bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Coupled Response of the Trade Wind, SST Gradient, and SST in the Caribbean Sea, and the Potential Impact on Loop Current's Interannual Variability*
Authors: Chang Y.-L. , Oey L.-Y. 
Published: February 2013

Abstract
Air–sea coupling in the IntraAmerican seas (IAS; Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico) is studied through analyses of observational data from satellite, reanalysis products, and in situ measurements. A strong coupling is found between the easterly trade wind −U and meridional SST gradient ∂T/∂y across a localized region of the southern-central Caribbean Sea from seasonal and interannual to decadal time scales. The ∂T/∂y anomaly is caused by a variation in the strength of coastal upwelling off the Venezuelan coast by the wind, which in turn strengthens (weakens) for stronger (weaker) ∂T/∂y. Wind speeds and seasonal fluctuations in IAS have increased in the past two decades with a transition near 1994 coinciding approximately with when the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO) turned from cold to warm phases. In particular, the seasonal swing from summer's strong to fall's weak trade wind has become larger. The ocean's upper-layer depth has also deepened, by as much as 50% on average in the eastern Gulf of Mexico. These conditions favor the shedding of eddies from the Loop Current, making it more likely to shed at a biannual frequency, as has been observed from altimetry data.
The Track Integrated Kinetic Energy of Atlantic Tropical Cyclones
Authors: Misra V. , DiNapoli S. , Powell M. 
Published: February 2013

Abstract
In this paper the concept of track integrated kinetic energy (TIKE) is introduced as a measure of seasonal Atlantic tropical cyclone activity and applied to seasonal variability in the Atlantic. It is similar in concept to the more commonly used accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) with an important difference that in TIKE the integrated kinetic energy (IKE) is accumulated for the life span of the Atlantic tropical cyclone. The IKE is, however, computed by volume integrating the 10-m level sustained winds of tropical strength or higher quadrant by quadrant, while ACE uses the maximum sustained winds only without accounting for the structure of the storm. In effect TIKE accounts for the intensity, duration, and size of the tropical cyclones. In this research, the authors have examined the seasonality and the interannual variations of the seasonal Atlantic TIKE over a period of 22 yr from 1990 to 2011. It is found that the Atlantic TIKE climatologically peaks in the month of September and the frequency of storms with the largest TIKE are highest in the eastern tropical Atlantic. The interannual variations of the Atlantic TIKE reveal that it is likely influenced by SST variations in the equatorial Pacific and in the Atlantic Oceans. The SST variations in the central equatorial Pacific are negatively correlated with the contemporaneous seasonal (June–November) TIKE. The size of the Atlantic warm pool (AWP) is positively correlated with seasonal TIKE.
The Flat Cat
Authors: Murphy Kate , Hibbert Angie 
Published: February 2013

Aim: Detailed information regarding the causes and treatment of acute collapse in the cat can be difficult to locate in a single published source. This two-part review aims to provide a logical approach to the clinical assessment and stabilisation of the critically ill collapsed cat. Practical relevance: Laboratory evaluation, in the form of an emergency database, is an important part of the initial assessment of a collapsed patient and should be considered in conjunction with physical abnormalities. Clinical challenges: Rapid identification and correction of life-threatening metabolic abnormalities, including hypoglycaemia, hypocalcaemia and hyperkalaemia, is essential in stabilising this group of patients. Clinicians often lack confidence if they are not dealing with these problems regularly. Audience: The information provided in this article will be of use to any veterinarian working with feline patients and particularly those dealing with emergencies on a regular basis. Evidence base: There is an extensive body of published literature, both original studies and textbook chapters, pertaining to the causes and treatment of the important metabolic abnormalities covered in this article. The authors draw on information from original articles, reviews and their clinical experience to provide simple but detailed practical information to guide interpretation of the emergency database and its application to therapy in the emergency setting.
Genome-wide analysis of NBS-encoding disease resistance genes in Cucumis sativusand phylogenetic study of NBS-encoding genes in Cucurbitaceae crops
Authors: Wan Hongjian , Yuan Wei , Bo Kailiang , Shen Jia , Pang Xin , Chen Jinfeng 
Published: February 2013

Abstract

Background
Plant nucleotide-binding site (NBS)-leucine-rich repeat (LRR) proteins encoded by resistance genes play an important role in the responses of plants to various pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, fungi, and nematodes. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of NBS-encoding genes within the whole cucumber genome was performed, and the phylogenetic relationships of NBS-encoding resistance gene homologues (RGHs) belonging to six species in five genera of Cucurbitaceae crops were compared.

Results
Cucumber has relatively few NBS-encoding genes. Nevertheless, cucumber maintains genes belonging to both Toll/interleukine-1 receptor (TIR) and CC (coiled-coil) families. Eight commonly conserved motifs have been established in these two families which support the grouping into TIR and CC families. Moreover, three additional conserved motifs, namely, CNBS-1, CNBS-2 and TNBS-1, have been identified in sequences from CC and TIR families. Analyses of exon/intron configurations revealed that some intron loss or gain events occurred during the structural evolution between the two families. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that gene duplication, sequence divergence, and gene loss were proposed as the major modes of evolution of NBS-encoding genes in Cucurbitaceae species. Compared with NBS-encoding sequences from the Arabidopsis thaliana genome, the remaining seven TIR familes of NBS proteins and RGHs from Cucurbitaceae species have been shown to be phylogenetically distinct from the TIR family of NBS-encoding genes in Arabidopsis, except for two subfamilies (TIR4 and TIR9). On the other hand, in the CC-NBS family, they grouped closely with the CC family of NBS-encoding genes in Arabidopsis. Thus, the NBS-encoding genes in Cucurbitaceae crops are shown to be ancient, and NBS-encoding gene expansions (especially the TIR family) may have occurred before the divergence of Cucurbitaceae and Arabidopsis.

Conclusion
The results of this paper will provide a genomic framework for the further isolation of candidate disease resistance NBS-encoding genes in cucumber, and contribute to the understanding of the evolutionary mode of NBS-encoding genes in Cucurbitaceae crops.
Cross-species transcriptional network analysis reveals conservation and variation in response to metal stress in cyanobacteria
Authors: Wang Jiangxin , Wu Gang , Chen Lei , Zhang Weiwen 
Published: February 2013

Abstract

Background
As one of the most dominant bacterial groups on Earth, cyanobacteria play a pivotal role in the global carbon cycling and the Earth atmosphere composition. Understanding their molecular responses to environmental perturbations has important scientific and environmental values. Since important biological processes or networks are often evolutionarily conserved, the cross-species transcriptional network analysis offers a useful strategy to decipher conserved and species-specific transcriptional mechanisms that cells utilize to deal with various biotic and abiotic disturbances, and it will eventually lead to a better understanding of associated adaptation and regulatory networks.

Results
In this study, the Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) approach was used to establish transcriptional networks for four important cyanobacteria species under metal stress, including iron depletion and high copper conditions. Cross-species network comparison led to discovery of several core response modules and genes possibly essential to metal stress, as well as species-specific hub genes for metal stresses in different cyanobacteria species, shedding light on survival strategies of cyanobacteria responding to different environmental perturbations.

Conclusions
The WGCNA analysis demonstrated that the application of cross-species transcriptional network analysis will lead to novel insights to molecular response to environmental changes which will otherwise not be achieved by analyzing data from a single species.
Human Streptococcus agalactiae strains in aquatic mammals and fish
Authors: Delannoy Christian MJ , Crumlish Margaret , Fontaine Michael C , Pollock Jolinda , Foster Geoff , Dagleish Mark P , Turnbull James F , Zadoks Ruth N 
Published: February 2013

Abstract

Background
In humans, Streptococcus agalactiae or group B streptococcus (GBS) is a frequent coloniser of the rectovaginal tract, a major cause of neonatal infectious disease and an emerging cause of disease in non-pregnant adults. In addition, Streptococcus agalactiae causes invasive disease in fish, compromising food security and posing a zoonotic hazard. We studied the molecular epidemiology of S. agalactiae in fish and other aquatic species to assess potential for pathogen transmission between aquatic species and humans.

Methods
Isolates from fish (n = 26), seals (n = 6), a dolphin and a frog were characterized by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, multilocus sequence typing and standardized 3-set genotyping, i.e. molecular serotyping and profiling of surface protein genes and mobile genetic elements.

Results
Four subpopulations of S. agalactiae were identified among aquatic isolates. Sequence type (ST) 283 serotype III-4 and its novel single locus variant ST491 were detected in fish from Southeast Asia and shared a 3-set genotype identical to that of an emerging ST283 clone associated with invasive disease of adult humans in Asia. The human pathogenic strain ST7 serotype Ia was also detected in fish from Asia. ST23 serotype Ia, a subpopulation that is normally associated with human carriage, was found in all grey seals, suggesting that human effluent may contribute to microbial pollution of surface water and exposure of sea mammals to human pathogens. The final subpopulation consisted of non-haemolytic ST260 and ST261 serotype Ib isolates, which belong to a fish-associated clonal complex that has never been reported from humans.

Conclusions
The apparent association of the four subpopulations of S. agalactiae with specific groups of host species suggests that some strains of aquatic S. agalactiae may present a zoonotic or anthroponotic hazard. Furthermore, it provides a rational framework for exploration of pathogenesis and host-associated genome content of S. agalactiae strains.
Are healthcare workers’ intentions to vaccinate related to their knowledge, beliefs and attitudes? a systematic review
Authors: Herzog Raúl , Álvarez-Pasquin Mª José , Díaz Camino , Del Barrio José Luis , Estrada José Manuel , Gil Ángel 
Published: February 2013

AbstractBackgroundThe Summit of Independent European Vaccination Experts (SIEVE) recommended in 2007 that efforts be made to improve healthcare workers’ knowledge and beliefs about vaccines, and their attitudes towards them, to increase vaccination coverage. The aim of the study was to compile and analyze the areas of disagreement in the existing evidence about the relationship between healthcare workers’ knowledge, beliefs and attitudes about vaccines and their intentions to vaccinate the populations they serve.MethodsWe conducted a systematic search in four electronic databases for studies published in any of seven different languages between February 1998 and June 2009. We included studies conducted in developed countries that used statistical methods to relate or associate the variables included in our research question. Two independent reviewers verified that the studies met the inclusion criteria, assessed the quality of the studies and extracted their relevant characteristics. The data were descriptively analyzed.ResultsOf the 2354 references identified in the initial search, 15 studies met the inclusion criteria. The diversity in the study designs and in the methods used to measure the variables made it impossible to integrate the results, and each study had to be assessed individually. All the studies found an association in the direction postulated by the SIEVE experts: among healthcare workers, higher awareness, beliefs that are more aligned with scientific evidence and more favorable attitudes toward vaccination were associated with greater intentions to vaccinate. All the studies included were cross-sectional; thus, no causal relationship between the variables was established.ConclusionThe results suggest that interventions aimed at improving healthcare workers’ knowledge, beliefs and attitudes about vaccines should be encouraged, and their impact on vaccination coverage should be assessed.
Cervical lymph node metastases from thyroid cancer: does thyroglobulin and calcitonin measurement in fine needle aspirates improve the diagnostic value of cytology?
Authors: Baldini Enke , Sorrenti Salvatore , Di Gioia Cira , De Vito Corrado , Antonelli Alessandro , Gnessi Lucio , Carbotta Giovanni , D’Armiento Eleonora , Miccoli Paolo , De Antoni Enrico , Ulisse Salvatore 
Published: February 2013

Abstract

Background
Measurement of thyroglobulin (Tg) protein in the washout of the needle used for fine needle aspiration biopsy cytology (FNAB-C) has been shown to increase the sensitivity of FNAB-C in identifying cervical lymph node (CLN) metastasis from well-differentiated thyroid cancer (TC). In this study, we evaluated whether routine measurement of Tg protein (FNAB-Tgp), Tg mRNA (FNAB-Tgm) and calcitonin (CT) mRNA (FNAB-CTm) in the FNAB washout of CLN increases the accuracy of FNAB-C in the diagnosis of suspicious metastatic CLN.

Methods
In this prospective study 35 CLN from 28 patients were examined. Histology showed metastatic papillary TC (PTC) in 26 CLN, metastatic medullary TC (MTC) in 3 CLN, metastatic anaplastic TC (ATC) in 3 CLN and 3 metastatic CLN from extra-thyroidal cancers.

Results
The overall accuracy of FNAB-C was 84.4%, reaching 95.7% when the analysis was restricted to PTC. Both FNAB-Tgp and FNAB-Tgm compared favorably with FNAB-C and shown diagnostic performances not statistically different from that of FNAB-C. However, FNAB-Tgp and FNAB-Tgm/FNAB-CTm were found useful in cases in which cytology results were inadequate or provided diagnosis inconsistent with patient's clinical parameters.

Conclusions
We demonstrated that FNAB-C, Tg/CT mRNA and Tg protein determination in the fine-needle washout showed similar accuracy in the diagnosis of metastatic CLN from TC. The results of this study suggest that samples for Tg protein and Tg/CT mRNA measurements from CLN suspicious for metastatic TC should be collected, but their measurements should be restricted to cases in which FNAB-C provides uninformative or inconsistent diagnosis with respect to patient's clinical parameters.
Comparison of the diagnostic values of circulating steroid hormones, VEGF-A, PIGF, and ADAM12 in women with ectopic pregnancy
Authors: Zou Shien , Li Xin , Feng Yi , Sun Shan , Li Jin , Egecioglu Emil , Billig Håkan , Shao Ruijin 
Published: February 2013

Abstract

Background
Several peripheral proteins that might be useful for detecting the presence of ectopic pregnancy (EP) have been evaluated, but none have been proven entirely useful in the clinic. We investigated the presence and the possible changes in circulating molecules that distinguish between normal intrauterine pregnancy (IUP) and tubal ectopic pregnancy.

Methods
Non-pregnant women during the menstrual cycle, women with IUP, and women with tubal EP after informed consent. Serum levels of 17β-estradiol (E2), progesterone (P4), testosterone (T), beta-human chorionic gonadotropin (β-hCG), vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A), placental growth factor (PIGF), and a distintegrin and metalloprotease protein 12 (ADAM12) were analyzed. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was used to assess the diagnostic discrimination of EP and gestational age-matched IUP.

Results
E2, P4, PIGF, and ADAM12 levels increased and β-hCG decreased throughout IUP. E2 and VEGF-A levels were significantly different between women with tubal EP and IUP. However, using a serum β-hCG cut-off of less than 1000 mIU/mL, P4 was significantly lower in women with tubal EP compared to IUP. Although E2 was inversely correlated with VEGF-A in women in the early stages of IUP, E2 was not correlated with VEGF-A in women with EP prior to tubal surgery. There were no significant differences in either PIGF or ADAM12 alone between women with tubal EP or IUP. Although no significant correlations were seen between E2 and PIGF or P4 and ADAM12 in women in the early stages of IUP, E2 was positively correlated with PIGF and P4 was positively correlated with ADAM12 in women with EP prior to tubal surgery. Our studies defined associations but not causality.

Conclusions
Individual measurements of serum E2 or VEGF-A levels are strongly related to early pregnancy outcomes for women with IUP and EP, and pregnancy-associated E2 and VEGF-A levels provide diagnostic accuracy for the presence of tubal EP. This study demonstrates that correlation analysis of E2/VEGF-A and E2/PIGF serum levels may be able to distinguish a tubal EP from a normal IUP.
High-performance bilayer flexible resistive random access memory based on low-temperature thermal atomic layer deposition
Authors: Fang Run-Chen , Sun Qing-Qing , Zhou Peng , Yang Wen , Wang Peng-Fei , Zhang David Wei 
Published: February 2013

Abstract
We demonstrated a flexible resistive random access memory device through a low-temperature atomic layer deposition process. The device is composed of an HfO2/Al2O3-based functional stack on an indium tin oxide-coated polyethylene terephthalate substrate. After the initial reset operation, the device exhibits a typical bipolar, reliable, and reproducible resistive switching behavior. After a 104-s retention time, the memory window of the device is still in accordance with excellent thermal stability, and a 10-year usage is still possible with the resistance ratio larger than 10 at room temperature and at 85°C. In addition, the operation speed of the device was estimated to be 500 ns for the reset operation and 800 ns for the set operation, which is fast enough for the usage of the memories in flexible circuits. Considering the excellent performance of the device fabricated by low-temperature atomic layer deposition, the process may promote the potential applications of oxide-based resistive random access memory in flexible integrated circuits.
Offshore towed hydrophone linear array: principle, application, and data acquisition results
Authors: Chen Jin , Duan Fa-jie , Jiang Jia-jia , Li Yan-chao , Hua Xiang-ning 
Published: February 2013

Abstract
An underwater acoustic sensing array was presented in this article. With the high-precision sampling clock generation and transmission system, the array can acquire signals synchronously in sub-microsecond level, which is important in offshore environment. Meanwhile, real-time data transmission and storage system was established. All of the data received in host computer can be saved and displayed immediately. Data acquisition experiment was implemented in freshwater reservoir near Tianjin city,China, and the results of the signal wave show that the acquisition and transmission system of hydrophone array can be used to get the underwater information by acoustic exploration.
Impaired Behavioural Pain Responses in hph-1 Mice with Inherited Deficiency in GTP Cyclohydrolase 1 in Models of Inflammatory Pain
Authors: Nasser Arafat , Bjerrum Ole J , Heegaard Anne-Marie , Møller Anette T , Larsen Maj Britt , Dalbøge Louise S , Dupont Erik , Jensen Troels S , Møller Lisbeth B 
Published: February 2013

Background GTP cyclohydrolase 1 (GTP-CH1), the rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4), encoded by the GCH1 gene, has been implicated in the development and maintenance of inflammatory pain in rats. In humans, homozygous carriers of a “pain-protective” (PP) haplotype of the GCH1 gene have been identified exhibiting lower pain sensitivity, but only following pain sensitisation. Ex vivo, the PP GCH1 haplotype is associated with decreased induction of GCH1 after stimulation, whereas the baseline BH4 production is not affected. Contrary, loss of function mutations in the GCH1 gene results in decreased basal GCH1 expression, and is associated with DOPA-responsive dystonia (DRD). So far it is unknown if such mutations affect acute and inflammatory pain. Results In the current study, we examined the involvement of the GCH1 gene in pain models using the hyperphenylalaninemia 1 ( hph-1) mouse, a genetic model for DRD, with only 10% basal GTP-CH1 activity compared to wild type mice. The study included assays for determination of acute nociception as well as models for pain after sensitisation. Pain behavioural analysis of the hph-1 mice showed reduced pain-like responses following intraplantar injection of CFA, formalin and capsaicin; whereas decreased basal level of GTP-CH1 activity had no influence in naïve hph-1 mice on acute mechanical and heat pain thresholds. Moreover, the hph-1 mice showed no signs of motor impairment or dystonia-like symptoms. Conclusions In this study, we demonstrate novel evidence that genetic mutations in the GCH1 gene modulate pain-like hypersensitivity. Together, the present data suggest that BH4 is not important for basal heat and mechanical pain, but they support the hypothesis that BH4 plays a role in inflammation-induced hypersensitivity. Our studies suggest that the BH4 pathway could be a therapeutic target for the treatment of inflammatory pain conditions. Moreover, the hph-1 mice provide a valid model to study the consequence of congenital deficiency of GCH1 in painful conditions.