bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Overexpression of Interleukin-7 Extends the Humoral Immune Response Induced by Rabies Vaccination
Authors: Li Yingying , Zhou Ming , Luo Zhaochen , Zhang Yachun , Cui Min , Chen Huanchun , Fu Zhen F. , Zhao Ling
Published: January 2017

Rabies continues to present a public health threat in most countries of the world. The most efficient way to prevent and control rabies is to implement vaccination programs for domestic animals. However, traditional inactivated vaccines used in animals are costly and have relatively low efficiency, which impedes their extensive use in developing countries. There is, therefore, an urgent need to develop single-dose and long-lasting rabies vaccines. However, little information is available regarding the mechanisms underlying immunological memory, which can broaden humoral responses following rabies vaccination. In this study, a recombinant rabies virus (RABV) that expressed murine interleukin-7 (IL-7), referred to here as rLBNSE-IL-7, was constructed, and its effectiveness was evaluated in a mouse model. rLBNSE-IL-7 induced higher rates of T follicular helper (Tfh) cells and germinal center (GC) B cells from draining lymph nodes (LNs) than the parent virus rLBNSE. Interestingly, rLBNSE-IL-7 improved the percentages of long-lived memory B cells (Bmem) in the draining LNs and plasma cells (PCs) in the bone marrow (BM) for up to 360 days postimmunization (dpi). As a result of the presence of the long-lived PCs, it also generated prolonged virus-neutralizing antibodies (VNAs), resulting in better protection against a lethal challenge than that seen with rLBNSE. Moreover, consistent with the increased numbers of Bmem and PCs after a boost with rLBNSE, rLBNSE-IL-7-immunized mice promptly produced a more potent secondary anti-RABV neutralizing antibody response than rLBNSE-immunized mice. Overall, our data suggest that overexpressing IL-7 improved the induction of long-lasting primary and secondary antibody responses post-RABV immunization.

IMPORTANCEExtending humoral immune responses using adjuvants is an important method to develop long-lasting and efficient vaccines against rabies. However, little information is currently available regarding prolonged immunological memory post-RABV vaccination. In this study, a novel rabies vaccine that expressed murine IL-7 was developed. This vaccine enhanced the numbers of Tfh cells and the GC responses, resulting in upregulated quantities of Bmem and PCs. Moreover, we found that the long-lived PCs that were elicited by the IL-7-expressing recombinant virus (rLBNSE-IL-7) were able to sustain VNA levels much longer than those elicited by the parent rLBNSE virus. Upon reexposure to the pathogen, the longevous Bmem, which maintained higher numbers for up to 360 dpi with rLBNSE-IL-7 compared to rLBNSE, could differentiate into antibody-secreting cells, resulting in rapid and potent secondary production of VNAs. These results suggest that the expression of IL-7 is beneficial for induction of potent and long-lasting humoral immune responses.
Functional Analysis of Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) Envelope Protein E1 Using a
trans
-Complementation System Reveals a Dual Role of a Putative Fusion Peptide of E1 in both HCV Entry and Morphogenesis
Authors: Tong Yimin , Chi Xiaojing , Yang Wei , Zhong Jin
Published: January 2017

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an enveloped RNA virus belonging to the
Flaviviridae
family. It infects mainly human hepatocytes and causes chronic liver diseases, including cirrhosis and cancer. HCV encodes two envelope proteins, E1 and E2, that form a heterodimer and mediate virus entry. While E2 has been extensively studied, less has been done so for E1, and its role in the HCV life cycle still needs to be elucidated. Here we developed a new cell culture model for HCV infection based on the
trans
-complementation of E1. Virus production of the HCV genome lacking the E1-encoding sequence can be efficiently rescued by the ectopic expression of E1 in
trans
. The resulting virus, designated HCVΔE1, can propagate in packaging cells expressing E1 but results in only single-cycle infection in naive cells. By using the HCVΔE1 system, we explored the role of a putative fusion peptide (FP) of E1 in HCV infection. Interestingly, we found that the FP not only contributes to HCV entry, as previously reported, but also may be involved in virus morphogenesis. Finally, we identified amino acid residues in FP that are critical for biological functions of E1. In summary, our work not only provides a new cell culture model for studying HCV but also provides some insights into understanding the role of E1 in the HCV life cycle.

IMPORTANCE
Hepatitis C virus (HCV), an enveloped RNA virus, encodes two envelope proteins, E1 and E2, that form a heterodimeric complex to mediate virus entry. Compared to E2, the biological functions of E1 in the virus life cycle are not adequately investigated. Here we developed a new cell culture model for single-cycle HCV infection based on the
trans
-complementation of E1. The HCV genome lacking the E1-encoding sequence can be efficiently rescued for virus production by the ectopic expression of E1 in
trans
. This new model renders a unique system to dissect functional domains and motifs in E1. Using this system, we found that a putative fusion peptide in E1 is a multifunctional structural element contributing to both HCV entry and morphogenesis. Our work has provided a new cell culture model to study HCV and provides insights into understanding the biological roles of E1 in the HCV life cycle.
Inflammasomes in Myeloid Cells: Warriors Within
Authors: Jha Sushmita , Brickey W. June , Ting Jenny Pan-Yun
Published: January 2017

The inflammasome is a large multimeric protein complex comprising an effector protein that demonstrates specificity for a variety of activators or ligands; an adaptor molecule; and procaspase-1, which is converted to caspase-1 upon inflammasome activation. Inflammasomes are expressed primarily by myeloid cells and are located within the cell. The macromolecular inflammasome structure can be visualized by cryo-electron microscopy. This complex has been found to play a role in a variety of disease models in mice, and several have been genetically linked to human diseases. In most cases, the effector protein is a member of the NLR (nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat-containing) or NOD (nucleotide oligomerization domain)-like receptor protein family. However, other effectors have also been described, with the most notable being AIM-2 (absent in melanoma 2), which recognizes DNA to elicit inflammasome function. This review will focus on the role of the inflammasome in myeloid cells and its role in health and disease.
Global Assessment of the Activity of Tigecycline against Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Pathogens between 2004 and 2014 as Part of the Tigecycline Evaluation and Surveillance Trial
Authors: Giammanco Anna , Calà Cinzia , Fasciana Teresa , Dowzicky Michael J.
Published: January 2017

Multidrug resistance among bacterial pathogens is an ongoing global problem and renders antimicrobial agents ineffective at treating bacterial infections. In the health care setting, infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria can cause increased mortality, longer hospital stays, and higher treatments costs. The aim of the Tigecycline Evaluation and Surveillance Trial (TEST) is to assess the
in vitro
antimicrobial activities of tigecycline and other contemporary agents against clinically relevant pathogens. This paper presents antimicrobial activity data from the TEST study between 2004 and 2014 and examines global rates of MDR Gram-negative isolates, including
Acinetobacter baumannii
,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
, and members of the
Enterobacteriaceae
, during this time. Our results show that tigecycline retained
in vitro
activity against many MDR Gram-negative pathogens over the study period, while rates of MDR
A. baumannii
increased globally. Using these findings, we hope to highlight the current status of multidrug resistance in medical facilities worldwide.
Effects of Exogenous Yeast and Bacteria on the Microbial Population Dynamics and Outcomes of Olive Fermentations
Authors: Zaragoza Jose , Bendiks Zachary , Tyler Charlotte , Kable Mary E. , Williams Thomas R. , Luchkovska Yelizaveta , Chow Elaine , Boundy-Mills Kyria , Marco Maria L.
Published: January 2017

Food fermentations are subject to tremendous selective pressures resulting in the growth and persistence of a limited number of bacterial and fungal taxa. Although these foods are vulnerable to spoilage by unintended contamination of certain microorganisms, or alternatively, can be improved by the deliberate addition of starter culture microbes that accelerate or beneficially modify product outcomes, the impact of either of those microbial additions on community dynamics within the fermentations is not well understood at strain-specific or global scales. Herein, we show how exogenous spoilage yeast or starter lactic acid bacteria confer very different effects on microbial numbers and diversity in olive fermentations. Introduced microbes have long-lasting consequences and result in changes that are apparent even when levels of those inoculants and their major enzymatic activities decline. This work has direct implications for understanding bacterial and fungal invasions of microbial habitats resulting in pivotal changes to community structure and function.
When dizziness becomes sinister: oropharyngeal carcinoma presenting as a paraneoplastic neurological disorder
Authors: Yong Li , Asimakopoulos Panagiotis , Mumford Colin , Fragkandrea Nixon Ioanna
Published: January 2017

Paraneoplastic neurological disorders are uncommon presentations of head and neck cancers. We present a case of a 68-year-old male patient who presented with dizziness, nausea and memory problems. MRI of his brain showed bilateral cerebellar leptomeningeal enhancing signal abnormality with cervical lymphadenopathy. CT imaging of his neck raised the suspicion of a tonsillar primary, which was later confirmed on biopsy. His poorly differentiated HPV positive squamous cell carcinoma was treated with chemoradiotherapy. Subsequent MRI imaging showed progressive cerebellar atrophy and his presenting symptoms persisted, but he remained disease free 6 months post-treatment for his primary malignancy.
How bad is bile acid diarrhoea: an online survey of patient-reported symptoms and outcomes
Authors: Bannaga Ayman , Kelman Lawrence , O'Connor Michelle , Pitchford Claire , Walters Julian R F , Arasaradnam Ramesh P
Published: January 2017

Objectives

Bile acid diarrhoea (BAD) is an underdiagnosed condition producing diarrhoea, urgency and fear of faecal incontinence. How patients experience these symptoms has not previously been studied. Bile Acid Malabsorption (BAM) Support UK was established in 2015 as a national charity with objectives including to provide details regarding how BAD affects patients, to improve earlier recognition and clinical management.

Design, setting and main outcome

A questionnaire was collected anonymously by BAM Support UK and the Bile Salt Malabsorption Facebook group over 4 weeks at the end of 2015. It comprised 56 questions and aimed to inform patients and clinicians about how BAD affects the respondents.

Results

The first 100 responses were analysed. 91% of the respondents reported a diagnosis of BAD. 58% of total respondents diagnosed following a Selenium-homocholic acid taurine scan, 69% were diagnosed by a gastroenterologist, with type 2 and 3 BAD comprising 38% and 37%, respectively, of total respondents. Symptoms had been experienced for more than 5 years before diagnosis in 44% of respondents. Following treatment, usually with bile acid sequestrants, 60% of participants reported improvement of diarrhoea and most reported their mental health has been positively impacted. Just over half of the cohort felt as though their symptoms had been dismissed during clinical consultations and 28% felt their GPs were unaware of BAD.

Conclusions

BAD requires more recognition by clinicians to address the current delays in diagnosis. Treatment improves physical and mental symptoms in the majority of participants.
What is involved in medicines management across care boundaries? A qualitative study of healthcare practitioners' experiences in the case of acute kidney injury
Authors: Phipps Denham L , Morris Rebecca L , Blakeman Tom , Ashcroft Darren M
Published: January 2017

Objectives

To examine the role of individual and collective cognitive work in managing medicines for acute kidney injury (AKI), this being an example of a clinical scenario that crosses the boundaries of care organisations and specialties.

Design

Qualitative design, informed by a realist perspective and using semistructured interviews as the data source. The data were analysed using template analysis.

Setting

Primary, secondary and intermediate care in England.

Participants

12 General practitioners, 10 community pharmacists, 7 hospital doctors and 7 hospital pharmacists, all with experience of involvement in preventing or treating AKI.

Results

We identified three main themes concerning participants' experiences of managing medicines in AKI. In the first theme,challenges arising from the clinical context, AKI is identified as a technically complex condition to identify and treat, often requiring judgements to be made about renal functioning against the context of the patient's general well-being. In the second theme,challenges arising from the organisational context, the crossing of professional and organisational boundaries is seen to introduce problems for the coordination of clinical activities, for example by disrupting information flows. In the third theme,meeting the challenges, participants identify ways in which they overcome the challenges they face in order to ensure effective medicines management, for example by adapting their work practices and tools.

Conclusions

These themes indicate the critical role of cognitive work on the part of healthcare practitioners, as individuals and as teams, in ensuring effective medicines management during AKI. Our findings suggest that the capabilities underlying this work, for example decision-making, communication and team coordination, should be the focus of training and work design interventions to improve medicines management for AKI or for other conditions.
Effect of socioeconomic disadvantage, remoteness and Indigenous status on hospital usage for Western Australian preterm infants under 12 months of age: a population-based data linkage study
Authors: Strobel Natalie A , Peter Sue , McAuley Kimberley E , McAullay Daniel R , Marriott Rhonda , Edmond Karen M
Published: January 2017

Objectives

Our primary objective was to determine the incidence of hospital admission and emergency department presentation in Indigenous and non-Indigenous preterm infants aged postdischarge from birth admission to 11 months in Western Australia. Secondary objectives were to assess incidence in the poorest infants from remote areas and to determine the primary causes of hospital usage in preterm infants.

Design

Prospective population-based linked data set.

Setting and participants

All preterm babies born in Western Australia during 2010 and 2011.

Main outcome measures

All-cause hospitalisations and emergency department presentations.

Results

There were 6.9% (4211/61 254) preterm infants, 13.1% (433/3311) Indigenous preterm infants and 6.5% (3778/57 943) non-Indigenous preterm infants born in Western Australia. Indigenous preterm infants had a higher incidence of hospital admission (adjusted incident rate ratio (aIRR) 1.24, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.42) and emergency department presentation (aIRR 1.71, 95% CI 1.44 to 2.02) compared with non-Indigenous preterm infants. The most disadvantaged preterm infants (7.8/1000 person days) had a greater incidence of emergency presentation compared with the most advantaged infants (3.1/1000 person days) (aIRR 1.61, 95% CI 1.30 to 2.00). The most remote preterm infants (7.8/1000 person days) had a greater incidence of emergency presentation compared with the least remote preterm infants (3.0/1000 person days; aIRR 1.82, 95% CI 1.49 to 2.22).

Conclusions

In Western Australia, preterm infants have high hospital usage in their first year of life. Infants living in disadvantaged areas, remote area infants and Indigenous infants are at increased risk. Our data highlight the need for improved postdischarge care for preterm infants.
Control of bovine tuberculosis in a farmed red deer herd in England
Authors: Busch F. , Bannerman F. , Liggett S. , Griffin F. , Clarke J. , Lyashchenko K. P. , Rhodes S.
Published: January 2017

This report describes how Mycobacterium bovis infection was controlled and eventually eradicated in a farmed red deer herd in the north of England, following sustained tuberculin skin testing supplemented with serological (antibody) tests over a period of approximately two years. By taking advantage of the anamnestic antibody response produced by the skin test to detect skin test‐negative, antibody‐positive infected individuals, a total of 35 additional animals were identified, including 2 with gross visible lesions typical of bovine tuberculosis (BTB). Without detection and removal, these animals would have posed a continued risk of BTB persistence within the herd and potentially contributed to the spread of infection from deer into wildlife and surrounding cattle farms in an area of low BTB incidence. This case supports the use of ancillary diagnostic serological tests to speed up the resolution of incidents of BTB caused by M bovis in captive deer herds.
The pre-Late Wisconsin stratigraphy of southern Simcoe County, Ontario: implications for ice sheet buildup, decay, and Great Lakes drainage evolution
Authors: Mulligan Riley P.M. , Bajc Andy F.
Published: January 2017

Recent three-dimensional mapping investigations in southern Simcoe County, Ontario, allow refinement of the existing regional stratigraphic framework. Analysis of 25 continuously cored boreholes has revealed a complex but consistent sediment succession that provides a record of the last two glacial cycles (Marine Isotope Stages 1–6). Five stratigraphic units (SU1–SU5) comprise the pre-Late Wisconsin record. The stratigraphy is floored by a presumed Illinoian glacial complex consisting of a lower, coarse-grained till (SU1), locally overlain by stratified glaciolacustrine and glaciofluvial sediments (SU2), but more commonly capped by a stone-poor, fine-grained till (SU3) of the Georgian Bay lobe. A widespread subaerial unconformity developed on the upper surface of SU3 contains organic-bearing, nonglacial deposits (SU4) ranging between 54 800 ± 3000 years BP (considered beyond the limits of radiocarbon dating) and 37 450 ± 590 14C years BP. SU4 is abruptly overlain by a thick succession of rhythmically laminated lacustrine muds graded upwards into glaciolacustrine silts and clays interrupted by regionally continuous sand bodies (SU5). The succession is capped (and locally truncated) by Late Wisconsin Newmarket Till. The sedimentary record of southern Simcoe County is correlated with other well-studied reference sections in southern Ontario and contains information that informs reconstructions of former ice extents in the lower Great Lakes region following the Illinoian glaciation. Several sediment units host aquifers, but limited thickness and spatial extent, as well as issues with naturally occurring dissolved gases and solids, restrict their use for groundwater supply.
Enterprise Application Integration in Industrial Integration: A Literature Review
Authors: Gorkhali Anjee , Xu Li Da
Published: January 2017

Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) is an important factor in the success of the enterprise application as standalone applications cannot contribute to the success of the increasing business demand of today. There has been a steady growth in the number of research conducted in this field; as such, there is a need to review the research in this field. This paper conducts an extensive review on 44 journal publications in the field of EAI from 1992 to 2015 available in Science Citation Index (SCI) and Social Science Citation Index (SSCI) database. The aim of this paper is to present scholars and practitioners with a detailed overview of the available research in the field of EAI. The selected papers have been grouped into 13 categories. The contents of papers in each categories are summarized and future research direction for each category is outlined. This overview indicates that the research in EAI that has spanned from late 90’s till date, requires more effort in developing new methodologies and framework to integrate enterprise applications that are the need of today’s growing business that venture into new technologies like cloud computing and Internet of Things (IoT).
The obstetrician, the surgeon and the premature birth of the world's first dinosaur: William Hunter and James Parkinson
Authors: Liston J. J. , Alcalá L.
Published: January 2017

William Hunter (1718–83) and James Parkinson (1755–1824) were both London-based surgeons with a passion for palaeontology, willing to advocate that the extinction of species had occurred when this viewpoint was seen as controversially arguing for a ‘flawed Creator’. Although there is no evidence that they ever corresponded, let alone met, they had mutual connections, such as Jean André de Luc (1728–1817) and William's youngest brother, John Hunter (1728–93). More importantly, they are united by their shared interest in fossils, the expansion of both their collections through the great Leverian Auction, and the desire to write the first introductory explanatory text on fossils at a time when fossils were only beginning to be accepted as the remains of extinct organisms. This paper looks at the connections between these individuals during a period of great intellectual change, and how Parkinson's
magnum opus
‘Organic Remains’ – very much the prototype for today's pan-collection popular books on fossils or dinosaurs – subsequently influenced Hunter's collections in the nineteenth century, part of their posthumous mutual impact on each other's palaeontological legacy.
Kinetic analyses of vasculogenesis inform mechanistic studies
Authors: Varberg Kaela M. , Winfree Seth , Chu Chenghao , Tu Wanzhu , Blue Emily K. , Gohn Cassandra R. , Dunn Kenneth W. , Haneline Laura S.
Published: January 2017

Vasculogenesis is a complex process by which endothelial stem and progenitor cells undergo de novo vessel formation. Quantitative assessment of vasculogenesis is a central readout of endothelial progenitor cell functionality. However, current assays lack kinetic measurements. To address this issue, new approaches were developed to quantitatively assess in vitro endothelial colony-forming cell (ECFC) network formation in real time. Eight parameters of network structure were quantified using novel Kinetic Analysis of Vasculogenesis (KAV) software. KAV assessment of structure complexity identified two phases of network formation. This observation guided the development of additional vasculogenic readouts. A tissue cytometry approach was established to quantify the frequency and localization of dividing ECFCs. Additionally, Fiji TrackMate was used to quantify ECFC displacement and speed at the single-cell level during network formation. These novel approaches were then implemented to identify how intrauterine exposure to maternal diabetes mellitus (DM) impairs fetal ECFC vasculogenesis. Fetal ECFCs exposed to maternal DM form fewer initial network structures, which are not stable over time. Correlation analyses demonstrated that ECFC samples with greater division in branches form fewer closed network structures. Additionally, reductions in average ECFC movement over time decrease structural connectivity. Identification of these novel phenotypes utilizing the newly established methodologies provides evidence for the cellular mechanisms contributing to aberrant ECFC vasculogenesis.
(5R)-5-hydroxytriptolide ameliorates lupus nephritis in MRL/lprmice by preventing infiltration of immune cells
Authors: Zhang Lu-yao , Li Heng , Wu Yan-wei , Cheng Lei , Yan Yu-xi , Yang Xiao-qian , Zhu Feng-hua , He Shi-jun , Tang Wei , Zuo Jian-ping
Published: January 2017

(5R)-5-hydroxytriptolide (LLDT-8), a triptolide derivative with low toxicity, was previously reported to have strong immunosuppressive effects both in vitro and in vivo, but it remains unknown whether LLDT-8 has a therapy effect on systemic lupus erythematosus. In this study, we aimed to investigate the therapeutic effects of LLDT-8 on lupus nephritis in MRL/ lpr mice, a model of systemic lupus erythematosus. Compared with the vehicle group, different clinical parameters were improved upon LLDT-8 treatment as follows: prolonged life span of mice, decreased proteinuria, downregulated blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine, reduced glomerular IgG deposits, and ameliorated histopathology. A decreased expression of the inflammatory cytokines IFN-γ, IL-17, IL-6, and TNF-α was also observed in the kidney of LLDT-8 treated MRL/ lpr mice. Moreover, infiltration of T cells in the kidney was mitigated after LLDT-8 treatment, corresponding with decreased expression of related chemokines IP-10, Mig, and RANTES in the kidney. The proportion of macrophage and neutrophil cells and related chemokines expression was also reduced in kidneys of LLDT-8-treated mice. In the human proximal tubule epithelial cell line and mouse mesangial cell line, consistent with our in vivo experimental results, LLDT-8 suppressed the expression of related chemokines and IL-6. In summary, LLDT-8 has a therapeutic benefit for lupus nephritis via suppressing chemokine expression and inhibiting immune cell infiltration in kidneys of MRL/ lpr mice.
Minocycline blocks glial cell activation and ventilatory acclimatization to hypoxia
Authors: Stokes Jennifer A. , Arbogast Tara E. , Moya Esteban A. , Fu Zhenxing , Powell Frank L.
Published: January 2017

Ventilatory acclimatization to hypoxia (VAH) is the time-dependent increase in ventilation, which persists upon return to normoxia and involves plasticity in both central nervous system respiratory centers and peripheral chemoreceptors. We investigated the role of glial cells in VAH in male Sprague-Dawley rats using minocycline, an antibiotic that inhibits microglia activation and has anti-inflammatory properties, and barometric pressure plethysmography to measure ventilation. Rats received either minocycline (45mg/kg ip daily) or saline beginning 1 day before and during 7 days of chronic hypoxia (CH, PiO2 = 70 Torr). Minocycline had no effect on normoxic control rats or the hypercapnic ventilatory response in CH rats, but minocycline significantly ( P < 0.001) decreased ventilation during acute hypoxia in CH rats. However, minocycline administration during only the last 3 days of CH did not reverse VAH. Microglia and astrocyte activation in the nucleus tractus solitarius was quantified from 30 min to 7 days of CH. Microglia showed an active morphology (shorter and fewer branches) after 1 h of hypoxia and returned to the control state (longer filaments and extensive branching) after 4 h of CH. Astrocytes increased glial fibrillary acidic protein antibody immunofluorescent intensity, indicating activation, at both 4 and 24 h of CH. Minocycline had no effect on glia in normoxia but significantly decreased microglia activation at 1 h of CH and astrocyte activation at 24 h of CH. These results support a role for glial cells, providing an early signal for the induction but not maintenance of neural plasticity underlying ventilatory acclimatization to hypoxia.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY The signals for neural plasticity in medullary respiratory centers underlying ventilatory acclimatization to chronic hypoxia are unknown. We show that chronic hypoxia activates microglia and subsequently astrocytes. Minocycline, an antibiotic that blocks microglial activation and has anti-inflammatory properties, also blocks astrocyte activation in respiratory centers during chronic hypoxia and ventilatory acclimatization. However, minocycline cannot reverse ventilatory acclimatization after it is established. Hence, glial cells may provide signals that initiate but do not sustain ventilatory acclimatization.
Perceptual attraction in tool use: evidence for a reliability-based weighting mechanism
Authors: Debats Nienke B. , Ernst Marc O. , Heuer Herbert
Published: January 2017

Humans are well able to operate tools whereby their hand movement is linked, via a kinematic transformation, to a spatially distant object moving in a separate plane of motion. An everyday example is controlling a cursor on a computer monitor. Despite these separate reference frames, the perceived positions of the hand and the object were found to be biased toward each other. We propose that this perceptual attraction is based on the principles by which the brain integrates redundant sensory information of single objects or events, known as optimal multisensory integration. That is, 1) sensory information about the hand and the tool are weighted according to their relative reliability (i.e., inverse variances), and 2) the unisensory reliabilities sum up in the integrated estimate. We assessed whether perceptual attraction is consistent with optimal multisensory integration model predictions. We used a cursor-control tool-use task in which we manipulated the relative reliability of the unisensory hand and cursor position estimates. The perceptual biases shifted according to these relative reliabilities, with an additional bias due to contextual factors that were present in experiment 1 but not in experiment 2. The biased position judgments’ variances were, however, systematically larger than the predicted optimal variances. Our findings suggest that the perceptual attraction in tool use results from a reliability-based weighting mechanism similar to optimal multisensory integration, but that certain boundary conditions for optimality might not be satisfied.

NEW & NOTEWORTHY Kinematic tool use is associated with a perceptual attraction between the spatially separated hand and the effective part of the tool. We provide a formal account for this phenomenon, thereby showing that the process behind it is similar to optimal integration of sensory information relating to single objects.
Numerical Study on the Local Buckling Behaviour of Bolted Steel Plates in Steel Jacketing
Authors: Xu Xiao-liang , Lu Zhou-dao , Li Ling-zhi , Jiang Chang-jiu
Published: January 2017

A numerical simulation was conducted to investigate the local buckling behaviour of the bolted steel plates in steel jacketing technique. The numerical model was firstly validated by the results of a previous experimental study. Then a parametric study was conducted to investigate the influence of different restraint measures on the local buckling behaviour and the sensitivity of the buckling behaviour to the initial imperfection. Fitted formulae were developed to calculate the structural field capacity of the bolted steel plates, and recommended values of stiffener size were also provided to facilitate the strengthening design of steel jacketing.
Similarity Solutions of the MHD Boundary Layer Flow Past a Constant Wedge within Porous Media
Authors: Kudenatti Ramesh B. , Kirsur Shreenivas R. , Nargund Achala L. , Bujurke N. M.
Published: January 2017

The two‐dimensional magnetohydrodynamic flow of a viscous fluid over a constant wedge immersed in a porous medium is studied. The flow is induced by suction/injection and also by the mainstream flow that is assumed to vary in a power‐law manner with coordinate distance along the boundary. The governing nonlinear boundary layer equations have been transformed into a third‐order nonlinear Falkner‐Skan equation through similarity transformations. This equation has been solved analytically for a wide range of parameters involved in the study. Various results for the dimensionless velocity profiles and skin frictions are discussed for the pressure gradient parameter, Hartmann number, permeability parameter, and suction/injection. A far‐field asymptotic solution is also obtained which has revealed oscillatory velocity profiles when the flow has an adverse pressure gradient. The results show that, for the positive pressure gradient and mass transfer parameters, the thickness of the boundary layer becomes thin and the flow is directed entirely towards the wedge surface whereas for negative values the solutions have very different characters. Also it is found that MHD effects on the boundary layer are exactly the same as the porous medium in which both reduce the boundary layer thickness.
Orientin Ameliorates LPS‐Induced Inflammatory Responses through the Inhibitory of the NF‐κB Pathway and NLRP3 Inflammasome
Authors: Xiao Qingfei , Qu Zhihui , Zhao Ying , Yang Liming , Gao Pujun
Published: January 2017

Inflammation is a complex response to diverse pathological conditions, resulting in negative rather than protective effects when uncontrolled. Orientin (Ori), a flavonoid component isolated from natural plants, possesses abundant properties. Thus, we aimed to discover the potential therapeutic effects of orientin on lipopolysaccharide‐ (LPS‐) induced inflammation in RAW 264.7 cells and the underlying mechanisms. In our studies, we evaluated the effects of Ori on proinflammatory mediator production stimulated by LPS, including tumor necrosis factor‐ (TNF‐) α, interleukin‐ (IL‐) 6, IL‐18, and IL‐1β, along with prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) and NO. Our data indicated that orientin dramatically inhibited the levels of these mediators. Consistent with these results, the expression levels of cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) were also reduced. Further study demonstrated that such inhibitory effects of Ori were due to suppression of the nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB) pathway and nucleotide‐binding domain‐ (NOD‐) like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome activation, which may contribute to its anti‐inflammatory effects. Together, these findings show that Ori may be an effective candidate for ameliorating LPS‐induced inflammatory responses.
Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis Deposited Copper Sulphide Thin Films for Solar Cell Applications
Authors: Firat Y. E. , Yildirim H. , Erturk K. , Peksoz A.
Published: January 2017

Polycrystalline copper sulphide (CuxS) thin films were grown by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis method using aqueous solutions of copper chloride and thiourea without any complexing agent at various substrate temperatures of 240, 280, and 320°C. The films were characterized for their structural, optical, and electrical properties by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive analysis of X-rays (EDAX), atomic force microscopy (AFM), contact angle (CA), optical absorption, and current-voltage (I-V) measurements. The XRD analysis showed that the films had single or mixed phase polycrystalline nature with a hexagonal covellite and cubic digenite structure. The crystalline phase of the films changed depending on the substrate temperature. The optical band gaps (Eg) of thin films were 2.07 eV (CuS), 2.50 eV (Cu1.765S), and 2.28 eV (Cu1.765S–Cu2S). AFM results indicated that the films had spherical nanosized particles well adhered to the substrate. Contact angle measurements showed that the thin films had hydrophobic nature. Hall effect measurements of all the deposited CuxS thin films demonstrated them to be of p-type conductivity, and the current-voltage (I-V) dark curves exhibited linear variation.
Unexpected Radiation-Induced Aortic Wall Thickening Requiring Composite Graft Technique during Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting
Authors: Redaelli Paola , Gamba Amando , Martino Antonello Stefano , Triggiani Michele
Published: January 2017

Mediastinal radiation is commonly used to treat Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, lung and breast cancer. Cardiac complications after radiation therapy are well described, although rare. A large spectrum of injuries can occur, causing long term morbidity among survivors. We describe a case of post-actinic ascending aortic wall thickening that prevented saphenous vein proximal anastomosis and was successfully managed with aortic no-touch off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB), 25 years after radiation therapy for Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
Development of a Novel, Sensitive, Selective, and Fast Methodology to Determine Malondialdehyde in Leaves of Melon Plants by Ultra-High-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Yonny Melisa E. , Rodríguez Torressi Ariel , Nazareno Mónica A. , Cerutti Soledad
Published: January 2017

Early production of melon plant(Cucumis melo)is carried out using tunnels structures, where extreme temperatures lead to high reactive oxygen species production and, hence, oxidative stress. Malondialdehyde (MDA) is a recognized biomarker of the advanced oxidative status in a biological system. Thus a reliable, sensitive, simple, selective, and rapid separative strategy based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to positive electrospray-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-(+)ESI-MS/MS) was developed for the first time to measure MDA, without derivatization, in leaves of melon plants exposed to stress conditions. The detection and quantitation limits were 0.02 μg·L−1and 0.08 μg·L−1, respectively, which was demonstrated to be better than the methodologies currently reported in the literature. The accuracy values were between 96% and 104%. The precision intraday and interday values were 2.7% and 3.8%, respectively. The optimized methodology was applied to monitoring of changes in MDA levels between control and exposed to thermal stress conditions melon leaves samples. Important preliminary conclusions were obtained. Besides, a comparison between MDA levels in melon leaves quantified by the proposed method and the traditional thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) approach was undertaken. The MDA determination by TBARS could lead to unrealistic conclusions regarding the oxidative stress status in plants.
Massage and Storytelling Reduce Aggression and Improve Academic Performance in Children Attending Elementary School
Authors: Gonçalves Lia Lopes , Voos Mariana Callil , Almeida Maria Helena Morgani de , Caromano Fátima Aparecida
Published: January 2017

Background. Aggressive behaviors must be addressed in elementary schools. Massage and storytelling can be strategies to deal with aggression because both involve experience exchange and social interaction. Both can decrease stress and anxiety and increase self-esteem. Objective. To evaluate the effect of two interventions (massage and storytelling) on aggressive behaviors and academic performance of elementary school children. Method. Three groups (n=35 children in each group) of the second grade participated (aged 6.5–8.1 years). One group received ten extra classes of massage (MG), another group received extra classes of storytelling (SG), and the control group received extra classes of random subjects (CG). Extra classes lasted for 50 minutes, once a week. Aggressive behaviors were recorded on diaries, by the teachers and the coordinator. The frequency of aggressive behaviors and the academic performance of MG, SG, and CG were observed for six months and the groups were compared. Findings. ANOVAs evidenced that MG and SG, but not CG, showed a reduction in aggressive behaviors registered by the teachers and coordinator, after the intervention. Academic performance of MG and SC improved after the intervention (p<0.05).
Unusual Presentation of Type 1 Idiopathic Macular Telangiectasia
Authors: Bentaleb Machkour Zaïnab , Denis Philippe , Kodjikian Laurent
Published: January 2017

Purpose. To report unusual presentation of type 1A idiopathic macular telangiectasia (IMT). Methods. Two middle-aged women with bilateral IMT were examined. Results. Both patients presented with a gradual vision loss in both eyes. Fundus examination was unremarkable in one case and showed small macular telangiectasia in both eyes in the other case. Fluorescein angiography (FA) revealed early bilateral macular punctuated hyperfluorescence corresponding to the dilated capillaries in both cases. FA and fundus examination confirmed also the absence of vascular abnormalities in the middle or anterior fundus periphery in one case. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) showed cystoid macular edema in both cases. No signs of retinal vein occlusions were detected in both cases and other differential diagnoses were excluded. Based on these findings, the patients were diagnosed with bilateral type 1A IMT according to Gass and Blodi classification and were treated with intravitreal antivascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injections and focal laser photocoagulation. Twelve months later, SD-OCT revealed partial regression of the exudative signs and significant VA improvement. Conclusion. We described two patients with an unusual presentation of type 1A IMT with bilateral presentation, affecting two middle-aged women, with occult and without peripheral involvement in one case. The description of more cases of bilateral type 1 IMT should be helpful to more precisely define the pathophysiologic mechanism that could be different from a localized Coats’ disease of the macula area.
Manuka Honey Exerts Antioxidant and Anti‐Inflammatory Activities That Promote Healing of Acetic Acid‐Induced Gastric Ulcer in Rats
Authors: Almasaudi Saad B. , Abbas Aymn T. , Al-Hindi Rashad R. , El-Shitany Nagla A. , Abdel-dayem Umama A. , Ali Soad S. , Saleh Rasha M. , Al Jaouni Soad K. , Kamal Mohammad Amjad , Harakeh Steve M.
Published: January 2017

Gastric ulcers are a major problem worldwide with no effective treatment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of manuka honey in the treatment of acetic acid‐induced chronic gastric ulcers in rats. Different groups of rats were treated with three different concentrations of honey. Stomachs were checked macroscopically for ulcerative lesions in the glandular mucosa and microscopically for histopathological alterations. Treatment with manuka honey significantly reduced the ulcer index and maintained the glycoprotein content. It also reduced the mucosal myeloperoxidase activity, lipid peroxidation (MDA), and the inflammatory cytokines (TNF‐α, IL‐1β, and IL‐6) as compared to untreated control group. In addition, honey‐treated groups showed significant increase in enzymatic (GPx and SOD) and nonenzymatic (GSH) antioxidants besides levels of the anti‐inflammatory cytokine IL‐10. Flow cytometry studies showed that treatment of animals with manuka honey has normalized cell cycle distribution and significantly lowered apoptosis in gastric mucosa. In conclusion, the results indicated that manuka honey is effective in the treatment of chronic ulcer and preservation of mucosal glycoproteins. Its effects are due to its antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties that resulted in a significant reduction of the gastric mucosal MDA, TNF‐α, IL‐1β, and IL‐6 and caused an elevation in IL‐10 levels.
Mechanism of Reduced Susceptibility to Fosfomycin inEscherichia coliClinical Isolates
Authors: Ohkoshi Yasuo , Sato Toyotaka , Suzuki Yuuki , Yamamoto Soh , Shiraishi Tsukasa , Ogasawara Noriko , Yokota Shin-ichi
Published: January 2017

In recent years, multidrug resistance ofEscherichia colihas become a serious problem. However, resistance to fosfomycin (FOM) has been low. We screenedE. coliclinical isolates with reduced susceptibility to FOM and characterized molecular mechanisms of resistance and reduced susceptibility of these strains. Ten strains showing reduced FOM susceptibility (MIC ≥ 8 μg/mL) in 211 clinical isolates were found and examined. Acquisition of genes encoding FOM-modifying enzyme genes (fosgenes) and mutations inmurAthat underlie high resistance to FOM were not observed. We examined ability of FOM incorporation via glucose-6-phosphate (G6P) transporter andsn-glycerol-3-phosphate transporter. In ten strains, nine showed lack of growth on M9 minimum salt agar supplemented with G6P. Eight of the ten strains showed fluctuated induction by G6P ofuhpTthat encodes G6P transporter expression. Nucleotide sequences of theuhpT,uhpA, glpT,ptsI, andcyaAshared several deletions and amino acid mutations in the nine strains with lack of growth on G6P-supplemented M9 agar. In conclusion, reduction ofuhpTfunction is largely responsible for the reduced sensitivity to FOM in clinical isolates that have not acquired FOM-modifying genes or mutations inmurA. However, there are a few strains whose mechanisms of reduced susceptibility to FOM are still unclear.
Molecular Mutations and Their Cooccurrences in Cytogenetically Normal Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Authors: Wang Mengning , Yang Chuanwei , Zhang Le , Schaar Dale G.
Published: January 2017

Adult acute myeloid leukemia (AML) clinically is a disparate disease that requires intensive treatments ranging from chemotherapy alone to allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (allo-HCT). Historically, cytogenetic analysis has been a useful prognostic tool to classify patients into favorable, intermediate, and unfavorable prognostic risk groups. However, the intermediate-risk group, consisting predominantly of cytogenetically normal AML (CN-AML), itself exhibits diverse clinical outcomes and requires further characterization to allow for more optimal treatment decision-making. The recent advances in clinical genomics have led to the recategorization of CN-AML into favorable or unfavorable subgroups. The relapsing nature of AML is thought to be due to clonal heterogeneity that includes founder or driver mutations present in the leukemic stem cell population. In this article, we summarize the clinical outcomes of relevant molecular mutations and their cooccurrences in CN-AML, includingNPM1,FLT3ITD,DNMT3A,NRAS,TET2,RUNX1,MLLPTD,ASXL1,BCOR,PHF6,CEBPAbiallelic,IDH1,IDH2R140, andIDH2R170, with an emphasis on their relevance to the leukemic stem cell compartment. We have reviewed the available literature and TCGA AML databases (2013) to highlight the potential role of stem cell regulating factor mutations on outcome within newly defined AML molecular subgroups.
A Reduced-Order Controller Considering High-Order Modal Information of High-Rise Buildings for AMD Control System with Time-Delay
Authors: Li Zuo-Hua , Chen Chao-Jun , Teng Jun , Hu Wei-Hua , Xing Hou-Bing , Wang Ying
Published: January 2017

Time-delays of control force calculation, data acquisition, and actuator response will degrade the performance of Active Mass Damper (AMD) control systems. To reduce the influence, model reduction method is used to deal with the original controlled structure. However, during the procedure, the related hierarchy information of small eigenvalues will be directly discorded. As a result, the reduced-order model ignores the information of high-order mode, which will reduce the design accuracy of an AMD control system. In this paper, a new reduced-order controller based on the improved Balanced Truncation (BT) method is designed to reduce the calculation time and to retain the abandoned high-order modal information. It includes high-order natural frequency, damping ratio, and vibration modal information of the original structure. Then, a control gain design method based on Guaranteed Cost Control (GCC) algorithm is presented to eliminate the adverse effects of data acquisition and actuator response time-delays in the design process of the reduced-order controller. To verify its effectiveness, the proposed methodology is applied to a numerical example of a ten-storey frame and an experiment of a single-span four-storey steel frame. Both numerical and experimental results demonstrate that the reduced-order controller with GCC algorithm has an excellent control effect; meanwhile it can compensate time-delays effectively.
Certain Nonlinear Integral Inequalities and Their Applications
Authors: Tian Yazhou , Fan Min , Sun Yuangong
Published: January 2017

Several new retarded integral inequalities of Gronwall-Bellman-Pachpatte type are presented which generalize the inequalities to the more general nonlinear case in the literature and provide explicit bounds on unknown functions. These results include many existing ones as special cases and can be used as tools in the qualitative analysis of certain classes of integrodifferential equations.