bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Statins, Angiotensin‐Converting Enzyme Inhibitors, and Physical Performance in Older Women
Authors: Gray Shelly L. , Aragaki Aaron K. , LaMonte Michael J. , Cochrane Barbara B. , Kooperberg Charles , Robinson Jennifer G. , Woods Nancy F. , LaCroix Andrea Z.
Published: November 2012

Objectives

To examine associations between angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor and statin medications and baseline and mean annual change in physical performance measures and muscle strength in older women.

Design

Prospective cohort study.

Participants

Participants from the Women's Health Initiative Clinical Trials aged 65 to 79 at baseline who had physical performance measures, self‐report of health insurance, and no prior history of stroke or congestive heart failure were included (N = 5,777). Women were recruited between 1993 and 1998.

Measurements

Medication use was ascertained through a baseline inventory. Physical performance measures (timed 6‐m walk, repeated chair stands in 15 seconds) and grip strength were assessed at baseline and follow‐up Years 1, 3, and 6. Multivariable‐adjusted linear repeated‐measures models were adjusted for demographic and health characteristics.

Results

ACE inhibitor use was associated with lower mean grip strength at baseline (22.40 kg, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 21.89–22.91 vs 23.18 kg, 95% CI 23.02–23.34; P = .005) and greater mean annual change in number of chair stands (−0.182, 95% CI −0.217 to −0.147 vs −0.145, 95% CI −0.156 to −0.133; P = .05) than nonuse. Statin use was not significantly associated with baseline measures or mean annual change for any outcome. A subgroup analysis suggested that statin use was associated with less mean annual change in chair stands (P = .006) in the oldest women.

Conclusion

These results do not support an association between statin or ACE inhibitor use and slower decline in physical performance or muscle strength and thus do not support the use of these medications for preserving functional status in older adults.
Factors affecting quality of life in Korean patients with chronic heart failure
Authors: CHU Sang Hui , LEE Won Hee , YOO Ji Soo , KIM So Sun , KO Il Sun , OH Eui Geum , LEE JuHee , CHOI Mona , CHEON Joo Young , SHIM Chi Young , KANG Seok‐Min
Published: November 2012

Aim

Poor health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) may be one of the most common predictors of mortality and rehospitalization. This study was conducted to identify factors affecting HRQOL in Korean patients with CHF using two HRQOL measurements.

Methods

The study included a sample of 114 patients. HRQOL was measured by the Minnesota Living with Heart Failure Questionnaire (MLHFQ) and the World Health Organization's Quality of Life Instrument – Short Version (WHOQOL‐BREF). Multiple regression analyses were performed to analyze the relationship between the factors and HRQOL.

Results

Significant correlations were found between MLHFQ and WHOQOL‐BREF in total and component scores, with the two exceptions of WHOQOL‐BREF psychological and MLHFQ physical or total. The perceived economic status, functional status, and sex were factors identified as having an effect on HRQOL.

Conclusion

The MLHFQ was better able to differentiate sex, comorbidity, and functional status. Further studies are needed to implement cost‐effective nursing interventions for patients with CHF to improve their HRQOL.
Subchondral osteopenia and accelerated bone remodelling post‐ovariectomy – a possible mechanism for subchondral microfractures in the aetiology of spontaneous osteonecrosis of the knee?
Authors: Holland J.C. , Brennan O. , Kennedy O.D. , Rackard S. , O'Brien F.J. , Lee T.C.
Published: November 2012

Osteopenia and subchondral microfractures are implicated in the aetiology of spontaneous osteonecrosis of the knee (SPONK). The ovine tibia shows significant alterations of the trabecular architecture within the subchondral bone of the medial tibial plateau post‐ovariectomy (OVX), including reduced trabecular bone volume fraction. We hypothesise that accelerated subchondral bone resorption may also play a role in increasing microfracture risk at this site. Twenty‐two sheep were examined in this study; 10 of the sheep underwent OVX, while the remainder (n = 13) were kept as controls (CON). Five fluorochrome dyes were administered intravenously at 12‐week intervals via the jugular vein to both groups, to label sites of bone turnover. These animals were then killed at 12 months post‐operatively. Bone turnover was significantly increased in the OVX group in both trabecular bone (2.024 vs. 1.047 no. mm−2; P = 0.05) and within the subchondral bone plate (4.68 vs. 0.69 no. mm−2; P < 0.001). In addition to the classically described turnover visible along trabecular surfaces, we also found visual evidence of intra‐trabecular osteonal remodelling. In conclusion, this study shows significant alterations in bone turnover in both trabecular bone and within the subchondral bone plate at 1 year post‐OVX. Remodelling of trabecular bone was due to both classically described hemi‐osteonal and intra‐trabecular osteonal remodelling. The presence of both localised osteopenia and accelerated bone remodelling within the medial tibial plateau provide a possible mechanism for subchondral microfractures in the aetiology of SPONK. Further utilisation of the OVX ewe may be useful for further study in this field.
Oligosaccharides of hyaluronic acid increased epidermal cell stemness by modulation of integrin expression
Authors: Choi Hye‐Ryung , Kang Youn‐A , Na Jung‐Im , Huh Sun Young , Huh Chang‐Hun , Kim Ki Ho , Park Kyoung‐Chan
Published: November 2012

Backgrounds

Hyaluronic acid (HA) is an abundant matrix component and is degraded into polymers of various sizes. These generated fragments appear to have properties that affect wound healing of the skin. In industry, small‐sized HA is used as a moisturizing agent but can have biologic effects when it is absorbed through the skin with barrier disruption.

Aims

In this study, the regenerative effects of these molecules were investigated using skin equivalent (SE) models.

Methods

Normal human keratinocytes and fibroblasts were isolated, and the effects of oligosaccharides of HA were tested in cultured keratinocytes and in the SE model.

Results

In the monolayer of cultured keratinocytes, oligosaccharides of HA did not affect the proliferation of keratinocytes. However, the epidermis became thicker when oligosaccharides of HA were added during the culture of SE models. The data also showed that oligosaccharides of HA promote the differentiation of the epidermis. Furthermore, the expression of p63, integrin‐α6 and integrin‐β1 was increased. Western blot analysis also showed increased expression of both integrins.

Conclusions

These findings suggest that oligosaccharides of HA increase the differentiation of the epidermis. In addition, increased number of p63, a putative stem cell marker of the skin, showed that oligosaccharides of HA promote the survival of basal stem cells by modulating the expression of integrin‐α6 and integrin‐β1. Finally, it can be said that inflammation‐induced small‐sized oligosaccharides can have beneficial effects on epidermal regeneration and topically applied oligosaccharide of HA can have healing effects in skin problems.
Reliability and internal consistency of questionnaire for evaluating weight cycling in Southern Brazil
Authors: Panarotto Daniel , Bosi Guilherme R , Neumann Márcio , de Braga Gustavo L , Hickmann Sheila , Marcki Carolina R
Published: November 2012

Aims and objectives

To determine the reliability and internal consistency of a questionnaire that was designed to assess weight cycling.

Background

A large part of the obese population attempt to lose weight. Of those who had lost at least 10% of their initial weight, 33·5% regained weight. This weight loss and regain is termed ‘weight cycling’. So far, no available validated instruments exist that are capable of identifying these patients.

Design

A quantitative study for the validation of a questionnaire.

Methods

The selected patients received a phone call from the researchers. On that occasion, they answered a questionnaire that contained eight questions about their current weight, their weight at 18 years of age and their history of weight cycling over the past two years. Approximately 20 days after the first phone call, the patients were re‐contacted and asked to respond again to the proposed questionnaire. The internal consistency and reliability were examined through a kappa index and a chi‐squared test. The questions that showed evidence of reliability and consistency composed the final questionnaire.

Results

The final questionnaire consisted of six questions. An analysis of the test–retest kappa coefficient was moderate or greater for four of the six objective questions. One of the two quantitative questions showed a strong correlation for the test/retest reliability, and the other showed a strong correlation with the gold standard. An analysis of the internal consistency between a composition of questions 5 and 6 with question 4 showed moderate agreement, which increased when it was adjusted for the same cut‐off point. The agreement between patients classified as ‘weight cyclers’ was higher than 80% in both tests.

Conclusions

The Questionnaire to Assess Weight Cycling provided evidence of reliability and internal consistency.

Relevance to clinical practice

Evaluating weight cycling.
Implementing Sensory Analysis Principles in the Quality Control of PDO Products: A Critical Evaluation of a Real‐World Case Study
Authors: Endrizzi I. , Aprea E. , Biasioli F. , Corollaro M L. , Demattè M L. , Penasa M. , Bittante G. , Gasperi F.
Published: November 2012

This study describes and analyses a practical implementation of basic sensory analysis principles in a productive context related to typical products. As a case study, we investigated the quality control (QC) system of Trentingrana cheese, a variety of the protected designation of origin Grana Padano. The production of Trentingrana cheese factories is supervised by their consortium through the assessment of sensory quality attributes by an expert panel; and, depending on the evaluation, the associated dairies receive price premiums or penalties. The procedures applied and the data collected over 8 years were evaluated, and critical points were identified. Ameliorations were suggested in accordance with good sensory practice and were verified over an additional 3‐year period. The QC system has been improved by increasing the number of evaluated samples proportionally to the amount of the production of each dairy, by introducing a balanced experimental design, by monitoring experts' performance and by controlling the sample presentation to avoid systematic effects and psychological errors.

Practical Applications

With this work, we demonstrate the viability of applying the sensory approach to quality control (QC) within the food industry of typical products. The QC proposed here is a compromise between the practical constraints of implementing sensory testing procedures in an industrial context and the basic requirements of good sensory practice for collecting reliable data. Nevertheless, the implemented QC represents an example of an efficient strategy for protected designation of origin product valorization, fundamental for preserving both market position and consumer confidence and loyalty toward the product.
Erectile Dysfunction Precedes Coronary Artery Endothelial Dysfunction in Rats Fed a High-Fat, High-Sucrose, Western Pattern Diet
Authors: La Favor Justin D. , Anderson Ethan J. , Hickner Robert C. , Wingard Christopher J.
Published: November 2012

Introduction

It is suggested that erectile dysfunction (ED) may be an early risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Aim

The goal of this study was to determine whether development of ED precedes the onset of coronary artery endothelial dysfunction in response to a Western diet (WD), thereby establishing whether the WD differentially impacts the endothelium in a time-dependent manner. Additionally, a goal was to determine if diet-induced ED is reversible with intracavernosal sepiapterin treatment.

Methods

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a WD for 4, 8, or 12 weeks, or a control diet for 8 weeks. Erectile function was evaluated by measuring the mean arterial pressure (MAP) and intracavernosal pressure (ICP) in response to electrical field stimulation of the cavernosal nerve near the major pelvic ganglion, in the absence and presence of sepiapterin. Coronary artery endothelial function was evaluated ex vivo with cumulative doses of acetylcholine (ACh) applied to segments of the left anterior descending coronary artery preconstricted with serotonin.

Main Outcome Measures

Erectile function was assessed as the ICP response to electrical field stimulation (EFS), normalized to MAP. Coronary artery endothelial function was assessed as the effective concentration producing 50% of a maximal response (EC50) of the ACh response.

Results

The ICP/MAP response to EFS was significantly attenuated following both 8 and 12 weeks of the WD compared with the control diet (P < 0.05). Sepiapterin treatment augmented the ICP/MAP response in all WD groups (P < 0.05). The coronary artery EC50 of the ACh response was not different from control following 4 or 8 weeks but was significantly elevated following 12 weeks of the WD (P < 0.01).

Conclusions

These data suggest that erectile function is reduced prior to coronary artery endothelial function in response to the WD. Improvement of erectile function with sepiapterin in WD rats indicates that nitric oxide synthase uncoupling is a key mechanism in diet-induced ED.
Aluminium toxic effects on seedling root survival affect plant composition along soil reaction gradients – a case study in dry sandy grasslands
Authors: Abedi M. , Bartelheimer M. , Poschlod P.
Published: November 2012

Question

Aluminium (Al) toxicity is one of the most important factors restricting plant establishment on acidic soils, but its ecological significance for the occurrence of species along natural pH gradients is still under investigation. Are species occurring on acidic sandy soils less susceptible to Al toxic effects on germination and seedling root growth rate than species from calcareous sandy soils? How strong is the explanatory power of species' Al susceptibility for their occurrence along a pH gradient, as represented by their Ellenberg indicator value (EIV) for soil reaction (R)? Can Al tolerance of species be used as an independent trait to support Ellenberg's empirically‐derived reaction indicator values?

Location

Dry sandy grasslands in Southern Germany, with soil reactions ranging from acidic to calcareous.

Methods

We tested early seedling responses to different Al concentrations in 15 species from dry sandy grasslands. A filter paper‐based system was used to germinate seeds under Al concentrations of up to 10 mM. Germination, absolute root growth and the length of the root hair zone were recorded 7 and 14 d after first germination. Al concentrations that reduced root growth by 50 or 95% (ED50 and ED95, respectively) were correlated to Ellenberg indicator values (EIV) for soil reaction.

Results

EIV explained 66% of the variance in species' Al sensitivity. Tolerated Al concentrations resemble those concentrations the individual species are exposed to in their natural habitats.

Conclusions

Among all soil factors varying with soil pH, Al is one of the strongest restrictions to species' occurrence in acidic soils. Al acts as an environmental filter by allowing only Al‐tolerant seedlings to grow roots and establish. Al sensitivity is a measurable objective trait that could form a crucial physiological component in defining R indicator values.
Nonsignificant isolation by distance implies limited dispersal
Authors: Lotterhos Katie E.
Published: November 2012

Understanding the scale of dispersal is an important consideration in the conservation and management of many species. However, in species in which the high‐dispersal stage is characterized by tiny gametes or offspring, it may be difficult to estimate dispersal directly. This is the case for many marine species, whose pelagic larvae are dispersed by ocean currents by several days or weeks before beginning a benthic, more sedentary, adult stage. As consequence of the high‐dispersal larval stage, many marine species have low genetic structure on large spatial scales (Waples ; Hellberg ). Despite the high capacity for dispersal, some tagging studies have found that a surprising number of larvae recruit into the population they were released from (self‐recruitment). However, estimates of self‐recruitment are not informative about mean dispersal between subpopulations. To what extent are limited dispersal estimates from tagging studies compatible with high potential for dispersal and low genetic structure? In this issue, a study on five species of coral reef fish used isolation by distance (IBD) between individuals to estimate mean dispersal distances (Puebla et al. ). They found that mean dispersal was unexpectedly small (<50 km), given relatively low IBD slopes and long pelagic durations. This study demonstrates how low genetic structure is compatible with limited dispersal in marine species. A comprehensive understanding of dispersal in marine species will involve integrating methods that estimate dispersal over different spatial and temporal scales. Genomic data may increase power to resolve these issues but must be applied carefully to this question.
Spatial genetic and morphologic structure of wolves and coyotes in relation to environmental heterogeneity in a Canis hybrid zone
Authors: Benson John F. , Patterson Brent R. , Wheeldon Tyler J.
Published: November 2012

Eastern wolves have hybridized extensively with coyotes and gray wolves and are listed as a ‘species of special concern’ in Canada. However, a distinct population of eastern wolves has been identified in Algonquin Provincial Park (APP) in Ontario. Previous studies of the diverse Canis hybrid zone adjacent to APP have not linked genetic analysis with field data to investigate genotype‐specific morphology or determine how resident animals of different ancestry are distributed across the landscape in relation to heterogeneous environmental conditions. Accordingly, we studied resident wolves and coyotes in and adjacent to APP to identify distinct Canis types, clarify the extent of the APP eastern wolf population beyond the park boundaries and investigate fine‐scale spatial genetic structure and landscape–genotype associations in the hybrid zone. We documented three genetically distinct Canis types within the APP region that also differed morphologically, corresponding to putative gray wolves, eastern wolves and coyotes. We also documented a substantial number of hybrid individuals (36%) that were admixed between 2 or 3 of the Canis types. Breeding eastern wolves were less common outside of APP, but occurred in some unprotected areas where they were sympatric with a diverse combination of coyotes, gray wolves and hybrids. We found significant spatial genetic structure and identified a steep cline extending west from APP where the dominant genotype shifted abruptly from eastern wolves to coyotes and hybrids. The genotypic pattern to the south and northwest was a more complex mosaic of alternating genotypes. We modelled genetic ancestry in response to prey availability and human disturbance and found that individuals with greater wolf ancestry occupied areas of higher moose density and fewer roads. Our results clarify the structure of the Canis hybrid zone adjacent to APP and provide unique insight into environmental conditions influencing hybridization dynamics between wolves and coyotes.
Hybrid zones and the speciation continuum in Heliconius butterflies
Authors: Mallet James , Dasmahapatra Kanchon K.
Published: November 2012

Tropical butterflies in the genus Heliconius have long been models in the study of the stages of speciation. Heliconius are unpalatable to predators, and many species are notable for multiple geographic populations with striking warning colour pattern differences associated with Müllerian mimicry. A speciation continuum is evident in Heliconius hybrid zones. Examples range from hybrid zones across which (a) there is little genetic differentiation other than at mimicry loci, but where hybrids are common, (b) to ‘bimodal‘ hybrid zones with strong genetic divergence and few hybrids, (c) through to ‘good’ sympatric species, with hybridization extremely rare or absent. Now, in this issue of Molecular Ecology, Arias et al. () have found an intermediate case in Colombian Heliconius cydno showing evidence for assortative mating and molecular differences, but where hybrids are abundant.
Range‐wide population genetic structure of the Caribbean sea fan coral, Gorgonia ventalina
Authors: Andras Jason P. , Rypien Krystal L. , Harvell Catherine D.
Published: November 2012

The population structure of benthic marine organisms is of central relevance to the conservation and management of these often threatened species, as well as to the accurate understanding of their ecological and evolutionary dynamics. A growing body of evidence suggests that marine populations can be structured over short distances despite theoretically high dispersal potential. Yet the proposed mechanisms governing this structure vary, and existing empirical population genetic evidence is of insufficient taxonomic and geographic scope to allow for strong general inferences. Here, we describe the range‐wide population genetic structure of an ecologically important Caribbean octocoral, Gorgonia ventalina. Genetic differentiation was positively correlated with geographic distance and negatively correlated with oceanographically modelled dispersal probability throughout the range. Although we observed admixture across hundreds of kilometres, estimated dispersal was low, and populations were differentiated across distances <2 km. These results suggest that populations of G. ventalina may be evolutionarily coupled via gene flow but are largely demographically independent. Observed patterns of differentiation corroborate biogeographic breaks found in other taxa (e.g. an east/west divide near Puerto Rico), and also identify population divides not discussed in previous studies (e.g. the Yucatan Channel). High genotypic diversity and absence of clonemates indicate that sex is the primary reproductive mode for G. ventalina. A comparative analysis of the population structure of G. ventalina and its dinoflagellate symbiont, Symbiodinium, indicates that the dispersal of these symbiotic partners is not coupled, and symbiont transmission occurs horizontally.
Natural genetic variation in male reproductive genes contributes to nontransitivity of sperm competitive ability in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Zhang Rui , Clark Andrew G. , Fiumera Anthony C.
Published: November 2012

Female Drosophila melanogaster frequently mate with multiple males, and the success of a given male depends not only on his genotype but also on the genotype of his competitor. Here, we assess how natural genetic variation affects male–male interactions for traits influencing pre‐ and postcopulatory sexual selection. Males from a set of 66 chromosome substitution lines were competed against each other in a ‘round‐robin’ design, and paternity was scored using bulk genotyping. We observed significant effects of the genotype of the first male to mate, the second male to mate and an interaction between the males for measures of male mating rate and sperm utilization. We also identified specific combinations of males who show nontransitive patterns of reproductive success and engage in ‘rock‐paper‐scissors’ games. We then tested for associations between 245 polymorphisms in 32 candidate male reproductive genes and male reproductive success. We identified eight polymorphisms in six reproductive genes that associate with male reproductive success independent of the competitor (experimentwise P < 0.05). We also identified four SNPs in four different genes where the relative reproductive success of the alternative alleles changes depending on the competing males' genetic background (experimentwise P < 0.05); two of these associations include premature stop codons. This may be the first study that identifies the genes contributing to nontransitivity among males and further highlights that ‘rock‐paper‐scissors’ games could be an important evolutionary force maintaining genetic variation in natural populations.
Footprints of selection in wild populations ofBicyclus anynanaalong a latitudinal cline
Authors: de Jong M. A. , Collins S. , Beldade P. , Brakefield P. M. , Zwaan B. J.
Published: November 2012

One of the major questions in ecology and evolutionary biology is how variation in the genome enables species to adapt to divergent environments. Here, we study footprints of thermal selection in candidate genes in six wild populations of the afrotropical butterflyBicyclus anynanasampled along ac. 3000 km latitudinal cline. We sequenced coding regions of 31 selected genes with known functions in metabolism, pigment production, development and heat shock responses. These include genes for which we expecta prioria role in thermal adaptation and, thus, varying selection pressures along a latitudinal cline, and genes we do not expect to vary clinally and can be used as controls. We identified amino acid substitution polymorphisms in 13 genes and tested these for clinal variation by correlation analysis of allele frequencies with latitude. In addition, we used twoFST‐based outlier methods to identify loci with higher population differentiation than expected under neutral evolution, while accounting for potentially confounding effects of population structure and demographic history. Two metabolic enzymes of the glycolytic pathway,UGPandTreh,showed clinal variation. The same loci showed elevated population differentiation and were identified as significant outliers. We found no evidence of clines in the pigmentation genes, heat shock proteins and developmental genes. However, we identified outlier loci in more localized parts of the range in the pigmentation genesyellowandblack. We discuss that the observed clinal variation and elevated population divergence inUGPandTrehmay reflect adaptation to a geographic thermal gradient.
The evolution of north‐east Atlantic gadfly petrels using statistical phylogeography
Authors: Gangloff B. , Zino F. , Shirihai H. , González‐Solís J. , Couloux A. , Pasquet E. , Bretagnolle V.
Published: November 2012

Macaronesia (north‐east Atlantic archipelagos) has been host to complex patterns of colonization and differentiation in many groups of organisms including seabirds such as gadfly petrels (genus Pterodroma). Considering the subspecies of widely distributed soft‐plumaged petrel for many years, the taxonomic status of the three gadfly petrel taxa breeding in Macaronesia is not yet settled, some authors advocating the presence of three, two or one species. These birds have already been the subject of genetic studies with only one mtDNA gene and relatively modest sample sizes. In this study, using a total of five genes (two mitochondrial genes and three nuclear introns), we investigated the population and phylogeographical histories of petrel populations breeding on Madeira and Cape Verde archipelagos. Despite confirming complete lineage sorting with mtDNA, analyses with nucDNA failed to reveal any population structuring and Isolation with Migration analysis revealed the absence of gene flow during the differentiation process of these populations. It appears that the three populations diverged in the late Pleistocene in the last 150 000 years, that is 10 times more recently than previous estimates based solely on one mtDNA gene. Finally, our results suggest that the Madeira petrel population is ancestral rather than that from Cape Verde. This study strongly advocates the use of nuclear loci in addition to mtDNA in demographical and phylogeographical history studies.
Polycystic Kidneys Have Decreased Vascular Density: A Micro‐CT Study
Authors: Xu Rende , Franchi Federico , Miller Brent , Crane John A. , Peterson Karen M. , Psaltis Peter J. , Harris Peter C. , Lerman Lilach O. , Rodriguez‐Porcel Martin
Published: November 2012

Objective

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a common cause of end‐stage renal failure and many of these patients suffer vascular dysfunction and hypertension. It remains unclear whether PKD is associated with abnormal microvascular structure. Thus, this study examined the renovascular structure in PKD.

Methods

PKD rats (PCK model) and controls were studied at 10 weeks of age, and mean arterial pressure (MAP), renal blood flow, and creatinine clearance were measured. Microvascular architecture and cyst number and volume were assessed using micro‐computed tomography, and angiogenic pathways evaluated.

Results

Compared with controls, PKD animals had an increase in MAP (126.4 ± 4.0 vs. 126.2 ± 2.7 mmHg) and decreased clearance of creatinine (0.39 ± 0.09 vs. 0.30 ± 0.05 mL/min), associated with a decrease in microvascular density, both in the cortex (256 ± 22 vs. 136 ± 20 vessels per cm2) and medullar (114 ± 14 vs. 50 ± 9 vessels/cm2) and an increase in the average diameter of glomeruli (104.14 ± 2.94 vs. 125.76 ± 9.06 mm). PKD animals had increased fibrosis (2.2 ± 0.2 fold vs. control) and a decrease in the cortical expression in hypoxia inducible factor 1‐α and vascular endothelial growth factor.

Conclusions

PKD animals have impaired renal vascular architecture, which can have significant functional consequences. The PKD microvasculature could represent a therapeutic target to decrease the impact of this disease.
Spo0A links de novo fatty acid synthesis to sporulation and biofilm development in Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Pedrido María E. , de Oña Paula , Ramirez Walter , Leñini Cecilia , Goñi Anibal , Grau Roberto
Published: November 2012

During sporulation in Bacillus subtilis, the committed‐cell undergoes substantial membrane rearrangements to generate two cells of different sizes and fates: the mother cell and the forespore. Here, we demonstrate that the master transcription factor Spo0A reactivates lipid synthesis during development. Maximal Spo0A‐dependent lipid synthesis occurs during the key stages of asymmetric division and forespore engulfment. Spo0A reactivates the accDA operon that encodes the carboxylase component of the acetyl‐CoA carboxylase enzyme, which catalyses the first and rate‐limiting step in de novo lipid biosynthesis, malonyl‐CoA formation. The disruption of the Spo0A‐binding box in the promoter region of accDA impairs its transcriptional reactivation and blocks lipid synthesis. The Spo0A‐insensitive accDA0A cells were proficient in planktonic growth but defective in sporulation (σE activation) and biofilm development (cell cluster formation and water repellency). Exogenous fatty acid supplementation to accDA0A cells overcomes their inability to synthesize lipids during development and restores sporulation and biofilm proficiencies. The transient exclusion of the lipid synthesis regulon from the forespore and the known compartmentalization of Spo0A and ACP in the mother cell suggest that de novo lipid synthesis is confined to the mother cell. The significance of the Spo0A‐controlled de novo lipid synthesis during B. subtilis development is discussed.
The copper supply pathway to a SalmonellaCu,Zn‐superoxide dismutase (SodCII) involves P1B‐type ATPase copper efflux and periplasmic CueP
Authors: Osman Deenah , Patterson Carl J. , Bailey Kathryn , Fisher Karl , Robinson Nigel J. , Rigby Stephen E. J. , Cavet Jennifer S.
Published: November 2012

Periplasmic Cu,Zn‐superoxide dismutases (Cu,Zn‐SODs) are implicated in bacterial virulence. It has been proposed that some bacterial P1B‐type ATPases supply copper to periplasmic cupro‐proteins and such transporters have also been implicated in virulence. Here we show that either of two P1B‐type ATPases, CopA or GolT, is needed to activate a periplasmic Cu,Zn‐SOD (SodCII) in Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium. A ΔcopA/ΔgolT mutant accumulates inactive Zn‐SodCII which can be activated by copper‐supplementation in vitro. In contrast, either single ATPase mutant accumulates fully active Cu,Zn‐SodCII. A contribution of GolT to copper handling is consistent with its copper‐responsive transcription mediated by DNA‐binding metal‐responsive activator GolS. The requirement for duplicate transcriptional activators CueR and GolS remains unclear since both have similar tight KCu. Mutants lacking periplasmic cupro‐protein CueP also accumulate inactive Zn‐SodCII and while CopA and GolT show functional redundancy, both require CueP to activate SodCII in vivo. Zn‐SodCII is also activated in vitro by incubation with Cu‐CueP and this coincides with copper transfer as monitored by electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. These experiments establish a role for CueP within the copper supply pathway for Salmonella Cu,Zn‐SodCII. Copper binding by CueP in this pathogen may confer protection of the periplasm from copper‐mediated damage while sustaining vital cupro‐enzyme activity.
Self‐efficacy as a unifying construct in nursing‐social work collaboration with vulnerable populations
Authors: Washington Olivia GM , Moxley David P
Published: November 2012

WASHINGTON OGM and MOXLEY DP. Nursing Inquiry 2013; 20: 42–50  Self‐efficacy as a unifying construct in nursing‐social work collaboration with vulnerable populations

The authors consider self‐efficacy practice as an organizing construct guiding nursing–social work action research in partnership with older homeless and formerly homeless African‐American women. The authors, both academics who together have worked with members of this vulnerable population for a decade and a half, report on their unifying action research perspective immersed in self‐efficacy theory. We examine how our adaptations of Bandura’s classic four sources of self‐efficacy form a distinctive intervention practice designed to help older African‐American women emerge from homelessness. We amplify the incorporation of the four sources (vicarious experience and exposure to powerful role models, emotional arousal and accompanying catharsis, verbal persuasion, and role performance) into a grand strategy useful in working collaboratively with members of vulnerable populations, so they can achieve outcomes that improve their functional health, well‐being and ultimately their quality of life.
Differential effects of selective and non‐selective muscarinic antagonists on gastrointestinal transit and bowel function in healthy women
Authors: Bharucha A. E. , Isowa H. , Hiro S. , Guan Z.
Published: November 2012

Background  The gastrointestinal effects of antimuscarinic drugs used to treat overactive bladder may be related to the selectivity of these agents for M3‐muscarinic receptor subtypes. We compared the effects of non‐selective (fesoterodine) and M3‐selective (solifenacin) antimuscarinics on gastrointestinal transit in healthy women.

Methods  Gastric emptying (GE), small‐intestinal transit (colonic filling at 6 h), colonic transit [geometric center at 24 h (GC24; primary endpoint) and 48 h (GC48)], and bowel habits were assessed by scintigraphy and bowel diaries before and after randomization to fesoterodine 8 mg, solifenacin 10 mg, or placebo (2 : 2 : 1) for 14 days. An interim analysis to finalize sample size was conducted.

Key Results  After 60 subjects [placebo (n = 12), fesoterodine (n = 25), solifenacin (n = 23)] completed the study, the study was terminated due to a prespecified criterion (sample size ≥452.5 needed to provide ≥80% power to demonstrate superiority of fesoterodine over solifenacin in GC24). Compared with baseline, (i) placebo delayed small‐intestinal, but not colonic, transit, (ii) fesoterodine significantly increased GE t1/2vs placebo (17.0 min; P = 0.027), and (iii) fesoterodine and solifenacin delayed small‐intestinal (−36.8% and −21.8%, respectively, P < 0.001 vs placebo) and colonic transit (GC24: −0.44 and −0.49, respectively, P < 0.05 vs placebo; GC48: −0.25 and −0.65, respectively, P > 0.05 vs placebo). Solifenacin increased stool hardness from baseline (P = 0.010 for difference vs fesoterodine); stool frequency was comparable.

Conclusions & Inferences  In healthy women, fesoterodine had greater effects on small‐intestinal transit and solifenacin had greater effects on colonic transit; the latter finding may explain why solifenacin, but not fesoterodine, increased stool hardness. (ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT00892034).
Herbivores can select for mixed defensive strategies in plants
Authors: Carmona Diego , Fornoni Juan
Published: November 2012

Resistance and tolerance are the most important defense mechanisms against herbivores. Initial theoretical studies considered both mechanisms functionally redundant, but more recent empirical studies suggest that these mechanisms may complement each other, favoring the presence of mixed defense patterns. However, the expectation of redundancy between tolerance and resistance remains unsupported.

In this study, we tested this assumption following an ecological genetics field experiment in which the presence/absence of two herbivores (Lema daturaphila and Epitrix parvula) of Datura stramonium were manipulated. In each of three treatments, genotypic selection analyses were performed and selection patterns compared.

Our results indicated that selection on resistance and tolerance was significantly different between the two folivores. Tolerance and resistance are not redundant defense strategies in D. stramonium but instead functioned as complementary defenses against both beetle species, favoring the evolution of a mixed defense strategy. Although each herbivore was selected for different defense strategies, the observed average tolerance and resistance were closer to the adaptive peak predicted against E. parvula and both beetles together.

In our experimental population, natural selection imposed by herbivores can favor the evolution of mixed defense strategies in plants, accounting for the presence of intermediate levels of tolerance and resistance.
Joint evolution of seed traits along an aridity gradient: seed size and dormancy are not two substitutable evolutionary traits in temporally heterogeneous environment
Authors: Volis Sergei , Bohrer Gil
Published: November 2012

Seed size and dormancy are reproductive traits that interact as adaptations to environmental conditions. Here, we explore the evolution of these traits in environments that differ in overall mean favorability and in the extent of temporal predictability.

Our model simulates a population of annual plants living in a range of environments that differ in aridity, namely mean annual precipitation and inter‐annual variation of this mean precipitation.

The optimal fitness curve is investigated assuming density dependence, three alternative hypothetical relationships between seed mass and seed survival in the soil (negative, positive, and independent of mass), and three alternative relationships between survival in soil and precipitation (strong and intermediate negative relationships, and no relationship).

Our results show that seed size and dormancy are not two substitutable evolutionary traits; that specific combinations of these two traits are selected in environments that differ in favorability and temporal predictability; that a certain degree of seed dormancy is advantageous not only in temporally unpredictable environments but also in temporally predictable environments with high competition; and that more than one combination of seed size and dormancy (defined in terms of germination fraction) can be optimal, even in spatially homogeneous environments, potentially allowing selection for more variation in these traits within and among species.
Glossal abscesses – a rare presentation in the oral surgery world
Authors: Burnham R.M.C. , Hanu‐Cernat L.
Published: November 2012

A case report of a glossal abscess presenting in a 29 year old diabetic man with unilateral tongue swelling. This is a rare abscess location but with a significant potential threat to the airway.
Suppression of the SUGAR‐DEPENDENT1 triacylglycerol lipase family during seed development enhances oil yield in oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.)
Authors: Kelly Amélie A. , Shaw Eve , Powers Stephen J. , Kurup Smita , Eastmond Peter J.
Published: November 2012

Increasing the productivity of oilseed crops is an important challenge for plant breeders and biotechnologists. To date, attempts to increase oil production in seeds via metabolic pathway engineering have focused on boosting synthetic capacity. However, in the tissues of many organisms, it is well established that oil levels are determined by both anabolism and catabolism. Indeed, the oil content of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) has been reported to decline by approximately 10% in the final stage of development, as the seeds desiccate. Here, we show that RNAi suppression of the SUGAR‐DEPENDENT1 triacylglycerol lipase gene family during seed development results in up to an 8% gain in oil yield on either a seed, plant or unit area basis in the greenhouse, with very little adverse impact on seed vigour. Suppression of lipolysis could therefore constitute a new method for enhancing oil yield in oilseed crops.
Choice of shrinkage parameter and prediction of genomic breeding values in elite maize breeding populations
Authors: Zhao Yusheng , Gowda Manje , Liu Wenxin , Würschum Tobias , Maurer Hans P. , Longin Friedrich H. , Ranc Nicolas , Piepho Hans P. , Reif Jochen C.
Published: November 2012

Genomic selection (GS) is a promising alternative to marker‐assisted selection particularly for quantitative traits. In this study, we examined the prediction accuracy of genomic breeding values by using ridge regression best linear unbiased prediction in combination with fivefold cross‐validation based on empirical data of a commercial maize breeding programme. The empirical data is composed of 930 testcross progenies derived from 11 segregating families evaluated at six environments for grain yield and grain moisture. Accuracy to predict genomic breeding values was affected by the choice of the shrinkage parameter λ2, by unbalanced family size, by size of the training population and to a lower extent by the number of markers. Accuracy of genomic breeding values was high suggesting that the selection gain can be improved implementing GS in elite maize breeding programmes.
Effect of water deficit on the cell wall of the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera ‘Deglet nour’, Arecales) fruit during development
Authors: GRIBAA ALI , DARDELLE FLAVIEN , LEHNER ARNAUD , RIHOUEY CHRISTOPHE , BUREL CAROLE , FERCHICHI ALI , DRIOUICH AZEDDINE , MOLLET JEAN‐CLAUDE
Published: November 2012

Date palm is an important economical crop in many countries. However, in recent years, the Kebili region with the largest palm groves of Tunisia faced an important deficit of rain fall that can impaired the maturation and quality of the fruits especially in non‐irrigated plantation. Water deficit does not stop fruit development but has a dramatic effect on fruit growth, pulp content and the cell wall composition and remodeling during maturation. The data indicate that the cell wall was more hydrophilic suggesting that these subtle changes in the cell wall property may participate in maintaining the water status of the cells and the flexibility of the cell wall under water deficit.
Acute Hemorrhagic Edema of Infancy: A Troubling Cutaneous Presentation with a Self‐Limiting Course
Authors: Savino Francesco , Lupica Maria M. , Tarasco Valentina , Locatelli Emanuela , Viola Serena , di Montezemolo Luca C. , Coppo Paola
Published: November 2012

Acute hemorrhagic edema of infancy (AHEI) is an unusual form of leukocytoclastic vasculitis with dramatic distinguishing skin lesions that occurs in infants ages 4 to 24 months old. The disease presents with skin eruptions that usually start with large (1–5 cm), symmetrically distributed, hemorrhagic lesions in a characteristic cockade pattern. The lesions are typically located on the lower extremities, face (in particular the ears, cheeks, and eyelids), and gluteal area. Fever may accompany skin eruptions. Clinical presentation at onset requires clinical and laboratory examination to distinguish it from more serious diseases and other vasculitis. The main differential diagnosis of AHEI is Henoch‐Schönlein purpura. AHEI is generally a self‐limiting disease, so a conservative approach should be considered. Topical or systemic corticosteroid therapy has been reported to be beneficial, as well as antihistamines and dapsone, although AHEI usually resolves completely with or without treatment. We report two cases of AHEI and an update of the literature.
Molecular elements of low‐oxygen signaling in plants
Authors: Licausi Francesco
Published: November 2012

Oxygen and its limitation are emerging as a crucial factor in plant fitness, growth and development. Recent studies revealed the mechanisms by which oxygen is perceived by plant cells. This sensory system partly relies on an oxygen‐mediated branch of the N‐end rule pathway for protein degradation acting on a specific clade of ethylene responsive transcription factors (ERF‐VII). A complementary regulative step is provided by aerobic sequestration of an ERF‐VII protein at the plasma membrane and its timely release when hypoxia occurs. Complete absence of oxygen triggers the transient accumulation of reactive hydrogen peroxide and induces an additional set of reactive oxygen species‐related genes involved in both signaling and attenuation of oxidative stress. Moreover, temporary hypoxic environments that are built up as consequence of dense cell packing have been demonstrated to trigger cell‐fate determination in maize anthers. Similarly, limited oxygen delivery in bulky fruit or tuber tissues growing in aerobic conditions were shown to stimulate anaerobic‐like responses. These advances in low‐oxygen signaling and its effect on cell development highlight the importance of taking hypoxia into account in agronomical practices as well as in breeding programs.
A sense of home in residential care
Authors: Falk Hanna , Wijk Helle , Persson Lars‐Olof , Falk Kristin
Published: November 2012

Moving into a residential care facility requires a great deal of adjustment to an environment and lifestyle entirely different from that of one's previous life. Attachment to place is believed to help create a sense of home and maintain self‐identity, supporting successful adjustment to contingencies of ageing. The purpose of this study was to deepen our understanding of processes and strategies by which older people create a sense of home in residential care. Our findings show that a sense of home in residential care involves strategies related to three dimensions of the environment – attachment to place, to space and attachment beyond the institution – and that the circumstances under which older people manage or fail in creating attachment, consist of psychosocial processes involving both individual and shared attitudes and beliefs. Assuming that attachment is important to human existence regardless of age, attention must be paid to optimize the circumstances under which attachment is created in residential care, and how nursing interventions can help speed up this process due to the frail and vulnerable state of most older residents.