bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of computerized delivery intraligamental injection in primary molars on their corresponding permanent tooth buds
Authors: ASHKENAZI MALKA , BLUMER SIGALIT , ELI ILANA
Published: June 2010

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2010; 20: 270–275

Objective.  To evaluate the prevalence of developmental disturbances in permanent teeth in which buds were exposed to intraligamental injection (ILI) delivered by a computer controlled local anaesthetic delivery (C‐CLAD).

Methods.  The study population consisted of 78 children (age 4.1–12.8 years) who received ILI–C‐CLAD to 166 primary molars. A structured form was designed to include information regarding age at treatment, gender, type of treated tooth, tooth location, type of dental treatment, and type of developmental disturbance(s) present in the associated permanent tooth. Teeth, which received regular anaesthesia or were not anaesthetized by local anaesthesia, served as controls.

Results.  Five children had developmental defects. In C‐CLAD–ILI exposed teeth, one child had two hypomaturation defects. The corresponding primary teeth were extracted. No defects were found on the control side. In two children, hypoplastic defects were found only in the control teeth (one in each child). One suffered from a dentoalveolar abscess in the corresponding primary tooth. Diffuse hypomaturation defects were found in two children on both the C‐CLAD‐ILI exposed and control sides.

Conclusion.  In the primary dentition, C‐CLAD–ILI does not increase the danger of developmental disturbances to the underlying permanent dental bud.
Development of an illustrated index of tooth appearance–perception‐based quantification of tooth discolouration and surface defects
Authors: MODI SOMA , WILLIAMS LUCY , GREENWOOD ROSEMARY , DAVEY NEIL , CRAWFORD PETER
Published: June 2010

International Journal of Paediatric Dentistry 2010; 20: 293–304

Background.  Existing indices to quantify tooth discolouration are mostly aetiology‐specific. An index of tooth appearance (IOTA), derived from all types of tooth discolouration and surface defects, would allow the quantification of attractiveness for psychological assessment and treatment planning

Objective.  To develop a perception based IOTA for quantification of all forms of tooth discolouration and surface defects.

Methods.  One hundred images of discoloured teeth were twice ranked by a panel of judges according to perceived attractiveness. Mean image score was then used to arrange the images into a continuum of attractiveness and from these, ten images were selected, to constitute the illustrated IOTA. A second panel of judges assessed 35 clinical pictures using the IOTA, on two occasions.

Results.  The first 100 images were assessed with a correlation of 0.79–0.81 between the two ranking sessions and with intra‐group reproducibility of 0.8–0.94. The second panel of judges used the developed IOTA quickly, with an intra‐judge correlation of 0.87 and inter‐judge reliability of 0.72 and 0.74 for two sessions.

Conclusions.  The IOTA could be used by clinicians as a tool for quantifying disfigurement in teeth, irrespective of aetiology or histology.
The chemical code of porcine enteric neurons and the number of enteric glial cells are altered by dietary probiotics
Authors: Di Giancamillo A. , Vitari F. , Bosi G. , Savoini G. , Domeneghini C.
Published: June 2010

Background  The enteric nervous system (ENS) contains chemically coded populations of neurons that serve specific functions for the control of the gastrointestinal tract. The ability of neurons to modify their chemical code in response to luminal changes has recently been discovered. It is possible that enteric neuronal plasticity may sustain the adaptability of the gut to changes in intestinal activity or injury, and that gut neurons may respond to an altered intestinal environment by changing their neuropeptide expression.

Methods  We used immunohistochemical methods to investigate the presence and localization of several neuronal populations and enteric glia in both the small (ileum) and large (cecum) intestine of piglets. We assessed their abundance in submucosal and myenteric plexus from animals treated with the probiotic Pediococcus acidilactici compared with untreated controls.

Key Results  The treated piglets had a larger number of galanin‐ and calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP)‐immunoreactive neurons than controls, but this was limited to the submucosal plexus ganglia of the ileum. Moreover, immunohistochemistry revealed that glial fibrillary acidic protein‐positive enteric glial cells were significantly higher in the inner and outer submucosal plexuses of treated animals.

Conclusions & Inferences  The neuronal and glial changes described here illustrate plasticity of the ENS in response to an altered luminal environment in the gastrointestinal tract.
Sex‐related adaptive responses to interaction of drought and salinity in Populus yunnanensis
Authors: CHEN LIANGHUA , ZHANG SHENG , ZHAO HONGXIA , KORPELAINEN HELENA , LI CHUNYANG
Published: June 2010

We used Populus yunnanensis Dode., a native dioecious species in southwestern China, as a model species to study morphological, physiological, biochemical and ultrastructural responses to drought, salinity and their combination. Females exhibited more growth inhibition, gas exchange rate depression and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation; higher lipid peroxide levels, lower osmotic adjustment capacity and ascorbate–glutathione cycle enzyme activities; and more damage to cell organelles than did males under drought, salinity and especially under their combination. In addition, we found sex‐specific responses in total chlorophyll content (TC), carotenoid concentration and carbon isotope composition under different osmotic stresses. Our results indicated that: (1) females are more sensitive and suffer from greater negative effects than do males under drought, salinity and especially under their combination; (2) sexual differences in adaptive responses to drought, salinity and their combination are context dependent; and (3) sex‐specific reactions under a combination of stresses are distinct from single‐stress responses. Thus, these results provide evidence for adaptive differentiation between sexes in responses to osmotic stresses and in the sensitivity to environmental change.
Structure of a silica diagenetic transformation zone: the Gjallar Ridge, offshore Norway
Authors: IRELAND MARK T. , DAVIES RICHARD J. , GOULTY NEIL R. , CARRUTHERS DANIEL
Published: June 2010

Three‐dimensional seismic data from the Gjallar Ridge were used together with X‐ray diffraction data, scientific boreholes and wireline logs to analyse the seismic structure of a silica diagenetic transformation zone. The following features were identified: (i) an interval some 150 to 300 m thick that contains anomalously high‐amplitude reflections; (ii) a strong reflection event at the top of this interval which cross‐cuts stratigraphy, interpreted as the transformation boundary between opal‐A‐rich and opal‐CT‐rich sediment; (iii) amplitude variations on stratigraphic reflections within the interval, attributed to variations in the proportions of opal‐A and opal‐CT; and (iv) a second, deeper, cross‐cutting reflection event within the interval, interpreted as the transformation boundary between opal‐CT‐rich and quartz‐rich sediment. The base of the interval containing the anomalously high‐amplitude reflections is interpreted as a stratigraphic reflection demarcating the base of the silica‐rich strata. On a stratigraphic reflection within the interval of high amplitudes, roughly circular regions of anomalously high amplitude with diameters of 0·8 to 2·5 km are separated by lower amplitude regions. This pattern is similar to the cells previously identified at the opal‐A to opal‐CT transformation boundary and probably results from more complete transformation of opal‐A to opal‐CT. All of these observations provide the first recognition from seismic data that silica diagenetic transformations are not always narrow boundaries represented by single cross‐cutting seismic reflection events, as implied previously, but can be heterogeneous and hundreds of metres in thickness, as observed at outcrop.
Population genomic analysis of Tunisian Medicago truncatula reveals candidates for local adaptation
Authors: Friesen Maren L. , Cordeiro Matilde A. , Penmetsa R. Varma , Badri Mounawer , Huguet Thierry , Aouani Mohamed E. , Cook Douglas R. , Nuzhdin Sergey V.
Published: June 2010

Genome‐wide association studies rely upon segregating natural genetic variation, particularly the patterns of polymorphism and correlation between adjacent markers. To facilitate association studies in the model legume Medicago truncatula, we present a genome‐scale polymorphism scan using existing Affymetrix microarrays. We develop and validate a method that uses a simple information‐criteria algorithm to call polymorphism from microarray data without reliance on a reference genotype. We genotype 12 inbred M. truncatula lines sampled from four wild Tunisian populations and find polymorphisms at approximately 7% of features, comprising 31 419 probes. Only approximately 3% of these markers assort by population, and of these only 10% differentiate between populations from saline and non‐saline sites. Fifty‐two differentiated probes with unique genome locations correspond to 18 distinct genome regions. Sanger resequencing was used to characterize a subset of maker loci and develop a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)‐typing assay that confirmed marker assortment by habitat in an independent sample of 33 individuals from the four populations. Genome‐wide linkage disequilibrium (LD) extends on average for approximately 10 kb, falling to background levels by approximately 500 kb. A similar range of LD decay was observed in the 18 genome regions that assort by habitat; these LD blocks delimit candidate genes for local adaptation, many of which encode proteins with predicted functions in abiotic stress tolerance and are targets for functional genomic studies. Tunisian M. truncatula populations contain substantial amounts of genetic variation that is structured in relatively small LD blocks, suggesting a history of migration and recombination. These populations provide a strong resource for genome‐wide association studies.
Lay perceptions of kala‐azar, mosquitoes and bed nets in Bihar, India
Authors: Mishra Rabindra N. , Singh S. P. , Vanlerberghe Veerle , Sundar Shyam , Boelaert Marleen , Lefèvre Pierre
Published: June 2010

Objective  To describe the lay perception of kala‐azar (KA) in an endemic area of Muzaffarpur District, Bihar, India: local names, symptoms, affected persons, perceived severity and modes of transmission, as well as perceived mosquito nuisance, modes of protection and use of bed nets.

Methods  We held 16 focus group discussions (FGD) in eight remote villages with altogether 157 participants in March 2008. Separate FGDs were held according to gender, socio‐economic status (SES) and with key informants.

Results  Kala‐azar is most commonly named pilahi. Poor people were said to be the most affected. Knowledge about symptoms was satisfactory. Fever and prolonged fever were the most stated symptoms. KA was perceived as a life‐threatening disease with a heavy economic burden. Mosquito bites were perceived as the main mode of transmission but in lower socio‐economic groups, non‐vector‐related explanations were also provided. The main modes of protection from mosquitoes mentioned were the use of fumes and bed nets. Season was the strongest factor influencing the use of bed nets and non‐affordability for not owning them.

Conclusions  Although the sand fly is not recognised as the vector, the relatively good awareness of disease transmission by mosquitoes and the nuisance caused by their high density might be an entry point for adopting preventive measures to protect from mosquito bite and thereby indirectly preventing from KA. Educational campaigns targeted to the poorer segments of society are needed to enhance knowledge about KA, its mode of transmission, risks of getting infected and to increase bed net use.
Hyperpolarization‐activated ion channels as targets for nitric oxide signalling in deep cerebellar nuclei
Authors: Wilson Gary W. , Garthwaite John
Published: June 2010

Most biological effects of nitric oxide (NO) in the brain are mediated by guanylyl cyclase‐coupled NO receptors, whose activation results in increased intracellular cGMP levels. Apart from protein kinase activation little is known about subsequent cGMP signal transduction. In optic nerve axons, hyperpolarization‐activated cyclic nucleotide‐modulated cation (HCN) channels, which bind cGMP or cAMP directly, were recently suggested to be a target. The aim here was to test this possibility more directly. Neurones of the rat deep cerebellar nuclei were selected for this purpose, their suitability being attested by immunocytochemistry showing that the principal neurones expressed guanylyl cyclase protein and that NO synthase‐containing fibres were abundant in the neuropil. Using whole‐cell voltage‐clamp recording, HCN channels in the neurones were activated in response to isoprenaline and exogenous cAMP but only occasionally did they respond to NO, although exogenous cGMP was routinely effective. With the less invasive sharp microelectrode recording technique, however, exogenous NO modulated the channels reproducibly, as measured by the size of the HCN channel‐mediated voltage sag following hyperpolarization. Moreover, NO also blunted the subsequent rebound depolarizing potentials, consistent with it increasing the hyperpolarization‐activated current. Optimizing the whole‐cell solution to improve the functioning of NO‐activated guanylyl cyclase failed to restore NO sensitivity. Minimizing cellular dialysis by using the perforated‐patch technique, however, was successful. The results provide evidence that HCN channels are potential downstream mediators of NO signalling in deep cerebellar nuclei neurones and suggest that the more general importance of this transduction pathway may have been overlooked previously because of unsuitable recording methods.
Characterisation of behavioural and neurodegenerative changes induced by intranigral 6‐hydroxydopamine lesions in a mouse model of Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Grealish Shane , Mattsson Bengt , Draxler Peter , Björklund Anders
Published: June 2010

Despite the widespread use of mice as models of Parkinson’s disease there is a surprising lack of validation and characterisation of unilateral lesion models in mice and the extent of behavioural impairments induced by such lesions. The aim of the present study was to characterise the behavioural deficits observed after injection of 6‐hydroxydopamine unilaterally into the substantia nigra, and correlate the behavioural impairments with the extent of damage to the mesostriatal dopaminergic pathway. We found that a recently introduced test for assessment of sensorimotor impairment, the corridor task, was particularly useful in determining lesion severity, and that this test, in combination with standard drug‐induced rotation tests, can be used to select animals with profound (≥ 80%) dopaminergic lesions that are stable over time. Based on these data we propose criteria that can be used to predict the extent of lesion, classified as severe, intermediate or mild lesions of the mesostriatal pathway. The correlation of cell loss and striatal innervation with the performance in each test provides a useful tool for the assessment of functional recovery in neurorestoration and cell transplantation studies, and for the evaluation of the in vivo efficacy and performance of stem cell‐derived dopamine neuron preparations.
The impact of an insecticide on insect flower visitation and pollination in an agricultural landscape
Authors: Brittain Claire , Bommarco Riccardo , Vighi Marco , Barmaz Stefania , Settele Josef , Potts Simon G.
Published: June 2010

Pesticides are considered a threat to pollinators but little is known about the potential impacts of their widespread use on pollinators. Less still is known about the impacts on pollination, comprising the ecosystem service that pollinators provide to wildflowers and crops.

The present study measured flower visitation and pollination in an agricultural landscape, by placing potted flowering plants (Petunia sp.) in vine fields sprayed with a highly toxic insecticide (fenitrothion). During two sampling rounds, insect visitors to the petunias were observed and measures of pollination were recorded by counting and weighing seeds.

In the earlier sampling round, a lower species richness of insect visitors was observed in fields that had received an early application of insecticide. No negative impacts were found from later applications. The results obtained suggest a greater potential harm to insect pollinators and flower visitation as a result of insecticide application early in the season.

No reduction in pollination was found in fields that received an early insecticide application. Pollination was greater with two insecticide applications between sampling rounds rather than one application.

In the present study system, insecticide application had a negative effect on pollinators but a possible positive effect on pollination services. In some cases, it may be that actions for conserving biodiversity will not benefit pollination services to all plants.
Endobacteria affect the metabolic profile of their host Gigaspora margarita, an arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus
Authors: Salvioli Alessandra , Chiapello Marco , Fontaine Joel , Hadj‐Sahraoui Anissa Lounes , Grandmougin‐Ferjani Anne , Lanfranco Luisa , Bonfante Paola
Published: June 2010

The aim of this paper was to understand whether the endobacterium identified as Candidatus Glomeribacter gigasporarum has an effect on the biology of its host, the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Gigaspora margarita, through the study of the modifications induced on the fungal proteome and lipid profile. The availability of G. margarita cured spores (i.e. spores that do not contain bacteria), represented a crucial tool to enable the comparison between two fungal homogeneous populations in the presence and the absence of the bacterial components. Our results demonstrate that the endobacterial presence leads to a modulation of fungal protein expression in all the different conditions we tested (quiescent, germinating and strigolactone‐elicited germinating spores), and in particular after treatment with a strigolactone analogue. The fungal fatty acid profile resulted to be modified both quantitatively and qualitatively in the absence of endobacteria, being fatty acids less abundant in the cured spores. The results offer one of the first comparative metabolic studies of an AM fungus investigated under different physiological conditions, reveal that endobacteria have an important impact on the host fungal activity, influencing both protein expression and lipid profile, and suggest that the bacterial absence is perceived by G. margarita as a stimulus which activates stress‐responsive proteins.
The CyAbrB transcription factor CalA regulates the iron superoxide dismutase in Nostoc sp. strain PCC 7120
Authors: Agervald Åsa , Baebprasert Wipawee , Zhang Xiaohui , Incharoensakdi Aran , Lindblad Peter , Stensjö Karin
Published: June 2010

In the present investigation the results of induced over‐production of the CyAbrB transcription factor CalA (Cyanobacterial AbrB‐like, annotated as Alr0946) in the cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. PCC 7120 were analysed. The CalA overexpression strain showed a bleaching phenotype with lower growth rate and truncated filaments 2 days after induction of overexpression. The phenotype was even more pronounced when illumination was increased from 35 to 125 µmol m−2 s−1. Using gel‐based quantitative proteomics, the induced overexpression of CalA was shown to downregulate the abundance of FeSOD, one of two types of superoxide dismutases in Nostoc sp. PCC 7120. The change in protein abundance was also accompanied by lower transcript as well as activity levels. Purified recombinant CalA from Nostoc sp. PCC 7120 was shown to interact with the promoter region of alr2938, encoding FeSOD, indicating a transcriptional regulation of FeSOD by CalA. The bleaching phenotype is in line with a decreased tolerance against oxidative stress and indicates that CalA is involved in regulation of cellular responses in which FeSOD has an important and specific function in the filamentous cyanobacterium Nostoc sp. PCC 7120.
Lethal infection thresholds of Paenibacillus larvae for honeybee drone and worker larvae (Apis mellifera)
Authors: Behrens Dieter , Forsgren Eva , Fries Ingemar , Moritz Robin F. A.
Published: June 2010

We compared the mortality of honeybee (Apis mellifera) drone and worker larvae from a single queen under controlled in vitro conditions following infection with Paenibacillus larvae, a bacterium causing the brood disease American Foulbrood (AFB). We also determined absolute P. larvae cell numbers and lethal titres in deceased individuals of both sexes up to 8 days post infection using quantitative real‐time PCR (qPCR). Our results show that in drones the onset of infection induced mortality is delayed by 1 day, the cumulative mortality is reduced by 10% and P. larvae cell numbers are higher than in worker larvae. Since differences in bacterial cell titres between sexes can be explained by differences in body size, larval size appears to be a key parameter for a lethal threshold in AFB tolerance. Both means and variances for lethal thresholds are similar for drone and worker larvae suggesting that drone resistance phenotypes resemble those of related workers.
Discrepancies Between Implicit and Explicit Motivation and Unhealthy Eating Behavior
Authors: Job Veronika , Oertig Daniela , Brandstätter Veronika , Allemand Mathias
Published: June 2010

ABSTRACT
Many people change their eating behavior as a consequence of stress. One source of stress is intrapersonal psychological conflict as caused by discrepancies between implicit and explicit motives. In the present research, we examined whether eating behavior is related to this form of stress. Study 1 (N=53), a quasi‐experimental study in the lab, showed that the interaction between the implicit achievement motive disposition and explicit commitment toward an achievement task significantly predicts the number of snacks consumed in a consecutive taste test. In cross‐sectional Study 2 (N=100), with a sample of middle‐aged women, overall motive discrepancy was significantly related to diverse indices of unsettled eating. Regression analyses revealed interaction effects specifically for power and achievement motivation and not for affiliation. Emotional distress further partially mediated the relationship between the overall motive discrepancy and eating behavior.
Passive‐Submissive and Active‐Emotional Trait Dependency: Evidence for a Two‐Factor Model
Authors: Morgan Theresa A. , Clark Lee Anna
Published: June 2010

ABSTRACT
Dependency plays an important role in both normal and abnormal personality, but the construct remains loosely defined, both in clinical practice and the research literature. Moreover, although a number of measures purport to measure trait dependency, little agreement exists as to the structure of dependency within or across these instruments. Furthermore, what constitutes the low end of trait dependency remains unclear. Five hundred nine undergraduates completed a battery of 14 dependency scales and subscales, a subset of whom (n=322) also completed a broad measure of personality pathology (SNAP‐2). Exploratory factor analysis of the dependency measures yielded two correlated factors—Passive‐Submissive and Active‐Emotional dependency—as well as a third, unrelated factor, Detachment/Autonomy, all with differential correlates to the pathological personality traits of the SNAP‐2. Taken together, these data suggest a clear, 2‐factor model for trait dependency that is distinct from detachment/autonomy.
Political Opportunity Structures and the Outcomes of Transnational Campaigns: A Comparison of Two Transnational Advocacy Networks
Authors: Shawki Noha
Published: June 2010

Two of the most prominent transnational advocacy networks that were launched in the 1990s are the International Campaign to Ban Landmines (ICBL) and the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA). The ICBL was very successful in shaping global policy on landmines, while IANSA has had much less political impact. To explain the substantial difference in the political outcomes of these otherwise quite similar campaigns, this article draws on the concept of the political opportunity structure, a key concept in social movement theory, adapts it to the transnational context, and applies it to a comparison of the ICBL and IANSA. Transnational advocacy networks that are able to seize the opportunities created by international conference diplomacy and by UN initiatives, and whose agenda does not result in value clashes or other types of intractable conflicts, are more likely to shape political outcomes.
Missing voices: representations of autism in British newspapers, 1999–2008
Authors: Huws Jaci C. , Jones Robert S. P.
Published: June 2010

Accessible summary

 This study examines how autism is portrayed in newspapers in the United Kingdom.

 The findings indicate that many of the stories about autism are not based on interviews with individuals with autism.

 Newspaper accounts tend to focus on stories about children with autism, rather than on adults.

Past research indicates that newspaper representations of developmental disability reinforce negative stereotypes. The aim of this study was to examine depictions of autism in British newspapers. A qualitative content and discourse analysis of newspaper accounts of autism was conducted over four 1‐month time points, every 3 years, between May 1999 and May 2008. The analysis indicated that conceptualisations of autism could be categorised under three themes: missing voices; the burden of autism; and, sensationalising, misconceptions and misuse of a label. Autism was also portrayed in a standardised and homogenised way that failed to recognise human diversity, and the focus predominated on childhood and third‐hand accounts of autism.
Planned pregnancy, planned parenting: enabling choice for adults with a learning disability
Authors: Conder Jennifer , Mirfin‐Veitch Brigit , Sanders Jackie , Munford Robyn
Published: June 2010

Accessible summary

 Most adults, including many with a learning disability, want to be parents. Parents with a learning disability can care for their children well. To do this, they may need support from their family or friends and a range of services.

 Researchers interviewed parents with a learning disability about their pregnancy and the help that they were given after their baby was born. They were interested to find out how the parent made choices about parenting and what information they had when they made their choices.

 From the stories of four parents, this article discusses:

 The findings from this research can be used to help people with a learning disability make good decisions about becoming a parent.

For adults with learning disabilities, becoming a parent can fulfil childhood dreams to take their place in society through a highly valued social role. Recent research aimed at describing the experience of parents with a learning disability suggests that there are barriers to successful planning for both pregnancy and parenthood. However, with the right support, these parents can provide a secure and loving environment for their child. Enabling informed decisions about becoming a parent could increase the number of parents who successfully raise their own child. In this article, stories that highlight the experiences of six parents are used to illustrate issues relevant to informed decision‐making, including knowledge of contraception, the development of parenting skills and the importance of social support. Through their contrasting stories, a combination of family support and appropriately responsive services was identified as critical to the development of a positive parenting context. This finding highlights the need for professionals and support people who work with young people with a learning disability to ensure that they educate and support them to make informed decisions about contraception, pregnancy and parenting.
Albatrosses, eagles and newts, Oh My!: exceptions to the prevailing paradigm concerning genetic diversity and population viability?
Authors: Reed D. H.
Published: June 2010

Numerous recent papers have demonstrated a central role for genetic factors in the extinction process or have documented the importance of gene flow in reversing population declines. This prompted one recent publication to declare that a revolution in conservation genetics has occurred. Contemporaneously with this revolution are a series of papers demonstrating long‐term population persistence for several species despite having little or no detectable genetic variation. In a couple of notable cases, populations have been shown to have survived for centuries at small population size and with depleted levels of genetic variation. These contradictory results demand an explanation. In this review, I will show that these results do not necessarily fly in the face of theory as sometimes stated. The reconciliation of these two sets of observations relies on the incorporation of two major concepts. (1) Genetic factors do not act in a vacuum and it is their interaction with the environment, the strength and type of selection imposed, and the life history of the organism that determine the relative importance of genetic factors to extinction risk. (2) The relationship between molecular estimates of genetic variation and evolutionary potential, the relevance of genetic bottlenecks to adaptive genetic variation, and the nature of the stochastic process of extinction must be better integrated into expectations of population viability. Reports of populations persisting for hundreds of generations with very little detectable genetic variation provide us not only with valuable information but also with hope. However, recent studies suggest that we should not be sanguine about the importance of genetic diversity in the conservation of biodiversity.
Functional characterization of the Xcs and Xps type II secretion systems from the plant pathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv vesicatoria
Authors: Szczesny Robert , Jordan Matthias , Schramm Claudia , Schulz Steve , Cogez Virginie , Bonas Ulla , Büttner Daniela
Published: June 2010

Featured paper: See Editorial p877
Self‐pacing in interval training: A teleoanticipatory approach
Authors: Edwards Andrew M. , Bentley Maria B. , Mann Michael E. , Seaholme Timothy S.
Published: June 2010

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the concurrent use of Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) and a new Perceived Readiness (PR) scale facilitates optimal interval training performance outcomes. Eleven competitive male runners completed outdoor interval track‐running trials at a pre‐set RPE. The PR scale was used to facilitate self‐determined recovery, while minimum heart rate (HR) and work to rest ratio (WR) strategies were used as comparative conditions. Duplicate PR trial performances were similar but intercondition comparisons identified that the HR trial was significantly slower than both WR and PR conditions. There was no difference in performance between WR and PR, but recoveries for both PR trials were significantly shorter than for WR. Since the aim of interval training is to sustain performance with the shortest possible recovery time, the concurrent use of RPE and PR scales appears to be a useful psychophysiological technique to self‐ determine both work and rest in interval training.
‘It’s a Limited Kind of Happiness': Barriers to Achieving Human Well‐being among Peruvian Migrants in London and Madrid
Authors: WRIGHT KATIE
Published: June 2010

This article examines migrants' self‐reported experiences via application of human well‐being approaches to deepen exploration of the barriers that migrants themselves identify in achieving their goals and getting their needs met. A focus on the construction of human well‐being can potentially provide a more holistic approach to debates on international migration. Discussions have focused on labour market integration, paying less emphasis to migrants as social agents and the psychosocial elements that they consider important for achieving human well‐being. This article applies human well‐being approaches to assess the barriers that Peruvian migrants identify in the contexts of London and Madrid.
Modification of skin discoloration by a topical treatment containing an extract ofDianella ensifolia: a potent antioxidant
Authors: Mammone Thomas , Muizzuddin Neelam , Declercq Lieve , Clio Dominique , Corstjens Hugo , Sente Ilse , Van Rillaer Katrin , Matsui Mary , Niki Yoko , Ichihashi Masamitsu , Giacomoni Paolo U. , Yarosh Dan
Published: June 2010

Skin hyperpigmentation, and the reactions that precipitate it, have been linked to free radicals by the fact that free radical scavengers or antioxidants can slow that hyperpigmentation. We have screened several hundred plant extracts for antioxidants and discovered one that is both a strong antioxidant and can reduce skin hyperpigmentation. Extracts ofDianella ensifoliacontain 1‐(2,4‐dihydrophenyl)‐3‐(2,4‐dimethoxy‐3‐methylphenyl) propane (DP), which was found to inhibit the free radical 1‐1‐diphenyl‐2‐picryl‐hydrazyl (DPPH) with an EC50value of 78 μm. DP was also found to inhibit Ultraviolet (UV)C‐induced lipid oxidation with an EC50of about 30 μm. We next investigated the effects of this antioxidant on skin hyperpigmentation. The reduction of discoloration by different topical treatments has been assessed in human volunteers using anin vivoassay for the rate of fading of UVB‐induced tan. Two pharmaceutical formulas containing 4% hydroquinone (HQ) were used as positive controls, and we tested the ability of DP, a plant‐derived amphoteric antioxidant, to increase performance of non‐HQ cosmetic formulations. We found that the cosmetic formula containing DP produced an increase in the rate of fading compared to the two pharmaceutical treatments containing HQ.
Mitochondria: a new focus as an anti‐aging target in skin care
Authors: Menon Gopinathan K , Dal Farra Claude , Botto Jean‐Marie , Domloge Nouha
Published: June 2010

Mitochondria, long considered to have the primary role in cellular energetic, have been the center of much research interest in the recent past. Technological advances in microscopy and development of new and specific fluorescent dyes for visualization of mitochondrial dynamics in living cells have facilitated the newfound interest in these fascinating organelles, which are now implicated in diverse cellular functions crucial in health and disease. Mitochondria play crucial roles in several age‐related diseases, and in the physiology of normal aging. In this review, we discuss the structural and functional aspects of mitochondria and their implications to the aging process, as well as its significance to skin aging. Available information on active molecules that can impact the mitochondrial functions, and their potential use in skin care products is also discussed, highlighting these organelles as a new focus for anti‐aging strategies in personal care.
The clinical utility of a hand‐held computerized optical imaging system at assessing skin discoloration
Authors: Fisk Nathan A , Jensen Kurt , Knaggs Helen , Ferguson Scott
Published: June 2010

Background  A hand‐held computerized optical device (HCOD) that can be used by a layperson has been developed which is capable of imaging facial skin and assessing multiple skin attributes, including discoloration.

Objectives  The aim of this study was to assess the HCOD’s ability to measure changes in discoloration induced over an 8‐week course of treatment by comparing data obtained from the HCOD with the assessments of a trained research dermatologist.

Methods  Ten female Caucasian subjects, aged between 41 and 79 years, exhibiting moderate facial dyspigmentation used a combination 0.01% fluocinolone acetonide, 4% hydroquinone, and 0.05% tretinoin cream twice daily for 8 weeks. Subjects were evaluated at weeks 0, 4, and 8 by a dermatologist. Images were also taken with high resolution digital photography and with the HCOD. Human testing was directed by a dermatologist, used approved consent forms, and products approved by the FDA.

Results  Facial dyspigmentation as scored by a clinician significantly decreased from 4.10 to 2.70 by week 8. HCOD discoloration area scores also significantly decreased from 100,989 to 87,276 by week 8. Assessment of pigmented area by the HCOD proved to be the most reliable in terms of correlating to a clinician’s score.

Limitations  The study had a small sample size and was not placebo controlled because the effectiveness of the HCOD was being evaluated, not the skin lightening product.

Conclusions  The HCOD’s discoloration area count statistically correlated with the clinician dyspigmentation scores when evaluating the effect of a prescription skin lightening cream on subjects with moderate facial discolorations.
Clinically Relevant Measures of Children’s Theory of Mind and Knowledge about Thinking: Non‐Standard and Advanced Measures
Authors: Sprung Manuel
Published: June 2010

Measures of Theory of Mind (ToM) in clinical disorders and conditions are reviewed, focusing on non‐standard and advanced measures. Relevant studies linking these measures to social problems and cognitive symptoms are reviewed. The multifaceted nature of ToM is stressed and clinically relevant aspects of ToM are suggested. Strategies to select relevant measures for clinical research and practice are presented and examples are discussed in more detail. It is recommended to consider specific aspects of ToM in relation to specific clinical conditions and symptoms. Relationships between ToM and other cognitive deficits, and implications for clinical practice and intervention are also discussed.
A Pilot Evaluation of Dialectical Behavioural Therapy in Adolescent Long‐Term Inpatient Care
Authors: McDonell Michael G. , Tarantino Jessica , Dubose Anthony P. , Matestic Patricia , Steinmetz Kristin , Galbreath Holly , McClellan Jon M.
Published: June 2010

Background:  There is a paucity of research investigating psychosocial treatments for youth receiving long‐term residential care.

Objective:  This study describes the implementation and impact of dialectical behavioural therapy (DBT) in a long‐term psychiatric hospital located in the United States of America.

Method:  Changes in overall functioning, number of psychotropic medications prescribed, non‐suicidal self‐injurious behaviour (NSIB), and locked seclusions were investigated in 106 consecutive unique adolescent patients who received DBT. In addition, a comparison group of historical controls was used to examine the effect of DBT in youth with the highest rates of NSIB.

Results:  A statistically significant increase in overall functioning, as well as a decrease in number of psychotropic medications and non‐suicidal self‐injurious behaviour (NSIB) was observed within the DBT group. A decrease in locked seclusions was not observed. Accounting for the effects of age, gender, length of stay, and time, youth who received DBT were less likely to engage in NSIB relative to historical controls.

Conclusions:  These preliminary data suggest that DBT is beneficial for youth with NSIB in long term inpatient psychiatric care.
Operations research and ethics: development trends 1966–2009
Authors: Wenstøp Fred
Published: June 2010

The paper tracks development trends in the literature on operations research (OR) and ethics from Kenneth Boulding's vision in 1966 of OR as a tool for benevolent decision making, and up to today's constructive papers in this special issue ofITOR. Although this review does not intend to give a complete picture of the relevant literature, two main themes stand out clearly: “Guidelines for the practice of OR” and “How can OR be applied for good purpose?” The first issue is about ethical principles and the second about ethical consequences. Although there is a continued interest in guidelines, few OR societies follow up with their own guidelines, and only a limited number of papers report on the ethicality of real OR applications in relation to guidelines. On the other hand, there is an increasing interest in OR as a tool for benevolent decision making, as we can witness in this special issue ofITOR.
Development and Validation of a Disease‐Specific Risk Adjustment System Using Automated Clinical Data
Authors: Tabak Ying P. , Sun Xiaowu , Derby Karen G. , Kurtz Stephen G. , Johannes Richard S.
Published: June 2010

Objective. To develop and validate a disease‐specific automated inpatient mortality risk adjustment system primarily using computerized numerical laboratory data and supplementing them with administrative data. To assess the values of additional manually abstracted data.

Methods. Using 1,271,663 discharges in 2000–2001, we derived 39 disease‐specific automated clinical models with demographics, laboratory findings on admission, ICD‐9 principal diagnosis subgroups, and secondary diagnosis‐based chronic conditions. We then added manually abstracted clinical data to the automated clinical models (manual clinical models). We compared model discrimination, calibration, and relative contribution of each group of variables. We validated these 39 models using 1,178,561 discharges in 2004–2005.

Results. The overall mortality was 4.6 percent (n=58,300) and 4.0 percent (n=47,279) for derivation and validation cohorts, respectively. Common mortality predictors included age, albumin, blood urea nitrogen or creatinine, arterial pH, white blood counts, glucose, sodium, hemoglobin, and metastatic cancer. The average c‐statistic for the automated clinical models was 0.83. Adding manually abstracted variables increased the average c‐statistic to 0.85 with better calibration. Laboratory results displayed the highest relative contribution in predicting mortality.

Conclusions. A small number of numerical laboratory results and administrative data provided excellent risk adjustment for inpatient mortality for a wide range of clinical conditions.
Role of perinuclear mitochondria in the spatiotemporal dynamics of spontaneous Ca2+ waves in interstitial cells of Cajal‐like cells of the rabbit urethra
Authors: Hashiatni Hikaru , Lang Richard J , Suzuki Hikaru
Published: June 2010

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Although spontaneous Ca2+ waves in interstitial cells of Cajal (ICC)‐like cells (ICC‐LCs) primarily arise from endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ release, the interactions among mitochondrial Ca2+ buffering, cellular energetics and ER Ca2+ release in determining the spatiotemporal dynamics of intracellular Ca2+ remain to be elucidated.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Spontaneous Ca2+ transients in freshly isolated ICC‐LCs of the rabbit urethra were visualized using fluo‐4 Ca2+ imaging, while the intracellular distribution of mitochondria was viewed with MitoTracker Red.

KEY RESULTS Spontaneous Ca2+ waves invariably originated from the perinuclear region where clusters of mitochondria surround the nucleus. Perinuclear Ca2+ dynamics were characterized by a gradual rise in basal Ca2+ that preceded each regenerative Ca2+ transient. Caffeine evoked oscillatory Ca2+ waves originating from anywhere within ICC‐LCs. Ryanodine or cyclopiazonic acid prevented Ca2+ wave generation with a rise in basal Ca2+, and subsequent caffeine evoked a single rudimentary Ca2+ transient. Inhibition of glycolysis with 2‐deoxy‐glucose or carbonyl cyanide 3‐chlorophenylhydrazone, a mitochondrial protonophore, increased basal Ca2+ and abolished Ca2+ waves. However, caffeine still induced oscillatory Ca2+ transients. Mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake inhibition with RU360 attenuated Ca2+ wave amplitudes, while mitochondrial Ca2+ efflux inhibition with CGP37157 suppressed the initial Ca2+ rise to reduce Ca2+ wave frequency.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Perinuclear mitochondria in ICC‐LCs play a dominant role in the spatial regulation of Ca2+ wave generation and may regulate ER Ca2+ release frequency by buffering Ca2+ within microdomains between both organelles. Glycolysis inhibition reduced mitochondrial Ca2+ buffering without critically disrupting ER function. Perinuclear mitochondria may function as sensors of intracellular metabolites.
Histamine H1 receptor antagonist cetirizine impairs working memory processing speed, but not episodic memory
Authors: Van Ruitenbeek P , Vermeeren A , Riedel WJ
Published: June 2010

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The histaminergic neurotransmitter system is currently under investigation as a target for drug treatment of cognitive deficits in clinical disorders. The therapeutic potential of new drugs may initially be screened using a model of histaminergic dysfunction, for example, as associated with the use of centrally active antihistamines. Of the selective second generation antihistamines, cetirizine has been found to have central nervous system effects. The aim of the present study was to determine whether cetirizine can be used as a tool to model cognitive deficits associated with histaminergic hypofunction.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH The study was conducted according to a three‐way, double‐blind, cross‐over design. Treatments were single oral doses of cetirizine 10 and 20 mg and placebo. Effects on cognition were assessed using tests of word learning, memory scanning, vigilance, divided attention, tracking and visual information processing speed.

KEY RESULTS Cetirizine 10 mg impaired tracking performance and both doses impaired memory scanning speed. None of the other measures indicated impaired performance.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS Cetirizine affects information processing speed, but these effects were not sufficient to serve as a model for cognitive deficits in clinical disorders.
Testing Disturbance, Seeding Time, and Soil Amendments for Establishing Native Warm‐Season Grasses in Non‐Native Cool‐Season Pasture
Authors: Doll Julie E. , Haubensak Karen A. , Bouressa Emma L. , Jackson Randall D.
Published: June 2010

Incorporating native C4 grasses into pastures dominated by C3 grasses can augment tallgrass prairie restoration efforts while improving pasture production. We examined grazing and burning disturbances to promote the establishment of native C4 grasses sown in fall and spring into existing C3 pastures. A second objective was to test the role of resource availability on C4 grass establishment by manipulating inorganic nitrogen (N) availability within each seeding time and management treatment combination. We drill seeded three C4 native prairie grasses (Andropogon gerardiiVitman [big bluestem],Panicum virgatumL. [switchgrass], andSorghastrum nutans(L.) Nash [Indiangrass]) into an existing C3 grass pasture and applied combinations of disturbance (grazed or burned) and soil amendments (carbon [+C], ambient [N0], nitrogen [+N]) treatments. We monitored native grass recruitment within these treatments over a 3‐year period (2005 through 2007). Whereas native grasses established under rotational grazing, higher recruitment was observed with annual burning. There were periods of N immobilization with C addition, but we observed no benefit to native grass recruitment. Native grasses did not establish under N addition, irrespective of disturbance and seeding, and were not affected by seeding time. Regression tree analyses showed that the best predictor of native grass density in 2006 and 2007 was belowground net primary production in 2006, which was greater under burned plots in 2006 but did not differ between C addition and ambient soil N treatments. This research demonstrates that burning facilitates and nutrient enrichment inhibits native warm‐season grass reintroduction and establishment into non‐native cool‐season grass dominated pastures.