bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carbon dioxide exchange over multiple temporal scales in an arid shrub ecosystem near La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Authors: Bell Tom W. , Menzer Olaf , Troyo‐Diéquez Enrique , Oechel Walter C.
Published: April 2012

Arid environments represent 30% of the global terrestrial surface, but are largely under‐represented in studies of ecosystem carbon flux. Less than 2% of all FLUXNET eddy covariance sites exist in a hot desert climate. Long‐term datasets of these regions are vital for capturing the seasonal and interannual variability that occur due to episodic precipitation events and climate change, which drive fluctuations in soil moisture and temperature patterns. The objectives of this study were to determine the meteorological variables that drive carbon flux on diel, seasonal, and annual scales and to determine how precipitation events control annual net ecosystem exchange (NEE). Patterns of NEE from 2002 to 2008 were investigated, providing a record with multiple replicates of seasons and conditions. Precipitation was extremely variable (55–339 mm) during the study period, and reduced precipitation in later years (2004–2008) appears to have resulted in annual moderate to large carbon sources (62–258 g C m−2 yr−1) in contrast to the previously reported sink (2002–2003). Variations in photosynthetically active radiation were found to principally drive variations in carbon uptake during the wet growing season while increased soil temperatures at a 5 cm depth stimulated carbon loss during the dry dormant season. Monthly NEE was primarily driven by soil moisture at a 5 cm depth, and years with a higher magnitude of precipitation events showed a longer growing season with annual net carbon uptake, whereas years with lower magnitude had drier soils and displayed short growing seasons with annual net carbon loss. Increased precipitation frequency was associated with increased annual NEE, which may be a function of increased microbial respiration to more small precipitation events. Annual precipitation frequency and magnitude were found to have effects on the interannual variability of NEE for up to 2 years.
Antibacterial effectiveness of several irrigating solutions and the Endox Plus system – an ex vivo study
Authors: Aranda‐Garcia A. R. , Guerreiro‐Tanomaru J. M. , Faria‐Júnior N. B. , Chavez‐Andrade G. M. , Leonardo R. T. , Tanomaru‐Filho M. , Bonetti‐Filho I.
Published: April 2012

Aranda‐Garcia AR, Guerreiro‐Tanomaru JM, Faria‐Júnior NB, Chavez‐Andrade GM, Leonardo RT, Tanomaru‐Filho M, Bonetti‐Filho I. Antibacterial effectiveness of several irrigating solutions and the Endox Plus system – an ex vivo study. International Endodontic Journal.

Aim  To compare the ex vivo antibacterial effectiveness of the Endox Plus system and sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) in combination with BioPure MTAD (Tulsa Dental, Tulsa, OK, USA) or with EDTA in Enterococcus faecalis–contaminated root canals.

Methodology  After initial preparation, the root canals of 70 single‐rooted human teeth were inoculated with E. faecalis (ATCC 29212) and incubated for 21 days. Specimens were divided into five groups: Endox Plus/saline; 2.5% NaOCl/MTAD; 2.5% NaOCl/EDTA; saline (positive control); negative control (root canals not prepared, nor irrigated). Samples were collected using paper points. Microbiological analysis evaluated the number of CFUs. Data were analysed by anova and Tukey tests at 0.05 significance.

Results  All specimens had bacterial growth after the incubation period, with similar CFU per mL counts (P > 0.05). After chemo‐mechanical preparation, the number of bacteria in all groups reduced, except for the negative control. No significant differences were observed between 2.5% NaOCl/MTAD and 2.5% NaOCl/EDTA, but these groups had lower CFU counts than the other groups (P < 0.05). In the final samples, an increase in the bacterial counts was observed for Endox Plus/saline, 2.5% NaOCl/MTAD, 2.5% NaOCl/EDTA and saline (P < 0.05) with no significant differences between these groups.

Conclusions  This ex vivo study revealed that the Endox Plus system was associated with a reduced antibacterial effectiveness compared with conventional irrigation using 2.5% NaOCl/MTAD and 2.5% NaOCl/EDTA. All irrigation procedures allowed recovery of bacteria 7 days after treatment, demonstrating persistence of contamination within the root canal system.
Can the individual calibration be modified when laser fluorescence method is used for caries detection?
Authors: REYES ALESSANDRA , FERREIRA GISELE E. , SANTOS JOYCE , MENDES FAUSTO M. , IMPARATO JOSE C. P. , BRAGA MARIANA M.
Published: April 2012

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2013; 23: 138–144

Background.  Individual calibration (IC) for caries detection methods based on fluorescence is time‐consuming, especially for paediatric dentists, if the calibration has to be performed tooth‐by‐tooth. However, it is not clear how this calibration actually interfere in laser fluorescence (LF) readings.

Aim.  This in vivo study was to verify the influence of different modes of IC on laser fluorescence (LF) readings.

Design.  Ninety six occlusal and 95 buccal surfaces of 1st permanent molars were examined using LF device after IC performed on control (no IC), the examined teeth, a permanent incisor, a 1st primary molar or a 2nd primary molar. All modes of IC were performed in the same child. Wilcoxon test and Bland–Altman analysis were used to compare the readings. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were calculated.

Results.  Laser fluorescence readings without prior calibration were higher than readings performed after any mode of IC and resulted in different values of ICC. After other IC modes, the LF readings were statistically similar.

Conclusion.  The absence of IC influences LF readings and LF reproducibility, but different IC methods can be considered in clinical practice.
Prediction of psychological symptoms in family members of patients with burns 1 year after injury
Authors: Bäckström Josefin , Ekselius Lisa , Gerdin Bengt , Willebrand Mimmie
Published: April 2012

bäckström j., ekselius l., gerdin b. & willebrand m. (2012) Prediction of psychological symptoms in family members of patients with burns 1 year after injury. Journal of Advanced Nursing69(2), 384–393. doi: 10.1111/j.1365‐2648.2012.06017.x

Aim.  To report a study of predictors of psychological symptoms in family members of patients with burns.

Background.  Family members are important as a source of social support for patients undergoing prolonged rehabilitation. Little is known about psychological symptoms of family members of patients with burns, especially in the long term.

Design.  The design of the study was prospective and longitudinal.

Methods.  Forty‐four family members of adult patients treated in a burn centre between 2000–2007 completed questionnaires during care and at 3, 6, and 12 months after injury. Psychological symptoms were assessed with the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Predictors for anxiety and depression were explored in regression analyses.

Results.  The mean scores indicated normal to mild symptoms in general. Moderate and severe symptom levels during care and at 12 months were demonstrated on the anxiety subscale by 15/44 and 5/39, respectively, and on the depression subscale by 5/44 and 0/39 of the family members, respectively. In the final regression models, the primary predictor was psychological symptoms at the previous assessment. Other predictors were previous life events, age, and the coping strategy avoidance.

Conclusion.  Family members of patients with burns demonstrate normal to mild levels of psychological symptoms that decrease over time. One‐third show moderate to severe anxiety symptoms during care and may benefit from counselling. Previous symptoms predict later symptoms, indicating that screening with a validated instrument is useful. The results provide guidance for nurses in assessing and planning adequate interventions for family members.
Clinal variation in the non‐acclimated and cold‐acclimated freezing tolerance of Arabidopsis thaliana accessions
Authors: ZUTHER ELLEN , SCHULZ ELISA , CHILDS LIAM H. , HINCHA DIRK K.
Published: April 2012

Arabidopsis thaliana is a geographically widely spread species consisting of local accessions differing both genetically and phenotypically. These differences may constitute environmental adaptations and a latitudinal cline in freezing tolerance has been shown previously. Many plants, including Arabidopsis, exhibit increased freezing tolerance after cold exposure (cold acclimation). Here we present evidence for geographical clines (both latitudinal and longitudinal) in acclimated (ACC) and non‐acclimated (NA) freezing tolerance, estimated from electrolyte leakage measurements on 54 accessions. Leaf Pro contents were not correlated with freezing tolerance, while sugar contents (Glc, Fru, Suc, Raf) were in the ACC, but not the NA state. Expression levels of 14 cold‐induced genes were investigated before and after 2 weeks of cold acclimation by quantitative RT‐PCR. Expression of the CBF1, 2 and 3 genes was not correlated with freezing tolerance. The expression of some CBF‐regulated (COR) genes, however, was correlated specifically with ACC freezing tolerance. A tight correlation between CBF and COR gene expression was only observed under non‐acclimating conditions, where CBF and COR expression were also correlated with the expression of PRR5, a component of the circadian clock. Collectively, this study sheds new light on the molecular determinants of plant‐freezing tolerance and cold acclimation and their geographical dependence.
Interactions between reduced rate of imazethapyr and multiple weed species–soyabean interference in a semi‐arid environment
Authors: YOUSEFI A R , GONZALEZ‐ANDUJAR J L , ALIZADEH H , BAGHESTANI M A , RAHIMIAN MASHHADI H , KARIMMOJENI H
Published: April 2012

Yousefi AR, Gonzalez‐Andujar JL, Alizadeh H, Baghestani MA, Rahimian H & Karimmojeni H (2012). Interactions between reduced rate of imazethapyr and multiple weed species–soyabean interference in a semi‐arid environment. Weed Research.52, 242–251.

Field experiments were conducted to evaluate Xanthium strumarium and Amaranthus retroflexus competitive ability with soyabean under unsprayed and sprayed (half the recommended rate of imazethapyr) conditions. Weed density combinations of 0, 4, 8 or 12 plants m−1 of row for A. retroflexus and 0, 2, 4 or 8 plants m−1 of row for X. strumarium were established alone, and in all possible combinations. When X. strumarium and A. retroflexus were grown at the same density, X. strumarium contributed 60–69% of the total weed biomass depending on weed density. The half rate of imazethapyr reduced the biomass of both weed species by 90% as compared with untreated plots. Untreated A. retroflexus and X. strumarium reduced soyabean yields to 1911 kg and 1656 kg ha−1, respectively, while with the reduced rate of herbicide, the yield only decreased to 3612 kg and 3453 kg ha−1 respectively. The total weed density required to cause a 5% soyabean yield loss was 0.16 and 0.32 plants m−1 of row with no‐herbicide treatment, while with the half rate of imazethapyr, it increased up to 2.78 and 4.32 plants m−1 in 2007 and 2008 respectively. Owing to the higher competitive ability of X. strumarium, it should be given a greater priority for control than A. retroflexus in soyabean grown in a semi‐arid environment. The half rate of herbicide significantly decreased the competitive ability of X. strumarium and A. retroflexus indicating that, in soyabean, application of this rate might be more cost‐effective and more environment‐friendly than the recommended ones.
Impact of defoliation intensities on plant biomass, nutrient uptake and arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis in Lotus tenuis growing in a saline‐sodic soil
Authors: García I. , Mendoza R.
Published: April 2012

The impact of different defoliation intensities on the ability of Lotus tenuis plants to regrowth, mobilise nutrients and to associate with native AM fungi and Rhizobium in a saline‐sodic soil was investigated. After 70 days, plants were subjected to 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% defoliation and shoot regrowth was assessed at the end of subsequent 35 days. Compared to non‐defoliated plants, low or moderate defoliation up to 75% did not affect shoot regrowth. However, 100% treatment affected shoot regrowth and the clipped plants were not able to compensate the growth attained by non‐defoliated plants. Root growth was more affected by defoliation than shoot growth. P and N concentrations in shoots and roots increased with increasing defoliation while Na+ concentration in shoots of non‐defoliated and moderately defoliated plants was similar. Non‐defoliated and moderately defoliated plants prevented increases of Na+ concentration in shoots through both reducing Na+ uptake and Na+ transport to shoots by accumulating Na+ in roots. At high defoliation, the salinity tolerance mechanism is altered and Na+ concentration in shoots was higher than in roots. Reduction in the photosynthetic capacity induced by defoliation neither changed the root length colonised by AM fungi nor arbuscular colonisation but decreased the vesicular colonisation. Spore density did not change, but hyphal density and Rhizobium nodules increased with defoliation. The strategy of the AM symbiont consists in investing most of the C resources to preferentially retain arbuscular colonisation as well as inoculum density in the soil.
Hydrodynamically mediated macrophyte silica dynamics
Authors: Schoelynck J. , Bal K. , Puijalon S. , Meire P. , Struyf E.
Published: April 2012

In most aquatic ecosystems, hydrodynamic conditions are a key abiotic factor determining species distributions and abundance of aquatic plants. Resisting stress and keeping an upright position often relies on investment in tissue reinforcement, which is costly to produce. Silica could provide a more economical alternative. Two laboratory experiments were conducted to measure the response of two submerged species, Egeria densa Planch. and Limnophila heterophylla (Roxb.) Benth., to dissolved silicic acid availability and exposure to hydrodynamic stress. The results were verified with a third species in a field study (Nuphar lutea (L.) Smith). Biogenic silica (BSi) concentration in both stems and leaves increases with increasing dissolved silica availability but also with the presence of hydrodynamic stress. We suggest that the inclusion of extra silica enables the plant to alternatively invest its energy in the production of lignin and cellulose. Although we found no significant effects of hydrodynamic stress on cellulose or lignin concentrations either in the laboratory or in the field, BSi was negatively correlated with cellulose concentration and positively correlated with lignin concentration in samples collected in the field study. This implies that the plant might perform with equal energy efficiency in both standing and running water environments. This could provide submerged species with a tool to respond to abiotic factors, to adapt to new ecological conditions and hence potentially colonise new environments.
Some like it hot, some not: influence of extreme temperatures on Lariophagus distinguendus and Anisopteromalus calandrae
Authors: Niedermayer S. , Obermaier E. , Steidle J. L. M.
Published: April 2012

The parasitic wasp species Lariophagus distinguendus (Förster) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) and Anisopteromalus calandrae (Howard) (Pteromalidae) are used for inoculation biological control of the granary weevil Sitophilus granarius (L.) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) in grain stores in Europe. To assess their suitability for biological control under extreme temperatures in winter and summer, we studied the influence of temperatures on their parasitization behaviour under natural fluctuating temperature conditions in the field and under constant temperature conditions in the laboratory. At low temperatures (≤20°C), L. distinguendus showed a higher parasitization rate than A. calandrae. At high temperatures (≥25°C), A. calandrae performed better than L. distinguendus that was negatively affected already at temperatures above 30°C. These findings suggest a temperature‐dependent release of either L. distinguendus or A. calandrae to allow a more efficient application of the wasps in biological control.
Increased neutrophil migration in smokers with or without chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: BLIDBERG KRISTIN , PALMBERG LENA , DAHLÉN BARBRO , LANTZ ANN‐SOFIE , LARSSON KJELL
Published: April 2012

Background and objective:  The number of airway neutrophils is increased in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and this may have a central pathophysiological role in the disease. In addition, activation of neutrophils increases their migration into sites of injury. We hypothesize that circulating neutrophils are activated in smokers.

Methods:  Peripheral blood neutrophils were isolated from healthy non‐smokers (n = 15), and smokers with (n = 15) or without COPD (n = 15), who were matched with regard to cumulative tobacco exposure, and chemotactic responses to N‐formyl‐methionyl‐leucyl‐phenylalanine (fMLP), interleukin‐8 (IL‐8, CXCL8) and leukotriene B4 (LTB4) were assessed using the ChemoTx System (Neuro Probe Inc., Gaithersburg, MD, USA). Serum tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) concentrations were measured by ELISA. Surface expression of the neutrophil activation marker, CD11b, was measured by flow cytometry.

Results:  The chemotactic response to CXCL8 was increased in smokers with or without COPD (P < 0.05). Migration towards LTB4 was increased in smokers without COPD compared with non‐smokers (P < 0.05), whereas there was no difference in fMLP‐induced chemotaxis between the groups. There was a correlation between serum TNF‐α levels and migration induced by IL‐8 (Rho = 0.442; P = 0.038) and LTB4 (Rho = 0.428; P = 0.044) in the smokers. Furthermore, there was a tendency towards higher CD11b expression in the COPD group (P = 0.057).

Conclusions:  Chemotaxis of circulating neutrophils towards CXCL8, and partly towards LTB4, is increased in smokers, indicating a systemic influence of smoking on cell activation, irrespective of the presence of airflow limitation. The relationship between TNF‐α and chemotactic response suggests that TNF‐α is involved in neutrophil activation, resulting in enhanced migration.
Prostaglandin E2 is an endogenous modulator of cerebellar development and complex behavior during a sensitive postnatal period
Authors: Dean Shannon L. , Knutson Jessica F. , Krebs‐Kraft Desiree L. , McCarthy Margaret M.
Published: April 2012

Prostaglandins are lipid‐derived molecules that mediate the generation of fever in the central nervous system. In addition to their proinflammatory role, prostaglandins also impact neuronal development and synaptic plasticity, sometimes in a sex‐specific manner. The cerebellum has a high expression of prostaglandin receptors during development, but the role that these molecules play during normal cerebellar maturation is unknown. We demonstrate here that disrupting prostaglandin synthesis with cyclo‐oxygenase inhibitors during a time‐sensitive window in early postnatal life alters cerebellar Purkinje cell development in rats, resulting in initially increased dendritic growth in both sexes. We show that this results in later cerebellar atrophy in males only, resulting in a sex‐specific loss of cerebellar volume. Further, although performance in motor tasks is spared, social interaction and the sensory threshold are altered in males developmentally exposed to cyclo‐oxygenase inhibitors. This work demonstrates a previously unknown role for prostaglandins in cerebellar development and emphasizes the role that the cerebellum plays outside motor tasks, in cognitive and sensory domains that may help to explain its connection to complex neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism.
Pharmacological mechanisms underlying switching from the large‐scale depolarization wave to segregated activity in the mouse central nervous system
Authors: Momose‐Sato Yoko , Nakamori Tomoharu , Sato Katsushige
Published: April 2012

During the early development of the nervous system, synchronized activity is observed in a variety of structures, and is considered to play a fundamental role in neural development. One of the most striking examples of such activity is the depolarization wave reported in chick and rat embryos. In the accompanying paper (Momose‐Sato et al., 2012), we have demonstrated that a depolarization wave is also present in the mouse embryo by showing large‐scale optical waves, which spread remarkably over the central nervous system, including the spinal cord, hindbrain, cerebellum, midbrain, and forebrain. In the present study, we examined the pharmacological nature of the mouse depolarization wave and its developmental changes. We show here that two types of switching in pharmacological characteristics occur during development. One is that the depolarization wave is strongly dependent on nicotinic acetylcholine receptors during the early developmental stage [embryonic day (E)11–12], but is dominated by glutamate at the later stage (E13 onwards). The second is that γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA), which acts as an excitatory mediator of the depolarization wave during the early phase, becomes an inhibitory modulator by E14. These changes seemed to occur earlier in the hindbrain than in the spinal cord. Furthermore, we show that the second switch causes the loss of synchronization over the network, resulting in the disappearance of the depolarization wave and segregation of the activity into discrete regions of the medulla and spinal cord. We suggest that pharmacological switching is a possible mechanism underlying replacement of the primordial correlated network by a mature neuronal circuit.
Social experience affects neuronal responses to male calls in adult female zebra finches
Authors: Menardy F. , Touiki K. , Dutrieux G. , Bozon B. , Vignal C. , Mathevon N. , Del Negro C.
Published: April 2012

Plasticity studies have consistently shown that behavioural relevance can change the neural representation of sounds in the auditory system, but what occurs in the context of natural acoustic communication where significance could be acquired through social interaction remains to be explored. The zebra finch, a highly social songbird species that forms lifelong pair bonds and uses a vocalization, the distance call, to identify its mate, offers an opportunity to address this issue. Here, we recorded spiking activity in females while presenting distance calls that differed in their degree of familiarity: calls produced by the mate, by a familiar male, or by an unfamiliar male. We focused on the caudomedial nidopallium (NCM), a secondary auditory forebrain region. Both the mate’s call and the familiar call evoked responses that differed in magnitude from responses to the unfamiliar call. This distinction between responses was seen both in single unit recordings from anesthetized females and in multiunit recordings from awake freely moving females. In contrast, control females that had not heard them previously displayed responses of similar magnitudes to all three calls. In addition, more cells showed highly selective responses in mated than in control females, suggesting that experience‐dependent plasticity in call‐evoked responses resulted in enhanced discrimination of auditory stimuli. Our results as a whole demonstrate major changes in the representation of natural vocalizations in the NCM within the context of individual recognition. The functional properties of NCM neurons may thus change continuously to adapt to the social environment.
Short‐term crossmodal plasticity of the auditory steady‐state response in blindfolded sighted individuals
Authors: Lazzouni Latifa , Voss Patrice , Lepore Franco
Published: April 2012

This study investigated the effect of short‐term visual deprivation on auditory steady‐state response (ASSR) to amplitude‐modulated tones. Magnetoencephalography data were acquired while subjects performed an auditory detection task under both monaural and dichotic presentation conditions. Analyses were performed on the spectral power, mean amplitudes and dipole positions of the ASSR at the onset of blindfolding, as well as after 2, 4 and 6 h of visual deprivation. Results show a modulation of the spectral power of the ASSR at the frequencies that were present in the stimulus after 6 h of sensory deprivation, and this was especially true for the dichotic condition. Moreover, participants showed two spectral peaks in the occipital cortex at the end of the visual deprivation period, a phenomenon normally observed in the auditory cortex. Our results shed light not only on the timeline associated with short‐term crossmodal recruitment of input‐deprived sensory cortices but also demonstrate that the visual cortex can display auditory cortex‐like functioning in response to the ASSR. Importantly, our results also highlight the importance of taking into consideration individual differences when investigating crossmodal plastic phenomena. Indeed, the occipital spectral peaks were only observed in half the subjects following short‐term deprivation.
The IHF regulon of exponentially growing Pseudomonas putida cells
Authors: Silva‐Rocha Rafael , Chavarría Max , Kleijn Roelco J. , Sauer Uwe , de Lorenzo Víctor
Published: April 2012

Integration host factor (IHF) sites are largely absent from intergenic regions of ORFs encoding central metabolic functions in Pseudomonas putida mt‐2. To gain an insight into this unequal distribution of otherwise abundant IHF‐binding sequences, the transcriptome of IHF‐plus and IHF‐minus cells growing exponentially on glucose as sole carbon source was examined. In parallel, the cognate metabolic fluxes of the wild‐type P. putida strain and its ihfA derivative were determined by culturing cells to a steady‐state physiological regime with 13C‐labelled glucose. While expression of many transcripts was altered by the lack of IHF, flux balance analysis revealed that the ihfA mutation did not influence central carbon metabolism. Identification of multiple IHF sites adjacent to genes responsive to the factor allowed a refinement of the consensus and the mapping of the preferred binding positions for activation or repression of associated promoters. That few (if any) of the genes affected by IHF involved core pathways suggested that the central carbon metabolism tolerates the loss of the factor. Instead, IHF controlled various cell surface‐related functions and downregulated genes encoding ribosomal proteins, the alpha subunit of RNA polymerase and components of the ATP synthase. These results were confirmed with lacZ fusions to a suite of promoters detected in the transcriptome as affected by IHF. Taken together, the data suggest that IHF plays a role in the physiological shift that sets P. putida for entering stationary phase.
Phylogeny of woodcreepers of the genusLepidocolaptes(Aves, Furnariidae), a widespread Neotropical taxon
Authors: Arbeláez‐Cortés Enrique , Navarro‐Sigüenza Adolfo G. , García‐Moreno Jaime
Published: April 2012

Arbeláez‐Cortés, E., Navarro‐Sigüenza, A. G. & García‐Moreno J. (2012). Phylogeny of woodcreepers of the genusLepidocolaptes(Aves, Furnariidae), a widespread Neotropical taxon. —Zoologica Scripta,41, 363–373.

Phylogeny of woodcreepers of the genusLepidocolaptes(Aves, Furnariidae), a widespread Neotropical taxon. The phylogeny of the genusLepidocolapteswas reconstructed based on three mitochondrial DNA regions and one nuclear DNA intron, using Bayesian analysis. A general pattern of diversification among the lowland species followed by the diversification of highland species, and a close relationship among montane species with the two Atlantic Forest endemics, seem to depict the history of this genus. Results also showed that the two Mesoamerican species are sister‐taxa with high support. Finally, our data also suggest the existence of previously unknown intraspecific genetic structure within some taxa, especially among populations ofLepidocolaptes souleyetii.
Regularized Posteriors in Linear Ill‐Posed Inverse Problems
Authors: FLORENS JEAN‐PIERRE , SIMONI ANNA
Published: April 2012

Abstract.  We study the Bayesian solution of a linear inverse problem in a separable Hilbert space setting with Gaussian prior and noise distribution. Our contribution is to propose a new Bayes estimator which is a linear and continuous estimator on the whole space and is stronger than the mean of the exact Gaussian posterior distribution which is only defined as a measurable linear transformation. Our estimator is the mean of a slightly modified posterior distribution called regularized posterior distribution. Frequentist consistency of our estimator and of the regularized posterior distribution is proved. A Monte Carlo study and an application to real data confirm good small‐sample properties of our procedure.
Efficacy of Psoralen UV‐A therapy vs. Narrowband UV‐B therapy in chronic plaque psoriasis: a systematic literature review
Authors: Archier E. , Devaux S. , Castela E. , Gallini A. , Aubin F. , Le Maître M. , Aractingi S. , Bachelez H. , Cribier B. , Joly P. , Jullien D. , Misery L. , Paul C. , Ortonne J.‐P. , Richard M.‐A.
Published: April 2012

Background  Oral 8‐methoxypsoralen‐UV‐A (PUVA) and Narrowband UV‐B (NB‐UVB or UVB TL‐01) are well established treatments for chronic plaque psoriasis but there is limited evidence regarding their respective efficacy.

Objectives  To prepare for evidence‐based recommendations concerning the practical use of oral 8‐methoxypsoralen‐UV‐A and Narrowband UV‐B in psoriasis, a systematic review to assess respective response rates, remission duration and predictive factors of efficacy was performed.

Methods  A systematic search was carried out in PubMed, Cochrane and Embase databases, using the key words ‘Psoriasis’, ‘UVB therapy’, ‘UVA therapy’ for the period from 1980 to December 2010.

Results  The initial literature search identified 773 articles. The final selection included 29 randomized controlled trials: 18 were about the efficacy of PUVA, eight about the efficacy of NB‐UVB and three directly compared PUVA vs. NB‐UVB. The response rate defined by 75% or more improvement in PASI was 80% with PUVA vs. 70% with NB‐UVB. The meta‐analysis of the three comparative studies found a higher probability of remission at 6 months with PUVA than with NB‐UVB [OR = 2.73 (95% CI 1.19‐6.27), P = 0.02].

The choice of initial dose, according to skin type, the minimal erythemal dose or minimal phototoxic dose, incremental regimen and periodicity of the sessions did not appear to be predictive factors of efficacy for PUVA or NB‐UVB.

Despite methodological limitations in trials, the number of sessions needed for psoriasis clearance appeared to be lower with PUVA than with NB‐UVB (approx. 17 vs. 25, respectively).

Conclusion  PUVA and NB‐UVB are both effective therapies in treatment of psoriasis. Our results suggest that compared with NB‐UVB, PUVA tends to clear psoriasis more reliably, with fewer sessions, and provides with longer lasting clearance. However, the long‐term safety of PUVA, especially its cutaneous carcinogenic risk, and the easier administration procedure often lead dermatologists to prefer NB‐UVB as first line phototherapy treatment in plaque type psoriasis.
Adherence to topical treatment in psoriasis: a systematic literature review
Authors: Devaux S. , Castela A. , Archier E. , Gallini A. , Joly P. , Misery L. , Aractingi S. , Aubin F. , Bachelez H. , Cribier B. , Jullien D. , Le Maître M. , Richard M.‐A. , Ortonne J.‐P. , Paul C.
Published: April 2012

Background  Treatment adherence has been recognized as an important issue in the management of chronic diseases such as psoriasis.

Objective  The aim of this work was to analyse data about topical treatment adherence in psoriasis.

Methods Systematic literature review (62 references) between 1980 and 2011 (database: PubMed, Embase and Cochrane; Mesh keywords: Patient Compliance [Mesh] OR Medication Adherence [Mesh] AND Psoriasis [Mesh]; limits: date of publication >1980, humans subjects, written in French or English, aged ≥19 years). Two parameters were evaluated: (i) the ratio of number of product applications performed vs. number of applications expected according to physician recommendations, (ii) the ratio of amount of product used vs. amount of product prescribed.

Results  A total of 22 studies were selected. Nine studies reported on the frequency of topical treatment application in a real world setting. Five studies showed a frequency of applications varying between 50% and 60% of those expected. Because of the high variability in medication adherence assessment methods, the data could not be combined. Twelve articles reported on the frequency of topical treatment application in randomized controlled trials with adherence varying between 55% and 100%. Concerning the amount of product use, four studies showed patients applied between 35% and 72% of the recommended dose during a treatment period of 14 days to 8 weeks. The most frequently mentioned reasons for non‐adherence to topical treatment were low efficacy, time consumption and poor cosmetic characteristics of topical agents. Patients experiencing adherence issues were significant younger, were men, had younger age at onset of psoriasis and had a higher self‐assessed severity. To improve adherence, the following strategies were suggested: to give patients information about psoriasis, to recognize social impact, to give written instructions for use such as a care plan, to explain side effects of topical therapies, to choose treatment and its cosmetic properties in agreement with the patient.

Conclusions  Literature data about topical treatment adherence are heterogeneous and scarce. They confirm the limited topical treatment adherence in psoriasis in real life, much lower than what is reported in randomized controlled trials. Therapeutic education and clear instructions on the use of topical agents are necessary to improve adherence. Studies are needed to identify predictors of limited adherence and to identify interventions improving adherence to topical medications in psoriasis.
Primary domestication and early uses of the emblematic olive tree: palaeobotanical, historical and molecular evidence from the Middle East
Authors: Kaniewski David , Van Campo Elise , Boiy Tom , Terral Jean‐Frédéric , Khadari BouchaÏb , Besnard Guillaume
Published: April 2012

Our knowledge of the origins of olive tree domestication in the Middle East and on the processes governing its extension and persistence in different vegetation types from prehistory through antiquity to modern times derives from diverse sources, spanning the biological sciences to the humanities. Nonetheless, it lacks a robust overview that may lead to floating interpretations. This is especially true in the Middle East, considered as the cradle of agriculture, and where the evolutionary history of this emblematic tree is intertwined with that of civilizations. Olive fruit, oil and wood have been, since Prehistoric times, characteristic products of the lands bordering the Mediterranean Sea. In the domestic economy of these countries, the olive tree gradually became a traditional tree crop since the first oil extraction, through the emergence of regional commerce that accompanied the rise and fall of early Near‐Middle Eastern urbanism, until the development of modern trade, with an oil production estimated atcirca3000000 tons per year. The rising importance of the olive tree in human life has turned the tree into an endless source of fascination in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, a symbol and a sacred tree, widely cited in the Bibles, the Koran, and in ancient literature. Here we argue that advances in radiocarbon chronology, palaeobotany, genetics, and archaeology‐history have profoundly refined the history of olive trees in the Middle East. This review shows that the heartland of primary olive domestication must be enlarged to the Levant and not only focus on the Jordan Valley. The domestication of the olive tree is a long and ongoing process, linked to the early production of oil and the development of the olive trade. We also suggest that the olive tree became a particular icon, a sacred tree, during the Biblical period in the Levant.
Private Security in Guatemala: Pathway to Its Proliferation
Authors: ARGUETA OTTO
Published: April 2012

It has become common to explain the proliferation of private security services as causally determined by crime rates and institutional weakness. This article on the contrary argues that other explanatory factors need to be emphasised, especially for post‐war societies: institutional trajectories and political processes. The article first presents the present situation of commercial and non‐commercial private security services in Guatemala (private security companies as well as security neighbourhood committees). Against this background it reconstructs mechanisms and critical junctures through which the Guatemalan state had sourced out policing functions to the private sector during the war and traces the reinforcement of these mechanisms in post‐war society. It argues that the proliferation of private security services is an outcome of the reinforcing of an institutional pattern of public security displacement to the private sphere. The continuity of self‐defence and vigilante organisations thereby emerges as a stronger explanatory factor of the proliferation of private security services in post‐war societies than their self‐explained authorisation through high crime rates.
Evaluation of radiotagging techniques and their application to survival analysis of Red‐legged Partridge Alectoris rufa chicks
Authors: MATEO‐MORIONES AINHOA , VILLAFUERTE RAFAEL , FERRERAS PABLO
Published: April 2012

A better knowledge of chick survival rates is required to enable understanding of the population dynamics of gamebirds and to develop management measures to conserve their populations. The Red‐legged Partridge Alectoris rufa is a highly valued game species in Spain but its populations have declined in recent decades. A lack of appropriate monitoring methods has been a limitation in gaining information on the mortality of Red‐legged Partridge chicks. We developed methods for the effective radiotagging of chicks in captivity and applied these methods in the field in northern Spain to estimate survival during the first 5 months of life. The most effective method for radiotagging captive chicks between 3 and 8 days old involved gluing small tags directly to the skin in the interscapular space using cyanoacrylate adhesive. Backpack harness tags attached with elastic bands were the most effective method of radiotagging 4‐week‐old chicks. Predation was the main cause of chick mortality identified during the field experiments. Survival between hatching and 5 months of age was estimated to be 16–21%. The lowest survival rates occurred during the first 7 days of life (62–70% cumulative survival) and this period seems to be a major determinant in the life history of the species.
An introduction to systematic reviews and meta‐analyses in health care
Authors: Rudnicka Alicja R , Owen Christopher G
Published: April 2012

Citation information: Rudnicka AR & Owen CG. An introduction to systematic reviews and meta‐analyses in health care. Ophthalmic Physiol Opt 2012, 32, 174–183. doi: 10.1111/j.1475‐1313.2012.00901.x

Important issues in medical research are often examined in a number of studies, sometimes using different study designs. Data from such studies are often reviewed to provide a consensus in support or arguing against a particular hypothesis, such as the use of a new therapy/treatment or public health policy. However, it is important to recognise that while reviews can provide a rapid synthesis of the findings on a given issue, they may not represent a panacea of evidence. Evidence they provide is heavily dependent on the quality of studies that contribute to that review. Reviews of studies of good quality will provide stronger evidence for the research question under investigation, compared to reviews of studies with weaker methodology. Reviewers who ‘cherry pick’ studies to be included may bias findings towards a preconceived hypothesis. Hence, it is important when reviewing evidence that all studies on a given topic are identified and included where possible, i.e. the review is systematic, reproducible and representative of the totality of evidence; a so called ‘systematic review’. This article aims to familiarise those in the ophthalmic sector with methods/guidelines used to improve the quality of studies and systematic reviews. It will also outline how numerical data obtained from a systematic review can be combined using statistical methods called ‘meta‐analysis’. By combining numerical estimates from different studies we can be more precise about the estimate for an effect or outcome of interest.
Genome geographies: mapping national ancestry and diversity in human population genetics
Authors: Nash Catherine
Published: April 2012

This paper considers the intersections between the science of human genetic diversity and the politics of national belonging. Building on critical approaches to the ways ideas of race and ethnicity are being refigured through accounts of the geography of human genetic variation, this paper attends to the scale of the nation‐state as the focus of research in human population genetics. Popular and scientific accounts of how studies of human genetic variation in the present can be used to reconstruct a country’s demographic past pick up and play upon longstanding interests in collective national origin stories of ancient settler groups, evoking and reworking ideas of continuity and change, purity and mixing, isolation or contact. But ideas of indigeneity are refracted through the politics of multiculturalism. Genetic studies of the national population are shaped by, represented though and read in terms of discourses of collective heritage, identity and cultural diversity. Focusing on the British context, this paper traces the ways in which accounts of a national ‘genetic heritage’ are methodologically and discursively entangled with the question of who counts as British. While genetic accounts of the national past provide a new lexicon for articulating arguments about collective identity, they do not simply supply support for, or challenge, the idea of the nation as a community of shared descent. The aim of these projects is not to characterise a national genome nor identify an homogenous indigenous population. Instead, a pre‐modern geography of regional genetic diversity is counter‐posed to a pattern of genetic diversity that is the product of modern immigration. Correlations between ideas of cultural identity and genetic distinctiveness are both challenged and suggested. These ambiguities and contradictions reflect the social and cultural embeddedness of the science of human difference.
3‐Nitropropionic acid induces autophagy by forming mitochondrial permeability transition pores rather than activatiing the mitochondrial fission pathway
Authors: Solesio Maria E , Saez‐Atienzar Sara , Jordan Joaquin , Galindo Maria F
Published: April 2012

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Huntington's disease is a neurodegenerative process associated with mitochondrial alterations. Inhibitors of the electron–transport channel complex II, such as 3‐nitropropionic acid (3NP), are used to study the molecular and cellular pathways involved in this disease. We studied the effect of 3NP on mitochondrial morphology and its involvement in macrophagy.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Pharmacological and biochemical methods were used to characterize the effects of 3NP on autophagy and mitochondrial morphology. SH‐SY5Y cells were transfected with GFP‐LC3, GFP‐Drp1 or GFP‐Bax to ascertain their role and intracellular localization after 3NP treatment using confocal microscopy.

KEY RESULTS Untreated SH‐SY5Y cells presented a long, tubular and filamentous net of mitochondria. After 3NP (5 mM) treatment, mitochondria became shorter and rounder. 3NP induced formation of mitochondrial permeability transition pores, both in cell cultures and in isolated liver mitochondria, and this process was inhibited by cyclosporin A. Participation of the mitochondrial fission pathway was excluded because 3NP did not induce translocation of the dynamin‐related protein 1 (Drp1) to the mitochondria. The Drp1 inhibitor Mdivi‐1 did not affect the observed changes in mitochondrial morphology. Finally, scavengers of reactive oxygen species failed to prevent mitochondrial alterations, while cyclosporin A, but not Mdivi‐1, prevented the generation of ROS.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS There was a direct correlation between formation of mitochondrial permeability transition pores and autophagy induced by 3NP treatment. Activation of autophagy preceded the apoptotic process and was mediated, at least partly, by formation of reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial permeability transition pores.

LINKED ARTICLE This article is commented on by González‐Polo et al., pp. 60–62 of this issue. To view this commentary visit http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1476‐5381.2012.02203.x
A review of the contemporary management of fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia in an Australian tertiary obstetric hospital
Authors: Cook Timothy J. , Qiu Charles C. , Dickinson Jan E.
Published: April 2012

Background

Fetal and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia (FNAIT) is the most common cause of severe perinatal thrombocytopenia, arising from the transplacental passage of maternal antibodies directed at paternally inherited antigens on fetal platelets.

Aim

To review the occurrence, management and perinatal outcomes of pregnancies complicated by FNAIT from a single tertiary obstetric hospital in Western Australia.

Materials and Methods

The study was conducted as a retrospective review of cases with prenatally recognised FNAIT between 2001 and 2011, with the treatment modalities and outcomes analysed.

Results

Over the 10‐year period, 20 cases of clinically significant FNAIT in 13 women were managed at our centre. Three cases were complicated by antenatal intracranial haemorrhage (15%), and in all 3, this was the presenting feature leading to diagnosis. In 17/20 (85%) cases, anti‐HPA 1a was the responsible antibody, with the remainder being anti‐HPA 5b. In 16/17 cases with pre‐pregnancy recognition, intravenous gammaglobulin (IVGG) was administered antenatally (gestation at commencement ranging from 13 to 26 weeks) with adjuvant prednisolone in three cases. Postnatal treatment (IVGG or platelet transfusion) was provided in 4/16 cases. There was no intracranial haemorrhage or demise in any case receiving prenatal therapy.

Conclusions

FNAIT is a rare and serious condition. In our small single‐centre study, there was variability in the therapeutic strategies, although IVGG was central to all prenatally managed pregnancies. None of the treated pregnancies was complicated by intracranial haemorrhage or fetal death. There is a need for ongoing refinement of FNAIT management protocols, both in the prenatal and in the postnatal period.