bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The fas operon of Rhodococcus fascians encodes new genes required for efficient fasciation of host plants
Authors: Crespi M , Vereecke D , Temmerman W , Van Montagu M , Desomer J
Published: November 2016

Three virulence loci (fas, att, and hyp) of Rhodococcus fascians D188 have been identified on a 200-kb conjugative linear plasmid (pFiD188). The fas locus was delimited to a 6.5-kb DNA fragment by insertion mutagenesis, single homologous disruptive recombination, and in trans complementation of different avirulent insertion mutants. The locus is arranged as a large operon containing six open reading frames whose expression is specifically induced during the interaction with host plants. One predicted protein is homologous to P-450 cytochromes from actinomycetes. The putative ferredoxin component is of a novel type containing additional domains homologous to transketolases from chemoautotrophic, photosynthetic, and methylotrophic microorganisms. Genetic analysis revealed that fas encodes, in addition to the previously identified ipt, at least two new genes that are involved in fasciation development, one of which is only required on older tobacco plants.
The effect of ferredoxin(BED) overexpression on benzene dioxygenase activity in Pseudomonas putida ML2
Authors: Tan H M , Joannou C L , Cooper C E , Butler C S , Cammack R , Mason J R
Published: November 2016

The benzene dioxygenase from Pseudomonas putida ML2 is a multicomponent complex comprising a flavoprotein reductase, a ferredoxin, and a terminal iron-sulfur protein (ISP). The catalytic activity of the isolated complex shows a nonlinear relationship with protein concentration in cell extracts, with the limiting factor for activity in vitro being ferredoxin(BED). The relative levels of the three components were analyzed by using 125I-labelled antibodies, and the functional molar ratio of ISP(BED), ferredoxin(BED), and reductase(BED) was shown to be 1:0.9:0.8, respectively. The concentration of ferredoxin(BED) was confirmed by quantitative electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy of the 2Fe-2S centers in ferredoxin(BED) and ISP(BED) of whole cells. These results demonstrate that the ferredoxin(BED) component is a limiting factor in dioxygenase activity in vitro. To determine if it is a limiting factor in vivo, a plasmid (pJRM606) overproducing ferredoxin(BED) was introduced into P. putida ML2. The benzene dioxygenase activity of this strain, measured in cell extracts, was fivefold greater than in the wild type, and the activity was linear with protein concentration in cell extracts above 2 mg/ml. Western blotting (immunoblotting) and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic analysis confirmed an elevated level of ferredoxin(BED) protein and active redox centers in the recombinant strain. However, in these cells, the increased level of ferredoxin(BED) had no effect on the overall rate of benzene oxidation by whole cells. Thus, we conclude that ferredoxin(BED) is not limiting at the high intracellular concentration (0.48 mM) found in cells.
Transcriptional induction kinetics from the promoters of the catabolic pathways of TOL plasmid pWW0 of Pseudomonas putida for metabolism of aromatics
Authors: Marqués S , Holtel A , Timmis K N , Ramos J L
Published: November 2016

We determined, under several growth conditions, the kinetics of mRNA synthesis from the four Pseudomonas putida pWW0 plasmid promoters involved in degradation of xylenes and methylbenzyl alcohols via toluates. Transcription by XylS of the meta-cleavage pathway operon promoter (Pm) for the metabolism of alkylbenzoates was stimulated immediately after the addition of an effector, both in Luria-Bertani (LB) medium and in minimal medium. Activation of the sigma 54-dependent upper-pathway operon promoter (Pu) and the xylS gene promoter (Ps) by effector-activated XylR was dependent on the growth medium used: on minimal medium, activation of transcription from Pu and Ps occurred immediately after the addition of a XylR effector; in contrast, activation appeared only after several hours when cells were growing on LB medium. When Pm was induced through the physiological overexpression of XylS, mediated by XylR when this regulator was activated by upper-pathway effectors, the kinetics of transcription from Pm was similar to that of Pu and Ps: maximum values were reached after delays of several hours in rich medium and after several minutes in minimal medium. The delay in the induction of transcription of sigma 54-dependent promoters reflects catabolite inhibition exerted by LB components, since the addition of yeast extracts, Casamino Acids, or several combinations of amino acids dramatically inhibited the synthesis of XylR-controlled sigma 54-dependent promoters. Expression from xylR gene tandem promoters occurred independently of the growth medium used.
Structure and regulation of the carAB operon in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas stutzeri: no untranslated region exists
Authors: Kwon D H , Lu C D , Walthall D A , Brown T M , Houghton J E , Abdelal A T
Published: November 2016

The carAB operons from Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 and Pseudomonas stutzeri JM300 were characterized by Southern and DNA sequence analyses. The results show that the previously reported sequence for carA (S. C. Wong and A. T. Abdelal, J. Bacteriol. 172:630-642, 1990) is derived from P. stutzeri and not P. aeruginosa, as originally reported. Therefore, the amino-terminal sequence of the purified carA product is identical to that derived from the nucleotide sequence in both organisms, P. stutzeri having four additional amino acids. The results also show that while carA and carB are contiguous in P. stutzeri, as is the case in other bacteria, they are surprisingly separated by an open reading frame (ORF) of 216 amino acids in P. aeruginosa. S1 nuclease mapping experiments with RNA extracted under a variety of growth conditions, as well as experiments using different lacZ fusions, indicate that the carA-ORF-carB operon of P. aeruginosa is transcribed from a single promoter. Moreover, these experiments demonstrate that expression of this single transcript is controlled by both arginine and pyrimidines and that variation in arginine levels specifically modulates transcriptional initiation, while pyrimidine regulation is exerted subsequent to transcriptional initiation. Modification of a rho-independent terminator-like structure, which is present upstream of carA in P. aeruginosa, removed all transcriptional sensitivity of a carA::lacZ fusion to pyrimidines. This result, when coupled with the finding that translation of an 18-amino-acid leader polypeptide (associated with this putative rho-independent terminator), is inversely proportional to pyrimidine concentration in the cell, strongly suggests that regulation of carA by pyrimidines is mediated through an attenuation-type mechanism in P. aeruginosa.
The nasFEDCBA operon for nitrate and nitrite assimilation in Klebsiella pneumoniae M5al
Authors: Lin J T , Goldman B S , Stewart V
Published: November 2016

Klebsiella pneumoniae can use nitrate and nitrite as sole nitrogen sources through the nitrate assimilation pathway. We previously identified structural genes for assimilatory nitrate and nitrite reductases, nasA and nasB, respectively. We report here our further identification of four genes, nasFEDC, upstream of the nasBA genes. The nasFEDCBA genes probably form an operon. Mutational and complementation analyses indicated that both the nasC and nasA genes are required for nitrate assimilation. The predicted NASC protein is homologous to a variety of NADH-dependent oxidoreductases. Thus, the NASC protein probably mediates electron transfer from NADH to the NASA protein, which contains the active site for nitrate reduction. The deduced NASF, NASE, and NASD proteins are homologous to the NRTA, NRTB, and NRTD proteins, respectively, that are involved in nitrate uptake in Synechococcus sp. (T. Omata, X. Andriesse, and A. Hirano, Mol. Gen. Genet. 236:193-202, 1993). Mutational and complementation studies indicated that the nasD gene is required for nitrate but not nitrite assimilation. By analogy with the Synechococcus nrt genes, we propose that the nasFED genes are involved in nitrate transport in K. pneumoniae.
Functional analysis of the fixNOQP region of Azorhizobium caulinodans
Authors: Mandon K , Kaminski P A , Elmerich C
Published: November 2016

The deduced amino acid sequences of four open reading frames identified upstream of the fixGHI region in Azorhizobium caulinodans are very similar to the putative terminal oxidase complex coded by the fixNOQP operons from Rhizobium meliloti and Bradyrhizobium japonicum. The expression of the A. caulinodans fixNOQP genes, which was maximal under microaerobiosis, was positively regulated by FixK and independent of NifA. In contrast to the Fix- phenotype of B. japonicum and R. meliloti fixN mutants, an A. caulinodans fixNO-deleted mutant strain retained 50% of the nitrogenase activity of the wild type in the symbiotic state. In addition, the nitrogenase activity was scarcely reduced under free-living conditions. Analysis of membrane fractions of A. caulinodans wild-type and mutant strains suggests that the fixNOQP region encodes two proteins with covalently bound hemes, tentatively assigned to fixO and fixP. Spectral analysis showed a large decrease in the c-type cytochrome content of the fixN mutant compared with the wild type. These results provide evidence for the involvement of FixNOQP proteins in a respiratory process. The partial impairment in nitrogen fixation of the fixN mutant in planta may be due to the activity of an alternative terminal oxidase compensating for the loss of the oxidase complex encoded by fixNOQP.
Characterization of the pcp gene of Pseudomonas fluorescens and of its product, pyrrolidone carboxyl peptidase (Pcp)
Authors: Gonzales T , Robert-Baudouy J
Published: November 2016

The gene pcp, encoding pyrrolidone carboxyl peptidase (Pcp), from Pseudomonas fluorescens MFO was cloned and its nucleotide sequence was determined. This sequence contains a unique open reading frame (pcp) coding for a polypeptide of 213 amino acids (M(r) 22,441) which has significant homology to the Pcps from Streptococcus pyogenes, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. Comparison of the four Pcp sequences revealed two highly conserved motifs which may be involved in the active site of these enzymes. The cloned Pcp from P. fluorescens was purified to homogeneity and appears to exist as a dimer. This enzyme displays a Michaelis constant of 0.21 mM with L-pyroglutamyl-beta-naphthylamide as the substrate and an absolute substrate specificity towards N-terminal pyroglutamyl residues. Studies of inhibition by chemical compounds revealed that the cysteine and histidine residues are essential for enzyme activity. From their conservation in the four enzyme sequences, the Cys-144 and His-166 amino acids are proposed to form a part of the active site of these enzymes.
Cloning, sequencing, and analysis of the griseusin polyketide synthase gene cluster from Streptomyces griseus
Authors: Yu T W , Bibb M J , Revill W P , Hopwood D A
Published: November 2016

A fragment of DNA was cloned from the Streptomyces griseus K-63 genome by using genes (act) for the actinorhodin polyketide synthase (PKS) of Streptomyces coelicolor as a probe. Sequencing of a 5.4-kb segment of the cloned DNA revealed a set of five gris open reading frames (ORFs), corresponding to the act PKS genes, in the following order: ORF1 for a ketosynthase, ORF2 for a chain length-determining factor, ORF3 for an acyl carrier protein, ORF5 for a ketoreductase, and ORF4 for a cyclase-dehydrase. Replacement of the gris genes with a marker gene in the S. griseus genome by using a single-stranded suicide vector propagated in Escherichia coli resulted in loss of the ability to produce griseusins A and B, showing that the five gris genes do indeed encode the type II griseusin PKS. These genes, encoding a PKS that is programmed differently from those for other aromatic PKSs so far available, will provide further valuable material for analysis of the programming mechanism by the construction and analysis of strains carrying hybrid PKS.
Energetics of alanine, lysine, and proline transport in cytoplasmic membranes of the polyphosphate-accumulating Acinetobacter johnsonii strain 210A
Authors: Van Veen H W , Abee T , Kleefsman A W , Melgers B , Kortstee G J , Konings W N , Zehnder A J
Published: November 2016

Amino acid transport in right-side-out membrane vesicles of Acinetobacter johnsonii 210A was studied. L-Alanine, L-lysine, and L-proline were actively transported when a proton motive force of -76 mV was generated by the oxidation of glucose via the membrane-bound glucose dehydrogenase. Kinetic analysis of amino acid uptake at concentrations of up to 80 microM revealed the presence of a single transport system for each of these amino acids with a Kt of less than 4 microM. The mode of energy coupling to solute uptake was analyzed by imposition of artificial ion diffusion gradients. The uptake of alanine and lysine was driven by a membrane potential and a transmembrane pH gradient. In contrast, the uptake of proline was driven by a membrane potential and a transmembrane chemical gradient of sodium ions. The mechanistic stoichiometry for the solute and the coupling ion was close to unity for all three amino acids. The Na+ dependence of the proline carrier was studied in greater detail. Membrane potential-driven uptake of proline was stimulated by Na+, with a half-maximal Na+ concentration of 26 microM. At Na+ concentrations above 250 microM, proline uptake was strongly inhibited. Generation of a sodium motive force and maintenance of a low internal Na+ concentration are most likely mediated by a sodium/proton antiporter, the presence of which was suggested by the Na(+)-dependent alkalinization of the intravesicular pH in inside-out membrane vesicles. The results show that both H+ and Na+ can function as coupling ions in amino acid transport in Acinetobacter spp.
Properties of the lysyl-tRNA synthetase gene and product from the extreme thermophile Thermus thermophilus
Authors: Chen J , Brevet A , Lapadat-Tapolsky M , Blanquet S , Plateau P
Published: November 2016

A DNA region carrying lysS, the gene encoding the lysyl-tRNA synthetase, was cloned from the extreme thermophile prokaryote Thermus thermophilus VK-1 and sequenced. The analysis indicated an open reading frame encoding a protein of 492 amino acids. This putative protein has significant homologies to previously sequenced lysyl-tRNA synthetases and displays the three motifs characteristic of class II aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. The T. thermophilus lysS gene was overexpressed in Escherichia coli by placing it downstream of the E. coli beta-galactosidase gene promoter on plasmid pBluescript and by changing the ribosome-binding site. The overproduced protein was purified by heat treatment of the crude extract followed by a single anion-exchange chromatography step. The protein obtained is remarkably thermostable, retaining nearly 60% of its initial tRNA aminoacylation activity after 5 h of incubation at 93 degrees C. Finally, lethal disruption of the lysRS genes of E. coli could not be compensated for by the addition in trans of the T. thermophilus lysS gene despite the fact that this gene was overexpressed and that its product specifically aminoacylates E. coli tRNA(Lys) in vitro.
NADP(+)-isocitrate dehydrogenase from the cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120: purification and characterization of the enzyme and cloning, sequencing, and disruption of the icd gene
Authors: Muro-Pastor M I , Florencio F J
Published: November 2016

NADP(+)-isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP(+)-IDH) from the dinitrogen-fixing filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120 was purified to homogeneity. The native enzyme is composed of two identical subunits (M(r), 57,000) and cross-reacts with antibodies obtained against the previously purified NADP(+)-IDH from the unicellular cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. strain PCC 6803. Anabaena NADP(+)-IDH resembles in its physicochemical and kinetic parameters the typical dimeric IDHs from prokaryotes. The gene encoding Anabaena NADP(+)-IDH was cloned by complementation of an Escherichia coli icd mutant with an Anabaena genomic library. The complementing DNA was located on a 6-kb fragment. It encodes an NADP(+)-IDH that has the same mobility as that of Anabaena NADP(+)-IDH on nondenaturing polyacrylamide gels. The icd gene was subcloned and sequenced. Translation of the nucleotide sequence gave a polypeptide of 473 amino acids that showed high sequence similarity to the E. coli enzyme (59% identity) and with IDH1 and IDH2, the two subunits of the heteromultimeric NAD(+)-IDH from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (30 to 35% identity); however, a low level of similarity to NADP(+)-IDHs of eukaryotic origin was found (23% identity). Furthermore, Anabaena NADP(+)-IDH contains a 44-residue amino acid sequence in its central region that is absent in the other IDHs so far sequenced. Attempts to generate icd mutants by insertional mutagenesis were unsuccessful, suggesting an essential role of IDH in Anabaena sp. strain PCC 7120.
Chemotaxis in Bacillus subtilis requires either of two functionally redundant CheW homologs
Authors: Rosario M M , Fredrick K L , Ordal G W , Helmann J D
Published: November 2016

We have characterized mutants in a novel gene of Bacillus subtilis, cheV, which encodes a protein homologous to both CheW and CheY. A null mutant in cheV is only slightly defective in capillary and tethered cell assays. However, a double mutant lacking both CheV and CheW has a strong tumble bias, does not respond to addition of attractant, and shows essentially no accumulation in capillary assays. Thus, CheV and CheW appear in part to be functionally redundant. A strain lacking CheW and expressing only the CheW domain of CheV is chemotactic, suggesting that the truncated CheV protein retains in vivo function. We speculate that CheV and CheW function together to couple CheA activation to methyl-accepting chemotaxis protein receptor status and that possible CheA-dependent phosphorylation of CheV contributes to adaptation.
Serum inhibits penicillin-induced L-form growth in Staphylococcus aureus: a note of caution on the use of serum in cultivation of bacterial L-forms
Authors: Shimokawa O , Ikeda M , Umeda A , Nakayama H
Published: November 2016

Heat-inactivated horse serum inhibited penicillin-induced L-form colony formation in Staphylococcus aureus when included in an osmotically stabilized culture medium. Most, perhaps all, L-form colonies that appeared with low frequencies on the serum-supplemented medium were of the penicillin-independent, stable type. This relationship must be taken into account when use of serum is considered for L-form cultivation.
Endobronchial hamartoma: a rare disease with more common presentation
Authors: Abu Omar Mohannad , Abu Ghanimeh Mouhanna , Tylski Emily , Saettele Timothy
Published: November 2016

Hamartomas are the most common benign tumours of the lung with an overall incidence of 0.025–0.32%. They are known to be amalgamation of various tissue types, originating from the embryonic mesoderm. Lung hamartomas typically involve lung parenchyma and only infrequently grows as endobronchial tumours. We present a case of an 80-year-old man who presented to the pulmonary clinic for consultation for breathlessness, recurrent pneumonias and an abnormal radiograph finding. CT scan of the chest showed scattered infiltrates and atelectasis in the left upper lobe. He underwent a diagnostic bronchoscopy that showed a lobulated endobronchial lesion obstructing the left upper lobe bronchus. Brush and forceps biopsies were obtained that were consistent with an endobronchial hamartoma. He was referred to the pulmonology department for endobronchial debulking of the lesion following which he improved clinically during postoperative follow-up.
Diagnosis and investigation of chronic kidney disease in cats
Authors: Cannon Martha
Published: November 2016

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a common disorder of cats, particularly those in middle to old age. This article describes a practical approach to the diagnosis of CKD in cats and the additional investigations that will then allow an effective treatment plan to be developed, tailored to the needs of the individual cat. A second article in this supplement covers the approaches to treatment of CKD and its associated complications.
A survey of the antimicrobial susceptibility of Escherichia coli isolated from Sable Island horses
Authors: Timonin M.E. , Poissant J. , McLoughlin P.D. , Hedlin C.E. , Rubin J.E.
Published: November 2016

The feral horses of Sable Island are a geographically isolated population located ∼160 km off the east coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. Because these horses have no contact with domestic animals, have minimal contact with people, and have never received antimicrobials, they offer a unique opportunity to study the dissemination of antimicrobial resistance in unmanaged populations. As part of an ongoing multidisciplinary and individual-based monitoring program, we collected feces from 508 geolocalized horses (92% of the total population) between July and September 2014. We selectively cultured Escherichia coli on MacConkey and CHROMagar ESBL media. Antimicrobial susceptibilities were determined, and organisms resistant to β-lactam antimicrobials were screened for β-lactamase genes by PCR. Escherichia coli was recovered from 146 (28.7%) individuals, and the majority of isolates (97%) were susceptible to all drugs tested. Resistance to tetracycline was most common, including organisms isolated from 4 (2.7%) of the colonized horses. A single isolate resistant to ampicillin, ceftriaxone, and ceftiofur was identified, which possessed the CTX-M-1 gene. Our findings demonstrate that although antimicrobial resistance is not common in this remote population, clinically relevant resistance genes are present.
Notes on “Analytic solutions and Darboux transformation to a new Hamiltonian lattice hierarchy”
Authors: Xu Xi-Xiang
Published: November 2016

We point out that the Darboux transformation in the paper “Analytic solutions and Darboux transformation to a new Hamiltonian lattice hierarchy” [Mod. Phys. Lett. B 30 (2016) 1650100] is not right, and present a correct Darboux transformation.
Antecedent and Dimension of Symbiotic Relationship in the Hub-Based Entrepreneurial Ecosystem: Case Study of Alibaba
Authors: Peng Xiuqing , Cai Li , Lu Shan , Cai Yiru , Gao Yuli
Published: November 2016

Entrepreneurial ecosystem has received increasing attention of scholars and practitioners in management. However, the key concept of symbiotic relationship promoting entrepreneurship ecosystem well-developed is not yet clear, including its constructing dimensions and antecedents. Based on an embedded exploratory case study of AliBaba’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, the paper develops the antecedents and dimensions of symbiotic relationship among the actors. We find that in the hub-based entrepreneurial ecosystem, the antecedents of symbiotic relationship are resource needs and opportunity perception, and its dimensions consist of mutual recognition, strategy fit, common goal and governance mechanism.
A Semisupervised Tag-Transition-Based Markovian Model for Uyghur Morphology Analysis
Authors: Tursun Eziz , Ganguly Debasis , Osman Turghun , Yang Ya-Ting , Abdukerim Ghalip , Zhou Jun-Lin , Liu Qun
Published: November 2016

Morphological analysis, which includes analysis of part-of-speech (POS) tagging, stemming, and morpheme segmentation, is one of the key components in natural language processing (NLP), particularly for agglutinative languages. In this article, we investigate the morphological analysis of the Uyghur language, which is the native language of the people in the Xinjiang Uyghur autonomous region of western China. Morphological analysis of Uyghur is challenging primarily because of factors such as (1) ambiguities arising due to the likelihood of association of a multiple number of POS tags with a word stem or a multiple number of functional tags with a word suffix, (2) ambiguous morpheme boundaries, and (3) complex morphopholonogy of the language. Further, the unavailability of a manually annotated training set in the Uyghur language for the purpose of word segmentation makes Uyghur morphological analysis more difficult. In our proposed work, we address these challenges by undertaking a semisupervised approach of learning a Markov model with the help of a manually constructed dictionary of “suffix to tag” mappings in order to predict the most likely tag transitions in the Uyghur morpheme sequence. Due to the linguistic characteristics of Uyghur, we incorporate a prior belief in our model for favoring word segmentations with a lower number of morpheme units. Empirical evaluation of our proposed model shows an accuracy of about 82%. We further improve the effectiveness of the tag transition model with an active learning paradigm. In particular, we manually investigated a subset of words for which the model prediction ambiguity was within the top 20%. Manually incorporating rules to handle these erroneous cases resulted in an overall accuracy of 93.81%.
Minimally Supervised Chinese Event Extraction from Multiple Views
Authors: Li Peifeng , Zhou Guodong , Zhu Qiaoming
Published: November 2016

Although several semi-supervised learning models have been proposed for English event extraction, there are few successful stories in Chinese due to its special characteristics. In this article, we propose a novel minimally supervised model for Chinese event extraction from multiple views. Besides the traditional pattern similarity view (PSV), a semantic relationship view (SRV) is introduced to capture the relevant event mentions from relevant documents. Moreover, a morphological structure view (MSV) is incorporated to both infer more positive patterns and help filter negative patterns via morphological structure similarity. An evaluation of the ACE 2005 Chinese corpus shows that our minimally supervised model significantly outperforms several strong baselines.
Deposit Insurance: Theories and Facts
Authors: Calomiris Charles W. , Jaremski Matthew
Published: November 2016

Economic theories posit that bank liability insurance is designed to serve the public interest by mitigating systemic risk in the banking system through the reduction of liquidity risk. Political theories, however, see liability insurance as serving the private interests of banks, bank borrowers, and depositors, potentially at the expense of the public interest. Empirical evidence—both historical and contemporary—supports the private-interest approach, as liability insurance has been associated with increases, rather than decreases, in systemic risk. Exceptions to this rule are rare and reflect design features that prevent moral hazard and adverse selection. Prudential regulation of insured banks has generally not been a very effective tool in limiting the systemic risk increases associated with liability insurance. This likely reflects purposeful failures in regulation; if liability insurance is motivated by private interests, then there would be little point to removing the subsidies it creates through strict regulation. The same logic explains why more effective policies for addressing systemic risk are not employed in place of liability insurance. The politics of liability insurance thus should not be narrowly construed to encompass only the vested interests of bankers. Indeed, in many countries, liability insurance has been installed as a pass-through subsidy targeted to particular classes of bank borrowers.
A De-O-acylated Lipooligosaccharide-Based Adjuvant System Promotes Antibody and Th1-Type Immune Responses to H1N1 Pandemic Influenza Vaccine in Mice
Authors: Ryu Ji In , Park Shin Ae , Wui Seo Ri , Ko Ara , Han Ji Eun , Choi Jung Ah , Song Man Ki , Kim Kwang Sung , Cho Yang Je , Lee Na Gyong
Published: November 2016

Vaccine adjuvants are agents that are used to promote immune responses to vaccine antigens and thereby to enhance the protective efficacy of the vaccines. In this study, we investigated the adjuvant activity of CIA06, an adjuvant system that is composed of a toll-like receptor 4 agonist de-O-acylated lipooligosaccharide (dLOS) and aluminum hydroxide, on the H1N1 pandemic influenza vaccine Greenflu-S® in mice. CIA06 significantly enhanced influenza-specific serum IgG, hemagglutination-inhibition, and virus-neutralizing antibody titers, which eliminated vaccine dose-dependency in the antibody response. Mice immunized with the CIA06-adjuvanted Greenflu-S showed Th1-type-predominant cytokine profiles, and both CD4+and CD8+T cell responses were induced. Immunization of mice with the CIA06-adjuvanted vaccine reduced the mortality and morbidity of mice upon lethal challenges with influenza virus, and no excessive inflammatory responses were observed in the lung tissues of the immunized mice after viral infection. These data suggest that the dLOS-based adjuvant system CIA06 can be used to promote the immune responses to influenza vaccine or to spare antigen dose without causing harmful inflammatory responses.
Multiple Gastric Erosion Early after a 3 V Lithium Battery (CR2025) Ingestion in an 18-Month-Old Male Patient: Consideration about the Proper Time of Intervention
Authors: Patoulias Ioannis , Kaselas Christos , Patoulias Dimitrios , Farmakis Konstantinos , Papacrivou Eleni , Kalogirou Maria , Feidantsis Thomas
Published: November 2016

Introduction. Button battery ingestion is considered an emergency situation in pediatric patients that needs to be managed promptly; otherwise, it may lead to serious and potentially lethal complications, especially when it is impacted in the esophagus. Less attention has been given in cases where the battery passes into the stomach, with guidelines for emergency intervention being based on the presence of symptoms. Case Report. We present a case of an 18-month-old male patient who presented to our emergency department after button battery ingestion. He did not have any symptoms and no pathological findings were encountered during clinical examination. X-ray investigation revealed the presence of the battery in the stomach. The patient was admitted for observation and two hours later he had two episodes of vomiting. He underwent urgent endoscopic removal of the battery where multiple acute gastric mucosal erosion in place of direct contact of the battery’s negative pole with the mucosa of the gastric antrum was found. Conclusion. In specific cases the urgent endoscopic intervention for removal of an ingested button battery that is located in the stomach even in asymptomatic patients should be suggested.
On ParametricS-Metric Spaces and Fixed-Point Type Theorems for Expansive Mappings
Authors: Taş Nihal , Yılmaz Özgür Nihal
Published: November 2016

We introduce the notion of a parametricS-metric space as generalization of a parametric metric space. Using some expansive mappings, we prove a fixed-point theorem on a parametricS-metric space. It is important to obtain new fixed-point theorems on a parametricS-metric space because there exist some parametricS-metrics which are not generated by any parametric metric. We expect that many mathematicians will study various fixed-point theorems using new expansive mappings (or contractive mappings) in a parametricS-metric space.
Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection Outcomes for Gastroesophageal Tumors in Low Volume Units: A Multicenter Survey
Authors: Najib Azmi Ahmad , Khor Christopher J. L. , Ho Khek-Yu , Pittayanon Rapat , Rerknimitr Rungsun , Ratanachu-ek Thawee , Koay Doreen S. C. , Koh Jianyi Calvin , Ho Shiaw-Hooi , Goh Khean-Lee , Mahadeva Sanjiv
Published: November 2016

Background and Aims. Endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) outcomes have traditionally been reported from high volume centers in East Asia. Data from low volume centers in other parts of Asia remain sparse. Methods. A retrospective survey with a structured questionnaire of 5 tertiary centers in 3 countries in South East Asia was conducted. Details of training and clinical outcomes of ESD cases, with follow-up data from these centers, were analyzed. Results. Seven endoscopists from the 5 centers performed a total of 35 cases of ESD in the upper gastrointestinal tract (UGIT) over a 6-year duration. Details of the lesions excised were as follows: median size was 20 mm, morphologically 20 (68.6%) were flat/depressed and 6 (17.1%) were submucosal, and histologically 27 (77.1%) were neoplastic. The median duration of ESD procedures was 105 minutes, with an en-bloc resection rate of 91.4%. There was 1 (2.9%) case of delayed bleeding, but no perforation nor mortality in any of the cases. The recurrence rate after ESD was 5.7%. A prolonged ESD duration was influenced by a larger size of lesion (25 mm, p=0.02) but not by factors related to the training experience of endoscopists. Conclusions. ESD in the UGIT is feasible and safe in low volume centers in Asia.
CFD Study of Liquid Sodium inside a Wavy Tube for Laminar Convectors: Effect of Reynolds Number, Wave Pitch, and Wave Amplitude
Authors: Mehdi Syed Murtuza , Akhtar Maaz , Hussain Ahmad , Alothmany Dheya Shuja , Aziz Shahid
Published: November 2016

Metallic tubes have been widely used as primary heat transfer elements in laminar convectors for domestic and aerospace heating purpose. This paper uses CFD tool to investigate the heat output and pressure drop of liquid sodium flowing inside a circular tube having a wavy profile throughout its length. The wavy tube can be utilized in laminar liquid metal convectors as basic heat transfer element. The effect of Reynolds number (500≤Re≤2000) wave pitch (25 mm≤λ≤100 mm) and wave amplitude (2 mm≤a≤6 mm) on the heat output and pressure drop has been numerically studied. Based on the CFD results important controlling parameters have been identified and it is concluded that the heat output from the wavy tube is affected by the wave pitch and the wave amplitude while the pressure drop is mostly affected by the Reynolds number and wave amplitude.
Coverage Root after Removing Peripheral Ossifying Fibroma: 5-Year Follow-Up Case Report
Authors: Henriques Paulo S. G. , Okajima Luciana S. , Nunes Marcelo P. , Montalli Victor A. M.
Published: November 2016

When lesions in soft tissue reach the gingival margin, they can produce aesthetic defects during its permanence and after its removal. Periodontal plastic surgery allows the correction of the gingival contour using different techniques. This paper is a case report of a peripheral ossifying fibroma removal in the interproximal area of teeth 21 and 22 in addition to root coverage of the affected area through two surgical phases: keratinized gingival tissue augmentation surgery with free gingival graft concurrent with removal of the lesion and, in a second stage, root coverage by performing coronally advanced flap technique with a follow-up of five years. The initial results achieved, which were root coverage of 100% after 6 months, promoted an adequate gingival contour and prevented the development of a mucogingival defect or a root exposure with its functional and aesthetic consequences. After five years, the results showed long term success of the techniques, where the margin remained stable with complete root coverage and tissues were stable and harmonic in color.
Vertical Random Vibration Analysis of Track-Subgrade Coupled System in High Speed Railway with Pseudoexcitation Method
Authors: Yang Xinwen , Liu Xiaoshan , Zhou Shunhua , Ma Xiaoyun , Shen Jiangang , Zang Jingchao
Published: November 2016

In order to reduce the ground-borne vibration caused by wheel/rail interaction in the ballastless track of high speed railways, viscoelastic asphalt concrete materials are filled between the track and the subgrade to attenuate wheel/rail force. A high speed train-track-subgrade vertical coupled dynamic model is developed in the frequency domain. In this model, coupling effects between the vehicle and the track and between the track and the subgrade are considered. The full vehicle is represented by some rigid body models of one body, two bogies, and four wheelsets connected to each other with springs and dampers. The track and subgrade system is considered as a multilayer beam model in which layers are connected to each other with springs and damping elements. The vertical receptance of the rail is discussed and the receptance contribution of the wheel/rail interaction is investigated. Combined with the pseudoexcitation method, a solution of the random dynamic response is presented. The random vibration responses and transfer characteristics of the ballastless track and subgrade system are obtained under track random irregularity when a high speed vehicle runs through. The influences of asphalt concrete layer’s stiffness and vehicle speed on track and subgrade coupling vibration are analyzed.
Short-Term Lifestyle Strategies for Sustaining Cognitive Status
Authors: Howard Elizabeth P. , Morris John N. , Steel Knight , Strout Kelley A. , Fries Brant E. , Moore Alice , Garms-Homolová Vjenka
Published: November 2016

Cognitive decline impacts older adults, particularly their independence. The goal of this project was to increase understanding of how short-term, everyday lifestyle options, including physical activity, help an older adult sustain cognitive independence. Using a secondary analysis of lifestyle choices, we drew on a dataset of 4,620 community-dwelling elders in the US, assessed at baseline and one year later using 2 valid and reliable tools, the interRAI Community Health Assessment and the interRAI Wellness tool. Decline or no decline on the Cognitive Performance Scale was the dependent variable. We examined sustaining one’s status on this measure over a one-year period in relation to key dimensions of wellness through intellectual, physical, emotional, social, and spiritual variables. Engaging in physical activity, formal exercise, and specific recreational activities had a favorable effect on short-term cognitive decline. Involvement with computers, crossword puzzles, handicrafts, and formal education courses also were protective factors. The physical and intellectual domains of wellness are prominent aspects in protection from cognitive decline. Inherent in these two domains are mutable factors suitable for targeted efforts to promote older adult health and well-being.
The Design, Usability, and Feasibility of a Family-Focused Diabetes Self-Care Support mHealth Intervention for Diverse, Low-Income Adults with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Mayberry Lindsay Satterwhite , Berg Cynthia A. , Harper Kryseana J. , Osborn Chandra Y.
Published: November 2016

Family members’ helpful and harmful actions affect adherence to self-care and glycemic control among adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and low socioeconomic status. Few family interventions for adults with T2D address harmful actions or use text messages to reach family members. Through user-centered design and iterative usability/feasibility testing, we developed a mHealth intervention for disadvantaged adults with T2D called FAMS. FAMS delivers phone coaching to set self-care goals and improve patient participant’s (PP) ability to identify and address family actions that support/impede self-care. PPs receive text message support and can choose to invite a support person (SP) to receive text messages. We recruited 19 adults with T2D from three Federally Qualified Health Centers to use FAMS for two weeks and complete a feedback interview. Coach-reported data captured coaching success, technical data captured user engagement, and PP/SP interviews captured the FAMS experience. PPs were predominantly African American, 83% had incomes <$35,000, and 26% were married. Most SPs (n=7) were spouses/partners or adult children. PPs reported FAMS increased self-care and both PPs and SPs reported FAMS improved support for and communication about diabetes. FAMS is usable and feasible and appears to help patients manage self-care support, although some PPs may not have a SP.
An Image Segmentation by BFV and TLBO
Authors: Heidari Mohammad
Published: November 2016

This paper presents the establishing of a biconvex fuzzy variational (BFV) method with teaching learning based optimization (TLBO) for geometric image segmentation (GIS). Firstly, a biconvex object function is adopted to process GIS. Then, TLBO is introduced to maximally optimize the length penalty item (LPI), which will be changed under teaching and learner phase of TLBO, making the LPI closer to the target boundary. Afterward, the LPI can be adjusted based on fitness function, namely, the evaluation standards of image quality. Finally, the LP is combined item with the numerical order to get better results. Different GIS strategies are compared with various fitness functions in terms of accuracy. Simulations show that the presented method is more effective in this area.
Collectivity in Small Collision Systems: An Initial-State Perspective
Authors: Schlichting Sören , Tribedy Prithwish
Published: November 2016

Measurements of multiparticle correlations in the collisions of small systems such as p+p, p/d/3He+A show striking similarity to the observations in heavy-ion collisions. A number of observables measured in the high-multiplicity events of these systems resemble features that are attributed to collectivity driven by hydrodynamics. However, alternative explanations based on initial-state dynamics are able to describe many characteristic features of these measurements. In this brief review, we highlight some of the recent developments and outstanding issues in this direction.
Design of a Dual-Band Bidirectional Antenna Using Superellipse-Monopole-Fed Rectangular Ring for IEEE 802.11 a/b/g/n Applications
Authors: Khoomwong Ekajit , Phongcharoenpanich Chuwong
Published: November 2016

This paper presents the design of a dual-band bidirectional ring antenna fed by a superellipse surface probe for 2.4/5 GHz WLAN applications. The Method of Moments (MoM) with RWG basis function was utilized in the study and design processes. A prototype antenna was fabricated successfully with the advantages of simple and low-cost structure. The measured impedance bandwidth of 810 MHz (2.10–2.91 GHz) and 2.39 GHz (3.57–5.96 GHz) is achieved for the first and second band, respectively. The peak gains are also feasible, 4.67 dBi at 2.45 GHz and 7.83 dBi at 5.5 GHz, with bidirectional radiation patterns for both bands. From the experimental field tests, the proposed antenna was suitable for most applications in long and narrow communication sites in 2.4/5 GHz bands as desired. Also, the measured and calculated results were in good agreement.
Effect of Water Activity and Packaging Material on the Quality of Dehydrated Taro (Colocasia esculenta(L.) Schott) Slices during Accelerated Storage
Authors: Sloan A. R. , Dunn M. L. , Jefferies L. K. , Pike O. A. , Nielsen Barrows Sarah E. , Steele F. M.
Published: November 2016

The quality of dehydrated taro slices in accelerated storage (45∘C and 75% RH) was determined as a function of initial water activity (aw) and package type. Color, rehydration capacity, thiamin content, andα-tocopherol content were monitored during 34 weeks of storage in polyethylene and foil laminate packaging at initial storageawof 0.35 to 0.71. Initialawat or below 0.54 resulted in less browning and higher rehydration capacity, but not in significantly higherα-tocopherol retention. Foil laminate pouches resulted in a higher rehydration capacity and increased thiamin retention compared to polyethylene bags. Type of packaging had no effect on the color of the samples. Product stability was highest when stored in foil laminate pouches at 0.4aw. Sensory panels were held to determine the acceptability of rehydrated taro slices using samples representative of the taro used in the analytical tests. A hedonic test on rehydrated taro’s acceptability was conducted in Fiji, with panelists rating the product an average of7.2±1.5on a discrete 9-point scale. Using a modified Weibull analysis (with 50% probability of product failure), it was determined that the shelf life of dehydrated taro stored at 45∘C was 38.3 weeks.
Mucocutaneous Ulcerations and Pancytopenia due to Methotrexate Overdose
Authors: Knoll Katharina , Anzengruber Florian , Cozzio Antonio , French Lars E. , Murer Carla , Navarini Alexander A.
Published: November 2016

Methotrexate (MTX) is an antifolic drug used in the treatment of immune-mediated and neoplastic diseases. Initiation or dosage changes in MTX therapy can cause mucositis and bone marrow suppression. Skin lesions due to acute MTX toxicity are rare, but they serve as a herald for later-onset pancytopenia. Therefore, identification of those cutaneous lesions might help to initiate rescue strategies at an early stage. Here we describe a case with mucocutaneous ulcerations and pancytopenia due to overdosed MTX.
A Codon Deletion at the Beginning of Green Fluorescent Protein Genes Enhances Protein Expression
Authors: Rodríguez-Mejía José-Luis , Roldán-Salgado Abigail , Osuna Joel , Merino Enrique , Gaytán Paul
Published: November 2016

Recombinant protein expression is one of the key issues in protein engineering and biotechnology. Among the different models for assessing protein production and structure-function studies, green fluorescent protein (GFP) is one of the preferred models because of its importance as a reporter in cellular and molecular studies. In this research we analyze the effect of codon deletions near the amino terminus of different GFP proteins on fluorescence. Our study includes Gly4 deletions in the enhanced GFP (EGFP), the red-shifted GFP and the red-shifted EGFP. The Gly4 deletion mutants and their corresponding wild-type counterparts were transcribed under the control of the T7 or Trc promoters and their expression patterns were analyzed. Different fluorescent outcomes were observed depending on the type of fluorescent gene versions. In silico analysis of the RNA secondary structures near the ribosome binding site revealed a direct relationship between their minimum free energy and GFP production. Integrative analysis of these results, including SDS-PAGE analysis, led us to conclude that the fluorescence improvement of cells expressing different versions of GFPs with Gly4 deleted is due to an enhancement of the accessibility of the ribosome binding site by reducing the stability of the RNA secondary structures at their mRNA leader regions.
Language Parameters of 4- to 7-Year-Old Persian-Speaking Children with Cleft Lip and Palate
Authors: Ghayoumi Anaraki Zahra , Faham Maryam , Derakhshandeh Fatemeh , Hashemi Hosseinabad Hedieh , Haresabadi Fatemeh
Published: November 2016

Objective: There are several risk factors including hearing difficulties, lack of language stimulation, and parents' low level of expectation leading to language disorders in children with cleft palate. Therefore, formal language assessments of children with cleft palate are of great importance in order to prevent further disabilities. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate language parameters in 4- to 7-year old Persian-speaking children with cleft palate. Patients and Methods: 16 children with unilateral and bilateral cleft lip and palate aged between 4 and 7 years participated in the experiment. The Test of Language Development-Primary, third edition (TOLD-P3) was performed to evaluate the language parameters. The results were scored according to the test manual and compared to normative data published with the TOLD-P3. Results:t test analysis showed a significant difference between language parameters in children with cleft lip and palate and the normative data (p < 0.0001). Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between different aspects of language performance. Conclusion: The findings emphasize that speech-language pathologists should also concentrate on early language assessment and treatment for children with cleft lip and palate.