bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
88 CHANGING MATERNAL NUTRITION IN EARLY PREGNANCY MODIFIES FETAL OVARY DEVELOPMENT IN NELLORE COWS
Authors: Costa H. F. , Miguel M. C. V. , Pedroso A. M. , Gobbo S. P. , Lopes F. L. , Peiro J. R. , Nogueira G. P.
Published: December 2014

Environmental influences such as nutritional restriction during early gestation in cattle may impair fetal development and compromise functions in adulthood. During the first trimester of gestation fetal gonads are formed. We hypothesised that either restriction or excess of nutrients ingested by cows during the first third of pregnancy interferes with fetal body weight (BW) and ovary development. Twenty-one uniparous Nelore cows (BW = 488 ± 24 kg, body condition score, BCS = 3.1 ± 0.1) were subjected to timed AI with sexed semen (female) of a single bull and individually allocated to different diets. The diet of the control group (C) met the maintenance requirements, and the groups of high (A) and low (B) were either 180% or 60% of maintenance respectively. Live weight and BCS were assessed weekly to adjust the diet according to the individual weight of each animal. At 60 days of gestation, 9 fetuses (3/group) were removed by colpotomy (accessed through vagina), weighed, and their ovaries were dissected and weighed. One fetal ovary (of each pair) was analysed by RNA-seq (mRNA). The effects of treatments on both ovarian and fetal weight were compared by ANOVA (proc GLM, SAS 9.3, SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). During the 60 days of treatment, cows from Group A gained 66 kg (from 474 ± 6 kg to 541 ± 10 kg) and 1.25 points in BCS (from 3.0 to 4.25), whereas the cows in group B lost 61 kg (from 458 ± 3 kg to 397 ± 6 kg) and 1 point in BCS (from 3.2 to 2.2). Fetal ovary weight (sum of the two) was lower in group B (0.007 ± 0.001 g; P < 0.04) than in groups A (0.02 ± 0.004 g) and C (0.013 ± 0.007 g), which did not differ (P > 0.08) between each other. Fetuses in group B weighed less (12.8 ± 1.14 g; P < 0.006) than in groups A (20.56 ± 2.2 g) and C (20.03 ± 0.8 g). Maternal nutritional status during the first 60 days of gestation changed the transcriptome of fetal ovaries. There were differences in the pattern of gene expression between the control, high, and low intake groups. A total of 79 genes out of 20 657 showed differential expression between treatments (false discovery rate 0.05), some of which were related to embryonic and ovarian development. Thus, we conclude that changing maternal nutrition during the first 60 days of gestation will change the transcriptomic profile of fetal ovaries. Poor maternal nutrition jeopardizes ovarian size and weight and fetal weight, suggesting impairment on the production of ovarian follicles. This is a critical period in fetal ovarian development, as oocytes grow and differentiate, and need to escape from degenerative processes to remain in the ovaries. Thus, the developmental impairment at the beginning of meiosis could reduce the number of oocytes in the fetal ovary. Histological examination of fetal ovaries is underway to evaluate the number of oocytes.Funding provided by FAPESP 2011/50839-1; CNPq 487036/2013-3, CAPES.
98 UTERINE INVOLUTION AND VASCULAR PERFUSION DURING EARLY POSTPARTUM IN MARES
Authors: Arruda R. P. , Lemes K. M. , Silva L. A. , Celeghini E. C. C. , Alonso M. A. , Pugliesi G. , Carvalho H. F. , Affonso F. J. , Silva D. F. , Leite T. G.
Published: December 2014

In horses, a rapid involution of the uterus occurs right after parturition, allowing the reestablishment of a favourable uterine environment for embryo development. However, limited evidence is found regarding the vascular events during puerperal period in mares. We aimed to evaluate the morphological (size of uterus and uterine fluid content) and haemodynamic (endometrial and mesometrial vascular perfusion) characteristics of the uterine involution process. Mares (n = 10) were evaluated by transrectal ultrasonography from the first day postpartum (d1) to the sixteenth day after first ovulation (D0 = ovulation). For ultrasound exams, a duplex B-mode and Doppler ultrasound instrument (M5 VET; Mindray Medical International Limited, China) equipped with a transrectal transducer was used. The previously pregnant (PH) and nonpregnant (NPH) horns were individually evaluated. Data were analysed for the main effects of horns (PH and NPH), day, and their interaction, using the PROC MIXED procedure of SAS software (9.3 version; SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). Discrete variables were analysed by ANOVA. A reduction (P < 0.05) in the uterine diameter was observed during the first 7 days postpartum, but the rate of uterine involution (decrease in uterine size) decreased thereafter. The involution was complete around the d21 for the NPH and around d24 for the PH. Presence of uterine luminal fluid (mm) was increased between d1 (no fluid) and d2 (31.41 ± 2.88) postpartum, followed by a decrease between d4 (30.43 ± 4.52) and d7 (10.20 ± 1.76). No fluid was observed after d16 postpartum or after the third day postovulation (D3). For endometrial and mesometrial vascular perfusion, only a day effect (P < 0.05) was observed. An increase in the endometrial and mesometrial vascularization was detected, respectively, between d1 and d4, and between d1 and d2. Vascular perfusion did not differ after d4 for endometrial tissue, whereas it was reduced (P < 0.05) between d2 and d10 for mesometrium. For the vascular perfusion after ovulation, an increase (P < 0.05) from D0 to D5, followed by a decrease (P < 0.05) between D5 and D11 and an increase (P < 0.05) between D11 and D14 was observed in the endometrial and mesometrial tissues. The profile of the vascular perfusion in endometrium and mesometrium after first ovulation postpartum is similar to that observed during oestrous cycles and early pregnancy, indicating a return of the uterus to the pre-pregnant uterine characteristics in mares.Research was supported by FAPESP process no. 2010/10692-9 and CNPq process no. 135954/2011-8.
Idempotent residuated structures: Some category equivalences and their applications
Authors: Galatos N. , Raftery J.
Published: December 2014

This paper concerns residuated lattice-ordered idempotent commutative monoids that are subdirect products of chains. An algebra of this kind is a generalized Sugihara monoid (GSM) if it is generated by the lower bounds of the monoid identity; it is a Sugihara monoid if it has a compatible involution

¬
\neg

. Our main theorem establishes a category equivalence between GSMs and relative Stone algebras with a nucleus (i.e., a closure operator preserving the lattice operations). An analogous result is obtained for Sugihara monoids. Among other applications, it is shown that Sugihara monoids are strongly amalgamable, and that the relevance logic

R
M

t

\mathbf {RM}^\mathbf {t}

has the projective Beth definability property for deduction.
Toeplitz operators in TQFT via skein theory
Authors: Marché Julien , Paul Thierry
Published: December 2014

Topological quantum field theory associates to a punctured surface

Σ
\Sigma

, a level

r
r

and colors

c
c

in

{
1
,
…
,
r
−
1
}

\{1,\ldots ,r-1\}

at the marked points a finite dimensional Hermitian space

V
r

(
Σ
,
c
)

V_r(\Sigma ,c)

. Curves

γ
\gamma

on

Σ
\Sigma

act as Hermitian operator

T
r
γ

T_r^\gamma

on these spaces. In the case of the punctured torus and the 4-times punctured sphere, we prove that the matrix elements of

T
r
γ

T_r^\gamma

have an asymptotic expansion in powers of

1
r

\frac {1}{r}

and we identify the two first terms using trace functions on representation spaces of the surface in

S
U

2

\mathrm {SU}_2

. We conjecture a formula for the general case. Then we show that the curve operators are Toeplitz operators on the sphere in the sense that

T
r

γ

=

Π
r

f
r
γ

Π
r

T_r^{\gamma }=\Pi _r f^\gamma _r\Pi _r

where

Π
r

\Pi _r

is the Toeplitz projector and

f
r
γ

f^\gamma _r

is an explicit function on the sphere which is smooth away from the poles. Using this formula, we show that under some assumptions on the colors associated to the marked points, the sequence

T
r
γ

T^\gamma _r

is a Toeplitz operator in the usual sense with principal symbol equal to the trace function and with subleading term explicitly computed. We use this result and semi-classical analysis in order to compute the asymptotics of matrix elements of the representation of the mapping class group of

Σ
\Sigma

on

V
r

(
Σ
,
c
)

V_r(\Sigma ,c)

. We recover in this way the result of Taylor and Woodward on the asymptotics of the quantum 6j-symbols and treat the case of the punctured S-matrix.
Regulation of Rho-GEF Rgf3 by the arrestin Art1 in fission yeast cytokinesis
Authors: Davidson Reshma , Laporte Damien , Wu Jian-Qiu
Published: December 2014

Rho GTPases, activated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), are essential regulators of polarized cell growth, cytokinesis, and many other cellular processes. However, the regulation of Rho-GEFs themselves is not well understood. Rgf3 is an essential GEF for Rho1 GTPase in fission yeast. We show that Rgf3 protein levels and localization are regulated by arrestin-related protein Art1. art1∆ cells lyse during cell separation with a thinner and defective septum. As does Rgf3, Art1 concentrates to the contractile ring starting at early anaphase and spreads to the septum during and after ring constriction. Art1 localization depends on its C-terminus, and Art1 is important for maintaining Rgf3 protein levels. Biochemical experiments reveal that the Rgf3 C-terminus binds to Art1. Using an Rgf3 conditional mutant and mislocalization experiments, we found that Art1 and Rgf3 are interdependent for localization to the division site. As expected, active Rho1 levels at the division site are reduced in art1∆ and rgf3 mutant cells. Taken together, these data reveal that the arrestin family protein Art1 regulates the protein levels and localization of the Rho-GEF Rgf3, which in turn modulates active Rho1 levels during fission yeast cytokinesis.
Coupling of vesicle tethering and Rab binding is required for in vivo functionality of the golgin GMAP-210
Authors: Sato Keisuke , Roboti Peristera , Mironov Alexander A. , Lowe Martin
Published: December 2014

Golgins are extended coiled-coil proteins believed to participate in membrane-tethering events at the Golgi apparatus. However, the importance of golgin-mediated tethering remains poorly defined, and alternative functions for golgins have been proposed. Moreover, although golgins bind to Rab GTPases, the functional significance of Rab binding has yet to be determined. In this study, we show that depletion of the golgin GMAP-210 causes a loss of Golgi cisternae and accumulation of numerous vesicles. GMAP-210 function in vivo is dependent upon its ability to tether membranes, which is mediated exclusively by the amino-terminal ALPS motif. Binding to Rab2 is also important for GMAP-210 function, although it is dispensable for tethering per se. GMAP-210 length is also functionally important in vivo. Together our results indicate a key role for GMAP-210–mediated membrane tethering in maintaining Golgi structure and support a role for Rab2 binding in linking tethering with downstream docking and fusion events at the Golgi apparatus.
The association between government healthcare spending and maternal mortality in the European Union, 1981–2010: a retrospective study
Authors: Maruthappu M , Ng KYB , Williams C , Atun R , Agrawal P , Zeltner T
Published: December 2014

Objective

To determine the association between reductions in government healthcare spending (GHS) on maternal mortality in 24 countries in the European Union (EU) over a 30‐year period, 1981–2010.

Design

Retrospective study.

Setting and population

Twenty‐four EU countries (a total population of 419 million as of 2010).

Methods

We used multivariate regression analysis, controlling for country‐specific differences in healthcare, infrastructure, population size and demographic structure. GHS was measured as a percentage of gross domestic product. Five‐year lag‐time analyses were performed to estimate longer standing effects.

Main outcome measures

Maternal mortality rates.

Results

An annual 1% decrease in GHS is associated with significant rises in maternal mortality rates [regression coefficient [R] 0.0177, P = 0.0021, 95% confidence interval [95% CI] 0.0065–0.0289]. For every annual 1% decrease in GHS, we estimate 89 excess maternal deaths in the EU, a 10.6% annual increase in maternal mortality. The impact on maternal mortality was sustained for up to 1 year (R 0.0150, P = 0.0034, 95% CI 0.0050–0.0250). The associations remained significant after accounting for economic, infrastructure and hospital resource controls, in addition to out‐of‐pocket expenditure, private health spending and total fertility rate. However, accounting for births attended by skilled staff removed the significance of these effects.

Conclusions

Reductions in GHS were significantly associated with increased maternal mortality rates, which may occur through changes in the provision of skilled health professionals attending births. Examples of reduced GHS such as the implementation of austerity measures and budgetary reductions are likely to worsen maternal mortality in the EU.
Intervention Strategies for Reducing Vibrio Parahaemolyticus in Seafood: A Review
Authors: Wang Wen , Li Min , Li Yanbin
Published: December 2014

Vibrio parahaeomolyticus, a natural inhabitant in estuarine marine water, has been frequently isolated from seafood. It has been recognized as the leading causative agent for seafoodborne illness all over the world. Numerous physical, chemical, and biological intervention methods for reducing V. parahaeomolyticus in seafood products have been investigated and practiced. Each intervention method has distinct advantages and disadvantages depending on the processing needs and consumer preference. This review provides a comprehensive overview of various intervention strategies for reducing V. parahaeomolyticus in seafood with an emphasis on the efficiency of bacterial inactivation treatments and the changes in sensory qualities of seafood. In the meantime, reported researches on alternative technologies which have shown effectiveness to inactivate V. parahaemolyticus in seawater and other food products, but not directly in seafood are also included. The successful applications of appropriate intervention strategies could effectively reduce or eliminate the contamination of V. parahaeomolyticus in seafood, and consequently contribute to the improvement of seafood safety and the reduction of public health risk.
Intraoperative circulatory management using the FloTracTM system in laparoscopic liver resection
Authors: Kitaguchi Kazuhiko , Gotohda Naoto , Yamamoto Hiroyuki , Kato Yuichiro , Takahashi Shinichiro , Konishi Masaru , Hayashi Ryuichi
Published: December 2014

Introduction

Several studies have shown that maintenance of the central venous pressure at a low level during liver surgery is effective for intraoperative management. However, others have suggested that stroke volume variation (SVV) may be a better predictor of fluid responsiveness than central venous pressure. The purpose of this study is to conduct a new type of circulatory management using the FloTracTM system in laparoscopic liver resection and to evaluate specific fluctuations in SVV.

Methods

Of the laparoscopic liver resections that we performed between March 2012 and December 2013, we used the FloTrac system for intraoperative circulatory management in 21 cases. We analyzed the data, mainly the average value of SVV.

Results

The average SVV value during liver transection was 5.2%–24.6% (mean, 17.0%), and 18 cases (86%) exceeded the conventional cut‐off value (13%). The average SVV value was 4.3%–18.2% (mean, 9.7%) when pneumoperitoneum was not in effect, whereas it was 7.3% greater on average during liver transection (mean, 17.0%). No perioperative complications developed.

Conclusion

The average SVV value during laparoscopic liver transection (mean, 17.0%) exceeded the conventional cut‐off value, but in this study, no perioperative complications developed, which enabled safe management. We might be able to manage appropriate fluid control using FloTrac system in patients with laparoscopic liver resection. Therefore, it is necessary to set the target SVV and conduct prospective trials to verify the safety margin for intraoperative management in the future.
Discovering the unequal interest in popular online educational games and its implications: A case study
Authors: Zhang Meilan
Published: December 2014

Despite the growing scholarly interest in educational computer games, research on popular online educational games is rare. Little is known about which online educational games are popular and to what extent, what kind of users are more interested in these games and how interest in the games is related to academic performance. To fill this gap, this study analyzed Internet search, national educational assessment and sociodemographic data to examine the relationship between interest in a popular children‐oriented educational gaming site, academic performance and sociodemographic factors. Data analysis showed that disadvantaged youth may be more interested in the gaming site and that the interest was a negative predictor of academic performance in the subsequent year.
Marines, medics, and machismo: Lack of fit with masculine occupational stereotypes discourages men's participation
Authors: Peters Kim , Ryan Michelle K. , Haslam S. Alexander
Published: December 2014

Women have made substantial inroads into some traditionally masculine occupations (e.g., accounting, journalism) but not into others (e.g., military, surgery). Evidence suggests the latter group of occupations is characterized by hyper‐masculine ‘macho’ stereotypes that are especially disadvantageous to women. Here, we explore whether such macho occupational stereotypes may be especially tenacious, not just because of their impact on women, but also because of their impact on men. We examined whether macho stereotypes associated with marine commandos and surgeons discourage men who feel that they are ‘not man enough’. Study 1 demonstrates that male new recruits' (N = 218) perceived lack of fit with masculine commandos was associated with reduced occupational identification and motivation. Study 2 demonstrates that male surgical trainees' (N = 117) perceived lack of fit with masculine surgeons was associated with reduced identification and increased psychological exit a year later. Together, this suggests that macho occupational stereotypes may discourage the very men who may challenge them.
Harnessing the power of Vδ2 cells in cancer immunotherapy
Authors: Fowler D W , Bodman-Smith M D
Published: December 2014

γδ T cells are a subset of T lymphocytes that have been implicated in immunosurveillance against infections and tumours. In the peripheral blood of humans the γδ T cell pool is made up predominantly of Vδ2 cells, which can detect both foreign and self-metabolites of the isoprenoid biosynthesis pathway. This unique axis of antigen recognition enables Vδ2 cells to respond to a range of pathogenic infections as well as perturbations in endogenous isoprenoid biosynthesis that can occur during cell stress and malignant transformation. There has been growing interest in Vδ2 cells as a potential avenue for cancer immunotherapy, and a number of strategies have been utilized in an attempt to boost the anti-tumour response of Vδ2 cells in patients. In this review we discuss critically the evidence that Vδ2 cells contribute to the cytotoxic response against tumours and evaluate current immunotherapeutic approaches that target these cells in cancer patients, with specific focus on their shortcomings and how they may be improved.
Current practices in the identification of critical habitat for threatened species
Authors: Camaclang Abbey E. , Maron Martine , Martin Tara G. , Possingham Hugh P.
Published: December 2014

The term critical habitat is used to describe the subset of habitat that is essential to the survival and recovery of species. Some countries legally require that critical habitat of listed threatened and endangered species be identified and protected. However, there is little evidence to suggest that the identification of critical habitat has had much impact on species recovery. We hypothesized that this may be due at least partly to a mismatch between the intent of critical habitat identification, which is to protect sufficient habitat for species persistence and recovery, and its practice. We used content analysis to systematically review critical habitat documents from the United States, Canada, and Australia. In particular, we identified the major trends in type of information used to identify critical habitat and in occupancy of habitat identified as critical. Information about population viability was used to identify critical habitat for only 1% of the species reviewed, and for most species, designated critical habitat did not include unoccupied habitat. Without reference to population viability, it is difficult to determine how much of a species’ occupied and unoccupied habitat will be required for persistence. We therefore conclude that the identification of critical habitat remains inconsistent with the goal of protecting sufficient habitat to support persistence and recovery of the species. Ensuring that critical habitat identification aligns more closely with its intent will improve the accuracy of the designations and may therefore help improve the benefits to species recovery when combined with adequate implementation and enforcement of legal protections.
A model of posttraumatic epilepsy after penetrating brain injuries: Effect of lesion size and metal fragments
Authors: Kendirli M. Tansel , Rose Dominique T. , Bertram Edward H.
Published: December 2014

Objective

Penetrating brain injury (PBI) has the highest risk for inducing posttraumatic epilepsy, and those PBIs with retained foreign materials such as bullet fragments carry the greatest risk. This study examines the potential contribution of copper, a major component of bullets, to the development of epilepsy following PBI.

Methods

Anesthetized adult male rats received a penetrating injury from the dorsal cortex to the ventral hippocampus from a high speed small bit drill. In one group of animals, copper wire was inserted into the lesion. Control animals had only the lesion or the lesion plus stainless steel wire (biologically inert foreign body). From 6 to up to 11 months following the injury the rats were monitored intermittently for the development of epilepsy with video–electroencephalography (EEG). A separate set of animals was examined for possible acute seizures in the week following the injury.

Results

Twenty‐two of the 23 animals with copper wire developed chronic epilepsy, compared to three of the 20 control rats (lesion and lesion with stainless steel). Copper was associated with more extensive injury. The control rats with epilepsy had larger lesions. In the acute injury group, there was no difference in the incidence of seizures (83% lesion plus stainless steel, 70% lesion plus copper).

Significance

Copper increases the risk for epilepsy and may increase damage over time, but there were no differences between the groups in the incidence of acute postinjury seizures. Lesion size may contribute to epilepsy development in lesion‐only animals. Copper may be an independent risk factor for the development of epilepsy and possible secondary injury, but lesion size also contributes to the development of epilepsy. The consequences of prolonged exposure of the brain to copper observed in these animals may have clinical implications that require further evaluation.
Consulting with young people to inform systematic reviews: an example from a review on the effects of schools on health
Authors: Jamal Farah , Langford Rebecca , Daniels Philip , Thomas James , Harden Angela , Bonell Chris
Published: December 2014

Background

There has been increasing interest in involving the public in systematic reviews as they provide a shortcut to the evidence and arguably have greater influence over policy decisions and ultimately people's lives. Case examples of this involvement are rare, especially for reviews focused on children and young people. This study describes the process and impact of consulting with a young people's advisory group to inform decision making in a systematic review on the effects of schools and school environment interventions on children and young people's health.

Methods

Consultations were conducted with a pre‐existing group of young people brought together to advise on public health research. Their views were sought at two key stages: (i) at the beginning when general views relating to the policy problem under study were elicited; and (ii) half‐way through to advise on how to focus the review on key priorities.

Results

Young people's involvement in our review ensured that the scope of our review was appropriate and that issues which were important to young people were considered. The group was especially valuable in terms of prioritizing in a relevant and meaningful way. A crucial additional impact of involvement was young people providing ‘early signals’ of key themes for the synthesis.
Quantifying the robustness of first arrival dates as a measure of avian migratory phenology
Authors: Goodenough Anne E. , Fairhurst Stacey M. , Morrison Julia B. , Cade Martin , Morgan Peter J. , Wood Matt J.
Published: December 2014

As the climate changes, many long‐term studies have shown that the timing of bird migration is shifting, increasing the need for reliable measures of migratory phenology. Ideally, daily counts of birds at a site are used to calculate the mean arrival date (MAD) but, as this approach is not always possible and is very labour‐intensive, simpler metrics such as first arrival date (FAD) have commonly been used. Here, we examine the relationship between FAD and MAD in 28 summer migrant bird species over a 42‐year period (1970–2011) at Portland Bird Observatory, UK. Although significant correlations between FAD and MAD were detected, relationships were weak, particularly in long‐distance migrants. We suggest that FAD, although a simple and straightforward measure, is not particularly robust as a proxy for overall migratory phenology at a population level.
Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla nestlings do not produce begging calls until they are able to escape from predators
Authors: Węgrzyn Ewa , Leniowski Konrad
Published: December 2014

Nest predation is a major source of reproductive failure in birds and thus it can exert selection on both parental and offspring strategies. Begging calls are known to be a powerful component of parent–offspring communication but these calls can also increase predation risk. Here we demonstrate a sophisticated strategy for the development of begging vocalization in a species under high nest predation. Blackcap Sylvia atricapilla nestlings spend most of their nesting period silent, and develop begging calls just before they are able to fledge. The onset of begging vocalization matches the onset of endothermy, which enables Blackcap chicks to leave the nest. We demonstrate experimentally that begging calls function as a signal of the increased needs of homeothermic nestlings. Playback of begging calls conducted in nests with silent nestlings resulted in a significant increase in feeding rates and a decrease in brooding. Development of begging calls only at the age of endothermy allows species under high nest predation to keep the risky period of begging vocalizations and frequent feeding to a minimum. This strategy may constitute an evolutionary solution to high predation pressure in some open nesting passerines. This is the first study to demonstrate the existence of silent begging in a passerine.
An efficient intelligent search algorithm for the two‐dimensional rectangular strip packing problem
Authors: Wei Lijun , Qin Hu , Cheang Brenda , Xu Xianhao
Published: December 2014

In this paper, we present an efficient intelligent search algorithm for the two‐dimensional rectangular strip packing problem. This algorithm involves three stages, namely greedy selection, local improvement, and randomized improvement. The greedy selection stage provides a good initial solution for the local improvement stage, which then tries to improve the solution by a deterministic local search. The randomized improvement stage employs a simple randomized local search process, which does not need any control parameter. Each of these three stages uses a heuristic approach to construct solutions based on an improved scoring rule and the least‐waste‐first strategy. Extensive experiments show that, to the best of our knowledge, our proposed algorithm performs slightly better than all previously published metaheuristics for most of the benchmark instances.
Are late‐night eating habits and sleep duration associated with glycemic control in adult type 1 diabetes patients treated with insulin pumps?
Authors: Matejko Bartlomiej , Kiec‐Wilk Beata , Szopa Magdalena , Trznadel Morawska Iwona , Malecki Maciej T. , Klupa Tomasz
Published: December 2014

Aims/Introduction

Little is known about the impact of sleep duration and late‐night snacking on glycemic control in patients with type 1 diabetes using insulin pumps. The aim of the present study was to examine whether late‐night eating habits and short sleep duration are associated with glycemic control in continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion‐treated type 1 diabetic patients.

Materials and Methods

We included 148 consecutive adult type 1 diabetic subjects using an insulin pump (100 women and 48 men). Participants completed a questionnaire regarding sleep duration (classified as short if ≤6 h) and late‐night snacking. Other sources of information included medical records and data from blood glucose meters. Glycemic control was assessed by glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels and mean self‐monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) readings.

Results

The mean age of patients was 26 years, mean type 1 diabetes duration was 13.4 years and mean HbA1c level was 7.2%. In a univariate regression analysis, sleep duration was a predictor of both HbA1c (β = 0.51, P = 0.01) and SMBG levels (β = 11.4, P = 0.02). Additionally, an association was found between frequent late‐night snacking and higher SMBG readings (often snacking β = 18.1, P = 0.05), but not with increased HbA1c levels. In the multivariate linear regression, independent predictors for HbA1c and SMBG were sleep duration and patient age. In a univariate logistic regression, sleep duration and frequency of late‐night snacking were not predictors of whether HbA1c target levels were achieved.

Conclusions

Short sleep duration, but not late‐night snacking, seems to be associated with poorer glycemic control in type 1 diabetic patients treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion.
Effect of Vaginal Electrical Stimulation on Female Sexual Functions: A Randomized Study
Authors: Aydın Serdar , Arıoğlu Aydın Çağrı , Batmaz Gonca , Dansuk Ramazan
Published: December 2014

Introduction

Female sexual dysfunction (FSD) is a common problem that may be encountered in the interruption of normal sexual functioning in the sexual response cycle. Women with a pelvic floor disorder who scored low on the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) showed an improvement in their sexual life following treatment by vaginal electrical stimulation (VES).

Aim

The aim of this trial was to evaluate the effectiveness of VES in women with FSD without a predominant pelvic floor disorder or urinary incontinence.

Methods

Forty-two women with FSD were randomly allocated to VES and placebo groups. Pelvic floor muscle (PFM) assessment and the FSFI questionnaire were performed at baseline and after the completion of sessions. VES treatment was administered using a vaginal probe. The probe was inserted, and a medium-frequency (50 Hz) alternating current was administered for a duty cycle of 5 seconds on followed by a 5-second rest.

Main Outcomes Measures

Primary outcome measure was the improvement in FSFI score. PFM assessments were performed according to the PERFECT scheme.

Results

Total FSFI scores improved significantly in both the VES group and the control group. Results show that in the VES group, there was an improvement in total score and FSFI domains that improved including arousal, desire, orgasm, and satisfaction. Similarly, control group domains that improved were desire, arousal, and orgasm. But there was no significant increase in satisfaction scores in the placebo group. No significant changes in pain or lubrication domains were seen in either group. Power, endurance, fast contractions, and repetitions were significantly improved in the VES group.

Conclusions

The lack of significant differences between the placebo and VES groups, except the satisfaction domain, puts into question the effectiveness of electrical stimulation as a monotherapy in treating primary FSD without pelvic floor disorder.
“Our Time”: Sylvia Townsend Warner, Virginia Woolf and the 1940s
Authors: Joannou Maroula
Published: December 2014

This essay addresses the convergence of ideas and altered priorities of Sylvia Towsend Warner and Virginia Woolf in the Second World War with close attention to Woolf's posthumously published Between the Acts (1941) and Warner's The Corner That Held Them (1948). It considers some of Warner's short fiction. I discuss the literature of the war and how Warner and Woolf are situated in relation to ‘late’ modernism.
The population biology of fungal invasions
Authors: Gladieux P. , Feurtey A. , Hood M. E. , Snirc A. , Clavel J. , Dutech C. , Roy M. , Giraud T.
Published: December 2014

Fungal invasions are increasingly recognized as a significant component of global changes, threatening ecosystem health and damaging food production. Invasive fungi also provide excellent models to evaluate the generality of results based on other eukaryotes. We first consider here the reasons why fungal invasions have long been overlooked: they tend to be inconspicuous, and inappropriate methods have been used for species recognition. We then review the information available on the patterns and mechanisms of fungal invasions. We examine the biological features underlying invasion success of certain fungal species. We review population structure analyses, revealing native source populations and strengths of bottlenecks. We highlight the documented ecological and evolutionary changes in invaded regions, including adaptation to temperature, increased virulence, hybridization, shifts to clonality and association with novel hosts. We discuss how the huge census size of most fungi allows adaptation even in bottlenecked, clonal invaders. We also present new analyses of the invasion of the anther‐smut pathogen on white campion in North America, as a case study illustrating how an accurate knowledge of species limits and phylogeography of fungal populations can be used to decipher the origin of invasions. This case study shows that successful invasions can occur even when life history traits are particularly unfavourable to long‐distance dispersal and even with a strong bottleneck. We conclude that fungal invasions are valuable models to contribute to our view of biological invasions, in particular by providing insights into the traits as well as ecological and evolutionary processes allowing successful introductions.
Does the advent of modern implant systems and refinement of free flap techniques negate the effect of radiotherapy in patients with oral cancer undergoing dental implant–based oral rehabilitation?
Authors: Hammond D. , Dover M.S. , Parmar S. , McMillan K. , Van Den Bergh B. , Bayoumi S.
Published: December 2014

Aim

The aim of this study was to see whether the advent of modern implant systems, and the refinement of free flap techniques, negate the effect of radiotherapy in patients with oral cancer who undergo dental implant–based oral rehabilitation.

Materials and method

A retrospective study was performed to look at the success rates of implants placed in all patients, in a 3 year period at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham. Survival rates in irradiated patients were compared with success rates in patients who did receive radiotherapy.

Results and conclusions

The rate of failure is comparable in the no radiotherapy group (1.12%) and post‐radiotherapy group (1.76%). Our study shows that there was no significant difference in survival when implants were placed in native, grafted bone or in free flap reconstructions in irradiated head and neck cancer patients. Ultimately, the current evidence is not strong enough to prove whether the advent of modern implants systems, and the refinement of free flap techniques, does negate the effect of radiotherapy in patients with oral cancer undergoing dental implant–based oral rehabilitation. There is a need to perform a prospective clinical trial to observe clinical outcomes in both patients who have received radiotherapy and those who have not received radiotherapy.
Gigantiform cementoma of the mandible: case report and literature review
Authors: Montague L.J. , Islam M.N. , Young S. , Islam S. , Broumand V , Bhattacharyya I.
Published: December 2014

The gigantiform cementoma (GC) is an extremely rare, benign condition of fibro‐cemento‐osseous origin that is noted in the jaws, more commonly in younger individuals. Both sporadic cases of GC and those with an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance have been reported in the English literature. There exists a great deal of overlap and confusion between GC and other benign, reactive or neoplastic fibro‐osseous lesions, especially florid cement‐osseous dysplasia and ossifying fibroma. The GC typically presents as a multiquadrant, expansile, mixed radiolucent‐opaque lesions that frequently cross the midline of the jaws. We report a case of GC in a 41‐year‐old Haitian female. Clinical, radiographic, and microscopic features of this condition are presented, along with criteria to differentiate GC from other fibro‐osseous diseases of the jaws. A brief review of the literature with clinical, radiographic findings and treatment recommendation is discussed. Additional cases of GC, as well as further investigation of the genes that may be involved, are needed to further understand this rare entity.
The Implosion of the Federal Budget Process: Triggers, Commissions, Cliffs, Sequesters, Debt Ceilings, and Shutdown
Authors: Meyers Roy T.
Published: December 2014

Budgeting in the federal government recently imploded. The competing parties played repeated games of chicken in which they set short‐term budget deadlines and established automatic procedures in hopes of outmaneuvering their opponents. They went to the brink of defaulting on the government's debt, and then shut down the government. This article recounts the history of this implosion and discusses what might have caused it. Budgeting's decline was certainly driven by partisan conflict. Yet budgeting's decline was also due to a dumbing down of aspirations for the process. Ironically, budget hawks contributed substantially to this when they endorsed “action‐forcing mechanisms” that they hoped would constitute “credible commitments” to adopt sustainable budgetary policies. Even if their aspirations were partially realized, their logic was flawed and the collateral damage was substantial.

“Obama, Congress Must Reach Deal On Budget By March 1, And Then April 1, And Then April 20, And Then April 28, And Then May 1, And Then Twice A Week For Next Four Years”–Headline in The Onion, February 27, 2013

“So we're going to hit the debt ceiling then go off the fiscal cliff. I assume an anvil lands on us after that.”–@pourmecoffee, December 26, 2012
Estimating the “Tax Gap” at the State Level: The Case of Georgia's Personal Income Tax
Authors: Alm James , Borders Kyle
Published: December 2014

Most studies of the so‐called “tax gap” (or the amount of taxes that should be collected but are not) focus on national taxes. This study provides several estimates of the “tax gap” for the State of Georgia's personal income tax. The methods use different estimation strategies for each of the three main components (underreporting of income, underpayment of tax liability, and nonfiling of a tax return), and then sum these separate estimates of the tax gap components to yield a range of estimates of the total tax gap in Georgia. The estimated range of the personal income tax gap is $1.4 billion to $2.9 billion, for a voluntary compliance rate that ranges from 89.8 percent to 80.8 percent. This study also provides some rough but suggestive estimates of the distributional effects of noncompliance, which indicate that noncompliance as a proportion of income may well, be higher in lower income classes.
Risky Business: Willingness to Pay for Disaster Preparedness
Authors: Donahue Amy K.
Published: December 2014

A primary government responsibility is ensuring citizen safety and security. Individuals share responsibility for their own protection, but research shows they are typically under‐prepared. Despite a growing literature, broad gaps remain in our understanding of people's preparedness choices. This paper focuses on two empirical objectives: understanding people's assessments of the risks they face and their preparedness to meet them, and examining the extent to which people are willing to pay to improve community‐level preparedness and individual household preparedness. These objectives are grounded in descriptive analysis of people's perceptions of risk and preparedness. The analysis draws on two original national random surveys of household decision‐makers. The findings yield insight into people's support for preparedness and potential response to incentive programs that can inform more effective program designs.
Telomere Length and Telomerase Activity in Bovine Pre‐implantation Embryos In Vitro
Authors: Gilchrist GC , Kurjanowicz P , Mereilles FV , King WA , LaMarre J
Published: December 2014

Contents

Telomeres are specialized structures that cap the ends of chromosomes and help to maintain genomic integrity and stability. Telomeres undergo dynamic changes during embryo development, which also represents an important stage for telomere elongation through telomerase enzyme activity. The objectives of this study were to examine changes in telomere length and telomerase activity from the early oocyte, through to the blastocysts stage of development, and the expression of factors with the potential to directly regulate telomeres. In vitro‐produced bovine embryos were lysed and analysed for either relative telomere length, or telomerase activity using quantitative real‐time PCR protocols. Our results reveal that relative telomere length is the shortest in the presumptive zygote stage of development and gradually increases to the blastocyst stage. We also demonstrate that differences between the mean telomere lengths throughout these stages are statistically significant (p < 0.05). Telomerase activity in the stages examined appears relatively constant until the blastocyst, where the highest level of activity is detected, leading to a significant difference in telomerase activity across embryonic stages (p < 0.005). Bovine telomerase RNA component (bTERC) expression levels were highest in the blastocyst, TERF1 transcripts showed little change in expression, and TERF2 expression decreased in the blastocysts (p < 0.05). Our results suggest that a complex integration of telomere‐related RNA and proteins influences the regulatory mechanisms involved in ‘reprogramming’ of telomeres during early embryonic stages.
Thrombin generation and coagulation factor content of thawed plasma and platelet concentrates
Authors: Cookson P. , Lawrie A. , Green L. , Dent E. , Proffitt S. , Bashir S. , Thomas S. , Cardigan R.
Published: December 2014

Background

We assessed the haemostatic capacity of thawed plasma produced after ambient storage of whole blood for 24 h (RTFP24), and the supernatant of buffy‐coat derived platelet concentrates (PC).

Methods

Platelet concentrates (n = 20) were tested on days 1, 5 and 7 of storage at 22°C and RTFP24 (n = 10) immediately following thawing and after 4 and 6 days storage at 4°C. Coagulation factor activity, thrombin generation ± an activator of protein C (PROTAC) and rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) were assessed.

Results

In plasma and buffy‐coat derived PC, there was a < 10% loss of factors II, IX and FX, but much higher loss of factors FV, FVII and FVIII. In plasma, the total or peak amount of thrombin generated was unaffected by storage for 6 days, with or without Protac®, but there was an increase in lag time and decreased rate of clot formation by ROTEM. In PC, but not plasma, there was a 16% increase in FXII activity and increase in resistance to activated protein C, co‐incidental to 30% loss of free protein S.

Conclusions

These data suggest thrombin generation is relatively unaltered when RTFP24 is thawed and stored for 6 days, and that the supernatant of PC has significant haemostatic capacity.
Risk Models for Evaluation and Type Classification of Personal Flotation Devices
Authors: Ayyub Bilal M. , Wehr Samuel
Published: December 2014

This paper presents proposed models for assessing the aggregate performance of personal flotation devices (PFDs) by using risk methods. The aggregate performance is used to quantify the probability of a PFD saving lives following marine events. The models provide a formal structure and consistency to an approval process for new and novel engineering designs of such devices. They can also aid in identifying critical factors for evaluating the minimum level of performance necessary for approval. Such models could complement and enhance current standards and could result in significant safety improvements through the implementation of new technologies and designs. Such models could also aid in evaluating other new and innovative classes of engineering designs and designs for special needs. Also, they encourage creativity in system design by increasing the design domain and provide an overall performance measure allowing for trade-off analysis. The models can ultimately provide guidance in the development of future standards. The risk-based models consist of three recommended computational procedures for inherently buoyant, inflatable, and hybrid PFDs. Special panels of experts from the CORD Group, Canada, the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), Underwriters Laboratories (UL), IMANNA Laboratories, Inc., and PFD Manufacturing Association (PFDMA) evaluated these models and provided recommended values by using formal expert opinion elicitation.
Experimental Verification of Linear and Adaptive Control Techniques for a Two Degrees-of-Freedom Helicopter
Authors: Nuthi Pavan , Subbarao Kamesh
Published: December 2014

This paper presents the design procedure and experimental results of a high performance adaptive augmentation technique applied to a controller derived based on linear quadratic methods. The Quanser two degrees-of-freedom (2DOF) helicopter was chosen as the experimental platform on which these controllers were implemented. The paper studies the implementation of each of these controllers standalone as well as in the augmented scheme, and discusses its performance and robustness for cases with parametric uncertainties, and unmodeled dynamics. An attempt is made to combine linear quadratic tracker's reliability with the adaptive augmentation's robustness toward modeling uncertainties. It is found that appropriate tuning of parameters in the adaptive framework is key to its performance and thus the process of choosing the parameters is elaborated along with guidelines for choosing a reference model. Tuning considerations for controller implementation on the experimental setup as compared to the same on the numerical model are also addressed. The experiments performed on this system serve as a suitable research test and evaluation basis for robotics and flight control applications.