bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Detection of Anti‐HLA Antibodies in Maternal Blood in the Second Trimester to Identify Patients at Risk of Antibody‐Mediated Maternal Anti‐Fetal Rejection and Spontaneous Preterm Delivery
Authors: Lee JoonHo , Romero Roberto , Xu Yi , Miranda Jezid , Yoo Wonsuk , Chaemsaithong Piya , Kusanovic Juan Pedro , Chaiworapongsa Tinnakorn , Tarca Adi L. , Korzeniewski Steven J. , Hassan Sonia S. , Than Nandor Gabor , Yoon Bo Hyun , Kim Chong Jai
Published: July 2013

Problem

Maternal anti‐fetal rejection is a mechanism of disease in spontaneous preterm labor. The objective of this study was to determine whether the presence of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) panel‐reactive antibodies (PRA) during the second trimester increases the risk of spontaneous preterm delivery.

Methods of study

This longitudinal case‐control study included pregnant women with spontaneous preterm deliveries (n = 310) and control patients with normal term pregnancies (n = 620), matched for maternal age and gravidity. Maternal plasma samples obtained at 14–16, 16–20, 20–24, and 24–28 weeks of gestation were analyzed for HLA class I and class II PRA positivity using flow cytometry. The fetal HLA genotype and maternal HLA alloantibody epitope were determined for a subset of patients with positive HLA PRA.

Results

(i) Patients with spontaneous preterm delivery were more likely to exhibit HLA class I (adjusted OR = 2.54, P < 0.0001) and class II (adjusted OR = 1.98, P = 0.002) PRA positivity than those delivering at term; (ii) HLA class I PRA positivity for patients with spontaneous preterm delivery between 28 and 34 weeks (adjusted OR = 2.88; P = 0.001) and after 34 weeks of gestation (adjusted OR = 2.53; P < 0.0001) was higher than for those delivering at term; (iii) HLA class II PRA positivity for patients with spontaneous preterm delivery after 34 weeks of gestation was higher than for those delivering at term (adjusted OR = 2.04; P = 0.002); (iv) multiparous women were at a higher risk for HLA class I PRA positivity than nulliparous women (adjusted OR = 0.097, P < 0.0001 for nulliparity); (v) nulliparous women had a higher rate of HLA class I PRA positivity with advancing gestational age (P = 0.001); and (vi) 78% of women whose fetuses were genotyped had alloantibodies specific against fetal HLA class I antigens.

Conclusion

Pregnant women with positive HLA class I or class II PRA during the second trimester are at an increased risk of spontaneous preterm delivery due to antibody‐mediated maternal anti‐fetal rejection.
Repeatability and accuracy of applanation resonance tonometry in healthy subjects and patients with glaucoma
Authors: Salvetat Maria L. , Zeppieri Marco , Tosoni Claudia , Brusini Paolo
Published: July 2013

Purpose:  To evaluate the repeatability and accuracy of the applanation resonance tonometer (ART) used in the automatic servo‐controlled version, and to evaluate the influence of central corneal thickness (CCT) on the ART intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements.

Methods:  This prospective, randomized, single‐centre study included one eye of 153 subjects (35 healthy volunteers and 118 patients with glaucoma). All participants underwent ultrasonic CCT measurement, followed by IOP evaluation with Goldmann applanation tonometer (GAT) and ART in random order. A single operator measured the IOP with each tonometer three times. Intra‐examiner variability was evaluated using the coefficient of variation (CoV), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and test–retest differences. Intermethod agreement was assessed using the Bland–Altman method. Linear regression analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between IOP measurements and CCT.

Results:  The mean IOP was 17.7 ± 4.4 mmHg with GAT and 20.6 ± 5.3 mmHg with ART (p < 0.001). CoV and ICC were, respectively, 5 ± 3% and 0.99 for GAT, and 8 ± 4% and 0.96 for ART (intermethods differences, p = 0.001). The ART test–retest differences significantly increased with increasing mean IOP (p = 0.003). The mean IOP difference (ART minus GAT) was 3.0 ± 4.0 mmHg, which increased with increasing mean IOP (p < 0.001). Both GAT IOP and ART IOP readings were significantly directly related to the CCT values (p = 0.03 and p = 0.004, respectively; intermethods difference, p = 0.32).

Conclusions:  The ART intra‐examiner repeatability was excellent, although significantly lower than that of GAT, and decreased at higher IOP levels. ART significantly overestimated GAT IOP measurements, especially at higher IOP range. Both GAT and ART appeared similarly influenced by CCT value.
Parental Sense of Coherence in the first 2 years of life is not related to parental and child diurnal cortisol rhythm or proxies of anthroposophic lifestyle
Authors: Swartz Jackie , Alm Johan , Theorell Töres , Lindblad Frank
Published: July 2013

Aim

Sense of Coherence (SOC) is hypothesized to have direct physiological consequences on endocrine and immunological processes. In this study, we compare parental SOC scores from pregnancy in groups of infants and parents representing different lifestyles (anthroposophic, partly anthroposophic and nonanthroposophic). We also analyse whether these could predict cortisol levels of the parents and their infants at 6–24 months postpartum.

Methods

Parental SOC‐13 was collected during the third trimester of pregnancy from a birth cohort of families with different lifestyles. Salivary samples were collected from the whole family when the child was 6 months (n = 210), 12 (n = 178) and 24 months of age (n = 149), and cortisol levels were analysed with radioimmunoassay technique.

Results

Sense of Coherence scores did not differ between the three lifestyle groups, and there were no correlations between SOC scores and salivary cortisol concentrations in separate analyses of mothers, fathers and children at any sampling age or at any sampling time during the day (morning, afternoon, bedtime).

Conclusion

Sense of Coherence scores did not vary in parents with different lifestyles and were not associated with salivary cortisol levels in parents or in children.
A phylogenetic analysis of morphological and molecular characters of Boraginaceae: evolutionary relationships, taxonomy, and patterns of character evolution
Authors: Cohen James I.
Published: July 2013

The angiosperm family Boraginaceae includes ca. 1600 species distributed among ca. 110 genera. Some floral features are constant within the family, but many vegetative, floral, pollen, and nutlet traits vary. Utilizing 224 species of Boraginaceae and related taxa, five matrices were constructed with various combinations of morphological characters, three chloroplast DNA regions, and one nuclear ribosomal DNA region. Phylogenetic analyses were conducted for these matrices, and patterns of character evolution were examined. Boraginaceae is resolved as monophyletic, with Wellstedia as its sister. Codon is sister to Boraginaceae + Wellstedia. Although most of the investigated morphological characters have a low consistency index, particular character states are synapomorphies for large clades in each of the tribes of the family. In Boraginaceae, the breeding system heterostyly evolved at least 12 times, which is the largest number of origins resolved in any family; therefore Boraginaceae can serve as a model for the evolution and development of heterostyly. Nutlet ornamentation is most diverse in Cynoglosseae and Trichodesmeae, while pollen and floral features are most variable in Boragineae and Lithospermeae. Phylogenetic relationships and patterns of character evolution identified in the present study set the stage for future work creating an updated taxonomic system of Boraginaceae.
Consequences of needle tract seeding of hepatocellular cancer after liver transplant
Authors: Lopez Kristi T. , Kuwada Scott K. , Wong Linda L.
Published: July 2013

Although liver biopsy is a relatively safe procedure, needle tract seeding (NTS) of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is described in up to 5% of patients after liver biopsy. The rate of NTS in patients with HCC who had liver transplantation is unknown. We performed a retrospective analysis of 759 HCC cases from August 1992 to August 2011. Demographics, ethnicities, risk factors, tumor characteristics, treatments, recurrence, and survival were collected. Patients who underwent percutaneous liver biopsy, resection, and transplant were identified. In all, 359 underwent biopsy to diagnose HCC and 42 patients underwent liver transplant. None of 171 patients who underwent radiofrequency ablation alone had seeding. None of the 11 patients who had biopsy and radiofrequency ablation performed in a single session developed NTS; however, two of 12 patients who had biopsy and radiofrequency ablation performed at separate sessions had NTS. Two patients underwent liver transplantation and subsequently developed needle tract seeding eventually died from HCC. Although the incidence of needle tract seeding was low in liver transplant patients, it can potentially change a curative therapy into a non‐curative one. Single‐session liver biopsy and radiofrequency ablation may reduce the risk of needle tract seeding of HCC.
Genistein and endothelial function in postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome
Authors: Irace Concetta , Marini Herbert , Bitto Alessandra , Altavilla Domenica , Polito Francesca , Adamo Elena Bianca , Arcoraci Vincenzo , Minutoli Letteria , Di Benedetto Antonino , Di Vieste Giacoma , de Gregorio Cesare , Gnasso Agostino , Corrao Salvatore , Licata Giuseppe , Squadrito Francesco
Published: July 2013

Background

Previous data have suggested that genistein could exert beneficial effects on endothelial function and on predictors of cardiovascular risk in healthy postmenopausal women. In a randomized clinical trial, we studied the effects of genistein on endothelial function in postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome (MS).

Methods

Twenty postmenopausal women with MS, according to modified NCEP‐ATP III criteria were randomly assigned to receive placebo or genistein (54 mg/day) for 6 months, along with a Mediterranean‐style diet. Postmenopausal women without MS (n = 15), served as controls. The primary goal was the assessment of endothelial function by flow‐mediated vasodilation (FMD) of brachial artery; moreover, time‐to‐peak dilation in the FMD response has been evaluated. Secondary outcomes were fasting glucose, fasting insulin, total cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, visfatin, adiponectin and homocysteine blood levels. Data on adverse events were also recorded.

Results

After 6 months of treatment, FMD at 50s and peak FMD significantly increased in genistein recipients compared with placebo. Moreover, genistein significantly decreased the blood levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, homocysteine and visfatin compared with placebo, while blood adiponectin levels were increased. Genistein recipients neither experienced more side–adverse effects than placebo nor discontinued the study.

Conclusions

Six months of treatment with genistein effectively improves brachial artery flow‐mediated vasodilation in postmenopausal women with metabolic syndrome.
Effects of seasonal variation in host quality and availability on parasitism by the egg parasitoid Telenomus coloradensis
Authors: Legault Simon , Hébert Christian , Berthiaume Richard , Brodeur Jacques
Published: July 2013

Hemlock looper, Lambdina fiscellaria (Guenée) (Lepidoptera: Geometridae), is one of the most important defoliator in North American forests. The common egg parasitoid Telenomus coloradensis Crawford (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) plays a significant role as a natural control agent, with parasitism levels in spring typically higher than in fall. The objectives of this study were to quantify changes in host acceptance and reproductive performance of the parasitoid in relation to (1) host egg fertilization in fall, (2) host diapause status, (3) host embryonic development in spring, and (4) host deprivation during summer. Our results indicate that T. coloradensis do not have the capacity to develop in unfertilized host eggs, whereas early‐diapausing eggs are more suitable for the parasitoid than post‐diapausing eggs. Furthermore, the host physiological suitability decreases with embryonic development in spring. Finally, a host deprivation period during the summer tends to negatively affect the parasitic activity of T. coloradensis. These laboratory results confirm previous hypotheses concerning T. coloradensis seasonal ecology and contribute to a better understanding of the effect of hemlock looper egg physiology and availability on the reproductive potential of T. coloradensis.
Evaluation of the population structure of Anguilla bicolor and A. bengalensis using total number of vertebrae and consideration of the subspecies concept for the genus Anguilla
Authors: Watanabe Shun , Miller Michael J. , Aoyama Jun , Tsukamoto Katsumi
Published: July 2013

The population structures of two tropical species, Anguilla bicolor and Anguilla bengalensis, collected from several localities of each species range were evaluated using statistical analyses of total number of vertebrae (TV) data, which also included previously published data. There were significant differences in TV values between A. bicolor specimens from the Indian and Pacific oceans and between A. bengalensis specimens from the eastern and western Indian Ocean. These results suggest that A. bicolor is separated clearly into Indian Ocean and Pacific/Indonesian Seas populations and A. bengalensis has eastern and western populations in the Indian Ocean, which both correspond to the historical subspecies designations of these eels. The existence of different spawning populations of other species such as the widely distributed tropical eel A. marmorata raises the question about how to categorise these subspecies or populations. Regardless of the taxonomic category used, each of these spawning populations should be considered to be a distinct ecological unit for conservation and sustainable management purposes.
Chemotherapy followed by modified donor lymphocyte infusion as a treatment for relapsed acute leukemia after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation without in vitro T‐cell depletion: superior outcomes compared with chemotherapy alone and an analysis of prognostic factors
Authors: Yan Chen‐Hua , Wang Jing‐Zhi , Liu Dai‐Hong , Xu Lan‐Ping , Chen Huan , Liu Kai‐Yan , Huang Xiao‐Jun
Published: July 2013

We retrospectively compared the antileukemic effects of chemotherapy alone and chemotherapy followed by modified donor lymphocyte infusion (DLI) in 82 patients with relapsed acute leukemia after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) without in vitro T‐cell depletion. We also investigated prognostic factors in patients receiving chemotherapy followed by modified DLI. Thirty‐two patients received chemotherapy alone, and the remaining 50 patients received chemotherapy followed by modified DLI. In patients receiving chemotherapy followed by modified DLI, complete remission rate was significantly higher (64.0% vs. 12.5%, P = 0.000), the incidence of relapse was significantly lower (50.0% vs. 100.0%, P = 0.000), and disease‐free survival was significantly improved (36.0% vs. 0.0%, P = 0.000) compared with patients receiving chemotherapy alone. Multivariate analysis demonstrated that patients with chronic graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) after intervention (P = 0.000) and patients receiving chemotherapy followed by modified DLI (P = 0.037) were associated with a lower relapse rate. Furthermore, in patients receiving chemotherapy followed by modified DLI, multivariate analysis demonstrated that chronic GVHD after modified DLI (P = 0.039) and duration of minimal residual disease (MRD) (−) ≥4 months after modified DLI (P = 0.001) were associated with a lower relapse rate. Our study is the first to suggest that chemotherapy followed by modified DLI is associated with stronger antileukemic effects and better survival in relapsed acute leukemia after haploidentical HSCT without in vitro T‐cell depletion. Furthermore, our study suggests that lack of chronic GVHD and duration of MRD (−) <4 months after modified DLI are associated with higher relapse rates in patients receiving chemotherapy followed by modified DLI.
Etiology of first‐ever ischaemic stroke in European young adults: the 15 cities young stroke study
Authors: Yesilot Barlas N. , Putaala J. , Waje‐Andreassen U. , Vassilopoulou S. , Nardi K. , Odier C. , Hofgart G. , Engelter S. , Burow A. , Mihalka L. , Kloss M. , Ferrari J. , Lemmens R. , Coban O. , Haapaniemi E. , Maaijwee N. , Rutten‐Jacobs L. , Bersano A. , Cereda C. , Baron P. , Borellini L. , Valcarenghi C. , Thomassen L. , Grau A. J. , Palm F. , Urbanek C. , Tuncay R. , Durukan Tolvanen A. , van Dijk E. J. , de Leeuw F.‐E. , Thijs V. , Greisenegger S. , Vemmos K. , Lichy C. , Bereczki D. , Csiba L. , Michel P. , Leys D. , Spengos K. , Naess H. , Tatlisumak T. , Bahar S. Z.
Published: July 2013

Background and purpose

Risk factors for IS in young adults differ between genders and evolve with age, but data on the age‐ and gender‐specific differences by stroke etiology are scare. These features were compared based on individual patient data from 15 European stroke centers.

Methods

Stroke etiology was reported in detail for 3331 patients aged 15–49 years with first‐ever IS according to Trial of Org in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) criteria: large‐artery atherosclerosis (LAA), cardioembolism (CE), small‐vessel occlusion (SVO), other determined etiology, or undetermined etiology. CE was categorized into low‐ and high‐risk sources. Other determined group was divided into dissection and other non‐dissection causes. Comparisons were done using logistic regression, adjusting for age, gender, and center heterogeneity.

Results

Etiology remained undetermined in 39.6%. Other determined etiology was found in 21.6%, CE in 17.3%, SVO in 12.2%, and LAA in 9.3%. Other determined etiology was more common in females and younger patients, with cervical artery dissection being the single most common etiology (12.8%). CE was more common in younger patients. Within CE, the most frequent high‐risk sources were atrial fibrillation/flutter (15.1%) and cardiomyopathy (11.5%). LAA, high‐risk sources of CE, and SVO were more common in males. LAA and SVO showed an increasing frequency with age. No significant etiologic distribution differences were found amongst southern, central, or northern Europe.

Conclusions

The etiology of IS in young adults has clear gender‐specific patterns that change with age. A notable portion of these patients remains without an evident stroke mechanism according to TOAST criteria.
A Spatially Disaggregated Areal Interpolation Model Using Light Detection and Ranging‐Derived Building Volumes
Authors: Sridharan Harini , Qiu Fang
Published: July 2013

Dasymetric areal interpolation is the process by which data are transferred from a spatial unit system for which they are available (source units) to another system for which they are required (target units) with the aid of ancillary information (control units). We propose a spatially disaggregated areal interpolation model for population data using light detection and ranging (LiDAR)‐derived building volumes as an ancillary variable. Innovative methods are proposed for model initialization, iterative regression and adjustment, and stopping criteria to deal effectively with control units of unequal size. The model is derived and applied at the control unit level to minimize the modifiable areal unit problem, and an iterative adjustment process is utilized to overcome the spatial heterogeneity problem encountered in earlier approaches. The use of building volume to disaggregate the population into finer scales ensures maximum correspondence with the unit at which the original population data were collected and models not only the horizontal but also the vertical population distribution. A case study forRoundRock,Texas, demonstrates that the proposed spatially disaggregated model usingLiDAR‐derived building volumes outperforms earlier areal interpolation models using traditional area‐ and length‐based ancillary variables.

密度区域插值是在辅助信息的帮助下（控制元），从一个可测空间单元系统（源单元）转换至所需空间单元系统（目标元）的过程。本文提出了一个利用激光雷达（LiDAR）测量建筑物体积作为辅助变量的人口数据空间分解区域插值模型（SDAIM），一系列创新方法用于模型初始化、迭代回归和调整方法，并给出了可有效处理不等大小控制单元的停止准则。该模型从控制单元层次来最小化可变区域单元问题（MAUP），并通过迭代调整过程来克服现有方法中的空间异质性问题。利用建筑物体积将从更精细尺度进行人口空间分解，保证了原始人口数据与模型的符合度达到最大，且模型可同时反映人口的水平与垂直分布特征。以德克萨斯州的Round Rock城市为例，验证了SDAIM方法优于已有基于面积和长度辅助变量的区域插值方法。
An Evaluation of Small Area Population Estimation Techniques Using Open Access Ancillary Data
Authors: Langford Mitchel
Published: July 2013

National census data represent the “gold standard” for authoritatively portraying a country's residential population distribution, but their aggregated counts for fixed administrative areas present problems for many geographic information system (GIS) analyses. Intelligent areal interpolation algorithms assist by transferring data from one zonal system to another using ancillary data to improve accuracy. All areal interpolation methods make assumptions and generate errors, and performance varies with both specific location and the data inputs used. This study adds to our understanding of the relative merits of alternative methods by comparing dasymetric, street network, and surface‐based models interpolating across two spatial resolutions. It examines the importance of the ancillary data source used to drive the process, particularly the efficacy of open access products. Results from an empirical study show that interpolation accuracy is influenced by the choice of ancillary data input as well as the methodological approach adopted. The strongest overall performance is delivered by dasymetric mapping combined with open access data identifying the locations of buildings. Open access data sets offer considerable potential for widening the use of intelligent population interpolation tools, especially if plug‐in tools to execute these algorithms can be made available for commonly used GIS software packages.

全国人口普查数据代表了一个国家居民人口分布权威描述的黄金标准，但以固定行政区域汇总的数据进行GIS分析则存在诸多问题。智能区域插值算法利用辅助数据将数据从一个区域系统转换至另一区域系统以提高数据精度。所有的区域插值方法都作出假设并产生误差，且插值性能随着具体位置和数据输入的变化而变化。本研究对密度、街道网络、基于区域模型在两种空间分辨率下插值结果进行比较，加强对于可选插值方法优缺点的理解。它检验了应用辅助数据源，尤其是开放获取数据源对于驱动这个过程的重要性。实证结果显示，插值精度受所选择的输入辅助数据和方法的影响。总体上最好的插值效果来自于采用分区密度图并结合开放获取数据识别建筑位置。尤其是当可以常用GIS软件包中以插件工具执行这些算法时，开放数据集可为拓展智能人口插值工具应用领域提供很高的可能。
Synthetic and degradable patches: an emerging solution for rotator cuff repair
Authors: Hakimi Osnat , Mouthuy Pierre‐Alexis , Carr Andrew
Published: July 2013

The use of rotator cuff augmentation has increased dramatically over the last 10 years in response to the high rate of failure observed after non‐augmented surgery. However, although augmentations have been shown to reduce shoulder pain, there is no consensus or clear guideline as to what is the safest or most efficacious material. Current augmentations, either available commercially or in development, can be classified into three categories: non‐degradable structures, extra cellular matrix (ECM)‐based patches and degradable synthetic scaffolds. Non‐degradable structures have excellent mechanical properties, but can cause problems of infection and loss of integrity in the long‐term. ECM‐based patches usually demonstrate excellent biological properties in vitro, but studies have highlighted complications in vivo due to poor mechanical support and to infection or inflammation. Degradable synthetic scaffolds represent the new generation of implants. It is proposed that a combination of good mechanical properties, active promotion of biological healing, low infection risk and bio‐absorption are the ideal characteristics of an augmentation material. Among the materials with these features, those processed by electrospinning have shown great promis. However, their clinical effectiveness has yet to be proven and well conducted clinical trials are urgently required.
Does One Size Fit All? The Consequences of Switching Markets with Different Regulatory Standards
Authors: Jenkinson Tim , Ramadorai Tarun
Published: July 2013

As the regulation of public companies has tightened, many companies have switched to stock exchanges with lower regulatory requirements. We analyse the consequences for smaller quoted companies of switching between the two London markets, which differ in their regulatory regimes. Firms that switch to lighter regulation experience, on average, negative announcement returns of approximately 5%. However there is a longer‐term upward drift in stock returns after the switch. We relate these financial returns to improvements in operating performance in the years following the switch, suggesting that for some companies, and their investors, a lighter regulatory environment may be appropriate.
Functional rare males in diploid parthenogeneticArtemia
Authors: Maccari M. , Gómez A. , Hontoria F. , Amat F.
Published: July 2013

Functional males that are produced occasionally in some asexual taxa – called ‘rare males’ – raise considerable evolutionary interest, as they might be involved in the origin of new parthenogenetic lineages. Diploid parthenogeneticArtemiaproduce rare males, which may retain the ability to mate with females of related sexual lineages. Here, we (i) describe the frequency of male progeny in populations of diploid parthenogeneticArtemia, (ii) characterize rare males morphologically, (iii) assess their reproductive role, using cross‐mating experiments with sexual females of related species fromCentralAsia and characterize the F1 hybrid offspring viability and (iv) confirm genetically both the identity and functionality of rare males usingDNAbarcoding and microsatellite loci. Our result suggests that these males may have an evolutionary role through genetic exchange with related sexual species and that diploid parthenogeneticArtemiais a good model system to investigate the evolutionary transitions between sexual species and parthenogenetic strains.
Antibacterial Mechanism of Action of Taxus cuspidata Stem Essential Oil against Selected Foodborne Pathogens
Authors: Bajpai Vivek K. , Sharma Ajay , Baek Kwang‐Hyun
Published: July 2013

This study examined the antibacterial mechanism of action of Taxus cuspidata stem essential oil (TCEO) against foodborne pathogenic bacteria. The TCEO (2,000 μg/disc) showed potential antibacterial effect as diameters of inhibition zones (32.0 ± 0.47–44.0 ± 0.59 mm) against the tested foodborne pathogens including Bacillus cereus ATCC13061, Listeria monocytogenes ATCC7644, Staphylococcus aureus ATCC12600, Salmonella typhimurium ATCC43174 and Escherichia coli ATCC43889. The minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration values of TCEO against the tested bacteria were found in the range of 125–500 μg/mL and 250–1,000 μg/mL, respectively. Also, the TCEO had potential inhibitory effect on the cell viability of B. cereus ATCC 13061 and E. coli ATCC 43889. Moreover, the TCEO revealed its mode of action on membrane integrity as confirmed by marked release of extracellular adenosine 5′‐triphosphate, 260‐nm absorbing materials and efflux of potassium ions (K+) against the tested pathogens. Further, scanning electron microscopic analysis also supported the inhibitory effect of TCEO as confirmed by significant morphological alterations on the cell membrane of the tested pathogens, suggesting its potential efficacy as a natural antibacterial agent.

Practical Application

Currently, because of frequent foodborne outbreaks and the rising concern of consumers on the use of chemical preservatives in foods, the food industry is emphasizing the use of natural antibacterial agents of plant origin as safe food preservatives. Some selected plant materials are used as natural antimicrobials in food systems to prevent the growth of foodborne pathogens, resulting in the extension of the shelf‐life of processed foods. This study confirmed that Taxus cuspidata stem essential oil showed its antibacterial mode of action against foodborne pathogens through membrane permeabilization and can be used to control the growth of several foodborne pathogens. Hence, it is anticipated that T. cuspidata stem essential oil may have greater potential for its practical applications as an affective and natural food preservative against food deterioration caused by foodborne pathogens.
The Impact of the 2007 Liquidity Shock on Bank Jumbo Mortgage Lending
Authors: CALEM PAUL , COVAS FRANCISCO , WU JASON
Published: July 2013

This paper explores the consequences of the collapse of the private‐label residential mortgage‐backed securities market in 2007 on banks’ originations of jumbo mortgages. We show that jumbo lending declined by more at banks that were more dependent on this market and were less well capitalized. In contrast, banks that had little dependence on this market and were well capitalized increased jumbo originations. These findings highlight how dependence on the secondary market may cause amplification of financial shocks, and the potential value of capital requirements that are higher during periods of economic growth in mitigating the amplification effects.
AMP‐activated protein kinase counteracts brain‐derived neurotrophic factor‐induced mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 signaling in neurons
Authors: Ishizuka Yuta , Kakiya Naomasa , Witters Lee A. , Oshiro Noriko , Shirao Tomoaki , Nawa Hiroyuki , Takei Nobuyuki
Published: July 2013

Growth factors and nutrients, such as amino acids and glucose, regulate mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling and subsequent translational control in a coordinated manner. Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the most prominent neurotrophic factor in the brain, activates mTORC1 and induces phosphorylation of its target, p70S6 kinase (p70S6K), at Thr389 in neurons. BDNF also increases mammalian target of rapamycin‐dependent novel protein synthesis in neurons. Here, we report that BDNF‐induced p70S6K activation is dependent on glucose, but not amino acids, sufficiency in cultured cortical neurons. AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) is the molecular background to this specific nutrient dependency. Activation of AMPK, which is induced by glucose deprivation, treatment with pharmacological agents such as 2‐Deoxy‐d‐glucose, metformin, and 5‐aminoimidazole‐4‐carboxamide ribonucleoside or forced expression of a constitutively active AMPKα subunit, counteracts BDNF‐induced phosphorylation of p70S6K and enhanced protein synthesis in cortical neurons. These results indicate that AMPK inhibits the effects of BDNF on mTORC1‐mediated translation in neurons.

image

Here, we report that growth factor‐induced mTORC1 activity is dependent on glucose sufficiency, but not on amino acids in neurons. The mechanism underlying this phenomenon is AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation. AMPK activation inhibits BDNF‐induced mTORC1 activity through TSC2 and raptor.
Epigenetic Mechanisms may Underlie the Aetiology of Sex Differences in Mental Health Risk and Resilience
Authors: Kigar S. L. , Auger A. P.
Published: July 2013

In this review, we propose that experiential and hormonal influences on biological sex during development may produce differences in the epigenome, and that these differences play an important role in gating risk or resilience to a number of neurological and psychiatric disorders. One intriguing hypothesis is that the framework belying sex differences in the brain creates differences in methylation and demethylation patterns, and these in turn confer risk and resilience to mental health disorders. Here, we discuss these concepts with regard to social behaviour in rodent models and briefly discuss their possible relevance to human disease.
Erect Penile Length and Circumference Dimensions of 1,661 Sexually Active Men in the United States
Authors: Herbenick Debby , Reece Michael , Schick Vanessa , Sanders Stephanie A.
Published: July 2013

Introduction

Penile size continues to receive popular and empirical attention. Little is known about the process of self-measurement and whether the behaviors a man engages in to become erect for self-measurement are associated with his erect penile dimensions.

Aims

The article aims to assess men's erect penile dimensions in a study in which the men would presumably be motivated to report accurate information about their penis size; and to explore associations between men's erect penile dimensions, their method of measurement, and their demographics.

Methods

Data are from an Internet-based baseline phase of a large prospective daily diary study that compared men's use of a standard-sized condom to men's use of a condom sized to fit their erect penis.

Main Outcome Measures

The main outcomes are participant characteristics, activities engaged in during self-measurement process, and self-reported erect penile length and circumference.

Results

For this sample of 1,661 men, the mean erect penile length was 14.15 cm (SD = 2.66; range = 4 to 26 cm), and the mean erect penile circumference was 12.23 cm (SD = 2.23; range = 3 to 19). Participant characteristics were not associated with measured length or circumference. Most men measured their penis while alone, using hand stimulation to become erect.

Conclusions

In this sample of men who measured their erect penile length and circumference for the purposes of receiving a condom sized to fit their erect penis, we found a mean erect penile length of 14.15 cm and a mean erect penile circumference of 12.23 cm. The self-reported erect penile dimensions in this study are consistent with other penile dimension research. Also, findings suggest that mode of getting an erection may influence erect penile dimensions. Additionally, how a man becomes erect for self-measurement may be associated with his erect penile length and/or circumference.
A Return to Normal Erectile Function with Tadalafil Once Daily after an Incomplete Response to As-Needed PDE5 Inhibitor Therapy
Authors: Kim Edward D. , Seftel Allen D. , Goldfischer Evan R. , Ni Xiao , Burns Patrick R.
Published: July 2013

Introduction

An optimal outcome of an erectile dysfunction (ED) treatment is to enable a return to normal erectile function (as defined by an International Index of Erectile Function—Erectile Function [IIEF-EF] domain score ≥26). As-needed (PRN) phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) inhibitor treatment does not always result in a return-to-normal erectile function.

Aim

The combined studies evaluated whether treatment with tadalafil once daily would allow men to return to normal erectile function who had less than normal IIEF-EF domain scores while using a maximum dose of a PRN PDE5 inhibitor treatment.

Methods

Men were ≥18 years of age, sexually active, reported a ≥3-month history of ED, and had been taking the maximum dose of sildenafil citrate, vardenafil, or tadalafil PRN. Randomization to once-daily therapy with tadalafil 2.5 mg to 5 mg (N = 207), tadalafil 5 mg (N = 207), or placebo (N = 209) for 12 weeks followed a 4-week maximum dose PRN PDE5 treatment and 4-week nondrug lead periods. Two identical double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled studies were conducted; combined results are reported.

Main Outcome Measure

The main outcome measure was the percentage of subjects with a return-to-normal erectile function (IIEF-EF domain score ≥ 26) when treated with tadalafil once daily compared with placebo.

Results

In subjects not achieving normal erectile function with the maximum dose of a PRN PDE5 inhibitor, a higher percentage of subjects treated with tadalafil had an IIEF-EF domain score ≥26 at end point (tadalafil 2.5- to 5-mg group [39%]; tadalafil 5-mg group [40%]) compared with the placebo group (12.1%; P < 0.001). Tadalafil was generally well tolerated and adverse events observed were consistent with previous reports of tadalafil once daily.

Conclusions

Treatment with tadalafil once daily significantly improved erectile function in men with mild to mild-moderate impairments in erectile function following PRN PDE5 inhibitor treatment.
Genetic restoration in the eastern collared lizard under prescribed woodland burning
Authors: Neuwald Jennifer L. , Templeton Alan R.
Published: July 2013

Eastern collared lizards of the Ozarks live in glades—open, rocky habitats embedded in a woodland matrix. Past fire suppression had made the woodlands a barrier to dispersal, leading to habitat destruction, fragmentation and local extinction. Reintroduced populations of lizards were subjected to 10 years of habitat fragmentation under continued fire suppression followed by twelve years of landscape restoration with prescribed burns. Prior to prescribed burning, genetic diversity decreased within glades and differentiation increased among glades. With woodland burning, genetic diversity within glades first decreased during an expanding colonization phase, but then increased as a dynamically stable metapopulation was established. Population differentiation among glades also stabilized in the metapopulation under weak isolation‐by‐distance. This study is one of the first to examine the genetic changes in a species of conservation concern throughout all the stages of decline and recovery and shows the importance of landscape‐level restoration for maintaining the genetic integrity of populations. This study also demonstrates how mark–recapture and genetic data together can yield detailed insight into metapopulation dynamics that would be impossible from just one type of data alone.
Common functional targets of adaptive micro‐ and macro‐evolutionary divergence in killifish
Authors: Whitehead Andrew , Zhang Shujun , Roach Jennifer L. , Galvez Fernando
Published: July 2013

Environmental salinity presents a key barrier to dispersal for most aquatic organisms, and adaptation to alternate osmotic environments likely enables species diversification. Little is known of the functional basis for derived tolerance to environmental salinity. We integrate comparative physiology and functional genomics to explore the mechanistic underpinnings of evolved variation in osmotic plasticity within and among two species of killifish; Fundulus majalis harbours the ancestral mainly salt‐tolerant phenotype, whereas Fundulus heteroclitus harbours a derived physiology that retains extreme salt tolerance but with expanded osmotic plasticity towards the freshwater end of the osmotic continuum. Common‐garden comparative hypo‐osmotic challenge experiments show that F. heteroclitus is capable of remodelling gill epithelia more quickly and at more extreme osmotic challenge than F. majalis. We detect an unusual pattern of baseline transcriptome divergence, where neutral evolutionary processes appear to govern expression divergence within species, but patterns of divergence for these genes between species do not follow neutral expectations. During acclimation, genome expression profiling identifies mechanisms of acclimation‐associated response that are conserved within the genus including regulation of paracellular permeability. In contrast, several responses vary among species including those putatively associated with cell volume regulation, and these same mechanisms are targets for adaptive physiological divergence along osmotic gradients within F. heteroclitus. As such, the genomic and physiological mechanisms that are associated with adaptive fine‐tuning within species also contribute to macro‐evolutionary divergence as species diversify across osmotic niches.
Evolution of salinity tolerance from transcriptome to physiological system
Authors: Scott Graham R. , Brix Kevin V.
Published: July 2013

The relationship between microevolution and macroevolution is a topic of fundamental importance in evolutionary biology. The increasing accessibility of genomic tools is making the hunt for genes that underlie evolutionary divergence more tractable and, when combined with physiological approaches, provides exceptional power to elucidate the causal mechanisms of the relationship. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Whitehead et al. (2013) employ this strategy to show that common physiological and genomic mechanisms lead to divergence in salinity tolerance across micro‐ and macroevolutionary timescales. They compare two killifish species from the genus Fundulus, F. majalis, which inhabits primarily marine and brackish environments and represents the ancestral state of the genus, and F. heteroclitus, which has derived an osmotic niche that expands into freshwater. Corresponding to the differences in osmotic niche, the species differ strikingly in how the structure of the ion‐transporting epithelium and the transcriptome of the gills respond to osmotic challenge. These inter‐specific differences were similar to but more pronounced than the differences associated with the more subtle intra‐specific variation in osmotic niche within each species. It appears that a progression of the same functional adjustments first allowed expansion of the osmotic niche of F. heteroclitus into freshwater and then further expanded the niche of select F. heteroclitus populations towards more dilute freshwater environments. The work of Whitehead et al. therefore emphasizes how the mechanisms of adaptive divergence between populations can be expanded over time to produce the more complex differences that can exist between species.
Water‐level fluctuations and metapopulation dynamics as drivers of genetic diversity in populations of three Tanganyikan cichlid fish species
Authors: Nevado B. , Mautner S. , Sturmbauer C. , Verheyen E.
Published: July 2013

Understanding how genetic variation is generated and maintained in natural populations, and how this process unfolds in a changing environment, remains a central issue in biological research. In this work, we analysed patterns of genetic diversity from several populations of three cichlid species from Lake Tanganyika in parallel, using the mitochondrialDNAcontrol region. We sampled populations inhabiting the littoral rocky habitats in both very deep and very shallow areas of the lake. We hypothesized that the former would constitute relatively older, more stable and genetically more diverse populations, because they should have been less severely affected by the well‐documented episodes of dramatic water‐level fluctuations. In agreement with our predictions, populations of all three species sampled in very shallow shorelines showed traces of stronger population growth than populations of the same species inhabiting deep shorelines. However, contrary to our working hypothesis, we found a significant trend towards increased genetic diversity in the younger, demographically less stable populations inhabiting shallow areas, in comparison with the older and more stable populations inhabiting the deep shorelines. We interpret this finding as the result of the establishment of metapopulation dynamics in the former shorelines, by the frequent perturbation and reshuffling of individuals between populations due to the lake‐level fluctuations. The repeated succession of periods of allopatric separation and secondary contact is likely to have further increased the rapid pace of speciation in lacustrine cichlids.
Selection for contrasting tocopherol content and profile in Ethiopian mustard
Authors: Velasco Leonardo , García‐Navarro Elena , Pérez‐Vich Begoña , Fernández‐Martínez José M.
Published: July 2013

Tocopherols are compounds present in oilseeds with major effect on nutritional and technological properties of seed oils. Brassica spp. mainly contain varying concentrations of α‐tocopherol, with high vitamin E value, and γ‐tocopherol, which contributes to oil stability. The objective of this research was to select for contrasting tocopherol content and profile in Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata A. Braun). A collection of 211 F4:5 lines was evaluated for tocopherol content and profile, and divergent selection was conducted till the S3:4 generation. Selection resulted in two lines with increased tocopherol content (244 and 243 mg/kg seed as average of four environments), one line with reduced tocopherol content (117 mg/kg), two lines with reduced α/γ‐tocopherol ratio (0.22 and 0.28) and two lines with increased α/γ‐tocopherol ratio (3.74 and 3.34). Control line C‐101 averaged 196 mg/kg with α/γ‐tocopherol ratio of 1.10. Reduced α/γ‐tocopherol ratio was controlled by recessive alleles at a single locus. Seed to plant correlation was high (r = 0.92), which suggests the feasibility of selecting at the single‐seed level.
Getting What's New from Newcomers: Empowering Leadership, Creativity, and Adjustment in the Socialization Context
Authors: Harris T. Brad , Li Ning , Boswell Wendy R. , Zhang Xin‐an , Xie Zhitao
Published: July 2013

Researchers consistently argue that organizations need to generate creative ideas to ensure long‐term success and survival. One possible solution for increasing creativity is to inject “fresh blood” into the organization by hiring new employees. However, past work suggests there may be a number of impediments that stifle newcomer creativity and, further, that encouraging newcomer creativity may compromise other adjustment outcomes. Accordingly, the present research examines how empowering leaders, in conjunction with contextual and relational factors (i.e., organizational support for creativity and newcomers' trust in leaders), facilitate newcomer creativity. Study 1 indicates that empowering leadership positively predicts newcomer creativity and that this relationship is contingent on the organizational context. Study 2 reveals that a more specific and proximal contextual socialization factor–newcomers' trust in leaders–is a more potent moderator than organizational support for creativity. Further, these predictors operate through creative process engagement to influence creativity. Finally, results indicate positive links between empowering leadership and role clarity, attachment, and task performance, suggesting that empowering leadership may serve as an important, albeit overlooked, socialization tactic.
Star Performers in Twenty‐First Century Organizations
Authors: Aguinis Herman , O'Boyle Ernest
Published: July 2013

We argue that changes in the nature of work in 21st‐century organizations have led to the emergence of star performers—a few individuals who contribute a disproportionate amount of output. We describe how stars negate the long‐held belief that the distribution of individual performance is normal and, instead, suggest an underlying power law distribution. In addition, we offer 9 propositions to guide future empirical research on star performers and an underlying power law distribution of individual performance. We describe how the presence of stars is likely to affect all individual‐, team‐, and firm‐level management theories addressing individual performance directly or indirectly, but focus on specific implications for those addressing human capital, turnover, compensation, downsizing, leadership, teamwork, corporate entrepreneurship, and microfoundations of strategy. In addition, we discuss methodological considerations necessary to carry out our proposed research agenda. Finally, we discuss how a consideration of star performers has important implications for management practice.