bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mitral Regurgitation Severity and Left Ventricular Systolic Dimension Predict Survival in Young Cavalier King Charles Spaniels
Authors: Reimann M.J. , Møller J.E. , Häggström J. , Martinussen T. , Zatrazemi S.S.C. , Svanholm L. , Nielsen L.B.M. , Pedersen H.D. , Olsen L.H.
Published: June 2017

Background

Development and progression of myxomatous mitral valve disease (MMVD) in dogs are difficult to predict. Identification at a young age of dogs at high risk of adverse outcome in the future is desirable.

Hypothesis/Objectives

To study the predictive value of selected clinical and echocardiographic characteristics associated withMMVDobtained at a young age for prediction of long‐term cardiac and all‐cause mortality in Cavalier King Charles Spaniels (CKCS).

Animals

1125 privately ownedCKCS.

Methods

A retrospective study includingCKCSexamined at the age of 1–3 years. Long‐term outcome was assessed by telephone interview with owners. The value of variables for predicting mortality was investigated by Cox proportional hazard and Kaplan‐Meier analyses.

Results

Presence of moderate to severe mitral regurgitation (MR) (hazard ratio (HR) = 3.03, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) = 1.48–6.23,P= 0.0025) even intermittent moderate to severeMR(HR= 2.23, 95%CI= 1.48–6.23,P= 0.039) on color flow Doppler echocardiography was significantly associated with increased hazard of cardiac death. An interaction betweenMRand sex was significant for all‐cause mortality (P= 0.035), showing that males with moderate to severeMRhad a higher all‐cause mortality compared to males with noMR(HR= 2.38, 95%CI= 1.27–4.49,P= 0.0071), whereas no difference was found between femaleMRgroups. The risk of cardiac (HR= 1.37, 95%CI= 1.14–1.63,P< 0.001) and all‐cause (HR= 1.13, 95%CI= 1.02–1.24,P= 0.016) mortality increased with increasing left ventricular end‐systolic internal dimension normalized for body weight (LVIDSN).

Conclusions and clinical importance

Moderate to severeMR, even if intermittent, and increasedLVIDSNin dogs <3 years of age were associated with cardiac death later in life inCKCS.
Effect of Preoperative Low Maximal Flow Rate on Postoperative Voiding Trials after the Midurethral Sling Procedure in Women with Stress Urinary Incontinence
Authors: CHAE Ji Y. , BAE Jae H. , LEE Jeong G. , PARK Hong S. , MOON Du G. , OH Mi M.
Published: June 2017

Objectives

To evaluate the effects of preoperative low maximal flow rate (Qmax) on voiding trials after the midurethral sling (MUS) procedure in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI).

Methods

One hundred and sixty‐eight women who underwent MUS procedure were enrolled. Preoperative free uroflowmetry was performed and patients were divided by Qmax. Low Qmax was defined as a Qmax under 15 mL/sec with voided volume at least 150 mL. Surgical results, failure of voiding trial, and postoperative uroflowmetry parameters were compared between the groups. Failure of voiding trial was defined by a PVR more than 100 mL on postoperative uroflowmetry.

Results

At the discharge day, there were 42 cases showing failure of voiding trial and 33 cases requiring CIC, but only one patient showed failure of voiding trial at 12 months postoperatively. Overall, 48 patients had preoperative low Qmax. Low Qmax group showed lower Qmax in all of postoperative uroflowmetry, but there were no significant differences in the rate of postoperative voiding trial failure or CIC. The low Qmax group was then divided into two groups according to the preoperative detrusor pressure at Qmax over and under 20 cmH2O in pressure flow study. Comparing the two groups, no significant differences were observed in the cure rate, voiding trial failure or CIC.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that women with preoperative low Qmax experienced no definite unfavorable voiding problem from the MUS procedure compared to those with normal voiding function. MUS procedure may be regarded as a safe and successful procedure in SUI women with low Qmax.
Does Perceptual Consciousness Overflow Cognitive Access? The Challenge from Probabilistic, Hierarchical Processes
Authors: Gross Steven , Flombaum Jonathan
Published: June 2017

Does perceptual consciousness require cognitive access? Ned Block argues that it does not. Central to his case are visual memory experiments that employ post‐stimulus cueing—in particular, Sperling's classic partial report studies, change‐detection work by Lamme and colleagues, and a recent paper by Bronfman and colleagues that exploits our perception of ‘gist’ properties. We argue contra Block that these experiments do not support his claim. Our reinterpretations differ from previous critics' in challenging as well a longstanding and common view of visual memory as involving declining capacity across a series of stores. We conclude by discussing the relation of probabilistic perceptual representations and phenomenal consciousness.
Morality Without Mindreading
Authors: Monsó Susana
Published: June 2017

Can animals behave morally if they can't mindread? Does morality require mindreading capacities? Moral psychologists believe that mindreading is contingently involved in moral judgements. Moral philosophers argue that moral behaviour necessarily requires the possession of mindreading capacities. In this paper, I argue that while the former may be right, the latter are mistaken. Using the example of empathy, I show that animals with no mindreading capacities could behave on the basis of emotions that possess an identifiable moral content. Therefore, at least one type of moral motivation does not require mindreading. This means that, a priori, non‐mindreading animals can be moral.
Fecal cortisol radioimmunoassay to monitor adrenal gland activity in the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) under human care
Authors: Biancani Barbara , Dalt Laura Da , Gallina Guglielmo , Capolongo Francesca , Gabai Gianfranco
Published: June 2017

Fecal glucocorticoid measurement is an important noninvasive tool to monitor animal health. A radioimmunoassay (RIA) method was developed to measure fecal cortisol in bottlenose dolphins under human care. The method was used to measure baseline hormone levels and evaluate the adrenal response to environmental challenges in a small number of individual dolphins. The method was validated by precision and accuracy tests and by comparison with liquid chromatography‐mass spectrometry (LC‐MS). The parallelism test suggested few matrix interferences. The assay showed a good degree of precision within assay (CV = 5.4%) and between assays (CV = 4.1%). The RIA significantly correlated with the LC‐MS method (r = 0.838, P < 0.01). The recovery test and the comparison between RIA and LC‐MS suggested that the RIA slightly underestimates fecal cortisol concentrations, although the degree of accuracy was good. This study established that bottlenose dolphins excrete appreciable amounts of fecal cortisol (healthy subjects: 0.2–9.5 ng/g). Therefore, chronic HPA axis activation may be monitored in fecal samples by immunoassays after validating a suitable extraction protocol. The RIA could discriminate conditions of stimulation (pregnancy, parturition, isolation, transportation) and inhibition (diazepam administration) of the HPA axis and may, therefore, be useful for monitoring dolphin well‐being.
Adjusting the scent ratio: using genetically modified Vitis vinifera plants to manipulate European grapevine moth behaviour
Authors: Salvagnin Umberto , Malnoy Mickael , Thöming Gunda , Tasin Marco , Carlin Silvia , Martens Stefan , Vrhovsek Urska , Angeli Sergio , Anfora Gianfranco
Published: June 2017

Herbivorous insects use olfactory cues to locate their host plant within a complex olfactory landscape. One such example is the European grapevine moth Lobesia botrana, a key pest of the grape in the Palearctic region, which recently expanded both its geographical and host plant range. Previous studies have showed that a synthetic blend of the three terpenoids, (E)‐β‐caryophyllene, (E)‐β‐farnesene and (E)‐4,8‐dimethyl‐1,3,7‐nonatriene (DMNT), was as attractive for the moth as the complete grape odour profile in laboratory conditions. The same studies also showed that the specific ratio of these compounds in the grape bouquet was crucial because a percentage variation in any of the three volatiles resulted in almost complete inhibition of the blend's attractiveness. Here, we report on the creation of stable grapevine transgenic lines, with modified (E)‐β‐caryophyllene and (E)‐β‐farnesene emission and thus with an altered ratio compared to the original plants. When headspace collections from these plants were tested in wind tunnel behavioural assays, they were less attractive than control extracts. This result was confirmed by testing synthetic blends imitating the ratio found on natural and transformed plants, as well as by testing the plants themselves. With this evidence, we suggest that a strategy based on volatile ratio modification may also interfere with the host‐finding behaviour of L. botrana in the field, creating avenues for new pest control methods.
Reduction of indole‐3‐acetic acid methyltransferase activity compensates for high‐temperature male sterility in Arabidopsis
Authors: Abbas Mohamad , Hernández‐García Jorge , Blanco‐Touriñán Noel , Aliaga Norma , Minguet Eugenio G. , Alabadí David , Blázquez Miguel A.
Published: June 2017

High temperature is a general stress factor that causes a decrease in crop yield. It has been shown that auxin application reduces the male sterility caused by exposure to higher temperatures. However, widespread application of a hormone with vast effects on plant physiology may be discouraged in many cases. Therefore, the generation of new plant varieties that locally enhance auxin in reproductive organs may represent an alternative strategy. We have explored the possibility of increasing indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA) in ovaries by reducing IAA methyltransferase1 (IAMT1) activity in Arabidopsis thaliana. The iamt1 mutant showed increased auxin signalling in funiculi, which correlated with a higher growth rate of wild‐type pollen in contact with mutant ovaries and premature ovule fertilization. While the production of seeds per fruit was similar in the wild type and the mutant at 20 °C, exposure to 29 °C caused a more severe decrease in fertility in the wild type than in the mutant. Loss of IAMT1 activity was also associated with the production of more nodes after flowering and higher tolerance of the shoot apical meristem to higher temperatures. As a consequence, the productivity of the iamt1 mutant under higher temperatures was more than double of that of the wild type, with almost no apparent trade‐off.
Still Life and the Vanity of Socialist Realism: Robert Fal'k's Potatoes, 1955
Authors: REID SUSAN E.
Published: June 2017

Still life occupied a position in the Socialist Realist canon so marginal that it could barely be called Socialist Realism at all. Although some artists attempted, in the Stalin era, to prove the genre's credentials at least as a component of Socialist Realist visual culture, a number of its genre characteristics rendered it ill‐suited and even antithetical to the mandatory tasks of “depicting reality in its revolutionary development” and demonstrating the role of the party‐state and its leaders in achieving the radiant future. The paper focuses on the work of Robert Fal'k (1886–1958), an artist multiply marginalized in the Soviet art establishment–both as a person and through his work in the lowly, liminal genre of still life–yet nevertheless central to the story of Soviet art. It examines, from different perspectives, the quiet challenge his work seemed to present both to the vainglory of Soviet power and the chiliasm of Socialist Realism. In his Potatoes (1955) the genre characteristics of still life which placed it in the basement of Soviet public culture are so hypertrophied as to become a kind of unspoken worm's eye critique of Socialist Realism and the faith in state‐led progress that it represented. It argues that, in the context of destalinization, when the modernist assertion of autonomy of art and artist presented a perceived challenge to party control over the arts, Fal'k's work alluded to the absence of the state and its powerlessness when faced with the ultimate projects of existence and of painting. Turning the tables on the Soviet state authorities that had marginalized it, his still life marginalized the state as irrelevant to art and life.
Investigating the exploitative and empowering potential of the prosumption phenomenon
Authors: Dusi Davide
Published: June 2017

This article underscores the increasing attention devoted to the concept of prosumption in the social sciences, outlines its historical evolution as a phenomenon, and highlights the emergence of a vivid debate about its beneficial or harmful consequences for individuals. It also unveils the importance of the settings in which prosumptive practices are investigated in contributing to the understanding of prosumption as an exploitative or empowering phenomenon. Drawing on the ever‐expanding literature on the topic, 5 main types of prosumption (infra) are presented and their linkage with pessimistic and optimistic analytical and rhetorical strategies underlined.
“Empathize with me, Doctor!” Medical Undergraduates Training Project: Development, Application, Six-months Follow-up
Authors: Kiosses Vasileios N , Tatsioni Athina , Dimoliatis Ioannis DK , Hyphantis Thomas
Published: June 2017

The aim of the study was to assess the effectiveness of specially designed, empathy training for medical undergraduates, based on the principles of Person-Centered Approach.Within the context of the humanistic person-centered patient care, the experiential, 60-hour “Empathize with me, Doctor!” training program contains theory, personal development and skills development. Role plays, experiential exercises, self-awareness exercises, active listening practice and conduction of a person-centered interview constituted the training.Forty-two medical undergraduates (66% females; 29% fourth year of study, 40% fifth, 31% sixth) from the University of Ioannina in Greece applied and all of them completed the empathy training. Forty-five medical students comprised a similar according to age and year of studies control group.The Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy (JSPE) was used to assess the empathic performance, and Cohen’s d to assess the practical importance of any statistical difference.The JSPE mean score (and standard deviation) before, after and six months follow-up was 109.3(12.7), 121.1(9.0), 121.1(9.5), respectively. The before–after and before–follow-up difference was highly significant (CI95%, p<0.001 in both cases), and of great practical importance (d=1.072, d=1.052, respectively), while no decrease was observed six-months later (CI 95%, p=0.999, d<0.001). Control group reached a JSPE 108.7(10.5), similar to intervention group before training (CI95%, p=0.832), and highly different and important compared to after (CI 95%p<0.001; d=1.268) and follow-up (CI 95%, p<0.001; d=1.238) intervention scores.The “Empathize with me, Doctor!” improved significantly and importantly medical undergraduates’ empathic performance, which was maintained intact for at least six months.
VEGF‐A165b protects against proteinuria in a mouse model with progressive depletion of all endogenous VEGF‐A splice isoforms from the kidney
Authors: Stevens Megan , Neal Christopher R. , Salmon Andrew H. J. , Bates David O. , Harper Steven J. , Oltean Sebastian
Published: June 2017

Key points

Progressive depletion of all vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF‐A) splice isoforms from the kidney results in proteinuria and increased glomerular water permeability, which are both rescued by over‐expression of VEGF‐A165b only.

VEGF‐A165b rescues the increase in glomerular basement membrane and podocyte slit width, as well as the decrease in sub‐podocyte space coverage, produced by VEGF‐A depletion.

VEGF‐A165b restores the expression of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule in glomerular endothelial cells and glomerular capillary circumference.

VEGF‐A165b has opposite effects to VEGF‐A165 on the expression of genes involved in endothelial cell migration and proliferation.

Chronic kidney disease is strongly associated with a decrease in the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF‐A). However, little is known about the contribution of VEGF‐A splice isoforms to kidney physiology and pathology. Previous studies suggest that the splice isoform VEGF‐A165b (resulting from alternative usage of a 3′ splice site in the terminal exon) is protective for kidney function. In the present study, we show, in a quad‐transgenic model, that over‐expression of VEGF‐A165b alone is sufficient to rescue the increase in proteinuria, as well as glomerular water permeability, in the context of progressive depletion of all VEGF‐A isoforms from the podocytes. Ultrastructural studies show that the glomerular basement membrane is thickened, podocyte slit width is increased and sub‐podocyte space coverage is reduced when VEGF‐A is depleted, all of which are rescued in VEGF‐A165b over‐expressors. VEGF‐A165b restores the expression of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule‐1 in glomerular endothelial cells and glomerular capillary circumference. Mechanistically, it increases VEGF receptor 2 expression both in vivo and in vitro and down‐regulates genes involved in migration and proliferation of endothelial cells, otherwise up‐regulated by the canonical isoform VEGF‐A165. The results of the present study indicate that manipulation of VEGF‐A splice isoforms could be a novel therapeutic avenue in chronic glomerular disease.
Epitaxial multilayers of β-FeSi2 nanodots/Si for Si-based nanostructured electronic materials
Authors: Sakane Shunya , Isogawa Masayuki , Watanabe Kentaro , Kikkawa Jun , Takeuchi Shotaro , Sakai Akira , Nakamura Yoshiaki
Published: June 2017

Epitaxial growth method for multilayered structures of ultrasmall β-FeSi2 nanodots (NDs)/Si was developed as a Si-based material for thermoelectric or optical devices by applying our ultrathin SiO2 film technique. In this technique, strain-relaxed β-FeSi2 NDs were epitaxially grown with high density. For the formation of multilayered structures, Si growth on these β-FeSi2 NDs was carefully investigated. Si grew epitaxially on the NDs in three-dimension because of the lattice mismatch strain with the underlying NDs. As a result of three-dimensional Si growth, thicker Si (>20 monolayer) was needed to completely cover the NDs. The authors demonstrated that strain-relaxed β-FeSi2 NDs and the Si covering are two important factors for the formation of multilayered structures of β-FeSi2 NDs/Si.
Flexible InP based quantum dot light-emitting diodes using Ag nanowire-colorless polyimide composite electrode
Authors: Kim Jong-Woong , Kim Jiwan
Published: June 2017

A smooth, flexible, and transparent electrode was fabricated by embedding a percolated network of Ag nanowires (AgNWs) at a surface of colorless polyimide utilizing an inverted layer film-processing approach. The electrode with buried AgNWs showed excellent physical characteristics: a smooth surface roughness (less than 1 nm in root-mean-square roughness), high flexibility (resisted cyclic bend testing with a curvature radius of 500 μm for 1000 iterations), high transparency (higher than 84% at a wavelength of 550 nm), and good conductivity (12.38 Ω/sq for sheet resistance). One demerit that remained for this electrode was a limited surface coverage of conductive pathways for electric carrier transference, originated from the fully embedded structural configuration. Here, the authors could successfully deal with this issue by an Ar plasma treatment in order to partially excavate the embedded AgNWs without a significant increase in surface roughness. Green quantum-dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs) using InP based quantum dots were fabricated using these composites as a bottom electrode. Hole-injection was poor for an electrode without the plasma treatment since the AgNWs were fully buried beneath the composite's surface. As a result of the plasma treatment, however, the authors could obtain much improved electroluminescence properties of the flexible QLEDs due to the enlarged conductive pathways. The fabricated flexible devices showed durable performance even under a bending with a curvature radius of 5 mm.
Spectral equalization in binaural signals represented by order-truncated spherical harmonics
Authors: Ben-Hur Zamir , Brinkmann Fabian , Sheaffer Jonathan , Weinzierl Stefan , Rafaely Boaz
Published: June 2017

The synthesis of binaural signals from spherical microphone array recordings has been recently proposed. The limited spatial resolution of the reproduced signal due to order-limited reproduction has been previously investigated perceptually, showing spatial perception ramifications, such as poor source localization and limited externalization. Furthermore, this spatial order limitation also has a detrimental effect on the frequency content of the signal and its perceived timbre, due to the rapid roll-off at high frequencies. In this paper, the underlying causes of this spectral roll-off are described mathematically and investigated numerically. A digital filter that equalizes the frequency spectrum of a low spatial order signal is introduced and evaluated. A comprehensive listening test was conducted to study the influence of the filter on the perception of the reproduced sound. Results indicate that the suggested filter is beneficial for restoring the timbral composition of order-truncated binaural signals, while conserving, and even improving, some spatial properties of the signal.
Genome Sequence of Roseovarius mucosus Strain SMR3, Isolated from a Culture of the Diatom
Skeletonema marinoi
Authors: Töpel Mats , Pinder Matthew I. M. , Johansson Oskar N. , Kourtchenko Olga , Godhe Anna , Clarke Adrian K.
Published: June 2017

We present the genome of
Roseovarius mucosus
strain SMR3, a marine bacterium isolated from the diatom
Skeletonema marinoi
strain RO5AC sampled from top layer sediments at 14 m depth. Its 4,381,426 bp genome consists of a circular chromosome and two circular plasmids and contains 4,178 coding sequences (CDSs).
Draft Genome Sequences of Thermophiles Isolated from Yates Shaft, a Deep-Subsurface Environment
Authors: Singh Nitin K. , Carlson Courtney , Sani Rajesh K. , Venkateswaran Kasthuri
Published: June 2017

The whole-genome sequences of seven thermophiles that could grow at >55°C, but not at 37°C, were generated. These thermophilic bacteria will play a useful role as model microorganisms, and analyzing their genomes will help to understand the observed production of novel bioactive compounds, including thermozymes and macromolecules.
Four Complete Paenibacillus larvae Genome Sequences
Authors: Dingman Douglas W.
Published: June 2017

Four complete genome sequences of genetically distinct
Paenibacillus larvae
strains have been determined. Pacific BioSciences single-molecule real-time (SMRT) sequencing technology was used as the sole method of sequence determination and assembly. The chromosomes exhibited a G+C content of 44.1 to 44.2% and a molecular size range of 4.29 to 4.67 Mbp.
Complete Genome Sequencing of
Streptomyces
sp. Strain MOE7, Which Produces an Extracellular Polysaccharide with Antioxidant and Antitumor Activities
Authors: Elnahas Marwa O. , De León Kara B. , Amin Magdy A. , Hussein Mohamed M. D. , Ali Amal E. , Wall Judy D.
Published: June 2017

Streptomyces
sp. strain MOE7 is a Gram-positive filamentous bacterium isolated from agricultural soil in Columbia, Missouri, USA. Strain MOE7 produces an extracellular polysaccharide with antioxidant and antitumor activities. Through PacBio RSII sequencing, the MOE7 genome was found to be a linear chromosome of 8,399,509 bp with 6,782 protein-coding sequences.
Draft Genome Sequence of
Streptomyces
sp. B9173, a Producer of Indole Diketopiperazine Maremycins
Authors: Luo Fang , Zou Yi , Huang Tingting , Lin Shuangjun
Published: June 2017

Streptomyces
sp. B9173 is a producer of maremycins, a group of naturally occurring 2,5-diketopiperazines. Here, we report the draft genome sequence of
Streptomyces
sp. B9173, which comprises ~8.77 Mb, with a G+C content of 71.8%.
Complete Genome Sequence of Escherichia coli Strain M8, Isolated from
ob/ob
Mice
Authors: Siddharth Jay , Membrez Mathieu , Chakrabarti Anirikh , Betrisey Bertrand , Chou Chieh Jason , Parkinson Scott James
Published: June 2017

Escherichia coli
is one of the common inhabitants of the mammalian gastrointestinal track. We isolated a strain from an
ob/ob
mouse and performed whole-genome sequencing, which yielded a chromosome of ~5.1 Mb and three plasmids of ~160 kb, ~6 kb, and ~4 kb.
Draft Genome Sequence of the Vancomycin-Resistant Clinical Isolate Staphylococcus aureus VRS3b
Authors: Panthee Suresh , Paudel Atmika , Hamamoto Hiroshi , Sekimizu Kazuhisa
Published: June 2017

We report here the draft genome sequence of the vancomycin-resistant strain
Staphylococcus aureus
VRS3b. The 2.8-Mb genome, assembled into 46 contigs, harbored 2,915 putative coding sequences. The G+C content of the genome was 32.7%.
Draft Genome Sequence of a Porcine Commensal, Rothia nasimurium, Encoding a Nonribosomal Peptide Synthetase Predicted To Produce the Ionophore Antibiotic Valinomycin
Authors: Gaiser Rogier A. , Medema Marnix H. , Kleerebezem Michiel , van Baarlen Peter , Wells Jerry M.
Published: June 2017

We report the draft whole-genome sequence of
Rothia nasimurium
isolated from a porcine tonsil. The genome encodes a nonribosomal peptide synthetase predicted to produce valinomycin, a cyclic dodecadepsipeptide ionophore. Previously, valinomycin was known to be produced only by
Streptomyces
species and isolates belonging to the
Bacillus pumilus
group.
Complete Genome Sequences of Four Avian Paramyxoviruses of Serotype 10 Isolated from Rockhopper Penguins on the Falkland Islands
Authors: Goraichuk Iryna V. , Dimitrov Kiril M. , Sharma Poonam , Miller Patti J. , Swayne David E. , Suarez David L. , Afonso Claudio L.
Published: June 2017

The first complete genome sequences of four avian paramyxovirus serotype 10 (APMV-10) isolates are described here. The viruses were isolated from rockhopper penguins on the Falkland Islands, sampled in 2007. All four genomes are 15,456 nucleotides in length, and phylogenetic analyses show them to be closely related.
Increase body weight to treat superior mesenteric artery syndrome
Authors: Albano Miguel Nico , Costa Almeida Carlos , Louro João Mendes , Martinez Guillermo
Published: June 2017

Introduction

Superior mesenteric artery (SMA) syndrome is a rare cause of duodenal obstruction resulting from vascular compression of the third part of the duodenum in the angle between the abdominal aorta and SMA.

Case presentation

A 19-year-old woman with anorexia nervosa with upper gastrointestinal obstruction symptoms resorted to the emergency department. A diagnosis of SMA syndrome was made. Symptoms were solved with conservative treatment aimed at increase body weight.

Discussion

SMA syndrome is most commonly associated with debilitating illnesses. Patients present with acute or insidious upper gastrointestinal obstruction symptoms. Aortomesenteric artery angle of ≤25° is the most sensitive measure of diagnosis. Advances in both enteral and parenteral nutrition led to a shift towards conservative treatment.

Conclusions

Low threshold of suspicion is important to make a timely diagnosis and treatment. A conservative treatment aimed at increasing body weight is the first-line approach, leaving surgical intervention for failure cases.
Large bilateral seminal vesicle calculi presenting with spermolithiasis
Authors: Williams Sarah Anne , Christodoulidou Michelle , Nigam Raj
Published: June 2017

A 34-year-old male presented with an 8-month history of passing increasingly painful ‘grit’ in his ejaculate. Semen analysis was normal as were urinary and blood tests. T1-weighted MRI revealed several bilateral high-signal areas measuring up to 1 cm in diameter, located in the seminal vesicles. These were confirmed as calculi on T2-weighted imaging and a seminal vesiculogram, with no drainage from the left ejaculatory duct and only minimal from the right duct. He is currently awaiting a robot-assisted laparoscopic vesiculotomy after completion of family.
Peptoniphilus asaccharolyticus-associated septic arthritis and osteomyelitis in a woman with osteoarthritis and diabetes mellitus
Authors: Verma Rajanshu , Morrad Shogofa , Wirtz Jason J
Published: June 2017

Peptoniphilus asaccharolyticus, a Gram-positive obligatory anaerobic coccus, is a commensal of the human vagina and gut and can be an opportunistic pathogen in immunocompromised patients. It is usually part of polymicrobial anaerobic infections such as skin and soft tissue infections in diabetics, bone and joint infections and surgical site infections; however, infections caused byP. asaccharolyticusin pure culture have been reported as well. Herein, we describe a case of septic arthritis and osteomyelitis caused byP. asaccharolyticusin a woman with osteoarthritis and diabetes mellitus.
Transanal removal of a broken drinking glass self-inserted and retained in the rectum
Authors: Lazzari Veronica , Siboni Stefano , Asti Emanuele , Bonavina Luigi
Published: June 2017

Retained rectal foreign bodies are increasingly reported in current clinical practice, and there is no clear consensus in the literature as to whether transanal extraction should be performed in the emergency or in the operating room. A 47-year-old presented to the hospital for a retained drinking glass in the rectum that was broken after an attempt at self-extraction. Physical examination showed no evidence of abdominal guarding nor bleeding from the rectum; abdominal and pelvic X-rays confirmed the presence of a broken glass, 8×6 cm in size and no signs of perforation. Initial anoscopy performed in the emergency room confirmed the partial fracture of the glass. The patient was transferred to the operating room and transanal extraction was carried out under general anaesthesia without complications.
The effect of minimalist footwear and instruction on running: an observational study
Authors: Barcellona Massimo Giuseppe , Buckley Linda , Palmer Lisa J M , Ormond Roisin M , Owen Gwawr , Watson Daniel J , Woledge Roger , Newham Di
Published: June 2017

Background

It is not known whether the effects on altered running style which are attributed to minimalist footwear can be achieved by verbal instructions in standard running shoes (SRS).

Aim

To explore the effect of Vibram FiveFingers (VFF) versus SRS plus running instruction on lower extremity spatiotemporal parameters and lower limb joint kinematics.

Methods

35 healthy subjects (mean=30 years, 18 females) were assessed on two occasions with 3D motion analysis. At each session subjects ran on a treadmill (3.58 m/s) for 2 min in either VFF or SRS (randomised order); with and without running instruction. Differences between spatiotemporal parameters and lower limb joint kinematics between conditions were assessed using a 2x2 repeated-measures ANOVA.

Results

Wearing VFF significantly increased cadence (p<0.001) and reduced stride length (p<0.01). Prior to initial contact, both instruction and VFF significantly increased foot (p<0.001 and p=0.02, respectively) and ankle (p<0.001 and p=0.02, respectively) plantarflexion, while wearing VFF significantly increased knee extension (p=0.04). At initial contact, instruction significantly increased knee flexion (p=0.04), and foot (p=0.001) and ankle (p=0.03) plantarflexion. At mid-stance and toe-off, instruction significantly increased knee flexion (p=0.048 and p<0.001, respectively) and foot plantarflexion (p<0.001 and p=0.01, respectively). Instruction had a greater effect on increasing knee flexion (p=0.007) and plantarflexion angle (p<0.001) when subjects wore SRS and VFF, respectively.

Conclusion

Alterations in spatiotemporal parameters observed when running in VFF are likely to be attributable to the minimalist footwear. However, the kinematic adaptations observed following instruction suggests that changes in joint angles previously attributed to minimalist footwear alone may be similarly achieved with instruction.
Differential expression of alarmins—S100A9, IL-33, HMGB1 and HIF-1α in supraspinatus tendinopathy before and after treatment
Authors: Mosca Michael J , Carr Andrew J , Snelling Sarah J B , Wheway Kim , Watkins Bridget , Dakin Stephanie G
Published: June 2017

Background

Alarmins, endogenous molecules released on tissue damage have been shown to play an important role in inflammatory musculoskeletal conditions including fracture repair andrheumatoid arthritis. However, the contribution of alarmins to the pathogenesis of tendon disease is not fully understood.

Methods

We investigated expression of alarmin proteins (S100A9, high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and interleukin-33 (IL-33) and hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), a subunit of an oxygen sensitive transcription factor, in three cohorts of human supraspinatus tissues: healthy (n=6), painful diseased (n=13) and post-treatment pain-free tendon samples (n=5). Tissue samples were collected during shoulder stabilisation surgery (healthy) or by biopsy needle (diseased/treated). Immunohistochemistry was used to investigate the protein expression of these factors in these healthy, diseased and treated tendons. Kruskal-Wallis with pairwise post hoc Mann-Whitney U tests were used to test for differences in immunopositive staining between these tissue cohorts. Additionally, costaining was performed to identify the cell types expressing HIF-1α, S100A9, IL-33 and HMGB1 in diseased tendons.

Results

Immunostaining showed HIF-1α and S100A9 were increased in diseased compared with healthy and post-treatment pain-free tendons (p<0.05). IL-33 was reduced in diseased compared with healthy tendons (p=0.0006). HMGB1 was increased in post-treatment pain-free compared with healthy and diseased tendons (p<0.01). Costaining of diseased tendon samples revealed that HIF-1α, S100A9 and IL-33 were expressed by CD68+ and CD68− cells, whereas HMGB1 was predominantly expressed by CD68− cells.

Conclusions

This study provides insight into the pathways contributing to the progressionand resolution of tendon disease. We found potential pro-inflammatory and pathogenic roles for HIF-1α and S100A9, a protective role fornuclear IL-33 and a potentially reparative function for HMGB1 in diseased supraspinatus tendons.
Quantum chemistry calculation of reaction pathways of carboxyl groups during coal self-heating
Authors: Qi Xuyao , Xue Haibo , Xin Haihui , Bai Ziming
Published: June 2017

During coal self-heating, reactions of carboxyl groups feature in the evolution of the spontaneous combustion of coal. However, their elementary reaction pathways during this process still have not been revealed. This paper selected the Ar–CH2–COOH as a typical carboxyl group containing structure for the analysis of the reaction pathways and enhancement effect on the coal self-heating process by quantum chemistry calculations. The results indicate that the hydrogen atoms in carboxyl groups are the active sites, which undergo the oxidation process and self-reaction process during coal self-heating. They both have two elementary reactions, namely (i) the hydrogen abstraction of –COOH by oxygen and the decarboxylation of the –COO· free radical and (ii) the hydrogen abstraction of –COOH and its pyrolysis. The total enthalpy change and activation energy of the oxidation process are 76.93 kJ/mol and 127.85 kJ/mol, respectively, which indicate that this process is endothermic and will occur at medium temperatures. For the hydrogen abstraction of –COOH by hydrocarbon free radicals, the thermal parameters are 53.53 kJ/mol and 56.13 kJ/mol, respectively, which has the same thermodynamic properties as the oxidation process. However, for the pyrolysis, the thermal parameters are –42.53 kJ/mol and 493.68 kJ/mol, respectively, and is thus exothermic and would not occur until the coal reaches high temperatures. They affect heat accumulation greatly, generate carbon dioxide, and provide new active centers for enhancing the coal self-heating process. The results would be helpful for further understanding of the coal self-heating mechanism.
Entanglement asymmetry for boosted black branes and the bound
Authors: Mishra Rohit , Singh Harvendra
Published: June 2017

We study the effects of asymmetry in the entanglement thermodynamics of CFT subsystems. It is found that “boosted” Dp-brane backgrounds give rise to the first law of the entanglement thermodynamics where the CFT pressure asymmetry plays a decisive role in the entanglement. Two different strip like subsystems, one parallel to the boost and the other perpendicular, are studied in the perturbative regime [Formula: see text]. We mainly seek to quantify this entanglement asymmetry as a ratio of the first-order entanglement entropies of the excitations. We discuss the AdS-wave backgrounds at zero temperature having maximum asymmetry from where a bound on entanglement asymmetry is obtained. The entanglement asymmetry reduces as we switch on finite temperature in the CFT while it is maximum at zero temperature.
Green synthesis and characterization of ANbO3 (A = Na, K) nanopowders fabricated using a biopolymer
Authors: Khorrami Gh. H. , Mousavi M. , Khayatian S. A. , Kompany A. , Khorsand Zak A.
Published: June 2017

Lead-free sodium niobate (NaNbO3, NN) and potassium niobate (KNbO3, KN) nanopowders were successfully synthesized by a simple and green synthesis process in gelatin media. Gelatin, which is a biopolymer, was used as stabilizer. In order to determine the lowest calcination temperature needed to obtain pure NN and KN nanopowders, the produced gels were analyzed by thermogravometric analyzer (TGA). The produced gels were calcined at 500[Formula: see text]C and 600[Formula: see text]C. The structural and optical properties of the prepared powders were examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and UV–Vis spectroscopy. The XRD results revealed that pure phase NN and KN nanopowders were formed at low temperature calcination of 500[Formula: see text]C and 600[Formula: see text]C, respectively. The Scherrer formula and size-strain plot (SSP) method were employed to estimate crystallite size and lattice strain of the samples. The TEM images show that the NN and KN samples calcined at 600[Formula: see text]C have cubic shape with an average particle size of 60.95 and 39.29 nm, respectively. The optical bandgap energy of the samples was calculated using UV–Vis diffused reflectance spectra of the samples and Kubelka–Munck relation.
Erratum: Biquandles of small size and some invariants of virtual and welded knots
Authors: Fenn Roger Andrew , Bartholomew Andrew
Published: June 2017

Some of the results on welded knots in the title paper were incorrect. In this corrigendum, these are corrected and extended. An additional appendix is also included.
A NOVEL FAST FRACTAL IMAGE COMPRESSION METHOD BASED ON DISTANCE CLUSTERING IN HIGH DIMENSIONAL SPHERE SURFACE
Authors: LIU SHUAI , PAN ZHENG , CHENG XIAOCHUN
Published: June 2017

Fractal encoding method becomes an effective image compression method because of its high compression ratio and short decompressing time. But one problem of known fractal compression method is its high computational complexity and consequent long compressing time. To address this issue, in this paper, distance clustering in high dimensional sphere surface is applied to speed up the fractal compression method. Firstly, as a preprocessing strategy, an image is divided into blocks, which are mapped on high dimensional sphere surface. Secondly, a novel image matching method is presented based on distance clustering on high dimensional sphere surface. Then, the correctness and effectiveness properties of the mentioned method are analyzed. Finally, experimental results validate the positive performance gain of the method.
EFFECT OF SUBSTRATE TEMPERATURE ON THE GROWTH OF COPPER OXIDE THIN FILMS DEPOSITED BY PULSED LASER DEPOSITION TECHNIQUE
Authors: SHABBIR MUHAMMAD KAIF , BASHIR SHAZIA , AHMED QAZI SALMAN , YASEEN NAZISH , JALIL SOHAIL ABDUL , AKRAM MAHREEN , MAHMOOD KHALIQ , KHALID AYESHA
Published: June 2017

The effect of substrate temperature on growth of pulsed laser deposited copper oxide thin films has been investigated by employing Nd: YAG laser (532[Formula: see text]nm, 6[Formula: see text]ns, 10[Formula: see text]Hz) irradiation at a fluence of 8.2[Formula: see text]J/cm2. XRD analysis reveals that copper oxide films deposited at room temperature are amorphous in nature, whereas films deposited at higher substrate temperatures are polycrystalline in nature. SEM and AFM analyses revealed that films deposited at substrate temperatures, ranging from room temperature to 300[Formula: see text]C are comprised of large sized clusters, islands and particulates, whereas uniform films with an appearance of granular morphology and distinct bump formation are grown at higher substrate temperatures of 400[Formula: see text]C and 500[Formula: see text]C. The optical bandgap of deposited films is evaluated by UV-VIS spectroscopy and shows a decreasing trend with increasing substrate temperature. Four point probe analysis reveals that electrical conductivity of the deposited films increases with increase in the substrate temperature, and is maximum for highest growth temperature of 500[Formula: see text]C. It is revealed that growth temperature plays a significant role for structure, texture, optical and electrical behavior of copper oxide thin films. The surface and structural properties of the deposited films are well correlated with their electrical and optical response.
Interrupting Burn-Induced Changes in Serum Acute Response Markers via Connexin 32 Gap Junction Inhibition and Neutralization at the Liver
Authors: McCarty William. J. , Bohr Stefan , Yarmush Martin L.
Published: June 2017

Severe burn injuries are associated with chronic hypermetabolism. Through its metabolic, inflammatory, immune, and acute phase functions, the liver plays a central role in the creation and maintenance of prolonged hypermetabolism and ensuing muscle wasting. The objective here was to determine the effects of inhibiting gap junction communication in the liver on the acute phase response and prolonged hypermetabolic state after burn injury in both connexin 32 knockout mice and in wildtype mice dosed with a small molecule connexin 32 inhibitor shortly after burn injury. Male connexin 32 knockout mice received full-thickness 20% total body surface area burns or sham treatments and were euthanized at 24[Formula: see text]h for serum marker profiling and at 14 days for organ and muscle mass analysis. Wildtype mice receiving similar burns or sham treatments were injected 3[Formula: see text]h after injury with connexin 32 gap junction inhibitor 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2APB) or vehicle control and were euthanized after 24[Formula: see text]h for serum marker profiling. At 24[Formula: see text]h post-burn, lower serum levels of haptoglobin, serum amyloid P component, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, interleukin-6, and alanine aminotransferase as assessed by ELISA were found in the knockout mice than in the wildtypes. Fourteen days post-burn, the increases in heart, spleen, and liver and decrease in calf muscle mass found in the wildtype mice were significantly mitigated in the knockouts. Further, the post-burn acute phase response was similarly diminished in the wildtype mice after 2APB administration. Interrupting detrimental post-burn hypermetabolism by inhibiting intercellular hepatocyte communication may provide novel therapeutic leverage during the initial systemic inflammatory response and improve clinical outcomes.
The Impact of the Transformation of Age Structure on Economic Growth
Authors: ZHAO Wen , ZHU Xuyang
Published: June 2017

The impact of the transformation of the age structure of the population on economic growth is governed by a strict law. In 12 economies under the authors’ observation, the contribution from the rejuvenation of the population to economic growth is basically 6% — the Chinese Mainland makes a contribution of 6.3%. The rejuvenation of the population has stimulated economic growth, but its contribution is very small compared with the contributions from capital accumulation and technological progress. According to international experience, in the case of addressing the transformation of the age structure of the population, relying on intergenerational redistribution will exert a great negative economic impact, while reducing the intensity of that redistribution and relying on market mechanisms to adjust the level of labor remuneration can increase the employment rate and the labor participation rate, thus raising the economic growth rate to the greatest extent.
The Behavior of Dealers and Clients on the European Corporate Bond Market: The Case of Multi-Dealer-to-Client Platforms
Authors: Fermanian Jean-David , Guéant Olivier , Pu Jiang
Published: June 2017

For the last two decades, most financial markets have undergone an evolution toward electronification. The market for corporate bonds is one of the last major financial markets to follow this unavoidable path. Traditionally quote-driven (i.e., dealer-driven) rather than order-driven, the market for corporate bonds is still mainly dominated by voice trading, but a lot of electronic platforms have emerged. These electronic platforms make it possible for buy-side agents to simultaneously request several dealers for quotes, or even directly trade with other buy-siders. The research presented in this paper is based on a large proprietary database of requests for quotes (RFQ) sent, through the multi-dealer-to-client (MD2C) platform operated by Bloomberg Fixed Income Trading, to one of the major liquidity providers in European corporate bonds. Our goal is (i) to model the RFQ process on these platforms and the resulting competition between dealers, and (ii) to use our model in order to implicit from the RFQ database the behavior of both dealers and clients on MD2C platforms.
Development and 3D Spatial Calibration of a Parallel Robot for Percutaneous Needle Procedures with 2D Ultrasound Guidance
Authors: Ahmad Awais , Orhan S. Orcun , Yildirim Mehmet C. , Bebek Ozkan
Published: June 2017

Robotic systems are being applied to medical interventions as they increase the operational accuracy. The proposed autonomous and ultrasound guided 5-DOF parallel robot can achieve such accuracy for needle biopsies, which particularly demand precise needle positioning and insertion. In this paper, the robot’s mechanical design, system identifications, and the design of its controller are explained. A torque computed controller with gravity compensation and friction models, yielding a 0.678[Formula: see text]mm RMS position error for the needle tip, was used. A novel method was used for 3D space calibration of the images for detecting the volume of interest in the biopsy procedure by a multipoint crosswire phantom with parallel threads. The calibration technique had a validation RMS error of 0.03[Formula: see text]mm.
Intrinsic Fourier Mode Functions
Authors: Vatchev Vesselin
Published: June 2017

In this paper, we study a class of functions that exhibit properties expected from intrinsic mode functions. A type of an empirical instantaneous frequency, depending on the extrema scale, is introduced and its proximity to the classical analytic instantaneous frequency is discussed. We also obtain a sufficient condition for positiveness of the instantaneous frequency and introduce a method similar in nature to EMD but with an empirical frequency as guide in lieu of empirical envelopes. The method is illustrated in several numerical examples.