bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Protected mealtimes for adults with cancer in a hematology-oncology setting: an evidence-based implementation project
Authors: Naseer Benazir , Tan Solano S.G. , Ramli Seri S. , Ang Emily
Published: April 2017

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Background:

Patients with cancer are often at risk or suffer from some form of malnutrition, which could be attributed to their disease progression or the adverse effects of cancer treatment. Protected mealtime and offering assistance during mealtime may not improve their nutritional status but would allow them to enjoy their meal and improve patient satisfaction.

Objectives:

The aim of this project was to promote best practice in protecting mealtimes in hematology-oncology patients.

Methods:

The current project adopted a clinical audit methodology using the Joanna Briggs Institute Practical Application of Clinical Evidence System tool. Four audit criteria that represent best practice recommendations for protected mealtimes were used. A pre-implementation audit was conducted followed by introduction of multiple interventions identified from the Getting Research into Practice analysis. A post implementation audit was conducted to determine the change of practice. In addition, a sustaining audit was conducted at six months after implementing the follow-up plan.

Results:

The four criteria showed an improvement: nurses ensured a pleasant eating environment around the patient cubicle (from 43% to 93% compliance), all nurses received education on mealtime care (no change – 100% sustenance), nurses conducted an assessment of the patients on admission on their ability to eat (from 95% to 100% compliance) and minimized unnecessary clinical interventions during mealtimes (92% to 89% compliance). The decline of 3% in the compliance rate of the last criterion could be attributed to the high turnover of patients during the post implementation audit period. The post implementation results at six months showed audit results being sustained at 100% compliance in all criteria.

Conclusion:

The results of this project demonstrated that improvement in best practice is possible in a busy oncology ward in the presence of great leadership, teamwork, empowerment and role modeling.
Effectiveness of nurse-initiated interventions on patient outcomes in the emergency department: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Burgess Luke , Kynoch Kate
Published: April 2017

Review question/objective:

The objective is to evaluate the effectiveness of nurse-initiated interventions (NIIs) on patient outcomes in the emergency department (ED).

More specifically, the objectives are to identify the effectiveness of NIIs, including but not limited to, nurse-initiated medications, nurse-initiated intravenous fluid therapy and nurse-initiated pathology on patient waiting time, time to treatment, length of stay, pain levels, symptom relief, patient satisfaction, leave without being seen rates and mortality rates in ED settings.
Clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and acceptability of community-based management of chronic hepatitis C: a mixed methods systematic review protocol
Authors: Pourmarzi Davoud , Hall Lisa , Rahman Tony , Lim David , FitzGerald Gerard
Published: April 2017

Review question/objective:

The current mixed methods review aims to develop an aggregated synthesis of quantitative, qualitative and economic systematic evidence on chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection management intervention delivered in community settings so as to gain an increased understanding of the clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and acceptability of community-based chronic HCV management. This review will contribute to the development of a community-based chronic HCV intervention and inform clinical practice and policy discussion.

The overarching question is: What is the clinical effectiveness, cost-effectiveness and acceptability of community-based programs for chronic HCV management?

The sub-questions to be addressed in the review are:

What is the clinical effectiveness (proportion of antiviral treatment completion and sustained virologic response) of the community-based chronic HCV management programs?

What is the acceptability (treatment uptake, adherence, engagement and satisfaction) of community-based chronic HCV management programs from the perspective of involved patients?

How are the models funded and are they cost-effective?

What are the organizational and operational elements of the models of community-based chronic HCV management?
Teaching and learning theories, and teaching methods used in postgraduate education in the health sciences: a scoping review protocol
Authors: McInerney Patricia A. , Green-Thompson Lionel P.
Published: April 2017

Review objectives/questions:

The objective of this scoping review is to determine the theories of teaching and learning, and/or models and/or methods used in teaching in postgraduate education in the health sciences. The longer term objective is to use the information gathered to design a workshop for teachers of postgraduate students.

The question that this review seeks to answer is: what theories of teaching and learning, and/or models and/or methods of teaching are used in postgraduate teaching?
Investigation of the Effect of Cavitation in Nozzles With Different Length to Diameter Ratios on Atomization of a Liquid Jet
Authors: Abderrezzak Belkacem , Huang Yong
Published: April 2017

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of cavitation on liquid jet atomization characteristics in nozzles of different length to diameter (L/D) ratios. For this purpose, a spray test facility with an ambient pressure chamber was constructed, and sprays were recorded using a high-speed camera for a wide range of conditions, which provided complete characterization of the orifice flow fields and the emerging jet. Collapse length measurements are provided and indicate the complex nature of the nozzle flow. Extensive discharge coefficient measurements for each nozzle are also presented. Finally, the influence of the length to diameter ratio on cavitation and subsequently on the spray structure is also addressed.
Dynamic Green's Functions and Integral Equations for a
Double-Porosity Dual-Permeability Poroelastic Material
Authors: Zheng Pei , Cheng Alexander H.-D. , Li Haolin
Published: April 2017

Geomaterials such as sedimentary rocks often contain fissures and cracks. Such secondary porosity will result in the so-called mesoscopic flow in wave propagation. Its presence is increasingly believed to be responsible for the significant wave energy loss in the seismic frequency band. In the present research, the double-porosity dual-permeability model is employed to describe such phenomena. Based on the model, we derive both the three-dimensional (3D) and two-dimensional (2D) dynamic Green's functions for the infinite space. The existence of reciprocity relation is demonstrated, which is used to deduce some interesting relations among Green's functions. These relations can serve as a consistency check on the obtained results. The Somigliana-type integral equations, the basis for the boundary element method (BEM), are also established. The complete list of Green's functions appearing in the integral equations is provided, which enables numerical implementation. Furthermore, the asymptotic behavior of the obtained solutions is discussed.
Cellular Microbiaxial Stretching to Measure a Single-Cell Strain Energy Density Function
Authors: Win Zaw , Buksa Justin M. , Steucke Kerianne E. , Gant Luxton G. W. , Barocas Victor H. , Alford Patrick W.
Published: April 2017

The stress in a cell due to extracellular mechanical stimulus is determined by its mechanical properties, and the structural organization of many adherent cells suggests that their properties are anisotropic. This anisotropy may significantly influence the cells' mechanotransductive response to complex loads, and has important implications for development of accurate models of tissue biomechanics. Standard methods for measuring cellular mechanics report linear moduli that cannot capture large-deformation anisotropic properties, which in a continuum mechanics framework are best described by a strain energy density function (SED). In tissues, the SED is most robustly measured using biaxial testing. Here, we describe a cellular microbiaxial stretching (CμBS) method that modifies this tissue-scale approach to measure the anisotropic elastic behavior of individual vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) with nativelike cytoarchitecture. Using CμBS, we reveal that VSMCs are highly anisotropic under large deformations. We then characterize a Holzapfel–Gasser–Ogden type SED for individual VSMCs and find that architecture-dependent properties of the cells can be robustly described using a formulation solely based on the organization of their actin cytoskeleton. These results suggest that cellular anisotropy should be considered when developing biomechanical models, and could play an important role in cellular mechano-adaptation.
Modeling of the Onset, Propagation, and Interaction of Multiple Cracks Generated From Corrosion Pits by Using Peridynamics
Authors: De Meo Dennj , Russo Luigi , Oterkus Erkan
Published: April 2017

High stress regions around corrosion pits can lead to crack nucleation and propagation. In fact, in many engineering applications, corrosion pits act as precursor to cracking, but prediction of structural damage has been hindered by lack of understanding of the process by which a crack develops from a pit and limitations in visualization and measurement techniques. An experimental approach able to accurately quantify the stress and strain field around corrosion pits is still lacking. In this regard, numerical modeling can be helpful. Several numerical models, usually based on finite element method (FEM), are available for predicting the evolution of long cracks. However, the methodology for dealing with the nucleation of damage is less well developed, and, often, numerical instabilities arise during the simulation of crack propagation. Moreover, the popular assumption that the crack has the same depth as the pit at the point of transition and by implication initiates at the pit base has no intrinsic foundation. A numerical approach is required to model nucleation and propagation of cracks without being affected by any numerical instability and without assuming crack initiation from the base of the pit. This is achieved in the present study, where peridynamics (PD) theory is used in order to overcome the major shortcomings of the currently available numerical approaches. Pit-to-crack transition phenomenon is modeled, and nonconventional and more effective numerical frameworks that can be helpful in failure analysis and in the design of new fracture-resistant and corrosion-resistant materials are presented.
Effect of Proximity of Features on the Damage Threshold During Submicron Additive Manufacturing Via Two-Photon Polymerization
Authors: Saha Sourabh K. , Divin Chuck , Cuadra Jefferson A. , Panas Robert M.
Published: April 2017

Two-photon polymerization (TPP) is a laser writing process that enables fabrication of millimeter scale three-dimensional (3D) structures with submicron features. In TPP, writing is achieved via nonlinear two-photon absorption that occurs at high laser intensities. Thus, it is essential to carefully select the incident power to prevent laser damage during polymerization. Currently, the feasible range of laser power is identified by writing small test patterns at varying power levels. Herein, we demonstrate that the results of these tests cannot be generalized, because the damage threshold power depends on the proximity of features and reduces by as much as 47% for overlapping features. We have identified that this reduction occurs primarily due to an increase in the single-photon absorptivity of the resin after curing. We have captured the damage from proximity effects via X-ray 3D computed tomography (CT) images of a nonhomogenous part that has varying feature density. Part damage manifests as internal spherical voids that arise due to boiling of the resist. We have empirically quantified this proximity effect by identifying the damage threshold power at different writing speeds and feature overlap spacings. In addition, we present a first-order analytical model that captures the scaling of this proximity effect. Based on this model and the experiments, we have identified that the proximity effect is more significant at high writing speeds; therefore, it adversely affects the scalability of manufacturing. The scaling laws and the empirical data generated here can be used to select the appropriate TPP writing parameters.
ORIGINS OF THE GRAZ PHENOMENON
1.0 INTRODUCTION: LITERARY-HISTORICAL ISSUES IN GRAZ

1.1 WEST GERMAN INFLUENCES ON THE PUBLICATION AND RECEPTION OF AUSTRIAN LITERATURE SINCE 1960

1.1.1 The Absence of a 'Kulturindustrie' in the Austrian Second Republic

1.1.2 The Climate of Critical Reception in the Federal Republic in the 1960s

1.1.3 Literary Group Formation in Western Germany

1.1.4 The Formalist/Realist Debate and 'experimentelle Literatur'

1.1.5 The Growth of Positivism in Literary Criticism

1.1.6 The Austrian Response

1.2 FROM VIENNA TO GRAZ: CULTURAL POLITICS IN THE SECOND REPUBIC

1.2.1 A Dangerous Cultural Vacuum

1.2.2 The Cultural Background in Graz

1.3 THE 'SOGENANNTE GRAZER GRUPPE': THE EMERGENCE OF A LITERARY-HISTORICAL PROFILE

1.3.1 'Forum Stadtpark' and manuskripte: the Organisational Basis of the 'Grazer Gruppe'

1.3.2 Early Group Activities at 'Forum Stadtpark': the 'Studio der Jungen'

1.3.3 The Initial Reception of 'Grazer Literatur' in West Germany

1.3.4 Inadequate Critical Definition of the 'Grazer Gruppe'

1.3.5 Clarification of the Group Concept: An 'Informal Group'

1.3.6 The Elements of an Adequate Group Definition

1.3.7 The Critical Breakthrough of the Graz Group

1.4 IS THERE A LITERATURE OF GRAZ?: THE AESTHETIC BASIS OF 'GRAZER LITERATUR'

1.4.1 Critical Approaches to 'Grazer Literatur'

1.4.1.1 Negative Characteristics: A Literature of Opposition

1.4.1.2 Experiment and Tradition: Positivist Critical Models

1.4.1.3 An Austrian Perspective on 'Grazer Literatur'

1.4.2 Linguistic Self-Consciousness: 'Grazer Literatur' and the Austrian Tradition of 'Sprachkritik'

1.4.2.1 The 'Grazer Gruppe' and Austrian Avant-Garde Ideas on Language

1.4.2.2 The Inheritance of the 'Wiener Gruppe': 'Sprachspiele' in Graz

Authors: -- --
Published: April 2017

G. Roth, Graz
APPENDIX - Gerhard Roth: Bibliography 1966 - 1983
I. Works

II. Criticism and Interpretation
Authors: -- --
Published: April 2017

G. Roth, Graz
Simulation of acoustic guided wave propagation in cortical bone using a semi-analytical finite element method
Authors: Pereira Daniel , Haiat Guillaume , Fernandes Julio , Belanger Pierre
Published: April 2017

Axial transmission techniques have been extensively studied for cortical bone quality assessment. However, the modeling of ultrasonic guided waves propagation in such a complex medium remains challenging. The aim of this paper is to develop a semi-analytical finite element method to simulate the propagation of guided waves in an irregular, multi-layer, and heterogeneous bone cross-section modeled with anisotropic and viscoelastic material properties. The accuracy of the simulations was verified against conventional time-domain three-dimensional finite element. The method was applied in the context of axial transmission in bone to investigate the feasibility of first arrival signal (FAS) to monitor degradation of intracortical properties at low frequency. Different physiopathological conditions for the intracortical region, varying from healthy to osteoporotic, were monitored through FAS velocity using a 10-cycle tone burst excitation centered at 32.5 kHz. The results show that the variation in FAS velocity is mainly associated with four of the eight modes supported by the waveguide, varying with velocity values between 550 and 700 m/s along the different scenarios. Furthermore, the FAS velocity is shown to be associated with the group velocity of the mode with the highest relative amplitude contribution at each studied scenario. However, because of the evolution of the mode with the highest contribution, the FAS velocity is shown to be limited to discriminate intracortical bone properties at low frequency.
Student-Athlete Career Self-Efficacy: Workshop Development and Evaluation
Authors: Van Raalte Judy L. , Andrews Staci R. , Cornelius Allen E. , Brewer Britton W. , Petitpas Albert J.
Published: April 2017

Although graduation rates for intercollegiate student-athletes in the United States have hit record highs in recent years, many student-athletes lag behind their nonathlete peers in terms of career readiness. The purpose of this research was to create and evaluate a theoretically grounded, evidence-based career development workshop for student-athletes. In Study 1, 28 college and university professionals reviewed the Career Self-Exploration for Student-Athletes Workshop Presenter’s Guide and online training videos. Workshop materials were revised based on feedback received. In Study 2, a national sample of 158 student-athletes participated in a controlled field trial. Results indicated that participating in the Career Self-Exploration for Student-Athletes Workshop enhanced student-athletes’ career self-efficacy relative to a control group. These findings suggest that the Career Self-Exploration for Student-Athletes Workshop, available online for free, can be used by campus professionals to enhance career development opportunities for student-athletes across geographic regions and resource availability levels.
YAP-mediated mechanotransduction determines the podocyte’s response to damage
Authors: Rinschen Markus M. , Grahammer Florian , Hoppe Ann-Kathrin , Kohli Priyanka , Hagmann Henning , Kretz Oliver , Bertsch Sabine , Höhne Martin , Göbel Heike , Bartram Malte P. , Gandhirajan Rajesh Kumar , Krüger Marcus , Brinkkoetter Paul-Thomas , Huber Tobias B. , Kann Martin , Wickström Sara A. , Benzing Thomas , Schermer Bernhard
Published: April 2017

Mechanosensitive activation of YAP is an early response in damaged kidneys.
Papers of note in
Science
356
(6333)
Authors: VanHook Annalisa M.
Published: April 2017

This week’s articles identify a potential cause for the development of celiac disease and a method for targeting an AMPA receptor agonist to specific neurons.
NLS protects DNA damage protein
Authors: Mushegian Alexandra A.
Published: April 2017

A single motif targets a protein to the nucleus and directs its deubiquitylation, promoting high-fidelity DNA damage repair.
Ethambutol Is Cleared by a Contemporary High-Flux Hemodialyzer, and Drug Monitoring Ensures Safety and Therapeutic Effect
Authors: Chew Rusheng , Jongbloed Sarah , Jegatheesan Dev , Healy Helen , Ta Kim , Ungerer Jacobus , McWhinney Brett , Donovan Peter , Woods Marion L.
Published: April 2017

It is uncertain, given the lack of recent data and the inconclusive nature of previous data, whether ethambutol is cleared by hemodialysis using contemporary dialyzers. We measured serum ethambutol concentrations before, during, and 1 h after hemodialysis in a 75-year-old Caucasian man receiving ethambutol for disseminated Bacille Calmette-Guérin infection. There was a mean 41% decrease in serum ethambutol concentration during dialysis, confirming the hemodialyzability of ethambutol and the utility of drug monitoring in ensuring safety.
Salicylidene Acylhydrazides and Hydroxyquinolines Act as Inhibitors of Type Three Secretion Systems in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by Distinct Mechanisms
Authors: Anantharajah Ahalieyah , Buyck Julien M. , Sundin Charlotta , Tulkens Paul M. , Mingeot-Leclercq Marie-Paule , Van Bambeke Françoise
Published: April 2017

Type 3 secretion systems (T3SSs) are major virulence factors in Gram-negative bacteria.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
expresses two T3SSs, namely, an injectisome (iT3SS) translocating effector proteins in the host cell cytosol and a flagellum (fT3SS) ensuring bacterial motility. Inhibiting these systems is an appealing therapeutic strategy for acute infections. This study examines the protective effects of the salicylidene acylhydrazide INP0341 and of the hydroxyquinoline INP1750 (previously described as T3SS inhibitors in other species) toward cytotoxic effects of
P. aeruginosa
in vitro
. Both compounds reduced cell necrosis and inflammasome activation induced by reference strains or clinical isolates expressing T3SS toxins or only the translocation apparatus. INP0341 inhibited iT3SS transcriptional activation, including in strains with constitutive iT3SS expression, and reduced the total expression of toxins, suggesting it targets iT3SS gene transcription. INP1750 inhibited toxin secretion and flagellar motility and impaired the activity of the YscN ATPase from
Yersinia pseudotuberculosis
(homologous to the ATPase present in the basal body of
P. aeruginosa
iT3SS and fT3SS), suggesting that it rather targets a T3SS core constituent with high homology among iT3SS and fT3SS. This mode of action is similar to that previously described for INP1855, another hydroxyquinoline, against
P. aeruginosa
. Thus, although acting by different mechanisms, INP0341 and INP1750 appear as useful inhibitors of the virulence of
P. aeruginosa
. Hydroxyquinolines may have a broader spectrum of activity by the fact they act upon two virulence factors (iT3SS and fT3SS).
Cyclic AMP-Elevating Capacity of Adenylate Cyclase Toxin-Hemolysin Is Sufficient for Lung Infection but Not for Full Virulence of Bordetella pertussis
Authors: Skopova Karolina , Tomalova Barbora , Kanchev Ivan , Rossmann Pavel , Svedova Martina , Adkins Irena , Bibova Ilona , Tomala Jakub , Masin Jiri , Guiso Nicole , Osicka Radim , Sedlacek Radislav , Kovar Marek , Sebo Peter
Published: April 2017

The adenylate cyclase toxin-hemolysin (CyaA, ACT, or AC-Hly) ofBordetella pertussistargets phagocytic cells expressing the complement receptor 3 (CR3, Mac-1, αMβ2integrin, or CD11b/CD18). CyaA delivers into cells an N-terminal adenylyl cyclase (AC) enzyme domain that is activated by cytosolic calmodulin and catalyzes unregulated conversion of cellular ATP into cyclic AMP (cAMP), a key second messenger subverting bactericidal activities of phagocytes. In parallel, the hemolysin (Hly) moiety of CyaA forms cation-selective hemolytic pores that permeabilize target cell membranes. We constructed the firstB. pertussismutant secreting a CyaA toxin having an intact capacity to deliver the AC enzyme into CD11b-expressing (CD11b+) host phagocytes but impaired in formation of cell-permeabilizing pores and defective in cAMP elevation in CD11b−cells. The nonhemolytic AC+Hly−bacteria inhibited the antigen-presenting capacities of coincubated mouse dendritic cellsin vitroand skewed their Toll-like receptor (TLR)-triggered maturation toward a tolerogenic phenotype. The AC+Hly−mutant also infected mouse lungs as efficiently as the parental AC+Hly+strain. Hence, elevation of cAMP in CD11b−cells and/or the pore-forming capacity of CyaA were not required for infection of mouse airways. The latter activities were, however, involved in bacterial penetration across the epithelial layer, enhanced neutrophil influx into lung parenchyma during sublethal infections, and the exacerbated lung pathology and lethality ofB. pertussisinfections at higher inoculation doses (>107CFU/mouse). The pore-forming activity of CyaA further synergized with the cAMP-elevating activity in downregulation of major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) molecules on infiltrating myeloid cells, likely contributing to immune subversion of host defenses by the whooping cough agent.
MS2 Lysis of Escherichia coli Depends on Host Chaperone DnaJ
Authors: Chamakura Karthik R. , Tran Jennifer S. , Young Ry
Published: April 2017

The L protein of the single-stranded RNA phage MS2 causes lysis of
Escherichia coli
without inducing bacteriolytic activity or inhibiting net peptidoglycan (PG) synthesis. To find host genes required for L-mediated lysis, spontaneous Ill (
i
nsensitivity to
L
l
ysis) mutants were selected as survivors of L expression and shown to have a missense change of the highly conserved proline (P330Q) in the C-terminal domain of DnaJ. In the
dnaJ
P330Q
mutant host, L-mediated lysis is completely blocked at 30°C without affecting the intracellular levels of L. At higher temperatures (37°C and 42°C), both lysis and L accumulation are delayed. The lysis block at 30°C in the
dnaJ
P330Q
mutant was recessive and could be suppressed by

L

o
vercomes

d

na

J

(

L
odj

) alleles selected for restoration of lysis. All three

L
odj

alleles lack the highly basic N-terminal half of the lysis protein and cause lysis ∼20 min earlier than full-length L. DnaJ was found to form a complex with full-length L. This complex was abrogated by the P330Q mutation and was absent with the L
odj
truncations. These results suggest that, in the absence of interaction with DnaJ, the N-terminal domain of L interferes with its ability to bind to its unknown target. The lysis retardation and DnaJ chaperone dependency conferred by the nonessential, highly basic N-terminal domain of L resembles the SlyD chaperone dependency conferred by the highly basic C-terminal domain of the E lysis protein of ϕX174, suggesting a common theme where single-gene lysis can be modulated by host factors influenced by physiological conditions.

IMPORTANCE
Small single-stranded nucleic acid lytic phages (
Microviridae
and
Leviviridae
) lyse their host by expressing a single “protein antibiotic.” The protein antibiotics from two out of three prototypic small lytic viruses have been shown to inhibit two different steps in the conserved PG biosynthesis pathway. However, the molecular basis of lysis caused by L, the lysis protein of the third prototypic virus, MS2, is unknown. The significance of our research lies in the identification of DnaJ as a chaperone in the MS2 L lysis pathway and the identification of the minimal lytic domain of MS2 L. Additionally, our research highlights the importance of the highly conserved P330 residue in the C-terminal domain of DnaJ for specific protein interactions.
Biochemical and Genetic Analysis of the Chlamydia GroEL Chaperonins
Authors: Illingworth Melissa , Hooppaw Anna J. , Ruan Lu , Fisher Derek J. , Chen Lingling
Published: April 2017

Chaperonins are essential for cellular growth under normal and stressful conditions and consequently represent one of the most conserved and ancient protein classes. The paradigm
Escherichia coli
chaperonin, EcGroEL, and its cochaperonin, EcGroES, assist in the folding of proteins via an ATP-dependent mechanism. In addition to the presence of
groEL
and
groES
homologs,
groEL
paralogs are found in many bacteria, including pathogens, and have evolved poorly understood species-specific functions.
Chlamydia
spp., which are obligate intracellular bacteria, have reduced genomes that nonetheless contain three
groEL
genes,
Chlamydia groEL
(
ChgroEL
),
ChgroEL2
, and
ChgroEL3
. We hypothesized that ChGroEL is the bona fide chaperonin and that the paralogs perform novel
Chlamydia
-specific functions. To test our hypothesis, we investigated the biochemical properties of ChGroEL and its cochaperonin, ChGroES, and queried the
in vivo
essentiality of the three
ChgroEL
genes through targeted mutagenesis in
Chlamydia trachomatis
. ChGroEL hydrolyzed ATP at a rate 25% of that of EcGroEL and bound with high affinity to ChGroES, and the ChGroEL-ChGroES complex could refold malate dehydrogenase (MDH). The chlamydial ChGroEL was selective for its cognate cochaperonin, ChGroES, while EcGroEL could function with both EcGroES and ChGroES. A P35T ChGroES mutant (ChGroESP35T) reduced ChGroEL-ChGroES interactions and MDH folding activities but was tolerated by EcGroEL. Both ChGroEL-ChGroES and EcGroEL-ChGroESP35T could complement an EcGroEL-EcGroES mutant. Finally, we successfully inactivated both paralogs but not
ChgroEL
, leading to minor growth defects in cell culture that were not exacerbated by heat stress. Collectively, our results support novel functions for the paralogs and solidify ChGroEL as a bona fide chaperonin that is biochemically distinct from EcGroEL.

IMPORTANCE
Chlamydia
is an important cause of human diseases, including pneumonia, sexually transmitted infections, and trachoma. The chlamydial chaperonin ChGroEL and chaperonin paralog ChGroEL2 have been associated with survival under stress conditions, and ChGroEL is linked with immunopathology elicited by chlamydial infections. However, their exact roles in bacterial survival and disease remain unclear. Our results further substantiate the hypotheses that ChGroEL is the primary chlamydial chaperonin and that the paralogs play specialized roles during infection. Furthermore, ChGroEL and the mitochondrial GroEL only functioned with their cochaperonin, in contrast to the promiscuous nature of GroEL from
E. coli
and
Helicobacter pylori
, which might indicate a divergent evolution of GroEL during the transition from a free-living organism to an obligate intracellular lifestyle.
Diverse C-Terminal Sequences Involved in Flavobacterium johnsoniae Protein Secretion
Authors: Kulkarni Surashree S. , Zhu Yongtao , Brendel Colton J. , McBride Mark J.
Published: April 2017

Flavobacterium
johnsoniae
and many related bacteria secrete proteins across the outer membrane using the type IX secretion system (T9SS). Proteins secreted by T9SSs have amino-terminal signal peptides for export across the cytoplasmic membrane by the Sec system and carboxy-terminal domains (CTDs) targeting them for secretion across the outer membrane by the T9SS. Most but not all T9SS CTDs belong to the family TIGR04183 (type A CTDs). We functionally characterized diverse CTDs for secretion by the
F. johnsoniae
T9SS. Attachment of the CTDs from
F. johnsoniae
RemA, AmyB, and ChiA to the foreign superfolder green fluorescent protein (sfGFP) that had a signal peptide at the amino terminus resulted in secretion across the outer membrane. In each case, approximately 80 to 100 amino acids from the extreme carboxy termini were needed for efficient secretion. Several type A CTDs from distantly related members of the phylum
Bacteroidetes
functioned in
F. johnsoniae
, supporting the secretion of sfGFP by the
F. johnsoniae
T9SS.
F. johnsoniae
SprB requires the T9SS for secretion but lacks a type A CTD. It has a conserved C-terminal domain belonging to the family TIGR04131, which we refer to as a type B CTD. The CTD of SprB was required for its secretion, but attachment of C-terminal regions of SprB of up to 1,182 amino acids to sfGFP failed to result in secretion. Additional features outside the C-terminal region of SprB may be required for its secretion.

IMPORTANCE
Type IX protein secretion systems (T9SSs) are common in but limited to members of the phylum
Bacteroidetes
. Most proteins that are secreted by T9SSs have conserved carboxy-terminal domains that belong to the protein domain family TIGR04183 (type A CTDs) or TIGR04131 (type B CTDs). Here, we identify features of T9SS CTDs of
F. johnsoniae
that are required for protein secretion and demonstrate that type A CTDs from distantly related members of the phylum function with the
F. johnsoniae
T9SS to secrete the foreign protein sfGFP. In contrast, type B CTDs failed to target sfGFP for secretion, suggesting a more complex association with the T9SS.
Talus fracture in a 4-year-old child
Authors: Michel-Traverso Aurélien , Ngo Trieu Hoai Nam , Bruyere Clémence , Saglini Marco
Published: April 2017

Fracture of the talus is uncommon in childhood. We report a case of talar neck fracture that occurred in a 4-year-old girl. We present the radiological findings, the orthopaedic follow-up and the clinical outcome.
The Eyesi simulator in training ophthalmology residents: results of a pilot study on self-efficacy, motivation and performance
Authors: Wisse Robert PL , Coster Tessa , Van der Schaaf Marieke , Ten Cate Olle
Published: April 2017

Purpose

To describe ophthalmology residents’ motivation and self-efficacy during cataract surgery training and to assess the relationship of self-efficacy and motivation on both simulator (Eyesi) and real-life surgical performance.

Methods

Prospective cohort study using a within-subject design. Eight residents were asked to fill out questionnaires on self-efficacy and motivation towards the Eyesi simulator and real-life cataract surgery at three different moments. Simulator performance was derived from the instrument’s output. Patient charts were reviewed to assess real-life surgical performance.

Results

Comparative analysis, using a paired sampled t-test, showed a significant increase in self-efficacy towards real-life cataract surgery after completing the cataract training on the simulator (p=0.005). Furthermore, we found a significant correlation between total tasks to complete the cataract training and self-efficacy scored after working with the simulator (p=0.038). Motivation towards the simulator remained stable over time and seemed not to be influenced by simulator or real-life performance.

Conclusions

We found evidence that performance on the simulator correlated with residents’ self-efficacy scored after the simulator training, supporting the theory that self-efficacy is determined by prior performance. Self-efficacy seemed inversely related to the ease of completion of a task: delivery of a greater effort leads to more satisfaction and a higher perceived self-efficacy towards this particular task. Future studies should include more subjects to provide a more accurate insight in the role of self-efficacy and motivation in training complex surgical skills.
Residents’ use of mobile technologies: three challenges for graduate medical education
Authors: MacLeod Anna , Fournier Cathy
Published: April 2017

Introduction

The practice of medicine involves, among other things, managing ambiguity, interpreting context and making decisions in the face of uncertainty. These uncertainties, amplified for learners, can be negotiated in a variety of ways; however, the promise, efficiency and availability of mobile technologies and clinical decision supports make these tools an appealing way to manage ambiguity.

Mobile technologies are becoming increasingly prevalent in medical education and in the practice of medicine. Because of this, we explored how the use of mobile technologies is influencing residents’ experiences of graduate medical education.

Methods

We conducted an 18-month qualitative investigation to explore this issue. Our research was conceptually and theoretically framed in sociomaterial studies of professional learning. Specifically, our methods included logging of technology use and related reflexive writing by residents (n=10), interviews with residents (n=12) and interviews with faculty (n=6).

Results

We identified three challenges for graduate medical education related to mobile technology use: (1) efficiency versus critical thinking; (2) patient context versus evidence-based medicine and (3) home/work-life balance.

Discussion

In this digital age, decontextualised knowledge is readily available. Our data indicate that rather than access to accurate knowledge, the more pressing challenge for medical educators is managing how, when and why learners choose to access that information.
Rapid changes in age and size at maturity in Lake Erie yellow perch (Perca flavescens) are not explained by harvest
Authors: Gíslason Davíð , McLaughlin Robert L. , Robinson Beren W. , Cook Andy , Dunlop Erin S.
Published: April 2017

Harvest can change phenotypic traits of populations through immediate demographic consequences, evolutionary responses to harvest selection, or developmental responses by individuals. This study investigated the plastic phenotypic effects of harvest on size and age at maturity in a commercially exploited freshwater fish. We tested an individual growth and life history plasticity model using lagged correlations incorporating how harvesting fish ages 2 and older influenced the abundance of juvenile fish, resource availability, individual growth rates, and carry-over responses in age and size at maturity. Our test used cohort data for Lake Erie yellow perch (Perca flavescens). Age and size at maturity fluctuated widely and rapidly across 23 cohorts between 1991 and 2013, suggesting phenotypic plasticity contributed strongly to maturation dynamics. The changes in maturity could not be explained by responses to harvest, as expected under the plasticity model. In Lake Erie, age and size at maturity in yellow perch appear to be responding to other drivers, such as harvest-induced dynamics of other fish stocks or ecosystem changes that are independent of harvest.
Influence of plasma environment on K-line emission in highly ionized iron atoms evaluated using a Debye–Hückel model
Authors: Deprince J. , Fritzsche S. , Kallman T.R. , Palmeri P. , Quinet P.
Published: April 2017

The influence of plasma environment on the atomic parameters associated with the K-vacancy states has been investigated theoretically for several iron ions. To do this, a time-averaged Debye–Hückel potential for both the electron–nucleus and electron–electron interactions has been considered in the framework of relativistic multiconfiguration Dirac–Fock computations. More particularly, the plasma screening effects on ionization potentials, K-thresholds, transition energies, and radiative rates have been estimated in the astrophysical context of accretion disks around black holes. In the present paper, we describe the behaviour of those atomic parameters for Ne-, Na-, Ar-, and K-like iron ions.
Spinning dilaton black hole in 2 + 1 dimensions as a particle accelerator
Authors: Fernando Sharmanthie
Published: April 2017

In this paper, we have studied particle collision around a spinning dilaton black hole in 2 + 1 dimensions. This black hole is a solution to the low-energy string theory in 2 + 1 dimensions. Time-like geodesics are presented in detail and the center-of-mass (CM) energy of two-particle collision at the horizon of a spinning black hole is considered. We noticed that there is a possibility of the two masses to create infinite CM energy.
Enhancement of thermoelectric figure of merit in zigzag graphene nanoribbons with periodic edge vacancies
Authors: Kolesnikov D. V. , Sadykova O. G. , Osipov V. A.
Published: April 2017

The influence of periodic edge vacancies and antidot arrays on the thermoelectric properties of zigzag graphene nanoribbons (ZGNRs) are investigated. Using Green’s function method, the tight-binding approximation for the electron Hamiltonian and the 4th nearest neighbor approximation for the phonon dynamical matrix, we calculate the Seebeck coefficient and the thermoelectric figure of merit. It is found that, at a certain periodic arrangement of vacancies on both edges of zigzag nanoribbon, a finite band gap opens and almost twofold degenerate energy levels appear. As a result, a marked increase in the Seebeck coefficient takes place. It is shown that an additional enhancement of the thermoelectric figure of merit can be achieved by a combination of periodic edge defects with an antidot array.
Intelligent pulse light source in the performance calibration system of two-dimensional neutron detector
Authors: Yang Lei , Zhao Xiao-Fang
Published: April 2017

Chinese Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS) project will use numerous two-dimensional (2D) neutron detectors whose ZnS (Ag) scintillator is doped with 6Li. To ensure the consistency of all neutron detectors, a calibration system for the performance of 2D neutron detectors is designed. For radiation protection, the state control of the radiation source gets more and more strict. It is impossible to directly carry out experiments with massive radioactive particles. Thus, the following scheme has been designed. The controlled pulsed laser light source on a 2D mobile platform is used to replace the neutron bombardment to generate the photon. The pulse signal drives the laser diode to generate pulse light. The pulse light source located on the 2D platform is controlled by the core controller, and goes to the wavelength shift fiber through the optical fiber. The host computer (PC) receives the signal from the electronics system, processes data, and automatically calibrates the performance parameters. As shown by the experimental results, the pulse light source can perfectly meet all requirements of 2D neutron detector calibration system.
Analysis of a novel double driving signal line and driving electrodes separated RF MEMS switch
Authors: Chen Zhiqiang , Tian Wenchao , Zhang Xiaotong
Published: April 2017

A novel double driving signal line and driving electrodes separated radio frequency (RF) micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) switch was proposed in this paper to overcome the problems of the high actuation voltage, small displacement, and long pull-down time of the RF MEMS switches. Dynamic equations of the micro beam were built based on the small deflection theory. Dynamic behaviors of the proposed RF MEMS switch were analyzed and calculated by the variable separation method. The effects of different driving voltages, structure parameters and materials on the RF MEMS switch performance were discussed in detail. The simulation results presented that the proposed RF MEMS switch had an actuation voltage of 26 V, a pull-down time of 31.5 [Formula: see text] and an actuation displacement of 3 [Formula: see text]. The results also showed that the pull-down time of micro beam increased as the dielectric layer thickness increased. When the beam thickness was higher than 1.1 [Formula: see text], the switch could not pull down anymore. Additionally, the switch had a lowest pull down time when Al was used as micro beam material, compared to Au, Si, and SiC. The COMSOL Multiphysics finite element analysis was carried out to validate the MATLAB simulation results, and the comparison results were basically consistent with the MATLAB simulation results. Besides, the proposed switch had an insertion loss of −0.2 dB on up-state and isolation of more than −20 dB on down-state at 60 GHz derived from the electromagnetic simulation results. The actuation voltage, pull-down time, actuation displacement, and electromagnetic performances of the proposed RF MEMS switch were compared to some other switches, which were better than some existing switches.
Fully Differential Class-AB OTA with Improved CMRR
Authors: Centurelli Francesco , Monsurrò Pietro , Parisi Gaetano , Tommasino Pasquale , Trifiletti Alessandro
Published: April 2017

This paper presents a fully differential class-AB current mirror OTA that improves the common-mode behavior of a topology that presents very good differential-mode performance but poor common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR). The proposed solution requires a low-current auxiliary circuit driven by the input signal, to compensate the effect of the common-mode input component. Simulations in 40-nm CMOS technology show a net reduction of common-mode gain of more than 90[Formula: see text]dB without affecting the differential-mode behavior; a sample-and-hold amplifier exploiting the proposed amplifier has also been simulated.
Integrating Sparse and Collaborative Representation Classifications for Image Classification
Authors: Tian Chunwei , Sun Guanglu , Zhang Qi , Wang Weibing , Chen Teng , Sun Yuan
Published: April 2017

Collaborative representation classification (CRC) is an important sparse method, which is easy to carry out and uses a linear combination of training samples to represent a test sample. CRC method utilizes the offset between representation result of each class and the test sample to implement classification. However, the offset usually cannot well express the difference between every class and the test sample. In this paper, we propose a novel representation method for image recognition to address the above problem. This method not only fuses sparse representation and CRC method to improve the accuracy of image recognition, but also has novel fusion mechanism to classify images. The implementations of the proposed method have the following steps. First of all, it produces collaborative representation of the test sample. That is, a linear combination of all the training samples is first determined to represent the test sample. Then, it gets the sparse representation classification (SRC) of the test sample. Finally, the proposed method respectively uses CRC and SRC representations to obtain two kinds of scores of the test sample and fuses them to recognize the image. The experiments of face recognition show that the combination of CRC and SRC has satisfactory performance for image classification.
Fuzzy Transform-Based Fusion of Multiple Images
Authors: Manchanda Meenu , Sharma Rajiv
Published: April 2017

Extensive development has taken place in the field of image fusion and various algorithms of image fusion have attracted the attention of many researchers in the recent past. Various algorithms of image fusion are used to combine information from multiple source images into a single fused image. In this paper, fusion of multiple images using fuzzy transform is proposed. Images to be fused are initially decomposed into same size blocks. These blocks are then fuzzy transformed and fused using maxima coefficient value-based fusion rule. Finally, the fused image is obtained by performing inverse fuzzy transform. The performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated by performing experiments on multifocus, medical and visible/infrared images. Further, the performance of the proposed algorithm is compared with the state-of-the-art image fusion algorithms, both subjectively and objectively. Experimental results and comparative study show that the proposed fusion algorithm fuses the multiple images effectively and produces better fusion results for medical and visible/infrared images.
A dual-gradient chemotaxis system modeling the spontaneous aggregation of microglia in Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Jin Hai-Yang , Wang Zhi-An
Published: April 2017

In this paper, we consider the following dual-gradient chemotaxis model [Formula: see text] with [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] for [Formula: see text], where [Formula: see text] is a bounded domain in [Formula: see text] with smooth boundary, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text]. The model was proposed to interpret the spontaneous aggregation of microglia in Alzheimer’s disease due to the interaction of attractive and repulsive chemicals released by the microglia. It has been shown in the literature that, when [Formula: see text], the solution of the model with homogeneous Neumann boundary conditions either blows up or asymptotically decays to a constant in multi-dimensions depending on the sign of [Formula: see text], which means there is no pattern formation. In this paper, we shall show as [Formula: see text], the uniformly-in-time bounded global classical solutions exist in multi-dimensions and hence pattern formation can develop. This is significantly different from the results for the case [Formula: see text]. We perform the numerical simulations to illustrate the various patterns generated by the model, verify our analytical results and predict some unsolved questions. Biological applications of our results are discussed and open problems are presented.
Residuated relational systems
Authors: Bonzio Stefano , Chajda Ivan
Published: April 2017

The aim of the present paper is to generalize the concept of residuated poset, by replacing the usual partial ordering by a generic binary relation, giving rise to relational systems which are residuated. In particular, we modify the definition of adjointness in such a way that the ordering relation can be harmlessly replaced by a binary relation. By enriching such binary relation with additional properties, we get interesting properties of residuated relational systems which are analogical to those of residuated posets and lattices.