bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring microbial N2O reduction: a continuous enrichment in nitrogen free medium
Authors: Conthe Monica , Kuenen J. Gijs , Kleerebezem Robbert , van Loosdrecht Mark C. M.
Published: January 2018

N2O is a potent greenhouse gas, but also a potent electron acceptor. In search of thermodynamically favourable – yet undescribed – metabolic pathways involving N2O reduction, we set up a continuous microbial enrichment, inoculated with activated sludge, fed with N2O as the sole electron acceptor and acetate as an electron donor. A nitrogen‐free mineral medium was used with the intention of creating a selective pressure towards organisms that would use N2O directly as source of nitrogen for cell synthesis. Instead, we obtained a culture dominated by microorganisms of the Rhodocyclaceae family growing by N2O reduction to N2 coupled to N2 fixation. Biomass yields of this culture were 40% lower than those of a previously reported culture grown under comparable conditions but with an
‐amended medium, as expected from the extra energy expense of N2 fixation. Interestingly, we found no significant difference in yields whether N2O or acetate was the growth‐limiting substrate in the chemostat in contrast to the study with
‐amended medium, in which biomass yields were roughly 30% lower during acetate limiting conditions.
Generalized nonmotor (absence) seizures—What do absence, generalized, and nonmotor mean?
Authors: Unterberger Iris , Trinka Eugen , Kaplan Peter W. , Walser Gerald , Luef Gerhard , Bauer Gerhard
Published: January 2018

Objective

Clinical absences are now classified as “generalized nonmotor (absence) seizures” by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE). The aim of this paper is to critically review the concept of absences and to put the accompanying focal and motor symptoms into the context of the emerging pathophysiological knowledge.

Methods

For this narrative review we performed an extensive literature search on the term “absence,” and analyzed the plethora of symptoms observed in clinical absences.

Results

Arising from the localization and the involved cortical networks, motor symptoms may include bilateral mild eyelid fluttering and mild myoclonic jerks of extremities. These motor symptoms may also occur unilaterally, analogous to a focal motor seizure with Jacksonian march. Furthermore,electroencephalography (EEG)abnormalities may exhibit initial frontal focal spikes and consistent asymmetries. Electroclinical characteristics support thecortical focus theoryof absence seizures. SimultaneousEEG/functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)measurements document cortical deactivation and thalamic activation. Cortical deactivation is related to slow waves and disturbances of consciousness of varying degrees. Motor symptoms correspond to the spike component of the 3/s spike‐and‐wave‐discharges. Thalamic activation can be interpreted as a response to overcome cortical deactivation. Furthermore, arousal reaction during drowsiness or sleep triggers spikes in an abnormally excitable cortex. An initial disturbance in arousal mechanisms (“dyshormia”) might be responsible for the start of this abnormal sequence.

Significance

The classification as “generalized nonfocal and nonmotor (absence) seizure” does not covey the complex semiology of a patient's clinical events.
Shuffling peptides to create T‐cell epitopes: does the immune system play cards?
Authors: Mannering Stuart I. , So Michelle , Elso Colleen M. , Kay Thomas W. H.
Published: January 2018

For a long time, immunologists have believed that classical CD4+ and CD8+ T cells recognize peptides (referred to as epitopes), derived from protein antigens presented by MHC/HLA class I or II. Over the past 10–15 years, it has become clear that epitopes recognized by CD8+, and more recently CD4+ T cells, can be formed by protein splicing. Here, we review the discovery of spliced epitopes recognized by tumor‐specific human CD8+ T cells. We discuss how these epitopes are formed and some of the unusual variants that have been reported. Now, over a decade since the first report, evidence is emerging that spliced CD8+ T‐cell epitopes are much more common, and potentially much more important, than previously imagined. Recent work has shown that epitopes recognized by CD4+ T cells can also be formed by protein splicing. We discuss the recent discovery of spliced CD4+ T‐cell epitopes and their potential role as targets of autoimmune T‐cell responses. Finally, we highlight some of the new questions raised from our growing appreciation of T‐cell epitopes formed by peptide splicing.
Beta‐catenin promotes macrophage‐mediated acute inflammatory response after myocardial infarction
Authors: Huang Ling , Xiang Mei , Ye Ping , Zhou Wei , Chen Manhua
Published: January 2018

Regulatory mechanisms for acute inflammatory responses post myocardial infarction (MI) have yet to be fully understood. In particular, the mechanisms by which cardiac macrophages modulate MI‐induced myocardial inflammation remains unclear. In this study, using a mouse MI model, we showed that β‐catenin‐mediated signaling was activated in cardiac macrophages post‐MI, especially in Ly‐6C‐positive proinflammatory macrophages. Using a RAW264.7‐based β‐catenin reporter cell line, we confirmed the presence of active β‐catenin and its downstream signaling in cardiac macrophages after MI. Moreover, lentivirus‐mediated inducible expression of constitutively active β‐catenin revealed that β‐catenin plays a role in promoting the inflammatory response by RAW264.7 cells. Depletion of endogenous macrophages and adoptive transfer of active β‐catenin‐expressing RAW264.7 cells resulted in enhancement of acute myocardial inflammation in recipient mice after MI, as demonstrated by elevated levels of lymphocyte infiltrates and increased expression of proinflammatory cytokines. However, infarct volume, myocardial tissue repair, and left ventricle function were not influenced by the expression of active β‐catenin in the adoptive transfer assay. Our research has demonstrated that β‐catenin‐mediated signaling is important for cardiac macrophages to modulate post‐MI inflammatory responses. These findings may be valuable for developing novel therapeutic strategies for MI.
Budgeting Rules and Program Outcomes
Authors: Kasdin Stuart
Published: January 2018

It is not efficient for a budget system either to enable excessively frequent changes in programs and tax policies or to be rigid and unresponsive. Program durability is one measure of how a budget system weighs the competing goals of resoluteness and responsiveness. The federal budget has different processes—mandatory and discretionary spending and tax expenditures—each based in separate congressional committees and relying on separate procedures. This article examines the budget systems' durability. One finding is that mandatory spending programs and tax expenditures are more durable than programs backed by discretionary spending. However, while programs targeted to vulnerable populations and supporting long‐term planning, such as in income support and health, might benefit from durability, these programs display shorter durability, not longer. While displaying greater durability, tax expenditures do respond to changes in different economic sectors, based on the changes in spending of other budget systems.
Next generation sequencing characterizes the extent of HLA diversity in an Argentinian registry population
Authors: Hurley C. K. , Hou L. , Lazaro A. , Gerfen J. , Enriquez E. , Galarza P. , Rodriguez Cardozo M. B. , Halagan M. , Maiers M. , Behm D. , Ng J.
Published: January 2018

Next generation DNA sequencing is used to determine the HLA‐A, ‐B, ‐C, ‐DRB1, and ‐DQB1 assignments of 1472 unrelated volunteers for the unrelated donor registry in Argentina. The analysis characterized all HLA exons and introns for class I alleles; at least exons 2, 3 for HLA‐DRB1; and exons 2 to 6 for HLA‐DQB1. Of the distinct alleles present, there are 330 class I and 98 class II. The majority (~98%) of the cumulative allele frequency at each locus is contributed by alleles that appear at a frequency of at least 1 in 1000. Fourteen (18.2%) of the 77 novel class I and II alleles carry nonsynonymous variation within their exons; 52 (75.4%) class I novel alleles carry only single, apparently random, nucleotide variation within their introns/untranslated regions. Alleles encoding protein variation not usually detected by typing focused only on the exons encoding the antigen recognition domain are 1.0% of the class I assignments and 7.3% of the class II assignments (predominantlyDQB1*02:02:01,DQB1*03:19:01, andDRB1*14:54:01). Updates to the common and well documented list of alleles include 10 alleles previously thought to be uncommon but that are found at least 30 times. Five locus haplotypes estimated using the expectation‐maximization algorithm as present 3 or more times total 187. While the known HLA diversity continues to increase, the conservation of known allele sequences is remarkable. Overall, the HLA diversity observed in the Argentinian population reflects its European and Native American ancestry.
Influence of Pig Farming on the Human Nasal Microbiota: Key Role of Airborne Microbial Communities
Authors: Kraemer Julia G. , Ramette Alban , Aebi Suzanne , Oppliger Anne , Hilty Markus
Published: January 2018

It has been hypothesized that the environment can influence the composition of the nasal microbiota. However, the direct influence of pig farming on the anterior and posterior nasal microbiota is unknown. Using a cross-sectional design, pig farms (n= 28) were visited in 2014 to 2015, and nasal swabs from 43 pig farmers and 56 pigs, as well as 27 air samples taken in the vicinity of the pig enclosures, were collected. As controls, nasal swabs from 17 cow farmers and 26 non-animal-exposed individuals were also included. Analyses of the microbiota were performed based on 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing and the DADA2 pipeline to define sequence variants (SVs). We found that pig farming is strongly associated with specific microbial signatures (including alpha- and beta-diversity), which are reflected in the microbiota of the human nose. Furthermore, the microbial communities were more similar within the same farm compared to between the different farms, indicating a specific microbiota pattern for each pig farm. In total, there were 82 SVs that occurred significantly more abundantly in samples from pig farms than from cow farmers and nonexposed individuals (i.e., the core pig farm microbiota). Of these, nine SVs were significantly associated with the posterior part of the human nose. The results strongly indicate that pig farming is associated with a distinct human nose microbiota. Finally, the community structures derived by the DADA2 pipeline showed an excellent agreement with the outputs of the mothur pipeline which was revealed by procrustes analyses.

IMPORTANCEThe knowledge about the influence of animal keeping on the human microbiome is important. Previous research has shown that pets significantly affect the microbial communities of humans. However, the effect of animal farming on the human microbiota is less clear, although it is known that the air at farms and, in particular, at pig farms is charged with large amounts of dust, bacteria, and fungi. In this study, we simultaneously investigated the nasal microbiota of pigs, humans, and the environment at pig farms. We reveal an enormous impact of pig farming on the human nasal microbiota which is far more pronounced compared to cow farming. In addition, we analyzed the airborne microbiota and found significant associations suggesting an animal-human transmission of the microbiota within pig farms. We also reveal that microbial patterns are farm specific, suggesting that the environment influences animals and humans in a similar manner.
Mechanisms of Bacterial Resistance to Antimicrobial Agents
Authors: van Duijkeren Engeline , Schink Anne-Kathrin , Roberts Marilyn C. , Wang Yang , Schwarz Stefan
Published: January 2018

During the past decades resistance to virtually all antimicrobial agents has been observed in bacteria of animal origin. This chapter describes in detail the mechanisms so far encountered for the various classes of antimicrobial agents. The main mechanisms include enzymatic inactivation by either disintegration or chemical modification of antimicrobial agents, reduced intracellular accumulation by either decreased influx or increased efflux of antimicrobial agents, and modifications at the cellular target sites (i.e., mutational changes, chemical modification, protection, or even replacement of the target sites). Often several mechanisms interact to enhance bacterial resistance to antimicrobial agents. This is a completely revised version of the corresponding chapter in the bookAntimicrobial Resistance in Bacteria of Animal Originpublished in 2006. New sections have been added for oxazolidinones, polypeptides, mupirocin, ansamycins, fosfomycin, fusidic acid, and streptomycins, and the chapters for the remaining classes of antimicrobial agents have been completely updated to cover the advances in knowledge gained since 2006.
New approach of vacuum preloading with booster prefabricated vertical drains (PVDs) to improve deep marine clay strata
Authors: Cai Yuanqiang , Xie Zhiwei , Wang Jun , Wang Peng , Geng Xueyu
Published: January 2018

This paper presented a new approach for ground improvement of deep marine clay in which the conventional booster tube in the current air booster vacuum preloading technology was replaced by a booster prefabricated vertical drain (PVD). In comparison to the ordinary PVD, the booster PVD could provide inflow channels for the compressed air when the booster pump was in operation. To examine the performance of this new air booster vacuum preloading technology, in situ field tests were conducted at Oufei sluice project in Wenzhou, China, where the thickness of the soft soil layers (i.e., marine clay) was more than 20 m. An extensive monitoring system was implemented to measure the vacuum pressure, pore-water pressure, settlement, and lateral displacement at this reclamation site. With the collected field monitoring data, a comprehensive data analysis was carried out to evaluate the extent of ground improvement. The study results depicted that this new air booster vacuum preloading technology was more effective for the ground improvement of the deep marine clay layers, in comparison to the conventional vacuum preloading technology.
A Test Prioritization Algorithm That Cares for "Don't Care" Values and Higher Order Combinatorial Coverage
Authors: Satish Preeti , Nikhil Peri , Rangarajan Krishnan
Published: January 2018

The efficiency of prioritization algorithms depends on how early the faults are detected. In this paper, we present a novel prioritization algorithm for combinatorial testing. Our approach takes ACTS tool generated test cases with "don't care" values as the starting point and refines them for increased effectiveness without increasing the number of test cases. Our algorithm maximizes the number of higher order combinations tested, by filling the "don't care" values in the test suite effectively. It also orders the test cases using a cost function that includes higher order coverage, thereby achieving early fault detection. The effectiveness of our algorithms is demonstrated by performing a comparative evaluation using the metric t way Rate of Fault Detection, on 2 real life case studies and numerous synthetic covering arrays of different sizes. The results show that our algorithms perform better in terms of covering higher order pairs and also faster.
Transforming the Treatment of Schizophrenia in the United States: The RAISE Initiative
Authors: Dixon Lisa B. , Goldman Howard H. , Srihari Vinod H. , Kane John M.
Published: January 2018

The schizophrenia spectrum disorders are neurodevelopmental illnesses with a lifetime prevalence near 1%, producing extensive functional impairment and low expectations for recovery. Until recently, treatment in the United States has largely attempted to stabilize individuals with chronic schizophrenia. The identification and promotion of evidence-based practices for schizophrenia via the Patient Outcomes Research Team, combined with international studies supporting the value of early intervention, provided the foundation for the Recovery After an Initial Schizophrenia Episode (RAISE) project. The RAISE studies further supported the value of reducing the duration of untreated psychosis and providing a multi-element treatment called coordinated specialty care (CSC) to improve outcomes for patients in usual treatment settings. Although CSC programs have proliferated rapidly in the United States, many challenges remain in the treatment and recovery of individuals with schizophrenia in the aftermath of RAISE.
Recent Advances in the Application of Cold Plasma Technology in Foods
Authors: Sarangapani Chaitanya , Patange Apurva , Bourke Paula , Keener Kevin , Cullen P.J.
Published: January 2018

The past decade has seen a surge in the scientific literature investigating the potential food-related applications of plasma. A multidisciplinary scientific effort has started to demonstrate process efficacy for a range of plasma applications, including antimicrobial, pesticidal, food functionalization, and waste treatment. Insights into the interactions of plasma species with food and the mechanisms of action are also emerging. This review examines the current status of cold plasma technology within the food sector with a particular emphasis on emerging applications. Opportunities and current challenges that need to be addressed for successful adoption of the approach by industry are detailed.
Tailoring Delivery System Functionality Using Microfluidics
Authors: Bonat Celli Giovana , Abbaspourrad Alireza
Published: January 2018

Various methods are currently used by the food industry to investigate and prepare emulsions, encapsulates, and other structures. However, these techniques do not allow accurate control over processing variables, which can negatively impact the resultant product properties. In this context, microfluidic technology has been proposed as a powerful tool for the development of innovative food structures, given its use of small amounts of fluids and high reproducibility, resulting in monodisperse droplets and particles. These benefits prove useful when a researcher is interested in investigating the fundamental effects of specific variables while keeping the others under precise control. This review presents an overview of the use of microfluidic devices as technological tools for the preparation of innovative food products and discusses their potential for the development of tailored delivery systems.
Immune Responses to Retroviruses
Authors: Sáez-Cirión Asier , Manel Nicolas
Published: January 2018

Retroviruses are genome invaders that have shared a long history of coevolution with vertebrates and their immune system. Found endogenously in genomes as traces of past invasions, retroviruses are also considerable threats to human health when they exist as exogenous viruses such as HIV. The immune response to retroviruses is engaged by germline-encoded sensors of innate immunity that recognize viral components and damage induced by the infection. This response develops with the induction of antiviral effectors and launching of the clonal adaptive immune response, which can contribute to protective immunity. However, retroviruses efficiently evade the immune response, owing to their rapid evolution. The failure of specialized immune cells to respond, a form of neglect, may also contribute to inadequate antiretroviral immune responses. Here, we discuss the mechanisms by which immune responses to retroviruses are mounted at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels. We also discuss how intrinsic, innate, and adaptive immunity may cooperate or conflict during the generation of immune responses.
Treatment Effect of Drug-Coated Balloons Is Durable to 3 Years in the Femoropopliteal Arteries
Authors: Schneider Peter A. , Laird John R. , Tepe Gunnar , Brodmann Marianne , Zeller Thomas , Scheinert Dierk , Metzger Christopher , Micari Antonio , Sachar Ravish , Jaff Michael R. , Wang Hong , Hasenbank Melissa S. , Krishnan Prakash
Published: January 2018

Background—

Randomized controlled trials have reported favorable 1-year outcomes with drug-coated balloons (DCBs) for the treatment of symptomatic peripheral arterial disease when compared with standard percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA). Evidence remains limited on the durability of the treatment effect with DCBs in the longer term.

Methods and Results—

IN.PACT SFA is a single-blind, randomized trial (Randomized Trial of IN.PACT Admiral Paclitaxel-Coated Percutaneous Transluminal Angioplasty [PTA] Balloon Catheter vs Standard PTA for the Treatment of Atherosclerotic Lesions in the Superficial Femoral Artery [SFA] and/or Proximal Popliteal Artery [PPA]) that enrolled 331 patients with symptomatic (Rutherford 2–4) femoropopliteal lesions up to 18 cm in length. Patients were randomized 2:1 to receive treatment with DCB or PTA. The 36-month assessments included primary patency, freedom from clinically driven target lesion revascularization, major adverse events, and functional outcomes. At 36 months, primary patency remained significantly higher among patients treated with DCB compared with PTA (69.5% versus 45.1%; log rank
P
<0.001). The rates of clinically driven target lesion revascularization were 15.2% and 31.1% (
P
=0.002) for the DCB and PTA groups, respectively. Functional outcomes were similarly improved between treatment groups even though subjects in the DCB group required significantly fewer reinterventions versus those in the PTA group (
P
<0.001 for target lesion revascularization,
P
=0.001 for target vessel revascularization). There were no device- or procedure-related deaths as adjudicated by an independent Clinical Events Committee.

Conclusions—

Three-year results demonstrate a durable and superior treatment effect among patients treated with DCB versus standard PTA, with significantly higher primary patency and lower clinically driven target lesion revascularization, resulting in similar functional improvements with reduced need for repeat interventions.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifiers: NCT01175850 for IN.PACT SFA phase I in the European Union and NCT01566461 for IN.PACT SFA phase II in the United States.
A University-Community Partnership in Teacher Education From the Perspectives of Community-Based Teacher Educators
Authors: Guillen Lorena , Zeichner Ken
Published: January 2018

This article examines the experiences of a group of nine community-based mentors of teacher candidates who partnered for several years through a local, community-based organization with the graduate elementary and secondary teacher education programs at a research university in the Pacific Northwest. Following a brief discussion of the history of partnerships between teacher education programs and local communities, we report the findings of a study of the perspectives of these community mentors on their work with teacher candidates and university teacher educators.
Natural and Synthetic Polyesters for Musculoskeletal Tissue Repair: Experimental in Vitro and in Vivo Evaluations
Authors: Giavaresi G. , Tschon M. , Daly J.H. , Liggat J.J. , Fini M. , Torricelli P. , Giardino R.
Published: January 2018

Two natural Biopol™ polyesters, containing 8% (D400G) and 12% (D600G) of hydroxyvalerate component, and a synthetic polyester based on 1,4 cyclohexanediol [Poly(cyclohexyl-sebacate) - PCS] were studied to investigate their in vitro and in vivo behavior for application in musculoskeletal tissue repair. The polyesters were placed in direct contact with L929 fibroblasts and cell proliferation (WST-1), cytotoxic effect (LDH), synthetic activity (total proteins) and cytokine production (IL-1β, IL-6, TNFα) were assessed after an incubation period of 72 hours and 7 days. Then, 12 Sprague-Dawley rats underwent dorsal subcutaneous implants of tested polyesters under general anesthesia. After 1 and 4 weeks from surgery, the animals were pharmacologically euthanized and the implants retrieved with surrounding tissue for histologic and histomorphometric investigations. In vitro results showed that D600G behaved a little worse in comparison to other tested polyesters in terms of cell proliferation and TNFα at 7 days. PCS presented the lowest total protein value at 7 days. In vivo results indicated that PCS implants produced a higher (p < 0.01) extent of inflammatory tissue in comparison to D600G at 1 week and to D400G at 4 weeks, and the lowest vascular densities at both experimental times. D400G seems to be the most suitable material for biomedical application when tested in fibroblast cultures and in the subcutaneous tissue of rats.
Underestimated Collateral Effects of Antibiotic Therapy in Prosthesis-Associated Bacterial Infections
Authors: Baldassarri L. , Montanaro L. , Creti R. , Arciola C. R.
Published: January 2018

Antibiotic treatment of infections associated with the use of indwelling medical devices in ageing and/or severely ill patients represents a significant healthcare problem due to the difficulty of treating such infections and to the various collateral effects that may be observed following the often aggressive therapy We summarize some effects of antibiotics on the expression of virulence factors of the microorganisms which cause such infections. These effects, particularly those resulting in a stimulation of bacterial virulence, might be usefully included among the other well-known collateral effects of antibiotic therapy
Increased Exhaled H2O2 and Impaired Lung Function in Patients Undergoing Bioincompatible Hemodialysis
Authors: Rysz J. , Stolarek R. A , Pedzik A. , Fijalkowska J. , Luczynska M. , Sarniak A. , Kasielski M. , Makowka A. , Nowicki M. , Nowak D.
Published: January 2018

Background

Chronic renal failure (CRF) and hemodialysis (HD) accumulate an inflammatory milieu, contributing to increased systemic and airway oxidative stress that may lead to lung damage.

Objectives

This study was designed to assess exhaled hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), lung function and whole blood chemiluminescence in HD and CRF patients and healthy controls.

Methods

The study included 59 patients (Polyamide S™ or Hemophan® membranes-19, cuprophane-16, hemodiafiltration-14, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis-10), 16 CRF and 16 healthy controls. The assessment of lung function included FVC (forced vital capacity), FEV1 (forced expiratory volume in the first second) and DLCOc (single breath CO diffusing capacity). Exhaled H2O2 was determined fluorometrically and resting and n-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP) luminol-dependent whole blood chemiluminescence (LBCL) were measured simultaneously.

Results

Only cuprophane HD patients presented decreased lung function (FVC 63.8±17.4%, FEV1 55.9±20.3 and DLCOc 72.1± 9.3 % of predicted; p<0.05 vs. controls). These patients exhaled the highest H2O2 levels in comparison to CRF (p<0.01): median 0.36 μM (range R: 0.09–0.56 μM) and controls (p<0.05): 0.17 μM (0.2–17.8 μM). These levels were not decreased during the HD session: preHD 1.25 μM (0.2–16.5μM) and postHD 1.3 μM (0.2–17.8 μM). As a marker of systemic oxidative stress, fMLP-induced LBCL (total light emission) was increased in these patients (1570.6 aUxs /10phagocytes; R: 274.2–8598.9) and in the CRF group (2389.4 aUxs /10phagocytes; R: 491.5–6184; p<0.05 vs. controls). Other patient groups did not express elevated LBCL and revealed decreased exhaled H2O2 after a session.

Conclusions

An increased oxidative burden in the lungs may contribute to functional lung impairment in patients dialyzed with a cellulose membrane. Biocompatible dialysis with other modalities might reduce airway-borne oxidative stress and is not related with lung damage.
Management of Fluid Balance in Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy: Technical Evaluation in the Pediatric Setting
Authors: Ricci Z. , Morelli S. , Vitale V. , Di Chiara L. , Cruz D. , Picardo S.
Published: January 2018

Fluid overload control and fluid balance management represent very important factors in critically ill children requiring renal replacement therapy A relatively high fluid volume administration in children and neonates is often necessary to deliver adequate amounts of blood derivatives, vasopressors, antibiotics, and parenteral nutrition. Fluid balance errors during pediatric continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) might significantly impact therapy delivery and have been described as potentially lethal. The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of delivered vs. prescribed net ultrafiltration (UF) during CRRT applied to 2 neonates and 2 small children, either as dialytic treatment alone or during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). In accordance with an Acute Dialysis Quality Initiative workgroup statement, net UF was defined as the “overall amount of fluid extracted from the patient in a given time”. Mean prescribed net UF was 18.5 ml/h (SD=6.7) during neonatal treatments and 70.3 ml/h (SD=22.5) during CRRT in small children. Daily net UF ranged from 200 mL to about 600 mL in the 2 neonates and from 1,200 to 1800 mL in the 2 children. The percentage error of delivered net UF ranged from −1.6% to 5.8% of the prescribed level. The mean error of the ECMO/CRRT patients was 3.024 ml/h vs. 0.45 m/h for the CRRT patients (p<0.001). The same difference was not evident when the 2 neonates were compared with the 2 small children (without considering the presence of ECMO). CRRT and net UF delivery appeared to be accurate, safe, and effective in this small cohort of high-risk pediatric patients.
A Novel Rat Tail Collagen Type-I Gel for the Cultivation of Human Articular Chondrocytes in Low Cell Density
Authors: Muller-Rath R. , Gavénis K. , Andereya S. , Mumme T. , Schmidt-Rohlfing B. , Schneider U.
Published: January 2018

Collagen type-I matrix systems have gained growing importance as a cartilage repair device. However, most of the established matrix systems use collagen type-I of bovine origin seeded in high cell densities. Here we present a novel collagen type-I gel system made of rat tail collagen for the cultivation of human chondrocytes in low cell densities.

Rat tail collagen type-I gel (CaReS, Arthro Kinetics, Esslingen, Germany) was seeded with human passage 2 chondrocytes in different cell densities to evaluate the optimal cell number. In vitro, the proliferation factor of low density cultures was more than threefold higher compared with high density cultures. After 6 weeks of in vitro cultivation, freshly prepared chondrocytes with an initial cell density of 2×10 cells/mL showed a proliferation factor of 33. A cell density of 2×10 cells/mL was chosen for in vitro and in vivo cultivation using the common nude mouse model as an in vivo system. Chondrocytes stayed viable as a Live/Dead fluorescence assay and TUNEL staining revealed. During in vitro cultivation, passage 0 cells partly dedifferentiated morphologically. In vivo, passage 0 cells maintained the chondrocyte phenotype and demonstrated an increased synthesis of collagen type-II protein and gene expression compared to passage 2 cells. Passage 2 cells did not redifferentiate in vivo.

Cultivating a cell-seeded collagen gel of bovine origin as a control (Atelocollagen™, Koken, Tokyo, Japan) did not lead to superior results with regard to cell morphology, col-II protein production and col-II gene expression.

With the CaReS collagen gel system the best quality of repair tissue was obtained by seeding freshly isolated chondrocytes.
Three-Dimensional Growth of Human Hepatoma C3A Cells within Alginate Beads for Fluidized Bioartificial Liver
Authors: Kinasiewicz A. , Gautier A. , Lewińska D. , Śmietanka A. , Legallais C. , Weryński A.
Published: January 2018

Objectives

Alginate beads allow cultivation of cells in a 3-dimensional environment. The aim of our study was to assess the influence of a 3-dimensional culture in alginate microbeads, on hepatic cell metabolism.

Methods

We used 2 types of alginate: low viscosity (LV) and medium viscosity (MV). The hepatic cell line C3A was encapsulated in alginate beads. Cells were cultured for 2 weeks. Using scanning electron microscopy, the morphology of 3D structures and the surfaces of cells were analyzed. Fluidized bed bioartificial liver experiments were performed 24 hours, 7, and 14 days after bead formation.

Results

Two different cell growth types in alginate beads were observed: channel-like structures and spherical aggregates characteristic of LV and MV alginate, respectively. A significant increase in albumin synthesis was observed in long-term culture. Formation of characteristic hepatic cell microvilli on cell surfaces was observed under scanning electron microscopy for both types of alginate. Prolonged static cultivation of C3A cells within the alginate beads in both types of alginates caused significant increases in albumin production in the fluidized bioreactor.

Conclusions

Cultivation of the hepatic C3A cells within the alginate microbeads significantly improved bioreactor effectiveness in albumin production. The presence of extensions of cell membranes on the surface of hepatoma cells in 3-dimensional culture within the alginate beads indicated formation of microvilli-like structures characteristic of normal hepatocytes.
Ex vivo Functional Evaluation of Isolated Strips in BAMG Tissue-Engineered Bladders
Authors: Chen Baisong S. , Zhang Shengli L. , Geng Hongquan , Pan Jun , Chen Fang
Published: January 2018

Although gastrointestinal segments have been widely used for bladder augmentation, they are still not considered ideal sources due to the possibility of complications. In this study, with the aim of reducing complications, we performed bladder augmentation in pigs using bladder acellular matrix grafts (BAMG) as a scaffold. Three months after surgery, the BAMG tissue-engineered bladders revealed bladder reconstruction that morphologically resembled that of the normal bladder. Functional experiments were performed to evaluate the contractile characteristics of isolated strips from both normal and BAMG tissue-engineered bladders 3 months after augmentation. No significant differences between these two groups were found in spontaneous contraction and contraction after electric stimulation; in the relaxing effect of epinephrine on potassium chloride-induced twitch height; in the contracting effects of acetylcholin; or in the antagonistic effect of atropine on acetylcholine-induced contraction.

These results demonstrate that not only can BAMG tissue-engineered bladders be histologically reconstructed, they also possess electrophysiological and pharmacological characteristics similar to normal bladders. This further confirms BAMG as an ideal scaffold for bladder augmentation.
Compared With Elastin Stains, h-Caldesmon and Desmin Offer Superior Detection of Vessel Invasion in Gastric, Pancreatic, and Colorectal Adenocarcinomas
Authors: Ekinci Özgür , Öğüt Betül , Çelik Bülent , Dursun Ayşe
Published: January 2018

Background. The presence of vessel invasion is considered indicative of a poor prognosis in many malignant tumors. We aimed to compare the sensitivity of elastin stains (van Gieson’s and orcein methods) with 2 smooth muscle markers (h-caldesmon and desmin) in gastric, pancreatic, and colorectal adenocarcinoma specimens. Materials and Methods. We used 27 (29.3%) gastric, 35 (38.0%) pancreatic, and 30 (32.6%) colorectal resection specimens. We applied a provisional classification of vessel invasion patterns: type A, a focus with a nearby artery unaccompanied by a vein; type T, a focus at the invasive front without an unaccompanied artery; and type X, foci that only appeared by any of the 4 stains used. Results. There were 369 foci. The smooth muscle markers were more sensitive than the elastin stains, and h-caldesmon more sensitive than desmin, in all types. Among the 139 type A foci, 33 (23.7%) were positive by desmin and h-caldesmon, whereas the elastin stains were not ( P = .001). h-Caldesmon was the only positive marker in 11 (7.9%; P = .011). Among the 78 type T foci, 21 (26.9%) were positive by desmin and h-caldesmon, when both elastin stains were negative ( P = .000). In 16 (20.5%) foci, h-caldesmon was the only positive marker ( P = .002). Among 152 type X foci, 91 (59.9%) were positive by all markers, 26 (17.1%) by both desmin and h-caldesmon, and 9 (5.9%) by only the 2 elastin stains ( P = .001). Conclusion. We recommend these stains for suspect foci in gastric, pancreatic, and colorectal adenocarcinoma specimens. They might highlight both predictable and unpredictable foci.
Anxiety, panic and self-optimization
Authors: Bishop Sophie
Published: January 2018

This article will look to YouTube’s algorithm to assess how such forms of mechanical decision-making can create a discriminatory visibility hierarchy of vloggers, favouring middle class social actors who make highly gendered content aligned with advertisers’ demands and needs. I have selected entrepreneurial beauty vloggers as a case study for this article; beauty vlogging is defined as the demonstration and discussion of cosmetic use, often from a vIoggers’ own bedroom (Banet Weiser, 2017; Nathanson, 2014). This is a deeply entrenched genre on the site; beauty vlogging is a full-time job for some successful participants, and a source of pocket money for many more. Moreover, beauty vlogging is an effective illustration of how the YouTube algorithm causes the polarization of identity markers such as gender. Indeed, for female participants, I hypothesize that YouTube actively promotes hegemonic, feminized cultural outputs, created by beauty vloggers with significant embodied social and cultural capital. That is to say, for women on YouTube, the algorithm privileges and rewards feminized content deeply entwined with consumption, beauty, fashion, baking, friendships and boyfriends in the vein of the historical bedroom culture of the teenage magazine. A secondary hypothesis is that beauty vloggers’ own understandings of YouTube’s algorithmic processes are learned and embodied within their own practices, influencing modes of self-presentation, tone of voice, choice of content covered, words and sentence structures used. I argue that it is essential to situate all beauty vloggers’ experience and content as specific to the platform of YouTube; it is their continued success on the YouTube platform that underwrites the value of their brands. In other words, even highly successful vloggers remain beholden to YouTube’s technologies of visibility, they are not safe from the sovereignty of the algorithm.
Crying on YouTube
Authors: Berryman Rachel , Kavka Misha
Published: January 2018

In this article, we challenge dominant perceptions of social media as an archive of endlessly positive self-documentation by examining two subgenres of YouTube vlogging predicated on the expression of negative affect. Through analysis of the crying and anxiety vlogs of YouTubers ZoeSugg, Trisha Paytas and Nicole Klein, we recognize the productivity of negative affect, charting the translation of the mediated tears, sobs and struggles of these young female vloggers into affirmations of authenticity, (self-)therapy and strengthened ties of intimacy with followers. While these negative affect vlogs work outside of YouTube’s consumer economy, their popularity points to a booming economy of affective labour, where the exchange of tears for sympathetic ears is in consistently high demand.
Factor V Leiden paradox in a middle-aged Swedish population: A prospective study
Authors: Zöller Bengt , Melander Olle , Svensson Peter J , Engström Gunnar
Published: January 2018

Few prospective studies have examined the factor V paradox: factor V Leiden (FVL) is a stronger risk factor for deep venous thrombosis (DVT) than for pulmonary embolism (PE). The present study, to the best of our knowledge, is the first population-based study aimed to examine the relationship between FVL and incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE), DVT and PE in a prospective cohort study of middle-aged Swedish individuals. FVL was determined in 4890 subjects (aged 46–68 years, 57% women) from the general population without previous VTE or cancer, who participated in the Malmö Diet and Cancer study between 1991 and 1994. Incident cases of VTE were identified from the Swedish patient register during a mean follow-up of 15.6 years. Of 4890 subjects with determination of FVL (10.2% carriers), 220 had VTE during follow-up (113 DVT, 78 PE, 29 both). Incidence of VTE was significantly higher in subjects with heterozygous and homozygous FVL: adjusted hazard ratios (HR) were 1.8 (95% CI 1.3–2.6, p=0.001) and 6.5 (2.1–21, p=0.001), respectively. The population attributable fraction was 8.7% for FVL. Adjusted HRs for DVT were 2.2 (1.4–3.3, p<0.001) for heterozygotes and 3.3 (0.5–24, p=0.233) for homozygotes. Adjusted HRs for PE were 1.2 (0.65–2.2, p=0.582) for heterozygotes and 8.7 (2.1–36, p=0.003) for homozygotes. The FVL paradox was confirmed for heterozygotes for FVL. However, homozygotes for FVL had a high risk for PE, suggesting that the FVL paradox is related to the carriership of one wild type and one mutated factor V allele.
Learning and Embodied Cognition: A Review and Proposal
Authors: Sullivan Jaclynn V.
Published: January 2018

The objective of this review is to investigate research in instructional methods and embodied cognition in order to suggest the idea that a professor’s movement provides information by increasing levels of exogenous embodiment. This review describes how teaching methods varying in human activity lead to different outcomes and how those outcomes may be linked to the presence of an active body providing instruction. The embodied cognition literature suggests the physical actions we perform and the actions being performed around us shape our mental experience. We argue that students mentally imitate the gestures of their professor, this activity contributes to the embodied experience one has in a classroom, and that this increased activity leads to increased recall. One possible reason for increased student learning in human-centered environments is the activation of mirror neurons. Implications for teaching topics in a psychology classroom are discussed.
Real-time vehicle detection and tracking using improved histogram of gradient features and Kalman filters
Authors: Zhang Xinyu , Gao Hongbo , Xue Chong , Zhao Jianhui , Liu Yuchao
Published: January 2018

Intelligent transportation systems and safety driver-assistance systems are important research topics in the field of transportation and traffic management. This study investigates the key problems in front vehicle detection and tracking based on computer vision. A video of a driven vehicle on an urban structured road is used to predict the subsequent motion of the front vehicle. This study provides the following contributions. (1) A new adaptive threshold segmentation algorithm is presented in the image preprocessing phase. This algorithm is resistant to interference from complex environments. (2) Symmetric computation based on a traditional histogram of gradient (HOG) feature vector is added in the vehicle detection phase. Symmetric HOG feature with AdaBoost classification improves the detection rate of the target vehicle. (3) A motion model based on adaptive Kalman filter is established. Experiments show that the prediction of Kalman filter model provides a reliable region for eliminating the interference of shadows and sharply decreasing the missed rate.
A compressed multiple feature and adaptive scale estimation method for correlation filter-based visual tracking
Authors: Wang ZL , Cai BG
Published: January 2018

The core part of the popular tracking-by-detection trackers is the discriminative classifier, which distinguishes the tracked target from the surrounding environment. Correlation filter-based visual tracking methods have the advantage of computing efficiency over the traditional methods by exploiting the properties of circulant matrix in learning process, and the significant progress in efficiency has been achieved by making use of the fast Fourier transform at detection and learning stages. But most existing correlation filter-based approaches are mainly restricted to translation estimation, which are susceptible to drifting in long-term tracking. In this article, a compressed multiple feature and adaptive scale estimation method is presented, which uses multiple features, including histogram of orientation gradients, color-naming, and raw pixel value to further improve the stability and accuracy of translation estimation. And for the scale estimation, another correlation filter is trained, which uses the compressed histogram of orientation gradients and raw pixel value to construct a multiscale pyramid of the target, and the optimal scale is obtained by exhaustively searching. The translation and scale estimation are unified with an iterative searching strategy. Extensively experimental results on the benchmark data set of scale variation show that the performance of the proposed compressed multiple feature and adaptive scale estimation algorithm is competitive against state-of-the-art methods with scale estimation capabilities in terms of robustness and accuracy.
Pilot Evaluation of Theatre Training Workshops
Authors: Nightingale Sandra
Published: January 2018

Theatre training workshops (TTWs) were developed at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust (UHCW) to support theatre practitioners and to give them the opportunity to learn, share ideas, reflect and practice clinical skills in an environment away from the demands and pressure of the operating department. This article discusses a pilot evaluation audit showing that these workshops have proven to be popular and successful, and have encouraged theatre staff to review their practice.
Vonoprazan fumarate, a novel potassium-competitive acid blocker, in the management of gastroesophageal reflux disease: safety and clinical evidence to date
Authors: Sugano Kentaro
Published: January 2018

Potassium-competitive acid blocker (P-CAB) is a class of drug that competitively blocks the potassium-binding site of H+, K+-adenosine triphosphate (ATP)ase. Although the history of this class of drugs started over 30 years ago, clinical use of two P-CABs, revaprazan and vonoprazan, were only recently approved in Korea and Japan, respectively. Among them, vonoprazan has several advantages over conventional proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs), including rapid onset of action, long duration of acid suppression, fewer interindividual variations in terms of acid suppression, and minimum dietary influence on its action. These advantages of vonoprazan have been proved in clinical trials conducted for license approvals for several acid-related diseases. In this review article, current evidence of vonoprazan in the management of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) will be summarized. Since the clinical trial data, as well as postmarketed clinical data, have consistently demonstrated superiority of vonoprazan over conventional PPIs in terms of achieving healing of mucosal breaks and maintaining the healing, it may provide an excellent, if not complete, option for fulfilling some of the unmet needs for current GERD therapy. The safety problem of vonoprazan is also discussed, as more pronounced hypergastrinemia inevitably ensues with its use.