bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Obesity and worsening of chronic venous disease and joint mobility
Authors: Belczak Cleusa Ema Quilici , de Godoy José Maria Pereira , Belzack Sergio Quilici , Ramos Rubiana Neves , Caffaro Roberto Augusto
Published: June 2013

Objective

The aim of this study was to investigate a possible relationship between obesity and decreased mobility of the talocrural joint and in turn chronic venous disease.

Subjects and methods

One hundred obese patients recruited at Hospital Santa Casa de Maringa, Parana were enrolled by order of arrival at the hospital in a randomized quantitative cross-sectional study. Inclusion criteria were patients with a body mass index above 30 kg/m2 and the exclusion criteria were infectious conditions that would interfere with the assessment. Patients were graded according to the clinical, etiological, anatomical and pathophysiological classification. Talocrural goniometry was performed to assess the degree of mobility of the legs. The Kolmogorov–Smirnov normality test, Kruskal–Wallis test, Dunn's Multiple comparison test and analysis of variance were used for statistical analysis tests with an alpha error of 5% being considered acceptable.

Results

The increase in body mass index is correlated to the reduction in joint mobility (Kruskal–Wallis test: p-value <0.0001) and increase in clinical, etiological, anatomical and pathophysiological classification is correlated to a decrease in joint mobility and the increase in age is associated with an increase in clinical, etiological, anatomical and pathophysiological classification (Kruskal–Wallis test: p-value <0.0001).

Conclusion

Obesity is associated with deterioration in joint mobility and worsening of chronic venous disease.
Sports Activity After Surgical Treatment of Intra-articular Tibial Plateau Fractures in Skiers
Authors: Loibl Markus , Bäumlein Martin , Massen Felix , Gueorguiev Boyko , Glaab Richard , Perren Thomas , Rillmann Paavo , Ryf Christian , Naal Florian D.
Published: June 2013

Background:

Tibial plateau fractures occur frequently while participating in winter sports, but there is no information on whether skiers can resume sports and recreational activities after internal fixation of these fractures.

Hypothesis:

Skiers can resume low-impact sports activity after internal fixation of tibial plateau fractures.

Study Design:

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods:

A total of 103 patients were surveyed by postal questionnaires to determine their sports activities at a mean of 7.8 ± 1.8 years after internal fixation of intra-articular tibial plateau fractures. The survey also included the Lysholm score, the Tegner activity scale, and a visual analog scale (VAS) for pain.

Results:

At the time of the survey, 88% of the patients were engaged in sports activities (rate of return to sports, 88%), and 53% continued to participate in downhill skiing. The median number of different activities declined from 5 (range, 1-17) preoperatively to 4 (range, 0-11) postoperatively ( P < .01). Sports frequency and duration per week did not change: 3 (range, 1-7) preoperatively versus 3 (range, 0-7) postoperatively ( P = .275) and 4 hours (range, 1-16 hours) preoperatively versus 3.5 hours (range, 0-15 hours) postoperatively ( P = .217), respectively. Median values of all outcome scores declined: Lysholm score, 100 (range, 85-100) preoperatively versus 94.5 (range, 37-100) postoperatively ( P < .01); VAS, 0 (range, 0-7) preoperatively versus 1 (range, 0-8) postoperatively ( P < .01). Median Tegner activity scale scores declined in all age groups except for patients aged 51 to 60 years. The ability to participate in sports at the time of follow-up compared with the ability before the accident was rated as “similar” by 57 patients (62.0%) and as “worse” by 35 patients (38.0%). The more severe fracture types, B3 and C3 according to the AO classification system, were associated with poorer outcomes related to return to sports and functional scores.

Conclusion:

A large percentage of skiers with surgically treated intra-articular tibial plateau fractures cannot continue to participate in downhill skiing; however, the majority could resume an active lifestyle for several years after the trauma. Fracture type seems to be an important factor influencing physical activity and general functional outcome.
The Effects of Meniscus Injury on the Development of Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Badlani Jayshiv T. , Borrero Camilo , Golla Saraswati , Harner Christopher D. , Irrgang James J.
Published: June 2013

Background:

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of pain and disability, and the knee is one of the most commonly affected joints. Many have speculated that injury to the meniscus may play a key role in the development of knee OA; however, the exact relationship of meniscus injury and knee OA is unknown.

Purpose:

To examine the rate of meniscus injuries in patients with and without incident radiographic knee OA and to explore how the type, size, and location of the meniscus injury affects the development of OA.

Study Design:

Case-control study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

A secondary case-control analysis was conducted of the Knee Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) database, which is a prospective, longitudinal, multicenter cohort study of knee health in patients at risk for knee OA. Eligible patients included those without radiographic OA at baseline in 1 knee. Thirty-two patients who developed radiographic OA in a previously unaffected knee after 2 years of follow-up were matched to 64 age-, sex-, and body mass index–matched patients who did not develop OA. The study analyzed the relationship between the development of OA and the presence of a meniscus tear or degenerative signal, meniscus extrusion, tear type, and size of injury on the baseline magnetic resonance imaging scans. Conditional logistic regression was used to identify significant predictors of OA.

Results:

The rate of medial meniscus lesions (tear or degeneration) was not significantly higher in those who developed incident OA (85%) compared with the control patients (68%; P = .07). However, medial meniscus extrusion (odds ratio [OR], 3.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.4-6.5), complex tears (OR, 5.0; 95% CI, 1.0-25), and tears with large radial involvement (OR, 5.92; 95% CI, 1.7-7.5) were more common at baseline in cases compared with controls.

Conclusion:

Knees with meniscus tears with greater radial involvement and extrusion are at greater risk for later development of radiographic OA.
A case of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria caused by a germline mutation and a somatic mutation in PIGT
Authors: Krawitz Peter M. , Höchsmann Britta , Murakami Yoshiko , Teubner Britta , Krüger Ulrike , Klopocki Eva , Neitzel Heidemarie , Hoellein Alexander , Schneider Christina , Parkhomchuk Dmitri , Hecht Jochen , Robinson Peter N. , Mundlos Stefan , Kinoshita Taroh , Schrezenmeier Hubert
Published: June 2013

Key Points

A carrier of a deleterious splice site mutation in PIGT acquired a second hit in PIGT and developed PNH.
PMTED: a plant microRNA target expression database
Authors: Sun Xiuli , Dong Boquan , Yin Lingjie , Zhang Rongzhi , Du Wei , Liu Dongfeng , Shi Nan , Li Aili , Liang Yanchun , Mao Long
Published: June 2013

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are identified in nearly all plants where they play important roles in development and stress responses by target mRNA cleavage or translation repression. MiRNAs exert their functions by sequence complementation with target genes and hence their targets can be predicted using bioinformatics algorithms. In the past two decades, microarray technology has been employed to study genes involved in important biological processes such as biotic response, abiotic response, and specific tissues and developmental stages, many of which are miRNA targets. Despite their value in assisting research work for plant biologists, miRNA target genes are difficult to access without pre-processing and assistance of necessary analytical and visualization tools because they are embedded in a large body of microarray data that are scattered around in public databases.

Description

Plant MiRNA Target Expression Database (PMTED) is designed to retrieve and analyze expression profiles of miRNA targets represented in the plethora of existing microarray data that are manually curated. It provides a Basic Information query function for miRNAs and their target sequences, gene ontology, and differential expression profiles. It also provides searching and browsing functions for a global Meta-network among species, bioprocesses, conditions, and miRNAs, meta-terms curated from well annotated microarray experiments. Networks are displayed through a Cytoscape Web-based graphical interface. In addition to conserved miRNAs, PMTED provides a target prediction portal for user-defined novel miRNAs and corresponding target expression profile retrieval. Hypotheses that are suggested by miRNA-target networks should provide starting points for further experimental validation.

Conclusions

PMTED exploits value-added microarray data to study the contextual significance of miRNA target genes and should assist functional investigation for both miRNAs and their targets. PMTED will be updated over time and is freely available for non-commercial use at http://pmted.agrinome.org.
Cancer testis antigens and NY-BR-1 expression in primary breast cancer: prognostic and therapeutic implications
Authors: Balafoutas Dimitrios , zur Hausen Axel , Mayer Sebastian , Hirschfeld Marc , Jaeger Markus , Denschlag Dominik , Gitsch Gerald , Jungbluth Achim , Stickeler Elmar
Published: June 2013

Background

Cancer–testis antigens (CTA) comprise a family of proteins, which are physiologically expressed in adult human tissues solely in testicular germ cells and occasionally placenta. However, CTA expression has been reported in various malignancies. CTAs have been identified by their ability to elicit autologous cellular and or serological immune responses, and are considered potential targets for cancer immunotherapy. The breast differentiation antigen NY-BR-1, expressed specifically in normal and malignant breast tissue, has also immunogenic properties. Here we evaluated the expression patterns of CTAs and NY-BR-1 in breast cancer in correlation to clinico-pathological parameters in order to determine their possible impact as prognostic factors.

Methods

The reactivity pattern of various mAbs (6C1, MA454, M3H67, 57B, E978, GAGE #26 and NY-BR-1 #5) were assessed by immunohistochemistry in a tissue micro array series of 210 randomly selected primary invasive breast cancers in order to study the diversity of different CTAs (e.g. MAGE-A, NY-ESO-1, GAGE) and NY-BR-1. These expression data were correlated to clinico-pathological parameters and outcome data including disease-free and overall survival.

Results

Expression of at least one CTA was detectable in the cytoplasm of tumor cells in 37.2% of the cases. NY-BR-1 expression was found in 46.6% of tumors, respectively. Overall, CTA expression seemed to be linked to adverse prognosis and M3H67 immunoreactivity specifically was significantly correlated to shorter overall and disease-free survival (p=0.000 and 0.024, respectively).

Conclusions

Our findings suggest that M3H67 immunoreactivity could serve as potential prognostic marker in primary breast cancer patients. The exclusive expression of CTAs in tumor tissues as well as the frequent expression of NY-BR-1 could define new targets for specific breast cancer therapies.
Marine algal natural products with anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties
Authors: Lee Jin-Ching , Hou Ming-Feng , Huang Hurng-Wern , Chang Fang-Rong , Yeh Chi-Chen , Tang Jen-Yang , Chang Hsueh-Wei
Published: June 2013

For their various bioactivities, biomaterials derived from marine algae are important ingredients in many products, such as cosmetics and drugs for treating cancer and other diseases. This mini-review comprehensively compares the bioactivities and biological functions of biomaterials from red, green, brown, and blue-green algae. The anti-oxidative effects and bioactivities of several different crude extracts of algae have been evaluated both in vitro a nd in vivo. Natural products derived from marine algae protect cells by modulating the effects of oxidative stress. Because oxidative stress plays important roles in inflammatory reactions and in carcinogenesis, marine algal natural products have potential for use in anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory drugs.
Natural Plasmodium infection in monkeys in the state of Rondônia (Brazilian Western Amazon)
Authors: Araújo Maisa S , Messias Mariluce R , Figueiró Marivaldo R , Gil Luiz Herman S , Probst Christian M , Vidal Newton M , Katsuragawa Tony H , Krieger Marco A , Pereira da Silva Luiz H , Ozaki Luiz S
Published: June 2013

Background

Simian malaria is still an open question concerning the species of Plasmodium parasites and species of New World monkeys susceptible to the parasites. In addition, the lingering question as to whether these animals are reservoirs for human malaria might become important especially in a scenario of eradication of the disease. To aid in the answers to these questions, monkeys were surveyed for malaria parasite natural infection in the Amazonian state of Rondônia, Brazil, a state with intense environmental alterations due to human activities, which facilitated sampling of the animals.

Methods

Parasites were detected and identified in DNA from blood of monkeys, by PCR with primers for the 18S rRNA, CSP and MSP1 genes and sequencing of the amplified fragments. Multiplex PCR primers for the 18S rRNA genes were designed for the parasite species Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae/Plasmodium brasilianum and Plasmodium simium.

Results

An overall infection rate of 10.9% was observed or 20 out 184 monkey specimens surveyed, mostly by P. brasilianum. However, four specimens of monkeys were found infected with P. falciparum, two of them doubly infected with P. brasilianum and P. falciparum. In addition, a species of monkey of the family Aotidae, Aotus nigriceps, is firstly reported here naturally infected with P. brasilianum. None of the monkeys surveyed was found infected with P. simium/P. vivax.

Conclusion

The rate of natural Plasmodium infection in monkeys in the Brazilian state of Rondônia is in line with previous surveys of simian malaria in the Amazon region. The fact that a monkey species was found that had not previously been described to harbour malaria parasites indicates that the list of monkey species susceptible to Plasmodium infection is yet to be completed. Furthermore, finding monkeys in the region infected with P. falciparum clearly indicates parasite transfer from humans to the animals. Whether this parasite can be transferred back to humans and how persistent the parasite is in monkeys in the wild so to be efficient reservoirs of the disease, is yet to be evaluated. Finding different species of monkeys infected with this parasite species suggests indeed that these animals can act as reservoirs of human malaria.
Electrochemical synthesis of ZnO branched submicrorods on carbon fibers and their feasibility for environmental applications
Authors: Ko Yeong Hwan , Ramana Dandu Kamakshigari Venkata , Yu Jae Su
Published: June 2013

We investigated the structural and optical properties of the hierarchically integrated zinc oxide (ZnO) branched submicrorods on carbon fibers (ZOCF) by scanning/transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and photoluminescence (PL) measurements. The ZnO submicrorods were facilely synthesized by an electrochemical deposition method on polyacrylonitrile-based carbon fiber sheets used as a substrate. After coating the ZnO seed layer on the surface of the carbon fibers, ZnO submicrorods were densely grown on the nuclei sites of the seed layer. The prepared ZOCF samples exhibited high crystallinity and good PL properties. A feasibility for environmental application in Pb(II) removal from aqueous solutions was also studied. The ZOCF adsorbent exhibited an excellent maximum adsorption capacity of 245.07 mg g−1, which could be practically used in Pb(II) removal from water. These fabricated ZOCFs are potentially useful for multifunctional and environmental devices.
Improved differential fault analysis on lightweight block cipher LBlock for wireless sensor networks
Authors: Jeong Kitae , Lee Changhoon , Lim Jong In
Published: June 2013

LBlock is a 64-bit lightweight block cipher which can be implemented in both constrained hardware environments, such as wireless sensor network, and software platforms. In this paper, we study the security of LBlock against a differential fault analysis. Based on a random nibble fault model, we propose two versions of the attack on LBlock. In the first attack, we inject random nibble faults to the input register of round 29. As a result, it can recover the secret key of LBlock using an exhaustive search of 225 and five random nibble fault injections on average. This attack can be simulated on a general PC within a few seconds. In the case of second attack, random nibble faults are induced to the input register of round 30. This attack can recover the secret key of LBlock using an exhaustive search of 230 and seven random nibble fault injection on average. This attack can be simulated on a general PC within 1 h. These results are superior to known differential fault analytic result on LBlock.
Pushing the science forward: chitosan nanoparticles and functional repair of CNS tissue after spinal cord injury
Authors: Chen Bojun , Bohnert Debra , Borgens Richard Ben , Cho Youngnam
Published: June 2013

Background

We continue our exploration of the large polysaccharide polymer Chitosan as an acute therapy for severe damage to the nervous system. We tested the action of subcutaneously injected nanoparticles (~ 100 – 200 nanometers in diameter; 1 mg per ml) against control injections (silica particle of the same size and concentration) in a standardized in vivo spinal cord injury model. These functional tests used standardized physiological measurements of evoked potentials arriving at the sensorimotor cortex subsequent to stimulation of the tibial nerve of the contralateral hindlimb. We further explored the degree of acetylation and molecular weight of chitosan on the success of sealing cell damage using specific probes of membrane integrity.

Results

Not one of the control group showed restored conduction of evoked potentials stimulated from the tibial nerve of the hindleg – through the lesion – and recorded at the sensorimotor cortex of the brain. Investigation if the degree of acetylation and molecular weight impacted “membrane sealing” properties of Chitosan were unsuccessful. Dye - exchange membrane probes failed to show a difference between the comparators in the function of Chitosan in ex vivo injured spinal cord tests.

Conclusions

We found that Chitosan nanoparticles effectively restore nerve impulse transmission through the crushed adult guinea pig spinal cord in vivo after severe crush/compression injury. The tests of the molecular weight (MW) and degree of acetylation did not produce any improvement in Chitosan’s membrane sealing properties.
Comprehensive chromosome analysis of blastocysts before implantation using array CGH
Authors: Chung Mi Kyung , Jeong Hyeon Jeong , Lee Jung Hyun , Park Sang-Jin , Chung Hee-Doo , Kang Ho-Young
Published: June 2013

Background

Chromosomal abnormalities are common in embryos produced in vitro and cause implantation failure, miscarriage, and serious medical problems in infants. Because preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) is increasingly being used to detect aneuploidy in embryos with the purpose of improving implantation rates after IVF (in vitro fertilization), we aimed to validate the usefulness of array CGH for the preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) of embryos at the blastocyst stage of development.

Results

A total of 150 blastocysts were biopsied from couples undergoing IVF and analyzed using array CGH. We found that 54.5% (73/134) of the blastocysts were euploid embryos, whereas 45.5% of the embryos (61/134) had chromosomal abnormalities. Multiple chromosome abnormality was most frequently observed (34.4%), and dual aneuploidy was observed in 26.2% of the embryos. Monosomy (21.3%) appeared more frequently than trisomy (18%).

Conclusion

Chromosomal microarray analysis provided clinically significant cytogenetic information regarding the frequency and variety of chromosomal abnormalities observed in embryos at the blastocyst stage, suggesting that this is a useful tool for comprehensive aneuploidy screening in IVF.
Postpyloric decompression tube placement through a gastrostomy for malignant bowel obstruction
Authors: Kurita Yusuke , Koide Tomoko , Watanabe Seitaro , Ogawa Tatsuya , Sekino Yusuke , Iida Hiroshi , Nonaka Takashi , Kusakabe Akihiko , Gotoh Eiji , Maeda Shin , Nakajima Atsushi , Inamori Masahiko
Published: June 2013

Background

Malignant bowel obstruction affect a patient’s quality of life, but, management of MBO is controversial.

Case presentation

A 51-year-old woman who had been diagnosed as uterine cervix cancer 2 years ago and had undergone surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, was admitted to our hospital. She was diagnosed as having a recurrence of peritoneal metastasis and bowel obstruction. For her nasal pain, we considered insertion of a postpyloric decompression tube through the gastrostomy instead of via the nasal cavity. After insertion of a percutaneous gastrostomy tube was performed endoscopically, we introduced a postpyloric decompression tube through her gastrostomy. She could be discharged home, and 91 days later, she died in her home under hospice care, as she had wished.

Conclusions

Insertion of a postpyloric decompression tube through a gastrostomy might be useful in the management of advanced cancer patients with bowel obstruction.
Decreased tryptophan metabolism in patients with autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Boccuto Luigi , Chen Chin-Fu , Pittman Ayla R , Skinner Cindy D , McCartney Heather J , Jones Kelly , Bochner Barry R , Stevenson Roger E , Schwartz Charles E
Published: June 2013

Background

Autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) are relatively common neurodevelopmental conditions whose biological basis has been incompletely determined. Several biochemical markers have been associated with ASDs, but there is still no laboratory test for these conditions.

Methods

We analyzed the metabolic profile of lymphoblastoid cell lines from 137 patients with neurodevelopmental disorders with or without ASDs and 78 normal individuals, using Biolog Phenotype MicroArrays.

Results

Metabolic profiling of lymphoblastoid cells revealed that the 87 patients with ASD as a clinical feature, as compared to the 78 controls, exhibited on average reduced generation of NADH when tryptophan was the sole energy source. The results correlated with the behavioral traits associated with either syndromal or non-syndromal autism, independent of the genetic background of the individual. The low level of NADH generation in the presence of tryptophan was not observed in cell lines from non-ASD patients with intellectual disability, schizophrenia or conditions exhibiting several similarities with syndromal autism except for the behavioral traits. Analysis of a previous small gene expression study found abnormal levels for some genes involved in tryptophan metabolic pathways in 10 patients.

Conclusions

Tryptophan is a precursor of important compounds, such as serotonin, quinolinic acid, and kynurenic acid, which are involved in neurodevelopment and synaptogenesis. In addition, quinolinic acid is the structural precursor of NAD+, a critical energy carrier in mitochondria. Also, the serotonin branch of the tryptophan metabolic pathway generates NADH. Lastly, the levels of quinolinic and kynurenic acid are strongly influenced by the activity of the immune system. Therefore, decreased tryptophan metabolism may alter brain development, neuroimmune activity and mitochondrial function. Our finding of decreased tryptophan metabolism appears to provide a unifying biochemical basis for ASDs and perhaps an initial step in the development of a diagnostic assay for ASDs.
Screening of osteoprotegerin-related feature genes in osteoporosis and functional analysis with DNA microarray
Authors: Wu Xiaoming , Guo Shuzhang , Shen Guanghao , Ma Xing , Tang Chi , Xie Kangning , Liu Juan , Guo Wei , Yan Yili , Luo Erping
Published: June 2013

Background

Osteoporosis affects 200 million people worldwide and places an enormous economic burden on society. We aim to identify the feature genes that are related to osteoprotegerin in osteoporosis and to perform function analysis with DNA microarray from human bone marrow.

Methods

We downloaded the gene expression profile GSE35957 from Gene Expression Omnibus database including nine gene chips from bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells of five osteoporotic and four non-osteoporotic subjects. The differentially expressed genes between normal and disease samples were identified by LIMMA package in R language. The interactions among the osteoprotegerin gene (OPG) and differentially expressed genes were searched and visualized by Cytoscape. MCODE and Bingo were used to perform module analysis. Finally, GENECODIS was used to obtain enriched pathways of genes in an interaction network.

Results

A total of 656 genes were identified as differentially expressed genes between osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic samples. IL17RC, COL1A1, and ESR1 were identified to interact with OPG directly from the protein-protein interaction network. A module containing ERS1 was screened out, and this module was most significantly enriched in organ development. Pathway enrichment analysis suggested genes in the interaction network were related to focal adhesion.

Conclusions

The expression pattern ofIL17RC,COL1A1, andESR1can be useful in osteoporosis detection, which may help in identifying those populations at high risk for osteoporosis, and in directing treatment of osteoporosis.
The genome sequence of the most widely cultivated cacao type and its use to identify candidate genes regulating pod color
Authors: Motamayor Juan C , Mockaitis Keithanne , Schmutz Jeremy , Haiminen Niina , III Donald Livingstone , Cornejo Omar , Findley Seth D , Zheng Ping , Utro Filippo , Royaert Stefan , Saski Christopher , Jenkins Jerry , Podicheti Ram , Zhao Meixia , Scheffler Brian E , Stack Joseph C , Feltus Frank A , Mustiga Guiliana M , Amores Freddy , Phillips Wilbert , Marelli Jean Philippe , May Gregory D , Shapiro Howard , Ma Jianxin , Bustamante Carlos D , Schnell Raymond J , Main Dorrie , Gilbert Don , Parida Laxmi , Kuhn David N
Published: June 2013

Background

Theobroma cacao L. cultivar Matina 1-6 belongs to the most cultivated cacao type. The availability of its genome sequence and methods for identifying genes responsible for important cacao traits will aid cacao researchers and breeders.

Results

We describe the sequencing and assembly of the genome of Theobroma cacao L. cultivar Matina

1-6. The genome of the Matina 1-6 cultivar is 445 Mbp, which is significantly larger than a sequenced Criollo cultivar, and more typical of other cultivars. The chromosome-scale assembly, version 1.1, contains 711 scaffolds covering 346.0 Mbp, with a contig N50 of 84.4 kbp, a scaffold N50 of 34.4 Mbp, and an evidence-based gene set of 29,408 loci. Version 1.1 has 10x the scaffold N50 and 4x the contig N50 as Criollo, and includes 111 Mb more anchored sequence. The version 1.1 assembly has 4.4% gap sequence, while Criollo has 10.9%. Through a combination of haplotype, association mapping and gene expression analyses, we leverage this robust reference genome to identify a promising candidate gene responsible for pod color variation. We demonstrate that green/red pod color in cacao is likely regulated by the R2R3 MYB transcription factor TcMYB113, homologs of which determine pigmentation in Rosaceae, Solanaceae, and Brassicaceae. One SNP within the target site for a highly conserved trans-acting siRNA in dicots, found within TcMYB113, seems to affect transcript levels of this gene and therefore pod color variation.

Conclusions

We report a high-quality sequence and annotation of Theobroma cacao L. and demonstrate its utility in identifying candidate genes regulating traits.
Blind-source separation of seismic signals based on information maximization
Authors: Liu Kuang-Hung , Dragoset William H.
Published: June 2013

Prediction methods for seismic multiples are never ideal in practice and an adaptive subtraction process is needed to account for mismatches between the predicted and the actual multiples. We are interested in the problem of separating primary and multiple seismic signals based on their statistical properties. We link recent advances in the blind-source separation problem to the multiple removal problem, and present a novel adaptive subtraction method based on an information maximization principle. Compared with previous methods, our proposed method uses higher-order statistics of the data and incorporates the filtering nature of the adaptive subtraction problem into our algorithm formulation. We use simulations to show that our proposed adaptive subtraction method outperforms the popular least-squares adaptive subtraction and the independent component analysis methods quantitatively, as measured by the mean-squared error, and qualitatively, as evaluated by the visual quality of the image reconstruction.
Large-scale Gauss-Newton inversion of transient controlled-source electromagnetic measurement data using the model reduction framework
Authors: Zaslavsky M. , Druskin V. , Abubakar A. , Habashy T. , Simoncini V.
Published: June 2013

Transient data controlled-source electromagnetic measurements are usually interpreted via extracting few frequencies and solving the corresponding inverse frequency-domain problem. Coarse frequency sampling may result in loss of information and affect the quality of interpretation; however, refined sampling increases computational cost. Fitting data directly in the time domain has similar drawbacks, i.e., its large computational cost, in particular, when the Gauss-Newton (GN) algorithm is used for the misfit minimization. That cost is mainly comprised of the multiple solutions of the forward problem and linear algebraic operations using the Jacobian matrix for calculating the GN step. For large-scale 2.5D and 3D problems with multiple sources and receivers, the corresponding cost grows enormously for inversion algorithms using conventional finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithms. A fast 3D forward solver based on the rational Krylov subspace (RKS) reduction algorithm using an optimal subspace selection was proposed earlier to partially mitigate this problem. We applied the same approach to reduce the size of the time-domain Jacobian matrix. The reduced-order model (ROM) is obtained by projecting a discretized large-scale Maxwell system onto an RKS with optimized poles. The RKS expansion replaces the time discretization for forward and inverse problems; however, for the same or better accuracy, its subspace dimension is much smaller than the number of time steps of the conventional FDTD. The crucial new development of this work is the space-time data compression of the ROM forward operator and decomposition of the ROM’s time-domain Jacobian matrix via chain rule, as a product of time- and space-dependent terms, thus effectively decoupling the discretizations in the time and parameter spaces. The developed technique can be equivalently applied to finely sampled frequency-domain data. We tested our approach using synthetic 2.5D examples of hydrocarbon reservoirs in the marine environment.
Seismic reflectivity of hydraulic fractures approximated by thin fluid layers
Authors: Oelke A. , Alexandrov D. , Abakumov I. , Glubokovskikh S. , Shigapov R. , Krüger O. S. , Kashtan B. , Troyan V. , Shapiro S. A.
Published: June 2013

We have analyzed the angle-dependent reflectivity of microseismic wavefields at a hydraulic fracture, which we modeled as an ideal thin fluid layer embedded in an elastic, isotropic solid rock. We derived full analytical solutions for the reflections of an incident P-wave, the P-P and P-S reflection coefficients, as well as for an incident S-wave, and the S-S and S-P reflection coefficients. The rather complex analytical solutions were then approximated and we found that these zero-thickness limit approximations are in good agreement with the linear slip model, representing a fracture at slip contact. We compared the analytical solutions for the P-P reflections with synthetic data that were derived using finite-difference modeling and found that the modeling confirmed our theoretical results. For typical parameters of microseismic monitoring by hydraulic fracturing, e.g., a layer thickness of [Formula: see text] and frequencies of [Formula: see text], the reflection coefficients depend on the Poisson’s ratio. Furthermore, the reflection coefficients of an incident S-wave are remarkably high. Theoretical results suggested that it is feasible to image hydraulic fractures using microseismic events as a source and to solve the inverse problem, that is, to interpret reflection coefficients extracted from microseismic data in terms of reservoir properties.
UK crisis in recruitment into psychiatric training
Authors: Mukherjee Kamaleeka , Maier Michael , Wessely Simon
Published: June 2013

Psychiatry recruitment in the UK is in crisis. In this paper we review reasons and solutions for the current predicament, focusing on the UK situation. We assert that there are specific national issues over and above more general and well-established ones, such as stigma and bad-mouthing, which need to be considered. These include factors that are an unintended consequence of recent changes in postgraduate training, as well as the organisation of the National Health Service. We conclude with some suggestions for psychiatrists, whether trainee or consultant, to help address the situation.
Trainees need more psychiatric teaching sessions and role models: exposure to psychiatry in the Foundation Programme
Authors: Moreton Adam , Collier Andrew
Published: June 2013

Aims and method

To determine the provision of teaching in psychiatry for foundation doctors up to the point of making specialty applications. Data for the cohort of foundation doctors entering training in 2010 were collected from teaching programmes across the Mersey Deanery and North Western Foundation Schools.

Results

In the 17 hospitals that provided data, ‘protected teaching’ totalled 2354 h; 1.8% of time was dedicated to psychiatry, with 4 hospitals providing no teaching on mental health topics. The mean duration of psychiatry teaching was higher in university teaching hospitals (3 h 34 min) than district general hospitals (2 h 57 min); and almost a quarter of teaching sessions were titled only ‘psychiatry’.

Clinical implications

For many foundation doctors their only experience of psychiatry will be through teaching sessions, and this is potentially the only time to change opinions and build interest in the specialty. Psychiatrists need to take a more active role in the provision of high-quality teaching for foundation doctors and become the visible role models which are currently lacking.
‘Legal highs' and other ‘club drugs’: why the song and dance?
Authors: Bowden-Jones Owen
Published: June 2013

Patterns of drug use are changing, with an increase in the use of a new group of psychoactive substances known as ‘club drugs'. Comprising both legal and illegal drugs, many club drugs can be purchased online, increasing their availability. The harmful consequences are now emerging and include severe affective and psychotic symptoms as well as physical symptoms such as ketamine-induced ulcerative cystitis. Psychiatrists need to consider club drugs as a precipitating factor for psychiatric presentation. This editorial will describe the more common substances and their effects.
Roots of Independence: Transcultural Trade in the Texas-Louisiana Borderlands
Authors: Babcock Matthew
Published: June 2013

This article examines cultural and economic relations between Euro-Americans and Indians in Colonial Nacogdoches and the Texas-Louisiana borderlands in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Challenging scholarly claims of regional primitivism and economic stagnation in these years, it argues that, together, Spanish, French, and Anglo-American merchants made the best of their isolation from Spanish supply sources in northern New Spain by reorienting a portion of the Indian trade based at Natchitoches to Nacogdoches. Euro-American and Indian traders improvised by forging complex transcultural kinship and commercial ties to survive and coexist. In doing so, they demonstrated their independent spirit and transformed the region culturally and economically. Serving as the major trade gateway in East Texas for more than thirty years, from 1779 to 1812, Nacogdoches was characterized by cultural diversity and economic viability that reveal the active participation of Indian and African slaves in the economy, reminding us that Anglo-Americans did not immediately overwhelm Texas following the American Revolution and the Louisiana Purchase.
Indians, Ladinos, and the Resurrection of the Protector de Indios, San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas, 1870–85
Authors: Quezada-Grant Autumn
Published: June 2013

The great social divide between Spanish-speaking ladinos and non–Spanish-speaking Indians—a long-held division reaching back to Mexico's colonial period around San Cristóbal de Las Casas—fueled distrust and complaints of maltreatment and exploitation of the laboring class of Indians. Indians labored under the double burden of ethnicity and class, and dialogues between Indians and ladinos existed throughout the decades in the nineteenth century over issues of labor, land, and pay. On the heels of a violent race war (1867–70) between Indians and ladinos, the state government sought to allow Indians more opportunities to redress legal issues in order to prevent future rebellions. Beyond aggressive tactics by elites to suppress Indians in revolt, government officials opted to reinstitute the colonial office of protector de indios in an attempt to address interethnic issues. Indians used the opportunity to contest and negotiate long-held grievances. A study of the legal culture in San Cristóbal de Las Casas and of the reintroduction of the protector de indios proved precipitous in the two decades prior to the rise of the agricultural-export industry. The use of the protector de indios eased tensions between Indians and ladinos. Moreover, it offered a short period of legal empowerment in the daily lives of individual Indians as they engaged, contested, and actively participated in shaping their relations with the ladino elite, thus demonstrating the dynamic relationship between Indians and ladinos in the state of Chiapas on the cusp of momentous change in the late decades of the nineteenth century.
A Conceptual Framework for Non-Native Instructors Who Teach Adult Native American Students at the University
Authors: Buckmiller Tom M. , Cramer Renee A.
Published: June 2013

Native students often desire an education that will enable them to contribute to their home communities and facilitate tribal development, while retaining close ties to their cultural heritage and identity. We outline a conceptual framework that provides a starting point for non-Native American educators to consider as they engage Native American students in higher education. Four elements are critical for non-Native instructors to consider: his or her positionality; the history of educational delivery to Native populations – in particular the “Boarding School Era” – and its implications for education today; the presence of micro-aggressions felt by Native students on most college campuses; and how desires to increase and facilitate tribal sovereignty and self-determination may inform the education of Native students. By engaging in self-reflective pedagogy with positionality, history, and sovereignty in mind, non-Native instructors may be more likely to engage in effective strategies for Native learners.
Natürliche Artefakte – künstliche Lebewesen. Eine Kritik der Natur-Artefakt-Dichotomie
Authors: Heynkes Anna Maria
Published: June 2013

Material artefacts consist of many smaller – and ultimately natural – objects such as molecules and atoms that have been intentionally rearranged in such a way as to take the shape of a particular artefact (e.g. a hammer) and fulfil its functions. Whenever the arrangement of several parts results in properties that go beyond the properties of the individual parts or their sum, it can be said that this arrangement has resulted in a new object. Once created, material artefacts may take part in natural processes such as reproduction and evolution and cannot be fundamentally distinguished from fully natural objects. This article provides a number of – mainly biological – examples that show the traditional Aristotelian dichotomy between nature and artefacts to be highly problematic and suggest a continuum instead. Most importantly, it is argued that living beings and artefacts are equally capable – or sometimes incapable – of self-reproduction and that there are numerous objects which are both living beings and artefacts.
Income, inequality, and subjective well-being: an international and intertemporal perspective using panel data
Authors: Gruen Carola , Klasen Stephan
Published: June 2013

In this paper we present new quantitative results on the linkages between absolute income levels, relative incomes, income inequality, and attitudes towards redistribution in a large sample of countries over the past 30 years. While we find that absolute income levels have a significant but very small effect on well-being, we find that relative incomes matter much more. In addition, we find that preferences for inequality are a significant driver of well-being. Lastly, we observe that overall inequality has an additional negative impact on well-being in a country in all three country-groupings. Taken together, this suggests that inequality has a rather strong negative impact on well-being. In fact, depending on the context, reducing inequality can do more to promote subjective well-being than increasing economic growth.
Interregional and Intraregional Wealth Inequality in Nineteenth Century Austria
Authors: Pammer Michael
Published: June 2013

The paper addresses changes in income and wealth inequality in the first decades of modern economic growth. It relies on wealth data gained from probate inventories established in those provinces of the Habsburg Empire that eventually formed the Republic of Austria. These sources cover the whole population in the period between 1820 and 1913, including unpropertied persons. The analysis is based on a sample that consists of about 7,000 cases. The paper first examines wealth distribution on an aggregate level, using the Gini coefficient as a measure of inequality. It shows that the Austrian economy follows a Kuznets curve but that rise and decline are not particularly steep. These results are then compared with development within the regions, which yields quite different results for the regions involved. These results do not show the consistent picture of high inequality in more advanced regions and low inequality in backward regions that might be expected following the basic assumptions underlying the Kuznets curve. The explanation of the specific development within the different regions includes factors like class structure, family structure and patterns of inheritance, which explain why sectorial change, urbanization and other processes did not create a uniform pattern of wealth distribution in those provinces.
Warum sind manche Länder reich und andere arm?
Authors: Allen Robert C.
Published: June 2013

Why are some countries rich and others poor? The lecture explores the interplay of geography, globalization, technological change, economic policy, and institutions, to show how they have determined the wealth and poverty of nations around the world. Using historical examples to analyse the factors that have influenced growth, the lecture exposes what has caused the unequal world we live in today.
Crystal structure of octa-aqua-terbium(III) sesqui-anthraquinone-2,6- disulfonato sesqui-4,4'-bipyridyl tetrahydrate (1:1.5:1.5:4), [Tb(H2O)8]·(C14H6S2O8)1.5·(C10H8N2)1.5·(H2O)4, C36H45N3O24S3Tb
Authors: Hou Xiang-Yang , Fu Feng , Wang Ji-Jiang , Tang Long , Cao Jia , Lei Lv
Published: June 2013

C36H45N3O24S3Tb, triclinic, P1¯ (no. 2), a = 10.0869(7) Å, b = 13.7894(8) Å, c = 17.6966(8) Å, α = 69.366(4)°, β = 74.359(5)°, γ = 85.267(6)°, V = 2218.0 Å3, Z = 2, Rgt(F) = 0.0369, wRref(F2) = 0.0817, T = 273 K.
Crystal structure of 4,4'-((6-(dimethylamino)-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-diyl)- bis(sulfanediyl))dibenzoic acid, C19H16N4O4S2
Authors: Wang Guangyin
Published: June 2013

C19H16N4O4S2, monoclinic, C2/c (no. 15), a = 21.523(6) Å, b = 9.531(3) Å, c = 19.115(5) Å, β = 92.700(4)°, V = 3916.8Å3, Z = 8, Rgt(F) = 0.0426, wRref(F2) = 0.1152, T = 296 K.
The Structure and Dynamic Properties of 1H-Pyrazole-4-Carboxylic Acids in the Solid State
Authors: Infantes Lourdes , García M. Ángeles , López Concepción , Claramunt Rosa M. , Elguero José
Published: June 2013

The structure of three simple pyrazole-4-carboxylic acids unsubstituted in position 1 (NH derivatives) 1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylic acid (1), 3(5)-methyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylic acid (2) and 3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazole-4-carboxylic acid (3) are discussed based on crystallographic results (two new structures) and solid-state NMR (CPMAS). Compounds 1 and 3 present polymorphism and one of the polymorphs of each compound shows solid-state proton transfer (SSPT). Compound 2 presents tautomerism that has been studied by NMR, both in the solid-state and in solution at low temperature.
NMR and FT-IR Studies on the Association of Derivatives of Thymidine, Adenosine, and 6-N-Methyl-Adenosine in Aprotic Solvents
Authors: Koeppe Benjamin , Nibbering Erik T. J. , Tolstoy Peter M.
Published: June 2013

Associates of 3',5'-O-TBDMS protected derivatives of the 2'-deoxy forms of the nucleosides adenosine, 6-N-methyl-adenosine and thymidine (henceforward simply addressed by their parents' names) and further model systems in dichloromethane and Freon (CDClF2/CDF3) solutions are studied at low temperatures by 1H NMR and FT-IR spectroscopy. N⋯N distances in hydrogen bonds are estimated from chemical shifts of protons in hydrogen bonds employing geometric and spectroscopic hydrogen bond correlations. These distances are in turn employed to derive N–H stretching frequencies from IR spectroscopic hydrogen bond correlations which may be compared to corresponding experimental results. Three isomeric hydrogen bonded dimers of thymidine are characterized in Freon solution at 120 K. Binary associates of thymidine and a series of pyridines are studied; estimated N⋯N distances in the range of 3.08 to 2.85 Å are qualitatively correlated to shifts of N–H stretching bands where in all cases considerable contributions are found in the spectral region below 3000 cm-1. For adenosine, three isomeric binary associates with 4-nitrophenol are found allowing for an assessment of site-specific acceptor capabilities. In associates of thymidine and adenosine, Watson-Crick and Hoogsteen type 1:1 associates (estimated N⋯N distances of 2.85 and 2.90 Å) as well as 2:1 associates bearing only marginally longer H-bonds could be characterized. Two 1:1 associates between thymidine and 6-N-methyl-adenosine are described that are exclusively bonded via N–H⋯N bridges of about 2.97 and 3.08 Å for Watson-Crick and Hoogsteen sites, respectively, which leads to the conclusion that cooperative effects among coupled N–H⋯O and N–H⋯N hydrogen bonds in A-T base pairs are significant as formation of the N–H⋯O bond induces a contraction of around 0.15 Å in the neighboring N–H⋯N bond.