bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Sulfur isotopic compositions of fumarolic and plume gases at Mount Etna (Italy) and inferences on their magmatic source
Authors: Liotta M. , Rizzo A. , Paonita A. , Caracausi A. , Martelli M. 
Published: May 2012

Here we report new data on the sulfur isotopic compositions (δ34S) of fumarolic and plume gases collected at Mount Etna volcano during 2008–2009. While low‐temperature fumaroles are affected by postmagmatic processes that modify the pristine isotopic signature, high‐temperature and plume gases allow establishment of aδ34S range of ∼0 ± 1‰ for magmatic SO2. We compared our data with those from S dissolved in primitive melt inclusions from 2002 lava and in whole rocks that erupted during the past two thousand years. Such a comparison revealed that δ34S is systematically lower for magmatic gases than for sulfur dissolved in the melt. We modeled how isotopic fractionation due to magma degassing process may vary δ34S value in both the melt and gaseous phases. This modeling required assessment of the fractionation factor (αgas‐melt). The most recent measurements on the oxidation state of sulfur in basaltic melt inclusions indicate that nearly all S is dissolved as sulfate (S6+), which would be possible in oxidized magmatic systems (ΔNNO ≥ 1). Under these conditions the exsolved gaseous phase is depleted with respect to the melt and the proposed model fits both gas and melt data, and constrains the Etnean magmatic δ34S to 1.0 ± 1.5‰. It is remarkable that the assessed redox conditions—which are significantly more oxidizing than previously thought—are able to explain why the dominant sulfur species measured in the Etnean plume is SO2.
Very large array observations of disturbed ion flow from the plasmasphere to the nighttime ionosphere
Authors: Helmboldt J. F. , Intema H. T. 
Published: May 2012

We present the results of a multiscale analysis of TEC fluctuations using a roughly five‐hour observation of the bright radio source Virgo A with the Very Large Array (VLA) at 74 MHz in its B configuration. Our analysis combines data sensitive to fine‐scale structure (∼10 km and <0.001 TECU in amplitude) along the line of sight to Virgo A as well as larger structures (hundreds of km) observed using several (∼30) moderately bright sources in the field of view. The observations span a time period from midnight to dawn local time during 1 March 2001. Several groups of magnetic eastward directed (MED), wavelike disturbances were identified and determined to be located within the plasmasphere (2.1 < L < 2.9). We have also detected evidence of non‐wavelike structures associated with these disturbances which are propagating roughly toward magnetic north. These likely represent a non‐uniform density flow from the plasmasphere toward the nighttime ionosphere. AE andKp indices and GPS TEC data indicate that during the observations, there were low levels of geomagnetic activity accompanied by somewhat localized depletions in ionospheric density. Thus, the observed plasmaspheric disturbance may be part of a flow triggered by these ionospheric depletions, likely associated with forcing from the lower atmosphere which is typically more prominent during quiet geomagnetic conditions. In addition, we have also observed several roughly westward directed and southeast directed waves located within the ionosphere. They are coincident in time with the plasmaspheric disturbances and may be related to the deposition of material onto the nighttime ionosphere.
Improved Arteriole‐to‐Venule Ratio of Retinal Vessels Resulting From Bariatric Surgery
Authors: Lammert Alexander , Hasenberg Till , Kräupner Caroline , Schnülle Peter , Hammes Hans‐Peter 
Published: May 2012

Obesity causes increased morbidity and mortality from metabolic and cardiovascular disease (CVD). We investigated the effect of bariatric surgery on endothelial dysfunction (ED) in retinal vessels as a marker of metabolic and cardiovascular risk in patients with obesity WHO III. Thirty consecutive patients (19/11, w/m) were evaluated by anthropometry, lipid profile, and oral glucose tolerance test before and after bariatric surgery (Mannheim Obesity Study (MOS); NCT 00770276). Risk stratification was performed by the presence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) according to ATP‐III (adult treatment panel‐III). Subclinical atherosclerosis was assessed by measurement of intima‐media thickness (IMT). Flicker light response of retinal vessels was used as measures of ED. We measured their arteriole‐to‐venule ratio (AVR) for evaluation of vascular pathology. After a median of 9 months following bariatric surgery, mean weight loss was 39.4 kg (37.3%). Remission of impaired glucose metabolism was achieved in 53.3% of affected patients. Dyslipidemia improved significantly (triglycerides −61.3 mg/dl, P < 0.0001, total cholesterol −28.2 mg/dl, P = 0.002, and low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol were reduced −24.5 mg/dl, P = 0.008). This resulted in a significant reduction of patients classified for MetS (27 vs. 9, P < 0.0001). Adiponectin increased by 2.08 µg/l (P = 0.032) and high sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) and soluble intercellular cell adhesion molecule (sICAM) decreased (−7.3 mg/l, P < 0.0001 and −146.4 ng/ml, P = 0.0006). AVR improved significantly (+0.04, P < 0.0001), but neither Flicker light response nor IMT changed significantly. Retinal AVR is ameliorated after bariatric intervention. As an increased AVR results from either or both widening retinal arteriolar caliber and narrowing retinal venular caliber, an improvement in small vessel profile is evident 9 months after bariatric surgery.
A urea channel from Bacillus cereus reveals a novel hexameric structure
Authors: Huysmans Gerard H. M. , Chan Nathan , Baldwin Jocelyn M. , Postis Vincent L. G. , Tzokov Svetomir B. , Deacon Sarah E. , Yao Sylvia Y. M. , Young James D. , McPherson Michael J. , Bullough Per A. , Baldwin Stephen A. 
Published: May 2012

Urea is exploited as a nitrogen source by bacteria, and its breakdown products, ammonia and bicarbonate, are employed to counteract stomach acidity in pathogens such as Helicobacter pylori. Uptake in the latter is mediated by UreI, a UAC (urea amide channel) family member. In the present paper, we describe the structure and function of UACBc, a homologue from Bacillus cereus. The purified channel was found to be permeable not only to urea, but also to other small amides. CD and IR spectroscopy revealed a structure comprising mainly α-helices, oriented approximately perpendicular to the membrane. Consistent with this finding, site-directed fluorescent labelling indicated the presence of seven TM (transmembrane) helices, with a cytoplasmic C-terminus. In detergent, UACBc exists largely as a hexamer, as demonstrated by both cross-linking and size-exclusion chromatography. A 9 Å (1 Å=0.1 nm) resolution projection map obtained by cryo-electron microscopy of two-dimensional crystals shows that the six protomers are arranged in a planar hexameric ring. Each exhibits six density features attributable to TM helices, surrounding a putative central channel, while an additional helix is peripherally located. Bioinformatic analyses allowed individual TM regions to be tentatively assigned to the density features, with the resultant model enabling identification of residues likely to contribute to channel function.
A column‐based rapid method for the simultaneous isolation of DNA, RNA, miRNA and proteins
Authors: Rajput Sandeep K. , Dave Vivek P. , Rajput Ankita , Pandey Hausila P. , Datta Tirtha K. , Singh Rakesh K. 
Published: May 2012

AbstractIn the 21st century, systems biology is a holistic approach to understand life by the cross‐talk study between the genome, Rnome and proteome of a cell. We describe a column‐based rapid method for the simultaneous extraction of DNA, RNA, miRNA (microRNA) and proteins from the same experimental sample without prior fractionation, which allows a direct correlation between genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic and proteomic data. This method provides a simple and effective way to analyse each of these biomolecules without affecting yield and quality. We also show that isolated biomolecules are of the highest purity and compatible for all the respective downstream applications, such as PCR amplification, RT—PCR (reverse transcription—PCR), real‐time PCR, reverse Northern blotting, SDS/PAGE and Western blot analysis. The buffers and reagents used in this method are optimized extensively to achieve the cost effective and reliable procedure to separate the functional biomolecules of the cell.
Overexpression of phosphatase regenerating liver 3 in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma associated with metastasis and its comparison with phosphatase regenerating liver 1
Authors: Lou Xi , Liu Yuqiong , Ke Guo , Lei Jun‐Yi , Li Huixiang 
Published: May 2012

AbstractExpression of PRL3 (phosphatase of regenerating liver 3) protein was examined with immunohistochemistry in 60 cases of ESCC (oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma) with matched lymph node metastasis (n=40) and 6 cases of oesophageal adenocarcinoma. Its associations with PRL1 and clinicopathological parameters were analysed. The results showed the frequency of PRL3 protein expression was significantly higher in ESCC (39/60, 65%) than in normal oesophageal mucosa (0/20, P<0.001); higher in ESCC with lymph node metastasis (30/40, 75%) than in ESCC without lymph node metastasis (9/20, P=0.022), as well as higher in metastatic ESCC in lymph node (38/40, 95%) than in the primary ESCC (39/60, 65%, P<0.001). PRL3 was expressed in 1 out of 6 oesophageal adenocarcinomas, but showed no nuclear staining of PRL1. Expression of PRL3 protein was positively associated with the grade and partially with the stage of ESCC. These results suggest that expression of PRL3 protein may be involved in the metastasis of ESCC and serve as a biomarker for prediction of ESCC metastasis.
Synchronous Cycling of Ichthyophoniasis with Chinook Salmon Density Revealed during the Annual Yukon River Spawning Migration
Authors: Zuray Stanley , Kocan Richard , Hershberger Paul 
Published: May 2012

AbstractPopulations of Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha in the Yukon River declined by more than 57% between 2003 and 2010, probably the result of a combination of anthropogenic and environmental factors. One possible contributor to this decline is Ichthyophonus, a mesomycetozoan parasite that has previously been implicated in significant losses of fish, including Chinook salmon. A multiyear epidemiological study of ichthyophoniasis in the Yukon River revealed that disease prevalence and Chinook salmon population abundance increased and decreased simultaneously (i.e., were concordant) from 1999 to 2010. The two values rose and fell synchronously 91% of the time for female Chinook salmon and 82% of the time for males; however, there was no significant correlation between Ichthyophonus prevalence and population abundance. This synchronicity might be explained by a single factor, such as a prey item that is critical to Chinook salmon survival as well as a source of Ichthyophonus infection. The host–parasite relationship between Ichthyophonus and migrating Chinook salmon from 2004 to 2010 was similar to that reported for the previous 5 years. During 2004–2010, overall disease prevalence was significantly higher among females (21%) than among males (8%), increased linearly with fish length for both males and females, and increased in both sexes as the fish progressed upriver. These regularly occurring features of host–parasite dynamics confirm a stable base of transmission for Ichthyophonus. However, from 2003 to 2010, disease prevalence decreased from 30% to just 8% in males and from 45% to 9% in females, paralleling a similar decline in Chinook salmon abundance during the same period. These findings may help clarify questions regarding the complex host–parasite dynamics that occur in marine species such as herrings Clupea spp., which have less well‐defined population structures.
Use of Administrative Data in Efficient Auditing of Hospital-Acquired Surgical Site Infections, New York State 2009–2010
Authors: Haley Valerie B. , Antwerpen Carole Van , Tserenpuntsag Boldtsetseg , Gase Kathleen A. , Hazamy Peggy , Doughty Diana , Tsivitis Marie , Stricof Rachel L. 
Published: May 2012

Objective.To efficiently validate the accuracy of surgical site infection (SSI) data reported to the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) by New York State (NYS) hospitals.Design.Validation study.Setting.176 NYS hospitals.Methods.NYS Department of Health staff validated the data reported to NHSN by review of a stratified sample of medical records from each hospital. The four strata were (1) SSIs reported to NHSN; (2) records with an indication of infection from diagnosis codes in administrative data but not reported to NHSN as SSIs; (3) records with discordant procedure codes in NHSN and state data sets; (4) records not in the other three strata.Results.A total of 7,059 surgical charts (6% of the procedures reported by hospitals) were reviewed. In stratum 1, 7% of reported SSIs did not meet the criteria for inclusion in NHSN and were subsequently removed. In stratum 2, 24% of records indicated missed SSIs not reported to NHSN, whereas in strata 3 and 4, only 1% of records indicated missed SSIs; these SSIs were subsequently added to NHSN. Also, in stratum 3, 75% of records were not coded for the correct NHSN procedure. Errors were highest for colon data; the NYS colon SSI rate increased by 7.5% as a result of hospital audits.Conclusions.Audits are vital for ensuring the accuracy of hospital-acquired infection (HAI) data so that hospital HAI rates can be fairly compared. Use of administrative data increased the efficiency of identifying problems in hospitals' SSI surveillance that caused SSIs to be unreported and caused errors in denominator data.
Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) Nasal Carriage in Residents of Veterans Affairs Long-Term Care Facilities: Role of Antimicrobial Exposure and MRSA Acquisition
Authors: Stone Nimalie D. , Lewis Donna R. , Johnson Theodore M. , Hartney Thomas , Chandler Doris , Byrd-Sellers Johnita , McGowan John E. , Tenover Fred C. , Jernigan John A. , Gaynes Robert P. 
Published: May 2012

Objective.To identify risk factors associated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) acquisition in long-term care facility (LTCF) residents.Design.Multicenter, prospective cohort followed over 6 months.Setting.Three Veterans Affairs (VA) LTCFs.Participants.All current and new residents except those with short stay (<2 weeks).Methods.MRSA carriage was assessed by serial nares cultures and classified into 3 groups: persistent (all cultures positive), intermittent (at least 1 but not all cultures positive), and noncarrier (no cultures positive). MRSA acquisition was defined by an initial negative culture followed by more than 2 positive cultures with no subsequent negative cultures. Epidemiologic data were collected to identify risk factors, and MRSA isolates were typed by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE).Results.Among 412 residents at 3 LTCFs, overall MRSA prevalence was 58%, with similar distributions of carriage at all 3 facilities: 20% persistent, 39% intermittent, 41% noncarriers. Of 254 residents with an initial negative swab, 25 (10%) acquired MRSA over the 6 months; rates were similar at all 3 LTCFs, with no clusters evident. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that receipt of systemic antimicrobials during the study was the only significant risk factor for MRSA acquisition (odds ratio, 7.8 [95% confidence interval, 2.1–28.6]; P = .002). MRSA strains from acquisitions were related by PFGE to those from a roommate in 9/25 (36%) cases; 6 of these 9 roommate sources were persistent carriers.Conclusions.MRSA colonization prevalence was high at 3 separate VA LTCFs. MRSA acquisition was strongly associated with antimicrobial exposure. Roommate sources were often persistent carriers, but transmission from roommates accounted for only approximately one-third of MRSA acquisitions.
Efficiency of International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Billing Code Searches to Identify Emergency Department Visits for Blood or Body Fluid Exposures through a Statewide Multicenter Database
Authors: Rosen Lisa M. , Liu Tao , Merchant Roland C. 
Published: May 2012

Background.Blood and body fluid exposures are frequently evaluated in emergency departments (EDs). However, efficient and effective methods for estimating their incidence are not yet established.Objective.Evaluate the efficiency and accuracy of estimating statewide ED visits for blood or body fluid exposures using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9), code searches.Design.Secondary analysis of a database of ED visits for blood or body fluid exposure.Setting.EDs of 11 civilian hospitals throughout Rhode Island from January 1, 1995, through June 30, 2001.Patients.Patients presenting to the ED for possible blood or body fluid exposure were included, as determined by prespecified ICD-9 codes.Methods.Positive predictive values (PPVs) were estimated to determine the ability of 10 ICD-9 codes to distinguish ED visits for blood or body fluid exposure from ED visits that were not for blood or body fluid exposure. Recursive partitioning was used to identify an optimal subset of ICD-9 codes for this purpose. Random-effects logistic regression modeling was used to examine variations in ICD-9 coding practices and styles across hospitals. Cluster analysis was used to assess whether the choice of ICD-9 codes was similar across hospitals.Results.The PPV for the original 10 ICD-9 codes was 74.4% (95% confidence interval [CI], 73.2%–75.7%), whereas the recursive partitioning analysis identified a subset of 5 ICD-9 codes with a PPV of 89.9% (95% CI, 88.9%–90.8%) and a misclassification rate of 10.1%. The ability, efficiency, and use of the ICD-9 codes to distinguish types of ED visits varied across hospitals.Conclusions.Although an accurate subset of ICD-9 codes could be identified, variations across hospitals related to hospital coding style, efficiency, and accuracy greatly affected estimates of the number of ED visits for blood or body fluid exposure.
Healthcare-Associated Infection and Hospital Readmission
Authors: Emerson Carley B. , Eyzaguirre Lindsay M. , Albrecht Jennifer S. , Comer Angela C. , Harris Anthony D. , Furuno Jon P. 
Published: May 2012

Objective.Hospital readmissions are a current target of initiatives to reduce healthcare costs. This study quantified the association between having a clinical culture positive for 1 of 3 prevalent hospital-associated organisms and time to hospital readmission.Design.Retrospective cohort study.Patients and Setting.Adults admitted to an academic, tertiary care referral center from January 1, 2001, through December 31, 2008.Methods.The primary exposure of interest was a clinical culture positive for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE), or Clostridium difficile obtained more than 48 hours after hospital admission during the index hospital stay. The primary outcome of interest was time to readmission to the index facility. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were used to model the adjusted association between positive clinical culture result and time to readmission and to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs).Results.Among 136,513 index admissions, the prevalence of hospital-associated positive clinical culture result for 1 of the 3 organisms of interest was 3%, and 35% of patients were readmitted to the index facility within 1 year after discharge. Patients with a positive clinical culture obtained more than 48 hours after hospital admission had an increased hazard of readmission (HR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.33–1.46) after adjusting for age, sex, index admission length of stay, intensive care unit stay, Charlson comorbidity index, and year of hospital admission.Conclusions.Patients with healthcare-associated infections may be at increased risk of hospital readmission. These findings may be used to impact health outcomes after discharge from the hospital and to encourage better infection prevention efforts.
Prospective Nationwide Surveillance of Surgical Site Infections after Gastric Surgery and Risk Factor Analysis in the Korean Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System (KONIS)
Authors: Kim Eu Suk , Kim Hong Bin , Song Kyoung-Ho , Kim Young Keun , Kim, Hyung-Ho , Jin Hye Young , Jeong Sun Young , Sung Joohon , Cho Yong Kyun , Lee Yeong-Seon , Oh Hee-Bok , Kim Eui-Chong , Kim June Myung , Choi Tae Yeol , Choi Hee Jung , Kim Hyo Youl ,   for the Korean Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System (KONIS)
Published: May 2012

Objective.To evaluate the risk factors for surgical site infection (SSI) after gastric surgery in patients in Korea.Design.A nationwide prospective multicenter study.Setting.Twenty university-affiliated hospitals in Korea.Methods.The Korean Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System (KONIS), a Web-based system, was developed. Patients in 20 Korean hospitals from 2007 to 2009 were prospectively monitored for SSI for up to 30 days after gastric surgery. Demographic data, hospital characteristics, and potential perioperative risk factors were collected and analyzed, using multivariate logistic regression models.Results.Of the 4,238 case patients monitored, 64.9% (2,752) were male, and mean age (±SD) was 58.8 (±12.3) years. The SSI rates were 2.92, 6.45, and 10.87 per 100 operations for the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance system risk index categories of 0, 1, and 2 or 3, respectively. The majority (69.4%) of the SSIs observed were organ or space SSIs. The most frequently isolated microorganisms were Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Male sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.67 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.09–2.58]), increased operation time (1.20 [1.07–1.34] per 1-hour increase), reoperation (7.27 [3.68–14.38]), combined multiple procedures (1.79 [1.13–2.83]), prophylactic administration of the first antibiotic dose after skin incision (3.00 [1.09–8.23]), and prolonged duration (≥7 days) of surgical antibiotic prophylaxis (SAP; 2.70 [1.26–5.64]) were independently associated with increased risk of SSI.Conclusions.Male sex, inappropriate SAP, and operation-related variables are independent risk factors for SSI after gastric surgery.
Translational motion of an atom in a weakly driven fiber-Bragg-grating cavity
Authors: Kien Fam Le , Hakuta K 
Published: May 2012

Abstract
We study the translational motion of an atom in the vicinity of a weakly driven nanofiber with two fiber-Bragg-grating mirrors. We find that the spatial dependences of the force, the friction coefficients and the momentum diffusion are very complicated due to the evanescent-wave nature of the atom–field coupling as well as the effect of the van der Waals potential. We show that the time development of the mean number of photons in the cavity closely follows the translational motion of the atom through the nodes and antinodes of the fiber-guided cavity standing-wave field even though the cavity finesse is moderate, the cavity is long and the probe field is weak.
Synthesis of AgCl/Ag nanopowder and its application in photodegradation of methylene blue
Authors: Nguyen Van Khanh , Vu Thi Ha 
Published: May 2012

Abstract
We present the synthesis of AgCl/Ag and investigate its structural and optical properties as well as applying this product to the photodegradation of methylene blue (MB). The significant result is to almost photodegrade MB after 120 mins under visible light. The development of such photocatalysts may be considered a breakthrough in large-scale utilization of solar energy towards environmental needs. The technology for preparing AgCl/Ag was elaborated. The product can be recycled after use.