bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nitrospina bacteria in a rocky intertidal habitat (Quintay Bay, central Chile)
Authors: Yepsen Daniela V. , Levipan Héctor A. , Molina Verónica 
Published: May 2018

AbstractNitrospina bacteria are among the most important nitrite oxidizers in coastal and open‐ocean environments, but the relevance of the genus contrasts with the scarceness of information on their ecophysiology and habitat range. Thus far, Nitrospina bacteria have been the only nitrite oxidizers detected at high abundance in Chilean coastal waters. These levels are often higher than at other latitudes. In this study, the abundance of 16S‐rRNA gene transcripts of Nitrospina (hereafter just transcripts) was measured by reverse transcription quantitative PCR in a rocky intertidal gradient and compared with the nearshore counterpart off central Chile (~33°S). Rocky pond transcripts were also compared with the taxonomic composition of the macrobiota and bacterioplankton (by 16S‐rRNA gene‐based T‐RFLP) in the intertidal gradient. Transcripts increased from warmer, saltier, and low‐nitrite ponds in the upper intertidal zone (19.5 ± 1.6°C, 39.0 ± 1.0 psu, 0.98 ± 0.17 μmol/L) toward cooler, less salty, and high‐nitrite ponds (17.8 ± 2.6°C, 37.7 ± 0.82 psu, 1.23 ± 0.21 μmol/L) from middle and low zones. These varied from ~1,000 up to 62,800 transcripts. This increasing trend in the number of transcripts toward the lower zone was positively associated with the Shannon's diversity index for the macrobiota (r = .81, p < .01). Moreover, an important increase in the average number of transcripts was observed in ponds with a greater number of fish in the upper (7,846 transcripts during 2013) and lower zones (62,800 transcripts during 2015). Altogether, intertidal and nearshore transcripts were significantly correlated with nitrite concentrations (r = .804, p ˂ .01); rocky pond transcripts outnumbered nearshore ones by almost two orders of magnitude. In summary, rocky ponds favored both the presence and activity of Nitrospina bacteria that are tolerant to environmental stress. This in turn was positively influenced by the presence of ammonia‐ or urea‐producing macrobiota.
Thermoelectric heat exchange and growth regulation in a continuous yeast culture
Authors: Latorre‐Pérez Adriel , Vilanova Cristina , Alcaina José J. , Porcar Manuel 
Published: May 2018

AbstractWe have designed a thermoelectric heat exchanger (TEHE) for microbial fermentations that is able to produce electric power from a microbial continuous culture using the intrinsic heat generated by microbial growth. While the TEHE was connected, the system proved able to stably self‐maintain both the temperature and the optical density of the culture. This paves the way toward a more sustainable operation of microbial fermentations, in which energy could be saved by converting part of the metabolic heat into usable electric power.
Virulence of Melissococcus plutonius and secondary invaders associated with European foulbrood disease of the honey bee
Authors: Lewkowski Oleg , Erler Silvio 
Published: May 2018

AbstractEuropean foulbrood is a globally distributed brood disease affecting honey bees. It may lead to lethal infections of larvae and, in severe cases, even to colony collapse. Lately, a profound genetic and phenotypic diversity was documented for the causative agent Melissococcus plutonius. However, experimental work on the impact of diverse M. plutonius strains on hosts with different genetic background is completely lacking and the role of secondary invaders is poorly understood. Here, we address these issues and elucidate the impact and interaction of both host and pathogen on one another. Moreover, we try to unravel the role of secondary bacterial invasions in foulbrood‐diseased larvae. We employed in vitro infections with honey bee larvae from queens with different genetic background and three different M. plutonius strains. Larvae infection experiments showed host‐dependent survival dynamics although M. plutonius strain 49.3 consistently had the highest virulence. This pattern was also reflected in significantly reduced weights of 49.3 strain‐infected larvae compared to the other treatments. No difference was found in groups additionally inoculated with a secondary invader (Enterococcus faecalis or Paenibacillus alvei) neither in terms of larval survival nor weight. These results suggest that host background contributes markedly to the course of the disease but virulence is mainly dependent on pathogen genotype. Secondary invaders following a M. plutonius infection do not increase disease lethality and therefore may just be a colonization of weakened and immunodeficient, or dead larvae.
Preferential strategies for mitigating the harms of adolescent illicit drug involvement: A multicriteria decision analysis
Authors: Wong Gabriel T.W. , Manning Matthew 
Published: May 2018

AbstractMultidisciplinary perspectives in informing complex policies are critical, but ineffectual when diverse differences are not adequately represented. Using multicriteria analysis, potential heterogeneity of key expert preferences for 19 drug interventions in Hong Kong was examined. Significant differences in preferences were found among academics, health professionals, and law enforcers regarding drug testing, and a range of law enforcement, harm reduction, and treatment interventions. The weighted consensual preference reveals overall support for preventative and treatment strategies, with decriminalization, needle syringe programmes, reactive policing strategies, and drug testing seen as less favourable. The results assist policymakers in understanding the profound knowledge our experts possess and building robust policy that is informed by empirical evidence generated from a commonly used method in the decision sciences. Importantly, these results can inform the development of targeted institutional and criminal justice policies aimed at mitigating the adverse harms and consequences of drug involvement.
Next‐generation sequencing unravels extensive genetic alteration in recurrent ovarian cancer and unique genetic changes in drug‐resistant recurrent ovarian cancer
Authors: Du Zhen‐Hua , Bi Fang‐Fang , Wang Lei , Yang Qing 
Published: May 2018

AbstractBackgroundBy using a high‐throughput sequencing technique, we sought to delineate genetic alterations in recurrent ovarian cancer patients and further compare genetic changes in drug‐resistant and ‐sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer patients. We also sought to study the specificity, sensitivity, and consistency of DNA biomarkers in liquid biopsy specimens and ovarian cancer tissue DNA.MethodsTumor tissue specimens and blood samples were obtained from pathologically proven recurrent ovarian cancer patients. Genomic DNA was extracted from tumor tissues, blood cells, ascites, and urine samples. The DNA Library was constructed and sequencing was performed using the Illumina HiSeq 4000 high‐throughput sequencing platform. Bioinformatic analysis was done using the Torrent Suite software.ResultsTen patients with pathologically proven drug‐resistant recurrent ovarian cancer and 11 patients with sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer were included. The 5‐year OS for drug‐resistant recurrent ovarian cancer patients (44 ± 11.07 months, 95% CI: 231.24–53.66 months) was significantly lower than that of drug‐sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer patients (58 ± 3.97 months; 95% CI: 50.05–65.59 months; p = 0.024) TP53 was the most frequently mutated gene in both drug‐resistant (9/10, 90%) and drug‐sensitive recurrent ovarian cancers (10/11, 91%). MYC and RB1 had the highest frequency of copy number variations (6/21, 29%) in recurrent ovarian cancers, followed by PIK3CA (3/21, 14%). BRCA2 N372H polymorphism was found in 40% (4/10) of drug‐resistant recurrent ovarian cancer patients. The specificity, sensitivity, and consistency of TP53 and BRCA1 in circulating tumor‐free DNA and tumor tissue DNA were 100%, 73.7%, 76.2% and 100%, 75%, 95.24%, respectively.ConclusionWe uncovered extensive genetic alterations in recurrent ovarian cancer and drug‐resistant recurrent ovarian cancer exhibited unique genetic changes compared with recurrent ovarian cancer and drug‐sensitive recurrent ovarian cancer. We further showed that high‐throughput sequencing using liquid biopsy specimens could provide an effective, specific, and sensitive approach for detecting genetic alterations in ovarian cancer.
A Novel method to generate on‐board 4D MRI using prior 4D MRI and on‐board kV projections from a conventional LINAC for target localization in liver SBRT
Authors: Harris Wendy , Wang Chunhao , Yin Fang‐Fang , Cai Jing , Ren Lei 
Published: May 2018

PurposeOn‐board MRI can provide superb soft tissue contrast for improving liver SBRT localization. However, the availability of on‐board MRI in clinics is extremely limited. On the contrary, on‐board kV imaging systems are widely available on radiotherapy machines, but its capability to localize tumors in soft tissue is limited due to its poor soft tissue contrast. This study aims to explore the feasibility of using an on‐board kV imaging system and patient prior knowledge to generate on‐board four‐dimensional (4D)‐MRI for target localization in liver SBRT.MethodsPrior 4D MRI volumes were separated into end of expiration (EOE) phase (MRIprior) and all other phases. MRIprior was used to generate a synthetic CT at EOE phase (sCTprior). On‐board 4D MRI at each respiratory phase was considered a deformation of MRIprior. The deformation field map (DFM) was estimated by matching DRRs of the deformed sCTprior to on‐board kV projections using a motion modeling and free‐form deformation optimization algorithm. The on‐board 4D MRI method was evaluated using both XCAT simulation and real patient data. The accuracy of the estimated on‐board 4D MRI was quantitatively evaluated using Volume Percent Difference (VPD), Volume Dice Coefficient (VDC), and Center of Mass Shift (COMS). Effects of scan angle and number of projections were also evaluated.ResultsIn the XCAT study, VPD/VDC/COMS among all XCAT scenarios were 10.16 ± 1.31%/0.95 ± 0.01/0.88 ± 0.15 mm using orthogonal‐view 30° scan angles with 102 projections. The on‐board 4D MRI method was robust against the various scan angles and projection numbers evaluated. In the patient study, estimated on‐board 4D MRI was generated successfully when compared to the “reference on‐board 4D MRI” for the liver patient case.ConclusionsA method was developed to generate on‐board 4D MRI using prior 4D MRI and on‐board limited kV projections. Preliminary results demonstrated the potential for MRI‐based image guidance for liver SBRT using only a kV imaging system on a conventional LINAC.
Effect of neuromuscular electrical stimulation frequency on muscles of the tongue
Authors: Kletzien Heidi , Russell John A. , Leverson Glen , Connor Nadine P. 
Published: May 2018

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) for the treatment of swallowing disorders is delivered at a variety of stimulation frequencies. We examined the effects of stimulation frequency on tongue muscle plasticity in an aging rat model. Methods: Eighty‐six young, middle‐aged, and old rats were assigned to either bilateral hypoglossal nerve stimulation at 10 or 100 Hz (5 days/week, 8 weeks), sham, or no‐implantation conditions. Muscle contractile properties and myosin heavy chain (MyHC) composition were determined for hyoglossus (HG) and styloglossus (SG) muscles. Results: Eight weeks of 100‐Hz stimulation resulted in the greatest changes in muscle contractile function with significantly longer contraction and half‐decay times, the greatest reduction in fatigue, and a transition toward slowly contracting, fatigue‐resistant MyHC isoforms. Discussion: NMES at 100‐Hz induced considerable changes in contractile and phenotypic profiles of HG and SG muscles, suggesting higher frequency NMES may yield a greater therapeutic effect. Muscle Nerve, 2018
Evaluation of Dietary Protein Level in Practical Feed for Twoband Bream Diplodus vulgaris
Authors: Yigit Murat , Sahinyilmaz Merve , Acar Ümit , Kesbic Osman , Yilmaz Sevdan , Bulut Musa , Gürses Kaan , Maita Masashi 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
The effects of different dietary protein levels on growth performance and health status of TwobandBream Diplodus vulgaris juveniles were investigated. Three test diets that had increasing protein levels (30, 36, and 42%) and used fish meal as the protein source were formulated. Each of the test diets was fed in triplicate groups of 28 juvenile fish (initial weight, 23.65 ± 0.34 [mean ± SD]) to satiety for a period of 80 d. Growth performance and feed utilization were best in the group fed the diet with a protein level of 36%. Ammonia nitrogen excretion showed an increasing trend as dietary protein levels increased, and retention rates of ammonia nitrogen per intake were highest in fish fed the 42% protein diet. Whole-body proximate composition and hematological variables were not significantly affected by protein level in the diets. However, serum glucose, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) values were significantly affected by dietary protein level and showed an increasing trend as the dietary protein level in the diets increased. As a result, an improved health status of Twoband Bream was observed in the fish fed a 36% protein level.
Corrosion Rates and Compression Strength of White Sturgeon-Sized Fishing Hooks Exposed to Simulated Stomach Conditions
Authors: Lamansky James A. , Meyer Kevin A. , Spaulding Brett , Jaques Brian J. , Butt Darryl P. 
Published: May 2018

Abstract
Field reports indicate that many White Sturgeon Acipenser transmontanus ingest hooks internally, but the length of time required for hooks to corrode, facilitating passage through their digestive system, is not well understood. Using a buffered acidic solution to simulate stomach conditions, a laboratory experiment was used to estimate the speed at which sturgeon-sized hooks (2.0-mm wire diameter) lost weight and compression strength and to evaluate whether loss of hook weight and compression strength was affected by hook abrasion, such as may occur when baited hooks are bounced along the bottom of the river or when ingested hooks are ground between hard food items in the gizzard of a sturgeon. After 399 d, hooks lost an estimated 34% of their weight and 70% of their compression strength. Abrading the hooks with stones before and throughout the study accelerated weight loss by 34% (after 399 d) compared with nonabraded hooks but did not accelerate the loss of compression strength. Abrasion increased the variability between hooks in weight loss but not in compression strength. Regardless of hook abrasion, the compression strength of some hooks was reduced essentially to 0 N within 1 year of constant exposure to stomach-like acidic conditions.
On the optimal convergence factor of the accelerated parameterized inexact Uzawa method with three parameters for augmented systems
Authors: Huang Zheng‐Da , Wang Hui‐Di 
Published: May 2018

SummaryUnder the assumption that all eigenvalues of the preconditioned Schur complement are real, we present an analytical proof for obtaining the optimal convergence factor of the real accelerated parameterized inexact Uzawa (APIU) method when P=A. It is proved that the optimal convergence factor is the same as that of the generalized successive overrelaxation method, which was published at the same time, and that it can be attained only at the unique optimum point of parameters, regardless of whether m>n or m=n. In addition, we generalize the APIU method and analyze the relationship between the APIU method and 10 additional Uzawa‐like methods.
Fault‐tolerant sliding mode control for uncertain active suspension systems against simultaneous actuator and sensor faults via a novel sliding mode observer
Authors: Li Min , Zhang Yingchun , Geng Yunhai 
Published: May 2018

SummaryIn this paper, the problem of fault estimation and fault‐tolerant control for half‐car active suspension system with simultaneous varying sprung and unsprung mass, actuator fault, and sensor fault is investigated. First, Takagi‐Sugeno fuzzy approach is used to describe the uncertain half‐car active suspension system with simultaneous actuator fault and sensor fault. Then, a novel augmented descriptor sliding mode observer is designed to estimate the state of system, actuator fault, and sensor fault with good precision. Based on the state and fault estimation, a fault‐tolerant sliding mode control scheme is designed to stabilize the resulting fault half‐car active suspension system. By utilizing Lyapunov stability theory, the existence condition for the proposed sliding mode observer and fault‐tolerant sliding mode controller is provided in terms of linear matrix inequalities (LMIs). In addition, it is shown that the reachability of the developed sliding surface can be ensured under the design control law. Finally, simulation results for uncertain half‐car active suspension systems are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed design techniques.
Preimplantation genetic testing of Robertsonian translocation by SNP array‐based preimplantation genetic haplotyping
Authors: Wang Jing , Zeng Yanhong , Ding Chenhui , Cai Bin , Lu Baomin , Li Rong , Xu Yan , Xu Yanwen , Zhou Canquan 
Published: May 2018

What's already known about this topic?

With the recent development of high‐throughput genome‐wide technologies, access to comprehensive chromosome screening has improved the clinical outcomes of preimplantation genetic testing. However, only a few studies have reported clinical applications of these methods to differentiate normal embryos from balanced translocation carriers.
What does this study add?

This study reports the clinical applications to distinguish embryos carrying Robertsonian translocations, simultaneously with CCS, based on a single nucleotide polymorphism array platform. It offers a feasible approach to identify normal embryos and carriers. Finally, the results of this study could prevent Robertsonian translocations from being passed to subsequent generations.
Identification, chemical synthesis, structure, and function of a new KV1 channel blocking peptide from Oulactis sp.
Authors: Sunanda Punnepalli , Krishnarjuna Bankala , Peigneur Steve , Mitchell Michela L. , Estrada Rosendo , Villegas‐Moreno Jessica , Pennington Michael W. , Tytgat Jan , Norton Raymond S. 
Published: May 2018

AbstractRapid progress in transcriptomic and proteomic studies of sea anemones has led to the identification of a large number of new peptide sequences. Some of these peptides have high sequence similarity and identical cysteine frameworks to those of previously reported sequences. One such peptide we have identified from a transcriptomic study of Oulactis sp is OspTx2a, which has a cysteine framework similar to that of ShK (from Stichodactyla helianthus) and BgK (from Bunodosoma granulifera). This peptide was made using solid‐phase peptide synthesis, but, upon oxidative folding, it generated two peptides with identical masses (OspTx2a‐p1 and OspTx2a‐p2) that were distinguishable by high‐performance liquid chromatography. The structures of OspTx2a‐p1 and OspTx2a‐p2 were determined using nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and voltage‐clamp electrophysiology assays were performed in order to assess the activity against a range of potassium channels. The structures of the two peptides were very similar to each other and to BgK, with the same disulfide bond connectivities, and both had an all‐trans backbone conformation. In functional assays, both OspTx2a‐p1 and OspTx2a‐p2 inhibited KV1.2 and KV1.6 channel currents at low µM concentrations, with similar but not identical IC50 values. Peptides containing a C‐terminal Cys residue are particularly sensitive to racemization at this residue, and the two products obtained for OspTx2a could be a consequence of racemization of the Cys residue at its C‐terminus during synthesis. NMR chemical shift differences between the two products and their structural preferences for a d‐Cys residue were consistent with this interpretation.
Relative role(s) of leucine versus isoleucine in the folding of membrane proteins
Authors: Deber Charles M. , Stone Tracy A. 
Published: May 2018

AbstractLarge, hydrophobic residues (isoleucine, leucine, and valine) dominate sequences of transmembrane (TM) helices in membrane proteins (total ∼34%), but their relative roles in mediating the biologically relevant protein–lipid and protein–protein interactions have not been systematically evaluated. Here we have synthesized Leu‐containing Lys‐tagged hydrophobic peptides of identical composition, where sequences have been designed with their Leu residues either scrambled (sequence KKKLAASALAAAWLAALALSAAKKK); clustered (KKKAAASAALLLWLLAAAASAAKKK); or “lipopathic” (all Leu on one helical face) (KKKAAASLAALLWALLAAASAAKKK). These peptides were compared by several biophysical/biochemical techniques to the corresponding set of peptides where the Leu residues are replaced by the isosteric Ile residues. Circular dichroism spectra showed that all peptides were helical in POPC liposomes, as confirmed by blue shifts in Trp fluorescence spectra, notably with the Ile‐lipopathic peptide displaying increased Trp burial versus its Leu counterpart. Quenching experiments with a dibromo‐PC lipid indicated deeper membrane penetration of the Ile versus the Leu lipopathic peptide—a result supported by protease degradation assays where Ile peptides reconstituted into lipid bilayers were significantly more protected from the protease than the Leu peptides. Assessment of Trp blue shifts in the presence of lipid bilayers of varied lipid packing indicated that Leu/Ile peptide interactions are dependent on lipid composition. The overall results suggest that two main interactions tend to dominate Leu and Ile interactions within the membrane: (1) hydrophobic interactions between amino acid side chains and the surrounding lipid; and (2) degree of disruption of lipid–lipid packing. This “battle of giants” likely underlies the specific role(s) that Leu and Ile will play in the folding of a given membrane protein.