bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A novel image processing workflow for the in vivo quantification of skin microvasculature using dynamic optical coherence tomography
Authors: Zugaj D. , Chenet A. , Petit L. , Vaglio J. , Pascual T. , Piketty C. , Bourdes V.
Published: February 2018

Background

Currently, imaging technologies that can accurately assess or provide surrogate markers of the human cutaneous microvessel network are limited. Dynamic optical coherence tomography (D‐OCT) allows the detection of blood flow in vivo and visualization of the skin microvasculature. However, image processing is necessary to correct images, filter artifacts, and exclude irrelevant signals. The objective of this study was to develop a novel image processing workflow to enhance the technical capabilities of D‐OCT.

Materials and methods

Single‐center, vehicle‐controlled study including healthy volunteers aged 18‐50 years. A capsaicin solution was applied topically on the subject's forearm to induce local inflammation. Measurements of capsaicin‐induced increase in dermal blood flow, within the region of interest, were performed by laser Doppler imaging (LDI) (reference method) and D‐OCT.

Results

Sixteen subjects were enrolled. A good correlation was shown between D‐OCT and LDI, using the image processing workflow. Therefore, D‐OCT offers an easy‐to‐use alternative to LDI, with good repeatability, new robust morphological features (dermal‐epidermal junction localization), and quantification of the distribution of vessel size and changes in this distribution induced by capsaicin. The visualization of the vessel network was improved through bloc filtering and artifact removal. Moreover, the assessment of vessel size distribution allows a fine analysis of the vascular patterns.

Conclusion

The newly developed image processing workflow enhances the technical capabilities of D‐OCT for the accurate detection and characterization of microcirculation in the skin. A direct clinical application of this image processing workflow is the quantification of the effect of topical treatment on skin vascularization.
Synergistic effects of intravenous and intra‐articular tranexamic acid on reducing hemoglobin loss in revision total knee arthroplasty: a prospective, randomized, controlled study
Authors: Yuan Xiangwei , Wang Jiaxing , Wang Qiaojie , Zhang Xianlong
Published: February 2018

BACKGROUND

Tranexamic acid decreases blood loss in primary total knee arthroplasty, and no related prospective randomized clinical trials have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of tranexamic acid in revision total knee arthroplasty. Thus, we conducted this work to evaluate the synergistic effects of intravenous plus intra‐articular tranexamic acid on reducing hemoglobin loss compared with intra‐articular tranexamic acid alone in revision total knee arthroplasty.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

This prospective, controlled study randomized 96 patients undergoing revision total knee arthroplasty into two groups: an intravenous plus intra‐articular tranexamic acid group (48 patients who received 20 mg/kg intravenous tranexamic acid and 3.0 g intra‐articular tranexamic acid); and an intra‐articular tranexamic acid alone group (48 patients who received the same intravenous volume of normal saline and 3.0 g intra‐articular tranexamic acid). The primary outcome was hemoglobin loss. Secondary outcomes included the volume of drain output, the percentage of patients who received transfusions, the number of units transfused, and thromboembolic events.

RESULTS

The baseline data, preoperative hemoglobin, and tourniquet time were similar in both groups. There was significantly less hemoglobin loss in the intravenous plus intra‐articular tranexamic acid group compared with the intra‐articular tranexamic acid alone group (2.7 ± 0.6 g/dL and 3.7 ± 0.7 g/dL; p < 0.001). Compared with the intra‐articular tranexamic acid alone group, the intravenous plus intra‐articular tranexamic acid group also had significantly less drain output, fewer patients who received transfusions, and fewer units transfused (all p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in thromboembolic events in the two groups during the 3‐month follow‐up.

CONCLUSION

Compared with intra‐articular tranexamic acid alone, combined intravenous plus intra‐articular tranexamic acid significantly reduced hemoglobin loss and the need for transfusion without an apparent increase in thromboembolic events in patients who underwent revision total knee arthroplasty.
Hyperleukocytosis in infant acute leukemia: a role for manual exchange transfusion for leukoreduction
Authors: Runco Daniel V. , Josephson Cassandra D. , Raikar Sunil S. , Goldsmith Kelly C. , Lew Glen , Pauly Melinda , Fasano Ross M.
Published: February 2018

BACKGROUND

Hyperleukocytosis is a serious, life‐threatening complication of pediatric acute leukemia that can cause neurologic injury, pulmonary leukostasis, metabolic derangements, and coagulopathy. Acute leukemia has the highest risk of mortality and morbidity at presentation when associated with hyperleukocytosis. Infant leukemia presents unique challenges and treatment considerations due to the disease itself and size and overall health of the patient. While medical management of hyperleukocytosis in older patients with acute leukemia has been described, including cytoreductive procedures with automated leukapheresis (AL) or manual whole blood (WB) exchange transfusion, very little data exist for standardized management of hyperleukocytosis in infant leukemia patients.

CASE REPORTS

We describe four cases of infant acute leukemia presenting with hyperleukocytosis and leukostasis who each received manual WB exchange transfusions in conjunction with induction chemotherapy and review the existing literature on the use of procedural leukoreduction in infants with hyperleukocytosis. Special attention is given to challenges and technical aspects of leukapheresis in infants: when to perform manual WB exchange versus AL, optimal vascular access, blood product selection, exchange rates, and the monitoring for complications. Using published cases, we outline benefits versus risks of manual WB exchange and AL in infants less than 10 kg.

CONCLUSION

If providers perform procedural leukoreduction, the literature and our experience demonstrate manual WB exchange transfusion is favored over AL in infants less than 10 kg because of technical and complication risks associated with AL. Additional studies are needed to understand the impact of cytoreduction on long‐term outcomes.
Total prostatectomy as a treatment for prostatic carcinoma in 25 dogs
Authors: Bennett Tristram C. , Matz Brad M. , Henderson Ralph A. , Straw Rodney C. , Liptak Julius M. , Selmic Laura E. , Collivignarelli Francesco , Buracco Paolo
Published: February 2018

Objective

To describe the complications and outcome after total prostatectomy in dogs with histologically confirmed prostatic carcinoma.

Study Design

Multi‐institutional retrospective case series.

Animals

25 client‐owned dogs.

Methods

Medical records of dogs undergoing total prostatectomy were reviewed from 2004 to 2016. Data retrieved included signalment, presenting signs, preoperative clinical findings, laboratory data, diagnostic imaging, surgical technique, histologic diagnosis, postoperative complications, occurrence of postoperative metastasis, and survival.

Results

Twenty‐five dogs underwent total prostatectomy for prostatic carcinoma. Urinary anastomotic techniques included urethrourethral anastomosis in 14 dogs, cystourethral anastomosis in 9 dogs, ureterocolonic anastomosis in 1 dog, and anastomosis between the bladder neck and penile urethra in 1 dog. All dogs survived to discharge. Fifteen dogs were diagnosed with transitional cell carcinoma, 8 dogs with prostatic adenocarcinoma, 1 with prostatic cystadenocarcinoma, and 1 with an undifferentiated carcinoma. Permanent postoperative urinary incontinence was present in 8 of 23 dogs. The median survival time was shorter in dogs with extracapsular tumor extension compared with those with intracapsular tumors. The overall median survival time was 231 days (range, 24‐1255), with 1‐ and 2‐year survival rates equal to 32% and 12%, respectively.

Conclusion and Clinical Significance

Total prostatectomy, combined with adjunct therapies, prolongs survival and lowers complication rates compared to previous reports of dogs with prostatic carcinoma. It should be noted, however, that case selection likely played a significant role in postoperative outcome.
Minando la traducción: marginalidad, memoria y traducción del extremo cultural
Authors: Boyle Catherine
Published: February 2018

La escena del rescate de los mineros chilenos (2010) —entretenimiento multimediático y global— invita a plantear una serie de preguntas por las intersecciones entre traducción, subjetividad, agenciamientos y mediaciones culturales. Consecuentemente, este artículo explora —a través de un proceso de traducción de textos dramáticos hispanoamericanos en el contexto inglés— la posibilidad de trasladar, a través de distintos territorios, descripciones culturales densas y significativas para creadores, críticos y audiencias.
Argentinos de París: razones de la aflicción y del desorden
Authors: Link Daniel
Published: February 2018

Entre el exilio de los años cincuenta y el de la dictadura argentina, un grupo de artistas expatriados en París, entre quienes se encontraban Copi, Cozarinsky y D’Alessio, se quedó en este destino utilizándolo como un campo inmanente de experimentación estética. Al alero de los conceptos de heterotopía, aflicción y deseo, el presente artículo se propone localizar en el punto de partida (Argentina) los predicados de esos vectores de desterritorialización, pero también identificar en el punto de llegada (París, no Francia), los modos de imaginar una comunidad errante, asocial, melancólica y, al mismo tiempo, futurista.
Discursos del yo frente a un cronotopo llamado Cuba
Authors: Maíz Claudio
Published: February 2018

Este trabajo busca dar cuenta de un cronotopo que denominamos Cuba, con el fin de establecer el grado de incidencia que este ha tenido en la producción de textos de cultura en América Latina. No obstante, al plantearse de esa manera, el tema resulta excesivamente amplio; por ello nos ocuparemos con más detalle de los discursos del yo; de las autofiguraciones y del abordaje de dicho cronotopo en Mario Vargas Llosa, Alfredo Bryce Echenique, Carlos Franqui y Beatriz Sarlo.
Escenas decibles, escenas indecibles: raza y sexualidad en Gilberto Freyre
Authors: Avelar Idelber
Published: February 2018

Este artículo aborda la intersección entre raza y sexualidad en Casa grande e senzala y Sobrados e mucambos de Gilberto Freyre. Tras una introducción que delinea cómo la sexualidad permea todo el cuerpo político en estos trabajos, procedo a mostrar la naturaleza fluida y porosa de la frontera entre homo y heterosexualidad en la escritura de Freyre. Enseguida, paso a la discusión de la asimetría de representación de las relaciones sexuales interraciales en Freyre. Concluyo sugiriendo que ese escenario indecible ofrece una entrada al inconsciente de la trilogía de Freyre sobre el Brasil patriarcal.
Género, violencia sexual y delito en Carne de perra de Fátima Sime
Authors: Llanos M. Bernardita
Published: February 2018

Este artículo traza una lectura de la novela Carne de perra (2009), de la chilena Fátima Sime. La prosa de Sime indaga sobre los escenarios de justicia y reparación (im)posibles a los que se enfrenta una mujer víctima del repertorio de torturas que la DINA deparaba a las disidentes (abuso sexual). A partir del texto de Sime, el artículo elabora una crítica, de alcance más amplio, a la ideología patriarcal y a las formas en que esta subyace a la democracia posdictatorial. Carne de perra ¾se concluye aquí¾ es, tal vez, el relato más osado de la literatura chilena reciente por cuanto pone en escena los pliegues de un sistema judicial cuyos ojos permanecen vendados ante el cuerpo de las mujeres.
Redes queer: escritoras, artistas y mecenas en la primera mitad del siglo XX
Authors: Cabello Hutt Claudia
Published: February 2018

A partir de la lectura del epistolario de Anna Melissa Graves, este trabajo recompone la relación de complicidad entre la escultora chilena Laura Rodig y la, hasta ahora desconocida “mecenas”, Consuelo Lemetayer. De manera específica, esta indagación de archivo analiza las redes queer de cooperación transnacional y transatlántica en las que participan estas intelectuales y artistas de la primera mitad del siglo XX. De manera general, el análisis contribuye a la reconstrucción, cuando menos parcial, de una historia cultural de mujeres escamoteadas por las memorias nacionales hegemónicas.
Relatos visuales misionales de los cuerpos indígenas: vergüenza y civilización en Chocó, Colombia 1909-1930
Authors: Martínez Alexandra
Published: February 2018

En este artículo se analizan retratos fotográficos tomados a la población indígena de la comunidad embera (catío y chamí), habitante del Chocó, que fue objeto de evangelización por parte de la Misión del Inmaculado Corazón de María, las Hermanas de la Presentación (Quibdó) y las Siervas del Santísimo Sacramento (Istmina) desde comienzos del siglo XX. A partir de imágenes, de narrativas de la misión y de cifras de estadísticas disponibles en las fuentes primarias, se identifican y analizan los significados que los misioneros dieron al proceso de civilización a través de la evangelización.
Effect of ion energies on the film properties of titanium dioxides synthesized via plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition
Authors: Iwashita Shinya , Moriya Tsuyoshi , Kikuchi Takamichi , Kagaya Munehito , Noro Naotaka , Hasegawa Toshio , Uedono Akira
Published: February 2018

A plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition process for synthesizing titanium dioxide (TiO2) films, which allows the film properties to be modified by tuning the ion energies of the discharges, was performed. The films were deposited via the oxidation of titanium tetrachloride in a typical capacitively coupled radio frequency (CCRF) discharge in argon/oxygen mixtures at a low temperature of 100 °C, resulting in all the films synthesized being amorphous. The energy distributions of ions hitting on the lower electrode (wafer surface) in the CCRF discharges were varied by tuning the impedance of the lower electrode, aimed at controlling the film properties. The wet etching rate of TiO2 films shows a clear correlation with the mean ion energy, 〈εi〉, i.e., a higher 〈εi〉 realizes a higher value of the wet etching rate. The variation of the film properties is explained by a change in the balance between the ion bombardment and the oxidation; the former is greatly affected by 〈εi〉, whereas the latter is mainly determined by radio frequency (RF) power. In a high 〈εi〉 condition, the bombardment of high energetic ions is pronounced, resulting in the formation of fine pores in the films, which was confirmed by physical analyses such as positron annihilation spectroscopy. In this study, the dependence of CCRF discharges as well as the film properties on RF power is also discussed.
Characterization of natural photonic crystals in iridescent wings of damselfly Chalcopteryx rutilans by FIB/SEM, TEM, and TOF-SIMS
Authors: Carr David M. , Ellsworth Ashley A. , Fisher Gregory L. , Valeriano Wescley W. , Vasco Juan P. , Guimarães Paulo S. S. , de Andrade Rodrigo R. , da Silva Elizabeth R. , Rodrigues Wagner N.
Published: February 2018

The iridescent wings of the Chalcopterix rutilans damselfly (Rambur) (Odonata, Polythoridae) are investigated with focused ion beam/scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry. The electron microscopy images reveal a natural photonic crystal as the source of the varying colors. The photonic crystal has a consistent number and thickness (∼195 nm) of the repeat units on the ventral side of the wing, which is consistent with the red color visible from the bottom side of the wing in all regions. The dorsal side of the wing shows strong color variations ranging from red to blue depending on the region. In the electron microscopy images, the dorsal side of the wing exhibits varied number and thicknesses of the repeat units. The repeat unit spacings for the red, yellow/green, and blue regions are approximately 195, 180, and 145 nm, respectively. Three-dimensional analysis of the natural photonic crystals by time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry reveals that changes in the relative levels of Na, K, and eumelanin are responsible for the varying dielectric constant needed to generate the photonic crystal. The photonic crystal also appears to be assembled with a chemical tricomponent layer structure due to the enhancement of the CH6N3+ species at every other interface between the high/low dielectric constant layers.
Across-channel interaural-level-difference processing demonstrates frequency dependence
Authors: Goupell Matthew J. , Stakhovskaya Olga A.
Published: February 2018

Accurate localization of complex sounds involves combining interaural information across frequencies to produce a single location percept. Interaural level differences (ILDs) are highly frequency dependent and it is unclear how the auditory system combines differing ILDs across frequency. Therefore, ILD just noticeable differences (JNDs) and intracranial lateralization were measured in young normal-hearing listeners using single- and multi-band stimuli. The bands were 300-ms, 10-Hz narrowband noises; the multi-band condition had three bands; they started and ended synchronously; they were located around three different frequency regions (750, 2000, or 4000 Hz); they had five different frequency separations that ranged from unresolved to resolved; the bands were dichotic with the same non-zero ILD (targets) or were diotic with zero ILD (interferers). Results showed single-band ILD JNDs were marginally frequency dependent. If unresolved diotic interferers were added, ILD JNDs increased greatly because of interaural decorrelation. If well-resolved diotic interferers were added, ILD JNDs were frequency dependent and the worst performance occurred when targets were near 1000 or 4000 Hz. This frequency dependence might be partially explained by ILD vs azimuth non-monotonicities for free-field sound sources in this frequency region. These results suggest that binaural processing models need revision for the processing of complex sounds.
Efferent-induced alterations in distortion and reflection otoacoustic emissions in children
Authors: Mishra Srikanta K. , Biswal Milan , Amatya Anup
Published: February 2018

The medial olivocochlear efferent fibers control outer hair cell responses and inhibit the cochlear-amplifier gain. Measuring efferent function is both theoretically and clinically relevant. In humans, medial efferent inhibition can be assayed via otoacoustic emissions (OAEs). OAEs arise by two fundamentally different mechanisms—nonlinear distortion and coherent reflection. Distortion and reflection emissions are typically applied in isolation for studying the efferent inhibition. Such an approach inadvertently assumes that efferent-induced shifts in distortion and reflection emissions provide redundant information. In this study, efferent-induced shifts in distortion and reflection emissions (click-evoked and stimulus frequency OAEs) were measured in the same subjects—5- to 10-yr-old children. Consistent with the OAE generation theory, efferent-induced shifts in distortion and reflection emissions did not correlate, whereas the two reflection emission shifts correlated. This suggests that using either OAE types provides fragmented information on efferent inhibition and highlights the need to use both distortion and reflection emissions for describing efferent effects.
Histogram equalization with Bayesian estimation for noise robust speech recognition
Authors: Suh Youngjoo , Kim Hoirin
Published: February 2018

The histogram equalization approach is an efficient feature normalization technique for noise robust automatic speech recognition. However, it suffers from performance degradation when some fundamental conditions are not satisfied in the test environment. To remedy these limitations of the original histogram equalization methods, class-based histogram equalization approach has been proposed. Although this approach showed substantial performance improvement under noise environments, it still suffers from performance degradation due to the overfitting problem when test data are insufficient. To address this issue, the proposed histogram equalization technique employs the Bayesian estimation method in the test cumulative distribution function estimation. It was reported in a previous study conducted on the Aurora-4 task that the proposed approach provided substantial performance gains in speech recognition systems based on the acoustic modeling of the Gaussian mixture model-hidden Markov model. In this work, the proposed approach was examined in speech recognition systems with deep neural network-hidden Markov model (DNN-HMM), the current mainstream speech recognition approach where it also showed meaningful performance improvement over the conventional maximum likelihood estimation-based method. The fusion of the proposed features with the mel-frequency cepstral coefficients provided additional performance gains in DNN-HMM systems, which otherwise suffer from performance degradation in the clean test condition.
Minimising the Risk of Coach Burnout: From Research to Practice
Authors: Altfeld Sebastian , Schaffran Paul , Kleinert Jens , Kellmann Michael
Published: February 2018

Paid coaches have to regularly deal with a range of potential stressors in the workplace. These stressors may include emotional and physical demands caused by the complex nature of coaching work. Many coaches have developed useful strategies to cope with these demands. Nevertheless, unexpected changes within the dynamic environment in which they typically operate (e.g., injury, public scrutiny, social media), problems with members of the board or management, continuous negative performance results, or personal factors may challenge the adequacy of coaches’ coping mechanisms. This inability to cope with these stresses can lead to a state of chronic stress. If that state manifests permanently, it can result in a state of emotional exhaustion, ultimately leading to coach burnout. The aim of this article is to define the burnout phenomenon and to provide a clear description of the triggering factors. Furthermore, ideas are presented to guide how coaches can protect themselves and how officials (club or association management) can reduce coaches’ burnout.
Hepatitis B Virus DNA Integration Occurs Early in the Viral Life Cycle in an
In Vitro
Infection Model via Sodium Taurocholate Cotransporting Polypeptide-Dependent Uptake of Enveloped Virus Particles
Authors: Tu Thomas , Budzinska Magdalena A. , Vondran Florian W. R. , Shackel Nicholas A. , Urban Stephan
Published: February 2018

Chronic infection by hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the major contributor to liver disease worldwide. Though HBV replicates via a nuclear episomal DNA (covalently closed circular DNA [cccDNA]), integration of HBV DNA into the host cell genome is regularly observed in the liver in infected patients. While reported as a prooncogenic alteration, the mechanism(s) and timing of HBV DNA integration are not well understood, chiefly due to the lack of
in vitro
infection models that have detectable integration events. In this study, we have established an
in vitro
system in which integration can be reliably detected following HBV infection. We measured HBV DNA integration using inverse nested PCR in primary human hepatocytes, HepaRG-NTCP, HepG2-NTCP, and Huh7-NTCP cells after HBV infection. Integration was detected in all cell types at a rate of >1 per 10,000 cells, with the most consistent detection in Huh7-NTCP cells. The integration rate remained stable between 3 and 9 days postinfection. HBV DNA integration was efficiently blocked by treatment with a 200 nM concentration of the HBV entry inhibitor Myrcludex B, but not with 10 μM tenofovir, 100 U of interferon alpha, or a 1 μM concentration of the capsid assembly inhibitor GLS4. This suggests that integration of HBV DNA occurs immediately after infection of hepatocytes and is likely independent of
de novo
HBV genome replication in this model. Site analysis revealed that HBV DNA integrations were distributed over the entire human genome. Further, integrated HBV DNA sequences were consistent with double-stranded linear HBV DNA being the major precursor. Thus, we have established an
in vitro
system to interrogate the mechanisms of HBV DNA integration.

IMPORTANCE
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a common blood-borne pathogen and, following a chronic infection, can cause liver cancer and liver cirrhosis. Integration of HBV DNA into the host genome occurs in all known members of the
Hepadnaviridae
family, despite this form not being necessary for viral replication. HBV DNA integration has been reported to drive liver cancer formation and persistence of virus infection. However, when and the mechanism(s) by which HBV DNA integration occurs are not clear. In this study, we have developed and characterized an
in vitro
system to reliably detect HBV DNA integrations that result from a true HBV infection event and that closely resemble those found in patient tissues. Using this model, we showed that integration occurs when the infection is first established. Importantly, we provide here a system to analyze molecular factors involved in HBV integration, which can be used to develop strategies to halt its formation.
Immunogenicity of NYVAC Prime-Protein Boost Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Envelope Vaccination and Simian-Human Immunodeficiency Virus Challenge of Nonhuman Primates
Authors: Saunders Kevin O. , Santra Sampa , Parks Robert , Yates Nicole L. , Sutherland Laura L. , Scearce Richard M. , Balachandran Harikrishnan , Bradley Todd , Goodman Derrick , Eaton Amanda , Stanfield-Oakley Sherry A. , Tartaglia James , Phogat Sanjay , Pantaleo Giuseppe , Esteban Mariano , Gomez Carmen E. , Perdiguero Beatriz , Jacobs Bertram , Kibler Karen , Korber Bette , Montefiori David C. , Ferrari Guido , Vandergrift Nathan , Liao Hua-Xin , Tomaras Georgia D. , Haynes Barton F.
Published: February 2018

A preventive human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) vaccine is an essential part of the strategy to eradicate AIDS. A critical question is whether antibodies that do not neutralize primary isolate (tier 2) HIV-1 strains can protect from infection. In this study, we investigated the ability of an attenuated poxvirus vector (NYVAC) prime-envelope gp120 boost to elicit potentially protective antibody responses in a rhesus macaque model of mucosal simian-human immunodeficiency virus (SHIV) infection. NYVAC vector delivery of a group M consensus envelope, trivalent mosaic envelopes, or a natural clade B isolate B.1059 envelope elicited antibodies that mediated neutralization of tier 1 viruses, cellular cytotoxicity, and phagocytosis. None of the macaques made neutralizing antibodies against the tier 2 SHIV SF162P3 used for mucosal challenge. Significant protection from infection was not observed for the three groups of vaccinated macaques compared to unvaccinated macaques, although binding antibody to HIV-1 Env correlated with decreased viremia after challenge. Thus, NYVAC Env prime-gp120 boost vaccination elicited polyfunctional, nonneutralizing antibody responses with minimal protective activity against tier 2 SHIV mucosal challenge.

IMPORTANCE
The antibody responses that confer protection against HIV-1 infection remain unknown. Polyfunctional antibody responses correlated with time to infection in previous macaque studies. Determining the ability of vaccines to induce these types of responses is critical for understanding how to improve upon the one efficacious human HIV-1 vaccine trial completed thus far. We characterized the antibody responses induced by a NYVAC-protein vaccine and determined the protective capacity of polyfunctional antibody responses in an R5, tier 2 mucosal SHIV infection model.
Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Dramatically Alters Loading and Positioning of RNA Polymerase II on Host Genes Early in Infection
Authors: Birkenheuer Claire H. , Danko Charles G. , Baines Joel D.
Published: February 2018

Herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) transcription is mediated by cellular RNA polymerase II (Pol II). Recent studies investigating how Pol II transcription of host genes is altered after HSV-1 are conflicting. Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) studies suggest that Pol II is almost completely removed from host genes at 4 h postinfection (hpi), while 4-thiouridine (4SU) labeling experiments show that host transcription termination is extended at 7 hpi, implying that a significant amount of Pol II remains associated with host genes in infected cells. To address this discrepancy, we used precision nuclear run-on analysis (PRO-seq) to determine the location of Pol II to single-base-pair resolution in combination with quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis at 3 hpi. HSV-1 decreased Pol II on approximately two-thirds of cellular genes but increased Pol II on others. For more than 85% of genes for which transcriptional termination could be statistically assessed, Pol II was displaced to positions downstream of the normal termination zone, suggesting extensive termination defects. Pol II amounts at the promoter, promoter-proximal pause site, and gene body were also modulated in a gene-specific manner. qRT-PCR of selected RNAs showed that HSV-1-induced extension of the termination zone strongly correlated with decreased RNA and mRNA accumulation. However, HSV-1-induced increases of Pol II occupancy on genes without termination zone extension correlated with increased cytoplasmic mRNA. Functional grouping of genes with increased Pol II occupancy suggested an upregulation of exosome secretion and downregulation of apoptosis, both of which are potentially beneficial to virus production.

IMPORTANCE
This study provides a map of RNA polymerase II location on host genes after infection with HSV-1 with greater detail than previous ChIP-seq studies and rectifies discrepancies between ChIP-seq data and 4SU labeling experiments with HSV-1. The data show the effects that a given change in RNA Pol II location on host genes has on the abundance of different RNA types, including nuclear, polyadenylated mRNA and cytoplasmic, polyadenylated mRNA. It gives a clearer understanding of how HSV-1 augments host transcription of some genes to provide an environment favorable to HSV-1 replication.
Adjustments to Photosystem Stoichiometry and Electron Transfer Proteins Are Key to the Remarkably Fast Growth of the Cyanobacterium
Synechococcus elongatus
UTEX 2973
Authors: Ungerer Justin , Lin Po-Cheng , Chen Hui-Yuan , Pakrasi Himadri B.
Published: February 2018

At the genome level,
Synechococcus elongatus
UTEX 2973 (
Synechococcus
2973) is nearly identical to the model cyanobacterium
Synechococcus elongatus
PCC 7942 (
Synechococcus
7942) with only 55 single nucleotide differences separating the two strains. Despite the high similarity between the two strains,
Synechococcus
2973 grows three times faster, accumulates significantly more glycogen, is tolerant to extremely high light intensities, and displays higher photosynthetic rates. The high homology between the two strains provides a unique opportunity to examine the factors that lead to increased photosynthetic rates. We compared the photophysiology of the two strains and determined the differences in
Synechococcus
2973 that lead to increased photosynthetic rates and the concomitant increase in biomass production. In this study, we identified inefficiencies in the electron transport chain of
Synechococcus
7942 that have been alleviated in
Synechococcus
2973. Photosystem II (PSII) capacity is the same in both strains. However,
Synechococcus
2973 exhibits a 1.6-fold increase in PSI content, a 1.5-fold increase in cytochrome
b
6
f
content, and a 2.4-fold increase in plastocyanin content on a per cell basis. The increased content of electron carriers allows a higher flux of electrons through the photosynthetic electron transport chain, while the increased PSI content provides more oxidizing power to maintain upstream carriers ready to accept electrons. These changes serve to increase the photosynthetic efficiency of
Synechococcus
2973, the fastest growing cyanobacterium known.

IMPORTANCE
As the global population increases, the amount of arable land continues to decrease. To prevent a looming food crisis, crop productivity per acre must increase. A promising target for improving crop productivity is increasing the photosynthetic rates in crop plants. Cyanobacteria serve as models for higher plant photosynthetic systems and are an important test bed for improvements in photosynthetic productivity. In this study, we identified key factors that lead to improved photosynthetic efficiency and increased production of biomass of a cyanobacterium. We suggest that the findings presented herein will give direction to improvements that may be made in other photosynthetic organisms to improve photosynthetic efficiency.
Population exposure to smoking and tobacco branding in the UK reality show ‘Love Island’
Authors: Barker Alexander B , Opazo Breton Magdalena , Cranwell Jo , Britton John , Murray Rachael L
Published: February 2018

Background

Reality television shows are popular with children and young adults; inclusion of tobacco imagery in these programmes is likely to cause smoking in these groups. Series 3 of the UK reality show Love Island, broadcast in 2017, attracted widespread media criticism for high levels of smoking depicted. We have quantified this tobacco content and estimated the UK population exposure to generic and branded tobacco imagery generated by the show.

Methods

We used 1-min interval coding to quantify actual or implied tobacco use, tobacco paraphernalia or branding, in alternate episodes of series 3 of Love Island, and Census data and viewing figures from Kantar Media to estimate gross and per capita tobacco impressions.

Results

We coded 21 episodes comprising 1001 min of content. Tobacco imagery occurred in 204 (20%) intervals; the frequency of appearances fell significantly after media criticism. An identifiable cigarette brand, Lucky Strike Double Click, appeared in 16 intervals. The 21 episodes delivered an estimated 559 million gross tobacco impressions to the UK population, predominantly to women, including 47 million to children aged <16 and 44 million gross impressions of Lucky Strike branding, including 4 million to children <16.

Conclusion

Despite advertising legislation and broadcasting regulations intended to protect children from smoking imagery in UK television, series 3 of Love Island delivered millions of general and branded tobacco impressions both to children and adults in the UK. More stringent controls on tobacco content in television programmes are urgently needed.
Calculating metabolic energy expenditure across a wide range of exercise intensities: the equation matters
Authors: Kipp Shalaya , Byrnes William C. , Kram Rodger
Published: February 2018

We compared 10 published equations for calculating energy expenditure from oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production using data for 10 high-caliber male distance runners over a wide range of running velocities. We found up to a 5.2% difference in calculated metabolic rate between 2 widely used equations. We urge our fellow researchers abandon out-of-date equations with published acknowledgments of errors or inappropriate biochemical/physical assumptions.
Correlation of acoustic emissions with patterns of movement in an extremely slow-moving landslide at Peace River, Alberta, Canada
Authors: Berg Nancy , Smith Alister , Russell Shawn , Dixon Neil , Proudfoot Don , Take W. Andy
Published: February 2018

The Peace River region, Alberta, Canada, has experienced extensive landslide activity since deglaciation. Shear zones within weak lacustrine silt and clay layers typically experience continuous creep, damaging highway and utilities infrastructure. However, occasionally, movement accelerates and potentially catastrophic failures occur. Conventional deformation monitoring approaches provide incremental measurements with low temporal resolution and do not necessarily allow rapid changes in stability to be detected and communicated sufficiently in advance to provide early warning. The study objectives were to (i) acquire a long-term dataset of continuous deformation measurements with high temporal resolution of a case study slope in Peace River, (ii) enhance understanding of a typical creeping Peace River slope’s behavior in response to climatic drivers, and (iii) investigate the potential of an acoustic emission (AE) monitoring system to provide early warning of accelerating deformation behavior. ShapeAccelArray (SAA) and AE instruments were installed, in addition to conventional inclinometers and piezometers. Measurements show that the landslide is “extremely slow”, moving on average 5 mm annually, and reveal seasonal activity with periods of acceleration and deceleration driven by pore-water pressures. Measured AE correlated strongly with the rate and magnitude of SAA-measured displacement, demonstrating the potential of the AE technique to warn of accelerating deformation behavior.
The complete mitochondrial genome of the Dutch elm disease fungus Ophiostoma novo-ulmi subsp. novo-ulmi
Authors: Abboud Talal George , Zubaer Abdullah , Wai Alvan , Hausner Georg
Published: February 2018

Ophiostoma novo-ulmi, a member of the Ophiostomatales (Ascomycota), is the causal agent of the current Dutch elm disease pandemic in Europe and North America. The complete mitochondrial genome (mtDNA) of Ophiostoma novo-ulmi subsp. novo-ulmi, the European component of O. novo-ulmi, has been sequenced and annotated. Gene order (synteny) among the currently available members of the Ophiostomatales was examined and appears to be conserved, and mtDNA size variability among the Ophiostomatales is due in part to the presence of introns and their encoded open reading frames. Phylogenetic analysis of concatenated mitochondrial protein-coding genes yielded phylogenetic estimates for various members of the Ophiostomatales, with strong statistical support showing that mtDNA analysis may provide valuable insights into the evolution of the Ophiostomatales.
Alternative splicing results in a lack of starch synthase IIa-D in Chinese wheat landrace
Authors: Zhou Yan-Jie , Yang Qiang , Zhong Xiao-Juan , Tang Hua-Ping , Deng Mei , Ma Jian , Qi Peng-Fei , Wang Ji-Rui , Chen Guo-Yue , Liu Ya-Xi , Lu Zhen-Xiang , Li Wei , Lan Xiu-Jin , Wei Yu-Ming , Zheng You-Liang , Jiang Qian-Tao
Published: February 2018

We evaluated the SGP-1 protein composition of 368 Chinese wheat landraces using SDS-PAGE. The SGP-D1 null type was identified in three accessions (Xiaoqingmang, Pushanbamai, and P119). An 18-bp deletion and 9-bp variation were found at the junction region of the 7th intron and 8th exon, leading to deletion of the intron–exon junction recognition site AG when aligned the 8261-bp DNA sequence of TaSSIIa-D in Pushanbamai with that of Chinese Spring. Four cDNA types with mis-spliced isoforms were subsequently detected through amplification of TaSSIIa-D cDNAs. Among these, nine type II cDNAs with a 16-bp deletion in the 8th exon were detected, indicating that the major transcriptional pattern of TaSSIIa in Pushanbamai is type II. In the type IV cDNA, a 97-bp sequence remains undeleted in the end of the 5th exon. The amylose content in Pushanbamai was significantly higher than that in all control lines under field conditions, which suggested that deletion of SGP-D1 has an efficient impact on amylose content. As the TaSSIIa gene plays an important role in regulating the content of amylose, it is anticipated that these natural variants of TaSSIIa-D will provide useful resources for quality improvement in wheat.
Deguelin Impairs Cell Adhesion, Migration and Invasion of Human Lung Cancer Cells through the NF-κB Signaling Pathways
Authors: Hsiao Yung-Ting , Fan Ming-Jen , Huang An-Cheng , Lien Jin-Cherng , Lin Jen-Jyh , Chen Jaw-Chyun , Hsia Te-Chun , Wu Rick Sai-Chuen , Chung Jing-Gung
Published: February 2018

Deguelin, a rotenoid, is isolated from a natural plant species, and has biological activities including antitumor function. In the present study, we investigated the effect of deguelin on the cell adhesion, migration and invasion of NCI-H292 human lung cancer cells in vitro. Cell viability was analyzed by using flow cytometer. Cell adhesion was determined by using the cell-matrix adhesion assay. Wound healing assay was used to examine cell migration. Cell migration and invasion were investigated using a Boyden chamber assay. The protein expression was measured by Western blotting and confocal laser microscopy. The electrophoretic mobility shift assay was used to measure NF-[Formula: see text]B p65 binding to DNA.We selected the concentrations of deguelin at 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, 2.0 and 2.5[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]M and we found that those concentrations of deguelin did not induce significant cytotoxic effects on NCI-H292 cells. Thus, we selected those concentrations of deguelin for metastasis assay. We found that deguelin inhibited cell adhesion, migration and invasion in dose-dependent manners that was assayed by wound healing and transwell methods, respectively. Deguelin decreased the expression of MMP-2/-9, SOS 1, Rho A, p-AKT (Thr308), p-ERK1/2, p-p38, p-JNK, NF-[Formula: see text]B (p65) and uPA in NCI-H292 cells. Deguelin suppressed the expression of PI3K, SOS 1, NF-[Formula: see text]B (p65), but did not significantly affect PKC and Ras in the nuclei of NCI-H292 cells that were confirmed by confocal laser microscopy. We suggest that deguelin may be used as a novel anticancer metastasis of lung cancer in the future.
Adjoint twisted Alexander polynomial of twisted Whitehead links
Authors: Nguyen Hoang-An , Tran Anh T.
Published: February 2018

The adjoint twisted Alexander polynomial has been computed for twist knots [A. Tran, Twisted Alexander polynomials with the adjoint action for some classes of knots, J. Knot Theory Ramifications 23(10) (2014) 1450051], genus one two-bridge knots [A. Tran, Adjoint twisted Alexander polynomials of genus one two-bridge knots, J. Knot Theory Ramifications 25(10) (2016) 1650065] and the Whitehead link [J. Dubois and Y. Yamaguchi, Twisted Alexander invariant and nonabelian Reidemeister torsion for hyperbolic three dimensional manifolds with cusps, Preprint (2009), arXiv:0906.1500 ]. In this paper, we compute the adjoint twisted Alexander polynomial and nonabelian Reidemeister torsion of twisted Whitehead links.
Study of conformally flat polytropes with tilted congruence
Authors: Sharif M. , Sadiq Sobia
Published: February 2018

This paper is aimed to study the modeling of spherically symmetric spacetime in the presence of anisotropic dissipative fluid configuration. This is accomplished for an observer moving relative to matter content using two cases of polytropic equation-of-state under conformally flat condition. We formulate the corresponding generalized Tolman–Oppenheimer–Volkoff equation, mass equation, as well as energy conditions for both cases. The conformally flat condition is imposed to find an expression for anisotropy which helps to study spherically symmetric polytropes. Finally, Tolman mass is used to analyze stability of the resulting models.
THE EFFECT OF ANNEALING PRESSURE AND TIME ON THE CRYSTALLINITY OF CZTSe
Authors: KATIRCI RAMAZAN , WALLS JOHN MICHAEL
Published: February 2018

In this study, the effect of annealing pressure and time on the homogeneity and the formation of kesternite (Cu2ZnSnSe4; CZTSe) structure was investigated. The deposition of CZTSe coating was carried out using an electroplating method. The morphology and crystal structure of the coating were investigated using SEM–EDS, XRD and Raman spectroscopy. CZTSe films with optimized crystallinity and uniformity were obtained using an annealing process performed at 10 Torr for 1[Formula: see text]h. The use of lower pressures increases the crystallinity and the purity of CZTSe film and decreases the density of secondary phases and the annealing time provides an additional benefit.
Tensor products and direct limits of almost Cohen–Macaulay modules
Authors: Ionescu Cristodor , Tabejamaat Samaneh
Published: February 2018

We investigate the almost Cohen–Macaulay property and the Serre-type condition [Formula: see text] for noetherian algebras and modules. More precisely, we find permanence properties of these conditions with respect to tensor products and direct limits.
Purity over Prüfer v-multiplication domains, II
Authors: Xing Shiqi , Wang Fanggui
Published: February 2018

It is well known in [Absolutely pure modules, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 26 (1970) 561–566, Theorem 6] that a domain [Formula: see text] is a Prüfer domain if and only if every divisible [Formula: see text]-module is absolutely pure, where an [Formula: see text]-module [Formula: see text] is called absolutely pure if [Formula: see text] for every finitely presented [Formula: see text]-module [Formula: see text]. In this paper, we extend this result to Prüfer [Formula: see text]-multiplication domains (P[Formula: see text]MDs). To do this, comparing with [An Introduction to Homological Algebra, 2nd edn. (Springer, Science+Business Media, LLC, New York, 2009), Theorem 3.69], we firstly give homological characterizations of [Formula: see text]-purity, and we introduce the concept of absolutely [Formula: see text]-pure modules over commutative rings with zero divisors. Finally, we prove that a domain [Formula: see text] is a P[Formula: see text]MD if and only if every divisible [Formula: see text]-module is absolutely [Formula: see text]-pure, and compare absolutely [Formula: see text]-purity with absolutely purity by giving an example.
The generalized Auslander–Reiten duality on an exact category
Authors: Jiao Pengjie
Published: February 2018

We introduce a notion of generalized Auslander–Reiten duality on a Hom-finite Krull–Schmidt exact category [Formula: see text]. This duality induces the generalized Auslander–Reiten translation functors [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. They are mutually quasi-inverse equivalences between the stable categories of two full subcategories [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] of [Formula: see text]. A non-projective indecomposable object lies in the domain of [Formula: see text] if and only if it appears as the third term of an almost split conflation; dually, a non-injective indecomposable object lies in the domain of [Formula: see text] if and only if it appears as the first term of an almost split conflation. We study the generalized Auslander–Reiten duality on the category of finitely presented representations of locally finite interval-finite quivers.
The first non-isomorphic local cohomology modules with respect to their ideals
Authors: Fathi Ali
Published: February 2018

Let [Formula: see text] be ideals of a commutative Noetherian ring [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] be a finitely generated [Formula: see text]-module. By using filter regular sequences, we show that the infimum of integers [Formula: see text] such that the local cohomology modules [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are not isomorphic is equal to the infimum of the depths of [Formula: see text]-modules [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] runs over all prime ideals of [Formula: see text] containing only one of the ideals [Formula: see text]. In particular, these local cohomology modules are isomorphic for all integers [Formula: see text] if and only if [Formula: see text]. As an application of this result, we prove that for a positive integer [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] is Artinian for all [Formula: see text] if and only if, it can be represented as a finite direct sum of [Formula: see text] local cohomology modules of [Formula: see text] with respect to some maximal ideals in [Formula: see text] for any [Formula: see text]. These representations are unique when they are minimal with respect to inclusion.