bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stream energy distribution below Eleyele Dam in Southwestern Nigeria
Authors: Olusola Adeyemi Oludapo , Fashae Olutoyin
Published: June 2017

Expressing the rate of energy dissipation either within a basin or in a downstream manner is important in understanding occurrence and association between various morphological variables. This study focuses on the downstream variation in stream power and its relationship with morphological variates along the main channel of River Ona, Ibadan, Nigeria. River Ona stretches for 20.5 km downstream of Eleyele Dam. Twenty‐seven (27) points were sampled along this stretch. The 27 points were averaged into nine (9) reaches. At each cross‐section, channel characteristics were observed and measured. These include: width (W), depth (D), velocity (V), slope (S), Cross‐sectional area (A), discharge (Q), total stream power (TSP), specific stream power (SSP), width‐depth ratio (W/D), hydraulic radius (R) and wetted perimeter (P). This study confirmed that the influence of a dam present upstream of a river channel significantly alters the behaviour of slope and this in essence affects the distribution of energy along the river channel. Slope produces a logarithmic relationship with increasing distance downstream (Y = ‐32.79‐0.70InS, r = 0.70, r2 = 0.49, p < 0.05) while there was no significant relationship between Q and distance downstream.
On the identifiability of Hill‐1948 plasticity model with a single biaxial test on very thin sheet
Authors: Bertin Morgan , Hild François , Roux Stéphane
Published: June 2017

One biaxial experiment is performed on an ultrathin specimen made of 17‐7 precipitation hardened stainless steel. An antiwrinkling setup allows for the characterization of the mechanical behavior with integrated digital image correlation. A sensitivity analysis assesses the amount of data available but reveals a discrepancy between observation and model that is interpreted as the occurrence of wrinkling in a confined boundary layer. From this observation, the identification is performed on a refined region of interest where reliable data are accessible. The calibration of parameters of various constitutive equations is performed. In particular, the identifiability of the so‐called Hill‐1948 model is analyzed.
Reflections on an Anglophone academic sect
Authors: Hann Chris
Published: June 2017

While saluting the ethnographic originality of the contents of this special issue and the ambition of its editors to extend recent debates in the anthropology of Christianity to large Catholic populations in Asia, the author argues that the contributors remain in thrall to Protestant tenets of rupture and individualism. He urges more balanced coverage of the diversity of Christian communities and more attention to a long history of anthropological engagement with them.
Red blood cell storage duration and long‐term mortality in patients undergoing cardiac intervention: a Danish register study
Authors: Dencker D. , Pedersen F. , Engstrøm T. , Schroeder T. V. , Lönn L. , Johansson P. I. , De Backer O.
Published: June 2017

Objectives

To study the effect of red blood cell (RBC) storage duration on long‐term mortality in patients undergoing cardiac intervention.

Background

RBCs undergo numerous structural and functional changes during storage. Observational studies have assessed the association between RBC storage duration and patient outcomes with conflicting results.

Methods

Between January 2006 and December 2014, 82 408 patients underwent coronary angiography. Of these, 1856 patients received one to four RBC units within 30 days after this procedure. Patients were allocated according to length of RBC storage duration: short‐term (≤11 days), intermediate (IM)‐term (12–23 days) and long‐term (≥24 days). The study endpoints were 30‐day and long‐term all‐cause mortality.

Results

A total of 4168 RBC units were given to 1856 patients. The mean RBC storage duration was 8.5 ± 2.1, 17.7 ± 3.4 and 29.9 ± 3.4 days in the short‐term, IM‐term and long‐term storage groups, respectively. There was no difference in baseline characteristics between the groups. The long‐term storage group received significantly more units (2.4 ± 1.0 units) as compared to the short‐term (2.0 ± 1.0 units; P < 0.001) and IM‐term storage group (2.2 ± 1.0 units; P < 0.01). In the survival analysis, there was no significant difference in all‐cause mortality between the groups (log‐rank: 0.509 for 30‐days mortality; 0.493 for 5‐year mortality). Additional stratified analysis demonstrated no association between RBC storage duration and long‐term mortality.

Conclusion

This study did not find an association between RBC storage duration and 30‐days or long‐term mortality in patients undergoing cardiac intervention.
Patient characteristics, prognostic factors and outcome of dogs with high‐grade primary mediastinal lymphoma
Authors: Moore E. L. , Vernau W. , Rebhun R. B. , Skorupski K. A. , Burton J. H.
Published: June 2017

The goals of this retrospective study were to determine the patient characteristics of dogs with high‐grade primary mediastinal lymphoma and to determine outcome and associated prognostic factors. A total of 42 dogs were identified, in which 36 received treatment and had follow‐up information available. The most common clinical signs included lethargy, anorexia and polyuria/polydipsia. Hypercalcemia and pleural effusion were common findings at diagnosis. The phenotype was almost exclusively T‐cell, most often in association with lymphoblastic cytomorphology as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) lymphoma classification scheme. The overall progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 133 and 183 days, respectively. Treatment with a CHOP (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, prednisone) protocol was associated with an improved PFS (144 days) and OS (194 days) when compared with dogs that received other medical therapies (P = .005 and P = .002, respectively); the absence of pleural effusion at diagnosis was associated with an increased OS but not PFS. These results suggest that while the prognosis for dogs with mediastinal lymphoma is poor, survival may be improved with treatment using a CHOP‐based protocol.
Siberia yields earliest evidence for dog breeding
Authors: Grimm David
Published: June 2017

Bones suggest that dogs pulled sleds 9000 years ago—implying humans domesticated dogs to put them to work.
Bat patrol
Authors: Kupferschmidt Kai
Published: June 2017

In the equatorial African night, the Ebola virus may be on the wing.
Webinar | Monitoring immune function by imaging flow cytometry
Authors: Maguire Orla
Published: June 2017

The immune system plays a critical role not only in fending off pathogen attack, but also in cancer surveillance, and more recently as a tool in immunotherapy-based treatments. Immune cell functions are tightly regulated by essential transcription factors such as NF-κB and NFAT. Monitoring immune cell activity—including phenotyping immune cell subsets, tracking cell proliferation, and measuring cytokine production—can provide insights into the overall status of immune function in patients, particularly those undergoing immunosuppression after transplants, enduring cancer treatment, or suffering from autoimmune disease or other pathologies that affect the immune system. Imaging flow cytometry (IFC) has emerged as a useful and efficient tool for studying the signaling pathways in immunophenotypically defined subpopulations of immune cells. This technique enables quantitative image analysis of the intracellular localization of the signaling intermediaries NF-κB and NFAT as parameters of immune activity. This webinar will introduce viewers to the process of using IFC to determine subcellular localization of biomarkers, including a discussion of how IFC can help to assess the activity of transcription factors, or the drug-induced stimulation or inhibition thereof, in clinical samples.
Structure, force balance, and topology of Earth’s magnetopause
Authors: Russell C. T. , Strangeway R. J. , Zhao C. , Anderson B. J. , Baumjohann W. , Bromund K. R. , Fischer D. , Kepko L. , Le G. , Magnes W. , Nakamura R. , Plaschke F. , Slavin J. A. , Torbert R. B. , Moore T. E. , Paterson W. R. , Pollock C. J. , Burch J. L.
Published: June 2017

Probing the structure of the magnetopause

The magnetopause is the boundary in space that separates the region dominated by Earth’s
magnetic field (the magnetosphere) from the surrounding solar wind. The four spacecraft
of NASA’s Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission have repeatedly flown in formation
through the magnetopause, measuring the properties of the plasma and magnetic fields in
the region. Russell
et al
. used MMS measurements to study the
magnetopause’s structure and force balance. They identified small-scale dynamic features
that form a complex topology and evidence for magnetic flux ropes at the boundary. The
results aid our understanding of Earth’s space environment and magnetospheres around
other planets.

Science
, this issue p.
960
Vaginal bacteria modify HIV tenofovir microbicide efficacy in African women
Authors: Klatt Nichole R. , Cheu Ryan , Birse Kenzie , Zevin Alexander S. , Perner Michelle , Noël-Romas Laura , Grobler Anneke , Westmacott Garrett , Xie Irene Y. , Butler Jennifer , Mansoor Leila , McKinnon Lyle R. , Passmore Jo-Ann S. , Abdool Karim Quarraisha , Abdool Karim Salim S. , Burgener Adam D.
Published: June 2017

Analysis of HIV clinical trials shows that the vaginal microbiome underlies varied responses to microbicide-based preexposure prophylaxis.
PCGF3/5–PRC1 initiates Polycomb recruitment in X chromosome inactivation
Authors: Almeida Mafalda , Pintacuda Greta , Masui Osamu , Koseki Yoko , Gdula Michal , Cerase Andrea , Brown David , Mould Arne , Innocent Cassandravictoria , Nakayama Manabu , Schermelleh Lothar , Nesterova Tatyana B. , Koseki Haruhiko , Brockdorff Neil
Published: June 2017

Polycomb steps to inactivate X

XX females silence one of their X chromosomes. This involves a process whereby a noncoding RNA known as Xist coats one of the X chromosomes and recruits chromatin silencing factors. The Polycomb complexes PRC1 and PRC2 are also known to be involved in X chromosome inactivation. Almeida
et al.
elucidate a key role of a specific complex, PCGF3/5-PRC1, in initiating Polycomb recruitment by Xist RNA. They further demonstrate that Polycomb recruitment is critical for Xist-mediated chromosome silencing and female embryogenesis.

Science
, this issue p.
1081
Relativistic deflection of background starlight measures the mass of a nearby white dwarf star
Authors: Sahu Kailash C. , Anderson Jay , Casertano Stefano , Bond Howard E. , Bergeron Pierre , Nelan Edmund P. , Pueyo Laurent , Brown Thomas M. , Bellini Andrea , Levay Zoltan G. , Sokol Joshua , Dominik Martin , Calamida Annalisa , Kains Noé , Livio Mario
Published: June 2017

General relativity weighs a white dwarf

Light from a background star is deflected by the gravitational field of the Sun. This effect was used in 1919 to provide some of the first evidence for general relativity. Sahu
et al.
applied the concept to another star: a nearby white dwarf called Stein 2051 B, which passed close in front of a more distant normal star (see the Perspective by Oswalt). The authors measured the tiny shifts in the apparent position of the background star, an effect called astrometric microlensing. The apparent motion matched the predictions of general relativity, which allowed the authors to determine the mass of the white dwarf.

Science
, this issue p.
1046
; see also p.
1015
Xenon isotopes in 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko show that comets contributed to Earth's atmosphere
Authors: Marty B. , Altwegg K. , Balsiger H. , Bar-Nun A. , Bekaert D. V. , Berthelier J.-J. , Bieler A. , Briois C. , Calmonte U. , Combi M. , De Keyser J. , Fiethe B. , Fuselier S. A. , Gasc S. , Gombosi T. I. , Hansen K. C. , Hässig M. , Jäckel A. , Kopp E. , Korth A. , Le Roy L. , Mall U. , Mousis O. , Owen T. , Rème H. , Rubin M. , Sémon T. , Tzou C.-Y. , Waite J. H. , Wurz P.
Published: June 2017

Comets contributed to Earth's atmosphere

Models of xenon's origin in Earth's atmosphere require an additional, unknown source that has been a mystery for several decades. Marty
et al.
measured isotopic ratios of xenon released from comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko and found that they match the heretofore unknown source. The xenon appears to have been trapped in ice within the comet since before the solar system formed. Comets contributed about a quarter of the xenon on Earth, which constrains the amount of other materials (such as water) delivered to our planet by comets.

Science
, this issue p.
1069
De-extinction, nomenclature, and the law
Authors: Wagner Norman , Hochkirch Axel , Martin Henrike , Matenaar Daniela , Rohde Katja , Wacht Frank , Wesch Charlotte , Wirtz Sarah , Klein Roland , Lötters Stefan , Proelss Alexander , Veith Michael
Published: June 2017

How we name resurrected species can have legal implications, particularly for
conservation
Locked synchronous rotor motion in a molecular motor
Authors: Štacko Peter , Kistemaker Jos C. M. , van Leeuwen Thomas , Chang Mu-Chieh , Otten Edwin , Feringa Ben L.
Published: June 2017

Light-driven rotation of two components in a molecular motor couples synchronously with the motion of a third component.
Idiosyncratic desires
The Evolution of Beauty: How Darwin's Forgotten Theory of Mate Choice Shapes the Animal World—and Us
Richard O. Prum
Doubleday, 2017. 454 pp.
Authors: Milam Erika Lorraine
Published: June 2017

An ornithologist argues for the evolution of beauty for beauty's sake
A modular and enantioselective synthesis of the pleuromutilin antibiotics
Authors: Murphy Stephen K. , Zeng Mingshuo , Herzon Seth B.
Published: June 2017

A versatile synthesis of pleuromutilin

Synthetic flexibility is crucial for antibiotic development, because numerous subtle
structural variations can contribute to combating resistant strains. A derivative of the
fungal natural product pleuromutilin was approved a decade ago for treatment of
Gram-positive bacterial skin infections; recent efforts to tune the structure for
activity against Gram-negative bacteria have focused on the stereochemistry at a
particular carbon center. Murphy
et al
. present a synthetic route to
pleuromutilin that allows the configurations in that segment of the molecule to be
varied, offering a distinct path for structural optimization.

Science
, this issue p.
956
Making the rounds
The Book of Circles: Visualizing Spheres of Knowledge
Manuel Lima
Princeton Architectural Press, 2017. 272 pp.
Authors: Cooperrider Kensy
Published: June 2017

A richly illustrated compendium probes the colorful history of the circle
A centennial gift from Einstein
Authors: Oswalt T. D.
Published: June 2017

Deflection of a distant star's light provides a solution to the puzzling mass of a nearby white dwarf star
Performance of a Quantitative PCR-Based Assay and Beta-
d
-Glucan Detection for Diagnosis of Invasive Candidiasis in Very-Low-Birth-Weight Preterm Neonatal Patients (CANDINEO Study)
Authors: Ramos Jose Tomas , Villar Sonia , Bouza Emilio , Bergon-Sendin Elena , Perez Rivilla Alfredo , Collados Caridad Tapia , Andreu Mariano , Reyes Candelaria Santana , Campos-Herrero María Isolina , de Heredia Jon López , Herrera María Cruz López , Alonso Paloma Anguita , Pallás-Alonso Carmen Rosa , Cuenca-Estrella Manuel ,   the CANDINEO Study Group
Published: June 2017

An epidemiological, multicenter, noninterventional, observational case-control study was conducted to describe the performance of serum beta-
d
-glucan (BDG) and
Candida
PCR in blood, serum, and sterile samples for the diagnosis of invasive candidiasis (IC) in very-low-birth-weight (VLBW) preterm neonates and to compare these techniques with culture of samples from blood and other sterile sites. Seventeen centers participated in the study, and the number of episodes analyzed was 159. A total of 9 episodes of IC from 9 patients (7 confirmed and 2 probable) and 150 episodes of suspected sepsis from 117 controls were identified. The prevalence of IC was 5.7% (95% confidence interval [95% CI], 2.1 to 9.3). The mortality was significantly higher in episodes of IC (44.4%) than in the non-IC episodes (11.1%,
P
< 0.01). The sensitivity and specificity of the PCR performed on blood/serum samples were 87.5% and 81.6%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the BDG results were lower (75.0% and 64.6%). For cases with negative culture results, the PCR and the BDG results were positive in 27 (17.4%) and 52 (33.5%) episodes, respectively. The presence of multiorgan failure, improvement with empirical antifungal therapy, thrombocytopenia, and
Candida
colonization were significantly associated (
P
< 0.01) with PCR or BDG positivity regardless of the results of the cultures. Serum BDG analysis and
Candida
PCR could be used as complementary diagnostic techniques to detect IC in VLBW neonates.
Laboratory Diagnosis of Infective Endocarditis
Authors: Liesman Rachael M. , Pritt Bobbi S. , Maleszewski Joseph J. , Patel Robin
Published: June 2017

Infective endocarditis is life-threatening; identification of the underlying etiology informs optimized individual patient management. Changing epidemiology, advances in blood culture techniques, and new diagnostics guide the application of laboratory testing for diagnosis of endocarditis. Blood cultures remain the standard test for microbial diagnosis, with directed serological testing (i.e., Q fever serology,
Bartonella
serology) in culture-negative cases. Histopathology and molecular diagnostics (e.g., 16S rRNA gene PCR/sequencing,
Tropheryma whipplei
PCR) may be applied to resected valves to aid in diagnosis. Herein, we summarize recent knowledge in this area and propose a microbiologic and pathological algorithm for endocarditis diagnosis.
Entry and Release of Hepatitis C Virus in Polarized Human Hepatocytes
Authors: Belouzard Sandrine , Danneels Adeline , Fénéant Lucie , Séron Karin , Rouillé Yves , Dubuisson Jean
Published: June 2017

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) primarily infects hepatocytes, which are highly polarized cells. The relevance of cell polarity in the HCV life cycle has been addressed only in distantly related models and remains poorly understood. Although polarized epithelial cells have a rather simple morphology with a basolateral and an apical domain, hepatocytes exhibit complex polarization structures. However, it has been reported that some selected polarized HepG2 cell clones can exhibit a honeycomb pattern of distribution of the tight-junction proteins typical of columnar polarized epithelia, which can be used as a simple model to study the role of cell polarization in viral infection of hepatocytes. To obtain similar clones, HepG2 cells expressing CD81 (HepG2-CD81) were used, and clones were isolated by limiting dilutions. Two clones exhibiting a simple columnar polarization capacity when grown on a semipermeable support were isolated and characterized. To test the polarity of HCV entry and release, our polarized HepG2-CD81 clones were infected with cell culture-derived HCV. Our data indicate that HCV binds equally to both sides of the cells, but productive infection occurs mainly when the virus is added at the basolateral domain. Furthermore, we also observed that HCV virions are released from the basolateral domain of the cells. Finally, when polarized cells were treated with oleic acid and U0126, a MEK inhibitor, to promote lipoprotein secretion, a higher proportion of infectious viral particles of lower density were secreted. This cell culture system provides an excellent model to investigate the influence of cell polarization on the HCV life cycle.

IMPORTANCE
Hepatitis C is a major health burden, with approximately 170 million persons infected worldwide. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) primarily infects hepatocytes, which are highly polarized cells with a complex organization. The relevance of cell polarity in the HCV life cycle has been addressed in distantly related models and remains unclear. Hepatocyte organization is complex, with multiple apical and basolateral surfaces. A simple culture model of HepG2 cells expressing CD81 that are able to polarize with unique apical and basolateral domains was developed to study HCV infection. With this model, we demonstrated that HCV enters and exits hepatocytes by the basolateral domain. Furthermore, lower-density viral particles were produced under conditions that promote lipoprotein secretion. This cell culture system provides a useful model to study the influence of cell polarization on HCV infection.
Inhibition of Poxvirus Gene Expression and Genome Replication by Bisbenzimide Derivatives
Authors: Yakimovich Artur , Huttunen Moona , Zehnder Benno , Coulter Lesley J. , Gould Victoria , Schneider Christoph , Kopf Manfred , McInnes Colin J. , Greber Urs F. , Mercer Jason
Published: June 2017

Virus infection of humans and livestock can be devastating for individuals and populations, sometimes resulting in large economic and societal impact. Prevention of virus disease by vaccination or antiviral agents is difficult to achieve. A notable exception was the eradication of human smallpox by vaccination over 30 years ago. Today, humans and animals remain susceptible to poxvirus infections, including zoonotic poxvirus transmission. Here we identified a small molecule, bisbenzimide (bisbenzimidazole), and its derivatives as potent agents against prototypic poxvirus infection in cell culture. We show that bisbenzimide derivatives, which preferentially bind the minor groove of double-stranded DNA, inhibit vaccinia virus infection by blocking viral DNA replication and abrogating postreplicative intermediate and late gene transcription. The bisbenzimide derivatives are potent against vaccinia virus and other poxviruses but ineffective against a range of other DNA and RNA viruses. The bisbenzimide derivatives are the first inhibitors of their class, which appear to directly target the viral genome without affecting cell viability.

IMPORTANCE
Smallpox was one of the most devastating diseases in human history until it was eradicated by a worldwide vaccination campaign. Due to discontinuation of routine vaccination more than 30 years ago, the majority of today's human population remains susceptible to infection with poxviruses. Here we present a family of bisbenzimide (bisbenzimidazole) derivatives, known as Hoechst nuclear stains, with high potency against poxvirus infection. Results from a variety of assays used to dissect the poxvirus life cycle demonstrate that bisbenzimides inhibit viral gene expression and genome replication. These findings can lead to the development of novel antiviral drugs that target viral genomes and block viral replication.
Crystal Structure and Thermostability Characterization of Enterovirus D68 3D
pol
Authors: Wang Chunnian , Wang Caiyan , Li Qing , Wang Zhong , Xie Wei
Published: June 2017

Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is one of the many nonpolio enteroviruses that cause mild to severe respiratory illness. The nonstructural protein 3D
pol
is an RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRP) of EV-D68 which plays a critical role in the replication of the viral genome and represents a promising drug target. Here, we report the first three-dimensional crystal structure of the RdRP from EV-D68 in complex with the substrate GTP to 2.3-Å resolution. The RdRP structure is similar to structures of other viral RdRPs, where the three domains, termed the palm, fingers, and thumb, form a structure resembling a cupped right hand. Particularly, an N-terminal fragment (Gly1 to Phe30) bridges the fingers and the thumb domains, which accounts for the enhanced stability of the full-length enzyme over the truncation mutant, as assessed by our thermal shift assays and the dynamic light scattering studies. Additionally, the GTP molecule bound proximal to the active site interacts with both the palm and fingers domains to stabilize the core structure of 3D
pol
. Interestingly, using limited proteolysis assays, we found that different nucleoside triphosphates (NTPs) stabilize the polymerase structure by various degrees, with GTP and CTP being the most and least stabilizing nucleosides, respectively. Lastly, we derived a model of the core structure of 3D
pol
stabilized by GTP, according to our proteolytic studies. The biochemical and biophysical characterizations conducted in this study help us to understand the stability of EV-D68-3D
pol
, which may extend to other RdRPs as well.

IMPORTANCE
Enterovirus D68 (EV-D68) is an emerging viral pathogen, which caused sporadic infections around the world. In recent years, epidemiology studies have reported an increasing number of patients with respiratory diseases globally due to the EV-D68 infection. Moreover, the infection has been associated with acute flaccid paralysis and cranial nerve dysfunction in children. However, there are no vaccines and antiviral treatments specifically targeting the virus to date. In this study, we solved the crystal structure of the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase of EV-D68 and carried out systematic biophysical and biochemical characterizations on the overall and local structural stability of the wild-type (WT) enzyme and several variants, which yields a clear view on the structure-activity relationship of the EV-D68 RNA polymerase.
Crystal Structure of the Marburg Virus Nucleoprotein Core Domain Chaperoned by a VP35 Peptide Reveals a Conserved Drug Target for Filovirus
Authors: Zhu Tengfei , Song Hao , Peng Ruchao , Shi Yi , Qi Jianxun , Gao George F.
Published: June 2017

Filovirus nucleoprotein (NP), viral protein 35 (VP35), and polymerase L are essential for viral replication and nucleocapsid formation. Here, we identify a 28-residue peptide (NP binding peptide [NPBP]) from Marburg virus (MARV) VP35 through sequence alignment with previously identified Ebola virus (EBOV) NPBP, which bound to the core region (residues 18 to 344) of the N-terminal portion of MARV NP with high affinity. The crystal structure of the MARV NP core/NPBP complex at a resolution of 2.6 Å revealed that NPBP binds to the C-terminal region of the NP core via electrostatic and nonpolar interactions. Further structural analysis revealed that the MARV and EBOV NP cores hold a conserved binding pocket for NPBP, and this pocket could serve as a promising target for the design of universal drugs against filovirus infection. In addition, cross-binding assays confirmed that the NP core of MARV or EBOV can bind the NPBP from the other virus, although with moderately reduced binding affinities that result from termini that are distinct between the MARV and EBOV NPBPs.

IMPORTANCE
Historically, Marburg virus (MARV) has caused severe disease with up to 90% lethality. Among the viral proteins produced by MARV, NP and VP35 are both multifunctional proteins that are essential for viral replication. In its relative, Ebola virus (EBOV), an N-terminal peptide from VP35 binds to the NP N-terminal region with high affinity. Whether this is a common mechanism among filoviruses is an unsolved question. Here, we present the crystal structure of a complex that consists of the core domain of MARV NP and the NPBP peptide from VP35. As we compared MARV NPBP with EBOV NPBP, several different features at the termini were identified. Although these differences reduce the affinity of the NP core for NPBPs across genera, a conserved pocket in the C-terminal region of the NP core makes cross-species binding possible. Our results expand our knowledge of filovirus NP-VP35 interactions and provide more details for therapeutic intervention.
Lung ultrasound immediately after birth to describe normal neonatal transition: an observational study
Authors: Blank Douglas A , Kamlin C Omar Farouk , Rogerson Sheryle R , Fox Lisa M , Lorenz Laila , Kane Stefan Charles , Polglase Graeme R , Hooper Stuart B , Davis Peter G
Published: June 2017

Objective

Lung ultrasound (LUS) has shown promise as a diagnostic tool for the evaluation of the newborn with respiratory distress. No study has described LUS during ‘normal’ transition. Our goal was to characterise the appearance of serial LUS in healthy newborns from the first minutes after birth until airway liquid clearance is achieved.

Study design

Prospective observational study.

Setting

Single-centre tertiary perinatal centre in Australia.

Patients

Of 115 infants born at ≥35 weeks gestational age, mean (SD) gestational age of 386/7 weeks±11 days, mean birth weight of 3380±555 g, 51 were delivered vaginally, 14 via caesarean section (CS) after labour and 50 infants via elective CS.

Interventions

We obtained serial LUS videos via the right and left axillae at 1–10 min, 11–20 min and 1, 2, 4 and 24 hours after birth.

Main outcome measures

LUS videos were graded for aeration and liquid clearance according to a previously validated system.

Results

We analysed 1168 LUS video recordings. As assessed by LUS, lung aeration and airway liquid clearance occurred quickly. All infants had an established pleural line at the first examination (median=2 (1–4) min). Only 14% of infants had substantial liquid retention at 10 min after birth. 49%, 78% and 100% of infants had completed airway liquid clearance at 2, 4 and 24 hours, respectively.

Conclusions

In healthy transitioning newborn infants, lung aeration and partial liquid clearance are achieved on the first minutes after birth with complete liquid clearance typically achieved within the first 4 hours of birth.

Trial registration number

ANZCT 12615000380594.
Impact of a malaria intervention package in schools onPlasmodiuminfection, anaemia and cognitive function in schoolchildren in Mali: a pragmatic cluster-randomised trial
Authors: Clarke Siân E , Rouhani Saba , Diarra Seybou , Saye Renion , Bamadio Modibo , Jones Rebecca , Traore Diahara , Traore Klenon , Jukes Matthew CH , Thuilliez Josselin , Brooker Simon , Roschnik Natalie , Sacko Moussa
Published: June 2017

Background

School-aged children are rarely targeted by malaria control programmes, yet the prevalence ofPlasmodiuminfection in primary school children often exceeds that seen in younger children and could affect haemoglobin concentration and school performance.

Methods

A cluster-randomised trial was carried out in 80 primary schools in southern Mali to evaluate the impact of a school-based malaria intervention package. Intervention schools received two interventions sequentially: (1) teacher-led participatory malaria prevention education, combined with distribution of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs), followed 7 months later at the end of the transmission season by (2) mass delivery of artesunate and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine administered by teachers, termed intermittent parasite clearance in schools (IPCs). Control schools received LLINs as part of the national universal net distribution programme. The impact of the interventions on malaria and anaemia was evaluated over 20 months using cross-sectional surveys in a random subset of 38 schools(all classes), with a range of cognitive measures (sustained attention, visual search, numeracy, vocabulary and writing) assessed in a longitudinal cohort of children aged 9–12 years in all 80 schools.

Results

Delivery of a single round of IPCs was associated with dramatic reductions in malaria parasitaemia (OR 0.005, 95% CI 0.002 to 0.011, p<0.001) and gametocyte carriage (OR 0.02, 95% CI 0.00 to 0.17, p<0.001) in intervention compared with control schools. This effect was sustained for 6 months until the beginning of the next transmission season. IPCs was also associated with a significant decrease in anaemia (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.78, p=0.001), and increase in sustained attention (difference +0.23, 95% CI 0.10 to 0.36, p<0.001). There was no evidence of impact on other cognitive measures.

Conclusion

The combination of malaria prevention education, LLINs and IPCs can reduce anaemia and improve sustained attention of school children in areas of highly seasonal transmission. These findings highlight the impact of asymptomatic malaria infection on cognitive performance in schoolchildren and the benefit of IPCs in reducing this burden. Additionally, malaria control in schools can help diminish the infectious reservoir that sustainsPlasmodiumtransmission.
Effect of communication skills training on outcomes in critically ill patients with life-limiting illness referred for intensive care management: a before-and-after study
Authors: Orford Neil R , Milnes Sharyn , Simpson Nicholas , Keely Gerry , Elderkin Tania , Bone Allison , Martin Peter , Bellomo Rinaldo , Bailey Michael , Corke Charlie
Published: June 2017

Objectives

To describe the effect of a communication skills training programme on patient-centred goals of care documentation and clinical outcomes in critically ill patients with life-limiting illnesses (LLI) referred for intensive care management.

Methods

Prospective before-and-after cohort study in a tertiary teaching hospital in Australia. The population was 222 adult patients with LLI referred to the intensive care unit (ICU). The study was divided into two periods, before (1 May to 31 July 2015) and after (15 September to 15December 2015) the intervention. The intervention was a 2-day, small group, simulated-patient, communication skills course, and process of care for patients with LLI. The primary outcome was documentation of patient-centred goals of care discussion (PCD) within 48 hours of referral to the ICU. Secondary outcomes included clinical outcomes and 90-day mortality.

Results

The intervention was associated with increased documentation of a PCD from 50% to 69% (p=0.004) and 43% to 94% (p<0.0001) in patients deceased by day 90. A significant decrease in critical care as the choice of resuscitation goal (61% vs 42%, p=0.02) was observed. Although there was no decrease in admission to ICU, there was a significant decrease in medical emergency team call prevalence (87% vs 73%, p=0.009). The cancer and organ failure groups had a significant decrease in 90-day mortality (75% vs 44%, p=0.02; 42% vs 16%, p=0.01), and the frailty group had a significant decrease in 90-day readmissions (48% vs 19%, p=0.003).

Conclusions

The intervention was associated with increased PCD documentation and decrease in the choice of critical care as the resuscitation goal. Admissions to ICU did not decrease, and although limited by study design, condition-specific trajectory changes, clinical interventions and outcomes warrant further study.
Foreign-born blacks no different from whites for odds of stroke
Authors: Wirth Lorinette S , Tobo Betelihem B , Hinyard Leslie , Vaughn Michael G
Published: June 2017

Background

Blacks have higher risk for stroke than whites. However, combining foreign-born and US-born blacks could mask important health differences. We examined the relationship between nativity and stroke risk in US adults.

Methods

Data were obtained from the National Health Interview Survey, 2006–2014. Study population (n=189, 409) included non-Hispanic whites and non-Hispanic blacks born in the Caribbean, and non-Hispanic blacks born in Africa. Logistic regression models were used to assess the association between stroke and race/nativity, adjusting for covariates such as insurance status, hypertension, age and duration of US residence.

Results

Foreign-born blacks had similar odds of stroke (95% CI 0.58 to 1.60 for non-Hispanic blacks from the Caribbean, and 95% CI 0.17 to 1.10 for blacks from Africa), while US-born blacks had increased odds of stroke (95% CI 1.22 to 1.46) compared with non-Hispanic whites. When compared with US-born blacks, both non-Hispanic blacks from the Caribbean and Africa showed reduced odds of stroke: 95% CI 0.50 to 0.94 and 95% CI 0.21 to 0.75, respectively. After adding a race/nativity × age interaction term to the model however, compared with non-Hispanic whites, blacks from Africa aged <65 years had lower odds of stroke (95% CI 0.13 to 0.72) while blacks from the Caribbean had similar odds of stroke at all ages.

Conclusions

Homogenising ‘Blacks’ may mask important differences based on nativity. Public health prevention efforts should consider the heightened risk of stroke among younger US-born blacks and focus on primary prevention for immigrant blacks. Also, national surveys should incorporate more ethnicity-related variables.
Numerical simulation of installation of jacked piles in sand using material point method
Authors: Lorenzo R. , da Cunha R.P. , Cordão Neto M.P. , Nairn J.A.
Published: June 2017

Pile installation has a great impact on the subsequent mechanical pile response. It is not, however, routinely incorporated in the numerical analyses of deep foundations in sand. Some of the difficulties associated with the simulation of the installation process are related to the fact that large deformations and distortions will eventually appear. The finite element method is not well suited to solve problems of this nature. Hence, an alternative procedure is tested herein, by using the material point method to simulate the installation of statically jacked or pushed-in type piles, which has successfully demonstrated its capacity to deal with this simulation. Two constitutive models were also tested, i.e., the modified Cam clay (MCC) and the subloading Cam clay (SubCam), allowing a clear perception of the great advantage to consider the soil with the SubCam model. The simulations have indeed reproduced some of the important features of the pile installation process, such as the radial stress acting around the pile’s shaft or the shaft’s lateral capacity, among other issues. The numerical results were additionally compared with known (semi-empirical) methods to derive the lateral capacity of the shaft, with a good and practical outcome.
Amphibian breeding phenology and reproductive outcome: an examination using terrestrial and aquatic sampling
Authors: Greenberg C.H. , Johnson S.A. , Owen R. , Storfer A.
Published: June 2017

Worldwide amphibian declines highlight the need for programs that monitor species presence and track population trends. We sampled larval amphibians with a box trap at 3-week intervals for 23 months in eight wetlands, and concurrently trapped adults and juveniles with drift fences, to examine spatiotemporal patterns of tadpole occurrence; explore relationships between breeding effort, tadpole abundance, and recruitment; and compare the efficacy of both methods in detecting species presence and reproductive outcome. Intermittent detection of species within and among wetlands suggested high mortality, followed by deposition of new eggs and tadpole cohorts. Breeding effort, tadpole abundance, and juvenile recruitment were generally not correlated. The reasons for this may include differential bias in detecting species or life stages between methods and high incidence of egg or tadpole mortality. Drift fences detected more species than box traps, but each provided insights regarding amphibian presence and recruitment. Our results illustrate shortfalls in the ability of infrequent aquatic sampling to detect local species richness of larval amphibians, as occurrence of many species is spatially and temporally variable. We also show the importance of using different sampling methods to detect species’ presence, as well as difficulties associated with both methods in tracking breeding effort, tadpole occurrence, or reproductive outcome.
Object summaries for keyword search
Authors: Fakas Georgios J. , Cai Zhi
Published: June 2017

The abundance and ubiquity of graphs (e.g., semantic knowledge graphs, such as Google’s knowledge graph, DBpedia; online social networks such as Google[Formula: see text], Facebook; bibliographic graphs such as DBLP, etc.) necessitates the effective and efficient search over them. Thus, we propose a novel keyword search paradigm, where the result of a search is an Object Summary (OS). More precisely, given a set of keywords that can identify a Data Subject (DS), our paradigm produces a set of OSs as results. An OS is a tree structure rooted at the DS node (i.e., a node containing the keywords) with surrounding nodes that summarize all data held on the graph about the DS. An OS can potentially be very large in size and therefore unfriendly for users who wish to view synoptic information about the data subject. Thus, we investigate the effective and efficient retrieval of concise and informative OS snippets (denoted as size-[Formula: see text] OSs). A size-[Formula: see text] OS is a partial OS containing [Formula: see text] nodes such that the summation of their importance scores results in the maximum possible total score. However, the set of nodes that maximize the total importance score may result in an uninformative size-[Formula: see text] OSs, as very important nodes may be repeated in it, dominating other representative information. In view of this limitation, we investigate the effective and efficient generation of two novel types of OS snippets, i.e., diverse and proportional size-[Formula: see text] OSs, denoted as DSize-[Formula: see text] and PSize-[Formula: see text] OSs. Namely, besides the importance of each node, we also consider its pairwise relevance (similarity) to the other nodes in the OS and the snippet. We conduct an extensive evaluation on two real graphs (DBLP and Google[Formula: see text]). We verify effectiveness by collecting user feedback, e.g., by asking DBLP authors (i.e., the DSs themselves) to evaluate our results. In addition, we verify the efficiency of our algorithms and evaluate quality of the snippets that they produce.
Pricing Strategy and Quick Response Adoption System with Strategic Customers
Authors: Dong Junfeng , Jiang Li , Jiao Yan
Published: June 2017

This study determined the competitive advantage of a quick response (QR) system when a firm faces forward‐looking customers with heterogeneous and uncertain valuations for a product, uncertain demand, and two selling periods. We identify two classes of pricing strategies, namely, no‐price commitment strategy and price commitment strategy. Interestingly, the unique equilibrium is proven to exist if and only if most customers have high tastes on a product’s value. We also prove that when customers possess beliefs about the markdown in the second period being smaller enough, a firm obtains a high profit with price commitment; otherwise he obtains a high profit without price commitment. Moreover, we distinguish the competitive advantage of a QR system from two strategies. When a firm uses no‐price commitment strategy, the value of QR system in the first period decreases and in the second period increases with customer’s strategic behavior. When a firm provides price commitment, the value of QR system in the first period may increase, decrease, or decrease first and then increase with customer’s strategic behavior. And the value of QR in the second period under price commitment strategy decreases or rises first and then decreases with customer’s strategic behavior.
Clinical Effect of Electroacupuncture on Lung Injury Patients Caused by Severe Acute Pancreatitis
Authors: Li Li , Yu Jianbo , Mu Rui , Dong Shuan
Published: June 2017

This study aimed to investigate the effects of electroacupuncture at the Lieque, Chize, and Zusanli points in patients with lung injury caused by severe acute pancreatitis. Patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) induced by severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) were randomly divided into three groups based on the treatment: conventional therapy alone (group A), electroacupuncture of nonacupoints with conventional therapy (group B), and electroacupuncture at the Lieque (LU7), Chize (LU5), and Zusanli (ST36) points (group C) once a day for 5 days. Arterial blood samples were obtained for blood gas analysis before electroacupuncture (T1) and 3 (T2) and 5 (T3) days after electroacupuncture. The oxygenation index was significantly higher in all groups at T2 and T3 than that at T1, while the APACHE‐II scores were decreased significantly. The expression of TNF‐α was significantly decreased and the IL‐10 was significantly increased in all groups at T3. The oxygenation index at T2 and T3 was significantly higher in group C than that in group B. Electroacupuncture at Lieque, Chize, and Zusanli can lessen the lung injury induced by SAP, and the mechanism may be related to the decreased TNF‐α and increased IL‐10 value. Clinical Registration Number is ChiCTR-ICR-15006850.
Ecobiophysical Aspects on Nanosilver Biogenerated fromCitrus reticulataPeels, as Potential Biopesticide for Controlling Pathogens and Wetland Plants in Aquatic Media
Authors: Barbinta-Patrascu Marcela Elisabeta , Badea Nicoleta , Ungureanu Camelia , Iordache Stefan Marian , Constantin Marioara , Purcar Violeta , Rau Ileana , Pirvu Cristian
Published: June 2017

In recent years, a considerable interest was paid to ecological strategies in management of plant diseases and plant growth. Metallic nanoparticles (MNPs) gained considerable interest as alternative to pesticides due to their interesting properties.Greensynthesis of MNPs using plant extracts is very advantageous taking into account the fact that plants are easily available and eco-friendly and possess many phytocompounds that help in bioreduction of metal ions. In this research work, we phytosynthesized AgNPs from aqueous extract ofCitrus reticulatapeels, with high antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal potential. These “green” AgNPs were characterized by modern biophysical methods (absorption and FTIR spectroscopy, AFM, and zeta potential measurements). The nanobioimpact ofCitrus-based AgNPs on four invasive wetland plants, Cattail(Typha latifolia), Flowering-rush(Butomus umbellatus), Duckweed(Lemna minor), and Water-pepper(Polygonum hydropiper), was studied by absorption spectroscopy, by monitoring the spectral signature of chlorophyll. The invasive plants exhibited different behavior under AgNP stress. Deep insights were obtained from experiments conducted on biomimetic membranes marked with chlorophylla. Our results pointed out the potential use ofCitrus-based AgNPs as alternative in controlling pathogens in aqueous media and in management of aquatic weeds growth.
DNA-Methyltransferase 1 Induces Dedifferentiation of Pancreatic Cancer Cells through Silencing of Krüppel-Like Factor 4 Expression
Authors: Xie Victoria K. , Li Zhiwei , Yan Yongmin , Jia Zhiliang , Zuo Xiangsheng , Ju Zhenlin , Wang Jing , Du Jiawei , Xie Dacheng , Xie Keping , Wei Daoyan
Published: June 2017

Purpose: The dismal prognosis of pancreatic cancer has been linked to poor tumor differentiation. However, molecular basis of pancreatic cancer differentiation and potential therapeutic value of the underlying molecules remain unknown. We investigated the mechanistic underexpression of Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) in pancreatic cancer and defined a novel epigenetic pathway of its activation for pancreatic cancer differentiation and treatment.

Experimental Design: Expressions of KLF4 and DNMT1 in pancreatic cancer tissues were determined by IHC and the genetic and epigenetic alterations of KLF4 in and KLF4′s impact on differentiation of pancreatic cancer were examined using molecular biology techniques. The function of dietary 3,3′-diindolylmethane (DIM) on miR-152/DNMT1/KLF4 signaling in pancreatic cancer was evaluated using both cell culture and animal models.

Results: Overexpression of DNMT1 and promoter hypermethylation contributed to decreased KLF4 expression in and associated with poor differentiation of pancreatic cancer. Manipulation of KLF4 expression significantly affected differentiation marker expressions in pancreatic cancer cells. DIM treatment significantly induced miR-152 expression, which blocked DNMT1 protein expression and its binding to KLF4 promoter region, and consequently reduced promoter DNA methylation and activated KLF4 expression in pancreatic cancer cells. In addition, DIM treatment caused significant inhibition of cell growth in vitro and tumorigenesis in animal models of pancreatic cancer.

Conclusions: This is the first demonstration that dysregulated KLF4 expression associates with poor differentiation of pancreatic cancer. Epigenetic activation of miR-152/DNMT1/KLF4 signaling pathway by dietary DIM causes differentiation and significant growth inhibition of pancreatic cancer cells, highlighting its translational implications for pancreatic and other cancers. Clin Cancer Res; 23(18); 5585–97. ©2017 AACR.