bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Concentration Methods for Quantitative Detection of Sewage-Associated Viral Markers in Environmental Waters
Authors: Ahmed W. , Harwood V. J. , Gyawali P. , Sidhu J. P. S. , Toze S.
Published: January 2015

Pathogenic human viruses cause over half of gastroenteritis cases associated with recreational water use worldwide. They are relatively difficult to concentrate from environmental waters due to typically low concentrations and their small size. Although rapid enumeration of viruses by quantitative PCR (qPCR) has the potential to greatly improve water quality analysis and risk assessment, the upstream steps of capturing and recovering viruses from environmental water sources along with removing PCR inhibitors from extracted nucleic acids remain formidable barriers to routine use. Here, we compared the efficiency of virus recovery for three rapid methods of concentrating two microbial source tracking (MST) viral markers human adenoviruses (HAdVs) and polyomaviruses (HPyVs) from one liter tap water and river water samples on HA membranes (90 mm in diameter). Samples were spiked with raw sewage, and viral adsorption to membranes was promoted by acidification (method A) or addition of MgCl
2
(methods B and C). Viral nucleic acid was extracted directly from membranes (method A), or viruses were eluted with NaOH and concentrated by centrifugal ultrafiltration (methods B and C). No inhibition of qPCR was observed for samples processed by method A, but inhibition occurred in river samples processed by B and C. Recovery efficiencies of HAdVs and HPyVs were ∼10-fold greater for method A (31 to 78%) than for methods B and C (2.4 to 12%). Further analysis of membranes from method B revealed that the majority of viruses were not eluted from the membrane, resulting in poor recovery. The modification of the originally published method A to include a larger diameter membrane and a nucleic acid extraction kit that could accommodate the membrane resulted in a rapid virus concentration method with good recovery and lack of inhibitory compounds. The frequently used strategy of viral absorption with added cations (Mg
2+
) and elution with acid were inefficient and more prone to inhibition, and will result in underestimation of the prevalence and concentrations of HAdVs and HPyVs markers in environmental waters.
Piliation of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG Promotes Adhesion, Phagocytosis, and Cytokine Modulation in Macrophages
Authors: Vargas García Cynthia E. , Petrova Mariya , Claes Ingmar J. J. , De Boeck Ilke , Verhoeven Tine L. A. , Dilissen Ellen , von Ossowski Ingemar , Palva Airi , Bullens Dominique M. , Vanderleyden Jos , Lebeer Sarah
Published: January 2015

Recently,
spaCBA
-encoded pili on the cell surface of
Lactobacillus rhamnosus
GG were identified to be key molecules for binding to human intestinal mucus and Caco-2 intestinal epithelial cells. Here, we investigated the role of the SpaCBA pilus of
L. rhamnosus
GG in the interaction with macrophages
in vitro
by comparing the wild type with surface mutants. Our results show that SpaCBA pili play a significant role in the capacity for adhesion to macrophages and also promote bacterial uptake by these phagocytic cells. Interestingly, our data suggest that SpaCBA pili also mediate anti-inflammatory effects by induction of interleukin-10 (IL-10) mRNA and reduction of interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA in a murine RAW 264.7 macrophage cell line. These pili appear to mediate these effects indirectly by promoting close contact with the macrophages, facilitating the exertion of anti-inflammatory effects by other surface molecules via yet unknown mechanisms. Blockage of complement receptor 3 (CR3), previously identified to be a receptor for streptococcal pili, significantly decreased the uptake of pilus-expressing strains in RAW 264.7 cells, while the expression of IL-10 and IL-6 mRNA by these macrophages was not affected by this blocking. On the other hand, blockage of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) significantly reduced the expression of IL-6 mRNA irrespective of the presence of pili.
Temporal Stability of the Microbial Community in Sewage-Polluted Seawater Exposed to Natural Sunlight Cycles and Marine Microbiota
Authors: Sassoubre Lauren M. , Yamahara Kevan M. , Boehm Alexandria B.
Published: January 2015

Billions of gallons of untreated wastewater enter the coastal ocean each year. Once sewage microorganisms are in the marine environment, they are exposed to environmental stressors, such as sunlight and predation. Previous research has investigated the fate of individual sewage microorganisms in seawater but not the entire sewage microbial community. The present study used next-generation sequencing (NGS) to examine how the microbial community in sewage-impacted seawater changes over 48 h when exposed to natural sunlight cycles and marine microbiota. We compared the results from microcosms composed of unfiltered seawater (containing naturally occurring marine microbiota) and filtered seawater (containing no marine microbiota) to investigate the effect of marine microbiota. We also compared the results from microcosms that were exposed to natural sunlight cycles with those from microcosms kept in the dark to investigate the effect of sunlight. The microbial community composition and the relative abundance of operational taxonomic units (OTUs) changed over 48 h in all microcosms. Exposure to sunlight had a significant effect on both community composition and OTU abundance. The effect of marine microbiota, however, was minimal. The proportion of sewage-derived microorganisms present in the microcosms decreased rapidly within 48 h, and the decrease was the most pronounced in the presence of both sunlight and marine microbiota, where the proportion decreased from 85% to 3% of the total microbial community. The results from this study demonstrate the strong effect that sunlight has on microbial community composition, as measured by NGS, and the importance of considering temporal effects in future applications of NGS to identify microbial pollution sources.
A Halophilic Bacterium Inhabiting the Warm, CaCl
2
-Rich Brine of the Perennially Ice-Covered Lake Vanda, McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica
Authors: Tregoning George S. , Kempher Megan L. , Jung Deborah O. , Samarkin Vladimir A. , Joye Samantha B. , Madigan Michael T.
Published: January 2015

Lake Vanda is a perennially ice-covered and stratified lake in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica. The lake develops a distinct chemocline at about a 50-m depth, where the waters transition from cool, oxic, and fresh to warm, sulfidic, and hypersaline. The bottom water brine is unique, as the highly chaotropic salts CaCl
2
and MgCl
2
predominate, and CaCl
2
levels are the highest of those in any known microbial habitat. Enrichment techniques were used to isolate 15 strains of heterotrophic bacteria from the Lake Vanda brine. Despite direct supplementation of the brine samples with different organic substrates in primary enrichments, the same organism, a relative of the halophilic bacterium
Halomonas
(
Gammaproteobacteria
), was isolated from all depths sampled. The Lake Vanda (VAN) strains were obligate aerobes and showed broad pH, salinity, and temperature ranges for growth, consistent with the physicochemical properties of the brine. VAN strains were halophilic and quite CaCl
2
tolerant but did not require CaCl
2
for growth. The fact that only VAN strain-like organisms appeared in our enrichments hints that the highly chaotropic nature of the Lake Vanda brine may place unusual physiological constraints on the bacterial community that inhabits it.
Physical Covering for Control of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella spp. in Static and Windrow Composting Processes
Authors: Patel Jitendra R. , Yossa Irene , Macarisin Dumitru , Millner Patricia
Published: January 2015

This study investigated the effect of a 30-cm covering of finished compost (FC) on survival of
Escherichia coli
O157:H7 and
Salmonella
spp. in active static and windrow composting systems. Feedstocks inoculated with
E. coli
O157:H7 (7.41 log CFU/g) and
Salmonella
(6.46 log CFU/g) were placed in biosentry tubes (7.5-cm diameter, 30-cm height) at three locations: (i and ii) two opposing sides at the interface between the FC cover layer (where present) and the feedstock material (each positioned approximately 10 cm below the pile's surface) and (iii) an internal location (top) (approximately 30 cm below the surface). On specific sampling days, surviving populations of inoculated
E. coli
O157:H7 and
Salmonella
, generic
E. coli
, and coliforms in compost samples were determined.
Salmonella
spp. were reduced significantly within 24 h in windrow piles and were below the detection limit after 3 and 7 days at internal locations of windrow and static piles containing FC covering, respectively. Likewise,
E. coli
O157:H7 was undetectable after 1 day in windrow piles covered with finished compost. Use of FC as a covering layer significantly increased the number of days that temperatures in the windrows remained ≥55°C at all locations and in static piles at internal locations. These time-temperature exposures resulted in rapid reduction of inoculated pathogens, and the rate of bacterial reduction was rapid in windrow piles. The sample location significantly influenced the survival of these pathogens at internal locations compared to that at interface locations of piles. Finished compost covering of compost piles aids in the reduction of pathogens during the composting process.
Effect of Temperature and Relative Humidity on the Survival of Foodborne Viruses during Food Storage
Authors: Lee Su Jin , Si Jiyeon , Yun Hyun Sun , Ko GwangPyo
Published: January 2015

Millions of people suffer from foodborne diseases throughout the world every year, and the importance of food safety has grown worldwide in recent years. The aim of this study was to investigate the survival of hepatitis A virus (HAV) and viral surrogates of human norovirus (HuNoV) (bacteriophage MS2 and murine norovirus [MNV]) in food over time. HAV, MNV, and MS2 were inoculated onto either the digestive gland of oysters or the surface of fresh peppers, and their survival on these food matrices was measured under various temperature (4°C, 15°C, 25°C, and 40°C) and relative humidity (RH) (50% and 70%) conditions. Inoculated viruses were recovered from food samples and quantified by a plaque assay at predetermined time points over 2 weeks (0, 1, 3, 7, 10, and 14 days). Virus survival was influenced primarily by temperature. On peppers at 40°C and at 50% RH, >4- and 6-log reductions of MNV and HAV, respectively, occurred within 1 day. All three viruses survived better on oysters. In addition, HAV survived better at 70% RH than at 50% RH. The survival data for HAV, MS2, and MNV were fit to three different mathematical models (linear, Weibull, and biphasic models). Among them, the biphasic model was optimum in terms of goodness of fit. The results of this study suggest that major foodborne viruses such as HAV and HuNoV can survive over prolonged periods of time with a limited reduction in numbers. Because a persistence of foodborne virus on contaminated foods was observed, precautionary preventive measures should be performed.
Dynamics of the Lipid Droplet Proteome of the Oleaginous Yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides
Authors: Zhu Zhiwei , Ding Yunfeng , Gong Zhiwei , Yang Li , Zhang Sufang , Zhang Congyan , Lin Xinping , Shen Hongwei , Zou Hanfa , Xie Zhensheng , Yang Fuquan , Zhao Xudong , Liu Pingsheng , Zhao Zongbao K.
Published: January 2015

Lipid droplets (LDs) are ubiquitous organelles that serve as a neutral lipid reservoir and a hub for lipid metabolism. Manipulating LD formation, evolution, and mobilization in oleaginous species may lead to the production of fatty acid-derived biofuels and chemicals. However, key factors regulating LD dynamics remain poorly characterized. Here we purified the LDs and identified LD-associated proteins from cells of the lipid-producing yeast
Rhodosporidium toruloides
cultured under nutrient-rich, nitrogen-limited, and phosphorus-limited conditions. The LD proteome consisted of 226 proteins, many of which are involved in lipid metabolism and LD formation and evolution. Further analysis of our previous comparative transcriptome and proteome data sets indicated that the transcription level of 85 genes and protein abundance of 77 proteins changed under nutrient-limited conditions. Such changes were highly relevant to lipid accumulation and partially confirmed by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR. We demonstrated that the major LD structure protein Ldp1 is an LD marker protein being upregulated in lipid-rich cells. When overexpressed in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
, Ldp1 localized on the LD surface and facilitated giant LD formation, suggesting that Ldp1 plays an important role in controlling LD dynamics. Our results significantly advance the understanding of the molecular basis of lipid overproduction and storage in oleaginous yeasts and will be valuable for the development of superior lipid producers.
Functional Complementation Analyses Reveal that the Single PRAT Family Protein of Trypanosoma brucei Is a Divergent Homolog of Tim17 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Weems Ebony , Singha Ujjal K. , Hamilton VaNae , Smith Joseph T. , Waegemann Karin , Mokranjac Dejana , Chaudhuri Minu
Published: January 2015

Trypanosoma brucei
, a parasitic protozoan that causes African trypanosomiasis, possesses a single member of the presequence and amino acid transporter (PRAT) protein family, which is referred to as TbTim17. In contrast, three homologous proteins, ScTim23, ScTim17, and ScTim22, are found in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
and higher eukaryotes. Here, we show that TbTim17 cannot rescue Tim17, Tim23, or Tim22 mutants of
S. cerevisiae
. We expressed
S. cerevisiae
Tim23, Tim17, and Tim22 in
T. brucei
. These heterologous proteins were properly imported into mitochondria in the parasite. Further analysis revealed that although ScTim23 and ScTim17 were integrated into the mitochondrial inner membrane and assembled into a protein complex similar in size to TbTim17, only ScTim17 was stably associated with TbTim17. In contrast, ScTim22 existed as a protease-sensitive soluble protein in the
T. brucei
mitochondrion. In addition, the growth defect caused by TbTim17 knockdown in
T. brucei
was partially restored by the expression of ScTim17 but not by the expression of either ScTim23 or ScTim22, whereas the expression of TbTim17 fully complemented the growth defect caused by TbTim17 knockdown, as anticipated. Similar to the findings for cell growth, the defect in the import of mitochondrial proteins due to depletion of TbTim17 was in part restored by the expression of ScTim17 but was not complemented by the expression of either ScTim23 or ScTim22. Together, these results suggest that TbTim17 is divergent compared to ScTim23 but that its function is closer to that of ScTim17. In addition, ScTim22 could not be sorted properly in the
T. brucei
mitochondrion and thus failed to complement the function of TbTim17.
The Anillin-Related Region of Bud4 Is the Major Functional Determinant for Bud4's Function in Septin Organization during Bud Growth and Axial Bud Site Selection in Budding Yeast
Authors: Wu Huan , Guo Jia , Zhou Ya-Ting , Gao Xiang-Dong
Published: January 2015

The anillin-related protein Bud4 of
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
is required for axial bud site selection by linking the axial landmark to the septins, which localize at the mother bud neck. Recent studies indicate that Bud4 plays a role in septin organization during cytokinesis. Here we show that Bud4 is also involved in septin organization during bud growth prior to cytokinesis, as
bud4
Δ
shs1
Δ cells displayed an elongated bud morphology and defective septin organization at 18°C. Bud4 overexpression also affected septin organization during bud growth in
shs1
Δ cells at 30°C. Bud4 was previously thought to associate with the septins via its central region, while the C-terminal anillin-related region was not involved in septin association. Surprisingly, we found that the central region of Bud4 alone targets to the bud neck throughout the cell cycle, unlike full-length Bud4, which localizes to the bud neck only during G
2
/M phase. We identified the anillin-related region to be a second targeting domain that cooperates with the central region for proper septin association. In addition, the anillin-related region could largely mediate Bud4's function in septin organization during bud growth and bud site selection. We show that this region interacts with the C terminus of Bud3 and the two segments depend on each other for association with the septins. Moreover, like the
bud4
Δ mutant, the
bud3
Δ mutant genetically interacts with
shs1
Δ and
cdc12-6
mutants in septin organization, suggesting that Bud4 and Bud3 may cooperate in septin organization during bud growth. These observations provide new insights into the interaction of Bud4 with the septins and Bud3.
Injury risk factors, screening tests and preventative strategies: a systematic review of the evidence that underpins the perceptions and practices of 44 football (soccer) teams from various premier leagues
Authors: McCall Alan , Carling Chris , Davison Michael , Nedelec Mathieu , Le Gall Franck , Berthoin Serge , Dupont Gregory
Published: January 2015

Purpose

To systematically review the scientific level of evidence for the ‘Top 3’ risk factors, screening tests and preventative exercises identified by a previously published survey of 44 premier league football (soccer) teams. Also, to provide an overall scientific level of evidence and graded recommendation based on the current research literature.

Methods

A systematic literature search (Pubmed [MEDLINE], SportDiscus, PEDRO and Cochrane databases). The quality of the articles was assessed and a level of evidence (1++ to 4) was assigned. Level 1++ corresponded to the highest level of evidence available and 4, the lowest. A graded recommendation (A: strong, B: moderate, C: weak, D: insufficient evidence to assign a specific recommendation) for use in the practical setting was given.

Results

Fourteen studies were analysed. The overall level of evidence for the risk factors previous injury, fatigue and muscle imbalance were 2++, 4 and ‘inconclusive’, respectively. The graded recommendation for functional movement screen, psychological questionnaire and isokinetic muscle testing were all ‘D’. Hamstring eccentric had a weak graded ‘C’ recommendation, and eccentric exercise for other body parts was ‘D’. Balance/proprioception exercise to reduce ankle and knee sprain injury was assigned a graded recommendation ‘D’.

Conclusions

The majority of perceptions and practices of premier league teams have a low level of evidence and low graded recommendation. This does not imply that these perceptions and practices are not important or not valid, as it may simply be that they are yet to be sufficiently validated or refuted by research.
Skills, expertise and role of Australian emergency clinicians in caring for people with advanced cancer
Authors: Jelinek G A , Marck C H , Weil J , Lane H , Philip J , Boughey M , Weiland T J
Published: January 2015

Objectives

To explore the views of Australian emergency department (ED) clinicians about their skills, role and expertise in caring for people with advanced cancer.

Methods

A cross-sectional electronic survey of doctors and nurses working in Australian EDs was undertaken. Comparisons were made by demographics and whether respondents had received palliative care education.

Results

The sample comprised 444 doctors (response rate 13.5%), the majority Fellows (emergency medicine specialists) of the Australasian College for Emergency Medicine, and 237 nurses, from all states, territories and regions (metropolitan and regional). A minority (n=123, 20.6%) felt that the ED was not an appropriate place for patients with advanced cancer to present for acute care, while almost two-thirds (n=397, 64.8%) found caring for such patients rewarding, particularly nurses and those who had received palliative care education; very few (n=40, 6.5%) reported feeling uncomfortable talking to the families of dying patients. A minority (n=129, 21.0%) felt that it was not appropriate for junior medical staff to assess these patients, nurses much more than doctors (42.9% vs 8.5%, p<0.001). Over half (n=338, 55.1%) felt sufficiently skilled in managing pain for people with advanced cancer, with Fellows, more experienced doctors, and those who had received palliative care education more likely to feel skilled.

Conclusions

ED clinicians in Australia, particularly those who have received palliative care education, feel comfortable and adequately skilled in managing people with advanced cancer presenting to EDs, and most find it rewarding. The importance of palliative care education to emergency clinicians’ training should be recognised.
Spatial analysis of paediatric swimming pool submersions by housing type
Authors: Shenoi Rohit P , Levine Ned , Jones Jennifer L , Frost Mary H , Koerner Christine E , Fraser John J
Published: January 2015

Objective

Drowning is a major cause of unintentional childhood death. The relationship between childhood swimming pool submersions, neighbourhood sociodemographics, housing type and swimming pool location was examined in Harris County, Texas.

Study design and setting

Childhood pool submersion incidents were examined for spatial clustering using the Nearest Neighbor Hierarchical Cluster (Nnh) algorithm. To relate submersions to predictive factors, an Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) Poisson-Lognormal-Conditional Autoregressive (CAR) spatial regression model was tested at the census tract level.

Results

There were 260 submersions; 49 were fatal. Forty-two per cent occurred at single-family residences and 36% at multifamily residential buildings. The risk of a submersion was 2.7 times higher for a child at a multifamily than a single-family residence and 28 times more likely in a multifamily swimming pool than a single family pool. However, multifamily submersions were clustered because of the concentration of such buildings with pools. Spatial clustering did not occur in single-family residences. At the tract level, submersions in single-family and multifamily residences were best predicted by the number of pools by housing type and the number of children aged 0–17 by housing type.

Conclusions

Paediatric swimming pool submersions in multifamily buildings are spatially clustered. The likelihood of submersions is higher for children who live in multifamily buildings with pools than those who live in single-family homes with pools.
Collision time of a triatomic chemical reaction A + BC
Authors: He Xiaohu , Chao (Wu) Victor Wei-Keh , Han Keli , Hao Ce , Zhang Yan
Published: January 2015

The collision time is an important quantity of an elementary chemical reaction and describes the speed of the collision process in a collision reaction. In this study, we present a generalized method to calculate the collision time of a triatomic reaction in which the collision time is defined by the sum of the incoming time, the intermediate complex time, and the outgoing time. Two variables including the total distance Rtotal and Ravg, the average value of Rtotal over time, are used to compute the three components of the collision time. We compute three triatomic reactions including Ca + HCl → CaCl + H, O + HCl → OH + Cl/OCl + H, and O + HF → OH + F at different collision energies and initial diatomic vibrational levels using the quasi-classical trajectory method to confirm that the method could be reliable and reasonable. The time evolutions of Rtotal could efficiently classify the direct and indirect reactive mechanisms and reveal a distinct discrepancy of the two mechanisms. As the collision energy and initial diatomic vibrational level increase, the percentage of direct reaction trajectories increases. At the same time, the average and maximal values of collision time decrease. Comparing the maximal collision time and the reactive probability distributions of the products, it could be found that most reactive trajectories’ collision time is less than 2 ps. Moreover, the present calculations indicate that the method could be applicable to estimate the lifetime of the intermediate complex for the reaction systems with deep potential wells and the collision time of the reactions with a direct abstraction mechanism.
De novo assembly and analysis of crow lungs transcriptome
Authors: Vijayakumar Periyasamy , Raut Ashwin Ashok , Kumar Pushpendra , Sharma Deepak , Mishra Anamika
Published: January 2015

The jungle crow (Corvus macrorhynchos) belongs to the order Passeriformes of bird species and is important for avian ecological and evolutionary genetics studies. However, there is limited information on the transcriptome data of this species. In the present study, we report the characterization of the lung transcriptome of the jungle crow using GS FLX Titanium XLR70. Altogether, 1 510 303 high-quality sequence reads with 581 198 230 bases was de novo assembled into 22 169 isotigs (isotig represents an individual transcript) and 784 009 singletons. Using these isotigs and 581 681 length-filtered (greater than 300 bp) singletons, 20 010 unique protein-coding genes were identified by BLASTx comparison against a nonredundant (nr) protein sequence database. Comparative analysis revealed that 46 604 (70.29%) and 51 642 (72.48%) of the assembled transcripts have significant similarity to zebra finch and chicken RefSeq proteins, respectively. As determined by GO annotation and KEGG pathway mapping, functional annotation of the unigenes recovered diverse biological functions and processes. Transcripts putatively involved in the immune response were identified. Furthermore, 20 599 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and 7525 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were retrieved from the assembled transcript database. This resource should lay an important base for future ecological, evolutionary, and conservation genetic studies on this species and in other related species.
Effect of temperature-dependency of Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluid properties on the dynamics of droplet impinging on hot surfaces
Authors: Binesh A. R. , Mousavi S. M. , Kamali R.
Published: January 2015

In the present work, three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics analysis is employed to study the droplet dynamics of Newtonian and non-Newtonian droplets impinging on a hot surface under various impact conditions. The Navier–Stokes equations for unsteady, incompressible, and viscous fluid flow are solved using a control volume method. The volume-of-fluid (VOF) technique is also used to track the free-surface of the liquid. The effect of viscosity, density and surface tension on droplet dynamics is evaluated considering their dependence of temperature. The results indicate that the temperature dependence of the both Newtonian and non-Newtonian physicochemical liquid properties must be considered to obtain better agreement of the numerical results with experimental data. After ensuring the accuracy of the numerical methodology, the internal behavior of the droplets is examined, which is shown that the receding velocity of the non-Newtonian droplet is slower than the Newtonian one.
Airway responsiveness in CD38-deficient mice in allergic airway disease: studies with bone marrow chimeras
Authors: Guedes Alonso G. P. , Jude Joseph A. , Paulin Jaime , Rivero-Nava Laura , Kita Hirohito , Lund Frances E. , Kannan Mathur S.
Published: January 2015

CD38 is a cell-surface protein involved in calcium signaling and contractility of airway smooth muscle. It has a role in normal airway responsiveness and in airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) developed following airway exposure to IL-13 and TNF-α but appears not to be critical to airway inflammation in response to the cytokines. CD38 is also involved in T cell-mediated immune response to protein antigens. In this study, we assessed the contribution of CD38 to AHR and inflammation to two distinct allergens, ovalbumin and the epidemiologically relevant environmental fungus Alternaria. We also generated bone marrow chimeras to assess whether Cd38+/+inflammatory cells would restore AHR in the CD38-deficient ( Cd38−/−) hosts following ovalbumin challenge. Results show that wild-type (WT) mice develop greater AHR to inhaled methacholine than Cd38−/−mice following challenge with either allergen, with comparable airway inflammation. Reciprocal bone marrow transfers did not change the native airway phenotypic differences between WT and Cd38−/−mice, indicating that the lower airway reactivity of Cd38−/−mice stems from Cd38−/−lung parenchymal cells. Following bone marrow transfer from either source and ovalbumin challenge, the phenotype of Cd38−/−hosts was partially reversed, whereas the airway phenotype of the WT hosts was preserved. Airway inflammation was similar in Cd38−/−and WT chimeras. These results indicate that loss of CD38 on hematopoietic cells is not sufficient to prevent AHR and that the magnitude of airway inflammation is not the predominant underlying determinant of AHR in mice.
Silencing of MUC8 by siRNA increases P2Y2-induced airway inflammation
Authors: Cha Hee-Jae , Jung Min-Su , Ahn Do Whan , Choi Jang-Kyu , Ock Mee Sun , Kim Kyung Soo , Yoon Joo-Heon , Song Eun Ju , Song Kyoung Seob
Published: January 2015

Mucin hypersecretion and overproduction are frequent manifestations of respiratory disease. Determining the physiological function of airway mucin is presently considered more important than identifying the relevant signaling pathways. The lack of a full-length human mucin 8 (MUC8) cDNA sequence has hindered the generation of a Muc8 knockout mouse line. Thus, the precise physiological functions of MUC8 are unclear. Herein, we investigated the function of MUC8 using a small-interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated genetic silencing approach in human airway epithelial cells. Herein, intracellular IL-1α production was stimulated by an ATP/P2Y2 complex. While ATP/P2Y2 increased IL-1α secretion in a time-dependent manner, treatment with P2Y2-specific siRNA significantly decreased IL-1α secretion. Moreover, ATP increased P2Y2-mediated upregulation of MUC8 expression; however, IL-1α significantly decreased the extent to which ATP/P2Y2 upregulated MUC8 expression. Interestingly, treatment with MUC8-specific siRNA decreased the production of anti-inflammatory cytokines (TGF-β and IL-1 receptor antagonist) and increased the production of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1α and IL-6) in our system. In addition, siRNA-mediated knockdown of MUC8 expression dramatically increased the secretion of inflammatory chemokines and resulted in an approximately threefold decrease in cell chemotaxis. We propose that MUC8 may function as an anti-inflammatory mucin that participates in inflammatory response by attracting immune cells/cytokines to the site of inflammation. Our results provide new insight into the physiological function of MUC8 and enhance our understanding of mucin overproduction during airway inflammation.
A Low Cost Shading Analyzer and Site Evaluator Design to Determine Solar Power System Installation Area
Authors: Kesler Selami , Kivrak Sinan , Gurleyen Hilmi , Dincer Furkan , Yilmaz Saban , Ozcalik Hasan Riza
Published: January 2015

Shading analyzer systems are necessary for selecting the most suitable installation site to sustain enough solar power. Afterwards, changes in solar data throughout the year must be evaluated along with the identification of obstructions surrounding the installation site in order to analyze shading effects on productivity of the solar power system. In this study, the shading analysis tools are introduced briefly, and a new and different device is developed and explained to analyze shading effect of the environmental obstruction on the site on which the solar power system will be established. Thus, exposure duration of the PV panels to the sunlight can be measured effectively. The device is explained with an application on the installation area selected as a pilot site, Denizli, in Turkey.
Combined Therapy for Distant Metastasis of Sacral Chordoma
Authors: Özkal Birol , Yaldız Can , Temiz Peyker , Temiz Cüneyt
Published: January 2015

Chordomas are known as rare primary malign tumours that have formed from primitive notochord remains. Sacral chordomas grow slowly but locally and aggressively. Chordomas are locally invasive and have low tendency to metastasis and have a poor prognosis in long-term follow-up. Metastasis may be seen in a rate of 5–40% of the chordomas. Metastasis of chordomas is common in liver, lung, lymph nodes, peritoneum, and brain. The treatment approaches, including surgery, have been discussed in the literature before. Susceptibility to radiotherapy and chemotherapy is controversial in these tumours. The success of surgical treatment affects survival directly. In this report, we will report a sacral chordoma case in which an intraperitoneal distant metastasis occurred and discuss the surgical approach.
The Role of Flavonoids on Oxidative Stress in Epilepsy
Authors: Diniz Tâmara Coimbra , Silva Juliane Cabral , Lima-Saraiva Sarah Raquel Gomes de , Ribeiro Fernanda Pires Rodrigues de Almeida , Pacheco Alessandra Gomes Marques , de Freitas Rivelilson Mendes , Quintans-Júnior Lucindo José , Quintans Jullyana de Souza Siqueira , Mendes Rosemairy Luciane , Almeida Jackson Roberto Guedes da Silva
Published: January 2015

Backgrounds. Oxidative stress can result from excessive free-radical production and it is likely implicated as a possible mechanism involved in the initiation and progression of epileptogenesis. Flavonoids can protect the brain from oxidative stress. In the central nervous system (CNS) several flavonoids bind to the benzodiazepine site on the GABAA-receptor resulting in anticonvulsive effects.Objective. This review provides an overview about the role of flavonoids in oxidative stress in epilepsy. The mechanism of action of flavonoids and its relation to the chemical structure is also discussed.Results/Conclusions. There is evidence that suggests that flavonoids have potential for neuroprotection in epilepsy.
Effect of the Combined Extracts of Herba Epimedii and Fructus Ligustri Lucidi on Sex Hormone Functional Levels in Osteoporosis Rats
Authors: Liu RenHui , Kang Xue , Xu LiPing , Nian HongLei , Yang XinWei , Shi HaoTian , Wang XiuJuan
Published: January 2015

The combination of Herba Epimedii and Fructus Ligustri Lucidi has been used to treat osteoporosis for almost 50 years by Professor Shizeng Li, a famous doctor of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, it is unclear whether the combination of the effective constituents of the two herbs may have a protective influence on the skeleton. In the present study, we investigated the effects of the combination extracts of Herba Epimedii and Fructus Ligustri Lucidi on rat model of osteoporosis induced by retinoic acid by gavage. With administrations of the combination extracts of the two herbs (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg/day) via oral gavage for 3 weeks, bone mineral density (BMD), femur histomorphometry, some sex hormones, and sex hormone receptors were measured. Results showed that the combined extracts could increase BMD, affect bone histomorphometry, coordinate the sex hormones at the level of hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis, and increase the protein and mRNA expressions of sex hormone receptors. The findings suggested that the combination extracts of Herba Epimedii and Fructus Ligustri Lucidi might be beneficial as an alternative medicine for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.
Anti-Thyroid Peroxidase Antibody in Vitiligo: A Prevalence Study
Authors: Dash R. , Mohapatra A. , Manjunathswamy B. S.
Published: January 2015

Aim.The aim of the study was to study the relation of vitiligo with demographic data like age, sex, and duration and determine the prevalence of thyroid autoimmunity in vitiligo patients.Materials and Methods.This study was a cross sectional study consisting of 100 patients clinically diagnosed (old and new) as having vitiligo irrespective of age or sex. Patients with known thyroid disease on supplementation therapy, or who had undergone thyroid surgery, those on antithyroid medication, patients with other causes of leukoderma, and cases who do not provide informed consent were excluded from the study. Serum TSH and anti-TPO antibodies were measured in all the patients.Results.The prevalence of anti-TPO antibody positivity was found to be 28%.Conclusion.According to our study, none of our vitiligo patients had symptoms or signs of thyroid disease at the time of presentation but, on biochemical evaluation, anti-TPO antibodies were found in a considerable number of patients. Hence, we recommend screening of these patients with thyroid antibodies.
A Note on Primitive Permutation Groups of Prime Power Degree
Authors: Cai Qian , Zhang Hua
Published: January 2015

Primitive permutation groups of prime power degree are known to be affine type, almost simple type, and product action type. At the present stage finding an explicit classification of primitive groups of affine type seems untractable, while the product action type can usually be reduced to almost simple type. In this paper, we present a short survey of the development of primitive groups of prime power degree, together with a brief description on such groups.
GABABReceptor Antagonist CGP46381 Inhibits Form-Deprivation Myopia Development in Guinea Pigs
Authors: Cheng Zhen-Ying , Wang Xu-Ping , Schmid Katrina L. , Han Yu-Fei , Han Xu-Guang , Tang Hong-Wei , Tang Xin
Published: January 2015

The aim was to investigate the effects of theGABABreceptor antagonist, CGP46381, on form-deprivation myopia (FDM) in guinea pigs. Twenty-four guinea pigs had monocular visual deprivation induced using a diffuser for 11 days (day 14 to 25). The deprived eyes were treated with daily subconjunctival injections (100 μl) of either 2% CGP46381, 0.2% CGP46381, or saline or received no injection. The fellow eyes were left untreated. Another six animals received no treatment. At the start and end of the treatment period, ocular refractions were measured using retinoscopy and vitreous chamber depth (VCD) and axial length (AL) using A-scan ultrasound. All of the deprived eyes developed relative myopia (treated versus untreated eyes,P<0.05). The amount of myopia was significantly affected by the drug treatment (one-way ANOVA,P<0.0001). The highest dose tested, 2% CGP46381, significantly inhibited myopia development compared to saline (2% CGP46381: −1.08 ± 0.40 D, saline: −4.33 ± 0.67 D,P<0.01). The majority of these effects were due to less AL (2% CGP46381: 0.03 ± 0.01 mm, saline: 0.13 ± 0.02 mm,P<0.01) and VCD (2% CGP46381: 0.02 ± 0.01 mm, saline: 0.08 ± 0.01 mm,P<0.01) elongation. The lower dose tested, 0.2% CGP46381, did not significantly inhibit FDM (P>0.05). Subconjunctival injections of CGP46381 inhibit FDM development in guinea pigs in a dose-dependent manner.
Acute Contained Ruptured Aortic Aneurysm Presenting as Left Vocal Fold Immobility
Authors: Gnagi Sharon H. , Howard Brittany E. , Hoxworth Joseph M. , Lott David G.
Published: January 2015

Objective. To recognize intrathoracic abnormalities, including expansion or rupture of aortic aneurysms, as a source of acute onset vocal fold immobility.Methods. A case report and review of the literature.Results. An 85-year-old female with prior history of an aortic aneurysm presented to a tertiary care facility with sudden onset hoarseness. On laryngoscopy, the left vocal fold was immobile in the paramedian position. A CT scan obtained that day revealed a new, large hematoma surrounding the upper descending aortic stent graft consistent with an acute contained ruptured aortic aneurysm. She was referred to the emergency department for evaluation and treatment by vascular surgery. She was counseled regarding surgical options and ultimately decided not to pursue further treatment. Her vocal fold immobility was subsequently treated via office-based injection medialization two weeks after presentation and again 5 months after the initial injection which dramatically improved her voice. Follow-up CT scan at 8 months demonstrated a reduction of the hematoma. The left vocal cord remains immobile to date.Conclusion. Ortner’s syndrome, or cardiovocal syndrome, is hoarseness secondary to left recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy caused by cardiovascular pathology. It is a rare condition and, while typically presenting gradually, may also present with acute symptomatology.
Neuroprotection in Preterm Infants
Authors: Berger R. , Söder S.
Published: January 2015

Preterm infants born before the 30th week of pregnancy are especially at risk of perinatal brain damage which is usually a result of cerebral ischemia or an ascending intrauterine infection. Prevention of preterm birth and early intervention given signs of imminent intrauterine infection can reduce the incidence of perinatal cerebral injury. It has been shown that administering magnesium intravenously to women at imminent risk of a preterm birth leads to a significant reduction in the likelihood of the infant developing cerebral palsy and motor skill dysfunction. It has also been demonstrated that delayed clamping of the umbilical cord after birth reduces the rate of brain hemorrhage among preterm infants by up to 50%. In addition, mesenchymal stem cells seem to have significant neuroprotective potential in animal experiments, as they increase the rate of regeneration of the damaged cerebral area. Clinical tests of these types of therapeutic intervention measures appear to be imminent. In the last trimester of pregnancy, the serum concentrations of estradiol and progesterone increase significantly. Preterm infants are removed abruptly from this estradiol and progesterone rich environment. It has been demonstrated in animal experiments that estradiol and progesterone protect the immature brain from hypoxic-ischemic lesions. However, this neuroprotective strategy has unfortunately not yet been subject to sufficient clinical investigation.
Detection of Herb-Symptom Associations from Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Data
Authors: Li Yu-Bing , Zhou Xue-Zhong , Zhang Run-Shun , Wang Ying-Hui , Peng Yonghong , Hu Jing-Qing , Xie Qi , Xue Yan-Xing , Xu Li-Li , Liu Xiao-Fang , Liu Bao-Yan
Published: January 2015

Background. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is an individualized medicine by observing the symptoms and signs (symptoms in brief) of patients. We aim to extract the meaningful herb-symptom relationships from large scale TCM clinical data.Methods. To investigate the correlations between symptoms and herbs held for patients, we use four clinical data sets collected from TCM outpatient clinical settings and calculate the similarities between patient pairs in terms of the herb constituents of their prescriptions and their manifesting symptoms by cosine measure. To address the large-scale multiple testing problems for the detection of herb-symptom associations and the dependence between herbs involving similar efficacies, we propose a network-based correlation analysis (NetCorrA) method to detect the herb-symptom associations.Results. The results show that there are strong positive correlations between symptom similarity and herb similarity, which indicates that herb-symptom correspondence is a clinical principle adhered to by most TCM physicians. Furthermore, the NetCorrA method obtains meaningful herb-symptom associations and performs better than the chi-square correlation method by filtering the false positive associations.Conclusions. Symptoms play significant roles for the prescriptions of herb treatment. The herb-symptom correspondence principle indicates that clinical phenotypic targets (i.e., symptoms) of herbs exist and would be valuable for further investigations.
A Novel Review of the Evidence Linking Myopia and High Intelligence
Authors: Verma Ajai , Verma Abhishek
Published: January 2015

The association between myopia and high intelligence has been the subject of much vexed debate in academic circles, particularly over the last two decades. This debate has risen from the observation that, over recent centuries, the prevalence of myopia amongst most populations has coincided with a marked increase in the average level of intelligence in these populations. The relationship between myopia and intelligence and theories surrounding this association is examined by the authors. Additionally, the various factors that confound the myopia and high intelligence debate, such as genetics, educational levels, ethnicity, and environmental factors were also explored by the authors. Whilst most studies found a positive correlation reaching statistical significance between myopia and high intelligence compared to emmetropes and hyperopes, further research is required to determine whether this association is causal.
An Integrated Approach for Drilling Optimization Using Advanced Drilling Optimizer
Authors: Hankins David , Salehi Saeed , Karbalaei Saleh Fatemeh
Published: January 2015

The ability to optimize drilling procedures and economics involves simulation to understand the effects operational parameters and equipment design have on the ROP. An analysis applying drilling performance modeling to optimize drilling operations has been conducted to address this issue. This study shows how optimum operational parameters and equipment can be predicted by simulating drilling operations of preexisting wells in a Northwest Louisiana field. Reference well data was gathered and processed to predict the “drillability” of the formations encountered by inverting bit specific ROP models to solve for rock strength. The output data generated for the reference well was formatted to simulate upcoming wells. A comparative analysis was conducted between the predicted results and the actual results to show the accuracy of the simulation. A significant higher accuracy is shown between the simulated and actual drilling results. Once simulations were validated, optimum drilling parameters and equipment specifications were found by varying different combinations of weight on bit (WOB), rotary speed (RPM), hydraulics, and bit specifications until the highest drilling rate is achieved for each well. A qualitative and quantitative analysis of the optimized results was conducted to assess the potential operational and economic benefits on drilling operations.
Temporary Fecal Diversion in the Management of Colorectal and Perianal Crohn’s Disease
Authors: Mennigen Rudolf , Heptner Britta , Senninger Norbert , Rijcken Emile
Published: January 2015

Aim. To evaluate the results of temporary fecal diversion in colorectal and perianal Crohn’s disease.Method. We retrospectively identified 29 consecutive patients (14 females, 15 males; median age: 30.0 years, range: 18–76) undergoing temporary fecal diversion for colorectal (n=14), ileal (n=4), and/or perianal Crohn’s disease (n=22). Follow-up was in median 33.0 (3–103) months. Response to fecal diversion, rate of stoma reversal, and relapse rate after stoma reversal were recorded.Results. The response to temporary fecal diversion was complete remission in 4/29 (13.8%), partial remission in 12/29 (41.4%), no change in 7/29 (24.1%), and progress in 6/29 (20.7%). Stoma reversal was performed in 19 out of 25 patients (76%) available for follow-up. Of these, the majority (15/19, 78.9%) needed further surgical therapies for a relapse of the same pathology previously leading to temporary fecal diversion, including colorectal resections (10/19, 52.6%) and creation of a definitive stoma (7/19, 36.8%). At the end of follow-up, only 4/25 patients (16%) had a stable course without the need for further definitive surgery.Conclusion. Temporary fecal diversion can induce remission in otherwise refractory colorectal or perianal Crohn’s disease, but the chance of enduring remission after stoma reversal is low.