bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Subinhibitory Concentrations of LFF571 Reduce Toxin Production by Clostridium difficile
Authors: Sachdeva Meena , Leeds Jennifer A.
Published: December 2014

LFF571 is a novel semisynthetic thiopeptide antibacterial that is undergoing investigation for safety and efficacy in patients with moderate
Clostridium difficile
infections. LFF571 inhibits bacterial protein synthesis by interacting with elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu) and interrupting complex formation between EF-Tu and aminoacyl-tRNA. Given this mechanism of action, we hypothesized that concentrations of LFF571 below those necessary to inhibit bacterial growth would reduce steady-state toxin levels in
C. difficile
cultures. We investigated
C. difficile
growth and toxin A and B levels in the presence of LFF571, fidaxomicin, vancomycin, and metronidazole. LFF571 led to strain-dependent effects on toxin production, including decreased toxin levels after treatment with subinhibitory concentrations, and more rapid declines in toxin production than in inhibition of colony formation. Fidaxomicin, which is an RNA synthesis inhibitor, conferred a similar pattern to LFF571 with respect to toxin levels versus viable cell counts. The incubation of two toxigenic
C. difficile
strains with subinhibitory concentrations of vancomycin, a cell wall synthesis inhibitor, increased toxin levels in the supernatant over those of untreated cultures. A similar phenomenon was observed with one metronidazole-treated strain of
C. difficile
. These studies indicate that LFF571 and fidaxomicin generally result in decreased
C. difficile
toxin levels in culture supernatants, whereas treatment of some strains with vancomycin or metronidazole had the potential to increase toxin levels. Although the relevance of these findings remains to be studied in patients, reducing toxin levels with sub-growth-inhibitory concentrations of an antibiotic is hypothesized to be beneficial in alleviating symptoms.
Multilaboratory Testing of Antifungal Drug Combinations against Candida Species and Aspergillus fumigatus: Utility of 100 Percent Inhibition as the Endpoint
Authors: Ren Ping , Luo Ming , Lin Shao , Ghannoum Mahmoud A. , Isham Nancy , Diekema Dan J. , Pfaller Michael A. , Messer Shawn , Lockhart Shawn R. , Iqbal Naureen , Chaturvedi Vishnu
Published: December 2014

Four laboratories tested three isolates of
Candida
species and two isolates of
Aspergillus fumigatus
using 96-well plates containing combinations of amphotericin B, anidulafungin, caspofungin, micafungin, fluconazole, itraconazole, posaconazole, and voriconazole. The majority of summation fractional inhibitory concentration indices (ΣFICI) based on the Lowe additivity formula suggested indifferent drug interactions (ΣFICI > 0.5 and ≤4.0) and no instance of drug antagonism (ΣFICI > 4.0). The intra- and interlaboratory agreement rates were superior when MIC
100
readings were used as endpoints (at a 99% confidence interval [CI]).
Antimalarial Iron Chelator FBS0701 Blocks Transmission by Plasmodium falciparum Gametocyte Activation Inhibition
Authors: Ferrer Patricia , Vega-Rodriguez Joel , Tripathi Abhai K. , Jacobs-Lorena Marcelo , Sullivan David J.
Published: December 2014

Reducing the transmission of the malarial parasite by
Anopheles
mosquitoes using drugs or vaccines remains a main focus in the efforts to control malaria. Iron chelators have been studied as potential antimalarial drugs due to their activities against different stages of the parasite. The iron chelator FBS0701 affects the development of
Plasmodium falciparum
early gametocytes and lowers blood-stage parasitemia. Here, we tested the effect of FBS0701 on stage V gametocyte infectivity for mosquitoes. The incubation of stage V gametocytes for up to 3 days with increasing concentrations of FBS0701 resulted in a significant dose-related reduction in mosquito infectivity, as measured by the numbers of oocysts per mosquito. The reduction in mosquito infectivity was due to the inhibition of male and female gametocyte activation. The preincubation of FBS0701 with ferric chloride restored gametocyte infectivity, showing that the inhibitory effect of FBS0701 was quenched by iron. Deferoxamine, another iron chelator, also reduced gametocyte infectivity but to a lesser extent. Finally, the simultaneous administration of drug and gametocytes to mosquitoes without previous incubation did not significantly reduce the numbers of oocysts. These results show the importance of gametocyte iron metabolism as a potential target for new transmission-blocking strategies.
Small-Molecule Xenomycins Inhibit All Stages of the Plasmodium Life Cycle
Authors: Erath Jessey , Gallego-Delgado Julio , Xu Wenyue , Andriani Grasiella , Tanghe Scott , Gurova Katerina V. , Gudkov Andrei , Purmal Andrei , Rydkina Elena , Rodriguez Ana
Published: December 2014

Widespread resistance to most antimalaria drugs in use has prompted the search for novel candidate compounds with activity against
Plasmodium
asexual blood stages to be developed for treatment. In addition, the current malaria eradication programs require the development of drugs that are effective against all stages of the parasite life cycle. We have analyzed the antimalarial properties of xenomycins, a novel subclass of small molecule compounds initially isolated for anticancer activity and similarity to quinacrine in biological effects on mammalian cells.
In vitro
studies show potent activity of Xenomycins against
Plasmodium falciparum
. Oral administration of xenomycins in mouse models result in effective clearance of liver and blood asexual and sexual stages, as well as effective inhibition of transmission to mosquitoes. These characteristics position xenomycins as antimalarial candidates with potential activity in prevention, treatment and elimination of this disease.
Genomic, Proteomic, and Biochemical Analysis of the Organohalide Respiratory Pathway in Desulfitobacterium dehalogenans
Authors: Kruse Thomas , van de Pas Bram A. , Atteia Ariane , Krab Klaas , Hagen Wilfred R. , Goodwin Lynne , Chain Patrick , Boeren Sjef , Maphosa Farai , Schraa Gosse , de Vos Willem M. , van der Oost John , Smidt Hauke , Stams Alfons J. M.
Published: December 2014

Desulfitobacterium dehalogenans
is able to grow by organohalide respiration using 3-chloro-4-hydroxyphenyl acetate (Cl-OHPA) as an electron acceptor. We used a combination of genome sequencing, biochemical analysis of redox active components, and shotgun proteomics to study elements of the organohalide respiratory electron transport chain. The genome of
Desulfitobacterium dehalogenans
JW/IU-DC1
T
consists of a single circular chromosome of 4,321,753 bp with a GC content of 44.97%. The genome contains 4,252 genes, including six rRNA operons and six predicted reductive dehalogenases. One of the reductive dehalogenases, CprA, is encoded by a well-characterized
cprTKZEBACD
gene cluster. Redox active components were identified in concentrated suspensions of cells grown on formate and Cl-OHPA or formate and fumarate, using electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), visible spectroscopy, and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis of membrane extracts. In cell suspensions, these components were reduced upon addition of formate and oxidized after addition of Cl-OHPA, indicating involvement in organohalide respiration. Genome analysis revealed genes that likely encode the identified components of the electron transport chain from formate to fumarate or Cl-OHPA. Data presented here suggest that the first part of the electron transport chain from formate to fumarate or Cl-OHPA is shared. Electrons are channeled from an outward-facing formate dehydrogenase via menaquinones to a fumarate reductase located at the cytoplasmic face of the membrane. When Cl-OHPA is the terminal electron acceptor, electrons are transferred from menaquinones to outward-facing CprA, via an as-yet-unidentified membrane complex, and potentially an extracellular flavoprotein acting as an electron shuttle between the quinol dehydrogenase membrane complex and CprA.
Undergraduate Bioinformatics Workshops Provide Perceived Skills
Authors: Cresiski Robin Herlands
Published: December 2014

Bioinformatics is becoming an important part of undergraduate curriculum, but expertise and well-evaluated teaching materials may not be available on every campus. Here, a guest speaker was utilized to introduce bioinformatics and web-available exercises were adapted for student investigation. Students used web-based nucleotide comparison tools to examine the medical and evolutionary relevance of a unidentified genetic sequence. Based on pre- and post-workshop surveys, there were significant gains in the students understanding of bioinformatics, as well as their perceived skills in using bioinformatics tools. The relevance of bioinformatics to a student’s career seemed dependent on career aspirations.
Hormones and Antibiotics in Nature: A Laboratory Module Designed to Broaden Undergraduate Perspectives on Typically Human-Centered Topics
Authors: Weber Carolyn F.
Published: December 2014

Bringing discovery-based research into undergraduate laboratory courses increases student motivation and learning gains over traditional exercises that merely teach technique or demonstrate well-documented phenomena. Laboratory experiences are further enhanced when they are designed to challenge student perspectives on topics relevant to their lives. To this end, a laboratory module on antibiotics and hormones, which are generally discussed in the context of human health, was developed for students to explore the multifaceted roles of antibiotics and hormones in nature (e.g. interspecies communication) via reading primary scientific literature and performing discovery-based experiments. The main objective of this module was to increase the general biological literacy of students as determined by their ability to connect the Five Core Concepts of Biological Literacy (American Association for the Advancement of Science, Vision and Change in Undergraduate Education: A Call to Action, 2011) to the topics “hormones” and “antibiotics” in pre- and postmodule surveys. After discussing unpublished research findings, cell biology students performed experiments demonstrating that: 1) fungi may promote fern growth via hormone production, 2) novel bacterial isolates in the genus
Streptomyces
produce antifungal compounds, and 3) subinhibitory antibiotic concentrations may enhance soil bacterial growth. The third finding provided evidence supporting a hypothesis framed in a scientific article that students read and discussed. Student perspectives on premodule surveys focused on roles of hormones and antibiotics in the human body (e.g. development, fighting infection), but their broadened postmodule perspectives encompassed the roles of these molecules in organismal communication and possibly the evolution of multicellularity.
Enzymes in Action: An Interactive Activity Designed to Highlight Positive Attributes of Extracellular Enzymes Synthesized by Microbes
Authors: Gillespie Rachel M. C. , Stanley-Wall Nicola R.
Published: December 2014

Microbial activities are widely exploited in the manufacture of valuable products. However, the many beneficial uses of microorganisms are often overshadowed by negative associations with disease and decay. This article describes an interactive activity aimed at school-aged children and members of the public, which introduces the concept of microbial enzymes and ultimately illustrates how the industrial uses of microbes have a positive impact on everyday life. Participants are guided through a simple chemical assay which allows them to use a hands-on approach to reveal bacterial enzymes at work. This activity is safe and economical to run and is suitable for use in both the classroom and external learning environments. Also included are supplemental educational resources to support the demonstration and suggestions for extensions to the activity described, which enable further exploration of the topic. This activity has been tested by more than 2000 people at public engagement events and has received much positive feedback.
The Gen-Ethics Bowl – An In-Class Activity Combining Genetics and Bioethics
Authors: De Souza-Hart Janet A. , Ho Dien
Published: December 2014

Undergraduate science professors are capable of teaching the scientific principles behind new genetic technologies. However, they are not often readied to explore the ethical and social implications. We created an ethics bowl that brings together students in genetic and healthcare ethics courses to analyze ethical issues in genetics. It is an engaging, challenging, and rewarding experience that provides students with the tools to identify ethical elements in science. This proves to be a wonderful first step in training morally sensitive scientists.
An Inquiry-Based Laboratory Module to Promote Understanding of the Scientific Method and Bacterial Conjugation
Authors: Berkmen Melanie B. , Murthy Anastasia C. , Broulidakis Matthew P.
Published: December 2014

Students are engaged and improve their critical thinking skills in laboratory courses when they have the opportunity to design and conduct inquiry-based experiments that generate novel results. A discovery-driven project for a microbiology, genetics, or multidisciplinary research laboratory course was developed to familiarize students with the scientific method. In this multi-lab module, students determine whether their chosen stress conditions induce conjugation and/or cell death of the model BSL-1 Gram-positive bacterium
Bacillus subtilis.
Through consultation of the primary literature, students identify conditions or chemicals that can elicit DNA damage, the SOS response, and/or cellular stress. In groups, students discuss their selected conditions, develop their hypotheses and experimental plans, and formulate their positive and negative controls. Students then subject the B. subtilis donor cells to the stress conditions, mix donors with recipients to allow mating, and plate serial dilutions of the mixtures on selective plates to measure how the treatments affect conjugation frequency and donor cell viability. Finally, students analyze and discuss their collective data in light of their controls. The goals of this module are to encourage students to be actively involved in the scientific process while contributing to our understanding of the conditions that stimulate horizontal gene transfer in bacteria.
A Modern Twist on the Beaumont and St. Martin Case: Encouraging Analysis and Discussion in the Bioethics Classroom with Reflective Writing and Concept Mapping
Authors: Goller Carlos C.
Published: December 2014

Historical ethical dilemmas are a valuable tool in bioethics courses. However, garnering student interest in reading and discussing the assigned cases in the classroom can be challenging. In an effort to actively engage undergraduate and graduate students in an Ethical Issues in Biotechnology course, an activity was developed to encourage reflection on a classical ethical dilemma between a patient, St. Martin, and his employer/caretaker, Beaumont. Two different texts were used to analyze the ethical ramifications of this relationship: a chapter in a popular press book and a short perspective in a medical journal. Participants read the book chapter for homework and discussed it in class. This easy read highlights the fundamental ethical issues in the relationship between two men. Students were then provided with a second text focusing on the scientific accomplishments achieved through Beaumont’s experimentation on St. Martin. A structured worksheet prompted participants to reflect on their feelings after reading each text and create a concept map depicting the dilemma. Student-generated concept maps and written reflections indicate participants were able to list the ethical issues, analyze the situation, and evaluate the information provided. This activity not only encouraged higher-level thinking and reflection, it also mirrored the course’s structured approach of using concept mapping and reflection to dissect ethical dilemmas.
Personalized Genetic Testing as a Tool for Integrating Ethics Instruction into Biology Courses
Authors: Zhang Tenny R. , Anderson Misti Ault
Published: December 2014

Personalized genetic testing (PGT) has been used by some educational institutions as a pedagogical tool for teaching human genetics. While work has been done that examines the potential for PGT to improve students’ interest and understanding of the science involved in genetic testing, there has been less dialogue about how this method might be useful for integrating ethical and societal issues surrounding genetic testing into classroom discussions. Citing the importance of integrating ethics into the biology classroom, we argue that PGT can be an effective educational tool for integrating ethics and science education, and discuss relevant ethical considerations for instructors using this approach.
Ethics Is Not Rocket Science: How to Have Ethical Discussions in Your Science Class
Authors: Smith Kelly C.
Published: December 2014

The Rutland Institute for Ethics at Clemson University seeks to encourage discussion on campus, in businesses, and in the community about how ethical decision-making can be the basis of both personal and professional success. In the last 15 years, our fellows have, among other things, served as Co-PI’s on a wide range of grants, produced Responsible Conduct of Research training for science and engineering graduate students and faculty, managed the ethics curriculum at a medical school, and produced video lectures on ethical thinking for undergraduate Biology majors. The crown jewel of our efforts to-date is our Ethics Across the Curriculum program, affectionately known as “ethics boot camp.”

Each year, we bring faculty from all corners of the disciplinary spectrum together to show them how to have rich ethical discussions in their own classes with the students from their majors. The program has been extremely successful and over the past 15 years has touched the lives of hundreds of faculty and thousands of students. The purpose of this paper is to provide a very abbreviated version of the Rutland
Ethics Across the Curriculum
material to a wider audience of science educators. It is our hope that this will motivate more faculty to introduce ethics into their classes as well as provide them the basic tools they will need to make this experience fruitful for all concerned.
Science and Money: Problems and Solutions
Authors: Resnik David B.
Published: December 2014

Because science is a business replete with many different types of financial interests, eliminating or even drastically reducing them is not a realistic option. The best approach to dealing with financial interests in research is to implement policies designed to minimize or mitigate their impact on scientific integrity.
Overuse of Antibiotics: A Voice (with Multiple Agendas) Crying Out in the Microbial WildernessReview of:	Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics is Fueling our Modern Plagues;	BlaserMartin J.; (	2014).	Henry Holt and Company,	New York, NY.	273 pages.
Authors: Martin Mark O.
Published: December 2014

Review of:
Missing Microbes: How the Overuse of Antibiotics is Fueling our Modern Plagues;
Martin J. Blaser; (2014). Henry Holt and Company, New York, NY. 273 pages.
A Board Game for Undergraduate Genetics Vocabulary and Concept Review: The Pathway Shuffle
Authors: Osier Michael V.
Published: December 2014

A board game for the review of fundamental genetics concepts is presented. The game is easily prepared and dropped into a classroom setting. Printable materials are available as article supplements. Preliminary results of field testing are discussed, demonstrating a meaningful improvement in student success.
Journal Watch
Authors: Herzog Jennifer A.
Published: December 2014

In this section, I provide articles on recent developments and new technology used in microbiology and related fields. I also post articles that may help you bring new information or techniques into your laboratory or classroom via case studies or lab exercises. I hope you find this information useful, and I encourage you to send suggestions, questions or comments to me at
herzogja@herkimer.edu
. I look forward to hearing from you!
What Studies of Retractions Tell Us
Authors: Marcus Adam , Oransky Ivan
Published: December 2014

The retraction is receiving a growing amount of attention as an important event in scientific and scholarly publishing. Not only are some journals becoming increasingly open in their handling of the articles they withdraw—allowing researchers to gain important insights into the work of their colleagues—but scholars, too, have greater access to the reasons for retractions, information that is dramatically reshaping our understanding of such events. As this article will demonstrate, recent research has inverted the accepted lore about why retractions happen and their impact.
Feelings and Ethics Education: The FilmDear Scientists
Authors: Semendeferi Ioanna
Published: December 2014

There is an increasing body of evidence that not only cognition but also emotions shape moral judgment. The conventional teaching of responsible conduct of research, however, does not target emotions; its emphasis is on rational analysis. Here I present a new approach, ‘the feelings method,’ for incorporating emotions into science ethics education. This method is embodied inDear Scientists, an innovative film that combines humanities with arts and works at the subconscious level, delivering an intense mix of music and images, contrasted by calm narration.Dear Scientistshas struck a chord across the science, humanities, and arts communities—a promising sign.
An Evidence-Based Guide for Ethics Instruction
Authors: Bebeau Muriel J.
Published: December 2014

Drawing from multiple sources of evidence, this paper updates previous descriptions (IOM, 2002) of measurement strategies and teaching techniques to promote four theoretically derived abilities thought to be necessary conditions for the responsible conduct of research. Data from three samples (exemplary professionals, professionals disciplined by a licensing board, and graduates who completed an ethics program designed to promote the four interrelated abilities) suggest that development of a
moral identity
that is consistent with the norms and values of a profession is the driving force that gives rise to
ethical sensitivity, ethical reasoning
, and
ethical implementation
. Evidence from the cited studies supports the usefulness of the theoretical model to (a) deconstruct summary judgments about character and see them as abilities that can be assessed and developed; (b) guide the design assessments that are sensitive to the effects of interventions; and (c) augment previous IOM recommendations for the development of meaningful learning activities.
Teaching Responsible Conduct Responsibly
Authors: Zigmond Michael J. , Fischer Beth A.
Published: December 2014

Requirements for educating the next generation of scientists in the responsible conduct of research (RCR) were published approximately 25 years ago. Over the years, an extensive collThe advancement of science requires trust – trust in the literature, in our collaborators, in the data we are handed, and most of all in ourselves. Policies issued by U.S. federal funding agencies (e.g., the National Institutes of Health and National Science Foundation) have been valuable in prompting institutions to initiate formal mechanisms for providing instruction in the responsible conduct of research (RCR). However, the guidelines vary greatly in scope, detail, and the types of individuals to which they apply. Unfortunately, at many institutions, the provision of RCR instruction has become a bureaucratic exercise aimed at fulfilling a regulatory requirement, instead of an activity optimized for promoting a climate of integrity. We argue that for RCR instruction to be effective it should (1) be provided to everyone involved in the research enterprise, be they students, trainees, faculty, or staff, (2) be infused throughout one’s time at an institution. For graduate students, that would include from orientation to thesis completion, including integration into all “core classes” within their discipline, as well as into discussions at research group meetings. (3) We also advocate that the bulk of the instruction should be provided primarily by active researchers who know the issues and have relevance to, and credibly with, those being taught, and (4) that the instruction actively engages the learners. Not only will we be providing RCR instruction in a much more optimized manner, such an approach also emphasizes through our actions, not just in words, that behaving responsibly is an essential skill for researchers
Standardisation of Moxibustion: Challenges and Future Development
Authors: Lim Min Yee , Huang Jian , Zhao Baixiao
Published: December 2014

International organisations such as WHO and the International Organization for Standardization are increasingly committed to the development of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). Moxibustion is an integral modality of acupuncture that has been in use for thousands of years. It stands out as a health choice due to its potential effects in disease prevention, health promotion and maintenance, as well as affordability and accessibility. As the use of moxibustion increases, concerns are being raised regarding its safety and quality. The need to establish standards to protect patient safety is paramount in all medical fields. As a form of medical practice, it is essential to develop moxibustion standards in the areas of terminology, moxibustion products, treatment rooms and practice to ensure its harmonisation and safe usage. The evidence base guiding policy and decision making has to be based on evidence from basic and clinical research. Promoting strategic basic and clinical research on the safety and effectiveness of moxibustion will answer some of the fundamental questions surrounding moxibustion, create a climate of awareness and acceptance and, in turn, drive its standardisation.
Severe resistant maternal hypotension following tocolysis with nifedipine
Authors: Khoo Freda , Mathur Manisha
Published: December 2014

An 18-year-old woman, gravida 3, para 2, presented at 24 weeks of gestation with preterm premature rupture of membranes. She was started on nifedipine for tocolysis and to facilitate administration of steroids. Two and a half hours later, the patient developed tachycardia and hypotension. Sepsis from chorioamnionitis, acute cardiac event and pulmonary embolism were considered as differential diagnoses. Laboratory and radiological investigations, however, ruled out these possible causes of haemodynamic instability. Her clinical condition deteriorated and hypotension remained intractable despite aggressive fluid resuscitation. An emergency caesarean section at 24 weeks of gestation was carried out in the interest of saving the mother's life. The haemodynamic status of the patient recovered rapidly postcaesarean section. This case report highlights the rare but potentially serious adverse effects of hypotension in administration of nifedipine; and thus reminds us of the importance of judicious prescription and careful titration of nifedipine as a tocolytic.
Random sample community-based health surveys: does the effort to reach participants matter?
Authors: Messiah Antoine , Castro Grettel , Rodríguez de la Vega Pura , Acuna Juan M
Published: December 2014

Objectives

Conducting health surveys with community-based random samples are essential to capture an otherwise unreachable population, but these surveys can be biased if the effort to reach participants is insufficient. This study determines the desirable amount of effort to minimise such bias.

Design

A household-based health survey with random sampling and face-to-face interviews. Up to 11 visits, organised by canvassing rounds, were made to obtain an interview.

Setting

Single-family homes in an underserved and understudied population in North Miami-Dade County, Florida, USA.

Participants

Of a probabilistic sample of 2200 household addresses, 30 corresponded to empty lots, 74 were abandoned houses, 625 households declined to participate and 265 could not be reached and interviewed within 11 attempts. Analyses were performed on the 1206 remaining households.

Primary outcome

Each household was asked if any of their members had been told by a doctor that they had high blood pressure, heart disease including heart attack, cancer, diabetes, anxiety/ depression, obesity or asthma. Responses to these questions were analysed by the number of visit attempts needed to obtain the interview.

Results

Return per visit fell below 10% after four attempts, below 5% after six attempts and below 2% after eight attempts. As the effort increased, household size decreased, while household income and the percentage of interviewees active and employed increased; proportion of the seven health conditions decreased, four of which did so significantly: heart disease 20.4–9.2%, high blood pressure 63.5–58.1%, anxiety/depression 24.4–9.2% and obesity 21.8–12.6%. Beyond the fifth attempt, however, cumulative percentages varied by less than 1% and precision varied by less than 0.1%.

Conclusions

In spite of the early and steep drop, sustaining at least five attempts to reach participants is necessary to reduce selection bias.
Increasing proportion of female patients with ankylosing spondylitis: a population-based study of trends in the incidence and prevalence of AS
Authors: Haroon Nisha N , Paterson J Michael , Li Ping , Haroon Nigil
Published: December 2014

Objective

With the introduction of MRI in diagnosis and tumour necrosis factor inhibitors for treatment, the field of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) has undergone significant changes. We carried out a population-based study of the trends in incidence and prevalence of AS over the past 15 years.

Methods

This is a retrospective analysis of provincial health administrative databases. Residents of Ontario, Canada aged 15 years or older diagnosed with AS between 1995 and 2010 were included in the study. Crude as well as age-standardised and sex-standardised incidence and prevalence of AS between 1995 and 2010 were calculated. Trends in prevalence and incidence of male and female patients with AS were separately analysed.

Results

We identified 24 976 Ontarians with AS. Age/sex-standardised AS prevalence increased from 79/100 000 in 1995 to 213/100 000 in 2010. Men had higher prevalence than women, but the male/female prevalence ratio decreased from 1.70 in 1995 to 1.21 by 2010. A higher proportion of male compared with female patients with AS were diagnosed in the 15–45 age group. Annual incidence rates revealed increasing diagnosis of AS among women after 2003.

Conclusions

The prevalence of AS in Ontario has nearly tripled over the past two decades. The proportion of women with new diagnosis of AS is increasing, a trend that began around the year 2003. A higher proportion of male compared with female patients with AS are diagnosed at an earlier age.
The relationship between gasoline price and patterns of motorcycle fatalities and injuries
Authors: Zhu He , Wilson Fernando A , Stimpson Jim P
Published: December 2014

Objective

Economic factors such as rising gasoline prices may contribute to the crash trends by shaping individuals’ choices of transportation modalities. This study examines the relationship of gasoline prices with fatal and non-fatal motorcycle injuries.

Methods

Data on fatal and non-fatal motorcycle injuries come from California's Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System for 2002–2011. Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) regressions were used to estimate the impact of inflation-adjusted gasoline price per gallon on trends of motorcycle injuries.

Results

Motorcycle fatalities and severe and minor injuries in California were highly correlated with increasing gasoline prices from 2002 to 2011 (r=0.76, 0.88 and 0.85, respectively). In 2008, the number of fatalities and injuries reached 13 457—a 34% increase since 2002, a time period in which inflation-adjusted gasoline prices increased about $0.30 per gallon every year. The majority of motorcycle riders involved in crashes were male (92.5%), middle-aged (46.2%) and non-Hispanic white (67.9%). Using ARIMA modelling, we estimated that rising gasoline prices resulted in an additional 800 fatalities and 10 290 injuries from 2002 to 2011 in California.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that increasing gasoline prices led to more motorcycle riders on the roads and, consequently, more injuries. Aside from mandatory helmet laws and their enforcement, other strategies may include raising risk awareness of motorcyclists and investment in public transportation as an alternative transportation modality to motorcycling. In addition, universally mandated training courses and strict licensing tests of riding skills should be emphasised to help reduce the motorcycle fatal and non-fatal injuries.
HOSPEX in the antipodes
Authors: Gill Gerard , Butt P , Reade M C , Crozier J , Williams A , Thomas T , Flint B , Matthews G , Duff N , Brown G , Chambers A , Courtenay B , Innes D , Malley B O
Published: December 2014

The Australian Army recently adopted the British concept of hospital exercise (HOSPEX) as a means of evaluating the capabilities of its deployable NATO Role 2E hospital, the 2nd General Health Battalion. The Australian approach to HOSPEX differs from the original UK model. This article describes the reasons why the Australian Army needed to adopt the HOSPEX concept, how it was adapted to suit local circumstances and how the concept may evolve to meet the needs of the wider Australian Defence Force and our allies.
Classification of left ventricular size: diameter or volume with contrast echocardiography?
Authors: Gibson Patrick H , Becher Harald , Choy Jonathan B
Published: December 2014

Background

Left ventricular (LV) size is an important clinical variable, commonly assessed at echocardiography by measurement of the internal diameter in diastole (IDD). However, this has recognised limitations and volumetric measurement from apical views is considered superior, particularly with the use of echocardiographic contrast. We sought to determine the agreement in classification of LV size by different measures in a large population of patients undergoing echocardiography.

Methods and results

Data were analysed retrospectively from consecutive patients (n=2008, 61% male, median 62 years) who received echocardiographic contrast for LV opacification over 3 years in a single institution. Repeat studies were not included. LVIDD was measured, and LV end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) calculated using Simpson's biplane method. Both measures were indexed (i) to body surface area and categorised according to the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE) guidelines as normal, mild, moderate or severely dilated. Of 320 patients with a severely dilated LVEDVi, only 95 (30%) were similarly classified by LVIDD, with 86 patients (27%) measuring in the normal range. LVIDDi agreement was poorer, with only 43 patients (13%) classified as being severely dilated, and 173 (54%) measuring in the normal range.

Conclusions

Currently recommended echocardiographic measures of LV size show limited agreement when classified according to currently recommended cut-offs. LV diameter should have a limited role in the assessment of LV size, particularly where a finding of LV dilation has important diagnostic or therapeutic implications.
Sodium ion and water intoxication syndrome in two pet miniature pigs (Sus scrofa)
Authors: Ardiaca Maria , Montesinos Andrés , Bonvehí Cristina , Cuesta Marina , Barrera Sara , Gómez Alicia
Published: December 2014

This article describes the clinical signs, laboratory findings and clinical management in two pet miniature pigs presenting with acute neurological signs due to sodium ion and water intoxication syndrome. Both animals suffered from chronic water deprivation until they had access to water and were allowed to drink freely. Particularities of the therapeutic approach and options depending on the type of the electrolytic imbalance are discussed. Treatment options must be considered carefully and depend on the clinical signs and the type of the electrolytic imbalance present at the time of presentation. Client education must specifically include the mention that pigs require a continuous access to fresh water since they are particularly sensitive to sodium ion toxicity and water deprivation.
Protective effects of baicalin on LPS-induced injury in intestinal epithelial cells and intercellular tight junctions
Authors: Chen Jian , Zhang Ren , Wang Jian , Yu Peng , Liu Quan , Zeng Dan , Song Houpan , Kuang Zaoyuan
Published: December 2014

Aims: To investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of baicalin on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced injury in intestinal epithelial cells and intercellular tight junctions. Methods: IEC-6 cells were stimulated with LPS (1.0 μg/mL), with or without baicalin, for 24 h. The levels of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were determined using ELISA. Quantitative real-time PCR was used for determining the mRNA expression level of claudin-3, occludin, and ZO-1; Western blot and immunofluorescence analysis were used for analyzing the expression level and the distribution patterns of ZO-1 protein. Results: Pretreatment with baicalin (10.0 μg/mL) improved LPS-stimulated cell viability and repressed IL-6 and TNF-α levels. In addition, pretreatment with baicalin up-regulated mRNA and protein expression levels of ZO-1 and kept the protein intact in IEC-6 cells injured with LPS. Conclusion: Baicalin has the capacity to protect IEC-6 cells and the intercellular tight junctions from LPS-induced injury. The mechanisms may be associated with inhibiting the production of inflammatory cytokines, and up-regulating the mRNA and protein expression of ZO-1.
Using FAHP Methods Evaluation and Screening of Intellectual Property Rights Managers in Taiwan
Authors: Wang Ming-Kuen , Hwang Kevin P.
Published: December 2014

This research uses the fuzzy Delphi and Analytical Hierarchy Process (FAHP) to analyze the key factors involved in evaluating and screening industry managers of intellectual property (IP) rights within Taiwan. Firms can utilize the key factors of human resource management to provide self-growth opportunities and obtain competitive advantage opportunities that can expand their global market share. This study summarizes the evaluation and screening criteria used for IP rights managers via a questionnaire distributed to 29 management experts, from the governmental departments related to IP rights body, and scholars with backgrounds in IP rights related teaching, who had actually participated in IP rights managers' specialty decisions, and who had employed fuzzy Delphi screening criteria, uses Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) calculate relative weight. The findings include five key competency factors: Evaluating IP rights, locating the core patent group, calculating the chance that patents will be granted, deciding the best time to patent, and deciding whether to apply for patents inland or overseas.
Pareto Improvement Strategy for Service-Based Free-Riding in a Dual-Channel Supply Chain
Authors: Dan Bin , Liu Can , Xu Guangye , Zhang Xumei
Published: December 2014

With the rapid development of the Internet, many manufacturers nowadays are increasingly adopting a dual-channel strategy to sell their products. In this paper, we present an analytical framework in a single-channel supply chain and a dual-channel supply chain, respectively. We compare the optimal service levels under different scenarios to investigate the impacts of bidirectional free-riding and service competition on members' decisions. In order to realize system optimization, we propose contracts to coordinate the decentralized supply chain under different cases. We find that when a new channel is added, the retailer will always increase his service level to compete with the manufacturer, while the manufacturer needs to take the relationship with the retailer into consideration and decides whether to increase or decrease her service level. We also find that the contracts for different cases can make the optimal solutions the same as those under the centralized scenario by adjusting service levels based on the relative size of competition effect and spillover effect. Finally, we conduct numerical examples to verify the existence of Pareto improvement intervals and derive some managerial insights.
Near-threshold J/Ψ production in proton–nucleus collisions
Authors: Kiselev Yu. T. , Paryev E. Ya. , Zaitsev Yu. M.
Published: December 2014

We study the J/Ψ production from nuclei near the kinematic threshold within the collision model, based on the nuclear spectral function, for incoherent primary proton–nucleon charmonium creation processes. The model takes into account the initial proton and final J/Ψ absorption, target nucleon binding and Fermi motion, the formation length of J/Ψ mesons as well as the effect of their nuclear mean-field potential on these processes. We calculate the A-dependences of the absolute and relative (transparency ratio) charmonium yields as well as its excitation function within the different scenarios for the J/ΨN absorption cross-section, for the J/Ψ formation length and for J/Ψ in-medium modification. We demonstrate that the former observables, on the one hand, are not practically affected by the charmonium formation length effects and, on the other hand, they are appreciably sensitive to the genuine J/ΨN absorption cross-section at beam energies of interest, which means that these observables can be useful to help determine the above cross-section from the comparison of the results of our calculations with the future data from the CBM experiment at FAIR–the upcoming accelerator facility at GSI-Darmstadt, Germany. We also show that the excitation function for J/Ψ subthreshold production in pA reactions, reveals some sensitivity to adopt its in-medium modification scenarios. Therefore, such observable may be an important tool to get valuable information on the charmonium in-medium properties.
Trigonometric approximation of functions belonging to certain Lipschitz classes by C1⋅ T operator
Authors: Singh Uaday , Srivastava Shailesh Kumar
Published: December 2014

The study of approximation properties of the periodic functions in Lp(p ≥ 1)-spaces, in general and in Lipschitz classes Lip α, Lip (α, p), Lip (ξ(t), p) and weighted Lipschitz class W(Lp, ω(t), β), in particular, through trigonometric Fourier series, although is an old problem and known as Fourier approximation in the existing literature, has been of a growing interests over the last four decades due to its application in filters and signals [E. Z. Psarakis and G. V. Moustakides, An L2-based method for the design of 1-D zero phase FIR digital filters, IEEE Trans. Circuits Systems I Fundam. Theory Appl., 44(7) (1997) 551–601]. The most common methods used for the determination of the degree of approximation of periodic functions are based on the minimization of the Lp-norm of f(x) - Tn(x), where Tn(x) is a trigonometric polynomial of degree n and called approximant of the function f. In this paper, we discuss the approximation properties of the periodic functions in the Lipschitz classes Lip α and W(Lp, ω(t), β), p ≥ 1 by a trigonometric polynomial generated by the product matrix means of the Fourier series associated with the function. The degree of approximation obtained in our theorems of this paper is free from p and sharper than earlier results.
Situated Boundary Spanning
Authors: Jain Radhika , Cao Lan , Mohan Kannan , Ramesh Balasubramaniam
Published: December 2014

Requirements Engineering (RE) faces considerable challenges that are often related to boundaries between various stakeholders involved in the software development process. These challenges may be addressed by boundary spanning practices. We examine how boundary spanning can be adapted to address RE challenges in Product Family Development (PFD), a context that involves complex RE. We study two different development approaches, namely, conventional and agile PFD, because these present considerably different challenges. Our findings from a multisite case study present boundary spanning as a solution to improve the quality of RE processes and highlight interesting differences in how boundary spanner roles and boundary objects are adapted in conventional and agile PFD.
Secure, Remote, Dynamic Reconfiguration of FPGAs
Authors: Vliegen Jo , Mentens Nele , Verbauwhede Ingrid
Published: December 2014

With the widespread availability of broadband Internet, Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs) can get remote updates in the field. This provides hardware and software updates, and enables issue solving and upgrade ability without device modification. In order to prevent an attacker from eavesdropping or manipulating the configuration data, security is a necessity.

This work describes an architecture that allows the secure, remote reconfiguration of an FPGA. The architecture is partially dynamically reconfigurable and it consists of a static partition that handles the secure communication protocol and a single reconfigurable partition that holds the main application. Our solution distinguishes itself from existing work in two ways: it provides entity authentication and it avoids the use of a trusted third party. The former provides protection against active attackers on the communication channel, while the latter reduces the number of reliable entities. Additionally, this work provides basic countermeasures against simple power-oriented side-channel analysis attacks.

The result is an implementation that is optimized toward minimal resource occupation. Because configuration updates occur infrequently, configuration speed is of minor importance with respect to area. A prototype of the proposed design is implemented, using 5,702 slices and having minimal downtime.
Physical Security Evaluation of the Bitstream Encryption Mechanism of Altera Stratix II and Stratix III FPGAs
Authors: Swierczynski Pawel , Moradi Amir , Oswald David , Paar Christof
Published: December 2014

To protect Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) designs against Intellectual Property (IP) theft and related issues such as product cloning, all major FPGA manufacturers offer a mechanism to encrypt the bitstream that is used to configure the FPGA. From a mathematical point of view, the employed encryption algorithms (e.g., Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) or 3DES) are highly secure. However, it has been shown that the bitstream encryption feature of several FPGA families is susceptible to side-channel attacks based on measuring the power consumption of the cryptographic module. In this article, we present the first successful attack on the bitstream encryption of the Altera Stratix II and Stratix III FPGA families. To this end, we analyzed the Quartus II software and reverse engineered the details of the proprietary and unpublished schemes used for bitstream encryption on Stratix II and Stratix III. Using this knowledge, we demonstrate that the full 128-bit AES key of a Stratix II as well as the full 256-bit AES key of a Stratix III can be recovered by means of side-channel attacks. In both cases, the attack can be conducted in a few hours. The complete bitstream of these FPGAs that are (seemingly) protected by the bitstream encryption feature can hence fall into the hands of a competitor or criminal—possibly implying system-wide damage if confidential information such as proprietary encryption schemes or secret keys programmed into the FPGA are extracted. In addition to lost IP, reprogramming the attacked FPGA with modified code, for instance, to secretly plant a hardware Trojan, is a particularly dangerous scenario for many security-critical applications.