bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Scaling up HIV viral load – lessons from the large‐scale implementation of HIV early infant diagnosis and CD4 testing
Authors: Peter Trevor , Zeh Clement , Katz Zachary , Elbireer Ali , Alemayehu Bereket , Vojnov Lara , Costa Alex , Doi Naoko , Jani Ilesh 
Published: December 2017

AbstractIntroductionThe scale‐up of effective HIV viral load (VL) testing is an urgent public health priority. Implementation of testing is supported by the availability of accurate, nucleic acid based laboratory and point‐of‐care (POC) VL technologies and strong WHO guidance recommending routine testing to identify treatment failure. However, test implementation faces challenges related to the developing health systems in many low‐resource countries. The purpose of this commentary is to review the challenges and solutions from the large‐scale implementation of other diagnostic tests, namely nucleic‐acid based early infant HIV diagnosis (EID) and CD4 testing, and identify key lessons to inform the scale‐up of VL.DiscussionExperience with EID and CD4 testing provides many key lessons to inform VL implementation and may enable more effective and rapid scale‐up. The primary lessons from earlier implementation efforts are to strengthen linkage to clinical care after testing, and to improve the efficiency of testing. Opportunities to improve linkage include data systems to support the follow‐up of patients through the cascade of care and test delivery, rapid sample referral networks, and POC tests. Opportunities to increase testing efficiency include improvements to procurement and supply chain practices, well connected tiered laboratory networks with rational deployment of test capacity across different levels of health services, routine resource mapping and mobilization to ensure adequate resources for testing programs, and improved operational and quality management of testing services. If applied to VL testing programs, these approaches could help improve the impact of VL on ART failure management and patient outcomes, reduce overall costs and help ensure the sustainable access to reduced pricing for test commodities, as well as improve supportive health systems such as efficient, and more rigorous quality assurance. These lessons draw from traditional laboratory practices as well as fields such as logistics, operations management and business.ConclusionsThe lessons and innovations from large‐scale EID and CD4 programs described here can be adapted to inform more effective scale‐up approaches for VL. They demonstrate that an integrated approach to health system strengthening focusing on key levers for test access such as data systems, supply efficiencies and network management. They also highlight the challenges with implementation and the need for more innovative approaches and effective partnerships to achieve equitable and cost‐effective test access.
Intraspecific variation in the domestic cat bony labyrinth revealed by different measurement techniques
Authors: Schellhorn Rico 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe knowledge of intraspecific variation is important to make assumptions on an interspecific level. To study intraspecific variation in the bony labyrinth morphology of the domestic cat, eleven specimens of Felis silvestris catus and two additional subspecies (F. s. lybica, F. s. ornata) were investigated. The sample comprises skulls of adult males and females, as well as juvenile cats. Each bony labyrinth endocast was virtually reconstructed based on µCT scans. To estimate the radius of curvature of each inner ear semicircular canal, three different approaches were tested. The comparison of the different methods resulted in different absolute values for the measured radii. The assumed best structure to precisely characterize the size of a semicircular canal is the inner perimeter. Within the tested sample, the anterior semicircular canal is always the largest, while the posterior semicircular canal is the second largest and the lateral semicircular canal the smallest in most cases. The coefficient of variation lies below 10% for all bony labyrinth measurements within the sample. The inner perimeter values of each semicircular canal are similar within all investigated specimens, even though the skull length of adult cats is twice as long as that of juvenile cats. Thus, inner ear biometry of the domestic cat seems stable throughout growth series and can therefore be used for systematic and ecological studies and the inclusion of juvenile individuals is reasonable. It is noteworthy that the inner perimeter values of the semicircular canals do not vary as much as the values of the angles spanned between the three canals within the sample. The inner ear within the cat skull is oriented about 25° to 31° to the palate (angle between the plane anchored to the lateral semicircular canals (SC) and the plane anchored to the palate). The cochlea coils between 3.00 and 3.25 turns in the investigated sample.
Links between the discovery of primates and anatomical comparisons with humans, the chain of being, our place in nature, and racism
Authors: Diogo Rui 
Published: December 2017

AbstractI focus on the crucial links between the discovery of nonhuman primates by Westerners, discussions on our place in nature, the chain of being, racism, and the history of primate comparative anatomy and of so‐called “anatomical human racial studies.” Strikingly, for more than a millennium humans knew more about the internal anatomy of a single monkey species than about that of their own bodies. This is because Galen used monkeys to infer human anatomy, in line with the human‐animal continuity implied by the Greek notion of scala naturae. With the rise of Christianity, nonhuman primates were increasingly seen in a negative way. A more positive view emerged in the 14th century when nonhuman primates were directly studied/seen by Europeans, culminating in Tyson's 1699 work showing that chimps share more gross anatomical similarities with humans than with monkeys. However, the discomfort caused by this human‐chimp similarity then led to a new idea of animal‐human discontinuity, now related not to anatomy but to “civilization”: between Europeans vs. non‐Europeans + other primates. Moreover, Linnaeus' Systema Naturae and the emergence of “anatomical racial studies” influenced by Camper's craniology then led to even more extreme ideas, such as the notion that Europeans were both mentally and morphologically “ideal.” Unfortunately the biased and often incorrect “results” of such studies, combined with ideas based on Darwin's “struggle for survival”, became crucial in propaganda that lead to the rise of eugenics in the end of the 19th/first half of 20th centuries and that culminated in Nazism. Since the 1950s there has been an emphasis on the continuity/unity between all human groups and other primates, in great part influenced by what happened during World War 2. Reviews such as this one are, therefore, particularly necessary to illuminate and guard against attitudes against “the Other” and racist ideologies that are re‐emerging in modern political discourse across the globe.
Raman microspectroscopy of blue‐green historical beads: Comparative study of undamaged and strongly degraded samples
Authors: Balakhnina I.A. , Brandt N.N. , Chikishev A.Y. , Mankova A.A. , Morozova E.A. , Shpachenko I.G. , Yuryev V.A. , Yuryeva T.V. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractConfocal Raman microspectroscopy is used to substantially supplement existing experimental data on historical blue‐green beads with respect to the presence and distribution of potassium antimony silicate (KSS) crystals. Problem of degradation of blue‐green beads on historical artifacts accounts for topicality of the work. The reasons for possible short‐term (several years) degradation of beads and the presence of neighboring damaged and undamaged beads on a single item remain unknown in spite of multiple experimental works on various glasses. Presence of KSS microcrystals may serve as a reason for degradation of beads. Raman measurements at several depths are used to determine the distribution and estimate sizes of KSS microcrystals. Such distributions are different for undamaged and strongly degraded beads. For degraded beads, Raman data show the depth dependence of the concentration of (non)bridged oxygens in the near‐surface layer with a thickness of 3–4 μm (i.e., inhomogeneity of glass matrix). The results prove the growth of KSS microcrystals in historical blue‐green beads, which may cause internal stress and, hence, degradation. The results can be used for optimization of storage conditions and restoration procedures for historical items.
Antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activities of freeze‐dried grapefruit phenolics as affected by gum arabic and bamboo fibre addition and microwave pretreatment
Authors: García‐Martínez Eva , Andújar Isabel , Yuste del Carmen Alberto , Prohens Jaime , Martínez‐Navarrete Nuria 
Published: December 2017

AbstractBACKGROUNDRecent epidemiological studies have suggested that phenolic compounds present in grapefruit play an important role in the bioactive properties of this fruit. However, the consumption of fresh grapefruit is low. Freeze‐dried powdered grapefruit can be an alternative to promote this fruit consumption. To improve the quality and stability of the powdered fruit, encapsulating and anticaking agents can be added. In the present study, different grapefruit powders obtained by freeze‐drying with the addition of gum arabic (1.27 g per 100 g) and bamboo fibre (0.76 g per 100 g) with and without a pre‐drying microwave treatment were compared with the fresh and freeze‐dried fruit with no carriers added, aiming to evaluate the effect of these preservation processes on phenolics content and on its antioxidant [1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′‐azinobis(3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulphonic acid) (ABTS) and ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP)] and anti‐inflamatory (evaluated in RAW 264.7 macrophages) capacities.RESULTSFreeze‐drying and gum arabic and bamboo fibre addition significantly increased total phenolics, as well as the antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activities (by inhibiting nitric oxide production of lipopolysaccharide activated RAW 264.7 macrophages), of grapefruit. An additional increase in these parameters was obtained with microwave pretreatment before freeze‐drying.CONCLUSIONSThe combined addition of gum arabic and bamboo fibre to grapefruit puree and the application of a microwave pretreatment improve the functional properties of the fruit without showing cytotoxicity in vitro. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry
Headspace solid‐phase microextraction and gas chromatographic analysis of low‐molecular‐weight sulfur volatiles with pulsed flame photometric detection and quantification by a stable isotope dilution assay
Authors: Ullrich Sebastian , Neef Sylvia K. , Schmarr Hans‐Georg 
Published: December 2017

AbstractLow‐molecular‐weight volatile sulfur compounds such as thiols, sulfides, disulfides as well as thioacetates cause a sulfidic off‐flavor in wines even at low concentration levels. The proposed analytical method for quantification of these compounds in wine is based on headspace solid‐phase microextraction, followed by gas chromatographic analysis with sulfur‐specific detection using a pulsed flame photometric detector. Robust quantification was achieved via a stable isotope dilution assay using commercial and synthesized deuterated isotopic standards. The necessary chromatographic separation of analytes and isotopic standards benefits from the inverse isotope effect realized on an apolar polydimethylsiloxane stationary phase of increased film thickness. Interferences with sulfur‐specific detection in wine caused by sulfur dioxide were minimized by addition of propanal. The method provides adequate validation data, with good repeatability and limits of detection and quantification. It suits the requirements of wine quality management, allowing the control of oenological treatments to counteract an eventual formation of excessively high concentration of such malodorous compounds.
The promotion of health tourism products for domestic tourists
Authors: Han Ji‐Sook , Lee Timothy J. , Ryu Kisang 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThis study investigates the demand for travel for well‐being and enhancing health by Korean domestic tourists. The current level of health travel preferences and participation rates were examined and compared to the preference for other travel types. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 270 participants, and additional raw data from the Korean National Tourism Survey (a sample of 6,309) were incorporated. This research found that preference for health travel is comparatively high, but participation levels are low compared to other travel themes. From these results, implications for health tourism industry practitioners are suggested, and recommendations for marketing products proposed.
Repeatability of Female Midurethral Measurement Using High‐Frequency 3‐Dimensional Transvaginal Ultrasonography
Authors: Xuan Yinghua , Yue Song , Sun Lijuan , Pei Yan , Wang Jingjing , Tan Li , Lu Zhaoling , Yang Liman , An Yuanyuan , Jiang Yuxin , Wu Qingqing 
Published: December 2017

ObjectivesImaging assessment of the female urethra is critical for diagnosis and treatment of urinary incontinence. High‐frequency 3‐dimensional (3D) transvaginal ultrasonography (TVUS) is a novel technique for evaluating the female urethra. The aim of this study was to test the repeatability of 3D TVUS between examiners without prior experience with TVUS.MethodsFifty women underwent 3D TVUS. Two examiners without prior experience analyzed the urethral volumes and measured the urethral parameters. Two‐dimensional (2D) parameters included urethral sphincter length and urethral sphincter thickness; 3D parameters included urethral sphincter volume, midurethral complex volume, and inner core volume. One of the examiners repeated the evaluations 1 month later. Subsequently, the measurements were compared.ResultsThe mean age of the patients ± SD was 34.1 ± 8.1 (range, 23–55) years; the mean height, weight, and body mass index were 160.44 ± 5.12 (range, 150–173) cm, 61.80 ± 13.64 (range, 45–110) kg, and 23.98 ± 4.91 (range, 17.53–39.92) kg/m2, respectively. The results of our study showed excellent to good intraobserver repeatability (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC], 0.75–0.87) for the evaluations of all parameters but urethral sphincter length (moderate ICC, 0.53), whereas they showed good to moderate interobserver repeatability (ICC, 0.44–0.77) for all parameters. The repeatability of 3D volumes (ICC, 0.59–0.87) tended to be better than that of 2D parameters (ICC, 0.44–0.76).ConclusionsThe intraobserver and interobserver repeatability of high‐frequency 3D TVUS measurements of the female urethra was excellent to moderate between examiners without previous experience. The repeatability of 3D measurements tended to be better than that of 2D parameters.
The inner‐rod component of Shigella flexneri type 3 secretion system, MxiI, is involved in the transmission of the secretion activation signal by its interaction with MxiC
Authors: El Hajjami Nargisse , Moussa Simon , Houssa Jonathan , Monteyne Daniel , Perez‐Morga David , Botteaux Anne 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe virulence of Shigella mainly resides in the use of a Type 3 Secretion System (T3SS) to inject several proteins inside the host cell. Three categories of proteins are hierarchically secreted: (1) the needle components (MxiH and MxiI), (2) the translocator proteins which form a pore (translocon) inside the host cell membrane, and (3) the effectors interfering with the host cell signaling pathways. In the absence of host cell contact, the T3SS is maintained in an “off” state by the presence of a tip complex. We have previously identified a gatekeeper protein, MxiC, which sequesters effectors inside the bacteria probably by interacting with MxiI, the inner‐rod component. Upon cell contact and translocon insertion, a signal is most likely transmitted from the top of the needle to the base, passing through the needle and allowing effectors release. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the transmission of the activation signal through the needle is still poorly understood. In this work, we investigate the role of MxiI in the activation of the T3SS by performing a mutational study. Interestingly we have shown that mutations of a single residue in MxiI (T82) induce an mxiC‐like phenotype and prevent the interaction with MxiC. Moreover, we have shown that the L26A mutation significantly reduces T3 secretion. The L26A mutation impairs the interaction between MxiI and Spa40, a keystone component of the switch between needle assembly and translocators secretion. The L26A mutation also sequesters MxiC. All these results highlight the crucial role of MxiI in regulating the secretion and transmitting the activation signal of the T3SS.
Nowcasting algorithm for wind fields using ensemble forecasting and aircraft flight data
Authors: Kikuchi Ryota , Misaka Takashi , Obayashi Shigeru , Inokuchi Hamaki , Oikawa Hiroshi , Misumi Akeo 
Published: December 2017

ABSTRACTThis study proposes an algorithm that combines ensemble numerical weather‐prediction model data and aircraft flight data in a wind nowcasting system for safe and efficient aircraft operation. It uses an ensemble‐weighted average method based on sequential importance sampling (SIS), which is a particle filter method for forecasting the wind field in real time. SIS is applied to the ensemble forecast data and control run data of the European Centre for Medium‐Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA), Korea Meteorological Administration (KMA), National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) and United Kingdom Met Office (UKMO) for the two case studies that use flight data from 72 commercial aircraft flights. The results show that SIS can forecast better than the other four methods: direct ensemble average (DEA), elite strategy (ES), and selective ensemble average (SEAV) and weighted average (SEWE), with average improvements in forecast performance of about 10–15%, even at 300 min ahead. In addition, the overall forecast performance between the forecast wind and observation of the radiosonde of SIS was slightly better than DEA. In both cases, the forecast performance was significantly improved on points along the flight path of the aircraft used for this study. Case analyses and the impact of differences in the hyper‐parameters of SIS on forecast performance are also presented in this study.
Dual‐/triple‐wideband microstrip bandpass filter using independent triple‐mode stub‐loaded resonator
Authors: Wang Z. J. , Wang C. , Kim N. Y. 
Published: December 2017

AbstractA dual‐wideband and a triple‐wideband microstrip bandpass filters (BPFs) using independent triple‐mode stub‐loaded resonators are presented in this letter. The resonator consists of a half‐wavelength transmission line, which resonates at the first resonant mode, and two identical quarter‐wavelength loaded stubs generating the other two resonant modes. The dimensional adjustments of a particular resonator only affect itself without influencing the other two resonators, which results in good independent property. The measurement results verify that the fabricated dual‐wideband BPF possesses the central frequencies of 2.39 GHz (return loss: 18.2 dB) and 5.13 GHz (return loss: 30.1 dB), and the fractional bandwidth (FBW) of 16.2% (insertion loss: 0.25 dB) and 16.6% (insertion loss: 0.31 dB) were obtained. For the fabricated triple‐wideband BPF, the FBW was 16.7% (insertion loss: 0.24 dB) at 2.50 GHz (return loss: 22.8 dB), 14.4% (insertion loss: 0.33 dB) at 3.68 GHz (return loss: 19.7 dB), and 13.2% (insertion loss: 0.40 dB) at 5.04 GHz (return loss: 21.5 dB).
Wide stopband miniaturized “I”‐typed EBG with DGS
Authors: Rong Hongying , Wang Qian , Chen Shuo , Cao Yajie , Tian Huiping 
Published: December 2017

AbstractAn electromagnetic band‐gap (EBG) structure which combines a tapered surface structure and a tapered defected ground structure is proposed in this article. “I”‐typed EBG units with different size and center distance are etched on the microstrip line on the upper layer of the substrate. Without sacrificing the bandwidth, a feasible method is proposed to implement miniaturization by reducing the second half of the tapered EBG, which is concluded by analyzing the relations between the working frequency and tapered periodic structure. By using HFSS simulation tool, the proposed structure possesses a wide stop‐band of 23.72 GHz (1.88–29.20 GHz). Particularly, the actual size characteristic is only about 40 × 20 × 0.6 mm3. Meanwhile, the proposed structure is fabricated and measured. And the experimental results basically agree well with the simulated results, which indicate that the proposed EBG is promising for designing high performance band‐stop filters and associated antennas with width bandwidth and small size.
A compact UWB patch antenna with defected ground for Ku/K band applications
Authors: Mishra Brijesh , Singh Vivek , Singh Rakesh Kumar , Singh Neha , Singh Rajeev 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe term “ultrawideband” (UWB) in antenna research has become a buzzword over the past decade. In recent years, advancement in this new area has given birth to numerous antenna designs. A simple and practical method to design an ultra‐wideband microstrip antenna is presented. The overall dimension of the proposed ultra‐wideband antenna is (20 × 20) mm2 and it consists of a defected ground along with the two layers stacking. The proposed is operating between 11.97 and 20.54 GHz which covers both downlink and uplink frequencies of Ku band and partially K band (2.54 GHz).The modeling and simulation is performed using Ansoft HFSS (High Frequency Structural Simulator) software. This proposed prototype achieves the peak gain of 8.5 dBi and maximum radiation efficiency of 88.5%.
Modeling of yield, slope efficiency, and spectra of multisegment distributed feedback lasers
Authors: Kim Hong , Khinda Gurvinder , Jules Jonathan D. , Klotzkin David 
Published: December 2017

AbstractThe properties and yield of a distributed feedback laser depends on the values of coupling coefficient κ and many other parameters. Multisegmented distributed feedback devices (consisting of grated and ungrated areas, quarter‐wave‐shifts, and potentially other features other) are becoming more common and have advantages over uniform grated devices. A multi‐segmented transfer matrix model is used to model the spectra, yield, and slope efficiency of multisegment and uniform distributed feedback lasers. The results give an excellent match to measured spectra of partially grated, quarter‐wave‐shifted, and uniform devices, and qualitatively agree with experimental data on the distribution of slope efficiency in devices. A study on partial grated devices suggested they may have advantages in single mode yield compared to uniformly grated devices. This method (and the specific software tool Glaparex) can be used to control device parameters in manufacturing and to optimize laser designs design.