bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genome-wide analysis of NBS-encoding disease resistance genes in Cucumis sativusand phylogenetic study of NBS-encoding genes in Cucurbitaceae crops
Authors: Wan Hongjian , Yuan Wei , Bo Kailiang , Shen Jia , Pang Xin , Chen Jinfeng
Published: February 2013

Background

Plant nucleotide-binding site (NBS)-leucine-rich repeat (LRR) proteins encoded by resistance genes play an important role in the responses of plants to various pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and nematodes. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of NBS-encoding genes within the whole cucumber genome was performed, and the phylogenetic relationships of NBS-encoding resistance gene homologues (RGHs) belonging to six species in five genera of Cucurbitaceae crops were compared.

Results

Cucumber has relatively few NBS-encoding genes. Nevertheless, cucumber maintains genes belonging to both Toll/interleukine-1 receptor (TIR) and CC (coiled-coil) families. Eight commonly conserved motifs have been established in these two families which support the grouping into TIR and CC families. Moreover, three additional conserved motifs, namely, CNBS-1, CNBS-2 and TNBS-1, have been identified in sequences from CC and TIR families. Analyses of exon/intron configurations revealed that some intron loss or gain events occurred during the structural evolution between the two families. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that gene duplication, sequence divergence, and gene loss were proposed as the major modes of evolution of NBS-encoding genes in Cucurbitaceae species. Compared with NBS-encoding sequences from the Arabidopsis thaliana genome, the remaining seven TIR familes of NBS proteins and RGHs from Cucurbitaceae species have been shown to be phylogenetically distinct from the TIR family of NBS-encoding genes in Arabidopsis, except for two subfamilies (TIR4 and TIR9). On the other hand, in the CC-NBS family, they grouped closely with the CC family of NBS-encoding genes in Arabidopsis. Thus, the NBS-encoding genes in Cucurbitaceae crops are shown to be ancient, and NBS-encoding gene expansions (especially the TIR family) may have occurred before the divergence of Cucurbitaceae and Arabidopsis.

Conclusion

The results of this paper will provide a genomic framework for the further isolation of candidate disease resistance NBS-encoding genes in cucumber, and contribute to the understanding of the evolutionary mode of NBS-encoding genes in Cucurbitaceae crops.
Cross-species transcriptional network analysis reveals conservation and variation in response to metal stress in cyanobacteria
Authors: Wang Jiangxin , Wu Gang , Chen Lei , Zhang Weiwen
Published: February 2013

Background

As one of the most dominant bacterial groups on Earth, cyanobacteria play a pivotal role in the global carbon cycling and the Earth atmosphere composition. Understanding their molecular responses to environmental perturbations has important scientific and environmental values. Since important biological processes or networks are often evolutionarily conserved, the cross-species transcriptional network analysis offers a useful strategy to decipher conserved and species-specific transcriptional mechanisms that cells utilize to deal with various biotic and abiotic disturbances, and it will eventually lead to a better understanding of associated adaptation and regulatory networks.

Results

In this study, the Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) approach was used to establish transcriptional networks for four important cyanobacteria species under metal stress, including iron depletion and high copper conditions. Cross-species network comparison led to discovery of several core response modules and genes possibly essential to metal stress, as well as species-specific hub genes for metal stresses in different cyanobacteria species, shedding light on survival strategies of cyanobacteria responding to different environmental perturbations.

Conclusions

The WGCNA analysis demonstrated that the application of cross-species transcriptional network analysis will lead to novel insights to molecular response to environmental changes which will otherwise not be achieved by analyzing data from a single species.
Human Streptococcus agalactiae strains in aquatic mammals and fish
Authors: Delannoy Christian MJ , Crumlish Margaret , Fontaine Michael C , Pollock Jolinda , Foster Geoff , Dagleish Mark P , Turnbull James F , Zadoks Ruth N
Published: February 2013

Background

In humans, Streptococcus agalactiae or group B streptococcus (GBS) is a frequent coloniser of the rectovaginal tract, a major cause of neonatal infectious disease and an emerging cause of disease in non-pregnant adults. In addition, Streptococcus agalactiae causes invasive disease in fish, compromising food security and posing a zoonotic hazard. We studied the molecular epidemiology of S. agalactiae in fish and other aquatic species to assess potential for pathogen transmission between aquatic species and humans.

Methods

Isolates from fish (n = 26), seals (n = 6), a dolphin and a frog were characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, multilocus sequence typing and standardized 3-set genotyping, i.e. molecular serotyping and profiling of surface protein genes and mobile genetic elements.

Results

Four subpopulations of S. agalactiae were identified among aquatic isolates. Sequence type (ST) 283 serotype III-4 and its novel single locus variant ST491 were detected in fish from Southeast Asia and shared a 3-set genotype identical to that of an emerging ST283 clone associated with invasive disease of adult humans in Asia. The human pathogenic strain ST7 serotype Ia was also detected in fish from Asia. ST23 serotype Ia, a subpopulation that is normally associated with human carriage, was found in all grey seals, suggesting that human effluent may contribute to microbial pollution of surface water and exposure of sea mammals to human pathogens. The final subpopulation consisted of non-haemolytic ST260 and ST261 serotype Ib isolates, which belong to a fish-associated clonal complex that has never been reported from humans.

Conclusions

The apparent association of the four subpopulations of S. agalactiae with specific groups of host species suggests that some strains of aquatic S. agalactiae may present a zoonotic or anthroponotic hazard. Furthermore, it provides a rational framework for exploration of pathogenesis and host-associated genome content of S. agalactiae strains.
Are healthcare workers’ intentions to vaccinate related to their knowledge, beliefs and attitudes? a systematic review
Authors: Herzog Raúl , Álvarez-Pasquin Mª José , Díaz Camino , Del Barrio José Luis , Estrada José Manuel , Gil Ángel
Published: February 2013

Background

The Summit of Independent European Vaccination Experts (SIEVE) recommended in 2007 that efforts be made to improve healthcare workers’ knowledge and beliefs about vaccines, and their attitudes towards them, to increase vaccination coverage. The aim of the study was to compile and analyze the areas of disagreement in the existing evidence about the relationship between healthcare workers’ knowledge, beliefs and attitudes about vaccines and their intentions to vaccinate the populations they serve.

Methods

We conducted a systematic search in four electronic databases for studies published in any of seven different languages between February 1998 and June 2009. We included studies conducted in developed countries that used statistical methods to relate or associate the variables included in our research question. Two independent reviewers verified that the studies met the inclusion criteria, assessed the quality of the studies and extracted their relevant characteristics. The data were descriptively analyzed.

Results

Of the 2354 references identified in the initial search, 15 studies met the inclusion criteria. The diversity in the study designs and in the methods used to measure the variables made it impossible to integrate the results, and each study had to be assessed individually. All the studies found an association in the direction postulated by the SIEVE experts: among healthcare workers, higher awareness, beliefs that are more aligned with scientific evidence and more favorable attitudes toward vaccination were associated with greater intentions to vaccinate. All the studies included were cross-sectional; thus, no causal relationship between the variables was established.

Conclusion

The results suggest that interventions aimed at improving healthcare workers’ knowledge, beliefs and attitudes about vaccines should be encouraged, and their impact on vaccination coverage should be assessed.
Cervical lymph node metastases from thyroid cancer: does thyroglobulin and calcitonin measurement in fine needle aspirates improve the diagnostic value of cytology?
Authors: Baldini Enke , Sorrenti Salvatore , Di Gioia Cira , De Vito Corrado , Antonelli Alessandro , Gnessi Lucio , Carbotta Giovanni , D’Armiento Eleonora , Miccoli Paolo , De Antoni Enrico , Ulisse Salvatore
Published: February 2013

Background

Measurement of thyroglobulin (Tg) protein in the washout of the needle used for fine needle aspiration biopsy cytology (FNAB-C) has been shown to increase the sensitivity of FNAB-C in identifying cervical lymph node (CLN) metastasis from well-differentiated thyroid cancer (TC). In this study, we evaluated whether routine measurement of Tg protein (FNAB-Tgp), Tg mRNA (FNAB-Tgm) and calcitonin (CT) mRNA (FNAB-CTm) in the FNAB washout of CLN increases the accuracy of FNAB-C in the diagnosis of suspicious metastatic CLN.

Methods

In this prospective study 35 CLN from 28 patients were examined. Histology showed metastatic papillary TC (PTC) in 26 CLN, metastatic medullary TC (MTC) in 3 CLN, metastatic anaplastic TC (ATC) in 3 CLN and 3 metastatic CLN from extra-thyroidal cancers.

Results

The overall accuracy of FNAB-C was 84.4%, reaching 95.7% when the analysis was restricted to PTC. Both FNAB-Tgp and FNAB-Tgm compared favorably with FNAB-C and shown diagnostic performances not statistically different from that of FNAB-C. However, FNAB-Tgp and FNAB-Tgm/FNAB-CTm were found useful in cases in which cytology results were inadequate or provided diagnosis inconsistent with patient's clinical parameters.

Conclusions

We demonstrated that FNAB-C, Tg/CT mRNA and Tg protein determination in the fine-needle washout showed similar accuracy in the diagnosis of metastatic CLN from TC. The results of this study suggest that samples for Tg protein and Tg/CT mRNA measurements from CLN suspicious for metastatic TC should be collected, but their measurements should be restricted to cases in which FNAB-C provides uninformative or inconsistent diagnosis with respect to patient's clinical parameters.
Comparison of the diagnostic values of circulating steroid hormones, VEGF-A, PIGF, and ADAM12 in women with ectopic pregnancy
Authors: Zou Shien , Li Xin , Feng Yi , Sun Shan , Li Jin , Egecioglu Emil , Billig Håkan , Shao Ruijin
Published: February 2013

Background

Several peripheral proteins that might be useful for detecting the presence of ectopic pregnancy (EP) have been evaluated, but none have been proven entirely useful in the clinic. We investigated the presence and the possible changes in circulating molecules that distinguish between normal intrauterine pregnancy (IUP) and tubal ectopic pregnancy.

Methods

Non-pregnant women during the menstrual cycle, women with IUP, and women with tubal EP after informed consent. Serum levels of 17β-estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4), testosterone (T), beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG), vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), placental growth factor (PIGF), and a distintegrin and metalloprotease protein 12 (ADAM12) were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to assess the diagnostic discrimination of EP and gestational age-matched IUP.

Results

E2, P4, PIGF, and ADAM12 levels increased and β-hCG decreased throughout IUP. E2 and VEGF-A levels were significantly different between women with tubal EP and IUP. However, using a serum β-hCG cut-off of less than 1000 mIU/mL, P4 was significantly lower in women with tubal EP compared to IUP. Although E2 was inversely correlated with VEGF-A in women in the early stages of IUP, E2 was not correlated with VEGF-A in women with EP prior to tubal surgery. There were no significant differences in either PIGF or ADAM12 alone between women with tubal EP or IUP. Although no significant correlations were seen between E2 and PIGF or P4 and ADAM12 in women in the early stages of IUP, E2 was positively correlated with PIGF and P4 was positively correlated with ADAM12 in women with EP prior to tubal surgery. Our studies defined associations but not causality.

Conclusions

Individual measurements of serum E2 or VEGF-A levels are strongly related to early pregnancy outcomes for women with IUP and EP, and pregnancy-associated E2 and VEGF-A levels provide diagnostic accuracy for the presence of tubal EP. This study demonstrates that correlation analysis of E2/VEGF-A and E2/PIGF serum levels may be able to distinguish a tubal EP from a normal IUP.
High-performance bilayer flexible resistive random access memory based on low-temperature thermal atomic layer deposition
Authors: Fang Run-Chen , Sun Qing-Qing , Zhou Peng , Yang Wen , Wang Peng-Fei , Zhang David Wei
Published: February 2013

We demonstrated a flexible resistive random access memory device through a low-temperature atomic layer deposition process. The device is composed of an HfO2/Al2O3-based functional stack on an indium tin oxide-coated polyethylene terephthalate substrate. After the initial reset operation, the device exhibits a typical bipolar, reliable, and reproducible resistive switching behavior. After a 104-s retention time, the memory window of the device is still in accordance with excellent thermal stability, and a 10-year usage is still possible with the resistance ratio larger than 10 at room temperature and at 85°C. In addition, the operation speed of the device was estimated to be 500 ns for the reset operation and 800 ns for the set operation, which is fast enough for the usage of the memories in flexible circuits. Considering the excellent performance of the device fabricated by low-temperature atomic layer deposition, the process may promote the potential applications of oxide-based resistive random access memory in flexible integrated circuits.
Offshore towed hydrophone linear array: principle, application, and data acquisition results
Authors: Chen Jin , Duan Fa-jie , Jiang Jia-jia , Li Yan-chao , Hua Xiang-ning
Published: February 2013

An underwater acoustic sensing array was presented in this article. With the high-precision sampling clock generation and transmission system, the array can acquire signals synchronously in sub-microsecond level, which is important in offshore environment. Meanwhile, real-time data transmission and storage system was established. All of the data received in host computer can be saved and displayed immediately. Data acquisition experiment was implemented in freshwater reservoir near Tianjin city,China, and the results of the signal wave show that the acquisition and transmission system of hydrophone array can be used to get the underwater information by acoustic exploration.
Impaired Behavioural Pain Responses in hph-1 Mice with Inherited Deficiency in GTP Cyclohydrolase 1 in Models of Inflammatory Pain
Authors: Nasser Arafat , Bjerrum Ole J , Heegaard Anne-Marie , Møller Anette T , Larsen Maj Britt , Dalbøge Louise S , Dupont Erik , Jensen Troels S , Møller Lisbeth B
Published: February 2013

Background

GTP cyclohydrolase 1 (GTP-CH1), the rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), encoded by the GCH1 gene, has been implicated in the development and maintenance of inflammatory pain in rats. In humans, homozygous carriers of a “pain-protective” (PP) haplotype of the GCH1 gene have been identified exhibiting lower pain sensitivity, but only following pain sensitisation. Ex vivo, the PP GCH1 haplotype is associated with decreased induction of GCH1 after stimulation, whereas the baseline BH4 production is not affected. Contrary, loss of function mutations in the GCH1 gene results in decreased basal GCH1 expression, and is associated with DOPA-responsive dystonia (DRD). So far it is unknown if such mutations affect acute and inflammatory pain.

Results

In the current study, we examined the involvement of the GCH1 gene in pain models using the hyperphenylalaninemia 1 ( hph-1) mouse, a genetic model for DRD, with only 10% basal GTP-CH1 activity compared to wild type mice. The study included assays for determination of acute nociception as well as models for pain after sensitisation. Pain behavioural analysis of the hph-1 mice showed reduced pain-like responses following intraplantar injection of CFA, formalin and capsaicin; whereas decreased basal level of GTP-CH1 activity had no influence in naïve hph-1 mice on acute mechanical and heat pain thresholds. Moreover, the hph-1 mice showed no signs of motor impairment or dystonia-like symptoms.

Conclusions

In this study, we demonstrate novel evidence that genetic mutations in the GCH1 gene modulate pain-like hypersensitivity. Together, the present data suggest that BH4 is not important for basal heat and mechanical pain, but they support the hypothesis that BH4 plays a role in inflammation-induced hypersensitivity. Our studies suggest that the BH4 pathway could be a therapeutic target for the treatment of inflammatory pain conditions. Moreover, the hph-1 mice provide a valid model to study the consequence of congenital deficiency of GCH1 in painful conditions.
A boy with homozygous microdeletion of NEUROG1 presents with a congenital cranial dysinnervation disorder [Moebius syndrome variant]
Authors: Schröder Julia C , Läßig Anne K , Galetzka Danuta , Peters Angelika , Castle John C , Diederich Stefan , Zechner Ulrich , Müller-Forell Wibke , Keilmann Annerose , Bartsch Oliver
Published: February 2013

Background

We report on a 6-year-old Turkish boy with profound sensorineural deafness, balance disorder, severe disorder of oral motor function, and mild developmental delay. Further findings included scaphocephaly, plagiocephaly, long palpebral fissures, high narrow palate, low-set posteriorly rotated ears, torticollis, hypoplastic genitalia and faulty foot posture. Parents were consanguineous.

Methods and results

Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed bilateral single widened cochlear turn, narrowing of the internal auditory canal, and bilateral truncation of the vestibulo-cochlear nerve. Microarray analysis and next generation sequencing showed a homozygous deletion of chromosome 5q31.1 spanning 115.3 kb and including three genes: NEUROG1 (encoding neurogenin 1), DCNP1 (dendritic cell nuclear protein 1, C5ORF20) and TIFAB (TIFA-related protein). The inability to chew and swallow, deafness and balance disorder represented congenital palsies of cranial nerves V (trigeminal nerve) and VIII (vestibulo-cochlear nerve) and thus a congenital cranial dysinnervation disorder.

Conclusions

Based on reported phenotypes of neurog1 null mutant mice and other vertebrates, we strongly propose NEUROG1 as the causative gene in this boy. The human NEUROG1 resides within the DFNB60 locus for non-syndromic autosomal recessive deafness on chromosome 5q22-q31, but linkage data have excluded it from being causative in the DFNB60 patients. Given its large size (35 Mb, >100 genes), the 5q22-q31 area could harbor more than one deafness gene. We propose NEUROG1 as a new gene for syndromic autosomal recessive hearing loss and congenital cranial dysinnervation disorder including cranial nerves V and VIII.
Reaction of pharmacological active tris-(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium 4-chlorophenylsulfanylacetate with ZnCl2 or NiCl2: first conversion of a protic ionic liquid into metallated ionic liquid
Authors: Mirskova Anna N , Adamovich Sergey N , Mirskov Rudolf G , Schilde Uwe
Published: February 2013

The reaction of pharmacological active protic ionic liquid tris-(2-hydroxyethyl)ammonium 4-chlorophenylsulfanylacetate H+N(CH2CH2OH)3 ∙ (-OOCCH2SC6H4Cl-4) (1) with zinc or nickel chloride in a ratio of 2:1 affords stable at room temperature powder-like adducts [H+N(CH2CH2OH)3]2 ∙ [M(OOCCH2SC6H4Cl-4)2Cl2]2-, M = Zn (2), Ni (3). By recrystallization from aqueous alcohol compound 2 unexpectedly gives Zn(OOCCH2SC6H4Cl-4)2 ∙ 2H2O (4). Unlike 2, compound 3 gives crystals [N(CH2CH2OH)3]2Ni2+ · [-OOCCH2SC6H4Cl-4]2 (5), which have a structure of metallated ionic liquid. The structure of 5 has been proved by X-ray diffraction analysis. It is the first example of the conversion of a protic ionic liquid into potentially biological active metallated ionic liquid (1 → 3 → 5).
Identification of differentially expressed genes in microarray data in a principal component space
Authors: Ospina Luis , López-Kleine Liliana
Published: February 2013

Microarray experiments are often conducted in order to compare gene expression between two conditions. Tests to detected mean differential expression of genes between conditions are conducted applying correction for multiple testing. Seldom, relationships between gene expression and microarray conditions are investigated in a multivariate approach. Here we propose determining the relationship between genes and conditions using a Principal Component Analysis (PCA) space and classifying genes to one of two biological conditions based on their position relative to a direction on the PC space representing each condition.
Identification and functional validation of HPV-mediated hypermethylation in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Lechner Matthias , Fenton Tim , West James , Wilson Gareth , Feber Andrew , Henderson Stephen , Thirlwell Christina , Dibra Harpreet K , Jay Amrita , Butcher Lee , Chakravarthy Ankur R , Gratrix Fiona , Patel Nirali , Vaz Francis , O'Flynn Paul , Kalavrezos Nicholas , Teschendorff Andrew E , Boshoff Chris , Beck Stephan
Published: February 2013

Background

Human papillomavirus-positive (HPV+) head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) represents a distinct clinical and epidemiological condition compared with HPV-negative (HPV-) HNSCC. To test the possible involvement of epigenetic modulation by HPV in HNSCC, we conducted a genome-wide DNA-methylation analysis.

Methods

Using laser-capture microdissection of 42 formalin-fixed paraffin wax-embedded (FFPE) HNSCCs, we generated DNA-methylation profiles of 18 HPV+ and 14 HPV- samples, using Infinium 450 k BeadArray technology. Methylation data were validated in two sets of independent HPV+/HPV- HNSCC samples (fresh-frozen samples and cell lines) using two independent methods (Infinium 450 k and whole-genome methylated DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeDIP-seq)). For the functional analysis, an HPV- HNSCC cell line was transduced with lentiviral constructs containing the two HPV oncogenes (E6 and E7), and effects on methylation were assayed using the Infinium 450 k technology.

Results and discussion

Unsupervised clustering over the methylation variable positions (MVPs) with greatest variation showed that samples segregated in accordance with HPV status, but also that HPV+ tumors are heterogeneous. MVPs were significantly enriched at transcriptional start sites, leading to the identification of a candidate CpG island methylator phenotype in a sub-group of the HPV+ tumors. Supervised analysis identified a strong preponderance (87%) of MVPs towards hypermethylation in HPV+ HNSCC. Meta-analysis of our HNSCC and publicly available methylation data in cervical and lung cancers confirmed the observed DNA-methylation signature to be HPV-specific and tissue-independent. Grouping of MVPs into functionally more significant differentially methylated regions identified 43 hypermethylated promoter DMRs, including for three cadherins of the Polycomb group target genes. Integration with independent expression data showed strong negative correlation, especially for the cadherin gene-family members. Combinatorial ectopic expression of the two HPV oncogenes (E6 and E7) in an HPV- HNSCC cell line partially phenocopied the hypermethylation signature seen in HPV+ HNSCC tumors, and established E6 as the main viral effector gene.

Conclusions

Our data establish that archival FFPE tissue is very suitable for this type of methylome analysis, and suggest that HPV modulates the HNSCC epigenome through hypermethylation of Polycomb repressive complex 2 target genes such as cadherins, which are implicated in tumor progression and metastasis.
Egypt’s Energy Outlook: Opportunities and Challenges
Authors: Bahgat Gawdat
Published: February 2013

Egypt holds limited proven oil and gas reserves. Increasingly, these hydrocarbon resources cannot meet the country’s rising energy demand. Consequently, Cairo has turned to nuclear and renewable power. In addition, the Egyptian authorities are under heavy pressure to restrain consumption and promote efficiency. Egypt needs to articulate and implement a long-term comprehensive energy strategy.
Domestic and External Factors in Greece’s Relations with the Soviet Union: Early Cold War to Détente
Authors: Rizas Sotiris
Published: February 2013

Greece’s relationship with the Soviet Union was burdened by the Greek civil war, which was closely related to the outbreak of the Cold War in the Near East in 1946–47. The collapse of Greece’s parliamentary regime in 1967 arrested a process toward détente undergone by practically every member state of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization in the 1960s. The new impetus in Greek-Soviet relations in the late 1970s, after the restoration of democracy in 1974, did not signify the loosening of Greek loyalty to the West but was a pragmatic pursuit of interests between two asymmetrical powers.
Wirkung medizinischer Kompressionsstrümpfe auf die venöse Hämodynamik
Authors: Wienert V. , Marshall M.
Published: February 2013

Einleitung: So sehr sich die Fotoplethysmografie (FPG) in der phlebologischen Alltagspraxis bewährt hat, muss ihr Einsatz für differenzierte wissenschaftliche Fragestellungen – wie z.B. die Wirkung von Medizinischen Kompressionsstrümpfen auf die venöse Hämodynamik – kritisch bewertet werden.

Methode: Es erfolgte eine Literaturrecherche.

Ergebnisse: Die vorliegenden, vorwiegend älteren Studien zeigen, dass die leichte Verfügbarkeit und Anwendbarkeit der FPG zum großzügigen Einsatz für klinische Studien und zum wenig kritischen Umgang mit den erhobenen Daten verleitet. Grundsätzlich ist die Anwendbarkeit der FPG am bestrumpften Bein sehr problematisch, aber möglicherweise erbringt die Untersuchung durch den angelegten Strumpf hindurch mit Sonden mit sehr hoher Intensität das emittierten Lichts diesbezüglich einen echten Fortschritt, wie an einem Beispiel gezeigt wird. Für präzise klinische und wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen und Messungen kann die Farb-Duplexsonografie und die blutige Venendruckmessung u.E. durch die FPG nicht ersetzt werden.

Schlußfolgerung: Bei sorgfältiger Durchfüh-rung und kritischer Bewertung hat die FPG für umfangreichere Studien sicher ihren Stellenwert. Hier besteht wohl weiterer wissenschaftlicher Klärungsbedarf.
Callophyllis cornu-cervi (Perestenko) comb. nov. (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta): re-evaluation of the endemic monotypic genus Ionia from the Sea of Okhotsk based on morphology and molecular evidence
Authors: Klochkova Tatyana A. , Kim Gwang Hoon , Klochkova Nina G. , Belij Mihail N. , Boo Ga Hun , Boo Sung Min
Published: February 2013

The monotypic kallymeniacean genus Ionia established as Iona cornu-cervi is endemic to the Sea of Okhotsk. We observed the type material of the species deposited in the Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (LE, St. Petersburg, Russia) and compared it with fresh collections near the type locality. Analysis of the rbcL dataset revealed that I. cornu-cervi was not distinct from other genera of the Kallymeniaceae but consistently nested within the genus Callophyllis and formed a sister relationship with Callophyllis variegata. Here, we propose the new combination Callophyllis cornu-cervi based on I. cornu-cervi and treat the genus Ionia as a synonym of Callophyllis. Callophyllis cornu-cervi is distinguished by a thallus with many slightly convoluted segments positioned at an angle to each other, forming an erect and more or less rigid plant, and a medulla composed of intermingled large and small cells.
The Oseen–Navier–Stokes flow in the exterior of a rotating obstacle: The non-autonomous case
Authors: Hansel Tobias , Rhandi Abdelaziz
Published: February 2013

Consider the incompressible Navier–Stokes flow past a rotating obstacle with
a general time-dependent angular velocity and a time-dependent
outflow condition at infinity – sometimes called an Oseen condition. By a suitable change
of coordinates the problem is transformed to a non-autonomous problem with unbounded drift terms
on a fixed exterior domain

Ω
⊂

ℝ

d

$\Omega \subset {\mathbb {R}}^d$

. It is shown that the solution to the linearized problem is governed by a strongly
continuous evolution system

{

T
Ω

(
t
,
s
)

}

t
≥
s
≥
0

$\lbrace T_\Omega (t,s)\rbrace _{t\ge s\ge 0}$

on

L
σ
p

(
Ω
)

$L^p_\sigma (\Omega )$

for

1
<
p
<
∞

$1<p<\infty $

. Moreover, Lp
-Lq

smoothing properties and gradient estimates of

T
Ω

(
t
,
s
)

$T_\Omega (t,s)$

,

0
≤
s
≤
t

$0\le s \le t$

, are obtained. These results are the key ingredients to
show local in time existence of mild solutions to the full nonlinear problem for initial value in

L
σ
p

(
Ω
)

$L^p_\sigma (\Omega )$

, p ≥ d.
Asymptomatic elevation of liver enzymes due to levetiracetam: a case report
Authors: Sethi Nitin K. , Sethi Prahlad K. , Torgovnick Josh , Arsura Edward , Cukierwar Frances
Published: February 2013

Levetiracetam is a commonly used broad-spectrum anticonvulsant efficacious in both partial and generalized seizures. It has an extremely favorable side effect profile with few drug-drug interactions, low potential for hematological and hepatic toxicity, and thus has rapidly become the preferred drug in patients with traumatic brain injuries who need seizure prophylaxis. We report, here, a patient who was started on levetiracetam for seizure prophylaxis after developing large bifrontal-parietal traumatic subdural hematomas (SDH) following a fall from a horse necessitating bifrontal craniotomies for evacuation. The patient developed an asymptomatic elevation of the liver enzymes. The liver enzymes trended back to normal after levetiracetam was stopped, and topiramate was initiated in its place.
Evidence Theory and Fuzzy Relational Calculus in Estimation of Health Effects Due to Air Pollution
Authors: Yadav Jyoti , Kharat Vilas , Deshpande Ashok
Published: February 2013

With an overall objective of establishing association between air pollutants
and incidence of respiratory diseases, the environmental professionals and
medical practitioners have made significant contribution, using statistical
mechanics in modelling epidemiological data, population characteristics, and
pollution parameters. Broadly speaking, the studies have shown that the
increase in vehicular traffic has been one of the causes of respiratory
diseases. However, the WHO Centre for Environment and Health, Europe in its 2005 document states:
“There is little evidence for a causal relationship between asthma
prevalence/incidence and air pollution in general, though the evidence is
suggestive of a causal association between the prevalence/incidence of
asthma symptoms and living in close proximity to traffic”.
Decision making process in a real world is invariably based on perceptions
which are expressed in words or may be in numeric terms and not in
probability terms. In the paper, we made an attempt to model the perceptions
of experienced pulmonologists in arriving at their combined degree of
belief/plausibility/ignorance for all the possible combinations of
identified respiratory diseases, using evidence theory and fuzzy relational
calculus without collecting sizeable parametric data accumulated over a
period of years.
Tightening pollution norms by the regulatory authorities is an overall
objective of the global efforts on greenhouse gases (GHS) reduction in
general, and air pollution mitigation in particular. The concept of solar
battery operated electric vehicles (SBOEV) for road transport is advocated,
initially for two/three wheelers, and extending it to four wheelers,
especially in the developing countries.
A New Apparatus for Evaluation of Contact Erosion at the Soil–Structure Interface
Authors: Luo YuLong , Jin Xi , Li Xiang , Zhan MeiLi , Sheng JinChang
Published: February 2013

The interface between clay core-wall and concrete cut-off wall is one of the weakest parts of high earth and rockfill dams. An unsuitable design can cause contact erosion at the interface or shear failure surfaces, and eventually this will harm the safety of the dam. A new soil–structure contact erosion apparatus was developed for the evaluation of contact erosion at the interface under high stress, high hydraulic head, and large shear deformation. It consists of a soil–structure model base, a seepage pressure system, a confining pressure system, an axial pressure system, and a data acquisition system. The seepage pressure system simulates the seepage erosion effect at the interface, and the maximum seepage pressure is 2.0 MPa. The confining and axial pressure systems simulate the triaxial stress state of the interface and the large shear deformation of the soil structure; the maximum confining and axial pressures are 2.0 MPa and 4.0 MPa, respectively. The data acquisition system can monitor pore pressure dissipation and settlement. Two repeatable experiments on the interface between a kind of highly plastic clay and a concrete cut-off wall were conducted to verify the scientific utility of the new apparatus. The new apparatus was found to be capable of yielding fairly consistent results in repeatable experiments. The new apparatus will prove an effective tool for studying a reasonable connection form of concrete cut-off wall and core wall in high earth and rockfill dams.
Fatigue Cyclic Tests on Artificially Cemented Soil
Authors: Viana da Fonseca A. , Rios S. , Amaral M. F. , Panico F.
Published: February 2013

Artificially cemented soils are frequently used in the infrastructural layers of road or railway platforms but the durability of these structures is often questioned when subjected to cyclic loads. In order to evaluate the fatigue behavior, this paper presents long cyclic triaxial tests over several soil cement mixtures using a very well graded silty sand and Portland cement. In undrained cemented tests, pore pressure decreased as a sign of plastic degradation, resulting that the effective stresses rose during the tests. For that reason, the resilient moduli were normalized to the effective stress, revealing a clear drop on the normalized resilient modulus at a number of cycles depending on the porosity/cement ratio. Notwithstanding, drained and undrained tests presented in this paper performed in uncemented and cemented specimens showed a distinct behavior from granular materials (where the shakedown theory applies) revealing a continuous increase in the accumulated permanent deformations, indicating that long term cyclic triaxial tests, with large number of cycles, may be decisive for a reliable characterization of cyclic triaxial test for bound mixtures.
Prevalence of Childhood Celiac Disease and Changes in Infant Feeding
Authors: Ivarsson Anneli , Myléus Anna , Norström Fredrik , van der Pals Maria , Rosén Anna , Högberg Lotta , Danielsson Lars , Halvarsson Britta , Hammarroth Solveig , Hernell Olle , Karlsson Eva , Stenhammar Lars , Webb Charlotta , Sandström Olof , Carlsson Annelie
Published: February 2013

OBJECTIVES:

Between 1984 and 1996, Sweden experienced an “epidemic” of clinical celiac disease in children <2 years of age, attributed partly to changes in infant feeding. Whether infant feeding affects disease occurrence and/or the clinical presentation remains unknown. We investigated and compared the total prevalence of celiac disease in 2 birth cohorts of 12-year-olds and related the findings to each cohort’s ascertained infant feeding.

METHODS:

A 2-phase cross-sectional screening study was performed in which 13 279 children from 2 birth cohorts participated: children born during the epidemic (1993) and children born after the epidemic (1997). Previously diagnosed cases were reported and confirmed. Blood samples were analyzed for serological markers and children with positive values were referred for small intestinal biopsy. Infant feeding practices in the cohorts were ascertained via questionnaires. Prevalence comparisons were expressed as prevalence ratios.

RESULTS:

The total prevalence of celiac disease was 29 in 1000 and 22 in 1000 for the 1993 and 1997 cohorts, respectively. Children born in 1997 had a significantly lower risk of having celiac disease compared with those born in 1993 (prevalence ratio: 0.75; 95% confidence interval: 0.60–0.93; P = .01). The cohorts differed in infant feeding (specifically, in the proportion of infants introduced to dietary gluten in small amounts during ongoing breastfeeding).

CONCLUSIONS:

A significantly reduced prevalence of celiac disease in 12-year-olds indicates an option for disease prevention. Our findings suggest that the present infant feeding recommendation to gradually introduce gluten-containing foods from 4 months of age, preferably during ongoing breastfeeding, is favorable.
Parity and Out-of-Pocket Spending for Children With High Mental Health or Substance Abuse Expenditures
Authors: Barry Colleen L. , Chien Alyna T. , Normand Sharon-Lise T. , Busch Alisa B. , Azzone Vanessa , Goldman Howard H. , Huskamp Haiden A.
Published: February 2013

OBJECTIVE:

The Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act required health plans to provide mental health and substance use disorder (MH/SUD) benefits on par with medical benefits beginning in 2010. Previous research found that parity significantly lowered average out-of-pocket (OOP) spending on MH/SUD treatment of children. No evidence is available on how parity affects OOP spending by families of children with the highest MH/SUD treatment expenditures.

METHODS:

We used a difference-in-differences study design to examine whether parity reduced families’ (1) share of total MH/SUD treatment expenditures paid OOP or (2) average OOP spending among children whose total MH/SUD expenditures met or exceeded the 90th percentile. By using claims data, we compared changes 2 years before (1999–2000) and 2 years after (2001–2002) the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program implemented parity to a contemporaneous group of health plans that did not implement parity over the same 4-year period. We examined those enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program because their parity directive is similar to and served as a model for the new federal parity law.

RESULTS:

Parity led to statistically significant annual declines in the share of total MH/SUD treatment expenditures paid OOP (−5%, 95% confidence interval: −6% to −4%) and average OOP spending on MH/SUD treatment (−$178, 95% confidence interval: −257 to −97).

CONCLUSIONS:

This study provides the first empirical evidence that parity reduces the share and level of OOP spending by families of children with the highest MH/SUD treatment expenditures; however, these spending reductions were smaller than anticipated and unlikely to meaningfully improve families’ financial protection.
Severe DRESS Syndrome Managed With Therapeutic Plasma Exchange
Authors: Alexander Thomas , Iglesia BA Edward , Park Yara , Duncan Daniel , Peden David , Sheikh Saira , Ferris Maria
Published: February 2013

Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) syndrome is a rare but increasingly described phenomenon of immune activation and organ dysfunction in association with a wide variety of medications. This reaction shows a broad spectrum of clinical presentation and severity, ranging from mild to lethal. Treatment strategies of immune suppression appear be helpful in some cases, but treatment failures occur frequently with reported mortality rates of 5% to 10%. We present a pediatric case of DRESS syndrome associated with either lamotrigine or bupropion, leading to multiorgan involvement and life-threatening complications of respiratory failure and cardiac arrest. After failing to improve with removal of these medications and administration of systemic corticosteroids, our patient showed dramatic, sustained clinical response to therapeutic plasma exchange. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of therapeutic plasma exchange used for life-threatening DRESS syndrome in a pediatric patient. This case suggests needed research for this therapeutic option in life-threatening DRESS syndrome resistant to high-dose steroids.
The effect of endoscopic sphincterotomy on the motility of the gallbladder and sphincter of Oddi in patients with acalculous biliary pain syndrome
Authors: Szepes Attila , Dubravcsik Zsolt , Madácsy László
Published: February 2013

Introduction: Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction usually occurs after cholecystectomy, but it can sometimes be detected in patients with intact gallbladder too. The diagnostic value of the non-invasive functional tests is not established in this group of patients and the effects of sphincterotomy on transpapillary bile outflow and gallbladder motility are unknown. Aims: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of endoscopic sphincterotomy on the gallbladder ejection fraction, transpapillary bile outflow and the clinical symptoms of patients with acalculous biliary pain syndrome. Patients and methods: 36 patients with acalculous biliary pain syndrome underwent quantitative hepatobiliary scintigraphy, and all of them had decreased cholecytokinin-induced gallbladder ejection fraction. The endoscopic manometry of the sphincter of Oddi showed abnormal sphincter function in 26 patients who were enrolled the study. Before and after endoscopic sphincterotomy all patients had ultrasonographic measurement of cholecystokinin-induced gallbladder ejection fraction with and without nitroglycerin pretreatment and scintigraphy was repeated as well. The effects of sphincterotomy on gallbladder ejection fraction and transpapillary biliary outflow were evaluated. In addition, changes in biliary pain score with a previously validated questionnaire were also determined. Results: All 26 patients had decreased gallbladder ejection fraction before sphincterotomy measured with scintigraphy (19+18%) and ultrasound (16+9.7%), which was improved after nitroglycerin pretreatment (48.2+17%; p<0.005). Detected with both methods, the ejection fraction was in the normal range after sphincterotomy (52+37% and 40.8+16.5%), but nitroglycerin pretreatment failed to produce further improvement (48.67+22.2%, NS). Based on scintigraphic examination sphincterotomy significantly improved transpapillary biliary outflow (common bile duct half time 63±33 min vs. 37±17 min; p<0.05). According to results obtained from questionneries, 22 of the 26 patients gave an account of significant symptom improvement after sphincterotomy. Conclusions: Endoscopic sphincterotomy improves cholecystokinin-induced gallbladder ejection fraction, transpapillary biliary outflow as well as biliary symptoms in patients with acalculous biliary pain syndrome and sphincter of Oddi dysfunction. Cholecystokinin-induced gallbladder ejection fraction with nitroglycerin pretreatment, measured with ultrasonography can be useful to select a subgroup of patients who can benefit from sphincterotomy. Orv. Hetil., 2013, 154, 306–313.
Nanoantibiotic Particles for Shape and Size Recognition of Pathogens
Authors: Borovicka Josef , Stoyanov Simeon D. , Paunov Vesselin N.
Published: February 2013

We have developed a novel class of colloidal particles capable of shape and size recognition as well as specific binding to the target cells. These colloid particles were fabricated using a nanoimprinting technology which yields inorganic imprints of the chosen target microorganisms. The products of the templating process are partially fragmented inorganic shells which can selectively bind to their biological counterparts, therefore impairing microbial cell growth, replication and infection. We have named this class of particles, which are capable of selectively recognizing bacterial shape and size, “nanoantibiotics”, which can be further functionalized to kill the target cells. The selective binding is driven by the increased area of contact upon recognition of the cell shape and size between the cells and their matching inorganic shell fragments. Here, we demonstrate the cell recognition and binding action of such particles using two different microbial test organisms.
Multi-GPU Parallelization of Nested Factorization for Solving Large Linear Systems
Authors: Zhou Y , Tchelepi H. A.
Published: February 2013

We describe a massively parallel Nested Factorization (NF) linear solver for large systems of equations. NF is a powerful classic preconditioner receiving renewed attention due to its potential on emerging parallel architectures, especially Graphics Processing Units (GPUs). We build on the Massively Parallel NF (MPNF) framework described by Appleyard et al. (2011). MPNF divides the threedimensional grid into ‘kernels’, assigns each kernel a color, such that no neighboring kernels share the same color. Parallelism is exploited by operating on all the kernels of a given color simultaneously and cycling through the NF operations color by color.

Our MPNF algorithm is designed with special attention to asynchronous CPU-to-GPU memory transfer during the setup phase. Moreover, a CUDA-based BiCGStab Krylov solver and a customized ‘reduction kernel’ with greater bandwidth are used. The key features of the algorithm are: 1) a special ordering of the matrix elements that maximizes coalesced access to GPU global memory and speeds up kernel execution by several folds, 2) application of twisted factorization, which increases the number of concurrent threads at no additional cost, and (3) extension to multiple GPUs by first solving the so-called halo region in each GPU and overlapping peer-to-peer memory transfer between GPUs with solution of the interior regions.

The GPU-based NF solver is demonstrated using several large problems, and we breakdown the performance details of all the algorithmic components. For the SPE10 model (highly heterogeneous with over one million cells) on a 512-core Tesla M2090 GPU, our implementation achieves a speed up of 26 for single-precision and 19 for double-precision computations compared with a single core of the Xeon X5660 CPU. Moreover, the (3072-core) 6-GPU solution of a highly refined SPE10 model (26.9 million cells) is more than five times faster than the single-GPU solution.