bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do Young Mothers and Fathers Differ in the Likelihood of Returning Home?
Authors: Guzzo Karen Benjamin
Published: August 2016

Building on research examining “boomerang” adult children, the author examines multigenerational living among young parents. Returning home likely differs between young mothers and fathers given variation in socioeconomic characteristics, health and risk taking, their own children's coresidence, and union stability. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (NLSY97), the author finds that more than 40% of young parents (n = 2,721) live with their own parents at their first child's birth or subsequently. Mothers are generally less likely to move home than fathers but only when not controlling for child coresidence and union stability. Individuals who live with all their children are less likely to return home, and controlling for child coresidence reverses gender differences, though this association disappears in the full model. Young parents who are stably single and those who experience dissolution are highly likely to return home compared to the stably partnered, with the association significantly stronger for fathers than mothers.
Energy dissipation at the silica glass/compressed aerogel interface: The fate of Wild 2 mineral grains and fragments smaller than ~100 nm
Authors: Rietmeijer Frans J. M.
Published: August 2016

Allocation FC6,0,10,0,26 from Stardust track 10 shows a slightly wavy silica glass/compressed silica aerogel interface exposing a patchwork of compressed silica aerogel domains and domains of silica glass with embedded Wild 2 materials in ultra‐thin TEM sections. This interface is where molten silica encountered compressed silica aerogel at temperatures <100 °C, and probably near room temperature, causing steep thermal gradients. An Mg, Fe‐olivine grain, and a plagioclase‐leucite intergrowth survived without melting in silica glass. A Mg‐, Al‐, Ca‐, K‐bearing silica globule moved independently as a single object. Two clusters of pure iron, low‐Ni iron, and low‐Ni, low‐sulfur Fe‐Ni‐S grains also survived intact and came to rest right at the interface between silica glass/compressed silica aerogel. There are numerous Fe‐Ni‐S nanograins scattered throughout MgO‐rich magnesiosilica glass, but compositionally similar Fe‐Ni‐S are also found in the compressed silica aerogel, where they are not supposed to be. This work could not establish how deep they had penetrated the aerogel. Iron nanograins in this allocation form core‐ring grains with a gap between the iron core and a surrounding ring of thermally modified aerogel. This structure was caused when rapid, thermal expansion of the core heated the surrounding compressed aerogel that upon rapid cooling remained fixed in place while the iron core shrank back to its original size. The well‐known volume expansion of pure iron allowed reconstruction of the quench temperature for individual core‐ring grains. These temperatures showed the small scale of thermal energy loss at the silica glass/compressed silica aerogel interface. The data support fragmentation of olivine, plagioclase, and iron and Fe ± low‐Ni grains from comet 81P/Wild 2 during hypervelocity capture.
The DnaA inhibitor SirA acts in the same pathway as Soj (ParA) to facilitate oriC segregation during Bacillus subtilis sporulation
Authors: Duan Yi , Huey Jack D. , Herman Jennifer K.
Published: August 2016

DNA replication and chromosome segregation must be carefully regulated to ensure reproductive success. During Bacillus subtilis sporulation, chromosome copy number is reduced to two, and cells divide asymmetrically to produce the future spore (forespore) compartment. For successful sporulation, oriC must be captured in the forespore. New rounds of DNA replication are prevented in part by SirA, a protein that utilizes residues in its N‐terminus to directly target Domain I of the bacterial initiator, DnaA. Using a quantitative forespore chromosome organization assay, we show that SirA also acts in the same pathway as another DnaA regulator, Soj, to promote oriC capture in the forespore. By analyzing loss‐of‐function variants of both SirA and DnaA, we observe that SirA's ability to inhibit DNA replication can be genetically separated from its role in oriC capture. In addition, we identify substitutions near the C‐terminus of SirA and in DnaA Domain III that enhance interaction between the two proteins. One such variant, SirAP141T, remained functional in regard to inhibiting replication, but was unable to support oriC capture. Collectively, our results support a model in which SirA targets DnaA Domain I to inhibit DNA replication, and DnaA Domain III to facilitate Soj‐dependent oriC capture in the forespore.
Time of day determines Arabidopsis transcriptome and growth dynamics under mild drought
Authors: Dubois Marieke , Claeys Hannes , Van den Broeck Lisa , Inzé Dirk
Published: August 2016

Drought stress is a major problem for agriculture worldwide, causing significant yield losses. Plants have developed highly flexible mechanisms to deal with drought, including organ‐ and developmental stage‐specific responses. In young leaves, growth is repressed as an active mechanism to save water and energy, increasing the chances of survival but decreasing yield. Despite its importance, the molecular basis for this growth inhibition is largely unknown. Here, we present a novel approach to explore early molecular mechanisms controlling Arabidopsis leaf growth inhibition following mild drought. We found that growth and transcriptome responses to drought are highly dynamic. Growth was only repressed by drought during the day, and our evidence suggests that this may be due to gating by the circadian clock. Similarly, time of day strongly affected the extent, specificity, and in certain cases even direction of drought‐induced changes in gene expression. These findings underscore the importance of taking into account diurnal patterns to understand stress responses, as only a small core of drought‐responsive genes are affected by drought at all times of the day. Finally, we leveraged our high‐resolution data to demonstrate that phenotypic and transcriptome responses can be matched to identify putative novel regulators of growth under mild drought.
Progress in cell culture systems for pathological research
Authors: Aoki Shigehisa , Takezawa Toshiaki , Sugihara Hajime , Toda Shuji
Published: August 2016

Cell culture is a well‐established standard technique and a fundamental tool in biology and medicine. Establishment of a novel culture method by meeting various challenges can sometimes open up new fields of cell biology and medicine. An artificial microenvironment for cultured cells is made up of complicated factors, including cytokines, scaffold material type, cell–cell interactions, and physical stress. To replicate the tissue architecture, cell–cell interactions, and specific physical microenvironment, we previously demonstrated the effectiveness of a three‐dimensional culture system, and further established two simple culture systems: air–liquid interface (ALI) and fluid flow stress (FFS). A three‐dimensional collagen gel culture system can replicate cell–cell interactions in vitro. As skin is constantly exposed to air, the ALI system closely mimicked the skin microenvironment and maintained the homeostasis of the epidermis and dermis. The ALI culture system also revealed the possibility of skin regeneration through ectopic mesenchymal cell involvement. Fluid streaming and shear stress were recently demonstrated to constitute the critical microenvironment for various cell types. The FFS system demonstrated that fluid streaming induced epithelial–mesenchymal transition of mesothelial cells, leading to peritoneal fibrosis. Our novel culture systems will hopefully open up new fields of regenerative medicine and pathological research.
Stochastic analysis of production dynamics of male and female redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus) reared under commercial intensive cultivation
Authors: Nuñez‐Amao Lavinia , Villarreal Humberto , Naranjo‐Paramo José , Hernandez‐Llamas Alfredo
Published: August 2016

We used a stochastic model to simulate, over time, total biomass production of male and female Australian redclaw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus), so as production of commercial‐sized crayfish (40–60 and 61–90 g). The model was calibrated with a database from an intensive commercial farm. Results showed that uncertainty in obtaining production of the 61–90 g grade diminished with time. In the case of 40–60 g grade and total biomass, uncertainty was minimal at 69 days (males 40–60 g grade), 84 days (females 40–60 g grade), 92 days (male total biomass) and 94 days (female total biomass). The model predicted that, at harvesting time, there is 95% confidence intervals that males produce 2.96–3.29 t ha−1 (mean = 3.13 t ha−1) and females produce 2.49–2.72 t ha−1 (mean = 2.60 t ha−1), of biomass, closely approximating biomass production registered in the database. When increasing sample size from one pond to 16 ponds, variability in production was reduced in 75.5% (males) and 65.2% (females). Sensitivity analysis showed that individual weight, and percentages corresponding to the total commercial population and the 40–60 g size were the variables mostly influencing the variance of yields. The results showed that the dynamics of production of commercial biomass strongly differ among ponds. We conclude that the model is a useful tool for analysis of the stochastic processes governing production dynamics of redclaw crayfish biomass.
Novel and designed ecosystems
Authors: Higgs Eric
Published: August 2016

Growing attention to novel and designed ecosystems, and the confusion that follows from the overlap of these distinct ecosystem approaches, risks a loss of focus on ecological values at the core of restoration ecology. Novel ecosystems originate in ecosystems that are transformed beyond which the practical efforts of conventional restoration are feasible. They are also self‐sustaining in the sense that they take time to form, and do not typically receive regular management. In this respect, they arise differently than designed ecosystems, which are assembled with specific goals in mind and are often heavily managed. Designed (or engineered) ecosystems comprise a variety of ecological approaches including reclamation (return a degraded ecosystem to productive capacity), green infrastructure, and agroecological systems. There are three elements that distinguish novel and designed ecosystems. Designed ecosystems typically require intensive intervention to create them, and ongoing management to sustain them; novel ecosystems do not. Second, the human intentions behind designed and novel ecosystems are usually different. Designed ecosystems exist in the service of human interests, including specific services (e.g. filtration, cooling, nature appreciation), aesthetics, and shifting value commitments toward green infrastructure; novel ecosystems arise typically through inadvertent human activity. Third, designed and novel ecosystems have different developmental pathways. Historical ecosystems are the starting point for restored, hybrid, and novel ecosystems; designed ecosystems are intentionally created. Designed ecosystems stand apart as providing a new origin for ecosystems of the future, including those that become novel ecosystems.
Authenticity and Carrier Agents: The Social Construction of Political Gaffes
Authors: Sheinheit Ian , Bogard Cynthia J.
Published: August 2016

Political campaigns require constant performance from politicians. This presents ample opportunity for the occurrence of political gaffes. While it is not surprising that political gaffes can have a major impact on political campaigns, the process by which a gaffe is transformed into a meaning‐laden defining campaign event is underanalyzed. To address this, we analyze and reconstruct the media trajectory of three instances, two involving Senate candidates (George Allen and Todd Akin) and one a presidential candidate (Mitt Romney), in which gaffes were constructed into meaning‐laden events. We find that constructing a political gaffe as a meaning‐laden event is a deeply social process. Our research highlights the impact of sousveillance (surveillance from below) and the difficulty that political performers have maintaining consistent “authentic” performances. Recounting the trajectories of these three gaffes allows for a detailing of the diverse methods by which the hybrid media system was effectively mobilized by “carrier agents” (actors with narrative capacity and media know‐how). Further, we find that these gaffes proved particularly salient because they were interpreted as embodying an authentic representation of the candidate while simultaneously violating emergent norms of inclusive democratic public discourse.
Gender and the Mental–Physical Health Connection Among U.S. Adults
Authors: Read Jen'nan Ghazal , Porter Jeremy R. , Gorman Bridget K.
Published: August 2016

Using data from the 1995, 1998, and 2001 panels of Aging, Status, and Sense of Control (ASOC) Survey, we examine gender differences in the relationship between self‐rated physical health and mental health over time (n = 2,543). Gender‐stratified path models highlight how the nature of the mental–physical health relationship changes when we use indicators of mental health that have traditionally been labeled as female sensitive (depression) or male sensitive (heavy drinking). Results show that women and men are similar in that mental health has a stronger effect on physical health than the reverse. However, this is only the case when we use gender‐sensitive measures of mental distress: Men who drink heavily and women who are depressed report poorer self‐rated physical health over time, while heavy drinking for women and depression for men have no significant effects on their self‐rated physical well‐being. These results provide evidence of a health process that is gendered in its expression but more universal in its outcome—the exact measure might vary, but men and women alike are physically harmed by mental health problems.
The effect of blood transfusion on central venous oxygen saturation in critically ill patients admitted to a neurointensive care unit
Authors: Surve R. M. , Muthuchellappan R. , Rao G.S.U. , Philip M.
Published: August 2016

Background

Literature suggests poorer outcomes during anaemia as well as following red blood cell transfusion (BT) in brain injured patients. Recently, central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO2) has been proposed as a physiological trigger to guide red BT. In this study, we looked at ScvO2 changes following BT in patients admitted to a neurointensive care unit (NICU).

Study design

In this prospective, observational study, adult, acutely ill neurological patients of >18 years were recruited. The following parameters were measured before and immediately after transfusion and then at 6, 12, 18 and 24 h after transfusion: haemoglobin (Hb), ScvO2 and central venous oxygen partial pressure (PcvO2) (blood sampled from central venous catheter). Simultaneously, hemodynamic parameters [central venous pressure (CVP), heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and systolic blood pressure (SBP)] were also noted.

Results

Data from 70 adult patients were analysed. Following BT, significant improvement was noted in Hb, ScvO2 and all hemodynamic parameters. The ScvO2 changes correlated significantly with the number of units of BT (P = 0·039), pre‐transfusion Hb (P = 0·010), ScvO2 (P = 0·001) and PcvO2 (P = 0·001). When receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn, optimum cut‐off values of baseline ScvO2 and Hb to predict the need for transfusion in terms of oxygen delivery were 70% and 8·6 gm dL−1 respectively.

Discussion

Baseline ScvO2<70% appears to be a useful physiological trigger for deciding the need for BT in brain injured patients. Whether improvement in ScvO2 leads to improvement in regional brain oxygenation needs to be studied.
Incorporating catchment to reach scale processes into hydromorphological assessment in the UK
Authors: England Judy , Gurnell Angela M.
Published: August 2016

Hydromorphological pressures and the measures undertaken to address them are an important element of the delivery of the WFD within the United Kingdom. While assessment procedures currently employed gather useful morphological information for river reaches and their immediate margins and some process information, crucial information on key processes is missing and information gathered on the riparian zone and floodplain is limited. This article presents a newly developed framework that enables existing data to be placed within a multiscale, process‐based context. The framework has great promise for diagnosing hydromorphological pressures, identifying where and how natural recovery is likely to take place, and where more interventionist restoration techniques may be needed. The ability to consider trajectories of river channel adjustments could help us understand how watercourses are still responding to historic changes, improve our confidence in applying restoration measures and the likely hydromorphological consequences of future climate changes.
Experimental validation of a three-dimensional reduced-order continuum model of phonation
Authors: Farahani Mehrdad H. , Zhang Zhaoyan
Published: August 2016

Due to the complex nature of the phonation process, a one-dimensional (1D) glottal flow description is often used in current phonation models. Although widely used in voice research, these 1D flow-based phonation models have not been rigorously validated against experiments. In this study, a 1D glottal flow model is coupled with a three-dimensional nonlinear continuum model of the vocal fold and its predictions are compared to physical model experiments. The results show that the 1D flow-based model is able to predict the phonation threshold pressure and onset frequency within reasonable accuracy and to reproduce major vibratory features observed in the experiments.
Acoustic radiation force expressed using complex phase shifts and momentum-transfer cross sections
Authors: Zhang Likun , Marston Philip L.
Published: August 2016

Acoustic radiation force is expressed using complex phase shifts of partial wave scattering functions and the momentum-transfer cross section, herein incorporated into acoustics from quantum mechanisms. Imaginary parts of the phase shifts represent dissipation in the object and/or in the boundary layer adjacent to the object. The formula simplifies the force as summation of functions of complex phase shifts of adjacent partial waves involving differences of real parts and sums of imaginary parts, providing an efficient way of exploring the force parameter-space. The formula for the force is proportional to a generalized momentum-transfer cross section for plane waves and no dissipation.
Multiplex matrix network analysis of protein complexes in the human TCR signalosome
Authors: Smith Stephen E. P. , Neier Steven C. , Reed Brendan K. , Davis Tessa R. , Sinnwell Jason P. , Eckel-Passow Jeanette E. , Sciallis Gabriel F. , Wieland Carilyn N. , Torgerson Rochelle R. , Gil Diana , Neuhauser Claudia , Schrum Adam G.
Published: August 2016

A multiplex antibody-mediated capture technique reveals patient-specific protein complexes.
Targeting AURKA to drug the undruggable
Authors: Ferrarelli Leslie K.
Published: August 2016

Drugs that prevent aurora kinase A from interacting with the transcription factor MYC may treat p53-mutant liver cancer.
Characterization of CTX-M-140, a Variant of CTX-M-14 Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase with Decreased Cephalosporin Hydrolytic Activity, from Cephalosporin-Resistant Proteus mirabilis
Authors: Tian Guo-Bao , Jiang Yi-Qi , Huang Ying-Min , Qin Yun , Feng Lian-Qiang , Zhang Xue-Fei , Li Hong-Yu , Zhong Lan-Lan , Zeng Kun-Jiao , Patil Sandip , Xing Yong , Huang Xi
Published: August 2016

CTX-M-140, a novel CTX-M-type extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL), was identified in cephalosporin-resistant clinical isolates of
Proteus mirabilis
. CTX-M-140 contained an alanine-to-threonine substitution at position 109 compared to its putative progenitor, CTX-M-14. When it was expressed in an
Escherichia coli
isogenic background, CTX-M-140 conferred 4- to 32-fold lower MICs of cephalosporins than those with CTX-M-14, indicating that the phenotype was attributable to this single substitution. For four mutants of CTX-M-14 that were constructed by site-directed mutagenesis (A109E, A109D, A109K, and A109R mutants), MICs of cephalosporins were similar to those for the
E. coli
host strain, which suggested that the alanine at position 109 was essential for cephalosporin hydrolysis. The kinetic properties of native CTX-M-14 and CTX-M-140 were consistent with the MICs for the
E. coli
clones. Compared with that of CTX-M-14, a lower hydrolytic activity against cephalosporins was observed for CTX-M-140.
bla
CTX-M-140
is located on the chromosome as determined by I-CeuI pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (I-CeuI-PFGE) and Southern hybridization. The genetic environment surrounding
bla
CTX-M-140
is identical to the sequence found in different plasmids with
bla
CTX-M-9-group
genes among the
Enterobacteriaceae
. Genome sequencing and analysis showed that
P. mirabilis
strains with
bla
CTX-M-140
have a genome size of ∼4 Mbp, with a GC content of 38.7% and 23 putative antibiotic resistance genes. Our results indicate that alanine at position 109 is critical for the hydrolytic activity of CTX-M-14 against oxyimino-cephalosporins.
Comparative Characterization of CTX-M-64 and CTX-M-14 Provides Insights into the Structure and Catalytic Activity of the CTX-M Class of Enzymes
Authors: He Dandan , Chiou Jiachi , Zeng Zhenling , Chan Edward Wai-Chi , Liu Jian-Hua , Chen Sheng
Published: August 2016

Clinical isolates producing hybrid CTX-M β-lactamases, presumably due to recombination between the
bla
CTX-M-15
and
bla
CTX-M-14
elements, have emerged in recent years. Among the hybrid enzymes, CTX-M-64 and CTX-M-14 display the most significant difference in catalytic activity. This study aims to investigate the mechanisms underlying such differential enzymatic activities in order to provide insight into the structure/function relationship of this class of enzymes. Sequence alignment analysis showed that the major differences between the amino acid composition of CTX-M-64 and CTX-M-14 lie at both the N and C termini of the enzymes. Single or multiple amino acid substitutions introduced into CTX-M-64 and CTX-M-14 were found to produce only minor effects on hydrolytic functions; such a finding is consistent with the notion that the discrepancy between the functional activities of the two enzymes is not the result of only a few amino acid changes but is attributable to interactions between a unique set of amino acid residues in each enzyme. This theory is supported by the results of the thermal stability assay, which confirmed that CTX-M-64 is significantly more stable than CTX-M-14. Our data confirmed that, in addition to the important residues located in the active site, residues distal to the active site also contribute to the catalytic activity of the enzyme through stabilizing its structural integrity.
Validation of the HIV Tropism Test TROCAI Using the Virological Response to a Short-Term Maraviroc Monotherapy Exposure
Authors: Gonzalez-Serna A. , Genebat M. , De Luna-Romero M. , Tarancon-Diez L. , Dominguez-Molina B. , Pacheco Y. M. , Muñoz-Fernández M. A. , Leal M. , Ruiz-Mateos E.
Published: August 2016

TROCAI is a phenotypic tropism test developed using the virological response to a short-term exposure to maraviroc monotherapy (Maraviroc Clinical Test [MCT]). It was found that with TROCAI, a cutoff of <0.5% of dual/mixed viruses was needed to predict R5 HIV tropism. Here, we have validated TROCAI, using this cutoff, in a new cohort of 42 patients, finding a very high concordance between TROCAI and MCT (98%), and a good concordance (71 to 87%) with other genotypic/phenotypic methods.
Pyrimidine Pathway-Dependent and -Independent Functions of the Toxoplasma gondii Mitochondrial Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase
Authors: Hortua Triana Miryam Andrea , Cajiao Herrera Daniela , Zimmermann Barbara H. , Fox Barbara A. , Bzik David J.
Published: August 2016

Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) mediates the fourth step of
de novo
pyrimidine biosynthesis and is a proven drug target for inducing immunosuppression in therapy of human disease as well as a rapidly emerging drug target for treatment of malaria. In
Toxoplasma gondii
, disruption of the first, fifth, or sixth step of
de novo
pyrimidine biosynthesis induced uracil auxotrophy. However, previous attempts to generate uracil auxotrophy by genetically deleting the mitochondrion-associated DHODH of
T. gondii
(
Tg
DHODH) failed. To further address the essentiality of
Tg
DHODH, mutant gene alleles deficient in
Tg
DHODH activity were designed to ablate the enzyme activity. Replacement of the endogenous
DHODH
gene with catalytically deficient
DHODH
gene alleles induced uracil auxotrophy. Catalytically deficient
Tg
DHODH localized to the mitochondria, and parasites retained mitochondrial membrane potential. These results show that
Tg
DHODH is essential for the synthesis of pyrimidines and suggest that
Tg
DHODH is required for a second essential function independent of its role in pyrimidine biosynthesis.
Neisseria gonorrhoeae Evades Calprotectin-Mediated Nutritional Immunity and Survives Neutrophil Extracellular Traps by Production of TdfH
Authors: Jean Sophonie , Juneau Richard A. , Criss Alison K. , Cornelissen Cynthia N.
Published: August 2016

Neisseria gonorrhoeaesuccessfully overcomes host strategies to limit essential nutrients, termed nutritional immunity, by production of TonB-dependent transporters (TdTs)—outer membrane proteins that facilitate nutrient transport in an energy-dependent manner. Four gonococcal TdTs facilitate utilization of iron or iron chelates from host-derived proteins, including transferrin (TbpA), lactoferrin (LbpA), and hemoglobin (HpuB), in addition to xenosiderophores from other bacteria (FetA). The roles of the remaining four uncharacterized TdTs (TdfF, TdfG, TdfH, and TdfJ) remain elusive. Regulatory data demonstrating that production of gonococcal TdfH and TdfJ are unresponsive to or upregulated under iron-replete conditions led us to evaluate the role of these TdTs in the acquisition of nutrients other than iron. In this study, we found that production of gonococcal TdfH is both Zn and Zur repressed. We also found that TdfH confers resistance to calprotectin, an immune effector protein highly produced in neutrophils that has antimicrobial activity due to its ability to sequester Zn and Mn. We found that TdfH directly binds calprotectin, which enables gonococcal Zn accumulation in a TdfH-dependent manner and enhances bacterial survival after exposure to neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). These studies highlight Zn sequestration by calprotectin as a key functional arm of NET-mediated killing of gonococci. We demonstrate for the first time thatN. gonorrhoeaeexploits this host strategy in a novel defense mechanism, in which TdfH production hijacks and directly utilizes the host protein calprotectin as a zinc source and thereby evades nutritional immunity.
The Glycolytic Enzyme Triosephosphate Isomerase of Trichomonas vaginalis Is a Surface-Associated Protein Induced by Glucose That Functions as a Laminin- and Fibronectin-Binding Protein
Authors: Miranda-Ozuna Jesús F. T. , Hernández-García Mar S. , Brieba Luis G. , Benítez-Cardoza Claudia G. , Ortega-López Jaime , González-Robles Arturo , Arroyo Rossana
Published: August 2016

Triosephosphate isomerase ofTrichomonas vaginalis(TvTIM) is a 27-kDa cytoplasmic protein encoded by two genes,tvtim1andtvtim2, that participates in glucose metabolism.TvTIM is also localized to the parasite surface. Thus, the goal of this study was to identify the novel functions of the surface-associatedTvTIM inT. vaginalisand to assess the effect of glucose as an environmental factor that regulates its expression and localization. Reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) showed that thetvtimgenes were differentially expressed in response to glucose concentration.tvtim1was overexpressed under glucose-restricted (GR) conditions, whereastvtim2was overexpressed under glucose-rich, or high-glucose (HG), conditions. Western blot and indirect immunofluorescence assays also showed that glucose positively affected the amount and surface localization ofTvTIM inT. vaginalis. Affinity ligand assays demonstrated that the recombinantTvTIM1 andTvTIM2 proteins bound to laminin (Lm) and fibronectin (Fn) but not to plasminogen. Moreover, higher levels of adherence to Lm and Fn were detected in parasites grown under HG conditions than in those grown under GR conditions. Furthermore, pretreatment of trichomonads with an anti-TvTIMr polyclonal antibody or pretreatment of Lm- or Fn-coated wells with both recombinant proteins (TvTIM1r andTvTIM2r) specifically reduced the binding of live parasites to Lm and Fn in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover,T. vaginaliswas exposed to different glucose concentrations during vaginal infection of women with trichomoniasis. Our data indicate thatTvTIM is a surface-associated protein under HG conditions that mediates specific binding to Lm and Fn as a novel virulence factor ofT. vaginalis.
Osmium isotope evidence for two pulses of increased continental weathering linked to Early Jurassic volcanism and climate change
Authors: Percival L.M.E. , Cohen A.S. , Davies M.K. , Dickson A.J. , Hesselbo S.P. , Jenkyns H.C. , Leng M.J. , Mather T.A. , Storm M.S. , Xu W.
Published: August 2016

Large igneous provinces (LIPs) are proposed to have caused a number of episodes of abrupt environmental change by increasing atmospheric CO2 levels, which were subsequently alleviated by drawdown of CO2 via enhanced continental weathering and burial of organic matter. Here the sedimentary records of two such episodes of environmental change, the Toarcian oceanic anoxic event (T-OAE) and preceding Pliensbachian–Toarcian (Pl-To) event (both possibly linked to the Karoo-Ferrar LIP), are investigated using a new suite of geochemical proxies that have not been previously compared. Stratigraphic variations in osmium isotope (187Os/188Os) records are compared with those of mercury (Hg) and carbon isotopes (δ13C) in samples from the Mochras core, Llanbedr Farm, Cardigan Bay Basin, Wales. These sedimentary rocks are confirmed as recording an open-marine setting by analysis of molybdenum/uranium enrichment trends, indicating that the Os isotope record in these samples reflects the isotopic composition of the global ocean. The Os isotope data include the first results across the Pl-To boundary, when seawater 187Os/188Os increased from ∼0.40 to ∼0.53, in addition to new data that show elevated 187Os/188Os (from ∼0.42 to ∼0.68) during the T-OAE. Both increases in 187Os/188Os correlate with negative carbon isotope excursions and increased mercury concentrations, supporting an interplay between terrestrial volcanism, weathering, and climate that was instrumental in driving these distinct episodes of global environmental change. These observations also indicate that the environmental impact of the Karoo-Ferrar LIP was not limited solely to the T-OAE.
Shock-metamorphosed rutile grains containing the high-pressure polymorph TiO2-II in four Neoarchean spherule layers
Authors: Smith Frank C. , Glass Billy P. , Simonson Bruce M. , Smith Joseph P. , Krull-Davatzes Alexandra E. , Booksh Karl S.
Published: August 2016

At least 17 spherule layers are presently known within stratigraphic units deposited between ca. 3.47 and 2.49 Ga. The spherule layers contain varying amounts of formerly molten, millimeter-sized and smaller spherules. The aggregate thickness of spherules in these layers commonly ranges from ∼1 cm to as much as a few decimeters. Several lines of evidence support the interpretation that the spherule layers represent distal impact ejecta layers. Previously, only one shock-metamorphosed grain (quartz) had been documented from the spherule layers. Therefore, a key diagnostic criterion for the impact origin of these layers has remained elusive for 30 years. We report the discovery, using micro-Raman spectroscopy, of shock-induced TiO2-II, a high-pressure polymorph of TiO2, in 34 grains from four Neoarchean spherule layers deposited between ca. 2.65 and 2.54 Ga. As all the TiO2-II-bearing grains contain rutile, we interpret them as shock-metamorphosed rutile grains. Shock-metamorphosed rutile grains, which may be more abundant in the upper parts of three of the layers, provide unambiguous physical evidence to further support an impact origin for these four layers. Our results demonstrate that TiO2-II can survive for >2.5 b.y. in supracrustal successions that have undergone low-grade metamorphism. Because TiO2-II transforms to rutile at a temperature ≥440 °C, TiO2-II in impact ejecta layers is a potential geothermometer. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a shock-induced, high-pressure polymorph formed by an Archean impact.
Ultrastructural pathology of human liver in Rift Valley fever
Authors: Shraim Mubarak Al , Eid Refaat , Radad Khaled , Saeed Noora
Published: August 2016

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a zoonotic disease that primarily affects ruminant animals and can also cause fatal disease in humans. In the current report, we present the ultrastructural changes in the liver of a man aged 60 years who died from RVF in the Aseer Central Hospital, Abha, Saudi Arabia. The main hepatic changes by transmission electron microscopy included the presence of 95–115 nm electron-dense particles consistent with RVF virions, nuclear condensation, vacuolar degeneration, lipid droplet accumulation and mitochondrial damage and dilation. There were also viral inclusion bodies with electron-dense aggregates, dilation of intercellular spaces, damage of sinusoidal microvilli with widening of space of Disse, dilation of bile canaliculi and increasing number of phagolysosomes.
Predictors of sustained drug-free diabetes remission over 48 weeks following short-term intensive insulin therapy in early type 2 diabetes
Authors: Kramer Caroline K , Zinman Bernard , Choi Haysook , Retnakaran Ravi
Published: August 2016

Objective

In early type 2 diabetes (T2DM), short-term intensive insulin therapy (IIT) for 2–4 weeks can decrease insulin resistance, reduce glucagonemia, improve β-cell function, and even induce a remission of diabetes that can last up to 1 year in some patients. However, little is known about the predictors of such a sustained remission.

Methods

We evaluated data from the placebo arm of a double-blind randomized controlled trial in which patients with early T2DM (≤7 years duration) underwent 4 weeks of IIT (basal detemir, bolus aspart), followed by placebo therapy for 48 weeks (n=25). Participants underwent an oral glucose tolerance test every 12 weeks, enabling serial assessment of insulin sensitivity, α-cell response, and β-cell function. Diabetes remission was defined as A1c<6.5% on no medication for T2DM.

Results

At 48 weeks post-IIT, 56% of the participants remained in remission. Comparison of remitters to non-remitters revealed no differences in waist, body mass index, insulin sensitivity (Matsuda index), or glucagon profile, either at baseline or over 48 weeks. Compared to non-remitters, the remission group had lower baseline A1c (p=0.006) and better baseline β-cell function (Insulin Secretion-Sensitivity Index-2) (p=0.01) that was then sustained across 48 weeks post-IIT (p=0.006). On logistic regression analyses, however, shorter duration of diabetes supplanted baseline A1c (p=0.24) and β-cell function (p=0.19) as an independent predictor of remission (p=0.04). In particular, diabetes duration <2 years predicted persistence of remission (p=0.006).

Conclusions

The key determinant of the likelihood of inducing sustained drug-free diabetes remission with short-term IIT is early intervention, particularly within the first 2 years after diagnosis.

Trial registration number

ClinicalTrials.GovNCT01270789; Post-results.
Provision of care for chronic kidney disease by non-nephrologists in a developing nation: a national survey
Authors: Al Shamsi S , Al Dhanhani A , Sheek-Hussein M M , Bakoush O
Published: August 2016

Objectives

The prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in developing countries has increased dramatically. This study aimed to explore the practice patterns of non-dialysis-dependent CKD care in an affluent developing country.

Settings

Primary and specialised healthcare facilities of public and private sectors in the United Arab Emirates.

Participants

159 non-nephrologist physicians practising in the United Arab Emirates.

Interventions

A 28-item online self-administered questionnaire based on CKD clinical practice guidelines.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The physicians' approach to identifying and managing patients with CKD.

Results

The survey was completed by 159 non-nephrologists, of whom 135 reported having treated patients with CKD. Almost all the respondents screen patients with hypertension and diabetes for CKD, but one-third of them do not screen patients with cardiovascular disease and elderly patients for CKD. The use of accurate CKD screening tests (estimated glomerular filtration rate and albumin/creatinine ratio) was suboptimal (77% and 59% of physicians used the procedures, respectively). One-third of the physicians do not offer treatment with inhibitors of the renin–angiotensin system to patients with CKD, and only 66% offer antilipid treatment. In general, the primary healthcare physicians are more familiar than secondary healthcare physicians with the diagnosis and management of patients with CKD.

Conclusions

We identified substantial physician-declared deficiencies in the practice of identifying and managing early CKD. Integration of quality CKD care within the healthcare system is required to face the increasing burden of CKD in the United Arab Emirates and possibly in other developing nations.
Early PREdiction of Severe Sepsis (ExPRES-Sepsis) study: protocol for an observational derivation study to discover potential leucocyte cell surface biomarkers
Authors: Datta Deepankar , Conway Morris Andrew , Antonelli Jean , Warner Noel , Brown Kenneth Alun , Wright John , Simpson A John , Rennie Jillian , Hulme Gillian , Lewis Sion Marc , Mare Tracey Anne , Cookson Sharon , Weir Christopher John , Dimmick Ian , Keenan Jim , Rossi Adriano Giorgio , Shankar-Hari Manu , Walsh Timothy S
Published: August 2016

Introduction

Sepsis is an acute illness resulting from infection and the host immune response. Early identification of individuals at risk of developing life-threatening severe sepsis could enable early triage and treatment, and improve outcomes. Currently available biomarkers have poor predictive value for predicting subsequent clinical course in patients with suspected infection. Circulating leucocytes provide readily accessible tissues that reflect many aspects of the complex immune responses described in sepsis. We hypothesise that measuring cellular markers of immune responses by flow cytometry will enable early identification of infected patients at risk of adverse outcomes. We aim to characterise leucocyte surface markers (biomarkers) and their abnormalities in a population of patients presenting to the hospital emergency department with suspected sepsis, and explore their ability to predict subsequent clinical course.

Methods and analysis

We will conduct a prospective, multicentre, clinical, exploratory, cohort observational study. To answer our study question, 3 patient populations will be studied. First, patients with suspected sepsis from the emergency department (n=300). To assess performance characteristics of potential tests, critically ill patients with established sepsis, and age and gender matched patients without suspicion of infection requiring hospital admission (both n=100) will be recruited as comparator populations. In all 3 groups, we plan to assess circulating biomarker profiles using flow cytometry. We will select candidate biomarkers by cross-cohort comparison, and then explore their predictive value for clinical outcomes within the cohort with suspected sepsis.

Ethics and dissemination

The study will be carried out based on the principles in the Declaration of Helsinki and the International Conference on Harmonisation Good Clinical Practice. Ethics approval has been granted from the Scotland A Research Ethics Committee (REC) and Oxford C REC. On conclusion of this study, the results will be disseminated via peer-reviewed journals.

Trial registration number

NCT02188992; Pre-results.
Using best practice to create a pathway to improve management of irritable bowel syndrome: aiming for timely diagnosis, effective treatment and equitable care
Authors: Williams Marianne , Barclay Yvonne , Benneyworth Rosie , Gore Steve , Hamilton Zoe , Matull Rudi , Phillips Iain , Seamark Leah , Staveley Kate , Thole Steve , Greig Emma
Published: August 2016

Background

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) costs the National Health Service almost £12 million per annum. Despite national guidelines advising primary care management, these have failed to stem secondary care referrals of patients with likely IBS for unnecessary and costly assessment and investigation without necessarily achieving resolution of their symptoms.

Methods

In 2011, an integrated team from primary and secondary care developed a business case using baseline data to create a Somerset-wide IBS pathway using Clinical Commissioning Group funding. This provided face-to-face general practitioners (GP) education, developed a diagnostic pathway and funded faecal calprotectin (FC) testing to exclude inflammatory pathology for patients aged 16–45 years with likely IBS and no alarm symptoms. For those with FC≤50 μg/g, we provided a management algorithm and community-based dietetic treatment. Audit results measured usage and outcomes from FC testing, changes in patterns and costs of new patients reviewed in gastroenterology outpatients and dietetic IBS treatment outcomes.

Results

The proportion of new patient slots used reduced from 14.3% to 8.7% over 10 months while overall costs reduced by 25% for patients with no alarm symptoms and likely IBS aged 16–45 years. FC results confirmed research findings with no inflammatory pathology, if FC≤50 μg/g over 2 years. 63% of patients had satisfactory control of their IBS after specialist dietetic input with 74% reporting improved quality of life.

Conclusions

The combination of GP education, providing diagnosis and management pathways, using FC to exclude inflammatory pathology and providing an effective treatment for patients with likely IBS appeared successful in our pilot. This proved cost-effective, reduced secondary care involvement and improved patient care.
Poiseuille equation for steady flow of fractal fluid
Authors: Tarasov Vasily E.
Published: August 2016

Fractal fluid is considered in the framework of continuous models with noninteger dimensional spaces (NIDS). A recently proposed vector calculus in NIDS is used to get a description of fractal fluid flow in pipes with circular cross-sections. The Navier–Stokes equations of fractal incompressible viscous fluids are used to derive a generalization of the Poiseuille equation of steady flow of fractal media in pipe.
Tunable multi-wavelength thulium-doped fiber laser incorporating two-stage cascaded Sagnac loop comb filter
Authors: Zhu Lianqing , He Wei , Dong Mingli , Lou Xiaoping , Luo Fei
Published: August 2016

A tunable multi-wavelength narrow-linewidth thulium-doped fiber laser employing two-stage cascaded Sagnac loop mirrors is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. The designed fiber laser is composed of a pump source, wavelength division multiplex, circulator, thulium-doped fiber, polarization controllers (PCs), couplers and polarization-maintaining fibers (PMFs). Two cascaded Sagnac loops are used as the cavity reflector and filter, and the proposed filter is fabricated using two sections of PMFs with 2-m and 1-m lengths, respectively. In the experiment, the laser threshold is 110 mW, and laser can emit single, double, triple, quadruple and quintuple wavelengths in the spectral range of 1873–1901 nm through the simultaneous adjustment of the two PCs. The power fluctuations and 3-dB linewidth are less than 2.1 dB and 0.2 nm, respectively, over 10 min at room temperature, and the side-mode suppression ratio is greater than 20 dB. The proposed laser will be useful in various fields, such as spectral analysis, fiber sensing and optical communication.
Temperature dependence of DNA condensation at high ionic concentration
Authors: Mao Wei , Gao Qingqing , Liu Yanhui , Fan Yangtao , Hu Lin , Xu Houqiang
Published: August 2016

A series of experiments pointed out that compact states of DNA condensed by multivalent cation prefer higher temperature. The condensed DNA takes elongated coil or compact globule states and the population of the compact globule states increases with an increase in temperature. At the same time, a recent experimental work carried out in buffer solution without multivalent cation points out that DNA persistence length strongly depends on the temperature. DNA persistence length is a key parameter for quantitative interpretation of the conformational properties of DNA and related to the bending rigidity of DNA. It is necessary to revolve the effects of temperature dependence of persistence length on DNA condensation, and a model including the temperature dependence of persistence length and strong correlation of multivalent cation on DNA is provided. The autocorrelation function of the tangent vectors is found as an effective way to detect the temperature dependence of toroid conformations. With an increase in temperature, the first periodic oscillation in the autocorrelation function shifts left and the number of segments containing the first periodic oscillation decreases gradually. According to the experiments mentioned above, the long-axis length is defined to estimate the temperature dependence of condensation process further. At the temperatures defined in experiments mentioned above, the relation between long-axis length and temperature matches the experimental results.
Ionic liquid supported acid additive stabilizes the transition structure of organocatalytic asymmetric direct aldol reaction by proton donation: A quantum mechanical study
Authors: Chakrabarty Kuheli , Basak Atanu , Ghosh Animesh , Das Gourab Kanti
Published: August 2016

ONIOM studies were performed on the transition structure (TS) of organocatalytic direct aldol reaction by using ionic liquid supported benzoic acid (ILS-PhCO2H) as an additive. Results obtained from this computation suggest direct involvement of ILS-PhCO2H in the TS as a proton donor. It has also come out from the present study that, the counter ion of the ILS-acid additive may also play significant role to maintain the proper TS geometry by holding the organocatalyst and the acid additive close together during the course of reaction.
Laws of the iterated logarithm for intersections of Wiener sausages in critical dimensions
Authors: Wang Yanqing
Published: August 2016

In this paper, we establish laws of the iterated logarithm for intersection times and volumes of Wiener sausages in critical dimensions by the high moment method.
Efficient simultaneous dense coding and teleportation with two-photon four-qubit cluster states
Authors: Zhang Cai , Situ Haozhen , Li Qin , He Guang Ping
Published: August 2016

We firstly propose a simultaneous dense coding protocol with two-photon four-qubit cluster states in which two receivers can simultaneously get their respective classical information sent by a sender. Because each photon has two degrees of freedom, the protocol will achieve a high transmittance. The security of the simultaneous dense coding protocol has also been analyzed. Secondly, we investigate how to simultaneously teleport two different quantum states with polarization and path degree of freedom using cluster states to two receivers, respectively, and discuss its security. The preparation and transmission of two-photon four-qubit cluster states is less difficult than that of four-photon entangled states, and it has been experimentally generated with nearly perfect fidelity and high generation rate. Thus, our protocols are feasible with current quantum techniques.