bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Tadalafil Once Daily Improves Ejaculatory Function, Erectile Function, and Sexual Satisfaction in Men with Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms Suggestive of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia and Erectile Dysfunction: Results from a Randomized, Placebo- and Tamsulosin-Controlled, 12-Week Double-Blind Study
Authors: Giuliano François , Oelke Matthias , Jungwirth Andreas , Hatzimouratidis Konstantinos , Watts Steven , Cox David , Viktrup Lars
Published: January 2013

Introduction

Tadalafil, a long-acting phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitor, is approved for treating signs and symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) and erectile dysfunction (ED); tamsulosin, an alpha-blocker, is approved for treating signs and symptoms of BPH.

Aim

To determine the effects of tadalafil or tamsulosin on sexual function, including ejaculation and orgasm, satisfaction, and erectile function, in sexually active men with ED and lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of BPH (LUTS/BPH).

Methods

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of tadalafil 5mg once daily for 12 weeks in men with LUTS/BPH; tamsulosin 0.4mg once daily was an active control.

Main Outcome Measures

The International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF) questionnaire was administered at baseline and 4, 8, and 12 weeks. Analysis of orgasm and ejaculation was post hoc based on the IIEF-Orgasmic Function (OF) domain (IIEF-Q9 [ejaculatory frequency] and Q10 [orgasmic frequency]). Other measures included IIEF-Intercourse Satisfaction (IS), Overall Satisfaction (OS), and Erectile Function (EF) domains. Changes from baseline to 12 weeks (or last observation) vs. placebo were analyzed using analysis of covariance. Higher IIEF scores indicate better functioning.

Results

Of 511 study participants, 310 (60.7%) had ED and were sexually active. The IIEF-OF increased significantly through 12 weeks with tadalafil vs. placebo (P =0.048), as did IIEF-Q9 (P =0.045) but not IIEF-Q10 (P =0.100). Compared with placebo, IIEF-OF, Q9, and Q10 decreased significantly with tamsulosin (all P <0.05). The IIEF-IS and OS increased significantly at end point with tadalafil (both P <0.001); for tamsulosin, change was not significant for IS, while OS decreased significantly (P =0.009). The IIEF-EF domain increased significantly vs. placebo with tadalafil (P <0.001) but not tamsulosin (P =0.699).

Conclusions

Tadalafil 5mg once daily significantly improved ejaculation and orgasm, intercourse and overall satisfaction, and erectile function. Men receiving tamsulosin 0.4mg once daily experienced a decrease in both ejaculatory/orgasmic frequency and overall satisfaction vs. placebo, with no significant effect on erectile function.
Seeing the unseen by remote sensing: satellite imagery applied to species distribution modelling
Authors: Rocchini Duccio
Published: January 2013

Remotely‐sensed proxies have been acknowledged as powerful tools for estimating species’ spatial distributions, whatever the taxonomic group being considered. Jiang et al. (2013) provide a robust example of seeing the unseen by remote sensing, predicting the distribution of epiphyllous liverworts from SPOT Vegetation remotely‐sensed data.
Enforcement of corporate conduct under the Equitable Maximisation and Viability principle
Authors: Attenborough Daniel
Published: January 2013

Legal academics and practitioners have engaged in intense elaboration and defence of differing perspectives about the appropriate standard of corporate conduct, and unresolved debates surrounding this contemporary legal issue have proved intractable. The classical scholarship has become ghettoised in self-supporting ecosystems of inflexible exchange. Of necessity, a new conceptual approach has been proposed to address in an affirmative fashion the inevitable penumbra of uncertainty and institutional indeterminacy of corporate law, specifically in regard to stipulating an appropriate standard of corporate behaviour for the myriad of organisational activity. This is the Equitable Maximisation and Viability principle (EMV). This paper focuses on providing for some meaningful enforceable standards that ensure the principle is not precatory. Before this can be undertaken, it considers in a systematic and comprehensive manner corollary questions as to whether substantive private enforcement procedures can, and should, be used to monitor and challenge directors’ decision making. These insights allow the paper to open up the enforcement issue. The principal part of the paper identifies and examines various alternative ways of enforcing the principle and then argues for the use of one credible mechanism.
Development of the Thai healthy aging model: A grounded theory study
Authors: Thiamwong Ladda , McManus Michael S. , Suwanno Jom
Published: January 2013

To develop a model of healthy aging from the perspective of Thais, a grounded theory approach, including in‐depth interviews and focus groups, was used. A purposive sample of 39 community‐dwelling adults aged 40–85 years old was interviewed. The Thai healthy aging model composed of three themes: normality, nature, and dharma. In Thai, they are called tham‐ma‐da, tham‐ma‐chat, and tham‐ma, or “Thai 3Ts”. The theme of normality encompasses subthemes of staying physically active by being involved in plenty of physical activities, and being mentally active with creative and thoughtful hobbies and work. The theme of nature encompasses subthemes of living simply and being careful with money. The theme of dharma encompasses subthemes of enjoyment through helping family and participating in community activities, staying away from stress and worries by talking openly and honestly with someone, making merit, and helping other people without expecting anything in return. A greater understanding of healthy aging is a benefit for older adults and healthcare providers in an intervention‐design process. Research can contribute valuable information to shape policy for healthy aging as well.
Informed decision making regarding antenatal screening for fetal abnormality in the United Kingdom: A qualitative study of parents and professionals
Authors: Barr Owen , Skirton Heather
Published: January 2013

The aim of this study was to explore the views of parents and health professionals regarding informed decision making for antenatal screening for Down syndrome. This qualitative study was based on thematic analysis and conducted in England, where screening for Down syndrome is universally offered to all pregnant women. Four focus groups were held with pregnant women and/or their partners (n = 22), and another four groups were held with health professionals who offer antenatal screening (n = 22). Data were analyzed through coding of the transcribed focus group discussions and extraction of main themes. Extracted themes were: information overload, gaps in information, challenges in providing information and involvement of both parents in the decision. Parents and professionals believed that burdening parents with untimely information on a wide range of topics in the first trimester detracted from decision making about screening. Many parents also reported they were not sufficiently informed and wanted individualized discussion with a health professional. To ensure parents make informed decisions, information on screening should be provided at the appropriate time, with opportunity for personal discussion with a knowledgeable health professional.
Molecular evolution and expression divergence of the Populus polygalacturonase supergene family shed light on the evolution of increasingly complex organs in plants
Authors: Yang Zhi‐Ling , Liu Hai‐Jing , Wang Xiao‐Ru , Zeng Qing‐Yin
Published: January 2013

Plant polygalacturonases (PGs) are involved in cell separation processes during many stages of plant development. Investigation into the diversification of this large gene family in land plants could shed light on the evolution of structural development.

We conducted whole‐genome annotation, molecular evolution and gene expression analyses of PG genes in five species of land plant: Populus, Arabidopsis, rice, Selaginella and Physcomitrella.

We identified 75, 44, 16 and 11 PG genes from Populus, rice, Selaginella and Physcomitrella genomes, respectively, which were divided into three classes. We inferred rapid expansion of class I PG genes in Populus, Arabidopsis and rice, while copy numbers of classes II and III PG genes were relatively conserved in all five species. Populus, Arabidopsis and rice class I PG genes were under more relaxed selection constraints than class II PG genes, while this selective pressure divergence was not observed in Selaginella and Physcomitrella PG families. In addition, class I PG genes underwent marked expression divergence in Populus, rice and Selaginella.

Our results suggest that PG gene expansion occurred after the divergence of the lycophytes and euphyllophytes, and this expansion was likely paralleled by the evolution of increasingly complex organs in land plants.
Siderophore conjugates
Authors: Page Malcolm G. P.
Published: January 2013

There has been considerable effort expended in the investigation of the potential of siderophore conjugates of antibiotics to circumvent the permeability barrier imposed by the outer membrane of Gram‐negative bacteria. There is also a small group of natural conjugates, the sideromycins. Among the synthetic analogues that have been investigated are conjugates of nucleosides, glycopeptides, macrolides, fluroquinolones, and, above all, β‐lactams. Despite this effort, few compounds have progressed beyond experimental studies. One compound, the siderophore monosulfactam BAL30072, is in early clinical studies.
Contrast sensitivity in the ‘good eye’ of adult patients with severe impairment in the other eye
Authors: Giannakopoulou Trisevgeni , Plainis Sotiris , Pallikaris Ioannis G , Tsilimbaris Miltiadis K
Published: January 2013

Purpose

It is widely accepted that monocular deprivation results in improved visual performance in the non‐pathological eye. The current study investigates the effect of deprivation due to severe impairment in one eye during late childhood or adulthood, on the spatial performance of the fellow ‘good’ eye.

Methods

Twenty patients (age: 29 ± 9 years) with severe visual impairment in one eye (visual acuity equal or worse than count fingers at 1 m), for a period longer than 2 years, participated in the study. Only patients with an age less than 50 years and monocular deprivation onset greater than 9 years were included. On the basis of the time of deprivation the patients were categorised into two subgroups: (i) long‐past deprivation (N = 8, age 28 ± 8 years, 9–20 years of deprivation) and recent deprivation (N = 12, age 30 ± 11 years, 2–4 years of deprivation). Eighteen more participants (age: 28 ± 5 years) with normal binocular vision served as the control group. Best‐corrected contrast sensitivity was evaluated using reversing (2 Hz) vertical sinusoidal gratings. Seven spatial frequencies (1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 16 and 24 c/deg) were tested. Performance of the control group was tested both monocularly (dominant eye) and binocularly.

Results

In normal subjects, binocular viewing improved contrast sensitivity on average by 4.2 dB (corresponding to a 70% improvement in contrast threshold) compared to monocular recordings. Average contrast sensitivity in subjects with impaired vision in one eye was found to be higher by 5.0 dB (corresponding to an 83% improvement in contrast threshold) compared with the dominant eye of the control group. The increase in sensitivity was independent of spatial frequency. No differences were observed between the two subgroups with recent and long‐past deprivation.

Conclusions

Notable improvement in contrast sensitivity was found in the non‐pathological eye of patients with severe impairment in the other eye at an age after the “critical” period of visual development. These findings are consistent with growing evidence supporting functional changes as a result of altered experience or injury in the adult vision system.
The effects of a stimulating intron on the expression of heterologous genes in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Emami Shahram , Arumainayagam Dinah , Korf Ian , Rose Alan B.
Published: January 2013

Introns are often added to transgenes to increase expression, although the mechanism through which introns stimulate gene expression in plants and other eukaryotes remains mysterious. While introns vary in their effect on expression, it is unknown whether different genes respond similarly to the same stimulatory intron. Furthermore, the degree to which gene regulation is preserved when expression is increased by an intron has not been thoroughly investigated. To test the effects of the same intron on the expression of a range of genes, GUS translational fusions were constructed using the promoters of eight Arabidopsis genes whose expression was reported to be constitutive (GAE1, CNGC2 and ROP10), tissue specific (ADL1A, YAB3 and AtAMT2) or regulated by light (ULI3 and MSBP1). For each gene, a fusion containing the first intron from the UBQ10 gene was compared to fusions containing the gene's endogenous first intron (if the gene has one) or no intron. In every case, the UBQ10 intron increased expression relative to the intronless control, although the magnitude of the change and the level of expression varied. The UBQ10 intron also changed the expression patterns of the CNGC2 and YAB3 fusions to include strong activity in roots, indicating that tissue specificity was disrupted by this intron. In contrast, the regulation of the ULI3 and MSBP1 genes by light was preserved when their expression was stimulated by the intron. These findings have important implications for biotechnology applications in which a high level of transgene expression in only certain tissues is desired.
Death Goes to the Polls: A Meta‐Analysis of Mortality Salience Effects on Political Attitudes
Authors: Burke Brian L. , Kosloff Spee , Landau Mark J.
Published: January 2013

Terror management theory posits that people are motivated to affirm cultural meaning systems, including political ideologies, to avoid the awareness of mortality. Accordingly, studies show that increasing mortality salience (MS) intensifies people's attitudes toward political issues and figures. However, whereas in some studies MS increases affirmation of preexisting political ideologies, be they liberal or conservative (supporting a “worldview‐defense hypothesis”), in other studies MS elicits a general shift toward conservatism, regardless of preexisting ideology (supporting a “conservative‐shift hypothesis”). The current study used meta‐analysis to assess the overall magnitude of MS effects on explicitly political attitudes and to clarify the nature of these effects by comparing effect sizes for these competing hypotheses. The overall effect of MS on political attitudes was large (r = .50). The effects of MS‐induced worldview defense (r = .35) and conservative shifting (r = .22) were significant and statistically equivalent. We discuss the conditions (e.g., contextual salience of political values) under which conservative shifting or worldview defense occurs.
Voting and Values: Reciprocal Effects over Time
Authors: Vecchione Michele , Caprara Gianvittorio , Dentale Francesco , Schwartz Shalom H.
Published: January 2013

Two studies investigated reciprocal effects of values and voting. Study 1 measured adults' basic values and core political values both before (n = 1379) and following (n = 1030) the 2006 Italian national election. Both types of values predicted voting. Voting choice influenced subsequent core political values but not basic values. The political values of free enterprise, civil liberties, equality, law and order, military intervention, and accepting immigrants changed to become more compatible with the ideology of the chosen coalition. Study 2 measured core political values before (n = 697) and following (n = 506) the 2008 Italian national election. It largely replicated the reciprocal effects of voting and political values of Study 1. In addition, it demonstrated that left‐right ideology mediated the reciprocal effects of voting and political values. Moreover, voter certainty moderated these effects. Political values predicted vote choice more weakly among undecided than decided voters, but voting choice led to more value change among undecided voters.
Tracking source materials of Phanerozoic granitoids in South Korea by zircon Hf isotopes
Authors: Cheong Chang‐sik , Yi Keewook , Kim Namhoon , Lee Tae‐Ho , Lee Seung Ryeol , Geng Jian‐zhen , Li Huai‐kun
Published: January 2013

Phanerozoic granitoids in South Korea are classified into four primary spatiotemporal groups showing geochemical and isotopic diversity. This study presents the first in situ Hf isotope data for zircons extracted from representative outcrops of each granitoid group. The core‐to‐rim variation in εHf values observed in some zircon grains provides evidence for open‐system processes influenced by the input of more primitive melts or interactions with pre‐existing crustal materials. A general core‐to‐rim decrease in Lu/Hf and Th/U ratios indicates a progressive compositional change in the melts during magmatic differentiation. Contrasting evolutionary paths demonstrated by zircon εHf values suggest that the Neoproterozoic to Palaeozoic crust including the Permian granitoids was recycled during the Cretaceous to Palaeogene magmatism in south‐eastern Korea, whereas the Palaeoarchaean to Palaeoproterozoic crust provided major source material for the Triassic to Jurassic granitoids in central Korea.
Design of Underactuated Steerable Electrode Arrays for Optimal Insertions
Authors: Zhang Jian , Simaan Nabil
Published: January 2013

This paper addresses the design of wire actuated steerable electrode arrays for optimal insertions in cochlear implant surgery. These underactuated electrode arrays are treated as continuum robots which have an embedded actuation strand inside their flexible medium. By pulling on the actuation strand, an electrode array assumes a minimum-energy shape. The problems of designing optimal actuation strand placement are addressed in this paper. Based on the elastic modeling of the steerable electrode arrays proposed in this paper, an analytical solution of the strand placement is solved to minimize the shape discrepancy between a bent electrode array and a given target curve defined by the anatomy. Using the solved strand placement inside the steerable electrode array, an optimized insertion path planning with robotic assistance is proposed to execute the insertion process. Later, an optimization algorithm is presented to minimize the shape discrepancy between an inserted electrode array and a given target curve during the whole insertion process. Simulations show a steerable electrode array bending using the elastic model and robot insertion path planning with optimized strand placement. Two experiments have been conducted to validate the elastic model and algorithms.
On the Dual-Rod Slider Rocker Mechanism and Its Applications to Tristate Rigid Active Docking
Authors: Moubarak Paul M. , Ben-Tzvi Pinhas
Published: January 2013

The dual-rod slider rocker mechanism is equivalent to two traditional single-rod sliders that share a common rocker, where the sliders translate along two opposite directions. Unlike a single-rod system, the dual-rod mechanism is unique, in the sense that the two sliders do not translate the same distance for the same rocker rotation. In this paper, an optimal kinematic and dynamic analysis of the dual-rod slider rocker mechanism is presented. This analysis is supplemented by an application to modular robotic coupling, in which the mechanism is employed by a torque recirculation scheme to enable three independent modes of operation via a single motor. Simulation, finite element analysis, and experimental results validate the kinematic properties of this mechanism, the rigidity of the proposed docking interface, and its three modes of operation. We conclude that the compactness of the dual-rod mechanism, and its unique kinematic properties, exhibits a broad industrial value for applications where size and weight are a critical design constraint, such as space and mobile robotics.
Diisopropylammonium Bromide Is a High-Temperature Molecular Ferroelectric Crystal
Authors: Fu Da-Wei , Cai Hong-Ling , Liu Yuanming , Ye Qiong , Zhang Wen , Zhang Yi , Chen Xue-Yuan , Giovannetti Gianluca , Capone Massimo , Li Jiangyu , Xiong Ren-Gen
Published: January 2013

Environmentally Friendly Ferroelectrics

Ferroelectrics—which are widely used as piezo elements, sensors, and actuators—maintain charge polarization even in the absence of an external electric field. The best ferroelectric properties are found in perovskites such as barium titanate (BTO) and lead zirconate titanate; however, environmentally friendly, lead-free alternatives are highly desirable.

Fu
et al.

(p.
425
; see the Perspective by

Bonnell

) find that the organic molecular crystal diisopropylammonium bromide has ferroelectric properties comparable to those of BTO and may represent a viable alternative to perovskites.
Charismatic Dead Megafauna
The Afterlives of Animals
A Museum Menagerie

Samuel J. M. M. Alberti, Ed.

University of Virginia Press, Charlottesville, VA, 2011. 255 pp. $35. ISBN 9780813931678.
Authors: Rader Karen A.
Published: January 2013

These essays explore why and how individual animals end up in museums and how they are interpreted.
Seropositivity Rates for Measles, Mumps, and Rubella IgG and Costs Associated with Testing and Revaccination
Authors: Shirts Brian H. , Welch Ryan J. , Couturier Marc Roger
Published: January 2013

Retrospective analysis of IgG test results and patterns for measles, mumps, and rubella revealed generally high seropositivity rates, with that of mumps being the lowest. A simplified cost analysis shows that when there is a suspicion of nonimmunity, serological testing may be cheaper than vaccination.
Unusual Patterns of IgG Avidity in Some Young Children following Two Doses of the Adjuvanted Pandemic H1N1 (2009) Influenza Virus Vaccine
Authors: Yam Karen K. , Gupta Jyotsana , Brewer Angela , Scheifele David W. , Halperin Scott , Ward Brian J. ,   Public Health Agency of Canada/Canadian Institute of Health Research, Influenza Research Network (PCIRN) Rapid Trial Study 3 (RT-03) Investigators
Published: January 2013

During the 2009-2010 H1N1 influenza pandemic, an adjuvanted monovalent vaccine containing ∼25% of the normal antigen dose and AS03 adjuvant was widely used in Canada. This vaccine was found to be well-tolerated and immunogenic in young children (D. W. Scheifele et al., Pediatr. Infect. Dis. J. 30:402–407, 2011). We report here additional analyses to further characterize the humoral response to this vaccine. We measured standard hemagglutination inhibition (HAI) and microneutralization (MN) titers, as well as influenza virus-specific IgG avidity and subclass distribution by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay in 73 subjects. Sera were collected before (day 0) and 3 weeks after each dose of vaccine (days 21 and 42). Most children (55/73) had undetectable HAI and MN titers at day 0 (presumed to be antigen naive) and mounted good responses at days 21 and 42. The majority of these children (43/55) had the expected pattern of an increasing IgG avidity index (AI) after each dose of vaccine (not detected [ND], 0.30, and 2.97 at days 0, 21, and 42, respectively). The avidity responses in the remaining children (12/55) were quite different, with AIs increasing abruptly after the first dose and then declining after the second dose of vaccine (ND, 8.83, and 7.15, respectively). These children also had higher concentrations of influenza virus-specific IgG1 and IgG3 antibodies at day 21. Although the antibody titers were similar, some antigen-naive children demonstrated an unusual pattern of avidity maturation after two immunizations with AS03-adjuvanted, low-dose influenza virus vaccine. These data suggest the presence of subtle differences in the quality of the antibodies produced by some subjects in response to this vaccine.
Identification of VAR2CSA Domain-Specific Inhibitory Antibodies of the Plasmodium falciparum Erythrocyte Membrane Protein 1 Using a Novel Flow Cytometry Assay
Authors: Obiakor Harold , Avril Marion , MacDonald Nicholas J. , Srinivasan Prakash , Reiter Karine , Anderson Charles , Holmes Kevin L. , Fried Michal , Duffy Patrick E. , Smith Joseph D. , Narum David L. , Miller Louis H.
Published: January 2013

VAR2CSA, a member of thePlasmodium falciparumerythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) family, is a leading candidate for use in vaccines to protect first-time mothers from placental malaria (PM). VAR2CSA, which is comprised of a series of six Duffy binding-like (DBL) domains, binds chondroitin sulfate A (CSA) on placental syncytiotrophoblast. Several recombinant DBL domains have been shown to bind CSA. In order to identify and develop recombinant proteins suitable for clinical development, DBL2X and DBL3X, as well as their respective third subdomain (S3) from the FCR3 parasite clone, were expressed inEscherichia coli, refolded, and purified. All but DBL3X-S3 recombinant proteins bound to CSA expressed on Chinese hamster ovary (CHO)-K1 cells but not to CHO-pgsA745 cells, which are CSA negative as determined by flow cytometry. All but DBL3X-S3 bound to CSA on chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG) as determined by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) analysis. Purified IgG from rats and rabbits immunized with these four recombinant proteins bound homologous and some heterologous parasite-infected erythrocytes (IE). Using a novel flow cytometry inhibition-of-binding assay (flow-IBA), antibodies against DBL3X-S3 inhibited 35% and 45% of IE binding to CSA on CHO-K1 cells compared to results for soluble CSA (sCSA) and purified multigravida (MG) IgG, respectively, from areas in Tanzania to which malaria is endemic. Antibodies generated against the other domains provided little or no inhibition of IE binding to CSA on CHO-K1 cells as determined by the flow cytometry inhibition-of-binding assay. These results demonstrate for the first time the ability to identify antibodies to VAR2CSA DBL domains and subdomains capable of inhibiting VAR2CSA parasite-IE binding to CSA by flow cytometry. The flow cytometry inhibition-of-binding assay was robust and provided an accurate, reproducible, and reliable means to identify blocking of IE binding to CSA and promises to be significant in the development of a vaccine to protect pregnant women.
Development of a Panel of Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Assays for Detection of Biothreat Agents
Authors: Euler Milena , Wang Yongjie , Heidenreich Doris , Patel Pranav , Strohmeier Oliver , Hakenberg Sydney , Niedrig Matthias , Hufert Frank T. , Weidmann Manfred
Published: January 2013

Syndromic panels for infectious disease have been suggested to be of value in point-of-care diagnostics for developing countries and for biodefense. To test the performance of isothermal recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) assays, we developed a panel of 10 RPAs for biothreat agents. The panel included RPAs for
Francisella tularensis
,
Yersinia pestis
,
Bacillus anthracis
, variola virus, and reverse transcriptase RPA (RT-RPA) assays for Rift Valley fever virus, Ebola virus, Sudan virus, and Marburg virus. Their analytical sensitivities ranged from 16 to 21 molecules detected (probit analysis) for the majority of RPA and RT-RPA assays. A magnetic bead-based total nucleic acid extraction method was combined with the RPAs and tested using inactivated whole organisms spiked into plasma. The RPA showed comparable sensitivities to real-time RCR assays in these extracts. The run times of the assays at 42°C ranged from 6 to 10 min, and they showed no cross-detection of any of the target genomes of the panel nor of the human genome. The RPAs therefore seem suitable for the implementation of syndromic panels onto microfluidic platforms.
A Genomic Day in the Life of a Clinical Microbiology Laboratory
Authors: Long S. Wesley , Williams Dawn , Valson Chandni , Cantu Concepcion C. , Cernoch Patricia , Musser James M. , Olsen Randall J.
Published: January 2013

Next-generation sequencing technology is available to many clinical laboratories; however, it is not yet widely used in routine microbiology practice. To demonstrate the feasibility of using whole-genome sequencing in a routine clinical microbiology workflow, we sequenced the genome of every organism isolated in our laboratory for 1 day.
Evaluation of the Sensitivity of a pLDH-Based and an Aldolase-Based Rapid Diagnostic Test for Diagnosis of Uncomplicated and Severe Malaria Caused by PCR-Confirmed Plasmodium knowlesi, Plasmodium falciparum, and Plasmodium vivax
Authors: Barber Bridget E. , William Timothy , Grigg Matthew J. , Piera Kim , Yeo Tsin W. , Anstey Nicholas M.
Published: January 2013

Plasmodium knowlesi
can cause severe and fatal human malaria in Southeast Asia. Rapid diagnosis of all
Plasmodium
species is essential for initiation of effective treatment. Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are sensitive for detection of uncomplicated and severe falciparum malaria but have not been systematically evaluated in knowlesi malaria. At a tertiary referral hospital in Sabah, Malaysia, we prospectively evaluated the sensitivity of two combination RDTs for the diagnosis of uncomplicated and severe malaria from all three potentially fatal
Plasmodium
species, using a pan-
Plasmodium
lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH)-
P. falciparum
histidine-rich protein 2 (PfHRP2) RDT (First Response) and a pan-
Plasmodium
aldolase-PfHRP2 RDT (ParaHIT). Among 293 hospitalized adults with PCR-confirmed
Plasmodium
monoinfection, the sensitivity of the pLDH component of the pLDH-PfHRP2 RDT was 74% (95/129; 95% confidence interval [CI], 65 to 80%), 91% (110/121; 95% CI, 84 to 95%), and 95% (41/43; 95% CI, 85 to 99%) for PCR-confirmed
P. knowlesi
,
P. falciparum
, and
P. vivax
infections, respectively, and 88% (30/34; 95% CI, 73 to 95%), 90% (38/42; 95% CI, 78 to 96%), and 100% (12/12; 95% CI, 76 to 100%) among patients tested before antimalarial treatment was begun. Sensitivity in severe malaria was 95% (36/38; 95% CI, 83 to 99), 100% (13/13; 95% CI, 77 to 100), and 100% (7/7; 95% CI, 65 to 100%), respectively. The aldolase component of the aldolase-PfHRP2 RDT performed poorly in all
Plasmodium
species. The pLDH-based RDT was highly sensitive for the diagnosis of severe malaria from all species; however, neither the pLDH- nor aldolase-based RDT demonstrated sufficiently high overall sensitivity for
P. knowlesi
. More sensitive RDTs are needed in regions of
P. knowlesi
endemicity.
Identification of a Hydrophobic Domain in Varicella-Zoster Virus ORF61 Necessary for ORF61 Self-Interaction, Viral Replication, and Skin Pathogenesis
Authors: Wang Li , Rajamani Jaya , Sommer Marvin , Zerboni Leigh , Arvin Ann M.
Published: January 2013

The varicella-zoster virus (VZV) ORF61 protein is necessary for normal replication
in vitro
and virulence in human skin xenografts in the severe combined immunodeficiency mouse model
in vivo
. These experiments identify a hydrophobic domain that mediates ORF61 self-interaction. While not needed to inhibit host cell defenses, disruption of this domain (residues 250 to 320) severely impairs VZV growth, transactivation of the immediate early 63 and glycoprotein E genes, and the pathogenesis of VZV skin infection
in vivo
.
Characteristics of Viruses Derived from Nude Mice with Persistent Measles Virus Infection
Authors: Abe Yusaku , Hashimoto Koichi , Watanabe Masahiro , Ohara Shinichiro , Sato Masatoki , Kawasaki Yukihiko , Hashimoto Yuko , Hosoya Mitsuaki
Published: January 2013

Measles virus (MV) isolates from patients with subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) differ from wild-type MV virologically. However, few animal models have reported viruses with characteristics of the SSPE virus. The MV Edmonston strain was inoculated into the subarachnoid space of nude mice. All nude mice displayed weight loss and required euthanasia, with a mean survival duration of 73.2 days. The viral load in the brain was 4- to 400-fold higher than the inoculated load, and brain infection was confirmed by immunostaining. Gene sequencing of the viruses revealed that amino acid mutations occurred more frequently in matrix proteins. The most common mutation was a uridine-to-cytosine transition. The virus exhibited lower free virus particle formation ability than the Edmonston strain. When nude mice were challenged with 2 × 102PFU of the brain-derived virus, the mean survival duration was 34.7 days, which was significantly shorter than that of the mice challenged with 4 × 104PFU of the Edmonston strain (P< 0.01). This study indicated that MV in a nude mouse model of persistent infection exhibited characteristics of the SSPE virus. This model may prove useful in elucidating the pathogenic mechanism of SSPE and developing potential therapeutics.
Quadricuspid aortic valve with aortic regurgitation: a rare echocardiographic finding
Authors: Tai Javed Majid , Laghari Abid Hussain , Gill Cyrus Tariq
Published: January 2013

We report on a middle-aged woman treated for chronic hepatitis C virus infection with pegylated interferon. Auscultation revealed a diastolic murmur and the peripheral signs of aortic regurgitation. She had shortness of breath on moderate exertion for the past 4 months, which she attributed to her liver disease. Echocardiogram showed a quadricuspid aortic valve with severe aortic regurgitation. She was referred to a cardiothoracic surgeon for aortic valve replacement (AVR). However, she decided against AVR despite detailed counselling, and opted for medical treatment.
Oral manifestations of epidermolysis bullosa dystrophica: a rare genetic disease
Authors: Parushetti Anita Dundappa , Agrawal Jiwanasha Manish , Nanjannawar Lalita Girish , Agrawal Manish Suresh
Published: January 2013

Epidermolysis bullosa (EB) constitutes a group of phenotypically diverse genodermatoses, which manifests with blistering and erosions of the skin and mucous membranes as the unifying diagnostic feature. It is an acquired disease or inherited as either autosomal-dominant or recessive with an incidence of 1/50 000. The prominent clinical characteristic of the disease is the development of bullae or vesicles in mucosa or skin in response to minor trauma. It is a chronic mechanobullous disease characterised by auto antibodies against Type VII collagen. This paper documents a case of a man diagnosed with dominant dystrophic EB; describing the measures that dentists and healthcare providers should adopt in order to provide a safe and effective dental treatment. Early prevention protocols for these patients have also been discussed.
Oral contraceptive causing renal artery thrombosis
Authors: Bhargava Ashish , Chopra Anita , Bernabela Luigino , Chopra Teena
Published: January 2013

A young female presented with acute left lower quadrant pain followed by nausea and vomiting. She was found to have haematuria and elevated serum creatine. CT scan revealed a wedge-shaped hypodensity along with an intraluminal filling defect on the left kidney. Renal artery duplex showed no evidence for stenosis and MRI was negative for any atherosclerotic disease. Technetium scan confirmed the diagnosis of left renal infarct. Following day the patient became febrile and was noted to have leucocytosis and elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase. She was started on enoxaparin and low-dose aspirin. Blood cultures were negative. The oral contraceptive was stopped. Fever and leucocytosis resolved in the following 3 days. Extensive thrombophilic work-up was negative. No recurrence of thrombosis was found during a 6-month follow-up period. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of renal artery thrombosis leading to acute renal infarction associated with oral contraceptive use.
Endodontic management of middle mesial canal of the mandibular molar
Authors: Sundaresh K J , Srinivasan Raghu , Mallikarjuna Rachappa , Rajalbandi Sandeep
Published: January 2013

Thorough knowledge of root canal morphology and unusual anatomy of the tooth is critical for successful endodontic treatment. Although the most common configuration is two roots and three root canals, mandibular molars might have many different combinations. In the literature, it is less described about three mesial canals and two distal canals in mandibular second molars, indicating a rare anatomical configuration. A case of unusual root canal morphology is presented to demonstrate anatomical variations in mandibular molars. Endodontic therapy was performed in a mandibular second molar with five separate canals, three mesial and two distal. This report points out the importance of looking for additional canals and unusual canal morphology, because knowledge of their existence might occasionally enable clinicians to treat a case successfully that otherwise might have ended in failure. In conclusion, every attempt should be made to find and treat all root canals of a tooth.
Ensuring implementation success: how should coach injury prevention education be improved if we want coaches to deliver safety programmes during training sessions?
Authors: White Peta E , Otago Leonie , Saunders Natalie , Romiti Maria , Donaldson Alex , Ullah Shahid , Finch Caroline F
Published: January 2013

Coaches play a major role in encouraging and ensuring that participants of their teams adopt appropriate safety practices. However, the extent to which the coaches undertake this role will depend upon their attitudes about injury prevention, their perceptions of what the other coaches usually do and their own beliefs about how much control they have in delivering such programmes. Fifty-one junior netball coaches were surveyed about incorporating the teaching of correct (safe) landing technique during their delivery of training sessions to junior players. Overall, >94% of coaches had strongly positive attitudes towards teaching correct landing technique and >80% had strongly positive perceptions of their own control over delivering such programmes. Coaches’ ratings of social norms relating to what others think about teaching safe landing were more positive (>94%) than those relating to what others actually do (63–74%). In conclusion, the junior coaches were generally receptive towards delivering safe landing training programmes in the training sessions they led. Future coach education could include role modelling by prominent coaches so that more community-level coaches are aware that this is a behaviour that many coaches can, and do, engage in.
A comparison of the star formation rate and the specific star formation rate distributions between paired galaxies and isolated ones
Authors: Deng Xin-Fa
Published: January 2013

From each of two volume-limited main galaxy samples of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey data release 7, a paired galaxy sample and an isolated galaxy sample are constructed and comparative studies between the star formation of galaxies in pairs and isolated are performed to explore influences of galaxy interactions on star formation. It is found that isolated galaxies have an enhancement of the star formation rate and the specific star formation rate, which suggests that interactions between galaxies are not the trigger of enhanced star formation.
Detecting between-individual differences in hind-foot length in populations of wild mammals
Authors: Martin J.G.A. , Festa-Bianchet M. , Côté S.D. , Blumstein D.T.
Published: January 2013

Hind-foot length is a widely used index of skeletal size in population ecology. The accuracy of hind-foot measurements, however, has not been estimated. We quantified measurement error in adult hind-foot length in yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris (Audubon and Bachman, 1841)), mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus (de Blainville, 1816)), and bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis Shaw, 1804) from long-term capture–recapture studies. Fitting a linear mixed effect model for each species separately, we found that hind-foot length was significantly repeatable in the three species, but repeatability was low, ranging from 0.30 to 0.47. Measurement error explained 53%–66% of the variance in foot length. Differences of 6, 13, and 27 mm would be indistinguishable from measurement error for marmots, goats, and sheep, respectively. At least 4–6 measures per individual were needed to detect variation in foot length between individuals of a population using a mixed effect model. Researchers should strive to limit measurement errors because inaccurate measures may obscure important biological patterns.
YAW MOMENT COMPENSATION FOR BIPEDAL ROBOTS VIA INTRINSIC ANGULAR MOMENTUM CONSTRAINT
Authors: UGURLU BARKAN , SAGLIA JODY A. , TSAGARAKIS NIKOS G. , CALDWELL DARWIN G.
Published: January 2013

This paper is aimed at describing a technique to compensate undesired yaw moment, which is inevitably induced about the support foot during single support phases while a bipedal robot is in motion. The main strategy in this method is to rotate the upper body in a way to exert a secondary moment that counteracts to the factors which create the undesired moment. In order to compute the yaw moment by considering all the factors, we utilized Eulerian ZMP Resolution, as it is capable of characterizing the robot's rotational inertia, a crucial component of its dynamics. In doing so, intrinsic angular momentum rate changes are smoothly included in yaw moment equations. Applying the proposed technique, we conducted several bipedal walking experiments using the actual bipedal robot CoMan. As the result, we obtained 61% decrease in undesired yaw moment and 82% regulation in yaw-axis deviation, which satisfactorily verify the efficiency of the proposed approach, in comparison to off-the-shelf techniques.
Leptin receptor antagonist treatment ameliorates the effects of long-term maternal hypoxia on adrenal expression of key steroidogenic genes in the ovine fetus
Authors: Ducsay Charles A. , Furuta Ken , Vargas Vladimir E. , Kaushal Kanchan M. , Singleton Krista , Hyatt Kimberly , Myers Dean A.
Published: January 2013

We previously reported elevated adipose leptin expression, plasma leptin concentrations, and adrenocortical leptin receptor expression in the long-term hypoxic (LTH) ovine fetus. This study addressed whether leptin antagonist (LA) administration to LTH fetal sheep altered expression of key genes governing cortisol synthesis. Ewes were maintained at high altitude (3,820 meters) from 40 to 130 days gestation (dG), returned to Loma Linda University, and implanted with a maternal tracheal catheter. Reduced Po2 was maintained by nitrogen infusion. On 132 dG, LTH ( n = 11) and age-matched, normoxic control ( n = 11) fetuses underwent vascular catheter implantation. At 138 dG, fetuses were continuously infused with either saline or the LA (1.5 mg·kg−1·day−1) for 4 days and samples collected for blood gases, ACTH, and cortisol. Fetal adrenal cortex was collected for determination of steriodogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), ACTH, and leptin receptor, cholesterol side-chain cleavage (CYP11A1), cytochrome P-450 11β-hydroxylase (CYP11B1), 17α-hydroxylase (CYP17), 21-hydroxylase (CYP21), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), pSTAT3, and 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD3B) expression. In the saline-infused LTH fetuses, StAR, ACTH receptor, CYP11A1, and CYP17 expression was significantly lower compared with control ( P < 0.05), whereas levels of CYP11B1, CYP21, and HSD3B mRNA were similar between groups. LA infusion restored expression of StAR, pSTAT3, CYP11A1, and CYP17, but not ACTH receptor, to normal ontogenic levels in the LTH group while having no effect on control fetuses. Neither fetal plasma ACTH nor cortisol concentrations were altered by LA infusion. We speculate that while leptin plays a role in governing expression of key enzymes and StAR in response to LTH, other factors play a role in modulating cortisol synthesis in these fetuses.
Extrasynaptic glutamate and inhibitory neurotransmission modulate ganglion cell participation during glutamatergic retinal waves
Authors: Firl Alana , Sack Georgeann S. , Newman Zachary L. , Tani Hiroaki , Feller Marla B.
Published: January 2013

During the first 2 wk of mouse postnatal development, transient retinal circuits give rise to the spontaneous initiation and lateral propagation of depolarizations across the ganglion cell layer (GCL). Glutamatergic retinal waves occur during the second postnatal week, when GCL depolarizations are mediated by ionotropic glutamate receptors. Bipolar cells are the primary source of glutamate in the inner retina, indicating that the propagation of waves depends on their activation. Using the fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based optical sensor of glutamate FLII81E-1μ, we found that retinal waves are accompanied by a large transient increase in extrasynaptic glutamate throughout the inner plexiform layer. Using two-photon Ca2+ imaging to record spontaneous Ca2+ transients in large populations of cells, we found that despite this spatially diffuse source of depolarization, only a subset of neurons in the GCL and inner nuclear layer (INL) are robustly depolarized during retinal waves. Application of the glutamate transporter blocker dl-threo-β-benzyloxyaspartate (25 μM) led to a significant increase in cell participation in both layers, indicating that the concentration of extrasynaptic glutamate affects cell participation in both the INL and GCL. In contrast, blocking inhibitory transmission with the GABAA receptor antagonist gabazine and the glycine receptor antagonist strychnine increased cell participation in the GCL without significantly affecting the INL. These data indicate that during development, glutamate spillover provides a spatially diffuse source of depolarization, but that inhibitory circuits dictate which neurons within the GCL participate in retinal waves.
Healthy and dystonic children compensate for changes in motor variability
Authors: Chu Virginia Way Tong , Sternad Dagmar , Sanger Terence David
Published: January 2013

Successful reaching requires that we plan movements to compensate for variability in motor output. Previous studies have shown that healthy adults optimally incorporate estimates of motor variability when planning a pointing task. Children with dystonia have increased variability compared with healthy children. It is not known whether they are able to compensate appropriately for the increased variability and whether this compensation leads to changes in reaching behavior. We examined healthy children and those with increased motor variability due to secondary dystonia. Using a simple virtual display, children performed a motor task where the variability of their movements was manipulated. Results showed that both subject groups changed their movement strategies in response to changes in the level of perceived motor variability. Both groups changed their strategy in a way that improved performance relative to the perceived motor variability. Importantly, dystonic children faced with decreased motor variability adapted their movement strategy to perform better and more similarly to healthy children. These findings show that both healthy and dystonic children are able to respond to changes in motor variability and alter their movement strategies.