bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Serum 25‐hydroxyvitamin D concentrations in dogs – correlation with health and cancer risk
Authors: Selting K. A. , Sharp C. R. , Ringold R. , Thamm D. H. , Backus R.
Published: July 2014

25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) is important in bone health as well as many diseases including cancer. Supplementation may increase responsiveness of cancer cells to chemotherapy. Serum 25(OH)D, intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) and canine C‐reactive protein (c‐CRP) were measured in healthy dogs and dogs with haemoabdomen. Regression analysis determined optimal 25(OH)D concentrations. In healthy dogs (n = 282), mean iPTH concentrations correlated inversely (r2 = 0.88, P < 0.001) to 25(OH)D concentrations. Variation in both iPTH and c‐CRP plateaued at 25(OH)D concentrations of 100–120 ng mL−1. Haemoabdomen dogs (n = 63, 43 malignant and 20 benign) had 25(OH)D concentrations ranging from 19.4 to >150 ng mL−1. Relative risk of cancer increased with decreasing 25(OH)D concentrations [RR = 3.9 for 25(OH)D below 40 ng mL−1 (P = 0.0001)]. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations in dogs vary widely, and are influenced by dietary VitD content. Serum vitD measurement can identify dogs for which supplementation may improve health and response to cancer therapy.
Shedding and Seroprevalence of PathogenicLeptospiraspp. in Sheep and Cattle at a New Zealand Abattoir
Authors: Fang F. , Collins‐Emerson J. M. , Cullum A. , Heuer C. , Wilson P. R. , Benschop J.
Published: July 2014

A cross‐sectional study was carried out on sheep and cattle slaughtered at a New Zealand abattoir from September to November 2010 to investigate the supplier‐specific shedding rate, renal carriage rate and seroprevalence of leptospires. In the 2008/2009 season, this abattoir experienced three human leptospirosis cases from 20 staff, of which two were hospitalized. Urine, kidney and blood samples were collected from carcasses of 399 sheep (six suppliers, 17 slaughter lines) and 146 cattle (three suppliers, 22 slaughter lines). The urine and kidney samples were tested by quantitative real‐time PCR (qPCR), while serum samples (from coagulated blood samples) were tested by microscopic agglutination test (MAT). In total, 27% (73/274; 95% CI: 18–37) of urine samples tested positive by qPCR. Species‐specific shedding rates (prevalence of positive urine qPCR) were 31% (95% CI: 17–48) for sheep and 21% (95% CI: 14–30) for cattle. For 545 kidney samples tested, 145 were qPCRpositive (27%; 95% CI: 17–39). The average prevalence of kidney qPCRpositivity was 29% (95% CI: 17–45) for sheep and 21% (95% CI: 15–28) for cattle. Three hundred and thirty of 542 sampled sheep and cattle had antibodies againstLeptospira borgpeterseniiserovar Hardjobovis (Hardjobovis) and/orLeptospira interrogansserovar Pomona (Pomona), based on reciprocalMATtitre ≥1 : 48 (overall seroprevalence of 61%; 95% CI: 48–73). Seroprevalence was 57% (95% CI: 40–72) for sheep and 73% (95% CI: 59–83) for cattle. Among the seropositive animals, 41% (70/170; 95% CI: 30–54) were shedding (tested positive by urine qPCR) and 42% (137/330; 95% CI: 30–54) had renal carriage (tested positive by kidney qPCR). Some risk management options for abattoirs or farms to prevent human leptospirosis infections include vaccination of maintenance hosts, the use of personal protective equipment, and the application of urine qPCRto detect shedding status of stock as surveillance and as an alert.
The Development and Measurement of Conducive Campus Environment for Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM) of Campus Sustainability
Authors: Zen Irina Safitri , Ahamad Rahmalan , Omar Wahid
Published: July 2014

The campus environment in a higher learning institution should be conducive to support the synergistic effects of its three basic functions namely: learning, social interactions and living. Campus conduciveness is rarely measured in the context of campus sustainability. This study will develop and establish Conducive Campus Environment (CCE) tools while measuring the level of conduciveness to improve the management of facilities, services, infrastructures and the physical environmental settings of the campus environment. It is implied in the context of campus sustainability initiatives at Universiti Teknologi Malaysia (UTM), Johor, to fulfil the three basic pillars of sustainability, hence environmental, social and economic. The standardized structured questionnaires distributed among 380 students focus on facilities, services and infrastructures in the campus setting. An inferential factor analysis has been applied and the four levels of conduciveness have been developed. At last, the study reveals the adoption of CCE ca be an example on how sustainable balance score card adopted in higher learning institution.
Effect of Natural Zeolite (Clinoptilolite) and Urea on the Growth of Amaranthus gangeticus, Clinachantus nutans and Capsicum annuum
Authors: Nik Malek Nik Ahmad Nizam , Hamzah Niza Syafiqah , Dzkulfli Noor Hidayah , W Abdullah , W Mohd Madhi , Hamdan Salehhuddin
Published: July 2014

Innovative actions are needed to improve fertilizer efficiency due to the problem of the leaching of nutrients associated with conventional fertilizer. Thus, a study was carried out to compare the effect of urea fertilizer combined with zeolite (clinoptilolite) on Amaranthus gangeticus, Clinachantus nutans and Capsicum annuum by comparison with the commercial fertilizer composite (IMO-Plus). IMO-Plus is a mixed fertilizer containing organic compounds, zeolites, Effective Microorganisms (EM) and N, P and K nutrients. Zeolite was found to be an important holder to retain a nitrogen (N) source in urea for the fertilization process. Without zeolite, the utilization of nitrogen (N) in urea fertilizers by A. gangeticus, C. nutans and C. annuum are poor. The combination of zeolite and urea fertilizers enhanced growth of these three plants in a similar fashion to IMO-Plus, since they increased the plant height, dry weight of plants, total number of leaves, width, and length of leaf significantly compared to urea without zeolite. Therefore, it is important to add zeolite as one of the major elements in the fertilizer composite as a holder for the nutrients.
The Effect of Mobile Applications on English Vocabulary Acquisition
Authors: Rezaei Azadeh , Mai Neo , Pesaranghader Ahmad
Published: July 2014

The study reported here investigates the use and effectiveness of mobile applications in English vocabulary learning. Vocabulary acquisition is an important part of language learning. The advancement in technology has greatly improved the existing setting in education world in recent years. The wide use of mobile wireless technologies also has created more opportunities to shift the traditional academic environment to mobile learning. Interactive multimedia is a great avenue for the communication and education. This research studies intermediate-level English learners’ performance before and after using mobile applications that were introduced to the study group as an intervention. It examines whether multimedia courseware affects the vocabulary learning in the second language acquisition. The quantitative data revealed positive change in learners’ performance and the questionnaire analysis indicated that using the applications helped enhance learning of vocabulary, confidence, class participation and that, students had a positive tendency toward the use of multimedia in education.
Business Inteligence Technology Implimentation Readiness Factors
Authors: Bargshady Ghazal , Alipanah Farab , Abdulrazzaq Ali Waleed , Chukwunonso Franklyn
Published: July 2014

Business Intelligence technology implementation can bring capabilities to making decisions faster and better for organizations. It usually faces on significant rate of failure and leads to a large wasting of time and resources. Therefore, identifying critical readiness factors of it helps IT managers in implementation successfully and prevents from failure in this issue. This study conducted in Shahrvand retail company in Iran that wants to implement BI technology successfully. The purpose of this study is to recognize potential readiness factors of business intelligence technology implementation in this organization. On the base of previous study the most important factors were distinguished and one conceptual model was designed. The quantitative method was selected to evaluate factors and totally259 questionnaires were collected among respondents. The SPSS software used to analysis of data. The result shows that robust & extensible framework as a technology’s factor has positive and strong significant relationship with business intelligence technology readiness implementation. Therefore, The results show that the technology dimension factors are important in this implementation successfully. Also, findings demonstrated that the clear business visions and planning, committed management support and sponsorship, and map the solutions to the users were the important factors in this issue.
Application of Design of Experiment and Computer Simulation to Improve the Color Industry Productivity: Case Study
Authors: Zahraee Seyed Mojib , Shariatmadari Shahab , Ahmadi Hadi Badri , Hakimi Saeed , Shahpanah Ataollah
Published: July 2014

One of the controversial issues in manufacturing companies is bottleneck. Managers and engineers try to deal with this difficulty to improve the productivity such as increasing resource utilization and throughput. One color factory is selected as a case study in this paper. This company tries to identify and decrease the bottlenecks in the production line. The goal of this paper is building the simulation model of production line to improve the productivity by analyzing the bottleneck. To achieve this goal, statistical method named design of experiment (DOE) was performed in order to find the optimum combination of factors that have the significant effect on the process productivity. The analysis shows that all of the main factors have a significant effect on the production line productivity. The optimum value of productivity is achieved when the number of delpak mixer (C) and number of lifter (D) to be located at high level that is equal to 2 and 2 respectively. The most significant conclusion of this study is that 3.2 labors are required to reach maximum productivity based on the resource utilization and cost. It means that 3 full time labors and one part time labor should be employed for the production line.
Synthesis and Characterization of Bio-Based Porous Carbons by Two Step Physical Activation with CO2
Authors: Nasri Noor Shawal , Ahmad Zaini Muhammad Abbas , Mohsin Rahmat , Dadum Hamza Usman , Musa Ahmed Murtala
Published: July 2014

Porous carbons were synthesized from coconut shell using two step CO2 activation and their characteristics were investigated. Nitrogen adsorption test for Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area and pore volume of the adsorbent produced were carried out. The Langmuir surface area, BET surface area and pore volume of the synthesized carbon are 533 m2/g, 361 m2/g and 0.19 cm3/g respectively. Micropores are predominant constituting 88% of the total surface area. From the Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis, hydroxyls, alkenes, carbonyls and aromatics functional groups were identified. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results gives thermal analysis whereby moisture pyrolysis occurred at 105oC, the pyrolysis of hemicellulose and cellulose occurred at 160–390oC. However, lignin decomposition occurred in a wider temperature range (390-650oC). The proximate and ultimate analysis shows high percentage of carbon and less ash content which indicates a good precursor material for porous carbon.
Liquid-Liquid Extraction of Palladium from Simulated Liquid Waste using Phosphinic Acid as a Carrier
Authors: Othman Norasikin , Mohamed Noah Norul Fatiha , Raja Sulaiman Raja Norimie , Abdullah Nurul Ashida , Bachok Siti Khadijah
Published: July 2014

Nowadays, extraction and recovery of metals from industrial wastewater has become a major concern owing to the toxicity of heavy metals and economic value of precious metals such as gold, palladium and silver. In this research, the extraction of palladium from simulated aqueous solution using liquid-liquid extraction was studied. The organic phase containing bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl) monothiophosphinic acid (Cyanex 302) as a carrier was used. Several parameters such as concentration of carrier, type of diluents and stripping agent type and its concentration were investigated. The results showed that at the favourable condition of 0.1 mM Cyanex 302 in kerosene as a diluent, and 2.0 M of thiourea in 1.0 M sulphuric acid as a stripping agent, almost 100% of palladium was extracted from the liquid waste solution and 90% was recovered in the receiving phase.
Performance Improvement of Concrete Pouring Process Based Resource Utilization Using Taguchi Method and Computer Simulation
Authors: Zahraee Seyed Mojib , Rezaei Ghasem , Shahpanah Ataollah , Chegeni Ali , Mohd Rohani Jafri
Published: July 2014

One of the most controversial issues in construction management is performance measurement. Construction managers are always involved in evaluation of resource changes which effect process performance. Due to limitations and also cost of resources, resource allocation has become a complex task in construction projects. To evaluate the effects of different resources on total project performance, managers strive to allocate limited resources by determining resource combinations. This paper aims at conducting Taguchi method along with computer simulation to determine the optimum combination of resources for a real world case study involving a concrete pouring operation in order to reduce cycle time and process costs. The proposed simulation model was conducted under Arena 13.9. Final result shows that the optimum resource combination will be achieved when all of resources are located in the low level. This means that number of trucks, spreader crew, vibrator crew and finisher crew should be equal to 3, 1, 1, and 1 respectively to improve the total performance.
A Simplified Model for Gasification of Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch Briquettes
Authors: Bevan Nyakuma Bemgba , Abimbola Oladokun Olagoke , Johari Anwar , Ahmad Arshad , Tuan Abdullah Tuan Amran
Published: July 2014

This study is aimed at investigating the product gas yield and composition of EFB briquettes gasification using a simplified stoichiometric equilibrium model. Similar mathematical models have been successfully adopted by a number of research groups to investigate the thermochemical conversion of biomass species. Hence the effect of gasification temperature on the product gas yield and composition of EFB briquettes gasification using a simplified stoichiometric equilibrium model is presented in this study. The results indicate that the H2 and CO content increased with increasing temperature from 600 to 800°C while the CO2, N2 and CH4 content decreased. The H2 content increased with increasing temperature, with peak production of 25.55 mol % at 750°C. The HHV (4.87 to 8.38 MJ/Nm3), CGE (27.72 to 47.71%) and CCE (25.42 to 41.54%) values increased with increasing temperature during gasification. Hence for a reacting system with known reaction mechanism, the model can be used to reasonably deduce the yield and composition of the gasification products.
Experimental Study on the Production of CO-NO-HC Emissions in the Radial Swirling Flow Combustion System
Authors: Ashrul Ishak Mohamad Shaiful , Mohd Jaafar Mohammad Nazri
Published: July 2014

The main purpose of this paper is to evaluate the production of CO-NO-HC emissions while varying the swirl angle of curve vane radial swirler. Air swirler adds sufficient swirling to the inlet flow to generate central recirculation region (CRZ) which is necessary for flame stability and fuel air mixing enhancement. Therefore designing an appropriate air swirler is a challenge to produce stable, efficient and low emission combustion inside a burner system. Four radial curve vane swirlers with 30o, 40o, 50o and 60o vane angle corresponding to swirl number of 0.366, 0.630, 0.978 and 1.427 respectively were used in this analysis to show the effect of vane angle on emission production at end of combustion chamber. Pollutant NO reduction of more than 10 percent was obtained for the swirl number of 1.427 compared to 0.366. CO emissions were reduced by 20 percent, 25 percent and 38 percent reduction in carbon monoxide (CO) emission for swirl number of 0.630, 0.978 and 1.427 compared to swirl number of 0.366 respectively. Meanwhile, there was a small decrease in unburned HC emissions when increasing the swirl number for the whole range of equivalence ratios.  Results show that the swirling action is augmented with the increase in the vane angle, which leads to better performance of CO-NO-HC emission production inside liquid fuel burner system.
Improving the Efficiency of Manufacturing Supply Chain Using System Dynamic Simulation
Authors: Sadeghiamirshahidi Narjes , Afshar Jafar , Firouzi Ali Reza , Syed Hassan Syed Ahmad Helmi
Published: July 2014

Supply chain is a network of different business units which focuses on integration among all units in order to produce and distribute end products to the customer. Nowadays, due to increased uncertainty in customer demand, it is necessary to be sure that the supply chain networks operate as efficient as possible in order to satisfy the customer demand at the lowest cost. Enhancing the efficiency of the supply chain necessitates the interaction between different members of the supply chain which can be achieved through supply chain management. Hence, the development of modeling approach in order to understand and analyze the dynamic behavior of supply chains is brought into consideration. This paper proposes a system dynamic simulation model for manufacturing supply chain. System dynamic is used as suitable method to understand and analyze the interactions of various components via feedback structure. The objective of this paper is to simulate the manufacturing supply chain of an electronic manufacturing company in Malaysia. The simulation model is used to study the system’s behavior (in terms of production rate, inventory levels, and backlog orders) under two different operational conditions (named as fixed and varied capacity policies) and compare their efficiency in terms of total cost. The analysis shows that the proposed operational condition, which is varied capacity policy, improves the system efficiency in terms of cost.
Characterization of surface defects on Be-implanted GaSb
Authors: Rahimi Nassim , Aragon Andrew A. , Shima Darryl M. , Hains Christopher , Busani Tito , Lavrova Olga , Balakrishnan Ganesh , Lester Luke F.
Published: July 2014

Characteristics of ion implantation induced damage in GaSb, and its removal by rapid thermal annealing, are investigated by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. Rapid thermal annealing (RTA) has been implemented on implanted GaSb for various temperatures and durations with the semiconductor capped, which avoids Sb out-diffusion and Ga agglomeration during the process. The RTA damage induced in the GaSb wafer was studied by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The results of the microscopy study were then used to optimize the RTA recipe and the Si3N4 capping layer thickness to achieve doping activation while minimizing crystalline damage. Results indicate a lattice quality that is close to pristine GaSb for samples annealed at 600 °C for 10 s using 260 nm thick Si3N4 capping layer. Secondary ion mass spectrometry measurement indicates that the implanted Be does not migrate in the GaSb at the used annealing temperature. Finally, electrical characteristics of diodes fabricated from the implanted material are presented that exhibit low series resistance and high shunt resistance suitable for photovoltaic applications.
A note on modeling of tumor regression for estimation of radiobiological parameters
Authors: Zhong Hualiang , Chetty Indrin
Published: July 2014

Purpose:

Accurate calculation of radiobiological parameters is crucial to predicting radiation treatment response. Modeling differences may have a significant impact on derived parameters. In this study, the authors have integrated two existing models with kinetic differential equations to formulate a new tumor regression model for estimation of radiobiological parameters for individual patients.

Methods:

A system of differential equations that characterizes the birth‐and‐death process of tumor cells in radiation treatment was analytically solved. The solution of this system was used to construct an iterative model (Z‐model). The model consists of three parameters: tumor doubling time Td, half‐life of dead cells Tr, and cell survival fraction SFD under dose D. The Jacobian determinant of this model was proposed as a constraint to optimize the three parameters for six head and neck cancer patients. The derived parameters were compared with those generated from the two existing models: Chvetsov's model (C‐model) and Lim's model (L‐model). The C‐model and L‐model were optimized with the parameter Td fixed.

Results:

With the Jacobian‐constrained Z‐model, the mean of the optimized cell survival fractions is 0.43 ± 0.08, and the half‐life of dead cells averaged over the six patients is 17.5 ± 3.2 days. The parameters Tr and SFD optimized with the Z‐model differ by 1.2% and 20.3% from those optimized with the Td‐fixed C‐model, and by 32.1% and 112.3% from those optimized with the Td‐fixed L‐model, respectively.

Conclusions:

The Z‐model was analytically constructed from the differential equations of cell populations that describe changes in the number of different tumor cells during the course of radiation treatment. The Jacobian constraints were proposed to optimize the three radiobiological parameters. The generated model and its optimization method may help develop high‐quality treatment regimens for individual patients.
Are Rest Intervals Between Stretching Repetitions Effective to Acutely Increase Range of Motion?
Authors: Freitas Sandro R. , Vaz João R. , Bruno Paula M. , Valamatos Maria João , Andrade Ricardo J. , Mil-Homens Pedro
Published: July 2014

Static stretching with rest between repetitions is often performed to acutely increase joint flexibility.

Purpose:

To test the effects of the lack of resting between stretching repetitions and the minimal number of stretching repetitions required to change the maximal range of motion (ROM), maximal tolerated joint passive torque (MPT), and submaximal passive torque at a given angle (PT).

Methods:

Five static stretching repetitions with a 30-s rest-interval (RI) and a no-rest-interval (NRI) stretching protocol were compared. Participants (N = 47) were encouraged to perform the maximal ROM without pain in all the repetitions. Each repetition lasted 90 s. Maximal ROM, MPT, PT, and muscle activity were compared between protocols for the same number of stretching repetitions.

Results:

The NRI produced a higher increase in maximal ROM and MPT during and after stretching (P < .05). PT decreased in both protocols, although the NRI tended to have a lower decrement across different submaximal angles (.05 < P < .08) in the initial range of the torque-angle curve. Significant changes in maximal ROM (P < .01) and PT (P < .01) were obtained at the 3rd and 2nd repetitions of RI, respectively. The RI did not significantly increase the MPT (P = .12) after stretching; only the NRI did (P < .01).

Conclusions:

Lack of rest between repetitions more efficiently increased the maximal ROM and capacity to tolerate PT during and after stretching. The use of 30 s rest between repetitions potentiates the decrease in PT. Rest intervals should not be used if the aim is to acutely increase maximal ROM and peak passive torque.
Phosphorylation of the vacuolar anion exchanger AtCLCa is required for the stomatal response to abscisic acid
Authors: Wege Stefanie , De Angeli Alexis , Droillard Marie-Jo , Kroniewicz Laetitia , Merlot Sylvain , Cornu David , Gambale Franco , Martinoia Enrico , Barbier-Brygoo Hélène , Thomine Sébastien , Leonhardt Nathalie , Filleur Sophie
Published: July 2014

The
Arabidopsis
vacuolar anion/proton exchanger AtCLCa contributes to both opening and closing of stomata.
Science Signaling
Podcast: 8 July 2014
Authors: Young Elton T. , VanHook Annalisa M.
Published: July 2014

A nutrient-sensing kinase inhibits the decay of transcripts encoding proteins that allow cells to utilize nonglucose carbon sources.
Outliers Dominate Signaling at Cell Membrane
Authors: Ray L. Bryan
Published: July 2014

Single-molecule measurements reveal insights into regulation of the small GTPase Ras.
Randomized Comparison of the Efficacies and Tolerabilities of Three Artemisinin-Based Combination Treatments for Children with Acute Plasmodium falciparum Malaria in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Authors: Onyamboko M. A. , Fanello C. I. , Wongsaen K. , Tarning J. , Cheah P. Y. , Tshefu K. A. , Dondorp A. M. , Nosten F. , White N. J. , Day N. P. J.
Published: July 2014

An open-label, randomized controlled trial was carried out in 2011–2012 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo to test the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of the artemisinin-based combination treatments dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine, amodiaquine-artesunate, and artemether-lumefantrine. Six hundred eighty-four children aged 3 to 59 months with uncomplicated
Plasmodium falciparum
malaria were randomly allocated to each study arm. Children were hospitalized for 3 days, given supervised treatment, and followed up weekly for 42 days. All regimens were well tolerated and rapidly effective. The median parasitemia clearance half-life was 2.2 h, and half-lives were similar between arms (
P
= 0.19). The PCR-uncorrected cure rates by day 42 were 73.0% for amodiaquine-artesunate, 70.2% for artemether-lumefantrine, and 86.3% for dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (
P
= 0.001). Early treatment failure occurred in three patients (0.5%), one in each arm. The PCR-corrected cure rates were 93.4% for amodiaquine-artesunate, 92.7% for artemether-lumefantrine, and 94.3% for dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine (
P
= 0.78). The last provided a longer posttreatment prophylactic effect than did the other two treatments. The day 7 plasma concentration of piperaquine was below 30 ng/ml in 47% of the children treated with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine, and the day 7 lumefantrine concentration was below 280 ng/ml in 37.0% of children who received artemether-lumefantrine. Thus, although cure rates were all satisfactory, they could be improved by increasing the dose. (This study has been registered with the International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number Register [
www.isrctn.org
] under registration no. ISRCTN20984426.)
In Vitro
Activities of Eight Antifungal Drugs against 104 Environmental and Clinical Isolates of Aureobasidium pullulans
Authors: Najafzadeh M. Javad , Sutton Deanna A. , Keisari M. Saradeghi , Zarrinfar H. , de Hoog G. Sybren , Chowdhary Anuradha , Meis Jacques F.
Published: July 2014

Aureobasidium pullulans
is an unusual agent of phaeohyphomycosis. The
in vitro
activities of antifungals against 104 isolates of
Aureobasidium pullulans
var.
pullulans
and
A. pullulans
var.
melanigenum
revealed low MIC
90
s of amphotericin B, posaconazole, and itraconazole. However, they were resistant to fluconazole (≥64 μg/ml) and had high MICs of voriconazole, isavuconazole, caspofungin, and micafungin.
Agreement between
amoA
Gene-Specific Quantitative PCR and Fluorescence
In Situ
Hybridization in the Measurement of Ammonia-Oxidizing Bacteria in Activated Sludge
Authors: Baptista J. D. C. , Lunn M. , Davenport R. J. , Swan D. L. , Read L. F. , Brown M. R. , Morais C. , Curtis T. P.
Published: July 2014

Microbial abundance is central to most investigations in microbial ecology, and its accurate measurement is a challenging task that has been significantly facilitated by the advent of molecular techniques over the last 20 years. Fluorescence
in situ
hybridization (FISH) is considered the gold standard of quantification techniques; however, it is expensive and offers low sample throughput, both of which limit its wider application. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) is an alternative that offers significantly higher throughput, and it is used extensively in molecular biology. The accuracy of qPCR can be compromised by biases in the DNA extraction and amplification steps. In this study, we compared the accuracy of these two established quantification techniques to measure the abundance of a key functional group in biological wastewater treatment systems, the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), in samples from a time-series experiment monitoring a set of laboratory-scale reactors and a full-scale plant. For the qPCR analysis, we tested two different sets of AOB-specific primers, one targeting the 16SrRNA gene and one targeting the ammonia monooxygenase (
amoA
) gene. We found that there was a positive linear logarithmic relationship between FISH and the
amoA
gene-specific qPCR, where the data obtained from both techniques was equivalent at the order of magnitude level. The 16S rRNA gene-specific qPCR assay consistently underestimated AOB numbers.
Nitrogen-Fixing Rhizobial Strains Isolated from Common Bean Seeds: Phylogeny, Physiology, and Genome Analysis
Authors: Mora Yolanda , Díaz Rafael , Vargas-Lagunas Carmen , Peralta Humberto , Guerrero Gabriela , Aguilar Alejandro , Encarnación Sergio , Girard Lourdes , Mora Jaime
Published: July 2014

Rhizobial bacteria are commonly found in soil but also establish symbiotic relationships with legumes, inhabiting the root nodules, where they fix nitrogen. Endophytic rhizobia have also been reported in the roots and stems of legumes and other plants. We isolated several rhizobial strains from the nodules of noninoculated bean plants and looked for their provenance in the interiors of the seeds. Nine isolates were obtained, covering most known bean symbiont species, which belong to the
Rhizobium
and
Sinorhizobium
groups. The strains showed several large plasmids, except for a
Sinorhizobium
americanum
isolate. Two strains, one
Rhizobium phaseoli
and one
S. americanum
strain, were thoroughly characterized. Optimal symbiotic performance was observed for both of these strains. The
S. americanum
strain showed biotin prototrophy when subcultured, as well as high pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) activity, both of which are key factors in maintaining optimal growth. The
R. phaseoli
strain was a biotin auxotroph, did not grow when subcultured, accumulated a large amount of poly-β-hydroxybutyrate, and exhibited low PDH activity. The physiology and genomes of these strains showed features that may have resulted from their lifestyle inside the seeds: stress sensitivity, a ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO) complex, a homocitrate synthase (usually present only in free-living diazotrophs), a hydrogenase uptake cluster, and the presence of prophages. We propose that colonization by rhizobia and their presence in
Phaseolus
seeds may be part of a persistence mechanism that helps to retain and disperse rhizobial strains.
Identification of Two Nickel Ion-Induced Genes,
NCI16
and Pc
GST1
, in Paramecium caudatum
Authors: Takenaka Yasuhiro , Haga Nobuyuki , Inoue Ikuo , Nakano Takanari , Ikeda Masaaki , Katayama Shigehiro , Awata Takuya
Published: July 2014

Here, we describe the isolation of two nickel-induced genes in
Paramecium caudatum
,
NCI16
and Pc
GST1
, by subtractive hybridization.
NCI16
encoded a predicted four-transmembrane domain protein (∼16 kDa) of unknown function, and Pc
GST1
encoded glutathione
S
-transferase (GST; ∼25 kDa) with GST and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities. Exposing cells to cobalt chloride also caused the moderate upregulation of
NCI16
and Pc
GST1
mRNAs. Both nickel sulfate and cobalt chloride dose dependently induced
NCI16
and Pc
GST1
mRNAs, but with different profiles. Nickel treatment caused a continuous increase in Pc
GST1
and
NCI16
mRNA levels for up to 3 and 6 days, respectively, and a notable increase in H
2
O
2
concentrations in
P. caudatum
.
NCI16
expression was significantly enhanced by incubating cells with H
2
O
2
, implying that
NCI16
induction in the presence of nickel ions is caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS). On the other hand, Pc
GST1
was highly induced by the antioxidant
tert
-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ) but not by H
2
O
2
, suggesting that different mechanisms mediate the induction of
NCI16
and Pc
GST1
. We introduced a luciferase reporter vector with an ∼0.42-kb putative Pc
GST1
promoter into cells and then exposed the transformants to nickel sulfate. This resulted in significant luciferase upregulation, indicating that the putative Pc
GST1
promoter contains a nickel-responsive element. Our nickel-inducible system also may be applicable to the efficient expression of proteins that are toxic to host cells or require temporal control.
Efg1 Directly RegulatesACE2Expression To Mediate Cross Talk between the cAMP/PKA and RAM Pathways during Candida albicans Morphogenesis
Authors: Saputo Sarah , Kumar Anuj , Krysan Damian J.
Published: July 2014

The cyclic AMP/protein kinase A (cAMP/PKA) andregulation ofAce2 andmorphogenesis (RAM) pathways are important regulators of the yeast-to-hypha transition inCandida albicansthat interact genetically during this process. To further understand this interaction, we have characterized the expression ofACE2during morphogenesis. In normoxic, planktonic conditions,ACE2expression is very low in stationary-phase cells at both the mRNA and protein levels. Upon shifting to Spider medium,ACE2/Ace2p levels increase. Although Ace2 is not absolutely required for hypha formation,ace2Δ/Δ mutants show delayed hypha formation in Spider medium (but not others) and morphological changes to the hyphal tip and lateral yeast. We also show that Efg1 directly binds the promoter of Ace2 in stationary phase, andACE2levels are increased in strains lacking Efg1 and the protein kinase A proteins Tpk1 and Tpk2, indicating that the PKA pathway directly regulatesACE2expression.ACE2expression is positively regulated by Tec1 and Brg1, which bind the promoters ofACE2in hyphal cells but not in the yeast phase. Under embedded conditions, Efg1 is dispensable for filamentation and Ace2 is required. We have found thatACE2expression is much higher in embedded cells than in planktonic cells, providing a potential rationale for this observation. Taken together, our observations indicate that the PKA pathway directly regulates the RAM pathway under specific conditions and are consistent with a model where the two pathways carry out similar functions that depend on the specific environmental context.
Rectal pseudodiverticulum
Authors: Singh Saurabh , Savage Louis
Published: July 2014

We present the case of a 77-year-old woman who initially presented 13 years ago to a colorectal clinic with a change in bowel habit and bleeding per rectum over 7 months. These symptoms were attributed to a tubulovillous rectal adenoma which was excised transanally, but recurred five times in 12 years. The most recent endoscopy showed recurrence of the rectal adenoma and a new rectal diverticulum. Diverticula in the rectum are rare and only a few reports of this condition exist in the literature. Repeated surgical resections and endoscopic polypectomies may have caused a weakness in the rectal wall and led to a pseudodiverticulum.
Modified Valsalva manoeuvre to treat recurrent supraventricular tachycardia: description of the technique and its successful use in a patient with a previous near fatal complication of DC cardioversion
Authors: Appelboam Andrew , Gagg James , Reuben Adam
Published: July 2014

Patients with attacks of re-entrant supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) frequently present to the emergency department (ED). The Valsalva manoeuvre (VM) is the most effective and safe vagal manoeuvre and advocated as the first-line treatment in stable patients but has a relatively low cardioversion success rate. Improving its efficacy would reduce patients’ exposure to the side effects and complications of second-line treatments and has other potential benefits. We describe a modification to the VM, which is currently being studied, and present the case of a 23-year-old patient who was successfully treated with this modified VM after a previous near-fatal complication of direct current (DC) cardioversion.
B-acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
Authors: Kushwaha Rashmi , Kumar Ashutosh , Jain Mili , Singh Uma Shankar
Published: July 2014

A 13-year-old boy presented with fever, skeletal pain, polydipsia, polyuria and multiple osteolytic lesions in pelvic bones and upper femur. There was no organomegaly or lymphadenopathy. His serum calcium levels were raised. Peripheral blood film examination was normal. Bone marrow showed presence of blast cells. Flowcytometry indicated B-acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (B-ALL). Hypercalcaemia and osteolytic lesions are rare presentations of B-ALL. This should be kept as a differential if a child presents with unexplained skeletal pain with lytic lesions.
Decreased calcification of a petroclival meningioma after Gamma Knife radiosurgery
Authors: Raper Daniel , Yen Chun-Po , Mukherjee Sugoto , Sheehan Jason
Published: July 2014

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) has been well reported in the treatment of certain calcified intracranial lesions such as meningiomas. However, reduction in the calcified portion of the tumour after SRS treatment has not been reported. We present the case of a 76-year-old man with a right petroclival lesion consistent on imaging with a calcified meningioma. The lesion progressed on serial neuroimaging studies, and the patient elected to undergo Gamma Knife radiosurgery. No complications were encountered during the radiosurgery. The patient underwent follow-up imaging at 4 and 8 months, during which the lesion was seen to remain stable in overall size, but with marked decrease in the calcified component. Stereotactic radiosurgery can lead to the reduction of all aspects of meninigomas including the calcified component. The radiobiological effects of high dose ionising radiation may result in bony changes and, thereby, decrease intratumoural calcification of an intracranial tumour.
Crystal shape and orientation controlled α-Fe2O3 nanoparticles prepared by decarbonation of FeCO3
Authors: Wang Jun , Yaer Xinba
Published: July 2014

A new technique for designing the crystal shape and orientation of single crystalline hematite (α- Fe 2 O 3) nanoparticles was developed. By thermal decomposition of FeCO 3 single crystals, a novel micro-scale core–shell structured α- Fe 2 O 3/ Fe 3 O 4 crystals were obtained. The shape of the crystal remained unchanged when single crystals of FeCO 3 phase changed into α- Fe 2 O 3 at 450°C. The rhombohedral α- Fe 2O3 unit cell had the same orientation with the parent rhombohedral FeCO 3. The α- Fe 2 O 3 single crystal nanoparticles were formed continuous and intricate network in the core of Fe 3 O 4 thin shell, and its temperature dependence of cell dimensions show non-linearity.
Toward Reactive Vision-Guided Walking on Rough Terrain: An Inverse-Dynamics Based Approach
Authors: Ramos Oscar E. , García Mauricio , Mansard Nicolas , Stasse Olivier , Hayet Jean-Bernard , Souères Philippe
Published: July 2014

This work presents a method to handle walking on rough terrain using inverse dynamics control and information from a stereo vision system. The ideal trajectories for the center of mass (CoM) and the next position of the feet are given by a pattern generator. The pattern generator is able to automatically find the footsteps for a given direction. Then, an inverse dynamics control scheme relying on a quadratic programming optimization solver is used to let each foot go from its initial to final position, controlling also the CoM and the waist. A 3D model reconstruction of the ground is obtained through the robot cameras located on its head as a stereo vision pair. The model allows the system to know the ground structure where the swinging foot is going to step on. Thus, contact points can be handled to adapt the foot position to the ground conditions.
Physical characteristics of Globigerina Limestone using ultrasonic and thermographic methods
Authors: Diana G. , Cassar J. , Zammit G.
Published: July 2014

The Globigerina Limestone of the Maltese Islands, widely used in construction and for restoration purposes, comes in a variety of types, with the
Franka
and
Soll
types (local terms) being the end members. The
Soll
type manifests widespread and often serious problems of durability and weathering resistance. The
Franka
type tends to be more durable. The selection of these materials is generally entrusted to quarry workers and builders, who primarily use visual criteria. This can lead to unsuitable stone being used. The current study uses ultrasonic and thermographic methods to distinguish between the two types at the extreme ends of the range, and to determine how their water absorption characteristics (fundamental when durability is being considered) can be evaluated. Results show that the
Franka
and
Soll
types behave very differently; ultrasonic testing showed that the
Franka
type possesses a significantly higher velocity compared with the
Soll
type; the thermographic technique verified that the
Soll
type absorbs less water by capillarity. Having an objective test to distinguish between stone types can lead to fewer errors in the choice of stone; such errors at present are possible because of the subjectivity of the methods used, with ensuing grave economic and practical consequences.
An investigation of porosity–velocity relationships in faulted carbonates using outcrop analogues
Authors: Healy David , Neilson Joyce E. , Haines Thomas J. , Michie Emma A. H. , Timms Nicholas E. , Wilson Moyra E. J.
Published: July 2014

Porosity and permeability are notoriously difficult to predict in carbonates, especially prior to drilling when there is a lack of direct petrophysical data. The aim of this paper is to document the initial results of an integrated outcrop and laboratory study designed to investigate the relationships between pore systems and acoustic velocities in faulted Oligo-Miocene carbonates on the Mediterranean islands of Malta and Gozo. Depositional facies is shown to have a significant effect, with velocities in grain-dominated carbonates up to 1000 m s
−1
higher than those in micrite-dominated carbonates. Based on outcrop structural data, the fault zones can be separated into three architectural components: a fault core; an intensely damaged zone; and a weakly damaged zone, with the last passing into undamaged protolith. Our data suggest that only the fault core component can be identified using porosity–velocity data, with P-wave velocity (
V
p
) values of 5000–6500 m s
−1
at helium porosities of less than 5%. Our study is novel in that the prediction of elastic properties and acoustic velocities across fault zones is anticipated by linking laboratory-scale measurements with seismic-scale predictions through quantitative rock physics modelling.
Georgia Computes! An Intervention in a US State, with Formal and Informal Education in a Policy Context
Authors: Guzdial Mark , Ericson Barbara , Mcklin Tom , Engelman Shelly
Published: July 2014

Georgia Computes! (GaComputes) was a six-year (2006--2012) project to improve computing education across the state of Georgia in the United States, funded by the National Science Foundation. The goal of GaComputes was to broaden participation in computing and especially to engage more members of underrepresented groups which includes women, African Americans, and Hispanics. GaComputes’ interventions were multi-faceted and broad: summer camps and after-school/weekend programs for 4th--12th grade students, professional development for secondary teachers, and professional development for post-secondary instructors faculty. All of the efforts were carefully evaluated by an external team (led by the third and fourth authors), which provides us with an unusually detailed view into a computing education intervention across a region (about 59K square miles, about 9.9 million residents). Our dataset includes evaluations from over 2,000 students who attended after-school or weekend workshops, over 500 secondary school teachers who attended professional development, 120 post-secondary teachers who attended professional development, and over 2,000 students who attended a summer day (non-residential) camp. GaComputes evaluations provide insight into details of interventions and into influences on student motivation and learning. In this article, we describe the results of these evaluations and describe how GaComputes broadened participation in computing in Georgia through both direct interventions and indirect support of other projects.
Consumer Acceptance of New Food Technologies: Causes and Roots of Controversies
Authors: Lusk Jayson L. , Roosen Jutta , Bieberstein Andrea
Published: July 2014

The literature abounds with evidence that consumers are critical of many new technologies used in modern food production. Influenced by the work on risk perception and technology acceptance in the 1980s, research has aimed to better understand the controversy around new food technologies. Whereas early contributions focused on risk perception and the lay-expert divide in objective and subjective risk perception, more recent research has turned to the role of emotions, moral judgments, and worldviews. This article takes stock of the theory and findings in this literature. In addition to providing an overview of the developments in the economic and sociopsychological literature, the review discusses selected topics related to consumer preferences for food technology and the determinants of food technology acceptance.
In Vitro Assembly of Retroviruses
Authors: Bush Di L. , Vogt Volker M.
Published: July 2014

Assembly, part of the late stages of the retroviral life cycle, begins when the structural polyprotein Gag associates with viral genomic RNA. Ultimately, more than a thousand Gag molecules form a spherical immature virion. Maturation takes place soon after or concomitantly with virus budding and is initiated as Gag is cleaved by the retroviral protease into its constituent protein domains. The immature core is thought to disassemble and the liberated CA proteins to reassemble into a morphologically distinct mature capsid. In vitro assembly with derivatives of Gag and CA has been used to study retroviruses for over two decades. In this review, we examine the discovery and development of three major model systems [human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1), Rous sarcoma virus (RSV), and Mason–Pfizer monkey virus (MPMV)] and discuss structural features and aspects of the retroviral assembly pathway that have been uncovered using in vitro assembly. We also put forward two major unresolved questions in the field and propose future avenues of research.