bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Diffusion‐weighted MRS of acetate in the rat brain
Authors: Dehghani Masoumeh , Kunz Nicolas , Lanz Bernard , Yoshihara Hikari A.I. , Gruetter Rolf
Published: August 2017

Acetate has been proposed as an astrocyte‐specific energy substrate for metabolic studies in the brain. The determination of the relative contribution of the intracellular and extracellular compartments to the acetate signal using diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance spectroscopy can provide an insight into the cellular environment and distribution volume of acetate in the brain. In the present study, localized 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy employing a diffusion‐weighted stimulated echo acquisition mode (STEAM) sequence at an ultra‐high magnetic field (14.1 T) was used to investigate the diffusivity characteristics of acetate and N‐acetylaspartate (NAA) in the rat brain in vivo during prolonged acetate infusion. The persistence of the acetate resonance in 1H spectra acquired at very large diffusion weighting indicated restricted diffusion of acetate and was attributed to intracellular spaces. However, the significantly greater diffusion of acetate relative to NAA suggests that a substantial fraction of acetate is located in the extracellular space of the brain. Assuming an even distribution for acetate in intracellular and extracellular spaces, the diffusion properties of acetate yielded a smaller volume of distribution for acetate relative to water and glucose in the rat brain.
Clinical evaluation of time‐of‐flight MR angiography with sparse undersampling and iterative reconstruction for cerebral aneurysms
Authors: Fushimi Yasutaka , Okada Tomohisa , Kikuchi Takayuki , Yamamoto Akira , Okada Tsutomu , Yamamoto Takayuki , Schmidt Michaela , Yoshida Kazumichi , Miyamoto Susumu , Togashi Kaori
Published: August 2017

Compressed sensing (CS) MRI has just been introduced to research areas as an innovative approach to accelerate MRI. CS is expected to achieve higher k‐space undersampling by exploiting the underlying sparsity in an appropriate transform domain. MR angiography (MRA) provides high spatial resolution information on arteries; however, a relatively long acquisition time is necessary to cover a wide volume. Reduction of acquisition time by CS for time‐of‐flight (TOF) MR angiography (Sparse‐TOF) is beneficial in clinical examinations; therefore, the clinical validity of Sparse‐TOF needs to be investigated. The aim of this study was to compare the diagnostic capability of TOF MRA between parallel imaging (PI)‐TOF with an acceleration factor of 3 (annotated as 3×) and Sparse‐TOF (3× and 5×) in patients with cerebral aneurysms. PI‐TOF (3×) and Sparse‐TOF (3× and 5×) imaging were performed in 20 patients using a 3 T MRI system. Aneurysms in PI‐TOF (3×) and Sparse‐TOF (3× and 5×) were blindly rated as visible or scarcely visible by neuroradiologists. The neck, height and width of aneurysms were also measured. Twenty‐six aneurysms were visualized and rated as visible in PI‐TOF (3×) and Sparse‐TOF (3× and 5×), with excellent agreement between two raters. No significant differences were found in measured neck, height or width of aneurysms among them. Sparse‐TOF (3× and 5×) were acquired and reconstructed within 6 min, and cerebral aneurysms were visible in both of them with equivalent quality to PI‐TOF (3×). Sparse‐TOF (5×) is a good alternative to PI‐TOF (3×) to visualize cerebral aneurysms.
Converging evidence that subliminal evaluative conditioning does not affect self‐esteem or cardiovascular activity
Authors: Versluis Anke , Verkuil Bart , Brosschot Jos F.
Published: August 2017

Self‐esteem moderates the relationship between stress and (cardiovascular) health, with low self‐esteem potentially exacerbating the impact of stressors. Boosting self‐esteem may therefore help to buffer against stress. Subliminal evaluative conditioning (SEC), which subliminally couples self‐words with positive words, has previously been successfully used to boost self‐esteem, but the existing studies are in need of replication. In this article, we aimed to replicate and extend previous SEC studies. The first 2 experiments simultaneously examined whether SEC increased self‐esteem (Experiment 1, n = 84) and reduced cardiovascular reactivity to a stressor in high worriers (Experiment 2, n = 77). On the basis of these results, the 3rd experiment was set up to examine whether an adjusted personalized SEC task increased self‐esteem and reduced cardiac activity in high worriers (n = 81). Across the 3 experiments, no effects were found of SEC on implicit or explicit self‐esteem or affect or on cardiovascular (re)activity compared to a control condition in which the self was coupled with neutral words. The results do not support the use of the subliminal intervention in its current format. As stress is highly prevalent, future studies should focus on developing other cost‐effective and evidence‐based interventions.
Effect of surface roughness on static and dynamic characteristics of MHD couple stress lubrication of inclined plane slider bearing
Authors: Naduvinamani N. B. , Siddangouda A. , Patil S.
Published: August 2017

The effect of surface roughness on static and dynamic characteristics of inclined plane slider bearing lubricated with couple stress fluid in the presence of magnetic field is theoretically analysed. The modified stochastic MHD couple stress Reynolds type equation is derived on the basis of Christensen stochastic theory by considering two types of one‐dimensional roughness patterns namely longitudinal and transverse. Expressions for steady pressure and load, dynamic stiffness, and damping coefficients are obtained for both the types of roughness patterns. Compared to smooth surface, transverse roughness pattern provides larger load carrying capacity, dynamic stiffness, and damping coefficients whereas longitudinal roughness pattern has adverse effects. Further, the presence of couple stress and applied magnetic field improves the bearing performance.
Diagnostic Criteria for Assessment by General Practitioners of Patients Injured in Radiation Incidents and Cases of Radiological Terrorism
Authors: Zahariev Vili , Hristov Nikolai
Published: August 2017

The general practitioner is an important figure in the provision of medical care during radiation incidents and cases of radiological terrorism. Knowing the nature of the radiation injury is essential for correct diagnosis and treatment. Insufficient knowledge of most physicians, and of general practitioners in particular, on the clinical manifestation of radiation injuries is the reason such conditions remain unrecognized and improperly treated. We suggest some simple diagnostic criteria for assessment of the injured by general practitioners, based on the results of our own studies and on the recommendations of prominent international organizations. (Disaster Med Public Health Preparedness. 2018;12:507–512)
Identification of regional French accents in (northern) France, Belgium, and Switzerland
Authors: Avanzi Mathieu , de Mareüil Philippe Boula
Published: August 2017

This paper investigates whether European Francophone subjects are able to distinguish between regional French accents from (northern) France, Belgium, and Switzerland, and at what level of granularity. In total, samples from 120 speakers (from five different areas in each country under study) were presented to hundreds of native French listeners from these three countries. In a first set of experiments, listeners were asked to identify the speakers’ country of origin: they achieved 60% correct identification on average, with significant effects of listeners’ region of origin, speakers’ age, socioeconomic status, and region of origin. In a second set of experiments, listeners from Belgium, France, and Switzerland were asked to identify the speakers’ region of origin within each country (5-alternative forced choice). Results, albeit above chance, proved to be poorer than they were in the first set of experiments (31% correct identification on average). Complementary analyses were conducted to evaluate the role of listeners’ region of origin, speakers’ age, speakers’ region of origin, and their interaction. They showed asymmetrical response patterns across the three countries under investigation: France (or, within France, Paris, which represents the norm) seems to act as a magnet and a catalyst of unification. Younger generations, especially, are more often associated with its way of speaking when their accent is not clearly identifiable. Switzerland, though, resists this homogenizing process better than Belgium does.
Loimia ramzegasp. nov., a new giant species of Terebellidae (Polychaeta) from French waters (Brittany, English Channel)
Authors: Lavesque Nicolas , Bonifácio Paulo , Londoño-Mesa Mario H. , Le Garrec Vincent , Grall Jacques
Published: August 2017

A new species of Terebellidae,Loimia ramzegasp. nov., has been identified from North Brittany beaches (English Channel). This new species is characterized by its gigantic size (max 650 mm, live), two pairs of lateral lappets on segments 1 and 3; first pair more ventral, second pair more developed and lateral but oblique, with wavy edge. Nine ventral pads from segment 2 (fused on segments 2 and 3), first three pads swollen, next ones subsequently decreasing in size. Three types of notochaetae, asymmetrically bilimbate, symmetrically bilimbate and capillary. Uncini pectinate with 6 teeth (some with 5 teeth) slightly decreasing in size, in one vertical row. Pygidium with about 14 long conical marginal papillae surrounding anus.
Physical descriptions of the Beechey Island headboards
Authors: Hansen Todd
Published: August 2017

In August 2016, the author was able to personally examine the five Beechey Island Franklin era gravesite headboards, in the collections of the Government of Nunavut and currently preserved at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Center in Yellowknife, NT, Canada. Except for the inscriptions, there appears to be relatively little physical description actually published in the literature, and this article summarises those observations and some conclusions drawn from this examination.
A naturalist cosmological argument
Authors: LEFTOW BRIAN
Published: August 2017

I rebut a ‘naturalist’ counter to Swinburne's Bayesian cosmological argument, based on the supposedly superior simplicity of naturalism.
Believing God: an account of faith as personal trust
Authors: MICHON CYRILLE
Published: August 2017

The affective view of faith, as opposed to the doxastic or cognitive view, giving more importance to goodwill than to belief content, has received much support in recent philosophy of religion, including from Richard Swinburne. Swinburne's concept of faith is no less rational than his concept of religious belief, but its rationality is that of an action or of a practically oriented attitude, aiming at the goals of religion, compatible with religious disbelief (belief that the religious content one has faith in is probably false) and even with atheism. I argue that this paradoxical stance, which hardly squares with the Christian tradition, can be avoided, while keeping to an affective view of faith, if we give more weight to the idea that faith is first an answer given to a telling, on the basis of personal trust of the hearer in the authority of the teller – a personal account as opposed to a propositional account of faith.
Here and Then: Theatricalizing Space–Time Compression in Philip Ridley'sMercury Fur
Authors: Ferrone Alex
Published: August 2017

Philip Ridley has made a career of courting controversy in his work for the stage, from the claustrophobia and anxiety of his first play, 1991'sThe Pitchfork Disney, to the sprawling, ragtagKaragula, whose one-star review in theTelegraphled with the provocative headline, “Is Karagula the Worst Play of 2016?” But perhaps no play in Ridley's oeuvre has attracted as much notoriety as 2005'sMercury Fur, an intense, unrelenting, “interval-less two-hour piece” whose premiere divided critical opinion and provoked walkouts. Paines Plough, the company that commissioned the play, reports that “at least ten audience members a night left every show, unable to take the atmosphere of threat and violence portrayed on stage.”Mercury Furis set in a futuristic English dystopia whose aimless youth find their grasp on history—and their own memories—slipping away as they become addicted to hallucinogenic butterflies released upon the populace by an ambiguous invading power. While the protagonist, Elliot, ekes out a living peddling butterflies in an ice cream van, he and his brother, Darren, make their real money from throwing “parties,” clandestine meetings for rich clients who pay exorbitantly to fulfill their most violent and murderous sexual fantasies. The play, performed in real time, sees the frantic preparation for—and eventual botched execution of—one such party for a City of London executive (the Party Guest), whose Vietnam War–themed fantasy involves torturing and killing a child Elvis Presley impersonator (the Party Piece) with a meat hook. Unsurprisingly, given the subject matter, moral outrage attendedMercury Fur’s initial run, with Faber, Ridley's longtime publisher, going so far as to refuse to print the play. But a number of critics and spectators rose to defend the integrity and artistic merit of Ridley's work, a position I extend in this paper.
X-ray and ion emission studies from subnanosecond laser-irradiated SiO2 aerogel foam targets
Authors: Kaur C. , Chaurasia S. , Pisal A.A. , Rossall A.K. , Munda D.S. , Venkateswara Rao A. , Deo M.N.
Published: August 2017

In this experiment, a comparative study of ion and X-ray emission from both a SiO2 aerogel foam and a quartz target is performed. The experiment is performed using Nd:glass laser system operated at laser energy up to 15 J with a pulse duration of 500 ps with focusable intensity of 1013–1014 W/cm2 on target. X-ray fluxes in different spectral ranges (soft and hard) are measured by using X-ray diodes covered with Al filters of thickness 5 µm (0.9–1.56 keV) and 20 µm (3.4–16 keV). A 2.5 times enhancement in soft X-ray flux (0.9–1.56 keV) and a decrease of 1.8 times in hard X rays (3.4–16 keV) for 50 mg/cc SiO2 aerogel foam is observed compared with the solid quartz. A decrease in the flux of the K-shell line emission spectrum of soft X rays is noticed in the case of the foam targets. The high-resolution K-shell spectra (He-like) of Si ions in both the cases are analyzed for the determination of plasma parameters by comparing with FLYCHK simulations. The estimated plasma temperature and density are Tc = 180 eV, ne = 7 × 1020 cm−3 and Tc = 190 eV, ne = 4 × 1020 cm−3 for quartz and SiO2 aerogel foam, respectively. To measure the evolution of the plasma moving away from the targets, four identical ion collectors are placed at different angles (22.5, 30, 45, and 67.5°) from target normal. The angular distribution of the thermal ions are scaled as cosnθ with respect to target normal, where n = 3.8 and 4.8 for the foam and quartz, respectively. The experimental plasma volume measured from the ion collectors and shadowgraphy images are verified by a two-dimensional Eulerian radiative–hydrodynamic simulation (POLLUX code).
THE ROLE OF PROCEDURAL LEARNING ABILITY IN AUTOMATIZATION OF L2 MORPHOLOGY UNDER DIFFERENT LEARNING SCHEDULES
Authors: Suzuki Yuichi
Published: August 2017

This paper reports on the reanalysis of Suzuki’s (2017) experiment and investigated the extent to which learning schedules influence automatization of second language (L2) morphology. Sixty participants were separated into two groups, which studied morphological rules for oral production under short-spacing (3.3-day intervals) and long-spacing learning conditions (7-day intervals). Their oral production test performance resulted in two measures of automatization: reaction time (RT) as an index of speedup and coefficient of variance (CV) as an index of stability/restructuring. The results showed that, while RT of both groups declined significantly after the training, the 3.3-day group exhibited greater propensity for restructuring than the 7-day group. Furthermore, procedural learning ability measured by the Tower of London task was significantly associated with RT, but not with CV, in the 3.3-day group only. These findings suggest that learning schedules and procedural learning ability influence different stages of automatization of L2 morphological learning.
Patienten mit aktiven medizinischen Implantaten – elektromagnetische Felder am Arbeitsplatz
Authors: Stadtmüller Klaus
Published: August 2017

Zusammenfassung. Aktive medizinische Implantate werden immer weniger störanfällig gegenüber elektromagnetischen Feldern in der üblichen Lebensumwelt. In der Arbeitswelt gibt es jedoch kritische Bereiche. Es besteht die Gefahr, dass betreuende Kardiologen und Grundversorger aufgrund der konservativen Warnhinweise der Hersteller Implantateträgern von einer Erwerbstätigkeit abraten, die bei genauer individueller Prüfung durchaus kompatibel wäre. Dieser Beitrag versucht einfache Hinweise zu geben, damit Träger von Implantaten bei Unsicherheiten bei diesem durchaus komplexen Sachverhalt einer korrekten Abklärung zugeführt werden können. Arbeitnehmer, Arbeitgeber und versorgende Medizinalpersonen können mehr Sicherheit gewinnen.
Marathonlaufen schützt nicht vor Diabetes
Authors: Knechtle Beat , Nikolaidis Pantelis T.
Published: August 2017

Zusammenfassung. Wir berichten über einen 64-jährigen Marathonläufer mit bisher 990 erfolgreich gefinishten Marathons, der fälschlicherweise mit Diabetes mellitus Typ 2 diagnostiziert und therapiert wurde. Unter peroraler Therapie mit Metformin kam es zu keiner Reduktion der Blutzuckerwerte. Nach korrekter Diagnose und Therapie mit Insulin ist der Läufer wieder voll im Training, um bald seinen 1000. Marathon zu laufen. Für Sportler mit Diabetes mellitus Typ 1 ist es wichtig, den Blutzucker vor, während und nach Belastung zu messen und die Insulindosis individuell während eines Wettkampfs, wie etwa einem Marathon, zu reduzieren.
Tracking Meteor Trails to Study the Mesosphere
Authors: Underwood Emily
Published: August 2017

Twelve years of radar data reveal new phenomena in Earth’s upper atmosphere.
Parent–Child Behavioral Interactions During Pediatric Immunizations in a Latino Sample
Authors: Mougianis Ifigenia D. , Cohen Lindsey L. , Shih Sharon W.
Published: August 2017

A number of studies have found that specific parent behaviors are strong predictors of child medical procedural distress or coping. These findings have informed treatment protocols to lower children’s distress during invasive medical events. However, the vast majority of this research has been conducted on predominately North American, English-speaking, Caucasian samples. One growing population that faces health care disparities is Latinos living in the United States. The purpose of this study was to explore the types and frequencies of parent and child behavior, as well as the association between parent behavior and child distress and coping in a sample of Spanish-speaking Latino American parent–child dyads. Nineteen 4- to 6-year-old Latino children receiving routine immunizations and their parents were video recorded, and behaviors were coded with commonly used schemes. The findings suggest that there may be differences in Latino parent and child behavior when compared to the extant—predominately English-speaking, Caucasian North American—literature. This study provides an initial examination of how cultural constructs may relate to parent–child behavior in Spanish-speaking Latino families in the United States. Future research is warranted as findings can inform culturally sensitive clinical practice.
Dual Contrast - Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting (DC-MRF): A Platform for Simultaneous Quantification of Multiple MRI Contrast Agents
Authors: Anderson Christian E. , Donnola Shannon B. , Jiang Yun , Batesole Joshua , Darrah Rebecca , Drumm Mitchell L. , Brady-Kalnay Susann M. , Steinmetz Nicole F. , Yu Xin , Griswold Mark A. , Flask Chris A.
Published: August 2017

Injectable Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) contrast agents have been widely used to provide critical assessments of disease for both clinical and basic science imaging research studies. The scope of available MRI contrast agents has expanded over the years with the emergence of molecular imaging contrast agents specifically targeted to biological markers. Unfortunately, synergistic application of more than a single molecular contrast agent has been limited by MRI’s ability to only dynamically measure a single agent at a time. In this study, a new Dual Contrast - Magnetic Resonance Fingerprinting (DC – MRF) methodology is described that can detect and independently quantify the local concentration of multiple MRI contrast agents following simultaneous administration. This “multi-color” MRI methodology provides the opportunity to monitor multiple molecular species simultaneously and provides a practical, quantitative imaging framework for the eventual clinical translation of molecular imaging contrast agents.
Social isolation suppresses actin dynamics and synaptic plasticity through ADF/cofilin inactivation in the developing rat barrel cortex
Authors: Tada Hirobumi , Miyazaki Tomoyuki , Takemoto Kiwamu , Jitsuki Susumu , Nakajima Waki , Koide Mayu , Yamamoto Naoko , Taguchi Akiko , Kawai Honami , Komiya Kasane , Suyama Kumiko , Abe Hiroki , Sano Akane , Takahashi Takuya
Published: August 2017

Exposure to a stressful environment early in life can cause psychiatric disorders by disrupting circuit formation. Actin plays central roles in regulating neuronal structure and protein trafficking. We have recently reported that neonatal isolation inactivated ADF/cofilin, the actin depolymerizing factor, resulted in a reduced actin dynamics at spines and an attenuation of synaptic α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA) receptor delivery in the juvenile rat medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), leading to altered social behaviours. Here, we investigated the impact of neonatal social isolation in the developing rat barrel cortex. Similar to the mPFC study, we detected an increase in stable actin fraction in spines and this resulted in a decreased synaptic AMPA receptor delivery. Thus, we conclude that early life social isolation affects multiple cortical areas with common molecular changes.
Calf Spleen Extractive Injection protects mice against cyclophosphamide-induced hematopoietic injury through G-CSF-mediated JAK2/STAT3 signaling
Authors: Lu Wenqian , Jia Dongxu , An Shengshu , Mu Ming , Qiao Xinan , Liu Yan , Li Xin , Wang Di
Published: August 2017

Calf Spleen Extractive Injection (CSEI), extracted from the spleen of healthy cows (within 24 hours of birth), is a small-peptide-enriched extraction and often used as an ancillary agent in cancer therapy. This study evaluated the hematopoietic function of CSEI and its underlying mechanisms, principally in CHRF, K562 cells, BMNCs and a mouse model of cyclophosphamide (CTX)-induced hematopoietic suppression. CSEI promoted the proliferation and differentiation of CHRF and K562 cells, activated hematopoietic- and proliferation-related factors RSK1p90, ELK1 and c-Myc, and facilitated the expression of differentiation- and maturation-related transcription factors GATA-1, GATA-2. In the mice with hematopoietic suppression, 3 weeks of CSEI administration enhanced the bodyweights and thymus indices, suppressed the spleen indices and strongly elevated the production of HSPCs, neutrophils and B cells in bone marrow, ameliorated bone marrow cellularity, and regulated the ratio of peripheral blood cells. Proteome profiling combined with ELISA revealed that CSEI regulated the levels of cytokines, especially G-CSF and its related factors, in the spleen and plasma. Additional data revealed that CSEI promoted phosphorylation of STAT3, which was stimulated by G-CSF in both mice spleen and cultured BMNCs. Taken together, CSEI has the potential to improve hematopoietic function via the G-CSF-mediated JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.
Membrane fouling induced by AHL-mediated soluble microbial product (SMP) formation by fouling-causing bacteria co-cultured with fouling-enhancing bacteria
Authors: Ishizaki So , Sugiyama Ryoichi , Okabe Satoshi
Published: August 2017

Membrane fouling still remains a major obstacle for wider applications of membrane bioreactor (MBR), which is mainly caused by soluble microbial products (SMP). Identification of key bacteria responsible for SMP production is essential for mitigation of membrane fouling. Here, we investigated the effect of microbial interaction on membrane fouling. We measured the membrane fouling potentials of 13 bacterial strains isolated from a pilot-scale MBR treating domestic wastewater when they were cultivated as single-culture and co-culture. We found that fouling-causing bacteria (FCB) displayed much higher fouling potential when co-cultured even with non-FCB and mixed population (activated sludge). In particular, the fouling potential of strain S26, one of FCB, increased 26.8 times when cultivated with strain S22 (fouling-enhancing bacteria, FEB). The secretion of N-octanoyl-L-homoserine lactone (C8-HSL) was increased by co-cultivating S22 and S26 as compared with cultivating as single culture, which stimulated the production of fouling-causing SMP by S26 and consequently resulted in severe membrane fouling. This result suggests that AHL-mediated quorum-sensing (QS) regulatory system was involved in secretion of fouling-causing SMP.
Comparison of chronic physical and emotional social defeat stress effects on mesocorticolimbic circuit activation and voluntary consumption of morphine
Authors: Cooper S. E. , Kechner M. , Caraballo-Pérez D. , Kaska S. , Robison A. J. , Mazei-Robison M. S.
Published: August 2017

Chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) is a well-established rodent model of depression that induces persistent social avoidance. CSDS triggers molecular adaptations throughout the mesocorticolimbic reward circuit, including changes in the activity of dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), that may also influence drug reward. One limitation of traditional, physical CSDS (PS) is that injury complicates the study of opiate drugs like morphine. Thus, we sought to characterize a variation of CSDS, termed emotional CSDS (ES), that eliminates this confound. We assessed the effect of PS and ES on mesocorticolimbic circuit activation, VTA gene expression, and morphine intake. We found that PS and ES similarly induced ΔFosB in the hippocampus, but only PS significantly increased ΔFosB expression in the prefrontal cortex and striatum. In contrast, cFos expression was similarly reduced by both PS and ES. Interestingly, we found that PS and ES similarly increased voluntary morphine consumption immediately following stress, despite differences in the magnitude of the depressive phenotype and striatal ΔFosB expression at this time point. Combined, these data suggest that both stress paradigms may be useful for investigation of stress-induced changes in drug behavior.
Solution-processable, crystalline material for quantitative singlet fission
Authors: Pensack Ryan D. , Grieco Christopher , Purdum Geoffrey E. , Mazza Samuel M. , Tilley Andrew J. , Ostroumov Evgeny E. , Seferos Dwight S. , Loo Yueh-Lin , Asbury John B. , Anthony John E. , Scholes Gregory D.
Published: August 2017

Solution-processable, crystalline material is found to be a promising target for quantitative, or lossless, singlet fission.
Highly stretchable, transparent, and colorless electrodes from a diblock copolymer electrolyte
Authors: Xie Peile , Yang Xuxu , Li Tiefeng , Luo Yingwu
Published: August 2017

Highly stretchable, transparent, colorless electrodes free of liquid and non-volatile components were fabricated.
Sozialmedizin für Nicht-Sozialmediziner
Authors: Bahemann Andreas
Published: August 2017

Nicht nur Sozialmediziner benötigen Kenntnisse zu deren Aufgaben, Inhalten von Sozialmedizin, sozialrechtlichen Grundlagen und Begriffen aus der Begutachtung. Mit konkreten Beispielen wird ein Überblick gegeben.
Development of an ultrasound-assisted extraction method for the rapid quantification of seed carotenoid content in oilseed rape
Authors: Xue Lei , Wei Fang , Gao Guizhen , Yan Guixin , Song Weilin , Chen Biyun , Xu Kun , Chen Hong , Wu Xiaoming
Published: August 2017

The selection of cultivars with high carotenoid content represents a novel goal in the genetic improvement of oilseed rape. The successful development of an efficient method for the quantification of carotenoids in oilseed rape is a prerequisite for this breeding initiative. In the present study, ultrasound-assisted extraction was combined with a spectrophotometric method to quantify seed carotenoid levels in oilseed rape. The key variables were optimised as follows: the solvent used was a 1 : 1 (v : v) mixture of petroleum ether and acetone, the solid to solvent concentration was 0.08 g/mL, the ultrasound frequency and power were set at 45/100 (kHZ/w), and three extractions of 15 min each were performed. Compared with the conventional solvent extraction method, the time required for extraction using the ultrasound-assisted extraction method was significantly shortened (by 24 times), and the reproducibility was also remarkably improved. These results indicate that ultrasound-assisted spectrophotometric quantification is a rapid, accurate, simple and low cost tool for the screening and selection of rapeseed cultivars with high carotenoid content.
The golgin protein Coy1 functions in intra-Golgi retrograde transport and interacts with the COG complex and Golgi SNAREs
Authors: Anderson Nadine S. , Mukherjee Indrani , Bentivoglio Christine M. , Barlowe Charles
Published: August 2017

Extended coiled-coil proteins of the golgin family play prominent roles in maintaining the structure and function of the Golgi complex. Here we further investigate the golgin protein Coy1 and document its function in retrograde transport between early Golgi compartments. Cells that lack Coy1 displayed a reduced half-life of the Och1 mannosyltransferase, an established cargo of intra-Golgi retrograde transport. Combining the coy1Δ mutation with deletions in other putative retrograde golgins (sgm1Δ and rud3Δ) caused strong glycosylation and growth defects and reduced membrane association of the conserved oligomeric Golgi (COG) complex. In contrast, overexpression of COY1 inhibited the growth of mutant strains deficient in fusion activity at the Golgi (sed5-1 and sly1-ts). To map Coy1 protein interactions, coimmunoprecipitation experiments revealed an association with the COG complex and with intra-Golgi SNARE proteins. These physical interactions are direct, as Coy1 was efficiently captured in vitro by Lobe A of the COG complex and the purified SNARE proteins Gos1, Sed5, and Sft1. Thus our genetic, in vivo, and biochemical data indicate a role for Coy1 in regulating COG complex-dependent fusion of retrograde-directed COPI vesicles.
Atlantoaxial Fusion Using C1 Sublaminar Cables and C2 Translaminar Screws
Authors: Larsen Alexandra M Giantini , Grannan Benjamin L , Koffie Robert M , Coumans Jean-Valéry
Published: August 2017

BACKGROUND

Atlantoaxial instability, which can arise in the setting of trauma, degenerative diseases, and neoplasm, is often managed surgically with C1–C2 arthrodesis. Classical C1–C2 fusion techniques require placement of instrumentation in close proximity to the vertebral artery and C2 nerve root.

OBJECTIVE

To report a novel C1–C2 fusion technique that utilizes C2 translaminar screws and C1 sublaminar cables to decrease the risk of injury to the vertebral artery and C2 nerve root.

METHODS

To facilitate fixation to the atlas, while minimizing the risk of injury to the vertebral artery and to the C2 nerve root, we sought to determine the feasibility of using a soft cable around the C1 arch and affixing it to a rod connected to C2 laminar screws. We reviewed our experience in 3 patients.

RESULTS

We used this technique in patients in whom we anticipated difficult C1 screw placement. Three patients were identified through a review of the senior author's cases. Atlantoaxial instability was associated with trauma in 2 patients and chronic degenerative changes in 1 patient. Common symptoms on presentation included pain and limited range of motion. All patients underwent C1–C2 fusion with C2 translaminar screws with sublaminar cable harnessing of the posterior arch of C1. There were no reports of postoperative complications or hardware failure.

CONCLUSION

We demonstrate a novel, technically straightforward approach for C1–C2 fusion that minimizes risk to the vertebral artery and to the C2 nerve root, while still allowing for semirigid fixation in instances of both traumatic and chronic degenerative atlantoaxial instability.
Mixtures of Plant-Growth-Promoting Rhizobacteria Enhance Biological Control of Multiple Plant Diseases and Plant-Growth Promotion in the Presence of Pathogens
Authors: Liu Ke , McInroy John A. , Hu Chia-Hui , Kloepper Joseph W.
Published: August 2017

Several studies have shown that mixtures of plant-growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR) could enhance biological control activity for multiple plant diseases through the mechanisms of induced systemic resistance or antagonism. Prior experiments showed that four individual PGPR strains—AP69 (Bacillus altitudinis), AP197 (B. velezensis), AP199 (B. velezensis), and AP298 (B. velezensis)—had broad-spectrum biocontrol activity via antagonism in growth chambers against two foliar bacterial pathogens (Xanthomonas axonopodis pv. vesicatoria and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato) and one of two tested soilborne fungal pathogens (Rhizoctonia solani and Pythium ultimum). Based on these findings, the overall hypothesis of this study was that a mixture of two individual PGPR strains would exhibit better overall biocontrol and plant-growth promotion than the individual PGPR strains. Two separate greenhouse experiments were conducted. In each experiment, two individual PGPR strains and their mixtures were tested for biological control of three different diseases and for plant-growth promotion in the presence of the pathogens. The results demonstrated that the two individual PGPR strains and their mixtures exhibited both biological control of multiple plant diseases and plant-growth promotion. Overall, the levels of disease suppression and growth promotion were greater with mixtures than with individual PGPR strains.
Efficacy of Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation for Control of Prunus Replant Disease
Authors: Browne G. , Ott N. , Poret-Peterson A. , Gouran H. , Lampinen B.
Published: August 2017

Prunus replant disease (PRD) is an important soilborne complex that suppresses growth and productivity of replanted stone fruit and nut orchards. It is effectively managed with preplant soil fumigation but, due to regulatory challenges, nonfumigant-based control strategies for PRD and other soilborne disease problems may become increasingly important, especially in California. We examined the potential of preplant anaerobic soil disinfestation (ASD) for control of PRD in four repeated orchard replant trials on sandy loam soil near Parlier, CA. After removal of the old orchard trees, alternative ASD treatments, all using rice bran as the main carbon source, were implemented, starting in late September. The alternative treatments incorporated rice bran at (i) 20 t ha−1, alone, in 3.0-m-wide row strips; (ii) 20 t ha−1, preceded by incorporation of a sudangrass cover crop and followed by drip application of molasses (10 t ha−1), in 3.0-m-wide row strips; (iii) 20 t ha−1, alone, in 1.8-m-wide strips; or (iv) 12 t ha−1, alone, in 1.8-m-wide strips. All ASD-treated areas were covered with clear tarp and drip irrigated with 25 cm of water. Tarps remained for 6 weeks, during which the soil moisture level was kept at or above field capacity by drip irrigation. All trials included nontreated control and fumigated standard treatments. ASD raised temperature and reduced redox potential in soil at 15- and 46-cm depths for 6 weeks. Fumigation and ASD treatments both nearly eradicated bioassay inoculum of Pythium ultimum in the soil before almond trees were replanted and significantly affected almond tree root communities of fungi and oomycetes after planting. Fumigation treatments and ASD treatments with rice bran at 20 t ha−1 in 3.0-m strips increased tree growth significantly and by similar magnitudes. Among repeated experiments, mean increases in trunk cross-sectional area growth due to fumigation ranged from 137 to 264%, while the increases due to ASD at 20 t ha−1 in 3.0-m strips ranged from 148 to 214%, compared with controls. ASD offers effective control of PRD and is worthy of further optimization and testing for management of PRD and additional orchard replant problems.
Preoperative Assessment for Complex Lower Limb Deformity
Authors: Donnan Leo
Published: August 2017

Successful limb reconstruction surgery not only relies on surgical skill but probably more on assessment and planning before intervention. A clear appreciation of the child as a whole, an understanding of natural history and the ability to carefully evaluate the patient clinically are key to successful treatment. The appropriate use of investigations and the ability to analyze, plan and execute a treatment plan is challenging and requires experience and training. This paper outlines some of the steps required to assess the patient with a complex limb deformity.
Quantifying the Effects of Prior Acetyl-Salicylic Acid on Sepsis-Related Deaths: An Individual Patient Data Meta-Analysis Using Propensity Matching*
Authors: Trauer James , Muhi Stephen , McBryde Emma S. , Al Harbi Shmeylan A. , Arabi Yaseen M. , Boyle Andrew J. , Cartin-Ceba Rodrigo , Chen Wei , Chen Yung-Tai , Falcone Marco , Gajic Ognjen , Godsell Jack , Gong Michelle Ng , Kor Daryl , Lösche Wolfgang , McAuley Daniel F. , O’Neal Hollis R. , Osthoff Michael , Otto Gordon P. , Sossdorf Maik , Tsai Min-Juei , Valerio-Rojas Juan C. , van der Poll Tom , Violi Francesco , Ware Lorraine , Widmer Andreas F. , Wiewel Maryse A. , Winning Johannes , Eisen Damon P.
Published: August 2017

Objective:

The primary objective was to conduct a meta-analysis on published observational cohort data describing the association between acetyl-salicylic acid (aspirin) use prior to the onset of sepsis and mortality in hospitalized patients.

Study Selection:

Studies that reported mortality in patients on aspirin with sepsis with a comparison group of patients with sepsis not on prior aspirin therapy were included.

Data Sources:

Fifteen studies described hospital-based cohorts (n = 17,065), whereas one was a large insurance-based database (n = 683,421). Individual-level patient data were incorporated from all selected studies.

Data Extraction:

Propensity analyses with 1:1 propensity score matching at the study level were performed, using the most consistently available covariates judged to be associated with aspirin. Meta-analyses were performed to estimate the pooled average treatment effect of aspirin on sepsis-related mortality.

Data Synthesis:

Use of aspirin was associated with a 7% (95% CI, 2–12%; p = 0.005) reduction in the risk of death as shown by meta-analysis with considerable statistical heterogeneity (I
2 = 61.6%).

Conclusions:

These results are consistent with effects ranging from a 2% to 12% reduction in mortality risk in patients taking aspirin prior to sepsis onset. This association anticipates results of definitive studies of the use of low-dose aspirin as a strategy for reduction of deaths in patients with sepsis.
A serotonergic deficit in the dorsal periaqueductal gray matter may underpin enhanced panic-like behavior in diabetic rats
Authors: Gambeta Eder , Sestile Caio C. , Fogaça Manoela V. , Guimarães Francisco S. , Audi Elisabeth A. , da Cunha Joice M. , Zangrossi Hélio , Shimene de Melo Yamashita Paula , Zanoveli Janaina M.
Published: August 2017

It is known that diabetic (DBT) animals present dysregulation on the serotonergic system in several brain areas associated with anxiety-like responses. The aim of this study was to investigate the involvement of 5-HT1A receptors on dorsal periaqueductal gray (dPAG) in the behavioral response related to panic disorder in type-1 DBT animals. For this, the escape response by electric stimulation (ES) of dPAG in DBT and normoglycemic (NGL) animals was assessed. Both NGL and DBT animals were exposed to an open-field test (OFT) 28 days after DBT confirmation. The current threshold to induce escape behavior in DBT animals was reduced compared with NGL animals. No impairment in locomotor activity was observed when DBT animals were compared with NGL animals. An intra-dPAG injection of the 5-HT1A receptor agonist (±)-8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) increased the ∆ threshold in both DBT and NGL, suggesting a panicolytic-like effect. DBT animals presented a more pronounced panicolytic-like response compared with NGL as a higher ∆ threshold was observed after 8-OH-DPAT treatment, which could be a consequence of the increased expression of the 5-HT1A receptor in the dPAG from DBT animals. Our results are in line with the proposal that a deficiency in serotonergic modulation of the dPAG is involved in triggering the panic attack and the 5-HT1A receptors might be essential for the panicolytic-like response.
Effects of systemic glutamatergic manipulations on conditioned eyeblink responses and hyperarousal in a rabbit model of post-traumatic stress disorder
Authors: Burhans Lauren B. , Smith-Bell Carrie A. , Schreurs Bernard G.
Published: August 2017

Glutamatergic dysfunction is implicated in many neuropsychiatric conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Glutamate antagonists have shown some utility in treating PTSD symptoms, whereas glutamate agonists may facilitate cognitive behavioral therapy outcomes. We have developed an animal model of PTSD, based on conditioning of the rabbit’s eyeblink response, that addresses two key features: conditioned responses (CRs) to cues associated with an aversive event and a form of conditioned hyperarousal referred to as conditioning-specific reflex modification (CRM). The optimal treatment to reduce both CRs and CRM is unpaired extinction. The goals of the study were to examine whether treatment with the N-methyl-d-aspartate glutamate receptor antagonist ketamine could reduce CRs and CRM, and whether the N-methyl-d-aspartate agonist d-cycloserine combined with unpaired extinction treatment could enhance the extinction of both. Administration of a single dose of subanesthetic ketamine had no significant immediate or delayed effect on CRs or CRM. Combining d-cycloserine with a single day of unpaired extinction facilitated extinction of CRs in the short term while having no impact on CRM. These results caution that treatments may improve one aspect of the PTSD symptomology while having no significant effects on other symptoms, stressing the importance of a multiple-treatment approach to PTSD and of animal models that address multiple symptoms.
Two-year Results After Deep Sclerectomy With Nonabsorbable Uveoscleral Implant (Esnoper-Clip): Surgical Area Analysis Using Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography
Authors: Romera-Romero Pau , Loscos-Arenas Jordi , Moll-Udina Aina , Romanic-Bubalo Nevena , Castellvi-Manent Jordi , Valldeperas Xavier
Published: August 2017

Purpose:

To report 2-year results of deep sclerectomy (DS) with mitomycin C and the uveoscleral implant Esnoper-Clip (AJL Ophthalmics, Álava, Spain), a nonabsorbable hema implant, and the morphologic analysis of the surgical area with anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT).

Materials and Methods:

In total, 41 eyes of 41 patients with medically uncontrolled open angle glaucoma who underwent DS with the uveoscleral implant were included in this prospective interventional study. Patients were recruited and selected sequentially. All patients were followed at least for 12 months and 36 of them for 24 months. Absolute success was defined as intraocular pressure (IOP)≤18 mm Hg and ≥20% of IOP reduction without topical medication. Relative success was defined with the same criteria but with the addition of any antihypertensive medication. Primary outcomes were IOP decrease in the postoperative stage. Secondary outcomes were number of medication, best-corrected visual acuity changes, rate of goniopuncture, needle revision, and AS-OCT analysis of the bleb area. AS-OCT analysis, using Visante OCT, was performed at 1, 12, and 24 months.

Results:

Absolute success rate was 68.3% at 12 months and 61.1% at 2 years. Relative success was 78.0% and 71.4%, at 12 and 24 months, respectively. A significant IOP decrease was observed, from 27.3±6.3 to 14.9±4.4 mm Hg at 12 months and 15.3±5.2 mm Hg at 24 months (P<0.001). There was also a significant reduction in the number of medications, dropping from a mean of 2.5 to 0.28 one year and 0.36 two years after the surgery (P<0.001). Main postoperative complications were transient: 4 eyes with seidel phenomenon at 24 hours (10.3%), 3 hyphema (7.7%), and 1 choroidal detachment (2.6%). Mean intrascleral space height, measured by AS-OCT, was 0.78 mm and it showed a significant positive correlation with IOP at 12 months. Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet laser goniopuncture was performed in 25 eyes (61%) at 12 months and in 27 (66.8%) by 24 months.

Conclusions:

DS with the uveoscleral implant is a safe and effective procedure to lower IOP in open angle glaucoma patients. IOP reduction is maintained over 2 years and is correlated to the postoperative height of the intrascleral bleb. Supraciliary implantation reduces intrascleral lake dependency, being a simultaneous drainage alternative to the subconjunctival pathway.
Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Vessel Density Measurements in Eyes With Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma and Disc Hemorrhage
Authors: Rao Harsha L. , Pradhan Zia S. , Weinreb Robert N. , Dasari Srilakshmi , Riyazuddin Mohammed , Venugopal Jayasree P. , Puttaiah Narendra K. , Rao Dhanaraj A.S. , Devi Sathi , Mansouri Kaweh , Webers Carroll A.B.
Published: August 2017

Purpose:

To compare the vessel density measurements of optic nerve head, peripapillary and macular regions in severity-matched primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) eyes with and without disc hemorrhage (DH) using optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography, and to compare their diagnostic abilities with that of the rim area, retinal nerve fiber layer and the ganglion cell complex thickness measurements on OCT.

Methods:

In a cross-sectional study, 66 eyes of 46 control subjects, 34 eyes of 33 POAG patients with DH (median mean deviation=−3.7 dB) and 63 eyes of 43 POAG patients without DH (median mean deviation=−3.8 dB) underwent imaging with spectral domain OCT. Area under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) and 5sensitivities at 90% specificity of vessel density and structural measurements in POAG eyes with DH were compared with those in POAG eyes without DH.

Results:

Most of the vessel density and structural measurements were similar (P>0.05) in POAG eyes with and without DH. Whole enface vessel density of the disc scan and inferotemporal peripapillary vessel density showed the best AUC and sensitivity at 90% specificity both in POAG eyes with DH (0.82, 56% and 0.75, 59%) and without DH (0.91, 73% and 0.83, 67%). AUCs and sensitivities of vessel density and structural measurements of POAG eyes with and without DH were statistically similar (P>0.05).

Conclusions:

OCT angiography measured vessel densities and their diagnostic abilities in POAG eyes with and without DH were similar. This suggests that the cause of DH in POAG is unlikely to be vascular abnormality.