bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Custom-Made Ocular Prosthesis for Atrophic Anophthalmic Cavity
Authors: Monken Luísa Fernandes , Coelho Luiza Vale , Costa Matheus Silva , de Arruda José Alcides Almeida , Mesquita Ricardo Alves , Moreno Amália
Published: June 2018

The ocular prosthesis is a modality of facial prosthesis that acts on the repair of loss or deformity of the ocular globe. Prosthetic rehabilitations destined to anophthalmic cavities that suffered cicatricial retraction represent a challenge during fabrication since they often need to be reduced due to atrophic of the cavity and simultaneously need to have a good esthetic appearance regarding the contour and artificial iris. This clinical report describes the ocular prosthetic rehabilitation of a 77-year-old man with anophthalmic atrophic cavity due to herpes zoster-induced loss. The treatment focused on comfort and adaptation during use, on satisfactory retention and esthetic appearance, and on care to achieve total eye closure while wearing the ocular prosthesis. This article shows an unusual prosthetic rehabilitation of atrophic anophthalmic cavity with 6 months of follow-up.
Early Results of an Innovative Modified Central Pancreatectomy Technique Without Gastroenteric Drainage: Achieving Normal Pancreatic Function
Authors: Nasr Mohamed M.
Published: June 2018

Purpose:

Central pancreatectomy (CP) has been used sparingly because the spectrum of indications is quite narrow. The author has modified the procedure of CP in such a way to avoid distal pancreatic segment drainage, in addition to reserving the patient euo-insulinemic.

Materials and Methods:

Between March 2010 and January 2015, 41 cases have been recruited. Cases presented with blunt abdominal trauma showing central pancreatic transection with or without duodenal transection have been recruited. Technique of CP has been modified to enable sparing distal pancreatic drainage procedure. The study describes a case series where the modified technique in the field of pancreatic surgery is applied on trauma patients through both laparoscopic and open approaches according to patients’ hemodynamic stability.

Results:

There was no pancreatic fistula, deficiency nor any of the major complications related to the traditional CP technique.

Conclusions:

None of the cases developed pancreatic necrosis or fistula, steatorrhea or showed picture of diabetes mellitus. The new technique has used the available anatomic and functional pancreatic facts to revolute sparing the distal pancreatic drainage procedure.
The burden of chronic breathlessness across the population
Authors: Ahmadi Zainab
Published: June 2018

Purpose of review

Chronic breathlessness is a common and distressing symptom globally. It is associated with major adverse health outcomes. This review provides an overview of new evidence about the prevalence of chronic breathlessness in the population.

Recent findings

A literature search was conducted using MEDLINE database including studies on prevalence of chronic breathlessness and its impact on the community published between 2016 and 2018. Identified studies were divided into four themes: breathlessness in relation to sex, BMI, quality of life and age (the elderly). In the general population, breathlessness was twice as common in women as in men related to their smaller absolute lung volumes. Obesity was to be found an independent risk factor for chronic breathlessness. A strong association between chronic breathlessness and poor physical and mental health-related quality of life was found across all adult age groups. Among elderly people, breathlessness predicted activity of daily living decline over 5 years.

Interesting large population-based studies published recently have shed light on the association between chronic breathlessness and sex, obesity, quality of life and increasing age.
Facile synthesis of hierarchical CNF/SnO
2
/Ni nanostructures via self-assembly process as anode materials for lithium ion batteries
Authors: Tang Haitong , Yu Xinru , Jin Shi , Meng Fanling , Yan Yan , gao Zhongmin
Published: June 2018

Hierarchical carbon nanofibre (CNF)/SnO
2
/Ni nanostructures of graphitized carbon nanofibres and SnO
2
nanocrystallines and Ni nanocrystallines have been prepared via divalent tin–alginate assembly on polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibres, controlled pyrolysis and ball milling. Fabrication is implemented in three steps: (1) formation of a tin–alginate layer on PAN fibres by coating sodium alginate on PAN in a water medium followed by polycondensation in SnCl
2
solution; (2) heat treatment at 450°C in a nitrogen atmosphere; (3) ball milling the mixture of CNF/SnO
2
fibres and Ni powder. The CNF/SnO
2
/Ni nanocomposite exhibits good lithium ion storage capacity and cyclability, providing a facile and low-cost approach for the large-scale preparation of anode materials for lithium ion batteries.
The boundary of holistic processing in the appraisal of facial attractiveness
Authors: Hong Liu Chang , Chen Wenfeng
Published: June 2018

Facial attractiveness is often studied on the basis of the internal facial features alone. This study investigated how this exclusion of the external features affects the perception of attractiveness. We studied the effects of two most commonly used methods of exclusion, where the shape of an occluding mask was defined by either the facial outline or an oval. Participants rated attractiveness of the same faces under these conditions. Results showed that faces were consistently rated more attractive when they were masked by an oval shape rather than by their outline (Experiment 1). Attractive faces were more strongly affected by this effect than were less attractive faces when participants were able to control the viewing time. However, unattractive faces benefited more from this effect when the same face stimuli were presented briefly for only 20 ms (Experiment 2). Further manipulation confirmed that the effect was mainly due to the occlusion of a larger area of the external features rather than the regular and symmetrical features of the oval shape (Experiment 3) or lacks contextual cues about the face boundary (Experiment 4). The effect was only relative to masked faces, with no advantage over unmasked faces (Experiment 5), and is likely a result of the interaction between the shape of a mask and the internal features of the face. This holistic effect in the appraisal of facial attractiveness is striking, because the oval shape of the mask is not a part of the face but is the edge of an occluding object.
Evaluation of polybenzimidazole-based polymers for the removal of uranium, thorium and palladium from aqueous medium
Authors: Kumar V. Vijaya , Kumar C. Ramesh , Suresh A. , Jayalakshmi S. , Mudali U. Kamachi , Sivaraman N.
Published: June 2018

Four types of polybenzimidazole (PBI)-based polymers (
m
-PBI,
p
-PBI, pyridine-based
m
-PBI and alkylated
m
-PBI) have been prepared and characterized. Extraction behaviour of heavy metal ions,
viz.
U(VI), Th(IV) and Pd(II), with these polymers was investigated. Distribution ratios for the extraction of these metal ions were measured as a function of nitric acid concentration. Extraction data reveal that, in general,
p
-PBI exhibits a higher distribution ratio for U(VI), Th(IV) and Pd(II) compared with the other polymeric resins evaluated in the present study. Column chromatography experiments were carried out with a solution of U(VI), Th(IV) and Pd(II) in dilute nitric acid media using columns packed with
m
- and
p
-PBI polymeric material for understanding the sorption and elution behaviour. The
p
-PBI-based resin has shown higher palladium sorption capacity (1.8 mmol g
−1
). The studies also established that
p
-PBI resin is a potential candidate material for the recovery of U(VI) and Th(IV) (capacity 0.22 mmol g
−1
and 0.13 mmol g
−1
) from an aqueous stream, e.g. mine water samples.
Characteristics of hydraulic fracture surface based on 3D scanning technology
Authors: Zhang Fan , Ma Geng , Tao Yunqi , Liu Xiao , Liu Yixin , Li Rui
Published: June 2018

The surface characteristics of fractured specimens are important in hydraulic fracturing laboratory experiments. In this paper, we present a three-dimensional (3D) scanning device assembled to study these surface characteristics. Cube-shaped rock specimens were produced in the laboratory and subjected to triaxial loading until the specimen split in two in a hydraulic fracturing experiment. Each fractured specimen was placed on a rotating platform and scanned to produce 3D superficial coordinates of the surface of the fractured specimen. The scanned data were processed to produce high-precision digital images of the fractured model, a surface contour map and accurate values of the superficial area and specimen volume. The images produced by processing the 3D scanner data provided detailed information on the morphology of the fractured surface and mechanism of fracture propagation. High-precision 3D mapping of the fractured surfaces is essential for quantitative analysis of fractured specimens. The 3D scanning technology presented here is an important tool for the study of fracture characteristics in hydraulic fracturing experiments.
Electronic structure, elasticity, Debye temperature and anisotropy of cubic WO
3
from first-principles calculation
Authors: Liu Xing , Fan Hui-Qing
Published: June 2018

The electron structure, elastic constant, Debye temperature and anisotropy of elastic wave velocity for cubic WO
3
are studied using CASTEP based on density functional theory. The optimized structure is consistent with previous work and the band gap is obtained by computing the electronic structure; the top of the valence band is not at the same point as the bottom of the conduction band, which is an indirect band-gap oxide. Electronic properties are studied from the calculation of band structure, densities of states and charge densities. The bulk and shear moduli, Young's modulus, hardness and Poisson's ratio for WO
3
are studied by the elastic constants. We calculated acoustic wave velocities in different directions and estimated the Debye temperature from the acoustic velocity. The anisotropy of WO
3
was analysed from the point of view of a pure wave and quasi wave.
The effect of thermo-oxidative ageing on crystallization, dynamic and static mechanical properties of long glass fibre-reinforced polyamide 10T composites
Authors: Wang Jian , Li Lingtong , He Yong , Song Haishuo , Chen Xiaolang , Guo Jianbing
Published: June 2018

The performances and microstructure of long glass fibre-reinforced polyamide 10T (PA10T/LGF) composites that experienced different ageing temperatures (160 and 200°C) with increasing ageing time are characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), mechanical analysis, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy to probe the correlation between properties of the composites and thermo-oxidative ageing. The DSC results show that PA10T/LGF composites occur on degradation, the fracture of molecular chains and the destruction of crystallization structure, which leads to the crystallization and melting peaks of PA10T/LGF composites to shift to high temperature. On the basis of dynamic mechanical analysis data, the reduction of the interfacial bonding between the glass fibre and PA10T matrix and the motion of molecular chain segments result in the thermo-oxidative ageing of composites. According to the calculation of activation energy (
E
), thermo-oxidative temperature and ageing time can bring about the decline of the
E
value, proving the deterioration in performance of PA10T/LGF composites. In view of TGA, the increase in the thermo-oxidative temperature and ageing time promotes the degradation of PA10T/LGF composites. The tensile, flexural and notched impact strengths of PA10T/LGF composites decline with prolonging the ageing temperature and time. The surface of materials produces some microcracks and the cross-section surface of PA10T/LGF composites becomes rougher.
Computational modelling for decision-making: where, why, what, who and how
Authors: Calder Muffy , Craig Claire , Culley Dave , de Cani Richard , Donnelly Christl A. , Douglas Rowan , Edmonds Bruce , Gascoigne Jonathon , Gilbert Nigel , Hargrove Caroline , Hinds Derwen , Lane David C. , Mitchell Dervilla , Pavey Giles , Robertson David , Rosewell Bridget , Sherwin Spencer , Walport Mark , Wilson Alan
Published: June 2018

In order to deal with an increasingly complex world, we need ever more sophisticated computational models that can help us make decisions wisely and understand the potential consequences of choices. But creating a model requires far more than just raw data and technical skills: it requires a close collaboration between model commissioners, developers, users and reviewers. Good modelling requires its users and commissioners to understand more about the whole process, including the different kinds of purpose a model can have and the different technical bases. This paper offers a guide to the process of commissioning, developing and deploying models across a wide range of domains from public policy to science and engineering. It provides two checklists to help potential modellers, commissioners and users ensure they have considered the most significant factors that will determine success. We conclude there is a need to reinforce modelling as a discipline, so that misconstruction is less likely; to increase understanding of modelling in all domains, so that the misuse of models is reduced; and to bring commissioners closer to modelling, so that the results are more useful.
Thrifty phenotype versus cold adaptation: trade-offs in upper limb proportions of Himalayan populations of Nepal
Authors: Payne Stephanie , Kumar BC Rajendra , Pomeroy Emma , Macintosh Alison , Stock Jay
Published: June 2018

The multi-stress environment of high altitude has been associated with growth deficits in humans, particularly in zeugopod elements (forearm and lower leg). This is consistent with the thrifty phenotype hypothesis, which has been observed in Andeans, but has yet to be tested in other high-altitude populations. In Himalayan populations, other factors, such as cold stress, may shape limb proportions. The current study investigated whether relative upper limb proportions of Himalayan adults (n = 254) differ between highland and lowland populations, and whether cold adaptation or a thrifty phenotype mechanism may be acting here. Height, weight, humerus length, ulna length, hand length and hand width were measured using standard methods. Relative to height, total upper limb and ulna lengths were significantly shorter in highlanders compared with lowlanders in both sexes, while hand and humerus length were not. Hand width did not significantly differ between populations. These results support the thrifty phenotype hypothesis, as hand and humerus proportions are conserved at the expense of the ulna. The reduction in relative ulna length could be attributed to cold adaptation, but the lack of difference between populations in both hand length and width indicates that cold adaptation is not shaping hand proportions in this case.
A new fossil marine lizard with soft tissues from the Late Cretaceous of southern Italy
Authors: Paparella Ilaria , Palci Alessandro , Nicosia Umberto , Caldwell Michael W.
Published: June 2018

A new marine lizard showing exceptional soft tissue preservation was found in Late Cretaceous deposits of the Apulian Platform (Puglia, Italy).Primitivus manduriensisgen. et sp. nov. is not only the first evidence of the presence of dolichosaurs in a southern Italian Carbonate Platform, filling a palaeogeographic gap in the Mediterranean Tethys, but also extends the range of this group to the upper Campanian–lower Maastrichtian. Our parsimony analysis recovers a monophyletic non-ophidian pythonomorph clade, includingTetrapodophis amplectusat the stem of Mosasauroidea + Dolichosauridae, which together represent the sister group of Ophidia (modern and fossil snakes). Based on Bayesian inference instead, Pythonomorpha is monophyletic, with Ophidia representing the more deeply nested clade, and the new taxon as basal to all other pythonomorphs.Primitivusdisplays a fairly conservative morphology in terms of both axial elongation of the trunk and limb reduction, and the coexistence of aquatic adaptations with features hinting at the retention of the ability to move on land suggests a semi-aquatic lifestyle. The exceptional preservation of mineralized muscles, portions of the integument, cartilages and gut content provides unique sources of information about this extinct group of lizards. The new specimen may represent local persistence of a relict dolichosaur population until almost the end of the Cretaceous in the Mediterranean Tethys, and demonstrates the incompleteness of our knowledge of dolichosaur temporal and spatial distributions.
New information onBrindabellaspis stensioiYoung, 1980, highlights morphological disparity in Early Devonian placoderms
Authors: King Benedict , Young Gavin C. , Long John A.
Published: June 2018

Acid-prepared specimens of the placodermBrindabellaspis stensioi(Early Devonian of New South Wales, Australia) revealed placoderm endocranial anatomy in unprecedented detail.Brindabellaspishas become a key taxon in discussions of early gnathostome phylogeny, and the question of placoderm monophyly versus paraphyly. The anterior orientation of the facial nerve and related hyoid arch structures in this taxon resemble fossil osteostracans (jawless vertebrates) rather than other early gnathostomes. New specimens ofBrindabellaspisnow reveal the previously unknown anterior region of the skull, including an exceptionally elongate premedian bone forming a long rostrum, supported by a thin extension of the postethmo-occipital unit of the braincase. Lateral overlap surfaces indicate an unusual anterior position for the jaws. Digital rendering of a synchrotron radiation scan reveals a uniquely specialized ethmoid commissure sensory canal, doubled back and fused into a midline canal. The visceral surface of the premedian bone has a plexus of perichondral bone canals. An updated skull roof reconstruction ofBrindabellaspisadds to the highly variable dermal skull patterns of the probably non-monophyletic ‘acanthothoracids'. The unusual morphology revealed by the new specimens suggests that the earliest known reef fish fauna contained a diverse range of fishes with specialized ecological roles.
Fast formation of a supramolecular ion gel/solvoplastic elastomer with excellent stretchability
Authors: Bai Shishun , Wang Xin , Vapaavuori Jaana , He Xianru
Published: June 2018

This study describes a simple yet efficient approach for the preparation of an ionic gel that is also elastomeric in its solid-state bulk form. A series of poly(2-(diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate-
co
-lauryl methacrylate) P(DMAEMA-
co
-LMA) copolymers were synthesized first by radical polymerization. Quaternization of the PDMAEMA component in tetrahydrofuran enables the formation of supramolecular network, giving rise to an ion gel. An elastomer with an elongation at break of over 600% was obtained from the gel. The elastomer, connected by supramolecular ionic cross-links, is solvoplastic in certain solvents. The simple yet efficient approach of the formation of ion-gel and the dried elastomer allows fast preparation of both gel-like and solid-state elastic materials for various applications where recyclability is required.
A facile synthesis of cysteine-based diketopiperazine from thiol-protected precursor
Authors: Zhang Di , Wang Wayne
Published: June 2018

l
-Cysteine is one of the most promising biomass-based building blocks with great potential applications. Herein, we report a versatile synthetic route to produce cysteine-based 2,5-diketopiperazine (DKP) with good yield from the thiol-ene click reaction of
l
-cysteine and commercially available acrylates, followed by dimerization of the amino acid intermediates. The achieved DKP diastereomers were successfully separated and fully characterized by spectroscopic methods. Moreover, the chiroptical property of DKP in the presence of various metal ions was investigated by circular dichroism spectroscopy. The potential application of the optically active cysteine-based DKP as a chiral probe for detection of silver ion in water has been demonstrated.
Metal-free selective mono-halodecarboxylation of heteroarenes under mild conditions
Authors: Henderson Scott H. , West Ryan A. , Ward Simon E. , Honey Mark A.
Published: June 2018

The halodecarboxylation of heteroarene carboxylic acids by treatment with
N
-bromosuccinimide or
N
-chlorosuccinimide was performed. This procedure provides a convenient route to synthetically useful mono-halogenated heteroarene intermediates such as halo-indoles, -aza-indoles, -indazoles and -aza-indazoles. The mild conditions employed and simple protocol provides an advantage over traditional halodecarboxylation procedures that require expensive and toxic metal catalysts, basic conditions, time-consuming intermediate isolation and elevated reaction temperatures.
Thermal evolution of the crystal structure and phase transitions of KNbO
3
Authors: Skjærvø S. L. , Høydalsvik K. , Blichfeld A. B. , Einarsrud M.-A. , Grande T.
Published: June 2018

The thermal evolution of the crystal structure and phase transitions of KNbO
3
were investigated by high-temperature powder X-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement of the diffraction data. Two phase transitions from orthorhombic (
Amm
2) to tetragonal (
P
4
mm
) and from tetragonal to cubic (

P
m

3
¯

m

) were confirmed, both on heating and cooling. Both phase transitions are first order based on the observed hysteresis. The mixed displacive and order–disorder nature of the tetragonal to cubic transition is argued based on symmetry and apparent divergence of the atomic positions from pseudo-cubic values. The transition between the orthorhombic and tetragonal phase shows no temperature-dependence for atomic positions and only thermal expansion of the unit cell parameters and is thus discussed in relation to a lattice dynamical instability.
Committing to quantum resistance: a slow defence for Bitcoin against a fast quantum computing attack
Authors: Stewart I. , Ilie D. , Zamyatin A. , Werner S. , Torshizi M. F. , Knottenbelt W. J.
Published: June 2018

Quantum computers are expected to have a dramatic impact on numerous fields due to their anticipated ability to solve classes of mathematical problems much more efficiently than their classical counterparts. This particularly applies to domains involving integer factorization and discrete logarithms, such as public key cryptography. In this paper, we consider the threats a quantum-capable adversary could impose on Bitcoin, which currently uses the Elliptic Curve Digital Signature Algorithm (ECDSA) to sign transactions. We then propose a simple but slow commit–delay–reveal protocol, which allows users to securely move their funds from old (non-quantum-resistant) outputs to those adhering to a quantum-resistant digital signature scheme. The transition protocol functions even if ECDSA has already been compromised. While our scheme requires modifications to the Bitcoin protocol, these can be implemented as a soft fork.
Intercontinental karyotype–environment parallelism supports a role for a chromosomal inversion in local adaptation in a seaweed fly
Authors: Mérot Claire , Berdan Emma L. , Babin Charles , Normandeau Eric , Wellenreuther Maren , Bernatchez Louis
Published: June 2018

Large chromosomal rearrangements are thought to facilitate adaptation to heterogeneous environments by limiting genomic recombination. Indeed, inversions have been implicated in adaptation along environmental clines and in ecotype specialization. Here, we combine classical ecological studies and population genetics to investigate an inversion polymorphism previously documented in Europe among natural populations of the seaweed flyCoelopa frigidaalong a latitudinal cline in North America. We test if the inversion is present in North America and polymorphic, assess which environmental conditions modulate the inversion karyotype frequencies, and document the relationship between inversion karyotype and adult size. We sampled nearly 2000 flies from 20 populations along several environmental gradients to quantify associations of inversion frequencies to heterogeneous environmental variables. Genotyping and phenotyping showed a widespread and conserved inversion polymorphism between Europe and America. Variation in inversion frequency was significantly associated with environmental factors, with parallel patterns between continents, indicating that the inversion may play a role in local adaptation. The three karyotypes of the inversion are differently favoured across micro-habitats and represent life-history strategies likely to be maintained by the collective action of several mechanisms of balancing selection. Our study adds to the mounting evidence that inversions are facilitators of adaptation and enhance within-species diversity.
Mutual visual signalling between the cleaner shrimpAncylomenes pedersoniand its client fish
Authors: Caves Eleanor M. , Green Patrick A. , Johnsen Sönke
Published: June 2018

Cleaner shrimp and their reef fish clients are an interspecific mutualistic interaction that is thought to be mediated by signals, and a useful system for studying the dynamics of interspecific signalling. To demonstrate signalling, one must show that purported signals at minimum (a) result in a consistent state change in the receiver and (b) contain reliable information about the sender's intrinsic state or future behaviour. Additionally, signals must be perceptible by receivers. Here, we document fundamental attributes of the signalling system between the cleaner shrimpAncylomenes pedersoniand its clients. First, we use sequential analysis ofin situbehavioural interactions to show that cleaner antenna whipping reliably predicts subsequent cleaning. If shrimp do not signal via antenna whipping, clients triple their likelihood of being cleaned by adopting darker coloration over a matter of seconds, consistent with dark colour change signalling that clients want cleaning. Using experimental manipulations, we found that visual stimuli are sufficient to elicit antenna whipping, and that shrimp are more likely to ‘clean' dark than light visual stimuli. Lastly, we show that antenna whipping and colour change are perceptible when accounting for the intended receiver's visual acuity and spectral sensitivity, which differ markedly between cleaners and clients. Our results show that signalling by both cleaners and clients can initiate and mediate their mutualistic interaction.
The biomechanics of foraging determines face length among kangaroos and their relatives
Authors: Mitchell D. Rex , Sherratt Emma , Ledogar Justin A. , Wroe Stephen
Published: June 2018

Increasing body size is accompanied by facial elongation across a number of mammalian taxa. This trend forms the basis of a proposed evolutionary rule, cranial evolutionary allometry (CREA). However, facial length has also been widely associated with the varying mechanical resistance of foods. Here, we combine geometric morphometrics and computational biomechanical analyses to determine whether evolutionary allometry or feeding ecology have been dominant influences on facial elongation across 16 species of kangaroos and relatives (Macropodiformes). We found no support for an allometric trend. Nor was craniofacial morphology strictly defined by dietary categories, but rather associated with a combination of the mechanical properties of vegetation types and cropping behaviours used to access them. Among species examined here, shorter muzzles coincided with known diets of tough, resistant plant tissues, accessed via active slicing by the anterior dentition. This morphology consistently resulted in increased mechanical efficiency and decreased bone deformation during incisor biting. Longer muzzles, by contrast, aligned with softer foods or feeding behaviours invoking cervical musculature that circumvent the need for hard biting. These findings point to a potential for craniofacial morphology to predict feeding ecology in macropodiforms, which may be useful for species management planning and for inferring palaeoecology.
Parasite-infected sticklebacks increase the risk-taking behaviour of uninfected group members
Authors: Demandt Nicolle , Saus Benedikt , Kurvers Ralf H. J. M. , Krause Jens , Kurtz Joachim , Scharsack Jörn Peter
Published: June 2018

Trophically transmitted parasites frequently increase their hosts' risk-taking behaviour, to facilitate transmission to the next host. Whether such elevated risk-taking can spill over to uninfected group members is, however, unknown. To investigate this, we confronted groups of 6 three-spined sticklebacks,Gasterosteus aculeatus, containing 0, 2, 4 or 6 experimentally infected individuals with a simulated bird attack and studied their risk-taking behaviour. As a parasite, we used the tapewormSchistocephalus solidus, which increases the risk-taking of infected sticklebacks, to facilitate transmission to its final host, most often piscivorous birds. Before the attack, infected and uninfected individuals did not differ in their risk-taking. However, after the attack, individuals in groups with only infected members showed lower escape responses and higher risk-taking than individuals from groups with only uninfected members. Importantly, uninfected individuals adjusted their risk-taking behaviour to the number of infected group members, taking more risk with an increasing number of infected group members. Infected individuals, however, did not adjust their risk-taking to the number of uninfected group members. Our results show that behavioural manipulation by parasites does not only affect the infected host, but also uninfected group members, shedding new light on the social dynamics involved in host–parasite interactions.
Development of an interactive open source software application (RadaR) for infection management / antimicrobial stewardship
Authors: Luz Christian F. , Berends Matthijs S. , Dik Jan-Willem H. , Lokate Mariëtte , Pulcini Céline , Glasner Corinna , Sinha Bhanu
Published: June 2018

Objectives

Analysing process and outcome measures for patients suspected of or having an infection in an entire hospital requires processing large datasets and accounting for numerous patient parameters and treatment guidelines. Rapid, reproducible and adaptable analyses usually need substantial technical expertise but can yield valuable insight for infection management and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) teams. We describe a software application (RadaR - Rapid analysis of diagnostic and antimicrobial patterns in R) for infection management allowing user-friendly, intuitive and interactive analysis of large datasets without prior in-depth statistical or software knowledge.

Methods and Results

RadaR was built in R, an open source programming language, making it free to use and adaptable to different settings. Shiny, an additional open source package to implement web-application frameworks in R, was used to develop the application. RadaR was developed in the context of a 1339-bed academic tertiary referral hospital to handle data of more than 180,000 admissions.

RadaR visualizes analytical graphs and statistical summaries in an interactive manner within seconds. Users can filter large patient groups by 17 different criteria and investigate antimicrobial use, microbiological diagnostic use and results, and outcome in length of stay. Results can easily be stratified and grouped to compare individually defined patient groups. Finally, datasets of identified patients / groups can be downloaded for further analyses.

Conclusion

RadaR facilitates understanding and communication of trends in antimicrobial use, diagnostic use and patient outcome by linking and aggregating individual patient data in one user-friendly application. RadaR can produce aggregated data analysis while preserving patients’ features in the data to adjust and stratify results in detail. AMS teams can use RadaR to identify areas, both for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, within their institutions that might benefit from increased support and to target their interventions.
Investigating speech and language impairments in delirium: a preliminary case-control study
Authors: Green Samantha , Reivonen Satu , Rutter Lisa-Marie , Nouzova Eva , Duncan Nikki , Clarke Caoimhe , MacLullich Alasdair M. J. , Tieges Zoë
Published: June 2018

Introduction

Language impairment is recognized as a diagnostic feature of delirium, yet there is little neuropsychological research on the nature of this dysfunction. Here we hypothesized that patients with delirium show impairments in language formation, coherence and comprehension.

Methods

This was a case-control study in 45 hospitalized patients (aged 65-97 years) with delirium, dementia without delirium, or no cognitive impairment (N=15 per group). DSM-5 criteria were used for delirium. Speech was elicited during (1) structured conversational questioning, and (2) the “Cookie Theft” picture description task. Language comprehension was assessed through standardized verbal and written commands. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed.

Results

Delirium and dementia groups scored lower on the conversational assessment than the control group (p<0.01, moderate effect sizes (r) of 0.48 and 0.51, resp.). In the Cookie Theft task, the average length of utterances (i.e. unit of speech), indicating language productivity and fluency, distinguished patients with delirium from those with dementia (p<0.01, r=0.50) and no cognitive impairment (p<0.01, r=0.55). Patients with delirium performed worse on written comprehension tests compared to cognitively unimpaired patients (p<0.01, r=0.63), but not compared to the dementia group.

Conclusions

Production of spontaneous speech, word quantity, speech content and verbal and written language comprehension are impaired in delirious patients compared to cognitively unimpaired patients. Additionally, patients with delirium produced significantly less fluent speech than those with dementia. These findings have implications for how speech and language are evaluated in delirium assessments, and also for communication with patients with delirium.
The synchronization and adaptation of Neurospora crassa circadian and conidiation rhythms to short light-dark cycles
Authors: Ma Huan , Li Luyao , Yan Jie , Zhang Yin , Shi Weirui , Li Yunzhen , Gao Menghan , Pan Siyu , Yang Ling , Guo Jinhu
Published: June 2018

Circadian clocks control the physiological and behavioral daily rhythms to adapt to the changing environment with a period of ~24 h. However, the influence and mechanism of extreme light-dark cycles on the circadian clock remain unclear. We show that, in the fungus Neurospora crassa under short LD cycles, both the growth rate and the ratio of microconidia production contributes to adaptation in LD12:12 (light for 12 h and dark for 12 h, periodically). Mathematical modeling and experiments demonstrate that in short LD cycles, the expression of the core clock protein FREQUENCY is entrained to the LD cycles when LD>3:3 while it free runs when T≤ LD3:3. We investigated the changes in circadian/diurnal rhythms under a series of different LD conditions, and the results showed that conidial rhythmicity can be adapted to the short LD cycles. We further demonstrate that the existence of unknown blue light photoreceptor(s) and the circadian clock might promote the conidiation rhythms that resonate with the environment. A high-intensity light induced the expression of a set of downstream genes involved in various metabolic pathways. The ubiquitin E3 ligase FWD-1 and the previously described CRY-dependent oscillator system were implicated in regulating conidiation under short LD conditions.
No evidence that frontal eye field tDCS affects latency or accuracy of prosaccades
Authors: Reteig Leon C. , Knapen Tomas , Roelofs Floris J.F.W. , Ridderinkhof K. Richard , Slagter Heleen A.
Published: June 2018

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may be used to directly affect neural activity from outside of the skull. However, its exact physiological mechanisms remain elusive, particularly when applied to new brain areas. The frontal eye field (FEF) has rarely been targeted with tDCS, even though it plays a crucial role in control of overt and covert spatial attention. Here we investigate whether tDCS over the FEF can affect the latency and accuracy of saccadic eye movements. 26 participants performed a prosaccade task in which they made eye movements to a sudden-onset eccentric visual target (lateral saccades). After each lateral saccade, they made an eye movement back to the center (center saccades). The task was administered before, during and after anodal or cathodal tDCS over the FEF, in a randomized, double-blind, within-subject design. One previous study (Kanai et al., 2012) found that anodal tDCS over the FEF decreased the latency of saccades contralateral to the stimulated hemisphere. We did not find the same effect: neither anodal nor cathodal tDCS influenced the latency of lateral saccades. tDCS also did not affect accuracy of lateral saccades (saccade endpoint deviation and saccade endpoint variability). For center saccades, we found some differences between the anodal and cathodal sessions, but these were not consistent across analyses (latency, endpoint variability), or were already present before tDCS onset (endpoint deviation). We tried to improve on the design of Kanai et al. (2012) in several ways, including the tDCS duration and electrode montage, which could explain the discrepant results. Our findings add to a growing number of null results, which have sparked concerns that tDCS outcomes are highly variable. Future studies should aim to establish the boundary conditions for frontal eye field tDCS to be effective, in addition to increasing sample size and adding additional controls such as a sham condition. At present, we conclude that it is unclear whether eye movements or other aspects of spatial attention can be affected through tDCS of the frontal eye fields.
Saccades and Handedness Interact to Affect Scene Memory
Authors: Ellmore Timothy M. , Mackin Bridget , Ng Kenneth
Published: June 2018

Repetitive saccades benefit memory when executed before retrieval, with greatest effects for episodic memory in consistent-handers. Questions remain including how saccades affect scene memory, an important visual component of episodic memory. The present study tested how repetitive saccades affect working and recognition memory for novel scenes. Handedness direction (left-right) and degree (strong/consistent vs. mixed/inconsistent) was measured by raw and absolute laterality quotients respectively from an 8-question handedness inventory completed by 111 adults. Each then performed either 30 seconds of repetitive horizontal saccades or fixation before or after tasks of scene working memory and scene recognition. Regression with criterion variables of overall percent correct accuracy and d-prime sensitivity showed that when saccades were made before working memory, there was better overall accuracy as a function of increased direction but not degree of handedness. Subjects who made saccades before working memory also performed worse during subsequent recognition memory, while subjects who fixated or made saccades after the working memory task performed better. Saccades made before recognition resulted in recognition accuracy that was better (Cohen’s d=0.3729), but not significantly different from fixation before recognition. The results demonstrate saccades and handedness interact to affect scene memory with larger effects on encoding than recognition. Saccades before scene encoding in working memory are detrimental to short- and long-term memory, especially for those who are not consistently right-handed, while saccade execution before scene recognition does not appear to benefit recognition accuracy. The findings are discussed with respect to theories of interhemispheric interaction and control of visuospatial attention.
Identification and characterization of cherry (Cerasus pseudocerasus G. Don) genes in response to parthenocarpy induced by GA3 through transcriptome analysis
Authors: Wen Binbin , Song Wenliang , Sun Mingyue , Chen Min , Mu Qin , Zhang Xinhao , Chen Xiude , Gao Dongsheng , Xiao Wei
Published: June 2018

Fruit set after successful pollination is a key process in the production of sweet cherries, but low fruit rate is the main problem for crop production in sweet cherries. Gibberellin treatment can directly induce parthenogenesis without pollination; therefore, gibberellin treatment is a very important method to improve the fruit setting rate of sweet cherries. Exogenous gibberellin can satisfy the hormone requirement during fruit growth and development. Some related studies have mainly focused on physiological aspects, such as breeding, branching, fertilization, etc., and the molecular mechanism is not clear. In this study, we analyzed the transcriptome of ‘Meizao’ sweet cherry fruit treated with gibberellin during the anthesis and hard-core period to determine the genes associated with parthenocarpic fruit set. A total of 765 and 186 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were found at anthesis and the hard-core stage after gibberellin 3 (GA3) treatment, respectively. The differentially expressed genes between the control and GA3 treatment showed that the GA3 response mainly included parthenocarpic fruit set and cell division. Exogenous gibberellin stimulated sweet cherry parthenocarpy and enlargement, which were verified by qRT-PCR results of related genes and the parthenocarpic fruit set and fruit size. Based on our research and previous studies on Arabidopsis thaliana, we identified the key genes associated with parthenocarpic fruit set and cell division. Briefly, we found patterns in the sweet cherry fruit setting-related DEGs, especially those associated with hormone balance, cytoskeleton formation and cell wall modification. Overall, the result provides a possible molecular mechanism regulating parthenocarpic fruit set, which is important for basic research and industrial development of sweet cherries.

Highlight

cherry genes in response to parthenocarpy and promote to fruit setting induced by GA3.
Conditional interactions in literature-curated protein interaction databases
Authors: Stacey R. Greg , Skinnider Michael A. , Chik Jenny H. L. , Foster Leonard J.
Published: June 2018

Databases of literature-curated protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are often used to interpret high-throughput interactome mapping studies and estimate error rates. These databases combine interactions across thousands of published studies and experimental techniques. Because the tendency for two proteins to interact depends on the local conditions, this heterogeneity of conditions means that only a subset of database PPIs are interacting during any given experiment. A typical use of these databases as gold standards in interactome mapping projects, however, assumes that PPIs included in the database are indeed interacting under the experimental conditions of the study. Using raw data from 20 co-fractionation experiments and six published interactomes, we demonstrate that this assumption is often false, with up to 55% of purported gold standard interactions showing no evidence of interaction, on average. We identify a subset of CORUM database complexes that do show consistent evidence of interaction in co-fractionation studies, and we use this subset as gold standards to dramatically improve interactome mapping as judged by the number of predicted interactions at a given error rate. We recommend using this CORUM subset as the gold standard set in future co-fractionation studies. More generally, we recommend using the subset of literature-curated PPIs that are specific to experimental conditions whenever possible.
Achieving the Endgame: Integrated NTD Case Searches
Authors: Buyon Lucas , Slaven Randall , Emerson Paul M. , King Jonathan , Debrah Oscar , Aboe Agatha , Ruiz-Tiben Ernesto , Callahan Kelly
Published: June 2018

Trachoma and Guinea Worm Disease (GWD) are neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) slated for elimination as a public health problem and eradication respectively by the World Health Organization. As these programs wind down, uncovering the last remaining cases becomes an urgent priority. In 2010, The Ghana Health Service, along with The Carter Center, Sightsavers, and other partners, conducted integrated case search for cases of both GWD and the last stage of trachoma disease, trachomatous trichiasis (TT), as well as providing treatment for trachoma to meet elimination and eradication targets. House to house case search for both diseases was conducted and two case management strategies were explored: a centralized referral to services method and a Point of Care (POC) delivery method. 835 suspected TT cases were discovered in the centralized method, of which 554 accepted surgery. 482 suspected TT cases were discovered in the POC method and all TT cases accepted surgery in the POC searches. The cost per TT case examined was lower in the POC searches compared to the centralized searches ($19.97 in the POC searches and $20.85 in the centralized searches). Both strategies resulted in high surgical uptake for TT surgery, with average uptakes of 72.4% and 83.9% for the centralized and POC searches respectively. We present here that house to house case search offering services at POC are feasible and a potential tool for elimination and eradication programs nearing their end.

Author Summary

Trachoma and Guinea Worm Disease (GWD) are neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) slated for elimination as a public health problem and eradication respectively by the World Health Organization. As these programs wind down, uncovering the last remaining cases becomes an urgent priority in order to confirm that eradiation/elimination targets have been reached. Active case searches are one method of finding these last vestiges of disease. Searches for that look for multiple diseases are referred to as integrated searches. We piloted here integrated case searches for GWD and Trachoma with two case management strategies, a referral approach to a central location, and point of care approach (POC). POC approaches can difficult to implement in low resource settings because they require extensive personnel, financial, and logistical, support. However, POC approaches remove one of the biggest barriers to treatment, time spent traveling to a health center, and thus can improve treatment uptake. We found here that integrated active cases searches with a POC case management approach can be implemented in a low resource setting; and improve acceptance and uptake of trachoma examination and trichiasis surgery respectively without costing much more than the referral case management approach.
Biologically realistic mean-field models of conductancebased networks of spiking neurons with adaptation
Authors: Volo Matteo di , Romagnoni Alberto , Capone Cristiano , Destexhe Alain
Published: June 2018

Accurate population models are needed to build very large scale neural models, but their derivation is difficult for realistic networks of neurons, in particular when nonlinear properties are involved such as conductance-based interactions and spike-frequency adaptation. Here, we consider such models based on networks of Adaptive exponential Integrate and fire excitatory and inhibitory neurons. Using a Master Equation formalism, we derive a mean-field model of such networks and compare it to the full network dynamics. The mean-field model is capable to correctly predict the average spontaneous activity levels in asynchronous irregular regimes similar to in vivo activity. It also captures the transient temporal response of the network to complex external inputs. Finally, the mean-field model is also able to quantitatively describe regimes where high and low activity states alternate (UP-DOWN state dynamics), leading to slow oscillations. We conclude that such mean-field models are “biologically realistic” in the sense that they can capture both spontaneous and evoked activity, and they naturally appear as candidates to build very large scale models involving multiple brain areas.