bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What Sports Advertising Tell to Us? Semiotic Analysis
Authors: Balci Velittin , Özgen Caner
Published: April 2017

A very important parts of TV commercials are the messages and how they convinced people. In addition, the information given in commercials may contain messages that seem like a fact however, they may not be true. To understand these commercials it is more beneficial to observe how they say instead of what they say. In many studies (Ferreira, et al. 2006; Muratović, et al., 2014; Pyun, et al., 2012) it is stated that consumers positive attitudes are developed to products which are in the commercial that use sports image. In this context, the purpose of this study is to criticize the TV commercials that’s use sports image by using semiotics-analyzing method. Clear Men, Türkiye Finans (Turkish Finance Bank ) and TEB economy commercials that are broadcasted on television channels in Turkey were chosen by using purposive sampling. Selected commercials are analyzed by semiotics-analyzing method. The result of this study indicated that these companies are using sports image effectively in TV commercials with various advertising strategies to achieve their marketing objectives. Using sports image in TV commercials does not only contribute the companies but also contribute sports image and popularity of the athletes. This relationship between sports and commercials has a crucial effect on development of each other. In light of this information, it can be state that researches on sports related commercials are so useful for sports managers and advertisers.
Syllable-constituent perception by hearing-aid users: Common factors in quiet and noise
Authors: Miller James D. , Watson Charles S. , Leek Marjorie R. , Dubno Judy R. , Wark David J. , Souza Pamela E. , Gordon-Salant Sandra , Ahlstrom Jayne B.
Published: April 2017

The abilities of 59 adult hearing-aid users to hear phonetic details were assessed by measuring their abilities to identify syllable constituents in quiet and in differing levels of noise (12-talker babble) while wearing their aids. The set of sounds consisted of 109 frequently occurring syllable constituents (45 onsets, 28 nuclei, and 36 codas) spoken in varied phonetic contexts by eight talkers. In nominal quiet, a speech-to-noise ratio (SNR) of 40 dB, scores of individual listeners ranged from about 23% to 85% correct. Averaged over the range of SNRs commonly encountered in noisy situations, scores of individual listeners ranged from about 10% to 71% correct. The scores in quiet and in noise were very strongly correlated, R = 0.96. This high correlation implies that common factors play primary roles in the perception of phonetic details in quiet and in noise. Otherwise said, hearing-aid users' problems perceiving phonetic details in noise appear to be tied to their problems perceiving phonetic details in quiet and vice versa.
The fading American dream: Trends in absolute income mobility since 1940
Authors: Chetty Raj , Grusky David , Hell Maximilian , Hendren Nathaniel , Manduca Robert , Narang Jimmy
Published: April 2017

Aspiring to do better than one's parents

The American dream promises that hard work and opportunity will lead to a better life. Although the specifics of what constitutes a better life vary from generation to generation, one constant is that children expect to do better—or at least to have a good chance at doing better—than their parents. Chetty
et al.
show that this dream did come true for children born in the middle of the 20th century, but only for half of children born in 1984 (see the Policy Forum by Katz and Krueger). A more even distribution of economic growth, rather than more growth, would allow more children to fulfill their dreams.

Science
, this issue p.
398
; see also p.
382
p53 dynamics in response to DNA damage vary across cell lines and are shaped by efficiency of DNA repair and activity of the kinase ATM
Authors: Stewart-Ornstein Jacob , Lahav Galit
Published: April 2017

Single-cell imaging shows that the p53 response to DNA damage is dynamic and cell line–specific.
A Tick Antivirulence Protein Potentiates Antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Abraham Nabil M. , Liu Lei , Jutras Brandon L. , Murfin Kristen , Acar Ali , Yarovinsky Timur O. , Sutton Erica , Heisig Martin , Jacobs-Wagner Christine , Fikrig Erol
Published: April 2017

New strategies are needed to combat antibiotic resistance, especially against pathogens such as methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
. A tick antifreeze glycoprotein, IAFGP, possesses potent antibiofilm properties against a variety of clinical pathogens, including
S. aureus
. Synergy between IAFGP, or a peptide (P1) representative of a repeat region of the protein, with different antibiotics was assessed
in vitro
. Antibiotics that synergized with either IAFPG or P1 were further evaluated
in vivo
using vertebrate and invertebrate infection models. IAFGP readily enhanced the efficacy of antibiotics against
S. aureus
. Synergy with daptomycin, an antibiotic used to treat methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
, was observed
in vitro
and
in vivo
using
iafgp
-transgenic mice and flies. Furthermore, synergy with ciprofloxacin or gentamicin, antibiotics not generally used to treat
S. aureus
, was also perceived. The combined effect of the antibiotic and IAFGP was associated with improved permeation of the antibiotic into the cell. Our results highlight that synergy of IAFGP with antibiotics traditionally used to treat this pathogen, and enhancement of the potency of antibiotics not commonly used against this microbe, can provide novel alternative therapeutic strategies to combat bacterial infections.
IncX2 and IncX1-X2 Hybrid Plasmids Coexisting in a FosA6-Producing Escherichia coli Strain
Authors: Guo Qinglan , Su Jiachun , McElheny Christi Lee , Stoesser Nicole , Doi Yohei , Wang Minggui
Published: April 2017

IncX plasmids are receiving much attention as vehicles of carbapenem and colistin resistance genes, such as
bla
NDM
,
bla
KPC
, and
mcr-1
. Among them, IncX2 subgroup plasmids remain rare. Here, we characterized IncX2 and IncX1-X2 hybrid plasmids coexisting in a FosA6-producing
Escherichia coli
strain that were possibly generated as a consequence of recombination events between an R6K-like IncX2 plasmid and a pLN126_33-like IncX1 plasmid. Variable multidrug resistance mosaic regions were observed in these plasmids, indicating their potential to serve as flexible carriers of resistance genes. The diversity of IncX group plasmid backbones and accessory genes and the evolution of hybrid IncX plasmids pose a challenge in detecting and classifying them.
Role of
psl
Genes in Antibiotic Tolerance of Adherent Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Murakami Keiji , Ono Tsuneko , Viducic Darija , Somiya Yoko , Kariyama Reiko , Hori Kenji , Amoh Takashi , Hirota Katsuhiko , Kumon Hiromi , Parsek Matthew R. , Miyake Yoichiro
Published: April 2017

Bacteria attached to a surface are generally more tolerant to antibiotics than their planktonic counterparts, even without the formation of a biofilm. The mechanism of antibiotic tolerance in biofilm communities is multifactorial, and the genetic background underlying this antibiotic tolerance has not yet been fully elucidated. Using transposon mutagenesis, we isolated a mutant with reduced tolerance to biapenem (relative to that of the wild type) from adherent cells. Sequencing analysis revealed a mutation in the
pslL
gene, which is part of the polysaccharide biosynthesis operon. The
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
PAO1Δ
pslBCD
mutant demonstrated a 100-fold-lower survival rate during the exposure of planktonic and biofilm cells to biapenem; a similar phenotype was observed in a mouse infection model and in clinical strains. Transcriptional analysis of adherent cells revealed increased expression of both
pslA
and
pelA
, which are directly regulated by bis-(3′,5′)-cyclic dimeric GMP (c-di-GMP). Inactivation of
wspF
resulted in significantly increased tolerance to biapenem due to increased production of c-di-GMP. The loss of
pslBCD
in the Δ
wspF
mutant background abolished the biapenem-tolerant phenotype of the Δ
wspF
mutant, underscoring the importance of
psl
in biapenem tolerance. Overexpression of PA2133, which can catalyze the degradation of c-di-GMP, led to a significant reduction in biapenem tolerance in adherent cells, indicating that c-di-GMP is essential in mediating the tolerance effect. The effect of
pslBCD
on antibiotic tolerance was evident, with 50- and 200-fold-lower survival in the presence of ofloxacin and tobramycin, respectively. We speculate that the
psl
genes, which are activated by surface adherence through elevated intracellular c-di-GMP levels, confer tolerance to antimicrobials.
Chemical Attenuation in the Development of a Whole-Organism Malaria Vaccine
Authors: Raja Amber I. , Stanisic Danielle I. , Good Michael F.
Published: April 2017

Malaria vaccine development has been dominated by the subunit approach; however, many subunit vaccine candidates have had limited efficacy in settings of malaria endemicity. As our search for an efficacious malaria vaccine continues, the development of a whole-organism vaccine is now receiving much scrutiny. One strategy currently being explored in the development of a whole-organism vaccine involves chemical attenuation of the malaria parasite.
In vivo
and
in vitro
chemical attenuation of both liver-stage and blood-stage
Plasmodium
parasites has been investigated. Here, we discuss both approaches of chemical attenuation in the development of a whole-organism vaccine against malaria.
Host and Bacterial Factors Control Susceptibility of Drosophila melanogaster to Coxiella burnetii Infection
Authors: Bastos Reginaldo G. , Howard Zachary P. , Hiroyasu Aoi , Goodman Alan G.
Published: April 2017

Coxiella burnetii
is the causative agent of Q fever, a zoonotic disease that threatens both human and animal health. Due to the paucity of experimental animal models, little is known about how host factors interface with bacterial components and affect pathogenesis. Here, we used
Drosophila melanogaster
, in conjunction with the biosafety level 2 (BSL2) Nine Mile phase II (NMII) clone 4 strain of
C. burnetii
, as a model to investigate host and bacterial components implicated in infection. We demonstrate that adult
Drosophila
flies are susceptible to
C. burnetii
NMII infection and that this bacterial strain, which activates the immune deficiency (IMD) pathway, is able to replicate and cause mortality in the animals. We show that in the absence of Eiger, the only known tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily homolog in
Drosophila
,
Coxiella
-infected flies exhibit reduced mortality from infection. We also demonstrate that the
Coxiella
type 4 secretion system (T4SS) is critical for the formation of the
Coxiella
-containing vacuole and establishment of infection in
Drosophila
. Altogether, our data reveal that the
Drosophila
TNF homolog Eiger and the
Coxiella
T4SS are implicated in the pathogenesis of
C. burnetii
in flies. The
Drosophila
/NMII model mimics relevant aspects of the infection in mammals, such as a critical role of host TNF and the bacterial T4SS in pathogenesis. Our work also demonstrates the usefulness of this BSL2 model to investigate both host and
Coxiella
components implicated in infection.
Genome-Wide Analysis of ResD, NsrR, and Fur Binding in Bacillus subtilis during Anaerobic Fermentative Growth by
In Vivo
Footprinting
Authors: Chumsakul Onuma , Anantsri Divya P. , Quirke Tai , Oshima Taku , Nakamura Kensuke , Ishikawa Shu , Nakano Michiko M.
Published: April 2017

Upon oxygen limitation, the
Bacillus subtilis
ResE sensor kinase and its cognate ResD response regulator play primary roles in the transcriptional activation of genes functioning in anaerobic respiration. The nitric oxide (NO)-sensitive NsrR repressor controls transcription to support nitrate respiration. In addition, the ferric uptake repressor (Fur) can modulate transcription under anaerobic conditions. However, whether these controls are direct or indirect has been investigated only in a gene-specific manner. To gain a genomic view of anaerobic gene regulation, we determined the genome-wide
in vivo
DNA binding of ResD, NsrR, and Fur transcription factors (TFs) using
in situ
DNase I footprinting combined with chromatin affinity precipitation sequencing (ChAP-seq; genome footprinting by high-throughput sequencing [GeF-seq]). A significant number of sites were targets of ResD and NsrR, and a majority of them were also bound by Fur. The binding of multiple TFs to overlapping targets affected each individual TF's binding, which led to combinatorial transcriptional control. ResD bound to both the promoters and the coding regions of genes under its positive control. Other genes showing enrichment of ResD at only the promoter regions are targets of direct ResD-dependent repression or antirepression. The results support previous findings of ResD as an RNA polymerase (RNAP)-binding protein and indicated that ResD can associate with the transcription elongation complex. The data set allowed us to reexamine consensus sequence motifs of Fur, ResD, and NsrR and uncovered evidence that multiple TGW (where W is A or T) sequences surrounded by an A- and T-rich sequence are often found at sites where all three TFs competitively bind.

IMPORTANCE
Bacteria encounter oxygen fluctuation in their natural environment as well as in host organisms. Hence, understanding how bacteria respond to oxygen limitation will impact environmental and human health. ResD, NsrR, and Fur control transcription under anaerobic conditions. This work using
in situ
DNase I footprinting uncovered the genome-wide binding profile of the three transcription factors (TFs). Binding of the TFs is often competitive or cooperative depending on the promoters and the presence of other TFs, indicating that transcriptional regulation by multiple TFs is much more complex than we originally thought. The results from this study provide a more complete picture of anaerobic gene regulation governed by ResD, NsrR, and Fur and contribute to our further understanding of anaerobic physiology.
Reclassification of the Specialized Metabolite Producer Pseudomonas mesoacidophila ATCC 31433 as a Member of the Burkholderia cepacia Complex
Authors: Loveridge E. Joel , Jones Cerith , Bull Matthew J. , Moody Suzy C. , Kahl Małgorzata W. , Khan Zainab , Neilson Louis , Tomeva Marina , Adams Sarah E. , Wood Andrew C. , Rodriguez-Martin Daniel , Pinel Ingrid , Parkhill Julian , Mahenthiralingam Eshwar , Crosby John
Published: April 2017

Pseudomonas mesoacidophila
ATCC 31433 is a Gram-negative bacterium, first isolated from Japanese soil samples, that produces the monobactam isosulfazecin and the β-lactam-potentiating bulgecins. To characterize the biosynthetic potential of
P. mesoacidophila
ATCC 31433, its complete genome was determined using single-molecule real-time DNA sequence analysis. The 7.8-Mb genome comprised four replicons, three chromosomal (each encoding rRNA) and one plasmid. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that
P. mesoacidophila
ATCC 31433 was misclassified at the time of its deposition and is a member of the
Burkholderia cepacia
complex, most closely related to
Burkholderia ubonensis
. The sequenced genome shows considerable additional biosynthetic potential; known gene clusters for malleilactone, ornibactin, isosulfazecin, alkylhydroxyquinoline, and pyrrolnitrin biosynthesis and several uncharacterized biosynthetic gene clusters for polyketides, nonribosomal peptides, and other metabolites were identified. Furthermore,
P. mesoacidophila
ATCC 31433 harbors many genes associated with environmental resilience and antibiotic resistance and was resistant to a range of antibiotics and metal ions. In summary, this bioactive strain should be designated
B. cepacia
complex strain ATCC 31433, pending further detailed taxonomic characterization.

IMPORTANCE
This work reports the complete genome sequence of
Pseudomonas mesoacidophila
ATCC 31433, a known producer of bioactive compounds. Large numbers of both known and novel biosynthetic gene clusters were identified, indicating that
P. mesoacidophila
ATCC 31433 is an untapped resource for discovery of novel bioactive compounds. Phylogenetic analysis demonstrated that
P. mesoacidophila
ATCC 31433 is in fact a member of the
Burkholderia cepacia
complex, most closely related to the species
Burkholderia ubonensis
. Further investigation of the classification and biosynthetic potential of
P. mesoacidophila
ATCC 31433 is warranted.
InvS Coordinates Expression of PrgH and FimZ and Is Required for Invasion of Epithelial Cells by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium
Authors: Wang Lu , Cai Xia , Wu Shuyan , Bomjan Rajdeep , Nakayasu Ernesto S. , Händler Kristian , Hinton Jay C. D. , Zhou Daoguo
Published: April 2017

Deep sequencing has revolutionized our understanding of the bacterial RNA world and has facilitated the identification of 280 small RNAs (sRNAs) in
Salmonella
. Despite the suspicions that sRNAs may play important roles in
Salmonella
pathogenesis, the functions of most sRNAs remain unknown. To advance our understanding of RNA biology in
Salmonella
virulence, we searched for sRNAs required for bacterial invasion into nonphagocytic cells. After screening 75 sRNAs, we discovered that the ablation of InvS caused a significant decrease of
Salmonella
invasion into epithelial cells. A proteomic analysis showed that InvS modulated the levels of several type III secreted
Salmonella
proteins. The level of PrgH, a type III secretion apparatus protein, was significantly lower in the absence of InvS, consistent with the known roles of PrgH in effector secretion and bacterial invasion. We discovered that InvS modulates
fimZ
expression and hence flagellar gene expression and motility. We propose that InvS coordinates the increase of PrgH and decrease in FimZ that promote efficient
Salmonella
invasion into nonphagocytic cells.

IMPORTANCE
Salmonellosis continues to be the most common foodborne infection reported by the CDC in the United States. Central to
Salmonella
pathogenesis is the ability to invade nonphagocytic cells and to replicate inside host cells. Invasion genes are known to be regulated by protein transcriptional networks, but little is known about the role played by small RNAs (sRNAs) in this process. We have identified a novel sRNA, InvS, that is involved in
Salmonella
invasion. Our result will likely provide an opportunity to better understand the fundamental question of how
Salmonella
regulates invasion gene expression and may inform strategies for therapeutic intervention.
Teleosts as Model Organisms To Understand Host-Microbe Interactions
Authors: Lescak Emily A. , Milligan-Myhre Kathryn C.
Published: April 2017

Host-microbe interactions are influenced by complex host genetics and environment. Studies across animal taxa have aided our understanding of how intestinal microbiota influence vertebrate development, disease, and physiology. However, traditional mammalian studies can be limited by the use of isogenic strains, husbandry constraints that result in small sample sizes and limited statistical power, reliance on indirect characterization of gut microbial communities from fecal samples, and concerns of whether observations in artificial conditions are actually reflective of what occurs in the wild. Fish models are able to overcome many of these limitations. The extensive variation in the physiology, ecology, and natural history of fish enriches studies of the evolution and ecology of host-microbe interactions. They share physiological and immunological features common among vertebrates, including humans, and harbor complex gut microbiota, which allows identification of the mechanisms driving microbial community assembly. Their accelerated life cycles and large clutch sizes and the ease of sampling both internal and external microbial communities make them particularly well suited for robust statistical studies of microbial diversity. Gnotobiotic techniques, genetic manipulation of the microbiota and host, and transparent juveniles enable novel insights into mechanisms underlying development of the digestive tract and disease states. Many diseases involve a complex combination of genes which are difficult to manipulate in homogeneous model organisms. By taking advantage of the natural genetic variation found in wild fish populations, as well as of the availability of powerful genetic tools, future studies should be able to identify conserved genes and pathways that contribute to human genetic diseases characterized by dysbiosis.
High prevalence of self-reported injuries and illnesses in talented female athletes
Authors: Richardson A. , Clarsen B. , Verhagen E.A.L.M , Stubbe J.H.
Published: April 2017

Background

A thorough knowledge of the epidemiology and severity of injuries and illness in youth female elite sports is lacking due to the methodological challenges involved in recording them. In this study, the prevalence and incidence of injuries and illness are assessed among youth female elite athletes. Instead of solely focusing on time-loss injuries, our study included all substantial and non-substantial health problems (ie, injuries, mental problems and illnesses).

Methods

Sixty young elite Dutch female athletes (age: 16.6 years (SD: 2.3), weight: 58.3 kg (SD: 15.1), height: 154.1 cm (SD: 44.2)) participating in soccer (n=23), basketball (n=22) and gymnastic (n=15) talent development programmes were prospectively followed during one season (September 2014 to April 2015). To collect health problem data, all athletes completed the Oslo Sports Trauma Research Center Questionnaire on Health Problems every other week. Main outcome measures were average prevalence of injury and incidence density of injury.

Results

At any given time, 47.9% of the athletes reported an injury (95% CI 43.6% to 52.6%) and 9.1% reported an illness (95% CI 5.1 to 19.0). The average injury incidence density was 8.6 per 1000 hours of athlete exposure. The average number of self-reported injuries per athlete per season was significantly higher in soccer athletes (4.3±2.7) than in basketball athletes (2.6±2.0) (p=0.03) and not significantly higher than in the gymnastic squad. The knee and the ankle were two of the most common injury locations for all squads. Knee injuries in basketball and soccer and heel injuries in the gymnastic squad had the highest impact on sports participation.

Conclusion

High prevalence of self-reported injuries among talented female athletes suggests that future efforts towards their prevention are warranted.
Palliative care clinicians' knowledge of the law regarding the use of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS)
Authors: Barry Caroline , Spathis Anna , Treaddell Sarah , Carding Sally , Barclay Stephen
Published: April 2017

Objectives

To examine palliative care clinicians' level of knowledge of the law regarding the use of the Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards (DoLS).

Methods

Regional postal survey of palliative care clinicians working in hospices in the East of England, undertaken in April 2015. Clinicians' level of knowledge was assessed by their response to 7 factual questions. Data regarding self-reported levels of confidence in applying the Safeguards was collected, alongside information regarding the number of times they had used DoLS in practice. A free-text section invited additional comments from participants.

Results

There were 47 responses from 14 different organisations; a response rate of 68%. Respondents included consultants, specialty and associate specialists, registrars, nurses and social workers. Higher self-reported confidence and training in the use of DoLS was associated with higher factual knowledge. Consultants had the highest level of knowledge, training and experience. Doctors of other grades, nurses and social workers recorded less knowledge and experience and scored lower in the knowledge sections. The free-text comments revealed difficulty applying the Safeguards in practice, particularly among the consultant responses, based around several themes: insufficient guidance on how to use the Safeguards, process after death, uncertainty as to relevance to palliative care and delays in assessments.

Conclusions

Clinicians working in palliative care have good levels of knowledge of the DoLS. Despite this concerns were raised, particularly by consultants; uncertainty as to when they should be used and the relevance of the Safeguards in clinical practice. Further guidance should be given to clinicians working in this specialty to ensure that clinical practice is both lawful and in the patients' best interests.
Major trauma from suspected child abuse: a profile of the patient pathway
Authors: Davies Ffion C , Lecky Fiona E , Fisher Ross , Fragoso-Iiguez Marisol , Coats Tim J
Published: April 2017

Background

Networked organised systems of care for patients with major trauma now exist in many countries, designed around the needs of the majority of patients (90% adults). Non-accidental injury is a significant cause of paediatric major trauma and has a different injury and age profile from accidental injury (AI). This paper compares the prehospital and inhospital phases of the patient pathway for children with suspected abuse, with those accidentally injured.

Methods

The paediatric database of the national trauma registry of England and Wales, Trauma Audit and Research Network, was interrogated from April 2012 (the launch of the major trauma networks) to June 2015, comparing the patient pathway for cases of suspected child abuse (SCA) with AI.

Results

In the study population of 7825 children, 7344 (94%) were classified as AI and 481 (6%) as SCA. SCA cases were younger (median 0.4 years vs 7 years for AI), had a higher Injury Severity Score (median 16vs9 for AI), and had nearly three times higher mortality (5.7%vs2.2% for AI). Other differences included presentation to hospital evenly throughout the day and year, arrival by non-ambulance means to hospital (74%) and delayed presentation to hospital from the time of injury (median 8 hours vs 1.8 hours for AI). Despite more severe injuries, these infants were less likely to receive key interventions in a timely manner. Only 20% arrived to a designated paediatric-capable major trauma centre. Secondary transfer to specialist care, if needed, took a median of 21.6 hours from injury(vs 13.8 hours for AI).

Conclusion

These data show that children with major trauma that is inflicted rather than accidental follow a different pathway through the trauma system. The current model of major trauma care is not a good fit for the way in which child victims of suspected abuse present to healthcare. To achieve better care, awareness of this patient profile needs to increase, and trauma networks should adjust their conventional responses.
Correlation between capillary oxygen saturation and small intestinal wall thickness in the equine colic patient
Authors: Mirle Elisabeth , Wogatzki Anna , Kunzmann Robert , Schoenfelder Axel M , Litzke Lutz F
Published: April 2017

The surgical evaluation of haemorrhagic infarcted intestine and the decision for or against bowel resection require a lot of experience and are subjective. The aim of this prospective, clinical study was to examine the correlation between oxygen saturation and small intestinal wall (IW) thickness, using two objective methods. In 22 colicky horses, the blood flow, oxygen saturation and relative amount of haemoglobin were measured intraoperatively via laser Doppler and white light spectroscopy (O2C, oxygen to see, LEA Medizintechnik) at six measuring points (MPs) in small and large intestines. Furthermore, the IW thickness was measured ultrasonographically. Nine of 22 horses had an increased small IW thickness greater than 4 mm (Freeman 2002, Scharner and others 2002, le Jeune and Whitcomb 2014) at measuring point 1 (MP1) (strangulated segment), four horses had a thickened bowel wall at measuring point 3 (MP3) (poststenotic) and one at measuring point 2 (MP2). The oxygen saturation was 0 at MP1 in six horses, at MP3 in two horses and at MP2 (prestenotic) in one. Oxygen saturation and small IW thickness were independent of each other at MP1 and MP2. At MP3, the two parameters were negatively correlated. In summary, it is not possible to draw conclusions about oxygen saturation based on IW thickness.
Characterisation of InlA truncation in Listeria monocytogenes isolates from farm animals and human cases in the province of Quebec
Authors: Fravalo Philippe , Cherifi Tamazight , Neira Feliciano Kersti Dina , Letellier Ann , Fairbrother Julie‐Hélène , Bekal Sadjia
Published: April 2017

The introduction of Listeria monocytogenes into the food production chain is a concern, with numerous grouped cases of listeriosis associated with milk‐derived or pork‐derived products have been documented. Management of this zoonotic pathogen considers all strains as an equal risk. Recently, a new perspective for characterisation of strain virulence was introduced with the discovery of the unaltered sequence of InlA as a determinant of strain virulence; this has also been reported as an infrequent finding among so‐called environmental strains, that is, strains isolated from food or from surfaces in food industries. The aim of this study was to differentiate L monocytogenes strains isolated from animal cases versus those from human cases and to differentiate clinical strains from environmental ones using a Caenorhabditis elegans virulence testing model. In Quebec in 2013/2014, the surveillance of L monocytogenes clinical isolates registered a total of 20 strains of animal origin and 16 pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis types isolated from human cases. The mixed PCR multiplex agglutination protocol used for geno‐serotyping clearly discriminated genogroup IVB strains from bovine and human origins. The presence of a premature stop codon single nucleotide polymorphism in the inlA gene sequence in clinical strains and the identical behaviour of particular strains in the C elegans model are discussed in this paper from the perspective of industrial management of L monocytogenes risk.
Pre-dispersal seed predation by the weevils Trichapion rostrum and Tychius sordidus limits reproductive output of Baptisia alba (Fabaceae)
Authors: Hembrough Ashley M. , Borowicz Victoria A.
Published: April 2017

Baptisia alba (L.) Vent., an herbaceous, perennial legume, produces more flowers than will mature into pods. Single-year experiments on two reconstructed prairies tested the hypothesis that reproductive potential of B. alba depends on nutrients, but pollen limitation and pre-dispersal seed predation by weevils reduce final production. Ramets were assigned one of four treatments that were combinations of fertilizer (none/70 g fertilizer twice) and insect barrier (none/application of Tanglefoot). Within inflorescences, flowers were naturally pollinated or supplemented with pollen. Fertilizer produced no effects, suggesting that B. alba are unresponsive within a season to nutrient supplementation. Pollen supplementation increased pod initiation at the two sites by 6.7% and 2.3%, respectively, but did not affect the proportion of initiated pods that matured or seed number within pods. Where Tychius sordidus occurred, only 67 pods matured on 19 ramets and only four seeds survived. Where only Trichapion rostrum was present, insect barrier increased pod maturation almost three-fold, but did not affect seed number within pods. Barrier treatment increased the reproductive output of entire ramets by increasing seed production, from 3.6 seeds·ramet−1 to 60.5 seeds·ramet−1. Prairie restoration frequently uses fruit collected from other populations. Managers should be careful to avoid the unintended introduction of voracious seed predators.
Extended micro objects as dark matter particles
Authors: Belotsky K. , Rubin S. , Svadkovsky I.
Published: April 2017

Models of various forms of composite dark matter (DM) predicted by particle theory and the DM constituents formed by gravity that are not reduced to new elementary particle candidates are discussed. Main attention is paid to a gravitational origin of the DM. The influence of extended mass spectrum of primordial black holes on observational limits is considered. It is shown that non-uniformly deformed extra space can be considered as point-like masses which possess only gravitational interaction with each other and with the ordinary particles. The recently discussed six-dimensional stable wormholes could contribute to the DM. The contribution of dark atoms is also considered.
Constraining Higgsino kink tracks from existing LHC searches
Authors: Jung Sunghoon , Lee Hye-Sung
Published: April 2017

Considering the supersymmetric model with the long-lived charged Higgsino, we discuss how Higgsino kink signals can show up in the latest LHC Disappearing Track (DT) and stable chargino searches. We derive constraints on the Higgsino kink signal, and characterize it in comparison to the Wino DT and the slepton kink track. We also discuss how to infer Higgsino model kinematics.
Hawking radiation in κ-spacetime
Authors: Harikumar E. , Zuhair N. S.
Published: April 2017

In this paper, we analyze the Hawking radiation of a [Formula: see text]-deformed-Schwarzschild black hole and obtain the deformed Hawking temperature. For this, we first derive deformed metric for the [Formula: see text]-spacetime, which in the generic case, is not a symmetric tensor and also has a momentum dependence. We show that the Schwarzschild metric obtained in the [Formula: see text]-deformed spacetime has a dependence on energy. We use the fact that the deformed metric is conformally flat in the 1[Formula: see text]+[Formula: see text]1 dimensions to solve the [Formula: see text]-deformed Klein–Gordon equation in the background of the Schwarzschild metric. The method of Bogoliubov coefficients is then used to calculate the thermal spectrum of [Formula: see text]-deformed-Schwarzschild black hole and show that the Hawking temperature is modified by the noncommutativity of the [Formula: see text]-spacetime.
Effect of different RE site ionic radii on the electronic structures and elastic properties of Ba2RENbO6: A first-principles study
Authors: Du Lifei , Zhang Peng , Wang Lianli , Du Huiling
Published: April 2017

RE site ionic radius has a critical influence on the properties of double perovskite oxide Ba2RENbO6. In this paper, the electronic structures and elastic properties of Ba2RENbO6 (RE = Ho, Er, Yb) have been calculated by using the plane-wave pseudopotential density functional theory, and the effect of the different RE site ions on the structures and properties of Ba2RENbO6 is discussed. Results indicate that Ba2RENbO6 (RE = Ho, Er, Yb) are all direct bandgap semiconductors with a bandgap of 0.95 eV, 1.26 eV and 2.36 eV, respectively. With the decrease of the RE site ionic radius of Ba2RENbO6 (RE = Ho, Er, Yb), RE–O and Nb–O covalent bonds are enhanced, and the elastic constants ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]), elastic modulus ([Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text]), [Formula: see text], Poisson’s ratio ([Formula: see text]), the Debye temperature [Formula: see text], Gruneisen parameters [Formula: see text] all show a trend of increase. The elastic and thermodynamic properties are all improved with the decreasing radius of RE site ion.
A Sentiment Classification Model Using Group Characteristics of Writing Style Features
Authors: Zhao Huan , Zhang Xixiang , Li Keqin
Published: April 2017

Sentiment analysis is becoming increasingly important mainly because of the growth of web comments. Sentiment polarity classification is a popular process in this field. Writing style features, such as lexical and word-based features, are often used in the authorship identification and gender classification of online messages. However, writing style features were only used in feature selection for sentiment classification. This research presents an exploratory study of the group characteristics of writing style features on the Internet Movie Database (IMDb) movie sentiment data set. Furthermore, this study utilizes the specific group characteristics of writing style in improving the performance of sentiment classification. We determine the optimum clustering number of user reviews based on writing style features distribution. According to the classification model trained on a training subset with specific writing style clustering tags, we determine that the model trained on the data set of a specific writing style group has an optimal effect on the classification accuracy, which is better than the model trained on the entire data set in a particular positive or negative polarity. Through the polarity characteristics of specific writing style groups, we propose a general model in improving the performance of the existing classification approach. Results of the experiments on sentiment classification using the IMDb data set demonstrate that the proposed model improves the performance in terms of classification accuracy.
On the integrability of Hamiltonian systems with d degrees of freedom and homogenous polynomial potential of degree n
Authors: Llibre Jaume , Valls Clàudia
Published: April 2017

We consider Hamiltonian systems with [Formula: see text] degrees of freedom and a Hamiltonian of the form [Formula: see text] where [Formula: see text] is a homogenous polynomial of degree [Formula: see text]. We prove that such Hamiltonian systems with [Formula: see text] odd or [Formula: see text], have a Darboux first integral if and only if they have a polynomial first integral.
Time decay for solutions to the Stokes equations with drift
Authors: Schonbek M. , Seregin G.
Published: April 2017

In this note, we study the behavior of Lebesgue norms [Formula: see text] of solutions [Formula: see text] to the Cauchy problem for the Stokes system with drift [Formula: see text], which is supposed to be a divergence free smooth vector-valued function satisfying a scale invariant condition.
Solitary waves for nonlinear Schrödinger equation with derivative
Authors: Miao Changxing , Tang Xingdong , Xu Guixiang
Published: April 2017

In this paper, we characterize a family of solitary waves for nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLS) with derivative (DNLS) by the structure analysis and the variational argument. Since DNLS does not enjoy the Galilean invariance any more, the structure analysis here is closely related with the nontrivial momentum and shows the equivalence of nontrivial solutions between the quasilinear and the semilinear equations. Firstly, for the subcritical parameters [Formula: see text] and the critical parameters [Formula: see text], we show the existence and uniqueness of the solitary waves for DNLS, up to the phase rotation and spatial translation symmetries. Secondly, for the critical parameters [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] and the supercritical parameters [Formula: see text], there is no nontrivial solitary wave for DNLS. At last, we make use of the invariant sets, which is related to the variational characterization of the solitary wave, to obtain the global existence of solution for DNLS with initial data in the invariant set [Formula: see text], with [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text]. On the one hand, different with the scattering result for the [Formula: see text]-critical NLS in [B. Dodson, Global well-posedness and scattering for the mass critical nonlinear Schrödinger equation with mass below the mass of the ground state, Adv. Math. 285(5) (2015) 1589–1618], the scattering result of DNLS does not hold for initial data in [Formula: see text] because of the existence of infinity many small solitary/traveling waves in [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] or [Formula: see text]. On the other hand, our global result improves the global result in [Y. Wu, Global well-posedness of the derivative nonlinear Schrödinger equations in energy space, Anal. Partial Differential Equations 6(8) (2013) 1989–2002; Global well-posedness on the derivative nonlinear Schrödinger equation, Anal. Partial Differential Equations 8(5) (2015) 1101–1112] (see Corollary 1.6).
CTAB-Aided Synthesis of Stacked V2O5 Nanosheets: Morphology, Electrochemical Features and Asymmetric Device Performance
Authors: Saravanakumar B. , Maruthamuthu S. , Umadevi V. , Saravanan V.
Published: April 2017

To accomplish superior performance in supercapacitors, a fresh class of electrode materials with advantageous structures is essential. Owing to its rich electrochemical activity, vanadium oxides are considered to be an attractive electrode material for energy storing devices. In this work, vanadium pentoxide (V2O[Formula: see text] nanostructures were prepared using surfactant (CTAB)-assisted hydrothermal route. Stacked V2O5 sheets enable additional channels for electrolyte ion intercalation. These stacked V2O5 nanosheets show highest specific capacitance of 466[Formula: see text]Fg[Formula: see text] at 0.5[Formula: see text]Ag[Formula: see text]. In addition, it exhibits good rate capacity, lower value of charge transfer resistance and good stability when used as an electrode material for supercapacitors. Further, an asymmetric supercapacitor device was assembled utilizing the stacked V2O5 sheets and activated carbon as electrodes. The electrochemical features of the device are also discussed.
Design and Fabrication of Graphene Reinforced Polymer Conductive Patch-Based Inset Fed Microstrip Antenna
Authors: Deepak A. , Kannan P. Muthu , Shankar P.
Published: April 2017

This work explores the design and fabrication of graphene reinforced polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) patch-based microstrip antenna. Primarily, antenna was designed at 6[Formula: see text]GHz frequency and simulation results were obtained using Ansoft HFSS tool. Later fabrication of antenna was carried out with graphene–PVDF films as conducting patch deposited on bakelite substrate and copper as ground plane. Graphene–PVDF films were prepared using solvent casting process. The radiation efficiency of fabricated microstrip patch antenna was 48% entailing it to be adapted as a practically functional antenna. Both simulated and the practical results were compared and analyzed.
Simulation Studies on Energy Harvesting Characterisitcs and Storage Analysis Through Microcantilever Vibration
Authors: Solleti Ravi Teja , Harikrishna Kyatham , Velmurugan V.
Published: April 2017

Vibrations can be a good source of energy and can be harvested and utilized by simple design and fabrication using the MEMS technology. Energy harvesting provides unending sources of energy for low-power electronics devices where the use of batteries is not feasible. Piezoelectric energy harvesters are widely considered because of their compact design, compatibility to MEMS devices and ability to respond to a wide range of frequencies freely available in the environment. In this project, a rectangular model for cantilever-based piezoelectric energy harvester is proposed with different designs like two layer, two layer with proof mass, four layer and four layer with proof mass designed with dimensions as 50[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]50[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m[Formula: see text][Formula: see text][Formula: see text]1[Formula: see text][Formula: see text]m for each layer using COMSOL Multiphysics 5.0. Simulation results were obtained using silicon as substrate, aluminium as electrodes and PZT-5H and ZnO as piezoelectric materials and the respective stress and voltages were obtained by applying a force acting on foot, train, roller coaster and a general value of 10[Formula: see text]N/m2 on top of the cantilever. The effects of varying geometrical dimensions of the device were also investigated.
A first-principles study on the electronic transport properties of zigzag graphane/graphene nanoribbons
Authors: Liu Wen , Meng Fan-Hua , Zhao Jian-Hua , Jiang Xiao-Hui
Published: April 2017

The electronic transport properties of hybrid nanoribbons constructed by substituting zigzag graphane nanoribbons (ZGaNRs) into zigzag graphene nanoribbons (ZGNRs) are investigated with the non-equilibrium Green’s function method and the density functional theory. Both symmetric and asymmetric ZGNRs are considered. The electronic transport of symmetric and asymmetric ZGNR-based hybrid nanoribbons behave distinctly differently from each other even in the presence of the same substitution positions of ZGaNRs. Moreover, the electronic transport of these hybrid systems is found to be enhanced or weakened compared with pristine ZGNRs depending on the substitution position and proportion. Our results suggest that such hybridization is an effective approach to modulate the transport properties of ZGNRs.
A novel model-based on FCM–LM algorithm for prediction of protein folding rate
Authors: Liu Longlong , Ma Mingjiao , Cui Jing
Published: April 2017

The prediction of protein folding rates is of paramount importance in describing the protein folding mechanism, which has broad applications in fields such as enzyme engineering and protein engineering. Therefore, predicting protein folding rates using the first-order of protein sequence, secondary structure and amino acid properties has become a very active research topic in recent years. This paper presents a new fuzzy cognitive map (FCM) model based on deep learning neural networks which uses data obtained from biological experiments to predict the protein folding rate. FCM extracts the important data features from the protein sequence which then initializes the deep neural networks effectively. It was found that the Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) algorithm for deep neural networks can improve the prediction accuracy of the protein folding rates. The correlation coefficient between the predicted values and those real values obtained from experiments reached 0.94 and 0.9 in two independent numerical tests.
On the matrices with the generalized hyperharmonic numbers of order r
Authors: Ömür Neşe , Koparal Sibel
Published: April 2017

In this paper, we define two [Formula: see text] matrices [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] respectively, where [Formula: see text] are a generalized hyperharmonic numbers of order [Formula: see text]. We give some new factorizations and determinants of the matrices [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text].
Extraction, classification and visualization of 3-dimensional clouds simulated by cloud-resolving atmospheric model
Authors: Matsuoka Daisuke
Published: April 2017

Cloud-resolving atmospheric general circulation models using large-scale supercomputers reproduce realistic behavior of 3-dimensional atmospheric field on a global scale. To understand the simulation result for scientists, conventional visualization methods based on 2-dimensional cloud classification are not enough for understanding individual clouds and their physical characteristics. In this study, we propose a new 3-dimensional extraction and classification method of simulated clouds based on their 3-dimensional shape and physical properties. Our proposed method extracts individual clouds by cloud water and cloud ice, and classifies them into six types by their altitude and upward flow. We applied the method to time-varying atmospheric simulation data, and attempted to visualize atmospheric phenomena on the tropics such as developing cumulonimbus and tropical cyclone. Two case studies clearly visualize the behavior of individual cloud type and clarify that some cloud types have a relationship with rainfall during active weather phenomena. The proposed method has the potential to analyze such phenomena that develop in the vertical direction as well as the horizontal direction.