bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The tanning habits and interest in sunscreen of Google users: what happened in 12 years?
Authors: Kirchberger Michael C. , Heppt Markus V. , Eigentler Thomas K. , Kirchberger Markus A. , Schuler Gerold , Heinzerling Lucie
Published: December 2016

Background

The incidence of melanoma has been rising worldwide. One possible reason for this is natural and artificial UV exposure. Only little data on actual consumer statistics from tanning studios and the usage of sunscreen are available. Therefore, it is difficult to describe trends for both and identify the impact of preventive measures.

Methods

To gain knowledge about the popularity of ‘tanning bed’ and ‘sunscreen’, normalized search volumes for both search queries were obtained from Google Trends for 11 countries between January 2004 and June 2016.

Results

With few exceptions, worldwide interest in ‘tanning bed’ has been declining, whereas interest in ‘sunscreen’ has been increasing. The assessed countries from the Southern Hemisphere showed minor interest in tanning compared to the Northern Hemisphere. Both search queries were observed to fluctuate in a seasonal pattern. Skin cancer prevention measures influence the interest in tanning beds and sunscreen.

Conclusion

Google Trends data can act as a first surrogate marker to evaluate the influence of skin cancer campaigns on the popularity of tanning beds and sunscreen. Fine‐tuning of skin cancer campaigns according to seasonal and geographic trends and behaviors may help to maximize their success.
Ultraviolet A eye irradiation ameliorates colon carcinoma induced by azoxymethane and dextran sodium sulfate through β‐endorphin and methionine‐enkephalin
Authors: Hiramoto Keiichi , Yokoyama Satoshi , Yamate Yurika
Published: December 2016

Background

We previously reported that ultraviolet (UV) A eye irradiation reduces the ulcerative colitis induced by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). This study examined the effects of UVA on colon carcinoma induced by azoxymethane (AOM) and DSS.

Methods

We irradiated the eyes of ICR mice with UVA at a dose of 110 kJ/m2 using an FL20SBLB‐A lamp for the experimental period.

Results

In mice treated with these drugs, the symptom of colon carcinoma was reduced by UVA eye irradiation. The levels of interleukin (IL)‐6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α in the blood were increased in AOM + DSS‐treated mice; however, those levels were reduced by UVA eye irradiation. The expression of β‐endorphin, methionine‐enkephalin (OGF), μ‐opioid receptor, and opioid growth factor receptor (OGFR) of the colon was increased in the AOM + DSS‐treated mice, and these levels were increased further following UVA eye irradiation. When β‐endorphin inhibitor was administered, the ameliorative effect of UVA eye irradiation was reduced, and the effect of eye irradiation disappeared entirely following the administration of naltrexone (inhibitor of both opioid receptor and OGFR).

Conclusions

These results suggested that UVA eye irradiation exerts major effects on AOM + DSS‐induced colon carcinoma.
Regulation of reserve mobilisation in sunflower during late seedling establishment in continuous darkness
Authors: Avelino A. P. , de Oliveira D. F. A. , da Silva H. A. , de Macêdo C. E. C. , Voigt E. L.
Published: December 2016

Reserve mobilisation, metabolite partitioning and reserve‐degrading enzyme activity were studied in sunflower seedlings cultivated in vitro under a 12‐h photoperiod or in the dark to investigate the involvement of source–sink relation and carbon starvation in the regulation of reserve mobilisation under continuous darkness.

Reserves, metabolites and enzyme activity were determined with standard spectrophotometric methods.

At the first 24 h of treatment (acclimation phase), darkness did not affect growth, but restricted carbon and nitrogen use, as indicated by sugar and amino acid accumulation in the different seedling parts. After 5 days of treatment (survival phase), extended darkness limited growth and retarded storage lipid mobilisation due to carbon starvation, as evidenced by the depletion of carbohydrates in cotyledons and hypocotyl, as well as the consumption of amino acids in hypocotyls and roots.

Alterations in the source–sink relationship might have been a response to prolonged darkness, instead of a mechanism used to regulate reserve mobilisation, as these alterations cannot be associated with negative feedback mediated by metabolite accumulation. Storage lipid degradation depends, at least in part, on mechanisms that co‐ordinately regulate the activities of lipases and isocitrate lyase. Taking these results together, it is possible that reserve mobilisation in sunflower seedlings cultivated in the dark might be regulated by mechanisms that perceive the absence of light and predict carbon starvation, adjusting reserve use according to future energy demands to allow, at least in the short term, seedling survival.
Diversity and pathogenicity of Fusarium graminearum species complex from maize stalk and ear rot strains in northeast China
Authors: Gai X. T. , Xuan Y. H. , Gao Z. G.
Published: December 2016

The Fusarium graminearum species complex (FGSC) is an important group of pathogens distributed in maize‐producing areas worldwide. This study investigated the genetic diversity and pathogenicity of 40 FGSC isolates obtained from stalk rot and ear rot samples collected from 42 locations in northeastern China during 2013 and 2014. A phylogenetic tree of translation elongation factor (EF‐la) sequences designated the 40 isolates as F. graminearum sensu stricto (67.5%) and F. boothii (32.5%). By using inter‐simple sequence repeat analysis (ISSR), it was shown that the isolates were divided into two clades, which corresponded to the species identity of the isolates. However, the isolates from the two different diseases could not be distinguished in pathogenicity. The disease severity index of seedlings inoculated with stalk isolates was slightly higher than that of seedlings inoculated with isolates from infected ears, whereas the pathogenicity of the stalk and ear isolates were identical.
Welcoming Their Hatred: Class Populism in Democratic Rhetoric in American Presidential Campaigns, 1932–2012
Authors: Rhodes Jesse H. , Johnson Kaylee T.
Published: December 2016

Conventional wisdom holds that Democrats have abandoned the language of class populism. Using a quantitative and qualitative content analysis of hundreds of Democratic presidential campaign speeches over the 1932–2012 period, we revisit the received view. We provide evidence that Democratic presidential candidates have made increasingly frequent references to the wealthy; have employed a consistently adversarial tone in statements referring to the affluent; have made increasingly frequent criticisms of Republicans’ alleged favoritism toward the rich; and have increasingly linked references to the wealthy to promises to assist less fortunate Americans through programmatic reforms. Our findings indicate that class populism is alive and well in Democratic presidential campaign rhetoric.
The Relevance of Emotions in Presidential Public Appeals: Anger's Conditional Effect on Perceived Risk and Support for Military Interventions
Authors: Villalobos José D. , Sirin Cigdem V.
Published: December 2016

This study investigates whether and to what extent the thematic relevance of emotive stimuli embedded in presidential speeches affects people's risk perceptions and policy support regarding military interventions in civil conflict. Conducting an experimental study with a total of 1,187 participants, we find the induction of anger via thematically relevant emotive triggers leads to higher levels of support for military interventions in civil conflict even though people's risk perceptions—which were high across all conditions—remain unaffected. By comparison, the effects of anger on policy support observed in the thematically irrelevant condition do not differ significantly from the emotion‐neutral control condition. Thus, although members of the public are highly sensitive to the risks of military interventions in civil conflict and can compartmentalize their feelings within the relevant policy sphere (thereby negating a spillover effect), stimulated anger can nevertheless generate greater public support for military interventions. Still, the potential for such opinion movement to help justify and facilitate policy action depends highly on the president's strategic positioning.
An automatic classifier of emotions built from entropy of noise
Authors: Ferreira Jacqueline , Brás Susana , Silva Carlos F. , Soares Sandra C.
Published: December 2016

The electrocardiogram (ECG) signal has been widely used to study the physiological substrates of emotion. However, searching for better filtering techniques in order to obtain a signal with better quality and with the maximum relevant information remains an important issue for researchers in this field. Signal processing is largely performed for ECG analysis and interpretation, but this process can be susceptible to error in the delineation phase. In addition, it can lead to the loss of important information that is usually considered as noise and, consequently, discarded from the analysis. The goal of this study was to evaluate if the ECG noise allows for the classification of emotions, while using its entropy as an input in a decision tree classifier. We collected the ECG signal from 25 healthy participants while they were presented with videos eliciting negative (fear and disgust) and neutral emotions. The results indicated that the neutral condition showed a perfect identification (100%), whereas the classification of negative emotions indicated good identification performances (60% of sensitivity and 80% of specificity). These results suggest that the entropy of noise contains relevant information that can be useful to improve the analysis of the physiological correlates of emotion.
Wages and Wage Inequality in South Africa 1994–2011: Part 1 – Wage Measurement and Trends
Authors: Wittenberg Martin
Published: December 2016

We analyse the long‐term trends in wage inequality in South Africa, using household survey data. We show that the trends in household income inequality are largely driven by changes in wage inequality. Given the detailed nature of our series we show that measurement issues and breaks in the series need to be dealt with in order to draw robust conclusions from the data. Most standard inequality measures show that wage inequality has increased over the period. Nevertheless the choice of measure matters, because there are different trends in different parts of the distribution. It appears that the distribution below the median has become more compressed, while the top of the wage distribution has moved away from the median. The inequality in the labour market translates into even higher inequality in society given that high earners tend to live together with other high earners while low wage individuals often end up sharing their incomes with the unemployed. Furthermore there are many South Africans with access to no wage income. Given the trends analysed here it is not surprising that overall inequality in South Africa has not come down or has even increased since the end of apartheid.
High ankle injury rate in adolescent basketball: A 3‐year prospective follow‐up study
Authors: Pasanen K. , Ekola T. , Vasankari T. , Kannus P. , Heinonen A. , Kujala U. M. , Parkkari J.
Published: December 2016

This prospective study investigated the incidence and pattern of acute time‐loss injuries in young female and male basketball players. Eight basketball teams (n=201; mean age 14.85±1.5) participated in the follow‐up study (2011‐2014). The coaches recorded player participation in practices and games on a team diary. A study physician contacted the teams once a week to check new injuries and interviewed the injured players. In total, 158 injuries occurred. The overall rate of injury (per 1000 hours) was 2.64 (95% CI 2.23‐3.05). Injury rate was 34.47 (95% CI 26.59‐42.34) in basketball games and 1.51 (95% CI 1.19‐1.82) in team practices. Incidence rate ratio (IRR) between game and practice was 22.87 (95% CI 16.71‐31.29). Seventy‐eight percent of the injuries affected the lower limbs. The ankle (48%) and knee (15%) were the most commonly injured body sites. The majority of injuries involved joint or ligaments (67%). Twenty‐three percent of the injuries were severe causing more than 28 days absence from sports. Number of recurrent injuries was high (28% of all injuries), and most of them were ankle sprains (35 of 44, 79%). No significant differences were found in injury rates between females and males during games (IRR 0.88, 0.55, to 1.40) and practices (IRR 1.06, 0.69, to 1.62). In conclusion, ankle and knee ligament injuries were the most common injuries in this study. Moreover, the rate of recurrent ankle sprains was alarming.
Encoding and Accessing Linguistic Representations in a Dynamically Structured Holographic Memory System
Authors: Parker Dan , Lantz Daniel
Published: December 2016

This paper presents a computational model that integrates a dynamically structured holographic memory system into the ACT‐R cognitive architecture to explain how linguistic representations are encoded and accessed in memory. ACT‐R currently serves as the most precise expression of the moment‐by‐moment working memory retrievals that support sentence comprehension. The ACT‐R model of sentence comprehension is able to capture a range of linguistic phenomena, but there are cases where the model makes the wrong predictions, such as the over‐prediction of retrieval interference effects during sentence comprehension. Here, we investigate one such case involving the processing of sentences with negative polarity items (NPIs) and consider how a dynamically structured holographic memory system might provide a cognitively plausible and principled explanation of some previously unexplained effects. Specifically, we show that by replacing ACT‐R's declarative memory with a dynamically structured memory, we can explain a wider range of behavioral data involving reading times and judgments of grammaticality. We show that our integrated model provides a better fit to human error rates and response latencies than the original ACT‐R model. These results provide proof‐of‐concept for the unification of two independent computational cognitive frameworks.
Effective Intervention across Socioeconomic Classes for Improvement in Language Outcomes
Authors: Kanwal Afia , Shehzad Wasima
Published: December 2016

Students in higher education bring with them a difference of linguistic abilities that is often due to the difference in socioeconomic status and early schooling. The lack of linguistic capacity hampers academic pace and introduces discrepancies in performance of learners. This paper examines the persistence of socioeconomic diﬀerences being translated in educational institutes and their influence on language outcomes and it investigates the role of effective intervention through an action research model by Zuber-Skerritt (1992) called CRASP. It is an experimental study based on a sample of 300 engineering students which examines initial and final evaluation of language proficiency through intervention. The tools used to gather data include demographics, language test of writing and speaking skills and sequential assessment. The results showed that intervention is helpful for enhancing language proficiency nonetheless; the improvement rate is nearly negligible and requires a long-term plan to impact early disadvantage of exposure.
Hausdorff approximation of the sign function by a class of parametric activation functions
Authors: Kyurkchiev Nikolay , Markov Svetoslav Marinov
Published: December 2016

In this paper we study the distance between the sign function and a class of parametric activation functions. The distance is measured in Hausdorff sense, which is natural in a situation when a sign function is involved. Precise upper and lower bounds for the Hausdorff distance have been obtained.
Visualization Study of Steam Condensation in Rectangular Channel of Multichannel Cylinder Dryer
Authors: Yan Yan , Jixian Dong , Wei Tang , Shiyu Feng
Published: December 2016

The phenomenon of steam condensation occurring on one surface in a rectangular horizontal channel was experimentally studied. The experiment was conducted using a visualization method with a steam quality of 0.1–0.9 and mass flux of 20–50 kg/m2 s. Four flow patterns (annular, wave, slug, and plug) were observed, and the effects of quality and mass flux on the condensing heat transfer were analyzed. The mass flux and steam quality primarily affect the condensing heat transfer coefficient in the shear-dominated flow regime. The condensing heat transfer coefficients are nearly constant only in a certain range of steam quality. This result is disparate from what has been reported in previous literatures. It was also observed that the condensing heat transfer coefficient rises with an increase in the quality. Two flow regime maps were employed to predict the flow regimes observed in this study. The result reveals that the Tandon flow regime map agrees quite well with the experimental results.
Analysis and Comparison of the Performance of an Inverted Brayton Cycle and Turbocompounding With Decoupled Turbine and Continuous Variable Transmission Driven Compressor for Small Automotive Engines
Authors: Lu P. , Brace C. , Hu B. , Copeland C.
Published: December 2016

For an internal combustion engine, a large quantity of fuel energy (accounting for approximately 30% of the total combustion energy) is expelled through the exhaust without being converted into useful work. Various technologies including turbocompounding and the pressurized Brayton bottoming cycle have been developed to recover the exhaust heat and thus reduce the fuel consumption and CO2 emission. However, the application of these approaches in small automotive power plants has been relatively less explored because of the inherent difficulties, such as the detrimental backpressure and higher complexity imposed by the additional devices. Therefore, research has been conducted, in which modifications were made to the traditional arrangement aiming to minimize the weaknesses. The turbocharger of the baseline series turbocompounding was eliminated from the system so that the power turbine became the only heat recovery device on the exhaust side of the engine, and operated at a higher expansion ratio. The compressor was separated from the turbine shaft and mechanically connected to the engine via continuous variable transmission (CVT). According to the results, the backpressure of the novel system is significantly reduced comparing with the series turbocompounding model. The power output at lower engine speed was also promoted. For the pressurized Brayton bottoming cycle, rather than transferring the thermal energy from the exhaust to the working fluid, the exhaust gas was directly utilized as the working medium and was simply cooled by ambient coolant before the compressor. This arrangement, which is known as the inverted Brayton cycle (IBC) was simpler to implement. Besides, it allowed the exhaust gasses to be expanded below the ambient pressure. Thereby, the primary cycle was less compromised by the bottoming cycle. The potential of recovering energy from the exhaust was increased as well. This paper analyzed and optimized the parameters (including CVT ratio, turbine and compressor speed and the inlet pressure to the bottoming cycle) that are sensitive to the performance of the small vehicle engine equipped with inverted Brayton cycle and novel turbocompounding system, respectively. The performance evaluation was given in terms of brake power output and specific fuel consumption. Two working conditions, full and partial load (10 and 2 bar brake mean effective pressure (BMEP)) were investigated. Evaluation of the transient performance was also carried out. Simulated results of these two designs were compared with each other as well as the performance from the corresponding baseline models. The system models in this paper were built in GT-Power which is a one dimension (1D) engine simulation code. All the waste heat recovery systems were combined with a 2.0 L gasoline engine.
Correlation-Based Riblet Model for Turbomachinery Applications
Authors: Koepplin Viktor , Herbst Florian , Seume Joerg R.
Published: December 2016

An empirical riblet model for manufactured V-shaped and trapezoidal riblets which is suitable for turbomachinery application is presented. The implementation of the riblet effect employs a correlation-based correction for the damping of the specific dissipation rate ω in the vicinity of the wall which has been previously presented by other researchers. In the current paper, the correlations are extended into the drag-increasing regime and are extended to account for the effect of misalignment of the riblets relative to the flow and for the effect of adverse pressure gradients. In order to account for the latter in modern, massive parallel Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) codes, a local Clauser parameter has been newly derived. The model is implemented in a three-dimensional (3D) turbomachinery design code and validated with flat plate measurement data and a NACA6510 compressor cascade. The predictions of the experimental values are in very good agreement with the experimental data, showing the capability of the model for designing riblet structured turbomachinery blading.
On the Influence of a Hubside Exducer Cavity and Bleed Air in a Close-Coupled Centrifugal Compressor Stage
Authors: Kaluza Peter , Landgraf Christian , Schwarz Philipp , Jeschke Peter , Smythe Caitlin
Published: December 2016

In aero-engine applications, centrifugal compressors are often close-coupled with their respective diffusers to increase efficiency at the expense of a reduced operating range. The aim of this paper is to show that state-of-the art steady-state computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations can model a hubside cavity between an impeller and a close-coupled diffuser and to enhance the understanding of how the cavity affects performance. The investigated cavity is located at the impeller trailing edge, and bleed air is extracted through it. Due to geometrical limitations, the mixing plane is located in the cavity region. Therefore, the previous analyses used only a cut (“simple”) model of the cavity. With the new, “full” cavity model, the region inside the cavity right after the impeller trailing edge is not neglected anymore. The numerical setup is validated using the experimental data gathered on a state-of-the art centrifugal compressor test-rig. For the total pressure field in front of the diffuser throat, a clear improvement is achieved. The results presented reveal a drop in stage efficiency by 0.5%-points caused by a new loss mechanism at the impeller trailing edge. On the hubside, the fundamentally different interaction of the cavity with the coreflow increases the losses in the downstream components resulting in the mentioned stage efficiency drop. Finally, varying bleed air extraction is investigated with both cavity models. Only the full cavity (FC) model captures the changes measured in the experiment.
Mapping of CMOS FET degradation in bias space—Application to dram peripheral devices
Authors: Kaczer B. , Franco J. , Tyaginov S. , Jech M. , Rzepa G. , Grasser T. , O'Sullivan B. J. , Ritzenhaler R. , Schram T. , Spessot A. , Linten D. , Horiguchi N.
Published: December 2016

Mapping and visualization of all degradation modes in both n- and p-channel field effect transistors, specifically devices for dynamic random access memory periphery, is performed in the (VG, VD) bias space applicable for complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor operation. This “all-in-one” approach allows for tracking and studying in parallel all degradation regimes, including bias temperature instability, hot carrier degradation, and off-state stress, as well as the transitions between them. It should prove beneficial when developing new very large-scale integrated technologies, since it allows for simultaneous comparison and checking of all degradation regimes and promptly identifying “weak spots” of each technology option. It also allows to choose the correct criteria (voltages or fields) at a later time and postprocessing the data as necessary.
Increased drift carrier lifetime in semiconducting boron carbides deposited by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition from carboranes and benzene
Authors: Peterson George Glenn , Echeverria Elena , Dong Bin , Silva Joseph P. , Wilson Ethiyal R. , Kelber Jeffry A. , Nastasi Michael , Dowben Peter A.
Published: December 2016

Plasma-enhanced chemical vapor (PECVD) codeposition of benzene and 1,2-dicarbadodecaborane, 1,2-B10C2H12 (orthocarborane) and benzene, 1,7 dicarbadodecaborane, and 1,7-B10C2H12 (metacarborane) results in semiconducting boron carbide composite films with significantly longer drift carrier lifetimes than plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposited semiconducting boron carbide synthesized from orthocarborane or metacarborane alone. Capacitance versus voltage C(V) and current versus voltage I(V) measurements indicate the hole carrier lifetimes for PECVD benzene/orthocarborane based semiconducting boron carbide composites increase to 2.5 ms from values of ≤35 μs for the PECVD semiconducting boron carbide films fabricated without benzene. For PECVD benzene/metacarborane based semiconducting boron carbide composites, there is an increase in the hole carrier lifetime to roughly 300 ns from values of 50 ns for those films fabricated without benzene.
A Family of Secretory Proteins Is Associated with Different Morphotypes in Cryptococcus neoformans
Authors: Gyawali Rachana , Upadhyay Srijana , Way Joshua , Lin Xiaorong
Published: December 2016

Cryptococcus neoformans
, an opportunistic human fungal pathogen, can undergo a yeast-to-hypha transition in response to environmental cues. This morphological transition is associated with changes in the expression of cell surface proteins. The
Cryptococcus
cell surface and secreted protein Cfl1 was the first identified adhesin in the Basidiomycota. Cfl1 has been shown to regulate morphology, biofilm formation, and intercellular communication. Four additional homologs of
CFL1
are harbored by the
Cryptococcus
genome:
DHA1
,
DHA2
,
CPL1
, and
CFL105
. The common features of this gene family are the conserved C-terminal SIGC domain and the presence of an N-terminal signal peptide. We found that all these Cfl1 homolog proteins are indeed secreted extracellularly. Interestingly, some of these secretory proteins display cell type-specific expression patterns: Cfl1 is hypha specific, Dha2 is yeast specific, and Dha1 (delayed hypersensitivity antigen 1) is expressed in all cell types but is particularly enriched at basidia. Interestingly, Dha1 is induced by copper limitation and suppressed by excessive copper in the medium. This study further attests to the physiological heterogeneity of the
Cryptococcus
mating colony, which is composed of cells with heterogeneous morphotypes. The differential expression of these secretory proteins contributes to heterogeneity, which is beneficial for the fungus to adapt to changing environments.

IMPORTANCE
Heterogeneity in physiology and morphology is an important bet-hedging strategy for nonmobile microbes such as fungi to adapt to unpredictable environmental changes.
Cryptococcus neoformans
, a ubiquitous basidiomycetous fungus, is known to switch from the yeast form to the hypha form during sexual development. However, in a mating colony, only a subset of yeast cells switch to hyphae, and only a fraction of the hyphal subpopulation will develop into fruiting bodies, where meiosis and sporulation occur. Here, we investigated a basidiomycete-specific secretory protein family. We found that some of these proteins are cell type specific, thus contributing to the heterogeneity of a mating colony. Our study also demonstrates the importance of examining the protein expression pattern at the individual-cell level in addition to population gene expression profiling for the investigation of a heterogeneous community.
A Plant Bacterial Pathogen Manipulates Its Insect Vector's Energy Metabolism
Authors: Killiny Nabil , Hijaz Faraj , Ebert Timothy A. , Rogers Michael E.
Published: December 2016

Insect-transmitted plant-pathogenic bacteria may alter their vectors' fitness, survival, behavior, and metabolism. Because these pathogens interact with their vectors on the cellular and organismal levels, potential changes at the biochemical level might occur. “
Candidatus
Liberibacter asiaticus” (
C
Las) is transmitted in a persistent, circulative, and propagative manner. The genome of
C
Las revealed the presence of an ATP translocase that mediates the uptake of ATP and other nucleotides from medium to achieve its biological processes, such as growth and multiplication. Here, we showed that the levels of ATP and many other nucleotides were significantly higher in
C
Las-infected than healthy psyllids. Gene expression analysis showed upregulation for ATP synthase subunits, while ATPase enzyme activity showed a decrease in ATPase activity. These results indicated that
C
Las stimulated
Diaphorina citri
to produce more ATP and many other energetic nucleotides, while it may inhibit their consumption by the insect. As a result of ATP accumulation, the adenylated energy charge (AEC) increased and the AMP/ATP and ADP/ATP ratios decreased in
C
Las-infected
D. citri
psyllids. Survival analysis confirmed a shorter life span for
C
Las-infected
D. citri
psyllids. In addition, electropenetrography showed a significant reduction in total nonprobing time, salivation time, and time from the last E2 (phloem ingestion) to the end of recording, indicating that
C
Las-infected psyllids were at a higher hunger level and they tended to forage more often. This increased feeding activity reflects the
C
Las-induced energetic stress. In conclusion,
C
Las alters the energy metabolism of its psyllid vector,
D. citri
, in order to secure its need for energetic nucleotides.

IMPORTANCE
Insect transmission of plant-pathogenic bacteria involves propagation and circulation of the bacteria within their vectors. The transmission process is complex and requires specific interactions at the molecular and biochemical levels. The growth of the plant-pathogenic bacteria in the hemolymph of their vectors indicated that the hemolymph contains all the necessary nutrients for their growth. In addition to nutrients, “
Candidatus
Liberibacter asiaticus” (
C
Las) can take up energetic nucleotides, such as ATP, from its vector,
Diaphorina citri
, using ATP translocase. In this study, we found that the
C
Las pathogen manipulates the energy metabolism of its insect vector. The accumulation of ATP in
C
Las-infected
D. citri
psyllids indicated that
C
Las induces ATP production to fulfill its need for this energetic compound. As a result of ATP accumulation, a shorter life span and altered feeding behavior were observed. These findings increase our knowledge of insect transmission of the persistent-circulative-propagative type of plant pathogens vectored by insects.
Piggy back intraocular lens for the correction of buckling surgery-induced refractive error in pseudophakia
Authors: Sinha Rajesh , Singh Reena , Sharma Vijay K , Titiyal Jeewan S
Published: December 2016

A 29-year-old man presented to us with bilateral pseudophakia with suboptimal vision in right eye. His uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) on Snellen's chart was 6/36 and 6/9 in right eye (OD) and left eye (OS), respectively. It improved to 6/9 OD with −5.00DS/−0.50DC at 90° and 6/6 OS with −0.5DC at 100°. He had undergone buckling surgery 1 year back for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment in right eye and subsequently developed a myopic refractive error. A spherical piggyback intraocular lens (IOL; Rayner Sulcoflex, East Sussex) was implanted in the sulcus for refractive correction. The postoperative UDVA at 4 weeks was 6/6p. The intraocular pressure was normal and there was no significant endothelial cell loss. Piggyback IOLs can be an effective tool to correct the induced refractive error due to an increase in axial length following buckling surgery.
Primary embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of the liver
Authors: Arora Aditi , Jaiswal Ritika , Anand Nidhi , Husain Nuzhat
Published: December 2016

Rhabdomyosarcomas are malignant neoplasms with striated muscle differentiation. This is the most common type of soft-tissue sarcoma in children, but occurs rarely in adults. Its occurrence in liver is infrequent. We report a case of primary hepatic embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma in a 67-year-old man. The tumour was occupying the left lobe of the liver with large component of lesion seen bulging in left subhepatic space indenting over the stomach, compressing the pancreas and gall bladder. A percutaneous biopsy was performed which revealed embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma. He underwent a successful left lobectomy with complete resection of the tumour, followed by adjuvant chemotherapy. The patient is free of disease at 24 months of follow-up. Hence, an early diagnosis, prompt surgical resection with negative resection margin along with adjuvant chemotherapy can provide complete remission. This case is extremely rare both due to the age of the patient at presentation and location of the tumour.
Effectiveness of early compared with conservative rehabilitation for patients having rotator cuff repair surgery: an overview of systematic reviews
Authors: Mazuquin Bruno Fles , Wright Andrew Charles , Russell Sarah , Monga Puneet , Selfe James , Richards Jim
Published: December 2016

Aim/objective

The aim is to critically analyse and discuss the current literature and determine the effectiveness of rehabilitation for patients after surgical repair of rotator cuff tears for range of motion (ROM), pain, functional status and retear rates; in addition, an update of new literature is included.

Design

Overview of systematic reviews.

Data sources

A search was performed with no restrictions to date of publication and language in the following databases: EBSCO, AMED, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, EMBASE, Cochrane, LILACS, MEDLINE, PEDro, Scielo, SCOPUS and Web of Knowledge. The PRISMA guideline was followed to develop this review and the R-AMSTAR tool was used for critical appraisal of included reviews.

Eligibility criteria

Only systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing the effectiveness of early with conservative rehabilitation, after surgical repair of the rotator cuff, were included. Moreover, the studies should report ROM, pain, functional status and/or retears rates before and after 3–24 months of the surgery.

Results

10 systematic reviews and 11 RCTs were included for the final analysis. Conflicting results and conclusions were presented by the systematic reviews, the use of primary studies varied; also the methodological quality of the reviews was diverse. This updated review, with new meta-analysis, showed no difference for function, pain, ROM or retears ratio between early and conservative rehabilitation.

Summary/Conclusions

Early mobilisation may be beneficial, particularly for small and medium tears; however, more studies with higher quality are required, especially for patients with large tears who have been given less attention.
Efficacy of three feeding regimens for home-based management of children with uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition: a randomised trial in India
Authors: Bhandari Nita , Mohan Sanjana Brahmawar , Bose Anuradha , Iyengar Sharad D , Taneja Sunita , Mazumder Sarmila , Pricilla Ruby Angeline , Iyengar Kirti , Sachdev Harshpal Singh , Mohan Venkata Raghava , Suhalka Virendra , Yoshida Sachiyo , Martines Jose , Bahl Rajiv
Published: December 2016

Objective

To assess the efficacy of ready-to-use therapeutic food (RUTF), centrally produced RUTF (RUTF-C) or locally prepared RUTF (RUTF-L) for home-based management of uncomplicated severe acute malnutrition (SAM) compared with micronutrient-enriched (augmented) energy-dense home-prepared foods (A-HPF, the comparison group).

Methods

In an individually randomised multicentre trial, we enrolled 906 children aged 6–59 months with uncomplicated SAM. The children enrolled were randomised to receive RUTF-C, RUTF-L or A-HPF. We provided foods, counselling and feeding support until recovery or 16 weeks, whichever was earlier and measured outcomes weekly (treatment phase). We subsequently facilitated access to government nutrition services and measured outcomes once 16 weeks later (sustenance phase). The primary outcome was recovery during treatment phase (weight-for-height ≥−2 SD and absence of oedema of feet).

Results

Recovery rates with RUTF-L, RUTF-C and A-HPF were 56.9%, 47.5% and 42.8%, respectively. The adjusted OR was 1.71 (95% CI 1.20 to 2.43; p=0.003) for RUTF-L and 1.28 (95% CI 0.90 to 1.82; p=0.164) for RUTF-C compared with A-HPF. Weight gain in the RUTF-L group was higher than in the A-HPF group (adjusted difference 0.90 g/kg/day, 95% CI 0.30 to 1.50; p=0.003). Time to recovery was shorter in both RUTF groups. Morbidity was high and similar across groups. At the end of the study, the proportion of children with weight-for-height Z-score (WHZ) >−2 was similar (adjusted OR 1.12, 95% CI 0.74 to 1.95; p=0.464), higher for moderate malnutrition (WHZ<−2 and ≥−3; adjusted OR 1.46, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.08; p=0.039), and lower for those with SAM (adjusted OR 0.58, 95% CI 0.40 to 0.85; p=0.005) in the RUTF-L when compared with the A-HPF group.

Conclusions

This first randomised trial comparing options for home management of uncomplicated SAM confirms that RUTF-L is more efficacious than A-HPF at home. Recovery rates were lower than in African studies, despite longer treatment and greater support for feeding.

Trial registration number

NCT01705769; Pre-results.
Vascular biomarkers to predict response to exercise in Alzheimer's disease: the study protocol
Authors: Li Danni , Thomas Robin , Tsai Michael Y , Li Ling , Vock David M , Greimel Susan , Yu Fang
Published: December 2016

Introduction

Exercise interventions are a promising treatment for improving cognition in persons with Alzheimer's disease. This is similar to Alzheimer's disease pharmacotherapies in which only 18–48% of treated patients demonstrate improvement in cognition. Aerobic exercise interventions positively affect brain structure and function through biologically sound pathways. However, an under-studied mechanism of aerobic exercise's effects is n-3 fatty acids in plasma. The objective of this pilot study is to inform a future large-scale study to develop n-3 fatty acids-based prediction of cognitive responses to aerobic exercise treatment in Alzheimer's disease.

Methods and analysis

This study will recruit and follow a cohort of 25 subjects enrolled in the FIT-AD Trial, an ongoing randomised controlled trial that investigates the effects of a 6-month moderate-intensity cycling intervention on cognition and hippocampal volume in older adults with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease over a year. This study will collect blood from subjects at baseline and at 3 and 6 months to assay vascular biomarkers (ie, plasma fatty acids). Global cognition as measured by the Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognition (ADAS-Cog) at baseline, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months will be used as the main outcome. A multiple linear-regression model will be used with 12-month change in cognition as the outcome and baseline measure of n-3 fatty acids or changes in the ratio of n-3 to n-6 fatty-acid levels in plasma at 3 and/or 6 months, randomised treatment group, and their interaction as predictors.

Ethics and dissemination

We have obtained Institutional Review Board approval for our study. We obtain consent or assent/surrogate consent from all subjects depending on their consenting capacity assessment. Data of this study are/will be stored in the Research Electronic Data Capture (REDCap). We plan to present and publish our study findings through presentations and manuscripts.

Trial registration number

NCT01954550.
Cluster randomised controlled trial to examine medical mask use as source control for people with respiratory illness
Authors: MacIntyre Chandini Raina , Zhang Yi , Chughtai Abrar Ahmad , Seale Holly , Zhang Daitao , Chu Yanhui , Zhang Haiyan , Rahman Bayzidur , Wang Quanyi
Published: December 2016

Rationale

Medical masks are commonly used by sick individuals with influenza-like illness (ILI) to prevent spread of infections to others, but clinical efficacy data are absent.

Objective

Determine whether medical mask use by sick individuals with ILI protects well contacts from related respiratory infections.

Setting

6 major hospitals in 2 districts of Beijing, China.

Design

Cluster randomised controlled trial.

Participants

245 index cases with ILI.

Intervention

Index cases with ILI were randomly allocated to medical mask (n=123) and control arms (n=122). Since 43 index cases in the control arm also used a mask during the study period, an as-treated post hoc analysis was performed by comparing outcomes among household members of index cases who used a mask (mask group) with household members of index cases who did not use a mask (no-mask group).

Main outcome measure

Primary outcomes measured in household members were clinical respiratory illness, ILI and laboratory-confirmed viral respiratory infection.

Results

In an intention-to-treat analysis, rates of clinical respiratory illness (relative risk (RR) 0.61, 95% CI 0.18 to 2.13), ILI (RR 0.32, 95% CI 0.03 to 3.13) and laboratory-confirmed viral infections (RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.06 to 15.54) were consistently lower in the mask arm compared with control, although not statistically significant. A post hoc comparison between the mask versus no-mask groups showed a protective effect against clinical respiratory illness, but not against ILI and laboratory-confirmed viral respiratory infections.

Conclusions

The study indicates a potential benefit of medical masks for source control, but is limited by small sample size and low secondary attack rates. Larger trials are needed to confirm efficacy of medical masks as source control.

Trial registration number

ACTRN12613000852752; Results.
Measuring the prevalence and impact of poor menstrual hygiene management: a quantitative survey of schoolgirls in rural Uganda
Authors: Hennegan Julie , Dolan Catherine , Wu Maryalice , Scott Linda , Montgomery Paul
Published: December 2016

Objectives

The primary objective was to describe Ugandan schoolgirls’ menstrual hygiene management (MHM) practices and estimate the prevalence of inadequate MHM. Second, to assess the relative contribution of aspects of MHM to health, education and psychosocial outcomes.

Design

Secondary analysis of survey data collected as part of the final follow-up from a controlled trial of reusable sanitary pad and puberty education provision was used to provide a cross-sectional description of girls’ MHM practices and assess relationships with outcomes.

Setting

Rural primary schools in the Kamuli district, Uganda.

Participants

Participants were 205 menstruating schoolgirls (10–19 years) from the eight study sites.

Primary and secondary outcome measures

The prevalence of adequate MHM, consistent with the concept definition, was estimated using dimensions of absorbent used, frequency of absorbent change, washing and drying procedures and privacy. Self-reported health, education (school attendance and engagement) and psychosocial (shame, insecurity, embarrassment) outcomes hypothesised to result from poor MHM were assessed as primary outcomes. Outcomes were measured through English surveys loaded on iPads and administered verbally in the local language.

Results

90.5% (95% CI 85.6% to 93.9%) of girls failed to meet available criteria for adequate MHM, with no significant difference between those using reusable sanitary pads (88.9%, 95% CI 79.0% to 94.4%) and those using existing methods, predominantly cloth (91.5%, 95% CI 85.1% to 95.3%; χ2(1)=0.12, p=0.729). Aspects of MHM predicted some consequences including shame, not standing in class to answer questions and concerns about odour.

Conclusions

This study was the first to assess the prevalence of MHM consistent with the concept definition. Results suggest that when all aspects of menstrual hygiene are considered together, the prevalence is much higher than has previously been reported based on absorbents alone. The work demonstrates an urgent need for improved assessment and reporting of MHM, and for primary research testing the links between menstrual management and health, education and psychosocial consequences.
Process mapping evaluation of medication reconciliation in academic teaching hospitals: a critical step in quality improvement
Authors: Holbrook Anne , Bowen James M , Patel Harsit , O'Brien Chris , You John J , Tahavori Roshan , Doleweerd Jeff , Berezny Tim , Perri Dan , Nieuwstraten Carmine , Troyan Sue , Patel Ameen
Published: December 2016

Background

Medication reconciliation (MedRec) has been a mandated or recommended activity in Canada, the USA and the UK for nearly 10 years. Accreditation bodies in North America will soon require MedRec for every admission, transfer and discharge of every patient. Studies of MedRec have revealed unintentional discrepancies in prescriptions but no clear evidence that clinically important outcomes are improved, leading to widely variable practices. Our objective was to apply process mapping methodology to MedRec to clarify current processes and resource usage, identify potential efficiencies and gaps in care, and make recommendations for improvement in the light of current literature evidence of effectiveness.

Methods

Process engineers observed and recorded all MedRec activities at 3 academic teaching hospitals, from initial emergency department triage to patient discharge, for general internal medicine patients. Process maps were validated with frontline staff, then with the study team, managers and patient safety leads to summarise current problems and discuss solutions.

Results

Across all of the 3 hospitals, 5 general problem themes were identified: lack of use of all available medication sources, duplication of effort creating inefficiency, lack of timeliness of completion of the Best Possible Medication History, lack of standardisation of the MedRec process, and suboptimal communication of MedRec issues between physicians, pharmacists and nurses.

Discussion

MedRec as practised in this environment requires improvements in quality, timeliness, consistency and dissemination. Further research exploring efficient use of resources, in terms of personnel and costs, is required.