bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genetic Diversity and Tissue and Host Specificity of Grapevine vein clearing virus
Authors: Guo Qiang , Honesty Shae , Xu Mei Long , Zhang Yu , Schoelz James , Qiu Wenping
Published: February 2014

Grapevine vein clearing virus (GVCV) is a new badnavirus in the family Caulimoviridae that is closely associated with an emerging vein-clearing and vine decline disease in the Midwest region of the United States. It has a circular, double-stranded DNA genome of 7,753 bp that is predicted to encode three open reading frames (ORFs) on the plus-strand DNA. The largest ORF encodes a polyprotein that contains domains for a reverse transcriptase (RT), an RNase H, and a DNA-binding zinc-finger protein (ZF). In this study, two genomic regions, a 570-bp region of the RT domain and a 540-bp region of the ZF domain were used for an analysis of the genetic diversity of GVCV populations. In total, 39 recombinant plasmids were sequenced. These plasmids consisted of three individual clones from each of 13 isolates sampled from five grape varieties in three states. The sequence variants of GVCV could not be phylogenetically grouped into clades according to geographical location and grape variety. Codons of RT or ZF regions are subject to purifying selection pressure. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction assays indicated that GVCV accumulates abundantly in the petioles and least in the root tip tissue. Upon grafting of GVCV-infected buds onto four major grape cultivars, GVCV was not detected in the grafted ‘Chambourcin’ vine but was present in the grafted ‘Vidal Blanc’, ‘Cayuga White’, and ‘Traminette’ vines, suggesting that Chambourcin is resistant to GVCV. Furthermore, seven nucleotides were changed in the sequenced RT and ZF regions of GVCV from a grafted Traminette vine and one in the sequenced regions of GVCV from grafted Cayuga White but no changes were found in the sequenced regions of GVCV in the grafted Vidal Blanc. The results provide a genetic snapshot of GVCV populations, which will yield knowledge important for monitoring GVCV epidemics and for preventing the loss of grape production that is associated with GVCV.
Localization and Distribution of Wheat dwarf virus in Its Vector Leafhopper, Psammotettix alienus
Authors: Wang Yajiao , Mao Qianzhuo , Liu Wenwen , Mar ThiThi , Wei Taiyun , Liu Yan , Wang Xifeng
Published: February 2014

Numerous virus pathogens are transmitted by specific arthropod vectors. Understanding the mechanism of transmission is a critical step in the epidemiology of plant viruses and is crucial for the development of effective disease control strategies. In this study, we describe the localization and distribution of Wheat dwarf virus (WDV), an economically important and widespread single-stranded DNA virus, in its leafhopper vector, Psammotettix alienus. The results suggest that WDV not only can move to the salivary glands from the anterior and middle midgut via the hemocoel but also can pass directly through the sheath of the filter chamber and be readily transmitted to healthy wheat plants within 5 min of an acquisition access period on infected plants. When a bacterial-expressed recombinant capsid protein (CP) was incubated with the internal organs of leafhoppers, CP-immunoreactive antigens were found at the anterior and middle midgut. Furthermore, when leafhoppers were fed with an antiserum raised against the CP, the accumulation of WDV in the gut cells, hemocoel, and salivary glands was significantly reduced. These data provide evidence that transmission of WDV is determined by a CP-mediated virion–vector retention mechanism.
Phosphodiesterase 4 Inhibitor Roflumilast Improves the Bronchodilative Effect of Sevoflurane in Sensitized Airways
Authors: Zhou Jing , Iwasaki Sohshi , Yamakage Michiaki
Published: February 2014

Background:

Although phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors and the volatile anesthetic sevoflurane are known to have independent bronchodilator properties, the combined administration of these two agents may have the potential to exert an additive or synergistic bronchodilator effect. The authors tested this hypothesis and investigated the common site of this combined relaxation effect in a model of airway hyperresponsiveness with ovalbumin-sensitized guinea pigs.

Methods:

Ovalbumin-sensitized animals (n = 138) were randomized into six groups: sensitized, sevoflurane, rolipram1.0, roflumilast1.0, sevoflurane/rolipram1.0, and sevoflurane/roflumilast1.0. Total lung resistance in vivo, airway smooth muscle tension in vitro, and intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels were measured to evaluate the relaxation effect.

Results:

Among the six sensitized groups, total lung resistance was higher in the order of sensitized > sevoflurane > rolipram 1.0 > roflumilast1.0 > sevoflurane/rolipram1.0 > sevoflurane/roflumilast1.0, with an increase in acetylcholine concentration. Compared with the other five groups, the muscle tensions in the sevoflurane/roflumilast1.0 group were significantly lower at carbacholine doses of 10−7, 10−6, and 10−5 M; the cyclic adenosine monophosphate concentrations (means ± SD) in the sevoflurane/rolipram1.0 (1.61 ± 0.34) and sevoflurane/roflumilast1.0 (1.50 ± 0.20) groups were higher than that in the sensitized (0.52 ± 0.15) and sevoflurane (1.12 ± 0.32) groups.

Conclusions:

The combined use of phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitors with the volatile anesthetic sevoflurane had an additive bronchodilator effect in ovalbumin-sensitized guinea pigs. The concurrent increase in cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels in sensitized airway smooth muscle might be a mechanism of this combined relaxation effect.
Integrating genomics into the taxonomy and systematics of the Bacteria and Archaea
Authors: Chun Jongsik , Rainey Fred A.
Published: February 2014

The polyphasic approach used today in the taxonomy and systematics of the

Bacteria

and

Archaea

includes the use of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic data. The use of 16S rRNA gene sequence data has revolutionized our understanding of the microbial world and led to a rapid increase in the number of descriptions of novel taxa, especially at the species level. It has allowed in many cases for the demarcation of taxa into distinct species, but its limitations in a number of groups have resulted in the continued use of DNA–DNA hybridization. As technology has improved, next-generation sequencing (NGS) has provided a rapid and cost-effective approach to obtaining whole-genome sequences of microbial strains. Although some 12 000 bacterial or archaeal genome sequences are available for comparison, only 1725 of these are of actual type strains, limiting the use of genomic data in comparative taxonomic studies when there are nearly 11 000 type strains. Efforts to obtain complete genome sequences of all type strains are critical to the future of microbial systematics. The incorporation of genomics into the taxonomy and systematics of the

Bacteria

and

Archaea

coupled with computational advances will boost the credibility of taxonomy in the genomic era. This special issue of International Journal of Systematic and Evolutionary Microbiology contains both original research and review articles covering the use of genomic sequence data in microbial taxonomy and systematics. It includes contributions on specific taxa as well as outlines of approaches for incorporating genomics into new strain isolation to new taxon description workflows.
Notification that new names of prokaryotes, new combinations, and new taxonomic opinions have appeared in volume 63, part 11, of the IJSEM
Authors: Oren Aharon , Garrity George M.
Published: February 2014

This listing of names of prokaryotes published in a previous issue of the IJSEM is provided as a service to bacteriology to assist in the recognition of new names and new combinations. This procedure was proposed by the Judicial Commission [Minute 11(ii), Int J Syst Bacteriol
41 (1991), p. 185]. The names given herein are listed according to the Rules of priority (i.e. page number and order of valid publication of names in the original articles).
Statistical confidence estimation for Hi-C data reveals regulatory chromatin contacts
Authors: Ay Ferhat , Bailey Timothy L. , Noble William Stafford
Published: February 2014

Our current understanding of how DNA is packed in the nucleus is most accurate at the fine scale of individual nucleosomes and at the large scale of chromosome territories. However, accurate modeling of DNA architecture at the intermediate scale of ∼50 kb–10 Mb is crucial for identifying functional interactions among regulatory elements and their target promoters. We describe a method,Fit-Hi-C, that assigns statistical confidence estimates to mid-range intra-chromosomal contacts by jointly modeling the random polymer looping effect and previously observed technical biases in Hi-C data sets. We demonstrate that our proposed approach computes accurate empirical null models of contact probability without any distribution assumption, corrects for binning artifacts, and provides improved statistical power relative to a previously described method. High-confidence contacts identified by Fit-Hi-C preferentially link expressed gene promoters to active enhancers identified by chromatin signatures in human embryonic stem cells (ESCs), capture 77% of RNA polymerase II-mediated enhancer-promoter interactions identified using ChIA-PET in mouse ESCs, and confirm previously validated, cell line-specific interactions in mouse cortex cells. We observe that insulators and heterochromatin regions are hubs for high-confidence contacts, while promoters and strong enhancers are involved in fewer contacts. We also observe that binding peaks of master pluripotency factors such as NANOG and POU5F1 are highly enriched in high-confidence contacts for human ESCs. Furthermore, we show that pairs of loci linked by high-confidence contacts exhibit similar replication timing in human and mouse ESCs and preferentially lie within the boundaries of topological domains for human and mouse cell lines.
Cavitation and Its Discontents: Opportunities for Resolving Current Controversies
Authors: Rockwell Fulton E. , Wheeler James K. , Holbrook N. Michele
Published: February 2014

Cavitation has long been recognized as a key constraint on the structure and functional integrity of the xylem. Yet, recent results call into question how well we understand cavitation in plants. Here, we consider embolism formation in angiosperms at two scales. The first focuses on how air-seeding occurs at the level of pit membranes, raising the question of whether capillary failure is an appropriate physical model. The second addresses methodological uncertainties that affect our ability to infer the formation of embolism and its reversal in plant stems. Overall, our goal is to open up fresh perspectives on the structure-function relationships of xylem.
Changes in the Frequency and Clinical Features of Suicide Attempts in the Midwestern Area of Kanagawa after the Great East Japan Earthquake
Authors: Kato Koji , Mikami Katsunaka , Kimoto Keitaro , Kimoto Kousuke , Takahashi Yuki , Sato Reiko , Matsumoto Hideo
Published: February 2014

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between the clinical features of suicide attempts and the Great East Japan earthquake in Kanagawa. We enrolled 592 patients who attempted suicide and were hospitalized for inpatient treatment. Clinical features were compared between before the earthquake (A) and after the earthquake (B) groups. The number of suicide attempts increased from 286 to 306. The rate of increase in suicide attempts in men was the highest in the age group of 40–59 years. The frequency of joblessness, family psychiatric histories, precipitating event, and alcohol intake at suicide attempt was significantly higher in the B group than in the A group. The number of patients in serious condition in the B group was significantly higher than that in the A group. Other clinical features related to suicide in people who were indirectly affected by the earthquake disaster should be investigated to develop targeted prevention strategies.
The First Successful Use of a Low Stringency Familial Match in a French Criminal Investigation
Authors: Pham‐Hoai Emmanuel , Crispino Frank , Hampikian Greg
Published: February 2014

We describe how a very simple application of familial searching resolved a decade‐old, high‐profile rape/murder in France. This was the first use of familial searching in a criminal case using the French STR DNA database, which contains approximately 1,800,000 profiles. When an unknown forensic profile (18 loci) was searched against the French arrestee/offender database using CODIS configured for a low stringency search, a single low stringency match was identified. This profile was attributed to the father of the man suspected to be the source of the semen recovered from the murder victim Elodie Kulik. The identification was confirmed using Y‐chromosome DNA from the putative father, an STR profile from the mother, and finally a tissue sample from the exhumed body of the man who left the semen. Because of this identification, the investigators are now pursuing possible co‐conspirators.
A Novel Method for Identifying Shahtoosh
Authors: Fei Jing , Yang Juan , Zhou Hui , Tang Minfeng , Lu Weiming , Yan An , Hou Yin , Zhang Shuyu
Published: February 2014

Shahtoosh, the down hair of the Tibetan antelope (Pantholops hodgsonii), is the noblest and most expensive wool in the world. The population of the animal has declined dramatically due to commercial poaching for the fiber. Traditional inspection for detection of shahtoosh has been performed by microscopic analysis. We developed a TaqMan real‐time PCR‐based DNA analysis method for identifying shahtoosh fibers. A set of probe and primers for the mitochondrial 12S ribosomal RNA gene that binds specifically to Tibetan antelope DNA was designed. A signal was detected with sensitivity to the 1:10,000 dilution of shahtoosh DNA. A fiber mixture of 1% of shahtoosh mixed with cashmere and even a single fiber can be detected with this method. The method is faster, more cost‐effective and more sensitive than other traditional sequencing methods and can be directly applied to identify shahtoosh and its processed products, which will be of value in illegal trade investigations.
Autopsy Reenactment – A Useful Technique in the Evaluation of Adhesive Tape Asphyxia
Authors: Herbst Jonathon , Stanley Wayne , Byard Roger W.
Published: February 2014

A 19‐year‐old woman was found dead with her face and head wrapped in plastic adhesive tape in a cupboard beside an opened helium cylinder. Despite the alleged presence of a suicide message on a social networking website, the unusual circumstances raised the possibility at the time of autopsy of either accidental death from sexual asphyxia or homicide. A carefully monitored reenactment demonstrated, however, that the type of commercial adhesive tape that had been used did not cause complete airway obstruction and that it was possible to wrap a considerable length of tape around the head and neck with the breath held. All of the features at autopsy were, therefore, compatible with self‐infliction. Asphyxial death was attributed to the combined effects of smothering from tape and anoxia from helium, an extremely rare combination in young females.
An Investigation of Normal Urine with a Creatinine Concentration Under the Cutoff of 20 mg/dL for Specimen Validity Testing in a Toxicology Laboratory,
Authors: Holden Brad , Guice Erica A.
Published: February 2014

In clinical and forensic toxicology laboratories, one commonly used method for urine specimen validity testing is creatinine concentration. In this study, workplace guidelines are examined to determine their relevance to forensic and clinical toxicology samples. Specifically, it investigates the occurrence of urine creatinine concentrations under 20 mg/dL and notes potential issues with factors influencing creatinine concentration by utilizing a simple, novel method consisting of cation‐paring high‐pressure liquid chromatography in tandem with ultraviolet detection to determine the creatinine concentration in 3019 donors. Of the 4227 sample population in this study, 209 (4.94%) were below the cutoff value of 20 mg/dL for dilute urine. Because there are many factors that can influence the urinary creatinine concentration, samples that have creatinine under the 20 mg/dL cutoff do not always implicate sample adulteration.
Fatal Oral Methylphenidate Intoxication with Postmortem Concentrations
Authors: Cantrell Frank Lee , Ogera Patricia , Mallett Phyllis , McIntyre Iain M.
Published: February 2014

Methylphenidate (MPD) is a widely prescribed stimulant used primarily for the treatment for attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Suicide attempts involving MPD ingestion have been well described; however, deaths attributed solely to MPD ingestion have not been reported. A 62‐year‐old woman was found dead on her floor. The only discrepancy in among her medication quantities was that >three hundred 10 mg MPD tablets were missing. Analysis utilizing gas chromatography–mass spectrometry revealed elevated postmortem MPD peripheral and central blood, liver and vitreous humor concentrations. Considering both the central blood to peripheral blood ratio (0.89) and the liver to peripheral blood ratio (3.3), MPD does not appear subject to significant postmortem redistribution. With no other identifiable cause of death, we report what appears to be the first isolated MPD ingestion associated with a fatality.
An Improved Method for the Diatom Test Utilizing DNA Binding Ability of Silica
Authors: Seo Yasuhisa , Ichida Daisuke , Sato Shingo , Kuroki Kohji , Kishida Tetsuko
Published: February 2014

In order to devise a better forensic test for diatoms, the DNA binding ability of the diatom frustule constructing by silica, in the presence of chaotropic ions were utilized. It was proved that the diatoms were able to be captured via λDNA using silica‐coated magnetic beads (Mag beads), followed by isolation and purification from the Mag beads as a solid phase by substituting the chaotropic agent with ultrapure water. Five cases of drowning, three in freshwater and two in seawater, were applied to the present method and similar results as the usual diatom test were obtained. Specimens of lung and other organs were rendered clearly visible, with elimination of foreign impurities. The present method appears applicable for detection of diatoms indirectly using PCR amplification of bound DNA or directly staining of the DNA.
Soil Fungi: Their Potential use as a Forensic Tool
Authors: Tranchida María C. , Centeno Néstor D. , Cabello Marta N.
Published: February 2014

As a grave is an anomalous environment and differs from its surroundings, criminal investigators employ different techniques for locating, recovering, and analyzing clandestine graves. In this study were identified the fungi found in the soil under corpses in decomposition with an aim at relating the copresence of human remains and different fungal species. Were isolated the fungi in three ways: soil washing, serial dilutions, and moist chamber growth. Dichotomomyces cejpii, Talaromyces trachyspermus, Talaromyces flavus, and Talaromyces sp. were the representative species found—with those belonging to the ammonia group, whose fungi are the first in the succession of cadaver decomposition directly in the ground. The mycobiota found at the present study area clearly differs to mycobiota identified in control sample and from previously described species for other areas of Buenos Aires Province, Argentina. Further forensic examples of this type are needed to develop fully the detailed use of mycology as a forensic tool.
Taphonomic Marks on Pig Tissue Due to Cadaveric Coleoptera Activity Under Controlled Conditions
Authors: Zanetti Noelia I. , Visciarelli Elena C. , Centeno Néstor D.
Published: February 2014

The aim of this work was to study taphonomic marks that cadaveric coleopteran can produce under controlled conditions. To evaluate this, pig trotters were initially exposed to adults of Dermestes maculatus De Geer at 21 ± 5°C and a 12:12‐h day/night cycle. Observations were made and photographs taken every 4–5 days for 9 months. When feeding and reproducing, D. maculatus produced, in both adult and larvae stages, different types of marks such as holes, striations, scratches, and pits in several kinds of tissue such as integumental, connective, and muscular, in both their fresh and dried stages. Bite marks were also evident. The results in this study provide not only taphonomic but also biological and forensic information. This is the first time that this kind of experiment has been performed.
The Ratio of 6β‐Hydroxycortisol to Cortisol in Urine as a Measure of Cytochrome P450 3A Activity in Postmortem Cases
Authors: Lang Lotte M. , Linnet Kristian
Published: February 2014

Poisoning can occur with chronic accumulation of a drug due to reduced metabolic capacity; conversely, under‐treatment may occur due to an increased metabolic rate. Over half of all drugs are metabolized by the cytochrome P450 3A complex (CYP3A). The activity of CYP3A can be assessed by the urinary ratio of 6β‐hydroxycortisol to cortisol. The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of this ratio as a postmortem marker for determining whether altered CYP3A enzyme activity occurred prior to death. In a series of 244 postmortem cases, this ratio ranged from 0.014 to 78.6 (median 3.50). The median was significantly higher (5.14) in a subgroup of 28 cases that exhibited the presence of CYP3A‐inducing drugs. In cirrhosis, the median ratio was 1.69. This pointed to a reduced metabolic capacity of CYP3A. Thus, the ratio may constitute a rough indicator of the CYP3A metabolic capacity, which could be of value in special cases.
Dialysis Method Alters the Expression of MicroRNA‐33a and Its Target Genes ABCA1, ABCG1 in THP‐1 Macrophages
Authors: Wang Jian‐Min , Zhou Jia‐Jun , Zheng Qian , Gan Hua , Wang Hang
Published: February 2014

Atherosclerosis and accompanying cardiovascular disease are the first causes of mortality in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis. Anti‐atherosclerotic effects of hemodiafiltration (HDF) have been reported. Our study aimed to investigate the effect of serum derived from a healthy group (n = 23), before and after hemodialysis (HD) therapy (n = 23), and before and after HDF therapy (n = 17) on the expression of microRNA‐33a and its target genes adenosine triphosphate‐binding cassette transporter A1,G1 (ABCA1, ABCG1) in THP‐1 macrophages. Meanwhile, blood lipids and high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP) were measured in these groups. Our data showed that the expression of miRNA‐33a was lower (P < 0.05) and ABCA1 and ABCG1 were higher (P < 0.05) in the healthy group than pre‐HD and pre‐HDF. miR‐33a was significantly decreased (P < 0.05) but ABCA1, ABCG1 was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in post‐HDF compared with pre‐HDF, while these parameters in pre‐ and post‐ HD groups did not show any significant change (P > 0.05). High density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) was higher and hs‐CRP was lower in the healthy group than pre‐HD and pre‐HDF groups. Moreover, a significant increase of HDL‐C (P < 0.05) and decrease (P < 0.05) of hs‐CRP was shown in post‐HDF compared with pre‐HDF, but HD appeared to have no significant change in these subjects. HDF therapy can downregulate miR‐33a expression, and then result in ABCA1, ABCG1 upregulation and an increase in circulating HDL‐C, leading to a possible anti‐atherosclerosis effect to some extent.
The new world screwworm: prospective distribution and role of weather in eradication
Authors: Gutierrez Andrew Paul , Ponti Luigi
Published: February 2014

The new world screwworm [Cochliomyia hominivorax (Coquerel)] was eradicated in North America, Libya and other locations using the sterile insect technique (SIT).

To examine the role of weather in its eradication, a physiologically‐based demographic model was developed and used to characterize its range of year‐round persistence. Published data on developmental times, fecundity and mortality rates on temperature were used to parameterize the model. The lower and upper thermal thresholds for development are 14.5 and 43.5 °C, and the optimal temperature for survival is 27.2 °C. An index of favourability based on annual rainfall was used as an approximate estimate of the limiting effects of moisture in arid areas.

The open source geographical information system software grass was used to map the simulation results, as well as county level myiasis incidence data for Texas for the 1962–1983 SIT eradication programme.

Winter temperature and rainfall are shown to have a strong influence on screwworm outbreaks and in facilitating eradication in North America and Libya. Prospective analysis for the Mediterranean Basin suggests that eastern areas are most favourable for screwworm establishment (e.g. the Nile River area of Egypt).

The SIT eradication programme and its possible extension into South America are discussed.

Expected +2 °C climate warming is predicted to increase the potential year‐round range of screwworm in the southeast U.S.A.
All‐ceramic restoration of zirconia two‐piece implants – a randomized controlled clinical trial
Authors: Payer Michael , Heschl Alexander , Koller Martin , Arnetzl Gerwin , Lorenzoni Martin , Jakse Norbert
Published: February 2014

Objectives

Aim of this controlled prospective randomized study was to evaluate the outcome of two‐piece zirconia implants compared to titanium implants over a period of up to 24 months.

Material and methods

A total of 31 implants (16 zirconia/Ziterion vario Z® + 15 titanium/Ziterion vario T®) were inserted primary stable (>30 Ncm) in the maxilla (7) and mandible (24) of 22 patients (13 male, nine female) requiring neither bone nor soft tissue augmentation. After a healing period of 6 months in the maxilla and 4 months in the mandible, ceramic abutments were luted adhesively to the zirconia implants and definitive all‐ceramic restoration was performed with high‐density ceramics. Radiographic bone levels, condition of the peri‐implant mucosa, aesthetic outcome, implant survival and success were recorded for up to 24 months.

Results

Measurements of mean marginal bone levels 24 months after surgery showed a significant bone loss (P < 0.001) in both groups (Ti: 1.43 (SD ± 0.67) vs. Zir 1.48 (SD ± 1.05). One zirconia implant was lost 8 months after restoration. No further complications were recorded, giving an overall survival and success rate of 93.3% for zirconia and 100% for titanium implants after a period of up to 24 months.

Conclusions

After 24 months, success rates of the two‐piece ceramic implants showed no significant difference compared to control two‐piece titanium implants. The bonded zirconia implant abutment connection appears to be capable with clinical application over the observed period. However, further control measurements need to confirm the presented data.
Clinical, radiographic, and histological analyses of calcium phosphate cement as filling material in maxillary sinus lift surgery
Authors: Sverzut Alexander T. , Rodrigues Danillo C. , Lauria Andrezza , Armando Rogério S. , de Oliveira Paulo T. , Moreira Roger W. F.
Published: February 2014

Background

The installation of dental implants in the posterior maxilla is often faced with resorbed alveolar processes, resulting from a combination of pneumatization of the maxillary sinus, the effects of periodontal disease, and physiological bone resorption. The sinus lift surgery has been practiced since 1980 with the aim to increase bone height in this region for an implant supported prosthetic rehabilitation, and various filling materials have been used for such.

Objectives

This study aimed to clinically, radiographically, and histologically evaluate a preparation of calcium phosphate cement (Bone Source®, BS) used as filling material in maxillary sinus elevation surgery.

Methods

Ten patients were operated requiring maxillary sinus graft for future placement of osseointegrated implants. After a period ranging from 9 to 16 months, a clinical evaluation and biopsy of the grafted area in the region adjacent to the axis of the implant to be inserted were performed.

Results

Clinically and radiographically, no evidence of resorption/substitution of BS was noticed. Although no patients have had postoperative complications and the material presented fully biocompatible characteristics with woven bone in intimate contact with BS, it was not possible to place any implants due to minimal bone formation and friability of the material.

Conclusion

It was concluded that despite the osteoconductive capacity of BS, this conventional calcium phosphate preparation does not support sufficient amount of new bone formation that could allow its use as filling material for maxillary sinus floor lift and subsequent dental implant placement.
Libertas: rationale and study design of a multicentre, Phase II, double–blind, randomised, placebo–controlled investigation to evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of locally applied NRL001 in patients with faecal incontinence
Authors: Siproudhis L. , Jones D. , Ng Kwet Shing R. , Walker D. , Scholefield J. H. ,   the Libertas Study Consortium
Published: February 2014

Aims

Faecal incontinence affects up to 8% of adults. Associated social isolation and subsequent depression can have devastating effects on quality of life (QoL). Faecal incontinence is an underreported health problem as the social isolation and stigma that patients experience makes it difficult for sufferers to discuss their condition with a physician. There have been few well–designed, placebo‐controlled clinical trials of treatment for faecal incontinence and little clinical evidence is available to inform the most appropriate management strategies. Libertas, a robustly designed study will investigate the efficacy and safety of NRL001 (1R,2S‐methoxamine), an α1–adrenoceptor agonist, in the treatment of faecal incontinence.

Methods

Libertas is a multicentre, Phase II, double–blind, randomised, placebo–controlled, parallel group study. Patient recruitment took place across 55 study centres in Europe. Patients suffering with faecal incontinence were randomised into four groups (approximately 110 each) to receive once daily self–administered doses of NRL001 (5, 7.5 or 10 mg or placebo in a suppository formulation) for 8 weeks. The primary objective of Libertas is to assess the impact of once daily administration of NRL001 on the severity and frequency of incontinence episodes as assessed by the Wexner score at 4 weeks, compared with placebo. Secondary outcomes include measures of efficacy of NRL001 compared with placebo following 8 weeks treatment; safety and tolerability; evaluation of plasma pharmacokinetics; establishment of any pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic relationship to adverse events; dose–response relationship; the efficacy of NRL001 therapy at 4 and 8 weeks assessed by the Vaizey score; and QoL using the Faecal Incontinence Quality of Life and the EQ–5D–5L Healthcare Questionnaires following 4 and 8 weeks NRL001 therapy. Overall patient satisfaction with the treatment will also be evaluated.

Discussion

This is the first randomised controlled study to investigate the efficacy and safety of a selective α1–adrenoceptor agonist for the treatment of faecal incontinence. Furthermore, this is the first time the impact of NRL001 on assessments of QoL, health outcomes and patient satisfaction will be assessed. Innovative strategies were developed to meet the challenge of recruiting patients for this study, for example, media advertising, posters and mailshots as allowed by each study centre.
Long‐term course of Dravet syndrome: A study from an epilepsy center in Japan
Authors: Takayama Rumiko , Fujiwara Tateki , Shigematsu Hideo , Imai Katsumi , Takahashi Yukitoshi , Yamakawa Kazuhiro , Inoue Yushi
Published: February 2014

Objective

This study attempted to clarify the long‐term course of Dravet syndrome (DS).

Methods

Sixty‐four patients diagnosed with DS (44 with typical DS, and 20 with atypical DS) were studied. The long‐term outcomes of clinical seizures, electroencephalographic findings, neuropsychological findings, and social situation were analyzed. The follow‐up period ranged from 11 to 34 years 5 months (median 24 years).

Results

At the last visit, the ages ranged from 19 years to 45 years (median 30 years). Fifty‐nine patients continued to have generalized tonic–clonic seizures (GTCS). Status epilepticus and unilateral seizures were not observed and myoclonic seizures, atypical absence seizures, and photosensitive seizures were resolved in most patients. The frequency of complex partial seizures was equally low, with five patients at presentation and six patients at the last visit, respectively. Five patients achieved seizure remission (seizure‐free for 1 year or longer). Only 1 of 44 patients with typical DS had seizure remission, whereas 4 of 20 patients with atypical DS remitted, with a statistically significant difference between the two phenotypes (p = 0.03). Intellectual disability was found in all patients; especially, severe intellectual disability was prevalent. Patients with atypical DS tended to have milder intellectual disability compared to those with typical DS (p = 0.0283). Occipital alpha rhythm in the basic activity was associated with milder intellectual disability (p = 0.0085). The freedom from seizures correlated with appearance of occipital alpha rhythms (p = 0.0008) and disappearance of epileptic discharges (p = 0.0004). Two patients with GTCS died. Mutations of the neuronal voltage‐gated sodium channel alpha subunit type 1 gene were detected at a high frequency (33 of 36 patients examined). Seizure remission was found only in the missense mutation group.

Significance

The long‐term seizure and intellectual outcomes are extremely poor in patients with typical DS compared to those with atypical DS. Epilepsy phenotype may influence long‐term course of DS.
Impairment of kindling development in phospholipase Cγ1 heterozygous mice
Authors: He Xiao Ping , Wen Renren , McNamara James O.
Published: February 2014

Objective

Elucidating molecular mechanisms underlying limbic epileptogenesis may reveal novel targets for preventive therapy. Studies of TrkB mutant mice led us to hypothesize that signaling through a specific phospholipase (PLC), PLCγ1, promoted development of kindling.

Methods

To test this hypothesis, we examined the development of kindling in PLCγ1 heterozygous mice. We also examined the cellular and subcellular location of PLCγ1 in adult wild‐type mice.

Results

The development of kindling was impaired in PLCγ1 heterozygous mice compared to wild‐type controls. PLCγ1 immunoreactivity was localized to the soma and dendrites of both excitatory and inhibitory neurons in the hippocampus of adult mice.

Significance

This study implicates PLCγ1 signaling as the dominant pathway by which TrkB activation promotes limbic epileptogenesis. Its cellular localization places PLCγ1 in a position to modify the efficacy of both excitatory and inhibitory synaptic transmission. These findings advance PLCγ1 as a novel target for therapies aimed at preventing temporal lobe epilepsy induced by status epilepticus.
The atopic skin‐like microenvironment modulates the T‐cell‐polarising cytokine production of myeloid dendritic cells, as determined by laser scanning cytometry
Authors: Nagy Georgina , Doan‐Xuan Quang‐Minh , Gáspár Krisztián , Mócsai Gábor , Kapitány Anikó , Törőcsik Dániel , Bacsó Zsolt , Gyimesi Edit , Remenyik Éva , Bíró Tamás , Szegedi Andrea
Published: February 2014

Because it is not known exactly when or where myeloid dendritic cells (mDCs) acquire their atopic dermatitis (AD)‐specific T‐cell‐polarising ability in patients with this condition, we used laser scanning cytometry (LSC) to determine whether isolated peripheral blood mDCs from AD patients differed from cells from controls in their cytokine expression profiles de novo and after stimulation with Staphylococcus enterotoxin B (SEB) and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP), which represents an AD‐like microenvironment. Unstimulated mDCs from AD patients showed pluripotent T‐cell‐polarising capacity, and the surrounding skin microenvironment was essential for the distinctive, disease‐specific activity of mDCs (Th2‐Th22 bias). We also emphasise that LSC is an attractive technique to study the effect of new DC‐targeted therapeutic modalities in AD.
Decomposing propagule pressure: the effects of propagule size and propagule frequency on invasion success
Authors: Wittmann Meike J. , Metzler Dirk , Gabriel Wilfried , Jeschke Jonathan M.
Published: February 2014

Propagule pressure quantifies the inflow of individuals to a location and appears to be a key driver of invasion success. It is often defined as the average number of individuals introduced per time unit, or equivalently as the product of the average number of individuals introduced per introduction event (propagule size) and the frequency of introduction events (propagule frequency). Here we study how the influence of propagule size, frequency, and their product depends on the underlying ecological conditions. While previous studies have focused on introductions under environmental heterogeneity or a strong Allee effect, we examine a range of ecological scenarios that differ in the type of density dependence and in the sign of per capita growth rate. Our results indicate that the relative influence of propagule size and frequency depends mainly on the sign of per capita growth rate. Given a certain average number of individuals introduced per time unit, a high propagule frequency accelerates invasions under ecological scenarios with positive average per capita growth rate throughout the invasion process (‘easy’ scenarios). If per capita growth rate is negative throughout the invasion process (‘difficult’ scenarios) or if there is both an easy and a difficult stage (‘mixed scenarios’), a high propagule size leads to a faster invasion than a high propagule frequency. To explain this finding, we argue that for a fixed value of the product of propagule size and frequency, an increase in propagule size leads to an increase in demographic variance, which promotes invasion success in difficult and mixed but not in easy scenarios. However, we also show that in many of these cases, the product of propagule size and frequency still correlates more strongly with invasion success than either of the single components. Finally, we illustrate our approach with empirical examples from the literature.
The use of a non‐invasive tool for capture–recapture studies on a seahorse Hippocampus guttulatus population
Authors: Correia M. , Palma J. , Koldewey H. , Andrade J. P.
Published: February 2014

In this study, the spot pattern in Hippocampus guttulatus was analysed using a computer programme algorithm that allowed individual comparison. This methodology was first tested in a controlled environment using 51 adult and 55 juvenile H. guttulatus. Positive matches were obtained in 86·3 and 83·6% of the adults and juveniles, respectively. In a second experiment, monthly surveys were carried out in five selected locations in the Ria Formosa Lagoon, south Portugal, over the course of a year and a total of 980 photographs were analysed. Photographed H. guttulatus were re‐sighted one to nine times during the course of the survey period with an overall re‐sight record of over 30%. Photo‐identification was therefore shown to be a useful tool for non‐invasive mark–recapture studies that can be successfully used to survey the population abundance of H. guttulatus aged 6 months or older in consecutive years. This could be of great value when considering the assessment of H. guttulatus populations and understanding changes over time.
Acid–base and ion balance in fishes with bimodal respiration
Authors: Shartau R. B. , Brauner C. J.
Published: February 2014

The evolution of air breathing during the Devonian provided early fishes with bimodal respiration with a stable O2 supply from air. This was, however, probably associated with challenges and trade‐offs in terms of acid–base balance and ionoregulation due to reduced gill:water interaction and changes in gill morphology associated with air breathing. While many aspects of acid–base and ionoregulation in air‐breathing fishes are similar to water breathers, the specific cellular and molecular mechanisms involved remain largely unstudied. In general, reduced ionic permeability appears to be an important adaptation in the few bimodal fishes investigated but it is not known if this is a general characteristic. The kidney appears to play an important role in minimizing ion loss to the freshwater environment in the few species investigated, and while ion uptake across the gut is probably important, it has been largely unexplored. In general, air breathing in facultative air‐breathing fishes is associated with an acid–base disturbance, resulting in an increased partial pressure of arterial CO2 and a reduction in extracellular pH (pHE); however, several fishes appear to be capable of tightly regulating tissue intracellular pH (pHI), despite a large sustained reduction in pHE, a trait termed preferential pHI regulation. Further studies are needed to determine whether preferential pHI regulation is a general trait among bimodal fishes and if this confers reduced sensitivity to acid–base disturbances, including those induced by hypercarbia, exhaustive exercise and hypoxia or anoxia. Additionally, elucidating the cellular and molecular mechanisms may yield insight into whether preferential pHI regulation is a trait ultimately associated with the early evolution of air breathing in vertebrates.
Melatonin alleviates Echis carinatus venom‐induced toxicities by modulating inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress
Authors: Katkar G. D. , Shanmuga Sundaram M. , Hemshekhar M. , Sharma D. Rachana , Sebastin Santhosh M. , Sunitha K. , Rangappa K. S. , Girish K. S. , Kemparaju K.
Published: February 2014

Viper bites cause high morbidity and mortality worldwide and regarded as a neglected tropical disease affecting a large healthy population. Classical antivenom therapy has appreciably reduced the snakebite mortality rate; it apparently fails to tackle viper venom‐induced local manifestations that persist even after the administration of antivenom. Recently, viper venom‐induced oxidative stress and vital organ damage is deemed as yet another reason for concern; these are considered as postmedicated complications of viper bite. Thus, treating viper bite has become a challenge demanding new treatment strategies, auxiliary to antivenin therapy. In the last decade, several studies have reported the use of plant products and clinically approved drugs to neutralize venom‐induced pharmacology. However, very few attempts were undertaken to study oxidative stress and vital organ damage. Based on this background, the present study evaluated the protective efficacy of melatonin in Echis carinatus (EC) venom‐induced tissue necrosis, oxidative stress, and organ toxicity. The results demonstrated that melatonin efficiently alleviated EC venom‐induced hemorrhage and myonecrosis. It also mitigated the altered levels of inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress markers of blood components in liver and kidney homogenates, and documented renal and hepatoprotective action of melatonin. The histopathology of skin, muscle, liver, and kidney tissues further substantiated the overall protection offered by melatonin against viper bite toxicities. Besides the inability of antivenoms to block local effects and the fact that melatonin is already a widely used drug promulgating a multitude of therapeutic functionalities, its use in viper bite management is of high interest and should be seriously considered.
The default network and self‐generated thought: component processes, dynamic control, and clinical relevance
Authors: Andrews‐Hanna Jessica R. , Smallwood Jonathan , Spreng R. Nathan
Published: February 2014

Though only a decade has elapsed since the default network (DN) was first defined as a large‐scale brain system, recent years have brought great insight into the network's adaptive functions. A growing theme highlights the DN as playing a key role in internally directed or self‐generated thought. Here, we synthesize recent findings from cognitive science, neuroscience, and clinical psychology to focus attention on two emerging topics as current and future directions surrounding the DN. First, we present evidence that self‐generated thought is a multifaceted construct whose component processes are supported by different subsystems within the network. Second, we highlight the dynamic nature of the DN, emphasizing its interaction with executive control systems when regulating aspects of internal thought. We conclude by discussing clinical implications of disruptions to the integrity of the network, and consider disorders when thought content becomes polarized or network interactions become disrupted or imbalanced.
Where all the rivers flow west: Maps, abstraction and change in the Papua New Guinea lowlands
Authors: Dwyer Peter D. , Minnegal Monica
Published: February 2014

‘Abstraction’ has been often identified as a key element in social change. Analyses, however, have often conflated the ideas of abstraction as ‘object’ and as ‘process’. This paper discusses two maps drawn by or on behalf of Kubo men, of the interior lowlands of southern Papua New Guinea. They were drawn in the context of recent exposure to a vast Liquefied Natural Gas project initiated on the land of their neighbours and both, as abstractions from new observations and experiences, were intended as assertions of rights to land. They derived, however, from entirely different logics: one more compatible with ‘Western’ understandings of ownership, the other more in keeping with earlier Kubo understandings of belonging. By reference to these maps, we consider the role of abstraction in social change and argue that while, as object, abstraction is relative as a process it is universal.
Regulation of SOBIR1 accumulation and activation of defense responses in bir1–1 by specific components of ER quality control
Authors: Sun Tongjun , Zhang Qian , Gao Minghui , Zhang Yuelin
Published: February 2014

Receptor‐like kinases play diverse roles in plant biology. Arabidopsis BAK1‐INTERACTING RECEPTOR‐LIKE KINASE 1 (BIR1) functions as a negative regulator of plant immunity. bir1‐1 mutant plants display spontaneous cell death and constitutive defense responses that are dependent on SUPPRESSOR OF BIR1,1 (SOBIR1) and PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT4 (PAD4). Here we report that mutations in three components of ER quality control, CALRETICULIN3 (CRT3), ER‐LOCALIZED DnaJ‐LIKE PROTEIN 3b (ERdj3b) and STROMAL‐DERIVED FACTOR‐2 (SDF2), also suppress the spontaneous cell death and constitutive defense responses in bir1‐1. Further analysis revealed that accumulation of the SOBIR1 protein is reduced in crt3‐1 and erdj3b‐1 mutant plants. These data suggest that ER quality control plays important roles in the biogenesis of SOBIR1, and is required for cell death and defense responses in bir1‐1.
Local Impermeant Anions Establish the Neuronal Chloride Concentration
Authors: Glykys J. , Dzhala V. , Egawa K. , Balena T , Saponjian Y. , Kuchibhotla K. V. , Bacskai B. J. , Kahle K. T. , Zeuthen T. , Staley K. J.
Published: February 2014

Causing Chloride Changes

Because intracellular chloride concentrations largely determine the direction and magnitude of current flow through GABA
A
channels, the stability of intracellular chloride concentration is important to maintain consistent synaptic inhibition.

Glykys
et al.

(p.
670
) examined the mechanisms by which chloride gradients in neurons are established, using chloride imaging with transgenically expressed clomeleon dye. Surprisingly, intracellular chloride was not primarily determined by transporters. Instead, subcellular gradients of immobile anions generated inverse chloride gradients.
Envisioning the Bioconversion of Methane to Liquid Fuels
Authors: Conrado Robert J. , Gonzalez Ramon
Published: February 2014

Advances in enzymatic pathways and bioreactor design could allow microorganisms to transform methane into chemicals and fuels.