bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular Epidemiology of Rabies in Vietnam
Authors: Yamagata Junpei , Ahmed Kamruddin , Khawplod Pakamatz , Mannen Kazuaki , Xuyen Dinh Kim , Loi Huynh Huu , Van Dung Nguyen , Nishizono Akira
Published: November 2013

The present study was done to determine the molecular epidemiology of rabies virus (RV) in Vietnam. The nucleoprotein (N) and glycoprotein (G) genes of RVs were amplified from the brains of ten rabid dogs of Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The nucleotide sequences of these genes were compared with those of other Asian strains to find the possible relationship among them. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the Asian N gene segregated into three main branches, namely South‐East Asia 1 (SEA 1), South‐East Asia 2 (SEA 2) and Indian subcontinent (ISC) genotypes. The SEA 1 genotype comprised RVs from Malaysia, Vietnam and Thailand. The SEA 2 genotype contained strains from the Philippines, and the ISC genotype comprised strains from Sri Lanka and India. Phylogenetically G genes of RVs from Vietnam and Thailand were clustered together. Our study suggests that Vietnamese and Thai RVs are closely related and might have originated from a common ancestor.
Physicochemical Properties of the Ljungan Virus Prototype Virion in Different Environments: Inactivated by Heat but Resistant to Acidic pH, Detergents and Non‐Physiological Environments Such as Virkon®‐Containing Solutions
Authors: Ekström Jens‐Ola , Tolf Conny , Edman Kjell‐A. , Lindberg A. Michael
Published: November 2013

It is of great importance to know how a virus particle is affected by environmental conditions. Physicochemical properties of the virion will affect the virus viability in different environments, viral transmission between hosts, and will also be important for safe handling of the virus. The physicochemical properties of the Ljungan virus (LV) prototype, 87–012, adapted to grow in cell culture were evaluated using both LV in crude cell extracts and purified virions. Replication of LV was completely inhibited by heat. Titers of LV were unaffected by acidic pH, reduced but not completely abolished by alkaline pH, and unaffected by exposure to the detergents Triton® X‐100 and SDS. Surprisingly, viable LV was still detected after incubation in the acidic, oxidising and detergent‐containing environment produced by the commonly used disinfectant Virkon®. In conclusion, LV is resilient to extreme pH, detergents and also to oxidising environments, but is sensitive to heat treatment.
Immunological Actions of Sophy β‐Glucan (β‐1,3‐1,6 Glucan), Currently Available Commercially as a Health Food Supplement
Authors: Ikewaki Nobunao , Fujii Noboru , Onaka Takashi , Ikewaki Shinichiro , Inoko Hidetoshi
Published: November 2013

We examined the immunological actions of Sophy β‐glucan (Ikewaki N., et al. United States Patent 6956120 and Japan Patent 2004‐329077), a type of β‐1,3–1,6 glucan produced by the black yeast Aureobasidium pullulans (A. pullulans) strain AFO‐202, currently available commercially as a health food supplement, using different human in vitro experimental systems. Sophy β‐glucan significantly (P<0.01) stimulated the 3H‐thymidine incorporation rates (marker of DNA synthesis) in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) obtained from normal adult donors, in vitro. Enzyme‐linked immunoassays (EIAs) revealed that Sophy β‐glucan stimulated the production of interleukin‐8 (IL‐8) or soluble Fas (sFas), but not that of IL‐1β, IL‐2, IL‐6, IL‐12 (p70+40), interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ), tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) or soluble Fas ligand (sFasL), in either cultured PBMCs or cells of the human monocyte‐like cell line, U937. The induction by Sophy β‐glucan of DNA synthesis in PBMCs was completely blocked by the addition of monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) to CD11a, CD54, human leukocyte antigen‐class II (HLA‐class II), Toll‐like receptor‐2 (TLR‐2), and Toll‐like receptor‐4 (TLR‐4). In these blocking experiments using the mAbs, the main differences in the results between PBMCs and U937 cells were that the mAbs against TLR‐2 and TLR‐4 did not block the Sophy β‐glucan ‐induced production of IL‐8 in the U937 cells. Furthermore, a mAb to the β‐glucan receptor, Dectin‐1, significantly (P<0.05) blocked the Sophy β‐glucan‐induced DNA synthesis in the PBMCs, and Sophy β‐glucan ‐induced production of IL‐8 in the U937 cells. The Sophy β‐glucan‐induced production of IL‐8 in the U937 cells was significantly (P<0.01) blocked by the conventional protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor Go6976, the novel PKC inhibitor Rottlerin, the protein kinase A (PKA) inhibitor H‐89, and the protein tyrosine kinase (PTK) inhibitor herbimycin A. Among these, the blocking effect of the novel PKC (PKC delta isoenzyme) inhibitor Rottlerin was the most pronounced. Studies employing reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) showed that Sophy β‐glucan stimulated the expression of IL‐8 mRNA in the U937 cells, and that this induction was inhibited by Rottlerin. Sophy β‐glucan also blocked the stimulator cell induction of DNA synthesis and IFN‐γ production in the responder cells in a one‐way mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) using allogenic PBMCs. Interestingly, immunoglobulin G (IgG), but not IgM to Sophy β‐glucan was detected in the sera derived from normal adult donors and from the umbilical cord blood of neonates. Taken together, these findings strongly suggest that the Sophy β‐glucan may have unique immune regulatory or enhancing properties that could be exploited by the health food, medical and pharmaceutical industries.
Applicability of Current Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) Diagnostic Procedures for Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD)
Authors: Masujin Kentaro , Shimada Kimi , Kimura Kumiko M. , Imamura Morikazu , Yoshida Ayumu , Iwamaru Yoshifumi , Mohri Shirou , Yokoyama Takashi
Published: November 2013

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) in cervids is one of the transmissible spongiform encephalopathies; however, its risk to humans is still obscure. An increase in number of diseased deer in North America has raised concerns regarding the CWD risk to humans. We demonstrated that the confirmatory procedures and the commercial diagnostic kits for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) can be adopted for the diagnosis of CWD. No CWD case was confirmed in the surveillance of 558 cervids that were examined between 2003 and 2006 in Japan.
Generation of Recombinant Adenovirus Expressing siRNA against the L mRNA of Measles Virus and Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis Virus
Authors: Otaki Momoko , Jiang Da‐Peng , Sasayama Mikiko , Nagano‐Fujii Motoko , Hotta Hak
Published: November 2013

Subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by prolonged persistent infection of the central nervous system with a measles virus (MV) mutant called SSPE virus. At present, there is no effective treatment to completely cure SSPE and development of a new therapeutic measure(s) against this fatal slow virus infection is needed. We previously reported that replication of MV and SSPE virus was effectively inhibited by small interfering RNA (siRNA), either chemically synthetic or plasmid‐driven ones, that were targeted against different sequences of the mRNA for the L protein of MV. In this study, we have generated recombinant adenovirus expressing the siRNAs (rAd‐siRNA‐MV‐L2, ‐L4 and ‐L5) and demonstrated that these rAd‐siRNAs efficiently inhibited replication of MV and SSPE virus in a dose‐dependent manner. Due to their high capacity for gene delivery to nerve cells and the potential to inhibit SSPE virus replication, the rAd‐siRNAs could be a good candidate for a novel therapeutic measure against SSPE.
Peptide Mimotopes of Complex Carbohydrates in Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhi Which React with Both Carbohydrate‐Specific Monoclonal Antibody and Polyclonal Sera from Typhoid Patients
Authors: Thong Kwai‐Lin , Tang Swee‐Seong , Tan Wen‐Siang , Devi Shamala
Published: November 2013

Polyclonal sera from typhoid patients and a monoclonal antibody, mAb ATVi, which recognizes the capsular polysaccharide Vi antigen (ViCPS), were used to select for peptides that mimic the ViCPS by using a phage‐displayed random 12‐mer peptide library. Two major common mimotopes selected from the library carried the amino acid sequences TSHHDSHGLHRV and ENHSPVNIAHKL. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) showed that these peptides carry mimotopes to ViCPS. Phage clones that contained the 12‐mer peptides were also tested against pooled/individual typhoid patients' sera and found to have 3 to 5 times higher binding compared to normal sera. By using Phage‐ELISA assays, the derived synthetic peptides, TSHHDSHGLHRV and ENHSPVNIAHKL, were tested against a monoclonal antibody mAb ATVi and over 2‐fold difference in binding was found between these peptides and a control unrelated peptide, CTLTTKLYC. Inhibition of the mAb's binding to ViCPS indicated that the synthetic peptides successfully competed with the capsular polysaccharide for antibody binding.
T‐Helper (Th) 1/ Th2 Imbalance in the Peripheral Blood of Dogs with Malignant Tumor
Authors: Horiuchi Yutaka , Hanazawa Asami , Nakajima Yuko , Nariai Yoko , Asanuma Hideki , Kuwabara Masato , Yukawa Masayoshi , Ito Hiroshi
Published: November 2013

T helper type 1 cell (Th1)/Th2 imbalance has been observed in a variety of pathological conditions, including malignant diseases. We evaluated the Th1/Th2 in peripheral blood Th cells by means of intracytoplasmic cytokine analysis in 11 dogs with advanced malignant tumor; four of them showed metastatic tumor. The percentage of Th1 was significantly lower and the percentage of Th2 was significantly higher in diseased dogs compared to healthy dogs. The percentage of Th1 in three patients with metastatic tumor was significantly lower than that in the patients with non‐metastatic tumor. We conclude that the Th1/Th2 balance was polarized to Th2 in dogs with cancer.
First Molecular Detection of Borrelia afzelii in Clinical Samples in Korea
Authors: Choi Yeon‐Joo , Han Seung‐Hoon , Park Jin‐Mi , Lee Kyung‐Min , Lee Eun‐Mi , Lee Seung‐Hyun , Song Hyeon‐Je , Koh Young‐Sang , Lee Keun‐Wha , Jang Won‐Jong , Park Kyung‐Hee
Published: November 2013

Borrelia afzelii nucleic acids were detected in the sera of febrile disease patients by a nested PCR that targeted the rrf (5S)‐rrl (23S) spacer of B. burgdorferi sensu lato. The B. afzelii‐specific DNA fragment was detected in 8 out of 283 sera which were proven to have immunoglobulin G or M antibodies against B. burgdorferi antigens through IFA. The results were further confirmed through restriction fragment length polymorphism and sequencing analysis of the DNA fragments. The results indicated for the first time that Lyme borreliosis is prevalent in Korea.
Comparative Role of Antibiotic and Proton Pump Inhibitor in Experimental Clostridium difficile Infection in Mice
Authors: Kaur Sukhminderjit , Vaishnavi Chetana , Prasad Kaushal Kishore , Ray Pallab , Kochhar Rakesh
Published: November 2013

Clostridium difficile inoculated BALB/c mice were investigated to assess the comparative role of antibiotic and proton pump inhibitor. They were examined for colonization and toxin production by C. difficile as well as myeloperoxidase activity and histopathological changes in the intestinal tract. The C. difficile count, toxin A and B titres and myeloperoxidase activity were significantly higher (P>0.05) in ampicillin and lansoprazole receiving groups as compared to the control and the C. difficile receiving groups. Similarly they showed significant difference (P>0.05) for epithelial damage, oedema and neutrophilic infiltrate in colons. In addition to antibiotic, PPI also acts as an independent risk factor for C. difficile infection in experimental studies.
Paediatric nurses’ adherence to the double‐checking process during medication administration in a children's hospital: an observational study
Authors: Alsulami Zayed , Choonara Imti , Conroy Sharon
Published: November 2013

Aim

To evaluate how closely double‐checking policies are followed by nurses in paediatric areas and also to identify the types, frequency and rates of medication administration errors that occur despite the double‐checking process.

Background

Double‐checking by two nurses is an intervention used in many UK hospitals to prevent or reduce medication administration errors. There is, however, insufficient evidence to either support or refute the practice of double‐checking in terms of medication error risk reduction.

Design

Prospective observational study.

Methods

This was a prospective observational study of paediatric nurses’ adherence to the double‐checking process for medication administration from April–July 2012.

Results

Drug dose administration events (n = 2000) were observed. Independent drug dose calculation, rate of administering intravenous bolus drugs and labelling of flush syringes were the steps with lowest adherence rates. Drug dose calculation was only double‐checked independently in 591 (30%) drug administrations. There was a statistically significant difference in nurses’ adherence rate to the double‐checking steps between weekdays and weekends in nine of the 15 evaluated steps. Medication administration errors (n = 191) or deviations from policy were observed, at a rate of 9·6% of drug administrations. These included 64 drug doses, which were left for parents to administer without nurse observation.

Conclusion

There was variation between paediatric nurses’ adherence to double‐checking steps during medication administration. The most frequent type of administration errors or deviation from policy involved the medicine being given to the parents to administer to the child when the nurse was not present.
Constructing identities in the media: newspaper coverage analysis of a majorUKClostridium difficileoutbreak
Authors: Burnett Emma , Johnston Bridget , Corlett Joanne , Kearney Nora
Published: November 2013

Aim

To examine how a majorClostridium difficileoutbreak in theUKwas represented in the media.

Background

Clostridium difficileis a serious health care‐associated infection with significant global prevalence. As major outbreaks have continued to occur worldwide over the last few decades, it has also resulted in increasing media coverage. Newspaper journalists are, however, frequently criticized for sensationalized and inaccurate reporting and alarming the public. Despite such criticisms, nothing is known about how the media frameClostridium difficilerelated coverage.

Design

Qualitative interpretive descriptive study.

Method

An interpretive analysis of newspaper articles from the national press that reported about the outbreak from the first day of coverage over 3 weeks (12 June–3 July 2008).

Findings

Twenty‐eight newspaper articles were included in the study from tabloids, broadsheets, a regional and a Sunday newspaper. Monster and war metaphors were frequently adopted to portray the severity ofClostridium difficileand the impact it can have on patient safety. In addition, the positioning of the affected patients, their families, healthcare professionals and the Government produced representations of victims, villains and heroes. This subsequently evoked notions of vulnerability, blame and conflict.

Conclusion

The media are and will remain critical convectors of public information and, as such, are hugely influential in risk perceptions and responses. Rather than simply dismissing media coverage, further understanding around how such stories in specific contexts are constructed and represented is needed so that it can help inform future communication and management strategies.
Unipolar Voltage Abnormality is Associated with Greater Left Ventricular Dysfunction in Ischemic Cardiomyopathy
Authors: ALDHOON BASHAR , FRANKEL DAVID S. , HUTCHINSON MATHEW D. , CALLANS DAVID J. , EPSTEIN ANDREW E. , DIXIT SANJAY , RILEY MICHAEL P. , LIN DAVID , GARCIA FERMIN C. , SUPPLE GREGORY E. , COOPER JOSHUA M. , BALA RUPA , DEO RAJAT , ZADO ERICA S. , MARCHLINSKI FRANCIS E.
Published: November 2013

Unipolar Voltage Mapping in ICM

Introduction

Following myocardial infarction (MI), left ventricular function is determined by cardiac remodeling occurring in both infarcted and noninfarcted myocardium (NIM). Unipolar voltage mapping may detect remodeling changes in NIM that are associated with the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF). We aimed to identify (1) unipolar voltage characteristics in patients with chronic MI, and (2) association of voltage abnormalities with degree of left ventricular dysfunction (LVD).

Methods and Results

Two groups of patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) who underwent LV endocardial mapping during catheter ablation for ventricular tachycardia (VT) between January 2010 and December 2012 were studied. The first group (19 males) had mild to moderate LVD (M‐LVD, LVEF >35%) and was matched for age, sex, infarction size, and infarction location with 10 males who had severe LVD (S‐LVD, LVEF <35%). Both bipolar and unipolar endocardial abnormal voltage areas were measured and compared between groups. Abnormal bipolar area was comparable in both groups (30 ± 8% in the S‐LVD group vs 28 ± 8% in the M‐LVD group; P = 0.5). Total abnormal unipolar voltage area was significantly larger in the S‐LVD group (57 ± 14% vs 43 ± 13%; P = 0.02). The abnormal unipolar voltage area within the normal bipolar voltage area was greater in the S‐LVD group (26 ± 11% vs 15 ± 16%; P = 0.03). In receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, an 18.0% cut‐off value for abnormal unipolar area within NIM identified severe LVD, with 90% sensitivity and 79% specificity (area under the curve 0.821).

Conclusions

Patients with ICM and severe LVD have larger areas of unipolar voltage abnormality in the noninfarcted tissue than patients with M‐LVD.
The role of enhanced multi‐detector‐row computed tomography before urgent endoscopy in acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding
Authors: Miyaoka Youichi , Amano Yuji , Ueno Sayaka , Izumi Daisuke , Mikami Hironobu , Yazaki Tomotaka , Okimoto Eiko , Sonoyama Takayuki , Ito Satoko , Fujishiro Hirofumi , Kohge Naruaki , Imaoka Tomonori
Published: November 2013

Background and Aim

Multi‐detector‐row computed tomography (MDCT) has been reported to be a potentially useful modality for detection of the bleeding origin in patients with acute upper massive gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding. The purpose of this study is to investigate the efficacy of MDCT as a routine method for detecting the origin of acute upper GI bleeding prior to urgent endoscopy.

Methods

Five hundred seventy‐seven patients with acute upper GI bleeding (514 nonvariceal patients, 63 variceal patients) who underwent urgent upper GI endoscopy were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into three groups: enhanced MDCT, unenhanced MDCT, and no MDCT before endoscopy. The diagnostic accuracy of MDCT for detection of the bleeding origin was evaluated, and the average procedure times needed to endoscopically identify the bleeding origin were compared between groups.

Results

Diagnostic accuracy among endoscopists was 55.3% and 14.7% for the enhanced MDCT and unenhanced MDCT groups, respectively. Among nonvariceal patients, accuracy was 50.2% in the enhanced MDCT group, which was significantly better than that in the unenhanced MDCT group (16.5%). In variceal patients, accuracy was significantly better in the enhanced MDCT group (96.4%) than in the unenhanced MDCT group (0.0%). These accuracies were similar to those achieved by expert radiologists. The average procedure time to endoscopic detection of the bleeding origin in the enhanced MDCT group was significantly faster than that in the unenhanced MDCT and no‐MDCT groups.

Conclusions

Enhanced MDCT preceding urgent endoscopy may be an effective modality for the detection of bleeding origin in patients with acute upper GI bleeding.
Understanding the Evolution of Industrial Symbiosis Research
Authors: Yu Chang , Davis Chris , Dijkema Gerard P.J.
Published: November 2013

This study analyzes the evolution of the research field of industrial symbiosis (IS). We elucidate its embedding in industrial ecology (IE), trace the development of research themes, and reveal the evolution of the research network through analysis of the core literature and journals that appeared from 1997 to 2012 by citation analysis, cocitation analysis, and network analysis.

In the first period (1997–2005), IS research held a minority share in the IE literature. The research revolved around the concept of IS, the assessment of eco‐industrial park projects, and the establishment of waste treatment and recycling networks. In the second period (2006–2012), diverse research approaches and theories enriched the field, which has led to a maturation in theory building. Our findings clearly illustrate that IS evolved from practice‐oriented research toward coherent theory building through a systematic underpinning and linking of diverse topics. As scientific attention shifted from exploring a phenomenon to elucidating underlying mechanisms, IS knowledge found worldwide practical implementation. The coauthorship network shows that the academic communities of IS are distributed worldwide and that international collaboration is widespread.

Through bibliometric and network analysis of IS, we have created a systemic, quantitative image of the evolution of the IS research field and community, which gives IS researchers an underpinned overview of the IS research and may help them to identify new directions and synergy in worldwide research.
Exercise reduced inflammation: but for how long after training?
Authors: Rosety‐Rodriguez M. , Diaz A. J. , Rosety I. , Rosety M. A. , Camacho A. , Fornieles G. , Rosety M. , Ordonez F. J.
Published: November 2013

Background

Previous studies have reported that obese people with trisomy 21 suffer from low‐grade systemic inflammation. A recent study has found that aerobic training reduced inflammation in obese women with Down syndrome. To the best of our knowledge, the study reported in this paper is the first to determine for how long these effects were maintained after completion of the programme.

Methods

Twenty premenopausal obese women (18–30 years old) with Down syndrome volunteered for this study. Eleven were randomly assigned to the intervention group and performed a 10‐week aerobic training programme, 3 sessions per week, consisting of warming‐up followed by treadmill exercise (30–40 min) at a work intensity of 55–65% of peak heart rate and a cooling‐down period. The control group included 9, age, sex and BMI matched women with Down syndrome that did not perform any training programme. Fat mass percentage and distribution were measured. Plasma level of IL‐6 and high‐sensitive C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) were monitored. Time‐course changes for these outcomes were assessed at pre‐ and post‐intervention. Further, they were re‐evaluated at 1, 3 and 6 months after completion of the programme.

Results

Three months after completion of the programme, plasma levels of IL‐6 and hs‐CRP were significantly increased. Up to 6 months later, both fat mass percentage and waist circumference (WC) were significantly increased. Furthermore, physical fitness was also impaired in the intervention group. No changes were observed in the control group.

Conclusion

A 3‐month detraining period significantly impaired chronic inflammation in obese women with DS.
Spikar speaks to spines and nuclei
Authors: Verpelli Chiara , Schmeisser Michael J. , Sala Carlo
Published: November 2013

Read the full article ‘Spikar, a novel drebrin‐binding protein, regulates the formation and stabilization of dendritic spines’ on doi: 10.1111/jnc.12486
Dialogue, Linguistic Hinges and Semantic Barriers: Social Psychological Uses and Functions of a Vulgar Term
Authors: Sammut Gordon , Clark Marilyn , Kissaun Greta Darmanin
Published: November 2013

The present paper reports a study of conversational acts in dialogical interaction. Conversation in which the use of a vulgar term [à la bieb żobbi] in the Maltese language was used was recorded and analysed for the present purpose. The term is demonstrated to serve social psychological functions. We documented three modes governing its use in conversation, that is, (a) as a personality descriptor, (b) as a strategy for shutting down an alternative view, and (c) as a strategy for shifting dialogue to more neutral and less threatening grounds for the subject. We further document a number of modalities that govern justifications for using the vulgar term in conversation. We argue that the use of vulgarity can serve to achieve semantic barriers in dialogue and that these apply to internal conversations as much as they do to dialogical engagement with another. We further argue that semantic barriers can be overcome in ways that shift conversation to less threatening grounds.
Examining Systems of Influence and Breaking Methodological Barriers to Create Usable Knowledge
Authors: Rappolt‐Schlichtmann Gabrielle , Watamura Sarah E.
Published: November 2013

The goal of this special section of Mind, Brain, and Education is to provide a platform on which practical insight can be gained from new empirical research on hormones and behavior in development. In this second installment we highlight two articles and a commentary, which broaden our focus beyond cortisol and stress system functioning to other hormone systems and tackle some of the methodological barriers to making research–practice connections in this domain. Articles specifically look at biology by environment interactions and offer nuanced procedures for hormone collection so as to allow for investigation into the day‐to‐day and even within day dynamic functioning of targeted systems.
Effects of ambroxol on Candida albicans growth and biofilm formation
Authors: Rene Hernandez‐Delgadillo , José Martínez‐Sanmiguel Juan , Isela Sánchez‐Nájera Rosa , Claudio Cabral‐Romero
Published: November 2013

Typically, the onset of candidiasis is characterised by the appearance of a biofilm of Candida albicans, which is associated with several diseases including oral candidiasis in young and elderly people. The objective of this work was to investigate the in vitro fungicidal activity as well as the antibiofilm activity of ambroxol (AMB) against C. albicans growth. In the present investigation, the fungicidal activity of AMB was established using the cell viability 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Also the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of AMB required to inhibit the fungal growth was determined. Simultaneously, the antibiofilm activity of AMB was evaluated using fluorescence microscopy. The study revealed that 2 mg ml−1 of AMB exhibited higher fungicidal activity than 3.3 mg ml−1 of terbinafine, one of most common commercial antifungals. A MIC of 1 mg ml−1 was determined for AMB to interfere with C. albicans growth. Furthermore, AMB was found to be effective in inhibiting the biofilm formation of C. albicans and exerted its fungicidal activity against the fungal cells interspersed in the preformed biofilm. The study suggests a potential role of the mucolytic agent, AMB, as an interesting therapeutic alternative in the treatment of oral candidiasis.
How can we construct a science of consciousness?
Authors: Chalmers David J.
Published: November 2013

This chapter gives an overview of the projects facing a science of consciousness. Such a science must integrate third‐person data about behavior and brain processes with first‐person data about conscious experience. Empirical projects for integrating these data include those of contrasting conscious and unconscious processes, investigating the contents of consciousness, finding neural correlates of consciousness, and eventually inferring underlying principles connecting consciousness with physical processes. These projects are discussed with reference to current experimental research on consciousness. Some obstacles that a science of consciousness faces are also discussed.
Music and the mind: the magical power of sound
Authors: Paulson Steve , Bharucha Jamshed , Iyer Vijay , Limb Charles , Tomaino Concetta
Published: November 2013

Music has been a wonderful tool to investigate the interconnection between brain science, psychology, and human experience. Moderated by Steve Paulson, executive producer and host of To the Best of Our Knowledge, cognitive neuroscientist and musician Jamshed Bharucha, music therapy pioneer Concetta Tomaino, jazz pianist Vijay Iyer, and physician musician Charles Limb discuss the neurological basis of creativity and aesthetic judgment and the capacity of music to elicit specific emotions and to heal the body. The following is an edited transcript of the discussion that occurred December 12, 2012, 7:00–8:15 PM, at the New York Academy of Sciences in New York City.
Evaluation of Time Course and Predicting Factors of Progression of Paroxysmal or Persistent Atrial Fibrillation to Permanent Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: DE SISTI ANTONIO , LECLERCQ JEAN F. , HALIMI FRANCK , FIORELLO PIERRE , BERTRAND CATHY , ATTUEL PATRICK
Published: November 2013

Background

To evaluate time course and predictors of progression of paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation (AF) to permanent AF.

Methods and Results

We included 460 patients referred for paroxysmal (n = 337) or persistent (n = 123) AF between 1994 and 2012. Mean follow‐up was 13.2 ± 6.5 years. AF progression rate was 3.7% per year, 19.7% at 5 years, and 38.1% at 10 years. Lone AF was diagnosed in 217 patients (47%). Predictors of permanent AF were: age, persistent AF, left atrial (LA) size, left ventricular‐fractional shortening (LV‐FS), lack of antiarrhythmic (AA) drugs, VVI pacing (P < 0.001 for all), and valvular disease (P < 0.02). Independent predictors were age (P < 0.001), persistent AF (P < 0.001), LA diameter (P < 0.005), lack of AA drugs (P < 0.005), and VVI pacing (P < 0.01). When adjusted at means of covariates, persistent AF and age >75 years remained highly significant (P < 0.01). LA dimension >50 mm was highly significant at univariate model (P < 0.001) but to a lesser extent when adjusted (P < 0.05). In patients with paroxysmal AF—with age <75 years—on AA drugs, progression rate to permanent AF was 6.5% at 5 years and 23.7% at 10 years. Among four predictors (age, LA size, LV‐FS, and VVI pacing), only age (P < 0.01) and LA size (P < 0.005) remained independently significant, but LA size was not significant when adjusted.

Conclusions

Progression to permanent AF is a slow process. Aging, LA size, VVI pacing, lack of AA therapy, and a persistent form of AF independently increased the progression to permanent AF.
NAZI GERMANY AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION 1933–42: THE MOST IMPORTANT LABORATORY FOR DEPRESSION AMERICA?
Authors: PETZSCHMANN PAUL
Published: November 2013

The inter‐war period saw a flowering of comparative research on emergency administration in response to the Great Depression. This article argues that Weimar and Nazi Germany was an important point of reference for scholars comparing different policy responses to the Great Depression. Centralization and administrative discretion were considered pivotal for effective crisis governance, irrespective of the political context. The resulting administrative ideology was ignorant of the polycratic realities of the Nazi state and frequently lauded its hierarchical features while condemning the Weimar Republic as anarchic. Faced with the challenge presented by Nazism, of squaring efficiency and accountability in the context of New Deal America, scholars of public administration developed ideas for training a new type of civil servant who was capable of acting beyond the control of legislative institutions. By exploring the ambiguous relationship between public administration and Nazism, this article highlights the complex issues confronting scholars of public administration in times of crisis.
Evidence that nematodes may vector the soft rot‐causing enterobacterial phytopathogens
Authors: Nykyri J. , Fang X. , Dorati F. , Bakr R. , Pasanen M. , Niemi O. , Palva E. T. , Jackson R. W. , Pirhonen M.
Published: November 2013

Bacterial soft rot is a globally significant plant disease that causes major losses in the production of many popular crops, such as potato. Little is known about the dispersal and ecology of soft‐rot enterobacteria, and few animals have been identified as vectors for these pathogens. This study investigates whether soil‐living and bacterial‐feeding nematodes could act as vectors for the dispersal of soft‐rot enterobacteria to plants. Soft‐rot enterobacteria associated with nematodes were quantified and visualized through bacterial enumeration, GFP‐tagging, and confocal and electron scanning microscopy. Soft‐rot enterobacteria were able to withstand nematode grazing, colonize the gut of Caenorhabditis elegans and subsequently disperse to plant material while remaining virulent. Two nematode species were also isolated from a rotten potato sample obtained from a potato storage facility in Finland. Furthermore, one of these isolates (Pristionchus sp. FIN‐1) was shown to be able to disperse soft‐rot enterobacteria to plant material. The interaction of nematodes and soft‐rot enterobacteria seems to be more mutualistic rather than pathogenic, but more research is needed to explain how soft‐rot enterobacteria remain viable inside nematodes.
The effects of rejuvenation during hypothermic storage on red blood cell membrane remodeling
Authors: Kurach Jayme D.R. , Almizraq Ruqayyah , Bicalho Beatriz , Acker Jason P. , Holovati Jelena L.
Published: November 2013

Background

Our previous studies showed that hypothermic storage (HS) induces red blood cell (RBC) microparticle (RMP) generation and changes in phosphatidylserine (PS) and CD47 expression on RBCs and RMPs. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of cold rejuvenation treatment at multiple time points during storage on these prehemolytic indicators of RBC membrane storage lesion.

Study Design and Methods

Leukoreduced RBC units in saline‐adenine‐glucose‐mannitol were used to generate three groups: untreated controls, sham‐treated units, and units treated with a cold (1‐6°C) rejuvenation solution on Day 28, 35, or 42 of HS. Units were assessed for hemolysis, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) concentration, lipid composition, and RMP generation, as well as PS and CD47 expression throughout 49 days of HS.

Results

Rejuvenation treatment led to a significant increase in ATP concentration in all units, irrespective of treatment day. There were no significant differences between sham‐ and rejuvenation‐treated RBC samples in the levels of PS externalization, CD47 expression, or the rate of RMP formation. RBCs rejuvenated on Day 28 were enriched in glycerophosphocholine (+23.5%), depleted in sphingomyelin (−14%), and slightly depleted in cholesterol (−3.5%).

Conclusion

Cold rejuvenation in hypothermically stored RBCs affects the lipid composition of RBCs and respective RMPs in a time‐dependent fashion.
Cerebral babesiosis and acute respiratory distress syndrome in a dog
Authors: Daste Thomas , Lucas Marie‐Noelle , Aumann Marcel
Published: November 2013

Objective

To describe a case of cerebral babesiosis and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in a dog.

Case Summary

A 5‐year‐old male neutered Scottish Terrier was referred to the emergency department of the Ecole Nationale Vétérinaire de Toulouse for evaluation of progressive dyspnea and clinical signs suggestive of central neurological disease. Thoracic radiographs showed a diffuse and heavy interstitial/alveolar lung pattern. Babesiosis was diagnosed based on blood smear evaluation. The dog died of cardiopulmonary arrest 6 hours after presentation. Cerebral babesiosis and ARDS were confirmed at necropsy. Major pathological findings included erythrocyte aggregation in the lungs, liver, and brain.

New or Unique Information Provided

This case report describes an unusual clinical presentation ofBabesia canis canisinfection, the most common species associated with babesiosis in Europe. In addition, this is to our knowledge the first case ofBabesia‐associated ARDS confirmed by histopathology in a dog.
Aimless Roam: The Worker as a Permanent Intruder in Brazilian Cinema
Authors: Suppia Alfredo
Published: November 2013

The aim of this brief overview is to investigate representations of the worker and the working class in Brazilian cinema. Three feature‐length fiction films in particular will emerge as key texts in this analysis: Luís Sérgio Person's São Paulo S.A. (1965), Leon Hirszman's They Don't Wear Black‐Tie (Eles Não Usam Black‐Tie, 1981), and Beto Brant's The Trespasser (O Invasor, 2001). These films provide useful paradigms for our analysis of possible ruptures and continuities in terms of a film production with a focus on work. Contemporary cinema will also be examined in order to discuss the role of the worker as a constant “intruder.” As a whole, this study seeks to demonstrate that the worker, the working class, and labor issues have emerged as recurring motifs that lurk beneath a number of film narratives, even though in an oblique or collateral way.
Roll Out the Red Carpet: Australian Nurses on Screen
Authors: Brigden Cathy , Milner Lisa
Published: November 2013

Cultural connections with caring and femininity have long been associated with the nursing profession, with mainstream media representations often reinforcing stereotypical depictions of nurses. Although more recent mainstream media portrayals increasingly depict nurses as strong, assertive professionals, little research has been conducted into films made by nurses. When nurses take on the filmmaking task, different outcomes are produced, and when their trade union is involved, unionist filmmaking becomes an organizing strategy. This qualitative study, using content and document analysis and interviews, analyzes a selection of films made by, for, and about Australian unionized nurses. We examine a generation of nurse‐made films from the mid‐1980s to the New South Wales Nurses Association's recent innovative efforts. We argue that these films' production and reception not only shifts our understanding about how these (primarily women) workers are represented and represented as organized workers, but also offer new organizing opportunities for their union. We explore the relationships among film, history, gender, and trade unionism, and consider how unions can use film as a mobilizing tool.
Advanced Quasi-Steady State Approximation for Chemical Kinetics
Authors: Girimaji Sharath S. , Ibrahim Ashraf A.
Published: November 2013

The computational feasibility of many systems with large degrees of freedom such as chemically reacting systems hinges on the reduction of the set to a manageable size with a minimal loss of relevant information. Several sophisticated reduction techniques based on different rationales have been proposed; however, there is no consensus on the best approach or method. While the search for simple but accurate schemes continues, the classical quasi-steady state assumption (QSSA), despite serious shortcomings, remains popular due to its conceptual and computational simplicity. Invoking the similarity between a reduced invariant manifold and a streamline in fluid flow, we develop an advanced QSSA procedure which yields the accuracy of more complex reduction schemes. This flow-physics inspired approach also serves to reconcile the classical QSSA approach with recent methods such as functional equation truncation (FET) and intrinsic low dimensional manifold (ILDM) approaches.
Nonlinear Rayleigh–Taylor Instability of a Cylindrical Interface in Explosion Flows
Authors: Annamalai Subramanian , Parmar Manoj K. , Ling Yue , Balachandar S.
Published: November 2013

The nonlinear growth of instabilities of an outward propagating, but decelerating, cylindrical interface separated by fluids of different densities is investigated. Single mode perturbations are introduced around the contact-surface, and their evolution is studied by conducting inviscid 2D and 3D numerical simulations. In the past, a significant amount of work has been carried out to model the development of the perturbations in a planar context where the contact surface is stationary or in a spherical context where a point-source blast wave is initiated at the origin. However, for the finite-source cylindrical blast-wave problem under consideration, there is a need for a framework which includes additional complexities such as compressibility, transition from linear to nonlinear stages of instability, finite thickness of the contact interface (CI), and time-dependent deceleration of the contact surface. Several theoretical potential flow models are presented. The model which is able to capture the above mentioned effects (causing deviation from the classical Rayleigh–Taylor Instability (RTI)) is identified as it compares reasonably well with the DNS results. Only for higher wavenumbers, the early development of secondary instabilities (Kelvin–Helmholtz) complicates the model prediction, especially in the estimation of the high-density fluid moving into low-density ambient.
A Function Based Approach for Product Integration
Authors: Kalyanasundaram Vishwa , Lewis Kemper
Published: November 2013

Reconfigurable and multifunctional products are breeds of products that cater to the increased diversification of customer needs. Unlike single-state static products which can perform only one primary function, these products cater to different customer needs by performing more than one function with or without changing their configuration. However, there is a lack of systematic methods to support the conceptual task of combining two existing single-state products into an integrated product that provides multiple functions. In this work, a function based approach is proposed which provides more rigorous support to assess the feasibility of integrating two products. The function structures of the existing products are combined to obtain the overall function structure of the reconfigurable product. Function sharing, based on quantified functional similarity, is proposed and applied to identify functions that can be shared by the same component. The information obtained from the function structure is then mapped to the components of two existing products to analyze their roles in the final reconfigurable product architecture. A case study illustrates the proposed approach by analyzing the integration of a power drill and a dust buster.
The Effect of a Bend-Slot Casing Treatment on the Blade Tip Flow Field of a Transonic Compressor Rotor
Authors: Voges M. , Willert C. , Mönig R. , Schiffer H.-P.
Published: November 2013

The application of casing treatments (CT) is an effective measure to increase the stable operating range of modern aero engine or gas turbine compressors. As the development and design process of optimized CT geometries is primarily based on numerical simulations, the need for accurate experimental flow field data for related code validation is increasing with the number of applications. While the stall margin enhancement and other stage characteristics can be verified using conventional measurement techniques such as pressure and temperature probes, a deeper insight to the aerodynamic effect of the CT on the rotor flow field can only be provided using non-intrusive, laser-based flow field diagnostics, given that optical access to the compressor stage can be established.

The investigation presented herein involved particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurements at high spatial resolution in the blade tip region of the Darmstadt Transonic Compressor Rotor-1 under the influence of a bend-slot CT. Tangential PIV measurement planes were placed at 95% span as well as in the tip gap of the rotor. The investigation included operating conditions at the aerodynamic design point (peak efficiency) and near stall conditions at 100% rpm. Additional reference measurements were performed with the untreated, smooth casing. The experimental study was complimented by numerical simulations of the same compressor and CT geometry using the DLR TRACE code. Based on the combination of both, experimental and numerical flow field results, a detailed analysis of the shock structures and the tip clearance vortex under the influence of the CT was performed.

Under the influence of the CT, the fluid exchange between rotor passage and CT slots — driven by the pressure gradient over the blade tip and the leading edge bow shock, respectively — induces secondary flow structures in the tip vortex regime. At near stall conditions the periodical injection of energized fluid out of the CT cavities was identified to be one of the major effects stabilizing the tip clearance vortex and hence delaying the onset of rotating stall.
Development of Design Method for Supersonic Turbine Aerofoils Near the Tip of Long Blades in Steam Turbines: Part 2 — Configuration Details and Validation
Authors: Senoo Shigeki , Ono Hideki
Published: November 2013

Both inflow and outflow velocities near the blade tip become supersonic when the blade length exceeds a threshold limit. The aerofoil near the tip of such a long blade has four features that demand an original supersonic turbine aerofoil design: supersonic flow in the entire field, high reaction, large stagger angle, and large pitch-to-chord ratio. This paper describes design method development for the supersonic turbine aerofoil.

First, the aerofoil shape is defined using a curve with continuity in the gradient of the curvature. Second, six loss generation mechanisms are clarified by turbulent flow analysis. Third, an allowable design space between the pitch-to-chord ratio, the stagger angle and the axial-chord-to-pitch ratio is clarified by formulating three geometrical constraints to accelerate supersonic flow smoothly. When there is no solution in the theoretically allowable design space because of the large pitch-to-chord ratio, methods to reduce shock wave losses are proposed. Increasing the outlet metal angle of the pressure surface by around 10 deg from the theoretical outlet flow angle reduces the loss caused by the trailing shock wave. The physical mechanism for this is as follows: the increased outlet metal angle increases the outlet flow passage area so that the overexpansion is suppressed downstream from the flow passage. Fourth, both a cusped leading edge and an upstream pressure surface which has both an angle corresponding to the inflow angle and near-zero curvature can reduce the loss caused by the leading shock wave and satisfy the unique incidence relation. Finally, the aerodynamic performance of the supersonic turbine cascade and the design method are validated by supersonic cascade wind tunnel tests.
A Comparative Thermoeconomic Study of Hybrid Solar Gas-Turbine Power Plants
Authors: Spelling James , Laumert Björn , Fransson Torsten
Published: November 2013

The construction of the first generation of commercial hybrid solar gas-turbine power plants will present the designer with a large number of choices. To assist decision making, a thermoeconomic study has been performed for three different power plant configurations, namely simple- and combined-cycles as well as simple-cycle with the addition of thermal energy storage. Multi-objective optimization has been used to identify Pareto-optimal designs and highlight the trade-offs between minimizing investment costs and minimizing specific CO2 emissions. The solar hybrid combined-cycle plant provides a 60% reduction in electricity cost compared to parabolic trough power plants at annual solar shares up to 20%. The storage integrated designs can achieve much higher solar shares and provide a 7–13% reduction in electricity costs at annual solar shares up to 90%. At the same time, the water consumption of the solar gas-turbine systems is significantly lower than conventional steam-cycle based solar power plants.