bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Life Cycle of Hammondia hammondi (Apicomplexa: Sarcocystidae) in Cats
Authors: Dubey Jitender P. , Ferguson David J. P.
Published: October 2014

Hammondia hammondi and Toxoplasma gondii are feline coccidians that are morphologically, antigenically, and phylogenitically related. Both parasites multiply asexually and sexually in feline intestinal enterocytes, but H. hammondi remains confined to enterocytes whereas T. gondii also parasitizes extra‐intestinal tissues of the cat. Here, we studied multiplication of H. hammondi in feline intestine and compared with T. gondii cycle. Five parasite–free cats were inoculated orally with tissue cysts and free bradyzoites from skeletal muscles of gamma interferon gene knockout mice and killed at 1, 3, 4, 6, and 7 d later. At 1 and 3 d post inoculation (DPI), numerous individual intracellular bradyzoites were detected in histological sections of small intestine. At 4 DPI only schizonts were found and they were located in enterocyte cytoplasm above the host cell nucleus. At 6 and 7 DPI both schizonts and gamonts were seen and they were located in enterocytes. Ultrastucturally, schizogonic and gametogonic development of H. hammondi was similar to T. gondii. However, in H. hammondi merozoites rhoptries were longer, and coiled and contained more micronemes than in T. gondii. Ultrastructural development is illustrated in detail.
Personalized medicine in rheumatoid arthritis: is the glass half full or half empty?
Authors: Huizinga T. W. J.
Published: October 2014

The care of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been revolutionized since the 1990s. Strict monitoring and disease control based on measurement of signs and symptoms towards a target of low disease activity have improved outcome of patients enormously. As a result of treatment strategies based upon individualized measurement of disease activity, the clinical view of RA has changed from a destructive autoimmune disease (with a median joint damage of >10 Sharp units per year) to a condition in which significant damage can be prevented in the majority of patients. Moreover, a large number of targeted therapies (tumour necrosis factor, IL6, CD80/CD86 and CD20 inhibitors) have become available to better treat the underlying disease process. However, identification of the underlying pathways that drive the disease process in an individual patient has been relatively unsuccessful, implying that no predictive factors have been identified to guide the choice of a specific treatment. Distinct subsets of RA patients have been identified, based on the presence or absence of anticitrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs). These two subsets are associated with different environmental and genetic risk factors, histology and disease outcome (a more destructive disease course with more persistent joint inflammation is observed when ACPAs are present). Therefore, it is recommended that treatment should be guided towards a more consistently low level of disease activity in the presence of ACPAs than in the absence of the antibodies.
Effect of Bonding Agent Application Method on Titanium‐Ceramic Bond Strength
Authors: Curtis Joseph G. , Dossett Jon , Prihoda Thomas J. , Teixeira Erica C.
Published: October 2014

Purpose

Although milled titanium may be used as a substructure in fixed and implant prosthodontics, the application of the veneering porcelain presents particular challenges compared to traditional alloys. To address these challenges, some Ti ceramic systems incorporate the application of a bonding agent prior to the opaque layer. Vita Titankeramik's bonding agent is available as a powder, paste, and spray‐on formulation. We examined the effect of these three application methods on the bond strength.

Materials and Methods

Four titanium bars were milled from each of 11 wafers cut from grade II Ti using the Kavo Everest milling unit and a custom‐designed milling toolpath. An experienced technician prepared the 25 × 3 × 0.5 mm3 metal bars and applied bonding agent using one of three application methods, and then applied opaque, dentin, and enamel porcelains according to manufacturer's instructions to a 8 × 3 × 1 mm3 porcelain. A control group received no bonding agent prior to porcelain application. The four groups (n = 11) were blindly tested for differences in bond strength using a universal testing machine in a three‐point bend test configuration, based on ISO 9693–1:2012.

Results

The average (SD) bond strengths for the control, powder, paste, and spray‐on groups, respectively, were: 24.8 (2.6), 24.6 (2.6), 25.3 (4.0), and 24.1 (3.9) MPa. One‐way ANOVA and Tukey's multiple comparison tests were performed between all groups. There were no statistically significant differences among groups (p = 0.951).

Conclusion

Titanium‐porcelain bond strength was not affected by the use of a bonding agent or its application method when tested by ISO 9693–1 standard.
Ocular Defect Rehabilitation Using Photography and Digital Imaging: A Clinical Report
Authors: Buzayan Muaiyed M. , Ariffin Yusnidar T. , Yunus Norsiah , Mahmood Wan Adida Azina Binti
Published: October 2014

Ocular disorders occasionally necessitate surgical intervention that may lead to eye defects. The primary objective in restoring and rehabilitating such defects with an ocular prosthesis is to enable patients to cope better with associated psychological stress and to return to their accustomed lifestyle. A series of detailed steps for custom‐made ocular prosthesis fabrication using the advantages of digital photography to replace the conventional oil paint and monopoly iris painting technique are presented in this article. In the present case, a digital photograph of the patient's iris was captured using a digital camera and manipulated on a computer using graphic software to produce a replica of the natural iris. The described technique reduces treatment time, increases simplicity, and permits the patient's natural iris to be replicated without the need for iris painting and special artistic skills.
ON SELF‐NORMALIZATION FOR CENSORED DEPENDENT DATA
Authors: Huang Yinxiao , Volgushev Stanislav , Shao Xiaofeng
Published: October 2014

This article is concerned with confidence interval construction for functionals of the survival distribution for censored dependent data. We adopt the recently developed self‐normalization approach (Shao, 2010), which does not involve consistent estimation of the asymptotic variance, as implicitly used in the blockwise empirical likelihood approach of El Ghouch et al. (2011). We also provide a rigorous asymptotic theory to derive the limiting distribution of the self‐normalized quantity for a wide range of parameters. Additionally, finite‐sample properties of the self‐normalization‐based intervals are carefully examined, and a comparison with the empirical likelihood‐based counterparts is made.
Undetectable HCV‐RNA at treatment‐week 8 results in high‐sustained virological response in HCV G1 treatment‐experienced patients with advanced liver disease: the International Italian/Spanish Boceprevir/Peginterferon/Ribavirin Name Patients Program
Authors: Bruno S. , Bollani S. , Zignego A. L. , Pascasio J. M. , Magni C. , Ciancio A. , Caremani M. , Mangia A. , Marenco S. , Piovesan S. , Chemello L. , Babudieri S. , Moretti A. , Gea F. , Colletta C. , Perez‐Alvarez R. , Forns X. , Larrubia J. R. , Arenas J. , Crespo J. , Calvaruso V. , Ceccherini Silberstein F. , Maisonneuve P. , Craxì A. , Calleja J. L. ,   Italian and Spanish (IAS)‐BoC Study Group
Published: October 2014

In many countries, first‐generation protease inhibitors (PIs)/peginterferon/ribavirin (P/R) still represent the only treatment option for HCV‐infected patients. Subjects with advanced disease and previous failure to P/R urgently need therapy, but they are under‐represented in clinical trials. All treatment‐experienced F3/4 Metavir patients who received boceprevir (BOC)+P/R in the Italian–Spanish Name Patient Program have been included in this study. Multivariate logistic regression analysis (MLR) was used to identify baseline and on‐treatment predictors of SVR and adverse events (AEs). Four hundred and sixteen patients, mean age 57.7 (range 25–78 years), 70% males, 69.5% (289/416) F4, 14% (41/289) Child–Pugh class A6, 24% (70/289) with varices and 42% (173/416) prior null responders to P/R, were analysed. Overall, SVR rate (all 381 patients who received one dose of BOC) was 49%, (58% in F3, 45% in F4, 61% in relapsers, 51% in partial, 38% in null responders, and 72% in subjects with undetectable HCV‐RNA at treatment‐week (TW)8. Among patients with TW8 HCV‐RNA ≥ 1000 IU/L, SVR was 8% (negative predictive value = 92%). Death occurred in 3 (0.8%) patients, while decompensation and infections were observed in 2.9% and 11%, respectively. At MLR, SVR predictors were TW4 HCV‐RNA ≥ 1log10‐decline from baseline, undetectable TW8 HCV‐RNA, prior relapse, albumin levels ≥3.5 g/dL and platelet counts ≥100 000/μL. Metavir F4, Child‐Pugh A6, albumin, platelets, age and female gender were associated with serious and haematological AEs. Among treatment‐experienced patients with advanced liver disease eligible for IFN‐based therapy, TW8 HCV‐RNA characterised the subset with either high or poor likelihood of achieving SVR. Using TW8 HCV‐RNA as a futility rule, BOC/P/R appears to have a favourable benefit–risk profile.
Pattern and process in the afterlife: legacy effects of canopy tree distribution on post‐disturbance regeneration
Authors: Canham Charles D.
Published: October 2014

Wild et al. (2014, Journal of Vegetation Science 25: 1327–1340) document persistent effects of the spatial distribution of canopy trees on the distribution of regeneration following stand‐replacing disturbance in montane Norway spruce forests. The authors suggest a simple physical process for these legacy effects – the accumulation of winter‐dispersed seeds in ‘tree‐wells’ with lower snow depth around the trunks of living and recently dead trees.
The serum IL‐23 level predicts the response to pegylated interferon therapy in patients with chronic hepatitis B
Authors: Yu Chengbo , Gong Xianli , Yang Qian , Lian Jiangshan , Xu Kaijin , Ruan Bin , Li Lanjuan
Published: October 2014

Background & Aims

This study investigated the possible use of interleukin (IL)‐23 and IL‐17 serum levels as indicators for anti‐hepatitis B virus (HBV) therapy.

Methods

A total of 127 patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) who received pegylated interferon (PegIFN) therapy, 20 chronic asymptomatic HBV carriers (AsCs) and 32 healthy controls were recruited. The serum levels of IL‐23 and IL‐17 were detected by ELISA. The predictive value of baseline and early on‐treatment changes in the levels of IL‐23 and IL‐17 for therapeutic response were evaluated by receiver operating characteristic analysis. Multivariate logistic regression models were generated to identify independent factors that affect the clearance of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) and the decline in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg).

Results

The baseline serum levels of IL‐23 and IL‐17 were higher in patients with CHB than in normal controls and in AsCs. High levels of pre‐treatment IL‐23 and IL‐17 and more significant on‐treatment reductions in IL‐23 and IL‐17 levels were observed in patients with CHB who achieved HBeAg clearance or a decline in HBsAg >1 log10 IU/ml compared with patients who were persistently HBeAg‐positive or who experienced a decline in HBsAg <1 log10 IU/ml. The predictive cut‐off value of IL‐23 for HBeAg clearance was 135 pg/ml, and the specificity and sensitivity were 71.4% and 70% respectively. A high pre‐treatment level of IL‐23 was an independent factor for the prediction of the therapeutic response in patients with HBeAg‐positive CHB. Early on‐treatment changes of IL‐23 and IL‐17 showed no predictive value.

Conclusions

A high pre‐treatment serum IL‐23 level predicts the therapeutic response in HBeAg‐positive CHB patients during PegIFN therapy.
Is There a Role for Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Preventive and Promotive Health? An Anthropological Assessment in the Context of U.S. Health Reform
Authors: Thompson Jennifer Jo , Nichter Mark
Published: October 2014

Chronic conditions associated with lifestyle and modifiable behaviors are the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the United States. The implementation of the Affordable Care Act offers an historic opportunity to consider novel approaches to addressing the nation's public health concerns. We adopt an anticipatory anthropological perspective to consider lifestyle behavior change as common ground shared by practitioners of both biomedicine and common forms of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). At issue is whether CAM practitioners might play a more proactive and publicly endorsed role in delivering preventive and promotive health services to address these needs. Recognizing that this is a contentious issue, we consider two constructive roles for engaged medical anthropologists: (1) as culture brokers helping to facilitate interprofessional communities of preventive and promotive health practice and (2) in collaboration with health service researchers developing patient‐near evaluations of preventive and promotive health services on patient well‐being and behavior change. [health reform, complementary and alternative medicine, Affordable Care Act, health promotion]
Novel mutation in the methyltransferase domain of DNMT1 in a hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy patient with hearing loss, cataract, and dementia
Authors: Nishihara Hideaki , Yuan Junhui , Omoto Masatoshi , Ogasawara Jun‐ichi , Koga Michiaki , Kawai Motoharu , Higuchi Yujiro , Hashiguchi Akihiro , Takashima Hiroshi , Kanda Takashi
Published: October 2014

DNMT1 encodes DNA methyltransferase 1, which is a critical enzyme responsible for conversion of unmethylated DNA into hemimethylated DNA. To date, two phenotypes produced by DNMT1 mutations have been reported, including hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathy type IE, and autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia, deafness and narcolepsy. We report a sporadic Japanese patient with dysautonomia, hearing loss, cataract, sensory disturbance and mild dementia. A novel missense mutation, c.4001C>T, was identified in exon 35, which encodes the methyltransferase domain of DNMT1. Until now, all reported mutations of DNMT1 were within the replication focus targeting sequence domain of DNA methyltransferase 1. This is the first report of a mutation in the methyltransferase domain of DNA methyltransferase 1. Our patient showed remarkable autonomic dysfunction along with cataract, a possible new phenotype of DNMT1 mutations.
The glutamate hypothesis of schizophrenia: evidence from human brain tissue studies
Authors: Hu Wei , MacDonald Matthew L. , Elswick Daniel E. , Sweet Robert A.
Published: October 2014

A number of studies have indicated that antagonists of the N‐methyl‐d‐aspartate subtypes of glutamate receptors can cause schizophrenia‐like symptoms in healthy individuals and exacerbate symptoms in individuals with schizophrenia. These findings have led to the glutamate hypothesis of schizophrenia. Here we review the evidence for this hypothesis in postmortem studies of brain tissue from individuals affected by schizophrenia, summarizing studies of glutamate neuron morphology, of expression of glutamate receptors and transporters, and of the synthesizing and metabolizing enzymes for glutamate and its co‐agonists. We found consistent evidence of morphological alterations of dendrites of glutamatergic neurons in the cerebral cortex of subjects with schizophrenia and of reduced levels of the axon bouton marker synaptophysin. There were no consistent alterations of mRNA expression of glutamate receptors, although there has been limited study of the corresponding proteins. Studies of the glutamate metabolic pathway have been limited, although there is some evidence that excitatory amino acid transporter‐2, glutamine synthetase, and glutaminase have altered expression in schizophrenia. Future studies would benefit from additional direct examination of glutamatergic proteins. Further advances, such as selective testing of synaptic microdomains, cortical layers, and neuronal subtypes, may also be required to elucidate the nature of glutamate signaling impairments in schizophrenia.
Spatially Weighted Functional Clustering of River Network Data
Authors: Haggarty R. A. , Miller C. A. , Scott E. M.
Published: October 2014

Incorporating spatial covariance into clustering has previously been considered for functional data to identify groups of functions which are similar across space. However, in the majority of situations that have been considered until now the most appropriate metric has been Euclidean distance. Directed networks present additional challenges in terms of estimating spatial covariance due to their complex structure. Although suitable river network covariance models have been proposed for use with stream distance, where distance is computed along the stream network, these models have not been extended for contexts where the data are functional, as is often the case with environmental data. The paper develops a method of calculating spatial covariance between functions from sites along a river network and applies the measure as a weight within functional hierarchical clustering. Levels of nitrate pollution on the River Tweed in Scotland are considered with the aim of identifying groups of monitoring stations which display similar spatiotemporal characteristics.
Optimal Experimental Design for Systems with Bivariate Failures Under a Bivariate Weibull Function
Authors: Kim Sungwook , Flournoy Nancy
Published: October 2014

In manufacturing industry, it may be important to study the relationship between machine component failures under stress. Examples include the failures of integrated circuits and memory chips in electronic merchandise given various levels of electronic shock. Such studies are important for the development of new products and for the improvement of existing products. We assume two-component systems for simplicity and we assume that the joint probability of failures increases with stress as a cumulative bivariate Weibull function. Optimal designs have been developed for two correlated binary responses by using the Gumbel model, the bivariate binary Cox model and the bivariate probit model. In all these models, the amount of damage ranges from −∞ to ∞. In the Weibull model, the amount of damage is positive, which is natural for experimental factors such as voltage, tension or pressure. We describe locally optimal designs under bivariate Weibull assumptions. Since locally optimal designs with non-linear models depend on predetermined parameter values, misspecified parameter values may lead to inefficient designs. However, we find that optimal designs under the Weibull model are surprisingly efficient over a wide range of misspecified parameter values. To improve the efficiency, we recommend a multistage procedure. We show how using a two-stage procedure can provide a substantial improvement over a design that was optimal for misspecified parameters.
How have Labour Market Developments Affected Labour Costs in China?
Authors: Han Gaofeng , Zhang Wenlang
Published: October 2014

In this paper, we study how labour market developments have affected labour costs in China. We find labour market tightness, and hence labour migration, have some impact on the labour costs of HMT firms and private enterprises, but the overall impact is limited. It appears there is no absolute shortage of labour, but there is skill and education mismatch in labour market. As such, it is necessary to remove the barriers to labour migration, and upgrade production chains to reduce labour market distortion.
Temporal and spatial regulation of epsin abundance and VEGFR3 signaling are required for lymphatic valve formation and function
Authors: Liu Xiaolei , Pasula Satish , Song Hoogeun , Tessneer Kandice L. , Dong Yunzhou , Hahn Scott , Yago Tadayuki , Brophy Megan L. , Chang Baojun , Cai Xiaofeng , Wu Hao , McManus John , Ichise Hirotake , Georgescu Constantin , Wren Jonathan D. , Griffin Courtney , Xia Lijun , Srinivasan R. Sathish , Chen Hong
Published: October 2014

Proteins involved in endocytosis promote the internalization and degradation of VEGFR3, ensuring valve formation in lymphatic vessels.
How to Become a Control FreakReview and commentary on
Signal Transduction: Principles, Pathways, and Processes
, edited by Lewis C. Cantley, Tony Hunter, Richard Sever,and Jeremy Thorner. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press, Cold Spring Harbor, NY, 2014. 452 pp. ISBN: 978-0-879699-01-7
Authors: Woodgett Jim
Published: October 2014

A new textbook offers up-to-date, comprehensive, but unfinished, wiring diagrams for budding cellular electricians.
Astrocytes’ Hidden Ability to Generate Neurons
Authors: Hines Pamela J.
Published: October 2014

Astrocytes can produce neuroblasts in response to stroke and can be artificially triggered to do so in the absence of injury.
Colistin Pharmacokinetics in Burn Patients during Continuous Venovenous Hemofiltration
Authors: Akers Kevin S. , Rowan Matthew P. , Niece Krista L. , Stewart Ian J. , Mende Katrin , Cota Jason M. , Murray Clinton K. , Chung Kevin K.
Published: October 2014

While colistin is considered a last resort for the treatment of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterial infections, there has been an increase in its use due to the increasing prevalence of drug-resistant infections worldwide. The pharmacology of colistin is complex, and pharmacokinetic data are limited, especially in patients requiring renal replacement therapy. As a result, dosing for patients who require renal replacement remains a challenge. Here, we present pharmacokinetic data for colistin from two burn patients (37 and 68 years old) infected with colistin-susceptible isoclonalAcinetobacter baumanniiand receiving continuous venovenous hemofiltration (CVVH). To our knowledge, we are the first to examine data from before and during CVVH (for one patient), allowing analysis of the effect of CVVH on colistin pharmacokinetics. Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic analysis indicated that a dose increase from 1.5 to 2.2 mg/kg of body weight colistin base activity on CVVH was insufficient to satisfy the target parameter of an AUC24/MIC (area under the concentration-time curve over 24 h in the steady state divided by the MIC) of ≥60 at an MIC of ≥1 μg/ml in one patient with residual endogenous renal function. Plasma concentrations of colistin ranged from 0 to 15 μg/ml, with free colistin levels ranging from 0.4 to 2.2 μg/ml. While both patients resolved their clinical infections and survived to discharge, colistin-resistant colonizing isolates resulted from therapy in one patient. The variabilities observed in colistin concentrations and pharmacokinetic characteristics highlight the importance of pharmacokinetic monitoring of antibiotics in patients undergoing renal replacement therapy.
Continuous versus Short-Term Infusion of Cefuroxime: Assessment of Concept Based on Plasma, Subcutaneous Tissue, and Bone Pharmacokinetics in an Animal Model
Authors: Tøttrup Mikkel , Bibby Bo M. , Hardlei Tore F. , Bue Mats , Kerrn-Jespersen Sigrid , Fuursted Kurt , Søballe Kjeld , Birke-Sørensen Hanne
Published: October 2014

The relatively short half-lives of most β-lactams suggest that continuous infusion of these time-dependent antimicrobials may be favorable compared to short-term infusion. Nevertheless, only limited solid-tissue pharmacokinetic data are available to support this theory. In this study, we randomly assigned 12 pigs to receive cefuroxime as either a short-term or continuous infusion. Measurements of cefuroxime were obtained every 30 min in plasma, subcutaneous tissue, and bone. For the measurements in solid tissues, microdialysis was applied. A two-compartment population model was fitted separately to the drug concentration data for the different tissues using a nonlinear mixed-effects regression model. Estimates of the pharmacokinetic parameters and time with concentrations above the MIC were derived using Monte Carlo simulations. Except for subcutaneous tissue in the short-term infusion group, the tissue penetration was incomplete for all tissues. For short-term infusion, the tissue penetration ratios were 0.97 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.67 to 1.39), 0.61 (95% CI, 0.51 to 0.73), and 0.45 (95% CI, 0.36 to 0.56) for subcutaneous tissue, cancellous bone, and cortical bone, respectively. For continuous infusion, they were 0.53 (95% CI, 0.33 to 0.84), 0.38 (95% CI, 0.23 to 0.57), and 0.27 (95% CI, 0.13 to 0.48) for the same tissues, respectively. The absolute areas under the concentration-time curve were also lower in the continuous infusion group. Nevertheless, a significantly longer time with concentrations above the MIC was found for continuous infusion up until MICs of 4, 2, 2, and 0.5 μg/ml for plasma and the same three tissues mentioned above, respectively. For drugs with a short half-life, like cefuroxime, continuous infusion seems to be favorable compared to short-term infusion; however, incomplete tissue penetration and high MIC strains may jeopardize the continuous infusion approach.
Multicenter Study of Isavuconazole MIC Distributions and Epidemiological Cutoff Values for the Cryptococcus neoformans-Cryptococcus gattii Species Complex Using the CLSI M27-A3 Broth Microdilution Method
Authors: Espinel-Ingroff A. , Chowdhary A. , Gonzalez G. M. , Guinea J. , Hagen F. , Meis J. F. , Thompson G. R. , Turnidge J.
Published: October 2014

Epidemiological cutoff values (ECVs) of isavuconazole are not available for
Cryptococcus
spp. The isavuconazole ECVs based on wild-type (WT) MIC distributions for 438
Cryptococcus neoformans
nongenotyped isolates, 870 isolates of genotype VNI, and 406
Cryptococcus gattii
isolates from six laboratories and different geographical areas were 0.06, 0.12, and 0.25 μg/ml, respectively. These ECVs may aid in detecting non-WT isolates with reduced susceptibilities to isavuconazole.
Antimalarial Activity of Granzyme B and Its Targeted Delivery by a Granzyme B–Single-Chain Fv Fusion Protein
Authors: Kapelski Stephanie , de Almeida Melanie , Fischer Rainer , Barth Stefan , Fendel Rolf
Published: October 2014

We present here the first evidence that granzyme B acts against
Plasmodium falciparum
(50% inhibitory concentration [IC
50
], 1,590 nM; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1,197 to 2,112 nM). We created a novel antimalarial fusion protein consisting of granzyme B fused to a merozoite surface protein 4 (MSP4)-specific single-chain Fv protein (scFv), which targets the enzyme to infected erythrocytes, with up to an 8-fold reduction in the IC
50
(176 nM; 95% CI, 154 to 202 nM). This study confirms the therapeutic efficacies of recombinant antibody-mediated antimalarial immunotherapeutics based on granzyme B.
Susceptibility to Plasmodium yoelii Preerythrocytic Infection in BALB/c Substrains Is Determined at the Point of Hepatocyte Invasion
Authors: Kaushansky Alexis , Austin Laura S. , Mikolajczak Sebastian A. , Lo Fang Y. , Miller Jessica L. , Douglass Alyse N. , Arang Nadia , Vaughan Ashley M. , Gardner Malcolm J. , Kappe Stefan H. I.
Published: October 2014

After transmission byAnophelesmosquitoes,Plasmodiumsporozoites travel to the liver, infect hepatocytes, and rapidly develop as intrahepatocytic liver stages (LS). Rodent models of malaria exhibit large differences in the magnitude of liver infection, both between parasite species and between strains of mice. This has been mainly attributed to differences in innate immune responses and parasite infectivity. Here, we report that BALB/cByJ mice are more susceptible toPlasmodium yoeliipreerythrocytic infection than BALB/cJ mice. This difference occurs at the level of early hepatocyte infection, but expression levels of reported host factors that are involved in infection do not correlate with susceptibility. Interestingly, BALB/cByJ hepatocytes are more frequently polyploid; thus, their susceptibility converges on the previously observed preference of sporozoites to infect polyploid hepatocytes. Gene expression analysis demonstrates hepatocyte-specific differences in mRNA abundance for numerous genes between BALB/cByJ and BALB/cJ mice, some of which encode hepatocyte surface molecules. These data suggest that a yet-unknown receptor for sporozoite infection, present at elevated levels on BALB/cByJ hepatocytes and also polyploid hepatocytes, might facilitatePlasmodiumliver infection.
Mucosal Immunization with the Live Attenuated Vaccine SPY1 Induces Humoral and Th2-Th17-Regulatory T Cell Cellular Immunity and Protects against Pneumococcal Infection
Authors: Xu Xiuyu , Wang Hong , Liu Yusi , Wang Yiping , Zeng Lingbing , Wu Kaifeng , Wang Jianmin , Ma Feng , Xu Wenchun , Yin Yibing , Zhang Xuemei
Published: October 2014

Mucosal immunization with attenuated vaccine can protect against pneumococcal invasion infection, but the mechanism was unknown. Our study found that mucosal delivery with the live attenuated SPY1 vaccine strain can confer T cell- and B cell-dependent protection against pneumococcal colonization and invasive infection; yet it is still unclear which cell subsets contribute to the protection, and their roles in pneumococcal colonization and invasion remain elusive. Adoptive transfer of anti-SPY1 antibody conferred protection to naive μMT mice, and immune T cells were indispensable to protection examined in nude mice. A critical role of interleukin 17A (IL-17A) in colonization was demonstrated in mice lacking IL-17A, and a vaccine-specific Th2 immune subset was necessary for systemic protection. Of note, we found that SPY1 could stimulate an immunoregulatory response and that SPY1-elicited regulatory T cells participated in protection against colonization and lethal infection. The data presented here aid our understanding of how live attenuated strains are able to function as effective vaccines and may contribute to a more comprehensive evaluation of live vaccines and other mucosal vaccines.
Characterization of a Novel Plasmid-Borne Thiopeptide Gene Cluster in Staphylococcus epidermidis Strain 115
Authors: Bennallack Philip R. , Burt Scott R. , Heder Michael J. , Robison Richard A. , Griffitts Joel S.
Published: October 2014

Thiopeptides are small (12- to 17-amino-acid), heavily modified peptides of bacterial origin. This antibiotic family, with more than 100 known members, is characterized by the presence of sulfur-containing heterocyclic rings and dehydrated residues within a macrocyclic peptide structure. Thiopeptides, including micrococcin P1, have garnered significant attention in recent years for their potent antimicrobial activity against bacteria, fungi, and even protozoa. Micrococcin P1 is known to target the ribosome; however, like those of other thiopeptides, its biosynthesis and mechanisms of self-immunity are poorly characterized. We have discovered an isolate of
Staphylococcus epidermidis
harboring the genes for thiopeptide production and self-protection on a 24-kb plasmid. Here we report the characterization of this plasmid, identify the antimicrobial peptide that it encodes, and provide evidence of a target replacement-mediated mechanism of self-immunity.
Action Schools! BC implementation: from efficacy to effectiveness to scale-up
Authors: McKay Heather A , Macdonald Heather M , Nettlefold Lindsay , Masse Louise C , Day Meghan , Naylor Patti-Jean
Published: October 2014

Objectives

To describe Action Schools! BC (AS! BC) from efficacy to scale-up.

Participants/setting

Education and health system stakeholders and children in grades 4–6 from elementary schools in British Columbia, Canada.

Intervention

At the provincial level, the AS! BC model reflected socioecological theory and a partnership approach to social change. Knowledge translation and exchange were embedded as a foundational element. At the school level, AS! BC is a comprehensive school health-based model providing teachers and schools with training and resources to integrate physical activity (PA) and healthy eating (HE) into the school environment. Our research team partnered with key community and government stakeholders to deliver and evaluate AS! BC over efficacy, effectiveness and implementation trials.

Results

On the basis of significant increases in PA, cardiovascular fitness, bone and HE in AS! BC schools during efficacy trials, the BC government supported a provincial scale-up. Since its inception, the AS! BC Support Team and >225 trained regional trainers have delivered 4677 teacher-focused workshops (training approximately 81 000 teachers), reaching approximately 500 000 students. After scale-up, PA delivery was replicated but the magnitude of change appeared less. One (HE) and 4 (PA) years after scale-up, trained AS! BC teachers provided more PA and HE opportunities for students even in the context of supportive provincial policies.

Conclusions

Whole school models like AS! BC can enhance children's PA and health when implemented in partnership with key stakeholders. At the school level, adequately trained and resourced teachers and supportive school policies promoted successful scale-up and sustained implementation. At the provincial level, multisectoral partnerships and embedded knowledge exchange mechanisms influenced the context for action at the provincial and school level, and were core elements of successful implementation.

Trial registration number

Clinical Trials RegistryNCT01412203.
The inverse equity hypothesis: Does it apply to coverage of cancer screening in middle-income countries?
Authors: Lee John Tayu , Huang Zhilian , Basu Sanjay , Millett Christopher
Published: October 2014

Background

It is uncertain whether the inverse equity hypothesis—the idea that new health interventions are initially primarily accessed by the rich, but that inequalities narrow with diffusion to the poor—holds true for cancer screening in low and middle income countries (LMICs).This study examines the relationship between overall coverage and economic inequalities in coverage of cancer screening in four middle-income countries.

Methods

Secondary analyses of cross-sectional data from the WHO study on Global Ageing and Adult Health in China, Mexico, Russia and South Africa (2007–2010). Three regression-based methods were used to measure economic inequalities: (1) Adjusted OR; (2) Relative Index of Inequality (RII); and (3) Slope Index of Inequality.

Results

Coverage for breast cancer screening was 10.5% in South Africa, 19.3% in China, 33.8% in Russia and 43% in Mexico, and coverage for cervical cancer screening was 24% in South Africa, 27.2% in China, 63.7% in Mexico and 81.5% in Russia. Economic inequalities in screening participation were substantially lower or non-existent in countries with higher aggregate coverage, for both breast cancer screening (RII: 14.57 in South Africa, 4.90 in China, 2.01 in Mexico, 1.04 in Russia) and cervical cancer screening (RII: 3.60 in China, 2.47 in South Africa, 1.39 in Mexico, 1.12 in Russia).

Conclusions

Economic inequalities in breast and cervical cancer screening are low in LMICs with high screening coverage. These findings are consistent with the inverse equity hypothesis and indicate that high levels of equity in cancer screening are feasible even in countries with high income inequality.
Relationship between installation torque and axial capacities of helical piles in cohesionless soils
Authors: Sakr Mohammed
Published: October 2014

With the rapid growth of the helical piling industry for oil and gas projects and transmission lines, reliable installation torque estimates and measurements become crucial. This paper presents a theoretical model developed to estimate the torsional resistance of cohesionless soils to helical pile installation. The theoretical torque model was verified using installation records collected from different sites. The paper also highlights factors that affect helical pile installation, including soil properties, fluctuation in groundwater levels, shape of pile shaft, pile geometry, and method of helical pile installation. The proposed torsional resistance model was then used to establish the traditional torque factors to proportionally correlate the axial capacity of helical pile and the installation torque. The results of the study indicated that the torque factor is a function of the load path (i.e., tension or compression). Therefore, torque factors in compression and tension, Kcand Kt, respectively, were formulated and presented in the paper.
Modified Slater exchange potential with correct uniform electron gas limit
Authors: Gaiduk Alex P. , Ryabinkin Ilya G. , Staroverov Viktor N.
Published: October 2014

Bulat and Levy recently deduced an expansion for the exact-exchange potential whose leading term is Slater’s averaged exchange-charge potential modified through the inclusion of orbital eigenvalues. When used as a stand-alone approximation to the exact-exchange potential, this leading term is much more accurate than Slater’s original. We give an alternative derivation of this term and show that, unlike the Slater potential, it correctly reduces to the Dirac exchange potential (i.e., the local density approximation) for a uniform electron gas, provided that the zero-energy reference of orbital eigenvalues is chosen as the Fermi level of the system. The orbital-energy-modified Slater potential should also recover the Dirac exchange potential for neutral atoms in the limit of infinite nuclear charge, but in practice converges to this limit very slowly on account of extreme sensitivity to the choice of zero-energy reference around the Fermi level.
Chemistry at The University of Western Ontario – A brief history
Authors: Usselman Melvyn C. , Willis Christopher J.
Published: October 2014

A brief institutional history of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Western Ontario in London, Ontario, from the founding of the university in 1878 until modern times is presented. After its beginnings as a subject taught to medical students, chemistry began to achieve independent status with the construction of a dedicated sciences building in 1924. Growth remained slow until government began to fund university education, and science studies, more generously in the 1950s. Emphasis on research and knowledge creation followed and major funding for infrastructure and senior faculty followed in the 1960s, when Western mined commonwealth sources for researchers of exceptional potential. The arrival of the baby boom generation in the late 1960s forced another expansion of chemistry faculty and staff. Later in the 20th century, a number of specialized and interdisciplinary chemical subspecialties, such as the Centre for Chemical Physics, the Canadian Synchrotron Radiation Facility in Madison, Wisconsin, Surface Science Western, and Interface Science Western, were created under the direction of several visionary chemists. An evolution of investigative interests continues in the 21st century, together with a departmental commitment to outstanding teaching and postuniversity career preparation for its students. After producing its first publication in 1915, the department published its 6000th in 2012, signaling a strong century of growth.
Synchronization criterion for linearly coupled neural networks with impulsive time window
Authors: Wang Xin , Li Chuandong , Huang Tingwen , Chen Ling , Wang Hui
Published: October 2014

Synchronization of linearly coupled neural networks with impulsive time window is one of the most challenging problems in the field of complex networks. The intrinsic property of impulse time windows is that impulse instants stochastically occur in a determined time window. In this paper, some sufficient condition in the frameworks of impulse time window and fixed impulse moments ensuring the exponential synchronization of linearly coupled neural networks are proposed by using the discretized Lyapunov function method. Moreover, some approximation algorithms are presented to compute the lower and upper bound of the impulse time window. Finally, two numerical simulations are presented to further demonstrate the validation of the proposed approach.
Laboratory measurement and interpretation of nonlinear gas flow in shale
Authors: Kang Yili , Chen Mingjun , Li Xiangchen , You Lijun , Yang Bin
Published: October 2014

Gas flow mechanisms in shale are urgent to clarify due to the complicated pore structure and low permeability. Core flow experiments were conducted under reservoir net confining stress with samples from the Longmaxi Shale to investigate the characteristics of nonlinear gas flow. Meanwhile, microstructure analyses and gas adsorption experiments are implemented. Experimental results indicate that non-Darcy flow in shale is remarkable and it has a close relationship with pore pressure. It is found that type of gas has a significant influence on permeability measurement and methane is chosen in this work to study the shale gas flow. Gas slippage effect and minimum threshold pressure gradient weaken with the increasing backpressure. It is demonstrated that gas flow regime would be either slip flow or transition flow with certain pore pressure and permeability. Experimental data computations and microstructure analyses confirm that hydraulic radius of flow tubes in shale are mostly less than 100 nm, indicating that there is no micron scale pore or throat which mainly contributes to flow. The results are significant for the study of gas flow in shale, and are beneficial for laboratory investigation of shale permeability.
Asynchronous error-correcting secure communication scheme based on fractional-order shifting chaotic system
Authors: Chao Luo
Published: October 2014

In this paper, a novel digital secure communication scheme is firstly proposed. Different from the usual secure communication schemes based on chaotic synchronization, the proposed scheme employs asynchronous communication which avoids the weakness of synchronous systems and is susceptible to environmental interference. Moreover, as to the transmission errors and data loss in the process of communication, the proposed scheme has the ability to be error-checking and error-correcting in real time. In order to guarantee security, the fractional-order complex chaotic system with the shifting of order is utilized to modulate the transmitted signal, which has high nonlinearity and complexity in both frequency and time domains. The corresponding numerical simulations demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of the scheme.
Use of an Analytic Network Process and Monte Carlo Analysis in New Product Formula Selection Decisions
Authors: Wudhikarn Ratapol , Chakpitak Nopasit , Neubert Gilles
Published: October 2014

One crucial matter in routine life is decision-making. Although decision-making in everyday life appears to be easily dealt with by one-on-one comparisons, the same is not true with decision-making in business. In business management decisions, problems are more complicated than those in individual life because most business situations fall into the category of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) problems. Therefore, appropriate multi-criteria decision methods should be carefully selected to solve these problems. This study uses the analytic network process (ANP), one of the widely available multi-criteria decision methods. However, this popular method generally ignores the uncertainty inherent in the input data. Therefore, this paper proposes an improved process that considers uncertainty by using Monte Carlo analysis with input values then applied to the ANP procedures. This proposed method is implemented by a real business that produces roof tiles; the primary goal of the study is to select among newly developed roof formulas by considering the uncertainty and interrelation among decision criteria and elements as well as alternatives. The outcomes of study accurately rank the new product formulas. Furthermore, the results of improved method differ the rankings produced by the original ANP. The observed dissimilarities mainly result from uncertainty consideration discussed in this study.
Stability of binary condensates with spatial modulations of quintic nonlinearities in optical lattices
Authors: Mboumba M. D. , Moubissi A. B. , Ekogo T. B. , Belobo Belobo D. , Ben-Bolie G. H. , Kofane T. C.
Published: October 2014

The stability and collective excitations of binary Bose–Einstein condensates with cubic and quintic nonlinearities in variable anharmonic optical lattices are investigated. By using the variational approach, the influences of the quintic nonlinearities and the shape of the external potential on the stability are discussed in details. It is found that the quintic intraspecies and interspecies interatomic interactions profoundly affect the stability criterion and collective excitations of the system. The shape dependent potential form that characterizes the optical lattice deeply alters the stability regions. Direct numerical simulations of the mean-field coupled Gross–Pitaevskii equation describing the system agree well with the analytical predictions.
Seamless QoE Support for Mobile Cloud Services Using IEEE802.21 MIH and the GENI Future Internet Framework
Authors: Kim Gijeong , Lee Sungwon , Lee Seung Gwan
Published: October 2014

Mobile cloud service is the most important traffic generator today, and high data rate services in this area are increasing. The Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI) is a circuit-like service that is widely deployed owing to its security merits and the resource constraints of mobile devices. However, VDI requires a high and guaranteed virtually constant wireless data rate. Thus, we focus on the problems that have to be resolved in order for IEEE802.21 Media Independent Handover (MIH) to support a guaranteed wireless data rate and also enable it to offer optimized and maximized data rate support for mobile cloud services. We also consider a virtual machine (VM) migration scheme that is tightly coupled to mobile networks and can minimize the user's service delay and reduce the bandwidth requirements of the wired network. We then present a consistent control framework by extending the Global Environment for Network Innovations (GENI) control framework to provide a single integrated control framework for cloud computing and Future Internet compatibility. Finally, we develop an experimental testbed using a mobile cloud computing environment and evaluate the performance of the proposed scheme. We show that the proposed method can enhance the Quality of Experience (QoE) of mobile cloud computing services with increased data rate support and a single consistent control framework that is compatible with the GENI-based Future Internet architecture. The results of evaluations conducted indicate that our proposed method provides 24%–41% better data rate compared to conventional methods.
ANISOTROPY DIFFUSION DYNAMICS BEHAVIORS ON Pd(110) SURFACES: A MOLECULAR DYNAMICS STUDY
Authors: LIU FUSHENG , WANG YUFEI , HU WANGYU , WANG TENG , DING YANHONG , HE SHIWEN , CHEN YIFENG
Published: October 2014

Using modified analytic embedded atom method and molecular dynamics (MDs) simulation, the self-diffusion dynamics behaviors of Pd adatom on perfect Pd (110) and reconstruction Pd (110)-(1 × 2) surfaces have been studied. Our simulations show the diffusion of Pd adatom is 1D motion along the [Formula: see text] direction of the channel on Pd (110)-(1 × 2) surface between 650 and 900 K. On perfect Pd (110) surface, the adatom diffuses along the [Formula: see text] direction of the channel in the low temperature range from 450 to 550 K by the simple hopping mechanism, and the diffusion is 2D between 600 and 800 K, the diffusion across the [Formula: see text] direction of the channel wall is by the exchange mechanism with an atom of channel wall. The diffusion dynamics behaviors have been derived from the Arrhenius law. On perfect Pd (110) surface, the diffusion dynamics behaviors along the [Formula: see text] direction of the channel may be divided into two parts in different temperature ranges. Our results show that the diffusion mobility D of Pd adatom along the [Formula: see text] direction on perfect Pd (110) surface is quicker than that on Pd (110)-(1 × 2) surface.