bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Two-pore channels provide insight into the evolution of voltage-gated Ca
2+
and Na
+
channels
Authors: Rahman Taufiq , Cai Xinjiang , Brailoiu G. Cristina , Abood Mary E. , Brailoiu Eugen , Patel Sandip
Published: November 2014

Molecular modeling, pharmacology, and comparative genomics reveal secrets of ion channel evolution.
Characterization of a set of tumor suppressor microRNAs in T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Sanghvi Viraj R. , Mavrakis Konstantinos J. , Van der Meulen Joni , Boice Michael , Wolfe Andrew L. , Carty Mark , Mohan Prathibha , Rondou Pieter , Socci Nicholas D. , Benoit Yves , Taghon Tom , Van Vlierberghe Pieter , Leslie Christina S. , Speleman Frank , Wendel Hans-Guido
Published: November 2014

A set of microRNAs that target the
Myb
oncogene may function as tumor suppressors in T cell leukemia.
Cells Concentrate to Form Organs
Authors: VanHook Annalisa M.
Published: November 2014

Fibroblast growth factor 3 accumulates in microlumina to drive organogenesis.
Mapping Recombination in Individual Human Males
Authors: Riddihough Guy
Published: November 2014

Mapping human male meiotic recombination sites reveals their influence on genome evolution and genetic disease.
Evolution and Transmission Patterns of Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis in China
Authors: Wang Feifei , Shao Lingyun , Fan Xiaoping , Shen Yaojie , Diao Ni , Jin Jialin , Sun Feng , Wu Jing , Chen Jiazhen , Weng Xinhua , Cheng Xunjia , Zhang Ying , Zhang Wenhong
Published: November 2014

The emergence and transmission of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) pose an increasing threat to global TB control. This study aimed to identify the patterns of evolution and transmission dynamics of XDR-TB in populations in a region of China where TB is highly endemic. We analyzed a total of 95 XDR-TB isolates collected from 2003 to 2009 in Chongqing, China. Eight drug resistance genes covering 7 drugs that define XDR-TB were amplified by PCR followed by DNA sequencing. Variable-number tandem repeat 16-locus (VNTR-16) genotyping and genotypic drug resistance profiles were used to determine the evolution or transmission patterns of XDR-TB strains. Our results indicated that the Beijing genotype was predominant (85/95 [89.5%]) in XDR-TB strains, and as many as 40.0% (38/95) of the isolates were distributed into 6 clusters based on VNTR-16 genotyping and drug resistance mutation profiles. All isolates of each cluster harbored as many as six identical resistance mutations in the drug resistance genes
rpoB
,
katG
,
inhA
promoter,
embB
,
rpsL
, and
gidB
. Among the nine cases with continuous isolates from multidrug-resistant (MDR) to XDR-TB, 4 cases represented acquired drug resistance, 4 cases were caused by transmission, and 1 case was due to exogenous superinfection. The XDR-TB epidemic in China is mainly caused by a high degree of clonal transmission, but evolution from MDR to XDR and even superinfection with a new XDR strain can also occur.
Impact of Treatment against Hepatitis C Virus on Overall Survival of Naive Patients with Advanced Liver Disease
Authors: Kutala Blaise K. , Guedj Jeremie , Asselah Tarik , Boyer Nathalie , Mouri Feryel , Martinot-Peignoux Michelle , Valla Dominique , Marcellin Patrick , Duval Xavier
Published: November 2014

The beneficial effect of achieving a sustained virological response (SVR) after antiviral treatment against hepatitis C virus is well established. However, it remains unclear whether unsuccessful treatment (non-SVR) also improves patient survival, especially in patients with advanced liver fibrosis. We retrospectively evaluated the incidence of death or liver transplantation in the 427 naive patients with a Child-Pugh score of A and advanced fibrosis newly admitted to the Hospital Beaujon between 2000 and 2010. Patients were followed for a median time of 5.5 years. The baseline characteristics of untreated (
n
= 102) and treated (
n
= 325) patients were largely similar, and there was no evidence of a bias of indication. Treated patients received a combination of interferon and ribavirin and had an SVR rate of 32%. The incidence of death or liver transplantation per 100 person-years was 1.00, 3.20, and 5.44 in SVR, non-SVR, and untreated patients, respectively. After adjusting for baseline characteristics, the risk of death or liver transplantation was significantly lower in SVR than in non-SVR patients and in non-SVR than in untreated patients (hazard ratios, 0.35 and 0.51, respectively;
P
= 0.019 and 0.038, respectively). The effect of treatment in non-SVR patients was higher in patients who had a virological or a biochemical response than in those who did not have a virological or a biochemical response. The risk of death or liver transplantation was significantly lower in treated than in untreated patients. Moreover, there was a gradient of mortality between patients with SVRs, virological or biochemical responders, and untreated patients, suggesting that treatment, even in the absence of viral eradication, has a beneficial effect on survival.
Radioiodinated DPA-713 Imaging Correlates with Bactericidal Activity of Tuberculosis Treatments in Mice
Authors: Ordonez Alvaro A. , Pokkali Supriya , DeMarco Vincent P. , Klunk Mariah , Mease Ronnie C. , Foss Catherine A. , Pomper Martin G. , Jain Sanjay K.
Published: November 2014

Current tools for monitoring response to tuberculosis treatments have several limitations. Noninvasive biomarkers could accelerate tuberculosis drug development and clinical studies, but to date little progress has been made in developing new imaging technologies for this application. In this study, we developed pulmonary single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) using radioiodinated DPA-713 to serially monitor the activity of tuberculosis treatments in live mice, which develop necrotic granulomas and cavitary lesions. C3HeB/FeJ mice were aerosol infected with
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
and administered either a standard or a highly active bedaquiline-containing drug regimen. Serial
125
I-DPA-713 SPECT imaging was compared with
18
F-fluorodeoxyglucose (
18
F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and standard microbiology.
Ex vivo
studies were performed to characterize and correlate DPA-713 imaging with cellular and cytokine responses. Pulmonary
125
I-DPA-713 SPECT, but not
18
F-FDG PET, was able to correctly identify the bactericidal activities of the two tuberculosis treatments as early as 4 weeks after the start of treatment (
P
< 0.03). DPA-713 readily penetrated the fibrotic rims of necrotic and cavitary lesions. A time-dependent decrease in both tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interferon gamma (IFN-γ) levels was observed with treatments, with
125
I-DPA-713 SPECT correlating best with tissue TNF-α levels (ρ = 0.94;
P
< 0.01).
124
I-DPA-713 was also evaluated as a PET probe and demonstrated a 4.0-fold-higher signal intensity in the infected tuberculous lesions than uninfected controls (
P
= 0.03). These studies provide proof of concept for application of a novel noninvasive imaging biomarker to monitor tuberculosis treatments, with the potential for application for humans.
Complete Nucleotide Sequence of
cfr
-Carrying IncX4 Plasmid pSD11 from Escherichia coli
Authors: Sun Jian , Deng Hui , Li Liang , Chen Mu-Ya , Fang Liang-Xing , Yang Qiu-E , Liu Ya-Hong , Liao Xiao-Ping
Published: November 2014

We report the complete nucleotide sequence of a plasmid carrying the multiresistance gene
cfr
. This plasmid was isolated from an
Escherichia coli
strain of swine origin in 2011. This 37,672-bp plasmid, pSD11, had an IncX4 backbone similar to those of the IncX4 plasmids obtained from the United States and Australia, in which the
cfr
gene was flanked by two copies of IS
26
and a truncated Tn
1331
was inserted.
Inappropriate Continued Empirical Vancomycin Use in a Hospital with a High Prevalence of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Kim Nak-Hyun , Koo Hei Lim , Choe Pyeong Gyun , Cheon Shinhye , Kim Moon Suk , Lee Myung Jin , Jung Young Hee , Park Wan Beom , Song Kyoung-Ho , Kim Eu Suk , Bang Ji Hwan , Kim Hong Bin , Park Sang Won , Kim Nam Joong , Oh Myoung-don , Kim Eui Chong
Published: November 2014

Vancomycin is frequently inappropriately prescribed, especially as empirical treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate (i) the amount of inappropriate continued empirical vancomycin use as a proportion of total vancomycin use and (ii) the risk factors associated with inappropriate continued empirical vancomycin use. We reviewed the medical records of adult patients who had been prescribed at least one dose of parenterally administered vancomycin between January and June 2012, in a single tertiary care hospital. When empirically prescribed vancomycin treatment was continued after 96 h without documentation of beta-lactam-resistant Gram-positive microorganisms in clinical specimens with significance, the continuation was considered inappropriate, and the amount used thereafter was considered inappropriately used. We identified risk factors associated with inappropriate continued empirical vancomycin use by multiple logistic regression. During the study period, the amount of parenterally administered vancomycin prescribed was 34.2 defined daily doses (DDDs)/1,000 patient-days (1,084 prescriptions for 971 patients). The amount of inappropriate continued empirical vancomycin use was 8.5 DDDs/1,000 patient-days, which represented 24.9% of the total parenterally administered vancomycin used (8.5/34.2 DDDs/1,000 patient-days). By multivariate analyses, inappropriate continued empirical vancomycin use was independently associated with the absence of any documented etiological organism (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.60 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 1.06 to 2.41]) and suspected central nervous system (CNS) infections (aHR, 2.33 [95% CI, 1.20 to 4.50]). Higher Charlson's comorbidity index scores were inversely associated with inappropriate continued empirical vancomycin use (aHR, 0.90 [95% CI, 0.85 to 0.97]). Inappropriate continued empirical vancomycin use represented 24.9% of the total amount of vancomycin prescribed, which indicates room for improvement.
IL12Rβ1ΔTM Is a Secreted Product ofil12rb1That Promotes Control of Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis
Authors: Ray Aurelie A. , Fountain Jeffrey J. , Miller Halli E. , Cooper Andrea M. , Robinson Richard T.
Published: November 2014

IL12RB1is a human gene that is important for resistance toMycobacterium tuberculosisinfection.IL12RB1is expressed by multiple leukocyte lineages, and encodes a type I transmembrane protein (IL12Rβ1) that associates with IL12p40 and promotes the development of host-protective TH1cells. Recently, we observed thatil12rb1—the mouse homolog ofIL12RB1—is alternatively spliced by leukocytes to produce a second isoform (IL12Rβ1ΔTM) that has biological properties distinct from IL12Rβ1. Although the expression of IL12Rβ1ΔTM is elicited byM. tuberculosisin vivo, and its overexpression enhances IL12p40 responsivenessin vitro, the contribution of IL12Rβ1ΔTM to controllingM. tuberculosisinfection has not been tested. Here, we demonstrate that IL12Rβ1ΔTM represents a secreted product ofil12rb1that, when absent from mice, compromises their ability to controlM. tuberculosisinfection in extrapulmonary organs. Furthermore, elevatedM. tuberculosisburdens in IL12Rβ1ΔTM-deficient animals are associated with decreased lymph node cellularity and a decline in TH1 development. Collectively, these data support a model wherein IL12Rβ1ΔTM is a secreted product ofil12rb1that promotes resistance toM. tuberculosisinfection by potentiating THcells response to IL-12.
Chemical Biology Applied to the Study of Bacterial Pathogens
Authors: Anthouard Rebecca , DiRita Victor J.
Published: November 2014

In recent years, chemical biology and chemical genomics have been increasingly applied to the field of microbiology to uncover new potential therapeutics as well as to probe virulence mechanisms in pathogens. The approach offers some clear advantages, as identified compounds (i) can serve as a proof of principle for the applicability of drugs to specific targets; (ii) can serve as conditional effectors to explore the function of their targetsin vitroandin vivo; (iii) can be used to modulate gene expression in otherwise genetically intractable organisms; and (iv) can be tailored to a narrow or broad range of bacteria. This review highlights recent examples from the literature to illustrate how the use of small molecules has advanced discovery of novel potential treatments and has been applied to explore biological mechanisms underlying pathogenicity. We also use these examples to discuss practical considerations that are key to establishing a screening or discovery program. Finally, we discuss the advantages and challenges of different approaches and the methods that are emerging to address these challenges.
IgG4 Subclass-Specific Responses to Staphylococcus aureus Antigens Shed New Light on Host-Pathogen Interaction
Authors: Swierstra Jasper , Debets Stephanie , de Vogel Corné , Lemmens-den Toom Nicole , Verkaik Nelianne , Ramdani-Bouguessa Nadjia , Jonkman Marcel F. , van Dijl Jan Maarten , Fahal Ahmed , van Belkum Alex , van Wamel Willem
Published: November 2014

IgG4 responses are considered indicative for long-term or repeated exposure to particular antigens. Therefore, studying IgG4-specific antibody responses againstStaphylococcus aureusmight generate new insights into the respective host-pathogen interactions and the microbial virulence factors involved. Using a bead-based flow cytometry assay, we determined total IgG (IgGt), IgG1, and IgG4 antibody responses to 40 differentS. aureusvirulence factors in sera from healthy persistent nasal carriers, healthy persistent noncarriers, and patients with various staphylococcal infections from three distinct countries. IgGt responses were detected against all tested antigens. These were mostly IgG1 responses. In contrast, IgG4 antibodies were detected to alpha-toxin, chemotaxis inhibitory protein ofS. aureus(CHIPS), exfoliative toxins A and B (ETA and -B), HlgB, IsdA, LukD, -E, -F, and -S, staphylococcal complement inhibitor (SCIN), staphylococcal enterotoxin C (SEC), staphylococcal superantigen-like proteins 1, 3, 5, and 9 (SSL1, -3, -5, and -9), and toxic shock syndrome toxin 1 (TSST-1) only. Large interpatient variability was observed, and the type of infection or geographical location did not reveal conserved patterns of response. As persistentS. aureuscarriers trended toward IgG4 responses to a larger number of antigens than persistent noncarriers, we also investigated sera from patients with epidermolysis bullosa (EB), a genetic blistering disease associated with highS. aureuscarriage rates. EB patients responded immunologically to significantly more antigens than noncarriers and trended toward even more responses than carriers. Altogether, we conclude that the IgG4 responses against a restricted panel of staphylococcal antigens consisting primarily of immune modulators and particular toxins indicate important roles for these virulence factors in staphylococcal pathogen-host interactions, such as chronicity of colonization and/or (subclinical) infections.
Edwardsiella tarda MliC, a Lysozyme Inhibitor That Participates in Pathogenesis in a Manner That Parallels Ivy
Authors: Li Mo-Fei , Wang Chong , Sun Li
Published: November 2014

Edwardsiella tarda
, a bacterial pathogen to farmed fish as well as humans, possesses the genes of two lysozyme inhibitors,
ivy
and
mliC
(

ivy
Et

and

mliC
Et

). We recently studied Ivy
Et
and found it to be implicated in
E. tarda
virulence. In the present study, we characterized MliC
Et
in comparison with Ivy
Et
in a turbot model. MliC
Et
contains the FWSKG motif and two cysteines (C33 and C98) that are highly conserved in subgroup 1 MliCs but are of unknown functional importance. To examine the essentialness of these conserved structural features, recombinant MliC
Et
(rMliC) and its mutants bearing C33S and W79A (of the FWSKG motif) substitutions were prepared. Subsequent analysis showed that rMliC (i) inhibited lysozyme-induced lysis of a Gram-positive bacterium, (ii) reduced serum-facilitated lysozyme killing of
E. tarda
, and (iii) when introduced into turbot, promoted bacterial dissemination in fish tissues. The C33S mutation had no influence on the activity of rMliC, while the W79A mutation slightly but significantly enhanced the activity of rMliC. Knockout strains of either

mliC
Et

or

ivy
Et

were severely attenuated for the ability of tissue invasion, host lethality, serum survival, and intracellular replication. The lost virulence of the
mliC
transformant (TXΔ
mliC
) was restored by complementation with an introduced

mliC
Et

gene. Compared to the Δ

ivy
Et

or Δ

mliC
Et

single-knockout strains, the Δ

mliC
Et

Δ

ivy
Et

double-knockout strain was significantly impaired in most of the virulence features. Together, these results provide the first evidence that the conserved cysteine is functionally dispensable to a subgroup 1 MliC and that as a virulence factor, MliC
Et
most likely works in a concerted and parallel manner with Ivy.
An Inducible and Secreted Eukaryote-Like Serine/Threonine Kinase of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhi Promotes Intracellular Survival and Pathogenesis
Authors: Theeya Nagaraja , Ta Atri , Das Sayan , Mandal Rahul S. , Chakrabarti Oishee , Chakrabarti Saikat , Ghosh Amar N. , Das Santasabuj
Published: November 2014

Eukaryote-like serine/threonine kinases (eSTKs) constitute an important family of bacterial virulence factors. Genome analysis had predicted putative eSTKs in
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhi, although their functional characterization and the elucidation of their role in pathogenesis are still awaited. We show here that the primary sequence and secondary structure of the
t4519
locus of
Salmonella
Typhi Ty2 have all the signatures of eukaryotic superfamily kinases.
t4519
encodes a ∼39-kDa protein (T4519), which shows serine/threonine kinase activities
in vitro
. Recombinant T4519 (rT4519) is autophosphorylated and phosphorylates the universal substrate myelin basic protein. Infection of macrophages results in decreased viability of the mutant (Ty2Δ
t4519
) strain, which is reversed by gene complementation. Moreover, reactive oxygen species produced by the macrophages signal to the bacteria to induce T4519, which is translocated to the host cell cytoplasm. That T4519 may target a host substrate(s) is further supported by the activation of host cellular signaling pathways and the induction of cytokines/chemokines. Finally, the role of T4519 in the pathogenesis of
Salmonella
Typhi is underscored by the significantly decreased mortality of mice infected with the Ty2Δ
t4519
strain and the fact that the competitive index of this strain for causing systemic infection is 0.25% that of the wild-type strain. This study characterizes the first eSTK of
Salmonella
Typhi and demonstrates its role in promoting phagosomal survival of the bacteria within macrophages, which is a key determinant of pathogenesis. This, to the best of our knowledge, is the first study to describe the essential role of eSTKs in the
in vivo
pathogenesis of
Salmonella
spp.
Altering the Divalent Metal Ion Preference of RNase E
Authors: Thompson Katharine J. , Zong Jeff , Mackie George A.
Published: November 2014

RNase E is a major intracellular endoribonuclease in many bacteria and participates in most aspects of RNA processing and degradation. RNase E requires a divalent metal ion for its activity. We show that only Mg2+and Mn2+will support significant rates of activityin vitroagainst natural RNAs, with Mn2+being preferred. Both Mg2+and Mn2+also support cleavage of an oligonucleotide substrate with similar kinetic parameters for both ions. Salts of Ni2+and Zn2+permitted low levels of activity, while Ca2+, Co3+, Cu2+, and Fe2+did not. A mutation to one of the residues known to chelate Mg2+, D346C, led to almost complete loss of activity dependent on Mg2+; however, the activity of the mutant enzyme was fully restored by the presence of Mn2+with kinetic parameters fully equivalent to those of wild-type enzyme. A similar mutation to the other chelating residue, D303C, resulted in nearly full loss of activity regardless of metal ion. The properties of RNase E D346C enabled a test of the ionic requirements of RNase Ein vivo. Plasmid shuffling experiments showed that bothrneD303C(i.e., thernegene encoding a D-to-C change at position 303) andrneD346Cwere inviable whether or not the selection medium was supplied with MnSO4, implying that RNase E relies on Mg2+exclusivelyin vivo.
Rounded and velvety epidermal naevus, report of a verrucous form in axillary location
Authors: Mestre Tiago , Carvalho Rodrigo , Amaro Cristina
Published: November 2014

Rounded and velvety epidermal naevus, naevoid acanthosis nigricans, also called the acanthosis nigricans form of epidermal naevus is an extremely rare entity, with fewer than 15 cases described in the literature. We report the case of a 23-year-old woman with asymptomatic velvety verrucous plaques on her left axilla starting at the age of 14. As far as we know this is the first case of such a verrucous form with only axillar involvement of naevoid acanthosis nigricans. We report this rare case, and we make a brief review of the clinical pathophysiology and treatment of this uncommon tumour.
Out in the cold: the hypothermic heart response
Authors: Nabeel Yassar , Ali Omair
Published: November 2014

We present an interesting case of a 49-year-old woman with hypothermia and associated Osborn waves (also called J waves) on ECG. She was found on the floor of her home and difficult to arouse. On arrival to the emergency department (ED), her rectal temperature was 87.5°F. ECG showed Osborn waves in diffuse leads. She was intubated in the ED and was started on vasopressor support for hypotension refractory to intravenous fluid boluses. She was transferred to the critical care unit for continued respiratory and cardiovascular support. With active external rewarming her core body temperature continued to improve. Blood pressure also improved and vasopressor was tapered off. She was extubated and was transferred to the medical floor for continued supportive care. Osborn waves on ECG resolved within 12 h of achieving normal range body temperature. The patient was eventually discharged home with medical follow-up.
A rare case of acquired aortopulmonary fistula with bicuspid aortic valve: report of successful surgical repair
Authors: Premchand Rajendra Kumar , Bhaskar Rao Bolleneni , Partani Kaustubh
Published: November 2014

An acquired aortopulmonary fistula is a rare and usually fatal phenomenon. Rarer still are reports of successful surgical repair of aortopulmonary fistulae. We present the case of a 48-year-old hypertensive man who presented with congestive cardiac failure. Examination revealed a bicuspid aortic valve and a large aneurysm of the arch of the aorta, which was communicating with the main pulmonary artery. The diagnosis of acquired aortopulmonary fistula was made using transthoracic echocardiography findings and confirmed by CT. The patient was successfully managed by surgery, with an uneventful postoperative recovery, with control of congestive cardiac failure. At 1-year follow-up, the patient had Class I symptoms.
‘Dark logic’: theorising the harmful consequences of public health interventions
Authors: Bonell Chris , Jamal Farah , Melendez-Torres G J , Cummins Steven
Published: November 2014

Although it might be assumed that most public health programmes involving social or behavioural rather than clinical interventions are unlikely to be iatrogenic, it is well established that they can sometimes cause serious harms. However, the assessment of adverse effects remains a neglected topic in evaluations of public health interventions. In this paper, we first argue for the importance of evaluations of public health interventions not only aiming to examine potential harms but also the mechanisms that might underlie these harms so that they might be avoided in the future. Second, we examine empirically whether protocols for the evaluation of public health interventions do examine harmful outcomes and underlying mechanisms and, if so, how. Third, we suggest a new process by which evaluators might develop ‘dark logic models’ to guide the evaluation of potential harms and underlying mechanisms, which includes: theorisation of agency-structure interactions; building comparative understanding across similar interventions via reciprocal and refutational translation; and consultation with local actors to identify how mechanisms might be derailed, leading to harmful consequences. We refer to the evaluation of a youth work intervention which unexpectedly appeared to increase the rate of teenage pregnancy it was aiming to reduce, and apply our proposed process retrospectively to see how this might have strengthened the evaluation. We conclude that the theorisation of dark logic models is critical to prevent replication of harms. It is not intended to replace but rather to inform empirical evaluation.
The real ecological fallacy: epidemiology and global climate change
Authors: Krieger Nancy
Published: November 2014

Prompted by my participation in the People's Climate March held in New York City on 21 September 2014, as part of the ‘Harvard Divest’ contingent, in this brief essay I reflect on the late 20th century development of—and debates over—the necessity of ecological thinking in epidemiology, and also the still limited engagement of our field with work on the health impact of global climate change. Revisiting critiques about the damaging influence of methodological individualism on our field, I extend critique of the still influential notion of ‘ecological fallacy,’ including its wilful disregard for ecology itself as being pertinent to people's ways of living—and dying. Indeed, the real ‘ecological fallacy’ is to think epidemiologists or others could ever understand the people's health except in societal and ecological, and hence historical, context. I conclude by urging all of us, as members of the broader scientific community, whether or not we directly study the health impacts of the planetary emergency of global climate change, to step up by joining the call for universities to divest from fossil fuels.
Morphological and hemodynamic analysis of posterior communicating artery aneurysms prone to rupture: a matched case–control study
Authors: Duan Guoli , Lv Nan , Yin Jianhua , Xu Jinyu , Hong Bo , Xu Yi , Liu Jianmin , Huang Qinghai
Published: November 2014

Objectives

We evaluated the correlation between posterior communicating artery (PcomA) aneurysm rupture and morphological and hemodynamic parameters to assess related rupture risk indices.

Methods

Six patients with PcomA aneurysms that ultimately ruptured (cases) were studied after initially being included in a prospective database including their three-dimensional (3D) imaging before rupture. For each case, four incidental stable unruptured aneurysms (controls) were randomly selected and matched based on clinical factors. The 3D images from all patients were reconstructed to establish the patient-specific model. Six morphologic parameters and three hemodynamic parameters were measured and calculated. A conditional logistic regression analysis was used to assess the individual risk of rupture.

Results

The analysis demonstrated a larger aneurysm size (p=0.001), higher aspect ratio (p=0.018), ellipticity index (p<0.001), undulation index (p=0.005), percentage of low wall shear stress (WSS) area (LSA%) (p=0.010), and a lower normalized WSS (p=0.005) in the case group. The multivariate conditional logistic regression analysis demonstrated that only normalized WSS was significantly associated with the rupture of PcomA aneurysms (OR 0.151; 95% CI 0.025 to 0.914; p=0.040).

Conclusions

Hemodynamics and morphology are closely associated with aneurysm rupture, and WSS may be a more reliable parameter characterizing the rupture status of PcomA aneurysms.
Carotid sacrifice with a single Penumbra occlusion device: a feasibility study in a swine model
Authors: Spiotta Alejandro M , Turner Raymond D , Chaudry M Imran , Turk Aquilla S , Hui Ferdinand K , Schonholz Claudio
Published: November 2014

Introduction

Carotid sacrifice is a valuable tool in the treatment of select vascular lesions. Traditional coil embolization as the primary means of carotid sacrifice can be expensive, with high radiation exposure. We investigated the feasibility of a novel hybrid coil, the Penumbra occlusion device (POD), for carotid sacrifice in a swine model.

Methods

A total of eight common carotid artery sacrifices were performed in fully heparinized pigs under fluoroscopic guidance. A single POD device was deployed within each vessel, and intermittent follow-up angiography was performed to assess flow.

Results

Complete carotid occlusion was achieved in all cases with a single POD (time range 2–15 min) without any coil migration or intraprocedural complications. Once the anchor zone was stable, no distal migrations were observed during either proximal soft coil packing or during hand injected angiography. Complete occlusion was verified between 2 and 15 min following POD deployment.

Conclusions

Carotid artery sacrifice using a novel POD device is safe and effective, allowing for reduced radiation and material costs compared with any other described endovascular technique.
Relationships betweenV̇O2and blood lactate responses after all-out running exercise
Authors: Aguiar Rafael Alves de , Cruz Rogério Santos de Oliveira , Turnes Tiago , Pereira Kayo Leonardo , Caputo Fabrizio
Published: November 2014

To verify the effects of training status and blood lactate concentration (BLC) responses on the early excess postexercise oxygen consumption (EPOC), 8 sprinters, 7 endurance runners, and 7 untrained subjects performed an incremental test to determine maximal oxygen uptake and a 1-min all-out test to determine BLC and oxygen uptake recovery curves. BLC kinetics was evaluated to assess the quantity of lactate accumulated during exercise (QlaA), lactate removal ability (k2), and quantity of lactate removed from 0 to 10 min postexercise (QlaR). Oxygen uptake off-kinetics was evaluated to assess the decay time constants (τ1and τ2); moreover, EPOC was measured during the first 10 min after exercise. While sprinters had 98%–100% and 94%–100% likelihood of having the highest EPOC and decay time constants, endurance runners had 98%–100% and 95%–100% likelihood of having the lowest EPOC and decay time constants. EPOC was correlated with QlaA(r = 0.74) and QlaR(r = 0.61). τ1and τ2were correlated with maximal oxygen uptake (r > –0.57), k2(r > –0.48), and QlaRrelative to QlaA(r > –0.60). Our findings indicate that oxygen uptake recovery is associated with fast lactate removal and aerobic training. Furthermore, the metabolites derived from anaerobic energy production seem to induce a greater EPOC after all-out exercise.
Cardioprotective properties of citicoline against hyperthyroidism-induced reperfusion damage in rat hearts
Authors: Hernández-Esquivel Luz , Pavón Natalia , Buelna-Chontal Mabel , González-Pacheco Héctor , Belmont Javier , Chávez Edmundo
Published: November 2014

Hyperthyroidism represents an increased risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity, especially when the heart is subjected to an ischemia/reperfusion process. The aim of this study was to explore the possible protective effect of the nucleotide citicoline on the susceptibility of hyperthyroid rat hearts to undergo reperfusion-induced damage, which is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction. Hence, we analyzed the protective effect of citicoline on the electrical behavior and on the mitochondrial function in rat hearts. Hyperthyroidism was established after a daily i.p. injection of triiodothyronine (at 2 mg/kg of body weight) during 5 days. Thereafter, citicoline was administered i.p. (at 125 mg/kg of body weight) for 5 days. In hyperthyroid rat hearts, citicoline protected against reperfusion-induced ventricular arrhythmias. Moreover, citicoline maintained the accumulation of mitochondrial Ca2+, allowing mitochondria to reach a high transmembrane electric gradient that protected against the release of cytochrome c. It also preserved the activity of the enzyme aconitase that inhibited the release of cytokines. The protection also included the inhibition of oxidative stress-induced mDNA disruption. We conclude that citicoline protects against the reperfusion damage that is found in the hyperthyroid myocardium. This effect might be due to its inhibitory action on the permeability transition in mitochondria.
Multiscale hydrogeomorphic influences on bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) spawning habitat
Authors: Bean Jared R. , Wilcox Andrew C. , Woessner William W. , Muhlfeld Clint C.
Published: November 2014

We investigated multiscale hydrogeomorphic influences on the distribution and abundance of bull trout (Salvelinus confluentus) spawning in snowmelt-dominated streams of the upper Flathead River basin, northwestern Montana. Within our study reaches, bull trout tended to spawn in the finest available gravel substrates. Analysis of the mobility of these substrates, based on one-dimensional hydraulic modeling and calculation of dimensionless shear stresses, indicated that bed materials in spawning reaches would be mobilized at moderate (i.e., 2-year recurrence interval) high-flow conditions, although the asynchronous timing of the fall–winter egg incubation period and typical late spring – early summer snowmelt high flows in our study area may limit susceptibility to redd scour under current hydrologic regimes. Redd occurrence also tended to be associated with concave-up bedforms (pool tailouts) with downwelling intragravel flows. Streambed temperatures tracked stream water diurnal temperature cycles to a depth of at least 25 cm, averaging 6.1–8.1 °C in different study reaches during the spawning period. Ground water provided thermal moderation of stream water for several high-density spawning reaches. Bull trout redds were more frequent in unconfined alluvial valley reaches (8.5 versus 5.0 redds·km−1 in confined valley reaches), which were strongly influenced by hyporheic and groundwater – stream water exchange. A considerable proportion of redds were patchily distributed in confined valley reaches, however, emphasizing the influence of local physical conditions in supporting bull trout spawning habitat. Moreover, narrowing or “bounding” of these alluvial valley segments did not appear to be important. Our results suggest that geomorphic, thermal, and hydrological factors influence bull trout spawning occurrence at multiple spatial scales.
Modèles d’intersections des D-branes : un panorama
Authors: Ennadifi Salah Eddine
Published: November 2014

Les modèles d’intersections des D-branes sont l’une des avenues les plus prometteuses pour incorporer le modèle standard et au-delà dans le contexte de la théorie des cordes. Nous présentons d’une façon générale leurs caractéristiques géométriques, le contenu en champs de jauge et de fermions du modèle standard et au-delà et les éléments présents qui pourraient combler ses lacunes.
Effect of polarization potential on μ+-H inelastic scattering
Authors: Elkilany S.A.
Published: November 2014

This work deals with the effect of polarization potential on inelastic scattering of muons by hydrogen atom, μ+-H, as a two-channel problem in which the elastic and muonium (in 1s state) formation channels are open for seven values of the total angular momentum at energies between 1 and 10 keV. For this purpose, we improved the coupled static approximation by “switching on” the polarization potential of hydrogen atom (in 1s state) to calculate elastic and muonium formation cross-sections of μ+-H inelastic scattering. We use the Lipmann–Swinger equation and an iterative numerical method to obtain the computational code. This can be done through calculating the reactance matrix, then obtaining the transition matrix that gives partial and total cross-sections. Our results and those determined by previous authors are in reasonable agreement.
The Sun and stars: Giving light to dark matter
Authors: Casanellas Jordi , Lopes Ilídio
Published: November 2014

During the last century, with the development of modern physics in such diverse fields as thermodynamics, statistical physics, and nuclear and particle physics, the basic principles of the evolution of stars have been successfully well understood. Nowadays, a precise diagnostic of the stellar interiors is possible with the new fields of helioseismology and astroseismology. Even the measurement of solar neutrino fluxes, once a problem in particle physics, is now a powerful probe of the core of the Sun. These tools have allowed the use of stars to test new physics, in particular the properties of the hypothetical particles that constitute the dark matter (DM) of the Universe. Here we present recent results obtained using this approach.
Constraints on dark matter annihilation and its equation of state after Planck data
Authors: Xu Lixin
Published: November 2014

In this paper, the annihilation of dark matter (DM) fdϵ0 with nonzero equation of state (EoS) w dm was studied by using the currently available cosmic observations which include geometric and dynamic measurements. The constrained results show they are anti-correlated and are [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text], respectively in 1σ regions. With the inclusion of possible annihilation of DM, no significant deviation from ΛCDM model was found in the 1σ region.
Perturbative calculations in space–time having extra dimensions: The 6D single axial box anomaly
Authors: Fonseca M. V. S. , Dallabona G. , Battistel O. A.
Published: November 2014

A detailed investigation about the 6D single axial box anomalous amplitude is presented. The superficial degree of divergence involved, in the one-loop perturbative calculations, is quadratic and the corresponding theory is nonrenormalizable. In spite of this, we show that the phenomenon of anomaly can be clearly characterized in a completely analogous way as that of 4D single axial triangle anomaly. The required calculations are made within the context of a novel calculational strategy where the amplitudes are not modified in intermediary steps. Divergent integrals are, in fact, not really solved. Adequate representations for the internal propagators are adopted according to the degree of divergence involved, so that when the last Feynman rule is taken (integration over the loop momentum) all the dependence on the internal (arbitrary) momenta are placed only in finite integrals. In the divergent structures emerging, no physical parameter is present and such objects are not really integrated. Only very general properties are assumed for such quantities which are universal (all space–time dimensions). The consistency of the perturbative calculations fixes some relations among the divergent integrals so that all the potentially ambiguous terms can be automatically removed. In spite of the absence of ambiguities, the emerging results allow us to give a clear and transparent description of the anomaly. The present investigation confirms the point of view stated by the same prescription for the well-known 2D axial-vector (AV) two-point and 4D single (AVV) and triple (AAA) axial-vector anomalies: the anomalous amplitudes need not be assumed as ambiguous quantities to allow an adequate description of the anomalies. We show also that a surprising, but natural, connection between the coupling of fermions with a pseudoscalar tensor field is found. In addition, we show that the crucial mathematical aspects of the problem are deeply related to a recently arisen controversy involving the evaluation of the Higgs Boson decay and the question of unicity in the dimensional regularization.
Spherically symmetric static matter configurations with vanishing radial pressure
Authors: Thirukkanesh S. , Govender M. , Lortan D. B.
Published: November 2014

We present a new family of spherically symmetric, static solutions of the Einstein field equations in isotropic, comoving coordinates. The radial pressure at each interior point of these models vanishes yet equilibrium is still possible. The constant density Florides solution which describes the gravitational field inside an Einstein cluster is obtained as a special case of our solution-generating method. We show that our solutions can be utilized to model strange star candidates such as Her. X-1, SAX J1808.4-3658(SS2), SAX J1808.4-3658(SS1) and PSR J1614-2230.
Chirality in atomic nuclei: 2013
Authors: Meng J. , Chen Q. B. , Zhang S. Q.
Published: November 2014

Progresses of the chirality in atomic nuclei are reviewed, in particular, the recently proposed collective Hamiltonian based on tilted axis cranking approach to describe chiral vibration and rotation modes, and the experimental achievements for chirality and multiple chiral doublets, i.e., in 106 Ag , 133 Ce and 103 Rh . The first experimental evidences of multiple chiral doublet bands with distinct and identical configuration found in 133 Ce and 103 Rh are discussed in detail.
Theoretical calculations of π-type pnicogen bonds in the triad intermolecular complexes
Authors: Xu Hui-Ying , Wang Wei , Zou Jian-Wei , Xu Xiao-Lu
Published: November 2014

The pnicogen bonding interactions of PCl3and π-electron systems (acetylene, ethylene, benzene) were calculated by using MP2/aug-cc-pVDZ method and the effect of hydrogen bond on pnicogen bond systems were investigated. It has been indicated that the hydrogen bonding and the pnicogen bonding interactions have influence on each other and the positively cooperative effect has been detected. The interaction energies of pnicogen bonded supramolecular system were also calculated by using DFT method (M06-2X) and some simple comparisons with those by using MP2 method were made. It has been disclosed from natural bond orbitals (NBO) analysis that more the amount of charge transfer of pnicogen bonding interaction, the greater the stability of the corresponding complex. Through AIM topological analysis, it has been revealed that the electron density of pnicogen bond BCP point is positively correlated with the stability of trimeric complex. Electron localization function (ELF) was also adopted to analyze the nature of pnicogen bonding interactions. Furthermore, density difference function (DDF) method was adopted to analyze the variation of electron density of pnicogen bond system because of hydrogen bond.
Entanglement and other quantum correlations of a single qudit state
Authors: Man'ko Margarita A. , Man'ko Vladimir I.
Published: November 2014

The approach to extend the notion of entanglement for characterizing the properties of quantum correlations in the state of a single qudit is presented. New information and entropic inequalities, such as the subadditivity condition, strong subadditivity condition, and monotonicity of relative entropy for a single qudit corresponding to an arbitrary spin state with spin j are discussed. The idea to employ quantum correlations in the single-qudit state, such as the entanglement, for developing a new quantum technique in quantum computing and quantum communication is proposed. Examples of qutrit and qudit with j = 3/2 are considered.
Efficient reduction of graphene oxide nanosheets using Na2C2O4 as a reducing agent
Authors: Hanifah Mohamad Fahrul Radzi , Jaafar Juhana , Aziz Madzlan , Ismail A. F. , Othman M. H. D. , Rahman Mukhlis A. , Norddin M. N. A. M. , Yusof N. , Salleh W. N. W.
Published: November 2014

The efficient synthesis of reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanosheets via chemical reduction process of exfoliated graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets was performed by introducing sodium oxalate ( Na 2 C 2 O 4) as a reducing agent. To study the effects of the reduction time on the synthesized RGO, the GO was reduced within -1/2, 1 and 2 h for RGO-1, RGO-2 and RGO-3, respectively. The C/O atomic ratio of the synthesized RGO-3 has increased from 2.16 to 6.32 after reduction as determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The morphology analysis of the RGO-3 was determined by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) almost revealed the formation of single layer. The number of RGO layers decreases as the time of the reduction increases. Based on these analysis results, sodium oxalate plays an important role in the efficient removal of the oxygen containing groups in the GO to produce high quality of RGO.
EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION ON INITIAL DISTURBANCES IN PULSATING PIPE FLOWS
Authors: MIAU J. J. , DAI J. Y.
Published: November 2014

Growth of the initial disturbances in pulsating pipe flows was examined in this study from the point of view of Rayleigh instability. Experimental results obtained show that the instability is initiated in the developing region during the deceleration phase when an inflection point is obviously present in the velocity profile. Moreover, the results obtained are able to unveil the process regarding the disturbances get amplified and re-laminarized with respect to the phase angle and the radial location.
ASSESSMENT OF IEC 61400-1 NORMAL TURBULENCE MODEL FOR WIND CONDITIONS IN TAIWAN WEST COAST AREAS
Authors: LEU TZONG-SHYNG , YO JUI-MING , TSAI YI-TING , MIAU JIU-JIH , WANG TA-CHUNG , TSENG CHIEN-CHOU
Published: November 2014

This paper studies the applicability of Normal Turbulence Model (NTM) in IEC61400-1 for wind conditions in Taiwan west coast area where future offshore wind farms are planning in the nearby areas. The parameters for the standard deviation of wind fluctuating [Formula: see text] are presented and compared with IEC Normal Turbulence Model. It is found that the trend of turbulence standard deviation [Formula: see text] based on the observation data agreed qualitatively well with IEC Normal Turbulence Model. However, IEC Normal Turbulence Model results in rather small [Formula: see text] compared to surveillance wind data in Taiwan. In this paper, model parameters for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] based on the two-year observation wind data are proposed. The proposed model parameters a, b, α and β are 0.9125, 2.4345, 0.097 and 2.1875.
NON-NEWTONIAN FLOW IN MICROCHANNELS
Authors: TANG GUIHUA , LU YINBIN , SHI YU
Published: November 2014

Investigation on Non-Newtonian fluid flow in microchannels is of both fundamental interest and practical significance. The electroosmotic flow under the external electric field and pressure driven flow considering the electroviscous effect for non-Newtonian fluid in microchannels and microscale porous media are numerically studied by using the lattice Boltzmann method. The coupled effects of non-Newtonian rheological characteristics with the microscale electrokinetics are examined and interesting results are obtained.