bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The use of 185 MBq and 740 MBq of 153‐samarium hydroxyapatite for knee synovectomy in haemophilia
Authors: Calegaro J. U. M. , Machado J. , Furtado R. G. , de Almeida J. S. C. , de Vasconcelos A. V. P. , de Barboza M. F. , de Paula A. P.
Published: December 2013

The penetration of beta energy of 153‐samarium (153Sm) (0.8 MeV) is not only appropriate for synovectomy of median articulations but is possible to improve the radiobiological effect using increased activities. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of 185 MBq and 740 MBq of 153‐samarium hydroxyapatite (153Sm‐HA) in knees of haemophilic patients. Thirty‐one patients – 36 knees, 30 males, were divided into two groups without coinjection of corticosteroid: A – 14 patients (17 knees) treated with intra‐articular dose of 185 MBq of 153Sm‐HA, average age 23 years; B – 17 patients (19 knees) with 740 MBq of 153Sm‐HA, average age 21.3 years. The evaluation before and after 1 year of synovectomy used the following criteria: reduction in the number of haemarthroses and use of the coagulation factor and improvement in articular motility. Adverse‐effects occurrence was considered too. Early and late scintigraphic studies were performed after synoviorthesis and no joint immobilization was recommended. The reduction in haemarthrosis and use of coagulation factor were: group 1 – 31.3% and 25%; group 2 – 81.5% and 79% with P < 0.001 respectively; no significant improvement in knees motility was noted for both groups. Four cases of mild reactional synovitis were observed in each group. The scintigraphic control showed homogenous distribution of the radiopharmaceuticals with no articular escape; the material was considered safe by its permanence in the articulation. We have significant improvement in the synovectomy of haemophilic knees with 740 MBq of 153Sm‐HA; the less penetration of its beta radiation was compensated by the increased biological effect with the higher used activity.
Chinese Hemophilia Joint Health Score 2.1 reliability study
Authors: Sun J. , Hilliard P. E. , Feldman B. M. , Zourikian N. , Chen L. , Blanchette V. S. , Luke K. H. , Poon M‐C.
Published: December 2013

To meet the rapidly expanding need for musculoskeletal (MSK) specialists [physiotherapists (PTs), physiatrists] in haemophilia care in China, a 4‐day Train the Trainer workshop was conducted in July/August 2009 in Beijing. A key focus was to train the participants to administer the Hemophilia Joint Health Score (HJHS) version 2.1 for effectively evaluating the MSK health of boys <18 years of age with haemophilia. The aim of this study was to test the HJHS version 2.1 inter‐ and intra‐rater reliability in a group of Chinese PTs and physiatrists with limited experience in haemophilia care. Each of the trained Chinese physiatrists and PTs examined eight boys 4–17 years old with moderate and severe haemophilia on day 1 and repeated the examination on the same patients the next day using the HJHS version 2.1. The boys had a wide range of target joint involvement and arthropathy. The HJHS score sheet, work sheets and manual had been translated into simple Chinese prior to the study. The interrater (ICC 0.90) and intra‐rater (ICC 0.91) reliability was excellent. The internal consistency of the HJHS items was also excellent with Cronbach's alpha of 0.86. With basic training in the administration of the HJHS version 2.1, the tool was reliably administered by Chinese PTs and physiatrists with limited haemophilic experience.
Congenital factor XIII deficiency in Pakistan: characterization of seven families and identification of four novel mutations
Authors: Borhany M. , Handrkova H. , Cairo A. , Schroeder V. , Fatima N. , Naz A. , Amanat S. , Shamsi T. , Peyvandi F. , Kohler H. P.
Published: December 2013

Deficiency of coagulation factor XIII (FXIII) belongs to the rare bleeding disorders and its incidence is higher in populations with consanguineous marriages. The aims of this study were to characterize
patients and relatives from seven families with suspected FXIII deficiency from Pakistan and to identify the underlying mutations. As a first indicator of FXIII deficiency, a 5M urea clot solubility test was used. Plasma FXIII A‐ and B‐subunit antigen levels were determined by ELISA. FXIII activity was measured with an incorporation assay. Sequencing of all exons and intron/exon boundaries of F13A was performed, and a novel splice site defect was confirmed by RT‐PCR analysis. Genetic analysis revealed six different mutations in the F13A gene. Two splice site mutations were detected, a novel c.1460+1G>A mutation in the first nucleotide of intron 11 and a previously reported c.2045G>A mutation in the last nucleotide of exon 14. Neither of them was expressed at protein level. A novel nonsense mutation in exon 4, c.567T>A, p.Cys188X, was identified, leading in homozygous form to severe FXIII deficiency. Two novel missense mutations were found in exons 8 and 9, c.1040C>A, p.Ala346Asp and c.1126T>C, p.Trp375Arg, and a previously reported missense mutation in exon 10, c.1241C>T, p.Ser413Leu. All patients homozygous for these missense mutations presented with severe FXIII deficiency. We have analysed a cohort of 27 individuals and reported four novel mutations leading to congenital FXIII deficiency.
Inflammation in neurodegenerative diseases – an update
Authors: Amor Sandra , Peferoen Laura A. N. , Vogel Daphne Y. S. , Breur Marjolein , van der Valk Paul , Baker David , van Noort Johannes M.
Published: December 2013

Neurodegeneration, the progressive dysfunction and loss of neurons in the central nervous system (CNS), is the major cause of cognitive and motor dysfunction. While neuronal degeneration is well‐known inAlzheimer's andParkinson's diseases, it is also observed in neurotrophic infections, traumatic brain and spinal cord injury, stroke, neoplastic disorders, prion diseases, multiple sclerosis and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, as well as neuropsychiatric disorders and genetic disorders. A common link between these diseases is chronic activation of innate immune responses including those mediated by microglia, the residentCNSmacrophages. Such activation can trigger neurotoxic pathways leading to progressive degeneration. Yet, microglia are also crucial for controlling inflammatory processes, and repair and regeneration. The adaptive immune response is implicated in neurodegenerative diseases contributing to tissue damage, but also plays important roles in resolving inflammation and mediating neuroprotection and repair. The growing awareness that the immune system is inextricably involved in mediating damage as well as regeneration and repair in neurodegenerative disorders, has prompted novel approaches to modulate the immune system, although it remains whether these approaches can be used in humans. Additional factors in humans include ageing and exposure to environmental factors such as systemic infections that provide additional clues that may be human specific and therefore difficult to translate from animal models. Nevertheless, a better understanding of how immune responses are involved in neuronal damage and regeneration, as reviewed here, will be essential to develop effective therapies to improve quality of life, and mitigate the personal, economic and social impact of these diseases.
Influenza H1N1pdm‐specific maternal antibodies offer limited protection against wild‐type virus replication and influence influenza vaccination in ferrets
Authors: Suguitan Amorsolo L. , Zengel James R. , Jacobson Scott , Gee Stephanie , Cetz Janet , Cha Paulyn , Chen Zhongying , Broome Rosemary , Jin Hong
Published: December 2013

Objective

The objective was to study passively acquired influenza H1N1 pandemic (H1N1pdm) maternal antibody kinetics and its impact on subsequent influenza infection and vaccination in ferrets during an outbreak of the H1N1pdm.

Design and main outcome measures

Infectivity of the H1N1pdm in the respiratory tract of ferrets was compared with the previous seasonal A/South Dakota/6/2007 (SD07, H1N1). Influenza‐specific antibodies were quantitated and antibody‐mediated protection against the homologous and heterologous H1N1 virus challenge infection was determined.

Results

H1N1pdm virus was approximately 10 times more infectious than SD07 in ferrets, replicated to higher viral titers in the upper respiratory tract and shed for a longer duration. Influenza‐specific antibodies after natural infection persisted much longer in the circulation than passively acquired maternal antibodies. The protection conferred by the maternal antibodies was limited to the homologous virus strain and was ineffective against SD07 and H3N2 virus. Serum antibodies from maternal transmission or passive transfer interfered with homologous vaccine strain‐mediated antibody responses in the ferret. A booster immunization was required to elicit a high level of antibody.

Conclusions

The findings support the rationale for a prime and boost immunization strategy in young children in whom maternal antibodies are present.
MODULAR: software for the autonomous computation of modularity in large network sets
Authors: Marquitti Flavia Maria Darcie , Guimarães Paulo Roberto , Pires Mathias Mistretta , Bittencourt Luiz Fernando
Published: December 2013

Many ecological systems can be represented as networks of interactions. A key feature in these networks is their organization into modules, which are subsets of tightly connected elements. We introduce MODULAR to perform rapid and autonomous calculation of modularity in network sets. MODULAR reads a set of files representing unipartite or bipartite networks, and identifies modules using two different modularity metrics widely used in the ecological networks literature. To estimate modularity, the software offers five optimization methods to the user. The software also includes two null models commonly used in studies of ecological networks to verify how the degree of modularity differs from two distinct theoretical benchmarks.
Spatiotemporal dynamics in a seasonal metacommunity structure is predictable: the case of floodplain‐fish communities
Authors: Fernandes Izaias M. , Henriques‐Silva Renato , Penha Jerry , Zuanon Jansen , Peres‐Neto Pedro R.
Published: December 2013

The metacommunity framework has greatly advanced our understanding about the importance of local and regional processes structuring ecological communities. However, information on how metacommunity structure and the relative strengths of their underlying mechanisms change through time is largely lacking. Dynamic systems that undergo environmental temporal changes and disturbances, such as floodplains, serve as natural laboratories to explore how their metacommunity structure change in time. Here we applied the Elements of Metacommunity Structure framework and variation partitioning analysis to assess how temporal changes in the local environmental factors and regional dispersal processes in the rain season influence a seasonal floodplain‐fish metacommunity. Across four months, relevant environmental factors were measured across 21 patches where over 3500 individual fish were sampled. Connectivity was measured using landscape resistance‐based metrics and additional spatial variation in metacommunity structure was assessed via spatial autocorrelation functions. The metacommunity structure changed from nestedness, at the beginning of the flood season, to a quasi‐Clementsian gradient at the end. Our analyses show that connectivity is only important in the beginning of the flood season whereas environment is only important at the end. These results suggest that this metacommunity is structured by changes between dispersal limitation and environmental filtering through time.
Determining the Strength of Coarse‐Grained AlON and Spinel
Authors: Swab Jeffrey J. , Pavlacka Robert , Gilde Gary , Kilczewski Steve , Wright Jared , Harris Donovan
Published: December 2013

The strength of two coarse‐grained (grain size > 200 μm) cubic ceramics, a magnesium aluminate spinel (MgAl2O4) and an
AlON
, along with a fine‐grained (1.5 μm) MgAl2O4, was determined by conducting a series of four‐point and equibiaxial flexure tests on specimens of different sizes. Weibull strength size scaling revealed a linear relationship on a log–log plot between average flexure strength and effective specimen area for the fine‐grained spinel, but a nonlinear relationship for both coarse‐grained materials. Initial fractography showed that each material had a single flaw population limiting the strength over the entire specimen size range, which does not account for the nonlinear size scaling relationship in the two coarse‐grained materials. However, further fractography revealed that in both materials there was an initial flaw and a critical flaw. The former appears to be machining/polishing damage that started the fracture process while the latter was a cleaved grain in
AlON
or a cracked grain boundary in the HP/HIP spinel that lead to fracture of the specimen. The difference between the initial and critical flaw size coupled with a detailed analysis of the strength as a function of test specimen thickness accounted for the nonlinear strength size scaling relationship. As a result, strength values obtained using thin test specimens can lead to an erroneous strength prediction for large components made of these ceramics. The implication of these findings is that strength tests must be conducted using appropriately thick specimens to obtain a representative strength value. If appropriately thick specimens cannot be tested, then fractography must be conducted to determine the flaw size. If the flaw size is sufficiently large, compared with the specimen thickness, then the strength must be adjusted according to a stress field correction factor to obtain a more accurate strength value.
Sensory evolution of hearing in tettigoniids with differing communication systems
Authors: Strauß J. , Lehmann A. W. , Lehmann G. U. C.
Published: December 2013

In Tettigoniidae (Orthoptera: Ensifera), hearing organs are essential in mate detection. Male tettigoniids usually produce calling songs by tegminal stridulation, whereas females approach the males phonotactically. This unidirectional communication system is the most common one among tettigoniids. In several tettigoniid lineages, females have evolved acoustic replies to the male calling song which constitutes a bidirectional communication system. The genus Poecilimon (Tettigoniidae: Phaneropterinae) is of special interest because the ancestral state of bidirectional communication, with calling males and responding females, has been reversed repeatedly to unidirectional communication. Acoustic communication is mediated by hearing organs that are adapted to the conspecific signals. Therefore, we analyse the auditory system in the Tettigoniidae genus Poecilimon for functional adaptations in three characteristics: (i) dimension of sound‐receiving structures (tympanum and acoustic spiracle), (ii) number of auditory sensilla and (iii) hearing sensitivity. Profound differences in the auditory system correlate with uni‐ or bidirectional communication. Among the sound‐receiving structures, the tympana scale with body size, whereas the acoustic spiracle, the major sound input structure, was drastically reduced in unidirectional communicating species. In the unidirectional P. ampliatus group, auditory sensilla are severely reduced in numbers, but not in the unidirectional P. propinquus group. Within the P. ampliatus group, the number of auditory sensilla is further reduced in P. intermedius which lost acoustic signalling due to parthenogenesis. The auditory sensitivity correlated with the size of the acoustic spiracle, as hearing sensitivity was better with larger spiracles, especially in the ultrasonic range. Our results show a significant reduction in auditory structures, shaped by the differing sex roles during mate detection.
Selection of trait combinations through bee and fly visitation to flowers of Polemonium foliosissimum
Authors: Campbell D. R. , Forster M. , Bischoff M.
Published: December 2013

Pollinators are known to exert natural selection on floral traits, but the extent to which combinations of floral traits are subject to correlational selection (nonadditive effects of two traits on fitness) is not well understood. Over two years, we used phenotypic manipulations of plant traits to test for effects of flower colour, flower shape and their interaction on rates of pollinator visitation to Polemonium foliosissimum. We also tested for correlational selection based on weighting visitation by the amount of conspecific pollen delivered per visit by each category of insect visitor. Although bumblebees were the presumed pollinators, solitary bees and flies contributed substantially (42%) to pollination. In manipulations of one trait at a time, insects visited flowers presenting the natural colour and shape over flowers manipulated to present artificial mutants with either paler colour or a more open or more tubular flower. When both colour and shape were manipulated in combination, selection on both traits arose, with bumblebees responding mainly to colour and flies responding mainly to shape. Despite selection on both floral traits, in a year with many bumblebees, we saw no evidence for correlational selection of these traits. In a year when flies predominated, fly visitation showed a pattern of correlational selection, but not favouring the natural phenotype, and correlational selection was still not detected for expected pollen receipt. These results show that flower colour and shape are subject to pollinator‐mediated selection and that correlational selection can be generated based on pollinator visitation alone, but provide no evidence for correlational selection specifically for the current phenotype.
Interspecies and intraspecies interactions in social amoebae
Authors: Sathe S. , Khetan N. , Nanjundiah V.
Published: December 2013

The stable co‐existence of individuals of different genotypes and reproductive division of labour within heterogeneous groups are issues of fundamental interest from the viewpoint of evolution. Cellular slime moulds are convenient organisms in which to address both issues. Strains of a species co‐occur, as do different species; social groups are often genetically heterogeneous. Intra‐ and interspecies 1 : 1 mixes of wild isolates of Dictyostelium giganteum and D. purpureum form chimaeric aggregates, following which they segregate to varying extents. Intraspecies aggregates develop in concert and give rise to chimaeric fruiting bodies that usually contain more spores (reproductives) of one component than the other. Reproductive skew and variance in the proportion of reproductives are positively correlated. Interspecies aggregates exhibit almost complete sorting; most spores in a fruiting body come from a single species. Between strains, somatic compatibility correlates weakly with sexual compatibility. It is highest within clones, lower between strains of a species and lowest between strains of different species. Trade‐offs among fitness‐related traits (between compatible strains), sorting out (between incompatible strains) and avoidance (between species) appear to lie behind coexistence.
Future fluvial flood risks in Central Vietnam assessed using global super‐high‐resolution climate model output
Authors: Nam D.H. , Udo K. , Mano A.
Published: December 2013

Fluvial flood risks are explored at the Vu Gia–Thu Bon River system in Central Vietnam based on a coupled hydrological–hydraulic model combined with design storm hyetographs constructed based on heavy rainfall downscaled from the output of a state‐of‐the‐art super‐high‐resolution (20‐km mesh) global climate model simulated under greenhouse gas emission scenario A1B. The results indicate that intensified rainfall due to future climate changes (2075–2099) will lead to higher flood risks in the fluvial plains, especially in the lower areas of the river system. The potential extent of inundation caused by a 25‐year return period flood in future climate patterns will increase by approximately 150% compared with those produced by the most severe flood in the present‐day climate (1979–2003). Moreover, the flood risks induced by a 10‐year return period flood tend to be slightly more severe than that of the 25‐year return period in the present‐day climate.
QUASI‐LIKELIHOOD INFERENCE FOR NEGATIVE BINOMIAL TIME SERIES MODELS
Authors: Christou Vasiliki , Fokianos Konstantinos
Published: December 2013

We study inference and diagnostics for count time series regression models that include a feedback mechanism. In particular, we are interested in negative binomial processes for count time series. We study probabilistic properties and quasi‐likelihood estimation for this class of processes. We show that the resulting estimators are consistent and asymptotically normally distributed. These facts enable us to construct probability integral transformation plots for assessing any assumed distributional assumptions. The key observation in developing the theory is a mean parameterized form of the negative binomial distribution. For transactions data, it is seen that the negative binomial distribution offers a better fit than the Poisson distribution. This is an immediate consequence of the fact that transactions can be represented as a collection of individual activities that correspond to different trading strategies.
Effect of Trilostane on Hormone and Serum Electrolyte Concentrations in Dogs with Pituitary‐Dependent Hyperadrenocorticism
Authors: Griebsch C. , Lehnert C. , Williams G.J. , Failing K. , Neiger R.
Published: December 2013

Background

The effects of trilostane on key hormones and electrolytes over 24 hours in dogs with pituitary‐dependent hyperadrenocorticism (PDH) are unknown.

Objectives

To determine the plasma concentration of cortisol, endogenous adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), aldosterone, sodium, potassium, and ionized calcium concentrations, and plasma renin activity over a 24‐hour period after administration of trilostane to dogs with well‐controlled PDH.

Animals

Nine dogs (mean age 9.3 ± 0.67 years, mean weight 31.9 ± 6.4 kg) with confirmed PDH.

Methods

Prospective study. Thirty days after the first administration of trilostane, blood samples were taken at −30, 0 (baseline), 15, 30, 60, and 90 minutes, and 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 hours after administration of trilostane and plasma concentration of cortisol, endogenous ACTH, aldosterone, sodium, potassium, ionized calcium, and renin activity were determined.

Results

Cortisol concentrations decreased significantly (P < .001) 2–4 hours after trilostane administration. From baseline, there was a significant (P < .001) increase in endogenous ACTH concentrations between hours 3–12, a significant increase (P < .001) in aldosterone concentration between hours 16–20, and a significant (P < .001) increase in renin activity between hours 6–20. Potassium concentration decreased significantly (P < .05) between hours 0.5–2.

Conclusion and Clinical Importance

Treatment with trilostane did not cause clinically relevant alterations in plasma aldosterone and potassium concentration. Results suggest that in dogs with PDH, the optimal time point for an ACTH‐stimulation test to be performed is 2–4 hours after trilostane dosing. Future studies are necessary to establish interpretation criteria for a 2‐ to 4‐hour postpill ACTH‐stimulation test.
Plant species size and density‐dependent effects on growth and survival
Authors: Schamp Brandon S. , Aarssen Lonnie W.
Published: December 2013

Question

Experimental evidence suggests that competition among plant species is generally hierarchical and that relatively large species are at a competitive advantage when competition is predominantly above‐ground. However, regional species pools are dominated numerically by relatively small plant species, and small species generally have higher local densities of resident plants within natural communities. One explanation is that larger plant species suffer disproportionately more under effects of intra‐specific competition (i.e. greater density dependence). We tested this prediction using ten herbaceous plant species in a competition experiment.

Location

Kingston, Ontario, Canada, glasshouse.

Methods

Using a glasshouse experiment, we tested whether relatively large species suffer disproportionately more in monoculture relative to mixtures of all ten herbaceous plant species. We measured the effects of competition on biomass production and survival by monitoring both in monocultures and mixtures of our species.

Results

Larger plant species suffered more under intra‐specific relative to diffuse inter‐specific competition in terms of survival; however, the slope of this relationship was not significantly greater than one, indicating that larger species did not suffer disproportionate density‐dependent suppression.

Conclusions

Our results support a role for size in plant competition, but also indicate that this role is reduced because relatively larger species suffer greater density‐dependent mortality when competing with other, equally large plants. As such, size‐based competitive hierarchies may not function as clearly in natural systems because the increased negative density dependence for larger species contributes to balancing out competition across size hierarchies.
The number of vegetation types in European countries: major determinants and extrapolation to other regions
Authors: Jiménez‐Alfaro Borja , Chytrý Milan , Rejmánek Marcel , Mucina Ladislav
Published: December 2013

Questions

How many vegetation classes and alliances are described in European countries? What are the main factors driving the number of these vegetation types? What would be the estimated number of vegetation types in so far under‐explored regions outside Europe?

Location

Twenty‐three countries and regions in Europe. Fourteen regions outside Europe.

Methods

We compiled lists of vegetation types (phytosociological classes as broader units and alliances as narrower ones) described in European countries with a well‐developed vegetation classification. The delimitation and nomenclature of classes and alliances were standardized according to a unified classification system for Europe. Generalized linear models were used to test the influence of floristic richness, area, sampling effort, altitudinal range and geological diversity on the number of vegetation types. Best predictors were used to estimate the number of classes and alliances in selected regions over the world.

Results

In agreement with broadly recognized diversity patterns, we found the highest numbers of vegetation types in countries with a mediterranean climate. The numbers of classes and alliances per country did not depend on the country size, while country's floristic richness was identified as the main explanatory variable, accounting for up to 67% of explained deviance. The number of alliances increased in countries with broad altitudinal range and large geological diversity, but these variables did not influence the number of classes. Accordingly, estimates of the number of alliances for other (mostly non‐European) regions were adjusted when including altitudinal range as an additional predictor.

Conclusions

At broad scales, the number of vegetation types can be predicted from floristic richness, which indirectly accounts for the effect of area, and from environmental heterogeneity. Furthermore, this overview demonstrates that the number of phytosociological alliances reflects biogeographic patterns in Europe better than the number of classes. We also estimate, for the first time, the number of vegetation types that may be expected in so far poorly surveyed regions worldwide, using procedures of vegetation classification analogous to those used in European phytosociology.
Clinical parameters and symptom severity in males with fecal leakage and incontinence
Authors: Paramor K. A. , Ibrahim Q. I. , Sadowski D. C.
Published: December 2013

Background

Despite the commonality of fecal incontinence (FI) in men, few studies have been carried out in this patient group. The aim of the study was to determine the contributions of clinical and physiological factors to symptom severity in males with fecal leakage (FL) and FI.

Methods

The records of all male patients referred for evaluation of FI and FL over a 6‐year period were analyzed. For each male case, the records of three age‐matched female controls with FI or FL were retrieved. All patients completed symptom assessment questionnaires (Vaizey score) and standard anorectal manometry testing.

Key Results

A total of 100 males and 300 age‐matched female controls were included. Vaizey scores were similar between sexes. For all Vaizey strata, males had normal maximal resting pressures (MRP) as well as normal maximal squeeze pressure (MSP). Females had a significantly reduced MRP and MSP across all Vaizey strata. In the FL subgroup, males had higher MRP and MSP than females. A multivariable linear regression analysis in males did not identify any clinical factors predictive of symptoms severity. For females, increased symptom duration, abnormal Bristol score, and reduced MSP were associated with worsening in Vaizey score.

Conclusions & Inferences

For females, FL represents one end of the severity spectrum of FI while in males FL has a distinct pathophysiology. Contributing factors to symptoms in males with FL are not identified by routine clinical tests; however, anorectal manometry may identify a subgroup of FL males with low anal sphincter pressures that may respond to targeted interventions.
Motility changes induced by intraluminal FeSO4 in guinea pig jejunum
Authors: Wang K. , Bertrand R. L. , Senadheera S. , Polglaze K. E. , Murphy T. V. , Sandow S. L. , Liu L. , Bornstein J. C. , Bertrand P. P.
Published: December 2013

Background

Dietary iron supplementation is associated with gastrointestinal (GI) side effects including vomiting, nausea, and diarrhea. Although inorganic iron in high concentrations may be damaging to the intestinal mucosa, we hypothesize that there are physiological effects on the GI tract that occur at concentrations achieved by supplementation. Thus, our aim was to investigate the effect of intraluminal ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) on jejunal motility.

Methods

Segments of guinea pig jejunum were cannulated and the intraluminal pressure recorded with a transducer, while movements were recorded with a video camera. Peristaltic threshold was the oral pressure that evoked four consecutive propulsive contractions. The nutrients decanoic acid (1 mM), l‐phenylalanine (50 mM), or the micronutrient FeSO4 (1 mM) were infused intraluminally. We also tested the effect of FeSO4 on electrochemically detected serotonin (5‐HT, 5‐hydroxytryptamine) released from in vitro tissues, both at rest and following mechanical stimulation.

Key Results

The jejuna peristaltic threshold was significantly decreased by all three nutrients: FeSO4: 31 ± 2–23 ± 3 mmH2O; decanoic acid: 27 ± 2–14 ± 2 mmH2O; and l‐phenylalanine: 30 ± 3–14 ± 3mmH2O. Of the three, only decanoic acid induced segmentation, while FeSO4 inhibited decanoic acid‐induced segmentation. Resting 5‐HT release was increased by FeSO4 (128% of control), but mechanically evoked 5‐HT release was reduced (70% of control).

Conclusions & Inferences

These data suggest that some luminal effects of inorganic iron on jejunal motility could be mediated through a pathway involving altered release of 5‐HT. A better understanding of the interaction between luminal iron and 5‐HT containing enterochromaffin cells could improve iron supplementation strategies, thus reducing side effects.
Eculizumab reverses the potentially fatal effects of kidney graft reperfusion injury
Authors: Kaabak Michael , Babenko Nadezhda , Kuznetsov Oleg , Matveev Alexander , Minina Marina , Platova Elena , Morozova Margaret , Novozhilova Tatyana
Published: December 2013

Half an hour after reperfusion, the kidney, transplanted to the infant from an adult brain dead standard criteria donor, became flabby and acquired blue color. Hyperacute rejection was suspected as a consequence of false negative cross match, and eculizumab was administered with the purpose to treat antibody‐mediated injury, with fast and clear effect. The patient's blood was tested for donor‐specific antibodies on the next day, and results were negative. We attribute graft damage to reperfusion injury and explain eculizumab's effectiveness to its ability to prevent progression of reperfusion injury.
Fitness costs and trade‐offs of disease resistance and their consequences for breeding arable crops
Authors: Brown J. K. M. , Rant J. C.
Published: December 2013

The fitness costs of disease resistance in plants are reviewed and their relevance to plant breeding is discussed. An important theme of current research is that plant defence is closely integrated into pathways that regulate growth and development in plants, so mutations in genes with central locations in defence networks often have numerous pleiotropic effects. There is increasing evidence that resistance to one disease involves trade‐offs with responses to other bio‐antagonists; the numerous pleiotropic effects of mlo resistance to powdery mildew of barley are discussed as an example. There is a striking contrast between the low costs of resistance in most crop diseases and the sometimes high costs of resistance in model systems studied in fundamental research. It is suggested that, through natural and artificial selection over thousands of years, farmers and more recently plant breeders have selected alleles which maximize the benefits and minimize the costs of resistance. There is sometimes substantial genotype‐by‐environment interaction in fitness costs, which makes experiments on fitness in plants especially challenging, but it is essential to understand these interactions to appreciate the relevance of fitness costs and trade‐offs to crops in field conditions. It is proposed that in the great majority of cases, in which it is not feasible to investigate fitness costs and their interactions with the environment in depth, plant breeding is an efficient way of incorporating genes with benefits which exceed any costs into commercially successful cultivars of arable crops.
Cytosolic APX knockdown rice plants sustain photosynthesis by regulation of protein expression related to photochemistry, Calvin cycle and photorespiration
Authors: Carvalho Fabrício E. L. , Ribeiro Carolina W. , Martins Márcio O. , Bonifacio Aurenivia , Staats Charley C. , Andrade Cláudia M. B. , Cerqueira João V. , Margis‐Pinheiro Márcia , Silveira Joaquim A. G.
Published: December 2013

The biochemical mechanisms underlying the involvement of cytosolic ascorbate peroxidases (cAPXs) in photosynthesis are still unknown. In this study, rice plants doubly silenced in these genes (APX1/2) were exposed to moderate light (ML) and high light (HL) to assess the role of cAPXs in photosynthetic efficiency. APX1/2 mutants that were exposed to ML overexpressed seven and five proteins involved in photochemical activity and photorespiration, respectively. These plants also increased the pheophytin and chlorophyll levels, but the amount of five proteins that are important for Calvin cycle did not change. These responses in mutants were associated with Rubisco carboxylation rate, photosystem II (PSII) activity and potential photosynthesis, which were similar to non‐transformed plants. The upregulation of photochemical proteins may be part of a compensatory mechanism for APX1/2 deficiency but apparently the finer‐control for photosynthesis efficiency is dependent on Calvin cycle proteins. Conversely, under HL the mutants employed a different strategy, triggering downregulation of proteins related to photochemical activity, Calvin cycle and decreasing the levels of photosynthetic pigments. These changes were associated to strong impairment in PSII activity and Rubisco carboxylation. The upregulation of some photorespiratory proteins was maintained under that stressful condition and this response may have contributed to photoprotection in rice plants deficient in cAPXs. The data reveal that the two cAPXs are not essential for photosynthesis in rice or, alternatively, the deficient plants are able to trigger compensatory mechanisms to photosynthetic acclimation under ML and HL conditions. These mechanisms involve differential regulation in protein expression related to photochemistry, Calvin cycle and photorespiration.
Association of chronic nasal symptoms with dyspnoea and quality‐of‐life impairment in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Caillaud Denis , Chanez Pascal , Escamilla Roger , Burgel Pierre‐Régis , Court‐Fortune Isabelle , Nesme‐Meyer Pascale , Deslee Gaëtan , Perez Thierry , Pinet Christophe , Roche Nicolas ,   Initiatives BPCO scientific committee and investigators
Published: December 2013

Background and objective

Previous studies suggested that chronic nasal symptoms (CNS) are frequent in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) subjects, but their contribution to dyspnoea and quality‐of‐life (QoL) impairment is not clearly established.

Methods

Data from the French COPD cohort ‘Initiatives bronchopneumopathie chronique obstructive’ were analyzed to assess the frequency of CNS (rhinorrhea, obstruction, anosmia) in COPD patients and analyze their impact and associated risk factors. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to assess the relationship between CNS with sociodemographic and anthropometric characteristics, risk factors, respiratory symptoms, spirometry, QoL (Saint George's respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ)), dyspnoea (modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) scale), mood disorders (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS)), number of exacerbations and comorbid conditions.

Results

CNS were reported by 115 of 274 COPD subjects (42%). Among them, rhinorrhea and nasal obstruction were reported by 62% and 43%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, COPD patients with CNS had higher SGRQ total scores, corresponding to worse QoL (P = 0.01), while no independent association was found with exacerbations, lung function and HADS. Among SGRQ domains, an independent association was found with the activity score (P = 0.007). When SGRQ score was forced out of the model to avoid redundancy, mMRC score was independently associated with CNS (P = 0.01). Among risk factors, cumulative smoking, hay fever and atopic dermatitis but not occupational exposures were independently associated with CNS.

Conclusions

In this group of COPD subjects, CNS were frequently observed and associated with dyspnoea and poorer QoL. CNS should be systematically assessed and could be a potential target in the management of COPD.
Abbess Piera de' Medici and her kin: gender, gifts, and patronage in Renaissance Florence
Authors: Strocchia Sharon T.
Published: December 2013

This essay advances our understanding of early Medici patronage by focusing on the intriguing figure of Piera de' Medici (c. 1400–1482), who matured into one of the most powerful abbesses in Renaissance Florence. As a religious woman, Piera used her ties to the city's ruling family to benefit her Vallombrosan community of S. Verdiana; in turn, it was through her agency that the Medici established long‐term claims on the convent, its consecrated virgins and its sacred cult. This case study shows how Piera combined rhetorical skills, political acumen and gift exchange to build a relationship with Giovanni de' Medici (1421–1463), whose patronage activities are less well known than those of other family members. It also invites a reconsideration of the role Florentine women played in producing visual culture by comparing Giovanni's donations to gifts made by his wife, Ginevra Alessandri. This perspective is especially valuable given that scholars have commented on the scarcity of female artistic patrons in fifteenth‐century Florence compared to other areas of Italy. By considering different classes of objects and models of exchange, this essay contends that Florentine women played a more expansive role in cultural production than previously recognized.
Counting the spots: a molecular and morphological phylogeny of the spotted darner Boyeria (Odonata: Anisoptera: Aeshnidae) with an emphasis on European taxa
Authors: KOHLI MANPREET KAUR , SCHNEIDER THOMAS , MÜLLER OLE , WARE JESSICA L.
Published: December 2013

Boyeria irene and Boyeria cretensis are species of spotted dragonflies belonging to the ‘darner’ family, Aeshnidae. In 1991, Peters classified Boyeria from Crete as B. cretensis, based on adult morphological characters. In this study, we used molecular evidence to determine if indeed B. irene and B. cretensis are different species. DNA was sequenced from samples of B. irene (from France, Switzerland, Tunisia, Spain and Italy) and B. cretensis (from Crete). These species were recovered as two different clades with strong support. We conclude that B. irene and B. cretensis are different species, with evidence based on molecular and morphological differences. In addition, we present the first phylogenetic hypothesis for Boyeria for which we have sequenced all but three species. Lastly, we discuss different scenarios that may have led to the present‐day distribution and speciation patterns of Mediterranean Boyeria.
Impact of enterococcal colonization and infection in solid organ transplantation recipients from the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study
Authors: Bucheli E. , Kralidis G. , Boggian K. , Cusini A. , Garzoni C. , Manuel O. , Meylan P.R.A. , Mueller N.J. , Khanna N. , van Delden C. , Berger C. , Koller M.T. , Weisser M. ,   the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study
Published: December 2013

Background

The burden of enterococcal infections has increased over the last decades with vancomycin‐resistant enterococci (VRE) being a major health problem. Solid organ transplantation is considered as a risk factor. However, little is known about the relevance of enterococci in solid organ transplantation recipients in areas with a low VRE prevalence.

Methods

We examined the epidemiology of enterococcal events in patients followed in the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study between May 2008 and September 2011 and analyzed risk factors for infection, aminopenicillin resistance, treatment, and outcome.

Results

Of the 1234 patients, 255 (20.7%) suffered from 392 enterococcal events (185 [47.2%] infections, 205 [52.3%] colonizations, and 2 events with missing clinical information). Only 2 isolates were VRE. The highest infection rates were found early after liver transplantation (0.24/person‐year) consisting in 58.6% of Enterococcus faecium. The highest colonization rates were documented in lung transplant recipients (0.33/person‐year), with 46.5% E. faecium. Age, prophylaxis with a betalactam antibiotic, and liver transplantation were significantly associated with infection. Previous antibiotic treatment, intensive care unit stay, and lung transplantation were associated with aminopenicillin resistance. Only 4/205 (2%) colonization events led to an infection. Adequate treatment did not affect microbiological clearance rates. Overall mortality was 8%; no deaths were attributable to enterococcal events.

Conclusions

Enterococcal colonizations and infections are frequent in transplant recipients. Progression from colonization to infection is rare. Therefore, antibiotic treatment should be used restrictively in colonization. No increased mortality because of enterococcal infection was noted.
Predicting first lifetime plasma donation among whole blood donors
Authors: Godin Gaston , Germain Marc
Published: December 2013

Background

The aim of the study was to predict a first lifetime plasma donation among whole blood donors.

Study Design and Methods

A sample of 252 whole blood donors, who never donated plasma, completed the study questionnaire assessing intention, attitudes, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control toward giving plasma. The dependent variables were intention to give plasma and first lifetime plasma donation within 6 months.

Results

At 6 months, 57 individuals had made 98 plasma donations. First lifetime plasma donation was predicted by intention (p < 0.05) and age (50+ years, p < 0.05). Intention was determined by attitudes (p < 0.001) and perceived behavioral control (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Promotional strategies to recruit new plasma donors should target individuals aged 50 years and more. Such strategies should be coupled with actions to lower the perceived barriers and highlight the perceived advantages of becoming a plasma donor.
High‐dose methotrexate in the mobilization of hematopoietic stem cells for patients with non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma: a twelve‐year study in a single center
Authors: Zhang Cheng , Chen Xing‐Hua , Gao Li , Liu Yao , Gao Lei , Kong Pei‐Yan , Zeng Dong‐Feng , Peng Xian‐Gui , Sun Ai‐Hua , Zhang Xi
Published: December 2013

Background

High‐dose chemotherapy followed by autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto‐HSCT) is a promising approach for non‐Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). Higher cell doses have been associated with a faster blood count recovery and a reduction in transfusion requirements, infection rates, and hospitalization times. Mobilization failure constitutes one of the main reasons for avoiding auto‐HSCT. The role of high‐dose methotrexate (MTX) as mobilization regimen is still unclear.

Study Design and Methods

The effect of high‐dose MTX as a mobilization regimen for 67 adult patients with NHL who received auto‐HSCT was studied between January 2001 and October 2012. The stem cells were mobilized using combination chemotherapy including MTX plus granulocyte–colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF) in 33 patients (Group A), and the stem cells of the other 34 patients were mobilized using the same combination chemotherapy plus G‐CSF without MTX (Group B).

Results

All of the patients were successfully mobilized in Group A; however, two patients failed in Group B. The median numbers of CD34+ cells collected were 14.36 × 106 and 5.3 × 106 cells/kg for Groups A and B, respectively (p < 0.05). All of the patients experienced a stable neutrophil and platelet (PLT) engraftment. The times to white blood cell engraftment were 8.0 days in Group A and 11.0 days in Group B, and the times to PLT engraftment were 12.0 days in Group A and 13.0 days in Group B (p < 0.05 for both variables).

Conclusion

High‐dose MTX is a powerful regimen component for stem cell mobilization in adult patients with NHL.
Development of Generalized Parameters for Canine Multibody Meniscus Models From Experimental Data
Authors: Paiva Gavin , Guess Trent
Published: December 2013

It has been established that in order to accurately model a knee joint a reasonable approximation of the soft tissues present is necessary1. Models which include these soft tissue structures are able to better reproduce joint kinematics, loading, and analyze the impact of damage and pathological joint behavior1. Simulating the behavior of these tissues requires either a detailed understanding of materials properties that can be implemented via finite element models or the production of an empirical model that can be implemented inside other model frameworks2,3. This study explores the application of multibody (MB) modeling techniques in an attempt to capture the flexible behavior of biological tissues inside of a rigid body mechanics software, MD ADAMS (MSC software, Santa Ana, California), by tuning the performance to experimental data using design of experiments (DOE).