bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid neutrophilia is associated with the severity of pulmonary lesions during equine asthma exacerbations
Authors: Bullone M. , Joubert P. , Gagné A. , Lavoie J.‐P. , Hélie P.
Published: January 2018

Background

The severe form of equine asthma is associated with pathological changes of the peripheral airways and pulmonary parenchyma that are only partly described. Also, the relationship between these structural alterations and the percentage of neutrophils found within the airway lumen, assessed by bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) cytology, remains ill‐defined.

Objective

To examine the histological lesions associated with equine asthma during disease exacerbation and remission, and their relationship with lung function and BALF neutrophilia.

Study design

Observational retrospective study.

Methods

Peripheral lung tissues, BALF cytology and lung function data from 61 horses (22 controls, 24 asthma exacerbations and 15 asthma remission) were obtained from an equine pulmonary tissue bank. Two pathologists semi‐quantitatively assessed histological features, including airway wall inflammation, interstitial fibrosis, mucus cell hyperplasia, mucostasis, peribronchiolar metaplasia, presence of granuloma and the overall severity of these lesions.

Results

Mucostasis, mucus cell hyperplasia, peribronchiolar metaplasia and interstitial fibrosis were associated with disease exacerbation (P≤0.05), and these changes were all attenuated during remission. Airway wall inflammation was greater in horses with asthma in exacerbation compared with horses with asthma in remission and control horses (P≤0.05). Acute (neutrophilic) airway wall inflammation was more frequently detected in asthmatic cases compared with control horses (P<0.0001) and was associated with BALF neutrophilia >5% in control horses (P = 0.002). The degree of bronchiolar inflammation was higher in asthmatic horses in remission stabled and treated pharmacologically compared with those kept on pasture (P = 0.04).

Main limitations

Samples obtained from a convenient cohort of horses were studied.

Conclusions

Severely asthmatic horses present parenchymal and peribronchial/peribronchiolar lesions possibly contributing to the obstructive nature of the disease.
Inhibition of the Fibrinogen‐Like Protein 2:FcγRIIB/RIII immunosuppressive pathway enhances antiviral T‐cell and B‐cell responses leading to clearance of lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus clone 13
Authors: Luft Olga , Khattar Ramzi , Farrokhi Kaveh , Ferri Dario , Yavorska Nataliya , Zhang Jianhua , Sadozai Hassan , Adeyi Oyedele , Chruscinski Andrzej , Levy Gary A. , Selzner Nazia
Published: January 2018

Persistent viruses evade immune detection by interfering with virus‐specific innate and adaptive antiviral immune responses. Fibrinogen‐like protein‐2 (FGL2) is a potent effector molecule of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ regulatory T cells and exerts its immunosuppressive activity following ligation to its cognate receptor, FcγRIIB/RIII. The role of FGL2 in the pathogenesis of chronic viral infection caused by lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus clone‐13 (LCMV cl‐13) was assessed in this study. Chronically infected fgl2+/+ mice had increased plasma levels of FGL2, with reduced expression of the maturation markers, CD80, CD86 and MHC‐II on macrophages and dendritic cells and impaired production of neutralizing antibody. In contrast, fgl2−/− mice or fgl2+/+ mice that had been pre‐treated with antibodies to FGL2 and FcγRIIB/RIII and then infected with LCMV cl‐13 developed a robust CD4+ and CD8+ antiviral T‐cell response, produced high titred neutralizing antibody to LCMV and cleared LCMV. Treatment of mice with established chronic infection with antibodies to FGL2 and FcγRIIB/RIII was shown to rescue the number and functionality of virus‐specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cells with reduced total and virus‐specific T‐cell expression of programmed cell death protein 1 leading to viral clearance. These results demonstrate an important role for FGL2 in viral immune evasion and provide a rationale to target FGL2 to treat patients with chronic viral infection.
Temporal Responsiveness in Mother–Child Dialogue: A Longitudinal Analysis of Children with Normal Hearing and Hearing Loss
Authors: Smith Nicholas A. , McMurray Bob
Published: January 2018

Dialogue between conversational partners, including mothers and their children, is precisely timed. The predictability of this timing is important for establishing and maintaining interaction, communication, and learning. This longitudinal study examines changes in the response latency of utterances in dialogue between mothers and their normal hearing and hearing‐impaired children between 4 and 60 months of age. Mothers and their children showed parallel developmental trends, responding to each other more quickly at older ages. Beyond these age‐related group effects, significant dyadic effects were found in which individual children's latencies were related to those of their mothers, and vice versa. Developmental patterns did not significantly differ across hearing status groups, which may reflect the role of early identification and intervention in promoting positive developmental outcomes.
Therapeutic benefits of CD90‐negative cardiac stromal cells in rats with a 30‐day chronic infarct
Authors: Shen Deliang , Shen Miaoda , Liang Hongxia , Tang Junnan , Wang Bo , Liu Chuang , Wang Peiwen , Dong Jianzeng , Li Ling , Zhang Jinying , Caranasos Thomas G.
Published: January 2018

Cardiac stromal cells (CSCs) can be derived from explant cultures, and a subgroup of these cells is viewed as cardiac mesenchymal stem cells due to their expression of CD90. Here, we sought to determine the therapeutic potential of CD90‐positive and CD90‐negative CSCs in a rat model of chronic myocardial infarction. We obtain CD90‐positive and CD90‐negative fractions of CSCs from rat myocardial tissue explant cultures by magnetically activated cell sorting. In vitro, CD90‐negative CSCs outperform CD90‐positive CSCs in tube formation and cardiomyocyte functional assays. In rats with a 30‐day infarct, injection of CD90‐negative CSCs augments cardiac function in the infarct in a way superior to that from CD90‐positive CSCs and unsorted CSCs. Histological analysis revealed that CD90‐negative CSCs increase vascularization in the infarct. Our results suggest that CD90‐negative CSCs could be a development candidate as a new cell therapy product for chronic myocardial infarction.
Mogamulizumab‐induced photosensitivity in patients with mycosis fungoides and other T‐cell neoplasms
Authors: Masuda Y. , Tatsuno K. , Kitano S. , Miyazawa H. , Ishibe J. , Aoshima M. , Shimauchi T. , Fujiyama T. , Ito T. , Tokura Y.
Published: January 2018

Background

Mogamulizumab (Mog) is a defucosylated, therapeutic monoclonal antibody, targeting CCR4 and was first approved in Japan for the treatment of adult T‐cell leukaemia/lymphoma (ATLL), followed by cutaneous T‐cell lymphoma and peripheral T‐cell lymphoma.

Objective

To retrospectively investigate development of photosensitivity in patients with mycosis fungoides and other T‐cell neoplasms after treatment with Mog.

Methods

We treated seven cutaneous lymphoma patients with Mog. Upon combination treatment with narrow‐band UVB, we noticed that four patients developed photosensitivity dermatitis following Mog therapy, including two cases of mycosis fungoides, one case of adult T‐cell leukaemia/lymphoma and one case of EB virus‐associated T‐cell lymphoproliferative disorder. Phototest was performed with UVA and UVB, and immunohistochemical staining for CD4, CD8 and Foxp3 was conducted in both photosensitivity and lymphoma lesions.

Results

Phototest revealed that the action spectrum of the photosensitivity was UVB in three cases and both UVB and UVA in one case. Histopathologically, the photosensitive lesions were characterized by a lichenoid tissue reaction with a CD8+ T cell‐dominant infiltrate, sharing the feature with chronic actinic dermatitis, an autoreactive photodermatosis with a cytotoxic T‐cell response. Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) were decreased in the photosensitivity lesions compared with the lymphoma lesions.

Conclusion

Increased incidence of photosensitivity reaction was observed during Mog treatment. Decreased number of Tregs in the lesional skin suggests that this reaction is possibly induced by autoreactive cytotoxic T cells.
Merkel cell carcinoma in France: a registries‐based, comprehensive epidemiological survey
Authors: Fondain M. , Dereure O. , Uhry Z. , Guizard A.V. , Woronoff A.S. , Colonna M. , Molinie F. , Bara S. , Velten M. , Marrer E. , Grosclaude P. , Lapôtre‐Ledoux B. , Tretarre B. , Guillot B.
Published: January 2018

Background

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare primary cutaneous neuroendocrine carcinoma. Owing to its low incidence, epidemiological data are scarce and have never been analysed in France to identify the main epidemiological trends.

Methods

Data from MCC patients diagnosed between 1998 and 2010 were obtained from 11 French cancer registries in the FRANCIM network. The main epidemiological characteristics of MCC were investigated between 2006 and 2010 because comprehensive data were only available for this period. The main focus was tumour incidence and mortality over time.

Results

Between 1998 and 2010, 562 cases of MCC were reported in the registries. From 2006 to 2010 (290 cases), European‐ and world‐standardized incidence rates were 0.26 and 0.43 per 100,000 person‐years in men and 0.24 and 0.38 per 100,000 person‐years in women. MCC is more frequent in females in France (56.9%) with male/female ratio 1.1. Relative survival rates were 84%, 56% and 42% at one, three and 5 years, respectively.

Conclusions

The incidence of MCC clearly increased over time in all areas under focus. The standardized incidence in France was comparable to the incidence observed in other countries for the same period, but French data are too recent to conclude on an increase in MCC incidence. Prognosis remains poor in all countries in which data are available.
Model fitting for small skin permeability data sets: hyperparameter optimisation in Gaussian Process Regression
Authors: Ashrafi Parivash , Sun Yi , Davey Neil , Adams Roderick G , Wilkinson Simon C , Moss Gary Patrick
Published: January 2018

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate how to improve predictions from Gaussian Process models by optimising the model hyperparameters.

Methods

Optimisation methods, including Grid Search, Conjugate Gradient, Random Search, Evolutionary Algorithm and Hyper-prior, were evaluated and applied to previously published data. Data sets were also altered in a structured manner to reduce their size, which retained the range, or ‘chemical space’ of the key descriptors to assess the effect of the data range on model quality.

Key findings

The Hyper-prior Smoothbox kernel results in the best models for the majority of data sets, and they exhibited significantly better performance than benchmark quantitative structure–permeability relationship (QSPR) models. When the data sets were systematically reduced in size, the different optimisation methods generally retained their statistical quality, whereas benchmark QSPR models performed poorly.

Conclusions

The design of the data set, and possibly also the approach to validation of the model, is critical in the development of improved models. The size of the data set, if carefully controlled, was not generally a significant factor for these models and that models of excellent statistical quality could be produced from substantially smaller data sets.
Acanthoic acid suppresses lipin1/2 via TLR4 and IRAK4 signalling pathways in EtOH- and lipopolysaccharide-induced hepatic lipogenesis
Authors: Song Jian , Han Xin , Yao You-Li , Li Ya-Mei , Zhang Jing , Shao Dan-Yang , Hou Li-Shuang , Fan Ying , Song Shun-Zong , Lian Li-Hua , Nan Ji-Xing , Wu Yan-Ling
Published: January 2018

Objectives

In alcoholic liver disease, alcohol and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) are major stimulation factors of hepatic lipogenesis. Our objective was to determine the protective mechanism of acanthoic acid (AA) in EtOH- and LPS-induced hepatic lipogenesis.

Methods

HSC-T6 cells were treated with ethanol (200 mm) plus LPS (1 μg/ml) for 1 h, followed by AA (10 or 20 μm) for another 6 h. C57BL/6 mice were pretreated with of AA (20 and 40 mg/kg) or equal volume of saline and then exposed to three doses of ethanol (5 g/kg body weight) within 24 h. The mice were sacrificed at 6 h after the last ethanol dosing.

Key findings

Acanthoic acid significantly decreased the expressions of α-SMA, collagen-I, SREBP-1, and lipin1/2 induced, also decreased fat droplets caused by EtOH/LPS. AA treatment decreased the protein expressions of TLR4, CD14, IRAK4, TRAF3, p-TAK1 and NF-κB increased by EtOH/LPS on HSC cells. Results in vivo were consistent with results in vitro.

Conclusions

Our data demonstrated that AA might modulate hepatic fibrosis and lipid deposition in HSC-T6 cell stimulated with ethanol combined with LPS by decreasing lipin1/2 via TLR4 and IRAK4 signalling pathways, and AA might be considered as a potential therapeutic candidate for alcoholic liver disease.
Expression analyses of candidate genes related to meat quality traits in squabs from two breeds of meat‐type pigeon
Authors: Ye M. , Xu M. , Chen C. , He Y. , Ding M. , Ding X. , Wei W. , Yang S. , Zhou B.
Published: January 2018

In this study, meat quality traits were compared between squabs from two pigeon breeds: one Chinese indigenous breed, the Shiqi (SQ) meat‐type pigeon, and an imported breed, the white king (WK) meat‐type pigeon. Breed differences were detected in the content of intramuscular fat (IMF) in the breast muscle. SQ squabs had significantly higher IMF content than the WK birds. The shear force value (an objective measure of meat tenderness) of SQ birds was also relatively lower than that of the WK squabs. Further analysis of fatty acids profile revealed that SQ squabs exhibited significant advantage in the synthesis of polyunsaturated fatty acids, while WK squabs were significantly higher in the sum of monounsaturated fatty acids. Breast muscle in the SQ squabs was also significantly higher in the ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids, as well as the sum of omega 6 fatty acids. Variability of expression levels of functional genes in relation to fat accumulation and meat tenderness was analysed by qRT‐PCR. Gene expression analyses showed that the hepatic expression of LPL (lipoprotein lipase), FABP4 (fatty acid‐binding protein 4), and CAPN2 (calpain‐2) were significantly higher in the SQ squabs. In the breast muscle tissue, the FABP3 (fatty acid‐binding protein 3) and CAPN2mRNA abundance was significantly higher in SQ squabs. Our results suggested that these differentially expressed genes might be candidate genes used in the programmes of targeted selection for squabs with higher IMF content, tender meat, and more favourable fatty acids composition.
Lipoprotein modifications by gingipains of Porphyromonas gingivalis
Authors: Lönn J. , Ljunggren S. , Klarström‐Engström K. , Demirel I. , Bengtsson T. , Karlsson H.
Published: January 2018

Background and Objective

Several studies have shown an association between periodontitis and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Atherosclerosis is the major cause of CVD, and a key event in the development of atherosclerosis is accumulation of lipoproteins within the arterial wall. Bacteria are the primary etiologic agents in periodontitis and Porphyromonas gingivalis is the major pathogen in the disease. Several studies support a role of modified low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) in atherogenesis; however, the pathogenic stimuli that induce the changes and the mechanisms by which this occur are unknown. This study aims to identify alterations in plasma lipoproteins induced by the periodontopathic species of bacterium, P. gingivalis, in vitro.

Material and Methods

Plasma lipoproteins were isolated from whole blood treated with wild‐type and gingipain‐mutant (lacking either the Rgp‐ or Kgp gingipains) P. gingivalis by density/gradient‐ultracentrifugation and were studied using 2‐dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry. Porphyromonas gingivalis‐induced lipid peroxidation and antioxidant levels were measured by thiobarbituric acid‐reactive substances and antioxidant assay kits, respectively, and lumiaggregometry was used for measurement of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and aggregation.

Results

Porphyromonas gingivalis exerted substantial proteolytic effects on the lipoproteins. The Rgp gingipains were responsible for producing 2 apoE fragments, as well as 2 apoB‐100 fragments, in LDL, and the Kgp gingipain produced an unidentified fragment in high‐density lipoproteins. Porphyromonas gingivalis and its different gingipain variants induced ROS and consumed antioxidants. Both the Rgp and Kgp gingipains were involved in inducing lipid peroxidation.

Conclusion

Porphyromonas gingivalis has the potential to change the expression of lipoproteins in blood, which may represent a crucial link between periodontitis and CVD.
Advances in intravesical therapy for bladder pain syndrome (BPS)/interstitial cystitis (IC)
Authors: Meng En , Hsu Yu‐Chao , Chuang Yao‐Chi
Published: January 2018

Bladder pain syndrome (BPS)/interstitial cystitis (IC) is a chronic symptom complex that may cause bothersome storage symptoms and pain or discomfort of the bladder, adversely affecting a patient's quality of life. The etiology of IC/BPS remains unclear, and its cause may be multifactorial. Diagnosis of IC/BPS is based on clinical features, and the possibility of other conditions must be ruled out first. Although no definitive treatment is currently available for IC/BPS, various intravesical therapies are used for IC/BPS, including heparin, hyaluronic acid, chondroitin sulfate, pentosan polysulfate, dimethylsulfoxide, liposomes, and botulinum onabotulinumtoxinA (BoNT‐A). This review summarizes the intravesical therapy for IC/BPS and discusses recent advances in the instillation of liposomal‐mediated BoNT‐A and other newly developed intravesical therapies.
The ‘Primum Non‐Nocere’ management conundrum of head and neck cancer in the nonagenarian: case reports
Authors: Ampil F.L. , Ghali G.E. , Vora M. , Richards T.
Published: January 2018

There is a paucity of information regarding the management and outcome of nonagenarians with head and neck cancer. This retrospective study revealed oral cavity carcinoma in three 90‐year‐old people accounting for approximately 0.1% of patients evaluated for treatment of head and neck cancer during a period of over 3 years at a single institution. Resection of gross tumour performed in these individuals with early stage or locally advanced disease (two patients) resulted in survival with recurrent tumour at 28 months, disease‐free survival at 8 months and death during the early recovery period, respectively. Extreme chronological age should not necessarily preclude judiciously applied therapy in people with head and neck cancer. Therapeutic intervention needs to be individualized according to the presented clinical profile.
Street‐level bureaucrats, rule‐following and tenure: How assessment tools are used at the front line of the public sector
Authors: Assadi Anahita , Lundin Martin
Published: January 2018

Studies on street‐level bureaucracy examine actions of frontline workers within the public sector. In this literature, there is a lack of evidence on how job tenure affects how frontline workers respond to formal steering. We contribute to prior research by studying the nationwide introduction of an assessment support tool to be used by caseworkers to assess clients’ needs under the Swedish active labour market policy. We examine the potential effects of tenure on how caseworkers use this tool. The empirical analysis is based on quantitative and qualitative data. We show that as tenure increases, street‐level bureaucrats, especially male caseworkers, tend to act in accordance with policy signals to a lesser extent. The qualitative analysis shows that this pattern can partly be explained by the fact that increasing experience with meeting clients face to face increases caseworkers’ perceived confidence and skills.
Prognostic and therapeutic factors influencing the clinical outcome of hepatoblastoma after liver transplantation: A single‐institute experience
Authors: Umeda Katsutsugu , Okajima Hideaki , Kawaguchi Koji , Nodomi Seishiro , Saida Satoshi , Kato Itaru , Hiramatsu Hidefumi , Ogawa Eri , Yoshizawa Atsushi , Okamoto Shinya , Uemoto Shinji , Watanabe Kenichiro , Adachi Souichi
Published: January 2018

LT has contributed to an elevation in cure rates for patients with unresectable HB; however, patients with recurrent HB after LT have poor prognosis. To analyze the prognostic and therapeutic factors that influence the clinical outcome of patients with HB receiving LT, we retrospectively analyzed 24 patients with HB who underwent LT between 1997 and 2015. The 5‐year OS rate of all patients was 69.6±9.7%. The 5‐year OS rate of 11 patients receiving salvage LT for recurrent tumor after a primary resection was comparable to that of 13 patients receiving primary LT. Among 12 evaluable patients receiving primary LT, six of 10 patients with a decline of serum AFP >95% at LT are currently alive and in remission, whereas two patients with a decline of AFP ≤95% experienced post‐LT relapse. Among 9 evaluable patients receiving salvage LT, all three patients with any decline of AFP at LT are currently alive in remission, and three of six patients with no response to pre‐LT salvage chemotherapy are also alive and in remission. Response to chemotherapy may be a reliable marker for prediction of post‐LT relapse, even for patients receiving salvage LT.
Renal transplantation in children under 3 years of age: Experience from a single‐center study
Authors: Loiseau Yann , Bacchetta Justine , Klich Amna , Ranchin Bruno , Demede Delphine , Laurent Audrey , Baudin Florent , Garaix Florentine , Roy Pascal , Cochat Pierre
Published: January 2018

RTx remains challenging in children under 3 years of age. This single‐center study reviewed the medical records of children <3 years transplanted since 1987 (N = 32, Group 1). They were matched for donor type and RTx period with children aged 3‐13 years (N = 32, Group 2) and 13‐18 years (N = 32, Group 3). There were no between‐group significant differences regarding distributions of gender, primary renal disease, proportion of dialysis before RTx, and growth (SDS). Compared to Groups 2 and 3, Group 1 had more peritoneal dialyses (P < .001), more EBV mismatches (P = .04), and longer warm ischemia times (P < .001). The risk of graft loss was not significantly different among age groups (hazard ratio, 2.4 in Group 2 and 2.0 in Group 3 vs Group 1; P = .2). Death occurred in four patients (3 in Group 1 and 1 in Group 2) and graft loss occurred in 28 patients, mainly due to chronic allograft nephropathy. In recipients <3 years of age, the outcomes of RTx are close to those obtained in older pediatric age groups. Thus, young patients may be transplanted in experienced multidisciplinary teams without additional risks provided that particular attention is paid to donor selection and prevention/early diagnosis of comorbidities and complications.
Venous anastomosis by piggyback technique to avoid twisting of the pediatric en bloc kidney grafts
Authors: Li Jun , Schild Raphael , Herrmann Jochen , Oh Jun , Fischer Lutz , Koch Martina
Published: January 2018

This is the first report of using piggyback technique for the venous anastomosis in two pediatric recipients of small en bloc kidneys, which was found to be effective to avoid twisting of the grafts and vessels. The donors were aged 2 and 3 years with a body weight of 17 and 20 kg. The recipient age was 14 and 16 years with a body weight of 42 and 54 kg. The implantation was done extraperitoneally in the right iliac fossa. The donor's inferior vena cava was anastomosed to the recipient's distal caval vein side‐to‐side using 6‐0 polydioxanone running suture as the piggyback technique, initially dealing with the short vena cava graft in the first case. At the end of the operation, the kidneys were positioned allowing the lateral aspect of each renal unit to face anteriorly as “closing the book.” The cold ischemia time was 895 and 820 minutes, respectively. No vascular complication was observed postoperatively. The patients were discharged on POD 16 and POD 21 with an eGFR of 94 and 102 mL/min/1.73 m², respectively. The graft function is stable during the 5‐ and 7‐month follow‐up.
A Design-Based Approach to Small Area Estimation Using a Semiparametric Generalized Linear Mixed Model
Authors: Yu Hongjian , Wang Yueyan , Opsomer Jean , Wang Pan , Ponce Ninez A.
Published: January 2018

In small area estimation, non-parametric models with penalized spline regression have been demonstrated to be a useful tool in creating granular area estimates to provide supplemental information where samples are few or non-existent. This study further examines the ability of a semiparametric generalized linear mixed model to produce conforming estimates for multiple area levels. A mosaic analogy is used to describe this process. A design-based jackknife method is employed for variance calculation.
ADCN: An anisotropic density‐based clustering algorithm for discovering spatial point patterns with noise
Authors: Mai Gengchen , Janowicz Krzysztof , Hu Yingjie , Gao Song
Published: January 2018

Density‐based clustering algorithms such as DBSCAN have been widely used for spatial knowledge discovery as they offer several key advantages compared with other clustering algorithms. They can discover clusters with arbitrary shapes, are robust to noise, and do not require prior knowledge (or estimation) of the number of clusters. The idea of using a scan circle centered at each point with a search radius Eps to find at least MinPts points as a criterion for deriving local density is easily understandable and sufficient for exploring isotropic spatial point patterns. However, there are many cases that cannot be adequately captured this way, particularly if they involve linear features or shapes with a continuously changing density, such as a spiral. In such cases, DBSCAN tends to either create an increasing number of small clusters or add noise points into large clusters. Therefore, in this article, we propose a novel anisotropic density‐based clustering algorithm (ADCN). To motivate our work, we introduce synthetic and real‐world cases that cannot be handled sufficiently by DBSCAN (or OPTICS). We then present our clustering algorithm and test it with a wide range of cases. We demonstrate that our algorithm can perform equally as well as DBSCAN in cases that do not benefit explicitly from an anisotropic perspective, and that it outperforms DBSCAN in cases that do. Finally, we show that our approach has the same time complexity as DBSCAN and OPTICS, namely O(n log n) when using a spatial index and O(n2) otherwise. We provide an implementation and test the runtime over multiple cases.
The Cognitive Perspective of Yulin Yuan on Modern Chinese Grammar
Authors: Feng Mei , Hou Guojin
Published: January 2018

This paper is mainly a review of Yulin Yuan’s book Cognition-Based Studies on Chinese Grammar which, as one of the book series of Routledge Studies in Chinese Linguistics, was published by Routledge in 2017. On the one hand, Yuan’s cognitive studies of and his Yuanian insight into Chinese grammar are of vital importance to those students and researchers who specialise or are interested in the Chinese language, especially modern Chinese grammar. On the other hand, his research may probably promote the development of cognitive linguistics on the whole with regard to linguistic typology.
Optimizing the Cost-Effectiveness of an Industrial Natural Gas Cogeneration Facility in a Regulated Electric Utility Environment
Authors: Bedley Mike
Published: January 2018

Since Congress enacted the Public Utility Regulatory Policies Act (PURPA) in 1978, the electric utility industry has experienced many significant changes — legal, structural and technical. For purposes of this discussion, one of the more important changes that resulted was the installation of substantial electric generating capacity via “cogeneration” at industrial facilities nationwide. PURPA defined, and created by law, entities known as “qualifying facilities” or “QFs”, and established a framework in which they were allowed to compete with utilities in both the wholesale electric market (by sales for resale) and retail electric markets (by self-generation). The Energy Policy Act of 1992 (EPAct92) took PURPA one step further, allow additional entities — such as Exempt Wholesale Generators (EWG), marketers and brokers — to participate in the wholesale electric markets, forever changing the once monopolistic structure of the electric industry. Importantly, from a legal, structural and technical standpoint, QFs continue to enjoy advantages over other generators - both utility and non-utility. The legal and structural framework continue to favor QFs and technically, the equipment available for cogeneration facilities is significantly more efficient, reliable and environmentally friendly than in the past. Cogeneration can be a very cost-effective option for large energy users, providing in many instances the only alternative to purchasing electricity from the monopoly utility.

Paper published with permission.
Tank Cleaning With Impact
Authors: Hansen Jan H.
Published: January 2018

Different types of tank cleaning device technologies are used for inside cleaning of tanks today. Many devices with different capacity, design, quality, function and price from a variety of manufacturers are seen on the market and the selection has become difficult. The increasing focus on product quality, low operating costs, low consumption of water and chemicals, rapid tank turn around time, cleaning validation, regulation fulfillment, and environment protection policies have led to an awareness of the benefits by optimizing the cleaning process. The importance for an effective, reliable device has become an important factor, and many of the latest tank cleaning devices on the market today have been developed with these keywords in mind. The selection has become a key factor in achieving the optimum cleaning process.

Paper published with permission.
Improved Agitators Applied to High Viscosity Fluids in Concentrated Juices
Authors: Souza E. , Leal A. C. , Torsani F. L. , Hory I. R.
Published: January 2018

The main objective of this work was to investigate a new agitation system, which would improve the standard process for concentrated juice after evaporation. The commonly used agitators for this kind of application were analyzed, including anchor agitators with tangential flow and pitched-blade agitators with axial flow. A pilot unit was installed “in company.” The results of the pilot test were scaled-up to an industrial size agitator with pitched-blade impellers. Three impellers, each with four blades at a 45° angle, were mounted on an off-center shaft. Better results were obtained in all the aspects analyzed. Process time was reduced by a factor often, power consumption was reduced by a factor of five, without air incorporation into the product. The new system had less internal surface area to be cleaned than the old system with an anchor impeller. Additionally, the new equipment was only one-fourth the cost of a similar installation with an anchor impeller. This innovative solution demonstrates the practical substitution of pitched-blade impellers for an anchor impeller in viscous fluids.

Paper published with permission.
New Processing Technology for Water as an Ingredient
Authors: Moore Steven
Published: January 2018

There are several things in life that we take for granted. Water is very often one of them. Each of us uses this vital liquid, the most common substance on earth, everyday. And we rarely think twice about it.

Governments and international legislative bodies worldwide are redefining what is “safe to drink.” The United States has led the way by passing into law an amended Safe Drinking Water Act.

The European community is considering these standards and the World Health Organization (WHO) provides the impetus for issuing a minimum common standard for the European countries.

American consumers are becoming more aware of water quality and consistency. The popularity and increased demand for bottled water continues to grow as people desire better quality and consistency, and are willing to pay for the product.

This paper will address the issues of water safety and consistency for a citrus processing plant using water as an ingredient, in food contact, or is contemplating off-season bottled water production.

Paper published with permission.
Bin Automation and Management
Authors: Swofford Rodney W.
Published: January 2018

Existing fruit receiving and processing operations rely on both automated and manual data collection systems to generate and store fruit information. This information can be used to select fruit to use for a particular juice product or to optimize extraction systems. At the present time, the selection of fruit is mainly a manual process due to disconnected, dissimilar data systems and missing information.

This paper describes the development of an integrated bin management system. This system uses existing customer data collection systems with new machinery and instrumentation to improve the accuracy of fruit selection and blending to optimize the extraction process.

The following areas will be examined:

• A review of a conventional, manual bin system

• The need for an integrated data collection and selection system

• An overview of the intelligent bin system

• How the intelligent bin system collects and manages data

• An overview of the bin selection system

• Some future developments

Paper published with permission.
Advanced System Controls and Energy Savings for Industrial Boilers
Authors: Willems Daniel
Published: January 2018

The price of natural gas exceeded $15/MM Btu in December 2005 compared to $6/MM Btu just one year ago! It was also just $2/MM Btu in the 1990’s. Crude oil prices exceeded $70/barrel in 2005 compared to $45/barrel just one year ago!

To put this into perspective, a 600 HP boiler operating at a 50% average load for 12 hours per day, 365 days per year would have consumed $321,800 in natural gas one year ago but will consume $804,490 in natural per year at today’s cost!

The increased cost of fuel has affected operational costs for all boilers regardless of size, age, or manufacturer. The US dependence on foreign oil and natural gas, as well as the escalating energy demands of China, India, and other countries will likely drive energy prices higher in the future.

This increase in the cost of fuel has driven responsible boiler manufacturers to develop new products or modify existing ones in order to reduce energy consumption. Major developments have been made in the past few years which improve boiler efficiency, offer innovative heat recovery systems, and integrate high tech controls into boiler systems.

This paper will address the developments in boiler design, control systems, and heat recovery systems which all contribute to energy savings.

Paper published with permission.
Non-Thermal Preservation of Fruit Juices
Authors: Balasubramaniam V. M. (Bala)
Published: January 2018

Consumers demand healthier fresh tasting foods without chemical preservatives. To address the need, food industry is exploring alternative preservation methods such as high pressure processing (HPP) and pulsed electric field processing. During HPP, the food material is subjected to elevated pressures (up to 900 MPa) with or without the addition of heat to achieve microbial inactivation with minimal damage to the food. One of the unique advantages of the technology is the ability to increase the temperature of the food samples instantaneously; this is attributed to the heat of compression, resulting from the rapid pressurization of the sample. Pulsed electric field (PEF) processing uses short bursts of electricity for microbial inactivation and causes minimal or no detrimental effect on food quality attributes. The process involves treating foods placed between electrodes by high voltage pulses in the order of 20–80 kV (usually for a couple of microseconds). PEF processing offers high quality fresh-like liquid foods with excellent flavor, nutritional value, and shelf life. Pressure in combination with other antimicrobial agents, including CO2, has been investigated for juice processing. Both HPP and PEF are quite effective in inactivating harmful pathogens and vegetative bacteria at ambient temperatures.

Both HPP and PEF do not present any unique issues for food processors concerning regulatory matters or labeling. The requirements are similar to traditional thermal pasteurization such as development of a Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point (HACCP) plan for juices and beverages.

Examples of high pressure, pasteurized, value added products commercially available in the United States include smoothies, fruit juices, guacamole, ready meal components, oysters, ham, poultry products, and salsa. PEF technology is not yet widely utilized for commercial processing of food products in the United States. The presentation will provide a brief overview of HPP and PEF technology fundamentals, equipment choices for food processors, process economics, and commercialization status in the food industry, with emphasis on juice processing.

Paper published with permission.
Converting Citrus Waste to Ethanol and Other Co-Products
Authors: Widmer Wilbur , Zhou Weiyang , Grohmann Karel
Published: January 2018

Conversion of citrus processing waste (CPW) generated during juice production into value added co-products is an important aspect of the juice industry as it offers a solution to waste disposal issues. Currently the practice of drying citrus waste to produce citrus pulp pellets (CPP) for use as cattle feed is profitable. However, until the recent rise in value, CPP value was marginal and often did not meet production costs. Another concern has been volatile organic emissions during CPP production. Only one third of the residual peel oil present in citrus waste is recovered during CPP production with most being vented to the atmosphere during drying and is a growing environmental concern. Improvements in limonene recovery and development of alternative value added co-products obtained from CPW could add substantial value to the citrus crop.

For current CPP production, the energy required to dry CPW is the major cost involved and approximately 25 lb of limonene are obtained per ton of CPP produced. Since limonene is recovered during evaporation/concentration of pressed peel juice using a waste heat evaporator, little additional cost is associated with limonene recovery. The concentrated citrus molasses produced may be added back to the press cake or fermented to make ethanol, but only contains a third of the sugars in CPW that are fermentable by conventional yeast.

While utilizing the entire CPW stream for ethanol using hydrolysis and fermentation is more involved, three times the amount of ethanol can be obtained compared to using press liquor alone. Most of the limonene must be removed as it inhibits fermentation. In the process developed 85–95% of the limonene contained in CPW can be removed and recovered by steam stripping. This greatly reduces concerns associated with the release of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) during processing of CPW and the limonene recovered has a value equal or greater than stripping costs. Using a mixture of enzymes and yeast, the CPW is then hydrolyzed and fermented simultaneously to produce ethanol followed by distillation to remove and recover the ethanol. Enzyme costs to hydrolyze and liquefy CPW have been reduced to less than a dollar per gallon of ethanol produced, and the economics for distillation are still being optimized. The distillation residues contain half the solids of raw citrus waste that can still be utilized as a CPP product. Other uses for the residues such as incorporation of the pectic materials into building product and paper additives, and ion exchange materials for wastewater remediation are also in development.

Paper published with permission.
Current Challenges of Mechanical Harvesting Technology for Citrus
Authors: Ehsani Reza , Lee Won Suk , Northeimer Elizabeth
Published: January 2018

In recent years, the use of citrus mechanical harvesting machines has significantly increased in Florida. In 2007, the total acreage of citrus orchards harvested by mechanical means was 14,420 ha (35,633 acres) which is about 7% of the total citrus production area in Florida up from only 1% in 2004. In addition, the Florida Department of Citrus initiated a program to register abscission compounds for citrus. Abscission compounds reduce the amount of force required to detach the fruit from the stem, making it easier to harvest. According to the plan, the abscission compounds will become available by 2011. It is expected that the trend in adoption of mechanical harvesting machines will accelerate if abscission compounds become commercially available. In addition to fruit, mechanical harvesting machines cause removal of leaves and branches, some percentage of which end up to the harvested load. Currently, the amount of trash, i.e. leaves and branches, in the mechanically harvested citrus load is considerably higher than when harvested by hand and is a major concern for juice processors. While these machines reduce the cost of harvesting and allow citrus growers to be more competitive in the global market, the large amount of fruit they can harvest in a short time can cause issues with load allocations. The implications resulting from these technologies are discussed in this paper, as well as initial results from a computer vision technique to quantify the trash in the load.

Paper published with permission.
Florida Citrus Processing Facility Takes Leadership Role in Conducting a Facility Wide Insulation Energy Assessment
Authors: King Ronald (Ron) , Crall G. Christopher P.
Published: January 2018

After attending a National Insulation Association (NIA) presentation on Insulation, The Forgotten Technology at ASME’s 2007 Citrus Engineering Conference, a major citrus processing facility in central Florida decided to examine the condition of their insulation systems and determine the potential energy savings that could be achieved by replacing or repairing their existing insulation.

Facility management had previously examined abbreviated energy assessments for above and below ambient systems but had not commissioned an extensive below ambient assessment. Due to the age, complexity, and recent weather history of the facility (i.e. hurricanes), management wanted to examine the condition of the thermal insulation systems and any effect its condition may have on the refrigerant piping and overall system operating costs. The assessment process was more complex than originally anticipated and yielded a wealth of meaningful information.

The facility covers about 50 acres and consists of a variety of production, warehousing, and shipping/receiving facilities. It is estimated that the facility processes roughly one billion pounds of oranges and grapefruits each year into juice and juice products. Refrigeration for the site is provided by a large and complex ammonia refrigeration system. A total of eight “engine rooms” house electric driven compressors and associated vessels and equipment. Installed capacity is roughly 3,000 tons of refrigeration with an estimated energy cost on the order of $2 million per year. The ammonia refrigerant is distributed throughout the site via a complex and interconnected refrigerant piping system. The total refrigerant charge in the system is roughly 300,000 lbs of ammonia.

Paper published with permission.
Chlorine Dioxide Sterilization of Bulk Aseptic Storage Tanks
Authors: Morgan Mark , Burke Michael
Published: January 2018

Chlorine dioxide (ClO2) is an antimicrobial pesticide recognized for its disinfectant properties since the early 1900’s. Antimicrobial pesticides are substances used to control harmful microorganisms including bacteria, viruses or fungi on inanimate objects and surfaces. In 1967, EPA first registered the liquid form of chlorine dioxide for use as a disinfectant and sanitizer. In 1988, EPA registered chlorine dioxide gas as a sterilant.

Enerfab and Purdue University began studying the efficacy of using chlorine dioxide gas to sterilize the surfaces of produce in 1996. During this process, Enerfab and Purdue determined that chlorine dioxide gas could potentially be used as an alternative to the traditional method of flood sterilizing bulk aseptic storage tanks with iodophor.

This paper outlines the research that has been performed to develop chlorine dioxide gas sterilization of bulk storage tanks with chlorine dioxide, the efficacy of this method of sterilization, the benefits of its use, and the current status.

Paper published with permission.
Benefits and Techniques for Machine Condition Monitoring in Industrial Environments
Authors: Denton Michael
Published: January 2018

Condition monitoring of plant machinery is becoming more common place. With new advanced signal processing algorithms and better machine life models proactive maintenance of citrus processing machinery allows avoiding unplanned downtime and catastrophic failure. It also avoids relying only on predictions and assuming the machine will break. This paper will discuss the main steps that are necessary in developing a plant machinery maintenance system and make a business case for implementing machine monitoring on a wide range of plant equipment.

Paper published with permission.
Draft Genome Sequence and Annotation of the Obligate Bacterial Endosymbiont
Caedibacter taeniospiralis
, Causative Agent of the Killer Phenotype in
Paramecium tetraurelia
Authors: Zaburannyi Nestor , Grosser Katrin , Gasparoni Gilles , Müller Rolf , Schrallhammer Martina , Simon Martin
Published: January 2018

Caedibacter taeniospiralis
is an obligate endosymbiont living in the cytoplasm of
Paramecium tetraurelia
.
C. taeniospiralis
causes the so-called killer trait, eliminating intraspecific competitors of its host when released into the medium by the concerted action of the unusual protein structure R-body (refractile body) in addition to an as-yet-unknown toxin.
Nine Whole-Genome Assemblies of
Yersinia pestis
subsp.
microtus
bv. Altaica Strains Isolated from the Altai Mountain Natural Plague Focus (No. 36) in Russia
Authors: Kislichkina Angelina A. , Bogun Alexandr G. , Kadnikova Lidiya A. , Maiskaya Nadezhda V. , Solomentsev Viktor I. , Dentovskaya Svetlana V. , Balakhonov Sergey V. , Anisimov Andrey P.
Published: January 2018

We report here the draft genome sequences of nine
Yersinia pestis
subsp.
microtus
bv. Altaica strains isolated from the Altai Mountain plague focus (no. 36), which represent the 0.PE4 phylogroup circulating in populations of Mongolian pika (
Ochotona pallasi
).
Draft Genome Sequence of a Novel Bacterium,
Pseudomonas
sp. Strain MR 02, Capable of Pyomelanin Production, Isolated from the Mahananda River at Siliguri, West Bengal, India
Authors: Ranjan Vivek Kumar , Saha Tilak , Mukherjee Shriparna , Chakraborty Ranadhir
Published: January 2018

The draft genome sequence of a novel strain,
Pseudomonas
sp. MR 02, a pyomelanin-producing bacterium isolated from the Mahananda River at Siliguri, West Bengal, India, is reported here. This strain has a genome size of 5.94 Mb, with an overall G+C content of 62.6%. The draft genome reports 5,799 genes (mean gene length, 923 bp), among which 5,503 are protein-coding genes, including the genes required for the catabolism of tyrosine or phenylalanine for the characteristic production of homogentisic acid (HGA). Excess HGA, on excretion, auto-oxidizes and polymerizes to form pyomelanin.