bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Incidence and clinical features of extramedullary multiple myeloma in patients who underwent stem cell transplantation
Authors: Weinstock Mathew , Aljawai Yosra , Morgan Elizabeth A. , Laubach Jacob , Gannon Muriel , Roccaro Aldo M. , Varga Cindy , Mitsiades Constantine S. , Paba‐Prada Claudia , Schlossman Robert , Munshi Nikhil , Anderson Kenneth C. , Richardson Paul P. , Weller Edie , Ghobrial Irene M.
Published: April 2015

Extramedullary disease (EMD), defined as an infiltrate of clonal plasma cells at an anatomic site distant from the bone marrow, is an uncommon manifestation of multiple myeloma. Six hundred and sixty‐three consecutive patients with multiple myeloma who underwent stem cell transplantation between January 2005 and December 2011 were assessed for the presence of EMD. A cohort of 55 patients with biopsy‐proven EMD was identified, comprising 8·3% of the total study population. EMD was present at the time of diagnosis in 14·5% of cases and at the time of relapse in 76% of patients. The most common EMD presentations at relapse were liver involvement and pleural effusions. EMD specimens had high expression of CD44 (92%) and moderate expression of CXCR4. The median overall survival from time of myeloma diagnosis was 4·1 years (95% CI: 3·1, 5·1) and the median overall survival from time of EMD diagnosis was 1·3 years (95% CI: 0·8, 2·3). This report demonstrates that the incidence of EMD has not increased with the introduction of novel agents and stem cell transplantation. The most common EMD presentations in the relapsed setting were liver and pleural fluid. The presence of CD44 and CXCR4 expression may represent new markers of EMD that warrant further investigation.
Evaluation of clinical efficacy, safety and patient satisfaction rate after low‐intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy for the treatment of male erectile dysfunction: an Australian first open‐label single‐arm prospective clinical trial
Authors: Chung Eric , Cartmill Ross
Published: April 2015

Objective

To evaluate the efficacy, safety and patient satisfaction rate with low‐intensity extracorporeal shockwave therapy (LiESWT) in Australian men with erectile dysfunction (ED), as LiESWT induces neovascularisation and potentially enhances penile perfusion and improves erectile function.

Patients and Methods

Open‐label single‐arm prospective study of patients with ED with five‐item version of the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF‐5) scores of >12 at baseline were enrolled after informed consent. Patient demographics, change in IIEF‐5 and Erectile Dysfunction Inventory of Treatment Satisfaction (EDITS) scores, and overall satisfaction score (on a 5‐point scale) were recorded. Treatment consists of 3000 shockwaves (1000 shockwaves to the distal penis, base of penis and corporal bodies at the perineum) twice weekly for 6 weeks.

Results

All patients had tried and failed oral phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors and most of the patients hah had ED for >18 months [mean (range) 21.8 (6–60) months]. No side‐effects to LiESWT were reported. Most patients reported an improvement in IIEF‐5 score by 5 points (60%) and EDITS Index score by >50% (70%). Most patients were satisfied (scoring 4 out of 5; 67%) and would recommend the therapy to their friends (80%).

Conclusion

LiESWT appears to improve erectile function, is safe and potential plays an important role in penile rehabilitation in men whom failed medical therapy.
Chronology and extent of the Lofoten–Vesterålen sector of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet from 26 to 16 cal. ka BP
Authors: Vorren Tore O. , Rydningen Tom Arne , Baeten Nicole J. , Laberg Jan Sverre
Published: April 2015

The interplay between the onshore and offshore areas during the Last Glacial Maximum and the deglaciation of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet is poorly known. In this paper we present new results on the glacial morphology, stratigraphy and chronology of Andøya, and the glacial morphology of the nearby continental shelf off Lofoten–Vesterålen. The results were used to develop a new model for the timing and extent of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet in the study area during the local last glacial maximum (LLGM) (26 to 16 cal. ka BP). We subdivided the LLGM in this area into five glacial events: before 24, c. 23 to 22.2, 22.2 to c. 18.6, 18 to 17.5, and 16.9–16.3 cal. ka BP. The extent of the Scandinavian Ice Sheet during these various events was reconstructed for the shelf areas off Lofoten, Vesterålen and Troms. Icecaps survived in coastal areas of Vesterålen–Lofoten after the shelf was deglaciated and off Andøya ice flowed landwards from the shelf. During the LLGM the relative sea level was stable until 18.5 cal. ka BP, and thereafter there was a sea‐level drop on Andøya. Thus, relative sea level (i.e. a sea level rise) does not seem to be a driving mechanism for ice‐margin retreat in this area but the fall in sea level may have had some importance for the grounding episodes on the banks during deglaciation. The positions of the grounding zone wedges (GZWs) in the troughs are related to the morphology as they are often located where the troughs narrow.
Business Model Design Games: Rules and Procedures to Challenge Assumptions and Elicit Surprises
Authors: Gudiksen Sune
Published: April 2015

Previously well‐established companies are currently struggling to secure profits, mainly due to the pressure from new communication technology‐based business models. Because of this, the business model research field has flourished in recent years, but most of the applied approaches still rely on linear, rational conceptions and causal reasoning. Through three games and three business cases, it is argued that experimental game‐like innovation activities can lead the way into another approach to business model development, called ‘business model design games’. This paper illustrates how the application of game rules and procedures can challenge business assumptions and evoke surprises that lead to novel business model insights.
Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Novel Peptide Gly3‐MC62 Analogues as Potential Antidiabetic Agents
Authors: Yang Baowei , Zhang Chenyu , Li Xue , Yan Sijia , Wei Wei , Wang Xuekun , Deng Xin , Huang Wenlong , Qian Hai
Published: April 2015

Two series of conformationally constrained analogues from Gly3‐MC62 were designed by scanning the residues Lys1, Thr2, Met4, Lys5, Met7, and Ala8 with an i‐(i + 2) lactam bridge consisting of a Glutamic acid–xaa–lysine (Glu–Xaa–Lys) scaffold and a diproline fragment. They were synthesized and evaluated for their antihyperglycemic effects. Through screening in normal and mice with diabetes mellitus, peptides II‐5, III‐3, III‐4, and III‐5 showed significant improvement in antihyperglycemic and antioxidative activities compared with Gly3‐MC62, especially the compound III‐4. The primary mechanism of the compounds (II‐5, III‐3, III‐4, and III‐5) underlying this effect is the islet β‐cells against oxidative damage induced by STZ, and III‐4‐treated mice showed considerable improvement in the preservation of beta cells in the pancreatic islets of DM mice. These data suggested that III‐4 could be candidate for the future treatment of diabetes mellitus.
Establishing an Explanatory Model for Mathematics Identity
Authors: Cribbs Jennifer D. , Hazari Zahra , Sonnert Gerhard , Sadler Philip M.
Published: April 2015

This article empirically tests a previously developed theoretical framework for mathematics identity based on students’ beliefs. The study employs data from more than 9,000 college calculus students across the United States to build a robust structural equation model. While it is generally thought that students’ beliefs about their own competence in mathematics directly impact their identity as a “math person,” findings indicate that students’ self‐perceptions related to competence and performance have an indirect effect on their mathematics identity, primarily by association with students’ interest and external recognition in mathematics. Thus, the model indicates that students’ competence and performance beliefs are not sufficient for their mathematics identity development, and it highlights the roles of interest and recognition.
Late Emergence of the First Possession Heuristic: Evidence From a Small‐Scale Culture
Authors: Kanngiesser Patricia , Rossano Federico , Tomasello Michael
Published: April 2015

Western preschool children often assign ownership based on first possession and some theorists have proposed that this judgment might be an early emerging, innate bias. Five‐ to 9‐year‐olds (n = 112) from a small‐scale group in Kenya (Kikuyu) watched videotaped interactions of two women passing an object. The object's starting position and the women's gestures were varied. Use of the first possession heuristic increased with age, and 8‐ to 9‐year‐olds performed similarly to German 5‐year‐olds (n = 24). Starting position and gestures had no effect. A control study confirmed that 5‐year‐old Kikuyus (n = 20) understood the video material. The findings reveal that the first possession heuristic follows different developmental trajectories cross‐culturally and stress the role of children's sociocultural environment.
Twins' risk of childhood asthma mediated by gestational age and birthweight
Authors: Ullemar V. , Lundholm C. , Almqvist C.
Published: April 2015

Background

Children born with low gestational age (GA) or low birthweight (BW) are at increased risk of asthma. Twins as compared to singletons are on average more likely to be born with lower GA and BW and have been hypothesized to comprise a high‐risk population for asthma. Many previous studies have not accounted for potential confounders or mediators.

Objective

To investigate the association between twinship and childhood asthma or early life wheeze and identify potential mediators, such as GA/BW.

Methods

The study population consisted of two cohorts including all children born in Sweden from 1 January 1993 to 1 June 2001 (n = 756 363 singletons, n = 22 478 twins) and 1 July 2005 to 31 December 2009 (n = 456 239 singletons, n = 12 872 twins). Asthma was defined using validated register‐based outcomes of diagnosis or medication. The data were analysed using logistic (older cohort) and Cox regression (younger cohort). Adjusted models incorporated potential confounding or mediating factors including gestational age and birthweight.

Results

In the younger cohort, the crude hazard ratio (HR) of asthma medication after 1.5 years of age was 1.12 (95% CI 1.01–1.23), and fully adjusted HR was 0.80, 95% CI 0.72–0.89. Crude HR of asthma diagnosis in the same age group was 1.14 (95% CI 0.99–1.30), fully adjusted 0.78 (0.68–0.98). Adjusted analyses in the older group yielded similar results.

Conclusions

Twins were at significantly higher unadjusted risk of asthma or early life wheeze compared to singletons in the younger, but not in the older cohort. Associations attenuated following adjustment for GA/BW, suggesting that GA/BW mediates the effect of twinship on asthma risk. After adjustments, twins were at lower risk of asthma outcomes, possibly due to unmeasured confounding.
A prospective clinical study to evaluate the performance of zirconium dioxide dental implants in single‐tooth gaps
Authors: Gahlert Michael , Kniha Heinz , Weingart Dieter , Schild Sabine , Gellrich Nils‐Claudius , Bormann Kai‐Hendrik
Published: April 2015

Introduction

Dental implants have traditionally been made from titanium or its alloys, but recently full‐ceramic implants have been developed with comparable osseointegration properties and functional strength properties to titanium. These ceramic implants may have advantages in certain patients and situations, for example, where esthetic outcomes are particularly important.

Objective

The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the performance of a newly developed full‐ceramic ZrO2monotype implant design (PURECeramic Implant; Institut StraumannAG, Basel, Switzerland) in single‐tooth gaps in the maxilla and mandible.

Material and methods

This was a prospective, open‐label, single‐arm study in patients requiring implant rehabilitation in single‐tooth gaps. Full‐ceramic implants were placed, with provisional and final prostheses inserted after 3 and 6 months, respectively. Crestal bone level was measured at implant placement and after 6 and 12 months. Implant survival and success were evaluated after 6 and 12 months. Further evaluations are planned after 24 and 36 months.

Results

Forty‐six patients were screened for potential study participation, of whom 44 (17 men and 27 women, mean age 48 ± 14 years) were recruited into the study. The majority of implants (90.9%) were placed in the maxilla. The implant survival and implant success rate after 12 months were 97.6%. A minor change of the mean bone level occurred between implant loading (final prosthesis insertion after 6 months) and 12 months (−0.14 mm) after initial bone remodeling was observed between implant placement and loading (−0.88 mm).

Conclusions

The results indicated that monotype ceramic implants can achieve clinical outcomes comparable to published outcomes of equivalent titanium implants.
Pulmonary solid tumor with coexisting pulmonary aspergillosis: case reports and literature review
Authors: Wu Ting , Li Pei , Wang Min , Wang Qin , Shi Yi , Su Xin
Published: April 2015

Background and Aims

The association of noncavitary untreated lung cancer with coexisting pulmonary Aspergillosis in immunocompetent patients is an extremely rare occurrence. The present paper aims to summarize the clinical data, and gives an overview of the current knowledge on the etiology, diagnosis and treatment of this condition.

Methods

We report four cases and review seven cases in the literature.

Results

The four cases describe pulmonary solid tumor with coexisting pulmonary Aspergillosis condition. All cases underwent complicated procession for the terminal diagnosis.

Conclusion

Clinicians should be alert to underlying malignant disease if airway Aspergillus infection is suspicious in a patient without strong risk factors for invasive fungal disease. On the other hand, when lung cancer is coexisting with airway necrotizing Aspergillosis, clinicians should properly manage these two diseases simultaneously.
Tuberculosis management continues to utilize a large amount of hospital resources in the United States
Authors: Allareddy Veerasathpurush , Rampa Sankeerth , Allareddy Veerajalandhar , Nalliah Romesh P.
Published: April 2015

Background and Aims

The objective of this study is to examine longitudinal trends in hospital admissions attributed to tuberculosis and resulting hospitalization outcomes in the United States for the years 2000–2010.

Methods

We used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, which is the largest all‐payer and nationally representative in‐hospital dataset in the United States. All hospitalizations that had a primary diagnosis for tuberculosis were selected for analysis. Patient characteristics and outcomes including discharge status following hospitalization, length of stay in hospital and hospitalization charges were examined.

Results

During the study period, a total of 96 431 hospitalizations occurred due to tuberculosis. The mean age of hospitalizations was 48.6 years. Males comprised 64.2% of all hospitalizations; 24.8% were Whites, 25.5% Blacks, 26.5% Hispanics, 14.3% Asians/Pacific Islanders, 1% Native Americans, and 7.9% other/mixed races. Following hospitalization, 72.1% were discharged routinely, 3.4% were transferred to another acute‐care hospital, 10.7% to long‐term care facilities including skilled nursing facilities, 7.6% to home health care, and 2.1% were discharged against medical advice. There were 3815 patients who died (4% of hospitalizations). The total hospitalization charge for this cohort of patients admitted due to tuberculosis across the United States was $6.96 billion and the total hospitalization days over study period was 1 419 605 days.

Conclusion

High‐risk cohorts who are likely to be hospitalized due to tuberculosis included Blacks and Hispanics. Majority of hospitalization comprised of males. Even though the annual number of hospitalizations reduced over the study period, substantial amounts of resources are used in hospital settings to manage tuberculosis.
An irregular pulmonary nodule was confirmed diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia by finding plant cells through rapid on‐site evaluation
Authors: Deng Chaosheng , Cao Xiaoming , Lin Qichang , Chen Lingying , Yang Minxia , Ding Haibo , Liu Kaixiong , Zhang Xin
Published: April 2015

Background

Rapid on‐site evaluation (ROSE) is a method which is often used in quick‐staining cytology in the tumour diagnostic field, and results in a significant decrease in diagnostic time and cost. However, we have not found any previous report on the ROSE method for diagnosing aspiration pneumonia.

Methods

We would like to discuss the case of a patient with an irregular pulmonary nodule in the left lower lobar bronchus who had a confirmed diagnosis of aspiration pneumonia through ROSE stained by Diff‐Quik methods during bronchoscopy.

Results

Through ROSE, which we were able to perform within just 1 min, we observed the plant cells on the smear under the microscope. The Giemsa stain of the specimen, which would take much more time than Diff‐Quik, also revealed the plant cells.

Conclusion

ROSE for the specimen from the bronchoscopy could be done for the patient who has developed an unexplained pulmonary nodule and is helpful. If the non‐human cells such as plant cells are found from the ROSE, aspiration pneumonia can be diagnosed immediately and the corresponding therapy may be performed, which may significantly shorten hospital stay, reduce hospital costs and improve patient outcomes.
Regional variability in extinction thresholds for forest birds in the north‐eastern United States: an examination of potential drivers using long‐term breeding bird atlas datasets
Authors: van der Hoek Yntze , Wilson Andrew M. , Renfrew Rosalind , Walsh Joan , Rodewald Paul G. , Baldy Jennifer , Manne Lisa L.
Published: April 2015

Aim

Demand for quantitative conservation targets has yielded a search for generalities in habitat thresholds, particular amounts of habitat at which extinction probabilities change strongly. These thresholds are thought to vary across regions, but investigation of this variability has been limited. We tested whether thresholds (of forest separating extinction from persistence) increased as either average forest cover in landscapes decreased or the degree of fragmentation increased.

Location

Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Vermont.

Methods

We used segmented logistic regressions to estimate thresholds in the relationship between extinction probability and forest cover for 25 forest‐breeding birds, comparing estimated thresholds across states. We also selected landscapes from our entire study area in which landscape‐level forest cover and degree of fragmentation varied independently and compared thresholds.

Results

We found that thresholds in extinction probability varied widely among species (7–90% forest cover) and within species across states [e.g. 12–90% for white‐throated sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis)]. Additional analyses showed no indications that thresholds correlated with the degree of fragmentation or forest cover across the landscape; we found considerable variability in thresholds across landscapes, species and even landscapes in which (average) fragmentation and forest cover were similar.

Main conclusions

Extinction threshold estimates varied tremendously across species and landscapes. Thus, habitat thresholds are difficult to generalize as they depend on many factors beyond landscape fragmentation and habitat availability (e.g. landscape characteristics such as matrix quality). Our findings highlight the need to avoid oversimplification and generalization of habitat thresholds, especially as they might prove counterproductive to conservation efforts. Instead, we propose that we evaluate thresholds for individual species – preferably using species‐centred habitat definitions in threshold modelling – to derive generalities for ecological and conservation applications.
On the Limits of Liberalism in Participatory Environmental Governance: Conflict and Conservation in Ukraine's Danube Delta
Authors: Richardson Tanya
Published: April 2015

Participatory management techniques are widely promoted in environmental and protected area governance as a means of preventing and mitigating conflict. The World Bank project that created Ukraine's Danube Biosphere Reserve included such ‘community participation’ components. The Reserve, however, has been involved in conflicts and scandals in which rumour, denunciation and prayer have played a prominent part. The cases described in this article demonstrate that the way conflict is escalated or mitigated differs according to foundational assumptions about what ‘the political’ is and what counts as ‘politics’. The contrasting forms of politics at work in the Danube Delta help to explain why a 2005 World Bank assessment report could only see failure in the Reserve's implementation of participatory management, and why liberal participatory management approaches may founder when introduced in settings where relationships are based on non‐liberal political ontologies. The author argues that environmental management needs to be rethought in ways that take ontological differences seriously rather than assuming the universality of liberal assumptions about the individual, the political and politics.
miR‐29a modulates tumor necrosis factor‐α‐induced osteogenic inhibition by targeting Wnt antagonists
Authors: Li Caixia , Zhang Pingping , Gu Jieruo
Published: April 2015

We previously found that miR‐29a was significantly downregulated in Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients, a chronic inflammatory disease associated with bone metabolic disorder, however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that miR‐29a regulates tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) mediated bone loss mainly by targeting DKK1 and GSK3β, thus activating the Wnt/β‐catenin pathway. Our findings may provide new insight into the pathogenesis of the bone metabolism disorder in inflammation environment and provide promising therapeutic target.
Spatio‐temporal regulation of the formation of the somatosensory system
Authors: Kawasaki Hiroshi
Published: April 2015

The somatosensory system in the brain has been widely used for investigating the mechanisms underlying neural circuit formation and developmental neural plasticity. In the primary somatosensory cortex (S1) of rodents, there are discrete cytoarchitectonic units called barrels. Reverse genetic analyses using knockout mice have revealed molecules that control spatial pattern formation of barrels in S1. Glutamatergic receptors such as the NMDA receptor and mGluR5, and molecules related to serotonin such as serotonin transporter and monoamine oxidase A are essential for the formation of barrels. In addition to the mechanisms of spatial pattern formation, those regulating the timing of developmental processes were uncovered recently. Barrels are formed soon after the birth of newborn mouse pups from their mothers, and it was shown that the timing of barrel formation was determined by the timing of the birth of mouse pups. The mechanisms downstream of birth were also examined. It would be intriguing to examine if the mechanisms found using the somatosensory system are applicable to other brain regions.
Assessment of body composition in children with cerebral palsy: a cross‐sectional study inNorway
Authors: Finbråten Ane‐Kristine , Martins Catia , Andersen Guro Lillemoen , Skranes Jon , Brannsether Bente , Júlíusson Pétur Benedikt , Syversen Unni , Stevenson Richard D , Vik Torstein
Published: April 2015

Aim

The assessment of growth and body composition is challenging in children with cerebral palsy (CP). The aim of this study was to compare clinical assessments of body composition with measurements obtained using dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) in this population.

Method

Knee height, weight, and triceps and subscapular skinfold thickness (SFT) were measured in 47 children with CP (age range 8–18y; 18 females, 29 males). Height was estimated from knee height, and used to calculate body mass index (BMI). Using SFT measurements, body fat percentage was calculated by standard (‘Slaughter’) and CP‐modified (‘Gurka’) equations and compared with results obtained using DXA.

Results

Children with severe gross motor function impairments (Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] level III or IV) exhibited stunted growth and had higher fat percentages and lower lean body mass than children classified in GMFCS level I or II. In 10 children classified as ‘thin’ according to their BMI (five of whom were assigned thinness grade of 2 or lower), percentage of body fat, as determined by DXA, was normal or high. The Slaughter equations significantly underestimated body fat percentages, whereas the precision of the CP‐modified Gurka equations was excellent.

Interpretation

In this study, children with CP and severe motor impairments displayed stunted growth, but were not undernourished. Relying solely upon BMIs may be misleading in children with CP. Therefore, clinicians should be encouraged to measure SFT and to calculate body fat percentages using the CP‐modified version of the Slaughter equation.
Does kindness matter? Self‐compassion buffers the negative impact of diabetes‐distress on HbA1c
Authors: Friis A. M. , Johnson M. H. , Cutfield R. G. , Consedine N. S.
Published: April 2015

Background

Higher self‐compassion is associated with mental and physical health benefits in both healthy and chronically ill populations. The current study investigated the role of self‐compassion in predicting depression, diabetes‐specific distress and HbA1c in patients with diabetes.

Aims

To assess the specific operationalization of negative emotionality that best predicted HbA1c and to test whether self‐compassion would buffer HbA1c in patients with diabetes against the negative effects of distress.

Methods

Patients with diabetes (n = 110) completed measures assessing trait self‐compassion, depression and diabetes‐distress. HbA1c results were obtained through medical records.

Results

As expected, diabetes‐specific distress was a better predictor of HbA1c than depression; self‐compassion moderated the relationship between distress and HbA1c such that higher distress predicted higher HbA1c at lower levels of self‐compassion, but not at higher levels of self‐compassion.

Conclusions

In addition to further demonstrating the link between distress and metabolic outcomes, these findings suggest that self‐compassion might buffer patients from the negative metabolic consequences of diabetes‐distress.
The Dynamics of Income Growth and Poverty: Evidence from Districts in India
Authors: Banerjee Anurag Narayan , Banik Nilanjan , Mukhopadhyay Jyoti Prasad
Published: April 2015

This article examines the dynamics of the income‐distribution pattern in India during the post‐1991 economic reforms. It considers district‐level per‐capita income data across agriculture, manufacturing, services, and various constituent sub‐sectors, and finds evidence in favour of a uniform process of growth across sectors and regions, which has helped to reduce poverty. In particular, the article finds that growth in agricultural income and access to finance are important for this.
Negotiating Compliance: The Case of Autonomous Hospitals in Vietnam
Authors: Lê Gillian , Thu Thi Bui Ha , Mirzoev Tolib , Thanh Nguyen Ha
Published: April 2015

Maternal death is one of the highest causes of global mortality. Governments have long used regulation to improve maternal health but concurrent fiscal‐decentralisation reforms can undermine clinical performance. This article focuses on public Vietnamese hospitals to explore how regulatory compliance is pursued in decentralised health facilities, since Vietnam has seen increasing autonomisation of public hospitals in the last decade while simultaneously experiencing marked reductions in the maternal mortality ratio. Our analysis suggests that autonomisation has allowed regional regulatory regimes to emerge and that regulatory compliance must compete with other priorities. Compliance can therefore be rethought as a negotiation having implications for how government and maternal health advocates persuade self‐sufficient hospitals to take on wider health‐system goals.
Performance‐Based Aid: Why It Will Probably Not Meet Its Promises
Authors: Paul Elisabeth
Published: April 2015

Performance‐based aid (PBA) is increasingly advocated as a way to improve the effectiveness of development aid by resolving incentive issues inherent in aid relationships, and some donors use it together with performance‐based financing arrangements within partner countries. Expectations from PBA are high, but, while its rationale may look appealing, it is based on a restrictive model and is flawed when taking account of the real‐world context. A number of problems associated with PBA have already been observed, and its appropriateness to provide incentives all along the chain from recipient governments to those who are supposed to produce results is questionable. Thus believing that PBA can have a mechanistic trickle‐down incentive effect seems illusory.
The inability of tropical cloud forest species to invade grasslands above treeline during climate change: potential explanations and consequences
Authors: Rehm Evan M. , Feeley Kenneth J.
Published: April 2015

The upper elevational range edges of most tropical cloud forest tree species and hence the ‘treeline’ are thought to be determined primarily by temperatures. For this reason, the treeline ecotone between cloud forests and the overlying grasslands is generally predicted to shift upslope as species migrate to higher elevations in response to global warming. Here, we propose that other factors are preventing tropical trees from shifting or expanding their ranges to include high elevation areas currently under grassland, resulting in stationary treelines despite rising mean temperatures. The inability of cloud forest species to invade the grasslands, a phenomenon which we refer to as the ‘grass ceiling’ effect, poses a major threat to tropical biodiversity as it will greatly increase risk of extinctions and biotic attrition in diverse tropical cloud forests. In this review, we discuss some of the natural factors, as well as anthropogenic influences, that may prevent cloud forest tree species from expanding their ranges to higher elevations. In the absence of human disturbances, tropical treelines have historically shifted up‐ and down‐slope with changes in temperature. Over time, increased human activity has limited forests to lower elevations (i.e. has depressed treelines), and often broken the equilibrium between species range limits and climate. Yet even in areas where anthropogenic influences are halted, cloud forests have not expanded to higher elevations. Despite the critical importance of understanding the distributional responses of tropical species to climate change, few studies have addressed the factors that influence treeline location and dynamics, severely hindering our ability to predict the fate of these diverse and important ecosystems.
Spatial conservation priorities are highly sensitive to choice of biodiversity surrogates and species distribution model type
Authors: Lentini Pia E. , Wintle Brendan A.
Published: April 2015

Pressure to conserve biodiversity with limited resources has led to increasing use of species distribution models (SDMs) for spatial conservation prioritization. Published spatial prioritization exercises often focus on well‐studied groups, with data compiled from on‐line databases of ad‐hoc collections. Conservation plans generally aim to protect all components of biodiversity, and it is implied that the species used in prioritization act as surrogates. Here, we assess the sensitivity of spatial priorities to model and surrogate choice using a case study from a fragmented agricultural area of south eastern Australia that is poorly represented in the national reserve system. We model the distributions of 30 species of bird, microbat and bee using two types of SDM; generalised linear models based on systematic surveys that yield presence and absence observations, and MaxEnt models based on biodiversity database records. Eight prioritization scenarios were tested using Zonation software, and were based on either the presence–background or presence–absence SDMs and combinations of surrogacy among the three taxa. We found low correlations between SDMs generated for the same species using different modelling frameworks (μ = 0.18, n = 26). Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) estimates generated by MaxEnt were optimistic; on average 1.36 times higher than when tested against the systematic survey data. Conservation priorities were sensitive to the choice of surrogate and type of data used to fit SDMs, and though bats and birds formed moderately good surrogates for each other, there was less compelling evidence of surrogacy for bees. Because valid surrogacy is unlikely with most existing data sets, investment in high quality data for less‐surveyed groups prior to planning should still be a priority. If this is not possible, then it is advisable to analyse the sensitivity of conservation plans to the assumed surrogacy and quality of data available.
A new leaf disease on Populus euphratica in south‐western Iran
Authors: Osdaghi E. , Rahimi Kakavandi N.
Published: April 2015

During the winter of 2012, a leaf spot disease was observed on Euphrates poplar (Populus euphratica) in the forest areas of Khuzestan province, south‐western Iran, causing significant damage in the Karun's riverside forests. Symptoms consisted of necrotic dark brown, circular to oval, 5‐ to 10‐mm spots on both surfaces of the leaves. A fungus having distinct dictyospores similar to those produced by Alternaria spp. was observed. The morphological characteristics, as well as the phylogenetic analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS1‐5,8S‐ITS2) region, confirmed the identity of the strains belonging to the species Alternaria alternata. Pathogenicity tests were conducted on the alive leaves of P. euphratica on the young branches, as well as on the detached leaves in Petri dishes, through inoculation with spore suspension. Target spot symptoms similar to those observed in naturally infected leaves were developed on the inoculated leaves seven to 10 days after inoculation in both the inoculation procedures. A. alternata was consistently re‐isolated from the spots. Interestingly, similar symptoms were observed 7 days after detached leaf treatment with droplets of 15‐day‐old fungal culture filtrate, suggesting the production of pathotoxic compounds by the fungus. To our knowledge, this is the first report of A. alternata causing leaf spot on Euphrates poplar in Iran.
Perspectives: The Looking Time Experimental Paradigm in Studies of Animal Visual Perception and Cognition
Authors: Winters Sandra , Dubuc Constance , Higham James P.
Published: April 2015

Experiments are the foundation of empirical science, and experimental paradigms that are broadly applicable across settings and species are particularly useful for comparative research. Originally developed to address questions related to perception and cognition of pre‐verbal human infants, the looking time experimental paradigm has been increasingly used to study animal behavior and cognition, particularly in non‐human primates. Looking time experiments are based on the assumption that animals direct eye gaze toward objects or scenes based on their degree of interest, and use looking behavior to infer perceptual or cognitive characteristics of subjects. This paradigm can be used in a variety of contexts and is not based on species‐typical behaviors, allowing for intra‐ and interspecific comparisons. Here, we describe the history of use of looking time measures, provide an overview of the problems and controversies related to this method, and offer recommendations on how to implement looking time tasks, focusing on the preparation of stimuli, experimental procedures, and data analysis. Our overview focuses on non‐human primates, where most work has been carried out, but the issues discussed should be applicable to a wide range of species. We conclude that despite pertinent criticism, looking time tasks are practical when executed and interpreted properly. The further implementation of these methods in studies of animal behavior and cognition is likely to be fruitful.
Polysaccharide storage myopathy – the story so far
Authors: Naylor R. J.
Published: April 2015

Polysaccharide storage myopathy (PSSM) was first described in 1992 inQuarter Horses,Appaloosa and Paint‐related breeds with clinical signs of exertional rhabdomyolysis. The disease is characterised by the accumulation of excessive glycogen and diastase‐resistant amylopectin polysaccharide inclusions within skeletal muscle fibres. The discovery of a mutation in the glycogen synthase 1 (GYS1) gene in some, but not all, horses with the disease suggested thatPSSMrepresents a group of diseases with similar pathology but different aetiologies and that the pathogenesis is more complex than initially thought.Type 1 PSSM(PSSM1) refers to horses with theGYS1mutation and has subsequently been identified in a large number of breeds found inEurope andNorthAmerica. Clinical presentations associated withPSSM1can vary and increased muscle enzyme activity at rest or following exercise often accompaniesPSSM1; however, such changes may not be present in all cases. A diagnosis ofPSSMis made on the basis of histopathology or specificallyPSSM1is diagnosed by genotyping horses for theGYS1mutation. Cases usually respond well to management changes, in particular a diet low in starch and high in fat when it is accompanied by regular exercise.
Genome‐wide association study identifies new susceptibility loci for cutaneous lupus erythematosus
Authors: Kunz Manfred , König Inke R. , Schillert Arne , Kruppa Jochen , Ziegler Andreas , Grallert Harald , Müller‐Nurasyid Martina , Lieb Wolfgang , Franke Andre , Ranki Annamari , Panelius Jaana , Koskenmies Sari , Hasan Taina , Kere Juha , Rönn Ann‐Charlotte , Simon Jan C. , Schmidt Enno , Wenzel Joerg , Tüting Thomas , Landsberg Jennifer , Zeller Tanja , Blankenberg Stefan , Gläser Regine , Patsinakidis Nikolaos , Kuhn Annegret , Ibrahim Saleh M.
Published: April 2015

Cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease of the skin with typical clinical manifestations. Here, we genotyped 906 600 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 183 CLE cases and 1288 controls of Central European ancestry. Replication was performed for 13 SNPs in 219 case subjects and 262 controls from Finland. Association was particularly pronounced at 4 loci, all with genomewide significance (P < 5 × 10−8): rs2187668 (PGWAS = 1.4 × 10−12), rs9267531 (PGWAS = 4.7 × 10−10), rs4410767 (PGWAS = 1.0 × 10−9) and rs3094084 (PGWAS = 1.1 × 10−9). All mentioned SNPs are located within the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) region of chromosome 6 and near genes of known immune functions or associations with other autoimmune diseases such as HLA‐DQ alpha chain 1 (HLA‐DQA1), MICA, MICB, MSH5, TRIM39 and RPP21. For example, TRIM39/RPP21 read through transcript is a known mediator of the interferon response, a central pathway involved in the pathogenesis of CLE and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Taken together, this genomewide analysis of disease association of CLE identified candidate genes and genomic regions that may contribute to pathogenic mechanisms in CLE via dysregulated antigen presentation (HLA‐DQA1), apoptosis regulation, RNA processing and interferon response (MICA, MICB, MSH5, TRIM39 and RPP21).
Evidence that a neutrophil–keratinocyte crosstalk is an early target of IL‐17A inhibition in psoriasis
Authors: Reich Kristian , Papp Kim A. , Matheson Robert T. , Tu John H. , Bissonnette Robert , Bourcier Marc , Gratton David , Kunynetz Rodion A. , Poulin Yves , Rosoph Les A. , Stingl Georg , Bauer Wolfgang M. , Salter Janeen M. , Falk Thomas M. , Blödorn‐Schlicht Norbert A. , Hueber Wolfgang , Sommer Ulrike , Schumacher Martin M. , Peters Thomas , Kriehuber Ernst , Lee David M. , Wieczorek Grazyna A. , Kolbinger Frank , Bleul Conrad C.
Published: April 2015

The response of psoriasis to antibodies targeting the interleukin (IL)‐23/IL‐17A pathway suggests a prominent role of T‐helper type‐17 (Th17) cells in this disease. We examined the clinical and immunological response patterns of 100 subjects with moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis receiving 3 different intravenous dosing regimens of the anti‐IL‐17A antibody secukinumab (1 × 3 mg/kg or 1 × 10 mg/kg on Day 1, or 3 × 10 mg/kg on Days 1, 15 and 29) or placebo in a phase 2 trial. Baseline biopsies revealed typical features of active psoriasis, including epidermal accumulation of neutrophils and formation of microabscesses in >60% of cases. Neutrophils were the numerically largest fraction of infiltrating cells containing IL‐17 and may store the cytokine preformed, as IL‐17A mRNA was not detectable in neutrophils isolated from active plaques. Significant clinical responses to secukinumab were observed 2 weeks after a single infusion, associated with extensive clearance of cutaneous neutrophils parallel to the normalization of keratinocyte abnormalities and reduction of IL‐17‐inducible neutrophil chemoattractants (e.g. CXCL1, CXCL8); effects on numbers of T cells and CD11c‐positive dendritic cells were more delayed. Histological and immunological improvements were generally dose dependent and not observed in the placebo group. In the lowest‐dose group, a recurrence of neutrophils was seen in some subjects at Week 12; these subjects relapsed faster than those without microabscesses. Our findings are indicative of a neutrophil–keratinocyte axis in psoriasis that may involve neutrophil‐derived IL‐17 and is an early target of IL‐17A‐directed therapies such as secukinumab.
Variation in ecological interaction strength with island area: theory and data from the Bahamian archipelago
Authors: Schoener Thomas W. , Spiller David A. , Piovia‐Scott Jonah
Published: April 2015

Aim

We ask empirically how the strength of the three major interactions – predation, competition and mutualism – changes with increasing island area. We review and expand current theory concerning these relationships.

Location

Data for evaluating this question come from several Bahamian archipelagos and involve both experiments and observations. The latter can be especially long term; in one case data were collected over a 17‐year period.

Methods

We analyse the effect size of the following interactions across a range of island areas: (1) predation by lizards on spiders, (2) competition between two lizard species, (3) competition between two spider species, (4) ant–plant mutualism, and (5) plant–pollinator mutualism.

Results

Effect sizes for predation and competition mostly show a hump‐shaped relationship with island area. Effect sizes for ant–plant mutualism were reduced on large islands compared with smaller islands. Germination rate showed a steady increase with island area which we infer to be caused by an increase in pollinator limitation on smaller islands.

Main conclusions

We argue that the effect size–area relation has rather similar aetiologies for predation, competition and to a somewhat lesser extent ant–plant mutualism. Specifically, we suggest that high species diversity, top predators, plant defences and (for predation and competition) spatial heterogeneity with respect to refuges or resource use reduce effect size on large islands, while harsh abiotic conditions, marine subsidies and stochastic events reduce effect size on small islands. Thus, for these interaction types, the greatest effect sizes are observed on intermediate‐sized islands. For plant–pollinator mutualism we suggest that the monotonic increase in effect size with increasing island area is the result of interaction strength being enhanced, rather than weakened, by diversity.
Diversity regulation at macro‐scales: species richness on oceanic archipelagos
Authors: Triantis Kostas A. , Economo Evan P. , Guilhaumon François , Ricklefs Robert E.
Published: April 2015

Aim

Understanding the mechanisms that generate diversity patterns requires analyses at spatial and temporal scales that are appropriate to the dispersal capacities and ecological requirements of organisms. Oceanic archipelagos provide a range of island sizes and configurations which should predictably influence colonization, diversification and extinction. To explore the influence of these factors on archipelagic diversity, we relate the numbers of native and endemic species of vascular plants, birds, land snails and spiders – taxa having different dispersal capabilities and population densities – to the number and sizes of islands in the major oceanic archipelagos of the globe.

Location

Fourteen major oceanic archipelagos of the globe.

Methods

Species richness was collated for native and endemic species in each archipelago. We used linear mixed effect models to quantify the influence on diversity of total area, number of islands, isolation and latitude. We then applied process‐based modelling in a Bayesian framework to evaluate how speciation, colonization and extinction are influenced by characteristics of archipelagos associated with species richness, i.e. area, isolation and number of islands.

Results

We found parallel scaling of species richness among taxa with respect to total area and number of islands across groups. The process‐based model supported effects of isolation on colonization and of area and number of islands on extinction rates, with the scaling exponents mostly similar across taxa. Data are consistent with a range of scaling exponents for speciation rate, implying that those relationships are difficult to infer from the data used.

Conclusions

We demonstrate an unexpected parallel scaling of species richness of four taxa with area and number of islands for the major oceanic archipelagos of the globe. We infer that this scaling arises through similar effects of the physical characteristics of archipelagos on extinction, colonization and speciation rates across these disparate taxa, indicating that similar mechanisms have created variation in diversity.
Temporally unpredictable supplementary feeding may benefit endangered scavengers
Authors: Arrondo Eneko , Cortés‐Avizanda Ainara , Donázar José Antonio
Published: April 2015

The monitoring of an experimental feeding station established in northern Spain allowed the evaluation of how this type of resource, predictable in space but not in time, was exploited by a guild of avian scavengers in relation to factors such as season, hour of disposal and presence of the dominant species. The presence of Egyptian Vultures Neophron percnopterus at carcasses was more likely during spring, and richness and diversity of avian scavengers was lower during the summer and when Griffon Vultures Gyps fulvus arrived earlier. The temporal unpredictability of the resource may favour exploitation by smaller and less competitive scavengers. New European regulations may present an opportunity to develop effective conservation measures to support functional scavenger assemblages.