bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Interleaving stimulation with a combination of bipolar and monopolar configurations for secondary failure of bilateral subthalamic stimulation in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Tsukada Rina , Oyama Genko , Shimo Yasushi , Sekimoto Satoko , Jo Takayuki , Nakajima Asuka , Umemura Atsushi , Arai Hajime , Hattori Nobutaka 
Published: July 2016

AbstractCurrent control technology using interleaving stimulation could be theoretically useful for maximizing the benefits of deep brain stimulation, but it is seldom reported. A 61‐year‐old man with young‐onset Parkinson's disease was previously treated with bilateral subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation because of wearing‐off and peak‐dose dyskinesia; he again developed wearing‐off and a gait disturbance 3 years after surgery. His deep brain stimulation was adjusted by utilizing interleaving stimulation with a combination of monopolar and bipolar configurations, because increasing stimulation with single or double monopolar stimulation, and interleaving monopolar stimulation caused pyramidal side‐effects. After adjusting deep brain stimulation, his wearing‐off symptoms and gait disturbance were markedly improved without any side‐effects. The present case report describes the potential of interleaving stimulation with a combination of monopolar and bipolar settings for the treatment of Parkinson's disease.
What is it Like to be a Group Agent?
Authors: List Christian 
Published: July 2016

AbstractThe existence of group agents is relatively widely accepted. Examples are corporations, courts, NGOs, and even entire states. But should we also accept that there is such a thing as group consciousness? I give an overview of some of the key issues in this debate and sketch a tentative argument for the view that group agents lack phenomenal consciousness (pace Schwitzgebel ). In developing my argument, I draw on integrated information theory, a much‐discussed theory of consciousness. I conclude by pointing out an implication of my argument for the normative status of group agents.
Desiccation of sediments affects assimilate transport within aquatic plants and carbon transfer to microorganisms
Authors: von Rein I. , Kayler Z. E. , Premke K. , Gessler A. 
Published: July 2016

Abstract

With the projected increase in drought duration and intensity in future, small water bodies, and especially the terrestrial–aquatic interfaces, will be subjected to longer dry periods with desiccation of the sediment. Drought effects on the plant–sediment microorganism carbon continuum may disrupt the tight linkage between plants and microbes which governs sediment carbon and nutrient cycling, thus having a potential negative impact on carbon sequestration of small freshwater ecosystems. However, research on drought effects on the plant–sediment carbon transfer in aquatic ecosystems is scarce. We therefore exposed two emergent aquatic macrophytes, Phragmites australis and Typha latifolia, to a month‐long summer drought in a mesocosm experiment.

We followed the fate of carbon from leaves to sediment microbial communities with 13CO2 pulse labelling and microbial phospholipid‐derived fatty acid (PLFA) analysis.

We found that drought reduced the total amount of carbon allocated to stem tissues but did not delay the transport. We also observed an increase in accumulation of 13C‐labelled sugars in roots and found a reduced incorporation of 13C into the PLFAs of sediment microorganisms.

Drought induced a switch in plant carbon allocation priorities, where stems received less new assimilates leading to reduced starch reserves whilst roots were prioritised with new assimilates, suggesting their use for osmoregulation. There were indications that the reduced carbon transfer from roots to microorganisms was due to the reduction of microbial activity via direct drought effects rather than to a decrease in root exudation or exudate availability.
Severe motor aphasia after reinfusion of cryopreserved autologous stem cells after myeloablative conditioning
Authors: Hausmann Andreas , Fischer Norbert , Breitkopf Stephan , Menne Franziska , Jess Kerstin , Schmidmayr Stefan , Wendtner Clemens M. , Hentrich Marcus 
Published: July 2016

BACKGROUNDAutologous peripheral blood stem cells (PBSCs) are usually cryopreserved before high‐dose chemotherapy (HDCT) and autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT). The freezing process requires the addition of cryoprotectants such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), which is vital for cell viability in frozen aliquots. DMSO has a number of well‐described side effects. However, severe neurologic side effects assigned to DMSO are exceedingly rare.CASE REPORTA 64‐year‐old female underwent HDCT followed by PBSCT as consolidation therapy in relapsed high‐grade (Grade 3B) Stage IIIA follicular lymphoma. PBSCs were mobilized using granulocyte–colony stimulating factor and plerixafor after the second cycle of R‐DHAP (rituximab, dexamethasone, high‐dose Ara‐C, cisplatin) salvage chemotherapy. A total of 7.18 × 106/kg body weight CD34+ cells were cryopreserved using 10% DMSO. HDCT was administered some weeks later followed by reinfusion of two bags of PBSCs, each containing 98 mL with 1.6 × 106/kg body weight CD34+ cells. Within a few minutes the patient developed a motor aphasia and became very agitated. Brain imaging did not reveal any pathologic finding. After being transferred to the intensive care unit the patient's condition steadily improved and the motor aphasia resolved completely within 6 hours after its onset.CONCLUSIONThis is, to our knowledge, the first report to describe an episode of severe motor aphasia during PBSCT. Given the close timely correlation with PBSCT, this episode appears to be caused by dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and might possibly have been prevented by use of lower concentrations of DMSO.
Porcine antigen‐specific IFN‐γ ELISpot as a potentially valuable tool for monitoring cellular immune responses in pig‐to‐non‐human primate islet xenotransplantation
Authors: Kim Hyun‐Je , Yoon Il‐Hee , Min Byoung‐Hoon , Kim Yong‐Hee , Shin Jun‐Seop , Kim Jong‐Min , Kim Jung‐Sik , Nam Hye‐Young , Lee Won‐Woo , Park Chung‐Gyu 
Published: July 2016

AbstractBackgroundRecent progress in xenotransplantation of porcine islets to non‐human primates (NHPs) gives hope for human clinical trials in the near future. Thus, implementation of an appropriate monitoring method to detect the development of detrimental porcine antigen‐specific cellular immune responses is necessary. The enzyme‐linked immunospot (ELISpot) assay has been widely used to monitor antigen‐specific alloreactive T‐cell responses in humans; however, the utility of porcine islet‐specific ELISpot assay has not yet been thoroughly evaluated for pig‐to‐NHPs intraportal islet xenotransplantation.MethodsThe optimal ELISpot assay conditions, including the number of responder and stimulator cells and the provision of costimulation, were determined. Then, ELISpot assays were conducted on serial stocks of peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) samples previously isolated from NHP recipients transplanted with porcine islets. Either splenocytes from donor pigs or pancreatic islets from third‐party pigs were used for antigen stimulation. At the same time, the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ T cells and the percentage of CD4+ FoxP3+ T cells in the peripheral blood were evaluated. Finally, liver biopsy samples were evaluated to assess the immunopathology of the grafts.ResultsThe optimal conditions for the ELISpot assay were defined as 2.5 × 105 responder cells incubated with 5.0 × 105 stimulator cells in 96‐well, flat‐bottom plates without further costimulation. Using donor splenocytes as stimulators, a serial interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ) ELISpot assay with PBMCs from the monkeys with prolonged porcine islet grafts (>180 days) demonstrated that the number of donor antigen‐specific IFN‐γ‐producing cells significantly increased upon overt graft rejection. However, use of third‐party porcine islets as stimulators did not reflect graft rejection, suggesting that the use of donor‐specific PBMCs, and not tissue (porcine islet)‐specific cells, as stimulators could better serve the purpose of this assay in adult porcine islet transplantation. IFN‐γ spot number was neither influenced by the peripheral blood CD4+/CD8+ T‐cell ratio nor the percentage of CD4+FoxP3+ T cells. Finally, in cases of overt graft rejection, the number of IFN‐γ spots and the graft‐infiltrating T cells in biopsied liver samples increased simultaneously.ConclusionUse of PBMCs in a porcine antigen‐specific IFN‐γ ELISpot assay is a reliable method for monitoring T‐cell‐mediated rejection in pig‐to‐NHP islet xenotransplantation.
Analyzing Roadside Safety Implications of Future Vehicle Designs
Authors: Ruparel Tejas , Yonten Karma , Eskandarian Azim 
Published: July 2016

To meet new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards, future vehicles are expected to be more environmentally friendly and fuel efficient. In addition to introducing innovative manufacturing methods and structural modifications, automobile manufacturers are primarily adopting lightweighting technologies to meet the demands for more fuel efficient vehicles. It is seen from prior research that by focusing on lightweight (LW) designs alone, the average new vehicle could weigh 28% less in 2016 than it does today. Using LW designs is not without its challenges though. These designs represent significantly different dynamic characteristics and crashworthiness response when compared against original designs. Accordingly, it is necessary to evaluate the safety implications of these LW vehicles under impact scenarios with various roadside infrastructures. It is also necessary to ensure that the existing infrastructure can satisfy required safety standards in protecting the occupants under different crash conditions.
In this paper, we adopt Finite Element Method (FEM) for modeling and simulating different crash scenarios in order to evaluate the safety implications of future LW vehicle designs. Baseline (BL) models for three vehicles — Toyota Yaris, Ford Taurus and Chevy Silverado are appropriately LW modeled with 15% (LW15) and 25% (LW25) reduction in weight, whilst maintaining structural stiffness and Center of Gravity. Numerical simulations are then performed for a 25° impact angle against three common roadside infrastructures — Concrete median barrier, Strong post W-beam guardrail and W-beam transition barrier at three different speeds — 50, 70 and 100 km/hr. The goal is to conduct a matrix of simulations in order to provide comprehensive and relative safety assessment. Barrier performance is then gauged in accordance to the MASH (Manual for Assessing Safety Hardware) [1] criteria wherein the metrics take into account evaluation factors such as structural adequacy and occupant risk.
Rapid Bedside Inactivation of Ebola Virus for Safe Nucleic Acid Tests
Authors: Rosenstierne Maiken Worsøe , Karlberg Helen , Bragstad Karoline , Lindegren Gunnel , Stoltz Malin Lundahl , Salata Cristiano , Kran Anne-Marte Bakken , Dudman Susanne Gjeruldsen , Mirazimi Ali , Fomsgaard Anders 
Published: July 2016

ABSTRACT
Rapid bedside inactivation of Ebola virus would be a solution for the safety of medical and technical staff, risk containment, sample transport, and high-throughput or rapid diagnostic testing during an outbreak. We show that the commercially available Magna Pure lysis/binding buffer used for nucleic acid extraction inactivates Ebola virus. A rapid bedside inactivation method for nucleic acid tests is obtained by simply adding Magna Pure lysis/binding buffer directly into vacuum blood collection EDTA tubes using a thin needle and syringe prior to sampling. The ready-to-use inactivation vacuum tubes are stable for more than 4 months, and Ebola virus RNA is preserved in the Magna Pure lysis/binding buffer for at least 5 weeks independent of the storage temperature. We also show that Ebola virus RNA can be manually extracted from Magna Pure lysis/binding buffer-inactivated samples using the QIAamp viral RNA minikit. We present an easy and convenient method for bedside inactivation using available blood collection vacuum tubes and reagents. We propose to use this simple method for fast, safe, and easy bedside inactivation of Ebola virus for safe transport and routine nucleic acid detection.
The Expanding Landscape of Moonlighting Proteins in Yeasts
Authors: Gancedo Carlos , Flores Carmen-Lisset , Gancedo Juana M. 
Published: July 2016

SUMMARY
Moonlighting proteins are multifunctional proteins that participate in unrelated biological processes and that are not the result of gene fusion. A certain number of these proteins have been characterized in yeasts, and the easy genetic manipulation of these microorganisms has been useful for a thorough analysis of some cases of moonlighting. As the awareness of the moonlighting phenomenon has increased, a growing number of these proteins are being uncovered. In this review, we present a crop of newly identified moonlighting proteins from yeasts and discuss the experimental evidence that qualifies them to be classified as such. The variety of moonlighting functions encompassed by the proteins considered extends from control of transcription to DNA repair or binding to plasminogen. We also discuss several questions pertaining to the moonlighting condition in general. The cases presented show that yeasts are important organisms to be used as tools to understand different aspects of moonlighting proteins.
Gut microbiota associated with HIV infection is significantly enriched in bacteria tolerant to oxygen
Authors: Dubourg Grégory , Lagier Jean-Christophe , Hüe Sophie , Surenaud Mathieu , Bachar Dipankar , Robert Catherine , Michelle Caroline , Ravaux Isabelle , Mokhtari Saadia , Million Matthieu , Stein Andreas , Brouqui Philippe , Levy Yves , Raoult Didier 
Published: July 2016

ObjectivesGut microbiota modifications occurring during HIV infection have recently been associated with inflammation and microbial translocation. However, discrepancies between studies justified a comprehensive analysis performed on a large sample size.Design and methodsIn a case–control study, next-generation sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene was applied to the faecal microbiota of 31 HIV-infected patients, of whom 18 were treated with antiretroviral treatment (ART), compared with 27 healthy controls. 21 sera samples from HIV-infected patients and 7 sera samples from control participants were used to test the presence of 25 markers of inflammation and/or immune activation.ResultsDiversity was significantly reduced in HIV individuals when compared with controls and was not restored in the ART group. The relative abundance of several members of Ruminococcaceae such asFaecalibacterium prausnitziiwas critically less abundant in the HIV-infected group and inversely correlated with inflammation/immune activation markers. Members of Enterobacteriaceae and Enterococcaceae were found to be enriched and positively correlated with these markers. There were significantly more aerotolerant species enriched in HIV samples (42/52 species, 80.8%) when compared with the control group (14/87 species, 16.1%; χ2test, p<10−5, conditional maximum-likelihood estimate (CMLE) OR=21.9).ConclusionsImbalance between aerobic and anaerobic flora observed in HIV faecal microbiota could be a consequence of the gut impairment classically observed in HIV infection via the production of oxygen. Overgrowth of proinflammatory aerobic species during HIV infection raises the question of antioxidant supplementation, such as vitamin C, E orN-acetylcysteine.
Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial to test the effectiveness of providing information on childbirth and postnatal period to partners of pregnant women
Authors: Takehara Kenji , Okamura Makoto , Sugiura Naomi , Suto Maiko , Sasaki Hatoko , Mori Rintaro 
Published: July 2016

IntroductionThe objective of this study is to investigate the effect of the distribution of a booklet providing information to fathers during their partners' pregnancies on fathers' and mothers' postpartum mental health and quality of life (QOL), as well as on fathers' childcare participation and living situations.Methods and analysisThis randomised controlled trial will comprise 554 couples consisting of pregnant women due to give birth at an obstetric institution in Aichi Prefecture, Japan and their partners. Participants will be recruited during prenatal check-ups in the third trimester, and those who provide written consent will be allocated randomly to an intervention and a control group. The pregnant women's partners allocated to the intervention group will be given a booklet written for men containing information on childbirth and postnatal period. Its content will include matters such as what preparations the partner should make before birth and tips for housework and childcare as well as how to prevent unintentional injury to the baby. The control group will not receive any intervention. A baseline survey in the third trimester and follow-up surveys at 1 and 3 months post partum will be carried out using self-administered questionnaires. The primary outcome is the proportion of new mothers' partners at risk for paternal depression (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale score ≥8). Secondary outcomes include the risk of postnatal depression in new mothers, QOL of new mothers and their partners, partners' knowledge of and engagement in housework and childcare, marital relations and parenting stress on the part of new mothers.Ethics and disseminationThis study has been approved by the Ethical Committee at the National Center for Child Health and Development, Tokyo, Japan. The results of the study will be widely disseminated as peer-reviewed papers and at international conferences, with the aim of improving public health services in Japan.Trial registration numberUMIN000021475; Pre-results.
External electric field promotes proton transfer in the radical cation of adenine–thymine
Authors: Zhang Guiqing , Xie Shijie 
Published: July 2016

According to [Formula: see text] measurements, it has been predicted that proton transfer would not occur in the radical cation of adenine–thymine (A:T). However, recent theoretical calculations indicate that proton transfer takes place in the base pair in water below the room temperature. We have performed simulations of proton transfer in the cation of B-DNA stack composed of 10 A:T base pairs in water from 20 K to 300 K. Proton transfer occurs below the room temperature, meanwhile it could also be observed at the room temperature under the external electric field. Another case that interests us is that proton transfer bounces back after [Formula: see text][Formula: see text]300 fs from the appearance of proton transfer at low temperatures.
Realistic Projection on Casual Dual-Planar Surfaces with Global Illumination Compensation
Authors: Ladha Shamsuddin N. , Smith-Miles Kate , Chandran Sharat 
Published: July 2016

Projectors are deployed in increasingly demanding environments. The fidelity of the projected image as seen by a user is compromised when projectors are deployed in dual-planar environments (e.g. corner of a room or an office cubicle), thereby diminishing the richness of the user experience. There are many reasons for this. The focus of this paper is to compensate for the global illumination effects due to inter-reflection of light. In the process we also correct geometry distortion. Our system is built from off-the-shelf components and easily deployable without any elaborated setup. In this paper, we describe two complementary methods to compensate for global illumination effects in dual-planar environments. Our methods are based on the systematic adaptation and interpretation of the classical radiosity equation in the image domain. The technique neither assumes nor computes 3D scene geometry, relying on an implicit inference. The system is calibrated in an off-line mode once; in our first method, corrected images and video are computed in real time, and in our second method, a richer scene is offered with a modest increase in computational time. The corrected images when projected have better contrast and are more appealing to the user.
Reversal of Chemoresistance in Ovarian Cancer by Co-Delivery of a P-Glycoprotein Inhibitor and Paclitaxel in a Liposomal Platform
Authors: Zhang Yilin , Sriraman Shravan Kumar , Kenny Hilary A. , Luther Ed , Torchilin Vladimir , Lengyel Ernst 
Published: July 2016

AbstractThe overexpression of permeability-glycoprotein (P-gp), an ABC transporter involved in the cellular exclusion of chemotherapeutic drugs, is a major factor in paclitaxel-resistant ovarian cancer. However, in clinical trials, co-administration of P-gp inhibitors and anticancer drugs has not resulted in the efficient reversal of drug resistance. To improve administration, we encapsulated the third-generation P-gp inhibitor tariquidar (XR-9576, XR), alone or in combination with paclitaxel (PCT) in liposomes (LP). After optimization, the liposomes demonstrated favorable physicochemical properties and the ability to reverse chemoresistance in experiments using chemosensitive/chemoresistant ovarian cancer cell line pairs. Analyzing publicly available datasets, we found that overexpression of P-gp in ovarian cancer is associated with a shorter progression-free and overall survival. In vitro, LP(XR) significantly increased the cellular retention of rhodamine 123, a P-gp substrate. LP(XR,PCT) synergistically inhibited cell viability, blocked proliferation, and caused G2–M arrest in paclitaxel-resistant SKOV3-TR and HeyA8-MDR cell lines overexpressing P-gp. Holographic imaging cytometry revealed that LP(XR,PCT) treatment of SKOV3-TR cells induced almost complete mitotic arrest, whereas laser scanning cytometry showed that the treatment induced apoptosis. In proof-of-concept preclinical studies, LP(XR,PCT), when compared with LP(PCT), significantly reduced tumor weight (43.2% vs. 16.9%, P = 0.0007) and number of metastases (44.4% vs. 2.8%, P = 0.012) in mice bearing orthotopic HeyA8-MDR ovarian tumors. In the xenografts, LP(XR,PCT) efficiently induced apoptosis and impaired proliferation. Our findings suggest that co-delivery of a P-gp inhibitor and paclitaxel using a liposomal platform can sensitize paclitaxel-resistant ovarian cancer cells to paclitaxel. LP(XR,PCT) should be considered for clinical testing in patients with P-gp–overexpressing tumors. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(10); 2282–93. ©2016 AACR.