bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carbon Nanotube Reinforced Fused Deposition Modeling Using Microwave Irradiation
Authors: Zhang Meng , Song Xiaoxu , Grove Weston , Hull Emmett , Pei Z. J. , Ning Fuda , Cong Weilong
Published: September 2016

Additive manufacturing (AM) is a class of manufacturing processes where material is deposited in a layer-by-layer fashion to fabricate a three-dimensional part directly from a computer-aided design model. With a current market share of 44%, thermoplastic-based additive manufacturing such as fused deposition modeling (FDM) is a prevailing technology. A key challenge for AM parts (especially for parts made by FDM) in engineering applications is the weak inter-layer adhesion. The lack of bonding between filaments usually results in delamination and mechanical failure. To address this challenge, this study embedded carbon nanotubes into acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) thermoplastics via a filament extrusion process. The vigorous response of carbon nanotubes to microwave irradiation, leading to the release of a large amount of heat, is used to melt the ABS thermoplastic matrix adjacent to carbon nanotubes within a very short time period. This treatment is found to enhance the inter-layer adhesion without bulk heating to deform the 3D printed parts. Tensile and flexural tests were performed to evaluation the effects of microwave irradiation on mechanical properties of the specimens made by FDM. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images were taken to characterize the fracture surfaces of tensile test specimens. The actual carbon nanotube contents in the filaments were measured by conducting thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The effects of microwave irradiation on the electrical resistivity of the filament were also reported.
The Effect of Heat-Treatment on Mechanical, Microstructural, and Corrosion Characteristics of a Magnesium Alloy With Potential Application in Resorbable Bone Fixation Hardware
Authors: Ibrahim Hamdy , Klarner Andrew D. , Poorganji Behrang , Dean David , Luo Alan A. , Elahinia Mohammad
Published: September 2016

Mg alloys are promising materials for bone implant applications mainly due to their low specific density, desirable stiffness and bioresorbability in the human body. Mg-Zn-Ca alloys are among the most promising materials for resorbable orthopedic fixation devices due to their superior biocompatibility. However, the mechanical and corrosion properties of the as-cast Mg-Zn-Ca alloys are insufficient. Heat treatment is a practical approach for strengthening Mg alloys especially after the fabrication of porous structures and 3D-printed components.

We have investigated heat treatment of these devices and have studied the resulting microstructure of Mg-1.6Zn-0.5Ca (wt. %) alloys by hardness, compression, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and electrochemical and immersion corrosion tests. Mg-1.6Zn-0.5Ca alloy was prepared with high purity Mg, Zn and Ca by casting. The cast ingots were solution-treated at 510 °C for 3 h then quenched in water. The quenched ingots were age hardened in an oil bath at 200 °C for 2 h. Pure Mg, as-cast and heat-treated Mg-1.6Zn-0.5Ca alloy ingots were cut into coupons to characterize their mechanical and corrosion properties. In vitro corrosion tests were conducted in modified simulated body fluid (m-SBF) at pH 7.4 and 37 °C.

The hardness of the Mg-Zn-Ca alloy was significantly increased from 52.6 to be 66.8 HV after heat treatment. Also, the compression test results revealed that the heat-treated alloy has the highest compressive yield and ultimate strengths without significant change in stiffness and maximum strain. The mass loss of the Mg-Zn-Ca alloy by week 4 of the in vitro immersion test reduced from 174.6 mg/cm2 for the as-cast alloy to 101.7 mg/cm2 after the heat-treatment process. Heat-treatment was found to be a powerful post-shaping process not only to enhance the mechanical properties of the Mg-1.6Zn-0.5Ca (wt. %) alloy, but also to significantly improve its biocorrosion properties. Such heat-treated alloys can also be coated with biocompatible ceramics that provide additional protection from corrosion during the bone healing period (3–4 months).
Relative Robots: Scaling Automated Assembly of Discrete Cellular Lattices
Authors: Carney Matthew , Jenett Benjamin
Published: September 2016

We propose metrics for evaluating the performance of robotically assembled discrete cellular lattice structures (referred to as digital materials) by defining a set of tools used to evaluate how the assembly system impacts the achievable performance objective of relative stiffness. We show that mass-specific stiffness can be described by the dependencies E*(γ, D(n, f, RA)), where E* is specific modulus, γ is lattice topology, and the allowable acceptance of the joint interface, D, is defined by an error budget analysis that incorporates the scale of the structure, and/or number of discrete components assembled, n, the type of robotic assembler, RA, and the static error contributions due to tolerance stack-up in the specified assembler structural loop, and the dynamic error limitations of the assembler operating at specified assembly rates, f. We refer to three primary physical robotic construction system topologies defined by the relationship between their configuration workspace, and the global configuration space: global robotic assembler (GR), mobile robotic assembler (MR), and relative robotic assemblers (RR), each exhibiting varying sensitivity to static, and dynamic error accumulation. Results of this analysis inform an iterative machine design process where final desired material performance is used to define robotic assembly system design parameters.
Temperature induced color change in gold nanoparticle arrays: Investigating the annealing effect on the localized surface plasmon resonance
Authors: Holm Vårin R. A. , Greve Martin M. , Holst Bodil
Published: September 2016

The localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect in metal nanoparticles is important for a range of applications, including photovoltaics and sensors. The actual LSPR effect is difficult to predict, because it can vary strongly with the size, shape, surface structure, and surrounding media of the nanoparticles. In order to understand this better, more experimental data are needed. Here, the authors present a study of the LSPR effect in macroscopic two-dimensional square arrays of gold nanoparticles, 50–80 nm in diameter with a pitch of approximately 160 nm, fabricated on borosilicate substrates. The arrays were exposed to different annealing temperatures in steps of 50 up to 600 °C. The authors observe an irreversible blue-shift of the LSPR extinction peak, from around 580 to around 520 nm at annealing temperatures of only 450 °C, an effect clearly visible to the naked eye. The authors also present measurements of the shape of the nanoparticles at the different annealing steps. These measurements were obtained using a combination of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). A carefully indexed pattern allowed us to measure the exact same nanoparticles with separate AFM and SEM instruments. The only clear effect that can be observed is that the nanoparticles appear to get smoother with annealing. Our results demonstrate that seemingly minor changes in the metal nanoparticle appearance can lead to a strong change in the LSPR effect. Our results also open up for potential applications in temperature sensing. The fact that the effect of temperature exposure can be observed with the naked eye without any need of electronic readout or power supply is particularly advantageous.
Viscosity range of UV-curable resins usable in print and imprint method for preparing sub-100-nm-wide resin patterns
Authors: Uehara Takuya , Onuma Akiko , Tanabe Akira , Nagase Kazuro , Ikedo Hiroaki , Hiroshiba Nobuya , Nakamura Takahiro , Nakagawa Masaru
Published: September 2016

The authors demonstrated a “print and imprint” method comprising screen printing and ultraviolet (UV) nanoimprinting for preparing sub-100-nm-wide cured resin patterns. In the screen printing, UV-curable resins with viscosities in the range of 6.26–266 Pa s were deposited as droplet shapes on Si surfaces using a polyimide through-hole membrane mask with a hole diameter of 10 μm and a hole pitch of 45 μm. The low-volatile high-viscosity resin of 12.8 Pa s had an advantage of maintaining the droplet shapes 3 h after deposition. The spherical segment-shaped droplets showed an average diameter of 18.9 μm and height of 1.63 μm. The average volume was approximately 230 μm3 (0.230 pl) which was close to that dispensed by ink-jet printing. The droplet resin on a modified Si surface was filled into recesses of a fluorinated silica mold, and the molded resin was cured by UV nanoimprinting. Although the displacement of resin droplets was periodically uniform on substrate surfaces, the thicknesses of residual layers were almost identical to 0.12 μm in 45, 60, 80, and 100-nm-wide line and space patterns in the range of 1 mm length. The authors confirmed that the resin droplets with a viscosity of 12.8 Pa s could be transformed into imprinted resin patterns with a residual layer thickness of 0.12 μm without obvious nonfill defects.
Acoustic of a perforated liner with grazing flow: Floquet-Bloch periodical approach versus impedance continuous approach
Authors: Dai Xiwen , Aurégan Yves
Published: September 2016

The effect of a shear flow on an acoustic liner consisting of a perforated plate backed by cavities is studied. Two different approaches are investigated: First, the duct and the liner are considered as a periodic system while in the second approach the liner is considered as homogeneous and described by an impedance. Those two approaches coincide perfectly without flow for a small hole spacing compared to the acoustic wavelength. This work demonstrates that those two approaches are not wholly consistent when a shear flow is present and reveals some problems in the use of the local impedance with flow. The no-flow impedance cannot be used to describe the liner when a shear flow is present. An equivalent impedance with flow can be defined but it depends on the direction of the incident waves and loses its local characteristic.
Analysis and modeling of 255 source levels of merchant ships from an acoustic observatory along St. Lawrence Seaway
Authors: Simard Yvan , Roy Nathalie , Gervaise Cédric , Giard Samuel
Published: September 2016

An ensemble of 255 spectral source levels (SSLs) of merchant ships were measured with an opportunistic seaway acoustic observatory adhering to the American National Standards Institute/Acoustical Society of America S12.64-2009 standard as much as possible, and deployed in the 350-m deep lower St. Lawrence Seaway in eastern Canada. The estimated SSLs were sensitive to the transmission loss model. The best transmission loss model at the three measuring depths was an empirical in situ function for ranges larger than 300 m, fused with estimates from a wavenumber integration propagation model fed with inverted local geoacoustic properties for [300 to 1 m] ranges. Resulting SSLs still showed a high variability. Uni- and multi-variate analyses showed weak intermingled relations with ship type, length, breadth, draught, speed, age, and other variables. Cluster analyses distinguished six different SSL patterns, which did not correspond to distinctive physical characteristics of the ships. The broadband [20–500 Hz] source levels varied by 30 dB or more within all four 50-m length categories. Common SSL models based on frequency, length and speed failed to unbiasly replicate the observations. This article presents unbiased SSL models that explain 75%–88% of the variance using frequency, ship speed, and three other automatic identification system ship characteristics.
Pitch priming in sequences of two sounds
Authors: Demany Laurent , Lucas Tom , Semal Catherine
Published: September 2016

Frequency discrimination limens (FDLs) were measured for pairs of stimuli differing from each other with respect to pitch salience. One of the two stimuli to be compared within a trial was a pure tone of at least 100 ms, evoking a salient pitch, while the other stimulus consisted of only eight sinusoidal cycles (experiment 1), or was a noise band with a Gaussian spectral envelope, evoking a weak pitch corresponding to the peak frequency (experiment 2). From trial to trial, frequency was varied randomly and widely. In both experiments, the FDLs were lower, by an average factor of about 3, when the stimulus with the more salient pitch preceded the other stimulus than vice versa. Evidence is presented against an interpretation of this temporal asymmetry in terms of memory limitations. It is suggested that the asymmetry reflects a pitch-priming effect. In two additional experiments, both of the stimuli to be compared within a trial were very short tone bursts or noise bands; perceptually, they differed only with respect to pitch height. Performance was markedly better than in experiments 1 and 2, and was not improved when the two stimuli were preceded by a 300-ms tone intended to produce pitch priming.
A Strengths-Based Cognitive Behavioral Approach to Treating Depression and Building Resilience in Collegiate Athletics: The Individuation of an Identical Twin
Authors: Gabana Nicole
Published: September 2016

The current case reports the treatment approach used working with an NCAA Division I collegiate rower who initially sought sport psychology services for performance concerns. As the therapeutic relationship grew, the client disclosed stress related to her identical twin sister’s struggle with depression. Over the course of therapy, the client herself began to increasingly demonstrate symptoms congruent with depression. Working with an integrated treatment team including sports medicine and the coaching staff, the sport psychology consultant adopted a strengths-based cognitive behavioral approach that sought to draw on the client’s strengths while identifying the connection between the client’s thoughts, beliefs, emotions, and behaviors and her symptoms of depression. The case is discussed from a biopsychosocial model, and reflections on theoretical applications and interventions are provided. An emphasis is placed on the holistic treatment of collegiate athletes and performers in general. The author concludes by discussing the importance of a well-rounded, positive relationship between exercise science and mental health domains within the field of sport psychology.
Butterflies, Magic Carpets, and Scary Wild Animals: An Intervention With a Young Gymnast
Authors: Howells Karen
Published: September 2016

This article presents a reflective case example of a sport psychology consultation carried out with a 9-year-old gymnast during the final year of the consultant’s training to become a British Psychological Society–chartered sport psychologist. During this period of time, the author was under the supervision of an experienced applied sport psychologist. The article draws on the published research in applied sport psychology and the wider child development literature to inform and negotiate the challenges of a neophyte practitioner working in a relatively unfamiliar sport with a very young gymnast. The intervention, which took place over 6 months, involved a focus on psychological skills training. This article reflects on the intervention experience and makes observations that may be of benefit to both neophyte and practiced consultants working with very young children. Although the consultancy involved goal setting, relaxation, and commitment, the focus of this article is on those activities and skills that are specific to such a young athlete and that may be of interest to other practitioners in similar scenarios.
Human IL-22 binding protein isoforms act as a rheostat for IL-22 signaling
Authors: Lim Chrissie , Hong MeeAe , Savan Ram
Published: September 2016

Two soluble binding proteins that differ in inhibitory ability and abundance fine-tune signaling by the cytokine interleukin-22.
Immunosuppression even in death
Authors: Ferrarelli Leslie K.
Published: September 2016

Dying tumor cells release potassium ions that suppress the activity of tumor-infiltrating T cells.
Kluyvera ascorbata Strain from Hospital Sewage Carrying the
mcr-1
Colistin Resistance Gene
Authors: Zhao Feifei , Zong Zhiyong
Published: September 2016

The newly identified plasmid-borne colistin resistance gene
mcr-1
was found in a
Kluyvera ascorbata
isolate from hospital sewage in China.
mcr-1
was carried by a 57-kb self-transmissible IncI2 plasmid. Unlike in a previous report,
mcr-1
was not associated with IS
Apl1
and was inserted into a gene encoding a putative membrane protein by an unknown mechanism. This study highlights that
mcr-1
has spread to multiple bacterial species.
A Bioluminescent Francisella tularensis SCHU S4 Strain Enables Noninvasive Tracking of Bacterial Dissemination and the Evaluation of Antibiotics in an Inhalational Mouse Model of Tularemia
Authors: Hall Charlotte A. , Flick-Smith Helen C. , Harding Sarah V. , Atkins Helen S. , Titball Richard W.
Published: September 2016

Bioluminescence imaging (BLI) enables real-time, noninvasive tracking of infection
in vivo
and longitudinal infection studies. In this study, a bioluminescent
Francisella tularensis
strain, SCHU S4-
lux
, was used to develop an inhalational infection model in BALB/c mice. Mice were infected intranasally, and the progression of infection was monitored in real time using BLI. A bioluminescent signal was detectable from 3 days postinfection (3 dpi), initially in the spleen and then in the liver and lymph nodes, before finally becoming systemic. The level of bioluminescent signal correlated with bacterial numbers
in vivo
, enabling noninvasive quantification of bacterial burdens in tissues. Treatment with levofloxacin (commencing at 4 dpi) significantly reduced the BLI signal. Furthermore, BLI was able to distinguish noninvasively between different levofloxacin treatment regimens and to identify sites of relapse following treatment cessation. These data demonstrate that BLI and SCHU S4-
lux
are suitable for the study of
F. tularensis
pathogenesis and the evaluation of therapeutics for tularemia.
Presence of the
optrA
Gene in Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus sciuri of Porcine Origin
Authors: Fan Run , Li Dexi , Wang Yang , He Tao , Feßler Andrea T. , Schwarz Stefan , Wu Congming
Published: September 2016

A total of 57 methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) isolates and 475 methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MRCoNS) collected from pigs in the Guangdong province of China in 2014 were investigated for the presence of the novel oxazolidinone-phenicol resistance gene
optrA
. The
optrA
gene was detected in 6.9% (
n
= 33) of the MRCoNS, all of which were
Staphylococcus sciuri
isolates, but in none of the MRSA isolates. Five
optrA
-carrying methicillin-resistant (MR)
S. sciuri
isolates also harbored the multiresistance gene
cfr
. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) and
dru
typing of the 33
optrA
-carrying MR
S. sciuri
isolates revealed 25 patterns and 5 sequence types, respectively. S1 nuclease PFGE and Southern blotting confirmed that
optrA
was located in the chromosomal DNAs of 29 isolates, including 1
cfr
-positive isolate. The remaining four isolates harbored a ∼35-kb pWo28-3-like plasmid on which
optrA
and
cfr
were located together with other resistance genes, as confirmed by sequence analysis. Six different types of genetic environments (types I to VI) of the chromosome-borne
optrA
genes were identified; these types had the
optrA
gene and its transcriptional regulator
araC
in common. Tn
558
was found to be associated with
araC-optrA
in types II to VI. The
optrA
gene in types II and III was found in close proximity to the
ccr
gene complex of the respective staphylococcal cassette chromosome
mec
element (SCC
mec
). Since oxazolidinones are last-resort antimicrobial agents for the control of serious infections caused by methicillin-resistant staphylococci in humans, the location of the
optrA
gene close to the
ccr
complex is an alarming observation.
rRNA Operon Copy Number Can Explain the Distinct Epidemiology of Hospital-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Fluit A. C. , Jansen M. D. , Bosch T. , Jansen W. T. M. , Schouls L. , Jonker M. J. , Boel C. H. E.
Published: September 2016

The distinct epidemiology of original hospital-associated methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(HA-MRSA) and early community-associated MRSA (CA-MRSA) is largely unexplained.
S. aureus
carries either five or six rRNA operon copies. Evidence is provided for a scenario in which MRSA has adapted to the hospital environment by rRNA operon loss (six to five copies) due to antibiotic pressure. Early CA-MRSA, in contrast, results from wild-type methicillin-susceptible
S. aureus
(MSSA) that acquired
mecA
without loss of an rRNA operon. Of the HA-MRSA isolates (
n
= 77), 67.5% had five rRNA operon copies, compared to 23.2% of the CA-MRSA isolates (
n
= 69) and 7.7% of MSSA isolates (
n
= 195) (
P
< 0.001). In addition, 105 MSSA isolates from cystic fibrosis patients were tested, because these patients are repeatedly treated with antibiotics; 32.4% of these isolates had five rRNA operon copies. For all subsets, a correlation between resistance profile and rRNA copy number was found. Furthermore, we showed that
in vitro
antibiotic pressure may result in rRNA operon copy loss. We also showed that without antibiotic pressure,
S. aureus
isolates containing six rRNA copies are more fit than isolates with five copies. We conclude that HA-MRSA and cystic fibrosis isolates most likely have adapted to an environment with high antibiotic pressure by the loss of an rRNA operon copy. This loss has facilitated resistance development, which promoted survival in these niches. However, strain fitness decreased, which explains their lack of success in the community. In contrast, CA-MRSA isolates retained six rRNA operon copies, rendering them fitter and thereby able to survive and spread in the community.
In Vitro
Activities of Omadacycline (PTK 0796) and Other Antimicrobial Agents against Human Mycoplasmas and Ureaplasmas
Authors: Waites Ken B. , Crabb Donna M. , Liu Yang , Duffy Lynn B.
Published: September 2016

In vitro
activities of omadacycline, a new aminomethylcycline, were determined for
Mycoplasma
and
Ureaplasma
spp. and compared with those of azithromycin, clindamycin, moxifloxacin, tetracycline, and doxycycline. All omadacycline MICs were <2 μg/ml. MIC
90
s were 0.063 μg/ml for
Mycoplasma hominis
, 0.25 μg/ml for
Mycoplasma pneumoniae
, and 2 μg/ml for
Ureaplasma
spp. Omadacycline had the lowest MIC
90
among all drugs tested against
M. hominis
. Omadacycline activity was not affected by macrolide, tetracycline, or fluoroquinolone resistance.
The Self-Identity Protein IdsD Is Communicated between Cells in Swarming Proteus mirabilis Colonies
Authors: Saak Christina C. , Gibbs Karine A.
Published: September 2016

Proteus mirabilis
is a social bacterium that is capable of self (kin) versus nonself recognition. Swarming colonies of this bacterium expand outward on surfaces to centimeter-scale distances due to the collective motility of individual cells. Colonies of genetically distinct populations remain separate, while those of identical populations merge. Ids proteins are essential for this recognition behavior. Two of these proteins, IdsD and IdsE, encode identity information for each strain. These two proteins bind
in vitro
in an allele-restrictive manner. IdsD-IdsE binding is correlated with the merging of populations, whereas a lack of binding is correlated with the separation of populations. Key questions remained about the
in vivo
interactions of IdsD and IdsE, specifically, whether IdsD and IdsE bind within single cells or whether IdsD-IdsE interactions occur across neighboring cells and, if so, which of the two proteins is exchanged. Here we demonstrate that IdsD must originate from another cell to communicate identity and that this nonresident IdsD interacts with IdsE resident in the recipient cell. Furthermore, we show that unbound IdsD in recipient cells does not cause cell death and instead appears to contribute to a restriction in the expansion radius of the swarming colony. We conclude that
P. mirabilis
communicates IdsD between neighboring cells for nonlethal kin recognition, which suggests that the Ids proteins constitute a type of cell-cell communication.

IMPORTANCE
We demonstrate that self (kin) versus nonself recognition in
P. mirabilis
entails the cell-cell communication of an identity-encoding protein that is exported from one cell and received by another. We further show that this intercellular exchange affects swarm colony expansion in a nonlethal manner, which adds social communication to the list of potential swarm-related regulatory factors.
Structural Determinants for Antitoxin Identity and Insulation of Cross Talk between Homologous Toxin-Antitoxin Systems
Authors: Walling Lauren R. , Butler J. Scott
Published: September 2016

Toxin-antitoxin (TA) systems are ubiquitous in bacteria and archaea, where they play a pivotal role in the establishment and maintenance of dormancy. Under normal growth conditions, the antitoxin neutralizes the toxin. However, under conditions of stress, such as nutrient starvation or antibiotic treatment, cellular proteases degrade the antitoxin, and the toxin functions to arrest bacterial growth. We characterized the specificity determinants of the interactions between VapB antitoxins and VapC toxins from nontypeable
Haemophilus influenzae
(NTHi) in an effort to gain a better understanding of how antitoxins control toxin activity and bacterial persistence. We studied truncated and full-length antitoxins with single amino acid mutations in the toxin-binding domain. Coexpressing the toxin and antitoxin in
Escherichia coli
and measuring bacterial growth by dilution plating assayed the ability of the mutant antitoxins to neutralize the toxin. Our results identified two single amino acid residues (W48 and F52) in the C-terminal region of the VapB2 antitoxin necessary for its ability to neutralize its cognate VapC2 toxin. Additionally, we attempted to alter the specificity of VapB1 by making a mutation that would allow it to neutralize its noncognate toxin. A mutation in VapB1 to contain the tryptophan residue identified herein as important in the VapB2-VapC2 interaction resulted in a VapB1 mutant (the T47W mutant) that binds to and neutralizes both its cognate VapC1 and noncognate VapC2 toxins. This represents the first example of a single mutation causing relaxed specificity in a type II antitoxin.

IMPORTANCE
Toxin-antitoxin systems are of particular concern in pathogenic organisms, such as nontypeable
Haemophilus influenzae
, as they can elicit dormancy and persistence, leading to chronic infections and failure of antibiotic treatment. Despite the importance of the TA interaction, the specificity determinants for VapB-VapC complex formation remain uncharacterized. Thus, our understanding of how antitoxins control toxin-induced dormancy and bacterial persistence requires thorough investigation of antitoxin specificity for its cognate toxin. This study characterizes the crucial residues of the VapB2 antitoxin from NTHi necessary for its interaction with VapC2 and provides the first example of a single amino acid change altering the toxin specificity of an antitoxin.
Paleopathology and Paleomicrobiology of Malaria
Authors: Nerlich Andreas
Published: September 2016

Malaria is a disease caused by parasites of the genus
Plasmodium
, transmitted through the bites of female anopheles flies.
Plasmodium falciparum
causes severe malaria with undulating high fever (malaria tropica). Literary evidence of malarial infection dates back to the early Greek period, when Hippocrates described the typical undulating fever highly suggestive of plasmodial infection. Recent immunological and molecular analyses describe the unambiguous identification of malarial infections in several ancient Egyptian mummies and a few isolated cases in Roman and Renaissance Europe. Although the numbers of cases are low, there is evidence that the overall infection rates may have been relatively high and that this infectious disease may have had a significant impact on historical populations.
Effect of salt reduction on iodine status assessed by 24 hour urinary iodine excretion in children and their families in northern China: a substudy of a cluster randomised controlled trial
Authors: He Feng J , Ma Yuan , Feng Xiangxian , Zhang Wanqi , Lin Laixiang , Guo Xiaohui , Zhang Jing , Niu Wenyi , Wu Yangfeng , MacGregor Graham A
Published: September 2016

Objective

To study the effect of salt reduction on iodine status and to determine whether iodine consumption was still adequate after salt reduction in a population where universal salt iodisation is mandatory.

Design

A substudy of a cluster randomised controlled trial, with schools randomly assigned to either the intervention or the control group.

Setting

28 primary schools in Changzhi, northern China.

Participants

279 children in grade 5 of primary school (mean age: 10.1); 553 adults (age: 43.8).

Intervention

Children were educated about the harmful effects of salt and how to reduce salt intake using the schools' usual health education lessons. Children then delivered the message to their families. The duration was 1 school term (≈3.5 months).

Main outcome measure

Difference between the intervention and control groups in the change of iodine intake as measured by repeat 24 hour urinary iodine from baseline to the end of the trial.

Results

At baseline, the mean salt intake was 7.0±2.5 g/day in children and 11.7±4.4 g/day in adults and the median iodine intake was 165.1 μg/day (IQR: 122.6–216.7) and 280.7 μg/day (IQR: 205.1–380.9) in children and adults, respectively. At the end of the study, salt and iodine decreased in the intervention compared with control group. The mean effect on salt for intervention versus control was −1.9 g/day (95% CI −2.6 to −1.3) in children and −2.9 g/day (95% CI −3.7 to −2.2) in adults. The mean effect on iodine was −19.3% (95% CI −29.4% to −7.7%) in children and −11.4% (95% CI −20.3% to −1.5%) in adults.

Conclusions

With ≈25% reduction in salt intake, there was a significant reduction in iodine consumption in northern China where salt is iodised. Despite this, iodine intake was still adequate, and well above the estimated average requirement. Our findings indicate that reducing salt to the WHO's target—30% reduction by 2025—will not compromise iodine status.

Trial registration number

ClinicalTrials.govNCT01821144.
Prospective comorbidity-matched study of Parkinson's disease and risk of mortality among women
Authors: Winter Anke C , Rist Pamela M , Buring Julie E , Kurth Tobias
Published: September 2016

Background

Individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD) may have an increased risk of overall mortality compared to the general population. Women may have lower mortality rates from PD than men; however, studies among women on the effect of PD on mortality have been limited and may not have adequately controlled for confounding by comorbidities.

Methods

We conducted a matched cohort study among participants in the Women's Health Study. 396 incident PD cases were identified through self-report. Each PD case was matched by age to a comparator who was alive and had the same modified Charlson comorbidity score as the PD case. The PD cases and matched comparators were followed for all-cause mortality. Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for age at the index date, smoking, alcohol consumption, exercise and body mass index were used to determine the association between PD and mortality.

Results

During a median of 6.2 years of follow-up, 72 women died (47 PD cases and 25 comparators). The multivariable-adjusted HR for mortality was 2.60 (95% CI 1.56 to 4.32).

Conclusions

PD was associated with more than a twofold increased risk of all-cause mortality among women. Results are similar to those observed among men.
Effects of added involvement from concerned significant others in internet-delivered CBT treatments for problem gambling: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Nilsson Anders , Magnusson Kristoffer , Carlbring Per , Andersson Gerhard , Hellner Gumpert Clara
Published: September 2016

Introduction

Problem gambling is a public health concern affecting ∼2.3% of the Swedish population. Problem gambling also severely affects concerned significant others (CSOs). Several studies have investigated the effect of individual treatments based on cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT), but less is known of the effect of involving CSOs in treatment. This study aims to compare an intervention based on behavioural couples therapy (BCT), involving a CSO, with an individual CBT treatment to determine their relative efficacy. BCT has shown promising results in working with substance abuse, but this is the first time it is used as an intervention for problem gambling. Both interventions will be internet-delivered, and participants will receive written support and telephone support.

Methods and analysis

A sample of 120 couples will be randomised to either the BCT condition, involving the gambler and the CSO, or the CBT condition, involving the gambler alone. Measures will be conducted weekly and at 3, 6 and 12 months follow-up. The primary outcome measure is gambling behaviour, as measured by Timeline Followback for Gambling. This article describes the outline of the research methods, interventions and outcome measures used to evaluate gambling behaviour, mechanisms of change and relationship satisfaction. This study will be the first study on BCT for problem gambling.

Ethics and dissemination

This study has been given ethical approval from the regional ethics board of Stockholm, Sweden. It will add to the body of knowledge as to how to treat problem gambling and how to involve CSOs in treatment. The findings of this study will be published in peer-reviewed journals and published at international and national conferences.

Trial registration number

NCT02543372; Pre-results.
Cost-effectiveness modelling of telehealth for patients with raised cardiovascular disease risk: evidence from a cohort simulation conducted alongside the Healthlines randomised controlled trial
Authors: Dixon Padraig , Hollinghurst Sandra , Ara Roberta , Edwards Louisa , Foster Alexis , Salisbury Chris
Published: September 2016

Objectives

To investigate the long-term cost-effectiveness (measured as the ratio of incremental NHS cost to incremental quality-adjusted life years) of a telehealth intervention for patients with raised cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.

Design

A cohort simulation model developed as part of the economic evaluation conducted alongside the Healthlines randomised controlled trial.

Setting

Patients recruited through primary care, and intervention delivered via telehealth service.

Participants

Participants with a 10-year CVD risk ≥20%, as measured by the QRISK2 algorithm, and with at least 1 modifiable risk factor, individually randomised from 42 general practices in England.

Intervention

A telehealth service delivered over a 12-month period. The intervention involved a series of responsive, theory-led encounters between patients and trained health information advisors who provided access to information resources and supported medication adherence and coordination of care.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

Cost-effectiveness measured by net monetary benefit over the simulated lifetime of trial participants from a UK National Health Service perspective.

Results

The probability that the intervention was cost-effective depended on the duration of the effect of the intervention. The intervention was cost-effective with high probability if effects persisted over the lifetime of intervention recipients. The probability of cost-effectiveness was lower for shorter durations of effect.

Conclusions

The intervention was likely to be cost-effective under a lifetime perspective.

Trial registration number

ISRCTN27508731; Results.
Targeted next-generation sequencing of FNA-derived DNA in pancreatic cancer
Authors: Sibinga Mulder Babs G , Mieog J Sven D , Handgraaf Henricus J M , Farina Sarasqueta Arantza , Vasen Hans F A , Potjer Thomas P , Swijnenburg Rutger-Jan , Luelmo Saskia A C , Feshtali Shirin , Inderson Akin , Vahrmeijer Alexander L , Bonsing Bert A , van Wezel Tom , Morreau Hans
Published: September 2016

To improve the diagnostic value of fine-needle aspiration (FNA)-derived material, we perform targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) in patients with a suspect lesion of the pancreas. The NGS analysis can lead to a change in the treatment plan or supports inconclusive or uncertain cytology results. We describe the advantages of NGS using one particular patient with a recurrent pancreatic lesion 7 years after resection of a pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Our NGS analysis revealed the presence of a presumed second primary cancer in the pancreatic remnant, which led to a change in treatment: resection with curative intend instead of palliation. Additionally, NGS identified an unexpected germlineCDKN2A19-base pair deletion, which predisposed the patient to developing PDAC. Preoperative NGS analysis of FNA-derived DNA can help identify patients at risk for developing PDAC and define future therapeutic options.
HPV self-sampling in CIN2+ detection: sensitivity and specificity of different RLU cut-off of HC2 in specimens from 786 women
Authors: Bottari F , Igidbashian S , Boveri S , Tricca A , Gulmini C , Sesia M , Spolti N , Sideri M , Landoni F , Sandri M T
Published: September 2016

Aims

Mortality for cervical cancer varies between the different regions of the world, with high rates in low-income countries where screening programmes are not present and organised. However, increasing screening coverage is still a priority in all countries: one way to do that is to base screening on self-sampled screening. The success of a self-sampling screening strategy depends on capacity to recruit unscreened women, on the performance and acceptability of the device and on the clinical performance of the high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) test.

Methods

This study based on 786 enrolled women investigates the best cut-off value of Hybrid Capture 2 HPV test (HC2) for self-sampled specimens in terms of sensitivity and specificity.

Results

In this population, we found that the sensitivity and the specificity for cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade 2 or more detection of HC2 performed on self-sampled specimens were 82.5% and 82.8%, respectively considering the relative light units (RLU) cut-off value of 1. Increasing the cut-off value the sensitivity decreases and the specificity raises and the best area under the curve for the RLU cut-off value is 1.

Conclusions

Our results confirm that the cut-off value of 1 suggested by Qiagen for PreservCyt specimen is the best cut-off value also for self-sampled specimens.
A fuller picture: evaluating an art therapy programme in a multidisciplinary mental health service
Authors: Brady Catherina , Moss Hilary , Kelly Brendan D
Published: September 2016

Art therapy has a long history in mental healthcare, but requires an enhanced evidence base in order to better identify its precise role in contemporary services. This paper describes an evaluation of an art therapy programme in an acute adult psychiatry admission unit in Ireland. A mixed method research design was used. Quantitative data were collected through a survey of 35 staff members and 11 service users. Qualitative data included free text comments collected in the survey and individual feedback from service users. Both methods aimed to assess the role of art therapy as part of a multidisciplinary mental health service. Thematic content analysis was employed to analyse qualitative data. Staff demonstrated overwhelming support for art therapy as one element within multidisciplinary services available to patients in the acute psychiatry setting, Qualitative feedback associated art therapy with improvements in quality of life and individual support, and emphasised its role as a non-verbal intervention, especially useful for those who find talking therapy difficult. Creative self-expression is valued by staff and service users as part of the recovery process. Recommendations arising from the research include continuing the art therapy service, expanding it to include patients under rehabilitation, provision of information and education sessions to staff, and further research to identify other potential long-term effects. The low response of staff and small sample in this study, however, must be noted as limitations to these findings.
Vasopressin analog terlipressin attenuates kidney injury in hemorrhagic shock
Authors: Cardoso de Castro Letícia Urbano , Ida Keila Kazue , Otsuki Denise Aya , Sanches Talita Rojas , Volpini Rildo A , Borges Emilyn da Silva , Malbouisson Luiz-Marcelo Sá , Andrade Lúcia
Published: September 2016

Background

In hemorrhagic shock (HS), volume replacement with crystalloid solution can restore the hemodynamic status and decrease mortality. However, it can also lead to tissue edema and pulmonary congestion, as well as increasing vascular permeability. Here, we analyzed the effects that resuscitation with lactated Ringer's solution (LRS) or administration of the vasopressin analog terlipressin has on renal function in a porcine model of HS.

Methods

Using pressure-controlled bleeding, we induced pigs to HS, maintaining mean arterial pressure (MAP) at 40 mm Hg for 30 min. Animals were divided into 4 groups: sham (anesthesia only); shock-only (HS induction); shock+LRS (HS induction and subsequent resuscitation with LRS at 3 times the volume of blood removed); and shock+Terli (HS induction and subsequent bolus administration of 2 mg of terlipressin). Parameters were evaluated at baseline, then at 30, 60, and 120 min after treatment (T30, T60, and T120, respectively). Animals were euthanized at T60 or T120.

Results

Both treatments restored MAP to baseline values. At T30 and T60, creatinine clearance was highest in shock+LRS pigs, whereas it was highest in shock+Terli pigs at T120. Both treatments initially induced hyponatremia, although urinary excretion of all ions was higher in shock+LRS pigs at T30. Both treatments restored Na–K–2Cl cotransporter expression, whereas only terlipressin restored aquaporin 2 expression. Both treatments also prevented HS-induced acute tubular necrosis. Expression of the vasopressin receptors V1a and V2 was highest in shock-only pigs. At T120, V1a expression was lowest in shock+LRS pigs.

Discussion

Terlipressin might be useful for preventing HS-induced acute kidney injury.
An arborescent lycopsid stem fragment from the Palliser Formation (Famennian) carbonate platform, southwestern Alberta, Canada, and its paleogeographic and paleoclimatic significance
Authors: Pratt Brian R. , van Heerde Johan
Published: September 2016

A partially silicified stem fragment of an arborescent lycopsid, tentatively identified as Leptophloeum rhombicum, is documented from peritidal carbonates in the Palliser Formation (Upper Devonian; Famennian) of southwestern Alberta. An unlikely inhabitant of these tidal flats, the log must have rafted in from a relatively nearby land area. The most probable candidate sources are either the Kootenay island arc to the paleo-northwest or hypothetical Montania to the southwest. The specimen is evidence that either or both these equatorial areas had a humid paleoclimate and vegetated coastal marshes and swamps.
Behavioural responses to fisheries capture among sharks caught using experimental fishery gear
Authors: Gallagher Austin J. , Staaterman Erica R. , Cooke Steven J. , Hammerschlag Neil
Published: September 2016

The response to capture is important in fisheries because it can reveal potential threats to species beyond fishing mortalities resulting from direct harvest. To date, the vast majority of studies assessing shark stress responses have used physiology or biotelemetry to look at sensitivity after capture, leaving a gap in our understanding of the behaviours of sharks during capture. We examined the behavioural responses of sharks to capture by attaching accelerometers to fishing gear and measuring the immediate and prolonged forces they exerted while on the line. We recorded acceleration vectors and derived the rate of intense fighting behaviours of 23 individual sharks comprising three species. Results suggest that blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus) exhibited intense bouts of fighting behaviour at the onset of hooking, while nurse (Ginglymostoma cirratum) and tiger sharks (Galeocerdo cuvier) displayed more subdued acceleration values during capture. We also obtained plasma lactate from a subset of individuals and detected a strong correlation with maximum acceleration. These results align with previously published values and suggest that shark movement during fisheries capture is an important factor during bycatch and catch-and-release interactions.
Effects of a scientific echo sounder on the behavior of short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus)
Authors: Quick Nicola , Scott-Hayward Lindesay , Sadykova Dina , Nowacek Doug , Read Andrew
Published: September 2016

Active echo sounding devices are often employed for commercial or scientific purposes in the foraging habitats of marine mammals. We conducted an experiment off Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, USA, to assess whether the behavior of short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus) changed when exposed to an EK60 scientific echo sounder. We attached digital acoustic recording tags (DTAGs) to nine individuals, five of which were exposed. A hidden Markov model to characterize diving states with and without exposure provided no evidence for a change in foraging behavior. However, generalized estimating equations to model changes in heading variance over the entire tag record under all experimental conditions showed a consistent increase in heading variance during exposure over all values of depth and pitch. This suggests that regardless of behavioral state, the whales changed their heading more frequently when the echo sounder was active. This response could represent increased vigilance in which whales maintained awareness of echo sounder location by increasing their heading variance and provides the first quantitative analysis on reactions of cetaceans to a scientific echo sounder.
Seasonal variation in an acid mine drainage microbial community
Authors: Auld Ryan R. , Mykytczuk Nadia C.S. , Leduc Leo G. , Merritt Thomas J.S.
Published: September 2016

Environmental oxidation and microbial metabolism drive production of acid mine drainage (AMD). Understanding changes in the microbial community, due to geochemical and seasonal characteristics, is fundamental to AMD monitoring and remediation. Using direct sequencing of the 16S and 18S rRNA genes to identify bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic members of the microbial community at an AMD site in Northern Ontario, Canada, we found a dynamic community varying significantly across winter and summer sampling times. Community composition was correlated with physical and chemical properties, including water temperature, pH, conductivity, winter ice thickness, and metal concentrations. Within Bacteria, Acidithiobacillus was the dominant genus during winter (11%–57% of sequences) but Acidiphilium was dominant during summer (47%–87%). Within Eukarya, Chrysophyceae (1.5%–94%) and Microbotrymycetes (8%–92%) dominated the winter community, and LKM11 (4%–62%) and Chrysophyceae (25%–87%) the summer. There was less diversity and variability within the Archaea, with similar summer and winter communities mainly comprising Thermoplasmata (33%–64%) and Thermoprotei (5%–20%) classes but also including a large portion of unclassified reads (∼40%). Overall, the active AMD community varied significantly between winter and summer, with changing community profiles closely correlated to specific differences in AMD geochemical and physical properties, including pH, water temperature, ice thickness, and sulfate and metal concentrations.