bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multiple Environmental Factors Influence the Importance of the Phosphodiesterase DipA upon Pseudomonas aeruginosa Swarming
Authors: Mattingly Anne E. , Kamatkar Nachiket G. , Morales-Soto Nydia , Borlee Bradley R. , Shrout Joshua D.
Published: January 2018

Pseudomonas aeruginosaexhibits flagellum-mediated swimming in liquid and swarming on hydrated surfaces under diverse nutrient conditions. Prior studies have implicated a phosphodiesterase, DipA, in regulating these flagellum-mediated motilities, but collectively, the necessity for DipA was unclear. In this study, we find that the medium composition conditionally constrains the influence of DipA on flagellar motility. We show that DipA exhibits more influence on minimal medium supplemented with glutamate or glucose, where flagellar motility was negated for thedipAmutant. Conversely, adipA-deficient mutant exhibits flagellar motility when growing with LB Lennox broth and minimal medium supplemented with Casamino Acids. Swarming under these rich medium conditions occurs under elevated levels of c-di-GMP. We also demonstrate that the influence of DipA upon swimming often differs from that upon swarming, and we conclude that a direct comparison of the motility phenotypes is generally valid only when characterizing motility assay results from the same medium composition. Our results are consistent with the explanation that DipA is one of several phosphodiesterases responding to the nutrient environment sensed byP. aeruginosa. On minimal medium with glutamate or glucose, DipA is dominant; however, on rich medium, the necessity of DipA is fully negated.

IMPORTANCEMotile and ubiquitous bacteria such asPseudomonas aeruginosacan quickly colonize surfaces and form biofilms in numerous environments such as water distribution systems, soil, and the human lung. To effectively disrupt bacterial colonization, it is imperative to understand how bacteria regulate motility in these different growth environments. Here, we show that the phosphodiesterase DipA is not required for flagellar motility under all nutrient conditions. Thus, the maintenance of intracellular c-di-GMP levels to promote flagellar motility or biofilm development must be conditionally regulated by differing phosphodiesterases in variation with select nutrient cues.
Practical Guidance for Clinical Microbiology Laboratories: Mycobacteria
Authors: Forbes Betty A. , Hall Geraldine S. , Miller Melissa B. , Novak Susan M. , Rowlinson Marie-Claire , Salfinger Max , Somoskövi Akos , Warshauer David M. , Wilson Michael L.
Published: January 2018

Mycobacteria are the causative organisms for diseases such as tuberculosis (TB), leprosy, Buruli ulcer, and pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial disease, to name the most important ones. In 2015, globally, almost 10 million people developed TB, and almost half a million patients suffered from its multidrug-resistant form. In 2016, a total of 9,287 new TB cases were reported in the United States. In 2015, there were 174,608 new case of leprosy worldwide. India, Brazil, and Indonesia reported the most leprosy cases. In 2015, the World Health Organization reported 2,037 new cases of Buruli ulcer, with most cases being reported in Africa. Pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial disease is an emerging public health challenge. The U.S. National Institutes of Health reported an increase from 20 to 47 cases/100,000 persons (or 8.2% per year) of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial disease among adults aged 65 years or older throughout the United States, with 181,037 national annual cases estimated in 2014. This review describes contemporary methods for the laboratory diagnosis of mycobacterial diseases. Furthermore, the review considers the ever-changing health care delivery system and stresses the laboratory's need to adjust and embrace molecular technologies to provide shorter turnaround times and a higher quality of care for the patients who we serve.
Rapid Increase in Prevalence of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) and Emergence of Colistin Resistance Gene
mcr-1
in CRE in a Hospital in Henan, China
Authors: Li Yi , Sun Qiao-ling , Shen Yingbo , Zhang Yangjunna , Yang Jun-wen , Shu Ling-bin , Zhou Hong-wei , Wang Yang , Wang Bing , Zhang Rong , Wang Shaolin , Shen Zhangqi
Published: January 2018

The global spread of carbapenem-resistant
Enterobacteriaceae
(CRE) is one of the most severe threats to human health in a clinical setting. The recent emergence of plasmid-mediated colistin resistance gene
mcr-1
among CRE strains greatly compromises the use of colistin as a last resort for the treatment of infections caused by CRE. This study aimed to understand the current epidemiological trends and characteristics of CRE from a large hospital in Henan, the most populous province in China. From 2014 to 2016, a total of 7,249
Enterobacteriaceae
isolates were collected from clinical samples, among which 18.1% (1,311/7,249) were carbapenem resistant. Carbapenem-resistant
Klebsiella pneumoniae
and carbapenem-resistant
Escherichia coli
were the two most common CRE species, with
Klebsiella pneumoniae
carbapenemases (KPC) and New Delhi metallo-β-lactamases (NDM), respectively, responsible for the carbapenem resistance of the two species. Notably, >57.0% (
n
= 589) of the
K. pneumoniae
isolates from the intensive care unit were carbapenem resistant. Furthermore,
bla
NDM-5
and
mcr-1
were found to coexist in one
E. coli
isolate, which exhibited resistance to almost all tested antibiotics. Overall, we observed a significant increase in the prevalence of CRE isolates during the study period and suggest that carbapenems may no longer be considered to be an effective treatment for infections caused by
K. pneumoniae
in the studied hospital.
Characterization of Equine Infectious Anemia Virus Long Terminal Repeat Quasispecies
In Vitro
and
In Vivo
Authors: Wang Xue-Feng , Liu Qiang , Wang Yu-Hong , Wang Shuai , Chen Jie , Lin Yue-Zhi , Ma Jian , Zhou Jian-Hua , Wang Xiaojun
Published: January 2018

The equine infectious anemia virus (EIAV) attenuated vaccine was developed by long-term passaging of a field-isolated virulent strain in cross-species hosts, followed by successive cultivation in cells
in vitro
. To explore the molecular mechanism underlying the evolution of the EIAV attenuated vaccine, a systematic study focusing on long-terminal-repeat (LTR) variation in numerous virus strains ranging from virulent EIAV to attenuated EIAV was performed over time both
in vitro
and
in vivo
. Two hypervariable regions were identified within the U3 region in the enhancer region (EHR) and the negative regulatory element (NRE) and within the R region in the transcription start site (TSS) and the Tat-activating region (TAR). Among these sites, variation in the U3 region resulted in the formation of additional transcription factor binding sites; this variation of the
in vitro
-adapted strains was consistent with the loss of pathogenicity. Notably, the same LTR variation pattern was observed both
in vitro
and
in vivo
. Generally, the LTR variation in both the attenuated virus and the virulent strain fluctuated over time
in vivo
. Interestingly, the attenuated-virus-specific LTR variation was also detected in horses infected with the virulent strain, supporting the hypothesis that the evolution of an attenuated virus might have involved branching from EIAV quasispecies. This hypothesis was verified by phylogenetic analysis. The present systematic study examining the molecular evolution of attenuated EIAV from EIAV quasispecies may provide an informative model reflecting the evolution of similar lentiviruses.

IMPORTANCE
The attenuated EIAV vaccine was the first lentiviral vaccine used to successfully control for equine infectious anemia in China. This vaccine provides an important reference for studying the relationship between EIAV gene variation and changes in biological characteristics. Importantly, the vaccine provides a model for the investigation of lentiviral quasispecies evolution. This study followed the “natural” development of the attenuated EIAV vaccine by use of a systematic analysis of LTR evolution
in vitro
and
in vivo
. The results revealed that the increase in LTR variation with passaging was accompanied by a decrease in virulence, which indicated that LTR variability might parallel the attenuation of virulence. Interestingly, the attenuated-virus-specific LTR variation was also detected in virulent-strain-infected horses, a finding consistent with those of previous investigations of
gp90
and
S2
evolution. Therefore, we present a hypothesis that the evolution of the attenuated virus may involve branching from EIAV quasispecies present
in vivo
.
Why are preterm newborns at increased risk of infection?
Authors: Collins Amélie , Weitkamp Jörn-Hendrik , Wynn James L
Published: January 2018

One in 10 newborns will be born before completion of 36 weeks’ gestation (premature birth). Infection and sepsis in preterm infants remain a significant clinical problem that represents a substantial financial burden on the healthcare system. Many factors predispose premature infants for having the greatest risk of developing and succumbing to infection as compared with all other age groups across the age spectrum. It is clear that the immune system of preterm infants exhibits distinct, rather than simply deficient, function as compared with more mature and older humans and that the immune function in preterm infants contributes to infection risk. While no single review can cover all aspects of immune function in this population, we will discuss key aspects of preterm neonatal innate and adaptive immune function that place them at high risk for developing infections and sepsis, as well as sepsis-associated morbidity and mortality.
Computerised decision to reduce inappropriate medication in the elderly: a systematic review with meta-analysis protocol
Authors: Monteiro Luís , Maricoto Tiago , Solha Isabel S , Monteiro-Soares Matilde , Martins Carlos
Published: January 2018

Introduction

Life expectancy continues to increase in developed countries. Elderly people are more likely to consume more medications and become vulnerable to age-related changes in drugs’ pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. Recent studies have identified opportunities and barriers for deprescribing potentially inappropriate medications. It has already been demonstrated that computerised decision support systems can reduce physician orders for unnecessary tests. We will systematically review the available literature to understand if computerised decision support is effective in reducing the use of potentially inappropriate medications, thus having an impact on health outcomes.

Methods and analysis

A systematic review will be conducted using MEDLINE, CENTRAL, EMBASE and Web of Science databases, as well as the grey literature assessing the effectiveness of computer decision support interventions in deprescribing inappropriate medication, with an impact on health outcomes in the elderly. The search will be performed during January and February 2018. Two reviewers will conduct articles’ screening, selection and data extraction, independently and blind to each other. Eligible sources will be selected after discussing non-conformities. All extracted data from the included articles will be assessed based on studies’ participants, design and setting, methodological quality, bias and any other potential sources of heterogeneity. This review will be conducted and reported in adherence to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement of quality for reporting systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

Ethics and dissemination

As a systematic review, this research is exempt from ethical approval. We intend to publish the full article in a related peer-reviewed journal and present it at international conferences.

PROSPEROregistration number

CRD42017067021.
Helicobacter pylori eradication treatment and the risk of gastric adenocarcinoma in a Western population
Authors: Doorakkers Eva , Lagergren Jesper , Engstrand Lars , Brusselaers Nele
Published: January 2018

Objective

Gastric infection with Helicobacter pylori is a strong risk factor for non-cardia gastric adenocarcinoma. The aim of this study was to assess whether the risk of gastric adenocarcinoma and non-cardia gastric adenocarcinoma decreases after eradication treatment for H. pylori in a Western population.

Design

This was a nationwide, population-based cohort study in Sweden in 2005–2012. Data from the Swedish Prescribed Drug Registry provided information on H. pylori eradication treatment, whereas information concerning newly developed gastric adenocarcinoma was retrieved from the Swedish Cancer Registry. The risk of gastric adenocarcinoma and non-cardia gastric adenocarcinoma in individuals who had received H. pylori eradication treatment was compared with the background population of the corresponding age, sex and calendar year distribution, yielding standardised incidence ratios (SIRs) with 95% CIs.

Results

During the follow-up of 95 176 individuals who had received eradication treatment (351 018 person-years at risk), 75 (0.1%) developed gastric adenocarcinoma and 69 (0.1%) developed non-cardia gastric adenocarcinoma. The risk of gastric adenocarcinoma decreased over time after eradication treatment to levels below that of the corresponding background population. The SIRs were 8.65 (95% CI 6.37 to 11.46) for 1–3 years, 2.02 (95% CI 1.25 to 3.09) for 3–5 years and 0.31 (95% CI 0.11 to 0.67) for 5–7.5 years after eradication treatment. When restricted to non-cardia adenocarcinoma, the corresponding SIRs were 10.74 (95% CI 7.77 to 14.46), 2.67 (95% CI 1.63 to 4.13) and 0.43 (95% CI 0.16 to 0.93).

Conclusion

Eradication treatment for H. pylori seems to counteract the development of gastric adenocarcinoma and non-cardia gastric adenocarcinoma in this Western population.
Intracranial germinoma causing cerebral haemiatrophy and hypopituitarism
Authors: Guedes Bruno Fukelmann , Souza Marcio Nattan Portes , Barbosa Breno José Alencar Pires , Frassetto Fernando Pereira , Lucato Leandro Tavares , Ono Carla Rachel , Castro Luiz Henrique Martins , Nitrini Ricardo , Simabukuro Mateus Mistieri
Published: January 2018

A young woman presented with primary amenorrhoea, progressive haemiparesis, visual disturbance, dementia and focal motor seizures. Investigations showed hypopituitarism, unilateral cerebral atrophy and inflamed cerebrospinal fluid. A trans-sphenoidal biopsy gave a unifying diagnosis of a pituitary germinoma.
Body mass index status and peripheral airway obstruction in school-age children: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Ekström Sandra , Hallberg Jenny , Kull Inger , Protudjer Jennifer L P , Thunqvist Per , Bottai Matteo , Gustafsson Per Magnus , Bergström Anna , Melén Erik
Published: January 2018

Background

Few large prospective studies have investigated the impact of body mass index (BMI) on lung function during childhood.

Methods

Using data collected between 2002 and 2013, we analysed associations between BMI status and lung function (assessed by spirometry) from 8 to 16 years, as well as cross-sectional associations with small airway function (impulse oscillometry) at 16 years in the BAMSE cohort (n=2889). At 16 years, cross-sectional associations with local and systemic inflammation were investigated by analysing FENO, blood eosinophils and neutrophils.

Results

Overweight and obesity at 8 years were associated with higher FVC, but lower FEV1/FVC ratio at 8 and 16 years. In boys, but not girls, obesity at 8 years was associated with a further reduction in FEV1/FVC between 8 and 16 years. In cross-sectional analyses, overweight and obesity were associated with higher frequency dependence of resistance (R5–20) and larger area under the reactance curve (AX0.5) at 16 years. Increased blood neutrophil counts were seen in overweight and obese girls, but not in boys. No association was found between BMI status and FENO. Persistent, but not transient, overweight/obesity between 8 and 16 years was associated with higher R5–20and AX0.5and lower FEV1/FVC (−2.8% (95% CI −4.1 to −1.2) in girls and −2.7% (95% CI −4.4 to −1.1) in boys) at 16 years, compared with persistent normal weight.

Conclusion

In childhood and adolescence, overweight and obesity, particularly persistent overweight, were associated with evidence of airway obstruction, including the small airways.
Schumann resonance transients and the search for gravitational waves
Authors: Silagadze Z. K.
Published: January 2018

Schumann resonance transients which propagate around the globe can potentially generate a correlated background in widely separated gravitational-wave detectors. We show that due to the distribution of lightning hotspots around the globe, these transients have characteristic time lags, and this feature can be useful to further suppress such a background, especially in searches of the stochastic gravitational-wave background. A brief review of the corresponding literature on Schumann resonances and lightnings is also given.
TDDFT investigation of excitation of water tetramer under femtosecond laser pulse irradiation
Authors: Wang Zhiping , Xu Xuefen , Zhang Fengshou , Qian Chaoyi
Published: January 2018

We study the static properties of water tetramer in ground state, the optical absorption spectra and ultrafast nonadiabatic dynamical response of water tetramer to short and intense laser pulses with different intensities by a real-space, real-time implementation of time-dependent density functional theory coupled to molecular dynamics (TDDFT–MD) nonadiabatically. The calculated results are in good agreement with available values in literature. Four typical irradiated scenarios of water tetramer in laser field, which are “normal vibration,” “break and reorganization,” “fragmentation and new formation” and “pure fragmentation”, are explored by discussing the ionization, the bond lengths of OH bonds and hydrogen bonds and the kinetic energy of ions. The dynamic simulation shows that the reaction channel of water tetramer can really be controlled by choosing appropriate laser parameters referring to the optical absorption spectra and hydrogen ions play an important role in the reaction channel. Furthermore, it is found that the laser intensity affects the kinetic energy of ejected protons more than that of the remaining fragments and all dynamic processes are somehow directly related to the velocity of departing protons.
Spherical symmetric parabolic dust collapse: 𝒞1 matching metric with zero intrinsic energy
Authors: Lapiedra Ramon , Morales-Lladosa Juan Antonio
Published: January 2018

The collapse of marginally bound, inhomogeneous, pressureless (dust) matter, in spherical symmetry, is considered. The starting point is not, in this case, the integration of the Einstein equations from some suitable initial conditions. Instead, starting from the corresponding general exact solution of these equations, depending on two arbitrary functions of the radial coordinate, the fulfillment of the Lichnerowicz matching conditions of the interior collapsing metric and the exterior Schwarzschild one is tentatively assumed (the continuity of the metric and its first derivatives on the time-like hypersurface describing the evolution of the spherical 2-surface boundary of the collapsing cloud), and the consequences of such a tentative assumption are explored. The whole analytical family of resulting models is obtained and some of them are picked out as physical better models on the basis of the finite and constant value of its intrinsic energy.
Strange quark mass effect on the structure of hybrid stars
Authors: Xu Jian-Feng , Luo Yan-An , Li Lei , Peng Guang-Xiong
Published: January 2018

We study the strange quark mass effect on the phase diagram of strong interaction and the structure of compact stars with a thermodynamically enhanced perturbative QCD model by matching quark matter onto nuclear matter using the Gibbs conditions. It is found that the mass effect of strange quark matter can obviously stiffen the equation of state of mixed phases and result in more massive hybrid stars (HSs), while that usually lowers the maximum mass of pure quark stars. Given reasonable model parameters, the maximum mass of HSs can reach two times the solar mass and the stars always have mixed-phase core in a considerably wide range of model parameters.
China’s Naval Leadership Reshuffle, Evolving Maritime Strategy and Professionalisation
Authors: LI Nan
Published: January 2018

Appointing a naval officer to command the Southern Theatre indicates the relative importance of the South China Sea to the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), mainly in terms of its strategic location and its deep depth, immense space and unfettered transit to the Western Pacific for operating PLA Navy’s strategic nuclear submarines and major surface ships. For the reshuffling of naval leadership, functional and technical expertise-based, or professional criteria may play a primary role.
China-South Korea Relations: Terminal High Altitude Area Defence System Deployment and Implications for Bilateral Ties
Authors: LYE Liang Fook , CHEN Juan
Published: January 2018

China-South Korea ties had been strained following Park Geun-hye’s decision to deploy Terminal High Altitude Area Defence System (THAAD) in July 2016. Relations have warmed with Moon Jae-in as South Korea’s president since May 2017. He has attempted to reach out to China and Chinese President Xi Jinping also seems willing to improve ties. Yet, despite the recent agreement by the two countries to normalise relations, the pace and extent of this process bears watching.
Fixed-Time Stability of the Hydraulic Turbine Governing System
Authors: Ma Caoyuan , Liu Chuangzhen , Zhang Xuezi , Sun Yongzheng , Wu Wenbei , Xie Jin
Published: January 2018

This paper studies the problem of fixed-time stability of hydraulic turbine governing system with the elastic water hammer nonlinear model. To control and improve the quality of hydraulic turbine governing system, a new fixed-time control strategy is proposed, which can stabilize the water turbine governing system within a fixed time. Compared with the finite-time control strategy where the convergence rate depends on the initial state, the settling time of the fixed-time control scheme can be adjusted to the required value regardless of the initial conditions. Finally, we numerically show that the fixed-time control is more effective than and superior to the finite-time control.
Applications of Steel Slag Powder and Steel Slag Aggregate in Ultra‐High Performance Concrete
Authors: Liu Jin , Guo Runhua
Published: January 2018

The applications of steel slag powder and steel slag aggregate in ultra‐high performance concrete (UHPC) were investigated by determining the fluidity, nonevaporable water content, and pore structure of paste and the compressive strength of concrete and by observing the morphologies of hardened paste and the concrete fracture surface. The results show that the fluidity of the paste containing steel slag is higher. The nonevaporable water content of the hardened paste containing steel slag powder is close to that of the control sample at late ages. Both steel slag powder and steel slag aggregate react and connect tightly to gels and hardened paste, respectively. When the cement replacement ratio is no more than 10%, the proportion of pores larger than 50 nm in the hardened paste containing steel slag powder is close to that of the control sample, and the UHPC containing steel slag powder can display satisfactory compressive strengths. The UHPC containing steel slag aggregate demonstrates higher compressive strengths.
Caching Efficiency Enhancement at Wireless Edges with Concerns on User’s Quality of Experience
Authors: Li Feng , Lam Kwok-Yan , Wang Li , Na Zhenyu , Liu Xin , Pan Qing
Published: January 2018

Content caching is a promising approach to enhancing bandwidth utilization and minimizing delivery delay for new‐generation Internet applications. The design of content caching is based on the principles that popular contents are cached at appropriate network edges in order to reduce transmission delay and avoid backhaul bottleneck. In this paper, we propose a cooperative caching replacement and efficiency optimization scheme for IP‐based wireless networks. Wireless edges are designed to establish a one‐hop scope of caching information table for caching replacement in cases when there is not enough cache resource available within its own space. During the course, after receiving the caching request, every caching node should determine the weight of the required contents and provide a response according to the availability of its own caching space. Furthermore, to increase the caching efficiency from a practical perspective, we introduce the concept of quality of user experience (QoE) and try to properly allocate the cache resource of the whole networks to better satisfy user demands. Different caching allocation strategies are devised to be adopted to enhance user QoE in various circumstances. Numerical results are further provided to justify the performance improvement of our proposal from various aspects.
Definition of Technological Solutions Based on the Internet of Things and Smart Cities Paradigms for Active and Healthy Ageing through Cocreation
Authors: Medrano-Gil Alejandro Martín , de los Ríos Pérez Silvia , Fico Giuseppe , Montalvá Colomer Juan Bautista , Cea Sáncez Gloria , Cabrera-Umpierrez Maria Fernanda , Arredondo Waldmeyer María Teresa
Published: January 2018

Existing initiatives to improve physical, mental, and social condition of senior citizens, which in Europe fall under the name of Active and Healthy Ageing, are including technological paradigms as main driver for innovation uptake. Among these paradigms, Smart Cities and the Internet of Things are of utmost importance. However, these initiatives may benefit from unified visions, efforts, and frameworks when it comes to defining technological solutions that take the most of both paradigms. We have defined an iterative approach, which combines user centred design techniques, technological development approaches, and a multifaceted adaptation process, to define a solution for Active and Healthy Ageing that makes use of the two paradigms. The solution is being defined in the context of two research and innovation projects, City4Age and ACTIVAGE, during which a solution is going to be defined and evaluated in the city of Madrid. Results show how Smart Cities and Internet of Things contribute to the solution, from a user (user needs and use cases) and a service delivery (technologies, architecture, and suppliers) perspective. In conclusion, we find the cocreation framework extremely useful for the Active and Health Ageing domain, and the proposed implementation of it is functioning, although there is room for improvement.
Experimental and Numerical Study of Texture Evolution and Anisotropic Plastic Deformation of Pure Magnesium under Various Strain Paths
Authors: Alharbi Hamad F. , Luqman Monis , El-Danaf Ehab , Alharthi Nabeel H.
Published: January 2018

The deformation behavior and texture evolution of pure magnesium were investigated during plane strain compression, simple compression, and uniaxial tension at room temperature. The distinctive stages in the measured anisotropic stress‐strain responses and numerically computed strain‐hardening rates were correlated with texture and deformation mechanisms. More specifically, in plane strain compression and simple compression, the onset of tensile twins and the accompanying texture‐hardening effect were associated with the initial high strain‐hardening rates observed in specimens loaded in directions perpendicular to the crystallographic c‐axis in most of the grains. The subsequent drop in strain‐hardening rates in these samples was correlated with the exhaustion of tensile twins and the activation of pyramidal  slip systems. The falling strain‐hardening rates were observed in simple compression and plane strain compression with loading directions parallel to the c‐axis where the second pyramidal  slip systems were the only slip families that can accommodate deformation. For uniaxial tension with the basal plane parallel to the tensile axis, the prismatic  and second pyramidal  slips are the main deformation mechanisms. The predicted relative slip and twin activities from the crystal plasticity simulations clearly showed the effect of texture on the type of activated deformation mechanisms.
Effects of Geofoam Panels on Static Behavior of Cantilever Retaining Wall
Authors: Hasanpouri Notash Navid , Dabiri Rouzbeh
Published: January 2018

Geofoam is one of the geosynthetic products that can be used in geotechnical applications. According to researches, expanded polystyrene (EPS) geofoam placed directly against a rigid retaining wall has been proposed as a strategy to reduce static loads on the wall. This study employed a finite difference analysis using a 2‐D FLAC computer program by considering yielding and nonyielding states for retaining walls to explore the effectiveness of geofoam panels in improving the static performance of cantilever retaining walls. Retaining walls at heights of 3, 6, and 9 meters and geofoam panels with densities of 15, 20, and 25 (kg/m3) at three relative thicknesses of t/H = 0.05, 0.2, and 0.4 were modelled in this numerical study. In addition, the performance of the double EPS buffer system, which involves two vertical geofoam panels, in retaining walls’ stability with four panel spacing (50, 100, 150, and 200 cm) was also evaluated in this research. The results showed that use of EPS15 with density equal to 15 (kg/m3) which has the lowest density among other geofoam panels has a significant role in reduction of lateral stresses, although the performance of geofoam in nonyielding retaining walls is better than yielding retaining walls.
Acute Chest Syndrome Progressing to ARDS in a Patient of 25-Week Gestation
Authors: Chambers Jefferson , Smith Nichole , Sehring Matthew , Chittivelu Subramanyam
Published: January 2018

Acute chest syndrome is a complication of sickle cell disease and represents the highest cause of mortality in those afflicted with the disorder. Pregnancy represents an increased risk for complications of sickle cell disease in both the mother and fetus. We present a case of a 20-year-old patient with known sickle cell disease who was at 25-week gestation and developed acute chest syndrome refractory to conventional therapies and requiring emergency cesarean section. Following delivery, the patient developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). The patient and infant eventually made full recoveries. This case highlights the importance of aggressive management of ACS and careful monitoring in a pregnant patient.
Transition of Dislocation Structures in Severe Plastic Deformation and Its Effect on Dissolution in Dislocation Etchant
Authors: Rifai Muhammad , Bagherpour Ebad , Yamamoto Genki , Yuasa Motohiro , Miyamoto Hiroyuki
Published: January 2018

Transition of dislocation structures in ultrafine‐grained copper processed by simple shear extrusion (SSE) and its effects on dissolution were manifested by simple immersion tests using a modified Livingston dislocation etchant, which attacks dislocations and grain boundaries selectively. The SSE process increased the internal strain evaluated by X‐ray line broadening analysis until eight passes but decreased it with further extrusion until twelve passes. The weight loss in the immersion tests reflected the variation in the internal strain: namely, it increased until eight passes and then decreased with further extrusion to twelve passes. Taking our previous report on microstructural observation into account, it is suggested that variation in the internal strain is caused by both the variation in dislocation density and structural change of grain boundaries from equilibrium to nonequilibrium states or vice versa. Decreased dislocation density and structural change back to equilibrium state of grain boundaries in very high strain range by possibly dynamic recovery as pointed out by Dalla Torre were validated by X‐ray and dissolution in the modified Livingston etchant in addition to the direct observation by TEM reported in our former report.
Cerebellum Susceptibility to Neonatal Asphyxia: Possible Protective Effects of N-Acetylcysteine Amide
Authors: Benterud T. , Manueldas S. , Rivera S. , Henckel E. , Løberg E. M. , Norgren S. , Baumbusch L. O. , Solberg R. , Saugstad O. D.
Published: January 2018

Background. After perinatal asphyxia, the cerebellum presents more damage than previously suggested. Objectives. To explore if the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine amide (NACA) could reduce cerebellar injury after hypoxia-reoxygenation in a neonatal pig model. Methods. Twenty-four newborn pigs in two intervention groups were exposed to 8% oxygen and hypercapnia, until base excess fell to −20 mmol/l or the mean arterial blood pressure declined to <20 mmHg. After hypoxia, they received either NACA (NACA group, n=12) or saline (vehicle-treated group, n=12). One sham-operated group (n=5) served as a control and was not subjected to hypoxia. Observation time after the end of hypoxia was 9.5 hours. Results. The intranuclear proteolytic activity in Purkinje cells of asphyxiated vehicle-treated pigs was significantly higher than that in sham controls (p=0.03). Treatment with NACA was associated with a trend to decreased intranuclear proteolytic activity (p=0.08), There were significantly less mutations in the mtDNA of the NACA group compared with the vehicle-treated group, 2.0 × 10−4 (±2.0 × 10−4) versus 4.8 × 10−5(±3.6 × 10−4, p<0.05). Conclusion. We found a trend to lower proteolytic activity in the core of Purkinje cells and significantly reduced mutation rate of mtDNA in the NACA group, which may indicate a positive effect of NACA after neonatal hypoxia. Measuring the proteolytic activity in the nucleus of Purkinje cells could be used to assess the effect of different neuroprotective substances after perinatal asphyxia.
Improved GeneralizedH2Filtering for Static Neural Networks with Time-Varying Delay via Free-Matrix-Based Integral Inequality
Authors: Yu Hui-Jun , He Yong , Wu Min
Published: January 2018

This paper focuses on the generalizedH2filtering of static neural networks with a time-varying delay. The aim of this problem is to design a full-order filter such that the filtering error system is globally asymptotically stable with guaranteedH2performance index. By constructing an augmented Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional and applying the free-matrix-based integral inequality to estimate its derivative, an improved delay-dependent condition for the generalizedH2filtering problem is established in terms of LMIs. Finally, a numerical example is presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Bus Route Design with a Bayesian Network Analysis of Bus Service Revenues
Authors: Liu Yi , Jia Yuanhua , Feng Xuesong , Wu Jiang
Published: January 2018

A Bayesian network is used to estimate revenues of bus services in consideration of the effect of bus travel demands, passenger transport distances, and so on. In this research, the areaXin Beijing has been selected as the study area because of its relatively high bus travel demand and, on the contrary, unsatisfactory bus services. It is suggested that the proposed Bayesian network approach is able to rationally predict the probabilities of different revenues of various route services, from the perspectives of both satisfying passenger demand and decreasing bus operation cost. This way, the existing bus routes in the studied area can be optimized for their most probable high revenues.
Chaos in a System with an Absolute Nonlinearity and Chaos Synchronization
Authors: Tamba Victor Kamdoum , Rajagopal Karthikeyan , Pham Viet-Thanh , Hoang Duy Vo
Published: January 2018

A system with an absolute nonlinearity is studied in this work. It is noted that the system is chaotic and has an adjustable amplitude variable, which is suitable for practical uses. Circuit design of such a system has been realized without any multiplier and experimental measurements have been reported. In addition, an adaptive control has been applied to get the synchronization of the system.
Gut Dysbiosis and Muscle Aging: Searching for Novel Targets against Sarcopenia
Authors: Picca Anna , Fanelli Francesca , Calvani Riccardo , Mulè Giuseppina , Pesce Vito , Sisto Alex , Pantanelli Cecilia , Bernabei Roberto , Landi Francesco , Marzetti Emanuele
Published: January 2018

Advanced age is characterized by several changes, one of which is the impairment of the homeostasis of intestinal microbiota. These alterations critically influence host health and have been associated with morbidity and mortality in older adults. “Inflammaging,” an age-related chronic inflammatory process, is a common trait of several conditions, including sarcopenia. Interestingly, imbalanced intestinal microbial community has been suggested to contribute to inflammaging. Changes in gut microbiota accompanying sarcopenia may be attenuated by supplementation with pre- and probiotics. Although muscle aging has been increasingly recognized as a biomarker of aging, the pathophysiology of sarcopenia is to date only partially appreciated. Due to its development in the context of the age-related inflammatory milieu, several studies favor the hypothesis of a tight connection between sarcopenia and inflammaging. However, conclusive evidence describing the signaling pathways involved has not yet been produced. Here, we review the current knowledge of the changes in intestinal microbiota that occur in advanced age with a special emphasis on findings supporting the idea of a modulation of muscle physiology through alterations in gut microbial composition and activity.
Comprehensive Treatment of Severe Periodontal and Periimplant Bone Destruction Caused by Iatrogenic Factors
Authors: Zafiropoulos Gregor-Georg , Parashis Andreas , Abdullah Taha , Sotiropoulos Evangelos , John Gordon
Published: January 2018

Dental implant success requires placement after periodontal therapy, with adequate bone volume, plaque control, primary stability, control of risk factors, and use of well-designed prostheses. This report describes the surgical and prosthetic management of a patient with severe iatrogenic periodontal/periimplant bone destruction. Methods. A 55-year-old female smoker with fixed partial dentures (FPDs) supported on teeth and implants presented with oral pain, swelling, bleeding, and a 10-year history of multiple implant placements and implants/prosthesis failures/replacements. Radiographs showed severe bone loss, subgingival caries, and periapical lesions. All implants and teeth were removed except implants #4 and #10 which served to retain an interim maxillary restoration. Bone defects were covered with nonresorbable dPTFE membranes. In the mandible, three new implants were placed and loaded immediately with a bar-retained temporary denture. Results. Seven months postoperatively, the bone defects were regenerated, and three additional mandibular implants were placed. All mandibular implants were splinted and loaded with a removable overdenture. Conclusions. In this case, periimplant infection and tissue destruction resulted from the lack of periodontal treatment/maintenance and failure to use evidence-based surgical and loading protocols. Combination therapy resolved the disease and the patient's severe discomfort while providing immediate function and an aesthetic solution.
Basicity Characterization of Imidazolyl Ionic Liquids and Their Application for Biomass Dissolution
Authors: Liu Chao , Li Youming , Hou Yi
Published: January 2018

Alkalinity determination is of crucial significance for the applications of basic ionic liquids with imidazolyl. In this work, the ionization constantpKbvalue and acid functionH-values of ionic liquids synthesized were calculated by pH method and UV spectrum-Hammett method. The dissolution ratio of biomass in these ionic liquids was measured at different temperatures. Finally, the relationship between the alkalinity and structure of these ionic liquids was discussed, and the relationship between the alkalinity of ionic liquid and the dissolution mechanism biomass was also discussed. The results show that the basicity of carboxylate ionic liquids is determined mainly by their anions, whereas cations take some finely tuned roles. Furthermore, cations and anions are equally important and are involved in dissolution mechanisms.
Negative Regulation of PTEN by MicroRNA-221 and Its Association with Drug Resistance and Cellular Senescence in Lung Cancer Cells
Authors: Wang Ning , Zhu Chen , Xu Ye , Qian Wenliang , Zheng Min
Published: January 2018

Objective.Chemotherapy is the routine method for treating many cancers, but long-term treatment may result in developing resistance to the drugs. The aim of this study was to identify whether noncoding RNAs play a role in drug resistance and how they affect drug resistance.Materials and Methods.The expression levels of miR-221 in different lung cancer cell lines H226, H1299, and A549 were measured. H1299 and A549 cell lines were transfected to overexpress and downexpress miR-221, and cell viability and cell senescence were determined. The PTEN/Akt pathway was then examined by real-time polymerase chain reaction and Western blot analysis.Results. MiR-221 together with proteins MDR1 and ABCG2 was upregulated in Cisplatin-resistant A549 lung cancer cells. Anti-miR-221 inhibits proliferation and induces senescence in lung cancer cells. PTEN/Akt pathway axis was identified as a target of drug resistance induced by miR-221.Conclusion. Our results revealed that miR-221 is an important regulator for chemotherapy sensitivity and showed miR-221 as a potential target for drug sensitization.
Acquired von Willebrand Disease Associated with Mantle Cell Lymphoma
Authors: Maas Dominique , Laros-van Gorkom Britta , Gianotten Sanne , Cruijsen Marjan , van Heerde Waander , Nijziel Marten
Published: January 2018

We present a rare case of acquired von Willebrand syndrome (AVWS) caused by a mantle cell lymphoma. A 61-year-old male suffered from recurrent bleeding symptoms since a few months. Initially, physical examination was normal. von Willebrand factor antigen (VWF:Ag) level and factor VIII activity (FVIII:C) were low (0.31 IU/ml and 0.43 IU/ml, resp.). Ristocetin cofactor activity (VWF:RCo) was 0.09 IU/ml, and collagen binding activity (VWF:CB) was 0.10 IU/ml. VWF:RCo/VWF:Ag ratio was 0.29, and RIPA value was normal. Highest molecular weight VWF multimers were absent. A diagnosis of von Willebrand Disease (VWD) type 2A was made. However, no genetic mutation was found. No inhibitory antibodies against VWF or factor VIII were detected. A few months later, cervical, axillary, and inguinal lymphadenopathy was found on physical examination. A CT scan confirmed multiple enlarged lymph nodes, and a clonal B-cell population matching a mantle cell lymphoma was detected in the bone marrow. Chemoimmunotherapy resulted in a very good partial remission and concomitantly in a rapid decrease of bleeding problems and complete normalization of FVIII:C and VWF:Ag. The diagnosis of AVWS cannot be rejected by negative mixing studies due to difficulties in the detection of autoantibodies and because of a highly heterogeneous pathogenesis of AVWS. When the suspicion of AVWS is high, an extensive investigation should be performed to find the underlying cause.
Predicting Hidden Links in Supply Networks
Authors: Brintrup A. , Wichmann P. , Woodall P. , McFarlane D. , Nicks E. , Krechel W.
Published: January 2018

Manufacturing companies often lack visibility of the procurement interdependencies between the suppliers within their supply network. However, knowledge of these interdependencies is useful to plan for potential operational disruptions. In this paper, we develop the Supply Network Link Predictor (SNLP) method to infer supplier interdependencies using the manufacturer’s incomplete knowledge of the network. SNLP uses topological data to extract relational features from the known network to train a classifier for predicting potential links. Using a test case from the automotive industry, four features are extracted: (i) number of existing supplier links, (ii) overlaps between supplier product portfolios, (iii) product outsourcing associations, and (iv) likelihood of buyers purchasing from two suppliers together. Naïve Bayes and Logistic Regression are then employed to predict whether these features can help predict interdependencies between two suppliers. Our results show that these features can indeed be used to predict interdependencies in the network and that predictive accuracy is maximised by (i) and (iii). The findings give rise to the exciting possibility of using data analytics for improving supply chain visibility. We then proceed to discuss to what extent such approaches can be adopted and their limitations, highlighting next steps for future work in this area.
Overt Increase of Oxidative Stress and DNA Damage in Murine and Human Colitis and Colitis-Associated Neoplasia
Authors: Frick Adrian , Khare Vineeta , Paul Gregor , Lang Michaela , Ferk Franziska , Knasmüller Siegfried , Beer Andrea , Oberhuber Georg , Gasche Christoph
Published: January 2018

Patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have a higher risk of developing colitis-associated-cancer (CAC); however, the underlying processes of disease progression are not completely understood. Here, the molecular processes of inflammation-driven colon carcinogenesis were investigated using IL10-deficient mice (IL10 KO). IL10 KO mice were euthanized after development of colitis and dysplasia. IHC was performed for markers of colitis-induced DNA damage (CIDD): oxidative DNA lesions (8-oxoG), double-strand breaks (DSB; γH2AX). and DSB repair. MSI, LOH (Trp53, Apc), and global methylation (CIMP) were assessed on microdissected tissue. Comet assay for DNA damage, immunofluorescence, and immunoblotting were performed on intestinal organoids from wild-type (WT) and IL10 KO mice. Sequential biopsies and surgical specimens from IBD and CAC patients were used for IHC analysis. Severity of inflammation correlated with number of dysplasia. 8-oxoG and γH2AX-positive cells were significantly increased in inflamed and dysplastic areas along with activation of DSB repair. The amount of positively stained cells strongly correlated with degree of inflammation (8-oxoG: R = 0.923; γH2AX: R = 0.858). Neither CIMP, MSI nor LOH was observed. Enhanced DSBs in IL10 KO organoids were confirmed by comet assay and increased expression of γH2AX. Human clinical specimens exhibited significantly higher γH2AX and 8-oxoG in IBD, dysplasia, and CAC compared with normal mucosa. These data indicate that inflammation-driven colon carcinogenesis in IL10 KO mice and IBD patients is associated with oxidative DNA damage and overt presence of DSB. Mol Cancer Res; 16(4); 634–42. ©2018 AACR.