bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Seventy years of changes in the abundance of Danish charophytes
Authors: Baastrup‐Spohr Lars , Iversen Lars Lønsmann , Dahl‐Nielsen Jeppe , Sand‐Jensen Kaj
Published: May 2013

Charophytes grow attached to soft bottoms in ponds, streams, lakes and estuaries and are highly threatened throughout Europe according to the national Red Lists. We used Danish studies on freshwater charophyte distributions conducted around 1940 and repeated measurements during recent years to evaluate the historical development of species richness and dominance patterns. We also tested to what extent historical changes of species abundance in 29 waterbodies were related to landscape features, water quality and species traits.

We found that three species of freshwater charophytes (Chara filiformis, Tolypella intricata and Nitella gracilis) have apparently disappeared from Denmark while one species (Chara connivens) has immigrated. National species richness has thus declined from 21 to 19 species.

Species abundance based on occurrence in many waterbodies followed a linear rank–log abundance relationship both in the historical and the recent studies. The dominance structure was stronger today than historically as common species have become relatively more abundant and uncommon species relatively rarer.

Among species traits, perenniality and preference for alkaline waters typical of deep‐growing species in large alkaline lakes, a rare contemporary habitat, were significantly related to the historic species decline. Species increasing in abundance had wide tolerances to alkalinity and water nitrogen content.

Twenty‐nine lakes and ponds studied repeatedly showed a significant decline of mean species richness from 3.4 to 2.4 during the 70 years. A small increase in species richness has taken place during the recent 15–20 years in several lakes experiencing reduced nutrient loading. However, many species survive today in relict populations and may find it difficult to recolonise lakes in which water quality has improved.

The historical decline of species richness was significantly related to higher nutrient concentrations, higher phytoplankton biomass and lower transparency of eutrophied waterbodies. In contrast, the amount of wetlands and openness of the landscape close to a waterbody did not predict the historical development perhaps because local processes or long‐distance dispersal determine species richness.

Considering together the loss of former freshwater habitats and the deterioration of surviving habitats, we conclude that charophyte occurrence has declined by about 56% in Denmark during the last 70 years. Species reductions determined from the reinvestigated waterbodies (29%) and the national species list (10%) are much lower and are less suitable measures of the developmental status of charophytes.
Hydroperiod is the main driver of the spatial pattern of dominance in mangrove communities
Authors: Crase Beth , Liedloff Adam , Vesk Peter A. , Burgman Mark A. , Wintle Brendan A.
Published: May 2013

Aim

Many mangrove communities form bands parallel to the shoreline with each community dominated by a single species. However, the key determinants of mangrove species distribution across the intertidal zone are not well understood. We aimed to quantify the relationship between species' dominance and the hydroperiod (defined as the duration of inundation in a year), soil salinity and the salinity of inundating water for three dominant species,Sonneratia alba,Rhizophora stylosaandCeriops tagal.

Location

An extensive (20,000 ha), largely intact mangrove forest in northernAustralia, of some note as mangrove forests are threatened globally.

Methods

We related species dominance to the explanatory variables by applying two statistical modelling approaches: generalized linear models (GLMs), where a set of competing models were evaluated; and boosted regression tree models (BRTs), an approach that automatically captures interactions and nonlinear relationships between variables.

Results

BothGLMandBRTmodels achieved strong predictive performance for all species based on cross‐validation, with receiver operating characteristics above 0.85 for all species, and 88% of deviance explained forS. alba, 42% forR. stylosaand 35% forC. tagal. All models indicated that the hydroperiod was the key variable influencing distribution, followed by soil salinity. The salinity of inundating water was the least informative variable in the models. Ecological space, determined by gradients in hydroperiod and soil salinity, was partitioned between the three species with little overlap.

Main conclusions

As anticipated changes in sea level will alter the hydroperiod, our findings are critical for global forecasting of future distributions of mangrove communities, and for the design of mitigation and adaptation measures.
3rd Ceramic Leadership Summit
Authors: Pascucci Marina R.
Published: May 2013

The Ceramic Leadership Summit is designed to explore business opportunities, emerging technologies, and critical issues that challenge the ceramic and glass materials community. In 2012, the 3rd Ceramic Leadership Summit was held in conjunction with the 4th International Congress on Ceramics (ICC4). The one‐day program focused on technology transfer, entrepreneurship, and product innovation. Important topics discussed included strategies for creating and sustaining a small business, intellectual property protection, technology transfer, and mechanisms for government–university–industry partnerships. International speakers in the case study session addressed these topics from the perspective of their local and national policies and practices. Several of the case study presentations highlighted the use of “waste materials” in the creation and application of new technologies and products.
Cardiac dysfunction and N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide in exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Lee M. H. S. , Chang C. L. , Davies A. R. , Davis M. , Hancox R. J.
Published: May 2013

Elevated levels of B‐type natriuretic peptides among patients with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are associated with higher mortality. The pathophysiology is unclear. To establish if elevated levels of N‐terminal pro‐B‐type natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) are due to right or left heart dysfunction, we performed echocardiograms in 18 patients admitted to hospital with COPD. Elevated levels of NT‐proBNP were associated with both right and left heart dysfunction and indicate that these patients have biventricular dysfunction rather than isolated right ventricular compromise.
Early discharge and ambulatory care of low‐risk patients with neutropenic fever in Australia
Authors: Hocking C. , Taylor A. , Hayward A.
Published: May 2013

Neutropenic fever commonly necessitates hospital admission following chemotherapy, contributing significantly to the economic cost of cancer management. Strategies utilising early discharge and ambulatory management with oral antibiotics have been demonstrated safe and effective internationally and included in recently published Australian guidelines. Here, we sought to evaluate this strategy for the first time in a controlled series in the Australian setting to allow ambulatory management for low‐risk patients to become the new standard of care at our institution.
Outcomes of concurrent Caesarean delivery and pheochromocytoma resection in late pregnancy
Authors: Song Y. , Liu J. , Li H. , Zeng Z. , Bian X. , Wang S.
Published: May 2013

Undiagnosed pheochromocytoma in pregnancy is associated with significant maternal and foetal mortality. Herein we reviewed five cases of pheochromocytoma in pregnancy occurring during late pregnancy. The mean age at presentation was 30.6 years, and the gestational age ranged from 26 to 36 weeks. All patients had elevated levels of urinary catecholamines. In three patients, the lesion was located in the adrenal gland, in one patient the urinary bladder, and there was one case of recurrent malignant pheochromocytoma with metastases. Tumour resections were performed at the time of Caesarean section in four patients, two through laparoscopy. When pheochromocytoma is diagnosed in pregnancy after the second trimester, concurrent tumour resection with Caesarean section is feasible and in our series was achieved in four cases without adverse maternal or foetal consequences.
Leukaemias into the 21st century – part 2: the chronic leukaemias
Authors: Gibson J. , Iland H. J. , Larsen S. R. , Brown C. M. S. , Joshua D. E.
Published: May 2013

Like the acute leukaemias, the chronic leukaemias are broadly classified according to their cell lineage of origin. Chronic myeloid leukaemia and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia are the most common disease entities within the myeloid and lymphoid lineages, although several less common entities are well recognised within each broad subgroup. In common with the dramatic progress in the acute leukaemias, there has been considerable progress in our understanding of the biology and molecular genetics of the chronic leukaemias that is now being translated into significant therapeutic advances.
Choreographing Justice: Administrative Law Judges and the Management of Welfare Disputes
Authors: Lens Vicki , Augsberger Astraea , Hughes Andrea , Wu Tina
Published: May 2013

A significant form of civil justice is administrative hearings, used to resolve individual disputes in the provision of government welfare benefits. Drawing from ethnographic observations, analysis of recorded transcripts of the hearings, and interviews with administrative law judges in the United States, we examine two contrasting approaches to judging, one a ‘bureaucratic’ approach which replicates the style of decision‐making on the front lines, and the other an ‘adjudicatory’ approach which relies on the norms and conventions of judicial decision making. To understand how each approach manifests in the hearing room, we use the methodology of conversation analysis to compare and contrast the different verbal strategies and techniques that characterize each approach. To understand why a judge may choose one approach over another we explore how judges construct their professional identity and manage the tasks of judging.
Juridification and the Construction of Social Citizenship
Authors: Magnussen Anne‐Mette , Nilssen Even
Published: May 2013

The article elaborates on the legal construction of citizenship within the welfare state. The concept of citizenship is constructed from the perspective of rights and is closely related to the legal development of various fields of law. Juridification processes in the welfare state directly concern the construction of social citizenship and indirectly affect both political and civil citizenship. Concentrating on juridification within the framework of the welfare state implies that the development of welfare law is the focal point of the article. To understand the implications of juridification processes in the welfare state, we concentrate on the relationship between social citizenship, on one hand, and political and civil citizenship, on the other, and consider the implications of the legal and institutional construction of social citizenship. Social rights may confine the scope of political and civil citizenship and at the same time enhance individual freedom and the extent of political action.
Homosexuality and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights: What Can Be Learned from the History of the European Convention on Human Rights?
Authors: Johnson Paul
Published: May 2013

Despite differences between the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) and the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACHPR) in terms of the substantive rights guaranteed and machineries to enforce them, both instruments have been foundational in the establishment of organizations that share a common history of rejecting human rights complaints from homosexuals. Although the contemporary jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) on homosexuality may contrast sharply with that of the African Court on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACtHPR) and the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights (ACmHPR) – because the ACtHPR and ACmHPR have never upheld a complaint relating to sexual orientation – the early history of the ECtHR and the former European Commission on Human Rights (ECmHR) mirrors the current African stance. This article explores what those seeking to develop gay and lesbian rights in Africa might usefully learn from the historical evolution of similar rights under the ECHR.
LEADING BY NUMBERS
Authors: Crainer Stuart
Published: May 2013

Research into leadership is now a light industry. It's product, hard data on the soft stuff.
THE INVENTION OF LEADERSHIP
Authors: Nicholson Nigel
Published: May 2013

Nigel Nicholson provides a compellingly concise history of leadership from then until now.
EMPLOYEE‐LED INNOVATION
Authors: Birkinshaw Julian , Duke Lisa
Published: May 2013

How can employees take the lead in innovation?Julian Birkinshaw and Lisa Duke went in search of employee‐led innovation and found some inspiring examples.
PRAGMATIC BUSINESS ETHICS
Authors: De Cremer David , de Bettignies Henri‐Claude
Published: May 2013

David De Cremer and Henri‐Claude de Bettignies argue that the black and white terrain of business ethics is often, in fact, grey. But what are the implications of this?
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: MOVING ON UP
Authors: Pettit Nathan C , Sivanathan Niro , Gladstone Eric , Marr Jennifer Carson
Published: May 2013

Nathan C Pettit, Niro Sivanathan, Eric Gladstone, Jennifer Carson Marr, ‘Rising stars and sinking ships: Consequences of status momentum,’ Psychological Science.
Times and Spaces of Homeless Regulation inJapan, 1950s–2000s: Historical and Contemporary Analysis
Authors: Hayashi Mahito
Published: May 2013

Since the late 1970s,AtlanticFordism has seen rising homelessness and ghettoization as the ‘new urban poverty’ (NUP) (Mingione, 1996). Despite some similarities, theNUPinJapan has a unique rhythm and spatial pattern. In order to exploreJapaneseNUP, this article develops an interpretation ofJapan's strategies to regulate poverty and homelessness during the last 50 years, paying particular attention to the spatial consequences of such strategies within majorJapanese cities. First, I theorize long‐term economic growth patterns as a basic parameter of poverty and homelessness regulation and present a periodization ofJapanese trends since the 1950s. Second, I analyze poverty inJapan and the transformation of national strategies of spatial regulation in the 1990s, when homelessness grew. Third, I examine the multi‐scalar processes through which new regulatory spaces of homelessness were produced in the 1990s and 2000s, when failures of post‐bubble crisis management ballooned inJapan. I argue that, through a dialectic between national/local rule‐setting and homelessness, theJapanese state fragmented the dominant scale of poverty regulation, rescaled the site of homeless regulation and contained homelessness in relatively autonomized cities. I conclude that, from the 1990s until the late 2000s,Japan's homelessness and its contradictions tended to be transferred to the spheres of urban workfare and urban policing, which I call new regulatory spaces of homelessness, that lie around the fringes of national social rights.
The Influence of Avoidance Temperament and Avoidance‐Based Achievement Goals on Flow
Authors: Oertig Daniela , Schüler Julia , Brandstätter Veronika , Augustine Adam A.
Published: May 2013

In the present research, we conducted two studies designed to examine the joint influence of avoidance temperament and avoidance‐based achievement goals on the experience of flow on a creativity task. In both a laboratory study (N = 101; Mage = 22.61, SDage = 4.03; 74.3% female) and a naturalistic study (N = 102; Mage = 16.23, SDage = 1.13; 48% female), participants high in avoidance temperament were shown to experience greater flow when performance‐avoidance goals were induced; no differences were found in any of the other three achievement goal conditions from the 2 × 2 achievement goal framework. These findings reveal a short‐term benefit for a disposition‐goal match grounded in avoidance motivation, and point to the need for more research on both avoidance‐based matches and the short‐term versus long‐term implications of such matches.
Dopamine release by Ulvaria obscura (Chlorophyta): environmental triggers and impacts on photosynthesis, growth, and survival of the releaser
Authors: Van Alstyne Kathryn L. , Anderson Katie J. , van Hees Daniel H. , Gifford Sue‐Ann
Published: May 2013

In the NE Pacific, Ulvaria obscura is a common component of “green tide” blooms. It is also the only alga known to produce dopamine, which is released into seawater on sunny days when Ulvaria is emersed and then rehydrated. To better understand the mechanisms associated with dopamine release, we experimentally determined whether light quantity and quality, desiccation, temperature, exudates from conspecifics, and dissolved dopamine caused dopamine release. We also examined the effects of desiccation on Ulvaria's ability to photosynthesize, grow, and survive. Desiccation was the only factor that caused significant amounts of dopamine to be lost from U. obscura tissues. The loss of water from Ulvaria tissues was strongly and positively correlated with the loss of dopamine after rehydration. Only 56% of desiccated algae survived for 1 week, compared to 100% of undesiccated control algae. Desiccated algae lost 77% of their pigmented surface area and grew only 15% as much as undesiccated algae, which remained fully pigmented. The oxygen saturation of water containing Ulvaria that was desiccated and then rehydrated was significantly lower than that of seawater containing undesiccated algae. Thus, desiccation, which is coupled with dopamine release, is associated with the deterioration and death of some, but not all, tissues in Ulvaria. Although dopamine released into seawater can reduce the survival or growth of potential competitors, its release is associated with significant physiological stress and tissue mortality. However, the survival and continued growth of some Ulvaria tissues indicates that a net fitness benefit to release dopamine following desiccation cannot be ruled out.
Aging Respectably by Rejecting Medicalization: Mexican Men's Reasons for Not Using Erectile Dysfunction Drugs
Authors: Wentzell Emily
Published: May 2013

As lifestyle drug production and medical interest in geriatrics increase, the medicalization of aging and sexuality have become intertwined. Drugs like Viagra naturalize lifelong performance of phallocentric sex as a marker of healthy aging. Yet despite the ubiquity of medical aids for having “youthful” sex in older age, this article argues that having no or less sex can be a conscious strategy for embodying respectable aging. Based on ethnographic research in a Cuernavaca, Mexico, hospital urology department, this article shows that despite the traditional association of penetrative sex with successful masculinity, many older, working‐class Mexican men faced with erectile difficulty reject “youthful” sexuality and drugs that facilitate it in order to embody a “mature” masculinity focused on home and family. This article argues that social encouragement and structural disincentives for medicalizing erectile difficulty encouraged men to interpret decreasing erectile function as natural and appropriate.
Malicious Whites, Greedy Women, and Virtuous Volunteers
Authors: Saethre Eirik , Stadler Jonathan
Published: May 2013

As clinical trial research increasingly permeates sub‐Saharan Africa, tales of purposeful HIV infection, blood theft, and other harmful outcomes are widely reported by participants and community members. Examining responses to the Microbicide Development Programme 301—a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled microbicide trial—we investigate the ways in which these accounts embed medical research within postcolonial contexts. We explore three popular narratives circulating around the Johannesburg trial site: malicious whites killing participants and selling their blood, greedy women enrolling in the trial solely for financial gain, and virtuous volunteers attempting to ensure their health and aid others through trial participation. We argue that trial participants and community members transform medical research into a meaningful tool that alternately affirms, debates, and challenges contemporary social relations.
Nitric oxide in the breath of bottlenose dolphins: Effects of breath hold duration, feeding, and lung disease
Authors: Yeates Laura C. , Carlin Kevin P. , Baird Mark , Venn‐Watson Stephanie , Ridgway Sam
Published: May 2013

Breath analysis, including measurement of nitric oxide (NO), is a noninvasive diagnostic tool that may help evaluate cetacean health. This is the first report on the effects of breath hold duration, feeding, and lung disease on NO in dolphin exhaled breath. Three healthy dolphins were trained to hold their breath for 30, 60, 90, and 120 s and then exhale into an underwater funnel. Exhaled NO values from 157 breath samples were compared among three healthy dolphins by breath hold time and after fasting and feeding. Exhaled NO values were also measured in two dolphins with pulmonary disease. NO in dolphin breath was higher compared to ambient air; healthy dolphins had higher NO concentrations in their breath after feeding compared to after overnight fasting; and there were no significant differences in exhaled NO levels by breath hold duration. A dolphin with Mycoplasma‐associated pneumonia and chronic gastrointestinal disease had higher postprandial exhaled NO levels compared to healthy controls. This study demonstrates, contrary to previous publications, that dolphins exhale NO. Given the high standard deviations present in exhaled breath NO values, future studies are needed to further standardize collection methods or identify more reliable samples (e.g., blood).
Advances in the treatment of Clostridium difficile with fidaxomicin: a narrow spectrum antibiotic
Authors: Sears Pamela , Ichikawa Yoshi , Ruiz Nancy , Gorbach Sherwood
Published: May 2013

Clostridium difficile infection, also known as C. difficile‐associated diarrhea (CDAD), is the most common cause of nosocomial diarrhea, typically initiated by the use of broad‐spectrum antibiotics that disrupt gut flora, thereby allowing C. difficile to proliferate. It is an increasing cause of morbidity and mortality, especially in hospitals and long‐term care facilities. A particularly challenging aspect to treating CDAD has been maintenance of clinical response: following initial treatment success, recurrence occurs in approximately 15–30% of patients after the first episode and up to 50–60% subsequently. Fidaxomicin, marketed as DIFICID® in the United States, is approved in multiple countries and is the first new drug to be approved for this indication in over 25 years. It is a novel, narrow spectrum antibiotic with potent bactericidal activity against C. difficile and low activity against the normal gut microbiota. In clinical trials, fidaxomicin has been shown to be noninferior in initial clinical response to CDAD compared to vancomycin, and superior in limiting recurrence and providing sustained clinical response. In this review, the development and characteristics of fidaxomicin are described.
Retracted: Mouse ES cells have a potential to differentiate into odontoblast‐like cells using hanging drop method
Authors: Kawai R , Ozeki N , Yamaguchi H , Tanaka T , Nakata K , Mogi M , Nakamura H
Published: May 2013

Objectives

We examined whether mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells can differentiate into odontoblast‐like cells without epithelial–mesenchymal interaction.

Materials and methods

Cells were cultured by the ‘hanging drop’ method using a collagen type‐I scaffold (CS) combined with bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)‐4 (CS/BMP‐4). Expression of odontoblast‐related mRNA and protein, and cell proliferation were performed by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction (RT–PCR), immunofluorescence staining and WST‐1 assay, respectively.

Results

Cells potently expressed odontoblast‐related cell marker mRNAs following induction of odontoblastic differentiation. Dentin sialophosphoprotein, a marker of mature odontoblasts, was strongly expressed in differentiated ES cells. The cells also acquired an odontoblast‐like functional phenotype, as evidenced by the appearance of alkaline phosphatase activity and calcification. The cell‐surface expression of α2, α6, αV and αVβ3 integrin proteins was rapidly upregulated in differentiated cells. Finally, anti‐α2 integrin antibody suppressed the expression of odontoblastic markers in cells grown using this culture system, suggesting that α2 integrin expression in ES cells triggers their differentiation into odontoblast‐like cells.

Conclusions

Mouse ES cells cultured by the ‘hanging drop’ method are able to differentiate into cells with odontoblast‐specific physiological functions and cell‐surface integrin protein expression.
Expression of oral cytokines in HIV‐infected subjects with long‐term use of antiretroviral therapy
Authors: Nittayananta W , Amornthatree K , Kemapunmanus M , Talungchit S , Sriplung H
Published: May 2013

Objectives

The objectives of this study were to determine (i) the expression of oral pro‐inflammatory cytokines in HIV‐infected subjects compared with non‐HIV individuals, (ii) the cytokine expression in the subjects with antiretroviral therapy (ART) compared with those without ART, and (iii) factors associated with the expression of the cytokines.

Materials and methods

Oral examination was performed and saliva samples were collected and analyzed for the expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines using ELISA. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the association between HIV/ART status and the cytokine expression.

Results

One hundred and fifty‐seven HIV‐infected subjects with and without ART, and 50 non‐HIV individuals were enrolled. TNF‐α and IL‐6 in saliva were significantly decreased, while IL‐8 was significantly increased in HIV infection (P < 0.05). Changes in the expression of IL‐8 were also observed between HIV‐infected subjects who were and were not on ART (P < 0.05). Duration of HIV infection and smoking was significantly associated with the expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines in saliva (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Oral innate immunity is affected by HIV infection and use of ART. IL‐8 may be the useful biomarker to identify subjects at risk of infection and malignant transformation due to HIV infection and long‐term use of ART.
Anti tumor Necrosis Factor ‐ Alpha Adalimumab for Complex Regional Pain Syndrome Type 1 (CRPS‐I): A Case Series
Authors: Eisenberg Elon , Sandler Ifat , Treister Roi , Suzan Erica , Haddad May
Published: May 2013

Background and aims

Evidence suggests tumor necrosis factor‐alpha (TNF‐α) mediates, at least in part, symptoms and signs in complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Here, we present a case series of patients with CRPS type 1, in whom the response to the anti‐TNF‐α adalimumab was assessed.

Methods

Ten patients with CRPS type 1 were recruited. Assessments were performed before treatment, at 1 week, and 1, 3, and 6 months following 3 biweekly subcutaneous injections (40 mg/0.8 mL) adalimumab (Humira®) and included the followings: Pain intensity using a 0–10 cm visual analog scale; the Short Form of the McGill Pain Questionnaire; the Beck Depression Inventory; the SF‐36 questionnaire and mechanical and thermal thresholds (Von frey hair and Thermal Sensory Analyzer, respectively). In addition to the description of individual patient responses, both intention to treat (ITT) and per‐protocol (PP) analyses were performed for the entire group.

Results

Three subgroups of patients were identified (3 patients in each): “nonresponders”, “partial responders”, and “robust responders” in whom improvement in almost all parameters was noted. Both the ITT and PP analyses demonstrated only a trend toward improvement in mechanical pain thresholds following treatment (ITT χ² = 13.83, P = 0.008; PP χ² = 10.29, P = 0.036).

Conclusion

These results suggest adalimumab, and possibly other anti‐TNF‐α, can be potentially useful in some (although not in all) patients with CRPS type 1. These preliminary results along with the growing body of evidence which points to the involvement of TNF‐α in the pathogenesis of CRPS justify further studies in this area.
Natural variation in Early flowering1 contributes to early flowering in japonica rice under long days
Authors: KWON CHOON‐TAK , YOO SOO‐CHEUL , KOO BON‐HYUK , CHO SUNG‐HWAN , PARK JOON‐WOO , ZHANG ZHANYING , LI JINJIE , LI ZICHAO , PAEK NAM‐CHON
Published: May 2013

Natural variation in heading‐date genes enables rice, a short‐day (SD) plant, to flower early under long‐day (LD) conditions at high latitudes. Through analysis of heading‐date quantitative trait loci (QTL) with F7 recombinant inbred lines from the cross of early heading ‘H143’ and late heading ‘Milyang23 (M23)’, we found a minor‐effect Early Heading3 (EH3) QTL in the Hd16 region on chromosome 3. We found that Early flowering1 (EL1), encoding casein kinase I (CKI), is likely to be responsible for the EH3/Hd16 QTL, because a missense mutation occurred in the highly conserved serine/threonine kinase domain of EL1 in H143. A different missense mutation was found in the EL1 kinase domain in Koshihikari. In vitro kinase assays revealed that EL1/CKI in H143 and Koshihikari are non‐functional. In F7:9 heterogeneous inbred family‐near isogenic lines (HNILs), HNIL(H143) flowered 13 days earlier than HNIL(M23) in LD, but not in SD, in which EL1 mainly acts as a LD‐dependent flowering repressor, down‐regulating Ehd1 expression. In the world rice collection, two types of non‐functional EL1 variants were found in japonica rice generally cultivated at high latitudes. These results indicate that natural variation in EL1 contributes to early heading for rice adaptation to LD in temperate and cooler regions.
Fluence Measurements Employing Iodide/Iodate Chemical Actinometry as Applied to Upper‐Room Germicidal Radiation
Authors: Rahn Ronald O.
Published: May 2013

To measure the fluence distribution in the upper room of a facility equipped with germicidalUVlamps a method has been developed utilizing iodide/iodate chemical actinometry together with spherical (1 cm) quartz irradiation chambers. The use of spherical vessels allows radiation from essentially all directions to be measured. Such a measurement allows an estimate of the radiation flux at a given point in space, i.e. the fluence rate. When a battery of spheres located at various points in a room are simultaneously irradiated, a measure of the fluence distribution can be obtained. The use of the iodide/iodate chemical actinometer is uniquely qualified to measure germicidalUVradiation. The purpose of this report is to provide details on how this system can be used to measure fluence rates. In particular, it describes how a hand‐held colorimeter can be used to measure the absorbance changes in irradiated spheres.
Three school‐age cases of xeroderma pigmentosum variant type
Authors: Ono Ryusuke , Masaki Taro , Takeuchi Seiji , Shimizu Ayako , Tanioka Miki , Kambe Naotomo , Matsue Hiroyuki , Kamide Ryoichi , Nishigori Chikako
Published: May 2013

Background

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a photosensitive genodermatosis with increased susceptibility to skin cancers. Patients are typically diagnosed with XP when they consult a dermatologist for skin cancers.

Case/Methods

The genetic analysis and 2–8 years of follow‐up for three school‐age patients with XP‐V is described. The patients were referred to us because of increased pigmented freckles; they had not experienced abnormal sunburn or developed skin cancer at their first visit. All patients harbored a genetic mutation in the POLH gene. XPV9KO was diagnosed at age 13 with a homozygous del1661A that creates a stop codon in the non‐catalytic domain of POLH. The patient practiced sun protection, effectively preventing the development of skin cancer by age 21. XPV19KO was diagnosed at age 11 with a compound heterozygous mutation of G490T and C1066T, causing POLH truncation in the catalytic domain. This patient developed basal cell carcinoma at ages 12 and 13. XPV18KO was referred to us at age 11 and diagnosed with compound heterozygous variants of c.1246_1311del66 (exon 9 skipping), a novel mutation, and c.661_764 del104 (exon 6 skipping).

Conclusion

Freckle‐like pigmentation on sun‐exposed skin is sometimes the only sign of XP‐V, and early diagnosis is extremely important for children.
Management of Irreparable Rotator Cuff Tears with the Graftjacket Allograft as an Interpositional Graft
Authors: Modi Amit , Singh Harvinder Pal , Pandey Radhakant , Armstrong Alison
Published: May 2013

Background

The management of irreparable rotator cuff tears in younger patients remains challenging. The results achieved using arthroscopic debridement, tendon allograft and muscle transfers have been unpredictable.

Methods

We report a prospective study of 61 patients with irreparable rotator cuff tears who were treated with open cuff reconstruction using the GraftJacket (i.e. acellular human dermal matrix) (Wright Medical Technology, Inc., Arlington, TN, USA) to bridge the defect. The average age at the time of surgery was 62.6 years (range 47 years to 72 years). All patients were evaluated using the Oxford Shoulder Score pre- and postoperatively. The mean follow-up period was 3.6 years (range 1 year to 6 years).

Results

There was a significant improvement in the Oxford Shoulder Score from 26.4 to 44.6 ( p < 0.01) after surgery, with a similar improvement in pain score from 7 pre-operatively to less than 1 at follow-up. Significant improvements were also seen in the strength and range of movement. This improvement in function was seen even if pre-operative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans showed > 50% fatty changes. Postoperative MRI scans showed the graft to be in continuity with the tendon.

Conclusions

The results obtained in the present study suggest that the GraftJacket allograft regenerative tissue matrix provides a very good option for bridging irreparable rotator cuff tears in the short to medium term.
Variations in the architecture of hydraulic‐jump bar complexes on non‐eroding beds
Authors: Macdonald Robert G. , Alexander Jan , Bacon John C. , Cooker Mark J.
Published: May 2013

Sediment accumulation downstream of hydraulic jumps can occur in many settings but the architectures of such deposits are poorly documented. Here, three flume runs were used to examine the influence of sediment grain size and transport rate on the characteristics of hydraulic‐jump unit bars. In one of these runs six hydraulic‐jump unit bars formed a hydraulic‐jump bar complex. In another, the same sediment was supplied more quickly and only two unit bars formed. In the third run with the same sediment supply rate, but different grain size, only one large unit bar formed. All unit bars developed in a similar way but their size and internal architecture differed; they all resulted from a reduction in sediment transport capacity at the transition from supercritical flow to subcritical flow in the hydraulic jump. After initial onset of sedimentation and unit bar formation, generation of subsequent unit bars may be: (i) related to small changes in sediment flux; and (ii) independent of changes in the hydraulic jump. Continued sedimentation caused changes from oscillating to weak hydraulic jumps and hydraulic‐jump unit bars formed in both circumstances. The flow of water and suspended sediment becomes shallower over the lee of the bar complex. This leads to flow acceleration and a return to supercritical flow conditions. In turn, a chain of such features can form and generate a chute and pool bed morphology. There is an inherent upper size limit to a hydraulic‐jump bar complex due to the changing flow conditions over the growing deposit as the water above it becomes shallower. There is also an amplitude minimum for the development of foresets and subsequent unit bar growth. Hydraulic‐jump unit bars have architectures that should be recognizable in the rock record and because their size is constrained by the flow conditions, their identification should be useful for interpreting palaeoenvironment.
Current Status and Future Perspectives of Dendritic Cell–Based Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: H. Yi D. , Appel S.
Published: May 2013

Dendritic cells (DCs) are considered to be the most potent antigen‐presenting cells. Ever since the development of protocols for the in vitro generation of DCs, their application in immunotherapy against various malignancies has been explored. Even though the approach of using tumour antigen–presenting DCs in therapeutic vaccination strategies has been shown to work effectively in mice and look promising in in vitro studies, the actual clinical benefit for patients with cancer has been marginal. There clearly is still room for improvement. In this review, we will summarize recent clinical trials and findings and try to shed some light on the current status and the future of DC‐based cancer immunotherapy.
Enhancement of Intestinal Immune Function in Mice by β‐D‐Glucan from Aureobasidium Pullulans ADK‐34
Authors: Tanioka A. , Tanabe K. , Hosono A. , Kawakami H. , Kaminogawa S. , Tsubaki K. , Hachimura S.
Published: May 2013

β‐Glucans, glucose polymers that are the main constituents of the outer cell walls of micro‐organisms such as fungi and yeast, are known to play an immunostimulatory role. We prepared β‐glucan (β‐(1‐3),(1‐6)‐D‐glucan) from an edible cultured fungus through fermentation techniques using a strain of Aureobasidium pullulans ADK‐34. The purity of this β‐glucan preparation (AP‐FBG) was demonstrated to be high through various instrumental analyses. We then examined the effects of AP‐FBG on intestinal immune systems. We prepared Peyer's patch (PP) cells and measured interleukin (IL)‐5, IL‐6, and IgA production in culture media with AP‐FBG. We found that both cytokines and IgA increased; furthermore, IL‐6 secreted by PP dendritic cells (PPDCs) cultured in the presence of AP‐FBG significantly increased. We tested IgA production after oral administration of AP‐FBG for 2 weeks and found that AP‐FBG tended to promote the production of IgA in the small intestine. Interestingly, we observed a significant increase in IgA production in the small intestines of mice treated with cyclophosphamide (CY; an immunosuppressant) after oral administration of AP‐FBG diet compared with CY‐treated and control diet mice. Production of IL‐6 and IgA by PP cells and IL‐6 production by PPDCs in AP‐FBG‐fed and CY‐treated mice also increased. These results demonstrate that AP‐FBG has the ability to activate PPDC and induce IL‐6 production and IgA secretion in PP cells. These abilities were more clearly expressed when AP‐FBG was orally administered in a CY‐induced immunosuppressed condition. Therefore, AP‐FBG may be a useful ingredient for preparing functional foods with immunomodulatory activities.
Altered mRNA and protein expression of filaggrin in the skin of a canine animal model for atopic dermatitis
Authors: Santoro Domenico , Marsella Rosanna , Ahrens Kim , Graves Thomas K. , Bunick David
Published: May 2013

Background

Filaggrin is a structural protein that has attracted increasing interest over the past decade for its role in the pathogenesis of human atopic dermatitis (AD). Null mutations in its sequence are considered risk factors in the development of AD.

Hypothesis/Objectives

To investigate canine filaggrin mRNA and protein expression in the skin of atopic beagles with experimentally induced AD compared with breed‐matched healthy control dogs.

Methods

All dogs were environmentally challenged for 3 days consecutively with allergens to which the atopic dogs had been sensitized. Skin biopsy specimens were taken from six healthy and seven atopic beagles before and after allergen challenge. Canine filaggrin mRNA was measured using quantitative real‐time PCR. Indirect immunofluorescence was used to localize the filaggrin protein in canine skin. Analysis of variance with Tukey's multiple comparison test (over‐time effect) and unpaired Student's t‐test (treatment effect) were used. Values of P ≤ 0.05 were considered significant.

Results

Analysis of variance showed a significantly higher expression of filaggrin mRNA in atopic dogs compared with healthy control dogs (P = 0.004 on day 3 and P = 0.01 on day 10) and a decreased mRNA expression on day 3 in healthy control dogs (effect of time, P = 0.006). On blinded evaluation, filaggrin immunofluorescence was distributed homogeneously in the stratum granulosum and the stratum corneum in healthy dogs. Atopic dogs showed a patchy immunofluorescence pattern, which was exacerbated after environmental challenge.

Conclusions and clinical importance

Altered epidermal filaggrin mRNA expression and protein distribution was detected in this experimental model.
Pretentious multiplicative functions and the prime number theorem for arithmetic progressions
Authors: Koukoulopoulos Dimitris
Published: May 2013

Building on the concept ofpretentious multiplicative functions, we give a new and largely elementary proof of the best result known on the counting function of primes in arithmetic progressions.
Inertance Estimation in a Lumped-Parameter Hydraulic Simulator of Human Circulation
Authors: Lanzarone Ettore , Ruggeri Fabrizio
Published: May 2013

Pulsatile mock loop systems are largely used to investigate the cardiovascular system in vitro. They consist of a pump, which replicates the heart, coupled with a lumped-parameter hydraulic afterload, which simulates vasculature. An accurate dimensioning of components is required for a reliable mimicking of the physiopathological behavior of the system. However, it is not possible to create a component for the afterload inertance, and inertance contributions are present in the entire circuit. Hence, in the literature, inertance is neglected or qualitatively evaluated. In this paper, we propose two quantitative methods (Maximum-likelihood estimation (MLE) and Bayesian estimation) for estimating afterload inertance based on observed pressure and flow waveforms. These methods are also applied to a real mock loop system. Results show that the system has an inertance comparable with the literature reference value of the entire systemic circulation, and that the expected variations over inlet average flow and pulse frequency are in general confirmed. Comparing the methods, the Bayesian approach results in higher and more stable estimations than the classical MLE.
Experimental and Numerical Models of Three-Dimensional Gravity-Driven Flow of Shear-Thinning Polymer Solutions Used in Vaginal Delivery of Microbicides
Authors: Kheyfets Vitaly O. , Kieweg Sarah L.
Published: May 2013

HIV/AIDS is a growing global pandemic. A microbicide is a formulation of a pharmaceutical agent suspended in a delivery vehicle, and can be used by women to protect themselves against HIV infection during intercourse. We have developed a three-dimensional (3D) computational model of a shear-thinning power-law fluid spreading under the influence of gravity to represent the distribution of a microbicide gel over the vaginal epithelium. This model, accompanied by a new experimental methodology, is a step in developing a tool for optimizing a delivery vehicle's structure/function relationship for clinical application. We compare our model with experiments in order to identify critical considerations for simulating 3D free-surface flows of shear-thinning fluids. Here we found that neglecting lateral spreading, when modeling gravity-induced flow, resulted in up to 47% overestimation of the experimental axial spreading after 90 s. In contrast, the inclusion of lateral spreading in 3D computational models resulted in rms errors in axial spreading under 7%. In addition, the choice of the initial condition for shape in the numerical simulation influences the model's ability to describe early time spreading behavior. Finally, we present a parametric study and sensitivity analysis of the power-law parameters' influence on axial spreading, and to examine the impact of changing rheological properties as a result of dilution or formulation conditions. Both the shear-thinning index (n) and consistency (m) impacted the spreading length and deceleration of the moving front. The sensitivity analysis showed that gels with midrange m and n values (for the ranges in this study) would be most sensitive (over 8% changes in spreading length) to 10% changes (e.g., from dilution) in both rheological properties. This work is applicable to many industrial and geophysical thin-film flow applications of non-Newtonian fluids; in addition to biological applications in microbicide drug delivery.
Effect of Channel Depth and Cell Temperature on the Performance of a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell
Authors: Alizadeh Ebrahim , Farhadi Mousa , Sedighi Kurosh , Shakeri Mohsen
Published: May 2013

The main goal of this study is to analyze the performance of the direct methanol single cell using three channel depths at various cell temperatures. The membrane electrode assembly (MEA) used Nafion® 117, by loading a Pt-Ru (4 mg/cm2) catalyst at the anode and Pt-black (4 mg/cm2) catalyst at the cathode. The active area of the MEA was 100 cm (Jung et al., 2009, “Investigation of Flow Bed Design in Direct Methanol Fuel Cell,” J. Solid State Electrochem., 13, pp. 1455–1465). In these sets of experiments, anode and cathode channel depth were varied simultaneously. The cell performance is improved with an increase of temperature in a certain range because the conductivity of the membrane and the reaction kinetics at both the anode and cathode are increased. Also, when the channel depth of the bipolar plate is decreased from 2.0 to 1.0 mm, the cell performance increases. The decreased channel depth leads to an increase in the linear velocity of reactants and products.
The Effect of Driving Method and Crank Arrangements on the Performance of a Reconstructed Ancient Chinese Wooden Horse Carriage
Authors: Chen Fu-Chen , Hsu Meng-Hui , Yan Hong-Sen
Published: May 2013

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of driving method and crank arrangements on the performance of a reconstructed ancient Chinese wooden horse carriage. The results demonstrate better transmission efficiency when the driving torque of wooden horse carriage acts on the crank shaft. The analysis of crank arrangements shows that the phase angle between front and rear legs on the same side should be 0 deg or 90 deg and the one between the legs on the different sides should be 180 deg. These results are beneficial to the future reconstruction of the ancient Chinese wooden horse carriage.
Ubiquitin-Specific Protease 25 Regulates TLR4-Dependent Innate Immune Responses Through Deubiquitination of the Adaptor Protein TRAF3
Authors: Zhong Bo , Liu Xikui , Wang Xiaohu , Liu Xindong , Li Hongxiu , Darnay Bryant G. , Lin Xin , Sun Shao-Cong , Dong Chen
Published: May 2013

The deubiquitinase USP25 prevents excessive proinflammatory signaling by Toll-like receptor 4.
Channel Repression in Diabetic Kidneys
Authors: Ferrarelli Leslie K.
Published: May 2013

Glucose-induced oxidative stress stimulates epigenetic changes that may reduce contractile function of cells that control blood flow in kidneys.