bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Development of an intraoral device for social inclusion of a physically disabled patient
Authors: de Mesquita‐Guimarães Késsia Suênia Fidelis , Ferreira Danielly Cunha Araújo , da Silva Raquel Assed Bezerra , Díaz‐Serrano Kranya Victoria , de Queiroz Alexandra Mussolino , Mantovani Carolina Paes Torres , De Rossi Andiara 
Published: November 2015

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study is to describe the use of an intraoral assistive technology for a patient with idiopathic generalized muscular dystonia, presenting temporomandibular disorder and severe anterior tooth mobility and diastema. A multidisciplinary team developed an intraoral device to provide typing and painting functions, and promote relaxation of masticatory muscles without compromising the teeth and supporting tissue structures. The occlusal splint associated with the device promoted muscle relaxation and relief of the signs and symptoms of temporomandibular dysfunction, in this case with generalized muscle dystonia, allowing typing and painting with her mouth without causing tooth mobility or occlusal alteration. This intraoral device has low cost, easy adaptation and was efficient in TMD symptoms. Furthermore, the patient returned to her rehabilitation allowing performance of her duties without compromising dental structures, facilitating the social and the digital inclusion.
Human leucocyte antigen alloimmunisation in repeatedly transfused thalassemic Egyptian children and its relation to febrile non‐haemolytic transfusion reactions
Authors: Mourad Z. , Hassab H. , Younan D. , Abdo A. 
Published: November 2015

ABSTRACTObjectivesTo document the incidence of lymphocytotoxic antibodies (LCA) in chronically transfused children with β thalassemia major and the relationship between alloimmunisation and febrile non‐haemolytic transfusion reactions. We also compared the effect of leucoreduced‐packed red blood cells (RBCs) by bed‐side filtration and washed RBCs in preventing FNHTRs and in inducing haemoglobin rise.BackgroundAlloimmunisation to human leucocytic antigens is one of the common complications of transfusions, particularly in chronically transfused patients as those with thalassemia major, a common disease in Northern Egypt.Methods/MaterialsLCA were screened for in 45 chronically transfused β thalassemia major children (group I), 20 splenectomised ones (group II) and 20 healthy controls (group III), using qualitative lymphocytotoxic antibody (LCA) enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit.ResultsNine out of 65 thalassemic children (∼14%) were positive for LCA antibodies. Frequency of transfusions and LCA positivity were significantly higher in group I than group II (p = 0·036 and 0·014). There was no statistically significant difference between LCA positive and negative cases regarding age of starting transfusion, frequency of transfusions or FNHTRs. There was no statistically significant difference between washed and filtered RBCs in reducing FNHTRs (p = 1·000) and in inducing haemoglobin rise in positive LCA cases (p = 0·409).ConclusionHuman leukocyte antigen (HLA) alloimmunisation was only 14% in the children with β thalassemia major we studied. Surprisingly FNHTRs were not more common in those with HLA antibodies. Splenectomy plays a role in reducing the frequency of transfusion and HLA alloimmunisation. Washed and filtered RBCs are comparable in reducing FNHTRs and in inducing haemoglobin rise.
The status of occupational blood and infectious body fluids exposures in five blood centres in China: a 5‐year review
Authors: Wang Y.‐J. , Meng Z.‐H. , Zheng X.‐F. , Tang X.‐X. , Sang L.‐Y. , Du X.‐M. , Cheng Y.‐Z. 
Published: November 2015

SUMMARYBackgroundLittle information about the occupational exposures to blood and body fluid (BBF) among blood service workers (BSWs) in blood stations in China is available currently.ObjectivesTo assess current status of occupational exposure to BBF and assess the knowledge about occupational blood‐borne pathogen exposures and universal precaution among BSWs in blood donations in China. To understand the incidence of occupational exposure in five blood centres in China.MethodsA cross‐sectional study was conducted from January 2008 to December 2013.ResultsThere were a total of 99 BBF exposures reported during the study period. The total incidence of BBF exposures was 4·4 per 100 person‐years. Higher rates were observed for persons employed less than five years and persons less than 45 years old. Nurses have the highest percentage (49·5%) of BBF exposures. BBF exposures occurred most commonly during the afternoon (62·7%). Percutaneous injuries were the most common BBF exposures. Most incidents occurred during sharps use (73·4%). The major cause of occupational exposure was that there was no continuous training (48·4%) and improper use of equipment (23·2%). Only 56·6% of BBF exposures had appropriate first aid measures. During this research work, one staff member was reported to have seroconverted to syphilis after BBF exposure.ConclusionsTo reduce BBF exposures, it is urgent to take several effective actions in China, including improved occupational health systems, adequate education, administrative support, increased use of standard precautions, better safety devices/products and work practices.
Seasonal malaria chemoprevention in an area of extended seasonal transmission in Ashanti, Ghana: an individually randomised clinical trial
Authors: Tagbor Harry , Antwi Gifty Dufie , Acheampong Princess Ruhama , Bart Plange Constance , Chandramohan Daniel , Cairns Matthew 
Published: November 2015

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the effectiveness of seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) and community case management with long‐acting artemisinin‐based combination therapies (ACTs) for the control of malaria in areas of extended seasonal malaria transmission.MethodIndividually randomised, placebo‐controlled trial in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. A total of 2400 children aged 3–59 months received either: (i) a short‐acting ACT for case management of malaria (artemether‐lumefantrine, AL) plus placebo SMC, or (ii) a long‐acting ACT (dihydroartemisinin‐piperaquine, DP) for case management plus placebo SMC or (iii) AL for case management plus active SMC with sulphadoxine‐pyrimethamine and amodiaquine. SMC or placebo was delivered on five occasions during the rainy season. Malaria cases were managed by community health workers, who used rapid diagnostic tests to confirm infection prior to treatment.ResultsThe incidence of malaria was lower in children given SMC during the rainy season. Compared to those given placebo SMC and AL for case management, the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) was 0.62 (95% CI: 0.41, 0.93), P = 0.020 by intention to treat and 0.53 (95% CI: 0.29, 0.95), P = 0.033 among children given five SMC courses. There were no major differences between groups given different ACTs for case management (aHR DP vs. AL 1.18 (95% CI 0.83, 1.67), P = 0.356).ConclusionSMC may have an important public health impact in areas with a longer transmission season, but further optimisation of SMC schedules is needed to maximise its impact in such settings.
Histone acetyltransferase GCN5 is essential for heat stress‐responsive gene activation and thermotolerance in Arabidopsis
Authors: Hu Zhaorong , Song Na , Zheng Mei , Liu Xinye , Liu Zhenshan , Xing Jiewen , Ma Junhua , Guo Weiwei , Yao Yingyin , Peng Huiru , Xin Mingming , Zhou Dao‐Xiu , Ni Zhongfu , Sun Qixin 
Published: November 2015

SummaryExposure to temperatures exceeding the normal optimum levels, or heat stress (HS), constitutes an environmental disruption for plants, resulting in severe growth and development retardation. Here we show that loss of function of the Arabidopsis histone acetyltransferase GCN5 results in serious defects in terms of thermotolerance, and considerably impairs the transcriptional activation of HS‐responsive genes. Notably, expression of several key regulators such as the HS transcription factors HSFA2 and HSFA3, Multiprotein Bridging Factor 1c (MBF1c) and UV‐HYPERSENSITIVE 6 (UVH6) is down‐regulated in the gcn5 mutant under HS compared with the wild‐type. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays indicated that GCN5 protein is enriched at the promoter regions of HSFA3 and UVH6 genes, but not in HSFA2 and MBF1c, and that GCN5 facilitates H3K9 and H3K14 acetylation, which are associated with HSFA3 and UVH6 activation under HS. Moreover, constitutive expression of UVH6 in the gcn5 mutant partially restores heat tolerance. Taken together, our data indicate that GCN5 plays a key role in the preservation of thermotolerance via versatile regulation in Arabidopsis. In addition, expression of the wheat TaGCN5 gene re‐establishes heat tolerance in Arabidopsis gcn5 mutant plants, suggesting that GCN5‐mediated thermotolerance may be conserved between Arabidopsis and wheat.
Highly efficient heritable plant genome engineering using Cas9 orthologues from Streptococcus thermophilus and Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Steinert Jeannette , Schiml Simon , Fauser Friedrich , Puchta Holger 
Published: November 2015

SummaryThe application of the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas system of Streptococcus pyogenes (SpCas9) is currently revolutionizing genome engineering in plants. However, synthetic plant biology will require more complex manipulations of genomes and transcriptomes. The simultaneous addressing of different specific genomic sites with independent enzyme activities within the same cell is a key to this issue. Such approaches can be achieved by the adaptation of additional bacterial orthologues of the CRISPR/Cas system for use in plant cells. Here, we show that codon‐optimised Cas9 orthologues from Streptococcus thermophilus (St1Cas9) and Staphylococcus aureus (SaCas9) can both be used to induce error‐prone non‐homologous end‐joining‐mediated targeted mutagenesis in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana at frequencies at least comparable to those that have previously been reported for the S. pyogenes CRISPR/Cas system. Stable inheritance of the induced targeted mutations of the ADH1 gene was demonstrated for both St1Cas9‐ and SaCas9‐based systems at high frequencies. We were also able to demonstrate that the SaCas9 and SpCas9 proteins enhance homologous recombination via the induction of double‐strand breaks only in the presence of their species‐specific single guide (sg) RNAs. These proteins are not prone to inter‐species interference with heterologous sgRNA expression constructs. Thus, the CRISPR/Cas systems of S. pyogenes and S. aureus should be appropriate for simultaneously addressing different sequence motifs with different enzyme activities in the same plant cell.
Application of Microchannel Condensers for Small Scale Kalina Waste Heat Recovery Systems
Authors: Fronk Brian M. , Zada Kyle R. 
Published: November 2015

Thermally driven ammonia/water Kalina cycles have shown some promise for improving the efficiency of electricity production from low temperature reservoirs (T < 200°C). However, there has been limited application of these systems to exploiting widely available, disperse, waste heat streams for smaller scale power production (∼ 1 kWe). Factors limiting increased deployment of these systems include large, costly heat exchangers, and concerns over safety of the working fluid. The use of mini and microchannel (D < 1 mm) heat exchangers has the potential to decrease system size and cost, while also reducing the working fluid inventory, enabling penetration of Kalina cycles into these new markets.
To demonstrate this potential, a detailed heat exchanger model for a liquid-coupled microchannel ammonia/water condenser is developed. The heat exchanger is sized to provide the required heat transfer area for a 1 kWe Kalina system with a source and sink temperature of 150° and 20°C, respectively. An additional constraint on heat exchanger size is that the fluid pressure loss is maintained below some threshold value. A parametric analysis is conducted to assess the effect of different correlations/models for predicting the underlying heat and mass transfer and pressure drop of the ammonia/water mixture on the calculated heat exchanger area. The results show that accurately minimizing the size of the overall system is dependent upon validated zeotropic heat and mass transfer models at low mass fluxes and in small channels.
High Flow Rate Micro Orifice Dispersion of Gas-Liquid Flow
Authors: Tollkoetter Alexander , Kockmann Norbert , Schirmbeck Florian , Wesholowski Jens 
Published: November 2015

The flow of microbubbles in millichannels with typical dimensions in the range of few millimeters offers a reduced pressure loss with simultaneous large specific contact surface. By flowing through micro orifices, the transformation of pressure into kinetic energy creates a desired secondary flow pattern, which results in continuous dispersion. Differences in velocity and pressure act on the phase boundary of the bubbles and lead to deformations and break-up.
In this work, bubble dispersion and bubbly flow in different orifices and channel modules with widths up to 7 mm are studied experimentally and by CFD simulations. The effect of the orifice dimensions on bubble sizes are evaluated for hydraulic diameters of 0.25 to 0.5 mm with different aspect ratios. Several channel structures are analyzed to offer less coalescence and larger residence times. The modules are arranged in a holder and are fixed under a view glass for optical characterization via high-speed camera. Volume flow rates of 10 to 250 mL/min are studied with various phase ratios.
Bubble diameters are generated in the range of less than 0.1 to 0.7 mm with narrow size distributions depending on the entire flow rate through the device. The first break-up point is shifted closer to the outlet of the orifices for increasing velocities and smaller hydraulic diameters, but the whole break-up region stays nearly constant for each orifice indicating stronger velocity oscillations acting on the bubble surface. Generally, a linear relation of smaller bubble diameters with larger energy input was identified.
Opening angles of the orifices above 6° resulted in flow detachments and recirculation zones around the effluent jet. Independence of the Reynolds number was determined contrary to existing literature models. Flow detachment and coalescence in curves was avoided by an additional bend within the curve based on systematically varied geometrical dimensions.
Impedimetric Feedback in Particle Laden Digital Microfluidic Devices
Authors: Scott-Murrell Emrys , Lanza David , Schertzer Michael J. 
Published: November 2015

Impedimetric measurement methods are a novel approach to the characterization of fluid in biological applications. Lab on a chip (LOAC) technologies could be combined with impedimetrics to benefit these applications. LOAC devices are currently being developed to pursue the miniaturization of larger scale processes. Current research shows great flexibility in using LOAC devices to reproduce biological processes such as those used in medical diagnostic applications. With a smaller form factor, testing that generally requires off-site lab usage can be deployed at the point-of-care. LOAC devices also have the potential to lower operating costs by reducing reagent volumes, labor costs, and cycle times.
Digital microfluidic devices (DMF) are one promising LOAC platform. These devices manipulate discrete droplets of fluid using electric fields. As such, DMF devices can create, move, merge, and mix droplets while eliminating mechanical components like channels, pumps, and valves. Manipulation of discrete volumes over a planar array of electrodes allows for the possibility of highly flexible, reconfigurable devices.
Addressable positions on a DMF device have conductive planes above and below the droplets which form a parallel plate capacitor. Using this principle, the electrical properties of the system can be measured in the same circuit that is used for droplet manipulation, removing the need for additional sensing components. This research tests the hypothesis that the impedance of a particle laden droplet in a DMF device can be modelled using an equivalent circuit model for particles that span more than half the gap height. The fundamental understanding gained increases sensitivity in impedimetric measurements, and can also be used for DMF applications in medical diagnostics, cell manipulation and observation, and condition based maintenance. This research presents an analytical model based on an equivalent circuit of a particle laden droplet. The proposed model predicts that droplet impedance is a function of device geometry, particle size, particle concentration, and the electrical properties of the particles and the surrounding medium.
Microchannel Design Study for 3D Microelectronics Cooling Using a Hybrid Analytical and Finite Element Method
Authors: Collin L.-M. , Fiori V. , Coudrain P. , Lhostis S. L. , Chéramy S. , Colonna J.-P. , Mathieu B. , Souifi A. , Fréchette L. G. 
Published: November 2015

For microelectronics cooling, microchannels are a potential solution to ensure reliability without sacrificing compactness, as they require relatively small space to remove high heat fluxes compared to air cooling. However, designing microchannels is a complex task where simulation models become a forefront tool to investigate and propose new solutions to increase the chip thermal performances with minimal impact on other aspects.
This work evaluates numerically the impact of microchannel cooling in a standalone chip and a 3D assembly of two stacked chips with localized heat sources. To do so, a modeling approach was developed to combine finite element modeling of conduction in the chip using commercial software with analytical relations to capture the heat transfer and fluid flow in the microchannels. This approach leverages the multiphysics and post-processing capabilities of commercial software, but avoids the extensive discretization that would normally be required in microchannels with full finite element modeling. The study shows that increasing the flow rate is not as beneficial as increasing the number of channels (with constant total cross-section area). The effect of heat spreading was also found to be critical, favoring thicker dies. When switching to 3D chip configuration, the interdie underfill layer significantly increases the total thermal resistance and must be considered for thermal design. This effect can be significantly alleviated by increasing the interdie thermal conductivity through adding copper micropillars.
DNA-Containing Immunocomplexes Promote Inflammasome Assembly and Release of Pyrogenic Cytokines by CD14+CD16+CD64highCD32lowInflammatory Monocytes from Malaria Patients
Authors: Hirako Isabella C. , Gallego-Marin Carolina , Ataide Marco A. , Andrade Warrison A. , Gravina Humberto , Rocha Bruno C. , de Oliveira Rosane B. , Pereira Dhelio B. , Vinetz Joseph , Diamond Betty , Ram Sanjay , Golenbock Douglas T. , Gazzinelli Ricardo T. 
Published: November 2015

ABSTRACTHigh levels of circulating immunocomplexes (ICs) are found in patients with either infectious or sterile inflammation. We report that patients with eitherPlasmodium falciparumorPlasmodium vivaxmalaria have increased levels of circulating anti-DNA antibodies and ICs containing parasite DNA. Upon stimulation with malaria-induced ICs, monocytes express an NF-κB transcriptional signature. The main source of IC-induced proinflammatory cytokines (i.e., tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α] and interleukin-1β [IL-1β])in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from acute malaria patients was found to be a CD14+CD16 (FcγRIIIA)+CD64 (FcγRI)highCD32 (FcγRIIB)lowmonocyte subset. Monocytes from convalescent patients were predominantly of the classical phenotype (CD14+CD16−) that produces high levels of IL-10 and lower levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in response to ICs. Finally, we report a novel role for the proinflammatory activity of ICs by demonstrating their ability to induce inflammasome assembly and caspase-1 activation in human monocytes. These findings illuminate our understanding of the pathogenic role of ICs and monocyte subsets and may be relevant for future development of immunity-based interventions with broad applications to systemic inflammatory diseases.IMPORTANCEEvery year, there are approximately 200 million cases ofPlasmodium falciparumandP. vivaxmalaria, resulting in nearly 1 million deaths, most of which are children. Decades of research on malaria pathogenesis have established that the clinical manifestations are often a consequence of the systemic inflammation elicited by the parasite. Recent studies indicate that parasite DNA is a main proinflammatory component during infection with differentPlasmodiumspecies. This finding resembles the mechanism of disease in systemic lupus erythematosus, where host DNA plays a central role in stimulating an inflammatory process and self-damaging reactions. In this study, we disclose the mechanism by which ICs containingPlasmodiumDNA activate innate immune cells and consequently stimulate systemic inflammation during acute episodes of malaria. Our results further suggest that Toll-like receptors and inflammasomes have a central role in malaria pathogenesis and provide new insights toward developing novel therapeutic interventions for this devastating disease.
A Single Human Cerebral Malaria Histopathologic Study Can Be Worth a Thousand Experiments
Authors: Sullivan David J. 
Published: November 2015

ABSTRACT

Severe malaria is a density-dependent disease that comprises infected-erythrocyte sequestration, with or without monocytic infiltration, as seen in renal, placental, and lung tissues from severe malaria patients. HIV induces a chronic proinflammatory state with higher numbers of inflammasome-activated monocytes and platelets circulating. The epidemiological and pathological study of S. E. Hochman et al. that was published in a recent issue of
mBio
(Hochman SE, Madaline TF, Wassmer SC, Mbale E, Choi N, et al., mBio 6:e01390-15, 2015, doi:10.1128/mBio.01390-15) analyzes a large cohort of Malawian children and shows that cerebral malaria in younger HIV-negative children presents as an acute disease predominated by sequestered infected erythrocytes. In contrast, they show that case presentation in older HIV-positive children is as a more lethal acute on chronic disease marked by double the monocytic infiltrates and 5 times as many platelets. This study suggests that cerebral involvement in severe malaria is a pathology similar to that of other organ involvement of severe malaria, with a bias in HIV-positive individuals toward more monocytic infiltrates. The study also addresses the important association of severe malaria and HIV prevalence.