bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
High-Risk Sexual Activity in the House and Ball Community: Influence of Social Networks
Authors: Schrager Sheree M. , Latkin Carl A. , Weiss George , Kubicek Katrina , Kipke Michele D. 
Published: December 2013

Objectives. We investigated the roles of House membership and the influence of social and sexual network members on the sexual risk behavior of men in the Los Angeles House and Ball community. Methods. From February 2009 to January 2010, male participants (n = 233) completed interviewer-assisted surveys during a House meeting or Ball event. We used logistic regression to model the effects of sexual network size, influence of sexual network members, House membership status, and their interactions on high-risk sex. Results. Significant predictors of high-risk sex included number of sexual partners in the nominated social network, multiethnicity, and previous diagnosis of sexually transmitted infection. House membership was protective against high-risk sex. Additionally, a 3-way interaction emerged between number of sexual partners in the network, influence, and network members’ House membership. Conclusions. Future research should assess network members’ attitudes and behavior in detail to provide a greater understanding of the dynamics of social influence and to identify additional avenues for intervention.
First record of Aedes albopictus in Slovakia
Authors: Bocková Eva , Kočišová Alica , Letková Valéria 
Published: December 2013

AbstractDuring a routine inspection of the mosquito fauna in the Košická Basin (Eastern Slovakia), in one of the monitored locations we have caught 4 females of the invasive mosquito Aedes albopictus, using the CO2 baited CDC traps. Occurrence of this particular mosquito has already been reported in many European countries; in Slovakia, however, this is the first finding ever. The finding of Ae. albopictus extends the list of the mosquito fauna in Slovakia to 50 species and Slovakia thus ranks among other 20 European countries where this mosquito was observed. The presence of Ae. albopictus increased the probability of transmission of canine and human dirofilariosis in urban environment.
Alloglossidium demshini sp. nov. (Digenea: Macroderoididae) from leeches in Minnesota
Authors: Tkach Vasyl , Greiman Stephen , Steffes Kayla 
Published: December 2013

AbstractAlloglossidium demshini sp. nov. is described based on specimens from leeches Haemopis grandis collected in northwestern Minnesota. The new species is morphologically closest to Alloglossidium schmidti. The two species can be readily differentiated based on several morphological characters. The cirrus sac in A. schmidti is almost entirely situated anterior to the ventral sucker while in A. demshini sp. nov. it is situated dorsal to the ventral sucker and its proximal end almost reaches the posterior end of ventral sucker or extends posterior to it. The new species has a prepharynx that is substantially longer than the esophagus while in A. schmidti the situation is the opposite. The two species also differ in the position of the ovary and the position of the testes and vitelline fields in relation to the ends of the ceca. Hirudineatrema oschmarini described from leeches in Eastern Palaearctic and Alloglossidium richardsoni described in North America demonstrate great morphological similarity. Nevertheless, Hirudineatrema cannot be synonymized with Alloglossidium at this point because of several peculiar morphological features of H. oschmarini such as a V-shaped excretory bladder and the apparent presence of a true seminal receptacle in the latter species. These features need to be re-evaluated before any taxonomic decision can be made.
Prevalence of subclinical coccidiosis in river buffalo calves of southwest of Iran
Authors: Bahrami Somayeh , Alborzi Ali 
Published: December 2013

AbstractDespite the importance of buffalo farming in Iran, little is known in this country about the abundance and distribution of Eimeria spp. in the animal species. The present study was designed to investigate the prevalence and species characterization of Eimeria oocysts in river buffalo calves of Khuzestan province, southwest of Iran. Of the total 108 fecal samples examined for Eimeria, 108 (100%) were found infected with 11 species of the parasite. Among the identified species of Eimeria, E. bovis was found to be the predominant etiological agent (76.85%), followed in order by E. canadensis (62.96%), E. zuernii (47.2%), E. ellipsoidalis (26.85%), E. subspherica (25.92%), E. brasiliensis (19.4%), E. auburnensis (18.51%), E. alabamensis (14.81%), E. pellita (11.1%), E. illinoisensis (5.5%) and E. bukidnonensis (2.7%). In most calves multiple infections with three species were present. While, 20.7% of calves showed heavy infection, 50.4 and 24.8% of calves showed weak and moderate infection, respectively. There was no significant difference in the OPG values between the calves of different localities. There was also no significant difference between the prevalence rate of infection in males and females. A total of 16.6% of all faecal samples were found to be diarrheic. A highly significant relationship could be identified between the occurrence of diarrhea and the level of E. bovis and E. zuernii oocysts excretion. Considering the pervasive occurrence and negative effects of the infection on the health condition and the growth performance of buffalo calves, infections should receive increased attention by both farmers and veterinarians.
Prime-boost vaccination with plasmid DNA followed by recombinant vaccinia virus expressing BgGARP induced a partial protective immunity to inhibit Babesia gibsoni proliferation in dogs
Authors: Cao Shinuo , Mousa Ahmed , Aboge Gabriel , Kamyingkird Ketsarin , Zhou Mo , Moumouni Paul , Terkawi Mohamad , Masatani Tatsunori , Nishikawa Yoshifumi , Suzuki Hiroshi , Fukumoto Shinya , Xuan Xuenan 
Published: December 2013

AbstractA heterologous prime-boost vaccination regime with DNA and recombinant vaccinia virus (rvv) vectors expressing relevant antigens has been shown to induce effective immune responses against several infectious pathogens. In this study, we describe the effectiveness of the prime-boost strategy by immunizing dogs with a recombinant plasmid followed by vaccinia virus, both of which expressed the glutamic acid-rich protein (BgGARP) of Babesia gibsoni. The dogs immunized with the prime-boost regime developed a significantly high level of specific antibodies against BgGARP when compared with the control groups. The antibody level was strongly increased after a booster immunization with a recombinant vaccinia virus. Two weeks after the booster immunization with a recombinant vaccinia virus expressing BgGARP, the dogs were challenged with B. gibsoni parasite. The dogs immunized with the prime-boost regime showed partial protection, manifested as a significantly low level of parasitemia. These results indicated that this type of DNA/rvv prime-boost immunization approach may have use against B. gibsoni infection in dogs.
A survey of biting midges of the genus Culicoides Latreille, 1809 (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) in NE Bulgaria, with respect to transmission of avian haemosporidians
Authors: Bobeva Aneliya , Zehtindjiev Pavel , Bensch Staffan , Radrova Jana 
Published: December 2013

AbstractThis study presents data from a molecular survey of the species of the genus Culicoides from the region of Kalimok Field Station (NE Bulgaria) and haemosporidian parasites occurring in them in order to investigate the host-parasite specificity of haemosporidians to their dipteran vectors. The identification of Culicoides spp. was carried out by morphological and molecular-genetic methods. We collected and analysed 230 individuals of the genus Culicoides. Nine species were found. Eight species were identified morphologically; Culicoides obsoletus, C. riethi, C. newsteadi, C. circumscriptus, C. festivipennis, C. punctatus, C. pictipennis and C. puncticollis. The ninth species might be classified as either of C. nubeculosus or C. riethi and its identification needs additional investigations. The total prevalence of Haemoproteus in the examined biting midges was 2.17%. Three individuals of C. pictipennis were infected with the Haemoproteus lineage TURDUS2 (prevalence 16.67%), a common parasite of thrushes (Turdidae). Two individuals of C. circumscriptus contained Haemoproteus lineages (prevalence 2.78%); these were the lineage HAWF2 (previously reported from Coccothraustes coccothraustes) and a new lineage CULCIR1 not previously reported in the literature.
Using the giant Australian cuttlefish (Sepia apama) mass breeding aggregation to explore the life cycle of dicyemid parasites
Authors: Catalano Sarah , Whittington Ian , Donnellan Stephen , Gillanders Bronwyn 
Published: December 2013

AbstractDicyemid mesozoan parasites, microscopic organisms found with high intensities in the renal appendages of benthic cephalopods, have a complex, partially unknown life cycle. It is uncertain at which host life cycle stage (i.e. eggs, juvenile, adult) new infection by the dispersive infusoriform embryo occurs. As adult cephalopods have a short lifespan and die shortly after reproducing only once, and juveniles are fast-moving, we hypothesize that the eggs are the life cycle stage where new infection occurs. Eggs are abundant and sessile, allowing a huge number of new individuals to be infected with low energy costs, and they also provide dicyemids with the maximum amount of time for survival compared with infection of juvenile and adult stages. In our study we collected giant Australian cuttlefish (Sepia apama) eggs at different stages of development and filtered seawater samples from the S. apama mass breeding aggregation area in South Australia, Australia, and tested these samples for the presence of dicyemid DNA. We did not recover dicyemid parasite cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) nucleotide sequences from any of the samples, suggesting eggs are not the stage where new infection occurs. To resolve this unknown in the dicyemid life cycle, we believe experimental infection is needed.
Human dirofilariasis due to Dirofilaria repens in Ukraine, an emergent zoonosis: epidemiological report of 1465 cases
Authors: Sałamatin Rusłan , Pavlikovska Tamara , Sagach Olga , Nikolayenko Svitlana , Kornyushin Vadim , Kharchenko Vitaliy , Masny Aleksander , Cielecka Danuta , Konieczna-Sałamatin Joanna , Conn David , Golab Elzbieta 
Published: December 2013

AbstractThe filarial nematode Dirofilaria repens is currently considered to be one of the most extensively spreading human and animal parasites in Europe. In Ukraine, reporting cases of dirofilariasis has been mandatory since 1975, and the disease was included in the national surveillance system for notifiable diseases. Up until December 31st 2012, a total of 1533 cases have been registered, with 1465 cases occurring within the previous 16 years. Most of the cases of dirofilariasis were registered in 6 regions: Kyiv, and the Donetsk, Zaporizhzhya, Dnipropetrovsk, Kherson and Chernihiv oblasts. In the years 1997–2002 the highest incidence rate was noted in the Kherson oblast in the south of the country (9.79 per 100 000 people), and the lowest in western Ukraine (0.07–1.68 per 100 000 people). D. repens infections were registered in all oblasts. Parasitic lesions were most often located in the head, the subconjunctival tissue and around the eyes. D. repens lesions were also found in the limbs, torso, male sexual organs, and female mammary glands. Dirofilariasis was diagnosed in persons aged from 11 months to 90 years old, most often among people between 21–40 years of age. Most patients had only one parasitic skin lesion; the majority of isolated nematodes were female. The results of our analysis point to a constant increase in D. repens dirofilariasis incidence in humans in Ukraine. Despite educational efforts, infections have become more frequent and the territory in which the disease occurs has enlarged to encompass the whole of Ukraine. Nevertheless, the Ukrainian sanitary-epidemiological services managed to achieve some measure of success, e.g. by creating a registration system for D. repens infections and establishing proper diagnostics for the disease.
Ein Sensorkonzept zur In-situ-Rissüberwachung in plattenartigen Strukturen
Authors: Bäcker Dennis , Häusler Christoph , Kuna Meinhard 
Published: December 2013

Kurzfassung
Es wird eine neuartige Methode zur Rissüberwachung in Bauteilen aus dünnwandigen plattenartigen Strukturen vorgestellt. Dazu wird ein Sensorfeld aus piezoelektrischer Polyvinylidenfluorid-Folie (PVDF-Folie) auf die Oberfläche des rissbehafteten Bauteils appliziert. Infolge der Verformungen in der Rissumgebung entstehen elektrische Signale an den PVDF-Elektroden. Ausgehend von den gemessenen Signalen werden infolge der Lösung einer inversen Aufgabe die charakteristischen Risskenngrößen berechnet, d. h. die Spannungsintensitätsfaktoren des Risses und dessen Lage. Dieses Sensorkonzept wurde in [1–4] bereits für Scheibenprobleme erfolgreich entwickelt. In dieser Arbeit erfolgt die Erweiterung des Sensorkonzeptes auf Plattenprobleme, wobei speziell die Kirchhoff'sche Plattentheorie gewählt wurde. Die Messmethode wird am Beispiel eines Risses der Länge 2a in einer unendlichen Platte unter allseitiger Biegung erprobt.
Effect of Ti Addition on the Microstructure and Properties of a High Speed Steel Roll
Authors: Qihong Cen , Zhiqiang Jiang , Hanguang Fu 
Published: December 2013

Abstract
In the present work, the effect of Ti addition on microstructure and properties of high speed steel (HSS) used for rolls was investigated utilizing optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy spectrum analysis. The results indicated that as-cast microstructure of the HSS roll is mainly composed of MC, M2C and M7C3 eutectic carbides and metallic matrix consishing of a mixture of martensite, austenite, and pearlite. The carbides are connected or placed next to each other to form a network along grain boundaries. The addition of 0.5 wt.-% Ti leads to a great change in the morphology, size and distribution of carbides. The carbide network tends to break, and all carbides are refined and distributed homogeneously in the matrix. After normalizing treatment at 1050 °C, the carbides in the Ti containing HSS roll transform into granular or nodular distribution. The mechanical properties, thermal fatigue, and wear resistance of Ti containing HSS roll are more excellent than that of the HSS roll without titanium.
Vibration response of cement structures under conditions of impact loads
Authors: Huang Yiqi , Luo Zhaoyu 
Published: December 2013

Abstract
A flexible function layer between concrete base and pavement slab is constructed to avoid slab breakdowns caused by poor vibration damping and energy absorption of cement structures. Practical experiments as well as testing and analyzing systems are employed to collect the frequency signals from the pavement structure vibration for a small pavement slab structure subjected to a ball-drop impact. The results reveal that the vibration can be damped out and energy can be absorbed using such a flexible function layer. Based on the contrastive tests, the pavement slab vibration is a declining process under the impact load. The vibration damping effect is more significant with the increase in thickness of the function layer, but becomes slower if the layer reaches a certain thickness. The tests also show that the flexible function layer has a significant role in the vibration damping and energy absorption.
Numerical simulations of Gurenhekou glacier on the Tibetan Plateau
Authors: Zhao Liyun , Tian Lide , Zwinger Thomas , Ding Ran , Zong Jibiao , Ye Qinghua , Moore John C. 
Published: December 2013

AbstractWe investigate the impact of climate change on Gurenhekou glacier, southern Tibetan Plateau, which is representative of the tens of thousands of mountain glaciers in the region. We apply a three-dimensional, thermomechanically coupled full-Stokes model to simulate the evolution of the glacier. The steep and rugged bedrock geometry requires use of such a flow model. We parameterize the temperature and surface mass-balance (SMB) uncertainties using nearby automatic weather and meteorological stations, 6 year measured SMB data and an energy-balance model for a nearby glacier. Summer air temperature increased at 0.02 Ka−1 over the past 50 years, and the glacier has retreated at an average rate of 8.3 m a−1. Prognostic simulations suggest an accelerated annual average retreat rate of ~9.1 ma−1 along the central flowline for the next 25 years under continued steady warming. However, regional climate models suggest a marked increase in warming rate over Tibet during the 21st century, and this rate causes about a 0.9 ± 0.3% a−1 loss of glaciated area and 1.1 ± 0.6% a−1 shrinkage of glacier volume. These results, the rather high warming rates predicted and the small sizes of most Tibetan glaciers, suggest that significant numbers of glaciers will be lost in the region during the 21st century.
Taking a Hike and Hucking the Stout: The Troublesome Legacy of the Sublime in Outdoor Recreation
Authors: Drennig Georg 
Published: December 2013

As Henry Thoreau noted in the 1850s, the simple act of walking can be loaded with political and spiritual meaning. Today, taking a hike as an act of engaging in outdoor recreation is equally non-trivial, and therefore subject of the following analysis. As this paper argues, outdoors recreation is still influenced by the legacy of the Sublime and its construction of wilderness. This troublesome legacy means that the cultural self-representation of outdoor sports – and the practice itself – lays claim to the environment in ways that are socially and sometimes even ethni-cally exclusive.
This essay uses William Cronon’s critique of the cultural constructedness of wilderness as a point of departure to see how Western notions of sublime nature have an impact on spatial practice. The elevation of specific parts of the environ-ment into the category of wilderness prescribes certain uses and meanings as nature is made into an antidote against the ills of industrial civilization, and a place where the alienated individual can return to a more authentic self. This view then has become a troublesome legacy, informing the cultural self-representation of those uses of “wilderness” that are known as outdoor recreation.
In its cultural production, outdoors recreation constructs “healthy” and “athletic” bodies exercising in natural settings and finding refuge from the everyday al-ienation of postmodern society. Yet these bodies are conspicuously white, and the obligatory equipment and fashion expensive. Outdoor recreation is a privileged assertion of leisure, often denoting an urban, affluent, and white, background of the practitioner. These practitioners then lay exclusive claim on the landscapes they use.
As trivial as taking a hike or any other form of outdoors recreation may thus seem, they put a cultural legacy into practice that is anything but trivial.
Toxoplasma gondii infection of fibroblasts causes the production of exosome‐like vesicles containing a unique array of mRNA and miRNA transcripts compared to serum starvation
Authors: Pope Samuel M. , Lässer Cecilia 
Published: December 2013

BackgroundUntil recently thought to be of little significance unless occurring during pregnancy, Toxoplasma gondii infection of human hosts is now known to play a larger role in mental health and is a growing concern in the health care community. We sought to elucidate a possible mechanism by which Toxoplasma infection may cause some of the behavioural pathology now associated with infection. We hypothesized that exosomes may be playing a role.MethodsWe utilized electron microscopy to detect the presence and size of extracellular vesicles in the supernatants of Toxoplasma‐infected human foreskin fibroblasts (HFF). We then utilized microarray analysis to discern mRNA and miRNA content of the vesicles isolated from supernatants of Toxoplasma‐infected (Toxo) and serum‐starved (SS) HFF.ResultsWe recovered extracellular vesicles with a size consistent with exosomes that we called exosome‐like vesicles (ELVs) from the supernatants of SS and Toxo cultures. The mRNA and miRNA content of these ELVs was highly regulated creating specific and unique expression profiles comparing Toxo ELVs, SS ELVs and RNA isolated from whole cell homogenates. Interestingly, among the most enriched mRNA isolated from ELVs of Toxo cells are 4 specific mRNA species that have been described in the literature as having neurologic activity: Rab‐13, eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1 alpha 1, thymosin beta 4 and LLP homolog. In addition, miRNA species uniquely expressed in Toxo ELVs include miR‐23b, a well‐known regulator of IL‐17.ConclusionWhile the production of ELVs containing mRNAs that modify behaviour are consistent with reported Toxoplasma pathology, the mechanism of enrichment and ultimate in vivo effect of these mRNA and miRNA containing ELVs remains to be investigated.
Biological Control on Acid Generation at the Conduit-Bedrock Boundary in Submerged Caves: Quantification through Geochemical Modeling
Authors: Herman Janet S. , Hounshell Alexandria G. , Franklin Rima B. , Mills Aaron L. 
Published: December 2013

No-mount Cave, located in Wekiwa Springs State Park in central Florida, USA, is an aphotic, submerged, freshwater cave in which large colonies of sulfur-oxidizing bacteria live in filamentous microbial mats. Upwardly discharging groundwater enters the cave from the Upper Floridan aquifer, specifically the Eocene-aged Ocala Limestone. We undertook a combined field, laboratory, and modeling study in which we sought to determine the amount of calcite dissolution attributable to the generation of protons by microbially mediated sulfide oxidation. The chemical compositions of groundwater within the limestone formation collected through a newly designed sampling device and of water in the cave conduit were used in geochemical modeling. We used the reaction-path model PHREEQCI to quantify the amount of calcite dissolution expected under various plausible scenarios for mixing of formation water with conduit water and extent of bacterial sulfide oxidation. Laboratory experiments were conducted using flow-through columns packed with crushed limestone from the study site. Replicate columns were eluted with artificial groundwater containing dissolved HS- in the absence of microbial growth. Without biologically mediated sulfide oxidation, no measurable calcite dissolution occurred in laboratory experiments and no additional amount of speleogenesis is expected as formation water mixes with conduit water in the field. In contrast, significant calcite dissolution is driven by the protons released in the biological transformation of the aqueous sulfur species. Although a range of results were calculated, a plausible amount of 158 mg Ca2+ released to conduit water per liter of groundwater crossing the formation-conduit boundary and mixing with an equal volume of conduit water was predicted. Our modeling results indicate that significant cave development can be driven by microbially mediated sulfide oxidation under these hydrogeochemical conditions.žKeywords: calcite dissolution, microbial sulfide oxidation, geochemical model.DOI: 10.3986/ac.v42i2-3.663