bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An investigation into the effects of increasing salinity on photosynthesis in freshwater unicellular cyanobacteria during the late Archaean
Authors: Herrmann Achim J. , Gehringer Michelle M.
Published: March 2019

The oldest species of bacteria capable of oxygenic photosynthesis today are the freshwater Cyanobacteria Gloeobacter spp., belonging to the class Oxyphotobacteria. Several modern molecular evolutionary studies support the freshwater origin of cyanobacteria during the Archaean and their subsequent acquisition of salt tolerance mechanisms necessary for their expansion into the marine environment. This study investigated the effect of a sudden washout event from a freshwater location into either a brackish or marine environment on the photosynthetic efficiency of two unicellular freshwater cyanobacteria: the salt‐tolerant Chroococcidiopsis thermalis PCC7203 and the cyanobacterial phylogenetic root species, Gloeobacter violaceus PCC7421. Strains were cultured under present atmospheric levels (PAL) of CO2 or an atmosphere containing elevated levels of CO2 and reduced O2 (eCO2rO2) in simulated shallow water or terrestrial environmental conditions. Both strains exhibited a reduction in growth rates and gross photosynthesis, accompanied by significant reductions in chlorophyll a content, in brackish water, with only C. thermalis able to grow at marine salinity levels. While the experimental atmosphere caused a significant increase in gross photosynthesis rates in both strains, it did not increase their growth rates, nor the amount of O2 released. The differences in growth responses to increasing salinities could be attributed to genetic differences, with C. thermalis carrying additional genes for trehalose synthesis. This study demonstrates that, if cyanobacteria did evolve in a freshwater environment, they would have been capable of withstanding a sudden washout into increasingly saline environments. Both C. thermalis and G. violaceus continued to grow and photosynthesise, albeit at diminished rates, in brackish water, thereby providing a route for the evolution of open ocean‐dwelling strains, necessary for the oxygenation of the Earth's atmosphere.
Metronidazole for Helicobacter pylori eradication therapy among children and adolescents in Japan: Overcoming controversies and concerns
Authors: Okuda Masumi , Lin Yingsong , Wang Chaochen , Kakiuchi Toshihiko , Kikuchi Shogo
Published: March 2019

Background

Metronidazole is an antiprotozoal drug used to treat a broad spectrum of infectious diseases, including Helicobacter pylori (H pylori) infections. In Japan, metronidazole is approved for the eradication therapy of H pylori as a second‐line regimen among adults, but it has not yet been approved for use among children and adolescents.

Materials and Methods

To perform this narrative review, we searched the relevant literature on important events in the history of the use of metronidazole, its mechanisms of action, its efficacy, and the adverse effects reported in clinical trials or cohort studies in Japan.

Results

At present, metronidazole resistance has not been a serious issue in Japan in large part due to its restricted use. Emerging evidence from randomized controlled trials demonstrates higher eradication rates for metronidazole than for clarithromycin, supporting its use in both first‐line and second‐line eradication therapies. Among the reported adverse effects, there has been lingering concern over the potential carcinogenicity of metronidazole in humans. However, the possibility of an increased cancer risk is not limited to metronidazole; the long‐term use of antibiotics has been linked to increased risk for some site‐specific cancers. However, recent prospective studies have suggested that short‐term exposure to antibiotics is not associated with an increased cancer risk.

Conclusion

Sensible use of metronidazole backed by research evidence could maximize the benefits associated with H pylori eradication in Japan.
Reconstruction of the eruptive history of Usu volcano, Hokkaido, Japan, inferred from petrological correlation between tephras and dome lavas
Authors: Matsumoto Akiko , Nakagawa Mitsuhiro
Published: March 2019

Usu volcano has erupted nine times since 1663. Most eruptive events started with an explosive eruption, which was followed by the formation of lava domes. However, the ages of several summit lava domes and craters remain uncertain. The petrological features of tephra deposits erupted from 1663 to 1853 are known to change systematically. In this study, we correlated lavas with tephras under the assumption that lava and tephra samples from the same event would have similar petrological features. Although the initial explosive eruption in 1663 was not accompanied by lava effusion, lava dome or cryptodome formation was associated with subsequent explosive eruptions. We inferred the location of the vent associated with each event from the location of the associated lava dome and the pyroclastic flow deposit distribution and found that the position of the active vent within the summit caldera differed for each eruption from the late 17th through the 19th century. Moreover, we identified a previously unrecognized lava dome produced by a late 17th century eruption; this dome was largely destroyed by an explosive eruption in 1822 and was replaced by a new lava dome during a later stage of the 1822 event at nearly the same place as the destroyed dome. This new interpretation of the sequence of events is consistent with historical sketches and documents. Our results show that petrological correlation, together with geological evidence, is useful not only for reconstructing volcanic eruption sequences but also for gaining insight into future potential disasters.
‘Just 17 if you know what I mean’ … but what do we really mean to say about Th17 immunity?
Authors: Altmann Daniel M.
Published: March 2019

Summary

Th17‐derived IL‐17 might be considered the archetypal pro‐inflammatory cytokine of adaptive immunity, to be targeted by new therapeutics for alleviation of autoimmune and inflammatory disease. However, the IL‐17 family of cytokines is produced by diverse innate and adaptive cells, including Th17, Tc17, ILC3, NK cells and γδ T‐cells. These responses are appreciated to underpin diverse aspects of protective, physiological immunity, from dialogue with the gut microbiota to bacterial and fungal immunity in the lung.
Work–life policies and female faculty representation in US doctoral‐granting economics departments
Authors: Juraqulova Zarrina H. , McCluskey Jill J. , Mittelhammer Ron C.
Published: March 2019

This article examines the relationships between work–life policies and female faculty representation and promotion at US doctoral‐granting economics departments. The data were collected in 2012 on tenure‐track and tenured full‐time faculty from 125 departments and updated in 2018 to include promotion status. Variables include individuals and their educational backgrounds, professional experience and publications. Only publications and experience are statistically significant for predicting academic rank for the female subsample, and the impact of publications is much larger for women compared with men. Work–life policies differ in explaining the representation of women across academic ranks. Dual‐career policies have a positive effect on female representation at the assistant and associate levels but do not have a statistically significant impact at the full professor level. National Science Foundation ADVANCE grantee universities have increased female representation across all ranks, but the effect is the smallest at the full professor level. Work–life policies are insignificant in predicting promotion.
Improving complex SMT strategies with learning
Authors: Gálvez Ramírez Nicolás , Monfroy Eric , Saubion Frédéric , Castro Carlos
Published: March 2019

Satisfiability modulo theory (SMT) solving strategies are composed of various components and parameters that can dramatically affect the performance of an SMT solver. Each of these elements includes a huge amount of options that cannot be exploited without expert knowledge. In this work, we analyze separately the different strategy components of the Z3 theorem prover, which is one of the most important solvers of the SMT community. We propose some rules for modifying components, parameters, and structures of solving strategies. Using these rules inside different engines leads to an automated strategy learning process which does not require any end‐user expert knowledge to generate optimized strategies. Our algorithms and rules are validated by optimizing some solving strategies for some selected SMT logics. These strategies are then tested for solving some SMT library benchmarks issued from the SMT competitions. The strategies we automatically generated turn out to be very efficient.
Anti‐cancer targets of formononetin and molecular mechanisms in osteosarcoma: Findings of bioinformatic and experimental assays
Authors: Hu Wei , Wu Xianpei , Tang Jiandong , Zhao Guoping , Xiao Niansu , Zhang Li , Li Sen
Published: March 2019

In current study, a bioinformatic‐based network pharmacology was used to identify the osteosarcoma (OGS)‐pathological targets and formononetin (FN)‐treated targets before the main core predictive biotargets were screened. In addition, all core targets were selected through a number of bioinformatic databases, followed by identification of predominant biological processes and signalling pathways of FN anti‐OGS. Further, top three core targets of FN anti‐OGS were determined as oestrogen receptor 1 (ESR1), tumour protein p53 (TP53), receptor tyrosine‐protein kinase erbB‐2 (ERBB2) respectively. In clinical biochemical data, the plasma samples of OGS showed the increased trends of alkaline phosphatase, triglyceride, blood glucose, lactate dehydrogenase, high‐sensitive C‐reactive protein and some immune cell counts when referenced to medical criteria. In clinicopathological examination, histological OGS sections resulted in increased positive cell counts of neoplastic ESR1, TP53, ERBB2. To further validate these corn proteins in experimental study in vivo, FN‐treated tumour‐bearing nude mice showed intracellular reductions of ESR1, TP53, ERBB2 positive expressions, accompanied with visibly reduced tumour weights. Collectively, our bioinformatic and experimental findings disclosed main core targets, biological processes and signalling pathways of FN anti‐OGS. Interestingly, the top core targets were representatively validated following FN treatment in vivo. Therefore, we reasoned that these predictive targets might be the potential biomarkers for screening and treating osteosarcoma.
Naftopidil reduced the proliferation of lung fibroblasts and bleomycin‐induced lung fibrosis in mice
Authors: Urushiyama Hirokazu , Terasaki Yasuhiro , Nagasaka Shinya , Kokuho Nariaki , Endo Youko , Terasaki Mika , Kunugi Shinobu , Makita Kosuke , Isago Hideaki , Hosoki Keisuke , Souma Kunihiko , Ishii Takashi , Matsuzaki Hirotaka , Hiraishi Yoshihisa , Mikami Yu , Noguchi Satoshi , Tamiya Hiroyuki , Mitani Akihisa , Yamauchi Yasuhiro , Shimizu Akira , Nagase Takahide
Published: March 2019

Naftopidil, an α‐1 adrenoceptor antagonist with few adverse effects, is prescribed for prostate hyperplasia. Naftopidil inhibits prostate fibroblast proliferation; however, its effects on lung fibroblasts and fibrosis remain largely unknown. Two normal and one idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis human lung fibroblast lines were cultured with various naftopidil concentrations with or without phenoxybenzamine, an irreversible α‐1 adrenoceptor inhibitor. We examined the incorporation of 5‐bromo‐2ʹ‐deoxyuridine into DNA and lactic acid dehydrogenase release by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, cell cycle analysis by flow cytometry, scratch wound‐healing assay, and mRNA expressions of type IV collagen and α‐smooth muscle actin by polymerase chain reaction. Effects of naftopidil on bleomycin‐induced lung fibrosis in mice were evaluated using histology, micro‐computed tomography, and surfactant protein‐D levels in serum. Naftopidil, dose‐dependently but independently of phenoxybenzamine, inhibited 5‐bromo‐2ʹ‐deoxyuridine incorporation in lung fibroblasts. Naftopidil induced G1 cell cycle arrest, but lactic acid dehydrogenase release and migration ability of lung fibroblasts were unaffected. Naftopidil decreased mRNA expressions of type IV collagen and α‐smooth muscle actin in one normal lung fibroblast line. Histological and micro‐computed tomography examination revealed that naftopidil attenuated lung fibrosis and decreased serum surfactant protein‐D levels in bleomycin‐induced lung fibrosis in mice. In conclusion, naftopidil may have therapeutic effects on lung fibrosis.
First detection of spring viraemia of carp virus in common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) affected by a septicaemic disease in Mexico
Authors: Ortega Cesar , Cañas‐Lopez Leticia , Irgang Rute , Fajardo Raúl , Poblete‐Morales Matías , Valladares-Carranza Benjamin , Tapia‐Cammas Diana , Avendaño‐Herrera Ruben
Published: March 2019

Spring viraemia of carp (SVC) is an infectious disease responsible for severe economic losses for various cyprinid species, particularly common carp (Cyprinus carpio carpio). The causative agent is the SVC virus (SVCV), a member of the Sprivivirus genus, Rhabdoviridae family, and a List 1 pathogen notifiable by the World Organization for Animal Health. This study describes the diagnosis of an SVCV pathogen isolated in October 2015 from wild common carp inhabiting a natural lagoon in central Mexico. While neither an epidemic nor fish mortalities were reported, the collected killed specimens exhibited clinical signs of disease (e.g., exopthalmia, moderate abdominal distension and haemorrhaging, as well as internal haemorrhages and adhesions). Histological results of injuries were consistent with the pathology caused by SVCV. This finding was supported by the isolation of a virus in EPC and BF‐2 cells and subsequent RT‐PCR confirmation of SVCV. The phylogenetic analyses of partial SVCV glycoprotein gene sequences classified the isolates into the Ia genogroup. These findings make this the first report of SVCV detection in Mexico, extending the southern geographical range of SVCV within North America. However, since this pathogen was detected in fish inhabiting a natural body of water without tributaries or effluents, it is difficult to estimate the risk of SVCV for other wild/feral cohabitating cyprinid species in the lagoon. The status of this virus is also unknown for other bodies of water within this region.
Association of Chronic Periodontitis on Alzheimer's Disease or Vascular Dementia
Authors: Choi Seulggie , Kim Kyuwoong , Chang Jooyoung , Kim Sung Min , Kim Seon Jip , Cho Hyun‐Jae , Park Sang Min
Published: March 2019

OBJECTIVES

Although chronic periodontitis has been associated with Alzheimer's disease, the effect of chronic periodontitis on vascular dementia as well as the role of lifestyle behaviors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, and physical activity in this association are still unclear.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

Population based.

PARTICIPANTS

The study population was derived from the Korean National Health Insurance Service‐Health Screening Cohort. Among 262 349 participants, diagnosis of chronic periodontitis was determined during 2003‐2004.

MEASUREMENTS

Starting from 2005, participants were followed up for overall dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and vascular dementia until 2015. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to determine the adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) of dementia according to chronic periodontitis.

RESULTS

Compared with nonchronic periodontitis participants, chronic periodontitis patients had elevated risk for overall dementia (aHR = 1.06; 95% CI = 1.01‐1.11) and Alzheimer's disease (aHR = 1.05; 95% CI = 1.00‐1.11). There was a tendency toward increased vascular dementia risk among chronic periodontitis patients (aHR = 1.10; 95% CI = 0.98‐1.22). The risk‐increasing effect of chronic periodontitis on dementia tended to be stronger among participants with healthy lifestyle behaviors including never‐smokers and those who exercised and did not consume alcohol.

CONCLUSION

Chronic periodontitis may be associated with a higher risk of developing dementia. Future studies that investigate whether preventing chronic periodontitis may lead to reduced risk of dementia are needed.
Understanding depression: the hippocampus might hold the answer in a CREB‐regulated transcription coactivator
Authors: Davis Randall L.
Published: March 2019

The pathophysiology of major depressive disorders is not completely understood. In this issue of Journal of Neurochemistry, Ni and colleagues investigate the role of cyclic adenosine monophosphate response element‐binding protein (CREB)‐dependent signaling in the hippocampus on depressive‐like behaviors. This editorial highlights the key findings reported by Ni et al., (2018) and how they demonstrated the importance of CREB‐regulated transcription cofactor 1 in LPS‐induced neuroinflammation and depressive‐like behaviors.

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Endocrine Therapy–Related Symptoms and Quality of Life in Female Cancer Survivors in the Yale Fitness Intervention Trial
Authors: Park So‐Hyun , Tish Knobf M. , Jeon Sangchoon
Published: March 2019

Purpose

The aim of the current study was to describe and compare endocrine therapy–related symptoms and quality of life in female cancer survivors taking aromatase inhibitors, tamoxifen, and no endocrine therapy, and to evaluate the effect of an exercise intervention on these symptoms and quality of life.

Design

Randomized controlled trial. An aerobic resistance exercise intervention group was compared with a home‐based exercise control group over 1 year. The exercise intervention was supervised for the first 6 months, followed by 6 unsupervised months.

Methods

Perimenopausal and early postmenopausal female cancer survivors within 3 years of completing primary or adjuvant chemotherapy were selected. A total of 154 women were enrolled in the study. Type of endocrine or hormonal therapy was documented. Symptoms were measured by the Breast Cancer Prevention Trial Symptom Checklist and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy‐Endocrine Subscale. Quality of life was measured by the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy‐General. Data were collected at baseline, and at 6 and 12 months.

Findings

Participants generally had mild symptom distress. There was no difference in symptoms by endocrine therapy group or by exercise group. Participants taking aromatase inhibitors in the aerobic resistance exercise intervention group reported significant improvement in social, family, and functional well‐being and better quality of life compared to those in the control group at 6 months but not at 12 months.

Conclusions

Findings were similar to those of previous large clinical trials in that no significant differences were found for endocrine therapy–related symptoms and quality of life by type of endocrine therapy taken. However, exercise may improve quality of life outcomes for women taking aromatase inhibitors.

Clinical Relevance

Exercise has established efficacy for patient outcomes such as cardiovascular fitness, fatigue, weight management, and quality of life and may provide better quality of life for women who take aromatase inhibitors as adjuvant therapy.
Young Adults' Patterns of Leaving the Parental Home: A Focus on Differences Among Asian Americans
Authors: Ho Phoebe , Park Hyunjoon
Published: March 2019

Objective: This study investigates racial and ethnic variations in patterns of leaving the parental home, focusing on differences among Asian Americans.

Background: Leaving the parental home, considered an important marker of the transition to adulthood, has become more complex for young adults. Asian American young adults are often treated as a monolithic group in studies of residential independence despite ethnic variation in socioeconomic status.

Method: Using nationally representative data on high school seniors (Education Longitudinal Study of 2002; n = 10,770), binary logistic regression models compare the odds of leaving the parental home by age 20 and by 26 among East Asians, Southeast Asians, South Asians, Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics. In addition, the following four patterns of residential independence are identified based on living arrangements between the two ages: early fliers, stayers, returners, and later fliers. Multinomial logistic regression models compare the odds of experiencing each pattern by race/ethnicity.

Results: There is variation among Asian Americans in family socioeconomic status and cultural orientations toward familism. Multivariate analyses reveal that East Asian young adults are consistently more likely to attain residential independence compared to Southeast Asians and South Asians. Family socioeconomic status and cultural factors explain some but not all of the remaining differences among Asian Americans.

Conclusion: Findings highlight the need to consider racial and ethnic diversity and the role of family resources and cultural factors in the transition to adulthood.
Colistin heteroresistance in Enterobacter cloacae is regulated by PhoPQ‐dependent 4‐amino‐4‐deoxy‐l‐arabinose addition to lipid A
Authors: Kang Katie N. , Klein Dustin R. , Kazi Misha I. , Guérin François , Cattoir Vincent , Brodbelt Jennifer S. , Boll Joseph M.
Published: March 2019

The Enterobacter cloacae complex (ECC) consists of closely related bacteria commonly associated with the human microbiota. ECC are increasingly isolated from healthcare‐associated infections, demonstrating that these Enterobacteriaceae are emerging nosocomial pathogens. ECC can rapidly acquire multidrug resistance to conventional antibiotics. Cationic antimicrobial peptides (CAMPs) have served as therapeutic alternatives because they target the highly conserved lipid A component of the Gram‐negative outer membrane. Many Enterobacteriaceae fortify their outer membrane with cationic amine‐containing moieties to prevent CAMP binding, which can lead to cell lysis. The PmrAB two‐component system (TCS) directly activates 4‐amino‐4‐deoxy‐l‐arabinose (l‐Ara4N) biosynthesis to result in cationic amine moiety addition to lipid A in many Enterobacteriaceae such as E. coli and Salmonella. In contrast, PmrAB is dispensable for CAMP resistance in E. cloacae. Interestingly, some ECC clusters exhibit colistin heteroresistance, where a subpopulation of cells exhibit clinically significant resistance levels compared to the majority population. We demonstrate that E. cloacae lipid A is modified with l‐Ara4N to induce CAMP heteroresistance and the regulatory mechanism is independent of the PmrABEcl TCS. Instead, PhoPEcl binds to the arnBEcl promoter to induce l‐Ara4N biosynthesis and PmrAB‐independent addition to the lipid A disaccharolipid. Therefore, PhoPQEcl contributes to regulation of CAMP heteroresistance in some ECC clusters.
Posterity Is Now
Authors: Shannon Jen
Published: March 2019

Guided by the notion that posterity is now, this is a call to take seriously the experiences of museum staff working in collaboration and consultation with Native peoples and to reorient the purpose of the museum to the values embedded in these interactions. Namely, this statement recognizes that heritage work in museum collections is not only about cultural identity and the past, but more often it is oriented toward the present and future of Indigenous communities to benefit their health and well‐being.
Occupational stress, quality of working life and turnover intention amongst nurses
Authors: Chegini Zahra , Asghari Jafarabadi Mohammad , Kakemam Edris
Published: March 2019

Background

Turnover intention is a frequent event in almost all institutions and is associated with unfavourable consequences for employees.

Aim

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between occupational stress, quality of working life and turnover intention amongst nurses working in critical care units in Iran.

Design

A cross‐sectional survey design was used.

Method

The study was conducted in the critical care units of 10 hospitals in Tabriz, Iran, between July and November 2017 using a sample of 203 nurses. Data were obtained using a self‐administered questionnaire, and multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the factors impacting turnover intention.

Results

Overall, 64% of nurses had an intention to leave their job; 82·8% of respondents reported their job to be highly stressful, and 81·2% reported their quality of working life to be low. Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that age (p = 0·006), clinical experience (p = 0·005), duty stressors (p = 0·040), interpersonal relations stressors, (p = 0·029) communication (p = 0·007), motivation (p = 0·006), job security (p = 0·040) and job pride (p = 0·011) were factors affecting turnover intention.

Conclusion

Occupational stress and quality of working life are associated with turnover intention amongst nurses working in critical care units. Further research is needed to determine the generalizability of these results to other settings and countries and to identify interventions that could reduce occupational stress and improve the quality of working life so that turnover intention might be reduced.

Relevance to clinical practice

The findings of this research suggest that lower perceived occupational stress and higher quality of working life will result in less reported turnover intention in critical care unit nurses.
Optimizing embryo age and media for enhancing hybrid seedling recovery in sour orange (Citrus aurantium) × Sacaton citrumelo (C. paradisi × Poncirus trifoliata) crosses through embryo rescue
Authors: Soni Anjali , Dubey Anil Kumar , Gupta Ankit , Sharma Radha Mohan , Prakash Awasthi Om , Bharadwaj Chellapilla , Sharma Nimisha
Published: March 2019

In citrus, development of new hybrids is difficult due to failure of the germination of zygotic embryos. Hence, this study was conducted to standardize embryo age and media for maximizing the germination and subsequent seedling growth in sour orange × Sacaton citrumelo crosses followed by the identification of simple sequence repeats (SSR) markers for distinguishing the hybrids. A factorial experiment in complete randomized design was conducted with two each embryo age (110–120 and 130–140 days after pollination) and culture media (G‐B5 supplemented with 1.5 mg/L GA3 plus malt extract and G‐B5 plus malt extract) for in vitro embryo culture of sour orange × Sacaton citrumelo progenies. Older embryos germinated well in both media, though highest on M1 medium (100%). In fact, M1 medium gave higher plantlet survival in both age groups. The seedling growth of older embryos had highest root length (37.80 mm) and shoot length (24.20 mm) in M1 medium at 60 days after inoculation (DAI). Three SSR markers (TAA45, CAC15 and CAC39) showed polymorphism between female and male parents and were able to identify their hybrids.
Is artificial habitat diversity a key to restoring nurseries for juvenile coastal fish? Ex situ experiments on habitat selection and survival of juvenile seabreams
Authors: Mercader Manon , Blazy Christophe , Di Pane Julien , Devissi Camille , Mercière Alexandre , Cheminée Adrien , Thiriet Pierre , Pastor Jérémy , Crec'hriou Romain , Verdoit‐Jarraya Marion , Lenfant Philippe
Published: March 2019

Man‐made infrastructures have become ubiquitous components of coastal landscapes, leading to habitat modification that affects the abundance and diversity of marine organisms. Marine coastal fish have a complex life cycle requiring different essential habitats. One of these habitats is known as a nursery, a place where juveniles can settle in large numbers, survive,
and grow to contribute to the adult population. Nurseries are mainly found in shallow, sheltered zones and are thus particularly impacted by urbanization, notably by harbors. The vertical featureless structure of docks is very unlikely to be used by juveniles, which need complex habitats to find food and shelter from predators. Recent attempts to rehabilitate the nursery function in such environments by using artificial habitats have proven efficient in increasing juvenile densities. However, nothing is known about the survival of juveniles in these habitats, preventing any conclusions on the effectiveness of this means of restoration from being drawn. Here, we set up tank experiments to test the relationship between habitat preferences and the survival rate of two species of seabream when facing stalk‐attacking combers. Habitat choice was consistent with survival results, indicating that artificial habitats might not represent unintended ecological traps for juveniles. However, the artificial habitats' effect on survival was variable between species. Therefore, our results suggest that habitat diversity might be of prime importance to sustain juveniles of different species and stress the need for the development of diverse artificial habitats to counteract the effects of seascape homogenization.
The courts and the constitutional right to a clean and healthy environment in Uganda
Authors: Soyapi Caiphas Brewsters
Published: March 2019

Uganda is one of the few countries in Africa that has explicitly constitutionalized the right to a clean and healthy environment. The extent to which the right could be effective, however, is dependent on contextual variables, which include the nature of the right itself within a country's constitution or the accessibility and effectiveness of judicial forums. The present article explores how the Ugandan courts have interpreted and developed the right to a healthy environment as an avenue to ensure environmental protection and to facilitate sustainability. The case law discussed reveals notable developments, which include: a rise in public interest environmental litigation through civil society; the liberal interpretation of locus standi provisions; a noticeable tilt in favour of environmental protection and human health as against economic interests; and a noticeable move towards courts taking a precautionary approach in deciding cases.
Interleaving Syntax and Postsyntax: Spellout before Syntactic Movement
Authors: Martinović Martina
Published: March 2019

This article explores the proposal that a phase can be at least partially spelled out and then subsequently accessed by heads from a higher phase. I provide morphological evidence for this claim, by looking at examples in which a morphological (i.e., postsyntactic) process feeds a later narrowly syntactic one. Main evidence comes from the interaction between syntactic head movement and postsyntactic affixation in the Niger‐Congo language Wolof, which confirms an important prediction of the analysis. Namely, if a postsyntactic process can feed a syntactic one, we also expect the postsyntactic process to be bled if the structural conditions for its application are not met, resulting in surface opacity effects. This is precisely what we find in Wolof, where the past‐tense morphemeoonis postsyntactically affixed onto the verb in a particular structural configuration and carried along with it to C but is stranded by the verb below C if the structural requirements for its affixation are not met.
Crusted scabies in a renal transplant recipient treated with daily ivermectin: A case report and literature review
Authors: Wang Michael Ke , Chin‐Yee Benjamin , Lo Carson Ka‐Lok , Lee Stephen , El‐Helou Philippe , Alowami Salem , Gangji Azim , Ribic Christine
Published: March 2019

Crusted scabies is a rare disease variant associated with T‐cell dysregulation. Transplant patients are at risk of developing crusted scabies as a consequence of their immunosuppressive regimens. We report a case of crusted scabies presenting with recurrent septicemia in a 65‐year‐old renal transplant recipient, treated with daily ivermectin for 7 days after initial failure of weekly ivermectin dosing. A literature review of crusted scabies in transplant recipients consisting of 19 cases reports was summarized. Pruritus was common, and initial misdiagnosis was frequent. Most were treated with topical therapy, with one‐third receiving ivermectin. Three of seven cases presenting with a concomitant infection died. Crusted scabies is commonly misdiagnosed in transplant recipients owing to its rarity, varied appearance, and different skin distributions. It should be considered in the differential diagnosis of transplant recipients presenting with rash and pruritus, given its association with secondary infection and subsequent mortality.
The Acute Effects of Dynamic and Static Stretching on Tennis Serve Targeting Performance
Authors: Turna Bulent , Sahan Asuman , Yilmaz Bahar
Published: March 2019

The study investigates the acute effects of dynamic and static stretching on the tennis serve targeting performance of amateur tennis players. Twenty male athletes who were between the ages of 16-24 years and played tennis for at least 1 year (21.40±2.16 years, 181±0.06 cm, 71.85±7.42 kg, tennis playing time 1.55±0.88 years) voluntarily participated in the study.Prior to the pre-tests and after applying the traditional warm-up protocol, serve targeting test (STT) was applied to all participants. In the post-tests, STT was used after applying three different warm-up methods on three different days (48-hour rest interval). The warm-up stages included No Treatment (NT) (jogging, rally), Static Stretching (SS) and Dynamic Stretching (DS).In the statistical analysis, the homogeneity of the data was investigated using the Shapiro Wilk test. The Wilcoxon test was used to compare the pre-test and post-test results of the non-homogeneous data; Friedman test was used to compare the three different stretching methods with each other; in the paired comparisons of the groups, the paired samples t-test was used for the homogenous data and Wilcoxon test was used for the non-homogeneous data. In conclusion, stretching exercises before serving increased the serve targeting performance and the increase in the dynamic stretching exercises was higher than that in static stretching exercises.
Distributed Detect-and-Avoid for Multiple Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in National Air Space
Authors: Sarim Mohammad , Radmanesh Mohammadreza , Dechering Matthew , Kumar Manish , Pragada Ravikumar , Cohen Kelly
Published: March 2019

Small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have the potential to revolutionize various applications in civilian domain such as disaster management, search and rescue operations, law enforcement, precision agriculture, and package delivery. As the number of such UAVs rise, a robust and reliable traffic management is needed for their integration in national airspace system (NAS) to enable real-time, reliable, and safe operation. Management of UAVs traffic in NAS becomes quite challenging due to issues such as real-time path planning of large number of UAVs, communication delays, operational uncertainties, failures, and noncooperating agents. In this work, we present a novel UAV traffic management (UTM) architecture that enables the integration of such UAVs in NAS. A combined A*–mixed integer linear programming (MILP)-based solution is presented for initial path planning of multiple UAVs with individual mission requirements and dynamic constraints. We also present a distributed detect-and-avoid (DAA) algorithm based on the concept of resource allocation using a market-based approach. The results demonstrate the scalability, optimality, and ability of the proposed approach to provide feasible solutions that are versatile in dynamic environments.
An Electronic Force Sensor for Medical Jet Injection
Authors: Demas Nickolas P. , Hunter Ian W.
Published: March 2019

In medical jet injection, a narrow fluid drug stream is propelled at high velocity into skin without a needle. Previous studies have shown that the volume delivered is highly dependent on a number of factors. This paper details the development of an electronic force sensor for medical jet injection and shows that the normal contact force exerted on the tissue by the nozzle is an additional factor affecting volume delivered. Using this sensor, we measure the forces at the nozzle tip in the normal direction with a sensitivity of 18 μN, calibrated over a range from 1 N to 8 N with a mean absolute error of 8 mN, and a maximum overload of 300 N. We further measure forces at the nozzle tip in the lateral direction with a sensitivity of 8 μN, calibrated over a range from 0.1 N to 7 N, with a mean absolute error of 101 mN for lateral contact force magnitude and 1.60 deg for lateral contact force direction. Experimental validation confirms that the force sensor does not adversely affect the accuracy and precision of ejected volume from the jet injector. We use this setup to examine the effect of normal contact force on volume delivered into postmortem porcine tissue. Experimental results demonstrate that volume delivered with normal contact force between 4 N and 8 N is significantly more accurate and precise compared to volume delivered with normal contact force between 0 N and 3.9 N.
An Empirical Study on the Impact of Design Brief Information on the Creativity of Design Outcomes With Consideration of Gender and Gender Diversity
Authors: Koronis Georgios , Chia Pei Zhi , Kang Kai Siang Jacob , Silva Arlindo , Yogiaman Christine , Raghunath Nilanjan
Published: March 2019

This study aims to understand how information in design briefs affects the creativity of design outcomes. We tested this during a Collaborative Sketching (C-Sketch) ideation exercise with first-year undergraduate student designers. We focus on four types of stimuli—quantitative requirements, a visual example (video), a physical example, and contextual information—and we measure creativity according to three metrics—novelty, appropriateness, and usability with either the participants’ gender or the gender diversity of the participants’ groups. The findings suggest that the main effect of providing a video example results in high appropriateness and usability scores but low novelty scores and that physical-contextual briefs have high novelty and usability scores. In addition, we did not find any correlation between gender or gender diversity and creativity scores.
Computational Modeling of Developing Cartilage Using Experimentally Derived Geometries and Compressive Moduli
Authors: Lycke Roy J. , Walls Michael K. , Calve Sarah
Published: March 2019

During chondrogenesis, tissue organization changes dramatically. We previously showed that the compressive moduli of chondrocytes increase concomitantly with extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness, suggesting cells were remodeling to adapt to the surrounding environment. Due to the difficulty in analyzing the mechanical response of cells in situ, we sought to create an in silico model that would enable us to investigate why cell and ECM stiffness increased in tandem. The goal of this study was to establish a methodology to segment, quantify, and generate mechanical models of developing cartilage to explore how variations in geometry and material properties affect strain distributions. Multicellular geometries from embryonic day E16.5 and postnatal day P3 murine cartilage were imaged in three-dimensional (3D) using confocal microscopy. Image stacks were processed using matlab to create geometries for finite element analysis using ANSYS. The geometries based on confocal images and isolated, single cell models were compressed 5% and the equivalent von Mises strain of cells and ECM were compared. Our simulations indicated that cells had similar strains at both time points, suggesting that the stiffness and organization of cartilage changes during development to maintain a constant strain profile within cells. In contrast, the ECM at P3 took on more strain than at E16.5. The isolated, single-cell geometries underestimated both cell and ECM strain and were not able to capture the similarity in cell strain at both time points. We expect this experimental and computational pipeline will facilitate studies investigating other model systems to implement physiologically derived geometries.
In Silico Performance of a Recellularized Tissue-Engineered Transcatheter Aortic Valve
Authors: Noble Christopher , Choe Joshua , Uthamaraj Susheil , Deherrera Milton , Lerman Amir , Young Melissa
Published: March 2019

Commercially available heart valves have many limitations, such as a lack of remodeling, risk of calcification, and thromboembolic problems. Many state-of-the-art tissue-engineered heart valves (TEHV) rely on recellularization to allow remodeling and transition to mechanical behavior of native tissues. Current in vitro testing is insufficient in characterizing a soon-to-be living valve due to this change in mechanical response; thus, it is imperative to understand the performance of an in situ valve. However, due to the complex in vivo environment, this is difficult to accomplish. Finite element (FE) analysis has become a standard tool for modeling mechanical behavior of heart valves; yet, research to date has mostly focused on commercial valves. The purpose of this study has been to evaluate the mechanical behavior of a TEHV material before and after 6 months of implantation in a rat subdermis model. This model allows the recellularization and remodeling potential of the material to be assessed via a simple and inexpensive means prior to more complex ovine orthotropic studies. Biaxial testing was utilized to evaluate the mechanical properties, and subsequently, constitutive model parameters were fit to the data to allow mechanical performance to be evaluated via FE analysis of a full cardiac cycle. Maximum principal stresses and strains from the leaflets and commissures were then analyzed. The results of this study demonstrate that the explanted tissues had reduced mechanical strength compared to the implants but were similar to the native tissues. For the FE models, this trend was continued with similar mechanical behavior in explant and native tissue groups and less compliant behavior in implant tissues. Histology demonstrated recellularization and remodeling although remodeled collagen had no clear directionality. In conclusion, we observed successful recellularization and remodeling of the tissue giving confidence to our TEHV material; however, the mechanical response indicates the additional remodeling would likely occur in the aortic/pulmonary position.
A deep learning algorithm to increase intelligibility for hearing-impaired listeners in the presence of a competing talker and reverberation
Authors: Healy Eric W. , Delfarah Masood , Johnson Eric M. , Wang DeLiang
Published: March 2019

For deep learning based speech segregation to have translational significance as a noise-reduction tool, it must perform in a wide variety of acoustic environments. In the current study, performance was examined when target speech was subjected to interference from a single talker and room reverberation. Conditions were compared in which an algorithm was trained to remove both reverberation and interfering speech, or only interfering speech. A recurrent neural network incorporating bidirectional long short-term memory was trained to estimate the ideal ratio mask corresponding to target speech. Substantial intelligibility improvements were found for hearing-impaired (HI) and normal-hearing (NH) listeners across a range of target-to-interferer ratios (TIRs). HI listeners performed better with reverberation removed, whereas NH listeners demonstrated no difference. Algorithm benefit averaged 56 percentage points for the HI listeners at the least-favorable TIR, allowing these listeners to perform numerically better than young NH listeners without processing. The current study highlights the difficulty associated with perceiving speech in reverberant-noisy environments, and it extends the range of environments in which deep learning based speech segregation can be effectively applied. This increasingly wide array of environments includes not only a variety of background noises and interfering speech, but also room reverberation.
Three-dimensional pentamode acoustic metamaterials with hexagonal unit cells
Authors: Li Qi , Vipperman Jeffrey S.
Published: March 2019

Acoustic cloaking is an important application of acoustic metamaterials. Pentamode acoustic cloaks have isotropic mass density and anisotropic stiffness. A different kind of pentamode material is proposed in this paper. It is composed of three-dimensional hexagonal unit cells built with double-cone structures. The structure is amenable for creating spherical pentamode geometries, which might be used for acoustic cloaking. The band structures show that there are band gaps for shear waves, where only compressional waves exist. The effective compressional wave velocities are calculated from the band structures for various parameters. The effective properties can be varied by changing the parameters independently. High anisotropy and large variation of effective properties are demonstrated, suggesting good potential for acoustic cloaking. The geometry of the unit cell can be designed to give the appropriate properties required for cloaking.
Wigner solid pinning modes tuned by fractional quantum Hall states of a nearby layer
Authors: Hatke A. T. , Deng H. , Liu Yang , Engel L. W. , Pfeiffer L. N. , West K. W. , Baldwin K. W. , Shayegan M.
Published: March 2019

Pinning modes of a Wigner solid show remarkably small screening by a fractional quantum Hall liquid in close proximity.
Bioinspired mechanical device generates plasma in water via cavitation
Authors: Tang Xin , Staack David
Published: March 2019

Engineering the weapon of the ocean’s loudest snapper: 3D-printed shrimp claw efficiently produces shock waves and plasmas.
Genetics and Pathogenicity Factors of Group C and G Streptococci
Authors: Malke Horst
Published: March 2019

Of the eight phylogenetic groups comprising the genus
Streptococcus
, Lancefield group C and G streptococci (GCS and GGS, resp.) occupy four of them, including the Pyogenic, Anginosus, and Mitis groups, and one Unnamed group so far. These organisms thrive as opportunistic commensals in both humans and animals but may also be associated with clinically serious infections, often resembling those due to their closest genetic relatives, the group A streptoccci (GAS). Advances in molecular genetics, taxonomic approaches and phylogenomic studies have led to the establishment of at least 12 species, several of which being subdivided into subspecies. This review summarizes these advances, citing 264 early and recent references. It focuses on the molecular structure and genetic regulation of clinically important proteins associated with the cell wall, cytoplasmic membrane and extracellular environment. The article also addresses the question of how, based on the current knowledge, basic research and translational medicine might proceed to further advance our understanding of these multifaceted organisms. Particular emphasis in this respect is placed on streptokinase as the protein determining the host specificity of infection and the Rsh-mediated stringent response with its potential for supporting bacterial survival under nutritional stress conditions.
Streptococcus pneumoniae: Invasion and Inflammation
Authors: Loughran Allister J. , Orihuela Carlos J. , Tuomanen Elaine I.
Published: March 2019

Streptococcus pneumoniae (the pneumoccus) is the leading cause of otitis media, community-acquired pneumonia, and bacterial meningitis. The success of the pneumococcus stems from its ability to persist in the population as a commensal and avoid killing by immune system. This chapter first reviews the molecular mechanisms that allow the pneumococcus to colonize and spread from one anatomical site to the next. Then, it discusses the mechanisms of inflammation and cytotoxicity during emerging and classical pneumococcal infections.