bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Trans-translation is essential in the human pathogen Legionella pneumophila
Authors: Brunel Romain , Charpentier Xavier 
Published: November 2016

AbstractTrans-translation is a ubiquitous bacterial mechanism for ribosome rescue in the event of translation stalling. Although trans-translation is not essential in several bacterial species, it has been found essential for viability or virulence in a wide range of pathogens. We describe here that trans-translation is essential in the human pathogen Legionella pneumophila, the etiologic agent of Legionnaire’s disease (LD), a severe form of nosocomial and community-acquired pneumonia. The ssrA gene coding for tmRNA, the key component of trans-translation, could not be deleted in L. pneumophila. To circumvent this and analyse the consequences of impaired trans-translation, we placed ssrA under the control of a chemical inducer. Phenotypes associated with the inhibition of ssrA expression include growth arrest in rich medium, hampered cell division, and hindered ability to infect eukaryotic cells (amoebae and human macrophages). LD is often associated with failure of antibiotic treatment and death (>10% of clinical cases). Decreasing tmRNA levels led to significantly higher sensitivity to ribosome-targeting antibiotics, including to erythromycin. We also detected a higher sensitivity to the transcription inhibitor rifampicin. Both antibiotics are recommended treatments for LD. Thus, interfering with trans-translation may not only halt the infection, but could also potentiate the recommended therapeutic treatments of LD.
Distribution of carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus in coastal wetland soil related land use in the Modern Yellow River Delta
Authors: Yu Junbao , Zhan Chao , Li Yunzhao , Zhou Di , Fu Yuqin , Chu Xiaojing , Xing Qinghui , Han Guangxuan , Wang Guangmei , Guan Bo , Wang Qing 
Published: November 2016

AbstractThe delivery and distribution of nutrients in coastal wetland ecosystems is much related to the land use. The spatial variations of TOC, TN, NH4+-N, NO3−-N and TP and associated soil salinity with depth in 9 kinds land uses in coastal zone of the modern Yellow River Delta (YRD) was evaluated based on monitoring data in field from 2009 to 2015. The results showed that the average contents of soil TOC, TN, NO3−-N, NH4+-N and TP were 4.21 ± 2.40 g kg−1, 375.91 ± 213.44, 5.36 ± 9.59 and 7.20 ± 5.58 and 591.27 ± 91.16 mg kg−1, respectively. The high N and C contents were found in cropland in southern part and low values in natural wetland, while TP was relatively stable both in profiles and in different land uses. The land use, land formation age and salinity were important factors influencing distributions of TOC and N. Higher contents of TOC and N were observed in older formation age lands in whole study region, while the opposite regulation were found in new-born natural wetland, indicating that the anthropogenic activities could greatly alter the original distribution regulations of nutrients in coastal natural wetlands by changing the regional land use.
A social contagious model of the obesity epidemic
Authors: Huang He , Yan Zhijun , Chen Yahong , Liu Fangyan 
Published: November 2016

AbstractObesity has been recognized as a global epidemic by WHO, followed by many empirical evidences to prove its infectiousness. However, the inter-person spreading dynamics of obesity are seldom studied. A distinguishing feature of the obesity epidemic is that it is driven by a social contagion process which cannot be perfectly described by the infectious disease models. In this paper, we propose a novel belief decision model based on the famous Dempster-Shafer theory of evidence to model obesity epidemic as the competing spread of two obesity-related behaviors: physical inactivity and physical activity. The transition of health states is described by an SIS model. Results reveal the existence of obesity epidemic threshold, above which obesity is quickly eradicated. When increasing the fading level of information spread, enlarging the clustering of initial obese seeds, or introducing small-world characteristics into the network topology, the threshold is easily met. Social discrimination against the obese people plays completely different roles in two cases: on one hand, when obesity cannot be eradicated, social discrimination can reduce the number of obese people; on the other hand, when obesity is eradicable, social discrimination may instead cause it breaking out.
Where is iron in erionite? A multidisciplinary study on fibrous erionite-Na from Jersey (Nevada, USA)
Authors: Gualtieri Alessandro F. , Gandolfi Nicola Bursi , Pollastri Simone , Pollok Kilian , Langenhorst Falko 
Published: November 2016

AbstractFibrous erionite is a mineral fibre of great concern but to date mechanisms by which it induces cyto- and geno-toxic damage, and especially the role of iron associated to this zeolite species, remain poorly understood. One of the reasons is that we still don’t know exactly where iron is in natural erionite. This work is focused on fibrous erionite-Na from Jersey (Nevada, USA) and attempts to draw a general model of occurrence of iron in erionite and relationship with toxicity mechanisms. It was found that iron is present as 6-fold coordinated Fe3+ not part of the zeolite structure. The heterogeneous nature of the sample was revealed as receptacle of different iron-bearing impurities (amorphous iron-rich nanoparticles, micro-particles of iron oxides/hydroxides, and flakes of nontronite). If iron is not part of the structure, its role should be considered irrelevant for erionite toxicity, and other factors like biopersistence should be invoked. An alternative perspective to the proposed model is that iron rich nano-particles and nontronite dissolve in the intracellular acidic environment, leaving a residue of iron atoms at specific surface sites anchored to the windows of the zeolite channels. These sites may be active later as low nuclearity groups.
Gaussian entanglement generation from coherence using beam-splitters
Authors: Wang Zhong-Xiao , Wang Shuhao , Ma Teng , Wang Tie-Jun , Wang Chuan 
Published: November 2016

AbstractThe generation and quantification of quantum entanglement is crucial for quantum information processing. Here we study the transition of Gaussian correlation under the effect of linear optical beam-splitters. We find the single-mode Gaussian coherence acts as the resource in generating Gaussian entanglement for two squeezed states as the input states. With the help of consecutive beam-splitters, single-mode coherence and quantum entanglement can be converted to each other. Our results reveal that by using finite number of beam-splitters, it is possible to extract all the entanglement from the single-mode coherence even if the entanglement is wiped out before each beam-splitter.
Pancreatic Mesenchyme Regulates Islet Cellular Composition in a Patched/Hedgehog-Dependent Manner
Authors: Hibsher Daniel , Epshtein Alona , Oren Nufar , Landsman Limor 
Published: November 2016

AbstractPancreas development requires restrained Hedgehog (Hh) signaling activation. While deregulated Hh signaling in the pancreatic mesenchyme has been long suggested to be detrimental for proper organogenesis, this association was not directly shown. Here, we analyzed the contribution of mesenchymal Hh signaling to pancreas development. To increase Hh signaling in the pancreatic mesenchyme of mouse embryos, we deleted Patched1 (Ptch1) in these cells. Our findings indicate that deregulated Hh signaling in mesenchymal cells was sufficient to impair pancreas development, affecting both endocrine and exocrine cells. Notably, transgenic embryos displayed disrupted islet cellular composition and morphology, with a reduced β-cell portion. Our results indicate that the cell-specific growth rates of α- and β-cell populations, found during normal development, require regulated mesenchymal Hh signaling. In addition, we detected hyperplasia of mesenchymal cells upon elevated Hh signaling, accompanied by them acquiring smooth-muscle like phenotype. By specifically manipulating mesenchymal cells, our findings provide direct evidence for the non-autonomous roles of the Hh pathway in pancreatic epithelium development. To conclude, we directly show that regulated mesenchymal Hh signaling is required for pancreas organogenesis and establishment of its proper cellular composition.
Climate-driven increase of natural wetland methane emissions offset by human-induced wetland reduction in China over the past three decades
Authors: Zhu Qiuan , Peng Changhui , Liu Jinxun , Jiang Hong , Fang Xiuqin , Chen Huai , Niu Zhenguo , Gong Peng , Lin Guanghui , Wang Meng , Wang Han , Yang Yanzheng , Chang Jie , Ge Ying , Xiang Wenhua , Deng Xiangwen , He Jin-Sheng 
Published: November 2016

AbstractBoth anthropogenic activities and climate change can affect the biogeochemical processes of natural wetland methanogenesis. Quantifying possible impacts of changing climate and wetland area on wetland methane (CH4) emissions in China is important for improving our knowledge on CH4 budgets locally and globally. However, their respective and combined effects are uncertain. We incorporated changes in wetland area derived from remote sensing into a dynamic CH4 model to quantify the human and climate change induced contributions to natural wetland CH4 emissions in China over the past three decades. Here we found that human-induced wetland loss contributed 34.3% to the CH4 emissions reduction (0.92 TgCH4), and climate change contributed 20.4% to the CH4 emissions increase (0.31 TgCH4), suggesting that decreasing CH4 emissions due to human-induced wetland reductions has offset the increasing climate-driven CH4 emissions. With climate change only, temperature was a dominant controlling factor for wetland CH4 emissions in the northeast (high latitude) and Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (high altitude) regions, whereas precipitation had a considerable influence in relative arid north China. The inevitable uncertainties caused by the asynchronous for different regions or periods due to inter-annual or seasonal variations among remote sensing images should be considered in the wetland CH4 emissions estimation.
Investigation of Cell-Substrate Adhesion Properties of Living Chondrocyte by Measuring Adhesive Shear Force and Detachment Using AFM and Inverse FEA
Authors: Nguyen Trung Dung , Gu YuanTong 
Published: November 2016

AbstractIt is well-known that cell adhesion is important in many biological processes such as cell migration and proliferation. A better understanding of the cell adhesion process will shed insight into these cellular biological responses as well as cell adhesion-related diseases treatment. However, there is little research which has attempted to investigate the process of cell adhesion and its mechanism. Thus, this paper aims to study the time-dependent adhesion properties of single living chondrocytes using an advanced coupled experimental-numerical approach. Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) tips will be used to apply lateral forces to detach chondrocytes that are seeded for three different periods. An advanced Finite Element Analysis (FEA) model combining porohyperelastic (PHE) constitutive model and cohesive zone formulation is developed to explore the mechanism of adhesion. The results revealed that the cells can resist normal traction better than tangential traction in the beginning of adhesion. This is when the cell adhesion molecules establish early attachment to the substrates. After that when the cells are spreading, stress fiber bundles generate tangential traction on the substrate to form strong adhesion. Both simulation and experimental results agree well with each other, providing a powerful tool to study the cellular adhesion process.
Study of Various Prognostic Factors Affecting Successful Myringoplasty in a Tertiary Care Centre
Authors: Dangol Kripa , Shrivastav Rakesh 
Published: November 2016

Introduction Myringoplasty is a commonly performed otologic surgery.
Objectives The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of prognostic factors like - size, site of perforation, status of operating ear, approach, status of contralateral ear, experience of surgeon, primary or revision myringoplasty, and smoking in graft uptake, as well as to evaluate the hearing results after myringoplasty.
Methods This is a prospective study. We included in our sample patients aged over 13 years with a Tubotympanic Chronic Otitis Media diagnosis. The patients underwent preoperative evaluation and Pure Tone Audiogram within one week prior to surgery. We performed myringoplasty using temporalis fascia graft with conventional underlay technique. We evaluated postoperative graft uptake and various factors related to the study and did a Pure Tone Audiogram at one year after surgery.
Results The graft uptake rate after myringoplasty was 83.1% at one year in 219 patients. Graft uptake with normal opposite ear was 88.2%, and with Tubotympanic Chronic Otitis Media was 75% (statistically significant). We found no statistically significant difference in graft uptake results with other factors. We calculated hearing results of 132 patients with normal ossicular status who underwent myringoplasty. The average Air Conduction Threshold improvement was 11.44dB (p < 0.001) and the average Air-Bone Gap closure was 8.89dB, highly statistically significant (p < 0.001).
Conclusion Diseased contralateral ear was a statistically significant poor prognostic factor for graft uptake after myringoplasty. Other factors studied were not statistically significant determining factor for graft uptake. Hearing improves significantly after myringoplasty if the ossicles are normal.
Catastrophic Failure of Regenerex Tibial Components: A Case Series
Authors: Stormont Daniel , Stormont Gavin 
Published: November 2016

AbstractThe aim of this study was to analyze short-term metal failures in well-placed Signature-guided Regenerex (Zimmer Biomet, Warsaw, IN) tibial components in a limited patient series. A retrospective, consecutive, nonrandomized, unblinded study from a limited cohort of young active osteoarthritis patients was conducted. All cases received a Regenerex tibial component which we evaluated for metal failure. Patients met the then current indications from the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services Guidelines for knee replacement. Age, body mass index (BMI),and gender were compared between Regenerex and concurrent non-Regenerex knee arthroplasties. We identified a 4.7% (2 of 43) fracture rate in our Regenerex tibia replacements. Fractures occurred after 17 and 37 months, with a mean follow-up of 65 months (44–77). No statistical difference was seen in age or BMI between the fracture and nonfracture groups. Regenerex compared with standard arthroplasty patients were younger and predominantly male. Our inability to identify our fractures in the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reporting site is concerning, suggesting additional cases may be unreported. A short-term Regenerex tibial fracture rate of 4.7% is unacceptably high. Inability to identify our fractures on the FDA Web site is a system failure, suggesting additional component fractures may be unreported.
Reliability, Concurrent Validity, and Minimal Detectable Change for iPhone Goniometer App in Assessing Knee Range of Motion
Authors: Barker Katherine , Bowman Brett , Galloway Heather , Oliashirazi Nicole , Oliashirazi Ali , Mehta Saurabh 
Published: November 2016

AbstractMuch of the published works assessing the reliability of smartphone goniometer apps (SG) have poor generalizability since the reliability was assessed in healthy subjects. No research has established the values for standard error of measurement (SEM) or minimal detectable change (MDC) which have greater clinical utility to contextualize the range of motion (ROM) assessed using the SG. This research examined the test–retest reproducibility, concurrent validity, SEM, and MDC values for the iPhone goniometer app (i-Goni; June Software Inc., v.1.1, San Francisco, CA) in assessing knee ROM in patients with knee osteoarthritis or those after total knee replacement. A total of 60 participants underwent data collection which included the assessment of active knee ROM using the i-Goni and the universal goniometer (UG; EZ Read Jamar Goniometer, Patterson Medical, Warrenville, IL), knee muscle strength, and assessment of pain and lower extremity disability using quadruple numeric pain rating scale (Q-NPRS) and lower extremity functional scale (LEFS), respectively. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were calculated to assess the reproducibility of the knee ROM assessed using the i-Goni and UG. Bland and Altman technique examined the agreement between these knee ROM. The SEM and MDC values were calculated for i-Goni assessed knee ROM to characterize the error in a single score and the index of true change, respectively. Pearson correlation coefficient examined concurrent relationships between the i-Goni and other measures. The ICC values for the knee flexion/extension ROM were superior for i-Goni (0.97/0.94) compared with the UG (0.95/0.87). The SEM values were smaller for i-Goni assessed knee flexion/extension (2.72/1.18 degrees) compared with UG assessed knee flexion/extension (3.41/1.62 degrees). Similarly, the MDC values were smaller for both these ROM for the i-Goni (6.3 and 2.72 degrees) suggesting smaller change required to infer true change in knee ROM. The i-Goni assessed knee ROM showed expected concurrent relationships with UG, knee muscle strength, Q-NPRS, and the LEFS. In conclusion, the i-Goni demonstrated superior reproducibility with smaller measurement error compared with UG in assessing knee ROM in the recruited cohort. Future research can expand the inquiry for assessing the reliability of the i-Goni to other joints.
Determination of Habitat Requirements for Apache Trout
Authors: Petre Sally J. , Bonar Scott A. 
Published: November 2016

AbstractThe Apache Trout Oncorhynchus apache, a salmonid endemic to east‐central Arizona, is currently listed as threatened under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. Establishing and maintaining recovery streams for Apache Trout and other endemic species requires determination of their specific habitat requirements. We built upon previous studies of Apache Trout habitat by defining both stream‐specific and generalized optimal and suitable ranges of habitat criteria in three streams located in the White Mountains of Arizona. Habitat criteria were measured at the time thought to be most limiting to juvenile and adult life stages, the summer base flow period. Based on the combined results from three streams, we found that Apache Trout use relatively deep (optimal range = 0.15–0.32 m; suitable range = 0.032–0.470 m) pools with slow stream velocities (suitable range = 0.00–0.22 m/s), gravel or smaller substrate (suitable range = 0.13–2.0 [Wentworth scale]), overhead cover (suitable range = 26–88%), and instream cover (large woody debris and undercut banks were occupied at higher rates than other instream cover types). Fish were captured at cool to moderate temperatures (suitable range = 10.4–21.1°C) in streams with relatively low maximum seasonal temperatures (optimal range = 20.1–22.9°C; suitable range = 17.1–25.9°C). Multiple logistic regression generally confirmed the importance of these variables for predicting the presence of Apache Trout. All measured variables except mean velocity were significant predictors in our model. Understanding habitat needs is necessary in managing for persistence, recolonization, and recruitment of Apache Trout. Management strategies such as fencing areas to restrict ungulate use and grazing and planting native riparian vegetation might favor Apache Trout persistence and recolonization by providing overhead cover and large woody debris to form pools and instream cover, shading streams and lowering temperatures.Received January 26, 2016; accepted August 13, 2016 Published online November 28, 2016
Estimating the Effects of Environmental Variables and Gear Type on the Detection and Occupancy of Large-River Fishes in a Standardized Sampling Program Using Multiseason Bayesian Mixture Models
Authors: Gibson-Reinemer Daniel K. , Stewart David R. , Fritts Mark W. , DeBoer Jason A. , Casper Andrew F. 
Published: November 2016

Abstract
Sampling in non-wadeable rivers presents methodological challenges for monitoring fish species. Changing environmental conditions may affect the ability to accurately capture species (i.e., detection) and consequently may lead to inappropriate inferences on occupancy rates. We used hierarchical Bayesian multiseason mixture models to estimate occupancy and detection of 41 of 52 fish species in the Kankakee River, Illinois, by using data from a standardized monitoring program. Fish were sampled with AC boat electrofishing and shoreline seining over 7 years. Some centrarchids (e.g., Smallmouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu) were efficiently sampled by boat electrofishing, whereas most other species had low detection probabilities. Moderate changes in environmental conditions, such as water velocity and temperature, produced moderate changes in detection and occupancy. Generally, when species had high detection probabilities, changes in environmental conditions produced relatively small changes in the estimated detection probabilities. Our results also suggested that some sport fishes collected from rivers with only moderate environmental fluctuations are unlikely to produce strongly biased estimates of detection and occupancy among years. However, many species had detection probabilities that were low, imprecisely estimated, or both. Overall, we demonstrate that long-term fisheries monitoring can effectively detect some species at levels that are often relevant for management, but assessments of species with lower and more uncertain detection probabilities may not provide adequate information for management decisions. We recommend the use of sampling designs that allow the estimation of both detection and occupancy.
Received November 19, 2015; accepted June 21, 2016 Published online November 28, 2016
The ARP 2/3 complex mediates endothelial barrier function and recovery
Authors: Belvitch Patrick , Brown Mary E. , Brinley Brittany N. , Letsiou Eleftheria , Rizzo Alicia N. , Garcia Joe G.N. , Dudek Steven M. 
Published: November 2016

Pulmonary endothelial cell (EC) barrier dysfunction and recovery is critical to the pathophysiology of acute respiratory distress syndrome. Cytoskeletal and subsequent cell membrane dynamics play a key mechanistic role in determination of EC barrier integrity. Here, we characterizAQe the actin related protein 2/3 (Arp 2/3) complex, a regulator of peripheral branched actin polymerization, in human pulmonary EC barrier function through studies of transendothelial electrical resistance (TER), intercellular gap formation, peripheral cytoskeletal structures and lamellipodia. Compared to control, Arp 2/3 inhibition with the small molecule inhibitor CK‐666 results in a reduction of baseline barrier function (1,241 ± 53 vs 988 ± 64 ohm; p < 0.01), S1P‐induced barrier enhancement and delayed recovery of barrier function after thrombin (143 ± 14 vs 93 ± 6 min; p < 0.01). Functional changes of Arp 2/3 inhibition on barrier integrity are associated temporally with increased intercellular gap area at baseline (0.456 ± 0.02 vs 0.299 ± 0.02; p < 0.05) and thirty minutes after thrombin (0.885 ± 0.03 vs 0.754 ± 0.03; p < 0.05). Immunofluorescent microscopy reveals reduced lamellipodia formation after S1P and during thrombin recovery in Arp 2/3 inhibited cells. Individual lamellipodia demonstrate reduced depth following Arp 2/3 inhibition vs vehicle at baseline (1.83 ± 0.41 vs 2.55 ± 0.46 µm; p < 0.05) and thirty minutes after S1P treatment (1.53 ± 0.37 vs 2.09 ± 0.36 µm; p < 0.05). These results establish a critical role for Arp 2/3 activity in determination of pulmonary endothelial barrier function and recovery through formation of EC lamellipodia and closure of intercellular gaps.