bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prey use and nutritional differences between reproductive states and age classes in Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) in the Bahamas
Authors: Malinowski Christopher R. , Herzing Denise L.
Published: May 2015

Nutritional quality of prey is a significant driver of predator foraging patterns. In mammals, nutritional needs are known to change across ontogeny and reproductive state; however, little is known about nutrition in marine mammals. For this study, we used observational data of diurnal foraging events, collected annually from 1992 to 2009, to investigate nutrition and prey use in Atlantic spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis) on Little Bahama Bank, Bahamas, between reproductive states (lactating, pregnant, nonreproductively active [NRA]. We also investigated the impact of age class association (various calf age groups [ages 1–6], older “noncalf” juveniles, and adults) on foraging group nutrition and prey use. To obtain representative nutrient values, we measured calories, lipids, proteins, and moisture in common prey. Using nutritional values and observational data, we investigated the influence of nutritional value on prey use. Results indicated that specific nutrients were targeted by different reproductive states and age class groups. Nutritional intake of all nutrients was higher for lactating females than pregnant females, but lower than NRA females. Investigation of age group associations revealed that nutritional intake of all four nutrients was higher for noncalf than calf‐associated groups. This study represents one of the first investigations of intraspecific prey use and nutritional differences in cetaceans.
The Location of Properties
Authors: Effingham Nikk
Published: May 2015

This paper argues that, assuming properties exist and must be located in spacetime, the prevailing view that they are exactly located where their instances are is false. Instead a property is singularly located at just one region, namely the union of its instance's locations. This bears not just on issues in the metaphysics of properties, but also on the debate over whether multi‐location is conceivable and/or possible (and, by proxy, any theory that relies on that e.g. certain formulations of endurantism/perdurantism).
Risks associated with obesity in pregnancy, for the mother and baby: a systematic review of reviews
Authors: Marchi J. , Berg M. , Dencker A. , Olander E. K. , Begley C.
Published: May 2015

Maternal obesity is linked with adverse outcomes for mothers and babies. To get an overview of risks related to obesity in pregnant women, a systematic review of reviews was conducted. For inclusion, reviews had to compare pregnant women of healthy weight with women with obesity, and measure a health outcome for mother and/or baby. Authors conducted full‐text screening, quality assurance using the AMSTAR tool and data extraction steps in pairs. Narrative analysis of the 22 reviews included show gestational diabetes, pre‐eclampsia, gestational hypertension, depression, instrumental and caesarean birth, and surgical site infection to be more likely to occur in pregnant women with obesity compared with women with a healthy weight. Maternal obesity is also linked to greater risk of preterm birth, large‐for‐gestational‐age babies, foetal defects, congenital anomalies and perinatal death. Furthermore, breastfeeding initiation rates are lower and there is greater risk of early breastfeeding cessation in women with obesity compared with healthy weight women. These adverse outcomes may result in longer duration of hospital stay, with concomitant resource implications. It is crucial to reduce the burden of adverse maternal and foetal/child outcomes caused by maternal obesity. Women with obesity need support to lose weight before they conceive, and to minimize their weight gain in pregnancy.
SHAPING POLICY CURVES: COGNITIVE AUTHORITY IN TRANSNATIONAL CAPACITY BUILDING
Authors: BROOME ANDRÉ , SEABROOKE LEONARD
Published: May 2015

International organizations (IOs) such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank are assumed to rely on ‘sympathetic interlocutors’ at the national level to drive through economic reforms that conform to global policy norms. In this article we answer the following question: How do sympathetic interlocutors for IOs emerge in the first place? We address this question by examining how IOs engage in teaching norms to national officials via transnational policy training in order to increase the number of domestic reformers who are sympathetic to their prescriptions for policy change. We provide a conceptual framework for understanding how IOs seek to use their own cognitive authority to foster ‘diagnostic coordination’ across technocratic economic policy communities. This encourages officials to adapt to a common policy language and delimits the policy space within which they identify and propose solutions to economic problems.
Validation of a Comprehensive Early Childhood Allergy Questionnaire
Authors: Minasyan Anna , Babajanyan Arman , Campbell Dianne E. , Nanan Ralph
Published: May 2015

Background

Parental questionnaires to assess incidence of pediatric allergic disease have been validated for use in school‐aged children. Currently, there is no validated questionnaire‐based assessment of food allergy, atopic dermatitis (AD), and asthma for infants and young children.

Methods

The Comprehensive Early Childhood Allergy Questionnaire was designed for detecting AD, asthma, and IgE‐mediated food allergies in children aged 1–5 years. A nested case–control design was applied. Parents of 150 children attending pediatric outpatient clinics completed the questionnaire before being clinically assessed by a pediatrician for allergies. Sensitivity, specificity, and reproducibility of the questionnaire were assessed.

Results

Seventy‐seven children were diagnosed with one or more current allergic diseases. The questionnaire demonstrated high overall sensitivity of 0.93 (95% CI 0.86–0.98) with a specificity of 0.79 (95% CI 0.68–0.88). Questionnaire reproducibility was good with a kappa agreement rate for symptom‐related questions of 0.45–0.90.

Conclusions

Comprehensive Early Childhood Allergy Questionnaire accurately and reliably reflects the presence of allergies in children aged 1–5 years. Its use is warranted as a tool for determining prevalence of allergies in this pediatric age group.
Neuromodulation of Electrically Induced Hyperalgesia in the Trigeminocervical System
Authors: Reindl Caroline , Seifert Frank , Nickel Florian , Maihöfner Christian
Published: May 2015

Objective

Trigeminal and cervical afferents converge on neurons of the trigeminocervical complex and may significantly alter the function of these neurons. This interaction may have implications for the pathophysiology and treatment of primary headache disorders. Therefore, the aim of this work was to study pain modulatory mechanisms within the trigeminocervical complex.

Subjects

We used an electrical pain model challenging pro‐ and antinociceptive systems in 19 healthy volunteers.

Methods

Transcutaneous supraorbital noxious electrical low‐frequency stimulation (0.5 Hz), known to induce both hyperalgesia due to central sensitization (as a marker of pain facilitation) and habituation (as a marker of pain inhibition), was combined with different noxious stimulation paradigms applied to the innervation territory of upper cervical afferents. We investigated the effects of concurrent stimulation in the cervical/extratrigeminal system on habituation profiles, hyperalgesic area, pain, and detection thresholds in the trigeminal system.

Results

It was previously shown that conditioning 20‐Hz noxious electrical stimuli may provoke centrally mediated sensory decline that possesses heterotopic antihyperalgesic properties. Occipital and forearm costimulation at a frequency of 20 Hz had no significant modulating effect on supraorbital pain adaptation, hyperalgesic area, or pain perception. Effects for trigeminal stimulation were independent of occipital stimulus intensity. Furthermore, for single occipital stimulation at 0.5 and 20 Hz, no somatosensory changes could be demonstrated within the trigeminal system.

Conclusion

Trigeminal nociception stayed unchanged despite of occipital costimulation.
Effects of UV‐C and Vacuum‐UV TiO2 Advanced Oxidation Processes on the Acute Mortality of Microalgae
Authors: McGivney Eric , Carlsson Magnus , Gustafsson Jon Petter , Gorokhova Elena
Published: May 2015

Advanced oxidation processes/technologies (AOT) that combine a semiconductor, such as titanium dioxide (TiO2), with a UV source have been used to eliminate microorganisms in various water treatment applications. To facilitate the applicability of this technique, the gain in efficiency from the semiconductor compared to the UV source alone with respect to different target organisms requires evaluation. The primary objective of this study was to determine the effects of TiO2 and UV wavelength on a freshwater alga, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and a marine alga, Tetraselmis suecica. For each species, dose–response experiments were conducted to determine the median lethal dose (LC50) of the following treatments: UV light emitted with a peak of 254 nm, UV light emitted with a peak of 254 nm in the presence of TiO2 and UV light emitted with a peak of 254 and 185 nm in the presence of TiO2. In both species, the presence of TiO2 significantly increased mortality. Across all three treatments, P. subcapitata was more sensitive than T. suecica; moreover, the addition of the 185 nm wavelength significantly increased cell mortality in P. subcapitata but not in T. suecica.
Fission May Kill You (But Not for the Reasons You Thought)
Authors: Demarest Heather
Published: May 2015

If a person, A, branches into B and C, then it is widely held that B and C are not identical to one another. Many think that this is because B and C have contradictory properties at the same time. In this paper, I show why this explanation cannot be right. I argue that contradictory properties at times are not necessary for non‐identity between descendants, and that contradictory properties at times are not sufficient for non‐identity. I also argue that the standard explanation cannot be salvaged by a shift to personal time. Appeals to a lack of continuity, or to the absence of unity of consciousness likewise fail. Rather, B and C are non‐identical simply because A branched into B and C. Why branching should be problematic for personal identity remains a deep puzzle though I offer some tentative suggestions.
A review of genotype‐by‐environment interaction and micro‐environmental sensitivity in aquaculture species
Authors: Sae‐Lim Panya , Gjerde Bjarne , Nielsen Hanne Marie , Mulder Han , Kause Antti
Published: May 2015

Generating breeding programmes that effectively improve farmed fish performance across multiple environments and make fish more uniform within production environments would aid farmers to produce food under diverse environments. We review genotype‐by‐environment interaction leading to re‐ranking of genotypes across environments, that is non‐unity genetic correlation between traits measured in different environments, and micro‐environmental sensitivity leading to a change in environmental variance of a trait. A quantitative review across 38 species showed that (i) genotype‐by‐environment interaction studies are lacking for many economically important traits. (ii) Re‐ranking is moderate for growth (average genetic correlation = 0.72) and survival (average genetic correlation = 0.54). Significant re‐ranking is of concern because selection in a nucleus leads to lower genetic responses in commercial environments compared to a case when re‐ranking does not exist. (iii) Re‐ranking is weak for age‐at‐sexual‐maturity and fish appearance (average genetic correlation = 0.86), implying that genetic improvement in one environment is expected to be effective in the other environments. Future research should provide guidelines for how to account for genotype‐by‐environment interaction when collecting data, estimating breeding values and optimising the structure of the breeding programme. (iv) Coefficient of genetic variation for sensitivity against unknown micro‐environmental factors within a single environment for body weight is high. Hence, genetic improvement towards less sensitive fish, resulting in more uniform production, is possible, but a large number of relatives with phenotypes is needed for obtaining moderate accuracy of selection. This review elucidates needs for further research on genotype‐by‐environment interaction and micro‐environmental sensitivity in economically important traits and species.
Coping styles in farmed fish: consequences for aquaculture
Authors: Castanheira Maria Filipa , Conceição Luís E.C. , Millot Sandie , Rey Sonia , Bégout Marie‐Laure , Damsgård Børge , Kristiansen Tore , Höglund Erik , Øverli Øyvind , Martins Catarina I.M.
Published: May 2015

Individual differences in physiological and behavioural responses to stressors are increasingly recognised as adaptive variation and thus raw material for evolution and fish farming improvements including selective breeding. Such individual variation has been evolutionarily conserved and is present in all vertebrate taxa including fish. In farmed animals, the interest in consistent trait associations, that is coping styles, has increased dramatically over the last years because many studies have demonstrated links to performance traits, health and disease susceptibility and welfare. This study will review (i) the main behavioural, neuroendocrine, cognitive and emotional differences between reactive and proactive coping styles in farmed fish; (ii) the methodological approaches used to identify coping styles in farmed fish, including individual (group) mass‐screening tests; and (iii) how knowledge on coping styles may contribute to improved sustainability of the aquaculture industry, including welfare and performance of farmed fish. Moreover, we will suggest areas for future research, where genetic basis (heritability/epigenetic) of coping styles, and the neuroendocrine mechanisms behind consistent as well as flexible behavioural patterns are pinpointed as central themes. In addition, the ontogeny of coping styles and the influence of age, social context and environmental change in coping styles will also be discussed.
Voice source characterization using pitch synchronous discrete cosine transform for speaker identification
Authors: Ramakrishnan A. G. , Abhiram B. , Mahadeva Prasanna S. R.
Published: May 2015

A characterization of the voice source (VS) signal by the pitch synchronous (PS) discrete cosine transform (DCT) is proposed. With the integrated linear prediction residual (ILPR) as the VS estimate, the PS DCT of the ILPR is evaluated as a feature vector for speaker identification (SID). On TIMIT and YOHO databases, using a Gaussian mixture model (GMM)-based classifier, it performs on par with existing VS-based features. On the NIST 2003 database, fusion with a GMM-based classifier using MFCC features improves the identification accuracy by 12% in absolute terms, proving that the proposed characterization has good promise as a feature for SID studies.
The Meaning of Sport: Sociolinguistic Analysis of Sport and Energy Drink Brands’ Advertising Messages
Authors: Lee Jung Woo
Published: May 2015

This article investigates a sign system in promotional campaigns for the 2 sport/energy-drink brands PowerAde and Monster Energy. More specifically, the paper examines advertising materials published on the British Web sites of the 2 drink brands. The media texts are analyzed using semiotics and critical discourse analysis. In so doing, the author attempts to identify the meaning of sport in different contexts and settings and to interpret ideological connotation embedded in the commercial discourse on sport. The PowerAde advertising presents the meaning of sport as controlled and calculated physical activities associated with high-performance sport. This articulation suggests an idealization of productive individuals, and this appears to be the reification of capitalist ideology through sport. Monster Energy advertising tends to endorse alternative sporting subculture emphasizing the aspects of fun and spectacle, but such endorsement is only validated within the boundaries of consumer culture. The author concludes that advertising involves communication practice through which the meaning of sport with some ideological connotations is continually constructed and disseminated to today’s wider society.
An Experiential Learning Trip: Exploring Student Experiences and Motivations for Volunteering at the Super Bowl
Authors: Pate Joshua R. , Shonk David J.
Published: May 2015

The purpose of this study was to explore the experiences of sport management students during an experiential learning trip to Super Bowl XLVII in New Orleans, LA. A secondary purpose of the study was to explore and describe why students were motivated to participate in the trip. The study draws from theories of student and volunteer motivation. A qualitative approach was employed using ethnography that detailed the accounts of 11 students and 2 professors from James Madison University who volunteered to work events surrounding the Super Bowl. The findings revealed three themes: learning, career empowerment, and on-site preparation. This type of experiential trip can be replicated by other sport management educators and the findings can assist in further developing the literature on experiential learning.
Is measles next?
Authors: Roberts Leslie
Published: May 2015

Some disease fighters want to eradicate the most contagious virus of all. But does a world still fighting polio have the stomach to try?
Overcoming neglect of kinetoplastid diseases
Authors: Bilbe Graeme
Published: May 2015

Drug development offers hope for controlling diseases that affect millions of people worldwide
Mechanical strain induces E-cadherin–dependent Yap1 and β-catenin activation to drive cell cycle entry
Authors: Benham-Pyle Blair W. , Pruitt Beth L. , Nelson W. James
Published: May 2015

Stretching cell sheets promotes proliferation

Mechanical strain regulates the development, organization, and function of multicellular tissues. But how? Cadherins mechanically couple neighboring epithelial cells through extracellular interactions and sequester the transcription factors β-catenin and Yap1. To find out more, Benham-Pyle
et al.
stretched epithelial cell sheets. This mechanical strain induced rapid cell cycle reentry, DNA synthesis by sequential nuclear accumulation, and transcriptional activation of Yap1 and β-catenin. Thus, cell-cell junctions are mechanically responsive structural scaffolds providing signaling centers that coordinate transcriptional responses to externally applied force.

Science
, this issue p.
1024
Structural basis for energy transfer pathways in the plant PSI-LHCI supercomplex
Authors: Qin Xiaochun , Suga Michihiro , Kuang Tingyun , Shen Jian-Ren
Published: May 2015

Photosystem I enters into the spotlight

Plants rely on large complexes of proteins, chlorophyll, and other cofactors to turn light into chemical energy. Qin
et al.
present the crystal structures of photosystem I (PSI) and the light-harvesting complex I (LHCI) supercomplex from pea plants (see the Perspective by Croce). The well-resolved structure of the outer antenna complexes and their interaction with the PSI core provide a structural basis for calculating excitation energy transfer efficiency. Moreover, the organization and orientation of chlorophyll and carotenoid cofactors within and between PSI and LHCI hint at energy transfer and photoprotection mechanisms.

Science
, this issue p.
989
; see also p.
970
Flexible gene pools
Authors: Desai Michael M. , Walczak Aleksandra M.
Published: May 2015

Rapid genetic exchange leads to mosaic genomes in cyanobacterial populations

[Also see Report by

Rosen
et al.

]
Blocking stress response for better memory?
Authors: Hinnebusch Alan G.
Published: May 2015

A drug that affects memory targets a constituent of a cellular stress response mechanism

[Also see Report by

Sekine
et al.

]
Programmable probiotics for detection of cancer in urine
Authors: Danino Tal , Prindle Arthur , Kwong Gabriel A. , Skalak Matthew , Li Howard , Allen Kaitlin , Hasty Jeff , Bhatia Sangeeta N.
Published: May 2015

Probiotics programmed to generate specific metabolites traffic from the gut to tumors and enable cancer detection through the urine.
Heart attack on a plate
Authors: Spiller Kara L.
Published: May 2015

Carefully engineered arrays of human cardiac cells allow high-throughput drug screening.
Gamma Interferon Assays Used in the Diagnosis of Tuberculosis
Authors: Horvat Rebecca T.
Published: May 2015

Tuberculosis (TB) is an ancient disease that has infected humans for thousands of years. However, despite diagnostic tests that detect the disease and effective therapy, there are still millions of people worldwide who are infected with TB. The first TB test used to detect infected patients was a skin test that identifies individuals actively infected with TB. This test used a mix of proteins from culture filtrates of the bacteria
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
. Recently, two new diagnostic tests have been introduced; these two new tests can detect TB infection in patients by challenging peripheral blood cells with specific TB proteins. These assays measure the cellular immune response to these proteins. This minireview evaluates the new assays and compares them to the use of the TB skin test. The use of these new assays may have some advantages in detecting individuals with active tuberculosis. However, there is still a role for the use of the skin test, especially in young patients.
Clinical and Molecular Epidemiology of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in the Decade following Implementation of an Active Detection and Isolation Program
Authors: Nelson Melissa U. , Bizzarro Matthew J. , Baltimore Robert S. , Dembry Louise M. , Gallagher Patrick G.
Published: May 2015

Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) is a frequent source of infection in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), often associated with significant morbidity. Active detection and isolation (ADI) programs aim to reduce transmission. We describe a comprehensive analysis of the clinical and molecular epidemiology of MRSA in an NICU between 2003 and 2013, in the decade following the implementation of an MRSA ADI program. Molecular analyses included strain typing by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis,
mec
and accessory gene regulator group genotyping by multiplex PCR, and identification of toxin and potential virulence factor genes via PCR-based assays. Of 8,387 neonates, 115 (1.4%) had MRSA colonization and/or infection. The MRSA colonization rate declined significantly during the study period from 2.2 to 0.5/1,000 patient days (linear time,
P
= 0.0003; quadratic time,
P
= 0.006). There were 19 cases of MRSA infection (16.5%). Few epidemiologic or clinical differences were identified between MRSA-colonized and MRSA-infected infants. Thirty-one different strains of MRSA were identified with a shift from hospital-associated to combined hospital- and community-associated strains over time. Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive USA300 strains caused 5 of the last 11 infections. Staphylococcal cassette chromosome
mec
(SCC
mec
) types II and IVa and
agr
groups 1 and 2 were most predominant. One isolate possessed the gene for toxic shock syndrome toxin; none had genes for exfoliative toxin A or B. These results highlight recent trends in MRSA colonization and infection and the corresponding changes in molecular epidemiology. Continued vigilance for this invasive pathogen remains critical, and specific attention to the unique host, the neonate, and the distinct environment, the NICU, is imperative.
Clinical and Analytical Evaluation of a Single-Vial Stool Collection Device with Formalin-Free Fixative for Improved Processing and Comprehensive Detection of Gastrointestinal Parasites
Authors: Couturier Brianne A. , Jensen Ryan , Arias Nora , Heffron Michael , Gubler Elyse , Case Kristin , Gowans Jason , Couturier Marc Roger
Published: May 2015

Microscopic examination of feces is a standard laboratory method for diagnosing gastrointestinal parasite infections. In North America, the ovum and parasite (O&P) examination is typically performed using stool that is chemically fixed in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and formalin, after which the stool is concentrated by filtration to enhance sensitivity. Mini Parasep solvent-free (SF) tubes allow collection and concentration within a single collection vial. The goal of the study was to determine whether consolidated processing and concentration with the Parasep tubes using an alcohol-based fixative (Alcorfix) provide O&P examinations equivalent to or better than those done by processing of PVA-formalin-fixed stool using a SpinCon concentration device. Parasep tubes revealed filtration performance equivalent to that of the SpinCon concentration device using PVA-formalin-fixed stool containing protozoa. Specimens cocollected in Parasep tubes containing PVA-formalin and Alcorfix revealed comparable morphology and staining for various protozoa. Alcorfix effectively fixed live
Cryptosporidium
and microsporidia such that morphology and staining were conserved for modified acid-fast and modified trichrome stains. A work flow analysis revealed significant time savings for batches of 10 or 30 O&P specimens in tubes with Alcorfix compared to the amount of time that it took to analyze the same number of specimens in tubes with PVA-formalin. The direct hands-on time savings with Mini Parasep tubes were 17 min and 41 s and 32 min and 1 s for batches of 10 and 30 specimens, respectively. Parasep tubes containing Alcorfix provide significant work flow advantages to laboratories that process medium to high volumes of O&P specimens by streamlining processing and converting to a single tube. These improvements in work flow, reduction of the amount of formalin used in the laboratory, and equivalent microscopy results are attractive advancements in O&P testing for North American diagnostic parasitology laboratories.
Application of Multiplex PCR Coupled with Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization–Time of Flight Analysis for Simultaneous Detection of 21 Common Respiratory Viruses
Authors: Zhang Chi , Xiao Yan , Du Jiang , Ren Lili , Wang Jianwei , Peng Junping , Jin Qi
Published: May 2015

Respiratory infections continue to pose a significant threat to human health. It is important to accurately and rapidly detect respiratory viruses. To compensate for the limits of current respiratory virus detection methods, we developed a 24-plex analysis (common respiratory virus-mass spectrometry [CRV-MS]) that can simultaneously detect and identify 21 common respiratory viruses based on a matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry system. To evaluate the efficacy of the CRV-MS method, we used 102 samples that were confirmed positive for these common respiratory viruses. All tests using the CRV-MS method were effective, with no cross-reactivity observed with other common respiratory viruses. To confirm the usefulness of the CRV-MS method, we screened 336 nasal and throat swabs that were collected from adults or children with suspected viral acute respiratory tract infections using the CRV-MS method and consensus PCR/reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) methods. Excluding four RNase P-negative samples, the CRV-MS and consensus PCR/RT-PCR methods detected respiratory viruses in 92.5% (307/332) and 89.5% (297/332) of the samples, respectively. The two methods yielded identical results for 306 (92.2%) samples, including negative results for 25 samples (7.5%) and positive results for 281 samples (84.6%). Differences between the two methods may reflect their different sensitivities. The CRV-MS method proved to be sensitive and robust, and it can be used in large-scale epidemiological studies of common respiratory virus infections.
Rapid Detection of KPC, NDM, and OXA-48-Like Carbapenemases by Real-Time PCR from Rectal Swab Surveillance Samples
Authors: Lee Tracy D. , Adie Kathleen , McNabb Alan , Purych Dale , Mannan Kulvinder , Azana Robert , Ng Corrinne , Tang Patrick , Hoang Linda M. N.
Published: May 2015

We describe a multiplex real-time PCR assay for use on the ABI 7500 Fast TaqMan platform to detect all currently described
Klebsiella pneumoniae
carbapenemases (KPC), New Delhi metallo-β-lactamases (NDM), and the OXA-48-like family of carbapenemases from bacterial culture lysates or sample enrichment broth lysates.
Protective Efficacy of Recombinant Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara Delivering Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Spike Glycoprotein
Authors: Volz Asisa , Kupke Alexandra , Song Fei , Jany Sylvia , Fux Robert , Shams-Eldin Hosam , Schmidt Jörg , Becker Christin , Eickmann Markus , Becker Stephan , Sutter Gerd
Published: May 2015

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) causes severe respiratory disease in humans. We tested a recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) vaccine expressing full-length MERS-CoV spike (S) glycoprotein by immunizing BALB/c mice with either intramuscular or subcutaneous regimens. In all cases, MVA-MERS-S induced MERS-CoV-specific CD8
+
T cells and virus-neutralizing antibodies. Vaccinated mice were protected against MERS-CoV challenge infection after transduction with the human dipeptidyl peptidase 4 receptor. This MERS-CoV infection model demonstrates the safety and efficacy of the candidate vaccine.
Local Virus Extinctions following a Host Population Bottleneck
Authors: Kapusinszky Beatrix , Mulvaney Usha , Jasinska Anna J. , Deng Xutao , Freimer Nelson , Delwart Eric
Published: May 2015

A small number of African green monkeys (AGMs) were introduced into the Caribbean from West Africa in the 1600s. To determine the impact of this population bottleneck on the AGM virome, we used metagenomics to compare the viral nucleic acids in the plasma of 43 wild AGMs from West Africa (Gambia) to those in 44 AGMs from the Caribbean (St. Kitts and Nevis). Three viruses were detected in the blood of Gambian primates: simian immunodeficiency virus (SIVagm; in 42% of animals), a novel simian pegivirus (SPgVagm; in 7% of animals), and numerous novel simian anelloviruses (in 100% of animals). Only anelloviruses were detected in the Caribbean AGMs with a prevalence and levels of viral genetic diversity similar to those in the Gambian animals. A host population bottleneck therefore resulted in the exclusion of adult-acquired SIV and pegivirus from the Caribbean AGMs. The successful importation of AGM anelloviruses into the Caribbean may be the result of their early transmission to infants, very high prevalence in African AGMs, and frequent coinfections with as many as 11 distinct variants.

IMPORTANCE
The extent to which viruses can persist in small isolated populations depends on multiple host, viral, and environmental factors. The absence of prior infections may put an immunologically naive population at risk for disease outbreaks. Isolated populations originating from a small number of founder individuals are therefore considered at increased risk following contact with populations with a greater variety of viruses. Here, we compared the plasma virome of West African green monkeys to that in their descendants after importation of a small number of animals to the Caribbean. A lentivirus and a pegivirus were found in the West African population but not in the Caribbean population. Highly diverse anelloviruses were found in both populations. A small founder population, limited to infants and young juvenile monkeys, may have eliminated the sexually transmitted viruses from the Caribbean AGMs, while anelloviruses, acquired at an earlier age, persisted through the host population bottleneck.
The V1V2 Region of HIV-1 gp120 Forms a Five-Stranded Beta Barrel
Authors: Pan Ruimin , Gorny Miroslaw K. , Zolla-Pazner Susan , Kong Xiang-Peng
Published: May 2015

The region consisting of the first and second variable regions (V1V2) of gp120 plays vital roles in the functioning of the HIV-1 envelope (Env). V1V2, which harbors multiple glycans and is highly sequence diverse, is located at the Env apex and stabilizes the trimeric gp120 spike on the virion surface. It shields V3 and the coreceptor binding sites in the prefusion state and exposes them upon CD4 binding. Data from the RV144 human HIV-1 vaccine trial suggested that antibody responses targeting the V1V2 region inversely correlated with the risk of infection; thus, understanding the antigenic structure of V1V2 can contribute to vaccine design. We have determined a crystal structure of a V1V2 scaffold molecule (V1V2
ZM109
-1FD6) in complex with 830A, a human monoclonal antibody that recognizes a V1V2 epitope overlapping the integrin-binding motif in V2. The structure revealed that V1V2 assumes a five-stranded beta barrel structure with the region of the integrin-binding site (amino acids [aa] 179 to 181) included in a “kink” followed by an extra beta strand. The complete barrel structure naturally presents the glycans on its outer surface and packs into its core conserved hydrophobic residues, including the Ile at position 181 which was highly correlated with vaccine efficacy in RV144. The epitope of monoclonal antibody 830A is discontinuous and composed of three segments: (i) Thr
175
, Tyr
177
, Leu
179
, and Asp
180
at the kink overlapping the integrin-binding site; (ii) Arg
153
and Val
154
in V1; and (iii) Ile
194
at the C terminus of V2. This report thus provides the atomic details of the immunogenic “V2i epitope.”

IMPORTANCE
Data from the RV144 phase III clinical trial suggested that the presence of antibodies to the first and second variable regions (V1V2) of gp120 was associated with the modest protection afforded by the vaccine. V1V2 is a highly variable and immunogenic region of HIV-1 surface glycoprotein gp120, and structural information about this region and its antigenic landscape will be crucial in the design of an effective HIV-1 vaccine. We have determined a crystal structure of V1V2 in complex with human MAb 830A and have shown that MAb 830A recognizes a region overlapping the α4β7 integrin-binding site. We also showed that V1V2 forms a 5-stranded beta barrel, an elegant structure allowing sequence variations in the strand-connecting loops while preserving a conserved core.
Immunization with Immune Complexes Modulates the Fine Specificity of Antibody Responses to a Flavivirus Antigen
Authors: Tsouchnikas Georgios , Zlatkovic Juergen , Jarmer Johanna , Strauß Judith , Vratskikh Oksana , Kundi Michael , Stiasny Karin , Heinz Franz X.
Published: May 2015

The antibody response to proteins may be modulated by the presence of preexisting antigen-specific antibodies and the formation of immune complexes (ICs). Effects such as a general increase or decrease of the response as well as epitope-specific phenomena have been described. In this study, we investigated influences of IC immunization on the fine specificity of antibody responses in a structurally well-defined system, using the envelope (E) protein of tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) virus as an immunogen. TBE virus occurs in Europe and Asia and—together with the yellow fever, dengue, West Nile, and Japanese encephalitis viruses—represents one of the major human-pathogenic flaviviruses. Mice were immunized with a dimeric soluble form of E (sE) alone or in complex with monoclonal antibodies specific for each of the three domains of E, and the antibody response induced by these ICs was compared to that seen after immunization with sE alone. Immunoassays using recombinant domains and domain combinations of TBE virus sE as well as the distantly related West Nile virus sE allowed the dissection and quantification of antibody subsets present in postimmunization sera, thus generating fine-specificity patterns of the polyclonal responses. There were substantially different responses with two of the ICs, and the differences could be mechanistically related to (i) epitope shielding and (ii) antibody-mediated structural changes leading to dissociation of the sE dimer. The phenomena described may also be relevant for polyclonal responses upon secondary infections and/or booster immunizations and may affect antibody responses in an individual-specific way.

IMPORTANCEInfections with flaviviruses such as yellow fever, dengue, Japanese encephalitis, West Nile, and tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) viruses pose substantial public health problems in different parts of the world. Antibodies to viral envelope protein E induced by natural infection or vaccination were shown to confer protection from disease. Such antibodies can target different epitopes in E protein, and the fine specificities of polyclonal responses can differ between individuals. We conducted a mouse immunization study with TBE E protein alone or complexed to monoclonal antibodies specific for each of the three protein domains. We demonstrated that phenomena such as epitope shielding and antibody-induced structural changes can profoundly influence the fine specificity of antibody responses to the same immunogen. The study thus provided important new information on the potential immunomodulatory role of preexisting antibodies in a flavivirus system that can be relevant for understanding individual-specific factors influencing antibody responses in sequential flavivirus infections and/or immunizations.
Antigenic and molecular characterisation of Border disease virus associated with high mortality in lambs in Spain
Authors: Vega S. , Rosell R. , Orden J. A. , Pérez T. , Marín C. , González S. , Marco I. , Cabezón O. , de la Fuente R.
Published: May 2015

Introduction

Border disease virus (BDV) causes congenital disorders in sheep and results in severe, but underestimated, economic losses worldwide. However, information about BDV strains affecting several ruminants worldwide is scarce. Therefore, antigenic and genetic classification of isolates from different geographical regions is important to enhance the knowledge of the epidemiology of BDV.

Materials and methods

Five pestiviruses isolated from lambs in an epidemic outbreak with an unusually high mortality in Spain in 1997 were characterised antigenically with a panel of monoclonal antibodies and genetically by sequencing within the 50 untranslated (50UTR) region of the genome.

Results

All the isolates were classified as BDV and showed a high homology with the Aveyron strain (Av), which was associated with an epidemic reported in sheep from the Aveyron region of France in 1984.

Conclusions

Classification of the isolates from this study provides valuable information on the molecular epidemiology of BDV.
Hierarchical analysis of black spruce and balsam fir wood density in Newfoundland
Authors: Groot Arthur , Luther Joan E.
Published: May 2015

We used a hierarchical approach to examine patterns of black spruce and balsam fir wood density across Newfoundland. Wood density measurements were aggregated at ring, tree, and plot levels. Portions of the variance in wood density at the different levels were explained by predictor variables at multiple levels of a forest structural hierarchy (ring-, tree-, and plot-level variables). Hierarchical fixed effects models accounted for 39%, 61%, and 86% of the variance in wood density of black spruce at ring, tree, and plot levels, respectively, with RMSE values of 62.7, 34.6, and 19.4 kg·m−3. Corresponding models accounted for 31%, 38%, and 63% of the variance in wood density of balsam fir, with RMSE values of 62.4, 35, and 16.7 kg·m−3. The hierarchical analysis demonstrated consistent negative associations of wood density to radial growth rate at ring, tree, and plot levels of aggregation. Variables that act as surrogates for radial growth are thus important for understanding patterns of wood density at higher scales and for the practical application of mapping wood density across landscapes.
On the Bhabha scattering for z = 2 Lifshitz QED
Authors: Bufalo R.
Published: May 2015

In this paper, we compute and discuss the differential cross-section of the Bhabha scattering in the framework of the z = 2 Lifshitz quantum electrodynamics (QED). We start by constructing the classical solutions for the fermionic fields, in particular the completeness relations, and also derive the theory's propagators. Afterwards, we compute the photon exchange and pair annihilation contributions for the Bhabha's process, and upon achieving the results we establish the magnitude of the theory's free parameter by looking for small deviations of the QED tree results.
Demystifying the Dynamic of Disruptive Innovations in Markets with Complex Adoption Networks: From Encroachment to Disruption
Authors: Hajhashem Mohammad , Khorasani Amir
Published: May 2015

Since it was coined by Christensen [The Innovator's Dilemma: When New Technology Cause Great Firms to Fail. Harward Business, Boston, MA], disruptive innovation (DI) has been discussed by many scholars. Although it is not a crude concept anymore, many contrary criticisms and notions around this topic may necessitate further studies about the dynamics of DI diffusion. Furthermore, since the creation of DI is the matter of diffusion rather than the emergence of innovation, this research tends to concentrate on the process of innovation diffusion within a complex network of adopters such as in the medical markets. To aid in understanding the dynamics of DI diffusion from market encroachment phase to post-disruption era, this paper conducts a longitudinal case study of Iranian medical devices markets between 2000 and 2010. Medical markets are the subject of more investigation due to the complexity of adopters' network. This complexity arises since customers and consumers are not the same in this market and the role of key decision-makers are interchangeable in different segments to adopt new medical innovations. Therefore, 30 in-depth elite interviews have been conducted with the key decision-makers to launch new innovations in the four main incumbents of Iranian medical devices market during the mentioned time span. These include Cordis, Abbott Laboratories, Medtronic, and Boston Scientific. The findings suggest that DI diffusion acceleration would not guarantee an efficient market disruption. They also state the importance of information management during and after the encroachment phase to increase the knowledge of new innovation throughout the mainstream market. Finally, attack of the followers during the encroachment phase and their reinforcing effects on the position of the market leader is discussed. The main contribution of this paper is its attempt in demystifying the dynamics of DI diffusion in markets with a complex network of adopters such as the medical devices markets. In fact this paper would elucidate the main mechanisms which contribute to a potential DI to pass the encroachment phase and disrupt the mainstream market substantially. This paper is inclined to persuade further studies on DI diffusion through complex networks of adopters and spur debates by other scholars.
Conditions for mafic magma storage beneath fissure zones at oceanic islands. The case of São Miguel Island (Azores archipelago)
Authors: Zanon Vittorio
Published: May 2015

Ponding conditions of basalts erupted from fissure zones at São Miguel Island (Azores) were investigated through microthermometry of fluid inclusions, hosted in olivines and clinopyroxenes, and whole-rock and mineral chemistry. The Região dos Picos and Achada das Furnas fissure zones formed between central volcanoes and erupted geochemically similar magmas for the last 30 kyr. Hydrocarbonic fluid inclusions that survived to diffusion and re-equilibration recorded a maximum density value of 1000 kg m
−3
(29.3 km) at both fissure zones, at the intersection with the feeding systems of older central volcanoes. The maximum density decreases to 875 kg m
−3
(23.5 km) towards the central segment of Região dos Picos. Further trapping of low-density fluids is occasional and limited to a few samples. While the deepest event is interpreted to mark the vertical variation of the Moho at each location, all other events are only representative of short-time ponding with fluid re-equilibration. The deepening of the Moho towards the central volcanoes might be the effect of long-lasting underplating. However, the periodic stretching of the lithosphere, in response to the differential stress field acting at central volcanoes, would have been responsible for the thinning of the crust at the central segment of the fissure zone.

Supplementary material:

Whole-rock geochemistry with international standard used, and representative analyses of selected mineral phases from the two segments of the Região dos Picos fissure zone is available at
www.geolsoc.org.uk/SUP18818
Aquaporins-2 and -4 regulate glycogen metabolism and survival during hyposmotic-anoxic stress in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: LaMacchia John C. , Roth Mark B.
Published: May 2015

Periods of oxygen deprivation can lead to ion and water imbalances in affected tissues that manifest as swelling (edema). Although oxygen deprivation-induced edema is a major contributor to injury in clinical ischemic diseases such as heart attack and stroke, the pathophysiology of this process is incompletely understood. In the present study we investigate the impact of aquaporin-mediated water transport on survival in a Caenorhabditis elegans model of edema formation during complete oxygen deprivation (anoxia). We find that nematodes lacking aquaporin water channels in tissues that interface with the surrounding environment display decreased edema formation and improved survival rates in anoxia. We also find that these animals have significantly reduced demand for glycogen as an energetic substrate during anoxia. Together, our data suggest that reductions in membrane water permeability may be sufficient to induce a hypometabolic state during oxygen deprivation that reduces injury and extends survival limits.
Antialbuminuric actions of calcilytics in the remnant kidney
Authors: Takenaka Tsuneo , Inoue Tsutomu , Miyazaki Takashi , Nishiyama Akira , Ishii Naohito , Hayashi Matsuhiko , Suzuki Hiromichi
Published: May 2015

Hyperphosphatemia accelerates the progression of chronic kidney diseases. In the present study, the effects of ronacaleret, a calcilytic agent, on renal injury were assessed in the following four groups of rats: 5/6-nephrectomized Wistar rats as a control (C group), rats treated with ronacaleret (3 mg·kg−1·day−1; R group), rats treated with calcitriol (30 ng·kg−1·day−1; V group), and rats treated with both ronacaleret and calcitriol (R + V group). Three months later, rats were euthanized under anesthesia, and the remnant kidneys were harvested for analysis. Albuminuria was lower in the R and V groups than in the C group ( P < 0.05). Creatinine clearance was elevated in the R and V groups compared with the C group ( P < 0.05). Serum Ca2+ and renal ANG II were higher in the R + V group than in the C group ( P < 0.05 for each), and serum phosphate was reduced in the R group compared with the C group ( P < 0.05). Fibroblast growth factor-23 was lower in the R group and higher in the V and R + V groups than in the C group. However, parathyroid hormone did not differ significantly among the four groups. Renal klotho expression was elevated in the R and V groups compared with the C group ( P < 0.05). The present data indicate that ronacaleret preserves klotho expression and renal function with reductions in serum phosphate and albuminuria in 5/6-nephrectomized rats. Our findings demonstrate that vitamin D prevents declines in klotho expression and renal function, suppressing albuminuria.