bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Leprosy in Puerto Rico: insight into the new millennia
Authors: Valentín Diana C. , Candelario Nicole , Carrasquillo Osward Y. , Figueroa Luz , Sánchez Jorge L.
Published: February 2017

Background

Leprosy, or Hansen's disease, is a chronic infectious disease caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium leprae. In 2000, the World Health Organization (WHO) defined the elimination of the disease as a global prevalence of less than one case per 10,000 population. However, disease transmission is an ongoing worldwide public health concern, as evidenced by the more than 220,000 new cases diagnosed each year.

Methods

This study is an update of the incidence and prevalence of leprosy in Puerto Rico for the period of 2000–2014. A retrospective analysis of data was obtained from the Tropical Disease Clinic (TDC) of the University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine.

Results

Sixty‐three new cases of leprosy are detailed in this study. Disease incidence and prevalence were 1.65 and 5.26 per 100,000 inhabitants (of the island of Puerto Rico), respectively, and an average of 4.2 new cases per year. Most of the male patients in the study suffered from lepromatous leprosy (P = 0.026). In all, 47 (74.6%) patients had been born in Puerto Rico, and 29 (46%) had an affected family member or were in close contact with someone with leprosy.

Conclusions

Compared to those of previous studies, these results demonstrate a decrease in both the incidence and prevalence of leprosy in Puerto Rico over the past 15 years. The relatively high prevalence of leprosy in Puerto Rico means that it remains endemic on the island. Concerted efforts must be undertaken to achieve the goal of the elimination of this old and stigmatized disease.
Management of hypoxaemic respiratory failure in a Respiratory High‐dependency Unit
Authors: Hukins Craig , Wong Mimi , Murphy Michelle , Upham John
Published: February 2017

Background

There are limited data on outcomes of hypoxaemic respiratory failure (HRF), especially in non‐intensive care unit (ICU) settings.

Aim

To assess outcomes in HRF (without multi‐system disease and not requiring early intubation) of patients directly admitted to a Respiratory High‐dependency Unit (R‐HDU).

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study of HRF compared to hypercapnic respiratory failure (HCRF) in a R‐HDU (2007–2011). Patient characteristics (age, gender, pre‐morbid status, diagnoses) and outcomes (non‐invasive ventilation (NIV) use, survival, ICU admission) were assessed.

Results

There were 1207 R‐HDU admissions in 2007–2011, 205 (17%) with HRF and 495 (41%) with HCRF. The proportion with HRF increased from 12.2% in 2007 to 20.1% in 2011 (P < 0.05). HRF patients were younger, more often male and had better pre‐morbid performance. Compared to HCRF, HRF was more frequently associated with lung consolidation (61% vs 15%, P < 0.001), interstitial lung disease (12% vs 1%, P < 0.001) and pulmonary hypertension (7% vs 0%, P < 0.001) and less frequently with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (24% vs 65%, P < 0.001) and obstructive sleep apnoea (8% vs 26%, P < 0.001). Fewer patients with HRF were treated with NIV (28% vs 87%, P < 0.001), but NIV was discontinued early more often (28% vs 7%, P < 0.001). A total of 18% with HRF was transferred to ICU compared to 6% with HCRF (P = 0.06). More patients with HRF died (19.5% vs 12.3%, P = 0.02). Interstitial lung disease, consolidation, shock, malignancy and poorer pre‐morbid function were associated with increased mortality.

Conclusion

Initial R‐HDU management is an effective option in selected HRF to reduce ICU demand, although mortality and clinical deterioration despite NIV are more common than in HCRF.
Overweight, obese, underweight, and frequency of sugar consumption as risk indicators for early childhood caries in Brazilian preschool children
Authors: Ribeiro Cecilia Claudia Costa , Silva Mariana Carvalho Batista da , Nunes Ana Margarida Melo , Thomaz Erika Bárbara de Abreu Fonseca , Carmo Cadidja Dayane Sousa , Ribeiro Marizélia Rodrigues Costa , Silva Antônio Augusto Moura da
Published: February 2017

Background

A possible association between being overweight or obese and early childhood caries (ECC) remains controversial.

Aim

To investigated this association in a developing country testing the confounding effects of socioeconomic factors and frequency of sugar consumption.

Methods

Historical cohort study, 388 children (aged 24–71 months) living in São Luís, Brazil. A theoretical model adjusted according to income, birthweight, and nutritional status at twelve months and frequency of sugar consumption was generated with directed acyclic graphs to analyze this association. Caries were considered a discrete variable in the Poisson regression models; incidence density ratios (IRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated.

Results

Being overweight or obese (IR = 1.52; 95% CI: 1.03–2.22) was independently associated with ECC. Being thin or very thin (IR = 1.97; 95% CI: 1.52–2.54), a high frequency of sugar consumption (IR = 1.83; 95% CI: 1.42–2.38), and age (IR = 3.62; 95% CI: 2.58–5.08) were associated with ECC.

Conclusions

Children overweight or obese, as well as children exhibiting being thin/very thin, were associated with ECC independent of socioeconomic variables and a high frequency of sugar consumption.
Design Pedagogy for an Unknown Future: A View from the Expanding Field of Design Scholarship and Professional Practice
Authors: Wilson Stephanie Elizabeth , Zamberlan Lisa
Published: February 2017

This article draws on current research investigating the notion of design for an unknown future. It reflects on recent thinking about the role of creativity in design practice and discusses implications for the development and assessment of creativity in the design studio. It begins with a review of literature on the issues and challenges associated with the assessment of creativity in design education. It then discusses and distinguishes three significant assessment models in design and creative arts education and emphasises the importance of opening debate on notions of creativity within the discipline. Following this, the article examines recent developments in the way that creativity is being practised, driven, fostered and implemented in contemporary design practice, and argues that these recent developments must feature in current scholarship about the development and assessment of creativity in design education. The article recommends areas for future research that pay close attention to developments in the rapidly expanding field of design practice.
Economies of Product Diversity in Collaborative Logistics
Authors: Suzuki Yoshinori , Lu Shih‐Hao
Published: February 2017

Collaborative logistics, also known as shipper collaboration, is a method of reducing the freight logistics cost of firms that produce and/or distribute tangible goods (shippers), which seeks to improve capacity utilizations of trucks. This study looks at this shipper collaboration problem in the U.S. truckload (TL) industry and proposes a new approach. Unlike other studies, which focused on reducing TL costs by utilizing economies of density, we present an approach that utilizes specific TL economies gained by mixing multiple products with different weight‐to‐volume ratios, which we call economies of product diversity. Using theoretical and empirical evidence, we show that the performance of shipper collaboration can be enhanced notably using this concept, economies of product diversity, which is currently overlooked in the literature.
Updated evidence‐based (S2e) European Dermatology Forum guideline on topical corticosteroids in pregnancy
Authors: Chi C.‐C. , Kirtschig G. , Aberer W. , Gabbud J.‐P. , Lipozenčić J. , Kárpáti S. , Haustein U.‐F. , Wojnarowska F. , Zuberbier T.
Published: February 2017

Background

Topical corticosteroids may be needed for treating skin conditions in pregnancy. Nevertheless, only limited data on the fetal effects of topical corticosteroids are available.

Objective

To update an evidence‐based guideline on the safe use of topical corticosteroids in pregnancy.

Methods

A guideline subcommittee of the European Dermatology Forum updated the guideline by adding and appraising new evidence.

Results

The current best evidence from 14 observational studies with 1 601 515 study subjects found no significant associations between maternal use of topical corticosteroids of any potency and some adverse pregnancy outcomes including mode of delivery, birth defect, preterm delivery and fetal death. However, maternal use of potent/very potent topical corticosteroids, especially in large amounts, is associated with an increase in the risk of low birthweight.

Conclusion

Mild/moderate topical corticosteroids should be preferred to potent/very potent ones in pregnancy. The well‐known topical side‐effects of corticosteroids on the mother's side need to be considered as well.
Logistic growth of the host‐specific obligate insect pathogenic fungus Entomophthora muscae in house flies (Musca domestica)
Authors: Hansen A. N. , De Fine Licht H. H.
Published: February 2017

Insect pathogenic fungi (IPF) need to overcome the host immune system in order to sporulate and ensure transmission to new hosts. Some IPF produce immunosuppressive toxins, whereas others rely on rapid fungal proliferation to kill the host by sheer fungal mass, resulting in a trade‐off between allocating resources to toxin production and fungal proliferation. The obligate entomopathogenic fungus, Entomophthora muscae sensu stricto, is host specific to the common house fly, Musca domestica. E. muscae grows as protoplast cells without cell walls and is not known to produce toxins. Here, we assessed the growth of E. muscae, in vivo, using real‐time PCR to measure the amount of a single‐copy actin gene. We find that E. muscae exhibits S‐shaped logistic growth between time post‐exposure and the number of fungal nuclei. The results show that E. muscae initially grows exponentially inside the host until depletion of available nutrient sources signifies the ‘limiting capacity’ where after the host is killed. This growth pattern differs markedly from toxin‐producing IPF species of Metarhizium and Beauveria in which maximal (plateau) growth and sporulation do not occur until well after the death of the host.
Preceding crop affects soybean aphid abundance and predator–prey dynamics in soybean
Authors: Lundgren J. G. , Hesler L. S. , Anderson R. L.
Published: February 2017

Crop rotations alter the soil environment and physiology of the subsequent crop in ways that may affect the abundance of herbivores and their natural enemies. Soybean aphids are a consistent pest of soybean throughout North America, but little work has focused on how preceding crops may affect pest–predator dynamics. In a replicated experiment over three years, we examined how two preceding crops (spring wheat or an oat/pea mixture) affected seasonal soybean aphid pressure and the ratio of aphids to their predator community. Peak aphid populations were reduced by 40% and 75% in years 1 and 2 by planting spring wheat before soybeans (relative to the oat–pea mixture). Aphid densities were unaffected by preceding crop in the third year of study (aphids were at threshold in this year). Predators responded positively to aphid population increases and were unaffected by preceding crops. Additional research on how crop rotations can be used as a tool to manage soybean aphids warrants further attention.
Air sacculitis in three rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) and one Japanese macaque (M. fuscata)
Authors: Cullin Cassandra O. , Colgin Lois M. A. , Lewis Anne D.
Published: February 2017

Bacterial infection of the laryngeal air sacs (air sacculitis) is infrequently reported in nonhuman primates, where it leads to chronic respiratory disease. It is particularly uncommon in macaques; however, we report here suppurative air sacculitis with extension to adjacent cervical tissues in three rhesus macaques and one Japanese macaque. Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus sp., and an anaerobic bacterium were isolated.
Amphetamine treatment affects the extra‐hypothalamic vasopressinergic system in a sex‐ and nucleus‐dependent manner
Authors: Ahumada C. , Bahamondes C. , Cerda C. A. , Silva R. A. , Cruz G. , Moya P. R. , Sotomayor‐Zárate R. , Renard G. M.
Published: February 2017

The lateral septum (LS), a brain structure implicated in addictive behaviours, regulates the activation of dopaminergic neurones in the ventral tegmental area. Vasopressinergic projections from the extended amygdala to the LS, which are sexually dimorphic, could be responsible for the vulnerability to addiction in a sex‐dependent manner. The present study aimed to investigate the modulatory effects of amphetamine (AMPH) on the expression of vasopressin (AVP) in the vasopressinergic extra‐hypothalamic system in sensitised male and female rats. Adult male and female Sprague‐Dawley rats underwent an AMPH‐locomotor sensitisation protocol. Acute AMPH increased AVP mRNA expression in the medial amygdala (MeA), whereas AMPH‐induced sensitisation increased AVP mRNA expression in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) only in females. Interestingly, the increase in AVP expression in BNST was higher in oestrus females compared to dioestrus females and acute AMPH resulted in a decrease in AVP levels in the LS, only in males. Thus, there are complex and region‐specific interactions between AMPH and the extra‐hypothalamic vasopressinergic system in the brain, underlying possible alterations in different behaviours caused by acute and chronic AMPH exposure.
Melatonin systemically ameliorates drought stress‐induced damage in Medicago sativa plants by modulating nitro‐oxidative homeostasis and proline metabolism
Authors: Antoniou Chrystalla , Chatzimichail Giannis , Xenofontos Rafaella , Pavlou Jan J. , Panagiotou Evangelia , Christou Anastasis , Fotopoulos Vasileios
Published: February 2017

Recent reports have uncovered the multifunctional role of melatonin in plant physiological responses under optimal and suboptimal environmental conditions. In this study, we explored whether melatonin pretreatment could provoke priming effects in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) plants subsequently exposed to prolonged drought stress (7 days), by withholding watering. Results revealed that the rhizospheric application of melatonin (10 μmol L−1) remarkably enhanced the drought tolerance of alfalfa plants, as evidenced by the observed plant tolerant phenotype, as well as by the higher levels of chlorophyll fluorescence and stomatal conductance, compared with nontreated drought‐stressed plants. In addition, lower levels of lipid peroxidation (MDA content) as well as of both H2O2 and NO contents in primed compared with nonprimed stressed plants suggest that melatonin pretreatment resulted in the systemic mitigation of drought‐induced nitro‐oxidative stress. Nitro‐oxidative homeostasis was achieved by melatonin through the regulation of reactive oxygen (SOD, GR, CAT, APX) and nitrogen species (NR, NADHde) metabolic enzymes at the enzymatic and/or transcript level. Moreover, melatonin pretreatment resulted in the limitation of cellular redox disruption through the regulation of the mRNA levels of antioxidant and redox‐related components (ADH, AOX, GST7, GST17), as well via osmoprotection through the regulation of proline homeostasis, at both the enzymatic (P5CS) and gene expression level (P5CS, P5CR). Overall, novel results highlight the importance of melatonin as a promising priming agent for the enhancement of plant tolerance to drought conditions through the regulation of nitro‐oxidative and osmoprotective homeostasis.
Olanzapine‐induced early cardiovascular effects are mediated by the biological clock and prevented by melatonin
Authors: Romo‐Nava Francisco , Buijs Frederik N. , Valdés‐Tovar Marcela , Benítez‐King Gloria , Basualdo MariCarmen , Perusquía Mercedes , Heinze Gerhard , Escobar Carolina , Buijs Ruud M.
Published: February 2017

Second generation antipsychotics (SGA) are associated with adverse cardiometabolic side effects contributing to premature mortality in patients. While mechanisms mediating these cardiometabolic side effects remain poorly understood, three independent studies recently demonstrated that melatonin was protective against cardiometabolic risk in SGA‐treated patients. As one of the main target areas of circulating melatonin in the brain is the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN), we hypothesized that the SCN is involved in SGA‐induced early cardiovascular effects in Wistar rats. We evaluated the acute effects of olanzapine and melatonin in the biological clock, paraventricular nucleus and autonomic nervous system using immunohistochemistry, invasive cardiovascular measurements, and Western blot. Olanzapine induced c‐Fos immunoreactivity in the SCN followed by the paraventricular nucleus and dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus indicating a potent induction of parasympathetic tone. The involvement of a SCN‐parasympathetic neuronal pathway after olanzapine administration was further documented using cholera toxin‐B retrograde tracing and vasoactive intestinal peptide immunohistochemistry. Olanzapine‐induced decrease in blood pressure and heart rate confirmed this. Melatonin abolished olanzapine‐induced SCN c‐Fos immunoreactivity, including the parasympathetic pathway and cardiovascular effects while brain areas associated with olanzapine beneficial effects including the striatum, ventral tegmental area, and nucleus accumbens remained activated. In the SCN, olanzapine phosphorylated the GSK‐3β, a regulator of clock activity, which melatonin prevented. Bilateral lesions of the SCN prevented the effects of olanzapine on parasympathetic activity. Collectively, results demonstrate the SCN as a key region mediating the early effects of olanzapine on cardiovascular function and show melatonin has opposing and potentially protective effects warranting additional investigation.
Effects of melatonin on seedling growth, mineral nutrition, and nitrogen metabolism in cucumber under nitrate stress
Authors: Zhang Ruimin , Sun Yunkuo , Liu Zeyu , Jin Wen , Sun Yan
Published: February 2017

In China, excessive use of nitrogen fertilizers in glasshouses leads to nitrate accumulations in soil and plants, which then limits productivity. Melatonin, an evolutionarily highly conserved molecule, has a wide range of functions in plants. We analyzed the effects of melatonin pretreatment on the growth, mineral nutrition, and nitrogen metabolism in cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. “Jin You No. 1”) when seedlings were exposed to nitrate stress. An application of 0.1 mmol/L melatonin significantly improved the growth of plants and reduced their susceptibility to damage due to high nitrate levels (0.6 mol/L) during the ensuing period of stress treatment. Although excess nitrate led to an increase in the concentrations of nitrogen, potassium, and calcium, as well as a decrease in levels of phosphorus and magnesium, exogenous melatonin generally had the opposite effect except for a further rise in calcium concentrations. Pretreatment also significantly reduced the accumulations of nitrate nitrogen and ammonium nitrogen and enhanced the activities of enzymes involved in nitrogen metabolism. Expression of Cs‐NR and Cs‐GOGAT, two genes that function in that metabolism, was greatly down‐regulated when plants were exposed to 0.6 mol/L nitrate, but was up‐regulated in plants that had received the 0.1 mmol/L melatonin pretreatment. Our results are the first evidence that melatonin has an important role in modulating the composition of mineral elements and nitrogen metabolism, thereby alleviating the inhibitory effect on growth normally associated with nitrate stress.
Precision Medicine in Cats: Novel Niemann‐Pick Type C1 Diagnosed by Whole‐Genome Sequencing
Authors: Mauler D.A. , Gandolfi B. , Reinero C.R. , O'Brien D.P. , Spooner J.L. , Lyons L.A. ,   and 99 Lives Consortium
Published: February 2017

State‐of‐the‐art health care includes genome sequencing of the patient to identify genetic variants that contribute to either the cause of their malady or variants that can be targeted to improve treatment. The goal was to introduce state‐of‐the‐art health care to cats using genomics and a precision medicine approach. To test the feasibility of a precision medicine approach in domestic cats, a single cat that presented to the University of Missouri, Veterinary Health Center with an undiagnosed neurologic disease was whole‐genome sequenced. The DNA variants from the cat were compared to the DNA variant database produced by the 99 Lives Cat Genome Sequencing Consortium. Approximately 25× genomic coverage was produced for the cat. A predicted p.H441P missense mutation was identified in NPC1, the gene causing Niemann‐Pick type C1 on cat chromosome D3.47456793 caused by an adenine‐to‐cytosine transversion, c.1322A>C. The cat was homozygous for the variant. The variant was not identified in any other 73 domestic and 9 wild felids in the sequence database or 190 additionally genotyped cats of various breeds. The successful effort suggested precision medicine is feasible for cats and other undiagnosed cats may benefit from a genomic analysis approach. The 99 Lives DNA variant database was sufficient but would benefit from additional cat sequences. Other cats with the mutation may be identified and could be introduced as a new biomedical model for NPC1. A genetic test could eliminate the disease variant from the population.
Metabolic syndrome and severity of fibrosis in nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: An age‐dependent risk profiling study
Authors: Petta Salvatore , Eslam Mohammed , Valenti Luca , Bugianesi Elisabetta , Barbara Marco , Cammà Calogero , Porzio Marianna , Rosso Chiara , Fargion Silvia , George Jacob , Craxì Antonio
Published: February 2017

Background & Aims

Metabolic syndrome (MS) and its individual components are associated with the severity and progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We sought to evaluate the relationship between MS components and the risk of severe hepatic fibrosis in NAFLD patients discriminated by age.

Methods

We considered 863 consecutive patients with biopsy‐proven NAFLD, who had been fully evaluated for components of MS.

Results

Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that F3‐F4 was associated with visceral obesity, IFG/diabetes, and low high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, but not triglycerides >150 or arterial hypertension. A significant interaction was found between age and visceral obesity (P=.04). By stratifying patients for age, we confirmed the interaction between inclusion in the third age tertile (>54 years) and visceral obesity (P=.04). In the lower (<41 years) and middle (41‐54 years) age tertiles, the risk for F3‐F4 fibrosis was mostly driven by visceral obesity and IFG/diabetes. This risk was higher in those with all three metabolic risk factors. Finally, among patients in the higher age tertile (>54 years), obesity did not affect the severity of fibrosis, and the risk of severe fibrosis was higher in those with low HDL and IFG/diabetes with/without visceral obesity (52%‐54%).

Conclusions

Among patients with NAFLD, the metabolic profiles associated with risk for severe fibrosis varied among age groups. Low HDL, obesity and IFG/diabetes were prevalent among patients in the lower and middle age tertiles. HDL and IFG/diabetes but not visceral obesity were prevalent among those in the highest age tertile.
Characteristics and drivers of plant virus community spatial patterns in US west coast grasslands
Authors: Kendig Amy E. , Borer Elizabeth T. , Mitchell Charles E. , Power Alison G. , Seabloom Eric W.
Published: February 2017

The spatial distribution of disease risk caused by multi‐pathogen infections is not frequently characterized, limiting understanding of the drivers of infection and thwarting prediction of future risk in a changing environment. Further complicating this predictive understanding is that interactions among multiple pathogens within a host commonly alter transmission success, infection risk, and disease dynamics. By characterizing spatial patterns of Barley and Cereal Yellow Dwarf Virus (B/CYDV) infections that range from the scale of an individual plant to thousands of neighboring plants, we examined the contributions of spatial processes to the distribution of disease risk. In a two‐year field experiment, we planted grass hosts of B/CYDVs into fertilized plots of US west coast grasslands. We determined how vector‐sharing, environmental conditions and spatial variation in host quality affected spatial patterns of single viruses, pairs of viruses and the whole virus community across out‐planted grass hosts. We found that single viruses and virus communities were spatially random, indicating that infection does not solely spread through the community in a wave‐like manner. On the other hand, we found that pairs of viruses, especially those that share a vector species, were aggregated spatially. This suggests that if within‐host competition exists, it is not strong. Aggregation in one pair of viruses was more frequent due to environmental conditions and spatial variation in out‐planted host quality, measured as vector preference. These results highlight the importance of insect vectors for predicting the spatial distribution of coinfection risk by B/CYDVs.
Topographical Pressure Pain Sensitivity Maps of the Temporalis Muscle in People with Frequent Episodic and Chronic Tension‐Type Headache
Authors: Palacios Ceña María , Castaldo Matteo , Wang Kelun , Madeleine Pascal , Guerrero Ángel L. , Arendt‐Nielsen Lars , Fernández‐de‐las‐Peñas César
Published: February 2017

Background

Previous pilot studies suggest the presence of heterogeneous sensitivity to pressure in primary headaches without considering the frequency of headache episodes.

Objective

To investigate the differences in topographical pressure pain sensitivity maps in the temporalis muscle between individuals with frequent episodic (FETTH) and chronic (CTTH) tension‐type headache by controlling the presence of anxiety and depression.

Methods

oPressure pain thresholds (PPTs) were assessed bilaterally from 9 points distributed over the temporalis muscle (3 points in the anterior portion, 3 in the middle portion, and the remaining 3 in the posterior portion of the muscle belly) in 113 patients with FETTH and 91 with CTTH in a blinded design. Topographical pressure pain sensitivity maps based on interpolation of the PPTs were constructed. Clinical features of headache were collected in a 4‐week headache diary. Anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) were also assessed.

Results

The multilevel analysis of covariance found significant difference in PPT levels between points (F = 47.649; P < 0.001), but not between groups (F = 0.801; P = 0.602) or sides (F = 0.331; P = 0.565). No significant effect of gender (F = 0.785; P = 0.667), depression (F = 0.515; P = 0.846), or anxiety (F = 0.639; P = 0.745) was observed. Post hoc comparisons revealed: (1) no differences between FETTH and CTTH; (2) no side‐to‐side differences; and (3) anterior‐to‐posterior gradient with the most sensitive points located in the anterior column, followed by those located in the central column and the posterior column of the muscle (all, P < 0.001).

Conclusions

This study confirmed an anterior‐to‐posterior gradient of sensitivity to pressure in both groups, with the highest sensitivity at the anterior part of the muscle. Further, we found similar pressure pain sensitivity in the trigeminal area in people with FETTH or CTTH with no association with depressive or anxiety levels.
Geometric Accuracy Evaluation of YG‐18 Satellite Imagery Based on RFM
Authors: Zhao Ruishan , Jiang Yonghua , Zhang Guo , Deng Mingjun , Yang Fan
Published: February 2017

YaoGan‐18 (YG‐18) is a Chinese high‐resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite, which was launched on 29th October 2013. So far, however, there have been no published reports evaluating the geometric accuracy of its imagery; this is rectified in this paper. A refined rational function model (RFM) with an affine transformation is utilised for the spaceborne SAR processing. By setting corner reflectors as ground control points (GCPs) and independent check points, the orthorectification accuracy of YG‐18 satellite images was better than 2·5 m. Its stereo‐SAR measurement accuracy was subsequently evaluated using a high‐precision digital surface model (DSM), achieving an elevation accuracy of 11·36 m. The feasibility of the orthorectification method based on GCPs selected from corresponding image points of YG‐18 SAR images and ZiYuan‐3 (ZY‐3) optical images was also verified, offering single‐image accuracy better than 4·5 m.
Lobbying and Nonprofits: Money and Membership Matter—But Not for All
Authors: Chand Daniel E.
Published: February 2017

Objective

Lobbying by nonprofits is a relatively new topic that has drawn attention from political science scholars and nonprofit managers. Several studies have demonstrated there to be lobbying inequalities among nonprofits, but few have compared lobbying expenditures across groups and none have taken into account how well groups have mobilized.

Methods

Examining 227 groups that issue legislative “scorecards” over six terms of Congress (1999–2010), the author uses a mix of analysis of variance and regression analysis to determine whether groups with different missions lobby at different levels and whether mobilization factors, such as revenue and membership, can help explain these differences.

Results

The author finds that organizational revenue and membership predict how much most groups spend on lobbying. However, this finding does not apply to all groups. Public interest nonprofits lobby at higher levels as both their revenues and memberships increase. But business associations lobby at significantly high levels regardless of how well they mobilize.

Conclusions

These results suggest that business associations view lobbying as a more necessary activity for completion of their missions than other tax‐exempt organizations. Many of the most active groups in Washington are small business associations representing “niche” interests. If public interest groups formed around broader social interests are less represented in Washington, as these results suggest, then the voices of large sectors of society, and not just public interest group members, are lost in the policy discussion.
Bright and durable field-emission source derived from frozen refractory-metal Taylor cones
Authors: Hirsch Gregory
Published: February 2017

A novel method for creating conical field-emission structures possessing unusual and desirable physical characteristics is described. This process is accomplished by solidification of electrostatically formed high-temperature Taylor cones created on the ends of laser melted refractory-metal wires. Extremely rapid freezing ensures that the resultant solid structures preserve the shape and surface smoothness of the flawless liquid Taylor-cones to a very high degree. The method also enables in situ and rapid restoration of the frozen cones to their initial pristine state after undergoing physical degradation during use. This permits maximum current to be delivered without excessive concern for any associated reduction in field-emitter lifetime resulting from operation near or even above the damage threshold. In addition to the production of field emitters using polycrystalline wires as a substrate, the feasibility of producing monocrystalline frozen Taylor-cones having reproducible crystal orientation by growth on single-crystal wires was demonstrated. The development of the basic field-emission technology, progress to incorporate it into a pulsed electron gun employing laser-assisted field emission for ultrafast experiments, and some additional advances and opportunities are discussed.
Interaction study of nitrogen ion beam with silicon
Authors: Schmidt Marek E. , Zhang Xiaobin , Oshima Yoshifumi , Anh Le The , Yasaka Anto , Kanzaki Teruhisa , Muruganathan Manoharan , Akabori Masashi , Shimoda Tatsuya , Mizuta Hiroshi
Published: February 2017

Focused ion beam technology with light gas ions has recently gained attention with the commercial helium and neon ion beam systems. These ions are atomic, and thus, the beam/sample interaction is well understood. In the case of the nitrogen ion beam, several questions remain due to the molecular nature of the source gas, and in particular, if and when the molecular bond is split. Here, the authors report a cross-sectional scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) study of irradiated single crystalline silicon by various doses and energies of nitrogen ionized in a gas field ion source. The shape and dimensions of the subsurface damage is compared to Monte Carlo simulations and show very good agreement with atomic nitrogen with half the initial energy. Thus, it is shown that the nitrogen molecule is ionized as such and splits upon impact and proceeds as two independent atoms with half of the total beam energy. This observation is substantiated by molecular dynamics calculations. High resolution STEM images show that the interface between amorphous and crystalline silicon is well defined to few tens of nanometers.
Airy pattern approximation of a phased microphone array response to a rotating point source
Authors: Debrouwere Maarten , Angland David
Published: February 2017

Deconvolution of phased microphone array source maps is a commonly applied technique in order to improve the dynamic range and resolution of beamforming. Most deconvolution algorithms require a point spread function (PSF). In this work, it is shown that the conventional definition of the PSF, based on steering vectors, is changed when the source is rotating. The effect of rotation results in an increase in the resolution and aperture of the array. The concept of virtual array positions created by source rotation is used to derive an approximation of the PSF based on an Airy pattern. The Airy pattern approximation is suitable for use in deconvolution of rotating source maps as it is more accurate and computationally less expensive than the conventional PSF definition. The proposed Airy pattern approximation was tested with both CLEAN and DAMAS deconvolution algorithms. On the same hardware, it was significantly faster when compared to the conventional definition. The limitations of the Airy pattern approximation are shown in a synthesized broadband test case with a high dynamic range. However, in most practical beamforming applications, the proposed Airy pattern approximated PSF for deconvolution is a suitable option considering its accuracy and speed.
Tolerance to Caspofungin in Candida albicans Is Associated with at Least Three Distinctive Mechanisms That Govern Expression of
FKS
Genes and Cell Wall Remodeling
Authors: Yang Feng , Zhang Lulu , Wakabayashi Hironao , Myers Jason , Jiang Yuanying , Cao Yongbing , Jimenez-Ortigosa Cristina , Perlin David S. , Rustchenko Elena
Published: February 2017

Expanding echinocandin use to prevent or treat invasive fungal infections has led to an increase in the number of breakthrough infections due to resistant
Candida
species. Although it is uncommon, echinocandin resistance is well documented for
Candida albicans
, which is among the most prevalent bloodstream organisms. A better understanding is needed to assess the cellular factors that promote tolerance and predispose infecting cells to clinical breakthrough. We previously showed that some mutants that were adapted to growth in the presence of toxic sorbose due to loss of one chromosome 5 (Ch5) also became more tolerant to caspofungin. We found here, following direct selection of mutants on caspofungin, that tolerance can be conferred by at least three mechanisms: (i) monosomy of Ch5, (ii) combined monosomy of the left arm and trisomy of the right arm of Ch5, and (iii) an aneuploidy-independent mechanism. Tolerant mutants possessed cell walls with elevated chitin and showed downregulation of genes involved in cell wall biosynthesis, namely,
FKS
, located outside Ch5, and
CHT2
, located on Ch5, irrespective of Ch5 ploidy. Also irrespective of Ch5 ploidy, the
CNB1
and
MID1
genes on Ch5, which are involved in the calcineurin signaling pathway, were expressed at the diploid level. Thus, multiple mechanisms can affect the relative expression of the aforementioned genes, controlling them in similar ways. Although breakthrough mutations in two specific regions of
FKS1
have previously been associated with caspofungin resistance, we found mechanisms of caspofungin tolerance that are independent of
FKS1
and thus represent an earlier event in resistance development.
Activity of Sanguinarine against Candida albicans Biofilms
Authors: Zhong Hua , Hu Dan-Dan , Hu Gan-Hai , Su Juan , Bi Shuang , Zhang Zhuo-Er , Wang Zheng , Zhang Ri-Li , Xu Zheng , Jiang Yuan-Ying , Wang Yan
Published: February 2017

Candida albicans
biofilms show resistance to many clinical antifungal agents and play a considerable contributing role in the process of
C. albicans
infections. New antifungal agents against
C. albicans
biofilms are sorely needed. The aim of this study was to evaluate sanguinarine (SAN) for its activity against
Candida albicans
biofilms and explore the underlying mechanism. The MIC
50
of SAN was 3.2 μg/ml, while ≥0.8 μg/ml of SAN could suppress
C. albicans
biofilms. Further study revealed that ≥0.8 μg/ml of SAN could decrease cellular surface hydrophobicity (CSH) and inhibited hypha formation. Real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) results indicated that the exposure of
C. albicans
to SAN suppressed the expression of some adhesion- and hypha-specific/essential genes related to the cyclic AMP (cAMP) pathway, including
ALS3
,
HWP1
,
ECE1
,
HGC1
, and
CYR1
. Consistently, the endogenous cAMP level of
C. albicans
was downregulated after SAN treatment, and the addition of cAMP rescued the SAN-induced filamentation defect. In addition, SAN showed relatively low toxicity to human umbilical vein endothelial cells, the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC
50
) being 7.8 μg/ml. Collectively, the results show that SAN exhibits strong activity against
C. albicans
biofilms, and the activity was associated with its inhibitory effect on adhesion and hypha formation due to cAMP pathway suppression.
A Phase I, Randomized, Double-Blinded, Placebo- and Moxifloxacin-Controlled, Four-Period Crossover Study To Evaluate the Effect of Gepotidacin on Cardiac Conduction as Assessed by 12-Lead Electrocardiogram in Healthy Volunteers
Authors: Hossain Mohammad , Zhou Meijian , Tiffany Courtney , Dumont Etienne , Darpo Borje
Published: February 2017

Gepotidacin is a novel, first-in-class triazaacenaphthylene antibiotic in development for treatment of conventional and biothreat infections. This was a single-dose, crossover thorough QT study in healthy subjects who were administered intravenous (i.v.) gepotidacin as a therapeutic (1,000-mg) dose and supratherapeutic (1,800-mg) dose, placebo, and 400 mg oral moxifloxacin in 4 separate treatment periods. Gepotidacin caused a mild effect on heart rate, with a largest placebo-corrected change-from-baseline heart rate of 7 and 10 beats per minute at the end of the 1,000-mg and 1,800-mg infusion, respectively. Gepotidacin caused an increase of change-from-baseline QTcF (ΔQTcF), with a peak effect at the end of infusion. The largest mean placebo-corrected ΔQTcF (ΔΔQTcF) was 12.1 ms (90% confidence interval [CI], 9.5 to 14.8) and 22.2 ms (90% CI, 19.6 to 24.9) after 1,000 mg and 1,800 mg, respectively. ΔΔQTcF rapidly fell after the end of the infusion, with a mean ΔΔQTcF of 6.1 ms 60 min after the 1,800-mg dose. Exposure-response analysis demonstrated a statistically significant positive relationship between gepotidacin plasma levels and ΔΔQTcF, with a slope of 1.45 ms per μg/ml (90% CI, 1.30 to 1.61). Using this model, the effect on ΔΔQTcF can be predicted to be 11 and 20 ms at the observed mean peak plasma concentration after the infusion of gepotidacin at 1,000 mg (7 μg/ml) and 1,800 mg (13 μg/ml), respectively. In conclusion, gepotidacin caused QT prolongation in this thorough QT study, and a mean effect can be predicted to less than 15 ms at the highest expected plasma concentration, 9 μg/ml. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT02257398.)
Complete Genome Sequence of Bacillus subtilis Strain 29R7-12, a Piezophilic Bacterium Isolated from Coal-Bearing Sediment 2.4 Kilometers below the Seafloor
Authors: Wei Yuli , Cao Junwei , Fang Jiasong , Kato Chiaki , Cui Weicheng
Published: February 2017

Here, we report the genome sequence of
Bacillus subtilis
strain 29R7-12, a piezophilic bacterium isolated from coal-bearing sediment down to ~2.4 km below the ocean floor in the northwestern Pacific. The strain is a Gram-positive spore-forming bacterium, closely related to
Bacillus subtilis
within the phylum
Firmicutes
. This is the first complete genome sequence of a
Bacillus subtilis
strain from the deep biosphere. The genome sequence will provide a valuable resource for comparative studies of microorganisms from the surface and subsurface environments.
Draft Genome Sequences of Dermacoccus nishinomiyaensis Strains UCD-KPL2534 and UCD-KPL2528 Isolated from an Indoor Track Facility
Authors: Klein Brian A. , Lemon Katherine P. , Gajare Prasad , Jospin Guillaume , Eisen Jonathan A. , Coil David A.
Published: February 2017

We present here the draft genome sequences of
Dermacoccus nishinomiyaensis
strains UCD-KPL2534 and UCD-KPL2528, which were isolated at an indoor track facility in Medford, MA, USA (42.409716, -71.115169) from an exit door handle and settle dust, respectively. The genome assemblies contain 3,088,111 bp in 58 contigs and 3,162,381 bp in 100 contigs, respectively.
Complete Genome Sequence of a Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus Subgenotype 1h Strain Isolated in Italy
Authors: Bazzucchi Moira , Bertolotti Luigi , Giammarioli Monica , Casciari Cristina , Rossi Elisabetta , Rosati Sergio , De Mia Gian Mario
Published: February 2017

We sequenced the complete genome of bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) strain UM/126/07. It belongs to subgenotype 1h. The complete genome is composed of 12,196 nucleotides organized as one open reading frame encoding 3,898 amino acids. This is the first report of a full-length sequence of BVDV-1h.
Sagittal sinus thrombosis in JAK2-V617F mutation without overt myeloproliferative disorder
Authors: Bhand Prashant Ramesh , Karde Supriya Ramesh , Ramesh Nagabathula
Published: February 2017

We describe a case of a man aged 41 years who presented with a history of generalised headaches for 1 week and an acute episode of tonic–clonic seizures. He had no history of medical illness, was non-smoker, with an extensive family history of haematological disorders. Initial CT brain with contrast did not show any abnormalities in brain parenchyma. X-ray and CT right shoulder showed shoulder dislocation secondary to trauma associated with seizure prior to hospital admission. Subsequently, MRA and MRV brain was arranged, which revealed extensive expansible occlusive filling defect dominating the middle of superior sagittal sinus with left frontal cortical and subcortical acute oedema. He was promptly started on anticoagulation therapy. Considering the unusual site and unprovoked nature of thrombosis, further investigations including JAK2 mutation were arranged which revealed latent myeloproliferative disorder. He was referred to haematology services for further follow-up and monitoring of latent myeloproliferative disorder.
Projective Modules Over Quantum Projective Line
Authors: Sheu Albert Jeu-Liang
Published: February 2017

Taking a groupoid C*-algebra approach to the study of the quantum complex projective spaces [Formula: see text] constructed from the multipullback quantum spheres introduced by Hajac and collaborators, we analyze the structure of the C*-algebra [Formula: see text] realized as a concrete groupoid C*-algebra, and find its [Formula: see text]-groups. Furthermore, after a complete classification of the unitary equivalence classes of projections or equivalently the isomorphism classes of finitely generated projective modules over the C*-algebra [Formula: see text], we identify those quantum principal [Formula: see text]-bundles introduced by Hajac and collaborators among the projections classified.
Oscillation of boson star in Newtonian approximation
Authors: Jarwal Bharti , Singh S. Somorendro
Published: February 2017

Boson star (BS) rotation is studied under Newtonian approximation. A Coulombian potential term is added as perturbation to the radial potential of the system without disturbing the angular momentum. The results of the stationary states of these ground state, first and second excited state are analyzed with the correction of Coulombian potential. It is found that the results with correction increased in the amplitude of oscillation of BS in comparison to potential without perturbation correction.
Effect of foaming agent, foam stabilizer and whipping time on drying process of tomato paste under different drying equipment
Authors: Olaniyan Adesoji Matthew , Adeoti John Adeyemi , Sunmonu Musiliu Olusola
Published: February 2017

Laboratory experiments were conducted to determine the effect of foaming agent (egg white (EW)), foam stabilizer (carboxyl methyl cellulose (CMC)) and whipping time on drying rate and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentus) paste dried under air oven, microwave oven and mechanical dryer. A 43 factorial experiment in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was used to study the effect of four levels each of foaming agent (5%, 10%, 15% and 20%EW), foam stabilizer (0.15%, 0.30%, 0.45% and 0.60%CMC) and whipping time (3, 5, 7 and 9[Formula: see text]min) on the drying rate and the quality of foam-mat dried tomato powder in the three drying equipment. Each trial was performed in triplicates making a total number of 576 samples that were individually tested and measured. 25[Formula: see text]g sample of the paste was dried to a moisture content of 7.60% (wb) for 8[Formula: see text]h in mechanical dryer and oven dryer at temperatures of 55[Formula: see text]C and 50[Formula: see text]C, respectively, and 10[Formula: see text]min in microwave oven at 540[Formula: see text]W. Data obtained from the experiments were statistically analyzed using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) while the Duncan’s Multiple Range Test was used to compare the means. Results showed that the drying rate increased with increase in foaming agent, foam stabilizer and whipping with minimum values of 9.21[Formula: see text]g/h obtained in mechanical dryer, 9.31[Formula: see text]g/h in air oven and 8.05[Formula: see text]g/h in microwave oven. Increase in foaming agent, foam stabilizer and whipping time did not cause any adverse effect on vitamin C, ash, protein, fat, carbohydrate, crude fiber contents of the samples. Samples reached a stable moisture content of 7.60% (wb) in less than 8[Formula: see text]h in mechanical dryer and air and less than 10[Formula: see text]min in microwave oven. The results of the study showed that EW, CMC and whipping time influenced the drying rate and quality of foam-mat dried tomato powder.