bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nurse occupational burnout and patient‐rated quality of care: The boundary conditions of emotional intelligence and demographic profiles
Authors: Chao Minston , Shih Chih‐Ting , Hsu Shu‐Fen
Published: November 2015

Aim

Most previous studies on the relationship between occupational burnout and the quality of care among nurses have used self‐reported data on the quality of care from nurses, thus rendering evaluating the relationship between burnout and the quality of care difficult. Hospitals increasingly hire contract nurses and high turnover rates remain a concern. Little is known about whether nurses' emotional intelligence and demographic factors such as contract status, tenure, and marital status affect the quality of care when burnout occurs. This study investigated the relationship between burnout and patient‐rated quality of care and investigated the moderating role of emotional intelligence and demographic variables.

Methods

Hierarchical moderated regression was used to analyze 98 sets of paired data obtained from nurses and their patients at a teaching hospital in northern Taiwan.

Results

The results suggest that occupational burnout has a less unfavorable effect on the quality of care from permanent, married, and senior nurses.

Conclusion

Nursing management should pay particular attention to retaining permanent, married, and senior nurses. To ensure a sustainable nursing workforce in the future, newly graduated registered nurses should have access to permanent positions and opportunities for long‐term professional development. In addition, married nurses should be provided with flexible work–family arrangements to ensure their satisfaction in the nursing profession.
Effectiveness of patient navigator interventions on uptake of colorectal cancer screening in primary care settings
Authors: Muliira Joshua Kanaabi , D'Souza Melba Sheila
Published: November 2015

Aim

Colorectal cancer is the fourth most common type of cancer in the world and every year it is responsible for 610,000 deaths worldwide. The aim of this review was to examine the effectiveness of patient navigator interventions towards enhancing uptake of colorectal cancer screening in primary care settings.

Methods

Electronic databases such as PubMed, CINHAL, Google Scholar and SCOPUS were searched to retrieve articles reporting on primary studies applying any patient navigator intervention to promote uptake of colorectal cancer screening in eligible patients. The search yielded 292 articles and 15 met the inclusion criteria.

Results

All 15 studies were conducted in urban settings located in the USA. The findings of the review show that patient navigator interventions can increase colorectal cancer screening rates in diverse primary care settings. Patient navigator interventions were most effective in patients who belong to minority groups and enhanced uptake of colorectal cancer screening with rates ranging 11–91%.

Conclusion

There is a need for further studies to examine the effectiveness of patient navigator interventions in rural populations and other countries. Such studies will help us to clearly characterize the effectiveness of patient navigator interventions.
Effect of Naftopidil on Bladder Microcirculation in a Rat Model of Bladder Outlet Obstruction
Authors: MAJIMA Tsuyoshi , YAMAMOTO Tokunori , FUNAHASHI Yasuhito , TAKAI Shun , MATSUKAWA Yoshihisa , YOSHIDA Masaki , GOTOH Momokazu
Published: November 2015

Objectives

To evaluate the effect of naftopidil on bladder capillary blood flow using bladder outlet obstruction model rats.

Methods

Female Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into three groups: control group, bladder‐outlet‐obstruction group, and bladder‐outlet‐obstruction + naftopidil group. Bladder‐outlet‐obstruction surgery was performed in the bladder‐outlet‐obstruction and bladder‐outlet‐obstruction + naftopidil groups. The control group received sham‐operation. The bladder‐outlet‐obstruction + naftopidil group were treated with naftopidil (30 mg/kg) for 14 days after bladder‐outlet‐obstruction operation, while the control and bladder‐outlet‐obstruction groups were treated with vehicle. Continuous cystometry was performed 14 days after the surgery. Bladder blood flow was measured after 14 days using a pencil lens charge‐coupled device microscopy system. The bladder was then harvested for histology and measuring 8‐hydroxy‐2′‐deoxyguanosine tissue level by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

In cystometry, the bladder‐outlet‐obstruction rats showed bladder overactivity, while naftopidil treatment improved the cystometric pattern. The blood flow through the submucosal capillaries of the bladder base in the bladder‐outlet‐obstruction group was lesser than that in the control, whereas the bladder‐outlet‐obstruction + naftopidil group showed significantly greater blood flow than the bladder‐outlet‐obstruction group. The bladder tissue in the bladder‐outlet‐obstruction group showed a tendency to contain more hypertrophic detrusor muscle and inflammatory cells compared to those in the control group, while naftopidil treatment suppressed these histological changes. The 8‐hydroxy‐2′‐deoxyguanosine levels in the bladder tissue significantly differed among the three groups (the bladder‐outlet‐obstruction group > the bladder‐outlet‐obstruction + naftopidil group > the control group).

Conclusions

Naftopidil improved bladder overactivity as well as the impaired bladder blood flow.caused by bladder‐outlet‐obstruction.
Post‐radiation fibrosarcoma of the cerebrum associated with a prominent, lace‐like, perivascular, desmoplastic change
Authors: Shintaku Masayuki , Adachi Yasushi , Takeuchi Yasuhide , Yamamoto Daisuke , Koyama Junji
Published: November 2015

An intra‐axial tumor measuring about 4 cm was excised from the right temporal lobe of a 35‐year‐old woman, who had a past history of resection of craniopharyngioma and postoperative radiation 21 years earlier. The tumor involved both the cortex and white matter, but was not attached to the dura mater. It consisted of a dense, interlacing, fascicular proliferation of atypical fibroblastic cells and was associated with an extensive, lace‐like, desmoplastic change mainly involving the perivascular region around the tumor and overlying the subarachnoid space. The histopathological features of the desmoplastic change resembled meningioangiomatosis, but no proliferation of meningothelial cells was noted. The patient has been free from recurrence for 12 months since the operation. The association of primary cerebral fibrosarcoma with an extensive, lace‐like, perivascular, desmoplastic change has not been documented in the literature. The radiation administered 21 years previously may have played some pathogenetic role in the perivascular desmoplastic change, and a malignant transformation of fibroblasts within the perivascular collagenous tissue is considered the most likely origin of the fibrosarcoma.
Sporadic MM2‐thalamic + cortical Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease: Utility of diffusion tensor imaging in the detection of cortical involvement in vivo
Authors: Grau‐Rivera Oriol , Sánchez‐Valle Raquel , Bargalló Nuria , Lladó Albert , Gaig Carles , Nos Carlos , Ferrer Isidre , Graus Francesc , Gelpi Ellen
Published: November 2015

In sporadic Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease (sCJD), high signal intensity in fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) and diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) sequences in striatum and/or cortical regions of the brain are present in about 83% of cases, reflecting tissue damage, such as spongiform change and abnormal prion protein deposits. Novel diffusion sequences of MRI might improve the detection of CJD characteristic changes in the subset of patients in whom these alterations are absent or less evident. We report a neuropathologically confirmed case of the rare MM2 T + C subtype of sCJD, with mixed clinical and neuropathological features of MM2 thalamic and MM2 cortical subtypes, in whom the use of diffusion tensor imaging helped to identify cortical hyperintensities that could be easily overlooked with conventional DWI.
Is There Catch‐Up Growth? Evidence from Three Continents
Authors: Handa Sudhanshu , Peterman Amber
Published: November 2015

The ability to correct deficiencies in early childhood malnutrition, what is known as catch‐up growth, has widespread consequences for economic and social development. While clinical evidence of catch‐up has been observed, less clear is the ability to correct for chronic malnutrition found in impoverished environments in the absence of extensive and focused interventions. This paper investigates whether nutritional status at early age affects nutritional status a few years later among children, using panel data from China, South Africa and Nicaragua. The key research question is the extent to which state dependence in linear growth exists among young children, and what family and community level factors mediate state dependency. The answer to this question is crucial for public policy due to the long‐term economic consequences of poor childhood nutrition. Results show strong but not perfect persistence in nutritional status across all countries, indicating that catch‐up growth is possible though unobserved household behaviours tend to worsen the possibility of catch‐up growth. Public policy that can influence these behaviours, especially when children are under 24 months old, can significantly alter nutrition outcomes in South Africa and Nicaragua.
Back to the Unchanging Past
Authors: Baron Sam
Published: November 2015

The standard philosophical view of time travel has it that time travelers cannot change the past. It has been argued by some that the standard view is false, and that this can be shown using a two‐dimensional model of time. I defend the standard view against this attack. I show, first, that the addition of a second temporal dimension does not provide a model of changing the past and, second, that neither does the addition of n temporal dimensions for any n > 1.
Risperidone, quetiapine and chlorpromazine may have induced priapism in an adolescent
Authors: Baytunca Muharrem Burak , Kose Sezen , Ozbaran Burcu , Erermis Serpil
Published: November 2015

Priapism is the prolonged, painful erection of penile tissue not accompanied by sexual arousal. Priapism has been established as a rare adverse drug reaction to drugs such as antipsychotics, psychostimulants, antidepressants, and mood stabilizers. Immediate intervention is needed to prevent destructive and irreversible complications, such as erectile dysfunction, disfigurement, inability of the penis to stay erect, and related social/emotional problems. Antipsychotic‐induced priapism may result from the alpha receptor occupancy property of those drugs. We report the case of a 13‐year‐old suffering from attention deficit–hyperactivity disorder plus conduct disorder with priapism related to antipsychotics. Episodes occurred with risperidone plus methylphenidate, quetiapine plus methylphenidate, and chlorpromazine alone.
Primary renal neuroblastoma with metastasis and matrix metalloproteinase‐14 expression
Authors: Zenitani Masahiro , Uehara Shuichiro , Miyashita Emiko , Hashii Yoshiko , Oue Takaharu , Okuyama Hiroomi
Published: November 2015

We herein report the rare case of a 4‐year–5‐month‐old boy who presented with primary renal neuroblastoma. The patient developed repeated lung and liver metastatic recurrences, but, following a combination of chemotherapy, radiation therapy and aggressive surgical resection, the patient is now in remission. To investigate the pathogenesis of lung metastasis, immunohistochemistry was performed for matrix metalloproteinase‐9 and ‐14 (MMP‐9 and MMP‐14), molecular markers of invasion, metastasis and angiogenesis in neuroblastoma. In the present case, MMP‐9 expression was not observed, but MMP‐14 expression was detected in the primary lesion and was more highly expressed in the metastatic lesion compared with the primary one. Given the MMP‐14 staining in other cases, expression of MMP‐14 may be associated with the aggressiveness of the tumor. This suggests that selected clones with high MMP‐14 expression in the primary tumor might metastasize and form MMP‐14‐rich lesions.
Tick‐borne encephalitis in a child with previous history of completed primary vaccination
Authors: Zlamy Manuela , Haberlandt Edda , Brunner Jürgen , Dozcy Ludwig , Rostasy Kevin
Published: November 2015

We report the case of a 13‐year‐old girl who presented with fever, headache, nausea and pain behind the right ear. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF; leukocytes 227/μL), electroencephalogram and cerebral magnetic resonance imaging were indicative of meningoencephalitis. Despite intensive therapy the general condition worsened and the patient was admitted to the intensive care unit. Serological analysis of CSF and serum indicated acute tick‐borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) infection (IgG and IgM positive). TBEV infection has been reported after incomplete and complete vaccination. TBEV vaccination breakthrough in childhood has been shown to cause severe disease. It has been suggested that immunized patients develop more severe disease due to altered immune response, but the exact mechanism is unknown. In the presence of typical symptoms and a history of vaccination, possible vaccination breakthrough or missing booster vaccination should be considered.
Mutant neurogenin‐3 in a Turkish boy with congenital malabsorptive diarrhea
Authors: Ünlüsoy Aksu Aysel , Eğritaş Gürkan Ödül , Sarı Sinan , Demirtaş Zeliha , Türkyılmaz Canan , Poyraz Aylar , Dalgıç Buket
Published: November 2015

Congenital diarrheal disorders are caused by disruption in nutrient digestion, absorption, or transport, enterocyte development and functioning, or enteroendocrine functioning. Many additional rare forms of congenital diarrhea are expected to be linked to genes associated with appropriate intestinal fluid and electrolyte balance. Neurogenin‐3 mutation, a very rare form of congenital diarrhea, disrupts enteroendocrine cell differentiation and is characterized by malabsorption and the absence of pancreatic islet cells. Diabetes mellitus is typically associated with malabsorptive diarrhea at early onset or at later presentation in neurogenin‐3 mutation. Here, we describe the case of an infant with homozygous neurogenin‐3 mutation who had severe malabsorptive diarrhea and episodes of hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis after birth. Remarkably, cholestyramine was effective at reducing stool volume and frequency and improved the consistency of the stools; diabetes was not present in this patient.
Daylight‐mediated photodynamic therapy for actinic damage in Latin America: consensus recommendations
Authors: Grinblat Beni , Galimberti Gaston , Chouela Edgardo , Sanclemente Gloria , Lopez Miguel , Alcala Daniel , Torezan Luís , Pantoja Gonzalo
Published: November 2015

Although conventional photodynamic therapy (c‐PDT) using methyl aminolevulinate cream (MAL) is effective for the treatment of grade I‐II facial and scalp actinic keratosis (AK), it is associated with treatment‐related pain for some patients. Daylight‐mediated PDT (DL‐PDT) has shown similar efficacy to c‐PDT, was nearly painless, and was well tolerated. Overall, DL‐PDT effectively treats AK and offers a simpler and better tolerated treatment option than c‐PDT. This consensus panel provided recommendations on the use of DL‐PDT in Latin America (LATAM) for the treatment of actinic damage associated with few or multiple AKs. The panel was comprised of eight dermatologists from different LATAM countries who have experience using PDT for the treatment of actinic damage. The panel reviewed the relevant literature and provided personal expertise with regard to using DL‐PDT for the treatment of photodamage with or without AK. The recommendations formulated by the expert panel provide evidence‐based guidelines on all aspects of DL‐PDT for the treatment of actinic damage associated with AK in different regions of LATAM. These recommendations provide guidance for dermatologists to ensure maintenance of efficacy and safety of DL‐PDT when treating actinic damage, associated with few or multiple AKs in sun‐exposed skin.
Monetary Reference Points of Managers – Empirical Evidence of Status Quo Preferences and Social Comparisons
Authors: Grund Christian , Martin Johannes
Published: November 2015

We explore whether monetary reference points affect managers′ job satisfaction. These reference points include a manager′s own status quo and the incomes of comparable managers within the same firm and also at the market level. Making use of a unique panel data set of managers in the German chemical sector, we find that social comparisons of compensation do affect reported job satisfaction. Both the relative income position within a manager's own firm and a manager's wage rank on the market have positive relations with job satisfaction. There is no evidence of the relevance of status quo considerations once we control for firm‐related pay variables.
Different wound healing properties of dermis, adipose, and gingiva mesenchymal stromal cells
Authors: Boink Mireille A. , van den Broek Lenie J. , Roffel Sanne , Nazmi Kamran , Bolscher Jan G.M. , Gefen Amit , Veerman Enno C.I. , Gibbs Susan
Published: November 2015

Oral wounds heal faster and with better scar quality than skin wounds. Deep skin wounds where adipose tissue is exposed, have a greater risk of forming hypertrophic scars. Differences in wound healing and final scar quality might be related to differences in mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) and their ability to respond to intrinsic (autocrine) and extrinsic signals, such as human salivary histatin, epidermal growth factor, and transforming growth factor beta1. Dermis‐, adipose‐, and gingiva‐derived MSC were compared for their regenerative potential with regards to proliferation, migration, and matrix contraction. Proliferation was assessed by cell counting and migration using a scratch wound assay. Matrix contraction and alpha smooth muscle actin was assessed in MSC populated collagen gels, and also in skin and gingival full thickness tissue engineered equivalents (reconstructed epithelium on MSC populated matrix). Compared to skin‐derived MSC, gingiva MSC showed greater proliferation and migration capacity, and less matrix contraction in full thickness tissue equivalents, which may partly explain the superior oral wound healing. Epidermal keratinocytes were required for enhanced adipose MSC matrix contraction and alpha smooth muscle actin expression, and may therefore contribute to adverse scarring in deep cutaneous wounds. Histatin enhanced migration without influencing proliferation or matrix contraction in all three MSC, indicating that salivary peptides may have a beneficial effect on wound closure in general. Transforming growth factor beta1 enhanced contraction and alpha smooth muscle actin expression in all three MSC types when incorporated into collagen gels. Understanding the mechanisms responsible for the superior oral wound healing will aid us to develop advanced strategies for optimal skin regeneration, wound healing and scar formation.
Mechanistic Three-Dimensional Analytical Solutions for a Direct
Liquid Fuel Cell Stack
Authors: Ling Chun Yu , Han Ming , Chen Yunzhong , Birgersson Erik
Published: November 2015

An optimal or near to optimal design and operation of a direct liquid fuel cell (DLFC) stack requires an understanding of the relevant physical phenomena across length scales in the stack. In particular, perturbations between cells can arise due to external manifold design as well as variations in material and design parameters between cells. In this work, we seek to derive closed-form analytical expressions that capture the global stack performance, as well as individual cell behavior such as cell potential, current density, and methanol distribution. This approach allows for the simulation of large stacks with near to negligible computational overhead. Finally, the solutions are demonstrated for a stack subjected to perturbations in the anode inlet velocity of each cell.
Synthesis and Characterization of Polyion Complex Membranes Made of Aminated Polyetherimide and Sulfonated Polyethersulfone for Fuel Cell Applications
Authors: Harsha N. , Kalyani S. , Basava Rao V. V. , Sridhar S.
Published: November 2015

Acid–base blends of sulfonated polyethersulfone (SPES) with pristine and aminated polyetherimide (APEI) are synthesized. Three blends polyethersulfone (PES)/polyetherimide (PEI), SPES/PEI, and SPES/APEI are prepared and characterized to evaluate their structural, morphological, mechanical, and other properties. Ion exchange capacity (IEC) of SPES/APEI and SPES/PEI blend membranes was determined to be 3.0 and 2.7 meq g−1, which is a substantial improvement over the 1.0 meq g−1 exhibited by unmodified PES/PEI blend. The proton conductivity of 0.093 S cm−1 displayed by SPES/APEI blend is found to be comparable to that of commercial Nafion membrane (0.056 S cm−1) and far superior to conductivities of 0.091 and 0.082 S cm−1 shown by SPES/PEI and PES/PEI blends, respectively. Further, water sorption observed in case of SPES/APEI and SPES/PEI blends was in the range 17–18% over a soaking time period of 12 hrs, which is ideal for proton conduction accompanied by low-membrane swelling. The methanol permeabilities of SPES/APEI and SPES/PEI blends are found to be 2.5 × 10−7 and 3.47 × 10−7 cm2 s−1, respectively. Compared to unmodified PES/PEI blend which revealed a methanol sorption of 12.3%, the modified blends SPES/PEI (9.6%) and SPES/APEI (7.5%) exhibited much lower methanol uptake over a sorption time of 12 hrs, indicating their capacity for low fuel bypass. The results demonstrate the promising potential of polymer blends made by combining a sulfonated polymer with an aminated polymer, such as SPES/APEI for fuel cell (FC) applications.
Performance of a planar virtual sound barrier at the baffled opening of a rectangular cavity
Authors: Wang Shuping , Tao Jiancheng , Qiu Xiaojun
Published: November 2015

This paper proposes to reduce the radiation of a sound source inside a cavity through the baffled opening by using an array of loudspeakers and microphones. The system is called a planar virtual sound barrier because it acts like a concrete sound barrier to block the transmission of sound but does not affect light and air circulation. An analytical model for the planar virtual sound barrier is developed based on the modal superposition method to calculate the sound field in and outside a rectangular cavity with a baffled opening. After the model is verified with numerical simulations, a performance study of the planar virtual sound barrier is carried out based on the proposed analytical model, and then the results are confirmed by experiments. The mechanisms of the planar virtual sound barrier are investigated and it is found that three mechanisms work together in the system, including changing the impedance of the primary source, modal control, and modal rearrangement. It is also found that there exist some frequencies where the sound cannot be controlled if all the secondary sources are on the same plane parallel to the opening, and the reasons behind the phenomenon are explained.
Does a More Centrally Located School Promote Walking to School? Spatial Centrality in School-Neighborhood Settings
Authors: Kim Hyung Jin , Lee Chanam
Published: November 2015

Background:

A public elementary school has traditionally functioned as an important center of a neighborhood, but this role has diminished with sprawling urban developments. Despite the large number of studies of children’s walking to/from school (WTS), the school’s location in relation to the larger neighborhood context has not been fully explored. This study is to examine the relationship between school’s spatial centrality and children’s WTS in urban, suburban and rural settings.

Methods:

this study used school travel tally (11,721 students), environment audit, GIS and census data from 71 elementary school/neighborhoods in Texas, and employed the closeness centrality index to estimate a school’s spatial centrality. Data were collected from 2009–2012.

Results:

After controlling for neighborhood characteristics, it was found that more centrally located schools are likely to have higher proportions of WTS in the neighborhoods. And, among urban, suburban and rural settings, urban schools were the most and rural schools were the least likely to be centrally-located in the neighborhoods.

Conclusions:

The findings offer implications on school and community planning policies that can help promote WTS. Spatial centrality measures can be effective tools to identify environmental factors in complex urban networks related to human behaviors and community-based activities.
Draft Genome Sequence of
Bacillus
Species from the Rhizosphere of the Desert Plant
Rhazya stricta
Authors: Abo-Aba S. E. M. , Sabir Jamal S. M. , Baeshen Mohammed N. , Sabir Meshaal J. , Mutwakil Mohammed H. Z. , Baeshen Nabih A. , D’Amore Rosalinda , Hall Neil
Published: November 2015

In order to better understand the ecology and diversity of microbes in the rhizosphere of desert plants, we undertook a survey of
Bacillus
species isolated from soil around
Rhazya stricta
plants from the area around Jeddah, in The Kingdom, Saudi Arabia. We have sequenced the genomes of 8
Bacillus
isolates representing four different species.
Complete Genome Sequences of Four Escherichia coli ST95 Isolates from Bloodstream Infections
Authors: Stephens Craig M. , Skerker Jeffrey M. , Sekhon Manraj S. , Arkin Adam P. , Riley Lee W.
Published: November 2015

Finished genome sequences are presented for four
Escherichia coli
strains isolated from bloodstream infections at San Francisco General Hospital. These strains provide reference sequences for four major
fimH
-identified sublineages within the multilocus sequence type (MLST) ST95 group, and provide insights into pathogenicity and differential antimicrobial susceptibility within this group.
Draft Genome Sequence of Pseudoalteromonas tetraodonis Strain UCD-SED8 (Phylum
Gammaproteobacteria
)
Authors: Lee Ruth D. , Jospin Guillaume , Lang Jenna M. , Eisen Jonathan A. , Coil David A.
Published: November 2015

Here, we present the draft genome sequence of
Pseudoalteromonas tetraodonis
UCD-SED8, a marine bacterium normally associated with the production of tetrodotoxin in pufferfish. This strain was isolated from sediment samples surrounding
Zostera marina
roots collected from Bodega Marine, California. The assembly consists of 4,017,727 bp contained in 35 contigs.
Complete Genome Sequence of the Human Gut Symbiont Roseburia hominis
Authors: Travis Anthony J. , Kelly Denise , Flint Harry J. , Aminov Rustam I.
Published: November 2015

We report here the complete genome sequence of the human gut symbiont
Roseburia hominis
A2-183
T
(= DSM 16839
T
= NCIMB 14029
T
), isolated from human feces. The genome is represented by a 3,592,125-bp chromosome with 3,405 coding sequences. A number of potential functions contributing to host-microbe interaction are identified.
Genome Sequence of
Citrobacter
sp. CtB7.12, Isolated from the Gut of the Desert Subterranean Termite
Heterotermes aureus
Authors: Fontes-Perez Héctor , Olvera-García Myrna , Chávez-Martínez America , Rodriguez-Almeida Felipe A. , Arzola-Alvarez Claudio A. , Sanchez-Flores Alejandro , Corral-Luna Agustín
Published: November 2015

The draft genome of
Citrobacter
sp. CtB7.12, isolated from termite gut, is presented here. This organism has been reported as a cellulolytic bacterium, which is biotechnologically important because it can be used as a gene donor for the ethanol and biofuel industries.
Draft Genome Sequences of Nine Streptococcus suis Strains Isolated in the United States
Authors: Hau Samantha J. , Bayles Darrell O. , Alt David P. , Brockmeier Susan L. , Frana Timothy S. , Nicholson Tracy L.
Published: November 2015

Streptococcus suis
is a swine pathogen responsible for economic losses to the pig industry worldwide. Additionally, it is a zoonotic agent that can cause severe infections in those in close contact with infected pigs and/or who consume uncooked or undercooked pork products. Here, we report nine draft genome sequences of
S. suis
.
Genome Sequence of Porphyromonas gingivalis Strain AJW4
Authors: Xie Gary , Chastain-Gross Ryan P. , Bélanger Myriam , Kumar Dibyendu , Whitlock Joan A. , Liu Li , Farmerie William G. , Daligault Hajnalka E. , Han Cliff S. , Brettin Thomas S. , Progulske-Fox Ann
Published: November 2015

Porphyromonas gingivalis
is associated with oral and systemic diseases. Strain-specific
P. gingivalis
invasion phenotypes have been correlated with disease presentation in infected laboratory animals. Here, we present the genome sequence of AJW4, a minimally invasive strain, with a single contig of 2,372,492 bp and a G+C content of 48.27%.
Draft Genome Sequence of “
Candidatus
Liberibacter asiaticus” from
Diaphorina citri
in Guangdong, China
Authors: Wu F. , Zheng Z. , Deng X. , Cen Y. , Liang G. , Chen J.
Published: November 2015

The draft genome sequence of “
Candidatus
Liberibacter asiaticus” strain YCPsy from an Asian citrus psyllid (
Diaphorina citri
) in Guangdong, China, is reported here. The YCPsy strain has a genome size of 1,233,647 bp, 36.5% G+C content, 1,171 open reading frames (ORFs), and 53 RNAs.
Genome Sequence of Acinetobacter baumannii Strain 10441_14 Belonging to ST451, Isolated from India
Authors: Kumar Sunil , Patil Prashant P. , Midha Samriti , Ray Pallab , Patil Prabhu B. , Gautam Vikas
Published: November 2015

Acinetobacter baumannii
resistance to carbapenems is of global concern. Here, we report the 3.9 Mb draft genome of a cerebrospinal fluid isolate of
A. baumannii
strain 10441_14 which is carbapenem resistant and belongs to ST451. This genome will further help in the understanding of the drug resistance mechanism, epidemiology, and pathology of this bacterium.
Discovery of Serum Proteomic Biomarkers for Prediction of Response to Moxibustion Treatment in Rats with Collagen-Induced Arthritis: An Exploratory Analysis
Authors: Xu Xiao , Wang Miao-Miao , Sun Zhi-ling , Zhou Dan-ping , Wang Ling , Wang Fu-qiang , Xu Zhi-yang , Ma Qian
Published: November 2015

Objective

To examine the possible impact of moxibustion on the serum proteome of the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rat model.

Materials and Methods

Thirty-six male Sprague-Dawley rats were included in this experiment. The CIA animal model was prepared by injection of type II bovine collagen in Freund's adjuvant on the first and seventh day. The 36 rats were randomly divided into two groups: the untreated CIA group (control), and the CIA plus treatment with moxibustion (CIA+moxi) group. Moxibustion was administered daily at ST36 and BL23 for 7, 14 or 21 days (n=12 rats each). Arthritis score was used to assess the severity of arthritis. At the end of each 7 day treatment, blood samples from the control group and the CIA+moxi group were collected. After removal of high abundance proteins from serum samples, two-dimensional gel combined with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionisation time-of-flight MS/MS (MALDI-TOF-MS/MS) techniques were performed to examine serum protein expression patterns of the CIA rat model with and without moxibustion treatment. In addition, the relevant proteins were further analysed with the use of bioinformatics analysis.

Results

Moxibustion significantly decreased arthritis severity in the rats in the CIA+moxi group, when compared with the rats in the CIA group 35 days after the first immunisation (p=0.001). Seventeen protein spots which changed >1.33 or <0.77 at p<0.05 using Bonferonni correction for multiple testing were found to be common to all three comparisons, and these proteins were used for classification of functions using the Gene Ontology method. Consequently, with the use of the Ingenuity Pathway Analysis, the top canonical pathways and a predicted proteomic network related to the moxibustion effect of CIA were established.

Conclusions

Using the proteomics technique, we have identified novel candidate proteins that may be involved in the mechanisms of action underlying the beneficial effects of moxibustion in rats with CIA. Our findings suggest that immune responses and metabolic processes may be involved in mediating the effects of moxibustion. Moreover, periodxiredoxin I (PRDX1) and inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor (IP3R) may be potential targets.
Use of a new generation of adaptive servo ventilation for sleep-disordered breathing in patients with multiple system atrophy
Authors: Hamada Satoshi , Takahashi Ryosuke , Mishima Michiaki , Chin Kazuo
Published: November 2015

A 70-year-old man (case 1) and a 64-year-old woman (case 2) with multiple system atrophy (MSA) and snoring were admitted for polysomnography. Their awake PaCO2indicated normocapnia. Apnoea–hypopnoea index (AHI), max transcutaneous carbon dioxide partial pressure (PtcCO2) and ΔPtcCO2(max PtcCO2(during sleep)—baseline PtcCO2(while awake)) were 11.4/h, 63 mm Hg and 18 mm Hg, respectively, in case 1 and 53.1/h, 59 mm Hg and 13 mm Hg, respectively, in case 2. Their sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) was diagnosed as obstructive sleep apnoea with hypoventilation. We thought that variable expiratory positive airway pressure and pressure support ventilation (advanced-adaptive servo ventilation (ASV)) might be favourable for their SDB. Polysomnography after introducing advanced-ASV revealed that AHI, max PtcCO2and ΔPtcCO2were 0.2/h, 53 mm Hg and 5 mm Hg, respectively, in case 1 and 1.5/h, 56 mm Hg and 9 mm Hg, respectively, in case 2. Advanced-ASV for treating Cheyne-Stokes breathing may be helpful in SDB in patients with MSA.
Giant accessory breast: a rare occurrence reported, with a review of the literature
Authors: Hiremath Bharati , Subramaniam Narayana , Chandrashekhar Nayan
Published: November 2015

Polymastia, or the presence of supranumerary breasts, occurs in 2–6% of the female population, the spectrum of the disorder ranging between a small mole and a fully functional ectopic breast. They are often asymptomatic but require treatment when symptomatic or if they harbour malignancy. We present a case of a 41-year-old woman with an accessory breast in the left inframammary fold, which increased in size over the decade following her first pregnancy, to reach a size almost three times that of her right breast. Preoperative fine-needle aspiration and ultrasound was suggestive of accessory breast tissue, distinct from the left breast. Intraoperatively, a 14×10×8 cm accessory breast was found in the inframammary fold, distinct from the left breast and having an accessory nipple areola complex as well. A simple mastectomy was performed with trimming and rotation of the inframammary flap. The patient was happy with the cosmetic outcome. This article also reviews the literature and covers classification of polymastia, diagnostic complexities and challenges associated with surgery.
Combined surgical treatment for severe sleep apnoea, to improve BiPAP compliance
Authors: Başal Yeşim , Akyıldız Utku Oğan , Eryilmaz Aylin
Published: November 2015

Positive airway pressure (PAP) devices are used in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome (OSAS). In cases of PAP failure, many different surgical methods can be used for the treatment. The authors present an unusual case of a patient with Bi-level PAP (BiPAP)-intolerant severe OSAS who was treated with combined surgical methods. A 55-year-old man was treated with BiPAP due to OSAS; he was admitted to the clinic with nose stuffiness, respiratory distress and BiPAP adherence with tolerance and compliance problems. Septal deviation, concha hypertrophy, lateral pharyngeal band hypertrophy and Thornwaldt cyst were determined in the examination. Combined surgical methods were administered. The patient's apnoea hypopnoea index (AHI) was 72.8 in diagnostic polysomnography. Preoperative AHI was 7.3 and postoperative AHI was 2.3 while using BiPAP and, after the surgery, the BiPAP intolerance was eliminated. The authors suggest that a combination of different surgical methods would be an adjuvant treatment to increase BiPAP compliance.
Chondrosarcoma of the hyoid bone: an atypical site of a sarcoma of the head and the neck
Authors: Horta Mariana , Fernandes Leonor , Borges Alexandra
Published: November 2015

We describe a case of a 73-year-old man with a chondrosarcoma of the hyoid bone. The patient presented with a painless palpable lump in the upper anterior cervical region that had been growing for over 10 months. Fine-needle aspiration cytology suggested pleomorphic adenoma but further imaging investigation with CT revealed an exophytic tumour originating from the body of the hyoid bone with prominent chondroid-like calcifications typical of a chondrosarcoma. Histopathology of the surgical specimen confirmed the diagnosis of a moderately differentiated chondrosarcoma. Chondrosarcomas account for 11% of all bone cancers, of which up to 12% are in the head and neck. Primary sites of the head and the neck include the skull base, the nasal cavity, the maxilla, the mandible and the larynx. Chondrosarcomas of the hyoid bone are exceptionally rare, with only 20 such cases previously reported in the English literature.
Making comparative performance information more comprehensible: an experimental evaluation of the impact of formats on consumer understanding
Authors: Damman Olga C , De Jong Anco , Hibbard Judith H , Timmermans Danielle R M
Published: November 2015

Study objectives

We aimed to investigate how different presentation formats influence comprehension and use of comparative performance information (CPI) among consumers.

Methods

An experimental between-subjects and within-subjects design with manipulations of CPI presentation formats. We enrolled both consumers with lower socioeconomic status (SES)/cognitive skills and consumers with higher SES/cognitive skills, recruited through an online access panel. Respondents received fictitious CPI and completed questions about interpretation and information use. Between subjects, we tested (1) displaying an overall performance score (yes/no); (2) displaying a small number of quality indicators (5 vs 9); and (3) displaying different types of evaluative symbols (star ratings, coloured dots and word icons vs numbers and bar graphs). Within subjects, we tested the effect of a reduced number of healthcare providers (5 vs 20). Data were analysed using descriptive analysis, analyses of variance and paired-sampled t tests.

Results

A total of 902 (43%) respondents participated. Displaying an overall performance score and the use of coloured dots and word icons particularly enhanced consumer understanding. Importantly, respondents provided with coloured dots most often correctly selected the top three healthcare providers (84.3%), compared with word icons (76.6% correct), star ratings (70.6% correct), numbers (62.0%) and bars (54.2%) when viewing performance scores of 20 providers. Furthermore, a reduced number of healthcare providers appeared to support consumers, for example, when provided with 20 providers, 69.5% correctly selected the top three, compared with 80.2% with five providers.

Discussion

Particular presentation formats enhanced consumer understanding of CPI, most importantly the use of overall performance scores, word icons and coloured dots, and a reduced number of providers displayed. Public report efforts should use these formats to maximise impact on consumers.
New therapeutic strategies regarding endovascular treatment of glioblastoma, the role of the blood–brain barrier and new ways to bypass it
Authors: Peschillo S , Caporlingua A , Diana F , Caporlingua F , Delfini R
Published: November 2015

The treatment protocols for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) involve a combination of surgery, radiotherapy and adjuvant chemotherapy. Despite this multimodal approach, the prognosis of patients with GBM remains poor and there is an urgent need to develop novel strategies to improve quality of life and survival in this population. In an effort to improve outcomes, intra-arterial drug delivery has been used in many recent clinical trials; however, their results have been conflicting. The blood–brain barrier (BBB) is the major obstacle preventing adequate concentrations of chemotherapy agents being reached in tumor tissue, regardless of the method of delivering the drugs. Therapeutic failures have often been attributed to an inability of drugs to cross the BBB. However, during the last decade, a better understanding of BBB physiology along with the development of new technologies has led to innovative methods to circumvent this barrier. This paper focuses on strategies and techniques used to bypass the BBB already tested in clinical trials in humans and also those in their preclinical stage. We also discuss future therapeutic scenarios, including endovascular treatment combined with BBB disruption techniques, for patients with GBM.
Assessment of v‐gel supraglottic airway device placement in cats performed by inexperienced veterinary students
Authors: Barletta M. , Kleine S. A. , Quandt J. E.
Published: November 2015

Endotracheal intubation has been associated with several complications in cats. The v‐gel supraglottic airway device (SGAD) has been developed to adapt to the unique oropharynx of the cat and to overcome these complications. Thirty‐three cats were randomly assigned to receive an endotracheal tube (ETT group) or a v‐gel SGAD (v‐gel group) after induction of general anaesthesia. Third year veterinary students without previous clinical experience placed these devices under direct supervision of an anaesthesiologist. Amount of propofol, number of attempts, time required to secure the airway, leakage around the device, signs of upper airway discomfort and food consumption were compared between the two groups. The v‐gel group required less propofol (P=0.03), less time (P<0.01) and fewer attempts (P<0.01) to secure the cats’ airway. The incidence of leakage was lower for the v‐gel group immediately after placement of the device (P<0.01) and 60 minutes after induction of general anaesthesia (P=0.04). Cats that received the v‐gel SGAD presented a lower incidence of upper airway discomfort immediately after the device was removed (P=0.03) and recorded a higher food consumption score (P=0.03). The v‐gel SGAD is a feasible way to secure the airway of healthy cats when performed by inexperienced personnel.
Temperature and its impact on predation risk within aquatic ecosystems
Authors: Pink Melissa , Abrahams Mark V.
Published: November 2015

Metabolic rates of fish and their activity levels have thermal optima. When environmental temperatures are below these optima, increasing temperature will increase their rates of energy consumption, resulting in a corresponding increase in the risk of starvation. For that reason we predicted that within this temperature range, food is of greater value at higher temperatures so fish should be willing to incur greater costs to obtain it. To test this hypothesis, we measured how the activity and foraging rates of the fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) changed with temperature at 4, 15, and 24 °C. As expected, fish activity and foraging were greater at higher temperatures. We then measured the impact of predation risk on foraging decisions at 5, 15, and 23 °C. At 5 and 15 °C, the risk of predation had a significant effect on foraging decisions, but there was no effect at 23 °C. These results demonstrate that increasing temperatures below their optimal level diminish the impact of predation risk on foraging behaviour and may mean that the direct consumptive effect of predators on aquatic communities will be greater at warmer temperatures while the risk of predation will become a less important factor, and vice versa.
IMPACT OF WILDFIRES AND FLOODS ON PROPERTY VALUES: A BEFORE AND AFTER ANALYSIS
Authors: ATHUKORALA WASANTHA , MARTIN WADE , NEELAWALA PRASAD , RAJAPAKSA DARSHANA , WILSON CLEVO
Published: November 2015

One of the most evident casualties of a natural disaster is the property market. The private and social costs from such events run into millions of dollars. In this paper, we use a unique dataset to examine the impact on residential house prices affected by natural disasters using a hedonic property (HP) values approach. For this purpose, we use data before and after a wildfire and floods from Rockhampton in central Queensland, Australia. The data is unique because one suburb was affected by wildfires and another was affected by floods. For the analysis, three suburbs namely Frenchville, Park Avenue and Norman Gardens are used. Frenchville was significantly affected by wildfires in the latter part of 2009 and to a lesser extent in 2012, while Park Avenue was affected by floods at the end of 2010, January 2011–2013. Norman Gardens, which was relatively unaffected, is used as a control site. This enables us to examine the before and after effects on property values in the three suburbs. The results confirm that soon after a natural disaster property prices in affected areas decrease even though the large majority of individual houses remain unaffected. Furthermore, the results indicate that the largely unaffected suburb may gain immediately after a natural disaster but this gain may disappear if natural disasters continue to occur in the area/region due to the stigma created. The results have several important policy decision and welfare implications which are briefly discussed in the paper.
Heavy quark jets at the LHC
Authors: Voutilainen Mikko
Published: November 2015

We summarize measurements of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] jet production at the LHC, which are an important signature and background for decays of massive particles such as [Formula: see text]. These include measurements of the inclusive and dijet production of heavy quark jets, [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] jets produced in association with vector bosons [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], and decays of boosted [Formula: see text] bosons into pairs of [Formula: see text]. The current status of [Formula: see text] tagging and [Formula: see text] jet energy scale is also reviewed. These measurements test perturbative QCD in the four and five-flavor number schemes, and provide insight into the relative importance of heavy flavor production through flavor creation, flavor excitation and gluon splitting channels. The [Formula: see text] measurement provides additionally a powerful way to probe the strange quark and antiquark sea in the proton. The recent studies looking separately at production of one and two [Formula: see text] jets find generally good agreement with theory predictions for two [Formula: see text]-jet production, while some discrepancies are observed for singly produced [Formula: see text] jets, particularly at large [Formula: see text]-jet [Formula: see text], where gluon splitting becomes dominant.
Mechanical, electronic and thermodynamic properties of full Heusler compounds Fe2VX(X = Al, Ga)
Authors: Khalfa M. , Khachai H. , Chiker F. , Baki N. , Bougherara K. , Yakoubi A. , Murtaza G. , Harmel M. , Abu-Jafar M. S. , Omran S. Bin , Khenata R.
Published: November 2015

The electronic structure, mechanical and thermodynamic properties of Fe2VX, (with X = Al and Ga), have been studied self consistently by employing state-of-the-art full-potential linearized approach of augmented plane wave plus local orbitals (FP-LAPW + lo) method. The exchange-correlation potential is treated with the local density and generalized gradient approximations (LDA and GGA). Our predicted ground state properties such as lattice constants, bulk modulus and elastic constants appear more accurate when we employed the GGA rather than the LDA, and these results are in very good agreement with the available experimental and theoretical data. Further, thermodynamic properties of Fe2VAl and Fe2VGa are predicted with pressure and temperature in the ranges of 0–40 GPa and 0–1500 K using the quasi-harmonic Debye model. We have obtained successfully the variations of the heat capacities, primitive cell volume and volume expansion coefficient.