bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Combinatorially Selected Peptides for Protection of Soybean Against Phakopsora pachyrhizi
Authors: Fang Zhiwei D. , Marois James J. , Stacey Gary , Schoelz James E. , English James T. , Schmidt Francis J.
Published: September 2010

Phakopsora pachyrhizi, the fungal pathogen that causes Asian soybean rust, has the potential to cause significant losses in soybean yield in many production regions of the United States. Germplasm with durable, single-gene resistance is lacking, and control of rust depends on timely application of fungicides. To assist the development of new modes of soybean resistance, we identified peptides from combinatorial phage-display peptide libraries that inhibit germ tube growth from urediniospores of P. pachyrhizi. Two peptides, Sp2 and Sp39, were identified that inhibit germ tube development when displayed as fusions with the coat protein of M13 phage or as fusions with maize cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (ZmCKX1). In either display format, the inhibitory effect of the peptides on germ tube growth was concentration dependent. In addition, when peptides Sp2 or Sp39 in either format were mixed with urediniospores and inoculated to soybean leaves with an 8-h wetness period, rust lesion development was reduced. Peptides Sp2 and Sp39, displayed on ZmCKX1, were found to interact with a 20-kDa protein derived from germinated urediniospores. Incorporating peptides that inhibit pathogen development and pathogenesis into breeding programs may contribute to the development of soybean cultivars with improved, durable rust tolerance.
Glioma oncoprotein Bcl2L12 inhibits the p53 tumor suppressor
Authors: Stegh Alexander H. , Brennan Cameron , Mahoney John A. , Forloney Kristin L. , Jenq Harry T. , Luciano Janina P. , Protopopov Alexei , Chin Lynda , DePinho Ronald A.
Published: September 2010

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a lethal brain tumor characterized by intense apoptosis resistance and extensive necrosis. Bcl2L12 (for Bcl2-like 12) is a cytoplasmic and nuclear protein that is overexpressed in primary GBM and functions to inhibit post-mitochondrial apoptosis signaling. Here, we show that nuclear Bcl2L12 physically and functionally interacts with the p53 tumor suppressor, as evidenced by the capacity of Bcl2L12 to (1) enable bypass of replicative senescence without concomitant loss of p53 or p19Arf, (2) inhibit p53-dependent DNA damage-induced apoptosis, (3) impede the capacity of p53 to bind some of its target gene promoters, and (4) attenuate endogenous p53-directed transcriptomic changes following genotoxic stress. Correspondingly, The Cancer Genome Atlas profile and tissue protein analyses of human GBM specimens show significantly lower Bcl2L12 expression in the setting of genetic p53 pathway inactivation. Thus, Bcl2L12 is a multifunctional protein that contributes to intense therapeutic resistance of GBM through its ability to operate on two key nodes of cytoplasmic and nuclear signaling cascades.
Disruption of the Vacuolar Calcium-ATPases in Arabidopsis Results in the Activation of a Salicylic Acid-Dependent Programmed Cell Death Pathway
Authors: Boursiac Yann , Lee Sang Min , Romanowsky Shawn , Blank Robert , Sladek Chris , Chung Woo Sik , Harper Jeffrey F.
Published: September 2010

Calcium (Ca2+) signals regulate many aspects of plant development, including a programmed cell death pathway that protects plants from pathogens (hypersensitive response). Cytosolic Ca2+ signals result from a combined action of Ca2+ influx through channels and Ca2+ efflux through pumps and cotransporters. Plants utilize calmodulin-activated Ca2+ pumps (autoinhibited Ca2+-ATPase [ACA]) at the plasma membrane, endoplasmic reticulum, and vacuole. Here, we show that a double knockout mutation of the vacuolar Ca2+ pumps ACA4 and ACA11 in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) results in a high frequency of hypersensitive response-like lesions. The appearance of macrolesions could be suppressed by growing plants with increased levels (greater than 15 mm) of various anions, providing a method for conditional suppression. By removing plants from a conditional suppression, lesion initials were found to originate primarily in leaf mesophyll cells, as detected by aniline blue staining. Initiation and spread of lesions could also be suppressed by disrupting the production or accumulation of salicylic acid (SA), as shown by combining aca4/11 mutations with a sid2 (for salicylic acid induction-deficient2) mutation or expression of the SA degradation enzyme NahG. This indicates that the loss of the vacuolar Ca2+ pumps by itself does not cause a catastrophic defect in ion homeostasis but rather potentiates the activation of a SA-dependent programmed cell death pathway. Together, these results provide evidence linking the activity of the vacuolar Ca2+ pumps to the control of a SA-dependent programmed cell death pathway in plants.
Comparing Symbiotic Efficiency between Swollen versus Nonswollen Rhizobial Bacteroids
Authors: Oono Ryoko , Denison R. Ford
Published: September 2010

Symbiotic rhizobia differentiate physiologically and morphologically into nitrogen-fixing bacteroids inside legume host nodules. The differentiation is apparently terminal in some legume species, such as peas (Pisum sativum) and peanuts (Arachis hypogaea), likely due to extreme cell swelling induced by the host. In other legume species, such as beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) and cowpeas (Vigna unguiculata), differentiation into bacteroids, which are similar in size and shape to free-living rhizobia, is reversible. Bacteroid modification by plants may affect the effectiveness of the symbiosis. Here, we compare symbiotic efficiency of rhizobia in two different hosts where the rhizobia differentiate into swollen nonreproductive bacteroids in one host and remain nonswollen and reproductive in the other. Two such dual-host strains were tested: Rhizobium leguminosarum A34 in peas and beans and Bradyrhizobium sp. 32H1 in peanuts and cowpeas. In both comparisons, swollen bacteroids conferred more net host benefit by two measures: return on nodule construction cost (plant growth per gram nodule growth) and nitrogen fixation efficiency (H2 production by nitrogenase per CO2 respired). Terminal bacteroid differentiation among legume species has evolved independently multiple times, perhaps due to the increased host fitness benefits observed in this study.
DISPUTES INVOLVING YOUTH STREET GANG MEMBERS: MICRO‐SOCIAL CONTEXTS*
Authors: HUGHES LORINE A. , SHORT JAMES F.
Published: September 2010

This paper examines microsocial contexts of violent and nonviolent dispute‐related incidents involving gang members. Data consist of reports of field observations of twelve black and eight white youth street gangs in Chicago between 1959 and 1962. Dispute‐related incidents (N = 2,637) were classified according to three primary pretexts: normative or order violations, identity attacks and retaliation. Findings show that disputes associated with each of these generally unfolded consistently with expectations based on the extent to which status concerns were likely to be outweighed by such situational constraints as a close relationship between disputants and audience intervention. We suggest that understanding violence in the gang context will be enhanced greatly by further consideration of the microsocial level of explanation and linkages to its macro‐ and individual‐level counterparts.
FIELD IMMOBILIZATION OF FREE‐RANGING IMPALA IN NORTHERN KENYA
Authors: Ables Ernest D. , Ables Juanita
Published: September 2010

Two drug combinations were tested during 18 field captures of 14 individual impala in northern Kenya in 1966–67. Nine additional impala, eight females and one male, were darted but not captured. Dosages of 0.45 mg M.99+10.0 mg acepromazine+4.5 mg hyoscine were adequate for males, but did not completely immobilize them. Females proved more difficult to capture, and all attempts using the acepromazine mixture were unsuccessful. The substitution of phencyclidine for acepromazine, and the deletion of hyoscine, proved a more suitable mixture. A dosage of 0.32 mg M.99+90 mg phencyclidine per animal completely immobilized both sexes. The phencyclidine‐M.99 mixture was judged an improvement over other common field immobilizing drugs, but the long recovery time limits the usefulness of this drug combination for large‐scale capturing operations.
Is uridine a treatment for asthma?
Authors: Trevethick M. A.
Published: September 2010

Cite this as: M. A. Trevethick, Clinical & Experimental Allergy, 2010 (40) 1436–1438.
Immunocytochemical Detection of the Androgen Receptor In Fine Needle Aspirates From Benign and Malignant Human Prostate
Authors: BROLIN J. , LÖWHAGEN T. , SKOOG L.
Published: September 2010

A monoclonal antibody to the androgen receptor was applied to fine needle aspirates from patients with benign and malignant prostatic disease. the series includes six patients with benign hyperplasia and 24 patients with prostatic carcinomas. the androgen receptor was detected in most nuclei of both benign and malignant epithelial cells. the intensity of immunostaining varied. No obvious relation was observed between the intensity of the staining in benign versus malignant cells. In addition no clear differences were found in the proportion of androgen receptor positive cells in benign aspirates as compared with aspirates from well differentiated or moderately well differentiated prostatic carcinomas. the relative number of androgen receptor positive cells was highest in smears from poorly differentiated prostatic carcinomas.
Reproductive phenologies in a diverse temperate ant fauna
Authors: DUNN ROBERT R. , PARKER CHARLES R. , GERAGHTY MELISSA , SANDERS NATHAN J.
Published: September 2010

Abstract 1. Ant nuptial flights are central to understanding ant life history and ecology but have been little studied. This study examined the timing of nuptial flights, the synchronicity of nuptial flights (as a potential index of mating strategy), and variation in nuptial flights with elevation and among years in a diverse temperate ant fauna.

2. Flights occurred throughout the year, but were concentrated in the beginning of summer and in early fall (autumn). Relative to the entire flight season, closely related species tended to be more likely than expected by chance to fly at similar times, perhaps because of phylogenetic constraints on life history evolution.

3. Flights were relatively synchronous within species for nearly all species considered, but synchronicity did not appear to be a robust estimate of overall mating strategy.

4. Overall patterns in nuptial flights among species and the timing of flights for individual species varied with elevation, but did not vary greatly among years.

5. Although this study is one of the most comprehensive on the reproductive flight phenologies of ants, much remains to be learned about the causes and consequences of such spatial and temporal variation in flight phenology.
Heterogeneity of plant phenotypes caused by herbivore‐specific induced responses influences the spatial distribution of herbivores
Authors: VISWANATHAN D. V. , McNICKLE G. , THALER J. S.
Published: September 2010

Abstract 1. Herbivory can induce resistance in a plant and the induced phenotype may be disfavoured by subsequent herbivores. Yet, as the distance between plants in a population increases, limited mobility may make a herbivore more likely to feed and oviposit on host plants in its immediate surroundings.

2. The present study tested whether a herbivore’s preference and distribution across plants with different induced phenotypes was influenced by the spatial distribution of plants. A fragmented population of Solanum dulcamara plants was created. This consisted of discrete, spatially separated patches with different histories of damage, either herbivory from adult flea beetles (Psylliodes affinis), tortoise beetles (Plagiometriona clavata), or mechanical damage. Each patch was separated by 7 m and consisted of 12 plants that were spaced 30 cm apart. Then a fixed number of adult tortoise beetles were introduced to each patch, and movement and oviposition within and between spatially separate homogeneous patches (receiving one type of damage) were compared with movement and oviposition within heterogeneous patches (containing all three types of damage) over the growing season.

3. Flea beetle and tortoise beetle herbivory consistently induced different phytochemical responses in S. dulcamara (polyphenol oxidase and peroxidase), and adult tortoise beetles avoided oviposition on the flea beetle induced plants within heterogeneous patches. However, between homogeneous patches, plant phenotype did not influence oviposition. Colonisation by naturally occurring flea beetle adults followed a similar pattern.

4. These results suggest that the heterogeneity of plant phenotypes can influence herbivore choice and distribution at small but not large spatial scales.
Effects of nitrogen deposition on the interaction between an aphid and its host plant
Authors: ZEHNDER CARALYN B. , HUNTER MARK D.
Published: September 2010

Abstract 1. Anthropogenic increases in nitrogen deposition are impacting terrestrial ecosystems worldwide. While some of the direct ecosystem‐level effects of nitrogen deposition are understood, the effects of nitrogen deposition on plant–insect interactions and on herbivore population dynamics have received less attention.

2. Nitrogen deposition will potentially influence both plant resource availability and herbivore population growth. If increases in herbivore population growth outstrip increases in resource availability, then increases in the strength of density dependence expressed within the herbivore population would be predicted. Alternatively, if plant resources respond more vigorously to nitrogen deposition than do herbivore populations, a decline in the strength of density dependence would be expected. No change in the strength of density dependence acting upon the herbivore population would suggest equivalent responses by herbivores and plants.

3. A density manipulation experiment was performed to examine the effect of nitrogen deposition on the interaction between a host plant, Asclepias tuberosa, and its herbivore, Aphis nerii. Aphid maximum per capita growth rate (Rmax), carrying capacity (K), and the strength of density dependence were measured under three nitrogen deposition treatments. The effect of nitrogen deposition on the relationship among these three measures of insect population dynamics was explored.

4. Simulated nitrogen deposition increased aphid per capita population growth, plant foliar nitrogen concentrations, and plant biomass. Nitrogen deposition caused Rmax and K to increase proportionally, leading to no overall change in the strength of density dependence. In this system, potential changes in the negative feedback processes operating on herbivore populations following nitrogen deposition appear to be buffered by concomitant changes in resource availability.
Pharmacology of α‐glucosidase inhibition
Authors: AG H. BISCHOFF Bayer
Published: September 2010

The development of α‐amylase and brush‐border α‐glucosidase inhibitors is reviewed. The mode of action as well as pharmacological and pharmacodynamic properties of selected inhibitors with special regard to the most thoroughly investigated α‐glucosidase inhibitor acarbose are discussed. Inhibition of intestinal α‐glucosidases delays the digestion of starch and sucrose, flattens the postprandial blood glucose excursions, and thus mimics the effects of dieting on hyperglycaemia, hyperinsulinaemia and hypertriglyceridaemia. Therefore, the mechanism of α‐glucosidase inhibition represents the pharmacological optimization of the dietary principle of delayed carbohydrate absorption.

In pre‐clinical studies using diabetic animals the oral administration of acarbose improved the metabolic state and reduced the blood glucose area under the curve. As a consequence, the process of non‐enzymatic glycation of proteins was retarded as indicated by reduced glycated haemoglobin, glomerular basement membranes or advanced glycation end‐products (AGEs) in collagen. These improved biochemical parameters correlated with beneficial effects against the development of diabetic nephropathy and neuropathy. Thus, the treatment of diabetic animals with acarbose does not only improve the metabolic state but has also the potential to delay, or possibly prevent, the development of diabetic complications.
‘You’d think this roller coaster was never going to stop’: experiences of adult children of parents with serious mental illness
Authors: Foster Kim
Published: September 2010

Aims and objectives.  The aims of this qualitative study were to explore the experience of being an adult child of a parent with serious mental illness and how adult children have coped with their experience.

Background.  Children of parents with serious mental illness are a potentially vulnerable group because of risk factors associated with parental mental illness. While there has been considerable research into factors that may strengthen or impair their well‐being, there has been little exploration of the subjective experience of growing up with parental mental illnesses such as schizophrenia.

Design.  An interpretive qualitative design including autoethnography.

Methods.  Unstructured narrative interview and written narrative data from 10 participants were analysed using van Manen’s hermeneutic method.

Results.  Four themes that captured the experience of being the adult child of a parent with serious mental illness were revealed: (1) Being uncertain: `you'd think this roller coaster was never going to stop'; (2) Struggling to connect: `we were super close and now we're not'; (3) Being responsible: `I think I grew up in a hurry'; (4) Seeking balance: `I had to be in control of the situation so awful things wouldn't happen'.

Conclusions.  Being the adult child of a parent with serious mental illness can involve a chaotic family life where adult children assume substantial caregiving roles. Relationships between parents and adult children can become strained. However, support from others including health professionals can strengthen adult children’s resilience and ability to cope with these challenges.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Nurses in a range of health care settings are in prime positions to intervene early and provide information and support for children and families where parents have a mental illness. Family‐focused care can strengthen children’s and parent’s relationships and support the family’s ability to cope.
Assessing diet and lifestyle in the Canadian Arctic Inuit and Inuvialuit to inform a nutrition and physical activity intervention programme
Authors: Sharma S.
Published: September 2010

Inuit in Nunavut (NU) and Inuvialuit in the Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada, were traditionally nomadic peoples whose culture and lifestyle were founded on hunting and gathering foods from the local environment, primarily land and marine mammals. Lifestyle changes within the last century have brought about a rapid nutrition transition, characterised by decreasing consumption of traditional foods and an associated increase in the consumption of processed, shop‐bought foods. This transition may be attributed to a multitude of factors, such as acculturation, overall food access and availability, food insecurity and climate change. Obesity and risk for chronic disease are higher in the Canadian Arctic population compared with the Canadian national average. This present review describes the study population and methodologies used to collect data in order to study the nutrition transition amongst Aboriginal Arctic populations and develop Healthy Foods North (HFN), a novel, multi‐institutional and culturally appropriate programme that aims to improve dietary adequacy and reduce risk of chronic disease. Included in this special issue of the Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics are papers describing dietary intake patterns, physical activity levels, dietary behaviours, chronic disease prevalence and psychosocial factors that potentially mediate behaviour. A further paper describes how these data were utilised to inform and develop Healthy Foods North.
Healthy food intentions and higher socioeconomic status are associated with healthier food choices in an Inuit population
Authors: Mead E. , Gittelsohn J. , Roache C. , Sharma S.
Published: September 2010

Background:  Changing food behaviours amongst Canadian Inuit may contribute to rising chronic disease prevalence, and research is needed to develop nutritional behaviour change programmes. The present study examined patterns of food acquisition and preparation behaviours amongst Inuit adults in Nunavut and associations with psychosocial and socioeconomic factors.

Methods:  Developed from behavioural theories and community workshops, Adult Impact Questionnaires were conducted with adult Inuit (≥19 years) from randomly selected households in three remote communities in Nunavut, Canada, to determine patterns of healthy food knowledge, self‐efficacy and intentions, frequencies of healthy and unhealthy food acquisition and healthiness of preparation methods. Associations between these constructs with demographic and socioeconomic factors were analysed using multivariate linear regressions.

Results:  Amongst 266 participants [mean (SD) age 41.2 (13.6) years; response rates 69–93%], non‐nutrient‐dense foods were acquired a mean (SD) of 2.9 (2.3) times more frequently than nutrient‐dense, and/or low sugar/fat foods. Participants tended to use preparation methods that add fat. Intentions to perform healthy dietary behaviours was inversely correlated with unhealthy food acquisition (β = −0.25, P < 0.001), and positively associated with healthy food acquisition (β = 0.22, P < 0.001) and healthiness of preparation methods (β = 0.15, P = 0.012). Greater healthy food knowledge and self‐efficacy were associated with intentions (β = 0.21, P = 0.003 and β = 0.55, P < 0.001, respectively). Self‐efficacy was associated with healthier preparation (β = 0.14, P = 0.025) and less unhealthy food acquisition (β = −0.27, P < 0.001), whilst knowledge was associated with acquiring healthy foods (β = 0.13, P = 0.035). Socioeconomic status was positively associated with healthy preparation and food acquisition behaviours.

Conclusions:  Interventions to improve diet in Nunavut Inuit should target healthy food intentions, knowledge and self‐efficacy. Behaviour change strategies emphasising economic benefits of a healthy diet should be employed to target individuals of low socioeconomic status.
Important psychosocial factors to target in nutrition interventions to improve diet in Inuvialuit communities in the Canadian Arctic
Authors: Mead E. , Gittelsohn J. , De Roose E. , Sharma S.
Published: September 2010

Background:  With increasing chronic disease amongst Inuvialuit in the Canadian Arctic, research on dietary behaviours and their determinants in this population is needed to develop nutritional behaviour change intervention strategies. The present study aimed to assess the knowledge, self‐efficacy and intentions towards healthy eating and healthy eating behaviours of Inuvialuit adults in the Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada.

Methods:  The Adult Impact Questionnaire was developed from behavioural theories and workshops held in the communities. It was conducted with adult Inuvialuit (≥19 years) from randomly selected households in three NWT communities to collect data on the psychosocial constructs of healthy food knowledge, self‐efficacy and intentions, and the dietary behaviours of healthy and unhealthy food acquisition and preparation. Associations between demographic, socioeconomic, psychosocial constructs and behaviours were analysed using multivariate linear regression.

Results:  The 228 participants [mean (SD) age 43.4 (13.6) years; response rates 65–85%] acquired non‐nutrient‐dense foods a mean (SD) of 2.7 (3.0) times more frequently than nutrient‐dense, low sugar and low fat foods. Increased intention was associated with a greater frequency of acquiring healthy foods (β = 0.17, P = 0.012) and a lower frequency of acquiring unhealthy foods (β = −0.18, P = 0.008). Overall, participants reported using food preparation methods that reduce fat content slightly more than methods that add fat [mean (SD) score 0.3 (1.9)]. Use of healthier food preparation methods was associated with higher levels of healthy food knowledge (β = 0.26, P < 0.001), self‐efficacy (β = 0.29, P < 0.001) and intentions (β = 0.22, P = 0.001).

Conclusions:  Healthy food intention was the construct most significantly associated with all three healthier dietary behaviours. Interventions that target intentions to change food choice and preparation may be effective strategies to improve dietary intake in Inuvialuit populations.
High levels of physical activity and obesity co‐exist amongst Inuit adults in Arctic Canada
Authors: Hopping B. N. , Erber E. , Mead E. , Roache C. , Sharma S.
Published: September 2010

Background:  Existing evidence indicates that Inuit in Arctic Canada are undergoing a lifestyle transition leading to decreased physical activity (PA) and increased body mass index (BMI). Data specific to PA and BMI amongst Inuit in Nunavut, Canada, are currently limited. The present study aimed to characterise current PA and BMI levels in a sample of Inuit adults.

Methods:  Inuit adults randomly selected from a cross‐sectional survey of three communities in Nunavut, Canada, completed an adapted International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and an anthropometric survey. Data were analysed by gender and age group using standardised IPAQ protocol.

Results:  Response rates ranged from 69–93%. Two hundred and eighteen Inuit adults [180 women, 38 men; mean (standard deviation (SD)) ages 42.3 (13.0) and 42.4 (14.8) years respectively; age range 19–89 years] completed the IPAQ. All men and 97% of women allowed height and weight measurements; the remainder were self‐reported. Mean (SD) BMI was 27.7 (6.3) kg/m2 for males and 30.3 (8.0) kg/m2 for females. The largest proportion of women and participants in both age groups had a BMI in the obese category; males were evenly split between the normal and obese categories. Self‐reported PA was high, with most men, women and participants ≤50 years in the high category of PA. Participants >50 years were evenly split across the medium and high categories. Most participants (72%) were classified as being overweight or obese, yet reported medium or high levels of PA (89%).

Conclusions:  The findings obtained in the present study indicate the co‐existence of high BMI and high self‐reported PA amongst Inuit adults.
Dietary adequacy of Inuit in the Canadian Arctic
Authors: Hopping B. N. , Mead E. , Erber E. , Sheehy C. , Roache C. , Sharma S.
Published: September 2010

Background:  Food intake amongst Canadian Inuit is currently in transition with a concurrent increase in diet‐related chronic disease. There is a lack of current data on nutrient intake and dietary adequacy in this population. The present study aimed to assess dietary intake and adequacy amongst Inuit adults in a community in Nunavut, Canada.

Methods:  Random sampling of 130 households in a remote Inuit community in the Kitikmeot region of Nunavut, Canada, was used for this cross‐sectional study. Up to three 24‐h dietary recalls were collected on nonconsecutive days, capturing weekday and weekend consumption. Data were analysed to estimate energy and nutrient intake, to determine dietary adequacy, and to summarise the most commonly reported foods and the top food contributors to selected nutrients.

Results:  The response rate was 69%, with 75 Inuit adults participating (mean (standard deviation (SD)) age 44 (SD = 17) years). Mean (SD) daily energy intake was 9.3 (4.4) MJ and 8.7 (3.5) MJ for men and women, respectively. Intakes of dietary fibre, calcium, total folate and vitamins A, D and E were below the Dietary Reference Intakes (Estimated Average Requirements where available) for 60–100% of all men and women. Traditional foods contributed substantially to protein and iron intake, whilst shop‐bought foods were primary contributors to total fat, carbohydrate and sugar intake.

Conclusions:  The present study reports an in‐depth assessment of total dietary quality amongst Inuit adults in Nunavut, Canada. The results obtained indicate inadequate intakes of several essential nutrients, as well as a reliance on a nontraditional diet. A nutrition intervention is needed to prevent a continued rise in diet‐related chronic disease incidence.
Inuvialuit adults in the Canadian Arctic have a high body mass index and self‐reported physical activity
Authors: Hopping B. N. , Erber E. , Beck L. , De Roose E. , Sharma S.
Published: September 2010

Background:  Inuvialuit in Arctic Canada are undergoing nutrition and lifestyle transitions that encourage decreased physical activity (PA) and increased body mass index (BMI), although data specific to PA and BMI within this unique population are not currently available. The present study aimed to characterise current PA and BMI levels in a sample of Inuvialuit adults.

Methods:  Inuvialuit adults randomly selected from a cross‐sectional survey of three communities in the Northwest Territories, Canada, completed an adapted International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and an anthropometric questionnaire to obtain height and weight. Data were analysed using the standardised IPAQ protocol, and the results are presented by gender and age group (≤50 and >50 years).

Results:  One hundred and ninety‐six Inuvialuit adults [148 women, 48 men; mean (standard deviation (SD)) ages 45 (14) and 41 (14) years, respectively; age range 19–84 years] completed the IPAQ (response rates 65–85%). Seventy‐one percent of men and 74% of women allowed height measurements, whilst 81% and 84% allowed weight measurements, respectively; the remainder provided self‐reported anthropometrics. Mean (SD) BMIs were 28.6 (7.7) kg/m2 for males and 30.5 (8.8) kg/m2 for females. The greatest percentage of participants in both gender and age groups fell into the obese BMI category. Self‐reported PA was high, with means for men and participants ≤50 years in the high category of PA and means for women and participants >50 years in the medium category. Almost two‐thirds (65%) of participants were classified as being overweight or obese, although 89% reported medium or high levels of PA.

Conclusions:  The results obtained in the present study indicate widespread overweight/obesity accompanying high levels of self‐reported PA.
Factors associated with specialist assessment and treatment for hepatitis C virus infection in New South Wales, Australia
Authors: Grebely J. , Bryant J. , Hull P. , Hopwood M. , Lavis Y. , Dore G. J. , Treloar C.
Published: September 2010

Summary. Assessment and treatment for hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the community remains low. We evaluated factors associated with HCV specialist assessment and treatment in a cross‐sectional study to evaluate treatment considerations in a sample of 634 participants with self‐reported HCV infection in New South Wales, Australia. Participants having received HCV specialist assessment (n = 294, 46%) were more likely to be have been older (vs<35 years; 35–44 OR 1.64,P = 0.117; 45–54 OR 2.00,P = 0.024; ≥55 OR 5.43,P = 0.002), have greater social support (vslow; medium OR 3.07,P = 0.004; high OR 4.31,P < 0.001), HCV‐related/attributed symptoms (vsnone; 1–10 OR 3.89,P = 0.032; 10–21 OR 5.01,P = 0.010), a diagnosis of cirrhosis (OR 2.40,P = 0.030), have asked for treatment information (OR 1.91,P = 0.020), have greater HCV knowledge (OR 2.49,P = 0.001), have been told by a doctor to go onto treatment (OR 3.00,P < 0.001), and less likely to be receiving opiate substitution therapy (OR 0.10,P < 0.001) and never to have seen a general practitioner (OR 0.24,P < 0.001). Participants having received HCV treatment (n = 154, 24%) were more likely to have greater fibrosis (vsno biopsy; none/minimal OR 3.45,P = 0.001; moderate OR 11.47,P < 0.001; severe, OR 19.51,P < 0.001), greater HCV knowledge (OR 2.57;P = 0.004), know someone who has died from HCV (OR 2.57,P = 0.004), been told by a doctor to go onto treatment (OR 3.49,P < 0.001), were less likely to have been female (OR 0.39,P = 0.002), have recently injected (OR 0.42,P = 0.002) and be receiving opiate substitution therapy (OR 0.22,P < 0.001). These data identify modifiable patient‐, provider‐ and systems‐level barriers associated with HCV assessment and treatment in the community that could be addressed by targeted interventions.
On the relative roles of selection and genetic drift in shaping MHC variation
Authors: ALCAIDE MIGUEL
Published: September 2010

Genes of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) have provided some of the clearest examples of how natural selection generates discordances between adaptive and neutral variation in natural populations. The type and intensity of selection as well as the strength of genetic drift are believed to be important in shaping the resulting pattern of MHC diversity. However, evaluating the relative contribution of multiple microevolutionary forces is challenging, and empirical studies have reported contrasting results. For instance, balancing selection has been invoked to explain high levels of MHC diversity and low population differentiation in comparison with other nuclear markers. Other studies have shown that genetic drift can sometimes overcome selection and then patterns of genetic variation at adaptive loci cannot be discerned from those occurring at neutral markers. Both empirical and simulated data also indicate that loss of genetic diversity at adaptive loci can occur faster than at neutral loci when selection and population bottlenecks act simultaneously. Diversifying selection, on the other hand, explains accelerated MHC divergence as the result of spatial variation in pathogen‐mediated selective regimes. Because of all these possible scenarios and outcomes, collecting information from as many study systems as possible, is crucial to enhance our understanding about the evolutionary forces driving MHC polymorphism. In this issue, Miller and co‐workers present an illuminating contribution by combining neutral markers (microsatellites) and adaptive MHC class I loci during the investigation of genetic differentiation across island populations of tuatara Sphenodon punctatus. Their study of geographical variation reveals a major role of genetic drift in shaping MHC variation, yet they also discuss some support for diversifying selection.
Brain activation patterns associated with cue reactivity and craving in abstinent problem gamblers, heavy smokers and healthy controls: an fMRI study
Authors: Goudriaan Anna E. , De Ruiter Michiel B. , Van Den Brink Wim , Oosterlaan Jaap , Veltman Dick J.
Published: September 2010

Abnormal cue reactivity is a central characteristic of addiction, associated with increased activity in motivation, attention and memory related brain circuits. In this neuroimaging study, cue reactivity in problem gamblers (PRG) was compared with cue reactivity in heavy smokers (HSM) and healthy controls (HC). A functional magnetic resonance imaging event‐related cue reactivity paradigm, consisting of gambling, smoking‐related and neutral pictures, was employed in 17 treatment‐seeking non‐smoking PRG, 18 non‐gambling HSM, and 17 non‐gambling and non‐smoking HC. Watching gambling pictures (relative to neutral pictures) was associated with higher brain activation in occipitotemporal areas, posterior cingulate cortex, parahippocampal gyrus and amygdala in PRG compared with HC and HSM. Subjective craving in PRG correlated positively with brain activation in left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and left insula. When comparing the HSM group with the two other groups, no significant differences in brain activity induced by smoking cues were found. In a stratified analysis, the HSM subgroup with higher Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence scores (FTND M = 5.4) showed higher brain activation in ventromedial prefrontal cortex, rostral anterior cingulate cortex, insula and middle/superior temporal gyrus while watching smoking‐related pictures (relative to neutral pictures) than the HSM subgroup with lower FTND scores (FTND M = 2.9) and than non‐smoking HC. Nicotine craving correlated with activation in left prefrontal and left amygdala when viewing smoking‐related pictures in HSM. Increased regional responsiveness to gambling pictures in brain regions linked to motivation and visual processing is present in PRG, similar to neural mechanisms underlying cue reactivity in substance dependence. Increased brain activation in related fronto‐limbic brain areas was present in HSM with higher FTND scores compared with HSM with lower FTND scores.
Early predictability of the need for tracheotomy after admission to ICU: an observational study
Authors: VEELO D. P. , BINNEKADE J. M. , BUDDEKE A.‐W. , DONGELMANS D. A. , SCHULTZ M. J.
Published: September 2010

Background: The goal of this study was to explore the ability of professional judgment to predict the need for tracheotomy early among intensive care unit (ICU) patients.

Methods: Prospective study using daily questionnaires among ICU physicians in a mixed medical–surgical ICU. The prediction of tracheotomy was by a visual analogue scale (VAS, from 1 to 10, with 1 representing ‘absolutely no need for tracheotomy’ and 10 representing ‘pertinent need for tracheotomy’) during ICU stay until tracheal extubation or tracheotomy. For the purpose of this study, a VAS score ≥8 was considered a positive prediction for tracheotomy.

Results: A total of 476 questionnaires were retrieved for 75 patients (6.4±5.2 questionnaires per patient), of which 11 patients finally proceeded with a tracheostomy. At first assessment (mean of 2.4±0.8 days after ICU admittance), ICU physicians predicted the need for tracheotomy 3.0 (2.0–6.0) higher VAS points for patients who were finally tracheotomized (P<0.01). Patients with a positive prediction had a 5.4 (1.2–24.1) higher chance of receiving tracheotomy (P=0.03). Considering the median VAS score over a maximum of 10 days before tracheotomy, ICU physicians scored tracheotomized patients significantly higher from day 8 onwards. When comparing ICU physicians, fellows and residents separately, only staff physicians scored a significant difference in the VAS score (P<0.05).

Conclusion: ICU physicians are able to differentiate between patients in need for tracheotomy from those who do not, within 2 days from admittance. The closer the time to the actual intervention, the better the physicians are able to predict this decision.
Remote pharmacological post‐conditioning by intrathecal morphine: cardiac protection from spinal opioid receptor activation
Authors: LING LING J. , WONG G. T. C. , YAO L. , XIA Z. , IRWIN M. G.
Published: September 2010

Background:Intrathecal morphine pre‐conditioning attenuates cardiac ischemia–reperfusion injury via activation of central opioid receptors. We hypothesized that intrathecal morphine also post‐conditions the myocardium in the rat.

Methods:Intrathecal morphine at 0.3 μg/kg (LMPC), 3 μg/kg (MMPC) or 30 μg/kg (HMPC) was administered for 5 min before 120‐min reperfusion following 30‐min ischemia. Infarct size as a percentage of area at risk (IS/AAR) was determined using triphenyltetrazolium staining. MMPC was repeated following the intrathecal administration of nor BNI, NTD, CTOP, or naloxone methiodide (NM), kappa, delta, mu and non‐specific opioid receptor antagonists, respectively. The role of peripheral opioid, adenosine and calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) receptors was examined by the intravenous administration of NM, 8‐ρ‐sulfophenyl theophylline (8‐SPT) and human CGRP fragment (CGRP8−37), respectively.

Results:Morphine post‐conditioning at all three doses was cardioprotective (IS/AAR of LMPC=37±4%, MMPC=35±5%, HMPC=32±4%, control=50±5%,P<0.01). The prior administration of opioid receptor antagonists intrathecally, as well as intravenous 8‐SPT and CGRP8−37receptor antagonists, abolished this effect (nor BNI+MMPC=47±7%, NTD+MMPC=49±7%, CTOP+MMPC=45±9%, NM+MMPC=47±6% 8‐SPT+MPC=46±5% & CGRP8−37+MPC=53±6%,P=0.63). However, the intravenous administration of NM did not prevent the protective effect (34±4%,P<0.01).

Conclusions:Intrathecal morphine administration can induce pharmacological cardiac post‐conditioning as it involves opioid receptor centrally but non‐opioid receptors peripherally.
The relation between skin temperature increase and sensory block height in spinal anaesthesia using infrared thermography
Authors: Van HAREN F. G. A. M. , DRIESSEN J. J. , KADIC L. , Van EGMOND J. , BOOIJ L. H. D. J. , SCHEFFER G. J.
Published: September 2010

Background and objectives: To evaluate the feasibility of determining the extent of sympathetic blockade by skin temperature measurement with infrared thermography and relate the cranial extent of the temperature increase to that of the sensory block after spinal anaesthesia.

Methods: Before and 5, 10 and 20 min after the administration of spinal anaesthesia, skin temperatures were measured with infrared thermography at the dermatomes T2–L3, in 12 male patients scheduled for lower limb surgery. The most cephalad dermatome at which sensory blockade occurred was related to the dermatome at which the largest temperature jump (corrected for baseline temperature) occurred.

Results: The baseline temperatures showed considerable variation across the dermatomes, being lower below T12 than at the thoracic dermatomes. The mean difference between the level of the cephalad skin temperature elevation front (mean 1.03 °C, SD 0.8 °C) and cranial sensory block height was 0.10 dermatomes (SD 1.16), correlation coefficient (0.88, P<0.001).

Conclusion: The varying baseline temperatures across the trunk, the limited sympathetic block‐induced increase in skin temperature at the trunk and the difficult control of influences from the surroundings partly obscured the extent of the skin temperature increase and its correlation to sensory block height. These factors have to be controlled to improve the use of infrared cameras as an easy bedside tool for predicting the cranial extent of (sympathetic blockade during) spinal anaesthesia.
Effects of different respiratory maneuvers on esophageal sphincters in obese patients before and during anesthesia
Authors: DE LEON A. , THÖRN S.‐E. , RAOOF M. , OTTOSSON J. , WATTWIL M.
Published: September 2010

Background: Data on esophageal sphincters in obese individuals during anesthesia are sparse. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of different respiratory maneuvers on the pressures in the esophagus and esophageal sphincters before and during anesthesia in obese patients.

Methods: Seventeen patients, aged 28–68 years, with a BMI≥35 kg/m2, who were undergoing a laparoscopic gastric by‐pass surgery, were studied, and pressures from the hypopharynx to the stomach were recorded using high‐resolution solid‐state manometry. Before anesthesia, recordings were performed during normal spontaneous breathing, Valsalva and forced inspiration. The effects of anesthesia induction with remifentanil and propofol were evaluated, and positive end‐expiratory pressure (PEEP) 10 cmH2O was applied during anesthesia.

Results: During spontaneous breathing, the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) pressure was significantly lower during end‐expiration compared with end‐inspiration (28.5 ± 7.7 vs. 35.4 ± 10.8 mmHg, P<0.01), but barrier pressure (BrP) and intra‐gastric pressure (IGP) were unchanged. LES, BrP (P<0.05) and IGP (P<0.01) decreased significantly during anesthesia. BrP remained positive in all patients. IGP increased during Valsalva (P<0.01) but was unaffected by PEEP. Esophageal pressures were positive during both spontaneous breathing and mechanical ventilation. Esophageal pressures increased during PEEP from 9.4 ± 3.8 to 11.3 ± 3.3 mmHg (P<0.01).

Conclusion: During spontaneous breathing, the LES pressure was the lowest during end‐expiration but there were no differences in BrP and IGP. LES, BrP and IGP decreased during anesthesia but BrP remained positive in all patients. During the application of PEEP, esophageal pressures increased and this may have a protective effect against regurgitation.
Responses to mineral nutrient availability and heterogeneity in physiologically integrated sedges from contrasting habitats
Authors: D’Hertefeldt T. , Falkengren‐Grerup U. , Jónsdóttir I. S.
Published: September 2010

Clonal plants from poor habitats benefit less from morphologically plastic responses to heterogeneity than plants from more productive sites. In addition, physiological integration has been suggested to either increase or decrease the foraging efficiency of clonal plants. We tested the capacity for biomass production and morphological response in two closely related, rhizomatous species from habitats that differ in resource availability, Carex arenaria (from poor sand dunes) and C. disticha (from nutrient‐richer, moister habitats). We expected lower total biomass production and reduced morphological plasticity in C. arenaria, and that both species would produce more ramets in high nutrient patches, either in response to signals transported through physiological integration, or by locally determined responses to nutrient availability. To investigate mineral nutrient heterogeneity, plants were grown in boxes divided into two compartments with homogeneous or heterogeneous supply of high (H) or low (L) nutrient levels, resulting in four treatments, H‐H, H‐L, L‐H and L‐L. Both C. arenaria and C. disticha produced similar biomass in high nutrient treatments. C. disticha responded to high nutrients by increased biomass production and branching of the young parts and by altering root:shoot ratio and rhizome lengths, while C. arenaria showed localised responses to high nutrients in terms of local biomass and branch production in high nutrient patches. The results demonstrated that although it has a conservative morphology, C. arenaria responded to nutrient heterogeneity through morphological plasticity. An analysis of costs and benefits of integration on biomass production showed that young ramets of both species benefited significantly from physiological integration, but no corresponding costs were found. This suggests that plants from resource‐poor but dynamic habitats like sand dunes respond morphologically to high nutrient patches. The two species responded to nutrient heterogeneity in different traits, and this is discussed in terms of local and distant signalling of plant status.
Genetic variation in monoamine oxidase A and analysis of association with behaviour traits in beef cattle
Authors: Lühken G. , Glenske K. , Brandt H. , Erhardt G.
Published: September 2010

Husbandry of beef cattle requires animals that do not behave aggressively or timidly. The enzyme monoamine oxidase A and the coding gene (MAOA) play an important role in the complex regulation of behaviour. The complete coding region and a part of the non‐coding sequence of the bovineMAOAgene have been analysed in 20 German Angus and 20 German Simmental bulls and cows with the aim of detecting genetic variability. These two cattle breeds are known to differ regarding their behaviour during handling. Five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified, three of which were found in the coding region of the gene (exons III and XV). One of the SNPs located in exon XV (NC_007331.3:g.80340C>T) was found to be a non‐synonymous mutation. The minor allele frequency of this resulting amino acid substitution was significantly different between 543 German Angus and 417 German Simmental calves (0.39 and 0.49, respectively). The potential functional impact of this polymorphism has been tested byin silicoanalysis, as well as by association analysis using behaviour scores of the genotyped calves for three behaviour tests that assessed the animals’ temperament during tethering, weighing or social separation.In silicoanalysis did not deliver consistent results arguing for or against a functional impact of the studied amino acid substitution on the function of the biological protein. No significant association was found between thisMAOApolymorphism and the behaviour‐related scores analysed in the study.