bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Putative effector genes detected in Fusarium oxysporum from natural ecosystems of Australia
Authors: Rocha L. O. , Laurence M. H. , Ludowici V. A. , Puno V. I. , Lim C. C. , Tesoriero L. A. , Summerell B. A. , Liew E. C. Y.
Published: October 2015

The Fusarium oxysporum species complex (FOSC) causes disease in plants and animals, but is also widely dispersed in natural ecosystems without evidence of disease. The present study screened a population representing natural ecosystems across the Australian continent for the putative effector genes pisatin demethylase 1 (PDA1), pectate lyase (pelD), secreted gene expression (SGE1) and secreted in xylem (SIX). The genes pelD and SGE1 were prevalent in the natural isolates, PDA1 was present at an intermediate level, whereas SIX genes were detected at low levels. Phylogenies of these putative effector genes were compared to the EF‐1α species phylogeny to determine the likely modes of gene transmission: vertical gene transfer (VGT) and horizontal gene transfer (HGT). There was evidence of both modes of gene transmission within the F. oxysporum isolates. PDA1, pelD and SGE1 were likely to be only vertically inherited, whereas the SIX genes had evidence for both VGT and HGT. The phylogenetic relationships of SIX genes in isolates from natural ecosystems and formae speciales from agro‐ecosystems were also established. These findings have important implications for the evolution of effectors in the FOSC.
Rootstock–scion interaction affecting citrus response to CTV infection: a proteomic view
Authors: Laino Paolo , Russo Maria P. , Guardo Maria , Reforgiato‐Recupero Giuseppe , Valè Giampiero , Cattivelli Luigi , Moliterni Vita M.C.
Published: October 2015

Citrus tristeza virus (CTV) is the causal agent of various diseases with dramatic effects on citrus crops worldwide. Most Citrus species, grown on their own roots, are symptomless hosts for many CTV isolates. However, depending on different scion–rootstock combination, CTV infection should result in distinct syndromes, being ‘tristeza’ the more severe one, leading to a complete decline of the susceptible plants in a few weeks. Transcriptomic analyses revealed several genes involved either in defense response, or systemic acquired resistance, as well as transcription factors and components of the phosphorylation cascades, to be differentially regulated during CTV infection in Citrus aurantifolia species. To date little is known about the molecular mechanism of this host–pathogen interaction, and about the rootstock effect on citrus response to CTV infection. In this work, the response to CTV infection has been investigated in tolerant and susceptible scion–rootstock combinations by two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis (2DE). A total of 125 protein spots have been found to be differently accumulated and/or phosphorylated between the two rootstock combinations. Downregulation in tolerant plants upon CTV infection was detected for proteins involved in reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging and defense response, suggesting a probable acclimation response able to minimize the systemic effects of virus infection. Some of these proteins resulted to be modulated also in absence of virus infection, revealing a rootstock effect on scion proteome modulation. Moreover, the phospho‐modulation of proteins involved in ROS scavenging and defense response, further supports their involvement either in scion–rootstock crosstalk or in the establishment of tolerance/susceptibility to CTV infection.
Catching a Second Wave: Context and Compatibility in Advisory System Dynamics
Authors: Craft Jonathan , Wilder Matt
Published: October 2015

“Policy advisory systems” have been central to moving beyond individual actor considerations to assessments of the interactive effects of multiple interlocking sets of suppliers, in specific jurisdictions, that provide policy advice to policymakers. This article argues, while useful, the advisory system concept should be revised given that previous approaches animated by the location of supply and government control over it have been weakened. We argue for a “second wave” of advisory system studies that: (1) reorients the unit of analysis from the public service to advisory systems themselves, (2) better contextualizes advisory system operation and dynamics based on the subsystems within which they operate, and (3) focuses on questions of why advisory system components combine in particular policy instances and with what effect. Using access and compatibility, we posit a typology of policy advisory networks and develop four archetypes of policy ideational compatibility.
Putting Together the Pieces of the Puzzle: Explaining German Labor Market Reforms with a Modified Multiple‐Streams Approach
Authors: Zohlnhöfer Reimut
Published: October 2015

This article applies a modified Multiple‐Streams Approach (MSA) to the German Hartz IV labor market reform, probably the most far‐reaching policy project since unification, which many theoretical approaches have substantial difficulties explaining. Empirically, the article provides the first encompassing explanation of the Hartz IV reform by putting together the empirical pieces of the overall puzzle. Theoretically, the article demonstrates that the extension of the MSA by Herweg, Huß, and Zohlnhöfer (HHZ) is fruitful regarding the adaptation of the MSA for decision making and regarding their hypotheses and operational definitions which allow a rigorous empirical analysis and provide the possibility to prove the MSA wrong. In contrast, HHZ's adaptation to parliamentary systems turn out to be less suitable for the case. Moreover, the point at which the political stream is considered to be ready for coupling needs reconsideration. It is argued that it suffices that some key political actors become interested in a proposal; in contrast, the necessary majorities for an adoption of the proposal need not be forthcoming already because these can still be organized during decision‐coupling.
Typology of the patent troll business
Authors: Pohlmann Tim , Opitz Marieke
Published: October 2015

Patent trolls have many faces, since the media uses this expression in various ways. The patent troll phenomenon thus seems to be an ambiguous term that is discussed in several directions. This paper reveals that a patent troll as such has no distinct shape or appearance. Our analysis redeems a troll classification solely from firms’ market position, such as being nonpracticing, and shows that a patent troll business can only be defined by the respective practice to enforce intellectual property rights (IPR). Using 10 case studies, of which five are treated in detail, the analysis reveals a distinct typology of IPR enforcement mechanisms and suggests a framework to assess the troll business and its effects. This paper furthermore identifies the nature of troll behavior to be: (a) a practice to enforce IP rights enabling repayments for earlier innovation investments and (b) a strategy that may create costs to affected industries. The differentiated troll analysis reveals negative but also positive effects of the troll business on incentives to innovate.
Educational Inequality and The Expansion of UK Higher Education
Authors: Blanden Jo , Machin Stephen
Published: October 2015

In this paper we explore changes over time in higher education (HE) participation and attainment between people from richer and poorer family backgrounds during a time period when the UK higher education system expanded at a rapid rate. We use longitudinal data from three time periods to study temporal shifts in HE participation and attainment across parental income groups for children going to university in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. The key finding is a highly policy relevant one, namely that HE expansion has not been equally distributed across people from richer and poorer backgrounds. Rather, it has disproportionately benefited children from relatively rich families. Despite the fact that many more children from higher income backgrounds participated in HE before the recent expansion of the system, the expansion acted to widen participation gaps between rich and poor children. This finding is robust to different measures of education participation and inequality. It also emerges from non‐parametric estimations and from a more detailed econometric model allowing for the sequential nature of education choices with potentially different income associations at different stages of the education sequence.
Compartmentalization: A Window on the Defensive Self
Authors: Thomas Jenna S. , Ditzfeld Christopher P. , Showers Carolin J.
Published: October 2015

Most people hold both positive and negative beliefs about themselves. The way individuals organize, or structure, these beliefs in their self‐concepts can facilitate realistic acceptance and confrontation of negative self‐beliefs (integration), or defensive avoidance and denial of negative self‐beliefs (compartmentalization). This article focuses on the distinction between individuals with a realistic, secure self and a defensive, fragile self. We present evidence that compartmentalization is associated with several indicators of a defensive, fragile self, such as contingent self‐esteem and unstable self‐evaluations. In addition, individuals with this structure are likely to engage in defensive processes that enhance or protect the self. This model of self‐organization can provide a window on the defensive self, allowing researchers to observe the process by which individuals think about and defensively avoid negative self‐beliefs.
Aversive for Me, Wrong for You: First‐person Behavioral Aversions Underlie the Moral Condemnation of Harm
Authors: Miller Ryan , Cushman Fiery
Published: October 2015

Many studies attest to the critical role of affect in the condemnation of harmful actions, but few attempt to identify the precise representations underlying this affective response. We propose a distinction between two potential sources of affect: an aversion to the negative outcomes of an action versus an aversion grounded in the action itself. Whereas previous models have focused on outcome‐oriented processes (e.g. empathy and victim perspective‐taking), we argue that moral judgment is also strongly influenced by action‐based aversions. Specifically, we propose that individuals engage in a process of ‘evaluative simulation’ when judging others, imagining how much it would bother them to perform the same action. Furthermore, we present evidence that this aversion can be based in superficial sensory or motor properties of the action. We consider how such ‘action aversions’ might be acquired, and we highlight important areas for future research.
Beginning Secondary Science Teachers' Conceptualization and Enactment of Inquiry‐Based Instruction
Authors: Ozel Murat , Luft Julie A.
Published: October 2015

This study investigates the conceptions and use of inquiry during classroom instruction among beginning secondary science teachers. The 44 participants were beginning secondary science teachers in their first year of teaching. In order to capture the participants' conceptions of inquiry, the teachers were interviewed and observed during the school year. The interviews consisted of questions about inquiry instruction, while the observations documented the teachers' use of inquiry. All of the interviews were transcribed or coded in order to understand the conceptions of inquiry held by the teachers, and all of the observations were analyzed in order to determine the presence of inquiry during the lesson. The standard for assessing inquiry came from the National Science Education Standards. A quantitative analysis of the data indicated that the teachers frequently talked about implementing “scientific questions” and giving “priority to evidence.” This study found a consistency between the way new teachers talked about inquiry and the way they practiced it in their classrooms. Overall, our observations and interviews revealed that the beginning secondary science teachers tended to enact teacher‐centered forms of inquiry, and could benefit from induction programs focused on inquiry instruction.
Low rates of vaccination in listed kidney transplant candidates
Authors: Lee D.H. , Boyle S.M. , Malat G. , Sharma A. , Bias T. , Doyle A.M.
Published: October 2015

Despite clear consensus and strong recommendations, vaccination rates of kidney transplant (KT) recipients have remained below targets. As vaccination is most effective if it is given prior to transplantation and the initiation of immunosuppression, patients should ideally have their vaccination status assessed and optimized in the pre‐transplant period. We performed a retrospective chart review to characterize vaccination rates and factors associated with gaps in vaccination in a single‐center population of waitlisted patients being evaluated for kidney transplantation. We evaluated 362 KT patients. Three‐quarters were receiving dialysis at the time of evaluation. Immunization rates were low with 35.9% of patients having completed vaccination for Pneumococcus, 55% for influenza, 6.9% for zoster, and 2.5% for tetanus. On multivariable analysis, patients who received other vaccines, including influenza, tetanus, or zoster vaccine (odds ratio [OR] 10.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] 5.65–19.71) were more likely to receive pneumococcal vaccine. Blacks (OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.12–0.47) were less likely to receive pneumococcal vaccine compared to whites. Patients on dialysis, and those active on the waiting list were more likely to receive pneumococcal vaccine than other groups (OR 2.81, 95% CI 1.44–5.51, and OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.08–3.14, respectively). We found that the overall immunization rate against common vaccine‐preventable infections was low among patients evaluated for kidney transplantation. A significant gap remains between recommendations and vaccine uptake in clinical practice among this high‐risk population.
The Agrobacterium tumefaciens virulence protein VirE3 is a transcriptional activator of the F‐box gene VBF
Authors: Niu Xiaolei , Zhou Meiliang , Henkel Christiaan V. , van Heusden G. Paul H. , Hooykaas Paul J. J.
Published: October 2015

During Agrobacterium tumefaciens‐mediated transformation of plant cells a part of the tumour‐inducing plasmid, T‐DNA, is integrated into the host genome. In addition, a number of virulence proteins are translocated into the host cell. The virulence protein VirE3 binds to the Arabidopsis thaliana pBrp protein, a plant‐specific general transcription factor of the TFIIB family. To study a possible role for VirE3 in transcriptional regulation, we stably expressed virE3 in A. thaliana under control of a tamoxifen‐inducible promoter. By RNA sequencing we showed that upon expression of virE3 the RNA levels of 607 genes were increased more than three‐fold and those of 132 genes decreased more than three‐fold. One of the strongly activated genes was that encoding VBF (At1G56250), an F‐box protein that may affect the levels of the VirE2 and VIP1 proteins. Using Arabidopsis cell suspension protoplasts we showed that VirE3 stimulates the VBF promoter, especially when co‐expressed with pBrp. Although pBrp is localized at the external surface of plastids, co‐expression of VirE3 and pBrp in Arabidopsis cell suspension protoplasts resulted in the accumulation of pBrp in the nucleus. Our results suggest that VirE3 affects the transcriptional machinery of the host cell to favour the transformation process.
Art and Biculturalism: InnovativeMaori Meeting Houses and the Settler Nation
Authors: Rosenblatt Daniel
Published: October 2015

Two recent carvedMaori meeting houses, one in a museum and the other on a polytech campus, manage to break down the boundaries between “contemporary” and “traditional”Maori art. Both houses also attempt to represent the whole of the institutions of which they are a part rather than only theMaori members of those institutions. This article argues that these innovations are connected, and that they reflect and help propagate a larger refiguring of the meaning of “biculturalism” in the settler state ofNewZealand. As part of looking at the significance and effects of these houses, the article draws on ideas about genre and artistic practice to make an argument about how cultural and political change happens.
Risk Factors Associated With Survival to Hospital Discharge of 54 Horses With Fractures of the Radius
Authors: Stewart Suzanne , Richardson Dean , Boston Ray , Schaer Thomas P.
Published: October 2015

Objective

To determine (1) survival to discharge of horses with radial fractures (excluding osteochondral fragmentation of the distal aspect of the radius and stress fractures); and (2) risk factors affecting survival to hospital discharge in conservative and surgically managed fractures.

Study Design

Case series.

Animals

Horses (n = 54).

Methods

Medical records (1990–June 2012) and radiographs of horses admitted with radial fracture were reviewed. Horses with osteochondral fragmentation of the distal aspect of the radius or stress fractures were excluded. Evaluated risk factors were age, fracture configuration, surgical repair method, surgical duration, hospitalization time, implant failure rate, and surgical site infection (SSI) rate.

Results

Of 54 horses, overall survival to discharge was 50%. Thirteen (24%) were euthanatized on admission because of (1) fracture severity; (2) presence of an open fracture; or (3) financial constraints. Fourteen (26%) horses with minimally displaced incomplete fractures were conservatively managed and 12 (86%) survived to discharge. Twenty‐seven (50%) horses had surgical treatment by open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) and 15 (56%) survived to hospital discharge. Open fractures were significantly more likely to develop SSI (P = .008), which also resulted in a 17‐fold increase in implant failure (P < .005). Six of 8 surgically managed horses with an open fracture did not survive to discharge. Outcome was also adversely affected by age (P <  .005) and surgical duration >168 minutes (P < .027). Presence of SSI trended toward a decreased survival rate (P = .09).

Conclusion

Prognosis for survival to discharge with minimally displaced incomplete fractures is good. Young horses have a good prognosis survival to discharge for ORIF, whereas ORIF in adult horses has a poor prognosis and SSI strongly correlates with catastrophic implant failure.
Robustness of Price Perception: How Strong are Anchoring, Left-Digit- and Framing-Effects when Promoting Sales Offers?
Authors: Krämer Andreas
Published: October 2015

While the large number of publications on behavioral pricing and partly spectacular results suggest that it is easily possible to influence parameters in the consumers´ price perception (for example, by providing price anchors as competitive prices, 99-price endings, information on a relative or absolute saving or information on availability of the prices by the suppliers), this empirical study based on experimental designs comes to a contrary conclusion: it turns out that the assessment of perceived value for money and cheapness for different sales promotion campaigns in Germany (train ticket, smartphone flat rate, filter coffee) is amazingly robust and that psychological factors tested in different experiments have a relatively low impact. The theoretical, practical and research implications of these findings are discussed.
Contractile properties of developing human fetal cardiac muscle
Authors: Racca Alice W. , Klaiman Jordan M. , Pioner J. Manuel , Cheng Yuanhua , Beck Anita E. , Moussavi‐Harami Farid , Bamshad Michael J. , Regnier Michael
Published: October 2015

Key points

The contractile properties of human fetal cardiac muscle have not been previously studied.

Small‐scale approaches such as isolated myofibril and isolated contractile protein biomechanical assays allow study of activation and relaxation kinetics of human fetal cardiac muscle under well‐controlled conditions.

We have examined the contractile properties of human fetal cardiac myofibrils and myosin across gestational age 59–134 days.

Human fetal cardiac myofibrils have low force and slow kinetics of activation and relaxation that increase during the time period studied, and kinetic changes may result from structural maturation and changes in protein isoform expression.

Understanding the time course of human fetal cardiac muscle structure and contractile maturation can provide a framework to study development of contractile dysfunction with disease and evaluate the maturation state of cultured stem cell‐derived cardiomyocytes.

Little is known about the contractile properties of human fetal cardiac muscle during development. Understanding these contractile properties, and how they change throughout development, can provide valuable insight into human heart development, and provide a framework to study the early stages of cardiac diseases that develop in utero. We characterized the contractile properties of isolated human fetal cardiac myofibrils across 8–19 weeks of gestation. Mechanical measurements revealed that in early stages of gestation there is low specific force and slow rates of force development and relaxation, with increases in force and the rates of activation and relaxation as gestation progresses. The duration and slope of the initial, slow phase of relaxation, related to myosin detachment and thin filament deactivation rates, decreased with gestation age. F‐actin sliding on human fetal cardiac myosin‐coated surfaces slowed significantly from 108 to 130 days of gestation. Electron micrographs showed human fetal muscle myofibrils elongate and widen with age, but features such as the M‐line and Z‐band are apparent even as early as day 52. Protein isoform analysis revealed that β‐myosin is predominantly expressed even at the earliest time point studied, but there is a progressive increase in expression of cardiac troponin I (TnI), with a concurrent decrease in slow skeletal TnI. Together, our results suggest that cardiac myofibril force production and kinetics of activation and relaxation change significantly with gestation age and are influenced by the structural maturation of the sarcomere and changes in contractile filament protein isoforms.
High fat diet attenuates glucose‐dependent facilitation of 5‐HT3‐mediated responses in rat gastric vagal afferents
Authors: Troy Amanda E. , Simmonds Sarah S. , Stocker Sean D. , Browning Kirsteen N.
Published: October 2015

Key points

Glucose regulates the density and function of 5‐HT3 receptors on gastric vagal afferent neurones.

Diet‐induced obesity compromises the excitability and responsiveness of vagal afferents.

In this study, we assessed whether exposure to a high fat diet (HFD) compromises the glucose‐dependent modulation of 5‐HT responses in gastric vagal afferents prior to the development of obesity.

We show that HFD does not alter the response of gastric vagal afferent nerves and neurones to 5‐HT but attenuates the ability of glucose to amplify 5‐HT3‐induced responses.

These results suggest that glucose‐dependent vagal afferent signalling is compromised by relatively short periods of exposure to HFD well in advance of the development of obesity or glycaemic dysregulation.

Glucose regulates the density and function of 5‐HT3 receptors on gastric vagal afferent neurones. Since diet‐induced obesity attenuates the responsiveness of gastric vagal afferents to several neurohormones, the aim of the present study was to determine whether high fat diet (HFD) compromises the glucose‐dependent modulation of 5‐HT responses in gastric vagal afferents prior to the development of obesity. Rats were fed control or HFD (14% or 60% kilocalories from fat, respectively) for up to 8 weeks. Neurophysiological recordings assessed the ability of 5‐HT to increase anterior gastric vagal afferent nerve (VAN) activity in vivo before and after acute hyperglycaemia, while electrophysiological recordings from gastric‐projecting nodose neurones assessed the ability of glucose to modulate the 5‐HT response in vitro. Immunocytochemical studies determined alterations in the neuronal distribution of 5‐HT3 receptors. 5‐HT and cholecystokinin (CCK) induced dose‐dependent increases in VAN activity in all rats; HFD attenuated the response to CCK, but not 5‐HT. The 5‐HT‐induced response was amplified by acute hyperglycaemia in control, but not HFD, rats. Similarly, although 5‐HT induced an inward current in both control and HFD gastric nodose neurones in vitro, the 5‐HT response and receptor distribution was amplified by acute hyperglycaemia only in control rats. These data suggest that, while HFD does not affect the response of gastric‐projecting vagal afferents to 5‐HT, it attenuates the ability of glucose to amplify 5‐HT effects. This suggests that glucose‐dependent vagal afferent signalling is compromised by short periods of exposure to HFD well in advance of obesity or glycaemic dysregulation.
Constructing Continuous Strain and Stress Fields From Spatially Discrete Displacement Data in Soft Materials
Authors: Liu Wanru , Long Rong
Published: October 2015

A recent study demonstrated that three-dimensional (3D) continuous displacement fields in transparent soft gels can be constructed from discrete displacement data obtained by optically tracking fluorescent particles embedded in the gels. Strain and stress fields were subsequently determined from gradients of the displacement field. This process was achieved through the moving least-square (MLS) interpolation method. The goal of this study is to evaluate the numerical accuracy of MLS in determining the displacement, strain, and stress fields in soft materials subjected to large deformation. Using an indentation model as the benchmark, we extract displacement at a set of randomly distributed data points from the results of a finite-element model, utilize these data points as the input for MLS, and compare resulting displacement, strain, and stress fields with the corresponding finite-element results. The calculation of strain and stress is based on finite strain kinematics and hyperelasticity theory. We also perform a parametric study in order to understand how parameters of the MLS method affect the accuracy of the interpolated displacement, strain, and stress fields. We further apply the MLS method to two additional cases with highly nonuniform deformation: a plate with a circular cavity subjected to large uniaxial stretch and a plane stress crack under large mode I loading. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using optical particle tracking together with MLS interpolation to map local strain and stress field in highly deformed soft materials.
Tool Condition Monitoring in Turning by Applying Machine Vision
Authors: Dutta Samik , Pal Surjya K. , Sen Ranjan
Published: October 2015

In this paper, a method for predicting progressive tool flank wear using extracted features from turned surface images has been proposed. Acquired turned surface images are analyzed by using texture analyses, viz., gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM), Voronoi tessellation (VT), and discrete wavelet transform (DWT) based methods to obtain information about waviness, feed marks, and roughness from machined surface images for describing tool flank wear. Two features from each texture analyses are extracted and fed into support vector machine (SVM) based regression models for predicting progressive tool flank wear. Mean correlation coefficient between the measured and predicted tool flank wear is found as 0.991.
Multipoint Constraints for Modeling of Machine Tool Dynamics
Authors: Brecher Christian , Fey Marcel , Tenbrock Christian , Daniels Matthias
Published: October 2015

The dynamic properties of machine tools are frequently calculated by means of finite-element (FE) models. Usually, in a first step, the structural components, such as machine bed, slides, columns, spindle housing, spindle, and work piece, are meshed. In a second step, these components are positioned relatively to each other and are connected by joints. Usually, the joints comprise a three-dimensional spring–damper element (SDE) and constraints that connect the SDE to adjacent structural components. Commercial FE programs do rarely offer insight into the underlying constraint equations. Rather, the constraints are realized by selecting the faces or nodes to connect and the type of constraint over a graphical user interface. Moreover, when insight into the underlying equations is offered, it is normally difficult to implement user-defined constraint equations. So far, literature lacks a coherent and in-depth description of constraints that are used for assembly of machine tool FE components. This drawback is addressed here. Different common constraints are revisited while particular focus is put on simulating moving machine axes. Common multipoint constraints (MPC) are supplemented by a shape function based node weighting. Thus, two new MPC are introduced, which improve model quality for ball screw joints (named node-to-beam (NB)-constraint) and linear guides (named RBE4-constraint). A three-axis milling machine serves as an application example for the different constraints. Simulation results are compared to experimentally derived results. Both, frequency response functions (FRF) and time-domain forced responses are considered. Showing reasonable correlation, the comparison of simulation and experiment indicates the validity of the constraints that have been introduced.
Cooccurrence of Multiple AmpC β-Lactamases in Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis in Tunisia
Authors: Chérif Thouraya , Saidani Mabrouka , Decré Dominique , Boutiba-Ben Boubaker Ilhem , Arlet Guillaume
Published: October 2015

Over a period of 40 months, plasmid-mediated AmpC β-lactamases were detected in Tunis, Tunisia, in 78 isolates (0.59%) of
Escherichia coli
,
Klebsiella pneumoniae
, and
Proteus mirabilis
. In 67 isolates, only one
ampC
gene was detected, i.e.,
bla
CMY-2-type
(
n
= 33),
bla
ACC
(
n
= 23),
bla
DHA
(
n
= 6) or
bla
EBC
(
n
= 5). Multiple
ampC
genes were detected in 11 isolates, with the following distribution:
bla
MOX-2
,
bla
FOX-3
, and
bla
CMY-4/16
(
n
= 6),
bla
FOX-3
and
bla
MOX-2
(
n
= 3), and
bla
CMY-4
and
bla
MOX-2
(
n
= 2). A great variety of plasmids carrying these genes was found, independently of the species and the
bla
gene. If the genetic context of
bla
CMY-2-type
is variable, that of
bla
MOX-2
, reported in part previously, is unique and that of
bla
FOX-3
is unique and new.
In Vitro
and
In Vivo
Antimicrobial Activities of Minocycline in Combination with Azithromycin, Clarithromycin, or Tigecycline against Pythium insidiosum
Authors: Jesus Francielli P. K. , Loreto Érico S. , Ferreiro Laerte , Alves Sydney H. , Driemeier David , Souza Suyene O. , França Raqueli T. , Lopes Sonia T. A. , Pilotto Maiara B. , Ludwig Aline , Azevedo Maria I. , Ribeiro Tatiana C. , Tondolo Juliana S. M. , Santurio Janio M.
Published: October 2015

The present study investigated the
in vitro
and the
in vivo
interactions among azithromycin, clarithromycin, minocycline, and tigecycline against
Pythium insidiosum
.
In vitro
antimicrobial activities were determined by the broth microdilution method in accordance with CLSI document M38-A2, and the antibiotic interactions were assayed using the checkerboard MIC format.
In vivo
efficacy was determined using a rabbit infection model. The geometric mean MICs of azithromycin, clarithromycin, minocycline, and tigecycline against
P. insidiosum
were, respectively, 1.91, 1.38, 0.91, and 0.79 μg/ml. By checkerboard testing, all combinations resulted in
in vitro
synergistic interactions (>60%). Antagonism was not observed. The
in vivo
studies showed that azithromycin (20 mg/kg/day twice daily) alone or in combination with minocycline (10 mg/kg/day twice daily) significantly decreased the fungal burden. This study demonstrates that azithromycin possesses potent curative efficacy against subcutaneous pythiosis in the rabbit model.
Brucella abortus Invasion of Osteocytes Modulates Connexin 43 and Integrin Expression and Induces Osteoclastogenesis via Receptor Activator of NF-κB Ligand and Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Secretion
Authors: Pesce Viglietti Ayelén Ivana , Arriola Benitez Paula Constanza , Gentilini María Virginia , Velásquez Lis Noelia , Fossati Carlos Alberto , Giambartolomei Guillermo Hernán , Delpino María Victoria
Published: October 2015

Osteoarticular brucellosis is the most common localization of human active disease. Osteocytes are the most abundant cells of bone. They secrete factors that regulate the differentiation of both osteoblasts and osteoclasts during bone remodeling. The aim of this study is to determine ifBrucella abortusinfection modifies osteocyte function. Our results indicate thatB. abortusinfection induced matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), receptor activator for NF-κB ligand (RANKL), proinflammatory cytokines, and keratinocyte chemoattractant (KC) secretion by osteocytes. In addition, supernatants fromB. abortus-infected osteocytes induced bone marrow-derived monocytes (BMM) to undergo osteoclastogenesis. Using neutralizing antibodies against tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) or osteoprotegerin (OPG), RANKL's decoy receptor, we determined that TNF-α and RANKL are involved in osteoclastogenesis induced by supernatants fromB. abortus-infected osteocytes. Connexin 43 (Cx43) and the integrins E11/gp38, integrin-α, integrin-β, and CD44 are involved in cell-cell interactions necessary for osteocyte survival.B. abortusinfection inhibited the expression of Cx43 but did not modify the expression of integrins. Yet the expression of both Cx43 and integrins was inhibited by supernatants fromB. abortus-infected macrophages.B. abortusinfection was not capable of inducing osteocyte apoptosis. However, supernatants fromB. abortus-infected macrophages induced osteocyte apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, our results indicate thatB. abortusinfection could alter osteocyte function, contributing to bone damage.
Not all ST-segment changes are myocardial injury: hypercalcaemia-induced ST-segment elevation
Authors: Strand Adam Orville , Aung Thein Tun , Agarwal Ajay
Published: October 2015

ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction is an important, life-threatening diagnosis that requires quick diagnosis and management. We describe the case of an 83-year-old man with coronary artery disease, ischaemic cardiomyopathy with left ventricular ejection fraction of 15%, newly diagnosed multiple myeloma that had an initial ECG showing ST-segment elevation in anterior leads V1–3 and ST-segment depression in lateral leads concerning for an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction. Troponins were negative and his calcium was 3.55 mmol/L. It was thought that the ECG changes were not indicative of cardiac ischaemia but, rather, hypercalcaemia. He was treated with fluids, diuretics and zolendronic acid, with subsequent resolution of ST-segment changes. This case demonstrates that one must consider disease other than myocardial ischaemia as the culprit of ST-segment changes if physical examination and history do not point towards myocardial injury, as unnecessary invasive revascularisation procedures have inherent risks.
A qualitative evidence synthesis on the management of male obesity
Authors: Archibald Daryll , Douglas Flora , Hoddinott Pat , van Teijlingen Edwin , Stewart Fiona , Robertson Clare , Boyers Dwayne , Avenell Alison
Published: October 2015

Objectives

To investigate what weight management interventions work for men, with which men, and under what circumstances.

Design

Realist synthesis of qualitative studies.

Data sources

Sensitive searches of 11 electronic databases from 1990 to 2012 supplemented by grey literature searches.

Study selection

Studies published between 1990 and 2012 reporting qualitative research with obese men, or obese men in contrast to obese women and lifestyle or drug weight management were included. The studies included men aged 16 years or over, with no upper age limit, with a mean or median body mass index of 30 kg/m2in all settings.

Results

22 studies were identified, including 5 qualitative studies linked to randomised controlled trials of weight maintenance interventions and 8 qualitative studies linked to non-randomised intervention studies, and 9 relevant UK-based qualitative studies not linked to any intervention. Health concerns and the perception that certain programmes had ‘worked’ for other men were the key factors that motivated men to engage with weight management programmes. Barriers to engagement and adherence with programmes included: men not problematising their weight until labelled ‘obese’; a lack of support for new food choices by friends and family, and reluctance to undertake extreme dieting. Retaining some autonomy over what is eaten; flexibility about treats and alcohol, and a focus on physical activity were attractive features of programmes. Group interventions, humour and social support facilitated attendance and adherence. Men were motivated to attend programmes in settings that were convenient, non-threatening and congruent with their masculine identities, but men were seldom involved in programme design.

Conclusions

Men's perspectives and preferences within the wider context of family, work and pleasure should be sought when designing weight management services. Qualitative research is needed with men to inform all aspects of intervention design, including the setting, optimal recruitment processes and strategies to minimise attrition.
Geographic location, network patterns and population distribution of rural settlements in Greece
Authors: Asimakopoulos Avraam , Mogios Emmanuel , Xenikos Dimitrios G.
Published: October 2015

Our work addresses the problem of how social networks are embedded in space, by studying the spread of human population over complex geomorphological terrain. We focus on villages or small cities up to a few thousand inhabitants located in mountainous areas in Greece. This terrain presents a familiar tree-like structure of valleys and land plateaus. Cities are found more often at lower altitudes and exhibit preference on south orientation. Furthermore, the population generally avoids flat land plateaus and river beds, preferring locations slightly uphill, away from the plateau edge. Despite the location diversity regarding geomorphological parameters, we find certain quantitative norms when we examine location and population distributions relative to the (man-made) transportation network. In particular, settlements at radial distance [Formula: see text] away from road network junctions have the same mean altitude, practically independent of [Formula: see text] ranging from a few meters to 10 km. Similarly, the distribution of the settlement population at any given [Formula: see text] is the same for all [Formula: see text]. Finally, the cumulative distribution of the number of rural cities [Formula: see text] is fitted to the Weibull distribution, suggesting that human decisions for creating settlements could be paralleled to mechanisms typically attributed to this particular statistical distribution.
Effect of nano-sized cerium–zirconium oxide solid solution on far-infrared emission properties of tourmaline powders
Authors: Guo Bin , Yang Liqing , Hu Weijie , Li Wenlong , Wang Haojing
Published: October 2015

Far-infrared functional nanocomposites were prepared by the co-precipitation method using natural tourmaline [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], or vacancy; [Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], or [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], or [Formula: see text]; [Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]; and [Formula: see text] is [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], or [Formula: see text] powders, ammonium cerium(IV) nitrate and zirconium(IV) nitrate pentahydrate as raw materials. The reference sample, tourmaline modified with ammonium cerium(IV) nitrate alone was also prepared by a similar precipitation route. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy show that tourmaline modified with Ce and Zr has a better far-infrared emission property than tourmaline modified with Ce alone. Through characterization by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), the mechanism for oxygen evolution during the heat process in the two composite materials was systematically studied. The XPS spectra show that [Formula: see text] ratio inside tourmaline modified with Ce alone can be raised by doping Zr. Moreover, it is showed that there is a higher [Formula: see text] ratio inside the tourmaline modified with Ce and Zr than tourmaline modified with Ce alone. In addition, XRD results indicate the formation of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] crystallites during the heat treatment and further TEM observations show they exist as nanoparticles on the surface of tourmaline powders. Based on these results, we attribute the improved far-infrared emission properties of Ce–Zr doped tourmaline to the enhanced unit cell shrinkage of the tourmaline arisen from much more oxidation of [Formula: see text] to [Formula: see text] inside the tourmaline caused by the change in the catalyst redox properties of [Formula: see text] brought about by doping with [Formula: see text]. In all samples, tourmaline modified with 7.14 wt.% Ce and 1.86 wt.% Zr calcined at 800[Formula: see text]C for 5 h has the best far-infrared emission property with the maximum emissivity value of 98%.
A Fully-Integrated D-Band Frequency Synthesizer in 0.13-μm SiGe BiCMOS
Authors: He Jin , Xiong Yong-Zhong , Li Jiankang , Arasu Muthukumaraswamy Annamalai , Zhang Yue Ping
Published: October 2015

This paper presents a fully-integrated D-band frequency synthesizer (FS) in 0.13-[Formula: see text]m SiGe BiCMOS technology. The proposed FS consists of a 20-GHz phase-locked loop (PLL) and a frequency multiplier including a doubler ([Formula: see text][Formula: see text]2) and a quadrupler ([Formula: see text][Formula: see text]4). The FS generates the D-band output signals from 164.08 to 166.19[Formula: see text]GHz. At 166.19[Formula: see text]GHz, the measured phase noises (PN) at 100-kHz and 1-MHz offset frequencies are [Formula: see text]54.07[Formula: see text]dBc/Hz and [Formula: see text]72.29[Formula: see text]dBc/Hz, respectively. The proposed FS achieves the low power dissipation of around 110[Formula: see text]mW and the chip area is [Formula: see text] including all testing pads. The FS has great potential to be used for low-power D-band applications.
Design of New Quantum/Reversible Ternary Subtractor Circuits
Authors: Monfared Asma Taheri , Haghparast Majid
Published: October 2015

Ternary quantum circuits play a significant role in future quantum computing technology because they have many advantages over binary quantum circuits. Subtraction is considered as being one of the key arithmetic operations; hence, subtractors are very essential for the construction of various computational units of quantum computers and other complex computational systems. In this paper, we have proposed the realization of a quantum reversible ternary half-subtractor circuit using a generalized ternary gate, a ternary Toffoli gate, and a ternary C2NOT gate. Based on the realization of the ternary half-subtractor, we proposed the realization of a ternary full-subtractor.
A Second Law for higher curvature gravity
Authors: Wall Aron C.
Published: October 2015

The Second Law of black hole thermodynamics is shown to hold for arbitrarily complicated theories of higher curvature gravity, so long as we allow only linearized perturbations to stationary black holes. Some ambiguities in Wald’s Noether charge method are resolved. The increasing quantity turns out to be the same as the holographic entanglement entropy calculated by Dong. It is suggested that only the linearization of the higher curvature Second Law is important, when consistently truncating a UV-complete quantum gravity theory.
Viscosity Solutions of Hybrid Game Problems with Unbounded Cost Functionals
Authors: Sheetal Dharmatti
Published: October 2015

This paper analyzes zero sum game involving hybrid controls using viscosity solution theory where both players use discrete as well as continuous controls. We study two problems, one in finite horizon and other in infinite horizon. In both cases, we allow the cost functionals to be unbounded with certain growth, hence the corresponding lower and upper value functions defined in Elliot–Kalton sense can be unbounded. We characterize the value functions as the unique viscosity solution of the associated lower and upper quasi variational inequalities in a suitable function class. Further we find a condition under which the game has a value for both games. The major difficulties arise due to unboundedness of value function. In infinite horizon case we prove uniqueness of viscosity solution by converting the unbounded value function into bounded ones by suitable transformation. In finite horizon case an argument is based on comparison with a supersolution.
A uniqueness result for some singular semilinear elliptic equations
Authors: Canino Annamaria , Sciunzi Berardino
Published: October 2015

Given [Formula: see text] a bounded open subset of [Formula: see text], we consider non-negative solutions to the singular semilinear elliptic equation [Formula: see text] in [Formula: see text], under zero Dirichlet boundary conditions. For [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], we prove that the solution is unique.
An inequality à la Szegő–Weinberger for the p-Laplacian on convex sets
Authors: Brasco Lorenzo , Nitsch Carlo , Trombetti Cristina
Published: October 2015

In this paper, we prove a sharp upper bound for the first nontrivial eigenvalue of the [Formula: see text]-Laplacian with Neumann boundary conditions. This applies to convex sets with given diameter. Some variants and extensions are investigated as well.
Symmetry breaking and Morse index of solutions of nonlinear elliptic problems in the plane
Authors: Gladiali Francesca , Grossi Massimo , Neves Sérgio L. N.
Published: October 2015

In this paper, we study the problem [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] is the unit ball of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] is a smooth nonlinearity and [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] are real numbers with [Formula: see text]. From a careful study of the linearized operator, we compute the Morse index of some radial solutions to ([Formula: see text]). Moreover, using the bifurcation theory, we prove the existence of branches of nonradial solutions for suitable values of the positive parameter [Formula: see text]. The case [Formula: see text] provides more detailed informations.
A local maximum principle for locally integrable structures
Authors: Daghighi Abtin
Published: October 2015

Let [Formula: see text] be an open subset, for a positive integer [Formula: see text], and let [Formula: see text] be a [Formula: see text]-smooth locally integrable subbundle. We give a proof of the following result: If [Formula: see text] is nowhere strictly hypoanalytically pseudoconvex (as defined in the paper) then for any sufficiently small domain [Formula: see text] and any [Formula: see text] which is continuous up to the boundary such that [Formula: see text] is a solution with respect to [Formula: see text] on [Formula: see text], it holds true that [Formula: see text] We also point out a relation to Levi curvature.