bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A review and verification of analytical weight function methods in fracture mechanics
Authors: Wu Xue‐Ren
Published: July 2019

The weight function method is a powerful method for the determination of key parameters of stress intensity factors and crack opening displacements that are fundamental for crack analyses in fracture mechanics. The method has a remarkable computational efficiency without compromising solution accuracy and is especially suited for cracks in real‐world components with complex stress gradients. A critical issue for successful development and reliable application of the weight function method is how to achieve verifiable and high solution accuracy. This paper provides several reflections on the current state of the art in weight function methods, including a brief historical perspective and description of several analytical and numerical weight methods, with main focus on the two‐dimensional (2D) analytical approaches. A variety of typical application examples are presented. A platform for point‐by‐point accuracy assessment by using the Green's functions is established on a completely independent numerical approach with validated accuracy. Rigorous and systematic verification of the accuracy levels of different 2D analytical weight function approaches are conducted using several benchmark crack geometries. The sources of inaccuracy of different analytical weight function methods are analysed. A brief account on weight function methods for analysing three‐dimensional (3D) crack problems with arbitrary univariant and bivariant stress distributions is provided.
Optimal Number of Hierarchical Facilities with Failures
Authors: Miyagawa Masashi
Published: July 2019

This article proposes a continuous approximation model for determining the number of hierarchical facilities when lower level facilities are subject to failures. The average distance from customers to the nearest open facility is derived for two types of customer behavior. The optimal number of facilities that minimizes the average distance is then obtained. The analytical expression for the optimal number of facilities demonstrates how the location of facilities, the failure probability, and the customer behavior affect the optimal hierarchy and the average distance. The result shows that introducing the hierarchy can reduce the average distance if the failure probability is small and the penalty for failing to use facilities is large. The model provides a fundamental understanding of the optimal hierarchy and is useful for designing hierarchical facility systems.
Once‐daily rabeprazole, levofloxacin, clarithromycin‐MR, and bismuth for Helicobacter pylori eradication: A randomized study of 7 or 14 days (ONCE study)
Authors: Auttajaroon Jeerayuth , Vilaichone Ratha‐korn , Chotivitayatarakorn Peranart , Mahachai Varocha
Published: July 2019

Objective

Most therapies for Helicobacter pylori eradication utilize multiple drugs given 2‐4 times daily. Patient adherence has been an impediment to reliably achieving high success. This study evaluated a once‐daily dosing H pylori eradication regimen.

Methods

A prospective randomized pilot study of H pylori eradication compared once‐daily treatment regimen containing levofloxacin (750 mg), clarithromycin‐MR (1 g), rabeprazole (60 mg), and bismuth subsalicylate (1,048 mg) for a 7 or 14 days. CYP2C19 genotype and antibiotic susceptibility tests were performed. Successful eradication was defined as negative 13C‐urea breath test at least 4 weeks after completion of treatment.

Results

100 subjects were randomized (40 men, 60 women with mean age =54 years). The eradication rates were as follows: 94% (47/50; 95%CI 0.87‐1.01) and 84% (42/50; 95%CI 0.73‐0.95) with 14‐day and 7‐day therapy (OR 0.34; 95%CI 0.08‐1.35, P = 0.06), respectively. Resistance rates were as follows: 13.0% for clarithromycin, 26.0% for fluoroquinolone, 2.9% for dual clarithromycin‐fluoroquinolone resistance, and 62.8% for metronidazole. The 14‐day regimen provided 100% eradication in patients with levofloxacin susceptible strain irrespective of the presence of clarithromycin resistance. CYP2C19 genotypes had no effect on cure rates.

Conclusions

The once‐daily 14‐day rabeprazole‐, levofloxacin‐, clarithromycin‐MR‐, and bismuth‐containing therapy provided high eradication rate suggested that triple therapies with a PPI, bismuth, and clarithromycin‐MR or levofloxacin would be highly effective for once‐a‐day tailored therapy or as empiric therapy for first‐line regimen.
Role stressors and counterproductive work behavior: The role of negative affect and proactive personality
Authors: Zhang Yue , Crant J. Michael , Weng Qingxiong (Derek)
Published: July 2019

Based on the stressor‐emotion model, we propose that negative affect mediates the relationship between three role stressors (i.e., role ambiguity, role conflict, and role overload) and counterproductive work behavior (CWB), while proactive personality moderates the relationships between negative affect, role stressors, and CWB. We tested our hypotheses using data from 332 employees in Mainland China. We found that negative affect mediated the relationships between the three dimensions of role stressors and CWB. Role ambiguity was most strongly associated with CWB, followed by role conflict and then role overload. Proactive personality moderated the role ambiguity‐negative affect, role conflict‐negative affect, and negative affect‐CWB relationships, but not the relationship between role overload and negative affect.
Particle therapy for prostate cancer: The past, present and future
Authors: Ishikawa Hitoshi , Tsuji Hiroshi , Murayama Shigeyuki , Sugimoto Mikio , Shinohara Nobuo , Maruyama Satoru , Murakami Motohiro , Shirato Hiroki , Sakurai Hideyuki
Published: July 2019

Although prostate cancer control using radiotherapy is dose‐dependent, dose–volume effects on late toxicities in organs at risk, such as the rectum and bladder, have been observed. Both protons and carbon ions offer advantageous physical properties for radiotherapy, and create favorable dose distributions using fewer portals compared with photon‐based radiotherapy. Thus, particle beam therapy using protons and carbon ions theoretically seems suitable for dose escalation and reduced risk of toxicity. However, it is difficult to evaluate the superiority of particle beam radiotherapy over photon beam radiotherapy for prostate cancer, as no clinical trials have directly compared the outcomes between the two types of therapy due to the limited number of facilities using particle beam therapy. The Japanese Society for Radiation Oncology organized a joint effort among research groups to establish standardized treatment policies and indications for particle beam therapy according to disease, and multicenter prospective studies have been planned for several common cancers. Clinical trials of proton beam therapy for intermediate‐risk prostate cancer and carbon‐ion therapy for high‐risk prostate cancer have already begun. As particle beam therapy for prostate cancer is covered by the Japanese national health insurance system as of April 2018, and the number of facilities practicing particle beam therapy has increased recently, the number of prostate cancer patients treated with particle beam therapy in Japan is expected to increase drastically. Here, we review the results from studies of particle beam therapy for prostate cancer and discuss future developments in this field.
Profiling of how nociceptor neurons detect danger – new and old foes
Authors: Crosson T. , Roversi K. , Balood M. , Othman R. , Ahmadi M. , Wang J.‐C. , Seadi Pereira P. J. , Tabatabaei M. , Couture R. , Eichwald T. , Latini A. , Prediger R.D. , Rangachari M. , Seehus C. R. , Foster S. L. , Talbot S.
Published: July 2019

The host evolves redundant mechanisms to preserve physiological processing and homeostasis. These functions range from sensing internal and external threats, creating a memory of the insult and generating reflexes, which aim to resolve inflammation. Impairment in such functioning leads to chronic inflammatory diseases. By interacting through a common language of ligands and receptors, the immune and sensory nervous systems work in concert to accomplish such protective functions. Whilst this bidirectional communication helps to protect from danger, it can contribute to disease pathophysiology. Thus, the somatosensory nervous system is anatomically positioned within primary and secondary lymphoid tissues and mucosa to modulate immunity directly. Upstream of this interplay, neurons detect danger, which prompts the release of neuropeptides initiating (i) defensive reflexes (ranging from withdrawal response to coughing) and (ii) chemotaxis, adhesion and local infiltration of immune cells. The resulting outcome of such neuro‐immune interplay is still ill‐defined, but consensual findings start to emerge and support neuropeptides not only as blockers of TH1‐mediated immunity but also as drivers of TH2 immune responses. However, the modalities detected by nociceptors revealed broader than mechanical pressure and temperature sensing and include signals as various as cytokines and pathogens to immunoglobulins and even microRNAs. Along these lines, we aggregated various dorsal root ganglion sensory neuron expression profiling datasets supporting such wide‐ranging sensing capabilities to help identifying new danger detection modalities of these cells. Thus, revealing unexpected aspects of nociceptor neuron biology might prompt the identification of novel drivers of immunity, means to resolve inflammation and strategies to safeguard homeostasis.
Revisiting the regulation of the capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis gene cluster in Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Keinhörster Daniela , Salzer Andrea , Duque‐Jaramillo Alejandra , George Shilpa E. , Marincola Gabriella , Lee Jean C. , Weidenmaier Christopher , Wolz Christiane
Published: July 2019

Capsular polysaccharide (CP) biosynthesis in Staphylococcus aureus is tightly controlled resulting in a heterogeneous phenotype within a population and CP being mainly detectable in nongrowing cells. Expression of the corresponding biosynthesis gene cluster is driven by one promoter element (Pcap). Here, we demonstrate that Pcap contains a main SigB‐dependent promoter. The SigB consensus motif overlaps with a previously described inverted repeat (IR) that is crucial for cap expression. The essentiality of the IR is derived from this region acting as a SigB binding site rather than as an operator site for the proposed cap activators RbsR and MsaB. Furthermore, Pcap contains an extensive upstream region harboring a weak SigA‐dependent promoter and binding sites for cap repressors such as SaeR, CodY and Rot. Heterogeneous CP synthesis is determined by SigB activity and repressor binding to the upstream region. SigB dependency and regulation by the upstream repressors are also sufficient to explain the temporal gene expression pattern at the transcriptional level. However, CP synthesis remains growth phase‐dependent even when transcription is rendered constitutive, suggesting additional posttranscriptional regulatory circuits. Thus, the interference of multiple repressors with SigB‐dependent promoter activity as well as post‐transcriptional mechanisms ensure the appropriate regulation of CP synthesis.
Primula vallicola sp. nov. (Primulaceae) from Sichuan, China
Authors: Xu Yuan , Hao Gang , Hu Chi‐Ming
Published: July 2019

A new species of Primula, P. vallicola Y. Xu, G. Hao & C.M. Hu, is described and illustrated from Sichuan province, China. Based on general morphology the new species is assigned to Primula sect. Aleuritia subsect. Yunnanensis. It is closely allied to P. kialensis, but can be distinguished by its larger stature, leaf shape, and the well‐differentiated petiole. The leaf shape of the new species is ovate to ovate‐elliptic and usually sub‐rounded at base. The new species also resembles P. homogama, but differs in being glabrous rather than with appressed hairs, and with longer petiole.
Unexpected diagnosis of a neck lump
Authors: Osborne R. , Jawad H. , Ikponmwosa A.
Published: July 2019

A case report of a patient with a right‐sided neck lump initially presenting to his dentist who was subsequently diagnosed with a rare mycotic carotid artery aneurysm. Clinical examination in York out‐patient department led to a high index of suspicion of metastatic squamous cell cancer (SCC). A malignant process was suspected due to the combination of a fixed level 2 neck lump, otalgia and vocal cord palsy. However, a differential diagnosis of an aneurysm became more likely following an MRI scan. The patient subsequently underwent urgent debridement of the carotid artery aneurysm and ligation of the internal carotid artery. Mycotic aneurysms involving the carotid arteries are rare with only around 20 reported cases every decade with a small number of cases reporting dental infection as a potential cause. The definitive diagnosis of a mycotic aneurysm demonstrates how similar the presenting features of a metastatic SCC can be to that of a carotid aneurysm. Despite the low incidence, the importance of considering an aneurysm in the differential diagnosis of neck lumps is highlighted due to possible catastrophic consequences.

[Correction statement added on 14 August 2019 after first online publication: The first two sentences of Abstract section were found to be similar and has been updated this version for clarity]
Spinal meningeal cyst in a child with Marfan syndrome: A potential cause for apparent dural puncture during caudal epidural block
Authors: Ackermann Irene , Henze Georg , Kottke Raimund , Weiss Markus
Published: July 2019

We report a complication from caudal epidural block for anesthesia in a 4‐year‐old child with Marfan syndrome who was undergoing lensectomy, orchidopexy, and circumcision resulting in apparent accidental dural puncture. Subsequent magnetic resonance imaging revealed a lumbosacral spinal meningeal cyst.
Anesthetic cream relieves pain after cryotherapy treatment of plantar and palmar warts
Authors: Choi Min Wha , Noh Tai Kyung , Han Tae Young , Lee June Hyunkyung
Published: July 2019

Cryotherapy using liquid nitrogen is an effective and commonly used treatment for palmoplantar warts. However, pain can be a limiting factor in the effective use of cryotherapy. In this study, we found that a single application of anesthetic cream following cryotherapy treatment of warts reduced posttreatment pain and led to improved tolerability of the procedure.
Intra‐clinothem variability in sedimentary texture and process regime recorded down slope profiles
Authors: Cosgrove Grace I. E. , Poyatos‐Moré Miquel , Lee David R. , Hodgson David M. , McCaffrey William D. , Mountney Nigel P.
Published: July 2019

Shelf‐margin clinothem successions can archive process interactions at the shelf to slope transition, and their architecture provides constraints on the interplay of factors that control basin‐margin evolution. However, detailed textural analysis and facies distributions from shelf to slope transitions remain poorly documented. This study uses quantitative grain‐size and sorting data from coeval shelf and slope deposits of a single clinothem that crops out along a 5 km long, dip‐parallel transect of the Eocene Sobrarbe Deltaic Complex (Ainsa Basin, south‐central Pyrenees, Spain). Systematic sampling of sandstone beds tied to measured sections has captured vertical and basinward changes in sedimentary texture and facies distributions at an intra‐clinothem scale. Two types of hyperpycnal flow‐related slope deposits, both rich in mica and terrestrial organic matter, are differentiated according to grain size, sorting and bed geometry: (i) sustained hyperpycnal flow deposits, which are physically linked to coarse channelized sediments in the shelf setting and which deposit sand down the complete slope profile; (ii) episodic hyperpycnal flow deposits, which are disconnected from, and incise into, shelf sands and which are associated with sediment bypass of the proximal slope and coarse‐grained sand deposition on the medial and distal slope. Both types of hyperpycnites are interbedded with relatively homogenous, organic‐free and mica‐free, well‐sorted, very fine‐grained sandstones, which are interpreted to be remobilized from wave‐dominated shelf environments; these wave‐dominated deposits are found only on the proximal and medial slope. Coarse‐grained sediment bypass into the deeper‐water slope settings is therefore dominated by episodic hyperpycnal flows, whilst sustained hyperpycnal flows and turbidity currents remobilizing wave‐dominated shelf deposits are responsible for the full range of grain sizes in the proximal and medial slope, thus facilitating clinoform progradation. This novel dataset highlights previously undocumented intra‐clinothem variability related to updip changes in the shelf process‐regime, which is therefore a key factor controlling downdip architecture and resulting sedimentary texture.
Physical training, UCP1 expression, mitochondrial density, and coupling in adipose tissue from women with obesity
Authors: Brandao Camila Fernanda Cunha , de Carvalho Flavia Giolo , Souza Anderson de Oliveira , Junqueira‐Franco Márcia Varella Morandi , Batitucci Gabriela , Couto‐Lima Carlos Antonio , Fett Carlos Alexandre , Papoti Marcelo , Freitas Ellen Cristini de , Alberici Luciane Carla , Marchini Julio Sergio
Published: July 2019

Background

Exercise training may improve energy expenditure, thermogenesis, and oxidative capacities. Therefore, we hypothesized that physical training enhances white adipose tissue mitochondrial oxidative capacity from obese women.

Objective

To evaluate mitochondrial respiratory capacity, mitochondrial content, and UCP1 gene expression in white adipose tissue from women with obesity before and after the physical training program.

Methods

Women (n = 14, BMI 33 ± 3 kg/m2, 35 ± 6 years, mean ± SD) were submitted to strength and aerobic exercises (75%‐90% maximum heart rate and multiple repetitions), 3 times/week during 8 weeks. All evaluated subjects were paired, before and after training for resting metabolic rate (RMR), substrate oxidation (lipid and carbohydrate) by indirect calorimeter, deuterium oxide body composition, and aerobic maximum velocity (Vmax) test. At the beginning and at the ending of the protocol, abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue was collected to measure the mitochondrial respiration by high‐resolution respirometry, mitochondrial content by citrate synthase (CS) activity, and UCP1 gene expression by RT‐qPCR.

Results

Combined physical training increased RMR, lipid oxidation, and Vmax but did not change body weight/composition. In WAT, exercise increased CS activity, decreased mitochondrial uncoupled respiration and mRNA of UCP1. RMR was positively correlated with fat‐free mass.

Conclusion

Physical training promotes an increase in mitochondrial content without changing tissue respiratory capacity, a reduction in mitochondrial uncoupling degree and UCP1 mRNA expression in WAT. Finally, it improved the resting metabolic rate, lipid oxidation and physical performance, independent of the body changing free, or fat mass in obese women.
Validity and reliability of the TargetScan ISSF Pistol & Rifle application for measuring shooting performance
Authors: Mon‐López Daniel , Tejero‐González Carlos M.
Published: July 2019

Several technologies, with varying economic costs, are used to measure the performance of Olympic sport shooters, including electronic targets, laser systems, and mobile phone applications. Nevertheless, the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) does not currently accept any mobile applications as valid measurement systems. The objective of the study was to check the validity and reliability of the TargetScan ISSF Pistol & Rifle application, an automatic mobile application for measuring the performance of shooters via image analysis. A total of 1440 shots were fired by 24 shooters (720 shots each for the air rifle and air pistol events), and the target sheets were analyzed with the application installed on an iPhone X. The official competition results and the measurements from the application were then compared. The results showed an almost perfect reliability for air pistol shots (ICC = .999) and no significant differences between the official average scores and those measured by the application. The reliability was also high for air rifle shots (ICC = .998), but the average scores registered by the application were statistically lower than the official results. We concluded that TargetScan ISSF Pistol & Rifle is a low‐cost, valid, and reliable application for measuring amateur and semi‐professional shooting performance which may be useful to shooters, coaches, clubs, and federations worldwide.
Best management practices for agricultural non‐point source pollution in a small watershed based on the AnnAGNPS model
Authors: Zhang Tong , Yang Yuheng , Ni Jiupai , Xie Deti
Published: July 2019

Best management practices (BMPs) are implemented to reduce non‐point source pollution (NPSP) worldwide. In this study, the AnnAGNPS model was adapted and used to evaluate the effectiveness of BMPs for NPSP control in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area in China. Through field investigation and experimental observation, the AnnAGNPS model database was constructed. The model best simulated run‐off and its simulation of total nitrogen (TN) was better than for total phosphorus (TP). Simulation of the spatial distribution of different pollutant loads showed that the annual outputs of TN and TP per unit area were the highest, with an average of 63 and 6 kg hm−2 per year, respectively. An optimal scenario was developed based on adjustments to the existing land structure which were most effective at reducing N and P loads. The reduction rates of TN and TP loads were 54% and 63%, respectively, while the reduction rates of dissolved and particulate N and P loads were between 47% and 68%. After 27% of arid slope fields were converted into terraces in the study area, the modelled particulate N and P outputs were reduced by 44% and 46%, respectively, showing that terracing sloping land could be effective at reducing particulate N and P losses. These findings indicated that slope‐shifting technology is the most important method for NPSP control in the TGRA. In addition, reduced fertilizer use and conservation tillage measures should also be adopted to effectively reduce TN and TP losses.
Fine‐scale intra‐ and inter‐city commercial store site recommendations using knowledge transfer
Authors: Yao Yao , Liu Penghua , Hong Ye , Liang Zhaotang , Wang Rouyu , Guan Qingfeng , Chen Jingmin
Published: July 2019

The rapid development of urban retail companies brings new opportunities to the Chinese economy. Due to the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of different cities, selecting a business location in a new area has become a challenge. The application of multi‐source geospatial data makes it possible to describe human activities and urban functional zones at fine scale. We propose a knowledge transfer‐based model named KTSR to support citywide business location selections at the land‐parcel scale. This framework can optimize customer scores and study the pattern of business location selection for chain brands. First, we extract the features of each urban land parcel and study the similarities between them. Then, singular value decomposition was used to build a knowledge‐transfer model of similar urban land parcels between different cities. The results show that: (1) compared with the actual scores, the estimated deviation of the proposed model decreased by more than 50%, and the Pearson correlation coefficient reached 0.84 or higher; (2) the decomposed features were good at quantifying and describing high‐level commercial operation information, which has a strong relationship with urban functional structures. In general, our method can work for selecting business locations and estimating sale volumes and user evaluations.
Perspectives on Scedosporium species and Lomentospora prolificans in lung transplantation: Results of an international practice survey from ESCMID fungal infection study group and study group for infections in compromised hosts, and European Confederation of Medical Mycology
Authors: Rammaert Blandine , Puyade Mathieu , Cornely Oliver A. , Seidel Danila , Grossi Paolo , Husain Shahid , Picard Clément , Lass‐Flörl Cornelia , Manuel Oriol , Le Pavec Jérôme , Lortholary Olivier ,   the SCEDO‐LUNG collaborative group
Published: July 2019

Background

Scedosporium species and Lomentospora prolificans (S/L) are the second most common causes of invasive mold infections following Aspergillus in lung transplant recipients.

Methods

We assessed the current practices on management of S/L colonization/infection of the lower respiratory tract before and after lung transplantation in a large number of lung transplant centers through an international practice survey from October 2016 to March 2017.

Results

A total of 51 respondents from 45 lung transplant centers (17 countries, 4 continents) answered the survey (response rate 58%). S/L colonization was estimated to be detected in candidates by 48% of centers. Only 18% of the centers used a specific medium to detect S/L colonization. Scedosporium spp. colonization was a contraindication to transplantation in 10% of centers whereas L prolificans was a contraindication in 31%; 22% of centers declared having had 1‐5 recipients infected with S/L in the past 5 years.

Conclusions

This survey gives an overview of the current practices regarding S/L colonization and infection in lung transplant centers worldwide and underscores the need of S/L culture procedure standardization before implementing prospective studies.
Positional Dynamics and Glycosomal Recruitment of Developmental Regulators during Trypanosome Differentiation
Authors: Szöőr Balázs , Simon Dorina V. , Rojas Federico , Young Julie , Robinson Derrick R. , Krüger Timothy , Engstler Markus , Matthews Keith R.
Published: July 2019

African trypanosomes are parasites of sub-Saharan Africa responsible for both human and animal disease. The parasites are transmitted by tsetse flies, and completion of their life cycle involves progression through several development steps. The initiation of differentiation between blood and tsetse fly forms is signaled by a phosphatase cascade, ultimately trafficked into peroxisome-related organelles called glycosomes that are unique to this group of organisms. Glycosomes undergo substantial remodeling of their composition and function during the differentiation step, but how this is regulated is not understood. Here we identify a cytological site where the signaling molecules controlling differentiation converge before the dispersal of one of them into glycosomes. In combination, the study provides the first insight into the spatial coordination of signaling pathway components in trypanosomes as they undergo cell-type differentiation.
The Nutritional Environment Influences the Impact of Microbes on Drosophila melanogaster Life Span
Authors: Keebaugh Erin S. , Yamada Ryuichi , Ja William W.
Published: July 2019

D. melanogaster
ingests microorganisms growing within its rotting vegetation diet. Some of these microbes form associations with flies, while others pass through the gut with meals. Fly-microbe-diet interactions are dynamic, and changes to the fly culture medium can influence microbial growth in the overall environment. In turn, these alterations in microbial growth may not only impact the nutritional value of fly meals but also modulate behavior and health, at least in part due to direct contributions to fly nutrition. The interactive ecology between flies, microbes, and their environment can cause a specific microbe to be either beneficial or detrimental to fly life span, indicating that the environment should be considered a key influential factor in host-microbe interactions.
Differential
In Vitro
Infection of Neural Cells by Astroviruses
Authors: Janowski Andrew B. , Klein Robyn S. , Wang David
Published: July 2019

Encephalitis remains a diagnostic conundrum in humans as over 50% of cases are managed without the identification of an etiology. Astroviruses have been detected from the central nervous system of mammals in association with disease, suggesting that this family of RNA viruses could be responsible for cases of some neurological diseases that are currently without an ascribed etiology. However, there are significant barriers to understanding astrovirus infection as the capacity of these viruses to replicate in nervous system cells
in vitro
has not been determined. We describe primary and immortalized cultured cells of the nervous system that support infection by astroviruses. These results further corroborate the role of astroviruses in causing neurological diseases and will serve as an essential model to interrogate the neuropathogenesis of astrovirus infection.
Targeting Mannitol Metabolism as an Alternative Antimicrobial Strategy Based on the Structure-Function Study of Mannitol-1-Phosphate Dehydrogenase in Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Nguyen Thanh , Kim Truc , Ta Hai Minh , Yeo Won Sik , Choi Jongkeun , Mizar Pushpak , Lee Seung Seo , Bae Taeok , Chaurasia Akhilesh Kumar , Kim Kyeong Kyu
Published: July 2019

Due to the shortage of effective antibiotics against drug-resistantStaphylococcus aureus, new targets are urgently required to develop next-generation antibiotics. We investigated mannitol-1-phosphate dehydrogenase ofS. aureusUSA300 (SaM1PDH), a key enzyme regulating intracellular mannitol levels, and explored the possibility of usingSaM1PDH as a target for developing antibiotic. Since mannitol is necessary for maintaining the cellular redox and osmotic potential, the homeostatic imbalance caused by treatment with aSaM1PDH inhibitor or knockout of the gene encodingSaM1PDH results in bacterial cell death through oxidative and/or mannitol-dependent cytolysis. We elucidated the molecular mechanism ofSaM1PDH and the structural basis of substrate and inhibitor recognition by enzymatic and structural analyses ofSaM1PDH. Our results strongly support the concept that targeting ofSaM1PDH represents an alternative strategy for developing a new class of antibiotics that cause bacterial cell death not by blocking key cellular machinery but by inducing cytolysis and reducing stress tolerance through inhibition of the mannitol pathway.
Quadruple versus triple combination antiretroviral therapies for treatment naive people with HIV: systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Feng Qi , Zhou Aoshuang , Zou Huachun , Ingle Suzanne , May Margaret T , Cai Weiping , Cheng Chien-Yu , Yang Zuyao , Tang Jinling
Published: July 2019

Objective

To evaluate the effects of four drug (quadruple) versus three drug (triple) combination antiretroviral therapies in treatment naive people with HIV, and explore the implications of existing trials for clinical practice and research.

Design

Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

Data sources

PubMed, EMBASE, CENTRAL, Web of Science, and the Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature from March 2001 to December 2016 (updated search in PubMed and EMBASE up to June 2018); and reference lists of eligible studies and related reviews.

Study selection

Randomised controlled trials comparing quadruple with triple combination antiretroviral therapies in treatment naive people with HIV and evaluating at least one effectiveness or safety outcome.

Review methods

Outcomes of interest included undetectable HIV-1 RNA, CD4 T cell count, virological failure, new AIDS defining events, death, and severe adverse effects. Random effects meta-analyses were conducted.

Results

Twelve trials (including 4251 people with HIV) were eligible. Quadruple and triple combination antiretroviral therapies had similar effects on all relevant effectiveness and safety outcomes, with no point estimates favouring quadruple therapy. With the triple therapy as the reference group, the risk ratio was 0.99 (95% confidence interval 0.93 to 1.05) for undetectable HIV-1 RNA, 1.00 (0.90 to 1.11) for virological failure, 1.17 (0.84 to 1.63) for new AIDS defining events, 1.23 (0.74 to 2.05) for death, and 1.09 (0.89 to 1.33) for severe adverse effects. The mean difference in CD4 T cell count increase between the two groups was −19.55 cells/μL (−43.02 to 3.92). In general, the results were similar, regardless of the specific regimens of combination antiretroviral therapies, and were robust in all subgroup and sensitivity analyses.

Conclusion

In this study, effects of quadruple combination antiretroviral therapy were not better than triple combination antiretroviral therapy in treatment naive people with HIV. This finding lends support to current guidelines recommending the triple regimen as first line treatment. Further trials on this topic should be conducted only when new research is justified by adequate systematic reviews of the existing evidence. However, this study cannot exclude the possibility that quadruple cART would be better than triple cART when new classes of antiretroviral drugs are made available.
Language Endangerment in Childhood
Authors: Meek Barbra A.
Published: July 2019

Language endangerment by definition excludes children and childhood, as the most endangered languages are those which are no longer being used, spoken, or acquired by the youngest generations. By and large, research in this area reflects this exclusion by focusing primarily on the documentation of grammatical knowledge elicited from the oldest speakers for storage in archives (what Maliseet anthropologist Bernard Perley has termed “zombie linguistics”). However, when approached from a language socialization orientation, the seeming paradox of language endangerment in childhood dissolves. Investigations of endangered languages in childhood reveal surprisingly vibrant and complicated amalgams of linguistic practices, socializing discourses, and cultural ideologies. They underscore the need to apply mixed methods to understanding processes of language endangerment. They challenge the grammatical boundedness of languages as (transparently) discrete objects. They recognize the vitalities emergent from situations of aggressive contact. Thus, attention to children and childhood not only calls into question the privileged rhetoric of zombie linguistics but also accentuates and challenges the socially constructed dimensions of languages and linguistic boundaries.
Spoiled for Choice: Diverse Endocytic Pathways Function at the Cell Surface
Authors: Thottacherry Joseph Jose , Sathe Mugdha , Prabhakara Chaitra , Mayor Satyajit
Published: July 2019

Endocytosis has long been identified as a key cellular process involved in bringing in nutrients, in clearing cellular debris in tissue, in the regulation of signaling, and in maintaining cell membrane compositional homeostasis. While clathrin-mediated endocytosis has been most extensively studied, a number of clathrin-independent endocytic pathways are continuing to be delineated. Here we provide a current survey of the different types of endocytic pathways available at the cell surface and discuss a new classification and plausible molecular mechanisms for some of the less characterized pathways. Along with an evolutionary perspective of the origins of some of these pathways, we provide an appreciation of the distinct roles that these pathways play in various aspects of cellular physiology, including the control of signaling and membrane tension.
Free Movement, Open Borders, and the Global Gains from Labor Mobility
Authors: Dustmann Christian , Preston Ian P.
Published: July 2019

Straightforward economic arguments point to the potential for large global output gains from the movement of labor from less to more productive locations. Yet the politics of receiving countries seems resistant, characterized rather by efforts to limit migration or to stop it altogether. In this article we examine the foundations of claims of large welfare gains through free mobility, studying implications of liberalizing migration for world welfare under a variety of models, paying attention not only to overall gains but also to how gains are distributed and reviewing attempts to quantify the benefits. We conclude by asking how far considerations beyond economics motivate keenness to impose restrictions on migration.
Remembering: An Activity of Mind and Brain
Authors: Craik Fergus I.M.
Published: July 2019

I present the case for viewing human memory as a set of dynamic processes rather than as structural entities or memory stores. This perspective stems largely from the construct of levels of processing, reflecting work I published with Robert Lockhart and with Endel Tulving. I describe the personal and professional contexts in which these and other ideas evolved, and I discuss criticisms of the ideas and our responses to critics. I also show how later versions of a processing approach to memory may fit with current findings and theories in memory research. In related work I have been involved in studies of cognitive aging, and I describe some theoretical and empirical points deriving from this aspect of my research efforts. Finally, I deal briefly with some experiments and reflections on divided attention, consolidation, and bilingualism and touch upon the neural bases of a processing approach.
Hitchhiking of Viral Genomes on Cellular Chromosomes
Authors: Coursey Tami L. , McBride Alison A.
Published: July 2019

Persistent viral infections require a host cell reservoir that maintains functional copies of the viral genome. To this end, several DNA viruses maintain their genomes as extrachromosomal DNA minichromosomes in actively dividing cells. These viruses typically encode a viral protein that binds specifically to viral DNA genomes and tethers them to host mitotic chromosomes, thus enabling the viral genomes to hitchhike or piggyback into daughter cells. Viruses that use this tethering mechanism include papillomaviruses and the gammaherpesviruses Epstein-Barr virus and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus. This review describes the advantages and consequences of persistent extrachromosomal viral genome replication.
Genomic Analysis of Chilean Strains ofCampylobacter jejunifrom Human Faeces
Authors: Levican Arturo , Ramos-Tapia Ignacio , Briceño Isabel , Guerra Francisco , Mena Benjamin , Varela Carmen , Porte Lorena
Published: July 2019

Campylobacterspp., especiallyC. jejuni, are recognized worldwide as the bacterial species that most commonly cause food-related diarrhea.C. jejunipossesses many different virulence factors, has the ability to survive in different reservoirs, and has shown among isolates the emergence of Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR). Genome association analyses of this bacterial pathogen have contributed to a better understanding of its pathogenic and AMR associated determinants. However, the epidemiological information of these bacteria in Latin American countries is scarce and no genomic information is available in public databases from isolates in these countries. Considering this, the present study is aimed to describe the genomic traits from representativeCampylobacterspp. strains recovered from faecal samples of patients with acute diarrhoea from Valparaíso, Chile.Campylobacterspp. was detected from the faeces of 28 (8%) out of 350 patients with acute diarrhoea, mainly from young adults and children, and 26 (93%) of the isolates corresponded toC. jejuni. 63% of the isolates were resistant to ciprofloxacin, 25.9% to tetracycline, and 3.5% to erythromycin. Three isolates were selected for WGS on the basis of theirflaA-RFLP genotype. They belonged to the multilocus sequence typing (MLST) clonal clomplex (CC) 21(PUCV-1), CC-48 (PUCV-3), and CC-353 (PUCV-2) and presented several putative virulence genes, including the Type IV and Type VI Secretion Systems, as well as AMR-associated genes in agreement with their susceptibility pattern. On the basis of the wgMLST, they were linked to strains from poultry and ruminants. These are the first genomes of ChileanC. jejuniisolates available in public databases and they provide relevant information about theC. jejuniisolates associated with human infection in this country.
A Narrative Review of the Literature on Insufficient Sleep, Insomnia, and Health Correlates in American Indian/Alaska Native Populations
Authors: Lombardero Anayansi , Hansen Ciara D. , Richie Andrew E. , Campbell Duncan G. , Joyce Aaron W.
Published: July 2019

Insufficient sleep and insomnia promote chronic disease in the general population and may combine with social and economic factors to increase rates of chronic health conditions among AI/AN people. Given that insufficient sleep and insomnia can be addressed via behavioral interventions, it is critical to understand the prevalence and correlates of these disorders among AI/AN individuals in order to elucidate the mechanisms associated with health disparities and provide guidance for subsequent treatment research and practice. We reviewed the available literature on insufficient sleep and insomnia in the AI/AN population. PubMed, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and ProQuest were searched between June 12thand October 28thof 2018. Prevalence of insufficient sleep ranged from 15% to 40%; insomnia prevalence ranged from 25% to 33%. Insufficient sleep was associated with unhealthy diet, low physical activity levels, higher BMI, worse self-reported health, increased risk for diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, frequent mental distress, smoking, binge drinking, depression, and chronic pain. Insomnia was associated with depression, childhood abuse, PTSD, anxiety, alcohol use, low social support, and low trait-resilience levels. Research on evidence-based treatment and implementation practices targeting insufficient sleep and insomnia was lacking, and only one study described the development/validation of a measure of insufficient sleep among AI/AN people. There is a need for rigorous sleep research including testing and implementation of evidence-based treatment for insufficient sleep and insomnia in this population in an effort to help eliminate health disparities. We present recommendations for research and clinical practice based on the current review.
Anaerobic Codigestion of Food Waste and Polylactic Acid: Effect of Pretreatment on Methane Yield and Solid Reduction
Authors: Hobbs Shakira R. , Parameswaran Prathap , Astmann Barbara , Devkota Jay P. , Landis Amy E.
Published: July 2019

Food waste and biopolymers, plastics derived from plants, are unexploited sources of energy when discarded in landfills without energy recovery. In addition, polylactic acid (PLA) and food waste have complimentary characteristics for anaerobic digestion; both are organic and degrade under anaerobic conditions. Lab-scale reactors were set up to quantify the solubilization of pretreated amorphous and crystalline PLA. Biochemical methane potential (BMP) assays were performed to quantify CH4 production from both treated and untreated PLA in the presence of food waste and anaerobic digested sludge. Amorphous and crystalline PLA reached near-complete solubilization at 97% and 99%, respectively, when alkaline pretreatment was applied. The PLA that received alkaline treatment produced the most of CH4 throughout the run time of 70 days. The PLA without treatment resulted in 54% weight reduction after anaerobic digestion. Results from this study show that alkaline pretreatment has the greatest solid reduction of PLA and maximum production of CH4 when combined with food waste and anaerobic digested sludge.
Total Antioxidant Status (TAS), Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), and Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) in Oropharyngeal Cancer Associated with EBV Infection
Authors: Strycharz-Dudziak Małgorzata , Kiełczykowska Małgorzata , Drop Bartłomiej , Świątek Łukasz , Kliszczewska Ewa , Musik Irena , Polz-Dacewicz Małgorzata
Published: July 2019

A growing number of studies reveal that oxidative stress is associated with viral infections or cancer development. However, there are few reports assessing the relationships between oxidative stress, viral infection, and carcinogenesis. The present study analyzed the level of total antioxidant status (TAS) as well as the activities of glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in patients with oropharyngeal cancer both Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive and EBV-negative in comparison with the control group. The correlations between these parameters and EBV type (wild-type LMP1 (wt-LMP1) or LMP1 with deletion (del-LMP1)), level of antibodies against EBV, the degree of tumor differentiation, and TNM classification were also investigated. Fresh frozen tumor tissue samples collected from 66 patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma were tested using nested PCR assay for EBV DNA detection. Spectrophotometric methods were used to measure TAS values as well as SOD and GPx activities in homogenates of tissue, using diagnostic kits produced by Randox Laboratories. Sera from all individuals were investigated using ELISA method to detect the presence of Epstein-Barr virus capsid antigen (EBVCA) IgM and IgG, Epstein-Barr virus nuclear antigen (EBNA) IgG, and early antigen (EA) IgG antibodies. The level of TAS and activities of antioxidant enzymes (GPx and SOD) were significantly decreased in tissues with oropharyngeal cancer, particularly in EBV-positive cases. In 82.3% of patients, wt-LMP1 was detected. Significantly lower TAS, GPx, and SOD values were stated in patients infected with wild-type EBV. The presence of antibodies against early antigen (anti-EA) was detected in over 80% of patients, which suggests reactivation of EBV infection. The correlation between the degree of tumor differentiation and TN classification, especially in EBV-positive patients, was also observed. Determination of these parameters may be useful in evaluating tumor burden in patients with various stages of oropharyngeal cancer and could be an important prognostic factor. Future studies are needed to understand the role of EBV lytic reactivation induced by oxidative stress.
The Influence of Geometry of Implants for Direct Skeletal Attachment of Limb Prosthesis on Rehabilitation Program and Stress-Shielding Intensity
Authors: Prochor Piotr , Sajewicz Eugeniusz
Published: July 2019

The purpose of the research was to evaluate the influence of selected parameters of the implants for bone anchored prostheses on possibility of conducting static load bearing exercises and stress-shielding intensity. A press-fit implant, a threaded implant, and the proposed design were compared using the finite element method. For the analyses two features were examined: diameter (19.0 – 21.0 mm) and length (75.0 – 130.0 mm). To define the possibility of conducting rehabilitation exercises the micromotion of implants while axial loading with a force up to 1000 N was examined to evaluate the changes at implant-bone interface. The stress-shielding intensity was estimated by bone mass loss over 60 months. The results suggest that, in terms of micromotion generated during rehabilitation exercises, the threaded (max. micromotion of 16.00μm) and the proposed (max. micromotion of 45.43μm) implants ensure low and appropriate micromotion. In the case of the press-fit solution the load values should be selected with care, as there is a risk of losing primary stabilisation. The allowed forces (that do not stimulate the organism to generate fibrous tissue) were approx. 140 N in the case of the length of 75 mm, increasing up to 560 N, while using the length of 130 mm. Moreover, obtained stress-shielding intensities suggest that the proposed implant should provide appropriate secondary stability, similar to the threaded solution, due to the low bone mass loss during long-term use (improving at the same time more bone remodelling in distal Gruen zones, by providing lower bone mass loss by approx. 13% to 20% in dependency of the length and diameter used). On this basis it can be concluded that the proposed design can be an appropriate alternative to commercially used implants.