bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Gamma Irradiation on Bacterial Microflora Associated with Human Amniotic Membrane
Authors: Binte Atique Fahmida , Ahmed Kazi Tahsin , Asaduzzaman S. M. , Hasan Kazi Nadim
Published: August 2013

Human amniotic membrane is considered a promising allograft material for the treatment of ocular surface reconstruction, burns, and other skin defects. In order to avoid the transmission of any diseases, grafts should be perfectly sterile. Twenty-five amniotic sacs were collected to determine the microbiological quality of human amniotic membrane, to analyze the radiation sensitivity pattern of the microorganism, and to detect the radiation decimal reduction dose (D10) values. All the samples were found to be contaminated, and the bioburden was ranged from3.4×102to1.2×105 cfu/g. Initially, a total fifty bacterial isolates were characterized according to their cultural, morphological, and biochemical characteristics and then tested for the radiation sensitivity in an incremental series of radiation doses from 1 to 10 KGy. The results depict gradual decline in bioburden with incline of radiation doses.Staphylococcusspp. were the most frequently isolated bacterial contaminant in tissue samples (44%). TheD10values of the bacterial isolates were ranged from 0.6 to 1.27 KGy.Streptococcusspp. were found to be the highest radioresistant strain with the radiation sterilization dose (RSD) of 11.4 KGy for a bioburden level of 1000. To compare the differences,D10values were also calculated by graphical evaluations of the data with two of the representative isolates of each bacterial species which showed no significant variations. Findings of this study indicate that lower radiation dose is quite satisfactory for the sterilization of amniotic membrane grafts. Therefore, these findings would be helpful to predict the efficacy of radiation doses for the processing of amniotic membrane for various purposes.
Past Obesity as well as Present Body Weight Status Is a Risk Factor for Diabetic Nephropathy
Authors: Meguro Shu , Kabeya Yusuke , Tanaka Karin , Kawai Toshihide , Tomita Masuomi , Katsuki Takeshi , Oikawa Yoichi , Atsumi Yoshihito , Shimada Akira , Tanaka Masami , Irie Junichiro , Saisho Yoshifumi , Itoh Hiroshi
Published: August 2013

Aims. We analyzed the prevalence of nephropathy according to past body weight status in Japanese subjects with type 2 diabetes because the influence of past obesity on diabetic complications is not certain.Methods. We examined the prevalence of nephropathy in 2927 subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus according to current BMI and maximum BMI in the past. We defined “current obesity” as BMI on hospitalization of 25 or more, “previous obesity” as BMI on hospitalization of less than 25 and self-reported maximum BMI in the past of 25 or more, and “continuously lean” as maximum BMI of less than 25.Results. The prevalence of nephropathy was significantly higher in subjects with current obesity (40.6%) or previous obesity (35.6%) than in those who were continuously lean (24.3%) (P<0.017). In logistic regression analysis, previous obesity, as well as current obesity, was a significant risk factor for nephropathy, independent of sex, age, disease duration, hypertension, dyslipidemia, HbA1c, and diabetic retinopathy.Conclusions. Obesity in the past, as well as the present body weight status, was a risk factor for diabetic nephropathy.
The Usefulness of Impedance Cardiography for Predicting Beneficial Effects of Cardiac Rehabilitation in Patients with Heart Failure
Authors: Gielerak Grzegorz , Krzesiński Paweł , Piotrowicz Ewa , Piotrowicz Ryszard
Published: August 2013

Aim. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an important part of heart failure (HF) treatment. The aim of this paper was to evaluate if thoracic fluid content (TFC) measured by impedance cardiography (ICG) is a useful parameter for predicting the outcome of CR.Methods. Fifty HF patients underwent clinical and noninvasive haemodynamic (TFC) assessments before and after 8-week CR.Results. As a result of CR, the patients’ exercise tolerance improved, especially in terms of peak VO2(18.7 versus 20.8 mL × kg−1× min−1;P=0.025). TFC was found to identify patients with significantly improved peak VO2after CR. “High TFC” patients (TFC > 27.0 kOhm−1), compared to those of “low TFC” (TFC < 27.0 kOhm−1), were found to have more pronounced increase in peak VO2(1.3 versus 3.1 mL × kg−1× min−1;P=0.011) and decrease in TFC (4.0 versus 0.7 kOhm−1;P<0.00001). On the other hand, the patients with improved peak VO2(n=32) differed from those with no peak VO2improvement in terms of higher baseline TFC values (28.4 versus 25.3 kOhm−1;P=0.039) and its significant decrease after CR (2.7 versus 0.2 kOhm−1;P=0.012).Conclusions. TFC can be a useful parameter for predicting beneficial effects of CR worth including in the process of patients’ qualification for CR.
Wavelet Leaders Based Vibration Signals Multifractal Features of Plunger Pump in Truck Crane
Authors: Du Wenliao , Yang Chunyan , Li Ansheng , Wang Liangwen
Published: August 2013

Vibration signal of plunger pump in truck crane is a typical nonlinear, nonstationary signal, and the multifractal features are a powerful tool for depicting the geometry features of such signals. The wavelet-leaders based multifractal features extraction method is an attractive tool, which has solid theoretical mathematical support and a simplified calculation procedure. The wavelet-leaders based multifractal features extraction method is compared for the original signal and the denoised signal, and the statistical performance of the obtained features is also introduced based on block bootstrap technology. The effectiveness of the wavelet leaders based method is first verified for a traditional multifractal signal. Then, the application of the proposed method to the pump vibration signals of three working conditions of truck crane: lifting, rotating, and luffing is discussed. The result shows that the geometry features of vibration signals can be obtained with wavelet leaders multifractal analysis method, and the denoising process improves the multifractal features.
Numerical Approximation of Higher-Order Solutions of the Quadratic Nonlinear Stochastic Oscillatory Equation Using WHEP Technique
Authors: El-Beltagy Mohamed A. , Al-Johani Amnah S.
Published: August 2013

This paper introduces higher-order solutions of the stochastic nonlinear differential equations with the Wiener-Hermite expansion and perturbation (WHEP) technique. The technique is used to study the quadratic nonlinear stochastic oscillatory equation with different orders, different number of corrections, and different strengths of the nonlinear term. The equivalent deterministic equations are derived up to third order and fourth correction. A model numerical integral solver is developed to solve the resulting set of equations. The numerical solver is tested and validated and then used in simulating the stochastic quadratic nonlinear oscillatory motion with different parameters. The solution ensemble average and variance are computed and compared in all cases. The current work extends the use of WHEP technique in solving stochastic nonlinear differential equations.
Antimicrobial Property of Extracts of Indian Lichen against Human Pathogenic Bacteria
Authors: Srivastava Priya , Upreti D. K. , Dhole T. N. , Srivastava Apurva K. , Nayak Meghanand T.
Published: August 2013

Context.Usnea ghattensisG. Awasthi (Usneaceae) endemic fruticose lichen found growing luxuriantly in Northern Western Ghats of India, it also contains Usnic acid as a major chemical and tested against some human pathogenic bacteria.Objective. To explore antimicrobial properties ofUsnea ghattensisagainst some human pathogenic bacteria.Materials and Methods. The lichen was extracted in acetone, methanol, and ethanol.In vitroantimicrobial activity was tested initially byKirby-Bauertechnique of disc diffusion method and was confirmed by minimum inhibitory concentration using Broth microdilution method according to the NCCLS guidelines.Results. Ethanol extract was most effective againstBacillus cereusandPseudomonas aeruginosawith a zone of inhibition 29.8 ± 0.6 mm and 12.3 ± 0.5 mm diameters at a concentration of 0.2 mg/mL. Acetone and methanol extract demonstrated almost similar activity againstStaphylococcus aureusand the zone of inhibition was 24.6 ± 0.5 and 24.7 ± 0.4 mm. Only methanol extract was showing activity againstStreptococcus faecaliswith a 13.5 ± 0.8 mm zone. MIC value noted againstStaphylococcus aureusandStreptococcus faecaliswas 6.25 μg/mL and 25 μg/mL, whereas againstBacillus cereusandPseudomonas aeruginosa, MIC calculated was 3.125 μg/mL and 200 μg/mL, respectively.Conclusion. The present study demonstrates the relatively higher activity of this lichen against not only gram (+) but significantly also against gram (−) bacteria. This indicates that this lichen might be a rich source of effective antimicrobial agents.
Microstructural Characteristics and Mechanical Properties of Friction Stir Spot Welded 2A12-T4 Aluminum Alloy
Authors: Liu Huijie , Zhao Yunqiang , Su Xingye , Yu Lilong , Hou Juncai
Published: August 2013

2A12-T4 aluminum alloy was friction stir spot welded, and the microstructural characteristics and mechanical properties of the joints were investigated. A softened microstructural region existed in the joint, and it consisted of stir zone (SZ), thermal mechanically affected zone (TMAZ), and heat affected zone (HAZ). The minimum hardness was located in TMAZ, and the average hardness value in SZ can be improved by appropriately increasing welding heat input. The area of complete bonding region at the interface increased with increasing welding heat input because more interface metals were mixed. In a certain range of FSSW parameters, the tensile shear failure load of the joint increased with increasing rotation speed, but it decreased with increasing plunge rate or decreasing shoulder plunging depth. Two kinds of failure modes, that is, shear fracture mode and tensile-shear mixed fracture mode, can be observed in the tensile shear tests, and the joint that failed in the tensile-shear mixed fracture mode possessed a high carrying capability.
Utility of Nuclear Morphometry in Predicting Grades of Diffusely Infiltrating Gliomas
Authors: Boruah Dibyajyoti , Deb Prabal
Published: August 2013

Introduction. The ability to reliably differentiate neoplastic from nonneoplastic specimen and ascertain the tumour grade of diffusely infiltrating gliomas (DIGs) is often challenging. Aims and Objective. To evaluate utility of image morphometry in identifying DIG areas and to predict tumour grade. Materials and Methods. Image morphometry was used to analyze the following nuclear features of 30 DIGs and 10 controls (CG): major axis of nucleus (MAJX), minor axis of nucleus (MINX), nuclear area (NA), nuclear perimeter (NP), nuclear roundness (NR), nuclear density (ND), and percentage of total nuclear area (%TNA). Results. Statistically significant differences in all parameters, except NR, were observed between all groups, with strong positive correlation with tumour grade (r>0.7). The mean values were maximum for HGG and minimum for CG. For NR, the difference between CG/HGG was statistically significant, unlike CG/LGG and LGG/HGG. It was observed that NA distributions for CG were nearly Gaussian type with smaller range, while gliomas displayed erratic pattern with larger range. NA and NP exhibited strong positive correlation with ND. Conclusion. Image morphometry has immense potential in being a powerful tool to distinguish normal from neoplastic tissue and also to differentiate LGG from HGG cases, especially in tiny stereotactic biopsies.
Characteristics of the Small Bowel Lesions Detected by Capsule Endoscopy in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Kawamura Harunobu , Sakai Eiji , Endo Hiroki , Taniguchi Leo , Hata Yasuo , Ezuka Akiko , Nagase Hajime , Kessoku Takaomi , Yamada Eiji , Ohkubo Hidenori , Higrashi Takuma , Sekino Yusuke , Koide Tomoko , Iida Hiroshi , Nonaka Takashi , Takahashi Hirokazu , Inamori Masahiko , Maeda Shin , Nakajima Atsushi
Published: August 2013

Obscure gastrointestinal bleeding (OGIB) is one of the common complications in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), especially those who are on maintenance hemodialysis (HD). However, little is known about the characteristics of the small-bowel lesions in these patients, or of the factors that could predict the presence of such lesions. Therefore we enrolled a total of 42 CKD patients (including 19 HD patients and 23 non-HD patients), and compared the incidence of the small-bowel lesions among two groups. Furthermore, to identify predictive factors for the presence of small-bowel lesions, we performed multivariate logistic-regression-analyses. The incidence of small-bowel vascular lesions was significantly higher in CKD patients than in age-and-sex matched non-CKD patients (P<0.001). On the other hand, there was any significant difference of the incidence of small-bowel lesions between HD and non-HD patients. In CKD patients, past history of blood transfusion (OR 5.66; 95% CI 1.10–29.1,P=0.04) was identified as an independent predictor of the presence of vascular lesions, and history of low-dose aspirin use (OR 6.00; 95% CI 1.13–31.9,P=0.04) was identified as that of erosive/ulcerated lesions. This indicated that proactive CE examination would be clinically meaningful for these patients.
Flexural Vibration Band Gaps Characteristics in Phononic Crystal Euler Beams on Two-Parameter Foundation
Authors: Zhang Yan , He Jing , Jiang Lin-hua
Published: August 2013

The vibration band gaps in the phononic crystal (PC) Euler beam on two-parameter foundation are investigated theoretically by the combination of the transfer matrix (TM) method and Bloch theorem. Compared with the Winkler foundation with only the foundation reaction modulus k, the shear modulus [Formula: see text] is taken into account simultaneously to consider the continuity of deformation of the foundation. The band structures of a lead-copper PC Euler beam either on two-parameter foundation or on Winkler (one-parameter) foundation show that the introduction of the shear modulus [Formula: see text] has significant impact on the distribution of band gaps. The first band gap has not any evolution with the increase of [Formula: see text], while the other band gaps trend to higher frequency and their ranges become narrower. The analysis shows that the parameters of foundation and the length ratio of segments can be conditionally selected to obtain adjustable band gaps.
Risk-Based Predictive Maintenance for Safety-Critical Systems by Using Probabilistic Inference
Authors: Xu Tianhua , Tang Tao , Wang Haifeng , Yuan Tangming
Published: August 2013

Risk-based maintenance (RBM) aims to improve maintenance planning and decision making by reducing the probability and consequences of failure of equipment. A new predictive maintenance strategy that integrates dynamic evolution model and risk assessment is proposed which can be used to calculate the optimal maintenance time with minimal cost and safety constraints. The dynamic evolution model provides qualified risks by using probabilistic inference with bucket elimination and gives the prospective degradation trend of a complex system. Based on the degradation trend, an optimal maintenance time can be determined by minimizing the expected maintenance cost per time unit. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated and demonstrated by a collision accident of high-speed trains with obstacles in the presence of safety and cost constrains.
Determination of Viral Load by Quantitative Real-Time PCR in Herpes Simplex Encephalitis Patients
Authors: Bhullar Shradha S. , Chandak Nitin H. , Purohit Hemant J. , Taori Girdhar M. , Daginawala Hatim F. , Kashyap Rajpal S.
Published: August 2013

Objective: Human herpesviruses cause various acute, subacute, and chronic disorders of the central nervous system and peripheral nervous systems in adults and children. The objective of the present study is to summarize the experience gained with the estimation of viral load in the central nervous system of children and adults with herpes simplex encephalitis (HSE) admitted to a neurological institute at Nagpur, India, by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay within the past 4 years. Methods: The qPCR assay was evaluated retrospectively in 242 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from patients. Evaluation of possible relationships was done between the herpes simplex virus (HSV) DNA concentration in CSF with that of patients' clinical and laboratory manifestations. The prevalence of the type of HSV in the study population was also determined using type-specific real-time PCR analysis. Results and Conclusions: Real-time analysis using type-specific primers revealed the presence of predominantly HSV-1 genotype in the study population. The qPCR results show that in patients with higher viral loads in their CSF, a greater number of cases were associated with the presence of lesions in the brain as revealed by computed tomography/magnetic resonance imaging scan. They required acyclovir therapy for a longer duration and had a poorer clinical outcome than the patients with lower viral loads in their CSF.
Safety and Efficacy of a Totally Subcutaneous Implantable-Cardioverter Defibrillator
Authors: Weiss Raul , Knight Bradley P. , Gold Michael R. , Leon Angel R. , Herre John M. , Hood Margaret , Rashtian Mayer , Kremers Mark , Crozier Ian , Lee Kerry L. , Smith Warren , Burke Martin C.
Published: August 2013

Background—

The most frequent complications associated with implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) involve the transvenous leads. A subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (S-ICD) has been developed as an alternative system. This study evaluated the safety and effectiveness of the S-ICD System (Cameron Health/Boston Scientific) for the treatment of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias (ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation).

Methods and Results—

This prospective, nonrandomized, multicenter trial included adult patients with a standard indication for an ICD, who neither required pacing nor had documented pace-terminable ventricular tachycardia. The primary safety end point was the 180-day S-ICD System complication-free rate compared with a prespecified performance goal of 79%. The primary effectiveness end point was the induced ventricular fibrillation conversion rate compared with a prespecified performance goal of 88%, with success defined as 2 consecutive ventricular fibrillation conversions of 4 attempts. Detection and conversion of spontaneous episodes were also evaluated. Device implantation was attempted in 321 of 330 enrolled patients, and 314 patients underwent successful implantation. The cohort was followed for a mean duration of 11 months. The study population was 74% male with a mean age of 52±16 years and mean left ventricular ejection fraction of 36±16%. A previous transvenous ICD had been implanted in 13%. Both primary end points were met: The 180-day system complication-free rate was 99%, and sensitivity analysis of the acute ventricular fibrillation conversion rate was >90% in the entire cohort. There were 38 discrete spontaneous episodes of ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation recorded in 21 patients (6.7%), all of which successfully converted. Forty-one patients (13.1%) received an inappropriate shock.

Conclusions—

The findings support the efficacy and safety of the S-ICD System for the treatment of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias.

Clinical Trial Registration—

URL:
http://www.clinicaltrials.gov
. Unique identifier: NCT01064076.
A New Species of Pleurostachys (Cyperaceae) from Atlantic coastal Brazil
Authors: THOMAS W. WAYT , ALVES MARCCUS V. , TREVISAN RAFAEL
Published: August 2013

Pleurostachys arcuata is described as a new species endemic to the Atlantic forest of Brazil.  It is illustrated and is compared to other species of Pleurostachys.  It has the large achenes of P. macrantha but has small, axillary synflorescences similar to those of P. gaudichaudii.
Arabis kaynakiae (Brassicaceae), a new species from South Anatolia, Turkey
Authors: DAŞKIN RUZİYE
Published: August 2013

A new species, Arabis kaynakiae Daşkın (Brassicaceae), is described and illustrated from Turkey. The species grows on calcareous rocks in the Gülnar district (C4 Mersin province) in south Anatolia. It is allied to Arabis carduchorum, A. androsacea and A. alanyensis. The description, diagnostic characters and identification key are provided and its relationship with closely related taxa is discussed. The ecology and conservation status of the new species, in addition to the geographical distribution of the species and other related species are also presented.
Nemesia arenifera (Scrophulariaceae), a new species from the Sandveld, Northern Cape Province, South Africa, and the ectotypification of N. viscosa
Authors: BESTER STOFFEL P. , STEYN HESTER M.
Published: August 2013

Nemesia arenifera is described as a new species that has been overlooked since 1904. The name Nemesia viscosa was misapplied to specimens from the Namaqualand coast that was considered a coastal form of N. viscosa. Nemesia arenifera is a common and widespread plant on sandy soils in the coastal zone of Namaqualand, Northern Cape, while N. viscosa is only known from the original two gatherings made from one location in the Richtersveld, Northern Cape. The new species differs from N. viscosa and N. rupicola in habit, leaf and fruit shape, and by the orientation of the spur, which is similar to that of N. rupicola. A comparative table with diagnostic morphological features of N. arenifera, N. viscosa and N. rupicola is provided and a lectotype for N. viscosa is selected. Diagnostic characters of N. arenifera include the erect, sparsely branched habit, small yellow flowers, the orientation of the spur, and the densely viscid, glandular-pilose indumentum.
Re-evaluating the taxonomic status of Chiromantis in Thailand using multiple lines of evidence (Amphibia: Anura: Rhacophoridae)
Authors: AOWPHOL ANCHALEE , RUJIRAWAN ATTAPOL , TAKSINTUM WUT , ARSIRAPOT SUTIPONG , MCLEOD DAVID S.
Published: August 2013

Because of general phenotypic similarities and distribution of species across two continents, the genus Chiromantis has proven somewhat enigmatic. Among Indochinese species, the validity of C. hansenae has been questioned by some who consider it a junior synonym of C. vittatus. We employ three lines of evidence to elucidate the taxonomic status and phylogenetic relationships of four congeneric species of Chiromantis frogs from Thailand. Results of molecular, morphological, and bioacoustic data analyses support at least four evolutionarily distinct and monophyletic clades: C. doriae, C. nongkhorensis, C. vittatus and C. hansenae. Genetic divergence between C. vittatus and C. hansenae is >10%, significantly greater than C. doriae and C. nongkhorensis (4.5%). Our results support the taxonomic validity of C. hansenae and suggest that there may be more diversity within C. hansenae and C. vittatus than is currently recognized.
Eulasia (Rudeulasia) daccordii, a new species from southern Levant, with notes on E. pietschmanni Breit and E. baumanni Mitter (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Glaphyridae)
Authors: ULIANA MARCO , SABATINELLI GUIDO
Published: August 2013

Eulasia daccordii new species is described from Jordan, West Bank, and Israel, where it is known from the Jordan Valley and the Negev. It was previously confused with E. pietschmanni Breit, to which it is very similar and from which it can be recognized mainly for the structure and distribution of the pronotal setae and the shape of the protibia of males. Remarks on distribution and colour range of E. pietschmanni Breit are provided, and its year of description is corrected from 1919 to 1920. In addition, taxonomic and diagnostic remarks on the poorly known sympatric species E. baumanni Mitter are presented: it is clarified that this poorly known taxon is related to E. papaveris (Sturm), whose Levantine populations require a taxonomic reassessment.
The adults of Camelobaetidius janae Dominique & Thomas, 2001 and C. yacutinga Nieto, 2003, with a new synonym for C. leentvaari Demoulin, 1966 (Ephemeroptera: Baetidae)
Authors: BOLDRINI R. , JACOBUS LUKE M. , SALLES F. F. , PES A. M.O.
Published: August 2013

The genus Camelobaetidius Demoulin, 1966 has 39 species distributed throughout the Nearctic and Neotropical Regions, being one of the most studied genera of the family Baetidae. Based on material from Brazil, the aim of the present paper is to describe adults of C. janae Dominique & Thomas, 2001 and C. yacutinga Nieto, 2003, and to recognize a new synonym for Camelobaetidius leentvaari Demoulin, 1966 (= C. mantis Traver & Edmunds, 1968 nov. syn.) based on the examination of type material.
Rediscovery of two rare ptilodontines in Taiwan: Himeropteryx yui Okano, 1969 stat. nov. and Ptilophora rufula Kobayashi, 1994 (Lepidoptera, Notodontidae)
Authors: WU SHIPHER , OWADA MAMORU , FU CHIEN-MING
Published: August 2013

The notodontid genera Himeropteryx Staudindger, 1887 and Ptilophora Stephans, 1828 are both typical low-temperature flying taxa belonging to subfamily Ptilodontinae (Schintlmeister 2008). The former is a monotypic genus containing H. miraculosa Staudinger, 1887 from East Asia, and the latter encompasses six Old Word species. Ptilophora are well known Acer-feeders (Aceraceae) in the previous records (Nakatomi 1987; Schintlmeister 2008; Kobayashi 2011), while Himeropteryx miraculosa also feeds on Aesculus tuburinata (Aceraceae) and Carpinus japonica (Betulaceae) (Nakatomi, 1987). The population of Himeropteryx in Taiwan was first recorded and described by Okano (1969) as a subspecies yui of H. miraculosa based on one male specimen collected in the vicinity of Nengkuoshan (elevation ca. 3000m) in central Taiwan. Subsequently, this name combination was listed in Sugi (1992) but the reference year was erroneously cited as 1960 and no further study has corrected it. In Ptilophora, a single species, P. rufula Kobayashi, 1994, was described from Taiwan from two males (both designated as type) collected in Siyuanyakou (1800 m), northern Taiwan; no additional records have been reported since then. Based on recently collected specimens from Taiwan, we here reassess the status of yui Okano. The result suggests that the Taiwanese population should be regarded as distinct species, H. yui stat. nov. In addition, the female of P. rufula is described for the first time. Institutional acronyms are as follows: BMNH, The Natural History Museum, London; ESRI, Taiwan Endemic Species Research Institute, Jiji, Nantou; NMNS National Museum of Natural Science, Taichung; NSMT, National Museum of Nature and Science, Tsukuba; NTU, National Taiwan University, Taipei; TFRI, Insect Collection, Taiwan Forestry Research Institute, Taipei.
The Reinvention of Development Planning in China, 1993–2012
Authors: Heilmann Sebastian , Melton Oliver
Published: August 2013

In studies of China’s economic rise and political system, multiyear comprehensive and sectoral plans issued by the national government tend to be played down as futile efforts at reigning in a political economy increasingly driven by market incentives and decentralized decisions. Contrary to this, we provide evidence that China’s planning system has been transformed alongside the economic transition, yet remains central to almost all domains of public policy making and the political institutions that have fostered China’s high-speed growth and economic stability. The incorporation of experimental programs into macro-plans, a tiered hierarchy of policy oversight, newly introduced mid-course plan evaluations, and systematic top-level policy review have allowed Chinese planners to play a central role in economic policy making without succumbing to the rigidity traps that debased traditional planned economies. By better understanding how the planning cycle influences incentives and resources of successive layers of bureaucracies and jurisdictions, and how it updates itself and adapts to new challenges, it is possible to explain a greater proportion of the Chinese policy-making process, including many of its successes and pathologies.
Evaluation of plaque detection and optimum time of enhancement in acute attack multiple sclerosis after contrast injection
Authors: Hashemi Hassan , Behzadi Somayeh , Ghanaati Hossein , Harirchian Mohammad Hossein , Yaghoobi Mahboobeh , Shakiba Madjid , Jalali Amir Hossein , Firouznia Kavous
Published: August 2013

Background

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is important in the early diagnosis of novel or relapsing multiple sclerosis (MS). In addition, the optimal MRI protocol plays an important role in detecting MS plaques.

Purpose

To find the best time to detect MS plaques on MRI after Gadobutrol injection.

Material and Methods

Sixty-two relapsing-remitting type MS patients, (56 women, 6 men) with the mean age of 31 ± 7 years were enrolled into this study. The patients underwent T1-weighted MRI scan without contrast agents. Subsequently, Gadobutrol was injected (0.1 mmol/kg) and MRI scanning was repeated after 30 s, 5, 10, 15, and 30 min of Gadobutrol injection. The size, signal intensity, and enhancement pattern were determined for each plaque by contrast-enhanced T1-weighted images.

Results

Enhancing plaques were seen in 42 out of 62 patients. The mean number of enhancing plaques was 4 ± 8 plaques after 30 s of contrast injection. This figure increased to 7 ± 13 plaques after 15 min and 6 ± 10 plaques after 30 min. The signal intensity and size of plaques increased progressively, and the maximum signal intensity and plaque size were seen after 30 min ( P < 0.001).

Conclusion

The maximum number of enhancing plaques in MS patients was detected 15 min after contrast agent administration and the size and signal intensity of the lesions also increased remarkably at this time.
Plasticity of primary and secondary growth dynamics in Eucalyptushybrids: a quantitative genetics and QTL mapping perspective
Authors: Bartholomé Jérôme , Salmon Frédéric , Vigneron Philippe , Bouvet Jean-Marc , Plomion Christophe , Gion Jean-Marc
Published: August 2013

Background

The genetic basis of growth traits has been widely studied in forest trees. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) studies have highlighted the presence of both stable and unstable genomic regions accounting for biomass production with respect to tree age and genetic background, but results remain scarce regarding the interplay between QTLs and the environment. In this study, our main objective was to dissect the genetic architecture of the growth trajectory with emphasis on genotype x environment interaction by measuring primary and secondary growth covering intervals connected with environmental variations.

Results

Three different trials with the same family ofEucalyptus urophyllaxE. grandishybrids (with different genotypes) were planted in the Republic of Congo, corresponding to two QTL mapping experiments and one clonal test. Height and radial growths were monitored at regular intervals from the seedling stage to five years old. The correlation between growth increments and an aridity index revealed that growth before two years old (r = 0.5; 0.69) was more responsive to changes in water availability than late growth (r = 0.39; 0.42) for both height and circumference. We found a regular increase in heritability with time for cumulative growth for both height [0.06 - 0.33] and circumference [0.06 - 0.38]. Heritabilities for incremental growth were more heterogeneous over time even if ranges of variation were similar (height [0-0.31]; circumference [0.19 to 0.48]). Within the trials, QTL analysis revealed collocations between primary and secondary growth QTLs as well as between early growth increments and final growth QTLs. Between trials, few common QTLs were detected highlighting a strong environmental effect on the genetic architecture of growth, validated by significant QTL x E interactions.

Conclusion

These results suggest that early growth responses to water availability determine the genetic architecture of total growth at the mature stage and highlight the importance of considering growth as a composite trait (such as yields for annual plants) for a better understanding of its genetic bases.
Motor system alterations in retired former athletes: the role of aging and concussion history
Authors: De Beaumont Louis , Tremblay Sébastien , Henry Luke C , Poirier Judes , Lassonde Maryse , Théoret Hugo
Published: August 2013

Background

Retired athletes with a history of sports concussions experience cognitive and motor declines with aging, and the risk of severe neurodegenerative conditions is magnified in this population. The present study investigated the effects of aging on motor system metabolism and function in former university-level athletes who sustained their last concussion several decades prior to testing.

Methods

To test the hypothesis that age and remote concussions induce functional as well as metabolic alterations of the motor system, we used proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy to detect metabolic abnormalities in the primary motor cortex and the serial reaction time task (SRTT) to evaluate motor learning.

Results

Our results indicate that motor learning is significantly reduced in former concussed athletes relative to controls. In addition, glutamate/H2O ratio in M1 was disproportionately reduced in concussed athletes with advancing age and was found to strongly correlate with motor learning impairments.

Conclusion

Findings from this study provide evidence that the acquisition of a repeated motor sequence is compromised in the aging concussed brain and that its physiological underpinnings could implicate disproportionate reductions of M1 glutamate concentrations with advancing age.
Synergistic effects of sequential infection with highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus and porcine circovirus type 2
Authors: Fan Peihu , Wei Yanwu , Guo Longjun , Wu Hongli , Huang Liping , Liu Jianbo , Liu Changming
Published: August 2013

Background

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) is the causative agent of porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) and porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is associated with postweaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS) in pigs. Coinfection with highly pathogenic PRRSV (HP-PRRSV) and PCV2 in the field has recently become extensive in some Asian countries. A synergistic pathogenicity between PRRSV and PCV2 infections has previously been reported. However, the consequences of the sequential infection of pigs with these two viruses are unknown.

Methods

Thirty 35-day-old piglets were randomly divided into six groups (n = 5 each): HP-PRRSV/PCV2 (group 1, inoculated with HP-PRRSV, then inoculated with PCV2 one week later), PCV2/HP-PRRSV (group 2, inoculated with PCV2, then inoculated with HP-PRRSV one week later), HP-PRRSV+PCV2 (group 3, inoculated with HP-PRRSV and PCV2 concurrently), HP-PRRSV (group 4, inoculated with HP-PRRSV), PCV2 (group 5, inoculated with PCV2), and the control (group 6, uninfected). This experiment lasted 28 days. Clinical symptoms and rectal temperatures were recorded each day after inoculation, body weight was recorded weekly, and serum samples were obtained for viral nucleic acid quantification and antibody titration. Variations in CD3+, CD4+ CD8–, CD3+, CD4–, and CD8+ cells, natural killer (NK) cells, and mononuclear cells were determined by flow cytometry. The serum concentrations of interferon γ (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 10 (IL-10), and macrophage granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) were determined. Pathological changes in different tissues from the experimentally infected pigs were recorded.

Results

The piglets in group 1 had the highest viral loads, the lowest antibody titers, the most-severe clinical signs, and the highest mortality (3/5, 60%; the mortality in the other groups was 0%), and interstitial pneumonia was more severe in this group compare to the other HP-PRRSV infected groups. The serum levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10, and GM-CSF varied (increased or decreased) most widely in group 1, as did each immunocyte subgroup.

Conclusions

HP-PRRSV infection followed by PCV2 infection enhanced the replication of both viruses in the experimental piglets and led to more-severe clinical signs and lesions, indicating greater synergistic effects during the sequential infection of piglets with HP-PRRSV and then PCV2.
Nitric oxide synthase expression correlates with death in an experimental mouse model of dengue with CNS involvement
Authors: de Souza Kátia Paulino Ribeiro , Silva Emanuele Guimarães , de Oliveira Rocha Eliseu Soares , Figueiredo Leandra Barcelos , de Almeida-Leite Camila Megale , Arantes Rosa Maria Esteves , de Assis Silva Gomes Juliana , Ferreira Gustavo Portela , de Oliveira Jaquelline Germano , Kroon Erna Geessien , Campos Marco Antônio
Published: August 2013

Background

The clinical presentation of dengue is classified by the World Health Organization into dengue without warning signs, dengue with warning signs and severe dengue. Reports of neurological disease caused byDengue virus(DENV) are becoming frequent, with symptoms that include reduced consciousness, severe headache, neck stiffness, focal neurological signs, tense fontanelle and convulsions. However, the immune mechanisms involved in neurovirulence remain poorly understood. Here we present a mouse model in which one genotype of DENV is inoculated by the intracranial route and infects C57/BL6 mice and replicates in the brain, causing death of mice.

Methods

Mice were infected with different serotypes/genotypes of DENV by the intracranial route to evaluate viral replication, host cytokine and nitric oxide synthase 2 (Nos2) expression in the brain via real-time PCR. Histological analysis of the brain tissues was also performed. An analysis of which cells were responsible for the expression of cytokines andNos2was performed using flow cytometry. Survival curves of infected animals were also generated

Results

DENV 3 genotype I infected mice and replicated in the brain, causing death in our murine model. The increased levels of NOS2 could be the cause of the death of infected mice, as viral replication correlates with increasedNos2and cytokine expression in the brain of C57BL/6 mice. InNos2−/−mice that were infected with DENV, no clinical signs of infection were observed and cytokines were expressed at low levels, with the exception of interferon gamma (Ifng). Additionally, theIfng−/−mice infected with DENV exhibited a severe and lethal disease, similar to the disease observed in C57BL/6 mice, while the DENV- infectedNos2−/−mice did not display increased mortality. Analyses of the brains from infected C57BL/6 mice revealed neuronal degeneration and necrosis during histopathologic examination. IFNg and NOS2 were produced in the brains of infected mice by CD4+T cells and macrophages, respectively.

Conclusion

The neurovirulence of DENV 3 genotype I is associated with a deleterious role of NOS2 in the brain, confirming this murine model as an appropriate tool to study DENV neurovirulence.
Composite versus conventional coronary artery bypass grafting strategy for the anterolateral territory: study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Drouin Ariane , Noiseux Nicolas , Chartrand-Lefebvre Carl , Soulez Gilles , Mansour Samer , Tremblay Jan-Alexis , Basile Fadi , Prieto Ignacio , Stevens Louis-Mathieu
Published: August 2013

Background

In severe coronary artery disease, coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery is indicated to re-establish an adequate blood supply to the ischemic myocardium. Effectiveness of CABG surgery for symptom relief and mortality decrease should therefore depend on bypass graft patency. As bypass using a left internal mammary artery (LIMA)-to-left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) anastomosis allows the best results in terms of graft patency, we designed a new surgical technique using a saphenous vein graft as a venous bridge to distribute the LIMA flow to the cardiac anterolateral territory. This novel strategy could extend the patency benefits associated to the LIMA. Other potential benefits of this technique include easier surgical technique, possibility to use saphenous vein grafts as vein patch angioplasty, shorter saphenous vein grafts requirement and reduced or eliminated manipulations of the ascendant aorta (and associated stroke risk).

Methods/Design

Between July 2012 and 2016, 200 patients undergoing a primary isolated CABG surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass with a LAD bypass graft and at least another target on the anterolateral territory will be randomized (1:1) according to 1) the new composite strategy and 2) the conventional strategy with a LIMA-to-LAD anastomosis and revascularization of the other anterolateral target(s) with a separated aorto-coronary saphenous vein graft. The primary objective of the trial is to assess whether the composite strategy allows non-inferior anterolateral graft patency index (proportion of non-occluded CABGs out of the total number of CABGs) compared to the conventional technique. The primary outcome is the anterolateral graft patency index, evaluated at one year by 256-slice computed tomography angiography. Ten years of clinical follow-up is planned to assess clinical outcomes including death, myocardial infarction and need for revascularization.

Discussion

This non-inferiority trial has the potential to advance the adult cardiac surgery field, given the potential benefits associated with the composite grafting strategy.

Trial registration

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01585285.
Combining inhibitor tolerance and D-xylose fermentation in industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae for efficient lignocellulose-based bioethanol production
Authors: Demeke Mekonnen M , Dumortier Françoise , Li Yingying , Broeckx Tom , Foulquié-Moreno María R , Thevelein Johan M
Published: August 2013

Background

In addition to efficient pentose utilization, high inhibitor tolerance is a key trait required in any organism used for economically viable industrial bioethanol production with lignocellulose biomass. Although recent work has succeeded in establishing efficient xylose fermentation in robust industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, the resulting strains still lacked sufficient inhibitor tolerance for efficient sugar fermentation in lignocellulose hydrolysates. The aim of the present work was to combine high xylose fermentation activity and high inhibitor tolerance in a single industrial yeast strain.

Results

We have screened 580 yeast strains for high inhibitor tolerance using undetoxified acid-pretreated spruce hydrolysate and identified a triploid industrial baker’s yeast strain as having the highest inhibitor tolerance. From this strain, a mating competent diploid segregant with even higher inhibitor tolerance was obtained. It was crossed with the recently developed D-xylose fermenting diploid industrial strain GS1.11-26, with the Ethanol Red genetic background. Screening of 819 diploid segregants from the tetraploid hybrid resulted in two strains, GSF335 and GSF767, combining high inhibitor tolerance and efficient xylose fermentation. In a parallel approach, meiotic recombination of GS1.11-26 with a haploid segregant of Ethanol Red and screening of 104 segregants resulted in a similar inhibitor tolerant diploid strain, GSE16. The three superior strains exhibited significantly improved tolerance to inhibitors in spruce hydrolysate, higher glucose consumption rates, higher aerobic growth rates and higher maximal ethanol accumulation capacity in very-high gravity fermentation, compared to GS1.11-26. In complex medium, the D-xylose utilization rate by the three superior strains ranged from 0.36 to 0.67 g/g DW/h, which was lower than that of GS1.11-26 (1.10 g/g DW/h). On the other hand, in batch fermentation of undetoxified acid-pretreated spruce hydrolysate, the three superior strains showed comparable D-xylose utilization rates as GS1.11-26, probably because of their higher inhibitor tolerance. They produced up to 23% more ethanol compared to Ethanol Red.

Conclusions

We have successfully constructed three superior industrial S. cerevisiae strains that combine efficient D-xylose utilization with high inhibitor tolerance. Since the background strain Ethanol Red has a proven record of successful industrial application, the three new superior strains have strong potential for direct application in industrial bioethanol production.
ETHNOGRAPHY ON THE ROAD: INFRASTRUCTURAL VISION AND THE UNRULY PRESENT IN CONTEMPORARY DAKAR
Authors: Melly Caroline
Published: August 2013

During his term as President, Abdoulaye Wade of Senegal sought to make tangible and proximal his ‘vision’ for the country's future through the construction and rehabilitation of vital arteries in the capital, Dakar. Drawing on extensive ethnographic research, this essay takes as its focus these ambitious road projects and their local interpretations and everyday effects. I argue that Dakar's infrastructural transformation made spectacularly visible not only distant and implausible futures but also a very particular vision of the present that rationalized, emphasized, and even celebrated the everyday hardships wrought by infrastructural change. Avowedly ahistorical and centred squarely on the individual, these discourses of hardship cast infrastructural change as a future-focused project brought about through ‘temporary’ inconveniences and disruptions endured for the sake of the nation. What emerges from this analysis is a more complex view of neo-liberal reform and urban change in contemporary Africa.
HEROES OF THE ROAD: RACE, GENDER AND THE POLITICS OF MOBILITY IN TWENTIETH CENTURY TANZANIA
Authors: Grace Joshua
Published: August 2013

This article follows the careers of two African drivers in social environments that circumscribed their movement and access to technology. It begins with Vincent Njovu, whose memoir,The First Driver of Tanganyika, describes the driver's ability to navigate racial hierarchies of movement and technology, including the unlikely circumstances in which he fell in love with an ideal colonial machine. It then explores post-colonial cultures of gender and modernization by using the unpublished memoirs of Hawa Ramadhani, a woman who used automotive skills learned among nuns in the 1940s to become Tanzania's most respected driver. Paired together, the life histories of these drivers challenge historical narratives in which movement and technology (roads and motor vehicles, in particular) are used to discuss Africa's marginalization and decline. Instead, they show how transgressive practices of mobility can be used to challenge social and political orders and inspire new ways to think and act at uncertain historical junctures. Roads in these narratives are defined less by their danger than by their potential to turn unlikely individuals into heroes.
ROADSIDE COMFORTS: TRUCK STOPS ON THE FORTY DAYS ROAD IN WESTERN SUDAN
Authors: Beck Kurt
Published: August 2013

This contribution examines the truck stop on the desert track known as the Forty Days Road that connects the Sudanese capital with Darfur and the regions beyond. The truck stop is represented as the main roadside institution to regulate roadside sociality, channel the relationships between travelling and roadside folk, and generally mediate between residents and strangers. On the one hand, it serves as a gateway to small-town Sudan and the hinterland, providing the social infrastructure for the commercial flow of trucks, commodities and passengers as well as for the flow of news and fashions. On the other hand, by catering for the needs of passing truck drivers and other travellers, it operates as a safe haven. It provides shelter in the most comprehensive sense of the word and thus constitutes a protected place for recovering from the pains of travelling. At the same time, however, these roadside practices of brokerage and hospitality also serve the resident society of small-town Sudan as a means to keep the travelling strangers safely apart in a circumscribed domain and, thus, keep the influences from the road in quarantine.