bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pathway analysis using 13C‐glycerol and other carbon tracers reveals a bipartite metabolism of Legionella pneumophila
Authors: Häuslein Ina , Manske Christian , Goebel Werner , Eisenreich Wolfgang , Hilbi Hubert 
Published: December 2015

SummaryAmino acids represent the prime carbon and energy source for Legionella pneumophila, a facultative intracellular pathogen, which can cause a life‐threatening pneumonia termed Legionnaires’ disease. Genome, transcriptome and proteome studies indicate that L. pneumophila also utilizes carbon substrates other than amino acids. We show here that glycerol promotes intracellular replication of L. pneumophila in amoeba or macrophages (but not extracellular growth) dependent on glycerol‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase, GlpD. An L. pneumophila mutant strain lacking glpD was outcompeted by wild‐type bacteria upon co‐infection of amoeba, indicating an important role of glycerol during infection. Isotopologue profiling studies using 13C‐labelled substrates were performed in a novel minimal defined medium, MDM, comprising essential amino acids, proline and phenylalanine. In MDM, L. pneumophila utilized 13C‐labelled glycerol or glucose predominantly for gluconeogenesis and the pentose phosphate pathway, while the amino acid serine was used for energy generation via the citrate cycle. Similar results were obtained for L. pneumophila growing intracellularly in amoeba fed with 13C‐labelled glycerol, glucose or serine. Collectively, these results reveal a bipartite metabolism of L. pneumophila, where glycerol and carbohydrates like glucose are mainly fed into anabolic processes, while serine serves as major energy supply.
Function of the conserved FHIPEP domain of the flagellar type III export apparatus, protein FlhA
Authors: Barker Clive S. , Inoue Tomoharu , Meshcheryakova Irina V. , Kitanobo Seiya , Samatey Fadel A. 
Published: December 2015

SummaryThe Type III flagellar protein export apparatus of bacteria consists of five or six membrane proteins, notably FlhA, which controls the export of other proteins and is homologous to the large family of FHIPEP export proteins. FHIPEP proteins contain a highly‐conserved cytoplasmic domain. We mutagenized the cloned Salmonella flhA gene for the 692 amino acid FlhA, changing a single, conserved amino acid in the 68‐amino acid FHIPEP region. Fifty‐two mutations at 30 positions mostly led to loss of motility and total disappearance of microscopically visible flagella, also Western blot protein/protein hybridization showed no detectable export of hook protein and flagellin. There were two exceptions: a D199A mutant strain, which produced short‐stubby flagella; and a V151L mutant strain, which did not produce flagella and excreted mainly un‐polymerized hook protein. The V151L mutant strain also exported a reduced amount of hook‐cap protein FlgD, but when grown with exogenous FlgD it produced polyhooks and polyhook‐filaments. A suppressor mutant in the cytoplasmic domain of the export apparatus membrane protein FlhB rescued export of hook‐length control protein FliK and facilitated growth of full‐length flagella. These results suggested that the FHIPEP region is part of the gate regulating substrate entry into the export apparatus pore.
Field evaluation of baited traps for surveillance of Aedes japonicus japonicus in Switzerland
Authors: BALESTRINO F. , SCHAFFNER F. , FORGIA D. L. , PASLARU A. I. , TORGERSON P. R. , MATHIS A. , VERONESI E. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractThe efficacy of Centers for Disease Control (CDC) miniature light traps and ovitraps was tested in the outskirts of the city of Zurich in Switzerland for their use in the surveillance of Aedes (Hulecoeteomyia) japonicus japonicus (Theobald) (Diptera: Culicidae), the invasive Asian bush mosquito. Sets of single CDC traps were run overnight (n = 18) in three different environments (forest, suburban and urban) in 3 × 3 Latin square experimental designs. Traps were baited with: (a) carbon dioxide (CO2); (b) CO2 plus light, or (c) CO2 plus lure blend [Combi FRC 3003 (iGu®)]. At the same locations, mosquito eggs were collected weekly using standard ovitraps baited with different infusions (oak, hay or tap water) and equipped with different oviposition substrates (a block of extruded polystyrene, a germination paper strip or a wooden stick). Data were analysed using Poisson and negative binomial general linear models. The use of light (P < 0.001) or lure (P < 0.001) significantly increased the attractiveness of CDC traps baited with CO2. Oak and hay infusions did not increase the attractiveness of ovitraps compared with standing tap water (P > 0.05), and extruded polystyrene blocks were preferred as an oviposition substrate over wooden sticks (P < 0.05) and seed germination paper (P < 0.05). Carbon dioxide‐baited CDC miniature light traps complemented with light or iGu® lure and ovitraps containing standing tap water and polystyrene oviposition blocks can be considered as efficient and simple tools for use in Ae. j. japonicus surveillance programmes.
GERD phenotypes from pH‐impedance monitoring predict symptomatic outcomes on prospective evaluation
Authors: Patel A. , Sayuk G. S. , Kushnir V. M. , Chan W. W. , Gyawali C. P. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractBackgroundCombinations of reflux parameters (acid exposure time, AET; symptom association probability, SAP) on pH‐impedance monitoring describe varying confidence in reflux evidence. We compared outcomes between phenotypes with distinct pre‐identified reflux parameters.MethodsIn this observational cohort study, patients undergoing pH‐impedance testing over a 5‐year period were phenotyped by strength of reflux evidence as strong (abnormal AET, positive SAP), good (abnormal AET, negative SAP), reflux hypersensitivity (RH, normal AET, positive SAP), and equivocal evidence of reflux, and compared to two historical institutional pH monitoring cohorts. Symptom burden (dominant symptom intensity, DSI; global symptom severity, GSS) was assessed by questionnaire at baseline and on prospective follow‐up and compared between phenotypes.Key ResultsOf 94 patients tested off proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy, baseline symptom burden was highest with strong reflux evidence and lowest when equivocal (DSI: p = 0.01; GSS: p = 0.03 across groups). After 3.1 ± 0.2 years follow‐up, symptomatic improvement with surgical or medical therapy was highest with strong or good evidence, and lowest when equivocal (DSI: p = 0.008; GSS: p = 0.005 across groups). This was most pronounced for typical symptoms (DSI: p = 0.001; GSS: 0.016 across groups), but not atypical symptoms (DSI: p = 0.6; GSS: p = 0.2). For testing on PPI therapy, only GSS followed a similar trend (GSS: p = 0.057, DSI: p = 0.3). Compared to historical cohorts with pH monitoring alone, equivocal evidence for reflux was partly replaced by RH, especially off PPI (p < 0.0001).Conclusions & InferencesPhenotyping gastroesophageal reflux disease by the strength of reflux evidence on pH‐impedance testing off PPI efficiently stratifies symptomatic outcome, especially for typical symptoms, and could be useful in planning management.
Identifying risk factors associated with White Spot Disease outbreaks of shrimps in the Gulf of California (Mexico) through expert opinion and surveys
Authors: Muniesa Ana , Perez‐Enriquez Ricardo , Cabanillas‐Ramos Julio , Magallón‐Barajas Francisco J. , Chávez‐Sánchez Cristina , Esparza‐Leal Héctor , de Blas Ignacio 
Published: December 2015

AbstractWhite spot disease is one of the most serious problems in the shrimp‐farming industry in Mexico. An assessment of risk of an outbreak of the disease could be useful for farmers making decisions concerning early harvest to minimize economic losses. A group of researchers identified the most important risk factors, classified in four broad categories: management variables at the regional level, environmental variables at the regional level, management variables at the farm and population variables at the farm. For each variable, categories were defined and a risk score assigned. To validate these scores, a survey was carried out with 65 stakeholders. A semi‐quantitative risk assessment model was proposed and implemented as a questionnaire containing 21 risk variables with weighted scores. The most important risk factors were the period of fallowing within farm's region and health quality of larvae. Also important were estimated level of viral load and virus detection in wild hosts in the surrounding area, pond water temperature, length of fallowing period of pond, vector control at water intake and stocking density. The overall estimated risk was calculated as the sum of all scores with a further adjustment, according to maximum and minimum total scores. Three risk levels for white spot disease outbreak at ponds are based on estimated risk: low (≤0.2), moderate (0.2–0.4) and high (≥0.4).
A New Group Dutch Book Argument
Authors: Kopec Matthew 
Published: December 2015

AbstractIn this essay, I repair the group Dutch Book argument presented by Donald Gillies. I then examine what additional assumptions would be needed for the argument to generate genuinely normative prescriptions for groups of inquirers. Although the resulting norms will apply to fewer groups than Gillies originally intended, they are still an important addition to the normative landscape in social epistemology.
Does Actor Perspective Matter? A Case Study of Designing Intervention for Small‐Scale Palm Oil Production Enterprises in Kwaebibirem District of Ghana
Authors: Osei‐Amponsah C. , Visser Leontine 
Published: December 2015

AbstractDespite the fact that the government of Ghana imports the bulk of its industrial palm oil needs, it still fails to give assistance to about 80 percent of small‐scale producers to enhance development in the industry. To design interventions that will be sustainable for and beneficial to these producers, it is important to understand their perspectives first, so as not to “fix development” for them. This case study in the Kwaebibirem District of Ghana uses an actor‐oriented approach to understand the dynamics in the palm oil enterprise (kramer). Improvements in the kramer evidently evolve from the actors’ own agency. Any intervention for development should therefore first understand the dynamics of the kramer as a social field, and take this perspective as a bottom‐up starting point. This article is divided into six sections; the first section is an introduction, while the second describes our methodology. We next outline our conceptual approach, followed by an analysis of experiences of actors and their interactions. We then describe the resource flows and their interrelationships, including the power relations at play in the kramer networks. Finally, we conclude by drawing lessons on the relevance of an actor perspective in designing a learning intervention for processors, scientists, and extensionists.
An alternate technique of care using silver fluoride followed by stannous fluoride in the management of root caries in aged care
Authors: Deutsch Alan 
Published: December 2015

ABSTRACTAn alternate technique of care to prevent, arrest and manage root caries using aqueous silver fluoride followed by stannous fluoride (AgF+SnF2) in aged care is demonstrated by three case studies. With increasing age, the inability to maintain ones own oral care from dementia, illness or frailty and polypharmacy induced salivary gland hypofunction will result in dental caries becoming a progessively greater burden for the elderly. Future generations of elders will live longer and need to maintain many more teeth longer than earlier generations. Both silver diamine fluoride (SDF)and AgF+SnF2 arrest and prevent caries and are easy to use in residential aged care facilities. Clinical differences between SDF and AgF+SnF2 are discussed. However, in aged care, AgF+SnF2 may offer advantages over SDF. AgF+SnF2 used to arrest and prevent caries in children can be modified to provide effective but minimally invasive care for an ageing and frail population. These techniques are rapid, inexpensive and nonthreatening suited to treat frail elders, dementia patients exhibiting challenging behaviours and patients with multiple rapidly progressing decay. Silver fluoride, applied before placing glass‐ionomer cement (GIC) restorations is an important adjunct to the atraumatic restorative technique and may retard caries reactivation more than GIC used alone.
From Loose Alliances to Professional Political Players: How Swiss Party Groups Changed
Authors: Bailer Stefanie , Bütikofer Sarah 
Published: December 2015

AbstractSwiss parliamentary party groups have undergone a process of professionalization over the course of the last few decades. Swiss parties increasingly resemble party groups in established and more professionalized Western European parliamentary systems. Party unity has increased and party leaderships have started using instruments to strengthen party unity, in view of which party group members increasingly accept behavioural rules and norms. Our analysis suggests that Swiss parties have professionalized over the course of the last thirty years, and we demonstrate that this change has resulted from the ideological polarization in the Swiss political landscape, and conscious effort on the part of Swiss party group leaders. Thus, we contribute to the on‐going debate about party change and the question of what drives the development of parties. The development of the Swiss parties is documented using data from three parliamentary surveys from the last thirty years, and two interview rounds with party group leaders, their staff and political experts.
Argonaute3 is a key player in miRNA‐mediated target cleavage and translational repression in Chlamydomonas
Authors: Yamasaki Tomohito , Kim Eun‐Jeong , Cerutti Heriberto , Ohama Takeshi 
Published: December 2015

SummaryMicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in diverse biological processes in eukaryotes, generally through degradation and/or inhibition of the translation of target mRNAs. MicroRNAs are loaded into Argonaute (AGO) proteins to form the RNA‐induced silencing complex (RISC) and used as guides to identify complementary transcripts. The distinct functions and features, such as associated small RNA classes and modes of silencing, of individual AGO paralogs have been well documented in multicellular eukaryotes. However, this aspect of miRNA function remains poorly understood in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, which contains three AGO paralogs. In this study, we isolated AGO2 and AGO3 insertional mutants and confirmed that AGO3 is more abundantly expressed than AGO2. MicroRNA‐directed target transcript cleavage and translational repression were impaired in the AGO3 mutant background, indicating that AGO3 can mediate both modes of silencing. In contrast, although the AGO2 mutant is not a null, the involvement of AGO2 in miRNA‐directed silencing appears to be more limited. Our results strongly suggest that miRNA‐mediated post‐transcriptional gene silencing relies primarily on AGO3 in Chlamydomonas.
Immediate effects of diamond burr debridement in patients with spontaneous chronic corneal epithelial defects, light and electron microscopic evaluation
Authors: Dawson Charlotte , Naranjo Carolina , Sanchez‐Maldonado Belen , Fricker Georgina V. , Linn‐Pearl Rose N. , Escanilla Natalia , Kafarnik Christiane , Gould David J. , Sanchez Rick F. , Matas‐Riera Marian 
Published: December 2015

AbstractPurposeTo evaluate immediate effects of diamond burr debridement (DBD) on the cornea of canine patients diagnosed with spontaneous chronic corneal epithelial defects (SCCEDs).Animals studiedEight client owned dogs with SCCEDs.MethodsNine eyes from eight dogs with SCCEDs underwent superficial keratectomy (SK). The ulcerated area was divided into quadrants with a 300‐micron restricted depth knife. Two of four quadrants underwent DBD for 40–60 s. A SK followed immediately. One burred section and one nonburred section were fixed with formaldehyde 10% and underwent light microscopy (LM). The remaining quadrants from five eyes were fixed with glutaraldehyde 2.5% and underwent transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Masked pathologists evaluated the samples. A student's paired t‐test was used to analyze the data.ResultsWith LM all nonburred samples had a superficial stromal hyaline acellular zone (HAZ), seven of the burred samples had an intermittent HAZ and in two burred samples this zone was absent. The HAZ thickness of burred samples (1.062 ± 0.664 μm) was significantly thinner than that of the nonburred samples (4.309 ± 1.348 μm) (P < 0.0001). Transmission electron microscopy showed an absence of basement membrane and the presence of an amorphous, fine fibrillar material in the superficial stroma in nonburred samples. This material was intermittent or absent in burred samples.ConclusionDBD significantly reduces the superficial stromal HAZ in SCCEDs. A reduction of its thickness may be responsible for the healing rates reported with DBD.
Haemovigilance of reactions associated with red blood cell transfusion: comparison across 17 Countries
Authors: Rogers M. A. M. , Rohde J. M. , Blumberg N. 
Published: December 2015

Background and ObjectivesThe recent establishment of the National Healthcare Safety Network Hemovigilance Module in the United States affords an opportunity to compare results with those of other developed nations.Materials and MethodsUsing data from national haemovigilance systems, reactions associated with red blood cell (RBC) transfusion and residual risks of transfusion‐transmitted infectious diseases were assembled from 17 nations. Country‐specific rates of adverse events were pooled using random‐effects Poisson regression.ResultsFebrile non‐haemolytic and delayed serologic transfusion reactions were the most frequent adverse events reported after RBC transfusion, occurring in 26 patients per 100 000 RBC units and 25 patients per 100 000 RBC units administered, respectively. Rates of allergic, febrile non‐haemolytic and delayed haemolytic transfusion reactions in the United States were significantly greater than the pooled rates from other countries. Frequencies of adverse events generated from the national haemovigilance programme in the United States were considerably lower than when obtained through active surveillance.ConclusionHaemovigilance reports of adverse events in the United States are comparable to, or greater than, reports from other developed countries. Rates generated from haemovigilance programmes are lower than those obtained through active surveillance. The lack of universal leucoreduction of RBC units may be a contributing factor to the higher rate of some adverse events in the United States.
ESTIMATING SINGLE TREE STEM AND BRANCH BIOMASS USING TERRESTRIAL LASER SCANNING
Authors: Ishak Nurliyana Izzati , Abu Bakar Md Afif , Abdul Rahman Muhammad Zulkarnain , Rasib Abd Wahid , Kanniah Kasturi Devi , Meng Shin Alvin Lau , Razak Khamarrul Azahari 
Published: December 2015

This paper presents a novel non-destructive approach for individual tree stem and branch biomass estimation using terrestrial laser scanning data. The study area is located at the Royal Belum Reserved Forest area, Gerik, Perak. Each forest plot was designed with a circular shape and contains several scanning locations to ensure good visibility of each tree. Unique tree signage was located on trees with diameter at breast height (DBH) of 10cm and above. Extractions of individual trees were done manually and the matching process with the field collected tree properties were relied on the tree signage and tree location as collected by total station. Individual tree stems were reconstructed based on cylinder models from which the total stem volume was calculated. Biomass of individual tree stems was calculated by multiplying stem volume with specific wood density. Biomass of individual was estimated using similar concept of tree stem with the volume estimated from alpha-hull shape. The root mean squared errors (RMSE) of estimated biomass are 50.22kg and 27.20kg for stem and branch respectively.
PRACTICES FOR PROJECT QUALITY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS (PQMS) IN CONSTRUCTION PROJECT
Authors: Shaari Nursyamimi , Abdullah @ Mohd Asmoni Mat Naim , Afiq Lokman Muhamad Amir , Abdul Hamid Hamdi , Mohammed Abdul Hakim 
Published: December 2015

Due to the importance of the quality management system implementation in construction project, the current study was conducted to identify the set of Project Quality Management System (PQMS) practices for its successful implementation in construction field through a systematic review of literature. Critical success factor (CSF) to implement PQMS in construction project were stated as ‘Client Commitment’, Measurement and Improvement’, ‘Integration of quality Plan’, ‘Education and Training’, Teamwork and Communication’ and ‘Use of ICT’. However, these CSF need to be explored more in terms of its practices and there is an urgent need. A research approach was carried out on the selected papers published between 2004 and 2014. An appropriate database was chosen and seven research papers were identified through a screening process and reviewed for this study. There are 20 important practices in PQMS were identified and has been categorized into six CSF namely; Client’s Commitment (5 practices); Integration of Quality Plan (3 practices); Education and Training (3 practices); Measurement and Improvement (4 practices); Teamwork and Communication (3 practices) and the use of ICT (2 practices).This paper concluded with a numbers of recommendations for future researchers to discuss, develop, and work upon in order to achieve better precision and generalization
NOVEL LANDSCAPE DESIGN MODEL SYSTEM APPROACH: MONITORING, PREDICTING AND CALCULATING CARBON SEQUESTRATION RATE FOR TOURISM ACCOMMODATION PREMISES GREEN SPACES
Authors: Othman Rashidi , Abu Kasim Siti Zubaidah , Hashim Khairusy Syakirin Has-Yun , Mohd Noor Nur Fadhlina 
Published: December 2015

Carbon emissions is expected to continue to increase unless major changes are made in the way carbon is managed. Managing hotel carbon emissions has emerged as a critical research matter and has become public and national interest since the last century. For instance daily appliances carbon emission from tourism accommodation premises is one of the major contributors for greenhouse effect especially in urban area and this could cause detrimental impact to the surrounding environment. One of the promising approach to reduce carbon emission to the atmosphere is by selecting an appropriate plant materials as well as optimization of spatial and space organization of green spaces. Besides character of the plant materials, criteria such as soil, plant material age, trunk diameter and trunk height are very much influenced the carbon sequestration rate. Therefore this study aimed to develop carbon sequestration model system through landscape design approach that can monitor, calculate and predict the amount of carbon that can be absorbed by proposed plant species at certain period of time. Two existing hotels were selected and the findings of this research showed that at both case studies, carbon sequestration rate by trees has the highest sequestration amount compared to other plant materials. This study also established that even with limited green space areas for tourism accommodation premises such as hotel, the carbon sequestration rate can be further increased with the right selection of plants, at the right place with the right spatial and space organization of green spaces. The significance outcomes of this study will be a novel landscape design approach to neutralize carbon emission which is cost effective and environmental friendly.