bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Individual variation in amphibian metabolic rates during overwintering: implications for a warming world
Authors: Kristín P. , Gvoždík L.
Published: June 2014

Metabolic rates (MRs) vary consistently among individuals within a population, providing raw material for natural selection. Although individual energy demands may play an increasingly important role for ectotherm survival under warmer and more variable winter conditions, whether individual variation in MRs persists during overwintering is virtually unknown. Here, we repeatedly measured MR in wintering Alpine newts Ichthyosaura alpestris to (1) confirm the consistent individual variation in this trait; (2) test whether the individual differences in MR affect body mass loss during overwintering. The individual identity of newts explained 72% of variation in mass‐and‐activity‐corrected MR. Newts with a high MR lost a higher proportion of their initial body mass than individuals with lower metabolic demands. We conclude that the consistent individual variation in MR during overwintering is an important predictor of spring body condition in newts. This provides a new perspective on intraindividual variation in MRs as a mediator of winter climate change on the dynamics of ectotherm populations.
The effect of K101 Nail Solution on Trichophyton rubrum and Candida albicans growth and ultrastructure
Authors: Hultenby Kjell , Chryssanthou Erja , Klingspor Lena , Rensfeldt Kjell , Strömbeck Louise , Faergemann Jan
Published: June 2014

K101 Nail Solution (trademarks Emtrix®, Nalox™, Naloc™) is a combination of propylene glycol, urea and lactic acid in a topical formulation for the treatment of nails affected by onychomycosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the Minimal Cidal Concentration (MCC) of K101 Nail Solution against Trichophyton rubrum and Candida albicans as well as the effect of K101 Nail Solution on the micromorphology of these fungi. The MCC of K101 Nail Solution against T. rubrum and C. albicans was 50% after 60‐min exposure time. A MCC of 50% for K101 Nail Solution means that K101 Nail Solution diluted with e.g. water to 50% will totally kill the fungi tested. In the scanning electron microscope C. albicans cells, treated with 50% K101 Nail Solution, showed a shrunken surface. T. rubrum cells were severely damaged shown as collapse and degradation of the cells. In the transmission electron microscope most C. albicans cells, treated with 50% K101 Nail Solution exhibited destroyed organelles and many necrotic cells were found. The cell wall was clearly degraded and the contact between the cell wall and the inner membrane was punctured. In T. rubrum most cells were necrotic. Some cells were clearly collapsed and the content in the cytoplasm was degraded shown as small membrane vesicles and many big vacuoles. The cell wall was clearly degraded and the membrane was punctured. In conclusion, this in vitro study documents the efficacy of K101 Nail Solution against T. rubrum and C. albicans.
Broad sampling and diverse biomarkers allow characterization of nearshore particulate organic matter
Authors: Lowe Alexander T. , Galloway Aaron W. E. , Yeung J. Sean , Dethier Megan N. , Duggins David O.
Published: June 2014

Suspended particulate organic matter (POM) is a primary food source for benthic and pelagic consumers in aquatic and marine ecosystems. POM is potentially composed of many sources including phytoplankton, bacteria, zooplankton and macrophyte (seaweed and seagrass) and terrestrial detritus. The relative importance of these sources to POM consumers is debated, in large part due to differing interpretations of stable isotope and fatty acid biomarkers. We investigated POM composition in a nearshore marine ecosystem using multiple methods including visual quantification of living and detrital components, multiple stable isotope (MSI) and fatty acid (FA) analyses. Sampling was conducted at multiple temporal and spatial scales to 1) determine the range of variability in POM biomarkers, 2) quantitatively evaluate δ13C, δ15N, δ34S and FA biomarkers with proportional abundance of putative sources and 3) determine the availability of phytoplankton, macrophytes and terrestrial carbon in nearshore POM. Variation of total FA concentration and proportions, and δ13C and δ34S were strongly correlated to phytoplankton abundance, at tidal and seasonal timescales. Using multivariate multiple regressions, MSI and FA explained 59.6% and 89.7% of the variation in POM composition, respectively. As phytoplankton abundance increased, total FA concentration increased concurrent to δ13C and δ34S enrichment. In high detritus samples, bacterial FA and saturated FA were proportionally higher, corresponding to depletion of δ13C and δ34S and enrichment of δ15N. We identify MSI and FA biomarkers that are good predictors of diatom, dinoflagellate and detrital contributions to the POM. The results of this multi‐scale study show that POM composition is highly dynamic and largely driven by phytoplankton abundance, with minor contributions from terrestrial or macrophyte subsidies. This quantitative approach provides novel and critical empirical information linking POM compositional dynamics to specific biomarkers that are commonly used for tracking energy subsidies and biogeochemical cycling in aquatic ecosystems.
Correlating Rubisco catalytic and sequence diversity within C3 plants with changes in atmospheric CO2 concentrations
Authors: SHARWOOD ROBERT E. , WHITNEY SPENCER M.
Published: June 2014

This article comments on: Expanding knowledge of the Rubisco kinetics variability in plant species: environmental and evolutionary trends
Immune responses in a mouse model of vitiligo with spontaneous epidermal de‐ and repigmentation
Authors: Eby Jonathan M. , Kang Hee‐Kap , Klarquist Jared , Chatterjee Shilpak , Mosenson Jeffrey A. , Nishimura Michael I. , Garrett‐Mayer Elizabeth , Longley B. Jack , Engelhard Victor H. , Mehrotra Shikhar , Le Poole I. Caroline
Published: June 2014

To generate a mouse model of spontaneous epidermal depigmentation, parental h3TA2 mice, expressing both a human‐derived, tyrosinase‐reactive T‐cell receptor on T cells and the matching HLA‐A2 transgene, were crossed to keratin 14‐promoter driven, stem cell factor transgenic (K14‐SCF) mice with intra‐epidermal melanocytes. In resulting Vitesse mice, spontaneous skin depigmentation precedes symmetrical and sharply demarcated patches of graying hair. Whereas the SCF transgene alone dictates a greater retinoic acid receptor‐related orphan receptor gamma (RORγt)+ T‐cell compartment, these cells displayed markedly increased IL‐17 expression within Vitesse mice. Similar to patient skin, regulatory T cells were less abundant compared with K14‐SCF mice, with the exception of gradually appearing patches of repigmenting skin. The subtle repigmentation observed likely reflects resilient melanocytes that coexist with skin‐infiltrating, melanocyte‐reactive T cells. Similar repigmenting lesions were found in a different TCR transgenic model of vitiligo developed on an SCF transgenic background, supporting a role for SCF in repigmentation.
Biochemical and clinical features of hereditary hyperprolinemia
Authors: Mitsubuchi Hiroshi , Nakamura Kimitoshi , Matsumoto Shirou , Endo Fumio
Published: June 2014

There are two classifications of hereditary hyperprolinemia: type I (HPI) and type II (HPII). Each type is caused by an autosomal recessive inborn error of the proline metabolic pathway. HPI is caused by an abnormality in the proline‐oxidizing enzyme (POX). HPII is caused by a deficiency of Δ‐1‐pyrroline‐5‐carboxylate (P5C) dehydrogenase (P5CDh). The clinical features of HPI are unclear. Nephropathy, uncontrolled seizures, mental retardation or schizophrenia have been reported in HPI, but a benign phenotype without neurological problems has also been reported. The clinical features of HPII are also unclear. In addition, the precise incidences of HPI and HPII are unknown. Only two cases of HPI and one case of HPII have been identified in Japan through a questionnaire survey and by a study of previous reports. This suggests that hyperprolinemia is a very rare disease in Japan, consistent with earlier reports in Western countries. The one case of HPII found in Japan was diagnosed in an individual with influenza‐associated encephalopathy. This suggests that HPII might reduce the threshold for convulsions, thereby increasing the sensitivity of individuals with influenza‐associated encephalopathy. The current study presents diagnostic criteria for HPI and HPII, based on plasma proline level, with or without measurements of urinary P5C. In the future, screening for HPI and HPII in healthy individuals, or patients with relatively common diseases such as developmental disabilities, epilepsy, schizophrenia or behavioral problems will be important.
Adverse Perinatal Outcomes Associated with Moderate or Severe Maternal Anaemia Based on Parity in Finland during 2006–10
Authors: Räisänen Sari , Kancherla Vijaya , Gissler Mika , Kramer Michael R. , Heinonen Seppo
Published: June 2014

Background

Anaemia during pregnancy is an important public health problem. We investigated whether the association between maternal anaemia during pregnancy and adverse perinatal outcomes differed between nulliparous and multiparous women.

Methods

A retrospective population‐based cohort study was conducted using data on all singleton births (n = 290 662) recorded in the Finnish Medical Birth Register during 2006–10. Maternal anaemia was defined as a maternal haemoglobin level of <100 g/L). Adverse perinatal outcomes that were examined included preterm delivery (<37 weeks), small‐for‐gestational age (SGA, <2 standard deviation), admission to neonatal intensive care, stillbirth, early neonatal death, and major congenital anomalies. An association between anaemia and adverse outcomes was assessed by logistic regression analysis.

Results

The prevalence of anaemia during pregnancy was 2.5% among nulliparous women and 2.3% among multiparous women. Among nulliparous women, anaemia was not associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Among multiparous women, anaemia was associated with preterm delivery (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.32, [95% CI 1.14, 1.53]), SGA (aOR 1.27, [95% CI 1.04, 1.55]), and admission to neonatal intensive care (aOR 1.23, [95% CI 1.10, 1.38]); there was a trend towards increased odds of major congenital anomalies (aOR 1.15, [95% CI 0.99, 1.34]).

Conclusions

These data underscore that maternal anaemia is associated with several adverse perinatal outcomes. This association was, however, confined to multiparous women. Future research should explore in detail the timing of anaemia in these associations.
Subcentimeter lung nodules stable for 2 years at LDCT: Long‐term follow‐up using volumetry
Authors: Shin Kyung Eun , Lee Kyung Soo , Yi Chin A. , Chung Myung Jin , Shin Myung‐Hee , Choi Yoon‐Ho
Published: June 2014

Background and objective

Subcentimeter nodules without change in size during long‐term follow‐up period (for minimum 2 years) are assumed as benign lesions. However, the 2‐year stability rule has not been fully verified so far and is still questionable. Thus, we aimed to retrospectively investigate long‐term follow‐up results for 2‐year stable subcentimeter nodules at screening low‐dose computed tomography (LDCT).

Methods

A total of 635 subjects having had follow‐up LDCTs for the initial 2‐year screening period and additional 3 years thereafter and having had non‐calcified subcentimeter nodules were included. By using computed tomography (CT) nodule volumetry software, we measured interval changes in nodule volume.

Results

A total of 1107 subcentimeter nodules (1037 solid, 70 ground‐glass opacity nodules (GGNs)) were detected at baseline CT. Of 1037 solid nodules, 1032 showed no growth during the initial 2‐year and 5‐year follow‐up period. Fifty‐nine GGNs were stable for initial 2 years, but two (3.4%) were later proved as adenocarcinomas. Among five solid nodules that showed growth during the initial 2‐year follow‐up period, one (20%) proved to be an adenocarcinoma, whereas four (36.4%) of 11 GGNs that demonstrated growth were diagnosed as lung cancers.

Conclusions

All solid subcentimeter nodules having initial 2‐year stability at screening LDCT can be considered benign because none shows growth at further follow‐up CT. On the other hand, subcentimeter GGNs have more chance of growth than solid nodules and need further follow‐up CT for more than 2 years.
Reconciling Embodied and Distributional Accounts of Meaning in Language
Authors: Andrews Mark , Frank Stefan , Vigliocco Gabriella
Published: June 2014

Over the past 15 years, there have been two increasingly popular approaches to the study of meaning in cognitive science. One, based on theories of embodied cognition, treats meaning as a simulation of perceptual and motor states. An alternative approach treats meaning as a consequence of the statistical distribution of words across spoken and written language. On the surface, these appear to be opposing scientific paradigms. In this review, we aim to show how recent cross‐disciplinary developments have done much to reconcile these two approaches. The foundation to these developments has been the recognition that intralinguistic distributional and sensory‐motor data are interdependent. We describe recent work in philosophy, psychology, cognitive neuroscience, and computational modeling that are all based on or consistent with this conclusion. We conclude by considering some possible directions for future research that arise as a consequence of these developments.
Co‐development of Manner and Path Concepts in Language, Action, and Eye‐Gaze Behavior
Authors: Lohan Katrin S. , Griffiths Sascha S. , Sciutti Alessandra , Partmann Tim C. , Rohlfing Katharina J.
Published: June 2014

In order for artificial intelligent systems to interact naturally with human users, they need to be able to learn from human instructions when actions should be imitated. Human tutoring will typically consist of action demonstrations accompanied by speech. In the following, the characteristics of human tutoring during action demonstration will be examined. A special focus will be put on the distinction between two kinds of motion events:path‐oriented actions andmanner‐oriented actions. Such a distinction is inspired by the literature pertaining to cognitive linguistics, which indicates that the human conceptual system can distinguish these two distinct types of motion. These two kinds of actions are described in language by morepath‐oriented or moremanner‐oriented utterances. Inpath‐oriented utterances, the source, trajectory, or goal is emphasized, whereas inmanner‐oriented utterances the medium, velocity, or means of motion are highlighted. We examined a video corpus of adult–child interactions comprised of three age groups of children—pre‐lexical, early lexical, and lexical—and two different tasks, one emphasizingmannermore strongly and one emphasizingpathmore strongly. We analyzed the language and motion of the caregiver and the gazing behavior of the child to highlight the differences between the tutoring and the acquisition of themannerandpathconcepts. The results suggest that age is an important factor in the development of these action categories. The analysis of this corpus has also been exploited to develop an intelligent robotic behavior—the tutoring spotter system—able to emulate children's behaviors in a tutoring situation, with the aim of evoking in human subjects a natural and effective behavior in teaching to a robot. The findings related to the development ofmannerandpathconcepts have been used to implement new effective feedback strategies in the tutoring spotter system, which should provide improvements in human–robot interaction.
The Kinase LMTK3 Promotes Invasion in Breast Cancer Through GRB2-Mediated Induction of Integrin β
1
Authors: Xu Yichen , Zhang Hua , Lit Lei C. , Grothey Arnhild , Athanasiadou Maria , Kiritsi Marianna , Lombardo Ylenia , Frampton Adam E. , Green Andrew R. , Ellis Ian O. , Ali Simak , Lenz Heinz-Josef , Thanou Maya , Stebbing Justin , Giamas Georgios
Published: June 2014

Targeting the kinase LMTK3 may prevent integrin-dependent metastasis in breast cancer.
Dissecting How Signaling Directs Axon Growth
Authors: Vinson Valda
Published: June 2014

The axon guidance protein netrin binds to two receptors with different architectures, providing a basis for diverse signaling outcomes.
Meet Up at the Mitochondria
Authors: Gough Nancy R.
Published: June 2014

Two groups identify additional regulators of mitochondrial dynamics and degradation.
The Pseudomonas aeruginosa CreBC Two-Component System Plays a Major Role in the Response to β-Lactams, Fitness, Biofilm Growth, and Global Regulation
Authors: Zamorano Laura , Moyà Bartolomé , Juan Carlos , Mulet Xavier , Blázquez Jesús , Oliver Antonio
Published: June 2014

Pseudomonas aeruginosa
is a ubiquitous versatile environmental microorganism with a remarkable ability to grow under diverse environmental conditions. Moreover,
P. aeruginosa
is responsible for life-threatening infections in immunocompromised and cystic fibrosis patients, as the extraordinary capacity of this pathogen to develop antimicrobial resistance dramatically limits our therapeutic arsenal. Its large genome carries an outstanding number of genes belonging to regulatory systems, including multiple two-component sensor-regulator systems that modulate the response to the different environmental stimuli. Here, we show that one of two systems, designated CreBC (carbon source responsive) and BlrAB (β-lactam resistance), might be of particular relevance. We first identified the stimuli triggering the activation of the CreBC system, which specifically responds to penicillin-binding protein 4 (PBP4) inhibition by certain β-lactam antibiotics. Second, through an analysis of a large comprehensive collection of mutants, we demonstrate an intricate interconnection between the CreBC system, the peptidoglycan recycling pathway, and the expression of the concerning chromosomal β-lactamase AmpC. Third, we show that the CreBC system, and particularly its effector inner membrane protein CreD, plays a major role in bacterial fitness and biofilm development, especially in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of β-lactams. Finally, global transcriptomics reveals broad regulatory functions of CreBC in basic physiological aspects, particularly anaerobic respiration, in both the presence and absence of antibiotics. Therefore, the CreBC system is envisaged as a potentially interesting target for improving the efficacy of β-lactams against
P. aeruginosa
infections.
Efficacy of Fosfomycin Compared to Vancomycin in Treatment of Implant-Associated Chronic Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Osteomyelitis in Rats
Authors: Poeppl Wolfgang , Lingscheid Tilman , Bernitzky Dominik , Schwarze Uwe Y. , Donath Oliver , Perkmann Thomas , Kozakowski Nicolas , Plasenzotti Roberto , Reznicek Gottfried , Burgmann Heinz
Published: June 2014

Fosfomycin monotherapy was compared to therapy with vancomycin for the treatment of implant-associated methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) osteomyelitis in an experimental rat model. The proximal tibiae were inoculated with 15 μl of a suspension containing 1 × 10
8
to 5 × 10
8
CFU/ml of a clinical isolate of MRSA with simultaneous insertion of a titanium wire. Four weeks later, treatment was started for 28 days with either 50 mg/kg of body weight vancomycin intraperitoneally twice daily (
n
= 11) or 75 mg/kg fosfomycin intraperitoneally once daily (
n
= 10). Eleven animals were left untreated. After treatment, quantitative cultures from bone were found to be positive for MRSA in all animals in the untreated group (median, 3.29 × 10
6
CFU/g of bone) and the vancomycin group (median, 3.03 × 10
5
CFU/g of bone). In the fosfomycin group, MRSA was detectable in 2 out of 10 (20%) animals (3.42 × 10
2
and 1.51 × 10
3
CFU/g of bone). Vancomycin was superior to the no-drug control (
P
= 0.002), and fosfomycin was superior to the no-drug control and vancomycin (
P
< 0.001). The cultures from the wires were positive in all untreated animals (median, 2.5 × 10
3
CFU/implant), in 10 animals in the vancomycin group (median, 1.15 × 10
3
CFU/implant), and negative in all animals in the fosfomycin group. Based on the bacterial counts from the implants, vancomycin was not superior to the no-drug control (
P
= 0.324), and fosfomycin was superior to the no-drug control and vancomycin (
P
< 0.001). No emergence of resistance was observed. In conclusion, it was demonstrated that fosfomycin monotherapy is highly effective for the treatment of experimental implant-associated MRSA osteomyelitis.
Identification and Characterization of Outer Membrane Vesicle-Associated Proteins in Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium
Authors: Bai Jaewoo , Kim Seul I , Ryu Sangryeol , Yoon Hyunjin
Published: June 2014

Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium is a primary cause of enteric diseases and has acquired a variety of virulence factors during its evolution into a pathogen. Secreted virulence factors interact with commensal flora and host cells and enable
Salmonella
to survive and thrive in hostile environments. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) released from many Gram-negative bacteria function as a mechanism for the secretion of complex mixtures, including virulence factors. We performed a proteomic analysis of OMVs that were isolated under standard laboratory and acidic minimal medium conditions and identified 14 OMV-associated proteins that were observed in the OMV fraction isolated only under the acidic minimal medium conditions, which reproduced the nutrient-deficient intracellular milieu. The inferred roles of these 14 proteins were diverse, including transporter, enzyme, and transcriptional regulator. The absence of these proteins influenced
Salmonella
survival inside murine macrophages. Eleven of these proteins were predicted to possess secretion signal sequences at their N termini, and three (HupA, GlnH, and PhoN) of the proteins were found to be translocated into the cytoplasm of host cells. The comparative proteomic profiling of OMVs performed in this study revealed different protein compositions in the OMVs isolated under the two different conditions, which indicates that the OMV cargo depends on the growth conditions and provides a deeper insight into how
Salmonella
utilizes OMVs to adapt to environmental changes.
A Conserved PapB Family Member, TosR, Regulates Expression of the Uropathogenic Escherichia coli RTX Nonfimbrial Adhesin TosA while Conserved LuxR Family Members TosE and TosF Suppress Motility
Authors: Engstrom Michael D. , Alteri Christopher J. , Mobley Harry L. T.
Published: June 2014

A heterogeneous subset of extraintestinal pathogenic
Escherichia coli
(ExPEC) strains, referred to as uropathogenic
E. coli
(UPEC), causes most uncomplicated urinary tract infections. However, no core set of virulence factors exists among UPEC strains. Instead, the focus of the analysis of urovirulence has shifted to studying broad classes of virulence factors and the interactions between them. For example, the RTX nonfimbrial adhesin TosA mediates adherence to host cells derived from the upper urinary tract. The associated
tos
operon is well expressed
in vivo
but poorly expressed
in vitro
and encodes TosCBD, a predicted type 1 secretion system. TosR and TosEF are PapB and LuxR family transcription factors, respectively; however, no role has been assigned to these potential regulators. Thus, the focus of this study was to determine how TosR and TosEF regulate
tosA
and affect the reciprocal expression of adhesins and flagella. Among a collection of sequenced UPEC strains, 32% (101/317) were found to encode TosA, and nearly all strains (91% [92/101]) simultaneously carried the putative regulatory genes. Deletion of
tosR
alleviates
tosA
repression. The
tos
promoter was localized upstream of
tosR
using transcriptional fusions of putative promoter regions with
lacZ
. TosR binds to this region, affecting a gel shift. A 100-bp fragment 220 to 319 bp upstream of
tosR
inhibits binding, suggesting localization of the TosR binding site. TosEF, on the other hand, downmodulate motility when overexpressed by preventing the expression of
fliC
, encoding flagellin. Deletion of
tosEF
increased motility. Thus, we present an additional example of the reciprocal control of adherence and motility.
AraC/XylS Family Stress Response Regulators Rob, SoxS, PliA, and OpiA in the Fire Blight Pathogen Erwinia amylovora
Authors: Pletzer Daniel , Schweizer Gabriel , Weingart Helge
Published: June 2014

Transcriptional regulators of the AraC/XylS family have been associated with multidrug resistance, organic solvent tolerance, oxidative stress, and virulence in clinically relevant enterobacteria. In the present study, we identified four homologous AraC/XylS regulators, Rob, SoxS, PliA, and OpiA, from the fire blight pathogen
Erwinia amylovora
Ea1189. Previous studies have shown that the regulators MarA, Rob, and SoxS from
Escherichia coli
mediate multiple-antibiotic resistance, primarily by upregulating the AcrAB-TolC efflux system. However, none of the four AraC/XylS regulators from
E. amylovora
was able to induce a multidrug resistance phenotype in the plant pathogen. Overexpression of
rob
led to a 2-fold increased expression of the
acrA
gene. However, the
rob
-overexpressing strain showed increased resistance to only a limited number of antibiotics. Furthermore, Rob was able to induce tolerance to organic solvents in
E. amylovora
by mechanisms other than efflux. We demonstrated that SoxS from
E. amylovora
is involved in superoxide resistance. A
soxS
-deficient mutant of Ea1189 was not able to grow on agar plates supplemented with the superoxide-generating agent paraquat. Furthermore, expression of
soxS
was induced by redox cycling agents. We identified two novel members of the AraC/XylS family in
E. amylovora
. PliA was highly upregulated during the early infection phase in apple rootstock and immature pear fruits. Multiple compounds were able to induce the expression of
pliA
, including apple leaf extracts, phenolic compounds, redox cycling agents, heavy metals, and decanoate. OpiA was shown to play a role in the regulation of osmotic and alkaline pH stress responses.
Radical surgical resection for giant primary mediastinal endodermal sinus tumour with pulmonary metastasis after chemotherapy: can be curative
Authors: Chaudhry Ikram Ulhaq , Rahhal Mohammed , Khurshid Imtiaz , Mutairi Hadi
Published: June 2014

Primary non-seminomatous germ cell tumours of anterior mediastinum are uncommon. Endodermal sinus tumour of the anterior mediastinum (yolk sac) is a rare but lethal neoplasm. We present a case of an 18-year-old man who presented with chest pain, cough and haemosputum with markedly raised serum α-fetoprotein (AFP) levels above 112 000 ng/mL. Chest roentgenogram and CT showed a giant anterior mediastinal mass. CT guided biopsy revealed a diagnosis of endodermal sinus tumour. After the completion of chemotherapy, extensive surgical resection was carried out along with the right lung metastastectomy. Five years postresection follow-up the patient is disease free with normal serum tumour markers. This is the longest survival ever reported of such tumours with highest AFP level (>112 000 ng/mL) and lung metastasis.
What keeps family physicians busy in Portugal? A multicentre observational study of work other than direct patient contacts
Authors: Granja Mónica , Ponte Carla , Cavadas Luís Filipe
Published: June 2014

Objectives

To quantify the time spent by family physicians (FP) on tasks other than direct patient contact, to evaluate job satisfaction, to analyse the association between time spent on tasks and physician characteristics, the association between the number of tasks performed and physician characteristics and the association between time spent on tasks and job satisfaction.

Design

Cross-sectional, using time-and-motion techniques. Two workdays were documented by direct observation. A significance level of 0.05 was adopted.

Setting

Multicentric in 104 Portuguese family practices.

Participants

A convenience sample of FP, with lists of over 1000 patients, teaching senior medical students and first-year family medicine residents in 2012, was obtained. Of the 217 FP invited to participate, 155 completed the study.

Main outcomes measured

Time spent on tasks other than direct patient contact and on the performance of more than one task simultaneously, the number of direct patient contacts in the office, the number of indirect patient contacts, job satisfaction, demographic and professional characteristics associated with time spent on tasks and the number of different tasks performed, and the association between time spent on tasks and job satisfaction.

Results

FP (n=155) spent a mean of 143.6 min/day (95% CI 135.2 to 152.0) performing tasks such as prescription refills, teaching, meetings, management and communication with other professionals (33.4% of their workload). FP with larger patient lists spent less time on these tasks (p=0.002). Older FP (p=0.021) and those with larger lists (p=0.011) performed fewer tasks. The mean job satisfaction score was 3.5 (out of 5). No association was found between job satisfaction and time spent on tasks.

Conclusions

FP spent one-third of their workday in coordinating care, teaching and managing. Time devoted to these tasks decreases with increasing list size and physician age.
Control of tapeworms in sheep: a risk‐based approach
Authors: Gascoigne Emily , Crilly James Patrick
Published: June 2014

Canine tapeworms that have sheep as their intermediate host can be responsible for unpredictable significant economic losses for individual farms. In addition, one of these dog‐sheep tapeworms, Echinococcus granulosus, is zoonotic, causing cystic echinococcosis in humans, which can be fatal. Given that detection of tapeworm infestation is often only achieved at postmortem abattoir inspection, reactive control measures are limited. The aim of this article is to illustrate how the principles of the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP) system, which is widely used in the food industry, can be used to identify proactive control measures. The role of the small animal veterinary surgeon in control is also discussed.
Integrating remote sensing and past inventory data under the new annual design of the Swiss National Forest Inventory using three-phase design-based regression estimation
Authors: Massey Alexander , Mandallaz Daniel , Lanz Adrian
Published: June 2014

In 2009, the Swiss National Forest Inventory (NFI) turned from a periodic into an annual measurement design in which only one-ninth of the overall sample of permanent plots is measured every year. The reduction in sample size due to the implementation of the annual design results in an unacceptably large increase in variance when using the standard simple random sampling estimator. Thus, a flexible estimation procedure using two- and three-phase regression estimators is presented with a special focus on utilizing updating techniques to account for disturbances and growth and is applied to the second and third Swiss NFIs. The first phase consists of a dense sample of systematically distributed plots on a 500 m × 500 m grid for which auxiliary variables are obtained through the interpretation of aerial photographs. The second phase is an eightfold looser subgrid with terrestrial plot data collected from the past inventory, and the third and final phase consists of the three most recent annual subgrids with the current state of the target variable (stem volume). The proposed three-phase estimators reduce the increase in variance from 294% to 145% compared with the estimator based on the full periodic sample while remaining unbiased.
Cometabolic degradation of trichloroethylene byBurkholderia cepaciaG4 with poplar leaf homogenate
Authors: Kang Jun Won , Doty Sharon Lafferty
Published: June 2014

Trichloroethylene (TCE), a chlorinated organic solvent, is one of the most common and widespread groundwater contaminants worldwide. Among the group of TCE-degrading aerobic bacteria, Burkholderia cepacia G4 is the best-known representative. This strain requires the addition of specific substrates, including toluene, phenol, and benzene, to induce the enzymes to degrade TCE. However, the substrates are toxic and introducing them into the soil can result in secondary contamination. In this study, poplar leaf homogenate containing natural phenolic compounds was tested for the ability to induce the growth of and TCE degradation by B. cepacia G4. The results showed that the G4 strain could grow and degrade TCE well with the addition of phytochemicals. The poplar leaf homogenate also functioned as an inducer of the toluene-ortho-monooxygenase (TOM) gene in B. cepacia G4.
Study of some parameters of modified Chaplygin gas in Galileon gravity theory from observational perspective
Authors: Ranjit Chayan , Rudra Prabir , Debnath Ujjal
Published: June 2014

We have assumed the Friedmann–Robertson–Walker model of the universe in Galileon gravity, which is filled with dark matter and modified Chaplygin gas (MCG) type dark energy. We present the Hubble parameter in terms of some unknown parameters and observational parameters with the redshift z. Some cosmological parameters are reconstructed and plots are generated to study the nature of the model and its viability. It is seen that the model is perfectly consistent with the present cosmic acceleration. From observed Hubble data (OHD) set or Stern data set of 12 points, we have obtained the bounds of the arbitrary parameters (A, B) and (A, C) by minimizing the χ2 test. Next because of joint analysis of OHD + baryonic acoustic oscillation (BAO) and OHD+BAO+CMB observations, we have also obtained the best fit values and the bounds of the parameters (A, B) and (A, C) by fixing some other parameters. The best-fit values and bounds of the parameters are obtained with 66%, 90%, and 99% confidence levels for OHD, OHD+BAO, and OHD+BAO+CMB joint analysis. Next we have also taken type Ia supernovae data set (union2 data set with 557 data points). The distance modulus μ(z) against redshift z for our theoretical MCG model in Galileon gravity have been tested for the best fit values of the parameters and the observed type Ia supernovae union2 data sample and from this, we have concluded that our model is in agreement with the union2 sample data.
Hydro-chemical modelling of
in situ
behaviour of bituminized radioactive waste in Boom Clay
Authors: Mokni N. , Olivella S. , Valcke E. , Bleyen N. , Smets S. , Li X. , Sillen X.
Published: June 2014

The hydro-chemical (CH) interaction between swelling Eurobitum bituminized radioactive waste (BW) and Boom Clay was investigated to assess the feasibility of geological disposal for the long-term management of this waste. First, the long-term behaviour of BW in contact with water was studied. A CH formulation of chemically and hydraulically coupled flow processes in porous materials containing salt crystals is discussed. The formulation incorporates the strong dependence of the osmotic efficiency of the bitumen membrane on porosity and assumes the existence of high salt concentration gradients that are maintained for a long time and that influence the density and motion of the fluid. The impacts of temporal and spatial variations of key transport parameters (i.e. osmotic efficiency (σ), intrinsic permeability (
k
), diffusion, etc.) were investigated. Porosity was considered the basic variable. For BW porosity varies in time because of the water uptake and subsequent processes (i.e. dissolution of salt crystals, swelling of hydrating layers, compression of highly leached layers). New expressions of σ and
k
describing the dependence of these parameters on porosity are proposed. Several cases were analysed. The numerical analysis was proven to be able to furnish a satisfactory representation of the main observed patterns of the behaviour in terms of osmotic-induced swelling, leached mass of NaNO
3
and progression of the hydration front when heterogeneous porosity and crystal distributions have been assumed. Second, the long-term behaviour of real Eurobitum drums in disposal conditions, and in particular its interaction with the surrounding clay, was investigated. Results of a CH analysis are presented.
Coupled hydromechanical modelling of the mine-by experiment at Meuse-Haute-Marne underground rock laboratory France
Authors: Yildizdag K. , Shao H. , Hesser J. , Noiret A. , Soennke J.
Published: June 2014

At the Meuse-Haute-Marne underground rock laboratory, France, a mine-by experiment was performed in the niche GCS by ANDRA. A 3D coupled hydraulic and mechanical (HM) continuum model was applied to understand the coupled HM mechanisms in the Callovo–Oxfordian claystone. Features such as transverse isotropy, shrinkage phenomena and permeability change induced by mechanical deformation were considered using the numerical code RockFlow. Intensive parameter studies in comparison with measured deformation and pore pressure data reduced model uncertainties. Fully saturated models showed very precise calculation results for the far-field zone sensors, but rapidly decreased pore pressure and continuously increased deformation in the near-field zone cannot be interpreted adequately even considering shrinkage and partially saturated flow models. A 2D isotropic damage model taking stiffness degradation into account was applied and acceptable calculation results were obtained for pore pressure evolution. However, the time-dependent deformation cannot be evaluated by the current model.
Garbage Collection for Multiversion Index in Flash-Based Embedded Databases
Authors: Huang Po-Chun , Chang Yuan-Hao , Lam Kam-Yiu , Wang Jian-Tao , Huang Chien-Chin
Published: June 2014

Recently, flash-based embedded databases have gained their momentum in various control and monitoring systems, such as cyber-physical systems (CPSes). To support the functionality to access the historical data, a multiversion index is adopted to simultaneously maintain multiple versions of data items, as well as their index information. However, maintaining a multiversion index on flash memory incurs considerable performance overheads on garbage collection, which is to reclaim the spaces occupied by the outdated/invalid data items and their index information on flash memory. In this work, we propose an efficient garbage collection strategy to solve the garbage collection issues of flash-based multiversion databases. In particular, a version-tracking method is proposed to accelerate the performance on the process on identifying/reclaiming the space of invalid data and their indexes, and a pre-summary method is also designed to solve the cascading update problem that is caused by the write-once nature of flash memory and is worsened when more versions refer to the same data item. The capability of the proposed strategy is then verified by analytical and experimental studies.
Modeling What Friendship Patterns on Facebook Reveal About Personality and Social Capital
Authors: Liu Yong , Venkatanathan Jayant , Goncalves Jorge , Karapanos Evangelos , Kostakos Vassilis
Published: June 2014

In this study, we demonstrate how analysis of users’ social network structure—a topic that has remained until recently inconspicuous within Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research on social systems—can contribute to our understanding of Social Networking Services (SNS) effect on users. Despite a consensus that SNS enhance people's social capital, prior studies on SNS have provided inconsistent evidence on this process. In a multipronged study, we analyze personality, social capital, and Facebook data from a cohort of participants to model the extent to which one's SNS reflects aspects of his or personality and affects his bridging social capital. Our empirically validated model shows that empathy and conscientiousness influence the structural holes in one's social network, which in turn affects bridging social capital. These findings highlight the importance of network structure as an intermediary between one's personality and the social benefits one reaps from using SNS. Our work demonstrates how the implicit structural information embedded in users’ social networks can provide key insights into users’ personality and social capital.
Evaluation of Clinical Contributions Provided by Addition of the Brain, Calvarium, and Scalp to the Limited Whole Body Imaging Area in FDG-PET/CT Tumor Imaging
Authors: Tasdemir Bekir , Dostbil Zeki , Inal Ali , Unal Kemal , Yildirim Sule , Simsek F. Selcuk
Published: June 2014

Purpose.The aim of this study was to detect additional findings in whole body FDG-PET/CT scan including the brain, calvarium, and scalp (compared to starting from the base of the skull) in cancer patients and to determine contributions of these results to tumor staging and treatment protocols.Materials and Methods.We noted whether the findings related to the brain, calvarium, and scalp in 1359 patients had a potential to modify staging of the disease, chemotherapy protocol, radiotherapy protocol, and surgical management. We identified rates of metastatic findings on the brain, calvarium, and scalp according to the tumor types on FDG-PET/CT scanning.Results.We found FDG-PET/CT findings for malignancy above the base of the skull in 42 patients (3.1%), one of whom was a patient with an unknown primary tumor. Twenty-two of the metastatic findings were in the brain, 16 were in the calvarium, and two were in the scalp.Conclusion.This study has demonstrated that addition of the brain to the limited whole body FDG-PET/CT scanning may provide important contributions to the patient’s clinical management especially in patients with lung cancer, bladder cancer, malignant melanoma, breast cancer, stomach cancer, and unknown primary tumor.
Research on Virtual Machine Response Time Prediction Method Based on GA‐BP Neural Network
Authors: Guo Jun , Liu Shu , Zhang Bin , Yan Yongming
Published: June 2014

Cloud application provides access to large pool of virtual machines for building high‐quality applications to satisfy customers’ requirements. A difficult issue is how to predict virtual machine response time because it determines when we could adjust dynamic scalable virtual machines. To address the critical issue, this paper proposes a prediction virtual machine response time method which is based on genetic algorithm‐back propagation (GA‐BP) neural network. First of all, we predict component response time by the past virtual machine component usage experience data: the number of concurrent requests and response time. Then, we could predict virtual machines service response time. The results of large‐scale experiments show the effectiveness and feasibility of our method.
The Profit Distribution of Supply Chain under E-Commerce
Authors: Zhang Jiang-Hua , Yin Rui-Rui , Zhang Jin , Nie Meng-Jiao
Published: June 2014

With the development of e-commerce, its influence on supply chain and supply chain management is becoming increasingly significant too. In this paper, the literature on the supply chain profit is reviewed first, and then a two-level and four-party supply chain which consists of a supplier, an e-commerce platform, third-party logistics, and demander is taken into consideration. The profit function of supply chain under e-commerce is formulated by taking the price of product and the maximum supply amount under certain investment as decision-making variables and taking the expected value of random variables of price as the setting sales quantity. Finally, the existence of maximum profit in the supply chain is proved in the model, and the coordination of supply chain under e-commerce environment can be achieved by setting coordination parameters when the relevant cost parameters of supply chain members satisfy certain conditions.
A Model to Describe the Magnetomechanical Behavior of Martensite in Magnetic Shape Memory Alloy
Authors: Guo Zaoyang , Li Haitao , Wan Qiang , Peng Xianghe , Wen Jing
Published: June 2014

A model to describe the constitutive behavior of magnetic shape memory alloy composed with pure martensite is proposed based on the analysis of variants reorientation. A hyperbolic tangent expression is given to describe the variants transition during magnetic and mechanical loading process. The main features of magnetic shape memory alloy, such as pseudoelastic and partially pseudoelastic behavior as well as minor hysteretic loops, can be successfully replicated with the proposed model. A good agreement is achieved between calculated results and experimental data for NiMnGa single crystal.
Effect of Cold-Rolled Thickness Reduction Degree on Characteristics of Hydrogen Diffusion in Silicon Steel
Authors: Li Yongfeng , Cai Lian , Liu Guanjun , Ma Lijie
Published: June 2014

The characteristic of hydrogen uptake and diffusion in the cold-rolled silicon steel was investigated by electrochemical hydrogen permeation technique performed under different cathodic charging current density and cold-rolled thickness reduction degree. The results indicated that anodic permeation current density increased with increasing cathodic charging current for the specimens. Moreover, the anodic steady state permeation current density and the solubility increased with an increase in the cold-rolled thickness reduction degrees. The breakthrough time of hydrogen in the specimens was shortened with increasing thickness reduction degrees, and the value of the hydrogen diffusivity decreased gradually with increasing thickness reduction degrees.
Portfolio Selection with Liability and Affine Interest Rate in the HARA Utility Framework
Authors: Chang Hao , Chang Kai , Lu Ji-mei
Published: June 2014

This paper studied an asset and liability management problem with stochastic interest rate, where interest rate is assumed to be governed by an affine interest rate model, while liability process is driven by the drifted Brownian motion. The investors wish to look for an optimal investment strategy to maximize the expected utility of the terminal surplus under hyperbolic absolute risk aversion (HARA) utility function, which consists of power utility, exponential utility, and logarithm utility as special cases. By applying dynamic programming principle and Legendre transform, the explicit solutions for HARA utility are achieved successfully and some special cases are also discussed. Finally, a numerical example is provided to illustrate our results.
Cognitive‐Enhancing Effect of Steamed and Fermented Codonopsis lanceolata: A Behavioral and Biochemical Study
Authors: Weon Jin Bae , Yun Bo-Ra , Lee Jiwoo , Eom Min Rye , Ko Hyun-Jeong , Lee Hyeon Yong , Park Dong-Sik , Chung Hee-Chul , Chung Jae Youn , Ma Choong Je
Published: June 2014

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by memory impairment. Codonopsis lanceolata (C. lanceolata) has been employed clinically for lung inflammatory diseases such as asthma, tonsillitis, and pharyngitis. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of fermented C. lanceolata (300, 500, and 800 mg/kg) on learning and memory impairment induced by scopolamine by using the Morris water maze and passive avoidance tests. To elucidate possible mechanism of cognitive‐enhancing activity, we measured acetylcholinesterase (AchE) activity, brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and cyclic AMP response element‐binding protein (CREB) expression in the brain of mice. Administration of fermented C. lanceolata (800 mg/kg) led to reduced scopolamine‐induced memory impairment in the Morris water maze and passive avoidance tests. Accordingly, the administration of fermented C. lanceolata inhibited AchE activity. Interestingly, the level of CREB phosphorylation and BDNF expression in hippocampal tissue of scopolamine‐treated mice was significantly increased by the administration of fermented C. lanceolata. These results indicate that fermented C. lanceolata can ameliorate scopolamine‐induced memory deficits in mouse and may be an alternative agent for the treatment of AD.