bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
International Noise Awareness Day and the Acoustical Society of America: Past, present, and future
Authors: Jones L. Keeta
Published: April 2019

Prior to 2018, the Acoustical Society of America (ASA) did little to support the Center for Hearing and Communication’s International Noise Awareness Day (INAD). Task Force 1 (TF1) members of the five-year ASA Strategic Plan determined that ASA must make a greater effort to support the INAD campaign to help raise public awareness of noise to meet our own strategic goals. For 2018, TF1 members organized and promoted activities that would not only increase noise awareness but would also encourage the public to interact with the ASA. These activities included taking sound level measurements using a mobile app, reading a Proceedings of the Meetings on Acoustics paper, watching a movie, and taking part in a live YouTube discussion with expert panelists. The success of these activities is measured in increased downloads, website traffic, followers, and subscribers. To continue ASA’s involvement with future INADs once the strategic plan ends, organizing was moved to the Technical Committee on Noise. This presentation will end with a summary of ASA INAD 2019, set to take place on Wednesday, 24 April 2019, as well as an update on future INAD plans.
Modelling ocean ambient noise with finite ocean depth and comparisons with observations
Authors: De Carlo Marine , Le Pichon Alexis , Ardhuin Fabrice
Published: April 2019

The global International Monitoring System (IMS) network continuously detects coherent ambient infrasound noise between 0.1 and 0.5 Hz. This noise, referred to as microbaroms, is generated by the second order non-linear interaction of ocean waves, mostly during severe storms. A global and multi-year analyze of microbaroms highlights the strong influence of middle atmospheric conditions on the propagation. Various source models have been developed. Brekhovskikh et al. (1973) and Ardhuin and Herbers (2013) considered a source directivity effect in infinite depth ocean with radiative pressure depending on the wave elevation angle. Waxler and Gilbert (2006) and Waxler (2007) investigated the radiation of infrasound by ocean waves in finite depth ocean by monopolar sources. In this study, the combined effects of non-monopolar source and bathymetry on the radiation are addressed. Beyond theoretical issues, source modelisation and propagation through a realistic atmosphere are carried out. Comparing the predicted signals with the observed ones at all IMS stations shows good agreements for both directional and amplitude information. Building a global reference database of oceanic noise sources opens new perspectives for providing additional integrated constraints on middle atmosphere dynamics and disturbances.
Initial characterization of infrasound sources using the phase and amplitude gradient estimator method for acoustic intensity
Authors: Irarrazabal Francisco J. , Cook Mylan R. , Gee Kent L. , Nelson Pauline , Novakovich Daniel J. , Sommerfeldt Scott D.
Published: April 2019

The phase and amplitude gradient estimator (PAGE) method for vector acoustic intensity [Thomas et al., J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 137, 3366–3376 (2015)] has been used previously to improve source characterization over broad frequency ranges. This paper describes initial applications of the PAGE method to the infrasound region for outdoor sources using multi-microphone probes. Measurement challenges include wind noise, which reduces signal-to-noise ratio and coherence, low-frequency phase and amplitude mismatch between microphones, and determining an appropriate microphone spacing to maximize bandwidth. Analysis challenges include phase unwrapping above the spatial Nyquist frequency, source statistical stationarity, and balancing frequency resolution with averaging across finite record lengths. This paper discusses how these challenges are being addressed for specific sources of infrasound, namely, wind turbines and large rocket motors. [Work supported by NSF.]
The effect of reverberation on listening effort
Authors: Shen Yi , He Yuan , Skinner Kimberly G. , Yun Donghyeon
Published: April 2019

The current study investigates whether long reverberation increases listening effort during speech recognition. Listening effort during word recognition in multi-talker babble noise was assessed with or without high levels of reverberation. A dual-task paradigm was adopted, in which the primary task was word recognition in noise at individually selected signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) that yielded an average performance level of 50% correct, and the secondary task was a visual-tracking task with individually adjusted difficulty level to yield an average performance level of 85% correct. In each 30-s trial, seven monosyllabic words were presented sequentially at a rate of four seconds per word. Young normal-hearing listeners were instructed to verbally repeat each word while performing the secondary task. In the reverberant condition, a cascade of all-pass filters was used to achieve a reverberation time of 1 s without altering the original spectrum of the speech. For the primary task in isolation, the reverberant condition required 10 dB or more in SNR to achieve the 50% target performance level. When the listeners performed the two tasks simultaneously, no consistent adverse effect of reverberation was found on the performance of the primary or secondary task compared to the no-reverberation condition.
Perceptual squelch of room effect in listening to speech
Authors: Shore Aimee , Rakerd Brad , Hartmann William M.
Published: April 2019

Room effect squelch—the auditory system's ability to suppress reverberation and coloration—has historically been entirely attributed to binaural listening. An alternative hypothesis is that a listener's own head-related transfer functions (HRTFs) are necessary for maximum squelch. Two perceptual experiments were conducted to investigate the role of individualized HRTFs. The first experiment used binaural synthesis over headphones to deliver speech stimuli to listeners. Head-related impulse responses were measured in a test room and convolved with anechoic female speech. Headphone presentation of convolved stimuli was diotic or binaural, and listeners rated the amount of perceived room effect in each stimulus. Regression analyses indicated that listeners perceived less room effect in binaural listening mode, but ratings were similar for individualized and nonindividualized HRTF conditions. Because it was thought that headphone presentation did not adequately convey HRTFs, a second experiment was conducted using loudspeakers. Transaural synthesis was used to present individualized and nonindividualized speech stimuli to listeners. Analyses indicated that listener ratings of perceived room effect were often, but not always, lower when listening to own-ear conditions. We conclude that there is limited support for the hypothesis that listeners experience maximum squelch when listening with their own ears.
Hearing impairment and reverberation preference: Results from a virtual sound space
Authors: Burleson Andrew , Marks Kendra L. , Souza Pamela
Published: April 2019

Reverberation is regarded as a positive component of music perception and may lead to feelings of "envelopment" in well-designed auditoria. While relative reverberation time preferences are clear for young, normal-hearing (YNH) listeners, previous work indicates that older, hearing-impaired listeners (OHI) show less distinct preferences for reverberation time in music. OHI listeners have degraded temporal and spatial processing abilities that impact both reverberation perception and binaural processing of auditory stimuli. Previous work has been limited to earphone presentation, precluding an individualized head-related transfer function. This experiment employed these individualized auditory cues by evaluating reverberation preference in a virtual sound room for OHI and YNH listeners. Three symphonic excerpts, spatialized to simulate orchestral performance, were presented with a range of reverberation times. Listeners selected a preferred reverberation time in a series of paired comparisons. Thresholds for interaural coherence correlation (ICC)—a binaural processing measure—were obtained. Preliminary results indicate that YNH listeners have better ICC thresholds than OHI. Concordant with previous work, YNH listeners show relative reverberation time preference at roughly 2.5 s. OHI listeners show a different preference pattern than YNH. Results to date indicate that naturalistic listening cues may play an important role in music perception for OHI listeners. [Work supported by NIH.]
A deep learning algorithm to increase intelligibility for hearing-impaired listeners in the presence of a competing talker and reverberation
Authors: Healy Eric , Delfarah Masood , Johnson Eric , Wang DeLiang
Published: April 2019

For deep learning based speech segregation to have translational significance as a noise-reduction tool, it must perform in a wide variety of acoustic environments. In the current study, performance was examined when target speech was subjected to interference from a single talker and room reverberation. Conditions were compared in which an algorithm was trained to remove both reverberation and interfering speech, or only interfering speech. A recurrent neural network (RNN) incorporating bidirectional long short-term memory (BLSTM) was trained to estimate the ideal ratio mask (IRM) corresponding to target speech. Substantial intelligibility improvements were found for hearing-impaired (HI) and normal-hearing (NH) listeners across a range of target-to-interferer ratios (TIRs). HI listeners performed better with reverberation removed, whereas NH listeners demonstrated no preference. Algorithm benefit averaged 56% points for the HI listeners at the least-favorable TIR, allowing these listeners to numerically exceed the performance of young NH listeners without processing. The current study highlights the difficulty associated with perceiving speech in reverberant-noisy environments, and it extends the range of environments in which deep learning based speech segregation can be effectively applied. This increasingly wide array of environments includes not only a variety of background noises and interfering speech but also room reverberation. [Work supported by NIH.]
Further analysis of behavioral measures of cochlear gain and gain reduction in listeners with normal hearing or minimal cochlear hearing loss
Authors: Strickland Elizabeth A. , Skaggs Miranda , Mielnicki Nicole , Salloom William , Morris Hayley , Holt Alexis
Published: April 2019

This is a continuation of a study examining the relationship between cochlear hearing loss and psychoacoustic measures thought to be related to a cochlear function. In the listeners tested, audiometric thresholds for long tones ranged from well within the clinically normal range to just outside this range. Where thresholds were elevated, other clinical tests were consistent with a cochlear origin. Because the medial olivocochlear reflex decreases cochlear gain in response to sound, when possible, measures were made with short stimuli. Signal frequencies were from 1 to 8 kHz. One point on the lower leg of the input/output function was measured by finding threshold masker level for a masker almost one octave below the signal frequency needed to mask a signal at 5 dB SL. Gain reduction was estimated by presenting a pink broadband noise (BBN) precursor before the signal and masker and measuring the change in signal threshold as a function of the precursor level. Previous studies with listeners with normal hearing have shown that gain reduction begins at a low precursor level and grows compressively as the precursor level is increased. The current study is designed to determine whether this pattern changes when cochlear gain is permanently reduced. [Work supported by NIH(NIDCD)R01 DC008327 (EAS), the Purdue Office of the Executive Vice President for Research, and the Purdue Graduate School (WBS).]
Just-noticeable differences of fundamental frequency change in Mandarin-speaking children with cochlear implants
Authors: Huang Wanting , Wong Lena , Chen Fei
Published: April 2019

Fundamental frequency (F0) provides the primary acoustic cue for lexical tone perception in tonal languages but is poorly presented in cochlear implants (CIs). Currently, there is still a lack of understanding on the sensitivity to F0 information in CI users speaking tonal languages. In the present study, just-noticeable differences (JNDs) of F0 contour and F0 level change in Mandarin-speaking kindergarten-aged children with CIs were measured and compared with those in age-matched normal-hearing (NH) peers. Statistical analysis showed that both JND of F0 contour change (JND-C) and JND of F0 level change (JND-L) were significantly larger in CI group than in NH group. Furthermore, within-group comparison of JND-C and JND-L found that JND-C was significantly smaller than JND-L among children with CIs; however, opposite pattern was observed among children with normal hearing. The contrary sensitivity to F0 contour and F0 level change between children with CIs and children with normal hearing suggest discrepant mechanisms of F0 processing in these two groups as a result of hearing experience.
Sound quality evaluation of automobile interior noise under transient and steady-state running conditions
Authors: Yang Zhengwei , Feng Huihua , Lu Shouwei
Published: April 2019

Sound quality can reflect people's subjective auditory feelings; thus, it plays an important role in automobile interior noise evaluation in recent years. Most research focuses on steady-state running conditions. In this paper, automobile vibration and noise transfer paths were measured with the binaural transfer path analysis (BTPA) method under both transient and steady-state running conditions. Then, loudness, sharpness, roughness, and A-weighted sound pressure level were used for studying properties and differences of automobile interior noise among different running conditions. Moreover, an experiment was carried out for the subjects to mark the annoyance of all noise samples. After that, the artificial neural network was applied to create the sound quality model to assess automobile interior noise without subjective experiments. According to the scores and binaural transfer path synthesis(BTPS) results, structural improvement methods were proposed for better sound quality of the automobile.
Audibility of dispersion error in room acoustic finite-difference time-domain simulation in the presence of a single early reflection
Authors: Saarelma Jukka
Published: April 2019

Finite-difference time-domain method has gained increasing interest for room acoustic prediction use. A well-known limitation of the method is a frequency and direction dependent dispersion error. In this study the audibility of dispersion error in the presence of a single surface reflection is measured. The threshold is measured for three different distance conditions with a fixed reflection arrival azimuth angle of 54.7 deg. The error is placed either in the direct path, or in the reflection path. Additionally, a qualitative follow-up experiment to evaluate how the measured thresholds reflect the audibility of error in short room responses is carried out. The results indicate that the threshold varies depending whether the error is in the direct path or in the reflection path. For transient signals, the threshold is higher when the error is located in the direct path, where as for speech signal the threshold is higher when it is located in the reflection path. Evidence is found that the error is detectable in rendered room responses at the measured threshold levels.
Time-dependent nanobubble stability: Correlating bubble size and concentration with ultrasound performance
Authors: Abenojar Eric C. , Hernandez Christopher , Hadley Judith , De Leon Al C. , Coyne Robert , Kolios Michael C. , Exner Agata
Published: April 2019

Lipid shell-stabilized nanobubbles (NB, <500 nm) are widely explored as next-generation contrast agents for diagnostic ultrasound (US) imaging and drug delivery. For a successful clinical translation, it is important to understand the factors which contribute to the stability and rate of signal decay from the NB over time. The small size and fragile nature of NB have limited the characterization of their stability to correlations with their loss of signal over time under US. Bubble oscillations in the acoustic field, however, can accelerate their dissolution process. In this study, the passive, non-acoustically driven dissolution of lipid-shelled, C3F8 NB, and the relationship between bubble size/concentration and US signal intensity were assessed. The change in the acoustic activity of NB over time was correlated with the changes in size and concentration of the buoyant (bubbles) and non-buoyant particle population, measured using a novel resonant mass measurement technique. Clinical US was used to measure signal enhancement at different time points in a tissue phantom (f = 12.0 MHz, MI: 0.29, 1 fp/s). Results demonstrate a clear nonlinear relationship between the rate of ultrasound signal decay and concentration. While US signal decayed significantly over time (from 0 to 5 h), bubble concentration did not change significantly. A statistically significant decrease in the NB diameter was observed 1 h after the NBs were prepared and isolated while no change in the size was observed between 1 and 5 h.
Renal volume reconstruction using free-hand ultrasound scans
Authors: Benjamin Alex , Chen Melinda , Li Qian , Carrascal Carolina A. , Xie Hua , Samir Anthony , Anthony Brian
Published: April 2019

Kidney volume is a predictor of kidney function or the number of surviving nephrons; as such, it is a valuable biomarker in tracking the onset and progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Existing techniques to measure renal volumes [CT, MRI, three-dimensional (3D) ultrasound] are limited by high cost, long scan times, and low portability. To overcome these limitations, we propose a real-time, low-cost solution for estimating renal volumes using free-hand ultrasound scans. The method involves an Intel RealSense D415 camera mounted on a conventional one-dimensional ultrasound probe; RGB-D SLAM is used to localize the probe in free space. The acquired two-dimensional images are manually segmented by trained clinicians and combined with their corresponding poses to form a 3D volume. The method was tested on ex vivo sheep kidneys embedded in gelatin phantoms. Three different scanning protocols were tested: transverse linear scan (TL), transverse fan scan (TF), and longitudinal fan scan (LF). Ultrasound measured renal volumes were compared to those obtained using the water displacement (WD) method; TL = 66.2 ml, LF = 58.3 ml, TF = 53.3 ml, and WD = 66.6 ml. Further investigation includes automating kidney segmentation, accounting for patient motion, and in vivo validation.
Temperature-dependent studies of high-performance foamed cements
Authors: Davis Eric S. , Doan Hung , Sturtevant Blake , Pantea Cristian
Published: April 2019

In this study, through-transmission acoustic time-of-flight experiments were used to study the variation of the mechanical properties of foamed cements when subjected to realistic field temperatures. Since temperature increases by ~25 °C/km in depth, it is important to understand the properties of foamed cements used in wellbore applications at relevant depths. By studying these foamed cements up to around 165 °C, characterization up to ~6 km in depth is achieved, which covers almost all drilling depths. In particular, it was found that foamed cements containing a higher percentage of air were less affected by temperature, and that Young’s modulus and the compressional sound speed do not decrease linearly with the increasing air content, as one might expect. The sound speeds varied from 2942 m/s for 10% foamed cement, to 2500 m/s for 30% foamed cement at room temperature. Young’s modulus varied from 16.0 GPa for 10% foamed cement to 9.2 GPa for 30% foamed cement at room temperature. The softening rate with heating also decreased with the increasing air content, with 10% foamed cement decreasing by 7.8% in Young’s modulus with heating from room temperature to ~165 °C, while 30% foamed cement only decreased by 5.5%.
Pitch accent and the three-way laryngeal contrast in North Kyungsang Korean
Authors: Hwang Young , Lotven Samson A. , Berkson Kelly
Published: April 2019

Previous description of Korean’s three-way voiceless stop contrast notes differentiation in both voice onset time (VOT) and fundamental frequency (f0) on following vowels (Cho et al., 2002; Kang and Han, 2013; Kang, 2014). In a sound-change in-progress, however, VOT for lenis and aspirated stops has merged. The two are now differentiated primarily through f0 differences (Kang and Guion, 2008; Lee et al., 2013; Silva, 2006). North and South Kyungsang (NK and SK) are pitch accent dialects. SK has not undergone the change (Lee and Jongman, 2012): VOT is still a primary cue, potentially because f0 is already used for the pitch accent system (Lee et al., 2013). In NK, meanwhile, VOT for lenis and aspirated stops overlaps more for female than for male speakers, suggesting a possible change-in-progress (Holliday and Kong, 2011). As questions about the robustness of this change remain, we report data from 23 native NK speakers (6 older and 6 younger males; 5 older and 6 younger females). VOT and f0 findings suggest that the new pattern is incipient in NK: Older male talkers show the old pattern, younger female talkers the new pattern, and older female and younger male talkers fall between the two extremes.
PRC2 recruitment and H3K27me3 deposition at
FLC
require FCA binding of
COOLAIR
Authors: Tian Yongke , Zheng Han , Zhang Fei , Wang Shiliang , Ji Xiaoru , Xu Chao , He Yuehui , Ding Yong
Published: April 2019

H3K27me3 deposition at
FLC
requires FCA-
COOLAIR
binding; SSU72 antagonizes this binding, thus reducing H3K27me3 deposition at
FLC
.
An aerobic eukaryotic parasite with functional mitochondria that likely lacks a mitochondrial genome
Authors: John Uwe , Lu Yameng , Wohlrab Sylke , Groth Marco , Janouškovec Jan , Kohli Gurjeet S. , Mark Felix C. , Bickmeyer Ulf , Farhat Sarah , Felder Marius , Frickenhaus Stephan , Guillou Laure , Keeling Patrick J. , Moustafa Ahmed , Porcel Betina M. , Valentin Klaus , Glöckner Gernot
Published: April 2019

The parasitic marine dinoflagellate
Amoebophrya
is the first known eukaryote with aerobic mitochondria without a genome.
Quantifying landslide frequency and sediment residence time in the Nepal Himalaya
Authors: Whipp D. M. , Ehlers T. A.
Published: April 2019

The record of landslide erosion in river sand reveals that sediment resides in steep mountains for no more than tens of years.
Clean air for some: Unintended spillover effects of regional air pollution policies
Authors: Fang Delin , Chen Bin , Hubacek Klaus , Ni Ruijing , Chen Lulu , Feng Kuishuang , Lin Jintai
Published: April 2019

Improving air quality can come at the cost of increasing emissions and environmental deterioration elsewhere.
A vaccine to kiss EBV goodbye
Authors: Boyle Michelle
Published: April 2019

A nanoparticle Epstein-Barr virus glycoprotein gH/gL vaccine elicits antibodies that mediate cell type–independent protection from infection.
Transcriptional adaptation: Another reason why your disease model fails you
Authors: Ronzitti Giuseppe
Published: April 2019

Up-regulation of paralogous transcripts is a potential mechanism of genetic compensation.
Spontaneously Arising Streptococcus mutans Variants with Reduced Susceptibility to Chlorhexidine Display Genetic Defects and Diminished Fitness
Authors: Kaspar Justin R. , Godwin Matthew J. , Velsko Irina M. , Richards Vincent P. , Burne Robert A.
Published: April 2019

Chlorhexidine (CHX) has been used to control dental caries caused by acid-tolerant bacteria such as
Streptococcus mutans
since the 1970s. Repeat CHX exposure for other bacterial species results in the development of variants with reduced susceptibility that also become more resistant to other antimicrobials.
Polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum Kelch 13 and P. vivax Kelch 12 Genes in Parasites Collected from Three South Pacific Countries Prior to Extensive Exposure to Artemisinin Combination Therapies
Authors: Gresty Karryn , Anderson Karen , Pasay Cielo , Waters Norman C. , Cheng Qin
Published: April 2019

The South Pacific countries Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and Papua New Guinea (PNG) adopted artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs) in 2008. We examined Kelch 13 and Kelch 12 genes in parasites originating from these countries before or at ACT introduction.
The Essential Role of Hypermutation in Rapid Adaptation to Antibiotic Stress
Authors: Mehta Heer H. , Prater Amy G. , Beabout Kathryn , Elworth Ryan A. L. , Karavis Mark , Gibbons Henry S. , Shamoo Yousif
Published: April 2019

A common outcome of antibiotic exposure in patients andin vitrois the evolution of a hypermutator phenotype that enables rapid adaptation by pathogens. While hypermutation is a robust mechanism for rapid adaptation, it requires trade-offs between the adaptive mutations and the more common “hitchhiker” mutations that accumulate from the increased mutation rate.
A Class I
Haemophilus ducreyi
Strain Containing a Class II
hgbA
Allele Is Partially Attenuated in Humans: Implications for HgbA Vaccine Efficacy Trials
Authors: Leduc Isabelle , Fortney Kate R. , Janowicz Diane M. , Zwickl Beth , Ellinger Sheila , Katz Barry P. , Lin Huaiying , Dong Qunfeng , Spinola Stanley M.
Published: April 2019

Haemophilus ducreyi
causes chancroid and is a major cause of cutaneous ulcers in children. Due to environmental reservoirs, both class I and class II
H. ducreyi
strains persist in cutaneous ulcer regions of endemicity following mass drug administration of azithromycin, suggesting the need for a vaccine.
Glutamate Dehydrogenase from Thermus thermophilus Is Activated by AMP and Leucine as a Complex with Catalytically Inactive Adenine Phosphoribosyltransferase Homolog
Authors: Tomita Takeo , Matsushita Hajime , Yoshida Ayako , Kosono Saori , Yoshida Minoru , Kuzuyama Tomohisa , Nishiyama Makoto
Published: April 2019

GDH, which catalyzes the synthesis and degradation of glutamate using NAD(P)(H), is a widely distributed enzyme among all domains of life. Mammalian GDH is regulated allosterically by multiple metabolites, in which the antenna helix plays a key role to transmit the allosteric signals. In contrast, bacterial GDH was believed not to be regulated allosterically because it lacks the antenna helix. We previously reported that GDH from
Thermus thermophilus
(TtGDH), which is composed of two heterologous subunits, is activated by leucine. In the present study, we found that AMP activates TtGDH using a catalytically inactive APRTh as the sensory subunit. This suggests that
T. thermophilus
possesses a complicated regulatory mechanism of GDH to control carbon and nitrogen metabolism.
Draft Genome Sequences of 64 Type Strains of 50 Species and 25 Subspecies of the Genus
Staphylococcus
Rosenbach 1884
Authors: Cole Kevin , Foster Dona , Russell Julie E. , Golubchik Tanya , Llewelyn Martin , Wilson Daniel J. , Crook Derrick , Paul John
Published: April 2019

Members of the genus
Staphylococcus
have been isolated from humans, animals, and the environment. Accurate identification with whole-genome sequencing requires access to data derived from type strains.
Draft Genome Sequence of Thermophilic Halotolerant Aeribacillus pallidus TD1, Isolated from Tao Dam Hot Spring, Thailand
Authors: Yamprayoonswat Wariya , Sittihan Satapanawat , Jumpathong Watthanachai , Yasawong Montri
Published: April 2019

Aeribacillus pallidus
TD1 is a thermophilic bacterium isolated from a hot spring in Thailand. The genome sequence of
A. pallidus
TD1 contains a gene-encoded naphthalene dioxygenase, which is a key enzyme for naphthalene degradation.
Complete Genome Sequence of Spiroplasma alleghenense PLHS-1
T
(ATCC 51752), a Bacterium Isolated from Scorpion Fly (
Panorpa helena
)
Authors: Chou Lin , Lee Ting-Yi , Tsai Yi-Ming , Kuo Chih-Horng
Published: April 2019

Spiroplasma alleghenense
PLHS-1
T
(ATCC 51752) was isolated from the gut of a scorpion fly (
Panorpa helena
) collected in West Virginia. The complete genome sequence of this bacterium, which consists of a single 1,336,077-bp circular chromosome, is reported in this work.
Complete Genome Sequences of Staphylococcus argenteus TWCC 58113, Which Bears Two Plasmids
Authors: Miyoshi-Akiyama Tohru , Ohnishi Takuma , Shinjoh Masayoshi , Ohara Hirotoshi , Kawai Toshinao , Kamimaki Isamu , Mizushima Ryo , Kamada Keisuke , Itakura Yasutomo , Iguchi Shigekazu , Uzawa Yutaka , Yoshida Atsushi , Kikuchi Ken , Takemoto Norihiko
Published: April 2019

Staphylococcus argenteus
TWCC 58113 was isolated from a specimen from a 12-year-old boy with purulent lymphadenitis. The
S. argenteus
TWCC 58113 genome was completely sequenced.
PO 8608 ESTABLISHED PARTNERSHIPS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CAPE VERDE WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF LEICESTER, UK AND THE INSTITUTE OF HYGIENE AND TROPICAL MEDICINE, PORTUGAL
Authors: Araújo Isabel I , Beleza Sandra , Martins Maria Do Rosário
Published: April 2019

Background

The University of Cape Verde (Uni-CV) was founded in 2006 and since then has developed an effective international strategy that is enhancing the teaching and research culture of the university. To build capacity in the public health field, Uni-CV has established collaborations with the University of Leicester (UoL), UK, and with the Institute of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (IHTM – NOVA University), Portugal. These follow different approaches.

Methods

Different type of capacity building initiatives focused on researchers and postgraduate students.

Results

The collaboration with UoL was established in 2016 and builds on funded research programmes in infectious disease and evolution of antimicrobial drug resistance (AMR). These programmes have allowed technology development and transfer, which offer the opportunity for undergraduate students to lead laboratory–based research projects at Uni-CV. In these two years, we have successfully characterised the epidemiology and patterns of AMR underlyingHelicobacter pyloriinfections in Cape Verde. Beyond the research outputs, we have trained four undergraduates in laboratory-based microbiology at Uni-CV. From this experience, we are currently designing new sustainable higher education programmes aligned with the MSc in Public health at Uni-CV that aim to support Uni-CV lecturers in the supervision of postgraduate students, either independently or in collaboration with UoL researchers.

The collaboration with IHTM was established in 2008 with the main aim of developing the research capacity of Cape Verde researchers and health professionals in infection and vector-born diseases and in bioethics. These activities have also led to collaborative research in these areas. Since then, six training courses were taught that benefited ∼20 Uni-CV lecturers and ∼100 government professionals.

Conclusion

Although these collaborative approaches are different in nature, they have been successful in the training of health professionals, researchers and technicians in Cape Verde and have contributed to the establishment of mutually beneficial research programmes.
PO 8411 MOLECULAR CHARACTERISATION OF GP41 AND GP120 V3 LOOP IN HIV-1C PATIENTS FAILING SALVAGE THERAPY IN BOTSWANA
Authors: Ndlovu Nokuthula S , Seatla Kaelo
Published: April 2019

Background

Triple class drug-resistant HIV-1 infection remains a global challenge in individuals with extensive antiretroviral treatment (ART) experience, in terms of high mortality and probability of onward transmission. New therapeutic options within old and new drug classes are therefore essential. We determined if patients failing salvage therapy in Botswana are eligible for maraviroc (MVC) and enfuvirtide (T20) viral entry inhibitors based on the coreceptor usage and drug-resistant mutations in envelope gp120 and gp41.

Methods

A total of 38 deep salvage patients were included in the analysis. We amplified and sequenced gp41 and V3 regions of HIV-1 envelope. Drug resistance mutations were analysed according to the IAS-USA 2017 reference mutation lists. Coreceptor usage was determined using PSSM and Geno2Pheno using a false-positive rate (FPR) of 10%.

Results

Among 38 participants, 34 (89%) were successfully sequenced and amplified gp41 and 26 (68%) gp120 V3 loop sequences were obtained. Major T20 mutation G36S was obtained in 1/34 samples (5.8%) within the study population. Polymorphisms I169V(97%), I135L(100%), E151A(70.6%) and N42S(70.6%) were detected in HR1 and HR2 of gp41. CXCR4 coreceptor associated use, mutation L34M in gp41 HR1 was detected in 2 samples (5%). Analysis of coreceptor usage showed (17/26) 65.4% use of CCR5, and a (9/26) 34.6% use of the CXCR4 coreceptor.

Conclusion

A moderately high proportion of treatment-experienced (deep salvage) participants had CXCR4 coreceptor using strains. The use of maraviroc in Botswana would require coreceptor tropism testing. Non-T20 treatment experience in Botswana reduces the prevalence of the major mutations that confer resistance to the drug. T20 is therefore a potential alternative drug for patients failing salvage therapy in Botswana.
OC 8391 AFREENET (AFRICA ETHICS EXCELLENCE NETWORK): A NETWORK OF NATIONAL RESEARCH ETHICS COMMITTEES ENGAGED IN THE REINFORCEMENT OF THEIR CAPACITIES
Authors: Pirard Virginie , Penali Louis , Gangbo Armande , Sow Oumou Younoussa , Ouchhi Samira
Published: April 2019

Background

The establishment of research ethics committees (RECs) in charge of reviewing research protocols answers the need to regulate with an ethical framework the development of clinical trials, biomedical research and technologies affecting human health. The first RECs were instituted at the national level in the 60 s, and were gradually put in place in Africa as a result of research projects development in the area of epidemics such as HIV infection, and to meet one of the major requirements of the Helsinki Declaration and the international ethical Guidelines CIOMS: ‘each research protocol involving humans has to be reviewed by an independent ethics committee’.However, RECs in Africa are still facing various challenges in the accomplishment of their missions. Among them, RECs located in the West-African French speaking area are reporting an urgent need for networking and coordinating their effort.

Supported by EDCTP, AFREENET (AFRica Ethics Excellence NETwork) is a 3 year collaborative project between three RECs, respectively in Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Benin, and coordinated by the Ethics Unit of Institut Pasteur (France), which aims to reinforce RECs capacities.

The project will lead to reinforcement of training capacities through a long-term strategy to establish mechanisms to ensure and update members’ training, and to develop a pool of ethics trainers. Based on RECs experiences, network activities will permit to share and identify valuable practices on global ethics oversight, such as monitoring, SOPs, regulatory issues and sensitisation. The preparation of Ethics Committees for the potential occurrence of outbreaks will be specifically addressed through an Outbreak preparation plan built upon lessons learnt from the Ebola crisis.

Creating synergies and mutual empowerment between African RECs will increase their visibility, their capacity for advocacy and their recognition as key actors of a responsible ethics research framework at the national, regional and international level.
PO 8419 SPATIO-TEMPORAL MAPPING OF ASYMPTOMATIC AND CLINICAL MALARIA INFECTIONS REVEALS FOCI OF MALARIA TRANSMISSION FOR TARGETED CONTROL INTERVENTIONS
Authors: Niang Makhtar , Talla Cheikh , Diagne Nafissatou , Diene-Sarr Fatoutama , Sokhna Cheikh
Published: April 2019

Background

The global decline of malaria incidence over the past decade has led to the thought that elimination could be achieved. This has resulted in an increased interest to design strategies to target the hidden reservoir of asymptomatic infections among populations and interrupt on-going residual local malaria transmission. This study explored the reservoir of asymptomaticPlasmodiuminfections and its relationship with subsequent clinical malaria infections in low-transmission areas in Senegal.

Methods

Cross-sectional surveys were carried out in 2013, 2014, 2015, and 2016 and combined with longitudinal follow-up to determine and geolocalise both asymptomatic and clinical malaria episodes in Dielmo and Ndiop, Senegal. The prevalence of asymptomaticPlasmodiumcarriage in the community was investigated by real-time PCR while clinical malaria attacks were identified at health facilities during the transmission season. All households were georeferenced to spatially map asymptomatic and clinical infections.

Results

The study revealed substantial asymptomatic infections with average parasite carriage of 8.11% and 7% in Dielmo and Ndiop, respectively.P. falciparumaccounted for most asymptomatic infections (more than 90%). In Dielmo, 95% of asymptomatic infections clustered within the same geographical areas while infections were disparate in Ndiop. Preliminary fine-scale mapping of asymptomatic and clinical malaria infections identified clusters of higher malaria incidence interpreted as foci of transmission across the four-year study period with 95%–98% of clinical infections occurring in households where an asymptomatic malaria infection existed.

Conclusion

This study revealed substantial asymptomaticPlasmodiuminfections in both settings throughout the four-year study period and spatial clusters of malaria infections at the microepidemiological level. Together, these findings could offer a feasible approach for a rational targeting of malaria control interventions to achieve elimination.
PO 8425 THE DIAGNOSTIC AND PROGNOSTIC VALUE OF NEW URINE-BASEDLEISHMANIAANTIGEN DETECTION TESTS
Authors: Boshara Salah
Published: April 2019

Background

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) also known as kala-azar, is a protozoan infection caused by theL. donovanicomplex and transmitted by sandflies. Early detection of leishmaniasis is critical in management of patients and for successful control and elimination of the disease. Definitive diagnosis of visceral leishmaniasis is by parasitological demonstration of parasites in splenic, lymph node or bone marrow aspirates, which are collected using invasive methods that are unsuitable in the field. This study aimed to evaluate new less invasive urine-based ELISA and rapid diagnostic test (RDT) assays for diagnosis of VL.

Methods

The newly developed urine ELISA test was evaluated using archived and fresh urine samples collected from parasitologically confirmed VL patients and non-VL cases. Lateral flow assay (LFA) using the ELISA reagents were conducted for day0 samples. Serological tests (DAT, rk28 ICT) were conducted for every patient in the study.

Results

In 198 patients with suspected VL, urine rapid test had a sensitivity of 72.2% and exhibited a specificity of 93.42%. Leishmania antigen ELISA had a sensitivity of 83.33% and a specificity of 95.05%. All VL-confirmed cases were followed up during the treatment period, theLeishmaniaantigen ELISA became negative 2 months after completion of treatment in most patients.

Conclusion

Urine lateral flow assay is a simple addition to the diagnostics of VL particularly at field level and as a complementary test for the diagnosis of VL in smear-negative cases. Further enhancement of the test will define its performance in monitoring treatment. Further studies are recommended to evaluate the performance of both tests in the diagnosis of HIV-co-infected cases.
Murder, abortion, contraception, greenhouse gas emissions and the deprivation of non-discernible and non-existent people: a reply to Marquis and Christensen
Authors: McLachlan Hugh V
Published: April 2019

Marquis’s account of the ethics of abortion is unsatisfactory but not as Christensen implies baseless. It requires to be amended rather than abandoned. It is true, as Marquis asserts that murder and abortion both might deprive people of something of value to them, in particular, the life of a sort that might have been to them worth living. However, it is mistaken to conclude, as Marquis does, that murder and abortion are thereby morally equivalent. Not all deprivation is wrongful. Not all that is wrongful is wrongful because it deprives someone of something. Contrary to what Christensen asserts, and Marquis seems to accept, it is not solely those discernible people who currently exist who might be deprived by our current actions. It is not only towards and concerning such living discernible people that we can have moral duties. It is not only such living discernible people who can be the beneficiaries of our generosity. Hence, contraception and the emission of greenhouse gases are, like abortion, issues that raise significant moral questions; however, they might each be properly answered. Nonetheless, it does not follow that is morally equivalent to each other far less than they are all morally equivalent to murder. If and when they are morally wrong, they can be different wrongs.
Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug use in acute myopericarditis: 12-month clinical follow-up
Authors: Berg Jan , Lovrinovic Marina , Baltensperger Nora , Kissel Christine K , Kottwitz Jan , Manka Robert , Patriki Dimitri , Scherff Frank , Schmied Christian , Landmesser Ulf , Lüscher Thomas F , Heidecker Bettina
Published: April 2019

Objective

Clinical data on the effect of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) in myopericarditis are limited. Since NSAIDs are standard therapy in pericarditis, we retrospectively investigated their safety in myopericarditis.

Methods

In a retrospective case-control study, we identified 60 patients with myopericarditis from September 2010 to August 2017. Diagnosis was based on clinical criteria, elevated high-sensitivity troponin T and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR). All patients received standard heart failure therapy if indicated. Twenty-nine patients (62%) received NSAIDs (acetylsalicylic acid: n=7, average daily dose =1300 mg or ibuprofen: n=22, average daily dose =1500 mg) for an average duration of 4 weeks. To create two cohorts with similar baseline conditions, 15 patients were excluded. Three months after diagnosis, 29 patients were re-evaluated by CMR to measure late gadolinium enhancement (LGE).

Results

Baseline characteristics of those treated with or without NSAIDs were similar. Mean age was 34 (±13) years, 6 (13%) were women. Mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was 56% (±5). 82 % of the patients (14 of 17) treated with NSAIDs experienced a decrease in LGE at 3 months, while it was only 58 % (7 of 12) of those without NSAIDs (p=0.15). At 12-month follow-up, one of the patients treated without NSAIDs experienced polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (VT) with cardiac arrest, while one of the patients with NSAIDs experienced non-sustained VT.

Conclusions

This is the first case-control study demonstrating that NSAIDs are safe in patients with myopericarditis and preserved LVEF. Our data suggest that this drug class should be tested prospectively in a large randomised clinical trial.
The heart-gut axis: new target for atherosclerosis and congestive heart failure therapy
Authors: Forkosh Esther , Ilan Yaron
Published: April 2019

The human gut microbiota has been identified as a possible novel risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The intestinal microbiome plays a role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis and heart failure. Even though studies in rodents suggested that gut microbes may affect the risk of heart disease, this link has not been shown in humans. In the present study, we review several potential mechanisms by which the gut microbiome and bacterial translocation are associated with the development of cardiac disorders making them potential targets for novel therapeutic measures for these conditions. Modulation of the gut microbiota as a mechanism for altering the pathogenesis of disorders is an area of growing interest. Alteration in the gut microbiota is being explored as a method of reducing risk factors associated with cardiac diseases.
Cholecystocutaneous fistula and associated cholelithiasis in an eight‐year‐old dachshund
Authors: Galliano Andrea , Belmudes Audrey , Bacon Nicholas J
Published: April 2019

An eight‐year‐old female neutered dachshund presented with a three‐month history of a chronic swelling on her cranioventral abdominal wall. Antibiotic and anti‐inflammatory therapy were ineffective. The swelling was 2 cm wide with a pinpoint open centre discharging purulent material. Contrast CT of the abdomen revealed an enlarged gall bladder, several cholecystoliths and a fistulous tract opening at a single site on the midline, just caudal to the xyphoid process. Cholecystectomy and removal of the entire fistulous tract via exploratory laparotomy resulted in rapid and complete resolution. Culture of the gall bladder content revealed presence of Pasteurella subspecies. One year after surgery, the dog had had no recurrence of the fistulous tract. Although the inciting cause of the biliary rupture is unclear, no evidence of neoplasia was found histologically. However, the cholecystocutaneous fistula was associated with, and contained, multiple cholecystoliths.
Quality of floating car data (FCD) as a surrogate measure for urban arterial speed
Authors: Altintasi Oruc , Tuydes-Yaman Hediye , Tuncay Kagan
Published: April 2019

Commercial floating car data (FCD) is being increasingly used as a traffic data source due to its lower cost despite concerns about its reliability. This paper focuses on the evaluation of FCD speed quality as a surrogate measure for arterial speed from different aspects. First, FCD speed is compared to video-based traffic data, collected from a specific urban road segment and assumed as ground truth in (a) descriptive evaluations, (b) speed estimation, and (c) level of service estimation. Regression analysis carried out to derive transformation function between two datasets showed a nonlinear relation with a high correlation coefficient of 0.82. Working with data along an urban corridor of 3.6 km also showed that despite some outliers, FCD was capable of detecting peak-hour queue formations as well as incident related ones. Use of transformation function on FCD speeds helped to increase its potential in urban traffic monitoring.
Muon detectors and Micro-Pattern Gas Detectors
Authors: Giacomelli Paolo
Published: April 2019

Almost all experimental apparatuses at existing colliders employ large muon systems located after all other subdetectors. Given the large size of most of the experimental detectors, the existing muon system has to cover areas of a few thousand square meters. It can be anticipated that future detectors at future colliders will be even larger in size. Therefore, for a practical reason of cost, the most suited detectors to realize these large muon systems are gas detectors. In particular, in recent years, Micro-Pattern Gas Detectors (MPGDs) have enjoyed very interesting developments, providing several new types of detectors with very good spacial and time resolution, high-rate capability and high radiation tolerance. MPGDs also have the distinct advantage of being, at least for some detectors and some parts of them, mass produceable by industry, since they employ materials and manufacturing procedures that are extensively used for Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) production. A particularly innovative MPGD, the [Formula: see text]RWell, is described as a possible candidate to build large muon systems for future colliders. The results obtained so far with this new technology are reported.