bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vestibular feedback maintains reaching accuracy during body movement
Authors: Smith Craig P. , Reynolds Raymond F.
Published: October 2016

Key points

Reaching movements can be perturbed by vestibular input, but the function of this response is unclear.

Here, we applied galvanic vestibular stimulation concurrently with real body movement while subjects maintained arm position either fixed in space or fixed with respect to their body.

During the fixed‐in‐space conditions, galvanic vestibular stimulation caused large changes in arm trajectory consistent with a compensatory response to maintain upper‐limb accuracy in the face of body movement.

Galvanic vestibular stimulation responses were absent during the body‐fixed task, demonstrating task dependency in vestibular control of the upper limb.

The results suggest that the function of vestibular‐evoked arm movements is to maintain the accuracy of the upper limb during unpredictable body movement, but only when reaching in an earth‐fixed reference frame.

When using our arms to interact with the world, unintended body motion can introduce movement error. A mechanism that could detect and compensate for such motion would be beneficial. Observations of arm movements evoked by vestibular stimulation provide some support for this mechanism. However, the physiological function underlying these artificially evoked movements is unclear from previous research. For such a mechanism to be functional, it should operate only when the arm is being controlled in an earth‐fixed rather than a body‐fixed reference frame. In the latter case, compensation would be unnecessary and even deleterious. To test this hypothesis, subjects were gently rotated in a chair while being asked to maintain their outstretched arm pointing towards either earth‐fixed or body‐fixed memorized targets. Galvanic vestibular stimulation was applied concurrently during rotation to isolate the influence of vestibular input, uncontaminated by inertial factors. During the earth‐fixed task, galvanic vestibular stimulation produced large polarity‐dependent corrections in arm position. These corrections mimicked those evoked when chair velocity was altered without any galvanic vestibular stimulation, indicating a compensatory arm response to a sensation of altered body motion. In stark contrast, corrections were completely absent during the body‐fixed task, despite the same chair movement profile and arm posture. These effects persisted when we controlled for differences in limb kinematics between the two tasks. Our results demonstrate that vestibular control of the upper limb maintains reaching accuracy during unpredictable body motion. The observation that such responses occurred only when reaching within an earth‐fixed reference frame confirms the functional nature of vestibular‐evoked arm movement.
Spatiotemporal Distribution of Soot Temperature for Flames Using Optical Pyrometry Under Unsteady Inlet Airflow Conditions
Authors: Cakmakci Arda , Knadler Michael , Lee Jong Guen
Published: October 2016

Two pyrometric tools for measuring soot temperature response in fuel-rich flames under unsteady inlet airflow conditions are developed. High-speed pyrometry using a high-speed color camera is used in producing soot temperature distributions, with its results compared with those of global soot temperature response measured using a multiwavelength pyrometer. For the former, the pixel red, green, and blue (RGB) values pertaining to respective bandwidths of red, green, and blue filters are used to calculate temperature and for the latter, the emission from whole flame at 660 nm, 730 nm, and 800 nm is used to measure temperature. The combustor, running on jet-A fuel, achieves unsteady inlet airflow using a siren running at frequencies of 150 and 250 Hz and with modulation levels (root mean square (RMS)) 20–50% of mean velocity. Spatiotemporal response of flame temperature measured by the high-speed camera is presented by phase-averaged with average subtracted images and by fast Fourier transform (FFT) at the modulation frequencies of inlet velocity. Simultaneous measurement of combustor inlet air velocity and flame soot temperature using the multiwavelength pyrometer is used in calculating the flame transfer function (FTF) of flame temperature response to unsteady inlet airflow. The results of global temperature and temperature fluctuation from the three-color pyrometer show qualitative agreement with the local temperature response measured by the high-speed camera. Over the range of operating conditions employed, the overall flame temperature fluctuation increases linearly with respect to the inlet velocity fluctuation. The two-dimensional map of flame temperature under unsteady combustion determined using a high-speed digital color camera shows that the local temperature fluctuation during unsteady combustion occurs over relatively small region of flame and its level is greater (∼10% to 20%) than that of overall temperature fluctuation (∼1%).
Methodology for Analysis of Thermal Behavior of Inverters for Photovoltaic Systems
Authors: Rampinelli G. A. , Krenzinger A. , Bühler A. J.
Published: October 2016

The amount and quality of the energy converted by a photovoltaic system connected to the grid can be evaluated by experimental monitoring or computer simulation. The Solar Energy Laboratory at UFRGS developed a simulation software for analysis of grid connected photovoltaic systems (FVCONECT). In order to perform a reliable simulation, it is required for the implementation of suitable mathematical models that describe the behavior of each system component. The inverter is the equipment responsible for converting DC to AC. The manufacturers provide some technical parameters for the inverters. However, electrical and thermal characteristics require mathematical models which coefficients must be obtained from specific tests. This work presents a methodology for analysis of thermal behavior of inverters. Such analysis requires experimental determination of two thermal coefficients. Energy losses due to inverters overheating can be calculated through the proposed methodology, providing a more accurate simulation of a determined photovoltaic (PV) system. The proposed methodology has been tested in several inverters, providing good results.
Metastable Liquid Cavitation Control (With Memory) Apparatus, Methodology, and Results: For Radiation Detection, Reactor Safety, and Other Industrial Applications
Authors: Taleyarkhan Rusi P. , Webster Jeffrey A. , Sansone Anthony , Archambault Brian C. , Reames Randall , West Colin D.
Published: October 2016

We present a method to simultaneously pressurize fluid filled containers from outside and within, results of experiments with temporary 2 h of fluid precompression followed by overpressure removal before testing for cavitation strength and sensitivity to neutron radiation of multi-mL quantities of widely used unfiltered and undegassed liquids, such as water, ethanol, and dodecane (a surrogate jet fuel), enclosed within containers using glass, epoxy, and steel. We found that in contrast to prior methods involving laborious degassing and purification, a straightforward one-step approach using only a modest 2 h precompression treatment at a pressure of 0.7+ MPa enabled us, reproducibly, to reach directly the highest attainable “negative” (subvacuum) pressures attainable in our apparatus (−0.7  MPa)—enabling efficient sensitivity to neutron-type radiation. Cavitation strength results are explained on theoretical grounds. However, surprisingly using the technique of this paper, the 2-h precompressed (unfiltered, undegassed) fluid also retained memory of this property, after the overpressure was removed, even 3 months later—thereby suggesting that active cavitation nuclei suppression can be extended to long periods of time. Successful results for cavitation suppression (in the absence of ionizing radiation) through −0.7  MPa were also attainable for fluids in simultaneous contact with a combination of glass, steel, and epoxy surfaces. The relative importance of cavitation strength retention at liquid–wall interfaces versus within the bulk of the fluids is reported along with implications for high-efficiency nuclear particle detection and spectroscopy, and nuclear fission water reactor safety thermal-hydraulic assessments for blowdown transients.
Heart-Rate Recovery After Warm-up in Swimming: A Useful Predictor of Training Heart-Rate Response?
Authors: Ganzevles Sander P.M. , de Haan Arnold , Beek Peter J. , Daanen Hein A.M. , Truijens Martin J.
Published: October 2016

For training to be optimal, daily training load has to be adapted to the momentary status of the individual athlete, which is often difficult to establish. Therefore, the current study investigated the predictive value of heart-rate recovery (HRR) during a standardized warm-up for training load. Training load was quantified by the variation in heart rate during standardized training in competitive swimmers. Eight female and 5 male Dutch national-level swimmers participated in the study. They all performed 3 sessions consisting of a 300-m warm-up test and a 10 × 100-m training protocol. Both protocols were swum in front crawl at individually standardized velocities derived from an incremental step test. Velocity was related to 75% and 85% heart-rate reserve (% HRres) for the warm-up and training, respectively. Relative HRR during the first 60 s after the warm-up (HRRw-up) and differences between the actual and intended heart rate for the warm-up and the training (ΔHRw-up and ΔHRtr) were determined. No significant relationship between HRRw-up and ΔHRtr was found (F1,37 = 2.96, P = .09, R2 = .07, SEE = 4.65). There was considerable daily variation in ΔHRtr at a given swimming velocity (73–93% HRres). ΔHRw-up and ΔHRtr were clearly related (F1,37 = 74.31, P < .001, R2 = .67, SEE = 2.78). HRR after a standardized warm-up does not predict heart rate during a directly subsequent and standardized training session. Instead, heart rate during the warm-up protocol seems a promising alternative for coaches to make daily individual-specific adjustments to training programs.
Effects of Plyometric Versus Concentric and Eccentric Conditioning Contractions on Upper-Body Postactivation Potentiation
Authors: Ulrich Gert , Parstorfer Mario
Published: October 2016

Purpose:

There are limited data on postactivation potentiation’s (PAP) effects after plyometric conditioning contractions (CCs), especially in the upper body. This study compared plyometric CCs with concentric-eccentric and eccentric CCs aiming to improve upper-body power performance due to a PAP effect.

Methods:

Sixteen resistance-trained males completed 3 experimental trials in a randomized order that comprised either a plyometric (PLY), a concentric-eccentric (CON), or an eccentric-only (ECC) CC. Maximal muscle performance, as determined by a ballistic bench-press throw, was measured before (baseline) and 1, 4, 8, 12, and 16 min after each CC.

Results:

Compared with baseline, bench-press power was significantly enhanced only in CON (P = .046, ES = 0.21) after 8 min of recovery. However, the results obtained from the comparisons between baseline power performance and the individual best power performance for each subject after each CC stimulus showed significant increases in PLY (P < .001, ES = 0.31) and CON (P < .001, ES = 0.38). There was no significant improvement in ECC (P = .106, ES = 0.11).

Conclusions:

The results indicate that only CON CCs generated increases in bench-press power after 8 min of rest. However, considering an individual rest interval, PLY CCs led to an enhanced power performance in the bench-press exercise, and this increase was comparable to that induced by CON CCs. Due to the easy practical application before a competition, PLY CCs might be an interesting part of warm-up strategies aiming to improve upper-body power performance by reason of PAP.
Day-to-Day Heart-Rate Variability Recordings in World-Champion Rowers: Appreciating Unique Athlete Characteristics
Authors: Plews Daniel J. , Laursen Paul B. , Buchheit Martin
Published: October 2016

Purpose:

Heart-rate variability (HRV) is a popular tool for monitoring autonomic nervous system status and training adaptation in athletes. It is believed that increases in HRV indicate effective training adaptation, but these are not always apparent in elite athletes.

Methods:

Resting HRV was recorded in 4 elite rowers (rowers A, B, C, and D) over the 7-wk period before their success at the 2015 World Rowing Championships. The natural logarithm of the square root of the mean sum of the squared differences (Ln rMSSD) between R–R intervals, Ln rMSSD:R-R ratio trends, and the Ln-rMSSD–to–R-R-interval relationship were assessed for each championship-winning rower.

Results:

The time course of change in Ln rMSSD was athlete-dependent, with stagnation and decreases apparent. However, there were consistent substantial reductions in the Ln rMSSD:R-R ratio: rower A, baseline toward wk 5 (–2.35 ± 1.94); rower B, baseline to wk 4 and 5 (–0.41 ± 0.48 and –0.64 ± 0.65, respectively); rower C, baseline to wk 4 (–0.58 ± 0.66); and rower D, baseline to wk 4, 5, and 6 (–1.15 ± 0.91, –0.81 ± 0.74, and –1.43 ± 0.69, respectively).

Conclusions:

Reductions in Ln rMSSD concurrent with reductions in the Ln rMSSD:R-R ratio are indicative of parasympathetic saturation. Consequently, 3 of 4 rowers displayed substantial increases in parasympathetic activity despite having decreases in Ln rMSSD. These results confirm that a combination of indices should be used to monitor cardiac autonomic activity.
Associations Between Bipedal Stance Stability and Locomotor Stability Following a Trip in Unilateral Vestibulopathy
Authors: McCrum Christopher , Eysel-Gosepath Katrin , Epro Gaspar , Meijer Kenneth , Savelberg Hans H.C.M. , Brüggemann Gert-Peter , Karamanidis Kiros
Published: October 2016

Posturography is used to assess balance in clinical settings, but its relationship to gait stability is unclear. We assessed if dynamic gait stability is associated with standing balance in 12 patients with unilateral vestibulopathy. Participants were unexpectedly tripped during treadmill walking and the change in the margin of stability (MoSchange) and base of support (BoSchange) relative to nonperturbed walking was calculated for the perturbed and first recovery steps. The center of pressure (COP) path during 30-s stance with eyes open and closed, and the distance between the most anterior point of the COP and the anterior BoS boundary during forward leaning (ADist), were assessed using a force plate. Pearson correlations were conducted between the static and dynamic variables. The perturbation caused a large decrease in the BoS, leading to a decrease in MoS. One of 12 correlations was significant (MoSchange at the perturbed step and ADist; r = −.595, P = .041; nonsignificant correlations: .068 ≤ P ≤ .995). The results suggest that different control mechanisms may be involved in stance and gait stability, as a consistent relationship was not found. Therefore, posturography may be of limited use in predicting stability in dynamic situations.
Shoulder Muscle Activation Levels During Exercises With Axial and Rotational Load on Stable and Unstable Surfaces
Authors: Nascimento Vinícius Yan Santos , Torres Rafaela Joyce Barbosa , Beltrão Natália Barros , Santos Priscila Soares dos , Pirauá André Luiz Torres , Oliveira Valéria Mayaly Alves de , Pitangui Ana Carolina Rodarti , Araújo Rodrigo Cappato de
Published: October 2016

This study evaluated the effects of instability on the EMG activity of scapular stabilizing and upper limb muscles during exercises with axial and rotational load. Twenty male volunteers (20.9 ± 1.8 years, 174.1 ± 0.04 cm, 73.17 ± 8.77 kg) experienced in strength training participated in a crossover design. Muscle activation of anterior deltoid (AD), posterior deltoid (PD), pectoralis major (PM), biceps brachii (BB), triceps brachii (TB), upper trapezius (UT), middle trapezius (MT), lower trapezius (LT), and serratus anterior (SA) were determined on both conditions. Participants performed a single series of 10 repetitions of bench press and fly exercises on stable (bench) and unstable (proprioceptive disc) conditions at 60% of 1-RM. The Friedman test and post hoc Dunn’s indicated that the unstable condition showed greater EMG activity for AD (P = .001) and BB (P = .002) on the fly exercise, SA (P = .001) and LT (P = .048) on the bench press, and PM (P ≤ .002) on both exercises. These results show that using an unstable surface in exercises with rotational load provides superior EMG activity of the agonist muscles, while in exercise with axial load, the instability favors EMG activity of the scapular stabilizing muscles.
Linking Psychological Need Satisfaction and Physical Activity to Dimensions of Health-Related Quality of Life During Adolescence: A Test of Direct, Reciprocal, and Mediating Effects
Authors: Gunnell Katie E. , Brunet Jennifer , Sabiston Catherine , Bélanger Mathieu
Published: October 2016

Despite research attention toward understanding relationships between psychological need satisfaction (PNS), moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA), and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), methodological limitations make it difficult to establish reciprocal and mediating effects. Reciprocal relationships between PNS and MVPA were examined over 4 years, and their effects on adolescents’ change in dimensions of HRQoL were examined. Self-reported data were collected from 932 adolescents (Mage = 10.9 years) every 4 months beginning in Grades 5/6. At the between-persons and within-person level, earlier PNS predicted later MVPA whereas earlier MVPA did not predict later PNS. Increases in MVPA were associated with greater change in physical (βlinear = .61, βquadratic = .77, ps = .03) and school functioning (βlinear = .68, βquadratic = .84, ps = .03) but no other dimensions of HRQoL (p > .05). Decreases in PNS were not associated with any of the dimensions of HRQoL. Fostering adolescents’ PNS could be a starting point to increase MVPA, which, in turn, may enhance select dimensions of HRQoL.
Training Attentional Control Improves Cognitive and Motor Task Performance
Authors: Ducrocq Emmanuel , Wilson Mark , Vine Sam , Derakshan Nazanin
Published: October 2016

Attentional control is a necessary function for the regulation of goal-directed behavior. In three experiments we investigated whether training inhibitory control using a visual search task could improve task-specific measures of attentional control and performance. In Experiment 1 results revealed that training elicited a near-transfer effect, improving performance on a cognitive (antisaccade) task assessing inhibitory control. In Experiment 2 an initial far-transfer effect of training was observed on an index of attentional control validated for tennis. The principal aim of Experiment 3 was to expand on these findings by assessing objective gaze measures of inhibitory control during the performance of a tennis task. Training improved inhibitory control and performance when pressure was elevated, confirming the mechanisms by which cognitive anxiety impacts performance. These results suggest that attentional control training can improve inhibition and reduce taskspecific distractibility with promise of transfer to more efficient sporting performance in competitive contexts.
Ecological Modernization and the Olympics: The Case of Golf and Rio’s “Green” Games
Authors: Millington Rob , Darnell Simon C. , Millington Brad
Published: October 2016

Ecological modernization refers to the idea that capitalist-driven scientific and technological advancements can not only attend to the world’s pending environmental crises, but even lead to ecological improvement, thus allowing sustainability and consumption to continue in concert. In this paper, we examine ecological modernization at the confluence of environmentalism, international development and global sport. Through an analysis of golf and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, we argue that golf’s return to the Olympic program is illustrative of a post-political approach to environmentalism, whereby ecological modernization is posited as a common-sense response to addressing matters of global climate change.
The fate of carbon dioxide in water-rich fluids under extreme conditions
Authors: Pan Ding , Galli Giulia
Published: October 2016

Quantum mechanical simulations predict the fate of CO
2
dissolved in water under the conditions of Earth’s upper mantle.
Surprising treatment ‘cures’ monkey HIV infection
Authors: Cohen Jon
Published: October 2016

Antibody keeps SIV suppressed, but it's unclear how
Chemistry Nobel heralds age of molecular machines
Authors: Service Robert F.
Published: October 2016

Primitive parts have evolved into more useful devices that pump, drill, move, and assemble other molecules
Methane production from coal by a single methanogen
Authors: Mayumi Daisuke , Mochimaru Hanako , Tamaki Hideyuki , Yamamoto Kyosuke , Yoshioka Hideyoshi , Suzuki Yuichiro , Kamagata Yoichi , Sakata Susumu
Published: October 2016

Microbes make methane from coal

Methane associated with coal beds is an important global resource of natural gas. Much of the methane in coal comes from microbial methanogenesis. Mayumi
et al.
characterized a strain of
Methermicoccus shengliensis
that, unexpectedly, is capable of making methane from the dozens of methoxylated aromatic compounds found in a variety of coal types (see the Perspective by Welte). Isotope tracer experiments showed that this organism could also incorporate carbon dioxide into methane.

Science
, this issue p.
222
; see also p.
184
Science-based management in decline in the Southern Ocean
Authors: Brooks Cassandra M. , Crowder Larry B. , Curran Lisa M. , Dunbar Robert B. , Ainley David G. , Dodds Klaus J. , Gjerde Kristina M. , Sumaila U. Rashid
Published: October 2016

The burden of proof is being turned upside down
The mythology of CRISPR
Modern Prometheus Editing the Human Genome with CRISPR-CAS9
Jim Kozubek
Cambridge University Press, 2016. 452 pp.
Authors: Annas George J.
Published: October 2016

An optimistic outlook on gene editing seeks to reconcile scientific progress with wisdom from the humanities
Evaluation of the Abbott RealTi
m
e MTB and RealTi
m
e MTB INH/RIF Assays for Direct Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex and Resistance Markers in Respiratory and Extrapulmonary Specimens
Authors: Hofmann-Thiel Sabine , Molodtsov Nikolay , Antonenka Uladzimir , Hoffmann Harald
Published: October 2016

The Abbott RealTi
m
e MTB (RT MTB) assay is a new automated nucleic acid amplification test for the detection of
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
complex (MTBC) in clinical specimens. In combination with the RealTi
m
e MTB INH/RIF (RT MTB INH/RIF) resistance assay, which can be applied to RT MTB-positive specimens as an add-on assay, the tests also indicate the genetic markers of resistance to isoniazid (INH) and rifampin (RIF). We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of RT MTB using different types of respiratory and extrapulmonary specimens and to compare performance characteristics directly with those of the FluoroType MTB assay. The resistance results obtained by RT MTB INH/RIF were compared to those from the GenoType MTBDR
plus
and from phenotypic drug susceptibility testing. A total of 715 clinical specimens were analyzed. Compared to culture, the overall sensitivity of RT MTB was 92.1%; the sensitivity rates for smear-positive and smear-negative samples were 100% and 76.2%, respectively. The sensitivities of smear-negative specimens were almost identical for respiratory (76.3%) and extrapulmonary (76%) specimens. Specificity rates were 100% and 95.8% for culture-negative specimens and those that grew nontuberculous mycobacteria, respectively. RT MTB INH/RIF was applied to 233 RT MTB-positive samples and identified resistance markers in 7.7% of samples. Agreement with phenotypic and genotypic drug susceptibility testing was 99.5%. In conclusion, RT MTB and RT MTB INH/RIF allow for the rapid and accurate diagnosis of tuberculosis (TB) in different types of specimens and reliably indicate resistance markers. The strengths of this system are the comparably high sensitivity with paucibacillary specimens, its ability to detect INH and RIF resistance, and its high-throughput capacities.
Point-of-Care Cepheid Xpert HIV-1 Viral Load Test in Rural African Communities Is Feasible and Reliable
Authors: Moyo Sikhulile , Mohammed Terence , Wirth Kathleen E. , Prague Melanie , Bennett Kara , Holme Molly Pretorius , Mupfumi Lucy , Sebogodi Philemon , Moraka Natasha O. , Boleo Corretah , Maphorisa Comfort N. , Seraise Boitumelo , Gaseitsiwe Simani , Musonda Rosemary M. , van Widenfelt Erik , Powis Kathleen M. , Gaolathe Tendani , Tchetgen Tchetgen Eric J. , Makhema Joseph M. , Essex Max , Lockman Shahin , Novitsky Vladimir
Published: October 2016

Routine monitoring of HIV-1 RNA or viral load (VL) in patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART) is important, but there are multiple impediments to VL testing in resource-constrained settings. An accurate point-of-care (POC) HIV-1 VL test could alleviate many of these challenges. We compared the performance of the Cepheid Xpert HIV-1 VL assay against the laboratory-based Abbott
m
2000sp/
m
2000rt assay (Abbott assay). ART-naive individuals participating in the Botswana Combination Prevention Project in 20 communities provided EDTA-blood specimens during household surveys. Both the POC Xpert HIV-1 VL and Abbott assays were performed on specimens sampled from 277 individuals. We found a high correlation between the Xpert HIV-1 VL and Abbott assay results (
r
2
= 0.92;
P
< 0.001). The overall mean difference in the HIV-1 RNA values obtained by Xpert HIV-1 VL assay and Abbott assay was 0.34 log
10
copies/ml (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.26 to 0.40 log
10
copies/ml) (
P
< 0.001). Using a clinically relevant level of 1,000 copies/ml as a threshold, agreement was 90.6% (95% CI, 87.9 to 93.1%), with a sensitivity of 98.6% (95% CI, 97.2 to 100%). The two methods agreed on their detectability of HIV-1 RNA (>40 copies/ml) at 97.1% (95% CI, 95.5 to 98.7%), with a sensitivity of 99.6% (95% CI, 97.2 to 100%). The POC Cepheid Xpert HIV-1 VL assay showed high agreement and accuracy with a laboratory-based method of HIV-1 RNA testing. The POC Xpert HIV-1 VL assay tended to overestimate HIV-1 VL, although the difference was below a clinically relevant threshold of 0.5 log
10
copies/ml. The POC Cepheid Xpert HIV-1 VL assay is a promising tool for monitoring patients on ART in southern Africa.
A Rapid Immunoassay for Detection of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Directly from Human Fecal Samples and Its Performance in Detection of Toxin Subtypes
Authors: Boone Jeremy T. , Campbell Davina E. , Dandro Amy S. , Chen Li , Herbein Joel F.
Published: October 2016

Fecal samples (
n
= 531) submitted to a regional clinical laboratory during a 6-month period were tested for the presence of Shiga toxin using both a Vero cell cytotoxicity assay and the Shiga Toxin Quik Chek test (STQC), a rapid membrane immunoassay. Testing the samples directly (without culture), 9 positives were identified by the Vero cell assay, all of which were also detected by the STQC. The correlation between the two assays was 100%. Not all of the identified positive samples were detected when fecal broth cultures were tested. By testing broth cultures of characterized isolates representing all described Shiga toxin subtypes, the STQC detected all subtypes. Levels of induction of toxin production by ciprofloxacin differed among the strains tested, with more toxin induction seen in strains harboring Stx2 phages than in those harboring Stx1 phages.
Clinical Isolates of Human Coronavirus 229E Bypass the Endosome for Cell Entry
Authors: Shirato Kazuya , Kanou Kazuhiko , Kawase Miyuki , Matsuyama Shutoku
Published: October 2016

Human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E), a causative agent of the common cold, enters host cells via two distinct pathways: one is mediated by cell surface proteases, particularly transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2), and the other by endosomal cathepsin L. Thus, specific inhibitors of these proteases block virus infection. However, it is unclear which of these pathways is actually utilized by HCoV-229E in the human respiratory tract. Here, we examined the mechanism of cell entry used by a pseudotyped virus bearing the HCoV-229E spike (S) protein in the presence or absence of protease inhibitors. We found that, compared with a laboratory strain isolated in 1966 and passaged for a half century, clinical isolates of HCoV-229E were less likely to utilize cathepsin L; rather, they showed a preference for TMPRSS2. Two amino acid substitutions (R642M and N714K) in the S protein of HCoV-229E clinical isolates altered their sensitivity to a cathepsin L inhibitor, suggesting that these amino acids were responsible for cathepsin L use. After 20 passages in HeLa cells, the ability of the isolate to use cathepsin increased so that it was equal to that of the laboratory strain; this increase was caused by an amino acid substitution (I577S) in the S protein. The passaged virus showed a reduced ability to replicate in differentiated airway epithelial cells cultured at an air-liquid interface. These results suggest that the endosomal pathway is disadvantageous for HCoV-229E infection of human airway epithelial cells; therefore, clinical isolates are less able to use cathepsin.

IMPORTANCEMany enveloped viruses enter cells through endocytosis. Viral spike proteins drive the fusion of viral and endosomal membranes to facilitate insertion of the viral genome into the cytoplasm. Human coronavirus 229E (HCoV-229E) utilizes endosomal cathepsin L to activate the spike protein after receptor binding. Here, we found that clinical isolates of HCoV-229E preferentially utilize the cell surface protease TMPRSS2 rather than endosomal cathepsin L. The endosome is a main site of Toll-like receptor recognition, which then triggers an innate immune response; therefore, HCoV-229E presumably evolved to bypass the endosome by entering the cell via TMPRSS2. Thus, the virus uses a simple mechanism to evade the host innate immune system. Therefore, therapeutic agents for coronavirus-mediated diseases, such as severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS), should target cell surface TMPRSS2 rather than endosomal cathepsin.
Development of a Nanobody-Based Lateral Flow Immunoassay for Detection of Human Norovirus
Authors: Doerflinger Sylvie Y. , Tabatabai Julia , Schnitzler Paul , Farah Carlo , Rameil Steffen , Sander Peter , Koromyslova Anna , Hansman Grant S.
Published: October 2016

We previously identified a Nanobody (termed Nano-85) that bound to a highly conserved region on the norovirus capsid. In this study, the Nanobody was biotinylated and gold conjugated for a lateral flow immunoassay (termed Nano-IC). We showed that the Nano-IC assay was capable of detecting at least four antigenically distinct GII genotypes, including the newly emerging GII.17. In the clinical setting, the Nano-IC assay had sensitivities equivalent to other commercially available lateral flow systems. The Nano-IC method was capable of producing results in ~5 min, which makes this method useful in settings that require rapid diagnosis, such as cruise ship outbreaks and elder care facilities. The Nano-IC assay has several advantages over antibody-based IC methods: for example, Nanobodies can be readily produced in large quantities, they are generally more stable than conventional antibodies, and the Nanobody binding sites can be easily obtained by X-ray crystallography.
Connecting the backwater hydraulics of coastal rivers to fluvio-deltaic sedimentology and stratigraphy
Authors: Fernandes Anjali M. , Törnqvist Torbjörn E. , Straub Kyle M. , Mohrig David
Published: October 2016

Fluvial channels encounter a backwater reach when they approach a standing body of water, and recent studies have shown that the transition from normal flow to backwater-influenced flow is associated with sediment mass extraction through deposition. Here we test the hypothesis that systematic changes in the geometry of channel-belt deposits and sedimentary architecture occur across this transition, using data from the late Holocene Mississippi (southern USA) and Rhine (The Netherlands) fluvio-deltaic systems. We use the estimated backwater length and average channel width as characteristic length scales to non-dimensionalize the downstream trends in channel-belt width for these systems. The collapsed data follow similar trends, suggesting that the observed variations in channel-belt geometry and fluvio-deltaic stratigraphy are tied to the location of the backwater transition zone. These findings suggest a unifying hydraulic control on fluvio-deltaic channel belts and provide a new framework for predicting and understanding the properties of ancient rivers in the coastal zone.
Anaemia with inflammation responding to lenalidomide
Authors: Haroun Faysal , Mener Andrew , Elkon Jacob , Tabbara Imad
Published: October 2016

We present a case of a 73-year-old woman with transfusion-dependent anaemia thought to be secondary to an unidentifiable inflammatory condition. Anaemia evaluation including multiple bone marrow biopsies was unrevealing, with the exception of a non-specific elevation of her erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein. She had no identifiable inflammatory condition and did not meet the criteria for myelodysplastic syndrome. She was empirically treated with lenalidomide and achieved a complete response, suggesting that this immunomodulatory drug could potentially have a role in treating a subgroup of patients with immune-mediated anaemia.
LGI1 encephalitis: a disease of jerks and confusion
Authors: Dash Deepa , Tripathi Madhavi , Ihtisham Kavish , Tripathi Manjari
Published: October 2016

Limbic encephalitis is a group of immune-mediated disorders that includes the classic paraneoplastic encephalitic syndrome and the recently described non-paraneoplastic autoimmune encephalitis most of which target the extracellular antigens. We present a case of 70-year-old man who presented with rapidly progressive cognitive decline and refractory faciobrachial dystonic seizures and demonstrated seropositivity for leucine-rich, glioma-inactivated protein 1 antibodies. After immunomodulation, the patient had dramatic improvement in the cognitive functioning and in seizure control.
Exercise and pregnancy in recreational and elite athletes: 2016 evidence summary from the IOC expert group meeting, Lausanne. Part 2—the effect of exercise on the fetus, labour and birth
Authors: Bø Kari , Artal Raul , Barakat Ruben , Brown Wendy , Dooley Michael , Evenson Kelly R , Haakstad Lene A H , Larsen Karin , Kayser Bengt , Kinnunen Tarja I , Mottola Michelle F , Nygaard Ingrid , van Poppel Mireille , Stuge Britt , Davies Gregory A L ,   IOC Medical Commission
Published: October 2016

This is Part 2 of 5 in the series of evidence statements from the IOC expert committee on exercise and pregnancy in recreational and elite athletes. Part 1 focused on the effects of training during pregnancy and on the management of common pregnancy-related symptoms experienced by athletes. In Part 2, we focus on maternal and fetal perinatal outcomes.
Investigation of surfactant protein-D and interleukin-6 levels in patients with blunt chest trauma with multiple rib fractures and pulmonary contusions: a cross-sectional study in Black Sea Region of Turkey
Authors: Kurt Aysel , Turut Hasan , Acipayam Ahmet , Kirbas Aynur , Yuce Suleyman , Cumhur Cure Medine , Cure Erkan
Published: October 2016

Objective

Multiple rib fractures (RFs) and pulmonary contusions (PCs), with resulting systemic lung inflammation, are the most common injuries caused by blunt chest trauma (BCT) in motor vehicle accidents. This study examined levels of the inflammation marker interleukin (IL)-6 and those of the acute-phase reactant surfactant protein (SP)-D in patients with BCT.

Design

Prospective, cross-sectional, observational study.

Setting

Single-centre, tertiary care hospital in the Black Sea Region of Turkey.

Participants

The study included 60 patients with BCT who were hospitalised in our thoracic surgery department.

Parameters measures

The SP-D and IL-6 serum levels of patients with RFs (two or more RFs) (n=30) and patients with PCs (n=30) were measured after 6 hours, 24 hours and 7 days, and compared with those of age-matched and gender-matched healthy participants.

Results

The 6-hour serum SP-D levels of the RFs (p=0.017) and PCs (p<0.001) groups were significantly higher than those of the healthy controls. The 24-hour and 7-day SP-D levels of both groups were also higher than the control group. The serum IL-6 levels of both groups were significantly higher than those of the control group. We have found Injury Severity Score to be independently related to 6-hour IL-6 (β=1.414, p<0.001) and 24-hour IL-6 levels (β=1.067, p<0.001). The development of complications was independently related to 6-hour SP-D level (β=0.211, p=0.047).

Conclusions

RFs and PCs after BCT lead to local and systemic inflammation due to lung injury. The levels of the systemic inflammation marker IL-6 and those of the acute-phase reactant SP-D were elevated in the present study. The SP-D level may be used as a marker in the follow-up of BCT-related complications.
Effectiveness of screening colonoscopy in reducing the risk of death from right and left colon cancer: a large community-based study
Authors: Doubeni Chyke A , Corley Douglas A , Quinn Virginia P , Jensen Christopher D , Zauber Ann G , Goodman Michael , Johnson Jill R , Mehta Shivan J , Becerra Tracy A , Zhao Wei K , Schottinger Joanne , Doria-Rose V Paul , Levin Theodore R , Weiss Noel S , Fletcher Robert H
Published: October 2016

Objective

Screening colonoscopy's effectiveness in reducing colorectal cancer mortality risk in community populations is unclear, particularly for right-colon cancers, leading to recommendations against its use for screening in some countries. This study aimed to determine whether, among average-risk people, receipt of screening colonoscopy reduces the risk of dying from both right-colon and left-colon/rectal cancers.

Design

We conducted a nested case–control study with incidence-density matching in screening-eligible Kaiser Permanente members. Patients who were 55–90 years old on their colorectal cancer death date during 2006–2012 were matched on diagnosis (reference) date to controls on age, sex, health plan enrolment duration and geographical region. We excluded patients at increased colorectal cancer risk, or with prior colorectal cancer diagnosis or colectomy. The association between screening colonoscopy receipt in the 10-year period before the reference date and colorectal cancer death risk was evaluated while accounting for other screening exposures.

Results

We analysed 1747 patients who died from colorectal cancer and 3460 colorectal cancer-free controls. Compared with no endoscopic screening, receipt of a screening colonoscopy was associated with a 67% reduction in the risk of death from any colorectal cancer (adjusted OR (aOR)=0.33, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.52). By cancer location, screening colonoscopy was associated with a 65% reduction in risk of death for right-colon cancers (aOR=0.35, CI 0.18 to 0.65) and a 75% reduction for left-colon/rectal cancers (aOR=0.25, CI 0.12 to 0.53).

Conclusions

Screening colonoscopy was associated with a substantial and comparably decreased mortality risk for both right-sided and left-sided cancers within a large community-based population.
Single-center experience in the endovascular treatment of wide-necked intracranial aneurysms with a bridging intra-/extra-aneurysm implant (pCONus)
Authors: Fischer S , Weber A , Titschert A , Brenke C , Kowoll A , Weber W
Published: October 2016

Purpose

To retrospectively evaluate the safety and efficacy of the endovascular treatment of wide-necked intracranial aneurysms assisted by a novel intra-/extra-aneurysm stent-like implant (pCONus).

Methods

Initial and follow-up angiographic and clinical results are presented of 25 patients with 25 unruptured and ruptured wide-necked intracranial aneurysms treated by reconstruction of the aneurysm neck using the pCONus implant followed by coil occlusion of the fundus.

Results

Successful intra-/extra-aneurysm deployment of the pCONus with coil occlusion of the fundus was achieved in all but one case. Procedure-related ischemic complications were observed in three cases with permanent deterioration in one. Acceptable aneurysm occlusion was achieved in all cases. Follow-up angiography revealed sufficient occlusion in 81.0% of the aneurysms. Intimal hyperplasia in the stented segment of the parent artery or device migration has not been observed to date.

Conclusions

The pCONus device offers a promising treatment option for complex wide-necked bifurcation intracranial aneurysms. Acute or delayed dislocations of coils into the parent artery are successfully avoided.
Republished: Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome with thalamic involvement during vasopressor treatment of vertebrobasilar vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage
Authors: Madaelil Thomas Philip , Dhar Rajat
Published: October 2016

Hemodynamic augmentation is the primary medical intervention employed to reverse neurological deficits associated with vasospasm and delayed cerebral ischemia following aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Failure to improve despite induced hypertension (IH) may raise concern for persistent hypoperfusion and prompt even more aggressive blood pressure augmentation. However, posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a hyperperfusion syndrome reported as a rare complication of IH that may confound this picture. We report a case of PRES with prominent thalamic involvement and impaired level of consciousness secondary to blood pressure augmentation for the treatment of symptomatic vertebrobasilar vasospasm. Recognition of this syndrome in distinction to worsening ischemia is particularly critical, as normalization of blood pressure should lead to rapid clinical improvement.
Exfoliative dermatitis in a cat
Authors: Zhou Zijin , Pieper Jason B , Stern Adam Wayne
Published: October 2016

Feline exfoliative dermatitis is a rare skin disorder that is characterised by diffuse scaling and alopecia. The condition has been associated with thymomas but has been described without a thymoma. This article describes a case of feline exfoliative dermatitis with a cranial mediastinal mass suspected to be a thymoma that was seen at the University of Illinois Veterinary Teaching Hospital. The cat presented with previously described clinical lesions, alopecia and large adherent scales, but also had a marked leucocytosis characterised mainly with a lymphocytosis. The final diagnosis was achieved based on histopathology in conjunction with imaging.
Lag screw and tension band wire arthrodesis of the scapulohumeral joint in a miniature bull calf
Authors: Cypher Elizabeth , van Amstel Sarel , Lyons Rachel , Anderson David E
Published: October 2016

An eight‐month‐old miniature zebu bull calf, 50 kg, was presented for evaluation of a moderate (grade 4 out of 5) right forelimb lameness of eight weeks’ duration. Clinical and radiographic findings revealed a marked degenerative osteoarthritis of the right scapulohumeral joint. Arthrodesis of the right scapulohumeral joint via placement of two transarticular cancellous bone screws in lag fashion and a dorsolateral figure‐of‐eight tension band wire was performed. Final angle of arthrodesis was 122°. Short‐term morbidity was minimal. The patient remained comfortable on the limb throughout the eight‐day hospitalisation. By discharge, the lameness had improved (grade 3 out of 5). Long‐term follow‐up at six months was considered good for breeding soundness, though a gait deficit was present in the affected limb. Lag screw and tension band wire arthrodesis of the scapulohumeral joint should be considered a viable less invasive option in small ruminants with terminal scapulohumeral joint disease.
Undrained stiffness anisotropy from hollow cylinder experiments on four Eocene-to-Jurassic UK stiff clays
Authors: Brosse A. , Jardine R.J. , Nishimura S.
Published: October 2016

The paper describes the anisotropic undrained stiffness behaviour of four medium-plasticity heavily overconsolidated UK stiff marine clays as revealed through hollow cylinder testing. The experiments contributed to two broader studies on stiff-to-hard London, Gault, Kimmeridge, and Oxford clay strata. They involved static and dynamic testing of multiple high-quality natural specimens sampled at similar depths from inland sites. This paper explores the directional dependency of the clays’ highly nonlinear undrained stiffness characteristics. New data-analysis approaches are outlined that allow the stiffnesses associated with one-dimensional vertical, horizontal, or pure horizontal shear modes to be isolated in complex undrained stress paths. In the presented experiments, loading progressed from in situ stresses to reach ultimate failure at a range of final major principal stress orientation angles α (defined in the vertical plane) while keeping fixed values of the intermediate principal stress ratio, b. The tests reveal strong undrained stiffness anisotropy that can impact significantly on the prediction and understanding of ground deformation patterns in numerous geotechnical engineering applications.
Phenanthro[9,10-a]corannulene by one-step annulative π-extension of corannulene
Authors: Kato Kenta , Segawa Yasutomo , Itami Kenichiro
Published: October 2016

The one-step π-extension of corannulene was achieved using a palladium-catalyzed C–H coupling reaction. The X-ray crystal structure and photophysical properties of the thus formed phenanthro[9,10-a]corannulene (1) were investigated, and the structural properties of 1 were examined by density functional theory calculations. In contrast to dibenzo[g,p]chrysene, the most stable structure of 1 was a butterfly-shaped structure, resulting from the bowl-shaped distortion of the corannulene moiety.
Automatic Parallelization of Multirate Block Diagrams of Control Systems on Multicore Platforms
Authors: Tuncali Cumhur Erkan , Fainekos Georgios , Lee Yann-Hang
Published: October 2016

This article addresses the problem of parallelizing model block diagrams for real-time embedded applications on multicore architectures. We describe a Mixed Integer Linear Programming formulation for finding a feasible mapping of the blocks to different CPU cores. For single-rate models, we use an objective function that minimizes the overall worst-case execution time. We introduce a set of heuristics to solve the problem for large models in a reasonable time. For multirate models, we solve the feasibility problem for finding a valid mapping. We study the scalability and efficiency of our approach with synthetic benchmarks and an engine controller from Toyota.