bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vaccination with the RSV fusion protein formulated with a combination adjuvant induces long-lasting protective immunity
Authors: Garg R. , Latimer L. , Gerdts V. , Potter A. , van Drunen Littel-van den Hurk S.
Published: February 2014

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is one of the primary causative agents of upper and lower respiratory tract infections in young children, in particular infants. Recently, we reported the protective efficacy of a RSV vaccine formulation consisting of a truncated version of the fusion (F) protein formulated with a Toll-like receptor (TLR) agonist and an immunostimulatory peptide in a carrier system (ΔF/TriAdj). To evaluate the duration of immunity induced by this vaccine candidate, we carried out long-term trials. The ΔF was formulated with triple adjuvant (TriAdj) containing either polyinosinic : polycytidylic acid (polyI : C) or cytosine-phosphate-guanosine oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG ODNs) and administered intranasally to mice. One year after the second vaccination all mice were challenged with RSV. Both ΔF/TriAdj formulations mediated the induction of high levels of IgG1, IgG2a and virus-neutralizing antibodies, and IgA in the lungs. Based on the numbers of IFN-γ- and IL-5-secreting cells in the spleen, the immune response was slightly T-helper cell type 1 (Th1)-biased. This was confirmed by the presence of F85–93-specific CD8+ effector T cells in the lungs of both ΔF/TriAdj(polyI : C)- and ΔF/TriAdj(CpG)-immunized mice. Both ΔF/TriAdj formulations induced RSV-specific CD8+ T cells. However, ΔF/TriAdj(polyI : C) generated significantly higher IgG affinity maturation and higher numbers of RSV-specific CD8+ effector memory T cells in lungs and CD8+ central memory T cells in spleen and lymph nodes than ΔF/TriAdj(CpG). After RSV challenge, no virus replication and no evidence of vaccine-induced pathology were detected in mice immunized with either of the ΔF/TriAdj formulations, demonstrating that the duration of immunity induced with these vaccines is at least one year.
Chromatin Loops as Allosteric Modulators of Enhancer-Promoter Interactions
Authors: Doyle Boryana , Fudenberg Geoffrey , Imakaev Maxim , Mirny Leonid A.
Published: February 2014

The classic model of eukaryotic gene expression requires direct spatial contact between a distal enhancer and a proximal promoter. Recent Chromosome Conformation Capture (3C) studies show that enhancers and promoters are embedded in a complex network of looping interactions. Here we use a polymer model of chromatin fiber to investigate whether, and to what extent, looping interactions between elements in the vicinity of an enhancer-promoter pair can influence their contact frequency. Our equilibrium polymer simulations show that a chromatin loop, formed by elements flanking either an enhancer or a promoter, suppresses enhancer-promoter interactions, working as an insulator. A loop formed by elements located in the region between an enhancer and a promoter, on the contrary, facilitates their interactions. We find that different mechanisms underlie insulation and facilitation; insulation occurs due to steric exclusion by the loop, and is a global effect, while facilitation occurs due to an effective shortening of the enhancer-promoter genomic distance, and is a local effect. Consistently, we find that these effects manifest quite differently forin silico3C and microscopy. Our results show that looping interactions that do not directly involve an enhancer-promoter pair can nevertheless significantly modulate their interactions. This phenomenon is analogous to allosteric regulation in proteins, where a conformational change triggered by binding of a regulatory molecule to one site affects the state of another site.

Author Summary

In eukaryotes, enhancers directly contact promoters over large genomic distances to regulate gene expression. Characterizing the principles underlying these long-range enhancer-promoter contacts is crucial for a full understanding of gene expression. Recent experimental mapping of chromosomal interactions by the Hi-C method shows an intricate network of local looping interactions surrounding enhancers and promoters. We model a region of chromatin fiber as a long polymer and study how the formation of loops between certain regulatory elements can insulate or facilitate enhancer-promoter interactions. We find 2-5 fold insulation or facilitation, depending on the location of looping elements relative to an enhancer-promoter pair. These effects originate from the polymer nature of chromatin, without requiring additional mechanisms beyond the formation of a chromatin loop. Our findings suggest that loop-mediated gene regulation by elements in the vicinity of an enhancer-promoter pair can be understood as an allosteric effect. This highlights the complex effects that local chromatin organization can have on gene regulation.
The Competition between Liquid and Vapor Transport in Transpiring Leaves
Authors: Rockwell Fulton Ewing , Holbrook N. Michele , Stroock Abraham Duncan
Published: February 2014

In leaves, the transpirational flux of water exits the veins as liquid and travels toward the stomata in both the vapor and liquid phases before exiting the leaf as vapor. Yet, whether most of the evaporation occurs from the vascular bundles (perivascular), from the photosynthetic mesophyll cells, or within the vicinity of the stomatal pore (peristomatal) remains in dispute. Here, a one-dimensional model of the competition between liquid and vapor transport is developed from the perspective of nonisothermal coupled heat and water molecule transport in a composite medium of airspace and cells. An analytical solution to the model is found in terms of the energy and transpirational fluxes from the leaf surfaces and the absorbed solar energy load, leading to mathematical expressions for the proportions of evaporation accounted for by the vascular, mesophyll, and epidermal regions. The distribution of evaporation in a given leaf is predicted to be variable, changing with the local environment, and to range from dominantly perivascular to dominantly peristomatal depending on internal leaf architecture, with mesophyll evaporation a subordinate component. Using mature red oak (Quercus rubra) trees, we show that the model can be solved for a specific instance of a transpiring leaf by combining gas-exchange data, anatomical measurements, and hydraulic experiments. We also investigate the effect of radiation load on the control of transpiration, the potential for condensation on the inside of an epidermis, and the impact of vapor transport on the hydraulic efficiency of leaf tissue outside the xylem.
Calcioferrite with composition (Ca3.94Sr0.06)Mg1.01(Fe2.93Al1.07)(PO4)6(OH)4·12H2O
Authors: Lafuente Barbara , Downs Robert T. , Yang Hexiong , Jenkins Robert A.
Published: February 2014

Calcioferrite, ideally Ca4MgFe3+4(PO4)6(OH)4·12H2O (tetracalcium magnesium tetrairon(III) hexakis-phosphate tetrahydroxide dodecahydrate), is a member of the calcioferrite group of hydrated calcium phosphate minerals with the general formula Ca4AB4(PO4)6(OH)4·12H2O, whereA= Mg, Fe2+, Mn2+andB= Al, Fe3+. Calcioferrite and the other three known members of the group, montgomeryite (A= Mg,B= Al), kingsmountite (A= Fe2+,B= Al), and zodacite (A= Mn2+,B= Fe3+), usually occur as very small crystals, making their structure refinements by conventional single-crystal X-ray diffraction challenging. This study presents the first structure determination of calcioferrite with composition (Ca3.94Sr0.06)Mg1.01(Fe2.93Al1.07)(PO4)6(OH)4·12H2O based on single-crystal X-ray diffraction data collected from a natural sample from the Moculta quarry in Angaston, Australia. Calcioferrite is isostructural with montgomeryite, the only member of the group with a reported structure. The calcioferrite structure is characterized by (Fe/Al)O6octahedra (site symmetries 2 and -1) sharing corners (OH) to form chains running parallel to [101]. These chains are linked together by PO4tetrahedra (site symmetries 2 and 1), forming [(Fe/Al)3(PO4)3(OH)2] layers stacking along [010], which are connected by (Ca/Sr)2+cations (site symmetry 2) and Mg2+cations (site symmetry 2; half-occupation). Hydrogen-bonding interactions involving the water molecules (one of which is equally disordered over two positions) and OH function are also present between these layers. The relatively weaker bonds between the layers account for the cleavage of the mineral parallel to (010).
Tetrakis(2,3,5,5-tetramethylhexen-2-yl)silane
Authors: Meyer-Wegner Frank , Bolte Michael , Lerner Hans-Wolfram
Published: February 2014

In the title compound, C40H76Si, the Si atom is located on a special position of site symmetry -4. Thus, there is just a quarter of a molecule in the asymmetric unit. The C=C double bonds exhibit atransconfiguration. The Si atom and thetert-butyl group are located on the same side of the plane formed by the C=C double bond and its four substituents. The crystal packing shows no short contacts between the molecules and despite the low crystal density (0.980 Mg m−3), there are no significant voids in the structure.
trans-Diaquabis(pyridazine-3-carboxylato-κ2N2,O)copper(II)
Authors: Pache Aroa , Iturrospe Amaia , San Felices Leire , Reinoso Santiago , Gutiérrez-Zorrilla Juan M.
Published: February 2014

In the title compound, [Cu(C5H3N2O2)2(H2O)2], the CuIIion, located on an inversion center, exhibits an octahedral coordination geometry. The equatorial plane is defined by twotrans-relatedN,O-bidentate pyridazine-3-carboxylate ligands and the axial positions are occupied by two water molecules. In the crystal, molecules are connected by O—H...O hydrogen bonds between the water molecules and the noncoordinating carboxylate O atoms, forming layers parallel to thebcplane. The layers are stacked along theaaxis by further O—H...O hydrogen bonds between the water molecules and the coordinating carboxylate O atoms. Weak C—H...O hydrogen bonds are also observed between the pyridazine rings and the water molecules and between the pyridazine rings and the non-coordinating carboxylate O atoms.
The enrichment ratio of atomic contacts in crystals, an indicator derived from the Hirshfeld surface analysis
Authors: Jelsch Christian , Ejsmont Krzysztof , Huder Loïc
Published: February 2014

The partitioning of space with Hirshfeld surfaces enables the analysis of fingerprint molecular interactions in crystalline environments. This study uses the decomposition of the crystal contact surface between pairs of interacting chemical species to derive an enrichment ratio. This quantity enables the analysis of the propensity of chemical species to form intermolecular interactions with themselves and other species. The enrichment ratio is obtained by comparing the actual contacts in the crystal with those computed as if all types of contacts had the same probability to form. The enrichments and contact tendencies were analyzed in several families of compounds, based on chemical composition and aromatic character. As expected, the polar contacts of the type H...N, H...O and H...S, which are generally hydrogen bonds, show enrichment values larger than unity. O...O and N...N contacts are impoverished while H...H interactions display enrichment ratios which are generally close to unity or slightly lower. In aromatic compounds, C...C contacts can display large enrichment ratios due to extensive π...π stacking in the crystal packings of heterocyclic compounds. C...C contacts are, however, less enriched in pure (C,H) hydrocarbons as π...π stacking is not so favourable from the electrostatic point of view compared with heterocycles. C...H contacts are favoured in (C,H) aromatics, but these interactions occur less in compounds containing O, N or S as some H atoms are then involved in hydrogen bonds. The study also highlights the fact that hydrogen is a prefered interaction partner for fluorine.
The structure of a purple acid phosphatase involved in plant growth and pathogen defence exhibits a novel immunoglobulin-like fold
Authors: Antonyuk Svetlana Vladimirovna , Olczak Mariusz , Olczak Teresa , Ciuraszkiewicz Justyna , Strange Richard William
Published: February 2014

Phosphatases function in the production, transport and recycling of inorganic phosphorus, which is crucial for cellular metabolism and bioenergetics, as well as in bacterial killing, since they are able to generate reactive oxygen speciesviaFenton chemistry. Diphosphonucleotide phosphatase/phosphodiesterase (PPD1), a glycoprotein plant purple acid phosphatase (PAP) from yellow lupin seeds, contains a bimetallic Fe–Mn catalytic site which is most active at acidic pH. Unlike other plant PAPs, PPD1 cleaves the pyrophosphate bond in diphosphonucleotides and the phosphodiester bond in various phosphodiesters. The homohexameric organization of PPD1, as revealed by a 1.65 Å resolution crystal structure and confirmed by solution X-ray scattering, is unique among plant PAPs, for which only homodimers have previously been reported. A phosphate anion is bound in a bidentate fashion at the active site, bridging the Fe and Mn atoms in a binding mode similar to that previously reported for sweet potato PAP, which suggests that common features occur in their catalytic mechanisms. The N-terminal domain of PPD1 has an unexpected and unique fibronectin type III-like fold that is absent in other plant PAPs. Here, thein vitroDNA-cleavage activity of PPD1 is demonstrated and it is proposed that the fibronectin III-like domain, which `overhangs' the active site, is involved in DNA selectivity, binding and activation. The degradation of DNA by PPD1 implies a role for PPD1 in plant growth and repair and in pathogen defence.
Tolerance landscapes in thermal ecology
Authors: Rezende Enrico L. , Castañeda Luis E. , Santos Mauro
Published: February 2014

How thermal tolerance estimated in the laboratory can be extrapolated to natural settings remains a contentious subject. Here, we argue that the general premise that a single temperature can accurately describe upper or lower tolerance limits is incorrect.

Survival probability is determined by both the intensity and the duration of a thermal stress, and the association between these variables can be adequately conveyed by a thermal tolerance landscape. Employing this framework, we demonstrate that the temperature range that an organism can tolerate is expected to narrow down with the duration of the thermal challenge.

Analyses suggest that a trade‐off exists between tolerances to acute and chronic exposition to thermal stress, and that changes in temperature means or extremes may result in drastically different selective pressures and subsequent evolutionary responses.

After controlling for the duration of the thermal challenge, we also uncover latitudinal effects on upper lethal temperatures in insects that remained unnoticed in previous broad‐scale comparative analyses.

Ultimately, critical thermal limits have been adopted in the ecological literature for logistic reasons and are inadequate descriptors of thermal tolerance on conceptual grounds. We consider that tolerance landscapes provide a more suitable framework to study temperature tolerance and its potential impact in ecological settings.
The hygroscopic biosurfactant syringafactin produced by Pseudomonas syringae enhances fitness on leaf surfaces during fluctuating humidity
Authors: Burch Adrien Y. , Zeisler Viktoria , Yokota Kenji , Schreiber Lukas , Lindow Steven E.
Published: February 2014

Biosurfactant production by bacteria on leaf surfaces is poorly documented, and its role in this habitat has not been explored. Therefore, we investigated the production and fitness benefits of syringafactin by Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae B728a on leaves. Syringafactin largely adsorbed to the waxy leaf cuticle both when topically applied and when produced by cells on plants. Syringafactin increased the rate of diffusion of water across isolated cuticles and attracted water to hydrophobic surfaces exposed to high relative humidity due to its hygroscopic properties. While a wild‐type and syringafactin mutant exhibited similar fitness on bean leaves incubated in static conditions, the fitness of the wild‐type strain was higher under fluctuating humidity conditions typical of field conditions. When co‐inoculated onto either the host plant bean or the non‐host plant romaine lettuce, the proportion of viable wild‐type cells recovered from plants relative to that of a mutant unable to produce syringafactin increased 10% over 10 days. The number of disease lesions incited by the wild‐type strain on bean was also significantly higher than that of the syringafactin mutant. The production of hygroscopic biosurfactants on waxy leaf surfaces apparently benefits bacteria by both attracting moisture and facilitating access to nutrients.
Raymond Williams and Sociology
Authors: McGuigan Jim , Moran Marie
Published: February 2014

The purpose of this article is to recover Williams as a major theoretical inspiration for the social sciences, specifically, as the inaugurator of what might be regarded as a research paradigm, cultural materialism. In the first section, Williams's encounter with the discipline of sociology is traced and distinguished as a critical alternative to the presently ascendant – at least in the USA – neo-Durkeimian school of ‘cultural sociology’. In the second section, his cultural-materialist programme is proposed as a powerful analytical framework for the study of culture and society today. In the final section, a key concept of Williams's cultural materialism, mobile privatization, is selected illustratively and proposed as a powerful analytical tool for studying the production and technological mediation of typical modes of communicative sociality in the early twenty-first century.
The Return of Historical Sociology
Authors: Smith Dennis
Published: February 2014

The Modern World-System IV: Centrist Liberalism Triumphant 1789–1914 Immanuel Wallerstein, University of California Press, Berkeley, 2011, £47.95, paper £21.95, 377pp.

Power in the 21st Century: Conversations with John A. Hall Michael Mann, Polity, Cambridge, 2011, £50.00, paper £14.99, 179pp.

The Sources of Social Power, Volume 3: Global Empires and Revolution, 1890–1945 Michael Mann, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2012, £62.00, paper £23.99, 516pp.

The Sources of Social Power, Volume 4: Globalizations, 1945–2011 Michael Mann, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2013, £60.00, paper £22.99, 496pp.
Choice of primary outcomes in randomised trials and systematic reviews evaluating interventions for preterm birth prevention: a systematic review
Authors: Meher S , Alfirevic Z
Published: February 2014

Background

The inappropriate and inconsistent selection of primary outcomes (POs) in randomised controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews (SRs) can make evidence difficult to interpret, limiting its usefulness to inform clinical practice.

Objectives

To systematically review the choice and consistency of POs in RCTs and SRs of preventative interventions for preterm birth.

Search strategy

Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group's Specialised Register of trials and a full list of published reviews and protocols.

Selection criteria

Full reports of RCTs for preterm birth prevention published after CONSORT (January 1997–January 2011), and Cochrane Reviews and protocols relevant to preterm birth prevention, for the same period.

Data collection and analysis

For RCTs, the PO was the outcome used for sample size calculation. For SRs, we included all outcomes listed as ‘primary’. Two review authors selected studies and double‐checked the data for accuracy.

Results

Seventy‐two different POs were reported by 103 RCTs. The three most common POs were based on length of gestation, with preterm birth before 37 weeks of gestation being the most common (18/103, 18%). Few RCTs chose perinatal morbidity (4/103) or mortality (1/103), or their composites (5/103), as POs. In 33 Cochrane Reviews, 29 different POs were reported. The three most common POs were based on death or morbidity in the baby, with death of the baby being the most common (22/33, 67%). POs were variably defined.

Conclusions

There is a lack of consistency in the choice and definitions of POs in clinical research related to preterm birth prevention. SRs are more likely to report morbidity and mortality as POs, whereas RCTs tend to use length of gestation. Researchers are urged to review the outcomes reported in RCTs and SRs in their respective areas of interest to highlight discrepancies and facilitate the development of core outcome sets.
Application of the LUminometric Methylation Assay to ecological species: tissue quality requirements and a survey of DNA methylation levels in animals
Authors: Head Jessica A. , Mittal Krittika , Basu Niladri
Published: February 2014

The LUminometric Methylation Assay (LUMA) measures global DNA methylation. LUMA depends on digestion of DNA with methyl‐sensitive and methyl‐insensitive restriction enzymes, followed by pyrosequencing. Until recently, LUMA has been principally used for biomedical research. Here, we use chickens as a model to investigate sample quality issues relating to LUMA and then apply the method to ecological species. First, we assessed the effect of tissue storage conditions on DNA methylation values. This is an important consideration for ecological species because samples are not always ideally preserved and LUMA is sensitive to poor DNA quality. We found that good quality LUMA data could be obtained from chicken liver and brain tissues stored at 21 °C for at least 2 and 12 h, respectively. Longer storage times introduced nonspecific peaks to pyrograms which were associated with reduced DNA methylation. Repeatedly, freezing and thawing the tissues did not affect LUMA data. Second, we measured DNA methylation in 12 species representing five animal classes: amphibians (African and Western clawed frog), reptiles (green anole lizard), fish (yellow perch, goldfish, lake trout), mammals (American mink, polar bear, short‐beaked common dolphin, Atlantic white‐sided dolphin) and birds (chicken, Japanese quail). We saw a pattern of high DNA methylation in fish (84–87%), and intermediate levels in mammals (68–72%) and birds (52–71%). This pattern corresponds well with previous measures of DNA methylation generated by HPLC. Our data represent the first CpG methylation values to be reported in several species and provide a basis for studying patterns of epigenetic inheritance in an ecological context.
Poor Autonomic Nervous System Functioning During Sleep in Recently Detoxified Alcohol‐Dependent Men and Women
Authors: de Zambotti Massimiliano , Baker Fiona C. , Sugarbaker David S. , Nicholas Christian L. , Trinder John , Colrain Ian M.
Published: February 2014

Background

Alcoholism is considered an important risk factor for cardiovascular (CV) disease. Autonomic nervous system (ANS) function is a major indicator of CV health. Sleep is a suitable model to investigate ANS activity free from wake‐related confounders. We investigated nighttime ANS functioning, and the relation between ANS activity and severity of alcohol dependence in chronic alcoholism.

Methods

Fourteen recently abstaining alcoholics (age: 42.0 ± 9.0 years, 7 women) and 16 age‐ and sex‐matched controls (age: 45.2 ± 9.1 years, 8 women) underwent a night of standard clinical polysomnography, including electrocardiographic recording. Time‐ and frequency‐domain spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) was performed across hours of the night and during artifact‐free epochs of stable sleep and wakefulness (presleep wakefulness, rapid‐eye‐movement [REM], and non‐REM sleep).

Results

Alcoholics had a poorer subjective and objective sleep quality compared to controls. Across the night, alcoholic men and women had elevated heart rate, reduced total HRV, that is, lower standard deviation of normal‐to‐normal interbeat intervals, and reduced high frequency (HF) activity (assessed by the HF power and by the square root of the mean squared of successive heart period differences). This ANS pattern was most apparent at the beginning of the night. None of the ANS measures was associated with lifetime alcohol consumption or duration of alcohol dependence.

Conclusions

Our results show that ANS functioning is disrupted during the night, even in undisturbed sleep periods, indicating poor CV functioning in recently detoxified alcohol‐dependent men and women.
Growth, governance and corporate payout policy
Authors: Bhabra Gurmeet , Luu Khanh Hien
Published: February 2014

We show that when growth opportunities decreased following the end of the Cold War, defence firms responded by increasing total payout. This change in policy was largely driven by increased stock buybacks as opposed to changes in cash dividends and primarily by firms that faced stronger external governance. On the other hand, firms with weaker internal governance that were more severely affected by the reduced growth chose to alter the mix of payout at the expense of repurchases. Overall, our findings (i) demonstrate a causal link where exogenous shocks to growth cause payout policy changes, (ii) support the role of internal governance in payout policy design where entrenched managers pre‐commit to higher dividends and (iii) emphasize the monitoring role of external governance in mitigating agency costs of free cash flow.
LMO2 andBCL6 are associated with improved survival in primary central nervous system lymphoma
Authors: Lossos Chen , Bayraktar Soley , Weinzierl Elizabeth , Younes Sheren F. , Hosein Peter J. , Tibshirani Robert J. , Sutton Posthumus Jocelyn , DeAngelis Lisa M. , Raizer Jeffrey , Schiff David , Abrey Lauren , Natkunam Yasodha , Lossos Izidore S.
Published: February 2014

Primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) is an aggressive sub‐variant of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) with morphological similarities to diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL). While methotrexate (MTX)‐based therapies have improved patient survival, the disease remains incurable in most cases and its pathogenesis is poorly understood. We evaluated 69 cases ofPCNSLfor the expression ofHGAL(also known asGCSAM),LMO2andBCL6– genes associated withDLBCLprognosis and pathobiology, and analysed their correlation to survival in 49PCNSLpatients receivingMTX‐based therapy. We demonstrate thatPCNSLexpressesLMO2,HGAL(also known asGCSAM) andBCL6 proteins in 52%, 65% and 56% of tumours, respectively.BCL6 protein expression was associated with longer progression‐free survival (P = 0·006) and overall survival (OS,P = 0·05), while expression ofLMO2 protein was associated with longerOS(P = 0·027). Further research is needed to elucidate the function ofBCL6andLMO2inPCNSL.
The political downside of dual identity: Group identifications and religious political mobilization of Muslim minorities
Authors: Martinovic Borja , Verkuyten Maykel
Published: February 2014

Research on the political mobilization of ethnic minorities has shown that dual ethno‐national identification facilitates involvement in political action on behalf of the ethnic group. This study extends this research by proposing that a dual identity can impede political mobilization on behalf of another relevant in‐group – the religious community – especially if this in‐group is not accepted by the wider society. Using a sample of 641 Muslims of Turkish origin living in Germany and the Netherlands, dual ethno‐national identity (Turkish‐German/Turkish‐Dutch) was examined in relation to religious Muslim identification and religious political mobilization. Dual identity was expected to be indirectly related to lower mobilization via decreased religious group identification. Further, this mediating process was predicted to be stronger for Turkish Muslims who perceived relatively high religious group discrimination. In both countries we found support for the mediating hypothesis, however, the moderating role of discrimination was confirmed only for the Netherlands. Turkish‐Dutch identification was associated with lower support for religious political mobilization because of lower Muslim identification only for Turkish‐Dutch participants who perceived high levels of discrimination. These findings indicate that a strong dual (ethno‐national) identity can undermine minority members’ support for political rights and actions on behalf of a third relevant in‐group, and therefore qualify the social psychological benefits of the dual identity model.
Impact of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy on clinical T3 prostate cancer: experience of a single centre with long‐term follow‐up
Authors: Gözen Ali S. , Akin Yigit , Ates Mutlu , Hruza Marcel , Rassweiler Jens
Published: February 2014

Objective

To investigate the oncological safety and effectiveness of laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (LRP) for patients with clinical T3 (cT3) prostate cancer compared with patients with cT1 and cT2 prostate cancer.

Patients and Methods

In all, 2375 consecutive LRPs were evaluated between 1999 and 2013. Of the 1751 patients enrolled with complete follow‐up data (>24 months), patients were divided into three groups according to clinical stage of prostate cancer using Tumour‐Node‐Metastasis (TNM) classification. Group 1 consisted of patients with cT1 stage prostate cancer, group 2 those with cT2, and group 3 those with cT3. Demographic, postoperative, and long‐term data of patients were recorded and statistical analyses were performed.

Results

The mean (sd) age was 63.6 (6.2) years. The mean (sd) follow‐up was 104 (28.4) months. There were 417 patients in group 1, 842 patients in group 2, and 492 patients in group 3. The mean prostate‐specific antigen level, biopsy Gleason score, tumour volume, body mass index, and age, were all higher in group 3 (P < 0.001). Nerve‐sparing techniques were used more in group 1 than in the other groups (P < 0.001). Extracapsular extension, seminal vesicle invasion, Gleason score, positive surgical margin (PSM), and rate of adjuvant hormone and radiotherapies were highest in group 3. However, urinary continence was similar in all groups. Group 1 contained the most patients with an erection sufficient for intercourse. Group 1 had the best cancer‐specific survival rate, whereas overall survival (OS) rates and complications were similar in all groups.

Conclusion

LRP seems effective and safe for patients with cT3 prostate cancer with similar OS rates as for those with cT1 and cT2; however, additional therapies may have contributed to these rates. LRP can be considered for the treatment of patients with cT3 prostate cancer.
Current status and effectiveness of mentorship programmes in urology: a systematic review
Authors: Hay Daniel , Khan Mohammed Shamim , Van Poppel Hendrik , Van Cleynenbreugel Ben , Peabody James , Guru Khurshid , Challacombe Ben , Dasgupta Prokar , Ahmed Kamran
Published: February 2014

The objectives of this review were to identify and evaluate the efficacy of mentorship programmes for minimally invasive procedures in urology and give recommendations on how to improve mentorship. A systematic literature search of the PubMed/Medline databases was carried out according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. In all, 21 articles were included in the review and divided into four categories: fellowships, mini‐fellowships, mentored skills courses and novel mentorship programmes. Various structures of mentorship programme were identified and in general, mentorship programmes were found to be feasible, having content validity and educational impact. Perioperative data showed equally good outcomes when comparing trainees and specialists. Mentorship programmes are effective and represent one of the best current methods of training in urology. However, participation in such programmes is not widespread. The structure of mentorship programmes is highly variable, with no clearly defined ‘best approach’ for postgraduate training. This review offers recommendations as to how this ‘best approach’ can be established.
An intervention to preschool children for reducing screen time: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Yilmaz G. , Demirli Caylan N. , Karacan C. D.
Published: February 2014

Background 

Screen time, defined as time spent watching television, DVDs, or videos or playing computer or video games, has been related to serious health consequences in children, such as impaired language acquisition, violent behaviour, tobacco smoking and obesity. Our aim was to determine if a simple intervention aimed at preschool‐aged children, applied at the health maintenance visits, in the primary care setting, would be effective in reducing screen time.

Methods 

We used a two group randomized controlled trial design. Two‐ to 6‐year‐old children and their parents were randomly assigned to receive an intervention to reduce their screen time, BMI and parental report of aggressive behaviour. At the end of the intervention we made home visits at 2, 6 and 9 months and the parents completed questionnaire.

Results 

Parents in the intervention group reported less screen time and less aggressive behaviour than those in the control group but there were no differences in BMI z scores.

Conclusions 

This study shows that a preschool‐based intervention can lead to reductions in young children's television/video viewing.
Effects of classroom bilingualism on task‐shifting, verbal memory, and word learning in children
Authors: Kaushanskaya Margarita , Gross Megan , Buac Milijana
Published: February 2014

We examined the effects of classroom bilingual experience in children on an array of cognitive skills. Monolingual English‐speaking children were compared with children who spoke English as the native language and who had been exposed to Spanish in the context of dual‐immersion schooling for an average of 2 years. The groups were compared on a measure of non‐linguistic task‐shifting; measures of verbal short‐term and working memory; and measures of word learning. The two groups of children did not differ on measures of non‐linguistic task‐shifting and verbal short‐term memory. However, the classroom‐exposure bilingual group outperformed the monolingual group on the measure of verbal working memory and a measure of word learning. Together, these findings indicate that while exposure to a second language in a classroom setting may not be sufficient to engender changes in cognitive control, it can facilitate verbal memory and verbal learning.
Detecting ‘infant‐directedness' in face and voice
Authors: Kim Hojin I. , Johnson Scott P.
Published: February 2014

Five‐ and 3‐month‐old infants' perception of infant‐directed (ID) faces and the role of speech in perceiving faces were examined. Infants' eye movements were recorded as they viewed a series of two side‐by‐side talking faces, one infant‐directed and one adult‐directed (AD), while listening toIDspeech,ADspeech, or in silence. Infants showed consistently greater dwell time onIDfaces vs.ADfaces, and thisIDface preference was consistent across all three sound conditions.IDspeech resulted in higher looking overall, but it did not increase looking at theIDfaceper se. Together, these findings demonstrate that infants' preferences forIDspeech extend toIDfaces.
Infants track word forms in early word–object associations
Authors: Zamuner Tania S. , Fais Laurel , Werker Janet F.
Published: February 2014

A central component of language development is word learning. One characterization of this process is that language learners discover objects and then look for word forms to associate with these objects (Mcnamara, ; Smith, ). Another possibility is that word forms themselves are also important, such that once learned, hearing a familiar word form will lead young word learners to look for an object to associate with it (Juscyzk, ). This research investigates the relative weighing of word forms and objects in early word–object associations using the anticipatory eye‐movement paradigm (AEM; McMurray & Aslin, ). Eighteen‐month‐old infants and adults were taught novel word–object associations and then tested on ambiguous stimuli that pitted word forms and objects against each other. Results revealed a change in weighing of these components across development. For 18‐month‐old infants, word forms weighed more in early word–object associative learning, while for adults, objects were more salient. Our results suggest that infants preferentially use word forms to guide the process of word–object association.
Parameter‐based assessment of disturbed and intact components of visual attention in children with developmental dyslexia
Authors: Bogon Johanna , Finke Kathrin , Schulte‐Körne Gerd , Müller Hermann J. , Schneider Werner X. , Stenneken Prisca
Published: February 2014

People with developmental dyslexia (DD) have been shown to be impaired in tasks that require the processing of multiple visual elements in parallel. It has been suggested that this deficit originates from disturbed visual attentional functions. The parameter‐based assessment of visual attention based on Bundesen's () theory of visual attention allows one to identify and quantify the underlying deficits. The present study provides the first groupwise comparison between children withDD(n = 12; mean age 9.84 years) and typically developing children (n = 12; mean age 9.87 years) with regard to intact and disturbed components of visual attention. From the performance on whole‐ and partial‐report tasks, we derived individual parameter estimates of four different parameters: visual processing speed, storage capacity of visual short‐term memory (VSTM), laterality of attentional weighting and efficiency of top‐down control. Groupwise comparisons revealed that general attentional resources, processing speed andVSTMstorage capacity, are impaired in children withDDcompared to typically developing children. In contrast, selectivity parameters, laterality of attentional selection and attentional top‐down control did not differ between these groups. Relating the current findings to previous results, obtained in highly comparable methodological settings, from single cases of children withDD, and from a group of adults withDD, we conclude that slowed perceptual processing speed is a primary visual attentional deficit inDD. Furthermore, reducedVSTMstorage capacity seems to modulate the difficulties in written language processing imposed by the disorder.
Early predictors of middle school fraction knowledge
Authors: Bailey Drew H. , Siegler Robert S. , Geary David C.
Published: February 2014

Recent findings that earlier fraction knowledge predicts later mathematics achievement raise the question of what predicts later fraction knowledge. Analyses of longitudinal data indicated that whole number magnitude knowledge in first grade predicted knowledge of fraction magnitudes in middle school, controlling for whole number arithmetic proficiency, domain general cognitive abilities, parental income and education, race, and gender. Similarly, knowledge of whole number arithmetic in first grade predicted knowledge of fraction arithmetic in middle school, controlling for whole number magnitude knowledge in first grade and the other control variables. In contrast, neither type of early whole number knowledge uniquely predicted middle school reading achievement. We discuss the implications of these findings for theories of numerical development and for improving mathematics learning.
Fracture resistance of endodontically restored, weakened incisors
Authors: Cauwels Rita G. E. C. , Lassila Lippo V. J. , Martens Luc C. , Vallittu Pekka K. , Verbeeck Ronald M. H.
Published: February 2014

Objectives

To test the fracture strength of weakened bovine incisors endodontically treated with mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), calcium phosphate bone cement (CPBC) or fibre reinforced composite (FRC) posts, and to evaluate the fracture mode.

Methods

Weakened bovine incisors (n = 75), standardized according to the dentinal wall thickness at the cervical area, were randomly assigned to one control group and three experimental groups. Unfilled teeth were assigned to group 1 (n = 20) and served as control group. Group 2 (n = 17) consisted of teeth filled with MTA. In group 3 (n = 18), the incisors were filled with CPBC and in group 4 (n = 20) with FRC posts. All specimens were subjected to load at a cross‐head speed of 60 mm min−1 until fracture occurred. The initial (IL) and final fracture (FL) loads (N) were recorded, and the failure mode among the different groups was evaluated.

Results

anova showed a statistically significant difference in fracture load among the groups. Tukey's test revealed a significant difference for the IL between the control group and the experimental groups with exception of the MTA group. The FL was not significantly different among the experimental groups. A high percentage of favourable fractures was seen in the FRC and CPBC groups.

Conclusion

FRC posts and CPBC could be promising materials to strengthen non‐vital structurally compromised teeth.
Prevention of depression in patients with acute coronary syndrome (DECARD) randomized trial: effects on and by self‐reported health
Authors: Hjorthøj Carsten Rygaard , Hansen Baiba Hedegaard , Hanash Jamal Abed , Rasmussen Alice , Birket‐Smith Morten
Published: February 2014

Aim

Escitalopram may prevent depression following acute coronary syndrome. We sought to estimate the effects of escitalopram on self‐reported health and to identify subgroups with higher efficacy.

Methods

This is a secondary analysis of a 12‐month double‐blind clinical trial randomizing non‐depressed acute coronary syndrome patients to escitalopram (n = 120) or matching placebo (n = 120). The main outcomes were mean scores on Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF‐36) domains, and diagnosis of depression was adjusted for baseline SF‐36 scores.

Results

Escitalopram did not yield different SF‐36 trajectories on any scale compared with placebo (P > 0.28). Efficacy of escitalopram may have been better among those scoring at least the normative score on general health perceptions (hazard ratio (HR) for depression 0.17 (95% confidence interval 0.02–1.42) ) or social functioning (HR = 0.12 (0.02–0.99) ) than in the full sample of patients (HR = 0.20 (0.04–0.90) ), although not statistically significant.

Conclusions

The SF‐36 may be too broad an outcome measure in trials or treatments that seek to prevent depression following acute coronary syndrome. The SF‐36 may, however, indicate who is more likely to benefit from treatment.
Negative symptoms and impaired social functioning predict later psychosis in Latino youth at clinical high risk in the North American prodromal longitudinal studies consortium
Authors: Alderman Tracy , Addington Jean , Bearden Carrie , Cannon Tyrone D. , Cornblatt Barbara A. , McGlashan Thomas H. , Perkins Diana O. , Seidman Larry J. , Tsuang Ming T. , Walker Elaine F. , Woods Scott W. , Cadenhead Kristin S.
Published: February 2014

Aim

Examining ethnically related variables in evaluating those at risk for psychosis is critical. This study investigated sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of Latino versus non‐Latino clinical high‐risk (CHR) subjects and healthy control (HC) subjects in the first North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study.

Methods

Fifty‐six Latino CHR subjects were compared to 25 Latino HC and 423 non‐Latino CHR subjects across clinical and demographic variables. Thirty‐nine of the 56 CHR subjects completed at least one subsequent clinical evaluation over the 2.5‐year period with 39% developing a psychotic illness. Characteristics of Latino CHR subjects who later converted to psychosis (‘converters’) were compared to those who did not (‘non‐converters’).

Results

Latino CHR subjects were younger than non‐Latino CHR subjects and had less education than Latino HC subjects and non‐Latino CHR counterparts. Latino CHR converters had higher scores than Latino non‐converters on the Structured Interview for Prodromal Syndromes total negative symptoms that were accounted for by decreased expression of emotion and personal hygiene/social attentiveness subsections. Latino CHR converters scored lower on the global functioning:social scale, indicating worse social functioning than Latino non‐converters.

Conclusion

Based on this sample, Latino CHR subjects may seek treatment earlier and have less education than non‐Latino CHR subjects. Deficits in social functioning and impaired personal hygiene/social attentiveness among Latino CHR subjects predicted later psychosis and may represent important areas for future study. Larger sample sizes are needed to more thoroughly investigate the observed ethnic differences and risk factors for psychosis in Latino youth.
Perceptions of family criticism and warmth and their link to symptom expression in racially/ethnically diverse adolescents and young adults at clinical high risk for psychosis
Authors: Tsai Katherine H. , López Steve , Marvin Sarah , Zinberg Jamie , Cannon Tyrone D. , O'Brien Mary , Bearden Carrie E.
Published: February 2014

Aim

Little is known about the role of expressed emotion (EE) in early symptom expression in individuals at clinical high risk (CHR) for psychosis. In patients with established schizophrenia, the effects of EE on clinical outcomes have purportedly varied across racial/ethnic groups, but this has not yet been investigated among CHR patients. Furthermore, studies have traditionally focused upon caregiver levels of EE via interview‐based ratings, whereas the literature on patient perceptions of caregiver EE on psychosis symptoms is relatively limited.

Methods

Linear regression models were conducted to examine the impact of criticism and perceived warmth in the family environment, from the CHR patient's perspective, on positive and negative symptom expression in non‐Latino white (NLW; n = 38) and Latino (n = 11) adolescents and young adults at CHR for developing psychosis.

Results

Analyses examining the sample as a whole demonstrated that perceived levels of maternal criticism were negatively associated with negative CHR symptomatology. Additional analyses indicated that race/ethnicity moderated the relationship between criticism/warmth and clinical symptomatology. We found evidence of a contrasting role of patient perceived criticism and warmth depending upon the patient's race/ethnicity.

Conclusion

Family processes shown to impact the course of schizophrenia among NLWs may function differently among Latino than NLW patients. These findings have important implications for the development of culturally appropriate interventions and may aid efforts to improve the effectiveness of mental health services for diverse adolescents and young adults at CHR for psychosis. Given the small sample size of this study, analyses should be replicated in a larger study before more definitive conclusions can be made.