bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Platelets are important for the development of immune tolerance: Possible involvement of TGF‐β in the mechanism
Authors: Hotta Eri , Tamagawa‐Mineoka Risa , Katoh Norito
Published: April 2019

Platelets have diverse roles in immune processes in addition to their key functions in haemostasis and thrombosis. Some studies imply that platelets may be possibly related to the immune tolerance induction. However, the role of platelets in the development of immune tolerance is not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of platelets in the development of regulatory mechanisms responsible for cutaneous inflammation using a mouse model of low zone tolerance (LZT). Mice were treated with 2,4,6‐trinitro‐1‐chlorobenzene (TNCB) 8 times every other day for tolerance induction with administration of anti‐platelet antibody or control antibody during the tolerance induction phase every 3 days. After the treatment for the tolerance induction, mice were sensitized and then challenged with TNCB. The contact hypersensitivity (CHS) was significantly decreased at 24 hours after challenge in the mice with LZT than in those without LZT. Platelet depletion via administration of anti‐platelet antibody reversed the inhibition of CHS and reduced the frequency of Foxp3+ Tregs in the inflamed skin and draining lymph nodes in mice with LZT. In addition, repeated low‐dose skin exposure resulted in elevated plasma levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β1. Interestingly, platelet depletion reduced plasma TGF‐β1 levels of mice with LZT. Furthermore, the CHS response was reduced by administration of recombinant TGF‐β1 during platelet depletion in mice with LZT. Administration of anti‐TGF‐β antibody reversed the inhibition of the CHS responses. These results suggest that platelets are involved in the induction of immune tolerance via the release of TGF‐β1.
Digestion and nitrogen metabolism in beef cattle and in vitro rumen fermentation of autumn grass differing in fertilizer nitrogen application rate
Authors: O'Connor Alan , McGee Mark , Moloney Aidan , Boland Tommy , O'Kiely Padraig
Published: April 2019

Beef cattle partition dietary nitrogen (N) into meat or excrete it mainly in faeces and urine, which can contribute significantly to water and air pollution. The effects of two inorganic nitrogen (N) fertilizer application rates—15 (LN) or 80 (HN) kg N/ha—to Lolium perenne‐dominant swards in autumn, on herbage chemical composition, intake, digestion and N balance in beef cattle, and in vitro fermentation and methane production were studied. Four growing beef steers used in a 2 × 2 crossover design experiment were offered zero‐grazed grass harvested 21 days post‐N application between July and October. The same grasses were incubated in an eight‐vessel rumen simulation technique in a randomized complete block experiment. Grass dry‐matter (DM) concentration was 26 g/kg lower and crude protein (CP) concentration was 35 g/kg DM higher for HN compared to LN. There was no difference in herbage DM intake or in vivo DM digestibility between treatments. Nitrogen intake and the digestibility of N were higher for HN compared to LN. Total and urine N loss were 41 and 45 g/day greater, respectively, for HN compared to LN, but faecal N loss did not differ between treatments. The quantity of N retained and therefore N‐use efficiency did not differ between LN and HN (25% vs. 22%). In vitro rumen pH and ammonia‐N concentrations were higher for HN compared to LN, whereas volatile fatty acid concentrations and molar proportions did not differ between treatments. In vitro methane and total gas production were 0.9 mmol/day and 280 ml/day lower for HN than LN respectively. Under the particular conditions of this experiment, reducing fertilizer N application rate reduced total and urinary N excretion, which has potential environmental benefits; however, methane output measured in vitro was increased.
Blocking development of liver fibrosis augments hepatic progenitor cell‐derived liver regeneration in a mouse chronic liver injury model
Authors: Kitade Mitsuteru , Kaji Kosuke , Nishimura Norihisa , Seki Kenichiro , Nakanishi Keisuke , Tsuji Yuki , Sato Shinya , Saikawa Soichiro , Takaya Hiroaki , Kawaratani Hideto , Namisaki Tadashi , Moriya Kei , Mitoro Akira , Yoshiji Hitoshi
Published: April 2019

Aim

The roles of hepatic progenitor cells (HPCs) in regeneration of a diseased liver are unclear. Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) contribute to liver fibrosis but are also a component of the HPC niche. Hepatic progenitor cells expand along with HSC activation and liver fibrosis. However, little is known about the interplay of liver fibrosis and HPC‐mediated liver regeneration. This study aimed to investigate HSCs and HPCs in liver regeneration.

Methods

Liver injury in mice was induced with 3,5‐diethoxycarbonyl‐1,4‐dihydrocollidine, and HPC expansion and fibrosis were assessed. An angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker (ARB) was administered to assess its effect on fibrosis and regeneration.

Results

Treatment with ARB attenuated fibrosis and expansion of α‐smooth muscle actin‐positive activated HSCs as indicated by increased liver weight and Ki‐67‐positive hepatocytes. Immunohistochemical staining suggested that HPC differentiation was shifted toward hepatocytes (HCs) when ARB treatment decreased HPC encapsulation by HSCs and extracellular matrix. Conditioned medium produced by culturing the human HSC LX‐2 line strongly augmented differentiation to biliary epithelial cells (BECs) but inhibited that to HCs. Activated HSCs expressed Jagged1, a NOTCH ligand, which plays a central role in differentiation of HPCs toward BECs.

Conclusions

Hepatic stellate cells, the HPC niche cells, control differentiation of HPCs, directing them toward BECs rather than HCs in a diseased liver model. Antifibrosis treatment with an ARB preferentially redirects HPC differentiation toward HCs by blocking the NOTCH pathway in the HPC niche, resulting in more efficient HPC‐mediated liver regeneration.
Preformed donor‐specific antibodies are associated with 90‐day mortality in living‐donor liver transplantation
Authors: Tamura Kei , Tohyama Taiji , Watanabe Jota , Nakamura Taro , Ueno Yoshitomo , Inoue Hitoshi , Honjo Masahiko , Sakamoto Katsunori , Takai Akihiro , Ogawa Kohei , Takada Yasutsugu
Published: April 2019

Aim

The impact of donor‐specific anti‐human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies (DSAs) on living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) is unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between DSAs and short‐term outcomes in LDLT recipients, and to clarify the clinical impact of DSAs.

Method

Anti‐HLA antibodies were screened in preoperative serum samples taken from 40 liver transplant recipients at Ehime University (Toon, Japan) between August 2001 and July 2015. Screening was carried out using the Flow‐PRA method, and DSAs were detected in anti‐HLA antibody‐positive recipients using the Luminex single‐antigen identification test. A mean fluorescence intensity of 1000 was used as the cut‐off for positivity. We retrospectively reviewed the clinical courses of patients who were DSA‐positive to elucidate early clinical manifestations in LDLT recipients.

Results

Fifteen (12 female and 3 male) patients (38%) had anti‐HLA antibodies. Eight of the 15 anti‐HLA antibody‐positive patients were positive for DSAs, and all were women. The 90‐day survival rate of DSA‐positive patients (50%) was significantly lower than that of DSA‐negative patients (84.4%) (0.0112; Wilcoxon test). On univariate analysis, the DSA‐positive rate was significantly higher in the 90‐day mortality group. Postoperatively, the incidence of acute cellular rejection was higher in DSA‐positive than DSA‐negative patients. Thrombotic microangiopathy developed only in DSA‐positive patients. We found no relationship between DSA status and bile duct stricture.

Conclusion

Preformed DSAs could be associated with elevated 90‐day mortality in LDLT recipients. Further large‐scale studies are required to verify the risk associated with DSAs in LDLT.
POSITIVELY RESPONSIVE COLLECTIVE CHOICE RULES AND MAJORITY RULE: A GENERALIZATION OF MAY'S THEOREM TO MANY ALTERNATIVES
Authors: Horan Sean , Osborne Martin J. , Sanver M. Remzi
Published: April 2019

May's theorem shows that if the set of alternatives contains two members, an anonymous and neutral collective choice rule is positively responsive if and only if it is majority rule. We show that if the set of alternatives contains three or more alternatives only the rule that assigns to every problem its strict Condorcet winner satisfies the three conditions plus Nash's version of “independence of irrelevant alternatives” for the domain of problems that have strict Condorcet winners. We show also that no rule satisfies the four conditions for domains that are more than slightly larger.
FERTILITY SHOCKS AND EQUILIBRIUM MARRIAGE‐RATE DYNAMICS
Authors: Knowles John , Vandenbroucke Guillaume
Published: April 2019

Female marriage probabilities were 50% higher in France in the years after World War 1, despite a large drop in the sex ratio. We develop a model of marital matching in which composition effects in the singles pool affect postdisruption matching rates. When calibrated to French data from World War 1, this mechanism explains 2/3 of the postwar rise in female marriage probabilities as the result of better composition of the pool of single men. We conclude that endogeneity issues make the sex ratio a potentially unreliable indicator of female marriage prospects.
The role of Langerhans cells in pathologies of the skin
Authors: Rajesh Aarthi , Wise Lyn , Hibma Merilyn
Published: April 2019

Langerhans cells (LCs) are epidermal immune cells of myeloid origin. Although these cells were primarily thought to play a defensive role in the skin, evidence now indicates a diverse range of LC‐mediated effects including the relay of viral antigens in herpes simplex infection, recruitment of eosinophils in atopic dermatitis and promotion of a Th17 response in Candida infection. LCs may have a protective or suppressive function in pathologies of the skin, with differing functions being driven by the skin milieu. Understanding LC function will help guide the development of interventions that modulate these cells for therapeutic benefit.
How reliable is the statistical evidence for limiting saturated fat intake? A fresh look at the influential Hooper meta‐analysis
Authors: Thornley Simon , Schofield Grant , Zinn Caryn , Henderson George
Published: April 2019

Background

Evidence from meta‐analyses has been influential in deciding whether or not limiting saturated fat intake reduces the incidence of cardiovascular disease. Recently, random effects analyses have been criticised for exaggerating the influence of publication bias and an alternative proposed which obviates this issue: ‘inverse‐variance heterogeneity’.

Aims

We re‐analysed the influential Hooper meta‐analysis that supports limiting saturated fat intake to decide whether or not the results of the study were sensitive to the method used.

Methods

Inverse‐variance heterogeneity analysis of this summary study was carried out, and the results contrasted with standard methods. Publication bias was also considered.

Results

Inverse variance heterogeneity analysis of the Hooper combined cardiovascular disease end point results returned a pooled relative risk of 0.93 (95% confidence interval: 0.74–1.16). This finding contrasts with the traditional random effects analysis with the corresponding statistic of 0.83 (95% confidence interval: 0.72–0.96). Egger tests, funnel and Doi plots along with recently published suppressed trial results suggest that publication bias is present.

Conclusions

This study questions the use of the Hooper study as evidence to support limiting saturated fat intake. Our re‐analysis, together with concordant results from other meta‐analyses of trials indicate that routine advice to reduce saturated fat intake in people with (or at risk for) cardiovascular disease be reconsidered.
Predicting Patterns of Regulatory Behavior in the Still‐Face Paradigm at 3 Months
Authors: Barbosa Miguel , Beeghly Marjorie , Gonçalves Joana L. , Moreira João , Tronick Edward , Fuertes Marina
Published: April 2019

The current study addressed two aims: (1) to describe different patterns of infant regulatory behavior during the Face‐to‐Face Still‐Face (FFSF) paradigm at 3 months of age and (2) to identify specific, independent predictors of these patterns from an a priori set of demographic, infant (e.g., temperament), and maternal (e.g., sensitivity) variables. Analyses were based on data collected for 121 mother–infant dyads assessed longitudinally in the newborn period and again at 3 months. In the newborn period, infants’ neurobehavior was evaluated using the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) and mothers reported on their caregiving confidence and their newborns’ irritability and alertness. At 3 months, mothers reported on their infant's temperament, and mother–infant interactions were videotaped during free play and the FFSF. Three patterns of infant regulatory behavior were observed. The most common was a Social‐Positive Oriented Pattern, followed by a Distressed‐Inconsolable Pattern, and a Self‐Comfort Oriented Pattern. Results of multinomial logistic regression indicated that categorical assignment was not associated with demographic or infant characteristics, but rather with dyadic regulatory processes in which maternal reparatory sensitivity played a crucial role.
The convergent validity of a Dutch Screening tool for Dysphagia (Signaleringslijst Verslikken) for people with severe or profound intellectual and multiple disabilities
Authors: van Timmeren Dinette E. A. , Deddens Annelies , van Schrojenstein Lantman‐de Valk Henny M. J. , van der Schans Cees P. , Krijnen Wim P. , Waninge Aly , van der Putten Annette A. J.
Published: April 2019

Background

Dysphagia is potentially life‐threatening and highly prevalent in people with severe/profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (SPIMD). The “Signaleringslijst Verslikken” (SV) is a frequently used Dutch screening tool to detect dysphagia. The aim was to examine the convergent validity of the SV for people with SPIMD.

Method

Direct support staff completed the SV, with speech and language therapists scoring a validated tool, the Dysphagia Disorders Survey (DDS), for 41 persons with SPIMD, aged ≥50 years. The results were compared for agreement using the McNemar's Test.

Results

The proportion of agreement was 0.59 (95% CI 0.43–0.72). The SV did not detect dysphagia in 17 participants (44%) who were assessed as having dysphagia according to the DDS. The difference in proportion of detection of dysphagia between the two methods was significant (p < 0.0001).

Conclusions

The results suggest that the convergent validity of the SV is insufficient: the SV is not sensitive for detecting dysphagia in people with SPIMD.
Identifying temporal and spatial patterns of diatom community change in the tropical Andes over the last c. 150 years
Authors: Benito Xavier , Feitl Melina G. , Fritz Sherilyn C. , Mosquera Pablo V. , Schneider Tobias , Hampel Henrietta , Quevedo Luis , Steinitz‐Kannan Miriam
Published: April 2019

Aim

Lakes in the Ecuadorean Andes span different altitudinal and climatic regions, from inter Andean plateau to the high‐elevation páramo, which differ in their historical evolution in the several centuries since the pioneering Humboldt expeditions. Here, we evaluate temporal and spatial patterns of change in diatom assemblages between historical (palaeolimnological) and modern times.

Location

Ecuadorean Andes

Methods

We compared historical (pre‐1850) and modern (2017) diatom assemblages from 21 lakes and determined the relative role of environmental (water chemistry and climate) and spatial factors (distance‐based Moran's eigenvectors maps) on both assemblages using non‐metric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) with environmental fitting. In addition, we used redundancy analysis (RDA) with variance partitioning to estimate the historical (measured using downcore assemblage composition) effects on modern diatom assemblages and identified diatom species that contributed most to dissimilarity between the two times.

Results

Diatom changes between the two time points were limited across the group of lakes, as indicated by the NMDS ordination. Variance partitioning indicated that modern diatom assemblages were affected by environmental and spatial effects, but with non‐significant effects of past diatom species composition. Ordination results showed that variables related to elevation and water chemistry affected both modern and historical diatom assemblages. Diatom species with the best fit on NMDS axes (i.e. >70%) were influenced by elevation and climatic variables. The most distinctive change between the two time periods was the higher relative abundance of planktic diatom species in top‐core assemblages of some lakes, but in a highly variable fashion across gradients of increased elevation and water depth.

Main conclusions

Landscape palaeolimnological analyses of varied Ecuadorean Andean lakes demonstrate both environmental and spatial controls on diatom metacommunities. The multi‐faceted ecological control of the altitudinal gradient on both historic and contemporary diatom assemblages suggests species sorting and dispersal constraints operating at centennial time‐scale. Although a few individual lakes show substantive change between the 1850s and today, the majority of lakes do not, and the analysis suggests the resilience of lakes at a regional scale. We emphasize the potential of diatom palaeolimnological approaches in biogeography to test ecologically relevant hypotheses of the mechanisms driving recent limnological change in high‐elevation tropical lakes.
Risk factors and potential protective factors of pregnancy‐induced hypertension in China: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Zhuang Caixia , Gao Jinsong , Liu Juntao , Wang Xietong , He Jing , Sun Jingxia , Liu Xiaowei , Liao Shixiu
Published: April 2019

A cross‐sectional study was conducted to the reported factors and assesses possible protective factors for pregnancy‐induced hypertension (PIH) in China. The data of pregnant women who delivered between October 2016 and September 2017 were collected from a birth registry. The primary outcome was the occurrence of PIH. Secondary outcomes were delivery before 34 gestational weeks and other adverse obstetric outcomes of PIH. Among the 99 535 women enrolled, 5731 women (5.8%) developed PIH. BMI had a positive correlation with the primary and two secondary outcomes (adjusted OR = 2.05, 2.56, 1.87, respectively, for overweight; adjusted OR = 4.44, 3.90, and 2.63, respectively, for obesity). Otherwise, calcium supplementation during pregnancy was a potential protective factor for those outcomes (adjusted OR = 0.87, 0.14, and 0.44, respectively). These results provide a basis for PIH prevention strategy in the Chinese public health sector. Calcium supplementation and lowering the BMI might have the potential benefit on reducing the prevalence of PIH in selected women.
Anti‐human CD9 antibody Fab fragment impairs the internalization of extracellular vesicles and the nuclear transfer of their cargo proteins
Authors: Santos Mark F. , Rappa Germana , Karbanová Jana , Vanier Cheryl , Morimoto Chikao , Corbeil Denis , Lorico Aurelio
Published: April 2019

The intercellular communication mediated by extracellular vesicles (EVs) has gained international interest during the last decade. Interfering with the mechanisms regulating this cellular process might find application particularly in oncology where cancer cell‐derived EVs play a role in tumour microenvironment transformation. Although several mechanisms were ascribed to explain the internalization of EVs, little is our knowledge about the fate of their cargos, which are crucial to mediate their function. We recently demonstrated a new intracellular pathway in which a fraction of endocytosed EV‐associated proteins is transported into the nucleoplasm of the host cell via a subpopulation of late endosomes penetrating into the nucleoplasmic reticulum. Silencing tetraspanin CD9 both in EVs and recipient cells strongly decreased the endocytosis of EVs and abolished the nuclear transfer of their cargos. Here, we investigated whether monovalent Fab fragments derived from 5H9 anti‐CD9 monoclonal antibody (referred hereafter as CD9 Fab) interfered with these cellular processes. To monitor the intracellular transport of proteins, we used fluorescent EVs containing CD9‐green fluorescent protein fusion protein and various melanoma cell lines and bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stromal cells as recipient cells. Interestingly, CD9 Fab considerably reduced EV uptake and the nuclear transfer of their proteins in all examined cells. In contrast, the divalent CD9 antibody stimulated both events. By impeding intercellular communication in the tumour microenvironment, CD9 Fab‐mediated inhibition of EV uptake, combined with direct targeting of cancerous cells could lead to the development of novel anti‐melanoma therapeutic strategies.
Oxidative stress‐related biomarkers in saliva and gingival crevicular fluid associated with chronic periodontitis: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Chen Mengmeng , Cai Wenjin , Zhao Shufan , Shi Lixi , Chen Yang , Li Xumin , Sun Xiaoyu , Mao Yixin , He Bing , Hou Yubo , Zhou Yu , Zhou Qiaozhen , Ma Jianfeng , Huang Shengbin
Published: April 2019

Aim

Oxidative stress (OS) biomarkers have been detected in saliva and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) during chronic periodontitis (CP) progression; however, the relationship between OS biomarkers and CP progression remains elusive. The purpose of this meta‐analysis is to investigate the relationship between local OS biomarkers and CP.

Methods

This review was conducted through a systematic search from three databases. Studies on CP participants were included as an experimental group, and studies on periodontally healthy (PH) participants were included as a control. Mean effects were expressed as standardized mean difference with their associated 95% confidence intervals.

Results

From a total of 2,972 articles, 32 articles fulfilled the inclusion criteria. We found a significant decrease of total antioxidant capacity and a significant increase of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide, total oxidant status (TOS), and 8‐hydroxy‐deoxyguanosine levels in the saliva of CP patients. Moreover, we also found an elevation of MDA level in GCF of CP group when compared with the PH group. There were no significant differences of salivary and GCF superoxide dismutase levels, salivary glutathione peroxidase level, and GCF TOS level between two groups. However, a high heterogeneity was observed among evaluated studies.

Conclusions

Despite the limitations of this study, the result of our meta‐analysis supported the rationale that there was a direct link between CP and OS‐related biomarkers’ levels in the local site, indicating the important role of OS in the onset and development of CP.
Changes in soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor type 1 levels and early renal function decline in patients with diabetes
Authors: MacIsaac Richard J , Farag Matthew , Obeyesekere Varuni , Clarke Michele , Boston Ray , Ward Glenn M , Jerums George , Ekinci Elif I
Published: April 2019

The relationship between serial changes in soluble tumor necrosis factor receptor type 1 (TNFR1) levels and an early decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline remains to be defined. We found that in patients with an early decline in renal function (n = 30), soluble TNFR1 values increased (2,595 ± 683 vs 3,596 ± 1,203 pg/mL, P < 0.001) as eGFR decreased (89 ± 1 vs 51 ± 2 mL/min/1.73m2, P < 0.001) over an 8‐year period. In contrast, there were no significant changes in soluble TNFR1 levels in patients with stable renal function (n = 17). In a multilevel mixed effects regression model, changes in soluble TNFR1 levels were found to be independently associated with eGFR decline (Z = −4.31, P < 0.001). An early decline in eGFR is associated with an increase in soluble TNFR levels; however, the factors driving this increase and the possible pathological role that soluble TNFR1 plays in progressive diabetic kidney disease remain to be determined.
Phenotypic analysis of atopic dermatitis in children aged 1–12 months: elaboration of novel diagnostic criteria for infants in China and estimation of prevalence
Authors: Guo Y. , Zhang H. , Liu Q. , Wei F. , Tang J. , Li P. , Han X. , Zou X. , Xu G. , Xu Z. , Zong W. , Ran Q. , Xiao F. , Mu Z. , Mao X. , Ran N. , Cheng R. , Li M. , Li C. , Luo Y. , Meng C. , Zhang X. , Xu H. , Li J. , Tang P. , Xiang J. , Shen C. , Niu H. , Li H. , Shen J. , Ni C. , Zhang J. , Wang H. , Ma L. , Bieber T. , Yao Z.
Published: April 2019

Background

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is the most common skin disorder in infancy. However, the diagnosis and definite significance of infantile AD remains a debated issue.

Objective

To analyse the phenotypes of AD in infancy, to establish diagnostic criteria and to estimate the prevalence of this condition in China.

Methods

This is a multicentric study, in which 12 locations were chosen from different metropolitan areas of China. Following careful and complete history‐taking and skin examination, the definite diagnosis of AD was made and the severity based on the SCORAD index was determined by local experienced dermatologists. Based on the detailed phenotyping, the major and representative clinical features of infantile AD were selected to establish the diagnostic criteria and evaluate their diagnostic efficacy.

Results

A total of 5967 infants were included in this study. The overall point prevalence of AD was 30.48%. The infantile AD developed as early as at the second month of life, and its incidence peaked in the third month of life at 40.81%. The proportion of mild, moderate and severe AD was 67.40%, 30.57% and 2.03%, respectively. The most commonly seen manifestations in the infantile AD were facial dermatitis (72.07%), xerosis (42.72%) and scalp dermatitis (27.93%). We established the novel diagnostic criteria of infants, which included: (i) onset after 2 weeks of birth; (ii) pruritus and/or irritability and sleeplessness comparable with lesions; and (iii) all two items above with one of the following items can reach a diagnosis of AD: (i) eczematous lesions distributed on cheeks and/or scalp and/or extensor limbs, and (ii) eczematous lesions on any other parts of body accompanied by xerosis.

Conclusions

In China, the prevalence of AD in infancy is 30.48% according to clinical diagnosis of dermatologists. The novel Chinese diagnostic criteria for AD in infants show a higher sensitivity and comparable specificity.
The synergistic antimicrobial effect of a simultaneous UV‐A light and propyl paraben (4‐hydroxybenzoic acid propyl ester) treatment and its application in washing spinach leaves
Authors: Ding Qiao , Tikekar Rohan V.
Published: April 2019

Synergistic antimicrobial effect of a simultaneous UV‐A light and propyl paraben (PP) treatment against Escherichia coli O157:H7 is demonstrated. While other parabens with shorter chain length (methyl and ethyl) showed minimal antimicrobial effect, 3 mM PP with UV‐A light achieved more than 5 log [CFU/ml] reduction in bacterial population within 30 min in aqueous solution with a D‐value of 4.89 ± 0.66 min. Neither UV‐A light or 3 mM PP was able to achieve more than 1.5 logarithmic reduction, underscoring the synergy of the simultaneous treatment. Membrane damage as detected via propidium iodide assay was a dominant mechanism of action. The simultaneous treatment could reduce the risk of cross‐contamination during washing of spinach without negatively impairing its color, chlorophyll content, or total phenolic content. Approximately, 75% of the paraben residue from the treatment could be effectively removed with a subsequent rinsing step. The proposed technology is an attractive approach to improve the safety of fresh produce.

Practical applications

Cross‐contamination during washing process may increase the food safety risk of fresh produce. Many conventional antimicrobial treatments have limited efficacy, need constant replenishment, and pose a potential health concerns for the line workers. Therefore, new antimicrobial treatments are necessary. This study demonstrates the antimicrobial effect of a simultaneous UV‐A light and propyl paraben treatment against Escherichia coli O157:H7 in water and its ability in reducing the risk of cross‐contamination during washing of spinach (Spinacia oleracea) leaves without negatively impairing its color, chlorophyll content, or total phenolic content. Majority of paraben residue on the spinach after the treatment could be effectively removed with a subsequent rinsing step making it less of an issue for consumers. Overall, proposed technology may be an attractive alternative to conventional antimicrobial used in produce industry.
Stability of co‐crystals of caffeine with gallic acid in presence of coformers
Authors: Syed Tanweer A. , Gaikar Vilas G. , Mukherjee Shreya
Published: April 2019

Caffeine forms interactive complexes with several compounds. The formation and stability of caffeine's cocrystals with competing coformers has been investigated in terms of Gibbs free energy of coformer replacement from the solubility values and solubility product of co‐crystals at a given temperature. The feasibility of replacement was checked experimentally, and analysis was done by XRD, FTIR, and DSC technique. The Gibbs free energy of coformer replacement at other temperatures was predicted by using solubility values with Gibbs‐Helmholtz equation and correlating experimental solubility of coformer via nonrandom two‐liquid (NRTL) model of liquid mixtures in terms of activity coefficient and thereby predicting the coformer solubility at other temperatures. The NRTL parameters for catechin, citric acid, oxalic acid, and gallic acid have been estimated. The thermodynamic approach to determine the coformer replacement is found to be in line with the experimental results.

Practical applications

Cooling of tea infusion leads to solid sediment formation called as tea cream, because of formation of many stable complexes of tea components. Several parameters such as temperature, concentration, and chemical composition, affect the formation of tea cream. Tea infusion contains caffeine along with different acids such as gallic acid, oxalic acid, and tannic acid, which can form stable co‐crystals. This study attempts to estimate the stability of the cocrystals of caffeine in the presence of different acidic coformers as a function of temperature and thus prediction and minimization of tea cream formation.
Perspectives in veterinary medicine: Description and classification of bronchiolar disorders in cats
Authors: Reinero Carol R. , Masseau Isabelle , Grobman Megan , Vientos‐Plotts Aida , Williams Kurt
Published: April 2019

This Perspectives in Veterinary Medicine article seeks to define, describe putative causes, and discuss key diagnostic tests for primary and secondary bronchiolar disorders to propose a classification scheme in cats with support from a literature review and case examples. The small airways (bronchioles with inner diameters <2 mm), located at the transitional zone between larger conducting airways and the pulmonary acinus, have been overlooked as major contributors to clinical syndromes of respiratory disease in cats. Because the trigger for many bronchiolar disorders is environmental and humans live in a shared environment with similar susceptibility, understanding these diseases in pet cats has relevance to One Health. Thoracic radiography, the major imaging modality used in the diagnostic evaluation of respiratory disease in cats, has low utility in detection of bronchiolar disease. Computed tomography (CT) with paired inspiratory and expiratory scans can detect pathology centered on small airways. In humans, treatment of bronchiolar disorders is not well established because of heterogeneous presentations and often late definitive diagnosis. A review of the human and veterinary medical literature will serve as the basis for a proposed classification scheme in cats. A case series of cats with CT or histopathologic evidence of bronchiolar lesions or both, either as a primary disorder or secondary to extension from large airway disease or interstitial lung disease, will be presented. Future multi‐institutional and multidisciplinary discussions among clinicians, radiologists, and pathologists will help refine and develop this classification scheme to promote early and specific recognition and optimize treatment.
The Thai Lao – Thailand's largest unrecognized transboundary national ethnicity
Authors: Draper John , Garzoli John , Kamnuansilpa Peerasit , Lefferts Leedom , Mitchell James , Songkünnatham Peera
Published: April 2019

In 1900, the Lao ethnonym, and thus the Lao, ‘officially’ disappeared from Siam. However, Lao culture and identity persisted at local, regional, and national levels. As Keyes (1967) discovered, ‘a Northeast Thailand‐based ethno‐regionalism’ emerged post‐World War II. This regionalism, which we re‐term ‘Thai Lao’ and specify to the majority ethnic community, exists in a contested relationship with both ‘Thai’ and ‘Lao’ identity. The survival of the Lao ethnic community's cultural identity occurred despite the best efforts of the Royal Thai Government (RTG) to eradicate aspects of Lao culture. These aspects included Lao language, religion, and history, using the school system, the Lao Buddhist Sangha, and the bureaucracy. Beginning in the 1990s, buoyed by a multitude of factors, the Lao ethnic community reappeared as the ‘Thai Lao’ or ‘Lao Isan’. This reappearance was noted in the RTG'sThailand 2011 Country Report(RTG 2011) to the UN Committee responsible for theInternational Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. For nearly four decades now, ‘Laoism’ has recurred in Thai academia, the media, the public sphere, popular traditions, and even Lao apocalyptic millenarianism. Following Smith (1986, 1991, 1999), this article utilizes a historical ethno‐symbolist approach to analyse this recurrence.
Non‐pruritic bullous scabies in an immunosuppressed pediatric patient
Authors: Salame Nicole , Holland Vanessa
Published: April 2019

Bullous scabies is an uncommon subtype of scabies that frequently mimics other blistering skin diseases. Nocturnal pruritus is a hallmark symptom of bullous scabies. We report an unusual case of bullous scabies presenting in the absence of pruritus in an immunosuppressed pediatric patient. It is critical that clinicians consider the diagnosis of bullous scabies in any patient with bullae, irrespective of pruritus symptoms.
Framing Political Risks: Individual Differences and Loss Aversion in Personal and Political Situations
Authors: Osmundsen Mathias , Petersen Michael Bang
Published: April 2019

People are motivated to avoid losses. In the context of politics, studies consistently show that the threat of losses increases support for risky public policies more than the promise of gains. Here, we predict that this loss aversion is calibrated by individual differences related to one’s ability to accommodate resource loss, and we investigate how these individual differences moderate reactions to the threat of losses and the promise of gains. Results from large‐N experiments consistently demonstrate that this moderation effect crucially depends on whether the resource loss relates to oneself or one’s group—whether the setting is personal or political. Consistent with classic assumptions, individuals with inferior abilities to cope with resource loss are more loss averse in personal settings. In political settings where group resources are threatened, effects reverse: Individuals with superior resources and a more central position within the group consistently respond more to the prospect of loss. As discussed, these findings have important implications for our understanding of why and for whom the threat of loss motivates risky personal and political choices. By consequence, the findings also shed novel light on the psychological underpinnings of recent risky political events.
Hit or miss: Glacial incisions of snowball Earth
Authors: Mitchell Ross N. , Gernon Thomas M. , Nordsvan Adam , Cox Grant M. , Li Zheng‐Xiang , Hoffman Paul F.
Published: April 2019

Estimated at ~58 Ma in duration, the Sturtian snowball Earth (ca. 717–659 Ma) is one of the longest‐known glaciations in Earth history. Surprisingly few uncontroversial lines of evidence for glacial incisions associated with such a protracted event exist. We report here multiple lines of geological field evidence for deep but variable glacial erosion during the Sturtian glaciation. One incision, on the scale of several kilometres, represents the deepest incision documented for snowball Earth; another much more modest glacial valley, however, suggests an erosion rate similar to sluggish Quaternary glaciers. The heterogeneity in snowball glacial incisions reported here and elsewhere was likely influenced by actively extending horst‐and‐graben topography associated with the breakup of supercontinent Rodinia.
Complex Membrane Remodeling during Virion Assembly of the 30,000-Year-Old Mollivirus Sibericum
Authors: Quemin E. R. , Corroyer-Dulmont S. , Baskaran A. , Penard E. , Gazi A. D. , Christo-Foroux E. , Walther P. , Abergel C. , Krijnse-Locker J.
Published: April 2019

Since the first giant virus
Mimivirus
was identified, other giant representatives are isolated regularly around the world and appear to be unique in several aspects. They belong to at least four viral families, and the ways they interact with their hosts remain poorly understood. We focused on Mollivirus sibericum, the sole representative of “Molliviridae,” which was isolated from a 30,000-year-old permafrost sample and exhibits spherical virions of complex composition. In particular, we show that (i) assembly is initiated by a unique structure containing a flat pole positioned at the center of an open cisterna, (ii) core packing involves another cisterna-like element seemingly pushing core proteins into particles being assembled, and (iii) specific filamentous structures contain the viral genome before packaging. Altogether, our findings increase our understanding of how complex giant viruses interact with their host and provide the foundation for future studies to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of Mollivirus assembly.
Cellular DNAJA3, a Novel VP1-Interacting Protein, Inhibits Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Replication by Inducing Lysosomal Degradation of VP1 and Attenuating Its Antagonistic Role in the Beta Interferon Signaling Pathway
Authors: Zhang Wei , Yang Fan , Zhu Zixiang , Yang Yang , Wang Zhifang , Cao Weijun , Dang Wen , Li Linlin , Mao Ruoqing , Liu Yongjie , Tian Hong , Zhang Keshan , Liu Xiangtao , Ma Junwu , Zheng Haixue
Published: April 2019

This study pioneeringly determined the antiviral role of DNAJA3 in FMDV. DNAJA3 was found to interact with FMDV VP1 and trigger its degradation via the lysosomal pathway. In addition, this study is also the first to clarify the mechanism by which VP1 suppressed IFN-β signaling pathway by inhibiting the phosphorylation, dimerization, and nuclear translocation of IRF3. Moreover, DNAJA3 significantly abrogated VP1-induced inhibitive effect on the IFN-β signaling pathway. These data suggested that DNAJA3 plays an important antiviral role against FMDV by both degrading VP1 and restoring of IFN-β signaling pathway.
A Live
Salmonella
Vaccine Delivering PcrV through the Type III Secretion System Protects against Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Aguilera-Herce Julia , García-Quintanilla Meritxell , Romero-Flores Rocío , McConnell Michael J. , Ramos-Morales Francisco
Published: April 2019

The Gram-negative bacterium
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
is an important opportunistic pathogen that causes infections in cystic fibrosis and hospitalized patients. Therapeutic treatments are limited due to the emergence and spread of new antibiotic-resistant strains. In this context, the development of a vaccine is a priority. Here, we used an attenuated strain of
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium as a vehicle to express and deliver the
Pseudomonas
antigen PcrV. This vaccine induced the generation of specific antibodies in mice and protected them from lethal infections with
P. aeruginosa
. This is an important step toward the development of an effective vaccine for the prevention of infections caused by
P. aeruginosa
in humans.
Global importance of oxic molybdenum sinks prior to 2.6 Ga revealed by the Mo isotope composition of Precambrian carbonates
Authors: Thoby Marie , Konhauser Kurt O. , Fralick Philip W. , Altermann Wladyslaw , Visscher Pieter T. , Lalonde Stefan V.
Published: April 2019

Sedimentary molybdenum (Mo) isotope compositions are a promising paleoredox indicator because the Mo isotope composition of seawater reflects the balance between anoxic and oxic sinks. Most available data are from shales; however, the Mo isotope composition of carbonates also reflects the composition of ancient seawater. Here, we provide an expanded data set of carbonate Mo isotope compositions, including the first data for carbonates older than 2.64 Ga, which we evaluate against a compilation of published data for carbonates, shales, and iron formations spanning geological time. Archean carbonate samples reveal maximum δ98Mo values that are generally above 1‰. These heavy values indicate that Mn(IV)-oxide or Fe(III)-oxide sinks were sufficiently important to influence the Mo isotope composition of seawater as far back as 2.93 Ga. Comparison of Mo isotope and rare earth element data, as well as residence time considerations, indicates that this metal-oxide influence was likely global. Available Mo isotope data for shales over the same time period generally show crustal values, which we attribute to negligible authigenic enrichment of Mo from seawater due to low ambient concentrations and a paucity of euxinic conditions. Our work demonstrates that the carbonate record provides important new insights into marine paleoredox conditions, especially when shale records are absent or unsuitable, and reinforces the emerging paradigm that oxic Mo sinks were important in the marine realm prior to 2.7 Ga.
Spatio-temporal behaviour of continental transform faults: implications from the late Quaternary slip history of the North Anatolian Fault, Turkey
Authors: Zabcı Cengiz
Published: April 2019

The slip history of the North Anatolian Fault (NAF) is constrained by displacement and age data for the last 550 ka. First, I classified all available geological estimates as members of three groups: Model I for the eastern, Model II for the central, and Model III for the western segments where the North Anatolian Shear Zone gradually widens from east to west. The short-term uniform slip solutions yield similar results, 17.5 +4/–3.5 mm/a, 18.9 +3.7/–3.3 mm/a, and 16.9 +1.2/–1.1 mm/a from east to the west. Although these model rates do not show any significant spatial variations among themselves, the correlation with geodetic estimates, ranging between 15 mm/a and 28 mm/a for different sections of the NAF, displays significant discrepancies especially for the central and western segments of the fault. Discrepancies suggest that most strain is accumulated along the NAF, but some portion of it is distributed along secondary structures of the North Anatolian Shear Zone. The deformation rate is constant at least for the last 195 ka, whereas the limited number of data show strain transfer from northern to the southern strand between 195 and 320 ka BP in the Marmara Region when the incremental slip rate decreases to 13.2 +3.1/–2.9 mm/a for the northern strand of the NAF. Considering the possible uncertainties of incremental displacements and their timings, more studies on slip rate are needed at different sites, including major structural elements of the North Anatolian Shear Zone. Although most of the strain is localized along the main displacement zone, the NAF, secondary structures are still capable of generating earthquakes that can hardly reach Mw7.
A finite element model to study the effect of porosity location on the elastic modulus of a cantilever beam
Authors: Handrigan Stephen M. , Nakhla Sam
Published: April 2019

An investigation to determine the effect of porosity concentration and location on elastic modulus is performed. Due to advancements in testing methods, the manufacturing and testing of microbeams to obtain mechanical response is possible through the use of focused ion beam technology. Meanwhile, rigorous analysis is required to enable accurate extraction of the elastic modulus from test data. First, a one-dimensional investigation with beam theory, Euler–Bernoulli and Timoshenko, was performed to estimate the modulus based on load-deflection curve. Second, a three-dimensional finite element (FE) model in Abaqus was developed to identify the effect of porosity concentration. Furthermore, the current work provided an accurate procedure to enable accurate extraction of the elastic modulus from load-deflection data. The use of macromodels such as beam theory and three-dimensional FE model enabled enhanced understanding of the effect of porosity on modulus.
On cosmology of interacting varying polytropic dark fluids
Authors: Khurshudyan Martiros , Khurshudyan Asatur
Published: April 2019

In this paper, a possibility of the accelerated expansion of the large scale universe with interacting varying polytropic fluid of a certain type is presented. About a special role of non-gravitational interactions between dark energy and dark matter, in particular, about a possibility of improvement and solution of problems arising in modern cosmology, has been discussed for a long time. This motivates us to consider new models, where non-gravitational interactions between varying polytropic fluid and cold dark matter are allowed. Mainly nonlinear interactions of a specific type is considered, found in recent literature. The present study extends previously obtained results demonstrating that considered new parameterization of dark side of the universe could be supported by available observational data and will present the role of considered non-gravitational interactions in this case. During the study of suggested cosmological models Om analysis is applied. Moreover, with different datasets, including a strong gravitational lensing dataset, the best fit values of the model parameters are obtained using [Formula: see text] analysis.
Exact solutions of the sextic oscillator from the bi-confluent Heun equation
Authors: Lévai Géza , Ishkhanyan Artur M.
Published: April 2019

In this paper, the sextic oscillator is discussed as a potential obtained from the bi-confluent Heun equation after a suitable variable transformation. Following earlier results, the solutions of this differential equation are expressed as a series expansion of Hermite functions with shifted and scaled arguments. The expansion coefficients are obtained from a three-term recurrence relation. It is shown that this construction leads to the known quasi-exactly solvable (QES) form of the sextic oscillator when some parameters are chosen in a specific way. By forcing the termination of the recurrence relation, the Hermite functions turn into Hermite polynomials with shifted arguments, and, at the same time, a polynomial expression is obtained for one of the parameters, the roots of which supply the energy eigenvalues. With the [Formula: see text] choice the quartic potential term is canceled, leading to the reduced sextic oscillator. It was found that the expressions for the energy eigenvalues and the corresponding wave functions of this potential agree with those obtained from the QES formalism. Possible generalizations of the method are also presented.
Ascending number and Conway polynomial
Authors: Higa Ryuji
Published: April 2019

For a knot, the ascending number is the minimum number of crossing changes which are needed to obtain an ascending diagram. We study the ascending number of a knot by analyzing the Conway polynomial. In this paper, we give a sharper lower bound of the ascending number of a knot and newly determine the ascending number for 26 prime knots up to 10 crossings.