bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness and side‐effect profile of stimulant therapy as monotherapy and in combination in the central hypersomnias in clinical practice
Authors: Thakrar Chiraag , Patel Kishankumar , D'ancona Grainne , Kent Brian D. , Nesbitt Alexander , Selsick Hugh , Steier Joerg , Rosenzweig Ivana , Williams Adrian J. , Leschziner Guy D. , Drakatos Panagis 
Published: October 2017

SummaryEffectiveness and side‐effect profile data on pharmacotherapy for daytime sleepiness in central hypersomnias are based largely upon randomized controlled trials. Evidence regarding the use of combination therapy is scant. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness and occurrence of drug‐related side effects of these drugs in routine clinical practice. Adult patients diagnosed with a central hypersomnia during a 54‐month period at a tertiary sleep disorders centre were identified retrospectively. Side effects were recorded at every follow‐up visit. A total of 126 patients, with 3275 patient‐months of drug exposure, were categorized into narcolepsy type 1 (n = 70), narcolepsy type 2 (n = 47) and idiopathic hypersomnia (n = 9). Modafinil was the most common drug used as a first‐line treatment (93%) and in combination therapy (70%). Thirty‐nine per cent of the patients demonstrated a complete, 25% partial and 36% a poor response to treatment. Combination treatment improved daytime sleepiness in 55% of the patients with residual symptoms despite monotherapy. Sixty per cent of patients reported side effects, and 30% reported treatment‐limiting side effects. Drugs had similar side‐effect incidence (P = 0.363) and their side‐effect profile met those reported in the literature. Twenty‐seven per cent of the patients received combination treatment and had fewer side effects compared to monotherapy (29.4% versus 60%, respectively, P = 0.001). Monotherapy appears to achieve satisfactory symptom control in most patients with central hypersomnia, but significant side effects are common. Combination therapy appears to be a useful and safe option in patients with refractory symptoms.
Hepatic transudation barrier properties
Authors: Dongaonkar Ranjeet M. , Stewart Randolph H. , Quick Christopher M. , Uray Karen L. , Cox Charles S. , Laine Glen A. 
Published: October 2017

AbstractObjectiveFluid and protein continuously transude from the surface of the liver. Despite a common understanding that transudation plays a critical role in hepatic interstitial and peritoneal fluid balance, transudation from the entire liver has not been studied. Therefore, the goal of the present work was to provide the first direct measurement of the hepatic transudation rate and transudation barrier properties.MethodsTransudation rates were determined by collecting transudate from the entire liver. Hydraulic conductivity, and fluid transudation and protein reflection coefficients of the transudation barrier (formed by the subscapular interstitial matrix, capsule, and peritoneum) were determined from changes in fluid and protein transudation rates in response to hepatic venous pressure elevation.ResultsFollowing hepatic venous pressure elevation from 6.1 ± 0.9 to 11.1 ± 0.6 mm Hg, transudation rate increased from 0.13 ± 0.03 to 0.37 ± 0.03 mL/min·100 g. Transudation barrier hydraulic conductivity, fluid transudation and protein reflection coefficients (3.9 × 10−4 ± 5.7 × 10−5 mL/min·mm Hg·cm2, 0.36 ± 0.04 mL/min·mm Hg, and 0.09 ± 0.03, respectively) were comparable to those reported for hepatic sinusoids.ConclusionsTaken together, these findings suggest that the hepatic transudation barrier is highly permeable at elevated sinusoidal pressures. These fundamental studies provide a better understanding of the hepatic transudation barrier properties and transudation under conditions that are physiologically and clinically relevant to ascites formation.
A review of wheat diseases—a field perspective
Authors: Figueroa Melania , Hammond‐Kosack Kim E. , Solomon Peter S. 
Published: October 2017

SummaryWheat is one of the primary staple foods throughout the planet. Significant yield gains in wheat production over the past 40 years have resulted in a steady balance of supply versus demand. However, predicted global population growth rates and dietary changes mean that substantial yield gains over the next several decades will be needed to meet this escalating demand. A key component to meeting this challenge is better management of fungal incited diseases, which can be responsible for 15%–20% yield losses per annum. Prominent diseases of wheat that currently contribute to these losses include the rusts, blotches and head blight/scab. Other recently emerged or relatively unnoticed diseases, such as wheat blast and spot blotch, respectively, also threaten grain production. This review seeks to provide an overview of the impact, distribution and management strategies of these diseases. In addition, the biology of the pathogens and the molecular basis of their interaction with wheat are discussed.
Pediatric allergy and immunology in China
Authors: Wong Gary W. K. , Li Jing , Bao Yi‐Xiao , Wang Jiu‐Yao , Leung Ting Fan , Li Luan‐Luan , Shao Jie , Huang Xin‐Yuan , Liu En‐Mei , Shen Kun‐Ling , Chen Yu‐Zhi 
Published: October 2017

AbstractOver the past 30 years, China has enjoyed rapid economic development along with urbanization at a massive scale that the world has not experienced before. Such development has also been associated with a rapid rise in the prevalence of allergic disorders. Because of the large childhood population in the country, the burden of childhood allergic disorders has become one of the major challenges in the healthcare system. Among the Chinese centers participating in the International Study of Asthma and Allergies in Childhood, the data clearly showed a continuing rise in the prevalence of asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic eczema. However, the discipline of pediatric allergy in mainland China is still in its infancy due to the lack of formal training program and subspecialty certification. Clinicians and researchers are increasingly interested in providing better care for patients with allergies by establishing pediatric allergy centers in different regions of the country. Many of them have also participated in national or international collaborative projects hoping to answer the various research questions related to the discipline of pediatric allergy and immunology. It is our hope that the research findings from China will not only improve the quality of care of affected children within this country but also the millions of patients with allergies worldwide.
The Experimental Study on Stratification and Transport of Hydrogen in the Containment With Light Non-Condensable Gas
Authors: Lee Xiaobo , Lyu Xuefeng , Ji Ke 
Published: October 2017

This study was based on the passive containment thermal hydraulic facility, which locating in Beijing Key Laboratory of Passive Nuclear Power Safety and Technology, North China Electric Power University, Beijing. The platform was built in the year of 2010, Pro. Niue has carried out a series of studies about the thermal stratification and concentration stratification for air and water vapour and achieved remarkable results.
In this paper, the experimental test is divided into two consecutive stages: phase A and phase B. Phase A is the injection phase of steam, however, phase B is divided into three steps, include hydrogen injection, no injection, opening the external spray, to study the stratification and transport of hydrogen (replaced with helium) in a cylindrical steel container which has ellipsoid dome, and also discussing the change of hydrogen concentration near the wall over time. Except for this, the distribution of hydrogen during the third step is also emphasized. For the transport of gas, it has not given the direct result of measuring in this paper, but it gave the analysis of transport which is based on the hydrogen concentration at different stages, different location of the containment over the time. It can be found that: 1) during the stages of hydrogen injection, no injection, the stratification is obvious, but, the helium concentration in the dome space is uniform, and the transport of the gas is mainly affected by the thermal buoyancy and jet, 2) near the wall-area, the trend of droplet entrainment is obvious, 3) during the stage of opening the external spray, the mixture of gas is intensified and the stratification is weakened.
The Movement Process Simulation of CRDM
Authors: Wang Guangji , Liu Gang 
Published: October 2017

The motion of CRDM (Control Rod Drive Mechanism) is affected by the electro-magnetic force and the fluid resistance, also the movement process affected the control system. In this paper, we considered all the coupled factor and try to decouple the problem to several simple problems. We supposed 3 decoupling methods, and try to verification each assumption, and finally we found that an assumption is valid — the electromagnetic force is mainly affected by the displacement of CRDM in the attract process of kinetic jaw armature and kinetic jaw magnetic pole. We studied the fluid resistance force by CFD simulation, and exported the force to the electromagnetic model which is built by Infolytica/Magnet, the control system model is built by Matlab/Simulink coupling interface.
In order to simulate the continuous movement process of CRDM, we studied the boundary data at each time period, and linked each period by in-house code. Then we tested the coupling simulation, listed the duration time of electric current and the movement duration time of mechanism. Compare to the test data, the maximum error is 17%. On the whole, this solution coupled CFD, electro-magnetic and control system, the simulation result can help engineers to optimize the control algorithm and shape design in a certain extent.
Coiled Tube Air Heater Test Loop Design
Authors: Andreades Charalampos , Greenop Andrew , Gallagher Shane , Choi Jae Keun , Peterson Per 
Published: October 2017

Coiled tube air heaters (CTAH) are heat exchangers currently under investigation at the University of California, Berkeley for application to Reheat Air-Brayton Combined Cycles (RACC). In a CTAH, molten fluoride salt on the tube side heats air on the shell side in a cross-counterflow arrangement, leading to high heat exchange effectiveness, while the coiled geometry provides good transient mechanical performance during thermal transients.
This paper describes the important phenomenology involved in CTAH design and operation, such as salt freezing, flow induced vibration, start-up and shut-down control, and air circulating power requirements. The THEEM simulation tool used in the design of CTAHs and its validation against simple water to air test sub-bundles is presented. Finally, an initial design for a demonstration 370 kWth CTAH closed air test loop is presented. This test loop design, when constructed, would enable demonstration of salt-to-air heating under conditions relevant to RACC power conversion (air pressures from 4 to 20 atm and air temperatures from 400 to 650°C).
Stable Chromosomal Expression of Shigella flexneri 2a and 3a O-Antigens in the Live Salmonella Oral Vaccine Vector Ty21a
Authors: Dharmasena Madushini N. , Osorio Manuel , Takeda Kazuyo , Stibitz Scott , Kopecko Dennis J. 
Published: October 2017

ABSTRACT

We have been exploring the use of the live attenuated
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhi Ty21a vaccine strain as a versatile oral vaccine vector for the expression and delivery of multiple foreign antigens, including
Shigella
O-antigens. In this study, we separately cloned genes necessary for the biosynthesis of the
Shigella flexneri
serotype 2a and 3a O-antigens, which have been shown to provide broad cross-protection to multiple disease-predominant
S. flexneri
serotypes. The cloned
S. flexneri
2a
rfb
operon, along with
bgt
and
gtrII
, contained on the SfII bacteriophage, was sufficient in Ty21a to express the heterologous
S. flexneri
2a O-antigen containing the 3,4 antigenic determinants. Further, this
rfb
operon, along with
gtrA
,
gtrB
, and
gtrX
contained on the Sfx bacteriophage and
oac
contained on the Sf6 bacteriophage, was sufficient to express
S. flexneri
3a O-antigen containing the 6, 7, and 8 antigenic determinants. Ty21a, with these plasmid-carried or chromosomally inserted genes, demonstrated simultaneous and stable expression of homologous
S
. Typhi O-antigen plus the heterologous
S. flexneri
O-antigen. Candidate Ty21a vaccine strains expressing heterologous
S. flexneri
2a or 3a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) elicited significant serum antibody responses against both homologous
S
. Typhi and heterologous
Shigella
LPS and protected mice against virulent
S. flexneri
2a or 3a challenges. These new
S. flexneri
2a and 3a O-antigen-expressing Ty21a vaccine strains, together with our previously constructed Ty21a strains expressing
Shigella sonnei
or
Shigella dysenteriae
1 O-antigens, have the potential to be used together for simultaneous protection against the predominant causes of shigellosis worldwide as well as against typhoid fever.
“Smart Diagnosis” of Parasitic Diseases by Use of Smartphones
Authors: Saeed Muhammad A. , Jabbar Abdul 
Published: October 2017

ABSTRACT
Accurate and rapid diagnosis is crucial in combating parasitic diseases that cause millions of deaths worldwide. However, the scarcity of specialized diagnostic equipment in low- and middle-income countries is one of the barriers to effective management of parasitic diseases and warrants the need for alternative, inexpensive, point-of-care diagnostic tools. Due to their multiple built-in sensors, smartphones offer cost-effective alternative to expensive diagnostic devices. However, the use of smartphones in parasitic diagnoses remains in its infancy. This minireview describes various smartphone-based devices applied specifically for the diagnosis of parasitic diseases and discusses challenges and potential implications for their use in future.
Extended Synaptotagmin 1 Interacts with Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Glycoprotein M and Negatively Modulates Virus-Induced Membrane Fusion
Authors: El Kasmi Imane , Khadivjam Bita , Lackman Miki , Duron Johanne , Bonneil Eric , Thibault Pierre , Lippé Roger 
Published: October 2017

ABSTRACT
Enveloped viruses typically encode their own fusion machinery to enter cells. Herpesviruses are unusual, as they fuse with a number of cellular compartments throughout their life cycles. As uncontrolled fusion of the host membranes should be avoided in these events, tight regulation of the viral fusion machinery is critical. While studying herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) glycoprotein gM, we identified the cellular protein E-Syt1 (extended synaptotagmin 1) as an interaction partner. The interaction took place in both infected and transfected cells, suggesting other viral proteins were not required for the interaction. Most interestingly, E-Syt1 is a member of the synaptotagmin family of membrane fusion regulators. However, the protein is known to promote the tethering of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) to the plasma membrane. We now show that E-Syt1, along with the related E-Syt3, negatively modulates viral release into the extracellular milieu, cell-to-cell viral spread, and viral entry, all processes that implicate membrane fusion events. Similarly, these E-Syt proteins impacted the formation of virus-induced syncytia. Altogether, these findings hint at the modulation of the viral fusion machinery by the E-Syt family of proteins.

IMPORTANCE
Viruses typically encode their own fusion apparatus to enable them to enter cells. For many viruses, this means a single fusogenic protein. However, herpesviruses are large entities that express several accessory viral proteins to regulate their fusogenic activity. The present study hints at the additional participation of cellular proteins in this process, suggesting the host can also modulate viral fusion to some extent. Hence E-Syt proteins 1 and 3 seem to negatively modulate the different viral fusion events that take place during the HSV-1 life cycle. This could represent yet another innate immunity response to the virus.
Plasmodium falciparum
Calcium-Dependent Protein Kinase 2 Is Critical for Male Gametocyte Exflagellation but Not Essential for Asexual Proliferation
Authors: Bansal Abhisheka , Molina-Cruz Alvaro , Brzostowski Joseph , Mu Jianbing , Miller Louis H. 
Published: October 2017

ABSTRACT

Drug development efforts have focused mostly on the asexual blood stages of the malaria parasite
Plasmodium falciparum
. Except for primaquine, which has its own limitations, there are no available drugs that target the transmission of the parasite to mosquitoes. Therefore, there is a need to validate new parasite proteins that can be targeted for blocking transmission.
P. falciparum
calcium-dependent protein kinases (
Pf
CDPKs) play critical roles at various stages of the parasite life cycle and, importantly, are absent in the human host. These features mark them as attractive drug targets. In this study, using CRISPR/Cas9 we successfully knocked out
Pf
CDPK2 from blood-stage parasites, which was previously thought to be an indispensable protein. The growth rate of the
Pf
CDPK2 knockout (KO) parasites was similar to that of wild-type parasites, confirming that
Pf
CDPK2 function is not essential for the asexual proliferation of the parasite
in vitro
. The mature male and female gametocytes of
Pf
CDPK2 KO parasites become round after induction. However, they fail to infect female
Anopheles stephensi
mosquitoes due to a defect(s) in male gametocyte exflagellation and possibly in female gametes.

IMPORTANCE
Despite reductions in the number of deaths it causes, malaria continues to be a leading infectious disease of the developing world. For effective control and elimination of malaria, multiple stages of the parasite need to be targeted. One such stage includes the transmission of the parasite to mosquitoes. Here, we demonstrate the successful knockout of
Pf
CDPK2, which was previously thought to be indispensable for parasite growth in red blood cells. The
Pf
CDPK2 KO parasites are incapable of establishing an infection in mosquitoes. Therefore, our study suggests that targeting
Pf
CDPK2 may be a good strategy to control malaria transmission in countries with high transmission. Moreover, molecular understanding of the signaling pathway of
Pf
CDPK2 may provide additional targets for malaria control.
Multimodal imaging of small hard retinal drusen in young healthy adults
Authors: Pedersen Hilde R , Gilson Stuart J , Dubra Alfredo , Munch Inger Christine , Larsen Michael , Baraas Rigmor C 
Published: October 2017

BackgroundSmall hard macular drusen can be observed in the retina of adults as young as 18 years of age. Here, we seek to describe the in vivo topography and geometry of these drusen.MethodsRetinal images were acquired in young, healthy adults using colour fundus photography, spectral domain optic coherence tomography (SD-OCT), reflectance flood-illuminated adaptive optic ophthalmoscopy (AO flood) and reflectance adaptive optic scanning light ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) in both confocal and non-confocal split-detection modalities. Small bright yellow hard drusen within a 10 degree radius from the foveal centre were characterised.ResultsSmall hard drusen were seen on colour photographs in 21 out of 97 participants and 26 drusen in 12 eyes in 11 participants were imaged using the full protocol. Drusen were easily identifiable in all modalities, except a few very small ones, which were not visible on SD-OCT. On AOSLO images, these drusen appeared as round, oval or lobular areas (up to three lobules) of diameter 22–61 µm where cone photoreceptor reflectivity and density was decreased (p=0.049). This was usually associated with discrete thickening of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) complex.ConclusionHigh lateral resolution imaging of small lobular hard retinal drusen suggests formation through the confluence of two or more smaller round lesions. The outline and size of these smaller lesions corresponds to 1–4 RPE cells. Prospective longitudinal studies are needed to determine the ultimate fate of small hard drusen and their potential relation to age-related macular degeneration.
Passive sensorimotor stimulation triggers long lasting alpha-band fluctuations in visual perception
Authors: Tomassini Alice , D’Ausilio Alessandro 
Published: October 2017

Movement planning and execution rely on the anticipation and online control of the incoming sensory input. Evidence suggests that sensorimotor processes may synchronize visual rhythmic activity in preparation of action performance. Indeed, we recently reported periodic fluctuations of visual contrast sensitivity that are time-locked to the onset of an intended movement of the arm. However, the origin of the observed visual modulations has so far remained unclear because of the endogenous (and thus temporally undetermined) activation of the sensorimotor system that is associated with voluntary movement initiation. In this study, we activated the sensorimotor circuitry involved in the hand control in an exogenous and controlled way by means of peripheral stimulation of the median nerve and characterized the spectrotemporal dynamics of the ensuing visual perception. The stimulation of the median nerve triggers robust and long-lasting (∼1 s) alpha-band oscillations in visual perception, whose strength is temporally modulated in a way that is consistent with the changes in alpha power described at the neurophysiological level after sensorimotor stimulation. These findings provide evidence in support of a causal role of the sensorimotor system in modulating oscillatory activity in visual areas with consequences for visual perception.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study shows that the peripheral activation of the somatomotor hand system triggers long-lasting alpha periodicity in visual perception. This demonstrates that not only the endogenous sensorimotor processes involved in movement preparation but also the passive stimulation of the sensorimotor system can synchronize visual activity. The present work suggests that oscillation-based mechanisms may subserve core (task independent) sensorimotor integration functions.