bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Segmentation of clustered nuclei based on concave curve expansion
Authors: ZHANG C. , SUN C. , PHAM T.D.
Published: May 2013

Segmentation of nuclei from images of tissue sections is important for many biological and biomedical studies. Many existing image segmentation algorithms may lead to oversegmentation or undersegmentation for clustered nuclei images. In this paper, we proposed a new image segmentation algorithm based on concave curve expansion to correctly and accurately extract markers from the original images. Marker‐controlled watershed is then used to segment the clustered nuclei. The algorithm was tested on both synthetic and real images and better results are achieved compared with some other state‐of‐the‐art methods.
Very low energy electron microscopy of graphene flakes
Authors: MIKMEKOVÁ E. , BOUYANFIF H. , LEJEUNE M. , MÜLLEROVÁ I. , HOVORKA M. , UNČOVSKÝ M. , FRANK L.
Published: May 2013

Commercially available graphene samples are examined by Raman spectroscopy and very low energy scanning transmission electron microscopy. Limited lateral resolution of Raman spectroscopy may produce a Raman spectrum corresponding to a single graphene layer even for flakes that can be identified by very low energy electron microscopy as an aggregate of smaller flakes of various thicknesses. In addition to diagnostics of graphene samples at larger dimensions, their electron transmittance can also be measured at very low energies.
Removing the blinkers: moving beyond striatal dopamine in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Eskow Jaunarajs Karen L. , Standaert David G.
Published: May 2013

Read the full article ‘Reduced noradrenaline, but not dopamine and serotonin in motor thalamus of the MPTP primate: relation to severity of Parkinsonism’ on doi: 10.1111/jnc.12162.
Specific subcellular changes in oxidative stress in prefrontal cortex from patients with bipolar disorder
Authors: Andreazza Ana C. , Wang Jun‐Feng , Salmasi Faraz , Shao Li , Young Lionel T.
Published: May 2013

Previously, we found decreased mitochondrial complex I subunits levels and increased protein oxidation and nitration in postmortem prefrontal cortex (PFC) from patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and schizophrenia (SCZ). The objectives of this study were to replicate our findings in an independent sample of subjects with BD, and to examine more specifically oxidative and nitrosative damage to mitochondrial and synaptosomal proteins and lipid peroxidation in myelin. We isolated mitochondria, synaptosomes, and myelin using a percoll gradient from postmortem PFC from patients with BD, SCZ, and healthy controls. Levels of mitochondrial complex I and III proteins, protein oxidation (carbonylation), and nitration (3‐nitrotyrosine) were assessed using immunobloting analysis. Lipid peroxidation [lipid hydroperoxides (LPH), 8‐isoprostane (8‐Iso), 4‐hydroxy‐2‐nonenal (4‐HNE)] were measured using colorimetric or ELISA assays. We found decreased complex I subunits levels in BD subjects compared with control (CTL), but no difference in complex III subunits. Carbonylation was increased in synaptosomes from BD group while 3‐nitrotyrosine was increased in mitochondria from BD and SCZ groups. 8‐Iso was found increased in the BD group while 4‐HNE was increased in both SCZ and BD when compared with controls with no differences in LPH. Our results suggest that in BD mitochondrial proteins are more susceptible to potentially reversible nitrosative damage while more longstanding oxidative damage occurs to synaptic proteins.

image

Oxidative stress has been shown to be higher in the brain of patients with bipolar disorder (BD). Here, we demonstrated increased levels of protein oxidation in synaptosomes from postmortem prefrontal cortex from patients from BD group, while 3‐nitrotyrosine was increased in mitochondria from BD and schizophrenia (SCZ) groups. Moreover, lipid peroxidation was found increased in the BD when compared with controls; suggesting that in BD mitochondrial proteins are more susceptible to potentially reversible nitrosative damage while more longstanding oxidative damage occurs to synaptic proteins.
Relationship Between Sexual Dysfunction and Psychological Burden in Men with Infertility: A Large Observational Study in China
Authors: Gao Jingjing , Zhang Xiansheng , Su Puyu , Liu Jishuang , Shi Kai , Hao Zongyao , Zhou Jun , Liang Chaozhao
Published: May 2013

Introduction

Although infertility is known to be associated with psychological and sexual problems, the relationship between these two aspects in infertile men has not been well investigated.

Aim

To investigate the incidence of sexual dysfunction and psychological burden, and their possible associations in infertile men.

Methods

From June 2009 to June 2012, a total of 1,468 infertile men and 942 fertile men were evaluated. Premature ejaculation (PE) and erectile dysfunction (ED) were measured by the PE diagnostic tool (PEDT), the intravaginal ejaculatory latency time (IELT) and the international index of erectile function (IIEF)-5. Anxiety and depression, which reflect the degree of psychological burden, were measured by the self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rating depression scale (SDS), respectively.

Main Outcome Measures

PE and ED were measured by the PEDT, IELT, and IIEF-5. Anxiety and depression were measured by the SAS and SDS, respectively.

Results

The incidences of PE and ED in the infertile group were significantly higher than those in the fertile group (PE: 19.01% vs.10.93%, P < 0.001; ED: 18.05% vs. 8.28%, P < 0.001). In addition, anxiety and depression were more prevalent in infertile than fertile men (Anxiety: 38.01% vs. 26.65%, P < 0.001; Depression: 15.74% vs. 10.08%, P < 0.001). Furthermore, after adjusting for age in the infertile group, the PEDT score was positively associated with anxiety (adjusted r = 0.57; P < 0.001) and depression (adjusted r = 0.54; P < 0.001). Moreover, the IELT were negatively associated with anxiety (adjusted r = −0.40; P < 0.001) and depression (adjusted r = −0.52; P < 0.001). Similar negative relationships were also observed between the IIEF-5 score and anxiety (adjusted r = −0.49; P < 0.001) or depression (adjusted r = −0.50; P < 0.001).

Conclusion

This is the first study to systematically evaluate the incidence of sexual dysfunction and psychological burden, and their possible associations in infertile men in China. Further in-depth studies are needed to confirm and extend these results.
No effects of short‐term sleep restriction, in a controlled feeding setting, on lipid profiles in normal‐weight adults
Authors: O'Keeffe Majella , Roberts Amy L. , Kelleman Michael , RoyChoudhury Arindam , St‐Onge Marie‐Pierre
Published: May 2013

Short sleep has been associated with cardiovascular risk. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of short‐term sleep restriction on lipid profiles and resting blood pressure factors in young, normal‐weight individuals (14 men, 13 women). Participants were randomized to five nights of either habitual (9 h) or short (4 h) sleep in a cross‐over design separated by a 3‐week washout period. There was no sleep × day interaction on lipid profile and blood pressure. Short‐term sleep restriction does not alter lipid profiles and resting blood pressure in healthy, normal‐weight individuals. The association between short sleep and increased cardiovascular risk reported in the epidemiological literature may be the result of long‐term sleep restriction and poor lifestyle choices.
Measurement of the quality of care of patients admitted with decompensated cirrhosis
Authors: Ghaoui Rony , Friderici Jennifer , Visintainer Paul , K. Lindenauer Peter , Lagu Tara , Desilets David
Published: May 2013

Background & Aims

Process‐based quality measures are increasingly used to evaluate hospital performance. However, practices vary, and patients with cirrhosis are a challenge to manage, given their risks of mortality, morbidity, and resources utilization. In 2010, process‐based quality measures were developed to improve the care of these patients. We examined adherence with these quality measures for a cohort of patients admitted with decompensated cirrhosis in 2009.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients admitted to a tertiary‐care hospital with decompensated cirrhosis in 2009 (n = 149 379) hospitalizations. Quality indicator (QI) scores were calculated for each admission as a fraction, i.e., the number of quality markers met divided by the number of possible quality indices, given the patient's presentation (range, 0–1). QI scores were correlated with patient characteristics and clinical outcomes (30‐day readmission; inpatient death).

Results

Quality indicators were met 45% of the time (95% confidence interval, 40–51%). In multivariable analysis, QI scores were significantly lower among non‐English‐speaking patients and those who had congestive heart failure. QI scores were higher among patients with gastrointestinal bleeding or encephalopathy‐related admission to the hospital. QI scores were not associated with inpatient mortality or 30‐day readmission.

Conclusion

There is substantial opportunity to improve the care of patients hospitalized for decompensated cirrhosis. Additional research is needed to identify effective strategies for closing gaps in care. Adherence to quality measures did not affect clinical outcomes, but if easily measured in other settings could be used to compare hospitals and practices.
The pseudometeorite Angara
Authors: Pedersen Holger
Published: May 2013

Several pallasites are known to have formed strewn fields with multiple fragments. Therefore, it seems possible that the famous Krasnojarsk pallasite—the Pallas Iron of 687 kg—could have been accompanied by one or more additional fragments that had not been recovered due to incomplete observations from the overgrown and remote place of fall. During a survey for literature accounts of distant fragments in such a hypothetical strewn field, a report of native iron was found, dating to 1847. The fragments of nickel‐free iron—amounting to at least a few kg—had been recovered 1836–1843 during placer gold mining north of the Angara River. The position of these finds is coincident with Burovaya, Murozhna, and Uderei, the three known fragments of the pseudometeorite Angara, all collected in 1885.
The practical limits of inventing traditions: the failed reinvention of the Sinjska Alka
Authors: Erözden M. Ozan
Published: May 2013

The Alka is a traditional game in Croatia, held to commemorate the victory of the local warriors of the region of Cetina over the Ottoman army in 1715. The Croatian nationalist discourse of the 1990s tried to reinvent the Alka as symbol of a certain national identity, by nationalising this local event and emphasising its religious aspect. In a period of just over a decade, however, the project of reinventing the Alka has failed completely. This paper analyses the reinvention of the Alka and its failure in order to argue that concrete cases of invented tradition are context dependent and may encounter practical limits.
Negotiation Success—An Application of the Halpert et al. Path Model
Authors: Fells Ray
Published: May 2013

Negotiations by two mining companies to conclude a Deed of Cooperation are examined using Halpert et al.'s (2010) Path Model of Negotiation Success. The goal–cooperation path identified in the model is found to be a key dynamic in the case study. However, other factors, such as a strategic leadership role and the task of document drafting, also had an impact on the process. The parties' measure of success related more to the substantive than to the relational aspects of the outcome. The article shows how experimental and case study research can complement each other to enrich researchers' understanding of the negotiation process.
Inflammatory infratentorial progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Lach Boleslaw , Connolly Barbara , Wüthrich Christian , Koralnik Igor J.
Published: May 2013

An 84–year‐old man with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with methotrexate, developed progressive confusion and cerebellar symptoms, and died approximately 2 months later. Neuropathological examination revealed progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy (PML) involving the cerebellum and brainstem. The affected tissues displayed intense infiltrations by CD8+ T‐cells and microglia. JC virus was localized in oligodendroglia and cerebellar granule cells. This case illustrates unusual localization of inflammatory PML in a patient with RA treated with methotrexate.
Beckett and Beyond
Authors: Grutman Rainier
Published: May 2013

In this essay self‐translation will not be addressed as some kind of freakish accident of nature, but rather as the proverbial tip of the iceberg. Beneath the water dwell many more bi‐ or even multilingual writers, to which we gain access by going beyond traditional models of literary history and criticism. In fact, the best‐known cases of self‐translation (Beckett, Nabokov, and Green yesterday, Huston, Semprun, and Dorfman today) embody but one of two categories: “horizontal” transfers between symmetric pairs of widespread languages. In many other instances, however, “asymmetric” linguistic configurations saddle the act of self‐translation. At least three categories of self‐translators whose linguistic repertoire is characterized by such asymmetry can be distinguished: (1) “(post)colonial” writers who alternate between their native tongue(s) and the European language of the former colonial powers; (2) recent immigrant writers who expand on work begun in their home country while staking out new ground for themselves in the language of their adoptive country; (3) writers belonging to traditional linguistic minorities because of the multilingual make‐up of the State of which they are citizens. While drawing attention to the existence of those writers, this article will also develop a typology of self‐translators, thereby looking beyond the famous case of Samuel Beckett. Beckett has often been constructed as a hapax legomenon, the quintessential exception that confirms the unwritten rule of monolingual writing, a situation that stands in the way of a better, more general comprehension of self‐translation as such. In this essay, we want to show that Beckett can help us gain many precious insights into self‐translation, but only if we allow ourselves to look beyond him, instead of staying in the shadow he casts.
Writing South and North
Authors: Kellman Steven G.
Published: May 2013

Ariel Dorfman's Heading South, Looking North: A Bilingual Journey (1998) is a translingual memoir, an account of how its author constructed a new identity in and through a new language. Born in Buenos Aires, Dorfman moved to New York when he was two and a half years old. Traumatized by a hospital stay, he rejected his native Spanish entirely in favor of English for the next ten years, until his family relocated to Santiago, Chile. Antipathy toward Yankee imperialism led the young author to vow never again to write in English. The coup against Salvador Allende, for whom Dorfman worked as an adviser, forced him into exile in the United States, where he has learned to make use of what he calls his “linguistic ambidexterity.” Heading South, Looking North is the nonfictional Bildungsroman of a man who recognizes that his identity is constructed out of language and who, though desperate to be monolingual, is torn between Spanish and English selves. After completing his book in English, Dorfman, a self‐proclaimed “bigamist of language,” immediately translated it into Spanish as Rumbo al sur, deseando el norte (1998). Just as Dorfman himself remains suspended between English and Spanish, his text itself, a product of the dialogic imagination that refuses a single linguistic form, exists in the space between the English and Spanish versions. Beginning with the different titles (deseando means “desiring,” not “looking”), Dorfman as self‐translator takes liberties that he acknowledges the translators of his novels and plays into Italian and Korean would not dare. A different Dorfman is constructed by each rendition of the life. Dorfman's ambilingual attention to two different communities is apparent in the separate ways he handles cultural references in the English and Spanish editions. Examination of the English and Spanish versions of his memoir reveals what he calls “the anxiety, the richness, the madness of being double.”
A Privileged Voice?
Authors: Boyden Michael , Jooken Lieve
Published: May 2013

This article looks at the English, French, and Dutch versions of the “History of Andrew, the Hebridean,” an allegorical tale of a Scotsman's successful adaptation in colonial America by the eighteenth‐century French–American author J. Hector St. John de Crèvecœur. This story was first published as part of the third letter of Crèvecœur's Letters from an American Farmer (1782). It reappeared two years later in Lettres d'un cultivateur américan, the author's self‐translation of his work into French, as well as in the expanded second French edition, published in 1787. Finally, the story figures in Brieven van eenen Amerikaenschen landman, an anonymous Dutch translation of the English original published around the same time as the first French edition, and which so far has received little scholarly attention. By examining how these different versions of the tale of the Hebridean relate to each other, the article attempts to pinpoint the differential quality of auctorial translations vis‐à‐vis allographic ones. Our analysis reveals that the assumption that self‐translators should be regarded as “privileged” translators (Tanqueiro) is in need of correction in that it fails to consider the allographic and plural nature of historically embedded self‐translations.
Impact of primary spherical aberration, spatial frequency and Stiles Crawford apodization on wavefront determined refractive error: a computational study
Authors: Xu Renfeng , Bradley Arthur , Thibos Larry N
Published: May 2013

Purpose

We tested the hypothesis that pupil apodization is the basis for central pupil bias of spherical refractions in eyes with spherical aberration.

Methods

We employed Fourier computational optics in which we vary spherical aberration levels, pupil size, and pupil apodization (Stiles Crawford Effect) within the pupil function, from which point spread functions and optical transfer functions were computed. Through‐focus analysis determined the refractive correction that optimized retinal image quality.

Results

For a large pupil (7 mm), as spherical aberration levels increase, refractions that optimize the visual Strehl ratio mirror refractions that maximize high spatial frequency modulation in the image and both focus a near paraxial region of the pupil. These refractions are not affected by Stiles Crawford Effect apodization. Refractions that optimize low spatial frequency modulation come close to minimizing wavefront RMS, and vary with level of spherical aberration and Stiles Crawford Effect. In the presence of significant levels of spherical aberration (e.g.  = 0.4 μm, 7 mm pupil), low spatial frequency refractions can induce −0.7 D myopic shift compared to high SF refraction, and refractions that maximize image contrast of a three cycle per degree square‐wave grating can cause −0.75 D myopic drift relative to refractions that maximize image sharpness.

Discussion

Because of small depth of focus associated with high spatial frequency stimuli, the large change in dioptric power across the pupil caused by spherical aberration limits the effective aperture contributing to the image of high spatial frequencies. Thus, when imaging high spatial frequencies, spherical aberration effectively induces an annular aperture defining that portion of the pupil contributing to a well‐focused image. As spherical focus is manipulated during the refraction procedure, the dimensions of the annular aperture change. Image quality is maximized when the inner radius of the induced annulus falls to zero, thus defining a circular near paraxial region of the pupil that determines refraction outcome.
Is T‐helper type 2 shift schizophrenia‐specific? Primary results from a comparison of related psychiatric disorders and healthy controls
Authors: Chiang Sonnig Sue‐Whei , Riedel Michael , Schwarz Markus , Mueller Norbert
Published: May 2013

Aim

An imbalance between T‐helper type 1 (Th1) and type 2 (Th2) cytokines has been implicated in schizophrenia, although empirical evidence is rare. The aim of this study was to examine if a Th1/Th2 imbalance occurs in schizophrenia and schizophrenia‐related disorder.

Methods

Twenty‐six subjects with schizophrenia, 26 subjects with schizophrenia‐related disorders, and 26 healthy controls were recruited. The Human Th1/Th2 Cytokine Cytometric Bead Array Kit‐II was utilized to assess serum Th1/Th2 cytokines and ratios simultaneously. MANOVA was used to detect differences among the three diagnostic groups in distinct Th1/Th2 cytokines/ratios. Pearson/Spearman correlations were used to examine the relationships between distinct Th1/Th2 cytokines/ratios and clinical/psychopathological data in schizophrenia.

Results

Interferon (IFN)‐γ/interleukin (IL)‐4, IFN‐γ/IL‐10, IL‐2/IL‐4, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α/IL‐4 ratios were significantly decreased in schizophrenia, but not in schizophrenia‐related disorders compared to healthy controls. IFN‐γ/IL‐4 and IFN‐γ/IL‐10 in schizophrenia subjects positively correlated with age, but not in schizophrenia‐related disorder subjects or in healthy controls.

Conclusion

A clear Th2 shift was observed in schizophrenia, but not in schizophrenia‐related disorders. The Th2 shift in schizophrenia appeared to be an aberrant developmental phenomenon.
Home visitation program for detecting, evaluating and treating socially withdrawn youth in Korea
Authors: Lee Young Sik , Lee Jae Young , Choi Tae Young , Choi Jin Tae
Published: May 2013

Aim

The problems of youth social withdrawal (or hikikomori) became a hot‐button social issue in Japan in the 1990s. Unfortunately, current nosology in the DSM‐IV may not adequately capture the concept of socially withdrawn youth (SWY) or hikikomori. This study aimed to investigate core SWY issues, evaluate SWY's psychopathologies, and approach them therapeutically through a home visitation program.

Methods

Participants were 65 youth referred by community mental health centers and psychiatric clinics around Seoul and Kyongki‐Do province. Among them, only 41 participants (31 male, 10 female, mean age 15 ± 3.6 years) fit our SWY criteria. In addition, 248 middle and high school students in Seoul were recruited as a baseline control group. Caseworkers interviewed the SWY participants and their parents in their homes, using our structured interview manual and a number of psychiatric scales. Caseworkers also approached the participants therapeutically.

Results

Participants' Depression Inventory, Trait Anxiety Inventory, Social Anxiety Scale, and Internet Addiction Scale scores were significantly higher than those of baseline controls. Participants' mean number of psychotherapeutic sessions was 2.8, and the mean number of parental interview sessions was 3.4. After the therapeutic sessions, Global Assessment Functioning scores and social activities had improved somewhat in 68.3% of participants.

Conclusion

These findings suggest that SWY is a complex phenomenon, so an individual psychopathologic process is very important for treatment. The most difficult problem in SWY treatment was therapeutic access. Hence, the home visit approach with a structured manual may be a good gateway for solving this problem.
Affective theory of mind in patients with Parkinson's disease
Authors: Poletti Michele , Vergallo Andrea , Ulivi Martina , Sonnoli Alessandro , Bonuccelli Ubaldo
Published: May 2013

Aim

The aim of this study was to assess the hypothesis that patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) may have difficulties in tasks of affective theory of mind (ToM; the inference on others’ feelings) especially in moderate/advanced PD stages. Difficulties of cognitive ToM have already been described in several previous studies.

Methods

Affective ToM was assessed with the Reading the Mind in the Eyes task in 35 PD patients and 35 healthy controls. Depression, global cognitive status and executive functioning were also evaluated. Patients were distinguished in early PD and moderate PD according to their scores in the Hoehn and Yahr Staging Scale.

Results

PD patients had more difficulties with affective ToM than healthy controls, also controlling for other variables that resulted in association with this ability. Early PD patients outperformed moderate PD patients, but this difference did not reach statistical significance when controlling for other variables.

Conclusion

These findings confirmed that affective ToM may be impaired in PD, but any conclusion can be made on the effect of disease progression on this ability of social cognition. Therefore, longitudinal studies are needed to investigate this potential effect.
Dermatological Complications of Circumcision: Lesson Learned from Cases In a Pediatric Dermatology Practice
Authors: Tempark Therdpong , Wu Tim , Singer Craig , Shwayder Tor
Published: May 2013

We discuss 11 cases of boys who presented with dermatologic complications of circumcision in an outpatient pediatric dermatology clinic. A medical practitioner had previously circumcised all patients during the newborn period. The majority of cases were found incidentally during initial thorough dermatologic examination. Late cutaneous complications included penile skin bridge, glandular adhesion of remnant foreskin, concealed penis, and a penile epidermal inclusion cyst. Minor surgical procedures under local anesthesia were performed in all but two cases. These cases should help dermatologists recognize the common late cutaneous complications of male newborn circumcision and provide insight into potential options for early intervention and management.
Reference values of oxidative stress biomarkers in healthy newborns
Authors: Akçay Ahmet , Tatar Aksoy Hatice , Uras Nurdan , Dilmen Uğur
Published: May 2013

Background

Although oxidative stress‐related diseases mostly affect neonates with extremely low birthweight, healthy preterm and term newborns may also be at risk of oxidative damage. There have been studies concerning factors that affect the level of oxidative stress biomarkers in term and preterm neonates, but there has not been a study of the reference values of oxidative stress biomarkers in healthy newborns having no risk factors. The aim of the present study was to clarify this issue.

Methods

Serum total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total oxidant status (TOS) were assessed by Erel's method. TAC and TOS values were measured in 100 term infants, 57 boys and 43 girls, with a mean gestational age of 39 weeks and a mean birthweight of 3174 g.

Results

All blood samples for TAC and TOS were taken on the fifth day. The median TAC and TOS values for all male and female neonates were 1.92 mmol Trolox equivalent/L (min–max; 1.41–2.09) and 12.93 μmol H2O2/L (min–max: 3.01–53.94), respectively. TAC and TOS values were not statistically different in male and female newborns. TAC and TOS values were not statistically different in newborns who had been delivered via a vaginal route or by cesarean section.

Conclusion

This study can be used as a guide for the reference range of TAC and TOS values for healthy term newborns.
Tryptophan Cluster Protects Human γD‐Crystallin from Ultraviolet Radiation‐Induced Photoaggregation In Vitro
Authors: Schafheimer Nathaniel , King Jonathan
Published: May 2013

Exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a significant risk factor for age‐related cataract, a disease of the human lens and the most prevalent cause of blindness in the world. Cataract pathology involves protein misfolding and aggregation of the primary proteins of the lens, the crystallins. Human γD‐crystallin (HγD‐Crys) is a major γ‐crystallin in the nucleus of the human lens. We report here analysis of UVR‐induced damage to HγD‐Crys in vitro. Irradiation of solutions of recombinant HγD‐Crys with UVA/UVB light produced a rise in solution turbidity due to polymerization of the monomeric crystallins into higher molecular weight aggregates. A significant fraction of this polymerized protein was covalently linked. Photoaggregation of HγD‐Crys required oxygen and its rate was protein concentration and UVR dose dependent. To investigate the potential roles of individual tryptophan residues in photoaggregation, triple W:F mutants of HγD‐Crys were irradiated. Surprisingly, despite reducing UVR absorbing capacity, multiple W:F HγD‐Crys mutant proteins photoaggregated more quickly and extensively than wild type. The results reported here are consistent with previous studies that postulated that an energy transfer mechanism between the highly conserved pairs of tryptophan residues in HγD‐Crys could be protective against UVR‐induced photodamage.
Restricting glutamylcysteine synthetase activity to the cytosol or glutathione biosynthesis to the plastid is sufficient for normal plant development and stress tolerance
Authors: Lim B. , Pasternak M. , Meyer A. J. , Cobbett C. S.
Published: May 2013

The tripeptide glutathione (GSH) is an important metabolite with a broad spectrum of functions, and its homeostasis is essential to maintain cellular redox poise and effective responses to stress in plants. In Arabidopsis GSH is synthesised in two successive enzymatic steps by γ‐glutamylcysteine synthetase (GSH1), localised exclusively in plastids, forming the pathway intermediate γ‐glutamylcysteine (γ‐EC), and then by glutathione synthetase (GSH2), which is located in both plastids and cytosol. This suggests a mechanism for γ‐EC export from the plastids and, because the majority of GSH2 transcripts (90%) encode the cytosolic isoform, it is speculated that the cytosol may be the main compartment for GSH biosynthesis. With the availability of knockout lethal mutants of GSH1 and GSH2 in Arabidopsis, we were able to manipulate the GSH biosynthetic pathway within cells through transgenic techniques. We successfully complemented the gsh1 and gsh2 null mutants with a cytosol‐targeted bacterial EcGSHA and plastid‐targeted Arabidopsis GSH2 protein, respectively, to wild‐type phenotypes. These transgenics were little affected under heavy metal (cadmium) or oxidative stress (H2O2) when compared to the wild type. Collectively, our data show that redirecting GSH1 activity exclusively to the cytosol or restricting GSH biosynthesis to the plastids has no significant impact on development or stress resistance, suggesting efficient exchange of γ‐EC and GSH between the plastid and cytosol compartments within cells.
Massive floral display affects insect visits but not pollinator‐mediated pollen transfer inRhododendron ferrugineum
Authors: Delmas C. E. L. , Escaravage N. , Pornon A.
Published: May 2013

Fragmentation of natural vegetation creates one of the largest threats to plant–pollinator interactions. Although fragmentation impacts on plant populations have been explored in many, mainly herbaceous, species, the response of wild mass‐flowering species is poorly known. Here, we studied 28 heathland patches dominated by the mass‐flowering shrubRhododendron ferrugineum, each presenting differentR. ferrugineumfloral display sizes (total inflorescence number per patch) and patch isolation (median distance to the three nearest patches). We assessed the impacts of these two factors on (i) heathland patch visitor assemblage (consideringR. ferrugineum versussurrounding community) and (ii)R. ferrugineumflower visitation rate and pollen transfer limitation (comparing seed set from emasculated to pollen‐supplemented flowers). We found that diversity and abundance of bees visitingR. ferrugineumin heathland patches significantly decreased with decreasingR. ferrugineumfloral display, while overall visitor density per patch and flower visitation rate increased. Moreover, a decrease in massive floral display and increase in patch isolation resulted in reduced visitor density in the surrounding community. Even in patches with few individuals, we found disproportionate visitor abundance inR. ferrugineumcompared to the surrounding community. Finally, pollen transfer limitation inR. ferrugineumwas neither affected by visitation rate nor by patch attributes. By disproportionally attracting pollinators from co‐flowering species, and probably promoting geitonogamous pollen transfer, the mass‐flowering trait appears adequate to compensate, in terms of conspecific pollen transfer, for the decrease in visitor diversity and abundance and in mate availability, which usually result from population fragmentation.
Oxidative stress and antioxidant enzyme activity in South Indian male smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Arja Cholendra , Surapaneni Krishna Mohan , Raya Premanand , Adimoolam Chandrasekar , Balisetty Badhareenadhudu , Kanala Kodanda Reddy
Published: May 2013

Background and objective

Oxidative stress resulting from tobacco smoking has been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the oxidant and antioxidant levels in smokers with and without COPD.

Methods

Two hundred thirty‐six patients with COPD and 150 smokers with no respiratory problems were selected. COPD diagnosis and staging was done based on the Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease criteria. Plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and erythrocyte glutathione (GSH) concentrations and superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione‐s‐transferase (GST) activities were assessed.

Results

COPD patients had higher levels of MDA and lower levels of antioxidants when compared with controls (P < 0.01). Analysis of variance revealed increase in MDA (P < 0.05) and decrease in CAT activity (P < 0.01) and GSH (P < 0.05) level with the progression of the disease. In patients, lung function positively correlated with CAT and SOD activities and negatively correlated with MDA levels (P < 0.01). Smoking history showed negative relation with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1)/forced vital capacity (P < 0.05) and positive correlation with CAT activity (P < 0.01). MDA levels negatively correlated with SOD (r = –0.239; P < 0.01). In controls, MDA levels showed significant positive correlation with FEV1 and GPx (P < 0.05) and negative correlation with GSH (P < 0.01). Logistic regression showed association of higher MDA levels with increased risk and higher levels of CAT and GSH with decreased risk of progressing in the disease (odds ratio = 2.938, 2.538, 7.860).

Conclusions

Our study demonstrates that there is an oxidant antioxidant imbalance in COPD patients and suggests the importance of GPx in maintaining lung function.
Chronic respiratory disease, comorbid cardiovascular disease and mortality in a representative adult US cohort
Authors: Mannino David M. , Davis Kourtney J. , DiSantostefano Rachael L.
Published: May 2013

Background and objective

We sought to determine the relationship between chronic respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality in a nationally representative cohort of the US population aged 40 years and older.

Methods

We analysed data from the baseline (1988–1994) and follow‐up of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III). Subjects were classified in to one of four categories: obstructed (forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity <70% and forced expiratory volume in 1 s <80% predicted), restricted (forced expiratory volume in 1 s/forced vital capacity ≥70% and forced vital capacity <80% predicted), symptomatic (neither obstructed nor restricted but reporting respiratory symptoms) and normal (none of the above). Subjects were classified as having overt CVD, CVD risk factors only or neither at the baseline examination.

Results

The analysis data set included 9054 subjects, of whom 1132 (12.0%, weighted percentage (WP)) were obstructed, 1319 (10.3%, WP) were restricted and 2457 were symptomatic (27.6%, WP). Overt CVD was present at baseline in 1284 subjects (10.4 %, WP), and CVD risk factors alone were present in 4900 (53.3%, WP). Three thousand five hundred seventy‐one (28.4%, WP) subjects died during the up to 18‐year follow‐up period. When compared with ‘normal’ subjects, those in the obstructed group were more likely to have overt CVD (odds ratio 1.87, 95% confidence interval: 1.15–3.04, P < 0.001), with a similar risk seen in the restricted and symptomatic group.

Conclusions

In this large US population‐based cohort, the presence of obstruction, restriction or respiratory symptoms alone was associated with higher adjusted risk of overt CVD.
Management of tuberculosis and latent tuberculosis infection in human immunodeficiency virus‐infected persons
Authors: Lee Shui Shan , Meintjes Graeme , Kamarulzaman Adeeba , Leung Chi Chiu
Published: May 2013

The syndemic of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/tuberculosis (TB) co‐infection has grown as a result of the considerable sociogeographic overlaps between the two epidemics. The situation is particularly worrisome in countries with high or intermediate TB burden against the background of a variable HIV epidemic state. Early diagnosis of TB disease in an HIV‐infected person is paramount but suffers from lack of sensitive and specific diagnostic tools. Enhanced symptom screening is currently advocated, and the wide application of affordable molecular diagnostics is urgently needed. Treatment of TB/HIV co‐infection involves the concurrent use of standard antiretrovirals and antimycobacterials during which harmful drug interaction may occur. The pharmacokinetic interaction between rifamycin and antiretrovirals is a case in point, requiring dosage adjustment and preferential use of rifabutin, if available. Early initiation of antiretroviral therapy is indicated, preferably at 2 weeks after starting TB treatment for patients with a CD4 of <50 cells/μL. Development of TB‐immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (TB‐IRIS) is however more frequent with early antiretroviral therapy. The diagnosis of TB‐IRIS is another clinical challenge, and cautious use of corticosteroids is suggested to improve clinical outcome. As a preventive measure against active TB disease, the screening for latent TB infection should be widely practiced, followed by at least 6–9 months of isoniazid treatment. To date tuberculin skin test remains the only diagnostic tool in high TB burden countries. The role of alternative tests, for example, interferon‐γ release assay, would need to be better defined for clinical application.
National Agenda for Prevention of Healthcare‐Associated Infections in Dialysis Centers
Authors: Gupta Neil , Cannon Marjory , Srinivasan Arjun ,   for the members of the Working Group of the Federal Steering Committee for the Prevention of Healthcare‐Associated Infections in End‐Stage Renal Disease Facilities
Published: May 2013

Healthcare‐associated infections (HAIs) are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in dialysis patients. To coordinate HAI prevention efforts, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services established the National Action Plan to Prevent Healthcare Associated Infections in End‐Stage Renal Disease Facilities. This comprehensive plan prioritizes HAI prevention practices and 5‐year evaluation targets based on the burden of disease, level of scientific evidence, and anticipated impact from the recommended intervention. As such, the Plan focuses primarily on interventions to reduce vascular access‐related complications and infections with hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus. Over the last decade, there have been several efforts to expand HAI surveillance and prevention efforts, including coordination of HAI reporting metrics across multiple national agencies, changes in financial incentives by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), and federal funding for expansion of state‐based HAI prevention programs. As a result, a paradigm shift in HAI prevention has developed. Public health officials have assumed greater responsibility in reducing the burden of HAIs and healthcare providers have become more involved in HAI prevention. Since the Plan was initially drafted, several collaborative efforts in dialysis facilities have reported a reduction in HAIs through implementation of these interventions. These early successes highlight the potential impact of coordinated action to combat HAIs in dialysis settings and this National Action Plan provides evidence‐based strategies on how best to achieve this.
Jealousy in response to online and offline infidelity: the role of sex and sexual orientation
Authors: Dijkstra Pieternel , Barelds Dick P. H. , Groothof Hinke A. K.
Published: May 2013

The goal of the present study was to examine the emotional content and intensity of jealousy in response to different types of infidelity (both online and offline unfaithful partner behaviors) among Dutch heterosexuals (n = 191) and homosexuals (n = 121). Based on previous research (Dijkstra, Barelds & Groothof, 2010), participants were presented with ten jealousy‐evoking situations following which the intensity of two different emotional aspects of jealousy was assessed (betrayal/anger and threat). Results showed that scenarios describing a partner having sex with someone else or falling in love with someone else primarily evoked betrayal/anger‐related jealousy, whereas scenarios describing an emotional connection between a partner and someone else primarily evoked threat‐related jealousy. In addition, women experienced more jealousy than men in response to scenarios in which a partner engaged in potentially extra‐dyadic online (but not offline) behaviors. Finally, compared to same‐sex heterosexuals, homosexuals, both male and female, responded with less intense jealousy to scenarios describing a partner having sex with someone else. Implications for the treatment of (internet) infidelity are discussed.
Dimensionality of the Knee Numeric‐Entity Evaluation Score (KNEES‐ACL): A condition‐specific questionnaire
Authors: Comins J. D. , Krogsgaard M. R. , Kreiner S. , Brodersen J.
Published: May 2013

The benefit of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has been questioned based on patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs). Valid interpretation of such results requires confirmation of the psychometric properties of thePROM.Rasch analysis is the gold standard for validation ofPROMs, yetPROMsused forACLreconstruction have not been validated usingRasch analysis. We used Rasch analysis to investigate the psychometric properties of the Knee Numeric‐Entity Evaluation Score (KNEES‐ACL), a newly developedPROMfor patients treated forACLdeficiency. Two‐hundred forty‐two patients pre‐ and post‐ACLreconstruction completed the pilotPROM.Rasch models were used to assess the psychometric properties (e.g., unidimensionality, local response dependency, and differential item functioning). Forty‐one items distributed across seven unidimensional constructs measuring impairment, functional limitations, and psychosocial consequences were confirmed to fitRasch models. Fourteen items were removed because of statistical lack of fit and inadequate face validity. Local response dependency and differential item functioning were identified and adjusted. TheKNEES‐ACLis the firstRasch‐validated condition‐specificPROMconstructed for patients withACLdeficiency and patients withACLreconstruction. Thus, this instrument can be used for within‐ and between‐group comparisons.
“It's just reflex now”: German Language Learners’ Use of Online Resources
Authors: Larson‐Guenette Julie
Published: May 2013

This study examined how often and to what extent university learners of German use online resources (e.g., online dictionaries and translators) in relation to German coursework, their motivations for use, and their beliefs about online resources and language learning. Data for this study consisted of open‐ended surveys (n=71) and face‐to‐face interviews (n=13) with students from second‐, fourth‐, fifth‐, and sixth‐semester language courses. Results from both the survey and interview data revealed that learners consistently used online resources, including online dictionaries, translation sites, and other websites for reasons related to time efficiency, vocabulary, to “check” or “compare” their work, and general reference. As to whether or not the use of online resources contributes to learning, learners had mixed beliefs regarding the advantages and disadvantages of using online resources.
Scission ofCOPIandCOPIIVesicles Is Independent ofGTPHydrolysis
Authors: Adolf Frank , Herrmann Alexia , Hellwig Andrea , Beck Rainer , Brügger Britta , Wieland Felix T.
Published: May 2013

Synopsis

The question as to whether GTP is hydrolyzed for the scission of a coated bud to release a transport vesicle from a donor membrane is pivotal for elucidating the mechanism of the scission step proper. We have revisited the requirement for GTP hydrolysis in the formation of COP vesicles in semi‐intact cells in combination with recombinant COPI and COPII coat proteins and their respective small GTPases (Arf1 and Sar1). Both types of vesicles were efficiently formed and released without the need of GTP hydrolysis or mechanical manipulation.
Repopulation of the immunosuppressed retrorsine‐treated infant rat liver with human hepatocytes
Authors: Tachibana Asato , Tateno Chise , Yoshizato Katsutoshi
Published: May 2013

Background

We previously generated humanized chimeric mice by transplanting h‐hepatocytes into the livers of the diseased‐liver transgenic mouse model with immunodeficient background. These mice with livers mostly replaced by human (h) hepatocytes have been proved to be useful for research on drug metabolism and toxicity and on intrahepatic pathogens such as hepatitis. However, their small body size prohibited collecting sufficient biological samples and made surgical manipulation difficult, which motivated us to produce humanized larger animal(s) bearing h‐hepatocytes.

Methods

Fischer 344 (F344) rats at 2 weeks of age were administrated with hepatotoxin retrorsine (RS) and then transplanted with syngeneic F344 rat (r)‐ or h‐hepatocytes via the portal vein. The hosts were injected daily with FK506 immunosuppressant. The livers were harvested periodically for determining donor‐cell replacement ratios and compared with those of the humanized chimeric mice, and liver‐specific mRNA and protein expressions by immunohistochemistry and reverse‐transcription PCR.

Results

RS treatment of infant rats inhibited hepatocyte proliferation, resulting in decreased liver weight and megalocytic changes in hepatocytes. R‐hepatocytes transplanted into RS‐treated rats engrafted into and repopulated the liver at ratios of 16.4 ± 6.7% and 48.3 ± 29.3% at 3 and 6 weeks after transplantation, respectively. H‐hepatocytes also engrafted into the rat liver and showed a repopulation ratio of 2.5 ± 1.5% at 3 weeks post‐transplantation, which was comparable to the ratio in the humanized chimeric mouse model at least until 3 weeks. Propagated h‐hepatocytes in the rat liver expressed hepatocyte‐specific mRNA and proteins at least 3 weeks after transplantation.

Conclusions

Xenogeneic hepatocytes were able to engraft rat liver and grow well therein for at least 3 weeks post‐transplantation in rats when immunosuppression was combined appropriately with liver injury at comparable levels to the well‐characterized humanized chimeric mouse model.