bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Land use is a determinant of plant pathogen alpha‐ but not beta‐diversity
Authors: Makiola Andreas , Dickie Ian A. , Holdaway Robert J. , Wood Jamie R. , Orwin Kate H. , Glare Travis R.
Published: July 2019

Little is known about the diversity patterns of plant pathogens and how they change with land use at a broad scale. We employed DNA metabarcoding to describe the diversity and composition of putative plant pathogen communities in three substrates (soil, roots, and leaves) across five major land uses at a national scale. Almost all plant pathogen communities (fungi, oomycetes, and bacteria) showed strong responses to land use and substrate type. Land use category could explain up to 24% of the variance in composition between communities. Alpha‐diversity (richness) of plant pathogens was consistently lower in natural forests than in agricultural systems. In planted forests, there was also generally low pathogen alpha‐diversity in soil and roots, but alpha‐diversity in leaves was high compared with most other land uses. In contrast to alpha‐diversity, differences in within‐land use beta‐diversity of plant pathogens (the predictability of plant pathogen communities within land use) were subtle. Our results show that large‐scale patterns and distributions of putative plant pathogens can be determined using metabarcoding, allowing some of the first landscape level insights into these critically important communities.
Trichoderma reesei XYR1 recruits SWI/SNF to facilitate cellulase gene expression
Authors: Cao Yanli , Zheng Fanglin , Zhang Weixin , Meng Xiangfeng , Liu Weifeng
Published: July 2019

Cellulase gene expression in Trichoderma reesei is highly responsive to environmental cues and is under stringent regulation by multiple transcription factors. XYR1 (Xylanase regulator 1) has been identified as the most important transcriptional activator of cellulase/hemicellulase gene expression although the precise transactivating mechanism remains largely elusive. Here we show that the activation domain of XYR1 interacts with the T. reesei homolog of the TrSNF12 subunit of SWI/SNF complex. Deletion of Trsnf12 markedly impaired the induced cellulase gene expression. Individual loss of other SWI/SNF subunits including the catalytic subunit also severely compromised cellulase gene expression and interfered with loss of histone H4 in the cbh1 and eg1 promoters upon cellulose induction. In addition, we find that the SWI/SNF occupancy on cellulase gene promoters strictly required XYR1 and TrSNF12 but TrSNF12 was dispensable for the XYR1 binding to these promoters. These data suggest a model in which XYR1 recruits SWI/SNF through direct interactions with TrSNF12 to remodel chromatin at cellulase gene promoters, thereby activating cellulase gene expression to initiate the cellulolytic response in T. reesei.
Cryosurgery for oral soft tissue lesions: a literature review and clinical applications
Authors: King S. , Ariyaratnam S.
Published: July 2019

Cryosurgery is simply therapeutic tissue destruction, using the application of extreme cold. This article provides an update of the use of cryosurgery in soft tissue oral lesions; we outline the general principles, process of tissue injury, variables affecting the extent of freezing, advantages and side effects. Furthermore, we describe the application protocol of cryosurgery in a clinical environment, and introduce the terminology of cryodose for the literature.
Disseminated Bacille Calmette‐Guérin infection in a patient with severe combined immunodeficiency caused by JAK3 gene mutation
Authors: Li Meiyun , Chen Zhuo , Zhu Yunlu , Chen Ji
Published: July 2019

Bacille Calmette‐Guérin (BCG), a live attenuated vaccine prepared using Mycobacterium bovis, can prevent tuberculosis in children and is routinely administered to infants in China and many other countries. A serious complication following vaccination is disseminated BCG infection. The risk is greatly increased in patients with severe combined immunodeficiency disease (SCID), a syndrome characterized by deficiency of both humoral and cellular immunity. We report a case of disseminated BCG infection in an infant with SCID caused by two novel janus kinase 3 (JAK3) gene mutations.
A case of congenital rhabdomyosarcoma
Authors: Wang Senfen , Li Ping , Li Jianhong , Liu Jianzhong , Jiang Xianping , Zeng Weibin
Published: July 2019

A 6‐month‐old girl presented with a congenital orbital tumor diagnosed as congenital embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. Given the location, complete surgical resection was impossible. Management with chemotherapy and proton therapy resulted in complete clearance. This case highlights the clinical and histologic features of cutaneous congenital embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma.
Sensing Plant Physiology and Environmental Stress by Automatically Tracking Fj and Fi Features in PSII Chlorophyll Fluorescence Induction
Authors: Xia Qian , Tan Jinglu , Cheng Shengyang , Jiang Yongnian , Guo Ya
Published: July 2019

Following a step excitation, chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) from photosystem II (PSII) of a dark‐adapted photosynthetic organism exhibits the well‐known OJIP pattern. The OJIP induction has been widely used in plant science and agriculture engineering. While the J and I phases are related to transitions of photochemical reaction redox states, characteristic fluorescence intensities at the two phases (Fj and Fi) are often treated at fixed time points in routine measurement and thus do not account for variations in plant and experimental conditions, this (1) neglects the differences in the time of appearance of these phases, which is potentially useful information for characterizing plant status and environmental factors, and (2) leads to errors in measured Fj and Fi values in the many publications. In this work, an alternative method for consistent measurement of Fj and Fi was presented. The proposed method measures the curvatures in the OJIP curve and automatically tracks the characteristic transition points under variable sample and experimental conditions. Experiments were carried out to demonstrate the concept and classification capabilities of the method. This research has established a new framework to analyze ChlF and has enhanced the application capability of ChlF. It is expect useful in analysis ChlF from PSII.
Liberal hemoglobin threshold affects cerebral arterial pulsed Doppler and cardiac output, not cerebral tissue oxygenation: a prospective cohort study in anemic preterm infants
Authors: Jani Pranav , Lowe Krista , Hinder Murray , Galea Claire , D'Çruz Daphne , Badawi Nadia , Tracy Mark
Published: July 2019

BACKGROUND

Red blood cell (RBC) transfusion is a standard treatment for anemia of prematurity. Cerebral tissue oxygenation and blood flow velocities improve when a restrictive transfusion threshold is followed, but little is known about the effect of practicing a liberal transfusion threshold on cerebral tissue oxygenation, cerebral blood flow velocities, and cardiac output measurements.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

A prospective observational study of preterm infants under 32 weeks' gestation who received RBC transfusion. Monitoring was performed immediately before, immediately after, and 24 hours after transfusion. Data obtained included physiologic parameters, cerebral tissue oxygenation index (TOI), anterior and middle cerebral artery pulsed Doppler ultrasound measurements, and cardiac output measurements. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance for repeated measures.

RESULTS

Fifty RBC transfusion episodes in 40 preterm infants were monitored. The mean gestational age was 26.72 weeks (±1.6 weeks), and the mean birth weight was 855.25 g (±190.7 g). We did not observe significant changes in cerebral TOI (pretransfusion mean TOI = 70.5 [11.54], immediately after transfusion = 71.38 [12.51], [p = 0.924; 95% confidence interval (CI), −4.64 to 6.39], and 24 hours after transfusion = 75.64 [14.4]; [p = 0.07; 95% CI, −0.37 to 10.65]), cerebral fractional tissue oxygen extraction (pretransfusion = 0.25 [0.12], immediately after transfusion = 0.24 [0.13], and 24 hours after transfusion = 0.20 [0.15]), cerebral resistive index, cerebral pulsatility index, or right ventricular output. Statistically significant changes were observed immediately after transfusion in peak systolic velocity, end‐diastolic velocity and time‐averaged maximum velocity in the cerebral arterial circulation. Left ventricular output (pretransfusion = 374.32 mL/kg/min, immediately after transfusion = 346.67 mL/kg/min [p = 0.000; 95% CI, –39.61 to −15.68], and 24 hours after transfusion = 361.17 mL/kg/min [p = 0.027; 95% CI, –25.11 to −1.18]) and heart rate (pretransfusion = 163.37 [9.49], immediately after transfusion = 157.29 [10.2] [p = 0.000; 95% CI, –8.96 to −3.20], and 24 hours after transfusion = 160.40 [10.4] [p = 0.041; 95% CI, –5.85 to −0.09]) showed statistically significant changes throughout the monitoring period.

CONCLUSION

Our findings show that practicing liberal transfusion thresholds did not improve cerebral TOI in preterm infants who have mild anemia, but it did improve the compensatory response in cerebral arterial blood flow and cardiac output.
Magnetic resonance dacryocystography in the horse: A feasibility study
Authors: Manso‐Díaz Gabriel , García‐López José M. , López‐Sanromán Javier , Taeymans Olivier
Published: July 2019

Objective

To provide a comprehensive anatomical description of the normal equine nasolacrimal duct using magnetic resonance imaging, and to develop a practical protocol for performing magnetic resonance dacryocystography (MRD) in horses.

Animal studied

The heads of ten fresh horse cadavers with no history of sinonasal or ophthalmologic disorders were used for this study.

Procedure

An MRD technique was developed in this study, which consisted of two parts. In the first part, olive oil and gadolinium were compared as contrast medium, using five horses. Two concentrations of gadolinium were used: 0.25 mmol/mL and 0.5 mmol/mL. In the second part, the influence of different head recumbencies using olive oil as the sole contrast medium was studied in the remaining five horses.

Results

Injection with olive oil resulted in better distention and a complete filling of the nasolacrimal duct (ND) in all horses. Injection of 0.25 mmol/mL of gadolinium resulted in incomplete filling of the ND, whereas injection of 0.5 mmol/mL of gadolinium resulted in slightly better filling of the duct. The nondependent duct showed better distention compared to the dependent duct when scanning in lateral recumbency. No differences were observed between ducts in a dorsal recumbency. The degree of distention in dorsal recumbency was slightly less than the degree of distention observed in the nondependent ND in lateral recumbency.

Conclusions

Magnetic resonance dacryocystography is a suitable technique for evaluating the nasolacrimal duct and can be performed during a normal magnetic resonance examination.
Correlates of Physical Activity During Pregnancy: A Systematic Review with Implications for Evidence‐based Practice
Authors: Garland Meghan , Wilbur JoEllen , Semanik Pamela , Fogg Louis
Published: July 2019

Background

Numerous attempts have been made to improve women's physical activity participation during pregnancy, but activity levels remain low.

Aim

To examine systematically the associations of physical activity participation during pregnancy with non‐modifiable correlates (not subject to change) and modifiable theoretical correlates of physical activity.

Methods

This systematic review followed PRISMA (preferred reporting items for systematic review and meta‐analysis) guidelines. It includes cross‐sectional and longitudinal studies that assessed non‐modifiable correlates and modifiable theoretical correlates of physical activity. Five electronic databases were searched for studies published in the English language between 2010 and 2017. An author‐developed data collection tool was used to examine selected variables; effect sizes were determined; and study bias was assessed.

Results

Ten studies were included in the final review. Overall, effect sizes for non‐modifiable correlates of physical activity were small to moderate, except for mental health (d = 1.35) and prior physical activity (d = 0.63). By contrast, modifiable theoretical correlates of physical activity (e.g., self‐efficacy [d = 0.96–1.42] & intention to be physically active [d = 1.62]) had moderate to large effects in the expected direction with physical activity during pregnancy.

Discussion

The findings underscore the importance of developing physical activity interventions for pregnant women that are guided by modifiable theoretical correlates, taking into consideration non‐modifiable correlates of physical activity.

Linking Evidence to Action

Clinicians should help pregnant women to increase self‐confidence in their ability to be physically active and provide anticipatory guidance to overcome barriers to physical activity.
Development of a Computational Fluid Dynamics Methodology to Reproduce the Effects of Macroturbulence on Wind Turbines and Its Application to the Particular Case of a VAWT
Authors: Balduzzi Francesco , Zini Marco , Ferrara Giovanni , Bianchini Alessandro
Published: July 2019

Based on existing reports and databases, most of the installations in highly turbulent sites in fact fail to reach the expected energy yield, resulting in still or underperforming turbines that also give bad press for the technology. A better understanding of the real performance of wind turbines under highly turbulent conditions is then pivotal to ensure the economic viability of new installations. To this end, the possible use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) techniques could provide notable benefits, reducing the time-to-market and the cost with respect to experiments. On the other hand, it is intrinsically not easy to reproduce properly intense and large-scale turbulence with the techniques of common use for research and industry (e.g., CFD unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS)), while the only methods that are granted to do so (e.g., direct numerical simulation (DNS) or large eddy simulation (LES)) are often not computationally affordable. Moving from this background, this study presents the development of a numerical strategy to exploit at their maximum level the capabilities of an unsteady RANS approach in order to reproduce fields of macroturbulence of use for wind energy applications. The study is made of two main parts. In the first part, the numerical methodology is discussed and assessed based on real wind tunnel data. The benefits and drawbacks are presented also in comparison to other existing methods. In the second part, it has been used to simulate the behavior under turbulence of a H Darrieus vertical-axis wind turbine, for which unique wind tunnel data were available. The simulations, even if preliminary, showed good matching with experiments (e.g., confirming the increase of power), showing then the potential of the method.
Human Knee Inverse Dynamics Model of Vertical Jump Exercise
Authors: Caruntu Dumitru I. , Moreno Ricardo
Published: July 2019

This work deals with the dynamics of the human knee during vertical jump exercise. The focus is on the joint forces necessary to produce the jump and to dissipate energy during landing. A two-dimensional (2D) sagittal plane, inverse dynamics human leg model is developed. This model uses data from a motion capture system and force plates in order to predict knee and hip joint forces during the vertical jump exercise. The model consists of three bony structures femur, tibia, and patella, ligament structures to include both cruciate and collateral ligaments, and knee joint muscles. The inverse dynamics model is solved using optimization in order to predict joint forces during this exercise. matlab software package is used for the optimization computations. Results are compared with data available in the literature. This work provides insight regarding contact forces and ligaments forces, muscle forces, and knee and hip contact forces in the vertical jump exercise.
Compressive sensing method with enhanced sparsity for aeroengine duct mode detection
Authors: Bu Huanxian , Huang Xun , Zhang Xin
Published: July 2019

This Letter proposes an improved compressive-sensing-based methodology for aeroengine fan noise detection to guarantee the performance under low signal-to-noise ratio conditions. The principle behind the proposed method is to modify the mode power spectrum in a way with increased sparsity, which is demonstrated in both numerical studies and experimental validations. Overall, the proposed method could be applicable to aeroengine testing applications.
Fetal Weight Outcomes in C57BL/6J and C57BL/6NCrl Mice after Oral Colonization withPorphyromonas gingivalis
Authors: Fischer Lori A. , Bittner-Eddy Peter D. , Costalonga Massimo
Published: July 2019

Porphyromonas gingivalisis considered a keystone pathogen that contributes to the initiation and progression of periodontitis in humans.P. gingivalishas also been detected in human placentas associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes. The spread ofP. gingivalisfrom the oral cavity to the reproductive tract thus represents a potential mechanism whereby periodontitis can lead to adverse pregnancy outcomes.
Whole-Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium ulcerans CSURP7741, a French Guianan Clinical Isolate
Authors: Saad Jamal , Combe Marine , Hammoudi Nassim , Couppié Pierre , Blaizot Romain , Jedir Farah , Gozlan Rodolphe Elie , Drancourt Michel , Bouam Amar
Published: July 2019

Combined Nanopore and Illumina whole-genome sequencing of a French Guianan
Mycobacterium ulcerans
(Buruli ulcer agent) clinical isolate yielded a 5.12-Mbp genome with a 65.5% GC content, 5,215 protein-coding genes, and 51 predicted RNA genes. This publicly available
M. ulcerans
whole-genome sequence from a strain isolated in South America is closely related to
M. ulcerans
subsp.
liflandii
.
Transcriptome Sequencing Data Sets for Determining Gene Expression Changes Mediated by Phase-Variable DNA Methyltransferases in Nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae Strains Isolated from Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Atack John M. , Murphy Timothy F. , Pettigrew Melinda M. , Seib Kate L. , Jennings Michael P.
Published: July 2019

Nontypeable
Haemophilus influenzae
(NTHi) is a major bacterial cause of exacerbations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Here, we report high-depth coverage transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) data from two NTHi strains, each encoding a different phase-variable methyltransferase.
modA
phase variation results in gene expression differences. These data will serve as an important resource for future studies.
Draft Genome Sequence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Strain BWH047, a Sequence Type 235 Multidrug-Resistant Clinical Isolate Expressing High Levels of Colistin Resistance
Authors: Bachta Kelly E. R. , Ozer Egon A. , Pandit Alisha , Marty Francisco M. , Mekalanos John J. , Hauser Alan R.
Published: July 2019

The Gram-negative bacterium
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
is often multidrug resistant, associated with global epidemic outbreaks, and responsible for significant morbidity and mortality in hospitalized patients. Here, we present the draft genome sequence of BWH047, a multidrug-resistant
P. aeruginosa
clinical isolate belonging to the epidemic sequence type 235 and demonstrating high levels of colistin resistance.
High-Quality Draft Genome Sequence of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp.
cubense
Strain 160527, a Causal Agent of Panama Disease
Authors: Asai Shuta , Ayukawa Yu , Gan Pamela , Masuda Sachiko , Komatsu Ken , Shirasu Ken , Arie Tsutomu
Published: July 2019

Fusarium oxysporum
f. sp.
cubense
is the causal agent of banana Fusarium wilt, also known as Panama disease. Here, we present a high-quality genome sequence of
F. oxysporum
f. sp.
cubense
strain 160527. The genome assembly is composed of 12 contigs with a total assembly length of 51,139,495 bp (
N
50
contig length, 4,884,632 bp).
Genome Sequence of the Moderately Halophilic Yellow Sea Bacterium Lentibacillus salicampi ATCC BAA-719
T
Authors: Simoes Junior Milto , MacLea Kyle S.
Published: July 2019

Lentibacillus salicampi
SF-20
T
(=ATCC BAA-719
T
) was first isolated from a Yellow Sea salt field in Korea in 2002. Here, we report that the
L. salicampi
ATCC BAA-719
T
genome sequence has a predicted length of 3,897,716 bp, containing 3,945 total genes and a CRISPR array, with a G+C content of 43.0%.
Are Late Permian carbon isotope excursions of local or of global significance?
Authors: Bagherpour Borhan , Bucher Hugo , Vennemann Torsten , Schneebeli-Hermann Elke , Yuan Dong-xun , Leu Marc , Zhang Chao , Shen Shu-Zhong
Published: July 2019

We present a new, biostratigraphically calibrated organic and inorganic C-isotope record spanning the basal Late Permian to earliest Triassic from southern Guizhou (Nanpanjiang basin, South China). After fluctuations of a likely diagenetic overprint are removed, three negative carbon isotope excursions (CIEs) persist. These include a short-lived CIE during the early Wuchiapingian, a protracted CIE ending shortly after the Wuchiapingian–Changhsingian Boundary, and a third CIE straddling the Permian–Triassic boundary. Comparison of our new C-isotope record with others from the same basin suggests that influences of local bathymetry and of the amount of buried terrestrial organic matter are of importance. Comparison with other coeval time series outside of South China also highlights that only the negative CIE at the Permian–Triassic boundary is a global signal. These differences can be explained by the different volumes of erupted basalts between the Late Permian Emeishan and the younger Siberian large igneous provinces and their distinct eruptive modalities. Emeishan volcanism was largely submarine, implying that sea water was an efficient buffer against atmospheric propagation of volatiles. The equatorial position of Emeishan was also an additional obstacle for volatiles to reach the stratosphere and benefit from an efficient global distribution. Consequently, the local significance of these CIEs calls into question global correlations based on C-isotope chemostratigraphy during the Late Permian. The timing of the Late Permian Chinese CIEs is also not reflected in changes in species diversity or ecology, unlike the sudden and global Permian–Triassic boundary crisis and subsequent Early Triassic upheavals.
Vapor transport of silver and gold in basaltic lava flows
Authors: Li Peishu , Boudreau Alan E.
Published: July 2019

We documented occurrences of native copper (Cu), silver (Ag), and gold (Au) in a pāhoehoe flow from Kīlauea volcano (Hawaii, USA), an a‘ā flow from Mauna Loa volcano (Hawaii), and a mid-oceanic-ridge basalt (MORB) from the Chile Ridge (southeastern Pacific Ocean). Native Ag in Kīlauea and MORB samples consistently contained minor Cl (<1 wt%). Native Ag in Hawaiian basalts can occur at the center of nearly circular patches of relatively evolved minerals, which presumably formed after late-stage silicate liquid infilled pipe vesicles. Sulfur loss and oxidation of a Cu-sulfide phase can explain the native Cu, but not Au and Ag deposition. The rare occurrence of native Cu-Au-Ag alloys and the large native Au and Ag grain size suggest separate metal precipitation mechanisms. A fractional crystallization and degassing model envisions initial Au and Ag enrichment in crystallizing interstitial liquid and further enrichment in a separating vapor phase. From the flow interior, the metals ascend through ephemeral pipe vesicles as bisulfide (Au) or chloride (Ag) vapor complexes and precipitate in the transition zone below the upper vesicular zone, owing to temperature and oxidation state changes. Our results support igneous vapor transport of ore elements in mafic plutonic systems and imply preconcentration of gold during lava solidification before later hydrothermal remobilization.
HIV vasculopathy versus VZV vasculitis in an HIV patient with multiple brain ischaemic infarcts
Authors: Granja Manuel F , Monteiro Andre , Day Jason , Hanel Ricardo
Published: July 2019

We report the case of a 56-year-old man who presented to the emergency department with a 3-day onset of left limb weakness and feeling intoxicated with poor balance. Stroke hospitalisations in the USA decreased from 2000 to 2010, however the number of hospitalised patients with ischaemic stroke and HIV infection has increased significantly. Herein, we discuss the management of this unique case to highlight the importance of a broad differential diagnosis when approaching HIV/AIDS patients presenting with acute or subacute neurological focalisation. Given that HIV vasculopathy is a diagnosis of exclusion, it requires a thoughtful elimination of all possible aetiologies.
Usefulness of the intravenous flecainide challenge test before oral flecainide treatment in a patient with Andersen-Tawil syndrome
Authors: Sato Akinori , Takano Toshiki , Chinushi Masaomi , Minamino Tohru
Published: July 2019

Andersen-Tawil syndrome (ATS) is an inherited disorder characterised by the triad of ventricular arrhythmias (VAs), periodic paralysis and dysmorphic features. A 31-year-old woman diagnosed with ATS caused by aKCNJ2mutation (p.R228ins) was urgently admitted to our hospital following an episode of syncope during exercise. Electrocardiography revealed frequent premature ventricular complexes and non-sustained ventricular tachycardias (VTs) with pleomorphic QRS patterns. During the intravenous flecainide test (30 mg), the frequent VAs were inhibited completely. After oral flecainide (100 mg) was started, VAs, except for a brief bigeminy, were suppressed during the exercise test. On 24-hour Holter recordings, the VAs decreased from 50 133 to 13 363 beats/day (−73%). Sustained VT and syncope were not observed during a 3-year follow-up period. Intravenous flecainide challenge test may be useful in predicting the efficacy of oral flecainide treatment for patients with ATS.
Myocarditis mimicking acute aortic dissection
Authors: Hammond-Haley Matthew , Allen Christopher , Patterson Tiffany , Redwood Simon R
Published: July 2019

We report a case of myocarditis that closely mimicked acute aortic dissection in a young woman. The initial presentation was with sudden onset severe back pain and chest discomfort, associated with bilateral arm paraesthesia. The initial ECG demonstrated inferior ST-segment elevation with reciprocal anterior changes. The diagnosis was facilitated by urgent echocardiography, a CT aortogram and invasive coronary angiography to exclude aortic dissection and myocardial infarction, respectively. Acute myocarditis was later confirmed on cardiac MRI. The patient was treated conservatively with no subsequent arrhythmias with preservation of biventricular function.
Comparison of salt-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviours between parents and caregivers of children under 18 years of age and other adults who do not care for children under 18 years of age in Victoria, Australia
Authors: Khokhar Durreajam , Nowson Caryl , Margerison Claire , Bolam Bruce , Grimes Carley
Published: July 2019

Background/Aims

Salt intake among Australian adults exceeds recommendations, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Knowledge, attitudes and behaviours (KABs) are modifiable factors that may influence salt consumption. It is not known whether salt-related KABs among parents and caregivers of children under 18 years of age differ from other adults who do not care for children under 18 years of age. Therefore, we aimed to determine whether salt-related KABs differed between parents and caregivers and other adults. This information can be used to inform messages included in salt reduction consumer awareness campaigns.

Methods

Adults, aged 18–65 years, were recruited from four shopping centres, Facebook and a consumer research panel in the state of Victoria, Australia. Participants indicated if they were a parent or a caregiver of a child/children <18 years (‘parents/caregivers’) or not (‘other adults’). Regression models, adjusted for covariates, assessed differences in KABs between the two groups. Construct scores for KABs were developed, with high scores for knowledge indicative of high salt-related knowledge, for attitude indicative of lower importance of using salt to enhance the taste of food, and for behaviours indicative of higher frequency of engaging in behaviours to reduce salt in the diet.

Results

A total of 840 parents/caregivers and 1558 other adults completed the survey. Just over half of the parents/caregivers and other adults were female, with a mean (SD) age of 41.1 (10.3) years and 44.3 (15.3) years, respectively. Mean construct scores for salt-related KABs were similar between the two groups. Parents/caregivers were less likely to be aware of the relationship between salt and sodium (OR=0.73, p=0.002) and more likely to report difficulty in interpreting sodium information displayed on food labels (OR=1.36, p=0.004). Parents/caregivers were more likely to be concerned about a range of food-related issues, including the amount of saturated fat, sugar and salt in food. Parents/caregivers were more likely to report that they were trying to reduce their salt intake (OR=1.27, p=0.012) and more likely to report adding salt at the table (OR=1.28, p=0.008).

Conclusions

There were some differences in salt-related KABs between parents/caregivers and other adults. These findings provide insight into particular messages that could be focused on in consumer awareness campaigns that seek to improve parents’/caregivers’ KABs related to salt intake. Specifically, messages targeted at parents/caregivers should include practical guidance to reduce table salt and resources to assist in interpreting sodium information on food labels and the relationship of sodium to salt.
Fracture of the dimorphic fruits ofAethionema arabicum(Brassicaceae)
Authors: Arshad Waheed , Marone Federica , Collinson Margaret E. , Leubner-Metzger Gerhard , Steinbrecher Tina
Published: July 2019

Fruits exhibit highly diversified morphology, and are arguably one of the most highly specialised organs to have evolved in higher plants. Fruits range in morphological, biomechanical, and textural properties, often as adaptations for their respective dispersal strategy. While most plant species possess monomorphic (of a single type) fruit and seeds, here we focus on Aethionema arabicum (L.) Andrz. ex DC. (Brassicaceae). Its production of two distinct fruit (dehiscent and indehiscent) and seed types on the same individual plant provides a unique model system with which to study structural and functional aspects of dimorphism. Using comparative analyses of fruit fracture biomechanics, fracture surface morphology, and internal fruit anatomy, we reveal that the dimorphic fruits of A. arabicum exhibit clear material, morpho-anatomical, and adaptive properties underlying their fracture behaviour. A separation layer along the valve–replum boundary is present in dehiscent fruit, whereas indehiscent fruit have numerous fibres with spiral thickening, linking their winged valves at the adaxial surface. Our study evaluates the biomechanics underlying fruit-opening mechanisms in a heteromorphic plant species. Elucidating dimorphic traits aids our understanding of adaptive biomechanical morphologies that function as a bet-hedging strategy in the context of seed and fruit dispersal within spatially and temporally stochastic environments.
Lorentz-violating gaugeon formalism for rank-2 tensor theory
Authors: Upadhyay Sudhaker , Shah Mushtaq B. , Ganai Prince A.
Published: July 2019

We develop a BRST symmetric gaugeon formalism for the Abelian rank-2 antisymmetric tensor field in the Lorentz-breaking framework. The Lorentz-breaking is achieved here by considering a proper subgroup of Lorentz group together with translation. In this scenario, the gaugeon fields together with the standard fields of the Abelian rank-2 antisymmetric tensor theory get mass. In order to develop the gaugeon formulation for this theory in very special relativity (VSR), we first introduce a set of dipole vector fields as a quantum gauge freedom to the action. In order to quantize the dipole vector fields, the VSR-modified gauge-fixing and corresponding ghost action are constructed as the classical action is invariant under a VSR-modified gauge transformation. Further, we present a Type I gaugeon formalism for the Abelian rank-2 antisymmetric tensor field theory in VSR. The gauge structures of Fock space constructed with the help of BRST charges are also discussed.
Solving the fermionic mass hierarchy of the Standard Model
Authors: Abbas Gauhar
Published: July 2019

We show that a simultaneous explanation for fermionic mass hierarchy among and within the fermionic families, quark-mixing, can be obtained in an extension of the Standard Model, with real singlet scalar fields, which are UV completed by vector-like fermions and a strongly interacting sector.
Fermionic Casimir effect in Horava–Lifshitz theories
Authors: da Silva Dêivid R. , Cruz M. B. , Bezerra de Mello E. R.
Published: July 2019

In this paper, we analyze the fermionic Casimir effects associated with a massless quantum field in the context of Lorentz symmetry violation approach based on Horava–Lifshitz methodology. In order to obtain these observables, we impose the standard MIT bag boundary condition on the fields on two large and parallel plates. Our main objectives are to investigate how the Casimir energy and pressure depend on the parameter associated with the breaking of Lorentz symmetry.
Research on Digital Camouflage Pattern Generation Algorithm Based on Adversarial Autoencoder Network
Authors: Yang Xin , Xu Wei-Dong , Jia Qi , Li Ling
Published: July 2019

In the past, most of the digital camouflage used textural features to extract the configuration features of spots in gray images, unable to effectively utilize the position relationship between color information. In order to overcome this shortcoming, a new digital camouflage pattern design model was proposed based on the model of adversarial autoencoder network. Firstly, the complexity and performance of several main color extraction algorithms were analyzed and compared, and combined with AFK-MC2 algorithm and color similarity coefficient, a fast camouflage main color clustering method was proposed. Then a deep convolution adversarial autoencoder network was designed to extract and describe the configuration features of the spots in background pattern. In order to diffuse pixel spot and achieve the effect of spatial color blending, a morphological processing algorithm was proposed to process the generated camouflage patterns. Finally, two sets of grassland and woodland datasets were established, respectively. The influence of the number of latent variables of network on the training process was tested on the dataset, and the number of camouflage feature descriptions was determined to be greater than or equal to 10. In order to verify the effectiveness of the generated camouflage, the spots in background region and target region were randomly selected, and the Euclidean distance between the feature parameters of these spots was calculated. Both the visual and experimental results demonstrate that the generated spots have high fusion with the background.
Cryptomenorrhea Secondary to Past Childhood Pelvic Trauma in Young Adolescent Girls: Case Series
Authors: Mazhar Syeda Batool , Mumtaz Javeria , Saeed Qurratulain , Nawaz Farzana
Published: July 2019

Primary amenorrhea secondary to childhood pelvic trauma is very rare. We report two cases of adolescent girls with cryptomenorrhoea. Case 1 presented at 14 years of age with primary amenorrhea and cyclical lower abdominal pain for 1 year. She was run over by a tractor when she was three years old. Ultrasonography pelvis showed hematometra. Examination under anesthesia with diagnostic laparoscopy proceed laparotomy revealed uterine avulsion at level of isthmus. The second case presented at 13 years of age with urinary retention. Catheterization was not possible due to malpositioning of urethra so suprapubic catheterization was performed by urologists. Ultrasonography pelvis revealed hematocolpos. Detailed history revealed run over injury by a vehicle when she was two years old. Examination under anesthesia showed obstruction due to adhesions high up in vagina which were divided.
State Case Study of Computing Education Governance
Authors: Garvin Megean , Neary Michael , Desjardins Marie
Published: July 2019

High school computing education reform efforts have been ongoing across the United States, particularly in the past decade. Although national Computer Science (CS) for All initiatives are promising, states retain control over education policies. Recent computing education reform efforts in the state of Maryland (U.S.A.) focused on providing every public high school student with access to high-quality high school computing courses. Such access provides exposure to computing careers and better prepares a diverse pool of students for computing majors in college and the workforce. This comprehensive embedded multi-level case study examines the state’s computing education reform efforts from 2010 through 2016. The expansion of computing education indicates that while there was positive growth, the growth was not the same for all categories of public high school students. Top-down policies assist in providing leverage to elevate the need for CS; however, bottom-up efforts to support students and to enable teachers to retain autonomy and professionalism is also needed for CS expansion. Despite successes, barriers at the state, Local Education Agencies (LEA), school, and classroom levels persist and are discussed. The findings in this study can be applied to other states with similar governance structures and policies, and we provide specific recommendations.
Derandomized Concentration Bounds for Polynomials, and Hypergraph Maximal Independent Set
Authors: Harris David G.
Published: July 2019

A parallel algorithm for maximal independent set (MIS) in hypergraphs has been a long-standing algorithmic challenge, dating back nearly 30 years to a survey of Karp and Ramachandran (1990). The best randomized parallel algorithm for hypergraphs of fixed rank
r
was developed by Beame and Luby (1990) and Kelsen (1992), running in time roughly (log
n
)

r
!

.

We improve the randomized algorithm of Kelsen, reducing the runtime to roughly (log
n
)

2

r

and simplifying the analysis through the use of more-modern concentration inequalities. We also give a method for derandomizing concentration bounds for low-degree polynomials, which are the key technical tool used to analyze that algorithm. This leads to a deterministic PRAM algorithm also running in (log
n
)

2

r
+3

time and
poly
(
m
,
n
) processors. This is the first deterministic algorithm with sub-polynomial runtime for hypergraphs of rank
r
> 3.

Our analysis can also apply when
r
is slowly growing; using this in conjunction with a strategy of Bercea et al. (2015) gives a deterministic MIS algorithm running in time exp (
O
(
log
(
mn
) / log log (
mn
)).
Gas-Forming Liver Abscess versus Emphysematous Hepatitis: A Radiologic Diagnostic Dilemma—A Case Report and Review of the Literature
Authors: Ghosn Youssef , Abdallah Ali , Hussein Kamareddine Mohammed , Geahchan Amine , Baghdadi Ahmad , El-Rassi Ziad , Chamseddine Abbas , Ashou Raja
Published: July 2019

A 38-year-old diabetic woman, with history of cholecystectomy and ventral hernia repair, was hospitalized due to sudden-onset abdominal pain and fever. Computed tomography revealed a mixed collection containing necrotic debris and emphysematous change in the left lobe of the liver mainly in segments II and III. These radiological findings suggested emphysematous hepatitis (EH). The patient’s condition deteriorated rapidly, and she was rushed to the operating room for urgent exploratory laparotomy where debridement was performed. Intraoperatively the patient was found to have an abscess with incomplete capsule concurrent with hepatic necrosis suggesting the co-occurrence of abscess and EH. The patient survived and was discharged after 13 days. Relevant literature was reviewed, and to the best of our knowledge, EH is an extremely rare entity with limited data regarding its pathogenesis, causative organisms, and management. EH is a rapidly invasive disease process that can be fatal if appropriate therapeutic intervention is delayed. Initial presentations are usually subtle, thus high clinical and radiological suspicion is required for early diagnosis and management to decrease associated mortality and morbidity. We hence report the first successfully treated case of EH with review of the literature.
Prolonged Serum Alanine Aminotransferase Elevation Associated with Isotretinoin Administration
Authors: Nazarian Roya S. , Zheng Elizabeth , Halverstam Caroline , Cohen Steven R. , Wolkoff Allan W.
Published: July 2019

Isotretinoin is a highly effective oral retinoid derivative for severe forms of acne. Despite its high margin of safety, isotretinoin carries a risk of teratogenicity and mild to massive elevations of serum cholesterol and triglyceride levels, as well as infrequent transaminitis. Liver dysfunction induced by isotretinoin is rare but it poses a management dilemma. We describe a 16-year-old male in whom alanine aminotransferase (ALT) rose from a baseline of 13 to 288 U/L after 20 weeks of treatment with 1.0-1.4 mg/kg of oral isotretinoin daily. Though the patient remained asymptomatic, ALT levels did not return to normal limits for approximately 8 months after discontinuation of therapy, an observation that has not been documented in the literature. When oral isotretinoin was readministered for intractable facial acne 3 years later, liver enzymes remained normal throughout the course of therapy. Although the pathogenesis and prognosis of retinoid-induced hepatotoxicity are unknown, this case illustrates that isotretinoin may be safely readministered after normalization of liver function tests.
Denture Impaction Causing an Upper Esophageal Diverticulum
Authors: Samargandy Shireen , Marzouki Hani , Al-Khatib Talal , Merdad Mazin
Published: July 2019

Background. Dentures are a common cause of inadvertent foreign body ingestion particularly in the elderly. Due to their radiolucent nature, they often present a diagnostic challenge to care providing physicians. Case Presentation. A 66-year-old female presented to our otolaryngology clinic with a 2-year history of dysphagia. Her physical examination was unremarkable. Computed tomography scan of the neck and barium swallow suggested Zenker diverticulum. She was planned for endoscopic diverticulotomy; however, during surgery, a foreign body was incidentally found and retrieved, which was a partial lower denture. The diverticulum resolved thereafter, and the patient's symptoms abated. Conclusion. The authors recommend evaluating the esophagus endoscopically first in cases of upper esophageal diverticular formation, even when planning an open repair approach, to rule out any concealed foreign bodies.
Vaccination for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma: A Hard Nut to Crack
Authors: Salas-Benito Diego , Melero Ignacio , Ponz-Sarvise Mariano
Published: July 2019

No immunotherapy strategy is yet offering consistent results against pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. A randomized clinical trial testing repeated immunization with a Listeria monocytogenes–based vaccine encoding for mesothelin in combination with a GM-CSF–transfected allogeneic pancreatic cell vaccine reports no survival benefit for the vaccinated patients.

See related article by Le et al., p. 5493
In vivo Prevalence of Alzheimer Biomarkers in Dementia with Lewy Bodies
Authors: Paraskevas George P. , Bougea Anastasia , Constantinides Vasilios C. , Bourbouli Mara , Petropoulou Olga , Kapaki Elisabeth
Published: July 2019

Background: Neuropathological studies indicate concomitant Alzheimer’s disease (AD) pathology in patients with dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). Objectives: To measure cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of β-amyloid peptide with 42 amino acids (Aβ42), total tau protein (τT), and tau phosphorylated at threonine 181 (τP-181) in 38 patients fulfilling the diagnostic criteria of probable DLB according to the most recent (4th consensus) report. Methods: Double-sandwich commercial ELISAs (Innotest; Fujirebio, Gent, Belgium) were used for measurements. Results: According to the current cutoff values of our laboratory, 4 biomarker profiles were noted: abnormal levels of Aβ42 only (44.7%), full AD profile (39.5%), abnormal levels of τT only (5.3%), and normal levels of all 3 biomarkers (10.5%). AD profile was associated with female sex, older age, lower education, and lower MMSE scores. Conclusions: Reduction in Αβ42 in DLB may be more common (>80% of patients) than previously thought, and ∼40% may have the typical CSF AD biomarker profile. AD biochemistry in DLB may be an evolving process showing increasing frequency with disease progression.
Efficient Human Cytomegalovirus Replication in Primary Endothelial Cells Is SOCS3 Dependent
Authors: Sonzogni Olmo , Millard Anne-Laure , Taveira Aline , Schneider Mårten K.J. , Duo Li , Speck Roberto F. , Wulf Gerburg M. , Mueller Nicolas J.
Published: July 2019

Background: In immunocompromised patients, human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Suppressor of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins are very potent negative regulators of the janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) pathways. We hypothesized that HCMV exploits SOCS1 and/or SOCS3 to its advantage. Methods: All experiments were carried out with primary human lung-derived microvascular endothelial cells (HMVEC). SOCS1 and SOCS3 were silenced by transfecting the cells with siRNA. HCMV was propagated and titered on human lung-derived fibroblasts MRC5. Real-time PCR and Western blot were used to detect mRNA and protein levels, respectively. Results: The data presented show that an efficient replication of HCMV in HMVEC is dependent on SOCS3 protein. Time course analysis revealed an increase in SOCS3 protein levels in infected cells. Silencing of SOCS3 (siSOCS3) resulted in inhibition of viral immediate early, early, and late antigen production. Consistently, HCMV titers produced by siSOCS3 cultures were significantly decreased when compared to control transfected cultures (siCNTRs). STAT1 and STAT2 phosphorylation was increased in siSOCS3-infected cells when compared to siCNTR-treated cells. Conclusion: These findings indicate the implication of SOCS3 in the mechanism of HCMV-mediated control of cellular immune responses.
Higher Control Scheme Using Neural Second Order Sliding Mode and ANFIS-SVM strategy for a DFIG-Based Wind Turbine
Authors: Benbouhenni Habib , Boudjema Zinelaabidine , Belaidi Abdelkader
Published: July 2019

In this paper, we propose an advanced control scheme using neural second order sliding mode (NSOSMC) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system space vector modulation (ANFIS-SVM) strategy for a doubly fed induction generator (DFIG) integrated into a wind turbine system (WTS). The used hybrid control system composed of artificial intelligence techniques and second-order sliding mode applied to ensure better powers performances provided by the WTS. The obtained simulation results showed that the proposed control structure has active and reactive powers with low ripples and low stator current harmonic distortion.
Editorial
Authors: Moreira Tomás Antonio , Trajano Filho Francisco Sales
Published: July 2019

Editorial