe that the accumulative value of reflection for current pentafurcated duct is 1375.1, which is the greatest among the related trifurcated and existing pentafurcated ducts. Hence the soft lining on outer plates gives better results to attenuate the unwanted noise. These problems have application in acoustics.
Loop groups and noncommutative geometry
Authors: Carpi Sebastiano , Hillier Robin
Published: August 2017

We describe the representation theory of loop groups in terms of K-theory and noncommutative geometry. This is done by constructing suitable spectral triples associated with the level [Formula: see text] projective unitary positive-energy representations of any given loop group [Formula: see text]. The construction is based on certain supersymmetric conformal field theory models associated with [Formula: see text] in the setting of conformal nets. We then generalize the construction to many other rational chiral conformal field theory models including coset models and the moonshine conformal net.