bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Family of Goodness‐of‐Fit Tests for Copulas Based on Characteristic Functions
Authors: Bahraoui Tarik , Bouezmarni Taoufik , Quessy Jean‐François
Published: September 2017

A general class of rank statistics based on the characteristic function is introduced for testing goodness‐of‐fit hypotheses about the copula of a continuous random vector. These statistics are defined as L2 weighted functional distances between a nonparametric estimator and a semi‐parametric estimator of the characteristic function associated with a copula. It is shown that these statistics behave asymptotically as degenerate V‐statistics of order four and that the limit distributions have representations in terms of weighted sums of independent chi‐square variables. The consistency of the tests against general alternatives is established and an asymptotically valid parametric bootstrap is suggested for the computation of the critical values of the tests. The behaviour of the new tests in small and moderate sample sizes is investigated with the help of simulations and compared with a competing test based on the empirical copula. Finally, the methodology is illustrated on a five‐dimensional data set.
Wall/Object Punching: An Important but Under‐Recognized Form of Nonsuicidal Self‐Injury
Authors: Kimbrel Nathan A. , Thomas Shaun P. , Hicks Terrell A. , Hertzberg Michael A. , Clancy Carolina P. , Elbogen Eric B. , Meyer Eric C. , DeBeer Bryann B. , Gross Georgina M. , Silvia Paul J. , Morissette Sandra B. , Gratz Kim L. , Calhoun Patrick S. , Beckham Jean C.
Published: September 2017

The present research investigated wall/object punching as a form of nonsuicidal self‐injury (NSSI) among 1,143 veterans seeking treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Wall/object punching was remarkably common in this sample (43%), and its inclusion in the definition of NSSI increased estimated prevalence of recent NSSI by 14%. As expected, wall/object punching was strongly associated with other traditional forms of NSSI, post‐NSSI relief, and suicide ideation. Male veterans and veterans with PTSD were significantly more likely to engage in wall/object punching than female veterans and veterans without PTSD. More research on this important but under‐recognized form of NSSI is needed.
Personal Technology Use and Thwarted Belongingness Among Suicidal Active‐Duty Military Personnel
Authors: Chalker Samantha A. , Comtois Katherine Anne
Published: September 2017

This study (a) provides descriptive information about the personal technology use of a suicide sample of active‐duty military personnel and (b) uses a traditional and a technology‐based measure of social connectedness to examine their relation to suicide ideation and behaviors. Higher thwarted belongingness, and therefore lower perceived social connectedness, was associated with higher current and worst suicide ideation and a greater lifetime self‐directed violence regardless of intent to die. Higher social connectedness based on personal technology usage was associated with higher current suicide ideation and a higher number of lifetime self‐directed violence and suicide attempts.
English in a post‐Brexit European Union
Authors: MODIANO MARKO
Published: September 2017

This article speculates about the possible effects of the Brexit process on the status and functions of English in the European Union (EU). One issue here is whether Brexit will result in the weakening of the status of English within the Union, or whether this process will, ironically, strengthen the power of English as the principal working language of the EU, as well as the primary L2 among Europeans. One possibility here is that the exit of Britain from the Union will clear the sociolinguistic space for the emergence of an authentic European English, used by members of the EU as a ‘second language’ or (even) a quasi‐Outer Circle English, serving the needs of the European Union as the common link language for administration and cooperation between member states.
Cerebrovascular response to the cold pressor test – the critical role of carbon dioxide
Authors: Tymko Michael M. , Kerstens Thijs P. , Wildfong Kevin W. , Ainslie Philip N.
Published: September 2017

New Findings

What is the central question of this study?

What is the role of carbon dioxide in the cerebral blood flow (CBF) response to the cold pressor test (CPT)?

What is the main finding and its importance?

The CBF response was elevated during the isocapnic (controlled CO2) CPT in the middle cerebral artery and the internal carotid artery compared with the poikilocapnic (uncontrolled CO2) CPT, owing to ventilation‐associated reductions in end‐tidal CO2. Furthermore, the common carotid artery vasodilated to a greater extent during the isocapnic compared with the poikilocapnic CPT, whereas the internal carotid artery vasoconstricted during both CPTs. Our data highlight the importance of CO2 control when investigating the CBF response to the CPT.

In addition to increasing sympathetic nervous activity, blood pressure and cerebral blood flow (CBF), the cold pressor test (CPT) stimulates pain receptors, which may increase ventilation above metabolic demand; this response is likely to reduce the partial pressure of end‐tidal carbon dioxide () and will attenuate elevations in CBF. Our hypotheses were as follows: (i) the CPT will elicit hyperventilation, effectively lowering ; (ii) the CBF response will be elevated during an isocapnic (controlled ) compared with a poikilocapnic CPT (uncontrolled ); and (iii) in response to the CPT, the common carotid artery (CCA) will vasodilate, while the internal carotid artery (ICA) will remain unchanged to help regulate CBF. Using a new, randomized experimental design, we measured the cerebrovascular response in the middle cerebral artery (MCA), CCA and internal carotid artery (ICA), during an isocapnic and poikilocapnic CPT in 15 participants. Blood pressure and cardiac output (finger photoplethysmography), heart rate (ECG), MCA mean velocity (transcranial Doppler ultrasound) and CCA and ICA CBF (Duplex ultrasound) were recorded during both CPT trials. Our findings were as follows: (i) ventilation increased, which reduced (−5.3 ± 6.4 mmHg) during the poikilocapnic compared with the isocapnic CPT; (ii) the CBF response was elevated during the isocapnic compared with the poikilocapnic CPT in the MCA and ICA, but not in the CCA; and (iii) the CCA dilated to a greater extent during the isocapnic compared with the poikilocapnic CPT, and the ICA vasoconstricted during both trials. Our data emphasize the importance of control in the CBF response to the CPT and in the differential vasomotor regulation between the CCA and ICA.
Vocabulary and Experiences to Develop a Center of Mass Model
Authors: Kaar Taylor , Pollack Linda B. , Lerner Michael E. , Engels Robert J.
Published: September 2017

The use of systems in many introductory courses is limited and often implicit. Modeling two or more objects as a system and tracking the center of mass of that system is usually not included. Thinking in terms of the center of mass facilitates problem solving while exposing the importance of using conservation laws. We present below three laboratory activities that build this systems thinking for introductory physics students.
Research Projects in Physics: A Mechanism for Teaching Ill-Structured Problem Solving
Authors: Milbourne Jeff , Bennett Jonathan
Published: September 2017

Physics education research has a tradition of studying problem solving, exploring themes such as physical intuition and differences between expert and novice problem solvers. However, most of this work has focused on traditional, or well-structured, problems, similar to what might appear in a textbook. Less work has been done with open-ended, or ill-structured, problems, similar to the types of problems students might face in their professional lives. Given the national discourse on educational system reform aligned with 21st century skills, including problem solving, it is critical to provide educational experiences that help students learn to solve all types of problems, including ill-structured problems.
Better-ear rating based on glimpsing
Authors: Schoenmaker Esther , Sutojo Sarinah , van de Par Steven
Published: September 2017

The better ear of a listener is the ear that benefits most from head shadow effects in a setting with spatially separated sources. Traditionally, the better ear is considered to be the ear that receives a signal at the best signal-to-noise ratio. For a speech target in interfering speech, the concept of rating the better ear based on glimpses was explored. The laterality of the expected better ear was shown to be well represented by metrics based on glimpsing. When employing better-ear glimpsing as a microscopic predictor for speech intelligibility, a strong relation was found between the amount of glimpsed target speech received by the better ear and the performance on a consonant recognition task. This relation was investigated for two spatial processing methods that included or excluded the possibility to use better-ear listening. It was shown that the amount of glimpses at the better ear plus an effect of angular separation of speech sources could account for a substantial part of the performance, but that a small, additional role of the contralateral ear may need to be considered.
The RNA-editing enzyme ADAR promotes lung adenocarcinoma migration and invasion by stabilizing
FAK
Authors: Amin Elianna M. , Liu Yuan , Deng Su , Tan Kay See , Chudgar Neel , Mayo Marty W. , Sanchez-Vega Francisco , Adusumilli Prasad S. , Schultz Nikolaus , Jones David R.
Published: September 2017

Editing of
FAK
mRNA by the enzyme ADAR in lung adenocarcinoma cells promotes migration and invasion.
Microtubule structures underlying the sarcoplasmic reticulum support peripheral coupling sites to regulate smooth muscle contractility
Authors: Pritchard Harry A. T. , Gonzales Albert L. , Pires Paulo W. , Drumm Bernard T. , Ko Eun A. , Sanders Kenton M. , Hennig Grant W. , Earley Scott
Published: September 2017

Microtubules position ion channels close to each other to ensure autoregulation of vascular tone in cerebral arteries.
TALK-1 channels control β cell endoplasmic reticulum Ca
2+
homeostasis
Authors: Vierra Nicholas C. , Dadi Prasanna K. , Milian Sarah C. , Dickerson Matthew T. , Jordan Kelli L. , Gilon Patrick , Jacobson David A.
Published: September 2017

An ER-localized K
+
channel could be targeted to suppress ER stress in diabetic pancreatic β cells.
PKD and inflammation
Authors: Foley John F.
Published: September 2017

Protein kinase D signaling at the Golgi is required for activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome.
Exposure-Response Relationships for Isavuconazole in Patients with Invasive Aspergillosis and Other Filamentous Fungi
Authors: Desai Amit V. , Kovanda Laura L. , Hope William W. , Andes David , Mouton Johan W. , Kowalski Donna L. , Townsend Robert W. , Mujais Salim , Bonate Peter L.
Published: September 2017

Isavuconazole, the active moiety of the water-soluble prodrug isavuconazonium sulfate, is a triazole antifungal agent for the treatment of invasive fungal infections. The purpose of this analysis was to characterize the isavuconazole exposure-response relationship for measures of efficacy and safety in patients with invasive aspergillosis and infections by other filamentous fungi from the SECURE clinical trial. Two hundred thirty-one patients who received the clinical dosing regimen and had exposure parameters were included in the analysis. The primary drug exposure parameters included were predicted trough steady-state plasma concentrations, predicted trough concentrations after 7 and 14 days of drug administration, and area under the curve estimated at steady state (AUCss). The exposure parameters were analyzed against efficacy endpoints that included all-cause mortality through day 42 in the intent-to-treat (ITT) and modified ITT populations, data review committee (DRC)-adjudicated overall response at end of treatment (EOT), and DRC-adjudicated clinical response at EOT. The safety endpoints analyzed were elevated or abnormal alanine aminotransferase, increased aspartate aminotransferase, and a combination of the two. The endpoints were analyzed using logistic regression models. No statistically significant relationship (
P
> 0.05) was found between isavuconazole exposure and either efficacy or safety endpoints. The lack of association between exposure and efficacy indicates that the isavuconazole exposures achieved by clinical dosing were appropriate for treating the infecting organisms in the SECURE study and that increases in alanine or aspartate aminotransferase were not related to increase in exposures. Without a clear relationship, there is no current clinical evidence for recommending routine therapeutic drug monitoring for isavuconazole.
Emergence of Echinocandin Resistance Due to a Point Mutation in the
fks1
Gene of Aspergillus fumigatus in a Patient with Chronic Pulmonary Aspergillosis
Authors: Jiménez-Ortigosa Cristina , Moore Caroline , Denning David W. , Perlin David S.
Published: September 2017

We have identified the first case of an
fks1
hot spot 1 point mutation causing echinocandin resistance in a clinical
Aspergillus fumigatus
isolate recovered from a chronic pulmonary aspergillosis patient with an aspergilloma who first failed azole and polyene therapy and subsequently failed micafungin treatment.
A Quasi-Experiment To Study the Impact of Vancomycin Area under the Concentration-Time Curve-Guided Dosing on Vancomycin-Associated Nephrotoxicity
Authors: Finch Natalie A. , Zasowski Evan J. , Murray Kyle P. , Mynatt Ryan P. , Zhao Jing J. , Yost Raymond , Pogue Jason M. , Rybak Michael J.
Published: September 2017

Evidence suggests that maintenance of vancomycin trough concentrations at between 15 and 20 mg/liter, as currently recommended, is frequently unnecessary to achieve the daily area under the concentration-time curve (AUC
24
) target of ≥400 mg · h/liter. Many patients with trough concentrations in this range have AUC
24
values in excess of the therapeutic threshold and within the exposure range associated with nephrotoxicity. On the basis of this, the Detroit Medical Center switched from trough concentration-guided dosing to AUC-guided dosing to minimize potentially unnecessary vancomycin exposure. The primary objective of this analysis was to assess the impact of this intervention on vancomycin-associated nephrotoxicity in a single-center, retrospective quasi-experiment of hospitalized adult patients receiving intravenous vancomycin from 2014 to 2015. The primary analysis compared the incidence of nephrotoxicity between patients monitored by assessment of the AUC
24
and those monitored by assessment of the trough concentration. Multivariable logistic and Cox proportional hazards regression examined the independent association between the monitoring strategy and nephrotoxicity. Secondary analysis compared vancomycin exposures (total daily dose, AUC, and trough concentrations) between monitoring strategies. Overall, 1,280 patients were included in the analysis. After adjusting for severity of illness, comorbidity, duration of vancomycin therapy, and concomitant receipt of nephrotoxins, AUC-guided dosing was independently associated with lower nephrotoxicity by both logistic regression (odds ratio, 0.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.34 to 0.80;
P
= 0.003) and Cox proportional hazards regression (hazard ratio, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.35 to 0.78;
P
= 0.002). AUC-guided dosing was associated with lower total daily vancomycin doses, AUC values, and trough concentrations. Vancomycin AUC-guided dosing was associated with reduced nephrotoxicity, which appeared to be a result of reduced vancomycin exposure.
In Vitro
Susceptibility Testing of Tedizolid against Isolates of Nocardia
Authors: Brown-Elliott Barbara A. , Wallace Richard J.
Published: September 2017

There is a paucity of efficacious antimicrobials (especially oral) against clinically relevant species of
Nocardia
. To date, all species of
Nocardia
have been susceptible to linezolid, the first commercially available oxazolidinone. Tedizolid is a new oxazolidinone with previously reported improved
in vitro
and
in vivo
(intracellular) potency against multidrug-resistant strains of
Mycobacterium
sp. and
Nocardia brasiliensis
. Using the current Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute-recommended broth microdilution method, 101 isolates of
Nocardia
spp., including 29
Nocardia cyriacigeorgica
, 17
Nocardia farcinica
, 13
Nocardia nova
complex, 21
Nocardia brasiliensis
, 5
Nocardia pseudobrasiliensis
, and 5
Nocardia wallacei
isolates and 11 isolates of less common species, were tested for susceptibility to tedizolid and linezolid. For the most common clinically significant species of
Nocardia
, tedizolid MIC
50
values were 0.25 μg/ml for
N. nova
complex,
N. brasiliensis
,
N. pseudobrasiliensis
, and
N. wallacei
, compared to linezolid MIC
50
values of 1, 2, 0.5, and 1 μg/ml, respectively. Tedizolid and linezolid MIC
90
values were 2 μg/ml for
N. nova
complex and
N. brasiliensis
. Tedizolid MIC
50
and MIC
90
values for both
N. cyriacigeorgica
and
N. farcinica
were 0.5 μg/ml and 1 μg/ml, respectively, compared to linezolid MIC
50
and MIC
90
values of 2 and 4 μg/ml, respectively. Based on MIC
90
values, this study showed that tedizolid was 2- to 3-fold more active than linezolid
in vitro
against most common species of
Nocardia
, with the exception of the
N. nova
complex and
N. brasiliensis
, for which values were the same. These results may warrant evaluation of tedizolid as a potential treatment option for
Nocardia
infections.
Interplay among Resistance Profiles, High-Risk Clones, and Virulence in the Caenorhabditis elegansPseudomonas aeruginosa Infection Model
Authors: Sánchez-Diener Irina , Zamorano Laura , López-Causapé Carla , Cabot Gabriel , Mulet Xavier , Peña Carmen , del Campo Rosa , Cantón Rafael , Doménech-Sánchez Antonio , Martínez-Martínez Luis , Arcos Susana C. , Navas Alfonso , Oliver Antonio
Published: September 2017

The increasing prevalence of nosocomial infections produced by multidrug-resistant (MDR) or extensively drug-resistant (XDR)
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
is frequently linked to widespread international strains designated high-risk clones. In this work, we attempted to decipher the interplay between resistance profiles, high-risk clones, and virulence, testing a large (
n
= 140) collection of well-characterized
P. aeruginosa
isolates from different sources (bloodstream infections, nosocomial outbreaks, cystic fibrosis, and the environment) in a
Caenorhabditis elegans
infection model. Consistent with previous data, we documented a clear inverse correlation between antimicrobial resistance and virulence in the
C. elegans
model. Indeed, the lowest virulence was linked to XDR profiles, which were typically linked to defined high-risk clones. However, virulence varied broadly depending on the involved high-risk clone; it was high for sequence type 111 (ST111) and ST235 but very low for ST175. The highest virulence of ST235 could be attributed to its
exoU
+
type III secretion system (TTSS) genotype, which was found to be linked with higher virulence in our
C. elegans
model. Other markers, such as motility or pigment production, were not essential for virulence in the
C. elegans
model but seemed to be related with the higher values of the statistical normalized data. In contrast to ST235, the ST175 high-risk clone, which is widespread in Spain and France, seems to be associated with a particularly low virulence in the
C. elegans
model. Moreover, the previously described G154R AmpR mutation, prevalent in ST175, was found to contribute to the reduced virulence, although it was not the only factor involved. Altogether, our results provide a major step forward for understanding the interplay between
P. aeruginosa
resistance profiles, high-risk clones, and virulence.
Antiviral Activity of Bictegravir and Cabotegravir against Integrase Inhibitor-Resistant SIVmac239 and HIV-1
Authors: Hassounah Said A. , Alikhani Ahmad , Oliveira Maureen , Bharaj Simrat , Ibanescu Ruxandra-Ilinca , Osman Nathan , Xu Hong-Tao , Brenner Bluma G. , Mesplède Thibault , Wainberg Mark A.
Published: September 2017

Animal models are essential to study novel antiretroviral drugs, resistance-associated mutations (RAMs), and treatment strategies. Bictegravir (BIC) is a novel potent integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) that has shown promising results against HIV-1 infection
in vitro
and
in vivo
and against clinical isolates with resistance against INSTIs. BIC has a higher genetic barrier to the development of resistance than two clinically approved INSTIs, termed raltegravir and elvitegravir. Another clinically approved INSTI, dolutegravir (DTG) also possesses a high genetic barrier to resistance, while a fourth compound, termed cabotegravir (CAB), is currently in late phases of clinical development. Here we report the susceptibilities of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) and HIV-1 integrase (IN) mutants containing various RAMs to BIC, CAB, and DTG. BIC potently inhibited SIV and HIV-1 in single cycle infection with 50% effective concentrations (EC
50
s) in the low nM range. In single cycle SIV infections, none of the E92Q, T97A, Y143R, or N155H substitutions had a significant effect on susceptibility to BIC (≤4-fold increase in EC
50
), whereas G118R and R263K conferred ∼14-fold and ∼6-fold increases in EC
50
, respectively. In both single and multiple rounds of HIV-1 infections, BIC remained active against the Y143R, N155H, R263K, R263K/M50I, and R263K/E138K mutants (≤4-fold increase in EC
50
). In multiple rounds of infection, the G140S/Q148H combination of substitutions decreased HIV-1 susceptibility to BIC 4.8-fold compared to 16.8- and 7.4-fold for CAB and DTG, respectively. BIC possesses an excellent resistance profile in regard to HIV and SIV and could be useful in nonhuman primate models of HIV infection.
Experimental and Theoretical Approaches To Investigate the Immunogenicity of Taenia solium-Derived KE7 Antigen
Authors: Bobes Raúl J. , Navarrete-Perea José , Ochoa-Leyva Adrián , Anaya Víctor Hugo , Hernández Marisela , Cervantes-Torres Jacquelynne , Estrada Karel , Sánchez-Lopez Filiberto , Soberón Xavier , Rosas Gabriela , Nunes Cáris Maroni , García-Varela Martín , Sotelo-Mundo Rogerio Rafael , López-Zavala Alonso Alexis , Gevorkian Goar , Acero Gonzalo , Laclette Juan P. , Fragoso Gladis , Sciutto Edda
Published: September 2017

Taenia solium
cysticercosis, a parasitic disease that affects human health in various regions of the world, is preventable by vaccination. Both the 97-amino-acid-long KETc7 peptide and its carboxyl-terminal, 18-amino-acid-long sequence (GK-1) are found in
Taenia crassiceps
. Both peptides have proven protective capacity against cysticercosis and are part of the highly conserved, cestode-native, 264-amino-acid long protein KE7. KE7 belongs to a ubiquitously distributed family of proteins associated with membrane processes and may participate in several vital cell pathways. The aim of this study was to identify the
T. solium
KE7 (TsKE7) full-length protein and to determine its immunogenic properties. Recombinant TsKE7 (rTsKE7) was expressed in
Escherichia coli
Rosetta2 cells and used to obtain mouse polyclonal antibodies. Anti-rTsKE7 antibodies detected the expected native protein among the 350 spots developed from
T. solium
cyst vesicular fluid in a mass spectrometry-coupled immune proteomic analysis. These antibodies were then used to screen a phage-displayed 7-random-peptide library to map B-cell epitopes. The recognized phages displayed 9 peptides, with the consensus motif Y(F/Y)PS sequence, which includes YYYPS (named GK-1M, for being a GK-1 mimotope), exactly matching a part of GK-1. GK-1M was recognized by 58% of serum samples from cysticercotic pigs with 100% specificity but induced weak protection against murine cysticercosis.
In silico
analysis revealed a universal T-cell epitope(s) in native TsKE7 potentially capable of stimulating cytotoxic T lymphocytes and helper T lymphocytes under different major histocompatibility complex class I and class II mouse haplotypes. Altogether, these results provide a rationale for the efficacy of the KETc7, rTsKE7, and GK-1 peptides as vaccines.
Ready Experimental Translocation of Mycobacterium canettii Yields Pulmonary Tuberculosis
Authors: Bouzid Fériel , Brégeon Fabienne , Lepidi Hubert , Donoghue Helen D. , Minnikin David E. , Drancourt Michel
Published: September 2017

Mycobacterium canettii
, which has a smooth colony morphology, is the tuberculous organism retaining the most genetic traits from the putative last common ancestor of the rough-morphology
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
complex. To explore whether
M. canettii
can infect individuals by the oral route, mice were fed phosphate-buffered saline or 10
6
M. canettii
mycobacteria and sacrificed over a 28-day experiment. While no
M. canettii
was detected in negative controls,
M. canettii
-infected mice yielded granuloma-like lesions for 4/4 lungs at days 14 and 28 postinoculation (p.i.) and positive PCR detection of
M. canettii
for 5/8 mesenteric lymph nodes at days 1 and 3 p.i. and 5/6 pooled stools collected from day 1 to day 28 p.i. Smooth
M. canettii
colonies grew from 68% of lungs and 36% of spleens and cervical lymph nodes but fewer than 20% of axillary lymph nodes, livers, brown fat samples, kidneys, or blood samples throughout the 28-day experiment. Ready translocation in mice after digestive tract challenge demonstrates the potential of ingested
M. canettii
organisms to relocate to distant organs and lungs. The demonstration of this relocation supports the possibility that populations may be infected by environmental
M. canettii
.
Circuitry Linking the Global Csr- and σ
E
-Dependent Cell Envelope Stress Response Systems
Authors: Yakhnin Helen , Aichele Robert , Ades Sarah E. , Romeo Tony , Babitzke Paul
Published: September 2017

CsrA of
Escherichia coli
is an RNA-binding protein that globally regulates a wide variety of cellular processes and behaviors, including carbon metabolism, motility, biofilm formation, and the stringent response. CsrB and CsrC are small RNAs (sRNAs) that sequester CsrA, thereby preventing CsrA-mRNA interaction. RpoE (σ
E
) is the extracytoplasmic stress response sigma factor of
E. coli
. Previous RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) studies identified
rpoE
mRNA as a CsrA target. Here, we explored the regulation of
rpoE
by CsrA and found that CsrA represses
rpoE
translation. Gel mobility shift, footprint, and toeprint studies identified three CsrA binding sites in the
rpoE
leader transcript, one of which overlaps the
rpoE
Shine-Dalgarno (SD) sequence, while another overlaps the
rpoE
translation initiation codon. Coupled
in vitro
transcription-translation experiments showed that CsrA represses
rpoE
translation by binding to these sites. We further demonstrate that σ
E
indirectly activates the transcription of
csrB
and
csrC
, leading to increased sequestration of CsrA, such that repression of
rpoE
by CsrA is reduced. We propose that the Csr system fine-tunes the σ
E
-dependent cell envelope stress response. We also identified a 51-amino-acid coding sequence whose stop codon overlaps the
rpoE
start codon and demonstrate that
rpoE
is translationally coupled with this upstream open reading frame (ORF51). The loss of coupling reduces
rpoE
translation by more than 50%. Identification of a translationally coupled ORF upstream of
rpoE
suggests that this previously unannotated protein may participate in the cell envelope stress response. In keeping with existing nomenclature, we named ORF51
rseD
, resulting in an operon arrangement of
rseD-rpoE-rseA-rseB-rseC
.

IMPORTANCE
CsrA posttranscriptionally represses genes required for bacterial stress responses, including the stringent response, catabolite repression, and the RpoS (σ
S
)-mediated general stress response. We show that CsrA represses the translation of
rpoE
, encoding the extracytoplasmic stress response sigma factor, and that σ
E
indirectly activates the transcription of
csrB
and
csrC
, resulting in reciprocal regulation of these two global regulatory systems. These findings suggest that extracytoplasmic stress leads to derepression of
rpoE
translation by CsrA, and CsrA-mediated repression helps reset RpoE abundance to prestress levels once envelope damage is repaired. The discovery of an ORF,
rseD
, translationally coupled with
rpoE
adds further complexity to translational control of
rpoE
.
Coexistent duplication of urethra and a refluxing ectopic ureter presenting as recurrent epididymo-orchitis in a child
Authors: Mohamed Ferzine , Jehangir Susan
Published: September 2017

Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract (CAKUTs) occur in 3–6 per 1000 live births, accounting for most cases of paediatric end-stage kidney disease.1However, the molecular basis of CAKUT and anomalies of the external genitalia is poorly understood. We, herein, describe a case with left recurrent epididymo-orchitis with a coexistent urethral duplication and an ectopic ureter with an ipsilateral non-functioning kidney, which is, to the best of our knowledge, the first reported case of its kind. This case may bring about a paradigm shift in our comprehension of the development of the two entities. Understanding the pathogenesis may help develop preventive and renal preservation strategies. The Sonic hedgehog gene and bone morphogenetic protein 4 play crucial roles in preventing anomalies of the ureters and the external genitalia. In this article, we look at possible molecular pathways that could explain the synchronicity of this rare entity.
Controlling lungworm disease (husk) in dairy cattle
Authors: McLeonard Catherine , van Dijk Jan
Published: September 2017

Vaccination and anthelmintic (preventive) treatments for the control of the bovine lungworm Dictyocaulus viviparus have been available for some time. However, the number of outbreaks experienced has remained high, with clinical disease in adult cattle often causing particularly dramatic, milk yield‐associated, losses. This article provides an update on pasture epidemiology, including immunity, the use of vaccination, the diagnostic tests available and the pitfalls to performing these tests. It also discusses how lungworm and gutworm control can be amalgamated, as well as some key risk factors and possible solutions to outbreaks of lungworm in dairy herds.
Microtubules-Associated Rac Regulation of Endothelial Barrier: A Role of Asef in Acute Lung Injury
Authors: Karki Pratap , Birukova Anna A
Published: September 2017

The endothelial barrier function regulated by the cytoskeletal reorganizations has been implicated in the pathogenesis of multiple lung diseases including asthma, sepsis, edema, and acute respiratory distress syndrome. The extensive studies have established that activation of small GTPase Rac is a key mechanism in endothelial barrier protection but the role of microtubules-associated Rac in the endothelial functions remains poorly understood. With the emerging evidences that microtubules disassembly also plays a critical role in actin cytoskeleton remodeling leading to endothelial permeability, the knowledge on microtubules-mediated regulation of endothelial barrier is imperative to better understand the etiology of lung injuries as well as to develop novel therapeutics against these disorders. In this regard, our recent studies have revealed some novel aspects of microtubules-mediated regulation of endothelial barrier functions and unraveled a putative role of Rac-specific guanine nucleotide exchange factor Asef in mediating the barrier protective effects of hepatocyte growth factor. In this review, we will discuss the role of this novel Rac activator Asef in endothelial barrier protection and its regulation by microtubules.
Medium effect (water versus MeCN) on reactivity and reaction pathways for the SNAr reaction of 1-aryloxy-2,4-dinitrobenzenes with cyclic secondary amines
Authors: Um Ik-Hwan , Kim Min-Young , Dust Julian M.
Published: September 2017

A kinetic study on SNAr reactions of 1-aryloxy-2,4-dinitrobenzenes (1a–1h) with a series of cyclic secondary amines in 80 mol% water – 20 mol% DMSO at 25.0 ± 0.1 °C is reported. The plots of kobsd versus amine concentration curve upward except for the reactions of substrates possessing a strong electron-withdrawing group in the leaving aryloxide with strongly basic piperidine. The curved plots indicate that the reactions proceed through both uncatalytic and catalytic routes. Linear Brønsted-type plots have been obtained for the uncatalyzed and catalyzed reactions of 1-(4-nitrophenoxy)-2,4-dinitrobenzene (1a) with βnuc = 0.84 and 0.78, respectively. The Yukawa–Tsuno plot for the uncatalyzed reactions of 1a–1h with piperidine results in an excellent linear correlation with ρ = 1.66 and r = 0.31. In contrast, rate constants for catalyzed reactions are independent of the electronic nature of the substituent in the leaving group. The current SNAr reactions have been proposed to proceed via a zwitterionic intermediate (MC±) that partitions to products through uncatalytic and catalytic routes. The catalyzed reaction from MC± has been concluded to proceed through a concerted mechanism with a six-membered cyclic transition state (TScycl) rather than via a stepwise pathway with a discrete anionic intermediate (MC−), the traditionally accepted mechanism. Medium effects on the reactivity and reaction mechanism are discussed. Particularly, hydrogen bonding of the amines to water precludes formation of kinetically significant dimers found in some aprotic solvents; no explicit role for water in the catalytic transition state is required or proposed. The specific stabilization of the leaving aryloxides substituted with strong electron-withdrawing groups accounts for the lack of the catalytic pathway in these systems (1a–1c) with piperidine nucleophile.
Multiple metabolic pathways for metabolism of l-tryptophan in Fusarium graminearum
Authors: Luo Kun , DesRoches Caro-Lyne , Johnston Anne , Harris Linda J. , Zhao Hui-Yan , Ouellet Thérèse
Published: September 2017

Fusarium graminearum is a plant pathogen that can cause the devastating cereal grain disease fusarium head blight in temperate regions of the world. Previous studies have shown that F. graminearum can synthetize indole-3-acetic acid (auxin) using l-tryptophan (L-TRP)-dependent pathways. In the present study, we have taken a broader approach to examine the metabolism of L-TRP in F. graminearum liquid culture. Our results showed that F. graminearum was able to transiently produce the indole tryptophol when supplied with L-TRP. Comparative gene expression profiling between L-TRP-treated and control cultures showed that L-TRP treatment induced the upregulation of a series of genes with predicted function in the metabolism of L-TRP via anthranilic acid and catechol towards the tricarboxylic acid cycle. It is proposed that this metabolic activity provides extra energy for 15-acetyldeoxynivalenol production, as observed in our experiments. This is the first report of the use of L-TRP to increase energy resources in a Fusarium species.
Acupuncture plus Herbal Medicine for Alzheimer’s Disease: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Zhou Simin , Dong Lanlan , He Yuan , Xiao Hong
Published: September 2017

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is associated with the unprecedented aging tendency in our world population and has become a significant health issue. The use of Traditional Chinese Medicine to treat AD has been increasing in recent years. The objective of this meta-analysis is to evaluate the effectiveness of combining acupuncture with herbal medicine to treat AD. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture plus herbals versus treatment with western drugs for AD were retrieved from 11 databases. The data were extracted by two authors; dichotomous data were expressed as odds ratio (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), while continuous data were calculated by mean differences (MDs) with 95% CIs. Although the combined analysis of the score of Activity of Daily Life (ADL) scale MD was [Formula: see text]3.59 (95% CI [Formula: see text]7.18–0.01, [Formula: see text]), which indicates there was no statistically significant difference between the two treatments at reducing the ADL scale score, the pooled results of 12 trials indicated that acupuncture plus Chinese herbal medicine was better than western drugs at improving the effectiveness rate (OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.40–3.56), the combined evidence of 11 articles showed that acupuncture plus Chinese herbal medicine was more effective than western drugs at improving the scores for the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) scale (2.10, 95% CI 0.69–3.51, [Formula: see text]) and the traditional Chinese medicine symptom (MD 5.07, 95% CI 3.90–6.25, [Formula: see text]). From the current research results, acupuncture plus herbal medicine may have advantages over western drugs for treating AD. Nevertheless, well-designed RCTs with a larger sample size are required in the future.
Design of Multi-Context Reconfigurable Logic Controllers Implemented in FPGA Devices Oriented for Further Partial Reconfiguration
Authors: Wisniewski Remigiusz , Grobelna Iwona
Published: September 2017

Reconfigurable systems have been recently used in many domains. Although the concept of multi-context logic controllers is relatively new, it may be noticed that the subject is receiving a lot of attention, especially in the industry. The work constitutes a stepping stone in design of reconfigurable logic controllers towards bridging the gap between Petri nets, their decomposition, formal verification and implementation with the use of FPGA structures with the possibility of further partial reconfiguration. The paper proposes a new design concept of reconfigurable logic controllers, implemented with the FPGA device. A logic controller is formally described by a Petri net and decomposed into separate sequential modules. Optional versions (contexts) of the selected module may be prepared additionally. Depending on the needs, a particular module can be replaced by either version (context) with the use of the partial reconfiguration technique. To avoid formal errors and mistakes, the proposed design path is supported by formal verification with the model checking methods based on the rule-based logical model. The proposed design concept has been verified experimentally with the application of Xilinx FPGA devices.
2-Tangle replacements and adequate diagrams
Authors: Kim Woo Seok , Lee Jung Hoon , Lee Sam
Published: September 2017

We consider [Formula: see text]-tangle replacements of link diagrams, i.e. replacing a crossing of a link diagram [Formula: see text] with a [Formula: see text]-tangle diagram [Formula: see text]. We show that if [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are adequate then the [Formula: see text]-tangle replacement, denoted by [Formula: see text], is also adequate. This gives a way to obtain infinitely many new minimal crossing diagrams.
Self-similarity in static axially symmetric relativistic fluids
Authors: Herrera L. , Di Prisco A.
Published: September 2017

We carry out a general study on axially symmetric, static fluids admitting a conformal Killing vector (CKV). The physical relevance of this kind of symmetry is emphasized. Next, we investigate all possible consequences derived from the imposition of such a symmetry. Special attention is paid to the problem of symmetry inheritance. Several families of solutions endowed with a CKV are exhibited.
UNDERSTANDING THE EFFECT OF DEPRESSOR ON THE TIO2 COMPACT LAYER FOR THE PHOTOCURRENT PERFORMANCE OF PEROVSKITE SOLAR CELLS
Authors: JIA CHENCHEN , CHE MIN , ZHU LEI
Published: September 2017

The main purpose of a compact TiO2 film as a vital part of the electron transport layer in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is to minimize electron–hole recombination on the surface of F-doped SnO2 (FTO) and enhance the photoelectric property. By controlling concentrations and using different depressors, an excellent compact TiO2 film is prepared by sol–gel method. This research utilized four depressors (nitric acid, acetic acid, diethanolamine and acetylacetone) and their volume ratios to ethanol are 0, 1:1 and 1:2 to synthesize the TiO2 precursor sol. The surface morphology, ingredient and microstructure as well as the optical and electrochemical properties of PSC devices based on them are investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and UV–visible absorption spectroscopy (UV–Vis), respectively. It is found that the device exhibited the most outstanding power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 14.92% via using diethanolamine as the depressor diluted in absolute ethanol in a proportion of 1:1 by volume. Further study showed that the enhanced PCE could be mainly ascribed to the increase of short-current density ([Formula: see text].
ENHANCEMENT OF EXFOLIATION CORROSION RESISTANCE OF ALUMINIUM ALLOY 5083 BY SHOT PEENING
Authors: JEBARAJ A. VINOTH , AJAYKUMAR L. , DEEPAK C. R. , ADITYA K. V. V.
Published: September 2017

The present work is an effort to study the influence of shot peening on the exfoliation corrosion behavior of aluminium alloy (AA) 5083. Surface textural changes induced by shot peening was characterized using microstructural and X-ray diffraction analysis. The surface roughness parameters were measured to study the benefits of peening induced surface topography. Further, the hardness survey was carried out to assess the severe plastic deformation on the peened layers. As a result, excellent resistance against exfoliation corrosion was achieved in the chloride environment. Shot peening plays major role in enhancing the corrosion resistance of AA 5083. In the absence of exfoliation attack, the unpeened sample surfaces such as ground, milled, and as received conditions end up with a significant pitting attack. The findings of this work will be useful for the aluminium alloy fabrications involved in the marine applications.
Codification, Personalisation, or in Between? Exploring Knowledge Characteristics to Guide Knowledge Management System Design
Authors: Basten Dirk , Schneider Linda , Pankratz Oleg
Published: September 2017

The effectiveness of information technology (IT) depends on its embeddedness into its contingent context. Thus, enabling adequate knowledge management (KM) system design requires awareness of the characteristics of the knowledge that is created. Since related insights are missing, we explore what software developers learn on their projects by conducting interviews based on the Repertory Grid Technique. We assess the characteristics of the identified knowledge and skills and derive suggestions for KM system design accordingly. Our study gives rise to challenge the common idea that KM design should be chosen according to the type of knowledge (explicit versus tacit) to be managed. Incorporating further knowledge characteristics (task domain and volatility of knowledge), our results indicate that organisations should implement a codification strategy or a strategy between codification and personalisation, depending on the knowledge at hand.
Differential weights-based band selection for hyperspectral image classification
Authors: Liu Yun , Wang Chen , Wang Yang , Bai Xiao , Zhou Jun , Bai Lu
Published: September 2017

Band selection plays a key role in the hyperspectral image classification since it helps to reduce the expensive cost of computation and storage. In this paper, we propose a supervised hyperspectral band selection method based on differential weights, which depict the contribution degree of each band for classification. The differential weights are obtained in the training stage by calculating the sum of weight differences between positive and negative classes. Using the effective one-class Support Vector Machine (SVM), the bands corresponding to large differential weights are extracted as discriminative features to make the classification decision. Moreover, label information from training data is further exploited to enhance the classification performance. Finally, experiments on three public datasets, as well as comparison with other popular feature selection methods, are carried out to validate the proposed method.
Hyperspectral imaging technique based on Geodesic K-medoids clustering and Gabor wavelets for pork quality evaluation
Authors: Zeng Shan , Chen Ling , Jiang Liang , Gao Chongjun
Published: September 2017

This paper presents a pork quality evaluation method based on the hyperspectral image datasets of 96 pork samples in the range of 400–1000[Formula: see text]nm. First, through the K-medoids clustering algorithm based on manifold distance, 30 important wavelengths are selected from 753 wavelengths, and final 8 optimum wavelengths are obtained based on the discriminant value and the spectral resolution. Then, the two-dimensional Gabor wavelet transform is used to extract the eight texture features of the image under the final eight wavelengths respectively, to form a 64-dimensional features of pork quality. Finally, using the fussy C-means (FCM) algorithm based on Isomap dimension reduction, the pork quality evaluation model is constructed. The result of wavelength extraction experiments show that although there is a strong linear correlation between adjacent bands in the hyperspectral image, there is an obvious nonlinear manifold relation in the whole band. Therefore, the K-medoids clustering algorithm based on manifold distance in this paper is more reasonable than the traditional principal component analysis (PCA) in characteristic wavelength selection. According to the experiment of pork quality evaluation, two-dimensional Gabor wavelet transform can extract the texture characteristics of pork better. Compared with the FCM algorithm based on PCA, the FCM algorithm based on Isomap can better solve the high-dimensional clustering problem, and can distinguish fresh chilled meat, frozen-thawed meat and spoiled meat accurately. The study shows that hyperspectral image technology can be used in pork quality evaluation.
Rotation properties of 2D isotropic dilation matrices
Authors: Zakharov Victor G.
Published: September 2017

In this paper, we consider the bivariate real isotropic dilation matrices that are similar (up to constant factors) to rotation matrices; and we show that, in this case, the two-scale relations can be considered also as relations between not only dilated but also rotated scaling functions. We present sufficient conditions on a matrix to be similar to a rotation matrix, where the change-of-basis matrix is symmetric positive definite. Also we present a simple test that the real matrix with integer entries performs rotation by an incommensurable to [Formula: see text] angle. We show that if a dilation matrix is similar to a rotation matrix, then an ellipse defined by the change-of-basis matrix is invariant (up to a uniform dilation) under transformation by the dilation matrix.