bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Body composition, inflammation and thermogenesis in pathways to obesity and the metabolic syndrome: an overview
Authors: Dulloo A. G. , Montani J.‐P.
Published: October 2012

According to the World Health Organization, overweight and obesity are defined as abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that presents a risk to health. What constitutes ‘abnormal’ fat accumulation in this definition is not specified, but this most likely represents a consensus term that encapsulates the importance of adipose tissue dysfunctions, rather than solely excess fat per se, in the pathogenesis of disease entities of the metabolic syndrome, particularly type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Over the past decades, such abnormalities in fat accumulation have been linked to a pattern of fat distribution characterized by disproportionate fat deposition in the abdomen; to limits in the capacity of adipose tissue to expand resulting in the burden of fat storage being shifted to ‘lean’ tissues/organs as ectopic fat; and to the secretion (by both intrinsic and infiltrated cells within the adipose tissue mass) of a plethora of cytokines and other factors which via their autocrine, paracrine and/or endocrine actions underscore a state of chronic low‐grade inflammation. These links have formed the basis of a multitude of adipocentric concepts that have stimulated basic and clinical research aimed at explaining differential susceptibilities to cardiometabolic diseases according to diet and lifestyle, birth weight and post‐natal growth patterns, menopausal transition and the ageing process, race and ethnicity – often within the framework of hypotheses constructed around thrifty genotypes or thrifty phenotypes, and around overlapping molecular pathways implicated in metabolic inflammation, thermogenesis and body composition regulation. It is against this background of rapidly advancing research in metabolic health – fuelled as much by the search for early markers of cardiometabolic risks as by the search for ‘druggable’ molecular targets for treating obesity and its comorbidities – that fundamental concepts, controversies and novel research avenues relevant to the theme of ‘Body composition, Inflammation and Thermogenesis in Pathways to Obesity and the Metabolic Syndrome’ are addressed in this overview and the 10 review articles in this supplement reporting the proceedings of the 6th Fribourg Obesity Research Conference (FORC‐2011).
Ethnic variability in adiposity, thrifty phenotypes and cardiometabolic risk: addressing the full range of ethnicity, including those of mixed ethnicity
Authors: Wells J. C. K.
Published: October 2012

Ethnic groups vary in cardiometabolic risk, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Several components of body composition variability (fat/lean ratio, fat distribution, lean mass composition and metabolism, and adipose tissue biology) are increasingly linked with cardiometabolic risk and vary substantially across ethnic groups. Constituents of lean mass are proposed to contribute to ‘metabolic capacity’, a generic trait favouring the maintenance of homeostasis. Adiposity is proposed to contribute to ‘metabolic load’, which at higher levels challenges metabolic homeostasis, elevating cardiometabolic risk. Ethnic differences in body composition, representing different load‐capacity ratios, may therefore contribute to ethnic variability in cardiometabolic risk. Ecological and evolutionary factors potentially contributing to ethnic variability in body composition are explored. In contemporary populations, clinicians encounter an increasing range of ethnicity, along with many individuals of mixed‐ethnic ancestry. Increasing understanding of the contribution of body composition to cardiometabolic risk may reduce the need to treat ethnic groups as qualitatively different. A conceptual model is proposed, treating insulin sensitivity and stroke risk as composite functions of body composition variables. Operationalizing this model may potentially improve the ability to assess cardiovascular risk across the full ethnicity spectrum, and to predict cardiometabolic consequences of excess weight gain.
Revisiting the diacylglycerol‐induced insulin resistance hypothesis
Authors: Amati F.
Published: October 2012

Obesity is associated with skeletal muscle insulin resistance, which is a crucial step in the development of type 2 diabetes. Among the mechanisms by which obesity may lead to insulin resistance, lipotoxicity is one of the hypotheses being explored; others include inflammation or the oxidative stress hypotheses. This review focuses on the role of diacylglycerols (DAG), a family of lipid metabolites implicated in the pathogenesis of lipotoxicity and insulin resistance. While recent studies report contradictory results in humans with regard to the importance of DAG‐induced insulin resistance in skeletal muscle, other current literature highlight a potential role for DAG as signalling molecules. This review will discuss possible hypotheses explaining these contradictory results and the need to explore further the role of DAG in human metabolism.
Another Opportunity Lost? Victorian Labor's Enactment of Sustainability, 1999–2010
Authors: Coffey Brian
Published: October 2012

‘Sustainability’ provides the dominant frame for environmental policy debate, even though there is considerable debate to as to what sustainability is, why is it needed, and how can it be progressed. From 1999 through to 2010, Victoria was governed by Australian Labor Party (ALP) led governments that, at times, actively pursued the goal of sustainable development. This culminated in the stated ambition for Victoria to be ‘world leaders in environmental sustainability debate and practice’. This paper explores the way in which sustainability was enacted by Victorian Labor while in government. The evidence indicates that the potential of Victorian Labor's vision was never realized, and that it failed to significantly reform the neoliberal policy settings it inherited.
Unionization Structures in International Oligopoly
Authors: Pagel Beatrice , Wey Christian
Published: October 2012

We examine how competition in international markets affects a union's choice of wage regime, which can be either uniform or discriminatory. Firms are heterogeneous with regard to international competition. When unions choose their wage regimes sequentially, a discriminatory outcome becomes more likely when international competition increases. However, for intermediate levels a union may stick with a uniform wage regime even if the rival union adopts a discriminatory regime. When competition is sufficiently intense, both unions revert to the discriminatory regime. Paradoxically only in those latter instances all parties (consumers, workers, and firms) may be better off (each in aggregate) if all unions adopt a uniform wage regime. We conclude that union incentives to coordinate their wage regimes should then also become largest.
18O enrichment in phosphorus pools extracted from soybean leaves
Authors: Pfahler Verena , Dürr‐Auster Thilo , Tamburini Federica , M. Bernasconi Stefano , Frossard Emmanuel
Published: October 2012

The objective of this study was to investigate the isotopic composition of oxygen bound to phosphate (δ18O‐PO4) in different phosphorus (P) pools in plant leaves. As a model plant we used soybean (Glycine max cv Toliman) grown in the presence of ample P in hydroponic cultures.

The leaf blades were extracted with 0.3 M trichloroacetic acid (TCA) and with 10 M nitric acid. These extractions allowed measurement of the TCA‐soluble reactive P (TCA P) that is rapidly cycled within the cell and the total leaf P. The difference between total leaf P and TCA P yielded the structural P which includes organic P compounds not extractable by TCA.

P uptake and its translocation and transformation within the soybean plants lead to an 18O enrichment of TCA P (δ18O‐PO4 between 16.9 and 27.5‰) and structural P (δ18O‐PO4 between 42.6 and 68.0 ‰) compared with 12.4‰ in the phosphate in the nutrient solution.

δ18O values of phosphate extracted from soybean leaves grown under optimal conditions are greater than the δ18O‐PO4 values of the provided P source. Furthermore, the δ18O‐PO4 of TCA P seems to be controlled by the δ18O of leaf water and the activity of inorganic pyrophosphatase or other pyrophosphatases.
Ideology and Ideologues in the Modern Presidency
Authors: Langston Thomas S.
Published: October 2012

In this article, a theoretically informed and historically grounded perspective on ideology and ideologues is developed to address a paradox: while presidents play a central role in articulating socially diffuse ideologies, such as the soft‐Statism of the New Deal or the anti‐Statism championed by today's Republican Party, few administrations have been hospitable to ideologues, the True Believers who develop ideologies in the first place and are dedicated to their implementation. While institutional inducements to the presidential employment of ideologues have grown throughout the modern presidential era, differential inducements to their influence have been critical in explaining when, and how, both ideologues and ideology have intersected with the modern presidency. These differential inducements are exogenous crises, the regime characteristics of each presidency, and the personal traits of presidents. The interplay of these factors is charted from Franklin Delano Roosevelt (or FDR) through the Obama administration.
The Wartime President: Insights, Lessons, and Opportunities for Continued Investigation
Authors: Howell William G. , Jackman Saul P. , Rogowski Jon C.
Published: October 2012

In The Wartime President, which the University of Chicago Press will publish in 2013, we scrutinize the impacts of war on the president's ability to advance a policy agenda at home. Empirically, we provide evidence that during major wars of the last century, policy outcomes and congressional voting patterns more closely reflect presidential preferences over both foreign and domestic issues. Theoretically, we identify a particular mechanism through which wars have the potential to alter negotiations between Congress and the president—namely, by increasing the salience of national considerations, over which presidents have clear informational advantages, and diminishing the parochial considerations that inform deliberations within Congress. In this article, we summarize some of our main empirical findings, offer a nontechnical description of our formal theory, and suggest avenues for continued research on war and the American presidency.
The LawBarackObama andCivilLiberties
Authors: Pyle Christopher H.
Published: October 2012

MostAmericans would like to believe that no person is above the law. WhenPresidentRichardM.Nixon claimed such powers, he was driven from office. WhenPresidentGeorgeW.Bush authorized the torture of prisoners, that abuse was viewed as an aberration. But, as this article documents,PresidentBarackObama is squarely in theNixon‐Bush tradition of presidential power. In shielding the torturers from prosecution, he has preserved kidnapping and torture as options, while asserting unreviewable authority to assassinate foreigners andAmerican citizens by remote controlled drones. These developments have transformed theAmerican presidency into a modern version of theStuart monarchies, at least where allegations of national security are concerned.
The Historical PresidencyThe Perils of Restoration Politics: Nineteenth‐Century Antecedents
Authors: Crockett David A.
Published: October 2012

This article constitutes a comparative analysis of nineteenth‐century “restoration presidents”—presidents from the dominant party who come to power immediately following opposition presidents—to determine the extent to which they were able to act as free agents or were bound by prior commitments. These presidents established the pattern for leadership of whichGeorgeW. Bush is the latest exemplar. Specifically, this article focuses attention on theJacksonianDemocrats following theWhig presidencies (Polk andPierce) and theRepublicans followingCleveland's two administrations (Harrison andMcKinley). A recurrent pattern in these presidencies is that they and their regime allies see their immediate opposition party predecessors as illegitimate threats to the dominant party's ascendancy and in response these “restoration presidents” tend to overreach, pushing the regime toward its disjunction. Exploring the common elements among this group of presidents will facilitate a more accurate understanding of similarly placed presidents in the twentieth and twenty‐first centuries.
The impact of horizontal water velocity on the energy consumption of a full‐scale wastewater treatment plant
Authors: Wambecq T. , Fenu A. , De Gussem K. , Parmentier G. , De Gueldre G. , Van De Steene B.
Published: October 2012

This study quantifies the impact of the oxidation ditch horizontal water velocity on the energy consumption of a full‐scale wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). A WWTP was modelled by means of the ASM2d platform, showing very good correlation with reference operational data. As to reduce the energy requirements of the plant while guarantying the same nutrient removal performance, two approaches were used. A classical aeration control optimization, yielding a 4% energy reduction, was compared with an increase of the oxidation ditch propelling power. The horizontal water velocity in the oxidation ditches was estimated at only 0.15 m/s. By increasing the horizontal water velocity to 0.3 m/s, an 8% energy reduction could be achieved. Moreover, a synergistic effect for classic control optimization and oxidation ditch water velocity optimization resulted in a 14% energy reduction. Energy spent in propelling power counteracts the aeration energy gain derived by an increase in the oxidation ditch horizontal velocity. An optimum in the water velocity was quantified at 0.3 m/s, comparably with its design value.
The Effects of Cyclosporine on Platelet Function and Cyclooxygenase Expression in Normal Dogs
Authors: Thomason J. , Lunsford K. , Stokes J. , Pinchuk L. , Wills R. , Langston C. , Pruett S. , Mackin A.
Published: October 2012

Background

Cyclosporine has been shown to alter platelet plasma membranes and have a hypercoagulable effect in humans, leading to thromboembolic complications.

Hypothesis/Objectives

Our hypothesis was that by modulating platelet reactivity, cyclosporine increases the risk of thromboembolic complications. The objective was to determine the effects of cyclosporine on primary hemostasis in normal dogs.

Animals

Eight healthy, intact female dogs.

Methods

A repeated‐measures design utilized flow cytometry to evaluate platelet expression of platelet reactivity markers (P‐selectin and phosphatidylserine) and COX‐1 and COX‐2 during the administration of 2 cyclosporine dosages (19 mg/kg q12h [immunosuppressive dosage] and 5 mg/kg q24h [atopy dosage]). Urine 11‐dehydro‐thromboxane‐B2 (11‐dTXB2) concentration was normalized to urine creatinine concentration, and platelet function was analyzed by PFA‐100.

Results

After a week of the immunosuppressive dosage, all platelet reactivity markers showed a significant decrease in mean fluorescent intensity (MFI). After the atopy dosage, only P‐selectin and COX‐2 MFI demonstrated a change from baseline, decreasing by 29% (P = .013) and 31% (P = .003), respectively. Urinary 11‐dTXB2‐to‐creatinine ratio significantly increased at all time points during the immunosuppressive dosage, but no significant change occurred during administration of the atopy dosage. PFA‐100 closure times using collagen/ADP cartridges increased by 62% (P = .008) with the immunosuppressive dosage and decreased by 45% with the atopy dosage (P = .035). No significant changes in closure times occurred with collagen/epinephrine cartridges.

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Our study suggests that, similar to what is observed in humans, cyclosporine alters the platelet plasma membrane and increases thromboxane production in dogs, especially at immunosuppressive dosages.
High Temperature‐Induced Repression of the Rice Sucrose Transporter (OsSUT1) and Starch Synthesis‐Related Genes in Sink and Source Organs at Milky Ripening Stage Causes Chalky Grains
Authors: Phan T. T. T. , Ishibashi Y. , Miyazaki M. , Tran H. T. , Okamura K. , Tanaka S. , Nakamura J. , Yuasa T. , Iwaya‐Inoue M.
Published: October 2012

High temperatures during rice grain ripening reduced yield and grain quality. The proportion of milky white grains was 43.6 % at 30 °C but only 6.5 % at 25 °C. Grain filling was initially faster at 30 °C and finished earlier, and the final dry matter content was less, than at 25 °C. High temperature strongly suppressed the expression of the sucrose transporter gene OsSUT1 and starch synthesis‐related genes SuSy2, AGPS2b, BEIIb and Granule‐bound starch synthase in grains during early grain filling; the transcription levels of OsSUT1 at 14 days after flowering (DAF) were about 60 % lower in grains, flag leaf blade, flag leaf sheath and first leaf sheath. These facts are possibly involved in the earlier termination of grain filling at 21 DAF, following the rapid rise of grain dry weight from 0 to 7 DAF, due to possible reduction in assimilate supply via OsSUT1 under the high temperature. When panicles were partly clipped, the resultant increase in assimilate supply to the remaining grains significantly upregulated the expression of OsSUT1 and the starch synthesis‐related genes at 14 DAF, which consequently accelerated starch accumulation in the grains and ultimately increased the grain weight of remaining grains at 30 °C. These results indicate that high temperature during grain filling reduces grain yield and quality by changing the expression of OsSUT1 and starch synthase‐related genes, resulting in earlier ripening due to hastened or premature assimilate supply to grains.
Familial benign chronic pemphigus and doxycycline: a review of 6 cases
Authors: Le Saché‐de Peufeilhoux L. , Raynaud E. , Bouchardeau A. , Fraitag S. , Bodemer C.
Published: October 2012

Background  Hailey‐Hailey disease (HHD) or familial benign chronic pemphigus is a rare autosomal dominant inherited skin disorder, characterized by flaccid vesicles and erosions on the intertriginous areas. Current treatments are not particularly effective. We report 6 cases dramatically improving with doxycycline.

Case reports  6 patients, aged from 33 to 77 years old, presented with a variable 4 to 40 year history of severe treatment‐resistant HHD. All 6 patients were then treated successfully with doxycycline 100 mg per day for at least 3 months.

Discussion  An improvement was observed in all 6 patients from 1 week to 3 months after the beginning of treatment. Relapses were observed after various periods. Maintenance half‐dose therapy seemed to be beneficial in patients experiencing recurrence. Only one patient developed gastro‐intestinal intolerance. No other side effects were reported. Currently, 2 patients have improved and present a decreased number of exacerbations, 2 others are in complete remission after more than 5 years of follow‐up. Treatment efficiency is difficult to evaluate in HHD as it is a rare condition. No controlled studies have been published. Local treatments may improve inflammation but do not treat the underlying cause, targeted systemic therapies exist but there is little evidence supporting their use, physical treatments are cumbersome. Besides their antibiotic potential, tetracycline antibiotics also have anti‐inflammatory properties and anticollagenase activity via inhibition of matrix metalloproteinases.

Conclusions  Doxycycline appears to be an interesting therapeutic option in Hailey‐Hailey disease.
Effect of Roasting and Boiling on the Content of Vicine, Convicine and L‐3,4‐dihydroxyphenylalanine in Vicia fabaL.
Authors: Cardador‐Martínez Anaberta , Maya‐Ocaña Karina , Ortiz‐Moreno Alicia , Herrera‐Cabrera Braulio E. , Dávila‐Ortiz G. , Múzquiz Mercedes , Martín‐Pedrosa Mercedes , Burbano Carmen , Cuadrado Carmen , Jiménez‐Martínez Cristian
Published: October 2012

The pyrimidine glycosides, vicine and convicine, are compounds of the genus Vicia, whereas their aglycone derivatives, divicine and isouramil, are responsible for favism occurrence, and L‐3,4‐dihydroxyphenylalanine (L‐DOPA) is a nonprotein amino acid precursor of dopamine in healthy neurons. The present work evaluated the effect of thermal treatment, which consisted of roasting and boiling, on the content of vicine, convicine and L‐DOPA in mature cotyledons of 10 varieties of Mexican Vicia faba L. and determined the concentration of glycosides and L‐DOPA by high‐performance liquid chromatography. The raw cotyledons showed 2.88–6.10, 0.63–1.68 and 0.28–0.44 vicine, convicine and L‐DOPA, respectively. The 12 and 40% and 30 and 61% decrease in vicine and convicine content, respectively, were observed to be the effect of roasting and boiling the samples. L‐DOPA was totally removed by both thermal processes. In all analyzed samples, vicine was the main compound; however, there were significant differences between varieties and thermal treatments.

Practical Applications

Vicine and convicine glycosides are strongly implicated in favism, a hemolytic anemia in humans, and in poor performance of laying hens. There are reports of decreased egg weight, increase in the fragility of the yolk and a number of blood stains, and decreased fertility and hatchability of eggs. The characterization of new varieties of faba bean in their content of potentially toxic glycosides allows selection of those with the lowest possible content of such compounds. Also, the application of heat treatments that reduce glycosides will allow the use of seeds or flour to develop harmless food and feed ingredients.
Physical Properties of Gluten‐Free Donuts
Authors: Melito Helen , Farkas Brian E.
Published: October 2012

Gluten intolerance and wheat allergy are becoming more prevalent in the American population. Treatment for either condition is complete avoidance of wheat‐ and gluten‐containing products. Little work has been performed on gluten‐free (GF) fried foods, such as donuts. Thus, this study examined instrumental and sensory properties of GF yeast donuts in comparison to wheat yeast donuts. Eight different GF donut formulations were evaluated via instrumental and sensory analysis. Statistical analysis (α = 0.05) showed that most GF donuts had significantly lower fat content (26.3–32.2%) than the wheat control (33.7%). A higher ratio of commercial GF flour to rice flour resulted in higher fat content and mechanical properties closer to those of the wheat control compared with a lower ratio. Although GF donuts had significantly lower sensory acceptance scores than wheat donuts, several formulations yielded GF donuts with similar instrumental properties and lower fat content than the wheat control.

Practical Applications

This work yielded a gluten‐free donut formulation that produced donuts with similar mechanical properties to wheat donuts, but with a lower fat content. These results show that gluten‐free flours may be used in combination with wheat flour to produce donuts with lower fat content without adversely affecting the mechanical properties of the donuts. In addition, a commercial gluten‐free donut product is not currently available, and this work makes strides toward a final formulation for this type of product.
X‐ray fluorescence analysis of iron and manganese distribution in primary dopaminergic neurons
Authors: Dučić Tanja , Barski Elisabeth , Salome Murielle , Koch Jan C. , Bähr Mathias , Lingor Paul
Published: October 2012

Transition metals have been suggested to play a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. X‐ray microscopy combined with a cryogenic setup is a powerful method for elemental imaging in low concentrations and high resolution in intact cells, eliminating the need for fixation and sectioning of the specimen. Here, we performed an elemental distribution analysis in cultured primary midbrain neurons with a step size in the order of 300 nm and ~ 0.1 ppm sensitivity under cryo conditions by using X‐ray fluorescence microscopy. We report the elemental mappings on the subcellular level in primary mouse dopaminergic (DAergic) and non‐DAergic neurons after treatment with transition metals. Application of Fe2+ resulted in largely extracellular accumulation of iron without preference for the neuronal transmitter subtype. A quantification of different Fe oxidation states was performed using X‐ray absorption near edge structure analysis. After treatment with Mn2+, a cytoplasmic/paranuclear localization of Mn was observed preferentially in DAergic neurons, while no prominent signal was detectable after Mn3+ treatment. Immunocytochemical analysis correlated the preferential Mn uptake to increased expression of voltage‐gated calcium channels in DAergic neurons. We discuss the implications of this differential elemental distribution for the selective vulnerability of DAergic neurons and Parkinson's disease pathogenesis.
Validation of anamnestic diagnostic criteria for recurrent aphthous stomatitis
Authors: Baccaglini Lorena , Theriaque Douglas W. , Shuster Jonathan J. , Serrano Giselle , Lalla Rajesh V.
Published: October 2012

Background

Recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is characterized by painful recurrent oral ulcers and is typically diagnosed via history and clinical examination. Our aim was to validate a set of anamnestic diagnostic criteria (RASDX) to increase the accuracy of RAS diagnosis, particularly when a clinical examination is not feasible.

Methods

Participants were enrolled during an unmatched case–control study. RASDX consisted of an initial phone screening using standardized questionnaires and recognition of RAS photographs in the clinic. The proportion of agreement with an examination by an oral medicine expert was calculated.

Results

A total of 115 participants were scheduled for a clinical diagnostic visit and 11 were withdrawn. The remaining 104 participants were aged 18–50 years, 54% women, 64% White and 20% Hispanic. Of these, all 49 controls with negative RASDX had no clinical ulcers. Of the 54 cases diagnosed with RAS by RASDX, 53 were clinically confirmed to have RAS lesions (99% agreement; exact one‐sided 95% CI = 95–100%).

Conclusions

RASDX, based on a combination of history and photograph recognition, was highly accurate compared with a diagnosis that employed an oral examination.
Tapping into yeast diversity
Authors: Fay Justin C.
Published: October 2012

Domesticated organisms demonstrate our capacity to influence wild species but also provide us with the opportunity to understand rapid evolution in the context of substantially altered environments and novel selective pressures. Recent advances in genetics and genomics have brought unprecedented insights into the domestication of many organisms and have opened new avenues for further improvements to be made. Yet, our ability to engineer biological systems is not without limits; genetic manipulation is often quite difficult. The budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, is not only one of the most powerful model organisms, but is also the premier producer of fermented foods and beverages around the globe. As a model system, it entertains a hefty workforce dedicated to deciphering its genome and the function it encodes at a rich mechanistic level. As a producer, it is used to make leavened bread, and dozens of different alcoholic beverages, such as beer and wine. Yet, applying the awesome power of yeast genetics to understanding its origins and evolution requires some knowledge of its wild ancestors and the environments from which they were derived. A number of surprisingly diverse lineages of S. cerevisiae from both primeval and secondary forests in China have been discovered by Wang and his colleagues. These lineages substantially expand our knowledge of wild yeast diversity and will be a boon to elucidating the ecology, evolution and domestication of this academic and industrial workhorse.
A sea water barrier to coral gene flow
Authors: Lessios H. A.
Published: October 2012

Land is not the only barrier to dispersal encountered by marine organisms. For sedentary shallow water species, there is an additional, marine barrier, 5000 km of uninterrupted deep‐water stretch between the central and the eastern Pacific. This expanse of water, known as the ‘Eastern Pacific Barrier’, has been separating faunas of the two oceanic regions since the beginning of the Cenozoic. Species with larvae that cannot stay in the plankton for the time it takes to cross between the two sides have been evolving independently. That the eastern Pacific does not share species with the rest of the Pacific was obvious to naturalists two centuries ago (Darwin 1860). Yet, this rule has exceptions. A small minority of species are known to straddle the Eastern Pacific Barrier. One such exception is the scleractinian coral Porites lobata (Fig. ). This species is spread widely throughout the Indo‐Pacific, where it is one of the major reef‐builders, but it is also encountered in the eastern Pacific. Are eastern and central Pacific populations of this coral connected by gene flow? In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Baums et al. (2012) use microsatellite data to answer this question. They show that P. lobata populations in the eastern Pacific are cut off from genetic influx from the rest of the Pacific. Populations within each of the two oceanic regions are genetically connected (though those in the Hawaiian islands are also isolated). Significantly, the population in the Clipperton Atoll, the westernmost island in the eastern Pacific, genetically groups with populations from the central Pacific, suggesting that crossing the Eastern Pacific Barrier by P. lobata propagules does occasionally occur.
Population genomics and the causes of local differentiation
Authors: Tonsor Stephen J.
Published: October 2012

Exactly 50 years ago, a revolution in empirical population genetics began with the introduction of methods for detecting allelic variation using protein electrophoresis (Throckmorton 1962; Hubby 1963; Lewontin & Hubby 1966). These pioneering scientists showed that populations are chock‐full of genetic variation. This variation was a surprise that required a re‐thinking of evolutionary genetic heuristics. Understanding the causes for the maintenance of this variation became and remains a major area of research. In the process of addressing the causes, this same group of scientists documented geographical genetic structure (Prakash et al. 1969), spawning the continued accumulation of what is now a huge case study catalogue of geographical differentiation (e.g. Loveless & Hamrick 1984; Linhart & Grant 1996). Geographical differentiation is clearly quite common. Yet, a truly general understanding of the patterns in and causes of spatial genetic structure across the genome remains elusive. To what extent is spatial structure driven by drift and phylogeography vs. geographical differences in environmental sources of selection? What proportion of the genome participates? A general understanding requires range‐wide data on spatial patterning of variation across the entire genome. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Lasky et al. (2012) make important strides towards addressing these issues, taking advantage of three contemporary revolutions in evolutionary biology. Two are technological: high‐throughput sequencing and burgeoning computational power. One is cultural: open access to data from the community of scientists and especially data sets that result from large collaborative efforts. Together, these developments may at last put answers within reach.
On the Wrong Track: Process and Content in Moral Psychology
Authors: Kahane Guy
Published: October 2012

According to Joshua Greene's influential dual process model of moral judgment, different modes of processing are associated with distinct moral outputs: automatic processing with deontological judgment, and controlled processing with utilitarian judgment. This article aims to clarify and assess Greene's model. I argue that the proposed tie between process and content is based on a misinterpretation of the evidence, and that the supposed evidence for controlled processing in utilitarian judgment is actually likely to reflect, not ‘utilitarian reasoning’, but a form of moral deliberation which, ironically, is actually in serious tension with a utilitarian outlook. This alternative account is further supported by the results of a neuroimaging study showing that intuitive and counterintuitive judgments have similar neural correlates whether or not their content is utilitarian or deontological.
Combustion smoke‐induced inflammation in the cerebellum and hippocampus of adult rats
Authors: Zou Y‐Y. , Kan E. M. , Cao Q. , Lu J. , Ling E‐A.
Published: October 2012

Aims

The effect of combustion smoke inhalation on the respiratory system is widely reported but its effects on the central nervous system remain unclear. Here, we aimed to determine the effects of smoke inhalation on the cerebellum and hippocampus which are areas vulnerable to hypoxia injury.

Methods

Adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were subjected to combustion smoke inhalation and sacrificed at 0.5, 3, 24 and 72 h after exposure. The cerebellum and hippocampus were subjected to Western analysis for VEGF, iNOS, eNOS, nNOS and AQP4 expression; ELISA analysis for cytokine and chemokine levels; and immunohistochemistry for GFAP/AQP4, RECA‐1/RITC and TUNEL. Aminoguanidine (AG) was administered to determine the effects of iNOS after smoke inhalation.

Results

Both the cerebellum and hippocampus showed a significant increase in VEGF, iNOS, eNOS, nNOS and AQP4 expression with corresponding increases in inflammatory cytokines and chemokines and increased AQP4 expression and RITC permeability after smoke exposure. AG was able to decrease the expression of iNOS, followed by VEGF, eNOS, nNOS, RITC and AQP4 after smoke exposure. There was also a significant increase in TUNEL+ cells in the cerebellum and hippocampus which were not significantly reduced by AG. Beam walk test revealed immediate deficits after smoke inhalation which was attenuated with AG.

Conclusion

The findings suggest that iNOS plays a major role in the central nervous system inflammatory pathophysiology after smoke inhalation exposure with concomitant increase in proinflammatory molecules, vascular permeability and oedema, for which the cerebellum appears to be more vulnerable to smoke exposure than the hippocampus.
Psychosocial functioning and self‐rated health in Japanese school‐aged children: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Okuda Masayuki , Sekiya Mari , Okuda Yumi , Kunitsugu Ichiro , Yoshitake Norikazu , Hobara Tatsuya
Published: October 2012

Emotional and behavioral disorders in children are school‐health concerns; however, Japanese screening tools for such disorders are not yet available. We examined the association between psychosocial functioning as measured by the Pediatric Symptom Checklist (PSC) and self‐rated health within school settings. A cross‐sectional study was conducted for 2513 fifth and eighth graders from all of the primary and secondary schools in Shunan City, Japan. The Japanese PSC had high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.90) and a factor structure similar to that of the English PSC. When the cut‐off values were set to ≥ 28 and ≥ 17, 4–9% and 20–39% of our respondents, respectively, reported high PSC scores. A multiple ordinal logistic regression analysis showed that the odds ratio of a positive PSC score (≥ 28) for poorer self‐rated health among ratings of “very good,” “good,” “fair,” and “poor” was 3.5 (95% confidence interval = 2.6–4.8). There was a clear association between psychosocial dysfunction identified by a PSC score ≥ 28 and poor self‐rated health. We offer directions for further research on appropriate PSC cut‐off values with Japanese samples.
Full‐field optical coherence microscopy is a novel technique for imaging enteric ganglia in the gastrointestinal tract
Authors: Coron E. , Auksorius E. , Pieretti A. , Mahé M. M. , Liu L. , Steiger C. , Bromberg Y. , Bouma B. , Tearney G. , Neunlist M. , Goldstein A. M.
Published: October 2012

Background  Noninvasive methods are needed to improve the diagnosis of enteric neuropathies. Full‐field optical coherence microscopy (FFOCM) is a novel optical microscopy modality that can acquire 1 μm resolution images of tissue. The objective of this research was to demonstrate FFOCM imaging for the characterization of the enteric nervous system (ENS).

Methods  Normal mice and EdnrB‐/‐ mice, a model of Hirschsprung’s disease (HD), were imaged in three‐dimensions ex vivo using FFOCM through the entire thickness and length of the gut. Quantitative analysis of myenteric ganglia was performed on FFOCM images obtained from whole‐mount tissues and compared with immunohistochemistry imaged by confocal microscopy.

Key Results  Full‐field optical coherence microscopy enabled visualization of the full thickness gut wall from serosa to mucosa. Images of the myenteric plexus were successfully acquired from the stomach, duodenum, colon, and rectum. Quantification of ganglionic neuronal counts on FFOCM images revealed strong interobserver agreement and identical values to those obtained by immunofluorescence microscopy. In EdnrB‐/‐ mice, FFOCM analysis revealed a significant decrease in ganglia density along the colorectum and a significantly lower density of ganglia in all colorectal segments compared with normal mice.

Conclusions & Inferences  Full‐field optical coherence microscopy enables optical microscopic imaging of the ENS within the bowel wall along the entire intestine. FFOCM is able to differentiate ganglionic from aganglionic colon in a mouse model of HD, and can provide quantitative assessment of ganglionic density. With further refinements that enable bowel wall imaging in vivo, this technology has the potential to revolutionize the characterization of the ENS and the diagnosis of enteric neuropathies.
Periplasmic arabinogalactan glycoproteins act as a calcium capacitor that regulates plant growth and development
Authors: Lamport Derek T. A. , Várnai Péter
Published: October 2012

Arabinogalactan glycoproteins (AGPs) are implicated in virtually all aspects of plant growth and development, yet their precise role remains unknown. Classical AGPs cover the plasma membrane and are highly glycosylated by numerous acidic arabinogalactan polysaccharides O‐linked to hydroxyproline. Their heterogeneity and complexity hindered a structural approach until the recent determination of a highly conserved repetitive consensus structure for a 15‐sugar residue arabinogalactan subunit with paired glucuronic carboxyls.

Based on NMR data and molecular dynamics simulations, we identify these carboxyls as potential intramolecular Ca2+‐binding sites.

Using rapid ultrafiltration assays and mass spectrometry, we verified that AGPs bind Ca2+ tightly (Kd ˜ 6.5 μM) and stoichiometrically at pH 5. Ca2+ binding is reversible in a pH‐dependent manner.

As typical AGPs contain c. 30 Ca2+‐binding subunits and are bulk components of the periplasm, they represent a Ca2+ capacitor discharged at low pH by stretch‐activated plasma membrane H+‐ATPases, hence a substantial source of cytosolic Ca2+. We propose that these Ca2+ waves prime the ‘calcium oscillator’, a signal generator essential to the global Ca2+ signalling pathway of green plants.
Non‐cell autonomous regulation of life cycle transitions in the model brown alga Ectocarpus
Authors: Arun Alok , Peters Nick T. , Scornet Delphine , Peters Akira F. , Mark Cock J. , Coelho Susana M.
Published: October 2012

The model brown alga Ectocarpus has a haploid‐diploid life cycle, involving alternation between two independent multicellular generations, the gametophyte and the sporophyte. Recent work has shown that alternation of generations is not determined by ploidy but is rather under genetic control, involving at least one master regulatory locus, OUROBOROS (ORO).

Using cell biology approaches combined with measurements of generation‐specific transcript abundance we provide evidence that alternation of generations can also be regulated by non‐cell autonomous mechanisms.

The Ectocarpus sporophyte produces a diffusible factor that causes major developmental reprogramming in gametophyte cells. Cells become resistant to reprogramming when the cell wall is synthetized, suggesting that the cell wall may play a role in locking an individual into the developmental program that has been engaged. A functional ORO gene is necessary for the induction of the developmental switch.

Our results highlight the role of the cell wall in maintaining the differentiated generation stage once the appropriate developmental program has been engaged and also indicate that ORO is a key member of the developmental pathway triggered by the sporophyte factor. Alternation between gametophyte and sporophyte generations in Ectocarpus is surprisingly labile, perhaps reflecting an adaptation to the variable seashore environment inhabited by this alga.
Introgression and selection shaping the genome and adaptive loci of weedy rice in northern China
Authors: Sun Jian , Qian Qian , Ma Dian‐Rong , Xu Zheng‐Jin , Liu Dan , Du Hong‐Bo , Chen Wen‐Fu
Published: October 2012

As a weed of rice paddy fields, weedy rice has spread worldwide. In northern China, the expansion of weedy rice has been rapid over the past two decades. Its evolutionary history and adaptive mechanisms are poorly understood.

Evolutionary relationships between northern weedy rice and rice cultivars were analyzed using presumed neutral markers sampled across the rice genome. Genes involved in rice domestication were evaluated for their potential roles in weedy rice adaptation. Seed longevity, a critical trait of weedy rice, was examined in an F2 population derived from a cross between weedy rice and a rice cultivar to evaluate weedy rice adaptation and the potential effect of candidate genes.

Weedy rice in northern China was not derived directly from closely related wild Oryza species or from the introgression of indica subspecies. Introgression with local cultivars, coupled with selection that maintained weedy identity, shaped the evolution of weedy rice in northern China.

Weedy rice is a unique system with which to investigate how weedy plants adapt to an agricultural environment. Our finding that extensive introgression from local cultivars, combined with the continuing ability to maintain weedy genes, is characteristic of weedy rice in northern China provides a clue for the field control of weedy rice.
Pneumomediastinum following zygomatic fracture – an uncommon but potentially life‐threatening complication
Authors: Houghton D. , Sidebottom A.J.
Published: October 2012

We report the case of a 35‐year‐old male who presented with left facial swelling and pain on deep inspiration following an isolated zygomatic complex fracture. Clinical examination and computer tomography confirmed cervicofacial emphysema and pneumomediastinum secondary to zygomatic fracture. This was subsequently managed conservatively with analgesia and antibiotics. Cervicofacial emphysema following maxillofacial trauma is not uncommon, but pneumomediastinum must be considered where chest pain develops and diagnosed early to minimise potentially life‐threatening conditions.
Pelvic Fractures at a New Level 1 Trauma Centre: Who Dies from Pelvic Trauma? The Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital Experience
Authors: Palmcrantz Johan , Hardcastle Timothy C , Naidoo Steven R , Muckart David J J , Ahlm Kristin , Eriksson Anders
Published: October 2012

Objective

To identify the incidence of pelvic trauma, causes of death and factors predicting death with pelvic fractures.

Methods

All pelvic fractures were retrospectively identified from a registry spanning from March 2007 to August 2009. Data was captured on a proforma. Data for survivors, non‐survivors and a subgroup with pelvic injury as the underlying cause of death were compared.

Results

Pelvic fracture incidence was 16% of major trauma cases. Patient with pelvic fractures had 31% mortality and 9% pelvic fracture‐induced mortality. Motor vehicle collisions were the commonest external cause of pelvic fractures (59%); however, the highest mortality was from falls >6 m. The Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 29 in survivors, 36 in non‐survivors, and 54 in the pelvic death subgroup. Type C fracture was a predictor of mortality (P = 0.135). 53% of the cases required transfusion in the first 24 hours. The pelvic death subgroup received a mean of 10.7 units of blood, versus 4 units for survivors and 3.7 units for non‐survivors (P = 0.259).

Conclusion

The overall incidence of pelvic fracture and associated mortality were higher than previously reported. Fracture severity and falls from heights are associated with additional injuries (higher ISS) and mortality. More severe fractures cause deaths directly attributable to the pelvic injury. The requirement for major blood transfusions for pelvic fracture hemorrhage was related to mortality. Female patients appeared to fare worse than males.
Atrio‐Hisian Fibers Anatomy and Electrophysiology
Authors: BRECHENMACHER CLAUDE J.
Published: October 2012

Introduction

In this case, electrophysiology and histology could be studied in the same heart. Clinical investigation, clinical electrophysiology, and postmortem serial histological sections of the septum were analyzed.

Methods

A patient with repeated seizures and a short PR interval with narrow QRS complex underwent electrophysiologic studies.

Results

The patient died while experiencing a very rapid supraventricular tachycardia and histologic examination showed a atrio‐hisian bypass tract.

Conclusion

In our study, the lack of lengthening of the PR interval in spite of progressively premature atrial stimulation connected with the presence of atrio‐hisian bypass tract.
Use of Computed Tomography to Identify Atrial Fibrillation Associated Differences in Left Atrial Wall Thickness and Density
Authors: DEWLAND THOMAS A. , WINTERMARK MAX , VAYSMAN ANNA , SMITH LISA M. , TONG ELIZABETH , VITTINGHOFF ERIC , MARCUS GREGORY M.
Published: October 2012

Introduction

Left atrial (LA) tissue characteristics may play an important role in atrial fibrillation (AF) induction and perpetuation. Although frequently used in clinical practice, computed tomography (CT) has not been employed to describe differences in LA wall properties between AF patients and controls. We sought to noninvasively characterize AF‐associated differences in LA tissue using CT.

Methods

CT images of the LA were obtained in 98 consecutive patients undergoing AF ablation and in 89 controls. A custom software algorithm was used to measure wall thickness and density in four prespecified regions of the LA.

Results

On average, LA walls were thinner (−15.5%, 95% confidence interval [CI] −23.2 to −7.8%, P < 0.001) and demonstrated significantly lower density (−19.7 Hounsfield Units [HU], 95% CI −27.0 to −12.5 HU, P < 0.001) in AF patients compared to controls. In linear mixed models adjusting for demographics, clinical variables, and other CT measurements, the average LA, interatrial septum, LA appendage, and anterior walls remained significantly thinner in AF patients. After adjusting for the same potential confounders, history of AF was associated with reduced density in the LA anterior wall and increased density below the right inferior pulmonary vein and in the LA appendage.

Conclusion

Application of an automated measurement algorithm to CT imaging of the atrium identified significant thinning of the LA wall and regional alterations in tissue density in patients with a history of AF. These findings suggest differences in LA tissue composition can be noninvasively identified and quantified using CT.

(PACE 2013; 36:55–62)