bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Smooth muscle and neural dysfunction contribute to different phases of murine postoperative ileus
Authors: Farro G. , Gomez‐Pinilla P. J. , Di Giovangiulio M. , Stakenborg N. , Auteri M. , Thijs T. , Depoortere I. , Matteoli G. , Boeckxstaens G. E.
Published: February 2016

Background

Postoperative ileus (POI) is characterized by a transient inhibition of gastrointestinal (GI) motility after abdominal surgery mediated by the inflammation of the muscularis externa (ME). The aim of this study was to identify alterations in the enteric nervous system that may contribute to the pathogenesis of POI.

Methods

Gastrointestinal transit, contractility of isolated smooth muscle strips and inflammatory parameters were evaluated at different time points (1.5 h to 10 days) after intestinal manipulation (IM) in mice. Immune‐labeling was used to visualize changes in myenteric neurons.

Key Results

Intestinal manipulation resulted in an immediate inhibition of GI transit recovering between 24 h and 5 days. In vitro contractility to K+ (60 mM) or carbachol (10−9 to 10−4 M) was biphasically suppressed over 24 h after IM (with transient recovery at 6 h). The first phase of impaired myogenic contractility was associated with increased expression of TNF‐α, IL‐6 and IL‐1α. After 24 h, we identified a significant reduction in electrical field stimulation‐evoked contractions and relaxations, lasting up to 10 days after IM. This was associated with a reduced expression of chat and nos1 genes.

Conclusions & Inferences

Intestinal manipulation induces two waves of smooth muscle inhibition, most likely mediated by inflammatory cytokines, lasting up to 3 days after IM. Further, we here identify a late third phase (>24 h) characterized by impaired cholinergic and nitrergic neurotransmission persisting after recovery of muscle contractility. These findings illustrate that POI results from inflammation‐mediated impaired smooth muscle contraction, but also involves a long‐lasting impact of IM on the enteric nervous system.
The evolution of optimal emergence times: bet hedging and the quest for an ideal free temporal distribution of individuals
Authors: Poethke Hans Joachim , Hovestadt Thomas , Mitesser Oliver
Published: February 2016

Proper timing of activities is one of the principal challenges faced by most organisms. Organisms need to account for various aspects in decision making like avoiding inordinate risks, synchronizing with resource availability, or finding mates. We provide analytical and simulation models to investigate the influence of life expectancy, resource competition and unpredictable environmental conditions (environmental uncertainty) on the evolutionarily stable distribution of emergence times in organisms depending on seasonally available resources. We focus on the partitioning of total phenotypic variance in emergence times into 1) genetic variance in mean emergence times between lineages and 2) environmental trait variance that determines the intra‐lineage variance in the timing of emergence.

Both, life expectancy of organisms and intensity of competition severely influence the evolutionary response to environmental uncertainty. Our main findings can be summarized as follows: 1) in general diversifying bet hedging (environmental trait variance) is the adequate mechanism to reduce the risk arising from environmental uncertainty while conservative bet hedging, i.e. delaying emergence into ‘safe’ phases of the season is restricted to short lived organisms and to situations with vanishing competition. 2) Environmental trait variance increases with increasing environmental uncertainty whereas 3) significant genetic variance evolves only under severe resource competition; it is driven by selection for an ideal free distribution of emergence times. 4) The level of genetic variance evolving declines with increasing life expectancy of organisms. 5) With sufficiently short life expectancy evolutionary branching and coexistence of distinctly different emergence strategies occurs; the number of co‐occurring strategies is determined by the level of environmental uncertainty.

Our model provides cues for understanding how different ecological factors contribute and interact to shape the evolution of emergence strategies.
Modelling Function-Valued Stochastic Processes, with Applications to Fertility Dynamics
Authors: Chen Kehui , Delicado Pedro , Müller Hans-Georg
Published: February 2016

We introduce a simple and interpretable model for functional data analysis for situations where the observations at each location are functional rather than scalar. This new approach is based on a tensor product representation of the function-valued process and utilizes eigenfunctions of marginal kernels. The resulting marginal principal components and product principal components are shown to have nice properties. Given a sample of independent realizations of the underlying function-valued stochastic process, we propose straightforward fitting methods to obtain the components of this model and to establish asymptotic consistency and rates of convergence for the estimates proposed. The methods are illustrated by modelling the dynamics of annual fertility profile functions for 17 countries. This analysis demonstrates that the approach proposed leads to insightful interpretations of the model components and interesting conclusions.
Safety of third‐generation artificial turf in male elite professional soccer players in Italian major league
Authors: Lanzetti R. M. , Ciompi A. , Lupariello D. , Guzzini M. , De Carli A. , Ferretti A.
Published: February 2016

Our hypothesis is that there are no difference in the injury incidence on artificial turf and natural grass. During the 2011/2012 season, we recorded injuries which occurred to two Italian stadiums equipped with third‐generation artificial turf during 36 games (391 players). Data were compared with the injuries which occurred in the same season in two stadiums equipped with natural grass (372 players). We recorded 43 injuries during the playing time (16.7 per 1000 h). About 23 (18.1 per 1000 h) injuries occurred on artificial turf, while 20 (15.2 per 1000 h) on the natural grass with no statistical differences P > 0.05. We recorded 10 (7.87 per 1000 h) contact and 13 (10.23 per 1000 h) non‐contact injuries on artificial turf, while 5 (3.8 per 1000 h) contact and 15 (11.4 per 1000 h) non‐contact injuries on natural grass P > 0.05. The overall relative risk was 1.15; 95% CI: 0.64–2.07). Our study demonstrates a substantial equivalence in injury risk on natural grass and artificial turf in elite professional soccer athletes during official matches.
Tolerance of exercise‐induced pain at a fixed rating of perceived exertion predicts time trial cycling performance
Authors: Astokorki A. H. Y. , Mauger A. R.
Published: February 2016

To compare the predictive capacity of experimental pain and exercised‐induced pain (EIP) on exercise performance. Thirty‐two recreationally active male (n = 23) and female (n = 9) participants were recruited. Participants completed measures of pain tolerance by cold pressor test (CPT), pain pressure threshold via algometry (PPT), and EIP tolerance using an RPE clamp trial. A VO2max test provided traditional predictors of performance [VO2max, gas‐exchange threshold‎ (GET), peak power output (PPO)]. Finally, participants completed a 16.1‐km cycling time trial (TT). No correlation was found between experimental pain measures (CPT, PPT) and TT performance. However, there was a significant correlation between EIP tolerance and TT performance (R = −0.83, P < 0.01). Regression analysis for pain and physiological predictor variables (mean pain in CPT, PPT, EIP tolerance, VO2max, PPO, GET) revealed that a significant model (P < 0.01) emerged when only PPO (Adjusted R2 = 0.739) and EIP tolerance (ΔR2 = 0.075) were used to predict TT performance. These findings suggest that EIP tolerance is an important factor in endurance performance. However, PPT and CPT have limited ability to assess this relationship, and so their use in EIP research should be treated with caution.
KAGAWA TOYOHIKO (1888–1960): WITNESS TO THE COSMIC DRAMA
Authors: Hastings Thomas John
Published: February 2016

At home and abroad, Kagawa Toyohiko was probably the best‐known Japanese Christian evangelist, social reformer, writer, and public intellectual of the twentieth century, nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature twice (1947, 1948) and the Nobel Peace Prize three times (1954, 1955, 1956). Appealing to the masses with little knowledge of Christian faith, Kagawa believed that a positive, religio‐aesthetic interpretation of nature and science was a key missiological concern in Japan. He reasoned that a faith rooted in the kenotic movement of incarnation and self‐giving must strongly support the scientific quest. A voracious reader of science and especially biology, he argues for “directionality,” or what he calls “initial purpose” in the long, painful, cosmic journey from matter to life to mind (or consciousness). Through an antireductionistic, a posteriori methodological pluralism that sought to “see all things whole,” this “scientific mystic” employed Christian, Buddhist, Neo‐Confucian, personalist, and vitalist ideas to envision complementary roles for science and religion in modern society.
SHINTO RESEARCH AND THE HUMANITIES IN JAPAN
Authors: Toji Kamata
Published: February 2016

Three approaches to scholarship are “scholarship as a way,” which aims at perfection of character; “scholarship as a method,” which clearly limits objects and methods in order to achieve precise perception and new knowledge; and “scholarship as an expression,” which takes various approaches to questions and inquiry. The “humanities” participate deeply and broadly in all three of these approaches. In relation to this view of the humanities, Japanese Shinto is a field of study that yields rich results. As a religion of awe, shrine groves, community, arts, and entertainment, it offers a research field that joins together the study of human beings, nature, society, and expression. Though we elucidate the characteristics of Shinto and its differences with Buddhism, we also draw attention to the seven dimensions of “place, way, beauty, festival, technique, poetry, and ecological wisdom,” and then finally take up “research on techniques of body and mind transformation” as a comprehensive and creative development in the “humanities.”
MULTILAYERED SOCIOCULTURAL PHENOMENA: ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN SUBJECTIVE WELL‐BEING AND ECONOMIC STATUS
Authors: Shintaro Fukushima
Published: February 2016

In this article, incoherent results of the associations between subjective well‐being and economic status at multiple social levels are shown. Although individual‐level positive associations are shown within developed countries, national‐level associations disappear among developed countries. Group/area‐level associations, meanwhile, do exist within Japanese societies. From these inconsistent phenomena, a sociocultural unit is proposed, within which well‐being of people is collectively shared based on mutual reciprocity. The simple addition of social scientific results themselves cannot reconstruct the whole range of phenomena. Humanities could be considered as the glue, which adds sociocultural meanings to the generalized scientific results.
AMERICAN MISSIONARIES TRANSMITTING SCIENCE IN EARLY TWENTIETH‐CENTURY EASTERN TIBET
Authors: Aidong Zhao
Published: February 2016

This article is based on the author's extensive research on the missionaries to Tibet from the Disciples of Christ (Christian Church) USA, and discusses various missionary efforts to transmit scientific and practical knowledge such as medicine, building, and agriculture in Eastern Tibet from 1904–1919. It shows that American missionaries played a prominent and distinctive role in the dissemination of scientific and practical knowledge as a result of their hard work and wisdom. In this sense, they made an important contribution to the development of Tibetan society and the modernization movement in early twentieth‐century Eastern Tibet.
HUMANISTIC APPROACH OF THE EARLY PROTESTANT MEDICAL MISSIONARIES IN NINETEENTH‐CENTURY CHINA
Authors: Jane Si Jia , Shaoxin Dong
Published: February 2016

The efficacies of Western and Chinese medicine have been under debate for a long time, and the whole issue still raises questions for the contemporary world. The article emphasizes the humanistic approach as well as the scientific method of the early Protestant medical missionaries to China, so as to give a more comprehensive scope to understand their historical roles and practices in a cross‐cultural context. The authors also wish to call for a global readership to further discuss this historical legacy with regard to the reception of Christianity in contemporary China and other East Asian countries.
AN EAST ASIAN MATHEMATICAL CONCEPTUALIZATION OF THE TRANSHUMAN
Authors: Woosik Hyun
Published: February 2016

This study explores the transhuman from an East Asian perspective. In terms of cognitive science, mathematics, and theology, we define the transhuman system as characterized by (1) transcendence, (2) extension by compactification, and (3) samtaegeuk. Compactification is conceptualized here in mathematical terms, as adding one or more elements so that a system becomes more complete—as one might join both ends of a line, and thereby create a circle. We assert that the East Asian transhuman could be defined as a three‐point compactification: (1) as an extension of biophysical objects and events such as robots, cyborgs, and environments (Earth); (2) as an extension of culture, science, and art (Human); and (3) as an extension of the interaction between the human and Cosmic Absolute such as in religions. Such a notion of the Transhuman might be associated with God, but any description of God, the Absolute Infinite, will apply to something less than God.
EAST ASIA AND HUMAN KNOWLEDGE—A PERSONAL QUEST
Authors: Yu‐Ting Lee
Published: February 2016

This essay is a reflection on the ways we understand East Asia, as well as how East Asia is related to our knowledge construction. In spite of the personal tone, which I use strategically to formulate arguments in a carefully designed narrative flow, the article remains critical throughout and its conclusion is clear: exploration of the essence of East Asian civilization can constitute a meaningful effort to reevaluate and even restructure our current world of knowledge.
Does cerebral hypoxia facilitate central fatigue?
Authors: Siebenmann Christoph , Rasmussen Peter
Published: February 2016

New Findings

What is the topic of this review?

This review addresses whether a mismatch between cerebral O2 demand and delivery accelerates the development of central fatigue during endurance‐type exercise.

What advances does it highlight?

The difficulty with studying the importance of cerebral O2 availability for exercise performance is to manipulate cerebral O2 availability independently of muscular O2 availability. The different approaches to overcome this limitation indicate that cerebral oxygenation is not a major limiting factor in normoxia, but may limit performance in submaximal exercise tasks in hypoxia.

Central fatigue originates within the central nervous system and is characterized by a decrease in voluntary muscle activation. Reduced systemic O2 availability can facilitate central fatigue by enhancing the afferent input of the chemosensitive nerves that play a pivotal role in development of central fatigue. There is accumulating evidence that, in some situations, inadequate O2 availability to the brain itself promotes central fatigue. This short review presents some of the recent findings supporting a direct effect of inadequate cerebral O2 availability on central fatigue and addresses the persisting limitations.
Where are the charge carriers along a closed circuit? A relativistic description
Authors: Fautrat Sylvain
Published: February 2016

We present relativistic transformations of charge densities for a closed electric circuit consisting of straight sections of finite length wires. The study of charge carrier movement is made in the rest frame of carriers, and with only basic relativistic kinematics, we follow a group of charge carriers along the different segments of the circuit. From the change in inter-particle distances when moving from one wire segment to another, expressions for the charge densities are deduced. This approach aims to provide a deeper understanding of the relativistic motion of objects around a closed loop.
Flying through polytropes
Authors: Dean Pesnell W.
Published: February 2016

Dropping objects into a tunnel bored through Earth has been used to visualize simple harmonic motion for many years, and even imagined for use as rapid transport systems. Unlike previous studies that assumed a constant density Earth, here we calculate the fall-through time of polytropes, models of Earth's interior where the pressure varies as a power of the density. This means the fall-through time can be calculated as the central condensation varies from one to large within the family of polytropes. Having a family of models, rather than a single model, helps to explore the properties of planets and stars. Comparing the family of phase space solutions shows that the fall-through time and velocity approach the limit of radial free-fall onto a point mass as the central condensation increases. More condensed models give higher maximum velocities but do not have the right global properties for Earth. The angular distance one can travel along the surface is calculated as a brachistochrone (path of least time) tunnel that is a function of the depth to which the tunnel is bored. We also show that completely degenerate objects, simple models of white dwarf stars supported by completely degenerate electrons, have sizes similar to Earth but their much higher masses mean a much larger gravitational strength and a shorter fall-through time. Numerical integrations of the equations describing polytropes and completely degenerate objects are used to generate the initial models. Analytic solutions and numerical integration of the equations of motion are used to calculate the fall-through time for each model, and numerical integrations with analytic approximations at the boundaries are used to calculate the brachistochrones in the polytropes. Scaling relationships are provided to help use these results in other planets and stars.
Historic Methods for Capturing Magnetic Field Images
Authors: Kwan Alistair
Published: February 2016

I investigated two late 19th-century methods for capturing magnetic field images from iron filings for historical insight into the pedagogy of hands-on physics education methods, and to flesh out teaching and learning practicalities tacit in the historical record. Both methods offer opportunities for close sensory engagement in data-collection processes.
Finding the Effective Mass and Spring Constant of a Force Probe from Simple Harmonic Motion
Authors: Greene Nathaniel R. , Gill Tom , Eyerly Stephen
Published: February 2016

Force probes are versatile tools in the physics lab, but their internal workings can introduce artifacts when measuring rapidly changing forces. The Dual-Range Force Sensor by Vernier (Fig. 1) uses strain gage technology to measure force, based on the bending of a beam. Strain gages along the length of the beam change resistance as the beam bends (Fig. 2). The elasticity of the beam leads to oscillations that persist after being excited by an impulsive force. How quickly the force probe freely returns to zero is thus related to the rigidity of the beam and the total mass attached to it. By varying the added mass and measuring the resulting frequency of the probe's internal free oscillations, the effective mass and spring constant of the probe's moveable parts can be found. Weighing of the probe parts and conducting a Hooke's law experiment provide static verification of these parameters. Study of the force sensor's behavior helps students to learn about damped harmonic motion, mathematical modeling, and the limitations of measuring devices.
The Physics of Osmos
Authors: Vanden Heuvel Andrew
Published: February 2016

We describe an analysis of the conservation of momentum in the video game Osmos, which demonstrates that the potential of video game analysis extends far beyond kinematics. This analysis can serve as the basis of an inquiry momentum lab that combines interesting derivations, video-based data collection, and insights into the subtle decisions that game developers must make to balance realistic physics and enjoyable gameplay.
Physics Trends flyers & high school flyers
Authors: White Susan C.
Published: February 2016

Since 2000, we have published a series of flyers highlighting various data of interest to physics faculty members and students. For example, our Fall 2015 Physics Trends flyers display the employment sectors where physics bachelor's degree recipients work, the knowledge used frequently by mid-career PhD physicists working primarily in private sector jobs, and the proportion of women among physics faculty members. We have recently added a new resource for high school physics teachers: flyers focusing on high school physics. PDFs of both the Physics Trends and high school flyers are available for download at: www.aip.org/statistics/physics-trends and www.aip.org/statistics/highschool. We also have a limited number of printed copies of the Physics Trends flyers which we are happy to send to you upon request. We appreciate the responses from each of you who has helped us collect these data. Next month we will look at Hispanic representation among bachelor's degree recipients in physical sciences and engineering.
The Plus or Minus Game – Teaching Estimation, Precision, and Accuracy
Authors: Forringer Edward R. , Forringer Richard S. , Forringer Daniel S.
Published: February 2016

A quick survey of physics textbooks shows that many (Knight, Young, and Serway for example) cover estimation, significant digits, precision versus accuracy, and uncertainty in the first chapter. Estimation “Fermi” questions are so useful that there has been a column dedicated to them in TPT (Larry Weinstein's “Fermi Questions.”) For several years the authors (a college physics professor, a retired algebra teacher, and a fifth-grade teacher) have been playing a game, primarily at home to challenge each other for fun, but also in the classroom as an educational tool. We call the game “The Plus or Minus Game.” The game combines estimation with the principle of precision and uncertainty in a competitive and fun way.
Physics Take-Outs
Authors: Riendeau Diane , Hawkins Stephanie , Beutlich Scott
Published: February 2016

Most teachers want students to think about their course content not only during class but also throughout their day. So, how do you get your students to see how what they learn in class applies to their lives outside of class? As physics teachers, we are fortunate that our students are continually surrounded by our content. How can we get them to notice the physics around them? How can we get them to make connections between the classroom content and their everyday lives? We would like to offer a few suggestions, Physics Take-Outs, to solve this problem.
Physical Activity and Children in Care: A Scoping Review of Barriers, Facilitators, and Policy for Disadvantaged Youth
Authors: Quarmby Thomas , Pickering Katie
Published: February 2016

Background:

It is argued that regular engagement in physical activity (PA) has the potential to mitigate the negative health and educational outcomes that disadvantaged children living in care frequently face. However, little is currently known about children in care’s participation in PA. This scoping review primarily aimed to identify barriers and facilitators to PA participation for children in care.

Methods:

The main phases of the scoping review were 1) identifying relevant studies; 2) selecting studies based on predefined inclusion criteria; 3) charting the data; and 4) collating, summarizing, and reporting the results. All relevant studies were included in the review regardless of methodological quality and design.

Results:

The 7 articles that met the inclusion criteria were published between 1998 and 2013 and conducted in the USA (3), England (2), and Norway (2). A social ecological model was incorporated to map results against levels of influence.

Conclusions:

Various factors influence PA engagement for children in care. Barriers include low self-efficacy, instability of their social environment, which impacts on schooling and maintaining friendship groups, and, specific institutional practices and policies that may prevent access to PA. Before fully considering policy implications, further research with children in care is warranted in this area.
Complexity theory and financial regulation
Authors: Battiston Stefano , Farmer J. Doyne , Flache Andreas , Garlaschelli Diego , Haldane Andrew G. , Heesterbeek Hans , Hommes Cars , Jaeger Carlo , May Robert , Scheffer Marten
Published: February 2016

Economic policy needs interdisciplinary network analysis and behavioral modeling
Response to Comment on “Global assessment of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus diversity reveals very low endemism”
Authors: Öpik Maarja , Davison John , Moora Mari , Pärtel Meelis , Zobel Martin
Published: February 2016

Bruns and Taylor argue that our finding of widespread distribution among Glomeromycota “virtual taxa” is undermined by the species definition applied. Although identifying appropriate species concepts and accessing taxonomically informative traits are challenges for microorganism biogeography, the virtual taxa represent a pragmatic classification that corresponds approximately to the species rank of classical Glomeromycota taxonomy, yet is applicable to environmental DNA.
How does the immune system tolerate food?
Authors: Kuhn Chantal , Weiner Howard L.
Published: February 2016

Intestinal T cells balance the immune response to microbes and food

[Also see Report by

Kim
et al.

]
A molecular shuttle for hydrogen cyanide
Authors: Schmalz Hans-Günther
Published: February 2016

Nickel-catalyzed transfer hydrocyanation enables safe conversion of alkenes into nitriles

[Also see Report by

Fang
et al.

]
Zika Virus: Diagnostics for an Emerging Pandemic Threat
Authors: Waggoner Jesse J. , Pinsky Benjamin A.
Published: February 2016

Zika virus (ZIKV) is an
Aedes
mosquito-borne flavivirus that emerged in Brazil in 2015 and then rapidly spread throughout the tropical and subtropical Americas. Based on clinical criteria alone, ZIKV cannot be reliably distinguished from infections with other pathogens that cause an undifferentiated systemic febrile illness, including infections with two common arboviruses, dengue virus and chikungunya virus. This minireview details the methods that are available to diagnose ZIKV infection.
State-of-the-Art Microbiologic Testing for Community-Acquired Meningitis and Encephalitis
Authors: Polage Christopher R. , Cohen Stuart H.
Published: February 2016

Meningitis and encephalitis are potentially life-threatening diseases with a wide array of infectious, postinfectious, and noninfectious causes. Diagnostic testing is central to determining the underlying etiology, treatment, and prognosis, but many patients remain undiagnosed due to suboptimal testing and lack of tests for all pathogens. In this article, we summarize the epidemiology, barriers to diagnosis, and current best tests for meningitis and encephalitis in developed countries. We end with a brief discussion of new test methods, such as multiplex panel-based tests and metagenomic sequencing, which are likely to alter diagnostic strategies for these conditions in the near future.
Detection of Human Herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) Reactivation in Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Recipients with Inherited Chromosomally Integrated HHV-6A by Droplet Digital PCR
Authors: Sedlak Ruth Hall , Hill Joshua A. , Nguyen Thuy , Cho Michelle , Levin Greg , Cook Linda , Huang Meei-Li , Flamand Louis , Zerr Danielle M. , Boeckh Michael , Jerome Keith R.
Published: February 2016

The presence of inherited chromosomally integrated human herpesvirus 6 (ciHHV-6) in hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) donors or recipients confounds molecular testing for HHV-6 reactivation, which occurs in 30 to 50% of transplants. Here we describe a multiplex droplet digital PCR clinical diagnostic assay that concurrently distinguishes between HHV-6 species (A or B) and identifies inherited ciHHV-6. By applying this assay to recipient post-HCT plasma and serum samples, we demonstrated reactivation of HHV-6B in 25% (4/16 recipients) of HCT recipients with donor- or recipient-derived inherited ciHHV-6A, underscoring the need for diagnostic testing for HHV-6 infection even in the presence of ciHHV-6.
Emerging Roles of Protein Deamidation in Innate Immune Signaling
Authors: Zhao Jun , Li Junhua , Xu Simin , Feng Pinghui
Published: February 2016

Protein deamidation has been considered a nonenzymatic process associated with protein functional decay or “aging.” Recent studies implicate protein deamidation in regulating signal transduction in fundamental biological processes, such as innate immune responses. Work investigating gammaherpesviruses and bacterial pathogens indicates that microbial pathogens deploy deamidases or enzyme-deficient homologues (pseudoenzymes) to induce deamidation of key signaling components and evade host immune responses. Here, we review studies on protein deamidation in innate immune signaling and present several imminent questions concerning the roles of protein deamidation in infection and immunity.
Analyses of Coronavirus Assembly Interactions with Interspecies Membrane and Nucleocapsid Protein Chimeras
Authors: Kuo Lili , Hurst-Hess Kelley R. , Koetzner Cheri A. , Masters Paul S.
Published: February 2016

The coronavirus membrane (M) protein is the central actor in virion morphogenesis. M organizes the components of the viral membrane, and interactions of M with itself and with the nucleocapsid (N) protein drive virus assembly and budding. In order to further define M-M and M-N interactions, we constructed mutants of the model coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus (MHV) in which all or part of the M protein was replaced by its phylogenetically divergent counterpart from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). We were able to obtain viable chimeras containing the entire SARS-CoV M protein as well as mutants with intramolecular substitutions that partitioned M protein at the boundaries between the ectodomain, transmembrane domains, or endodomain. Our results show that the carboxy-terminal domain of N protein, N3, is necessary and sufficient for interaction with M protein. However, despite some previous genetic and biochemical evidence that mapped interactions with N to the carboxy terminus of M, it was not possible to define a short linear region of M protein sufficient for assembly with N. Thus, interactions with N protein likely involve multiple linearly discontiguous regions of the M endodomain. The SARS-CoV M chimera exhibited a conditional growth defect that was partially suppressed by mutations in the envelope (E) protein. Moreover, virions of the M chimera were markedly deficient in spike (S) protein incorporation. These findings suggest that the interactions of M protein with both E and S protein are more complex than previously thought.

IMPORTANCE
The assembly of coronavirus virions entails concerted interactions among the viral structural proteins and the RNA genome. One strategy to study this process is through construction of interspecies chimeras that preserve or disrupt particular inter- or intramolecular associations. In this work, we replaced the membrane (M) protein of the model coronavirus mouse hepatitis virus with its counterpart from a heterologous coronavirus. The results clarify our understanding of the interaction between the coronavirus M protein and the nucleocapsid protein. At the same time, they reveal unanticipated complexities in the interactions of M with the viral spike and envelope proteins.
Expert consensus statement to guide the evidence-based classification of Paralympic athletes with vision impairment: a Delphi study
Authors: Ravensbergen H J C (Rianne) , Mann D L , Kamper S J
Published: February 2016

Background

Paralympic sports are required to develop evidence-based systems that allocate athletes into ‘classes’ on the basis of the impact of their impairment on sport performance. However, sports for athletes with vision impairment (VI) classify athletes solely based on the WHO criteria for low vision and blindness. One key barrier to evidence-based classification is the absence of guidance on how to address classification issues unique to VI sport. The aim of this study was to reach expert consensus on how issues specific to VI sport should be addressed in evidence-based classification.

Method

A four-round Delphi study was conducted with 25 participants who had expertise as a coach, athlete, classifier and/or administrator in Paralympic sport for VI athletes.

Results

The experts agreed that the current method of classification does not fulfil the requirements of Paralympic classification, and that the system should be different for each sport to account for the sports’ unique visual demands. Instead of relying only on tests of visual acuity and visual field, the panel agreed that additional tests are required to better account for the impact of impairment on sport performance. There was strong agreement that all athletes should not be required to wear a blindfold as a means of equalising the impairment during competition.

Conclusions

There is strong support within the Paralympic movement to change the way that VI athletes are classified. This consensus statement provides clear guidance on how the most important issues specific to VI should be addressed, removing key barriers to the development of evidence-based classification.
Correlates of obesity-related chronic ventilatory failure
Authors: Manuel Ari R , Hart Nicholas , Stradling John R
Published: February 2016

Introduction

Only a third of obese patients develop chronic ventilatory failure. This cross-sectional study assessed multiple factors potentially associated with chronic ventilatory failure.

Materials/patients and methods

Participants had a body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m2, with or without chronic ventilatory failure (awake arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide >6 kPa or base excess (BE) ≥2 mmols/L). Factors investigated were grouped into domains: (1) obesity measures, (2) pulmonary function, (3) respiratory and non-respiratory muscle strength, (4) sleep study derivatives, (5) hypoxic and hypercapnic responses, and (6) some hormonal, nutritional and inflammatory measures.

Results

71 obese participants (52% male) were studied over 27 months, 52 (SD 9) years and BMI 47 (range 32–74) kg/m2. The best univariate correlates of BE from each domain were: (1) dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measurement of visceral fat (r=+0.50, p=0.001); (2) supine forced expiratory volume in 1 s (r=−0.40, p=0.001); (3) sniff maximum pressure (r=−0.28, p=0.02); (4) mean overnight arterial oxygen saturation (r=−0.50, p<0.001); (5) ventilatory response to 15% O2breathing (r=−0.28, p=0.02); and (6) vitamin D (r=−0.30, p=0.01). In multivariate analysis, only visceral fat and ventilatory response to hypoxia remained significant.

Conclusions

We have confirmed that in the obese, BMI is a poor correlate of chronic ventilatory failure, and the best independent correlates are visceral fat and hypoxic ventilatory response.

Trial registration number

NCT01380418.
Usual alcohol consumption and suicide mortality among the Korean elderly in rural communities: Kangwha Cohort Study
Authors: Yi Sang-Wook , Jung Myoungjee , Kimm Heejin , Sull Jae-Woong , Lee Eunsook , Lee Kwang Ok , Ohrr Heechoul
Published: February 2016

Background

The evidence from prospective studies on whether greater usual alcohol consumption is associated with a higher risk of death by suicide in the general population is inconclusive.

Methods

6163 participants (2635 men; 3528 women) in a 1985 survey among rural residents in Korea aged 55 years and above were followed until 2008. A Cox model was used to calculate HRs of suicide death after adjustment for demographic, socioeconomic and health-related confounders.

Results

37 men and 24 women died by suicide. Elderly persons who consumed alcohol daily, 70 g alcohol (5 drinks) or more per drinking day, or 210 g alcohol (15 drinks) or more per week had higher suicide mortality (p<0.05), compared with non-drinkers. An increase of one drinking day per week (HR=1.17, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.31), 70 g (5 drinks) additional alcohol intake per drinking day (HR=1.38, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.70), and 140 g (10 drinks) additional alcohol intake per week was associated with a 17%, 38% and 12% higher risk of suicide death, respectively. Women had a higher relative risk of suicide death associated with alcohol consumption, compared with men.

Conclusions

A greater frequency and amount of usual alcohol consumption was linearly associated with higher suicide death. Given the same amount of alcohol consumption, women might have a higher relative risk of suicide than men. Our findings support ‘the lower the better’ for alcohol intake, no protective effect of moderate alcohol consumption, and a sex-specific guideline (lower alcohol threshold for women) as actions to prevent suicide death.
Effects of a multidisciplinary body weight reduction program on static and dynamic thoraco-abdominal volumes in obese adolescents
Authors: LoMauro Antonella , Cesareo Ambra , Agosti Fiorenza , Tringali Gabriella , Salvadego Desy , Grassi Bruno , Sartorio Alessandro , Aliverti Andrea
Published: February 2016

The objective of this study was to characterize static and dynamic thoraco-abdominal volumes in obese adolescents and to test the effects of a 3-week multidisciplinary body weight reduction program (MBWRP), entailing an energy-restricted diet, psychological and nutritional counseling, aerobic physical activity, and respiratory muscle endurance training (RMET), on these parameters. Total chest wall (VCW), pulmonary rib cage (VRC,p), abdominal rib cage (VRC,a), and abdominal (VAB) volumes were measured on 11 male adolescents (Tanner stage: 3–5; BMI standard deviation score: >2; age: 15.9 ± 1.3 years; percent body fat: 38.4%) during rest, inspiratory capacity (IC) maneuver, and incremental exercise on a cycle ergometer at baseline and after 3 weeks of MBWRP. At baseline, the progressive increase in tidal volume was achieved by an increase in end-inspiratory VCW (p < 0.05) due to increases in VRC,p and VRC,a with constant VAB. End-expiratory VCW decreased with late increasing VRC,p, dynamically hyperinflating VRC,a (p < 0.05), and progressively decreasing VAB (p < 0.05). After MBWRP, weight loss was concentrated in the abdomen and total IC decreased. During exercise, abdominal rib cage hyperinflation was delayed and associated with 15% increased performance and reduced dyspnea at high workloads (p < 0.05) without ventilatory and metabolic changes. We conclude that otherwise healthy obese adolescents adopt a thoraco-abdominal operational pattern characterized by abdominal rib cage hyperinflation as a form of lung recruitment during incremental cycle exercise. Additionally, a short period of MBWRP including RMET is associated with improved exercise performance, lung and chest wall volume recruitment, unloading of respiratory muscles, and reduced dyspnea.
Year-class variation drives interactions between warm-water predators and yellow perch
Authors: Fetzer William W. , Farrell Collin J. , Jackson James R. , Rudstam Lars G.
Published: February 2016

Walleye (Sander vitreus), smallmouth bass (Micropterus dolomieu), and largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) are common top predators across many north temperate lakes, but no previous analyses have assessed factors driving their combined impact on mortality of a shared prey, yellow perch (Perca flavescens). We estimated consumption dynamics of walleye, smallmouth bass, and largemouth bass during 3 years that differed in age-0 yellow perch year-class strength and evaluated the relative contribution of each predator to age-0 yellow perch mortality, in Oneida Lake, New York, USA. Habitat-specific diet composition and population densities were integrated with temperature and growth rates to parameterize a bioenergetics model and estimate annual consumption of major diet items. Walleye were the dominant predator in both offshore and inshore habitats, while smallmouth bass and largemouth bass were also important inshore predators. Consumption of age-0 yellow perch by all three predators was positively correlated to age-0 yellow perch year-class strength, but our ability to account for age-0 yellow perch mortality decreased during years when year-class strength was strong. Within each year, predation by the three species accounted for all observed age-0 yellow perch mortality in late summer and fall, but not in the early summer, suggesting other predators in the lake likely predate on the youngest, most vulnerable yellow perch. These results are important for understanding how diverse predator communities can alter the spatial and temporal availability of prey refuges and influence mortality of a shared prey.
Electrogenic sulfur oxidation in a northern saltmarsh (St. Lawrence Estuary, Canada)
Authors: Rao Alexandra , Risgaard-Petersen Nils , Neumeier Urs
Published: February 2016

Measurements of porewater O2, pH, and H2S microprofiles in intact sediment cores collected in a northern saltmarsh in the St. Lawrence Estuary (Quebec, Canada) revealed the occurrence of electrogenic sulfur oxidation (e-SOx) by filamentous “cable” bacteria in submerged marsh pond sediments in the high marsh. In summer, the geochemical fingerprint of e-SOx was apparent in intact cores, while in fall, cable bacteria were detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization and the characteristic geochemical signature of e-SOx was observed only upon prolonged incubation. In exposed, unvegetated creek bank sediments sampled in the low marsh in summer, cable bacteria developed only in repacked cores of sieved (500 μm), homogenized sediments. These results suggest that e-SOx is suppressed by the activity of macrofauna in exposed, unvegetated marsh sediments. A reduced abundance of benthic invertebrates may promote e-SOx development in marsh ponds, which are dominant features of subarctic saltmarshes as in the St. Lawrence Estuary.
Older conservatives: reproduction in female Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) is increasingly risk-averse with age
Authors: Morin A. , Rughetti M. , Rioux-Paquette S. , Festa-Bianchet M.
Published: February 2016

In long-lived mammals, costs of reproduction may vary with age. The terminal investment hypothesis predicts greater reproductive effort as females approach the end of their life expectancy. We monitored 97 individually marked female Alpine chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra (L., 1758)) between 2007 and 2013 to determine how age-specific reproduction affected body mass and subsequent reproductive success. We captured and weighed females between April and August and monitored reproductive success from April to October through mother–kid associations. Reproductive success was strongly age-dependent and peaked at 70% for prime-aged females (4–7 years). Reproductive senescence began at 8 years, earlier than reported by other studies of ungulates. There was no clear evidence of reproductive costs in any age class. Reproductive success was very heterogeneous for old females, suggesting variability in the onset of senescence. Old females were less likely to reproduce in poor years despite being heavier than prime-aged females, suggesting reproductive restraint in late life rather than terminal investment. Female mass remained stable from May to August with no effect of lactation. Our results suggest that chamois reproductive strategy becomes increasingly conservative with age, resulting in no detectable costs of reproduction.
In silico prediction of long intergenic non-coding RNAs in sheep
Authors: Bakhtiarizadeh Mohammad Reza , Hosseinpour Batool , Arefnezhad Babak , Shamabadi Narges , Salami Seyed Alireza
Published: February 2016

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are transcribed RNA molecules >200 nucleotides in length that do not encode proteins and serve as key regulators of diverse biological processes. Recently, thousands of long intergenic non-coding RNAs (lincRNAs), a type of lncRNAs, have been identified in mammalians using massive parallel large sequencing technologies. The availability of the genome sequence of sheep (Ovis aries) has allowed us genomic prediction of non-coding RNAs. This is the first study to identify lincRNAs using RNA-seq data of eight different tissues of sheep, including brain, heart, kidney, liver, lung, ovary, skin, and white adipose. A computational pipeline was employed to characterize 325 putative lincRNAs with high confidence from eight important tissues of sheep using different criteria such as GC content, exon number, gene length, co-expression analysis, stability, and tissue-specific scores. Sixty-four putative lincRNAs displayed tissues-specific expression. The highest number of tissues-specific lincRNAs was found in skin and brain. All novel lincRNAs that aligned to the human and mouse lincRNAs had conserved synteny. These closest protein-coding genes were enriched in 11 significant GO terms such as limb development, appendage development, striated muscle tissue development, and multicellular organismal development. The findings reported here have important implications for the study of sheep genome.
Effect of electric field on Fe2O3 nanowire growth during thermal oxidation
Authors: Zhao Chunwang , Xue Yannan , Jin Yongjun
Published: February 2016

A direct current of 5 A was applied to narrow strips of iron foil in air to synthesize iron oxide nanowires (NWs) via thermal oxidation route of resistive heating. Transverse electric fields of 0–4000 V/m were applied perpendicularly to the surface of the iron foil during thermal oxidations. Results showed that the Fe2O3 NW array can grow perpendicularly on that surface by using this kind of thermal oxidation method. Transverse electric fields applied during thermal oxidation significantly affected the morphology of the Fe2O3 NW array. With increasing strength of the transverse electric fields, the Fe2O3 NWs became much longer, thinner and denser in distribution, and the diameters became more uniform. Furthermore, solid state based-up diffusion growth mechanism for the Fe2O3 NW array was confirmed by thermal oxidation.
Rationalize the irrational and fractional expressions in nonlinear analysis
Authors: Yang Yongfeng , Jiang Tingdong , Ren Zhong , Zhao Junyao , Zhang Zheng
Published: February 2016

Chebyshev polynomial approximation is an effective method to study the stochastic bifurcation and chaos. However, due to irrational and fractional expressions existing in the denominator of some mechanical systems, the integral process is very complicated. The Taylor series expansion is proposed to expand the irrational and fractional expressions into a series of polynomials. Smooth and discontinuous oscillator was taken as an example, and the results show that the Taylor series expansion method is acceptable. The rub-impact force was taken as another example. Numerical results indicate that the method is suitable for the rub-impact rotor system.