bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Expanded metabolomics approach to profiling endogenous carbohydrates in the serum of ovarian cancer patients
Authors: Cheng Yu , Li Li , Zhu Bangjie , Liu Feng , Wang Yan , Gu Xue , Yan Chao
Published: November 2015

We applied hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry to the quantitative analysis of serum from 58 women, including ovarian cancer patients, ovarian benign tumor patients, and healthy controls. All of these ovarian cancer and ovarian benign tumor patients have elevated cancer antigen 125, which makes them clinically difficult to differentiate the malignant from the benign. All of the 16 endogenous carbohydrates were quantitatively detected in the human sera, of which, eight endogenous carbohydrates were significantly different (P‐value < 0.05) between the ovarian cancer and healthy control. According to the receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, arabitol was the most potentially specific biomarker for discriminating ovarian cancer from healthy control, having an area under the curve of 0.911. A panel of metabolite markers composed of maltose, maltotriose, raffinose, and mannitol was selected, which was able to discriminate the ovarian cancer from the benign ovarian tumor counterparts, with an area under concentration‐time curve value of 0.832. Endogenous carbohydrates in the expanded metabolomics approach after the global metabolic profiling are characterized and are potential biomarkers for the early diagnosis of ovarian cancer.
Elk resource selection and implications for anthrax management in Montana
Authors: Morris Lillian R. , Proffitt Kelly M. , Asher Valpa , Blackburn Jason K.
Published: November 2015

Anthrax, caused by the spore‐forming bacterium Bacillus anthracis, is a zoonotic disease that affects humans and animals throughout the world. In North America, anthrax outbreaks occur in livestock and wildlife species. Vaccine administration in wildlife is untenable; the most effective form of management is surveillance and decontamination of carcasses. Successful management is critical because untreated carcasses can create infectious zones increasing risk for other susceptible hosts. We studied the bacterium in a re‐emerging anthrax zone in southwest Montana. In 2008, a large anthrax epizootic primarily affected a domestic bison (Bison bison) herd and the male segment of a free‐ranging elk (Cervus elaphus) herd in southwestern Montana. Following the outbreak, we initiated a telemetry study on elk to evaluate resource selection during the anthrax season to assist with anthrax management. We used a mixed effects generalized linear model (GLM) to estimate resource selection by male elk, and we mapped habitat preferences across the landscape. We overlaid preferred habitats on ecological niche model‐based estimates of B. anthracis presence. We observed significant overlap between areas with a high predicted probability of male elk selection and B. anthracis potential. These potentially risky areas of elk and B. anthracis overlap were broadly spread over public and private lands. Future outbreaks in the region are probable, and this analysis identified the spatial extent of the risk area in the region, which can be used to prioritize anthrax surveillance. © 2015 The Wildlife Society.
The influence of Rho‐kinase inhibition on acetic acid‐induced detrusor overactivity
Authors: Wróbel Andrzej , Rechberger Tomasz
Published: November 2015

Aims

Accumulating evidence has shown that Rho‐kinase (ROCK) is involved in the regulation of bladder contraction. Our objective was to examine whether the ROCK inhibitor, GSK 269962, could prevent acetic acid (AA)‐induced detrusor overactivity and to assess its influence on urine production (UP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP).

Methods

The bladder was catheterized from the external urethral orifice. 0.25 % (AA) solution was infused into the bladder for 5 min. In the same session a catheter was inserted into the apex of the bladder dome. In order to measure the blood pressure, the carotid artery was cannulated. Three days after the intravesical instillation of AA, the ROCK‐GSK 269962 inhibitor was administered in a single dose of 10 mg/kg and a cystometry was carried out, along with a 24 hr measurement of UP and MAP.

Results

GSK 269962 reversed the changes induced by AA causing a drop in basal pressure, threshold pressure, micturition voiding pressure, bladder contraction duration, relaxation time, detrusor overactivity index, amplitude, and frequency of nonvoiding contractions while an increase in voided volume, post‐void residual, volume threshold, voiding efficiency, intercontraction interval, bladder compliance, and volume threshold to elicit nonvoiding contractions. ROCK inhibition did not show any significant changes in UP and MAP.

Discussion

The results obtained indicate that ROCK inhibition may ameliorate AA‐induced bladder overactivity.

Conclusion

ROCK inhibitors appear to represent a potentially attractive pharmacological option for the treatment of lower urinary tract disorders associated with changes in detrusor contractility. Neurourol. Urodynam. 36:263–270, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Quantifying Rock Fatigue and Decreasing Compressive and Tensile Strength after Repeated Freeze‐Thaw Cycles
Authors: Jia Hailiang , Xiang Wei , Krautblatter Michael
Published: November 2015

Frost action is believed to control rock slope erosion in cold environments and is a major driver of rockfall generation. While other frost weathering by ice segregation has been proved effective in previous laboratory studies, we investigate the effects of volumetric expansion on samples of sandstone because it is the best‐constrained process for quantifying damage. We conducted up to 17 freeze‐thaw cycles using 26 identical sandstone cylinders and repeatedly measured porosity, elastic moduli and compressive and tensile strength in the laboratory. To analyse the damage mechanism, we monitored strain during single freeze‐thaw cycles. In contrast to previous studies, both partially (50%) and highly (90%) water‐saturated samples display significant deformation during freeze‐thaw cycles. This indicates that rapid freezing in a non‐uniformly sized pore space can cause damage if only a portion of the pores is fully saturated. Compressive and tensile strength of highly saturated samples decreases by approximately 40 per cent and 95 per cent, respectively, over 17 freeze‐thaw cycles. Porosity increases by 80 per cent after three cycles and only by another 30 per cent in the next 14 cycles, indicating rock fatigue by destruction of the grain bonds. We introduce a generalised fatigue damage model, capable of comparing fatigue damage under different weathering regimes and in different rock types. We show how repeated frost action systematically causes rock fatigue and a major decrease in compressive and tensile strength of rocks. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Tailoring the ultrafast control of quantum dot excitons using optical pulse shaping
Authors: Mathew Reuble , Hall Kimberley C.
Published: November 2015

Femtosecond pulse shaping provides a means to tailor the interaction of light with matter, enabling the optimization of optical control processes and the achievement of a target final quantum state of the matter system. While this approach has found widespread application in the control of atomic and molecular systems, its use for solid state quantum systems remains in its infancy. This review covers our application of this approach to the manipulation of the quantum states of excitons in semiconductor quantum dots (QDs). The achievement of simultaneous π, 2π rotations on excitons in two different QDs using a single engineered infrared pulse illustrates the flexibility of the pulse shaping approach for solid state quantum systems. This versatility is further explored through simulations that show the feasibility of arbitrary SU(2) control of several quantum dots. Shaping of femtosecond infrared control pulses enables the demonstration of adiabatic rapid passage in a single QD on a subpicosecond time scale, representing a substantial speedup and an important step towards the realization of dynamical decoupling. The dependence of the exciton inversion efficiency on the sign of pulse chirp confirms the role of (and ability to control) phonon‐related dephasing. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Nanomedicine for Infectious Disease Applications: Innovation towards Broad‐Spectrum Treatment of Viral Infections
Authors: Jackman Joshua A. , Lee Jaywon , Cho Nam‐Joon
Published: November 2015

Nanomedicine enables unique diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities to tackle problems in clinical medicine. As multifunctional agents with programmable properties, nanomedicines are poised to revolutionize treatment strategies. This promise is especially evident for infectious disease applications, for which the continual emergence, re‐emergence, and evolution of pathogens has proven difficult to counter by conventional approaches. Herein, a conceptual framework is presented that envisions possible routes for the development of nanomedicines as superior broad‐spectrum antiviral agents against enveloped viruses. With lipid membranes playing a critical role in the life cycle of medically important enveloped viruses including HIV, influenza, and Ebola, cellular and viral membrane interfaces are ideal elements to incorporate into broad‐spectrum antiviral strategies. Examples are presented that demonstrate how nanomedicine strategies inspired by lipid membranes enable a wide range of targeting opportunities to gain control of critical stages in the virus life cycle through either direct or indirect approaches involving membrane interfaces. The capabilities can be realized by enabling new inhibitory functions or improving the function of existing drugs through nanotechnology‐enabled solutions. With these exciting opportunities, due attention is also given to the clinical translation of nanomedicines for infectious disease applications, especially as pharmaceutical drug‐discovery pipelines demand new routes of innovation.
Zur Knittertragfähigkeit von Sandwichelementen unter lokaler Beanspruchung
Authors: Lübke Sebastian , Ungermann Dieter
Published: November 2015

Die Knittertragfähigkeit von Sandwichelementen am Zwischenauflager wird durch lokale Eindrückungen infolge senkrechter Druck‐ und Sogauflagerlasten reduziert. In diesem Artikel wird ein Verfahren zur Berechnung der Knittertragfähigkeit von Sandwichelementen unter lokaler Beanspruchung vorgestellt. Basierend auf umfangreichen Versuchsreihen und FE‐Analysen wird das Knitterproblem analytisch auf ein nicht‐lineares Spannungsproblem nach Theorie II. Ordnung zurückgeführt. Der traglastmindernde Einfluss der lokalen Beanspruchung wird dabei durch äquivalente geometrische Ersatzimperfektionen berücksichtigt, die für den Fall der punktuellen Lasteinleitung durch Schrauben (Sogverankerung) und linienförmigen Lasteinleitung (Druckauflager) vorgestellt werden. Abschließend wird auch die Möglichkeit eines schlankheitsabhängigen Nachweises mittels einer Knickspannungslinie vorgestellt.

Wrinkling strength of sandwich panels subjected to localised loads. The wrinkling strength of sandwich panels is strongly influenced by local deformations at intermediate supports. In this paper a design procedure is presented to determine the wrinkling strength of sandwich panels subjected to localised loads. Therefore the wrinkling phenomenon is transferred into a non‐linear stability problem. The reduced load bearing capacity due to localised loads is considered by an approach of equivalent geometric imperfections, which is presented for point‐loads and line‐loads. The paper concludes with an alternative approach using a buckling‐curve for the wrinkling phenomena.
Untersuchungen zur Integration spezieller Stahlprofiltafeln in die Eurocodes
Authors: Ummenhofer Thomas , Ruff Daniel C. , Fauth Christian
Published: November 2015

Auf dem Gebiet des Metallleichtbaus ist im Laufe der letzten Jahre eine Vielzahl von neuen innovativen Profiltypen entwickelt worden. Zudem wurde der Anwendungsbereich bestehender Profiltypen erweitert. Dies ist auf eine wachsende Nachfrage nach architektonisch ansprechenden und gleichzeitig nachhaltigen Produkten zurückzuführen. Für diese neuen speziellen Profiltypen und Anwendungsbereiche existieren nur vereinzelt und zum Teil in ihrer Anwendung sehr eingeschränkte Bemessungskonzepte. Im Rahmen eines aktuell an der Versuchsanstalt für Stahl, Holz und Steine, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), in Kooperation mit den Projektpartnern Syndicat National du Profilage des Produits plats en Acier (SNPPA), Bacacier Profilage SAS, Société Bretonne de Profilage SAS (Joris Ide), Ingenieurbüro für Leichtbau (IFL) und Sokol Palisson Consultants SARL, durchgeführten europäischen Forschungsprojekts werden auf Basis experimenteller und numerischer Untersuchungen die Grundlagen für die Erweiterung der bestehenden spezifischen technischen Regelwerke geschaffen. Ziel ist die Erarbeitung von Richtlinien und Empfehlungen sowie Bemessungskonzepten für spezielle dünnwandige kaltgeformte Stahlprofile. Dieser Beitrag gibt einen Überblick über das Forschungsprojekt und die zu untersuchenden Profile.

Investigations on the integration of special profiled steel sheets in the Eurocodes. In the field of lightweight metal structures, a wide range of new innovative profile types has been developed over the past years. In addition, the application field of profile types has been enlarged. This can be attributed to the growing request for architecturally appealing and simultaneously sustainable products. For these special new profile types and application fields there are only occasionally and partly very limited design concepts in their application. Within the scope of a current European research project at the Research Center for Steel, Timber and Masonry, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), performed in cooperation with the project partners Syndicat National du Profilage des Produits Plats en Acier (SNPPA), Bacacier Profilage SAS, Société Bretonne de Profilage SAS (Joris Ide), Ingenieurbüro für Leichtbau (IFL) and Sokol Palisson Consultants SARL, the fundamentals for the enlargement of existing specific technical regulations are created on the basis of experimental and numerical investigations. The objective is the elaboration of regulations and recommendations as well as design concepts for special thin‐walled cold‐formed steel profiles. This article gives an overview of the research project and the profiles to be examined.
Sandwichelemente unter Brandeinwirkung
Authors: Schmied Jürgen , Ruff Daniel C. , Ummenhofer Thomas
Published: November 2015

Sandwichelemente erfüllen unter Brandbeanspruchung abhängig von ihrer Zusammensetzung unterschiedliche Anforderungen. Für die Auswahl und Anwendung ist eine Klassifizierung des Brandverhaltens und der Feuerwiderstandsklasse erforderlich. Diese Klassifizierung hat sich aufgrund der Öffnung des europäischen Binnenmarktes und der damit verbundenen Vereinheitlichung der Regularien in den letzten Jahren wesentlich geändert. Neben der Erläuterung der aktuellen Situation wird Bezug auf die derzeit in Deutschland verwendeten Regeln genommen. Abschließend werden Entwicklungstendenzen aufgezeigt.

Sandwich panels under exposure to fire – an inventory. Depending on their composition, sandwich panels fulfil different requirements under exposure to fire. For the use and selection of the right type, it is necessary to have a classification according to material class and fire resistance. In recent years, this classification has changed due to the opening of the Single European Market and the related standardization of the regulations. Additionally to the explanation of the current situation, reference is given to the rules which were used in Germany so far and future trends are shown.
Phosphorene: what can we know from computations?
Authors: Jing Yu , Zhang Xu , Zhou Zhen
Published: November 2015

The past year has witnessed the fast growth of investigations on monolayer and few‐layer black phosphorous, termed as ‘phosphorene.’ The intrinsic mechanical, electronic, thermal, and optical properties of phosphorene, which have mainly been revealed by computations, endow it with significant potential applications to the fields of electronics, optoelectronics, thermoelectrics, catalysis, and energy storage. In this overview, we summarize the computational investigations on phosphorene from aspects of inherent quality, properties, potential applications, and new allotropes, and manage to interpret what we can know about phosphorene from computations. We hope that this overview would help better understand phosphorene and provide guidance for experimental and computational colleagues to further investigate phosphorene and other novel two‐dimensional materials. WIREs Comput Mol Sci 2016, 6:5–19. doi: 10.1002/wcms.1234

This article is categorized under:

Structure and Mechanism > Computational Materials Science

Electronic Structure Theory > Ab Initio Electronic Structure Methods

Electronic Structure Theory > Density Functional Theory
Comparison of the bremsstrahlung absolute probability densities produced by experiment and PENELOPE for low‐energy (keV) electrons incident on solid silver
Authors: Czarnecki S. , Gonzales D. , Williams S.
Published: November 2015

There has been some recent controversy concerning whether or not polarizational bremsstrahlung (sometimes referred to as ‘atomic bremsstrahlung’) contributes to the total bremsstrahlung spectrum in experiments involving electrons incident on solid targets. We have compared the bremsstrahlung absolute probability density predictions of the widely used Monte Carlo code, PENELOPE, to the results of experiments involving 17.5‐keV and 20‐keV electrons incident on a thick silver target. Comparisons of the results of our experiments to the predictions of the PENELOPE code, which is based on ordinary bremsstrahlung alone, suggest that there were no significant polarizational bremsstrahlung contributions to the total bremsstrahlung spectra in our experiments. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Using Transcutaneous Laryngeal Ultrasonography (TLUSG) to Assess Post‐thyroidectomy Patients’ Vocal Cords: Which Maneuver Best Optimizes Visualization and Assessment Accuracy?
Authors: Wong Kai‐Pun , Woo Jung‐Woo , Li Jason Yu‐Yin , Lee Kyu Eun , Youn Yeo Kyu , Lang Brian Hung‐Hin
Published: November 2015

To assess vocal cord (VC) movement with transcutaneous laryngeal ultrasound (TLUSG), three maneuvers, namely passive (quiet respiration), active (phonation), and Valsalva maneuvers have been described. It remains unclear which maneuver or using more maneuvers provides better visualization and assessment accuracy. We prospectively evaluated 342 post‐thyroidectomy patients from two centers. They underwent TLUSG with direct laryngoscopic (DL) validation afterwards. During TLUSG, patients were instructed to perform all three maneuvers (passive, active, and Valsalva). VC visualization rate and accuracy between three maneuvers were compared. Visualization rate tended to be higher in Valsalva maneuver than that in other two maneuvers (92.1 % vs. passive: 91.5 %; active: 89.8 %). While 19 patients had post‐operative VC palsy, passive maneuver had lower test specificity than active (94.3 vs. 97.6 %, p = 0.01) and Valsalva maneuvers (94.3 vs. 97.4 %, p = 0.02). In assessable VCs, passive maneuver has a higher ability to differentiate between mobile VCs and VC palsy (Area under ROC curve—passive: 0.942, active: 0.863, Valsalva: 0.893). TLUSG with more maneuvers did not improve sensitivity or specificity. On applying TLUSG as a screening tool (i.e., only selected patient with “unassessable” VCs or VCP on TLUSG for DL), Valsalva maneuver (85.96 %) saved more patients from DL than passive (81.87 %) or active (84.81 %) maneuver. Passive maneuver has a higher ability to differentiate VC palsy from normal. Using TLUSG as a screening tool, Valsalva was the preferred maneuver as it was more specific, had high visualization rate, and saved more patients from DL.
Recurrent Laryngeal Nerve Liberations and Reconstructions: A Single Institution Experience
Authors: Dzodic Radan , Markovic Ivan , Santrac Nada , Buta Marko , Djurisic Igor , Lukic Silvana
Published: November 2015

Background

Recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) palsy rates vary from 0.5 to 10 %, even 20 % in thyroid cancer surgery. The aim of this paper was to present our experience with RLN liberations and reconstructions after various mechanisms of injury.

Methods

Patients were treated in our institution from year 2000 to 2015. First group (27 patients) had large benign goiters, locally advanced thyroid/parathyroid carcinomas, or incomplete previous surgery of malignant thyroid disease. Second group (5 patients) had reoperations due to RLN paralysis on laryngoscopy. Liberations and reconstructions of injured RLNs were performed.

Results

Surgical exploration of central compartment enabled identification of the RLN injury mechanism. Liberations were performed in 11 patients, 2 months to 16 years after RLN injury, by removing misplaced ligations. Immediate or delayed (18 months to 23 years) RLN reconstructions were performed in 21 patients, by direct suture or ansa cervicalis‐to‐RLN anastomosis (ARA). RLN liberation provided complete voice recovery within 3 weeks in all patients. Patients with direct sutures had better phonation 1 month after reconstruction. Improved phonation was observed 2–6 months after ARA in 43 % of patients.

Conclusions

Vocal cords do not regain normal movement once being paralyzed after RLN transection, but they restore tension during phonation by reconstruction. Nerve liberation is a useful method which enables patients with RLN paresis/paralysis a significant improvement in phonation, even complete voice recovery. Reinnervation of vocal cords, using one of the mentioned techniques, should be a standard in thyroid and parathyroid surgery, with aim to improve quality of patient’s life.
Geographic patterns of predator niche breadth and prey species richness
Authors: Milana Giuliano , Lai Manuela , Maiorano Luigi , Luiselli Luca , Amori Giovanni
Published: November 2015

Most dietary studies on predator species available in the literature are based on single populations, with no meta‐analysis across populations in distinct areas of their range. Here, we performed a systematic review of the available data on the food habits of barn owl (Tyto alba) across Italy, collected during the last 40 years in relation to the modeled patterns of richness of small mammal communities. The overall dataset came from 212 sites, with multiple surveys for some sites, and a total of 279 samples. There was a significant effect of sample size on niche breadth in each site. There was a significant difference in terms of dietary breadth among six distinct areas of Italy, with diet breadth being lower in Sardinia and higher in Latium‐Abruzzi, Tuscany, and North‐eastern Italy. Potential small mammal prey diversity was significantly different across distinct study sites, with Apulia and Sardinia having lower diversity than the rest of the sites. Potential small mammal prey diversity affected the niche breadth per site. Overall, the plasticity of the food niche breadth of the barn owl reflected not only local conditions but also more general distribution patterns of small mammal communities.
Retracted: MicroRNA‐519a promotes proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by targeting FOXF2
Authors: Shao Junwei , Cao Jun , Liu Yong , Mei Hongliang , Zhang Yang , Xu Weitian
Published: November 2015

Recent studies report that microRNA‐519a (miR‐519a) is a novel oncomir, which facilitates the onset and progression of human cancers. However, the clinical significance of miR‐519a and its functional role and underlying mechanisms in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are poorly investigated. In the present study, elevated expression of miR‐519a was observed in HCC tissues compared with adjacent non‐tumor tissues. The increased level of miR‐519a expression was significantly correlated with adverse clinical features of HCC including hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection, large tumor size, cirrhosis and advanced tumor‐node‐metastasis tumor stage. Furthermore, high expression of miR‐519a was prominently associated with a poorer 5‐year overall survival and recurrence‐free survival of HCC patients. Gain‐ and loss‐of function experiments showed that miR‐519a overexpression enhanced proliferation and reduced apoptosis of Huh7 cells. By contrast, miR‐519a knockdown inhibited SMMC‐7721 cell proliferation and induced apoptosis. Importantly, up‐regulation of miR‐519a reduced the expression of FOXF2 mRNA and protein in Huh7 cells, while down‐regulation of miR‐519a resulted in increased expression of FOXF2 in SMMC‐7721 cells. An inverse correlation between mRNA levels of miR‐519a and FOXF2 was observed in HCC tissues. Thus, Forkhead box F2 (FOXF2) was identified as a downstream target of miR‐519a in HCC. Mechanistically, the effects of miR‐519a knockdown on SMMC‐7721 cells were abrogated by FOXF2 repression. In conclusion, miR‐519a is a novel prognostic predictor for HCC patients and it may potentiate proliferation and inhibits apoptosis of HCC cells by targeting FOXF2.
Assessment of the quality of clinical documentation in India's JSY cash transfer program for facility births in Madhya Pradesh
Authors: Chaturvedi Sarika , Randive Bharat , Raven Joanna , Diwan Vishal , De Costa Ayesha
Published: November 2015

Objective

To gain insight into the quality of care in facilities implementing the Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY) cash transfer program in Madhya Pradesh, India, by reviewing the level of documentation in the clinical records of women who delivered.

Methods

The present retrospective, descriptive study reviewed case records of women who delivered at 73 primary, secondary, and tertiary level facilities in three districts of Madhya Pradesh between 2012 and 2013. Twenty elements of care were assessed encompassing clinical history and admission details, care during delivery and postnatal period, and discharge details.

Results

A total of 1239 records were reviewed. The extent of documentation varied among the elements assessed—e.g. 24 (1.9%) records documented advice at discharge, 171 (13.8%) documented postnatal blood pressure, 437 (35.3%) documented fetal heart rate, and 1220 (98.5%) documented admission date. The extent of documentation was better at higher level facilities.

Conclusion

The quality of clinical documentation in the JSY program was found to be unacceptably poor in Madhya Pradesh. Improving staff skills and practices in clinical documentation and record keeping will be required to enable clinical processes to be assessed and quality of care to be improved.
A hybrid approach for character modeling using geometric primitives and shape-from-shading algorithm
Authors: Kazmi Ismail Khalid , You Lihua , Zhang Jian Jun
Published: November 2015

Organic modeling of 3D characters is a challenging task when it comes to correctly modeling the anatomy of the human body. Most sketch based modeling tools available today for modeling organic models (humans, animals, creatures etc) are focused towards modeling base mesh models only and provide little or no support to add details to the base mesh. We propose a hybrid approach which combines geometrical primitives such as generalized cylinders and cube with Shape-from-Shading (SFS) algorithms to create plausible human character models from sketches. The results show that an artist can quickly create detailed character models from sketches by using this hybrid approach.
Association between hematologic parameters and in‐hospital mortality in patients with infective endocarditis
Authors: Zencir Cemil , Akpek Mahmut , Senol Sebnem , Selvi Mithat , Onay Sevil , Cetin Mustafa , Akgullu Cagdas , Elbi Huseyin , Gungor Hasan
Published: November 2015

Early and accurate risk prediction is an important clinical demand in patients with infective endocarditis (IE). The platelet‐to‐lymphocyte ratio (PLR) is an independent predictor of worse prognosis in various cardiovascular diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the value of PLR in the prediction of in‐hospital mortality among IE patients. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic data of 59 adult patients with definite IE and in 40 adult controls. In‐hospital mortality occurred in 16 (27%) patients. Vegetation size, levels of high‐sensitive C‐reactive protein and procalcitonin, neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio, and PLR were significantly higher in the in‐hospital‐mortality‐positive group than in the in‐hospital‐mortality‐negative group (p = 0.004, p = 0.009, p = 0.030, p = 0.001, and p = 0.008, respectively). Lymphocyte count was, however, significantly lower in the in‐hospital‐mortality‐positive group (p = 0.004). In the receiver‐operating characteristic analysis, PLRs over 191.01 predicted in‐hospital mortality with 56.3% sensitivity and 81.4% specificity [area under the curve 0.725, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.594–0.833; p = 0.0027]. In the multivariate analysis, PLR was found to be an independent predictor of in‐hospital mortality in patients with IE (odds ratio 1.022, 95% CI 1.003–1.042; p = 0.021). In conclusion, higher PLR may predict in‐hospital mortality in patients with IE.
Late Pleistocene glaciations in southern East Sayan and detection of MIS 2 terminal moraines based on beryllium (10Be) dating of glacier complexes
Authors: Arzhannikov S.G. , Braucher R. , Jolivet M. , Arzhannikova A.V.
Published: November 2015

Analysis and summary of publications on southern East Sayan, eastern Tuva, and northern Mongolia have shown that the late Pleistocene glaciation covered a large area and had a complicated dynamics of glacier advance and retreat. Starting with MIS 5, the Todza Basin and, partly, the Oka Plateau, Azas Volcanic Plateau, Mondy Basin, and river valleys in southern East Sayan were periodically covered with ice. The thickness of ice in the eastern Todza Basin was 700 m, on the Azas Volcanic Plateau it reached 300–600 m, and in the valleys of southern East Sayan it is estimated as 700–800 m. The thickness of ice in the Mondy Basin was 300–350 m.

Geological and geomorphological studies and isotope surface exposure dating (10Be method) of boulders from terminal moraine complexes have provided evidence for extensive MIS 2 glacier advance in the Mondy Basin and in the Sentsa, Jombolok, and Sailag river valleys (southern East Sayan). The average age of exposure for three groups of samples is 14, 16, and 22 ka.
An Experimental Study on the Heat Transfer of Traveling Airborne Water Droplets in Cold Environment
Authors: Chuah Y.-K. , Lin J.-T. , Yu K.-H.
Published: November 2015

This paper presents experimental results on rapid freezing of water droplets injected into a low temperature environment. A heat balance method was applied to determine the ratio of the water droplets frozen at the collection after the airborne time. The experimental results show that rapid freezing of water droplets could be achieved within three seconds of airborne time. Droplet size distribution of the frozen water droplets after collection was estimated. Heat transfer during the airborne time was calculated with consideration of the droplet size distribution. At attempt was taken to compare the heat transfer obtained with some previous studies on heat transfer of spherical objects in air. The research results show that droplet size distribution is important for the prediction of heat transfer of water droplets traveling in air. The results presented in this study contribute to the understanding of heat transfer of water droplets injected into a low temperature air.
Irregularity of energy intake at meals: prospective associations with the metabolic syndrome in adults of the 1946 British birth cohort
Authors: Pot Gerda K. , Hardy Rebecca , Stephen Alison M.
Published: November 2015

Irregularity in eating patterns could be a potential cardiometabolic risk factor. We aimed to study the associations of irregular intake of energy at meals in relation to cardiometabolic risk factors 10 and 17 years later. Variability of energy intake data – derived from 5-d estimated diet diaries of cohort members of the National Survey for Health and Development collected at ages 36 (n1416), 43 (n1505) and 53 years (n1381) – was used as a measure for irregularity. Associations between meal irregularity scores with cardiometabolic risk factors measured 10 and 17 years later were investigated using linear mixed models and logistic regression models. The results showed that irregularity scores changed significantly over the years (P<0·05). At age 36 years, subjects with a more irregular intake of energy at lunch (OR 1·42; 95 % CI 1·05, 1·91) and between meals (OR 1·35; 95 % CI 1·01, 1·82) had an increased risk for the metabolic syndrome 17 years later; at lunch was also associated with an increased waist circumference (OR 1·58; 95 % 1·27, 1·96) and TAG levels (OR 1·33; 95 % CI 1·02, 1·72). At age 43 years, subjects with a more irregular intake at breakfast had an increased risk of the metabolic syndrome 10 years later (OR 1·53; 95 % CI 1·15, 2·04), as well as an increased BMI (OR 1·66; 95 % CI 1·31, 2·10), waist circumference (OR 1·53; 95 % CI 1·23, 1·90) and diastolic blood pressure (OR 1·42; 95 % CI 1·13, 1·78). In conclusion, subjects with a more irregular intake of energy, mostly at breakfast and lunch, appeared to have an increased cardiometabolic risk 10 and 17 years later.
Genetic differentiation and diversity of Callosobruchus chinensis collections from China
Authors: Duan C.X. , Li W.C. , Zhu Z.D. , Li D.D. , Sun S.L. , Wang X.M.
Published: November 2015

Callosobruchus chinensis (Linnaeus) is one of the most destructive pests of leguminous seeds. Genetic differentiation and diversity analysis of 345 C. chinensis individuals from 23 geographic populations using 20 polymorphic simple sequence repeats revealed a total of 149 alleles with an average of 7.45 alleles per locus. The average Shannon's information index was 1.015. The gene flow and genetic differentiation rate values at the 20 loci ranged from 0.201 to 1.841 and 11.0–47.2%, with averages of 0.849 and 24.4%, respectively. In the 23 geographic populations, the effective number of alleles and observed heterozygosity ranged from 1.441 to 2.218 and 0.191–0.410, respectively. Shannon's information index ranged from 0.357 to 0.949, with the highest value in Hohhot and the lowest in Rudong. In all comparisons, the fixation index (FST) values ranged from 0.049 to 0.441 with a total FST value of 0.254 among the 23 C. chinensis populations, indicating a moderate level of genetic differentiation and gene flow among these populations. Analysis of molecular variance revealed that the genetic variation within populations accounted for 76.7% of the total genetic variation. The genetic similarity values between populations varied from 0.617 to 0.969, whereas genetic distances varied from 0.032 to 0.483. Using unweighted pair-group method using arithmetical averages cluster analysis, the 23 geographic collections were classified into four distinct genetic groups but most of them were clustered into a single group. The pattern of the three concentrated groups from polymerase chain reactions analysis showed a somewhat different result with cluster.
The effect of triterpenoid saponins fromSaponaria officinalison some blood hormones, metabolic parameters and fatty acid composition in dairy cows
Authors: SZKUDELSKA K. , SZUMACHER-STRABEL M. , SZCZECHOWIAK J. , BRYSZAK M. , PERS-KAMCZYC E. , STOCHMAL A. , CIESLAK A.
Published: November 2015

An experiment was performed to determine the effect of triterpenoid saponins from powdered root ofSaponaria officinalisL. (SO) on some blood metabolic parameters and hormone concentrations in dairy cows. Three dairy Polish Holstein-Friesian cows were used in the experiment in a 3 × 3 Latin Square arrangement. Animals were fed twice a day with a control diet and two experimental diets – a diet supplemented with either 440 or 660 g/d of the powderedS. officinalisroot (SO1 and SO2, respectively). Each of the three experimental cycles lasted for 26 days, including a 23-day adaptation period and a 3-day sample collection period. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein from 24th to 26th day of the experiment. Total high-density lipoproteins cholesterol (HDL) and low-density lipoproteins cholesterol (LDL), as well as triglycerides, free fatty acids (FFA) and glucose, were assayed in serum. Fatty acid composition in the blood was also analysed. Moreover, concentrations of insulin, glucagon, leptin, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) were measured. It was demonstrated that total and HDL-cholesterol concentrations were significantly elevated in the blood of cows treated with experimental diets; however, LDL-cholesterol remained unchanged. No concentrations of triglycerides, FFA or glucose were influenced by saponins. Two fatty acids (C16 : 0 and C16 : 1c9) were markedly reduced when SO was used, while C18 : 1t11decreased with increasing levels of SO. The significant increase of C20 : 4n-6in animals treated with SO was observed. Both saponin diets resulted in a slight increase in insulin concentration and the SO2 diet evoked an emphatic rise of glucagon concentration. The concentration of T3 also increased after consumption of the experimental diet. The current study shows for the first time that triterpenoid saponins fromS. officinaliscan alter blood parameters in ruminants. These effects seem to result from saponin-induced changes in the rumen.
Antarctic values and Malaysia's involvement in Antarctica: perceptions among young citizens of Malaysia
Authors: Ahmad Shabudin Ahmad Firdaus , Abdul Rahim Rashidah , Md Nor Norizan , Ibrahim Kamarulazizi
Published: November 2015

Lack of support and interest among the public is one of the major challenges in strengthening and sustaining the future national agendas on Antarctica. The main goal of this study is to identify the perception of Malaysia's public with regard to Antarctic values and Malaysian involvement in the region. A survey on Malaysia's young citizen perception on Antarctic has been conducted for mapping out the future landscape of Malaysian involvement in the Antarctic region. Surveys have been conducted on respondents from secondary schools and universities in Malaysia. A questionnaire was designed to seek respondents’ knowledge and awareness on the values of Antarctica and their opinions on Malaysia's involvement. The results of the study showed that respondents had a high level of awareness of Antarctic environmental issues. However, general knowledge about the Antarctic region was still intermediate. On the other hand, the results of this study showed that the young citizens had positive and strong support for strengthening Malaysia's Antarctic involvement. This study hopes to contribute as baseline data on the matter. Such background information will reflect on the national strategy in strengthening Malaysia's current policy and future involvement in Antarctica.
A new island in Zemlya Frantsa-Iosifa [Franz Josef Land]
Authors: Barr William
Published: November 2015

It had long been thought that Mys Flora [Cape Flora], with all its historical associations, was located on Ostrov Nortbruk [Northbrook Island] named by Frederick Jackson after the Earl of Northbrook, President of the Royal Geographical Society, 1890–1893. Fairly recently, however it has been established that it lies on a much smaller island off the western end of Ostrov Northbruka, and separated from it by a narrow strait (Fig. 1).
Perception et réceptivité des proches-aidants à l’égard de la vidéosurveillance intelligente pour la détection des chutes des aînés à domicile
Authors: Lapierre Nolwenn , Proulx Goulet Chloë , St-Arnaud Alain , Ducharme Francine , Meunier Jean , Turgeon Londei Sophie , Saint-Arnaud Jocelyne , Giroux Francine , Rousseau Jacqueline
Published: November 2015

To address the issue of falls, which are increasing as the population ages, an intelligent video-monitoring system is being developed. The aim of the study is to explore caregivers’ perceptions of and receptiveness to a prototype of this fall detection system. A cross-sectional mixed-method study was carried out with individual interviews of 18 caregivers. Statistical frequencies and content analysis were conducted (SPSS and N’Vivo). The results show that most participants (n = 15/18) liked the intelligent video-monitoring system and were willing to use it. They would worry less if they could be alerted if a care recipient fell, but they were concerned about privacy and cost. Participants had a positive perception of the system and expressed their wishes regarding the kind of alert and the person to contact in case of a fall.
Staphylococcus aureusbacteraemia associated with injected new psychoactive substances
Authors: GRIFFITH D. J. , MACKINTOSH C. L. , INVERARITY D.
Published: November 2015

Injecting drug use is often associated with deep-seated infection. In Lothian in Scotland there has been a recent increase in the use of injected new psychoactive substances (NPS). Patients who have injected NPS have presented withStaphylococcus aureusbacteraemia (SAB) with life-threatening complications. We describe a unique case-series of 14 episodes of SAB in ten patients. Users of injected NPS had a significantly higher incidence of endocarditis and cavitating pulmonary lesions (P< 0·05) compared to those who inject only opiates. Cases of SAB in people who inject NPS have contributed to a significant rise in the overall incidence of SAB in people who inject drugs (P< 0·05) which has in turn impacted on the ability of Lothian to meet national targets for reducing the incidence of SAB.
Epidemiological analysis of pneumococcal serotype 19A in healthy children following PCV7 vaccination
Authors: TÓTHPÁL A. , LAUB K. , KARDOS S. , TIRCZKA T. , KOCSIS A. , VAN DER LINDEN M. , DOBAY O.
Published: November 2015

After the introduction of conjugate vaccines, a strong rearrangement of pneumococcal serotypes was observed globally. Probably most concerning was the emergence of serotype 19A, which has not only high invasive disease potential, but also high antibiotic resistance. In the current study we focused on the increased prevalence of serotype 19A after the PCV vaccination rate became widely used in Hungary. A total of 2262 children aged 3–6 years were screened for pneumococcus carriage using nasal swabs. Children were divided into two groups according to the vaccination rates, low level (group 1) vs. high level (group 2). While the carriage rate did not change over time (average 32·9%), the serotype distribution differed greatly in the two groups. The prevalence of serotype 19A increased >eightfold. Almost all 19A isolates had high-level macrolide resistance and elevated penicillin minimum inhibitory concentrations. Genotyping methods revealed that these new 19A isolates are different from the previously frequent Hungary19A−6 PMEN clone. Both the carriage rate and the overall penicillin and macrolide resistance remained stable over time, but while several serotypes were represented in group 1, serotype 19A alone was clearly dominant in group 2.
Increased Delay Discounting on a Novel Real-Time Task among Girls, but not Boys, with ADHD
Authors: Rosch Keri S. , Mostofsky Stewart H.
Published: November 2015

The aim of this study was to examine delay discounting in girls and boys with ADHD-Combined type (ADHD-C) relative to typically developing (TD) children on two tasks that differ in the extent to which the rewards and delays were experienced by participants. Children ages 8–12 years with ADHD-C (n=65; 19 girls) and TD controls (n=55; 15 girls) completed two delay discounting tasks involving a series of choices between smaller, immediate and larger, delayed rewards. The classic delay discounting task involved choices about money at delays of 1–90 days and only some of the outcomes were actually experienced by the participants. The novel real-time discounting task involved choices about an immediately consumable reward (playing a preferred game) at delays of 25–100 s, all of which were actually experienced by participants. Participants also provided subjective ratings of how much they liked playing the game and waiting to play. Girls with ADHD-C displayed greater delay discounting compared to boys with ADHD-C and TD girls and boys on the real-time discounting task. Diagnostic group differences were not evident on the classic discounting task. In addition, children with ADHD-C reported wanting to play the game more and liking waiting to play the game less than TD children. This novel demonstration of greater delay discounting among girls with ADHD-C on a discounting task in which the rewards are immediately consumable and the delays are experienced in real-time informs our understanding of sex differences and motivational processes in children with ADHD. (JINS, 2016, 22, 12–23)
A Meshless Algorithm to Model Field Evaporation in Atom Probe Tomography
Authors: Rolland Nicolas , Vurpillot François , Duguay Sébastien , Blavette Didier
Published: November 2015

An alternative approach for simulating the field evaporation process in atom probe tomography is presented. The model uses the electrostatic Robin’s equation to directly calculate charge distribution over the tip apex conducting surface, without the need for a supporting mesh. The partial ionization state of the surface atoms is at the core of the method. Indeed, each surface atom is considered as a point charge, which is representative of its evaporation probability. The computational efficiency is ensured by an adapted version of the Barnes–Hut N-body problem algorithm. Standard desorption maps for cubic structures are presented in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method.
Gingival fibroblasts resist apoptosis in response to oxidative stress in a model of periodontal diseases
Authors: Cheng R , Choudhury D , Liu C , Billet S , Hu T , Bhowmick NA
Published: November 2015

Periodontal diseases are classified as inflammation affecting the supporting tissue of teeth, which eventually leads to tooth loss. Mild reversible gingivitis and severe irreversible periodontitis are the most common periodontal diseases. Periodontal pathogens initiate the diseases. The bacterial toxin, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), triggers the inflammatory response and leads to oxidative stress. However, the progress of oxidative stress in periodontal diseases is unknown. The purpose of this study is to examine oxidative stress and cell damage in gingivitis and periodontitis. Our results showed that LPS increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation in gingival fibroblast (GF). However, oxidative stress resulting from excessive ROS did not influence DNA damage and cell apoptosis within 24 h. The mechanism may be related to the increased expression of DNA repair genes, Ogg1, Neil1 and Rad50. Detection of apoptosis-related proteins also showed anti-apoptotic effects and pro-apoptotic effects were balanced. The earliest damage appeared in DNA when increased γH2AX, an early biomarker for DNA damage, was detected in the LPS group after 48 h. Later, when recurrent inflammation persisted, 8-OHdG, a biomarker for oxidative stress was much higher in periodontitis model compared to the control in vivo. Staining of 8-OHdG in human periodontitis specimens confirmed the results. Furthermore, TUNEL staining of apoptotic cells indicated that the periodontitis model induced more cell apoptosis in gingival tissue. This suggested GF could resist early and acute inflammation (gingivitis), which was regarded as reversible, but recurrent and chronic inflammation (periodontitis) led to permanent cell damage and death.