bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Genetic diversity, seasonality and transmission network of human metapneumovirus: identification of a unique sub-lineage of the fusion and attachment genes
Authors: Chow Wei Zhen , Chan Yoke Fun , Oong Xiang Yong , Ng Liang Jie , Nor’E Siti Sarah , Ng Kim Tien , Chan Kok Gan , Hanafi Nik Sherina , Pang Yong Kek , Kamarulzaman Adeeba , Tee Kok Keng 
Published: June 2016

AbstractHuman metapneumovirus (HMPV) is an important viral respiratory pathogen worldwide. Current knowledge regarding the genetic diversity, seasonality and transmission dynamics of HMPV among adults and children living in tropical climate remains limited. HMPV prevailed at 2.2% (n = 86/3,935) among individuals presented with acute respiratory tract infections in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia between 2012 and 2014. Seasonal peaks were observed during the northeast monsoon season (November–April) and correlated with higher relative humidity and number of rainy days (P < 0.05). Phylogenetic analysis of the fusion and attachment genes identified the co-circulation of three known HMPV sub-lineages, A2b and B1 (30.2% each, 26/86) and B2 (20.9%, 18/86), with genotype shift from sub-lineage B1 to A2b observed in 2013. Interestingly, a previously unrecognized sub-lineage of A2 was identified in 18.6% (16/86) of the population. Using a custom script for network construction based on the TN93 pairwise genetic distance, we identified up to nine HMPV transmission clusters circulating as multiple sub-epidemics. Although no apparent major outbreak was observed, the increased frequency of transmission clusters (dyads) during seasonal peaks suggests the potential roles of transmission clusters in driving the spread of HMPV. Our findings provide essential information for therapeutic research, prevention strategies and disease outbreak monitoring of HMPV.
High-responsivity vertical-illumination Si/Ge uni-traveling-carrier photodiodes based on silicon-on-insulator substrate
Authors: Li Chong , Xue ChunLai , Liu Zhi , Cong Hui , Cheng Buwen , Hu Zonghai , Guo Xia , Liu Wuming 
Published: June 2016

AbstractSi/Ge uni-traveling carrier photodiodes exhibit higher output current when space-charge effect is overcome and the thermal effects is suppressed. High current is beneficial for increasing the dynamic range of various microwave photonic systems and simplifying high-bit-rate digital receivers in many applications. From the point of view of packaging, detectors with vertical-illumination configuration can be easily handled by pick-and-place tools and are a popular choice for making photo-receiver modules. However, vertical-illumination Si/Ge uni-traveling carrier (UTC) devices suffer from inter-constraint between high speed and high responsivity. Here, we report a high responsivity vertical-illumination Si/Ge UTC photodiode based on a silicon-on-insulator substrate. When the transmission of the monolayer anti-reflection coating was maximum, the maximum absorption efficiency of the devices was 1.45 times greater than the silicon substrate owing to constructive interference. The Si/Ge UTC photodiode had a dominant responsivity at 1550 nm of 0.18 A/W, a 50% improvement even with a 25% thinner Ge absorption layer.
Integrating landfill bioreactors, partial nitritation and anammox process for methane recovery and nitrogen removal from leachate
Authors: Sun Faqian , Su Xiaomei , Kang Tingting , Wu Songwei , Yuan Mengdong , Zhu Jing , Zhang Xiayun , Xu Fang , Wu Weixiang 
Published: June 2016

AbstractA new process consisting of a landfill bioreactor, partial-nitritation (PN) and the anammox process has been developed for landfill leachate treatment. In this study, the landfill bioreactor exhibited excellent performance in methane-rich biogas recovery, with a specific biogas yield of 0.47 L gas g−1 COD and methane percentages of 53–76%. PN was achieved in the aerobic reactor by high free ammonia (101 ± 83 mg NH3 L−1) inhibition for nitrite-oxidizing bacteria and the desired PN effluent composition (effluent nitrite: ammonium ratio of 1.1 ± 0.3) was controlled by adjusting the alkalinity concentration per unit of ammonium oxidized to approximately 14.3 mg CaCO3 mg−1 N in the influent. The startup of anammox process was successfully achieved with a membrane bioreactor in 160 d and a maximum nitrogen removal rate of 216 mg N L−1 d−1 was attained for real landfill leachate treatment. The quantitative polymerase chain reaction results confirmed that the cell-specific anammox activity was approximately 68–95 fmol N cell−1 d−1, which finally led to the stable operation of the system.
Genetic divergence of enterovirus D68 in China and the United States
Authors: Xiang Zichun , Xie Zhengde , Liu Lulu , Ren Lili , Xiao Yan , Paranhos-Baccalà Gláucia , Wang Jianwei 
Published: June 2016

AbstractThe largest outbreak of human enterovirus 68 (EV-D68) infections associated with severe respiratory illness and neurological complications emerged from the United States in 2014. China reported the circulation of EV-D68 since 2006, but these cases were sporadic and did not display neurological symptoms. Yet viral determinants responsible for the difference in prevalence between China and the U.S. were not clear. We analyzed the genome of 64 reported Chinese EV-D68 strains and found that genogroup replacement has occurred in China since 2006. The six coding mutations (M291T, V341A, T860N, D927N, S1108G and R2005K) associated with neurovirulence reported in American strains were not found in Chinese strains. Moreover, 2014 Chinese strains had a unique R220A mutation in the puff region of VP2 while R220E mutation occurred in other strains. Like other enteroviruses, the loop sequences of the domain X and Y in the 3′-UTR of the Chinese strains are complementary. However, the X loop sequences of the 2014 American strains were not complementary but identical to Y loop sequences. These results indicate that different EV-D68 strains circulated in China and America and the mutations might be responsible for different prevalence. Our findings also provide new evidence for the sequence diversity of EV-D68.
Leptospiral outer membrane protein LipL32 induces inflammation and kidney injury in zebrafish larvae
Authors: Chang Ming-Yang , Cheng Yi-Chuan , Hsu Shen-Hsing , Ma Tsu-Lin , Chou Li-Fang , Hsu Hsiang-Hao , Tian Ya-Chung , Chen Yung-Chang , Sun Yuh-Ju , Hung Cheng-Chieh , Pan Rong-Long , Yang Chih-Wei 
Published: June 2016

AbstractLeptospirosis is an often overlooked cause of acute kidney injury that can lead to multiple organ failure and even death. The principle protein that conserved in many pathogenic leptospires is the outer membrane protein LipL32. However, the role of LipL32 in the pathogenesis of renal injury in leptospirosis is not entirely clear. Here we studied the effects of LipL32 on the developing kidney in zebrafish larvae. Incubation of zebrafish larvae with Leptospira santarosai serovar Shermani induced acute tubular injury predominantly in the proximal pronephric ducts. Furthermore, microinjection of lipl32 mRNA or recombinant LipL32 protein into zebrafish larvae increased macrophage accumulation and disrupted the basolateral location of NA-K-ATPase in pronephric ducts. These changes led to substantial impairment of the pronephric kidney structure. We further demonstrated that morpholino knockdown of tlr2, but not tlr4, reduced the LipL32-induced leukocyte infiltration and kidney injury. These data demonstrate that LipL32 contributes to the renal pathology in leptospirosis and gives some clues to the potential virulence of LipL32. Our results support the use of zebrafish as a model organism for studying the disease mechanism of leptospiral infection. This model might permit the future exploration of the virulence and molecular pathways of different leptospiral outer membrane proteins.
A growing toolbox of techniques for studying β-barrel outer membrane protein folding and biogenesis
Authors: Horne Jim E. , Radford Sheena E. 
Published: June 2016

Great strides into understanding protein folding have been made since the seminal work of Anfinsen over 40 years ago, but progress in the study of membrane protein folding has lagged behind that of their water soluble counterparts. Researchers in these fields continue to turn to more advanced techniques such as NMR, mass spectrometry, molecular dynamics (MD) and single molecule methods to interrogate how proteins fold. Our understanding of β-barrel outer membrane protein (OMP) folding has benefited from these advances in the last decade. This class of proteins must traverse the periplasm and then insert into an asymmetric lipid membrane in the absence of a chemical energy source. In this review we discuss old, new and emerging techniques used to examine the process of OMP folding and biogenesis in vitro and describe some of the insights and new questions these techniques have revealed.
Seeing the Talker's Face Improves Free Recall of Speech for Young Adults With Normal Hearing but Not Older Adults With Hearing Loss
Authors: Rudner Mary , Mishra Sushmit , Stenfelt Stefan , Lunner Thomas , Rönnberg Jerker 
Published: June 2016

Purpose
Seeing the talker's face improves speech understanding in noise, possibly releasing resources for cognitive processing. We investigated whether it improves free recall of spoken two-digit numbers.

Method
Twenty younger adults with normal hearing and 24 older adults with hearing loss listened to and subsequently recalled lists of 13 two-digit numbers, with alternating male and female talkers. Lists were presented in quiet as well as in stationary and speech-like noise at a signal-to-noise ratio giving approximately 90% intelligibility. Amplification compensated for loss of audibility.

Results
Seeing the talker's face improved free recall performance for the younger but not the older group. Poorer performance in background noise was contingent on individual differences in working memory capacity. The effect of seeing the talker's face did not differ in quiet and noise.

Conclusions
We have argued that the absence of an effect of seeing the talker's face for older adults with hearing loss may be due to modulation of audiovisual integration mechanisms caused by an interaction between task demands and participant characteristics. In particular, we suggest that executive task demands and interindividual executive skills may play a key role in determining the benefit of seeing the talker's face during a speech-based cognitive task.
Gram-negative prosthetic joint infections managed according to a multidisciplinary standardized approach: risk factors for failure and outcome with and without fluoroquinolones
Authors: Grossi O. , Asseray N. , Bourigault C. , Corvec S. , Valette M. , Navas D. , Happi-Djeukou L. , Touchais S. , Bémer P. , Boutoille D. 
Published: June 2016

Abstract

Objectives
To describe the outcome and risk factors for treatment failure of 76 Gram-negative bacilli (GNB) prosthetic joint infections (PJIs) managed with a curative intent according to a standardized protocol derived from published guidelines.

Methods
We analysed data from all the cases of GNB-PJI treated surgically over an 8 year period. Treatment failure was defined as persistence or recurrence of PJI signs during follow-up, resulting in additional surgery and/or antibiotic administration or death.

Results
Treatment failure within the follow-up period (median = 2.6 years) was observed in 16 of 76 (21.1%) patients. The failure rate was similar whether the patients were treated with fluoroquinolones in the whole cohort (22.4% versus 16.7%, P = 0.75) and after stratification according to the surgical procedure. The low failure rate observed in patients not receiving fluoroquinolones might be explained by the standardized attitude of maintaining intravenous β-lactams throughout treatment duration (median = 90 days). In multivariate analysis, C-reactive protein level ≥175 mg/L was significantly associated with treatment failure (adjusted HR = 7.75, 95% CI = 2.66–22.59, P < 0.0001).

Conclusions
Management according to standardized procedures may improve the prognosis of GNB-PJI. Intravenous β-lactams, continued for 3 months, should be considered an effective alternative to fluoroquinolones.
Yifang Wang: high energy physics in China
Authors: Wang Ling , Poo Mu-ming 
Published: June 2016

Abstract
On 8 March 2012, Yifang Wang, co-spokesperson of the Daya Bay Experiment and Director of Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, announced the discovery of a new type of neutrino oscillation with a surprisingly large mixing angle (θ13), signifying ‘a milestone in neutrino research’. Now his team is heading for a new goal—to determine the neutrino mass hierarchy and to precisely measure oscillation parameters using the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory, which is due for completion in 2020. Neutrinos are fundamental particles that play important roles in both microscopic particle physics and macroscopic universe evolution. The studies on neutrinos, for example, may answer the question why our universe consists of much more matter than antimatter. But this is not an easy task. Though they are one of the most numerous particles in the universe and zip through our planet and bodies all the time, these tiny particles are like ‘ghost’, difficult to be captured. There are three flavors of neutrinos, known as electron neutrino (νe), muon neutrino (νμ), and tau neutrino (ντ), and their flavors could change as they travel through space via quantum interference. This phenomenon is known as neutrino oscillation or neutrino mixing. To determine the absolute mass of each type of neutrino and find out how they mix is very challenging. In a recent interview with NSR in Beijing, Yifang Wang explained how the Daya Bay Experiment on neutrino oscillation not only addressed the frontier problem in particle physics, but also harnessed the talents and existing technology in Chinese physics community. This achievement, Wang reckons, will not be an exception in Chinese high energy physics, when appropriate funding and organization for big science projects could be efficiently realized in the future.
On the stationary and oscillatory modes of triply resonant penetrative convection
Authors: Harfash Akil Jassim , Alshara Ahmed K. 
Published: June 2016

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to explore a model for thermal convection in a plane layer when the density-temperature relation in the buoyancy term is quadratic. A heat source/sink varying in a linear fashion with a vertical height expressed as z was allowed, functioning as a heat sink in an area of the layer and as a heat source in the remainder.

Design/methodology/approach
– First, the authors present the governing equations of motion and derive the associated perturbation equations. Second, the authors introduce the linear and nonlinear analysis of the system. Third, the authors transform the system to velocity-vorticity-potential formulation and introduce a numerical study of the problem in three dimensions.

Findings
– First, the linear instability and nonlinear stability thresholds are derived. Second, the linear instability thresholds accurately predict the onset of instability. Third, the required time to arrive at the steady state increases as Ra tends to RaL
. Fourth, the authors find that the convection has three different interesting patterns.

Originality/value
– With the modernday need for heat transfer or insulation devices in industry, particularly those connected with nanotechnology, the usefulness of a mathematical analysis of such resonance became apparent. Thus, this study is believed to be of value.
Utilizing the L-PSJA for controlling cylindrical wake flow
Authors: Skote Martin , Ibrahim Imran Halimi 
Published: June 2016

Purpose– The cylindrical wake flow is an important part of many engineering applications, including wake turbulence, acoustic noise, and lift/drag forces on bodies. The suppression of von Kármán vortex street (VKS) is an important goal for flow control devices. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approach– The linear plasma synthetic jet actuator (L-PSJA) is utilized as a flow control device to suppress the VKS formation. Different configurations of the device is studied numerically.Findings– Of the 12 configurations that were investigated, five configurations were able to suppress the formation of the VKS.Originality/value– For the first time, the L-PSJA has been shown (through numerical simulations) to be able to suppress VKS.
Boundary layer flow over a moving plate in a flowing fluid considering non-linear radiations
Authors: Mushtaq Ammar , Mustafa M. , Hayat T. , Alsaedi A. 
Published: June 2016

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to consider a laminar two-dimensional incompressible flow of an electrically conducting fluid over a moving flat plate with a parallel free stream.

Design/methodology/approach
– The governing equations are first reduced into self-similar forms and then solved for the numerical solutions by shooting method.

Findings
– The results are compared with the available studies is some special cases and found in excellent agreement. It is noticed that an increase in the magnetic field strength leads to a decrease in the momentum boundary layer thickness and enhancement in the rate of heat transfer from the plate. It is also observed that temperature and heat transfer from the plate increase when radiation effect is strengthened.

Originality/value
– A recently proposed idea of nonlinear radiative heat transfer with Joule heating and viscous dissipation effects is analyzed.
Computation of permeability with Fast Fourier Transform from 3-D digital images of porous microstructures
Authors: Ly Hai Bang , Monchiet Vincent , Grande Daniel 
Published: June 2016

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to present a fully automated numerical tool for computing the effective permeability of porous media from digital images which come from the modern imagery technique.

Design/methodology/approach
– The permeability is obtained by the homogenization process applied to a periodic rigid solid in which the fluid flow is described by the Stokes equations. The unit cell problem is solved by using the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) algorithm, well adapted for the microstructures defined by voxels.

Findings
– Various 3-D examples are considered to show the capacity of the method. First, the case of flow through regular arrays of aligned cylinders or spheres are considered as benchmark problems. Next, the method is applied to some more complex and realistic porous solids obtained with assemblies of overlapping spherical pores having identical or different radii, regularly or randomly distributed within the unit cell.

Originality/value
– The use of FFT allows the resolution of high-dimension problems and open various possibilities for computing the permeability of porous microstructures coming from X-ray microtomography.
Local entropy generation rate through convective heat transfer in tubes with wire coil inserts
Authors: Agrebi Senda , Solano Juan P. , Snoussi Ali , Brahim Ammar Ben 
Published: June 2016

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to present a numerical analysis of the flow and heat transfer in a tube with a wire coil insert. A second law analysis of the results is accounted for, in order to assess the local and overall entropy generation in relation with the increased pressure drop and convective heat transfer. A wire coil with p/D=1.25 and e/D=0.076 is selected as insert device. A Reynolds number range between 100 and 1,000 is investigated, which corresponds to the typical operating regimes in the risers of liquid solar collectors. Different wall heat fluxes and inclination angles allow to analyze the potential impact of mixed convection in the presence of tube inserts.

Design/methodology/approach
– Three-dimensional numerical simulations are performed using a finite-volume solver, assuming laminar flow conditions. Pure water and a mixture of water and propylene-glycol (20 percent) are used as working fluids, with temperature-dependent properties. Fanning friction factor, Nusselt number and local entropy generation results are obtained in the fully developed region.

Findings
– The friction factor results are successfully compared with a well-known experimental correlation for wire coil inserts. The earlier onset of transition is devised at Re
>
300. Nusselt number augmentations between 2.5- and 6-fold are reported with respect to the smooth tube. The mixed convection regime encountered in the smooth tube for the operating conditions investigated is canceled in the wire coiled tube, owing to the opposed effect of the swirl flow induced and the bouyancy forces. Frictional, heat transfer and overall entropy generation rates are computed locally in the fully developed region, allowing to relate these results with the flow structures in the mixed convection smooth tube and in the wire coiled tube. A threefold decrease in the entropy generation rate is reported for tubes with wire coil inserts.

Originality/value
– An holistic understanding of the heat transfer enhancement in tubes with wire coil inserts is provided through the analysis of the flow pattern, Fanning friction factor, Nusselt number and local entropy generation rates. The reduced entropy generation in the enhanced tube serves as a performance criteria to confirm the positive effect of wire coil inserts in heat transfer for the operating regime under investigation, in spite of the increased pressure drop.
Emergency organizations’ diverging perceptions of terrorist attacks
Authors: Holgersson Annelie , Strandh Veronica 
Published: June 2016

Purpose
– The purpose of this paper is to analyse how the police, the rescue services and the emergency medical services perceive the threat of terrorism and preparedness for a terrorist-induced crisis. It also aims to unravel differences among the emergency organizations and to discuss their potential implications for emergency preparedness.

Design/methodology/approach
– Data were collected using a questionnaire distributed to operational personnel from the emergency services in eight Swedish counties; 864 responses were received and analysed.

Findings
– There were significant differences between the police, rescue and ambulance services regarding perceptions of event likelihood, willingness to respond, estimated management capability and level of confidence with tasks to be performed on-scene. Perceived likelihood of events appeared affected by institutional logic; events within their respective domain of responsibility were perceived as more likely. The police stood out in many aspects, with more personnel with experience of violence on duty and a high grading of the probability of terrorist attacks compared to the other organizations. Fewer police had high estimates of their organizations’ management capability and knowledge of tasks on-scene.

Practical implications
– Differences in perspectives of terrorism preparedness and response among the emergency services were shown, highlighting the importance of enabling inter-organizational insights on safety culture, with risk awareness and management strategies, as well as knowledge of the other organizations’ institutional logics and main tasks, so as to achieve an effective, collaborative response to terrorism-induced crises.

Originality/value
– Little research has been conducted comparatively with regard to the emergency services and their perceptions of terrorism-specific threats and preparedness, particularly in the Swedish context.