bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of New Generation All‐Ceramic and Provisional Materials on Fibroblast Cells
Authors: Atay Ayşe , Gürdal Işıl , Bozok Çetıntas Vildan , Üşümez Aslıhan , Cal Ebru
Published: June 2018

Purpose

The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the cytotoxic and apoptotic effects of seven new‐generation all‐ceramic materials for CAD/CAM (Lava Ultimate [LU], VITA Mark II [VM], InCoris TZI [IC], IPS e.max CAD [EM], VITA Suprinity [VS], Cerasmart [CS], IPS Empress CAD [EC]) and six provisional materials (Protemp 4 [PT], Telio CAD [TC], CAD‐Temp [CT], Telio Lab [TL], Temdent Classic [TD], Telio CS C&B [TS]) on L929 mouse fibroblast cells.

Materials and Methods

24 disc‐shaped specimens (∅ = 5 mm, h = 2 mm) were prepared from each test material. Medium extracts were collected at the 1st, 3rd, and 7th days for each group and tested using the L929 cell line. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using XTT assay, and apoptosis was determined by Annexin‐V/PI staining. Data were analyzed using one‐way ANOVA, Tukey's multiple comparison tests at a significance level of p < 0.05.

Results

The cell viability results among all‐ceramic material groups after the 1st and 7th days of incubation periods showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). There were significant differences within the ceramic groups in different incubation periods regarding apoptosis rate (p < 0.05). Throughout the entire test period, LU and VM from the CAD/CAM all‐ceramic materials and PT and TC from the provisional restoration materials showed cell viability higher than 90%. EC and TD showed the lowest cell viability and highest apoptosis rates in their own groups. For the provisional materials, there were significant differences in cell viability and apoptosis rate in all the incubation periods for each material (p < 0.05).

Conclusions

Although some new‐generation CAD/CAM and provisional restoration materials display slight cytotoxicity values, the results are still within the reliable range, and they can safely be used in clinical conditions.
Molecular diagnosis for a Tamarix species from two reclaimed lands along the Yellow Sea in Korea inferred from genome wide SNP markers
Authors: Lee Soo‐Rang , Gaskin John F. , Kim Young‐Dong
Published: June 2018

The taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of related taxa are important for understanding the biology of a species. Also, spatial distribution of genetic variation may offer insights into history of range shifts and demographic changes. The genus Tamarix L. from the Old World is a taxonomically challenging group that has widely expanded its range in the recent past. We examined genomic diversity patterns and the taxonomic identities of Korean Tamarix species whose taxonomy has remained unresolved. We used a total of 1773 SNP data from genotyping by sequencing for 37 Tamarix plants representing two species; T. chinensis and T. ramosissima to infer species delimitation and the geographic distribution of genomic diversity. Clustering (STRUCTURE; PCA, neighbor joining) and phylogenetic tree results indicated that the two morphologically similar species T. chinensis and T. ramosissima are genetically distinct and the two Korean populations (Sihwa & Songdo) are clustered closely with T. chinensis. Approximate Bayesian Computation based hypothesis testing results suggested that one of the two Korean populations, Songdo might have primarily been derived from the native area, China, followed by range expansion to Sihwa with a secondary admixture event between an established population, Songdo, and a native population, Beijing.
Taxonomic revision and phytogeographic studies in Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae) in the Khorassan provinces of Iran
Authors: Nasseh Yasamin , Nazarova Estella , Kazempour Shahrokh
Published: June 2018

This study is focused on the genus Euphorbia L. in a part of northeast Iran, viz. the three Khorassan provinces. Since there are many taxa of Euphorbia in Iran which are used in different industries and have significant effects on human and non‐human life it is important to revise their taxonomy. With about 90 species, following Turkey with 91 species, Iran is the second richest country for Euphorbia in Asia. Of these, 30 species are distributed in the Khorassan provinces. This is the first comprehensive work on the genus in this region. According to ‘Flora Iranica’, there are 17 species of Euphorbia in northeast Iran, while according to our results, there are 30 species of Euphorbia in the Khorassan provinces alone. In addition to various new taxonomic and biogeographic results, a new species, viz. E. chamanbidensis, is described. Euphorbia chamanbidensis is closely related to E. aucheri, but seed micro‐morphological characters differentiate them. Two identification keys to the Euphorbia species of the studied area are provided, one based on macro‐morphological characters and another based on seed micro‐morphological characters. Phytogeographic analysis and distribution maps for all species are also presented.
Cold thermal oral stimulation produces immediate excitability in human pharyngeal motor cortex
Authors: Magara J. , Watanabe M. , Tsujimura T. , Hamdy S. , Inoue M.
Published: June 2018

Background

Current strategies of swallowing therapy include facilitation of swallowing initiation by sensory modulation. Although thermal tactile oral stimulation is a common method to treat dysphagic patients to improve swallowing movement, little is known about the possible mechanisms. This study is aimed to investigate whether thermal oral (tongue) stimulation can modulate the cortico‐pharyngeal neural motor pathway in humans.

Methods

Eighteen healthy volunteers participated and were intubated with an intraluminal catheter for recording pharyngeal electromyography. Each participant underwent baseline transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) cortico‐pharyngeal motor evoked potential (MEP) measurements bilaterally. MEPs were then measured during thermal stimulation over the dorsal tongue, applied using the Peltier device at three different temperatures; 45°C, 37°C, and 15°C, in a pre‐ordered manner. Each of the three temperatures was given twice with a 5‐min resting time between each trial. Averaged MEP amplitude changes were analyzed using ANOVA and post‐hoc t‐tests.

Key Results

Two‐way repeated measures ANOVA with factors of Temperature × Trial in amplitude of MEP demonstrated a significant effect of Temperature both in the stronger (F2,34 = 5.775, P = .007) and weaker (F2,34 = 4.771, P = .017) pharyngeal hemispheres. Subsequent post‐hoc tests showed the significant increase in pharyngeal MEPs at 15° compared to 37° in both hemispheres (P < .05).

Conclusions & Inferences

Cold oral stimulation was able to induce significant changes in pharyngeal cortical excitability, demonstrating evidence for a sensorimotor interaction between oral and pharyngeal cortical areas.
Chicago Classification normative metrics in a healthy Indian cohort for a 16‐channel water‐perfused high‐resolution esophageal manometry system
Authors: Srinivas M. , Jain M. , Bawane P. , Jayanthi V.
Published: June 2018

Background

High‐resolution esophageal manometry (HREM) interpretation by the Chicago Classification (CC) derives its normal values from western volunteers using solid‐state catheters. There is no normative data for the 16‐channel water‐perfused HREM system commonly used in India.

Aims

To determine normal values for a 16‐channel water‐perfused HREM catheter in supine posture using healthy volunteers and substitute these normal values (if different from CC values) in the CC v3.0 algorithm.

Methods

After ethics approval and informed consent, 53 volunteers (31 men) with no gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms or medications affecting GI motility underwent HREM by standard protocol. Age, gender, body mass index (BMI), and manometry parameters analyzed using Trace 1.3.3 software were collected. The median, range, and 5, 10, 75, and 95 percentiles (where applicable) were obtained for all HREM metrics. Normal value percentiles were defined as 95th (integrated relaxation pressure [IRP]), 10th‐100th (distal contractile integral [DCI]), and minimum (distal latency [DL]).

Results

The mean age was 30 years and the BMI was 24.2 kg m−2. Compared to CC, our normal metrics were lower for IRP (13 mm Hg) and DCI (350‐4500 mm Hg s cm). DCI >4500 and <70 (<5th percentile) were defined as hypercontractile and failed contraction, respectively. Abnormal DL (<4.5 s) and peristaltic break size (>5 cm) were similar to CC metrics. Applying these metrics, CC diagnoses changed in 15% (8/53) with downgrading of ineffective motility to fragmented peristalsis or normal, due to lower DCI cutoff used.

Conclusions

This is the first report of normative data for the 16‐channel water‐perfused system in supine posture. It revealed lower IRP and DCI, necessitating modification of CC cutoffs for this system.
Allocation, morphology, physiology, architecture: the multiple facets of plant above‐ and below‐ground responses to resource stress
Authors: Freschet Grégoire T. , Violle Cyrille , Bourget Malo Y. , Scherer‐Lorenzen Michael , Fort Florian
Published: June 2018

Plants respond to resource stress by changing multiple aspects of their biomass allocation, morphology, physiology and architecture. To date, we lack an integrated view of the relative importance of these plastic responses in alleviating resource stress and of the consistency/variability of these responses among species.

We subjected nine species (legumes, forbs and graminoids) to nitrogen and/or light shortages and measured 11 above‐ground and below‐ground trait adjustments critical in the alleviation of these stresses (plus several underlying traits).

Nine traits out of 11 showed adjustments that improved plants’ potential capacity to acquire the limiting resource at a given time. Above ground, aspects of plasticity in allocation, morphology, physiology and architecture all appeared important in improving light capture, whereas below ground, plasticity in allocation and physiology were most critical to improving nitrogen acquisition. Six traits out of 11 showed substantial heterogeneity in species plasticity, with little structuration of these differences within trait covariation syndromes.

Such comprehensive assessment of the complex nature of phenotypic responses of plants to multiple stress factors, and the comparison of plant responses across multiple species, makes a clear case for the high (but largely overlooked) diversity of potential plastic responses of plants, and for the need to explore the potential rules structuring them.
Losing a winner: thermal stress and local pressures outweigh the positive effects of ocean acidification for tropical seagrasses
Authors: Collier Catherine J. , Langlois Lucas , Ow Yan , Johansson Charlotte , Giammusso Manuela , Adams Matthew P. , O'Brien Katherine R. , Uthicke Sven
Published: June 2018

Seagrasses are globally important coastal habitat‐forming species, yet it is unknown how seagrasses respond to the combined pressures of ocean acidification and warming of sea surface temperature.

We exposed three tropical species of seagrass (Cymodocea serrulata, Halodule uninervis, and Zostera muelleri) to increasing temperature (21, 25, 30, and 35°C) and pCO2 (401, 1014, and 1949 μatm) for 7 wk in mesocosms using a controlled factorial design. Shoot density and leaf extension rates were recorded, and plant productivity and respiration were measured at increasing light levels (photosynthesis–irradiance curves) using oxygen optodes.

Shoot density, growth, photosynthetic rates, and plant‐scale net productivity occurred at 25°C or 30°C under saturating light levels. High pCO2 enhanced maximum net productivity for Z. muelleri, but not in other species. Z. muelleri was the most thermally tolerant as it maintained positive net production to 35°C, yet for the other species there was a sharp decline in productivity, growth, and shoot density at 35°C, which was exacerbated by pCO2.

These results suggest that thermal stress will not be offset by ocean acidification during future extreme heat events and challenges the current hypothesis that tropical seagrass will be a ‘winner’ under future climate change conditions.
Modelling trends including effects of natural disturbance in an abalone dive fishery in Australia
Authors: Gorfine Harry , Thomson Jim , Spring Daniel , Cleland Michael
Published: June 2018

Fisheries management strategies usually do not consider secondary consequences of environmental shocks. A recent viral disease outbreak that decimated blacklip abalone populations in southern Australia had a much smaller impact on the region's less‐abundant greenlip abalone populations. Decreases in total allowable commercial catch (TACC) for blacklip abalone were partially offset by a transient increase in greenlip abalone TACC that peaked in 2010 and reduced to zero in 2013. A hypothesis that the greenlip abalone stock had declined was supported by a Bayesian analysis of catch rates (catch per unit effort, CPUE, as a proxy for biomass). The estimated decline is consistent with depletion of the relatively small and fragmented greenlip stock as an indirect consequence of the disease impact. Our analysis demonstrates a need to jointly monitor and manage substitute fisheries when one of the fisheries experiences depletion as a result of a natural disturbance event.

Considerations for Management

Hierarchical Bayesian models can determine whether a shock to a natural resource indirectly affects related resources via a transfer of exploitation effort;

Greenlip abalone stocks in western Victoria were generally poor in quality and infrequently exploited prior to the disease outbreak. Their low productivity rendered them vulnerable to the sudden increase in exploitation pressure, which could not be sustained once CPUE declined to 40–50 kg h−1, after which fishing activity ceased;

A CPUE of 40 kg h−1 could be a precautionary limit reference point for triggering future greenlip abalone fishery closures;

An increase in greenlip abalone legal minimum length (LML) to at least 140 mm would improve quality and profit;

It is important to protect substitute resources from secondary exploitation when imposing restrictions on exploitation of resources that are adversely impacted by natural disturbance events.
A multicentre study of 268 cases of calcifying odontogenic cysts and a literature review
Authors: de Arruda José Alcides A , Schuch Lauren F , Abreu Lucas G , Silva Leni Verônica O , Monteiro João Luiz GC , Pinho Rodrigo FC , Silva Leorik P , de Sousa Suzana COM , de Andrade Bruno Augusto B , Romañach Mario José , de QC Lourenço Simone , Batista Aline C , de Mendonça Elismauro Francisco , Martins Manoela D , Rados Pantelis V , Rivero Elena RC , de Souza Lélia B , Pinheiro Maria das GR , Gomes Ana Paula N , Vasconcelos Ana Carolina U , Sobral Ana Paula V , Mesquita Ricardo A
Published: June 2018

Objectives

To investigate the frequency of calcifying odontogenic cysts (COCs) that have been submitted for microscopic examination from representative geographic regions of Brazil and to compare it with literature data.

Materials and Methods

A retrospective study was conducted on biopsies obtained from 1953 to 2016 at 10 Brazilian oral and maxillofacial pathology centres. A total of 198,350 biopsy specimens were analysed. Demographic data and histopathological diagnosis were evaluated descriptively and statistically. In addition, a literature review of case series was carried out in four electronic databases.

Results

A total of 268 cases of COC were surveyed, representing 0.1% of the oral lesions at the centres studied. Female patients in their second decade of life and the maxilla were more affected. The mean lesion size of symptomatic individuals was larger than that of cases without symptoms (p = 0.026). The literature review showed a higher frequency in Asia and Europe, mainly affecting men in the third decade of life.

Conclusions

COC is a rare lesion. Novel data on the clinicopathological features of 268 cases have been added to the literature. Data regarding gender and age of the Brazilian patients reported herein contrast with findings of case series and retrospective studies reported elsewhere.
FITNESS, a CCT domain‐containing protein, deregulates reactive oxygen species levels and leads to fine‐tuning trade‐offs between reproductive success and defence responses in Arabidopsis
Authors: Osella Ana Virginia , Mengarelli Diego Alberto , Mateos Julieta , Dong Shuchao , Yanovsky Marcelo J. , Balazadeh Salma , Valle Estela Marta , Zanor María Inés
Published: June 2018

Environmental stresses are the major factors that limit productivity in plants. Here, we report on the function of an uncharacterized gene At1g07050, encoding a CCT domain‐containing protein, from Arabidopsis thaliana. At1g07050 expression is highly repressed by oxidative stress. We used metabolomics, biochemical, and genomic approaches to analyse performance of transgenic lines with altered expression of At1g07050 under normal and oxidative stress conditions. At1g07050 overexpressing lines showed increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), whereas knock‐out mutants exhibited decreased levels of ROS and higher tolerance to oxidative stress generated in the chloroplast. Our results uncover a role for At1g07050 in cellular redox homeostasis controlling H2O2 levels, due to changes in enzymes, metabolites, and transcripts related to ROS detoxification. Therefore, we call this gene FITNESS. Additionally, several genes such as ACD6, PCC1, and ICS1 related to salicylic acid signalling and defence were found differentially expressed among the lines. Notably, FITNESS absence significantly improved seed yield suggesting an effective fine‐tuning trade‐off between reproductive success and defence responses.
Genome‐wide association study reveals novel players in defense hormone crosstalk in Arabidopsis
Authors: Proietti Silvia , Caarls Lotte , Coolen Silvia , Van Pelt Johan A. , Van Wees Saskia C.M. , Pieterse Corné M.J.
Published: June 2018

Jasmonic acid (JA) regulates plant defenses against necrotrophic pathogens and insect herbivores. Salicylic acid (SA) and abscisic acid (ABA) can antagonize JA‐regulated defenses, thereby modulating pathogen or insect resistance. We performed a genome‐wide association (GWA) study on natural genetic variation in Arabidopsis thaliana for the effect of SA and ABA on the JA pathway. We treated 349 Arabidopsis accessions with methyl JA (MeJA), or a combination of MeJA and either SA or ABA, after which expression of the JA‐responsive marker gene PLANT DEFENSIN1.2 (PDF1.2) was quantified as a readout for GWA analysis. Both hormones antagonized MeJA‐induced PDF1.2 in the majority of the accessions but with a large variation in magnitude. GWA mapping of the SA‐ and ABA‐affected PDF1.2 expression data revealed loci associated with crosstalk. GLYI4 (encoding a glyoxalase) and ARR11 (encoding an Arabidopsis response regulator involved in cytokinin signalling) were confirmed by T‐DNA insertion mutant analysis to affect SA–JA crosstalk and resistance against the necrotroph Botrytis cinerea. In addition, At1g16310 (encoding a cation efflux family protein) was confirmed to affect ABA–JA crosstalk and susceptibility to Mamestra brassicae herbivory. Collectively, this GWA study identified novel players in JA hormone crosstalk with potential roles in the regulation of pathogen or insect resistance.
A screening method to detect BYDV‐PAV resistance in cereals under glasshouse conditions
Authors: Choudhury S. , Al‐Shammari D. , Hu H. , Meinke H. , Westmore G. , Birchall C. , Larkin P. , Zhou M.
Published: June 2018

A reliable method was developed to screen cereal crops for BYDV‐PAV resistance in glasshouse experiments. This also entailed the evaluation of traits associated with Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) infection such as leaf discolouration, reduction in growth, biomass and yield traits, and percentage of virus‐infected plants, using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and tissue blot immunoassay (TBIA). Four glasshouse experiments were conducted with eight wheat, barley and oat varieties inoculated with BYDV‐PAV at the 2‐leaf stage, using different numbers of viruliferous aphids and different inoculation periods and temperatures. Inoculation with 5–10 viruliferous aphids per plant for 4 days led to a high percentage of infection in susceptible varieties, indicating that this is an effective BYDV screening method when selecting for resistance in cereal crops. For barley and oat, visual evaluation of symptoms is considered adequate for assessing BYDV resistance. However, for wheat it is necessary to evaluate BYDV resistance by ELISA/TBIA tests and plant biomass (at early stage) and grain number and yield (at late stage) measurements.
How do mutual recognition agreements influence trade?
Authors: Jang Yong Joon
Published: June 2018

This paper empirically tests how the magnitude of trade promotion effects of mutual recognition agreements (MRAs) varies with various mediums. The main rationale for the research is that because an MRA eliminates technical barriers to trade (TBT), the trade promotion effects of MRAs are inversely much stronger if TBT originally restricted trade before their entry into force. Using data on MRAs and international trade in 34 countries and 22 manufacturing sectors covering 1995 to 2009, the paper empirically shows that the trade promotion effects of MRAs can be much stronger, depending on the type of contract, time period after the entry into force, components of exports, and country and industry characteristics such as technology level and global competitiveness. The results will provide insight for policy makers and stakeholders who cooperate with foreign countries in various regulations, especially in developing countries that have low levels of technology, competitiveness, and regulatory governance capacity.
Measuring patients’ health and suffering – the first stages of instrument development
Authors: Andermo Susanne , Sundberg Tobias , Falkenberg Torkel , Nordberg Johanna Hök , Arman Maria
Published: June 2018

Background

Patients have reported unanticipated and transformative health changes in existential character after integrative healthcare rehabilitation. Although there are several instruments measuring patients’ experiences of health, identified instruments do not sufficiently capture patients’ experiences of health and suffering after integrative health care. From a caring science perspective, health and suffering are understood as an integral part of human life. The objective of this study was to develop a first version of an instrument to measure patients’ experiences of health and suffering, focusing on existential signs.

Methods

This Swedish study used a methodological design with three iterative phases for instrument development. Firstly, an item pool was developed based on qualitative patient interviews (n = 64). Subsequently, the relevance of the items was explored in two rounds of cognitive patient interviews (n = 5 and n = 3). Finally, expert consultations (n = 5) were used to further refine the instrument. The construct of the instrument, its dimensions and domains emerged through the iterative development process.

Results

The first phase development of the instrument resulted in two inter‐related overarching dimensions: existential signs of ‘Health’ and ‘Suffering’, characterised by five domains: ‘Life passion and energy’, ‘Personal freedom’, ‘Relationships’, ‘Presence in life’ and ‘Meaning’. Instrument items were formulated using contemporary language and word pairs to reflect a movement and relation between health and suffering. The cognitive interviews and expert opinions helped refine items and domains.

Conclusions

The dimensions, domains and items of the instrument ‘Existential signs of health and suffering’ are well represented in caring science theories. Further clinical implementation and evaluation of the instrument, including psychometric properties, will allow for greater diversity in terms of context generalisability and patient characteristics. The instrument is anticipated to be of value for evaluations in research, development of healthcare practice and theory development in caring science.
Cross‐validation of the Self‐care Ability Scale for Elderly (SASE) in a sample of Italian older adults
Authors: Raffaele Barbara , Biagioli Valentina , Cirillo Luciana , De Marinis Maria Grazia , Matarese Maria
Published: June 2018

The assessment of self‐care among older adults is important as it permits the tailoring of educational interventions directed to prevent health deterioration and contrast the effects of ageing. The Self‐care Ability Scale for the Elderly (SASE) was developed to assess the perceived self‐care ability in older adults. Its psychometric properties were tested only in Scandinavian countries and China. This research was a cross‐validation of the SASE on 402 Italian adults aged 65 and older recruited in hospitals, clinics and homes, from September 2016 to February 2017. We performed exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses on two subsamples and identified three factors, self‐care ability to perform ADLs, self‐care ability to achieve well‐being and self‐care ability to set personal goals, with a good model fit (CFI > 0.93; RMSEA = 0.07; SRMR = 0.06). We eliminated four items, however, to improve the structural validity. Internal consistency for the three factors of the Italian version of the SASE (SASE‐I) ranged from 0.72 to 0.92. The test–retest reliability indicated good stability of the scale (ICC coefficient = 0.92). We assessed convergent validity by comparing the SASE‐I with the Katz Index of Independence in Activities of Daily Living and the Lawton Instrumental Activities of Daily Living Scale, showing moderate‐to‐strong correlations. In addition, the SASE‐I discriminated the self‐care ability in groups with different ages, levels of education and settings. Our study produced a 13‐item version of the SASE with good psychometric properties that could be recommended for use in clinical practice and research after further validation on different populations and settings.
How arteriovenous grafts could help to optimize vascular access management
Authors: Besarab Anatole , Kumbar Lalathaksha
Published: June 2018

A one‐size‐fits‐all approach to vascular access for dialysis may be prejudicial. Arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) have high primary failure, failure to mature rate, and late‐stage complications making them unsuitable choice for many patients. Aging of population with chronic kidney disease (CKD) coupled with venous injury during CKD stages depletes suitable superficial veins for AVF creation. The National Institutes of Health consortium demonstrated the difficulty in attaining a functional AVF in hemodialysis patients. Recognition of flaws in AVF and the quest to reduce catheter use bring to the fore the benefits of arteriovenous grafts (AVG). Advances in catheter technologies, flow, care, and antibiotic locks have resulted in significant improvement in catheter‐related infections. However, widespread recognition of catheter‐related complications like central vein stenosis, metastatic infections, and exhaustion of venous access sites preclude their being a viable alternative to AVF, furthering the need to explore AVG as a substitute. Placement of “early cannulation” AVG is a catheter sparing option in patients who are likely to have inadequate fistula maturation. Advances in biohybrid technology and tissue‐engineered grafts are providing a robust opportunity to develop biocompatible graft materials with minimal tissue reactivity and thrombogenicity. Xenografts (bovine carotid artery grafts) are proving to be comparable and, in many cases, better than conventional polytetrafluoroethylene material. Older age, dialysis dependence, and smaller vein size are related to the appropriateness of AVG creation. An individualized approach in selecting optimal upper extremity vascular access option using patient‐specific factors while incorporating the benefits of an AVG would greatly aid in achieving low catheter usage in the dialysis population.
Ureaplasma and Mycoplasma in kidney allograft recipients—A case series and review of the literature
Authors: Gerber Lukas , Gaspert Ariana , Braghetti Antonio , Zwahlen Hugo , Wüthrich Rudolf , Zbinden Reinhard , Mueller Nicolas , Fehr Thomas
Published: June 2018

Ureaplasma urealyticum and Mycoplasma hominis are common inhabitants of the human genital tract. Increasingly, serious and sometimes fatal infections in immunocompromised hosts have been reported, highlighting their pathogenic potential. We reviewed the clinical impact of positive Ureaplasma spp. and Mycoplasma spp. urine cultures in 10 renal allograft recipients who presented with sterile leukocyturia. Five recipients remained asymptomatic. Five patients were symptomatic with dysuria or pain at the graft site. Three patients developed biopsy‐proven acute graft pyelonephritis with graft dysfunction. One of these patients additionally showed a renal abscess as demonstrated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). All were successfully treated. A literature search revealed a substantial number of case reports with severe and sometimes fatal Ureaplasma spp. or Mycoplasma spp. infections in immunocompromised patients. Colonization rate is high in renal transplant patients. A subset of patients is at risk for invasive disease.
moving painting
Authors: Stefanoff Lisa
Published: June 2018

This article introduces paintings by Pintupi/Luritja‐Arrernte town camp artist Kunmanara M. Nampitjinpa Boko from the Tangentyere Artists group in Alice Springs and discusses a project we began together before her death, to explore new media futures for her graphic desert narratives. I argue that Kunmanara’s figurative and entextualized images articulate a specific central Australian mode of “survivance” and perform the “precarity” of their emergence through an aesthetic I call “vocal listening.” The artworks carry a new desert art “aura” linked to lived experiences of a bush‐station‐mission‐community‐outstation‐town camp‐town landscape that might “migrate” into animated, immersive, and interactive new media forms.
The Indigenous Uncanny: Accounting For Ghosts in Recent Indigenous Australian Experimental Media
Authors: Ginsburg Faye
Published: June 2018

This essay departs from Freud's 1919 essay, Das Unheimliche (The Uncanny), exploring the Indigenous uncanny instantiated in recent works that traffic in ghostly encounters, by well‐known Australian Indigenous artists: (1) Tracey Moffatt's Night Spirits photographs from her 2013 show, Spirit Landscapes, and The White Ghosts Sailed In, from her solo show, My Horizon (2017 Venice Biennale); (2) Warwick Thornton's 2013 experimental documentary, The Darkside, based on Indigenous ghost stories, and his 2015 show The Way of the Ngangkari. These works create a powerful aesthetic that acknowledges the displacement of Aboriginal people during European settlement as well as long‐standing ancestral connections.
Disturbance, Translation, Enculturation: Necessary Research in New Media, Technology, and the Senses
Authors: Salter Chris
Published: June 2018

This article examines a research program centered at the nexus of five seemingly unrelated fields: art practice with new technologies, anthropology, cultural studies of technology, the development of new technologies that seek to make new forms of sensation, and Indigenous new media studies. First, I articulate a broader area of interdisciplinary research called sensory studies. Subsequently, and switching to the pronoun “we,” I briefly describe the aims of Sensory Entanglements: a collaborative research program that asks how different bodies and cultures can transform/resist dominant paradigms of power and oppression through the senses. Finally, I conclude with a broader set of questions around the increased role the senses are playing in the organization of new modes of political‐socio‐technical reason.
The prevalence of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS‐CoV) antibodies in dromedary camels in Israel
Authors: Harcourt Jennifer L. , Rudoler Nir , Tamin Azaibi , Leshem Eyal , Rasis Michal , Giladi Michael , Haynes Lia M.
Published: June 2018

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus, MERS‐CoV, was identified in Saudi Arabia in 2012, and as of January 29, 2018, there were 2,123 laboratory‐confirmed MERS‐CoV cases reported to WHO (WHO, 2018, https://www.who.int/emergencies/mers-cov/en/). Multiple studies suggest that dromedary camels are a source for human MERS‐CoV infection. MERS‐CoV‐specific antibodies have been detected in the serum of dromedary camels across Northern Africa and across the Arabian Peninsula. Israel's geographic location places Israel at risk for MERS‐CoV infection. To date, MERS‐CoV‐related illness has not been reported and the burden of MERS‐CoV infection in the Israeli population is unknown. The seroprevalence of MERS‐CoV‐specific antibodies in Israeli dromedary camels is unknown. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of MERS‐CoV seropositivity in dromedary camels in Israel. The prevalence of MERS‐CoV antibodies in Israeli camels was examined in 71 camel sera collected from four farms across Israel by MERS‐CoV‐specific microneutralization (Mnt) assay and confirmed by MERS‐CoV‐specific immunofluorescence assay (IFA). Although this study cannot rule out potential antibody cross‐reactivity by IFA, the presence of bovine coronavirus‐specific antibodies do not appear to impact detection of MERS‐CoV antibodies by Mnt. MERS‐CoV neutralizing antibodies were detectable in 51 (71.8%) camel sera, and no association was observed between the presence of neutralizing antibodies and camel age or gender. These findings extend the known range of MERS‐CoV circulation in Middle Eastern camels. The high rate of MERS‐CoV‐specific antibody seropositivity in dromedary camels in the absence of any reported human MERS cases suggests that there is still much to be learned about the dynamics of camel‐to‐human transmission of MERS‐CoV.
LIVING WITH THE WICKED PROBLEM OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Authors: Peters Karl E.
Published: June 2018

Outlining the characteristics of “wicked” and “super‐wicked” problems, climate change is considered as a global super‐wicked problem that is primarily about the future. Being global‐ and future‐oriented makes climate change something we have to learn to live with but cannot expect to solve. Because the Institute on Religion in an Age of Science (IRAS) is a multidisciplinary society that yokes the natural and social sciences with values, it is in a position to explore strategies for living with climate change—exemplified by the articles in this section. Finally, asking “who/what is in charge,” it is suggested that in a dynamically interrelated and evolving world no one is. It is important to distinguish between good that is already created and the creative interactions that give rise to new good. In order to live with climate change, our primary orientation should be to live with the creativity that has created and continues to create our life on Planet Earth—since we are not able to know what the future holds.
Modeling underwater noise propagation from marine hydrokinetic power devices through a time-domain, velocity-pressure solution
Authors: Hafla E. , Johnson E. , Johnson C. N. , Preston L. , Aldridge D. , Roberts J. D.
Published: June 2018

Marine hydrokinetic (MHK) devices generate electricity from the motion of tidal and ocean currents, as well as ocean waves, to provide an additional source of renewable energy available to the United States. These devices are a source of anthropogenic noise in the marine ecosystem and must meet regulatory guidelines that mandate a maximum amount of noise that may be generated. In the absence of measured levels from in situ deployments, a model for predicting the propagation of sound from an array of MHK sources in a real environment is essential. A set of coupled, linearized velocity-pressure equations in the time-domain are derived and presented in this paper, which are an alternative solution to the Helmholtz and wave equation methods traditionally employed. Discretizing these equations on a three-dimensional (3D), finite-difference grid ultimately permits a finite number of complex sources and spatially varying sound speeds, bathymetry, and bed composition. The solution to this system of equations has been parallelized in an acoustic-wave propagation package developed at Sandia National Labs, called Paracousti. This work presents the broadband sound pressure levels from a single source in two-dimensional (2D) ideal and Pekeris wave-guides and in a 3D domain with a sloping boundary. The paper concludes with demonstration of Paracousti for an array of MHK sources in a simple wave-guide.
Computation of propagating and non-propagating guided modes in nonuniformly stressed plates using spectral methods
Authors: Dubuc Brennan , Ebrahimkhanlou Arvin , Salamone Salvatore
Published: June 2018

This paper presents a numerical approach based on spectral methods for the computation of guided ultrasonic wave modes (i.e., Lamb and shear horizontal) in nonuniformly stressed plates. In particular, anisotropic elastic plates subjected to a normal stress profile, which varies nonuniformly over their thickness, are considered. The proposed approach computes the modeshapes and the full three-dimensional dispersion spectrum (i.e., real frequency, complex wavenumber). It therefore includes both propagating (real wavenumber) and non-propagating (complex wavenumber) modes. Furthermore, an approach for robustly post-processing the dispersion spectra in order to compute the group velocity of propagating modes is presented, which is based on a spectral quadrature method. Numerical results are presented for two case studies: (1) a bending profile in a fiber-reinforced graphite/epoxy plate, and (2) an exponential profile in a silver plate. The results show the computational efficiency (i.e., spectral convergence) of the proposed method compared to other existing approaches such as the sublayering and finite element methods.
Bats are “blind” to the deadly effects of viruses
Authors: O’Connor Kevin C.
Published: June 2018

Bats that harbor lethal viruses avoid disease through an evolved antiviral defense strategy that leverages tolerance for infections.
A Phosphofructokinase Homolog from Pyrobaculum calidifontis Displays Kinase Activity towards Pyrimidine Nucleosides and Ribose 1-Phosphate
Authors: Aziz Iram , Bibi Tahira , Rashid Naeem , Aono Riku , Atomi Haruyuki , Akhtar Muhammad
Published: June 2018

The discovery of the pentose bisphosphate pathway in
Thermococcus kodakarensis
has clarified how this archaeon can degrade nucleosides. Homologs of the enzymes of this pathway are present in many members of the Thermococcales, suggesting that this metabolism occurs in these organisms. However, this is not the case in other archaea, and degradation mechanisms for nucleosides or ribose 1-phosphate are still unknown. This study reveals an important first step in understanding nucleoside metabolism in Crenarchaeota and identifies an ATP-dependent ribose 1-phosphate kinase in
Pyrobaculum calidifontis
. The enzyme is structurally distinct from previously characterized archaeal members of the ribokinase family and represents a group of proteins found in many crenarchaea.
Ulk1 Governs Nerve Growth Factor/TrkA Signaling by Mediating Rab5 GTPase Activation in Porcine Hemagglutinating Encephalomyelitis Virus-Induced Neurodegenerative Disorders
Authors: Li Zi , Zhao Kui , Lv Xiaoling , Lan Yungang , Hu Shiyu , Shi Junchao , Guan Jiyu , Yang Yawen , Lu Huijun , He Hongbin , Gao Feng , He Wenqi
Published: June 2018

Porcine hemagglutinating encephalomyelitis virus (PHEV) is a neurotropic coronavirus and targets neurons in the nervous system for proliferation, frequently leaving behind grievous neurodegeneration. Structural plasticity disorders occur in the axons, dendrites, and dendritic spines of PHEV-infected neurons, and dysfunction of this neural process may contribute to neurologic pathologies, but the mechanisms remain undetermined. Further understanding of the neurological manifestations underlying PHEV infection in the CNS may provide insights into both neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases that may be conducive to targeted approaches for treatment. The significance of our research is in identifying an Ulk1-related neurodegenerative mechanism, focusing on the regulatory functions of Ulk1 in the transport of long-distance trophic signaling endosomes, thereby explaining the progressive failure of neurite outgrowth and survival associated with PHEV aggression. This is the first report to define a mechanistic link between alterations in signaling from endocytic pathways and the neuropathogenesis of PHEV-induced CNS disease.
Variability of vertical cup to disc ratio measurement and the effects of glaucoma 5-year risk estimation in untreated ocular hypertensive eyes
Authors: Chan Poemen P , Chiu Vivian , Wong Mandy O
Published: June 2018

Aim

To compare the vertical cup to disc ratio (VCDR) measurements obtained with optical coherence tomography (OCT), Heidelberg retina tomography (HRT) and stereophotography of the optic nerve head (ONH) in patients with ocular hypertension (OHT), and their corresponding estimated 5-year risk for development of glaucoma.

Methods

ONH images of patients with OHT were taken by fundus camera (stereoscopic images), OCT and HRT. Optic disc stereophotographs were evaluated with a stereo-viewer by two glaucoma specialists (SP1 and SP2) and the VCDR was measured with the ImageJ software. VCDR measurements obtained with stereophotography, OCT and HRT were used to calculate the estimated 5-year risk.

Results

One hundred and forty eyes of 75 patients with OHT were included. The VCDR values measured by OCT, HRT, SP1 and SP2 were 0.60±0.14, 0.53±0.23, 0.44±0.13 and 0.49±0.10, respectively. The corresponding 5-year risk for development of glaucoma was 19.54%±16.60%, 18.13%±16.96%, 15.64%±14.35% and 16.70%±14.49%, respectively. Different degrees of proportional biases were observed in VCDR measurements obtained with stereophotography, OCT and HRT. The maximum difference of VCDR measurement was 0.64, while the maximum difference of the corresponding 5-year risk was 24.02%.

Conclusion

The disagreement in VCDR measured by OCT, HRT and stereophotography in untreated OHT eyes extends to their 5-year risk estimation of glaucoma development.
Effects of frequency, intensity, duration and volume of walking interventions on CVD risk factors: a systematic review and meta-regression analysis of randomised controlled trials among inactive healthy adults
Authors: Oja Pekka , Kelly Paul , Murtagh Elaine M , Murphy Marie H , Foster Charlie , Titze Sylvia
Published: June 2018

Objective

Walking interventions in healthy populations show clinically relevant improvements for many cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. We aimed to assess the changes in CVD risk factors and the dose–response relationship between frequency, intensity, duration and volume of walking and cardiovascular risk factors based on randomised controlled trials (RCTs).

Design

A systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression.

Data sources

Four electronic databases searched from January 1971 to April 2017.

Eligibility criteria

Walking RCTs reporting one or more CVD risk factor outcomes; trials including at least one group with walking intervention and a no-walking control group; duration ≥8 weeks; participants ≥18 years old, inactive but healthy; risk factors assessed preintervention and postintervention; English-language articles in peer-reviewed journals.

Results

Thirty-seven RCTs, involving 2001 participants (81% women) and assessing 13 CVD risk factors, were identified. Pooled meta-analysis showed favourable effects (P≤0.05) of walking intervention for seven CVD risk factors (body mass, body mass index, body fat, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose and VO2max).There were no significant effects (P>0.05) for waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio and four blood lipid variables.

Despite testing 91 possible dose–response relationships, linear meta-regression analysis adjusted for age indicated just 7 (or 7.7%) statistically significant findings.

Summary/conclusion

Walking interventions benefit a number of CVD risk factors. Despite multiple studies and tested metrics, only a few dose–response relationships were identified and the possibility of chance findings cannot be ruled out. There is insufficient evidence to quantify the frequency, length, bout duration, intensity and volume of the walking required to improve CVD risk factors.

PROSPERO registration number

CRD42016039409.
Treatment of scabies using a tea tree oil-based gel formulation in Australian Aboriginal children: protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Thomas Jackson , Davey Rachel , Peterson Gregory M , Carson Christine , Walton Shelley F , Spelman Tim , Calma Tom , Dettwiller Pascale , Tobin Jacinta , McMillan Faye , Collis Paul , Naunton Mark , Kosari Sam , Christenson Julia K , Bartholomaeus Andrew , McEwen John , Fitzpatrick Peter , Baby Kavya E
Published: June 2018

Introduction

In remote Aboriginal communities in Australia, scabies affects 7 out of 10 children before their first birthday. This is more than six times the rate seen in the rest of the developed world. Scabies infestation is frequently complicated by bacterial infection, leading to the development of skin sores and other more serious consequences, such as septicaemia and chronic heart and kidney diseases. Tea tree oil (TTO) has been used as an antimicrobial agent for several decades with proven clinical efficacy. Preclinical investigations have demonstrated superior scabicidal properties of TTO compared with widely used scabicidal agents, such as permethrin 5% cream and ivermectin. However, current data are insufficient to warrant a broad recommendation for its use for the management of scabies because previous studies were small or limited to in vitro observations.

Methods and analysis

A pragmatic first trial will examine the clinical efficacy of a simple and low-cost TTO treatment against paediatric scabies and the prevention of associated secondary bacterial infections, with 1:1 randomisation of 200 participants (Aboriginal children, aged 5–16 years and living in remote Australia) into active control (permethrin 5% cream) and treatment (5% TTO gel) groups. The primary outcome for the study is clinical cure (complete resolution). Secondary outcome measures will include relief of symptoms, recurrence rate, adverse effects, adherence to treatment regimen and patient acceptability.

Ethics and dissemination

The project has received approvals from the University of Canberra Human Research Ethics Committee (HREC 16-133), Wurli-Wurlinjang Health Service Indigenous subcommittee and the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory reference group. The results of this study will be published in core scientific publications, with extensive knowledge exchange activities with non-academic audiences throughout the duration of the project.

Trial registration

ACTRN12617000902392; Pre-results.