bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kerosene wick lamp flame deformation in gradient magnetic fields
Authors: Saeedi A. , Moghiman M.
Published: March 2014

The behavior of a kerosene wick lamp flame in the presence of non-uniform DC magnetic fields has been investigated and the results of this experimental study are presented. It has long been recognized that magnetic fields can influence the behavior of diffusion flames as a result of the paramagnetic and diamagnetic properties of the constituent gases. Using an electromagnet consisting of two coils and cores to generate a horizontal magnetic field, a non-uniform upward increasing and decreasing magnetic field was applied to a kerosene wick lamp flame. The experimental results show that the influence of DC gradient magnetic field on diffusion flame structure deformation depends on the flame position in the increasing or decreasing magnetic field, the flame situation relative to the maximum of the absolute value of the gradient and the quantity of the gradient magnetic field. It was also observed that both flame front area and flame height decrease in the positive and negative gradient field below the maximum of the absolute value of the gradient. Also, increasing the absolute of the gradient of the square magnetic induction in the positive and negative gradient field above the maximum of the absolute value of the gradient cause to elongate the flame and increase in the flame front area and then the flame height and front area decrease.
Microwave absorbing properties of hollow microspheres plated with magnetic metal films
Authors: Kim Sun-Tae , Kim Sung-Soo
Published: March 2014

Conductive and magnetic microspheres are fabricated through the electroless plating of Co, Co-10%Fe, Ni, and Ni-15%Fe films on hollow microspheres (cenospheres), and their high frequency electromagnetic and microwave absorbing properties are investigated in the composite specimens. The electroless plating of the metal films is conducted using a two-step process of surface sensitizing and metal plating. For the microspheres coated with the Co and Co-10%Fe films, impedance matching is not satisfied at all frequencies due to the small values of magnetic loss and dielectric constant. For the Ni-plated microsphere composites, the dielectric constant is too high to satisfy the impedance matching, which results in a small value of microwave absorbance. For the Ni-15%Fe thin film composite with appropriate magnetic permeability and dielectric permittivity, the impedance matching is satisfied in the GHz frequency and a lower value of reflection loss is predicted.
Prediction method of basic domain structure in Fe3%Si(110) single crystal with grooved surface
Authors: Iwata K. , Fujikura M. , Arai S. , Ishiyama K.
Published: March 2014

This paper proposes the method to accurately predict the 180° basic domain width (Dw) in demagnetized states of the grooved Fe3%Si(110) single crystal with the tilt angle of [001] out of the sheet surface (β). The evaluation of Dw enables the estimation of the anomalous eddy current losses. In this paper, Dw is optimized to minimize the magnetic Gibbs free energy represented by vector potentials using the finite element method and the conjugate gradient method. The μ*-method is adopted to approximate the magnetization relaxation. The stray field energy generated by the magnetic charges occurring on both grooves cross section and sheet surfaces is considered in our proposed method. The validity of the proposed method was confirmed by comparison with the observed Dw. As a result, we could reveal the β dependence of Dw against the groove depth. Moreover, the theoretical threshold of the domain refinement due to the grooves has been suggested.
Enhanced magnetic behavior, exchange bias effect, and dielectric property of BiFeO3 incorporated in (BiFeO3)0.50 (Co0.4Zn0.4Cu0.2 Fe2O4)0.5 nanocomposite
Authors: Mukhopadhyay K. , Mahapatra A. S. , Sutradhar S. , Chakrabarti P. K.
Published: March 2014

Nanoparticles of BiFeO3 (BFO) are incorporated in the nanocomposite of (BiFeO3)0.50 (Co0.4Zn0.4Cu0.2 Fe2O4)0.5, (BFO-CZCF) and these are prepared by chemical route. The formation of pure crystallographic phase of each component (BFO and CZCF) in the nanocomposite of BFO-CZCF has been confirmed by Rietveld analysis of the X-ray diffractograms using FULLPROF program. Morphology, average particle size and its distribution, crystallographic phase etc. are obtained from the high-resolution transmission electron microscopy of BFO-CZCF. Magnetic measurements of BFO-CZCF have been carried out to explore the modulation of magnetic behavior of BFO in BFO-CZCF. Interestingly, magnetization of BFO-CZCF has been drastically enhanced compared to that of the pristine BFO. An exchange bias effect is also observed in the M vs. H loops of BFO-CZCF recorded in field cooled and zero field cooled conditions, which suggest that nanoparticles of BFO (AFM) are encapsulated by nanoparticles of CZCF (FM) in BFO-CZCF. Thermal variation of dielectric constant of BFO-CZCF is recorded in the range of 300 to 1073 K and a ferroelectric to paraelectric transition is observed at ∼728 K. Enhanced magnetic property of BFO would quite interesting for this important multiferroic.
Enhancement in the multiferroic properties of BiFeO3 by charge compensated aliovalent substitution of Ba and Nb
Authors: Makhdoom A. R. , Akhtar M. J. , Rafiq M. A. , Siddique M. , Iqbal M. , Hasan M. M.
Published: March 2014

Polycrystalline ceramics, Bi1-2xBa2xFe1-xNbxO3 (x = 0.00–0.15), were synthesized by solid state reactions method. X-ray diffraction data have revealed elimination of impurity phases and an increase in unit cell volume with Ba and Nb substitution. Diffraction peak splitting is found to be suppressed which indicates a decrease in octahedral distortion. The Mössbauer spectra demonstrate the suppression of spiral spin modulation of the magnetic moments resulting in enhanced ferromagnetism with increasing dopant concentration. The leakage current density of the sample with x = 0.10 is found to be greatly reduced up to six orders of magnitude as compared to the undoped sample. Ohmic conduction is found to be dominant mechanism in all the samples, however, undoped sample showed space charge limited conduction in high electric filed region, while the sample with x = 0.15 exhibited grain boundary limited conduction in low electric field region.
Dielectric properties of PVDF thin films doped with 3 wt.% of RCl3 (R = Gd or Er)
Authors: El-Sayed S. , Abdel-Baset T. A. , Hassen A.
Published: March 2014

The dielectric permittivity (ɛ′), electric modulus (M″), and ac conductivity (σac) of pure polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and PVDF containing 3 wt.% RCl3 (R = Er or Gd) were measured. The incorporation of 3 wt.% of ErCl3 or GdCl3 within the PVDF matrix is found significantly to increase its ɛ′ and σac. All investigated samples show different relaxation processes within the studied temperature and frequency ranges. The first process is αa-relaxation, which occurs around the glass transition temperature, Tg. The second process is αc-relaxation, which is associated with the molecular motions in the crystalline region of the main polymer chain. Third is the ρ-relaxation which observed for pure PVDF at low temperatures and high frequencies. The frequency dependence of σac shows that the conduction mechanism for pure PVDF and PVDF containing 3 wt.% of RCl3 is correlated barrier hopping (CBH). The binding energy of the carriers was calculated based on the CBH model. Finally, the results obtained in this work are discussed and compared with those for 3 wt.% LaCl3-doped PVDF and similar materials.
Perfect preferential orientation of nitrogen-vacancy defects in a synthetic diamond sample
Authors: Lesik M. , Tetienne J.-P. , Tallaire A. , Achard J. , Mille V. , Gicquel A. , Roch J.-F. , Jacques V.
Published: March 2014

We show that the orientation of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) defects in diamond can be efficiently controlled through chemical vapor deposition growth on a (111)-oriented diamond substrate. More precisely, we demonstrate that spontaneously generated NV defects are oriented with a ∼97% probability along the [111] axis, corresponding to the most appealing orientation among the four possible crystallographic axes. Such a nearly perfect preferential orientation is explained by analyzing the diamond growth mechanism on a (111)-oriented substrate and could be extended to other types of defects. This work is a significant step towards the design of optimized diamond samples for quantum information and sensing applications.
Breeding red clover for improved persistence in Chile: a review
Authors: Ortega Fernando , Parra Leonardo , Quiroz Andrés
Published: March 2014

The main limitation of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) worldwide including in Chile is the lack of persistence related to the high mortality of plants due to a complex of biotic and abiotic factors. We have demonstrated in various trials in Chile that red clover plant population is highly correlated with forage yield once the plant population has dropped to a certain level, from the second or third season onward, depending on the environment of evaluation. We have also found that in the south of Chile, among the biotic and abiotic factors affecting red clover survival, the curculionid Hylastinus obscurus (Marsham) is the main deleterious factor. However, because persistence is a complex trait, we have used a practical approach in our breeding program. We selected for general adaptability under field conditions and used a modified among and within half-family selection methodology, evaluating at the same time families as swards and spaced plants. This breeding methodology and strategy have yielded reasonable genetic gains since we started our breeding program in 1989 at INIA Carillanca, Chile. Since then, we have conducted five cycles of recurrent selection, and two cultivars have been released to replace the old cultivar, Quiñequeli INIA. These are Redqueli INIA and, more recently, Superqueli INIA. Depending on location and trial, average forage yield of the newest cultivar Superqueli INIA has been 23–69% higher than Quiñequeli INIA and 5–36% higher than Redqueli INIA; this difference increases in the third and fourth seasons. Superqueli INIA had four times the yield of Quiñequeli INIA in the fourth season. Therefore, the average realised genetic gain has been 0.4–2.6% per year, depending on location, showing the effectiveness of the breeding methodology and approach used.
ARF1–GTP regulates Asrij to provide endocytic control of
Drosophila
blood cell homeostasis
Authors: Khadilkar Rohan J. , Rodrigues Diana , Mote Ridim Dadasaheb , Sinha Arghyashree Roychowdhury , Kulkarni Vani , Magadi Srivathsa Subramanya , Inamdar Maneesha S.
Published: March 2014

Significance

Ras small GTPases including ARFs act as molecular switches to modulate signaling pathways involved in hematopoiesis. Decreased guanine nucleotide exchange factor activity or increased GTPase-activating protein activation are associated with many leukemias, myelodysplastic syndromes, and myeloproliferative disorders.
Drosophila
is a good model to address questions related to aberrant hematopoiesis. Using
Drosophila
genetics and gene expression analysis we show tissue-specific function of the ubiquitously expressed endocytic protein,
Drosophila
ARF1 by interaction of ARF1–GTP with a blood-cell–expressed endocytic protein Asrij. The ARF1–Asrij axis brings about endosomal regulation of multiple signaling pathways in hematopoiesis.
Silencing of the EPHB3 tumor-suppressor gene in human colorectal cancer through decommissioning of a transcriptional enhancer
Authors: Jägle Sabine , Rönsch Kerstin , Timme Sylvia , Andrlová Hana , Bertrand Miriam , Jäger Marcel , Proske Amelie , Schrempp Monika , Yousaf Afsheen , Michoel Tom , Zeiser Robert , Werner Martin , Lassmann Silke , Hecht Andreas
Published: March 2014

Significance

Metastasis—the main cause of cancer-related death—is initiated when cells detach from the primary tumor and invade the surrounding tissue. In colorectal cancer, tissue invasion is facilitated by down-regulation of protein tyrosine kinases from the Ephrin type-B receptor family (EPHB), which function as tumor suppressors by controlling cellular positioning and restricting tumor-cell motility. This study shows that inactivation of the EPHB3 gene results from the incapacitation of a transcriptional enhancer element.
EPHB3
enhancer dysfunction is a consequence of defective Notch signaling, which undergoes a switch in functional importance and becomes dispensable and even tumor suppressive in the course of tumorigenesis. These findings have implications for therapeutic strategies that aim at targeting Notch signaling in colorectal cancer.
MinCDE exploits the dynamic nature of FtsZ filaments for its spatial regulation
Authors: Arumugam Senthil , Petrášek Zdeněk , Schwille Petra
Published: March 2014

Significance

Although the mechanisms of microtubule depolymerization are relatively well understood, those of the tubulin homologue FtsZ have been difficult to understand owing to differences in its filament architecture and dynamics compared with those of microtubules. MinC, an important negative regulator of FtsZ and a component of the Min oscillatory system in
Escherichia coli
, positions the Z-ring to the midcell. With single-molecule fluorescence imaging in a cell-free minimal system on supported lipid bilayers, in which a network of FtsZ bundles assemble in a chemically well-defined system, the dynamic nature of the FtsZ bundles and the mechanism of disassembly by MinC is elucidated.
cAMP-PKA phosphorylation of tau confers risk for degeneration in aging association cortex
Authors: Carlyle Becky C. , Nairn Angus C. , Wang Min , Yang Yang , Jin Lu E. , Simen Arthur A. , Ramos Brian P. , Bordner Kelly A. , Craft George E. , Davies Peter , Pletikos Mihovil , Šestan Nenad , Arnsten Amy F. T. , Paspalas Constantinos D.
Published: March 2014

Significance

This study of the monkey cerebral cortex revealed age-related changes that help to answer key questions about Alzheimer’s disease (AD): (
i
) why advancing age is the highest risk factor for AD and (
ii
) why neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) in AD selectively target extensively interconnected pyramidal neurons in the highly evolved association cortex, but do not afflict the primary sensory cortex. NFTs arise from phosphorylation of tau protein. In aged prefrontal association cortex, we found increased cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) phosphorylation of tau and corresponding loss of phosphodiesterase 4A, an enzyme that regulates cAMP-PKA signaling in dendritic spines where pyramidal neurons interconnect. In contrast, phosphorylated tau was not observed in aged primary visual cortex. These data provide new strategies for early intervention in AD.
EphA7 signaling guides cortical dendritic development and spine maturation
Authors: Clifford Meredith A. , Athar Wardah , Leonard Carrie E. , Russo Alexandra , Sampognaro Paul J. , Van der Goes Marie-Sophie , Burton Denver A. , Zhao Xiumei , Lalchandani Rupa R. , Sahin Mustafa , Vicini Stefano , Donoghue Maria J.
Published: March 2014

Significance

The stereotyped generation and maturation of neurons during development is essential for well-coordinated brain function in maturity. This study characterizes the role of the membrane-bound receptor tyrosine kinase EphA7 in cerebral cortical dendritic elaboration and dendritic spine formation and synaptic function. Results indicate that EphA7 restricts dendritic elaboration early in corticogenesis and promotes dendritic spine formation and synaptic maturation later in a neuron’s life. These results identify EphA7 as a signaling molecule in the molecular machinery that drives neuronal maturation and synaptic function, signaling that may impact our understanding of neurodevelopmental disorders.
Mapping protein conformational heterogeneity under pressure with site-directed spin labeling and double electron–electron resonance
Authors: Lerch Michael T. , Yang Zhongyu , Brooks Evan K. , Hubbell Wayne L.
Published: March 2014

Significance

Excited states of proteins play functional roles, but their low population and conformational flexibility pose a challenge for characterization by most spectroscopic techniques. Here, this challenge is met by combining high hydrostatic pressure, which reversibly populates excited states, and site-directed spin labeling with double electron–electron resonance (DEER) spectroscopy, which resolves distinct conformational substates of proteins by measuring distances between spin-labeled pairs. We present a method for trapping high-pressure equilibria of proteins by rapid freezing under pressure, followed by depressurization and acquisition of DEER data at atmospheric pressure. The methodology is applied to myoglobin, revealing unique information on the length scale of helical fluctuations in the pressure-populated as compared with the pH-populated molten globule states of the apo-protein.
Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Bloodstream Infections among Residents of Long-Term Care Facilities
Authors: Venkatachalam Indumathi , Yang Hsu Li , Fisher Dale , Lye David C. , Lin Ling Moi , Tambyah Paul , Perl Trish M.
Published: March 2014

Objective.

Prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) gram-negative (GN) bacteria is increasing globally and is complicated by patient movement between acute and long-term care facilities (LTCFs). In Asia, the contribution of LTCFs as a source of MDR GN infections is poorly described. We aimed to define the association between residence in LTCFs and MDR GN bloodstream infections (BSIs).

Design.

Secondary analysis of data from an observational cohort.

Setting.

Two tertiary referral hospitals in Singapore, including the 1,400-bed Tan Tock Seng Hospital and the 1,600-bed Singapore General Hospital.

Participants.

Adult patients with healthcare-onset (HCO) or hospital-onset (HO) GN BSI.

Methods.

Patients were identified from hospital databases using standard definitions. Risk factors for both MDR GN HCO and HO BSI were analyzed using a multivariable logistic regression model.

Results.

A total of 675 episodes of GN BSI occurred over a 31-month period. Residence in a LTCF was an independent risk factor for developing MDR GN BSI (odds ratio [OR], 5.1 [95% confidence interval (CI), 2.2–11.9]; P < .01) when antibiotics were not used within the preceding 30 days. This risk persisted beyond the first 48 hours of hospitalization (OR, 3.4 [95% CI, 1.3–9.0]; P = .01). Previous culture growing an MDR organism (OR, 1.8 [95% CI, 1.3–2.7]; P < .01), previous antibiotic use (OR, 1.8 [95% CI, 1.2–2.6]; P < .01), and intensive care unit stay (OR, 2.2 [95% CI, 1.2–3.9]; P = .01), increased the risk of MDR GN BSI.

Conclusions.

Residence in a LTCF is an independent risk factor for MDR GN BSI. Attempts to contain MDR GN bacteria in large Asian cities, where the proportion of the population that is elderly is projected to increase, should include infection prevention strategies that engage LTCFs.
Piecewise-constant and low-rank approximation for identification of recurrent copy number variations
Authors: Zhou Xiaowei , Liu Jiming , Wan Xiang , Yu Weichuan
Published: March 2014

Motivation:  The post-genome era sees urgent need for more novel approaches to extracting useful information from the huge amount of genetic data. The identification of recurrent copy number variations (CNVs) from array-based comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) data can help understand complex diseases, such as cancer. Most of the previous computational methods focused on single-sample analysis or statistical testing based on the results of single-sample analysis. Finding recurrent CNVs from multi-sample data remains a challenging topic worth further study.

Results:  We present a general and robust method to identify recurrent CNVs from multi-sample aCGH profiles. We express the raw dataset as a matrix and demonstrate that recurrent CNVs will form a low-rank matrix. Hence, we formulate the problem as a matrix recovering problem, where we aim to find a piecewise-constant and low-rank approximation (PLA) to the input matrix. We propose a convex formulation for matrix recovery and an efficient algorithm to globally solve the problem. We demonstrate the advantages of PLA compared with alternative methods using synthesized datasets and two breast cancer datasets. The experimental results show that PLA can successfully reconstruct the recurrent CNV patterns from raw data and achieve better performance compared with alternative methods under a wide range of scenarios.

Availability and implementation:  The MATLAB code is available at http://bioinformatics.ust.hk/pla.zip .

Contact:  xwan@comp.hkbu.edu.hk or eeyu@ust.hk
An R package to analyse LC/MS metabolomic data: MAIT (Metabolite Automatic Identification Toolkit)
Authors: Fernández-Albert Francesc , Llorach Rafael , Andrés-Lacueva Cristina , Perera Alexandre
Published: March 2014

Summary: Current tools for liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry for metabolomic data cover a limited number of processing steps, whereas online tools are hard to use in a programmable fashion. This article introduces the Metabolite Automatic Identification Toolkit (MAIT) package, which makes it possible for users to perform metabolomic end-to-end liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry data analysis. MAIT is focused on improving the peak annotation stage and provides essential tools to validate statistical analysis results. MAIT generates output files with the statistical results, peak annotation and metabolite identification.

Availability and implementation:  http://b2slab.upc.edu/software-and-downloads/metabolite-automatic-identification-toolkit/ .

Contact:  francesc.fernandez.albert@upc.edu

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online
Lung Ultrasound Predicts Interstitial Syndrome and Hemodynamic Profile in Parturients with Severe Preeclampsia
Authors: Zieleskiewicz Laurent , Contargyris Claire , Brun Clément , Touret Maxime , Vellin Armand , Antonini François , Muller Laurent , Bretelle Florence , Martin Claude , Leone Marc
Published: March 2014

Background:

The role of lung ultrasound has never been evaluated in parturients with severe preeclampsia. The authors’ first aim was to assess the ability of lung ultrasound to detect pulmonary edema in severe preeclampsia. The second aim was to highlight the relation between B-lines and increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressures.

Methods:

This prospective cohort study was conducted in a level-3 maternity during a 12-month period. Twenty parturients with severe preeclampsia were consecutively enrolled. Both lung and cardiac ultrasound examinations were performed before (n = 20) and after delivery (n = 20). Each parturient with severe preeclampsia was compared with a control healthy parturient. Pulmonary edema was determined using two scores: the B-pattern and the Echo Comet Score. Left ventricular end-diastolic pressures were assessed by transthoracic echocardiography.

Results:

Lung ultrasound detected interstitial edema in five parturients (25%) with severe preeclampsia. A B-pattern was associated to increased mitral valve early diastolic peak E (116 vs. 90 cm/s; P = 0.05) and to increased E/E’ ratio (9.9 vs. 6.6; P < 0.001). An Echo Comet Score of greater than 25 predicted an increase in filling pressures (E/E’ ratio >9.5) with a sensitivity and specificity of 1.00 (95% CI, 0.69 to 1.00) and 0.82 (95% CI, 0.66 to 0.92), respectively.

Conclusions:

In parturients with severe preeclampsia, lung ultrasound detects both pulmonary edema and increased left ventricular end-diastolic pressures. The finding of a B-pattern should restrict the use of fluid. However, these preliminary results are associations from a single sample. They need to be replicated in a larger, definitive study.
Cellular Registration without Behavioral Recall of Olfactory Sensory Input under General Anesthesia
Authors: Samuelsson Andrew R. , Brandon Nicole R. , Tang Pei , Xu Yan
Published: March 2014

Background:

Previous studies suggest that sensory information is “received” but not “perceived” under general anesthesia. Whether and to what extent the brain continues to process sensory inputs in a drug-induced unconscious state remain unclear.

Methods:

One hundred seven rats were randomly assigned to 12 different anesthesia and odor exposure paradigms. The immunoreactivities of the immediate early gene products c-Fos and Egr1 as neural activity markers were combined with behavioral tests to assess the integrity and relationship of cellular and behavioral responsiveness to olfactory stimuli under a surgical plane of ketamine–xylazine general anesthesia.

Results:

The olfactory sensory processing centers could distinguish the presence or absence of experimental odorants even when animals were fully anesthetized. In the anesthetized state, the c-Fos immunoreactivity in the higher olfactory cortices revealed a difference between novel and familiar odorants similar to that seen in the awake state, suggesting that the anesthetized brain functions beyond simply receiving external stimulation. Reexposing animals to odorants previously experienced only under anesthesia resulted in c-Fos immunoreactivity, which was similar to that elicited by familiar odorants, indicating that previous registration had occurred in the anesthetized brain. Despite the “cellular memory,” however, odor discrimination and forced-choice odor-recognition tests showed absence of behavioral recall of the registered sensations, except for a longer latency in odor recognition tests.

Conclusions:

Histologically distinguishable registration of sensory processing continues to occur at the cellular level under ketamine–xylazine general anesthesia despite the absence of behavioral recognition, consistent with the notion that general anesthesia causes disintegration of information processing without completely blocking cellular communications.
Improving Patient Safety Culture in Primary Care: A Systematic Review
Authors: Verbakel Natasha J. , Langelaan Maaike , Verheij Theo J. M. , Wagner Cordula , Zwart Dorien L. M.
Published: March 2014

Background

Patient safety culture, described as shared values, attitudes and behavior of staff in a health-care organization, gained attention as a subject of study as it is believed to be related to the impact of patient safety improvements. However, in primary care, it is yet unknown, which effect interventions have on the safety culture.

Objectives

To review literature on the use of interventions that effect patient safety culture in primary care.

Methods

Searches were performed in PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsychINFO on March 4, 2013. Terms defining safety culture were combined with terms identifying intervention and terms indicating primary care. Inclusion followed if the intervention effected patient safety culture, and effect measures were reported.

Results

The search yielded 214 articles from which two were eligible for inclusion. Both studies were heterogeneous in their interventions and outcome; we present a qualitative summary. One study described the implementation of an electronic medical record system in general practices as part of patient safety improvements. The other study facilitated 2 workshops for general practices, one on risk management and another on significant event audit. Results showed signs of improvement, but the level of evidence was low because of the design and methodological problems.

Conclusions

These studies in general practice provide a first understanding of improvement strategies and their effect in primary care. As the level of evidence was low, no clear preference can be determined. Further research is needed to help practices make an informed choice for an intervention.
Pharmacists Views and Practices in Regard to Sales of Antibiotics Without a Prescription in Madinah, Saudi Arabia
Authors: Bahnassi Anas
Published: March 2014

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate pharmacists views and practices in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, through conducting direct interviews including direct questions and hypothetical scenarios.

Methods

A purposeful sample of 150 community pharmacists of different ethnic and educational backgrounds were approached to participate in the study. Semistructured interviews including general questions and 5 hypothetical scenarios were used for the investigation. Complete transcripts of the interviews were prepared. All transcripts were coded and categorized into main themes using a computer software.

Results

Fifty-four pharmacists agreed to participate (response rate, 36%). Sale of antibiotics without prescription is commonly practiced in Saudi Arabia. Lack of legislation enforcement has exacerbated this practice. Economic hardship, patient’s age, emotional factors, and pharmacists’ self confidence in diagnosing and prescribing medications in general and antibiotics in particular were the themes included in the interviews and influenced pharmacists’ decision to sell antibiotics without a prescription.

Many pharmacists did not see the practice as a problem and felt capable of continuing to dispense antibiotics without a prescription. Pharmacists who saw the practice as a problem sees legislation enforcement to be the solution of the problem.

Conclusions

Pharmacist views and practices are alarming. The results of this study show that this practice will continue to spread unless strict enforcement is put in place, Lack of clear understanding of the limitations of pharmacist’s scope of practice. Results of these studies can be extrapolated to other countries in the region and other countries of the similar social and professional development status.
Exposure to inhomogeneous static magnetic field beneficially affects allergic inflammation in a murine model
Authors: Csillag Anikó , Kumar Brahma V. , Szabó Krisztina , Szilasi Mária , Papp Zsuzsa , Szilasi Magdolna E. , Pázmándi Kitti , Boldogh István , Rajnavölgyi Éva , Bácsi Attila , László János F.
Published: March 2014

Previous observations suggest that static magnetic field (SMF)-exposure acts on living organisms partly through reactive oxygen species (ROS) reactions. In this study, we aimed to define the impact of SMF-exposure on ragweed pollen extract (RWPE)-induced allergic inflammation closely associated with oxidative stress. Inhomogeneous SMF was generated with an apparatus validated previously providing a peak-to-peak magnetic induction of the dominant SMF component 389 mT by 39 T m−1lateral gradient in thein vivoandin vitroexperiments, and 192 mT by 19 T m−1in the human study at the 3 mm target distance. Effects of SMF-exposure were studied in a murine model of allergic inflammation and also in human provoked skin allergy. We found that even a single 30-min exposure of mice to SMF immediately following intranasal RWPE challenge significantly lowered the increase in the total antioxidant capacity of the airways and decreased allergic inflammation. Repeated (on 3 consecutive days) or prolonged (60 min) exposure to SMF after RWPE challenge decreased the severity of allergic responses more efficiently than a single 30-min treatment. SMF-exposure did not alter ROS production by RWPE under cell-free conditions, while diminished RWPE-induced increase in the ROS levels in A549 epithelial cells. Results of the human skin prick tests indicated that SMF-exposure had no significant direct effect on provoked mast cell degranulation. The observed beneficial effects of SMF are likely owing to the mobilization of cellular ROS-eliminating mechanisms rather than direct modulation of ROS production by pollen NAD(P)H oxidases.
Catalytic constants enable the emergence of bistability in dual phosphorylation
Authors: Conradi Carsten , Mincheva Maya
Published: March 2014

Dual phosphorylation of proteins is a principal component of intracellular signalling. Bistability is considered an important property of such systems and its origin is not yet completely understood. Theoretical studies have established parameter values for multistationarity and bistability for many types of proteins. However, up to now no formal criterion linking multistationarity and bistability to the parameter values characterizing dual phosphorylation has been established. Deciding whether an unclassified protein has the capacity for bistability, therefore requires careful numerical studies. Here, we present two general algebraic conditions in the form of inequalities. The first employs the catalytic constants, and if satisfied guarantees multistationarity (and hence the potential for bistability). The second involves the catalytic and Michaelis constants, and if satisfied guarantees uniqueness of steady states (and hence absence of bistability). Our method also allows for the direct computation of the total concentration values such that multistationarity occurs. Applying our results yields insights into the emergence of bistability in the ERK–MEK–MKP system that previously required a delicate numerical effort. Our algebraic conditions present a practical way to determine the capacity for bistability and hence will be a useful tool for examining the origin of bistability in many models containing dual phosphorylation.
Multiple transgressions of Wallace's Line explain diversity of flightlessTrigonopterusweevils on Bali
Authors: Tänzler Rene , Toussaint Emmanuel F. A. , Suhardjono Yayuk R. , Balke Michael , Riedel Alexander
Published: March 2014

The fauna of Bali, situated immediately west of Wallace's Line, is supposedly of recent Javanese origin and characterized by low levels of endemicity. In flightlessTrigonopterusweevils, however, we find 100% endemism for the eight species here reported for Bali. Phylogeographic analyses show extensivein situdifferentiation, including a local radiation of five species. A comprehensive molecular phylogeny and ancestral area reconstruction of Indo-Malayan–Melanesian species reveals a complex colonization pattern, where the three Balinese lineages all arrived from the East, i.e. all of them transgressed Wallace's Line. Although East Java possesses a rich fauna ofTrigonopterus, no exchange can be observed with Bali. We assert that the biogeographic picture of Bali has been dominated by the influx of mobile organisms from Java, but different relationships may be discovered when flightless invertebrates are studied. Our results highlight the importance of in-depth analyses of spatial patterns of biodiversity.
The evolution of signal–reward correlations in bee- and hummingbird-pollinated species ofSalvia
Authors: Benitez-Vieyra Santiago , Fornoni Juan , Pérez-Alquicira Jessica , Boege Karina , Domínguez César A.
Published: March 2014

Within-individual variation in floral advertising and reward traits is a feature experienced by pollinators that visit different flowers of the same plant. Pollinators can use advertising traits to gather information about the quality and amount of rewards, leading to the evolution of signal–reward correlations. As long as plants differ in the reliability of their signals and pollinators base their foraging decisions on this information, natural selection should act on within-individual correlations between signals and rewards. Because birds and bees differ in their cognitive capabilities, and use different floral traits as signals, we tested the occurrence of adaptive divergence of the within-individual signal–reward correlations amongSalviaspecies that are pollinated either by bees or by hummingbirds. They are expected to use different floral advertising traits: frontal traits in the case of bees and side traits in the case of hummingbirds. We confirmed this expectation as bee- and hummingbird-pollinated species differed in which specific traits are predominantly associated with nectar reward at the within-individual level. Our findings highlight the adaptive value of within-individual variation and covariation patterns, commonly disregarded as ‘environmental noise’, and are consistent with the hypothesis that pollinator-mediated selection affects the correlation pattern among floral traits.
Reflecting optics in the diverticular eye of a deep-sea barreleye fish (
Rhynchohyalus natalensis
)
Authors: Partridge J. C. , Douglas R. H. , Marshall N. J. , Chung W.-S. , Jordan T. M. , Wagner H.-J.
Published: March 2014

We describe the bi-directed eyes of a mesopelagic teleost fish,
Rhynchohyalus natalensis
, that possesses an extensive lateral diverticulum to each tubular eye. Each diverticulum contains a mirror that focuses light from the ventro-lateral visual field. This species can thereby visualize both downwelling sunlight and bioluminescence over a wide field of view. Modelling shows that the mirror is very likely to be capable of producing a bright, well focused image. After
Dolichopteryx longipes
, this is only the second description of an eye in a vertebrate having both reflective and refractive optics. Although superficially similar, the optics of the diverticular eyes of these two species of fish differ in some important respects. Firstly, the reflective crystals in the
D. longipes
mirror are derived from a tapetum within the retinal pigment epithelium, whereas in
R. natalensis
they develop from the choroidal argentea. Secondly, in
D. longipes
the angle of the reflective crystals varies depending on their position within the mirror, forming a Fresnel-type reflector, but in
R. natalensis
the crystals are orientated almost parallel to the mirror's surface and image formation is dependent on the gross morphology of the diverticular mirror. Two remarkably different developmental solutions have thus evolved in these two closely related species of opisthoproctid teleosts to extend the restricted visual field of a tubular eye and provide a well-focused image with reflective optics.
The function of Hox and appendage-patterning genes in the development of an evolutionary novelty, thePhoturisfirefly lantern
Authors: Stansbury Matthew S. , Moczek Armin P.
Published: March 2014

Uncovering the mechanisms underlying the evolution of novel traits is a central challenge in biology. The lanterns of fireflies are complex traits that lack even remote homology to structures outside luminescent beetle families. Representing unambiguous novelties by the strictest definition, their developmental underpinnings may provide clues to their origin and offer insights into the mechanisms of innovation in developmental evolution. Lanterns develop within the context of abdominal Hox expression domains, and we hypothesized that lantern formation may be instructed in part by these highly conserved transcription factors. We show that transcript depletion ofAbdominal-BinPhoturisfireflies results in extensive disruption of the adult lantern, suggesting that the evolution of adult lanterns involved the acquisition of a novel regulatory role for this Hox gene. Using the same approach, we show that the Hox geneabdominal-Amay control important secondary aspects of lantern development. Lastly, we hypothesized that lantern evolution may have involved the recruitment of dormant abdominal appendage-patterning domains; however, transcript depletion of two genes,Distal-lessanddachshund, suggests that they do not contribute to lantern development. Our results suggest that complex novelties can arise within the confines of ancestral regulatory landscapes through acquisition of novel targets without compromising ancestral functions.
Herpes simplex virus type 1 ICP0 induces CD83 degradation in mature dendritic cells independent of its E3 ubiquitin ligase function
Authors: Heilingloh Christiane S. , Mühl-Zürbes Petra , Steinkasserer Alexander , Kummer Mirko
Published: March 2014

Mature dendritic cells (mDCs) are the most potent antigen-presenting cells known today, as they are the only antigen-presenting cells able to induce naïve T-cells. Therefore, they play a crucial role during the induction of effective antiviral immune responses. Interestingly, the surface molecule CD83 expressed on mDCs is targeted by several viruses. As CD83 has been shown to exert co-stimulatory functions on mDCs, its downmodulation represents a viral immune escape mechanism. Mechanistically, it has been shown that herpes simplex virus type 1 infection leads to proteasomal degradation of CD83, resulting in a strongly diminished T-cell stimulatory capacity of the infected mDC. Previous data suggest that the viral immediate-early protein ICP0 (infected-cell protein 0) plays an important role in this process. In the present study, we showed that ICP0 is sufficient to induce CD83 degradation in the absence of any other viral factor. However, the mechanism of ICP0-mediated CD83 degradation is not yet understood. Here, we provide evidence that ubiquitination of lysine residues is, despite the published E3 ubiquitin ligase activity of ICP0, not necessary for CD83 degradation. This finding was underlined by the observation that expression of an ICP0 mutant lacking the E3 ubiquitin ligase domain in mDCs still induced CD83 degradation. Finally, inhibition of E1 activating enzyme using the specific inhibitor 4[4-(5-nitro-furan-2-ylmethylene)-3.5-dioxo-pyrazolidin-1-yl]-benzoic acid ethyl ester did not prevent CD83 degradation. Taken together, our data provide strong evidence that ICP0 alone induces CD83 degradation independent of its E3 ubiquitin ligase function and of the ubiquitin machinery.
Optimizing Real Time fMRI Neurofeedback for Therapeutic Discovery and Development
Authors: Stoeckel L. E. , Garrison K. A. , Ghosh S. , Wighton P. , Hanlon C. A. , Gilman J. M. , Greer S. , Turk-Browne N. B. , deBettencourt M. T. , Scheinost D. , Craddock C. , Thompson T. , Calderon V. , Bauer C. C. , George M. , Breiter H. C. , Whitfield-Gabrieli S. , Gabrieli J. D. , LaConte S.M. , Hirshberg L. , Brewer J. A. , Hampson M. , Van Der Kouwe A. , Mackey S. , Evins A. E.
Published: March 2014

While reducing the burden of brain disorders remains a top priority of organizations like the World Health Organization and National Institutes of Health (BRAIN, 2013), the development of novel, safe and effective treatments for brain disorders has been slow. In this paper, we describe the state of the science for an emerging technology, real time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rtfMRI) neurofeedback, in clinical neurotherapeutics. We review the scientific potential of rtfMRI and outline research strategies to optimize the development and application of rtfMRI neurofeedback as a next generation therapeutic tool. We propose that rtfMRI can be used to address a broad range of clinical problems by improving our understanding of brain-behavior relationships in order to develop more specific and effective interventions for individuals with brain disorders. We focus on the use of rtfMRI neurofeedback as a clinical neurotherapeutic tool to drive plasticity in brain function, cognition, and behavior. Our overall goal is for rtfMRI to advance personalized assessment and intervention approaches to enhance resilience and reduce morbidity by correcting maladaptive patterns of brain function in those with brain disorders.
Pain-relief learning in flies, rats, and man: basic research and applied perspectives
Authors: Gerber Bertram , Yarali Ayse , Diegelmann Sören , Wotjak Carsten T. , Pauli Paul , Fendt Markus
Published: March 2014

Memories relating to a painful, negative event are adaptive and can be stored for a lifetime to support preemptive avoidance, escape, or attack behavior. However, under unfavorable circumstances such memories can become overwhelmingly powerful. They may trigger excessively negative psychological states and uncontrollable avoidance of locations, objects, or social interactions. It is therefore obvious that any process to counteract such effects will be of value. In this context, we stress from a basic-research perspective that painful, negative events are “Janus-faced” in the sense that there are actually two aspects about them that are worth remembering: What made them happen and what made them cease. We review published findings from fruit flies, rats, and man showing that both aspects, respectively related to the onset and the offset of the negative event, induce distinct and oppositely valenced memories: Stimuli experienced before an electric shock acquire negative valence as they signal upcoming punishment, whereas stimuli experienced after an electric shock acquire positive valence because of their association with the relieving cessation of pain. We discuss how memories for such punishment- and relief-learning are organized, how this organization fits into the threat-imminence model of defensive behavior, and what perspectives these considerations offer for applied psychology in the context of trauma, panic, and nonsuicidal self-injury.
Crystallographic characterization of the (R)-selective amine transaminase fromAspergillus fumigatus
Authors: Thomsen Maren , Skalden Lilly , Palm Gottfried J. , Höhne Matthias , Bornscheuer Uwe T. , Hinrichs Winfried
Published: March 2014

The importance of amine transaminases for producing optically pure chiral precursors for pharmaceuticals and chemicals has substantially increased in recent years. The X-ray crystal structure of the (R)-selective amine transaminase from the fungusAspergillus fumigatuswas solved by S-SAD phasing to 1.84 Å resolution. The refined structure at 1.27 Å resolution provides detailed knowledge about the molecular basis of substrate recognition and conversion to facilitate protein-engineering approaches. The protein forms a homodimer and belongs to fold class IV of the pyridoxal-5′-phosphate-dependent enzymes. Both subunits contribute residues to form two active sites. The structure of the holoenzyme shows the catalytically important cofactor pyridoxal-5′-phosphate bound as an internal aldimine with the catalytically responsible amino-acid residue Lys179, as well as in its free form. A long N-terminal helix is an important feature for the stability of this fungal (R)-selective amine transaminase, but is missing in branched-chain amino-acid aminotransferases and D-amino-acid aminotransferases.
Molecular mechanism for self-protection against the type VI secretion system inVibrio cholerae
Authors: Yang Xuan , Xu Min , Wang Yanying , Xia Pengyan , Wang Shuo , Ye Buqing , Tong Liang , Jiang Tao , Fan Zusen
Published: March 2014

VgrG proteins form the spike of the type VI secretion system (T6SS) syringe-like complex. VgrG3 ofVibrio choleraedegrades the peptidoglycan cell wall of rival bacteriaviaits C-terminal region (VgrG3C) through its muramidase activity. VgrG3C consists of a peptidoglycan-binding domain (VgrG3CPGB) and a putative catalytic domain (VgrG3CCD), and its activity can be inhibited by its immunity protein partner TsiV3. Here, the crystal structure ofV. choleraeVgrG3CCDin complex with TsiV3 is presented at 2.3 Å resolution. VgrG3CCDadopts a chitosanase fold. A dimer of TsiV3 is bound in the deep active-site groove of VgrG3CCD, occluding substrate binding and distorting the conformation of the catalytic dyad. Gln91 and Arg92 of TsiV3 are located in the centre of the interface and are important for recognition of VgrG3C. Mutation of these residues destabilized the complex and abolished the inhibitory activity of TsiV3 against VgrG3C toxicity in cells. Disruption of TsiV3 dimerization also weakened the complex and impaired the inhibitory activity. These structural, biochemical and functional data define the molecular mechanism underlying the self-protection ofV. choleraeand expand the understanding of the role of T6SS in bacterial competition.