bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Heat transfer enhancement of automobile radiator using H2O–CuO nanofluid
Authors: Khan M. Sabeel , Dil T.
Published: April 2017

In this article, we study heat transfer enhancement of water based nanofluids with application to automotive radiators. In this respect, we consider here three types of different nanoparticles viz. copper oxide (CuO), Titanium dioxide (TiO2) and Aluminum oxide (Al2O3). The dynamics of the flow in a radiator is governed by set of partial differential equations (PDEs) along with boundary conditions which are formulated. Suitable similarity transformations are utilized to convert the PDEs into their respective system of coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The boundary value problem is solved using Shooting method embedded with Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg (RK-5) numerical scheme. Effects of different physical parameters are studied on profiles of velocity and temperature fields at boundary. In addition, influence of nanoparticle concentration factor on the local coefficient of skin-friction and Nusselt number is analyzed. We conclude that water based nanofluids with copper oxide nano-particles have a much higher heat transfer rate than the Al2O3-water and TiO2-water nanofluids. Moreover, larger the concentration of the CuO nanoparticles in the base fluid higher is the heat transfer rate of CuO-water nanofluid.
Flood tolerance of wheat – the importance of leaf gas films during complete submergence
Authors: Winkel Anders , Herzog Max , Konnerup Dennis , Floytrup Anja Heidi , Pedersen Ole
Published: April 2017

Submergence invokes a range of stressors to plants with impeded gas exchange between tissues and floodwater being the greatest challenge. Many terrestrial plants including wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), possess superhydrophobic leaf cuticles that retain a thin gas film when submerged, and the gas films enhance gas exchange with the floodwater. However, leaf hydrophobicity is lost during submergence and the gas films disappear accordingly. Here, we completely submerged wheat (with or without gas films) for up to 14 days and found that plants with gas films survived significantly longer (13 days) than plants without (10 days). Plants with gas films also had less dead tissue following a period of recovery. However, this study also revealed that reflections by gas films resulted in a higher light compensation point for underwater net photosynthesis for leaves with gas films compared with leaves without (IC = 52 vs 35 µmol photons m–2 s–1 with or without gas films, respectively). Still, already at ~5% of full sunlight the beneficial effect of gas films overcame the negative under ecologically relevant CO2 concentrations. Our study showed that dryland crops also benefit from leaf gas films during submergence and that this trait should be incorporated to improve flood tolerance of wheat.
Effect of electric current pulse on preparation of nano Y2O3
Authors: Xu C. Z. , Dai W. B. , Jia D. B. , Yu J. K. , Liu Z. Y. , Tang G. P.
Published: April 2017

The effect of electric current pulse (ECP) on preparing nano Y2O3 powder was initially investigated in this paper. From the determination of thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction, it was revealed that the composition of non-calcined precursor had changed due to the application of ECP. In addition, the scanning electron microscope results indicated that Y2O3 powders fabricated by ECP treatment had less aggregate and were in nano size. Therefore, the ECP treatment is a promising way to prepare nano Y2O3 powder.

This paper is part of a themed issue on Materials in External Fields.
Characteristic study of cold sprayed N06601 superalloy surface
Authors: Singh Harminder , Khosla Henna , Walia Gurpreet Singh , Sidhu T.S. , Kalsi S.B.S. , Karthikeyan J.
Published: April 2017

The surface properties of metals and alloys are usually altered by spray coating techniques for better performance in extreme conditions such as: erosive-corrosive and wear applications. In this study a wear and corrosion resistant coating composition of 75% Cr3C2-25% (Ni-20%Cr) was selected for cold spraying on N06601superalloy which can sustain in high-temperature applications. Microstructure properties of cold sprayed coating depend upon the composition and mechanical–physical properties of both coating and substrate materials, and cold spraying of brittle carbide-based materials is still a challenge for researchers. Various spray parameters were adjusted in this study to produce a 289 µm thick, smooth and dense (porosity less than 1) cold sprayed coating on 601-alloy with high hardness of 866 HV. For mitigating the erosion–corrosion phenomenon the coating microstructure is as important as its composition. This coating structure is suitable for further testing in high temperature and extreme corrosive conditions.
Recommendations for Stocking Gizzard Shad in a Large Upper Midwest Reservoir
Authors: Fincel Mark J. , Smith Mike J. , Hanten Robert P. , Radigan William J.
Published: April 2017

Gizzard Shad Dorosoma cepedianum, a pelagic detritivore found throughout the USA, are an important prey fish for many sport fish species and are often stocked in an attempt to bolster sport fish growth and condition. To date, there has been little research on how many or at what density prespawn adult Gizzard Shad should be stocked in order to produce a year-class suitable for sport fish consumption within that year. In Lake Oahe, South Dakota, Gizzard Shad are an important prey resource for Walleyes Sander vitreus and other sport fish when the number of Rainbow Smelt Osmerus mordax is low. However, severe winters in 2009–2011 extirpated the Gizzard Shad population in Lake Oahe (or reduced its abundance to below the detectable limit). Thus, Gizzard Shad were stocked in 2012 and 2013 to improve short-term prey fish production. During this time, we sought to identify how many or at what density prespawn adult Gizzard Shad need to be stocked in select embayments of Lake Oahe to achieve larval Gizzard Shad production similar to that in years when natural reproduction took place. Although the results were quite variable, we found positive linear relationships between the density of larval Gizzard Shad and the number and density of adult stockings, with the number of adults stocked providing a better indication of later larval production than adult stocking density. In general, stocking 150 prespawn adult Gizzard Shad would produce larval densities ≥5.0 fish/100 m3 in select embayments of a large Midwest reservoir.

Received November 8, 2016; accepted February 15, 2017 Published online April 27, 2017
Body composition and inflammatory markers in pubertal girls: Comparison between athletes and non‐athletic controls
Authors: Jürimäe Jaak , Võsoberg Kristel , Tamm Anna‐Liisa , Maasalu Katre , Remmel Liina , Tillmann Vallo
Published: April 2017

Various inflammation parameters are increased with childhood obesity, but few comparable data are found in lean growing athletes. This study aims to characterize differences in 12 simultaneously measured inflammatory parameters between pubertal rhythmic gymnasts (RG) and untrained controls (UC), and to examine the relationship between body composition and inflammatory markers. Sixty 10–12‐year‐old girls were divided into RG (n = 30) and UC (n = 30). Fat mass (FM) and fat free mass (FFM) were measured by dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry. Leptin and 12 inflammatory parameters (interleukin [IL]‐2, IL‐4, IL‐6, IL‐8, IL‐10, vascular endothelial growth factor, interferon‐gamma [IFN‐γ], tumor necrosis factor‐alpha, IL‐1α, IL‐1β, monocyte chemotactic protein‐1 and epidermal growth factor) were measured from fasting blood samples. No differences were seen in 12 inflammatory markers between studied groups. As expected, leptin (RG: 2.4 ± 1.1; UC: 7.6 ± 4.2 ng ml−1) and FM (RG: 7.3 ± 2.3; UC: 11.8 ± 5.1 kg) were lower (p < .05) in RG compared to UC. In the whole group of lean pubertal girls, 69.0% of the variability in body FM was determined by leptin, and 11.2% of the variability in body FFM was explained by IFN‐γ. In conclusion, measured 12 inflammatory biomarkers were not different between RG and UC, despite lower leptin and FM in RG. In lean pubertal girls, IFN‐γ was independently associated with FFM, and leptin with FM.
Multiple kinesin-14 family members drive microtubule minus end–directed transport in plant cells
Authors: Yamada Moé , Tanaka-Takiguchi Yohko , Hayashi Masahito , Nishina Momoko , Goshima Gohta
Published: April 2017

Minus end–directed cargo transport along microtubules (MTs) is exclusively driven by the molecular motor dynein in a wide variety of cell types. Interestingly, during evolution, plants have lost the genes encoding dynein; the MT motors that compensate for dynein function are unknown. Here, we show that two members of the kinesin-14 family drive minus end–directed transport in plants. Gene knockout analyses of the moss Physcomitrella patens revealed that the plant-specific class VI kinesin-14, KCBP, is required for minus end–directed transport of the nucleus and chloroplasts. Purified KCBP directly bound to acidic phospholipids and unidirectionally transported phospholipid liposomes along MTs in vitro. Thus, minus end–directed transport of membranous cargoes might be driven by their direct interaction with this motor protein. Newly nucleated cytoplasmic MTs represent another known cargo exhibiting minus end–directed motility, and we identified the conserved class I kinesin-14 (ATK) as the motor involved. These results suggest that kinesin-14 motors were duplicated and developed as alternative MT-based minus end–directed transporters in land plants.
An adaptive signaling network in melanoma inflammatory niches confers tolerance to MAPK signaling inhibition
Authors: Young Helen L. , Rowling Emily J. , Bugatti Mattia , Giurisato Emanuele , Luheshi Nadia , Arozarena Imanol , Acosta Juan-Carlos , Kamarashev Jivko , Frederick Dennie T. , Cooper Zachary A. , Reuben Alexandre , Gil Jesus , Flaherty Keith T. , Wargo Jennifer A. , Vermi William , Smith Michael P. , Wellbrock Claudia , Hurlstone Adam
Published: April 2017

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway antagonists induce profound clinical responses in advanced cutaneous melanoma, but complete remissions are frustrated by the development of acquired resistance. Before resistance emerges, adaptive responses establish a mutation-independent drug tolerance. Antagonizing these adaptive responses could improve drug effects, thereby thwarting the emergence of acquired resistance. In this study, we reveal that inflammatory niches consisting of tumor-associated macrophages and fibroblasts contribute to treatment tolerance through a cytokine-signaling network that involves macrophage-derived IL-1β and fibroblast-derived CXCR2 ligands. Fibroblasts require IL-1β to produce CXCR2 ligands, and loss of host IL-1R signaling in vivo reduces melanoma growth. In tumors from patients on treatment, signaling from inflammatory niches is amplified in the presence of MAPK inhibitors. Signaling from inflammatory niches counteracts combined BRAF/MEK (MAPK/extracellular signal–regulated kinase kinase) inhibitor treatment, and consequently, inhibiting IL-1R or CXCR2 signaling in vivo enhanced the efficacy of MAPK inhibitors. We conclude that melanoma inflammatory niches adapt to and confer drug tolerance toward BRAF and MEK inhibitors early during treatment.
SnapDock—template-based docking by Geometric Hashing
Authors: Estrin Michael , Wolfson Haim J
Published: April 2017

Motivation

A highly efficient template-based protein–protein docking algorithm, nicknamed SnapDock, is presented. It employs a Geometric Hashing-based structural alignment scheme to align the target proteins to the interfaces of non-redundant protein–protein interface libraries. Docking of a pair of proteins utilizing the 22 600 interface PIFACE library is performed in < 2 min on the average. A flexible version of the algorithm allowing hinge motion in one of the proteins is presented as well.

Results

To evaluate the performance of the algorithm a blind re-modelling of 3547 PDB complexes, which have been uploaded after the PIFACE publication has been performed with success ratio of about 35%. Interestingly, a similar experiment with the template free PatchDock docking algorithm yielded a success rate of about 23% with roughly 1/3 of the solutions different from those of SnapDock. Consequently, the combination of the two methods gave a 42% success ratio.

Availability and implementation

A web server of the application is under development.
RIblast: an ultrafast RNA–RNA interaction prediction system based on a seed-and-extension approach
Authors: Fukunaga Tsukasa , Hamada Michiaki
Published: April 2017

Motivation

LncRNAs play important roles in various biological processes. Although more than 58 000 human lncRNA genes have been discovered, most known lncRNAs are still poorly characterized. One approach to understanding the functions of lncRNAs is the detection of the interacting RNA target of each lncRNA. Because experimental detections of comprehensive lncRNA–RNA interactions are difficult, computational prediction of lncRNA–RNA interactions is an indispensable technique. However, the high computational costs of existing RNA–RNA interaction prediction tools prevent their application to large-scale lncRNA datasets.

Results

Here, we present ‘RIblast’, an ultrafast RNA–RNA interaction prediction method based on the seed-and-extension approach. RIblast discovers seed regions using suffix arrays and subsequently extends seed regions based on an RNA secondary structure energy model. Computational experiments indicate that RIblast achieves a level of prediction accuracy similar to those of existing programs, but at speeds over 64 times faster than existing programs.

Availability and implementation

The source code of RIblast is freely available at https://github.com/fukunagatsu/RIblast.

Supplementary information

Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Out-of-Category Brand Imitation: Product Categorization Determines Copycat Evaluation
Authors: van Horen Femke , Pieters Rik
Published: April 2017

Copycat brands imitate the trade dress of other brands, such as their brand name, logo, and packaging design. Copycats typically operate in the core product category of the imitated brand under the assumption that such “in-category imitation” is most effective. In contrast, four experiments demonstrate the benefits of “out-of-category imitation” for copycats, and the harmful effect on the imitated brand. Copycats are evaluated more positively in a related category, because consumers appraise the similarity between copycat and imitated brand more positively than in the core category, independent of the perceived similarity itself. This is due to a reduced salience of norms regarding imitation in the related category. Moreover, the results show a damaging backlash effect of out-of-category imitation on the general evaluation of the imitated brand and on its key perceived product attributes. The findings replicate across student, MTurk, and representative consumer samples; multiple product categories; and forms of brand imitation. This research demonstrates that out-of-category brand imitation helps copycat brands and hurts national leading brands much more than has so far been considered, which has managerial and public policy implications.
Tibullus
Authors: Miller Paul Allen
Published: April 2017

Of the three major elegists—Tibullus, Propertius, and Ovid—Tibullus is today probably the most difficult to approach. He is often less valued than the more modernist Propertius or the more witty and playful Ovid. This was not always the case. Quintilian famously writes, “mihi tersus atque elegans maxime uidetur auctor Tibullus. Sunt qui Propertium malint” [“In my opinion Tibullus is a very elegant and concise author. There are those who prefer Propertius”] (Inst. 10.1.93). Ovid terms Tibullus cultus or “polished” (Amores 3.9.66). The ancients held Tibullus in high regard and valued him above all for his smooth style. In the latter part of the 20th century, however, with the publication of Bright’s Haec mihi Fingebam: Tibullus and His World (1978) and Cairns’s Tibullus: A Hellenistic Poet at Rome (1979), Tibullus once again began receiving more attention. In recent years, his stock has risen further with the publication of several influential articles, chapters, and dissertations, including: Fineberg, “Configurations of Desire in the Elegies of Tibullus” (1991); Kennedy, The Arts of Love: Five Essays in the Discourse of Roman Love Elegy (1993); Miller, Subjecting Verses: Latin Love Elegy and the Emergence of the Real (2004); and Wray, “What Poets Do: Tibullus on ‘Easy’ Hands” (2003) et al., as well as a new commentary (Maltby, Tibullus: Elegies. Text, Introduction, and Commentary, 2002). One of the commonplaces of Tibullan criticism is the dream-like quality of his text. This view often goes hand in hand with the devaluation of his poetry as soft and lacking in formal integrity. Smith once characterized his poetry as “smooth” and “drifting.” More postively, it can be seen as nonlinear and working by association (Veyne, Roman Erotic Elegy: Love Poetry and the West, 1988, p. 36). In any case, his texts are less a series of rhetorical arguments or narratives, than complex tissues of interwoven and sometimes contradictory themes and images. Information on Tibullus’s life is scarce. He was born between 60 and 55 bce and died in 19 bce. Ancient testimony links him to the area near the village of Pedum in the Alban hills east of Rome. He was closely associated with the orator and general, M. Valerius Messalla Corvinus (64 bce to 8 ce), whom he appears to have accompanied on his Acquitanian campaign and perhaps on others. He also seems to have known Horace. Tibullus’s poetry, unlike Propertius or Ovid’s, is all but free of references to Augustus and the nascent imperial regime. From a statement in poem 1.1, we can reasonably deduce that Tibullus’s family, like many others, suffered a reduction of fortune during the proscriptions carried out by the members of the second triumvirate after the defeat of the republican assassins of Caesar.
Treating Smoking in Adults With Co-occurring Acute Psychiatric and Addictive Disorders
Authors: Das Smita , Hickman Norval J. , Prochaska Judith J.
Published: April 2017

Objectives:

Tobacco use is undertreated in individuals with psychiatric and substance use disorders (SUDs), with concerns that quitting smoking may compromise recovery. We evaluated outcomes of a tobacco intervention among psychiatric patients with co-occurring SUDs.

Methods:

Data from 2 randomized tobacco treatment trials conducted in inpatient psychiatry were combined; analyses focused on the subsample with co-occurring SUDs (n = 216). Usual care provided brief advice to quit and nicotine replacement therapy during the smoke-free hospitalization. The intervention, initiated during hospitalization and continued 6 months after hospitalization, was tailored to readiness to quit smoking, and added a computer-assisted intervention at baseline, and 3 and 6 months; brief counseling; and 10 weeks of nicotine replacement therapy after hospitalization. Outcomes were 7-day point prevalence abstinence from 3 to 12 months and past 30-day reports of alcohol and illicit drug use.

Results:

The sample consisted of 34% women, among which 36% were Caucasian, averaging 19 cigarettes/d prehospitalization; the groups were comparable at baseline. At 12 months, 22% of the intervention versus 11% of usual care participants were tobacco-abstinent (risk ratio 2.01, P = 0.03). Past 30-day abstinence from alcohol/drugs did not differ by group (22%); however, successful quitters were less likely than continued smokers to report past 30-day cannabis (18% vs 42%) and alcohol (22% vs 58%) use (P < 0.05), with no difference in other drug use.

Conclusions:

Tobacco treatment in psychiatric patients with co-occurring SUDs was effective and did not adversely impact recovery. Quitting smoking was associated with abstinence from alcohol and cannabis at follow-up. The findings support addressing tobacco in conjunction with alcohol and other drugs in psychiatric treatment.
Hydroa Vacciniforme–Like Lymphoma in Tibetan Children: 2 Cases and a Literature Review
Authors: Zhang Xiaoyan , Wang Tingting , Wang Lin
Published: April 2017

Hydroa vacciniforme–like lymphoma shows a marked predilection for the pediatric population, especially in Latin America and Asia. Here, we present 2 pediatric patients from Tibet of China, which is the first report from this area.
Apremilast
Authors: Thomas Jerry , Jacob Sharon E.
Published: April 2017

By definition, a drug is a medicine or substance that exerts a physiologic effect on an organism. In dermatology, medications and substances are utilized on a daily basis from topical treatments to anesthetics in micrographic surgery. The purpose of this column is to focus on some of the more common drugs used in dermatology, specifically their mechanism of action, how they are utilized, and routine alternatives (if available). This article focuses on the uses and mechanism, adverse effects, and alternatives to the medication apremilast, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor that is used to predominantly treat psoriasis.
Novel lipid modifying drugs to lower LDL cholesterol
Authors: Cupido Arjen J. , Reeskamp Laurens F. , Kastelein John J.P.
Published: April 2017

Purpose of review

Statins have long been the cornerstone for the prevention of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, because of perceived adverse effects and insufficient efficacy in certain groups of patients, considerable interest exists in the search for alternatives to lower LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), and the recent approvals of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) inhibitors underlines the success of this quest. Here, we give an updated overview on the most recent developments in the area of LDL-C lowering agents.

Recent findings

The clinical effects of the PCSK9 inhibitors are promising, especially now that the FOURIER and SPIRE programmes are published. Most cholesterylester-transfer protein inhibitors, however, except anacetrapib, have been discontinued because of either toxicity or lack of efficacy in large cardiovascular outcome trials. Other agents – like mipomersen, lomitapide, ETC-1002, and gemcabene – aim to lower LDL-C in different ways than solely through the LDL receptor, opening up possibilities for treating patients not responding to conventional therapies. New discoveries are also being made at the DNA and RNA level, with mipomersen being the first approved therapy based on RNA intervention in the United States for homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia.

Recent years have witnessed a new beginning for cholesterol-lowering compounds. With increased knowledge of lipid metabolism a score of new therapeutic targets has been identified. Mechanisms for modulation of those targets are also becoming more diverse while statins remain the backbone of CVD prevention, the new alternatives, such as PCSK9 monoclonals will probably play an important additional role in treatment of patients at risk for CVD.
Biomechanical Integrity in Craniofacial Surgery: Calvarial Reconstruction in Favorable and Infected Defects with Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2
Authors: MacIsaac Zoe M. , Henderson Sarah E. , Shakir Sameer , Naran Sanjay , Smith Darren M. , Camison Liliana , Cray James J. , Almarza Alejandro J. , Cooper Gregory M. , Losee Joseph E.
Published: April 2017

Background:

The limitations of autologous and alloplastic reconstruction for craniofacial bone defects have created a clinical need for viable tissue-engineering strategies. Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) has shown promise in this setting. The aim of this study was to determine the long-term biomechanical properties of rhBMP-2–mediated calvarial reconstruction.

Methods:

Twelve-week-old New Zealand White rabbits underwent subtotal calvarectomy. Defects were repaired in one of several groups: immediate reconstruction with autologous graft, immediate reconstruction with cryopreserved bone graft, immediate reconstruction with rhBMP-2 (favorable), and delayed reconstruction with rhBMP-2 following infection and subsequent débridement (unfavorable). Cryopreserved reconstructions were measured at 6 weeks; autologous reconstructions were measured at 6 weeks and 6 months; and both favorable and unfavorable rhBMP-2 reconstructions were assessed at 6 weeks, 6 months, and 1 year after reconstruction. Healing was assessed with computed tomography. An unconfined compression test was performed for biomechanical analysis. Stress at 20 percent strain, percentage relaxation, tangent modulus, and final strain at 1800 N were compared between groups.

Results:

Nearly complete radiographic coverage was achieved by 6 months for autologous reconstruction and by 6 weeks for rhBMP-2 reconstruction. Favorable rhBMP-2 reconstruction demonstrated a larger final strain at 1800 N through 1 year compared with native bone. Bone in unfavorable rhBMP-2 reconstruction was more compressible than native bone, with a larger final strain at 1800 N at 1 year. There were no significant differences between favorable and unfavorable groups.

Conclusions:

Despite providing radiographic coverage, the biomechanical properties of rhBMP-2 bone differ from those of native bone. Further studies are warranted to determine how these properties affect overall strength and structural integrity.
Evidence-Based Medicine in Aesthetic Surgery: The Significance of Level to Aesthetic Surgery
Authors: Rohrich Rod J. , Cho Min-Jeong
Published: April 2017

Since its popularization in the 1980s, evidence-based medicine has become the cornerstone of American health care. Many specialties rapidly adapted to the paradigm shift of health care by delivering treatment using the evidence-based guidelines. However, the field of plastic surgery has been slow to implement evidence-based medicine compared with the other specialties because of the challenges of performing randomized controlled trials, such as funding, variability in surgical skills, and difficulty with standardization of techniques. To date, aesthetic surgery has been at the forefront of evidence-based medicine in plastic surgery by having the most randomized controlled trials. Nevertheless, a detailed analysis of these studies has not been previously performed. In this article, the level I and II articles of aesthetic surgery are discussed to increase awareness of high-quality evidence-based medicine in aesthetic surgery.
Brief Report: Safety of Frequent Blood Sampling in Research Participants in an Acute HIV Infection Cohort in Thailand
Authors: Sacdalan Carlo , Crowell Trevor , Colby Donn , Kroon Eugène , Chan Phillip , Pinyakorn Suteeraporn , Chomchey Nitiya , Prueksakaew Peeriya , Puttamaswin Suwanna , Chintanaphol Michelle , Cheng Theresa , Phanuphak Nittaya , Ananworanich Jintanat ,   on behalf of the RV254/SEARCH 010 Study Group
Published: April 2017

Introduction:

Anemia is a potential adverse effect of phlebotomy during participation in research. Clinical studies of acute HIV infection (AHI) require frequent phlebotomy to maximize scientific yield, but this participant population may also be at increased risk for anemia and other adverse events.

Objective:

The objective of this study was to describe baseline and longitudinal hemoglobin changes among participants with AHI.

Methods:

Participants with AHI (n = 202) were enrolled in a prospective cohort study in Thailand. AHI was diagnosed using pooled nucleic acid testing and sequential HIV antibody immunoassays. Antiretroviral therapy was initiated on enrollment. During 48 weeks of study participation, a total of 629 mL of blood was drawn over 14 visits. Hemoglobin levels were measured serially, and abnormalities were graded using the Division of AIDS (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases) adverse event table.

Results:

AHI was diagnosed at a median of 18 days after infection. Mean hemoglobin at enrollment of male participants was 14.8 g/dL, and for females, it was 13.0 g/dL. Over 48 weeks, there was a mean increase of 0.2 g/dL among men (P = 0.01) and a decrease of 0.7 g/dL among women (P = 0.03). The overall prevalence of anemia was low, with 7 (3.5%) of 202 fulfilling grade 1 or 2 anemia criteria.

Conclusions:

Anemia was rare after frequent phlebotomy in research participants with AHI, before and after antiretroviral therapy. Given that the blood volume drawn from this study did not pose substantial clinical risk, increasing the volume of blood drawn for research purposes in acute HIV-infected research participants could be considered for future studies.
Optimizing Contrast Media Injection Protocols in Computed Tomography Angiography at Different Tube Voltages: Evaluation in a Circulation Phantom
Authors: Caruso Damiano , Eid Marwen , Schoepf U. Joseph , De Santis Domenico , Varga-Szemes Akos , Mangold Stefanie , Canstein Christian , Lesslie Virginia W. , Fuller Stephen R. , Ball B. Devon , Laghi Andrea , De Cecco Carlo N.
Published: April 2017

Objectives

The aim of this study was to investigate the minimum iodine delivery rate (IDR) and contrast media (CM) volume required for diagnostic contrast enhancement of 350 HU (Hounsfield units) in the ascending aorta at different kV settings.

Methods

Dynamic computed tomography acquisitions from 70 to 150 kV were performed in a circulation phantom. First, injections with IDR ranging from 0.1 to 2.0 g I/s were tested for each kV. In the second part, the IDR was held constant, whereas the CM volume was reduced from 50 to 10 mL. Diagnostic aortic peak enhancement for each kV was compared using the Kruskal-Wallis test. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results

The mean aortic peak enhancement for all diagnostic IDRs was 368.7 ± 11.1 HU. Diagnostic IDRs returned similar aortic peak enhancement values for all protocols (all P ≥ 0.18). For the second part of the study, a diagnostic enhancement was yielded by using a minimum of 30 mL of CM for 110 kV, 25 mL for 100 and 90 kV, and 15 mL for 80 and 70 kV.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that a differentiated approach reducing the CM volume for tube voltages of less than 120 kV and increasing the IDR for higher kV settings seems to be the most effective approach.
Patient Characteristics and Functional Outcomes in a 5-Year Retrospective Stroke Cohort
Authors: Richard Lynne , Maitra Kinsuk , da Costa Bruno , Maillet Denise , Ramsey Cristina
Published: April 2017

Objective:

This retrospective study examined the relationship between patient characteristics and intervention outcomes in stroke rehabilitation in a large, diverse inpatient database.

Method:

A query of the electronic medical record for 2008-2012 identified 939 patients treated for stroke. An analysis was conducted for dichotomized total, motor, and cognitive Functional Independence Measure scores using univariable and multivariable analyses and patients' characteristics.

Results:

There was a significant population of non-white patients in the cohort (53%). Race was not found to be a factor that influenced outcomes. Patients who responded to treatment were more likely to be younger than 80, with a length of stay greater than 11 days, and currently employed. Length of stay had the strongest association with a positive treatment response (P ≤ 0.001). Patients who were older than 80 years and not working/retired at the time of stroke had less response to treatment.

Conclusion:

The results of the present study show that patients with a minimum of 3 key characteristics, in a diverse stroke population, are most likely to benefit maximally from intensive inpatient stroke rehabilitation irrespective of their race, sex, or number of comorbidities.
The Effects of Body Mass Index on Balance, Mobility, and Functional Capacity in Older Adults
Authors: Sertel Meral , Tarsuslu Şimşek Tülay , Tütün Yümin Eylem
Published: April 2017

Objective:

The aim of this study was to study the effects of body mass index (BMI) on balance, mobility, and physical capacity in the older adults.

Methods:

A total of 149 elderly individuals aged 65 to 85 years were recruited into the study. They were divided into 3 groups, including normal weight (n = 35), overweight (n = 67), and obese (n = 47), by their BMI values. Sociodemographic characteristics of the subjects were recorded, and their BMI values (body weight/height2 [kg/m2]) were calculated using height and body weight values. Balance was assessed by the Berg Balance Scale (BBS) and the tandem test, mobility by the Rivermead Mobility Index (RMI), and physical capacity by the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test.

Results:

The mean age of the subjects was 69.64 ± 6.60 years. Statistical analysis revealed that there is no statistically significant difference between the BBS, RMI, and TUG values of normal, obese, and overweight elderly subjects (P > .05). A statistically significant difference was found in tandem test values of the right and left feet (P < .05). A correlation was identified between the BMI and balance (BBS) values for the subjects with a high mean age (P < .05), whereas there was no such correlation for the subjects with a lower mean age (P > .05).

Conclusion:

Although increased weight affects balance and mobility in the older adults, it is an important factor that affects balance and physical mobility in advanced age.
Gait Speed and Confidence Levels in Persons Using 1 and 2 Canes While Walking a 4-m Course
Authors: Lisenby Marion A.
Published: April 2017

This is the first article that the researcher is aware of that compares walking speed and confidence levels with 1 cane versus 2 canes. An observational study was conducted with 30 participants who had difficulty walking. Gait speed was assessed on a 4-m course with the participants using 1 cane, then 2 canes. Of 30 participants, 28 walked faster and demonstrated improved confidence with 2 canes. Use of 2 canes with gait might be a technique that people want to consider to improve confidence or to improve walking speed, or improve both.
Distinct Patterns of Dietary Intake in Different Functional Classes of Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Mizukami Yuki , Matsui Toshihiro , Tohma Shigeto , Masuko Kayo
Published: April 2017

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis have difficulty with cooking and eating. We compared dietary intake of patients with rheumatoid arthritis of different ages and functional classes. Eighty-nine patients (male:female, 18:71; mean age, 65.0; and mean disease duration: 18.8 years) completed the self-administered brief diet history questionnaire. The data from the female patients were compared with the average intake from the 2013 National Health and Nutrition Survey in Japan. The results showed that the estimated energy, protein, and fat intake in the rheumatoid arthritis group of those 70 years of age or greater was higher than the national average. Patients with functional disability consumed fewer foods that required dexterity, including fish. Nutritional counseling by dietitians should be provided to help arthritic patients.
Modeling the Effect of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor on Transplant Immunity
Authors: Julliard Walker , Fechner John H. , Owens Leah , O'Driscoll Chelsea A. , Zhou Ling , Sullivan Jeremy A. , Frydrych Lynn , Mueller Amanda , Mezrich Joshua D.
Published: April 2017

Background

Exposure to pollutants through inhalation is a risk factor for lung diseases including cancer, asthma, and lung transplant rejection, but knowledge of the effects of inhaled pollutants on pathologies outside of the lung is limited.

Methods

Using the minor-mismatched model of male C57BL/6J (B6) to female B6 skin grafts, recipient mice were treated with an inhaled urban dust particle sample every 3 days before and after grafting. Graft survival time was determined, and analysis of the resulting immune response was performed at time before rejection.

Results

Significant prolongation of male skin grafts occurred in recipient female mice treated with urban dust particles compared with controls and was found to be dependent on aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) expression in the recipient mouse. T cell responses to the male histocompatibility antigen (H-Y) Dby were not altered by exposure to pollutants. A reduction in the frequency of IFNγ-producing CD4 T cells infiltrating the graft on day 7 posttransplant was observed. Flow cytometry analysis revealed that AHR expression is upregulated in IFNγ-producing CD4 T cells during immune responses in vitro and in vivo.

Conclusions

Surprisingly, inhalation of a pollutant standard was found to prolong graft survival in a minor-mismatched skin graft model in an AHR-dependent manner. One possible mechanism may be an effect on IFNγ-producing CD4 T cells responding to donor antigen. The increased expression of AHR in this CD4 T cell subset suggests that AHR ligands within the particulate matter may be directly affecting the type 1 T helper cell response in this model.
Human infectious disease burdens decrease with urbanization but not with biodiversity
Authors: Wood Chelsea L. , McInturff Alex , Young Hillary S. , Kim DoHyung , Lafferty Kevin D.
Published: April 2017

Infectious disease burdens vary from country to country and year to year due to ecological and economic drivers. Recently, Murrayet al.(Murray CJet al. 2012Lancet380, 2197–2223. (doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61689-4)) estimated country-level morbidity and mortality associated with a variety of factors, including infectious diseases, for the years 1990 and 2010. Unlike other databases that report disease prevalence or count outbreaks per country, Murrayet al.report health impacts in per-person disability-adjusted life years (DALYs), allowing comparison across diseases with lethal and sublethal health effects. We investigated the spatial and temporal relationships between DALYs lost to infectious disease and potential demographic, economic, environmental and biotic drivers, for the 60 intermediate-sized countries where data were available and comparable. Most drivers had unique associations with each disease. For example, temperature was positively associated with some diseases and negatively associated with others, perhaps due to differences in disease agent thermal optima, transmission modes and host species identities. Biodiverse countries tended to have high disease burdens, consistent with the expectation that high diversity of potential hosts should support high disease transmission. Contrary to the dilution effect hypothesis, increases in biodiversity over time were not correlated with improvements in human health, and increases in forestation over time were actually associated with increased disease burden. Urbanization and wealth were associated with lower burdens for many diseases, a pattern that could arise from increased access to sanitation and healthcare in cities and increased investment in healthcare. The importance of urbanization and wealth helps to explain why most infectious diseases have become less burdensome over the past three decades, and points to possible levers for further progress in improving global public health.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Conservation, biodiversity and infectious disease: scientific evidence and policy implications’.
Does deforestation promote or inhibit malaria transmission in the Amazon? A systematic literature review and critical appraisal of current evidence
Authors: Tucker Lima Joanna M. , Vittor Amy , Rifai Sami , Valle Denis
Published: April 2017

Considerable interest in the relationship between biodiversity and disease has recently captured the attention of the research community, with important public policy implications. In particular, malaria in the Amazon region is often cited as an example of how forest conservation can improve public health outcomes. However, despite a growing body of literature and an increased understanding of the relationship between malaria and land use / land cover change (LULC) in Amazonia, contradictions have emerged. While some studies report that deforestation increases malaria risk, others claim the opposite. Assessing malaria risk requires examination of dynamic processes among three main components: (i) the environment (i.e. LULC and landscape transformations), (ii) vector biology (e.g. mosquito species distributions, vector activity and life cycle, plasmodium infection rates), and (iii) human populations (e.g. forest-related activity, host susceptibility, movement patterns). In this paper, we conduct a systematic literature review on malaria risk and deforestation in the Amazon focusing on these three components. We explore key features that are likely to generate these contrasting results using the reviewed articles and our own data from Brazil and Peru, and conclude with suggestions for productive avenues in future research.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Conservation, biodiversity and infectious disease: scientific evidence and policy implications'.
Disease ecology, health and the environment: a framework to account for ecological and socio-economic drivers in the control of neglected tropical diseases
Authors: Garchitorena A. , Sokolow S. H. , Roche B. , Ngonghala C. N. , Jocque M. , Lund A. , Barry M. , Mordecai E. A. , Daily G. C. , Jones J. H. , Andrews J. R. , Bendavid E. , Luby S. P. , LaBeaud A. D. , Seetah K. , Guégan J. F. , Bonds M. H. , De Leo G. A.
Published: April 2017

Reducing the burden of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) is one of the key strategic targets advanced by the Sustainable Development Goals. Despite the unprecedented effort deployed for NTD elimination in the past decade, their control, mainly through drug administration, remains particularly challenging: persistent poverty and repeated exposure to pathogens embedded in the environment limit the efficacy of strategies focused exclusively on human treatment or medical care. Here, we present a simple modelling framework to illustrate the relative role of ecological and socio-economic drivers of environmentally transmitted parasites and pathogens. Through the analysis of system dynamics, we show that periodic drug treatments that lead to the elimination of directly transmitted diseases may fail to do so in the case of human pathogens with an environmental reservoir. Control of environmentally transmitted diseases can be more effective when human treatment is complemented with interventions targeting the environmental reservoir of the pathogen. We present mechanisms through which the environment can influence the dynamics of poverty via disease feedbacks. For illustration, we present the case studies of Buruli ulcer and schistosomiasis, two devastating waterborne NTDs for which control is particularly challenging.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Conservation, biodiversity and infectious disease: scientific evidence and policy implications’.
Ecosystem change and human health: implementation economics and policy
Authors: Pattanayak S. K. , Kramer R. A. , Vincent J. R.
Published: April 2017

Several recent initiatives such as
Planetary Health
,
EcoHealth
and
One Health
claim that human health depends on flourishing natural ecosystems. However, little has been said about the operational and implementation challenges of health-oriented conservation actions on the ground. We contend that ecological–epidemiological research must be complemented by a form of implementation science that examines: (i) the links between specific conservation actions and the resulting ecological changes, and (ii) how this ecological change impacts human health and well-being, when human behaviours are considered. Drawing on the policy evaluation tradition in public economics, first, we present three examples of recent social science research on conservation interventions that affect human health. These examples are from low- and middle-income countries in the tropics and subtropics. Second, drawing on these examples, we present three propositions related to impact evaluation and non-market valuation that can help guide future multidisciplinary research on conservation and human health. Research guided by these propositions will allow stakeholders to determine how ecosystem-mediated strategies for health promotion compare with more conventional biomedical prevention and treatment strategies for safeguarding health.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Conservation, biodiversity and infectious disease: scientific evidence and policy implications’.
Mapping and phasing of structural variation in patient genomes using nanopore sequencing
Authors: Stancu Mircea Cretu , van Roosmalen Markus J. , Renkens Ivo , Nieboer Marleen , Middelkamp Sjors , Ligt Joep de , Pregno Giulia , Giachino Daniela , Mandrile Giorgia , Valle-Inclan Jose Espejo , Korzelius Jerome , Bruijn Ewart de , Cuppen Edwin , Talkowski Michael E. , Marschall Tobias , Ridder Jeroen de , Kloosterman Wigard P.
Published: April 2017

Structural genomic variants form a common type of genetic alteration underlying human genetic disease and phenotypic variation. Despite major improvements in genome sequencing technology and data analysis, the detection of structural variants still poses challenges, particularly when variants are of high complexity. Emerging long-read single-molecule sequencing technologies provide new opportunities for detection of structural variants. Here, we demonstrate sequencing of the genomes of two patients with congenital abnormalities using the ONT MinION at 11x and 16x mean coverage, respectively. We developed a bioinformatic pipeline - NanoSV - to efficiently map genomic structural variants (SVs) from the long-read data. We demonstrate that the nanopore data are superior to corresponding short-read data with regard to detection ofde novorearrangements originating from complex chromothripsis events in the patients. Additionally, genome-wide surveillance of SVs, revealed 3,253 (33%) novel variants that were missed in short-read data of the same sample, the majority of which are duplications < 200bp in size. Long sequencing reads enabled efficient phasing of genetic variations, allowing the construction of genome-wide maps of phased SVs and SNVs. We employed read-based phasing to show that allde novochromothripsis breakpoints occurred on paternal chromosomes and we resolved the long-range structure of the chromothripsis. This work demonstrates the value of long-read sequencing for screening whole genomes of patients for complex structural variants.