bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Different association between renal hyperfiltration and mortality by sex
Authors: Yoo Kyung Don , Yoon Hyung‐Jin , Hwang Seung‐sik , Heo Nam Ju , Chin Ho Jun , Yang Seung Hee , Joo Kwon Wook , Kim Yon Su , Lee Hajeong
Published: July 2016

Aim

Renal hyperfiltration (RHF) is a marker of early kidney injury that was recently shown to be a novel marker of mortality. However, it has no clear definition. In this study, we suggested an age‐ and sex‐adjusted RHF definition and explored the association between RHF and mortality by sex.

Methods

We analyzed data from individuals receiving routine health examinations from 1995 to 2009. RHF was defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate over the 95th percentile matched for age and sex.

Results

A total of 114 966 individuals were included. During the 75‐month of observation period, 2559 (2.2%) participants died. Among those, 71.4% were men. Because sex and RHF had a significant interaction for mortality (P for interaction < 0.001), we performed survival analysis according to sex. RHF was related to lower body weight and a higher proportion of cigarette smoking in men, whereas these relationships were not found in women. In the Kaplan–Meier curve, RHF was associated with higher mortality rate than non‐RHF in both sexes, but this relationship was more prominent in men. In the multivariate analysis, RHF remained as an independent risk factor for all‐cause mortality even after adjustment for confounding in men (hazard ratio, 1.34; 95% confidence interval, 1.12–1.59; P = 0.001). In women, RHF was not associated with increased mortality.

Conclusions

We demonstrated that RHF was a significant risk factor for mortality in men but not in women. The mechanisms and clinical implications of these different associations according to sex require a further clarification.
Muckle–Wells Syndrome: A Case Report with an NLRP3 T348M Mutation
Authors: Naz Villalba Elena , Gomez de la Fuente Enrique , Caro Gutierrez Dolores , Pinedo Moraleda Fernando , Yanguela Rodilla Julio , Mazagatos Angulo Diana , López Estebaranz Jose Luis
Published: July 2016

Autoinflammatory syndromes are a recently described group of conditions caused by mutations in multiple genes that code for proteins of the innate immune system. Cryopyrin‐associated periodic syndromes are autoinflammatory diseases comprising three clinically overlapping disorders: familial cold urticaria syndrome, Muckle–Wells syndrome (MWS), and neonatal‐onset multisystem inflammatory disease. MWS is characterized by a moderate phenotype with fever, rash, arthralgia, conjunctivitis, sensorineural deafness, and potentially life‐threatening amyloidosis. We report a 5‐year‐old girl with MWS that manifested as a recurrent skin rash without fever episodes or intracranial hypertension with papilledema. Genetic analysis revealed a T348M mutation of the NLRPR 3 gene in the patient and her mother. She was successfully treated with the interleukin‐1β antagonist receptor anakinra.
Effect of Angiofibromas on Quality of Life and Access to Care in Tuberous Sclerosis Patients and Their Caregivers
Authors: Crall Cary , Valle Molly , Kapur Kush , Dies Kira A. , Liang Marilyn G. , Sahin Mustafa , Huang Jennifer T.
Published: July 2016

Background/Objectives

Facial angiofibromas (AF) have the potential to cause disfigurement in children with tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC). Facial disfigurement can impact the quality of life (QoL) of individuals and their families, leading to negative psychosocial outcomes. QoL has not been studied in TSC patients with AF.

Methods

We conducted a cross‐sectional survey study to investigate QoL of TSC patients with AF and their caregivers and to explore the current state of access to treatment for AF. TSC patients and caregivers in TSC clinic at Boston Children's Hospital and through the Tuberous Sclerosis Alliance were recruited to complete QoL surveys including the CADIS, CDLQI, and Skindex‐teen questionnaires, and a survey on access to treatment of AF.

Results

Fifty‐eight patients with TSC and 161 caregivers participated in the study. Caregivers of patients with AF had significantly poorer QoL scores compared to caregivers of those without AF, as measured by a modified CADIS questionnaire (mean 31.7 vs. 11.7, p = 0.004). Among patients with AF, those who received treatment had significantly better QoL scores compared with those without treatment, as measured by the CDLQI (mean 3.8 vs. 9.5, p = 0.001). Forty‐one and two‐tenths percent of subjects reported never receiving treatment for AF. Forty‐seven and three‐tenths percent of subjects were prescribed topical rapamycin, 47.7% of whom experienced difficulty with insurance coverage.

Conclusions

Presence and lack of treatment of AF significantly impacts QoL in TSC patients and their caregivers. Access to care for AF is limited by multiple factors and should be addressed by clinicians working with this patient population.
Influenza‐associated thrombotic microangiopathy with unbalanced von Willebrand factor and a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13 levels in a heterozygous protein S‐deficient boy
Authors: Tsujii Nobuyuki , Nogami Keiji , Yoshizawa Hiroyuki , Hayakawa Masaki , Isonishi Ayami , Matsumoto Masanori , Shima Midori
Published: July 2016

Influenza infections often cause pneumonia, but there is limited information on thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) in these circumstances. We report the case of an 11‐year‐old boy who developed TMA during the acute phase of H1N1 influenza. Plasma von Willebrand factor (VWF) was elevated, whereas a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin type 1 motif, member 13 (ADAMTS13) activity was mildly reduced in the absence of ADAMTS13‐neutralizing autoantibody, resulting in low ratio of ADAMTS13 to VWF. The patient was treated intensively, including plasma exchange, and he recovered from the TMA. He developed pulmonary embolism (PE), however, after removal of the central venous catheter. The findings suggested that influenza‐associated cytokines enhanced the release of unusually large VWF multimers from vascular endothelial cells and promoted the formation of platelet thrombi and TMA. Subsequent analysis further indicated the presence of familial protein S deficiency, and it seemed likely that the PE was more related to this heterozygous protein S defect.
Diapause induction as an interplay between seasonal token stimuli, and modifying and directly limiting factors: hibernation in Chymomyza costata
Authors: Koštál Vladimír , Mollaei Maedeh , Schöttner Konrad
Published: July 2016

Larvae of wild type (WT) strain of Chymomyza costata Zetterstedt (Diptera: Drosophilidae) enter diapause (stop developing) in response to short‐day signal at a constant 18 °C, whereas larvae of a non‐photoperiodic‐diapause (NPD) strain do not respond to photoperiodic signalling and continue in larval development irrespective of daylength. The present study shows that WT larvae also respond reliably to thermoperiodic signalling (daily cycles of temperature) under constant darkness, whereas the NPD larvae do not, suggesting that the pathways transducing the environmental token stimuli (photoperiod and thermoperiod) onto the diapause developmental programme might merge functionally in the central biological clock system known to be mutated in NPD strain. Temperature and larval population density modify the output of token stimuli signalling. High temperatures (>24 °C) tend to avert, whereas low temperatures (<18 °C), especially in combination with constant darkness, stimulate diapause induction in WT strain. Overcrowding (>200 larvae per 5 g of larval diet) lengthens the duration of larval development and induces a ‘diapause‐like’ developmental arrest of relatively weak intensity in up to 60% of larvae of both strains. At high temperatures (>30 °C), all WT larvae continue direct development but subsequently die during the pupal stage. Low temperature exposure (<12 °C) causes quiescence in the majority of the larvae of both strains. Starvation blocks development and causes mortality when applied in larvae younger than day 3 of the third instar. Older larvae survive starvation and their photoperiodically‐induced developmental pre‐programming is not affected. Collectively, the results show that diapause induction in C. costata is a result of various interacting effects of multiple environmental factors.
Myopic Analysis for Multi‐Echelon Inventory Systems with Batch Ordering and Nonstationary/Time‐Correlated Demands
Authors: Yang Yi , Yu Yimin , Huang Tingliang
Published: July 2016

We provide an exact myopic analysis for an N‐stage serial inventory system with batch ordering, linear ordering costs, and nonstationary demands under a finite planning horizon. We characterize the optimality conditions of the myopic nested batching newsvendor (NBN) policy and the myopic independent batching newsvendor (IBN) policy, which is a single‐stage approximation. We show that echelon reorder levels under the NBN policy are upper bounds of the counterparts under both the optimal policy and the IBN policy. In particular, we find that the IBN policy has bounded deviations from the optimal policy. We further extend our results to systems with martingale model of forecast evolution (MMFE) and advance demand information. Moreover, we provide a recursive computing procedure and optimality conditions for both heuristics which dramatically reduces computational complexity. We also find that the NBN problem under the MMFE faced by one stage has one more dimension for the forecast demand than the one faced by its downstream stage and that the NBN policy is optimal for systems with advance demand information and stationary problem data. Numerical studies demonstrate that the IBN policy outperforms on average the NBN policy over all tested instances when their optimality conditions are violated.
Modeling and Managing the Risks of Measles and Rubella: A Global Perspective, Part I
Authors: Thompson Kimberly M. , Cochi Stephen L.
Published: July 2016

Over the past 50 years, the use of vaccines led to significant decreases in the global burdens of measles and rubella, motivated at least in part by the successive development of global control and elimination targets. The Global Vaccine Action Plan (GVAP) includes specific targets for regional elimination of measles and rubella in five of six regions of the World Health Organization by 2020. Achieving the GVAP measles and rubella goals will require significant immunization efforts and associated financial investments and political commitments. Planning and budgeting for these efforts can benefit from learning some important lessons from the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI). Following an overview of the global context of measles and rubella risks and discussion of lessons learned from the GPEI, we introduce the contents of the special issue on modeling and managing the risks of measles and rubella. This introduction describes the synthesis of the literature available to support evidence‐based model inputs to support the development of an integrated economic and dynamic disease transmission model to support global efforts to optimally manage these diseases globally using vaccines.
Phylogeny of the subfamilyLarentiinae (Lepidoptera:Geometridae): integrating molecular data and traditional classifications
Authors: ÕUNAP ERKI , VIIDALEPP JAAN , TRUUVERK ANDRO
Published: July 2016

Larentiinae are the second largest subfamily ofGeometridae, with more than 6200 described species. Despite recent advances in molecular systematics of geometrid moths, phylogenetic relationships between the numerous subgroups ofLarentiinae are poorly known. In this study we present the most comprehensive attempt to date to resolve the phylogeny ofLarentiinae, having sampled at least one species from all currently recognized 23 tribes. Fragments of one mitochondrial (COI) and eight nuclear (EF‐1α,WGL,GAPDH,RPS5,IDH,MDH,CADand28S) genes were sequenced, for a total of 6939 bp. Maximum likelihood andBayesian analyses resulted in identical well‐resolved phylogenetic trees, which had maximum or near‐maximum support values at most nodes. Almost all conventionally recognized tribes represented by more than one genus were found to be monophyletic. Close to the root ofLarentiinae, six tribes branch off the main lineage one after another, withDyspteridini being sister to all other members of the subfamily. The rest of larentiines are divided into two very diverse lineages, comprising eight and at least ten tribes, respectively. There were just three findings incongruent with the conventional tribal subdivision of the subfamily. First, the generaCollixGuenée andAnticollixProut formed a separate, previously unrecognized but well‐supported clade at the tribe level. Second, thePalaearctic genusPelurgaHübner was placed apart fromLarentiaTreitschke andMesoleucaHübner, which were the other members ofLarentiini in this analysis. Third,Cataclysmini appeared together with genera belonging toXanthorhoini, leaving the latter paraphyletic. TheNeotropic genusOligopleuraHerrich‐Schäffer is shown to belong to the tribeEuphyiini (comb.n.) according to both molecular data and male genital morphology. The results and the tribal classification ofLarentiinae are discussed with reference to the principal publications since the end of the 19thCentury. We conclude that the current tribal classification ofLarentiinae is not controversial from the phylogenetic point of view and that its increasing complexity has merely reflected the accumulation of information, mainly through different methods of biosystematic study having become available for researchers. Our results indicate that diurnal lifestyle, accompanied by conspicuous coloration, has evolved independently in several subgroups ofLarentiinae.
Uncertainty Quantification of Growth Rates of Thermoacoustic Instability by an Adjoint Helmholtz Solver
Authors: Silva Camilo F. , Magri Luca , Runte Thomas , Polifke Wolfgang
Published: July 2016

Thermoacoustic instabilities are often calculated with Helmholtz solvers combined with a low-order model for the flame dynamics. Typically, such a formulation leads to an eigenvalue problem in which the eigenvalue appears under nonlinear terms, such as exponentials related to the time delays that result from the flame model. The objective of the present paper is to quantify uncertainties in thermoacoustic stability analysis with a Helmholtz solver and its adjoint. This approach is applied to the model of a combustion test rig with a premixed swirl burner. The nonlinear eigenvalue problem and its adjoint are solved by an in-house adjoint Helmholtz solver, based on an axisymmetric finite-volume discretization. In addition to first-order correction terms of the adjoint formulation, as they are often used in the literature, second-order terms are also taken into account. It is found that one particular second-order term has significant impact on the accuracy of the predictions. Finally, the probability density function (PDF) of the growth rate in the presence of uncertainties in the input parameters is calculated with a Monte Carlo approach. The uncertainties considered concern the gain and phase of the flame response, the outlet acoustic reflection coefficient, and the plenum geometry. It is found that the second-order adjoint method gives quantitative agreement with results based on the full nonlinear eigenvalue problem, while requiring much fewer computations.
Heat Transfer of Winglet Tips in a Transonic Turbine Cascade
Authors: Zhong Fangpan , Zhou Chao , Ma H. , Zhang Q.
Published: July 2016

Understanding the heat transfer of winglet tips is crucial for their applications in high-pressure turbines. The current paper investigates the heat transfer performance of three different winglet-cavity tips in a transonic turbine cascade at a tip gap of 2.1% chord. A cavity tip is studied as the baseline case. The cascade operates at engine representative conditions of an exit Mach number of 1.2 and an exit Reynolds number of 1.7 × 106. Transient infrared thermography technique was used to obtain the tip distributions of heat transfer coefficient for different tips in the experiment. The CFD results were validated with the measured tip heat transfer coefficients, and then used to explain the flow physics related to heat transfer. It is found that on the pressure side winglet, the flow reattaches on the top winglet surface and results in high heat transfer coefficient. On the suction side winglet, the heat transfer coefficient is low near the blade leading edge but is higher from the midchord to the trailing edge. The suction side winglet pushes the tip leakage vortex further away from the blade suction surface and reduces the heat transfer coefficient from 85% to 96% span on the blade suction surface. However, the heat transfer coefficient is higher for the winglet tips from 96% span to the tip. This is because the tip leakage vortex attaches on the side surface of the suction side winglet and results in quite high heat transfer coefficient on the front protrusive part of the winglet. The effects of relative endwall motion between the blade tip and the casing were investigated by CFD method. The endwall motion has a significant effect on the flow physics within the tip gap and near-tip region in the blade passage, thus affects the heat transfer coefficient distributions. With relative endwall motion, a scraping vortex forms inside the tip gap and near the casing, and the cavity vortex gets closer to the pressure side squealer/winglet. The tip leakage vortex in the blade passage becomes closer to the blade suction surface, resulting in an increase of the heat transfer coefficient.
Spectral Approach on Multiscale Roughness Characterization of Nominally Rough Surfaces
Authors: Panda Sandip , Panzade Anand , Sarangi Mihir , Roy Chowdhury S. K.
Published: July 2016

This paper attempts to demonstrate a systematic spectral approach for the characterization of the topographic nature of rough surfaces. Multiscale roughness characterization reveals a panoramic structure of microgeometric features of engineering surfaces, and this is of practical importance in order to include length scale consideration in real contact problems. Surfaces with different levels of root mean square (rms) roughness values were prepared using mechanical finishing processes for this study. Both optical and stylus profilometry data were recorded and analyzed to plot autocorrelation and power spectral density functions (PSDFs) at five different cutoff bandwidths (BWs). Correlation distances were estimated by choosing normalized autocorrelation declination to 1/e as well as to 0.1. In most of the cases, these distances were found to be less than 10% of the corresponding cutoff lengths. Nature of power spectrum has been analyzed and discussion extended to the estimation of bandwidth limited fractal characteristics based on specific spectral information. Power spectral densities (PSD) and their higher moments were extensively used to compute roughness parameters of functional significance such as asperity curvature, asperity density, etc. Evolution of asperity sharpness and asperity density during finishing processes was demonstrated at par with their physical significances. The intrinsic bandwidth parameter as per Nayak's definition was estimated closely to be a value of two for all cases.
Evaluation of Heat and Mass Transfer Models for Sizing Low-Temperature Kalina Cycle Microchannel Condensers
Authors: Fronk Brian M. , Zada Kyle R.
Published: July 2016

Waste heat driven ammonia/water Kalina cycles have shown promise for improving the efficiency of electricity production from low-temperature reservoirs (T < 150 °C). However, there has been limited application of these systems to utilize widely available, disperse, waste heat streams for smaller scale power production (1–10 kWe). Factors limiting increased deployment of these systems include large, costly heat exchangers, and concerns over safety of the working fluid. The use of mini- and microchannel (D < 1 mm) heat exchangers has the potential to decrease system size and material cost, while also reducing the working fluid inventory, enabling penetration of Kalina cycles into these new markets. However, accurate methods of predicting the heat and mass transfer in microscale geometries must be available for designing and optimizing these compact heat exchangers. In the present study, the effect of different heat and mass transfer models on the calculated Kalina cycle condenser size is investigated at representative system conditions. A detailed heat exchanger model for a liquid-coupled microchannel ammonia/water condenser is developed. The heat exchanger is sized using different predictive methods to provide the required heat transfer area for a 1 kWe Kalina system with a source and sink temperature of 150 °C and 20 °C, respectively. The results show that for the models considered, predicted heat exchanger size can vary by up to 58%. Based on prior experimental results, a nonequilibrium approach is recommended to provide the most accurate, economically sized ammonia/water condenser.
A Comparative Analysis of Single Nozzle and Multiple Nozzles Arrangements for Syngas Combustion in Heavy Duty Gas Turbine
Authors: Liu Shi , Yin Hong , Xiong Yan , Xiao Xiaoqing
Published: July 2016

Heavy duty gas turbines are the core components in the integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) system. Different from the conventional fuel for gas turbine such as natural gas and light diesel, the combustible component acquired from the IGCC system is hydrogen-rich syngas fuel. It is important to modify the original gas turbine combustor or redesign a new combustor for syngas application since the fuel properties are featured with the wide range hydrogen and carbon monoxide mixture. First, one heavy duty gas turbine combustor which adopts natural gas and light diesel was selected as the original type. The redesign work mainly focused on the combustor head and nozzle arrangements. This paper investigated two feasible combustor arrangements for the syngas utilization including single nozzle and multiple nozzles. Numerical simulations are conducted to compare the flow field, temperature field, composition distributions, and overall performance of the two schemes. The obtained results show that the flow structure of the multiple nozzles scheme is better and the temperature distribution inside the combustor is more uniform, and the total pressure recovery is higher than the single nozzle scheme. Through the full scale test rig verification, the combustor redesign with multiple nozzles scheme is acceptable under middle and high pressure combustion test conditions. Besides, the numerical computations generally match with the experimental results.
Imaging synaptic density in the living human brain
Authors: Finnema Sjoerd J. , Nabulsi Nabeel B. , Eid Tore , Detyniecki Kamil , Lin Shu-fei , Chen Ming-Kai , Dhaher Roni , Matuskey David , Baum Evan , Holden Daniel , Spencer Dennis D. , Mercier Joël , Hannestad Jonas , Huang Yiyun , Carson Richard E.
Published: July 2016

Synaptic density in the living human brain was measured with positron emission tomography and a synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A tracer.
Dengue Virus Envelope Dimer Epitope Monoclonal Antibodies Isolated from Dengue Patients Are Protective against Zika Virus
Authors: Swanstrom J. A. , Plante J. A. , Plante K. S. , Young E. F. , McGowan E. , Gallichotte E. N. , Widman D. G. , Heise M. T. , de Silva A. M. , Baric R. S.
Published: July 2016

Zika virus (ZIKV) is a mosquito-borne flavivirus responsible for thousands of cases of severe fetal malformations and neurological disease since its introduction to Brazil in 2013. Antibodies to flaviviruses can be protective, resulting in lifelong immunity to reinfection by homologous virus. However, cross-reactive antibodies can complicate flavivirus diagnostics and promote more severe disease, as noted after serial dengue virus (DENV) infections. The endemic circulation of DENV in South America and elsewhere raises concerns that preexisting flavivirus immunity may modulate ZIKV disease and transmission potential. Here, we report on the ability of human monoclonal antibodies and immune sera derived from dengue patients to neutralize contemporary epidemic ZIKV strains. We demonstrate that a class of human monoclonal antibodies isolated from DENV patients neutralizes ZIKV in cell culture and is protective in a lethal murine model. We also tested a large panel of convalescent-phase immune sera from humans exposed to primary and repeat DENV infection. Although ZIKV is most closely related to DENV compared to other human-pathogenic flaviviruses, most DENV immune sera (73%) failed to neutralize ZIKV, while others had low (50% effective concentration [EC
50
], <1:100 serum dilution; 18%) or moderate to high (EC
50
, >1:100 serum dilution; 9%) levels of cross-neutralizing antibodies. Our results establish that ZIKV and DENV share epitopes that are targeted by neutralizing, protective human antibodies. The availability of potently neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies provides an immunotherapeutic approach to control life-threatening ZIKV infection and also points to the possibility of repurposing DENV vaccines to induce cross-protective immunity to ZIKV.

IMPORTANCE
ZIKV is an emerging arbovirus that has been associated with severe neurological birth defects and fetal loss in pregnant women and Guillain-Barré syndrome in adults. Currently, there is no vaccine or therapeutic for ZIKV. The identification of a class of antibodies (envelope dimer epitope 1 [EDE1]) that potently neutralizes ZIKV in addition to all four DENV serotypes points to a potential immunotherapeutic to combat ZIKV. This is especially salient given the precedent of antibody therapy to treat pregnant women infected with other viruses associated with microcephaly, such as cytomegalovirus and rubella virus. Furthermore, the identification of a functionally conserved epitope between ZIKV and DENV raises the possibility that a vaccine may be able to elicit neutralizing antibodies against both viruses.
Transformations to granular zircon revealed: Twinning, reidite, and ZrO2 in shocked zircon from Meteor Crater (Arizona, USA)
Authors: Cavosie Aaron J. , Timms Nicholas E. , Erickson Timmons M. , Hagerty Justin J. , Hörz Friedrich
Published: July 2016

Granular zircon in impact environments has long been recognized but remains poorly understood due to lack of experimental data to identify mechanisms involved in its genesis. Meteor Crater in Arizona (USA) contains abundant evidence of shock metamorphism, including shocked quartz, the high-pressure polymorphs coesite and stishovite, diaplectic SiO2 glass, and lechatelierite (fused SiO2). Here we report the presence of granular zircon, a new shocked-mineral discovery at Meteor Crater, that preserve critical orientation evidence of specific transformations that occurred during formation at extreme impact conditions. The zircon grains occur as aggregates of sub-micrometer neoblasts in highly shocked Coconino Sandstone (CS) comprised of lechatelierite. Electron backscatter diffraction shows that each grain consists of multiple domains, some with boundaries disoriented by 65° around <110>, a known {112} shock-twin orientation. Other domains have {001} in alignment with {110} of neighboring domains, consistent with the former presence of the high-pressure ZrSiO4 polymorph reidite. Additionally, nearly all zircon preserve ZrO2 + SiO2, providing evidence of partial dissociation. The genesis of CS granular zircon started with detrital zircon that experienced shock twinning and reidite formation at pressures from 20 to 30 GPa, ultimately yielding a phase that retained crystallographic memory; this phase subsequently recrystallized to systematically oriented zircon neoblasts, and in some areas partially dissociated to ZrO2. The lechatelierite matrix, experimentally constrained to form at >2000 °C, provided the ultrahigh-temperature environment for zircon dissociation (∼1670 °C) and neoblast formation. The capacity of granular zircon to preserve a cumulative pressure-temperature record has not been recognized previously, and provides a new method for investigating histories of impact-related mineral transformations in the crust at conditions far beyond those at which most rocks melt.
Unique expression of chronic Lyme disease and Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction to doxycycline therapy in a young adult
Authors: Haney Chad , Nahata Milap C
Published: July 2016

I am a 24-year-old male who was diagnosed with chronic Lyme disease after 4 years of multiple, non-specific symptoms. I have written this case as first author with my faculty mentor listed as the coauthor. The objective of this report is to highlight the experience with doxycycline treatment. In 2007, at around age 19 years, I had an acute onset of sore throat, tonsillitis, low-grade fever, stiff upper back and neck muscles, migraines and severely stiff, cracking jaw joints. This led to >24 medical visits, multitudes of tests and examinations, and exploratory surgery over the next 3 years. In 2011, a Lyme-literate medical doctor (LLMD) diagnosed me with chronic Lyme disease. I started taking doxycycline 100 mg by mouth every 12 hours, leading to atypical sequences of events deemed a Jarisch-Herxheimer reaction by a LLMD. This case highlights the unique clinical expression of chronic Lyme disease and the Jarisch-Herxheimer response to doxycycline.
Perforation of the bowel due to cytomegalovirus infection in a man with AIDS: surgery is not always necessary!
Authors: Yoganathan Katie Tharshana , Morgan Andrew Roger , Yoganathan Kathir G
Published: July 2016

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is the most common viral opportunistic infection in immunocompromised patients and is a rare cause of bowel perforation. It invariably requires surgical intervention and is often fatal. We report a 50-year-old Caucasian man with AIDS, presented 3 weeks after developing abdominal pain and distension. He was treated for CMV retinitis in the past. His adherence to antiretroviral therapy was poor. Examination revealed a recurrence of active CMV retinitis. His abdomen was tender and distended. The plain X-ray of the abdomen revealed a double wall sign (Rigler's sign), indicating pneumoperitoneum due to the bowel perforation. The upper endoscopy was normal. His CD4 count was 30 cells/mm3. He was treated with cidofovir infusion. He made a full recovery, without requiring any form of surgery. However, he died of adult respiratory distress syndrome 14 months later, due to iatrogenic acute pancreatitis.
A case of isolated renal involvement of polyarteritis nodosa successfully treated with steroid monotherapy
Authors: Pourafshar Negiin , Sobel Eric , Segal Mark
Published: July 2016

Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a systemic necrotising vasculitis that affects medium-sized and small-sized arteries. The spectrum of disease ranges from involving a single organ to polyvisceral failure. We report a case of a 75-year-old male presented with solely hypertension and mild renal function impairment as a consequence of diffuse renal necrotising vasculitis with occlusive but non-stenotic lesions associated with PAN. The overall prognosis of PAN has been improved in recent decades, primarily reflecting early diagnosis and more effective treatments. Therefore, early diagnosis is critical and it warrants full investigations even in those patients without obvious multiorgan manifestations. In those instances, with mild disease, steroid monotherapy has been shown to be effective with excellent response. Our patient responded well to steroid monotherapy and we were able to gauge his response by improvement in his blood pressure.
Linagliptin monotherapy compared with voglibose monotherapy in patients with type 2 diabetes undergoing hemodialysis: a 12-week randomized trial
Authors: Mori Katsuhito , Emoto Masanori , Shoji Tetsuo , Inaba Masaaki
Published: July 2016

Objective

Focusing on efficacy and tolerability, we compared linagliptin monotherapy with voglibose monotherapy in patients with type 2 diabetes undergoing hemodialysis (HD).

Research design and methods

In this multicenter, randomized, open-label, parallel-group, active-controlled study, 78 patients were randomized (1:1) to receive a 12-week treatment with 5 mg linagliptin once daily or 0.2 mg voglibose three times a day. To assess whether linagliptin was superior to voglibose, the primary efficacy end point was the change in glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) level between baseline and week 12. Secondary efficacy end points included changes between baseline and week 12 in glycated albumin (GA) and casual plasma glucose (PG) levels.

Results

At week 12, the adjusted mean HbA1c levels had decreased by −0.60% after treatment with linagliptin and by −0.20% after treatment with voglibose (treatment difference: −0.40%, 95% CI −0.74% to −0.06%, p=0.022). A significant reduction in casual PG level was also observed after treatment with linagliptin compared with treatment with voglibose. Relative to voglibose, linagliptin tended to elicit reductions in GA, although without statistical significance. No hypoglycemic symptoms or severe hypoglycemia occurred during the study.

Conclusions

In patients with type 2 diabetes undergoing HD, linagliptin monotherapy provided significantly better glycemic control without severe hypoglycemia than voglibose monotherapy. Linagliptin represents a promising agent for glycemic management in patients with type 2 diabetes undergoing HD.

Trial registration number

UMIN000007635; results.
BET 2: Tadalafil medical expulsive therapy in ureteral calculi: a new kid on the block?
Authors: Christie Brian , Oostema Adam
Published: July 2016

A short cut review was carried out to see if tadalafil, a phosphodiesterase type-5 (PDE5) inhibitor, was superior to standard α-adrenergic antagonists at promoting spontaneous ureteric calculi excretion. Two relevant papers were found, published by the same research group. The author, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes, results study weaknesses of these papers are tabulated. Tadalafil was not shown to have significant superiority in terms of efficacy or adverse effects compared with standard treatment.
Helminth infection is associated with hen mortality in Danish organic egg production
Authors: Hinrichsen L. K. , Labouriau R. , Engberg R. M. , Knierim U. , Sørensen J. T.
Published: July 2016

The aim of this study was to investigate whether two highly prevalent helminth infections (Ascaridia galli and Heterakis species) are associated with an increased mortality rate for hens at the peak of lay. An observational event study with 11 farms was conducted between 2012 and 2013, with weekly mortality recordings and grouping of the farms into low‐infected with A galli and Heterakis species (0–200 epg of faeces) or high‐infected (over 200 epg of faeces). Survival analysis was performed using a discrete time proportional hazards model. The difference between the hazard functions for low‐infected farms and high‐infected farms in either summer (August to September) or winter (January to March) were analysed. No statistically significant associations were found between the mortality rate in winter and summer in low‐infected farms. However, the mortality rate was doubled for hens from high‐infected farms observed in the summer season compared with hens from low‐infected farms (winter and summer), whereas high‐infected farms observed in the winter did not have a significant association between mortality rate and season compared with low‐infected farms (summer and winter). The results suggest that the mortality in organic egg production may be reduced by measures to control A galli and Heterakis species infections.
Occurrence and species richness of mycorrhizal fungi in soil under different land use
Authors: Fernandes Rafaela Alves , Ferreira Doroteia Alves , Saggin-Junior Orivaldo Jose , Stürmer Sidney Luiz , Paulino Helder Barbosa , Siqueira José Oswaldo , Carneiro Marco Aurélio Carbone
Published: July 2016

This study aimed to assess the impact of different land uses on the spore density and richness of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in a Red Latosol of a tropical savanna biome in Brazil (“Cerrado”). Ten soil samples and roots were obtained from a riparian forest, a pasture, an annual crop production system with no tillage, and a coffee plantation in dry and wet seasons. Spores were extracted, counted, and identified from field soils, and roots were stained to assess mycorrhizal colonization. A total of 42 AMF species were detected in all four land uses. The genus Acaulospora had the largest number of species (18), followed by Glomus (6) and Gigaspora (5). Gigaspora decipiens and Gigaspora margarita were present in all areas, regardless of the sample period. Gigaspora decipiens was the species most frequently recovered and contributed to the majority of spores in coffee plantations and riparian forest. Cetraspora pellucida was dominant in the area of no tillage and Acaulospora tuberculata in the pasture. Low species richness was detected in soils under the coffee plantation, with AMF communities dominated almost exclusively by members of Gigasporaceae. We conclude that the area under the coffee plantation caused a reduction in the richness of AMF species and promoted a dominance of a single family AMF compared with the pasture area.
Finite field-dependent BRST–anti-BRST transformations: Jacobians and application to the Standard Model
Authors: Yu. Moshin Pavel , Reshetnyak Alexander A.
Published: July 2016

We continue our research[Formula: see text] and extend the class of finite BRST–anti-BRST transformations with odd-valued parameters [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], introduced in these works. In doing so, we evaluate the Jacobians induced by finite BRST–anti-BRST transformations linear in functionally-dependent parameters, as well as those induced by finite BRST–anti-BRST transformations with arbitrary functional parameters. The calculations cover the cases of gauge theories with a closed algebra, dynamical systems with first-class constraints, and general gauge theories. The resulting Jacobians in the case of linearized transformations are different from those in the case of polynomial dependence on the parameters. Finite BRST–anti-BRST transformations with arbitrary parameters induce an extra contribution to the quantum action, which cannot be absorbed into a change of the gauge. These transformations include an extended case of functionally-dependent parameters that implies a modified compensation equation, which admits nontrivial solutions leading to a Jacobian equal to unity. Finite BRST–anti-BRST transformations with functionally-dependent parameters are applied to the Standard Model, and an explicit form of functionally-dependent parameters [Formula: see text] is obtained, providing the equivalence of path integrals in any 3-parameter [Formula: see text]-like gauges. The Gribov–Zwanziger theory is extended to the case of the Standard Model, and a form of the Gribov horizon functional is suggested in the Landau gauge, as well as in [Formula: see text]-like gauges, in a gauge-independent way using field-dependent BRST–anti-BRST transformations, and in [Formula: see text]-like gauges using transverse-like non-Abelian gauge fields.
Microstructure evolution and phase transformation in thermally cycled Ni–Ti–Hf film
Authors: zhao Chunwang , Meng Xiaokai
Published: July 2016

A Ni[Formula: see text]Ti[Formula: see text]Hf[Formula: see text] film was synthesized through magnetron sputtering followed by crystallization and thermal cycling. Microstructure evolution and phase transformation were investigated through transmission electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. Crystallization can be partially completed when heating temperature was increased to 540[Formula: see text]C, which is higher than the usually thought crystallization temperature of 503.6[Formula: see text]C. After crystallization occurs, the film consists of large Ni–Ti–Hf grains and small granular particles of (Ti,[Formula: see text]Hf)2Ni precipitates dispersed in an amorphous pattern. As the number of thermal cycles increases, crystallization is completed gradually and martensite transformation temperature decreases gradually.
Application of Gaussian moment method to a gene autoregulation model of rational vector field
Authors: Kang Yan-Mei , Chen Xi
Published: July 2016

We take a lambda expression autoregulation model driven by multiplicative and additive noises as example to extend the Gaussian moment method from nonlinear stochastic systems of polynomial vector field to noisy biochemical systems of rational polynomial vector field. As a direct application of the extended method, we also disclose the phenomenon of stochastic resonance. It is found that the transcription rate can inhibit the stochastic resonant effect, but the degradation rate may enhance the phenomenon. These observations should be helpful in understanding the functional role of noise in gene autoregulation.
A 5-mW, 1.2–3.5-GHz Capacitive Degeneration in LC-Digitally-Controlled Oscillator for Nano-Satellite Frequency Synthesizers in 90-nm CMOS
Authors: Saad Sehmi , Mhiri Mongia , Hammadi Aymen Ben , Besbes Kamel
Published: July 2016

This paper proposes an 8-bit LC tuned digitally-controlled oscillator (DCO) that exploits a new tunable active inductor (TAI) with a high [Formula: see text]-factor. This TAI achieves a maximum [Formula: see text]-factor value of 98 over a frequency range of 1770[Formula: see text]MHz. It tunes from 3.55[Formula: see text]nH to 15.2[Formula: see text]nH. The proposed TAI is used in the resonator of a wide tunable low-phase-noise DCO-LC oscillator. The tuning circuitry of the DCO with an additional resistance contributes to better effective capacitance characteristics as compared to the basic topology. Thanks to the capacitive degeneration network formed by a resistance connected in parallel with a capacity, the achieved frequency resolution is between 3[Formula: see text]kHz and 16[Formula: see text]kHz without any dithering. The proposed DCO with capacitive degeneration oscillates at a frequency that can be tuned from 1.22 to 3.52[Formula: see text]GHz with 65% tuning range. It consumes 5.2-mA current from a 1.0-V voltage supply, achieves a phase noise of [Formula: see text]105.8[Formula: see text]dBc/Hz at 1-MHz offset and exhibits a figure of merit (FoM) of [Formula: see text]178[Formula: see text]dBc/Hz. The proposed digitally-controlled oscillator was implemented in TSMC 90-nm CMOS MS/RF technology.
Thermal properties of the Tin odd isotopes 117,119,121Sn
Authors: Kadi H. , Benhamouda N.
Published: July 2016

We propose to study the thermal properties of the odd isotopes of Tin: [Formula: see text]Sn. To this end, one used two methods to evaluate the properties of these elements. The first theoretical consideration uses a simple prescription to perform the calculation of these properties based on those of even–even neighboring isotopes, assuming the quasi-particle entropy extensivity. The even–even elements are treated as part of the Modified Lipkin–Nogami (MLN) method that allows to take into account the quantal and statistical fluctuations. The second theoretical approach consists of the generalization of the MLN formalism in the case of odd systems, by using the blocking technique. Then, this approach is applied to evaluate the thermal properties of the considered elements. The obtained results by both theoretical approaches are compared to the experimental data. The latter are deduced from the experimental level density within the canonical ensemble. It appears that the assumption of quasi-particle entropy extensivity at low excitation energy allows a simple and an effective treatment of thermal properties of odd nuclei. Indeed, this approach allows to give a good reproduction of experimental data in the particular in the region where the pairing transition occurs.
Fatigue diminishes motoneuronal excitability during cycling exercise
Authors: Weavil Joshua C. , Sidhu Simranjit K. , Mangum Tyler S. , Richardson Russell S. , Amann Markus
Published: July 2016

Exercise-induced fatigue influences the excitability of the motor pathway during single-joint isometric contractions. This study sought to investigate the influence of fatigue on corticospinal excitability during cycling exercise. Eight men performed fatiguing constant-load (80% Wpeak; 241 ± 13 W) cycling to exhaustion during which the percent increase in quadriceps electromyography (ΔEMG; vastus lateralis and rectus femoris) was quantified. During a separate trial, subjects performed two brief (∼45 s) nonfatiguing cycling bouts (244 ± 15 and 331 ± 23W) individually chosen to match the ΔEMG across bouts to that observed during fatiguing cycling. Corticospinal excitability during exercise was quantified by transcranial magnetic, electric transmastoid, and femoral nerve stimulation to elicit motor-evoked potentials (MEP), cervicomedullary evoked potentials (CMEP), and M waves in the quadriceps. Peripheral and central fatigue were expressed as pre- to postexercise reductions in quadriceps twitch force (ΔQtw) and voluntary quadriceps activation (ΔVA). Whereas nonfatiguing cycling caused no measureable fatigue, fatiguing cycling resulted in significant peripheral (ΔQtw: 42 ± 6%) and central (ΔVA: 4 ± 1%) fatigue. During nonfatiguing cycling, the area of MEPs and CMEPs, normalized to M waves, similarly increased in the quadriceps (∼40%; P < 0.05). In contrast, there was no change in normalized MEPs or CMEPs during fatiguing cycling. As a consequence, the ratio of MEP to CMEP was unchanged during both trials ( P > 0.5). Therefore, although increases in muscle activation promote corticospinal excitability via motoneuronal facilitation during nonfatiguing cycling, this effect is abolished during fatigue. We conclude that the unaltered excitability of the corticospinal pathway from start of intense cycling exercise to exhaustion is, in part, determined by inhibitory influences on spinal motoneurons obscuring the facilitating effects of muscle activation.
Vestibular nucleus neurons respond to hindlimb movement in the conscious cat
Authors: McCall Andrew A. , Miller Derek M. , DeMayo William M. , Bourdages George H. , Yates Bill J.
Published: July 2016

The limbs constitute the sole interface with the ground during most waking activities in mammalian species; it is therefore expected that somatosensory inputs from the limbs provide important information to the central nervous system for balance control. In the decerebrate cat model, the activity of a subset of neurons in the vestibular nuclei (VN) has been previously shown to be modulated by hindlimb movement. However, decerebration can profoundly alter the effects of sensory inputs on the activity of brain stem neurons, resulting in epiphenomenal responses. Thus, before this study, it was unclear whether and how somatosensory inputs from the limb affected the activity of VN neurons in conscious animals. We recorded brain stem neuronal activity in the conscious cat and characterized the responses of VN neurons to flexion and extension hindlimb movements and to whole body vertical tilts (vestibular stimulation). Among 96 VN neurons whose activity was modulated by vestibular stimulation, the firing rate of 65 neurons (67.7%) was also affected by passive hindlimb movement. VN neurons in conscious cats most commonly encoded hindlimb movement irrespective of the direction of movement ( n = 33, 50.8%), in that they responded to all flexion and extension movements of the limb. Other VN neurons overtly encoded information about the direction of hindlimb movement ( n = 27, 41.5%), and the remainder had more complex responses. These data confirm that hindlimb somatosensory and vestibular inputs converge onto VN neurons of the conscious cat, suggesting that VN neurons integrate somatosensory inputs from the limbs in computations that affect motor outflow to maintain balance.