bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Dynamic interaction between impact melt and fragmented basement at Manicouagan: The suevite connection
Authors: Thompson Lucy M. , Spray John G. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThe interface between impact melt rocks and underlying footwall lithologies within the Manicouagan impact structure is defined by a zone of dynamic mixing (<20 m thick). This zone transitions as a continuum from clast‐free to clast‐bearing impact melt rocks, through melt‐bearing breccias to melt‐free breccias. Field observations; microscopy; and major, trace, and rare earth element analysis indicate that the breccias are derived by blending two endmembers during the impact process: impact melt and brecciated footwall. The product is a basal breccia sequence, which locally includes the rock type referred to as suevite. In this occurrence, the suevite is a submelt sheet variety, in contrast to similar lithologies that are developed atop impact melt sheets, or beyond crater rims. Dynamic mixing between impact melt and basal clastic material at Manicouagan is attributed to the initial high‐speed centrifugal outflow of superheated, low viscosity impact melt over underlying fractured and fragmented footwall, and its centripetal return during the earlier stages of the crater modification process. The interaction of two fluids (melt with a mobilized granular medium) possessing contrasting densities, and moving at different velocities, can facilitate shear instabilities and turbulent mixing that may be characteristic of Kelvin–Helmholtz behavior.
Timing of solid food introduction and association with later childhood overweight and obesity: The IDEFICS study
Authors: Papoutsou Stalo , Savva Savvas C. , Hunsberger Monica , Jilani Hannah , Michels Nathalie , Ahrens Wolfgang , Tornaritis Michael , Veidebaum Toomas , Molnár Dénes , Siani Alfonso , Moreno Luis A. , Hadjigeorgiou Charis ,   on behalf of the IDEFICS consortium
Published: June 2017

AbstractThis study investigated associations between timing of solid food introduction and childhood obesity and explored maternal characteristics influencing early feeding practices. Cross‐sectional data from children 2–9 years (n = 10,808; 50.5% boys) residing in 8 European countries of the IDEFICS study (2007–2008) were included. Late solid food introduction (≥7 months of age) was associated with an increased prevalence of later childhood overweight/obesity among exclusively breastfed children (OR [odds ratio]: 1.38, 95% CI [confidence interval] [1.01, 1.88]). In contrast, early solid food introduction (<4 months of age) was associated with lower prevalence of overweight/obesity among children that ceased exclusive breastfeeding earlier than 4 months (OR: 0.63, 95% CI [0.47, 0.84]). Children that were introduced to solids right after 6 months exclusive breastfeeding and continued to receive breastmilk (≥12 months) were less likely to become overweight/obese (OR: 0.67, 95% CI [0.51, 0.88]) compared to children that discontinued to receive breastmilk. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, country, birth weight, parental education level, parental body mass index, tobacco use in pregnancy, gestational weight gain, and gestational diabetes. Underweight mothers, overweight mothers, mothers who reported daily smoking during pregnancy, and low‐educated mothers were less likely to follow recommendations on breastfeeding and timely solids introduction. Future studies should examine whether guidelines for solid food introduction timing have to distinguish between exclusively breastfed, formula fed, and too early exclusive breastfeeding‐ceased infants. There is also need for more prospective studies; recall bias was an important current limitation. In conclusion, health professionals should emphasize benefits of breastfeeding and appropriate solid food introduction, especially to mothers that are less likely to follow recommendations.
Whole‐genome patterns of linkage disequilibrium across flycatcher populations clarify the causes and consequences of fine‐scale recombination rate variation in birds
Authors: Kawakami Takeshi , Mugal Carina F. , Suh Alexander , Nater Alexander , Burri Reto , Smeds Linnéa , Ellegren Hans 
Published: June 2017

AbstractRecombination rate is heterogeneous across the genome of various species and so are genetic diversity and differentiation as a consequence of linked selection. However, we still lack a clear picture of the underlying mechanisms for regulating recombination. Here we estimated fine‐scale population recombination rate based on the patterns of linkage disequilibrium across the genomes of multiple populations of two closely related flycatcher species (Ficedula albicollis and F. hypoleuca). This revealed an overall conservation of the recombination landscape between these species at the scale of 200 kb, but we also identified differences in the local rate of recombination despite their recent divergence (<1 million years). Genetic diversity and differentiation were associated with recombination rate in a lineage‐specific manner, indicating differences in the extent of linked selection between species. We detected 400–3,085 recombination hotspots per population. Location of hotspots was conserved between species, but the intensity of hotspot activity varied between species. Recombination hotspots were primarily associated with CpG islands (CGIs), regardless of whether CGIs were at promoter regions or away from genes. Recombination hotspots were also associated with specific transposable elements (TEs), but this association appears indirect due to shared preferences of the transposition machinery and the recombination machinery for accessible open chromatin regions. Our results suggest that CGIs are a major determinant of the localization of recombination hotspots, and we propose that both the distribution of TEs and fine‐scale variation in recombination rate may be associated with the evolution of the epigenetic landscape.
Complexity Reduction and Sensitivity Analysis in Road Probabilistic Safety Assessment Bayesian Network Models
Authors: Castillo Enrique , Grande Zacarías , Mora Elena , Lo Hong K. , Xu Xiangdong 
Published: June 2017

AbstractThis article is concerned with improving some existing methods for probabilistic safety analysis of roads and highways. After a quick review of a Bayesian network model, in which special attention is devoted to human error and all safety related items or elements existing along the road are considered, important problems are dealt with and some solutions provided. This includes: (1) a new and general method for a detailed description of the conditional probabilities of variables given their parents leading to closed‐form formulas, (2) a partitioning technique that allows us to reduce drastically the CPU time required for the calculations, based on dividing the Bayesian network into very small subnetworks using the conditional independence property and leading to a reduced complexity, which is linear in the number of variables or road length instead of the nonlinear character of alternative methods, and (3) a range sensitivity analysis method, which takes advantage of the partitioning technique and is superior to a local sensitivity analysis. Finally, some real examples are provided to show the usefulness of the proposed methodologies to assess the safety of highways or conventional roads.
Outcomes of Intercalary Prosthetic Reconstruction for Pathological Diaphyseal Femoral Fractures Secondary to Metastatic Tumors
Authors: Huang Hong‐chao , Hu Yong‐cheng , Lun Deng‐xing , Miao Jun , Wang Feng , Yang Xiong‐gang , Ma Xin‐long 
Published: June 2017

ObjectiveTo evaluate the clinical outcomes and complications of segmental prosthetic reconstruction for pathological diaphyseal femoral fractures secondary to metastatic tumors.MethodsBetween 2011 and 2015, we retrospectively evaluated 16 patients (6 men and 10 women; 64.5 ± 11.4 years old at diagnosis) who underwent prosthetic reconstruction after segmental resection of diaphyseal femoral fractures due to metastatic lesions. Visual analog scale (VAS), functional outcomes, implant‐related complications, and Mean postoperative Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) score for each patient were collected.ResultsThe mean length of bone defect was 10.2 ± 2.6 cm (range, 8–16 cm); follow‐up was 9 ± 6.8 months (range, 2–25 months) for all patients, and 24 months (23 and 25 months) for the 2 patients still alive. At final follow‐up, 14 patients were dead, indicating a mean survival of 6.9 ± 3.6 months (range, 2–14 months). Mean preoperative VAS score was 8.5 ± 1.0, which decreased to 2.5 ± 1.3 at day 2 postoperatively, indicating significant pain relief (P < 0.05). The MSTS score for lower extremities was 84.6% (range, 73%–90%). The range of motion and function of adjacent joints was within the normal limits in all cases. Three patients (33%) developed complications, including aseptic loosening because of disease progression (1), infection (1), and peri‐prosthesis fracture (1).ConclusionThese findings demonstrated that this approach greatly relieves pain, and yields satisfactory functional outcomes with fewer complications in patients with pathological femoral fractures secondary to metastatic tumors; however, survival was not significantly improved.
Effects of Unilateral Tourniquet Used in Patients Undergoing Simultaneous Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Liu Pei‐lai , Li De‐qiang , Zhang Yuan‐kai , Lu Qun‐shan , Ma Liang , Bao Xue‐zhi , Zhang Meng 
Published: June 2017

ObjectiveTo assess the benefits of use of a tourniquet in one limb in patients undergoing simultaneous bilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA).MethodsA prospective randomized trial was designed to evaluate the outcomes of unilateral tourniquet use during simultaneous bilateral TKA. A total of 52 (36 women and 16 men) patients with osteoarthritis who underwent simultaneous bilateral primary TKA between January 2010 and January 2015 were assigned randomly to tourniquet (TG) or non‐tourniquet (NG) groups prior to surgery. Operating time, pain score, range of motion, first active straight‐leg raise time, swelling, wound healing, deep vein thrombosis, and Knee Society score were observed.ResultsMean operating time in the TG group was shorter than that in the NG group (P < 0.05). Postoperative pain was measured by a visual analog scale (VAS) and straight‐leg raise time, which was lower and shorter in limbs operated without the use of a tourniquet (P < 0.05). In addition, this group had less postoperative swelling and lower incidence of wound complications in the early postoperative period (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference in the range of motion (ROM), deep venous thrombosis incidence, and Knee Society scores between the two groups.ConclusionsTourniquet use in bilateral TKA can reduce intraoperative time but was associated with a higher incidence of wound complications and larger postoperative knee swelling.
A Quantum‐mechanical Study of the Binding Pocket of Proteorhodopsin: Absorption and Vibrational Spectra Modulated by Analogue Chromophores
Authors: Buda Francesco , Keijer Tom , Ganapathy Srividya , de Grip Willem J. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractProteorhodopsin is a light‐driven proton pumping membrane protein related to bacteriorhodopsin. It contains an all‐trans retinal A1 chromophore covalently bound to a lysine residue via a protonated Schiff base. In this study, we exploited density functional theory (DFT) calculations to investigate the retinal binding pocket in the dark state and after mimicking photoisomerization. The model of the binding pocket is constructed incrementally by adding the residues near the retinal that are necessary to ensure a stable protonated Schiff base. The presence of a few water molecules near the Schiff base turns out to be an essential feature of the model. The absorption properties are then studied using time‐dependent DFT (TDDFT) and compared to experimental data to further validate the structural model and to assess the accuracy of the computational setting. It is shown that TDDFT is able to reproduce the main absorption peak accurately and to quantitatively determine the spectral shift induced by substituting the native all‐trans retinal A1 chromophore with different retinal analogues. Moreover, ab initio molecular dynamics simulations are performed to investigate the vibrational spectra of our models before and after isomerization. Specific differences in the vibrational spectra are identified that provide further insight into experimental FTIR difference spectra.
Protective efficacy of recombinant Cryptosporidium parvum CpPRP1 sushi domain against C. tyzzeri infection in mice
Authors: Huang Y. , Cao W. , Shi K. , Mi R. , Lu K. , Han X. , Chen Z. 
Published: June 2017

SummaryUntil now, there are no completely effective parasite‐specific pharmaceuticals or immunotherapies for treatment against the zoonotic cryptosporidiosis. Sushi domain (CpSushi) is an important functional domain in Cryptosporidium parvum putative rhoptry protein‐1 (CpPRP1), which is the only reported C. parvum rhoptry protein and may play key role in the course of invasion. Here, a 708‐bp fragment encoding the CpSushi domain was amplified and expressed in E. coli. Immunofluorescence detection showed that CpSushi was located on the surface of C. parvum oocysts and the apical pole to the sporozoites that belonged to the position of rhoptry. Three‐week‐old female ICR mice were used for detecting the immunoreactions and immunoprotection of recombinant CpSushi (rCpSushi) to artificial C. tyzzeri infection. The results indicated that a significant increase of anti‐CpSushi antibody response was induced by the recombinant protein. Compared to blank, Tris‐EDTA (TE) buffer and adjuvant controls mice, rCpSushi‐immunized mice produced specific spleen cell proliferation as well as enhanced IL4, IL5, IL12p70 and TNF‐α production in vitro. The reduction rate of parasites shedding in stool in mice immunized with rCpSushi was 68.91% after challenging with C. tyzzeri. These results suggest that CpSushi could be a new promising cryptosporidiosis vaccine candidate antigen composition.
Festuca campestris density and defoliation regulate abundance of the rhizomatous grass Poa pratensis in a fallow field
Authors: Bork Edward W. , Hewins Daniel B. , Tannas Steven , Willms Walter D. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractInvasion by the rhizomatous grass Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis) is a global phenomenon, including into foothills rough fescue (Festuca campestris) grasslands of southwestern Alberta, Canada. In order to better understand the competitive relationships between these species, we conducted a fallow field study where rough fescue bunchgrass tussocks were transplanted at one of three planting densities (15, 30, or 45 cm spacing), and then subject to various treatments in a factorial design, including one‐time intensive summer defoliation and seeding of bluegrass into adjacent bare soil. Rough fescue plants exhibited marked intraspecific competition, as high planting densities increased tussock mortality, while decreasing plant tiller counts and relative inflorescence production, together with plant and tiller‐specific mass. However, high densities of the bunchgrass also reduced the cover and biomass of encroaching bluegrass, coincidental with reduced resource (soil moisture and light) availability in mid‐summer. Although summer defoliation increased rough fescue tiller counts, this disturbance reduced plant and tiller mass, and also increased Kentucky bluegrass. We conclude that while high densities of nondefoliated stands of rough fescue may increase resistance to bluegrass encroachment, a reduction in either fescue plant density or vigor via defoliation can increase the risk of bluegrass invasion within northern temperate grassland.
Public Understanding of Ebola Risks: Mastering an Unfamiliar Threat
Authors: Fischhoff Baruch , Wong‐Parodi Gabrielle , Garfin Dana Rose , Holman E. Alison , Silver Roxane Cohen 
Published: June 2017

AbstractEbola was the most widely followed news story in the United States in October 2014. Here, we ask what members of the U.S. public learned about the disease, given the often chaotic media environment. Early in 2015, we surveyed a representative sample of 3,447 U.S. residents about their Ebola‐related beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. Where possible, we elicited judgments in terms sufficiently precise to allow comparing them to scientific estimates (e.g., the death toll to date and the probability of dying once ill). Respondents’ judgments were generally consistent with one another, with scientific knowledge, and with their self‐reported behavioral responses and policy preferences. Thus, by the time the threat appeared to have subsided in the United States, members of the public, as a whole, had seemingly mastered its basic contours. Moreover, they could express their beliefs in quantitative terms. Judgments of personal risk were weakly and inconsistently related to reported gender, age, education, income, or political ideology. Better educated and wealthier respondents saw population risks as lower; females saw them as higher. More politically conservative respondents saw Ebola as more transmissible and expressed less support for public health policies. In general, respondents supported providing “honest, accurate information, even if that information worried people.” These results suggest the value of proactive communications designed to inform the lay public's decisions, thoughts, and emotions, and informed by concurrent surveys of their responses and needs.
Rational and Semirational Solutions of the Nonlocal Davey–Stewartson Equations
Authors: Rao J. , Cheng Y. , He J. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractIn this paper, the partially party‐time () symmetric nonlocal Davey–Stewartson (DS) equations with respect to x is called x‐nonlocal DS equations, while a fully symmetric nonlocal DSII equation is called nonlocal DSII equation. Three kinds of solutions, namely, breather, rational, and semirational solutions for these nonlocal DS equations are derived by employing the bilinear method. For the x‐nonlocal DS equations, the usual (2 + 1)‐dimensional breathers are periodic in x direction and localized in y direction. Nonsingular rational solutions are lumps, and semirational solutions are composed of lumps, breathers, and periodic line waves. For the nonlocal DSII equation, line breathers are periodic in both x and y directions with parallels in profile, but localized in time. Nonsingular rational solutions are (2 + 1)‐dimensional line rogue waves, which arise from a constant background and disappear into the same constant background, and this process only lasts for a short period of time. Semirational solutions describe interactions of line rogue waves and periodic line waves.
The presence of minocycline in the tear film of normal horses following oral administration and its anticollagenase activity
Authors: Monk Caroline S. , Jeong Sun Young , Gibson Daniel James , Plummer Caryn E. 
Published: June 2017

AbstractPurposeTetracyclines have activity against matrix metalloproteinases (MMP). Oral medications with effects on the ocular surface are of interest in patients where repeated topical dosing is limited. The aim of this study was to characterize the concentration of minocycline in the tears of normal horses after oral administration and to determine if this level directly inhibits MMP activity.MethodsFive healthy adult ponies were administered oral minocycline (Wedgewood Pharmacy; Swedesboro, NJ) at 4 mg/kg every 12 h for 5 days. Tears were collected at T = 2, 26, 50, 56, 74, 80, and 98 h. Tear minocycline concentrations were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography. The inhibition of recombinant human MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 by minocycline was investigated using fluorescence resonance energy transfer.ResultsMinocycline was present in the tears of each pony at every measurement but with interpony variability. A mean concentration of 11.8 μg/mL was present 2 h after administration of the first dose. Minocycline did not directly inhibit MMP‐2 or MMP‐9 function at a concentration achieved in the pony tear film.ConclusionsMinocycline was present in the tears of all ponies at each sampling point following oral administration. One pony of the five had consistently lower levels of minocycline secretion (P ≤ 0.05). The concentration secreted in the tears did not directly inhibit MMP‐2 or MMP‐9 when tested in vitro. The inconsistencies in the tear concentration and the inhibition activity suggest topical application may be necessary to attain direct inhibition of MMP with minocycline.
Failure rates of artificial dermis products in treatment of diabetic foot ulcer: A systematic review and network meta‐analysis
Authors: Tchero Huidi , Herlin Christian , Bekara Farid , Kangambega Pauline , Sergiu Fluieraru , Teot Luc 
Published: June 2017

AbstractDiabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a frequent complication in diabetic patients, occurring in up to 25% of those affected. Among the treatments available to clinicians, the use of bioengineered skin substitutes is an attractive alternative. Artificial dermis functions as a matrix, covering the wound and supporting healing and reconstruction of the lost tissue. This study was aimed at reviewing the use of five regeneration matrices (namely, Integra, Nevelia, Matriderm, Pelnac, and Renoskin) as reported by clinical trials. We searched Medline, Embase, ISI Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases for relevant studies. Risk of failure rates was analysed by relative risk ratio method and complete ulcer healing was studied using network meta‐analysis. Thirteen studies (12 randomized clinical trials and one cohort study) were eligible for analysis. The network meta‐analysis based on a single study for Matriderm and 12 studies for other products showed that Matriderm was statistically inferior in achieving complete ulcer healing, as compared to all other products combined. In the second phase analysis, which was limited to three studies using artificial dermis products, there was a 57% reduction in the risk of reepithelialization failure for DFU patients who used Matriderm or Pelnac, compared to those who used Pelnac with basic fibroblast growth factor spray or skin grafting. The data showed an overall low failure rate suggesting that these bioengineered skin products provide a suitable support and microenvironment for healing of DFUs with low ulcer recurrence rates. This systematic review with meta‐analysis highlights the pressing need for more studies investigating the safety, efficacy and failure rates of regeneration matrices in the treatment of DFUs.