bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Two‐component cultivar mixtures reduce rice blast epidemics in an upland agrosystem
Authors: Raboin L. M. , Ramanantsoanirina A. , Dusserre J. , Razasolofonanahary F. , Tharreau D. , Lannou C. , Sester M.
Published: March 2012

The effect of two‐component rice cultivar mixtures on the control of rice blast disease was studied in three different experiments under rainfed upland conditions in the Madagascar Highlands. The mixtures involved a susceptible cultivar (either susceptible or very susceptible) and a resistant cultivar in different mixture arrangements (random or row mixtures) and with different proportions of the susceptible cultivar (50, 20 and 16·7%), which were compared to the susceptible cultivar grown in a pure stand. The effect of these mixtures on the incidence and severity of leaf and panicle blast was measured weekly, and on yield and yield components at harvest time. The mixture effect was more efficient in reducing disease with a proportion of 16·7% susceptible component than with a proportion of 50%. Blast epidemic was significantly reduced in all three experiments. However, under high blast pressure, there was no reduction in the disease by the end of the epidemic and yields of the susceptible cultivar were almost zero whatever the mixture. In two other experiments performed under lower blast pressure, disease incidence and severity were significantly lower in mixtures, and yields of the susceptible cultivars grown in mixtures were higher than those of their respective pure stands. Cultivar mixtures are a promising strategy that could contribute to a more sustainable cultivation of rice under upland conditions in the context of subsistence agriculture in Madagascar, where all cropping operations are manual.
Effects of stolbur phytoplasma infection on DNA methylation processes in tomato plants
Authors: Ahmad J. N. , Garcion C. , Teyssier E. , Hernould M. , Gallusci P. , Pracros P. , Renaudin J. , Eveillard S.
Published: March 2012

DNA methylation was investigated as a possible mechanism for regulation of floral gene expression in stolbur phytoplasma‐infected tomato buds. Expression of methylase and demethylase genes was found to be globally down‐regulated in tomato plants infected with stolbur isolate PO, but not in those infected with isolate C. These results are consistent with the finding that SlDEF, a gene orthologous to arabidopsis APETALA3 which is involved in petal formation, was down‐regulated in stolbur PO‐infected buds and remained unaffected in stolbur C‐infected buds, and with the fact that the two stolbur phytoplasma isolates C and PO induce distinct symptoms. Because of variations between the different cell‐types of the flower buds, the DNA methylation status of SlDEF could not be clearly established. However, the finding that treatment of stolbur PO‐infected plants with 5‐azacytidine partially restored SlDEF gene expression strongly suggests that DNA methylation is involved in down‐regulation of floral development genes in stolbur PO‐infected tomatoes.
The contact sensitizer diphenylcyclopropenone has adjuvant properties in mice and potential application in epicutaneous immunotherapy
Authors: von Moos S. , Johansen P. , Waeckerle‐Men Y. , Mohanan D. , Senti G. , Häffner A. , Kündig T. M.
Published: March 2012

Background

Epicutaneous vaccination has gained increasing interest during the past decade as it offers a safe, needle‐free, and patient‐friendly alternative to invasive vaccine administrations. Recently, the safety and early efficacy of epicutaneous immunotherapy were also demonstrated in patients with hay fever, as an alternative to conventional subcutaneous allergen‐specific immunotherapy (SCIT). One major challenge to epicutaneous vaccination is the barrier function of the stratum corneum, which must be overcome either by abrasive methods or by hydration. Such barrier function of the stratum corneum also hampers the use of common adjuvants used to enhance the efficacy of vaccination.

Methods

In a mouse model of allergy, we tested the adjuvant potential of diphenylcyclopropenone (DCP), a strong contact sensitizer, which is currently used for the treatment of a T cell‐mediated hair loss disease (alopezia areata).

Results

Diphenylcyclopropenone enhanced antigen‐specific IgG2a antibody responses as well as IL‐10 cytokine production after epicutaneous immunization with ovalbumin (OVA). Epicutaneous allergen‐specific immunotherapy (EPIT) with OVA and DCP also protected sensitized mice from anaphylaxis and asthma. The protective effect was more robust than that of conventional SCIT, which did not significantly alleviate the symptoms of allergy in the murine models of anaphylaxis and asthma.

Conclusions

This preclinical study confirmed previous clinical data that have demonstrated the potential of the skin as a target for allergen immunotherapy. The study also suggests that epicutaneous immunization or immunotherapy can be improved when an appropriate adjuvant such as DCP is used.
Atopic diseases by filaggrin mutations and birth year
Authors: Thyssen J. P. , Linneberg A. , Johansen J. D. , Carlsen B. C. , Zachariae C. , Meldgaard M. , Szecsi P. B. , Stender S. , Menné T.
Published: March 2012

Background

The prevalence of atopic disorders has increased in recent years. The pathogenesis is complex with genetic and environmental risk factors. Filaggrin loss‐of‐function mutations are common and associated with atopic disorders. We investigated whether the prevalence of filaggrin mutations increased in different birth cohorts in adults from the general population in Denmark.

Methods

Cross‐sectional questionnaire and filaggrin gene mutation (R501X and 2282del4) data from 3335 18‐ to 69‐year‐old adults were available for analyses.

Results

The effect of filaggrin mutations on the prevalence of atopic diseases, albeit not statistically significant, depended mostly on birth year for atopic dermatitis (AD). A nonsignificant increase in the prevalence of filaggrin mutations was noted across birth year groups reporting AD, with 12.9% in adults born in 1936–1949 and 19.0% born in 1976–1988.

Conclusions

If confirmed in other populations, the observed increase suggests that mutation carriers have been more susceptible to environmental changes accentuating the rise in AD prevalence.
Neonatal size in term children is associated with asthma at age 7, but not with atopic dermatitis or allergic sensitization
Authors: Sevelsted A. , Bisgaard H.
Published: March 2012

Background

We hypothesized that anthropometrics in the newborn is associated with development of asthma later in life.

Methods

The study included a prospective, longitudinal clinical study of a birth cohort of 411 Danish neonates born at term of mothers with a history of asthma. The primary endpoint was physician‐diagnosed asthma at age 7 years. Allergic sensitization and atopic dermatitis (AD) were also investigated.

Infant size was measured at the research clinic on four occasions during the first year of life. Risk for asthma, AD, and allergic sensitization at age 6–7 were estimated from logistic regression. Time to first asthma and AD were investigated by Cox regression. Multivariate models were adjusted for gender, gestational age, and mothers smoking during pregnancy.

Results

Neonatal weight, length, body mass index and head circumference (z‐score) were all significantly associated with asthma at age 7. Adjusted odds ratio for asthma by estimated birth weight z‐score: 1.87 [1.23–2.84]; P = 0.004. Adjusted HR for onset of asthma by neonatal weight z‐score: 1.46 [1.08–1.96]; P = 0.013. Neonatal size did not associate with AD or allergic sensitization.

Conclusions

Increased neonatal size was significantly associated with asthma at age 7 but not AD or allergic sensitization in at‐risk children born at term. The findings suggest some common prenatal mechanisms linking body size and asthma.
How molecular diagnosis can change allergen‐specific immunotherapy prescription in a complex pollen area
Authors: Sastre J. , Landivar M. E. , Ruiz‐García M. , Andregnette‐Rosigno M. V. , Mahillo I.
Published: March 2012

Background

The identification of disease‐eliciting allergens is a prerequisite for accurate prescription of allergen‐specific immunotherapy (SIT). The aim of this study was to determine whether molecular diagnosis (MD) may change indication and allergen prescription of SIT.

Methods

A total of 141 patients with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis and/or asthma sensitized to pollen with or without concomitant food allergy were included. Skin prick testing with a panel of aeroallergens and a microarray‐based panel of allergens (ISAC®; Phadia, Sweden) was performed in all patients. Prior to learning the results of molecular diagnosis, three of the authors reached a consensus on the indication of SIT and use of allergens following EAACI recommendations, basing their judgment on clinical history and skin prick test results before and after obtaining the ISAC results. The agreement coefficient (kappa index) was used to analyze the results.

Results

Fifty‐nine percent of the patients were women with a mean age of 31 ± 13.63. Agreement in SIT indication before and after ISAC® results was found in only 62 (46%) patients (kappa = 0.1057 ± 0.0413). Concerning allergens used in the most common prescriptions before and after MD results, we obtained the following results: κ = 0.117 ± 0.0825 for grass; κ = 0.1624 ± 0.0639 for olive; κ = 0.0505 ± 0.0548 for olive and grass; κ = 0.1711 ± 0.0471 for grass and cypress; κ = 0.1897 ± 0.0493 for grass and London plane; κ = 1 ± 0.0842 for olive and cypress, and κ = 0.3586 ± 0.0798 for other combinations.

Conclusions

There was very low agreement concerning indication and use of allergens for SIT before and after performing MD. This discrepancy emphasizes the usefulness of MD, at least in areas of complex sensitization to pollen, in determining correct indication of SIT.
Parent–Offspring Conflict over the Transition to Independence in Nicrophorus vespilloides: Parental Chemical Cues and Offspring Begging
Authors: Leigh Deborah , Smiseth Per T.
Published: March 2012

In species where parents provide their offspring with food, the offspring must undergo a transition from nutritional dependency to independence. Parent–offspring conflict theory predicts that the optimal timing for this transition will differ between parents and offspring and that the realised timing depends on each party’s ability to control the transition. The burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides is an excellent species for studying conflict over the transition to independence; the larvae beg for pre‐digested carrion from their parents until they cease begging around 72 h after hatching. The cessation of begging is not associated with changes in parental behaviour, suggesting that the transition is mostly under offspring control. However, recent work has demonstrated that caring parents express distinct chemical cues that stimulate larval begging, the expression of which varies between breeding and non‐breeding beetles, suggesting that parents might exert control over the transition to independence by altering these cues throughout development. If so, we predict that begging larvae should behave differently towards parental chemical cues from different stages of development and that larvae of different ages should behave similarly towards parental chemical cues from the same stage of development. We found no evidence for either prediction: begging larvae did not behave differently towards parental chemical cues from different stages of development, and larvae of different ages still behaved differently towards parental chemical cues from the same stage of development. Our results provide no support for the hypothesis that parents can control the transition to nutritional independence by altering their chemical profiles.
Determinants of Pair‐Living in Red‐Tailed Sportive Lemurs (Lepilemur ruficaudatus)
Authors: Hilgartner Roland , Fichtel Claudia , Kappeler Peter M. , Zinner Dietmar
Published: March 2012

Pair‐living and a monogamous mating strategy are rare and theoretically unexpected among mammals. Nevertheless, about 10% of primate species exhibit such a social system, which is difficult to explain in the absence of paternal care. In this study, we investigated the two major hypotheses proposed to explain the evolution of monogamy in mammals, the female defence hypothesis (FDH) and the resource defence hypothesis (RDH), in red‐tailed sportive lemurs (Lepilemur ruficaudatus), a nocturnal primate from Madagascar. We analysed behavioural data from eight male–female pairs collected during a 24‐mo field study to illuminate the determinants of pair‐living in this species. Male and femaleL. ruficaudatuswere found to live in dispersed pairs, which are characterised by low cohesion and low encounter rates within a common home range. Social interactions between pair partners were mainly agonistic and characterised by a complete absence of affiliative interactions – body contact was only observed during mating. During the short annual mating season, males exhibited elevated levels of aggression towards mates, as well as extensive mate guarding and increased locomotor activity. In addition, males were exclusively responsible for the maintenance of proximity between pair partners during this period, and they defended their territories against neighbouring males but not against females. Together, these results point towards the importance of female defence in explaining pair‐living inL. ruficaudatus. We discuss the spatial and temporal distribution of receptive females in relation to the female defence strategies of males and suggest possible costs that prevent male red‐tailed sportive lemurs from defending more than one female.
Effect of medicinal and aromatic plants on rumen fermentation, protozoa population and methanogenesis in vitro
Authors: Bhatta R. , Baruah L. , Saravanan M. , Suresh K. P. , Sampath K. T.
Published: March 2012

The potential of tannins from 21 medicinal and aromatic plant leaves as antimethanogenic additives in ruminant feeds was investigated. The effect of tannin from these leaves on rumen fermentation parameters, protozoa population and methanogenesis was studied by incubating the samples [200 mg dry matter (DM)] without and with polyethylene glycol (PEG)‐6000 (400 mg DM) as a tannin binder during 24‐h incubation in the in vitro Hohenheim gas method. Based on the methane percentage estimated in the total gas produced, methane production in millilitre was calculated [methane volume (ml) = methane % × total gas produced (ml) in 24 h]. In the samples, crude protein and neutral detergent fibre (g/kg DM) ranged from 113 to 172 and from 352 to 444 respectively. The total phenol (TP; g/kg DM) content was highest in Terminalia chebula (274) followed by Hemigraphis colorata (71) and Sapindus laurifolia (51) respectively. In the remaining samples, it was <43 g/kg DM. Activity of tannins, as represented by the increase in gas volume on addition of PEG, ranged from 0 to 133%, with the highest being recorded in T. chebula. The per cent increase in methane on PEG addition was 0 for Ammi majus, Aristolochia indica, Cascabela thevetia, Ipomea nil and Lantana camara, illustrating that tannins present in these samples had no effect on methane concentration. The PEG addition increased the total protozoa count by >50% in A. indica and C. thevetica. One of the important findings of our study was that of the 21 samples screened, Entodinia population increased in 12 with PEG as compared to 7 where Holotricha increased, indicating higher susceptibility of Entodinia to tannin. There was no increase in the protozoa population with PEG when incubating Cardiospermum halicacabum, Clerodendrum inerme, Dioscorea floribunda, Nerium oleander and Selastras paniculatus, which strongly suggested that methane suppression recorded in these samples was not because of a defaunating effect of their tannins per se. The fermentation pattern reflected increased total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) concentration from 0 to 28.3% with PEG addition among the leaves. Our results confirmed further observations that methanogenesis in vitro is not essentially related to density of protozoa population. Secondly, medicinal and aromatic plants such as C. inerme, Gymnema sylvestre and Sapindus laurifolia containing tannins appear to have a potential to suppress in vitro methanogenesis.
Conservation of microsatellite regions across legume genera enhances marker repertoire and genetic diversity study in Phaseolus genotypes
Authors: Datta Subhojit , Kaashyap Mayank , Singh Pallavi , Gupta P. , Anjum K. Tuba , Mahfooz Sahil , Gupta Sanjeev
Published: March 2012

With 1 figure and 1 table

To study the conservation of microsatellite regions, a set of 137 microsatellite markers developed from Phaseolus, Cajanus, Lens and Cicer genera of Leguminosae family were tested for their transferability across 16 genotypes of Phaseolus belonging to diverse collections from South America and Asia. Considerable transferability was observed with markers derived from Cajanus (60%), Lens (46%) and Cicer (28%). Of the total 122 loci were amplified, 82 cross‐species polymorphic amplicons were obtained. Maximum number of alleles per marker was six (Cicer markers). Polymorphism information content values ranged from 0.12 to 0.96 with Cajanus, 0.13 to 0.74 with Lens and 0.30 to 0.93 with Cicer markers. Unweighted pair group method employing arithmetic averages cluster analysis of Phaseolus genotypes showed clear demarcation between the commercial cultivars falling in separate cluster with respect to their seed size and maturity. Transferability of genomic SSRs was different from that of expressed sequence tag‐derived genic microsatellite markers.
Exploring professionalism: The professional values of Australian occupational therapists
Authors: Aguilar Alejandra , Stupans Ieva , Scutter Sheila , King Sharron
Published: March 2012

Background/aim

There has been limited research into the values of the Australian occupational therapy profession and as such, the values have not been made explicit. Explicit values provide insight into what professionalism means to a profession. They can be used by practitioners for self‐reflection purposes, shaping the future practice of individuals. Clear values can also enable the recognition and management of value conflicts between health professions. This study aimed to make a preliminary identification of the values of the profession, by exploring the professional values of 15 Australian occupational therapists.

Methods

A naturalistic approach and constructivist paradigm guided this study. Purposive sampling was employed to identify Australian occupational therapists who could contribute rich information to the study. Data were collected through semi‐structured interviews that were recorded and analysed using an inductive data analysis method.

Results

The professional values identified encompassed three main areas: the client and the client–therapist partnership; occupational therapy knowledge, skills and practice; and selfless values. The emerging values guided everyday practice, professional relationships and the responsibilities of being a professional.

Conclusion

This study provides insight into the professional values of Australian occupational therapists and contributes to research orientated towards identifying the values of the profession. The results also contribute to the understanding of what professionalism means to the Australian occupational therapy profession.
Examining construct validity of a new naturalistic observational assessment of hand skills for preschool‐ and school‐age children
Authors: Chien Chi‐Wen , Brown Ted , McDonald Rachael
Published: March 2012

Background/aim

The Assessment of Children's Hand Skills is a new assessment that utilises a naturalistic observational method to capture children's real‐life hand skill performance when engaged at various types of daily activities in everyday living contexts. The Assessment of Children's Hand Skills is designed for use with 2‐ to 12‐year‐old children with a range of disabilities or health conditions. The study aimed to investigate construct validity of the Assessment of Children's Hand Skills in Australian children.

Methods

Rasch analysis was used to examine internal construct validity of the Assessment of Children's Hand Skills in a mixed sample of 53 children with disabilities (including autism spectrum disorder, developmental/genetic disorders and physical disabilities) and 85 typically developing children. External construct validity was examined by correlating with three questionnaires evaluating daily living skills and hand skills.

Results

Rasch goodness‐of‐fit analysis suggested that all 22 activity items and 19 of 20 hand skill items in the Assessment of Children's Hand Skills measured a single construct. The Assessment of Children's Hand Skills items were placed in a clinically meaningful hierarchy from easy to hard, and the difficulty range of the items also matched the majority of children with disabilities and typically developing preschool‐aged children. Moderate to high correlations (0.59 ≤ Spearman's ρ coefficients ≤ 0.89, P < 0.01) were found with the assessments of daily living and fine motor skills.

Conclusion

This study provided preliminary evidence supporting the construct validity of the Assessment of Children's Hand Skills for its clinical application in assessing children's real‐life hand skill performance in Australian contexts.
Unspoken phenomena: using the photovoice method to enrich phenomenological inquiry
Authors: Plunkett Robyn , Leipert Beverly D , Ray Susan L
Published: March 2012

Photovoice is a powerful method that is gaining momentum in nursing research. As a relatively new method in nursing science, the situatedness of photovoice within or alongside various research methodologies in a single study remains in a stage of early development. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the photovoice method as a means to elicit phenomenological data when researching the lived experience. While the foundational bases of phenomenology and photovoice differ substantially, the argument presented in this paper suggests that the photovoice method can be successfully used in phenomenological inquiry provided that significant rigour checks are pursued. This includes reflecting upon the origins and understandings of both methodology and method to promote methodological congruency. Data collection and analysis approaches that contribute to phenomenological inquiry using the photovoice method in addition to rigour and ethical considerations are discussed. The use of data generated from photovoice in phenomenological inquiry may fill a void of understanding furnished by limitations of traditional phenomenological inquiry and of spoken language and can enhance understanding of the lived experience, which may not always be best understood by words alone.
Effectiveness of a community‐based health promotion program targeting people with hypertension and high cholesterol
Authors: Wu Meng‐Ping , Wu Shu‐Fang Vivienne , Wang Tsu‐Chi , Kao Mu‐Jung , Yang Wen‐Li
Published: March 2012

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a community‐based health promotion program targeting people with hypertension and high cholesterol. A pre‐experimental study was conducted. A total of 60 residents were recruited to participate. Participants were assessed at baseline and at a 6 month follow up at a regional hospital in northern Taiwan. The questionnaires used for data collection consisted of an assessment of self‐efficacy, self‐care activities, health outcomes, and physical fitness. Several teaching resources were used, including a DVD, a self‐care booklet, group support (exercise and counseling sessions), and telephone follow up. A significant decrease in waist circumference (t = 2.20, P = 0.03) and high density lipoprotein‐cholesterol level (t = 4.71, P < 0.00) was found at follow up. Moreover, the level of physical fitness activity, and sit‐ups specifically (t = 3.10, P < 0.00), was increased. Participants also showed significant increases between baseline and 6 month follow up in their efficacy expectation score (t = −5.81, P < 0.00), outcome expectation scores (t = −4.76, P < 0.00) and self‐care behavior scores (t = −2.78, P = 0.007). The community‐based health promotion program is an effective means of helping people with hypertension and high cholesterol and should be instituted regularly and evaluated in clinical practice.
Histology‐specific long‐term trends in the incidence of ovarian cancer and borderline tumor in Japanese females: A population‐based study from 1983 to 2007 in Niigata
Authors: Yahata Tetsuro , Banzai Chiaki , Tanaka Kenichi ,   Niigata Gynecological Cancer Registry
Published: March 2012

Aim:  The histology‐specific long‐term trends in the incidence of ovarian cancer and borderline tumors in Japanese women were examined, based on data from the population‐based cancer registry in Niigata, Japan.

Material and Methods:  Data were obtained from the Niigata Gynecological Cancer Registry, which covered the entire female population in Niigata prefecture, Japan, during the period from 1983 to 2007.

Results:  A total of 3134 females with epithelial ovarian cancer, including borderline tumor cases, were diagnosed between 1983 and 2007. The age‐standardized rates (ASRs) of both ovarian cancer and borderline tumors have steadily increased, with significant changes in ovarian cancer in all age groups, and borderline ovarian tumors in subjects aged <50. The ASRs of endometrioid adenocarcinoma showed a steady increasing trend, and those of clear cell and mucinous adenocarcinomas showed significant increasing trends in the total population. The ASRs of clear cell, mucinous, and endometrioid adenocarcinomas in the 50+ age group were significantly increased, especially the incidence of clear cell adenocarcinoma, which strikingly increased by approximately threefold from 1.2 (1983–1989) to 3.5 (2000–2007) per 100 000 females.

Conclusion:  This prefecture‐wide study showed the practical trends in ovarian cancer and borderline tumors in Japanese females. The incidence of ovarian cancer has steadily increased, with significant increases in the incidence of clear cell and mucinous adenocarcinomas in the total population during the past two decades. Because of the poor response rate of these histological subtypes to platinum‐based regimens, novel treatment approaches should be adopted to improve the prognostic outcome in patients with ovarian cancer in Japan.
Argatroban therapy for heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia during pregnancy in a woman with hereditary antithrombin deficiency
Authors: Tanimura Kenji , Ebina Yashuhiko , Sonoyama Ayako , Morita Hiroki , Miyata Shigeki , Yamada Hideto
Published: March 2012

A 33‐year‐old woman developed deep venous thrombosis at 7 gestational weeks (GW). Heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia was evident at 9 GW during unfractionated heparin infusion. Immediately, anticoagulation therapies together with antithrombin (AT) infusion were commenced with the use of argatroban from 9 GW, and fondaparinux was substituted for argatroban after 24 GW. The patient had hereditary AT deficiency type I determined by laboratory findings and results of genomic DNA analysis. The pregnancy ended in full‐term vaginal delivery of a healthy male without adverse effects of the anticoagulation therapies. This was the first report of a pregnant woman who developed heparin‐induced thrombocytopenia caused by heparin therapy for deep venous thrombosis due to AT deficiency.
Role of oxidative stress in preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction
Authors: Mert Ismail , Sargın Oruc Ayla , Yuksel Serdar , Cakar Esra Sukran , Buyukkagnıcı Umran , Karaer Abdullah , Danısman Nuri
Published: March 2012

Aim:  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of oxidative stress and DNA damage in preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).

Material and Methods:  Twenty‐four patients with preeclampsia, 20 patients with IUGR fetus and 37 healthy pregnant women were enrolled in the study. The total oxidant status (TOS) and antioxidant status (TAS) of plasma were measured using a novel automated colorimetric measurement method. Sister chromatid exchange (SCE) and micronuclei analysis were performed on peripheral blood lymphocytes of cases and controls.

Results:  Women whose pregnancies were complicated with preeclampsia and IUGR had elevated levels of TOS and TAS when compared with healthy pregnant women (median TOS values: 9.73, 10.6 and 8.06, P = 0.001; median TAS values: 1. 77, 1.54 and 1.44, P < 0.001, respectively). The frequencies of SCE were only found to be increased in women with IUGR fetus compared with healthy pregnant women (8.81 vs 7.5, respectively, P = 0.02). Multivariable linear regression analysis for both TOS and TAS showed a significant relation between these variables and uric acid.

Conclusion:  Increased oxidative stress and antioxidative defense mechanisms may contribute to disease processes both in preeclampsia and IUGR.
Decreased expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor and visfatin in the placental bed of pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia
Authors: Kim Seung‐Chul , Park Min Jung , Joo Bo‐Sun , Joo Jong‐Kil , Suh Dong‐Soo , Lee Kyu‐Sup
Published: March 2012

Aim:  The aim of the present study was to examine the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and visfatin in the third trimester placental bed of pregnancies with and without preeclampsia (PE).

Material and Methods:  The study group consisted of placental bed biopsy tissues obtained from pregnancies with (n = 20) and without (n = 20) PE. The normotensive controls without PE were matched for gestational age at delivery with patients with PE. The expression of VEGF and visfatin in the placental bed tissues were evaluated using reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR), real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunohistochemistry and Western blot.

Results:  There was no statistical difference between the PE group and the normotensive control group in age and body mass index (BMI). The expression of VEGF and visfatin was significantly decreased in the PE group compared with the normotensive control group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion:  This study showed decreased expressions of VEGF and visfatin in the third trimester placental bed of pregnancies with PE compared with the normotensive controls. This result suggests that decreased expression of these angiogenic factors in placental bed may be associated with the pathogenesis of PE.
Pressure support ventilation vs spontaneous ventilation via ProSeal™ laryngeal mask airway in pediatric patients undergoing ambulatory surgery: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Lim Beatrice , Pawar Dilip , Ng Oriana
Published: March 2012

Aim:  To investigate the advantages of using pressure support ventilation (PSV) vs spontaneous ventilation via ProSeal™ laryngeal mask airway in children undergoing ambulatory surgery.

Background:  In our ambulatory surgical unit, the use of unassisted spontaneous breathing via laryngeal mask airway is a common anesthetic technique during general anesthesia. However, this may be associated with inadequate ventilation. PSV is a ventilatory mode that is synchronized with the patient’s respiratory effort and may improve gaseous exchange under general anesthesia.

Materials and methods:  After the approval from the ethics committee, a randomized controlled trial involving 24 pediatric patients was conducted in our ambulatory surgical unit. They were randomized into two groups, namely Group PSV (receiving PSV) and Group SV (unassisted spontaneous ventilation). Outcome measures included intraoperative respiratory and hemodynamic parameters as well as recovery room data.

Results:  There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. Patients in Group PSV had lower ETCO2 (42.8 ± 5.8 vs 50.4 ± 4.0, P = 0.001) and higher expiratory tidal volume per kg bodyweight (8.3 ± 1.8 ml kg−1 vs 5.8 ± 0.8 ml kg−1, P = 0.001) compared with patients in Group SV. There were no significant differences in other respiratory and hemodynamic parameters or recovery room data between the two groups.

Conclusion:  Pressure support ventilation via ProSeal™ laryngeal mask airway during general anesthesia improves ventilation in pediatric patients undergoing ambulatory surgery. However, this did not translate to a difference in clinical outcome among our study patients.
Cardioprotective effect of transcutaneous electric acupoint stimulation in the pediatric cardiac patients: a randomized controlled clinical trial
Authors: Ni Xinli , Xie Yaning , Wang Qiang , Zhong Haixing , Chen Min , Wang Feng , Xiong Lize
Published: March 2012

Background:  Acupuncture pretreatment exerts neuroprotective and cardioprotective effects in animal models and in adult patients underwent cardiac surgery; however, data in pediatric patient are unavailable.

Objective/Aim:  To investigate the effects of transcutaneous electric acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on acute myocardial injury from pediatric open‐heart surgery.

Methods:  Children, aged 2–12 years, with congenital heart defects scheduled for surgical repair were enrolled. They were randomized to TEAS (administrated at bilateral P6 acupoint for 30 min after basal anesthesia) and control (an electrode was placed on the arm without stimulus) groups. The primary end point was serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) over 24 h after aortic unclamping. Furthermore, clinical outcome and serum cytokine and C‐reactive protein concentrations were evaluated.

Results:  Seventy eligible children were analyzed, 36 in controls and 34 in TEAS group. Compared with controls, the mean cTnI levels were significantly lower in TEAS group at 8 h (P = 0.043) and 24 h (P = 0.046) after aortic unclamping. The duration of ventilation (P = 0.004) and length of ICU stay (P = 0.032) was significantly longer in controls than in TEAS group. There was a significant difference in the release of C‐reactive protein at 8 h (P = 0.039) between two groups, whereas the values for cytokines were not significant.

Conclusion:  Transcutaneous electric acupoint stimulation on the bilateral P6 acupoint is effective for attenuation myocardial injury in children undergoing cardiac surgery. The beneficial effects may be partially associated with reduction in cTnI and C‐reactive protein level in the early postoperative period.
A retrospective audit of anesthetic techniques and complications in children with mucopolysaccharidoses
Authors: Frawley Geoff , Fuenzalida Daniella , Donath Susan , Yaplito‐Lee Joy , Peters Heidi
Published: March 2012

Objectives and aims:  To document the incidence of difficult airway management and difficult intubation in the era of replacement therapy for Australian children with mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS).

Background:  Medical treatment for MPS has developed significantly since 1980’s with a large number of patients now being offered either bone marrow transplant or enzyme replacement. The impact of these therapies on the incidence of difficult airway management has not been adequately documented. Similarly, anesthesia techniques and airway devices have been developed, which are thought to have greatly increased the safety of managing these patients under anesthesia but their role in children with MPS has not been systematically described.

Methods:  A retrospective chart review of 17 patients with MPS who had received anesthetics at the Royal Children’s Hospital during the time frame January 1998–January 2011. The primary outcome was the incidence of difficult or failed intubation. Secondary outcomes were the relationship between the incidence of difficult intubation and treatment with enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) or bone marrow transplantation.

Results:  Seventeen patients received 141 anesthetics for 214 procedures. Difficult face mask ventilation occurred in 20 anesthetics (14.2%). Difficult intubation occurred in 40 anesthetics (25%). Failed intubation occurred in two cases (1.6%).The incidence of difficult intubation was 12% in MPS I, 35% MPS II, 86.7% in MPS VI, and 0% in MPS III and IV.

Conclusions:  Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation prior to 2 years of age reduces the incidence of difficult mask ventilation and difficult intubation in children with MPS I. ERT was initiated late in the clinical course of MPS II and VI and induced improvements in upper airway patency but did not reduce the incidence of difficult airway management.
Body mass constraints on feeding rates determine the consequences of predator loss
Authors: Schneider Florian Dirk , Scheu Stefan , Brose Ulrich
Published: March 2012

Ecology Letters (2012) 15: 436–443

Understanding effects of species loss in complex food webs with multiple trophic levels is complicated by the idiosyncrasy of the predator effects on lower trophic levels: direct and indirect effects intermingle and may increase, decrease or not affect ecosystem functioning. We introduce a reductionist approach explaining a predator’s trophic effect only by empirically well‐founded body‐mass constraints on abundance, diet breadth and feeding strength. We demonstrate that this mechanistic concept successfully explains the positive, negative and neutral net effects of predators on decomposers in a litter microcosm experiment. This approach offers a new perspective on the interplay of complex interactions within food webs and is easily extendable to include phylogenetic and other body‐mass independent traits. We anticipate that allometry will substantially improve our understanding of idiosyncratic predator effects in experiments and the consequences of predator loss in natural ecosystems.
Shifts in reproductive assurance strategies and inbreeding costs associated with habitat fragmentation in Central American mahogany
Authors: Breed Martin F. , Gardner Michael G. , Ottewell Kym M. , Navarro Carlos M. , Lowe Andrew J.
Published: March 2012

Ecology Letters (2012) 15: 444–452

The influence of habitat fragmentation on mating patterns and progeny fitness in trees is critical for understanding the long‐term impact of contemporary landscape change on the sustainability of biodiversity. We examined the relationship between mating patterns, using microsatellites, and fitness of progeny, in a common garden trial, for the insect‐pollinated big‐leaf mahogany, Swietenia macrophylla King, sourced from forests and isolated trees in 16 populations across Central America. As expected, isolated trees had disrupted mating patterns and reduced fitness. However, for dry provenances, fitness was negatively related to correlated paternity, while for mesic provenances, fitness was correlated positively with outcrossing rate and negatively with correlated paternity. Poorer performance of mesic provenances is likely because of reduced effective pollen donor density due to poorer environmental suitability and greater disturbance history. Our results demonstrate a differential shift in reproductive assurance and inbreeding costs in mahogany, driven by exploitation history and contemporary landscape context.
Realistic losses of rare species disproportionately impact higher trophic levels
Authors: Bracken Matthew E. S. , Low Natalie H. N.
Published: March 2012

Ecology Letters (2012) 15: 461–467

Predicting the consequences of changes in biodiversity requires understanding both species’ susceptibility to extirpation and their functional roles in ecosystems. However, few studies have evaluated the effects of realistic, non‐random biodiversity losses, severely limiting the applicability of biodiversity research to conservation. Here, we removed sessile species from a rocky shore community in a way that deliberately mimicked natural patterns of species loss. We found that the rarest species in the system act from the bottom up to disproportionately impact the diversity and abundance of consumers. Realistic losses of rare species in a diverse assemblage of seaweeds and sessile invertebrates, collectively comprising <10% of sessile biomass, resulted in a 42–47% decline in consumer biomass. In contrast, removal of an equivalent biomass of dominant sessile species had no effect on consumers. Our results highlight the ‘cornerstone’ role that rare species can play in shaping the structure of the community they support.
Mechanistic roles for calcium and vitamin D in the regulation of body weight
Authors: Soares M. J. , Murhadi L. L. , Kurpad A. V. , Chan She Ping‐Delfos W. L. , Piers L. S.
Published: March 2012

Low intakes of calcium and inadequate vitamin D status often cluster with higher prevalence rates of obesity. Consequently, there has been much interest in the mechanisms by which calcium and vitamin D could regulate body weight and adiposity. This review has focused on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that have manipulated these nutrients and studied pathways of energy balance. Overall, there is consistent evidence that calcium and vitamin D increase whole body fat oxidation after single and multiple meals, and that calcium promotes a modest energy loss through increased faecal fat excretion. The evidence is equivocal for a greater diet‐induced thermogenesis, increased lipolysis, suppression of key lipogenic enzymes, decreased hunger ratings or reduced energy/macronutrient intake. Emerging evidence suggests a potential improvement in insulin sensitivity following vitamin D that would impinge on food intake and substrate oxidation. However, the very few RCTs on supplemental vitamin D and energy balance have not explored postprandial avenues of the hormone's actions. Future efforts in this area need to define the threshold intake of these nutrients that would maximize metabolic and gastrointestinal outcomes. Such studies would provide a platform for endorsing the non‐skeletal role of calcium and vitamin D in human pathophysiology.
Resistance training, visceral obesity and inflammatory response: a review of the evidence
Authors: Strasser B. , Arvandi M. , Siebert U.
Published: March 2012

Intra‐abdominal obesity is an important risk factor for low‐grade inflammation, which is associated with increased risk for diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. For the most part, recommendations to treat or prevent overweight and obesity via physical activity have focused on aerobic endurance training as it is clear that aerobic training is associated with much greater energy expenditure during the exercise session than resistance training. However, due to the metabolic consequences of reduced muscle mass, it is understood that normal ageing and/or decreased physical activity may lead to a higher prevalence of metabolic disorders. Whether resistance training alters visceral fat and the levels of several pro‐inflammatory cytokines produced in adipose tissue has not been addressed in earlier reviews. Because evidence suggests that resistance training may promote a negative energy balance and may change body fat distribution, it is possible that an increase in muscle mass after resistance training may be a key mediator leading to a better metabolic control. Considering the benefits of resistance training on visceral fat and inflammatory response, an important question is: how much resistance training is needed to confer such benefits? Therefore, the purpose of this review was to address the importance of resistance training on abdominal obesity, visceral fat and inflammatory response.
Killing Civilians: Thinking the Practice of War
Authors: Zehfuss Maja
Published: March 2012

Much discussion of the ethics of war revolves around civilians’ alleged special claim to protection, expressed in the principle of non-combatant immunity. This article shows that its supporters do not give persuasive reasons for why civilians should be protected from deliberate harm ahead of combatants. The principle moreover problematically relies on the significance of intention. Intriguingly, the principle is defended in the face of recognising these issues. Its defenders argue that the principle must be maintained because without it we would be unable to distinguish legitimate uses of political violence from mass murder and terrorism. This article argues instead that the principle's role in making permissible political violence classified as ‘war’ must be considered: it works to enable what it seeks to prevent, namely making the killing of civilians acceptable.
AN ASPECT QUERY LANGUAGE MODEL BASED ON QUERY DECOMPOSITION AND HIGH‐ORDER CONTEXTUAL TERM ASSOCIATIONS
Authors: Song Dawei , Huang Qiang , Bruza Peter , Lau Raymond
Published: March 2012

In information retrieval (IR) research, more and more focus has been placed on optimizing a query language model by detecting and estimating the dependencies between the query and the observed terms occurring in the selected relevance feedback documents. In this paper, we propose a novel Aspect Language Modeling framework featuring term association acquisition, document segmentation, query decomposition, and an Aspect Model (AM) for parameter optimization. Through the proposed framework, we advance the theory and practice of applying high‐order and context‐sensitive term relationships to IR. We first decompose a query into subsets of query terms. Then we segment the relevance feedback documents into chunks using multiple sliding windows. Finally we discover the higher order term associations, that is, the terms in these chunks with high degree of association to the subsets of the query. In this process, we adopt an approach by combining the AM with the Association Rule (AR) mining. In our approach, the AM not only considers the subsets of a query as “hidden” states and estimates their prior distributions, but also evaluates the dependencies between the subsets of a query and the observed terms extracted from the chunks of feedback documents. The AR provides a reasonable initial estimation of the high‐order term associations by discovering the associated rules from the document chunks. Experimental results on various TREC collections verify the effectiveness of our approach, which significantly outperforms a baseline language model and two state‐of‐the‐art query language models namely the Relevance Model and the Information Flow model.
FAIRNESS IN RECURRENT AUCTIONS WITH COMPETING MARKETS AND SUPPLY FLUCTUATIONS
Authors: Murillo Javier , López Beatriz , Muñoz Víctor , Busquets Dídac
Published: March 2012

Auctions have been used to deal with resource allocation in multiagent environments, especially in service‐oriented electronic markets. In this type of market, resources are perishable and auctions are repeated over time with the same or a very similar set of agents. In this scenario it is advisable to use recurrent auctions: a sequence of auctions of any kind where the result of one auction may influence the following one. Some problems do appear in these situations, as for instance, the bidder drop problem, the asymmetric balance of negotiation power or resource waste, which could cause the market to collapse. Fair mechanisms can be useful to minimize the effects of these problems. With this aim, we have analyzed four previous fair mechanisms under dynamic scenarios and we have proposed a new one that takes into account changes in the supply as well as the presence of alternative marketplaces. We experimentally show how the new mechanism presents a higher average performance under all simulated conditions, resulting in a higher profit for the auctioneer than with the previous ones, and in most cases avoiding the waste of resources.
BELIEF IS NOT THE ISSUE: A DEFENCE OF INFERENCE TO THE BEST EXPLANATION
Authors: Dawes Gregory W.
Published: March 2012

Defences of inference to the best explanation (IBE) frequently associate IBE with scientific realism, the idea that it is reasonable to believe our best scientific theories. I argue that this linkage is unfortunate. IBE does not warrant belief, since the fact that a theory is the best available explanation does not show it to be (even probably) true. What IBE does warrant is acceptance: taking a proposition as a premise in theoretical and/or practical reasoning. We ought to accept our best scientific theories since they are the theories that are most likely to lead to the goal of science, which is that of knowledge. In support of this claim I invoke Bill Lycan's Panglossian reflections regarding Mother Nature.1