bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
“Disruptor” residues in the regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) R12 subfamily attenuate the inactivation of Gα subunits
Authors: Asli Ali , Sadiya Isra , Avital-Shacham Meirav , Kosloff Mickey
Published: June 2018

Specific amino acids within RGS proteins may encode specificity toward G protein α subunits.
A coupled-clock system drives the automaticity of human sinoatrial nodal pacemaker cells
Authors: Tsutsui Kenta , Monfredi Oliver J. , Sirenko-Tagirova Syevda G. , Maltseva Larissa A. , Bychkov Rostislav , Kim Mary S. , Ziman Bruce D. , Tarasov Kirill V. , Tarasova Yelena S. , Zhang Jing , Wang Mingyi , Maltsev Alexander V. , Brennan Jaclyn A. , Efimov Igor R. , Stern Michael D. , Maltsev Victor A. , Lakatta Edward G.
Published: June 2018

The mechanisms that generate pacemaking activity in human sinoatrial nodal cells are revealed.
SOCE mediated by STIM and Orai is essential for pacemaker activity in the interstitial cells of Cajal in the gastrointestinal tract
Authors: Zheng Haifeng , Drumm Bernard T. , Earley Scott , Sung Tae Sik , Koh Sang Don , Sanders Kenton M.
Published: June 2018

Refilling ER Ca
2+
stores through SOCE enables the interstitial cells of Cajal to trigger pacemaker activity in the gut.
A painful takedown of host defenses
Authors: Wong Wei
Published: June 2018

A flesh-eating bacterium disables host defenses by inducing pain-sensing neurons to release a neutrophil-inhibiting peptide.
Tet38 Efflux Pump Contributes to Fosfomycin Resistance in Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Truong-Bolduc Q. C. , Wang Y. , Hooper D. C.
Published: June 2018

Fosfomycin inhibits MurA following uptake by the GlpT transporter of glycerol-3-phosphate in
Escherichia coli
. In
Staphylococcus aureus
, plasmid overexpression of the Tet38 efflux pump and a
glpT
mutant resulted in increased MICs and decreased accumulation of fosfomycin, with MICs affected by glycerol-3-phosphate.
Identification of 14-α-Lanosterol Demethylase (CYP51) in Scedosporium Species
Authors: Bernhardt Anne , Meyer Wieland , Rickerts Volker , Aebischer Toni , Tintelnot Kathrin
Published: June 2018

Scedosporium
spp. cause infections (scedosporiosis) in both immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals and may persistently colonize the respiratory tract in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF).
Persistent Bacterial and Fungal Community Shifts Exhibited in Selenium-Contaminated Reclaimed Mine Soils
Authors: Rosenfeld Carla E. , James Bruce R. , Santelli Cara M.
Published: June 2018

Selenium contamination in natural environments is of great concern globally, and microbial processes are known to mediate Se transformations. Such transformations alter Se mobility, bioavailability, and toxicity, which can amplify or mitigate Se pollution. To date, nearly all studies investigating Se-microbe interactions have used culture-based approaches with anaerobic bacteria despite growing knowledge that (i) aerobic Se transformations can occur, (ii) such transformations can be mediated by microorganisms other than bacteria, and (iii) microbial community dynamics, rather than individual organismal activities, are important for metal(loid) cycling in natural environments. We examined bacterial and fungal communities in Se-contaminated reclaimed mine soils and found significant declines in diversity at high Se concentrations. Additionally, we identified specific taxonomic groups that tolerate excess Se and may be useful for bioremediation purposes. These patterns were similar across mines of different ages, suggesting that microbial community impacts may persist long after physicochemical parameters indicate complete site recovery.
A Light-Regulated Type I Pilus Contributes to Acinetobacter baumannii Biofilm, Motility, and Virulence Functions
Authors: Wood Cecily R. , Ohneck Emily J. , Edelmann Richard E. , Actis Luis A.
Published: June 2018

Transcriptional analyses of
Acinetobacter baumannii
ATCC 17978 showed that the expression of A1S_2091 was enhanced in cells cultured in darkness at 24°C through a process that depended on the BlsA photoreceptor. Disruption of A1S_2091, a component of the A1S_2088-A1S_2091 polycistronic operon predicted to code for a type I chaperone/usher pilus assembly system, abolished surface motility and pellicle formation but significantly enhanced biofilm formation on plastic by bacteria cultured in darkness.
Methylotrophy in Mycobacteria: Dissection of the Methanol Metabolism Pathway in Mycobacterium smegmatis
Authors: Dubey Abhishek Anil , Wani Saloni Rajesh , Jain Vikas
Published: June 2018

Methylotrophy, the ability to utilize single-carbon (C
1
) compounds as the sole carbon and energy sources, is only poorly understood in mycobacteria. Both pathogenic and nonpathogenic mycobacteria, including
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
, are capable of utilizing C
1
compounds to meet their carbon and energy requirements, although the precise pathways are not well studied. Here we present a comprehensive study of methylotrophy in
Mycobacterium smegmatis
. With several genetic knockouts, we have dissected the entire methanol metabolism pathway in
M. smegmatis
. We show that while methanol dissimilation in
M. smegmatis
differs from that in other mycobacterial species, the concluding step of CO
2
fixation is similar to that in
M. tuberculosis
. It is therefore both interesting and important to examine mycobacterial physiology in the presence of alternative carbon sources.
Discovery of Novel Bat Coronaviruses in South China That Use the Same Receptor as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus
Authors: Luo Chu-Ming , Wang Ning , Yang Xing-Lou , Liu Hai-Zhou , Zhang Wei , Li Bei , Hu Ben , Peng Cheng , Geng Qi-Bin , Zhu Guang-Jian , Li Fang , Shi Zheng-Li
Published: June 2018

Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) has represented a human health threat since 2012. Although several MERS-related CoVs that belong to the same species as MERS-CoV have been identified from bats, they do not use the MERS-CoV receptor, dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4). Here, we screened 1,059 bat samples from at least 30 bat species collected in different regions in south China and identified 89 strains of lineage C betacoronaviruses, including
Tylonycteris pachypus coronavirus HKU4
,
Pipistrellus pipistrellus
coronavirus HKU5
, and MERS-related CoVs. We sequenced the full-length genomes of two positive samples collected from the great evening bat,
Ia io
, from Guangdong Province. The two genomes were highly similar and exhibited genomic structures identical to those of other lineage C betacoronaviruses. While they exhibited genome-wide nucleotide identities of only 75.3 to 81.2% with other MERS-related CoVs, their gene-coding regions were highly similar to their counterparts, except in the case of the spike proteins. Further protein-protein interaction assays demonstrated that the spike proteins of these MERS-related CoVs bind to the receptor DPP4. Recombination analysis suggested that the newly discovered MERS-related CoVs have acquired their spike genes from a DPP4-recognizing bat coronavirus HKU4. Our study provides further evidence that bats represent the evolutionary origins of MERS-CoV.

IMPORTANCE
Previous studies suggested that MERS-CoV originated in bats. However, its evolutionary path from bats to humans remains unclear. In this study, we discovered 89 novel lineage C betacoronaviruses in eight bat species. We provide evidence of a MERS-related CoV derived from the great evening bat that uses the same host receptor as human MERS-CoV. This virus also provides evidence for a natural recombination event between the bat MERS-related CoV and another bat coronavirus, HKU4. Our study expands the host ranges of MERS-related CoV and represents an important step toward establishing bats as the natural reservoir of MERS-CoV. These findings may lead to improved epidemiological surveillance of MERS-CoV and the prevention and control of the spread of MERS-CoV to humans.
Development, Interlaboratory Evaluations, and Application of a Simple, High-Throughput
Shigella
Serum Bactericidal Assay
Authors: Nahm Moon H. , Yu Jigui , Weerts Hailey P. , Wenzel Heather , Tamilselvi Chitradevi S. , Chandrasekaran Lakshmi , Pasetti Marcela F. , Mani Sachin , Kaminski Robert W.
Published: June 2018

Shigella
is an important cause of diarrhea worldwide, and efforts are ongoing to produce a safe and effective
Shigella
vaccine. Although a clear immune correlate of protection has not been established, antibodies with bactericidal capacity may provide one means of protecting against shigellosis. Thus, it is important to measure the functional capacity of antibodies, as opposed to only binding activity. This article describes a simple, robust, and high-throughput serum bactericidal assay capable of measuring
Shigella
-specific functional antibodies
in vitro
. We show for the first time that this assay was successfully performed by multiple laboratories and generated highly comparable results, particularly when SBA titers were normalized using a reference standard. The serum bactericidal assay, along with a reference serum, should greatly facilitate
Shigella
vaccine development.
Rectal and Naris Swabs: Practical and Informative Samples for Analyzing the Microbiota of Critically Ill Patients
Authors: Bansal Saumya , Nguyen Jenny P. , Leligdowicz Aleksandra , Zhang Yu , Kain Kevin C. , Ricciuto Daniel R. , Coburn Bryan
Published: June 2018

Perturbation of the microbiome has been correlated with various infectious and inflammatory diseases and is common in critically ill patients. Stool is typically used to sample the microbiota in human observational studies; however, it is often unavailable for collection from critically ill patients, reducing its utility as a sample type to study this population. Our research identified alternatives to stool for sampling the microbiota during critical illness. Rectal and naris swabs were practical alternatives for use in these patients, as they were observed to be more reliably obtained than stool, were suitable for culture-independent analysis, and successfully captured within- and between-patient microbiota differences.
Systematic Identification, Characterization, and Conservation of Adjacent-Gene Coregulation in the Budding Yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Eldabagh Reem S. , Mejia Nelson G. , Barrett Rachel L. , Monzo Christopher R. , So Matthew K. , Foley Jonathan J. , Arnone James T.
Published: June 2018

The spatial positioning of genes throughout the genome arrangement can alter their expression in many eukaryotic organisms. Often this results in a genomic context-specific effect on transcription. One example of this is through the clustering of functionally related genes, which results in adjacent-gene coregulation in the budding yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
. In the present study, we set out to systematically characterize the prevalence of this phenomenon, finding the genomic organization of functionally related genes into clusters is a characteristic of myriad gene families. These arrangements are found in many evolutionarily divergent fungi and thus represent a widespread, yet underappreciated, layer of transcriptional regulation.
Proteins Potentially Involved in Immune Evasion Strategies in
Sporothrix brasiliensis
Elucidated by Ultra-High-Resolution Mass Spectrometry
Authors: Rossato Luana , Moreno Leandro Ferreira , Jamalian Azadeh , Stielow Benjamin , de Almeida Sandro Rogério , de Hoog Sybren , Freeke Joanna
Published: June 2018

Sporotrichosis is an important disease in Brazil that is caused by fungi of the genus
Sporothrix
and affects cats and humans. Our work investigated the proteins differentially expressed by
S. brasiliensis
in order to find out why this species is more virulent and pathogenic than
S. schenckii
. We verified a set of proteins that may be related to immune escape and that can explain the high virulence.
Two Distinct Approaches for CRISPR-Cas9-Mediated Gene Editing in Cryptococcus neoformans and Related Species
Authors: Wang Ping
Published: June 2018

For genetic studies of the
Cryptococcus
genus, generation of mutant strains is often hampered by a limited number of selectable genetic markers, the tedious process of vector construction, side effects, and other limitations, such as the high cost of acquiring a particle delivery system. CRISPR-Cas9 technology has been demonstrated in
Cryptococcus
for genome editing. However, it remains labor-intensive and time-consuming since it requires the identification of a suitable type III RNA polymerase promoter for gRNA expression. In addition, there may be potential adverse effects caused by constitutive expressions of Cas9 and gRNA. Here, I report the use of a ribonucleoprotein-mediated CRISPR-Cas9 technique for genome editing of
C. neoformans
and related species. Together with the custom-constructed pCnCas9:U6-gRNA vector that allows low-cost and time-saving DNA-based CRISPR-Cas9, my approach adds to the molecular toolbox for dissecting the molecular mechanism of pathogenesis in this important group of fungal pathogens.
Community-based HPV self-collection versus visual inspection with acetic acid in Uganda: a cost-effectiveness analysis of the ASPIRE trial
Authors: Mezei Alex K , Pedersen Heather N , Sy Stephen , Regan Catherine , Mitchell-Foster Sheona M , Byamugisha Josaphat , Sekikubo Musa , Armstrong Heather , Rawat Angeli , Singer Joel , Ogilvie Gina S , Kim Jane J , Campos Nicole G
Published: June 2018

Background

Cervical cancer is the leading cause of cancer death for women in Uganda, despite the potential for prevention through organised screening. Community-based self-collected human papillomavirus (HPV) testing has been proposed to reduce barriers to screening.

Objective

Our objective was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the Advances in Screening and Prevention of Reproductive Cancers (ASPIRE) trial, conducted in Kisenyi, Uganda in April 2014 (n=500). The trial compared screening uptake and compliance with follow-up in two arms: (1) community-based (ie, home or workplace) self-collected HPV testing (facilitated by community health workers) with clinic-based visual inspection with acetic acid (VIA) triage of HPV-positive women (‘HPV-VIA’) and (2) clinic-based VIA (‘VIA’). In both arms, VIA was performed at the local health unit by midwives with VIA-positive women receiving immediate treatment with cryotherapy.

Design

We informed a Monte Carlo simulation model of HPV infection and cervical cancer with screening uptake, compliance and retrospective cost data from the ASPIRE trial; additional cost, test performance and treatment effectiveness data were drawn from observational studies. The model was used to assess the cost-effectiveness of each arm of ASPIRE, as well as an HPV screen-and-treat strategy (‘HPV-ST’) involving community-based self-collected HPV testing followed by treatment for all HPV-positive women at the clinic.

Outcome measures

The primary outcomes were reductions in cervical cancer risk and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs), expressed in dollars per year of life saved (YLS).

Results

HPV-ST was the most effective and cost-effective screening strategy, reducing the lifetime absolute risk of cervical cancer from 4.2% (range: 3.8%–4.7%) to 3.5% (range: 3.2%–4%), 2.8% (range: 2.4%–3.1%) and 2.4% (range: 2.1%–2.7%) with ICERs of US$130 (US$110–US$150) per YLS, US$240 (US$210–US$280) per YLS, and US$470 (US$410–US$550) per YLS when performed one, three and five times per lifetime, respectively. Findings were robust across sensitivity analyses, unless HPV costs were more than quadrupled.

Conclusions

Community-based self-collected HPV testing followed by treatment for HPV-positive women has the potential to be an effective and cost-effective screening strategy.
The Veterans Metrics Initiative study of US veterans’ experiences during their transition from military service
Authors: Vogt Dawne , Perkins Daniel F , Copeland Laurel A , Finley Erin P , Jamieson Christopher S , Booth Bradford , Lederer Suzanne , Gilman Cynthia L
Published: June 2018

Purpose

Efforts to promote the health and well-being of military veterans have been criticised for being inadequately informed of veterans’ most pressing needs as they separate from military service, as well as the programmes that are most likely to meet these needs. The current article summarises limitations of the current literature and introduces The Veterans Metrics Initiative (TVMI) study, a longitudinal assessment of US veterans’ well-being and programme use in the first three years after they separate from military service. Veterans were assessed within 3 months of military separation and will complete five additional assessments at 6-month intervals during the subsequent period.

Participants

The TVMI study cohort consists of a national sample of 9566 newly separated US veterans that were recruited in the fall of 2016.

Findings to date

The TVMI sample includes representation from all branches of service, men and women, and officers and enlisted personnel. Although representative of the larger population on many characteristics, differential response rates were observed for some subgroups, necessitating the development of non-response bias weights. Comparisons between unweighed and weighted results suggest that the weighting procedure adequately adjusts for observed differences.

Future plans

Analyses are under way to examine veterans’ well-being and programme use in the period following separation after military service, as well as factors associated with poor outcomes. We have also begun to decompose programmes into their core components to facilitate examination of how these components relate to well-being. Once our third data collection is complete, we will examine factors related to different patterns of readjustment over time.
Effectiveness of the Gold Standard Programme (GSP) for smoking cessation on smokers with and without a severe mental disorder: a Danish cohort study
Authors: Rasmussen Mette , Klinge Mads , Krogh Jesper , Nordentoft Merete , Tønnesen Hanne
Published: June 2018

Objectives

We compared the effectiveness of an intensive smoking cessation intervention among smokers with and without a severe mental disorder (SMD) and identified factors associated with successful quitting. The main hypothesis was that smokers with an SMD would be less likely to stay continuously smoke-free for 6 months.

Design

A prospective cohort study.

Setting

In all, 302 smoking cessation clinics in Denmark from municipal clinics, pharmacies, hospitals, midwives, primary care facilities and other private providers who reported data to the national Danish Smoking Cessation Database from 2006 to 2016 participated in this study.

Participants

A total of 38 293 patients from the Danish Smoking Cessation Database. Patients with an SMD were identified by linking data to the Danish National Patient Register. Diagnoses of organic mental disorders (F0 chapter) or intellectual disabilities (F7 chapter) were not included. Smokers ≥18 years old who were attending a Gold Standard Programme (GSP) with planned follow-up were included. Smokers not wanting contact after 6 months were excluded.

Interventions

A comprehensive manual-based smoking cessation intervention comprising five meetings over a 6-week period (the GSP).

Main outcome measures

Self-reported continuous abstinence at the 6-month follow-up.

Results

In all, 69% of the participants participated in the follow-up after 6 months. The overall rate of successful quitting was high but significantly lower in SMD smokers (29% vs 38%; OR 0.74; 95% CI 0.68 to 0.80). Variables associated with successful quitting were compliance (defined as attending ≥75% of the planned meetings), older age and male gender as well as not being disadvantaged, heavy smoking or recommendation of intervention by health professionals.

Conclusions

Only 29% of smokers with an SMD successfully quit smoking which was significantly lower than the 38% of smokers without an SMD. Compliance was the most important predictor for successful quitting.
Obstacles to diagnosis and treatment of Lyme disease in the USA: a qualitative study
Authors: Hirsch Annemarie G , Herman Rachel J , Rebman Alison , Moon Katherine A , Aucott John , Heaney Christopher , Schwartz Brian S
Published: June 2018

Objective

For many individuals with Lyme disease, prompt treatment leads to rapid resolution of infection. However, severe complications can occur if treatment is delayed. Our objective was to identify themes around belated diagnosis or treatment of Lyme disease using the General Model of Total Patient Delay (GMTPD).

Design

We conducted a qualitative interview study using indepth telephone interviews.

Setting

Participants were patients from a large, integrated health system in the state of Pennsylvania, USA.

Participants

There were 26 participants. Participants had to have a diagnosis of Lyme disease between 2014 and 2017 and a positive IgG western blot. We used a stratified purposeful sampling design to identify patients with and without late Lyme disease manifestations. To ensure variation in care experiences, we oversampled patients diagnosed outside of primary care.

Outcome measures

We asked participants about their experience from first Lyme disease symptoms to treatment. We applied an iterative coding process to identify key themes and then synthesised codes into higher order codes representing the GMTPD stages: appraisal delay (symptom to recognition of illness); illness delay (inferring illness to deciding to seek help); behavioural delay (deciding to seek help to the act of seeking help); scheduling delay (seeking help to attending an appointment); and treatment delay (attending appointment to treatment).

Results

Appraisal delay themes included symptom misattribution, intermittent symptoms and misperceptions about the necessity of a bull’s-eye rash. Health insurance status was a driver of illness and behavioural delays. Scheduling delay was not noted by participants, in part, because 10 of the 26 patients went to urgent care or emergency department settings. Misdiagnoses were more common in these settings, contributing to treatment delay.

Conclusion

Our study identified potentially modifiable risk factors for belated treatment. Targeting these risk factors may minimise time to treatment and reduce the occurrence of preventable complications.
Observational study of associations between visual imagery and measures of depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress among active-duty military service members with traumatic brain injury at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Authors: Kaimal Girija , Walker Melissa S , Herres Joanna , French Louis M , DeGraba Thomas J
Published: June 2018

Objectives

The study aimed tocompare recurring themes in the artistic expression of military service members (SMs) with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury and psychological health (PH) conditions with measurable psychiatric diagnoses. Affective symptoms and struggles related to verbally expressing information can limit communication in individuals with symptoms of PTSD and deployment-related health conditions. Visual self-expression through art therapy is an alternative way for SMs with PTSD and other PH conditions to communicate their lived experiences. This study offers the first systematic examination of the associations between visual self-expression and standardised clinical self-report measures.

Design

Observational study of correlations between clinical symptoms of post-traumatic stress, depression and anxiety and visual themes in mask imagery.

Setting

The National Intrepid Center of Excellence at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.

Participants

Active-duty military SMs (n=370) with a history of traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress symptoms and related PH conditions.

Intervention

The masks used for analysis were created by the SMs during art therapy sessions in week 1 of a 4-week integrative treatment programme.

Primary outcomes

Associations between scores on the PTSD Checklist–Military, Patient Health Questionnaire-9 and Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item scale on visual themes in depictions of aspects of individual identity (psychological injury, military symbols, military identity and visual metaphors).

Results

Visual and clinical data comparisons indicate that SMs who depicted psychological injury had higher scores for post-traumatic stress and depression. The depiction of military unit identity, nature metaphors, sociocultural metaphors, and cultural and historical characters was associated with lower post-traumatic stress, depression and anxiety scores. Colour-related symbolism and fragmented military symbols were associated with higher anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress scores.

Conclusions

Emergent patterns of resilience and risk embedded in the use of images created by the participants could provide valuable information for patients, clinicians and caregivers.
Analysis of cases managed by the otolaryngology service in the Chinese military peacekeeping level 2 medical treatment facility in Mali
Authors: Zhao Yongqiang , Ma X , Li Y , Fu Q
Published: June 2018

Objectives

As part of the UN peacekeeping mission in Mali, the People’s Republic of China have deployed a level 2 medical treatment facility (CHN L2). The aim of this study was to review the cases managed by the otolaryngology service within this facility.

Methods

The medical records of all patients treated by the otolaryngology service at the CHN L2 from 1 March 2015 to 1 March 2018 were retrospectively assessed.

Results

614/10189 (6%) of all cases seen in the hospital during this period were referred to the otolaryngology service. 7/614 cases required admission to hospital (1.14%) and 40/614 cases required surgery (6.51%). 3/40 cases requiring surgery (7.5%) were performed under general anaesthesia and 37 cases (92.5%) were under local anaesthesia. The most common surgical treatment was facial soft-tissue injury debridement and closure. Acute rhinosinusitis was the most common diagnosis, followed by acute pharyngitis and allergic rhinitis. Four patients required medical evacuation to a level 3 medical treatment facility.

Conclusions

Disease non-battle injury in the form of ear disease was the most common presentation. Maxillofacial soft-tissue injury was the most common cause of traumatic injury. There were limits that the service could provide in terms of medical equipment and consumables, necessitating increased training of otolaryngologists prior to deployment.
Patient preference predictors and the problem of naked statistical evidence
Authors: Sharadin Nathaniel Paul
Published: June 2018

Patient preference predictors (PPPs) promise to provide medical professionals with a new solution to the problem of making treatment decisions on behalf of incapacitated patients. I show that the use of PPPs faces a version of a normative problem familiar from legal scholarship: the problem of naked statistical evidence. I sketch two sorts of possible reply, vindicating and debunking, and suggest that our reply to the problem in the one domain ought to mirror our reply in the other. The conclusion is thus conditional: if we think the problem of naked statistical evidence is a serious problem in the legal domain, then we should be concerned about the symmetrical problem for PPPs.
Images as catalysts for meaning-making in medical pain encounters: a multidisciplinary analysis
Authors: Padfield Deborah , Omand Helen , Semino Elena , Williams Amanda C de C , Zakrzewska Joanna M
Published: June 2018

The challenge for those treating or witnessing pain is to find a way of crossing the chasm of meaning between them and the person living with pain. This paper proposes that images can strengthen agency in the person with pain, particularly but not only in the clinical setting, and can create a shared space within which to negotiate meaning. It draws on multidisciplinary analyses of unique material resulting from two fine art/medical collaborations in London, UK, in which the invisible experience of pain was made visible in the form of co-created photographic images, which were then made available to other patients as a resource to use in specialist consultations. In parallel with the pain encounters it describes, the paper weaves together the insights of specialists from a range of disciplines whose methodologies and priorities sometimes conflict and sometimes intersect to make sense of each other’s findings. A short section of video footage where images were used in a pain consultation is examined in fine detail from the perspective of each discipline. The analysis shows how the images function as ‘transactional objects’ and how their use coincides with an increase in the amount of talk and emotional disclosure on the part of the patient and greater non-verbal affiliative behaviour on the part of the doctor. These findings are interpreted from the different disciplinary perspectives, to build a complex picture of the multifaceted, contradictory and paradoxical nature of pain experience, the drive to communicate it and the potential role of visual images in clinical settings.
Use of zonal distribution of lung crackles during inspiration and expiration to assess disease severity in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
Authors: Key Angela L , Holt Kimberley , Warburton Christopher J , Walker Paul Phillip , Earis John E
Published: June 2018

Purpose of the study

To measure the number and distribution of crackles in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and assess how this relates to measures of disease severity.

Study design

Fourteen patients with IPF had both the number of crackles per litre of lung volume and lung function measured every 3 months for 1 year. Crackle counts were expressed according to position (upper and lower zones) and whether they occurred during inspiration and expiration.

Results

At baseline, crackle count per unit volume was higher at the bases than the apices and higher during inspiration than during expiration. There was a significant relationship between lung function and number of crackles per unit volume. Upper zone crackles during inspiration (crackle count vs forced vital capacity (FVC): r=0.69, p=0.007) and lower zone crackles during expiration (crackle count vs FVC: r=0.55, p=0.04) demonstrated the strongest relationship with lung function.

Conclusions

Number and distribution of crackles in IPF relate to physiological measures of disease severity. Inspiratory lower zone crackles were universal and extensive but the presence, hence, development of inspiratory upper zone crackles and expiratory lower zone crackles correlated with measures of poorer lung function. The presence or appearance of these assessed using chest auscultation provides a clinician with simple measure of disease severity, and possibly progression, prompting further physiological assessment and review of treatment.
Determinants of progression of nicotine dependence symptoms in adolescent waterpipe smokers
Authors: Bahelah Raed , Ward Kenneth D , Ben Taleb Ziyad , DiFranza Joseph R , Eissenberg Thomas , Jaber Rana , Maziak Wasim
Published: June 2018

Introduction

Waterpipe smoking continues to pose significant challenges to tobacco control efforts and many adolescent waterpipe smokers experience symptoms of nicotine dependence (ND). This study examined the predictors of progression of ND symptoms in adolescent waterpipe smokers.

Methods

We assembled a cohort of Lebanese adolescents enrolled in eighth and ninth grades at baseline, and surveyed them every 6 months over the next 24 months. Progression of ND symptoms was defined as an increase over time in the number of items endorsed on the Hooked on Nicotine Checklist. Predictors included individual (eg, psychological factors, attitudes towards waterpipe, school performance, physical activity) and socioenvironmental (eg, smoking among parents, siblings and close friends; the café environment) attributes.

Results

Among 264 adolescent waterpipe smokers (baseline mean age=14.6 years, 50.4% females), 105 (39.7%) progressed on ND symptoms during follow-up. Predictors of progression were higher baseline stress (OR 1.11, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.19) and higher self-esteem (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.05 to 1.24). Reporting difficulty refraining from smoking waterpipe while in a restaurant was the strongest predictor of progression (OR 4.04, 95% CI 1.44 to 11.34). Having a mother with ≥12 years of education protected against progression of ND (OR 0.46, 95% CI 0.21 to 0.99).

Conclusions

A significant proportion of adolescent waterpipe smokers progressed on ND. Venue-based policies such as limiting youth access to waterpipe cafés are warranted.
MicroRNA-30 mediates cell invasion and metastasis in breast cancer
Authors: Bao Shuangzhen , Wang Xinying , Wang Zhichao , Yang Jinqiang , Liu Fangzhen , Yin Changheng
Published: June 2018

Despite the great progress in recent years, many aspects of the pathogenesis and progression of breast cancer remain unclear. A better understanding on the molecular mechanisms underlying metastasis and recurrence is crucial to improve the treatment of this lethal disease. MCF-7 cells were xenografted into mice until visible tumors developed, and the cells from tumor tissue and adjacent normal tissue were cultured with 3 passages as mass tumor (MT) cells and invasive tumor (IT) cells, respectively. Microarray analysis was performed to detect several viable microRNAs in these 2 types of cells. Further, miR-30 knockdown was used to investigate its role in tumor aggression. Relative levels of miR-30 were significantly higher in IT cells than MT cells. Knockdown of miR-30 in both MT and IT cells lowered cell proliferation and cell invasion abilities, and thus increased the survival time of mice xenografted with tumor cells. This study suggested that the knockdown of miR-30 decreased proliferation and invasion of carcinoma cells, giving rise to the potential of miR-30 as a tumor target or marker candidate for breast cancer therapy.
Experimental investigation on the structural performance of a reinforced cold-formed steel beam–column joint
Authors: Xingxing Wang , Jihong Ye , Wei Wang
Published: June 2018

A reinforced beam–column joint specific to mid-rise cold-formed steel (CFS) dwellings was proposed and studied by six full-scale cyclic loading tests. Afterwards, a moment–rotation relationship prediction model and a numerical model of the joint were established. The results show that: (i) the joint has a certain bending moment transmission capacity; (ii) the joint’s moment–rotation curve has distinctive three-stage deformation characteristics, including elastic, nonlinear, and failure stages successively; the structural performance of the joint is better and more in line with the requirements of mid-rise CFS dwellings than conventional joint; (iii) the elastic buckling strength of beam flange can be taken as the elastic limit of the joint, and the ultimate bending moment of the joint is determined by elastic flexural capacity of beam section; (iv) the prediction model and the numerical model can be used to establish an overall model of mid-rise CFS dwelling with consideration of joints’ nonlinear behaviour.
Evaluation of the selective antibacterial activity of Eucalyptus globulus and Pimenta pseudocaryophyllus essential oils individually and in combination on Enterococcus faecalis and Lactobacillus rhamnosus
Authors: Ambrosio Carmen M.S. , de Alencar Severino M. , Moreno Andrea M. , Da Gloria Eduardo M.
Published: June 2018

Essential oils (EOs), as substitutes for antibiotics in animal diets, should have selective antibacterial activity between pathogenic and beneficial bacteria from the animal gut. Thus, this study evaluated the selective antibacterial activity of Eucalyptus globulus (EG) and Pimenta pseudocaryophyllus (PP) EOs on Enterococcus faecalis as a surrogate model of pathogenic bacterium and on Lactobacillus rhamnosus as a beneficial bacterium model. The EOs antibacterial activity was evaluated by determination of minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs), minimal bactericidal concentration (MBCs), and fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) indices. The time-kill and sequential exposure assays were also performed, but using only the EG oil, which was the best selective EO, since it had a MIC lower on E. faecalis (7.4 mg/mL) than on L. rhamnosus (14.8 mg/mL). FIC index values showed that the combination of the two EOs had an indifferent effect (1.25 and 2.03) on E. faecalis and an additive effect (1.00) on L. rhamnosus. The time-kill assay showed that EG oil was able to kill E. faecalis within 15 min of treatment (∼5 log reduction) and caused a reduction ∼3 log of L. rhamnosus viability. The sequential exposure assay showed that EG oil (at MIC/2) produced higher reduction on E. faecalis viability (∼3 log) than on L. rhamnosus (∼2 log) as well. Therefore, L. rhamnosus presented higher tolerance to the antibacterial activity of EG oil than E. faecalis did.
Effects of CeO2 nanoparticles on the HO-1, NQO1, and GCLC expression in the testes of diabetic rats
Authors: Hasanvand Davood , Amiri Iraj , Soleimani Asl Sara , Saidijam Massoud , Shabab Nooshin , Artimani Tayebe
Published: June 2018

CeO2 nanoparticles (CNPs) as effective ROS scavengers exhibit potent antioxidant activity. In this study the effect of CNPs investigated was on HO-1, NQO1, and GCLC expression in the streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Twenty-four male Wistar rats were divided into 4 groups: controls did not receive any treatment; diabetic rats received STZ (60 mg/kg daily); CNPs group received CNPs 30 mg/kg daily for 2 weeks; and rats in STZ + CNPs group received CNPs 30 mg/kg daily for 2 weeks following STZ injection. Oxidative stress was evaluated by measurement of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total oxidative status (TOS levels). HO-1, NQO1, and GCLC expression was measured using quantitative real-time PCR. Following STZ injection, significant lower levels of TAC and higher levels of TOS were observed. CNPs could alleviate deleterious effects of diabetes through the enhancement of TAC levels and a significant decline in TOS levels. HO-1, NQO1, and GCLC expression in the diabetic rats were lower than controls. HO-1, NQO1, and GCLC was upregulated in the diabetic rats treated with CNPs. There were significant correlations between NQO1 and GCLC, NQO1 and HO-1, and between HO-1 and GCLC expression. Moreover, Nrf2 was associated with NQO1, GCLC, and HO-1 expression. CNPs as Nrf2 upregulator confer protection against oxidative stress in the testes of STZ-induced diabetic rats by upregulating HO-1, GCLC, and NQO1 cytoprotective genes.
Evaluation of flazasulfuron for hair fescue (Festuca filiformis) suppression and wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifoliumAit.) tolerance
Authors: Zhang Linshan , White Scott N. , Randall Olson A. , Pruski Kris
Published: June 2018

Flazasulfuron was evaluated for crop safety and efficacy on hair fescue (Festuca filiformis Pourr.) in wild blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) fields. Treatments consisted of flazasulfuron applied at 38 and 50 g a.i. ha−1in fall of the bearing year and spring and fall of the non-bearing year. Industry standard fall bearing year pronamide (2240 g a.i. ha−1) and spring non-bearing year terbacil (2000 g a.i. ha−1) and foramsulfuron (35 g a.i. ha−1) applications were included for comparison. Pronamide consistently reduced flowering hair fescue tuft density in the non-bearing and bearing years across sites. Terbacil reduced flowering tuft inflorescence height in the non-bearing year, but did not reduce total or flowering tuft density in either year. Foramsulfuron reduced flowering tuft density and flowering tuft inflorescence number and height in the non-bearing year, but hair fescue recovered in the bearing year. Fall bearing year flazasulfuron applications did not reduce total or flowering tuft density or flowering tuft inflorescence number and height. In contrast, spring non-bearing year flazasulfuron applications reduced flowering tuft density and flowering tuft inflorescence number and height, though hair fescue recovered in these treatments in the bearing year. Fall non-bearing year flazasulfuron applications reduced hair fescue total tuft density, flowering tuft density, and flowering tuft inflorescence number in the bearing year. No treatments caused significant injury to wild blueberry. Flazasulfuron may contribute to improved hair fescue management in wild blueberry, and this herbicide should be evaluated further to confirm crop tolerance and identify potential use patterns with currently registered herbicides.
Influence of irrigation and plant canopy architecture on white mould disease of dry bean
Authors: Kader Kazi A. , Balasubramanian Parthiba M. , Chatterton Syama
Published: June 2018

White mould caused by the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary is a major constraint to irrigated dry bean production in southern Alberta. Irrigation, coupled with dry bean canopy architecture, may influence white mould by creating conducive environmental conditions. Field experiments were conducted from 2015 to 2017 at Lethbridge to determine the effect of three irrigation levels and five dry bean genotypes with different canopy architectures on white mould. Sensors and data loggers were established to monitor micro-climate data including soil moisture within the top 5 cm, leaf wetness, and soil temperature under the canopy. Canopy porosity, lodging, flower infection, and white mould disease severity were also measured. Higher moisture within the top 5 cm of the soil, lower soil temperature, elevated leaf wetness, and higher white mould incidence were observed in high irrigation plots compared with medium and low irrigation plots. Cultivars varied for leaf wetness, porosity, and lodging. Although a significant interaction between irrigation and cultivar was detected, irrigation levels did not affect disease severity significantly. Lower disease severity and incidence were recorded in AAC Burdett and Island. These cultivars have an upright growth habit, high canopy porosity, and lodging resistance, and therefore, exhibited partial field resistance (avoidance) to white mould. Mean yield across all cultivars was not affected by irrigation; however, the highest yield occurred in the medium irrigation plots. A reduced level of irrigation and development of cultivars with both avoidance and partial physiological resistance may reduce white mould severity and incidence in dry bean fields in Alberta.
Fidelity susceptibility for Lifshitz geometries via Lifshitz holography
Authors: Momeni Davood , Faizal Mir , Myrzakul Aizhan , Myrzakulov Ratbay
Published: June 2018

In order to analyze the fidelity susceptibility of nonrelativistic field theories, which are important in condensed matter systems, we generalize the proposal to obtain the fidelity susceptibility holographically to Lifshitz geometries. It will be argued that this proposal can be used to study the fidelity susceptibility for various condensed matter systems. To demonstrate this, we will explicitly use this proposal to analyze the fidelity susceptibility for a nonrelativistic many-body system and argue that the fidelity susceptibility of this theory can be holographically obtained from a bulk Lifshitz geometry. In fact, using an Einstein-Dilaton–Maxwell–AdS–Lifshitz theory, we explicitly demonstrated that the fidelity susceptibility obtained from this bulk geometry is equal to the fidelity susceptibility of a bosonic many-body system.
Magnetically Separable Rice Husk Char-Supported Nickel Ferrite Photocatalyst with High Photoactivity under Visible-Light Irradiation
Authors: Han Fengyan , Xu Xusheng , Fu Yongsheng , Wang Xin
Published: June 2018

A specific strategy is presented for the preparation of a NiFe2O4-rice husk char (RHC) nanocatalyst with different RHC contents. The recombination of nano-NiFe2O4 with RHC leads an opposite transformation of the unreactive NiFe2O4 to an upper active photocatalyst, which can be used for the photodegradation of methylene blue in the presence of H2O2 under visible light. In comparison with neat NiFe2O4 as a catalyst, the NiFe2O4-RHC plays a dual function as the photocatalyst for both the electrochemical photodegradation of methylene blue and the producer of the important oxidant hydroxyl radical from the electrochemical dissociation of H2O2 under visible-light irradiation. The photocatalyst displays such excellent stability in the reaction that it can be magnetically separated and recycled for more than five consecutive cycles without any significant loss of activity and degradation.
A learning from demonstration framework for implementation of a feeding task
Authors: Ettehadi Nabil , Behal Aman
Published: June 2018

In this paper, a learning from demonstration (LFD) approach is used to design an autonomous meal-assistance agent. The feeding task is modeled as a mixture of Gaussian distributions. Using the data collected via kinesthetic teaching, the parameters of the Gaussian mixture model (GMM) are learnt using Gaussian mixture regression (GMR) and expectation maximization (EM) algorithm. Reproduction of feeding trajectories for different environments is obtained by solving a constrained optimization problem. In this method we show that obstacles can be avoided by robot’s end-effector by adding a set of extra constraints to the optimization problem. Finally, the performance of the designed meal assistant is evaluated in two feeding scenario experiments: one considering obstacles in the path between the bowl and the mouth and the other without.
Stabilities of iodide and iodate for iodine speciation analysis in soils
Authors: Liu Wei , Hu Jun-Dong , Yang Hong-Xia
Published: June 2018

The primary objective of this study was to develop a simple method that can be used to extract the more readily mobilizable iodine species from soil while at the same time minimizing the transformation between IO
3
−
and I
−
, the two most commonly found iodine species in the soil. High performance liquid chromatography coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HPLC-ICP-MS) was used for iodine speciation analysis in soil. A sample pre-treatment process based on alkaline extraction in the presence of EDTA was optimized for the extraction of these iodine species. Good results were achieved using 10% ammonium hydroxide (v/v) and 0.5 mM EDTA where the transformation between IO
3
−
and I
−
was clearly minimized. The method was applied to several soil reference materials. Recoveries of IO
3
−
and I
−
spiked into these materials ranged from 85 to 115%. The most suitable sample collection and soil preparation techniques were also evaluated in this work.
Primary geochemical haloes study of the possibly Carlin-like Dashui gold deposit for gold exploration in southern Gansu Province, central China
Authors: Li Yongquan , Zhang Dehui , Yang Nan , Zhang Tao , Shi Wenquan
Published: June 2018

To increase the reserves of the possibly Carlin-like Dashui gold deposit in Maqu county, Gansu Province, central China, exploration techniques to detect mineralization in the subsurface of the mining district are required. Orebodies in the Dashui deposit are usually controlled by structures closely associated with the Ge'erkuohe granitoid. Samples collected from the deposit area indicate that the mineralization is primarily associated with the indicator elements, Au-Ag-As-Hg-Te-Sb, and less so with the indicator elements, K
2
O-Rb-F-Ba. The supra- and/or near-ore haloes are characterized by an As-Sb-Hg-Te-Au-Ag association and sub-ore haloes by a W-Mo-Bi-Co-Sc-Ni-V-Cd association. The primary geochemical haloes of the two main orebodies show that they were formed by up to three hydrothermal events. These results indicated that the two orebodies may extend downward to great depths, as was later confirmed by drilling down to depths of
c.
3500–3400 m.