bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Remodeling of the Z-Ring Nanostructure during the Streptococcus pneumoniae Cell Cycle Revealed by Photoactivated Localization Microscopy
Authors: Jacq Maxime , Adam Virgile , Bourgeois Dominique , Moriscot Christine , Di Guilmi Anne-Marie , Vernet Thierry , Morlot Cécile
Published: August 2015

Ovococci form a morphological group that includes several human pathogens (enterococci and streptococci). Their shape results from two modes of cell wall insertion, one allowing division and one allowing elongation. Both cell wall synthesis modes rely on a single cytoskeletal protein, FtsZ. Despite the central role of FtsZ in ovococci, a detailed view of the
in vivo
nanostructure of ovococcal Z-rings has been lacking thus far, limiting our understanding of their assembly and architecture. We have developed the use of photoactivated localization microscopy (PALM) in the ovococcus human pathogen
Streptococcus pneumoniae
by engineering spDendra2, a photoconvertible fluorescent protein optimized for this bacterium. Labeling of endogenously expressed FtsZ with spDendra2 revealed the remodeling of the Z-ring's morphology during the division cycle at the nanoscale level. We show that changes in the ring's axial thickness and in the clustering propensity of FtsZ correlate with the advancement of the cell cycle. In addition, we observe double-ring substructures suggestive of short-lived intermediates that may form upon initiation of septal cell wall synthesis. These data are integrated into a model describing the architecture and the remodeling of the Z-ring during the cell cycle of ovococci.

IMPORTANCE
The Gram-positive human pathogen
S. pneumoniae
is responsible for 1.6 million deaths per year worldwide and is increasingly resistant to various antibiotics. FtsZ is a cytoskeletal protein polymerizing at midcell into a ring-like structure called the Z-ring. FtsZ is a promising new antimicrobial target, as its inhibition leads to cell death. A precise view of the Z-ring architecture
in vivo
is essential to understand the mode of action of inhibitory drugs (see T. den Blaauwen, J. M. Andreu, and O. Monasterio, Bioorg Chem 55:27–38, 2014, doi:10.1016/j.bioorg.2014.03.007, for a review on FtsZ inhibitors). This is notably true in ovococcoid bacteria like
S. pneumoniae
, in which FtsZ is the only known cytoskeletal protein. We have used superresolution microscopy to obtain molecular details of the pneumococcus Z-ring that have so far been inaccessible with conventional microscopy. This study provides a nanoscale description of the Z-ring architecture and remodeling during the division of ovococci.
Spontaneous pneumomediastinum (Hamman's syndrome): a rare cause of postpartum chest pain
Authors: Cho Cho , Parratt Jennifer Ruth , Smith Steve , Patel Ramnik
Published: August 2015

We present a case of a 28-year-old primiparous woman with facial swelling followed by acute chest pain immediately after delivery. Chest radiograph revealed pneumomediastinum and surgical emphysema. She recovered well within 24 h of observation and conservative management. Postpartum spontaneous pneumomediastinum should be considered in the differential diagnosis of sudden-onset postpartum chest pain immediately or a few hours after delivery. It is a rare benign condition and usually resolves spontaneously without serious consequences. Chest X-ray is the single most important diagnostic test. It is important to rule out other serious and life-threatening conditions. Prolonged pushing, difficult labour and use of inhalational drugs place young primiparous women at higher risk. Recurrence is uncommon in subsequent pregnancy and management is unclear, although expectant management with epidural analgaesia to prevent recurrence in subsequent pregnancy is suggested.
Chronic myeloid leukaemia with extreme thrombocytosis
Authors: Verma Shailendra Prasad , Subbiah Arunkumar , Jacob Sajini Elizabeth , Basu Debdatta
Published: August 2015

We report two cases of chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) with extreme thrombocytosis. The first patient was a 65-year-old man who presented with prolonged history of upper abdominal discomfort, anorexia and two episodes of recent gum bleeds without fever or other bleeding manifestations. He was a chronic smoker with no other comorbidities. Examination revealed moderate hepatosplenomegaly. On investigation, he was found to have extreme thrombocytosis (3 500 000/mm3) and leucocytosis with moderate anaemia. In view of the leucocytosis, he was investigated for CML and found to be positive for BCR-ABL by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR). He received imatinib 400 mg/day and achieved complete haematological response at the end of 3 months. The second patient was a 7-year-old boy who presented with fever, cough and cold of 2-week duration. Examination revealed mild hepatomegaly with palpable spleen tip. Haemogram and peripheral smear revealed moderate leucocytosis with extreme thrombocytosis (2 800 000/mm3). On evaluation, he was found to be BCR-ABL positive and responded well to imatinib treatment. In both these cases, massive thrombocytosis was an unusual presentation of a well-known entity, namely, CML. This degree of thrombocytosis is usually seen only in essential thrombocytosis.
Malpositioned IUCD: the menace of postpartum IUCD insertion
Authors: Nigam Aruna , Ahmad Ayesha , Gupta Neha , Kumari Archana
Published: August 2015

Use of a postpartum intrauterine contraceptive device (PPIUCD) is a highly effective, reversible and long-acting family planning method that can be initiated in the immediate postpartum period, especially in lactating women. PPIUCDs have been inserted in more than 65 000 women worldwide and the numbers are increasing with many countries introducing PPIUCDs as part of their family planning programme. As the numbers of PPIUCD insertions are increasing, we are getting wiser regarding complications of this procedure. One of the less-understood entities is a malpositioned PPIUCD, a situation where the IUCD is present inside the uterus but its placement is eccentric and a part or the whole of it may be embedded in the myometrium. It can present as lost strings or as a failure to remove the intrauterine device. We present a series of cases with malpositioned PPIUCDs and their management.
The impact of interruptions on the duration of nursing interventions: a direct observation study in an academic emergency department
Authors: Cole Gai , Stefanus Dicky , Gardner Heather , Levy Matthew J , Klein Eili Y
Published: August 2015

Background

Interruptions to nursing workload may contribute to procedural failures and clinical errors impacting quality/safety of care, but the impact of interruptions on the duration of these activities has not been closely scrutinised. This study analyses the effect of interruptions to care provided by nurses and clinical technicians on the length of clinical procedures and interventions (excluding the length of the interruption).

Methods

An observational time study of the effect of interruptions on common nursing interventions in the emergency department (ED) of a large academic medical centre was conducted. This study used direct observations of nurses and clinical technicians while delivering care to patients.

Results

The average time spent on an uninterrupted intervention was 296.47 s (median:185.15, SD:319.05), while interrupted interventions took 682.02 s (median:589.63, SD:504.59). Controlling for intervention type and other potential confounding factors using multiple linear regression found that interrupted interventions were 121.36 s (95% CI 79.57 to 163.15) longer, a 19 percentage point increase (95% CI 11.31 to 26.89), than an intervention without (excluding the length of the interruption). Family/patient interruptions effected duration the most while staff interruptions affected the intervention time the least.

Discussion

Our findings are consistent with outcomes of studies in non-healthcare domains, but are contrary to a study of ED physicians, suggesting differential responses to interruptions by physicians and nurses. Future studies on interruptions in healthcare should thus be discipline specific. Though the effect of interruptions on intervention length is only about 2 min, in an ED setting, this can increase patient risks and costs. To better focus efforts to reduce interruptions future research should focus on further separation of interruption type (eg, urgent vs routine or unnecessary).
Searches for non-SM heavy Higgses at a 100 TeV pp collider
Authors: Hajer Jan , Ismail Ahmed , Kling Felix , Li Ying-Ying , Liu Tao , Su Shufang
Published: August 2015

In this write-up, we summarize the production of non-SM Higgses in the Type II Two Higgs Doublet Model at a 100 TeV [Formula: see text] collider, as well as their decays. We present the reach for [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] as well as [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] at the 100 TeV [Formula: see text] collider and outline the possible search channels via Higgs exotic decays. We point out that a combination of these conventional channels potentially yields full coverage for [Formula: see text] and pushes the exclusion limits from the [Formula: see text] at the LHC to the [Formula: see text] at a 100 TeV [Formula: see text] collider, whereas the exotic decays of a heavy Higgs into two light Higgses or one light Higgs plus one SM gauge boson provide alternative discovery channels.
Shape invariant rational extensions and potentials related to exceptional polynomials
Authors: Sree Ranjani S. , Sandhya R. , Kapoor A. K.
Published: August 2015

In this paper, we show that an attempt to construct shape invariant extensions of a known shape invariant potential leads to, apart from a shift by a constant, the well known technique of isospectral shift deformation. Using this, we construct infinite sets of generalized potentials with [Formula: see text] exceptional polynomials as solutions. The method is simple and transparent and is elucidated using the radial oscillator and the trigonometric Pöschl–Teller potentials. For the case of radial oscillator, in addition to the known rational extensions, we construct two infinite sets of rational extensions, which seem to be less studied. Explicit expressions of the generalized infinite set of potentials and the corresponding solutions are presented. For the trigonometric Pöschl–Teller potential, our analysis points to the possibility of several rational extensions beyond those known in literature.
Long-range correlations and burstiness in written texts: Universal and language-specific aspects
Authors: Constantoudis Vassilios , Kalimeri Maria , Diakonos Fotis , Karamanos Konstantinos , Papadimitriou Constantinos , Chatzigeorgiou Manolis , Papageorgiou Harris
Published: August 2015

Recently, methods from the statistical physics of complex systems have been applied successfully to identify universal features in the long-range correlations (LRCs) of written texts. However, in real texts, these universal features are being intermingled with language-specific influences. This paper aims at the characterization and further understanding of the interplay between universal and language-specific effects on the LRCs in texts. To this end, we apply the language-sensitive mapping of written texts to word-length series (wls) and analyse large parallel (of same content) corpora from 10 languages classified to four families (Romanic, Germanic, Greek and Uralic). The autocorrelation functions of the wls reveal tiny but persistent LRCs decaying at large scales following a power-law with a language-independent exponent [Formula: see text]0.60–0.65. The impact of language is displayed in the amplitude of correlations where a relative standard deviation [Formula: see text]40% among the analyzed languages is observed. The classification to language families seems to play a significant role since, the Finnish and Germanic languages exhibit more correlations than the Greek and Roman families. To reveal the origins of the LRCs, we focus on the long words and perform burst and correlation analysis in their positions along the corpora. We find that the universal features are linked more to the correlations of the inter-long word distances while the language-specific aspects are related more to their distributions.
A linear model of population dynamics
Authors: Lushnikov A. A. , Kagan A. I.
Published: August 2015

The Malthus process of population growth is reformulated in terms of the probability [Formula: see text] to find exactly [Formula: see text] individuals at time [Formula: see text] assuming that both the birth and the death rates are linear functions of the population size. The master equation for [Formula: see text] is solved exactly. It is shown that [Formula: see text] strongly deviates from the Poisson distribution and is expressed in terms either of Laguerre’s polynomials or a modified Bessel function. The latter expression allows for considerable simplifications of the asymptotic analysis of [Formula: see text].
Low energy impurity kink in the normal and anomalous self-energies in Bi-cuprate superconductors
Authors: Bok Jin Mo , Bae Jong Ju , Hong Seung Hwan , Zhou X. J. , Choi Han-Yong
Published: August 2015

The sharp low energy kink (LEK) in quasiparticle (qp) spectra well below the superconducting energy gap observed in the angle-resolved photo-emission spectroscopy (ARPES) of the Bi-cuprates may be understood in terms of the forward scattering impurities located off the Cu–O planes. The relevance of the idea has been established by comparing the calculated normal self-energy from the off-plane impurity effects and the extracted one from the self-energy analysis of [Formula: see text] (Bi2212) ARPES data in Hong et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 113, 057001 (2014)]. In addition to the explanation of the LEK, this is a necessary step to analyze ARPES data, to reveal the spectrum of fluctuations promoting superconductivity. We also present the extracted anomalous self-energy from the self-energy analysis, which is its first experimental determination as far as we are aware of. The extracted anomalous self-energy and its implications are discussed in comparison with the calculated impurity self-energy term.
Work function change of Ni, HfO2films and Ni/HfO2interfaces as a function of external electric field
Authors: Zhong Kehua , Xu Guigui , Zhang Jianmin , Liao Renyuan , Huang Zhigao
Published: August 2015

In this paper, the effects of external electric field on the work functions for Ni(001), Ni(111), HfO2(001) and HfO2(111) films and the effective work functions for Ni(001)/HfO2(001) and Ni(111)/HfO2(111) interfaces were studied by first-principles methods based on density functional theory (DFT). It is found that the work functions for all the systems change linearly with the strength of external electric field. Comparing the slopes of the work function variation versus external electric field strength for Ni, HfO2films and Ni/HfO2interfaces, we have found that the response of the effective work function to external electric field for Ni/HfO2interfaces is determined by the response of the HfO2side to external electric field.
Energy variation of mesoscopic L–C electric circuit in external electromagnetic field
Authors: Xu Xing-Lei , Wang Xiu-Xia , Fan Hong-Yi
Published: August 2015

In this paper, we investigate energy variation of mesoscopic L–C electric circuit in external electromagnetic field (EMF) due to the energy flow of EMF, we consider this a diffusion process governed by the master equation for diffusion channel with the diffusion rate being determined by the energy flow of EMF. By using the entangled state representation and the method of integration within ordered product of operators we derive time evolution law of the initial density operator of the circuit and the energy variation formula.
Fast Linear SVM Validation Based on Early Stopping in Iterative Learning
Authors: Famouri Mahmoud , Taheri Mohammad , Azimifar Zohreh
Published: August 2015

Classification is an important field in machine learning and pattern recognition. Amongst various types of classifiers such as nearest neighbor, neural network and Bayesian classifiers, support vector machine (SVM) is known as a very powerful classifier.

One of the advantages of SVM in comparison with the other methods, is its efficient and adjustable generalization capability. The performance of SVM classifier depends on its parameters, specially regularization parameter C, that is usually selected by cross-validation. Despite its generalization, SVM suffers from some limitations such as its considerable low speed training phase. Cross-validation is a very time consuming part of training phase, because for any candidate value of the parameter C, the entire process of training and validating must be repeated completely.

In this paper, we propose a novel approach for early stopping of the SVM learning algorithm. The proposed early stopping occurs by integrating the validation part into the optimization part of the SVM training without losing any generality or degrading performance of the classifier. Moreover, this method can be considered in conjunction with the other available accelerator methods since there is not any dependency between our proposed method and the other accelerator ones, thus no redundancy will happen. Our method was tested and verified on various UCI repository datasets and the results indicate that this method speeds up the learning phase of SVM without losing any generality or affecting the final model of classifier.
CONDITIONAL ASIAN OPTIONS
Authors: FENG RUNHUAN , VOLKMER HANS W.
Published: August 2015

Conditional Asian options are recent market innovations, which offer cheaper and long-dated alternatives to regular Asian options. In contrast with payoffs from regular Asian options which are based on average asset prices, the payoffs from conditional Asian options are determined only by average prices above certain threshold. Due to the limited inclusion of prices, conditional Asian options further reduce the volatility in the payoffs than their regular counterparts and have been promoted in the market as viable hedging and risk management instruments for equity-linked life insurance products. There has been no previous academic literature on this subject and practitioners have only been known to price these products by simulations. We propose the first analytical approach to computing prices and deltas of conditional Asian options in comparison with regular Asian options. In the numerical examples, we put to the test some cost-benefit claims by practitioners. As a by-product, the work also presents some distributional properties of the occupation time and the time-integral of geometric Brownian motion during the occupation time.
Properties of the division topology on the set of positive integers
Authors: Szczuka Paulina
Published: August 2015

In this paper, we examine properties of the division topology on the set of positive integers introduced by Rizza in 1993. The division topology on [Formula: see text] with the division order is an example of [Formula: see text]-Alexandroff topology. We mainly concentrate on closures of arithmetic progressions and connected and compact sets. Moreover, we show that in the division topology on [Formula: see text], the continuity is equivalent to the Darboux property.
On the density of coprime m-tuples over holomorphy rings
Authors: Micheli Giacomo , Schnyder Reto
Published: August 2015

Let [Formula: see text] be a finite field, [Formula: see text] be a function field of genus [Formula: see text] having full constant field [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] a set of places of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] the holomorphy ring of [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we compute the density of coprime [Formula: see text]-tuples of elements of [Formula: see text]. As a side result, we obtain that whenever the complement of [Formula: see text] is finite, the computation of the density can be reduced to the computation of the [Formula: see text]-polynomial of the function field. In the genus zero case, classical results for the density of coprime [Formula: see text]-tuples of polynomials are obtained as corollaries.
Averaging of impulsive differential inclusions with fuzzy right-hand side when the average is absent
Authors: Skripnik Natalia
Published: August 2015

In this paper, the justification of application of averaging method on a final interval for impulse differential inclusions with the fuzzy right-hand side with small parameter when the average is absent is considered.
Understanding Xi Jinping's “Rule of Law” Campaign
Authors: ZHENG Yongnian , SHAN Wei
Published: August 2015

The Chinese Communist Party passed a reform plan to build the “rule of law”, vowing to lessen local officials' authority over the legal system, promote legal professionalism and affirm the Party's domination in legal issues. These initiatives reflect Xi's effort to institutionalise his anti-corruption campaign. Yet the rule of law goes counter to the country's Confucian or Legalist traditions, the weak law-making and judicial system and other structural factors.
Relationship of hyperuricemia with mortality in heart failure patients with preserved ejection fraction
Authors: Shimizu Takeshi , Yoshihisa Akiomi , Kanno Yuki , Takiguchi Mai , Sato Akihiko , Miura Shunsuke , Nakamura Yuichi , Yamauchi Hiroyuki , Owada Takashi , Abe Satoshi , Sato Takamasa , Suzuki Satoshi , Oikawa Masayoshi , Yamaki Takayoshi , Sugimoto Koichi , Kunii Hiroyuki , Nakazato Kazuhiko , Suzuki Hitoshi , Saitoh Shu-ichi , Takeishi Yasuchika
Published: August 2015

Serum uric acid is a predictor of cardiovascular mortality in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction. However, the impact of uric acid on heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) remains unclear. Here, we investigated the association between hyperuricemia and mortality in HFpEF patients. Consecutive 424 patients, who were admitted to our hospital for decompensated heart failure and diagnosed as having HFpEF, were divided into two groups based on presence of hyperuricemia (serum uric acid ≥7 mg/dl or taking antihyperuricemic agents). We compared patient characteristics, echocardiographic data, cardio-ankle vascular index, and cardiopulmonary exercise test findings between the two groups and prospectively followed cardiac and all-cause mortality. Compared with the non-hyperuricemia group ( n = 170), the hyperuricemia group ( n = 254) had a higher prevalence of hypertension ( P = 0.013), diabetes mellitus ( P = 0.01), dyslipidemia ( P = 0.038), atrial fibrillation ( P = 0.001), and use of diuretics ( P < 0.001). Cardio-ankle vascular index (8.7 vs. 7.5, P < 0.001) and V̇e/V̇co2 slope (34.9 vs. 31.9, P = 0.02) were also higher. In addition, peak V̇o2 (14.9 vs. 17.9 ml·kg−1·min−1, P < 0.001) was lower. In the follow-up period (mean 897 days), cardiac and all-cause mortalities were significantly higher in those with hyperuricemia ( P = 0.006 and P = 0.004, respectively). In the multivariable Cox proportional hazard analyses after adjustment for several confounding factors including chronic kidney disease and use of diuretics, hyperuricemia was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality (hazard ratio 1.98, 95% confidence interval 1.036–3.793, P = 0.039). Hyperuricemia is associated with arterial stiffness, impaired exercise capacity, and high mortality in HFpEF.
Lesser suppression of energy intake by orally ingested whey protein in healthy older men compared with young controls
Authors: Giezenaar Caroline , Trahair Laurence G. , Rigda Rachael , Hutchison Amy T. , Feinle-Bisset Christine , Luscombe-Marsh Natalie D. , Hausken Trygve , Jones Karen L. , Horowitz Michael , Chapman Ian , Soenen Stijn
Published: August 2015

Protein-rich supplements are used widely for the management of malnutrition in young and older people. Protein is the most satiating of the macronutrients in young. It is not known how the effects of oral protein ingestion on energy intake, appetite, and gastric emptying are modified by age. The aim of the study was to determine the suppression of energy intake by protein compared with control and underlying gastric-emptying and appetite responses of oral whey protein drinks in eight healthy older men (69–80 yr) compared with eight young male controls (18–34 yr). Subjects were studied on three occasions to determine the effects of protein loads of 30 g/120 kcal and 70 g/280 kcal compared with a flavored water control-drink (0 g whey protein) on energy intake (ad libitum buffet-style meal), and gastric emptying (three-dimensional-ultrasonography) and appetite (0–180 min) in a randomized, double-blind, cross-over design. Energy intake was suppressed by the protein compared with control ( P = 0.034). Suppression of energy intake by protein was less in older men (1 ± 5%) than in young controls (15 ± 2%; P = 0.008). Cumulative energy intake (meal+drink) on the protein drink days compared with the control day increased more in older (18 ± 6%) men than young (1 ± 3%) controls ( P = 0.008). Gastric emptying of all three drinks was slower in older men (50% gastric-emptying time: 68 ± 5 min) than young controls (36 ± 5 min; P = 0.007). Appetite decreased in young, while it increased in older ( P < 0.05). In summary, despite having slower gastric emptying, elderly men exhibited blunted protein-induced suppression of energy intake by whey protein compared with young controls, so that in the elderly men, protein ingestion increased overall energy intake more than in the young men.
Body height and arterial pressure in seated and supine young males during +2 G centrifugation
Authors: Arvedsen Sine K. , Eiken Ola , Kölegård Roger , Petersen Lonnie G. , Norsk Peter , Damgaard Morten
Published: August 2015

It is known that arterial pressure correlates positively with body height in males, and it has been suggested that this is due to the increasing vertical hydrostatic gradient from the heart to the carotid baroreceptors. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that a higher gravito-inertial stress induced by the use of a human centrifuge would increase mean arterial pressure (MAP) more in tall than in short males in the seated position. In short (162–171 cm; n = 8) and tall (194–203 cm; n = 10) healthy males (18–41 yr), brachial arterial pressure, heart rate (HR), and cardiac output were measured during +2G centrifugation, while they were seated upright with the legs kept horizontal (+2Gz). In a separate experiment, the same measurements were done with the subjects supine (+2Gx). During +2Gz MAP increased in the short (22 ± 2 mmHg, P < 0.0001) and tall (23 ± 2 mmHg, P < 0.0001) males, with no significant difference between the groups. HR increased more ( P < 0.05) in the tall than in the short group (14 ± 2 vs. 7 ± 2 bpm). Stroke volume (SV) decreased in the short group (26 ± 4 ml, P = 0.001) and more so in the tall group (39 ± 5 ml, P < 0.0001; short vs. tall, P = 0.047). During +2Gx, systolic arterial pressure increased ( P < 0.001) and SV ( P = 0.012) decreased in the tall group only. In conclusion, during +2Gz, MAP increased in both short and tall males, with no difference between the groups. However, in the tall group, HR increased more during +2Gz, which could be caused by a larger hydrostatic pressure gradient from heart to head, leading to greater inhibition of the carotid baroreceptors.
Architecture of the human renal inner medulla and functional implications
Authors: Wei Guojun , Rosen Seymour , Dantzler William H. , Pannabecker Thomas L.
Published: August 2015

The architecture of the inner stripe of the outer medulla of the human kidney has long been known to exhibit distinctive configurations; however, inner medullary architecture remains poorly defined. Using immunohistochemistry with segment-specific antibodies for membrane fluid and solute transporters and other proteins, we identified a number of distinctive functional features of human inner medulla. In the outer inner medulla, aquaporin-1 (AQP1)-positive long-loop descending thin limbs (DTLs) lie alongside descending and ascending vasa recta (DVR, AVR) within vascular bundles. These vascular bundles are continuations of outer medullary vascular bundles. Bundles containing DTLs and vasa recta lie at the margins of coalescing collecting duct (CD) clusters, thereby forming two regions, the vascular bundle region and the CD cluster region. Although AQP1 and urea transporter UT-B are abundantly expressed in long-loop DTLs and DVR, respectively, their expression declines with depth below the outer medulla. Transcellular water and urea fluxes likely decline in these segments at progressively deeper levels. Smooth muscle myosin heavy chain protein is also expressed in DVR of the inner stripe and the upper inner medulla, but is sparsely expressed at deeper inner medullary levels. In rodent inner medulla, fenestrated capillaries abut CDs along their entire length, paralleling ascending thin limbs (ATLs), forming distinct compartments (interstitial nodal spaces; INSs); however, in humans this architecture rarely occurs. Thus INSs are relatively infrequent in the human inner medulla, unlike in the rodent where they are abundant. UT-B is expressed within the papillary epithelium of the lower inner medulla, indicating a transcellular pathway for urea across this epithelium.
Activation of Ih and TTX-sensitive sodium current at subthreshold voltages during CA1 pyramidal neuron firing
Authors: Yamada-Hanff Jason , Bean Bruce P.
Published: August 2015

We used dynamic clamp and action potential clamp techniques to explore how currents carried by tetrodotoxin-sensitive sodium channels and HCN channels ( Ih) regulate the behavior of CA1 pyramidal neurons at resting and subthreshold voltages. Recording from rat CA1 pyramidal neurons in hippocampal slices, we found that the apparent input resistance and membrane time constant were strongly affected by both conductances, with Ih acting to decrease apparent input resistance and time constant and sodium current acting to increase both. We found that both Ih and sodium current were active during subthreshold summation of artificial excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) generated by dynamic clamp, with Ih dominating at less depolarized voltages and sodium current at more depolarized voltages. Subthreshold sodium current—which amplifies EPSPs—was most effectively recruited by rapid voltage changes, while Ih—which blunts EPSPs—was maximal for slow voltage changes. The combined effect is to selectively amplify rapid EPSPs. We did similar experiments in mouse CA1 pyramidal neurons, doing voltage-clamp experiments using experimental records of action potential firing of CA1 neurons previously recorded in awake, behaving animals as command voltages to quantify flow of Ih and sodium current at subthreshold voltages. Subthreshold sodium current was larger and subthreshold Ih was smaller in mouse neurons than in rat neurons. Overall, the results show opposing effects of subthreshold sodium current and Ih in regulating subthreshold behavior of CA1 neurons, with subthreshold sodium current prominent in both rat and mouse CA1 pyramidal neurons and additional regulation by Ih in rat neurons.
Spike sorting of synchronous spikes from local neuron ensembles
Authors: Franke Felix , Pröpper Robert , Alle Henrik , Meier Philipp , Geiger Jörg R. P. , Obermayer Klaus , Munk Matthias H. J.
Published: August 2015

Synchronous spike discharge of cortical neurons is thought to be a fingerprint of neuronal cooperativity. Because neighboring neurons are more densely connected to one another than neurons that are located further apart, near-synchronous spike discharge can be expected to be prevalent and it might provide an important basis for cortical computations. Using microelectrodes to record local groups of neurons does not allow for the reliable separation of synchronous spikes from different cells, because available spike sorting algorithms cannot correctly resolve the temporally overlapping waveforms. We show that high spike sorting performance of in vivo recordings, including overlapping spikes, can be achieved with a recently developed filter-based template matching procedure. Using tetrodes with a three-dimensional structure, we demonstrate with simulated data and ground truth in vitro data, obtained by dual intracellular recording of two neurons located next to a tetrode, that the spike sorting of synchronous spikes can be as successful as the spike sorting of nonoverlapping spikes and that the spatial information provided by multielectrodes greatly reduces the error rates. We apply the method to tetrode recordings from the prefrontal cortex of behaving primates, and we show that overlapping spikes can be identified and assigned to individual neurons to study synchronous activity in local groups of neurons.
Chromosome Y genetic variants: impact in animal models and on human disease
Authors: Prokop J. W. , Deschepper C. F.
Published: August 2015

Chromosome Y (chrY) variation has been associated with many complex diseases ranging from cancer to cardiovascular disorders. Functional roles of chrY genes outside of testes are suggested by the fact that they are broadly expressed in many other tissues and correspond to regulators of basic cellular functions (such as transcription, translation, and protein stability). However, the unique genetic properties of chrY (including the lack of meiotic crossover and the presence of numerous highly repetitive sequences) have made the identification of causal variants very difficult. Despite the prior lack of reliable sequences and/or data on genetic polymorphisms, earlier studies with animal chrY consomic strains have made it possible to narrow down the phenotypic contributions of chrY. Some of the evidence so far indicates that chrY gene variants associate with regulatory changes in the expression of other autosomal genes, in part via epigenetic effects. In humans, a limited number of studies have shown associations between chrY haplotypes and disease traits. However, recent sequencing efforts have made it possible to greatly increase the identification of genetic variants on chrY, which promises that future association of chrY with disease traits will be further refined. Continuing studies (both in humans and in animal models) will be critical to help explain the many sex-biased disease states in human that are contributed to not only by the classical sex steroid hormones, but also by chrY genetics.
Synthesis and Properties of High Strength Thin Film Composites of Poly(ethylene Oxide) and PEO-PMMA Blend with Cetylpyridinium Chloride Modified Clay
Authors: Khan Mohammad Saleem , Sultana Sabiha
Published: August 2015

Ion-conducting thin film composites of polymer electrolytes were prepared by mixing high MW poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as a polymer matrix, cetylpyridinium chloride (CPC) modified MMT as filler, and different content of LiClO4by using solution cast method. The crystallinity, ionic conductivity (σ), and mechanical properties of the composite electrolytes and blend composites were evaluated by using XRD, AC impedance, and UTM studies, respectively. The modification of clay by CPC showed enhancement in thed-spacing. The loading of clay has effect on crystallinity of PEO systems. Blend composites showed better mechanical properties. Young’s modulus and elongation at break values showed increase with salt and clay incorporation in pure PEO. The optimum composition composite of PEO with 3.5 wt% of salt and 3.3 wt% of CPMMT exhibited better performance.
Numerical Investigation of Flapwise-Torsional Vibration Model of a Smart Section Blade with Microtab
Authors: Li Nailu , Balas Mark J. , Yang Hua , Jiang Wei , Magar Kaman T.
Published: August 2015

This study presents a method to develop an aeroelastic model of a smart section blade equipped with microtab. The model is suitable for potential passive vibration control study of the blade section in classic flutter. Equations of the model are described by the nondimensional flapwise and torsional vibration modes coupled with the aerodynamic model based on the Theodorsen theory and aerodynamic effects of the microtab based on the wind tunnel experimental data. The aeroelastic model is validated using numerical data available in the literature and then utilized to analyze the microtab control capability on flutter instability case and divergence instability case. The effectiveness of the microtab is investigated with the scenarios of different output controllers and actuation deployments for both instability cases. The numerical results show that the microtab can effectively suppress both vibration modes with the appropriate choice of the output feedback controller.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Supplementation in Children to Prevent Asthma: Is It Worthy?—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Muley Prasad , Shah Monali , Muley Arti
Published: August 2015

Asthma is one of the most common respiratory diseases affecting all age groups. The world is now trying to identify some dietary factors which can play a preventive role. We performed this systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs to assess the effect of intake of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in infancy and/or childhood on incidence of asthma or wheezing episodes. We searched MEDLINE, EBSCO, Trip, and Google Scholar up to January 31, 2015. All RCTs where infants or children who were given omega-3 fatty acid supplementation and which reported incidence of asthma and/or wheezing episodes as dichotomous outcomes were included in this review. Random effects model was used for pooling the risk estimates. Total five articles were included. Most of them were from Australia. On meta-analysis, the pooled estimate of odds ratios by random effects model showed no significant change in incidence of asthma after supplementation of omega-3 FA in infancy or childhood (OR 0.974; CI 0.646, 1.469; p=0.900). We concluded that a multicentric RCT is required to assess the effect of omega-3 FA supplementation exclusively to infants or children to predict the best time of omega-3 FA supplementation to prevent asthmatic or wheezing episodes later in life.
MiR-183 Regulates ITGB1P Expression and Promotes Invasion of Endometrial Stromal Cells
Authors: Chen Jie , Gu Lin , Ni Jie , Hu Ping , Hu Kai , Shi Ying-Li
Published: August 2015

We applied in the previous study miRNA microarray screening analysis to identify several differentially expressed miRNAs, including miR-183 in normal, eutopic, and ectopic endometrium. Knockdown of miR-183 expression induced the invasiveness and inhibition of apoptosis in endometrial stromal cells. The current study aims to identify the miR-183 targets with relevance to cell functions in endometrial stromal cells, to verify the interaction of miR-183 with its target genes, and to confirm the role of miR-183 in the process of endometriosis. Using microarray analysis, we identified 27 differentially expressed genes (19 were upregulated and 8 downregulated), from which we selected 4 downregulated genes (ITGB1, AMIGO2, VAV3, and PSEN2) based on GO databases for functional analysis and significant pathway analysis. Western blotting analyses showed that integrinβ1 (ITGB1), but not AMIGO2, was affected by miR-183 overexpression, whereas no protein expression of VAV3 and PSEN2 was detected. Luciferase reporter assay verified that ITGB1 is a target gene of miR-183. Moreover, we found that ITGB1 is overexpressed in the endometrium of endometriosis patients. Furthermore, overexpression of ITGB1 rescued the repressive effects of miR-183 on the invasiveness of endometrial stromal cells. These findings, together with the fact that ITGB1 is a critical factor for cell adhesion and invasiveness, suggest that miR-183 may be involved in the development of endometriosis by regulating ITGB1 in endometrial stromal cells.
An Inflammatory Polymorphisms Risk Scoring System for the Differentiation of Ischemic Stroke Subtypes
Authors: Muiño Elena , Krupinski Jurek , Carrera Caty , Gallego-Fabrega Cristina , Montaner Joan , Fernández-Cadenas Israel
Published: August 2015

Inflammation has been associated with atherothrombotic stroke and recently with cardioembolic stroke. Different genetic risk factors have been specifically associated with the subtypes of ischemic stroke (cardioembolic, atherothrombotic, and lacunar). However, there are no studies that have generated genetic risk scores for the different subtypes of ischemic stroke using polymorphisms associated with inflammation. Methods. We have analyzed 68 polymorphisms of 30 inflammatory mediator genes in 2,685 subjects: 1,987 stroke cases and 698 controls. We generated a genetic scoring system with the most significant polymorphisms weighted by the odds ratio of every polymorphism and taken into consideration the stroke subtype. Results. Three polymorphisms, rs1205 (CRP gene), rs1800779, and rs2257073 (NOS3 gene), were associated with cardioembolic stroke (p value <0.05). The score generated was only associated with the cardioembolic stroke subtype (p value: 0.001) and was replicated in an independent cohort (p value: 0.017). The subjects with the highest score presented a cardioembolic stroke in 92.2% of the cases (p value: 0.002). Conclusion. The genetics of inflammatory markers is more closely associated with cardioembolic strokes than with atherothrombotic or lacunar strokes. The genetic risk scoring system could be useful in the prediction and differentiation of ischemic stroke; however, it might be specific to particular ischemic stroke subtypes.
Influence of Geostress Orientation on Fracture Response of Deep Underground Cavity Subjected to Dynamic Loading
Authors: Weng Lei , Li Xibing , Tao Ming
Published: August 2015

Deep underground cavity is often damaged under the combined actions of high excavating-induced local stresses and dynamic loading. The fracturing zone and failure type are much related to the initial geostress state. To investigate the influence of geostress orientation on fracture behaviours of underground cavity due to dynamic loading, implicit to explicit sequential solution method was performed in the numerical code to realize the calculation of geostress initialization and dynamic loading on deep underground cavity. The results indicate that when the geostress orientation is heterotropic to the roadway’s floor face (e.g., 30° or 60°), high stress and strain energy concentration are presented in the corner and the spandrel of the roadway, where V-shaped rock failure occurs with the release of massive energy in a very short time. When the geostress orientation is orthogonal to the roadway (e.g., 0° or 90°), the tangential stress and strain energy distribute symmetrically around the cavity. In this regard, the stored strain energy is released slowly under the dynamic loading, resulting in mainly parallel fracture along the roadway’s profile. Therefore, to minimize the damage extent of the surrounding rock, it is of great concern to design the best excavation location and direction of new-opened roadway based on the measuring data ofin situgeostresses.
Iterative Cellular Screening System for Nanoparticle Safety Testing
Authors: Sambale Franziska , Stahl Frank , Rüdinger Ferdinand , Seliktar Dror , Kasper Cornelia , Bahnemann Detlef , Scheper Thomas
Published: August 2015

Nanoparticles have the potential to exhibit risks to human beings and to the environment; due to the wide applications of nanoproducts, extensive risk management must not be neglected. Therefore, we have constructed a cell‐based, iterative screening system to examine a variety of nanoproducts concerning their toxicity during development. The sensitivity and application of various cell‐based methods were discussed and proven by applying the screening to two different nanoparticles: zinc oxide and titanium dioxide nanoparticles. They were used as benchmarks to set up our methods and to examine their effects on mammalian cell lines. Different biological processes such as cell viability, gene expression of interleukin‐8 and heat shock protein 70, as well as morphology changes were investigated. Within our screening system, both nanoparticle suspensions and coatings can be tested. Electric cell impedance measurements revealed to be a good method for online monitoring of cellular behavior. The implementation of three‐dimensional cell culture is essential to better mimic in vivo conditions. In conclusion, our screening system is highly efficient, cost minimizing, and reduces the need for animal studies.
Overlap of Acute Cholecystitis with Gallstones and Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Gallbladder in an Elderly Patient
Authors: Yıldız İhsan , Koca Yavuz Savas , Barut İbrahim
Published: August 2015

Introduction. The incidence of gallbladder cancer presenting with acute cholecystitis is 2.3%, squamous cell carcinoma is rarely seen, and overlap of acute cholecystitis and squamous cell carcinoma is a very rare condition in the literature.Presentation of Case. A 75-year-old woman was admitted to emergency service with a pain in the right upper quadrant, nausea, and vomiting. The patient was considered as having acute cholecystitis. During the exploration because Hartman’s pouch was not dissected, it was adhered to the cystic duct and had fibrotic adhesion. It could not be understood whether this adhesion was a tumor or a fibrotic tumor and thus we performed cholecystectomy with a 1 cm resection of the choledochus. Pathological examination revealed the presence of (R0), T1 N0 M0 squamous cell carcinoma with clean resection borders and there was no in tumor five dissected lymph nodes. The patient has been followed up for about two years and no clinical problem has been observed throughout the follow-up.Discussion. Acute cholecystitis with gallstones may overlap with gallbladder cancer and generally presents nonspecific symptoms. No additional imaging techniques were performed since no clinical sign except for the wall thickening was detected and no suspected malignancy such as mass was detected on USG. Squamous cell carcinoma of the gallbladder shows poor diagnosis, but since its overlap with cholecystitis presents early symptoms and thus leads to early diagnosis and effective treatment, the localization of the carcinoma is of prime importance.Conclusion. Gallbladder cancer should be kept in mind in elderly patients with acute cholecystitis.
Audit of Orthopaedic Surgical Documentation
Authors: Coughlan Fionn , Ellanti Prasad , Ní Fhoghlu Cliodhna , Moriarity Andrew , Hogan Niall
Published: August 2015

Introduction. The Royal College of Surgeons in England published guidelines in 2008 outlining the information that should be documented at each surgery. St. James’s Hospital uses a standard operation sheet for all surgical procedures and these were examined to assess documentation standards.Objectives. To retrospectively audit the hand written orthopaedic operative notes according to established guidelines.Methods. A total of 63 operation notes over seven months were audited in terms of date and time of surgery, surgeon, procedure, elective or emergency indication, operative diagnosis, incision details, signature, closure details, tourniquet time, postop instructions, complications, prosthesis, and serial numbers.Results. A consultant performed 71.4% of procedures; however, 85.7% of the operative notes were written by the registrar. The date and time of surgery, name of surgeon, procedure name, and signature were documented in all cases. The operative diagnosis and postoperative instructions were frequently not documented in the designated location. Incision details were included in 81.7% and prosthesis details in only 30% while the tourniquet time was not documented in any.Conclusion. Completion and documentation of operative procedures were excellent in some areas; improvement is needed in documenting tourniquet time, prosthesis and incision details, and the location of operative diagnosis and postoperative instructions.