bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Specific Hopanoid Classes Differentially Affect Free-Living and Symbiotic States of
Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens
Authors: Kulkarni Gargi , Busset Nicolas , Molinaro Antonio , Gargani Daniel , Chaintreuil Clemence , Silipo Alba , Giraud Eric , Newman Dianne K. 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACT

A better understanding of how bacteria resist stresses encountered during the progression of plant-microbe symbioses will advance our ability to stimulate plant growth. Here, we show that the symbiotic system comprising the nitrogen-fixing bacterium
Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens
and the legume
Aeschynomene afraspera
requires hopanoid production for optimal fitness
.
While methylated (2Me) hopanoids contribute to growth under plant-cell-like microaerobic and acidic conditions in the free-living state, they are dispensable during symbiosis. In contrast, synthesis of extended (C
35
) hopanoids is required for growth microaerobically and under various stress conditions (high temperature, low pH, high osmolarity, bile salts, oxidative stress, and antimicrobial peptides) in the free-living state and also during symbiosis. These defects might be due to a less rigid membrane resulting from the absence of free or lipidA-bound C
35
hopanoids or the accumulation of the C
30
hopanoid diploptene. Our results also show that C
35
hopanoids are necessary for symbiosis only with the host
Aeschynomene afraspera
but not with soybean. This difference is likely related to the presence of cysteine-rich antimicrobial peptides in
Aeschynomene
nodules that induce drastic modification in bacterial morphology and physiology. The study of hopanoid mutants in plant symbionts thus provides an opportunity to gain insight into host-microbe interactions during later stages of symbiotic progression, as well as the microenvironmental conditions for which hopanoids provide a fitness advantage.

IMPORTANCE
Because bradyrhizobia provide fixed nitrogen to plants, this work has potential agronomical implications. An understanding of how hopanoids facilitate bacterial survival in soils and plant hosts may aid the engineering of more robust agronomic strains, especially relevant in regions that are becoming warmer and saline due to climate change. Moreover, this work has geobiological relevance: hopanes, molecular fossils of hopanoids, are enriched in ancient sedimentary rocks at discrete intervals in Earth history. This is the first study to uncover roles for 2Me- and C
35
hopanoids in the context of an ecological niche that captures many of the stressful environmental conditions thought to be important during (2Me)-hopane deposition. Though much remains to be done to determine whether the conditions present within the plant host are shared with niches of relevance to the rock record, our findings represent an important step toward identifying conserved mechanisms whereby hopanoids contribute to fitness.
Nonreplicating Influenza A Virus Vaccines Confer Broad Protection against Lethal Challenge
Authors: Baz Mariana , Boonnak Kobporn , Paskel Myeisha , Santos Celia , Powell Timothy , Townsend Alain , Subbarao Kanta 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACT

New vaccine technologies are being investigated for their ability to elicit broadly cross-protective immunity against a range of influenza viruses. We compared the efficacies of two intranasally delivered nonreplicating influenza virus vaccines (H1 and H5 S-FLU) that are based on the suppression of the hemagglutinin signal sequence, with the corresponding H1N1 and H5N1 cold-adapted (
ca
) live attenuated influenza virus vaccines in mice and ferrets. Administration of two doses of H1 or H5 S-FLU vaccines protected mice and ferrets from lethal challenge with homologous, heterologous, and heterosubtypic influenza viruses, and two doses of S-FLU and
ca
vaccines yielded comparable effects. Importantly, when ferrets immunized with one dose of H1 S-FLU or
ca
vaccine were challenged with the homologous H1N1 virus, the challenge virus failed to transmit to naive ferrets by the airborne route. S-FLU technology can be rapidly applied to any emerging influenza virus, and the promising preclinical data support further evaluation in humans.

IMPORTANCE
Influenza viruses continue to represent a global public health threat, and cross-protective vaccines are needed to prevent seasonal and pandemic influenza. Currently licensed influenza vaccines are based on immunity to the hemagglutinin protein that is highly variable. However, T cell responses directed against highly conserved viral proteins contribute to clearance of the virus and confer broadly cross-reactive and protective immune responses against a range of influenza viruses. In this study, two nonreplicating pseudotyped influenza virus vaccines were compared with their corresponding live attenuated influenza virus vaccines, and both elicited robust protection against homologous and heterosubtypic challenge in mice and ferrets, making them promising candidates for further evaluation in humans.
Herpesvirus Entry Mediator on Radiation-Resistant Cell Lineages Promotes Ocular Herpes Simplex Virus 1 Pathogenesis in an Entry-Independent Manner
Authors: Edwards Rebecca G. , Kopp Sarah J. , Karaba Andrew H. , Wilcox Douglas R. , Longnecker Richard 
Published: October 2015

ABSTRACTOcular herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infection leads to a potentially blinding immunoinflammatory syndrome, herpes stromal keratitis (HSK). Herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM), a widely expressed tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily member with diverse roles in immune signaling, facilitates viral entry through interactions with viral glycoprotein D (gD) and is important for HSV-1 pathogenesis. We subjected mice to corneal infection with an HSV-1 mutant in which HVEM-mediated entry was specifically abolished and found that the HVEM-entry mutant produced clinical disease comparable to that produced by the control virus. HVEM-mediated induction of corneal cytokines, which correlated with an HVEM-dependent increase in levels of corneal immune cell infiltrates, was also gD independent. Given the complexity of HVEM immune signaling, we used hematopoietic chimeric mice to determine which HVEM-expressing cells mediate HSV-1 pathogenesis in the eye. Regardless of whether the donor was a wild-type (WT) or HVEM knockout (KO) strain, HVEM KO recipients were protected from ocular HSV-1, suggesting that HVEM on radiation-resistant cell types, likely resident cells of the cornea, confers wild-type-like susceptibility to disease. Together, these data indicate that HVEM contributes to ocular pathogenesis independently of entry and point to an immunomodulatory role for this protein specifically on radiation-resistant cells.IMPORTANCEImmune privilege is maintained in the eye in order to protect specialized ocular tissues, such as the translucent cornea, from vision-reducing damage. Ocular herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) infection can disrupt this immune privilege, provoking a host response that ultimately brings about the majority of the damage seen with the immunoinflammatory syndrome herpes stromal keratitis (HSK). Our previous work has shown that HVEM, a host TNF receptor superfamily member that also serves as a viral entry receptor, is a critical component contributing to ocular HSV-1 pathogenesis, although its precise role in this process remains unclear. We hypothesized that HVEM promotes an inflammatory microenvironment in the eye through immunomodulatory actions, enhancing disease after ocular inoculation of HSV-1. Investigating the mechanisms responsible for orchestrating this aberrant immune response shed light on the initiation and maintenance of HSK, one of the leading causes of infectious blindness in the developed world.
Diagnostic accuracy of calculated serum osmolarity to predict dehydration in older people: adding value to pathology laboratory reports
Authors: Hooper Lee , Abdelhamid Asmaa , Ali Adam , Bunn Diane K , Jennings Amy , John W Garry , Kerry Susan , Lindner Gregor , Pfortmueller Carmen A , Sjöstrand Fredrik , Walsh Neil P , Fairweather-Tait Susan J , Potter John F , Hunter Paul R , Shepstone Lee 
Published: October 2015

ObjectivesTo assess which osmolarity equation best predicts directly measured serum/plasma osmolality and whether its use could add value to routine blood test results through screening for dehydration in older people.DesignDiagnostic accuracy study.ParticipantsOlder people (≥65 years) in 5 cohorts: Dietary Strategies for Healthy Ageing in Europe (NU-AGE, living in the community), Dehydration Recognition In our Elders (DRIE, living in residential care), Fortes (admitted to acute medical care), Sjöstrand (emergency room) or Pfortmueller cohorts (hospitalised with liver cirrhosis).Reference standard for hydration statusDirectly measured serum/plasma osmolality: current dehydration (serum osmolality >300 mOsm/kg), impending/current dehydration (≥295 mOsm/kg).Index tests39 osmolarity equations calculated using serum indices from the same blood draw as directly measured osmolality.ResultsAcross 5 cohorts 595 older people were included, of whom 19% were dehydrated (directly measured osmolality >300 mOsm/kg). Of 39 osmolarity equations, 5 showed reasonable agreement with directly measured osmolality and 3 had good predictive accuracy in subgroups with diabetes and poor renal function. Two equations were characterised by narrower limits of agreement, low levels of differential bias and good diagnostic accuracy in receiver operating characteristic plots (areas under the curve >0.8). The best equation was osmolarity=1.86×(Na++ K+)+1.15×glucose+urea+14 (all measured in mmol/L). It appeared useful in people aged ≥65 years with and without diabetes, poor renal function, dehydration, in men and women, with a range of ages, health, cognitive and functional status.ConclusionsSome commonly used osmolarity equations work poorly, and should not be used. Given costs and prevalence of dehydration in older people we suggest use of the best formula by pathology laboratories using a cutpoint of 295 mOsm/L (sensitivity 85%, specificity 59%), to report dehydration risk opportunistically when serum glucose, urea and electrolytes are measured for other reasons in older adults.Trial registration numbers:DRIE: Research Register for Social Care, 122273; NU-AGE: ClinicalTrials.govNCT01754012.
The use of patient experience survey data by out-of-hours primary care services: a qualitative interview study
Authors: Barry Heather E , Campbell John L , Asprey Anthea , Richards Suzanne H 
Published: October 2015

BackgroundEnglish National Quality Requirements mandate out-of-hours primary care services to routinely audit patient experience, but do not state how it should be done.ObjectivesWe explored how providers collect patient feedback data and use it to inform service provision. We also explored staff views on the utility of out-of-hours questions from the English General Practice Patient Survey (GPPS).MethodsA qualitative study was conducted with 31 staff (comprising service managers, general practitioners and administrators) from 11 out-of-hours primary care providers in England, UK. Staff responsible for patient experience audits within their service were sampled and data collected via face-to-face semistructured interviews.ResultsAlthough most providers regularly audited their patients’ experiences by using patient surveys, many participants expressed a strong preference for additional qualitative feedback. Staff provided examples of small changes to service delivery resulting from patient feedback, but service-wide changes were not instigated. Perceptions that patients lacked sufficient understanding of the urgent care system in which out-of-hours primary care services operate were common and a barrier to using feedback to enable change. Participants recognised the value of using patient experience feedback to benchmark services, but perceived weaknesses in the out-of-hours items from the GPPS led them to question the validity of using these data for benchmarking in its current form.ConclusionsThe lack of clarity around how out-of-hours providers should audit patient experience hinders the utility of the National Quality Requirements. Although surveys were common, patient feedback data had only a limited role in service change. Data derived from the GPPS may be used to benchmark service providers, but refinement of the out-of-hours items is needed.
A prospective case control comparison of the ZeroGravity system versus a standard lead apron as radiation protection strategy in neuroendovascular procedures
Authors: Haussen Diogo C , Van Der Bom Imramsjah Martijn John , Nogueira Raul G 
Published: October 2015

Background and purposeWe aimed to compare the performance of the ZeroGravity (ZG) system (radiation protection system composed by a suspended lead suit) against the use of standard protection (lead apron (LA), thyroid shield, lead eyeglasses, table skirts, and ceiling suspended shield) in neuroangiography procedures.Materials and methodsRadiation exposure data were prospectively collected in consecutive neuroendovascular procedures between December 2014 and February 2015. Operator No 1 was assigned to the use of an LA (plus lead glasses, thyroid shield, and a 1 mm hanging shield at the groin) while operator No 2 utilized the ZG system. Dosimeters were used to measure peak skin dose for the head, thyroid, and left foot.ResultsThe two operators performed a total of 122 procedures during the study period. The ZG operator was more commonly the primary operator compared with the LA operator (85% vs 71%; p=0.04). The mean anterior-posterior (AP), lateral, and cumulative dose area product (DAP) radiation exposure as well as the mean fluoroscopy time were not statistically different between the operators’ cases. The peak skin dose to the head of the operator with LA was 2.1 times higher (3380 vs 1600 μSv), while the thyroid was 13.9 (4460 vs 320 μSv), the mediastinum infinitely (520 vs 0 μSv), and the foot 3.3 times higher (4870 vs 1470 μSv) compared with the ZG operator, leading to an overall accumulated dose 4 times higher. The ratio of cumulative operator received dose/total cumulative DAP was 2.5 higher on the LA operator.ConclusionsThe ZG radiation protection system leads to substantially lower radiation exposure to the operator in neurointerventional procedures. However, substantial exposure may still occur at the level of the lens and thyroid to justify additional protection.
The framed Standard Model (II) — A first test against experiment
Authors: Chan Hong-Mo , Tsou Sheung Tsun 
Published: October 2015

Apart from the qualitative features described in Paper I (Ref. 1), the renormalization group equation derived for the rotation of the fermion mass matrices are amenable to quantitative study. The equation depends on a coupling and a fudge factor and, on integration, on 3 integration constants. Its application to data analysis, however, requires the input from experiment of the heaviest generation masses [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text] all of which are known, except for [Formula: see text]. Together then with the theta-angle in the QCD action, there are in all 7 real unknown parameters. Determining these 7 parameters by fitting to the experimental values of the masses [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], the CKM elements [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and the neutrino oscillation angle [Formula: see text], one can then calculate and compare with experiment the following 12 other quantities [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and the results all agree reasonably well with data, often to within the stringent experimental error now achieved. Counting the predictions not yet measured by experiment, this means that 17 independent parameters of the standard model are now replaced by 7 in the FSM.
Loss of Glycogen Debranching Enzyme AGL Drives Bladder Tumor Growth via Induction of Hyaluronic Acid Synthesis
Authors: Guin Sunny , Ru Yuanbin , Agarwal Neeraj , Lew Carolyn R. , Owens Charles , Comi Giacomo P. , Theodorescu Dan 
Published: October 2015

Abstract
Purpose: We demonstrated that amylo-alpha-1-6-glucosidase-4-alpha-glucanotransferase (AGL) is a tumor growth suppressor and prognostic marker in human bladder cancer. Here we determine how AGL loss enhances tumor growth, hoping to find therapeutically tractable targets/pathways that could be used in patients with low AGL–expressing tumors.
Experimental Design: We transcriptionally profiled bladder cell lines with different AGL expression. By focusing on transcripts overexpressed as a function of low AGL and associated with adverse clinicopathologic variables in human bladder tumors, we sought to increase the chances of discovering novel therapeutic opportunities.
Results: One such transcript was hyaluronic acid synthase 2 (HAS2), an enzyme responsible for hyaluronic acid (HA) synthesis. HAS2 expression was inversely proportional to that of AGL in bladder cancer cells and immortalized and normal urothelium. HAS2-driven HA synthesis was enhanced in bladder cancer cells with low AGL, and this drove anchorage-dependent and independent growth. siRNA-mediated depletion of HAS2 or inhibition of HA synthesis by 4-methylumbelliferone (4MU) abrogated in vitro and xenograft growth of bladder cancer cells with low AGL. AGL and HAS2 mRNA expression in human tumors was inversely correlated in patient datasets. Patients with high HAS2 and low AGL tumor mRNA expression had poor survival, lending clinical support to xenograft findings that HAS2 drives growth of tumors with low AGL.
Conclusions: Our study establishes HAS2-mediated HA synthesis as a driver of growth of bladder cancer with low AGL and provides preclinical rationale for personalized targeting of HAS2/HA signaling in patients with low AGL–expressing tumors. Clin Cancer Res; 22(5); 1274–83. ©2015 AACR.
Which Direction Is up for a High Pitch?
Authors: Carnevale Michael J. , Harris Laurence R. 
Published: October 2015

Low- and high-pitched sounds are perceptually associated with low and high visuospatial elevations, respectively. The spatial properties of this association are not well understood. Here we report two experiments that investigated whether low and high tones can be used as spatial cues to upright for self-orientation and identified the spatial frame(s) of reference used in perceptually binding auditory pitch to visuospatial ‘up’ and ‘down’. In experiment 1, participants’ perceptual upright (PU) was measured while lying on their right side with and without high- and low-pitched sounds played through speakers above their left ear and below their right ear. The sounds were ineffective in moving the perceived upright from a direction intermediate between the body and gravity towards the direction indicated by the sounds. In experiment 2, we measured the biasing effects of ascending and descending tones played through headphones on ambiguous vertical or horizontal visual motion created by combining gratings drifting in opposite directions while participants either sat upright or laid on their right side. Ascending and descending tones biased the interpretation of ambiguous motion along both the gravitational vertical and the long-axis of the body with the strongest effect along the body axis. The combination of these two effects showed that axis of maximum effect of sound corresponded approximately to the direction of the perceptual upright, compatible with the idea that ‘high’ and ‘low’ sounds are defined along this axis.
The fieldwork and control engineering studies on thermal comfort of occupants in a conventional office building in the tropics
Authors: Yau YH , Chang CP 
Published: October 2015

This paper presents the fieldwork and the control system studies to examine and improve the thermal comfort of the occupants in a typical office building in Malaysia. The proposed control system works as the basis of adjusting the thermostat setting at a certain period of time with the degree of using the fuzzy logic. The thermostat of the central AC system has its set point fixed between 21℃ and 22℃, slightly below the range of 23–26℃ as recommended by Malaysian Standard MS1525. In order to maintain the room comfort, the occupants choose to switch OFF the central AC system for a certain period of time before it is switched back ON. It has been repeated at least once per working days. Therefore, the proposed control system is designed to overcome this practice. Pre- and post-comfort surveys have been conducted where the thermal comfort level of the occupants throughout this study is investigated. The air temperature ( Ta), globe temperature ( Tg), air velocity ( V) and relative humidity ( RH) in the occupied area were data-logged for continuous five working days. These data are used to compute the operative temperature ( Top) before new thermostat set points are generated, which indicates possible adjustment from the recommended set-point (24℃). The proposed thermostat setting has an error tolerance of 2.9% or less. As a result, the simulation results show an adjustment of the thermostat setting from 24℃ to 25.5℃, which successfully maintained the room temperature of the main office between 23.3℃ and 25℃. The relative humidity is maintained between 54.3% and 59.8%. Also, these outcomes have indirectly promoted an average increase of 22.6% in the thermal comfort satisfactory level of the occupants. Practical application: The new conclusions from the simplified thermostat control strategy, which can be customised according to the environment variables in the air-conditioned space (in this case the operative temperature and the relative humidity) or based on the preferences of the occupants, such as the level of thermal comfort that suits the current thermal environment in tropical climates, could be applied as an important guide for building services engineers and researchers. Their aims are to reduce energy usage in HVAC systems in the non-green office buildings in tropical climates while maintaining an adequate thermal comfort level, and thus, the performance and well-being of the office workers are improved.